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Showing posts with label Christmas Romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas Romance. Show all posts

Thursday, December 8, 2016

[Review]* Christmas in Mustang Creek (The Brides of Bliss County #4) by Linda Lael Miller




Christmas in Mustang Creek (The Brides of Bliss County, #4)

Summary:

True love gets a second chance this Christmas in Mustang Creek.

Growing up in Mustang Creek, Wyoming, Charlotte Morgan couldn't wait to escape to the big city. But with a job she doesn't love and a sense of loneliness she can't shake, life in New York is less fabulous than she'd like to admit—especially now that veterinarian Jaxon Locke has left town. 

Jax's move to Idaho to fill in at his dad's practice ended things with Charlotte just as they were getting interesting. But he didn't expect to miss her so much. So when Charlotte returns home to help care for the great-aunt who raised her, Jax is determined to get to Wyoming and do whatever it takes to win her back…and he'll start by giving her the most magical Mustang Creek Christmas of all. 
Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 267 pages (Hardcover)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Brides of Bliss County
Available Formats: Print/E-book/E-Audiobook/Audiobook CD
Publication Date: September 29th 2015 by HQN Books
Add to Goodreads


I finally did it, last week after years of seeing people reviewing Linda Lael Miller's books I finally decided to bite the bullet after this one strayed across my path at the library a while back. I wasn't sure how Christmas at Mustang Creek would read since it is the fourth book in the Brides of Bliss County series but I was worried for nothing.

This was a quick and easy holiday read and one that I really needed. I'd read a pretty heavy sort of book and this was just the right amount of lightening up and it fit in perfectly with the season. I really enjoyed the small town feel of this book but I do wish it had been highlighted more because while I enjoyed the glimpses, they were all too brief and I found myself wanting to get to know they other characters in the town more.

I liked Charlotte and Jaxon together more than as individual characters, well that's not true. I like Charlotte better when she was with Jax as a couple because on her own she wasn't the most likable heroine for me. There was far too much inner dialogue on her end and her "rationale" to find reasons not to do things got annoying after while but I will say I loved how she took care of her elderly aunt, she loved her so much and that really came through and in the end when Charlotte opened up more I did come to like her.

Jaxon was a great hero all on his own. He's a vet, a country boy and he is completely head over heals in love with Charlotte, Mustang Creek and all the residents. He was such a sweetheart and he had no problem being henpecked by the women and being at their beck and call. In fact he seemed to really enjoy having women to take care of and I loved it. He was such a good guy and the way he delt with all the townsfolk was wonderful I'm glad he balanced out Charlotte.

Mrs. Klozz though was the true star of the book, with her baked goods, feasts fit for a king, a welcoming embrace, advice and some good old fashioned old lady meddling I couldn't not love her, She had a delightful sense of humour and she was such a lovely character she really made tied the whole book together and she embodied the feeling of Christmas for me.

This is one that was on the sweeter side of the romance scale and didn't delve into the intimate details much though there was a certain amount of sexual tension and and the odd innuendo but nothing you wouldn't be shocked by. It had all the fixins' of a holiday love story and while I did think Charlotte needed more character development and I wish we'd gotten to know more of the folks in the town.
I'm glad these two characters got their happily ever after.

I would definitely recommend this book to all fans of holiday romances. If you're a fan of Debbie Macomber's Call Me Mrs. Miracle books Mrs. Klozz is sure to remind you of them. Check this one out if you're looking for a quick and sweet read to snuggle up with for the evening. I can't wait to read more of this series and enjoyed my experience reading Linda Lael Miller's work for the first time.

Really Liked It
★ 1/2

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Wednesday, December 7, 2016

[Blog Tour: Author Interview & Giveaway]* Fa-La-Llama-La by Stephanie Dag



Summary:

It's very nearly Christmas and, temporarily jobless and homeless, Noelle is back at home with her parents. However, a phone call from her cousin Joe, who runs a house-and-pet-sitting service, saves her from a festive season of Whist, boredom and overindulging. So Noelle is off to France to mind a dozen South American mammals. She arrives amidst a blizzard and quickly discovers that something is definitely wrong at the farm. The animals are there all right, but pretty much nothing else, no power, no furniture and, disastrously, no fee. Add to that a short-tempered intruder in the middle of the night, a premature delivery, long-lost relatives and participation in a living crèche, and this is shaping up to be a noel that Noelle will never forget. Fa-La-Llama-La is a feel-good, festive and fun romcom with a resourceful heroine, a hero who's a bit of a handful and some right woolly charmers.
Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 165 pages (Kindle)
Publication Date:  October 15th 2016


AUTHOR INTERVIEW


Welcome to Turning the Pages Stephanie, I'm happy to have you on the blog! Now lets get to some fun questions shall we?

