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Web #2
Web of Love
New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh brilliantly captures the passionate conflict of a woman caught between two loves in this classic tale of friendship, devotion, intrigue—and a love that is the most seductive trap of all….He’d served with her husband on the battlefield—and secretly desired her for years. Yet for Dominic, Lieutenant Lord Eden, Ellen Simpson has remained tantalizingly out of reach—until she is widowed by the war. Suddenly pursued by the dangerously handsome nobleman, Ellen is stunned by the depth of attraction he arouses in her. Soon their friendship flames into something deeper…and as scandal ignites, marriage seems the only solution. But Ellen has a secret—one she can share with no one—that prevents her from fully opening her heart to Dominic. Until he devises his own plan for the ultimate consummation of their passion—and the woman he is determined to possess at any cost…
448 pages, Paperback
First published April 3, 1990
322 people are currently reading
1149 people want to read
About the author
Mary Balogh
200 books6,362 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 171 reviews
June 25, 2024
The heroine in Mary Balogh's Web of Love is married and loves her husband, though more as a father figure who rescued her, when she was a young girl, from a life filled with turmoil and neglect. Enters the young, dashing hero, who naturally turns her on. She thinks it is twu luvvv. Meanwhile, the so-called "hero" is a manwhore with a huge string of affairs under his belt AND is currently infatuated with the heroine's STEPDAUGHTER!!!! WHAT???? This story was just not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2024
Read: 2/9/24
3.5 stars
Meh! This book was more about grief than romance.
3.5 stars
Meh! This book was more about grief than romance.
January 9, 2024
Lots of emotions going on in this story.
September 25, 2023
2.5 stars rounded up
I wish I could have better things to say about the second instalment in Mary Balogh’s ‘Web’ series, but ‘Web of Love’ doesn’t live up to its intriguing blurb.
While MB has written quite a few excellent romance novels set during the Peninsular War(‘Beyond Sunrise’ immediately comes to mind), not even the battle of Waterloo could save this one from feeling like a giant deflated balloon.
My main issue with this book is the fact the main love story never quite realises its potential and comes across as a tepid marriage of convenience as a result.
After a promising first quarter, the heroine spends the rest of the book hung up on guilt at falling in love with her dead husband’s friend, with whom she’s been lovers for less than a week.
It is easier to empathise with the hero, Dominic, and his love for the heroine at least comes across as genuine.
Redundant side characters and endless parties are given priority over the main couple developing any sort of relationship beyond their post-war tryst.
Angst and pining fill every page of this book, but it all seems pointless when the MCs never interact beyond exchanging formalities.
I wasn’t too keen on reading about two recalcitrant strangers dealing with the consequences of their actions, and finishing this book definitely felt like a chore.
Even their eventual decision to marry comes across as more of a capitulation: right after declaring her love for the hero, the heroine can’t help but remind him of her undying devotion to her previous husband. LOL.
Although I don’t feel like recommending this book, perhaps someone will feel inspired to give it a chance and find more to love about it!
I wish I could have better things to say about the second instalment in Mary Balogh’s ‘Web’ series, but ‘Web of Love’ doesn’t live up to its intriguing blurb.
While MB has written quite a few excellent romance novels set during the Peninsular War(‘Beyond Sunrise’ immediately comes to mind), not even the battle of Waterloo could save this one from feeling like a giant deflated balloon.
My main issue with this book is the fact the main love story never quite realises its potential and comes across as a tepid marriage of convenience as a result.
After a promising first quarter, the heroine spends the rest of the book hung up on guilt at falling in love with her dead husband’s friend, with whom she’s been lovers for less than a week.
It is easier to empathise with the hero, Dominic, and his love for the heroine at least comes across as genuine.
Redundant side characters and endless parties are given priority over the main couple developing any sort of relationship beyond their post-war tryst.
Angst and pining fill every page of this book, but it all seems pointless when the MCs never interact beyond exchanging formalities.
I wasn’t too keen on reading about two recalcitrant strangers dealing with the consequences of their actions, and finishing this book definitely felt like a chore.
Even their eventual decision to marry comes across as more of a capitulation: right after declaring her love for the hero, the heroine can’t help but remind him of her undying devotion to her previous husband. LOL.
Although I don’t feel like recommending this book, perhaps someone will feel inspired to give it a chance and find more to love about it!
June 2, 2014
Rather slow-moving book with lots of hurt feelings and guilt, both of which are responsible for hindering the characters finding their HEA.
As usual with this author, the description of life in Brussels, the Waterloo battle and its aftermath were precisely described.
I really liked how the hero and heroine's love grew, never really infringing on her relationship with her previous husband, though he was a close friend of his.
I also really liked the secondary characters, especially the daughter of the previous husband and the Lieutenant, saved from the battle, though heavily crippled and full of anger and anguish. His story was definitely very nicely managed.
As usual with this author, the description of life in Brussels, the Waterloo battle and its aftermath were precisely described.
I really liked how the hero and heroine's love grew, never really infringing on her relationship with her previous husband, though he was a close friend of his.
I also really liked the secondary characters, especially the daughter of the previous husband and the Lieutenant, saved from the battle, though heavily crippled and full of anger and anguish. His story was definitely very nicely managed.
May 29, 2019
Welp, I just wrote a detailed review for this and Goodreads choked on saving and lost it...so this is the short version.
What I Really Liked:
- The Battle of Waterloo! It actually happens in the book!
- The sort of mini season in Belgium with officers and their families before the battle occurred.
- The relationship between Ellen and Charlie
- The complicated nature of Ellen's grief for Charlie and quick feelings for Dominic
- Ellen's renewed relationship with the father who raised her (who may or may not be her bio dad but who loves her either way)
- The fact that Ellen's love for Dominic does not lessen the importance of her love for Charlie; the book clearly acknowledges that a person can love two people differently. There's no attempt to couch Dominic as her one true love or anything like that.
What I Liked Less:
- That Ellen felt the first stirrings of attraction before Charlie's death (spoils the death essentially, feels out of character for Ellen entirely, and it only adds to her guilt unnecessarily)
- Pregnancy (it's not done poorly but never a plot I want)
- Dominick's initial reaction to learning about said pregnancy (he says he wish he could hit her because he's so mad he didn't know sooner)
Anyway, I largely thought this was a great book for the nuanced portrayal of a widow's grief and the inclusion of the Battle of Waterloo, but I had a couple of issues that kept the ship from quite clicking with me (though I liked them those issues aside and I did try to ignore them as ooc) and the book from being a favorite for me personally.
What I Really Liked:
- The Battle of Waterloo! It actually happens in the book!
- The sort of mini season in Belgium with officers and their families before the battle occurred.
- The relationship between Ellen and Charlie
- The complicated nature of Ellen's grief for Charlie and quick feelings for Dominic
- Ellen's renewed relationship with the father who raised her (who may or may not be her bio dad but who loves her either way)
- The fact that Ellen's love for Dominic does not lessen the importance of her love for Charlie; the book clearly acknowledges that a person can love two people differently. There's no attempt to couch Dominic as her one true love or anything like that.
What I Liked Less:
- That Ellen felt the first stirrings of attraction before Charlie's death (spoils the death essentially, feels out of character for Ellen entirely, and it only adds to her guilt unnecessarily)
- Pregnancy (it's not done poorly but never a plot I want)
- Dominick's initial reaction to learning about said pregnancy (he says he wish he could hit her because he's so mad he didn't know sooner)
Anyway, I largely thought this was a great book for the nuanced portrayal of a widow's grief and the inclusion of the Battle of Waterloo, but I had a couple of issues that kept the ship from quite clicking with me (though I liked them those issues aside and I did try to ignore them as ooc) and the book from being a favorite for me personally.
October 28, 2010
Web of Love by Mary Balogh
I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is also set in the Regency period and also, as luck would have it, features a reluctant widow. Ellen Simpson has been married to Charlie Simpson for 5 years and even though he is quite a bit older than her loves him passionately. They met in Spain during the war where Ellen’s father died in combat. We meet Ellen as she is accompanying her step-daughter, Jennifer, to join her father in Brussels. It is a time of relative peace before the battle of Waterloo, but at the outset none of them knows what awaits them. Jennifer and Ellen enjoy Brussels society and as Charlie is not inclined to go to many social outings, Ellen and Jennifer find themselves most often with the dashing Lord Eden (Dominic), a friend of Ellen and Charlie’s. Later, when Charlie dies on the battlefield and Lord Eden is wounded and brought to Ellen’s home for care. During Dominic’s convalescence, he and Ellen have a passionate affair, one that afterwards fills Ellen with guilt and shame, and, with child. She spends a good deal of time pushing Lord Eden away while trying to mourn for her dear husband. Balogh sets up the tension well—and ultimately, you want these two to be together. There are also some great secondary characters and backstories that involve the reader—Dominic’s twin sister who decides she is going to marry a maimed soldier she nursed because she wants to be wanted and Jennifer Simpson who prods the soldier out from behind his cloud of self-pity. I will definitely pick up another Mary Balogh in the future. And since I discovered that this is the 2nd in a trilogy, I may have to read #1 and #3!
For fans of Mary Balogh, I would suggest Anna Godbersen’s “Luxe” books (even though they are teen they share a lot in common—not too much sex and plenty of complicated relationships and plots); Jo Beverly and Mary Jo Putney for more Regency romances.
I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is also set in the Regency period and also, as luck would have it, features a reluctant widow. Ellen Simpson has been married to Charlie Simpson for 5 years and even though he is quite a bit older than her loves him passionately. They met in Spain during the war where Ellen’s father died in combat. We meet Ellen as she is accompanying her step-daughter, Jennifer, to join her father in Brussels. It is a time of relative peace before the battle of Waterloo, but at the outset none of them knows what awaits them. Jennifer and Ellen enjoy Brussels society and as Charlie is not inclined to go to many social outings, Ellen and Jennifer find themselves most often with the dashing Lord Eden (Dominic), a friend of Ellen and Charlie’s. Later, when Charlie dies on the battlefield and Lord Eden is wounded and brought to Ellen’s home for care. During Dominic’s convalescence, he and Ellen have a passionate affair, one that afterwards fills Ellen with guilt and shame, and, with child. She spends a good deal of time pushing Lord Eden away while trying to mourn for her dear husband. Balogh sets up the tension well—and ultimately, you want these two to be together. There are also some great secondary characters and backstories that involve the reader—Dominic’s twin sister who decides she is going to marry a maimed soldier she nursed because she wants to be wanted and Jennifer Simpson who prods the soldier out from behind his cloud of self-pity. I will definitely pick up another Mary Balogh in the future. And since I discovered that this is the 2nd in a trilogy, I may have to read #1 and #3!
For fans of Mary Balogh, I would suggest Anna Godbersen’s “Luxe” books (even though they are teen they share a lot in common—not too much sex and plenty of complicated relationships and plots); Jo Beverly and Mary Jo Putney for more Regency romances.
Read
August 8, 2023I kind of love this series? This is why I love genre author backlists! It's so fun to see where they come from--you can see so much of the Bedwyns and the Westcotts in the characters of this series.
But the whole series is substantially more angst-y than other Baloghs. All of the books in the series involve something traumatic or fracturing that doesn't quite actually happen. The Gilded Web involves a kidnapping into a forced marriage that isn't actually quite like that. This one involves cheating that is not really cheating. And The Devil's Web is a miscommunication so bad that the hero thinks he is in a bodice ripper.
Out of the three, this is messiest structured book. Just because there are so many characters and side plots. Balogh loves a big family and wants everyone to get a happily ever after. I think in a later series, some of these romances would get their own books. But the book overall explores a lot of what Balogh is obsessed with in romance: grief and making a family. It isn't her best or tightest work, but it is illuminative!
