Madeleine's Christmas Wish

The Marriage Game #5.5

by Ella Quinn

The bachelors in Ella Quinn’s Marriage Game series make a habit of resisting the irresistible. But during the season for giving, surrendering to temptation may be the greatest gift of all…

A French spy, Georges, Marquis Cruzy-le-Châtel, has lived in England for years, sacrificing his life for his country—but not his heart. For he’s never been able to forget his childhood friend, Madeleine. And now, in her hour of need, he is there to rescue her…

The victim of a ruthless statesman, Madeleine, Comtesse du Beaune, has been abducted and sent to England to work in a brothel. Her greatest wish is to return home for Christmas, and her only hope of it is to marry Georges—though she will be his wife in name alone. Yet as they steal across the snowy countryside, Georges decides to woo her—with kisses that melt the winter’s frost and leave her longing for a holiday miracle…

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

92 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 14, 2014

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn’s studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side (political science professor and lawyer). Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them.

She is married to her wonderful husband of over thirty years. They have a son and two beautiful granddaughters, and a Great Dane named Lilibet. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true lived on sailboat for three years. After cruising the Caribbean and North America, she completed a transatlantic crossing from St. Martin to Southern Europe. She's currently living in Germany, happily writing while her husband is back at work, recovering from retirement.

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Reviews

[Michelle Connolly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Two words for this book: Don't bother.
This is by far one of the worst books I have ever read. I honestly don't understand how so many people say they actually liked it! What is there to like? The sloppy plot, the lack of flow and pace throughout the story, the bland characters, the dull and simple minded dialogue or the awful writing?

[Patty McKenna Van Hulle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Georges, the Marquis Cruz-le-Châte, is French, but has sacrifice everything to spy for his exiled King Louis & the English crown to right the wrongs of the evil Napoleonic War. Madeline, the Comtesse du Beaune is struggling to hold together her family's vineyard together, but she has this oily & creepy Monsieur Coupe to deal with for the vineyard & unwanted attention. When he proposes, she refuses & is forcefully taking from her home, to England to sell in a brothel, but childhood friend Georges rides, with the help of his spy friends, to her rescue. Now Georges finally has a chance to claim the only woman he has ever loved, but he must walk a thin line to get Madeline to say, I DO & still have her in his bed every night! So off to the vicar & priest they go with his family in tow & then to France to protect her family! Can Georges show Madeline that this marriage can be a love match? Can they get all they lost in France back? Can they catch the evil spy Coupe?

This quickie by Ms. Quinn is hilarious, touched my heart strings & my favorite of Ms. Quinn's romances so far. Madeline was a strong heroine willing to do anything to protect her small family. Georges was a hero with a hidden gooey heart, who also did everything for his family, but also for his King & country. Are the French super intelligent for allowing females to inherit their dad's titles, or what! Ms. Quinn had Georges prove to Madeline that sex is glorious, earth shattering & so worth the risk to her heart, so she added toe curling kisses, happy girlie parts & a slow sensual seduction! Ms. Quinn gets my score of 4 fingers up & 7 toes for this quickie of action aplenty, evilness afoot, a trek across France, many surprises along the way & a love story that bring not 1, but 2 families together!


NetGalley ARC given for my honest review.

[Mum · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars. Poorly written Christmas novels are turning me off the genre. Everything feels forced and beyond improbable. The story is full of stops and starts. It did have the right ingredients and potential but either the author or the editor was too bored to pull it together. I normally like this author.

[Eva · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book for an honest review and since I made myself read instead of getting some work done this weekend I read it today.

First of all I is never a good sign if I look at the percentage I have read after a few pages because I am bored. It happened, it happened more than once with this book. But maybe there is a reason for it.

Ella Quinn was also a newbie for me, I haven’t read anything by her before but I do not mind authors I do not know. “Madeleine’s Christmas Wish” is #5.5 of “The Marriage Game” series. Honestly? After reading this one I am not even a little interested into reading the other parts. Isn’t that the reason to offer those volumes to “readers” online to make them want more?

