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The Proposal (The Survivors' Club #1)

3.65 of 5 stars 3.65 · rating details · 1,382 ratings · 265 reviews

In Mary Balogh’s engaging and seductive new novel of drama and romance, a woman comfortable in her solitude allows temptation to free her heart, when a daring war hero shows her how truly extraordinary she is.

THE PROPOSAL

Gwendoline, Lady Muir, has seen her share of tragedy, especially since a freak accident took her husband much too soon. Content in a quiet life with fr...more

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published May 1st 2012 by Delacorte Press

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Jan 17, 2013 Lily Bart rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book. I think it's the best Mary Balogh novel I've read since A SUMMER TO REMEMBER. At the same time, though, it was obvious throughout that this legendary romance superstar is no longer writing with the unbelievable intensity and passion of twenty years ago. But that's life.

Hugo Emes is just a great big teddy bear with a heart of gold. Born to a fabulously wealthy merchant family, he joined the army merely as a way of avoiding certain family problems. Not to worry, he immediately...more I loved this book. I think it's the best Mary Balogh novel I've read since A SUMMER TO REMEMBER. At the same time, though, it was obvious throughout that this legendary romance superstar is no longer writing with the unbelievable intensity and passion of twenty years ago. But that's life.

Hugo Emes is just a great big teddy bear with a heart of gold. Born to a fabulously wealthy merchant family, he joined the army merely as a way of avoiding certain family problems. Not to worry, he immediately becomes a hero under fire, leading a spectacular charge and winning not only nationwide fame but an aristocratic title. Hugo becomes Lord Trentham and is forced seek a wife.

Gwendoline, Lady Muir, is literally "damaged goods." She is a widow and walks with a limp due to a riding accident. She's already been a minor character in several earlier novels by Mary Balogh. Her main problem is that she's still in shock from the trauma of her failed marriage.

I liked these characters, but they just didn't grab me as a couple. It's not that they have no chemistry, but the barriers between them felt sort of contrived and hollow. Hugo keeps grumbling and mumbling about "aristocrats" but it's obvious that as a fabulously wealthy war hero he has no reason to be shy around anyone. Gwendoline is supposed to be dealing with grief and guilt over her husband's death, but that's not terribly convincing either. She certainly wastes no time hooking up with Hugo down at the beach!

If that sounds too modern, that's because the tone of most of this book is too modern. Mary Balogh is at the point in her career where she no longer has to worry about capturing Regency dialogue accurately . . . and she knows it. Characters keep using modern slang, describing things in modern ways, and generally giving you the impression that it's all being phoned in. There are "awesome" sunsets. "Amazing" views. And a ton of charming minor characters, but most of them middle and lower class. And they all take a back seat to the (rather half-hearted) Regency love story.

So in the end, while THE PROPOSAL is certainly an enjoyable work, it definitely doesn't compare to her best work of twenty years ago. The champ can't go the distance any more. But she can still hurt you.(less)

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May 05, 2012 Christy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio-listened, own-it-audible

3.5 stars, rounded up because I think the narration may have tainted it for me a bit

Spoilers ahead!

This is the beginning of a new series, The Survivors Club, about 7 survivors of trauma related to the Peninsular Wars, and boy, has she set herself a task in crafting romances for each of these very wounded people. This hero is perhaps the easiest to imagine an HEA for since we all know the love of a good woman can cure a multitude of ailments, but I think it will be tougher to find ways for the ot...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Elle! rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-surprise, chick-lit, historical, adult, arc-advanced-reviews-copy

A historical romance with tantalizing scenes. I finished the whole book in one evening. I'll keep this review short and sweet. The Proposal # 1 is basically a romance in a Victorian time period.

Oh darn, I love the romances :D haha. So anyway, Gwendoline, Lady Muir is widowed in lives in a very quiet life with her friends. She has no want for a relationship and still mourns her husband. Hugo, Lord Trentham the ex-soilder suddenly walks into her life - he is drawn to kiss her and he does. Boom! It...more

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May 27, 2012 Janet rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angsty-goodness, humourous, unusual-couple

Here's another link -- to a review for Romance at Random where I suggest some additional books to read after reading The Proposal. http://www.romanceatrandom.com/book-r... Added 27-May-2012.

