A.S. Fenichel

This was a quick and enjoyable read. I liked the characters but wondered why in the world he would think she’d just instantly like/love him when he had treated her so miserably while they were growing up. He knew what was in his mind – but she didn’t. So, he was gobsmacked when he inherited the title and she left. Ha! Silly man!

Gwen grew up as the ward of the Duke of Stratham and she loved him as a father. She lost her father so young (5 years old maybe), that she never knew anything different. The Duke spoiled her and doted on her, but, for some reason, he never took her to London for a season.

Theo Dandridge, the new Duke of Stratham, was about ten years old when Gwen came into his life. She was a lost and lonely little thing and he comforted her. Then, boys being boys, he tormented her. Then, one day he heard his father (the duke’s brother) and the duke talking about Theo and Gwen marrying. Theo grossly overreacted and set about being nasty to Gwen and absenting himself from home.

When his uncle dies, Theo inherits the title but comes home to find that the only occupants are the servants. Well, that just won’t do – he has to find Gwen and bring her home! But, will she come?

I liked Theo’s quick acceptance of why he wants Gwen back under his roof and I admired his quick belief in her and his admiration of her skills and talents. But, convincing Gwen wouldn’t be easy.

Each had long admired the other but had kept it well hidden. Can they quit hiding behind that façade and acknowledge their true feelings to themselves and each other? Theo has a lot to make up for – can he do it?

I enjoyed this quick read and I hope you will as well. However, I will mention one thing to you. When I saw the title, I was expecting an actual Christmas-themed book with mistletoe, decorations, snow, and the whole works, so I was a tad disappointed. In actuality, this book is only very loosely related to Christmas in that it takes place during Christmas time. Still an enjoyable read though.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.… (meer)

What a shame to waste characters as interesting as these on a book with virtually no plot or narrative tension! While some may argue that all romances are preordained to have a HEA ending, there should at least be some significant doubt, some reason to believe things could turn out differently, in any good one. Here, we have nothing but repetitive conversations between hero and heroine about her disinterest in marrying and his wish that she would marry him. One grows weary of reading the same conversation over and over.

It is also an insult to the reader to not have had this book proofread and/or edited. Then we might have been spared being told one's leaving was "eminent" instead of "imminent," or watching someone "peak" into a room instead of "peek." I get that self-publishing is difficult, but surely an author could at least have a skilled friend do a close read? Very disappointing.… (meer)

This book tells the story of Mercy and Wesley. It is also the third in a series and I think for the book to be most enjoyed, it would be better to read the series in order. I did not do that and therefore had a very hard time getting into the story or understanding some of the beats. A lot of the premise is inbuilt in that we know some of their backstory already. The writing was also uneven in places and ultimately I did not care very much about the main couple getting their HEA which is the aim of a romance novel.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for the ARC… (meer)