I decided to give this four stars because it was an entertaining romance, with characters that I enjoyed reading about. While the conflict is mainly based on misunderstandings of characters and what is said and done, it wasn't too irritating to render the story frustrating or the characters unlikable.

Readers who enjoy a Darcy-like hero, composed, cold, uninvolved and very proper, they will probably like Bridgemere. I enjoy when the hero is forbidding and withdrawn from life, and stiff and we see him thaw out as he is around the heroine and falls in love with her. Bridgmere really liked Helen's authenticity and her caring for others, but at the same time, his experiences with his deceased wife has made him highly wary of love and withdrawn from life, determined not to make bad choices out of emotionalism. As such, there is a see-saw between his being drawn to Helen and his wanting to maintain distance.

As far as drama/conflict, there isn't a lot of external conflict. This story is more about the developing of the relationship between a lonely man and a young woman who was rejected by most of her family except for one lady who adopted her, and as such, she is devoted to the woman and calls her aunt. There is social conflict as Bridgemere is a powerful man surrounded by family who want access to his means and influence, and are playing a game of one upmanship. Helen is continually told she's not good enough for the Earl and couldn't possibly hope for marriage with him, because she's viewed as a threat to the others who see that the Earl likes, respect, and is drawn to her. This is reinforcing Helen's own feelings of unworthiness. Yet at the same time, she does seem to have a healthy sense of self esteem.

I liked that Helen is a spunky and independent person. She reminds me of one of my favorite literary heroines, Jane Eyre, in that regard. Even with the punches she's received in her life, her sense of loneliness and rejection, she won't lay down and die. She'll keep fighting and standing up for herself, and particularly others who need champions.

The holiday atmosphere was lovely, showcasing that the cold Earl really did have a soft, warm heart, especially for children. He makes a point of creating fun and welcoming activities to the overlooked and emotionally neglected children of his relatives. Bridgemere and Helen bond as they engage in these pursuits and they are allowed to see each other as they are, with the rigid social barriers lowered.

This isn't a particularly exciting book, but the writing is good, and the characters and their developing romance engaged me and kept my interest. I kept picking this up when I had a chance and getting drawn into the story, so that I'd read it longer than I should have been due to the need to complete other tasks.

I think readers who enjoy Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte would appreciate this book.

This review is for The Yuletide Engagement.

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.

Ugh. I hate to give an Anna Campbell book less than four stars. I think I was just underwhelmed. I mean, this is like one of my fave themes, spinster and rogue. But I didn't get as involved emotionally with this story. It's a pretty good short Christmas romance, that I expected to like this more than I did. Don't get me wrong. Erskine has had a thing for Phillipa since they first met, intrigued by this quiet wallflower. Phillipa looks down her nose at Erskine because he's a notorious rake. Apparently her sister wrote a steamy letter to him, and Phillipa enters the tiger's lair to get it back, but ends up locked in a cupboard with him, leading to a compromising position. Marriage is required, and Erskine is actually looking forward to it. That sounds pretty scrumptious. But it didn't come off as well as I expected.

I think I wasn't in the mood for such a self-deprecating heroine. She wouldn't believe that Erskine was into her! While I can understand the reasons for her low self-esteem, I wish she had made the most of having such a sexy hubby who couldn't get enough of her instead of being so 'woe is me'. That brings me to another area that I was disappointed. Usually Campbell rocks the love scenes. These weren't quite as sizzling as she typically manages. Maybe I just wasn't feeling it when I read this.

I admit it might be my mood right now. I'm still grieving and adjusting to things right now, so that does impact you when you are trying to focus on a book. I will try to read this again when I'm in more of receptive mood. I definitely don't want to miss out on Erskine's reformed rake sexiness.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.

This review is for To Claim His Heir by Christmas by Victoria Parker

I'm so glad that some of my discerning buddies on the Harlequin Presents Reader group raved about this book. It was an excellent short and sexy romance to read before the end of the year. At first, I was thrown by the writing style, very descriptive and emotive to the degree that it was hard to get a feel for the tone initially. But it didn't take long before I was soaking this book up like a sponge. Parker taps into my need for an intense, escapist, passionate romance book. It definitely gave me my angsty/dramatic romance fix.

Thane is all that and a bag of chips! Intense, honorable, grumpy, dedicated to his one and only woman (that alone made me swoon over him), and sexy as all get out. I could totally see why Luciana found him irresistible. He touches on all my hero qualities that I love. Luciana is a great heroine. Her motives are sound and her heart was good. She's strong in the best ways. Even though I did want her to cave and fall in with Thane's plans head first ('cause he was just so very...), I could understand her misgivings and her pain and anguish because of what she'd seen in her parents' marriage and scars from her own childhood. She made the best decision she could have at the time, even though she did deny Thane four years of his child's life. She regretted that she had cost him that and understood how wrong she was about him. While I don't care much for secret baby romance, this was well done. Scenes of Thane bonding with his son made me all cartoon starry eyed.

This is the kind of Romeo and Juliet tale I love. Honestly, I didn't care much for the original play, but Parker has given die hard romantics the version of that tale of young lovers and feuding families that they will love.

The sexual chemistry and tension was off the charts, but what made it so powerful was the delirious and intense love that Thane and Luciana found together and never got over. You could tell it was a once and a lifetime connection and you wanted them to get their happy ending.

Parker has convinced me that she's an author to watch for in the Harlequin Presents line. If she has more heroes in the vein of Thane (no rhyming intended), I'm sold!

Definitely recommend this book. Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.