What do you think?
Rate this book
Christmas Joy
1889 Rye, Sussex, England
Joy by name, joy by nature, Miss Joy Parker loves nothing more than performing acts of kindness and making other people’s lives brighter. Even the loss of her family’s fortune and being forced to accept a job as lady’s companion to the formidable Lady Hyacinth Montague doesn’t get her down. Hyacinth treats her as the lowliest of servants – until her great-nephew and heir Earl Peter Montague arrives.
Although Joy makes a disastrous first impression, Peter is soon captivated by her compassionate ways. Fireworks spark between them and Joy finds herself unexpectedly yet heartbreakingly in love, for in the world of high society, love and marriage are considered two very different things…and Hyacinth has far grander hopes for her great-nephew than the impoverished Joy. Montwoods Manor is filled with the cream of the upper class, with Lady Regina of Hove the leading contender for the prize of becoming Peter’s wife.
Joy is charged with organising a lavish Christmas ball, one she can hardly attend in her homespun gown. As the snow falls on this picturesque seaside town on Christmas Eve, Joy’s kind heart becomes ensnared by a scandalous plot and she is left to wonder if the games of the idle rich render love an impossibility…or if the magic of Christmas will deliver the greatest gift of all.
'So breathtakingly beautiful . . . Mary-Anne O'Connor truly is the Queen of Australian Historical Romance.' GOODREADS
'Historical fiction of a quality that will take you on a beguiling roller-coaster ride.' BETTER READING
Joy by name, joy by nature, Miss Joy Parker loves nothing more than performing acts of kindness and making other people’s lives brighter. Even the loss of her family’s fortune and being forced to accept a job as lady’s companion to the formidable Lady Hyacinth Montague doesn’t get her down. Hyacinth treats her as the lowliest of servants – until her great-nephew and heir Earl Peter Montague arrives.
Although Joy makes a disastrous first impression, Peter is soon captivated by her compassionate ways. Fireworks spark between them and Joy finds herself unexpectedly yet heartbreakingly in love, for in the world of high society, love and marriage are considered two very different things…and Hyacinth has far grander hopes for her great-nephew than the impoverished Joy. Montwoods Manor is filled with the cream of the upper class, with Lady Regina of Hove the leading contender for the prize of becoming Peter’s wife.
Joy is charged with organising a lavish Christmas ball, one she can hardly attend in her homespun gown. As the snow falls on this picturesque seaside town on Christmas Eve, Joy’s kind heart becomes ensnared by a scandalous plot and she is left to wonder if the games of the idle rich render love an impossibility…or if the magic of Christmas will deliver the greatest gift of all.
'So breathtakingly beautiful . . . Mary-Anne O'Connor truly is the Queen of Australian Historical Romance.' GOODREADS
'Historical fiction of a quality that will take you on a beguiling roller-coaster ride.' BETTER READING
234 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 4, 2025
7 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Mary-Anne O'Connor
13 books174 followersMary-Anne O'Connor nee Best grew up in Wahroonga in the Bushland Shire of Hornsby-Kuringai, northern Sydney. The youngest of six children, her childhood was spent exploring the local bush and playing music with her siblings and close neighbours. An avid reader, she devoured her mother Dorn's extensive library and was often found trying to finish a chapter by torchlight late at night. She also began to fill every blank piece of paper in the house with stories and drawings of her own and dreamt of becoming a writer one day.
When she was twelve her father Kevin Best left his established career in the stock-market to become one of Australia's best-loved artists. The perseverance and ultimate triumph she witnessed during those years left her inspired to follow in his footsteps and pursue her own creative aspirations. A multi-faceted career path followed in marketing and teaching, along with the completion of education/arts degree with specialities in literature, music and environment. During this time she also co-wrote two books with her father, A Brush with Light and Secrets of the Brush. Work then began on her first major novel, Gallipoli Street. This work gained critical acclaim and finished at #3 for debut novels in Australia in 2015.
Since then she written four more best-selling novels: Worth Fighting For, War Flower, In A Great Southern Land and Where Fortune Lies. Her sixth novel, Sisters of Freedom, is due out in March, 2021.