I wrote a review of this for the Heroes and Heartbreakers blog. Here's the first couple paragraphs -- a link follows. Terrific book, Balogh answers all our questions and what a pleasure to read about a couple of grown-ups who really talk and listen to each other.

"It is both a blessing and a curse to be a her...more

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Apr 28, 2012 Sarah (The Brazen Bookworm) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: british, historical-regency, military-hero

Full review published here: http://www.brazenbookworm.com/2012/04...

Balogh isn't known for her fast-paced novels, but this one seemed very slow indeed. I also found that the romance focused more on overcoming class differences than exploring passion and chemistry. That said, I did like it - I just didn't love it. Very high hopes, though, for the rest of the series, which Balogh sets up well.

PS: Cover gripe - pretty colors but couldn't they have touched up her roots? Sheesh.

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Mar 17, 2013 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book and a glimpse back to the characters I first was introduced to in A Summer to Remember. This story is Gwendolyn Muir's, and it was quite enjoyable. I liked how the aristocratic, widowed Gwen and the war hero Hugo were immediately drawn to each other and how even though they kept throwing up stupid obstacles, they ultimately came to their senses and got together.

One thing I thought was weird though was (view spoiler)...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Annette rated it 5 of 5 stars

Hugo is not an easy man to like. He has been through a great deal during the war and suffers from what would be called PTSD today. But, life comes at him whether he is ready or not. He is a war hero and because of his time in the war, he has a great deal of inner turmoil, just as people coming home from war now must face.

Gwen is a lovely woman who has had life treat her very harshly. She realizes she has become a lonely person. She has a permanent injury, she is a widow and she has basically bee...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Cassandra rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone!

*I am not sure what constitutes spoilers so this may or may not contain them! I do not describe any specific plot points but do talk about the characters a little bit.*

I love Mary Balogh, but I enjoyed this book considerably more than I've ever enjoyed any other of her books. I admit that I am rather emotionally sensitive in general, but I caught myself near tears more than once while reading parts of dialogue and story with Gwen and Hugo.

Without giving a big part away, both of them have dealt w...more

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Dec 14, 2012 Hannah Fielding rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book in a new series – The Survivors’ Club – by Mary Balogh. The ‘survivors’ are six men and one woman who were all in one way or another affected by the recent Napoleonic Wars. All six recuperated after the wars at Penderris Hall in Cornwall, where they healed their physical or emotional wounds. During this time they developed a close friendship, and before they left to rebuild their lives they committed to returning to Cornwall each year for a few weeks.

This first book deals...more This is the first book in a new series – The Survivors’ Club – by Mary Balogh. The ‘survivors’ are six men and one woman who were all in one way or another affected by the recent Napoleonic Wars. All six recuperated after the wars at Penderris Hall in Cornwall, where they healed their physical or emotional wounds. During this time they developed a close friendship, and before they left to rebuild their lives they committed to returning to Cornwall each year for a few weeks.

This first book deals with the story of Hugo Emes, Lord Trentham, born and raised in the middle class, who was awarded his title after leading and surviving a Forlorn Hope in the war. A stern, moody and somewhat blunt man, Hugo is unable to escape his guilt over surviving the war and is uncomfortable with his elevated status; he dreams of a quiet life in the country. But Hugo has recently inherited his father’s considerable business and fortune, and Hugo promised his dying father he would pass the business on to his own son, and look after his half-sister, Constance, too. Hugo has realised that he cannot achieve either of these aims by himself, so this year he has come to Cornwall to seek advice from his friends on how to find a wife.

