A Christmas Courtship - Sandra Heath

Beautiful Blanche Amberley knew whom she loved. The lucky gentleman was Antony Mortimer, a banker's son who offered her not only his heart and hand, but also a life of wealth and ease.

Miss Amberley also knew whom she thoroughly disliked. That object of her instant aversion was Sir Edmund Brandon. Blanche was quite immune to the good looks and gallantry that made this arrogant blueblood the most eligible lord in the realm.

But then, as Christmas approached, Cupid gave Miss Blanche Amberley a gift that came as a most shocking surprise....

A really nice story with sensible characters that reads almost more as a mystery with strong romantic elements than a true romance but it perfectly suited my tastes.

I did find the back blurb a bit misleading. Although Miss Amberley doesn’t particularly like Sir Edmund Brandon (the why is never fully explained), all their meetings are perfectly civil. In the beginning she is love with Antony Mortimer yes and disposed to convince her father to agree to a match between them when everyone warns her that the match won’t be a good one. We are introduced early also to Sir Edmund’s betrothed who reveals herself as a very nasty woman and surely not a potential good wife.

But what moves the plot forward is the fact that Blanche Amberley’s brother will be wrongfully accused of a theft and Blanche tries to discover how to clear her brother’s name. Mortimer starts to reveal his true colours when he demands that Blanche repudiates her brother and their relationship ends. At the same time Sir Edmund keeps showing his respect and appreciation for Blanche and her father and she can’t help but start to develop some feelings for him.

It’s soon apparent that Jonathan Amberley is being set up by none other than a fellow officer and that all is not what it seems and Sir Edmund will play a part in solving her brother’s situation.

Although I enjoyed it very much there were two details that that could have made it a better book – Blanche and Sir Edmund don’t spend all that much time together and I think that could have made their connection stronger and the ending just wraps up too quickly. I wanted more time with them assuming their feelings and speaking of their past and future.

Grade: 4/5

The Christmas Treasure - Jeanne Savery

SHE GAVE HER HEART AN ORDER...
After sitting astride her mount for hours, and aching in places a lady dare not mention, Miss Ernestine Matthew finally arrived in a British outpost in war-torn Portugal. She'd been entrusted to bring her sister back to England, for poor Lenore's husband was missing in action and likely never to return. Ernestine had vowed never to form a similar attachment...until she met handsome Colonel Ave Sommerton—and all her best-laid intentions just went to Hades.

...BUT HER HEART DISOBEYED!
The more Ernestine fought her desire, the more she yearned to be in Ave's arms...and to believe that miracles could happen. Now, as the holidays neared, Ernestine felt all the wondrous hope of the special season—and a new year, brimming with love restored and happiness...found!

I had never read Jeanne Savery but being this a Christmas story and apparently set in Portugal I just couldn’t resist.

Ernie Mathewson goes back to Portugal with the mission to bring back her sister who seems to be unable to believe her husband (missing for 3 months) is dead and so doesn’t want to go back to England but would rather wait in Portugal for him to reappear. Ernie travels with her good friend Bertie and on arrival meet Colonel Somerton, Bertie’s commander.

I’m afraid I had a few troubles with the story beginning with the fact that this is set in Portugal but all the characters are either English or Spanish, don’t you find that odd?? The author does try to insert one or two Portuguese words for effect but either they are wrongly spelled (panelas not panellas) or they don’t seem appropriate for what they want (I find it highly unlikely that Queijadas de Sintra would be referred so in the beginning of the 19th century and were baked by everyone).

Then the characters, Norry (Ernie’s sister) keeps telling her that he husband is not dead and will come back, it seemed like they shared some sort of psychic connection and I found that odd in a non-paranormal. Norry says that so many times that I was a bit tired of it after a while. She is also being pursued by an officer who believes her a widow, since she had so many friends among the military men I couldn’t understand why one of them wouldn’t just set the officer straight and avoid some unpleasantness.

Now Ernie, she was a very stubborn lady that despite feeling herself attracted to Colonel Somerton, kept declaring her determination of not marrying a soldier and going as far as to say that they should all be orphans so women wouldn’t suffer when they die. Even if I can see how a war can lead to the death of soldiers and heartbreak it also sounded a bit too much that she kept repeating it at every turn.

