Regency Christmas Magic - Anthology

5 Regency Christmas short stories with a magical twist, this made for a pleasant afternoon reading.

Amanda McCabe - Upon a Midnight Clear

This story has an original heroine, a Jamaican girl who makes soaps and perfumes. She has come to England to accompany a childhood friend. Then she meets a British naval officer who thinks he is unworthy of love because of his scars and they fall in love with each other. Grade: 3.5/5

Allison Lane - The Ultimate Magic

I was left with the feeling that this was part of a series as the h/h actively dislike each other when the story opens due to events of the past. The heroine is a governess who has to control her charge, a spoiled heiress, till she weds but things are complicated because the heiress keeps flirting with someone other than her fiancé. The hero ends up helping with the charge and looking at the heroine in a new light. Grade: 4/5

Edith Layton - Two Dancing Daughters

This story does have a larger magical element as two girls keep slipping away from their bedrooms at night to meet with a strange character that presents himself as a foreign duke and wants to take them to another world. The worried father hires an ex soldier to investigate and him and one of the daughters fall in love. Grade: 4/5

Barbara Metzger - The Enchanted Earl

I'm not too fond of magic in my regencies and this one has the aggravating problem that the hero is under a spell. The heroine decides to organise a big Christmas party at her late husband home and the hero ends up helping her and protecting her from spells and other magical creatures after she makes a wish for a magician for the party. Grade: 3.5/5

Sandra Heath - The Green Gauze Gown

This one was nice although it included a magical being that could, among other things, change the colors of dresses. It's a second chance story and I actually liked the detail of the letters stolen by the heroine's late husband who wood and proposed with words not his. Of course that if the hero hadn't been so shy the first time around... Grade: 4/5

Father Christmas - Barbara Metzger

HE DARED BELIEVE THAT HIS MONEY COULD BUY ANYTHING!

A war hero's widow had few pleasures, especially when she was living under the miserly auspices of a stern father. But Graceanne had her beautiful three-year-old twin boys and that was joy enough.

Therefore she was shocked by the audacity of the Duke of Ware, who decided he could help himself to one of her babies. He needed an heir and she had a boy to spare. It was appalling! And she told him so with a swift kick to his manly pride.

But it was Christmas, after all, and 'tis the season of forgiveness. The gentleman was a charming rake to be sure, but there was no chance of his claiming her child—or her heart, though she was certain he was conspiring for both ....

Barbara Metzger’s Father Christmas kicked off my Christmas reading month. It is my first read by the author and I was a bit unsure whether I would like it or not. It started off well with the story of the Duke of Ware who needs an heir and Graceanne, his cousin’s widow who has twin sons and how he starts thinking one of the twins could be raised as his heir. The problem was the story soon loses direction. Instead of developing Ware’s and Graceanne’s relationship it takes us to Graceanne’s family problems, namely her idiot and selfish sister who runs away pregnant and unmarried to Scotland. Graceanne is forced to follow her and eventually adopt the baby she bores as her own. Naturally Ware, who is still only interested in the twins, believes the worst of Graceanne who doesn’t bother telling him that it’s not her child but her niece. We never feel the attraction between them, there’s no tension and honestly the plot didn’t seem like traditional regency. If you like light and fluffy this maybe for you but it didn’t work for me.

Grade: 2/5

A Regency Christmas Carol - Anthology

Hark, the herald angels sing as five of Signet's favorite Regency authors bring you a melodious collection of stories to make the season even brighter. Lush with the magic of the holiday, the stories in this Christmas Regency collection capture the true spirit of this special time of year--the giving and receiving of love. This exquisite treasury will warm you with Yuletide cheer and makes the perfect gift for you and your loved ones.

Mary Balogh – The Bond Street Carolers
A moving story where music and children bring two lonely adults together. Balogh is very good at creating believable character s in short story format and this one is no exception. Lord Heath doesn’t like Christmas ort children but he does love music and upon meeting a young singer he can’t help being attracted to his mother.
Grade: 4.5/5


Edith Layton – The Earl’s Nightingale
Another lovely story with a hint of magic. A young woman pawns a cage as she needs money for an emergency but plans to get it back. When she goes back she discovers it has already been sold and as she approaches the buyer they start a quest for the cage and fall in love in the mean time. A fairy tale like ending for this one.
Grade: 4/5


Elizabeth Fairchild – Mistletoe Kiss
A governess and her charges go visit a man known as the Devil to bring him some happiness and succeed in making a lonely man seek other people. I thought his devilish side was a bit overdone making is a darker story than the others but it was nice to watch their interaction with the children and his final dialogue trying to convince her to love him.
Grade: 3.5/5


Carla Kelly – Make a Joyful Noise
I’m starting to think Carla Kelly works better for me in short story format. Charged by his mother to form the Christmas choir Lord Wythe finds a new singer in the Wetherby’s poor relation, Rosie. Rosie is a widow, is pregnant and soon will have no house to live in but Lord Wythe won’t let that happen. As usual it’s the hero who has center stage.
Grade: 4/5


Anne Barbour – Melody
Lovely story, an American who finds himself an English earl and is emotionally wounded meet a young ladies's companion who is physically damaged by a facial scar and they both heal each other forming a special connection through music.
Grade: 4.5/5

Anthology grade: 4/5

Christmas Beau - Mary Balogh

His Vengeance Was Sweet

Judith Easton knew that even the spirit of Christmas wouldn't stop the Marquess of Denhigh from settling the score with her. For the beautiful young widow had injured Denhigh's rigid pride years ago by jilting him for another man.