Mary-Anne has drawn on her love of the Australian bush, her fascination with her own family history and her deep, abiding respect for the men and women who carried our nation through turbulent, formative times to produce these novels.
They were written in her office at home beneath a long window that overlooks her beloved gum trees. She still lives in the Bushland Shire with her husband Anthony, their two sons, Jimmy and Jack and their very spoilt, gorgeous dog, Saxon.
When she was twelve her father Kevin Best left his established career in the stock-market to become one of Australia's best-loved artists. The perseverance and ultimate triumph she witnessed during those years left her inspired to follow in his footsteps and pursue her own creative aspirations. A multi-faceted career path followed in marketing and teaching, along with the completion of education/arts degree with specialities in literature, music and environment. During this time she also co-wrote two books with her father, A Brush with Light and Secrets of the Brush. Work then began on her first major novel, Gallipoli Street. This work gained critical acclaim and finished at #3 for debut novels in Australia in 2015.
Since then she written four more best-selling novels: Worth Fighting For, War Flower, In A Great Southern Land and Where Fortune Lies. Her sixth novel, Sisters of Freedom, is due out in March, 2021.
Mary-Anne has drawn on her love of the Australian bush, her fascination with her own family history and her deep, abiding respect for the men and women who carried our nation through turbulent, formative times to produce these novels.
They were written in her office at home beneath a long window that overlooks her beloved gum trees. She still lives in the Bushland Shire with her husband Anthony, their two sons, Jimmy and Jack and their very spoilt, gorgeous dog, Saxon.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 12, 2025
It is the 1st November 1889, Rye, Sussex and Joy Parker’s most favourite time of the year is coming up she loves Christmas and loves helping people however she can no matter that her family do not live the way they used after a terrible tragedy, love is still there and that is what life and happiness is all about, Joy by name, Joy by nature.
Joy works as Lady’s companion to the formidable Lady Hyacinth Montague, this doesn’t change how she feels, Lady Hyacinth treats her like a servant but she keeps going day after day and now Lady Hyacinth’s great nephew is arriving to take over his position as The Earl and the pressure is on to make the manor sparkle.
Peter arrives early and takes a wander through the village, here a young woman captures his attention not only is she beautiful but she is so caring towards the people in the village, she is someone he will never forget and hopes to meet her soon, his wishes come true when he makes his way to the manor and again he meets her this time a mishap starts the sparks flying between them.
Joy cannot believe her feelings for the new Earl this cannot be they are from different worlds but she knows before long that her heart is captured by Peter, Lady Hyacinth has a plan for Peter and soon Jointwoods Manor is brimming with high society guests, the upper class one of them being Lady Regina Hove who Joy makes friends with but it is not too hard to see that Lady Hyacinth is plotting for a marriage between Peter and Regina.
Joy is organizing the lavish Christmas ball at the manor but when the evening comes Joy decides that she cannot attend after all that has happened, but her loving family have other plans, Joy cannot understand the games the idle rich play with their hearts it just doesn’t feel right and with the scandal that seems about to happen how on earth will this all turn out, will Joy and Peter find the love and happiness they deserve or will Lady Hyacinth have her way?
This is such a beautiful story with such a gorgeous Christmas feeling throughout, the setting, the characters, and the romance of the story all go towards making this a Christmas story that I highly recommend, the joy and love is gorgeous, I loved it and if you love Christmas stories then this is the one to pick up.
My thanks to Penguin Au for my copy to read and review.
Joy works as Lady’s companion to the formidable Lady Hyacinth Montague, this doesn’t change how she feels, Lady Hyacinth treats her like a servant but she keeps going day after day and now Lady Hyacinth’s great nephew is arriving to take over his position as The Earl and the pressure is on to make the manor sparkle.
Peter arrives early and takes a wander through the village, here a young woman captures his attention not only is she beautiful but she is so caring towards the people in the village, she is someone he will never forget and hopes to meet her soon, his wishes come true when he makes his way to the manor and again he meets her this time a mishap starts the sparks flying between them.
