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MacGregors #4
What a Lady Needs for Christmas
Lady Joan Flynn needs a husband—any husband—if she’s not to find scandal and mischief under her Christmas tree. Scottish wool magnate Dante “Hard-hearted” Hartwell needs an aristocratic wife to gain access to the financing that will keep his wool mills safe and secure. Can holiday magic weave an expedient match into true love, and spin wary differences into trust?
373 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 7, 2014
252 people are currently reading
1302 people want to read
About the author
Grace Burrowes
192 books2,915 followersGrace Burrowes started writing as an antidote to empty nest and soon found it an antidote to life in general. She is the sixth out of seven children, raised in the rural surrounds of central Pennsylvania. Early in life she spent a lot of time reading romance novels and practicing the piano. Her first career was as a technical writer and editor in the Washington, DC, area, a busy job that nonetheless left enough time to read a lot of romance novels.
It also left enough time to grab a law degree through an evening program, produce Beloved Offspring (only one, but she is a lion), and eventually move to the lovely Maryland countryside.
While reading yet still more romance novels, Grace opened her own law practice, acquired a master's degree in Conflict Transformation (she had a teenage daughter by then) and started thinking about writing.... romance novels. This aim was realized when Beloved Offspring struck out into the Big World a few years ago. ("Mom, why doesn't anybody tell you being a grown-up is hard?")
Grace eventually got up the courage to start pitching her manuscripts to agents and editors. The query letter that resulted in "the call" started out: "I am the buffoon in the bar at the RWA retreat who could not keep her heroines straight, could not look you in the eye, and could not stop blushing--and if that doesn't narrow down the possibilities, your job is even harder than I thought." (The dear lady bought the book anyway.)
To contact Grace, email her at graceburrowes@yahoo.com.
It also left enough time to grab a law degree through an evening program, produce Beloved Offspring (only one, but she is a lion), and eventually move to the lovely Maryland countryside.
While reading yet still more romance novels, Grace opened her own law practice, acquired a master's degree in Conflict Transformation (she had a teenage daughter by then) and started thinking about writing.... romance novels. This aim was realized when Beloved Offspring struck out into the Big World a few years ago. ("Mom, why doesn't anybody tell you being a grown-up is hard?")
Grace eventually got up the courage to start pitching her manuscripts to agents and editors. The query letter that resulted in "the call" started out: "I am the buffoon in the bar at the RWA retreat who could not keep her heroines straight, could not look you in the eye, and could not stop blushing--and if that doesn't narrow down the possibilities, your job is even harder than I thought." (The dear lady bought the book anyway.)
To contact Grace, email her at graceburrowes@yahoo.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
May 5, 2019
4.5 stars for this delightful story. Highly recommended for fans of the earlier MacGregor books. Not recommended for those who haven't read the earlier books; too many characters to keep straight.
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In What a Lady Needs for Christmas, the fourth novel in Grace Burrowes’ consistently excellent MacGregors series, Lady Joan Flynn (a minor character in Once Upon a Tartan (MacGregors #2)) finds her dream life with the unlikeliest of men – the decidedly unaristocratic mill owner Dante Hartwell.
As the daughter of a marquess, Joan is expected to marry well and have children, but she has a passion for designing clothes and is determined to find a way of pursuing it. To that end, she pays a call upon an aristocratic French lady and her son, Viscount Valmonte, who own a salon in Edinburgh, but Valmonte gets her alone, plies her with absinthe and assaults her. Joan’s memory is hazy, but she is certain that scandal is about to break. She flees the city and boards a train for the Highlands. Her family is gathering at Balfour House to join her brother Tiberius Flynn, Earl of Spathfoy, his wife, Hester, and their extended family for Christmas.
At a small rural station, Joan, who never has traveled alone, finds herself stranded without sufficient funds to complete her journey when a precocious young girl insists to her father, “But, Papa, we should help the lady.” The father is Dante Hartwell, and after reluctantly allowing him to assist, Joan is surprised to find that he and his children are traveling in not one but two private cars. Dante is the son of a miner, and a former miner himself, who married a mill owner’s daughter and inherited the business after her death. He is quite wealthy and recently spent time in Edinburgh looking for a suitable wife. Joan had danced with him once and found that he had none of the “attributes she associated with a proper gentleman. He neither gossiped nor flattered nor took surreptitious liberties in triple meter. In short, despite his many detractors — some called him Hard-Hearted Hartwell — she’d liked him.”
Now, he is traveling with his two children, Charlie and Phillip, and their Aunt Margs to Ballator, where they are joining a house party of people who, according to Dante, are “too wellborn to dirty their hands in trade where anybody might notice, and because they cannot abide the notion I might raise such a topic where polite ears could overhear, I’m enduring the fiction that I’m a guest at a house party.” Dante is in hopes that they will invest in his mills.
During the long hours of their trip, Joan and Dante share tea and chocolates and whiskey and become better acquainted, when Joan is surprised to find herself confessing her indiscretion to Dante. For his part, Dante is surprised to find himself proposing marriage to her. I really enjoyed this train trip, as the couple talk to one another so candidly about marriage, sex, children, and class. Their discussions are quite realistic, without their sounding too much like modern characters.
The heart-warming story of Dante and Joan and Charlie and Phillip is the perfect holiday read.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
In What a Lady Needs for Christmas, the fourth novel in Grace Burrowes’ consistently excellent MacGregors series, Lady Joan Flynn (a minor character in Once Upon a Tartan (MacGregors #2)) finds her dream life with the unlikeliest of men – the decidedly unaristocratic mill owner Dante Hartwell.
As the daughter of a marquess, Joan is expected to marry well and have children, but she has a passion for designing clothes and is determined to find a way of pursuing it. To that end, she pays a call upon an aristocratic French lady and her son, Viscount Valmonte, who own a salon in Edinburgh, but Valmonte gets her alone, plies her with absinthe and assaults her. Joan’s memory is hazy, but she is certain that scandal is about to break. She flees the city and boards a train for the Highlands. Her family is gathering at Balfour House to join her brother Tiberius Flynn, Earl of Spathfoy, his wife, Hester, and their extended family for Christmas.
