The Yuletide Engagement by Carole Mortimer

The Yuletide Engagement by Carole Mortimer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is definitely a pleasant and serviceable Christmas romance. I didn't find it that impactful otherwise. I did think it was adorable how close Ellie was to her brother. I liked that it was fairly evident that Patrick was into her. I wasn't that impressed by the plot about Ellie's ex-boyfriend, although he was definitely a sleazeball. I think this book lacked intensity that I crave in my HP books, so that was probably my major issue with this book.

I can't think of much more to say than that.

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Strangers at the Altar by Marguerite Kay

Strangers at the Altar by Marguerite Kaye
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had trouble getting into this book. I should have loved it. I'm a sucker for marriage of convenience theme, I love tortured/angsty characters, and it's set in Scotland. But I had trouble connecting to the characters. Even in spite of the major angst the hero and heroine were feeling, I felt like I was viewing them through a thick glass instead of being plopped right there in the action.

I'm not saying that Kaye isn't a good writer. That's evidently true. I like how honest and authentic she is about women's issues and what it was like being a wife in the 19th century. In that sense, I did feel for Ainsley. I can imagine how difficult it must have been in her marriage, seeing her husband drive them into economic ruin and having her needs unmet and feeling like she was disgusting to her husband.

I guess my disconnect was that I didn't quite believe in the romance between Ainsley and Innes. Innes never won me over and I never formed an emotional connection to him. I think he was really cruel in some ways to Ainsley, even knowing how bad her first marriage had been. I felt the grovel at the end could have been more authentic. I don't know that I would have taken him back so easily after the way he ended things.

So sadly, I have to give this one three stars. I hope I that I enjoy her other books more, because I do see some promise in her descriptive writing, authentic heroines, and sensual romance.

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Nanny for Christmas by Sara Craven

A Nanny for Christmas by Sara Craven
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a cute Christmas book. It seemed a little lighter than usual for Sara Craven, until the evil ex shows up and it gets real. And that woman was wretched! I can't imagine how much Dominic regrets marrying her, except for his daughter. When it's just Phoebe, Dominic and Tara, this almost has a sweet feel, a family oriented holiday romance. It's nicely steamy in parts, but appropriate to the subject matter. Phoebe is perfectly likable, an orphan with a bit of a Cinderellaesque feel. Dominic is a hot dad who is on the intense side. And Tara seems troubled, missing the love of a mother. It works perfectly well for a reader looking for a holiday themed contemporary romance including children. Enough said.

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The Winter Bride by Lynne Graham

The Winter Bride by Lynne Graham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is classic Lynne Graham. The heroine is sweet and downtrodden, desperately in love with the hero. The hero had some unexpected depth. He's a tycoon, but has angst from the loss of his wife. It seems like Leo used and dumped her, but he was actually in love with her as well, although he felt guilty that she was barely of age. When they meet again, Angie doesn't want to be bothered with this man who dumped her so callously. She doesn't think he would care that she had his child, especially when she was told he didn't care about her back in the day. Leo actually thinks she had his cousin's child instead, which is ridiculous, considering that she's blond and so is the cousin. But his jealousy clouds his mind. Their reunion is complicated by the fact that his grandfather and her father's employer wants to see her, and her troubled relationship with her estranged father.

This one has a lot of family drama and the angst level is good. As always, the heroine is likable, and the hero seems jerky at first, but turns out to be a good guy, so you root for their happy ending together.

No reason at all to give this less than four stars.

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Married by Christmas by Carole Mortimer

Married by Christmas by Carole Mortimer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a cute book. Mortimer kept us guessing on the hero and the heroine until near the end. The reveal on the truth about Lilli's parents' marriage and the true nature of his new love, was surprising.

I was a bit surprised at the beginning and I'm glad that things turned out more innocent than it seemed. Patrick was a nice mix of alpha and beta. He would come on as tough, but he had a marshmallow heart. I liked that about him.

I kept thinking about Lizzy Bennet from Pride and Prejudice because the heroine's name is also Elizabeth Bennet. I don't know if that was on purpose or not.

Not my favorite book by Mortimer, but a pleasant read and nice for a Christmastime read, with its focus on family and how complicated and rich they can make one's life.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.

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