What A Lady Needs For Christmas (MacGregors #4) by Grace Burrowes

To escape a scandal, Lady Joan Flynn flees her family's estate in the Scottish Highlands. She needs a husband by Christmas, or the holidays will ring in nothing but ruin.

Practical, ambitious mill owner Dante Hartwell offers to marry Joan, because a wellborn wife is his best chance of gaining access to aristocratic investors.

As Christmas—and trouble—draw nearer, Dante and Joan's marriage of convenience blossoms into unexpected intimacy, for true love often hides beneath the most unassuming holiday wrapping...

Type: Historical Romance
Heat: 2.5-3 out of 5
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Christmas, Scotsmen and kilts. Be still my heart. I do love a kilted bit of brawny male. A whole herd of them...even better! What a Lady Needs for Christmas turned into quite the heart warming Christmas tale of honor, love and hope as Lady Joan flees scandal and lands under the protection of a Scot in need of a wife--for his children and the security for his business.



Alright so the quick of it is that Lady Joan was compromised and in her panic kinda sorta made things more scandalous by fleeing town by train all on her own. Thankfully Dante happened to be taking that same train with his family and took in the bedraggled and flustered Joan making sure she arrived safely to their destination (a holiday house party). And in the process the two strike a deal that'll protect both of their futures should her compromising situation require a hasty marriage.

I liked these two quite a bit. They're both quite focused on their passions--Dante's being his work in trade and providing security for his family and Joan's--her sewing and dress designs. She loves fabrics and textures and such despite it being improper for a Lady to have such a hobby. These two were both pretty level headed, caring and could be sweet. I liked that they weren't entirely what was expected by Society and did what was in their hearts. And how very much they loved their families. Dante had two kids and gah yes that did me in. *swoons*

There were some awkward moments and some very endearing as the two forged ahead and got all entangled in each others lives. Especially with his young children who were just adorable. There was a touch of threat from the man who'd originally compromised Joan and that kept things a little on edge and provided a nice--though frustrating--backdrop to the story.

While I ended up really enjoying What A Lady Needs for Christmas...I did have a good bit of trouble getting into this one. Both due to  the authors writing style and the vast number of characters at the house party--characters from previous books I'm assuming? There were just a lot of family/friend associations between the English and the Scots and different clans and it was...a bit mind boggling really for someone new to the series. So I'd recommend starting at the beginning with this one if you're able to. It did work out in the end for me but I think would have been a better experience overall had I not jumped in so late in the game.

Overall though, What a Lady Needs for Christmas was a heartwarming holiday romance full of interesting and wonderful people. It was delightful watching the Christmas spirit settle in around everyone and seeing them celebrate the season. It definitely left me curious about the rest of the characters. Once again...a herd of kilted brawny male. What's not to love?

Have you read Burrowes? Have a favorite?
Do you like Christmasy reads?
Or have a favorite kilted hero?

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