Mary Balogh's books are always a solid purchase for my library. I enjoyed this story of redemption I liked both main characters and thought the duke and duchess were so fun. I would like to read more about the Ware family.

I am very new to the author’s work, why I was a bit fearful at first to read her stories, afraid to be lost with to many mentions of past characters from her previous works.
And so far I have been lucky with the two books I read, as the actions were taking place mostly away from the city and with characters sort of removed from the ton, I have been able to enjoy the stories which drowning in a list of too many characters.
Alas it has not been the case for this book.
Set in London, it was expected for the heroes to mingle among society, what I did not see coming what the Debrett’s listing of everyone crossing path with them.
It was confusing and lost me more often than less, as it had me having to go back to seek where I left the characters.
Which did not help to really enter the story, thankfully things moved a bit once we reached half mark and the main couple finally was able to settle their enmity and clear the air between them.

As what has been carelessly voiced and, sadly overheard shaped the heroine’s life for the last four years. She really let few words from a stranger alter her life as if he has fired into her heart.
After same is to say from Lucas when he realizes the weight his words had on this young woman, he owns his culpability and tries to atone for his error.
As now Philippa has entered the snake den, she is able to see she made a mountain of clearly nothing for the ton.

While his behavior is quite outrageous, I loved the duke antics and his duchess too, they were much entertaining as was Jenny, the hero’s sister, a young woman who did not let life’s hardships slow her down, determined to experience everything at its fullest

« Is your grandfather really dying?” “Who knows?” he said. “Even his physician cannot predict such an event with any great accuracy, I suppose. His Grace can be a very stubborn man. He may give Death one of his looks when it comes calling, and Death may go slinking away and not dare return until a more convenient time.” »

After Lucas and Philippa’s “courtship” once they settled the past was nice to follow. Even if it did not follow the path they would have wanted, in the end, they were a matched pair.
3.75 stars rounded up

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scene

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

I was a bit disappointed by this book. I love MB but I feel some of her writing has lost its spark. I was imagining the conflict in this book like Slightly Dangerous because the premise seemed to lend itself that way. But it is so melodramatic, characters have no real depth. Everyone is sad and has a sad story. I hope the next book in the series gets better.

Lady Philippa’s family was disgraced when her father’s infidelity was exposed publicly. She had been about to make her debut, thinking the gossip had died down, but changed her mind when she overhears a visitor refer to her as “spoiled goods” at a country dance. Those words hurt and humiliated her, so Philippa withdrew and refused to be presented in London.

However, four years later her beloved brother Devlin, now the Earl of Stratton after her father’s death, has helped her to see that her choice was ruining her chance at happiness because she wants to marry and have a family of her own. Unfortunately, on her first outing she’s introduced to the very man who uttered those cruel words, Lucas Arden, Marquess of Roath. He’s one of the most eligible bachelors out there, now looking for a wife, and it seems his family has their heart set on Philippa to fill those shoes.

Lucas wishes he didn’t utter those careless, cruel words and knows he doesn’t deserve Philippa who he’s come to realize is beautiful both inside and out. He had no idea she heard him, or the effect his words would have on her. At the time he was crushed by grief and bitterness. There’s a backstory there that isn’t hard to figure out.

I absolutely loved Lucas and Philippa’s journey! They were complex, multi-layered characters and I felt their emotions: anger, regret, longing, and joy right along with them. It was clear they were a love match, but they had to figure it out for themselves, and reconcile the past. They had the “help” of Lucas’ bull-headed grandfather. I had to laugh at the old curmudgeon, and it was hard not to be won over by his well-meant scheming. Really, both families were so lovely!

Remember Me is the second book of the Ravenswood series, but I don’t think it’s completely necessary to read the first book as the events from the last book are touched on. However, I think you’d appreciate the story more by starting with the last book. Both are a total recommend!

From the incomparable pen of much-loved author Mary Balogh comes a stellar new historical romance: Remember Me.

Lady Philippa Ware once believed that she had an enviable future – until a shocking secret about her family had come to light and destroyed everything. The family were shunned by society and all of Philippa’s hopes of a London debut and a suitable marriage had been cruelly dashed. Hearing the dashing Marquess of Roath denouncing her had been the final nail in the coffin and Philippa had vowed never to set foot in London ever again. But over time, things change and after mustering all of her strength and courage, Philippa decides to brave London where she is soon a huge hit. However, there is one man who could spoil her newfound success: Lucas Arden, the Marquess of Roath…

Lucas is in desperate need of a wife. With time not on his side, Lucas must find a bride and produce an heir before it’s too late. London is usually the very last place Lucas wants to be, but if the Marquess wants to marry a woman of his own choosing, he must frequent the Ton’s drawing rooms and ballrooms or else his grandparents will choose his bride for him! Lucas immediately finds himself attracted to his sister’s best friend. But when he discovers that Philippa is the daughter of the Earl of Stratton, he immediately realizes that she is the last woman he could ever marry – even if she is the woman his hearts wants!

