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Ravenswood #6
A Waltz to Remember: Stephanie's Story
A single waltz changed everything. But now they must try to preserve that magic for a lifetime in
New York Times
bestselling author Mary Balogh’s new book in the Ravenswood series.
The youngest Ware daughter, Stephanie, has always harbored secret passion for the best friend of her brother. In her eyes Bertrand Lamarr, Viscount Watley, is perfect. For many years she thought of herself as quite the opposite. When he surprised her by asking her to save a waltz for him, she panicked—and refused him in the unkindest words.
Stephanie’s guilt over her behavior is such that she now dreads seeing him, as she inevitably must, at the Christmas family reunion she is attending. She wants to hide from him, but what she doesn’t know is that Bertrand has always admired her from afar and is determined to overcome her apparent dislike of him and win his waltz. For he believes there is magic between them, and they will discover it can conquer all their regrets and fears if they but give themselves a chance.
The youngest Ware daughter, Stephanie, has always harbored secret passion for the best friend of her brother. In her eyes Bertrand Lamarr, Viscount Watley, is perfect. For many years she thought of herself as quite the opposite. When he surprised her by asking her to save a waltz for him, she panicked—and refused him in the unkindest words.
Stephanie’s guilt over her behavior is such that she now dreads seeing him, as she inevitably must, at the Christmas family reunion she is attending. She wants to hide from him, but what she doesn’t know is that Bertrand has always admired her from afar and is determined to overcome her apparent dislike of him and win his waltz. For he believes there is magic between them, and they will discover it can conquer all their regrets and fears if they but give themselves a chance.
Audible Audio
First published October 27, 2026
About the author
Mary Balogh
231 books6,512 followersMary Jenkins was born in 1944 in Swansea, Wales, UK. After graduating from university, moved to Saskatchewan, Canada, to teach high school English, on a two-year teaching contract in 1967. She married her Canadian husband, Robert Balogh, and had three children, Jacqueline, Christopher and Sian. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, music and knitting. She also enjoys watching tennis and curling.
Mary Balogh started writing in the evenings as a hobby. Her first book, a Regency love story, was published in 1985 as A Masked Deception under her married name. In 1988, she retired from teaching after 20 years to pursue her dream to write full-time. She has written more than seventy novels and almost thirty novellas since then, including the New York Times bestselling 'Slightly' sextet and 'Simply' quartet. She has won numerous awards, including Bestselling Historical of the Year from the Borders Group, and her novel Simply Magic was a finalist in the Quill Awards. She has won seven Waldenbooks Awards and two B. Dalton Awards for her bestselling novels, as well as a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mary Balogh started writing in the evenings as a hobby. Her first book, a Regency love story, was published in 1985 as A Masked Deception under her married name. In 1988, she retired from teaching after 20 years to pursue her dream to write full-time. She has written more than seventy novels and almost thirty novellas since then, including the New York Times bestselling 'Slightly' sextet and 'Simply' quartet. She has won numerous awards, including Bestselling Historical of the Year from the Borders Group, and her novel Simply Magic was a finalist in the Quill Awards. She has won seven Waldenbooks Awards and two B. Dalton Awards for her bestselling novels, as well as a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a lovely book, a quintessential Mary Balogh.
I loved finally getting Betrand’s story and revisiting all of the Wescotts. I’m not familiar with the Ravenswood series as I haven’t picked that one up but I didn’t feel like I missed much not having read it. However, this book was really thick with side characters from TWO previous series and there was a lot of revisiting and a lot of recapping. I think it would really boggle down a reader who hadn’t at least read a few of the Westcotts.
The central story itself was the usual Balogh brand of hurt/comfort and uplifting prose. It wasn’t as well developed as other books of her’s because so much of it was focussed on all the side characters and inter-relationships between them.
But I enjoyed it and read it quickly and it’s a must read for any fans of the Westcotts series.
Book 14 of my read Canadian challenge. Balogh is Welsh by birth but she’s a Canadian citizens so I count her.
Thanks Berkley, for the arc. I haven’t read any of this series, so good of me to start at book six 🤣
I loved finally getting Betrand’s story and revisiting all of the Wescotts. I’m not familiar with the Ravenswood series as I haven’t picked that one up but I didn’t feel like I missed much not having read it. However, this book was really thick with side characters from TWO previous series and there was a lot of revisiting and a lot of recapping. I think it would really boggle down a reader who hadn’t at least read a few of the Westcotts.
The central story itself was the usual Balogh brand of hurt/comfort and uplifting prose. It wasn’t as well developed as other books of her’s because so much of it was focussed on all the side characters and inter-relationships between them.
But I enjoyed it and read it quickly and it’s a must read for any fans of the Westcotts series.
Book 14 of my read Canadian challenge. Balogh is Welsh by birth but she’s a Canadian citizens so I count her.
Thanks Berkley, for the arc. I haven’t read any of this series, so good of me to start at book six 🤣
October 31, 2026
This one moved too slowly for me, and is not a fav in this series. It was a slooowww burn, and although Bertrand and Stephanie were inevitably going to reach their HEA, it just took too long to get there for me. I'm a longtime Balogh fan, but sadly, I did some skimming in this book ☹️
Liked:
🌹 The cover image, which depicts a more plus-sized FMC, an accurate reflection of Stephanie in the book. I liked that they didn't gloss over this for the cover image with a more typical slim heroine.
🌹 The fact that the FMC was actually a sturdily built woman with a round face, who had body insecurities. She was real, not a fantasy slim and beautiful being.
🌹 The MMC, who was actually a gorgeous looking man, found Stephanie beautiful. He was not caught up in the idea of fashionable beauty, but simply saw Stephanie as the lovely person she was.
🌹 Balogh dealt with some interesting themes, including the FMC's distorted views of her own self-worth, and her strength of character that enabled her to grow beyond that and accept herself as the worthwhile person she actually was.
🌹 There was a nicely done Christmas pageant scene, (although the build up to it did start to drag on.)
🌹 As always, Balogh's quality writing and editing.
Didn't like so much:
🥀 The story moved too slowly for my taste. It got too caught up in the lives of the minor characters, at the cost of pushing ahead with the MCs and their romance.
🥀 As with other books in Ms Balogh's series over the last few years, there were WAY TOO MANY secondary characters. Way. Too. Many. I come from a large extended family myself, and I love it. But when I read a romance about a couple, I want the focus to be on them, and I don't care so much about the complicated relationships of numerous other characters, many from the Westcott series and the Ravenswood series. It's nice in a series to have LITTLE revisits with past characters from previous books, but in this one it just got ridiculous. I've read all of the books, but it got to the point in this one where I lost track of who was who, and I started to not care. Dang. Overall, it felt like there was a lot of fairly pointless filler.
🥀 Bertrand's character felt a bit flat and unknowable for much of the book to me. I didn't really feel a lot of chemistry between the MCs.
I was neutral about/didn't mind that there were no actual sex scenes in the book, just like in the previous book in this series. I wouldn't have minded a sex scene or two, but it was OK without. Has Ms Balogh turned to clean romance in her later oevre?
A warning to readers who haven't read the Westcott books or the other books in this (Ravenswood) series: this book doesn't really stand alone. So many characters and references to incidents from other books. (Too many, really).
So sadly, this book was a disappointment to me. I didn't really feel engaged with Stephanie's or Bertrand's personal and emotional growth, at least, not the way I wanted to. Their romance didn't really engage me either. Not Ms Balogh's best.
