Her Christmas Pleasure (The Merry Widows #2) by Karen Erickson

BookTalk

Mistletoe is a dangerous thing. That small ball of leaves can spring up out of nowhere and change the course of lives.

Lady Danvers and Damien Morton have been friends forever. Damien was the best friend of Lady Danver’s, Celia’s, husband. Since his death Damien has become an integral part of Celia’s life. He’s been a shoulder to cry on, a friend, and a father figure for Celia’s young son. Until now, Celia has managed to ignore the fact that Damien is head-over-heals in love with her. Sure, she’s noticed the long lingering stares, the warm touches, and the love blooming between her son and her friend. But, attraction is easy to ignore in the society of the Ton especially between a Lady and an untitled man.

Until that sneaky ball of greenery. This kiss underneath the mistletoe may very well bring two people together in the magic of the season.

Review

If you’re looking for the perfect way to pass an hour with a glass of wine this Holiday Season look no further. Her Christmas Pleasure is like a Christmas cookie, a little bon-bon, a piece of fudge. It’s short, sweet, and yummy…

I didn’t realize when I requested this book that it was a novella. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the length when I opened the ebook…

Short doesn’t usually mean good in the Romance genre…

It usually means underdeveloped characters I don’t connect to…

It means I feel gypped by a lack of fleshed out relationships and bedroom scenes that seem rushed and [pardon the pun] unfulfilling.

I could not have been more wrong in my prejudice of this book. I’ve waited a bit to write this review trying to figure out exactly how Erickson gave so much body to such a short book. Right from the start I felt involved in Damien and Celia’s lives. Probably because Erickson throws you right into the middle of things. The middle of a Christmas celebration, the middle of their relationship, and in the middle of Damien’s decision to stay by Celia’s side and fight for her affections…or run away to a new job and a new country. These characters have a history and you feel that connection and the tension right from the start.

By the time Damien and Celia make it to their first bedroom scene you’ll be thinking “What took you two so long?!” even though you’ll only be, like, 30 or so pages in! Erickson is just that good at setting her scenes and forming her characters. I was amazed to find that the novella was over. I think I kept clicking after the final page just hoping for a magical continuation of their story (hey, I’m sure some of Santa’s elves specialize in Romance novels…they’re the naughty ones 😉 Sorry couldn’t resist!)

Anyway, know that I wasn’t sad this book ended so quickly because the story wasn’t complete. Nope. Damien and Celia’s story comes to a satisfying conclusion [again, me and the puns today!]. I just wanted more because I loved the characters so much. I wanted to follow them into their happily ever after. I wanted more from their newly formed family.

Honestly, treat yourself to this little Christmas nugget. You’ll thank me for the hour you spent in the company of Her Christmas Pleasure…It’s the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the season.

Rating: 5/5 Still in awe of so much love in such a short package

*Book received from Carina Press via NetGalley for review…Thanks!*

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A Winter Scandal (Legend of St. Dwynwen #1) by Candace Camp

BookTalk

Thea is officially a spinster. After a few seasons attempting to garner attention with youth and ribbons and no dowery to speak of Thea left the ballrooms of the country and settled into life as a Vicar’s sister. She spends her days writing her brother’s sermons and keeping her nose in a book. Many a fine hour is spent in quiet study of the latest tomes.

Gabriel is officially a rake. He’s spent his adulthood flitting from ballroom to ballroom managing to capture the heart of many a youthful debutante and the bedroom of many a widowed Lady. But with the purchase of a country estate Gabriel is ready for a bit of quiet amongst friends for the holiday season.

That is until Thea finds a baby in a manger…

A baby wearing Gabriel’s crest…

Convinced the child is Gabriel’s by-blow Thea storms in to confront the rake. But the child’s story won’t be dealt with so easily. As the mystery of the baby gets deeper and deeper. These two opposites will find that what they may really want this holiday season is love…

Review

“I know you’re not the sort to lose your head even over a man who looks like sin walking, which his lordship does”…”It’s your heart I’m worried about” (152)

This is such a Cinderella story. A woman transformed by finding love. When we meet Thea she’s a confirmed spinster. Completely entrenched in the boring life of a Vicar’s sister. It only takes one meeting from Gabriel to begin to crack away at that stodgy facade. Out come rosy cheeks, curls, and a desire to dress pretty again. It was fun to watch Gabriel’s kisses turn Thea from a caterpillar to a butterfly.