Gwendoline Grayson, Lady Muir, is staying in the same village in Cornwall, visiting a recently widowed friend. Gwen is not a new character to fellow previous readers of Mary Balogh’s books. She has been a minor character in the stories of her brother and sister-in-law (One Night for Love and A Summer to Remember), who also appear in this book. Like Hugo, Gwen has had her fair share of tragedy; a widow herself for several years, her husband suffered from severe depression following the loss of their unborn child in a horse riding accident. Gwen has since been content to be alone, living through her family, but recently she has been feeling lonely, and has been considering looking for a husband for companionship. Gwen is out walking on the beach one day when she stumbles and sprains her ankle. Hugo spots her, and carries her back to Penderris Hall, where she stays for a week to recuperate. The chemistry, beautifully described, is evident at once:

"Gwen glanced at Lord Trentham, who was silently sipping his tea, his dark eyes resting on her. He was, she thought in some surprise and with a little shiver of awareness, a terribly attractive man. He ought not to be. He was too large to be either elegant or graceful. His hair was too short to soften the harshness of his features or the hard line of his jaw. His mouth was too straight and hard-set to be sensuous. His eyes were too dark and too penetrating to make a woman want to fall into them. There was nothing to suggest charm or humor or any warmth of personality. And yet… And yet there was an aura about him of almost overpowering physicality. Of masculinity."

The story follows Hugo and Gwen as their relationship develops and they explore whether it is possible for two people from two completely different backgrounds, both so eaten up by their own internal anguish, to find middle ground where they can be together – and if they even want to be together at all. The author takes you from the London season and balls of the stiff and rule-driven upper classes to the working life and struggles of the middle and lower classes in both London and the country, providing a broad look at life in England during the era.

The book is expertly written from both Hugo and Gwen’s perspectives, sometimes going over the same situation twice and allowing the reader to fully understand why the two characters behave in the way they do. I agree with Gwen: there is definitely something about Hugo, something Mr Darcy-esque. He is a complicated man with several layers, and despite your head telling you that you shouldn’t like him, your heart won’t listen. I really enjoyed reading about these two characters as they dealt with their own internal demons, their complicated families and class structures, and their decisions about whether to take a chance in love – and the author’s wonderfully warm way of conveying these themes:

"… no one could tell you about love or romance or what would happen if you married and the romance dwindled away. You could only find out for yourself. Or not find out. You could face the challenge or you could turn away from it. You could be a hero or a coward. You could be a wise man or a fool. A cautious man or a reckless one. Were there any answers to anything in life? Life was a bit like walking a thin, swaying, fraying tightrope over a deep chasm with jagged rocks and a few wild animals waiting at the bottom. It was that dangerous–and that exciting. Arrgghh!"

This book also sets the scene nicely for the following books on the other six members of The Survivor’s Club, which I very much look forward to reading.(less)

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Oct 26, 2012 Lizzie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: british-invasion, historical-romance, read-in-2012, regency

Oh, Mary Balogh. If I lived in the same country as a public library, I would never shell out cash for a new release ever again... First, let's start with the whole premise of a "Survivor's Club." Also, by this point all of her previous characters, populating every other scene, merge together in an unwholesome muddle of dukes and viscounts. Finally, I've seen all of this before. If Lady Muir's first marriage had an interesting spin, nearly everything else in The Proposal was classic Balogh, in a...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Andreasoldier rated it 3 of 5 stars

A large bearlike man wins a lordship for his bravery on the front only to suffer PTSD as he leaves it. He moves to a country house with five wounded people to be care for by a man who lost his wife to suicide.
Three years later, a still morose Hugo, Lord Trentham, is a bit better, after losing his father, and taking over the family business. He returns to the house for a reunion with the other self-titled "survivors."
He needs a wife to help him launch his sister in society, but also because he's...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Crista rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-star, regency, series, tear-jerkers, tortured-heroes, tortured-heroines

When it comes to Regency Romance, Mary Balogh is really in a class of her own. The Proposal is another example, along with countless others, that prove why this statement is true.

I think what I have come to appreciate and expect from Balogh is a story that is filled emotion and characters that come to life. You won't find "edge of your seat action" but you will find a story that has the ability to capture your heart and engage your emotions. This is what I appreciate about this author.

