A Midsummer Kiss Orphaned at a tender age, Miss Louise Grant spent her life in servitude to care for her younger siblings. Now, no longer needed as a duchess’ companion, Louise has procured employment in York. But on her last night in London, her reputation is shattered when the drunk and disorderly Marquess mistakes Louise’s room for his lover’s.Luke, the Marquess Graham is determined to never … Graham is determined to never torment himself again by daring to love. Stumbling into Miss Louise Grant’s room destroys his days of bachelorhood when he is pressured into marrying her. However, the cold and distant Marquess knows they’ll never have a happy marriage; his new and fetching wife will never crack the protective barrier around his heart.
Trying to make the best of a bad marriage Louise attempts to break through the icy visage of the Marquess. But when misfortune strikes and Luke reverts to his cold, distant former self, Louise is not willing to give up on the possibility of love. After all, ice will melt when surrounded by warmth.
A Kiss at Mistletoe
Lady Mary Dalton fills her time with anything she pleases–and she pleases to do as she likes. With no interest in a husband, Lady Mary is perfectly content to remain in Derbyshire for the rest of her days. However, Mary’s parents have other ideas.
For the Christmas festivities at Bran Manor, Mary’s brother brings home the Duke of Carlton, an infamous man known for his many improprieties, as well as for his distaste in matrimony. Despite his rakish ways, Mary is drawn to him in the most vexing and exasperating way.
But when Mary stumbles into the Duke of Carlton’s arms one snowy eve, an undeniable attraction is set into motion. Suddenly, marriage no longer seems so horrific–for either of them.
A Kiss in Spring
A broken carriage wheel at the base of the Scottish highlands is the last thing Sophie Grant needs on her trip to Scotland. Determined to make the most of her stay in the quaint village of Moy, she discovers some delightful attractions, including the Laird Mackintosh, who lives nearby.
Upon an invitation to the Laird’s home, Sophie is thrust into a world of decadence, privilege, and wealth–everything she never had. Laird Mackintosh is tempting and beguiling with his scandalously hot kisses. However, Sophie knows he’s hiding something–something that could change everything.
Brice Mackintosh is torn between his family’s expectations, and his newfound feelings for Sophie. What started out as a game, a distraction before he fills his obligations is turning into more. But when the truth surfaces, Brice worries that he may lose the only woman he’s ever loved.
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A Midsummer Kiss
Orphaned at a tender age, Miss Louise Grant spent her life in servitude in order to send money to her aunt who is caring for her younger twin siblings. Now, no longer needed as a duchess’ companion, Louise has procured employment in York. But on her last night in London, her reputation is shattered when the drunk and disorderly Marquis of Graham mistakes Louise’s room for his lover’s.
Luke, Marquis Graham is determined to never torment himself again by daring to love. Stumbling into Miss Louise Grant’s room destroys his days of bachelorhood when he is pressured into marrying her. However, the cold and distant Marquis knows they’ll never have a happy marriage; his new and fetching wife will never crack the protective barrier around his heart.
This is the first in a new series & a lovely read. Luke is the gorgeous aristocrat who is a rake with a heart of ice, he’s built the barrier around his heart since he was eight. Louise also suffered when she was eight but is loving, caring & giving. She gradually demolishes Luke’s aloofness until an event happens that threatens to take them back to square one but Louise is determined to reach Luke once & for all. The characters are very well portrayed & very likeable, I loved both Luke & Louise. The pace was very good & I read it in well under a day. I loved how their relationship developed also how Luke found satisfaction in teaching the twins to ride
A Kiss at Mistletoe
Lady Mary Lancaster fills her time with anything she pleases and she loves spending time outside, fishing, riding & even rock climbing. Lady Mary is perfectly content to remain in Derbyshire for the rest of her days. However, Mary’s parents have other ideas.
For the Christmas festivities at Bran Manor, Mary’s brother brings home Dale the Duke of Carlton, an infamous man known for his many improprieties, as well as for his distaste in matrimony.
