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language_loving_amateur's review against another edition
3.5
A lot of the conflict in this book centers on miscommunication, and could be resolved with a conversation. However, Burrows did a good job making it clear why they were reluctant to be completely open with each other.
alisonb's review against another edition
3.0
This story was just okay. Extremely low angst if that is what you are in the mood for. I tend to like a bit more tension in my stories.
karentje's review against another edition
3.0
A heartwarming story about finding love and family at that most magical time of year. Sophie and Vim fall in love very naturally, though that love remains unspoken and misunderstood for too long. They both also fall head over heels for Kit, the adorable baby boy who’s abandoned by his teenage mother and left in Sophie’s care.
For me, Sophie is a bit too passive in her own story, which is not consistent with how she’s been helping her brothers during their past rough times, and she fails to show enough, or indeed any, initiative to achieve her own happiness which I thought a bit of a pity. I liked Vim, strangely familiar with infants as he is for a man of his station and times, though he could also do with a bit more of a spine in overcoming his past, and, like Sophie he is not the best at plainly stating his thoughts.
There’s entire cast of wonderful secondary characters, brothers, parents, aunts and uncles who all have endearing or humor-filled asides to offer the couple-to-be, though I feel that they perhaps got a bit too much time on-page and needlessly slowed down the story which was already meandering quite unhurriedly to its final conclusion.
For me, Sophie is a bit too passive in her own story, which is not consistent with how she’s been helping her brothers during their past rough times, and she fails to show enough, or indeed any, initiative to achieve her own happiness which I thought a bit of a pity. I liked Vim, strangely familiar with infants as he is for a man of his station and times, though he could also do with a bit more of a spine in overcoming his past, and, like Sophie he is not the best at plainly stating his thoughts.
There’s entire cast of wonderful secondary characters, brothers, parents, aunts and uncles who all have endearing or humor-filled asides to offer the couple-to-be, though I feel that they perhaps got a bit too much time on-page and needlessly slowed down the story which was already meandering quite unhurriedly to its final conclusion.
joanav's review against another edition
4.0
Review originally published at Romancing Romances.
I received an eARC at no cost from the publisher, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.
4.5*
I loved this book! I’ve always really enjoyed Christmas/Holidays related books, and this one hit all the right spots.
Sophie is the sensible sister. She doesn’t give problems to anyone. So, when she decides to spend some time at Christmas with friends, her family doesn’t worry. But Sophie has a plan. She wants to spend some of her Christmas alone. But her plans get sidetracked when she is left stranded with someone else’s baby.
Queue Vim, our hero. I’ll admit right away, I love babies. I find them adorable, and I love holding them. And whenever I see someone who is good with a baby, I just feel happy. And Vim, well, he’s perfect with young Kit. How he helps Sophie without ever mocking her, or making feel like she’s doing something wrong, it’s just perfect.
I really enjoyed the relationship between both the hero and the heroine, and them with Kit. It was adorable, with our characters stuck due to a snow storm, learning about each other, and relating in a way they couldn’t with other people. Sometimes it’s just easier to talk to a stranger than someone who’s known you forever, right?
I also really liked hoe Sophie’s brothers didn’t try to decide for her, or just beat Vim. They understood that they were in love, but apparently there was some form of impediment, so they decided to do what they could to help them. Great brothers!
All in all, a great romance, with some steamy moments, very romantic, very adorable, and it just made me very happy.
I received an eARC at no cost from the publisher, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.
4.5*
I loved this book! I’ve always really enjoyed Christmas/Holidays related books, and this one hit all the right spots.
Sophie is the sensible sister. She doesn’t give problems to anyone. So, when she decides to spend some time at Christmas with friends, her family doesn’t worry. But Sophie has a plan. She wants to spend some of her Christmas alone. But her plans get sidetracked when she is left stranded with someone else’s baby.
Queue Vim, our hero. I’ll admit right away, I love babies. I find them adorable, and I love holding them. And whenever I see someone who is good with a baby, I just feel happy. And Vim, well, he’s perfect with young Kit. How he helps Sophie without ever mocking her, or making feel like she’s doing something wrong, it’s just perfect.
