This was a cute festive romance with elements of comedy. I just really struggled to connect with the protagonists which meant I really struggled with it.
#AnArrangedChristmas #NetGalley

Adalyn was a young lady who knew what she wanted, and having a marriage forced on her was not part of the equation. She rebelled by running away, but the outcome was not what she had expected. Bain fell in love with his betrothed only to observe that she hated him, which puzzled him as to why. It was a charming and delightful story.

this was such an incredible read!! i absolutely adored this and i am so grateful to netgalley for letting me read this book early!! it was fun and lovely and sweet and precious. pick it up!!

Oh dear. The more I read of this novella, the more annoyed I got.
The author seems not have fully researched her historical era, even though the date was not made clear in the text. The book cover implied 1780s or thereabouts. The speech was completely anachronistic and did not fit any historical era. The shops for women's clothing were always modistes owned by women and had very little ready made clothing available before mid 1800s. Most clothing for the upper-classes was made to measure. Materials and examples were available but this was all.
The book also needed proofreading. There were spelling mistakes and at one point the men ate 'lunch' while the women ate breakfast. It was luncheon of course.
I also found the plot weak. I gave an extra star for the idea that women wanted some control and had opinions.

This book while an interesting premise fails to deliver in the pacing and details.

Without technical issues the style didn’t do it for me

Thanks to NetGalley for an e-ARC. An Arranged Christmas is a cute story for the holidays. I like the main characters. I would recommend this book if you want a quick read. Mary E. Taylor wrote a good book. I give this a 3 out of 5 stars. I am leaving this review voluntarily .

This was a cute and fast read, I read it in 1 hour, so it was really fast paced, but still really well written! I do however wish it was longer, we don’t really get to see why they fall in love with each other, and the story gets really rushed. I would love for this book to be at least tree times as long. Also the author could show, not tell a bit more. And lastly I hoped it was going to be more christmas themed, but it was just placed around that time. Overall I enjoyed the story and the characters, and the writing was good, but rushed.

Ms Taylor is a new-to-me author so I didn't know what to expect when I picked this up. It was a fun, cute, and enjoyable read. Adalyn's family is on the brink of financial ruin and the only way they can be saved is if Adalyn marries into money. Her parents have made an arrangement for her, but she is not interested. She wants to marry for love. When her parents don't listen to her objections, she runs away. She thinks she has made a clean break, but she ends up in more trouble than she bargained for. She never imagined the person who would come to her rescue would be the very person she was trying to run away from, Viscount Bain Cooke, her future husband. Bain is quite smitten with Adalyn when he meets her, but she still does not want to marry a stranger. It's up to Bain to convince her otherwise, and he doesn't have much time to do it.
This was a short and sweet novella and I found it to be an enjoyable read. A lovely lighthearted story that will bring a smile to your face.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and this is my freely given opinion.

I really try not to judge a book by the cover, but let's face it, often many of us are attracted by what we see first... that is why there are so many colourful and provocative covers after all, right? Well this worked in the opposite way here, considering this is listed as a Regency historical romance.

Anyone see this cover as a typical Regency lady? OK, fine... I gave it the benefit of the doubt - maybe it was a Regency miss attending a costumed ball in Georgian dress.

Nope... and the cover was not all that was wrong in this. This was about a young woman, the privileged daughter of a country baron, "Lady" Adalyn who is greatly put out because her parents arranged a marriage for her to a stranger. So put out that she impulsively runs out of her home into the icy, snowy evening. She ends up falling into a lake and drifts towards a hypothermic death. Luckily a stranger happens by - because that is what strangers to the area do - go for jaunty hillside walks in the twilight in strange woods - and saves her.

She brings home this stranger and finds out when they are there that he is the Viscount that her parents have betrothed her to. So she goes from being grateful and intrigued by the handsome stranger to being resentful, angry, and petty because she does not want to marry.

As for Bain, the Viscount Cooke, he seems to have fallen for her, despite her petty and rather spoiled behaviour. What is he taken by, when he first meets her - remember, as she is giving into hypothermia in the icy lake, in her soaked gown and thin cloak - he is taken by her looks, including her alabaster skin with the natural pink hue along her cheekbones. OMG - really - you run across a drowning, hypothermic woman in the lake and save her and that is what you first think???? Nonsense - and let's not forget also that someone who is freezing to death is NOT likely to have any kind of healthy pink hue to their cheek. Cyanotic blue and white as all your blood rushes to protect your organs would be more likely. Let's not forget that she may not be very conscious and coherent if pulled out... the entire rescue was just beyond belief.

Then she treats him like crap when her parents want him to save them from dire financial circumstances.... but he goes and falls in love with her spirit (aka bratty behaviour). Nope, did not buy that one either. Her behaviour was more contemporary and not fitting of the period and she treated him - an invited houseguest of her parents and her planned future husband with general rudeness and outright disrespect for him and her parents too.