Liked:
🌹 The cover image, which depicts a more plus-sized FMC, an accurate reflection of Stephanie in the book. I liked that they didn't gloss over this for the cover image with a more typical slim heroine.
🌹 The fact that the FMC was actually a sturdily built woman with a round face, who had body insecurities. She was real, not a fantasy slim and beautiful being.
🌹 The MMC, who was actually a gorgeous looking man, found Stephanie beautiful. He was not caught up in the idea of fashionable beauty, but simply saw Stephanie as the lovely person she was.
🌹 Balogh dealt with some interesting themes, including the FMC's distorted views of her own self-worth, and her strength of character that enabled her to grow beyond that and accept herself as the worthwhile person she actually was.
🌹 There was a nicely done Christmas pageant scene, (although the build up to it did start to drag on.)
🌹 As always, Balogh's quality writing and editing.
Didn't like so much:
🥀 The story moved too slowly for my taste. It got too caught up in the lives of the minor characters, at the cost of pushing ahead with the MCs and their romance.
🥀 As with other books in Ms Balogh's series over the last few years, there were WAY TOO MANY secondary characters. Way. Too. Many. I come from a large extended family myself, and I love it. But when I read a romance about a couple, I want the focus to be on them, and I don't care so much about the complicated relationships of numerous other characters, many from the Westcott series and the Ravenswood series. It's nice in a series to have LITTLE revisits with past characters from previous books, but in this one it just got ridiculous. I've read all of the books, but it got to the point in this one where I lost track of who was who, and I started to not care. Dang. Overall, it felt like there was a lot of fairly pointless filler.
🥀 Bertrand's character felt a bit flat and unknowable for much of the book to me. I didn't really feel a lot of chemistry between the MCs.
I was neutral about/didn't mind that there were no actual sex scenes in the book, just like in the previous book in this series. I wouldn't have minded a sex scene or two, but it was OK without. Has Ms Balogh turned to clean romance in her later oevre?
A warning to readers who haven't read the Westcott books or the other books in this (Ravenswood) series: this book doesn't really stand alone. So many characters and references to incidents from other books. (Too many, really).
So sadly, this book was a disappointment to me. I didn't really feel engaged with Stephanie's or Bertrand's personal and emotional growth, at least, not the way I wanted to. Their romance didn't really engage me either. Not Ms Balogh's best.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
For a long time fan of Mary Balogh and her Westcott and Ravenswold series, this story - Bertrand’s and Stephanie’s - is a delight. We finished the previous book, Winifred’s and Nicholas’s story with Stephanie’s unexpected rudeness to Bertrand, followed by them parting ways quite acrimoniously. We pick up almost immediately and leading up to Nicolas’s and Winifred’s wedding with both lead characters. The book follows them from their forced meeting at said wedding and multiple instances of being thrown together, and all the way through their journey of understanding each other, explaining their motivations and uncovering inner turmoils.
It’s a sweet story and was an incredibly enjoyable read for me, though for the first time in my history of reading this author, my enjoyment was due to the supporting cast more so than the lead characters. Oh, Stephanie and Bertrand are both fine, but Stephanie still comes across as somewhat immature for her age. The insecurity Balogh has been portraying in her through previous installments, is very much front and center here still. Bertrand’s character is somehow also portrayed a bit bland and also less confident than we’ve seen him in the past, matching Stephanie’s energy. There is not much passion in them through this story and maybe this is a personal let down, but on the heels of all of these emotions we’ve seen leading up to this, I was expecting more of…everything.
But the rest of the characters - and we see everyone - are splendid. There are some side romances going on and hints of romances for further books. As usual, Balogh describes everything a reader needs for this to be a standalone, however we are far enough into this series, that I think the enjoyment of this story would be quite diminished without having the background of the previous books. There is zero spice in this novel with a few kisses only between the MCs.
I listened to this on audio with an incomparable Rosalyn Landor narrating. Her voice will forever associate with the Balogh universe for me, and every time I listen to her, I admire her vocal palette and the immersive storytelling she delivers.
Thanks to NetGalley and RB Media Recorded Books for this wonderful listen!
It’s a sweet story and was an incredibly enjoyable read for me, though for the first time in my history of reading this author, my enjoyment was due to the supporting cast more so than the lead characters. Oh, Stephanie and Bertrand are both fine, but Stephanie still comes across as somewhat immature for her age. The insecurity Balogh has been portraying in her through previous installments, is very much front and center here still. Bertrand’s character is somehow also portrayed a bit bland and also less confident than we’ve seen him in the past, matching Stephanie’s energy. There is not much passion in them through this story and maybe this is a personal let down, but on the heels of all of these emotions we’ve seen leading up to this, I was expecting more of…everything.
But the rest of the characters - and we see everyone - are splendid. There are some side romances going on and hints of romances for further books. As usual, Balogh describes everything a reader needs for this to be a standalone, however we are far enough into this series, that I think the enjoyment of this story would be quite diminished without having the background of the previous books. There is zero spice in this novel with a few kisses only between the MCs.
I listened to this on audio with an incomparable Rosalyn Landor narrating. Her voice will forever associate with the Balogh universe for me, and every time I listen to her, I admire her vocal palette and the immersive storytelling she delivers.
Thanks to NetGalley and RB Media Recorded Books for this wonderful listen!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
DNF @30%
A Waltz to Remember by Mary Balogh
Book 6 of Ravenswood
Narrated by Rosalyn Landor
Despite reading historical romance I have not read much Mary Balogh before. This was a miss for me. It seemed to be a lot of filler and overly detailed on their everyday activities. Didn’t feel much of a connection between the MCs.
Narration was enjoyable and allowed me to actually get through the story.
Thanks to NetGalley, RBmedia Media and Mary Balogh for the ARC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
A Waltz to Remember by Mary Balogh
Book 6 of Ravenswood
Narrated by Rosalyn Landor
Despite reading historical romance I have not read much Mary Balogh before. This was a miss for me. It seemed to be a lot of filler and overly detailed on their everyday activities. Didn’t feel much of a connection between the MCs.
Narration was enjoyable and allowed me to actually get through the story.
Thanks to NetGalley, RBmedia Media and Mary Balogh for the ARC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Oh Mary! She doesn’t do acknowledgments or author notes. There are no epilogues and the writing technique of show, don’t tell… Mary ain’t got time for that!
But I absolutely adore and devour her books.
Sometimes an entire book revolves around one off handed remark.
In a Waltz to Remember and in life, sometimes the smallest most insignificant decisions make the biggest difference. And a simple promise from a girl to her father can grow out of proportion.
The plot, storyline, and events of Mary’s books are slow and methodical allowing the reader to slow down and be immersed in the world created through her detailed descriptions, internal monologues, and dialogue.
You get engrossed in the families created in her books and you feel the importance of family and community to all the characters and how these ideals should still be important to us today.
I cannot put these books down. But it’s not because they’re suspenseful or there’s so much activity… I just don't want to leave Mary’s world.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
But I absolutely adore and devour her books.
Sometimes an entire book revolves around one off handed remark.
In a Waltz to Remember and in life, sometimes the smallest most insignificant decisions make the biggest difference. And a simple promise from a girl to her father can grow out of proportion.
The plot, storyline, and events of Mary’s books are slow and methodical allowing the reader to slow down and be immersed in the world created through her detailed descriptions, internal monologues, and dialogue.
You get engrossed in the families created in her books and you feel the importance of family and community to all the characters and how these ideals should still be important to us today.
I cannot put these books down. But it’s not because they’re suspenseful or there’s so much activity… I just don't want to leave Mary’s world.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 12, 2026
Thank you Berkley Publishing & NetGalley for this ARC!