But the whole series is substantially more angst-y than other Baloghs. All of the books in the series involve something traumatic or fracturing that doesn't quite actually happen. The Gilded Web involves a kidnapping into a forced marriage that isn't actually quite like that. This one involves cheating that is not really cheating. And The Devil's Web is a miscommunication so bad that the hero thinks he is in a bodice ripper.
Out of the three, this is messiest structured book. Just because there are so many characters and side plots. Balogh loves a big family and wants everyone to get a happily ever after. I think in a later series, some of these romances would get their own books. But the book overall explores a lot of what Balogh is obsessed with in romance: grief and making a family. It isn't her best or tightest work, but it is illuminative!
June 1, 2011
I think this was one of the oddest romance novels I've read thus far.
When Ellen Simpson's mother tells her father (right before running away with some other man) that Emma is not actually his, Ellen leaves and go finds her real father, a man in the military. There she stays with him. When her father is killed, his friend, Charlie Simpson agrees to marry her. Perhaps not the most passionate marriage, but one full of comfort, affection and indeed love is between Ellen and Charlie.
Dominic, Lord Eden after leaving home and joining the military becomes Charlie's close friend. He could often be found in Charlie's company and Charlie even often takes him home. He, Charlie and Ellen share many nights just is comfort around the fire. Although Eden finds Ellen charming, sweet and has the highest respect for her, that is as far as he allows himself to feel for her.
During a ball (Charlie refuses to dance), Eden and Ellen are waltzing when they are bumped into by another couple. They have a moment where they become quite aware of each other as a man does a woman and vice versa. Although this leads to awkwardness, they eventually get past it and continue with their friendship.
At the battle of Waterloo, Charlie dies in Eden's presence and Eden is seriously wounded. Eden swears to Charlie that Ellen and Charlie's daughter will want for nothing. As Eden begins to pass out, he begins to repeat Charlie and Ellen's address in nearby Brussels over and over in his head and when fading in and out he is delivered to Ellen's house. By the time he reaches there he is near death, but he does get his message to Ellen that Charlie is dead before he passes out.
Ellen, needing to keep her mind away from that fact, nurses Eden back to health. Unfortunately that night where they became fully aware of each other has been in the back of their heads and through the healing process, they become lovers for 6 days. Ellen "wakes up" when Eden's sister catches them snuggling/kissing and Ellen becomes upset (more with her self as she feels she has tainted Charlie's memory by sleeping with the best friend) and doesn't want Eden anywhere near her anymore.
Eventually time finds them in London and Eden can't keep Ellen out of his mind no matter how he tries. And... there is the promise that he made to Charlie, so Eden seeks Ellen out. Although extremely awkward, they eventually work through the awkwardness only for Eden to discover that Ellen is pregnant. Angered beyond words, they have to start again and eventually, with time spent at Amberly with Eden's family (who are also great friends of Ellen... they also invited her to stay as a way to "pay her back" for saving Eden's life) Eden convinces Ellen to marry him. He is delighted when she accepts because he has never stopped loving her, the woman he has been looking for all his life.
And so, he is rather distraught whenever he brings up marriage but she shies away from talking about it. When he discovers that she thinks he is only marrying her because of their child, he confesses to her that the baby is only part of the picture; he wants to marry her because he truly loves her. She, in return, tells him that although she will always love Charlie, will always have a special place in her heart for him, she loves Eden just as fierce. And she can't see herself living her life without him, either... they both became entangled in a web of ...love.... Sappy, true, but Balogh does make it work.
Mixed in the book are characters from he previous book as well as a few new ones. The book is very slow paced and at one point, as much as I wanted to just skip ahead, I couldn't because I was afraid I might miss a little detail. This story focused more on the deep feelings of love that develops over time rather than physical attraction and physical aspects of love.
When Ellen Simpson's mother tells her father (right before running away with some other man) that Emma is not actually his, Ellen leaves and go finds her real father, a man in the military. There she stays with him. When her father is killed, his friend, Charlie Simpson agrees to marry her. Perhaps not the most passionate marriage, but one full of comfort, affection and indeed love is between Ellen and Charlie.
Dominic, Lord Eden after leaving home and joining the military becomes Charlie's close friend. He could often be found in Charlie's company and Charlie even often takes him home. He, Charlie and Ellen share many nights just is comfort around the fire. Although Eden finds Ellen charming, sweet and has the highest respect for her, that is as far as he allows himself to feel for her.
During a ball (Charlie refuses to dance), Eden and Ellen are waltzing when they are bumped into by another couple. They have a moment where they become quite aware of each other as a man does a woman and vice versa. Although this leads to awkwardness, they eventually get past it and continue with their friendship.
At the battle of Waterloo, Charlie dies in Eden's presence and Eden is seriously wounded. Eden swears to Charlie that Ellen and Charlie's daughter will want for nothing. As Eden begins to pass out, he begins to repeat Charlie and Ellen's address in nearby Brussels over and over in his head and when fading in and out he is delivered to Ellen's house. By the time he reaches there he is near death, but he does get his message to Ellen that Charlie is dead before he passes out.
Ellen, needing to keep her mind away from that fact, nurses Eden back to health. Unfortunately that night where they became fully aware of each other has been in the back of their heads and through the healing process, they become lovers for 6 days. Ellen "wakes up" when Eden's sister catches them snuggling/kissing and Ellen becomes upset (more with her self as she feels she has tainted Charlie's memory by sleeping with the best friend) and doesn't want Eden anywhere near her anymore.
Eventually time finds them in London and Eden can't keep Ellen out of his mind no matter how he tries. And... there is the promise that he made to Charlie, so Eden seeks Ellen out. Although extremely awkward, they eventually work through the awkwardness only for Eden to discover that Ellen is pregnant. Angered beyond words, they have to start again and eventually, with time spent at Amberly with Eden's family (who are also great friends of Ellen... they also invited her to stay as a way to "pay her back" for saving Eden's life) Eden convinces Ellen to marry him. He is delighted when she accepts because he has never stopped loving her, the woman he has been looking for all his life.
