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Tea for Two
One of the hottest romance writers today, Cathy Maxwell joins forces with rising star Liz Carlyle to serve up an irresistible treat -- two deliciously sensual Regency novellas.
IN A MOONLIT GARDEN by CATHY MAXWELL Posing as a tea merchant, Colonel Michael Sanson infiltrates an eccentric chemist's household in search of a stolen formula. But as soon as he lays eyes on the thief's niece, Lady Jocelyn, he is sidetracked into doing the fair lady's bidding. Little does Michael know that assisting in Jocelyn's scheme to make her former suitor jealous will send him into a tailspin of love and white-hot passion.
HUNTING SEASON by LIZ CARLYLE Christian Villiers, the Marquis of Grayston, returns to England determined to ruin the man responsible for his beloved sister's suicide. Seducing the cad's intended, Lady Elise Middleton, would be a bonus. But during an elaborate house party, Christian realizes he has met his match in the fiery and passionate Elise...and soon he must decide whether a moment of vengeance is worth risking a lifetime of love.
IN A MOONLIT GARDEN by CATHY MAXWELL Posing as a tea merchant, Colonel Michael Sanson infiltrates an eccentric chemist's household in search of a stolen formula. But as soon as he lays eyes on the thief's niece, Lady Jocelyn, he is sidetracked into doing the fair lady's bidding. Little does Michael know that assisting in Jocelyn's scheme to make her former suitor jealous will send him into a tailspin of love and white-hot passion.
HUNTING SEASON by LIZ CARLYLE Christian Villiers, the Marquis of Grayston, returns to England determined to ruin the man responsible for his beloved sister's suicide. Seducing the cad's intended, Lady Elise Middleton, would be a bonus. But during an elaborate house party, Christian realizes he has met his match in the fiery and passionate Elise...and soon he must decide whether a moment of vengeance is worth risking a lifetime of love.
357 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 30, 2002
2 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
About the author
Cathy Maxwell
72 books2,204 followersCATHY MAXWELL spends hours in front of her computer pondering the question, "Why do people fall in love?" It remains for her the mystery of life and the secret to happiness.
She lives in the Austin, TX area where she is having the time of her life.
Visit her on Instagram, Twitter, FB, and TikTok at maxwellcathy (Yes, some other Cathy Maxwell nabbed the handle. However, she does own www.cathymaxwell.com and she'd love for you to swing by.)
She lives in the Austin, TX area where she is having the time of her life.
Visit her on Instagram, Twitter, FB, and TikTok at maxwellcathy (Yes, some other Cathy Maxwell nabbed the handle. However, she does own www.cathymaxwell.com and she'd love for you to swing by.)
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 18, 2011
Reviewed for THC Reviews
In a Moonlit Garden by Cathy Maxwell – In a Moonlit Garden is a whimsical tale that can be very enjoyable as long as the reader doesn't take it too seriously. It has a lighthearted, fairy tale quality where things just fall into place with a minimum of fuss, and HEAs all around. I settled into this novella with my usual earnestness, feeling very uncertain about the author's ability to make me believe in a love connection when both the hero and heroine begin the story pining after other loves and had a very short space in which to reconcile those feelings. I quickly realized that I just needed to lighten up and go with the flow, after which I very much enjoyed it even if everything did happen a little too easily. Normally, this would not work well for me, but Cathy Maxwell managed to infuse the romance with a tender, emotional quality that really pulled me in and had me believing in the impossible.
In a Moonlit Garden has a sweet, funny cast of characters that I couldn't help but like in spite of their flaws. As I already mentioned, I had my doubts about Michael and Jocelyn, the hero and heroine, still frequently declaring their love for others, but it was pretty obvious to me from the outset that they were well-suited for one another. The entire tale is something of a comedy of errors with nearly everyone thinking they love someone else, but finally realizing that the person they thought they loved was merely a comfortable crush, while the person right in front of them is the one who's best for them. Michael may have started out with an agenda, but he was smart enough to figure out that his “benefactor” may have had ulterior motives in asking for his help and that Jocelyn's uncle might be innocent. Jocelyn was a sweet young lady, an orphan who had trouble trusting because of her loss and being jilted by her longtime friend who she always thought she'd marry. She was very forgiving to overlook Michael's initial duplicity and also intelligent enough to understand that his feelings for her had never been a lie. The secondary characters were fun too. Jocelyn's Uncle Geoff is an eccentric scientist with a tendency to be forgetful and occasionally blow things up, but also wise in the ways of love. Jocelyn's ex, Thomas, was a bit spoiled, but not a bad guy, and his soon-to-be fiancée, Elfreda, thought the sun rose and shone with him. There were several other minor characters too, and all of them came together to create a charming little village in the English countryside.