At a small rural station, Joan, who never has traveled alone, finds herself stranded without sufficient funds to complete her journey when a precocious young girl insists to her father, “But, Papa, we should help the lady.” The father is Dante Hartwell, and after reluctantly allowing him to assist, Joan is surprised to find that he and his children are traveling in not one but two private cars. Dante is the son of a miner, and a former miner himself, who married a mill owner’s daughter and inherited the business after her death. He is quite wealthy and recently spent time in Edinburgh looking for a suitable wife. Joan had danced with him once and found that he had none of the “attributes she associated with a proper gentleman. He neither gossiped nor flattered nor took surreptitious liberties in triple meter. In short, despite his many detractors — some called him Hard-Hearted Hartwell — she’d liked him.”
Now, he is traveling with his two children, Charlie and Phillip, and their Aunt Margs to Ballator, where they are joining a house party of people who, according to Dante, are “too wellborn to dirty their hands in trade where anybody might notice, and because they cannot abide the notion I might raise such a topic where polite ears could overhear, I’m enduring the fiction that I’m a guest at a house party.” Dante is in hopes that they will invest in his mills.
During the long hours of their trip, Joan and Dante share tea and chocolates and whiskey and become better acquainted, when Joan is surprised to find herself confessing her indiscretion to Dante. For his part, Dante is surprised to find himself proposing marriage to her. I really enjoyed this train trip, as the couple talk to one another so candidly about marriage, sex, children, and class. Their discussions are quite realistic, without their sounding too much like modern characters.
The heart-warming story of Dante and Joan and Charlie and Phillip is the perfect holiday read.
April 25, 2016
This is a re-read for me. I remember really liking the first half of this and feeling quite sour about the second half. On a re-read my feelings have changed. I think, as a whole, it's a very good Burrowes, a little removed from her usual fare [don't get me wrong, I love the usual Burrowes fare but nonetheless, nice to see a bit of a departure].
Straight up front, it's catnip for me: big, burly, industrialist hero. I’m not big on the whole Scottish thing, but I get it here. The hero is not (for once) an earl on the run, or a duke in disguise, or someone stumbling into a title thanks to the death of their uncle thrice removed. Plain old Mr Dante Hartwell remains plain old Mr Dante Hartwell throughout. He's plain spoken (uses the word fuck during sex and it's hot) and a little perplexed by aristocratic ways, he expects loyalty but is more than willing to take on the heroine knowing she might be carrying someone else's baby.
Then there's Joan, one of my favourite Burrowes heroines. A wannabe fashion designer. A lot of lovely fashion imagery in this book. One of the earliest moments of sexual tension when Dante tries to untangle Joan’s delicate lace from where it has caught on something. He wants to simply slice her free, but she won’t let him. He ends up having to handle the fabric and her wrist very delicately, skin to skin. It’s lovely. Joan is more refined than Dante but she’s practical and pragmatic. He might use the word fuck in bed, but she asks him to say it again.
Joan is on the run from a scoundrel who may or may not have taken advantage of her when she was drunk. She worries she’s pregnant and she tells Dante she needs a husband and after they share a lovely kiss he obliges and proposes. And the stage is set for one of my other favourite things in romance: marriage of convenience.
The romance builds subtly and quietly, but I still found that it captivated me. Unusually for Burrowes, sexual satisfaction for Joan does not come straight away. Dante thoroughly enjoys himself but Joan never quite gets there and it’s a bone of contention between them. The reader knows it’s because Joan isn’t being honest and cannot let herself go until she is. That’s my one big problem with this book, much of the angst is predicated on Joan keeping a secret from Dante there is no need to keep. The honesty could have come much, much sooner.
Still, great, great read.
And at about the 55% mark she says Dante's semen ‘gleams like nacre’. Only Grace Burrowes can compare semen to mother of pearl and get away with it. Genius.
Straight up front, it's catnip for me: big, burly, industrialist hero. I’m not big on the whole Scottish thing, but I get it here. The hero is not (for once) an earl on the run, or a duke in disguise, or someone stumbling into a title thanks to the death of their uncle thrice removed. Plain old Mr Dante Hartwell remains plain old Mr Dante Hartwell throughout. He's plain spoken (uses the word fuck during sex and it's hot) and a little perplexed by aristocratic ways, he expects loyalty but is more than willing to take on the heroine knowing she might be carrying someone else's baby.
Then there's Joan, one of my favourite Burrowes heroines. A wannabe fashion designer. A lot of lovely fashion imagery in this book. One of the earliest moments of sexual tension when Dante tries to untangle Joan’s delicate lace from where it has caught on something. He wants to simply slice her free, but she won’t let him. He ends up having to handle the fabric and her wrist very delicately, skin to skin. It’s lovely. Joan is more refined than Dante but she’s practical and pragmatic. He might use the word fuck in bed, but she asks him to say it again.
Joan is on the run from a scoundrel who may or may not have taken advantage of her when she was drunk. She worries she’s pregnant and she tells Dante she needs a husband and after they share a lovely kiss he obliges and proposes. And the stage is set for one of my other favourite things in romance: marriage of convenience.
The romance builds subtly and quietly, but I still found that it captivated me. Unusually for Burrowes, sexual satisfaction for Joan does not come straight away. Dante thoroughly enjoys himself but Joan never quite gets there and it’s a bone of contention between them. The reader knows it’s because Joan isn’t being honest and cannot let herself go until she is. That’s my one big problem with this book, much of the angst is predicated on Joan keeping a secret from Dante there is no need to keep. The honesty could have come much, much sooner.
Still, great, great read.
And at about the 55% mark she says Dante's semen ‘gleams like nacre’. Only Grace Burrowes can compare semen to mother of pearl and get away with it. Genius.
December 21, 2014
Bah humbug! I think the author phoned this one in to the publisher. So much filler and verbosity! For example, an entire chapter where nothing happens except 2 of the side characters in the story hanging balls of mistletoe around the house. Just weird. The blackmail plot against the heroine is flimsy and unconvincing and so is the fact that the hero, a self-made middle-class factory owner, and his family are the ONLY non-family and ONLY non-aristocrats invited to spend several weeks around Christmas at the Earl of Balfour's home in the western Scottish Highlands. There were lots of other plot points that were unconvincing, but I don't want to belabour all the details. The cover is gorgeous, though.
December 31, 2021
Victorian era house party.
