This book was published as Prudence (Balfe Family, #1) on 30 September 2025.
In December 2025, L.H. Cosway announced that the book has been re-released under the new title, Quietly Falling, and is now book #4 in the Quiet Love series.
Further books set in this world will also be a part of the Quiet Love series.
Available now!
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Blurb
Derek Balfe proposed to Milly O’Shea at twenty.
She turned him down and left to build a career and a future that didn’t include him. Derek had no idea that it wasn’t purely Milly’s decision to decline but rather the influence of a meddling relative.
Now thirty-eight, Derek is a successful hotelier, divorced and parenting two teenagers. His father is retiring soon and has asked Derek to take over the family business. He has a lot going on and to add to it Milly has moved back into town, more distractingly beautiful, shy and delicate than ever–and with a teenage daughter of her own in tow. Milly is close friends with Derek’s sister so he can’t avoid running into her–but he is determined to ice her out.
That is until their daughters meet at school and become inseparable. Derek has to deal with seeing Milly every week, sometimes daily. The more he’s around her the more he realises that deep down she’s still the same girl he fell for all those years ago, and he begins to suspect that there was more to her rejecting his proposal than he’d always believed.
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Review
4.5 stars!
Prudence is a gorgeous slow burn, second chance romance. It starts with Milly and Derek in high school and Derek is the one to fall first. I absolutely adored how these two came together. Derek was such a gentleman and I loved watching him put Milly first in every situation. Their friendship forms naturally and their love is pure and real. However, just when Derek thinks forever is in their future, Milly turns him down and moves away, breaking both their hearts. Eighteen years later, Milly finds herself back home with her daughter in tow and though everyone is happy she is back, Derek is not.
Forced proximity is one of my favorite tropes and this one is wonderfully written. There was no denying the pull Derek and Milly still have towards each other and even when Derek tries to keep his distance, he cannot. There are sparks with every look but it’s Derek and Milly’s daughters that really bring them together. Gigi and Deirdre became such good friends and basically make Derek and Milly spend time together. I love the girls (and Derek’s son) and their personalities. They show us just how wonderful Derek and Milly are as parents and I enjoyed seeing how they faced the challenges that can come with raising children as single parents.
Second chance romances are right up my alley and this one is beautiful. They loved each other as teens but it’s the time as adults when their love really shines. Even though they had heartache and pain, it brought them their children, and their love for their children is heartwarming. Derek and Milly as adults are relatable and I feel their love. It is full of growth and healing. There is understanding and forgiveness. They are mature and real, and I believed their love. It’s slow burning but the wait is worth it to experience Derek and Milly finally giving into their feelings.
There was no universe, no dimension, in which I didn’t want her, and unlike before, I wouldn’t let her go so easily this time around.
Derek’s siblings, Nuala and Tristan, are great in this story and I can’t wait for them to find their happily ever afters. I am so excited for the next book in this new series because I want more. I also loved seeing Rhys and Charli from Quiet Longing again.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it’s a fantastic start to the Balfe Family series.
*ARC generously provided by the author and Grey’s Promotions*
Quiet Love
Quiet Types (#1)
Review
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Quiet Longing (#2)
Review
Buy: Amazon
Quietly Yours (#3)
Review
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Quietly Falling (#4) (previously titled Prudence (Balfe Family, #1))
Review
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About the Author
L.H. Cosway lives in Ireland. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favourite things in life include writing stories, food, and of course, books. She thinks that imperfect people are the most interesting kind. They tell the best stories.
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