Scan barcode
00laura23's review
hopeful
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
This is a fun, entertaining, sweet, quick read. Will and Catherine are interesting, intriguing, relatable, entertaining, caring, strong characters. I enjoyed their romance and the path it took to get to their HEA. The secondary characters – especially the children – added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. The story is easy to read and get into.
tlsouthard's review
3.0
Nice Regency novella which actually highlighted some issues normally not discussed. I especially liked the little boys who were the key to a lot of the healing that had to take place.
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
4.0
3.5
Okay, it is a bit predictable, but the characters are well drawn and developed. There are some wonderful touches of humor.
Okay, it is a bit predictable, but the characters are well drawn and developed. There are some wonderful touches of humor.
kimberwolf's review against another edition
3.0
In this romantic novella, the Earl of Chadbourne is visiting his sickly, widowed sister and isolated young nephew to try to bring order to their estate, left in shambles by his recently departed brother-in-law. The Earl, who loves his own agricultural work, is impressed by the farming skills and is generally smitten by Catherine Wheatly who successfully manages the neighboring farm while caring for her father and raising her two younger brothers. There is a secret that puts the two families at odds, but with the young boys as a bridge, the Earl reaches out in an attempt to mend the broken familial fences in time for them all to celebrate Christmas together. This is a sweet, enjoyable romance perfect for whiling away an afternoon.
mizzelle's review
4.0
For the December #tbrchallenge for "holiday themes", I read Caroline Warfield's "A Dangerous Nativity", a sweet Christmas novella set in the Regency.
William Landrum, 10th Earl of Chadbourn, came to help his sister Sylvia set the estate to rights after the death of her husband. The abusive duke's death left behind his skittish widow and young heir. The land had been badly maintained and Chadbourn despaired of refurbishing it until he came upon the well-tended land of a neighbor. Intrigued, William encountered Miss Catherine Wheatly and her family at Songbird Cottage. Catherine served as land-steward for her Papa and raised her two young brothers while he worked on his research. Chadbourn contrives to visit the Wheatly family, hoping Freddy and Rand can bring his young nephew out of his shell. He's curious about the odd connection between the two houses and enlists a visiting Marquess to suss out the local gossip.
For her part, Catherine is willing to help William to find new land steward for the duke's estate, but expects nothing more. Her family is not welcome at the duke's house and Catherine has long assumed marriage and children are not in her future as a baseborn daughter. William continues to ingratiate himself into their lives, determined to effect a reconciliation. A visit to the duke's house pulls all the secrets out, one by one, uncovering the history of family abuse and finally revealing Catherine's true parentage. This was so predictable I almost wished it hadn't been included.
The darker backstory turns a fairly light and warm Christmas story of family into a more somber affair. I did like Catherine and William together. Sylvia annoyed me initially, but I warmed up to her more once I understood what she'd endured and how that impacted her son's upbringing.
William Landrum, 10th Earl of Chadbourn, came to help his sister Sylvia set the estate to rights after the death of her husband. The abusive duke's death left behind his skittish widow and young heir. The land had been badly maintained and Chadbourn despaired of refurbishing it until he came upon the well-tended land of a neighbor. Intrigued, William encountered Miss Catherine Wheatly and her family at Songbird Cottage. Catherine served as land-steward for her Papa and raised her two young brothers while he worked on his research. Chadbourn contrives to visit the Wheatly family, hoping Freddy and Rand can bring his young nephew out of his shell. He's curious about the odd connection between the two houses and enlists a visiting Marquess to suss out the local gossip.
For her part, Catherine is willing to help William to find new land steward for the duke's estate, but expects nothing more. Her family is not welcome at the duke's house and Catherine has long assumed marriage and children are not in her future as a baseborn daughter. William continues to ingratiate himself into their lives, determined to effect a reconciliation. A visit to the duke's house pulls all the secrets out, one by one, uncovering the history of family abuse and finally revealing Catherine's true parentage. This was so predictable I almost wished it hadn't been included.
The darker backstory turns a fairly light and warm Christmas story of family into a more somber affair. I did like Catherine and William together. Sylvia annoyed me initially, but I warmed up to her more once I understood what she'd endured and how that impacted her son's upbringing.
More...