1. How did you come up with the title for Fa-la-Llama-la?

‘Deck the Halls’ is one of my favourite Christmas carols, and the ‘Fa-la-la-la-la’ refrain changes easily to Fa-la-llama-la. I’ve been known to sing that to my llamas. The title is also a bit of a one-person rebellion! There are already loads of seasonal books out there with ‘Little’ and ‘Christmas’ in their titles. I could have jumped on the bandwagon and gone with ‘The Little French Llama Farm at Christmas’ but a) that’s far too long and b) I always prefer to be different!

2. Who was your biggest supporter during the writing process?

None of the llamas, I’m afraid to say. They weren’t impressed at all! Husband Chris is my greatest supporter and is always encouraging me to keep writing when, like all authors, the self-doubt creeps in. And I like to think the children are secretly a tiny bit proud of me. Maybe!

3. Do you use friends and family member as sound boards for ideas?

Not really. I tend to work away on my own and do a big reveal when I’ve written the last word. However, I do eavesdrop and people-watch and that can provide wonderful material for novels.

4. Do you have anything else in the works, if so can you tell us about it?

Yes, I’m close to finishing my cozy mystery, ‘Hens, Haircuts and Homicide’. This is the first in a series of three or four novels featuring Holly, a hairdresser, who inherits her cantankerous gran’s cottage in France. In the series there will be assorted poultry in cameo roles, crimes to solve and two handsome cousins, one a gendarme (policeman) and the other a farmer, vying for Holly’s heart. I’m having a great time writing the novel and I think it will make for fun reading, with plenty to chuckle about.
I’m also writing the sequel to ‘Heads Above Water’, which was the memoir of our first couple of extremely eventful years here in France. Renovating two hovels, starting a business, becoming a llama farmer and dealing with exploding toilets does make for an interesting life. The new book, ‘Total Immersion’, takes up where ‘Heads Above Water’ left off, as life continues to throw challenges and the unexpected at us. Never a dull moment.

5. What are your top three favourite holiday movies?

The Muppet’s Christmas Carol, Arthur Christmas and Love, Actually.

6. Do you like a white Christmas or one without snow?

Oh, a white one, please. We get long, cold, grey winters on the whole here in central France. There’s usually enough to snow us in for a few days, the record being ten
days our first winter here, but it tends to come in January. We had one white Christmas several years ago and spent the whole morning following animals tracks in our fields.

7. What inspired you to write your book?

Loving Christmas and owning llamas! I’ve started several Christmas novels but not finished them. This time I was determined to stick it out. And llamas are a bit unusual and also very characterful so I decided they’d be great to include. Over ten years of owning them, and running a llama trekking business for a while, I’ve accumulated a lot of experiences to weave into a novel.

Image result for kaya scodelarioImage result8. If you could cast your characters in a movie or television show who would you cast and why?

Callan Mulvey as Nick, and Kaya Scodelario as Noelle. My llamas will play themselves!



9. What is your favourite Christmas tradition? Food? Song?

I love carols so we usually go to a carol service in the run up to Christmas. We have all the usuals food-wise for Christmas – mince pies, turkey (home grown), Christmas pudding and Christmas cake, and too many chocolates. We go for a family walk on Christmas Eve, although this year we’ll be one member short as my daughter is in Australia until next autumn. I guess it’s mainly the family togetherness that I like the most.

10. How have you found navigating the world of book bloggers, publishers and social media? Do you have any advice for new authors?

I’ve worked in publishing for thirty years, first as an in-house editor and then as a freelance, so I’m fairly au fait with the world of publishing. Most of my books have been traditionally published (I’ve authored 30+ children’s books that were published by presses in Ireland, where I lived for fourteen years). They’ve been translated into five languages. These days I tend to self-publish.
Book bloggers are wonderful and a total godsend for indie authors, who can struggle to get their book noticed. Thanks to these generous bloggers and their voracious appetite for books and their amazing enthusiasm in spreading the word, self-published writers can reach an audience. Readers can discover hidden gems they’d otherwise miss.
I’m not too bad with social media. I was the first in the family to get onto Facebook, and onto Twitter, but that’s it. I’ve toyed with Pinterest and Instagram, but that’s all. I suspect I’m simply failing to see their full potential. Maybe I’ll have another go with them at some point. I’ve blogged at www.bloginfrance.com pretty much since we moved to France in 2006, and I run a book blog myself at www.booksarecool.com.
Advice to new authors: build an author platform, be persistent, be as professional as you can when you publish (i.e. use an editor and be sure to produce a classy cover), and most of all, keep writing.

