Friday, December 25, 2015

Three More Regency Christmas Tales

Happy holiday! Here are three regency Christmas romance sure to get you in the spirit of the season. I am confident you will find them as delightful as I did. Happy reading from Vikki's Musings!

Compromised for Christmas by Jane Charles


Publisher & Release Date: Night Shift Publishing, June 1, 2013

Time and setting: 1812, Paris

Genre: Historical Romance/Regency

Length:  92 pages

Heat Level: 2 Flames

Buy Link:


FREE

This is the first book that I have read by Ms. Charles, and I thoroughly enjoyed this interesting tale. I will definitely be reading books by her again. Compromised for Christmas is a moving story and pulled on my heart strings. I also listened to the audio version, which I purchased for $1.99 since I also downloaded the book for FREE!

Elizabeth Whitton receives a letter from her grandfather, the duke demanding her presence at Danby Castle for Christmas. Unfortunately, the letter is not in code, which is a big problem since she is a spy and living at Tuileries Palace as a servant. Knowing she can’t refuse the duke’s command puts her in a difficult position.

Since her family believes she is living in France with her fictitious husband, she goes to Jean Pierre with her dilemma. He is as concerned as she over the letter. When their mission becomes compromised, they have no choice but the flee for their lives.

Will this pair of spies, make out of France alive and arrive at Danby Castle in time for Christmas without giving into the overwhelming attraction between them?

This is a very fast paced story, and I became engaged in the tale from the first page. The characters are surprisingly well developed for such a short novella, and the plot is compelling. There is a great suspense scene early on in the story that almost had me biting my nails!

I do want to mention the narrator, Marian Hussey. She gives an excellent performance, reading with a great deal of emotion. She gives each character their own distinctive voice, making it easy to recognize who is speaking. I will definitely look for other recording by this talented narrator.

If you are looking for a Christmas story with plenty of action and a good romance along the way, then you will enjoy Compromised for Christmas. I know I did. Happy reading!

4 Gold Crowns

On a Cold Christmas Eve by Bethany Sefchick



Publisher & Release Date: Self-published, December 17, 2013

Time and setting: Regency England

Genre: Historical Romance/Regency

Length:  86 pages

Heat Level: 2 Flames

Buy Link:


FREE

I am so glad I found this excellent novella by Ms. Sefchick. This is a very well-written story with a delightful ending. On a Cold Christmas Eve is FREE on Amazon, and suggest you take advantage of this and download the book for your reading pleasure.

Lady Lucy Cavendish is left stranded at an inn by her uncle and has to make her own way to the Fairhaven estate on a bitterly cold night. When she collaspes in the arms of the Duke of Enright, he knows he has to right the wrong his half-brother has perpetrated against this innocent young woman.

Can this relationship starting out of obligation possibly bring true love to Lucy and Adam, or will her evil uncle keep them apart?

For a novella, the characters are extremely well developed and the plot is believable. Even though the romance happens very fast, I could easily see the love between this enchanting couple. I loved the sexual tension between Lucy and Adam. It simmers from their first encounter and only grows stronger as the story progresses.

If you enjoy and fast-paced tale with a good deal of suspense, then you will love On a Cold Christmas Eve as much as I did. Happy reading!

4.5 Gold Crowns

A Christmas Kiss by Jess Michaels


Publisher & Release Date: The Passionate Pen, September 14, 2015

Time and setting: Regency England

Genre: Historical Romance/Regency

Length:  44 pages

Heat Level: 2 Flames

Buy Link:


FREE 

I have been a fan of Jess Michaels for a couple of years, and find her books a delight to read. While searching for Christmas stories to read this year, I found A Christmas Kiss and the book description intrigued me. On top of that, it is also a FREE read on Amazon.

For such a short novella, the characters are well-defined and the story is realistic, and it is true to the Regency setting, my personal favorite read. I particularly enjoyed the fact that Ms. Michaels didn’t attempt to have a hero and heroine––who had never met before––fall in love in a matter of days. So many times that is the case in a novella particularly, and that just isn’t believable to me. While I do believe in immediate attraction at first sight, the love takes a bit longer.

Amelia, the Countess of Blackgrove is an enchanting character, and I liked her from the first page. As the story unfolds, I became enmeshed with her immediately, feeling her betrayal acutely. I love when that happens, and it’s a sign of a very talented author, which Ms. Michaels is without a doubt.

I didn’t expect to like Stephen, the earl’s character, but he shows so much remorse over his hurtful words, I truly enjoyed this hero. He sets out to woo his lady and does it brilliantly. His thoughtfulness touched my heart.

For me, this isn’t what I normally expect in a Christmas tale. Possibly if the days where he wooed her included a descriptive scene involving decorations, it would have fit my expectations better.

Nonetheless, A Christmas Kiss is very well-written and engaged me from beginning to end, and I absolutely loved the ending. If you enjoy reunion romances with plenty of spice, then you will enjoy this charming story. Happy reading!


4.5 Gold Crowns

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