Someone to Care: Viola's Story (The Westcott Series Book 4)

It has been 2 years since the death of the Earl of Riverdale. That was when his family found that he was a bigamist. His apparent countess and his 3 children have worked to come to grips with their new much lower places in the world.Viola, the former countess, has run away from the big family gathering celebrating her grandson's christening. She just needs to be alone for awhile. She has a feeling of being smothered by her loving family.When her hired carriage breaks down at a non-descript inn, she runs into a notorious rake who had once been enamored of her. But, that was years ago. Things change. She is 42 years old. Of course no man would be interested in a tainted former countess.The mutual attraction has not changed at all. They both find that not only does the attraction still exist, it is stronger than ever. These two are no longer young, they are mature adults.In a completely out of character decision, Viola agrees to run away with Marcel Lamarr, the Marquess of Dorchester. It will be a short time, and then this attraction will disappear and both of them will move on to the rest of their lives.But, the best laid plains do not always work out as we expect.Viola has been a woman who held herself in complete control for her entire life. Her father forced her into her marriage. Her late husband controlled her life. The rules of the ton controlled her life. Her husband led his life away from his family. She had no idea he had a daughter from his legal marriage. She had no idea that her life and the lives of her children would never be the same because of his deceptions. The idea of running away to have a tryst with a man who is basically a stranger is completely out of character for her. It is a huge adventure. It is just what she needs to feel alive.Marc has the reputation for going from woman to woman with never a look back. He has spent the last 17 years trying to stay away from his twin children. They have grown up and are now nearly adults. He does not know them. His painful past has prevented him from letting them know him. The idea of running away with Viola will be a short time to escape from the family responsibilities he has avoided for years. He is certain this overpowering lust will disappear shortly. It always does.Although they believe no one has any idea where they are, they are discovered by both families. Things go down hill from there.This is a wonderful family story. There are generations of family members involved in the lives of Viola and Marc. There are complicated family relationships which need untangling. There are misunderstandings and repaired situations. There is jealousy, smugness and coveting going on in these families. In short, these families have ups and downs just as families always do.Viola and Marc are wonderful characters. From beginning to end, they each are sure that this is simply an aberration and it will end soon. Marc believes that he is incapable of being attached to any woman for any length of time. Viola believes that Marc will only temporarily be interested in her. All good things must come to an end.Ms Balogh writes stories populated by characters who are like real people. She writes characters who are good and bad, brave and fearful, strong and weak. In short they are human beings.This is the 4th in a series about the Wescott family. But, it will work as a stand alone for any reader who has not read the first 3 books. The past is explained, characters are introduced and the plot brings all the action up to date for the reader.I have enjoyed this series very much and I would recommend to anyone who reads this book that they will find enjoyment in going back and reading books one through three.Ms Balogh is a master at writing stories which contain strong emotions, both the highs and lows of the human condition. This book is no exception. I enjoyed this story very much.

This 4th book in Mary Balogh’s The Westcott series is the best one yet! (Although I may have said the same thing of each of the other books …) Viola Kingsley is the former Countess of Riverdale until it was discovered after her husband’s death that he had been married to another woman when he married Viola. She became a tainted woman in the eyes of the ton and her children were considered bastards. She finally snapped from all the stress and left on her own in a hired carriage from Bath, where the Westcott family had gathered to celebrate the birth of her daughter’s son.Marcel Lamar, the Marquess of Dorchester, had been in love with Viola, and she with him, fourteen years previously, but since she was married, they had never acted upon it. Subsequent to that time, he had gained a reputation as a notorious playboy. On his journey to his home to visit his children, he and his younger brother stopped at an inn to have an ale. Viola was also there as the axle on the hired carriage had very nearly broken and had to be replaced. When he saw her, he sent his brother on with the carriage and struck up a conversation with her. The two decided to spend the afternoon together attending various events at the village’s harvest festival.Viola decided she was tired of always being prim and proper when she agreed to spend the afternoon and later, the night with Marcel. That night, they decided to run away from their families and responsibilities and just enjoy themselves for a week or two. Viola’s notes to her family and her housekeeper telling them she would be gone for a while were entrusted to a serving girl to mail.So, there you have the stage set for what is to come. The family bonds described in this book make me wish I was part of the extended Westcott family. The characters were described so thoroughly that you felt like you knew them personally. The world building, which includes not only physical locations, but the family structures of the protagonists, was remarkable. I’ve read most of Ms. Balogh’s books, but I believe that this one is among my very favorites! It was utterly charming and romantic. My Rating: 5 Stars

I love Mary Balogh's writing, as I did in this book. However, like many others, I think the story was swamped in a huge cast of relatives who, despite their connection to the heroine [and, to a lesser extent, the hero] became entirely superfluous to the direction of the story. Clearly the author loves large families spanning generations, and describes them so well - but there are only so many times one needs to hear who talked to whom, who wrote to whom, who gathered in a group to chat and so on. I also found the interference from family members bordering on farce, nor did it help to drive the story forward. SPOILER [after Marcel's grilling by Viola's family and his declarations, no-one saw fit to talk to Viola when she decided to run away -again]To an extent, MB is hoist with her own petard - reading the Westcott novels to date, I find myself identifying characters and scenarios with earlier novels - the Mistress series, the Survivor series, the Bedwyn series, etc. Often she gives her heroes and heroines really heart-wrenching reasons for the way they are - emotional or physical abuse, physical disabilities - and they find their way through with their chosen partners. However, much as I sympathised with Viola's back story, Marcel's story did not seem reason enough for him to embark on the life he chose to lead after his children were born, and for such a long time; they both came across as self-absorbed and selfish.Elizabeth, whose book comes next, has always appealed to me as a character, so I hope her story reflects that - but I do hope MB scales back on the extended family!

When Clara 'Porkchop' McMuffin goes to be Governess in a small rancid town in fictional South American Whataguay, she little suspects that the School Principle Senor Alvin Stardustino is a bit of a bloodthirsty cannibal.The book concerns itself with Clara's missing body parts as she awakes each morning minus a toe or eyebrow. What could be causing these terrible events? Or ... who? What exactly is afoot?It is not long before a hero arrives by pedalo to solve the mystery. Doctor Frank Spank, repulsed but intrigued by fat moth-eaten Clara, decides to get to the bottom of things using his tried and trusted method of botched supposition and whataboutery -- with hilarious consequences for all of fictional South America!

I can see why the measured leisurely tone of this book might not be as appealing as something with more action. The heroine of this book is middle-aged, and over a few short months her life has been completely turned upside down. She has suddenly reached appoint where she cannot cope with anything else happening, She has reached crisis point so she attempts to cut herself off any more sensations. When she uncharacteristically throws caution to the winds and embarks on reckless affair it is as if she is coming up for air in order to find her bearings. The reason for so many different strands being mixed into the novel is because she is deluding herself if she thinks all these previous ties can be ignored. The author shows the reader how well the heroine is understood by those around her, and how the love of her family will support her. I enjoyed catching up with this society of friends and family.

I have loved Mary s books for many years and enjoyed this one immensely . I can't put her books down until the last page. This book was written with great sensitivity about a slightly older heroine who came to understand her needs, and eventually embraced them. Also, it is possible to have a dark, brooding hero even if he is a bit rough around the edges.Ladies like me, aged over 70 , do not grow out of romance and this one really does get to the heart strings.

l hesitated between three and four stars as although her writing is always superb the book was weighted down with long sections of catching up on previous books. may be a solution would be to have a short section at the front with a family tree and a brief resume of what has gone before thus avoiding regular readers having to get through what they already know. apart from that it was a delightful story and definitely worth a rad