11. If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice about writing your book, what would it be?

Publish it earlier than mid-October. I should have had it out early September, but I suddenly decided to rewrite the ending. I’m glad I did, but it made me run rather late with getting publicity going.

12. If you could tell your readers one thing about you that not many people know what would it be?

That I swam competitively until I was thirty-seven and have broken my nose twice in high-speed collisions with pool ends!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


 Hi, I'm Stephanie Dagg. I'm an English expat living in France, having moved here with my family in 2006 after fourteen years as an expat in Ireland. I now consider myself a European rather than belonging to any particular country. The last ten years have been interesting, to put it mildly. Taking on seventy-five acres with three lakes, two hovels and one cathedral-sized barn, not to mention an ever increasing menagerie, makes for exciting times. The current array of animals includes alpacas, llamas, huarizos (alpaca-llama crossbreds, unintended in our case and all of them thanks to one very determined alpaca male), sheep, goats, pigs, ducks, geese, chickens and turkeys, not forgetting our pets of dogs, cats, zebra finches, budgies and Chinese quail. Before we came to France we had was a dog and two chickens, so it's been a steep learning curve. I'm married to Chris and we have three bilingual TCKs (third culture kids) who are resilient and resourceful and generally wonderful. I'm a traditionally-published author of many children's books, and and am now self-publishing too. I have worked part-time as a freelance editor for many years after starting out as a desk editor for Hodder & Stoughton. The rest of the time I'm running carp fishing lakes with Chris and inevitably cleaning up some or other animal's poop. Visit her website. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter 


  BUY THE BOOK:

***

You can enter the global giveaway here or on any other book blogs participating in this tour. Be sure to follow each participant on Twitter/Facebook, they are listed in the entry form below.

ENTER HERE

Visit each blogger on the tour: tweeting about the giveaway everyday of the Tour will give you 5 extra entries each time! [just follow the directions on the entry-form] Global giveaway - international: 1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card

***

CLICK ON THE BANNER TO READ REVIEWS AND AN EXCERPT



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Monday, November 28, 2016

[Cover Reveal]* One More Christmas by A.M. Willard




onemorechristmasebookSummary:
One More Christmas - One Night Series Holiday Edition

In this companion to the One Night Series, we invite you to join Angela and Logan Black for a Tropical Christmas. This special holiday edition will get the heat turned up a few degrees, and we aren't just talking about the Island's sun. It might just get hot enough to melt the snow all the way back home in New York. Leaving the frigid winter weather and their hectic lives behind, Logan and Angela head to the Islands to celebrate Christmas with their son Graham. What do you give the man who has everything? Something money can't buy... Family. Love. Memories. Special guest appearances from Tabitha and Carter, because what's a Christmas without your favorite glitter girl?
Cover Design: MadHat Books
Release Date: December 7, 2016
one-more-christmas-teaser2

one-more-christmas-teaser

About the Author:

International Bestselling Author, A.M. Willard resides in Savannah, Georgia. She joined the Peach State many years ago after leaving the crystal blue waters and sugary white sand behind from the Panhandle of Florida. She's also known for being a wife, mother, and caretaker for her farm animals. A.M. loves anything sassy, glittery, and is a sucker for the Hallmark Channel. That last one might be the reason she believes in soulmates or it could be because she married her high school sweetheart almost twenty years ago.

Connect with A.M. Willard

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Saturday, November 12, 2016

[Review]* Bring Me Home for Christmas (Virgin River #14) by Robyn Carr



Bring Me Home for Christmas

Summary:

 Welcome back to VIRGIN RIVER with the books that started it all… 


This year, Becca Timm knows the number one item on her Christmas wish list—getting over Denny Cutler. Three years ago Denny broke her heart before heading off to war. It's time she got over her silly college relationship and moved on. 

