Romantic Fiction, Reality Shaping and The Work

Hi all,

I have just finished Mary Balogh's latest novel Remember Love, Ravenswood #1 and it was a very interesting story. I will try to keep my review of it brief, but I actually rather enjoyed the story, I would recommend it.

It's a brand new series, and it is the first book in it, but immediately you get to see Mary's style of writing in it. After spending time with Jennifer Ashley, I didn't realize how much I missed Balogh's pace and detail, even her tone and humor.

The book follows Devlin and Gwyneth, two individuals who were sure the other disliked them, but who realized they loved one another from day one. Upon finding this, they decide to give themselves a chance. The book opens up with a mini story that has a happy ending, but at the last minute, tragedy strikes and everything collapses.

It truly was remarkable how Mary did this, I knew something needed to happen, but I did not see it coming.

Devlin is the son of the Earl of Straton, someone who is apparently beloved in the town, generous, happy and kind, someone Devlin looked up to, he loved his wife, Devlin's mother, his wife loved him, there was happiness all around them. Their lives were described in idilic terms, there was happiness, there was generosity, community everything was good with the world. Even a potential love triangle was dealt in such good terms. I think Mary was angling for that "what could go wrong?" feeling.. and she did it splendidly.

Devlin was someone who was supremely dutiful and this is part of the issue or the catalyst that sets the entire story in motion. On the even of his proposal to Gwyneth, he discovers that his father has a mistress, and he had brought her over to his home. Devlin's anger over this created such as scandal that ended up in him being asked to leave.

He leaves, spends 6 years away from everyone, breaks his mother's heart, breaks Gwyneth's heart, destroys the illusion that he and his family lived in, uproots the community dynamics, it all descends quite rapidly into chaos. His father dies, and he returns home to take over the reins as the heir to the earldom.

Runs into Gwyneth, who couldn't love anyone else, he first attempts a practical marriage with her, and ends up melting into realizing that he loved her, he had never stopped loving her and they marry. This part of the story could have been explored a bit better, but what was in fact explored completely made up for it, the love story actually took a second place to it.

This novel speaks of duty, and most importantly truth. The value of truth, the potential for truth to destroy and devastate, but how necessary that is. Devlin was the only one, as he later found out, who had the courage to risk the stable illusion for the sake of truth. His father's sins were knows to many, but no one was willing to risk their comfortable life, Devlin did.

Truth, as it turns out, devastating as it is, is preferable to a comforting lie. But truth doesn't end there, Devlin taught everyone that truth was preferable, what Devlin himself had to learn was that truth was also healing. He had convinced that he was to blame for destroying the community he lived in, his family's happiness and his father's death, but when confronted with the truth, everyone was thankful he had done it.

He had spent years blaming himself for being so naive, so innocent, years hardening himself into someone who wasn't gullible, out of guilt. But the truth he had to accept is that it wasn't his innocence to blame, there was nothing wrong with wanting to believe the best in the people he loved, and holding them up to their own promises.

That he did hurt people, but everyone needed that hurt, to finally live in reality.

The other aspect of his own transformation, was when he finally decided to open his father's letters at the end, that was the other truth he had to accept. People are in a constant state of becoming, his father was flawed, selfish, inconsiderate and weak, but not evil.

Not everything was black and white. So Devlin went from one extreme to the other, to then come back and land in the middle, in balance between the innocence one needs to trust and love, and dream, and the hard and cold experience that makes one cautious.

In terms of personal work, what better way to understand the role of truth in one's life. The destroyer of illusion, the light that burns when unknown and suddenly presented, the source of pain and grief. But also, if one takes it further, it is the source of healing, of recognition, of growth.

I have spent quite sometime thinking that simply self bashing is enough of a source of truth, but that can become a morbid or masochistic tendency, and it's easy. It is a lot more complicated to see myself as someone who is capable of evil, selfishness and carelessness, yes, but who also has the ability for good, and creativity, but that is the truth.

We're not one dimensional beings, aspects of ourselves are, but as a whole, we're not. It is ultimately a choice of what do we do, which aspects do we keep? which do we dismiss? which do we repurpose? we are all, that someone in a constant state of becoming.

Thanks for reading.
 
At first I was not keen on the story in Remember Love as I found it lacking a bit in detail with some of the developments between Devlin and family members. I wanted more of the story. However, I found this book is quite different to Balogh’s other books and it had a very realistic feeling about it. I too am looking forward to reading the next one in the series.
 
