Someone to Cherish is part of a series but works will as a stand alone. I recommend that the readers read them in order of publication..

A widow intent on discovering love and being loved will seek out a lover. If she can avoid town gossip and scandal, she might satisfy a curiosity years in the making.

This slow burn romance of a woman yearning for love, a man who never thought he'd find someone, and a discovery that an equal partnership is necessary in a real marriage.

If you are interested in historical romance with interconnected characters and plenty of books to keep you satisfied, be sure to check out this series.

This was a nice continuation of the series. Mary Balogh has a talent for writing HEA's with complex characters and this story continues this trend.. Her characters have depth and a little bit of history and this serves to make her stories engaging. Following Harry and Lydia's path to a happily ever after was a treat.

Another lovely romance from Mary Balogh, who always does an excellent job creating emotional connections between her characters.

Someone to Cherish is the latest book in the Westcott Series by Mary Balogh, and is just as sweet and wonderful as all of the other books in the series. I can't wait to see what's next from Balogh!

3.75 stars Another great addition to the Westcott series, though I do recommend reading them in order (not a chore, I promise you, they're great!). By the time you get to this book, the number of family members and all of the connections get to be extremely confusing.

What I enjoyed most about this book was how honest Lydia and Harry were with one another, confessing their most "shameful" secrets to one another—their friendship was just so lovely—and the strength that Lydia showed in stepping out of the confines of her former role as "the vicar's wife" and finally coming into her own. Lydia was a fantastic and empathetic character and I really felt for her and how difficult her life has been, always dictated by the men around her and stifling her in ways that never allowed her to be her own person or have her own voice. She is determined to be free and independent now, yet I also was able to believe in the trust she develops in Harry and how they end up together.

* This review is of an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Some changes and/or edits may be made to the final published version.

A lovely, quiet story by Balogh of two lonely souls finding in the other their reason for living. Lydia is recently widowed. Her former husband was a vicar, more devoted to his parish than his wife, and her life with him had been one of duty and loneliness. She is enamored with her new-found freedom and is loath to give it up to any man by marrying him. But she wonders about the intimate side of marriage. She wants to take a lover to discover for herself whether it is all that it is cracked up to be. Harry lost his earldom due to his father's bigamy and joined up to fight Napoleon. After being badly wounded, he has now become a gentleman farmer. He now seeks solitude by habit. Like many of Balogh's self-possessed heroines, Lydia takes charge of her destiny. She propositions Harry with an affair...as a balm against loneliness for both. I really liked Harry, his kindness, his thoughtfulness to everyone around him, but especially Lydia. She is like parched soil and soaks up his gentleness. I enjoyed seeing the rest of the Westmorland clan gathering around implicitly demonstrating to Lydia how strong the women are and how equal they are in their marriages.

Review will be published on http://keirasoleore.blogspot.com

Village life and quiet main characters make for exactly the type of quiet, countryside romance you are expecting by looking at the cover. If you would judge a book that way, you've judged rightly.

Ten years ago, when Harry Westcott was just twenty, he was enjoying all the pleasures of a newly titled earl with plenty of friends, wealth, and property. His world came crashing down when it was discovered that Harry’s late father, the former earl, had married Harry’s mother while his first wife was still alive. All of a sudden Harry lost his title, his wealth, his place in society, and his very legitimacy. Harry reacted by rushing off to join the army. The intervening years saw Harry sustain many injuries, the ones he received at the battle of Waterloo being almost fatal. After a long recovery, Harry is content with his life now, rusticating at his childhood home, courtesy of his half sister, Anna. The Westcott family wants to see Harry become more than content. With his thirtieth birthday approaching, they have decided that Harry is in need of someone to cherish.