So she takes matters into her own hands and heads up to Virgin River, the rugged little mountain town that Denny calls home, as an uninvited guest on her brother's men-only hunting weekend. But when an accident turns her impromptu visit into an extended stay, Becca finds herself stranded in Virgin River. With Denny. In very close quarters. 

As the power of Christmas envelops the little town, Becca discovers that the boy she once loved has become a strong and confident man. And the most delicious Christmas present she can imagine. 

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 336 (Mass Market Paperback)
Available Formats: Print/E-book/E-audiobook/Audiobook (CD)
Publication Date: October 27th 2015 by Mira (first published July 12th 2011)


There really isn't anything like returning to Virgin River after a long break in reading the series. I know that Robyn Carr has her Thunderpoint series now but I've been slowly reading this series in an effort to put off the inevitable. I just love the warmth that these books exude and I always feel like I'm settling in with old friends when I read the series.

This one, is probably my favourite out of the Christmas novels in the series up until this point. Maybe it's because I'd been away from the series for a long time or maybe it was just that Carr added a little more Christmas magic to it. Who knows, all I know is that I loved it and it put me in the holiday spirit right away. Mind you, at the time that I read the book it was mid August (I was a little early). But I loved it nonetheless.

This one featured one of my favourite themes- second chance romance and with two characters that I loved right from the start. Becca and Denny were just awesome together. They were a little younger than the last few couples in the book but I think that just made it even more important for them to reconnect because they could pick up right where they left off basically.

I thought Becca was a hoot as she basically forced herself into her brother's bachelor weekend to get closure from Denny who broke off there relationship a few years before. Instead it seemed like one thing got in her way after another and a broken ankle, some yelling and a little drama later from her and Denny she got the complete opposite of closure and ended up realizing she never stopped loving him. I really liked Becca, I thought her stubborn attitude was great. She may have been tiny but she was definitely not a wallflower or a pushover which was refreshing. She also had a great sense of humour and a big heart that definitely came through not only when she was with Denny, but when she was dealing with the people of Virgin River especially the children.

It was great to see Denny again. He'd been a side character in a couple of the previous Virgin River and we got to know him a little in those but it was nice to see him really shine as the main character in this romance. He knew he'd made a mistake in leaving Becca before and I was happy he wasn't hardheaded about coming around to that. He was so sweet and caring. He's one of those guys who would give you the shirt off his back literally if it meant that he could help. He was just so easy going I couldn't help but love him.

While their romance was a bit quick, due to Becca being trapped in Virgin River over the holidays it didn't feel rushed and I think it's because the usually band of merry characters from the series were in the story too. It was great to see Jack, Mel, Paige and Preacher again as well as some of the other minor characters and I loved the message that this book had about helping your community no matter what during the holidays everyone deserves to be warm and fed.

This was a cute, warm holiday read and one that really brightened up my day as it only took me the afternoon to read it, The romance between the two characters and the characters themselves felt genuinely authentic and filled me with Christmas cheer.

This is one that I would recommend to fans of the Virgin River series and to newcomers as well. If you really want a book that will make you feel cozy this is it especially if you love when two people get a second chance with each other.


LOVED IT!

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Sunday, January 12, 2014

The Parisian Christmas Bake Off by Jenny Oliver

The Parisian Christmas Bake Off
 
Summary:
 
Welcome to the most celebrated patisserie competition in Paris – ready, steady, bake!
Watching snowflakes settle on the Eiffel Tower, Rachel Smithson’s cosy English village feels very far way – as, thankfully, does her commitment-phobic ex, probably already kissing someone else under the mistletoe. But Rachel hasn’t come to Paris to mope she’s come to bake. Hard.

Because the search for Paris’s next patisserie apprentice is about to begin! And super-chef judge Henri Salernes is an infamously tough cookie. But Rachel isn’t about to let her confidence (or pastry) crumble. She’s got one week, mounds of melt-in-the-mouth macaroons and towers of perfect profiteroles to prove that she really is a star baker.

As well as clouds of flour, and wafts of chocolate and cinnamon, there’s definitely a touch of Christmas magic in the air… Rachel hasn’t come to Paris looking for a fairy-tale romance, but the city of love might gift-wrap her one anyway…

Not even a dusting of icing sugar could make The Parisian Christmas Bake-Off a more perfect Christmas treat!
Summary and Cover taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 139 pages (Kindle)
Available Formats: E-book
Source: NetGalley ARC
Publication Date: October 23rd 2013 by Carina UK (first published October 22nd 2013)

Last month I was granted access (much to my surprise) to the ARC of this book via Carina UK and one quiet December day (I think it was the same day I was approved) I sat down to read it and ended up ploughing through it.

