Certain individuals might consider Lady Amelia Pembroke a managing sort of female, but truly, most people would be lost without her help. Why, the latest on-dit is that rakish Viscount Sheffield is canceling the fete of the year because he hasn’t time for silly soirees. He doesn’t need time—he needs her!
When a flash of lightning destroys the venue for his family’s annual Christmas ball, Lord Benedict Sheffield intends to enjoy a relaxing holiday for once. But after twelve days of beguiling Lady Amelia’s guerrilla tactics, he’s up to his cravat with tinsel… and tumbling head over heels in love.
The Viscount’s Christmas Temptation, by Erica Ridley
Thanksgiving has passed and as such, it is now fair game to put on the Christmas music and decorate the house and dive into all the Christmas-themed books that I otherwise leave off. Not because they’re not enjoyable but because there’s a special magic to read them in the lead-up to the holiday, reminding me of all the love and joy that I associate with the season.
And while I haven’t managed to get my tree up yet or the ornaments pulled out from storage (Thanksgiving travel does not help with this, nor does being sick), I have gotten one novella read already.
Lady Amelia Pembroke is the sort of woman who plans. And plans and plans and plans, so that no potential calamity is left unaccounted for. Unexpected guests? Illness? No problem. She’s prepared for every possible outcome, having run her brother the Duke’s household since she was 14. However, it occurs to her that the reason her brother has yet to take a wife is because he doesn’t want to set up a conflict between his sister and his duchess. As such, she resolves to marry — and quickly, as her thirtieth birthday is fast approaching. The annual Sheffield Christmas ball seems the perfect place to size up potential husbands and make her selection.
Unfortunately for her, the Christmas ball has been canceled thanks to a lightning bolt. For many women that might seem like an insurmountable obstacle, but not for Miss Pembroke. She takes herself over to Viscount Sheffield immediately, ready to offer her services to relocate and run the ball with less than two weeks to go.
Viscount Sheffield isn’t at all sure about the lady who turns up on his doorstep, demanding that he allow her to organize and throw the ball his family has hosted for generations. Not that he has much attachment to the ball, but he’s not willing to simply stand by and let someone else take it over. Despite this, he’s intrigued by this woman who is neither a shrinking wallflower nor one of the women he’s spent years dallying with. He agrees but only if he can oversee the process.
The story proceeds rather predictably from that point, with the timeline tight because this is a novella. Still, an absence of side characters means the story stays focused and I enjoy how even though Amelia is falling in love she still retains the core of who she is. I admit to feeling at least a small amount of kinship with Amelia because her journals sound like something I would do. Possibly something I do do.
As far as Christmas stories go, there’s relatively little “Christmas” about this one; I could probably read this one outside the Christmas season and be okay with it. It’s free on Amazon (at least at the moment) and serves as the introduction to the Dukes of War series, which I suspect I’ll read at some point. The writing was certainly crisp and enjoyable and while this might fall into the “slightly less realistic” category of Regencies, I enjoyed it all the same. An excellent short diversion from the holiday prep if you’re looking for one!