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thekpophero's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ameve2's review
emotional
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
4.0
scoutmomskf's review
4.0
Good book. Thea is the sister of the village vicar, twenty-seven and considered firmly "on the shelf". She considers herself to be quite plain and tries to convince herself that she is content with her quiet life and assisting her brother. But after a local ball, where she encounters a man from her past, she realizes that she really wants a chance at a life and love of her own. When she discovers a baby abandoned in the manger of the church nativity scene, a brooch hidden in the child's clothing convinces her she knows who is responsible. Furious, she rushes off to confront the town's newest resident.
Gabriel recently purchased the manor house and has brought a few friends to stay for the holidays. He attended the local ball, barely noticing the various women he was introduced to. He is shocked when one of those women bursts into his home, accusing him of fathering the abandoned baby. Though he knows he's innocent of the charge, he does recognize the brooch as belonging to his sister, and is determined to find her.
I loved that confrontation between Thea and Gabriel. She's so certain that she's right, that he's the typical rakish nobleman, and she's going to set him straight about his actions. He's simply stunned by her accusations, then in shock when he sees the brooch. With his reactions, he comes across as cold and arrogant, but once they both calm down they realize they want the same thing - to find the baby's mother. It also becomes obvious that there is something more flaring between them. Gabriel is intrigued by the woman who doesn't behave like the ones he's used to. She's forthright, smart, loving toward little Matthew, and not afraid to stand up to him. I loved the banter between them. He's very good a teasing her because he loves her reactions. I also enjoyed seeing Thea's attempts to rein him in.
As they are thrown together in their search for Gabriel's sister, they develop a friendship that quickly grows into more. There is no denying the attraction that flares between them. Thea's normally quick wits have a tendency to get scrambled when Gabriel gets too close, and he has a hard time not kissing her at every opportunity. That attraction continues to grow until it bursts into flame and they succumb to their desire. It's pretty obvious that there's more than just passion between them, but neither one can see it. Gabriel's mind is fixated on the fact that his plans aren't to marry for several years yet, so marriage to Thea never occurs to him (in spite of what they have been doing). Thea is simply trying not to let her emotions get involved, because she doesn't believe a nobleman like him would be interested in a plain jane girl like her for anything other than a short liaison. I liked seeing the changes that both go through, as Gabriel's attentions have Thea breaking out of the shell she'd been in for so long. I also liked seeing Gabriel open up to Thea about what had happened with his sister, and how she helps him see that he's not to blame. I did wonder how long it was going to take him to realize the truth of his feelings for Thea, but he came through in a really sweet way at the end.
The mystery of baby Matthew and his mother was well done. There were so few clues at the beginning that it built the intensity just a bit, until things started to come together. From the kidnapping on, I was constantly wondering what was going to happen next. Just when I thought I knew who to blame, a sudden twist threw it all into doubt. The revelation of the truth was exciting and bittersweet, as the final confrontation revealed an unexpected player.
The secondary characters were great and I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in the other books. I am especially intrigued by Thea's friend Damaris, who I suspect has a very interesting history. Lord Rawdon is another who made a big impression. He seems so cold at first, and his history with Gabriel is complicated. I loved the fight scene between them, and Thea's way of dealing with it. I also liked Myles, who had a good head on his shoulders and was the voice of reason throughout. But my favorite was baby Matthew. It was so much fun to see everyone's reactions to him. He was such a little sweetheart and had everyone charmed. There were some really sweet scenes with him and Thea and Gabriel.
Gabriel recently purchased the manor house and has brought a few friends to stay for the holidays. He attended the local ball, barely noticing the various women he was introduced to. He is shocked when one of those women bursts into his home, accusing him of fathering the abandoned baby. Though he knows he's innocent of the charge, he does recognize the brooch as belonging to his sister, and is determined to find her.
I loved that confrontation between Thea and Gabriel. She's so certain that she's right, that he's the typical rakish nobleman, and she's going to set him straight about his actions. He's simply stunned by her accusations, then in shock when he sees the brooch. With his reactions, he comes across as cold and arrogant, but once they both calm down they realize they want the same thing - to find the baby's mother. It also becomes obvious that there is something more flaring between them. Gabriel is intrigued by the woman who doesn't behave like the ones he's used to. She's forthright, smart, loving toward little Matthew, and not afraid to stand up to him. I loved the banter between them. He's very good a teasing her because he loves her reactions. I also enjoyed seeing Thea's attempts to rein him in.