There were a lot of issues that made this story just not acceptable for me. I can usually ignore a couple of them sprinkled here or there, but there were just too many of them here. Such as calling her, a daughter of a local baron Lady Adalyn. She would not be called Lady Adalyn. Just as Bain would not be called "Mr. Cooke" as he was a couple of times. Too frequent use of modern, non British syntax for that period, such as "okay", "you guys", using "tacky" as a derogatory term towards another lady (ironic considering how ill-mannered she was being), calling someone "Ms.", calling the housekeeper by her first name, rather than a more respectful title. Using "shopping bags" when those were not a common thing then, to name a couple. MANY sentences started with "And..." A couple here or there, fine, but there were ALOT - enough for me to notice. Then there were so many inconsistencies in the story... the baron's family is poor, and with a wing to the house not repaired because of a fire and not having the funds to do so - but the baron and his wife decide to have a party to "show off her luxurious home" and then the daughters are running off to get gowns last minute also? One young lady out to catch Bain's attention says she is staying with her aunt and uncle, the Edmonds, but then the uncle is called Mr. Johnson. She admires a shop owner for being female - a rarity... but really, is it when there are female modistes and milliners, etc. The mother announces the wedding to occur just after Christmas at one point, which was not far off in the story, and then talks later about moving up the wedding date so that it would occur by the end of next month (presumed to be the end of January as this was occurring at Christmas)... just a lot of inconsistencies.

So to summarize... unlikeable main female character who is a rude brat, main male character who really has no character other than he falls in love with said brat. Language and behaviours poorly researched and far too contemporary and American for the time and place. Many inconsistencies in the story, as well as unbelievable scenarios. Oh yes, and to get back to that cover, because it seems to exemplify how I feel about the book - THERE IS NO COSTUME BALL- IT IS JUST WRONG!!!!

On saying that, at least there was some context and expression written in, so maybe it is better than Mary and the Duke.

So maybe 1.5 stars out of 5

BOOK REVIEW: 𝗔𝗻 𝗔𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗘. 𝗧𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗼𝗿

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🗓️Pub Date: 6 December 2022
|𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲| Historical Romance

|𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀|
Adalyn is determined to avoid her arranged marriage with the Viscount. Forced on her by her parents in order to fix their financial troubles. Until he saves her during a perilous escape, they decide on a fake courtship, she begins to question her resolve.

|𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀|
This short historical romance hooked me straight away.

Enjoyed the dynamic between Adalyn and the Viscount as they try to pretend they don’t have feelings for one another.

Would have liked to have more development of their relationship and backstory as to the fire and loss of her families wealth. But understandable, given the length of the story.

Also, when exactly is this story set? Really wish this was made clearer to the reader.

Overall, found it a sweet, faced paced romance, could serve as a good palate cleanser or a way to get back into reading.

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮
✅ fake dating
✅ arranged marriage
✅ he falls first
✅ clean romance

“The way he felt about her in this moment…he’d have to lie about lying”.

“I wouldn’t want to see you try to run away again. You aren’t very good at it seems”.

𝕮𝖍𝖗𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖒𝖆𝖘 𝕸𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖈
It takes place in the lead up to Christmas and the families infamous ball. But the story probably wouldn’t be much different if it was set at a different time of year.
🎄🎄/5
The Christmas ball was a nice touch though.
“Everyone danced and sang along to Christmas carols”.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.

This book was sweet, I love the premise of rebelling against one’s parents choice of husband but then upon meeting said betrothed, and then you fall in love with him.

However, the character development and historical accuracy was a bit weak. The chemistry between the two main characters wasn’t all there for me either. Since she was so determined to hate him from the beginning, there could have been so much sizzle on the page between the two main characters that was lacking. The ending was pretty abrupt as well. A sweeping romantic moment given that it’s a historical romance Christmas novella would have been welcome.

This book kept me interested throughout the first 5 chapters and then didn’t really go or end in a direction that was exciting as a reader. The romance felt one sided and I would have liked more passion on the heroines part.

An Arranged Christmas
A Regency Historical Romance Holiday Novella (Chester Holidays Book 1)
by Mary E. Taylor

Lady AdaLyn’s family have set her up an arranged marriage so she runs away and she ends up in difficulties and a handsome stranger helps her. She is really pleased until it transpires he is her intended husband Viscount Blane Cooke.

A very enjoyable and well written historical Christmas novella. With a few twists and some lovely characters. A lovely quick read for this time of year.

An arranged marriage? Are you serious?! Lady Adalyn is not pleased with the idea of being forced to marry some guy just to help her financially strapped parents. Although it was a common practice in that time, it still doesn’t sit well with me in this day and age!

Unfortunately, Lady Adalyn wasn’t about to deal with being forced into this arranged marriage so she ran away. It was freezing out and she wasn’t exactly dressed for a long track in the snow. Yet, here she is running as quickly as she can away from town. Then she slips and falls onto a not quite frozen enough lake and she ends up dunked in ice cold water. Alas, she might get her way.

Nope, not if the handsome Viscount Bain Cooke has his say. He swoops her out of the water, warms her up and loads her into his carriage. He takes her home to her frantic parents, only to be announced as the man Lady Adalyn is to marry. What?!

Lady Adalyn learns she has to put up with the Viscount for weeks. They end up spending a ton of time together and even learning more about each other. While neither of them enjoy being in the spotlight, they’re forced to attend the family Christmas ball. It seems so cruel to end up falling in love with your betrothed, but it seems Lady Adalyn is at a crossroads. How can she be falling for the man she’s being forced to marry?!