Will Philippa and Lucas find a way to be together? Can they vanquish old ghosts and grasp this chance at a happy ending with both hands? Or will past sins and dangerous secrets continue to come between them?

Mary Balogh’s books are in a class of their own and her attention to detail, gift for characterization and mesmerizing ability to tug at the heartstrings ensure that every novel of hers is a rich and rewarding experience for her readers. A virtuoso of the genre who makes Regency England come to stunning life every time, in Remember Me, Mary Balogh has written a heart-warming, passionate, witty and intensely emotional tale of second chances, healing from old wounds and everlasting love that I couldn’t read fast enough.

Remember Me is a first-class historical romance that continues to cement Mary Balogh’s position as one of the genre’s brightest shining stars.

When I'm in a bad mood or can't figure out what to read, I pick up a Mary Balogh book. She writes stories with characters I wish I knew in person, set in a world I wish I could have lived in (provided I had the means of these people). REMEMBER ME is the latest in a long line of Mary Balogh books that I devoured, missing its people when it was over.

This is a second chance, enemies-to-lovers tale of Lady Philippa and Lucas Arden who met as teens and reconnect later, when Philippa is about to enter Society. There is a touch of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet to this story, too, as Philippa overheard Lucas say something terrible when they first met, something she has held against him ever since.

We all know Philippa and Lucas belong together and will be together, but the fun lies in uncovering how that happens. Few write suppressed lust (or unconcealed lust, as it were) like Mary Balogh. Lucas wants Philippa badly right from the start, whereas her desire for him has to build. Balogh throws them together time and again, and you will love their interactions.

Lucas and Philippa are delightful to get to know, and reading about them is a joy. I wanted more, as I always do with Mary Balogh's books, so now I await the next in her new Ravenswood series, where I can go back to this world.

I want to start off by saying I am a Mary Balogh fan. I've read all of the Bedwyn Saga and Georgian, and some of the Westcott series. I read Remember Love earlier this year and am grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Remember Me before its publishing.

Like all of Mary Balogh's other novels, Remember Me can be read as a standalone, but as a reader my experience is always enhanced when recognize a character from another book. It takes me deeper into the world she's created. Balogh does a wonderful job of staying true to the time period, while balancing the sensibilities of modern readers. The downside of any romance novel is that there is a formula that is repeated, but this is also a comfort. Balogh's characters and family dynamics set her stories apart, and the Pipa, Lucas, and the Duke did not disappoint.

Pipa and Lucas second chance/ enemies to lovers story would be perfect for anyone dipping their toes into the world of historical romance for the first time or anyone wanting a comfort read. I recommend reading Remember Love first to have a full experience reading Remember Me.

DNF. I really liked the premise but the writing did not work for me at all. It wouldn't be fair to the book if I finished reading and gave it a low rating.

Every once in a while you come across a book that holds all your senses and doesn’t let go till the end. You can never guess which book it would be. I was a big fan of Mary Balogh few years back and read all the books till recent years. I thought I parted ways with regency romance. But this book….it has the wit, the subtle romance…headstrong characters….and the language!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

Remember Me is the second in Mary Balogh's Ravenswood series. I do recommend reading this series in order. This book focuses on Philippa Ware and Lucas, the Marquess of Roath. We get some of their back story in the earlier Remember Love, and I think it helps to fully appreciate this story.

Philippa's debut into society was long delayed, in part due to her concerns about her father's scandals. The man she least wants to see in London is the Marquess of Roath, so of course, she runs into him at her very first social event.

I love how Balogh's series focus on families. We get to know each character so well, and we see all the forces that shape who they become. That can mean that the story is a bit slow paced. For me it's worth it, as I especially appreciated Philippa for the independent and strong woman she is. This story, with its focus on forgiveness, duty, and love, is so sweet. And I especially enjoyed the mentions of the Bedwyn family from one of my favorite Balogh series.

I really struggled with Remember Me, because I felt like relatively little of the book was dedicated to the romance between Philippa and Lucas.

