Category: Novella

Earl of Charm by Maggie Dallen

On By BarbaraIn Author Collaboration Series, Barb's Reviews, Georgian Era (1714-1837), NovellaLeave a comment

Earl of Charm (Wicked Earls' Club)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Wicked Earl’s Club #17
Publication Date: 10/22/19
Number of Pages: 98

This was a lovely sweet addition to the Wicked Earl’s Club – Christmas edition. It was well-written and the story was lovely and uplifting. I loved the characters and can’t wait to read more about them in the spinoff series – The School of Charm. It was also lovely to have a brief visit with a former Wicked Earl, the Earl of Davenport, and his lovely wife.

Alexander (Alex) Gordon admired his older brother, Frederick, – well adored is more like it. Alex thought that his father was a wonderful earl and that Frederick was even better. Frederick was handsome, charming, full of vitality, wise – all of the things that made up an excellent earl. There is no way shy, studious, tongue-tied, quiet, honest, and brusque Alex can ever hope to fill his shoes. Except, that is exactly what has to happen thanks to Frederick’s tragic death in a hunting accident. While the former Earl’s of Charmain took delight in being called the Earl of Charm, Alex knew it would devolve into a derisive term during his tenure because charming is one thing he definitely was not.

Lady Clara Lovelace is the daughter of a disgraced line. None of it is her fault, her father the Marquess of Tarlow, had bankrupted the estate and then killed himself leaving Clara and her sister Edith with nothing and totally dependent on the charity of family members. She is now the companion of Gertrude Trumbolt, Dowager Duchess of Redmayne – also affectionately known as Aunt Gertie to Alex and his sister.

As Christmas nears, Clara and Aunt Gertie visit with Alex and his sister. Clara is charming and lovely and she quickly agrees to help Alex become more charming. Her best advice is for him to actually listen to the speaker rather than thinking of what his next comment should be – or even worse – instead of woolgathering. As they work together, he is more and more smitten and so is she, but they can never be. Because of her family scandal, she would only bring his family down, and he is expected to fulfill his brother’s obligation to his fiancée.

Will they get a Christmas miracle? Will his brother’s fiancée insist on marriage between herself and Alex? You’ll just have to read this delightful tale to find out for yourself.

A Mackenzie Clan Christmas by Jennifer Ashley

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

A Mackenzie Clan Christmas: A Mackenzie Yuletide/A Mackenzie Clan Gathering (Mackenzies & McBrides, #8.5 & 11.5)A Mackenzie Clan Christmas: A Mackenzie Yuletide/A Mackenzie Clan Gathering by Jennifer Ashley

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series:Mackenzies & McBrides, #8.5 & 11.5

Release Date: October 29, 2019

This anthology has two Mackenzie Family Novellas – A MacKenzie Yuletide (an all new MacKenzie Family novella) & A Mackenzie Clan Gathering (released in 2016 and is a XL novella

A Mackenzie Yuletide:

As usual, the MacKenzies descend on Kilmorgan Castle to celebrate the Yuletide season and Hogmanay. Mac is up in his studio painting when a noise disturbs his concentration, he goes to investigate and finds a ghost! But as he approaches her, she disappears, unconcerned, Mac goes to bed and mentions it to the family at breakfast. Some of the children, decide to build a ghost trap – no sure if the ghost is in fact a ghost or if it is another break in attempt.

Uninterested in ghosts, Ian is consumed with tracking down a necklace that he wants to give to Beth for Hogmanay, but the trail he followed has hit a wall and he calls in his half-brother Lloyd Fellows, a chief supervisor at Scotland Yard to help him.

Ian’s son Jamie is also trying to find the necklace in hopes of impressing his father. He gets his cousin Gavina and his father’s valet Curry to help him. Jamie and Gavina are pulled into the ghost hunt when Jamie sees the ghost after Gavina breaks in to Ian’s study.
With mysteries to solve and all the MacKenzies in attendance, this will turn out to be a very interesting and exciting Yuletide!!

I loved this novella, it was entertaining, well written, interesting and a lot of fun. Catching up with all the MacKenzies and seeing their children growing up was heartwarming and satisfying. And as always, I loved reading about Ian and Beth, they truly are one of my all-time favorite fictional couples and I never get tired of reading about them. This was a really wonderful read and while it is set at Christmastime, I didn’t really consider it a “holiday” read.

The Mackenzie Clan Gathering

This very long novella is the second book in this collection and it was released in 2016, the blurb reads as follows:

Ian Mackenzie is awakened at Kilmorgan Castle one night to find robbers stealing the priceless art collection of his oldest brother, Hart. Since Ian and Beth are the only ones in resident at Kilmorgan at the moment, Ian decides he must find the art and the culprits before the family shows up for Hart’s birthday gathering. With Inspector Fellows and Beth, he investigates, though Ian is somewhat worried by Beth’s late husband’s brother, a retired missionary, who decides to visit. Does John Ackerley hold the “cure” to Ian’s madness? And can Ian discover what has happened to Hart’s treasures, and who is targeting the Mackenzies before the enemy strikes again?

Return to Kilmorgan Castle to visit the Victorian branch of the Mackenzie family, and catch up on the brothers and friends, their children, and their lives.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

View all my reviews