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Marian's Christmas Wish
Miss Marian Wynswich is a rather unconventional young lady. She plays chess, reads Greek, and is as educated as any young man. And she s certain falling in love is a ridiculous endeavor and vows never to do such a thing. But everything changes when she receives a Christmas visit from someone unexpected--- a young and handsome English lord.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 5, 1989
79 people are currently reading
1290 people want to read
About the author
Carla Kelly
137 books805 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Although Carla Kelly is well known among her readers as a writer of Regency romance, her main interest (and first writing success) is Western American fiction—more specifically, writing about America's Indian Wars. Although she had sold some of her work before, it was not until Carla began work in the National Park Service as a ranger/historian at Fort Laramie National Historic Site did she get serious about her writing career. (Or as she would be the first to admit, as serious as it gets.)
Carla wrote a series of what she now refers to as the "Fort Laramie stories," which are tales of the men, women and children of the Indian Wars era in Western history. Two of her stories, A Season for Heroes and Kathleen Flaherty's Long Winter, earned her Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America. She was the second woman to earn two Spurs from WWA (which, as everyone knows, is all you need to ride a horse). Her entire Indian Wars collection was published in 2003 as Here's to the Ladies: Stories of the Frontier Army. It remains her favorite work.
The mother of five children, Carla has always allowed her kids to earn their keep by appearing in her Regencies, most notably Marian's Christmas Wish, which is peopled by all kinds of relatives. Grown now, the Kelly kids are scattered here and there across the U.S. They continue to provide feedback, furnish fodder for stories and make frantic phone calls home during the holidays for recipes. (Carla Kelly is some cook.)
Carla's husband, Martin, is Director of Theatre at Valley City State University, in Valley City, North Dakota. Carla is currently overworked as a staff writer at the local daily newspaper. She also writes a weekly, award-winning column, "Prairie Lite."
Carla only started writing Regencies because of her interest in the Napoleonic Wars, which figures in many of her Regency novels and short stories. She specializes in writing about warfare at sea, and about the ordinary people of the British Isles who were, let's face it, far more numerous than lords and ladies.
Hobbies? She likes to crochet afghans, and read British crime fiction and history, principally military history. She's never happier than talking about the fur trade or Indian Wars with Park Service cronies. Her most recent gig with the National Park Service was at Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site on the Montana/North Dakota border.
Here's another side to this somewhat prosaic woman: She recently edited the fur trade journal of Swiss artist Rudolf F. Kurz (the 1851-1852 portion), and is gratified now and then to be asked to speak on scholarly subjects. She has also worked for the State Historical Society of North Dakota as a contract researcher. This has taken her to glamorous drudgery in several national archives and military history repositories. Gray archives boxes and old documents make her salivate.
Her mantra for writing comes from the subject of her thesis, Robert Utley, that dean of Indian Wars history. He told her the secret to writing is "to put your ass in the chair and keep it there until you're done." He's right, of course.
Her three favorite fictional works have remained constant through the years, although their rankings tend to shift: War and Peace, The Lawrenceville Stories, and A Town Like Alice. Favorite historical works are One Vast Winter Count, On the Border with Mackenzie and Crossing the Line. Favorite crime fiction authors are Michael Connelly, John Harvey and Peter Robinson.
And that's all she can think of that would interest anyone. Carla Kelly is quite ordinary, except when she is sometimes prevailed upon to sing a scurrilous song about lumberjacks, or warble "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" in Latin. Then you m
Although Carla Kelly is well known among her readers as a writer of Regency romance, her main interest (and first writing success) is Western American fiction—more specifically, writing about America's Indian Wars. Although she had sold some of her work before, it was not until Carla began work in the National Park Service as a ranger/historian at Fort Laramie National Historic Site did she get serious about her writing career. (Or as she would be the first to admit, as serious as it gets.)
Carla wrote a series of what she now refers to as the "Fort Laramie stories," which are tales of the men, women and children of the Indian Wars era in Western history. Two of her stories, A Season for Heroes and Kathleen Flaherty's Long Winter, earned her Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America. She was the second woman to earn two Spurs from WWA (which, as everyone knows, is all you need to ride a horse). Her entire Indian Wars collection was published in 2003 as Here's to the Ladies: Stories of the Frontier Army. It remains her favorite work.
The mother of five children, Carla has always allowed her kids to earn their keep by appearing in her Regencies, most notably Marian's Christmas Wish, which is peopled by all kinds of relatives. Grown now, the Kelly kids are scattered here and there across the U.S. They continue to provide feedback, furnish fodder for stories and make frantic phone calls home during the holidays for recipes. (Carla Kelly is some cook.)
Carla's husband, Martin, is Director of Theatre at Valley City State University, in Valley City, North Dakota. Carla is currently overworked as a staff writer at the local daily newspaper. She also writes a weekly, award-winning column, "Prairie Lite."
Carla only started writing Regencies because of her interest in the Napoleonic Wars, which figures in many of her Regency novels and short stories. She specializes in writing about warfare at sea, and about the ordinary people of the British Isles who were, let's face it, far more numerous than lords and ladies.
Hobbies? She likes to crochet afghans, and read British crime fiction and history, principally military history. She's never happier than talking about the fur trade or Indian Wars with Park Service cronies. Her most recent gig with the National Park Service was at Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site on the Montana/North Dakota border.
Here's another side to this somewhat prosaic woman: She recently edited the fur trade journal of Swiss artist Rudolf F. Kurz (the 1851-1852 portion), and is gratified now and then to be asked to speak on scholarly subjects. She has also worked for the State Historical Society of North Dakota as a contract researcher. This has taken her to glamorous drudgery in several national archives and military history repositories. Gray archives boxes and old documents make her salivate.
Her mantra for writing comes from the subject of her thesis, Robert Utley, that dean of Indian Wars history. He told her the secret to writing is "to put your ass in the chair and keep it there until you're done." He's right, of course.
Her three favorite fictional works have remained constant through the years, although their rankings tend to shift: War and Peace, The Lawrenceville Stories, and A Town Like Alice. Favorite historical works are One Vast Winter Count, On the Border with Mackenzie and Crossing the Line. Favorite crime fiction authors are Michael Connelly, John Harvey and Peter Robinson.
And that's all she can think of that would interest anyone. Carla Kelly is quite ordinary, except when she is sometimes prevailed upon to sing a scurrilous song about lumberjacks, or warble "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" in Latin. Then you m
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 250 reviews
December 22, 2018
Marian's Christmas Wish was an enjoyable Regency read with a holiday setting. The main character, Marian, is a spunky 16 year old girl who has shouldered a lot of the burden of taking care of her family. Her family is in severe financial straits since their profligate father died a year ago.