We know from Remember Love that they had a terrible first meeting (four years ago, she overheard him calling her "soiled goods"), so at first I expected this one to be more like Someone to Hold, where the heroine finds someone else. Instead, we get the explanation behind why Luc said that, and....yeah, I think the choice of the phrase "soiled goods" was a mistake here, because while we learn why Luc does not like the previous Earl of Stratton, that phrase is very mean and pointed. And that explanation does not even come until 50% of the way through the book!

Remember Me contains way too many meddling family members, and Luc's ducal grandparents end up taking over a fair bit of the plot. There's loads of monologues and interior thoughts, and not a lot of conversations between Phil and Luc. We don't see much of a romance arc, and instead have a rushed wedding due to illness/impending death and then several time jumps forward into their marriage.

In short: The first 2/3's of the book dragged, and then the last third rocketed through plot events--with the end result that the romance felt severely underdeveloped here.

A somber, contemplative second-chance romance. And typical for a Balogh, it's about more than just our main characters, we spend a lot of time with their families.

This wounded her and affected her for years. I like that the insult is real, she didn't just misunderstand or get it out of context. He really was being extremely rude to her, and he has to reckon with that.

I loved how they worked through this together.. When he tells her a big secret, they have a tender reconciliation.

The ending felt very rushed. I wish there was a bit more leading up to their coming together. There's a long build up and then everything happened at once. I really wanted to see more of them falling in love gradually.

I enjoyed the main characters and the sweet romance but … As much as I enjoy a romance book with strong supporting characters and family members, I find it sdifficult to keep track of all the different characters that are mentioned in this series - even though I feel like the author keeps repeating who everyone is and some specific events over and over again - it does impact my enjoyment of the books … I’m hoping book 3 is a bit less on side stories and a bit more on the main love story !

Janine: Kaetrin and I have reviewed several books by Mary Balogh together, starting with Someone to Love, book one in the Westcott series. Remember Me is the second book in a newer series about the Ware family and we continue our joint review tradition with this review of it.

Pastoral scene with a young woman in profile wearing a straw bonnet and holding a parasol looking out over the water at a man in a rowboat.

In the first book in the series, Remember Love, we read about how the Earl of Stratton, father to Devlin and Philippa Ware (siblings and main characters in Remember Love and Remember Me, respectively), was discovered in a very compromising position cheating on his wife and then called out by Devlin. Devlin and his illegitimate half-brother, Ben, left to fight in the Napoleonic Wars the next day and the break within the family devastated each of the Wares.

No one was more damaged by these events than Philippa Ware, the elder of the two Ware sisters. Philippa is beautiful and was anticipating a season and when she glimpsed a handsome young man, the Marquess of Roath, at a maypole dance. When she overheard him refer to her as the blond beauty, she got excited at the prospect of being asked to dance.

But in the next moment, the marquess learned she was Stratton’s daughter and referred to her as soiled goods. Philippa was heartbroken and lost all her self-confidence. She retreated into herself and it wasn’t until Devlin’s return six years later that she decided to turn a new leaf and not allow Roath and his words to ruin her life.

In Remember Me, we meet Lucas Arden, the Marquess of Roath, and he is matched with Philippa. I admit I wasn’t at all certain I wanted to read this book because of that pairing.

Kaetrin: I thought the Marquess was always going to be Philippa’s hero. There had to be a story behind what he said.

Janine: I expected him to be more like Camille’s snobbish fiancé in the Westcott books. Your intuition was better than mine.

I didn’t think I would be able to forgive Luc for his callous and slut-shaming words. I worried that this would be a romance where Luc had to learn his lesson on how not to be an asshole and Pippa would be stuck with someone who needed lessons on that topic. Miraculously that was not the case.

Shortly before they meet again, Philippa is introduced to Luc’s aunt and sister. Luc’s aunt is a dear friend of her mother’s and Luc’s sister, Jenny, quickly becomes a friend to Pippa. This does a lot to allay Philippa’s fears (present ever since the day Luc disparaged her) that she would be rejected in society for her father’s sins.

(This was something that bothered me in Remember Love; I didn’t buy that Pippa would be held in contempt for her father’s transgressions, and so I was very glad when this book showed that wasn’t where Balogh was going. Pippa becomes a resounding success in society. It was only her sensitivity and Luc’s cruel words that distorted her thoughts enough to make the possibility of being despised feel real to her.)

Kaetrin: I didn’t really understand why or how Pippa would have been “soiled goods” and, I admit, I still don’t. I mean, I’ve read the book; I know the explanation given. I just don’t think what happened equaled Pippa being so-named by Lucas.

Janine: Yes, it was a tortured contrivance.

