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Huckleberry Falls Romances #1

Merry and the Gentleman

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A Huckleberry Falls Romance

How do you choose between your heart and your responsibilities?

Merry Hurst, a fierce widow and single mom, is determined to give her young son the life he deserves—including a male role model who will stick around for the long haul. She can't afford to fall for a man who isn't planning to stay in Huckleberry Falls, so she might as well stop dreaming about Carlisle Wyndham. If only it were that easy!

Carlisle Wyndham is determined to develop the avalanche-proof transceiver that could have saved his wife's life. He's glad his daughter has made a new friend, but they’re only staying in Huckleberry Falls long enough to complete the project. When he meets the young boy’s mother, Carlisle’s not prepared for how alive she makes him feel.

But he has pressing responsibilities pulling him back to England while Merry’s require her to stay. Do they dare risk getting involved only to say goodbye?

Books Written in the Huckleberry Falls World
Huckleberry Falls Romances by Donna K. Weaver
• Merry and the Gentleman
• A Christmas Waltz for Linda
• How Mr. Grinchly Found Christmas
• Nigel's Silver Belle

Huckleberry Falls Holiday Romances
• Sleigh Ride with the Cowboy by Jen Peters
• 12 Days of Christmas Chaos by Wendy Knight
• Deck the Halls by Leah Sanders
• Pinecones and Huckleberries by Emily Dashmore

228 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2024

195 people are currently reading
199 people want to read

About the author

Donna K. Weaver

87 books459 followers
USA Today best-selling and award-winning author - wife-mother-grandmother-Navy brat-Army veteran-karate black belt-Harry Potter nerd-online gamer.

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5 stars
249 (60%)
4 stars
122 (29%)
3 stars
28 (6%)
2 stars
6 (1%)
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4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
Profile Image for Jamie  (The Kansan Reader).
686 reviews105 followers
dnf
November 27, 2024
Please don't let my review deter you from reading this! It's something that is personal to me that I despise. So please, don't let this deter you.

I really hate to DNF this book but something keeps happening and it's taking me out of the story.

I am 44% through. Reason I am DNFing is due to how people seem to want Merry, not so much Carlisle, to get back into dating. For context purposes, Merry and Carlisle are widow/widower. Both lost their spouses around the same time. When this takes place it's been two years. I was uncomfortable with how people where trying to play matchmaker with Merry. To me that is very insensitive. I do not like when people do this when someone is a widow. Why are they in such a rush to have a woman married off after her husband has passed?

Can we normalize people grieving? I feel like people put a timeframe on grieving and then you have to move on and be normal again. It's annoying.

As you can read, this subject is very prickly to me. So with that being in the story, it was taking me out and I really hate that because Merry and Carlisle are cute together.
Profile Image for Karen.
735 reviews7 followers
January 27, 2021
This is a romance that takes place at the holidays. But it isn’t focused on the holidays. The holidays are more an excuse for all the times the main characters are able to spend together. But Merry and Carlisle are spending time together because their children are best friends. Neither expect to find an attraction when both have only been widowed for just over a year. This is a sweet family romance.
Profile Image for Margaret Watkins.
3,547 reviews88 followers
January 15, 2023
A sweet holiday romance that finds two people who have lost the most beloved person in their lives due to accidents. They discover that they have so much in common that it becomes difficult to ignore the emerging feelings they have for one another. Merry's natural warmth and ability to charm the people around her win Carlisle and his daughter over in no time, but he has responsibilities back in England and the disagreeable old man will not let him go easily. Merry, on the other hand, will not embark on a relationship where her son could get hurt, and with her roots firmly settled in Huckleberry Falls, she has no intention of leaving. It takes some deep thinking and decision making to bring Carlisle and Merry to the point where they can see a future for themselves. This is an enjoyable feel-good romance with charming characters. I received a copy of this book as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.
2,388 reviews17 followers
October 19, 2020
Oh my gosh, I loved this story! The chemistry between Merry and her gentleman was perfect. The children were so sweet and I loved every character in the story. This little town is full of a wide assortment of fun personalities. This is a super sweet, clean romance.
Profile Image for Melissa.
1,191 reviews15 followers
October 20, 2021
This was a sweet second chance at romance story. At first I thought Merry and Carlisle were too different, but the chemistry between them was great. I loved Alex and Grace. They are such sweet kids who unknowingly drew their parents together.
Profile Image for Anastacia.
264 reviews
December 7, 2025
2.75⭐️’s
This wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. I was interested, but also pretty confused at times, not gonna lie, some of the wording threw me off. I get that Carlisle is supposed to be the sophisticated, polished one, so it made sense coming from him. But when that same style came from Merry, it felt out of place considering who she is and the small-town setting.

