Avoiding the Merry Viscount

Romancing the Ton #1

by Christina Diane

He swore he’d never fall in love. She swore she’d never trust a rake. But fate has other plans this Christmas…

After the death of his beloved mother hardened his heart, Elias Armstrong, Viscount Snowdon, has perfected the art of pleasure without attachment. A notorious rake with a wicked reputation, he is determined to endure his sister’s Christmas house party without surrendering to marriage-minded debutantes—or the ache of old grief.

Miss Lydia Cary knows better than to let her head—or her heart—be turned by a charming libertine. Burned once by a false suitor, she has no intention of risking such a trap again, no matter how the Merry Viscount’s smoldering blue eyes and sinful grin unravel her resolve.

But as snow falls and mistletoe beckons, every stolen glance pulls them closer, every forbidden touch fans the fire higher. Lydia dares to surrender to a taste of temptation—only to crave far more. And when Elias discovers that Lydia’s sharp tongue hides a tender vulnerability, the rake who vowed never to love might just find himself breaking all his own rules.

In a season of laughter, secrets, and scandal, one reckless night could ruin them both—or bind their hearts forever.

Tropes you'll

✅ Reformed rake
✅ Holiday romance
✅ House party
✅ Spicy romance
✅ Scorned heroine
✅ Distrust-to-desire
✅ Strong, independent heroine
✅ Grief-hardened hero
✅ Heroine in danger

Read in Kindle Unlimited!

Romancing the
Book #1: Avoiding the Merry Viscount
Book #2: Loving the Unexpected Earl
Book #3: Hating the Vexing Viscount
Book #4: Reforming the Rakish Marquess
Book #5: Admiring the Jolly Duke
Book #6: Tempting the Broody Earl

156 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 21, 2025

About the author

Christina Diane writes Regency romances that are fast-paced, high-heat love stories where the banter bites and the bad boys never behave. An international bestselling author, Christina blends historical settings with modern a modern flair, crafting irresistible tales of spirited heroines, forbidden liaisons, and brooding alphas who’d ruin your reputation and your bedsheets.

If you crave scandal, seduction, and a dash of emotional darkness…welcome to your new obsession.

Reviews

[Gylene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miss Lydia Cary almost married a man who she thought was the one for her. When she finds him with a maid she calls off the betrothal. She is determined she will only marry someone for love and who will be faithful to her.

Elias Armstrong, Viscount Snowdon lost his mother when he was younger. He has decided that love will have no part in his life after watching what happened to his father after his mother passed. He knows he will have to do his duty someday but love will not be a part of it.

Lydia and her family are invited to a house party hosted by Elias’s sister. Elias has decided to support his sister during the house party but determined to avoid the marriage-minded ladies. Elias and Lydia are both tempted by the other but determined not to fall. They soon find themselves together and their feelings growing. Will they both decide that love is worth the risk to their hearts?

Oh My!! What a fantastic start to a new series by Christina Diane!! I truly loved this book and enjoyed reading it!! It started off very emotional while leading up to a very heart warming ending. It was fabulous!! I absolutely loved Elias and Lydia and thought they were absolutely wonderful together. The secondary character were truly delightful and really added to the story without being a distraction. I liked how the story flowed and alternated between Elias and Lydia’s side of the story. I highly recommend this book and look forward to the next book in the series!!

[Alexandra G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snowmen, mulled wine, mistletoe and colourful company; this was a lovely lighthearted holiday novella with all the seasonal trimmings!

After she caught her betrothed with a maid, Lydia vowed to never again fall for a rake, no matter how sweet his words or how skilful his hands. No, love and loyalty was what she wanted, and she would settle for nothing less.
Witnessing his father go to hell and back after his beloved mother’s tragic demise, Elias vowed to never fall in love. No, his libertine life suited him just fine, and – eventually – he’d marry for convenience, sire an heir and be done with it.
However, neither of them expected Cupid to strike at his family’s Christmas house party...

It was really nice to get two protagonists who came from warm, loving nests. I loved how close-knit Elias’s family was, how natural their dynamics felt; the sibling bickering & teasing, the care and protectiveness they all felt towards each other, and especially those father-son moments – and how it all influenced Lydia as well. I really enjoyed seeing both of them grow and grow closer.
The distrust-to-desire plot suited this couple so beautifully! They both needed to discover every penny has two sides, and they did it in a playful, naughty way I really enjoyed.
The prowling exes added a nice touch of drama, and his friends made the picture complete.

A fun and spicy quick read that will definitely get you in the Christmas mood!

[Bridget Love to read Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Lydia Cary is the only child and has made friends with Lady Diana so she and her parents are visiting for Christmas!
We also have Elias Armstrong, Viscount Snowdon who is Lady Diana’s erstwhile brother! Elias has a reputation as a rake and man about town! He has seen how love can wreck a person and you never recover! His mother passed away at Christmas so this a difficult time of year but they try to spread love and cheer for their father’s sake!
Lydia knows a rake she she sees one and will have nothing to do with Elias! She is drawn to him but is determined to stand her ground!
Elias is smitten but he’s determined to remain immune and has a much more difficult time pursuing Lydia since one of his past affairs have appeared at the Christmas party!
But Lydia’s past almost fiancé had not forgotten her and is planning revenge!
Can Lydia and Elias have a Christmas falling in love and a future? All secrets have to be revealed and they have to stop a bitter man! Bravo well done just enough steam to fog your glasses!
I received an ARC copy for my unbiased review!

[Lb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did enjoy the leads together and the book had a lot of fun side characters that I hope will make appearances in the rest of the series. Looking forward to the next book in this series!

This was an enjoyable quick read and once I got into it I couldn't put it down. This was a shorter book so while I know everything had to happen quicker I did find it a bit unrealistic for our Rake to go from "not going to wed for years" to "all in" in a matter of a few days leaving an insta lust/love feel. Lydia once deciding that she couldn't avoid Elias and stating she didn't expect anything more from him then what he could give very soon after was acting jealous and wanting to know how he felt about her you two just met a day or so ago give him time lady!

Book blog: https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/202...

*Netgalley *arc read *reformed rake *quick read *historical romance *spice *house party
*holiday romance *Grief (loss of mother MMC) *insta lust/love *strong independent FMC
*drama with exes (ex lovers) *happy ending

[Mojo · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a short little novella this packed so many emotions!

Our fmc Lydia thinks herself in love, and on the verge of marriage when she sneaks off to visit her soon to be betrothed only to find herself betrayed. She vows to only marry someone that will love her completely. Elias the mmc, loses his mother early in the story and after seeing his father nearly lose himself to grief tells himself he will never fall in love.

Lydia is invited to a holiday party, held by Elias' sister. The two have instant chemistry, but will Elias' let himself fall in love? Will Lydia trust a renowned Rake? There are several side characters that add to the story and will hopefully turn up in the series.

The flow of the story was perfect, and it truly felt really fleshed out considering the length of the story.

Thank you Netgalley and Dragonblade publishing for the arc.

[Stacie Irwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really lovely story. It was a perfect example of a reformed rake trope. The story had a little dash of everything - romance, passion, grief, loss, redemption, excitement, and love. It was so heartwarming to watch a family who lost a mom try to move forward, but continue to love one another, despite their grief. It was truly moving.

The main characters were fun and flirty. Elias was charming. It was easy to see why Lydia had a hard time resisting him. Lydia was just as great. She was bold and intelligent. They made a really exquisite couple.

I highly recommend this story for a cozy, romantic, , heartwarming Christmas tale.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable Christmas time historical romance. This book is steamy and has plenty of heart and sentimental moments. 

The flashback to start the book was fitting, but it would have been nice to get a bit more backstory. I would have liked to see when Lydia and Diana met and became friends, for example.

Overall, this book is perfect for someone who loves historical romance and wants a quick read to cuddle up with next to a fire for the Christmas season.

Thank you Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Cherie S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beauty and the Rake:
What a wonderful story that engaged me from the start
A sizzling short story that had everything I could possibly want in a romance book.
I enjoyed the cast of characters with all of their emotions that drew me into delightful love story.
The authors descriptive writing skills had me swooning and panting more than once.
This was my first time reading this author and I hope to read more of her stories..
💖Adult Advisory: 🔥🔥🔥
🥵😭 Fan and tissue box suggested

[Madz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this. I ahed more tears than I expected but it was so worth it. I did think the transition from them experiencing lust to love was a little sudden but it didn't ruin anything. The way the mmc was written as a reformed rake was perfect and so was the way the fmc had trust issues and worked to overcome them. everyone time the mmc's mother was mentioned it made me tear up. it was so bittersweet and the family honouring her every year was beautiful

[Ly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chemistry-driven romance!

I found this book very enjoyable and entertaining. It's a quick read, but I never felt the story was rushed. I found the main characters, Lydia and Elias, lovable and well-developed. There is a delicious chemistry between them. I also greatly appreciated the interactions among Elias's family members, which were so touching, and featured some beautiful, moving scenes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

After finding her almost betrothed with one of the maids, Lydia decides to never marry unless she is truly in love. After seeing his father's grief over his mother's death, Elias decides that love is not worth the pain. Together at a house party they try to deny their feelings. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for my honest review.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Elias still wasn't convinced that love would have any place in his future. It was one thing to succumb to the life of a respectable gentleman, but it was another matter entirely to give himself over to the notion of love.”

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I don't think I had any particular idea on what to expect from a historical holiday romance, I'm a little out of touch with this genre, it’s been a while since I read it, so I just hoped to have a good time, and I did! 

I loved the chemistry between the main characters. Although the story unfolds very quickly, it doesn't feel rushed. There's an event at the beginning that's very important for the rest of the story, it made me shed tears, and I was surprised by how quickly it managed to grab me and make me feel.

What I liked the most was that it truly feels like a Christmas story: They make a snowman, play charades with friends and family, put up decorations. There’s love and mistletoe. 

It is sweet, cozy… And hot!

“She supposed she was the wicked one, desiring to corrupt the man who longed to abandon his rakish lifestyle. Although, he didn’t need to reform himself completely, did he?”

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family, family, family. Christina spins a tale of love amongst a family and amongst friends. You don’t see that much in books these days and I love when they do. There are tears (get out the tissues) and some fabulous emotional moments. This lovely Christmas story gives hope to all.

[Sophie (slovenianbookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent read but it bothered me that it turned very instalove when the MCs met. he went from ''I'm never marrying'' to ''I will be the most devoted husband'' and she went from loving another man to ''eh, maybe it was just affection''.

[high.lady.katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Such a fun, quick, holiday read! A lot of great detail and backstory to understand the characters before they come together and things get spicy! Really felt the heat between Lydia & Elias! Looking forward to another wonderful series by Christina Diane

[Aj · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable and enticing Christmas romance. Secrets, scandals and falling in love. Elias and Lydia make the perfect couple.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, steamy story that keeps your interest and is quick to read. Lydia is an unique character. I've never read another character like her which is delightful. Elias has the rake reputation and lives it well. Yet it is also touching how much he misses his mother. It was fun to see how they find each other and grow and change. An enjoyable Christmas story!

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Elias and Lydia's story!! Super spicy and such a heartwarming story!

[Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book so much! I can't wait to read the rest of the series. The spice was spicing, too!

[Emma Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gotta love a reformed rake who just doesn’t want to fall in love!! Along with a lady who won’t marry for anything less!! Wonderful writing plenty of steam!!! I was almost shouting at the book saying just fall already!! A wonderful Christmas spicy read.