I enjoyed the core love story, but this book really felt like Ravenswood/Westcott fan service; I don't think you can fully immerse yourself this book without having read the rest of the series. It felt like there were 600 characters introduced, complete with their own backstories. It was confusing! I think more time was spent on them/the MCs relationship TO them, rather than to each other. I enjoyed Bertrand & Stephanie's story, but it felt a little underdeveloped since so much time was dedicated elsewhere.
The book also ends so abruptly that I actually assumed my Kindle froze (it didn't💔). I wanted more!
At the end of the day - I still love Mary Balogh's writing so that alone deserves a few stars!
I enjoyed the core love story, but this book really felt like Ravenswood/Westcott fan service; I don't think you can fully immerse yourself this book without having read the rest of the series. It felt like there were 600 characters introduced, complete with their own backstories. It was confusing! I think more time was spent on them/the MCs relationship TO them, rather than to each other. I enjoyed Bertrand & Stephanie's story, but it felt a little underdeveloped since so much time was dedicated elsewhere.
The book also ends so abruptly that I actually assumed my Kindle froze (it didn't💔). I wanted more!
At the end of the day - I still love Mary Balogh's writing so that alone deserves a few stars!
October 27, 2026
Go ahead and read this book if you enjoy descriptions of 12,000 side characters, repetitive inner monologues, and extended telling-and-not-showing explanations against the background of no action.
I’ve enjoyed many past Balogh novels but her late-career books are a tedious snooze fest.
I’ve enjoyed many past Balogh novels but her late-career books are a tedious snooze fest.
Read
September 16, 2026When a cripplingly shy young lady reacts harshly on the dance floor to the man she has fallen for, she doesn’t believe for worlds that a second chance to do it right is in the cards. Mary Balogh crosses over two of her best large family series, The Westcotts and The Ravenswood series when Stephanie Ware and Bertrand Lamarr do their waltz of love.
My full review will post at The Reading Frenzy TBA.
My full review will post at The Reading Frenzy TBA.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
For years Lady Stephaine Ware has harbored a secret crush for her brother Owen’s friend, Bertrand Lamarr, Viscount Watley, but Stephaine knows a man so perfect would never be interested in a chubby, round-faced girl like her, so she keeps her distance. It takes some time, but eventually, Stephaine learns not to be so self-deprecating and begins to accept herself, yet when Bertrand asks if she will save a waltz for him at the Ravenswood Summer Fete ball, she not only declines his request, but is unpardonably rude to him before running away. She almost instantly regrets her action but has no chance to apologize for months. Her opportunity comes when they meet in Bath for her brother Nicholas’ wedding to his step-niece Winifred Cunningham. She gathers her courage and asks his forgiveness for her nasty and untrue insults; he forgives her and asks if they might start again as friends. Months later they met again in London, and he asks her if she would give him the chance to prove to her that they could be more than friends, she is skeptical but agrees.
Bertrand, Viscount Watley has admired Lady Stephanie for years and had hoped to court her, but when he asked her for a dance, she was viscous in her refusal, so much so that Bertrand began to believe he actually hated her. Yet when they meet again and she apologizes, he immediately forgives her and asks if they could be friends. He thinks that will be enough and sets his sites to finding a bride and starting a family. He goes to London and begins to court a young lady, who by all his standards, would be a perfect bride, but he feels nothing beyond mild admiration for her. By chance he runs into Lady Stephanie on the night he decides to end the courtship and realizes that Stephaine is still the lady he wants. He gets her to agree to give him a chance to prove they could be perfect for each other, now he just needs to get her to see what he has seen for years.
I had been looking forward to Stephaine’s story and was delighted to learn this book would be her story and that Bertrand was going to be her love interest. The story did not disappoint, and I finally understood why Stephaine was so insecure and what prompted her to be so hateful to Bertrand. I will admit that I would have liked more personal interaction between Stephaine and Bertrand and less family interaction, I do enjoy learning updates about previous couples, but this was almost too much. Overall, it was a gentle romance between two people with issues in their childhoods that have shaped them and at times held them back, who finally let go of the past to seize their future happiness. This is the sixth book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone as the author supplies ample backstory.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for a DRC/ALC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *
Bertrand, Viscount Watley has admired Lady Stephanie for years and had hoped to court her, but when he asked her for a dance, she was viscous in her refusal, so much so that Bertrand began to believe he actually hated her. Yet when they meet again and she apologizes, he immediately forgives her and asks if they could be friends. He thinks that will be enough and sets his sites to finding a bride and starting a family. He goes to London and begins to court a young lady, who by all his standards, would be a perfect bride, but he feels nothing beyond mild admiration for her. By chance he runs into Lady Stephanie on the night he decides to end the courtship and realizes that Stephaine is still the lady he wants. He gets her to agree to give him a chance to prove they could be perfect for each other, now he just needs to get her to see what he has seen for years.
I had been looking forward to Stephaine’s story and was delighted to learn this book would be her story and that Bertrand was going to be her love interest. The story did not disappoint, and I finally understood why Stephaine was so insecure and what prompted her to be so hateful to Bertrand. I will admit that I would have liked more personal interaction between Stephaine and Bertrand and less family interaction, I do enjoy learning updates about previous couples, but this was almost too much. Overall, it was a gentle romance between two people with issues in their childhoods that have shaped them and at times held them back, who finally let go of the past to seize their future happiness. This is the sixth book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone as the author supplies ample backstory.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for a DRC/ALC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *
November 8, 2026
Lady Stephanie Ware has mostly overcome the insecurities that she’s struggled for years, but facing her longtime crush, her brother’s best friend Bertrand Lamarr, brings some of them back. The last time she saw him, she rejected his invitation to dance in a completely rude way and has regretted it ever since. Now she’ll be seeing him at her brother's wedding.
Bertrand, Viscount Watley, hasn't forgotten Stephanie's rejection and plans to keep his distance. However, things don’t goes as planned.
I’ve been looking forward to Stephanie and Bertrand’s story ever since hints of their feelings appeared in earlier books. Stephanie’s insecurities were easy to relate to, and I appreciated how she came to understand the root of those feelings by reasoning it out with family. As she got to know Bertrand better, Stephanie realized he wasn’t the perfect man she’d imagined but someone with feelings and struggles of his own. Watching them truly see and understand each other was one of my favorite parts of the story. Their relationship felt like a genuine meeting of hearts and minds, and I adored both characters.
A Waltz to Remember is another touching addition to the Ravenswood series. I’ve grown to love these characters over the course of the series, and each new release feels like a visit with old friends. I’m already looking forward to the next book!
I voluntarily read a copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.
Bertrand, Viscount Watley, hasn't forgotten Stephanie's rejection and plans to keep his distance. However, things don’t goes as planned.
I’ve been looking forward to Stephanie and Bertrand’s story ever since hints of their feelings appeared in earlier books. Stephanie’s insecurities were easy to relate to, and I appreciated how she came to understand the root of those feelings by reasoning it out with family. As she got to know Bertrand better, Stephanie realized he wasn’t the perfect man she’d imagined but someone with feelings and struggles of his own. Watching them truly see and understand each other was one of my favorite parts of the story. Their relationship felt like a genuine meeting of hearts and minds, and I adored both characters.
A Waltz to Remember is another touching addition to the Ravenswood series. I’ve grown to love these characters over the course of the series, and each new release feels like a visit with old friends. I’m already looking forward to the next book!
