CHRISTMAS EVE PROPOSAL by Carla Kelly
Christmas gets more interesting when sailing master Ben
Muir takes lodgings with Mandy Mathison! Because when her scandalous past is
revealed, only he can save her future...
I love Carla Kelly's stories. It's great to read about
the "real" people once in awhile, and hers are always so well done.
In this one, Ben Muir, sailing master, has arrived in Venable to tutor a
midshipman from his ship. The young man is the son of a nobleman, spoiled and
lazy, and Ben is not looking forward to it at all. Things get a little brighter for him when he
enters Mandy's Tearoom for a meal and an inquiry about lodging. Mandy and her
Aunt Sal offer him a room in their home, and he's floored by Mandy's sweet and
kind nature.
Mandy is sweet and charming and quite lovely, especially
to Ben's lonely eyes. She's fascinated by his stories, and quite taken by his
gentlemanly ways. Ben finds himself more interested in spending his free time
with her than in the peaceful pursuits he'd had planned. I loved how she looked
after him and worried about him.
I loved seeing the two of them grow closer, quite
obviously falling in love. But Ben is certain that Mandy would not care to be
married to a man who is gone so much and always in danger. Then Ben learns something that could change
Mandy's life. What happens next is heartbreaking and heartwarming. The actions
of the local lord are cruel, and I loved seeing Mandy stand up to him. I felt
badly for Ben, who feels responsible for it all. He's afraid to declare his
feelings for Mandy, and instead leaves to visit his father in Scotland. The
consequences of Mandy's defiance come home to roost, and their future looks
bleak indeed. I liked the solution the vicar came up with. Meanwhile, Ben's
visit home isn't what he expected, with an unexpected twist that sends him
rushing back to Venable. I loved what happened when he arrived, as he found his
courage, with a little bit of a boost from Mandy herself. I'd love a glimpse of
their future, a few years down the road.
THE VISCOUNT'S CHRISTMAS KISS by Georgie Lee
Lily Rutherford is shocked to learn the man who snubbed
her years before will be staying for Christmas. Can she forgive the viscount in
time for a stolen kiss under the mistletoe?
Good story of second chances. Four years earlier, Lily
and Gregor had met at a London ball. They were both young and somewhat unsure
of themselves. Gregor, as the second son, was due to leave for military
service. He also suffers from being the unwanted son, his older brother being
the heir and chosen one. Desperate for his father's approval, Gregor treats
Lily badly after an unfortunate occurrence at the ball. Taking their cue from
him, other people followed suit, making Lily's life miserable. Hurt, angry and
ashamed, Lily returned to their country home and hasn't been back to London
since then.
Now Gregor, a good friend of Lily's brother, has been
invited to spend Christmas with the Rutherford family. Since that ball, Gregor
has experienced the horrors of war, been injured, and lost both his father and
older brother. He has never forgotten
Lily, nor been able to stop feeling guilty over the way he treated her. All he
can do is hope that she will allow him to apologize. Lily is horrified to find
out that Gregor will be with them for the holidays. She's quite certain he
hasn't changed, and is sure that he will look down on their family even more.
Their initial meeting doesn't go that well, as the
typical household chaos once again puts Lily at a disadvantage. She's surprised
by Gregor's more relaxed attitude, but doesn't really trust him. I was a bit
irritated with her, as I thought she was a bit hypocritical. She is so sure
that Gregor will look down on her family, but her attitude toward them is
terrible. I thought she spent too much time on the things she didn't like about
them, totally ignoring the fact that there is a great deal of love in the midst
of the chaos. I really liked Gregor's determination to apologize. He also realized
that he is just as intrigued by her now as he had been previously.
I liked the development of their relationship. Gregor
realizes that he wants to keep Lily in his life, but isn't sure that she will
ever be able to see him as the man he is now. I liked seeing the way that he
was able to tell her about his experience in the war and how it has changed
him. I had high hopes that she was going to be able to let go of her grudge and
open her heart to him. But an overheard conversation between her older sisters
sends her back to believing the worst of him. She says some unkind things to
him because of it. I liked seeing him stand up for himself, and point out a few
of her own issues. I felt bad for him, as he now believes that there is no
chance for a future between them.
I loved seeing her crazy aunt show Lily that she'd been
wrong. Now Lily must decide if she has the courage to make her own apologies
and go after what she really wants. I loved her big moment at the Christmas
ball, and seeing how history tried to repeat itself, but with a very different
result.
WALLFLOWER, WIDOW...WIFE! by Ann Lethbridge
Penniless widow Cassandra Norton faces Christmas on the
run with her two stepdaughters, until Adam Royston sweeps her off her feet and
into his country estate!
Good story about two people whose past experiences with
marriage have left them with no desire to try it again. Cassie is a young woman who, for the time, is
rather tall. This makes it difficult to find a husband and she ends up as the
third wife to an old man. He married her for her connections and when things
didn't go the way he wanted, he treated her badly. The only bright spot was her
two young stepdaughters. When her husband died, her nasty stepson made her life
miserable, until she took the two girls and left, making a new life far away.
Adam married young and loved his wife. But both were
rather immature, which led to some bad decisions on both their parts. Adam's
wife and unborn child were killed in an accident for which he blames himself.
Now he spends his time as estate manager for his father and doing what he can
to avoid being trapped into another marriage. He is currently assessing the
property for sale.
In a meeting engineered by Cassie's stepdaughters, Adam
is surprised by his immediate attraction to Cassie. Ever cautious about the
intentions of unmarried women, he deliberately misleads her about who he is.
Though he knows he should keep his distance, he finds both Cassie and her girls
irresistible, and joins them on their hunt for greenery. Cassie is disturbed by
the way Adam makes her feel. It's nothing like she's experienced before.
I liked seeing their relationship develop. Adam has held
himself apart for so long, allowing the guilt he feels to stop him from moving
on. Suddenly, Cassie and her girls have him thinking of everything he has missed.
Part of him wants to keep her close, but another believes that he doesn't
deserve it. I really liked seeing him lose himself in the enjoyment of just
being with them. Cassie is just as attracted to Adam, but with her secret hanging
over her, knows there is no chance of anything coming of it.
There's trouble when Cassie's stepson appears, trying to
get them to come home. Cassie is suspicious of his motives. Her refusal causes
him to make threats that mean if she wants to keep the girls safe, they are
going to have to run again. His threats turn to actions that put them in
danger, though luckily Adam is there to rescue them. I loved his need to care
for them. The danger of what happened brings out the passion in both, and I
loved seeing them finally give in to the heat between them. It wasn't all just
physical, as Adam learns the truth of what had happened. When Herbert appears
again, Adam is shocked to learn of Cassie's identity, but not nearly as stunned
as Cassie when she finds out his. But
best of all was seeing Adam deal with Herbert, then take his courage in hand
and go after his future. The last chapter was a lovely wrapup.
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