And that’s sad because usually even such a book, I mean a “middle” or “additional” book makes me read more. Like it happened with Kathy Pearce. Anyway … here things were different.

I liked the cover. It wasn’t extraordinary but okay.

The story is more or less pretty easy. A young French woman – Madeleine, Comtesse du Beaune – is abducted by a group of men and sent to a brothel in England. She is the heir of a big estate in France and leaves her mother and younger sister behind. The father had been killed and the brother is missing in action.

But before she can be brought to a brothel, she is given to Georges, Marquis Cruzy-le-Châtel, who is a French spy and lives with his family in England. Madeleine and he had been kind of engaged since their childhood days because it had been arranged by their, nowadays dead, fathers.
Georges decides to woo her but Madeleine’s only wish is to go back to Beaune, save her family and run the estate …

++

There was not even the slightest steam in the romantic scenes. They were boring, really boring. I read so many great romance novels over the last year but those romantic scenes were nothing but ordinary – no thrill, nothing special. Usually there is this special something in those but here … Once or twice I really had my hopes up when they spent the night at an Inn or while they travelled by coach. But nothing.

Another things that really annoyed me where those French words. I am not native English but I don’t mind reading in England I actually like it a lot and I am not that bad with vocabulary, my kindle has a dictionary but there were so many words and phrases the kindle didn’t know that it really bugged me. Next to that there were lots of reiteration of words which annoyed me.
(Another thing – I read it on my kindle (mobi file) and the format was kind of strange. New chapters didn’t start with a new page. There were too many paragraphs so sometimes the change of scenery etc. completely got missing.)
All in all I read the reviews on Goodreads and they liked it. I didn’t. It was boring. No steamy Christmas novel in my personal opinion. And the book doesn’t make me want to rest the rest of the series.

[Susan Gorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Ella Quinn's novella Madeleine's Christmas Wish is an excellent read!! The novella held my interest and I read it in one sitting.

Madeleine's Christmas Wish had all of the adventure, romance and historical details that I look for in a regency romance novel. And the cover is fabulous! Just perfect for this holiday story.

Kudos for author Ella Quinn for writing a novella that captured the heart and spirit of the other novels in her Marriage Game series.

Madeleine's Christmas Wish is set in both France and England shortly after Napoleon's defeat. It's a fast paced ninety page novella with a handsome and honorable hero, a smart and beautiful heroine, lots of intrigue and passion and a nasty villain.

Madeleine and George are attracted to each other and the attraction grows as they make their way from England to Madeleine's families home in France during the holiday season.

George's kisses enthralled her, taking her to a different world. She had no idea how long they had been kissing. Almost as if someone had splashed cold water on her face, she came out of her enchantment. He'd had no trouble keeping track of the time ending their-their what ever it was called. And he was the one who remembered his promise when she would have allowed him to do more.

The last few chapters of the story are filled with adventure as the couple travels by coach, boat and a crowded mail coach to Madeleine's family's chateau. Will they reach the chateau in time to save Madeleine's family? Who will they find in the chateau? Will Madeleine get her Christmas Wish?

The conclusion to the story held a few tense moments and surprises. I enjoyed reading this novella and I hope you do as well!

[A Reader's Heaven · Rating 2 out of 5]

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

A French spy, Georges, Marquis Cruzy-le-Châtel, has lived in England for years, sacrificing his life for his country—but not his heart. For he’s never been able to forget his childhood friend, Madeleine. And now, in her hour of need, he is there to rescue her...
The victim of a ruthless statesman, Madeleine, Comtesse du Beaune, has been abducted and sent to England to work in a brothel. Her greatest wish is to return home for Christmas, and her only hope of it is to marry Georges—though she will be his wife in name alone. Yet as they steal across the snowy countryside, Georges decides to woo her—with kisses that melt the winter’s frost and leave her longing for a holiday miracle...

