Blind from a young age, a Regency heroine risks her overbearing father’s displeasure by attending a house party, never dreaming she’ll meet a formidable lord who will discover all her secrets and still want her for his own.
Dominated by her father’s rigid ways since a twist of fate stole her sight, Isabella uses the magic of Christmas to steal away for an adventure of her own when invited to … when invited to join friends for the holidays. Oh, how she adores Christmastime!
How he abhors Christmastime! Lord Frostwood lives up to his name, freezing out everyone since a childhood tragedy hardened his heart. Everyone, that is, until a spirited wench falls at his feet and proceeds to warm his cold existence, thanks to some strategically placed mistletoe and their resulting Christmas kisses.
This feel-good holiday novella has a heat level of Warm, a fabulous HEA and is a stand-alone story that can be savored year-round. Enjoy!
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I read this story in the anthology Twelve Lords for Christmas.
Whilst her father is away, Isabella takes the opportunity to accept a house party invitation and escape the prison that is her home for a couple of weeks. Being blind she doesn’t expect more than a period of gaiety and lightness but she doesn’t know that her best friend is matchmaking and that a grumpy Earl will make her want things she never has before. Highly recommended.
This Is More Than Just Regency Romance
This is an amazing Regency romance that will appeal to many different kinds of readers. Do you enjoy paranormal romance? There are ghosts! Do you enjoy romances with differently-abled protagonists? The leading lady is blind.
Do you enjoy romantic comedy? The leading lady is a laugh a minute. Do you enjoy historical romance? The language and setting are exquisite! Or do you perchance enjoy a good Yuletide yarn? Then, pray enter, good sirs and ladies.
The Opening
The opening successfully introduces the main characters and an interesting setting at a twelve-day-long traditional Christmas party. It’s clear from the very beginning that there are issues for both of the protagonists to overcome.
The Characters
Isabella is an awesome protagonist. She creates her own alliterative curses for special occasions that make her sound so funny, like deuced goose and poxy foxes. She is blind, but that doesn’t stop her from being incredibly proactive. She is kind, which makes her extremely likable.
Nicholas is introduced as someone like a cross between Mr. Darcy and Scrooge. However, it is quickly established that he isn’t so frosty as most people believe through the actions of little Harriet. His kindness to Harriet and a random goose follow the oft-uttered maxim that you should choose a husband who proves himself kind to animals and children.
Harriet is by far my favorite character. Her observations at the beginning of the story soon get her sent up to bed without any supper. She’s so cheeky yet lovable, and she’s the tangible Cupid to the intangible ghosts’ plans.
Isabella’s dead mom’s ghost is actually the first character we meet. To be honest, I didn’t like that she introduced the whole story because it made it more difficult for me to achieve immersion and suspension of disbelief. However, in later chapters, I came to really like what she added to the story.
The Plot
This follows the typical main plot of any Regency romance. You have the relatively low-ranking female with clear reasons to become an old maid and the dashing older, higher ranked, and more experienced rake who turns to putty in her hands.
However, I liked the originality of Isabella being blind and the more complex background to both characters that made their conflicts more real and interesting.
What I didn’t like was the relatively easy resolution to the plot at the end of the story. I can’t say too much without introducing spoilers, but let’s say that once the two protagonists had made their decisions, few obstacles were allowed to block their paths. I felt that there could have been more struggling and last-minute problems in those final chapters.
The Setting
Absolutely wonderful. I loved all the historic details that just slipped into the narrative, such as Nicholas selling rather than resigning his commission. It is clear that the author knows her Regency England very well.
The Prose
This story is beautifully written in a style that sounds—and you may laugh when I make this claim—more like the Regency than Jane Austen’s novels. What I mean is that the manner of speech isn’t restricted to their conversations. The whole of the prose is written in the speech patterns of the turn of the nineteenth century to match the 1813 date of this house party.
My Opinion
Miss Isabella Thaws A Frosty Lord is a memorable Regency romance that keeps the reader turning the pages. It contains wonderful protagonists, settings, and a romantic plotline. Although its main plot is a little cliche, there are enough additional details to make this story feel original.
I don’t hesitate to rate this historical romantic comedy as 10 out of 10, which will translate to 5 out of 5 on Goodreads and Amazon.
Notice:
I received an advance review copy for free, but this review is my honest opinion of the book.
I enjoyed this romance story of Isabella and Nicholas, Lord Frostwood.
Isabella is a blind young woman that can move around her surrounding with ease. She was not blind for some of her life but become that way. Her father is not happy with her blindness so he has locked her away from any men. So when a friend of her takes her to a Christmas party that she is throwing she meets Lord Frostwood there.
Lord Frostwood has suffered tragedy in his life and has locked up all of his emotions. When asked to come to a Christmas house party by a friend he want to refuse but with some encourage he decided to go. There is where he meets Isabella.
The story was fun to read. It was kind of different from the usual stories that I have read. A very nice type of Christmas story. And also a laugh here and there.
I received a complimentary copy via Booksprout. This is my honest unbiased opinion.
