3.5 stars. Independent brewer Caroline is on her way home for Christmas from a business trip to London when the public coach she's traveling on ends up in a ditch. The only house nearby belongs to her brother's school friend, Nick, who has recently inherited a title and cultivated a wild reputation. Fortunately he's in residence, but unfortunately he has brought home some friends and women for a holiday orgy. He takes in Caro and the other stranded travelers, and an eccentric Christmas celebration begins. Nick and Caro reconnect, and discover they might have more in common than they thought. But Nick is determined never to marry, and Caro has responsibilities at the brewery.

Like the previous book in this series, MacKenzie did not wrap up all the plot threads. (Wasn't it Checkov who said that if there's a gun in act one, it should go off by the end? I'm paraphrasing, but MacKenzie did not use the gun.) I found the insta-love less than believable, but this is a classic, heartwarming holiday story.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

3.5 Stars

The Merry Viscount was a delightful holiday read featuring a romance between childhood friends.

After a failed attempt to persuade a London tavern owner to carry Widow's Brew, the ale brewed at Puddledon Manor’s Benevolent Home, Miss Caroline Anderson sets out for home just in time for Christmas. But when the stagecoach breaks down during a snowstorm, Caro is forced to seek shelter at a nearby estate owned by her old childhood friend Nick, the Viscount Oakland. After her feelings for the man resurface, much stronger than her childhood crush, Caro will have to figure out how to make it through the holiday without falling head over heels for the man.

Caro was an interesting character, she is a brewer at the Home which was interesting as I don't think I've come across a female brewer before in anything I've read. Caro's backstory was heartbreaking and I hated how she blamed herself for what happened to her when she was seventeen. I liked that Nick helped Caro see what happened wasn't her fault and that she worked on not blaming herself for it anymore. Nick is an absolute charmer and I really enjoyed his character. Nick lost both of his parents to illness as a child and was sent to live with his uncle who was quite severe. Nick has a lot of resentment around what happened to him as a child and he definitely avoids commitment as a result.

Caro and Nick knew each other as children as Nick spent a lot of time with one of Caro's brothers. The pair didn't immediately recognize each other as it had been nearly twenty years since they last saw each other. They rekindle their friendship after Caro is stranded there and agree to pretend to be lovers for the duration of Caro's stay to help each of them with a problem they have with some of the other guests. I really enjoy fake dating romances, so I enjoyed that aspect of their romance. The pair's relationship turns physical fairly quickly although not quite in the way you expect. I mostly liked the steamier scenes although the pair made wagers during them which isn't something I really enjoy. Both Caro and Nick have some hang-ups when it comes to relationships and I liked seeing them overcome those issues to be together. I do think the acceptance of their relationship becoming more took a bit longer than I would have liked, particularly on Caro's side, but I did mostly enjoy their romance.

Overall The Merry Viscount was a fun read and I will definitely be checking out the other books in the series.

This book is a solid addition to MacKenzie's Widow's Brew series. It hits all the right notes for a Christmas romance, although the character development seems a little rushed. Definitely a cozy romance for a chilly day.

Caroline “Caro” Anderson is the brewer of the Widow’s Ale at the Benevolent Home for the Maintenance and Support of Spinsters, Widows and Abandoned Women and their Unfortunate Children. She is returning from a disappointing trip to London when the mail coach she is riding in becomes disabled, stranding her and several other passengers, including a small boy and his infant sister in the snow. Knowing the children will not survive the cold, she takes the baby and goes for help at a nearby estate. The estate is owned by a man she knows well, or at least knew well, Nicholas St. John, Viscount Oakland. Nick was friends with her older brother and was a frequent visitor to her home. She has not seen him in 17 years, but hopes he will offer shelter to them.

Nick is at the estate and is hosting an orgy, he however can’t seem to find the enthusiasm to join in, he blames it on being back at the estate. Nick was born in Italy, his father was the younger son of the Viscount and a painter, he fell in love with an Italian woman while on his grand tour and never returned to England. But when they died, his uncle, the new Viscount demanded that Nick come to live with him in England – his uncle was a dour, bitter man who Nick blames for all his unhappiness. Being at the estate, especially at Christmas, brings back all his memories and has him feeling out of sorts. When Caro comes banging on the door, Nick has no idea how much his life is about to change.

