 |
| The Citrus Singer Seniors |
Note: The five featured singers debuted their harmonic finger-snapping opening for me several months ago. I was impressed then, even more so with the finished product.
For the Citrus Singer's latest video, click here.
~ * ~
CHRISTMAS READING
Over the years I've written three Regencies featuring Christmas or a major Christmas scene—one full-length book & two novellas. As the holiday season seems to get more and more swamped each year by commercial hype, I suggest taking some time out to immerse yourself in the old traditions, the joy, and the highly poignant moments that embody the true meaning of Christmas.
The novellas, written expressly for Christmas:
After suffering social disaster at her very first ball—severely aggravated by the horror of an unfeeling family—Miss Pamela Ashburton hides herself in the country, expecting to live out her life as a spinster. Major Will Forsythe, injured in body and spirit at Waterloo, comes to the country to escape the concern of well-meaning relatives. Privacy, peace and quiet—that's all he wants. Until he meets a holiday sprite in search of mistletoe. And the Christmas spirit, in the form of a cluster of white berries, gives them both a second chance.
Lady Christine Ashworth is enjoying her second London Season and about to receive an offer of marriage, when the the sudden death of her father, the Earl of Bainbridge, results in Christine and her two younger sisters being exiled to relatives in Yorkshire, while awaiting the return of their father's successor from the wilds of western Canada. Christine is promptly deserted by the man who thought to become her fiancé and constantly importuned by her Yorkshire cousin who is eager to add her inheritance to his family's coffers. Her sisters are also miserably unhappy.
No wonder then, when Christine finally meets the new earl, she begs him to allow them to come home. But he is not married and the solution to this problem is painful—for Christine, who has become disillusioned with men, and for Harlan Ashworth, who never expected to inherit an earldom, the responsibility for three young females, nor find himself married to a woman he just met. Not surprisingly, the marriage does not get off to a good start and goes downhill from there. Only with the help of the youngest Ashworth and a hefty dose of the Christmas spirit is Christine able to lose her prickly edges and learn the meaning of love.
The novel with major Christmas moments:
The novellas, written expressly for Christmas:
After suffering social disaster at her very first ball—severely aggravated by the horror of an unfeeling family—Miss Pamela Ashburton hides herself in the country, expecting to live out her life as a spinster. Major Will Forsythe, injured in body and spirit at Waterloo, comes to the country to escape the concern of well-meaning relatives. Privacy, peace and quiet—that's all he wants. Until he meets a holiday sprite in search of mistletoe. And the Christmas spirit, in the form of a cluster of white berries, gives them both a second chance.
Lady Christine Ashworth is enjoying her second London Season and about to receive an offer of marriage, when the the sudden death of her father, the Earl of Bainbridge, results in Christine and her two younger sisters being exiled to relatives in Yorkshire, while awaiting the return of their father's successor from the wilds of western Canada. Christine is promptly deserted by the man who thought to become her fiancé and constantly importuned by her Yorkshire cousin who is eager to add her inheritance to his family's coffers. Her sisters are also miserably unhappy.
No wonder then, when Christine finally meets the new earl, she begs him to allow them to come home. But he is not married and the solution to this problem is painful—for Christine, who has become disillusioned with men, and for Harlan Ashworth, who never expected to inherit an earldom, the responsibility for three young females, nor find himself married to a woman he just met. Not surprisingly, the marriage does not get off to a good start and goes downhill from there. Only with the help of the youngest Ashworth and a hefty dose of the Christmas spirit is Christine able to lose her prickly edges and learn the meaning of love.
The novel with major Christmas moments:
Miss Aurelia Trevor has a problem. Until she reaches the age of
twenty-five, she will have no control over her beloved Pevensey Park,
and by that time her unscrupulous uncle will have run it into the
ground. Marriage to someone other than her uncle's leering son is her
only way out, but, one by one, she rejects the men on her list of
suitors. In desperation, Aurelia does the unthinkable. She hires a
solicitor to find her a husband strong enough to stand up to both her
uncle and her cousin. And soon learns the truth of that old adage: Be
careful what you wish for.
Thomas Lanning is a man of the City. Unlike Aurelia, who stands to inherit vast land and wealth, he has made his own place in the world. He is not at all tempted by the suggestion of marriage to an heiress, but other considerations, such as a power base for a seat in Parliament, tweak his interest. Plus an unexpected twinge of chivalry when he hears the full extent of Miss Trevor's difficulties with her uncle and his family.
Aurelia, who only wants to live in peace on her acres, finds she has acquired a ready-made family in Thomas's younger sister and brother, as well as a head-strong husband whose campaign for MP fills her household with a shockingly odd assortment of characters. It seems her marriage of convenience is fast becoming a marriage of inconvenience. Just how far will this strong-willed pair bend to accommodate each other? And will they do it before it's too late?
Thomas Lanning is a man of the City. Unlike Aurelia, who stands to inherit vast land and wealth, he has made his own place in the world. He is not at all tempted by the suggestion of marriage to an heiress, but other considerations, such as a power base for a seat in Parliament, tweak his interest. Plus an unexpected twinge of chivalry when he hears the full extent of Miss Trevor's difficulties with her uncle and his family.
Aurelia, who only wants to live in peace on her acres, finds she has acquired a ready-made family in Thomas's younger sister and brother, as well as a head-strong husband whose campaign for MP fills her household with a shockingly odd assortment of characters. It seems her marriage of convenience is fast becoming a marriage of inconvenience. Just how far will this strong-willed pair bend to accommodate each other? And will they do it before it's too late?
~ * ~
Blair's Other Traditional Regencies
The Courtesan's Letters
The Temporary Earl
A Season for Love
The Harem Bride
Lady Silence
Steeplechase
Lady of the Lock
~ * ~
No comments:
Post a Comment