And the timeline… whew. Way too fast for me. I totally get falling in love quickly, we’ve all been there, but the mom in me wanted to tell them both to cool their jets. There were kids involved and they had only spent a handful of actual days together before we jumped straight into big, life-changing decisions. It was a lot.

But I will say, I loved the town vibes. That cozy, close-knit feeling was the best part for me.
Profile Image for Brittany Pickard.
281 reviews
December 7, 2025
Though it didn’t give me all the warm feelings, I enjoyed the story. Total hallmark vibes. I feel like the everything happened so slow and so quick at the same time. I loved the children and their easygoing friendship. Just a small town where everyone knows everyone . Here comes a rich handsome man from out of town and of course he is what the ladies at the hair salon discuss. Easy simple Christmas romance.
2,535 reviews46 followers
January 30, 2023
First, let me say that I have read a number of Ms. Weaver's books and this is by far my favorite of them. Next, let me say that I have no idea if I can express why in a way that will make sense to anyone.

I have a definite preference for Regency Era clean romance. Many times I read a contemporary setting book and by the time I finish I am tired of the making out and staring at and admiring of bodies and I particularly hate the line, "curves in all the right places" which seems to be in every contemporary clean romance I read. I always want to return to the "olden days" of Regency England. Somehow Ms. Weaver brought those two worlds together in this book. Perhaps it was because the hero is from England and is the grandson of an earl and they mention things like heirs, estates, and the lack of a dower house, and the title sounds like a Regency title. And maybe it was because the love interests don't spend a lot of time making out. I don't know. But reading this contemporary novel left me feeling the swoony-ness of the Regency stories I love.

Also, this story could be the plot of a Hallmark movie. We know going in how it is going to end but I enjoy the ride to get to that happily ever after.

I loved both the main characters. Carlisle appears to be stuffy in the beginning but loosens up well and pays more attention to the needs of his daughter. Merry only has eyes for her son in the beginning. Having lost their spouses a couple years earlier neither of them are much interested in relationships. But all that changes. I enjoyed all the matchmaking busybodies in town. I thought their kids were cute but his daughter tended toward "give me what I want" tantrums that weren't all that cute. But the two kids together were super cute.

This is a quick read, perfect for an afternoon or evening read.

No sex, language or violence
Profile Image for Julie Carpenter.
1,887 reviews240 followers
February 26, 2021
I'm smiling so much just thinking about this book. It was so sweet and just a joy to enjoy! I didn't want the story to end. I wanted to know more about Merry and Carlisle. They are two characters who have had heartache in their lives but are trying their best to keep living and finding joy. When their budding friendship starts to have sparks, I was cheering them on. So were the other characters in the book. Merry's mom and son. Carlisle's daughter and assistant. They saw right away what took Merry and Carlisle a little bit longer to see. Definitely the potential for more than just friendship.

This is set during the holiday season but I think it can be enjoyed as a sweet romance story any time of the year. If you love good, kind, loving characters, these two definitely fit that bill. They will steal your heart. Especially their sweet kids. I loved the scenes with their children. They just added such a fun layer to this book. I loved how the author wrote them into the story and showed us the interactions between Merry and Carlisle individually as well as together.