In the hope that Marian's older sister, Ariadne, will marry well and save the family home, their brother Percy brings home two friends for Christmas: Sir William and Gilbert Collinwood, Lord Ingraham. Unfortunately for Percy’s plans, Ariadne is already in love with the (also poor) local vicar, but Marian begins to fall for Gil. Gil, though very attracted to Marian, holds back not just because of the age difference between them (he’s 28!!) but because his life is dangerous and complicated. But Marian refuses to let things go and ends up getting embroiled in a dangerous scheme as a result, and Gil discovers he has to rethink his notions of how he's living his life.
This was a great Regency romance and normally I'd put it at 4 to 4 1/2 stars, but one single thing is dragging the rating down: the age difference between the characters (28 and 16) was just too much for me to stomach. To make matters worse, it's hard to forget that Marian is 16 because, although in many ways she is the heart of her family, she's also impulsive and often immature. Gil is in the habit of calling her "Brat," which makes it even harder to forget and forgive the age difference. It just bugs me that at the end of the story, Marian is not quite 17 but is .
I'd guess that this kind of age gap happened often in Regency times, and maybe that was the author's point, but sorry/notsorry, I was unable to get over the "eww" factor here. Gil was a great hero; I just wanted someone a bit older and more mature for him.
In the hope that Marian's older sister, Ariadne, will marry well and save the family home, their brother Percy brings home two friends for Christmas: Sir William and Gilbert Collinwood, Lord Ingraham. Unfortunately for Percy’s plans, Ariadne is already in love with the (also poor) local vicar, but Marian begins to fall for Gil. Gil, though very attracted to Marian, holds back not just because of the age difference between them (he’s 28!!) but because his life is dangerous and complicated. But Marian refuses to let things go and ends up getting embroiled in a dangerous scheme as a result, and Gil discovers he has to rethink his notions of how he's living his life.
This was a great Regency romance and normally I'd put it at 4 to 4 1/2 stars, but one single thing is dragging the rating down: the age difference between the characters (28 and 16) was just too much for me to stomach. To make matters worse, it's hard to forget that Marian is 16 because, although in many ways she is the heart of her family, she's also impulsive and often immature. Gil is in the habit of calling her "Brat," which makes it even harder to forget and forgive the age difference. It just bugs me that at the end of the story, Marian is not quite 17 but is .
I'd guess that this kind of age gap happened often in Regency times, and maybe that was the author's point, but sorry/notsorry, I was unable to get over the "eww" factor here. Gil was a great hero; I just wanted someone a bit older and more mature for him.
December 29, 2012
This is a thoroughly charming and heartwarming story. Marian Wynswich is sixteen-going-on-seventeen, but nonetheless has shouldered much of the responsibility for her household since the death of her profligate father the year before.
She loves her family dearly, but they don’t make life all that easy for Marian or for themselves. Her younger brother Alistair is sent down from Eton and her elder brother Percy is often away. Her sister Ariadne, though beautiful, will not say ‘boo’ to a goose and her mother is often self-absorbed and critical of Marian to the point of unkindness.
Marian is educated rather than accomplished; she frequently speaks without thinking and displays hoydenish tendencies – but for all that, she is devoted to her family and wants only to secure their happiness. Unfortunately however, the death of her father has left the family in straightened circumstances, and they will have to sell their home in order to clear the debts he left behind. This will therefore be the last Christmas they have in the house, and Marian is determined to ensure that it is their best ever.
I would normally have difficulty in empathising with a heroine who is so young, but Marian is so well written that her youth is never an issue. She is naturally lively, intelligent and caring; and if there are times when she does act rather immaturely, those are more than compensated for by the depth of her compassion and love for her family. And as the novel progresses, we see her starting to make the journey from girlhood to womanhood as she becomes more circumspect while losing none of the qualities which make her so likeable.
The impetus for the move towards a greater maturity comes largely from Marian’s association with Gilbert Collinwood, Lord Ingraham (who is just gorgeous), who has returned to England with her brother Percy. Marian and Ingraham very quickly strike up a friendship and he begins to show an understanding and sympathy towards her that she has not so far received from any of her family.
It is quickly clear to the reader (if not to Marian) that Gil is attracted to her, although he does nothing overtly to take things in a more romantic direction between them. I really liked the way their relationship developed; their friendship was very easy and there was lots of hand-holding and touching (probably more than the conventions of the time would have permitted, to be honest), which all added to the gradual build up of the romantic tension between them.
In the second half of the book, we discover that there is a lot more to Gil than meets the eye, and through him, Marian becomes embroiled in a scheme to expose an English plot to supply weapons to Napoleon. She is disappointed to discover the secret life Gil has been leading, and tells him so in no uncertain terms. That is not enough for him to want to discontinue it however – he knows that someone has to do what he does and thinks it might as well be him – but what he can’t see is the toll it has taken on him, and the effect it could have on the people around him. Marian, however, sees this clearly, and following a terrible experience, takes a rather extreme step in order to force Gil to stop and think.
Gil and Marian are extremely well-drawn, likeable characters who are clearly very well suited and Marian is refreshingly level-headed for the heroine of a romance novel. Even after Gil does something seemingly unforgiveable, and despite her own feelings of hurt and despair, Marian finds it in herself to wait and find out what might really be going on rather than running away or having a missish hissy fit.
This is a story about hope, kindness and compassion; about the importance of family and of love. And yes, Marian’s Christmas wish does ultimately come true – and in the best possible way.
She loves her family dearly, but they don’t make life all that easy for Marian or for themselves. Her younger brother Alistair is sent down from Eton and her elder brother Percy is often away. Her sister Ariadne, though beautiful, will not say ‘boo’ to a goose and her mother is often self-absorbed and critical of Marian to the point of unkindness.
Marian is educated rather than accomplished; she frequently speaks without thinking and displays hoydenish tendencies – but for all that, she is devoted to her family and wants only to secure their happiness. Unfortunately however, the death of her father has left the family in straightened circumstances, and they will have to sell their home in order to clear the debts he left behind. This will therefore be the last Christmas they have in the house, and Marian is determined to ensure that it is their best ever.
I would normally have difficulty in empathising with a heroine who is so young, but Marian is so well written that her youth is never an issue. She is naturally lively, intelligent and caring; and if there are times when she does act rather immaturely, those are more than compensated for by the depth of her compassion and love for her family. And as the novel progresses, we see her starting to make the journey from girlhood to womanhood as she becomes more circumspect while losing none of the qualities which make her so likeable.
The impetus for the move towards a greater maturity comes largely from Marian’s association with Gilbert Collinwood, Lord Ingraham (who is just gorgeous), who has returned to England with her brother Percy. Marian and Ingraham very quickly strike up a friendship and he begins to show an understanding and sympathy towards her that she has not so far received from any of her family.