Lydia Tavernor has come out of mourning for her husband of six years, Isaiah, who was the revered and much loved vicar of the village. When Lydia fell in love and married Isaiah, she had no clue that all he wanted and needed was a helpmeet, and that all his passion and zeal was for his vocation. Lydia fell into her role, while becoming, to her mind, invisible, except for being the appendage of her husband. During her year of mourning, Lydia decided to stay in the village, purchasing a small cottage, and making a few friends. She slowly begins to socialize, and rejects the offers to return to her father’s home, or to live with her brother-in-law and his wife. Lydia’s unhappy marriage has made her wonder what it would be like to have a lover, as she certainly doesn’t want another husband. When Harry walks her home as a matter of courtesy one evening, her query to him of whether he ever gets lonely opens up a whole can of worms she could never have imagined.

For the first time, Harry takes a good look at the woman he has casually known, but not really seen, as he tries to decide if he’s just been propositioned. Meanwhile, Lydia is mortified, and quickly leaves Harry to stand on her doorstep as she rushes inside. They are both equal parts enticed and appalled at the thought of having an intimate relationship. Harry is not ready to marry, and Lydia has made it clear that she won’t marry again. Surely in a town this small, any attempts to carry out a secret affair would be soon found out, and ruin Lydia’s reputation, as well as putting Harry in a bad light. They begin a dance of will-they-or-won’t-they, and discover a genuine liking for each other to go along with their attraction. Their brief taste of passion is satisfying, but both decide that they can’t continue. However, their behavior has been noticed, and the gossip starts. To make matters worse, the entire Westcott clan has decided to descend upon Harry, bringing along a trio of young ladies, hoping that one will catch his fancy.

SOMEONE TO CHERISH definitely builds on the previous books in the series, though Mary Balogh is careful to define each family member to readers who may have just jumped into this installment. I loved watching Harry mature and come to terms with his anger over his losses. Though he still suffers nightmares from his war experiences, he has learned to accept and live with his past. He has become a man of honor and character, and his acceptance of his half sister is emotional and touching. His slow realization that he is in love is wonderful to read, as is the way he treats Lydia. I cheered for Lydia as she grew as a person in her own right, after years of invisibility. She became strong enough to stand on her own, then became confident enough in her love to trust that Harry would never treat her as her first husband did. Together, their passion and genuine friendship, along with their love bodes well for a sweet happy ever after. I love this family, how they all support and want happiness for everyone. Few authors can match Mary Balogh for heartwarming emotion, strong family connections, and romance. SOMEONE TO CHERISH showcases all these things, and I most highly recommend it, as well as all the previous books in the series, to readers who want to lose themselves in an excellent and satisfying journey to love.

As always, the story line is interesting and it is a treat to get a more in depth portrait of a character that has appeared in numerous novels, but at times the gigantic genealogy of characters can be a bit detrimental to the flow.

I lived this romance. The main character's back stories are very powerful. It really made me happy to be in love now and not 200 years ago.
The only issue was using Fanny as a name(1830s). It is slang for vagina in England, no one would use that to name there daughter. It also might have brought up the association of Fanny Hill- late 1700s.

I adore Mary Balogh!!
When her books are released, I put everything else on hold and fall into her books.
This one is amazing too.
A somber, reclusive hero. An unfulfilled widow just finding her own life. Delicious!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for my honest review.

The Westcott series is at it's finest with Someone to Cherish. Two lonely souls become friends and lovers with just the right amount of angst, sexual tension, love and humor.

Harry is my newest historical book boyfriend. He's brave, intelligent and incredibly kind. Lydia, the lonely widow is a perfect match for him. Her life has been a bit heartbreaking but both characters strong and wonderful families who add a lot of depth to the storyline. Personally, I'd love to see more of Lydia's family. Those brothers are crazy!

A wonderfully paced story and relationship really bring the story to life. Combined with fantastic character development, this will be one of my top reads of the year!

I have been thoroughly enjoying this series since the very first book, Someone to Love. Oh how I have wanted Harry's story and now here it is! He lost the title of Earl of Rivendale when it was discovered that his deceased father had a bigamous marriage, thus nullifying Harry's title. Harry went off to fight in the war and got seriously wounded. Mostly recovered, the easygoing young man is now a gruff former soldier, dealing with the after effects of war. Of course, we know it to be PTSD in our day.