Dante in his youth took every job available, including coal
mining. He worked in a textile mill and eventually wed the
boss's dtr. Widowed Dante, with 2 kids, now operated 3
textile mills, staffed mostly by women & teen girls (because
he thought they were more reliable & less likely to imbibe).
Dante constantly worked, studied reports and charts or read
articles or profiles about prospective investors. He could not
relax. Who had ownership of his 3 mills+ 3 homes?
Lady Joan, dtr of a marquess, was desperate for a seat on
the train. Dante's dtr shamed him into giving Joan a train
seat with his family ie 2 kids + his sister Margaret "Margs."
The author later hinted 25 YO Margs loved a man, too. Joan's
avocation was dress designing.
Joan fled a dishonest man who later tried to blackmail her.
Dante was headed for a house party, hosted by Balfour (an
earl & former physician). Dante hoped to obtain wealthy
mill investors there. Joan accompanied Dante and family
to the house party & ran into her brother Tye and his wife,
both surprised to see her.
I liked the MCs +Margs & Hector best. IMO other characters
did not add much to the story.
Dante in his youth took every job available, including coal
mining. He worked in a textile mill and eventually wed the
boss's dtr. Widowed Dante, with 2 kids, now operated 3
textile mills, staffed mostly by women & teen girls (because
he thought they were more reliable & less likely to imbibe).
Dante constantly worked, studied reports and charts or read
articles or profiles about prospective investors. He could not
relax. Who had ownership of his 3 mills+ 3 homes?
Lady Joan, dtr of a marquess, was desperate for a seat on
the train. Dante's dtr shamed him into giving Joan a train
seat with his family ie 2 kids + his sister Margaret "Margs."
The author later hinted 25 YO Margs loved a man, too. Joan's
avocation was dress designing.
Joan fled a dishonest man who later tried to blackmail her.
Dante was headed for a house party, hosted by Balfour (an
earl & former physician). Dante hoped to obtain wealthy
mill investors there. Joan accompanied Dante and family
to the house party & ran into her brother Tye and his wife,
both surprised to see her.
I liked the MCs +Margs & Hector best. IMO other characters
did not add much to the story.
June 23, 2015
What a Lady Needs For Christmas was a delightful, if at times confusing, ending to this series. Tye's oldest sister, Joan is fleeing from possible scandal. She's on route to his home for a Christmas house party, but the train is full. Luckily, Dante and his family have space in their personal cars and invited her to join them. It's on the train ride that Joan and Dante get to talking. She's in need of a husband and he's in need of wife. They like each other, so the arrangement seems to fit. Of course, they happen to be heading to the same house party, so the two really get to know each other better during the festivities.
I really liked What a Lady Needs For Christmas for the most part. I adored Joan, and I loved how Dante wasn't a duke or earl or any titled man. He owns textile mills, and is neither rich nor poor. He does okay for himself and his children after being widowed. Joan is a fashion designer! It was fate! They both love fabrics! As for Joan's scandal, she partook in Absinthe and woke up with an engaged man! She fears she's carrying his child and will be utterly ruined. Dante loves children, so he has no problem with raising another man's baby. And Joan doesn't mind "marrying down" since the two can talk and work things out, and I just adored them!
However, Joan's scandal did get a bit confusing. I feel like I had missed something for most of the story, but it's just that not everything had been revealed yet. Edward is the scoundrel who took advantage of Joan, but he also begins blackmailing her. This is where I became puzzled. She has dirt on him with what he did to her, but now he wants her dress sketches or else he'll ruin her husband's businesses? I didn't really get it. I loved the fashion design angle, but things did become a bit muddle because too much was going on between them.
In the end, I found What a Lady Needs For Christmas delightful. It wasn't my favorite of the series, but I enjoyed it a lot. I do wish there had been a bit more Christmas cheer, especially since the entire family was together and seemed like they had things going on, but we don't get to see all of it. Joan and Dante spend a lot of time locked in their bedroom, if you catch my drift. Those scenes were a lot different than most romances that I've read, since Dante isn't this super confident lover. He's nervous and worries about not pleasing Joan, even if she doesn't know much about the act. It was just a nice change of pace.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
I really liked What a Lady Needs For Christmas for the most part. I adored Joan, and I loved how Dante wasn't a duke or earl or any titled man. He owns textile mills, and is neither rich nor poor. He does okay for himself and his children after being widowed. Joan is a fashion designer! It was fate! They both love fabrics! As for Joan's scandal, she partook in Absinthe and woke up with an engaged man! She fears she's carrying his child and will be utterly ruined. Dante loves children, so he has no problem with raising another man's baby. And Joan doesn't mind "marrying down" since the two can talk and work things out, and I just adored them!
However, Joan's scandal did get a bit confusing. I feel like I had missed something for most of the story, but it's just that not everything had been revealed yet. Edward is the scoundrel who took advantage of Joan, but he also begins blackmailing her. This is where I became puzzled. She has dirt on him with what he did to her, but now he wants her dress sketches or else he'll ruin her husband's businesses? I didn't really get it. I loved the fashion design angle, but things did become a bit muddle because too much was going on between them.
In the end, I found What a Lady Needs For Christmas delightful. It wasn't my favorite of the series, but I enjoyed it a lot. I do wish there had been a bit more Christmas cheer, especially since the entire family was together and seemed like they had things going on, but we don't get to see all of it. Joan and Dante spend a lot of time locked in their bedroom, if you catch my drift. Those scenes were a lot different than most romances that I've read, since Dante isn't this super confident lover. He's nervous and worries about not pleasing Joan, even if she doesn't know much about the act. It was just a nice change of pace.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
December 18, 2014
This was challenging for me to read. I didn’t necessarily know that this was part of a series….and other reviewers had said you didn’t need to read the series to enjoy the books….so I thought it wouldn’t matter. I was honestly lost for a while.
I found myself wondering why characters were doing certain things and how they all knew each other. It was pretty evident from the beginning that I needed to read the others in the series.
There were a lot of characters to keep straight and lots of back story that was completely lost on me. I wouldn’t recommend just picking this one up as a standalone.
As I’ve said before, I hate to give a lower rating on a book just because I haven’t read the series….however it does effect my enjoyment level of the book.
