Saturday, November 24, 2018

Falling in Love at a Regency Christmas – with a Younger Man


Elizabeth, Lady Overfield, feels she is ready to marry again. Her first marriage to an abusive alcoholic ended badly, but that was years ago. She believes that her heart has healed, and she’s ready to try again. What she doesn’t count on is falling in love with Colin, Lord Hodges. He’s nine years younger than she and in Regency England that was simply not done.

Meeting at a Christmas gathering with Elizabeth’s family, they are drawn to each other, but the kiss when they tumbled from a sled is unexpected and devastatingly important. Unable to face defying convention, they both start the London season looking for other marriage partners, but it’s not as simple as it seems to disregard their attraction.

This is a rather delightful story of manners in Regency England. The background, including the strictures of society, are historically accurate. The characters include ones you love and the villains you love to hate. Colin and Elizabeth grow in understand and courage through the story. Other characters, such as Colin’s mother, show their true colors. You can’t help cheering when she’s forced to face reality.

The book has a restrained pace. There is considerably more conversation than action. However, the action that does occur is well within the confines of the period and upper class manners.

This is the fifth book in the Westcott series. I did find it difficult to keep all the characters straight in the beginning, but when Colin and Elizabeth became the center of the story, it was easier. If you like romance in the tradition of Jane Austen, this is a book you’ll enjoy. While it’s possible to read as a standalone, I think it would be easier to follow if you read more of the series.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

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