I voluntarily read a copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.
October 29, 2026
Loved this book! Mary Balogh writes magic and this book was full of magic!
November 5, 2026
This is probably one of the driest romance books I’ve read in awhile. At 73%, the MCs have only kissed twice. Now I know you don’t read this author for the sexy times BUT could it have hurt too much if some romance was included? I mean the amount of filler of other people was astounding.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Happy release week!!
I loved this. We finally get Stephanie and Bertrand’s stories. 2 characters we’ve seen in the Westcott and Ware series, so we get 1000 family members and their children popping up in this book. As a reader, you get more enjoyment out of this if you’ve read the previous books in both series.
Stephanie, former shy girl, gorgeous but still thinks of herself as a chubby pre-teen, had a huge crush on her brother’s friend Bertrand. For his part, Bertrand noticed Stephanie right away and thought she was beautiful and sweet. They just never get past Stephanie doing her best to avoid Bertrand for years. Until….
A family wedding! Characters from the previous books are getting married and both sides of the family are together for at least a week. Finally Bertrand can figure out why this woman is so skiddish. Unfortunately, Bertie is #handsome, like the most gorgeous man to walk the earth. Too handsome in fact.
What’s great about Bertie is he takes the hint, or insult thrown in his face, and decides to mend his broken heart and move on. But when he runs into Steph again by chance his reptile brain says “Mine! Mate! Must win her over”! Not those words, because Mary Balogh would never, but he might as well have.
We get an absolute lovely romance, with meddling family, returning characters, and some hot kissing.
What I don’t like… this cover. What the hell is this? Does not fit with the series at all, looks AI style. I am confused.
Also, like I mentioned above, this is not an entry to MB, too many side characters. Her next book might need to take place in Wales or have 2 characters trapped on an island to clear the decks a bit.
Thank you to the publisher for the arc. I was so excited to read this!
I loved this. We finally get Stephanie and Bertrand’s stories. 2 characters we’ve seen in the Westcott and Ware series, so we get 1000 family members and their children popping up in this book. As a reader, you get more enjoyment out of this if you’ve read the previous books in both series.
Stephanie, former shy girl, gorgeous but still thinks of herself as a chubby pre-teen, had a huge crush on her brother’s friend Bertrand. For his part, Bertrand noticed Stephanie right away and thought she was beautiful and sweet. They just never get past Stephanie doing her best to avoid Bertrand for years. Until….
A family wedding! Characters from the previous books are getting married and both sides of the family are together for at least a week. Finally Bertrand can figure out why this woman is so skiddish. Unfortunately, Bertie is #handsome, like the most gorgeous man to walk the earth. Too handsome in fact.
What’s great about Bertie is he takes the hint, or insult thrown in his face, and decides to mend his broken heart and move on. But when he runs into Steph again by chance his reptile brain says “Mine! Mate! Must win her over”! Not those words, because Mary Balogh would never, but he might as well have.
We get an absolute lovely romance, with meddling family, returning characters, and some hot kissing.
What I don’t like… this cover. What the hell is this? Does not fit with the series at all, looks AI style. I am confused.
Also, like I mentioned above, this is not an entry to MB, too many side characters. Her next book might need to take place in Wales or have 2 characters trapped on an island to clear the decks a bit.
Thank you to the publisher for the arc. I was so excited to read this!
November 1, 2026
A Waltz to Remember by Mary Balogh is the sixth book in the Ravenwood series. It does include characters from the prior books about the family and its connections, however not reading the prior books does not take away from the story. This particular novel focuses on Stephanie Ware and Bertrand Lamarr, Viscount Watley.
Stephanie Ware was the youngest of the siblings that were shocked by their father’s transgressions and illegal marriage. She felt alone and then lost the one person who she felt safe with - her dad. This scarred her as did the fact that many people did not see her as the “proper lady” she was supposed to be. She was heavier and wore her hair in an old fashion style.
Betrand Lamarr was Stephanie’s brother’s best friend. He was considered a perfect catch. Only Stephanie was opposed to him and pushed him away with cruelty. But as their family was intertwined he showed up at the family party and Stephanie was forced to be in his presence. She apologized for the past, however both could feel the connection which was scary.
This book had more angst than I remember from her prior books, but it was worked into the story. Stephanie’s past carried a heavy load on her. I found the book interesting and was interested in how it could possibly end. A Waltz to Remember by Mary Balogh was a good read.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Stephanie Ware was the youngest of the siblings that were shocked by their father’s transgressions and illegal marriage. She felt alone and then lost the one person who she felt safe with - her dad. This scarred her as did the fact that many people did not see her as the “proper lady” she was supposed to be. She was heavier and wore her hair in an old fashion style.
Betrand Lamarr was Stephanie’s brother’s best friend. He was considered a perfect catch. Only Stephanie was opposed to him and pushed him away with cruelty. But as their family was intertwined he showed up at the family party and Stephanie was forced to be in his presence. She apologized for the past, however both could feel the connection which was scary.
This book had more angst than I remember from her prior books, but it was worked into the story. Stephanie’s past carried a heavy load on her. I found the book interesting and was interested in how it could possibly end. A Waltz to Remember by Mary Balogh was a good read.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2026
Reading a Mary Balogh book is like settling down with a warm blanket on a cold day and forgetting the modern world entirely. Her plotlines move slowly while involving an entire village-sized cast of characters. A WALTZ to REMEMBER tells the story of Stephanie Ware, whom we first met tangentially as a nine-year-old in the first Ravenswood book, REMEMBER LOVE, when her secure family life imploded at the very public revelation of her father’s infidelity. Now grown up, Stephanie still carries the scars from that upheaval and considers herself unworthy of love or even admiration. Viscount Watley has felt drawn to Stephanie for years and cannot understand the barriers she seems determined to retain between them. In the Ravenswood world, however, resistance to love is futile, and between the Christmas party and summer visits, a waltz (or two!) proves a successful tactic for bringing people closer together. I greatly enjoyed this sixth volume in the series, but I think it would be challenging, despite lengthy descriptions of family relationships, to start with this book and feel at home with the narrative. And as much as I love the author's style, the plot could have been developed and resolved with far less repetition. Rosalyn Landor, as always, does a lovely job of narrating Ms. Balogh's story. I am grateful to NetGalley for a review copy of the audiobook.
November 1, 2026
I feel terrible giving a Mary Balogh book 3 stars, but it was so, so slow. There's way too many people brought back from earlier books to be in this story. This is not stand alone at all. I've read the books and she's my favorite author - and the side characters are STILL too much. We need more of the main characters. And I'm a bit salty that in the last several books she's turned into closed door. That intimacy used to really move the plot along and was important in her former books.
November 8, 2026
Another in her Regency romances, it was an enjoyable and fast read though I did get tired of Stephanie’s doubts about her attractiveness and the slow build of the romance. Also, am beginning to wish the author had never combined the two families of her two big series since there are now so many characters to try and sort out and remember that it makes my head ache! Am sort of hoping she starts a new series…
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I've been reading Mary Balogh for a number of years now and she rarely disappoints—and she did not disappoint here. The latest Ravenswood book collides once again with the Westcott series, as did the previous Ravenswood book. This time it is Bertrand Lemarr, Viscount Watley, who we originally met in the Westcott series, and Stephanie Ware, the youngest child of the Ware family, who was little more than a child when we first encountered her in book one. A WALTZ TO REMEMBER is a charming, heartfelt story about a couple who have known each other for years—have had their ups and (mostly) their downs, are both still contending with their pasts and the sins of their fathers—and are finally settling down to discover what it is about the other that makes "moments."