That said, I do love Burrowes’ writing style. She has a very fluid style with lots of descriptions but not so much that it bogs down the story. I can see why a lot of people like her books and I would definitely read more by her.
See my full review here
I found myself wondering why characters were doing certain things and how they all knew each other. It was pretty evident from the beginning that I needed to read the others in the series.
There were a lot of characters to keep straight and lots of back story that was completely lost on me. I wouldn’t recommend just picking this one up as a standalone.
As I’ve said before, I hate to give a lower rating on a book just because I haven’t read the series….however it does effect my enjoyment level of the book.
That said, I do love Burrowes’ writing style. She has a very fluid style with lots of descriptions but not so much that it bogs down the story. I can see why a lot of people like her books and I would definitely read more by her.
See my full review here
January 30, 2015
I picked this book off the library shelf at random. There were several different books on the shelf by Grace Burrowes so I thought this would be a good book. I was so wrong. The premise of the book was good. I love reading about marriages of convenience. But this book left me cold. The first couple of chapters started off well. Then it dropped off into nothingness. No suspense, a supposed threat that never really made it off the ground, some secondary characters whose story also ended abruptly. The sex scenes were ludicrous and seemed to distance the couple. ***SPOILER*** This may have been the first novel I've read where the H is a poor lover. I prefer alpha males in romance novels, Dante did not fit the bill.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2014
What A Lady Needs For Christmas is the fourth book in the MacGregors series by Grace Burrowes.
There were things I liked and other things I can’t say I disliked, but wish would have been stronger in What A Lady Needs For Christmas.
I liked Dante, I liked him as a man, as a husband, as a father, and as a brother.
On the beginning I liked Joan, but my “like” for her diminish when she started to lie to her husband. Of course, she came around at the end, but by them she had already lost points in my eyes.
You can read the rest of my review at The Bookaholic Cat
There were things I liked and other things I can’t say I disliked, but wish would have been stronger in What A Lady Needs For Christmas.
I liked Dante, I liked him as a man, as a husband, as a father, and as a brother.
On the beginning I liked Joan, but my “like” for her diminish when she started to lie to her husband. Of course, she came around at the end, but by them she had already lost points in my eyes.
You can read the rest of my review at The Bookaholic Cat
June 4, 2022
3/7/22 A reread was due of this entirely delicious story of a woman wronged and the man who would support her. Throw in a few brawny Scotsmen, family tidings of goodwill and cheer, luscious textured fabrics and stolen garment designs, a few ernest infants and all in all a wholly pleasing tale. And of course given this is a Burrowes’ tale delicate ankles and feet are mentioned.
December 22, 2014
4.5 stars
When I say this book delivers exactly what one expects from a Grace Burrowes novel, I mean it as a compliment. Review to follow.
When I say this book delivers exactly what one expects from a Grace Burrowes novel, I mean it as a compliment. Review to follow.
December 27, 2021
What a Lady Needs for Christmas by Grace Burrows is a historical romance with Lady Joan Flynn and Dante Hartwell. It is the fourth book in the MacGregor Series.
Lady Joan went to show her dress designs to an aristocrat who could help her meet her dreams of producing beautiful clothing. Instead, VIscount Valmonte took advantage of her after plying her with alcohol and ended up taking her sketches. Meanwhile Joan knows she is in trouble and goes to run to her family. She has no luggage or money or understanding on how to get to her family. Dante Hartwell helps her.
Through some unexpected circumstances they end up at the same house party. That is where all the truths come out and Joan needs a husband and Dante helps. However, there are some serious twists and turns. I like Joan and Dante as a couple.
Lady Joan went to show her dress designs to an aristocrat who could help her meet her dreams of producing beautiful clothing. Instead, VIscount Valmonte took advantage of her after plying her with alcohol and ended up taking her sketches. Meanwhile Joan knows she is in trouble and goes to run to her family. She has no luggage or money or understanding on how to get to her family. Dante Hartwell helps her.
Through some unexpected circumstances they end up at the same house party. That is where all the truths come out and Joan needs a husband and Dante helps. However, there are some serious twists and turns. I like Joan and Dante as a couple.
April 18, 2025
2,5/5.
Je n'ai pas aimé. Le couple est doux, mais avec une impression de sans amour. Leurs gestes sont empoulés, presque gênants. La fin est bâclée. Grosse déception.
Je n'ai pas aimé. Le couple est doux, mais avec une impression de sans amour. Leurs gestes sont empoulés, presque gênants. La fin est bâclée. Grosse déception.
October 15, 2014
Started out good and different and ended up kind of blah and ordinary.
Not giving up on this author though. Generally like her stuff better than this one.
Not giving up on this author though. Generally like her stuff better than this one.
April 12, 2025
Books I Own. Christmas 2024. Tropes: Christmas Romance, Victorian Romance, Marriage of Convenience, Family/Friends, Widower, Single Parent-children, Heiress, Class Difference.
MC's: h. Lady Joan Flynn, 23? & English, ladies fashion designer want to be, H. Dante Hartwell, Scottish, Mill owner, widower with a daughter Charlene and son Phillip.
Comments: Romance - slow burn romance. Dante and Joan tried to have a good sexual experience after they were married but I would say Dante failed miserably in satisfying Joan and she actually didn't know really anything other than what Dante showed her. No exciting sexy scenes here! I would rate this aspect of the book with 3 stars.
Dante is aware that Joan is meeting Edward and he isn't sure what is going on and she isn't telling him. He told her he wanted an honest relationship with no lies or deceipt. Edward is blackmailing her into designing for him because his mother and Uncle don't like his work only Joan's.
There was an amusing scene chasing the new rabbit Babette and when they caught the bunny they put it in with Fiona's rabbit Frederick and there was a lot thumping going on. LOL!
It was nice to see all the characters from the other MacGreggor Series at the Christmas House Party. I especially liked the scenes with Joan's father, mother, brother and sister in law.
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MC's: h. Lady Joan Flynn, 23? & English, ladies fashion designer want to be, H. Dante Hartwell, Scottish, Mill owner, widower with a daughter Charlene and son Phillip.
Comments: Romance - slow burn romance. Dante and Joan tried to have a good sexual experience after they were married but I would say Dante failed miserably in satisfying Joan and she actually didn't know really anything other than what Dante showed her. No exciting sexy scenes here! I would rate this aspect of the book with 3 stars.
Dante is aware that Joan is meeting Edward and he isn't sure what is going on and she isn't telling him. He told her he wanted an honest relationship with no lies or deceipt. Edward is blackmailing her into designing for him because his mother and Uncle don't like his work only Joan's.
There was an amusing scene chasing the new rabbit Babette and when they caught the bunny they put it in with Fiona's rabbit Frederick and there was a lot thumping going on. LOL!
It was nice to see all the characters from the other MacGreggor Series at the Christmas House Party. I especially liked the scenes with Joan's father, mother, brother and sister in law.
**************************************************************************
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2014
This one was OK for me. It didn't offend me, but it didn't blow my socks off. I see why people like Burrows' writing so much, but I'm hoping if I read another of her books, it'll be a little more engaging than this one. I liked the hero and heroine, but their chemistry was a bit lacking. To top it off, it was really difficult to keep liking the heroine when she knew what she was doing was wrong and hurtful, but kept doing it, anyway.
October 9, 2014
Disclosure: I received this review copy for this event. Thank you to Grace Burrowes and Sourcebooks for the opportunity. Yes, this is an honest review.
* * *
The word that came to mind when I finished reading Grace Burrowes's latest novel is "relatable" -- the very frank conversations between Dante and Joan remind me of conversations that couples in real life would have, but what makes Burrowes's so amazing is how she's able to capture the moment so perfectly, with just the right words and tone. There's an authenticity and sincerity to her characters that makes her stories uniquely hers.
I really like Joan. She's a dress designer and maker and loves making her own clothes. Even her clothes show that she isn't a conformist, but marches to the beat of her own drum. As the eldest daughter of a marquess, Joan knows her responsibility to her family -- and she's really tried to maintain a balance between her own personal happiness and the happiness of her family. The situation that Joan finds herself at the beginning of the story is also something a lot of women can relate to: an error in judgment (and trust) leads to a potential scandal that could possibly affect her entire family. Based on the opening chapter, it may seem that Joan is running away, but I didn't see it that way. She was removing herself from a bad situation and going somewhere where she could regroup and think about what she should do next. I loved that Joan was a fighter -- when confronted by Edward, Viscount Valmonte (the scoundrel responsible for Joan's worries) and his threats, Joan did not cower or give in -- but stood her ground. I think it also helped that she had Dante's trust and support to keep her strong.
Dante is a Scrooge/Grinch character, someone who believes in business more than humanity. He's spending the holidays on a business trip and he's dragged his entire family with him. Meeting Joan on the train was a happy coincidence for Dante, though it might not have seemed that way to Dante in the first place. It was his young daughter, Charlie, who had reminded Dante to extend kindness to Joan, who was in desperate need of passage on the train to Ballater (and then to Balfour House), Dante grudgingly gives in to his young daughter's wishes, but, personally, he would have rather ignored Lady Joan -- the way he was overlooked by "Polite Society" as he tried to find his place (and a wife) there. He had shared a dance with Joan during one gathering and that was it, so I'm glad he and Joan had the chance to get further acquainted with one another. I think they both realised that they had quite a bit in common: their love for fabric, their appreciation of working and creating things with their hands ... and the growing attraction between them.
Though it may seem that a train ride is too little time to get to know, and decide on marriage, but, considering Joan's situation, our hero and heroine needed to act quickly. To their credit, they still acted with prudence: Dante's first marriage wasn't a love match and he and his late wife tolerated each other quite well. This is a second chance for Dante (and for Joan) and they want to make sure that they would experience something more from one another.
There's a secondary love story between Margs, Dante's sister, and Hector, Dante's right-hand man in business -- and I think it's the first time I've seen this side of "marrying well" presented in this light. Dante is marrying up when he marries Lady Joan, and everyone knows that a marquess's daughter will open doors for Dante and his family. We have long thought that this "Cinderella" scenario is something everyone dreams of and are grateful to get -- but Margs is not happy. Margs is worried. She's happy with her current life. She's happy with the work she does with the women in Dante's mills. (Read Chapter 10)
Why Christmas? It's a story that could've been set at any other point in time and it would still work -- the chemistry would be the same: they could still meet on a train, and things would still proceed as is. So, why Christmas? Perhaps it's to highlight the transformation that Dante undergoes -- like Scrooge, like the Grinch -- it is this season that will thaw and change him. It's also an opportunity for the author to show why Joan cares so much about her family. The Christmas scenes with her brother, with her parents, and their extended family all show that they were worth her worry and her "sacrifice" -- I really enjoyed the exchange between Balfour and Tiberius (Joan's brother) in Chapter 14, where two lofty lords are relegated to decorating the house with bows, while the ladies busy themselves in the kitchen.
There are some things that were a bit vague for me: there seems to be some coldness between Joan and her sisters and, while I saw that some tentative reconciliation was happening when Joan got married, the author doesn't really delve further into this matter. (The reason was touched on briefly, but this part wasn't resolved so well.)
What I liked most was Joan's very honest reaction to her wedding night. Again, Grace Burrowes shows how well she understands her characters and their nature -- and how clearly she expresses their myriad emotions: from love, to excitement, to desire, to disappointment.
My favourite exchange between Joan and Dante:
What a Lady Needs for Christmas is what every romance reader needs to read for Christmas.
* * *
The word that came to mind when I finished reading Grace Burrowes's latest novel is "relatable" -- the very frank conversations between Dante and Joan remind me of conversations that couples in real life would have, but what makes Burrowes's so amazing is how she's able to capture the moment so perfectly, with just the right words and tone. There's an authenticity and sincerity to her characters that makes her stories uniquely hers.
I really like Joan. She's a dress designer and maker and loves making her own clothes. Even her clothes show that she isn't a conformist, but marches to the beat of her own drum. As the eldest daughter of a marquess, Joan knows her responsibility to her family -- and she's really tried to maintain a balance between her own personal happiness and the happiness of her family. The situation that Joan finds herself at the beginning of the story is also something a lot of women can relate to: an error in judgment (and trust) leads to a potential scandal that could possibly affect her entire family. Based on the opening chapter, it may seem that Joan is running away, but I didn't see it that way. She was removing herself from a bad situation and going somewhere where she could regroup and think about what she should do next. I loved that Joan was a fighter -- when confronted by Edward, Viscount Valmonte (the scoundrel responsible for Joan's worries) and his threats, Joan did not cower or give in -- but stood her ground. I think it also helped that she had Dante's trust and support to keep her strong.
