Monday, October 14, 2019

Unwrapping a Guest Review by Connie Fischer of the anthology, SEDUCTION ON A SNOWY NIGHT, featuring stories by Madeline Hunter, Sabrina Jeffries, and Mary Jo Putney

Greetings my darling readers, I know I’ve been remiss in providing you reviews of good reads this past year and I apologize. Life has a hold on me which does not allow me much reading time. I have tried to make up for that by publishing my own good reads for you and I hope you’ve given them a try. So to make up for my neglect, I will be offering up guest reviews for you enjoy. I hope to be back reviewing for you soon but in the meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy my dear friend, Connie Fischer’s reviews to guide you to good reads. Enjoy and Happy Reading!

I present to you a guest review of SEDUCTION ON A SNOWY NIGHT, an anthology featuring stories by Madeline Hunter, Sabrina Jeffries, and Mary Jo Putney, published September 24, 2019.



Blurbs for SEDUCTION ON A SNOWY NIGHT:

This winter, steal away with the reigning queens of Regency Romance...plus one or two dukes, one heiress, and one headstrong beauty—to a surprise snow storm, the comfort of a blazing fire, and the heat of a lover's kisses...

A CHRISTMAS ABDUCTION by Madeline Hunter
Caroline Dunham has a bone to pick with notorious rake Baron Thornhill—and a creative plan to insure his undivided attention. Yet once in close quarters, she finds herself beholden to their smoldering connection.

A PERFECT MATCH by Sabrina Jeffries
Whisked away from a wintry ball by a commanding colonel, Cassandra Isles struggles with her feelings for Lord Heywood. For he is a man sworn to marry only for money—and Cass is an heiress who will accept nothing less than love.

ONE WICKED WINTER’S NIGHT by Mary Jo Putney
Dressed as a veiled princess, Lady Diana Lawrence is shocked to discover that the mysterious corsair who tempts her away from the costume ball is the duke she once loved and lost. Now ensconced with Castleton at a remote lodge, will she surrender to the passion still burning hotly between them?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Connie’s Review:

“A Christmas Abduction” by Madeline Hunter

Adam Prescott, Baron Thornhill, 27, is riding atop a stagecoach heading to his cousin’s home for a week. While waiting at a coaching inn for a change of horses, he is abducted at gunpoint by a woman named Caroline (Dunham) and a man named Jason. They take him to a nice home that he recognizes as Crestview Park. The place is a struggling horse farm. Caroline accuses Adam of seducing and impregnating her sister which he vehemently denies. When her sister arrives she admits that she lied and the father is a married man.

Adam is impressed with how hard Caroline is working to keep the horse farm going and steps in to help. Spending time together, of course, sparks an attraction. Can there be a future for them?

I just didn’t care for this story. For Adam to allow himself to remain “captive” by this group made no sense at all. I’m sure he felt sorry for her but I can’t see him dropping his plans and hanging around.


“A Perfect Match” by Sabrina Jeffries

Yorkshire - December 1808

Welbourne Manor is the venue for a Christmas ball. Miss Cassandra (Cass) Isles, 22, is attending the ball and is sweltering with the number of people. She needs some fresh air. However, she tries to make sure that Captain Lionel Malet is not trying to find her cousin, Katherine (Kitty) Nickman, 18. As the youngest son of a viscount, Malet should be a catch, but he has repulsed Cass. In addition, Kitty has a very nice dowry that he would like to get his hands on. Both Kitty and Cass are heiresses.

While taking some air on the terrace and looking for Kitty, Cass encounters a man who introduces himself as Colonel Lord Heywood Wolfe who is bringing a message from Kitty’s brother, Douglas. It appears that Captain Malet truly is after marrying Kitty and plans to abduct her and take her to Gretna Green. So, Lord Heywood rescues both Cass and Kitty by taking them in his carriage and explains that he is saving Kitty from Malet. Haywood is in need of marrying an heiress himself. Even though he is more physically drawn to Cass, he knows he must marry an heiress which Cass says she is not. He takes them to the home of his mother where they are preparing for Christmas and he finds himself falling in love with Cass. Will they be able to find a future together?

This is a pretty good story. Cass loves Kitty, is very protective of her, and does not want someone to take advantage of her. She does feel something for Heywood but is still afraid that someone may take advantage of her. I liked his family and the way they all welcomed the two young ladies into their homes and their lives.

“Winter Night” by Mary Jo Putney

Bombay India - Summer 1816

Lady Diana Lawrence, is enjoying the cool of early morning. Today, she is missing her England she left 7 years ago. She has just received a letter from her niece, Lady Aurora (Rory) Lawrence Vance. Rory has married a man who had spent years at sea and is now settling on an estate in England. Rory’s letter to her aunt Diana has asked her to return to England and live with her. She is expecting and wants to name the baby after her. Diana can sell her books of travel she has written over the years.

London - December 1816

Back in London, Diana is happy to be with Rory and her family. Diana is only 30-years-old. They are discussing hosting a masked ball for Christmas.

Anthony Raines, the fifth Duke of Castleton, has declared that he has no interest in attending the masked ball. However, his sisters, Julia and Athena, convince him to go. That night, Diana and Rory do a special Indian dance that the attendees love. Afterward, Anthony asks Diana to dance and when they remove their masks, they recognize one another. They had had a flirtation before and when he proposed, Diana fled to India. She was 5 years older than he was and he was not of legal age. His father threatened her if she stayed. Now, the family is urging him to court her. Is there a future for them after all these years?

This is a good story that I certainly enjoyed. I didn’t mention the part about the interesting cats. This was a big draw as I love cats!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

SEDUCTION ON A SNOWY NIGHT, an anthology by Madeline Hunter, Sabrina Jeffries, and Mary Jo Putney, Kensington Books, available now in ebook, print, and audio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks

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