Meanwhile, Luc’s grandfather, the Duke of Wilby, has a weak heart and anticipates that he is not long for the world. Luc is the only heir so a spare is a priority. After getting the diagnosis that his days are numbered, the duke requests Luc’s presence and then tells him that he will have to find a wife and marry soon. The duke wants to hold his grandson, Luc’s heir, before he passes.

Luc agrees but feels some trepidation. Finding a wife within a couple of months will be easy from one perspective. Luc is handsome, titled, and well off. His grandfather has no doubts that many young ladies and their mothers will set their cap for his grandson, and he’s not far wrong. Still, it seems a heartless business to Luc. He wants to feel love, or at least liking and attraction, for his future marchioness, and he fears that won’t be possible when he has to find her on such short notice.

How lucky it seems to him, then, that when, upon his arrival in London, he joins a gathering at his aunt’s, he spots a stunning blonde at his sister’s side. Luc is smitten almost immediately, not just by Pippa’s beauty but by her evident kindness to Jenny.

(The nature of Jenny’s disability isn’t entirely clear; it’s stated that Jenny can walk with assistance, but most of the time uses a wheelchair and some mystery childhood illness brought this about. I was thinking polio, but when I looked it up I read that it was already known as Poliomyelitis in the regency, so I don’t know why it wasn’t named as such.)

Kaetrin: I thought polio too.

Janine: Unfortunately for Luc, Pippa remembers him a lot better than he remembers her, and identifies him immediately. As soon as she confronts him with the question “Remember me?” Luc realizes she must be the girl he once called soiled goods. Luc had blocked the incident from his memory because he was so upset and ashamed at his own behavior, which was totally unlike him and had nothing to do with the Ware family scandal. Until now, he didn’t know Philippa had overheard his cruel remarks.

Luc immediately apologizes and tells Philippa, who brings up the old scandal, that he hasn’t heard about it. He also says that he can’t explain his reasons, and indeed, as we read on, it becomes clear what they were and why he can’t. Philippa decides to avoid Luc, but circumstances (and later his grandparents) conspire to throw them together. There is a powerful attraction between them despite everything and there is also Luc’s need to marry quickly. But will Philippa ever forgive him?

So. I liked the romance in this book much, much better than the one in Remember Love. I hadn’t realized how much I disliked Devlin until after we I wrote the review, and I actually went back later and revised my grade, which isn’t something I do often. The more I thought about that book, the more unpalatable Devlin became to me in his rigidity, tone deafness and self-centeredness. He is one of my least favorite Balogh protagonists in quite some time.

Kaetrin: I like Devlin well enough. He’s not my favourite by any stretch but I didn’t have quite the same reaction to him as you did Janine. That said, his behaviour was less than stellar in Remember Love, for sure. Lucas, on the other hand, was perfect.

(Although, I had to laugh at admire Devlin’s protective instincts for Pippa after he realises just who Lucas is. “I think I should just have killed him and been done with it,” he said as she passed him.)

Janine: Yes, that was a good moment.

Luc was absolutely lovely. I never thought I would feel that way about him when I first heard about him in Remember Love, but in here in Remember Me, when I realized what his reasons must have been (well ahead of when they were revealed—I won’t spoil them except to say that they have to do with a personal trauma), I felt a lot of sympathy for him.

Far beyond that, though, he was unfailingly kind and caring to everyone around him, and it comes from a genuine place. He is the kind of young man whom older people might say had been brought up right, except that in Luc’s case it had more to do with innate kindness.

Kaetrin: Lucas is not my favourite Balogh hero either but I did like him very much. What wasn’t to like after all? He was almost, but not quite, too perfect.

Janine: True. Weirdly, I think his hair added a lot to his appeal to me too.

I liked Philippa but she wasn’t a standout character to me. She was so defined by her dilemmas vis-à-vis Luc and by his effect on her from six years earlier. While she was developed enough, she wasn’t as well-developed as I would have liked. Her initial coolness to Luc, while 100% understandable, nevertheless made me view her as standoffish. I still liked her, though.

Kaetrin: I liked Philippa too. I didn’t think of her as standoffish; Lucas deserved what he got from her and I’m glad she had the gumption to address it with him directly.

Janine: I think maybe standoffish was the wrong way to express it—what I mean is that I liked Luc so much that I wanted Philippa to forgive him faster. It wasn’t that she should have, in fact she was right to stay upset as long as she did. I just wanted to give Luc a big hug, though, so from that perspective part of me wanted her to come around sooner. The book would have had no plot if she had (it didn’t have enough even so), so it’s good she didn’t. This was an emotional want, not an intellectual one. I’m not sure if that makes sense.