Another engrossing well written read from the author, which I read in a sitting. I loved how Mary transformed from the ugly duckling dressed as a young girl complete with flounces & ribbons to a stunning lady who realised she needn’t be a wallflower. Carlton didn’t have a happy childhood & eventually wants a docile biddable wife! Mary is anything but biddable, however the attraction between the pair grows & grows & they can’t seem to keep away from each other. A lovely romance that I thoroughly enjoyed
A Kiss in Spring
Sophie Grant is travelling to visit her friend Jane when a broken carriage wheel means she has to stay in the quaint village of Moy whilst a replacement is found. whilst out walking with her friend / companion Gretel Sophie falls & bangs her head. Gretel seeks help & Laird Mackintosh carries Sophie to safety. Upon an invitation to the Laird’s home, Sophie is thrust into a world of decadence, privilege, and wealth. Brice Mackintosh is torn between his family’s expectations, and his newfound feelings for Sophie.
This is the third book in the series whilst it could easily be read on its own Sophie is the younger sister of Louise from the previous book. I loved the chemistry between Brice & Sophie & how they fell or each other. I really liked Sophie who was quite open about her background & her feelings. Whilst I liked Brice I could have given him a good shake for not being honest with everyone about how he was feeling. Also Elspeth could have been more open too. However if they had been open & honest the book wouldn’t have been so very entertaining. A delightful read that I read in a sitting as I couldn’t put it down. I’m now really looking forward to Stephen’s story
*** SPOILER ALERT ***
A MIDSUMMER KISS:
A love that is as poignant today as it was yesteryear. Our hero, the Marquess Luke Graham, is sociable, delightful and entertaining on the outside. However, no one knew how he encased his heart in iron so he could never feel love and be hurt by it again. He was determined to remain a bachelor for life and pass the title to his cousin’s eldest son. He suffered a great loss when his parents and little sister were killed in a carriage accident that he ought to have been in. He had refused to go so he could play with his toys. Their loss and his guilt were something he hid deep in his heart where no one could touch it. He was raised by his grandmother who taught him to be a Marquess but she did not show any affection or love to him. He decided early on that he could only rely on himself. He was a flirt and a bit of a rake. Which leads us to the rest of the story. Miss Louise Grant has been a companion to Lady Mary Dalton the daughter of an Earl since she was eight years old. Her story was just as tragic as the Marquess but her heart lead her in another direction. Mary was to be married to the Duke of Carlton and Louise needed to procure a new situation. With what she earned she supported her younger brother and sister whom their aunt was caring for. When she was young, her parents were so poor they could no longer afford the rent and were tossed out into the street. Shamefully they moved into their mother’s sister’s home. Soon after her father committed suicide and her mother followed. At the age of eight her aunt found her a position as friend and companion to the Earl of Lancaster’s daughter Mary. Now that Mary was the Duchess of Carlton, Louise was packed and ready to leave the next day to her new position. That evening Mary and her husband Dale were giving a ball. Luke was a close personal friend of Dale’s and was there flirting with a debutante. During the ball Louise thought how lucky she would be to find love like Mary and Dale. She looked at Luke and admired his handsome looks and thought she just wanted to marry and be loved or at least have an affectionate and kind marriage. She retired early from the ball and went to bed. Luke on the other hand had been drinking and had an assignation planned and was looking for the right bedroom. He stumbled into Louise’s bedroom. She was sleeping. He began to undress and started to speak to his amore and became physical with her in the bed. When Louise stirred and realized he was there she screamed. In rushed the Duke and Duchess along with look-i-loos of the ton. Luke did not mean to compromise Louise but he did. Against everything he believed in he did not want to marry her but his hand was forced. They married and Luke settled Louise in his country estate and promptly left back to London to finish the season. Louise remembered she had told him not to expect anything from her and he said the same back to her. She sent for her twin brother and sister, Stephen and Sophie. They were fifteen almost sixteen. Although she was not there to see them grow up, she wrote to them weekly and visited as often as she could so they would not forget her. Stephen and Sophie adored and loved Louise. They grew up