As always with this author, the writing is excellent, the story woven with details that bring scenes to life and remind the reader what they've loved about the previous books and couples in both the Ravenswood and Westcott series. There are cameos galore, and while it can be tricky to keep track who is who for the uninitiated, the important thing is that the romance here is simply lovely. It builds off the back of Bertrand's desire to make himself known for who he is—not who he projects—to Stephanie and Stephanie's need to love and forgive herself, and to learn to open her broken heart once more. (Fictional fathers have a lot to answer for in this book...)
My only complaint is the rather abrupt ending. I was expecting more, so when the page no longer turned, I felt a wave of disappointment. To me, it feels like there should have been at least another couple of chapters, and while the series is surely not over—Owen Ware, Stephanie's brother and Bertrand's close friend, remains single—meaning that we will undoubtedly see these two again, I genuinely feel a little robbed. Not enough to regret reading it, nor encourage anyone to miss it, however. I still adored this book and will cross fingers and toes in the hopes that we do see these two again in Owen's book—and beyond.
As always with this author, the writing is excellent, the story woven with details that bring scenes to life and remind the reader what they've loved about the previous books and couples in both the Ravenswood and Westcott series. There are cameos galore, and while it can be tricky to keep track who is who for the uninitiated, the important thing is that the romance here is simply lovely. It builds off the back of Bertrand's desire to make himself known for who he is—not who he projects—to Stephanie and Stephanie's need to love and forgive herself, and to learn to open her broken heart once more. (Fictional fathers have a lot to answer for in this book...)
My only complaint is the rather abrupt ending. I was expecting more, so when the page no longer turned, I felt a wave of disappointment. To me, it feels like there should have been at least another couple of chapters, and while the series is surely not over—Owen Ware, Stephanie's brother and Bertrand's close friend, remains single—meaning that we will undoubtedly see these two again, I genuinely feel a little robbed. Not enough to regret reading it, nor encourage anyone to miss it, however. I still adored this book and will cross fingers and toes in the hopes that we do see these two again in Owen's book—and beyond.
October 31, 2026
Una pena, bastante aburridilla. Con ese empeño de genealogías cuasi bíblicas de todos los Wescott.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Didn’t really care for it at all. Wasn’t a fan of the FMC, the MMC was bleh whatever, the plot was also bleh whatever. I dropped it. Writing was fine.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 28, 2026
A Waltz to Remember is the 6th book in the Regency historical romance series Ravenswood by Mary Balogh. I am a HUGE Mary Balogh fan. Her books are usually 5 stars for me. Do you need to read the first 5 books in the series? I would definitely say yes this time. Usually I can figure out who's who after the first few chapters, but not this time. I was lost.
The youngest Ware daughter, Stephanie, has always harbored secret passion for the best friend of her brother. In her eyes Bertrand Lamarr, Viscount Watley, is perfect. For many years she thought of herself as quite the opposite. When he surprised her by asking her to save a waltz for him, she panicked—and refused him in the unkindest words. Stephanie’s guilt over her behavior is such that she now dreads seeing him, as she inevitably must, at the Christmas family reunion she is attending. She wants to hide from him, but what she doesn’t know is that Bertrand has always admired her from afar and is determined to overcome her apparent dislike of him and win his waltz. For he believes there is magic between them, and they will discover it can conquer all their regrets and fears if they but give themselves a chance.
Ms. Balogh's books are always beautifully written, and this book is no exception. The dialogue between the leads is usually deep and lovely, and she is incredible for describing locations to make you feel you're right there with her characters. I did have some issues with this particular book, though it was still a 4-star read for me. What did I like? Bertram. I LOVED Bertram. (Don't care for the name, but he was a lovely person.) He was a phenomenal leading man. He had a difficult early family life, but was always close to his twin sister Estelle. He had a serious rift with their father, but he was becoming close to him once again. He was always kind, and a loyal man and a good friend. And he was willing to give the woman who hurt him all the time that she needed for him to prove his love. The locations in this story sounded just beautiful and I could see them clearly in my mind. Ms. Balogh's dialogue is always deeply felt, and the romance ended up being a sweet one. What didn't I like? Well, Stephanie for one, until she finally explained her inner feelings with Bertram. He was so kind to her, but her self-esteem was bad when she was younger, and apparently she still suffered from it. I understand - I've definitely dealt with bad self-esteem myself occasionally through the years - but she was brutal to him, so I ended up disliking her the first part of the book. My main issue with the book, however, was an overdose of characters. There were characters from the first 5 books in the series. There were characters from previous series. And the relationships between everyone were explained. I was getting totally confused at the beginning of the book, and relationships weren't much clearer at the end. My head was spinning. But despite my issues, I really did enjoy the romance once Stephanie learned to be honest with Bertram. And I'm glad I have the previous books in the series to go back and read, as glimpses of characters from those books piqued my interest. A book by Mary Balogh is always a wonderful thing, aside from a rare misstep. I eagerly await her next book.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
The youngest Ware daughter, Stephanie, has always harbored secret passion for the best friend of her brother. In her eyes Bertrand Lamarr, Viscount Watley, is perfect. For many years she thought of herself as quite the opposite. When he surprised her by asking her to save a waltz for him, she panicked—and refused him in the unkindest words. Stephanie’s guilt over her behavior is such that she now dreads seeing him, as she inevitably must, at the Christmas family reunion she is attending. She wants to hide from him, but what she doesn’t know is that Bertrand has always admired her from afar and is determined to overcome her apparent dislike of him and win his waltz. For he believes there is magic between them, and they will discover it can conquer all their regrets and fears if they but give themselves a chance.
Ms. Balogh's books are always beautifully written, and this book is no exception. The dialogue between the leads is usually deep and lovely, and she is incredible for describing locations to make you feel you're right there with her characters. I did have some issues with this particular book, though it was still a 4-star read for me. What did I like? Bertram. I LOVED Bertram. (Don't care for the name, but he was a lovely person.) He was a phenomenal leading man. He had a difficult early family life, but was always close to his twin sister Estelle. He had a serious rift with their father, but he was becoming close to him once again. He was always kind, and a loyal man and a good friend. And he was willing to give the woman who hurt him all the time that she needed for him to prove his love. The locations in this story sounded just beautiful and I could see them clearly in my mind. Ms. Balogh's dialogue is always deeply felt, and the romance ended up being a sweet one. What didn't I like? Well, Stephanie for one, until she finally explained her inner feelings with Bertram. He was so kind to her, but her self-esteem was bad when she was younger, and apparently she still suffered from it. I understand - I've definitely dealt with bad self-esteem myself occasionally through the years - but she was brutal to him, so I ended up disliking her the first part of the book. My main issue with the book, however, was an overdose of characters. There were characters from the first 5 books in the series. There were characters from previous series. And the relationships between everyone were explained. I was getting totally confused at the beginning of the book, and relationships weren't much clearer at the end. My head was spinning. But despite my issues, I really did enjoy the romance once Stephanie learned to be honest with Bertram. And I'm glad I have the previous books in the series to go back and read, as glimpses of characters from those books piqued my interest. A book by Mary Balogh is always a wonderful thing, aside from a rare misstep. I eagerly await her next book.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
October 27, 2026
Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for this ALC.
This is a historical romance where the brother’s best friend and sister are both in love with each other but the sister has scared/put off the MMC before the book started.
There is no spice, unless you count a few kisses and barely petting (which I don’t).
