Book Summary:

Viola Williamson is good at what she does, even if it is a high-pressure job. Take her current task – getting the kitchen up and running by the time the Bainbridge House (a lovely chateau) is ready to open.

Admittedly this task is a little trickier thanks to the distraction brought about by Dom Shaw. Dom is the family estate's caretaker, and he is swoon-worthy by Viola's standards. But no matter how hard she tries, she just can't seem to crack through Dom's walls.

My Review:

I feel like it is a rule (for me) to read at least one seasonally appropriate book each holiday. This year, I opted for Christmas at the Chateau as my holiday read. I admittedly made a bit of a mistake here, not realizing that it is the second novel in the Bainbridge House series. But I had no trouble getting into the plot, which is always appreciated.

If you're looking for a light, fluffy, and romantic read, look no further! I feel like I should mention that the spice level is very low on this read, so if you're looking for something you can share with the family (been there), this should be a good pick.

Highlights
Holiday read
Romance (no spice)
Romantic series

CHRISTMAS AT THE CHÂTEAU by best-selling author Rochelle Alers is an amazing and heart-warming Christmas book. This is the Book #2 in her Bainbridge House Series. In this installment, the readers is following the romance of Viola Williamson and Dominic Shaw. Viola is an Executive Chef and one of the adopted children of Elise and Conrad Williamson. Dominic Shaw is the caretaker of the whole Bainbridge House estate.

Viola and Dom first meet each other when she goes to see her best friend and future sister-in-law Sonja at the estate so that she can see the kitchens that she will be running when the renovations are completed in two years. Viola is also there because she’s Sonja maid of honor and the wedding will be held at the chateau. Their meeting started off rocky because of the way Dom talked to Viola. Dom apologizes and the two agree to become friends. Their friendship grows as Viola and Dom spend time together touring the estate and having lunch and dinner dates together. Dom and Viola discover that they have feelings for one another and decide to give a relationship a chance. Will their relationship work out? Will the pair profess their love for one another? Will Viola and Dom get their happy ever after? You will have to read CHRISTMAS AT THE CHÂTEAU by Rochelle Alers to find out!

What I loved about this book is the romance and how Ms. Alers takes us on the journey as Viola and Dom find love. It was refreshing to see them go through the stages beginning with friendship first. The storyline moves so seamlessly that I felt as if I were staying at the chateau and touring the estate. I loved how the book has a small town feel to it which I enjoyed very much. There is an element of surprise that I wasn’t expecting which had me all in my emotions. The chemistry between Viola and Dom is smoldering hot. I loved how Dom caters to Viola and supports her in her decision to help her siblings with the renovations and to run the kitchen. It was also good to see Sonja and Taylor reappear.

Overall, I enjoyed reading CHRISTMAS AT THE CHATEAU. It is such a feel-good story about love at Christmas. I cannot wait to see where Ms. Alers takes this series next. Make sure to grab a copy of this amazing book.

Viola is about to begin the job of her dreams. She will soon become the executive chef at Bainbridge House once the chateau she inherited along with her siblings is completely renovated. There is a lot of work in store, but this is an opportunity that Viola just cannot pass up. Viola had an excellent job, but after being
denied a promotion at a Michelin-starred restaurant, she changed direction, thus agreeing to the upcoming new job. In the previous book in this series, A New Foundation, Sonya and Taylor fell in love. Sonya is Viola's best friend and Taylor is Viola's brother. Viola stood in their wedding and that is how she first met Dom, the property's caretaker.

In the first book, Dom proved quite mysterious, with a past life that he never spoke of. Viola finds herself drawn to Dom and the two soon begin working closely together. The chateau itself has its own story so it will be nice to see this series as it continues and to also see Viola and Taylor's other siblings have their own stories. Meanwhile, the relationship between Viola and Dom evolves slowly, but sweetly.

