A Regency era Christmas is always fun to read and my mom is pretty decent about spinning a tale that takes place in another era and culture. This time she added the unusual element of a young woman who wants to breed horses more than find a husband, much to the dismay of her parents. In Jingle all the Way you’ll find out just how fun a tale author Susan M. Baganz can weave from that idea and of course thowing Christmas in as well!
Miss Seraphina Babington is made about horses, and most especially about her prize stallion. If the horse could win some races, she could garner enough attention to earn stud fees. Ah, the stuff that a young debutant in Regency England should not be concerned about. Her parents give her a deadline to find a husband on her own before forcing her to leave her beloved horse in the country to attend a season in London.
The Honorable Earnest Oxley has a horse that is a match to Sera’s but while he wouldn’t mind paying the fees so he can breed his mare, he’d rather own Sera’s stallion. But he has competition in that arena once the horse starts winning races. Can he woo the woman to gain the horse? As he gets to know the young lady he begins to wonder whether he’s really falling more for her than the horse she owns.
Christmas nears and tragedy occcurs forcing Seraphina to make an unconventional and scandelous decision. Will her reputations survive her choice? And whe her brother gets in trouble all her plans are at risk. Could Earnest be the key to resolve the issue? And what about love?
This is a delightful Christmas story that shows that life continues and challenges come but sometimes seeking God and watching Him work it out brings about the best Christmas gift. You’ll have to read this novella to see just what happens. I’ll give it five tennis balls because I’m a dog and that’s how I roll, and well, it is my mom’s book after all.