Now that Judith was free from her nightmare marriage to that other man, the bold and handsome Marquess made no secret that he had her in his sights and wanted her in his arms.

But how could she trust the tender words on his lips when she could sense the hardness of his heart? And after she had made so grievous a mistake in love once, how could she ever trust her own heart's desire again?

There's nothing better to start my Christmas reading this year that picking up one of Balogh's wonderful Christmas novels. Christmas Beau is a revenge story but it is also a story about healing and love.

Eight years ago Judith, then betrothed to Viscount Evendon who she thought was cold and feeling, eloped with Andrew Easton who she thought was charming and passionate. Unfortunately her husband soon revealed himself as rake and a gambler and now that she is a widow Judith feels her two children were the best thing of her marriage.

Max is now the Marquess of Denbigh, eight years ago he had been much in love with Judith although too shy to tell her. He was devastated with her elopement and now that she is a widow and back in town he is decided to get his revenge.

Max and Judith meet each other at several social functions. While seems charming enough Judith senses that all is not as it should be and would prefer to stay away from him. Unfortunately for her Max charms her children and her sister in law and soon she finds herself accepting an invitation to spend the holiday season at his home in the country.

Max is a lonely man who has managed to assemble around him other lonely people to spend Christmas and so spend a happy holiday. Not only that but Judith finds that he is funding the upbringing of a number of young girls and boys rescued from the London slums that a friend of his is trying to educate so they can have a better future.

It's easy to see how Judith's opinion changes and she starts falling in love with Max, and it's sad to see how he is actually a good man but he can't let go of the past and of how hurt by her he was. Eventually Max does follow through with his plans but Christmas is a season for healing, for understanding and for forgiveness and they both end up speaking of the past and accepting their feelings.

A lovely story very evocative of all the good feelings of the season and with interesting characters including the secondary ones. There's also a very nice secondary romance that also enhances the spirit of the season.

Grade: 4.5/5

A Regency Christmas Present - Anthology

The gifts of Christmas are priceless -- good cheer, warm hearts, and happy times with friends. And now five bestselling Regency authors have made a special present to you--five brand-new stories. High-spirited and humorous, heartwarming and romantic and full of the fun and flavor of the holiday season they're the perfect present to share with friends and loved ones. And in each delightful story you'll find that there's one Christmas present that lasts all year round--the gift of true love.…

Heart's Desire - Allison Lane
Emma Fairlawn is a widow and she is travelling back to her father's house when she meets Craig Curtiss, home from the war to inherit the title after the death of his brother. He has a veritable dragon of a grandmother who plans to order his life and Emma gives him the courage he needs to face his grandmother.
Grade: 3/5

Christmas Wish List - Barbara Metzger
A Lord Boughton changes his life for his sick child and does what he can to get a rare breed kitten for her. Unfortunately for him his first encounter with owner of the kittens, Geraldine Selden, didn't go very well and she is determined not to give him one. He thinks of so many plans to get that one kitten that the story almost resembles a farce and misses on the romantic element.
Grade: 3/5

An Object of Charity - Carla Kelly
Captain Lynch unexpectedly finds himself taking charge of his dead first mate niece and nephew. He plans to return home to visit the mother and brother he hasn't speak with in 20 years and develops a fondness the Sally Partlow, the mentioned niece. I found this the best story of the book mainly due to the hero who was wonderful. I have two complaints though, Sally is at first shown as a very young girl when she is in fact 25 years old and as in all of my previous Kelly reads I wanted a bit more emotion.
Grade: 4/5

A Christmas Canvas - Elizabeth Fairchild
This was a strange story. Maitland, a painter is sent by his uncle to paint his fiancée and while there falls in love with the girl himself (I wonder why as she was a rather strange girl) and realises her brother is a villain (I didn't understand his motives but he was a bad apple) and decides to elope with her. Enter the uncle who says he never asked the girl to marry him, he just wanted them both to be together and he just knew they would suit. Say what?
Grade: 2/5

The Last Gift - Edith Layton
Rewriting a classic children's tale is not always easy and Layton attempts here to do that with Sleeping Beauty. Lord Cameron wants an old fashioned bride and when he goes to spend a few days in a Scottish cottage he finds an old house with a sleeping girl he rouses with a kiss. I found it too unbelievable, there were many loose ends regarding Mirabelle's story and little of holiday cheer.
Grade: 2/5

Grade: 3/5

The Merry Chase - Judith Nelson

AN IMPOSSIBLE MAN!


That's what independent and beautiful Drucilla Wrothton considered her new neighbor, Mr. Pettigrew. And she felt sure her equally free-spirited Cousin Mathilde would share her feelings. After all, Crandon Pettigrew had already criticized Dru's forward manners and insulted her favorite horse!

Madcap Cousin Matty was prepared to go along with any wild scheme Drucilla might have. But neither young woman counted on the sudden appearance of the charming and eligible Duke of Ratchford--or that Mr. Pettigrew would have as little respect for the proprieties as the ladies themselves.

He would stop at nothing to get the woman he desired, even if it led to a merry chase across the land and a tangle of heartstrings Cupid himself would have to undo!

I had no expectations when I started this book, I traded for it a couple of years ago just because there was nothing of interest in the other trader's pile and I forgot it at the bottom of the TBR pile till this weekend when I decided to pick it up.

I was a pleasant book as it is quite a funny story about Drucilla Wrothon, a young lady almost on the shelf, who despairs of finding a husband and stop her annoying cousins to stop coming to visit as they believe themselves to be the next heirs to the place if she doesn't marry.

Taking matters in hand Dru's aunt decides to promote a ball at their house and Dru decides to ask her cousin Matty to visit. But all doesn't go well has Dru makes the acquaintance of her disagreeable neighbour Mr Pettigrew and not even his friendship with the very nice Duke of Ratchford can make her like him.

But then Matty arrives and the cousins start spending more time in the company of the two gentlemen, especially after Matty takes a fall and as to spend a night at Mr Pettigrew's house. The story is full of witty dialogue and little jokes that are quite funny and things even better when they all go on the merry chase mentioned in the title across the country.

I really enjoyed it, found the characters funny and interesting, especially Matty and Pettigrew. Dru and the Duke were more according to the regency norm but still nice and those cousins they kept trying to kick out of the house added more humour to the whole of it. I'm now very curious about the author's other novels.

Grade: 4.5/5

The Game of Love - Edith Layton

Francesca Wyndham knew the folly of gambling. She had seen her father, Lord Wyndham, lose the family fortune, forcing her to become a plain chaperone to an empty-headed young Miss.

But now Francesca was taking a gamble even her father would have blanched at. She was falling in love with the irresistible Arden Lyons, a gentleman who was clearly anything but a gentleman when it came to winning what he wanted, whether a hand of cards, a test of strength, or a lady's favours.

She knew nothing about this man except that she wanted him from the moment she saw him...and though his past was a dark mystery, his motives for choosing her over other seductive or wealthy young beauties were even more mysterious. Still, Francesca dared to pit her innocence against Arden's expertise -- in a game where passion took all...

My favourite thing about this book was the hero - Arden Lyons. When Arden meets Francesca she is working as a companion to a rich tradesman daughter. A place her father, a notorious gamester, found for her since he lost all his fortune and couldn't support her. We soon realise that Arden decides to court the said daughter in hopes of being closer to her companion. However he believes her to be a widow and 25 when in truth she is single and 21.

With a harsh past behind him Arden believes someone older and experienced would be ideal for him and confronted with Francesca's inexperience he feels she deserves better. But he doesn't want to abandon her, as her father does to run away from debtor's prison, and offers friendship and transport back to London instead. Francesca feels more attracted to him the better she knows him and to totally ruin her good image of himself, he decides to take her on a journey of discovery of his past. From his noble biological father to the slums of London where he spent sometime doing all sorts of jobs till he became king of the underworld and decided to leave that life behind. We get to know him at the same time has Francesca and there's a lot to be said of a man who protects and loves a heroine enough to want the best for her and so wants to give her a safe future without him or the eventual threats of his past.

There's a mystery subplot about who tries to kill Arden that is at the same time a plot device to allow Francesca and the reader to see how beloved he really is by everyone in the criminal world. Although that really borders on the cliché somehow Layton pulls it off and we end up with a nice little sweet story.

Grade - 4/5

The Ungrateful Governess - Mary Balogh

Another one of Balogh's traditional regencies. No matter how much I enjoy her european historicals I approach these little books with an even greater expectation. This one was no different.

When the Earl of Rutherford tries to seduce Jessica Moore in her employer's library one night, she is blamed and loses her job. Rutherford offers her a position as his mistress, but instead Jessica enlists the aid of his own grandmother and sets out to teach him a lesson.

Jessica Moore, a young ladies governess, is dismissed after having been caught, barefoot and in her nightgown, with the Earl of Rutherford in the library, even if she has just refused his advances.

When he meets her on the road feels partially responsible for her predicament but at the same time sees it as the perfect opportunity for her to become his lover. Although at first she agrees Jess finds she cannot go through with it and Rutherford ends up sending her to his grandmother so she can find her a new position.

It is with evident surprise that he sees how his grandmother introduces her to society as a dear friend's granddaughter. At first he believes it to be a lie and still wants her to be his mistress and after knowing better to be his wife.

