What Happens at Christmas

This story was delightful. Fun characters and beautiful scenery. I loved Camille and Grayson’s story very much. I don’t know how Victoria manages to keep all the plot lines and characters going, but she does a fine job with all of it. There is one sex scene which is gratuitous, and came so late in the book why bother. It isn’t necessary to the story line at all so I’m knocking off half a star. I wish authors would stop putting smut in books that have substantial merit without it. Wake up people! Imagination by the reader is quite sufficient in a romance without describing verbatim what happens in the bedroom. While it didn’t ruin the book, I pretty much skipped over that part and luckily it didn’t go on for very long. I’ll continue to read Victoria’s books in hopes that I find as good a story as this one, but without any smut. Hope I’m not disappointed.

When I began reading this, I realized within the first few pages that it was meant to be, basically, a Christmas farce. I almost groaned because, in my experience, these are difficult to do well. I\’m glad I stuck with it, because this one actually works. Camille wants to impress a prince and she\’s worried that her real family isn\’t impressive enough. So she decides to hire a troupe of actors to play her family and create a perfect Christmas for the prince. Unfortunately, her \”perfect\” plan is derailed by a host of factors, including her long-lost love showing up after eleven years away. Alexander does something difficult here, creating a charming farce that also manages to be a sweet romance. Many reviews note that Camille isn\’t particularly likable. Yes, she had aspects to herself she had to challenge in order to find love, but I don\’t mind a bit of that in romance. She\’s capable and clever and she made her way in the world because she was taught that she had to watch out for her own interests, as she couldn\’t count on anyone doing that for her. The only (minor) quibble I had with the story was that there is so much backstory to get through between Camille, her sisters, her mother and father, and a neighbor with multiple failed engagements . . . . it was a lot and it made this feel more like a later installment in the series than the first book.

This was a very amusing Christmas story. Camille, Lady Lydingham, wanted the fairy tale life so when she met a prince who was travelling. Camille put a plan into motion designed to charm Prince Nikolai Pruzinksy of Greater Avalonia into proposing to her and making her a princess. The problem was that she didn\’t feel that her family was the \”right sort\” to endear the prince to her, as they were quite eccentric. So Camille decided to hire a troupe of actors to portray a proper and respectable English family. While Camille and her married twin sister Beryl, Lady Dunwell, put their scheme into motion, Camille\’s first love Grayson Elliot came by. Grayson had decided that Camille was the one that got a way and he came to woo her back. Unfortunately he walks into this grand spectacle of a Christmas holiday with Camille\’s faux family. Both Prince Nikolas and Grayson wanted to prove they were the right suitor. Her twin sister just wants her to be happy. The rest is just comedic genius. I wasn\’t expecting to enjoy this story so much but it was funny. Camille was very likable even though she was a bit of a dreamer. I give her a A for the trying in earnest to pull of a ruse of this magnitude. It required nerves of steel and sheer willpower to remain committed when parts of her story were falling part. Camille and her sister improvised so well, I almost expected them to decide to go into the theater afterwards. I liked the drama because it felt like watching a live play with the blunders, bloopers and improvisation. The romance was also sweet and heart felt. I was pleased with how the love story was resolved. The audiobook narrator did an awesome job with various voices. I was never bored in this story. If you want an entertaining Christmas story and a second chance romance, I highly recommend this one.

I apparently got this several years ago as part of a daily deal email and then forgot about it. I ran across it recently when looking for a book with a Christmas theme. It is basically a Romantic Comedy set in 19th century England. I found it amusing and was enjoying it. However, there is a descriptive bedroom scene towards the end that I felt ruined the light, silly mood of the book. Had planned on recommending it to some people but probably won\’t now.

Camille, Lady Lydingham, knows what she wants for Christmas – an engagement with a Prince. But her family is \”somewhat\” unconventional – and that is an understatement. She intends to give her prince a perfect English Christmas and she has a plan. Grayson Elliot – the former \”boy\” next door has returned to England after fleeing the country 11 years prior to make his fortune in America. What was he fleeing? Camille\’s pending marriage – and he still hasn\’t gotten over her breaking his heart. Returning home under the pretext of his Uncle being ill, Grayson discovers that Camille is at home in Millworth Manor – the woman he declared his love to then promptly running away. And he has a plan. What ensues is a delightful farce as a troop of actors is hired to impersonate Camille\’s family and the unexpected return of her real family… chaos ensues. Excellent book to get you in the mood for the holidays and it will make you believe in second chances for happiness. Laughter and tears, it has it all! Next book in the series: The Importance of Being Wicked The Importance of Being Wicked

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