kind, intelligent, polite with manners and had strong morals. They knew how much Louise had sacrificed for them and they were very proud and protective of her. They were appalled at the way the Marquess had dumped her there in the country. Louise received a letter from Mary that Luke was flitting about London as if he never married. Stephen and Sophie talked Louise into going to London and showing him a thing or two about how not to disrespect a Grant. This was the beginning of the complicated emotional road that Louise and Luke had to traverse. This is an exceptional read. It is a journey of the soul. There is confusion, pleasure, aloofness, detached, distanced, cold, indifferent, dispassionate and impersonal feelings surrounding Luke. Whereas Louise had made up her mind that she was going to try to make the marriage the best that it can be. But how to break through Luke’s defenses she did not know. All she knew was that warmth melted ice. Even though this is a quick read it fully satisfies the imagination. I highly recommend it. I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A KISS AT MISTLETOE:
Our heroine, Mary, is not like other young ladies. She is a semi-wallflower, hoydenish, semi-bluestocking and love pursuing hobbies normally associated to men. She will only marry if she finds someone to accept her as she is and not restrict her in anyway. I like Mary’s character. She is not only intelligent, but she is honest, charming, forthright and loving. She is also very curious that sometimes may cause a problem or two for her. Nothing very serious though. The only drawback she had was her mother who insisted on deciding how to dress her and style her hair. Not a good thing. When her father told her that this was the final season to make a match she wanted to revolt. Her past seasons were failures. But for her father she would try. Her family hosted a house party for the end of the year. It included a ball, Christmas and New Years. Her brother Peter brought home with him this year his dear friend Dale, the Duke of Carlton. Dale is a renowned rake and he and Peter had many a night having their fun. Dale was put off on marriage because of his parents. Theirs was an arranged marriage that was sour, full of loud arguments and fierce disdain. Dale wanted a peaceful marriage. One without harsh strong opinions. Dale knew when he found the “one” he would be faithful. Despite his reputation. He wanted a demure woman who knew her place and would be a gracious Duchess. He was in no hurry to marry and Peter knew this better than anyone. When Dale first laid eyes on Mary he practically choked on his drink. The way that she was dressed, the style of her hair was very matronly. No wonder she was not married. Peter introduced Mary to him and that was when he could not decide if he was intrigued or not. She was to the point; she did not beat around the bush or pull any punches. Dale was not sure how to take her. As the house party continued, he and Mary got to know each other better and sort of became friends. She confided in him and he gave her his advice. During this period, she found she was cautious around the duke. She was feeling things she did not understand. He was turning out not to be as bad as she thought. When Mary finally decided to take charge, she went full steam ahead. Her transformation was stunning. It was difficult for any single man not to see her allure. Dale was suffering and was not sure why. Every time he saw Mary with another gentleman, he became grumpy. Both he and Mary were dealing with strange emotions they did not know what to do about. One thing was for sure. Dale wanted to be around and near to Mary. One evening he finally kissed her and that was the beginning of a confusing time for Mary. This is a quick and enjoyable read. I loved the characters. They were mature but thoughtful, curious and yet kind and they were independent thinkers. I think that was what I loved most about them. They were unafraid to be themselves. A very good read.
A KISS IN SPRING:
I really liked this book. It is a sweet forbidden romance between Scotsman Laird Brice Mackintosh and an English woman Miss Sophie Grant. Brice the handsome devil ought to have told Sophie he was expected to marry someone else. But he did not and could not resist his attraction to her. Immediately seeing Brice for the first time Sophie was smitten. They engaged in innocent kisses and flirtation until one day they went all the way like man and wife. When Brice broke the news to his prospective bride and mother-in-law all heck broke loose and Sophie was treated with several slurs and insults. The truth finally out about everything Sophie brokenhearted and ruined, packed and went back to London. She spent the next few months miserable and continued to accept suits from other men. When Brice found out from his sister, he could take no more and finally decided to do something about. A delightful read.
