Someone Perfect

Westcott #9

by Mary Balogh

Sometimes, just one person can pull a whole family apart. And sometimes, it just takes one person to pull it back together. For fans of Bridgerton, New York Times bestselling Regency Romance author Mary Balogh shows how love truly conquers all in this new Friends of the Westcotts novel.

As a young man, Justin Wiley was banished by his father for mysterious reasons, but now, his father is dead, and Justin has been Earl of Brandon for six years. A dark, dour man, he, nonetheless, takes it as his responsibility to care for his half-sister, Maria, when her mother dies. He travels to her home to fetch her back to the family seat at Everleigh Park.

Although she adored him, once, Maria now loathes Justin, and her friend, Lady Estelle Lamarr, can see, immediately, how his very name upsets her. When Justin arrives and invites Estelle and her brother to accompany Maria to Everleigh Park to help with her distress, she begrudgingly agrees, for Maria's sake.

As family secrets unravel in Maria's homecoming, Justin, too, uncovers his desire for a countess. And, while he may believe he's found an obvious candidate in the beautiful 25-year-old Lady Estelle, she is most certain that they could never make a match...

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Regency, Fiction, Audiobook

385 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 30, 2021

About the author

Mary 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.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Someone Perfect by Mary Balogh is a 2021 Berkley publication.

Justin was disowned by his father, and the reason for his banishment is a deep, dark secret. Sadly, his father died without any reconciliation.

But now that his stepmother has passed away, and a proper amount of mourning time as passed, he knows he must do his duty by his half-sister, Maria.

This will mean uprooting her from the home she loves and bringing her to Everleigh Park, where he resides, as the Earl of Brandon. Maria already despises him, and this forced move will not endear him to her at all.

As it happens, Maria is good friends with Lady Estelle Lamarr, a woman Justin had a brief encounter with on his way to visit Maria. Knowing that Maria didn’t want to come with him, that she was worried about being met by relatives she is sure will greet her with open hostility, he invites Estelle and her twin brother to come to Everleigh Park with Maria for a couple of weeks while she settles in.

Once they arrive, Estelle discovers that she is attracted to the dark, brooding Justin, a man who does not meet her criteria for the ideal perfect husband.

Meanwhile, Maria learns that her mother’s version of her marriage, does not seem to match the version her aunt tells everyone, which casts her mother in a very bad light, indeed. Which version is true?

As the story unfolds, the reader will be able to discern what may have transpired between Justin and his father, while an unlikely bond forms between Justin and Estelle.

There are some nice lessons woven into this story- such as- how hard it can be to accept a different version of events other than the one we’ve been conditioned to believe, especially if it is an unpleasant reality, we would rather deny than accept.

Other than that, this is not the strongest addition to this beloved series. The love story lacked chemistry and was out of step for most of the book, mainly due to too many threads and characters. Maria's adjustment to Everleigh, the truth about her mother, the story behind Justin's banishment, and a secondary thread about Justin's relationship a family of commoners, overwhelmed the romance.

I think this could be the last installment in this series, as I recently discovered that the author has a new book coming out soon, and that book will be the first in a new series.

If this is the end, I'm sad to see the series go out with a whimper, but maybe that's an indication that it has run its course and it is time to move on to new territory.

That said, I have loved this series, even though it was slow going at first. Balogh's work here has been a soothing balm and a great comfort to me during the past several years. The mature characters and gentle stories had a calming effect on me, and I was always rewarded with heartwarming HEAs!!

But, I'm really excited about the new series, though, and can't wait to meet Mary's new characters!

3 stars

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Very Pride and Prejudice-y Tale

Still 4 stars on the reread. This was a good story with a tragic hero and a strong heroine but I think I just got exhausted by this series. Though there was very little of the Westcott meddling or even of the Westcotts at all, it had the recapping and the exact same feel as all the others. I should have stretched the series out more.

Really the only issue I have is that the ending dragged. The conflict was good and emotional but everything was resolved by the 75% point and we were left reading about rather mundane and repetitive stuff till the end.

Also it’s weird that Estelle got a story in this series but her twin Bertrand did not. I do hear (thanks Dab) that he might have one featured in the Ravenswood saga. Does this mean we will hear about Mary’s greatest love Netherby again? Probably. You know there’s always that one hero an author writes that she secretly wants to bang? For Mary it’s got to be the Duke of Netherby.

[Dab · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love a grumpy-sunshine?

I was not sure about Justin at the beginning, but that was because I didn’t know his heartbreaking backstory. Now I know it and I know that he really was perfect 😌 I loved his character arc, there’s just something about grumpy, brooding men who turn out to be funny, sweet and incredibly romantic. That proposal! Those little letters he sent her! 🥰😭

I’m a little sad that this was the last book in the series. I’m not ready to part with all the Westcotts (well, okay, Joel and Marcel can go bed themselves) and some still should get their own books, but I’m afraid that Mary moved on 😭

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two likeable leads with integrity. Unfortunately their relationship lacked chemistry and felt a bit lukewarm. Much of the book was set during a country house party. There were family secrets and issues to be unraveled and past hurts forgiven, but it wasn't too angsty. The plot was fine. The hero was writing an adventure story and I wouldn't have minded this aspect being explored a bit more.

There were too many confusing secondary characters in this book, as seems also to have happened with other books in this series. It's too difficult to remember who is who, so I just skimmed past some of these side characters and how they were connected to others.

Overall, an OK book, with quality writing as usual, but for me lacking the charm and spark that makes you care about the characters and really want to read on.

