In a winter so cold the Thames freezes over, five couples venture onto the ice in pursuit of love to warm their hearts.
Love unexpected, rekindled, brand new or rediscovered—even one that’s a whack on the side of the head—heats up the winter. After weeks of fog and cold all five stories converge on the ice at the 1814 Frost Fair when the ladies’ campaign to help the wounded and unemployed … ladies’ campaign to help the wounded and unemployed veterans of the Napoleonic wars culminates in a charity auction that shocks the the high sticklers of the ton.
In their 2020 collection, join the Bluestocking Belles and their heroes and heroines as The Ladies’ Society For The Care of the Widows and Orphans of Fallen Heroes and the Children of Wounded Veterans pursues justice, charity, and soul searing romance.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day 2020 with five interconnected Regency romances.
Melting Matilda by Jude Knight – Fire smolders under the frost between them.
My One True Love by Rue Allyn – She vanished into the fog. Will he find his one true love or remain lost, cold and alone forever?
Lord Ethan’s Courage by Caroline Warfield – War may freeze a man’s heart; it takes a woman to melt it.
A Second Chance at Love by Sherry Ewing – Can the bittersweet frost of lost love be rekindled into a burning flame?
The Umbrella Chronicles: Chester and Artemis’s Story by Amy Quinton – Beastly duke seeks confident woman who doesn’t faint at the sight of his scars. Prefers not to leave the house to find her.
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Oh how I love these Bluestocking Belles! I have read other multi author collections but I love how these ladies intertwine their characters. I love that they are all connected! You will love these tales in one big story!
Jude Knight: Melting Matilda~Matilda is a daughter of a Duke. Well from the wrong side of the blanket. That doesn’t matter to her half brothers and the wife of the Duke. The Duchess has taken in all of her husband’s daughters and treated them as if they were hers. Her sons also treat the girls as his beloved sisters and will go to any length to protect them. Oh to have a brother like that. Matilda has had feelings for Charles the Earl of Hamner since they first shared a kiss…he then proposed to a “Proper” lady of breeding. That betrayal left Matilda and her family burning inside. Charles is thankful his proper lady declined his proposal for he is unable to get Matilda out of his head. He tries but finally gives up and does everything he can to win her affections. Only he must go through the very powerful/tough brother Aldridge (future Duke, and current Marquis), Sisters, Duchess (Aunt Eleanor) and the Ice princess herself Matilda…Is he man enough to do it?
Rue Allyn: My One True Love~Mary Percival (Percy) and Lord Trevor PenRhydderch (Earl of Trehallow) were once best friends. War separates them and when Trevor returns Percy is missing. A scandal is attached to her and no one will speak of her. He sees her on a foggy night and can’t believe his eyes. He returns to Haverford House to see the Duchess and makes it clear he wants to see Percy again. He needs answers and can’t understand why she is avoiding him. Percy has been working with the Duchess and Aunt Eleanor has helped her get a job. She helps soldiers get the medical help they need. There she see Trevor again and this time he is letting her out of his sight. Now he is seeing her but each time questions happen Percy shuts down. Finally he makes his intentions clear to the Duchess. After some talks he agrees to take Percy to events and there he finds out what actually happened. Percy’s disgusting cousin makes it clear what he feels about Percy and only Trevor can bring her back by loving her unconditionally. That’s when Percy becomes her strongest and stands up to the bully!
Caroline Warfied: Lord Ethan’s Courage~ Lord Ethan Alcott is lying in the gutter, he is back from war and a very haunted soul. An angel comes with only a couple of men to watch over her (and men who are severely disfigured from the war). She is giving the poor soldiers bread and encouraging words. He knows that a lady like Flora Landrum should have proper escort. He knows what he must do, save her from herself. He speaks to her brother and in doing so lands him in a position he has been avoiding since returning home. He want to be left alone and Flora and her brother Will are not having it. They take him in, clean him up and encourage him to face the horror and let his family know he is alive. Ethan is taken with Flora and she can’t stop thinking of him. But Ethan is filled with such horror it may take two families to pull together to bring one injured/scarred soldier back from the brink. Well written and so heartwarming! This story is amazing!
Sherry Ewing: A Second Chance at Love~ Viscount Digby Osgood has agreed to help with the Fire and Frost ball. He know it will be for a good cause but it will also allow him to see the love of his life Lady Constance Whittles. She lives with her Aunt and has a fortune at her disposal. Digby has never hidden the fact that two years ago he loved her and wanted to marry then, but he had to respect his father’s wishes to travel for business. He know he broke her heart and doesn’t expect to get a second chance. Well he does and he doesn’t hesitate. Once Constance tells Digby he is still on her mind they both agree to see each other. Well someone who wants her money is not having it. The nasty Lieutenant Terrance Abernathy feels he should have her….or her money and promises to win her. What trouble can he possibly cause to get what he wants!
Amy Quinton: The Umbrella Chronicles, Chester & Artemis’s Story~
Oh How I love the Umbrella stories. This one does not disappoint. Chester or Beastly Duke of Eastly likes living in private at home. His beloved sister Theodosia comes and begs her brother to please come and bid on her: no friends, shy, quiet, teased friend’s basket. He then is visited by Lady Harriett Ross the umbrella wielding match maker. Enough said. What transpires next is sheer delight. A beast and a not so shy, quiet gorgeous mouse but a gorgeous outspoken knows what she wants siren. SHE WANTS the BEAST. If the Umbrella has anything to do with it…Beast she will have!
I love that these stories and that they are intertwined. No doubt the gold thread that holds these stories together is the plight of wounded soldiers and their families. While addressing all the pain that follows war, these Belles write heartwarming love stories. They don’t minimize their plight just twist romance within the pain. War is no joke and the men/women who return need our love and respect and most certainly our help. Beautifully written!!! A genuine keeper!!
4.5* These Bluestocking Belles are very talented writers. Their styles in writing these stories are quite similar, thus there is a comfortable continuity in reading.
In all of the stories, characters reappear and some are added from the authors’ other stories, e.g. Caroline Warfield’s contribution takes place before A Dangerous Nativity and includes Lady Georgiana from Dangerous Works.
Amy Quinton’s contribution was the most humorous, with a bit of risqué humor shared between h and H.
I received a free copy of this collection via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.