Longing

This is a new area for Mary Balogh, and what a good job she did with this all Welsh story..Firstly I liked the Pronunciation Guide, it certainly helped to clarify who was who.Welsh history can be very confusing, but this story, with so much fact was something I was unable to put down.I love Wales and its people, and I was delighted that you must still have very strong roots there.

Loved this as I love all her books. If you like historical romance then you should read her novels.Enough said.

Excellent condition

Very pleased

great story

Lovely story

A spellbound book,I would buy her book again.

Was a bit disappointed with story.

Wer romantische Liebesgeschichten mag und gerne Englisch liest, ist bei Mary Balogh gut aufgehoben. Die Geschichte nimmt interessante Wendungen, verspricht originelle Dialoge und geht auf das Thema "Aussehen" als ein Grund von Akzeptanz oder Nicht-Akzeptanz ein. Baloghs Stärke ist es, in die Tiefe zu gehen und Mut zu zeigen, personifiziert in den Hauptakteuren. Wenn es um das Thema Traumatisierung geht, greift die Geschichte etwas zu kurz, spricht es aber immerhin an. Hier sind die Bücher über die Suvivors realistischer. Alles in allem liest sich das Buch gut und macht Lust auf weitere Bücher von ihr.

Este no me ha parecido uno de sus mejores libros, aunque me gusta todo lo que escribe, pero a esta historia le ha faltado algo más, en mi opinión.

It is one of the best stories by Mary Balogh I have read in a long while. I would like to tell Ms Balogh How much I enjoyed it.

There is much love from the author in this book. The setting is beautifully drawn and what earns this its stars. Both characters were weak when I wanted them to be strong. Spoilers: Alex going against his own instincts regarding his workers conditions and wages and made Barnes a stronger character as Alex spent his time walking over the hills and spying on people. Not hero material, although he did become heroic in the neatly tied up end--an end where they couldn't marry for reasons suddenly addressed and apparently ignored by them in the end. He was weak. Sian didn't know what love was so I found her love for the hero unbelievable. Her tendency to admit she didn't love the men in her life. All that going up the mountain with Owen was annoyingly manipulative. She was a tease. Her thoughts said she didn't love Owen or Gwyn but she then claims to love them when they were dead? That was truly unacceptable in a heroine for me as a reader. Her quick acceptance of her father? Another problem. Sian was a character I found hard to root for. Weak characters and unbelievable love story make this a 1 star read in a strong setting.

There are 'period' novels in which a particular time period is the backdrop for the story and may inform the manners and mores of the characters but has no real part to play in the action of the story. Then there are 'historical' novels in which the characters interact with and are affected by the real events of history. Longing is the latter and as such highlights events of history that were little known to me in much the same way as Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. The definitions are my own and what I use to categorize what I read.Like Outlander, Longing tackles England's contentious relationship with nearby parts of her Empire. Outlander highlighted English oppression of Scotland, while Longing takes on the rape of Wales for its coal and iron ore at the dawn of the Industrial Age. The reader is treated to a near eye-witness accounting of life in a mining town and the collective efforts of the mine and iron workers to seek better treatment through the Chartist Movement. That said, do not think this is a dry treatise on early worker protest movements because it is anything but that. It is also a love story set in a tumultuous time of social upheaval.The greatest talent of this author is that she writes nuanced characters. None of them are all good or all bad and she makes it possible to understand the actions and choices of the worst among them even as you are recoiling in distaste. She makes difficult choices, character motivations and redemption believable even if you don't always agree with them. I especially liked her treatment of Owen, a member of the Chartist Movement who did despicable things for a cause that he believed in. He is a zealot for whom the issues are black and white, for whom compromise is a sell-out and reasonable dialogue is weakness. As such he stands in stark contrast to Alex, the male protagonist who sees shades of gray and who carries just as strong a commitment to reasonable action as Owen is to upheaval and destruction. I hated many/most of Owen's tactics and choices, but I understood them given the circumstances.While I struggled through the first 20% of this novel, the last 80% had me often on the edge of my seat in fearful trepidation. In that first twenty percent, I struggled with slow pacing due to both the story and my personal struggle with the pronunciation of Welsh names and some wording. I never did settle on a comfortable pronunciation of Sian's name so it was mentally pronounced differently throughout the entirety of the story. I don't know about you, but for me this was a bit of a distraction.That last eighty percent was a nerve-wracking thrill ride that posed real danger to Sian and characters that you will come to care about. Be aware that there are NUMEROUS references to violence against women as well as a couple that bear fruit. I was made profoundly uncomfortable by some of it and if this is a trigger for you, be warned. That said, the violence experienced by both men and women was not gratuitous, it fits the times and the attitudes and expectations of those times.There are also some instances of well described, nearly erotic sex between the main characters. I struggled with the kiss at their very first meeting because I felt it rushed their sexual attraction. Given the setting and the perilous nature of Sian's and Alex's situation at the time, it didn't feel realistic. This was the one thing in this novel that felt ill advised and a bit amateurish.Bottom line: this is an excellent, if at times difficult, read. I recommend it.