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barbara’s rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Series: Westcott #9
Publication Date: 11/30/21
Period: King George IV – English countryside
Number of Pages: 400

This is a Mary Balogh book, so I fully expected to love it and give it a 5-star rating because I always do. I would have loved for that to be the case, but this just didn’t feel like Top-Of-The-Line Mary Balogh to me. I liked the characters and I liked the premise of the story. The writing was excellent also. To me, what was missing was the characters actually spending time together and getting to know each other. Instead of the on-page time for the main characters, we were treated to page after page after page of descriptions of the countryside and the homes. Those descriptions were well written and made it very easy to picture that place in your mind, but, to me, they just took up too much space in the story. I loved Justin and Estelle and cheered them on – I would just have preferred to see more of it on-page. There are a great many characters who are visiting Justin’s home, and you might have a hard time keeping them all straight. Each of them, however, moves the story forward, so there is a use for them. I saw little use for all of those descriptions and time spent on the many, many, many wedding guests though (Yes, I know, Wescott’s). My bottom line is – the entire book is excellently written with interesting characters – you just don’t get to spend enough time with those characters because of the very long place descriptions. I’d definitely read it again though – after all – it is Mary Balogh.

The Cast of Main Characters

Justin Wiley , now the Earl of Brandon. Justin had the happiest of childhoods with two parents who adored him – until his mother died. That took all of the light out of Justin’s life and nearly killed his father as well. Justin was surprised and dismayed when his father took a second wife a couple of years later. This woman was so very unlike his beloved mother – totally different in every way – and Justin just could not find it in him to like her. Yet, that woman gave him a beloved sister, Maria , whom he adored from the moment she was born. He spent hours playing with her, entertaining her, making her laugh. Then the horror of banishment! His beloved father turned him out, cut off his allowance, didn’t let him say goodbye to Maria, and only allowed him to carry what few things he could carry in his small bag. Then, six years ago, his father died and Justin became the Earl, as well as Maria’s guardian (and she hates him). Justin has no idea why she hates him, she just does, and it is the coldest kind of hate.

Lady Estelle Lamarr , daughter of a marquess, and twin sister to Bertrand , heir to the marquess. Estelle and Bertrand definitely have that twin connection going because each can sense the other's feelings. They both enjoy solitude and live in the country at Elm Court rather than with their father and stepmother at Redcliffe Court. Both have spent their time in London and are very socially adept, they just prefer their time in the countryside where Estelle can enjoy the outdoors and Bertrand can enjoy his studies. Estelle has become friends with a young neighbor, Maria Wiley, who recently lost her mother after nursing her singlehandedly for a year.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
As guardian to his much-loved sister, Justin knows he should fetch her from the estate where he had sent her and her mother after he inherited. He’s tried to allow her time to grieve her mother as she likes, but it is now time for her to come home. While she doesn’t agree, she has no choice.

Justin invites Maria’s young neighbors to come along to Everleigh with Maria so she’ll have some friendly company while she adjusts. He had also invited many, many, many relatives to the estate to allow them to meet Maria for the first time. Those relatives all know parts of a version of past family secrets – and Maria knows a version of those same past family secrets. When those secrets begin to surface, it can either completely splinter the family forever – or it can heal a family and help Maria come to love Justin again.

I did enjoy this read and I adored ALL of the characters we met - especially Ricky Mort even though he makes only a short appearance. The writing is excellent, but I did find myself skimming long portions of descriptions.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Lady Estelle Lemarr is content with being single. No one has come along to tempt her, and she’s determined not to settle for someone less that her idea of perfect. I could understand her feelings. Why settle when you’re fine with things as they are? However, that’s usually when you find love as is the case here with Estelle. The Earl of Brandon, Justin Wiley, with his broody looks and attitude immediately sets her back up and Estelle’s not inclined to like him as he hasn’t bothered to visit his younger sister, Maria, for years when she clearly needed him. But first impressions can be very wrong.

Justin had inherited the title of Earl of Brandon with the passing of his father six years earlier, but hasn’t been around his younger half sister since she was eight. With the passing of his stepmother Justin is now Maria’s guardian. He intends to live up to his duties and take Maria back to the family home of Everleigh. Maria isn’t happy with her brother at all. Seeing that Lady Estelle and her brother Bertrand are friends with Maria, he invites them to stay to make the changes for Maria easier. He tells himself that he’s only inviting them for Maria, but his first accidental meeting with Estelle has stuck in his head and he can’t help but be drawn to her.

It took a while for me to get into the story and I didn’t even really feel any romance between Estelle and Justin until the 30% mark, but there was some time that had to be spent setting up the story. There were a lot of characters involved and it took some doing getting them straight in my head. Honestly, I just gave up after a while and concentrated more on Estelle and Justin, but by the end I think I had the different families and relations mostly sorted.

As the story goes on Estelle begins to realize her first impressions of Justin were not fair, and he began to gain her respect and admiration in the way he dealt with Maria and the many family members. Estelle had strong feelings about Justin, even at their first meeting, that she comes to realize as stirrings of attraction. Much more powerful that she wanted to admit to, and she finds herself reluctantly drawn to him at every turn.

My heart broke for Justin and all he went through because of a spiteful, selfish woman. His interactions with Estelle were muddled, but endearing. I loved the inescapable quality to their romance and the unexpected heat!

This is book nine of the series, but it’s not necessary to read the previous books. There are mentions of the previous couples and there’s a lot of extended family named, but honestly you don’t need to keep it all straight to enjoy it.

Someone Perfect took a little while to get into but ended up being so lovely! Justin and Estelle’s story filled my heart with joy!

A copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfectly sublime!

