The Christmas Ruse

by Jennie Goutet

Nicholas Cranleigh suspects his meddlesome sister is up to something when she invites him to stay at Cothill Manor at the same time as Miss Dresden. He’s on his guard, but it’s hard to resist a woman with luminous eyes who’s in need of a savior.

Lavinia Dresden is ready to sacrifice herself to save her family from financial ruin in the only path open to a woman of gentle breeding. But she hadn’t counted the cost of her sacrifice until Lord Cranleigh came into her life—a man she knew to be her ideal.

There remain only five days until the Christmas ball when Miss Dresden’s fate will be decided, and it soon becomes apparent to Nicholas that the question is not whether he wants to save Lavinia, but whether he is able.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Audiobook, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical, Novella

76 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 15, 2019

About the author

Jennie Goutet is the best-selling author of eighteen historical romances, including the Clavering Chronicles, Memorable Proposals, and The Bridwells’ Grand Tour series. Her books have received first place in historical romance for the New England Reader’s Choice Awards and have hit the number one spot in Regency Romance on Amazon. They have been featured on BookBub and Hoopla, and are translated into six languages. Jennie is an American-born Anglophile who lives with her French husband and their three children in a small town outside of Paris, but her imagination resides in Georgian England, where her proper historical romances are set. You can learn more about Jennie’s books and sign up for her newsletter on her author website, jenniegoutet.com.

Reviews

[Oceana Reads Co. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Endearing characters and easy romance to eat up. Enjoyed!

Clean + no language

[Anne (In Search of Wonder) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Jennie Goutet's writing. It brought this Christmas Novella up a notch. The plot itself is unrealistically fast-moving, but that's the nature of a novella.

[Hannah Beth (Hannah's Book Cafe) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, for a novella, this was absolutely so well done. I loved the characters, the storyline, and the high stakes. I will definitely be reading this author again.

[Lavins · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

This is a sweet book with the perfect length, in my opinion.

[HR-ML · Rating 3 out of 5]

Regency.

Nice little story, w/ a small twist. But Nick (a viscount)
and Lavinia (promised to wed a shady man to satisfy her
sire's gambling debt) didn't re-invent the romance wheel.

[Jocelyn (jocelyn.reads.books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. I liked it.

[Eden Restored · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice little clean Regency romance. I liked the characterisation especially of Lavinia and Nicholas. This was well done considering this was only a short novella. Will be picking up more from this author. Recommended 😊

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A super short, super sweet Christmas book about a young woman being forced to marry an old cad in order to help her father out of a tight spot and the young, dashing lord intent on rescuing her. I enjoyed it!

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick listen. This was overall enjoyable, but I disliked the ending. Narrator was good.

3 stars for the story
5 stars for the narration

[Sherrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect length for a perfectly charming Regency historical romance!

[Mirabella Orosz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rövid aranyos kis könyvecske. Pontosan azt hozza amit ígér, rövid, lendületes aranyos romantikus történet. Se nem több se nem kevesebb.
A magyar fordítás néha elég fura volt, kíváncsi volnék az eredetire.

[Margaret Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and clean Regency romance, this book touches the heart as Miss Lavinia Dresden finds herself a pawn in the machinations of her desperate father. Nicholas Cranleigh is invited for Christmas by his sister and quickly comes to the conclusion that he is being manipulated by her into rescuing her best friend. When Miss Dresden's intended arrives, he is worse than they thought and Nicholas knows that he has to do his best to find a resolution to the problem. The story is romantic, in a country setting just before Christmas with all the trimmings. I loved the hero and his sense of honour. Lavinia is heartbroken but understands she cannot go against her father's wishes. Mr Dresden does redeem himself to some extent, but he really is a rather despicable character. I received a copy of this book from StoryOrigin and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Virginia Tican · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somehow I failed to pick on the fact that Mr. Dresden, Lavinia's father, was a cunning and almost omniscient sinister patriarch pulling strings in the shadows and making his puppets (like Lavinia, Nicolas, and the dreadful Sir Charles) dance to his own tune... that is, if this is supposed to be like Tremaine of Barham or Viscount Robert Tremaine in Georgette Heyer's, The Masqueraders whose motto is "I will contrive"... even if it is not, this still failed to give a hint on Dresden's supposedly genius as a masterful manipulator other than to illustrate that he is an inveterate compulsive gambler and will never say NO to a card game or dice... nor was there even an inkling to the dubious moniker of an Adventurer to add spice and daring to the abysmal approach to the denouement of this prose.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christmas novella of Nicholas and Lavinia. Not a lot of depth since it is so short Which is to be expected in a novella. Its not quite love at first sight, but almost. The characters are sweet and the villain is adequately unlikable. My major problem with it is her father. The plot twist with him at the end is not believable at all. If it had been left out, the story would have worked much better.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet Regency novella perfect for this time of year.

[Linda DuPont · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t see that one coming. Sure, the happily-ever-after ending is there, but the path to getting there was a surprise. I’m glad I read this book. We all need a touch of sweetness in our lives.

[Sarah Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

The audiobook was fantastic for this novella! Jennie Goutet writes clean romance with closed door situations, and the characters feel real despite the historical distance. Since this is my first read by this author, I did a touch of sleuthing, and her author page mentions issues of faith being part of Goutet's books; I didn't find that to be a significant aspect in this title, although I was falling asleep to the audiobook so I might have missed some conversations.

Nicholas and Lavinia definitely embody the tropes the author lists: damsel-in-distress, insta-love, protector. I didn't understand her father's choices at all and still wonder why he did what he did, even though he did seem to divulge his reasons and plan to Nicholas before the novella's close. The appearance of mistletoe in the library is adorable, and I definitely enjoyed the plot twists and turns. I think I'll try A Yorkshire Carol as my next Goutet story when I read an additional title by her.

