The “fallen” ladies of Puddledon Manor’s Benevolent Home are determined to rise above scandal—and forge a sparkling new future operating their own brewery and alehouse . . . With Christmas around the corner, Miss Caroline Anderson hoped to persuade a London tavern owner to carry the Home’s Widow’s Brew—only to discover the dastard was more interested in her ankles than her ale! To her further … her ale! To her further annoyance, her stagecoach back to Little Puddledon is waylaid by louts and a snow-covered ditch. Amid a nasty storm, Caro seeks shelter at a nearby estate—only to be greeted by Viscount Oakland, aka Nick, her brother’s childhood friend—and her schoolgirl crush. Now he’s the half-dressed host of what is clearly a holiday bacchanal. Still, his house is irresistibly warm . . .
Ever the free spirit, Nick has invited the wilder gentlemen of the ton, and an assortment of London’s lightskirts, to celebrate Christmas in a more traditional, pagan fashion. So he’s surprised to find Caro at his door. Now, with a blizzard raging, he must take her in—despite his fear she won’t take to his guests, and worse, upend his party. But she may surprise him—and upend his life . . .
Praise for What Ales the Earl
“A pure delight.”
—New York Times bestselling author Betina Krahn
“A fun, heartwarming Regency romance elevated by witty dialogue and a unique
concept.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Entertaining, earthy . . . readers will look forward to more stories about the women of the Benevolent Home.”
—Booklist
more
Sally MacKenzie’s books never fail to make me laugh–and this one has one of my favorite tropes: the older brother’s best friend, who is all grown up and finally about to take notice of the girl who’s been adoring him from afar for years… And it’s a Christmas story!
When two lonely souls whom have been childhood friends, rekindles after years apart, will they be able to let the ghosts of the past go?
I discovered Mrs Sally MacKenzie with her Naked Nobility series, I loved the humor she infused it her stories.
So when I saw this book pop up on my amazon suggestions list, I preordered it without a thought, it was back in February, plus it was second in a series of a book I loved the blurb but forgot the tittle, so now it shelved in my kindle.
This story reminded me in some way of A Christmas Carol, with for a change the late hero’s uncle as Scrooge.
Plus here, there are two ghosts haunting the hero and the heroine.
Caroline or for short Caro had to rebuilt herself after a sad event when she was only a woman bud. She refused to let it define her. Even if unknowingly it shaped her, she became stronger but also wary of everything male.
Nick after being estranged from his childhood place and maternal family, let hate and fury fill his heart, the little boy in him having never really mourn his loss. So to spite his uncle cold demeanor he plunged without a thought to the consequences in every sins the London society has to offer.
Both similarly were betrayed by those whom should have protected them.
So when a broken wheel carriage accident brings Caro at his front door with a bunch of very disparate travelers, their past pains are reawakened and they question their own attitudes towards them.
When unboxing their shame, grievance and hurt, Caro will needs a healing hand to let go of her fears and accept her past guilt is not of her own doing but someone having abused of his position and her innocence, Nick will have a lot of growing up ahead of him to cut loose his toxic relationship with his uncle and realize he still rules his life from beyond his grave.
The action takes place on a very short span of time, but during those two days, slowly the healing process is undertaken and truth and faith are being part of it.
The Christmas forced retreat becomes a dance of seduction, she making him imagine a far different future he had expected for him and he revealing her to the bedroom pleasures.
Mrs MacKenzie has crafted a lively lovely Christmas tale, where the various protagonists redeem themselves, from the prostitutes looking for a second chance to the profligate settling down and then all helping the hero and heroine to see what was right in front of them.
A 4.5 stars for this charming and sweet story.
My only complain is the lack of epilogue, I would have loved to learn more about how little Edward and baby Grace will fare with a new father, or about the newly appointed girls for the Home or to see Nick and Caro in their married life.