This novella takes place after Book 5 of the Marriage Game series.

I have started reading some historical romance novels and novellas recently, trying to expand my reading range and not being locked into a few genres that I like.

This one did not impress me at all. Without going into the plot - such as it is - I just found this story to be flat and uninteresting.

The writing itself was good enough - nothing to complain about that. It just failed to reach any level of excitement for me.

I certainly wouldn't read any more of this series based on this novella.


Paul
ARH

[Belinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this cute holiday romance by one of my favorite authors. Ms Quinn delights us with adventure, mystery and lots of romance. It's the season of holiday spirit that gives us a likable pair of characters you won't forget. The beautiful Madeline,Comtesse du Beaune has her home in France and she is happy. But things change when politcal unrest begins. She is abducted and sent to England by a ruthless statesman who wants her property as his own. When she gets there she is to be put to work at a brothel.
When Georges Marquis Cruzy-le-Châtel finds out through his French spy network that Madeline has been taken, he sets out to intercept. When Madeline arrives at the England shore, Georges is there to whisk her away from the situation. But to keep her reputation restored, Georges decides that marriage is the only way to go. A marriage of convenience, a trip to the snowy countryside, and lots of kisses make for a Christmas delight that will speed the way to love.
I appreciate Net Galley and Kensington for letting me read this e-book for an honest review.

[Amanda Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet novella, good story, I liked it very much. Madeleine is taken from her home in France by men who want to round up women to spy for France in brothels in England. Madeleine is rescued by Georges, whose family was a friend of her family before Napolean. These two were supposed to be betrothed, both of their fathers wanted the match, but there wasn't time before war broke out.
Madeleine is worried for her brother, he is missing, and her mother and sister. She wants to marry Georges, but she won't unless her family is safe.
Can they work together to save her family? Can they spend Christmas with their family and fall in love?
Good story, I have really liked all of Ella Quinn's books. She is a fantastic writer and I look forward to reading more of her books.

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Marisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an OK book. Very one dimensional. I felt like I was reading a Cliffs Notes or a PowerPoint Presentation. There was little if any actual description. The scenes abruptly ended without transition and had no heart. The dialog between the two Madeleine and Georges was exceedingly stilted and had no chemistry what so ever. The pace was plodding slow and dull, it took me 3 days to read this short story when it should of only taken me a day. I was that bored. I expect these middling books to be lighter than an authors usually full fledged book but this one was just unreadable. I almost DNF'd at 16% but forced myself to continue. I really wish I hadn't.

I received this ARC for my honest and unbiased review.

[Jujubee · Rating 4 out of 5]

My fallback for reading happiness is turning to historical romances during the holidays and wintery months. Don't those of us who get snowed in somtimes feel like we are held up in a castle and could use a sleigh sometimes LOL?
My first time reading Ella Quinn, and I really enjoyed Madeline and Georges's story. Good historical drama set btwn France and England after Napoleon, kept things moving along at a good pace in the aftermath of war. I was swept away on their journey back to France and toward their future...and placing their story at Christmas made all the plot pieces of this very short (too short IMHO) that could have been just an okay HR read into holiday magic! 4 solid stars.

[Danker · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have a vague recollection of having read something by Quinn in the past that I found very entertaining. Not so this effort. The prose is moribund, the protagonists lacklustre, the storyline feeble, while the references to Christmas lack any vitality or credibility (although the cliches are downright bountiful, being matched only by the stultifying stereotypes). One star.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked Georges and Madeline. Super cute couple willing to do difficult things for the people they love.

[Lady E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heroine: Madeleine, about 19. Comtesse du Beaue. A French woman who has become the head of her family upon the death of her father and presumed death of her brother.

Hero: Georges, 25 or older. Marquis Cruzy-le-Châtel. A spy.

Date: 1814

How they meet: Georges and Madeleine met off-page as children. They have not seen each other in more than ten years. Their fathers had planned to arrange a marriage between them, but before it happened, both fathers died.

