'twas the Night After Christmas (Hellions of Halstead Hall, #6)

by Sabrina Jeffries

Dear Sir,
I feel I should inform you that your mother is very ill.
If you wish to see her before it is too late, you should come at once.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Camilla Stuart
Pierce Waverly, the Earl of Devonmont, has led an unabashed rogue's life, letting no woman near his heart. Inexplicably abandoned as a child to be raised by distant relatives, Waverly never forgave his parents. Only when a letter arrives, is his resolve shaken, and he takes what may be his last chance to discover the truth...
Two surprises await him at Montcliff where he returns for Christmas. His mother is perfectly healthy and couldn't be further from her deathbed. The second is Camilla Stuart, her lady's maid, a lively vicar's widow, too bright and beautiful not to arouse the scoundrel in Pierce.
Though she alone gives him reason to prolong his stay, Waverly is soon faced with more secrets... Why he was abandoned as a child, and why Camilla is so eager to reunite mother and son.
Camilla herself is caught up in love's complications since the arrival of the irresistible earl. As his bold flirtation and suggestive whispers draw her dangerously close, can anything protect her vulnerable heart? If they are to share an honest love, then secrets must be spilled - even if the truth may ruin everything they have...

• ISBN10: 1451642466
• ISBN13: 9781451642469
• Publish Date: 1 November 2012 (first published 30 October 2012)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: The Gallery Press
• Imprint: Gallery Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[Amanda]

3.5?

Man. This is the kind of book that I like while reading, then don't want to think about when I'm done, because it'll ruin the fun. (Don't ask me why I picked up a Christmas-related story in the summer, either. I just did.)

So it seems I'm to be plagued by characters who hold onto their secrets. Can't anything just be uncomplicated? Give them some outside obstacles! Or something. I didn't quite find these secrets as frustrating as other books I've read recently, though perhaps it was believable why they would be kept. EVEN THOUGH I JUST WANTED TO KNOW ALREADY, GOSH.

Randomly, it was cool to see Mr. Manton begin his investigative services, since I've already read that series. But I'm getting ahead of myself, especially since I intended this to be short and sweet.

Despite spending an entire novel with Camilla and Pierce, I'm not sure I feel like I know them much. Pierce was -- rightly so -- lost in his anger and hurt over his mother's abandonment, and Camilla was busy hiding her son and trying not to let herself fall for Pierce.

Who, again, starts off the story with ending a relationship with his mistress and WHY MUST SO MANY HEROES REQUIRE A STRING OF WELL-SATISFIED WOMEN IN THEIR PASTS? Satisfaction in the bedroom can be had with moderately or barely experienced peoples, and a man's value shouldn't be in the number of women he's bedded, just as a woman's value isn't in the number of men she hasn't. But my rant isn't necessarily Twas the Night After Christmas's problem, but rather a problem of all the historical romance books I've read recently.

*cough* Moving on.

I did like to see Pierce slowly repair his relationship with his mother, because there was (obviously, or there wouldn't be much of a story) a lot going on to cause what happened. I like that he was slayed by Camilla. Though really, why do men think becoming a mistress is something most women want? At least Camilla outlined all of the reasons why it was terrible. And it was sweet to see Pierce take to Jasper, Camilla's son. I'm not sure what to say about Camilla, because apart from being the kind of woman Pierce needed, I'm not sure what else there is to say about her.

I have another Sabrina Jeffries book waiting for me (don't ask which one, I don't know), and I shall look forward to it.