Month: November 2023

Christmas in Cumbria Anthology by Various Authors

On By TracyIn Anthology, Christmas, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Movie / Story Retelling, Novella, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Scottish/Highlander, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Christmas in Cumbria: A Regency Romance CollectionChristmas in Cumbria: A Regency Romance Collection by Various Authors

Tracy’s rating (based on the two reviewed novellas): 5 of 5 stars

Series: Anthology with ties to each author’s ongoing series

Release Date: November 6, 2023

Let the Spirit of Christmas sweep you away! Christmas in Cumbria features THIRTEEN STORIES of love and romance from your favorite authors…

Let these glorious stories full of Christmas magic and true love—with more than a hint of steam— sweep you away to a time gone by. Indulge yourself free of guilt with this collection from USA Today and Amazon bestselling authors.

In my opinion, this collection is worth buying, not only is the price amazing, but even if you only read one or two of the selections included in the anthology you will be delighted and know that it was money well spent. I was lucky enough to receive ARCs from two of my favorite authors and would buy the book just for either one of their stories!

The Smuggler’s Christmas Rogue by Jane Charles, 4.5 stars – During her first season, Miss Sheena MacGregor met and fell in love with Camdyn Oaks, Earl of Irvine and heir to the Marquess Walsingham. She believed that he loved her too, but on the night he begs her to elope with him, her brothers and uncle arrive from Scotland as well as Camdyn’s father, and the ugly truth of how they met is revealed and just like that Sheena’s heart is broken. She immediately returns to Scotland determined to forget she ever laid eyes on Camdyn. But fate has other plans and a year and a half later, Sheena and her brother Ewan find themselves in need of shelter for the night and must to her dismay, end up at Oakley Park, the home of the Marquess Walsingham.

Camdyn Oaks, now Marquess Walsingham, is still in love with Sheena, though he tries to move on, he soon realizes that she is the only woman for him and sets out to win her back. Her family stands by her refusal to see him or even speak of him, but her uncle finally listens to Camdyn’s side and agrees to help him by letting him know when they go to Edinburgh and what events they will attend, but he will not force Sheena to talk to him. Happy for the chance to see her again, Camdyn returns to his estate to wait for word, but a few days before Christmas, Sheena and her brother arrive on his doorstep seeking shelter. Overjoyed by the unexpected opportunity to reconcile with Sheena, Camdyn welcomes them with open arms. But it is clear that Sheena wants nothing to do with him and plans to leave the next morning. But when help for his cause comes from an unlikely source, Camdyn will not waste a second of the limited time he has, because he knows that Sheena is his only chance for happily ever again and he won’t let her slip away a second time without a fight.

The was a very sweet second chance for romance between feuding families. Sheena was hurt deeply and unwilling to give Camdyn a chance to explain himself and refused to believe his claims of love, I understood her bitterness, but I felt that she held on to that bitterness a bit longer than necessary. Other than that small quibble, I really enjoyed this story and would happily recommend this novella. This story is included in the Christmas in Cumbria anthology and is part of the Scot to the Heart series with a connection to the Trents.

A Governess Should Never…Kiss at Christmastide, Emily Windsor, 5 stars -Once upon a time, Miss Charlotte Webster fell in love with her childhood friend Marcus Scarcliffe, the Duke of Shawdale, and when they danced together at the Christmas ball, she believed that he might return her feelings. But shortly thereafter, Marcus left for London and when he returned he was a changed man, gone was the kind, happy boy, and along with him any hope of a happily ever after. Things went downhill from there, with the death of her father and the realization that she was penniless, but still had to care for her ailing uncle and her childhood home. Working as a governess, she barely keeps her head above water and when she learns that Marcus is in need of a governess for his ward, she jumps at the chance to be close to her home and if she is honest, to him. But when she learns that he doesn’t plan to be home for Christmas, she issues a challenge to him, if he still wants to go on his business trip after attending three Christmastide events with her, she will work for free until he finds a finishing school for Dinah, but if she wins he will employ her until Dinah’s debut and pay to fix her roof. It is a bet she plans to win!