At first I was not keen on the story in Remember Love as I found it lacking a bit in detail with some of the developments between Devlin and family members. I wanted more of the story. However, I found this book is quite different to Balogh’s other books and it had a very realistic feeling about it. I too am looking forward to reading the next one in the series.

Had thought so too, at first, however as the book developed (and it a simple local country story where one meets many characters - discussed on a prior post), the focus upon lies and truth becomes complex in importance between the characters, and their friends and families. Telling the truth can carry what seems to be destructive forces (in this Devlin/Father case to be sure - rippling outward) - which 'polite society' most always wants to avoid.

Then and today to our long term detriment.

This book had really grown on me as read, and perhaps Mary brought so much subtle depth into it from her other writings, that it might not be fully appreciated if not seen this way.
 
Having read more romance books, I noticed an interesting point: with all kinds of social scenarios playing out in the novels, it has felt as if good, positive values and virtues (kindness, humility, patience, charity, temperance, all around good manners, etc.) are gently reinforced in the reader. I think this is most apparent in Mary Balogh's books.

It has been written before how Mary must be channeling from some positive (STO) source when she writes, as her books are peppered with universal wisdoms and truths; often you are stunned with their accuracy (I have underlined many pieces of text on my kindle!).

Balogh's books are fresh on my mind, as I recently finished reading the Bedwyn saga.
(Thank you for posting the correct reading order, Mari!)

I would suggest Bedwyn then Survivors because she pick a character in Badwin to finish in Survivors.
So „the right“ order would be:
Bedwyn prequel (2 books), then Bedwyn saga, then Simply quartet.
Then Survivors.

It is a monumental piece of work, and I felt genuinely sad after finishing the last book. It was melancholy to say goodbye to the characters you got to know and care about during 12 books, especially as those books were at least very good, most really great, with a few masterpieces to top it off. As usual, the writing was top notch, characters interesting and multifaceted, and the stories gripping.

The books have much stuff the reader can learn from, but "Simply Love" had a particular point that spoke to me personally.

Sydnam Butler was maimed (tortured) in the war, so that he lost his right arm and eye, and the right side of his body was badly burned. He was a gifted artist but as he was right handed, he had to stop painting, which added to his aggrievement. As the book goes on, with inspiration from his wife and stepson, he eventually ventures to painting with his left hand, steadying the paintbrush with his mouth when needed. Compared to his previous paintings, others and himself find that these new paintings have something extra to them. Even though his earlier works were maybe technically better, the newer ones have more ”wisdom” brought by life experiences and by his marriage and newfound peace of mind.

It was an especially touching moment, when he presented the first new painting to his family, jokingly dissing it, but at the same time being pleased. Needless to say the family was moved and proud, and Sydnam’s father ended up having to leave the room due to being overwhelmed with emotion, but him blowing his nose could still be heard through the door.

Although I have come to terms with the limitations caused by my own illness, reading this book made it go to a ”deeper level”.


I find it very moving how Balogh involves people with physical or mental limitations, be it from birth or acquired along the way (Prudence in Slightly Scandalous, Lizzie in Simply Perfect and Sydnam in Simply Love) in the stories, and while they can have much difficulties, things work out in the end, with the support of the people who care and love them.

I read the books on my kindle, but ”Once Upon a Dream” was not available for it, so I bought it as a used paperback on amazon. I was well into the Simply series, and thought I’ll read Once Upon the last, even though it was listed as number 6.5 of the Bedwyn books on the romance reading list.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was actually an ”epilogue” to the Simply series, and with all the familiar faces included. For future readers, perhaps it could be moved to 4.5 in the Simply series on the reading list, @seek10? By the way, thank you for creating that list, it’s great to see all of the recommended books on the same page!

The next stop is the Survivor series, and it looks like there will be people from the Bedwyn books there as well. :-)


A funny thing about buying used books. Before getting into the ”Kindleverse”, I used to buy the books as used, due to often getting a good discount. I guess it’s more common in the romance books, but a few books had a sign of a ”female touch”, meaning that they smelled of perfume (a bit too much). I let them outgas in the balcony for a while, until the aroma was lessened, and they were good to go again!

