Ah, December. The month I put aside all my regular reading and overindulge on holiday stories. Is there such a thing as overindulgence with reading? I think not. ;)
There is something so precious about holiday stories at this time of year, they never fail to bring out the warm and fuzzies that can be somewhat lacking in the rush and bustle of real life. And who doesn’t need a little warm and fuzzy?
What I am reading this week
To kick off my month of Holiday Reads, I have Lady Sophie’s Christmas Wish. While not the newest of Grace Burrowes holiday stories, this is by far one of my favorites, with the other being the holiday novella “The Appeal of Christmas” in the Christmas in Duke Street Anthology.
Rating
Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Loveability: 💗💗💗
Heartbreakability: 💔💔
Why I chose this book
I fell in love with the Windham family beginning with The Heir. There is something about a large, boisterous, and loving family who all love to meddle in each other’s love lives. I have pre-ordered and the entire Windham saga and routinely reread them. Grace Burrowes is definitely on my Keeper Shelf.
About the book….don’t worry, there are NO spoilers!
When Lady Sophie (daughter of the Duke of Windham) finds herself stranded with a baby at the start of a snowstorm, Wilhelm Charpentier comes to her rescue. Taking advantage of the situation, she passes herself off as plain Sophie Windham, and offers him a place to stay for the duration of the storm — in her parents ducal household. Wilhelm (Vim to his familiars) accepts Sophie’s offer, in exchange for teaching her to care for the baby abandoned to her care. While she never exactly lies to Vim, Sophie isn’t completely truthful either. It isn’t long before a case of mistaken identity leads to a case of miscommunication. And that’s all before her family shows up at home!
What I enjoyed about it
Though I only have one sister, growing up there was the extended family on my Mother’s side. And let me tell you, when a large group of Cubans get together, they can be loud, boisterous, loving and meddlesome in the best ways. Being more of an introvert, I would often wish for time away, and more often than not would sneak off to find a quiet corner with my book, or quietly make friends with the pets. I think that is what makes this story so memorable for me, I can identify with Sophie so much in the need to get away. The love of family is a wonderful thing, but sometimes it can be too much.
Is this an author I’ve read before?
Oh, yes. I’ve been reading Grace Burrowes since her first book came out in 2010.
What keeps me coming back for more?
It takes an author of special skill to draw a reader in and make them fall in love with each of their main characters. Every. Single. One. Part of it is the humanness of the characters. They aren’t perfect. They are flawed and human and each has their own demons to battle, just like us. It’s what makes them so relatable.
There is also the writing itself. Grace Burrowes has a talent for writing beautiful stories full of love and hope. Little nuances in character and description and behavior that you pick up on with each reread. It’s why I keep coming back for more, It’s like learning a new secret about a friend each time I open the cover.
Lady Sophie’s Christmas Wish is on sale for $1.99 at the time of this posting. You do not want to miss out on it. :)
Happy Reading!
