Christmas Angelby Jo Beverley

 Review by Barb Drozdowich

Christmas Angelby Jo Beverley explores the relationship between Leander, Lord Charrington and Judith Rossiter. Leander has spent many years on the Continent on diplomatic missions and has decided that it is time to settle down and create a family. Leander is a very handsome man who has been raised to be a charming diplomat; a man that women always fall in love with. However, he seems unable to fall in love with them. When he decides to marry, Judith, a poor widow with two children, seems to be someone he can create a life with. Judith is in need of rescuing and sees Leander’s offer of a partnership as the ideal solution to her problems.

This sets the scene for Leander to gradually grow as a person, developing a loving relationship with his “practical” wife and her two children while acting as a protector from the people who seek to harm the children.

 

I really enjoyed this book! It shows very interesting character development in Leander in this classic rescue of a “damsel in distress” story line. Leander starts the story as almost a 2 dimensional person. Very proper on the surface but very little depth. As his love for Judith develops it is almost as if he rounds out into a 3 dimensional person. Although Judith has lived a very proper, but essentially loveless life she is so deserving of the rich, love and laughter filled life she ends up! I love the subtle way that Jo Beverley treats the characters in this book. Although Leander is one of the “Company of Rogues”, the other Rogues really don’t have much of a role in this story. It is indeed as the Romantic Times states: “A beautifully complex love story that will become a treasured addition to every Regency connoisseur’s shelf.” Publishers Weekly says “Arguably today’s most skillful writer of intelligent historical romance.” Christmas Angel won the Reader’s Choice Award for Best Regency, and Waldenbooks award for Bestselling Regency.