The Christmas Love Child by Jennie Lucas

Light, winter romance

4 Stars

American secretary Grace Cannon is determined to save enough money to ensure her family don’t lose their house. Working in London at Christmastime should be fun but instead she’s buying lingerie for her boss’s fiancé and being paid very little for her trouble.

But then she is swept into the glamorous world of Russian Prince Maksim Rostov. He treats her like a queen and teaches the unworldly Grace all the secrets of seduction.

When Grace realises Maksim took her innocence for a business deal, she flees but not before discovering she’s pregnant with his child. When Maksim finds out, he steals her away, keeping her captive in his snowy mansion in Moscow. Both are determined to keep the other at bay but they can’t help their hearts from thawing despite the weather outside.

I actually really enjoyed this story which has a wintry, if not really Christmassy feel throughout. The characters were likeable, realistic and although you never did delve completely into their motives and thoughts, you still root for the couple to get together.

The only thing that annoyed me about the story was Grace’s lack of faith in Maksim. It irked me quite a lot and I would have preferred to see the pair’s time in Russia drawn out a bit more rather than just getting conflict from the characters inability to have a conversation with one another or believe each other when they did speak.

Regardless, this is a light, fun romance with a touch of winter sparkle. If you’re looking for something to take your mind off things for a while then this book is recommended.

50 Ways To Find A Lover by Lucy Anne Holmes

Entertaining and readable chick-lit

4 stars

Sarah Sargeant is nearly thirty and still doesn’t have much luck with either dating or acting! However, rather than giving up hope, and with the encouragement of friends and family, Sarah embarks on a mission to find herself a good man.

This book is based on Lucy-Anne Holmes’ own blog which is actually just an account of her own life with a number of exaggerations and additions to make it more interesting.

I have to say that I really enjoyed this book. It was fun, witty and a good, entertaining read throughout. Although I can understand the comparisons to Bridget Jones, I felt that the character of Sarah was much more relatable and someone that I would like as a friend. Some times I find chick-lit a little too depressing and true to life so I personally loved the fact that this story followed a tried and tested formula. Some may find it predictable but I just can’t resist a happy ending!

Overall this is an enjoyable read and something light that will entertain you and keep you engrossed. If you like a fun, romantic read about the modern dating game then I would recommend this book to you. 4 stars.