When Charley gets sent by her father to appraise a mansion full of antiques, she gets a surprise when she arrives and the owner is cold and mean, and doesn’t want anything to do with Christmas. And even worse? It’s not really an appraisal job at all. He just wants her to clean out his mountain of junk from his garage. But Charley makes it her goal to show him that Christmas is a special time of … of year. And as time goes on, she sees his frozen heart start to thaw.
Alexander has been dealing with the guilt from his wife’s death for two long years. It’s time to move past, so he hires someone to help rid his garage of his wife’s memories. But when she arrives, she’s not at all what he was expecting. And even though she’s a bit crazy, she helps him find his Christmas spirit once again.
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Author Victorine Lieske has a gift for writing witty dialog! I have so much fun reading her books and find so many quotable quotes – and have noticed that most of them are conversations.
Christmas with the Recluse is a modern-day retelling of Beauty and the Beast with some twists. I like that it has some parallels and yet doesn’t attempt to simply change the setting – there are enough differences that it is a story all its own.
Charley is a spunky, vivacious woman. Alexander doesn’t know what to make of her. She is not at all what he expected, aside from the fact she is female. Their relationship was amusing. There was a secondary romance in this story as well – I’ll let you read this to see about that one.
If you enjoy sweet romance mixed with humor, this is a great read this Christmas season.
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I was given a copy of this book for free. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Christmas with the Recluse is a lovely, contemporary, Christmas love story. It is well written with great characters, gentle humour and a good storyline. This is a genuinely romantic story that shows that true love really can heal the wounds of the past and make the future bright again. A delightful book, I definitely recommend it.
Absolutely amazing!!!
It’s going to be Easter soon, but I was in the mood for some Christmas 🙂
Charley has just graduated college and has her first real job as an antiques appraiser. Her boss isn’t what she had expected though. A reserved man, mean and grumpy. Even though he doesn’t mean to be!
Alexander has built himself a castle of pain and uses work as an excuse not to live life. He thinks Charley is way too perky. But she might be just what he needs. A bit of happiness in his life, a bit of lightness.
There’s a cute little kitten! Awww. Good to make clear cow’s milk is bad for kittens. BTW, I talk to my cats ALL THE TIME. It’s a sign of sanity 😉
It was a sweet story. Absolutely amazing!!! I laughed out loud a couple of times. This is a book that made me laugh, made me smile, made me happy!
Dual POV between bubbly Charley and uptight Alexander. That way we get both sides of the story, giving it depth. I loved the realness of it all, even though it was fairy-taley at the same time. I really felt for Alexander. And I loved Charley. Although she can be a bit much for a recluse 😀
The Beautiful Beast
Author Victorine Lieske has a fine sense of the ridiculous and knows just how to balance past tragedy with present humor. Loss of a loved one can be crushingly difficult but unless one is forced into purdah, no honor is done to the beloved departed by wallowing endlessly in grief. Sometimes, however, it takes a nudge from the outside to stop the endless loops of ‘what if’ and ‘why aren’t you here with me’ to push the focus outside one’s self. Enter Charley who has her own issues but chooses the now rather than the past. Despite an age difference rather larger (at her age) than one usually sees, this romance actually works and watching it blossom in time with the holiday season is a delight. Besides, this book is just flat out funny!
An enjoyable sweet holiday romances that had me laughing out loud several times. It is a well written captivating story with a little drama and lots of witty humor, sweet romance, laughter, hurt, guilt, anger, chemistry, unintentional charm, and just the right amount of backstory and inner thoughts for the characters to grow, forgive, and open to love for a beautiful HEA. I was addicted page after page a must own.
A wonderful story. I really enjoyed this book. Highly recommended.
Christmas with the Recluse is yet another fun story by Victorine E Lieske. Charley and Alexandra’s story is quite delightful with may laugh out loud moments. I give it five plus stars.
I received this book from the author, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
When Charley shows up to do an assessment of antiques for Alexander at his mansion he is not happy that Charley is a young woman. He is grumpy and still hurting at losing his deceased wife a couple of years ago. Charley ends up having to prove herself by cleaning out boxes in his garage of his wife’s things deciding what is worth being auctioned. Her joyful countenance and sense of forgiveness draws him in and gets him back in the Christmas spirit. If only Charley would stop thinking their eight year age difference matters. Even through time and space love does not let go.
A light-hearted bubbly romance, Charley thinks that she is getting the opportunity of a lifetime when her father sends her to appraise antiques at the home of a recluse. Instead, she discovers that she has to clear out the grieving man’s garage. Between her festive socks, music on her playlist and irrepressible personality, Alexander doesn’t stand a chance of avoiding the holiday season. Bit by bit, Charley manages to break down the barriers and beneath the surface of things, they find that their experiences aren’t that different after all. It is how they handle the sorrow in their lives that makes them different. The story is sweet and clean with an undeniable attraction between Charley and Alex, and ends on a hopeful and positive note, making one believe in the miracle of Christmas. I received a copy of this book as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.
A sweet, heartwarming holiday story with lovely characters and some touching scenes. Just had a few discrepancies that bothered me, which often happens with novels on the short side.
There is so much to love about this book – romance, Christmas time setting, wonderful characters, and humor. Charley is like a breath of fresh air when she goes to appraise antiques for the grumpy Mr. Norris. Only thing is Mr. Norris is not the old person she expects but rather a 30 year old hunk. So many times I found myself laughing out loud at what was going on – even from the first meeting between Charley and Alex.
I really enjoyed this story. It was funny and sweet. Charley is spunky and has a great love for Christmas. She is not what Alexander was expecting when he got an appraiser to come help him out. Her zest and the magic of the holidays are exactly what Alexander never knew he needed. Dorothy was a great addition to the characters.
I did bother me how many times she mentioned he was too old for her with only an 8 year difference – but this may just be me. It’s a heartwarming holiday story filled with healing and Christmas magic. I definitely recommend it.