Longing

Rating:
Summary: I'm bucking the 5-stars trend here!
Review: First let me say that I DO recommend this novel. But...I have some definite reservations and/or opinions on it...It was odd that, while reading it, I wanted to know more of the backstories of minor characters such as, Angharad, Emrys and Owen. These characters, as written, were more "alive" to me than the noble, somewhat bloodless, Alexander and Sian. The H/H just seemed to "be there", not "live" there. Even Alexander's little daughter didn't seem "real" -- she FELT like a plot device to bring Alexander & Sian together. I can't imagine a little girl wanting to learn Welsh, and expressing all her feelings so clearly, at age 6. She conveniently ran around & amused herself while the H/H got to know each other better...bah. (...)

I thought the resolution of Sian's conflict with her father was too quick. He'd been a non-participant or an irritant in her life for most of her life; you have the major factor of Sian's illegitimacy and her longing to belong somewhere all her life, and then boom, during the last 25 pages of the novel, she's able to accept his help & they're able to establish a courteous, LOVING relationship?

Also, I didn't care for the way all the plotlines and character's conflicts were tidily resolved by the end of the book, each with a happy-ever-after feel. The resolution of each character's conflicts (with the exception of Owen's) had the "flavor" of realism, but not the reality of lives being lived!

Harsh words? Probably. But oddly enough, I don't dislike this book. In fact, I HAD to keep reading it, couldn't put it down. It's written with too much feeling to be put aside; you do want to know what happens, even if it's all a bit too tidy in the end. And if the two main characters are a bit too good & noble to be true, well, I could overlook that, because the rest of the book: the historical background; the setting in Wales; characterizations of all the minor characters with the exception of the unreal little daughter, are all so very good.

And it must be said that the sensual scenes in this book are probably the best written by Mary Balogh (...)

Rating:
Summary: I'm bucking the 5-stars trend here!
Review: First let me say that I DO recommend this novel. But...I have some definite reservations and/or opinions on it...It was odd that, while reading it, I wanted to know more of the backstories of minor characters such as, Angharad, Emrys and Owen. These characters, as written, were more "alive" to me than the noble, somewhat bloodless, Alexander and Sian. The H/H just seemed to "be there", not "live" there. Even Alexander's little daughter didn't seem "real" -- she FELT like a plot device to bring Alexander & Sian together. I can't imagine a little girl wanting to learn Welsh, and expressing all her feelings so clearly, at age 6. She conveniently ran around & amused herself while the H/H got to know each other better...bah. (...)

I thought the resolution of Sian's conflict with her father was too quick. He'd been a non-participant or an irritant in her life for most of her life; you have the major factor of Sian's illegitimacy and her longing to belong somewhere all her life, and then boom, during the last 25 pages of the novel, she's able to accept his help & they're able to establish a courteous, LOVING relationship?

Also, I didn't care for the way all the plotlines and character's conflicts were tidily resolved by the end of the book, each with a happy-ever-after feel. The resolution of each character's conflicts (with the exception of Owen's) had the "flavor" of realism, but not the reality of lives being lived!

Harsh words? Probably. But oddly enough, I don't dislike this book. In fact, I HAD to keep reading it, couldn't put it down. It's written with too much feeling to be put aside; you do want to know what happens, even if it's all a bit too tidy in the end. And if the two main characters are a bit too good & noble to be true, well, I could overlook that, because the rest of the book: the historical background; the setting in Wales; characterizations of all the minor characters with the exception of the unreal little daughter, are all so very good.

And it must be said that the sensual scenes in this book are probably the best written by Mary Balogh (...)

Rating:
Summary: Mary Balogh's Longing is the perfect historical romance!
Review: I consider myself a fan of the historical romance genre, but the truth is, I haven't read many of the books. I tried, but there would always be something about a book that I would get disgusted with, and it was usually a scared, innocent girl for a heroine. Finally, in Longing, I found everything I always hoped to find all in one book. Its heroine is no blushing, cringing girl, and its setting (Wales) was refreshing. I also received a very interesting history lesson, as well. If you enjoy Longing, you'll also enjoy Mary Balogh's Truly.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best Baloghs
Review: I loved Longing; once I started I was gripped, and could barely put the book down. It is certainly not a typical Regency; in fact, the only feature in common with the Regency genre is that the hero is an aristocrat. Having said that, he has no sympathy with the ton and no desire to live among them. Instead he wants to bring up his daughter in Wales - but to his shock, he finds that country life, and the management of his estates and coal mines, is not what he'd expected. He's an aristocrat with a social conscience, but finds that his fellow land-owners don't share it.