Overall, In a Moonlit Garden was a playful, energetic, and delightfully amusing read for me. It may not have reached the heights of perfection, but I certainly found it to be entertaining in a way that many lighter stories aren't. It was my first read by Cathy Maxwell, and has definitely left me open to trying her other works when I'm in the mood for a gentle read to lift my spirits. Star Rating: ****
Hunting Season by Liz Carlyle - Hunting Season is another good story from Liz Carlyle. It starts off with a mild love/hate relationship as the heroine alternates between melting into the hero's arms and rebuffing him due to his forwardness and bad reputation. The early parts of the novella could sometimes be a little slow, because not much was happening aside from the back-and-forth dance of whether the heroine will or won't give in to her attraction to the hero. Once she does and his true purpose for being at the house party is revealed, things got much more interesting.
Christian is another of Liz Carlyle's tortured heroes. He has spent the last decade deliberately being the hellion his father seemed to believe he was and earning a scandalous reputation for it. After being away on the Continent for most of that time, he is now back in England to avenge the suicide of his beloved younger sister who was compromised and then abandoned by the man she loved. Christian feels very guilty over not being there for her and thinks he can make it right by provoking the man who put her in that position into a duel, and what better way to do that than seducing the man's intended wife. Christian was quite the charming seducer right from the opening chapters, but I wasn't quite sure what to make of a man who was offering to sleep with a woman he believed might be married. He was definitely a silver-tongued devil, but a little too arrogant and forward for my taste at first. Once his conscience caught up with him, he began to show some much-needed vulnerability, and after that I was a goner for him as much as Elise was. I also loved how sweet and fatherly he was with Elise's daughter, Henriette, right from the start, even though he had no real experience with kids, as well as how discretely he handled Robert Rowland's compromising situation. In these and other ways, Christian showed just how honorable he could be in spite of feeling like he was anything but.
Elise is rather an ordinary young woman, a vicar's daughter, a former governess, and fairly innocent for a widow. That said, I think she handled herself pretty well with Christian. Even though she was sorely tempted by his repeated seductive advances, she generally stood her ground until he started behaving in a more gentlemanly fashion. Once she fell for him, she was very accepting of Christian, flaws and all. I also admired her for being a loving mother to Henriette and treating her like her own daughter even though she wasn't her biological child.
Until now, I hadn't read a Liz Carlyle story in a very long time, so it was wonderful to have the opportunity to revisit some of her characters that I'd met in earlier books. Attending the house party was one of my favorite Liz Carlyle couples, Cam, Helene, and their daughter, Arianne (Beauty Like the Night). Cole Amherst (A Woman Scorned) turned out to be a cousin of the party's hostess who was also Elise's sister-in-law. He was there with his wife, Jonet, their four new daughters, and his two now-grown stepsons, Robert and Stuart (who becomes the hero of Wicked All Day). Robert is a very naughty boy who manages to get himself into a heap of mischief which may foreshadow what I perceive to be his upcoming role in Wicked All Day. Overall, Hunting Season was another enjoyable read from Liz Carlyle and, I greatly look forward to getting back into more of her books. Star Rating: ****
Note: While Ms. Carlyle seems to consider her books to be more of a community of characters than an official series and each seems to stand well on it's own story-wise, I would caution that reading later books first may give away spoilers to earlier books. Such was the case when I skipped one book and was left wishing that I had read it first. Even though it is a bit daunting, my suggestion for readers like myself who don't like any spoilers would be to begin with Ms. Carlyle's first book, My False Heart, and continue reading them in the chronological order in which they were published. It is also my opinion that the reading experience would be greatly enhanced by doing this, because Ms. Carlyle's character web is so complex. The entire backlist, in order, can be found on her website.