Kaetrin: Later in the book (no spoilers!) she and Lucas have a wonderfully frank conversation which she starts. Philippa had decided she would not be cowed any longer – by something someone said about her years before or by anything else and I liked that best about her. She managed to stand up for herself without stepping on others.

Janine: Luc’s grandfather was a character in the figurative meaning, amusing and used to getting his own way. His jokes about his wife’s taller height were hammy but attention getting. I did find him annoyingly pushy at times. His reasons made sense (he was dying) but still. He also had one moment of snobbery that bothered me. But his relationships with his duchess and with Luc were heartwarming.

Kaetrin: Yes, the duke and duchess were significant characters in the book – especially His Grace. I liked there was some nuance to his portrayal; Lucas clearly had mixed feelings about leaving his home and sister after the death of his father to go to Greystone (not Greystoke Kaetrin – GreySTONE!) and it was the duke who was responsible for that decision. (Why could Jenny not have joined them?) But he loves his grandparents dearly and the feeling is very much returned.

In some ways he is very ducal; he’s autocratic and used to getting his own way. That sounds about right.

This exchange, when discussing Luc’s foray into the “marriage mart” felt uncomfortably misogynistic but all too accurate.

“I am to have no choice in the matter, then?” Lucas asked.

“Well, I am no tyrant, Luc,” his grandfather said, not at all truthfully. “I daresay there will be more than one. Maybe even as many as half a dozen if this is a good year.”

In other areas however, the Duke of Wilby is very much a “romance novel duke” – in particular the value he places on love. I don’t think that was all that common in real life.

Janine: I didn’t mind the misogyny, like you say, it’s accurate. For me it can actually make a romance more romantic when the hero treats the heroine with grace despite coming from this misogynistic society. He’s going against the grain for her, or else going against the grain because he has a lot of decency and caring—either way it can enhance his character.

Kaetrin: Oh I appreciate the accurate stuff too. It’s just, here, it didn’t fit neatly with the “romance novel” stuff. The duke’s references to the availability of suitable brides doesn’t jibe all that well with what clearly was or became a significant motivation – that Lucas marry for love.

Janine: The way I read it the motivation evolved. A marriage was necessary but Luc’s grandfather felt a little guilty for insisting on it when he thought about the fact that Luc might have to forgo love. So then when he and his wife noticed the pull between Luc and Pippa, it was the perfect solution for the grandfather—the best of both worlds. Pippa had the necessary pedigree AND was someone Luc could love. I think if Pippa hadn’t conveniently come from the “right” background then it would have taken the grandparents longer to come around to rooting for Luc to marry her over other possibilities. But maybe I’m just a cynic!

Kaetrin: You may be right there.

Janine: The romance between Luc and Philippa was emotional and moving. There’s a great scene that takes place when Luc finally reveals his reasons and why he said what he said about Philippa when they were younger. He lays himself bare for her sake, and Philippa’s response is equally courageous and generous. The way the primary conflict (how would they ever get together with that past between them?) is ultimately resolved was dramatic and riveting.

Kaetrin: That part was very tense indeed, yes.

Janine: Along with my affection for Luc, these things made Luc and Philippa’s courtship pretty satisfying.

Kaetrin: As much as I liked Pippa and Lucas I wasn’t particularly riveted by the book in general. I thought their romance was mostly lacking in conflict. Once Lucas had explained his reasons Pippa promptly forgave him and really, it was one (very) insensitive comment, made years earlier. Yes, it was an awful thing to say but it wasn’t a hanging offence either. I enjoyed the book but I wasn’t compelled by it.

Janine: Despite the wonderfulness of the romance itself, I had big problems with the book.

First, there were too many family members. Most of Balogh’s books from the 2000s and on have had this issue; the stories are often submerged in secondary characters. But it was even worse here than it typically is. For one thing, we have two big families involved and not just one. For another, a greater proportion of pages, it feels like, is spent on them even for an author whose families are as fecund as Balogh’s often are. It felt like there’s a family member present in almost every scene. That’s probably an exaggeration but the combination of copiousness and omnipresence made the presence of relatives overwhelming.

Kaetrin: So. Many. People.

Janine: Second, there’s the ableism. Jenny didn’t, unlike many other Balogh characters, internalize ableism. She was well adjusted and happy and normal. Yay for that. However, much of that good work on Balogh’s part was undone by other characters, particularly the duke but to a lesser extent Luc too. At one point one of them saw her as brave and strong for smiling despite her disability.

Kaetrin: YES.

