The Christmas Tart

De: Mary Jo Putney

Narrado por: Siobhan Waring

A Chance Christmas Connection

Tired of dealing with legalities relating to his father's unexpected death, new baronet Sir Philip Selbourne is ready to leave London and head home for Christmas. But having spent a boyhood rescuing strays, he's unable to resist helping a desperate young woman with speaking brown eyes and a kitten in her pocket.

Young French seamstress Nicole Chambord is in dire straits after being wrongly fired by her dreadful employer. Then chance brings her together with Philip Selbourne. His kindness leads her to accept when he offers to take her to his family estate so she can become a companion to his French-born mother.

But the roads are icy and an accident forces Philip and Nicole (and the kitten!) to seek refuge at the cottage of a lonely widow—and creates a Christmas miracle for them all.

About the Author

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USAToday best-selling author, Mary Jo Putney's novels are known for psychological depth and intensity and include historical and contemporary romance, fantasy, and young adult fantasy. Winner of numerous writing awards, including two RITAs, three Romantic Times Career Achievement awards, and the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award from Romance Writers of America, she has had numerous books listed among Library Journal’s and Booklist's top romances of the year.

©1992 Mary Jo Putney (P)2023 Mary Jo Putney

plot

wonderful book to read over a weekend. I look forward to telling my friends about the book.

short and sweet

Short novellas don't allow for much character development, but MJP is a pretty good job in this novella. Lots of feel good romance here.

Christmas Tart

Delicious Christmas story, like able characters in a sweet holiday tale. Turns tragedy into triumph and wraps it up in a pretty red bow

Cute as a button, but so weepy

This cozy confection features a seamstress in dire straits being mistaken for a doxy but fortunately landing in Sir Phillip’s path. Nicole is delicate, weepy, and portrayed to perfection with a French accent by narrator Waring. I generally prefer feistier ladies and spicier regency romance (this novella is entirely fade to black), but during the holidays I can’t help gobbling up these sugar plum short stories.

This author has a number of Christmas novellas, including one in the Yuletide Kiss anthology.
I also recommend Dashing Through the Snow, a duology by Lauren Smith available in Audible Plus,
with the first novella featuring a similar story of a lady in dire straits striking a deal for her security.

Nice story

I wish it has been a full story. I will like to read more stories like this.