I really enjoyed my first Mary Balogh book, although there were some aspects that I found a bit too shallow. I listened to this on audible and the narrator, Rosalyn Landor, was fantastic.
The first half of the book was a bit boring to me at times because the characters were too flat - Eve simply too good, Aidan simply too stiff. The story moved very slowly and felt too predictable, even for a Regency romance. I still enjoyed the narration, though, and the general atmosphere idea of it, as well as many of the dialogues.
In the second half, the story became better and better and I could not stop listening because I was so enthralled. I did enjoy the twists and turns, and the development of Aidan made me cry several times because it was so touching. I just did not want the story to end and at the same time wished to finally get to the end in order to see these characters receive their well-deserved happy ending.
I will definitely continue with this series! ( )

This is the first full-length novel I’ve read by this author, and I’m definitely up for another. I might just have to skip to Wulf’s book and read the series out of order, because I loved him in this one. Aidan’s view of him was not wholly reliable, and I thought the author did a good job of conveying that. Wulf’s actions spoke for themselves, and his last scenes in the book made me smile really hard!

Eve was a fantastic heroine—definitely saintly beyond belief, but I loved her spirit and how she stood up for herself. I liked Aidan’s honesty and his devotion to his family. Both entered their marriage of convenience with a sense of loss rather than an imbalance of affection, and following them on their winding path to love was very satisfying. The angst maybe carried on a little longer than I wanted, but I’m also impatient about these things.

Adding the Bedwyn series to the pile! ( )

Enjoyed this series very much when I first read it, and wanted to read it again. Held up pretty well upon my return to it, and it's fun to see the characters developing as a family with remembered context, this time around. ( )

The couple gets in their own way for longer than ideal, but overall delightful.

2nd read- I gave this book 5 stars the first time, but have wondered at that choice ever since. When I would think back on it what I remembered most was the characters being kind of obtuse late in the book. But now I've reread it and feel more confident that, for me, it doesn't merit that 5th star. The main couple, and the cast of supporting characters, are likable, and the relationship develops based on their interactions rather than just appearances, which I like. But the ending feels drawn out because the couple gets in their own way for lack of any other hurdle to their relationship. And it doesn't really feel true to their natures even. They are both brave and straight-forward people, I just don't buy, for example, that she would willfully defy a duke and thumb her nose at all of high society, but then be too wimpy to risk showing some interest or throwing out some encouragement to someone she has strong feelings for. It is a risk to speak up, that your feelings might be rejected or you'd feel embarrassed, but not speaking up risks forever missing out on a future with the love of your life when you might have had it! The right choice isn't necessarily easy to act upon, but it IS obvious. These two though get awfully close to missing out on their HEA entirely, purely due to cowardice! Which would be very dumb in real life, and very lame to read in a story. Besides that though, it's pretty good. ( )

Slightly Married by Mary Balogh held me total enthralled throughout the read and is a great start to her series about the Bedwyn Family. I found this story about a marriage-of-convenience to be both sweet and touching as wealthy coal miner’s daughter, Eve, and second son and heir to the title of Duke of Bewcastle, Aiden, enter into an arrangement whereby Eve can keep her property and wealth.

Eve has adopted a household of misfits that include a couple of young children. Aiden at first is taken aback at all of these “lame ducks” but eventually he come to admire Eve for her caring and loving nature. Of course they both fall in love with each other, but it takes most of the book before either one is confident enough to declare their love. I was in no hurry for this “happily-ever-after” ending as I was quite simply immersed in all the tiny details of the story.

This was my first Mary Balogh book but certainly won’t be my last. I have already picked up the rest of the Bedwyn family books and look forward to enjoying them at my leisure. Slightly Married moves at a leisurely pace as the two main characters slowly discover love, but the reader is rewarded with a lovely Regency period read. ( )