Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Review: Someone to Trust

https://amzn.to/2QkSsqK
TitleSomeone to Trust
Author:  Mary Balogh
Series:  Westcott #5
Genre:  Historical Romance
Publisher:  Berkley Books
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:  400 Pages
Date of Publication:  November 27, 2018
My Rating:  5 Stars


DESCRIPTION:

During a rare white Christmas at Brambledean Court, the widow Elizabeth, Lady Overfield, defies convention by falling in love with a younger man in the latest novel in the Westcott series.

After her husband's passing, Elizabeth Overfield decides that she must enter into another suitable marriage. That, however, is the last thing on her mind when she meets Colin Handrich, Lord Hodges, at the Westcott Christmas house party. She simply enjoys his company as they listen to carolers on Christmas Eve, walk home from church together on Christmas morning, and engage in a spirited snowball fight in the afternoon. Both are surprised when their sled topples them into a snowbank and they end up sharing an unexpected kiss. They know there is no question of any relationship between them, for she is nine years older than he.

They return to London the following Season, both committed to finding other, more suitable matches. Still they agree to share one waltz at each ball they attend. This innocuous agreement proves to be one that will topple their worlds, as each dance steadily ensnares them in a romance that forces the two to question what they are willing to sacrifice for love. . . .


MY THOUGHTS:

First a kiss. Then a dance. Then a promise for a waltz at every ball during the coming Season. How did it all start? It is Christmas at Brambledean Court and Alexander Westcott, Earl of Riverdale, has invited quite a few family members to enjoy the festivities immediately after the wedding of Viola and Marcel. If you have read the previous stories in the Westcott Series you will be familiar with other newly marrieds, Anna and Avery, Camille and Joel, Alexander and Wren, as well as a host of other relatives. During the first several chapters, the author explains how everyone is connected.

Colin Handrich, Lord Hodges, is twenty-six years old, and is Wren’s brother, who is now married to Alexander. Colin has quite a fondness for Elizabeth Overfield, Alexander’s sister. Elizabeth is nine years Colin’s senior. If not for her age, Colin can easily see himself falling in love with her. She is the most beautiful woman he has ever met. He sees her down to her very soul.

Elizabeth wants to be happy. After all, she just witnessed the wonderful wedding of Viola and Marcel. And, it is the holidays, yet Elizabeth is rather melancholy and bit depressed. Elizabeth thought she had at one time found the love of her life. However, it was a marriage that was mostly miserable and her husband eventually died due to his drinking.

Elizabeth is truly happy for the bride and groom and hopes from the depths of her heart that they find true contentment and joy forever. However, she is sadly filled with envy and loneliness. While observing the four recently married couples over the past two years and noticing their incredible happiness, Elizabeth wonders if she herself should remarry. After all, she has had offers. If she married for the sake of companionship, would she be able to stave off her loneliness?

Colin also wonders about marriage. He has a title and wealth, and he knows that he must soon search for a bride. During their time with the family at the holidays, Colin feels quite drawn to Elizabeth. He jokes to her that perhaps they should marry. She looks at him in shock. They suit in temperament, likes and attraction. There is an obvious problem, however, their age difference. The ton would never stand for it.

As the Season approaches, Colin and Elizabeth have much to look forward to. At the very least, it is the promise to dance the first waltz at each ball. Meanwhile Elizabeth has been contemplating a previously made offer for marriage. Colin begins to observe the young women present and wonders which of them might make a bride for him, someone that he can love. He will accept nothing less. 

This fifth book in the series is rich with wonderful, happy characters that make a large blended family. We are re-introduced to a character from a previous book who is not so wonderful but does have a role that affects the decisions that Colin and Elizabeth eventually must make.

Someone to Trust is a truly wonderful love story. Mary Balogh tells this tale quite beautifully and it is very easy to fall in love with the main characters. It is delivered in a great fashion and makes a perfect companion to the previous titles. I definitely look forward to future books in this series.

Many thanks to Berkley Books and First to Read for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Series list:
*Someone to Love (2016)
*Someone to Hold (2017)
- review link: https://www.robinlovesreading.com/2018/10/review-someone-to-hold.html
*Someone to Wed (2017)
- https://www.robinlovesreading.com/2018/10/review-someone-to-wed.html
*Someone to Care (2018)
- https://www.robinlovesreading.com/2018/11/review-someone-to-care.html
*Someone to Trust (2018)


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I grew up in post-war Wales as Mary Jenkins. It was in many ways an idyllic childhood even though Swansea, my home town, had been heavily bombed during the war, rationing was still on, and material possessions were few. If anyone knew how to stretch a penny to do the work of two, it was my mother.

My sister, Moira, two years older than I, was my constant playmate and soul-mate. We both have a hard time convincing people who did not know us then that we were almost inseparable yet never quarrelled. Our few dolls became our family. They had names, personalities, histories. We used to lie awake in bed at night–until our mother would call up, promising dire consequences if we did not stop talking–inventing stories about our dolls’ antics. On summer days Mam would construct a tent out of blankets, string and clothes pegs attached to the clothesline and the garden fence, and we would play “house” all day. The neighbours must have cringed when we took our dolls for walks in the strollers Dad made for us, complete with solid–and excruciatingly noisy–wooden wheels.


Moira and I both used to fill notebooks with stories. We read voraciously–especially every book of Enid Blyton’s we could get our hands on when we were younger, the classics when we were a little older. We both used to say that we wanted to be authors when we grew up, though the word we used then was authoress. We both fulfilled our dream, though we both financed it with careers as high school English teachers.

Much more about this talented author can be found on her website at: http://www.marybalogh.com.  


9 comments:

  1. Glad you liked it, I don't often read historical fiction

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  2. Wonderful review! I'm not a super big historical fiction reader but this looks like a good one!

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  3. I love your reviews♥ This one looks super interesting!

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  4. I'm doing time-travel and immortal beings. I think I can fit this in 2019.

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  5. Lovely review! I don't often read historical fiction but really like it when I do so I'll keep this one in mind.

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