Hugo and G...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Marcie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-erotica

Oh, how I missed wonderful writing and fun characters! I have loved Ms. Balogh's work in the past, and only recently realized how much I missed it. When I saw this on the "new book" shelf at my library, I snatched it up.

I did not realize this book would hit so close to my charity work (with the mentally ill). PTSD, battle wounds, psychiatric care, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, histrionic personality disorder,...so many illnesses portrayed in a witty, honest manner within a Victorian/Regenc...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Annette Bower rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Proposal
By Mary Balogh

I enjoy reading Mary Balogh's books. Although she sets the books in Regency period, her themes can apply to our contemporary world.
This book opens in a place where soldiers recuperated together after the Napoleonic wars.
Their support of each other continues through their after war life. They all look forward to a yearly gathering where they do not have to explain why they act the way they do. Hugo Emes, Lord Trentham the main character, suffers from survivor's guilt and...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Tracey Risebrow rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-for-bookthing

Originally published at www.bookthing.co.uk

What a fantastic book, this is historical romance at its very best in my opinion.

Hugo is a scowling hero, he rarely smiles in the book but when he did it made my heart go a-flutter – it probably wouldn’t have happened if he scowled less and smiled more and the author describes him so well I could see it very clearly. I really enjoyed the fact that Hugo came from a different background to the usual in these books and I so wanted to give him a big hug and...more Originally published at www.bookthing.co.uk

What a fantastic book, this is historical romance at its very best in my opinion.

Hugo is a scowling hero, he rarely smiles in the book but when he did it made my heart go a-flutter – it probably wouldn’t have happened if he scowled less and smiled more and the author describes him so well I could see it very clearly. I really enjoyed the fact that Hugo came from a different background to the usual in these books and I so wanted to give him a big hug and make it all better. I do feel at times he could have been a bit more masterful and less ‘woe is me’ and there was one instance when I wanted him to turn round and hit someone. At the end of the day though it did all fit in with his uneasiness at not being being part of the ton by birth and his survivor’s guilt.

As a widow in her 30′s Gwendoline knows her own mind and has been around the ton long enough to be able to steer Hugo and his sister as appropriate. It was interesting to see the heroine being a sponsor at a ton ball instead of the one being swept off her feet. It makes a change for the female to be the self assured one and not the male.

This book is very romantic, but at no point did the story become boring or too mushy. The descriptions were excellent and it was good to see how the other half live in the regency period, not just the ton. The love affair was not all plain sailing of course - it never is, but the difficulties and problems seemed very real and true to the period in history. Unlike a lot of similar books the relationship was a slow burn rather than from hello to sex in no time at all! At the end of the book I had that satisfying warm fuzzy feeling I so love.

The prose, description and sheer romance of this book are fantastic and I look forward to more books about the ‘Survivors Club’.

This is only the second book by this author I have read but I am definitely looking forward to more and I think I have a large back catalogue to catch up on!
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Jul 01, 2012 Michelle Robinson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-european-fiction

I always enjoy Mary Balogh's writing style.
This novel felt different, it felt more like a definition of class distinction and how it could affect people in society. That is a recurring theme in many of her novels but somehow this one felt differently. It did not feel so much like a fairytale. Sometimes, I find myself rolling my eyes and sighing at all of the governesses and so forth that marry dukes, viscounts etc. I come away having enjoyed the novel but feeling frustrated at how farcical it al...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Olga Godim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