Poor Colonel Somerton had a hard time with Ernie although that didn’t seem to disturb him much. Having decided she was the perfect woman for him he just kept on convincing her of it. Now I do feel, like him, that they were perfect for each other, but he was so determined to have her that even if she had a good reason to refuse him it didn’t seem he was letting her do it (there’s a scary thought). And I couldn’t understand why he didn’t tell her from the beginning that he was leaving the military and going back to England to try and recuperate his estate. Because he wanted her to love him as he was, as a soldier? It didn’t make sense to me.

There’s a mystery subplot about Norry’s Spanish little maid by whom their friend Bertie is in love and who may be on the run.

On the whole it wasn’t a badly written story, I just think some of the character’s actions did not made sense to me, some of the details didn’t sound right and it goes for too long. It would have worked better if it was a bit shorter.

Grade: 3/5

Favourite Christmas Regencies

Since it is Christmas, we thought of making a list with our favourite Christmas-Themed Regency Romances. And although in theory this sounded quite easy, and we expected to have lots of candidate books, in practice we had the problem that we have not read as many books as we initially thought, or some of those we had read were not that great to make it into the list, or some of us although they have read quite a few books they do not remember them well enough (neither had the foresight to make notes on how they liked them at the time). Despite these obstacles, we combined our efforts to make a list of Christmas themed books that we enjoyed.

This list is a work in progress. As we read (or re-read) more books, we may add or remove books from the list as neccesary. We have split the books in 2 categories: Normal (single title) Regencies with Christmas themed plots, and Christmas short stories found in Christmas Anthologies. For the short stories we decided to list individual stories, rather than a whole book, since if there is a single great story in an Anthology and the other 4 stories are mediocre, we felt it is the story that should be mentioned, rather than the whole book.

'Christmas' Regency Romances

• Christmas Belle, by Mary Balogh (Ana T, Ioanna)


• The Last Waltz, by Mary Balogh (Ana T.)


• A Matchmaker's Christmas, by Donna Simpson (Ana. T)


• Once Upon a Christmas, by Diane Farr (Ana T)


• Cockermouth Mail, by Dinah Dean (Ana T, Ioanna)


• Mistletoe Mayhem, by Kate Huntington (Ana T.)


• Christmas Promise, by Mary Balogh (Ioanna)


• Chistmas Bride, by Mary Balogh (Ioanna)

Short Stories in Regency Christmas Anthologies

Ana T.

• The Best Christmas Ever, by Mary Balogh (A Regency Christmas III


• The Best Gift, by Mary Balogh (A Regency Christmas VI)


• Hounds of Heaven, by Edith Layton (A Christmas Regency VIII)

Ioanna

• The Star of Bethlehem, by Mary Balogh (A Regency Christmas I)

Alex

• Falling Stars, by Loretta Chase (A Christmas Collection)


• The Greatest Gift, by Stella Cameron (A Christmas Collection)

Regency Christmas Traditions

One of the most famous themes on Traditional Regencies is the Christmas story. Whole books and plenty of short stories were written about couples falling in love during the holiday season. In fact reading Christmas anthologies around this time became almost a tradition for many readers and we got to know some of the regency traditions through these books.

Among the Regency traditions mentioned in those stories we can name the Yule log, Kissing Boughs, the Wassail Bowl, The Christmas Pudding and special drinks like the famous Wassail. Most the traditions are what remains of Pagan rites or Middle Age traditions and people gathered at home, with the family to spend the Holiday Season.

We decided to try and gather some of information on the Regency Christmas Traditions and post them here. There doesn’t seem to be that much about it probably because only during the Victorian period did people start to record all aspects of society. Besides the political instability and the fact that England was involved in a war for a number of these years also probably wasn’t conductive to many joyous celebrations and the making of new traditions. Considering all that it may be that Christmas wasn't exactly as portrayed in the numerous books and short stories released around this season, it may be that it was a quieter holiday and there were not as many houseparties as one might think. But there were still some traditions being observed and worth mentioning.

