Four Stars
This was the most delightful book I’ve read in a while! Kiss Me at Christmas by Valerie Bowman had me grinning from start to finish with the cutest heroine and a sweet, dashing hero. I didn’t even know this was the tenth book in a series until a friend pointed it out to me! It stands alone that well. There are characters from the other books mentioned but, if you’re a first time Bowman reader like I was, you won’t have any problems picking this one up.
Picture me giving a standing ovation to all the sexual agency our heroine Lady Regina has. She is willing to marry a man she doesn’t love for the sake of her family’s peace of mind, but she doesn’t want everything decided for her. What’s a girl to do in that situation? How about proposition the hottie Bow Street Runner you met the previous summer. That’s precisely what she does, and I applauded her all the way. Did I mention that Regina is thirty? I love a mature heroine who knows not only what she wants but goes after it.
Daffin was a fabulous hero, even if his name brought to mind the much less sexy Daffy Duck. I don’t know what it is, but historical self-made men are really working for me right now (maybe it’s the handcuffs). Daffin was so sexy (just ask our heroine) and sweet to boot, I enjoyed the fact that he had a troubled past but wasn’t all dark and broody.
The chemistry between Daffin and Regina was perfect. Their banter was adorable and Regina’s awkwardness kept me laughing. She was so relatable. I honestly didn’t know who the villain was until they were revealed and it was just the right amount of action and angst.
I do wish there had been just a little bit more of the promised sexiness. Regina and Daffin were so great together, and I wanted them to explore it more than they did. I also feel like the character’s motivations changed about mid-book. This combined with a few dangling plotlines kept it from being a five star read.
Overall, this is the perfect Christmas read, or really, anytime read. The plot isn’t over the top Christmassy so I think it would be great all year round. This was my first Valerie Bowman novel, but it absolutely won’t be my last.
**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**
Romance Reader 