Month: December 2019

The Dance Before Christmas by Victoria Alexander

On By TracyIn Christmas, Novella, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

The Dance Before Christmas (The Lady Travelers Society, #2.5)The Dance Before Christmas by Victoria Alexander

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Lady Travelers Society, #2.5

Release Date: October 1, 2018

When Wesley Grant enters the Explorers Club, he is greeted by a lovely young woman, who has clearly has him confused with someone else. Wesley is the president and chief innovator of the very successful Grant Watch and Clock Company, he has come to England from his home in America to meet Sir Archibald Snelling and hopefully get him to endorse his newest invention – a travelers chronometer, at his uncle’s suggestion, he is attending the Explorers Club Christmas Ball and hopes to find a way to get introduced to Sir Archibald. He is about to tell the young woman she has the wrong man, but he becomes intrigued by her story and when he learns she is Sir Archibald’s daughter and wants him to pretend to be her suitor to prevent her father from pressuring her to marry his friend’s son, he can’t seem to disappoint her with the truth and besides, he wanted to meet her father and it seems like fate has dealt him a winning hand.

Anabel Snelling is almost 21 and her father feels it is time for her to marry. He has decided that the perfect man for her is his best friend’s son Douglas Reed. Douglas has been offered a position in India and will be leaving the day after Christmas, so unless she has another serious suitor by Christmas Eve, her father expects to announce her engagement to Douglas at their annual Christmas Eve Ball. But thanks to her Aunt Lillian, her problems are solved! Her Aunt hired an actor to pretend to be her suitor and he will court her until Christmas and then once Douglas has set sail, she will say he doesn’t suit and will be free to carry on with her life. To ensure that her father will accept the fake beau, they have decided to say he is the son of the very famous, very elusive, very dead (and very much admired by her father), Reginald Everheart. When Anabel informs Wesley of the part he is playing, he readily agrees, but refuses to be called Earnest Everheart, he will keep his own first name.

They enter the ball and dance and talk, Wesley knows he should tell her the truth, but he is smitten and doesn’t want to lose the opportunity to meet her father and talk about his chronometer. Anabel introduces him to her father and he tells him that he wants to marry Anabel, they plan to meet the next day. Wesley is satisfied that he will get to talk to Sir Archibald and decides to leave, but on his way out, he is stopped by Effie Higginbotham and detoured to the library with her friends Poppy and Gwen. Effie overheard him telling her friend Archie that he was Reginald’s son and Effie knows something is up, because she and her friends know for a fact that Reginald didn’t have any children – because they made him up!

When confronted, Wesley tells the truth and of Anabel’s dilemma, the trio of ladies are more than willing to help! What could possibly go wrong?

I absolutely loved this novella, it is well written, fast paced, funny and very sweet. So if you are looking for a quick, feel-good, love at first sight novella, look no further! This book is part of the Lady Travelers Society series, but it is more of a prequel than an actual series installment, it can easily be read as a stand-alone and out of order with no problems at all. I really enjoyed this sweet (kisses only) story and am happy to recommend it.

No Other Love by Candace Camp

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

No Other Love (Lost Heirs, #3)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Lost Heirs #3
Publication Date: 1/16/20 (re-release) July 24th, 2007 by Harlequin (first published 2001)
Number of Pages: 384

This author has been re-releasing some of her older titles – and gosh – I’m so glad she is. How else would I manage to find such gems that I had missed the first time around? This has been a delightful series – well written, well-plotted and the characters are fully developed and interesting. The overarching tale behind the individual stories is: During the French Revolution an English earl and his family were in France and were caught up in the mayhem and were murdered. The family was told that his three children were murdered as well – but that isn’t the case. A family friend rescued the children – two girls and a boy – and returned them to England. Except, they were maliciously intercepted so someone else could inherit the title that should have gone to the boy. The first two books showed the discovery of the two girls – A Stolen Heart and Promise Me Tomorrow. Now, we finally get to learn the fate of the young boy (Jack/Gil/John).

“The Gentleman” is the name given to a highwayman who preys on the local area – well – generally he preys on the assets of only one man – the Earl of Exmoor. The Gentleman detests the Earl and wants to bring him to ruination. Exmoor is a cold and ruthless man – even more cruel than most know – but The Gentleman (Jack Moore) knows.

Ten years ago Nicola Falcourt loved a stable boy – Gil Martin – with all her heart and soul. Yes, it was a huge mismatch between a Lady and a stable hand, but Nicola didn’t care. She had every intention of marrying him – until the Earl of Exmoor caused Gil’s death. The Earl wanted to marry Nicola himself. Now, she hates him with a passion and hasn’t stepped foot onto Exmoor’s land in ten years. She’s only returning now because her sister married Exmoor and she’s begged Nicola to come to stay with her through her pregnancy.

The carriage in which Nicola is riding is held up by a highwayman known as The Gentleman. When he kisses her, she responds – her whole body responds. How can that be? She’s had no interest in any man since Gil died – she still loves him and has remained faithful to his memory. How can this stranger awaken that part of her again?

Nicola and Jack end up spending time together when she helps to heal one of his men and they make discoveries – reawaken feelings – and find prejudices and obstacles that just cannot be overcome.

It is a lovely story of two people who find they have a second chance at love. I enjoyed seeing how they dealt with the unfolding events and managed to reclaim what they’d lost. I hope you’ll love it as much as I did.

One thing that puzzled me is the fact that ‘The Gentleman’ was called that because of his gentlemanly manners and speech. Yet – he was raised by a tavern wench and spoke like a common villager rather than the refined speech of a gentleman. I think we are supposed to understand that his friend Perry taught him manners and to speak properly, but it was never really spelled out. Maybe it was left on the cutting floor if the book was revamped/rewritten as part of the re-release process.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.