It is quickly clear to the reader (if not to Marian) that Gil is attracted to her, although he does nothing overtly to take things in a more romantic direction between them. I really liked the way their relationship developed; their friendship was very easy and there was lots of hand-holding and touching (probably more than the conventions of the time would have permitted, to be honest), which all added to the gradual build up of the romantic tension between them.
In the second half of the book, we discover that there is a lot more to Gil than meets the eye, and through him, Marian becomes embroiled in a scheme to expose an English plot to supply weapons to Napoleon. She is disappointed to discover the secret life Gil has been leading, and tells him so in no uncertain terms. That is not enough for him to want to discontinue it however – he knows that someone has to do what he does and thinks it might as well be him – but what he can’t see is the toll it has taken on him, and the effect it could have on the people around him. Marian, however, sees this clearly, and following a terrible experience, takes a rather extreme step in order to force Gil to stop and think.
Gil and Marian are extremely well-drawn, likeable characters who are clearly very well suited and Marian is refreshingly level-headed for the heroine of a romance novel. Even after Gil does something seemingly unforgiveable, and despite her own feelings of hurt and despair, Marian finds it in herself to wait and find out what might really be going on rather than running away or having a missish hissy fit.
This is a story about hope, kindness and compassion; about the importance of family and of love. And yes, Marian’s Christmas wish does ultimately come true – and in the best possible way.
December 5, 2011
This was such a charming Christmas story. I curled up in bed and was swept away with Marian and her wishing story. Marian and her family are on the verge of ruination, due to her fathers untimely death, gambling habits amongst other things. Percy her eldest brother has kept them afloat for so long but the end is drawing near for them. Percy and his mother Lady Wynswich decide it is time to marry off Ariadne the oldest daughter to the richest man. However her heart belongs to another and she wants no part of this plan, but is willing to sacrifice for her family. Percy brings home two gentleman friends for the Christmas holiday, one is Lord William Clinghorn who is to be Ariadne's fiance if all goes well.... and Lord Ingram who is a government diplomat.
From here we have a delightful story that unfolds with endearing characters. I loved Marian she was so witty and spunky, spoke her mind, naive, and boy could she get herself into some of the craziest predicaments. Ariadne is the very proper Lady of the time, willing to sacrifice, and a little boring. Alistair is Marian's brother and he was so funny, he thought up some of the craziest plotting, great sense of humor and a really good brother. Lord Ingram was witty, humorous, chivalrous, sweet, flawed and endearing. I really liked him. I liked all the banter between this family and their friends they were quite a lively bunch. I thought this story was really well written and a lot of fun. A perfectly sweet Christmas romance to get caught up in this time of year.
Clean language
Clean romance
Copy provided by netgalley and Cedar Fort publishing. Thank you!
From here we have a delightful story that unfolds with endearing characters. I loved Marian she was so witty and spunky, spoke her mind, naive, and boy could she get herself into some of the craziest predicaments. Ariadne is the very proper Lady of the time, willing to sacrifice, and a little boring. Alistair is Marian's brother and he was so funny, he thought up some of the craziest plotting, great sense of humor and a really good brother. Lord Ingram was witty, humorous, chivalrous, sweet, flawed and endearing. I really liked him. I liked all the banter between this family and their friends they were quite a lively bunch. I thought this story was really well written and a lot of fun. A perfectly sweet Christmas romance to get caught up in this time of year.
Clean language
Clean romance
Copy provided by netgalley and Cedar Fort publishing. Thank you!
January 2, 2017
I am feeling, as my Mother always says, tired and emotional, so have turned to super CK for comfort and to keep me feeling Christmassy for a bit longer. This did the job, or at least the first 75% did.
This very christmassy and twee and sweet and adorbs [yep, going with that word]. We have Christmas pudding and wishing over the pudding [is this a thing? It's a mystery to me that anyone is eating Christmas pudding ever]. There are carolers and muffs [no tittering at the back, I am, of course talking about the hand warmers] and lighting of the Yule log [again, lost on me, but it seemed Christmassy]. All we were missing was the Doctor Who Christmas Special. I jest, because I love. It was all very endearing and just stayed the right side of saccharine for me. I suspect, however, that won't be the case for everyone.
Before the plot takes its lurch at 75% the story and the writing is fun and frothy and has an element of farce which was well done.
Marian is wonderful. Young (16) and allowed to be young. She cares for everyone else before herself. Like so many of CK's heroines she's a fixer, a yes woman. She's also prodigiously clever and because she's the younger daughter she was educated in 'male' pursuits by her father (chess, greek, Latin, rather than singing, drawing and French) which makes her a very unusual woman. She's also witty and prone to speak her mind. Look, she rocked.
Gilbert (yes, Gilbert) our hero, was less well done. No chapters come from his perspective so it's unsurprising I took to him a little less. He's older (29) and injured (catnip), a diplomat and it's apparent that Marian's whimsy and care and her brains do it for him pretty much straight away.
What didn't work for me was the turn the plot took at the 75% mark. If it had been telegraphed a bit more that might have worked but it seemed entirely incongruous to have tacked on to the end of this cutesy Christmas novel. It seemed to me there was drama aplenty - the age gap, the difference in stations and so on - to build a credible roadblock to the romance. It's not that the plot-swerve was done badly, it wasn't. It was just way too much of a swerve.
This ending drags down the rating for me, but this was still a wonderful, very festive, read.
This very christmassy and twee and sweet and adorbs [yep, going with that word]. We have Christmas pudding and wishing over the pudding [is this a thing? It's a mystery to me that anyone is eating Christmas pudding ever]. There are carolers and muffs [no tittering at the back, I am, of course talking about the hand warmers] and lighting of the Yule log [again, lost on me, but it seemed Christmassy]. All we were missing was the Doctor Who Christmas Special. I jest, because I love. It was all very endearing and just stayed the right side of saccharine for me. I suspect, however, that won't be the case for everyone.
Before the plot takes its lurch at 75% the story and the writing is fun and frothy and has an element of farce which was well done.
Marian is wonderful. Young (16) and allowed to be young. She cares for everyone else before herself. Like so many of CK's heroines she's a fixer, a yes woman. She's also prodigiously clever and because she's the younger daughter she was educated in 'male' pursuits by her father (chess, greek, Latin, rather than singing, drawing and French) which makes her a very unusual woman. She's also witty and prone to speak her mind. Look, she rocked.
Gilbert (yes, Gilbert) our hero, was less well done. No chapters come from his perspective so it's unsurprising I took to him a little less. He's older (29) and injured (catnip), a diplomat and it's apparent that Marian's whimsy and care and her brains do it for him pretty much straight away.
What didn't work for me was the turn the plot took at the 75% mark. If it had been telegraphed a bit more that might have worked but it seemed entirely incongruous to have tacked on to the end of this cutesy Christmas novel. It seemed to me there was drama aplenty - the age gap, the difference in stations and so on - to build a credible roadblock to the romance. It's not that the plot-swerve was done badly, it wasn't. It was just way too much of a swerve.