Joy cannot believe her feelings for the new Earl this cannot be they are from different worlds but she knows before long that her heart is captured by Peter, Lady Hyacinth has a plan for Peter and soon Jointwoods Manor is brimming with high society guests, the upper class one of them being Lady Regina Hove who Joy makes friends with but it is not too hard to see that Lady Hyacinth is plotting for a marriage between Peter and Regina.
Joy is organizing the lavish Christmas ball at the manor but when the evening comes Joy decides that she cannot attend after all that has happened, but her loving family have other plans, Joy cannot understand the games the idle rich play with their hearts it just doesn’t feel right and with the scandal that seems about to happen how on earth will this all turn out, will Joy and Peter find the love and happiness they deserve or will Lady Hyacinth have her way?
This is such a beautiful story with such a gorgeous Christmas feeling throughout, the setting, the characters, and the romance of the story all go towards making this a Christmas story that I highly recommend, the joy and love is gorgeous, I loved it and if you love Christmas stories then this is the one to pick up.
My thanks to Penguin Au for my copy to read and review.
November 18, 2025
Big thanks to Penguin for sending us a copy to read and review.
Christmas comes early with a tender, warm and welcoming historical festive love story by talented Aussie author Mary-Anne O’Connor.
We get whisked away to the cool climate in England in the late 1800s later in the year.
Joy Parker is a happy and kind person, always ready to help others but with the passing of her father and the family’s fortune, her family is living hand to mouth.
To help with money Joy works as a lady’s companion to the stern Lady Hyacinth Montague who treats her like a servant.
With the arrival of the heir Earl Peter Montague, a party is planned.
When the two meet sparks ignite.
But Lady Hyacinth has plans for Peter to marry Lady Regina.
As Christmas approaches scandal, diversion, rumours and love are all invited as well.
Can the season bring the treasured gift of love for them both….
A merry, joyous and jubilant romance that gives all the Yuletide feels.
Atmospheric setting with white winter Christmasy vibes, plenty of melodrama among the English cast in a tightly woven package.
A Christmas present to readers.
Christmas comes early with a tender, warm and welcoming historical festive love story by talented Aussie author Mary-Anne O’Connor.
We get whisked away to the cool climate in England in the late 1800s later in the year.
Joy Parker is a happy and kind person, always ready to help others but with the passing of her father and the family’s fortune, her family is living hand to mouth.
To help with money Joy works as a lady’s companion to the stern Lady Hyacinth Montague who treats her like a servant.
With the arrival of the heir Earl Peter Montague, a party is planned.
When the two meet sparks ignite.
But Lady Hyacinth has plans for Peter to marry Lady Regina.
As Christmas approaches scandal, diversion, rumours and love are all invited as well.
Can the season bring the treasured gift of love for them both….
A merry, joyous and jubilant romance that gives all the Yuletide feels.
Atmospheric setting with white winter Christmasy vibes, plenty of melodrama among the English cast in a tightly woven package.
A Christmas present to readers.
January 2, 2026
*
🎄Historical romance readers will be pleased with Christmas Joy, a festive infused holiday love story from Australian author Mary-Anne O’Connor. O’Connor is a regular fixture on my reading lists and I can always trust her to produce a historically well detailed narrative sensitive to time and place. Christmas Joy is a gentle and winter feel love story set in late nineteenth-century England. It is a tale brimming with kindness, class tension and seasonal charm. Warm and comforting, it left me with all the cosy Christmas feels I expect from a holiday read.
🎄Mary-Anne O’Connor takes us all the way back to 1889 to an area of England I am familiar with, East Sussex. We are acquainted with kindly Joy Parker, who carries out her role as a companion to the formidable Lady Hyacinth Montague with the utmost respect, despite her impoverished circumstances. When Hyacinth’s heir, Earl Peter Montague encounters Joy, an unexpected romance sparks. However, the two are bound by strict social etiquette and a possible rival to their affections. As Christmas approaches, Joy is uncertain if her current position and social standing will bring her eternal happiness or heartbreak.
🎄Having read a good number of Mary-Anne O’Connor novels, including her festive release last year, I made it a priority to add Christmas Joy to my 2025 yuletide reading agenda. I’m so glad I did as I was granted with a generous, warm and inviting story that made no demands on me this busy season. With the umbrella theme of the magical power of Christmas, this one hit the right note. We are also gifted with acts of kindness, compassion, true love, resilience, hope, spirit and peace. This sits alongside social expectation, class divides, reputation, power, authority, privilege, duty, scandal and influence, making this a full narrative.
🎄The novel is set in times past, the year 1889. We are transported to the seaside locale of Rye in Sussex, a place I’ve visited many times while living in the UK, so this felt so familiar. Christmas Joy captures the spirit and pomp of the Victorian era. We are given a great deal of period detail, time place specific behaviours. Social hierarchy forms a vital part of every interaction in this story. We move with our characters through the grand rooms of the opulent manor, to Joy’s working quarters. Adding to the atmosphere is the onset of winter, providing a backdrop full of the Christmas spirit. Think snow filled streets, candlelit gatherings and the presence of formal Christmas traditions. I appreciated this aspect of the novel very much.
The cast are brushed with plenty of warmth and honesty which helps the love story feel earned, not hurried. Lead character Joy bursts with personality and her kindness and quiet resilience stands out amongst the restricted world around her. The male lead is defined by duty, privilege and charm. The romance develops via stolen moments and genuine understanding for one another, rather than over the top gestures. O’Connor ties in barriers to their love through issues of class, expectation, family pressure. This gives the love story plenty of emotional weight.
Christmas Joy is a heartfelt and warm festive romance spectacle. This is one story that will make you feel a great comfort and reassurance that kindness rules above all else. It is an ideal book for those who enjoy Chrissie historical love stories with a hopeful ending.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4 stars
🎄Historical romance readers will be pleased with Christmas Joy, a festive infused holiday love story from Australian author Mary-Anne O’Connor. O’Connor is a regular fixture on my reading lists and I can always trust her to produce a historically well detailed narrative sensitive to time and place. Christmas Joy is a gentle and winter feel love story set in late nineteenth-century England. It is a tale brimming with kindness, class tension and seasonal charm. Warm and comforting, it left me with all the cosy Christmas feels I expect from a holiday read.
🎄Mary-Anne O’Connor takes us all the way back to 1889 to an area of England I am familiar with, East Sussex. We are acquainted with kindly Joy Parker, who carries out her role as a companion to the formidable Lady Hyacinth Montague with the utmost respect, despite her impoverished circumstances. When Hyacinth’s heir, Earl Peter Montague encounters Joy, an unexpected romance sparks. However, the two are bound by strict social etiquette and a possible rival to their affections. As Christmas approaches, Joy is uncertain if her current position and social standing will bring her eternal happiness or heartbreak.
🎄Having read a good number of Mary-Anne O’Connor novels, including her festive release last year, I made it a priority to add Christmas Joy to my 2025 yuletide reading agenda. I’m so glad I did as I was granted with a generous, warm and inviting story that made no demands on me this busy season. With the umbrella theme of the magical power of Christmas, this one hit the right note. We are also gifted with acts of kindness, compassion, true love, resilience, hope, spirit and peace. This sits alongside social expectation, class divides, reputation, power, authority, privilege, duty, scandal and influence, making this a full narrative.
🎄The novel is set in times past, the year 1889. We are transported to the seaside locale of Rye in Sussex, a place I’ve visited many times while living in the UK, so this felt so familiar. Christmas Joy captures the spirit and pomp of the Victorian era. We are given a great deal of period detail, time place specific behaviours. Social hierarchy forms a vital part of every interaction in this story. We move with our characters through the grand rooms of the opulent manor, to Joy’s working quarters. Adding to the atmosphere is the onset of winter, providing a backdrop full of the Christmas spirit. Think snow filled streets, candlelit gatherings and the presence of formal Christmas traditions. I appreciated this aspect of the novel very much.
The cast are brushed with plenty of warmth and honesty which helps the love story feel earned, not hurried. Lead character Joy bursts with personality and her kindness and quiet resilience stands out amongst the restricted world around her. The male lead is defined by duty, privilege and charm. The romance develops via stolen moments and genuine understanding for one another, rather than over the top gestures. O’Connor ties in barriers to their love through issues of class, expectation, family pressure. This gives the love story plenty of emotional weight.
Christmas Joy is a heartfelt and warm festive romance spectacle. This is one story that will make you feel a great comfort and reassurance that kindness rules above all else. It is an ideal book for those who enjoy Chrissie historical love stories with a hopeful ending.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4 stars
December 11, 2025
Christmas Joy by @maryanne_oc is a sweet and heartwarming historical fiction read that centres around Christmas in 1889.
📖The story follows Joy Parker who lives in the small village of Rye in Sussex, England. Joy by name, joy by nature, she kind and caring. Even working as lady’s companion to the formidable Lady Hyacinth Montague and the menial tasks she is assigned can’t get Joy down.
But everything changes when Hyacinth’s great-nephew and heir Earl Peter Montague arrives. Peter is captivated by her compassionate ways, but in the world of high society, love comes second to duty…
As the snow falls on Christmas Eve, scandal, secrets and lies have Joy wondering if Christmas can deliver greatest gift of all.
✨This was such a lovely festive read. I really warmed to Joy’s close knit family, despite everything they lost, they still had a compassionate and positive outlook. I also enjoyed the fued between Hyacinth and Joy’s grandmother!
The sense of community, of giving and of kindness is beautifully captured in pages of this book.
Thank you to @penguinbooksaus for a #gifted copy to read.
📖The story follows Joy Parker who lives in the small village of Rye in Sussex, England. Joy by name, joy by nature, she kind and caring. Even working as lady’s companion to the formidable Lady Hyacinth Montague and the menial tasks she is assigned can’t get Joy down.
But everything changes when Hyacinth’s great-nephew and heir Earl Peter Montague arrives. Peter is captivated by her compassionate ways, but in the world of high society, love comes second to duty…
As the snow falls on Christmas Eve, scandal, secrets and lies have Joy wondering if Christmas can deliver greatest gift of all.
✨This was such a lovely festive read. I really warmed to Joy’s close knit family, despite everything they lost, they still had a compassionate and positive outlook. I also enjoyed the fued between Hyacinth and Joy’s grandmother!
The sense of community, of giving and of kindness is beautifully captured in pages of this book.
Thank you to @penguinbooksaus for a #gifted copy to read.
December 23, 2025
Christmas Joy is exactly what the title promises: warm, gentle, and full of heart. Set 1889 in Rye, Sussex, England, this story leans into kindness, quiet strength, and the magic of the Christmas season rather than big drama or angst.
Joy is delightful optimistic without being naïve, and her belief in doing good, even when life hasn’t been kind to her, gives the story its emotional core.
The romance unfolds sweetly, shaped by class expectations and unspoken feelings, and feels perfectly suited to the era. T
This is a cozy, feel-good historical romance that celebrates generosity, second chances, and the idea that small acts of kindness can change everything. Perfect if you’re craving a wholesome read with heart, hope, and just the right touch of romance.
Joy is delightful optimistic without being naïve, and her belief in doing good, even when life hasn’t been kind to her, gives the story its emotional core.
The romance unfolds sweetly, shaped by class expectations and unspoken feelings, and feels perfectly suited to the era. T
This is a cozy, feel-good historical romance that celebrates generosity, second chances, and the idea that small acts of kindness can change everything. Perfect if you’re craving a wholesome read with heart, hope, and just the right touch of romance.
December 18, 2025
Mary-Anne O’Connor has delivered another warm and atmospheric festive romance in Christmas Joy, a novel steeped in wintry charm, class struggles, and the quiet courage of women determined to carve out space for themselves in a world eager to limit them. Set in late-1800s England, the story follows Joy Parker, who navigated class expectations, the pressure to marry, and the tug of personal freedom during a season that promises both wonder and upheaval.
Joy Parker is the emotional heart of the Christmas narrative: Joy by name, joy by nature! Generous, spirited, and carrying her family’s financial struggles with unwavering grace, she took on the job of being a companion to the icy Lady Hyacinth Montague who chides Joy at every opportunity and treats her more lie a servant. In preparation for the arrival of Lady Hyacinth’s nephew, The Earl, Peter Montague, Joy is thrown into their first encounter in Rye’s village streets, and second with a bucket of water drenching him at Montwoods Manor. Lady Hyacinth had ulterior motives: as well as naming peter her successor, she wanted to launch a socially convenient match with one of her high-society connections. The spark between Joy and Peter was surrounded by potential rivalries, rumours, and holiday splendour, and knowing “love and marriage are two different things” in the higher society echelons.
I loved the undercurrent of hostility between Joy’s grandmother and Lady Hyacinth, who was keen on Joy’s grandfather, yet he chose love and married Nana Anne instead of marrying for status and money. Joy’s generosity with everyone she meets is also very touching, from Scottie to Sinbad the mangy cat. The atmosphere has been crafted full of festivities, with snow-dusted villages, bustling Christmas markets, and manor house glitter all rolled together. Though some of the melodrama is less than refined, it’s a great metaphor to the clash between classes. The story is comforting, and filled with hope, tenderness, and the timeless promise of Christmas miracles – such a joy to read!
Joy Parker is the emotional heart of the Christmas narrative: Joy by name, joy by nature! Generous, spirited, and carrying her family’s financial struggles with unwavering grace, she took on the job of being a companion to the icy Lady Hyacinth Montague who chides Joy at every opportunity and treats her more lie a servant. In preparation for the arrival of Lady Hyacinth’s nephew, The Earl, Peter Montague, Joy is thrown into their first encounter in Rye’s village streets, and second with a bucket of water drenching him at Montwoods Manor. Lady Hyacinth had ulterior motives: as well as naming peter her successor, she wanted to launch a socially convenient match with one of her high-society connections. The spark between Joy and Peter was surrounded by potential rivalries, rumours, and holiday splendour, and knowing “love and marriage are two different things” in the higher society echelons.
I loved the undercurrent of hostility between Joy’s grandmother and Lady Hyacinth, who was keen on Joy’s grandfather, yet he chose love and married Nana Anne instead of marrying for status and money. Joy’s generosity with everyone she meets is also very touching, from Scottie to Sinbad the mangy cat. The atmosphere has been crafted full of festivities, with snow-dusted villages, bustling Christmas markets, and manor house glitter all rolled together. Though some of the melodrama is less than refined, it’s a great metaphor to the clash between classes. The story is comforting, and filled with hope, tenderness, and the timeless promise of Christmas miracles – such a joy to read!
December 30, 2025
This was a Christmas gift, so I read it as quickly as I could after Christmas. And it was gorgeous! Very Christmassy in tone, set in the lead-up to Christmas Day 1889. Miss Joy Parker and her family suffered a great loss of fortune when their ship literally went down. Joy's father drowned and her grandfather was injured for life. She now works as 'companion' (read that as utter and complete drudge) to Lady Hyacinth Montague. Hyacinth, the worst kind of society snob, is dead-set on her heir and nephew Earl Peter Montague being married to a lovely lady with 'blue-blood' lineage. And yet here we are, reading the magic of a unexpected romance between Peter and Joy, who is Joy by name and Joy by nature - and known to all the villagers as such. But the romance seems impossible. Can Christmas work its magic? This is such a lovely read, concentrating on the qualities of kindness and compassion making a better person rather than titles and money. And the book was a lovely gift in itself. The beautiful Christmas cover has gold writing and decoration on the cover, so it literally glows as the light catches the falling snowflakes and titles. So pretty! A pretty book and a delightful story to match.