I love books that have characters who are straightforward and aren't trying to hem and haw and play games in their relationship. And Carlisle wasn't afraid to talk with Merry and be honest with her and she with him. I loved that aspect of their relationship. And you can't go wrong with his British accent and heritage. Just saying. ;-)

I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed how the narrator brought these characters to life and had me immersed in the story.

Content: Clean.

I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading (Listening)!!!
Profile Image for Billie.
57 reviews2 followers
November 21, 2020
Absolutely heartwarming

A delightful romance that started with 5 broken hearts. It was sensitive to loss, and slowly allowed you to get to know Merry, Alex, Gramma LInda, Carlisle, and Grace.

The children meet at day care and are instant friends, both having suffered the loss of a parent. Merry our heroine, lost her husband and father in an accident, her Mother taught her that they must continue to live and they were a very thoughtful and giving family.

Carlisle and Grace came from London, his grandfather was a Duke but he was not heir to title or estate but was raised by a very ridged man. His wife died in an accident also, which led him to his current passion and what dove him, that was creating an avalanche radar device, so he moved to Colorado for development. It wasn’t long that the 2 children pulled their Mom and Dad together, Merry slowly dealing with her loss while, Carlisle began to open his heart.

The fall and winter holidays are a wonderful backdrop for the story line. I hope you enjoy it, I sure did and read in a day! Oh do I have some things to do! Enjoy.
3,634 reviews16 followers
January 23, 2021
Merry and Carlisle are both single parents who lost their spouses in accidents and their young children are best friends. Alex and Grace are adorable holding hands and excited about any time they get to spend together. Carlisle is a workaholic in his quest to develop a better avalanche beacon to save lives in memory of his wife. Merry puts up barriers in her relationship with Carlisle afraid he's going to leave and go back to England and maybe even feeling guilty over moving on from the the loss of her husband. Her mother plays matchmaker and encourages the romance whenever she can. Carlisle also comes to realize that he is letting his grandfather control his life and responsibilities. Merry realizes that she is unhappy at the salon she works at with an employer that cares more about profits than her employee's needs. They both have to make changes in their lives to be open to moving forward together. This was a sweet second chance at love holiday romance.

The Audible narrator has a nice smooth tone with voice changes including English accents for Carlisle and Grace and inflections in all the right places.
800 reviews9 followers
October 28, 2020
A widow, Merry Hurst is a hairstylist raising her son is a loving and happy environment. She would love to own her own salon but has chosen to wait till Alex is much older. Merry lost both her husband and father in the same accident and she and her mother have been there for each other. Carlisle Wyndham with his young daughter Grace is in Huckleberry Falls developing an avalanche-proof transceiver. Losing his wife in an avalanche, he is hoping that he can help save others whereas he couldn’t save his wife. The two children are both at the same daycare facility and have become fast and close friends. For this reason, it pulls Carlisle and Merry together. As they grow close and feelings of love starting to show, Merry is disturbed as she knows he is only there for a short time. But can they eventually find a happy medium where it can work for them both.
1,279 reviews10 followers
November 24, 2020
Do you really need a matchmaker?
When Alex introduces his mom, Merry, to his new best friend, Grace, Merry immediately takes to the little girl. She is cute and sparkly -- just what Alex needed.
Merry’s husband and father had been killed in a car accident almost two years ago. It had been extremely hard on Merry, Alex, and her mother. She resigned herself to working as a beautician and staying single.
Grace only had her father. Her mother had been killed in an avalanche a couple of years ago that had been started by some guys skiing in an unauthorized area.
Grace’s dad, Carlisle, was in the U.S. working on a system to alert other of an avalanche. He had vowed that business must come first – as he had always been taught by his grandfather in London.
He thinks better of it when he sees the interaction between Alex and Merry. Priorities!!
2,364 reviews12 followers
October 20, 2020
5 stars
I receives a free copy of the clean holiday novel Merry and the Gentleman: A Huckleberry Falls Christmas by Donna K. Weaver and this review was given freely.
A second chance at love romance and a story of healing. An unfavorable 1st impression, some work time angst, a hint of celebrities, two cute children and some wholesome family events are combined in this western novel featuring the dissatisfied La Chevelure Hair Salon, Huckleberry Falls hair stylist/part time nail artist and philanthropic widowed single mother Merry Hurst who avoids the town residents matchmaking schemes until she bumps into her son Alex's new best friend Grace's father, wealthy English product developer and widower Carlisle Wyndham at the daycare.
Profile Image for Rose.
382 reviews
February 17, 2021
I really liked this book! The story was sweet and moved along well. The characters were well developed and relatable. The ladies in the hair salon reminded me just how small towns can be with "helpful gossip/matchmaking". Seeing a slow romance develop between Mary and Carlisle was sweet... but is it practical? Will it work? I loved the friendship between the children, Alex and Grace, the author did a great job of writing that in and you could just see their antics.

