I got this book for two reasons, one it was and still is FREE! And the second reason is it has my December theme of Christmas.

Everything in this story worked and meshed well, from our heroine Miranda, who was very ordinary and relatable character, to our hero Marcus who’s an honorable man with a gruff exterior.

Miranda and Marcus felt very real, and their love story and the plot were well-developed. I also liked the dialogue which was entertaining and helped move the story at a nice and steady pace.

Secondary character of St. John, the hero’s brother almost stole the story, that’s how well-developed he was.

I highly recommend it if you like a traditional Regency. The story is highly entertaining, intriguing and its complex characters.

This is a new author to me this year, and I’m sure to read her again. Please feel FREE to download it today!

Melanie for b2b
Book provided by the publisher through NetGalley
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Miranda is gently born but after her father gambles their money away, she works as a maid. The woman who raised her fears that she's growing up too pretty, and so blackmails an old schoolfriend into inviting her as a guest to the ducal house. Because Miranda arrives late in the evening, without a maid, her reputation is compromised. The duke feels constrained to marry her, but leaves the next day to investigate her claims to gentility. Miranda is left in a dusty old mansion with the duke's scapegrace brother St.John.

This like a less gothic, Regency-era take on [b:Rebecca|12873|Rebecca|Daphne du Maurier|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327871977s/12873.jpg|46663]. The duke's last wife was breath-catchingly beautiful, and Miranda keeps catching the duke and his brother staring up at her portrait in the gallery. What Miranda doesn't realize at first is that the duke married his last wife under family pressure, and that she was flighty, cold, and controlling. He hasn't married since her death many years ago because their marriage was such a disaster, not out of grief. The characters respond refreshingly sensibly to various romance tropes: for instance, when Miranda is threatened with blackmail unless she meets a man in the library for a tryst, she goes to the library with a weapon, knowing that she needs to nip blackmail in the bud. I also really liked that Miranda's main character trait is her work ethic. Her beauty is mentioned a few times, but what everyone talks about and responds to is how hard she works. Merrill doesn't just tell the reader Miranda is a hard worker, she shows us: her hands are calloused and scarred, she has personal formulas for cleaning wallpaper, she has no musical or artistic accomplishments because she spends her free time doing extra chores.

This book was free on amazon, so my expectations were low. But in fact, I was surprised by how much I liked this. I'm going to search out more books by Merrill in hopes they're as enjoyable as this one. It's so rare but wonderful to find someone who can write Regency romance novels with plots, heroines who are sensible, and heroes who aren't rape-y. ( )

Wonderful read!! I never wanted to put it down! Christine Merrill did an amazing job with this book. I will definitely be on the lookout for more of her books. ( )

I love the "marriage of convenience" story line, so was predisposed to like this one. It was a little light on obstacles to romance, but the villain was unexpectedly ruthless and helpful in adding confusion and tension. I liked the hero and heroine, and overall enjoyed this light read. ( )

A sweet story, but not very deep. ( )