What happens: Madeleine’s younger sister is captured, with threats that she will be taken away to London and forced to work in a brothel as a spy along with several other French women. Madeleine offers herself up to take her sister’s place. Georges is in England working as a spy and finds out about the plot and that Madeleine is one of the women. He intercepts her upon her arrival in the country. While he isn’t 100% certain where her sympathies lie politically, he is determined to protect her and is interested in going through with the planned marriage.

Madeleine desperately wants to get back to France to protect her sister and mother. Georges says he will go retrieve them for her. She insists on going along, but the only way he’ll consent to it is if she’s his wife. She makes a counter-offer: she’ll marry him, but they won’t consummate the marriage until her family is safe. She believes this will give her the opportunity to later annul the marriage, something he suspects.

The two marry and head off to France. The long journey keeps them in close proximity and they gradually get accustomed to one another. Georges hopes she will fall in love with him and want to stay married. Meanwhile she is wishing that she had that option, but as head of her family she doesn’t see how that is possible.

Once they make it back to her estate, they need to sneak onto the property because they suspect the man who oversees it could be a problem--he already tried to pressure Madeleine into marriage and threatened she would regret it when she turned him down. Georges also has unfavorable information on him in his capacity as a spy. When sneaking in via a secret tunnel, they are shocked to find Madeleine’s brother, who was presumed dead in the war, doing the same. They make a plan to deal with the overseer, who they come to learn has tried to pressure Madeleine’s 13 year-old sister into a marriage. With Madeleine’s brother home to take his place as head of the household, she finds herself with the freedom to follow her heart.

Verdict: This story was surprisingly complex for a novella. The character development was pretty good for the heroine, slightly less so for the hero. Both the romance and non-romance aspects of the story felt complete. Novellas tend to be disappointing for me, but this one was definitely better than average. While a couple of characters from an earlier book in the series make a brief appearance, this really can be read as a standalone.

Steam-level: Some steam and moderately explicit

Rating: 4 stars

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quinn was lazy with this one. Set late in 1814, after the restoration of the Bourbons to the French throne, our hero and heroine, who seem to be 24 and 19, refer to the French Revolution as something that happened in their youth. Since it took place in 1789 before either character was born, much doesn’t make sense. And oh yes, the references to Christmas trees.

Christmas trees weren’t a widespread practice until mid-century at the earliest. (Alsace, parts of Germany, and a little at the English court, though not yet even among the English aristocracy and because it was seen as a Protestant tradition, unlikely to have been adopted by French aristocrats living in Burgundy.). If you’re going to incorporate something so inaccurate into the narrative, come up with a beloved grandmother from Alsace who introduced the custom to the family.

The love story is kind of meh, but okay. They’d been betrothed but the upheavals of the Revolution had interfered. She’s beautiful and he’s handsome and protective of her, but there’s no significant meaningful conversation or even flirting, just physical attraction.

And there’s a classic failure to communicate. He’s managed to regain his ancestral estate thanks to his spying work for the English/Bourbon cause and receives the paperwork, but he doesn’t share this crucial piece of information with her as they discuss their marriage. If there is one thing the upper classes did in the era it was to lay out their financial circumstances.

Borrowed as an ebook from the library.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for an afternoon with a cuppa tea, cozy blanket and snow falling outside.

Action, spies, Gilligan's and a wonderful HEA. Ms. Quinn throws you right into the action and has your heart raving. She brings the sadness and desperation of post Napoleon France to life.

Even with all the stress, drama, fear and uncertainty that Is in Madeleine's world she stays calm and level headed to help her family. Her resolute attitude gives you a glimpse into her strength of character.

Georges is a perfect hero for Madeleine. He is the perfect mix of strong, confident, protective and charming. He has held all women up to what he believed Madeleine had grown into. While his protective measures might be seen as manipulative, in the end he is proven right. He makes Madeleine feel cherished and like the world is not resting bon her shoulders.