Dante is a Scrooge/Grinch character, someone who believes in business more than humanity. He's spending the holidays on a business trip and he's dragged his entire family with him. Meeting Joan on the train was a happy coincidence for Dante, though it might not have seemed that way to Dante in the first place. It was his young daughter, Charlie, who had reminded Dante to extend kindness to Joan, who was in desperate need of passage on the train to Ballater (and then to Balfour House), Dante grudgingly gives in to his young daughter's wishes, but, personally, he would have rather ignored Lady Joan -- the way he was overlooked by "Polite Society" as he tried to find his place (and a wife) there. He had shared a dance with Joan during one gathering and that was it, so I'm glad he and Joan had the chance to get further acquainted with one another. I think they both realised that they had quite a bit in common: their love for fabric, their appreciation of working and creating things with their hands ... and the growing attraction between them.
Joan had danced with Dante Hartwell and found him lacking many of the attributes she associated with a proper gentleman. He neither gossiped nor flattered nor took surreptitious liberties in triple meter. In short, despite his many detractors -- some called him Hard-Hearted Hartwell -- she'd liked him.
- loc 39
Though it may seem that a train ride is too little time to get to know, and decide on marriage, but, considering Joan's situation, our hero and heroine needed to act quickly. To their credit, they still acted with prudence: Dante's first marriage wasn't a love match and he and his late wife tolerated each other quite well. This is a second chance for Dante (and for Joan) and they want to make sure that they would experience something more from one another.
"Here is the great wisdom of taking me as your spouse, Joan Flynn. I will not judge you for having some pride. I have pride too. I will not judge you for finding yourself in a predicament you didn't see coming. I've landed in predicaments too. We're starting off with honesty between us, and that's no small gift. Assure that the honesty will be ours to keep, and our marriage will fare well enough."
- loc 1791
There's a secondary love story between Margs, Dante's sister, and Hector, Dante's right-hand man in business -- and I think it's the first time I've seen this side of "marrying well" presented in this light. Dante is marrying up when he marries Lady Joan, and everyone knows that a marquess's daughter will open doors for Dante and his family. We have long thought that this "Cinderella" scenario is something everyone dreams of and are grateful to get -- but Margs is not happy. Margs is worried. She's happy with her current life. She's happy with the work she does with the women in Dante's mills. (Read Chapter 10)
Why Christmas? It's a story that could've been set at any other point in time and it would still work -- the chemistry would be the same: they could still meet on a train, and things would still proceed as is. So, why Christmas? Perhaps it's to highlight the transformation that Dante undergoes -- like Scrooge, like the Grinch -- it is this season that will thaw and change him. It's also an opportunity for the author to show why Joan cares so much about her family. The Christmas scenes with her brother, with her parents, and their extended family all show that they were worth her worry and her "sacrifice" -- I really enjoyed the exchange between Balfour and Tiberius (Joan's brother) in Chapter 14, where two lofty lords are relegated to decorating the house with bows, while the ladies busy themselves in the kitchen.
There are some things that were a bit vague for me: there seems to be some coldness between Joan and her sisters and, while I saw that some tentative reconciliation was happening when Joan got married, the author doesn't really delve further into this matter. (The reason was touched on briefly, but this part wasn't resolved so well.)
What I liked most was Joan's very honest reaction to her wedding night. Again, Grace Burrowes shows how well she understands her characters and their nature -- and how clearly she expresses their myriad emotions: from love, to excitement, to desire, to disappointment.
My favourite exchange between Joan and Dante:
"Might you call me Dante?"
She opened the door a few more inches. "For the fellow who wrote all that verse about hell?"
"He wrote about heaven, too, my lady." Also purgatory.
- loc 1266
What a Lady Needs for Christmas is what every romance reader needs to read for Christmas.
December 26, 2018
Awesome🎄❤️🎄Absolutely loved it! Great storylines and wonderful characters in this first book I’ve read in the MacGregors series. Will definitely back up and read the earlier books.
June 16, 2024
I would have given this four stars if the "conflict" at the end wasn't so annoying
December 9, 2018
Absolute guilty pleasure / brain candy. Also, this is #4 in a series, but I didn't start with #1 - don't think I missed anything because of it. (But would go back and read the others.)
October 29, 2014
Originally post on Smitten by Books Blog
Though Lady Joan Flynn is from a noble family, she also has a great talent for dress designing, and is quite passionate about it. When she is invited to tea by Lord Valmonte to supposedly discuss her designs with his mother, she doesn’t hesitate to accept. Valmonte, however, has ulterior motives. He plies Joan with excessively strong liqueur, and then takes liberties with her in her befuddled state. When she later awakes to find herself in disarray, and in a clinch with Valmonte, she panics and flees, leaving her designs. Her only thought is to escape to her family in the Scottish Highlands, and she heads for the train station, only to find there is not a seat available.
Mill owner and widower Dante Hartwell is taking his family to the Highlands for a Christmas house party. He had been in town mingling with the noble classes, hoping to secure investors for his mill, or to possibly even find a well connected bride who could improve his station in life. He’s somewhat disheartened because he had little success. At the train station, he sees Joan’s predicament, and his children convince him to let her come along and ride in his private rail car. Joan was one of the people who treated Dante with courtesy and even danced with him. Because Joan has no maid or chaperone, and is only carrying a small bag, Dante knows something is wrong.
During the journey, in the enforced intimacy of the rail car, Joan finds herself confessing to Dante what happened. She doesn’t actually remember if Valmonte took full advantage of her, but it doesn’t matter, because her reputation will be ruined. And if he did take advantage, there is the possibility of a child. Joan needs a husband, and quickly. Dante is willing to marry her, accepting that she may be carrying another man’s child. She can bring him the connections he needs, as well as being a mother for his children, and he can save her reputation. They tentatively agree to marry, and proceed to become better acquainted. Dante suggests a kiss -
What a perfectly wonderful couple Joan and Dante make! Despite the dire circumstances Joan is in, she remains honest, and never tries to deny what may have happened. She tells Dante everything, without sugarcoating it. Though of much higher birth, she never looks down on Dante, but treats him with respect and affection. Dante, while a commoner, and a little rough around the edges, is a hero to die for. He’s willing to accept Joan, despite what happened, and will happily raise her child (if there should be one) as his own. He doesn’t think less of Joan, but champions her. When the sleazy Valmonte comes back into their lives, intent on blackmail, Dante steps up to show how much of a hero he is.