So I finished reading this with a soppy smile on my face, exhausted from trying to remember all the various members of the involved families.
And that’s what this story is about. Families, loss, hurt, misunderstandings, forgiveness and gain. A mystery threads throughout covered with lies and revealed with truth.
Justin Wiley, Earl of Brandon was banished from home at twenty-two. Years later, without reconciliation to the father he adored, he finds himself the Earl of a place he doesn’t feel comfortable in. Too many memories!
His half-sister and his step-mother have repaired to another property, Prospect Hill in East Sussex, after his father’s death. His stepmother (a piece of work!) was ill and eventually died. His half sister Maria has been living with her governess turned companion. It’s well past her time of mourning. As Maria’s companion is under thirty she’s regarded as unchaperoned. Justin decides that it’s time for Maria to return to Eversleigh Park in Hertfordshire, and to take up her role as an Earl’s daughter, in preparation for her introduction to society.
Whilst at Prospect Hill he comes across Lady Estelle Lamar and her twin Bertrand, Viscount Watley. They are related to the Westcott’s. Justin has acquaintanceship with Avery Archer, Duke of Netherby, whose a roundabout relation of the twins. When I say come across. He and his dog Captain, literally do come across Estelle by a stream enroute to his sister’s home.
Estelle is waiting for someone perfect to marry—of course with blue eyes. That rules out the Earl, a big man with a broken nose and work worn hands. No blue eyes here!
Justin asks the twins to come to Eversleigh as a support for his sister. They agree. He also asks family on his father’s side and his stepmother’s side to come and meet Maria.
The story goes on from there. Maria finds out more about her mother and her brother. The brother she’d adored before he’d been banished.
I could mention Wesley Mort and his family, a stone cutter and Justin’s best friend. Or Ricky, Wesley’s brother. But I won’t except in passing. These are important connections though!
A warm hearted story that begins with varying tensions eventually resolved, not without pain, and with Family playing a huge part.

A Berkley penguinrandomhouse ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

So many problematic aspects make this one of Balogh's more cringeworthy efforts:

• Male protagonist banished by father for REASONS (which, when revealed, make NO SENSE If you knew you'd been trapped into marrying a far younger wife, and then found your far younger wife sexually sporting with your son from an earlier marriage, wouldn't you at least tell said son before sending him away [for his own good] that you knew he wasn't guilty???

• Male protagonist has highly improbable response to above banishment choosing hard manual labor rather than asking for help from his loving extended family

• Joke about how the male protagonist became friends with a working class stone quarry worker isn't funny, and doesn't even make sense Why would a working class guy hit a "la-di-da" wealthy guy for protesting the sexual harassment of a barmaid, when he himself found said sexual harassment objectionable??

• Female protagonist who has little character of her own or any character arc/growth

• Romanticized and deeply othering treatment of mental disability, as well as mentally disabled character used only to prove that the protagonist is Heroic

• Huge cast of characters (sets of relatives from 3 different branches of the male protagonist's family gather for a family reunion of sorts) that are impossible to keep straight, not that you'd even want to...

• Ignoring of cross-class tensions that would likely have resulted from mixing of the above relatives

• And lots of anachronistic words/phrases that pull knowledgable/picky readers out of the narrative (the above "la-di-da," which the OED dates to 1861, for just one example)

I promise myself not to purchase another Balogh book; only borrowing new releases from the library for me from now on

[Janine Ballard · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars / 4 stars

Kaetrin and I reviewed SOMEONE PERFECT together on December 1st.

Janine: Kaetrin and I have been reviewing Mary Balogh since her Westcott series of historical romances began eight books ago and this review continues the tradition.

Someone Perfect is Westcott-adjacent and the start of Balogh’s “Friends of the Westcotts” series; its heroine, Lady Estelle Lamarr, is Viola Westcott’s stepdaughter.

Estelle and her twin Bertrand are living in the country. Estelle has turned away many a suitor; if she can’t “find herself,” she’s content to live with brother. As the book begins, the sun is shining after days of rain and Estelle celebrates by going for a walk. The scenery tempts her into sitting by a nearby river and dipping her feet, even taking off her bonnet. Her hair comes down by mistake.

Her moment of bliss is interrupted when a panting, menacing dog races toward her. The dog—Captain—is called to heel by a huge, dour man. When he rides away without a word Estelle is shocked by his rudeness and embarrassed by her improper appearance.

Justin Wiley, Earl of Brandon, is ashamed and consternated by his behavior, which was brought on by broodiness and unexpected lust. He dreads a confrontation with his sister that awaits him in nearby Prospect Hall. Justin (age 34) and Maria (20) are half-siblings who once adored each other. That and every other facet of Justin’s life, was shattered twelve years ago and they haven’t seen each other in all that time. When he inherited his father’s title and country seat six years earlier, Justin had Maria and her mother sent to Prospect Hall.

Kaetrin: I had to laugh at the description of Justin’s age. I felt like it was one of those maths exam problems where you have to do algebra to work out the answer.

Maria was the daughter of his father and his father’s second wife, now deceased. She was fourteen years younger than Justin. He had not seen her for twelve years. She had been a child then, eight years old, thin and pale, with fine blond hair and big blue eyes, and he had adored her. And she him. But he had left home abruptly and been gone for six years before he inherited the title and properties and fortune upon the death of his father.

Let me just say there are not many authors I willingly do maths for.

Janine: In the intervening years Maria’s mother sickened, cared for by the teenaged Maria (the nurses Justin sent were turned away). When she died, Justin became Maria’s guardian and wrote his sister to invite her home. All his letters met with chilly and polite refusals. Justin loves Maria and decides to give her the chance to meet young people, come out in society, and marry by bringing her back.

While he is at Prospect Hall, Estelle and Bertrand, friends of Maria’s, pay a call. Justin and Estelle’s second meeting isn’t any smoother. Each feels awkward, embarrassed, and resentful. Estelle concludes that Justin is rude and unpleasant and that she dislikes him intensely. Though Justin is aware of it, he invites Estelle and Bertrand for a visit. Maria’s companion can’t move due to family demands and Justin doesn’t want Maria to be isolated.

Kaetrin: The rest of the story, for the most part, takes place at Everleigh Park, where Justin has invited Maria’s relatives, his own and their shared relations too, to try and give Maria a better sense of family and belonging. (The cast is extremely large and it took me quite a while to remember who everyone was – and as none of them were Westcotts (apart from Estelle and Bertrand) they were all entirely new.)

Janine: I didn’t feel impatient with the family gathering, and I often do with Balogh. New bonds were forged, sometimes across gaps of social class, and shared interests discovered. There was genuine warmth and interest on all sides. It may require suspension of disbelief that no one was a snob over the class divisions, but I was glad of that.