What I liked in this one was that it had a real feel. For instance Jessice first accepts to be Rutherford's mistress because she knows the situation she will face in London will be even darker. And when she cannot go through with it there's still some basic goodness in him to send her to his grandmother instead of just abandoning her. This is another story where a compromised young lady refuses to marry because there's no love involved, however and on the contrary of many other stories that does work here (no one else knows...). Jessica feels Rutherford would only use her and so they are constantly at odds. Their love is never expressed because they are always too busy fighting. The tension between the two grows and as the book reaches it's climax without them ever having confessed their feelings to each other there's material for a big misunderstanding to occur, fortunately it's not overly done.

What leads to this is that Rutherford changes his atitude throughout the book but never mentions it and Jessica is a bit too inflexible not allowing such confidences and that was what stopped me from grading it higher.

I also enjoyed the secondary characters. The grandmother was indeed a great lady and Hope and Godfrey were nicely done. I'm glad they had their happy ending even if Hope seemed a bit too naive.

Grade: 4.5/5

The Convenient Marriage - Georgette Heyer

THE KNOWING BRIDE

When dazzling Horatia Winwood married the powerful Earl of Rule, she was saving her sister from a loveless match, rescuing her family fortune, and providing herself with a life of ease. Hers was a marriage made not in heaven but in the coolly logical mind of a very self-possessed young beauty.

Not until Horatia was deep in dangerous intrigue with her husband's vengeful rival, the dashing and arrogant Lord Lethbridge, did she suddenly find -- to her own tremulous surprise -- she had fallen deeply in love with the man she had married for money. But was it too late, now that she was but a heartbeat away from betraying both him and herself?

This was one of the first books I read by Heyer and it has remained one of my favourites ever since. I reread it recently and since I had never written a review I decided to do it this time. I'm happy to say that I enjoyed it as much as the first time.

The Earl of Rule has decided it's time to marry and for his bride chooses Miss Winwood less from inclination then from her impeccable bloodline. But Miss Winwood already has a beau and the Miss Charlotte Winwood is determined not to marry so the youngest of the family - Miss Horatia Winwood decides to take matters into her own hands and offer herself as prospective bride. It is fun to see how Rule is instantly charmed by the plain, stammering Horry and not only agrees to the change of bride as to becoming the patron of Miss Winwood's beau.

Like other Heyer novels The Convenient Marriage is full of witty dialogues and interesting conversations between the characters. Horry and Rule have a big age gap and she tries to be as adult as possible, keeping out of his way and his affairs but it is quite obvious from the beginning that Rule likes her as she is and is determined to be patient and considerate with his wife.

Horatia gets herself in various degrees of trouble, especially by befriending one of Rule's old enemies, and things aren't helped by Rule's cousin trying to make mischief between them. I was also quite amused by Horry's brother Pelham, the inveterate gambler who run through the family fortune but has a high sense of propriety and can't understand why Rule doesn't have a heavier hand when dealing with his sister. And in the end it is lovely to see Rule save Horry from herself... Although she is sometime too childish and immature he is a wonderful wise hero who totally makes up for it.

This is a fun Georgian romance that I highly recommend!

Grade: 4.5/5

Victoire - Clare Darcy

A Delightfully Impudent Impostor

Sparkling young Victoire Duvernay made her first appearance in Regency England posing as her cousin who had been shamefully wronged by the dashing, devastatingly handsome rake, the Marquis of Tarn. But soon she emerged under her own name as the leading light of the London season, with the hot-blooded, hot-tempered Tarn dancing attendance upon her, and a host of gallants, fortune-hunters, and rogues swarming around her.

Victoire seemed such a defenseless innocent in this sophisticated world of elegant snobbery and cruel deception. But Victoire had no intention of becoming anyone's pawn or prey. Instead this captivating young lady was determined to give the most arrogant gentleman in all the realm an unforgettable lesson in love!

I have been curious about this author ever since Ioanna wrote a review of one of her books. So when I had the opportunity to read one I was quite happy. I did like the book although I felt the type of story asked for more banter, more witty and humorous dialogue to really work out.

Victoire is a french young lady, daughter of an officer in the Napoleon Wars, who, after her father dies and her mother remarries finds herself shipped to England to live with an Irish relative. Unfortunately the relative is not entirely comme i'l faut and leads Victoire to pretend to be her cousin Nancy, recently deceased, so they can blackmail Lord Tarn's relatives by telling he has broken a promise of marriage. The success of such ploy is based on the fact that Tarn is supposed to be out of the country and can't unmask her. But he does unexpectedly return and after a few adventures that include the relative kidnapping Tarn and Victoire saving him, the Marquess of Tarn decides that he owes a debt of gratitude to Victoire and to pay it he offers her marriage.

Now it maybe be because I recently read Heyer's The Convenient Marriage but I did feel that there were some similarities between the two stories - namely the older heroes who let no emotions show and the young and sometimes naive heroines who are constantly getting into trouble.

Being this one a regency romance we know that they are on their way to a happy end, however that path isn't always smooth and in this case several people are interested in breaking them apart. One of Tarn's cousin's and his portuguese mistress who both set different suitors on Victoire just to make trouble. Since Tarn and Victoire both are hot tempered and don't run from a good fight this could have been the perfect opportunity for showing some tension and their emotions towards one another but it is never fully explored. Even when Victoire is kidnapped in the end and Tarn rushes to save her I felt his proposal was a bit bland. I wanted more emotion in their courtship to make me believe that Tarn really had fallen for Victoire. As it was I felt it was a nice story but that it could have been better.

