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Book CoverStevie‘s review of Someone to Love (Westcott Novels, Book 1) by Mary Balogh
Historical Romance published by Signet 08 Nov 16

Mary Balogh could easily become one of my main go-to authors for mainstream historical romance, with a refreshing selection of characters who aren’t painted as perfect (or as perfectly wicked), but have properly thought-out motivations for their attitudes and actions. So it is with the Westcott family, who all react differently to the news that their entire life has been founded on one man’s lie, and now they have no claim on either their home or their titles. Meanwhile, the newly discovered beneficiary of the estate, whom they first meet when the shocking news is broken, has no real desire to take on her inheritance, simply wanting to go back to the quiet life she enjoyed before.

Anna Snow grew up in the Bath orphanage where she now teaches, with very few memories of her life prior to arriving there at the age of four. Like most of the children she teaches, she is supported by an anonymous benefactor – in Anna’s case this has continued into adulthood on the condition she remains in her current home – and like many of them she wonders what her real family are like and what would happen should they return to claim her. Anna has no real belief that this will happen to her, and so is astonished when a carriage arrives to take her to London – and to her new home.

When the recently widowed Countess of Riverdale asked her late husband’s solicitor to investigate the woman her husband had been supporting in Bath, she expected to be able to dispense with the responsibility by means of a generous settlement on someone she assumes to be an illegitimate daughter. This proves not to be the case: Humphrey Westcott, Earl of Riverdale was already secretly married – to Anna’s mother – when he entered into a second, more respectable union; this discovery renders his marriage to the supposed Countess bigamous, and all their children illegitimate, with the title passing to a cousin, who has no real interest in becoming the new Earl. Meanwhile, Avery, Duke of Netherby, the legal guardian of the deceased Earl’s son, finds himself increasingly fascinated by the dowdy newcomer, whom he first took to be a servant, but who in fact now owns much of the family’s property.

Avery takes it upon himself to introduce Anna to the ways of Society – since most of the Earl’s family want nothing to do with her – and quickly realises how much more interesting she is than any of the ladies he’s been expected to court. Anna, meanwhile, quickly realises that there’s more to Avery than most people bother to notice, and learns more of his early troubles at school, and the ways in which he overcame them, than even his immediate family are allowed to know.

I really enjoyed this book. Anna is a very reluctant heiress; even after accepting her destiny, she is keen to take care of the family she has displaced as well as her friends back at the orphanage. She is also able – with Avery’s help – to instigate a search for her mother’s family and to learn the full story behind her abandonment at the orphanage. Avery, too, is a complex character and, although he prevaricates at first over how he should deal with Anna and his various other family responsibilities, he does the right thing by everyone in the end. There were a couple of places where I had to suspend my disbelief regarding characters’ backstories, and I did feel a little overwhelmed at how many characters we meet in the first couple of chapters, but all in all I’m keen to find out more about everyone and see how the family moves on from the great changes wrought at the outset of this story.

Stevies CatGrade: B

Summary:

Humphrey Westcott, Earl of Riverdale, has died, leaving behind a fortune that will forever alter the lives of everyone in his family—including the daughter no one knew he had…

Anna Snow grew up in an orphanage in Bath knowing nothing of the family she came from. Now she discovers that the late Earl of Riverdale was her father and that she has inherited his fortune. She is also overjoyed to learn she has siblings. However, they want nothing to do with her or her attempts to share her new wealth. But the new earl’s guardian is interested in Anna…

Avery Archer, Duke of Netherby, keeps others at a distance. Yet something prompts him to aid Anna in her transition from orphan to lady. As London society and her newfound relatives threaten to overwhelm Anna, Avery steps in to rescue her and finds himself vulnerable to feelings and desires he has hidden so well and for so long.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:
Book Cover