This is only part of our joint review. All of it can be found here: https://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/o...

[Matilda BGR · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an OK addition to the long Westcott series.

I guess Mary Balogh heard everyone complaining about how the whole family kept showing up in every book, so she decided to stop sending the entire Westcott clan into this book ... and simply replaced them with *three* family groups.

Listen, I'm from a big family. I literally have *dozens* of cousins and aunts and uncles. But even I rolled my eyes with the sheer number of relatives who are crammed into this book. It is *ridiculous.*

The title comes from Estelle's hopes for a husband, "someone perfect," but apparently SHE is the perfect one. Strikingly beautiful, clever, kind, joyful, generous ... evidently she has no flaws. She meets Justin, the older half brother of her friend Maria, and finds him cold and slightly scary. Turns out that's just her lady parts responding to him, a new sensation for Estelle.

Justin is an earl; he is Maria's legal guardian and has decided to bring her home to the family estate, years after he had had her and her mother (Justin's stepmother, who has now died) removed to a smaller family house. He asks Estelle and Estelle's twin brother to accompany Maria in order to help her get settled, and then he invited literally every single person they are related to to come for a two-week house party. Good grief. And almost ALL OF THEM show up.

So, this was supposed to be this romance about Estelle getting to know the good guy behind Justin's gruffness, and how Justin, who has a very weird combination of social skills -- sometimes he's right on target, sometimes he blows it -- will convince her to marry him.

But the romance is secondary or even tertiary to all the other issues going on around them, like Maria realizing that her mother was actually a narcissistic bitch and Justin setting up a major search party to find a developmentally disabled man with whom he had become friends in the years that he was estranged from his father.

So, not that much romance, to be honest, and too many extra characters, and WAY TOO MUCH EXPOSITORY EXPLANATIONS. I love Mary Balogh but I can't stand the whole, "Yes, Brother, as we both know, our mother died when she fell out of a window and then our father never came to see us." "You are right, Sister, and then we were raised by our aunt." Like, who the hell talks like that? And even at one point, someone says, "the Marchioness of [whatever], Estelle's stepmother," like WHAT? Just say ESTELLE's STEPMOTHER! You don't have to add her title! GAHHHH.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Justin Wiley, now the Earl of Brandon, has a painful past since his father banished him for reasons that are unknown, but much speculated about by society at large. Despite having been the Earl for six years now, Justin is still very serious and dour. Nonetheless, since a year has now passed since his stepmother’s death, he must take responsibility for his half-sister, which means bringing her back to Everleigh Park, the seat of the earldom, no matter how much she resists the idea.

Maria now loathes the half-brother she used to dote upon and her friend and neighbor, Lady Estelle Lamarr, notes this animosity immediately. When Justin comes to fetch his sister, he also invites Estelle and her twin brother to spend a couple of weeks at Everleigh to help Maria settle in. Though Estelle has taken Justin into some dislike, she agrees to come for the sake of her young friend.

Justin has gathered not only his sister, but extended family from both sides in the hopes of showing her that she is not alone. As these previously separated branches come together in discussion, family secrets are revealed, even things Justin never knew, and he finds himself longing for a countess of his own. He thinks Estelle is perfect for the role, but she is equally certain he could never be the man for her.

This is my first ever Mary Balogh book, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I have to say I was rather pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it. This was rather different than most romances I think, almost an homage to the highly descriptive style of Jane Austen. At first, I found this style to be rather solemn and I struggled a bit to get into it, but once I had my bearings, I actually found it to be very relaxing and immersive. I definitely would’ve benefited from reading some of the other Westcott books, just because of the surfeit of side characters, but this in no way detracted from my understanding or enjoyment of this book, other than a struggle to keep everyone straight. That said, I think I would’ve struggled with all of these characters anyway just because of the nature of this elaborate house party bringing together all the different branches of Justin’s and Maria’s families.

This book may not have had as much steam as I typically enjoy, but I think it was rather a case of quality over quantity. That’s not to say that this book was highly explicit either, but I think the slow burn between Justin and Estelle, combined with the sheer sensuality of the scene when they finally do come together, made this surprisingly sexy in a way that really worked for me. The emotional quality of the relationship development between Estelle and Justin and its ultimate culmination was just beautiful for me. I adored the fact that here we had this hero who had been so hurt by people he loved in the past that he now keeps himself totally closed off and doesn’t reveal his emotions to anyone, but he was open and totally raw with Estelle. That particular scene sold me on this book and on their relationship as she helped him work through his pain and he faced it head on, letting her see his very soul with this sort of intense vulnerability that I think is quite rare, both in life and in fiction. I loved it. Additionally, I loved the interactions between all of the supporting characters, except at times Maria, though she at least did do a great amount of growing up over the course of the story. I think my favorite relationship besides that between the MCs was the bond Estelle had with her twin, Bertrand, and now I find myself hoping he’ll get his own book. Either way, I will definitely be reading more from this author simply because of how real and raw her characters felt to me and how believable and emotional the relationship between Justin and Estelle wound up being.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...

[TinaNoir · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am kinda torn on how I felt about this book.

On the one hand, it fits very perfectly in that 'i need comfortable, not too angsty, not too high conflict' kinda mood I have been in for awhile. And I am normally a fan of this author's thoughtful take on relationships.

But on the other, this felt a little too ruminative and internal in places. I wanted something to happen. And it was low on action/plot.

The basic story is a good one, Justin -- who is now the Earl of Brandon -- was banished from his family home as a young man never to set foot on it until his father called him home. The immediate mystery of the story is why did he get banished? He is now the Earl so his father has died and he is back. But when we meet him he is a dour, self contained man who doesn't trust people easily.

But Justin -- who is really the central character of the story -- is a decent man and good guy with a lot of depth. He wants to reconnect with his younger half sister with whom he was very close to when they were young and but whom he hasn't seen since he was banished and not even when he became the Earl. She, Maria, lived on one of his properties with her ailing mother, nursing her until her mother died. Now Justin believes Maria should try to get out and meet people, start to live.

