A duke’s daughter. An irrestible earl. And an energetic Corgi named Mr. Shorty. What more could you want in a Christmas novella by Megan Frampton?It’s Christmastime in London, and Lady Pearl Howlett is eagerly ready for the festivities—until her family goes off to their country estate…accidentally leaving her home alone! But she’s not dismayed. Rather, she’s thrilled to do exactly what she … to do exactly what she wants. Unfortunately, this daughter of a duke doesn’t know how to do anything.
The Earl of Llanover has come to London to take refuge in his godmother’s townhouse, free to be as awkward and grumpy as he wants. With his pet Corgi, Mr. Shorty, for company, Owen Dwyfor is ready for a quiet holiday away from his mother and sisters who would have him married off. That is, until his godmother’s neighbor, Lady Pearl Howlett comes barging in to his solitude.
After some reluctance, the two come together for a joyous—and steamy—Christmas they won’t forget.
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A new book from Megan Frampton, just in time for some holiday reading! Her books always make me smile, and her characters are so warm.
This is a really quick, lovely, fun Victorian Christmas story. It is well written and the characters are relatable and very sweet. You can’t go wrong with this book if you want a romantic Christmas read.
Lady Pearl Howlett is the ‘NOT’ sister. Nobody particularly notices her other than she is NOT the intelligent sister, and she is NOT the scandalous sister, etc. Even her mother doesn’t really notice her – that is how she came to be left alone in London during Christmas. Her mother just left her at the townhouse – not even noticing that she wasn’t in the carriage.
Pearl almost ran out after her mother’s carriage, but then decided not to do so. She thought it would be wonderful to be on her own and have her own adventure. After she considered all the things she could do – like skating through the hallway — she realized that she had no food in the house, no servants, and she didn’t know how to do anything for herself. She couldn’t light a fire, and she couldn’t cook even if she did have food. So, what is a girl to do? Our intrepid Pearl found a way to make it happen.
Owen Dwyfor, Earl of Llanover has come to London over Christmas for two reasons – one is that he has a leg injury and the doctor is in London and the other is that he just craves some time alone. His sisters and his mother make constant demands on him and he’d love to have some time for himself. He’s staying at his Godmother’s home, but she has visited other family for Christmas. He doesn’t have any servants either, but he does have some food – and he can build a fire – and even cook eggs for himself.
Owen and Pearl are staying in homes right next to each other and they meet out on the street where they are staying. Their adventure is fun to watch because they are really two kindred spirits designed to complete each other. I love that Pearl thinks of Owen as “his grumpy earlness”
It is definitely a light-hearted fun read and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When she is accidentally left behind at her family’s London townhouse during Christmas, Lady Pearl Howlett is thrilled to have some time alone. However, as a privileged duke’s daughter she doesn’t know how to cope with practical matters such as feeding herself, not that there’s any food to be found in the closed up house anyway.
Owen Dwyfor, the Earl of Llanover, is spending the holiday nursing an injured leg in his godmother’s London townhouse. He’s looking forward to being away from his managing mother and sisters and not being scrutinized for being awkward or grumpy. Until his neighbor, Lady Pearl, comes to crash his solitude seeking food. Soon the two find themselves snowed in and banding together to conserve resources and it becomes apparent that they have more in common than just being alone at Christmas.
This was such a cute Christmasy story. Yes, it’s instalove, but Pearl and Owen have time together with no outside interference, totally unfettered from society’s rules, and this enables them to truly be themselves and come to know each other fairly well. Owen was adorably gruff and awkward and charmingly caring underneath the irritable exterior. It was nice to see him have someone to look out for him for a change and I liked that Pearl was decisive in knowing her own mind and standing up for what she wanted.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Earl’s Christmas Pearl
A Duke’s Daughters Novella
Megan Frampton
https://www.facebook.com/meganframptonbooks/
Release date 10/29/2019
Publisher Avon
Blurb :
It’s Christmastime in London, and Lady Pearl Howlett is eagerly ready for the festivities—until her family goes off to their country estate…accidentally leaving her home alone! But she’s not dismayed. Rather, she’s thrilled to do exactly what she wants. Unfortunately, this daughter of a duke doesn’t know how to do anything.
The Earl of Llanover has come to London to take refuge in his godmother’s townhouse, free to be as awkward and grumpy as he wants. With his pet Corgi, Mr. Shorty, for company, Owen Dwyfor is ready for a quiet holiday away from his mother and sisters who would have him married off. That is, until his godmother’s neighbor, Lady Pearl Howlett comes barging in to his solitude.
After some reluctance, the two come together for a joyous—and steamy—Christmas they won’t forget.
My review :
When two persons estranged from their kin cross another’s road, what will they do when their time up together is close to its end…
How I do love those Christmas tales, they cheer up the mood anytime of the year. And this holidays story wrapped with Home Alone and a not so grumpy Scrooge was a delight.
