A CHRISTMAS COURTSHIP

Author: Jeannie Machin ISBN: 9780709086567 9/2008 HISTORICAL Publisher: ROBERT HALE LTD.
Time Period: Regency 1808

Beautiful Blanche Amberley knew whom she loved. The lucky gentleman was Antony Mortimer, a banker's son who offered her not only his heart and hand, but also a life of wealth and ease. Miss Amberley also knew whom she thoroughly disliked. That object of her instant aversion was Sir Edmund Brandon. Blanche was quite immune to the good looks and gallantry that made this arrogant blueblood the most eligible lord in the realm. But then, as Christmas approached, Cupid gave Miss Blanche Amberley a gift that came as a most shocking surprise...

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Christmas time, a time for family, friends and gaiety—unfortunately for Miss Blanche Amberley, her Christmas season was going to be a rocky one. A CHRISTMAS COURTSHIP unfortunately plummets Miss Amberley from almost affianced to the man she loves (beyond good sense) to utter desolation as ugly lies surface about her beloved brother Jonathan.

The romance of A CHRISTMAS COURTSHIP is almost second banana to the going-ons of the Amberley family. That's not entirely correct; the romance is not the forefront of the book, but it is very clearly there in hindsight. The attraction between Blanche and the current owner of her former House, Sir Edmund Brandon, starts slowly and builds through numerous unplanned meetings and a gradual sharing of their troubles. It felt very natural despite the quickness of it all (the book takes place over the course of about a week).

My only real complaint is that aside from Blanche and Edmund, the other characters are rather one-dimensional. There is very little spark to their characterization and no real deep depth. Even Miss Jennings, whose role in Jonathan's affairs changes dramatically throughout the book, offers little beyond what we find out during her first official scene.

A CHRISTMAS COURTSHIP is a good light-hearted read for the yuletide season that at least places all the villainous people in their place in the end and rewards the good folk.

Alexandra Cenni