Harry's siblings have found their HEAs. He is an uncle several times over. But, he is alone and it seems he might remain that way. However, Harry soon finds himself in the company of the late Reverend's widow Lydia and he is rather drawn to her. Even a bit enchanted by Harry, Lydia is of firm resolve never to marry again as her marriage was less than pleasant. Lydia feels she is better off alone.

With Harry needing healing after the war, and Lydia's unhappiness when she was married, the two just might make the perfect pair. Lydia seemed timid to many, but when she spends time with Harry she slowly comes out of her shell. Harry just might have found the perfect woman, a woman he could indeed cherish.

Each book in this series is complete in and of itself. However, reading each book in the series brings a sense of continuity, if not completeness, when viewing the Westcotts as a whole. I love the relationships in these stories as each books is like a wonderful piece of a huge pie. When I read this book back in April, I thought it was the last in the series. However, I just received my review copy of Someone Perfect, due for release this November.

Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Someone to Cherish is the much-anticipated story and it was better than I could have imagined. Harry Westcott’s life changed irrevocably 10 years ago when he found out his parents’ marriage was bigamous and he and his sisters were illegitimate. He lost it all. With no title and the fortune gone, Harry goes off to fight in the Napoleonic wars and barely makes it back alive. He’s brought back to England to recover and to his childhood home, Hinsford Manor. Not only did he need to physically heal but he also came to terms with the changes that happened in the fallout of the Great Disaster. Thinking he’s at peace with things, he’s taken by surprise when the widow of the late Reverend Tavernor, Lydia, propositions him to become her lover. He’s barely noticed her until she ask him a simple question. Now he’s intrigued and wonders how this woman has been hiding in plain sight.

The author has once again created a wonderful story and developed a romance between two deserving individuals. Lydia did not want to give up her freedom and independence, or ever marry again, and go back to being a man’s helpmeet. She made known her desires to Harry and figured out after one brief encounter that it wouldn’t work living in a small village. When rumors start anyway, she had to deal with it with a brave face. Harry insisted on marriage but refuses. It was so important to Lydia to keep her independence since her first marriage didn’t turn out the way she hoped. What confuses her is her feelings for Harry and to see Harry as really being a genuine person. What she needed to learn is to trust again, in herself, and in Harry. I liked how their relationship developed softly from a friendship into love.

I loved how this 8th book in the Westcott series felt fresh and inviting to read. I liked how the whole family together again to show how they are better off today than if the Great Disaster hadn’t happened. Can something good come out of a bad situation? I think so, especially in Harry’s case. He’s a better man and found himself a partner he can share his life with. Harry was able to confide in Lydia with things he’s never told another soul and she felt she could share with him as well. She may not have been looking for love but she found it again when she knew she could trust Harry. I love how both Harry and Lydia found their someone special to share their life with. I would even say they found someone to cherish.

A sweet and wonderful romance in one of my favorite series from Mary Balogh ever. There's just something about the love between these two characters that breaks me in the best ways.

Sweet romance in days gone by…

I’ve loved this series since turning the first page of book one. The misfortune of the Westcott family meant a journey of discovery, loyalty and love. Looking back, the worst time of their life was the catalyst for amazing adventures and relationships strengthened and found…

Harry may have been jolted the hardest as his well-laid out future went up in a puff of smoke. The military almost killed him and it certainly changed who he was. Now, he was content. Until a neighbour his mind… Lydia lost her husband but she realized now she had lost herself well before that. Creating a future of her own making meant tough choices and standing her ground when society judged her. Forging their own way meant dealing with the fallout of their choices. Together they were going to face anything…

I loved this story about staying true to yourself when others, no matter how well-meaning (or not), tried to interfere. Sweet and funny, full of gut-wrenching soul-searching guaranteed to touch the heart, this family-centric world makes for great romance. My new favourite in the series!