This novella gets 5 out of 5 tiaras from me! Although I know for a fact that I would never be in Lady Analyn’s shoes, it’s fun to think that arranged marriages can potentially have love and attraction involved.

Before I begin my review I quickly want to thank Netgalley for the eArc of An Arranged Christmas.

Since this is a very short novella I am going to keep my review short and talk about the book.

I read this in one sitting and enjoyed it. I definitely could see this as a full-length story.

The novella opens up with Lady Adalyn running away from her parent’s home. She found out that her parents have agreed to an arranged marriage and she is not happy. She wants to be able to have a say in all this and not be forced into it. The only thing is she didn’t fully think this running away through because she is not dressed for it.

Just when she thinks things couldn’t get worse they do because she is in more trouble than she bargained for. Thankfully a handsome young man comes to her rescue and he isn’t too bad on the eyes. She is intrigued by this man until she finds out who he is and she isn’t very happy. Can they two get along? Will there be an upcoming marriage?

I have to admit historical romance is not something I read but after reading this novella I have to admit I am intrigued. Hopefully, this will become a full-length story because I would like to see what happens.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

This book reminded me of why I don't typically like novellas. I really just feel like there's never enough time for things to lead to a natural happy ending in a novella, so events are either rushed or glossed over. The relationship building tension tends to be missing for me. That was pretty much my problem with this novel.

I saw so much potential in the relationship between Adalyn and Bain, but there was not enough time for it to really develop so everything just felt too rushed. It would have been nice to have a bit more of a slow burn for this romance.

It was also pretty clear that Adalyn and Bain were meant to be together early on. They hit off immediately until Adalyn found out who he was. Then she became quite the prickly pear, which made the resulting love story that much harder to buy for me. If there had been more time to flesh it out, I think it would have felt more believable.

Overall I give this novella 3 out of 5 stars, because I should've know better.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
An Arranged Christmas is a fast-paced, easy-to-read, entertaining romance. Lady Adalyn is being forced to marry a stranger. Viscount Bain Cooke falls head over heels for Adalyn, who refuses to get to know Bain even when her attraction is evident. I felt Adalyn acted immensely immature at times, rejecting Bain on principle. Bain is so patient and kind towards Adalyn. I loved how Bain was open with his feelings toward Adalyn.

An Arranged Marriage is the first book in the Chester Holidays series. Mary E Taylor has created a fun, romantic story with lovable characters. This is the perfect holiday escape for a few hours!
I look forward to more books in this series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A 3.5 actually!! I did enjoy the story and I think it has great potential! I really think this should've been longer. It could be a book rather than a novella.

Besides, the shortness of it. The pacing was extremely fast for me. Even though, the moments where it slowed down a bit to have a cute moment between Adalyn and Bain were sweet. The chemistry between the mcs isn't pulled out of nowhere like some novellas, I felt it was genuine. Even though, we only got snippets of their days and weeks together, I can tell that they grew closer each moment they were together and missed each other when apart. ALSO, let me just include this quote right here!

"To hell with the plan! My heart is incomplete without you. It beats for you. I don't think I can live the rest of my life without you."~Bain

Overall, it is a short, sweet read and will get you in the holiday mood to read more Christmas romances! Which is exactly what I needed!
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🖋This is a voluntary review in exchange for the ARC I received from Netgalley❥

Normally, I can write a review based on aspects of the story. But this story was vague, with not much feeling or explanation.
The heroine is running away from her parents because she was told that her marriage had been arranged. So she is running in the snow and slush, with no boots and a small cape. She falls and lands in a pond, breaking the ice and becoming submerged. But she is the only person who doesn't get hypothermia. The hero appears and rescues her, wrapping her in his coat, putting her in his carriage and takes her home. They have a conversation and she is not shivering or suffering any effects from landing in a frozen pond. When she gets home and realizes that her hero is the man she is supposed to marry, she is lucid and succinct in her words. She is not suffering from any effects of the dunking in the pond and dresses for dinner. Isn't she wet with cold, icy water? She broke through the ice. This is just the first example that doesn't make sense. Romantically fiction doesn't mean logic goes out the window.
Also, we never find out the age of the main characters, because this is important to me. When the characters are a certain age, they should act a certain way. The heroine acted like she was 19. The hero, first he acted older, then he said he was the eldest sibling and his two sisters were already married that season. So he could be younger. And he acted like he was younger.
The story had no spelling or grammar errors and I read it twice because i didn't review it when I first read it and had to read again. I do not recommend reading this book. It needs editing. I give it 2 stars.

A sweet fun novella which started strong but never really developed at all and the language was far too modern for the era it was supposed to be set in. Nice try but no. The author was new to me so perhaps will get better with practice. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Adalyn's parents have arranged a marriage for her to save the family from financial ruin. She wants nothing to do with it. She's determined to avoid Bain, even if it kills her. Will pride get in the way of true love?

This is a cute short story with a relatable heroine and a charming hero. It's a quick holiday read that made me smile.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.