Hi y’all!

I hope this post finds you happy and healthy! We finally got some good snow over the weekend and we are loving the winter vibes! My kids played for hours in the snow on Saturday. I don’t think there’s anything better.

I am excited to share some reviews with you today. As I am still dreadfully behind on my posting since baby #4 arrived, I thought I would share several reviews in one post. These are some recent historical romance reads that I absolutely loved. Hope you enjoy!

I will link to the Goodreads pages for each book below. Check out those pages for book summaries and other info.

Summerhaven by Tiffany Odekirk
Snowdrops and Winterberry by Sarah M. Eden
Snapdragons by Sarah M. Eden
A Seasonal Pursuit by Rebecca Connolly
Rulse of a Ruse by Laura Beers
Yuletide Bride by Kasey Stockton
Married by Twelfth Night by Anneka R. Walker

Summerhaven by Tiffany Odekirk // I really enjoyed Summerhaven, my first novel from Tiffany and certainly not my last! There are so many things to love about this novel: the beautiful countryside setting at Summerhaven and all the lovely scenes out on the grounds, dynamic and complex characters that surprise you, & such a beautiful love story that makes you swoon, sigh and feel every type of emotion before the final climax.

I loved getting to know Hannah through this story. We get the entire story from her POV and I enjoyed seeing her opinions and perspective change through the story. Her history is a complex one filled with happy memories, true grief, and hope and optimism for the future. Seeing how her past shapes her future was so interesting. Especially as her understanding of the past shifts. I love her desire to marry for love and how her views on what love really is become clarified as the story progresses. Seeing her fall for the man who will make her happy is truly so beautiful.

Damon and Ollie were intriguing protagonists and so different from each other. I loved seeing how they can both be thoughtful and kind especially as they realize how wonderful Hannah is. I loved getting to see the depth of Damon’s character and learning about the burdens he carries and the love he has to offer. Seeing how he loves Hannah is so beautiful!

I read this one in anticipation of the special edition that is now available. I can’t wait to read the scenes from Damon’s point of view!

Snowdrops and Winterberry by Sarah M. Eden //  loved this novella set in the Gents world. I had read it previously in the anthology it was published in and loved it even more this time. Adding the bonus epilogue makes this story even more captivating and timeless.

The story of Adam, the young Duke of Kielder and his special visit to the home of Lord and Lady Jonquil is so beautiful. I love how they help him be a child and experience some of the magic of Christmas. I love his blossoming relationship with both Lord and Lady Jonquil. They love him for who he is and don’t try to change him. But they do help him see more of the good and happiness in the world. I love his relationship with Nurse Robbie and how much she has helped him see his own value in his young life. Seeing him grow up and start to not need her or act differently is so tender. Loved her budding relationship with Howard and how that story climaxes as well. The Christmas celebrations are lovely and I enjoyed seeing the ways they celebrate together and surprise each other.

If you love The Gents, this is a must read! And I highly recommend Seeking Persephone which is the fantastic love story of Adam, the grown up Duke of Kielder.

Snapdragons by Sarah M. Eden // Being back with the Gents was everything I hoped it would be and more! The banter. The games. The friendship. The nicknames. The surprises. The love story. All of it was as fantastic as I have come to expect from anything Sarah M Eden writes.

I absolutely loved getting to know Niles/Puppy. Understanding how he thinks and what is important to him. While he has been a part of the other books in the series, Puppy always takes a voluntary background role. Seeing him at the center of this story was a delight and a surprise. He was not entirely what I expected which made the experience all the sweeter. I loved seeing his strength and kindness shine through. He takes care of people who matter to him, and I loved seeing that protection include Penelope.

Penelope is a lovely contrast to Niles and seems to fit with him from their first interactions. She is bold, strong willed, and committed to fighting for her dreams. I loved seeing how she fits into the Gents world and how the other wives welcome her and build her up. I also appreciated her history and her complexities. Life has not been easy or always kind to Penelope. Her brother and mother are really difficult to interact with. But that doesn’t stop her from fighting for her own happiness especially with Niles.

I’ve never read an arranged marriage story quite like this one which was a fun spin on this endearing trope. When Niles avoids meeting Penelope initially, she follows him determined to actually get to know him. I loved the ways they are able to get to know each other and the obvious chemistry they discover that they share. I love how he protects her. I love how she sees the best in him. I love how they choose to believe in miracles when all hope seems lost. And I love their beautiful happily ever after. A beautiful addition to this fantastic series!