While the story takes place over a short amount of time, the Christmas holidays, Joan and Dante’s love unfolds believably and most satisfyingly. As with all of Grace Burrowes’ novels, there is wonderful dialogue, warmth, and even some laugh out loud humor from some amorous pet bunnies. Reading this story was like savoring a scrumptious Christmas dessert, and I recommend it most highly.
Reviewed by Rose
Heat Level: Hot
Though Lady Joan Flynn is from a noble family, she also has a great talent for dress designing, and is quite passionate about it. When she is invited to tea by Lord Valmonte to supposedly discuss her designs with his mother, she doesn’t hesitate to accept. Valmonte, however, has ulterior motives. He plies Joan with excessively strong liqueur, and then takes liberties with her in her befuddled state. When she later awakes to find herself in disarray, and in a clinch with Valmonte, she panics and flees, leaving her designs. Her only thought is to escape to her family in the Scottish Highlands, and she heads for the train station, only to find there is not a seat available.
Mill owner and widower Dante Hartwell is taking his family to the Highlands for a Christmas house party. He had been in town mingling with the noble classes, hoping to secure investors for his mill, or to possibly even find a well connected bride who could improve his station in life. He’s somewhat disheartened because he had little success. At the train station, he sees Joan’s predicament, and his children convince him to let her come along and ride in his private rail car. Joan was one of the people who treated Dante with courtesy and even danced with him. Because Joan has no maid or chaperone, and is only carrying a small bag, Dante knows something is wrong.
During the journey, in the enforced intimacy of the rail car, Joan finds herself confessing to Dante what happened. She doesn’t actually remember if Valmonte took full advantage of her, but it doesn’t matter, because her reputation will be ruined. And if he did take advantage, there is the possibility of a child. Joan needs a husband, and quickly. Dante is willing to marry her, accepting that she may be carrying another man’s child. She can bring him the connections he needs, as well as being a mother for his children, and he can save her reputation. They tentatively agree to marry, and proceed to become better acquainted. Dante suggests a kiss -
“I’ve changed my mind. My plan was to kiss you witless, and while that plan has appeal, I’m thinking you ought to be the one doing the kissing.”
She kissed that mouth, their lips coming together in a pair of smiles that boded well for their future. Putting responsibility for prosecuting the kiss in her hands had been generous on his part, giving Joan the latitude to linger on new sensations.
“Taste me, Joan. I’m dying for you to taste me.”
What a perfectly wonderful couple Joan and Dante make! Despite the dire circumstances Joan is in, she remains honest, and never tries to deny what may have happened. She tells Dante everything, without sugarcoating it. Though of much higher birth, she never looks down on Dante, but treats him with respect and affection. Dante, while a commoner, and a little rough around the edges, is a hero to die for. He’s willing to accept Joan, despite what happened, and will happily raise her child (if there should be one) as his own. He doesn’t think less of Joan, but champions her. When the sleazy Valmonte comes back into their lives, intent on blackmail, Dante steps up to show how much of a hero he is.
While the story takes place over a short amount of time, the Christmas holidays, Joan and Dante’s love unfolds believably and most satisfyingly. As with all of Grace Burrowes’ novels, there is wonderful dialogue, warmth, and even some laugh out loud humor from some amorous pet bunnies. Reading this story was like savoring a scrumptious Christmas dessert, and I recommend it most highly.
Reviewed by Rose
Heat Level: Hot
October 18, 2014
In What A Lady Needs for Christmas a marriage arranged out of desperation and convenience blooms into much more than what Dante and Joan could have hoped for. The daughter of a marquess, Joan knows that she is expected to marry well. However, after being deceived by a man she thought that she could trust Joan finds herself compromised and the only solution is a quick marriage. Dante is her solution, but he will not be the easiest of men to get along with. Dante doesn't have much faith in people and wants a second marriage that will bring connections and new opportunities for his business. Dante has a young family of his own and a wife from a good family will be a help to his children as well. The arrangement solves problems for both Dante and Joan but transforms into something more. Dante and Joan develop an understanding and appreciation for talents and interests that they both share. Respect and admiration becomes a romance that neither dared hope for.
What A Lady Needs for Christmas was an enjoyable historical romance set during the holiday season. Well developed main characters and enjoyable secondary characters made for a great read. Grace Burrows knows how to weave a historical romance with relatable characters and descriptive scenery. What A Lady Needs for Christmas is a holiday read that can be enjoyed any time of year!
**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
You can find more from me at Monlatable Book Reviews
http://www.monlatablereviews.com/
What A Lady Needs for Christmas was an enjoyable historical romance set during the holiday season. Well developed main characters and enjoyable secondary characters made for a great read. Grace Burrows knows how to weave a historical romance with relatable characters and descriptive scenery. What A Lady Needs for Christmas is a holiday read that can be enjoyed any time of year!
**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
You can find more from me at Monlatable Book Reviews
http://www.monlatablereviews.com/
December 15, 2015
I liked the how plot idea of the book. However, I picked up this book not knowing it was the last book. Therefore making it difficult to get into all the other characters in the book. I just wanted it to focus on the main character and her love interest. It kind of drove me crazy how much the characters had difficulty speaking to each other. They would go from being very straight forward to just ridge conversation. I did enjoy the main character's passion about design and it was great to read description when it involved dress. Yet, I was disappointed that the author did not give her a chance to make any dresses. Also, I found it was odd that was so late in the book for her "husband" to took interest in her passion. The man makes fabrics but hardly speaks to his wife who loves fabrics? Also I think it took way too long for the important issue if she was "ruined" or not.
