Rogue Under the Mistletoe

By: Amanda Mariel

Narrated by: Virginia Ferguson

In the snow-kissed splendor of Regency England, a jaded lord with a scandalous past and a heartbroken lady determined to avoid love find themselves irresistibly drawn together in a chance meeting. Lady Eleanor Winthrop has sworn off marriage after a broken engagement. Her fierce independence and sharp wit are her shields against a world that has let her down.

Lord Alexander Harrington, Marquess Rockingham, is a dashing rake with a reputation as notorious as it is scandalous. Rather unfortunate for a man who’s grown weary of vice. Seeking a fresh start, he arrives in Lancashire, inheriting Netherfield Park and hoping to leave his past behind.

Their paths cross in the village, and a magnetic attraction ignites between them. As the festive season approaches, Eleanor hosts a grand Christmas ball, drawing the attention of local gossips and igniting scandalous rumors. Determined to set things right, Eleanor risks her heart and reputation, discovering a man worthy of redemption and love, while Alexander discovers that love is the best gift of all.

Amidst the enchanting Lancashire winter, their love blossoms against a backdrop of falling snow and twinkling stars, Eleanor and Alexander find a passionate second chance at love, proving the magic of the holiday season and the power of second chances.

Rogue Under the Mistletoe is a heartwarming Regency Romance filled with secrets, scandals, and the enchanting spirit of Christmas, perfect for listeners who believe in the transformative power of love.

©2024 Amanda Mariel (P)2024 Amanda Mariel

Massive Holiday Spirit, Excellent Until ...

I absolutely adored the beginning and end of the story! The first half or so is all about preparations for a Christmas Eve ball, and the author certainly brought the holiday spirit. It was all era correct, like holiday colors and decor and the actual emphasis on Christmas being the time of group celebration—back in the day, Twelfth Night was bigger for group holiday gatherings. Despite this quibble, the first half of the story was just pure holiday fun. The heroine's joy in putting together her first ball was infectious … not just to the shopkeepers and tradesmen she visited to order things to create the perfect ball, but also for the reader!

I wasn't wild about the narrator. I found her voice heavy and ponderous, adding to the melodrama, which needed no augmentation. Probably thanks to the entire Bridgerton phenomenon, more and more Regency audiobooks are being narrated by someone who sounds a little like Lady Whistledown in that series, though no narrator is Vanessa Redgrave! As one who listens to a lot of Regency audiobooks, I much prefer younger-sounding narrators of either gender. I want my narrator to at least sound like he or she could be the hero or heroine! That helps me get into the story.

The end of the book is just as romantic and sweet as the first part of the book, as the hero and heroine wed and start their new life together. But before this HEA, just after the ball ended—and I mean the morning right after the ball—the book took a sharp pivot that seemed to come out of nowhere and in no way reflected either the holiday spirit or what went on before in the story: a villain pops up out of nowhere, the heroine’s formerly gracious mother becomes an intractable shrew, and most who were so kind to the heroine as she planned the fete were quick to believe a known gossip salacious statements that cast aspersions on the generous young noblewoman. This book has an instant attraction between the hero and heroine I didn't quite buy; I wanted to see a bit more of them getting to know each other before it's all hearts, flowers, and “I loved you madly.” The story flip-flopped so fast that I almost felt as though my head were spinning! But I had enough invested in the characters I kept going; at least the end brought it back to the holiday spirit (though their multiple professions of forever undying love still didn't sit right). The holiday spirit that imbued so much of the book makes this a worthy enough read despite the melodramatic and perplexing middle.

Rogue Under the Mistletoe!

I really loved this Regency romance. It is a fairly quick and short read/listen with some wonderful characters. This is a very interesting and intriguing story about Eleanor and Alexander. I really love how it developed and flowed. These two are perfect for each other. Such a good holiday romance that is so sweet with some passion.

Great audiobook

This is a great story I would Recommend this Arthur her story's are really great very enjoyable and the Narrator are always doing a great job telling the story's.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Great shot story

Rogue Under the Mistletoe is a great story about two people that are broken in different ways. The story is entertaining, heartwarming and fun. Can they trust again? Well, the power of love mend broken hearts? it’s fun to watch the relationship develop. Virginia Ferguson did an amazing job on the narration.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. Mistletoe

Love story!

Another lovely story by one of my favorite authors. I listened to this as an audiobook and absolutely enjoyed it! I've read other stories by this author and have enjoyed them and this one also did not disappoint. This was a well-written story and I enjoyed the premise. The characters were interesting and the banter between them was lively and fun.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.