This is the next book in our beloved Westcott Series by Mary Balogh. Yes, this is Harry’s book, and yes,
it is just as wonderful as each of its predecessors! I know I have said it for each book in the series but I
am seriously in love with this family!!! Their dynamic is so entertaining and their dedication to one
another is the true definition of family. I adore how they all come together and will stop at nothing to
insure each member of the family gets a happy ever after (even if they don’t know that they want one).
I am so glad that we get to see a healthy and happy Major Harry Westcott all while getting to see just
how deeply “The Great Disaster” affected him. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and getting to know
Lydia. I am a huge fan of any story where we see a woman finds her inner strength and empowers
herself to face down adversity and live HER best life. This leading lady embodies that to the fullest and I
love her all the more for it.
As you all know I am a big fan of this series and I hope that this wasn’t the final book and that just
maybe we will get to see both Bertrand and Estelle get their famous Westcott happily ever afters.

Fans of Balogh's Westcott historical romance series are sure to enjoy this long-awaited installment, that sees Harry's story as the focus for this well-plotted Regency romance. The challenges in Harry's past - social, familial and vocational, as a survivor of the Napoleonic wars - might have made it difficult to create a heroine whose challenges would put her on an even footing in terms of character evolution, but in Lydia, Balogh has created an acerbic, sympathetic, and socially rebellious character who is determined to chart her own course, which includes acting on her desire for a lover, but being determined to never remarry. Readers new to Balogh might find the stretches of internal monologue slow the pace, and references to characters featured in previous books abound; new readers might be best directed to the first volume in the series. Characters default to white and cis-het, in keeping with the other titles in the series. Sensuality rating (AAR) is warm.

Verdict: A must-purchase for public libraries where earlier volumes of the Westcott series circulate well.

Hello again, romance lovers! I’m back because I just finished another EPIC binge read, which, of course, I needed to share it with someone. And since my husband is out of the question — that glazed look is not my favorite to be honest, and he really just doesn’t get it, although he tries, bless his heart — that someone is you! Hmm, punny title idea that’ll make sense in a paragraph or two, Someone to Read (My Stream of Consciousness Thoughts About These Books I Am Obsessed With).

Anyway, my latest binge read rant is ready to burst all the way out of me but, before I get started, I need to make something clear, something of which I should probably be mildly ashamed.

I knew going into these books that I was teetering on the edge of a binge read and I DID IT ANYWAY.

Whew, I’m kind of relieved to get that off my chest. And because I have made absolutely no secret of my love for Mary Balogh, it should come as a surprise to literally no one that this binge involved one of her series. My fellow Historical lovers may be aware that the eighth book in her acclaimed Westcott series, Someone to Cherish, is now available and centers around a character who, while being largely absent from the previous books because of his military career, was absolutely central to the overarching story. I was lucky enough to secure an ARC through Netgalley, which of course made my day — and made me think that what I needed most was a re-read the entire series leading up to this book, even though time was not on my side. Especially since I suspected — okay, I knew — that despite all promises made to myself to the contrary, I would not be able to settle into a routine of reading one Westcott for every two-to-three ARC or beta reads I had on the go.

Oh, how right I was to doubt myself.

For those unfamiliar with the series, allow me a moment to give you a brief overview: After the death of the Earl of Riverdale, the Westcott family is shocked to discover the Earl’s prior marriage—of which they were completely unaware—overlapped with his marriage to the Countess of Riverdale, invalidating it. With the legitimacy of their births stripped, the late Riverdale’s children are further shocked to learn of a half-sibling, raised in an orphanage, unaware of her place as the sole legitimate heir to the Riverdale fortune. The first book in the series, Someone to Love, follows that legitimate heir, Anna Snow, as she learns of her heritage, and becomes accustomed to the changes in her life, with the help of the wider Westcott family. The subsequent books feature the new Earl of Riverdale, Alex, the disinherited Westcott daughters, Camille and Abigail, and the rest of their family, who band together after The Great Disaster to protect their own. Someone to Cherish is Harry Westcott’s story, the man who would’ve been Riverdale had scandal and secrets not befallen his family.

This was, right from the first, a series I loved. I didn’t actually start reading it until shortly after the sixth book had already been released, so when I say I knew that I was susceptible to a binge read of this series, I mean I knew because I’d done it once before. I devoured the first six books when I first read them, enamored by the family dynamics, the absolutely and unexpectedly captivating Duke of Netherby, Avery Archer (he’s something of a dandy; a beautiful, slight male with a deadly aura and a propensity to wear rings upon each finger and elaborately folded neck cloths, who projects a sighing disinterest in everything around him), and the strength the women of this series demonstrated time and again. The writing in this series is smart, the characters likable almost to a fault — and even the unlikable have their charms and their redemptions—and the stories engaging and feel good and so very, very easy to get lost in.