The narrator was decent, but I didn’t like her for this particular book/narrative.
I struggled with the star rating for this one. I love historical romance, especially anything ton-related, and it’s brother’s best friend, which is a trope I LOVE. While the story wasn’t bad, I almost DNF multiple times (one of which was the beginning and hearing the narrator and not liking her for this particular narrative). Whenever I thought about DNFing it, I gave it a few more pages and then felt it was fine enough to continue on.
I liked the concept of the story, however, I was bored a few times during it. There was a lot of fluff (i.e. I did not care for the play-by-play of the Christmas play, nor did I need the Bible lesson. A paragraph of the whole thing would have sufficed. I think this was done for “show, don’t tell,” but telling would have been totally acceptable here.). I also think there were too many scenes that didn’t have the two MLs together, especially because I didn’t feel angst, chemistry or tension between the two main characters (I did get a slight case of the feels for the mistletoe scene though). We needed more time with them.
I didn’t particularly like Stephanie and thought she was immature and being stupid about resisting the MMC. Her resistance didn’t make sense. I still don’t really get why she was so adverse to the MMC. I know what she said, but it didn’t make much sense, especially after their discussion at Christmas. Near the end, another reason for her resistance was given, but by then, I didn’t buy it because him being too perfect and good looking and “good” for her was so drilled into the reader’s head. Her obsession with her “fat” and “baby fat” was annoying and overly done/mentioned, especially since early in the book, she knew she wasn’t fat and had grown out of her baby fat (then why still harp on about it for the entire book).
By the end, I didn’t care about the characters. The 3 aunts who played the witches in the play were by far the best characters and we saw little of them. And speaking of the end, it sucked. It just cut off. Was it happy? Yes, but it stopped so abruptly that it hit a wall. I feel the reader deserved a bit more of the happiness before the book ended.
Also, it didn’t make sense that the MMC didn’t know about the FMC’s family secret given his close relationship with her brother.
Nit-picking, I think there should have been more variety of dialogue tags. “Said” was used WAY too much. I know it’s said (no pun intended) that “said” always works because it blends in. In this case, it was distracting.
Having said all that, I will look for more books by this author because I think it was just this story that didn’t do it for me. I believe this is a later book in a long, stand alone series and perhaps this series has run its course.
This is a historical romance where the brother’s best friend and sister are both in love with each other but the sister has scared/put off the MMC before the book started.
There is no spice, unless you count a few kisses and barely petting (which I don’t).
The narrator was decent, but I didn’t like her for this particular book/narrative.
I struggled with the star rating for this one. I love historical romance, especially anything ton-related, and it’s brother’s best friend, which is a trope I LOVE. While the story wasn’t bad, I almost DNF multiple times (one of which was the beginning and hearing the narrator and not liking her for this particular narrative). Whenever I thought about DNFing it, I gave it a few more pages and then felt it was fine enough to continue on.
I liked the concept of the story, however, I was bored a few times during it. There was a lot of fluff (i.e. I did not care for the play-by-play of the Christmas play, nor did I need the Bible lesson. A paragraph of the whole thing would have sufficed. I think this was done for “show, don’t tell,” but telling would have been totally acceptable here.). I also think there were too many scenes that didn’t have the two MLs together, especially because I didn’t feel angst, chemistry or tension between the two main characters (I did get a slight case of the feels for the mistletoe scene though). We needed more time with them.
I didn’t particularly like Stephanie and thought she was immature and being stupid about resisting the MMC. Her resistance didn’t make sense. I still don’t really get why she was so adverse to the MMC. I know what she said, but it didn’t make much sense, especially after their discussion at Christmas. Near the end, another reason for her resistance was given, but by then, I didn’t buy it because him being too perfect and good looking and “good” for her was so drilled into the reader’s head. Her obsession with her “fat” and “baby fat” was annoying and overly done/mentioned, especially since early in the book, she knew she wasn’t fat and had grown out of her baby fat (then why still harp on about it for the entire book).
By the end, I didn’t care about the characters. The 3 aunts who played the witches in the play were by far the best characters and we saw little of them. And speaking of the end, it sucked. It just cut off. Was it happy? Yes, but it stopped so abruptly that it hit a wall. I feel the reader deserved a bit more of the happiness before the book ended.
Also, it didn’t make sense that the MMC didn’t know about the FMC’s family secret given his close relationship with her brother.
Nit-picking, I think there should have been more variety of dialogue tags. “Said” was used WAY too much. I know it’s said (no pun intended) that “said” always works because it blends in. In this case, it was distracting.
Having said all that, I will look for more books by this author because I think it was just this story that didn’t do it for me. I believe this is a later book in a long, stand alone series and perhaps this series has run its course.
November 7, 2026
I’m sorry to say I was disappointed. Especially since I love, love, love bringing the Wares and the Westcotts together. The last book with Winnie and Nicholas was perfection. I adore Bertrand. I’ve been crazy about him from his first appearance in the series. Mary Balogh continues to be a favorite. She has given me so many hours of joy, tears, laughter through tears. Her characters are wonderful and memorable. Her ability to keep track of this large, complex extended family amazes me. She makes every single person seem real, someone I want to know better and to spend time with. It boggles my mind! No, my problem is Stephanie. She annoyed me at 9 with her focus on her looks, always comparing herself to Pippa. I disliked her at 17 as she ignored her family’s distress after The Great Disaster and clung to her wretched father, blaming everyone but the one who was actually at fault. Still focused on her looks without a thought to her character or her behavior. I wanted to slap her at 25 when she abused Bertrand so unjustly. I gritted my teeth through this book, wanting her to suffer for all the suffering her self-centered behavior had caused others, my favorite fictional people, over the years. But no. Bertrand forgives all. Everyone loves her. She’s still the favorite, no matter she’s a 26 year old who still acts like she’s 9, demanding to be the center of attention while dressing like a maid. Then she gets her feelings hurt when someone points out that she looks like a maid. She infuriates me! Bertrand deserves so much better, though it does make me happy that he’s happy. The scene with his father in the library is so beautiful. One more bone to pick, then I’m done. What is with this dreadful book cover? Bertrand is extremely attractive. Stephanie is tall and Juno-esque. The cover doesn’t do either of them justice. It certainly doesn’t fit with the rest of the series. The other covers are all so perfect for the story. I’m very disappointed. You will probably enjoy this one. It’s very emotional and beautifully written. And you
Probably have more compassion for Stephanie the Spoiled Brat than I do.
Probably have more compassion for Stephanie the Spoiled Brat than I do.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I've now read 5 out of 6 of the Ravenswood (aka Remember) series and now it's baby sister's Stephanie turn to face her Daddy issues and accept the love her brother's bestie - the very hot Viscount Bertrand.
This book was sooo boring. I listened to the audiobook which was well acted but even the narrator can't fix cheesy, bland dialogue and plot. I rolled my eyes so hard so many times that I got a migraine. This one is grandma approved - as in safe for the most uptight granny to read because nothing happens but some kisses (even after the numerous epilogues with endless wedding details). I know where every guest at the wedding stayed and who with but not how Steph & Bert finally got to experience their wedding night? Cruel joke, Mary! Cruel.
Most of the middle of this book was spent rehashing the Westcott family series - how everyone is related and all their histories. For someone who hasn't read that series, like me, that was unneeded detail that took me out of the story I really came to read and provided soooo many spoilers for the Westcott series I no longer need to read it. I feel like Mary had no interesting idea for Steph's story, which I was hoping would be the best of the bunch, and just filled a word count with superfluous details, pointless side characters and the infinite rehashing of insecurities. The Steph/Bert scene/conversation at Vauxhall made NO kind of sense and I listened to it twice.
