| Description

• Regency Romance

Ezra, Lord Weston, has secretly begun a written correspondence with Miss Grace Stewart under the guise of being his own sister. Eventually, Ezra realizes he hasn’t only found a friend in Grace over these past months. He’s fallen in love with her. But then Grace writes and says she’s set her cap at a nearby baron who’s planning a house party for Christmas. So, as an earl, Ezra has no trouble getting himself invited to the party hosted by Grace’s would-be husband.

| My Thoughts

• 3.5 Stars, rounded up

As I recall, I didn’t check out the plot in the blurb before picking up this book. I stay on the lookout for novellas, and the cover and title of this Regency Christmas one caught my interest.

Chemistry and Collars

I found this to be entertaining reading. The conflict isn’t too dramatic or angsty, and Grace and Ezra both have an easy quality, with simple but believable chemistry between them.

Now, I think the story sometimes states the obvious, and the writing is redundant here and there. I also felt a bit pulled out of the moment occasionally if a character’s actions didn’t quite seem to fit the setting. For instance, there’s an evening musicale with ladies and gentlemen where I’d naturally picture the men with stiff coat collars and with cravats tied up around the high collars of their shirts, keeping their necks rather covered up.

So when “Ezra ran a hand over the back of his neck” in thought in the musicale scene, the action didn’t mesh with the occasion, in my mind’s eye.

The End. And Then…

Also, the epilogue features a minor character with pretty low spirits and problems to contemplate as a lead-in to the next book in the series. I think romances should focus on the central couple and end on a high note. So, disappointed by the downturn in the epilogue, I skipped much of it and wouldn’t personally recommend romance fans to read it.

A Holiday Blossoming

Nevertheless, the main story is one I do indeed recommend, as it nicely delivers on love blossoming at Christmastime.

| Content Note

no violence
no profanity
no explicit sexual content

The Gentleman Thief by Camille Elliot

March 1, 2021May 21, 20222 Comments

Regency Fiction

Book reviews are subjective. I tend to rate books not according to how “perfect” they are, seem to be, or are said to be in general but rather to how perfect they are to me. I received a complimentary copy of this book, for which I’ve given an honest review.

4 Stars

The Gentleman Thief by Camille Elliot

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There’s a highly skilled jewel thief making the rounds to parties in London this Season. And Solomon Drydale, an agent for the Crown, worries that the culprit may be a former agent Sol once mentored in The Gentleman Thief by author Camille Elliot.

While the first prequel in the Lady Wynwood’s Spies series, The Spinster’s Christmas, is solid as a standalone, I wouldn’t say this prequel novella stands alone to the same solid degree. It opens and closes with storylines it doesn’t complete, although there’s a finished story in the middle.

I was a little disoriented for a while, as this felt kind of like plunging into the middle of a river. There are also a lot of different characters and titles named throughout the read, and it would’ve taken more effort than I gave it to keep clear track of everybody’s identities.

Even so, as I gradually got into the suspense, it confirmed my preference for Regency stories like this that have some kick to them—sharp key players, intrigue, action, and yes, even violence where the plot calls for it—rather than tales limited to dances, heart palpitations, and tea. (Nothing against Regency romances in general; I just want something wittier or grittier than a basic tale about who’s going to dance with or propose to whom. This heist story isn’t basic!)

I’m looking forward to the continuation of the series.

Here’s my review of Vol. 1 of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Archer.

Archer by Camille Elliot

January 25, 2021April 16, 2023Leave a comment

Regency Fiction

Book reviews are subjective. I tend to rate books not according to how “perfect” they are, seem to be, or are said to be in general but rather to how perfect they are to me. I received an advance reading copy of this book for an honest review.

3 Stars

Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer by Camille Elliot

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It’s uncharacteristic of Phoebe Sauber when she loses her aim at a “friendly” archery tournament. Her wayward arrow leads her into the path of Michael Coulton-Jones, a man who’s been avoiding Phoebe ever since he once danced with her. He unintentionally draws her into a mysterious mission concerning a dangerous potion that gives men phenomenal strength in Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volume 1: Archer by author Camille Elliot.

Having enjoyed all of Elliot’s books so far, I was excited to hear about this ChristFic Regency suspense serial novel. And the fact that it’s got a science-fiction-esque twist to it? Even better.

Now, much of this first volume was slow-going to me, and some of what concerns Phoebe becomes pretty redundant. Perhaps the lags in my interest were the reason why I had a hard time getting a grip on what all was happening on the suspense side and why it mattered for the characters. (I skipped reading the book blurb beforehand on purpose.) Also, while I trust the complete novel will be romantic on the whole, this first installment just lays a foundation for romance to come.

Even so, I liked the science and archery action parts best, and some of the read was kind of like watching Marvel’s The Avengers. I’m looking forward to reading more of this serial.

Note to my blog readers: This book contains a small amount of carnally crude content.

Here’s my review of the first Lady Wynwood prequel, The Spinster’s Christmas.

The Spinster's Christmas The Gentleman Thief Berserker

Her Christmas Gift by Robin Helm

December 14, 2020June 22, 2024Leave a comment

Christmas Book

Book reviews are subjective. I tend to rate books not according to how “perfect” they are, seem to be, or are said to be in general but rather to how perfect they are to me.

3 Stars

Fan art by Nadine C. Keels: not an official book cover

Her Christmas Gift by Robin M. Helm

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’ve said before that I used to steer clear of all literary retellings and fan fiction based on iconic classics that were done so well. But as that isn’t always the case for me anymore, I read Her Christmas Gift by author Robin Helm, a romantic holiday tale based on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and found in A Very Austen Christmas collection.

You certainly should be familiar with the original novel before trying this novella, as the retelling wouldn’t hold much significance or make the best sense on its own. I found myself visualizing most of the characters here as the actors who played the corresponding roles in thee best onscreen adaptation of the novel, the 1995 BBC miniseries.

Now, even with its short length, I felt that this read could have been shaved down and sharpened for pertinence and pacing. Also, the chunks of Elizabeth’s italicized thoughts often seem more like careful, extended lines of narration than just a person’s natural thoughts, and both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy seem somewhat softer in this story than I picture their original characters.

Nevertheless, the novella does have its shining moments, some interesting further development of a character or two, and the warmth and festivity of Christmas. Worth checking out for fans of P&P retellings.

Here’s my review of another novella in this collection, The Christmas Matchmaker.