I do not remember well Pearl from my read of her sister’s story but with some many different siblings, I can understand her joy to find herself with no one to be compared to.
It was funny to follow her while she discovers happily how to do things by herself. She is amusing and considers her troubles with a smile, approaching this new experience as an adventure. And nothing will deter her of the pleasure of each of her find.
Owen is no true Grinch, he just wants to recover from his ordeal and for once be free from his family’s demands. In spite of being a peer, he is no cad nor rake, he works with his hands and earns his money. Why he feels awkward among others. Behind his grumpy mask, there is a man longing to find someone who will have no expectations from him except things freely given.
His chance encounter with Pearl opens his heart to hope, for once she is one demanding and expecting nothing from him, she just wants to share her love for the Christmastide and encourage him to let merriment fills his soul.
Despite being fast paced, it was a fabulous narrative of getting in touch with your inner child, to see magic in even little details, enjoying a hot chocolate, the happiness of simple accomplishments like a meal made by oneself, dressing a Christmas tree, kisses exchanged between they made your belly flutter….
A big thanks to Mrs Megan Frampton for reminding me how the simplest of things are to be appreciated and enjoyed fully.
5 stars.
I was granted through Edelweiss an advance copy by the publisher Avon, I had previously preordered my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272830/photos/a.449451878977322/465517654037411?type=3&sfns=mo
The Earl’s Christmas Pearl by Megan Frampton is book 4.5 in the A Duke’s Daughters Series. This is the story of Pearl Howlett and Owen Dwyfor, The Earl of Llanover. I have read the previous books but fee you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so. Pearl finds herself home alone when her family heads out leaving her accidentally behind. But Pearl wants to make the most of this freedom but finds she has limits by herself. Owen just wants to have a Christmas alone with his faithful dog but things go the other way when Pearl comes by with her story and a quiet Christmas seems to be going out the door.
Loved this book and this author’s writing.
“The Earl’s Christmas Pearl” by Megan Frampton was a delightful Christmas romance. I found it to be a witty and charming story featuring endearing, well-developed main characters in Lady Pearl Howlett and Owen, the Earl of Llanover. Pearl, who finally had the opportunity to step out of the shadows cast by her four sisters, turned out to be very sweet and adventurous, with an excellent sense of humor. She did a wonderful job of coaxing Owen out of his grumpiness.
As for Owen, I loved how endearingly awkward he was in conversation. He tried so hard, but until he met Pearl, Owen could never quite figure out the right things to say. The banter between the two of them was quite amusing, and I thought it was really cute when they teased each other or made silly jokes and puns.
Overall, I loved this story and thought it was a great way to wrap up the Duke’s Daughters series. I am very much looking forward to Ms. Frampton’s next book!
*ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss. All opinions expressed are my own.
It’s Christmastime in London, and Lady Pearl Howlett is eagerly ready for the festivities until her family goes off to their country estate accidentally leaving her behind. She’s thrilled to do exactly what she wants until she realises she doesn’t know how to do anything.
Owen Dwyfor, the Earl of Llanover has come to London to take refuge in his godmother’s townhouse, free to be as awkward and grumpy as he wants, with only his pet Corgi, Mr. Shorty, for company, he’s ready for a quiet holiday away from his mother and sisters who would have him married off. That is, until his godmother’s neighbour, Lady Pearl Howlett comes barging in to his solitude.
After some reluctance, the two come together for a joyous and steamy Christmas they won’t forget.
A delightful Christmas novella, which I read in a sitting. I loved grumpy Owen who became less grumpy as he spent more time with Pearl. Pearl was a joy & I loved how she came out of the shell when she could be herself. I also loved how they really saw & came to know each other. My only quibble was that we don’t have groundhogs in the UK!
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Fourth in a series. Easy, enjoyable read. Would have preferred less of an age difference between the characters.
“On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me.. An earl who was very grumpy.” Now how could I resist when this started chapter one! Pearl was estatic to be left alone in her parents’ London town house, although it was not unexpected due to her mother being scattered mind.
What was so humorous from the first page, was Pearl’s long list of things she might do since she was alone.. I found myself smiling so much and waiting to see what she would do.
Deciding to go out walking and of course, she runs into a man, oh, an intriguing man with a little dog he’d called Mr Shorty, but he hardly said a word as she watched him go up the steps to he neighbor’s house.
Owen only wanted to be alone. He needed to recover from his injury, away from his scheming mother and sisters who wanted to marry him off and also contemplate his business.
But when Pearl determined she had no food and was very hungry she decided to knock on the neighbor’s door.
A delightful story that had me laughing, sighing and just enjoying every word! She deemed him the Grumpy earl. A Welsh earl with a Welsh corgi!!
I love books with humor and romance and this fit that to perfection! Trust me you do not want to miss this one!
Silly, silly story, silly hero and silly heroine.