Remember love: a Ravenswood novel

By publicly stating an inconvenient truth rather than maintaining a comfortable lie, Devlin Ware created a scandal that subsequently caused almost everyone in his family to sever ties with him. Now, six years after being banished from Ravenswood Hall, Devlin returns home to assume his duties as the earl of Stratton. Repairing his relationships with family members is, of course, a priority, but Devlin also wonders if it might be possible to restore friendly ties with Gwyneth Rhys, the woman to whom he proposed marriage six years ago and then abandoned. After all, it isn't like he really loves Gwyneth anymore. At least that is the lie Devlin now keeps telling himself. With the exemplary first title in her new Ravenswood series, Balogh (Someone to Cherish, 2021) deftly delivers the Regency romance equivalent of being able to "see the world in a grain of sand." Using the societal microcosm of a small British village and family estate, Balogh gracefully gifts readers with a rich, vibrant cast of characters that includes two beautifully nuanced protagonists whose slow-burn second chance at romance is handled with quietly restrained brilliance.

Bestseller Balogh (the Westcott series) launches her Ravenswood series with a stunningly emotional Regency romance. Devlin Ware, heir to the Earl of Stratton, appears to come from the perfect family. Every summer, his parents and siblings host a fete for the local community around their estate, Ravenswood Hall, in Hampshire. The summer of 1808 holds special promise, as Devlin discovers that his neighbor Gwyneth Rhys, whom he's long pined for in secret, believing her to be entangled with his brother, returns his affection. But Devlin's idyllic world is shattered when he discovers his father's infidelity. When upstanding Devlin reveals the earl's bad behavior to society, he's banished from the family. Forced to leave home, he joins the fight against Napoleon in France--and leaves a broken hearted Gwyneth in his wake. Six years later, a battle-scarred and embittered Devlin returns to claim his inheritance after his father's death--and though neither he nor Gwyneth have forgotten each other, Devlin's wounds may be too deep for love to heal. Balogh again proves her mastery of Regency romance, expertly revealing her characters' psychological depths. This second-chance love story proves impossible to put down. Agent: Maria Carvainis, Maria Carvainis Agency. (July)

A second-chance romance inaugurates a new Regency series about a family torn apart by lies and healed by love. Devlin Ware, Viscount Mountford, is the favored heir of a beloved aristocratic family. At his family's annual ball, he has just been granted the love of Gwyneth Rhys, the neighbor he has longed for all his life, and is preparing to approach her father for her hand when he discovers his father in a compromising position with a woman who must be his mistress. In indignation, Devlin tells his father to send the woman away, loud enough for many of their guests to hear--a performance that gets him banished from Ravenswood Hall, his idyllic home. The first part of the novel shows a perfect world that collapses, a bit implausibly, into heartbreak and separation; the second charts the exile's return from active duty in the Napoleonic wars after his father's death and the unexpected way Gwyneth reknits their bond while Devlin learns that righteous morality, duty, love, and forgiveness need not be mutually exclusive. Some readers may view the primary romance as being consigned to a subplot while a lot of space is spent on a meticulous word-picture of the family seat and portraits of the many secondary characters who will take the lead in later books. But readers who appreciate Balogh's skill at linking her characters' inner lives, surroundings, and social ties will find many pleasures here. Themes from previous series reappear: Those who rooted for the head of the Bedwyn family will see echoes in the older Devlin's frostiness, with the added bonus of the character's point of view; fans of the Survivors' Club series may sympathize with his experiences in the army; readers who liked the Huxtable family's resilience in the aftermath of its patriarch's bigamy will enjoy this twist on a similar problem; and those who remember the author's Welsh romances will welcome Gwyneth and her family for returning us to Balogh's roots. There is one off note: In an apparent bid to criticize fat-phobia, one character's body is repeatedly mentioned in fat-phobic terms. Romance with a side of poignant family dynamics and a large, intriguing cast. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

*Starred Review* By publicly stating an inconvenient truth rather than maintaining a comfortable lie, Devlin Ware created a scandal that subsequently caused almost everyone in his family to sever ties with him. Now, six years after being banished from Ravenswood Hall, Devlin returns home to assume his duties as the earl of Stratton. Repairing his relationships with family members is, of course, a priority, but Devlin also wonders if it might be possible to restore friendly ties with Gwyneth Rhys, the woman to whom he proposed marriage six years ago and then abandoned. After all, it isn't like he really loves Gwyneth anymore. At least that is the lie Devlin now keeps telling himself. With the exemplary first title in her new Ravenswood series, Balogh (Someone to Cherish, 2021) deftly delivers the Regency romance equivalent of being able to "see the world in a grain of sand." Using the societal microcosm of a small British village and family estate, Balogh gracefully gifts readers with a rich, vibrant cast of characters that includes two beautifully nuanced protagonists whose slow-burn second chance at romance is handled with quietly restrained brilliance. Copyright 2022 Booklist Reviews.

Bestseller Balogh (the Westcott series) launches her Ravenswood series with a stunningly emotional Regency romance. Devlin Ware, heir to the Earl of Stratton, appears to come from the perfect family. Every summer, his parents and siblings host a fete for the local community around their estate, Ravenswood Hall, in Hampshire. The summer of 1808 holds special promise, as Devlin discovers that his neighbor Gwyneth Rhys, whom he's long pined for in secret, believing her to be entangled with his brother, returns his affection. But Devlin's idyllic world is shattered when he discovers his father's infidelity. When upstanding Devlin reveals the earl's bad behavior to society, he's banished from the family. Forced to leave home, he joins the fight against Napoleon in France—and leaves a broken hearted Gwyneth in his wake. Six years later, a battle-scarred and embittered Devlin returns to claim his inheritance after his father's death—and though neither he nor Gwyneth have forgotten each other, Devlin's wounds may be too deep for love to heal. Balogh again proves her mastery of Regency romance, expertly revealing her characters' psychological depths. This second-chance love story proves impossible to put down. Agent: Maria Carvainis, Maria Carvainis Agency. (July)