Alex, Marquess of Craille, has inherited a Welsh castle and the valley where it resides, including the coal mine and ironworks that support the people of the valley. Sian Jones is a widow who works in the mine. She is also half-English and well educated as the result of being the illegitimate daughter of another English landowner.I admit I had some trouble getting into this book. I read a bit and put it down for a while, finally picking it up and finishing it now. I'm happy I did. This is not a typical Mary Balogh book. Another reviewer likened it to Gaskell's North and South, and I have to agree. It has a lot to do with the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the beautiful green valleys of Wales, the resulting worker strikes and organization, and the difference between the classes in that period. It makes for absorbing reading once you get into it and put aside the idea that this is not a typical Balogh book.Alex is an honorable man, willing to learn about the lives of his new people and how he can make them better (much different from his fellow owners). I found Sian more problematic. Her deep-seated desire to fit in with her Welsh side was noble but ultimately frustrating for me, especially after her punishment by the Scotch Cattle. Her treatment didn't seem to justify the loyalty she felt.This is a beautifully written story, as are all of Balogh's works. Her descriptions of Wales makes me long to visit once more that beautiful country.

I have read almost all of Balogh's books and loved them! She is a great writer now. But as this is one of her earlier books, this one shows just how far she has come in ascending to the top Five of all Historical Romance writers. Because of too much detail at times, a focus on some gruesome history of Wales, and a slow moving story, I call this one "tedious".Her Slightly series, the Simply series, the Survivors series - all are highly exceptional in their portrayal of Regency England! They move well, have good character development, have fairly unique plots and are just very readable and enjoyable!! My aunt got me started on the Slightly series, which I loved. Then I went on with the others. One thing I especially like about those series is the intermix of characters from one set of stories into the next - that is a beautiful technique that I hope she continues!

I didn't get into this book easily. It strikes me as a story of the Chartists, the harsh conditions of the coal miners and ironmongers during this period ~ held together by a flimsy lust story.An English marquess, owner of a mine and iron works, and Sian who is the illegitimate daughter of another mine owner. How could that possibly work? True, Sian was brought up in an English school, so her accent is right and she knows which fork to use, but she's a bastard and the widow of a miner. Too much to overcome. There is some mention of the difficulties they will face, but love will conquer all. I'm not convinced. I think they have a lot of misery ahead of them. And his young daughter will be tarred by the same brush.Sian despises her father but in the last part of the novel, they reconcile and all is forgiven. That made no sense to me.If the purpose of the story is to portray the Welsh of this class and era, the result is unfortunate in my opinion. Only when they were singing did I see a sense of community. Otherwise, a brutalized people often treated each other brutally.Rather than a romance, this is mostly the sad story of an oppressed people.

"Such affairs are unequal things, are they not? All pleasure and convenience for the man, all danger and humiliation for the woman. And ostracism from a deeply religious community like this, I do not doubt. We will fight it, then, Sian. You are my daughter's governess; I am your employer. I am the Marquess of Craille; you are -- an ironworker's granddaughter. Yes, we will fight it."THE STORY: Alexander Hyatt, Marquess of Craille, comes to Wales to see his assets which include a mine and ironworks. A widower with a daughter, he seeks a governess. Sian Jones has sought to belong. The illegitimate daughter of a local lord, Sian married a miner. Widowed and having lost her son, Sian works in the mines. When she meets Alexander, she is attracted despite herself and knows that taking the job as his daughter's governess is a bad idea because she doesn't intend on becoming the Alexander's mistress.OPINION: This is an complex romance that is deeply emotional. Alexander and Sian know from the beginning that there can be nothing lasting between them because of their stations in life. Sian especially is determined to be part of the community and pursues marriage to a local worker because she deeply wants to belong. Alexander's arrival shows Sian an alternate possibility for her. She is divided between her two selves and she has two possible futures. A story about breaking rules and traditions and expections in both personal and social ways, LONGING is ultimately about bringing about the future you want.Balogh writes very emotional and personal stories. While the characters have multiple challenges and their road is difficult, when the happy ending arrives, the reader knows that the joy has been won though hard work and sacrifice.WORTH MENTIONING: This novel has an intense historical background and plot involving worker's rights.FINAL DECISION: I recommend this book for those looking for an intense, complex story with flawed individuals. This is an unique setting taking place in Wales.CONNECTED BOOKS: LONGING is a standalone book.STAR RATING: I give this book 4.25 stars.