I was granted an advance copy through Netgalley by the publisher Kensington/Zebra. I also had my own copy preordered.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
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Characters could have been bit more depth
The Merry Viscount is a delightful novel by Sally MacKenzie. It’s almost Christmas when the stagecoach is waylaid in a snow-covered ditch. The passengers find shelter in the Viscount of Oakland’s home where Nick and his guests are celebrating in more traditional, pagan fashion. While the entire household put together a Christmas festival, Nick and Caro, once childhood friends, are irresistibly drawn to each other. The story is full of witty dialogue and festival fun that bring a heartwarming togetherness of everyone.
like the book
A delightful story that will bring a smile to you face and thoughts of Tiny Tim and Scrooge to mind! Caroline Anderson is all that is good in trying to sell the ale she produces at the Benevoent Home where she lives. She made a trip to London, trying to find places to sale the brew, her coach ends up snowbound in a ditch and she goes in search of help.
She ends up at the home of an old school friend Nick, Viscount Oakland and the fun begins. With the assortment of travelers she had been with and the scandalous guest at Nick’s, umm, orgy for a better word, a lot begins to happen as they all interact.
Of course Caro has a past heartbreak and Nick his demons to deal with, these two were fated to come together and when better than Christmas!
Prepare to laugh out loud and sigh along with a few sad moments that all come out well, a story not to be missed! I read this through Netgallery and the publisher
When his neighbor’s dog threw his dinner up (that’s putting it nicely) all over Nick, Viscount Oakland’s, townhouse, he moved his Christmas orgy to his country estate. When the party was abruptly interrupted by the passengers of a stagecoach run into a ditch, the event took a decided turn. It wasn’t long before the unusual assortment of guests began to put together a festive celebration of the holiday.
Among the passengers was Caroline Anderson, the sister of an old friend. Nick and Caro had not seen each other for thirteen years. Nick, who had been a neglected and unhappy child, had become a consummate rake. Caroline, after a traumatic experience at her first job, had become part of the Benevolent Home for the Maintenance and Support of Spinsters, Widows and Abandoned Women and their Unfortunate Children. She is the brew master for the ale the home produces – Widow’s Brew. It seems they have nothing in common, but as they spent time together, they learned that they were alike in many ways. They are both missing something in their lives. Is it possible that fate has brought them together? Is there a Christmas miracle for them?
The Merry Viscount is a wonderful story full of fun and humor, a happy holiday tale. Watching the group work together to have a festive, traditional Christmas celebration was delightfully entertaining. Much is learned about our hero and heroine, their lives and hopes, through their ‘soul searching,’ in turns funny, poignant, and sad. I really enjoyed this story. I happily recommend it and the Widow’s Brew series.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.
This is a book that requires a suspension of belief — the events are somewhat fantastical, as the story begins with a broken wheel that lands our heroine at a Christmas orgy and proceeds from there. It’s just a tad unrealistic to see the hero transform (almost overnight) from the host of an orgy to someone ready to settle down with one woman. As for Caroline, a female brewer, her rediscovery of a childhood friend — the host of the orgy — does give him a reason to transform, but a bit more background on their friendship might have made their fast fall into love more believable. I did like Nick’s growth as he understands why his uncle was so cold, but it never made sense to me that Caroline went into service. Both characters were betrayed in their pasts, and both had to work to change and be open to love. The story proceeds along, with the classes mingling and bringing Christmas cheer to the old homestead. Sally MacKenzie writes with humor, bringing the people and setting to life in an easy-to-read manner. This is an enjoyable read, but not her best. (I received an ARC on NetGalley. Opinions mine.)
Caro values her independence and thinks men are just a nuisance. Nick is living a life of debauchery. A stagecoach accident finds the two Alana with a houseful of others stranded together. It is a strange mix of people who gets to create a true Christmas miracle. The story is funny with an inner monologue carried out by the two main characters that will make you laugh. As the story unfolds each person find happiness in their situation and Caro and Nick find a lifetime together.
This was a fun and fast-paced story about two people haunted by their pasts. I loved how the healing process was wrapped in humor and romance. Caro is the brewmaster for the Benevolent Home where she lives. She took that post after an event that caused a rift with her family and has affected her life ever since. After an unsuccessful trip to London searching for new markets for her ale, Caro is stuck on a coach with some unpleasant passengers and increasingly bad weather. When the coach ends up in a ditch, she recognizes their location and tramps off to seek help at the estate of Viscount Oakland, aka “Lord Devil,” her brother’s old school friend and Caro’s girlhood crush.