One detail that annoyed me was that Portuguese's mistress had a spanish name and spoke spanish instead of portuguese. Most of you wont probably notice it but for a native portuguese speaker it's totally distracting.

Grade: 3.5/5

My Lady Domino - Sandra Heath

Miss Adele Russell knew it was sheer folly to attend the Duke and Duchess of Bellingham's grand masquerade. A year ago, she would have been an honoured guest - before the disgrace and death of her father. Now she was a penniless shop girl, scorned by society and mocked by the memory of her broken engagement to the elegant and handsome Lord David Latimer.

But when by chance she found an invitation to the masquerade, the temptation was too great. What danger could there be in going masked to this dazzling affair? She soon found out. First, in the arms of a stranger as mysterious as he was attractive. And then, face to face with the same David Latimer who had broken her heart once and still had the power to do it again . . .

Adele lost everything, including her fiancé, when her father died in a fire leaving her penniless and in disgrace after some irregularities where discovered in his bank. She now lives with her former governess who manages a shop in Bath where Adele works. She is unable to accept that her father might have been more than the victim of two dangerous man and despite her resentment at how he left her she can't forget her feelings for David Latimer her former fiancé.

When the action starts she receives a visit from her father's former secretary, and one of the men responsible for his ruin, telling her not to interfere when the announcement of the new engagement of Latimer is announced, he is supposedly marrying the daughter of the other man involved in her father's death.

Revolted, Adele decides to have a taste of her former life and attend Lady Bellingham's ball. In disguise she snubs David and makes a conquest of another young gentleman. Although she still loves David she is unable to resist going to meet the young gentleman again and her identity is soon discovered by both the gentleman and Latimer.

In a way this story reminded me of Mary Balogh's earlier books, very emotional with intense scenes where the characters mistaken their feelings and remain at odds when they are clearly in love. Adele finds herself in a dangerous situation as the young gentleman proves himself to be a villain but Latimer rescues her and helps her find the evidence that her father was innocent and the other two men were responsible for stealing the money. They don't seem on the right path to happiness though and they need a little push from Latimer's mother who gets her son to think on what really happened five years ago.

Grade: 4.5/5

A Makeshift Marriage - Sandra Heath

When lovely young Miss Laura Milbanke was asked for her hand in marriage in romantic Venice, the irresistibly handsome Sir Nicholas Grenville was at death's door. He had fought a disastrous duel to defend Laura's honor, and now he would defend her from poverty by leaving her his estate when he died.

But Sir Nicholas did not die. He lived to bring Laura home to King's Cliff manor. Waiting for him was the fabulously beautiful Augustine Townsend, whom Nicholas had long adored and who would be his - if only Laura did not stand in the way.

Should Laura try to fight this ravishing rival? Or should she give her husband his freedom by giving herself to the temptingly attractive Daniel Tregarron, who offered her all the love Sir Nicholas denied her? Never did a young bride find herself in a greater dilemma - as a marriage that broke all the rules threatened to break her heart . . .

This book had no magic, unlike my previous read by the author,  and I liked it a lot better for it. It features a marriage of convenience in which both the h/h believe he will die. They marry so the heroine can have finantial security and since he survives she decides to bring him back to England to recover.

As soon as they arrive it becomes clear that Ausgustine, Nicholas previous fiancee, is determined to separate the newlyweds and gain back her status after an annulment. She starts turning Nicholas' mind against his wife and unable to tell him the truth due to doctors orders, Laura decides to implement in the property some changes that Nicholas wanted to bring about, knowing they won't go well with Augustine and the neighbours. Feeling lonely Laura strikes a friendship with Nicholas' doctor and friend that will end up ruining her reputation and damaging her marriage.

I thought this had the potential to reach keeper status but in the end it didn't. I felt Nicholas was too easily manipulated by Augustine and Laura kept seeing the doctor (and getting into trouble) when she should have realized that that was only making things worse. And even if Laura was the wronged party it was she who ended up making the first steps to the reconciliation. Too much heart ache and not enough happy moments was my final take on the story.

Grade: 3.5/5

A Man of Affairs - Anne Barbour

Well beyond the normal age of courtship and marriage, a young woman resigns herself to a quiet life on her parents's estate. Then the adopted son of the Duke of Derwent arrived. His kind manner and passionate glances brought new, unfamiliar joy to the lady's heart. But the dashing gentleman had too many duties to his father to properly court her. It will take a scandalous heartbreak to bring them both together in a love that will go against their families and society. . .

Seth Lindow is the adopted son of the Duke of Derwent, he has always felt indebted to the Duke for adopting him so her works as his man of affairs. The Duke has an heir, a rake of the lowest sort who has assignations with maids, beats his servants and drinks too much. To control his wild ways the Duke asks Seth to find a bride, someone pretty and biddable who will put up with his bad temper. Seth thinks he may have found the right one when he meets Zoe Beckett, the youngest daughter of an impoverished Baronet. To better know her he decides to visit her home under pretext of buying some horses.