Regency Christmas Brides –
This series of 4 novels written by 4 authors tells the stories of 4 cousins as they seek love at Christmastime. I love this poem included in the summaries:
‘Twas the month before Christmas, and all through the house, four cousins have been told they all need a spouse…

A Seasonal Pursuit by Rebecca Connolly // Such a darling Christmas historical romance! I loved the characters and Christmas setting.

Rose is independent, strong and incredibly witty. I enjoyed getting to know her and seeing her open up to Webb. She is snarky and direct which felt refreshing in this Regency setting. While she starts the story focused on gaining more independence with the potential inheritance of the cottage from her Aunt Edith, she soon sees so much more potential in her future. I loved seeing her realize that there is more to life than simple financial independence. And seeing her fall in love was such a delight.

I loved Webb so much! A widower, he has spent the last few years living for his children. I loved how quickly he and Rose connect and their witty banter is truly fantastic. Their friendship is genuine and so endearing. I could see their obvious chemistry long before Aunt Edith’s arrival. Webb loves fiercely and is incredibly loyal. It was a treat to see those traits in him connect to Rose and how much he comes to care for her.

The Christmas setting was so delightful. I loved the Christmas traditions like decorating the house and the presents from the children on Christmas. The feasts. The balls. The mistletoe. And the magic. It was such a lovely backdrop to this story of love, hope and beautiful futures.

Rules of a Ruse by Laura Beers // This was a sweet historical romance. I enjoyed the Scottish setting and getting to know Elinor and Alden.

Their love story is very sweet and surprising. They have obvious chemistry from their first meetings but they fight against their feelings for a long time. I love how they feel safe and content with each other. And how Alden saves Elinor from her uncle’s horrible plan to force her to do as he wants. Seeing their marriage of convenience quickly become a love match was so lovely.

I enjoyed the Scottish customs and details from the Scottish food to the accents and marriage details. Also enjoyed seeing the ridiculous women Elinor introduces Alden to and his intense reactions to spiders. And Elinor’s aunt playing the bagpipes!!

The Christmas setting was also lovely as Alden and Elinor find new love and happiness in the holiday season. They have both had difficult holiday memories and I liked seeing them overcome those and seek to make happier memories together.

At times, the writing and dialogue felt more modern than historical and that broke the magic of the story for me. But overall, a lovely story.

Yuletide Bride by Kasey Stockton // I absolutely loved this marriage of convenience Christmas novel! It was such a delight. I loved seeing how Mercy and Colin fall in love and the melding of their traditions and dreams.

Mercy is a vibrant and compelling protagonist. I love how she is apologetically herself. She wants to work and be a part of her home. I loved how she wants to create a special Christmas experience with the decorations and the shortbread baking with Aunt Edith. I really loved her family and seeing her interact with her parents and sister. And I appreciate her feelings as an oldest sister wanting to be married! Seeing her fall in love was so beautiful.

Colin appears to be rather standoffish and intense at first. It was a delight to see him let down some of his walls and intensity about order. Everything must be just so for him. But seeing him allow Mercy to change how he feels and how he does things was so beautiful. And the climactic ending when he realizes all she means to him was especially beautiful.

Married by Twelfth Night by Anneka R. Walker // Anneka R Walker has quickly become one of my favorite historical romance authors and this is such a delightful addition to her collection. I adored Richard and Grace and their love story! There is so much to love in this story. The banter. The enemies to lovers. The childhood friends to more. The Christmas traditions. The meddling siblings. And the mistletoe kisses. While I did read this after Christmas, it was such a fun Christmas read and perfect for that magical time of year.

I appreciated Richard’s depth, loyalty, and vulnerability. His estate is crumbling but he is doing everything he can to save it. I admired his willingness to learn from his more experienced neighbors and to correct his mistakes. He hasn’t done everything right after his father’s death. But he tries to make amends with his sister and spend time with her. I also loved how he tries to get to know Ruth to save his estate only to discover that he has already fallen for Grace. Their love — against all odds — is able to conquer all and their happily ever after is all the sweeter because of it.

Grace is so easy to cheer for! She is fiery, fiercely loyal and delightfully witty. I enjoyed seeing her develop first friendship and then deep love with Richard. While she is practically the opposite of everything Aunt Edith dictates Richard should look for in a wife, she is truly perfect for Richard. I loved watching them get to to know each other and understand the complexities of their actions. As they understand each other better, they fall more in love.

Also shout out to their first mistletoe kiss that is one of my favorite first kisses ever! So swoony and special!

What a fantastic group of historical stories! I hope you are able to read these soon. They are fantastic!
Which are some of your favorite historical romances?