This ending drags down the rating for me, but this was still a wonderful, very festive, read.
November 9, 2018
A book I re-read every year. Always puts me in the holiday spirit!
October 20, 2011
I have a confession to make. I really love Carla Kelly romances. I fell in love with her style when I read Marrying the Captain, and the other two books in her Channel Fleet trilogy, The Surgeon's Lady and Marrying the Royal Marine. There is something really simple about how she just tells a story, with minimal stylistic flourishes or silly misunderstandings, and how she writes about men and women and their relationships, that I just really enjoy. Other authors may have me sighing or crying, and may rate higher in my reviews, but I know when I read a Carla Kelly book, I'll get a good read.
This one is a re-issued traditional Regency romance from earlier in her career, originally published in 1989, and it has the same feeling of a storyline which really moves, interesting, but accessible characters and pure entertainment, in common with those of her early books I've actually been able to get my hands on. I'd read all her backlist if I could actually get my hands on them, since it is notoriously difficult to do so. And therein lies the reason for the re-issue of this one. My understanding is that this is somewhat experimental for this author - she is selectively allowing ebook publication of those books which exchange hands on ebay for ridiculously over-inflated prices, so that she can actually benefit from her work, and also more people can enjoy it. I really hope this works out!
Now, to the book itself:
- The heroine is a well-educated, but rather unique individual, who is prone to getting into scrapes by accident. But that's too simple, since I just felt there was more to her. I really liked how she is the correct age for this period in history, when daughters of the nobility and gentry would have married young by our standards, and would have acquired the skills to be the mistresses of households by that age. And yet, for all her intelligence and perceptiveness, this heroine really does act and behave as a 16 year-old would. She doesn't have the emotional maturity a heroine aged, say 28, would have, and, yet, she doesn't come across as an irritating teenager, but as a fascinating and invigorating individual. I really liked that.
- We don't learn so much about the hero really, and he remains rather too much of an enigma for my liking. I'm never really completely happy when a book focuses too much on the heroine or the hero to the detriment of the other. I got the impression he is a rather unhappy individual, and spending time with the heroine and her family is something of a rude awakening for him, to what life can be like. I did wander whether it was possible for him to have achieved all he had, and have the position and respect he had acquired, and still be under 30. He probably could have been older, and even with the age difference, the romance would still have worked IMO.
- The plot MOVES. There is very little lying around on sofas and contemplating dresses in this one, and this is very much like the other older romances by this author. Comparing it to romances written now, there is perhaps too much going on, but I honestly didn't get confused by it or annoyed with the change in pace. It was fine for me.
So, if you want a nice entertaining traditional romance, with no real smut (although the minor physical stuff is absolutely charmingly written in a nice earthy style I wish more authors would use), and a moderately cheesy, but very satisfying ending, then choose this one. It isn't really comparable to the Channel Fleet trilogy, which were more complex and less fluffy, with a whole lot more historical accuracy and detail that I have to admit I absolutely LOVED, but I did really enjoy it nonetheless, and will keep it.
4 stars. I really like it.
Forgot to mention. I received this one through netgalley.
This one is a re-issued traditional Regency romance from earlier in her career, originally published in 1989, and it has the same feeling of a storyline which really moves, interesting, but accessible characters and pure entertainment, in common with those of her early books I've actually been able to get my hands on. I'd read all her backlist if I could actually get my hands on them, since it is notoriously difficult to do so. And therein lies the reason for the re-issue of this one. My understanding is that this is somewhat experimental for this author - she is selectively allowing ebook publication of those books which exchange hands on ebay for ridiculously over-inflated prices, so that she can actually benefit from her work, and also more people can enjoy it. I really hope this works out!
Now, to the book itself:
- The heroine is a well-educated, but rather unique individual, who is prone to getting into scrapes by accident. But that's too simple, since I just felt there was more to her. I really liked how she is the correct age for this period in history, when daughters of the nobility and gentry would have married young by our standards, and would have acquired the skills to be the mistresses of households by that age. And yet, for all her intelligence and perceptiveness, this heroine really does act and behave as a 16 year-old would. She doesn't have the emotional maturity a heroine aged, say 28, would have, and, yet, she doesn't come across as an irritating teenager, but as a fascinating and invigorating individual. I really liked that.
- We don't learn so much about the hero really, and he remains rather too much of an enigma for my liking. I'm never really completely happy when a book focuses too much on the heroine or the hero to the detriment of the other. I got the impression he is a rather unhappy individual, and spending time with the heroine and her family is something of a rude awakening for him, to what life can be like. I did wander whether it was possible for him to have achieved all he had, and have the position and respect he had acquired, and still be under 30. He probably could have been older, and even with the age difference, the romance would still have worked IMO.
- The plot MOVES. There is very little lying around on sofas and contemplating dresses in this one, and this is very much like the other older romances by this author. Comparing it to romances written now, there is perhaps too much going on, but I honestly didn't get confused by it or annoyed with the change in pace. It was fine for me.
So, if you want a nice entertaining traditional romance, with no real smut (although the minor physical stuff is absolutely charmingly written in a nice earthy style I wish more authors would use), and a moderately cheesy, but very satisfying ending, then choose this one. It isn't really comparable to the Channel Fleet trilogy, which were more complex and less fluffy, with a whole lot more historical accuracy and detail that I have to admit I absolutely LOVED, but I did really enjoy it nonetheless, and will keep it.
4 stars. I really like it.
Forgot to mention. I received this one through netgalley.
November 13, 2014
This was just okay for me, I wanted to like it more than I did. I liked the idea of the story and the mystery thrown in at the end. I didn't care for the age differences between Marian and Gilbert (she's 16 and he's 28). I thought he treated her like a little kid a lot of the time, and I don't like mean nicknames like "brat", which he called her a lot. I'm sure he meant it as a term of endearment, but I like nice names. The story takes place during Christmas and it had a nice holiday feel to it. If you enjoy the regency setting and holiday stories then you will probably enjoy this.
November 10, 2011
Wow, I haven't enjoyed a book this much in a while! I think I have another favorite author! This was a clean, sweet, English romance and I fell in love with each character! I was worried that it wouldn't be well developed cause it's a short story but I got everything I wanted with this little book! This will be one I look to buy! I wanted to note that anyone could read this book it has no religion attached to it, I wouldn't even call it Christian fiction. Just a good CLEAN romance! 16 and up.
December 15, 2011
Awwwwww... Sweet and clean and Christmas! What a nice diversion during a hectic season. While the situations were a little far fetched and hurdling an amazingly grown-up sixteen year old heroine was a stretch, one couldn't help but love the indomitable spirit of Marian, nor the long-suffering sweetness of Gil. This is a story that teenage girls will gobble up and women can relax, escape and giggle at.