The narrative was done very well and helped to bring the characters to life. I especially loved the "Papa" in Graces voice.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the author and I have voluntarily left this review.
1,594 reviews17 followers
October 19, 2020
"Merry and the Gentleman" by Donna K. Weaver
I loved this fun sweet clean contemporary romance story. I was so entranced that I couldn't put it down… read it in one day. I usually am able to do a better job of pacing myself. I hope you will enjoy your time in Huckleberry Falls, WY as much as I did. Happy Reading ! !
Note: I received an ARC of this story from the author with a request to look for typo's and such and to post an honest review.
Profile Image for Julie Finlinson.
38 reviews
October 24, 2020
This is a sweet Christmas romance. Merry and Carlisle are great characters that are fiercely loyal to their family. Both are single parents due to unfortunate accidental deaths of their spouses. Alex is Merry's son and Grace is Carlisle's daughter. They form a strong friendship in day care and the rest is good clean fun. This is the perfect sweet read for the holidays.
Profile Image for Delphia  Von Heeder .
1,720 reviews50 followers
October 27, 2020
Merry and the Gentleman is an amazing story. Donna K Weaver writes outstanding contemporary inspirational romance books. The characters are realistic and believable. Merry and Carlisle are raising their children alone. Can their children bring them together? If you enjoy clean romance books, you will enjoy this story. I received an arc for my honest review.
Profile Image for Our Book Confessions.
643 reviews16 followers
November 12, 2020
For those of you that can't get enough of Hallmark Holliday Movies this one is right up your alley!
Though it does have a lot of the common elements of that particular trope, Donna Weaver fills in the ordinary motif with fleshed out characters and meaningful emotions.
The story was sweet and fun, a quick holiday read for a snowy day.

355 reviews4 followers
October 27, 2020
This is a gentle book with wonderful characters. Having the character's little ones added a lot to the story.
Do I recommend it? Yes!
102 reviews
November 2, 2021
The dialogue was very stilted and seemed to come straight out of the Edwardian era. Based on this book, I won't read this author again.
Profile Image for Priscila.
852 reviews86 followers
May 25, 2022
Merry and the Gentleman was such a sweet story! Now, that was something I was expecting from the blurb, the author, and the cover, but the surprise came from having listened to the sample of this audio and finding it off-putting somehow. Maybe it was the voice for Carlisle or maybe it was something else, but I'm really glad once I started listening to the actual audiobook, the story hooked me in from the start and everything went smoothly. I really enjoyed getting to know both Merry and Carlisle as a widow and a widower respectively, as well as single parents to a couple of adorable children as were Alex and Grace. Yes, there are some really meddling (and matchmaking) townsfolk, but it's clear they have Merry's best interest at heart and it didn't bother me as much. I liked how respectfully the author presented the theme of loved ones passing away (and all the memories and emotions that can hit a person out of nowhere) while at the same time showing the developing feelings for someone new in their lives, someone who respects and understands them, while also caring and wanting the best for them.

The narrator was great too since she nailed both all the different emotions the characters went through (hurt, shock, surprise, compassion, affectionate moments, etc), as well as all the different voices for all of them, be them young like Alex and Grace, English and sophisticated like Carlisle's, or caring and grandmotherly like Linda's.

