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Christmas Angel

Christmas Angel

List Price: $6.99
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Arguably the best of the series
Review: Although the Christmas theme is a minor element, Christmas Angel is a warm and wonderful book. It is much lighter than the others in the series: no truly dangerous villain, no manic life-or-death scenarios, no excruciating personal trials. Instead, this is a gentle tale of two people coming to terms with their own views about love and marriage and family. There is some danger and mystery, but it is minor compared to most of Beverley's stories.

Judith is a wise, but not worldly, widow who has a wealth of inner strength. She is a great, though somewhat overprotective, mother of two, who marries the younger Leander to provide for them (and herself). Along the way, however, Judith discovers that she has achieved a great deal more. A very real, down-to-earth heroine.

Leander is a dream of a hero: witty, urbane, kind, elegant, wealthy, and handsome, but underneath that cool, diplomatic self-control is a great need that he himself cannot define. Judith and his ready-made family quickly fill the void in his life. Leander is, in many ways, just an ordinary guy; although he has issues to deal with, he is not as tortured or volatile as most heroes. He's so very pleasant, too, that he comes across as the sort of man you really could spend a lifetime with.

So far, this may well be my favorite of the Company of Rogue series (and the Georges), although I am eagerly awaiting the book about the Rogue who most intrigues me, the quiet Stephen Ball. Until then, enjoy this excellent entry.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: And a Merry Christmas from Jo Beverly!
Review: Beverly is on track with her latest Rogue novel - in many ways she's at her peak with both romance and a light comic element. The only weak part of the book, in my opinion, is the quick solution to Leander's family problems - it seems a bit contrived. But why quibble? Most authors would kill to write a book this good.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Outstanding As Usual
Review: By the title, you may guess correctly, that I am a BIG Jo Beverley fan. This, the supposedly 3rd in the rogue series ( I find just about all tie into the series)is outstanding in the fact that here you have a younger man, pursuing an older, albeit young enough to be able to produce an heir,woman.

He is Leander Knollis, Earl of Charrington, who has issues over seeing the one sided aspect of love (his mother's love for the self centered father). He does not want this, so he looks for a biddable woman, who is unlikely to fall in love with him.

Enter, Judith Rossiter, akda the "Weeping Widow". A woman who to all seems still devasted and in mourning over her dearly departed husband. - OR SO IT SEEMS!

As usual, the dialog is crisp, sweet, funny and you get to actually SEE these two fall in LIKE, then LOVE. You also get to re-visit Nicholas and Eleanor and hear news of the other 'rogues' from the previous novels. What more could you ask for from this brilliant and wonderful author. Just MORE, MORE, MORE! Loved this! So very sweet you could read it over and over again!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Sweet But Not Holidayish
Review: Despite the title, there is little of the Christmas spirit in evidence in this reprint until the final chapters. However, it is a very sweet book. The plot has been summarized already so I won't get into that. One thing I enjoyed about this book is that the children act like real children, that is, they interfere at the most inopportune moments with their mother's love life! And Leander...who *wouldn't* marry him? He is suave, capable, and also a younger man, a definite plus. Judith, on the other hand... Well, she's just kind of *there*. I wasn't impressed with her, but I didn't dislike her either. She just seemed colorless.

I also agree with the other reviewer's statement that there is little sexual tension or sex in the book. Obviously no one reads these books for sex but it seemed odd to me that the encounters between two newlyweds, even if they were a marriage of convenience, were so far-spaced.

All in all, however, it is a very well-written and sweet book, and I enjoyed reading it. My favorite Beverley is still Forbidden, however, and I can't wait until it is reissued.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Just Not Interesting...
Review: I agree with the reviewer's title "Merely An Okay Read," in that this story was quite dull and if not for Nicholas & Eleanor it would really have tanked. This Leander had zilch for personality.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Where'd They Get THIS guy?
Review: I am a huge fan of Jo Beverely, but this had to be one of the worst books I've ever read. (Sorry) Leander wasn't even in the same league with the other rogues. All the other rogues were intriging and so were their stories.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Leander Character Unappealing
Review: I do love the Rogues, but I would never have selected a guy like Leander - he was too timid, too, I don't know, flat. Judith wasn't much better. Even when they first met, there was little to recommend them as a couple.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Lovely story
Review: I found this story last year, little realising it was part of the rogue's series. After reading this lovely story I had to find the rest of them, which I almost have now. I don't usually read historical novels unless they are timetravel, but this one definately has me hooked. I have just ordered "dangerous joy" (part of the rogue's series) which I have been looking for for ages & is very hard to find. I'm sure the whole series will be wonderful & I thank Jo for giving me a wonderful story.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: My favourite of the Rogues (so far!)
Review: I know that most people think that _An_Unwilling_Bride_ is the best of Jo Beverley's Rogues books. I disagree. While _Bride_ is certainly an excellent book, this book is better. For one thing, this book does not have any desperate villains, just one bumbling (but dangerous) one and one set of phantom villains. This lack of an adventure plot means that the romance must stand (or fall) on its own terms. This is a terrific story.

Both characters are completely believable. Each brings baggage to their marriage, and each learns to shed it in the course of the book. Leander is amazing -- worldly, strong, powerful, and yet strangely alone and vulnerable. Judith is living with the consequences of her early marriage to a stunningly romantic poet who turned out to be a stunningly unsatisfactory husband. The preconceptions they bring to their marriage, about themselves and about each other, need to be untangled before this Cinderella story can be resolved.

The resolution is believable, because the changes in each character are motivated and plausible. This story has lots of funny scenes, and some heart-rending passages, as well. The writing is clean and fluent. All in all, a very good book.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Merely An Okay Read
Review: I love most of JB's books, but this one? I just don't get it. It wasn't that romantic, and the story was weak. The characters were very bland. The best thing about this book is when Nicholas from AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE is in it and says the line: "Even so."


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