And so, he is rather distraught whenever he brings up marriage but she shies away from talking about it. When he discovers that she thinks he is only marrying her because of their child, he confesses to her that the baby is only part of the picture; he wants to marry her because he truly loves her. She, in return, tells him that although she will always love Charlie, will always have a special place in her heart for him, she loves Eden just as fierce. And she can't see herself living her life without him, either... they both became entangled in a web of ...love.... Sappy, true, but Balogh does make it work.
Mixed in the book are characters from he previous book as well as a few new ones. The book is very slow paced and at one point, as much as I wanted to just skip ahead, I couldn't because I was afraid I might miss a little detail. This story focused more on the deep feelings of love that develops over time rather than physical attraction and physical aspects of love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2014
I liked the book, but it had a necessary evil. In order for the love triangle to really be carved into stone -- and yes, I still consider it a love triangle if one of its points is dead -- there was a hefty amount of setup. By the time everyone left Brussels, I was quite sick of the place. I don't much like war stories, either, which bogged down the first part of the book for me. That said, I liked Dominic and Ellen much better than Edmund and Alex from The Guilded Web. More depth. Dominic provoked a constant feeling of "ain't nothin' wrong with THAT" whenever he walked across the page -- or rolled across it, depending on context. And Ellen didn't have the "feel sorry for me" attitude that would have been so easy to assign to her.
One plot weakness I will point out: I felt that the author shouldn't have glossed over a certain scene between Ellen and Sir Jasper. I have the feeling we missed out on some splendidly uncomfortable family drama.
I will also mention that the side romances were more than intriguing. James Purnell, you crafty devil! And you're not really even IN the novel. And Penworth. Oh, but I can't say more without tearing various veils away from the plot.
I compared reading The Guilded Web to eating a certain kind of candy bar, so I will do the same with Web of Love. This book had grit to it, so we'll call that nougat, but there were plenty of nice and harmless family moments too, so we'll throw some milk chocolate in there. Lots of characters also (Susan, Anna, Jennifer = Jenannisan for a lot of the book, in my mind) so add in some peanuts for confusion. Overall, a nice snack, but I don't know that I will try it again soon.
One plot weakness I will point out: I felt that the author shouldn't have glossed over a certain scene between Ellen and Sir Jasper. I have the feeling we missed out on some splendidly uncomfortable family drama.
I will also mention that the side romances were more than intriguing. James Purnell, you crafty devil! And you're not really even IN the novel. And Penworth. Oh, but I can't say more without tearing various veils away from the plot.
I compared reading The Guilded Web to eating a certain kind of candy bar, so I will do the same with Web of Love. This book had grit to it, so we'll call that nougat, but there were plenty of nice and harmless family moments too, so we'll throw some milk chocolate in there. Lots of characters also (Susan, Anna, Jennifer = Jenannisan for a lot of the book, in my mind) so add in some peanuts for confusion. Overall, a nice snack, but I don't know that I will try it again soon.
December 27, 2010
The best, by far, of the Web trilogy. Even better on the second reading than the first one almost a year ago. The chapters where the hero is recovering from his battle wounds in Ellen's house and falling in love with her (and she with him) are beyond beautiful. There is also a delightful secondary romance, and Madeline's and James' story gets an update in preparation for the final book in the series.
August 14, 2023
One of Mary Balogh's best books from one of her best series, IMO. Rich in character development, history, and completely compelling. This series should be talked about more; it's a triumph. Loved this one.
April 20, 2019
This book made very little sense to me. Everything was disjointed and unorganized. The back story for the heroine made no sense whatsoever. The drama was dragged to the end. This series will be the of Mary Balogh's early work for me.
September 23, 2016
This book, for me, was romance painted with a broad brush. It certainly had a different feel. Rather than be incredibly focused on Ellen and Dominic we got a snapshot of the war and a peek into a number of lives. The story was about so much more than two people.
Ellen is happily married to Charlie. Charlie and Dominic are in the military - and they're BFFs. A lot of the book is devoted to the war and to Ellen's relationship with Charlie. I think it was important to MB that we understood Ellen's first marriage - and respected it.
After Charlie dies Ellen and Dominic have to deal with where his death leaves them. There's a lot of steady development. Some ups and downs. Believable drama. There are also about 27 other characters whose issues give the book a well-rounded feel.
This joker is slow-moving. Low on steam and angst. Strong on characters and detail. It's kinda like a war story where a romance (or 4) breaks out.
Ellen is happily married to Charlie. Charlie and Dominic are in the military - and they're BFFs. A lot of the book is devoted to the war and to Ellen's relationship with Charlie. I think it was important to MB that we understood Ellen's first marriage - and respected it.
After Charlie dies Ellen and Dominic have to deal with where his death leaves them. There's a lot of steady development. Some ups and downs. Believable drama. There are also about 27 other characters whose issues give the book a well-rounded feel.
This joker is slow-moving. Low on steam and angst. Strong on characters and detail. It's kinda like a war story where a romance (or 4) breaks out.
March 28, 2011
I didn't think I was going to give this book 5 stars as I was reading it, but there is something so satisfying about the way Mary Balogh tells a story that by the time I had finished I just had to do it.
The story is about a woman who is very much in love with her husband falling in love with her husband's best friend after the husband is killed and the best friend is wounded at Waterloo. The problem is that she and the best friend become lovers while she is nursing him (along with several other wounded men and boys) during his recovery and her guilt over doing that causes her to try to put a stop to the relationship.
Mary Balogh handles the situation so well, not glossing over the difficulties, but making her characters work through them and earn their happy ending.
Her secondary characters are wonderful,too. Not just the ones who have their own books, but the ones who stay secondary characters throughout the Mary Balogh universe. They add such texture to the story as they complicate and enrich the hero's and heroine's lives.