December 11, 2022
A delightful, funny, romantic story, with a wonderful heroine and hero, and a few surprising and angst-filled twists and turns. I laughed, I cried, I genuinely cared about these characters. A lovely and touching holiday read. 4.5 stars
December 18, 2022
This was lots of fun! It reminds me of a Georgette Heyer, a little like Venetia and maybe Sylvester? Also Marian reminds me of Lady Glencora Palliser.
September 5, 2019
Lovely, opinionated heroine, sweet and smart older hero, great side characters.
Sweet story of a younger sibling trying to save her sister from marrying against her wishes and ending up striking an unlikely friendship with her brother’s friend, who helps her out in a time of need and who happens to be a diplomat and an Earl.
Between saving stray animals and her young brother from a scrape after the other, 16 yo Marian finds herself in love with the smart and refined Gilbert.
Great read!
Sweet story of a younger sibling trying to save her sister from marrying against her wishes and ending up striking an unlikely friendship with her brother’s friend, who helps her out in a time of need and who happens to be a diplomat and an Earl.
Between saving stray animals and her young brother from a scrape after the other, 16 yo Marian finds herself in love with the smart and refined Gilbert.
Great read!
December 19, 2011
4.5 out of 5 stars
I love a spunky heroine. I love a girl who will get in and out of scrapes, volley some witty banter at the handsome man we're dying for her to kiss, and beat him at chess to boot. And you know what else I love? Carla Kelly's writing. I read Marian's Christmas Wish not knowing what to expect and ended up spending the next three days reading three Carla Kelly books because I couldn't get enough of her writing. I immediately bought my own copy of Marian's Christmas Wish as soon as I finished my ARC because I know I'm going to want to read this book every Christmas.
Marian's Christmas Wish begins as a sweet, light-hearted holiday tale with lots of silly escapades and laughs, but the second half transforms the story into something completely different, fraught with intrigue, heartbreak, and danger. While I did feel a bit of a jolt between the two halves, as the tone is quite different, I still reveled in this story. The romance is the hold-your-breath kind that builds throughout the book, and that kept me reading way past my bedtime. These endearing characters had latched onto my heart, and I wanted to see everyone get a happy ending before I closed my eyes.
Fans of Georgette Heyer looking for a clean Regency romance full of heart-aflutter kisses, humorous dialogue, and a bit of danger will enjoy this Christmas tale...and that ending was so gooey and sweet...just the way I like my romances. (Although I could do without Gilbert lovingly calling Marian "brat" all the time...I know Georgette does it, too, but it made me cringe.)
Carla Kelly, keep the "Greatest Hits List" coming! I can't wait to read more re-releases from Cedar Fort of Carla Kelly's early works. I need more!
I love a spunky heroine. I love a girl who will get in and out of scrapes, volley some witty banter at the handsome man we're dying for her to kiss, and beat him at chess to boot. And you know what else I love? Carla Kelly's writing. I read Marian's Christmas Wish not knowing what to expect and ended up spending the next three days reading three Carla Kelly books because I couldn't get enough of her writing. I immediately bought my own copy of Marian's Christmas Wish as soon as I finished my ARC because I know I'm going to want to read this book every Christmas.
Marian's Christmas Wish begins as a sweet, light-hearted holiday tale with lots of silly escapades and laughs, but the second half transforms the story into something completely different, fraught with intrigue, heartbreak, and danger. While I did feel a bit of a jolt between the two halves, as the tone is quite different, I still reveled in this story. The romance is the hold-your-breath kind that builds throughout the book, and that kept me reading way past my bedtime. These endearing characters had latched onto my heart, and I wanted to see everyone get a happy ending before I closed my eyes.
Fans of Georgette Heyer looking for a clean Regency romance full of heart-aflutter kisses, humorous dialogue, and a bit of danger will enjoy this Christmas tale...and that ending was so gooey and sweet...just the way I like my romances. (Although I could do without Gilbert lovingly calling Marian "brat" all the time...I know Georgette does it, too, but it made me cringe.)
Carla Kelly, keep the "Greatest Hits List" coming! I can't wait to read more re-releases from Cedar Fort of Carla Kelly's early works. I need more!
December 22, 2022
I wanted a christmas story so i chose this.
Was supposed to be a lighthearted amusing read, but i just found it boring.
Another of my main concerns is that the heroine in this story is 16 YEARS OLD!!!
And spoilers…
Yes she does marry the Hero at that age 😳😱
Was supposed to be a lighthearted amusing read, but i just found it boring.
Another of my main concerns is that the heroine in this story is 16 YEARS OLD!!!
And spoilers…
Yes she does marry the Hero at that age 😳😱
December 19, 2014
Marian's Christmas Wish is a sweet and tender book, that shows how the life of two families changed during Christmas holidays. Marian's family has been struggling ever since the passing of her father who left them in debt. The only solution to their problems seems to be a marriage with a rich man for Marian's elder and beautiful sister, Ariadne. Ariadne though is in love with the village's priest and detests the idea. A few days before Christmas, Percy, their elder brother who works for the diplomatic corps, comes to visit with not one, but two guests: one is a rich man intended to marry Amelia and the other is Gilbert Collinwood, a titled, wealthy but also scarred young man. Marian and Gil swiftly become friends, since clever and loving Marian is immediately able to see the aches inside Gil's heart and her caring nature prompts her to help him. Gil is enchanted by her warm spirit, her quick mind and deep devotion to those she loves and quickly finds himself falling for her, though she's barely seventeen, a good ten years younger than him. But it takes quite a bit longer for Marian to realise that what she feels for Gil is more than friendship and when at last she does, it may already be too late.
The first half was a sweet Christmas love story, with some very humorous scenes as Marian is quite prone to getting in trouble. Both she and Gil are likable characters and easy to connect to, even if I found her young age a little annoying at times and their closeness, much more than society would permit without raised eyebrows. In the second part the humor was replaced with a bit more heartache and a touch of adventure that really raised the rythm and made the story move out of the lull it had fallen; there was a part after the middle where the sweetness was starting to get too much for my taste.
This is nice and sweet Christmas story. If you like nice and sweet you'll probably enjoy it, but I need a bit more 'oomph' in my stories to make them memorable and hard to put down. I liked Kelly's writing style however and will like to try another book of hers, preferably with two grown up heroes this time.
ARC provided by NetGalley
The first half was a sweet Christmas love story, with some very humorous scenes as Marian is quite prone to getting in trouble. Both she and Gil are likable characters and easy to connect to, even if I found her young age a little annoying at times and their closeness, much more than society would permit without raised eyebrows. In the second part the humor was replaced with a bit more heartache and a touch of adventure that really raised the rythm and made the story move out of the lull it had fallen; there was a part after the middle where the sweetness was starting to get too much for my taste.
