Longing

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.

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.

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

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.

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.