Can we talk about poor Stephanie for a sec? NO ONE in this family checked in on her mental health for 17 YEARS after their big family scandal? They just let her NOT cut her hair and avoid change/challenges? Man, everyone in this family is self-centered like their evil Daddy except for Steph. Apparently, Bert has had his own Daddy issues to overcome but still needs lessons in making romantic gestures! A couple of waltzes, family trauma talks and walks? Staring at a lake together? Surely not. I wish Steph HAD pushed him the lake - maybe a little comic relief would liven this dud up!
This book was sooo boring. I listened to the audiobook which was well acted but even the narrator can't fix cheesy, bland dialogue and plot. I rolled my eyes so hard so many times that I got a migraine. This one is grandma approved - as in safe for the most uptight granny to read because nothing happens but some kisses (even after the numerous epilogues with endless wedding details). I know where every guest at the wedding stayed and who with but not how Steph & Bert finally got to experience their wedding night? Cruel joke, Mary! Cruel.
Most of the middle of this book was spent rehashing the Westcott family series - how everyone is related and all their histories. For someone who hasn't read that series, like me, that was unneeded detail that took me out of the story I really came to read and provided soooo many spoilers for the Westcott series I no longer need to read it. I feel like Mary had no interesting idea for Steph's story, which I was hoping would be the best of the bunch, and just filled a word count with superfluous details, pointless side characters and the infinite rehashing of insecurities. The Steph/Bert scene/conversation at Vauxhall made NO kind of sense and I listened to it twice.
Can we talk about poor Stephanie for a sec? NO ONE in this family checked in on her mental health for 17 YEARS after their big family scandal? They just let her NOT cut her hair and avoid change/challenges? Man, everyone in this family is self-centered like their evil Daddy except for Steph. Apparently, Bert has had his own Daddy issues to overcome but still needs lessons in making romantic gestures! A couple of waltzes, family trauma talks and walks? Staring at a lake together? Surely not. I wish Steph HAD pushed him the lake - maybe a little comic relief would liven this dud up!
October 27, 2026
I enjoyed listening to A Waltz to Remember, Mary Balogh’s latest book. Rosalyn Landor narrated the book beautifully. This book is connected to the Westcott and Ravenswood series. Without having read any of those, I was a bit lost at certain points, as this book features many side characters from previous books. I would recommend reading a few books from those series before reading this book to fully enjoy it.
I’m a huge fan of Balogh’s classic historical romance series, the Bedwyns. The characters yearn deeply, are strongly attached to each other, and are all very interesting. I love reading a family series too with multiple novels.
A Waltz to Remember is Stephanie and Bertrand’s story. Bertrand has always admired her from afar, but when he approached her asking for a waltz, she dismissed him vehemently. He grows more curious about her and has the chance to spend more time with her during a family trip to Bath over Christmas. Stephanie is preoccupied with her insecurities about her body, and her anger over her father’s actions. Slowly, she and Bertrand get to know each other and discover that they enjoy each other’s company immensely. I loved how music brought them together.
This is a wholesome historical romance, full of small town charm and family activities. I was waiting for a deeper connection to grow between Stephanie and Bertrand, but it always felt surface level. There was some turmoil between them before, but once they grew interested in each other, the story followed a predictable pattern. I will always love Mary Balogh books, but this one was not a hit for me.
However, I loved listening to Rosalyn Landor narrate this book. Her precise accents and many different voices are perfectly executed. I lost myself in the story while listening to her - it’s incredible how different she can sound when voicing different characters.
Thank you to RB Media/Recorded Books and NetGalley for an advance listener’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I’m a huge fan of Balogh’s classic historical romance series, the Bedwyns. The characters yearn deeply, are strongly attached to each other, and are all very interesting. I love reading a family series too with multiple novels.
A Waltz to Remember is Stephanie and Bertrand’s story. Bertrand has always admired her from afar, but when he approached her asking for a waltz, she dismissed him vehemently. He grows more curious about her and has the chance to spend more time with her during a family trip to Bath over Christmas. Stephanie is preoccupied with her insecurities about her body, and her anger over her father’s actions. Slowly, she and Bertrand get to know each other and discover that they enjoy each other’s company immensely. I loved how music brought them together.
This is a wholesome historical romance, full of small town charm and family activities. I was waiting for a deeper connection to grow between Stephanie and Bertrand, but it always felt surface level. There was some turmoil between them before, but once they grew interested in each other, the story followed a predictable pattern. I will always love Mary Balogh books, but this one was not a hit for me.
However, I loved listening to Rosalyn Landor narrate this book. Her precise accents and many different voices are perfectly executed. I lost myself in the story while listening to her - it’s incredible how different she can sound when voicing different characters.
Thank you to RB Media/Recorded Books and NetGalley for an advance listener’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I thought A Waltz to Remember by Mary Balogh was a thoughtful, sweet story with relatable themes and a precious hurt/comfort slow burn. It also had an incredible cast of characters who I found incredibly endearing. Plus we have some potential pairings hinted at for future books, which is always one of my favorite parts of this genre. Stephanie is a shy, self-conscious FMC, and I felt the discussion around weight and body dysmorphia to be so incredibly relevant. Bertrand is down bad from the moment he lays eyes on Stephanie, and he spends years with a festering wound from her rejection on the dance floor. I enjoyed both of these characters, but I wasn't head over heels feral for them.
I listened to the audiobook, and I really liked Rosalyn Landor's narration. I thought she did a great job bringing the story to life. Her voice did tend sound a bit older than some of the characters were. I would absolutely listen to more historical romance books narrated by Rosalyn.
There are quite a few reviews stating that: it will be hard to enjoy A Waltz to Remember without having read at least some of the Ravenswood and Westcott series. Based on early reviews, it appears that I am indeed one of the first reviewers to read this book without the back story. One of the things I appreciate most about historical romance is the ability to usually pick a book up in the middle of a series and still have a lovely standalone. This book however, is about two characters part of their own big series. While I got all the necessary information I needed to enjoy this, I think you will love it more with the history. It seems people have been waiting for Bertrand's story for many books, and I love that anticipation. However, I am a chaos goblin who picks books at random and wanted to read this one based on the blurb! Thank you for allowing me the chance to do so!
I listened to the audiobook, and I really liked Rosalyn Landor's narration. I thought she did a great job bringing the story to life. Her voice did tend sound a bit older than some of the characters were. I would absolutely listen to more historical romance books narrated by Rosalyn.
There are quite a few reviews stating that: it will be hard to enjoy A Waltz to Remember without having read at least some of the Ravenswood and Westcott series. Based on early reviews, it appears that I am indeed one of the first reviewers to read this book without the back story. One of the things I appreciate most about historical romance is the ability to usually pick a book up in the middle of a series and still have a lovely standalone. This book however, is about two characters part of their own big series. While I got all the necessary information I needed to enjoy this, I think you will love it more with the history. It seems people have been waiting for Bertrand's story for many books, and I love that anticipation. However, I am a chaos goblin who picks books at random and wanted to read this one based on the blurb! Thank you for allowing me the chance to do so!
November 7, 2026
Bertrand is at an age that society says he needs to find a wife and have an heir. He knows who he wants as a bride but she doesn’t want him. He knows his best bet is to go to London and meet other available women. Stephanie has never felt like she’s beautiful with her round face and full bosom but she has built her confidence over the years and she likes herself. She knows who she is attracted to but she is convinced he is out of her league. Can two people who already like each other get past all of their issues and find love?
