Category: Novella

A Yuletide Kiss, an anthology by Sabrina Jeffries, Madeline Hunter & Mary Jo Putney

On By TracyIn Anthology, Christmas, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

A Yuletide KissA Yuletide Kiss by Madeline Hunter

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: N/A – Anthology

Release Date: September 28, 2021

This new Christmas anthology features three brand new connected novellas by three of the biggest names in Historical Romance. Each of these Regency-era novellas is set at the White Rose Inn where each couple has been stranded by a snowstorm just days before Christmas…

When We Finally Kiss Good Night by Sabrina Jeffries, 4 stars: Fans of the Duke Dynasty series will be thrilled to discover that playwright and friend of the Duke of Thornstock, Konrad Juncker is reunited with Vanessa’s friend Flora Younger, when they are both stranded on a way to the Duke of Armitage’s house party – a party that they didn’t know the other was attending. Years ago these two met in Bath and Flora believed that Konrad was courting her, but when he disappeared without even a goodbye, her heart was broken and her future took a dramatic change. Konrad regrets his actions in Bath, but he has secrets that even now prevent him from offering for Flora and he knows he should stay away from her, but he can’t seem to stop himself. This second chance romance is sweet, but a little slow-moving, however, the love scenes are on the warmer side and the ending is fabulous!

The Unexpected Gift by Madeline Hunter, 3 stars: Jenna Waverly, the owner of the White Rose Inn usually closes her establishment for the Christmas holiday, but this year her plans are drastically changed when a storm brings not only stranded travelers looking for shelter, but also brings an unconscious and very ill man to her door. Lucas Avonwood works for the Home Office, but his trip to the White Rose Inn has nothing to do with his work, this is personal. He was on his way to the inn to find the man who had an affair with his cousin and then stole a broach before disappearing when he took ill and fell off his horse. He awakes to find himself in the very inn he was planning to visit, being tended by a woman who may or may not be party to the scam against his cousin. While I did enjoy reading this novella, I thought of the three novellas in this collection, this story had the hardest job selling the romance, as it featured two strangers meeting and falling in love in literally a matter of days, and while that has been done in books before, for me, it didn’t feel genuine in this story.

When Strangers Meet by Mary Jo Putney, 4.5 stars: It has been 7 years since Kate Macleod has seen her husband, Daniel Faringdon, a husband she met, married, and parted with all on the same day, a man she never expected to see again. But apparently, fate has decided that she is not done with these two. Daniel has returned to England after years away to assume his newly inherited title of Baron Elland, and was just as surprised to see Kate as she was to see him, he wasn’t even aware their marriage in Bombay all those years ago was legal, but now that he does and has been reunited with his wife, he isn’t ready to let her go again. But keeping Kate won’t be easy, especially since she was in the process of having him declared dead so she could remarry! This was a fast-paced, nicely plotted novella with just a bit of kissing and a believable HEA.

*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.*

It Had to Be The Duke by Christi Caldwell

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

It Had to Be the Duke (All the Duke's Sins #0.5)It Had to Be the Duke by Christi Caldwell
Barbara’s rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: All The Duke’s Sins #0.5
Publication Date: 7/23/21
Period: Regency London
Number of Pages: 109
This author’s books are always well written and compelling and this one is no exception. All the Duke’s Sins will feature the stories of the illegitimate children of Geoffrey Meadows, the Duke of Bentley. Since this is a novella and the prequel to the series, it will be difficult to tell you much without telling you the entire story. However, I will tell you that I absolutely adored Geoffrey.

Lydia Mayweather and Geoffrey Meadows grew up together, played together, and fell head-over-heels, soul searingly in love with each other. They planned to marry and Geoffrey longed for the family they’d make. Then, suddenly, without warning, Lydia ended it all and married Geoffrey’s friend Lawrence Brandeis, the soon-to-be Earl of Chombley. After thirty-two years, they have their second chance at a HEA.

I really wish this novella had been just a tad longer because it just left me wanting more and it also made me sad. Yes, there was a HEA, but I was so very sad for Geoffrey and the life he had during those thirty-two years. Frankly, I didn’t feel nearly as much sympathy for Lydia – after all, she made the choice to end the relationship and marry someone else all to make the life of a selfish sister easier. I was supposed to ‘admire’ Chombley, but I couldn’t figure out why. He supposedly loved Lydia before they married – and he was supposed to be Geoffrey’s friend. If truly loved Lydia, he wouldn’t have married her knowing she loved someone else and was being forced into the choice. I was really, really tired of reading the phrase about her being happy in her marriage and coming to love her husband. Anyway, I would have preferred the novella to be a little longer to explain or justify or something, these things.

This was a good set-up for the series and shows you what happened in Geoffrey’s life and how he came to have illegitimate children. My heart still hurts for him and I hope we see a lot more of him in the subsequent books in the series.

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

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