I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I think that this is a perfect way to dive into this wonderful series for the first time or to just declutter a bit and get three great reads with no wait times or need to switch books, all with one simple click. I have previously enjoyed all three of these wonderful reads and I highly recommend them. This is my impartial, independent review. Books included are:
A Midsummer Kiss (Kiss the Wallflower #1) (5 Stars)
The story line offered a entertaining blend of emotional turmoil, drama, tension and romance. Louise was such likable character. She was loving, strong and capable. I found her easy to connect with and to root for. I also loved her siblings. The affection and bond between them all was easy to see and feel. As for Luke, he was cold, emotionally stunted and came across as an entitled jerk. Of course, eventually he wakes up and thaws out but how he treated Louise and even worse, let others treat her, really left a bad taste in my mouth and I never could let go of all my resentment over it. I think one of the most interesting things about this book was the stark difference between how each of these characters handled diversity. She chose to rise like a phoenix, while he built walls and encased his heart in ice.
A Kiss at Mistletoe (Kiss the Wallflower, #2) (5 Stars)
I liked Mary and Dale. Watching these two get to know one another and the slow evolution of their relationship was very entertaining and honestly, refreshing. I found it quite fun and sweet that they were both so sure of what they wanted, until they met and then after getting to know each other they began to realize they might want something entirely different. I thought that this was a really wonderful romance.
A Kiss in Spring (Kiss the Wallflower, #3) (5 Stars)
I thoroughly enjoyed Brice & Sophie’s romance. The story line was entertaining and I simply fell in love with these characters. I thought that there was a real sweetness to this story of a chance meeting, unexpected emotions and duty. Secrets, drama, passion and romance capture your attention and will keep you entertained as you read this book. I thought this was a great read.
A Midsummer’s Kiss: Louise Grant has been working since the tender age of 8 (a companion to a young girl her age). Her twin siblings Stephen and Sophie are living with their Aunt who depend heavily on the money she sends. Her job is now at an end (since Mary is now the Duchess of Carlton) and she is moving to York to work as a nanny/teacher for 6 kids…Mary is throwing a ball and insists Louise attend, since it will be her final night. She attends and enjoys herself but not being apart of the TON she retires early. She awakens suddenly to a man on top of her and kissing her. Her screams alerts the Duke and Duchess plus a whole lot of nosey attendees. The culprit: Luke Ashby, Marquess Graham, quite drunk he sneaks into a bedroom to meet a widow to have a quickie. Surprise!!!
Luke has made a terrible mistake. He goes into the wrong room and finds a woman but not the one he planned on meeting. Now both the Duke and Duchess are angry, the young woman is angry and the widow (who started all this) is quite loudly stating he should marry the poor young woman…It was just a tiny mistake. Now a he must marry (something he has sworn he will never do) and nothing he does will stop it. Well he figures he will drop her off in the country, he will live in the city and they both will be married in name only. Problem solved. Well add in two siblings, a quite demanding Duchess and the new Marquess shows Luke just what it means to be married.
Luke doesn’t stand a chance!
A Kiss at Mistletoe: Lady Mary Dalton is the daughter of an Earl. She is 23 years old and has absolutely no desire to get married. She is outdoorsy, loves her independence and wants to live in the country. She has had to endure 5 unsuccessful (according to others) seasons and her father has just informed her she will have another season and another until she is married. Mary tells her parents she will only marry for love. They agree and her parents decide to host a Christmas ball. They invite some titled eligible gentlemen.
Dale the Duke of Carlton is her brother’s friend. Dale has witnessed first hand what an unhappy marriage can result in. Constant bickering and no happiness was what his home like. He refuses to marry to avoid that as well. When he first meets Mary, she is knee deep in ruffles and bows and maidenly hair style (her mother picks her gowns and share a lady’s maid), he has a hard time believing this is friend’s sister. Mary sees Dale and is instantly smitten.
The two strike up a friendship and Mary shares her wants (in a husband) with Dale. Dale talks Mary into standing firm in picking a husband and enjoys his time with her. When Mary decides to follow his advice, she takes control over her clothes and hairstyles. When a new and improved Mary makes her first appearance every single gentlemen takes notice. EVERY single gentlemen. That one fact turns Dale’s life and thinking upside down. Now he doesn’t feel anyone is good enough. He has to think fast, but will Mary continue to think of Dale as a friend or can she feel anything more for him?
A Kiss in Spring: TBR