Seth gets to know Zoe better but also her oldest sister Eden. Eden seems the most sensible person in the family, she likes to paint and secretly plans to live alone and support herself selling her paintings. While he feels more disappointed with Zoe as he gets to know her better he feels more attracted to Eden as the time passes.

On his return to London he invites the family to a dinner party at the duke's house. There Zoe meets the Marquess of Bellhaven, the Duke's heir and unexpectedly they seem much taken with each other. And as Seth finds himself falling in love with Eden the Duke decides she is the perfect choice for Belhaven's bride leaving him thorn between his loyalty to his father and his love for Eden.

There were plenty of things to like in this story. First that we have an original hero, someone that is not a titled gentleman and who actually works, then that Eden is a dedicated painter who takes her art seriously, and then that the more they know each other the better they deal with each other, Seth helps Eden gain confidence and she makes him realise that he should live his life and not do everything the duke wants. Now, what I didn't like, I know Eden was more modern than most with her dream of living alone but each time Seth kissed her she just seemed to take it in stride, like it was "all normal, we just got carried away, let's not think about it anymore", I thought that was a bit odd but just a little detail.

There are some problems to deal with before they get their HEA, namely Bellhaven and Zoe. Barbour did find an unexpected explanation for Bellhaven's behaviour and while I wasn't very convinced I have to give her points for originality.

Grade: 4/5

Old Friends and New Fancies - Sybil G. Brinton

Originally published in 1914, this charming and original sequel to the novels of Jane Austen intertwines the lives of the most beloved characters from all six Austen novels with new characters of the author's devising. Inventive matchmaking leads numerous pairs of lovers through the inevitable (and entertaining) difficulties they must encounter before they are united in the end.

I haven’t read that many Austen sequels yet but I have read a few and I am happy to announce that this one just became a favourite. It was interesting to learn that this story, written in 1913, was the first ever sequel to the Austen books and contrary to many being written today it combines the characters of the several novels.

There is much to love in the story, we revisit familiar characters who may or may not be old favourites, we have the restraint and manners of the Austen stories and we have the misunderstandings and thwarted love pairings that existed in every of the original books.

The main characters are Georgiana Darcy, Kitty Bennet, Mary Crawford and Colonel Fitzwilliam. But there’s also Lizzy and Darcy, Jane and Bingley, Wentworth and Anne, William Price (Fanny’s brother), Tom Bertram, James Morland (Catherine’s brother) not to mention Knightley and Emma. We revisit them a few years after the original action and I must say that although I was in doubt throwing them all together would work the fact is that it made for a delightful story. It was really fun seeing how Emma and Lady Catherine de Bourgh continued to be the same characters, meddling in everyone else’s affairs and how all the others stay true to the idea I had of them. With the exception of Mary Crawford which is much improved.

When the story opens Georgiana Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam are engaged, however it's soon clear that none of them is too happy and the engagement is broken. While Fitzwilliam goes to Bath with Lizzy and Darcy where he meets Mary Crawford, Georgiana goes to stay with the Bingleys. She later goes to meet with her friend Kitty Bennet who is convinced (influenced by Emma Knightley) that William Price is about to make her a marriage proposal. Of course things are not as easy as they seem and some heartache will follow.

I think it’s best to read the Austen books before delving into this one because part of the enjoyment is definitely the fact that we are revisiting old characters, however it can be read as a standalone as the facts of the past that influence the story are explained in due course. What is perhaps lacking from the original is the witty dialogue; even Lizzy seems a bit tamer and more conciliatory towards Lady Catherine. The less sympathetic characters, Miss Steele and Mrs. Robert Ferrars are not given enough room to possibly engage in some more aggressive discourse but maybe that was a good thing because I really didn’t like them!

A very enjoyable read and highly recommended especially for Austen fans.

Grade: 4.5/5

The Devil's Bargain - Karen Harbaugh

THE ENDANGERED INNOCENT . . .
Lovely Eveline Seton knew that she could never be a proper match for Lord Richard Clairmond. The devastatingly handsome blueblood would never dream of taking a merchant's daughter as a wife. Why then did he whisper words that made her heart beat faster? Why did he gaze at her with a heat that melted her to the core? Eveline feared her ardent suitor was hiding something.

THE IRRESISTIBLE RAKE . . .
Not for nothing did the Viscount Clairmond keep a list of ladyloves that testified to his supreme skill as a seducer. But it was not as a wife that this reckless gambler wanted Eveline. To be relieved of embarrassing debts and a certain future of pauperism, he had sold his soul-and Eveline's virtue-to Satan. And unless this extraordinarily persuasive young woman proved an equal match for him in the thrust and parry of his campaign of conquest, she most surely would become his all - too - willing victim. Or he hers . .

I've been in the mood lately for stories featuring nobility and the so called Cit's. The merchants and tradesmen who became rich enough to save a title from ruin.