This is the first in the Web series that I have read, not realizing that it was a series when I started it (don't ask me why, I've read enough of her books to know better by now). I was so happy to find the first book in my to-be-read stack and hope to have the third book soon.
The story is about a woman who is very much in love with her husband falling in love with her husband's best friend after the husband is killed and the best friend is wounded at Waterloo. The problem is that she and the best friend become lovers while she is nursing him (along with several other wounded men and boys) during his recovery and her guilt over doing that causes her to try to put a stop to the relationship.
Mary Balogh handles the situation so well, not glossing over the difficulties, but making her characters work through them and earn their happy ending.
Her secondary characters are wonderful,too. Not just the ones who have their own books, but the ones who stay secondary characters throughout the Mary Balogh universe. They add such texture to the story as they complicate and enrich the hero's and heroine's lives.
This is the first in the Web series that I have read, not realizing that it was a series when I started it (don't ask me why, I've read enough of her books to know better by now). I was so happy to find the first book in my to-be-read stack and hope to have the third book soon.
July 6, 2015
I almost liked this book better than the first book in this trilogy. Wasn't a super huge fan of Charlie, Ellen's first husband, and their being in love seemed kind of unrealistic, but what can you do? I was actually expecting a bit more grieving on Ellen's part when Charlie died, but it was good to see her find happiness again.
I liked Dominic much better in this book than I did the first book, and I'd even seen that Alexandra had grown up some from her book. Three years and a couple of children will do that to you.
The little side romance was sort of cute as well.
I liked Dominic much better in this book than I did the first book, and I'd even seen that Alexandra had grown up some from her book. Three years and a couple of children will do that to you.
The little side romance was sort of cute as well.
August 28, 2023
MB continued with her fast-paced story line and lots of side characters in this one. We get to see Dom finally being a soldier and all the sad parts of war, lots of info about the events surrounding Waterloo. Death of a spouse. I really liked this one but the FMC start to bother me, letting things go a little too far. I can’t expand without spoilers but I was locked into the book the whole time so it didn’t ruin it for me.
July 7, 2020
Napoleonic war -- this is an early title by Balogh - not terrible but awkward
November 9, 2023
3.5
Book 2 of the Web Series
Not as good as the 1st book, Gilded Web. This romance had a different feel for me. Not quite a love triangle, the characters had a unique type relationship/romance I thought. A little too much military/battle/history in this one for my taste, but I loved how Dominc matured as a soldier. Ellen didn't standout much as a character. Wonderfully written as are all of Balogh's stories.
Book 2 of the Web Series
Not as good as the 1st book, Gilded Web. This romance had a different feel for me. Not quite a love triangle, the characters had a unique type relationship/romance I thought. A little too much military/battle/history in this one for my taste, but I loved how Dominc matured as a soldier. Ellen didn't standout much as a character. Wonderfully written as are all of Balogh's stories.
December 31, 2017
Three stars is generous. More like 2.7.
Another angsty Balogh non-romance.
Dominic and Ellen are both 25. They've known each other for three years, since Dominic joined the English army and befriended his fellow soldier Charlie, who is Ellen's much older husband.
When the book begins, they're in Brussels, and the Battle of Waterloo is just a few weeks away.
Handsome and charming Dom and beautiful and graceful Ellen enjoy each other's company very much and see each other often. They are also very fond of old, dumpy, bald Charlie -- in fact, a great deal of the first part of the book includes Ellen and Charlie repeatedly telling each other how very much they love each other. OK, got it. Quite clear. Lots of love between these not-quite-May-December lovers. More like May-October.
But Dom and Ellen have one episode that rattles them both -- they are waltzing, but a clumsy dancer bumps into them and Dom and Ellen find themselves pushed against each other, their bodies and faces much closer than they should ever be, and both of them are slightly appalled that they find the other one sexually appealing.
But -- and this is no spoiler -- Charlie dies during the Battle of Waterloo and Dom is terribly injured. He ends up recuperating at Ellen's home, and after a couple of weeks of healing, he and Ellen start sleeping together. While in bed during that time, they tell each other that they love each other, but after six days, Ellen is shaken out of whatever trance she had been living in and decides that she and Dom have acted dishonorably and that their physical relationship is simply lust. She tells Dom she never wants to see him again.
The rest of the book is the unfolding of the consequences of that brief affair in Brussels. Dom and Ellen are mostly tense and unhappy in each other's presence, in traditional Balogh form, until the last pages of the story.
There are many many many other characters -- as usual a family tree plus a neighborhood map would have been helpful to keep everyone straight. For my taste and interest, there's way too much description of the battles, and too much filler with side plots. This book is easily 20 percent longer than necessary.
Two big hurdles for me are 1) I never got a good sense of Ellen, other than her devotion to Charlie (which was expressed over and over and over again) and even worse 2) I NEVER understood the deep love between her and Dominic. It was never displayed in a realistic or organic way. It would have made more sense, though it might have made some uncomfortable, if we had been shown that she and Dominic really did fall into (chaste!) love while Ellen was married to Charlie. As it is, it seems like they "fall in love" really really fast, after Charlie's death.
Balogh tends to be pretty historically accurate, but her male characters are often bizarrely forward-thinking and progressive for early 19th century types, and in this particular book,
I've been interested in Madeline and James' romance, but I am sated with stupid historical romances for now and will take a breather before diving into "The Devil's Web."
Another angsty Balogh non-romance.
Dominic and Ellen are both 25. They've known each other for three years, since Dominic joined the English army and befriended his fellow soldier Charlie, who is Ellen's much older husband.
When the book begins, they're in Brussels, and the Battle of Waterloo is just a few weeks away.
Handsome and charming Dom and beautiful and graceful Ellen enjoy each other's company very much and see each other often. They are also very fond of old, dumpy, bald Charlie -- in fact, a great deal of the first part of the book includes Ellen and Charlie repeatedly telling each other how very much they love each other. OK, got it. Quite clear. Lots of love between these not-quite-May-December lovers. More like May-October.
