I love the tension between the strictures of the regency period and the strength of female characters defying them without losing themselves in the process. Mary Balogh does a great job in this story of developing characters that change from initial impressions to better appreciation and understanding of them. The twists and turns are delicious! But that is all that I can reveal at the risk of ruining your fun. I love this author and will continue to read her works. They transport me to very different times where the characters are very human and therefore identifiable. "The more things change, the more they stay the same" comes to mind.

A lovely star-crossed lovers' story. The story was told in bits and pieces until the finale. I loved the story and so glad they found each other. Beautiful ending!

Oh, this is DELIGHTFUL! Short, only around 200 pages, this fun story will have you turning pages so fast. Mary Balogh is a dependable storyteller.

This is an unusual take on a historical regency romance, with the store almost being reversed in order! It was refreshingly different, the steam was lower than usual. There were some obvious gaps in the storyline but a fun, light read overall

Loved Reginald and Annabelle's story. Lots of drama! They are initially enemies thrown together for various reasons, and in the end it all works out. Mary Balogh is a classic historical romance author who never disappoints.

I really enjoyed this novel by Mary Balogh. It was a fun, lighthearted read.

Reggie Mason came from a working coal family and his father wanted to buy their way into the ton. Reggie’s father purchased a grand estate next to the Earl of Havercraft. The Earl‘s daughter, Annabelle finds herself in a situation where she needs to take a husband. But no respectable member of the ton will marry her.

This book is about how Reggie and Anna meet, and all the twist and turns that lead to their happily ever after.

I was given this book as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley, and this review is my opinion. I do recommend this book to others to read.

I loved this book for ages. I'm glad to see if it get a fresh push out into the world. I think it is one of Balogh's best books every.

It's innovative and will keep you flipping the pages until you reach THE END.

I highly recommend.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book is a re-release. Anna and Reggie are forced to marry by their parents. I really don't want to give away any of the plot because there are many twists and turns. I love this book so much. Don't read too many reviews, lest it spoil the book for you. Just read the book!
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Ashton and Mason families are enemies - same town, neighboring land, and different classes - there’s no love lost between the two. But will that all change when the children of each family, Anna and Reginald, become the solutions to their (and their family’s) problems?

A perfect little Regency era story, a delightful read, and an ending I didn’t see coming!

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Books for the Advanced Reader Copy!

This is such a beautiful short novel/novella featuring two main characters who have rarely seen each other but still managed to somehow be clandestine friends since childhood despite their differences in social position. How Reggie and Annabelle's love story plays out is extremely clever and witty. The book goes between present and past to show their entire journey, and it is a journey well worth taking. Originally published in 2010, I am very happy to see it reprinted with such a beautiful cover for new generations of readers to discover.

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was incredible I loved everything. Every character. Ever scene. Every conversation. Every single word. Annabelle is a strong heroine full of bravery, love, strength, independence and wit. Reggie with a wholesome sparkle in his eyes, wholeheartedly loves his parents and his Annabelle. Ugh. I'd read this again in a heartbeat.

5 solid stars for a perfect love story.

Just finished a re-read of this classic ahead of its re-release this summer, and Mary Balogh’s clever tale of class differences amidst familial obligations is sweet and memorable. The story of the “forced” marriage between Reginald Mason, the son of a wealthy family that is not part of English aristocracy, and Annabelle Ashton, the daughter of an Earl, delves into the perception of who belongs in the genteel class during Regency England, and who does not. There’s discussion of how one’s reputation could affect an individual’s standing in the ton, which affects their families going forward. Family play a huge role in the story, which is lovely. I truly love how Balogh incorporates familial love and support in all her stories, and it is very apparent in this story.

Originally published in 2010, this novella/short novel is now available as an ebook. It holds up really well. The protagonists--and other characters--are well-rounded and relatable. And their romance is sweet and believable. Recommended.

Let me start by saying this is one of my favorite tropes, so I was really excited to read this. I enjoyed the story, but I wish I knew ahead of time that it was a short story - during the read I was surprised at how fast everything felt. I would have liked more time for additional character development and a little more build up to the twist.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, just didn't feel that I got into it as much as I would have liked.

A nice twist to a classic trope. Reggie's father is a self-made man, with his wealth coming from coal. Annabelle; father is an Earl,with all the status that entails; however, her father is in dire monetary straights due to bad investments. Both Reggie and Annabelle are only children, loved and fretted over by both sets of parents. Lord Havercroft has always looked down his regal nose at the Masons, until his daugther causes a scandal by running away with a footman. Now he's got to marry her off ASAP. Reggie on the other hand, has benn running up debts at both the card tables and the haberdashers. What to do but to marry them off -- to each other? The plot goes back and forth in time, illustrating the couples' relationship over the years. The twist at the end is just the cherry on the sundae.

This is an older book of Mary Balogh's and I thinkI read it when it first came out, but it's just as good on a second read.

This book was a delight! In the opening scene, I was worried I wouldn’t like Reginald Mason but Mary created an entire cast of characters I was rooting for, including Reggie. If you enjoy the Regency era, family dynamics, secrets, forced proximity, and alternating timelines, I highly encourage you to read this novella.

One of my favourite aspects of this book was a secret that soon began to unfold in the plot. Thanks in part to the alternating timeline it was fun to guess where Mary was taking the story.

The HEA felt well deserved and I finished this book feeling hopeful, which is precisely why I love this genre so much.

What a witty love story! Annabelle disgraced her family by running away to elope with the coachman for her father, Lord Harverctoft. Then Mr Mason whose money came from coal makes an offer Havercroft cannot refuse. Annabelle will marry Reginald Mason to help get her father out of financial trouble. There is a fun twist at the end of this book!

This was such a great historical fiction novel, it worked in the time-period being use and getting the characters right. Mary Balogh does a great job in creating a world with secrets and people that felt like real people. It was really well written and left me wanting to read more.

What a lovely twist to a classic trope. Reggie and Anna are very lovely individuals. The build up and the dialogue were well written.

A definite Balogh book, refreshing, after not liking many of her other books that I have read recently

I adore Mary Balogh, and this will go down as one of my favorites of hers. I loved the narrative structure. Normally, I don’t like books that move between the past and the present, but this one did so very smoothly and really illustrated the couple’s relationship over time. Usually, the problem with a novella is that the relationship can’t really be developed. That was not an all an issue here, due to the narrative structure. These two had such a rich history together. The buildup to the last chapter was so good; I saw that resolution coming, but even so the payoff was beautiful. I ended this book with a huge smile on my face and teary eyes. I can’t give this one enough stars!

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.