That's why I picked this one to read and it didn't disappoint me in that, it had nice and interesting characters who behaved in a believable way. Especially Eveline who seemed a fairly level headed woman, not the one to go into hysterics but in fact to make the best of her situation and indeed believe in who seems to have betrayed her. I had more trouble believing Clairmond who lost his money in a foolish game, believes his neighbour is harassing his sister just because the devil tells him so and then proceeds to ruin Evangeline when he could just have married her and used her money.

My main problem was the "devilish" side of the plot. I prefer my historicals without paranormal or supernatural elements and have the Devil struck a bargain with the hero that he would ruin the heroine and in exchange win the money he badly needed to restore his estate was a bit too much for me.

I think the story would have been perfect without that, it had all the elements for a nice marriage of convenience story and at least for me it would have worked better.


Grade: 3.5/5

The Irish Rake - Emma Lange

Miss Gillian Edwards was barely more than a schoolgirl, and certainly as innocent as one - but she knew how shockingly evil the Marquess of Clare was. He did not even try to hide a history of illicit loves that ran the gamut from London ‘lightskirts' to highborn ladies. Nor did he conceal his scorn for marriage and morality and his devotion to the pleasures of the flesh.

Thus Gillian was forewarned and should have been forearmed when she found herself face-to-face with this man whose dazzling good looks were clearly lascivious lures. All she had to do was remind herself that she was engaged to wed the wealthy, handsome, and aristocratic Lord Lionel Rockingham, the ideal partner for a perfect marriage.

All she had to do was say no to the maddeningly mocking Marquess, who would never stoop to seduce an unwilling woman. But strangely enough, what Gillian did was something else . . .

I did enjoy this story but not as much as A Certain Reputation, the first I've read by this author. I did have more trouble relating to and liking the hero and the heroine and that must be a part of my problem.

The heroine is very young and at first it seems her attraction to the hero is a bit of hero worship more than a real emotion as she doesn't know him all that well. As they start to see more of each other, she has an accident and has to spend some time in his house. I could see how he started feeling attracted to her but really couldn't understand what kept her attracted to him other than him being described as a rake with a charming attitude towards the ladies.

The end is marked by a big misunderstanding that if the heroine hadn't been the young and impulsive girl she was could have been avoided with an honest conversation between them. As it was I enjoyed at least the fact that since she was the one jumping to conclusions it was also her that went looking for him to apologise.

Grade: 4/5

A Regency Valentine - Anthology

Although Valentine's Day is in February I couldn't resist picking up this anthology on the eve of going on holidays for a bit of comfort read.

Golden Rose - Mary Balogh
I've read many stories where the jaded rake is saved by the love of a good woman but Balogh always seems to add something more to hers. This is one such example and despite being an old plot you can't resist finishing it with a satisfied sigh. Especially as this seems like a comedy of errors with the hero believing he is sending flowers to a society's widow while his young cousin is taking them to the heroine, who believes them to be from another man.
Grade: 4/5

Katherine Kingsley - The Secret Benefactor
While I really enjoy stories with less than perfect heroes here you don't really feel the pain involved in the hero's past. He has been playing benefactor to the heroine who, after her father's death, became destitute, and is too afraid to tell her he loves her. I did not feel his motives were enough and thought he should have told the truth much earlier.
Grade: 3.5/5

Emma Lange - Lady Valentine's Scheme
I'm afraid feisty, impulsive heroines are not my favourite and this story suffered from having one. She is betrothed to a young man who is clearly a mamma's boy and has mixed feelings when an old friend, now a rake, returns and seems to have feelings for her.
Grade: 3.5/5

Patricia Rice - Fathers and Daughters
I do have a fondness of stories about a second chance at love and this one was wonderful. The hero is forced by the heroine's father to leave her and when he returns, now rich and worthy of her, she doesn't make it easy for him to explain much less offer his love again. But his bastard daughter will be the means to bringing them together.
Grade: 4.5/5

Joan Wolf - The Antagonists
I usually enjoy Wolf's stories but I must say this one disappointed me a bit. Not enough banter between the main characters to make it stand out when they finally realise they are in love and I didn't particularly liked Dinah which, being this written in the first person, could be the main problem for me.
Grade: 3.5/5

Anthology grade: 3.5 (but very worth it for the Rice and Balogh's stories)

Lord Rotham's Wager - Ann Elizabeth Cree

HIS BRIDE BY LOTTERY...
Lord Jack Rotham was not a betting man when it came to marriage. But when his great-uncle's will ordered Jack to marry, a bride by wager seemed the logical solution. And so Jack picked the winning wife out of a lottery. However, fate dealt him a cruel hand, for his new bride was the woman who'd left him broken-hearted to marry another man!

HER SECOND-CHANCE HUSBAND...
Claire Ellison had suffered a miserable marriage and didn't want to repeat the experience, particularly to a man who wasn't sure whether he hated her -- or loved her! But when a devious element threatened their new marriage, could Claire finally fight for the man she'd always loved...?

And another story about a second chance at love!

When Lord Rotham meets Claire again - at a ball where gentleman chose the lady by choosing her fans (I had never heard of this)- he decides he wont let her escape again. He had once proposed marriage only to be refused by her brother and learn that she was promptly married to another man. Now he decides he will court her again and convince her to marry him.