Unbeknownst to Charlotte there is a very good reason for the drastic change in Marcus, but even he can’t deny the feelings that seeing Charlotte again stirs in him. So against his better judgment, he accepts her challenge, fully intending to win. But somewhere between dancing at a Christmas ball, a winter wedding, long walks in the countryside, a very unpleasant dinner party, and some sage advice from a stranger, Marcus realizes that life is short and that love is more important than making money. But will Charlotte still have him when she learns the truth or will his past cost him the love of his life?

OMG, I loved this story and although it is a novella, it is a full story, never feeling rushed or skimpy. Written as a loose retelling of Dicken’s Christmas Carol, this story is a lovely second-chance, friends-to-lover romance. I loved Charlotte and Marcus, their chemistry is undeniable and their interactions are delightfully witty and charming. The secondary characters, especially Dinah are wonderful and I loved the cameo of William Wordsworth! This story is included in the Christmas in Cumbria anthology and is loosely tied to The Governess Chronicles series.

I would highly recommend the anthology just for these two stories alone, but knowing that there are 11 more stories by well-known authors: Tammy Andresen, Sadie Bosque, Chasity Bowlin, Collette Cameron, Adele Clee, Christine Donovan, Amanda Mariel, Nadine Millard, Emily Royal, Tabetha Waite and Elizabeth Ellen Carter in the book makes me say that is a must-buy!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

The Proof of the Pudding by Rhys Bowen

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, George V - 1910- 1936, Historical Mystery, Interwar Period (Nov 1918 - Sep 1939), Part of a SeriesLeave a comment

The Proof of the Pudding (Her Royal Spyness #17)

Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Series: Her Royal Spyness #17
Publication Date: 11/7/23
Period: 1936 -Interwar England
Number of Pages: 304

The books in this series are always delightfully entertaining, filled with eccentric, unique, and unforgettable characters, and there is always a head-scratching mystery to go along with all of that. This time around, we even have a character who seems perfect for a book that is released so close to Halloween! We do, of course, have some wonderful cameo appearances by famous people of the time – such as author Agatha Christie and film star Laurence Olivier.

Georgie may be the great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria and the 35th in line to the throne, but she and her dashing husband Darcy are poor as church mice. With their first child due within a few weeks, they are confined to Eynsleigh, the estate on which they live. They are immensely grateful to Sir Hubert, Georgie’s Godfather, who has requested they live at Eynsleigh and see to its care – and part of that care is to see to its staffing, mainly acquiring a chef who can cook for gatherings. That chef – a FRENCH chef – is on his way and they cannot wait for a decent meal.

The trouble all began when Sir Hubert wanted to have a dinner party to show off Chef Pierre’s skills. And goodness, did he have some skills! Attending the dinner party was the gothic author Sir Mordred Mortimer, a long, thin man with long silver hair. Sir Mortimer loved the meal and wanted to borrow Chef Pierre to cook for a charity dinner he was hosting. Yep – dark, dreary home – a host who could be Dracula – and a poison garden – what could go wrong there?

After the charity dinner, several people sickened – and one died. The police – and everyone else – blame Chef Pierre. He is an easy target – especially since he speaks very little English, but Georgie is determined to prove him innocent. So, if not the chef – who? More importantly, how and why?

You’ll love Darcy and Georgie working against the clock to identify the murderer and the method while constantly dealing with unwanted family and guests arriving to witness the impending birth. Yes, for Georgie, the birthing process will be a rest!

I loved this book! It is witty and entertaining and still delivers a first-class mystery. If you have read previous books, you will be familiar with many of the characters and if you haven’t read previous books, it doesn’t matter because you can pick right up with the characters and story. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.

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

View all my reviews