Title: Regency Christmas Parties
Author: Annie Burrows, Lara Temple, Joanna Johnson
Published: November 2022
Genre: Regency Romance, Harlequin Historical, Mills & Boon Historical

Blurb:

Three festive Regency stories in one collection

An invitation to...

Three seasonal Society parties!

In invitation to a Wedding by Annie Burrows, Clara’s immersed in a glamorous aristocratic wedding, but it’s captivating Lieutenant Hugo who sweeps her feet.

In Snowbound with the Earl by Lara Temple, Bella makes an unlikely ally of forbidding Lord Deverill to thwart an elopement – and gets stranded with him for Christmas!

In A Kiss at the Winter Ball by Joanna Johnson, Maria’s rescued from a snowstorm by Viscount Stanford, and receives a life-changing invitation.

My Review:

Delightful Christmas stories from three wonderful Historical romance authors!

The first story is a wonderful one. It’s about a schoolteacher who is invited into a glamorous wedding and Christmas party by her unruly former student. Clara is neither glamour nor rich but she is so compassionate. She had never expected that she would experience a high social party especially being fetched by Hugo, a relative from the groom. Both have completely misread the situation however Hugo always helps Clara when she is in dire need. I did love how the story worked, the instant affections they hold despite the misunderstanding and they gradually realize how wrong they are until they seize their happily-ever-after.

The second story has caught me from the very first banter between Bella and Lord Deverill. They captivated me unexpectedly. It’s enemies-to-lovers stories. Bella and Nicholas are trying to prevent their cousins’ elopement until Nicholas invites Bella to his home to ensure that Bella’s scheme succeeds. Ah poor Bella, after her parents’ demise, she was sent to her aunt and her spoilt cousin and since she never experienced a party like Nicholas holds. The witty banter between these two kept me amused over and over. I did adore Nicholas’s family, especially Emily. I was completely immersed in the family’s festivities!

The third story did intrigue me. It’s about a farmer’s daughter, Maria, who wants to prove that she’s capable of managing her father’s business however when she is leading the turkeys to be sold, she is lost and unexpectedly comes across a Viscount, Alexander. Alexander has an instant attraction when he first saw a red-haired Maria, but he’s going to be engaged. As the snow is getting thicker, Alexander invites Maria to stay until the road is cleared. Days after days, their feeling is growing until unexpected moments appear and it delightfully dragged me into a fairytale!

These three stories completely swept my feet into another time and world. It’s a bundle of moving, splendidly witty and immensely satisfying story. Sweet stories of Christmas festivities that bring you joy! Thank you, Lara Temple, for this ARC which I voluntary reviewed.

Rate: 5 of 5

About the author

Annie Burrows has been writing Regency romances for Harlequin since 2007. her books have charmed readers worldwide, having been translated into nineteen different languages, and some have gone on to win the coveted Reviewers' Choice award from CataRomance. For more information, or to contact the author, please visit http://annie-burrows.co.uk/, or you can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AnnieBurrowsUK

Lara Temple was three years old when she begged her mother to take the dictation of her first adventure story. Since then she has led a double life - by day she is a high-tech investment professional, who has lived and worked on three continents, but when darkness falls she loses herself in the history and romance...at least on the page. Luckily her husband and two beautiful and very energetic children help her weave it all together. Follow her on Twitter https://twitter.com/laratemple1

Joanna Johnson lives in a pretty Wiltshire village with her husband and as many books as she can sneak into the house. Being part of the Harlequin Historical family is a dream come true. She has always loved writing, starting at five years old with a series about a cat imaginatively named Cat, and she keeps a notebook in every handbag - just in case. In her spare time, she likes finding new places to have a cream tea, stroking scruffy dogs and trying to remember where she left her glasses.

Title: Never Rescue a Rogue
Author: Virginia Heath
Published: November 2022
Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Romance-Comedy, Frenemies-to-Lovers

Blurb:

Diana Merriwel and Giles Sinclair only tolerate one another for the sake of their nearest and dearest. Everyone believes that the two of them are meant to be together, but Diana and Giles know that their constant pithy barbs come from a shared disdain – not a hidden attraction. Diana loves the freedom of working at the newspaper too much to give it up for marriage, and Giles is happily married to his bachelor lifestyle. But they do have one thing in common – the secrets they can’t risk escaping.

When Giles’ father, the curmudgeonly Duke of Harpenden unexpectedly turns up his toes, it’s only a matter of time before someone comes crawling out of the woodwork who knows the true circumstances of his only son’s birth. As the threat of blackmail becomes real, Giles must uncover the truth of his parentage first, or else he and all those who depend upon him will be ruined – and dogged bloodhound Diana is his best hope at sniffing out the truth. As Giles and Diana dive into his family’s past, the attraction that the two of them insisted wasn’t there proves impossible to ignore. Soon, the future of the Sinclair estate isn’t the only thing on the line…

My Review:

I so loved this book! Not only is this so entertaining and hilarious but also suspenseful and adventurous. I had been enjoying Diana and Giles’ relation from the first book so when I excitedly read this, I couldn’t stop it.

Diana’s life has been getting better since her sister married to Hugh, an Earl. She loves her life, her new family and her job as a nitpicking grammarian for a newspaper yet nobody knows that she is truly talented at her work that it can risk her reputation and life. On the other hand Giles always pretends as a rogue because he wants to irritate his father especially after he knew the threatening revelation.

I did immensely enjoy how the story went from the beginning to the last. When Giles’ father dies leaving so many mysteries of his life and the future of Sinclair estate, Giles decisively goes to Shropshire where he grew up and buries his father and invites Hugh’s family to accompany him. When Giles was explaining his family ancient story, I had an inkling that that someone was going to be the villain and it was surprisingly heart-pounding when that someone turned up. As Giles has no other choice but to ask for help from Diana, they begin their investigation and adventure, and I couldn’t put the book down!

Despite it, I had my own favorite character among the characters within, Dalton, as a supportive character, had captured and entertained me from the beginning!

It is thoroughly riveting story, full of lively humor and romance, gorgeously evocative and I loved the compelling family ties among the characters which make the story more fascinating and heart-warming. Miss Virginia Heath’s writing has always enchanted me!

Rate: 5 of 5

About the author

When Virginia Heath was a little girl, it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated – sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. One day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Twenty books and two Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations later, and it still takes her forever to fall asleep. Follow her at https://www.virginiaheathromance.com/ or her facebook page Virginia Heath.