But Maria despises Justin. Another piece of the mystery. Is it just because she felt like he abandoned her? Or is it something else?

Justin decides to throw a house party and invite family and a particular friend of Maria's, Estelle (the heroine of this story) to ease Maria into society and to hopefully help repair his relationship with her.

Like I said, the thrust of the story is what happened between Justin and his father? Why the rift between Justin and Maria? Why has Maria never met any of their extended family?

And of course we get a romance between Justin and Estelle. But this felt almost like an afterthought, imo. Estelle gets a lot of headspace and face time. We get introduced to her and are reminded by her closeness with her twin brother and her contentment with her current unmarried state. And we get a LOT of her inner thoughts about Justin, but overall Estelle almost felt like a supporting character. This book felt like Justin -- his past, his relationships with Maria and the rest of his family--- was the important character here.

Truthfully the 'mystery' of Justin's past isn't that mysterious for too long even if all the facts get parceled out in bits over the course of the story. As savvy reader (even a non savvy one, imo) can quickly see the writing on the wall and where this story is going. It doesn't reflect well on anyone involved, except Justin who was treated rather unfairly.

It is a good thing that Justin is the central character because he is a good character to hang a story on. Very likable, a little (make that very) awkward romantically, honorable.

Estelle was a nice character -- a tick judgey -- but even when her thoughts were a little uncharitable re:Justin, her actions always showed her to be in his corner.

There are a lot of supporting characters. The house party is nothing but relatives, but holey granola -- Mary Balogh must love big families (i can't front, I love stories with big families too) because there were cousins this and and aunts that -- I didn't even attempt to keep them straight. But they were necessary for the story to unfold. I really only remembered the crotchety great aunt and that is because she is the only one who didn't bend over backward to make excuses for trash people.

Which brings me to Little Sis Maria. She was a brat. And I think I would have given this book another 1/2 star if someone had straight out called her a brat and told her to sit down and stop being rude. She comes around and realizes on her own she was being a rude brat, but I needed an actual smack down and not the constant tip-toes to spare her feelings or awkward conversation shifts.

The last few chapters were very nicely done and made me feel good and i finally got the romance-romance I thought most of the book back-burner-ed a bit.

Also, this is nominally the 9th book in the Westcott series, but it could be a stand alone. They are mentioned here and there and some show up at the end but overall the book would not have missed a beat if they had never been mentioned.

[Tanya · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you told me England was made up of nothing but the Westcotts, their spawn and friends, at this point I would believe you. FWIW, that's not a good thing.

[AlwaysV · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an exquisitely written love story! Justin and Estelle totally owned me ~ heart & soul. Two people who shouldn't have worked ~ seeing that he repulsed her at first sight and that he believed himself completely imperfect for her the entire time! But ~ wow! Their imperfection ended up to be PERFECT for each other. He only had to be "Justin" to win her over while she captivated him at first sight even when he helplessly hopelessly despaired of ever winning her heart.

This story was hands down another masterpiece by Mary Balogh. My heart broke on Justin's behalf in how/what he had to face ~conquer ~ endure ~ survive to finally become the man worthy of Estelle's love and desire. And I couldn't even hate the one worthless woman whose lack of conscience and decency caused all of his suffering. She was already suffered and dead.

Estelle was beyond words a magical magnificent heroine. She was ~ in one word ~ Perfect in every way ~ beautiful both inside and out ~ just unbelievably gorgeously created.

Hoping all lovers of historical romance will pick up this masterpiece and fall in love with the story, too. I completely ran out of words to continue rambling.

Sharing one of my favorite scenes:

"Life is a funny thing," he said. He surprised himself by laughing then . . . They sat quietly for a while.

"Stay here with me?" . . . There was another stretch of silence.

"Yes," she said.

* * *

Estelle heard the echo of her response and waited for guilt, panic, denial, moral outrage, something to rush at her in protest. Nothing did. She had said yes, and yes was what she meant. . .

"You will be marrying me," he said.

Her eyes smiled into his. "That is a proposal?"

"No," he said. "That is a statement."

"The proposal is still to come?" she asked. "Are you busy composing a sonnet?"

For a moment—ah, for a precious moment—laughter flashed in his eyes.

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well. This was rather disappointing compared to other books by Mary Balogh. I read every Balogh book, and I adore them. They are among my most anticipated book releases each time. I was excited for this one as it launches a new series. It was a pretty big let down. The characters were not really developed at all and nor was there any particular romance or connection developed between the main characters. They don’t even have a significant and meaningful interaction until 30% through the story. Literally. And through the first 85% they interact perhaps 5-7 times, each time being extremely short interactions. During perhaps 3 of those interactions they speak to each other for a time but it’s just really long monologues where they explain their history to the other person. There’s no banter, no flirting, no slow coming to know each other. Almost the entire book is full instead of pages snd pages and pages and pages full of descriptions of the manor house or describing a long convoluted family tree of a huge cast of tertiary characters whose presence and existence don’t even drive the story forward. And it’s not the westcotts! Balogh has bizarrely decided to just do again what she already did last series w the Westcotts, this time w a new family. I don’t understand why so much time was spent introducing us briefly to a TON of random family members of Justin’s. Instead of developing Estelle & Justin and providing a story that shows us romance snd falling in love we instead get mostly pages describing the house snd introducing a huge cast of unimportant characters, and then a random “suspense” plot which is in addition to the annoying mystery of why Justin’s dad banished him (it was clear pretty early on why do it was hard to care about this). I ended up not caring about the characters or story because there basically was no characterization or story, just a listing of tons of random family members, two unemotional kisses, and one perfunctory & rather rushed sex scene.

Since balogh is demonstrably able to deliver excellent characters & beautiful love stories (as seen in so many of her other books) I can’t figure out what happened with this book. Perhaps balogh suffered some pandemic induced ennui and it resulted in this tepid, romance-less, disappointing story.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series so much!!! For me it’s like a written version of The Great British Baking Show - it’s warm and comforting and everyone is nice and good.