This is nice and sweet Christmas story. If you like nice and sweet you'll probably enjoy it, but I need a bit more 'oomph' in my stories to make them memorable and hard to put down. I liked Kelly's writing style however and will like to try another book of hers, preferably with two grown up heroes this time.
ARC provided by NetGalley
November 20, 2011
Carla Kelly is a talented writer and I've rarely been disappointed in anything she's written. However, I was more than a little disappointed in Marian's Christmas Wish, at least in parts of it.
The book starts out as a mostly light-hearted book with an impish heroine, a likeable hero and a decent cast of supporting characters. Marian was a mixture of childish innocence and beyond-her-years wisdom. Gil was a jaded government diplomat who winds up at Marian's family estate for Christmas. The reader sees early on that Gil is taken with Marian, and his gentle attention is sweet and romantic. Marian's caring heart makes her equally sympathetic. If the book had continued in this tone, it would've been near perfect holiday enjoyment.
About midway through the story starts getting convoluted, and at times downright outrageous. The tone turns serious when the author obviously decided she'd had enough sweet romance, and switched to writing a spy story. Marian seems to go through a change of character late in the book, and while I understand her motivations for rejecting Gil, the author doesn't use this opportunity to show the change of heart in Gil or Marian. The relationship angst feels forced and shallow, and is resolved suddenly at the end.
The last three or four chapters of the book feel like they are written by someone else. The sentences are choppy, the dialog inane, and the transitions feel clunky. The author spends an entire boring chapter on Marian in bed convalescing, but no time exploring Gil or Marian's hearts. It felt as if Kelly reached a hard deadline for her publisher and simply wrote the last few chapters in one sitting off the top of her head.
3 stars is an average for the 4 star beginning and the 2 star ending.
The book starts out as a mostly light-hearted book with an impish heroine, a likeable hero and a decent cast of supporting characters. Marian was a mixture of childish innocence and beyond-her-years wisdom. Gil was a jaded government diplomat who winds up at Marian's family estate for Christmas. The reader sees early on that Gil is taken with Marian, and his gentle attention is sweet and romantic. Marian's caring heart makes her equally sympathetic. If the book had continued in this tone, it would've been near perfect holiday enjoyment.
About midway through the story starts getting convoluted, and at times downright outrageous. The tone turns serious when the author obviously decided she'd had enough sweet romance, and switched to writing a spy story. Marian seems to go through a change of character late in the book, and while I understand her motivations for rejecting Gil, the author doesn't use this opportunity to show the change of heart in Gil or Marian. The relationship angst feels forced and shallow, and is resolved suddenly at the end.
The last three or four chapters of the book feel like they are written by someone else. The sentences are choppy, the dialog inane, and the transitions feel clunky. The author spends an entire boring chapter on Marian in bed convalescing, but no time exploring Gil or Marian's hearts. It felt as if Kelly reached a hard deadline for her publisher and simply wrote the last few chapters in one sitting off the top of her head.
3 stars is an average for the 4 star beginning and the 2 star ending.
December 31, 2011
Marian is a young woman (16 years old) who is quite full of spunk. Her family is almost ruined financially, since her father's death a year earlier, and their only hope is for the oldest sister, Ariadne, to marry well. Unfortunately, Ariadne is in love with the poor vicar, which won't help their case at all. Her brother brings home two friends for Christmas--Sir William (hoping to become engaged to Ariadne) and Lord Ingraham, whom Marian finds herself falling for.
This story is a sweet, regency, holiday story filled with intrigue, romance, and humor. Marian is such a fun, witty character and Gil is great! I completely enjoyed their banter.
This story is a sweet, regency, holiday story filled with intrigue, romance, and humor. Marian is such a fun, witty character and Gil is great! I completely enjoyed their banter.
July 13, 2016
This book continued a general trend lately where I find Kelly’s books sweet and entertaining apart from one big sticking point. The one in this book was the heroine’s age … I know that it is set in a different time period and ages of consent were different, but I am not from that time and reading about a sixteen-year old with a man more than ten years older is creepy to me. Why not just make her a very immature 18 year old?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2021
This one reminded me a lot of Georgette Heyer's stories, full of witty banter, slight comedy of errors, and with the hero calling the heroine "brat" on every page. I didn't mind any of it and found it all rather entertaining, until the plot twist.
So there you have it. This was an adorable tale up until the surprise twist.
So there you have it. This was an adorable tale up until the surprise twist.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2011
Marian Wynswich and her family are in a bad way. Their father recently died, leaving them with debts they cannot pay. When Marian's older brother comes with a potential suitor for her older sister, Marian takes it upon herself to keep her sister out of a marriage just for money. What Marian doesn't realize is her life is about to take a new turn in the form of a friend her older brother brought home. He's able to see past Marian's eccentricities, and Marian might be falling for him. If only she could fall for him and solve her family's many issues all at once.
I was so charmed by this book. I found myself staying up late just to see what happened next. Marian was one of those sweet, sincere characters that you just can't help but love. Marian's family was unconventional for the times, but very entertaining for me. Of course I also loved the romantic side of this story too. One thing in particular I thought was awesome was Marian's ability to be a strong young woman and just happen to fall in love at the same time. Marian was so smart, and she knew how to use her brain. She took care of things when she needed to. For Marian to find someone who could appreciate all the different aspects of her personality was great. This is the kind of romance I would want my daughters reading- a young woman who is capable, smart, and able to take care of herself while still falling for a handsome, sweet, and fun young man who completely respects her.
This book was a period book written with modern sensibility, so that we as readers can still relate to the story. It's also full of Christmas cheer, and it made me want to snuggle up under a warm blanket and just enjoy this book. There were some twists and turns I did not see coming at all, and those just added to the love I had for this book. By the end of the book I was ready to read it again. This is one of those books I can see myself reading every year around the holiday season to just bask in the joy of it all. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes period novels, light romance, fun heroines, and a lot of holiday cheer!
Galley provided for review.
I was so charmed by this book. I found myself staying up late just to see what happened next. Marian was one of those sweet, sincere characters that you just can't help but love. Marian's family was unconventional for the times, but very entertaining for me. Of course I also loved the romantic side of this story too. One thing in particular I thought was awesome was Marian's ability to be a strong young woman and just happen to fall in love at the same time. Marian was so smart, and she knew how to use her brain. She took care of things when she needed to. For Marian to find someone who could appreciate all the different aspects of her personality was great. This is the kind of romance I would want my daughters reading- a young woman who is capable, smart, and able to take care of herself while still falling for a handsome, sweet, and fun young man who completely respects her.
This book was a period book written with modern sensibility, so that we as readers can still relate to the story. It's also full of Christmas cheer, and it made me want to snuggle up under a warm blanket and just enjoy this book. There were some twists and turns I did not see coming at all, and those just added to the love I had for this book. By the end of the book I was ready to read it again. This is one of those books I can see myself reading every year around the holiday season to just bask in the joy of it all. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes period novels, light romance, fun heroines, and a lot of holiday cheer!
