A Matchmaker's Christmas (Zebra Regency Romance)

Rating:
Summary: Corrected publication date
Review: Congratulations to Donna Simpson for writing such a lovely Christmas read. A Matchmaker's Christmas combines four love stories well told against a holiday house party in the bleak north Yorkshire countryside. And, well done for getting the descriptions of the countryside, the weather and the travelling conditions accurately done!

An elderly widow, the comtesse Bournard, conspires to bring five people to her home for Christmas with the admitted goal of matchmaking. A sixth person, Lord Vaughan, conveniently appears, seeking refuge from a winter storm. The Rev Mark Rowland, a serious, handsome and sweet man hankers after Lady Silvia, the daughter of a haughty earl although Lady Bournard wants to attach him to Verity Allen, a boisterous but friendly girl from the wilds of Canada.

Watching over all of this with increasing concern is the comtesse's companion of more than a decade, Beatrice Copland. She is meant to be matched to Sir David Chappell, the protege of the comtesse.

Of course, Lady Bournard's plans go askew but, in this novel, it is not a comedic pen the author uses. Rather, there is a lot of introspection and saddness which contributes to misunderstandings and some initial unhappiness for the three couples. In the end (although not until a full year later) everything comes right.

I enjoyed this book and each couple was well drawn. It was particularly gratifying that Sir David and Beatrice are middle aged yet they, too, enjoy that frisson we all feel when we find true love and meet our soul mates.

And the fourth love story? It is, of course, Lady Bournard, married at 40 to a French emigre and widowed for 20 years. Still in love with him, still yearning for him and waiting to be with him again.

Highly recommended; not frothy but an extremely entertaining and satisfying read which highlights the true meaning of the sprirt of the Christmas season - love, giving, sacrifice and second chances.

Rating:
Summary: Exactly right for the holidays
Review: Congratulations to Donna Simpson for writing such a lovely Christmas read. A Matchmaker's Christmas combines four love stories well told against a holiday house party in the bleak north Yorkshire countryside. And, well done for getting the descriptions of the countryside, the weather and the travelling conditions accurately done!

An elderly widow, the comtesse Bournard, conspires to bring five people to her home for Christmas with the admitted goal of matchmaking. A sixth person, Lord Vaughan, conveniently appears, seeking refuge from a winter storm. The Rev Mark Rowland, a serious, handsome and sweet man hankers after Lady Silvia, the daughter of a haughty earl although Lady Bournard wants to attach him to Verity Allen, a boisterous but friendly girl from the wilds of Canada.

Watching over all of this with increasing concern is the comtesse's companion of more than a decade, Beatrice Copland. She is meant to be matched to Sir David Chappell, the protege of the comtesse.

Of course, Lady Bournard's plans go askew but, in this novel, it is not a comedic pen the author uses. Rather, there is a lot of introspection and saddness which contributes to misunderstandings and some initial unhappiness for the three couples. In the end (although not until a full year later) everything comes right.

I enjoyed this book and each couple was well drawn. It was particularly gratifying that Sir David and Beatrice are middle aged yet they, too, enjoy that frisson we all feel when we find true love and meet our soul mates.

And the fourth love story? It is, of course, Lady Bournard, married at 40 to a French emigre and widowed for 20 years. Still in love with him, still yearning for him and waiting to be with him again.

Highly recommended; not frothy but an extremely entertaining and satisfying read which highlights the true meaning of the sprirt of the Christmas season - love, giving, sacrifice and second chances.

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable Christmas storyline; wonderful characters
Review: Donna Simpson is one of my favorite authors and she does not disappoint me in this wonderful Christmas tale. Eighty year old Lady Elizabeth Bournard tries her hands at matchmaking with unusual results. The romances she engineers (even one for her companion) are all wonderful but not exactly what she was expecting. There is much soul searching and actually some heartbreak involving the couples invited for a winter holiday.

We are kept guessing what poor Beatrice Copland (Lady Bournard's companion) has done to make her skittish around the handsome Sir David Chappell. She somehow knew him during her "season" twenty years before and the mystery is not revealed for quite a while. I loved that Beatrice and David were older than the normal Regency couple. A nice touch that Donna Simpson has done in other books.

The other characters are equally delightful. I really enjoyed the "colonial" (Canadian) Verity. What an unusual woman! And Lady Bournard is wonderful too despite her crotchety ways.

The story lagged at some points. I just wanted everyone to resolve their disagreements and find the love they deserved. Eventually the proper happy ending was obtained - not a light hearted Christmas tale but definitely worth reading.

Rating:
Summary: Corrected publication date
Review: I would just like to point out that the publication date is undoubtedly NOT October of 1902!

Rating:
Summary: Far better than average for this sort of book -- 3 & 1/2 *
Review: The little Christmas tale, while imperfect, is far better than most holiday Regencies. First, the main couple is older(he's 47, she's 39)--that's a rare treat, and it's very well done. Granted, Beatrice is a bit of a martyr, but it's a sweet romance nonetheless.