What I wasn’t as in love with in this book was the mystery plot line. I thought the mystery took a really long time to come to a head. For about 90% of the novel we have 0 clues. ZERO. I was slightly frustrated by this point. The love story progressed on a nice story-arc and those bedroom scenes were absolutly wonderful! But that pesky mystery [who the baby’s mother was and how he ended up abandoned in the church] kept popping up!

Granted trying to solve the mystery and taking care of baby Mathew was the entire reason Thea and Gabriel were forced to be together. I mean, Gabriel completely ignored Thea after a first kiss and a re-meet at a country ball. If fate hadn’t thrown a mysterious baby their way there would have been no hope for this couple falling in love.

So it’s a good thing baby Mathew was left in that manger. Because once Gabriel gives Thea a chance he discovers a smart, practical woman who is just dying to let her hair go wild and embrace her wanton ways. They have the best kissing scenes in this book! Right from the start they have sparks.

I think of all the Christmas-themed romances I’ve been devouring lately this has been the least “Christmas-y”. True, they find a baby in a manger and Thea is the Vicar’s sister…but other than these satellite references there is no real attachment to the holiday. This is not a book filled with yule-tide greetings and traditions. But it was a lovely winter Romance. Feel free to do this one before or after the holiday season. It’s a nice way to warm up a winter weekend.

3/5: Solid winter read

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Marian’s Christmas Wish by Carla Kelly

BookTalk

Marian is looking forward to having the perfect Christmas. It’s been a year since her father’s death and it’s about a month until the family is too destitute to maintain their current home. Marian figures it’s best to make the most of the present and squeeze every bit of Christmas Spirit out of the season.

That is until her brother comes home with two lords. One, a whale of a man to marry Marian’s sister (and save the family home) another,  handsome and young Lord Ingraham who seems to be hiding from his true desires.

Then Marian’s other brother will return home disgraced from University. Hijinks will abound as witty Marian attempts to save the family spirit…and force everyone to fulfill their Christmas wish…If only she knew that someone’s wish was for her heart…

Review

This is the sweetest Christmas Romance. It falls into a category of Romance classification called Traditional. An adult Romance read without any overt sex. it reads just like a trashy romance…without the trashy bits. I think the best way to show my love for this book is to breakdown all the bits that worked for me.

The Clean Romance. It’s not exactly a secret that I like my romances trashy. I love the buildup to a bedroom scene…extra points if it happens somewhere other than a bedroom, the garden perhaps? the stables? It’s all lovely in my book. Which is why I had a bit of trepidation in learning that this book was Traditional…and squeaky clean.

Uh oh, I was a bit nervous to leave the tried and true path of the trashy romance…

I should have worried not. This book was wonderful. The romance between Marian and Gil built quickly. There were plenty of sweet moments, and a few slightly sensual. It’s obvious Gil is a man who knows what he’s doing even if Marian is pure as snow. Watching him fall for such a naive girl was thrilling. As a reader you know what must be going through his head, you know exactly when Marian catches his eye and exactly when he falls in love…even if Marian is a little slower on the uptake.

Marian’s age. I’ve mentioned that Marian is a bit naive. She’s also a bit immature at the start of this book. I’ll even admit there were times when I was wincing at her reactions. You see, Gil, the very hunky spy, is about 13 years her senior. I’ll give you a moment to ‘ick’ before we put this all in the perspective of Regency England where poor Marian could have potentially married someone old enough to be her father…or grandfather.

So beyond the massive [by modern standards] age gap Marian’s youth served the story well. It forced the relationship to move a little slower. And it was fun watching Marian mature under Gil’s instruction and stolen kisses. You can see the potential in Marian from the beginning…But the woman you find at the end of the story is worthy of any full-blooded Regency Romance.

Marian’s Brain. Oh, my, does her intelligence get her in trouble! The last place an intelligent woman was desired was a Regency dining table. True, we’re reading a story about a man who falls for this witty woman, it’s what we love as a reader. But Kelly bars no punches when Marian speaks out of turn.

Most of the time Marian is right.