A gentle, low-key romance between two vastly unsuitable people, a man and a woman from different social classes. The author doesn’t introduce a mystery or a thriller into her story to make it interesting. Instead, she delves deep into the thoughts and emotions of the protagonists: Gwendoline, Lady Muir, and Hugo, a former military officer. Both are ridden with guilt. Both harbor wounds of the soul, all the more painful for being invisible. The past hasn’t been kind to either of them. But now, th...more A gentle, low-key romance between two vastly unsuitable people, a man and a woman from different social classes. The author doesn’t introduce a mystery or a thriller into her story to make it interesting. Instead, she delves deep into the thoughts and emotions of the protagonists: Gwendoline, Lady Muir, and Hugo, a former military officer. Both are ridden with guilt. Both harbor wounds of the soul, all the more painful for being invisible. The past hasn’t been kind to either of them. But now, the past is over, and the present cheerfully reasserts itself.
For his valor in Napoleonic wars, Hugo was awarded the title of Lord Trentham, but he doesn’t consider himself a lord. He is firmly middle class and proud of his roots. Now he needs a wife and he is set to look for her among his own social strata.
Gwen, a lady through and through and a sister to an earl, has been a widow for seven years. Her first marriage wasn’t happy. Still feeling fragile, she doesn’t wish to remarry.
They meet by chance, and both resent and resist their instant, senseless attraction to each other. In the beginning, they don’t particularly like each other. Besides, both are realists. Whatever the demands of their bodies, they know that there could be no happily-ever-after for them: the social chasm between an umpteenth-generation noblewoman and a son of a self-made businessman is almost bottomless in Georgian England.
But love wouldn’t be denied. It doesn’t care for social conventions, and the arrows of Cupid catch both his targets square in the hearts.
Their story – a story of two damaged people searching for absolution and peace but finding love in an unexpected place – is infused with quiet dignity. No steam, no mad escapades. Just a man and a woman groping in the dark towards each other, finding forgiveness and understanding in each other’s arms.
Tales of lovers from different classes or castes aren’t too plentiful in fiction, maybe because such stories have rarely ended happily in real life. Everyone knows that it’s much easier to adjust to a life partner, when you both have been raised with the same set of values and traditions. Common wisdom, often personified by families, invariable put obstacles into the paths of sweethearts from different social layers. But still, it's happened, in life and in fiction, more and more often these days. And among the fictional accounts of such occasions, this novel is probably one of the best.
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Jun 05, 2012 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars

i really enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and the author was so good at the description that you could just envision it in your mind how the scowling Lord Trentham appeared. I loved the deeper thinking of the characters. The whole book is based upon the concept that the "Ton" can't mingle with the lower or middle class without ruining their status of upper crust, yet here is the twist...Lord Trentham who was born middle class, but received a title from the King because of h...more

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Mar 31, 2012 Jo (Mixed Book Bag) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, romance

Historical Romance

Finally Gwendoline, Lady Muir gets her story. I have wondered about her since she first appeared in One Night For Love. She has had bit parts in many of book that followed. She has always been portrayed as happy with her life as a widow but there has been a bit of a mystery about her marriage and how it ended. We find out the truth in The Proposal.

Mary Balogh has woven a story that touches on issues that are still important today and set them in a believable historical setting....more

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Jul 11, 2012 Dorothea rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

I went into this book with fairly low expectations. Here's why:

(1) This is the first of a new series, involving the members of a group called "The Survivors' Club". Here is Mary Balogh's description of that club, taken from her website:

The seven members of the club, six men and one woman, are survivors of the Napoleonic Wars, five of them former military officers. All seven were variously wounded during the wars and ended up spending several years at Penderris Hall, the Cornish estate of the Duk

...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Babyfishmouth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, library

Like most of Mary Balogh's books, this is character driven. No big misunderstandings, no secrets, no pesky villain, no mystery to solve. Just a very basic love story with the central conflict of class difference and the obstacle that creates for an HEA.

Having read several books by this author, I am finding a certain sameness. Not necessarily in plot, but in the details. The heroes and heroines seem interchangeable. The sex scenes are incredibly similar (the first time they are usually fully clo...more

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Jun 02, 2012 Lynne Tull rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: regency-romance

Everything 'Mary Balogh' is worthy! ... I have been waiting for Gwen's story for a long time and it finally arrived. I was not disappointed. You can always count on Mary's H/H's to get your attention, capture your heart, and make you want to know their story. You will get to the 'happily every after story' of Gwen and Hugo and want to know 'the rest of the stories'.