The Season

The Twelve Days of Christmas would be the period between Dec 24th and Jan 6th. The night of the 6Th was called Twelfth Night and according to some sources there are more traditions related to Twelfth Night than Christmas.


The Celebration

Christmas was a memory of the Winter solstice festivals of pagan times and transformed by Church into a celebration of the Christian values. People observed a religious holiday that was celebrated with a dinner with the family or including neighbours and friends. Throughout the Twelve Days of Christmas there might be balls and other merry events to mark the season. Gift giving wasn’t what it is today but servants could expect their gifts on Boxing Day (Dec 26th).

The Food

Besides Roast Beef, Venison and varied birds (although not turkey) accompanied with vegetables the Christmas Pie and The Christmas Pudding were a big part of the feast. Dozens of pies were baked during this season using sometimes the leftovers of Christmas Dinner and to be eaten during the Twelve Days and given to friends and neighbours for good luck. The Christmas pudding is maybe the most famous of the desserts eaten at Christmas and it was made with 13 ingredients (Christ and the Apostles) boiled in a pudding Cloth.

The Decoration

Greenery seems to have been the main part of decorating a house for Christmas. Not the Christmas tree that we know today by garlands of Ivy and Holly and mistletoe boughs (the kissing boughs) would be hung around the house and log brought inside – the Yule Log – to burn through the twelve Days. All the greenery would be taken down and burnt after Jan 6th.


The Games

The holiday season was a time when young boys came home from school to spend time with their families. Naturally some games were organised like charades, snapdragon (picking currant from a bowl of flaming brandy) and playacting to keep everyone entertained.

The Music

Christmas carols as we know them today did not exist during the regency period; the music of the season was comprised mostly of church hymns like Joy to the World and Harck the Herald Angels Sing. Going wassailing door to door seems to have been abandoned by then.



And now here’s a little treat, a Christmas story by Jo Beverley that we found online Jane Austen and The Mistletoe Kiss



To Read More:

The Winter Solstice

The Origins of Regency Era Christmas Carols

Jo Beverley's Christmas Article

The Regency Christmas Feast

The Greenery

Christmas Pudding Recipe

Celebrating The Season in Regency Style

Under The Mistletoe - Mary Balogh

This book has 4 of Mary Balogh's old novellas and a new one.

In the new story, A Family Christmas, a young couple who have been married for a year and estranged for more than eleven months meet again at a family Christmas and are given the chance to start over.

In The Star of Bethlehem a betrothal ring is first broken and then lost. It symbolizes a broken marriage, about to be ended. But along comes a child in the form of a little chimney sweep, and along comes Christmas, the time for gift-giving, and soon there is hope for both the ring and the marriage.

In The Best Gift, three ill-assorted, lonely adults—na aristocrat, his niece, and a teacher hired as her chaperone--are brought together for a Christmas two of them are determined not to enjoy. But then a child is foisted upon them, and somehow the magic of the Season begins to Wrap itself about all of them.

In Playing House an aristocrat and his daughter, who seem to have everything, become unwillingly involved with a young woman and her young siblings, who seem to have nothing. But as Christmas draws near, it becomes less clear which family is rich and which is impoverished.

In No Room at the Inn an assortment of unhappy travelers are stranded by rain and mud at an inferior inn on Christmas Eve. But love finds them there after a young couple arrives just as their baby is about to be born--and are put in the stable because there are no rooms left.

Ioana's review:

I usually don't enjoy reading novellas, I always found them lacking in depth – after all, how can you describe well the developing of a relation in just 70 pages? And how can it be possible to make a story so short believable? I don't think I have read from beginning to finish more than 3 anthologies in my entire life.

Saying that, I chose this anthology because IT IS Christmas and because it's Mary Balogh, my favorite author in this genre. Apparently, only the first novella is new, all the others have already been published in different anthologies. Since Balogh has written quite a lot Christmas short stories, I suppose these 4 must be the best of the best – after all, they've been chosen for this special anthology. And I have to say now, after I've read them, that they were not a disappointment, I even enjoyed reading them. I couldn't say how good they were, I don't have many to compare with, but they passed as believable, and they also succeeded in bringing the warmth and special joy a Christmas book should bring.