The premise was good but it seemed to me that there were too many misunderstandings keeping them apart that could have been easily explained if they had only talked to one another. Instead the problems and tension between them seems to go unresolved for too long. Besides I never really understood why her brother refused him in the first place, yes he had a bad reputation but he compromised her and he proposed. Wasn't that the right thing to do? And her friend who kept sabotaging his efforts and interfering was pretty annoying too.


Grade: 3.5/5

A Matter of Duty - Sandra Heath

ALTAR-BOUND

Handsome and wealthy Lord Christopher Highclare made it painfully clear why he was asking a virtual nobody like Miss Louisa Cherington to be his wife. He had made a promise to her dying brother to do so, and was honour-bound to keep that vow.

Proud and beautiful Louisa made it just as clear why she was accepting this man who not only made no pretence of loving her, but made no secret of the ravishing woman who was his mistress. Louisa, too, was bowing to the wishes of her late brother, who wanted to rescue her from poverty and the peril of Captain Geoffrey Lawrence, the notorious rake who was in hot pursuit of her.

Thus these two were bound to marry - and bound to wonder what would happen then.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this story. Both the main characters were nice, sensible people. They were ready to enter in a marriage of convenience and making the best of it.

Although they marry because the hero has made a vow to Louisa's brother and she wants some security after being dismissed from the house she works in as a governess they find themselves pleased with each other and ready to develop warmer feelings to one another. However Louisa had been dismissed because the older brother of the girl she teached was pursuing her and his young stepmother was jealous (yes the stepmother was having an affair with the stepson). Looking for revenge the woman sends Louisa a gift pretending to be her stepson. This originates a huge misunderstanding between Louisa and her husband and everything goes bad after that. Louisa discovers her husband had a mistress and doesn't believe that it is over between them. And Christopher refuses to believe that Louisa did not accept gladly Captain Lawrence's advances.

The tension rises when all four meet for a regatta on the Island of Wight, it made for an interesting setting, and Louisa believes Christopher to be enamoured of Thea still and he still thinks she might have responded to Captain Lawrence's advances. It doesn't help that Thea is determined to get Christopher back and does everything to make Louisa jealous.

Although I do like some conflict I thought this one went on for too long. If they had just talked to one another many a misunderstanding and harsh words could have been avoided. Also the happy ending was a bit rushed as everything is solved in one final scene.

Grade: 3.5/5

The Wagered Heart - Rhonda Woodward

An Alarming Kiss

The incident is quite unexpected. Enjoying a spring afternoon of shop-ping with her relatives, Miss Julia Allard could not be better chaperoned with the Royal Navy by her side. Even so, a handsome stranger catches up to her, and before she knows what's happening, Miss Allard is in his arms being kissed!The young lady slaps her assailant, of course, but not before her reputation has been fairly tarnished--and the memory of his passionate kiss forever sealed on her lips. The stranger in question, the Duke of Kelbourne, has made a name for himself with such roguish acts. Now, to allay rumors, the mortified Miss Allard must cut short her Season and return home, where she'll concoct an elaborate plan to exact her revenge. Little does she know, however, that the duke also has sonic plans up his rakish sleeve....

Julia Allard is in town for the season with her cousin and her family when one day she is accosted by a stranger on the streets and kissed. The kisser was the duke of Kelbourne trying to win a wager made after a night of drunken revelry. When the matter is known Juliann's relatives decide to ship her to the country as they feel they could never force the duke to propose and her reputation will be in tatters if it becomes known she is the woman involved. So Julia is sent back home in disgrace although she never really did anything to deserve it and feeling rather hurt that she could not have a season.

A few months later she is invited to join her cousin, now married, in Bath. One day, in the streets, she meets the Duke of Kelbourne who, in the mean time, had realised that is actions were less than acceptable and suddenly decides he must apologise. Unfortunately the duke's apology leaves Julia feeling more offended still and she decides to work on a little revenge of her own by engaging his attentions and then refusing him. Since they meet constantly at several social functions that's not really difficult to work on, although sometimes Julia can't always keep her cool and serene facade and she soon starts finding the duke more attractive than she would like.

It must be said that although Kelbourne does apologise for his actions, his bad behaviour is not something that he has thought much about. In fact when we meet him again in Bath he is ready to move in from his rakish ways and settle down and marry. Julia, on the other hand, is still suffering the effects of having been sent home and everyone in the village has been gossiping about it. What I enjoyed the most about the book was how it was about class and status and how that influenced people's daily lives. The highest ranking people could get away with almost anything while the others were left to dance to their tune.

The book includes a big set of secondary characters which are all of Julia and Kelbourne's family and friends and there's a secondary storyline about Julia's cousin problems with her mother in law that I actually thought were fun. The story is definitely on the light side, despite the subject, except for the scenes where Julia was exposed as the woman Kel had kissed. I thought that intruded a bit in the general tone of the book but nothing to worry about so I can really say I enjoyed it.

Grade: 4/5