September 23, 2019
The charming seventh Westcott regency (after Someone to Honor) delights with an unconventional, older heroine. Lady Matilda Westcott, now in her mid-50s, has accepted her role as the quiet spinster daughter of the Dowager Countess of Riverdale. When, in the previous book, Matilda uncharacteristically persuaded Viscount Charles Dirkson, the estranged, illegitimate father of Matilda’s nephew-in-law, to claim his son, she unintentionally made Charles a member of the sprawling Westcott family. Now, Matilda must learn to cope with his nearness at family gatherings and try to forget that, 36 years earlier, the two of them were sweethearts. But encountering each other proves unavoidable, forcing Matilda to see that Charles has outgrown his rakish youth and Charles to remember the Matilda he fell in love with. Much of the page count is taken up by an appendix containing synopses of each previous Westcott regency, but new readers may still have trouble untangling the complicated family dynamics. Series fans, however, will be pleasantly surprised to see fussy Matilda’s unexpected sentimental side in this second chance romance that proves love is ageless. Agent: Maria Carvainis, Maria Carvainis Agency.
October 15, 2019
A Westcott novella that celebrates the second-chance love of a couple in their 50s. Nondescript spinster Matilda Westcott temporarily abandoned her typical role as the backdrop for her aristocratic Regency family to bring about the happy ending of Someone To Honor (2019). Here, Balogh gives her a romance of her own with a former suitor 36 years after she turned him down (like Anne Elliott in Jane Austen's Persuasion). Charles Sawyer, Viscount Dirkson, is surprised to learn that he still has feelings for his first love, whom he thought he had forgotten soon after she rejected his marriage proposal. Now a grandfather with a newly forged connection to the Westcotts, he finds himself reestablishing their connection in the hope of a new outcome. Matilda, who had convinced herself that she made the right decision as a young woman, finally faces her own cowardice--a realization aided by her mother's apology for having advised her wrongly. Surrounded by a supportive extended family, she must decide if her youthful love has truly withered or she is willing to let it flower in her middle age in defiance of public mockery. The on-the-shelf heroine's growth into a full-fledged person will not surprise anyone who knows the author's ability to reframe women characters. This novella is introduced by a letter from Balogh explaining the development of the Westcott family series and summarizing each of the earlier novels, and the book ends with excerpts from each of them. While these may help new readers or refresh the memories of those who have forgotten the details, others may be put off by what could be perceived as padding. Wistful yet hopeful, the story is a needed addition to a genre that usually celebrates the romances of younger protagonists.
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November 1, 2019
Thirty-six years ago, Matilda Westcott listened to her parents and cut off all ties with the only man she ever loved: Charles Sawyer. Since then, Matilda has spent her days devotedly caring for her mother, the Dowager Countess of Riverdale, and quietly fading into the background. Suddenly, after an unexpected connection is discovered between their families, Charles, now Viscount Dirkson, reenters Matilda's life. Avoiding Charles and clinging to her familiar way of life would seem to be the smartest course of action, but Matilda can't help but wonder if now is the time to take another chance on romance. After six superbly written entries in her Westcott family series (sample chapters of each are included in this volume), Balogh (Someone to Honor, 2019) now gifts readers with a splendidly executed novella, which not only refreshingly focuses on the passion shared by a mature couple, but also delivers the remarkable depth and complex characterization for which Balogh is known and loved. This is a gracefully written little gem of a love story by the Tiffany's of romance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)