Now, what makes them believable in my opinion?! When I read a book, I need to believe that what happens there, can somehow have a chance at happening in reality. And to my delight, I discovered these short stories to pass muster. Three of these books deal with couples that have already had a history together, with the major problem of lack of communication. So they are surprised in a moment when, because of the spirit of Christmas, they lower their guard and really talk with each other, and discover their true feelings. It's quite simple when you think of it, but even a simple story can become rich and entertaining when written with a skillful hand.

The first, “A family Christmas” is the story of a young couple with a little baby – she from an aristocrat family, he from a merchant family. They've been apart for almost a year, and now they are together for Christmas, among her relatives. This is the only story with a villain – a villainess in this case, the heroine's mother, who encourages their separation. The spirit of Christmas brings them together and they begin to know each other better, and of course, they start loving in earnest.

The second, “The star of Bethlehem” is another with a young couple that also because of misunderstandings and lack of communication, has grown to quite dislike each other. They are brought together by the care of a child who arrives in their house as a chimney sweeper.

“The best gift” is my favorite – the story of a school teacher who is for the first time celebrating Christmas, a viscount, and his natural daughter.

“Playing house” is another where the hero and heroine has known each other when they were younger, have been separated by circumstances, and now, at Christmas, they are brought together again, and surrounded by 3 children, they discover their feelings once again.

The last story is a little more special, with not the usual Christmas entrappings – like mistletoe, pine boughts, Christmas puddings and geese, etc. The author just tries to recreate the original Christmas as a setting for another love story. And she does a really good job, let me tell you.
In the end, it was really a good book, and worth reading during Christmas time, with the smell of pine in the air and listening to traditional songs...

Grade: 4/5

Ana T.'s review:


The new one is A Family Christmas. This is a story about a couple already married and I usually like those. And I liked this story, it had all the good ingredients of a christmas story - a family house party, greenery gathering, snow ball fights, caroling - but the main characters were a bit cold. They do resolve their differences in the end but I wished they would have done it sooner. They were being kept apart but the heroine's mother who believes the hero, a cit, is beneath her. Grade: 4/5.

The Star of Bethlehem is another story about a married couple and I must say this was my least favourite. The heroine was too childish and the hero to stiff and jealous. They seemed to be screaming most of the time. Also the child being a thief didn't help, I know it's probably closer to how things really happened but since the main couple didn't really work for me to have this sad part of reality showing up annoyed me more than moved me. Grade: 3.5/5

The Best Gift was a story I quite liked. I think that happened because it's mostly about the heroine and what her dreams and desires were. Some people might say that a viscount marrying an illegitimate girld would be very unlikely but for me it worked as the ultimate fairy tale. To bring happiness and love to someone who has none!
The heroine is an orphan who has lived first in an orphanage and then at a ladies school and is now a teacher. She is invited by the hero to spend the holiday season at his house to be his niece's chaperone. Grade: 4/5.

Playing House disappointed me a bit because I felt the hero was too bitter and desilusioned. It took him a long time to see the heroine in a positive light and by the time he did I just wanted him to get over it. Poor Lilias was actually a really nice person and he just kept seeing her a scheming and mercenary woman. Grade: 3.5/5.

I quite liked of No Room at The Inn about the miracle that the birth of a child at christmas can do for a group of total strangers who are stuck in a country inn for Christmas. Since there are so many characters in it none of the romantic stories are well developed... so I just took it as a Christmas story, not as a straight romance because then I would have wanted to know more. Grade: 4/5.

Anthology grade: 4/5

Once Upon A Christmas - Diane Farr

Home for the Holidays

After a tragic loss, Celia Delacourt faces the
daunting prospect of a lonely life as a governess ... or worse. Then her distant cousin, the Duchess of Delacourt, arrives on her doorstep, inviting her to spend Christmas on the family estate. Celia suspects that the reserved noblewoman has an ulterior motive up her expensive sleeve, but nonetheless decides that spending the holidays in a palace will surely surpass spending them in the poorhouse....