Galley provided for review.
December 28, 2011
This is one Christmas story you should definitely pick up. Carla Kelly brings to life a story of love and family and Christmas in a regency romance and then mixes it with intrigue and diplomacy and attempted murder that made this a book I could not put down.
We are introduced to Marian Wynswich, the girl who is trying to hold her family together after the untimely death of their father. He has left them with lots of debts and when big brother Percy comes home for the holidays, he brings with him the foul Sir William Clinghorn, who is to marry Marian’s older sister and save the family estate. This becomes more horrific to say the least, as we get to know Sir William, but also leads to some laugh out loud moments. The other guest Percy has brought is a diplomat, the Earl of Ingraham, a man with a scarred face and a mysterious air. Marian finds a friend in him as they find they have more in common than they thought.
Things take a turn and through extraordinary circumstances that made me laugh, Lord Ingraham finds himself on his way home to Bath, with Marian and her younger brother Alistair to accompany him. The plot really thickens as the mystery surrounding Lord Ingraham is slowly unraveled, and the intrigue is drawn out so much that I was turning pages into the wee hours of the morning when I should have been sleeping, just so I could see how it all ended. My only complaint was that the heroine was so young in contrast with the hero, (she’s sixteen, he’s twenty-eight) (and he called her ‘brat’ as an endearment) and I would have wished her to be even a year or two older. Other than that small issue, I really enjoyed this book.
It’s a beautiful Christmas story full of fun, with a dose of true love, and the spirit of giving. I am hoping Carla has written more stories about this family because they are delightful.
originally reviewed on http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com
We are introduced to Marian Wynswich, the girl who is trying to hold her family together after the untimely death of their father. He has left them with lots of debts and when big brother Percy comes home for the holidays, he brings with him the foul Sir William Clinghorn, who is to marry Marian’s older sister and save the family estate. This becomes more horrific to say the least, as we get to know Sir William, but also leads to some laugh out loud moments. The other guest Percy has brought is a diplomat, the Earl of Ingraham, a man with a scarred face and a mysterious air. Marian finds a friend in him as they find they have more in common than they thought.
Things take a turn and through extraordinary circumstances that made me laugh, Lord Ingraham finds himself on his way home to Bath, with Marian and her younger brother Alistair to accompany him. The plot really thickens as the mystery surrounding Lord Ingraham is slowly unraveled, and the intrigue is drawn out so much that I was turning pages into the wee hours of the morning when I should have been sleeping, just so I could see how it all ended. My only complaint was that the heroine was so young in contrast with the hero, (she’s sixteen, he’s twenty-eight) (and he called her ‘brat’ as an endearment) and I would have wished her to be even a year or two older. Other than that small issue, I really enjoyed this book.
It’s a beautiful Christmas story full of fun, with a dose of true love, and the spirit of giving. I am hoping Carla has written more stories about this family because they are delightful.
originally reviewed on http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com
December 12, 2012
Marian Wynswich is 16 and wants to have the best Christmas ever. That's not too much to ask for, is it? She doesn't want any reminders that they are about to lose their beautiful home because of all the debts her father left them when he died a year earlier. She wants her older sister Ariadne to be able to marry the man she loves, Sam, who is a poor, poor vicar (and has no means to help them out of their financial mess).
When her younger brother, Alistair returns home sooner than he is expected because he has been expelled from Eton for one too many pranks, her wishes for a great Christmas start disappearing quickly. Shortly after, her older brother, Percy, returns home with two men. One of them, Sir William, has agreed to marry Ariadne and save the family from financial ruin. Sir William has no redeeming qualities, but he seems to be the family's only hope for survival.
The second gentleman, Lord Ingraham, is an earl and a diplomat. Recently scarred, he doesn't feel ready to see his family yet and so he agrees to join Percy for Christmas.
Over the Christmas pudding, Marian surprises herself when instead of wishing for Ariadne and Sam - or Alistair to grow up - as she had planned, she wishes instead for Lord Ingraham to have the best Christmas ever. She is convinced that he cannot have the best Christmas ever without returning to his family in Bath. Alistair, in an attempt to "help" his beloved sister - pulls his worst prank ever... which results in himself, Lord Ingraham, and Marian all heading to Bath.
Throughout the adventure, Alistair finally grows up and Marian discovers that she has not only grown up, but grown in love... to Lord Ingraham! But while in Bath, Marian also discovers a secret side to Lord Ingraham that she is not sure she can live with!
A great Christmas read...
When her younger brother, Alistair returns home sooner than he is expected because he has been expelled from Eton for one too many pranks, her wishes for a great Christmas start disappearing quickly. Shortly after, her older brother, Percy, returns home with two men. One of them, Sir William, has agreed to marry Ariadne and save the family from financial ruin. Sir William has no redeeming qualities, but he seems to be the family's only hope for survival.
The second gentleman, Lord Ingraham, is an earl and a diplomat. Recently scarred, he doesn't feel ready to see his family yet and so he agrees to join Percy for Christmas.
Over the Christmas pudding, Marian surprises herself when instead of wishing for Ariadne and Sam - or Alistair to grow up - as she had planned, she wishes instead for Lord Ingraham to have the best Christmas ever. She is convinced that he cannot have the best Christmas ever without returning to his family in Bath. Alistair, in an attempt to "help" his beloved sister - pulls his worst prank ever... which results in himself, Lord Ingraham, and Marian all heading to Bath.
Throughout the adventure, Alistair finally grows up and Marian discovers that she has not only grown up, but grown in love... to Lord Ingraham! But while in Bath, Marian also discovers a secret side to Lord Ingraham that she is not sure she can live with!
A great Christmas read...
November 22, 2011
I really needed a read that made me laugh, smile, and entertained me.
Marian is a spunky 16 year old who is a misfit for her time period. She doesn't conform to a docile lady. She has so much personality and says what she really thinks. Sometimes that honesty gets her into a bit of a bind, but I think it was refreshing. It also caught the eye of the Gilbert Collinwood.
She is in the middle of a plan to foil the unwanted attention of a wealthy suitor for her older sister, Ariandne. Her sister is in love with the vicar, and doesn't care to save the family from financial ruin by marrying a truly loathesome man. Gilbert is himself and Earl and readily helps in Marian's escapades and encourages the vicar's attentions to Ariadne. The comic relief of their younger brother Alistair is wonderful.
I loved the easy and quick pace that Carla Kelly uses as her writing style. The characters are fun, but not perfect. She paints a great picture, where I could easily picture them in my mind. I really enjoyed this book and it is perfect for all ages of romance readers.