I'd never heard of Jenny Oliver before so I'm glad I took a chance on read a book from a new to me author because The Parisian Christmas Bake Off was such a charming read that I just loved the whole thing and the fact that it had baking in it which is one of my favourite themes in books really sealed the deal on this one.

While I've seen this shelved as romance quite often the story is more about Rachel's journey of discovering herself, what she wants and showing herself that she is willing to fight for what she wants out of her life more than romance which is why I enjoyed it so much.

Rachel was a really good character. She was very real to me and I liked seeing her struggle with her loss of losing her mother and the love they shared for baking, to working past those issues in order to truly compete in the competition which her friend signed her up for.

I just thought the whole story was marvelous and while she does have a love interest in the story I'd say he only takes up about 2 percent of the over all story. I'm glad this was a change of pace from the typical holiday story with a cookie cutter ending, because the ending did leave me mildly surprised and I think that's because of how she wrote the ending.

Overall, I was extremely pleased with this ARC that I received and I recommend this to everyone looking for a lovely holiday read to curl up with. The holidays may be over but as long as there's snow on the ground I say there's always time for a little Christmas magic. I can't wait to read more by Jenny Oliver in the future.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.
 
I read this book for the following reading challenges:
 
2013 150+ Reading Challenge
 
 Loved It!
★★★★★

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https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18714250-the-parisian-christmas-bake-off?ac=1

 
 

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Snowbound with the Soldier by Jennifer Faye

Snowbound with the Soldier
Summary:

Maybe this Christmas...?

It has been seven long years since Kara Jameson last saw Jason Greene. Returning home as a wounded war hero, Jason looks a shell of the man she once knew. Yet her heart still skips a beat as if it was yesterday.

Stepping back into civilian life, Jason looks to Kara for help. But there's too much water under the bridge; not to mention too much lingering attraction.

But it seems that the mountain weather has other ideas, and when Kara and Jason end up snowbound together they are forced to confront the ghosts of Christmas past.
Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 256 pages (Mass Market Paperback)
Source: Review Copy
Available Formats: Print/E-book
Publication Date: October 1st 2013 by Harlequin

I love Harlequin.
I really do, because of them I've been able to get myself out of a lot of reading funks and because of them I've discovered some great authors. Authors, like Jennifer Faye. Back in August I was first approached by the author to review her book and the other day I had the time on my hands to finally get to it.

Snowbound with the Soldier was a delightful read, and a quick one to. I went through the whole book on my Kindle within an hour and a half and I loved every single minute of it. I'm a sucker for second chance love stories, hero's battling demons (even if they're only internal ones) and I love romances set in small towns during Christmas time all of which this romance had in abundance.

Since this was my first foray into Faye's writing I was cautious like I usually am when it comes to a new to me author but I ended up loving her story within the first 20 pages I was hooked by Jason and Kara's love story because it was so realistic. Sometimes, while I love Harlequin Romance titles I find they can be a little unrealistic but this one had the feel of a romance I can see happening in real life, and I just love when I come across stories like this.

Kara was a sweetheart, she was devoted to her daughter, her family, her friends, her job, Jason's father but she totally wasn't expecting the man who broke her heart seven years ago to turn up and end up being her boss. However, unlike other heroines I've seen put in similar circumstances she handled it with a lot of grace and minimal freakouts. I just loved her and thought that her spunky personality and ability to not only put up with Jason's snark but to dish it back at him was really refreshing.

Jason on the other hand deserved a big ol' smack up side the head at least a dozen times throughout the book and if he were a real person I would have been more than happy to deliver those smacks with a smile. I get that he was battling some internal demons but his reasoning was so flawed I thought he was a little outrageous and found myself to be increasingly angry with him but in the end I liked him.

What I liked most was the fact that there was a slower build up for these two characters and while certain things happened a little quick for my tastes the fact that they had been engaged previously established a deeper connection between them so insta-love wasn't a factor (thank goodness). I loved the fact that book was set during the holidays because it made this sweet little romance all the more cozy.

Overall, I think Jennifer Faye may just be a new favourite author of mine. While I love my steamy romances sometimes I just love a sweet small two chirstmas second chance love story like this one with compatible characters, a dash of drama and a whole lot of laughs.

