A Victorian Christmas by Catherine Palmer

I so enjoy reading novella compilations at Christmastime, so when this one came as a freebie for Kindle, I downloaded it. Especially considering it’s written by Catherine Palmer, one of my favorite authors of Christian historical romance. She has a way with story and characters that wins me over.

Let’s begin with the summary:

A beautiful patchwork of four novellas about love and joy at Christmastime by best selling author Catherine Palmer. These four novellas were previously published in four anthologies—A Victorian Christmas Quilt, A Victorian Christmas Tea, A Victorian Christmas Cottage, and A Victorian Christmas Keepsake. Return to a time when life was uncomplicated, faith was sincere … and love was a gift to be cherished forever. Includes author’s favorite holiday recipes.

And now my thoughts:

Each story immerses you in the Christmas spirit. You’ll be there with the characters. And all the characters are diverse, from a Texan quilter to a lord in England. Each of these novellas was previously published, but having all four together under one title is great for Catherine’s fans (like me). And though I may have read the novellas before (some go as far back as 2001), I still enjoyed them.

I liked reading these on my Kindle as well, in e-book format. You can see where you are in the story and that each story will be 25% of the total. A fun element.

Also, it easy to become immersed into every story, to feel for the characters and care about their pursuit of happiness in love. Of course, all the stories were wholesome and when you add the Christmas element, very enjoyable. One thing I noticed, though, too, is that you wouldn’t have to read them at Christmastime. Of course, the holiday element is present, but they don’t all begin on Christmas day, so you can read them whenever you like, whenever fits your schedule. An enjoyable read!

The Courteous Cad by Catherine Palmer

I've long been a fan of Catherine Palmer's, so I was thrilled to receive a copy of her new release to read for review.

First, a bit about the book:

On her tour of the English countryside, a chance encounter in the streets alerts Miss Prudence Watson to the inhumane working conditions at the worsted mill. She learns that the owner is William Sherbourne, a Royal Naval officer just returned from sea. Following in his wake is his reputation as a cad and a secret so ghastly he'll do anything to protect it. Even worse, he's handsome and charming and not at all the villain Prudence expected him to be.

And now, my review:

Catherine Palmer’s characters, the warmth she infused into her stories, and the well-crafted romantic element all shine in her upcoming release—The Courteous Cad.

This was my first exposure to her series including Miss Pickworth, yet I didn’t feel like I was thrust into a world I couldn’t understand or a cast of characters I couldn’t follow. I enjoy reading a novel without feeling I need to go back and read the previous books in a series. Catherine gave me that reading pleasure with this book.

What lover of inspirational romance would expect to admire a cad as a hero? Yet, I did. Catherine’s hero was believable and likable, and flawed. I took to him immediately.

Her heroine’s drive to help the down-trodden mill workers draws respect from the reader, and though you may not agree with her methods, you have to admire her spunk.

I appreciated the history included in Catherine’s novel. Also, the regency setting caused me to crave another viewing of a Jane Austen film.

A delightful read.

Highly recommended.

This book is available now through Amazon.com. For more information, visit Catherine's Web site here.