The Dance Before Christmas, by Victoria Alexander, was oroginally published in October of 2018. Dance is Christmastime novella in Ms Alexander's The Lady Travelers Society. My box of gold stars is 5 stars lighter. Ms Alexander has gotten a, rare for me, 5 star review. Another fun & witty romp that kept my interest from beginning to end. As a story of mistaken identity with a touch of a 1930's screwball comedy thrown in. The characters are engaging, interesting, and think quick on their feet. Lovely people who don't want to hurt friends & relatives but take a twisty path to get around it. Once again I fell in love with the meddling matchmakers. These ladies are the kind of uber-cool grandmothers I'd liked to have had. The plot is a hoot & I won't give it away, just be careful you don't snort coffee out of your nose. Just saying, it's hard to get off the kindle screen.

#VictoriaAlexander #HQNBooks #TheDanceBeforeChristmas #TheLadyTravelersSociety #HistoricalRomance #Fun&Witty ( )

This was a short, fun story about a mistaken identity that leads to love. Anabel is in a pickle. She will soon be twenty-one, and her father has decided it's time she was married, and who better than a childhood friend of hers and son of his friend. The problem is, Anabel thinks of Douglas as a friend and a brother, and she wants to marry for love. So she and her aunt have hired an actor to play the part of her suitor.

Wesley came to England to meet with the leaders of the Explorers Club, hoping to interest them in his new chronometer. Instead, he found himself helping out a damsel in distress. He is intrigued by her story and charmed by Anabel herself, and quite willing to pretend to be the actor in question.

Anabel and Wesley's first encounter was fun. He has sort of crashed the ball, using his uncle's invitation, to meet the chairman of the Explorers Club. As he is pondering his next move, he is accosted by Anabel, who mistakes him for her actor. She goes on and on about the job, barely letting Wesley get in a word. He is quickly intrigued by Anabel and noting her connection to the man he wants to talk to, figures that helping her would also help him. He did not expect to fall hard and fast for her. Anabel is also taken aback by her reaction to him, not expecting to be attracted to an actor of all people.

I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop. Wesley and Anabel have more in common than either suspected, and it wasn't long before their connection started to grow. It was aided and abetted by Poppy, Gwen, and Effie, who served as chaperones on the couple's outings. Those who have read The Riseand Fall of Reginald Everheart will recognize the name that Wesley's alter ego uses. The ladies get involved because of it, and their assistance provides some laugh-out-loud moments. It isn't long before Wesley feels guilty about the deception and fears Anabel's reaction to the truth. He wants Anabel for himself, as himself, and isn't quite sure how to make it happen. Anabel has fallen just as hard for Wesley, who she believes is a penniless actor. I liked her confidence in her feelings and her belief that Wesley's actor profession is not an insurmountable obstacle. The ending was terrific. The ladies' creativity is called into service once again as they find a way to resolve all the issues. I was also quite impressed with Anabel's reaction to all of the revelations. ( )

Part of the Lady Travelers Society series, this is a light-hearted romp, perfect for pre-Christmas reading. I loved the main characters simply because they are good people and perfect for each other. The web that is woven is quite simple, so I enjoyed seeing how it all got tangled and then simply twined together.

If you like traditional romances with maybe a spicy kiss, then this book would probably be up your alley. Victorian romance readers would enjoy it. Probably people who read Christmas Regencies would fall for it, too. ( )