Many thanks to Harlequin Special Edition and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I adore Christmas romances, the cheesiest the better. This was not it for me. :)

Viola is one of 5 siblings who inherited the house after their adoptive father died. The house they didn’t know he had. It’s currently being renovated and planned to be turned into a hotel. After being overpassed for the promotion, she signed up to be the chef at the soon-to-be renovated kitchen.

Dom is a caretaker, taking over the hob after his father. He shows her around the place. The more time they spend together, the closer they get.

It’s a slow pace romance. I couldn’t get into it, I especially didn’t like the flow or the dialogs.

Christmas at the Chateau is a slow-burn romance with a very strong family dynamic. It's also the second book of a family-based series and, although I enjoyed it, I feel that enjoyment would have been more complete if I had read the books in order. I'll be reading that first book soon.

I'm intrigued by the diversity of the Williamson family and the reasons behind the adoptions of the children (now adults). I'm also very curious about the secrets surrounding Bainbridge House and looking forward to discovering more as the series progresses. Alers does a good job of seeding future stories with unexpected twists and turns in this one.

A lot of page space in this book is given to the history of Bainbridge House as well as the current renovation, which I loved. As someone who lives in the same area as a famous French Chateau in the U.S. that I could spend days exploring, I found it all endlessly fascinating. I'm hoping that history will continue to unfold as the series moves forward.

The romance between Viola and Dom is a very slow burn for a variety of reasons which I will not go into. I think it's better for readers to discover these issues on their own as they read. I will say that once they reach the point where they begin to acknowledge and act upon their feelings, the story moves forward at a realistic pace.

The food in this book is definitely drool-worthy so you may want to have snacks handy before you begin reading. The romance is satisfying but the house history that intertwines both Viola's and Dom's families, creating issues, and mysteries, both in the past and the present, definitely was the highlight of this book for me. I can't wait to find out what happens next!

ARC received for fair and unbiased review

Christmas at the Chateau was a lovely Christmassy romance. Viola is part of a family charged with the task of renovating the Bainbridge House. What used to be a huge family home will be a fancy hotel when they are done. The caretaker of the property, Dorn, has been there forever and the attraction between him and Viola is interesting.

I enjoyed this book, though it wasn't quite what I expected.

4/5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to review this book.

Although part of a series this book can be read as a standalone story. I say this because I didn't read the first book and was able to follow Viola and Dominic's story.

I enjoyed that although they realize the attraction shortly after they met, they built a friendship before getting physical. It was a fun and romantic story. I will probably go back and read the first book in the Bainbridge House series and look forward to more books!

