Absolutely ridiculous -- but funny! ( )

Christmas Wishes by Barbara Metzger
Juneclaire Beaumont a poor relation at Stanton Hall. She works as an unpaid servant in her Aunt's home.
Our hero Satan St. Cloud the lordly rakehell from London.
Pansy is lame runt pig, and Aunt says she is to be Christmas Dinner. This sets Juneclaire to flight, for though she will not defy her aunt for her own sake she will for Pansy. Juneclaire Beaumont, Pansy, and Satan St. Cloud are on a collision course and when they meet sparks will fly. This is a very light humorous read and one of my personal favorites. 5 stars ( )

Christmas Wishes, by Barbara Metzger, is the story of Juneclaire, a poor relation treated with little respect by the aunt and uncle she is forced to live with. Upon threatening to kill her pet piglet, Juneclaire leaves their home forever. On her trek to London, she meets up with handsome rake, Merry St. Cloud. It's love at first site, and out of necessity, the two travel together, taking cover for a night in an abandoned stable. According the social laws of the time, Juneclaire's virtue has now been compromised and Merry courteously asks for her hand in marriage. Believing him to be simply acting the gentleman, rather than proposing out of love, Juneclaire deserts Merry, leaving him to roam London and the English countryside in search of her.

Barbara Metzger has created a light, modest regency romance, perfect for a cozy evening curled up near the Christmas tree. I appreciated Metzger's humor and liked the interesting twist of events she incorporated. My only disappointment in the story, is that Merry and Juneclaire spend much more time apart than they do together, making the book seem more of an adventure tale than a romance. I would have enjoyed more interaction between the two lead characters, who are supposedly in love with each other. ( )

This is a personal favorite of mine. A young woman runs away from her relatives to save "Pansy" the runt pig she raised from being turned into Christmas dinner. Along the way she meets many people but the one that made the biggest impression was a London rake. This is a very funny book and I recommend it to any who like a light read with a twist of humor:) ( )