Nick recently became the Viscount after the death of the uncle he loathed. Orphaned at a young age, he was wrenched from his mother’s family in Italy and forced to live with his cold and bitter uncle. He usually avoids Oakland, but due to unforeseen (and hilarious) circumstances, he had to vacate his townhouse. To thumb his nose at his uncle’s memory, Nick invited a couple of his wilder friends and some lightskirts to celebrate with a Christmas orgy. Only, now that he’s there he finds himself less than enthusiastic about the festivities.
I loved the opening meeting between Caro and Nick. It has been almost twenty years since they last saw each other and neither immediately recognized the other. Caro mistakes Nick for his butler an is pretty brash in her zeal to procure help for her fellow passengers. She’s shocked when she realizes her mistake, but no less determined. Nick didn’t recognize Caro at first either, though he did think she looked familiar. He was immediately attracted to her, something that surprised him in light of his earlier disinterest in the available “ladies.”
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Nick and Caro. In a hilarious conversation, Caro offers a trade with Nick. She will pretend to be his lover, thereby negating rumors of his “problem” in exchange for his protection from any of the men who get the wrong idea about her. Thanks to their pasts, neither one has any interest in settling down, but their hearts don’t get the message. As Nick learns about Caro’s past his protective instincts are aroused along with other parts of him. I loved the way that he helped her let go of the pain of that past event and see that it wasn’t her fault. Though her heart wants to believe that there is hope for more between them, her head still believes that a “fallen woman” is no match for a viscount.
Meanwhile, Nick begins to realize that he has let his feelings about his uncle control his life for too long. Caro’s presence reminds him of happier times when he felt a part of her family. I loved seeing his metamorphosis from rake to responsible. His protectiveness toward Mrs. Dixon and her children, and his kindness toward young Edward was only the beginning. Learning more about Caro’s new life made him take a fresh look at his and realize that he was ready for a change.
The interactions between Caro and Nick were great. The attraction between them was incendiary but tempered by Caro’s fears. I loved Nick’s patience as he helped her move past them. Their conversations were frank and frequently funny, and their inner monologues added to the hilarity. Nick’s were especially amusing as he dealt with the feelings that Caro aroused. As he came to accept and embrace his newfound feelings for Caro, Nick struggled with finding a way to convince her of his love and to believe that they can have a future. I felt for him with his rambling attempts to tell her how much he needed her. I liked seeing Caro’s thought processes as she worked through her feelings and fears to the realization of the dreams she thought she had given up. The ending was sweet and sexy and perfect for the two of them.
The mixture of people thrown together could have been awkward and uncomfortable, but the Christmas spirit seemed to take hold of everyone. I enjoyed seeing different sides emerge of the people who didn’t make the greatest first impressions. The baker and his wife left their quarreling behind to prepare a special dish for the group. The “Weasel” turned out to be less of a threat than expected, and the judgmental preacher showed he had a heart after all. The two young peers learned a bit of humility, with one of them also experiencing an eye-opening revelation. The lightskirts found a new direction for their lives, and their boss played a big part in bringing Nick and Caro together. I loved Nick’s servants and how the relationship between them and Nick changed as he did.
I did have a few questions at the end. Why was Caro in service as a nanny at seventeen? She is the daughter of the gentry, with parents and seven brothers. Shouldn’t they have been helping her find a husband rather than sending her out alone into the world? Nick’s realization of his feelings about his Italian family at the end left me wondering if he was going to do anything about it. I would have liked another chapter or an epilogue, maybe showing him and Caro honeymooning in Italy and visiting his family. I’d like to see what happens with the new residents of the Home and hope that maybe they will appear in the next book.
The Merry Viscount by Sally MacKenzie is book 2 in the Widow’s Brew Series. This is the story of Caroline ‘Caro’ Anderson and Nicholas St. John, Viscount Oakland.