Janine: This really bothered me. There is no need to valorize disabled people; we are no different than anyone else. We don’t need to rise above because disabilities are simply part of our lives and we’re used to living with them. Most disabilities (depression and facial paralysis sometimes excepted) don’t present barriers to smiling or laughing. Using a wheelchair doesn’t preclude happiness.

There’s nothing heroic or brave about adjusting to a disability and to portray it differently is othering.

Kaetrin: I would like it if Balogh skipped writing disabled characters. Every time there is a disabled character in one of her books it is problematic.

Janine: Yup.

My third issue was the fat shaming. In our review of Remember Love, I said that while it bothered me that Balogh was privileging setting up Stephanie’s story ahead of treating the issue of a child’s eating disorder with depth and sensitivity, I wasn’t completely opposed to Stephanie angsting about her weight. It’s easy to fall into the pattern of putting pressure on ourselves to diet and engage in harmful behaviors to lose weight and that can be especially true for someone as young as Stephanie and living in a time before people were as educated on the emotional and sociological contributing factors.

However, in Remember Me I was even more annoyed with the setup for Stephanie’s book and the author’s preoccupation with her size. I feel Balogh is defining this character by her weight. Whereas with Jenny I have a sense of who she is outside of her disability, with Stephanie I have little idea who she is outside her size and her internalized fat shaming. She’s a one-issue character and that issue is how she feels about herself because of her weight.

Kaetrin: I completely agree. I will read Stephanie’s book when there is one but I don’t hold out much hope her weight won’t continue to be problematically represented. I’d like it if she just accepted her body and so did the rest of her loved ones. Yes to fat characters. No to judgement about it.

Janine: I was worried when I read the last book that Stephanie’s book would play out similarly to Wren’s in Someone to Wed (vis a vis lookism) and Stephanie would hide away because of her intense shame about her looks. And indeed in this book she does decline to attend society events. To have Stephanie react in such an extreme way made me (as a big woman myself) feel weird.

Kaetrin: I thought that Stephanie’s lack of interest in society wasn’t so much due to her weight. At least, I didn’t associate the two things when I read the book. We haven’t had any Stephanie POV yet but so far I lean toward this being personal preference rather than a self-defense mechanism.

Janine: I hope you’re right. Also, did we need to hear about how unflattering Stephanie’s hairstyle of thick braids wrapped around her head is THREE TIMES? I got the point the first time—her self-image has made her abandon good (in the eyes of the other characters) choices when it comes to personal style. It didn’t need to be repeated.

Kaetrin: She’s a bit of a Rapunzel with her hair. I wonder if it gives her a headache?

Janine: An even bigger issue for me than the last two is a structural issue. By around 80% I felt that the HEA had been achieved, and what followed was a manufactured conflict and then an extended epilogue that included a page-long description of Luc’s country estate and a directory of the many people in the Ware and Arden families, as well as their locations and travel itineraries.

Kaetrin: I didn’t feel there was a manufactured conflict near the end. It didn’t feel much like a conflict at all to me.

Janine: It was resolved in a jiffy, that’s for sure. I still would consider it as one because it did create a small hurt for an hour or two. But yes, it was a very minor issue.

Kaetrin: I would have liked more of the couple settling into their new status. Instead, we skip forward a few weeks and then nearly a year. The structure of the book was a bit of an issue for me too but not for the same reason as you. I thought it was a bit lop-sided.

Janine: As to conflict in the book more generally, I agree there wasn’t nearly enough conflict in this book and that the romance plot was slight. What there was of it was wonderful, but it should have been a novella, I think. IMO that’s why there were two subplots — one about Jenny and a suitor, and another about Luc’s grandfather – as well as setup for Stephanie’s book. There just wasn’t enough story for the romantic relationship to fill a whole book, and that was disappointing.

(In general, I’ve been noticing more filler in Balogh’s recent books. Jessica’s book in the Westcott series had a ridiculously long description of her carriage and its outriders, and Devlin and Gwyneth’s book had an absurdly detailed description of the house, the grounds, and the people of the village before the story took off. I would pay more for a tight novella than an underwritten novel, myself, but it’s possible that Balogh or her publisher don’t agree.)

Kaetrin: Filler is a good way to describe some of it. It was a little light on in terms of romance.

Janine: The book ends on an odd note and one that illustrates that Luc’s grandparents got almost as much attention in the book as Luc and Philippa did. Which would be okay if I liked the way their storyline was resolved, but I had mixed feelings.

Kaetrin: I didn’t mind the ending. I expected it, to be honest.

Janine:

Spoiler: Show

Overall this was a better book than Remember Love and Luc was miles better than Devlin as a romantic lead. But it is still among Balogh’s weaker efforts for me. C/C+.