I liked this book because, to my knowledge, it had characters who were not tied to a million other novels in a series, but could instead be appreciated on their own terms. The fact that it took place in Wales only enhanced its attractiveness. As much as i love regency novels, one could get tired of London seasons, Sally Jersey, vouchers for Almacks, and Prinny. The historical context of this story was rather interesting because even though other historical romances occasionally make vague references to political reforms, this novel addressed a specific historical event that is peculiar to that locale and therefore may be unknown to many readers. If you're interested in happily ever afters, you will enjoy this.

I admire Balogh's ambition in writing in the backdrop of a Welsh episode of friction between coal miners and owners. There was considerable violence in the book, however, including unpleasant scenes of violence towards women. There were aspects of the romance that I didn't like, including that the hero kisses the heroine the very first time he meets her. That doesn't seem romantic to me, and there was considerable kissing as a form of aggression and control on the part of the male characters. The romance is unrealistic because the characters are so far from each other in social status. Balogh could have written it so that the hero wasn't from such a lofty social class, and I think that would have made the romance better, not weaker. Balogh does have the characters recognize that their marriage is unrealistic, but she doesn't really offer much in explaining why the characters decide to marry even with the significant difference in their social status. The violence and the unrealistic nature of the romance detracted from my enjoyment of the book.On the plus side is Balogh's description of the Welsh town, countryside, and customs. It is always enjoyable to learn about a different time and place while reading a romance.

I have been a fan of Ms. Balogh's historical romances for many years and have all of her books. This one, recently re-released in trade format, was originally written in 1995 and is one of the few set outside of England. The author is Welsh, and this story is set in Wales. It takes place around the time of Chartism, and despite the anger, violence and despair of the downtrodden mine workers, it is almost poetic in its description of the beauty of the Welsh mountains, the music and faith which sustains its people, and - of course - the mismatched couple who may (or may not) find their way to a happy-ever-after. The Marquess of Craille is a landowner, a widower who arrives with his young daughter. Right off the bat, he discovers that what he has been told may not be real. Cutting the workers' already miserable salaries by 10%, and then, a few weeks later, by another 10%? Will that really keep him from destitution? All the local landowners assure him that they must unite or face crippling impoverishment. Luckily, Alex is willing and eager to think for himself and to buck the tide. Sian Jones is a widow - and works as the lowliest of the low, strapped to a coal cart in the mines. She has been trying to fit in all her life, as she is the illegitimate daughter of a Welshwoman and an English lord; life in this devout community is a trial for her, yet something she seeks with all her heart. When Alex hires her to be a governess to his daughter, she is thankful to escape the hideous work in the mines, yet is caught even more publicly between the two worlds. Sian and Alex have an instant and undeniable attraction to each other, but custom dictates that he can't act on it, and she is about to marry a local ironworker who is the leader of the Chartists in the area. Politics and pride, poverty and poetry...this is one of Ms. Balogh's better books, and I highly recommend it.

What a story! I loved every minute of it. If I were able to choose to be a character in a book and live the story of one of my books this would be it, I just loved Alexander. This book was more than a love story. I enjoyed it tremendously and would recommend it. I do not give detailed reviews of the books I read because they spoil the fun, give it a try and if you dont like it return it or pass it on.

Class divisions, labor struggles, and prejudice divide the hero and heroine. This book includes terrific insights into early labor movements, Welsh culture and the human and environmental costs of the industrial revolution. The characters are delightful, even if the hero, Alexander, is enlightened and liberal for his time. He can afford to be since he is wealthy and titled. The heroine, Sian, is more rigid in her boundaries and takes greater risks to bridge the distance between them. Their whole story is brought to a satisfying Mary Balogh conclusion. I would have given the books five stars if Alex had shown signs of an internal struggle about their being from different classes before finally proposing marriage. I knew it must be coming but it seemed to come out too easily, and if it was easy, why not offer marriage much earlier?

A beautiful love story set in a Welsh mining village in 1839. A young woman of illegitimate birth finds herself in the middle of opposing sides. Always wanting to belong in the village, she finds her attraction to Alexander the Marquees of Craille the owner of the mine dividing her loyalties. Over time, Alxander works to prove to the woman he loves and the people of the village that he is only on their side. A tear jerker with a lot of emotional turmoil. A great movie to watch to relate to this book is HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY (1941)/novel by Richard Llewellyn(1939)