Review: Remember When by Mary Balogh

Remember When (Ravenswood #4) by Mary Balogh

Publication Date: January 7th 2025 by Berkley

Pages: 368

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Clarissa, the Dowager Countess, is at a pivotal time in her life. Her children are grown and mostly settled, and her daughter-in-law has taken over the countess responsibilities.  After a season in London, Clarissa returns home to Ravenswood and looks forward to the quiet and tranquility of being alone to reflect who she is as a person and what she wants in this next chapter of her life. There’s another thing Clarissa plans to do: renew her childhood friendship with Matthew Taylor.

 

Matthew Taylor lives a contented life as the village’s carpenter even though he was raised as a gentleman. His younger years were filled with strife railing against strict parents that didn’t understand him. The only one who listened and gave him comfort was Clarissa. He was half in love with her by the time they were teenagers, but things didn’t work out and they married others. Matthew was widowed soon after. He spent many years coming to peace with his past and has led a quiet, contented life until Clarissa comes back to town.

 

Loved the way Matthew and Clarissa just picked up again after so many years. They just got each other so well. Of course, their friendship was noted right away and there was talk since their societal positions were so different, but I’m happy with how it was all handled. They both had wonderful family and friends to support them!

 

Remember When was low angst and heartwarming! The characters and the situations they faced felt real-to-life and relatable. Neither Clarissa nor Matthew led a problem-free life, but each were mature and okay on their own. Finding romance was an unexpected joy for them and their story filled my heart with happiness!  

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

Discover the beauty of second chances at love and life in this heartfelt new novel from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh.

The Dowager Countess of Stratton, Clarissa Ware, née Greenfield, has just presented her younger daughter to the ton, and the rest of her life belongs only to herself. She returns to Ravenswood, intending to spend the summer alone there. But the summer has other plans for her.

Born a gentleman, Matthew Taylor has chosen to spend his life as the village carpenter. Growing up, he and Clarissa were close—dangerously so, considering his family’s modest fortune. As a young man, he never would have been a suitable match for the daughter of the wealthy Greenfields. Clarissa married Caleb Ware, the Earl of Stratton, so Matthew married another, though he was widowed soon after.

Now everything is different—Clarissa has already lived the life expected of her by society. And Matthew is as attractive and intriguing as he was when they were young. As their summer friendship deepens into romance, they stand together on the precipice of change—essentially the same man and woman they remember being back then, but with renewed passion and the potential to take their lives in an entirely new direction.

About the Author

Mary Balogh grew up in Wales and now lives with her husband, Robert, in Saskatchewan, Canada. She has written more than one hundred historical novels and novellas, more than forty of which have been New York Times bestsellers. They include the Bedwyn saga, the Simply quartet, the Huxtable quintet, the seven-part Survivors’ Club series, and the Westcott series.