As they are thrown together in their search for Gabriel's sister, they develop a friendship that quickly grows into more. There is no denying the attraction that flares between them. Thea's normally quick wits have a tendency to get scrambled when Gabriel gets too close, and he has a hard time not kissing her at every opportunity. That attraction continues to grow until it bursts into flame and they succumb to their desire. It's pretty obvious that there's more than just passion between them, but neither one can see it. Gabriel's mind is fixated on the fact that his plans aren't to marry for several years yet, so marriage to Thea never occurs to him (in spite of what they have been doing). Thea is simply trying not to let her emotions get involved, because she doesn't believe a nobleman like him would be interested in a plain jane girl like her for anything other than a short liaison. I liked seeing the changes that both go through, as Gabriel's attentions have Thea breaking out of the shell she'd been in for so long. I also liked seeing Gabriel open up to Thea about what had happened with his sister, and how she helps him see that he's not to blame. I did wonder how long it was going to take him to realize the truth of his feelings for Thea, but he came through in a really sweet way at the end.
The mystery of baby Matthew and his mother was well done. There were so few clues at the beginning that it built the intensity just a bit, until things started to come together. From the kidnapping on, I was constantly wondering what was going to happen next. Just when I thought I knew who to blame, a sudden twist threw it all into doubt. The revelation of the truth was exciting and bittersweet, as the final confrontation revealed an unexpected player.
The secondary characters were great and I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in the other books. I am especially intrigued by Thea's friend Damaris, who I suspect has a very interesting history. Lord Rawdon is another who made a big impression. He seems so cold at first, and his history with Gabriel is complicated. I loved the fight scene between them, and Thea's way of dealing with it. I also liked Myles, who had a good head on his shoulders and was the voice of reason throughout. But my favorite was baby Matthew. It was so much fun to see everyone's reactions to him. He was such a little sweetheart and had everyone charmed. There were some really sweet scenes with him and Thea and Gabriel.
k_tiches's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
4.0
andipants's review
3.0
Nothing amazing here, but a decently solid Christmastime romance nonetheless. I liked the mystery element, and I liked that the characters actually took some sensible steps in investigating it, rather than the answer just falling whole into their laps in the final act. I was a bit disappointed that . Overall though it was a decently engaging plot.
I liked Thea as a character, and I appreciated that she wasn't a grand lady with a houseful of servants, but was still a reasonably believable match for Gabriel, socially. So often when regencies stray from the standard rich and/or titled leads, they seem to go way too far in the other direction, having a duke fall in love with a governess or something equally improbable for the time period, which is a damn stretch for believability (not saying I don't read and enjoy those too, but it's nice seeing something in between). I also liked Gabriel as a love interest, and I really enjoyed the way their relationship progresses; he refreshingly makes no pretense of not being interested in her and is basically openly courting her, and any denial of the fact is wholly on Thea's part and based in her own insecurities, which is good character development.
Speaking of her character though, I'm not a huge fan of bluntness to the point of rudeness being brushed aside as cute social awkwardness. I get that not everybody has natural social grace, and some people need some extra patience and understanding while they catch up on those skills, but painting outright rudeness as inherently cute and endearing is pretty cringe for me. It only happened a couple times here, but I could have done without it altogether.
As far as seconary characters go, I liked Damaris a lot, both as Thea's friend and as an intriguing character in her own right. I hope she gets her own story in this series, because I want to find out more about her mystery past. Thea's brother, on the other hand, I could utterly do without. What a whiny, self-centered, entitled brat! I was really hoping he'd get more of a growth arc by the end, but alas, 'twas not to be. I'll just take satisfaction in the fact that he'll have to learn how to function like an adult and take care of his own responsibilities now that Thea's got her HEA!
One other noteworthy thing, as far as Christmas romances go, is that the events here were woven around a backdrop of Christmas preparations and events, culminating in the obligatory climactic scene at a Twelfth Night ball, but the underlying story could have happened just about anytime; it felt more like a romance that happened to take place around Christmas, rather than a Holiday Romance™. This was neither a positive nor a negative for me, but just something I found interesting.
Spoiler
they didn't find Jocelyn in the end, especially since she had been so close to reaching home; felt like a slightly bitter note in the otherwise happy endingI liked Thea as a character, and I appreciated that she wasn't a grand lady with a houseful of servants, but was still a reasonably believable match for Gabriel, socially. So often when regencies stray from the standard rich and/or titled leads, they seem to go way too far in the other direction, having a duke fall in love with a governess or something equally improbable for the time period, which is a damn stretch for believability (not saying I don't read and enjoy those too, but it's nice seeing something in between). I also liked Gabriel as a love interest, and I really enjoyed the way their relationship progresses; he refreshingly makes no pretense of not being interested in her and is basically openly courting her, and any denial of the fact is wholly on Thea's part and based in her own insecurities, which is good character development.
Speaking of her character though, I'm not a huge fan of bluntness to the point of rudeness being brushed aside as cute social awkwardness. I get that not everybody has natural social grace, and some people need some extra patience and understanding while they catch up on those skills, but painting outright rudeness as inherently cute and endearing is pretty cringe for me. It only happened a couple times here, but I could have done without it altogether.
As far as seconary characters go, I liked Damaris a lot, both as Thea's friend and as an intriguing character in her own right. I hope she gets her own story in this series, because I want to find out more about her mystery past. Thea's brother, on the other hand, I could utterly do without. What a whiny, self-centered, entitled brat! I was really hoping he'd get more of a growth arc by the end, but alas, 'twas not to be. I'll just take satisfaction in the fact that he'll have to learn how to function like an adult and take care of his own responsibilities now that Thea's got her HEA!