I would recommend Snowbound with the Soldier to fans of the Harlequin Romance line who want a sweet romance without it being to sappy and something that is quick to read on a cool day curled up with a cup of tea. I for one am really looking forward to reading another of Jennifer Faye's books in the near future.
 
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

I read this book for the following reading challenges:
 
2013 150+ Reading Challenge


Loved it!
★★★★★

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Thursday, September 12, 2013

Never Desire a Duke (One Scandalous Season #1) by Lily Dalton

Never Desire a Duke (One Scandalous Season, #1)
 
Summary:
 
A secret from his past holds the key to their future...

A Marriage Beyond Hope

Lady Sophia has long been estranged from her husband, Lord Vane Barwick, the Marquess of Claxton, whose rumored list of amorous conquests includes almost every beautiful woman of the ton. Yet a shocking encounter with him in a crowded ballroom—and a single touch—are all it takes to reawaken her furious passion for him. But how can she trust the man who crushed her dreams and took away the one thing she wanted most?

A Love Beyond Reason

Lord Claxton has never forgiven himself for the youthful mistake that ruined his marriage to Lady Sophia. Now, after nearly a year abroad, the reformed rogue vows to win back the only woman he's ever truly loved. He'll do whatever it takes to prove he can be the honorable husband she deserves—and the passionate lover she desires. As the snowdrifts deepen outside their ancestral home, can they rekindle the flame that burned so bright and find a new path to forever?
Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 416 pages (Mass Market Paperback)
Source: NetGalley
Available Formats: Print/E-book
Expected Publication Date: September 24th 2013 by Grand Central/Forever
 
Yesterday I requested Never Desire a Duke via the publisher through NetGalley and since I'm on the publisher's auto-approval list I didn't have to wait to be approved which served me well since I loved Never Desire a Duke so much it would have sucked if I had had to wait.
 
I'm a huge fan of historical romances, I have been since I started reading the genre and I especially love historical romances that have lots of banter, wit and chemistry between the hero and heroine. Plus I love when the book centers on an already married couple like the one in this romance. It's one of my favourite themes in historical romances and it's one that I don't see that often which is what really prompted me to request it.
 
Never Desire a Duke is Lily Dalton's debut and I think she did a really fantastic job. Sophia and Vane (Lord Claxton) were absolutely marvelous together. The chemistry they had throughout the novel practically leaped of the screen of my iPad. Set during the holiday's we see the couple get reacquainted with each other after they've spent a year apart after a tragedy that struck them when they were in the early days of their marriage. We see the couple go through some tough ups and downs, come to grips with how they feel about themselves and each other as well as get a glimpse at a great love story all at the same time.
 
 The book was full of laughs and there were times I found myself laughing and other times when Vane irritated me with his lack of sensitivity and lack of thinking where I wanted to hit him. Vane was a bit of a conundrum for me. I liked him at first, and then I didn't like him and then by the end of the book I loved him. His complete and utter devotion to Sophia was really admirable especially when he owned up to his mistakes and admitted his wrong doings. He really did love her and that showed. As for Sophia, I liked her right from the beginning and my heart really went out to her. She was smart, funny, and witty enough that she stood out from a lot of heroines that I've read about in the past. I really liked how she was able to admit her wrong doings as well.
 
Lily Dalton did a very good job in creating likable, realistic characters that were not perfect and flaws in their personalities but that is exactly what I liked to have in my historical romance novels. The story line was very sweet and I liked the fact that the book was set during Christmas since I've always really liked holiday romances and this one is definitely my favourite Christmas romance by far. The pace of the romance was just right and I didn't feel as if the story line was rushed whatsoever and everything was done very well. The love scenes were spicy but they didn't take up the whole of the novel which I really liked.
 
Overall, I think Lily Dalton's Never Desire a Duke was a great historical romance debut and I can't wait to read book two in the One Scandalous Season series that deals with Daphne, Sophia's younger sister. I hope it's just as good as this one but Daphne and her man have a lot to live up to when it comes to the chemistry part.
 
I would recommend Never Desire a Duke to all fans of historical romance novels especially set during the holidays where the book is more about the characters. If you're tired of the dreaded influx of insta-love that has been plaguing the genre than this one is the perfect one to read, Lily Dalton is a fresh voice in the genre and she's definitely someone to watch out for.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.
 
I read this book for the following reading challenges:
 
2013 150+ Reading Challenge
 

Loved it!
★★★★★

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