Christmas At Sugar Plum Manor By Roseanna M. White

Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor

by Roseanna M. White

Publisher: Bethany House

ISBN: 9780764242922

Ever a fan of Roseanna M. White's the opportunity couldn't be passed up to read her next novella. And that cover! It absolutely screams Christmas. The publisher sent me her book for review.

Summary:

The Nutcracker and Edwardian-Era England combine to weave a magical tale of love and friendship at Christmastime.

As the beloved stepdaughter of the Earl of Castleton, Lady Mariah Lyons cherishes her home at Plumford Manor, but her idyllic world will be threatened when the estate passes to Cyril Lightbourne, a childhood friend she hasn't seen or heard from in years. Once, Mariah dreamed their friendship would kindle into something more, but that was before she heard Cyril was courting the cruelhearted Lady Pearl. Now Mariah is willing to welcome him as a friend and pray he will be the heir her stepfather needs, but she'll keep her heart locked safely away from anyone with such poor taste.

Cyril Lightbourne has long avoided returning to Plumford Manor, yet he reluctantly arrives in time for Christmas. When his friendship with Lady Mariah reignites, he finds himself caught between his affection for her and her family's misunderstanding of his attachment to Lady Pearl. Then, more trouble arrives in the form of a Danish lord on a mission to win Mariah's hand by Christmas. Will the magic of the holiday season help lead to the discovery of true love, or will duty to country leave all longing for what could have been?

My Review:

What a fun and festive story!

In Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor, we meet Mariah along with her family as they prepare for the Christmas season. They also learn they'll be hosting the young man who will be taking over the manor one day as well as a Danish lord, both of whom may be vying for Mariah's attention.

Cyril met Mariah when they were young children and neither are sure they'll be able to claim the same friendship now that they're adults. Cyril seems like a humble young man who struggles with his identity and worth. Mariah is whimsical and utterly delightful. She cares for the people her stepfather oversees as the lord of the Manor.

I had moments where I imagined Mariah as either Rapunzel or Ana from the Disney movies. Cyril was such a genuine guy, you couldn't not like him, even when he was putting his foot in his mouth. Søren, the Danish lord reminded me of Hans from Disney's Frozen. Don't even ask me about Mariah's siblings. They were always just so cross... about everything!

Because this was a novella, misunderstandings weren't able to last long, and quite honestly, the men being direct and saying what they mean instead of lying was very refreshing. That doesn't mean there wasn't a bit of deception and misleading with some characters.

I was a bit surprised at the ending, but happily so! This story definitely has the charm of a 19th century English Christmas! It certainly made me wish I could try one of Plumford Manor's cook's sugar plums!

About the Author:

Roseanna M. White (RoseannaMWhite.com) is a bestselling, Christy Award-winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she's homeschooling, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books . . . . to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.