Ms. Lyons has penned a beautiful and sweet Christmas romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is a tender and heartwarming story that brought tears to my eyes at certain times and a smile to my face at others. The characters are endearing and you can’t help but fall in love with them, even Lord Frostwood! He really comes through for Isabella, and his love for her is sweet. Ms. Lyons has a unique writing style which I always enjoy and her stories always pull me into the world of her characters. She is an excellent storyteller and I really have fun reading her books. If you love Regency, you’ll definitely will want to give this a try!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Regency Wordplay and Strong, Imperfect Heroine
This is only the second book that I have read by this author, but I am finding her writing style not only unique but incredibly enjoyable. She has a light and frothy way of writing where she captures would I imagine our realistic Regency turns of phrase (particularly comebacks and put-downs). The writing comes across as almost tongue in cheek, but in a good way! Admittedly, some may not like this particular writing style with its unusual phrases and words, but I thoroughly enjoyed the wordplay—both the bantering and flirting of the H & h and their thoughts. The hero in this particular book can sometimes take himself a bit too seriously, and the other people around him seem to do so as well. So when he meets the heroine, his internal dialogue is not what we would have expected of one with his reputation and what we had seen of his character, making it an absolute delight. I loved to watch his mental fumbles and stumbles. This heroine differs somewhat from the typical Regency heroine as she has a physical disability. Usually, historical romance heroines are perfect in nearly every way, at least physically. So again it was very enjoyable to have a heroine who was incredibly strong even though she was blind. The hero, in fact, did not realize she was blind at first because she was so good at getting along in a sighted world. Brava! If you are looking for a Regency with excellent banter and other wordplay, you may enjoy this book as much as I did.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
Isabella is blind and loves Christmas, she meets Lord Frostwood who abhors Christmas. I found myself smiling as I read. Both can see past the others outer appearance to the person they have buried deep inside. I would say this is a must read story. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
ONE ENCHANTING ADVENTURE!!!
Fabulous! Larissa nailed this baby with 100% on point realism, delivering all the finesse, passion and heat, bringing this fun-filled delight full circle, wrapping this baby up sleek, shiny and tight. Banded, twined and tightly woven, showcasing the soaring ups and agonizing downs, breathtaking in it’s simplicity and impressive in it’s depth, drawing our characters closer than they could have ever anticipated. Shenanigans, escapades and havoc run amuck, blowing this baby into the eye of the storm, kicking it into a frenzy with an astonishing culmination. Dynamics and presentation in layer upon layer that you peel back with each page your drawn into this web so deep until everything else ceases to exist. The magnetism, attraction and chemistry collides with such intensity, exposing deep emotions, drawing our characters closer binding them to one another perfectly. The characters, banter, dialogue and interactions are complex and genuine with traits and qualities that add depth and diversity, transforming into charismatic personalities. The scenes are strikingly sharp with abundant details and descriptions that feel as though you were transported to ground zero with them. Fantastic job Larissa, thanks for sharing this fabulous gem with us.
A tender tale of love.
You know right from the start these two belonged together. Lord Frostwood may live up to his name but you just know in his heart lays the need to protect to love and be loved. Isabella has been kept on a short leash due to blindness but what she needs a man who accepts who she really is and loves her. Nicolas and Isabella were awesome characters but I adored Anne she was a true Christmas angel to her friend. This was a nice read for a Christmas in July offering. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
A very sweet Regency romance. Isabella is the perfect heroine. I kept smiling as I was reading it. My only complaint is during the middle section the banter between Isabella and Lord Frost went on a bit too long. There is some sex in the book, but it is not too graphic, which I appreciated. Other than Isabella’s father, this book is full of charming, likable characters. The Christmas time setting is wonderful.
I received a free copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Interesting characters and holiday setting make this an enjoyable book. Very likable heroine. However, I found myself first pushing through a clunky and somewhat confusing first chapter that opens with an overly long quote.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Isabella Spier lives in darkness with a father who despises her. Once he returns from London after the Christmas holidays, he plans to send her away to one of his isolated estates. Her best friend Anne sneaks her away to her home for a holiday house party. Growling, grumpy Nicolas Winten, Earl of Frostwood, arrives at Ed and Anne’s home and is immediately drawn to Isabella. Demanding and abrupt, he suddenly begins to change around her and embrace the holidays. His kisses entice her to enjoy his touch. Perfect for each other. With two guardian angels keeping watch, how can they not be together. Nicholas is more bark than bite which makes him a very likeable hero. Isabella definitely needs one. The flow of the book was a little choppy, but I enjoyed the interaction between Isabella and Nicholas. A nice read for the holidays. Gifted a copy of this book by the author.
A wonderful short story full of hope and promise. Nicholas met Isabelle at Christmas time at a friends home in the country. Since his sister died he had stayed away from Christmas celebrations but he allowed himself to be talked into attending one this year. His intentions were to stay a few days then make his excuses and leave but his attraction to Isabelle changed his mind. Isabelle who wasn’t supposed to be at her friends for Christmas defied her father and went thinking she’d be home before her father returned from town. She had two weeks to enjoy her time with her friend. What happens at Christmas time is a Christmas miracle orchestrated by two angels. Can you guess who the angels are? I won’t spoil it for you.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Do NOT start this steamy adult Regency romance at bedtime as it requires a full day to do it justice. I had an ARC via Booksprout and this voluntary review is my own opinion.
Sweet read in which a standoffish lord and blind lady find a connection unexpectedly. I voluntarily received this book for an honest review.