She is a teacher, a widow, and the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy landowner who chooses to live among the mining community; about to become engaged to a miner. Then she meets the Marquess, and becomes governess to his daughter, and attraction flares between them....

But there is far more to this book than romance. It is also a sweeping social history, and Balogh has done her research extremely well here. We see poverty, brutal employers, the early trade unions and the Chartist movement, and the 'Scotch Cattle,' as well as an evocative portrayal of a miners' march. As usual with Balogh's books, though, there are no simple distinctions between good and evil; characters are portrayed as human, with flaws as well as good points.

Definitely a keeper; I gave a copy to a friend shortly after reading mine, and she loved it too.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, great cast of characters, moving
Review: This is a truly wonderful book. Mary Balogh writes Regencies and other British historical novels better than many British writers. This book is not a Regency as such, though a member of the aristocracy is the hero.

The heroine is a strong-minded, intelligent woman desperate to 'fit in' among her mother's community in Cwmbran. She is the illegitimate daughter of a baronet, but does not belong in his world. She meets the Marquess, but feels she would only be destined to be his mistress, a fate she will not resign herself to.

That's a bare plot summary, but there is so much more to this book than that. There is also the very real poverty in a mining community, the Chartist movement, and the Scotch Cattle who are the 'guardians' of group norms of behaviour.

Balogh has a geniune skill at drawing readers into her characters' lives and concerns; once I'd started this book I couldn't bear to put it down and ended up reading it in two sittings. Thoroughly recommended, and I'm already giving a copy to a friend.

Rating:
Summary: One of Mary Balogh's best
Review: This is one of Mary Balogh's best historical novels. The characters are strong and the plot is fairly believable. I would rank it a five if only the hero hadn't bedded the heroine so often before deciding that he really needed her for life.

The life of the miners in Wales is portrayed with skill and accuracy, making this an interesting story.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: This is one of the best stories I have read. Why? The setting, the plot, the main charactors, the love, and the love scenes. All were among the best I have read. This book is written on a mature level which I appreciate being my self up there in years. This was a story that I never wanted to put down and I never wanted it to end. It was touching, moving, sensual, and delightful. Alex was a real man! Thank You, Ms Balogh for your writing talent. I will keep reading Ms Balogh's books. So far, this is her best.

Rating:
Summary: I loved this. It has a "How Green Was My Valley" feeling.
Review: This was Mary's first book set in Wales. I loved it very much. This one has the feeling of "How Green Was My Valley". I enjoyed her discuss- ion of Chartism, and early unions in Great Britain

Rating:
Summary: I loved this. It has a "How Green Was My Valley" feeling.
Review: This was Mary's first book set in Wales. I loved it very much. This one has the feeling of "How Green Was My Valley". I enjoyed her discuss- ion of Chartism, and early unions in Great Britain

Rating:
Summary: Phenomenal
Review: While the premise of this story is similar to Truly, which I also recommend, there was something about this book that seemed to have even more depth & emotion & richness. I have read several of Balogh's books and, so far, I would put this one at the top of the heap. It's not often I am taken to tears by a story but, boy, a couple scenes in this one certainly did it.

I saw nothing bloodless in Sian & Alex...anything BUT. They are decent, passionate people, not even beginning to try to deny their feelings, but caught in the social mores of their time. I thought they were very real & believable...and Oh God please find me a man like Alex. He's one of the best I have ever 'met'.

The only thing I found odd at all was that there was really no mention or thought to Alex's deceased wife or their relationship...but then it's not their story. The plot does not rely on the tortured hero syndrome nor does it need it...and how refreshing to have a gentle, kind hero...NOT to be confused with boring!

This book, at 375 or so pages, seemed longer than it was; I think because the story is so rich and has so many interesting issues occurring that it is like Haagen-Daz to low fat ice cream. At one point I couldn't believe (happily) that I was only halfway through and there was so much more story to go. Maybe this is also partly due to the author not making us wait until the last 2 chapters for the H\H to come together. Regardless, there is a lot of bang for the buck in this novel...memorable characters, sizzling passion, interesting and active storyline, tension, drama...they just don't get much better than this.