[Priscila · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas Ruse was such a lovely read! I loved this short Regency story that is not only a sweet romance but also packs a bit of intrigue/suspense towards the end. I definitely didn't see that coming and it definitely kept glued to it till I reached its satisfying conclusion. Lavinia and Nicholas were both fun to get to know, as well as seeing them develop feelings for each other in the winter setting. Yes, this is a novella, so things can feel a bit rushed, but I still enjoyed it and it definitely felt believable. I also liked getting to see both Nicholas' friends and family (yes, even his meddlesome sister), and the role they played in the story, as well as realizing the true meaning of the title.

I'd recommend this story to anyone looking for a Christmas novella with a twist (that at least I didn't see coming, but that made it all the more fun). And while yes, this is one of the author's first works, it's still just as enjoyable as any of the others. :) ~ 4.5 stars

[Martha B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmastide Brings Together Two Sweet and Tender Souls

Christmastide is a magical time, a time when miracles happen and wishes come true.
Such is the backdrop of The Christmas Ruse by Jennie Goutet.

This well written little novella is embraces all that is sweet and wholesome. Flowing at a steady pace, Lord Nicholas and Lavinia Dresden's love story begins with his sister contrived introduction. As they get to know one another, their story is swept up in a drama that appears hopeless. Thankfully, it just as surprisingly is resolved in favor of a happy ending.

This sweet and clean Christmas novella is a must read beside a roaring fire with a cup of hot cocoa.

Disclosure: I received an complementary copy of this book from the author. I am voluntarily submitting my honest review.

[ꕥ Ange_Lives_To_Read ꕥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas 2024 - Nice!

Poor Lavinia. She has to marry some disgusting old Lord to save her family from destitution, because her father has gambled away all their money. But in the meantime, she's determined to enjoy her final days of freedom at the Christmas house party of a family friend, before her unwanted betrothal is announced to the world. When she meets Lord Nicholas Cranleigh, they immediately fall for each other. Will they end up together? Do Christmas trees have lights? Of course! The ruse of the title was an amusing twist at the end that I didn't entirely believe, but it was all very entertaining.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved The Christmas Ruse by Jennie Goutet!
I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
One: this review contains spoilers!
It was Set in one of my favorite periods and the description of decorating the house for Christmas was fun to read. The main characters were delightful, I’m not counting Sir Charles as a main character. He was, however, expertly drawn as a wicked man! It was a sweet tale of love, romance, Prince Charming saving the damsel in distress, and it took place at Christmas! What more could you ask for?
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

[Kav · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

A short novella with classic Regency tropes. Damsel in distress, hero swooping in to rescue her from the machinations of her deplorable father and the dastardly villain. It's very much an insta-love trope too, which I enjoy. I just felt like the story was rushed -- it's short even by novella standards -- and, while there is a happily ever after, there are some aspects of the resolution involving the heroine's father that I felt was lacking. Makes a light, fun escape read for the holidays.

I enjoyed listening to the audible edition narrated by Stevie Zimmerman.

[BlueJeansAndTeacups · Rating 2 out of 5]

Goodreads ratings for ☆☆ = "It was ok".
Rather nonsensical if you ask me. The hero rescues the damsel in distress in less than a week, proclaiming his love for her, yet he's only spent a handful of hours with her. The whole story felt disingenuine.
All opinions are my own without compensation or further expectation. I've had this one in my Kindle for a while, so I can't recall exactly where I acquired it, but I believe it was a free download at the time.

[Aurélie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though Lavinia is to be betrothed, Nicholas falls in love her. So he looks for ways to save her from a bleak future married to a man everybody knows not to be a gentleman…
This short novel was full of twists. The characters are well described, the story flows easily, the situations vividly described. It is the first story I’m reading from this author, and I definitely will be reading other novels.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This very short Regency novella was an instalove romance. Lavinia is being forced to marry a much older and reportedly abusive man to clear her father's gambling debts. Nicholas meets her for the first time at his sister's house and is instantly attracted to her. When he finds out that she is being forced to wed, he does everything he can to try and stop the engagement. The characters had depth for such a short book, it was a quick sweet read.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute novella that I was able to get read in one evening. The characters were great - I loved the banter between Nicholas and his sister, Julia. Lavinia was witty, noble, and a lover of books. She was doing her best to make the most of a rough situation. I like reading about how Christmases were spent in the Regency era. Gathering mistletoe and greenery outside to decorate the house, Christmas games, and the importance of the Yule log. It all sounds so cozy and fun.

[Lynne · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very short story, but I nice holiday romance between Lavinia and Nicholas. To say that the courtship was nonexistant would be an understatement. Lavinia blurted out her family's financial ruin very unlike a proper lady of that period, and Nicholas seem almost forced to do something about it. But the writing style was easy and the characters were all written well enough for a story this short.

[Stéphanie Paineau · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Christmas Ruse is an easy to read novella by Jennie Goutet. Just as with her novel, A Regrettable Proposal, the author has set the action in England during the Regency era, and she is able to include many historical details to make her story realistic. We follow the characters throughout the pages with the hope that their falling in love with each other will lead to a happy ending.

[Leann Arave · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely Christmas novella, set in the regency era. The characters of Nicolas and Lavinia were innocent victims of the Christmas Ruse. This was a super quick read, full of intrigue, deception, and sweet romance. I definitely recommend this book and look forward to other books by this author.

[Heidi Morrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Christmas Christian fiction book was a short couple of days read. I chose to read it in July while temps outside my home surpassed 90! This story has enough interesting characters and believable story; I wish it would become a series prequel! Recommended! I was able to read a copy of this book via Overdrive, but it did not in any way affect my review. All opinions are my own.