Bertrand is the Viscount Watley. He understands his duties and responsibilities and he takes them seriously. He wants a wife that he actually likes instead of a biddable woman who is cold to him otherwise. He is a good character. He is smart and kind and loves his family. There is a moment in the story when he shows all of who he is. That moment was emotional and heartfelt. Stephanie is smart and understands how society works. She has worked hard to develop self-confidence and self-love. She wants to marry for love but most men are so average and not very exciting. I think the author did a good job showing how an impressionable teenager can take a situation or a comment the wrong way and can hold onto those hurt feelings for years. Stephanie was forced to grapple with how her insecurities affected how she perceived the world around her. By the end I was rooting for them to get their happily ever after.
This story takes place in and around London and the countryside. Bertrand and Stephanie both come from well to do families with certain expectation about who they will marry. This is a love story between two people who are willing to take their time to make sure that they belong together. I will definitely read more from this author in the future.
Bertrand is the Viscount Watley. He understands his duties and responsibilities and he takes them seriously. He wants a wife that he actually likes instead of a biddable woman who is cold to him otherwise. He is a good character. He is smart and kind and loves his family. There is a moment in the story when he shows all of who he is. That moment was emotional and heartfelt. Stephanie is smart and understands how society works. She has worked hard to develop self-confidence and self-love. She wants to marry for love but most men are so average and not very exciting. I think the author did a good job showing how an impressionable teenager can take a situation or a comment the wrong way and can hold onto those hurt feelings for years. Stephanie was forced to grapple with how her insecurities affected how she perceived the world around her. By the end I was rooting for them to get their happily ever after.
This story takes place in and around London and the countryside. Bertrand and Stephanie both come from well to do families with certain expectation about who they will marry. This is a love story between two people who are willing to take their time to make sure that they belong together. I will definitely read more from this author in the future.
October 21, 2026
This was such a great tie of two of Mary Baloghs series. I have been waiting to hear what happens for Stephanie, and was so pleased to finally hear Bertrands love story was well (I was shocked finishing the Westcott series without a story for him initially!)
Bertrand was down bad for Stephanie from the get-go, which I loved, but sadly I feel his character was not as developed as Stephanies/other love interests in this series. It felt a lot of time was spent recapping what happened in the westcott series, which doesnt necessarily give us context to Bertrand as a person now. Stephanie definitely had a lot of feelings to work through, especially about her father, which added such development to her character and gave us more perspective on how is actions impacted everyone in the family. I was happy she overcame these fears/anxiety in her story, especially after allllll the commentary in books 1-5 of this series about her looks and weight. Strangely enough those didnt even seem like her biggest issue in this story, so those comments made by her family in previous books come across as rude/not fair to her and her character, she had other, relevant things to work through to get her happy ending.
Overall this book was an enjoyable part of the series, while I sometimes felt too much time was spent explaining previous books plots.
Also- I look forward to reading Owens story next after his character development in this one!
Bertrand was down bad for Stephanie from the get-go, which I loved, but sadly I feel his character was not as developed as Stephanies/other love interests in this series. It felt a lot of time was spent recapping what happened in the westcott series, which doesnt necessarily give us context to Bertrand as a person now. Stephanie definitely had a lot of feelings to work through, especially about her father, which added such development to her character and gave us more perspective on how is actions impacted everyone in the family. I was happy she overcame these fears/anxiety in her story, especially after allllll the commentary in books 1-5 of this series about her looks and weight. Strangely enough those didnt even seem like her biggest issue in this story, so those comments made by her family in previous books come across as rude/not fair to her and her character, she had other, relevant things to work through to get her happy ending.
Overall this book was an enjoyable part of the series, while I sometimes felt too much time was spent explaining previous books plots.
Also- I look forward to reading Owens story next after his character development in this one!
November 10, 2026
"She really did not want to start liking either one of them too much, though. They were part of that little corner of her world she had not yet conquered. The corner in which perfection reigned and threatened her imperfection."
"Will you allow me to persuade you if I can that merely settling for what is safe is not a good enough basis for a happy marriage?"
I have loved Mary Balogh's books so far and while this series hasn't been my favorite, I have enjoyed it overall. But this one didn't work for me. While I LOVE the Westcott family from a previous series, it was too much trying to bring the crossover with both huge families. And once I got everyone re-sorted, I ended up more invested in Bertrand and the Westcotts than Stephanie and HER family - the focus of this series.
And I could not stand Stephanie! I had been anticipating her story, especially as a full-figured regency woman. But she was so incredibly insecure, despite claiming she was finally happy with herself. And she blamed everyone else for her hurts except the one person responsible - the worthless father-figure who destroyed all of their lives with his selfishness and who I'm frankly tired of hearing about. And then to top it off she treated Betrand terribly simply because he was handsome.
I nearly DNF'd this and only finished it for Bertrand. Eventually I just skimmed to the end and only enjoyed the last 20%, for which I gave the book 3⭐. Unfortunately if you skip this one, you're not missing much.
"Will you allow me to persuade you if I can that merely settling for what is safe is not a good enough basis for a happy marriage?"
I have loved Mary Balogh's books so far and while this series hasn't been my favorite, I have enjoyed it overall. But this one didn't work for me. While I LOVE the Westcott family from a previous series, it was too much trying to bring the crossover with both huge families. And once I got everyone re-sorted, I ended up more invested in Bertrand and the Westcotts than Stephanie and HER family - the focus of this series.
And I could not stand Stephanie! I had been anticipating her story, especially as a full-figured regency woman. But she was so incredibly insecure, despite claiming she was finally happy with herself. And she blamed everyone else for her hurts except the one person responsible - the worthless father-figure who destroyed all of their lives with his selfishness and who I'm frankly tired of hearing about. And then to top it off she treated Betrand terribly simply because he was handsome.
I nearly DNF'd this and only finished it for Bertrand. Eventually I just skimmed to the end and only enjoyed the last 20%, for which I gave the book 3⭐. Unfortunately if you skip this one, you're not missing much.
October 31, 2026
I love Mary Balogh. I think she's one of the most unique historical romance authors, because she often bucks the typical tropes. And this couple did the same, and I loved the story of the couple. They're complex people who both experienced childhood trauma. Event hough, on the surface, it seems like their lives should be great due to wealth and position, this story shows how childhood trauma can affect anyone, regardless of class and status.
The reason why this particular novel only gets three stars, though, is that so much of the story is exposition reviewing the characters who showed up in the two novel series that converge in this one book.
Parts of it rang like extended epilogues. And I wanted more of the two protagonist, and less, "where are they now and here's a brief synopsis of how they got here" for all the other characters mentioned. For that reason, it dragged at parts and got confusing—even though I've read (& loved!!!) all the stories of the other characters.
Ball set a huge task for herself to bring two of her book series together like this. While it was fun to get updates on these beloved characters, it's too often overshadowed the main characters of this novel for me.
The reason why this particular novel only gets three stars, though, is that so much of the story is exposition reviewing the characters who showed up in the two novel series that converge in this one book.
Parts of it rang like extended epilogues. And I wanted more of the two protagonist, and less, "where are they now and here's a brief synopsis of how they got here" for all the other characters mentioned. For that reason, it dragged at parts and got confusing—even though I've read (& loved!!!) all the stories of the other characters.
Ball set a huge task for herself to bring two of her book series together like this. While it was fun to get updates on these beloved characters, it's too often overshadowed the main characters of this novel for me.
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