In a Moonlit Garden by Cathy Maxwell – In a Moonlit Garden is a whimsical tale that can be very enjoyable as long as the reader doesn't take it too seriously. It has a lighthearted, fairy tale quality where things just fall into place with a minimum of fuss, and HEAs all around. I settled into this novella with my usual earnestness, feeling very uncertain about the author's ability to make me believe in a love connection when both the hero and heroine begin the story pining after other loves and had a very short space in which to reconcile those feelings. I quickly realized that I just needed to lighten up and go with the flow, after which I very much enjoyed it even if everything did happen a little too easily. Normally, this would not work well for me, but Cathy Maxwell managed to infuse the romance with a tender, emotional quality that really pulled me in and had me believing in the impossible.
In a Moonlit Garden has a sweet, funny cast of characters that I couldn't help but like in spite of their flaws. As I already mentioned, I had my doubts about Michael and Jocelyn, the hero and heroine, still frequently declaring their love for others, but it was pretty obvious to me from the outset that they were well-suited for one another. The entire tale is something of a comedy of errors with nearly everyone thinking they love someone else, but finally realizing that the person they thought they loved was merely a comfortable crush, while the person right in front of them is the one who's best for them. Michael may have started out with an agenda, but he was smart enough to figure out that his “benefactor” may have had ulterior motives in asking for his help and that Jocelyn's uncle might be innocent. Jocelyn was a sweet young lady, an orphan who had trouble trusting because of her loss and being jilted by her longtime friend who she always thought she'd marry. She was very forgiving to overlook Michael's initial duplicity and also intelligent enough to understand that his feelings for her had never been a lie. The secondary characters were fun too. Jocelyn's Uncle Geoff is an eccentric scientist with a tendency to be forgetful and occasionally blow things up, but also wise in the ways of love. Jocelyn's ex, Thomas, was a bit spoiled, but not a bad guy, and his soon-to-be fiancée, Elfreda, thought the sun rose and shone with him. There were several other minor characters too, and all of them came together to create a charming little village in the English countryside.
Overall, In a Moonlit Garden was a playful, energetic, and delightfully amusing read for me. It may not have reached the heights of perfection, but I certainly found it to be entertaining in a way that many lighter stories aren't. It was my first read by Cathy Maxwell, and has definitely left me open to trying her other works when I'm in the mood for a gentle read to lift my spirits. Star Rating: ****
Hunting Season by Liz Carlyle - Hunting Season is another good story from Liz Carlyle. It starts off with a mild love/hate relationship as the heroine alternates between melting into the hero's arms and rebuffing him due to his forwardness and bad reputation. The early parts of the novella could sometimes be a little slow, because not much was happening aside from the back-and-forth dance of whether the heroine will or won't give in to her attraction to the hero. Once she does and his true purpose for being at the house party is revealed, things got much more interesting.
Christian is another of Liz Carlyle's tortured heroes. He has spent the last decade deliberately being the hellion his father seemed to believe he was and earning a scandalous reputation for it. After being away on the Continent for most of that time, he is now back in England to avenge the suicide of his beloved younger sister who was compromised and then abandoned by the man she loved. Christian feels very guilty over not being there for her and thinks he can make it right by provoking the man who put her in that position into a duel, and what better way to do that than seducing the man's intended wife. Christian was quite the charming seducer right from the opening chapters, but I wasn't quite sure what to make of a man who was offering to sleep with a woman he believed might be married. He was definitely a silver-tongued devil, but a little too arrogant and forward for my taste at first. Once his conscience caught up with him, he began to show some much-needed vulnerability, and after that I was a goner for him as much as Elise was. I also loved how sweet and fatherly he was with Elise's daughter, Henriette, right from the start, even though he had no real experience with kids, as well as how discretely he handled Robert Rowland's compromising situation. In these and other ways, Christian showed just how honorable he could be in spite of feeling like he was anything but.