But Dom and Ellen have one episode that rattles them both -- they are waltzing, but a clumsy dancer bumps into them and Dom and Ellen find themselves pushed against each other, their bodies and faces much closer than they should ever be, and both of them are slightly appalled that they find the other one sexually appealing.
But -- and this is no spoiler -- Charlie dies during the Battle of Waterloo and Dom is terribly injured. He ends up recuperating at Ellen's home, and after a couple of weeks of healing, he and Ellen start sleeping together. While in bed during that time, they tell each other that they love each other, but after six days, Ellen is shaken out of whatever trance she had been living in and decides that she and Dom have acted dishonorably and that their physical relationship is simply lust. She tells Dom she never wants to see him again.
The rest of the book is the unfolding of the consequences of that brief affair in Brussels. Dom and Ellen are mostly tense and unhappy in each other's presence, in traditional Balogh form, until the last pages of the story.
There are many many many other characters -- as usual a family tree plus a neighborhood map would have been helpful to keep everyone straight. For my taste and interest, there's way too much description of the battles, and too much filler with side plots. This book is easily 20 percent longer than necessary.
Two big hurdles for me are 1) I never got a good sense of Ellen, other than her devotion to Charlie (which was expressed over and over and over again) and even worse 2) I NEVER understood the deep love between her and Dominic. It was never displayed in a realistic or organic way. It would have made more sense, though it might have made some uncomfortable, if we had been shown that she and Dominic really did fall into (chaste!) love while Ellen was married to Charlie. As it is, it seems like they "fall in love" really really fast, after Charlie's death.
Balogh tends to be pretty historically accurate, but her male characters are often bizarrely forward-thinking and progressive for early 19th century types, and in this particular book,
I've been interested in Madeline and James' romance, but I am sated with stupid historical romances for now and will take a breather before diving into "The Devil's Web."
August 12, 2022
⭐⭐ 2.5 stars ⚠️ Rant! Spoilers ahead! ⚠️
This book was going well until just after the halfway point when the MCs started annoying me.
The heroine who was initially a brave and smart woman began acting like an idiotic coward. When she let the news of her pregnancy spread without shutting it down straight away, I lost all respect for her but then she went and denied to the hero it was his 😡.
Then we have the hero who I already wasn't a fan of in book 1 and we already know is a flirt but I needed all of that behaviour to stop once he got with the heroine. I actually liked him in the first half but he needed to change! What annoys me most is the way he caters to Susan! I hate that girl and most people see through her but he doesn't care. Everytime she comes with her not so subtle hints, he gives her what she wants. Even when he realises she's been trying to insinuate something improper is happening. Then when he is finally engaged to the heroine, this happens:
"When she lifted a tear-stained face to his, Lord Eden kissed it. He kissed the tears from her eyes and cheeks, and he kissed the pouting little mouth that he used to find so enticing." - with SUSAN!! This happened near the end and he thinks it's no big deal to behave this way because they're childhood friends, so much so that the heroine never hears about it. In my book, this is cheating so he's a cheater.
Then there's Anna who's been lusting after him since she was a child but he takes forever to shut it down! His behaviour just encourages it.
"oh but you're so beautiful, oh you're the prettiest girl in the whole wide world, oh yes I'll escourt you wherever you want to go" - Just say no bro 🙄
Even with Jennifer who is the heroines own step-daughter!! After what went down with the heroine, he should have shut it down. But again he still was around her, taking her places and giving her false hope. He's either very unaware of his inappropriate behaviour or he likes the attention and being admired by young girls so his behaviour will always be so. I don't have hope that he will change when he's married since he was still doing it while he was "in love" with the heroine and when they were engaged.
The heroine definitely has some daddy issues. Her first marriage sounded uncomfortably like a father daughter relationship which is probably what happens when someone goes from being your guardian type figure from when you're 15, to being your husband..
Now a special dedication for my hate of the heroine from the first book. In this book, she tries on several occasions to get her husband to interfere in other people's business. Yet in the first book, her largest complaint was that he was trying to take control of her life. Even accused him of being the reason why Eden hadn't enlisted yet. 😑 The nerve!
This series has been hard to swallow and I don't know if reading on will just be stupidity on my part because book 3 ist looking like another frustrating read 🤕.
This book was going well until just after the halfway point when the MCs started annoying me.
The heroine who was initially a brave and smart woman began acting like an idiotic coward. When she let the news of her pregnancy spread without shutting it down straight away, I lost all respect for her but then she went and denied to the hero it was his 😡.
Then we have the hero who I already wasn't a fan of in book 1 and we already know is a flirt but I needed all of that behaviour to stop once he got with the heroine. I actually liked him in the first half but he needed to change! What annoys me most is the way he caters to Susan! I hate that girl and most people see through her but he doesn't care. Everytime she comes with her not so subtle hints, he gives her what she wants. Even when he realises she's been trying to insinuate something improper is happening. Then when he is finally engaged to the heroine, this happens:
"When she lifted a tear-stained face to his, Lord Eden kissed it. He kissed the tears from her eyes and cheeks, and he kissed the pouting little mouth that he used to find so enticing." - with SUSAN!! This happened near the end and he thinks it's no big deal to behave this way because they're childhood friends, so much so that the heroine never hears about it. In my book, this is cheating so he's a cheater.
Then there's Anna who's been lusting after him since she was a child but he takes forever to shut it down! His behaviour just encourages it.
"oh but you're so beautiful, oh you're the prettiest girl in the whole wide world, oh yes I'll escourt you wherever you want to go" - Just say no bro 🙄
Even with Jennifer who is the heroines own step-daughter!! After what went down with the heroine, he should have shut it down. But again he still was around her, taking her places and giving her false hope. He's either very unaware of his inappropriate behaviour or he likes the attention and being admired by young girls so his behaviour will always be so. I don't have hope that he will change when he's married since he was still doing it while he was "in love" with the heroine and when they were engaged.