December 12, 2021
Just lost a few hours of my life that I won't get back. Ever the optimist, I kept reading hoping sparks would fly, the sex would be good... anything. I liked the words but the story telling felt disjointed bouncing abruptly from one scene to another. Also, lord have mercy the foreshadowing of one event was mentioned so many times throughout the book it was no surprise when the inevitable happened. I'll try Grace Burrows again but I'm gonna do a little detox from this book first. Also, did people really play hockey in kilts? Google didn't deliver answers.
November 22, 2017
Re-read. This is such a wonderful book. A business man comes to rescue a lady from a scandal. What was based on convenience, turns to admiration, friendship and love. One finds in the other what makes them special and together they build a solid and lovely relationship. One of my favorite books!
October 4, 2014
This was a pleasant read - my first Christmas season read for this year. It was a Victorian historical romance, that developed nicely as it went along - loved the last section of the book.
July 11, 2016
Overall this was pretty good. I was, however, a bit frustrated at how long it took Joan to tell Dante about Edward.
February 5, 2017
A disappointing end to what was an otherwise enjoyable series.
November 19, 2017
I think this was the least-liked of all Grace Burrowes books. It started out great but it lost me half way through. That's never happened with one of her novels. :(
June 29, 2017
WHAT A LADY NEEDS FOR CHRISTMAS is the fourth in the MacGregors series, featuring Lady Joan Flynn (from book #2) and Dante Hartwell. I recommend reading the other books in the series before beginning this one as there are many characters featured in this book whose backstories are somewhat necessary to fully enjoy this book.
Joan is passionate about designing clothes and is searching for a way to make a living from her dreams, despite her aristocratic lineage and the demands that come with it.
Dante expects loyalty, but he's not afraid to get down and dirty either. He unapologetic about his industrialist ways and comes to Joan's rescue hen she needs it most.
Joan believes someone took advantage of her while she was intoxicated (not my favorite plot line) and requires a husband quickly. Dante obliges and their romance builds slowly. One of the interesting twists is that even after Joan and Dante come together, Joan is unable to find her release until she comes clean about her secret.
The blackmail plot was a little convoluted and confusing at times, but the book as a whole was an enjoyable holiday read.
Plot Twist Reviews [dot] Com
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Joan is passionate about designing clothes and is searching for a way to make a living from her dreams, despite her aristocratic lineage and the demands that come with it.
Dante expects loyalty, but he's not afraid to get down and dirty either. He unapologetic about his industrialist ways and comes to Joan's rescue hen she needs it most.
Joan believes someone took advantage of her while she was intoxicated (not my favorite plot line) and requires a husband quickly. Dante obliges and their romance builds slowly. One of the interesting twists is that even after Joan and Dante come together, Joan is unable to find her release until she comes clean about her secret.
The blackmail plot was a little convoluted and confusing at times, but the book as a whole was an enjoyable holiday read.
Plot Twist Reviews [dot] Com
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
November 7, 2020
Book source ~ NetGalley
Lady Joan Flynn flees her family to avoid answering questions about a tricky situation she’s gotten herself into. Usually level-headed, she doesn’t think her flight through and almost ends up stranded at a train station. Enter Dante Hartwell. He offers her a lift, with his sister and his two children, in their train carriage and since she’s desperate and she has been introduced to him before, she accepts. That’s when the fun begins.
Joan is a great character. I love how her “thing” is clothes. She’s all about patterns, cloth, how dresses are put together, accents and colors, and she’s very good at what she does. But because she’s a Lady people don’t give her any credit for her work. But worse is the non-acknowledgement of her creativity. She’s hungry for any praise and that’s where she gets into trouble.
Dante is in trade and thus far below the station of Lady Joan who is the daughter of a Marquess. Dante rose up from nothing to own three mills through his marriage. With his wife dead he runs the mills and is profitable. However, in order to make improvements he needs investors. Wealthy investors. He went to Edinburgh to take a shot at landing a titled wealthy wife, but had no luck so was on his way to a Christmas house party that might prove more lucrative a venture when he runs into Lady Joan who is headed to the same party.
Dante is also a great character. He’s progressive, smart, decent, and treats people well. He loves his children and his sister, cares about his employees, and is not afraid of hard work. He has his flaws, as does Joan, but that only makes them more likeable. Even though a HEA is pretty much a given in these types of stories I still worried they would continue to keep things to themselves and thus sabotage their marriage before it really got started.
This is book 4 in a series and I didn’t realize that, but it can be read as a standalone even though other characters from earlier books are present. I didn’t feel as if I had missed their stories, but it does make me want to seek them out and get to know them better. It’s a bit rough in spots, but all-in-all this is a heartwarming Christmas love story with a villain to hate and enjoyable characters to cheer for.
Lady Joan Flynn flees her family to avoid answering questions about a tricky situation she’s gotten herself into. Usually level-headed, she doesn’t think her flight through and almost ends up stranded at a train station. Enter Dante Hartwell. He offers her a lift, with his sister and his two children, in their train carriage and since she’s desperate and she has been introduced to him before, she accepts. That’s when the fun begins.
Joan is a great character. I love how her “thing” is clothes. She’s all about patterns, cloth, how dresses are put together, accents and colors, and she’s very good at what she does. But because she’s a Lady people don’t give her any credit for her work. But worse is the non-acknowledgement of her creativity. She’s hungry for any praise and that’s where she gets into trouble.
Dante is in trade and thus far below the station of Lady Joan who is the daughter of a Marquess. Dante rose up from nothing to own three mills through his marriage. With his wife dead he runs the mills and is profitable. However, in order to make improvements he needs investors. Wealthy investors. He went to Edinburgh to take a shot at landing a titled wealthy wife, but had no luck so was on his way to a Christmas house party that might prove more lucrative a venture when he runs into Lady Joan who is headed to the same party.
Dante is also a great character. He’s progressive, smart, decent, and treats people well. He loves his children and his sister, cares about his employees, and is not afraid of hard work. He has his flaws, as does Joan, but that only makes them more likeable. Even though a HEA is pretty much a given in these types of stories I still worried they would continue to keep things to themselves and thus sabotage their marriage before it really got started.
This is book 4 in a series and I didn’t realize that, but it can be read as a standalone even though other characters from earlier books are present. I didn’t feel as if I had missed their stories, but it does make me want to seek them out and get to know them better. It’s a bit rough in spots, but all-in-all this is a heartwarming Christmas love story with a villain to hate and enjoyable characters to cheer for.
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