Nick is trying to make it through the holidays and being back in a house that he doesn’t have great memories of. This leads him to have a party where its to be a orgy theme. Caro is a brewer of the Widow’s Ale at the Benevolent Home. This home helps supports Spinsters, Widowers, and Abandoned women and their children. Caro was coming back on the mail wagon from a trip to London to see if a Pub was interested in her brew but the person seem to be only interested in her. So she leaves and while on the wagon her and some other passengers are caught in a blizzard and there only hope may be the house they see. This leads Caro to meet Nick again who was her brother’s friend and her crush.
Enjoyed their story.
Miss Caroline Anderson the brewer for the Home’s Widow’s Brew has travelled to London trying to find new customers for the brew. On the return journey the stagecoach ends up in a snow-covered ditch. Amid a nasty storm, Caro seeks shelter for herself & two young children at a nearby estate, only to be greeted by Nick Viscount Oakland, her brother’s childhood friend and her schoolgirl crush. He’s holding an orgy but at least the house is warm. Nick wishes he hadn’t invited his friends for an orgy & almost welcomes the passengers of the damaged stagecoach.
This is the second book in the series & could easily be read on its own. I loved the humour that ran throughout the book & it often had me laughing out loud. There were also more serious issues as both Nick & Caroline needed to let go of the past, I liked that this was a gradual process, which made it far more believable. The characters were well portrayed & had depth. I read the book in two sittings as it was highly entertaining. My one quibble was that it the ending left me wondering, how Felix settled in his new roll, did Archie pursue his love of music, how did the ladies settle in Little Puddleton, so I would have liked an epilogue
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
You can always count on a entertaining read when picking up a Sally MacKenzie book and this is no exception! Filled with wonderful characters, laugh out loud moments, unexpected twists and witty banter is book was a fun read. Caro has found a place as brewmaster in a charity home for women finding themselves in unfortunate circumstances, because a youthful indiscretion she’s sees herself as unmarriable, a spinster if you will, focused on selling her brew to help with the home’s expenses, so when she finds herself stranded with her fellow coach passengers at the end of the drive of and old family friend in a snow storm she takes matters into her own hands to broach the Viscount to allow them shelter. Nick had a blissful childhood until his parents’ death when his uncle called him to England, Nick resented his new life and his stern uncle to the point of wanting nothing to do with the title his uncle’s death left. Single and staying that way, Nick left London for the Christmas holidays, with questionable guests to his estate, little could he have known the intrusion that was coming! Laughs galore! Wonderful heart warming Christmas story.
Enjoyed the love story of Nick and Caro and how it came about. They met due to a stagecoach accident during a snowstorm, after having known each other as children, they come to realize they might care more than they first though. The story is well written and entertaining. I would recommend it for someone who wants a sweet romance.
Caroline “Caro” Anderson is the brewer of the Widow’s Ale at the Benevolent Home for the Maintenance and Support of Spinsters, Widows and Abandoned Women and their Unfortunate Children. She is returning from a disappointing trip to London when the mail coach she is riding in becomes disabled, stranding her and several other passengers, including a small boy and his infant sister in the snow. Knowing the children will not survive the cold, she takes the baby and goes for help at a nearby estate. The estate is owned by a man she knows well, or at least knew well, Nicholas St. John, Viscount Oakland. Nick was friends with her older brother and was a frequent visitor to her home. She has not seen him in 17 years, but hopes he will offer shelter to them.
Nick is at the estate and is hosting an orgy, he however can’t seem to find the enthusiasm to join in, he blames it on being back at the estate. Nick was born in Italy, his father was the younger son of the Viscount and a painter, he fell in love with an Italian woman while on his grand tour and never returned to England. But when they died, his uncle, the new Viscount demanded that Nick come to live with him in England – his uncle was a dour, bitter man who Nick blames for all his unhappiness. Being at the estate, especially at Christmas, brings back all his memories and has him feeling out of sorts. When Caro comes banging on the door, Nick has no idea how much his life is about to change.
This was a sweet story with characters who have some very potent emotional issues. I loved seeing Nick grow as a person and begin to start taking responsibility for his own life and to stop blaming his uncle. I also enjoyed seeing Caro begin to let go of the pain in her past, she was hurt badly by a man and then to add insult to injury, disowned by her family. Watching them help each other to see the truth of their pasts and move on was very well done. I like the story, but there were just some things that didn’t really work for me, I never understood why Caro went into “service”, her family wasn’t poor and she was 17 and the only daughter, why didn’t her father try to find her a husband? It just didn’t make sense. I also felt like the book ended too abruptly, it really needed another chapter or at least an epilogue to show the reader their HEA as well as letting us know what happened with the secondary characters that were also stranded at the estate. This is the second book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone title.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*
What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Part of a series: Widow’s Brew
Standalone
HEA
I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC from NetGalley.
