Black is the absence of all color. White is the presence of all colors. I suppose life must be one or the other. On the whole, though, I think I would prefer color to its absence. But then black does add depth and texture to color. Perhaps certain shades of gray are necessary to a complete palette. Even unrelieved black. Ah, a deep philosophical question. Is black necessary to life, even a happy life? Could we ever be happy if we did not at least occasionally experience misery?

— Mary Balogh

But a mother-son relationship is not a coequal one, is it? He is lonely with only you just as you are lonely with only him.

— Mary Balogh

But if one had everything one could ever need or want, what was left to dream of?

— Mary Balogh

But it is only people who have plenty of money who can despise it. To the rest of us it is important. It can at least put food in our stomachs clothes on our backs, and it can at least feed our dreams.

— Mary Balogh

But marriage is forever.'' Oh, not really,' he assured her. 'Only until one of us dies.' Her eyes widened. 'I do not want you to die,' she said.' Perhaps you will go first,' he said, 'though I rather think I hope not. I would probably have grown accustomed to you by then and would miss you.

— Mary Balogh

But marriage is forever.'' Oh, not really,' he assured her. 'Only until one of us dies.' Her eyes widened. 'I do not want you to die,' she said.' Perhaps you will go first,' he said, though I rather think I hope not. I would probably have grown accustomed to you by then and would miss you.

— Mary Balogh

But only a person in the depths of despair neglected to look beyond winter to the spring that inevitably followed, bringing back color and life and hope.

— Mary Balogh

But that is what life is all about, he said. "It is about dreaming and making those dreams come true with effort and determination - and love.

— Mary Balogh

But there were certain moments in life that forever defined one as a person - in one's own estimation, anyway. And one's own self-esteem, when all was said and done, was of far more importance than the fickle esteem of one's peers.

— Mary Balogh

But why always think the worst of people? What would she be doing to herself if she adopted that attitude to life? It was better to think the best and be wrong than to think the worst and be wrong.

— Mary Balogh