The two younger couples are different: one young lady is a first-class hoyden and her eventual mate is none too likeable at first. With the second pair, he's a bit of a stick-in-the-mud--very serious--while she's rather delightful in a quiet, well-bred sort of way.

One problem with the novel is that the author sometimes forgets what the characters do or do not know and either repeats or contradicts earlier information. Nevertheless, the book is more complicated than many of its ilk and manages to surprise the reader in the last chapter. It takes these couples quite a while to get together, but the wait is generally enjoyable and occasionally engrossing.

Rating:
Summary: Too long
Review: The reason I gave this book four stars is that it really contained three love stories in one and none of them got the length or developement that they deserved. You fall in love with the three very different, but all delightful couples and just when you are pulled into one love story and thoroughly caught, it jumps to another. That is my only complaint.

The plot was delightful in itself. An elderly lady decides to hold a Christmas house party and throw two couples that would be utterly perfect for each other in close proximity. But everything goes wrong (or right, depending on point of view) when love, not to mention some unexpected guests, are thrown into the mix.

Couple Number One: Beatrice, our matchmaker's companion, and David, the matchmaker's godson. They appear to be perfect for each other and their attraction is undeniable, but they share a past that could ruin their future before it ever begins.

Couple Number Two: Lady Silvia, a heiress and gentleman's daughter, and Mark, a poor vicar. This couple's story was the most romantic...and painful. Their love was immediate, but their different stations in life stand in the way.

Couple Number Three: Verity, an unconventional and wild Canadian, and Vaughn, a proper gentleman determined to marry...Silvia.

It's a merry Christmas indeed...full of second chances, first love, and plenty of mistletoe. Do not miss it!

Rating:
Summary: Give yourself a Christmas treat
Review: This is, quite simply, an excellent romance -- or should I say, romances? I imagine it is difficult enough creating a pair of well-drawn, fully realized characters and developing their romance in a satisfying way, but Donna Simpson achieves this with not one, not two, but three couples. Each character is distinct, and each romance is compelling.

The main couple -- politician Sir David Chappell & lady's companion Beatrice Copland -- are a refreshingly mature pair in their forties who think that their chance for happiness has passed. The assorted young people include a wild Canadian hoyden, a demure yet determined daughter of an earl, a reckless young lord who hopes to marry an heiress, and a vicar who dares not hope he can marry above his station. They are all brought together for Christmas by an elderly lady with matchmaking schemes, but love finds its own way in the end.

One of the best Regencies I've read this year. A real Christmas treat.

Rating:
Summary: a poignant and memorable read
Review: When her beloved husband died 20 years ago, a heartbroken Lady Elizabeth Bournard retired to Yorkshire to live the rest of her life in retirement. Now, however, as she finally faces her mortality, she chafes at her noninvolvement with life, and firmly resolves to do something commendable before she finally passes on. And what Lady Elizabeth has decided to do is to host a Christmas party so that she can play matchmaker and promote a few matches. For example, a little worried about the future of her companion, Beatrice Copland, Lady Elizabeth has decided to promote a match between her godson, the distinguished politician Sir David Chappell, and Beatrice; and Lady Elizabeth just knows that Mark Rowland, the great-nephew of her oldest friend would make an excellent match for Verity Allen, a cousin from Canada.

What Lady Elizabeth has not counted on however, is that her victims would have their own desires, needs, fears and resolutions. Verity Allen for example, has no desire to marry an Englishman, and wants desperately to return to Canada. While Mark Rowland, a vicar, finds Verity and her free and easy ways not at all to his taste, and only has eyes for another young lady. And as for Beatrice Copland, well she shares a rather dark secret that involves the dashing politician, and she'd rather not deal with either her painful past or Sir David Chappell if she can help it! Whith all this swirling emotions, does the Christmas house party have any hope of being a success? Will Lady Elizabeth's machinations bear fruit? Or will the independently minded younger people prevail?

Story-wise this is a really interesting and engrossing read. Donna Simpson does a wonderful job of bringing all the characters of "A Christmas Matchmaker" to life. And the book is a really good example of how one does not need an evil or unlikeable character to keep things humming. On the other hand, if you're looking for a really romantic read, full the does-(s)he-dosen't-(s)he-motif, you should be aware that there is actually not that much of this, as "A Matchmaker's Christmas" is a character driven novel, that focuses more on how each character develops and grows before our eyes. Not that I minded at all! To the contrary, reading "A Matchmaker's Christmas" was (for me anyway) very much like indulging in a tasteful and elegant romance novel for adults (without all the sighing and tears). The characters were all real and engaging with all their little strengths and foibles, the story was a truly nifty and compelling one, and the plot unfolded smoothly and flawlessly, and was really evocative of the period. All in all, "A Matchmaker's Christmas" turned out to be a poignant and memorable read not to be missed.