I love that all the characters have some tragedy in their lives that is always healed by love and family. The tension never seems contrived and the solutions always involve growth, which I love.

Now I want to go back and read the one where Estelle’s dad gets together with Violet, the woman from the first book who lost her title and place in society.

Who am I kidding - I’ll probably re-read the whole series again.

[Jeannine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful finale to the series… one of the twins is still unattached, so a 10th book could be added? Granted, this book was published in 2021 and it is about 2024, so perhaps the Westcott are all living happily ever after.

This is another book where the main character has more development than the female, and the female is part of the family. I didn’t mind at all. The story was so interesting and the details were revealed slowly. Secondary characters deserve their own spinoffs! Wes and Hilda were great additions in their scenes and Ricky stole my heart. Captain the dog was great, as well.

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Justin Wiley, Earl of Brandon, has come to collect his half-sister, Maria, from Prospect Hall, where Maria and her mother have lived since their father's death. Justin hasn't seen Maria since she was eight-years-old. During that time, she has grown to hate her half-brother. She doesn't want to live at Everleigh Park with him. To make the adjustment smoother for Maria, Justin invites Lady Estelle Lamarr and her twin brother, Bertrand, to spend two weeks at Everleigh Park with them. He has also invited both his, their father's and Maria's family to come for a visit.

During the two weeks, different versions of her mother's story are told by the various family members. Maria soon discovers that just maybe her family didn't hate her mother. Perhaps her mother lied to her? Justin has come to realize he needs a Countess. Lady Estelle Lamarr is the perfect someone to fill that position. Unfortunately for him, Estelle tells him "no" to his proposal. He let's her know that he will ask her again at the end of the two weeks. Estelle tells Justin her answer will be the same.

There is a host of new characters to meet and learn their connections to Justin and Maria. Near the end of the story, the Wescotts put in an appearance multiplying the characters to several more to keep track of within the novel. I liked Justin's adopted family -- Wes and Hilda Mott, and Wes's brother, Ricky. Justin obliviously loved this family, especially Ricky, who is a thirty-year-old man with the mind of a child. His love for the Motts opened up his heart, releasing all the dour darkness Estelle told him was within himself. The plot gets tangled up into the subplots causing it to drag out instead of meeting a clean and efficient ending. We do get to the end and what a beautiful one to wrap up the story. Keeping track of all those characters seem well worth the effort. There is a lot of description of the landscape setting written within this ninth novel. The dialogue fits each character, even the dog named Captain has a minor role to play between Justin and Estelle. I would hope Estelle's brother, Bertrand, would get his own book, but according to one other reviewer, Mary Balogh will be starting a new series.

[Tracy Emro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Justin Wiley, the Earl of Brandon has come to Prospect Hall to collect his younger half-sister Maria and bring her home to Everleigh Park. For the last six years, since their father’s death, Maria and her mother have lived at Prospect Hall, but when her mother died a year ago, Maria has lived there with only her governess/companion and even though Justin knows she dislikes him, he is determined to bring her home and introduce her to society.

He knows it will not be easy on either of them, but he truly loves his sister and wants what is best for her. Years ago they were close, but at the age of 22 Justin’s father turned him out and all but disowned him, so he has not seen her in years and has no idea what stories his stepmother told her about him. So to smooth her transition, he asks her neighbor and good friend Lady Estelle Lamarr, the daughter of the Marquess of Dorchester, and her twin brother Bertrand, Viscount Watley to join a house party he has put together – he hopes having her friends near will ease the transition. But Justin is not prepared for his reaction to Estelle and soon wonders if he could tempt her into becoming his countess!

Lady Estelle is positive that she and Justin will never suit – but the more time she spends with him, the more she wonders why he was sent away – society at large has offered many theories over the years, but none seem to fit the man she has come to know. But as it happens, secrets have a way of coming to light and the truth is almost more shocking and painful than any scenario she could have imagined. Can she help him heal from the past and find that this dour, imperfect man is in reality, her someone perfect?

This was a well-written, gentle read, with wonderful characters and a good helping of emotion. The romance between Justin and Estelle is slow-burning and doesn’t always feel like the prime focus of the book and it is a bit on the wordy side, but it is a lovely story nonetheless. The book has wonderful secondary characters, warmish love scenes, secrets, heartache, regrets, and an especially fun, sweet relationship between Estelle and her twin Bertrand before culminating in a very nice HEA. This book is part of the Westcott series, but it is loosely connected and you should have no problem reading this book as a standalone title.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was sweet, mellow, and low-angst. Heavily focused on the hero’s journey, largely because the heroine is so emotionally mature and well-adjusted. It’s largely a story about familial love and forgiveness. I enjoyed the portrayal of Estelle’s relationship with her twin brother, which was funny, supportive, and not filled with aggressive “I must protect your honor!” energy.

I wished the deceased stepmother had a little more depth (she seemed villainous in a way that lacked dimension). There are truly so many Westcotts in this series that I can’t keep track of anyone, even with the ridiculous family tree.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Westcott series has been a heartwarming family saga that launched when a recently deceased head of family left some stunning surprises after he was gone. The last of the younger generation got his romance in the previous book and I thought it might be over, but I lived in hope that there might be a few more stories to tell like the adult twins, Bertrand and Estelle who became connected to the Westcotts when their father married in. My wish was granted and Mary Balogh gives us Estelle’s story.

Someone Perfect is the ninth in the Westcott series. It has a standalone romance and introduces a plethora of new characters as it takes a step away from the Westcott family at the center of it all. However, it does retain all those connections and backstory so that might muddy the water for new readers.

Someone Perfect introduces Justin Wiley as the new earl who was banished at a young age and never reconciled with the father he has succeeded. Before his banishment, he was close to his father and mourned his dead mother. He struggled when his father remarried, but then he adored his new half-sister.

