'Twas the Night After Christmas by Sabrina Jeffries + giveaway

Pierce Waverly, the Earl of Devonmont, has been estranged from his mother for most of his life. When his mother’s new companion, Mrs. Camilla Stuart, writes to tell him that his mother is seriously ill, he goes home. But when he learns that the lovely widow tricked him in order to effect a holiday reconciliation, he refuses to stay—unless she meets his “terms.” 

Somewhere between trying to seduce the beautiful Camilla and struggling with the cruel memories of his childhood Christmases, Pierce discovers that not only does forgiveness go two ways, but that love can blossom even in the coldest of winters.

Type: Historical Romance, Christmas
Heat: 2 out of 5
Rating: 5 out of 5

I fell in love with Sabrina Jeffries' Hellions of Halstead Hall series earlier this year and was so excited when I heard Pierce Waverly was going to have his story told as well. And I mean total squealy fangirl excited. After little glimpses of him in the series I was dying to find out more about him and let me tell you he was so much more than I could have hoped for. 'Twas the Night After Christmas was an amazingly powerful read that's both sweet and touching with a little humor added in. It had me on the edge of tears more than once as well. It hit all my emotions and is one that will always have a place on my shelves.

Camilla and Pierce were wonderfully written characters. I loved their whole set up with Camilla more or less tricking Pierce into coming home to visit his estranged mother who was "deathly ill". Camilla was, quite simply, a meddler. Not to mention determined and head strong. She wanted this family to mend itself and was going to make that happen no matter what it took.

And Pierce, well, he had quite the reputation and could be such an ass but really you couldn't hold it against him all that long. You could feel his hurt and pain and see exactly where he was coming from. I was on his side nearly the entire book when it came to his family who had just been horrid to him in the past. He's really an amazingly sweet man under it all and does such sweet things for the people around him and you can't help but fall a little in love.

"I'm considered something of a catch." 

"I am well aware of that," she said dryly. "You forget that I've read all about you in the papers." 

That seemed to bring him up short. "I'm not as bad as they make me out to be." 

"Says the man who already has me half naked in a drawing room."

Overall the book's a bit more serious than the others of Jeffries' that I've read but there's little bits of humor tucked in here and there that kept the serious tone from being too overwhelming. There were some great moments between Camilla and Pierce when they'd call each other's bluff. These two definitely played a game with each other and weren't willing to back down...[this is from a scene where Camilla insists she's read a racy book and he calls her on it telling her to read her favorite page which turns out a little different than she expected]

Nothing in Camilla's experience had prepared her for such a blatant display of carnality. 

"Well, read on," the earl taunted when she hesitated. 

A blush rose on her cheeks. "I can't." She lifted her stunned gaze to his. "There are no words. Just a...picture." 

The color drained from his face. Reaching over, he snatched the book from her and stared at it, then shot her a horrified look. "Oh, holy hell. It has pictures."

One of the things I loved most about the storyline and writing was that it grabbed my emotions and drew me in completely. I was so wrapped up in the book that 300 pages flew by before I realized. The ending was just wonderful but I still wish it had been a little longer because I just wasn't quite ready to give the book up. You know that feeling? 'Twas the Night After Christmas is easily my favorite Christmas story and one I'd recommend for anyone who loves historicals and heart warming, healing stories. Jeffries really outdid herself and has me eager for more...

*This review was originally posted on 10/30/12

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At the tender age of twelve, Sabrina Jeffries decided she wanted to be a romance writer. It took her eighteen more years and a boring stint in graduate school to sell her first book, but now her sexy and humorous Regency-set historicals routinely land on the USA Today and New York Times lists. They’ve also won several awards, from the Booksellers’ Best to the Maggie Award for Excellence.

Her current series, the School for Heiresses, features the spirited graduates of Mrs. Harris’s School for Young Ladies, unconventional heiresses who prove a match for society’s most irresistible rogues.

Sabrina lives in North Carolina with her husband and son, where she writes full-time. 

I'd love to hear what you think of Twas the Night After Christmas!
Have you read Jeffries? Have a favorite? 
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