Monday, August 11, 2014

THE SURVIVOR'S CLUB SERIES BY MARY BALOGH


I have just finished reading books two and three of the Survivor's Club  series.  They are The Arrangement and The Escape.  I had read The Proposal when it first came out.  I like the premise that these victims of the Napoleonic Wars banded together to help each other on the road to recovery whether it be from blindness, crippling injuries or emotional pain.  Each story is very moving and the character development is excellent.  These books remind me somewhat of one of my favorite Balogh books, Simply Love

In The Arrangement, Vincent, Viscount Darleigh, is blind.  He lost he sight in his very first battle.   He is on a brief respite from his mothers and sisters who are trying to find a bride for him.  He wants to choose his own.  His journey back to the town of his boyhood brings surprises and a certain amount of joy at being home again.
Sophie is a little ragamuffin of a young woman who has been sent to live with relatives who basically ignore her and treat her worse than a servant but she comes into her own and finds the courage to do what she thinks is right.
The journey of Sophie and Vincent is a beautiful romance.  The plot is strong and moves at a good pace.  It definitely a must read for Mary Balogh fans and fans to be.  I have downloaded the audios and look forward to listening to them both.
In The Escape Sir Benedict, Ben to his friends,  has survived  crippling injuries which makes it very difficult to walk  He feels as though he has no place where he fits in even though he owns an estate which his younger brother, Calvin, manages.  He has a hard time asserting himself to take control of his life.  While visiting his sister he meets Samantha McKay, a recent widow, who is under the thumbs of her very conservative in-laws who are demanding a very strict mourning period.  When she is being sent to live at her father-in-laws she plans an escape in the middle of the night and Ben is her champion and protector.  This story really affected me.  I loved the two main characters and cheered them on!  I despised Matilda, the sister-in-law.  But I loved the setting in Wales and would love to go there to see what Samantha and Ben saw.  I give this book 5 stars!
Mary Balogh has long been a very favorite author of mine  ever since I read the Bedwyn Series and I look forward to the next book in this series, Only Enchanting, which will be released on October 28, 2014