'The Proposal' is a part of the Bedwyn Series and the beginning of the Survivors' Club series. Each of her survivors is introduced i...more

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May 05, 2012 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: balogh, reviewed

This is the first in a planned series of seven late Regency romances by the talented Mary Balogh, who has written more than 60 books, most of them Regencies. As always, you can depend upon her for careful writing, well-rounded characters, and some depth in the plotting - not just waltzes in the moonlight. You can also expect to meet characters from previous books. Somewhere, there must be a huge genealogical chart on Ms. Balogh's wall - I know that I can't keep track of the relationships, and a...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Lindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I won a free copy of this from LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review. And it's been my pleasure. Mary Balogh has shown time & again that she's a truly gifted author who knows how to write a great romance. Hugo and Gwen really give their relationship a lot of thought and consideration and don't just jump in. It was kind of nice to see that, because some romances I've read seem to go from zero to sixty way too quickly. They're like, "Hello, I love you. Won't you tell me your name?" Her...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Wealhtheow rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: disabled-character, regency, historical

Gwendoline Grayson was left widowed, with a permanent limp and probably barren womb. Hugo Emes was given a lordship for his brave leadership during the war, but now he is plagued with guilt for surviving after leading so many men to their deaths. They meet by chance on a rocky shoreline, and Gwen's weak ankle forces them to stay together for a few weeks. Although Gwen is initially scared by Hugo's forbidding expression and hulking size, and Hugo thinks Gwen is an empty-headed lady, they are draw...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Alex rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: didn-t-live-up-to-the-hype, for-review, historical, net-galley, romance

The Deal: Thanks to the help of the Survivor's Club, Hugo Emes, Lord Trentham survived the aftermath of his heroic actions in the Peninsula War and he is really looking forward to see the Club's members again at the annual gathering. But meeting Gwendolyn, Lady Muir on the second day of his stay and, thanks to an accident, having her stay with him and his friends, is nothing short of annoying and disastrous.

Even though he was given a title due to his actions during the war, Hugo comes from a mi...more The Deal: Thanks to the help of the Survivor's Club, Hugo Emes, Lord Trentham survived the aftermath of his heroic actions in the Peninsula War and he is really looking forward to see the Club's members again at the annual gathering. But meeting Gwendolyn, Lady Muir on the second day of his stay and, thanks to an accident, having her stay with him and his friends, is nothing short of annoying and disastrous.

Even though he was given a title due to his actions during the war, Hugo comes from a middle class background and doesn't deal well with the aristocracy - even though all his friends in the Survivor's Club have a title of some sort- so he finds it very infuriating how attracted he is to Gwen.

Gwen has been widowed for seven years, and the mix of love she felt for her husband and the regrets of her marriage have kept her from encouraging suitors or pursuing a second marriage. She finds Hugo a bit too straight forward, but also attractive, and it really annoys her that he's the only one she seems to be able to open up with about what her marriage was really like.

My Thoughts: I really wanted to like The Proposal, I hadn't read a book by Mary Balogh in a while but I liked the sound of this one. Sadly, the Proposal wasn't anything like I was expecting, and I didn't particularly care for what it actually was.

The book is well written, the characters nice enough - if a bit too stubborn and contrary - but I didn't actually feel that much chemistry between them other than because THEY SAID they were attracted to each other (annoyingly so). Also, I felt like there was a lot of info-dump in this book, the narration went on and on, and the characters talked and talked, but the story were no where for a lot of the book.

I had hoped this book would be more about The Survivor's Club and how these damaged people put themselves back together but, in the end, the whole Club thing was more a plot device to link this series than anything else (at least that's my opinion so far), and I don't really care to known the stories of the other ones. (less)

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May 13, 2012 Frezanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book-owned, romance

I think Mary Balogh has outdone herself with this book.
It's perfect. This book tells a story much deeper than romance. It's about the essence of long lasting love. It's about compassion, patience, understanding, hard work, and rational mind.