Kaetrin: I’m at a C+/B- myself. I don’t mind books which lack conflict from time to time and Remember Me fell into that category for me. But in the end, I thought it was a little thin on the romance side. I’d have liked a bit more.

3.5 Stars

Balogh’s latest had so much potential but fell a little flat for me.

This is the second book in the Ravenswood series and involves the eldest daughter, Philippa. Who is in London for her first season, one that she avoided for years after being insulted by a gentleman in her hometown. The insult stems from a family scandal caused by her father, who has since passed. And while my heart bleeds for Philippa, I found her to be an exceedingly frustrating character.

On the flip side, we have the Marquess of Roath, Lucas, who has been tasked with going to London to attend the season in the hopes of finding his bride. He follows the wishes of his grandfather, the Duke of Wilby, who wants to see Lucas married before his passing. Though surprise, surprise Lucas holds a secret that could cause a scandal of its own, not to mention he’s the very one who insulted Philippa.

I wanted to love this story--so much. The backstory between Lucas and Philippa is priceless. They are enemies, but not because Lucas wants them to be. In his callous youth, he spoke ill of Philippa, and therefore he decides to spend his time making up for his mistakes. In his efforts, he appears to be courting our heroine, which is the last thing she wants. Every time they attempt to steer clear of one another, they are drawn back in by family members or a social engagement. As they continue to orbit each other, the ending everyone around them hopes for seems inevitable.

Lucas and Philippa were both frustrating the more I think about this story. Their chemistry lacked the fire we often see between a romance hero and heroine. This was also a bit of a slow burn, and I wasn’t sure how this would end with them together. The story had arranged marriage vibes, with other characters constantly interfering between them to drag them together. At one point, I wasn’t even sure this could constitute as a romance, but ultimately the characters proved that love can emerge from the unlikeliest of places and isn’t always a grand sweeping passion.

Overall, if you want something that’s a bit different with not a ton of external conflict. An unlikely pairing that proves fate will always bring two people meant to be together back to one another.

~ Landra

Ms. Balogh is really a national treasure. We must protect her at all costs, lol. The way she can craft a story that just makes you feel every emotion when you read as if the story you are reading involves real people.

The Ravenswood series will take you on an emotional journey as you read about a family trying to put together the pieces of their lives after the selfish actions of their father. what you learn in Remember Me is that the Ware patriarch destructive tendencies touched other families in the Ton.

Philippa's life and innocence were shattered when the truth about her father was revealed. Spending years not wanting to face the Ton, she is ready to heal and begin life anew. However, her hope for a wonderful season goes south when Marquees Roath (Lucas) enters her world once again. He had previously humiliated her in her youth.

Lucas is very smitten with Philippa but does not realize she is the same girl from all the years back. When Philippa mentions it he feels all hope is lost. However, with scheming family members, they are constantly in each other orbits and they begin to heal from the pain of the past and start to develop a deep friendship.

This story will pull on your heartstrings and you will likely cry throughout this book as two very damaged people come together to find love, friendship, and peace in their chaotic life. It's not an easy journey and much needs to be overcome and forgiven but it's beautiful to see two lost souls come together and let the past go so they can find their own slice of happiness.'

Remember Me is the second book in the Ravenswood series. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy works by Barbara Taylor Bradford–extremely detailed with an ensemble cast of characters. The romance is slow to develop, but when it does it is worth the wait.

This series has many different side characters that will make for some interesting future stories. In fact, can’t wait for Jenny’s story to be told!


3.5 rounded up

REMEMBER ME (Ravenswood Book #2) by Mary Balogh is an enchanting Regency historical romance. This is the second book in the Ravenswood series, and it can be read as a standalone, but to get Phillipa’s entire backstory, I suggest you read book #1, Remember Love first.

Lady Phillipa “Pippa” Ware grew up eagerly awaiting her first London season until the public disgrace of her family. After overhearing the handsome Marquess of Roath calling her “soiled goods” when he visited a neighbor, she refused to go to London and isolated herself on her family’s estate.

Four years later, with the encouragement of her brother who is now the Earl, she leaves for her first season in London.

Lucas Arden, Marquess of Roath has been tasked by his grandfather the Duke of Wilby, who is elderly and not well, to find a bride and produce an heir. When he attends his first ton event, he is attracted to his sister’s new friend. When he asks to be introduced, he learns Lady Phillipa overheard his long-ago hurtful words spoken to his friend. Pippa wants to know why he said those words, but Lucas has a terrible secret of his own which involves her dead father that he never wanted to share.