One of the perfumed books was Balogh’s Tangled. I read it quite soon after The Devil’s Web, which is the infamous book, where the ”courtship” of Madeline and James is pretty brutal reading (Balogh herself said that it was ”too harsh", and she would not write a similar book nowadays).

When reading Tangled, I became fearful as it seemed to be shaping up a to be another Devil’s Web: at the point when the ”pieces were set on the board”, there still seemed to be a couple of hundred pages left of torturous ”to and fro”.
One night I had insomnia, and decided to finish the book. In my insomnia induced frustration, I came close to throwing the book against the wall (”tell her the truth, dammit”)!
One of the antagonists, Julian, was a nasty piece of work, and it was satisfying to see him getting his comeuppance, although it was a nice touch how he redeemed himself at the end of the day.

I had to chuckle when I read Mari’s spoiler review, as I shared many of her sentiments! :lol:
What I do know is that I'm now going to find one stand-alone book (preferably this-century Balogh or some other author) to wash this book from my system and finish Laura´s book.
Won´t be touching last-century Balogh for some time for sure...

Oooh, I'm still pissed....
And I´m sorry for any bad language in the spoiler....


Some further thoughts about the books…

”Happily ever after” (the Bridgerton epilogue book) included the short story ”Violet in bloom”. It had a scene, which was very touching and brought tears to my eyes.

Violet’s husband Edmund had died due to an allergic reaction to a bee sting, while she was pregnant with their eight child, Hyacinth. After giving birth, her other daughters came to see the baby and their mother. The setting was somber, and at some point the eldest daughter, Daphne, said how the baby will never know Papa. Violet could only answer that no, no she won’t. Everyone was silent, until little Francesca said, that we can tell her about him. Violet had not cried in front of the children, she had saved the tears for solitude, but now she couldn’t stop them. Violet then replied how it was a wonderful idea, and the children snuggled to the bed, next to their mother and the baby, and started reminiscing about their father.

This was such a sad, but also heartwarming moment at the same time. :cry:



Julia Quinn’s Smythe-Smith quartet was another really good series. Reading the books, I noticed how the main pair often had discussions, where the other replied ”I know”.

This reminded me of the Empire Strikes Back, which in my opinion is one of the greatest movies ever made. It has it all: drama, action, humour, suspense, memorable characters, utterly fantastic music... and romance!




At the start of the books, the heroine can frequently be quite annoyed by the antics of the hero, before they reach the same wavelength. A couple of examples of this from the Bedwyn saga:

Slightly Tempted
The humour only deepened in his eyes, and she realized that he must have accurately read her thoughts. Good! But his next words dismayed her.

”Dare I hope,” he asked, ”that you still have a free set sometime this evening and that you are willing to dance it with me?”

Botheration! she thought as her fan stilled for a moment and she searched about in her mind a polite way to refuse him - she disdained to simply lie and tell him that she had promised every dance of the evening.

Slightly Dangerous
He had taken her completely by surprise. Even so, it struck her that she could simply say no. But if she did, then she could not decently dance with anyone else. And this was to be the only waltz of the evening.

Bother, bother, bother, she thought. Five hundred botherations!

I have never heard the word "botheration" used before, and it's such a charming expression of annoyance, that it will be my new favourite (mild :whistle:) curse word from now on!
 
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I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was actually an ”epilogue” to the Simply series, and with all the familiar faces included. For future readers, perhaps it could be moved to 4.5 in the Simply series on the reading list, @seek10? By the way, thank you for creating that list, it’s great to see all of the recommended books on the same page!
That is how Mary Balogh Website categorized it here . But we can categorize it whatever the way we want. I will change it.
 
I finished 2 more books in the Mckenzie series. The Mackenzie Family Christmas and The Seduction of Eliot McBride.
I noticed some interesting things. Until this moment I read a total of 15 romantic novels. My reading is much faster now.
After a short time of reading, I have much more vivid images forming in my mind while reading. It is like entering another dimension like character and places become live and real.
I've learned to recognize love and compassion much better even it is not said directly or aloud. The stories are like some kind of emotional therapy and after each book, I feel like a more grown person and less childish. Maybe this is not the best description of this feeling but I cant find better words. The happy-ends of each of these books make me feel like I have accomplished something big. like a big satisfaction that it ended well.
Whatever it is, it is a good thing. Going to the next one in the series.