Jack Delacourt knows his mother is plotting something when he receives a strange-sounding Christmas invitation that he recognizes as a thinly veiled matchmaking ploy. But if his mother plans to bully him into betrothal with a stranger, Jack is equally prepared with a plan of his own. He meets his cousin Celia with every intention of putting her off. But Celia is not at all what he expected--and they may be about to share the most wonderful Christmas gift of all....

I had already read another book by Diane Farr when I came across this one. The other book was The Fortune Hunter and I really enjoyed it so I couldn't resist picking this one up.

And it was a really nice and occasionaly fun story. Celia Delacourt has lost her entire family when she is brought to the attention of some wealthy relatives and taken in by the Duchess of Arnsford. The Duchess has an ulterior motive as Celia soon finds out. She wants Celia to marry Lord Lynden, her son, and decides to train her accordingly.

When Jack, Lord Lynden, arrives he suspects his mother has found a new girl for him to pay court to and decides on an very excentric atitude to put her off. This leads to a series of misunderstandings that have Celia believing Jack is mad and that his family just makes him worse. Despite this the two enjoy each other company and soon Jack realises Celia is not the fortune hunter he believed she was.

It was really a very nice story and it was quite fun to see how the Duchess plots to have all she wants happen and how that actually comes about in a different way. It was a nice touch for us to be in on the Duchess's secret, it made her more human. I also really enjoyed the secondary romance and the propect that Elizabeth might find some happiness.

Grade: 4.5/5

The Cockermouth Mail - Dinah Dean

Was she a fool to believe in miracles?

Miss Dorcas Minster waas penniless and without prospects. She had no choice but to acept a position as governess in Cockermouth, a remote town in the English Lake District.

Resolved to make the best of her bleak future, Dorcas was not surprised when the stage-coach she was travelling in was waylaid by an accident. She and her fellow passengers were forced to seek refuge in a nearby inn. So much did she enjoy the assorted company, the she found herself wishing to be stranded forever.

One passenger in particular, the dashing Colonel, Sir Richard Severall, was of special interest to Dorcas. And it seemed as if she was of special interest to him. Date had delivered her into the hands of love. If only she could be certain Sir Richard returned her affection.

Another traditional regency this time from a new to me author - Dinah Dean.

I'm very happy to say that I found it an enjoyable read too. It's true that it's a bit different from what we are usually used to in a regency but I found it very refreshing to know about the lives of common people who have to work and travel by coach instead of the usual debutante versus the nobleman.

Well Sir Richard Severall is maybe not so common but he is unable to use his own coach so he finds himself travelling in the passengers coach where he finds Dorcas Minster, a young lady fallen on hard times and whose father Sir Richard knew. Their attraction is mutual from the beginning and it's very interesting to see how two people get together while respecting society's rules and still behaving in a very proper manner. I liked how Sir Richard woo Dorcas by getting to know her and lending assistance when needed (ok and stealing a kiss or two) and how she fought to maintain a proper and dignified behaviour even when she was terribly worried about going to work as a governess in an unknown house. The whole book revolves about them and their relationship with each other and the other passengers as they are first closed together in the coach and after an accident with the coach closed together in an inn where they spend Christmas.

It's a sweet old fashioned romance that I very much enjoyed reading!

Grade: 4/5

Mistletoe Kisses - Anthology

A Soldier's Tale by Elizabeth Rolls

Dominic, Viscount Alderley's family are looking to him to marry an heiress, but only his downtrodden, compassionate cousin Pippa seems able to ignore his scars….

A Winter Night's Tale by Deborah Hale
This year's festivities for Christabel and her young son will be sparse and cold--or so she thinks. When the man she'd loved and lost returns, offering her warmth, comfort and a true family Christmas, she can't resist!

A Twelfth Night Tale by Diane Gaston
One impulsive night of love changed Elizabeth's life forever. Now, ten years later, Elizabeth and Zachary meet again. Will their second Twelfth Night together see their happiness reborn?