That was my experience with the first readthrough of these books, including a novella and the seventh book, both of which I read when they were released. As it was again this time around, but my second read-through of all except Someone to Cherish, also allowed me to fall in love with the series for new reasons. Well, not entirely new. More like deeper reasons. There’s something to be said about reading a book multiple times, becoming familiar with the protagonists in a way that only a knowledge of what’s to come allows. I already knew I loved Avery and Anna when I started Someone to Love, but after reading their story for a second time, I love and understand them more. The same can be said with Camille and Joel in Someone to Hold, and Alex and Wren in Someone to Wed, both of which I read as soon as humanly possible after finishing the previous book. For the record, I’m talking saying-a-quiet-thank-you-to-the-Kindle-Cloud-for-prompting-me-to-open-the-next-book-immediately-after-the-end-of-the-current-one-before-hitting-that-“Read-Now”-button-and-waiting-maybe-two-full-seconds-before-diving-in fast. Y’all, the cast of Gilmore Girls and The West Wing don’t even talk as fast as I clicked through to read those three books #20YearOldPopCultureReference.

Was I any slower with the subsequent books? Not particularly, although I did manage to find time—albeit reluctantly—to work, feed my kids, make my bed etc. as I reacquainted myself with Viola and Marcel in Someone to Care, Elizabeth and Colin in Someone to Trust, Abigail and Gil in Someone to Honor, Matilda and Charles in Someone to Remember, and Jessica and Gabriel in Someone to Romance. Y’all, if you could see me right now, taking a breather from the rapid-fire, must get my thoughts out typing to put my hands over my heart as I remember how much joy reading these books gave me… *Sighs dramatically*. I’m aware that sounds like hyperbole, but I swear, it’s true. I can type VERY fast. (And I am the type to have actual physical reactions to books, memories, awkward situations, remembered embarrassments and so on.)

And then came Harry and Lydia. As I mentioned above, Harry would have been — and briefly was — the Earl of Riverdale after the death of his father, an event that led him into war with Napoleon, a few memorable cameos in the earlier Westcott books, and a near-death experience that left me feeling a little bereft and a lot desperate for his happily ever after. Lydia, on the other hand, is an entirely new character. The widow of a much-loved vicar who died saving a young boy’s life, she’s setting out to reclaim and rediscover herself, assert her independence when the men in her life would try to coddle and dominate her, and lead a contented, if not entirely happy, life. I can’t be subtle in this situation so let me just go for it: I adored Lydia. Far from perfect, she displayed a strength that she struggled to at times to maintain—having never before had to exercise it — and tried to live her life on her own terms in a world that did not let women do that.

And therein lies one of the things that draws me back to Mary Balogh’s books time and time again; she does not shy away from flawed heroes and heroines, whether that means physically (like several of those from her Survivor’s Club series), mentally, or emotionally. Neither Harry nor Lydia is the perfect specimen of humanity, having lived lives that left them with scars and doubts and trust issues. But together and separately, through smart means and stupid, they worked through those issues and found their way. I couldn’t contain my tears as I read through the final chapters, nor can I now contain my smile as I remember some of my favorite moments. Many of which, I should point out, include the interfering but well-meaning members of the Westcott family.

I don’t regret this binge-read any more than I regretted my last, of Mira Lyn Kelly’s Slayers Hockey series (which means not at all, in case you were wondering). Yes, they are very different in their times and their settings, but they have at least one commonality: they are the very epitome of what I love about romance: strong connections, moments filled with feeling, whether it hurts or humors or heals, and stories that make me forget the world, if only for a moment or twenty, so I can simply enjoy. I can’t ask for any more than that, can I?*

*I totally can. But in this case, I won’t. Because BOOKS, HAPPY, ME, LOVE.