Book Review: Yuletide Bride (Regency Christmas Brides) by Kasey Stockton

December 3, 2025November 23, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 245 pages
Author: Kasey Stockton
Publisher: Golden Owl Press
Release Date: November 18th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

When a marriage of convenience becomes inconveniently complicated…

Mercy Caldwell, the vicar’s eldest daughter, has watched her younger sisters march down the aisle while she remains resolutely on the shelf. When a chance at matrimony arrives mere hours after her youngest sister’s engagement, Mercy seizes the opportunity—and the man she’s secretly admired for years.

Colin Birchall’s grand estate is crumbling, and his aunt’s generous inheritance comes with one he must be married by Twelfth Night. In Mercy, he finds the perfect candidate to meet his aunt’s exacting standards. It seems an ideal arrangement—until they’re forced to actually live together.

From differing views on marriage to clashing Christmas traditions, Mercy and Colin discover that convenience and compatibility are two very different things. But when Colin’s aunt arrives unannounced demanding proof of their love, they must convince her—and perhaps themselves—that their hastily forged union is more than just a festive facade.

Can Mercy and Colin turn their paper marriage into a love match before Twelfth Night? Or will their convenient arrangement crumble faster than Colin’s ancestral home?

Book three in the Regency Christmas Brides series,Yuletide Bride is a heartwarming holiday romance that proves love often arrives in the most unexpected packages—no bow required.

A DELIGHT.

I loved this book. I loved how fast pace it was and that it was just the right length to convey a full story and make for a quick read during a busy season. I haven’t read a regency in a minute and this reminded me of why I love them.

The holiday charm was in full swing and I love all of the historical aspects of those moments. And y’all know I’m a sucker for marriage of convenience so I knew I had to pick this one up. I looooved Mercy and Colin. They had a lot of differences to work through and I appreciated them learning how to communicate and be friends as that turned into love.

I appreciated that the aunt was eccentric but not overly dramatic. She provided the little spark for Colin and Mercy that really got the romance swinging and I loved all of the little tender moments and the slow burn on the kissing scenes brought the tension. You won’t regret picking this one up.

Overall audience notes:

Historical Christmas Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Violence: none

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Book Review: Miss Adeline’s Match by Joanna Barker

October 15, 2025October 23, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 263 pages
Author: Joanna Barker
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: April 1st, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Miss Adeline Hayes is the perfect lady’s companion: pleasant, conversational, and unceasingly proper. But when her closest friend, Charity Edgeworth, breaks off her arranged marriage without explanation, even Adeline’s superior skills are put to the test. Charity’s father banishes the two young women to the country, sending Adeline with a charge to find Charity a husband or suffer dire consequences.

As Adeline takes on the role of reluctant matchmaker, she discovers more than one obstacle in her path. Not only does Charity prefer escaping in books to socializing, but Adeline soon finds her own attentions distracted by the standoffish—and irritatingly handsome—Mr. Evan Whitfield. Amidst an eventful foxhunt and the unexpected arrival of Charity’s former betrothed, Adeline simply doesn’t have time for a battle of wits with Evan. But the two are continually drawn together until Adeline begins to question her tightly guarded convictions about love and marriage.

However, when secrets are revealed and truths made known, Adeline must face her most fearsome obstacle yet: herself.

GREAT FOR FALL.

I feel like the mention of apple orchards automatically has me feeling a fall vibe so I loved that I picked this one up in October. I am now caught up on all of Joanna Barker’s full story back list!! Gosh I love her books.

This was a charming read. I loved the forced proximity based setting and the growth in Adeline’s character. She had to make up for some big mistakes and I’m glad she found her way in the end.

I do think the Charity plot took up way too much of the book and overwhelmed the romance. I wanted more of Adeline and Evan, less of everything else.

Overall audience notes:

Regency Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Violence: low

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ARC Book Review: Winterset by Tiffany Odekirk

October 7, 2025September 23, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 272 pages
Author: Tiffany Odekirk
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Release Date: October 7th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A hidden past. A house with secrets. And one chance for two wounded hearts to find love together.

Northern England, Late Fall, 1820

Katherine Lockwood is hiding for her life in the most unlikely of places: the forgotten priest holes in the abandoned Winterset Grange manor house. When Kate learns that Winterset’s long-absent owner, Mr. Oliver Jennings, is about to return, she is desperate to find a way to make him leave, even if it means “haunting” him from behind her protective walls.

After a grand tour of the Continent, Oliver returns home to England determined to make the most of his inheritance. But from the moment he arrives, nothing is as he expected. His manor is in disrepair, the steward hired to care for his estate is a thief, and to top it all off, Winterset is haunted. Undeterred, Oliver resolves to reclaim his life, piece by piece.

When Oliver discovers the hidden rooms, he’s shocked and pleased that his “ghost” is actually a beautiful young woman. Captivated by Kate and her story, he invites her to stay at Winterset under his protection.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for a gifted copy.

A DASH OF DANGER.

I have been waiting for Oliver’s redemption story and I loved seeing his journey. He truly showed up in making the best of the situations before him and how he approached and took his time with Kate to show her what she meant to him. There were many sweet moments between the two and I was so happy to finally have them meet and interact.

I loved the setting. All of the hidden passageways and nooks added a fun element and led to a bit of chaos. For such a small cast I hardly noticed because the side characters were great to be around.

Seeing Oliver get a chance to reconnect with Damon and Hannah were some of my favorite scenes. I have been begging for those moments and that peace was felt between them. I enjoyed Kate a lot too. She and Oliver matched well in their personalities and I loved the soft nature between them.

Overall audience notes:

Historical Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Violence: mild
Content warnings: gun violence, loss of loved ones (recounted), kidnapping

Book Review: To Forge Her Fate (Hearts of Harewood #1) by Kasey Stockton

July 25, 2025June 23, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 358 pages
Author: Kasey Stockton
Publisher: Golden Owl Press
Release Date: March 11th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Two worlds. Two hearts. Can they ever meld together as one?

Eliza Rose: accomplished in pianoforte, riding, drawing, three languages, and the art of flirtation using only a fan.

Jacob Ridley: skilled blacksmith, honest tradesman, appreciates a hot meal, and not susceptible to any lady’s charm.

Until Eliza needs help, and Jacob cannot turn her away. Now she has him wrapped around her dainty finger. But a union between them is forbidden on both sides of Society, and Jacob cannot afford to make enemies, or his business will suffer.

But can he afford to sacrifice his heart?

Book one in the Hearts of Harewood series, To Forge Her Fate is a sweet and clean Regency romance of unequal social status and forbidden love.

I LIKED THIS.

I love a good different stations/forbidden romance in regency books. I love seeing how the characters come together and work through the barriers before them to find the love and hopes of a future together. I love Kasey Stockton’s books and am excited to continue this series.

I loved both of the main characters Eliza and Jacob. There were POV’s from both of them which made it wonderfully easy to understand thoughts and desires and where each person was coming from. I loved that Jacob was a blacksmith too!! And I really loved seeing Eliza find her home and to reconnect with her sister. There were many good moments throughout that I appreciated the sentiment and thought behind.

Overall audience notes: