Lady Lydia Brownlow’s parents have given her an ultimatum. She must settle upon a husband or face a future life of drudgery as a companion. Dreading either fate, Lydia attends a Christmas country house party to settle upon a match. But much to her dismay, her brother’s rakish best friend is also in attendance. The Duke of Warwick is the one man she doesn’t dare trust, and the only one she can’t … can’t resist.
Alistair, the Duke of Warwick, has two problems. The debt his father left behind is about to swallow him whole, and the woman he wants to marry has been avoiding him. In an effort to prove his sincerity and win her hand, he inveigles an invitation to the same house party where she will choose a husband.
However, Lady Lydia isn’t about to succumb to his practiced seductions, and she leads him on a merry chase. When he wins her hand at last, deception tears them apart. Can Alistair prove his love and claim his duchess’s heart for good?
Publisher’s Note: Wishes in Winter was previously released in the collection A Lady’s Christmas Rake. It is part of The Wicked Winters series world and can be enjoyed in any order.
Length: Novella
Heat level: Scorching
more
The main characters sparkle and blend together like a smooth drink. At first straightforward with feelings is the way to go but takes a detour. Unraveling the mess of emotions is delightfully revealing. The story has wonderful period detail, great atmosphere and so sensually clever. Emotional and warm memorable read
Alistair, Duke of Warwick, has known Lady Lydia Brownlow since childhood when she would trail after her brother Rand, Viscount Aylesford, and Alistair (best friends) – and she has always loved him. But Lydia, encouraged by her grandfather to improve her mind, is a bluestocking almost on the shelf. Her parents, Duke and Duchess of Revelstoke, want her to wed or become a companion before her younger sister makes her come out. Alistair inherited his title along with a mountain of debts left by his father. Because of his title and looks, he can have his pick of any lady – yet he chooses Lydia or Freckles, her nickname from childhood. But Lydia is intelligent and prefers books and star gazing to balls. She is doubtful of Alistair’s sincerity when he proposes since she considers herself no beauty. He decides not to inform her of his father’s debts – which were not well known – till after the wedding. All goes as he plans – until Rand discovers those debts. When Rand denounces Alistair as a fortune hunter at a family dinner just 2 weeks after their marriage, Lydia is broken hearted and leaves with her family. Alistair is desperate to explain to her, but Lydia will not see him or answer his letters. Can Alistair regain her trust and make her believe in their love? Can Lydia forgive and learn to trust her heart? Enchanting Christmas novella about love, trust and forgiveness!!
Wishes in Winter is a steamy romantic regency novella. I enjoyed the story between Lydia and Alistair, the Duke of Warwick. It had just enough heat, passion and romance for a novella.
Lydia has always yearned for her brother’s best friend, she doesn’t trust him but she can’t resist him. He’s loved her for a long time but also needs her dowry for his now debt ridden estate his father left n his hands so he sets about courting her first, gaining her trust and love.
A very short, very steamy and romantic read.
WINTER WISHES/WISHES IN WINTER BY SCARLETT SCOTT – Alistair, Duke of Warwick is the “catch” for any lady of the ton but at 27 he had grown tired of the feminine pursuits. He is drowning is his late father’s wastrel debts & more importantly, the lady he wishes to marry has been successful in avoiding him. Alistair has gained an invitation to Mr. Devereaux Winter & Lady Emilia Winter’s Christmas country house party & the lady will be in attendance. He also is privy to the fact that her parents had given her an ultimatum, either she choose a husband by the end of the Christmas party or she would be sent to be a lady’s companion. He must find a way to convince Freckles of his sincerity in changing his ways & along with that her large dowry would pay his father’s debts & help in rebuilding the dukedom.
Lady Lydia Brownlow’s parents have insisted she make a decision on a husband or be faced with being a companion to the Marchioness of & her half dozen ill-mannered Corgis. They will be attending a Christmas house party & there will be several “fortune hunter” men looking for a wife & dowry to set themselves up in life. Lydia was also aware that Warwick will be in attendance, her brother’s best friend, a rake & the only male she knows she cannot resist. She has known him all of her life & tagged after the two boys throughout her childhood & she has been enamored with him as long as she can remember. Lydia is fully aware that she must avoid him because resisting him is hopeless & he is just another fortune hunter.
Alistair & Freckles have a wonderful adventure with his pursuit of her & her refusal to believe his sincerity. The bantering, humor, chase, romance, confessions, love & a HEA were so entertaining & an excellent holiday tale to put you in a happy holiday mood!
Although it was VERY short, it was a good, steamy read. This was Lydia and Alistair’s story. Lydia is the only one for him but he has a secret that could destroy their love. It was so short you can’t really talk about plot or character development. It was an entertaining 45 minutes! Can’t wait for the next longer one!
A wonderful addition to the series
This is another wonderful addition to a series that just gets better. The characters have plenty of obstacles of trust to overcome. This is a great book for all those that love steamy historical romances.
Short and sweet! Fun addition to the series. I am looking forward to reading more of the Winters this fall.
The Duke of Warwick is in need of a bride as his father gambled away most of the duchy’s money. He’s always has a soft spot for Lady Lydia Brownlow, sister of his best friend Rand. When they meet at the Winters’ house party Alistair realises that Freckles is the only woman he’ll marry but meets his match in a lady who has no intention of becoming his duchess. Lydia has loved Alistair ever since he rescued her from a pond years ago.
I loved this engrossing romance of Alistair wooing Lydia. Well written with lovely characters & once again I read it in a sitting, I first read this lovely novela in the A Lady’s Christmas Rake anthology
Starring Lady Lydia Brownlow and Alistair, Duke of Warwick. Older brother’s best friend and fortune hunter tropes.
Alistair needs funds to settle debts that he inherited from his father. Lydia is the easiest solution since she is an heiress who he is already physically drawn to. So he sets out to win her hand… one kiss at a time. Oh, my my!! Be prepared coz Alistair is totally swoon worthy. Gotta love a hero with swagger!!
Lydia is on her way to being a spinster. She believes that she is too tall and too out spoken to land a husband. So she’s just a little suspicious when Alistair turns his charms on her. Even though she’s always found him irresistible, she knows he’s a rake of the first water. Lydia is a very feisty heroine and doesn’t make things easy for Alistair. She will totally make him run for his money… well, literally. Ha!! Loved her spirit tho!!
So much feels for Alistair and Lydia. I love these two and their journey to HEA!! I loooooove that Alistair calls Lydia “Freckles”. You know that’s going to be a running “in joke” until they are they are both blessedly old and gray. It’s those little things that makes this reader giddy over a storybook couple.
By the way, this is my favorite line in the book…
“My life without her is like a night sky stripped of its stars.” ~Alastair
Gaaaah, I know right?! Forget it… even before that line I was already ugly crying AF. Another beautiful story from Scarlett Scott. It’s no wonder that I will read anything and everything she writes. She continues to create fabulous characters that I love meeting and am happy to cheer for. Scarlett Scott is an absolutely brilliant author… and that is why she is firmly on my Keeper Shelf.
My star rating: 5 stars x 100
Ugly cried AF. Major book hangover. Characters and storyline were freaken amazeballs. Made me wanna hug the author for writing a book that gave me all the feels!! Will definitely be re-reading this story over and over and over again!!