The heroine definitely has some daddy issues. Her first marriage sounded uncomfortably like a father daughter relationship which is probably what happens when someone goes from being your guardian type figure from when you're 15, to being your husband..
Now a special dedication for my hate of the heroine from the first book. In this book, she tries on several occasions to get her husband to interfere in other people's business. Yet in the first book, her largest complaint was that he was trying to take control of her life. Even accused him of being the reason why Eden hadn't enlisted yet. 😑 The nerve!
This series has been hard to swallow and I don't know if reading on will just be stupidity on my part because book 3 ist looking like another frustrating read 🤕.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2021
Look. I have read - and enjoyed! - other Mary Balogh books. I know she can write stories and characters that I like.
This book? WAS NOT THAT. The set-up is actually really interesting, in that our heroine is married to and in love with a much older man, and their romance is very sweet and genuine? I'm normally not one for a big age difference, but this worked for me!....and since I knew this meant hubby was probably going to get offed in order for our hero to step in - not really a spoiler, I was already a little grumpy a third of the way through. But even objectively - the pacing in this book is VERY odd. We spend tons of time with Ellen married to her first husband Charlie, learning about her life in the final months and weeks before Waterloo. And then when our hero and our heroine are finally able to be together, there is basically NO build-up. Trauma absolutely can show up for people in different ways, but this is just....goofy. The characters feel like puppets rather than human beings, making decisions and saying things for the sake of Plot and Drama, and yet other presumably VERY contentious bits of conflict are skipped over entirely??? I frankly came out of it not really liking either of our main characters, and the highlight was honestly , which is such a minor plot thread that it's a little sad.
This book? WAS NOT THAT. The set-up is actually really interesting, in that our heroine is married to and in love with a much older man, and their romance is very sweet and genuine? I'm normally not one for a big age difference, but this worked for me!....and since I knew this meant hubby was probably going to get offed in order for our hero to step in - not really a spoiler, I was already a little grumpy a third of the way through. But even objectively - the pacing in this book is VERY odd. We spend tons of time with Ellen married to her first husband Charlie, learning about her life in the final months and weeks before Waterloo. And then when our hero and our heroine are finally able to be together, there is basically NO build-up. Trauma absolutely can show up for people in different ways, but this is just....goofy. The characters feel like puppets rather than human beings, making decisions and saying things for the sake of Plot and Drama, and yet other presumably VERY contentious bits of conflict are skipped over entirely??? I frankly came out of it not really liking either of our main characters, and the highlight was honestly , which is such a minor plot thread that it's a little sad.
March 13, 2017
A non-traditional romance in that the first quarter of the book is devoted not to the hero and heroine falling in love, but to depicting the happy marriage of the heroine to the hero's best friend. There is also detailed description of the weeks leading up to the Battle of Waterloo in Brussels.
In this historical romance, the historical part is truly part of the story, and not just the setting. Her husband dies in the Battle of Waterloo, and she's left a widow. it's a well done story, with subplots of romances for many of the other characters who were in Brussels. Balogh almost always has a large cast of characters in her series, and many of the characters from the first book reappear in this one.
And can we all agree to shove Susan off a cliff? Of course, she would never get close enough to a cliff to shove off.
Also, why is Dominic a baron? It doesn't seem like it's a courtesy title, considering it didn't change after Edmund had a kid and therefore an heir. But what did he do to become a baron in his own right? Did I miss that somewhere in the first book?
In this historical romance, the historical part is truly part of the story, and not just the setting. Her husband dies in the Battle of Waterloo, and she's left a widow. it's a well done story, with subplots of romances for many of the other characters who were in Brussels. Balogh almost always has a large cast of characters in her series, and many of the characters from the first book reappear in this one.
And can we all agree to shove Susan off a cliff? Of course, she would never get close enough to a cliff to shove off.
Also, why is Dominic a baron? It doesn't seem like it's a courtesy title, considering it didn't change after Edmund had a kid and therefore an heir. But what did he do to become a baron in his own right? Did I miss that somewhere in the first book?
June 26, 2009
I hate this book so much. The story could have been better if it were not for SO MANY UNNECESSARY CHARACTERS >.< and they even have dialogues! I felt like my money was wasted buying a brand new book for this one.
and I wasn't really interested about gaining information about war (TOO MUCH WAR especially on the first half) I was demanding for romance! Only the last 20 pages I slightly consider romantic.
I really like Dom's character.. he's charming, and confused about love. but that's about it. though nothing special.
This book is not memorable, at least for me, except that it had so many unimportant stories and parts that I could be willing to strike out with my pentel pen (even if it's brand new) and that is, if haven't controlled much of my patience.
maybe I'll re-read it sometime, it's just not the book which I wanted and could never understand at the moment.
and I wasn't really interested about gaining information about war (TOO MUCH WAR especially on the first half) I was demanding for romance! Only the last 20 pages I slightly consider romantic.
I really like Dom's character.. he's charming, and confused about love. but that's about it. though nothing special.
This book is not memorable, at least for me, except that it had so many unimportant stories and parts that I could be willing to strike out with my pentel pen (even if it's brand new) and that is, if haven't controlled much of my patience.
maybe I'll re-read it sometime, it's just not the book which I wanted and could never understand at the moment.
July 31, 2019
The beginning of this had SO MUCH promise! You actually get to experience a battle, and it's clearly well researched without getting bogged down. The romance starts out super slow burn too which I liked. There were a lot of things that didn't work for me, but some of that are tropes that I just in general don't like. You can definitely tell it's an earlier Balogh novel - in a good and bad way. The attention to detail and the thoughtfulness of the story is pure Balogh, and something I haven't encountered in other writing styles. I would be able to immediately identify the author even if I didnt see the cover. That being said, it doesn't have quite the right balance of things you find in her later works, and the pacing of the romance is definitely off in this one. Not something I'd recommend for others, but only because she has so many superior books to offer when this one is an ok one.
