A
Christmas Reunion by Susanna Fraser
Gabriel Shepherd has
never forgotten his humble origins. So when he discovers a war orphan at
Christmastime, he resolves to find a home for her—even if that means asking
help from the very family who found and raised him, only to cast him out for
daring to love the wrong woman.
Lady
Catherine Trevilan has spent five years poring over the British Army's casualty
list, dreading the day she sees Gabe's name. She's never forgotten him, and
she's never forgiven herself for not running away with him when she had the
chance, though she's agreed to a marriage of convenience with a more suitable
man.
When Gabe
returns home on Christmas leave just days before Cat's wedding, a forbidden
kiss confirms their feelings haven't been dimmed by distance or time. But Cat
is honor-bound to another, and Gabe believes she deserves better than a
penniless soldier with an orphan in tow. How can Cat reconcile love and duty?
She must convince Gabe she'd rather have him than the richest lord in all of
England…
Publisher
and Release Date: Carina Press November, 24, 2014
Time & Setting: Regency, England 1810
Heat Level: 1.5
Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns
Review by Vikki
I received this novella from Net Galley for an honest review,
and I’m so glad I had the privilege of reading this delightful Christmas tale.
Susanna Fraser has a graceful, flowing writing style that engaged me from the
first page and kept me in its thrall to the last. She has penned a heart-warming
second chance at love story. This story has an incredible twist near the end
that I never saw coming. Since the book blurb does an excellent job of
conveying the gist of the story, I have chosen to refrain from doing a recap.
Ms. Fraser sets up her scene with expertise, painting a clear
picture of the regency period with verbiage appropriate for the time and
setting. She tells an enchanting tale of lovers separated by Lady Catherine’s
guardian with delicacy and emotion. The lovers are extremely young. She is only
eighteen and Gabriel is twenty when a kiss shared under the mistletoe turns
passionate beyond what the two lovers are ready for.
When they meet again, their attraction for each other is
immediate and as strong as it was five years before. The author does a superb
job of building sexual tension with barely a kiss. The passion between Cat and
Gabe crackles on the page every time they are in the same room.
Now for why I could not give this sweet Christmas story full
crowns. Since the story is short, only 29,000 words, the author is not able to
fully flesh out her characters, and plot is a tad underdeveloped. With just a
bit more time I’m positive she would have accomplished this.
If you are looking for a Christmas story to warm your heart
and get you in the holiday spirit, this is one that you will not want to miss.
Happy reading!
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