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A Christmas Affair
Justin Stockton considered himself a reasonable man, and he made every allowance for the Lawrence family's recent bereavement during this Christmas season. Nevertheless the eldest girl Amanda seemed bent on infuriating him at every turn. Far from being gratefulto him for offering to marry her docile sister in order to help the family out of its financial straits, she seemed to think he was a positive ogre. No matter his reputation for arrogance, Justin was hardly a wife-beater; although he wasn't sure he could answer for his actions if he ever got his hands on the provocative Amanda. He would have to marry the girl off to some poor sod - who would certainly have his sympathies - and the sooner the better, for his own peace of mind...
319 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1990
2 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Joan Overfield
27 books13 followersAKA: Carolyn Madison
Joan Overfield (aka Carolyn Madison) has been a published author since winning the Golden Heart Award from Romance Writers of America in 1987 for her Regency, The Prodigal Spinster. Since then she has written a total of twenty-four novels. Along the way Joan has made several bestsellers lists and won numerous awards for her work, including 1998 Career Achievement in Regency Romance from Romantic Times magazine. Her Time Travel, The Door Ajar is in the list of Romantic Times magazine's 200 All-Time Reviewer Favorites.
Joan's varied career has included seven years as a 911 emergency operator. That experience contributed to her writing by training her to assess situations and people – skills she now uses as she develops plots and characters.
Joan uses her stories to showcase characters who reflect her life views. "All of my heroes operate from a strong sense of honor and duty," she says. "I admire that and I believe strongly in right and wrong." The goals of her characters can be summed up in the poem "Ulysses" – "To strive, to find, to seek, and not to yield."
She lives in Oregon with her golden retriever, Libby, and an ornery alley cat named Pounce. She is also a killer Trivial Pursuit player, and loves the smokey wail of a tenor sax and the icy bite of perfectly chilled champagne.
Joan Overfield (aka Carolyn Madison) has been a published author since winning the Golden Heart Award from Romance Writers of America in 1987 for her Regency, The Prodigal Spinster. Since then she has written a total of twenty-four novels. Along the way Joan has made several bestsellers lists and won numerous awards for her work, including 1998 Career Achievement in Regency Romance from Romantic Times magazine. Her Time Travel, The Door Ajar is in the list of Romantic Times magazine's 200 All-Time Reviewer Favorites.
Joan's varied career has included seven years as a 911 emergency operator. That experience contributed to her writing by training her to assess situations and people – skills she now uses as she develops plots and characters.
Joan uses her stories to showcase characters who reflect her life views. "All of my heroes operate from a strong sense of honor and duty," she says. "I admire that and I believe strongly in right and wrong." The goals of her characters can be summed up in the poem "Ulysses" – "To strive, to find, to seek, and not to yield."
She lives in Oregon with her golden retriever, Libby, and an ornery alley cat named Pounce. She is also a killer Trivial Pursuit player, and loves the smokey wail of a tenor sax and the icy bite of perfectly chilled champagne.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 4, 2025
A very sweet Regency tale, with both amusing & serious moments, & some very likeable characters. Amanda Lawrence & Justin Stockton are an engaging couple & I could feel the connection between them, which I find is not always the case in a romance. I'm often left wondering what the protagonists see in each other & not holding out much hope for a happy-ever-after, but not in this case. 3.5★
December 16, 2012
So, I liked this one. For a good chunk of the book it had a fun Christmassy feel to it. The last bit takes place after Christmas and to me kind of lost a little of it’s charm. I still liked it, but for a Christmas book I would have liked if the Christmas stuff lasted for the whole book. Owell.
As for the characters, I liked them too. Amanda comes across a bit bossy at first, but she does mellow out as the story progresses. He parents died in a carriage accident and left Amanda to take of her five younger siblings. Having to take over such a daunting role at an early age she has not only built up some walls, but has also gotten used to having things her own way. She is thrown for a loop when Justin Stockton waltzes into her life and starts doing the bossing. I liked Justin and in the end I think they were good for each other. I admit though, I wonder if they would end up driving each other nuts. They are both headstrong and used to not only doing what they want, but also having those around them obey without question. They did seem to compromise well though and had good chemistry.
While I was glad the book stayed lighthearted, I was a little surprised by how little Amanda and her siblings mourned their brother. I also grew to like Justin’s brother Edward.
Overall, a fun regency with a nice holiday feel.
Content: Clean. No sex, but there is mild innuendo and if I remember right there was a small case of wondering hands.
As for the characters, I liked them too. Amanda comes across a bit bossy at first, but she does mellow out as the story progresses. He parents died in a carriage accident and left Amanda to take of her five younger siblings. Having to take over such a daunting role at an early age she has not only built up some walls, but has also gotten used to having things her own way. She is thrown for a loop when Justin Stockton waltzes into her life and starts doing the bossing. I liked Justin and in the end I think they were good for each other. I admit though, I wonder if they would end up driving each other nuts. They are both headstrong and used to not only doing what they want, but also having those around them obey without question. They did seem to compromise well though and had good chemistry.
While I was glad the book stayed lighthearted, I was a little surprised by how little Amanda and her siblings mourned their brother. I also grew to like Justin’s brother Edward.
Overall, a fun regency with a nice holiday feel.
Content: Clean. No sex, but there is mild innuendo and if I remember right there was a small case of wondering hands.
March 11, 2014
This was a story of a family. The soldier who feels an obligation to his fallen soldier. He goes and finds the family to be having problems. He is very generous with everyone. But, they are shaping him. This romance is clean except for the one sentence.
December 14, 2016
Sweet
It is nice to read a romance novel that is about romance and not all about sex. This is a very sweet story and the writing is good with enough character development to keep you interested.
It is nice to read a romance novel that is about romance and not all about sex. This is a very sweet story and the writing is good with enough character development to keep you interested.
December 29, 2009
Gotta read at least one Christmas Regency every holiday season!
February 10, 2025
I've read this book many times, and I thoroughly enjoy it every time I read it.
September 25, 2009
Regency
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews