The Lord of the Manor

by Cassie Mint

He’s a grumpy aristocrat, ruling over an empty manor on a windswept island.

I’m the chatty housemaid who’s driving him insane…

Lord Westmore might be the loneliest man in existence. He lives on this echoey estate, perched on a wind-beaten island and cut off from the mainland by the tides. Throw a party? The lord of the manor would rather die.

He’s too busy brooding in his library, prowling through his huge greenhouses, and poring over rare plant specimens from around the globe. The lord does not want any distractions from his research.

Especially not me.

First it’s the amount of noise I make. Then it’s my scent. Little by little, I erode the lord’s sense of peace, until finally sparks fly in his study. He can’t tolerate me for a moment longer.

But Lord Westmore doesn’t hate me nearly as much as he claims. And soon enough, he’s seeking me out too.

If only I could thaw my grumpy boss’s heart…

The Lord of the Manor is a short and steamy instalove novella, starring a lonely aristocrat and the sunny housemaid he desperately wants to claim.

Genres: Novella, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Forced Proximity, Adult, Short Stories

104 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 15, 2026

About the author

Cassie writes outrageous, OTT insta-love with tons of sugar and steam. She loves cookie dough, summer barbecues, and her gorgeous cat Missy.

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Reviews

[iman’s library ‧₊˚ ☁️⋅👼 ‧₊˚ ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

cassie mint never fails me 🙏🏼

[*CJ* · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Lord of the Manor” is the story of Maddy and Lord Westmore.

Sweet grumpy/ sunshine novel between a scarred stoic but scared hero, and his happy, determined maid.

Sexy, small moment of angst, grovel and happy ending.

Safe
4/5

[Cristina · Rating 2 out of 5]

The insta-love was unrealistic at best. It didn’t help the story is about 100 pages. Poor character development ☹️

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet and fun. Not my favorite of Cassie's stories, but I enjoyed West and Maddy's characters. I wish it was set in a historical timeline tbh, because West and the Manor feel very Victorian/Regency era, while Maddy feels modern. I wasn't 100% sure if it was historical or contemporary until she pulled out her phone to Google him. 😅

[Aurora Rosette · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐
Modern Day Jan Eyre!! ❤️‍🔥
I didn't know why I was soo emotional reading this. You could phrase it as midnight tears maybe ?
But yeah, coming to the story,
For a man to exile himself in a huge manor, cut off from human contact for 8 long years is unbearably painful. My heart truly aches for him. 💔
Then yes the Ending was beautiful. 💕
I'm genuinely giddy over the fact that
He gained Maddy as a life partner!!

AHHH pure love does wonders to people indeed! 💫


" The sunshine is golden, and the breeze is fresh. My cane clacks against the stone path, and the island with its manor comes into sight.
Home.
Or as close as a building can get. My real home turns around to poke her tongue out at me over her shoulder. My son giggles, his fat little fists waving. Grinning wide, I stride faster to catch up.
There are so many places to travel. So many plants to study; so many nights to spend worshiping my wife.
Really, we’ve just begun. "

[Lolina ⋆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

so sweet 😭

[atomickitten · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up because I love Cassie Mint ❤️

I did like it a lot, just didn't love it as much as I hoped I would.



This is the kind of story that deserves many more pages and needs to be a standalone.
Why?

Firt off, to give the characters the time to get to know each other, to make the story unfold on its own pace, to make the characters fall for one another and so that I, the reader, could be there along the way and observe everything like a creepy stalker that i am deep inside.



And i am a sucker for a grumpy, loner hero with a limp with some tragic backstory and a heroine who brings him back to the world of living, I really, really am.

But again, it takes time.

And as much as I appreciate the complexity Mint managed to give the hero, the heroine felt rather flat, and everything she did was really rushed in my modest opinion, and I just wasn't buying it.

And I'm saying this with all the love I have for Cassie Mint and her novellas.



All in all, I still devoured this book, and I did like it.

But if Cassie ever decides to write a full length (which i hope she will because she is a great writer), I will be the first one buying her book.

I just hope she will give me a good ol' slow burn with lots of delicious smut at the end so both I and my inner kinky whore are happy, lol. 😏😝

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 4 out of 5]

⚜️ Returning to my Cassie Mint era ⚜️

The Lord of the Manor is a romance novella featuring a grumpy lord and his sunshine housemaid. I immediately downloaded this after reading the synopsis. Usually I adore Cassie's books so I was pretty sure I was going to love this one based on the synopsis. And I did enjoyed it lots! It had everything I love in a book: grumpy x sunshine, broken and lonely characters, slow burn, a little bit of angst, and Cassie's iconic insta-love formula.

I love that as soon as he hears her laugh, he is annoyed, but only because he loves it so much though he wants to believe differently. He hates the way she smells because he loves it so much lmao this guy. But also he's pretty broken and has survivor's guilt after surviving an accident when his friends didn't. So, the arrival of a sunshine girl who wants him so bad is such a light in his life, and I loved seeing them interact.

The misunderstanding was peak angsty scene and I was craviiiiing it. Oh yes I love when he has to beg her for forgiveness and looks so much in pain after saying mean things to her and she's so angry and sad and - THEY BOTH SUFFER. But we get a super nice ending and resolution! I loved this book and highly recommend it if you just want something quick with the grumpy x sunshine trope.

[laura.lovesreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been a hot minute since I last read a book from Cassie and I must say shame on me. This book clearly is a reminder to look out for her work.

It’s cute, kinda funny, sweet, spicy, heartwarming and entertaining.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[❁ lilyreadsromance ❁ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty nice for a quick novella. The tragic backstory was done pretty well. I love the easy-going, devil-may-care heroine we have in our hands. This story probably deserves a few more pages to it.

[Sarandah chrysalis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cassie always manages to pack so much feeling into a short story, just love her work. This one had almost a place out of time feeling, and I loved how confident the FMC was

[Faith✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This served its purpose for a book to read on a long car ride & was short and sweet to help me catch up on my reading goal. It was cute!

[Laura..devouring books like crumpets · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was all very quick, I skimmed it alot the relationship went from zero to 100 - then the book ended....

[Emilia ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me hookeddddd! I loved our mmc🥹he was so misunderstood. And Maddy was so sweet and she just understood him! The spiceeee was also spicingggg!! The prose of this book was also super pretty!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[riley ☠︎︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars✨

[Ms. Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

West, Lord Westmore, lives in his old manor house and all he wants is quiet. He hears a woman laughing. He looks outside and sees his head groundskeeper, Jenkins, bringing a young woman into the house with her laugh and bright pink suitcase.

Maddy Price has been at the manor for a month working there as a housemaid. She lives in the attic bedroom. Mr. Jenkins, Mrs. Ainsley, the cook, and Maddy are the only full-time staff.

For some reason, Maddy thinks West hates her. When he tells Jenkins that Maddy’s scent bothers him, she starts opening all the windows in whatever room she is working in to keep her scent from lingering. One day in his study, Maddy is dusting when West walks in. They have a confrontation about her natural cinnamon scent and her opening all the windows. He realizes that he offended her. He tells her to keep the windows closed to protect the rare plants.

The problem is Maddy and her cinnamon scent distract West. He constantly thinks of her. He tells himself that he is her boss and too old for her. After the confrontation, Maddy looks up West on her phone. She finds out that eight years ago, there was a freak storm that decimated a scientific expedition’s mountain camp. West was the only survivor of the disaster in the Himalayas. Nine others died. Maddy only reads the headlines. She doesn’t want to invade West’s privacy anymore that she already did. Maddy realizes the accident is why he has a cane and limps. She also realizes this is why he isolated himself in the manor.

The interaction between these two was amusing. Both were so awkward with each other. I really liked this story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[april ♡ probably reading smut - safety reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

TROPES:
-boss/employee
-disabled hero
-age gap
-instalove
-forced proximity
-grumpy/sunshine

This is a really cute novella about a housemaid and her man, Lord Westmore (aka West). She comes to work for him, seeing it as an adventure. She doesn’t expect to fall for the lord of the manor: a grumpy, isolated, disabled man. They start off as sort-of enemies- she doesn’t even meet him face-to-face for a while, but he often complains about her volume level and SCENT. 😆

When they finally meet though? All bets are off. They fall for each other hard, and it was so sweet to read about! 🥹 I always love Cassie Mint novellas, and this one was no different.

SAFETY:
Virgin/celibate: virgin heroine, celibate hero (no past mentioned)
OM/OW: none!
Cheating/sharing: none!
HEA?: yes!

A NOTE: it’s not really explained, but his leg is damaged from an accident and he walks with a limp. She doesn’t judge him in any way about it.

[Michelle N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lord of the Manor brings you in with all the trappings of a historic, gothic love story. A rich reclusive lord on a sea swept island and a pretty young maid who lives in a drafty attic. Except she has a pink suitcase and a cell phone. Wait, what? This is a twist I did have a little trouble wrapping my head around as I read the book. I did like the characters of Maddy and West but I felt like the story was a bit rushed and disjointed at times. I typically love the sweet, instalove novellas Cassie Mint writes but The Lord of the Manor was not one of my favorites. I did like the ending a lot and wish the book itself was a little longer so the interactions between the two characters could have developed more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Aspen G · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lord of the Manor is an alluring and delectable novella with passion and purpose. Nomad Maddy finds herself in a drafty old castle, one employee of many for reclusive and broken explorer West. He finds her tantalizing, she can’t help but sass him, and the chemistry between these two is electric. Author Cassie Mint builds an enigmatic world and sets the tone so wonderfully. This feels like a new twist on beauty and the beast with and old world feel and some fresh fun. Entrancing and saucy, this quick and satisfying read is a must.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Eliza Rockwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a perfect short, steamy instalove with sharp banter and a brooding hero who never stood a chance.

Lord Westmore is deliciously grumpy and isolated, and the chatty housemaid is the ideal counterbalance. Their grumpy-sunshine dynamic sparks instantly, with tension that builds fast and pays off.

The windswept island manor and lush greenhouse adds moody atmosphere, while the chemistry and spice deliver big for a novella. Quick, indulgent, and deeply satisfying—The Lord of the Manor is instalove done right.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maddy is the live-in housemaid at West's manor house. She disturbs him from the beginning. When he misses dinner one night, she bakes him cookies. He finally lets her see behind his mask. Both are ready to start something, but is she ready to stay or is he ready to leave?

I liked this story. I wish it were longer as they moved very quickly into a relationship. I liked that Maddy was a free spirit. West was more sedate due to his accident and his age, but Maddy gets to him. I liked that West was ready to do what he had to do to keep Maddy in his life. Both were ready to change their lives which I think they needed to do.

I look forward to more from Cassie Mint.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dual POV, 1st person, MF | novella, class difference, recluse, grumpy x sunshine, contemporary, disabled MMC, instalust, boss x employee

Honestly thought this was going to be a historical romance but surprise it’s contemporary! MMC is a disabled recluse botanist(?) and FMC needs money so starts as a housemaid at his mansion but is flighty. It’s more or less instalust and FMC goes from being shy to a vixen pretty fast one night. Overall, a fine read but forgettable.

—

“Then we’ll go slowly,” he says, pure and simple. “But not too slow.” I step forward until our bodies brush, and my breath catches at that whisper of sensation. His heat. His strength. My legs quiver. “Don’t treat me like I’m made of glass either, your lordship. You’ll give me lady blue balls.”

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lord of the Manor is a spicy novella depicting the fall of a reclusive Aristocrat named West into the arms of his very cinnamon scented new housemaid Maddy.
Opposites do attract in this sweet and delightfully engaging story which was well written, whose characters were well crafted and also delivered a contemporary insta-love romance that entertained all the way to a wonderful heart tugging HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 - 4 stars.

These two had an interesting start, I liked that Maddy stood up for herself and made West start to live again. I liked seeing them together and would have liked to have seen the rest of the staff's reaction to them when they went public. I thought they went well together and I liked seeing them in the future.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short but lovely read. West is a Lord who confines himself to his Manor following a tragic accident years earlier. His life is turned upside down when Maddy starts as a new cleaner. He tries to ignore her but she is distracting him in ways he’s not experienced. As they grow closer his walls come down and that scares him. I loved this book and had empathy for both characters. It has a good story with warm moments and a healthy dose of steam.

[Avid Reader123 · Rating 5 out of 5]

different from others

There’s a Beauty and the Beast element to this story. The MCs seem to be polar opposites, but 3/4 through, you can see their deeper connection. It’s also nice to see a hero that isn’t physical perfection. There is some spice and it happens really randomly and then throughout the novella. While short, there is a definite romance here with a nice epilogue. Really enjoyed this one!

[Jenia Tortora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maddy has lived a life on the go and accepting a position as a maid in a gothic manor seemed like a good idea. Lord Westmore has lived a half life for eight years and her bright spirit is something he is having a hard time accepting. She’s spirited and draws him in and he’s her weakness. This is a short yet bra love story with an adorable HEA that will leave you smiling.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story is set in modern times but it feels gothic with an old drafty mansion. Maddy moves in as a housemaid and West, the Lord of the Manor, is immediately irritated by her volume. They have a rough start but once they meet in person, their attraction is undeniable. Lots of spice and a sweet HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maddy is the new maid at Lord Westmore’s mansion. This is like a gothic novella with West’s mansion on a windswept island and West hiding in his home. Maddy thinks West hates her, and he can’t seem to get enough of her. This is a well written steamy read with great characters and I loved it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been dying to read this novella since I saw the blurb come out. Maddy and West's story is good! I liked their banter and how he kept trying to keep his distance, even when her cinnamon scent distracted him. I liked how she handled him when he tried to keep his distance in the beginning. Their story is quick and mildly steamy. Give it a try!