All of the time it amuses Gil and endears her to his love.

And Marian is still struck down every time. It’s fun to watch her speak her mind, score little points with the reader and with Gil. But Kelly never lets these slips of the tongue endear her to anyother character. And rightfully so. If we’re introducing the correct age gap between marriageable couples…we’re going to keep the society rules too. I love an author who sticks to her guns and who gives me a smart character to boot.

Gil aka Lord Ingraham. He’s hunky, he’s mysterious, he’s sweet, he’s amusing, and he’s a spy. I. Love. This. Man. How he plays puppet master behind the scenes for so much of the book. It was so much fun to watch his plans come to fruition. Then, when Marion goes and saves him herself…*sigh*…so wonderful to see the two of them support each other. Because, as much as Marian obviously needs a bit of help growing into a woman…Gil needs as much help rectifying the choices he’s made as an adult. Together their romance is oh, so, sweet.

Christmas. Is there anything better than a Regency England Christmas? I don’t think so. It’s the golden age of Christmas. Full of traditions like Mistletoe, the Yule Log, Christmas Pudding wishes, and Midnight Mass in the family church. Of all my Christmas reads this year I found this one to be the most festive. I felt such a part of the celebration. I could just feel the Christmas spirit pouring off the page. It made me want to read this one with a fresh snow-fall and a hot chocolate…and my mother’s Christmas tree…It’s ever so much more traditional than my own.

This tale really is a wonderful Christmas read. If you’re hankering for a new book this holiday season that will make you smile, laugh, and even bring a tear or two to your eyes. It’s the perfect soft romance for a snowy day.

Rating: 5/5 A Christmas romance to get you in the Christmas Spirit!

*Book received from Cedar Fort Books via NetGalley…Thanks!*

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Dangerous Magic by Alix Rickloff

BookTalk

Gwenyth Killigrew, the Witch of Kerrow is used to being woken up in the dead of night. At the spinsterly age of 30, Gwenyth has been performing the duties of healer and midwife for Kerrow and the surrounding lands for many years. Very little could shake the unflappable calm that comes with Gwenyth’s beauty, experience, and her ability of second Sight.

But then the seas brought her Captain Rafe Flemming. A dangerous man, a pirate both on and off the high seas, Captain Flemming has been running a prosperous smuggling trade off the west coast for years. Rafe was born to the peerage and fell from grace during a Navy mutiny. Now he’s found himself on the famous Witch of Kerrow’s doorstep soaking wet and bleeding.

Both the Witch and the Captain have hidden desires…Gwenyth for a daughter to whom she can pass on her gift of sight and healing…Rafe for revenge upon those who wronged him in the past…

They’ve struck a bargain, these two lonely characters. Rafe will play stud to Gwenyth’s child if Gwenyth will travel to Rafe’s ancestral home and use her Sight to find him a wife. But both will have to throw their carefully laid plans to the wind if they are to take a chance on love…

Review

I was surprised how much I grew to like this book. I wasn’t sure in the beginning if the tale was going to be well told or not. At times I felt like the author didn’t complete thoughts for me…didn’t fully set a scene. I’d just pop into something days after the last scene. Not a whole lot of prep for that.

But, and this is most important in a romance, I began to like and understand my characters. I really enjoyed Gwenyth. Her second sight added a lot of understanding to the text, and the integration of her powers were really well done. Plus, Gwenyth was so sure of herself, confident even when she had been thrown to the wolves of the Ton. Bravo.

And that scene…the one where they break up (yeah, you know it happens in all romances, lol). Ugh, heartbreaking…why, oh why, can’t she have her love now! Let it all go! Take a chance! I can’t go further than that without risking major spoilers…but that scene we see through Cecily’s eyes…let’s just say *tear*

Rafe bordered on a bit of asshole-ness for a good bit of the text. But he never crossed the line into a territory in which I disliked him, or his decisions. Rafe always seemed to come through in the end. By the time the whole dream-prophesy hits…you’ll be rooting for the guy. Because Rafe has had some drama in his life, made a mistake or two, but he really deserved happiness and so does Gwenyth. You’ll really want them to find that happiness together.

3.7/5: Witchy romance that has all the heat and the heart to go along with it.

*Copy received from Carina Press via NetGalley…Thanks!*

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