It was my first read by Elizabeth Rolls and I really liked the story. It was simple but sweet and romantic as the two cousins fall in love. Dominic returns home from the war scarred, to find the heiress he is expected to marry waiting for him. Pippa has been living with the family almost as an unpaid companion since her dowry was lost in bad investments. She is the one he talks with the most and the only one who seems to understand him. It will take a bit of persuasion to convince her in the end though. Grade: 4/5

Deborah Hale's was my least favourite story although it wasn't bad. The heroine in this story has jilted the hero a few years before and married another. She is now a widow with a son and is completely destitute. Her salvation comes because the hero shows up at her doostep and, after she faints, takes her home to be seen by a doctor an spend the holidays. She recovers from her illness and they spend the holidays together with her son and his senile aunt and rediscover love. Grade: 3/5

Diane Gaston's was the most emotional story and my favourite too. The h/h met as a young couple, fell in love and shared a night of passion. After which the hero departed for the war and the heroine found herself pregnant and later lost the child.
They are both scarred by these past events when they meet again. Elizabeth, a governess, is returning home with her pregnant charge. Zachary feels compelled to offer for her given their previous history and Elizabeth decides to accept as she feels responsible for the new mother and her baby. I really liked the way they rediscovered each other The conflict that happens at the end due to a mercenary mother and her daughter was unnecessary from my pov as I was more interested in the characters's internal conflicts. Grade: 4.5/5

Anthology grade: 4/5

Mistletoe Mayhem - Kate Huntington

One of the ton's wealthiest, most accomplished beauties, Lady Madelyn Rathbone has turned down dazzling proposal after proposal – all because she simply cannot forget country squire Robert Langtry. Though Robert's modest birthright precluded a union between them two years ago, Madelyn is quite certain that he has now settled down and is unavailable to cure her silly longings for good. But a Christmas journey gone much awry and Robert's four mischievous wards are proving more than a match for Madelyn's firm resolve – and her heart!

Robert Langtry had convinced himself that his feelings for Lady Madelyn were youthful folly. But when they become stranded at his snow-bound estate amid one disaster after another, he is delighted to rediscover the vivacious, spirited woman he still loves – even though he knows he cannot let her surrender her life of glittering privilege just for him. Yet neither Madelyn nor Robert are aware that holiday magic is about to show them the sweetest joy of the season...

I had never read Kate Huntington but I love Christmas stories and decided to pick this one up. As soon as I started reading I realised that this book was part of series and that there were at least 2 books before this one. That did not detract from my reading however as the author provides enough information and the story develops for us to understand what happened earlier.

The story starts with guest arriving to a house party at the home of Lord and Lady Blakely. Among the guest are Robert Langtry and his four wards and arriving unexpectedly is Lady Madelyn Rathbone. The host are afraid of the meeting between them as Robert and Madelyn were in love once and broke up after her guardian refused the match due to their different stations and Robert refused to elope with Madelyn which leads to an angry separation.

When Robert and Madelyn meet again it obvious to us that they are still in love with each other, they do behave with the utmost propriety by we are privy to their feelings. It is also clear that Madelyn is not a well liked person, she seems to have a past history with both Viscount Blakely and Lieutenant Whittaker in which she was the other woman favoured by their families and who they rejected to marry their ladies. The complete opposite, Robert is well liked by everyone and in fact there is a plan to marry him to widow who is also spending the holiday season with Blakelys.
What I liked the most about the story is that creates characters that are definitely not black and white, they are human and they are not always likeable and nice.

Despite the fact that it is clear that Madelyn has matured from what the other characters knew of her previously she is still proud and arrogant sometimes. She and Robert “decide” to be just friends but there’s a growing attraction that they find hard to resist. However Robert doesn’t feel he has the right to propose marriage someone far above his status in society and Madelyn doesn’t think she can cope with their wards as she mentions time and again that she doesn’t know how to deal with children. She does seem to have some past history with his wards too and his oldest niece clearly dislikes her.

Some readers might miss seeing them falling in love (at least I saw those complaints in one review) but I was quite happy with the story and was quite blown away with how complex the characters were, that made feel for them and by the end I was quite rooting for their happy ending. Huntington does a good job of convincing me that what separates them can be overcome and in the end I knew I had a keeper in my hands. Looking forward to read the other books in the series.

Grade: 4.5/5