After her scandal in London, Caro Andersen found a home at the Benevolent Home for the Maintenance and Support of Spinsters, Widows and Abandoned Women and Their Unfortunate Children, as their brewer and sales lady. Returning home from her unsuccessful trip to London, her coach has an accident during a snow storm. Nick St. John, Viscount Oakland, was forced by circumstances to Oakland, the last place he wants to be for Christmas. What he didn’t expect was the young woman who turns up at his door that he remembers with fondess from seventeen years ago. Can the miracle of the season bring two lonely people together?
Complex characters, not just Caro and Nick, give a lot of depth and meaning to the story for the holidays. A sure bet to add to your Christmas TBR.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
With the Christmas season coming, Miss Caroline Anderson travels to London to try and convince a bartender to sell the Home’s Widow’s Brew. Her trip was not a success when she finds the man more interested in her and not the product. Traveling back to the Home is proving difficult when a snow storm and some drunken louts cause the stage coach to wind up in a ditch. Seeking shelter at a nearby estate, Caroline is surprised to be greeted by Viscount Oakland, her brother’s childhood friend, Nick. Nick is only at the estate due to unfortunate circumstances at his home in London. He has invited some of his wilder friends as well as some lightskirts to celebrate Christmas with a rousing orgy. Now with the blizzard raging and the occupants of the stage coach joining them, plans change rapidly and surprisingly.
Nick lost his parents when young and was only now coming to grips with his lost childhood. He had felt a grudge against his uncle for the circumstances surrounding his childhood. He, therefore, spent a lot of time with his friend’s family during the school years. Caro lived there as well and would not be left behind when Nick and her brother went out. Now confronted with her on his doorstep, he is surprised and not sure how she will respond to his guests. But Caro is amazingly resilient and able to take things in stride. In fact, Caro is an admirable woman. Dealt a blow in life, she rose above her circumstances and learned how to brew beer.
This was a delightful story showing how a series of events can lead to a crossroads for more than one couple. Nick was not supposed to be at the estate and neither was Caroline. However, circumstances brought them together. With the magic of Christmas and a serendipitous snow storm, love has a chance to heal these two broken individuals as well as set others on different paths. Sally MacKenzie has penned an amazing romance with a ending designed to leave us with a smile. If you love romances you do not want to miss The Merry Viscount.
Now that’s what I call a very different Christmas story! I loved the humor throughout, as well as the Christmas traditions and oh yes, the steamy scenes:)
Caro and Nick knew each other slightly as children but hadn’t seen each other since and now, many years later, she’s in his home with an assortment of characters who had been in the broken down stagecoach with her….interrupting the Christmas “orgy” that Nick was hosting!!! Caro and Nick each have their own stories to reveal and my heart truly ached for them. They decide to help each other, although falling in love was not supposed to be part of the plan!
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Nick, Viscount Oakland, is living the life of a rake and ends up at his country seat for an orgy to celebrate Christmas in the pagan way. When Miss Caroline Anderson bangs at his door during a raging snowstorm, he has no choice but to take in all the passengers of the coach accident. Nick knew Caroline when they were children, but they aren’t children anymore. Both are hiding secrets and together can they begin to heal old wounds and make a future together?
I did not read the first book in the series, although I don’t think it’s necessary to enjoy this book. Miss MacKenzie is a talented writer, squeezing out every emotion from Nick and Caroline. There are no real obstacles in the book besides their own attempts to ignore the growing attraction between them. Ms. MacKenzie rounds out the book with colorful secondary characters and how first impressions can sometimes be so wrong. I’m not a fan of the “insta love” plot device though. This book only covers 2 days and I would have loved for the book to cover more time to fully let Nick and Caroline explore their feelings. In the end, this is a feel good HEA romance.
I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.