Title: Someone to Care
Author: Mary Balogh
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:

"Someone to Care" by Mary Balogh

My Thoughts...

This was quite a interesting Victorian historical fiction read by this author will capture your attention from the first chapter. I liked this captivating story of Viola Kingsley and Marcel Lamarr who reconnected after many years and find a second chance at love and life. What brought this story up to this point? Well, from a loveless marriage for 23 years to find out at her husband [the Earl was a bigamist] death Viola Kingsley wasn't marriaged at all and her children were illegitimate. 'Being cast out of proper society after learning her marriage and life as a Countess' was a farce she decides to leave the area for a home by herself he meets Marcel Lamarr [an old flirt, a rogue who she rejected 14 years ago] and they decide to run away together and this is where this story will take off.

To get the rest of this intriguing story you will just have to pick up "Someone to Care" to find out the rest of the story which will become somewhat a complicated life as we learn more about Viola and Marcel's feelings for each other that slowly grows into a slow friendship and then develops into love.

However, they had both had 'experienced great pain in their life and dealt with it quite differently.'  I will stop here and say if you are into a 'older heroine and hero' getting their HEA then this engaging read would be for you.

Did you know parmesan cheese flavoured ice cream was popular in Regency times, or that young ladies carried miniature portraits of Lord Byron around in their bags to swoon over?

Read more here.

Title: The Christmas Knot
Author: Barbara Monajem
Publisher: B. M.
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:

"The Christmas Knot: A Slightly Gothic Regency Mystery Romance Novella" by Barbara Monajem

My Thoughts...

A historical 'Gothic' romance with a ghost story that had a little bit of romance, curse, mystery, murder, suspense and forgiveness. Add to that lovable children[Lizzie and John] during this wonderful Christmas time and the reader gets a good read. Will this widowed lady that had lost her inheritance, now a governess in a haunted house be able to work for this Lord who just happened to be her former lover? What was up with this treasure [necklace] that was hunted? Why was this necklace [mysterious jewels] so important in this read in this Ballister curse on the first born son? Will Edwina be able to solve this mystery with all of its twists?

Be ready for some ghost as one will see how the house was haunted. I liked how these former lovers [two main characters... Edwina and Richard] who had separated due to a misunderstanding [deceit] and years later comes together again giving the reader as quite a interesting heart warming read. Will they be able to rediscover their lost love? To get all of these questions answered and more the reader will have to pick up this good read to see how well this author will bring out this enjoyable read.

Would I recommend this Christmas novella? Yes!

I'm a big fan of this series and of Connie Mason and Mia Marlowe's collaborations. The rakes are properly rakish and the heroines are not obnoxious. I was really a bit leery of Jonah at the start because he came off as a bit of a sneaky snake but I grew to like him and Serena was as normal and likable as a heroine can get.

P.S. I am really curious about Connie Mason's older books. My mother has most of them and I am wondering if I should pick them up. I am in the mood for old school bodice rippers.

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