Marian is a spunky 16 year old who is a misfit for her time period. She doesn't conform to a docile lady. She has so much personality and says what she really thinks. Sometimes that honesty gets her into a bit of a bind, but I think it was refreshing. It also caught the eye of the Gilbert Collinwood.
She is in the middle of a plan to foil the unwanted attention of a wealthy suitor for her older sister, Ariandne. Her sister is in love with the vicar, and doesn't care to save the family from financial ruin by marrying a truly loathesome man. Gilbert is himself and Earl and readily helps in Marian's escapades and encourages the vicar's attentions to Ariadne. The comic relief of their younger brother Alistair is wonderful.
I loved the easy and quick pace that Carla Kelly uses as her writing style. The characters are fun, but not perfect. She paints a great picture, where I could easily picture them in my mind. I really enjoyed this book and it is perfect for all ages of romance readers.
November 22, 2011
This book surprised me! I was expecting a nice love story with a Christmas backdrop, and I ended up enjoying rich characters, fun dialogue, and even a little intrigue. Set in the Regency time period, Marian is a spunky girl whose family is nearing financial ruin. Their only hopeful prospect is marrying off her elder sister (who is madly in love with the poor but kind vicar) to a wealthy suitor. Without spoiling anything, I will just say that fans of the Janes (Jane Austen and Jane Eyre) will love this fun and romantic story. Highly recommend it to all clean readers looking for an enjoyable holiday read.
November 20, 2011
'Marian's Christmas Wish' is a book of two halves. The first half has a good Christmassy atmosphere with the main character trying to overcome family hardship and create a wonderful Christmas. It is warm-hearted and humorous. It then becomes more serious and the tone of the book changes becoming more of an adventure story. I really enjoyed the sense of humour throughout the book and am looking forward to reading more of Carla Kelly's work.
June 26, 2012
I couldn't stop giggling through the book. It was wonderful. Marian and her family where a hoot! Oh, and of course Lord Ingraham. Such a charming soul. Wonderful story line! This one will keep you smiling.
( Clean romance).
( Clean romance).
May 16, 2012
Marian is a great character who pulls you in from the beginning, entrenching the reader firmly on her side. Looking forward to reading other historicals by Carla Kelly.
June 27, 2019
The Carla Kelly I love ^_^ I've finished a couple of days ago one of her worst books so this one cleansed that bad memory.
Most of the book was very Georgette Heyer-ish. Marian was a sweetheart of a MC, childish but with a bright personality. Her siblings were adorable; Alistair ended up being my favorite. Younger than her but how much he loved her ^_^ The Wynswich family is in a tight spot after the death of their father (who left a lot of debts) and poor Ariadne, being the eldest sister and most pretty, is the sacrifice to make a good marriage. The older brother, Percy, brings a disgusting fat rich man as a potential suitor, and another young man comes too, Lord Ingraham.
Lord Ingraham takes an instant like with Marian and tries to help her in everything. There are several adventures, where he helps her and she helps him. And all that bonds them, and it is like they have known each other for years except only a few days take place for their romance to bloom. In spite of that, as always with CK, the romance doesn't feel rush because they talk all the time, and get to know each other and form a nice friendship that ends in love.
Since Lord Ingraham (Gil) has that twinkle in the eye, and being Marian so young and impulsive, and all the troubles this family brings to Gil, it is certainly like reading GH. Except there are also some dark sides, like Gil and the scar on his face -and body-, and his double life and also the attack of a disgusting guy on Marian .
Most of the book is sweet and funny, towards the end is a bit darker but it all ends cute again. Highly recommended, easy to read and to fall in love with the characters.
Most of the book was very Georgette Heyer-ish. Marian was a sweetheart of a MC, childish but with a bright personality. Her siblings were adorable; Alistair ended up being my favorite. Younger than her but how much he loved her ^_^ The Wynswich family is in a tight spot after the death of their father (who left a lot of debts) and poor Ariadne, being the eldest sister and most pretty, is the sacrifice to make a good marriage. The older brother, Percy, brings a disgusting fat rich man as a potential suitor, and another young man comes too, Lord Ingraham.
Lord Ingraham takes an instant like with Marian and tries to help her in everything. There are several adventures, where he helps her and she helps him. And all that bonds them, and it is like they have known each other for years except only a few days take place for their romance to bloom. In spite of that, as always with CK, the romance doesn't feel rush because they talk all the time, and get to know each other and form a nice friendship that ends in love.
Since Lord Ingraham (Gil) has that twinkle in the eye, and being Marian so young and impulsive, and all the troubles this family brings to Gil, it is certainly like reading GH. Except there are also some dark sides, like Gil and the scar on his face -and body-, and his double life and also the attack of a disgusting guy on Marian .
Most of the book is sweet and funny, towards the end is a bit darker but it all ends cute again. Highly recommended, easy to read and to fall in love with the characters.
August 20, 2023
2.5 stars
This novel started as a sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating Christmas season farce, then turned into an unconvincing spy novel with a violent twist so fast that I think I’m suffering from whiplash. What??!! Why??!!
As a farce, it was fairly successful although a prospective suitor’s remarks and behavior were too ridiculously offensive for the reader to believe that anyone would tolerate them, even an impoverished family willing to sell a daughter. The best part of this book was an outspoken heroine who tended to say whatever she was thinking, for good or ill. I liked her, in spite of her age.
As a spy thriller, it tanked pretty badly. The juxtaposition destroyed my enjoyment of the book, and the relationship between the two main characters that bloomed in the first part soured in the second half. In the end, I just didn’t care if they got their HEA or not.
The first two books I read by this author were excellent. Did I just accidentally stumble over her best work first, and am to remain disappointed by everything else I’m going to read?
This novel started as a sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating Christmas season farce, then turned into an unconvincing spy novel with a violent twist so fast that I think I’m suffering from whiplash. What??!! Why??!!
As a farce, it was fairly successful although a prospective suitor’s remarks and behavior were too ridiculously offensive for the reader to believe that anyone would tolerate them, even an impoverished family willing to sell a daughter. The best part of this book was an outspoken heroine who tended to say whatever she was thinking, for good or ill. I liked her, in spite of her age.
As a spy thriller, it tanked pretty badly. The juxtaposition destroyed my enjoyment of the book, and the relationship between the two main characters that bloomed in the first part soured in the second half. In the end, I just didn’t care if they got their HEA or not.
The first two books I read by this author were excellent. Did I just accidentally stumble over her best work first, and am to remain disappointed by everything else I’m going to read?
December 5, 2017
"This is just what I need right now," I thought to myself as I started this book. I expected a delightfully sweet fun Regency romance with a happy ending.- not a whole lot of thinking required, just pure entertainment. And that's what I got . . . That is, until a mysterious little twist occurs about 2/3 through. I could hardly put it down - I had to know how this was all going to work out. I didn't want it to end. Loved it!
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