This is a nice duet of Regency Christmas novellas. The twist is that in this case, we have two diamonds who are attracted to men wallflowers, both for different reasons. The plots are a bit contrived and I liked the second one, A Lady's Gift for Scandal, more. Maybe these stories would have been better if they were full novels, but they're still an okay read. ( )

Fun Christmas duet!

What a quandary! Two young women know their families want them to marry. Neither wants to be married to an idiotic nobleman with nothing but hunting and other pursuits on their minds. Neither of them want to be relegated to being owned by a husband and the subsequent loss of their freedom. So after a chance meeting at a ball, a few laconic comments about the idiotic gentlemen playing a game where they all but singe their eyebrows off, the two decide to look for wallflower gents to help them out of their predicament.
Where do they look? Why the library of course!
And this is the start of two immeasurably pleasurable, light hearted, Christmas Regency romances that dovetail beautifully.
Think of Ayckbourn's Norman Conquests and how the play happens in three different rooms over three separate plays and you get the idea of how these stories intertwine.
We see each story within the individual's scope but outside the room the other story is going on.
I loved Lady Evangeline's efforts in A Lady’s Gift for Seduction by Jess Michaels, with her scientist Henry Killam and all her fears and the resolution. Full marks to Henry for his patience and determination.
I equally adored Thomasina Lesley's conundrum in A Lady’s Gift for Scandal by Elizabeth Essex . Tamsin of the glasses and managing ways forging ahead with Simon Cathcart who's hiding behind a simplistic outer bearing. Tamsin requires to be 'a little bit ruined' so that she can lead an independent life. Simon is to be the ruiner.
So the fun begins! Ideas hatched at an evening event take on different realities in the fullness of the sunlight.
Christmas cheer indeed. After of course, the requisite struggles for both parties.

A Passionate Pen ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.) ( )

Betrothed by Christmas by Jess Michaels & Elizabeth Essex
A Holiday Duet

This delightful duology provided me with escape, fun and holiday cheer as I read about two women who meet and form a plan to provide for their future. One wants nothing to do with marriage though she has been chosen as most beautiful of her sisters and thus more likely to land a wealthy husband so given a month to find him and the other knows her father will soon marry her off if she doesn’t find someone she prefers to marry who will live according to her own rules and regulations. Neither woman ends up with what she thought she wanted when the story began but both did end up with just what they wanted by the end of their stories. It was interesting that the male leads in both books were not the first sons of titled men. The two men were much more than what they appeared to be on the surface and brilliant even if others might not realize it. I really liked both Henry and Simon for some of the same and completely different reasons. Jess Michaels is one of my favorite authors and I believe, having just read my first book by Elizabeth Essex, that she very well could become a favorite, too.

Did I enjoy this book? Definitely!
Would I read more by these authors? Without a doubt

Thank you to NetGalley and The Passionate Pen for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars ( )