Flippin' Pages Book Reviews

The Viscount’s Christmas Storm by Jane Charles

Series: Spirited Storms #7 (Previously Published in Kindling the Flame Anthology)

Release Date: July 21, 2026

Lady Deborah Storm fell in love with her brother Peter’s best friend, Percy Grey, Viscount Shrewsbury when she was only fourteen years old, but she knew he only thought of her as Peter’s little sister. But things changed shortly after her debut, and they shared a kiss that convinced her they were meant to be and Percy spoke of courting and more. Yet instead of asking her brother for permission to court her, he left the estate without a word and made no attempt to speak to her. She was heartbroken and vowed to forget him. Now a year and a half later, she is spending Christmas with her sister and Percy is also a guest and seems to rekindle their friendship. Can Deborah risk her heart again?

Percy fell head over heels in love with Deborah and wanted to marry her, but after Peter caught him kissing her, he was beaten and warned to stay away from her. He tried to speak to her older brother, Benjamin, the Earl of Kenley but was refused an interview and told he was no longer welcome at the Kenley estates. He bided his time and tried again when the season started, but was warned away by not only her mother, but her great-uncle, the Duke of Danby, defeated he stayed away from her. But he didn’t give up, he vowed to himself to pursue her regardless of what her family thought. His plan was to wait until the season began but was invited to her sister’s estate for Christmas and learned that Deborah was to be attending. This time he won’t go quietly, but his work will be cut out for him because before he can woo his love, he has to gain her forgiveness.

I love the Storm family, and Deborah’s story was every bit as enjoyable as her siblings happily ever afters. This was a novella, but it had the depth of a novel, and the author did a great job of pacing the story as well as supplying their backstory, so the story didn’t feel rushed or weak. I did think the truth of what happened did seem to take a lot longer to come out than it should have, but overall, it was a sweet second-chance romance with wonderful characters finding their HEA. This is the seventh book in the series and was originally published in the “Kindling the Flame” anthology and could easily be read as a standalone title.

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

Barbara’s rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Series: Tate and Bell Mystery #8
Publication Date: 7/28/26
Period: Victorian
Number of Pages: 274

The prologue opens with a worried dairy farmer setting out on his usual pre-dawn walk through the bitter cold and thick, fog-shrouded countryside. He has always enjoyed these early morning walks—at least he did until this one led him up Devil’s Ridge, where he discovered the mutilated body of a young child lying atop the ancient stone at its summit.

Gemma and Sebastian are enjoying a visit with Sebastian’s brother, Simian, and his family at the Bell farm in Suffolk when a loud, insistent knock interrupts their morning. Peter, the dairy farmer who found the body, begs Sebastian to accompany him to Devil’s Ridge because, as an investigator, Sebastian would surely know how to proceed.

The murdered child’s father, Viscount Augustus Ravenel, arrives determined that Sebastian will investigate his son’s death. Faced with such a heartbreaking request, Sebastian has little choice but to accept.

As the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that nearly everyone in the household is hiding secrets. The challenge lies in uncovering which of those secrets could possibly provide a motive for the brutal murder of an innocent seven-year-old child. Fortunately, Gemma and Sebastian each possess their own unique talents for wringing out the truth. As they draw closer to solving the mystery, the danger escalates, and they soon find themselves in peril as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest installment in the Tate and Bell series, from its atmospheric opening to its shocking conclusion. The mystery is exceptionally well crafted and kept me guessing until the very end. In fact, I was completely surprised by the killer’s identity. Every time I thought I had solved the case, another twist sent me in an entirely different direction.

As much as I enjoy the mysteries, it is the characters who keep me coming back for each new book. Gemma and Sebastian are wonderfully developed protagonists who have found love despite the tragedies they have both endured. I’d love to invite them over for dinner just to hear about all of their adventures—but since that’s impossible, I’ll simply have to impatiently await their next book.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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