Elise is rather an ordinary young woman, a vicar's daughter, a former governess, and fairly innocent for a widow. That said, I think she handled herself pretty well with Christian. Even though she was sorely tempted by his repeated seductive advances, she generally stood her ground until he started behaving in a more gentlemanly fashion. Once she fell for him, she was very accepting of Christian, flaws and all. I also admired her for being a loving mother to Henriette and treating her like her own daughter even though she wasn't her biological child.
Until now, I hadn't read a Liz Carlyle story in a very long time, so it was wonderful to have the opportunity to revisit some of her characters that I'd met in earlier books. Attending the house party was one of my favorite Liz Carlyle couples, Cam, Helene, and their daughter, Arianne (Beauty Like the Night). Cole Amherst (A Woman Scorned) turned out to be a cousin of the party's hostess who was also Elise's sister-in-law. He was there with his wife, Jonet, their four new daughters, and his two now-grown stepsons, Robert and Stuart (who becomes the hero of Wicked All Day). Robert is a very naughty boy who manages to get himself into a heap of mischief which may foreshadow what I perceive to be his upcoming role in Wicked All Day. Overall, Hunting Season was another enjoyable read from Liz Carlyle and, I greatly look forward to getting back into more of her books. Star Rating: ****
Note: While Ms. Carlyle seems to consider her books to be more of a community of characters than an official series and each seems to stand well on it's own story-wise, I would caution that reading later books first may give away spoilers to earlier books. Such was the case when I skipped one book and was left wishing that I had read it first. Even though it is a bit daunting, my suggestion for readers like myself who don't like any spoilers would be to begin with Ms. Carlyle's first book, My False Heart, and continue reading them in the chronological order in which they were published. It is also my opinion that the reading experience would be greatly enhanced by doing this, because Ms. Carlyle's character web is so complex. The entire backlist, in order, can be found on her website.
December 14, 2022
My rating is only for Liz Carlyle's story, which is very enjoyable, although I had to get more than half-way through the story before the hero and heroine started to appeal to me.
Characters from several of Carlyle's novels appear as secondary characters in this story: Lord and Lady Treyhern from Beauty Like The Night, Cole Amherst and Jonet, as well as Jonet's sons, from A Woman Scorned. The story takes place about 10 years after A Woman Scorned, because Jonet's sons are 20 and almost 18 years old, respectively, here. But Lord and Lady Treyhern just have a small child (besides Treyhern's daughter Ariane from his first marriage), so their story must have taken place only a year or 2 before this one.
Characters from several of Carlyle's novels appear as secondary characters in this story: Lord and Lady Treyhern from Beauty Like The Night, Cole Amherst and Jonet, as well as Jonet's sons, from A Woman Scorned. The story takes place about 10 years after A Woman Scorned, because Jonet's sons are 20 and almost 18 years old, respectively, here. But Lord and Lady Treyhern just have a small child (besides Treyhern's daughter Ariane from his first marriage), so their story must have taken place only a year or 2 before this one.
January 12, 2015
Two for the price of one, and two of my favourite authors.
A great read. Loved both stories equally.
A great read. Loved both stories equally.
September 25, 2017
Reread this pair of novellas after many years and forgot how amazing they both are! Usually I don't like romance novellas because they don't feel long enough to really develop characters and a plot, but these stories are both fantastic, possibly because they are longer.
November 14, 2024
The first mini story I truly enjoyed although I felt Colonel Sanson was a little gullible for an experienced soldier. The second story, Christian Villiers is out for revenge, taking o prisoners, was a long drawn out affair where the heroine gave in too easily.
January 23, 2017
Easy to read and entertaining.
August 20, 2010
Maxwell's tale, with not one but two "please shoot me I'm so stupid" protagonists, certainly isn't worthy of 4 stars. But I don't want to depress the all-too-worthy Carlyle's ratings just because her publisher paired her with a less talented author...
August 10, 2017
loved liz carlyle's story ... not impressed with maxwell's ...
June 22, 2014
Two enjoyable shorts in which the hero's original motives are subverted by his falling for the heroine and he must decide whether his original goal is worth turning her into collateral damage...
January 30, 2016
Liz Carlyle story was better
July 23, 2015
I've only read Liz Carlyle's novella. Exciting story of revenge and redemption with a sexy note.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews