Joy to the World A Regency Christmas Collection by Carolyn Miller, Amanda Barratt and Erica Vetsch

"How good to sing praises to One most praiseworthy. How wonderful to remember the Lord had come to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found, to recall the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love. Oh, how good it was to sing to God."

Joy to the World is a Regency Christmas Novella collection by Carolyn Miller who wrote “Heaven and Nature Sing” ; Amanda Barratt who penned  Far as the Curse is Found; and Erica Vetsch who authored Wonders of His Love center around people of faith who find love during  the Christmas season in Regency England.   I am a big fan of all three authors and I was not disappointed in their stories.

 Carolyn’s Miller’ Heaven and Nature Sing is a sweet story with a bit of a Persuasion theme.  Carolyn has the unique ability to paint a picture of Regency England with people of faith.  Her characters Edith and George will steal your heart and draw you into their story. I loved developing a better understanding of Regency Christmas traditions, and left very satisfied with Ms. Miller’s story.    

Amanda Barrett’s Far as the Curse is Found is a nice variation on the usual Regency romance themes.  Jenny and Dwight are two wounded souls who walk in faith and find a deeper understanding of God’s love and their love with each other.  I was reminded of God’s providence and how He makes beauty from ashes after reading Ms. Barrett’s story.  

Erica Vetch’s Wonder’s of His Love tells us the story of Widow Lady Cilla Haverly and Scottish artist Hamish Sinclair.  Both come from very different worlds, but as their love develops we see they form a beautiful piece of artwork when together.  I loved the character of Cilla and enjoyed watching her transform into the women she was meant to be.  An incredibly sweet Christmas story. 

I am now in the Christmas spirit and so glad that I was able to read Joy to the World.  I highly recommend the book and hope you will make it a part of your holiday reading.  It will fill you with joy!  

I received a copy of the book from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review. 

Carolyn Miller is an Inspirational Regency romance author who lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher.

A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature, and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives.

ECPA best-selling author Amanda Barratt fell in love with writing in grade school when she wrote her first story—a spin-off of Jane Eyre. Now, Amanda writes romantic, historical fiction, penning stories of beauty and brokenness set against the backdrop of bygone eras not so very different from our own. She’s the author of over a dozen novels and novellas including The White Rose Resists: A Novel of the German Students Who Defied Hitler and My Dearest Dietrich: A Novel of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Lost Love. Two of her novellas have been finalists in the FHL Reader’s Choice Awards.

Amanda lives in the woods of Michigan with her family, where she can be found reading way too many books, plotting her next novel, and jotting down imaginary travel itineraries for her dream vacation to Europe.

Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. She’s a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota, and she married her total opposite and soul mate! When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time!

The Cul-de-Sac War by Melissa Ferguson

The Cul-de-Sac War by Melissa Ferguson is a great romantic comedy that had me laughing out loud and reminded me of how we often tend to find opposites to love.   The main characters Chip McBride and Brea Leake are fun loving and passionate  people who are in over their head before they know it.  They battle each other by their one upping antics and the story gets funnier and funnier.  The secondary characters were quirky and delightful and honestly just fun to get to know.  

I recommend The Cul-de-Sac War by Melissa Furguson for its wonderful characters, laugh out loud humor, and sweet romance that will make you smile. I would grab a copy for some laugh therapy.  

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review. 

Melissa Ferguson lives in Bristol, Tennessee, where she enjoys chasing her children and writing romantic comedies full of humor and heart. Her favorite hobby is taking friends and acquaintances and turning them into characters in her books without their knowledge. She is confident you should read all her novels, starting with this one.

His Disinclinced Bride by Jennie Goutet

"Kitty’s new life, as wife to a viscount in a strange estate, in a strange village, had not had a promising beginning. " 

His Disinclined Bride by Jennie Goutet is a stand alone Regency romance in the Season of Change Series.  The story begins when Kitty’s brother, a successful businessman, matches her with Phineas Stropford, Lord Hayworth, without telling her for his own gain and Lord Hayworth’s.  The story follows Phineas and Kitty’s wedding and new life.  We find out how they navigate an array of challenging relatives, neighbors, new friends, servants, and their relationship with each other. It is a delightful marriage of convenience story with a satisfying ending. 

 Jennie Goutet is a new to me author, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read her new book His Disinclined Bride.  It was everything a Regency romance story should be and more!    I enjoyed the characters, the setting,  and Kitty and Phineas’ love story.  After reading His Disinclined Bride I  will now search out Ms. Goutet’s other novels as I am now a fan.  I would highly recommend His Disinclined Bride to all who love clean Regency romances.   

I received an advance reader copy from the author and was not required to write a favorable review.    All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

 Jennie Goutet is an American-born Anglophile, who lives with her French husband and their three children in a small town outside Paris. Her imagination resides in Regency England, where her historical romances are set. Jennie is also author of the award-winning memoir, Stars Upside Down, and the modern romances, A Sweetheart in Paris and A Noble Affair. A Christian, a cook, and an inveterate klutz, Jennie writes about faith, food, and life—even the clumsy moments—on her blog, aladyinfrance.com. You can learn more about Jennie and her books on her author website, jenniegoutet.com.

 

 

Author Links:  

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Snow and Mistletoe by Jen Geigle Johnson

                                    

Snow and Mistletoe is a sweet Regency romance by Jen Geigle Johnson. The main characters Theodosia and Edmund must both change their expectations to find love.    It is a short novella that pleasantly involves romance, a marriage of convenience, an awesome chase, a sweet friendship, and some intrigue.  

Snow and Mistletoe is a stand alone novel involving some characters from Jen’s other books.  It has a sweet happy ending.  I enjoyed this story, and look forward to learning more about the other Easton brothers in future books. 

I was given this book by the author and not required to write a positive review.