I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinions.

~~~ I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~~~

Christmas at the Château (Bainbridge House, #2) is the second book by Rochelle Alers that I have read, both being holiday books. I have not read the first Bainbridge House book from this series, but I don't think it was necessary, this worked fine as a standalone. I really enjoyed this book as it followed Viola and Dom's relationship as friends and then more. Rochelle Alers is a good author whose stories and characters really draw me in. Viola is part of a large mixed race family of 4 other siblings, all adopted. I enjoyed this family's story, however, it's not very Christmas focused (other than a wedding happening around the holiday). Overall themes of Christmas at the Château are family, trust, and love. I would like to read the first book in this series and any additional in the future. My only comment would be that some things were repeated in the book, like she told about Viola's story and then retold it as Viola told Dom. There are a couple instances in this book where this happened, which was kind of annoying. However, overall I recommend this book for a night in out of the cold wintery weather. Pick it up, you won't be disappointed.

A slow burning and entertaining romance, full of mouthwatering food descriptions and featuring a cast of interesting characters.
It's a compelling and festive story, a story about family and learning to trust.
It's one of those book that makes you smile and bring some light when you feel down.
I loved Viola and Dominic and rooted for them.
Even if it's the second book in a series I can be read as a stand alone.
Recommended.
Many thanks to Harlequin Special Edition and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Christmas at the Chateau is a slow-burn love story and the second in the Bainbridge House series. If you're a foodie, this is the romance for you. Executive chef Viola needs to get the kitchen up and running in her family's chateau, so there's plenty of food talk. There's also plenty about the restoration of Bainbridge House. I haven't read the first book in the series, but I gather the restoration started there. That said, I didn't have any trouble following the story, so I'd say this can be read as a standalone. The romance is between Dom and Viola, and he certainly has his share of hurdles, but they both have trust issues to overcome. The pair does start as friends - well, after a hiccup or two - so it is a friends to lovers romance, and they're both likable characters who are easy to root for. All in all, this is an entertaining read with engaging characters, and I'll be interested to see who gets their love story next in the series.

This is the second book in the Bainbridge House series, but I did not read the first book in the series and enjoyed this one just fine. The five Williamson siblings were all adopted and although they have no Bainbridge DNA, they have inherited Bainbridge House. The French Chateau sits on 305 acres and has not been inhabited for 60 years. The siblings are now planning to renovate and open it as a luxury hotel. Viola is a chef and her role is to be the executive chef for the future hotel. She has quit her job after being passed over for promotion one too many times in New York, and returned home to Sparta to help with setting up the kitchens as well as to cater her brother's and BFF's wedding. She is also adamant that she is done with men, that is until she meets Dom Shaw, the estate's caretaker.

Both Dom and Viola have been burned and neither of them are looking for romance. They meet and things a rather antagonistic at first. As they get to know each other, they realize they have many things in common and become friends. I liked how their friendship grows slowly over a few months before becoming more than that. The dialogue and banter between these two was sharp, witty and fun. Both of them are keeping secrets from the other, but will they derail their relationship once shared? I enjoyed this story with the descriptions of the renovations of Bainbridge House, the amazing descriptions of food and the backstories of both Dom's and Viola’s families. The continuation of Taylor's and Sonja's stories from the first book gave continuation to the series, but it does not take over the story. I will definitely be going back to read that book as I want to know more about that relationship. There is just one very short sex scene and it is not explicit, perfect for me. The twist before the ending with Viola’s mother was a surprise and causes some angst, but you will need to read the book to find out what happens. Overall, this was a sweet romance set over several months leading up to Christmas. I wouldn't day it was a festive Christmas story, but there is a Christmas Wedding. I enjoyed this story and will be watching for the rest of the series and meeting the other Williamson siblings.

The second installment of Bainbridge House is a delicious romance. Literally.

Viola, the only woman of the Williamson heirs, will be the executive chef of Bainbridge House, which is under renovation. While those renovations are completed, Viola will be in charge of the wedding menu for her brother, Taylor, as well as overseeing the kitchens’ equipments and establishing suitable locations on the property for the production of fresh food and canning for her recipes. For this, Taylor has asked Dominic Shaw, Bainbridge House’s caretaker (a job the Shaws have done for generations), to work with Viola.

The romance between hero and heroine flows without exaggerated drama or out-of-place tangles. This is the best asset of the book, two grown-up people who have the necessary maturity to have a beautiful relationship. In addition, they have a calm chemistry, making their interactions easy and credible. On the other hand, the secondary characters are adequate, although I felt a bit of tension between Viola and her mother Elise despite the fact that their mother-daughter relationship is excellent (Elise is very overprotective with her “kids”). This is evidenced by the confrontation they have at the climax of the plot.

With an ending including a couple of loose ends, this story is a very beautiful and uncomplicated one that the reader could fall in love with.

READ FULL REVIEW IN HARLEQUIN JUNKIE:
https://harlequinjunkie.com/review-christmas-at-the-chateau-by-rochelle-alers/

Christmas at the Chateau lets the heart breathe by exposing the soul. Viola and Dom are a reminder of what it means to feel. Alers takes hope at it's most vulnerable and magnifies the power of what love can do.

A temporada de histórias natalinas está a todo vapor e por esse motivo eu escolhi ler esse super lançamento da Harlequin US!



Viola é uma chef que está há anos tentando uma promoção, quando surge a oportunidade de liderar as cozinhas na propriedade da família que irá se tornar um hotel, ela pede demissão e entra de cabeça nesse projeto. Bainbridge House vai se tornar sua casa e ela precisa que as cozinhas estejam perfeitas para o casamento do seu irmão Taylor e de sua melhor amiga Sonja e para que isso aconteça ela terá de trabalhar com Dom Shaw, o zelador da propriedade. Dom parece querer sempre manter as pessoas distantes, mas quando Viola entra em sua vida uma atração toma conta dele.



Primeiro preciso dizer que essa é a minha primeira experiência com a escrita dessa autora, apesar desse ser o segundo livro de uma série, o que não me atrapalhou em nada o entendimento da história. Meu problema com esse livro foi o ritmo dele, a história de Viola e Dom demora muito a acontecer e eu creio que não existia um real motivo para que eles não ficassem juntos, inclusive o drama que acontece mais ao final do livro fica completamente deslocado, pois ele poderia ter dado mais ritmo a história se tivesse sido melhor trabalhado.



Viola é uma mocinha madura que está correndo atrás de seus sonhos e construindo uma carreira, tudo que ela mais quer é focar em seu profissional. Até que ela conhece Dom e suas prioridades começam a mudar.



Já Dom, é um mocinho que já deu uma chance ao amor, mas depois que seu casamento fracassou ele meio que desistiu. Quando ele conhece Viola, esse pensamento também muda e ele começa a ver que há lugar para ele em Bainbridge House e é ao lado de Viola.



Esse é um romance sem hot e que vai tocar o coração daquelas que gostam de um romance daqueles bem românticos

𝒯𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒶 𝓅𝑒𝓇𝒻𝑒𝒸𝓉 𝓈𝑒𝓉𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝒶 𝒽𝑜𝓁𝒾𝒹𝒶𝓎 𝓇𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒!

Viola Williamson and her brothers have inherited Bainbridge House, a nineteenth-century Château set on 350 acres. They intend to restore it and open it as a hotel and restaurant, and Viola will be the executive chef.

On top of the hectic restoration, one of Viola’s brothers and his fiancée plan to marry this Christmas at the Château, and Viola is planning the menu.

Viola has her work cut out for her, and when she meets the estate’s caretaker, Dom Shaw, it seems like he knows more about her father’s family home than she ever did. The two become friends, but soon they can’t deny they feel much more.

What will people say to Viola dating the “help?” Yet Dom is carrying around a secret, but he wants Viola to love him for who he is, not his heritage.

I enjoyed that family was such a big part of this story as Viola and her brothers have great relationships. The wedding planning and construction on the Château added fun elements, but all the great food references! For a sweet (and savory) holiday romance, don’t miss 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡â𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐮.


Thank you to @harlequinbooks for this gifted digital copy and a spot on tour.

The description of this book sounded like a fantastic, wish-fulfillment-y yet cozy Christmas read, but I didn't love it as much as I was hoping. The writing didn't always work for me, unfortunately, but the plot was still great fun.

Good book. I loved the story's setting and seeing the restorations continue from their start in the first book of the series. As in the first book, family is an important theme in this one, with some unexpected revelations. I also like the diversity of the Williamson family and look forward to getting to know the rest of them.

Viola, one of the five Williamson siblings who inherited the chateau from their father, signed on to become the future hotel's executive chef. After being passed over for promotion, she left her job at a Michelin-starred restaurant one too many times and can't wait to sink her teeth into setting up the kitchens. That chance comes sooner than expected when her brother Taylor and his fiancée (A New Foundation) move their wedding up to Christmas and ask her to handle the food. Her brother's fiancée is also her best friend, so she does double-duty as Sonja's maid of honor.

