Kind Ella for the Charming Duke by Bridget Barton

Here's the blurb from Goodreads

Following the death of her beloved father, Ella Winfield is devastated when her mother, a woman with untamed social aspirations, hastily marries the Earl of Dandridge. He is a humorless man, and one whom Ella does not trust for a moment. Leaving her beloved Longton Manor behind, Ella is cast adrift in the large and unwelcoming Dandridge Hall, despite her desperate plea that her mother need not marry at all.

The Earl's daughters, Lady Patience and Lady Georgiana, are spoiled and manner less young ladies, used to their own way in all things and fiercely competitive with one another. But when the Duke of Hillington is reported to be searching for a suitable bride, the tension between the sisters reaches new heights. With Ella's simple beauty, intelligence, and fine manners, the Earl seeks to hide her away from the world and, more importantly, the Duke of Hillington himself.

When he determines that Ella not attend a masquerade ball to which the whole family has been invited, Ella takes it upon herself to attend in disguise and spy on the ambitious little family for her own amusement. When she finds herself in anonymous conversation with the Duke himself, she realizes that there is more to him than a man who would seek nothing more than a pretty bride with a large dowry. He is open and amusing and she finds herself quite captivated.

Rufus Darnley, the Duke of Hillington, cannot shake from his mind the curious and exciting young woman who appeared at his masquerade ball uninvited, and he can no longer find any enthusiasm for his search for a wife with whom he might provide an heir to the Duchy. When he finds the discarded mask of the mysterious woman who left the ball without a word, he holds on to the hope that he might one day discover her true identity.

As the Earl of Dandridge plots the most appalling schemes to keep the Duke interested in his own daughters, Ella Winfield must do what she can to stop the man she is fast becoming attracted to from being steered in the direction of either Lady Patience or Lady Georgiana, all without being discovered by the family who have, one by one, turned their backs upon her.



I really liked this book. Ella is a wonderful main character, a sensible young girl who is practical and a bit adventurous at the same time. She ends up in a horrid situation because of her mother, but tries everything in her power to make her situation bearable. I loved the variation on the "best friend character" that's always present in Barton's books, as this time it is not another girl if the same social status as Ella, and in case of the duke it isn't a man of the same age as him. The only reason for not giving this book five stars is because the extended epilogue isn't part of the book, and it took me a bit to find it in the web (it's free and it's lovely, but having to look for it elsewhere was a bit annoying).

It has certainly unseated A Bride for the Betrayed Earl as my favorite by Bridget Barton.

Regifted: Three holiday romances by D.J. Jamison

here's the blurb from Goodreads

This box set includes three previously published holiday romances by DJ Jamison: Winter Blom, Chance for Christmas, and Yours For The Holiday. 

Winter Blom: Lane Cross works construction to pay the bills, and makes metal art to … also pay the bills. As a single dad, the enjoyment of his art has taken a backseat to making ends meet. And his love life has taken a back seat to caring for his son, especially when Zach, age 6, sabotages every babysitting attempt Lane makes. Then Lane meets news intern Andy Blom. The man’s Swedish name meaning bloom is perfect for him: Andy is refreshingly sweet and vibrant. But when Lane moves too fast, will he scare away the surprisingly innocent young man – or will Andy’s journalistic ethics end them before they ever begin? 

Chance for Christmas: Chance Rasmussen returns to Ashe, Kansas, eight years after his high school crush humiliated him with a sext that went viral. He's low on holiday spirit with his personal ghost of Christmas past haunting him, but when his BFF asks him to attend a party as her fake date, he reluctantly agrees. The last person he expects to see there is Joe Stewart, the compassionate prosecutor he hero-worshipped during the lowest point of his life. The spark of attraction is still there, but Chance isn't planning to stay in Ashe past the holidays and the specter of his past still looms large between them. Can they find a way to build a future together or will Joe only have Chance for Christmas? 

Yours For The Holiday: Remy Wells is in no mood to share a room with his brother's best friend during a holiday stay. Jason Hendricks has always treated him like a little brother to tease and taunt, all the more embarrassing because Remy has secretly crushed on the jerk since puberty. But when Jason confides he's bisexual, Remy realizes the crush he loves to hate could be the perfect rebound. 

Two of the books in this set are from the Ashe Sentinel Connections universe, but each romance introduces new characters and can be read on its own. 


Definitely worth it.
Winter Blom: the story of Andy, a young adult in his first (unpaid) internship falling for a widowed man with a son. A bit fast for me in the falling for each other part, but overall really cute.
Chance for Christmas: super adorable. I loved the way Chance's trauma was dealt with, and Joe's character is really nice, and quite different than what I'm used to see by DJ Jamison. Really liked it.
Yours for the Holiday: my absolute favorite of the three. The way Remy and Jason slowly learn to trust each other in a way that goes beyond the relationship of frenimity they'd kept so far is so sweet, and the general hardships they go through are so relatable it makes the story all the more endearing. Totally loved it 

I totally recommend this set. If you don't feel like getting all the books, then at the very least get Yours for the Holiday. 
Note: I have read all the previous Ashe Sentinel books, but both Chance for Christmas and Winter Blom can be easily read as standalones, and are easy to understand as such.