Disclaimer: I received a complementary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in anyway.

[Darlene Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can now check off the last of The Marriage Game books from my list. Madeline's Christmas Wish was published in October of 2014 as book 6 of 10. It's closer to a novella than a full length book. I hadn't like the lead male character, Georges, from The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh. He was a French spy and not very likeable. In his own story there's a big turnaround when he finds out his childhood love has been kidnapped into white slavery. Madeline, also French, is a pretty tough lady, she's had to be as the head of the family now. Her father & brother are both presumed dead & someone has to take care of the estate. Georges pulls every string & favor due to save Madeline. They suit each other and their HEA is nice.

[L.G. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the author, but this book didn't do much for me. It's not that it's a novella necessarily. I liked the other novella from Ella Quinn. It's just that she tried to pack too much action into 90 pages. And I felt very rushed and unsatisfied. I could't get attached to any of the characters. Honestly, this is one story I could have done without. And I liked almost every side character getting their chapters and Happily Ever Afters.
Oh, well... On to the next one!

[Sandra R · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this one as some reviews are 5 stars. The story was a bit of a mess and really confusing - jumping all over the place. It's a novella, but that doesn't excuse the choppy scenes. I have other books by this author in my Kindle, so I will be reading more from her. The writing wasn't bad, so I won't give it one star. This book was written in 2014, so hopefully the newer books will hold my interest. 🙁

[L.R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the author, but this book didn't do much for me. It's not that it's a novella necessarily. I liked the other novella from Ella Quinn. It's just that she tried to pack too much action into 90 pages. And I felt very rushed and unsatisfied. I could't get attached to any of the characters. Honestly, this is one story I could have done without. And I liked almost every side character getting their chapters and Happily Ever Afters.
Oh, well... On to the next one!

[Kate]

DNF @ 8%. I'm working my way through the Marriage Games series. I'm choosing not to read this one because Georges was really unlikable in The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh and I don't want to see him get a HEA. I was kinda pissed that he suffered no consequences for his actions in the previous book, but Florian did.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful Christmas story

I enjoyed reading this Christmas story. Even though it wasn't very long, I felt like I got to know the characters. It seemed like a lot happened, but it didn't feel rushed and it made sense. I'll have to read more from this series.

[Kathy Brickert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, what a happy story!

I really enjoyed this story! It starts out sad but of course the hero sets all right! Love the French take on history, we hear so much of the English angle! Good reading!

[Aki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Die Geschichte ist nett, wenn auch kurz, aber ich bin immer noch nicht sicher ob der männliche Hauptcharakter wirklich so "nett" ist. Zumindest so wie er in Teil 2 am Anfang beschrieben wird, ist er es nicht.

[Holley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this would have been better as a full length novel. Besides instalove, there were random story bits that weren't fleshed out such as one spy note exchange, but nothing else spywise happened. For a fluffy Christmas novella without expecting much, it is fine.

[SJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

a great read

I’m am not a huge fan of regency romances but this one was interesting to read, well written with a great storyline, loveable characters romance and steam, very enjoyable

[Patsy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Glad I didn’t buy this book. Outdated and not well written.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goerge Marquis Cruzy-le-Châtel- a French man that has sacrifice everything to spy for his exiled King Louis & the English crown to right the wrongs of the evil Napoleonic War.
Maddie Comtesse du Beaune- was forced to come to England to be a whore to save her sister. Seeing her dad die and believing her brother to be dead she feels responsible to take care of the family.
I enjoyed reading this Christmasy story as they travel to France her family home to save her family from an evil villain. Their story has a wonderful and loving hea.
Ama

[Marjorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Love Story

This was a good book. I am sure it was hard during the different wars that England was in. Georgs was lucky he came back alive.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[marlys norby · Rating 5 out of 5]

delectable

Danger and conniving with loyalty and great family characters. I really enjoyed this one and appreciate Quinns threading of characters in her books.