Also just read A Mackenzie Family Christmas: The Perfect Gift. For readers of the first 4 books (Ian Mackenzie/Beth Ackerley, Mac Mackenzie/Isabella Scranton, Cameron Mackenzie/Ainsley Douglas, Hart Mackenzie/Eleanor Ramsay, along with Daniel Mackenzie, children and guests, the focus of the story evolves their lives with a dynamic paying out over Ian and his mind, including Porcelain bowls.

Being a Christmas story (and if not read in the series), people may enjoy it, enjoy seeing more of the clan and learning as they learn.

Elliot's story is currently being read, and what you have with Elliot here:

is a man who spent years in India, with part of it being as a prisoner in the bowels of the earth. Beaten, starved - mentally a mess, as one can imagine, he is saved by Mahinder, who Eliot had once also saved, wherein Eliot is brought back to London with Manhinder's family, then to home in Scotland. Eliot had recently sought out his Laird uncles (who still lives there) estate and purchased it, an estate well hidden away in the Highlands. Like being hidden away underground, in the dark while captured, Eliot seems to think he can hide in the hills and recover. However, along the journey to the highlands he, by some accident of fate, marries Juliana St. John, who's memory was the only thing that had sustained him while underground in India. Eliot, more or less, had partitioned the memory of Juliana and clung to this light.

Juliana also discovers that he has a daughters, the young child she thought was related to Mahinder who accompanied them.

Elliot has episodes of disassociation where he can't wake up or he hides himself.
 
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That is how Mary Balogh Website categorized it here . But we can categorize it whatever the way we want. I will change it.

Thanks for doing the change.

It was interesting to see that Balogh wrote the Bedwyn prequels in 1999 and 2002, the Bedwyn Family books in 2003-2004, the Simply series 2005-2008, but wrote Another Dream (one of the two novellas from "Once upon a Dream") in 2016, 8 years later.

Perhaps there had been feedback from the readers, enquiring about Eleanor (the teacher who bought the school from Claudia in Simply Perfect, and the sister of Christine, the heroine of Slightly Dangerous), asking if Mary would write her story, and she "accepted the challenge" years later (and/or she herself wanted to tie up some loose ends).

Maybe that was why Once Upon was placed together with the Bedwyn Family books on that list, as Eleanor was first mentioned in Slightly Dangerous, but I guess the story flows more naturally, if you read the book after the Simply series. (I came across this list, and noticed that Another Dream had a place in both series, Bedwyn 6.5 and Simply 4.5.)

I am currently reading the first book of the Survivors Club, The Proposal (written in 2012), and it was quite cool to notice how Gwen, introduced in the first book of the Bedwyn prequels, is the main heroine. I actually was left wondering about her fate, when I finished the Bedwyn prequels: I expected that one of the upcoming books would tell her story, and I'm glad to see that it is happening here.
(On wikipedia, they listed the Proposal as the third Bedwyn prequel book, as well as being part of the Survivor series: I'd guess for the same reasons when Another Dream was "double placed" on that previous list.)

Speaking of The Proposal, it has its fair share of profound insights. A couple of examples:

"The specific situation" and reincarnation
"I do not believe there is right or wrong." he said. "There is only doing what one must do under given circumstances and living with the consequences and weaving every experience, god and bad, into the fabric of one's life so that ultimately one can see the pattern of it all and accept the lessons life has taught. We were never expected to achieve perfection in one lifetime, Gwendoline. Religious people would say that is what heaven is for. I think that would be a shame. It's too easy and too lazy. I would prefer to think that perhaps we are given a second chance - and a third and a thirty-third - to get everything right."

"Reincarnation?" she said.

Eating meat: Hugo, the main hero, has a farm where he has animals, but he hasn't used them for food. Nevertheless:
"I realized something," he said, "when I was feeding that lamb and you were standing there so patiently, watching. I keep my sheep for their wool, not their meat. I keep my cows for their milk and cheese, not for their meat. I keep chicken for their eggs. I have felt very virtuous about it all. But I eat meat. I concur in the killing of other, unknown animals so that I would be fed. And almost all creatures prey upon others for food. It is all very cruel. One could dwell upon it and become massively gloomy. But that is the way life is. It is a continual balance of opposites. There are hatred and violence, for example, and there are kindness and gentleness. And sometimes violence is necessary.
 
Anne Grazie’s book, THE SCOUNDREL'S DAUGHTER is on special offer for $1.99 (1,49€) for a short time on all e-book platforms.