Overall, a sweet holiday/Christmas Romance that is perfect for fans of the author, or anyone looking for a Sweet Contemporary Romance in a snowy setting. ~ 4.5 stars
347 reviews11 followers
November 3, 2021
Here & There

Merry Hurst lost her husband, Ray, & her father in a car accident a few years ago. She was very close to her mother, Linda. Merry had a son, Alex, age 5. They lived in a small town where Merry was a hairdresser. Carlisle is the grandson to an English Earl. He lost his wife a couple of years ago in a skiing accident. He & his daughter, Gracie, age 5, were in America while he was working on a device to assist finding people in an avalanche. Carlisle & Merry met when they both picked up their children from daycare. Carlisle needed other childcare from time to time & was referred to Linda’s mother. Holiday events were taking place in their town & both Carlisle & Merry attended them together with their children. Carlisle is to return to England when his project is complete. Merry won’t leave her mother. How do Carlisle & Merry resolve differences - or do they?
Profile Image for Linda.
Author 58 books649 followers
December 15, 2021
I don’t read a lot of contemporary books, but I’ll make an exception for Donna K. Weaver’s books. I love her stories, and Merry and the Gentleman was as fantastic as anticipated. Merry and Carlisle are great characters. As someone who didn’t have children, I couldn’t totally relate to Merry’s motherhood, but I did appreciate her tenacity and doing what she thought was best for her family. Carlisle is totally swoon-worthy, and I enjoyed the bits and pieces that were included about his job (as a former HR professional I couldn’t help myself!). The kids were wonderful. Very interactive and somewhat precocious without being obnoxious. Christmas is a tough time of year for a lot of people, especially for those who have lost a loved one, and Donna did a great job of dealing with that without being maudlin. A terrific read any time of year.
Profile Image for Jennifer Jensen.
Author 2 books165 followers
January 1, 2023
delightful!

I loved this book the first time around, and it’s just as good the second. Merry is still grieving her husband and Carlisle his wife, but their precocious kids pull them together. The children half steal the show, but Carlisle… swoon! It’s fun to watch him change and begin to put his family first. And Mary has her own hangups but eventually gives into the possibilities.

Huckleberry Falls is a character all its own, and a place I’d love to visit. The author has created a town with lots of fun and interesting things, and I love her Christmas stories here. Now I am off to read the second book again, and it won’t be a spoiler to say that there’s another happily ever after in store!
1,922 reviews5 followers
November 19, 2020
Merry and the Gentleman

Merry a young woman who had lost her father and husband in a terrible accident. Linda her mother a custom designer of clothes helped Merry and her son Alex get through the loss by being there for them in any way she could be . Carlisle was a young entrepreneur from England who moved here to create a product that would help to forecast avalanches before they happened and ruined lives in the process. This is my review and mine alone. Norma Gorrill
74 reviews1 follower
December 11, 2023
Amazing

Combining British royal lines, with American esteemed down to earth homemade business laddies was very intriguing. Having British people as friends, this was very well done and the romance was excellent as well as exciting yet clean & proper. A very good book to read as well as tell other about. That I will be doing. Donna you did a great job. I look forward to reading more of your stories.
Profile Image for Introvert Booklover.
154 reviews
December 26, 2023
I like the story between Merry and Carlisle. Lovely clean romance, nothing too spicy (yes and yes). Notice a few grammar mistakes. The ending, it is different than my expectation, but there is a happily ever after. One thing I don't like about the story is seeing words like "the woman" or "the man" often instead of the character's name, which I find bothersome (apologies). Overall, this is such a sweet read for Christmas or any time of the year!
1,428 reviews12 followers
April 6, 2024
Widow Merry Hurst and her son are involved in the festivals in town, and they invite his new little friend and her father to join them. Carlisle Wyndham and his daughter are in town while he completes a project in memory of his late wife. He and Merry continue to see each other at events, and when he has to go to a Christmas Ball he invites her. An interesting and heartwarming Christmas story worth the read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews

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