Customer Reviews

A Yuletide Treasure (Zebra Regency Romance)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am constantly bemoaning the lack of good regency authors. Cynthia Pratt is the most talented author I have read in years. I took one of her books home from the library and fell in love with her writing. I ordered 4 of her books from Amazon. I received 3 at one time. I read one on Saturday night, staying up until 2 in the morning to do so. I read the other 2 on Sunday. There is action on every page. The action deals with families and relationships, but is very stirring nonetheless. The characters are interesting and realistic. Even the characters who are not the nicest people have something redeeming about them. The heros are not perfect but always interesting and not the stereotypical, nearly morally bankrupt rakes so often portrayed in the faux regency novels currently flooding the regency market. The heroines are bright and likable as well. The side characters are superbly drawn. There are some beautiful touches, the name of one of the characters, Tinarose, is just pretty to see on the printed page. The description of sitting in the kitchen and drinking hot chocolate is lovely. The dialogue is witty and very funny. The love scenes are touching and believable. Ms Pratt is also a very intelligent and technically perfect writer. I like this author as much as I do Carla Kelly. I just pray that Ms Pratt writes more novels.

On her way to visit her mama's old nurse, Camilla Twainsbury shares a coach with an alluring stranger. But shy, proper Miss Twainsbury doesn't give him much notice. Having parted with the stranger at an inn, she trudges off to Nanny Mallow's house--in a snowstorm.

When she finds Nanny Mallow, the old woman has taken a nasty fall from her bed (and has been laying on the ground for 2 days!). Camilla goes to get help. Before she makes it, she passes out in the snow... and is rescued by the stranger from before, Sir Philip.

Camilla and Nanny Mallow end up staying at Sir Philip's domicile for quite awhile. Sir Philip, a published writer, gets Camilla's advice on his fiction novel. Lady LaCorte, his widowed sister-in-law, is bitter about Camilla's presense. There are other characters abounds, such as the dashing Dr. March, and Sir Philip's three neices.

"A Yuletide Treasure" DID have its moments. For instance, I enjoyed the snowball fight that took place, and I really liked a few of the characters. However, most of the book was pretty slow and grueling. A lot of the dialogue didn't seem to add anything to the story. I didn't really like the ending. Not only was it depressing, but there was also a BIG surprise that no one seemed too shocked about. And there were too many loose ends. (For instance, what about Tinarose's crush on the doctor?). Overall, I'd give it 2 1/2 stars. It wasn't bad. It wasn't good.

I was surprised to see such drastic ratings from reviewers. To me, I found this was one of few Regency romance novels that did not fall in to the same pattern of rakes and lords, school miss and Almacks. It was a refreshing story (which plot I shall not repeat here) of a properly-taught, prim young miss found love and her confidence.

The story might be slow-going for some, but I thought it showed heroine's mild and tender-loving nature, the author has also shown the intelligence of hero and heroine through their thoughts and conversation. They were not forced on to readers but rather felt by readers, I think this reflects writer's skill and intelligence as well.

All in all, I enjoyed this book very much. This book could also be recommended as a non-holiday reading. The only bone to pick was: the cover picture was not accurate and not attractively done (those two models were too modern-looking and not classy enough).

It's not that this is a BAD book, it's just ordinary. It does, however, have some nice moments and interesting characters. As the other reviewer noted, the huge surprise was not treated as a significant event, but I found nothing wrong with the ending otherwise.

There were awkward moments and subplots not fully explained or left to dangle, but overall it was a fairly pleasant read -- especially at a season when so few books are worth cracking open.