I got it free through my library through hoopla or overdrive. I assume hoopla and overdrive pay the publishers.
 
I've been reading the Kerrigan Byrne series - Victorian Rebels, and must agree they are intense! I waited to read those after having read many of the others, and was surprised at their affect. But I guess I shouldn't have been. This series is about real scoundrels, men on the wrong side of the law and their redemption through love. I think the reason they have affected me as much as they do is that I was married to someone who was somewhat of a scoundrel..and although not to those extremes, he was abusive. Not physically, but emotionally, verbally and threatening. And I married him, in part because I wanted 'protection, a strong man, someone who would 'have my back'. Well, needless to say that didn't turn out the way I thought. Of course, neither of us was in any way mature enough or had enough of the qualities that would have allowed that to happen at that time.

At any rate, I guess some of the grief these novels brought up was the fact that these men were redeemed and changed by the loves of their lives....and well, it didn't work for me and in addition it seems that rarely happens in real life. These are the men that Sandra Brown (How to Spot A Dangerous Man) warns about....and that far too many women are destroyed by. So, I am wondering why these books are on the list - granted most women who have been on this Forum for any length of time, have been made aware of falling into these traps, but so many women are just as clueless as I was when I married my ex. And, so I wonder if her books could be a bit of a trap for those who are unaware. At any rate, would like to hear other's take on these. Am continuing the series, as obviously there's stuff that needs to be addressed here as I have apparently not cleared all the baggage left from that marriage...even after ALL these years. :-(
 
Anne Grazie’s book, THE SCOUNDREL'S DAUGHTER is on special offer for $1.99 (1,49€) for a short time on all e-book platforms.


Just finished both the books in this series, obviously more to come.
They were the first of Anne Gracie’s books that I have read. I did enjoy them but, there is not the depth to the characters that Mary Balogh writes. I think the difference is that in Balogh’s stories I can ascribe the metaphysical nature of the romantic relationship between the leading characters. For example in Silent Melody I thought they were polar opposites. In Dancing with Clara it seemed to be a karmic connection.
In the two Anne Gracie books I read, I only was aware of attraction, no metaphysical relationship came to mind.
Curious if anyone else has thought of that about Mary Balogh’s romances.
 
At any rate, I guess some of the grief these novels brought up was the fact that these men were redeemed and changed by the loves of their lives....and well, it didn't work for me and in addition it seems that rarely happens in real life
I haven’t read this series, but the feeling I have from all of the romance stories is that this is fantasy and these types of romantic relationships don’t or probably more accurately very rarely exist. Or is that just the modern era? I just don’t see men loving to the extent these characters do. Please, men on the forum tell me I’m wrong?!
 
I haven’t read this series, but the feeling I have from all of the romance stories is that this is fantasy and these types of romantic relationships don’t or probably more accurately very rarely exist. Or is that just the modern era? I just don’t see men loving to the extent these characters do. Please, men on the forum tell me I’m wrong?!
Yes I think you are wrong. I think there are plenty of loving and dependable men, who might not be attractive to many women because they're regarded as dorky, nerdy, not cool, short, or whatever.
 
Yes I think you are wrong. I think there are plenty of loving and dependable men, who might not be attractive to many women because they're regarded as dorky, nerdy, not cool, short, or whatever.
I expect men here ( in particular those reading/participating in this thread) likely are the unique ones, with huge capacity for different kinds of love. I guess we all have to learn what we have to learn, until we can start choosing to learn about life and love.

Edit: however I don’t trust my own judgment, maybe I don’t understand how men express love.
 
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I haven’t read this series, but the feeling I have from all of the romance stories is that this is fantasy and these types of romantic relationships don’t or probably more accurately very rarely exist. Or is that just the modern era? I just don’t see men loving to the extent these characters do. Please, men on the forum tell me I’m wrong?!

I think that they have the possibility of existing. I don't think love alone can help someone to not be a scoundrel or biatch, there also has to be something in them that wants to be different or can recognise a higher purpose. It's then that love can assist them to change. One of the things that I take from the romantic reading is learning to recognise when a character has that spark despite being a scoundrel or biatch rather than just believing that love alone will make any difference if a scoundrel or biatch truly thinks or feels underneath it all that their current ways are the most advantageous for them and they don't really want or don't have the capacity to be any different.

I guess it's all about learning to love as well as learning to wisely choose a partner.
 
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