Review: The Lord Who Sneered and Other Tales

The Lord Who Sneered and Other Tales: A Regency Holiday AnthologyThe Lord Who Sneered and Other Tales
by Heidi Ashworth
Historical Romance
September 29th 2013 by Dunhaven Place Publishing


Goodreads summary:
Three touching, inspirational tales that evoke the essence of what we love most about the cold weather holidays. 

Ghosts in the Graveyard: October 1816. When Sir Anthony's cousin dies, a grieving widow is left behind, one no longer wanted when her father-in-law, the Duke of Marcross, sires a new heir. She is welcomed to Dunsmere by the Dowager Duchess; she has a plethora of empty bedrooms now that Sir Anthony and his bride, Ginny Delacourt, have moved from the premises. When Lady Avery claims she saw a ghost in the graveyard attached to the church on the Dunsmere estate, Anne, with help from Baldwin, the gardener, and handsome stranger Mr. Williams, attempts to unearth the meaning behind the eerie happenings at the Duchess' estate. Will they solve the mystery of the ghost before the cantankerous Dowager Duchess sends Mr. Williams away and all of Anne's hopes with him?

The other two stories are A Rose for Christmas (which is a sweet prequel of Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind about the Dowager Duchess, Ginny and the Duchess' gardener  and The Lord Who Sneered (which is about a peer of the realm who is rumored to be quite notorious, but whom Lady Sophie Lundell finds herself quite curious about regardless.
    



What I thought:
I really loved the first book in the series that this book is based off of, called Miss Delcourt Speak Her Mind. I have since read all of the books in this series as each one has been published. I like a lot of the humor, or rather, wit and sarcasm that the characters portray and I love the historical setting. These are the things that keep me coming back for more.

The Lord Who Sneered and Other Tales is a compilation of three short stories that make up approximately 100 pages. The first story, Ghosts in the Graveyard, is the longest of the three. I did want the MC's to have a little more backbone. It was just missing some umph. I think maybe I just prefer Ginny's character from the other books and her charisma and wit was missing. It was still a really sweet story and an enjoyable read. I would rate it at three stars. I did really like the ghost aspect. I thought that was pretty fun and perfect for this month (October).

In A Rose for Christmas we get the whole story behind The Dowager Duchess' rose competition that is mentioned (if I remember right) in Miss Delecourt Speaks Her Mind. I loved the way Ginny already shows her intellect and goodness, but also her wit and love for the woman who is basically taking care of her at that time. I thought the gardener's parts were really sweet as well. There is no romance in this one, but there is a brief meeting between the Duchess and her nephew who she hopes to eventually match-make with Ginny. I really liked this story and would rate this at three and a half stars.

The Lord Who Sneered was my favorite story from this compilation. It does have the most romance, but more importantly, it had some sincerity, some spunk, some decent banter, a dashing rogue, and a beautiful and posed young lady. It is almost an insta-love story, but not quite as they become friends as the Marquis of Trevelin tells his story and then that fondness grows as they are separated for some time. I also liked that the heroine, Sophie, doubts her feelings because she doesn't believe she should feel something for someone she has had so little interaction with. There are some sweet moments and I really loved the characters and how the story played out. I also love it when an author says so much with simple touches and meaningful looks passed between characters. This one I would rate at four stars. Here is a small snippet that I really liked:
     "My darling," he murmured, his eyes bright with a radiance that could have come from nowhere but within, "should I prove ungrateful if I dared hope for more bliss than I enjoy at this moment?"...
     "You need not hope," she said, brushing away the last of his tears. "You need only believe."
Overall, this was a sweet, quick, and fun read for those who enjoy Historical Romance. I definitely enjoyed it!

This is only $2.99 for your Kindle, which I think is well worth the price.

Content: Clean
Source: Received a copy from the author for an honest review.










Disclosure: This review is of a book I was given for free by an author, tour host, or publisher, or through NetGalley or Edelweiss. This in no way influences the opinions shared in my review. You may see my complete policy on my policies page. This post also contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase of any type using these links, I receive a small kickback.

No comments

Post a Comment

I love comments! I try to read and reply to them all. Feel free to agree or disagree and generally share your thoughts with me.