HIS CHRISTMAS PLEASURE
Cathy Maxwell
ISBN:  9780061772061
B003V1WWAG (Kindle eBook)
December 2010
HarperCollins Publishers/Avon Books
Historical Romance /Regency
Mass Market Paperback and eBook

Thinking to stop a suicide, Abigail Montross meets the arrestingly handsome Baron de Vasconia by tackling him in her uncle’s library.  Abby was actually hoping to have a private word with Freddy, the man she loved to beg him to elope with her before he announced his betrothal to her beautiful cousin (the daughter of a duke).  Andres stayed hidden on the floor, during which time Abby pleaded with Freddy forgetting the fact that Andres was still in the room listening to every word.  Revealing himself to save Abby from further humiliation Andres escorted Abby to the dance floor, where Andres’ latest conquest, whom he was trying to avoid, made quite a scene, further humiliating Abby who simply wanted to go home!

After witnessing once more his daughters latest humiliation, Abby’s father arranges to marry her off to a man twice her age (and having thirteen children).  When Andres showed up asking her to marry him, Abby who was distraught over the thought of being forced to marry an old man with thirteen children decides to elope rather than be bartered off.

Andres had told her he had a home, a stable and land, but needed her money (she had confessed to him how she had her own inheritance).  Theirs would be a marriage of convenience, a business arrangement with Andres promising to protect her and to guard her heart.  Neither expected much from the arrangement, but the magic of the season worked it’s spell even when real truths and old wounds were exposed.

***  I love a romance that leaves me with that ahhhhhhh…. feeling and a tear in my eye.   If anyone can do it, it’s going to be best selling author Cathy Maxwell with HIS CHRISTMAS PLEASURE.  There is no real villain in this other than Freddy who is really just an obnoxious snob who wants his cake and eat it too.  However, though Andres had done some things earlier in his life he wasn’t proud of Ms. Maxwell gave him not only divine good looks, but honor and loyalty as well.

Abby was deeply loved by her parents but always felt an outsider in society especially after she had been jilted at the altar once before (again her intended opting for someone with a title).   It wasn’t for lack of a huge dowery either, but her father was seen as being in ‘trade’ (he was a banker, albeit a very successful one).

Andres was a terrific lead and a perfect pairing for Abby, as what they both wanted but neither quite realized it at the time was to be LOVED.  For all the hoopla about Andres former conquests labeling him an outrageous rake, Maxwell gave him qualities of  sweetness, gentleness, and tenderness to treat Abby with even when she got into a bit of a snitty mood when their initial plans didn’t pan out as expected.  However, that all changed when both realized that to make things work, they needed to pull together and not give up.  To watch that happen was an absolutely beautiful reading experience.

Bottom line: Maxwell threw in some hurdles for our protagonists to overcome and they only strengthened HIS CHRISTMAS PLEASURE in becoming an enormous pleasure for this reader. Highly recommended.

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

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I started reviewing books many years ago - but my love of reading began as soon as I could read and that’s a long time! From my very first library card, I would spend my summers at the local library rather than outside playing. My tastes ran from every horse book I could find, to dog books, then gothic romances, and now historical romances with the Regency period having a very close spot in my heart. [Many of my friends, who really know me, say I was born in the wrong era - they’re probably right.] Now that I am retired, and busier than ever, I read almost all genres with the exception of hard core erotica, horror and anything involving more than one sex partner! I am loyal to my tried and true favorite auto-buy authors but love discovering the newer authors as well. I was once a very impatient person, but now retired, and with a book, an audio, or my Kindle by my side - I am the epitome of infinite patience to sit and wait for whatever comes next be it for the light to change, a doctor’s appointment, or a commercial break on the television!

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