August 21, 2014
The heroine spends the first 1/3 of the book happily married to her husband. They are adoringly in love with each other. He buys her gifts, she looks forward to seeing him, it's perfect.
Then the husband dies and the heroine has to nurse her husband's best friend back to health.
She's in a dark place and they sleep together right away. Her husband has been dead a few days. Wow. Not cool.
Then the rest of the book is the hero and heroine spending time apart while she mourns her husband and he tries to figure out how to get her back.
But surprise! Secret baby! She's pregnant and doesn't plan on telling him.
The romance was really lacking in this book. It's a shame because I like author Mary Balogh.
I loved Mary Balogh's Slightly Dangerous. Read that book instead.
Then the husband dies and the heroine has to nurse her husband's best friend back to health.
She's in a dark place and they sleep together right away. Her husband has been dead a few days. Wow. Not cool.
Then the rest of the book is the hero and heroine spending time apart while she mourns her husband and he tries to figure out how to get her back.
But surprise! Secret baby! She's pregnant and doesn't plan on telling him.
The romance was really lacking in this book. It's a shame because I like author Mary Balogh.
I loved Mary Balogh's Slightly Dangerous. Read that book instead.
December 26, 2023
Web of love is 2nd in the Web series.
We follow Dominic through the Waterloo Battle. We will meet again most of the characters from book 1, which for me was perfect, as we can check on Edmund and Alex, and see how good they are for each other.
If Web#1 is dark, this is much, much lighter. We do not get to see Alex's dad, which I was glad for.
This is a very long book for a HR, over 400 pgs. But to me, nothing could be spared. I loved it, despite the fact again, the HEA comes in the last 10 pgs.
We follow Dominic through the Waterloo Battle. We will meet again most of the characters from book 1, which for me was perfect, as we can check on Edmund and Alex, and see how good they are for each other.
If Web#1 is dark, this is much, much lighter. We do not get to see Alex's dad, which I was glad for.
This is a very long book for a HR, over 400 pgs. But to me, nothing could be spared. I loved it, despite the fact again, the HEA comes in the last 10 pgs.
January 30, 2008
What I love about Mary Balogh is her characters are so REAL. So many times I've picked up a Regency romance novel and thought, "damn, these characters are stupid," or "why won't these people just TALK to each other?" In "Web of Love" the conflict is real, both interior and exterior and the characters DO talk to each other and overcome obstacles so that they can be together. There is no better romantic fiction out there.
May 11, 2019
I knew I would like Dominic's story. Ellen suits him and the story. You know there is a happily ever after. The journey is a pleasure.
March 16, 2024
**MINOR SPOILERS**
This book is part of the Web/Dell Historical series by the author. It can be read as a stand alone book, though there are frequent references to characters and events from the first book in the series. The references are explained and clear.
Mary Balogh does not idealize her characters. They have flaws as well as positive characteristics. That was true in this story too. Many parts of the book are painful to read. Ellen, the female main character, says some things that are not nice in the heat of the moment, such as “I do not want to see you again.” When she is confronted with a situation, she does not act honorably at first, though later she rectifies the situation.
Generally, however, Ellen, comes across as competent and caring. She follows her husband during the war and helps the soldiers who are injured. It was an interesting look into what it might have been like to “follow the drum”: the difficult living conditions, the exposure to weather, facing unexpected death. It was also interesting to read about the party the day before the men left to fight the battle of Waterloo. It conveyed some of the realities of war and the way that many injured soldiers faced amputations and that many doctors relied on bleeding to try to cure patients or did not understand the importance of cleanliness in fighting infections.
When the book starts, Ellen is married and Dominic is a friend of her husband, Charlie. All three get along well and Ellen and Dominic are simply friends. When Charlie is killed in action, Dominic is injured but makes it back to Ellen to give her the news. They succumb to an attraction that flairs up between them that is, in part, an affirmation of life. Afterwards, they deal with the repercussions of having become lovers so soon after Charlie’s death.
The book alternates between Ellen’s perspective and Dominic’s.
Ellen’s stepdaughter, Jessica, has an interesting relationship with a soldier who is wounded. She pushes him to move forward with his life. I liked this part of the story.
I have not read all the author’s books, but I have read some of them. I tend to look at the story write-up to see if it is one I will like. I thought this one was ok.
This book is part of the Web/Dell Historical series by the author. It can be read as a stand alone book, though there are frequent references to characters and events from the first book in the series. The references are explained and clear.
Mary Balogh does not idealize her characters. They have flaws as well as positive characteristics. That was true in this story too. Many parts of the book are painful to read. Ellen, the female main character, says some things that are not nice in the heat of the moment, such as “I do not want to see you again.” When she is confronted with a situation, she does not act honorably at first, though later she rectifies the situation.
Generally, however, Ellen, comes across as competent and caring. She follows her husband during the war and helps the soldiers who are injured. It was an interesting look into what it might have been like to “follow the drum”: the difficult living conditions, the exposure to weather, facing unexpected death. It was also interesting to read about the party the day before the men left to fight the battle of Waterloo. It conveyed some of the realities of war and the way that many injured soldiers faced amputations and that many doctors relied on bleeding to try to cure patients or did not understand the importance of cleanliness in fighting infections.
When the book starts, Ellen is married and Dominic is a friend of her husband, Charlie. All three get along well and Ellen and Dominic are simply friends. When Charlie is killed in action, Dominic is injured but makes it back to Ellen to give her the news. They succumb to an attraction that flairs up between them that is, in part, an affirmation of life. Afterwards, they deal with the repercussions of having become lovers so soon after Charlie’s death.
The book alternates between Ellen’s perspective and Dominic’s.
Ellen’s stepdaughter, Jessica, has an interesting relationship with a soldier who is wounded. She pushes him to move forward with his life. I liked this part of the story.
I have not read all the author’s books, but I have read some of them. I tend to look at the story write-up to see if it is one I will like. I thought this one was ok.
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