One other noteworthy thing, as far as Christmas romances go, is that the events here were woven around a backdrop of Christmas preparations and events, culminating in the obligatory climactic scene at a Twelfth Night ball, but the underlying story could have happened just about anytime; it felt more like a romance that happened to take place around Christmas, rather than a Holiday Romance™. This was neither a positive nor a negative for me, but just something I found interesting.
lucy_qhuay's review
3.0
This book started great but somewhere in the middle it turned a bit boring.
I feel that the mystery surronding Matthew, the baby who was abandoned in the church and then found by Thea was extended unnecessarily.
I think that, by the middle of the book, we should have known already for sure who were the parents of the child and how he came to be abandoned in that church.
I really loved Thea! She was so fun to read about.
So clever, funny and incredibly blunt. I totally loved that she never hid what she was thinking, no matter how "rude" it seemed to be.
I laughed out loud a couple of times with her, especially when she was thinking that she must be "a wanton" for responding passionately to Gabriel and when she was attacked by a certain lady, retaliated with a nice punch in the jaw and was preparing to throw another one.
How vicious, Miss Brainbridge!
I really loved Gabriel too, but I was a bit disappointed, since I don't think his character was well developped.
We don't know much about him and what he thinks or feels, besides his desire for Thea and his determination to find out the truth about Matthew.
We know a lot about Thea - how she feels all the time, what she thinks about herself and people around her, her thirsty for knowledge and her love of reading, how difficult her childhood was, because she lived in the shadow of her older sister and because her father was somewhat harsh to her, how she feels she must act because she is the vicar's sister, how Damaris is the only one she trusts and her only friend and so much more.
But we know virtually nothing about Gabriel, besides what I have already told you and that he is a bit judgemental, giving his actions toward Alec Rawdon.
What a pity! He really caught my attention, so I would have liked to know everything there was to know about him.
Those who also caught my attention were Damaris, Thea's best friend, Sir Myles, Gabriel's friend and Alec Rawdon, Gabriel's former best friend.
I can't wait to read more about them!
All in all, a pretty entertaining book. Read it!
sadie_rae's review
3.0
Some times you read a book and it starts right at the first event in the synopsis, in most cases when this happens I tend to wish that I had a little more back story to start from. This book was rather the opposite, where I wished it had started right when Thea found the baby in the manger. Instead we start a few days before at a dance, it was a bit dry at first a LOT of back story, but once Thea finds the Baby things start to look up.
I'm not sure I can properly review this book with out giving away some major spoilers but we'll try for a rough outline of events. Upon finding baby Mathew(<- a name given to the baby by Thea when she finds him), Thea storms to Gabriel's house and accuses him of fathering the child on some poor girl or a mistress and basically abandoning his both of them. After some misconceptions are set straight Thea set's into the roll of caring for Mathew as Gabriel attempts to find who might have left him in the manger.
There is a lot of clock and dagger in this book, not spy wise but rather in manipulations and all things that come with being part of the Ton. At one point Mathew is kidnapped and retrieved, and then there is the appearance of an ex-friend of Gabriel's to take into account. And amidst all this running around to find Mathews mother, prepping for Christmas, entertaining guests, and gentlemen losing there heads and coming to fists somehow Gabriel finds time to fall in love with Thea.
The end of the book was a bit of a surprise to me, though I did guess who was behind the rumors that turned Gabriel against his friend I hadn't guessed what had happened to his sister, or who was behind it. Also, you never do learn Mathews real name which was a bit irksome. So while I felt that there was some room for improvement on certain points of the book I did enjoy it over all. 3.5 stars.
I'm not sure I can properly review this book with out giving away some major spoilers but we'll try for a rough outline of events. Upon finding baby Mathew(<- a name given to the baby by Thea when she finds him), Thea storms to Gabriel's house and accuses him of fathering the child on some poor girl or a mistress and basically abandoning his both of them. After some misconceptions are set straight Thea set's into the roll of caring for Mathew as Gabriel attempts to find who might have left him in the manger.
There is a lot of clock and dagger in this book, not spy wise but rather in manipulations and all things that come with being part of the Ton. At one point Mathew is kidnapped and retrieved, and then there is the appearance of an ex-friend of Gabriel's to take into account. And amidst all this running around to find Mathews mother, prepping for Christmas, entertaining guests, and gentlemen losing there heads and coming to fists somehow Gabriel finds time to fall in love with Thea.
The end of the book was a bit of a surprise to me, though I did guess who was behind the rumors that turned Gabriel against his friend I hadn't guessed what had happened to his sister, or who was behind it. Also, you never do learn Mathews real name which was a bit irksome. So while I felt that there was some room for improvement on certain points of the book I did enjoy it over all. 3.5 stars.