His grandparents like Pippa and believe she would be the perfect match for Lucas, but can they overcome their pasts and discover the healing power of love?

This is another entertaining historical romance from Ms. Balogh. The characters are fully developed, and the dialogue is witty. There is a lot of family interaction and at times, I wish it was more focused on the hero of heroine’s love story. The sex scene was between an experienced man and a virgin which is expected for the time, but it also seemed a bit one sided in execution which I do not expect in a romance written today. Lucas’s grandparents are wonderful characters in this story with a beautiful love story of their own.

Overall, another emotional addition to the Ravenswood series and I am looking forward to following the other Ware family members as they meet their HEA mates.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Remember Me is the second novel in the Ravenswood series by Mary Balogh. This sweeping, epic romance is a stellar addition to the Ravenswood series. Lady Philippa Ware’s entire life was altered by a few cruel sentences by the Marquess of Roath, Lucas Arden. Years later, Philippa has pulled herself out of the depths of depression and meets Lucas again during the London Season and tells Lucas how he ruined her life. The two agree to keep their distance, yet Lucas’ grandfather, the Duke of Wilby, has plans for Lucas and Philippa. Oceans of regret, blame, and tragedy separate Lucas and Philippa. The two must decide if love can heal the deepest of scars.

After hearing cruel words from a handsome gentleman, young Philippa goes into a deep depression and secludes herself. Years later, Philippa, with the loving support of her family, gathers her courage and goes to London for the Season. It was heartbreaking seeing how much power Philippa allowed Lucas’ words to have on her life. I admire Philippa’s courage to take that leap of faith with the help of her loving family.

Lucas has his reasons for hating Philippa’s family, yet he is devastated to discover what his careless words did to this vibrant, beautiful woman. It took longer for Lucas to fully develop as a character compared to Philippa. I liked how Lucas owned his mistake, and I felt empathy when we learned the reasons behind Lucas’ actions.

This romance is very much about family. Both Lucas and Philippa have loving, caring families interested in their well-being. I loved the Duke and Duchess of Wilby, Lucas’ grandparents. They stole every scene! I felt there were times the romance got lost in the drama. However, this is still a gorgeous, decadent, vibrant story about how our pasts can haunt us, but they do not define us. The concluding secondary story of the Duke and Duchess of Wilby was romantic storytelling at its best. Lucas and Philippa were flawed, damaged souls, yet they learned they could heal with their shared love. Do not miss this romantic, family-centered, emotional novel!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

Mary Balogh has a new Regency Romance, Remember Me, book two in the series A Ravenswood Novel. (Book one was Remember Love.)

Lady Philippa Ware, sister of the Earl of Stratton, is finally ready, at age twenty-two, to make her London debut. Mourning her father’s death kept her from having a Season earlier, but more than that, it was a crisis of confidence. At age fifteen, she had learned of her father’s philandering, breaking her heart. The entire family was immersed in scandal. Just as she was beginning to venture out again in public, she overheard a handsome stranger, the Marquess of Roath, who was visiting her town, refer to her as “soiled goods.” For years, she believed this was how society viewed her. Although she now feels ready to tackle Society, she also still has some of that fear.

Lucas Arden is heir to the Duke of Wilby, his grandfather. Lucas was orphaned at fifteen and has spent the last nine or ten years learning the duties that will fall to him. Now, as his elderly grandfather has been diagnosed with a heart condition, Lucas must undertake his most critical duty: marrying and siring an heir to continue the line. He dreads the process of courting because he knows his grandparents will insist upon choosing the appropriate candidate for him, allowing him minimal choice in the matter. And he knows he will follow his grandfather’s dictates even if his heart rebels against them.

As soon as Lucas arrives in London, he finds his aunt is throwing a tea party and he meets a very lovely young woman, the sister of an earl, who would be a perfect candidate if she were not the daughter of Caleb Ware, the late Earl of Stratton. Lucas has his own secret reason for hating the dead earl. He wants nothing to do with the family. The young woman is Philippa. And she wants nothing to do with Lucas. He is (courtesy title) the Marquess of Roath.

Despite this rocky start, the two are thrown together often during the Season. Philippa becomes a great favorite of the Duke of Wilby, who is determined that she will be his grandson’s bride. And while Philippa and Lucas fight against this, it’s clear that they are actually perfect for one another.

Remember Me is another lovely romance by Balogh that dives deep into the hearts of the hero and heroine, surrounding them with a supportive, entertaining cast of family and friends, and pulling at the heartstrings of the reader. I recommend reading book one first, but this one can stand alone.