Festive, passionate and oh, so good!!

How can it be that I have never read a Sophie James book before this??
My goodness, I must be walking around in a bubble again - ah, well it seems that I will be stocking up my kindle with her backlist.
I love this book - it's such a sweet and charming read and a great introduction to this talented author, I can't wait to read more from her now.

This is exactly what I want from a historical romance;
Victorian Christmas romance
Intelligent, kind and caring heroine.
Sensitive, charismatic and fragile hero - one I just want to hug tight!!
Cleverly entwining mystery running side by side with the romance.
All the feels and full of heart!
Gorgeous romance with so much emotion.

The writing is so engaging and incredibly easy yot read, I am not the fastest of readers but I flew through this and enjoyed every page. I loved the relationship between Lottie and Jasper and how their romance blossomed, they really got and respected each other which was refreshing.

A definite must-read!

I really enjoyed this book. A complex heroine, cracking plot with added mystery, and very well written. I will look out for books by this author in future.

Miss Lottie’s Christmas Protector is a M&B Historical romance written by Sophia James. Victorian romance set in the seedier parts of London, Lottie Fairclough is the determined heroine. Slightly (very) infatuated with the hero, Jasper King, she is determined that her elder sister, Amelia, will not have marry a man she dislikes and also find her elder brother, Silas, last heard of setting sail for America to find his fortune! She works at the Fairclough Foundation with her mother as they try to help poor women and children out of poverty. Jasper has just recovered from a terrible accident that left him addicted to laudanum. He has managed to kick his addiction but he is concerned his injuries will eventually lead him into having to use a wheelchair. Lottie seeks him out as he potentially will be able to find her brother as they are both engineers plus she hopes to persuade him to marry her sister.
Lottie and James have an instant attraction but Hanes is resolute that he will stay single as he fears no one will be able to cope with him when he is consumed with pain. He helps Lottie track down one of the girls from the Foundation who had disappeared. Will they find their HEA?

I found this an interesting read. Not just a romance it also touches on the social and economic problems of the era and there is an element of mystery with the disappearance of Lottie’s friend.


I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley

A Victorian romance set in the poorer side of London,with an intelligent,improverished heroine, and a tortured, socially sensitive hero.

The historical detail brings the Victorian era alive. The characters are authentic and complex,and the romance between Lottie and Jasper is slow burning,rife with conflicts and ultimately passionate.

An emotional Victorian romance,which highlights poverty,vice and the Victorian attitude to women.

I received a copy of this book from Mills and Boon via Netgalley.

Another lovely story from the ever reliable Sophia James, Lottie has been a little infatuated with Jasper King, since he spent time with her sister Amelia and her brother Silas 8 years ago. She works with her mother and sister to run the Fairclough Foundation which helps the poor and destitute, especially women, in London. However they have little money, and her sister is seriously considering marrying a man she doesn’t like, to save them all. Lottie is the youngest, and has been seen as a bit flighty and unable to settle to anything. She is determined to try and see if Jasper can be convinced to marry Amelia.

Since he was last at the foundation, Jasper has been seriously injured in a mechanical accident, is in constant pain, and has, with difficulty weaned himself off an addiction to laudanum. He is instantly attracted to Lottie, and she to him, but he is determined to stay single, as he believes no one could cope with his regular pain filled episodes.

They are both thrown together, as they try to find a girl who seems to have been abducted & groomed by a n unsavoury gang. With this proximity, they can’t help but grow closer. Will they give in to their attraction, or will Jasper stay stoic, and reject any chance of a HEA.

It was a nice change to read about an angst ridden and self sacrificing male in one of these books, and ms James does this type of angsty drama well.

I liked it.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

Posted on sites including goodreads

A well written and enjoyable story. I couldn’t put it down so, if you decide,
To buy, be aware that you may end up reading all night, as I did!

I really liked this beautifully written historical romance. The characters interacted well and had plenty of chemistry. Read in one sitting.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Mills & Boon Insiders for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest reviews.

I enjoyed the fact that there was a mystery at the heart of this book with Lottie worried for her friend who has disappeared. Lottie isn’t afraid to go looking for her friend but needs help which is when Jasper King steps in. I loved getting to know Jasper’s character, he was strong but had a vulnerable side and I enjoyed their interactions together. Lottie is a determined and likeable character but impulsive often finding trouble wherever she goes.

The story had a sweet blossoming romance and it was great to see Lottie and Jasper grow closer even though they tried hard not to fall for each other. One thing to note is that even though this book has Christmas in the title I didn’t find it too festive so it can be read at any time of the year.

Three and a half stars rounded up to four.

This is an historical novel that has the normal features of the genre with the added benefit of a discussion of some of the social ills of the time. I always think that this adds an extra element of interest as I enjoy reading about social or political history.
Set in London and around Kensington, which is of course, one of the most expensive and poshest areas of London, it was also notorious in the late 19th century for the Jennings Buildings.
Just FYI Magpie is slang for a thief - as we all know what magpies do, and magpies lived in the Jennings Buildings, hance the name Old Pye Street. Jennings built 81 two storey wooden tenements grouped over 5 courts, meant for 200 or so inhabitants. He built 49 toilets to serve the 5 courts.
At the time this story was set there were probably over 1000 people living in the Irish Rookery as the Jennings Buildings became known. At least 800 of the inhabitants were known to be Irish. The Irish peasants and labourers and their families had emigrated to London in vast numbers over the 19th century due to poverty, illness and famine and crowded into what accommodation they could get however unsanitary. The men tended to be construction workers and fruit pickers and the women worked the laundries.
Here’s an interesting historical note to add to this, in the early 20th century the Irish immigrated a little further afield many into Kilburn, North London, which became known as Little Ireland and were supporters of the IRA. But the men were still labourers and ‘bogtrotters’ ie from farm land, and the women who emigrated tended to go into the care and nursing industries and wouldn’t marry them! Too poorly educated and bad tempered. I know this from my Irish friends in that area...
As for the Jennings Buildings they were so notorious they were demolished in 1873 and a very large house was built on the many acres, by a gentleman called Grant . Grant was riding high and generally enjoyed public confidence. In this period he resolved to build a vast house in its own grounds close to Kensington Palace, on the combined sites of the previous Kensington House, Colby House, the slums of Jennings Buildings and associated plots. In 1872 he proceeded to buy the freeholds of Kensington House and Colby House and to demolish them. (British History Online.)
Next year he purchased the freeholds of Jennings Buildings and other properties on and behind the east side of Kensington Square. Here the prices are known: £14,000 for one tract including Nos. 2 and 3 Kensington Square, £11,000 for another, and £2,000 for a ragged school run by the parish. Commentators of the time marvelled that Grant did not resort to law to eject the tenants of Jennings Buildings. He simply paid them off as necessary and let them carry off any woodwork they wanted, so accelerating the work of destruction.
Grant's expenditure on buying the land and building his new Kensington House was estimated to have been about £300,000 but by 1882 the house was up for sale by Grant’s creditors as he owed so much and In June the first sale of materials occurred; portions of the marble stairs were acquired for installation at Madame Tussaud's,
So after the history lesson, did I enjoy the book? Yes, not only because it enabled me to delve into some social history, but also because it was true to life and well written.
4

I really enjoyed reading this book, it was really written. The chemistry is clearly there between Jasper and Lottie right from the start. The characters are very engaging and believable and it was a nice little tale. I was able to read it in one sitting and was really captivated. Well written a nice all round story,

Not really a Christmas story at all, which is why I wanted to read this one which was a bit of a disappointment but taken as a story removed from the theme. it was quite an interesting mix of Victorian melodrama with just enough grit to keep this girl engaged. the romance element was much as one would expect it to be in a Mills & Boon book and I found myself not as enthralled as I might have been given that the set up was promising.

I voluntarily read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine and unbiased

A quick enjoyable read
Great story telling

Working in her family’s charity foundation for destitute women, caring but impulsive Miss Charotte Fairclough is suffering from a cough so stays behind when her mother & sister head off to a house party, promising she will follow in a few days once she’s recovered. However Lottie is desperately trying to find a missing young woman, Harriet. She ropes in family acquaintance Mr Jasper King to help her. She first saw Jasper several years ago & he’s left a lasting impression. Jasper was hurt in an accident three years ago & the shrapnel in his leg still pains him & at times is almost unbearable.
A well written book that flows effortlessly there’s the mystery about Harriet's disappearance to solve. The chemistry between Jasper & Lottie is there from the start & only grows as they come to like & respect each other. There are misunderstandings & doubts on the road to their HEA but Lottie is strong, determined & won't back down, it’s her tenacity that helps to heal Jasper in more ways than one. I thoroughly enjoyed it & look forward to more in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read