Now, years later, he is her guardian and discovers that she bitterly hates him and is reluctant to move back to the family estate after her mother passes away. Justin is hurt and has become aloof to protect his heart from anyone hurting him like what happened when he was banished from all he had known and held dear. He is determined to reconnect with family and particularly his sister so invites Maria’s neighbor friends, Estelle and Bertrand, to come with her even though they have ranged against him with their friend. Justin brings together a host of family from his extended family and his step-mother’s family. After all the years, the family secrets begin to pour out and Justin learns the truth he has sought and much more. Meanwhile, the bright and beguiling Lady Estelle is in his thoughts and he knows she will make his perfect countess if he can convince her that he is her someone perfect, too. Because Estelle will not get married for anyone less.

Someone Perfect, like other Mary Balogh books before it, tackles a specific issue. In this case, it is second marriages and step-families from the child of the first marriage’s perspective, and, to a lesser extent, the perspective of the child from the second marriage. It portrays a family in which people love, but there is also betrayal, lies, and pain. There are a plethora of surrounding family and I was hurting my head trying to keep them sorted after a time, but family has a great place in this series and now, besides the quirky, energetic Westcotts, there is Justin’s blended families, too. The book is also vastly descriptive of setting and historical backdrop.

The romance takes its time in the background of all this. Justin is the one with the obvious personal demons. He was basically abandoned as a youth and never knew why. He had to rebuild his life with a circle of friends of his own making. He is zealously protective of his heart even if he must reach out and take a wife. He is drawn to Estelle, but must unload his baggage first- oh, and change her opinion of him after she only knows what Maria has shared and how Maria feels about her older, cast off half-brother. But, Estelle also has high ideals and she uses that to protect her from making any mistakes. It takes them some time to fan any flames into active interest, but they get there.

Now, I want Bertrand, Estelle’s engaging twin to get his story. Justin’s friends are also interesting and I wouldn’t mind seeing them again. All in all, it was gentle mover and slow burn with family mysteries to solve. I would recommend it to those who like it with a pinch of spice and gradual build against a well-described historical background.

I rec’d an eARC from Berkley Romance to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good country house party. In Mary Balogh's latest, Lady Estelle Lamarr--whose father, Marcel, married the former Westhaven matriarch a decade ago--gets her own story. Estelle and her brother live a quiet life in the country, and watch over their young neighbor Maria, whose mother died after a long illness. When Maria's brother Justin, the Earl of Brandon, comes to take her back to the family estate, Justin is surprised to find that his formerly loving sister seems to hate him. So he invites Estelle and Bertrand to join them for a few weeks, to help acclimate Maria to her new home.

Of course, he's also invited about a thousand relatives to stay--from his family and Maria's mother's. Will the families manage to blend? Will they welcome Maria? Will family secrets come to light? (Will the reader manage to keep all the characters straight? No! But it doesn't really matter.)

In the meantime, Justin and Estelle grow closer, but she is reluctant to give up her contented life for anything less than someone perfect.

Thanks to Edelweiss, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars.

Lady Estelle Lamarr and her twin brother have reached the ripe age of twenty-six without either falling in love or getting engaged, let alone married. When discussing her requisites for a husband, her brother concludes that Estelle wants the Someone Perfect of the title.

Their nearest aristocratic neighbour is Maria Wiley, just twenty years old, she nursed her sick mother until her death and has since lived very quietly with her former governess turned companion. Her half-brother Justin, now the Earl of Brandon, was banished from his home by his father when he was just twenty-two years old with just the clothes on his back and what he could carry. He spent the intervening years until his father's death six yeas ago working for a living - rumours abound as to what he was doing then with many speculating that he was in prison for unknown crimes. When Justin inherited the title he sent Maria and her mother away from the ancestral home Everleigh Park. But he has now realised that with his step-mother's death he is responsible for Maria and has come to bring her home. Unfortunately, having left home when Maria was very small, and having evicted her and her mother from Everleigh Park after his father's death, Maria loathes Justin and doesn't want to leave her new home.

Justin and Estelle's first meeting is not auspicious: she is paddling in the river, exposing her legs, with her hair unbound and he seems frightening with his scowl, sitting on his horse with his scary dog. Despite their differences, Justin enlists Estelle and her brother to accompany Maria to Everleigh Park, at least for the first week or two, to help her adjust and meet her relatives on both sides who were estranged from Maria's mother during her lifetime.

With a large family gathering, secrets are revealed - but can Justin persuade Estelle that she is his perfect Countess?

I enjoyed this, as always Mary Balogh tells a charming tale. However, as others have also commented, this is the tenth Westcott book and it does feel like every single one of the nine previous couples, plus their children and siblings gets a mention in this book which creates pages and pages of names and events which are entirely superfluous to the story. My preference would be to only bring one other couple into any story to stop the plot getting bogged down in backstory.

[Rainelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be an interesting read. I absolutely adore Estelle’s character. I like her smart intellectual thinking and quick Witt when it comes to Justin. Justin reads as a powerful, dominant man, with some troublesome baggage that he needs to work with. In some parts of the book, it’s a fun read. I enjoyed the different characters. The story reads for me as a narrative story. There was not that much dialogue among the characters. When there was the dialogue was easy to follow and kept the chemistry among the characters live and entertaining. I thought the romance between Justin and Estelle was a long slow burn.

[1-Click Addict Support Group · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another entertaining visit with the Westcotts…

On the periphery, anyways, and it was still smashingly good! Estelle was a lady and Justin her Lord, their courtship morphed from frenemies to lovers in a sweet, meandering stroll…

Justin had almost reluctantly taken up his title but was definitely making the most of it. When he needed help though, Estelle, and her twin Bertrand, stepped in to assist. The dialogue, the progression of the story, felt even more real to me, as I just finished off the first season of Downton Abbey (fab, by the way). You may have heard of it…

This author loves to invite me in, the reader, so I can practically feel the tension, hear the conversations. And revel in it. Which I did, whole-heartedly. From their arguments to the progression of their glimmers of attraction to more, were spoken and felt within the decorum of the day. Does it feel a touch old-fashioned? Definitely. Delightfully so…

If the magic is in the words, this installment had all the hats and the rabbits. ~Diane, 4 stars

[T from Istria 💛💚 · Rating 2 out of 5]

So many characters! I didn’t feel the love and I hated the dead stepmother and the dead “honorable” father. Not ok to banish your only innocent child.