Dom Shaw is the estate's caretaker, a position held previously by his father. There is some mystery attached to the Shaws' involvement with the estate, which keeps Dom tied there. Dom is something of a loner after being burned by a bad marriage. The last thing he's interested in is a relationship.

When Taylor asks Dom to take the lead in getting the main kitchen up and running, Dom has to work closely with Viola. Their first encounter did not go well, as each made assumptions about the other. Never one to hesitate to speak her mind, Viola straightened Dom out, then made her own apologies. I liked the fact that neither one carried a grudge. They also clearly stated their expectations about their relationship - friends only, not even with benefits. I enjoyed how they bonded over food, cooking for each other, and testing Viola's ideas for the wedding and restaurant. Dom found himself looking forward to her visits and realizing how much of a recluse he had become.

With their "friends only" agreement, neither wanted to admit their growing attraction to each other or the stronger feelings that went along with it. I enjoyed the slow pace of their developing relationship, giving them the chance to get to know each other. There were some sweet scenes of their time together. I especially liked seeing Dom kicking himself for setting the "friend zone" requirement once he realized he'd fallen for her. I loved the easy move to the next step as they confessed their feelings but reiterated their reluctance for anything permanent.

It felt as though their relationship moved too easily from one stage to the next. I loved their ease of communication and wondered if it would last. Conflict, when it came, was from an unexpected source. It shocked me to hear the words that came out of Viola's mother's mouth. I never expected something so snobbish from a woman who was such a great mother to five adopted children. Dom's ability to walk away without tearing her apart was nothing short of amazing. Viola had no such desire, and I loved her defense of the man she loved. However, it did drive a wedge between Dom and Viola. The resolution of the argument was well done, and I liked seeing Dom set Elise straight. I liked seeing Dom and Viola back together with a more permanent relationship in mind. I look forward to seeing more of them in future books.

I liked catching up with Taylor and Sonja in this book. I could feel Taylor's stress as he pushed to complete some of the rooms in time for the wedding. I liked that he and Dom get along better now than in the first book and that he doesn't get involved in Viola's relationships. Taylor's unwavering support of Viola and her goals is heartwarming. I also liked how he warned Dom about Viola's tenaciousness regarding her work. I loved the close relationship between Sonja and Viola and had a great time seeing them work together on the wedding stuff. I can't wait to get to know the other brothers and see the further progress of the chateau.

Christmas at the Chateau
Rochelle Alers


Bestseller Rochelle Alers #2 in her Bainbridge House series, Christmas at the Chateau is a warmhearted story about learning to trust and risking your heart. Her duo of Dom and Viola are instant hits and readers will find them both a believable and likeable pair. The whole Chateau to hotel backstory is filled with mysteries and secrets and readers will want to get book 1 to see where the story started and excitedly wait for book 3 to arrive in the Spring of 2022.
Dominic (Dom) Shaw has a secret he’s much more than just a caretaker to the Bainbridge House Estate and when the Williamson children inherited it from their father he decides to stay on just until it transforms into a hotel. That was until a certain beautiful chef arrives and steals his breath and his heart.
Viola Williamson just hit the jackpot not only will she be the executive chef at the Chateau turned boutique hotel she and her brothers inherited from their father’s estate, but her brother Tyler also wants her to cook for his Christmas wedding that will be held there. Now if she can just keep her eyes and hands off the yummy caretaker she’ll be just fine.

So as much as I wanted to enjoy the second story in the Bainbridge House series, I didn't. A few things:

1: I did enjoy Dom and Viola's energy on page. I thought for two people that had pretty good reasons not to go into a new relationship, they were a just a good couple to read. They matched each others personalities and its truly the only reason I finished the book.

2: The story is slow to start and that can be fine in some cases BUT also what doesn't work for this book is the continued slow pace, the constant reiteration of side characters and their back stories.

3: How did Elise go from a loving adoptee mother to a elitist snob?

4: The unnecessary third act break up between Dom and Viola was just that...unnecessary. Did we really need it? No. With a already slow moving romance, to add drama not needed killed the ending.

All and all, I get this is a family focused series and that's fine but the constant input of side characters stories takes away from the centered characters and their romance.

Christmas at the Château is the second novel I have reviewed by Rochelle Alllers.
It is a slow burn romance at Bainbridge House. Main characters Viola and Dom are not as well fleshed out as I would have liked but this was a fun book. I was glad to review another novel by Rochelle Allers.
3.5 stars.

Thanks to Rochelle Allers and Harlequin for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.