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Hembry Castle Chronicles
Christmas at Hembry Castle
You are cordially invited to Christmas at Hembry Castle. An unlikely earl struggles with his new place. A young couple's love is tested. What is a meddling ghost to do? In the tradition of A Christmas Carol, travel back to Victorian England and enjoy a lighthearted, festive holiday celebration.
136 pages, Paperback
Published November 28, 2020
About the author
Meredith Allard
19 books368 followersMeredith Allard is an award-winning author known for the bestselling Loving Husband Trilogy and the Victorian novel When It Rained at Hembry Castle, which IndieReader named a Best Historical Novel. Her prequel, Down Salem Way, earned the B.R.A.G. Medallion and was a semi-finalist for the Chaucer Award in Early Historical Fiction.
A recognized authority on the craft, Meredith is the author of Painting the Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction, a #1 Amazon New Release in Authorship and Creativity Self-Help. For over twenty years, she has mentored writers of all ages, helping them find their voices while honing her own signature blend of meticulous research and haunting prose.
When she isn't unearthing the secrets of the past, she can be found in the hills of Southern Nevada with her cats and a cup of coffee. Discover more at
www.meredithallard.com.
A recognized authority on the craft, Meredith is the author of Painting the Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction, a #1 Amazon New Release in Authorship and Creativity Self-Help. For over twenty years, she has mentored writers of all ages, helping them find their voices while honing her own signature blend of meticulous research and haunting prose.
When she isn't unearthing the secrets of the past, she can be found in the hills of Southern Nevada with her cats and a cup of coffee. Discover more at
www.meredithallard.com.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 13, 2020
Great holiday story
Funny. Whimdical with great characters. Loved the concept and plot. Enjoyed the setting and holiday angle. Well written and nicely done.....
Funny. Whimdical with great characters. Loved the concept and plot. Enjoyed the setting and holiday angle. Well written and nicely done.....
December 10, 2021
Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year. It is also the time of year when I do an incredible amount of reading as I try and catch up with my to-read list because Christmas means new books! Christmas is also a time for celebration and for joy, and for festive short stories!
After the death of his older brother, Frederick inherited the title of Earl of Staton, even though the title had never been meant for him, and he was not prepared to take on such a role. And still mourning the death of his wife, Frederick has only his daughter, Daphne, and his mother left. But little does Frederick know, Richard’s death did not take him far.
As Daphne attempts to arrange her wedding, she begins to find her beloved, Edward, putting off the task of setting a date. He is determined to finish writing his Christmas story first, and refuses to marry until he has received his first paycheck. But as he starts to drift further from Daphne, she begins to wonder whether he really wants to marry her at all.
Every writer has their own style of writing, and I love coming across styles that are so very different from what I have read before. The detailing and absolutely stunning descriptions that the author has used in this book brings everything to life on the page, without my imagination having to do much work at all. At times, I felt like I was watching an episode of Downton Abbey (I know it’s the wrong era, bear with me) instead of reading a book, as it had all the drama and intrigue, and the writing was so exquisite that I was utterly hooked. Plus, it has a ghost, for extra measure!
I absolutely loved Daphne, she was such a delightful character to read about. She fell in love below her station, to the grandson of her family’s housekeeper and butler, but when love strikes, it doesn’t matter whether the person is rich or poor. I really liked reading about Edward as well, who loves Daphne dearly. But Edward has some skeletons in his closet, and there is one thing in particular that he must tell Daphne before they marry, but working up the courage to do so is something that Edward struggles to do. Daphne and Edward make such a lovely couple, understanding each other in a way that they haven’t been understood before, that I spent the entirely to this book crossing my fingers that Edward would be able to find a way to tell Daphne, and that everything would work out alright for them. It is a Christmas story, after all, and I really wanted a happy ending!
With Daphne and Edward struggling to keep their relationship together, and Frederick trying his best to keep everything running smoothly, Richard can do nothing but look in on the family he left behind. Or can he do something else, can he help his family as he should have helped them during his living days? Richard seems to regret his life, and leaving his family behind with his death, and I felt incredibly sorry for him as he looks in on the life he should still be living. Richard is a strange sort of ghost, the kind I haven’t come across in literature before, as he still feels the cold, footsteps sound out as he walks around, and he is capable of drinking a cup of tea – this seems like quite a different view on ghosts than I am used to, but it seems almost typical that an English ghost can still drink tea.
I know this book is meant to be a kind of twist on A Christmas Carol, but I didn’t quite see it. Sure, there are ghosts, and it is Christmas, but the story is entirely different, other than a meddling ghost. A Christmas Carol is mentioned by the characters several times, but I thought this story was not in the tradition of A Christmas Carol, but rather an entirely new story, which deserves to take its place next to all the other famous Christmas stories. Who knows, maybe this story will also get a Muppet’s movie about it, and it will play on loop around the holiday season (and in the summertime) because children love it so. I also love that movie, but I must say, it gets a little tedious when it is set back to the beginning for the fortieth time.
If you would like a read that will not take you long (and evening or two, perhaps) and will make you thoroughly ready for Christmas, you need to read this book! It will give you that cosy feeling that means you simply have to curl up with a big fluffy blanket and a cup of tea, and read until you fall asleep.
*I received a copy of this book from The Coffee Pot Book Club for review consideration.
After the death of his older brother, Frederick inherited the title of Earl of Staton, even though the title had never been meant for him, and he was not prepared to take on such a role. And still mourning the death of his wife, Frederick has only his daughter, Daphne, and his mother left. But little does Frederick know, Richard’s death did not take him far.
As Daphne attempts to arrange her wedding, she begins to find her beloved, Edward, putting off the task of setting a date. He is determined to finish writing his Christmas story first, and refuses to marry until he has received his first paycheck. But as he starts to drift further from Daphne, she begins to wonder whether he really wants to marry her at all.
Every writer has their own style of writing, and I love coming across styles that are so very different from what I have read before. The detailing and absolutely stunning descriptions that the author has used in this book brings everything to life on the page, without my imagination having to do much work at all. At times, I felt like I was watching an episode of Downton Abbey (I know it’s the wrong era, bear with me) instead of reading a book, as it had all the drama and intrigue, and the writing was so exquisite that I was utterly hooked. Plus, it has a ghost, for extra measure!
I absolutely loved Daphne, she was such a delightful character to read about. She fell in love below her station, to the grandson of her family’s housekeeper and butler, but when love strikes, it doesn’t matter whether the person is rich or poor. I really liked reading about Edward as well, who loves Daphne dearly. But Edward has some skeletons in his closet, and there is one thing in particular that he must tell Daphne before they marry, but working up the courage to do so is something that Edward struggles to do. Daphne and Edward make such a lovely couple, understanding each other in a way that they haven’t been understood before, that I spent the entirely to this book crossing my fingers that Edward would be able to find a way to tell Daphne, and that everything would work out alright for them. It is a Christmas story, after all, and I really wanted a happy ending!
With Daphne and Edward struggling to keep their relationship together, and Frederick trying his best to keep everything running smoothly, Richard can do nothing but look in on the family he left behind. Or can he do something else, can he help his family as he should have helped them during his living days? Richard seems to regret his life, and leaving his family behind with his death, and I felt incredibly sorry for him as he looks in on the life he should still be living. Richard is a strange sort of ghost, the kind I haven’t come across in literature before, as he still feels the cold, footsteps sound out as he walks around, and he is capable of drinking a cup of tea – this seems like quite a different view on ghosts than I am used to, but it seems almost typical that an English ghost can still drink tea.
I know this book is meant to be a kind of twist on A Christmas Carol, but I didn’t quite see it. Sure, there are ghosts, and it is Christmas, but the story is entirely different, other than a meddling ghost. A Christmas Carol is mentioned by the characters several times, but I thought this story was not in the tradition of A Christmas Carol, but rather an entirely new story, which deserves to take its place next to all the other famous Christmas stories. Who knows, maybe this story will also get a Muppet’s movie about it, and it will play on loop around the holiday season (and in the summertime) because children love it so. I also love that movie, but I must say, it gets a little tedious when it is set back to the beginning for the fortieth time.
If you would like a read that will not take you long (and evening or two, perhaps) and will make you thoroughly ready for Christmas, you need to read this book! It will give you that cosy feeling that means you simply have to curl up with a big fluffy blanket and a cup of tea, and read until you fall asleep.
*I received a copy of this book from The Coffee Pot Book Club for review consideration.
December 21, 2024
A Wonderful Christmas Story with a little touch of the Dickens!
Allard serves the traditional Victorian Christmas of broken relationships caused by inadequacies, bad behaviors and those struggling with those issues. Mrs. Ellis shines as the star of this show and she shines brilliantly. I was frustrated with Eddie's insecurities but all is wonderfully resolved for a great read. It has a ghost so it is more Dickens than Biblical in the telling.
I can recommend this for young and old.
Allard serves the traditional Victorian Christmas of broken relationships caused by inadequacies, bad behaviors and those struggling with those issues. Mrs. Ellis shines as the star of this show and she shines brilliantly. I was frustrated with Eddie's insecurities but all is wonderfully resolved for a great read. It has a ghost so it is more Dickens than Biblical in the telling.
I can recommend this for young and old.
December 27, 2024
Great Christmas story
I enjoyed reading this book during the Holidays. It renews feeling of being young and in love. Doubts and fears during the process. The earl of the castle with doubts and fears. A grandmother that is wise and strong with a secret she doesn't share. Great book.
I enjoyed reading this book during the Holidays. It renews feeling of being young and in love. Doubts and fears during the process. The earl of the castle with doubts and fears. A grandmother that is wise and strong with a secret she doesn't share. Great book.
December 28, 2021
I liked this book with it's Victorian Christmas descriptions and a touch of the supernatural - or not. I read this book first, which is the second book in the series, and I think that was a mistake. So, now I'm going to read the first book!
December 20, 2024
Just delightful. I loved the homage to A Christmas carol and the style of Dickens. The characters were true to life and interesting and that ghost - or was he a ghost? Try to figure that one out if you can. Great Christmas time reading. Highly recommended.
January 4, 2025
cute story
Nice, old-timey, Christmas story. There were many characters, which at times I found confusing, much like with other, older, popular books like Wuthering Heights. A good finish and great descriptions of the detailed surroundings throughout.
Nice, old-timey, Christmas story. There were many characters, which at times I found confusing, much like with other, older, popular books like Wuthering Heights. A good finish and great descriptions of the detailed surroundings throughout.
December 6, 2021
Thanks for this book
December 19, 2024
This is a fun quick read with a different take on Christmas and responsibility with a nice twist at the end.
December 26, 2024
Sweet & clean
This is a sweet, clean Christmas romance. I think some of Edward's ruminations could have been edited out. Overall, it was an enjoyable novella.
This is a sweet, clean Christmas romance. I think some of Edward's ruminations could have been edited out. Overall, it was an enjoyable novella.
January 4, 2025
Fun read!
This book was a lot of fun to read. The characters were enjoyable and the twist at the end left me wanting to read the next book soon.
This book was a lot of fun to read. The characters were enjoyable and the twist at the end left me wanting to read the next book soon.
November 3, 2026
Delightful
This is a delightful story about Christmas. I think that people of all age groups would enjoy this book. It's a feel good story.
This is a delightful story about Christmas. I think that people of all age groups would enjoy this book. It's a feel good story.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews