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    What Happens At Christmas
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    What Happens At Christmas
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    What Happens At Christmas
    Ebook409 pages6 hours

    What Happens At Christmas

    By Victoria Alexander

    3.5/5

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    Currently unavailable

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    About this ebook

    From a #1 New York Times–bestselling author: An unconventional Victorian lady, a daring deception, and “the perfect holiday treat” (The Chicago Tribune).
     
    Camille, Lady Lydingham, requests the pleasure of your company at a festive house party in the English countryside, as she endeavors to coax a marriage proposal from Prince Nikolai Pruzinsky of Greater Avalonia. Given the nature of the hostess’s eccentric relatives ,they will be played by a troupe of actors hired to impersonate a proper Victorian family. What a clever way to fool the prince! And gate-crashing, distractingly handsome first loves like Grayson Elliott are most unwelcome.
     
    But nothing about Camille’s charade goes as planned. Tonight, at Millworth Manor, games will be played, motives will be revealed, the masks will come off, and hearts will be lost—and won—in the most romantic, magical season of all.
     
    “Alexander’s divine Victorian Christmas confection provides an abundance of wit and warmth.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
     
    “With . . . delightfully entertaining characters and an impeccable sense of comic timing worthy of Gilbert and Sullivan, Alexander presents readers with a splendidly sexy holiday gift.” —Booklist
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOpen Road Integrated Media
    Release dateSep 24, 2013
    ISBN9781420132687
    Author

    Victoria Alexander

    #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander was an award-winning television reporter until she discovered fiction was more fun than real life. She is the author of thirty-one novels, and her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Victoria lives in Omaha, Nebraska, with her long-suffering husband and two dogs, in a house under endless renovation and never-ending chaos.

    Read more from Victoria Alexander

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    Reviews for What Happens At Christmas

    3.5/5

    64 ratings15 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      I loved the original plot in this historical romance. It was unrealistic for the most part, but I didn't mind at all. I accepted it as I would accept a wonderful fairytale. Not everything has to be entirely plausible for me to enjoy it, especially at Christmas.
    • 3/5
      A lighthearted romp with good dialog, entertaining plot and characters.
    • 4/5
      Surprisingly well-written for a historical, comedic romance. Camille hires actors to play her family in a traditional English Christmas at Millworth Manor in order to fulfill her lifelong dream of snaring a prince and becoming a princess. Her twin sister sees the farce for its disastrous comic potential and goes along. The actors are not very good and one snag after another threatens Camille's plan but none so much as the arrival of her first true love - Grayson Elliott - who unexpectedly proposed marriage 11 years ago, on the eve of her wedding, and then disappeared. Victoria Alexander blends Christmas tradition, the theme of forgiveness in many forms, and light romance with wry humor to create a thoroughly enjoyable holiday romp.
    • 5/5
      "In 1886 Dec 18-25 & after. Camille Lady Lydingham wants a Prince, Nikolai Pruzinsky of Greater Avalonia. To give him a traditional English Christmas, she hires actors as family, servants. Suddenly Grayson Elliott returns after making his fortune in America. Eleven years ago, he declared love the day before her marriage to another then vanished. Now he wants her back." Title: What Happens At Christmas By: Victoria Alexander Series: Millworth Manor # 1Reviewed By: Arlena Dean Rating: 5Review:"What Happens At Christmas" By: Victoria AlexanderWhat I liked about the novel.....This was one of those fun reads that will have you laughing so hard pretty near all the way through the read. "What Happens At Christmas" was rather a long read, however, it was one read that you will find it hard to put down definitely being of a read of second chances for not only Camille and Grayson, Beryl and her husband but also the twins parents and sister. What will happen when Camille's long lost love...Grayson comes back into the picture after eleven years? This author really knows how to present a storyline that will keep you on the edge of your seat turning the pages until the end as we are given a setting with the lives of the characters....all of them even the actor...to the events that will give one twist and turns in this unfolding chaotic story. Will this family be able to forge through their past and find forgiveness and be able to move on to a future? This is where you will have to read it to see how this author will give it to the reader. "What Happens at Christmas" will be definitely one of those festive reads where some things aren't what they may seem to be. Be ready for a good story of loss love, drama and yes even deception. Would I recommend "What Happens at Christmas?" YES!
    • 4/5
      I liked this book! It is a crazy, fun romance. The characters are endearing and the plot is silly but still engaging. I cared what happens to these people. There were also times I laughed a little. I'm not a great fan of series books but I did download the next book and intend to start it today.
    • 5/5
      Loved this story, very very funny .
    • 4/5
      This was a fun, light-hearted romance. It also had plenty of Christmas details that I require this time of year. The main character is a strong-willed, perhaps a little too quick to jump into action heroine who not only has enough family to keep you shaking your head at the craziness, she also hired actors to play a typical family but who are even crazier than her real family. You realize even though your family drives you nuts their really is no place like home for the holidays.
    • 4/5
      This story was so ridiculous as to be brilliant, much like the characters.

      Camille wants to marry a prince, so she makes cooks up a scheme to hire a fake family to impress a prince for Christmas. What happens from there can best be described as a melodrama. My imagination was not willing to stretch to accommodate the story line, and yet, with each addition of absurdity, I found myself howling with laughter. At the heart of it all was a tender romance nearly lost to pride and arrogance.

      The story is about a Christmas farce, and the story itself resembles a farce, but it is keenly written and ultimately entertaining.
    • 3/5
      It's a historical romance, but very farcial - almost over the top. For a light read, it's okay.
      Rating: 6/10
    • 5/5
      What an absolutely joyous read from cover to cover! I usually don't pay that much attention to cover art but the cover of this novel simply appeals to the magical and romantic possibilities of the Christmas season. I never guessed that it was a historical romance from the cover although I'm sure that some will insist that I should have from the appearance of a sleigh rather than vehicles. That alone will explain that I was already captivated into the possibilities of historical charm by ignoring that significance. The opening of Chapter 1 provides the date of December 18, 1886, and then continues on December 21th for the days of merriment leading up to Christmas, December 25th.Historical Romance is not my first choice for any fiction novel but after reading selections by Brenda Novak and now this title by Victoria Alexander, I may be fully converted to try them more frequently. I loved this book! Recently I read another contemporary offering for the Christmas season by Debbie Macomber and was so disappointed. I kept second guessing my own thoughts of disappointment and it took quite some time for me to write a review and even afterwards I felt like perhaps I was too harsh. Now, I know I was not. Why? Because all the things that were missing, are within the pages of this novel.Victoria Alexander delights and treats the reader in every way! There are wonderful characters (in fact I could picture some of the actors/actresses that portray the characters in Downton Abbey in the scenes of this novel) and the characters are described fully so that each personality can be enjoyed to the fullest. The rich characterizations are portrayed during the magical days leading up to Christmas when anything is possible. The dialogue is witty and fun! As many readers, I fully ensconce myself in the emotions of the story being shared with each novel. And although I might be smiling while reading, I rarely laugh out loud. However, I could not help but be so absorbed into the merriment created by Camille, Lady Lydingham I couldn't help myself but to laugh out loud during some of her antics or private thoughts. I would highly recommend this novel as a delightful treasure for a Christmas gift - to treat yourself or another - which could be read and enjoyed during any season of the year! It's filled with an abundance of delights and the pages will quickly be turned to enjoy the romance, the magic, the glee, and the mayhem in the setting of a Victorian Christmas in an English country home.I can't wait to read another novel by Victoria Alexander!
    • 4/5
      It took me awhile to warm up to this one, I'm used to historical romances to have a certain feel. This one did not. It was almost absurd at times, but you ended up loving the unique characters and wanting it all to work out in the end. I will definitely continue with this series.
    • 5/5
      Absolutely, funny, enchanting, mesmerizing. Lying to get what you want has never been more amusing. I loved this story, and I know I'll want to read the next book in the series. The author does a fantastic job of illustrating how our own insecurities and hangups can lead us down the wrong path and happiness truly does come from not taking no for an answer. A great read!
    • 4/5
      Camille has given up in find love for herself. Once eleven years ago, she had love, but the man she loved never fought for her when it mattered. So now a widow, she is determined to snatch up a prince. So she organizes a house party, to show the Prince a traditional Christmas family gathering, hires actors to act as servants and some family members, with only herself and her sister as real members of the family. Then all her dreams to marry a prince may go down the drain when Grey, the man she once gave her heart to, has returned and at the worst moment possible. Grayson Elliot, once loved Camille, but she was about to marry another man, so when she gets married, Grey leaves and makes his fortune. Now eleven years later, he knows that he will need to fight with everything at his disposal to gain the one woman who has always been the keeper of his heart. The only problem is, she is trying to marry a prince, and Grey will need to prove himself to win her over, and show her that their love is worth fighting for.What Happens At Christmas is the first in the series, and when I was at my library, I was looking for a good Christmas read, and this definitely fit the criteria I was looking for. There is something about historical romances set in this holiday season, and What Happens At Christmas definitely was perfect for this time of year. Its been quite some time since I have read this author, but her earlier books were some of my first romances so this author is very dear to me. So I knew I needed to get back to reading her, and What Happens At Christmas was the perfect way to start reading her again. Even though it took me longer than I thought it would take to read this, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. There was such a playful and teasing manner to this story. The story begins with the heroine trying to catch a prince, and sets up a delightful scheme to win him. Then a past love returns and all hell breaks loose, wagers are debated, and a battle of the wills begins. The plot wasn't thick with intrigue or anything, but it was full of mystery and fascinating dilemma's. The relationship between Grey and Camille is definitely rocky and unstable at times, but at other is lively and delectable.Overall I couldn't help but fall in love with this yuletide themed romance that is fun and full of twists and turns. Exceptional in the writing, astounding in the creativity, and plenty of dramatic characters to warm you on a cold evening. EARTH SHATTERING TO THE SENSES!!
    • 5/5
      What an absolutely joyous read from cover to cover! I usually don't pay that much attention to cover art but the cover of this novel simply appeals to the magical and romantic possibilities of the Christmas season. I never guessed that it was a historical romance from the cover although I'm sure that some will insist that I should have from the appearance of a sleigh rather than vehicles. That alone will explain that I was already captivated into the possibilities of historical charm by ignoring that significance. The opening of Chapter 1 provides the date of December 18, 1886, and then continues on December 21th for the days of merriment leading up to Christmas, December 25th.Historical Romance is not my first choice for any fiction novel but after reading selections by Brenda Novak and now this title by Victoria Alexander, I may be fully converted to try them more frequently. I loved this book! Recently I read another contemporary offering for the Christmas season by Debbie Macomber and was so disappointed. I kept second guessing my own thoughts of disappointment and it took quite some time for me to write a review and even afterwards I felt like perhaps I was too harsh. Now, I know I was not. Why? Because all the things that were missing, are within the pages of this novel.Victoria Alexander delights and treats the reader in every way! There are wonderful characters (in fact I could picture some of the actors/actresses that portray the characters in Downton Abbey in the scenes of this novel) and the characters are described fully so that each personality can be enjoyed to the fullest. The rich characterizations are portrayed during the magical days leading up to Christmas when anything is possible. The dialogue is witty and fun! As many readers, I fully ensconce myself in the emotions of the story being shared with each novel. And although I might be smiling while reading, I rarely laugh out loud. However, I could not help but be so absorbed into the merriment created by Camille, Lady Lydingham I couldn't help myself but to laugh out loud during some of her antics or private thoughts. I would highly recommend this novel as a delightful treasure for a Christmas gift - to treat yourself or another - which could be read and enjoyed during any season of the year! It's filled with an abundance of delights and the pages will quickly be turned to enjoy the romance, the magic, the glee, and the mayhem in the setting of a Victorian Christmas in an English country home.I can't wait to read another novel by Victoria Alexander!
    • 4/5
      *Book source ~ Many thanks to Kensington for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.Camille, Lady Lydingham and Beryl, Lady Dunwell are twins who are not known for being boring. In fact, their whole family is a bit barmy. So when Camille is hoping a Prince of some foreign country (Camille can’t remember which) will propose to her she decides to hire a troupe of actors to play her family and give him a proper English Christmas at her family home Millworth Manor. Except for her twin, the rest of the family are in Europe and out of the way. What can go wrong?Yeah, what exactly can go wrong with this scenario? You got it. Just about everything. This was a delightfully fun holiday historical romance with plenty of unexpected turns and shenanigans. I’ve read a few other books by Victoria Alexander and enjoyed them so I was pretty sure I would have a fun time reading this one. I was right. The characters are excellent, the writing wonderful and the plot is one I’ve not seen before. Who hires actors to play their family in order to impress a Prince? I just knew it wouldn’t go smoothly. Lol If you’re looking for an entertaining historical holiday romance then be sure to pick this one up. I’m sure it won’t disappoint.