[Mskychick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful!! Once of her best in her recent books

Fav quotes
“I wanted him to be a serious adventurer, someone who would vanquish all the demons at loose in the world and teach the reader a thing or two about courage and virtue and the truly important things in life. Someone epically heroic. But I have made a disturbing discovery about writing. My characters, especially my hero, are of course my creations. They have no existence outside my imagination. Yet no one seems to have told them that. They will insist upon living their lives their way no matter how often I tap them on the shoulder with a timid sort of ‘Excuse me?’ They simply stare me down before continuing to carry on as they please.”

She was no one’s stereotypical image of the helpless female. Stereotypes were useless things anyway. Not many people fit into them once one scratched the outer surface they presented to the world and took a good look at the person within.

I make no excuses for him. He makes none for himself. Forgiveness does not consist in making excuses for the transgressor, Lord Brandon. It consists in acknowledging the facts, understanding the reasons for them—not the excuses—recognizing the pain it all caused both the one who was wronged and the one who did those wrongs, and admitting that forgiveness is not something given by the innocent to the guilty. No one is innocent. We all do stupid things, even when we know they are stupid, and even when we know we are causing unhappiness for someone else and for ourselves. Forgiveness is given despite all those things.”

Bertrand squeezed her shoulder and hugged her again. “I feel duty bound to remind you that you are making a ghastly mistake,” he murmured into her ear.
“What?” She drew back her head and frowned at him.
“He is not your perfect someone,” he said. “He does not have blue eyes.”
She gasped. “And now you tell me,” she said.

“Aren’t wives supposed be quiet and mind their own business?” Wes had asked.
“Who put that daft idea in your head?” his fond wife had asked. “Besides, you are my business.”

He is perfect, Stell?”
“Of course he is not,” she said, “any more than I am. But he is perfect for me, Bert. And I think I am perfect for him.”

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someone Perfect by Mary Balogh is the latest in the Westcott series and it’s a wonderful addition about family, forgiveness and second chances. Justin Wiley hopes family will bring his half-sister Maria closer to him after 12 years apart. Just in case that doesn’t work, he enlists her neighbor and friend Estelle Lamarr and her twin Bertrand to help ease the transition back at Everleigh, their home. Unfortunately, Estelle didn’t get a good first impression of Justin when he arrived in town. He’s got his work cut out for him for the next two weeks when he invites a ton of family to welcome Maria home. He needs to get his sister to like him again and maybe get Estelle to marry him.

The author needed a large cast of family members in order to understand the circumstances of why Justin was banished by his father and why Maria hates him. There are different point of views to establish and what better way with his, hers and theirs all together for a house party. It slowly unfolds that there is more to it than what one believes. Estelle is intuitive to the what was said and not said and knows there is more to Justin than the stony exterior. She slowly comes to realize he has good character and a whole different side he doesn’t expose to many people. She knows what she wants in a future husband it comes to a surprise that she has fallen for this man even though he doesn’t fit the description she thought she wanted. The romance was gradual build and with each new encounter he won her over a piece at a time.

Mary Balogh has taken me on a delightful ride with this series of Westcotts’ and this one is no exception. She slowly reveals her characters for what they truly are with subtly and precision. Her stories are what I love about Regency romances.

Review copy provided for a voluntary review.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was in my teens, I enjoyed romances...primarily Marion Chesney Regencies. By my mid-twenties I had given up romances, as they became racier...more about sex and less about actual romance. I really didn't read romances for a very long time (decades!), but have very selectively picked up a few in the past couple of years and enjoyed them. I read the first novel of Mary Balogh's Westcott series last summer, when I didn't have anything else to read. I enjoyed it immensely and have rapidly worked my way through the entire series. Oh, if only all romances were as well written as Mary Balogh's books! And there was ROMANCE, not just lust!

In Someone Perfect, Lady Estelle Lamarr and her twin brother agree to visit their neighbor, Maria Wiley, at her new home. Maria has long been estranged from her brother, who is now her guardian, and he hopes that having friends present will help her adjust to the move. Fairly predictably, Justin Wiley, the Earl of Brandon, is just exactly what Estelle is NOT looking for in a husband. The fun, of course, is how Estelle learns more about the dour and mysterious man and realized that she does have feelings for him. Yes, it's predictable....Hello? It's a romance! There are certain set expectations! But Mary Balogh makes the whole thing so very enjoyable. I look forward to the next title in the series (and will have to find her earlier books to read as well). Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for a very enjoyable weekend read!

[Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

She was looking for someone perfect but learned to love the imperfect instead.

Estelle Lamarr was the daughter of a Marquess and had a twin brother that meant the world to her.

After her mother's tragic death, her father abandoned his kids in the care of his sister-in-law and led a rakish life for decades before the family was reunited and past sins forgiven.

Wounded by this abandonment, Estelle wanted to marry the perfect man and was willing to wait for him.

That is why she despised Justin Wiley, Earl of Brandon, a man banned by his father, who had sent his stepmother and sister away from their home right after his father's death.

As always, Mary Balogh brings emotional turmoil to the pages in a captivating and entrancing way.

Both Estelle and Justin had many demons to fight, and together, they found the courage to face their fears and the pain, allowing each other into their strong built walls.

I love the couple's chemistry, the slow burn romance, and the tension of the friends-to-lovers trope.

Lovely and emotional! Recommended!

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley for an honest review.

*This review will be posted on https://lureviewsbooks.com on 11/28/2021*