The pace of this book is quite slow. Plot wise, there is no big climax or twist throughout the book. In this book, Mary Balogh put much effort in the characterization.
Gwen is the kind of character who is beautiful,charming and kind. But it doesn't just stop...more

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Aug 29, 2012 Judy Croome rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Historical romance, regency romance,

A gentle, sweet romance with enough chemistry between Hugo & Gwen to keep the tension ticking along. I love complete books that are part of a series - and The Proposal is not only the first in a new series but also the love story of an old friend. We first met Gwen in One Night Of Love and I'm so glad she met Hugo, the gentle giant, whose scowling countenance hides a deep emotional intensity.

As always with Balogh's stories there are gentle philosophical comments on love and life seamlessly w...more

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May 05, 2012 Kulsuma (sunshine and stardust) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed The Proposal. I haven't read historical romance for ages so it was lovely to do so. I came across the synopsis for The Proposal on Goodreads and knew I had to read it! I didn't know there were other books where Gwen, the heroine, appeared as a side character. Luckily, it was not necessary at all to read those to understand The Proposal. (I am interested in reading some of the other characters' stories now- namely Lauren and Lily).

When Gwendoline, Lady Muir is taking what turns o...more I really enjoyed The Proposal. I haven't read historical romance for ages so it was lovely to do so. I came across the synopsis for The Proposal on Goodreads and knew I had to read it! I didn't know there were other books where Gwen, the heroine, appeared as a side character. Luckily, it was not necessary at all to read those to understand The Proposal. (I am interested in reading some of the other characters' stories now- namely Lauren and Lily).

When Gwendoline, Lady Muir is taking what turns out to be a treacherous walk which further worsens her already-damaged ankle, she is rescued by Hugo, Lord Trentham. He was sent by his friends on a dare to find a wife. Instead, he finds Gwendolyne. He immediately dislikes her, deciding that because she is upper class she is shallow, believes herself superior and anyway, he wants to marry a woman of his 'own sort' (middle class). Gwendoline has her own reservations.

However, they cannot deny their attraction to one another.

The Proposal was a great story. I loved learning about Gwendolyne and Hugo and watching them fall in love. They came from different worlds and yet ultimately, they had a lot in common. Slowly but surely, the unlikely pair help each other to come to terms with the darker aspects of their lives.

But can they seriously, realistically not only pursue a relationship but get married when Hugo is not even sure he wants to court Gwen and Gwen doesn't want to fall passionately in love? While they try to untangle their feelings, Gwen sponsors Hugo's sister (Constance) during the Season in the hopes of securing her a beau or two.

I was slightly unsure about Hugo at first because he was very gruff and mysterious, however I warmed to him as the book progressed and began to understand him, much like Gwen. I really liked Gwen as she was a strong female heroine. She knew how to look after herself (Well, except for the rescuing at the beginning, but she couldn't stand anyway).

Overall, The Proposal was a delightful, heart-warming romance which I read over a few days. I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading of The Survivor's Club series when the next one is released next year. For now, I will read about some of Mary Balogh's other books. (less)

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Jul 23, 2012 Kennedy rated it 4 of 5 stars

To the Point: A romantic historical fiction that tightens your stomach on more than one occasion. Likeable characters with enough fancy and reality included. I enjoyed the journey and look forward to the next round in the series.

In More Detail: (spoilers) This is a book that hits my sweet spots - easy to read, happy ending in the most basic sense and times when I felt butterflies in my stomach reading along. I’m not certain that much of it was surprising or new which is what left this at a 4 sta...more

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About Mary Balogh

Mary Balogh 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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Books by Mary Balogh

First Comes Marriage (Huxtable Quintet, #1)

A Summer to Remember (Bedwyn Prequels #2)

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Quotes from The Proposal

“When one had once suffered a great hurt, there was always a weakness afterward, a vulnerability where there had been wholeness and strength before - and innocence.” — 3 people liked it

“He asked me not to kill myself - asked, not told. His wife had done that, he told me, and it was in a sense the ultimate act of selfishness since it left behind untold and endless suffering for those who had witnessed it and been unable to do anything to prevent it. And so I remained alive.” — 2 people liked it

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The Proposal (The Survivors' Club #1)

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