I really enjoyed the relationship between both the hero and the heroine, and them with Kit. It was adorable, with our characters stuck due to a snow storm, learning about each other, and relating in a way they couldn’t with other people. Sometimes it’s just easier to talk to a stranger than someone who’s known you forever, right?
I also really liked hoe Sophie’s brothers didn’t try to decide for her, or just beat Vim. They understood that they were in love, but apparently there was some form of impediment, so they decided to do what they could to help them. Great brothers!
All in all, a great romance, with some steamy moments, very romantic, very adorable, and it just made me very happy.
dgrachel's review against another edition
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This developing romance between Sophie and Vim was super sweet. I loved watching them bond over Kit and I absolutely loved watching both the Windham brothers, Vim’s Aunt and Uncle, and even the Duke of Moreland plotting to bring our couple together. Some shenanigans, a fair bit of heat, and plenty of laughs. I do love romance novels that make me laugh. I just wish there was an epilogue that was a little more epilogue-y instead of just a chapter break and a little scene with our couple.
jajorgen's review against another edition
2.0
This one started off strongly with an intelligent, practical heroine and a hero who likes (and knows how to deal with) babies. But by about midway I was losing interest. I skimmed a bit to the big reveal when her brothers discover all and thought it would pick up again, but then came the double whammo of irritating.
First was Sophie's turning Vim's marriage proposal down. As with any historical I truly hate it when the heroine is perfectly willing to have sex with the hero (when she's never done so with anyone else) and when all is discovered and she's compromised, she turns down his marriage proposal because he's not in love with her - from her point of view. I just can't get past this scenario. Especially in this case where Vim proposes more then once (though she is confused about the first proposal), he has been nothing but caring and helpful throughout, and their lovemaking has been wonderful. Truly? A regency/whatever aristocratic lady is going to turn him down? And when someone points out that perhaps all that sex could lead to a baby, she insists that won't happen and if it does Vim will be long gone.
Second was the big reveal about what had so traumatized Vim as a young man that he has rarely, if ever, returned to his home in all the years since. When I found out what the scandal was it lessened his appeal majorly. He's insisted on staying away, despite the fact that his aunt and uncle are aging, and only returned because they let him know they're in dire straits. Makes him look like an immature idiot.
So once past the initial section this turned into a pretty major fail for me.
First was Sophie's turning Vim's marriage proposal down. As with any historical I truly hate it when the heroine is perfectly willing to have sex with the hero (when she's never done so with anyone else) and when all is discovered and she's compromised, she turns down his marriage proposal because he's not in love with her - from her point of view. I just can't get past this scenario. Especially in this case where Vim proposes more then once (though she is confused about the first proposal), he has been nothing but caring and helpful throughout, and their lovemaking has been wonderful. Truly? A regency/whatever aristocratic lady is going to turn him down? And when someone points out that perhaps all that sex could lead to a baby, she insists that won't happen and if it does Vim will be long gone.
Second was the big reveal about what had so traumatized Vim as a young man that he has rarely, if ever, returned to his home in all the years since. When I found out what the scandal was it lessened his appeal majorly. He's insisted on staying away, despite the fact that his aunt and uncle are aging, and only returned because they let him know they're in dire straits. Makes him look like an immature idiot.
So once past the initial section this turned into a pretty major fail for me.
m_kayk's review against another edition
3.0
PopSugar Challenge 2022: "A book set during a holiday."
This reads like a typical historical fiction - fast attraction, family interference, class distinctions, etc. I do feel like I was dropped into the characters very quickly; there was no discussion of the personalities of the Windham daughters in the previous books, so while I knew the brothers in the story (and they are all side characters here), I didn't have even a small part of that with this introduction to the Duke's daughters.
Yes, I enjoyed it. Yes, I will continue the series.
This reads like a typical historical fiction - fast attraction, family interference, class distinctions, etc. I do feel like I was dropped into the characters very quickly; there was no discussion of the personalities of the Windham daughters in the previous books, so while I knew the brothers in the story (and they are all side characters here), I didn't have even a small part of that with this introduction to the Duke's daughters.
Yes, I enjoyed it. Yes, I will continue the series.
writer595's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25