December 24, 2025
I’m not generally much of a romance girl…unless it’s Christmas. Bundle it together with historical fiction, and I’m in! This is the second year in a row O’Connor has brought us an utterly charming festive romance, and I’m hoping it becomes as annual tradition.
This story follows the aptly named Joy Parker in Sussex, England in the lead up to Christmas 1889. Her previously well-to-do family have fallen on difficult times since the death of her father and she’s forced to take a job as a companion to the unforgivably nasty Lady Hyacinth Montague. Enter Peter Montague, Lady Hyacinth’s nephew and heir to the Montague estate and earlhood. While an immediate romance blooms between Joy and Peter, there is one very big roadblock - Lady Hyacinth will never abide Joy as an appropriate match.
It’s a romance, so we know there’ll be a happily ever after, but it’s a deliciously unknown path which makes this story compelling. Plus, O’Connor’s impeccable research brings a Victorian Christmas to life, giving insight into the old English country town festivities.
This story follows the aptly named Joy Parker in Sussex, England in the lead up to Christmas 1889. Her previously well-to-do family have fallen on difficult times since the death of her father and she’s forced to take a job as a companion to the unforgivably nasty Lady Hyacinth Montague. Enter Peter Montague, Lady Hyacinth’s nephew and heir to the Montague estate and earlhood. While an immediate romance blooms between Joy and Peter, there is one very big roadblock - Lady Hyacinth will never abide Joy as an appropriate match.
It’s a romance, so we know there’ll be a happily ever after, but it’s a deliciously unknown path which makes this story compelling. Plus, O’Connor’s impeccable research brings a Victorian Christmas to life, giving insight into the old English country town festivities.
December 23, 2025
This book is exactly what it says on the cover - Christmas Joy!
It is a beautiful, heartfelt, uplifting Christmas story. I loved how warm, kind and appreciative Joy was towards her family and those around her. Her positivity was also wonderful! Peter, the Duke was also gorgeous - as for Lady Hyacinth…well every Christmas story must have a truly awful person, I guess!!
I enjoyed the descriptions of Rye, Sussex so much that I am now working out how to add it to the UK trip I am planning for next year!
Absolutely the perfect Christmas read!!
4.3 stars
It is a beautiful, heartfelt, uplifting Christmas story. I loved how warm, kind and appreciative Joy was towards her family and those around her. Her positivity was also wonderful! Peter, the Duke was also gorgeous - as for Lady Hyacinth…well every Christmas story must have a truly awful person, I guess!!
I enjoyed the descriptions of Rye, Sussex so much that I am now working out how to add it to the UK trip I am planning for next year!
Absolutely the perfect Christmas read!!
4.3 stars
December 4, 2025
Typical feel good Christmas book set in 1889.
Had some interesting parts but it fell into a typical formula.
Had some interesting parts but it fell into a typical formula.
December 17, 2025
2.5/5 stars
December 25, 2025
A predictable romance, but an easy, enjoyable Christmas Day read.
December 26, 2025
Lovey Christmas Story!
Nice and light just the way we like them!!!
Nice and light just the way we like them!!!
December 25, 2025
This was a gorgeous historical Christmas story. Set in 1889 Sussex, England we got courting, a little scandal for back in the day, hope, love and warm fuzzy feelings.
This book is great if you want a light hearted, no spice Christmas romance with a HEA.
Joy by name, Joy by nature - she is loving, optimistic and shows care and compassion to those others would write off. And Peter the new Earl is just as compassionate and willing to turn his back on precedence for the better.
I also loved finding out that this was an Aussie author. This is was my first book from Mary-Anne O’Connor and I’ve seen she has another Christmas story which I have added to my TBR list.
This book is great if you want a light hearted, no spice Christmas romance with a HEA.
Joy by name, Joy by nature - she is loving, optimistic and shows care and compassion to those others would write off. And Peter the new Earl is just as compassionate and willing to turn his back on precedence for the better.
I also loved finding out that this was an Aussie author. This is was my first book from Mary-Anne O’Connor and I’ve seen she has another Christmas story which I have added to my TBR list.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews