Someone to Love #BookReview #BriFri
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Last week, I explored the BAFTA 2017 film awards to find new movies to add to my To Watch list. Tina reviewed The Forbidden Garden. Sim told us all about the Millennium Bridge in London and its many TV and film appearances — and, she announced her plans to travel to England in May! Becky reviewed a sci-fi novel set in a futuristic Manchester, England: Lifers.
Book: Someone to Love by Mary Balogh
Genre: Historical romance
Publisher: Signet
Publication date: 2016
Pages: 382
Source: Library e-book
A historical novel set in Bath and London
Summary: Anna Snow’s prospects are dim. Fortunately, she’s reasonably content serving as a teacher in the Bath orphanage where she was raised. Of course, what she really wants is a family to call her own. A summons to London from a stranger starts her on a new journey. She finds her family but loses the love she hoped for in the same moment, when they discover that she’s the sole heir to her father’s fortune.
Thoughts: I suppose that every child has the occasional fantasy of someday discovering that she is, in fact, the progeny of a noble house that will treat her like a princess. That must be about a hundred times stronger in the mind of an orphan. I delighted in that fantasy coming alive on the page for Anna Snow. The story works, in part, because Anna truly did want the love, not the riches. This is a romance so, of course, we know that love will win in the end.
Appeal: Someone to Love is the first book in a new series by Mary Balogh. The second book, Someone to Hold, was published last month — it looks like it’s set mostly in Bath. I read everything that Balogh writes and recommend her to anyone who enjoys historical romances with English settings.
Have you read this book? What did you think?
I have good things about Mary Balough, so recently read her ‘Secret Affair’, in which a young widow has an affair with an attractive rake. Although she is a good storyteller, the story seemed to be about modern people in fancy dress – there was no concern about pregnancy, which would have ruined her, or STDs, which were incurable. However, the story above seems interesting – I’ll give her another try.
Have you read any Georgette Heyer? She invented regency romance, and is still queen of the genre. I think you’d like her if you don’t already know her.
A series I got from the library is the “Detectorists”. It is also available through some other streaming venues. It sounds really boring, a couple of homely men metal detecting but it is a slice of life feel good series!
We got a kick out of that series! Funny and tender and really great British scenery.
I spent a lot of time in the hospital last year so I read all of the books in the Survivor series after reading your reviews. Nice and light reading that didn’t require me to think too much. A couple of them dragged a bit for me- I think because I read them so close together that the formula of them became kind of old for me but thanks for reviewing them- they were perfect for my situation
Sorry Joy, I’ve just learned that not only does the link not work, the post has disappeared! Not sure if I’ve been hacked or what. I’ll repost and let you know. Sorry for the inconvenience!
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