Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor by Roseanna M. White (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What is your favorite Christmas treat?  I have always heard of sugar plums, but this novel made me want to try one for myself.

Lady Mariah Lyons loves Christmas at her home of Plumford Manor.  She wonders though how life will play out in the future as the estate is entailed to a distant relation of her stepfather, Cyril Lightbourne.  Cyril was once her childhood friend, but as they got older, they grew apart. This Christmas, both Cyril and her brother’s friend Lord Soren Gyldenkrone will be visiting.  Both men have just had an unsuccessful time wooing another lady, and now they are both competing for Mariah’s affection.  Will Mariah find her happily ever after? 

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I love historical Christmas romance and enjoyed this sweet romantic tale.

·       Mariah was a great character who was sweet, bubbly, and very expressive.  She wears her heart on her sleeve, which is not what is always proper in a lady.

·       I always enjoy love triangles in romance, although I was a little thrown in this one as they had just been competing for the affections of another woman.  I felt like Mariah was the second choice and not getting the love she deserved at first, but luckily, I feel that she did get the happy ending that she deserved.

·       I thought the novella took a great look at redemption. Both the male leads realize that they have errored in their ways and they both ask for forgiveness and make amends.

·       I enjoyed that the book was set in winter and that winter and Christmas traditions were explored.

·       I appreciated that the novel had a great relationship between Mariah and her stepfather.  I haven’t seen that too much in novels.  The stepparent is too often cast as the evil villain.

·       This novella is a clean read.

·       I love reading novellas during the holiday season.  Life is busy at the holidays and it’s a perfect length to enjoy during a busy time.

·       I enjoyed the author’s note that contained interesting details about sugar plums.  There is also a recipe for a Plum Kringle.  Kringles are a specialty here in Wisconsin, but I have never had a plum Kringle.  The recipe looked tasty.

·       There is a great sneak peak of Roseanna M. White’s next novel, An Honorable Deception, which is the final novel in The Imposters series.  I enjoyed the first two novels in this series.

Overall, Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor by Roseanna M. White is a sweet historical romance that has all many Christmas traditions to get you in the holiday spirit.

Book Source:  Review copy from Bethany House as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The Nutcracker and Edwardian-Era England combine to weave a magical tale of love and friendship at Christmastime.

As the beloved stepdaughter of the Earl of Castleton, Lady Mariah Lyons cherishes her home at Plumford Manor, but her idyllic world will be threatened when the estate passes to Cyril Lightbourne, a childhood friend she hasn't seen or heard from in years. Once, Mariah dreamed their friendship would kindle into something more, but that was before she heard Cyril was courting the cruelhearted Lady Pearl. Now Mariah is willing to welcome him as a friend and pray he will be the heir her stepfather needs, but she'll keep her heart locked safely away from anyone with such poor taste.

Cyril Lightbourne has long avoided returning to Plumford Manor, yet he reluctantly arrives in time for Christmas. When his friendship with Lady Mariah reignites, he finds himself caught between his affection for her and her family's misunderstanding of his attachment to Lady Pearl. Then, more trouble arrives in the form of a Danish lord on a mission to win Mariah's hand by Christmas. Will the magic of the holiday season help lead to the discovery of true love, or will duty to country leave all longing for what could have been?

ADVANCE PRAISE

"So many delightful layers to this tale, along with intriguing characters and beautiful descriptions...It really puts you in the mood for Christmas."— Melody Carlson, author of The Christmas Tree Farm and A Royal Christmas

"Sugar plums, gingerbread, and all the Christmasy feels go into this charming holiday romance."— Michelle Griep, Christy Award-winning author of Once Upon a Dickens Christmas

AUTHOR BIO

Roseanna M. White (RoseannaMWhite.com) is a bestselling, Christy Award-winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she's homeschooling, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.

Murder at the Blarney Bash by Darci Hannah

 

Do you like to read books that are set during holiday seasons?  I love holiday themed books!

It’s St. Patrick’s Day in the small town of Beacon Harbor, Michigan that is located on the shores of Lake Michigan.  Lindsey Bakewell, amateur sleuth, and baker, is cooking up all sorts of St. Patrick’s day delights to celebrate the opening of the Blarney Stone, a new Irish import store.  It’s a dangerous time in Beacon Harbor during the holidays.  When a leprechaun is murdered, Lindsey is on the case. 

My thoughts:

·       I love the holiday theme to this book; I haven’t read that many St. Patrick’s Day books.

·       The quant setting in a small Lake Michigan town is a lot of fun.  I also enjoy all of the characters.

·       This is the fifth book in the Beacon Bakeshop mystery.  I have read the fourth book and this one.  You can read them as stand-alone novels, but it is nice to get to know the characters.  I need to go back and read the first three books!

·       I love that this book is self-aware. 

o   “‘We’ve been known to investigate murders before around here.’’And are there many murders?’ she asked, looking rather frightened at this.  ‘I was under the impression that this was a friendly village.’”

o   “What was I doing?  Was I really hosting a town hall meeting over possible sightings of a man dressed as s leprechaun...who’d been brutally murdered . . . possibly by Rory’s uncle?  Was I insane?  Had I reached rock bottom?  Is this what living in a small village on the frozen shores of Lake Michigan did to people?”

o   Moments like these made me laugh out loud.

·       The story did move a bit slowly for me.

·       I love how food was discussed throughout the stories and there were tasty looking recipes at the end.

Overall, Murder at the Blarney Bash was a fun holiday themed cozy mystery.

Book Source:  Review copy from NetGalley. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.