This was a sweet story with characters who have some very potent emotional issues. I loved seeing Nick grow as a person and begin to start taking responsibility for his own life and to stop blaming his uncle. I also enjoyed seeing Caro begin to let go of the pain in her past, she was hurt badly by a man and then to add insult to injury, disowned by her family. Watching them help each other to see the truth of their pasts and move on was very well done. I like the story, but there were just some things that didn’t really work for me, I never understood why Caro went into “service”, her family wasn’t poor and she was 17 and the only daughter, why didn’t her father try to find her a husband? It just didn’t make sense. I also felt like the book ended too abruptly, it really needed another chapter or at least an epilogue to show the reader their HEA as well as letting us know what happened with the secondary characters that were also stranded at the estate. This is the second book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone title.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*
2 likes · Like ∙ flag

3.5 Stars
The Merry Viscount is the second book in the Widow’s Brew but was fine reading as a stand-alone. It was a charming Christmas romance with pleasant characters. Miss Caroline “Caro” Anderson was on her way home from London, where she was trying to sell their Widow’s Ale. On the way, the stagecoach slides off the road during a snowstorm. Caro and the passengers must take shelter at the nearest house, which happens to belong to her childhood friend Nick, Viscount Oakland. Nick’s rakish life has become boring and seeing Caro again makes him want to be a better person. Nick begins to have a change of heart regarding marriage and a family. Can they have a future together?

Is the Viscount Too Merry

I am of several minds about this book. When I first started reading it, it seemed like it was going to be tongue in cheek. For instance, the society that helped the heroine—and where she is now intimately involved with its brewing business—is named the Benevolent Home for the Maintenance and Support of Spinsters, Widows, and Abandoned Women and Their Unfortunate Children, clearly a send-up of awkwardly named Victorian and Regency ladies’ aid societies. Then it looked to be just a steamy read, when the heroine seeks refuge from a blizzard in the home of an old childhood friend—who happens to be having a raucous Christmas house party made up of his rakish friends and some lightskirts, thumbing his nose at his old uncle. So there were some whimsical parts of the story that could have been enjoyable. But there was some surprising darkness hiding in this story. The heroine has a more difficult past than we typically see in Regency. She is estranged from her family because of her sexual liaison with the owner of the house where she was working. I wish the author of the book had given a trigger warning about a sexual assault, as I always believed that heavy triggers need to be mentioned in a book's description. And it certainly is incongruent with the image presented by the title and the cover. Given her background, I didn't feel like the hero always treated her well or said the appropriate things. Is it really a good seduction tactic to discuss who was in your bed the night before? That and a few other things were just too creepy for me. What should have been a fun and steamy holiday Regency romp just had too many unpleasant elements. If the author had stuck to what I thought the original premise would be, this book could have been some silly holiday fun.

A devilish love story to be sure. The Merry Viscount brings out the cheer for the holidays and nothing is going to stop the party, not even a crush who may or may not like what she sees. I recommend this story!

I recieved a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an hones review. I truly like this author and enjoyed the first book in this series, that being said, this book can definitely be read as a stand alone. Nick has in inherited his uncles title and estates but his childhood was lonely and sad, so as a middle finger to his dead uncle he is hosting a Christmas orgy at the estate. Caro becomes stranded and has no choice but to seek shelter after the mail coach traveling back to the home for sprinsters, widows, and unfortunate women and children has an accident. Nick and Caro had know each other in their adolescence as Nick would visit Caro's home during holidays with her brother Henry. Overall, I liked the relationship between the 2 leads. The falling in love did feel rushed even though they had know each other, it wasn't the strongest foundation and they spent 2 days together in the book. But for the most part it was enjoyable.

A coach full of passengers find themselves stranded with Lord Devil. But is he what they say? I enjoyed this story of love found. Both main characters have some deep seated issues but work it out throughout the story.

Thank you to the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Caroline Anderson is returning home by stagecoach after a disastrous trip to London to sell Widow's Ale to another tavern. The coach is packed and when two young bucks land the coach in a snow-covered ditch, Caro seeks shelter at a nearby estate. She discovers that the owner is her brother's childhood friend Viscount Nick Oakland.

Nick hates his country estate due to the memories from his childhood and Christmas makes things worse. He brings an assortment of London's lightskirts to entertain his friends. During a blizzard, he hears pounding on his door only to discover Caro Anderson needing his assistance. Caroline invades his home and his heart once he lets her in.

I liked this second chance at love romance. The characters are older and have made mistakes. I would have liked to know what happens next. Do Nick and Caro go to Italy and visit his mother's family? Do they go visit her parents and her father apologizes?

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.

I enjoyed this Christmas Regency romance! Nick and Caro are both sweet, but wounded characters, and it was easy to root for them to be together and begin healing. The plot is a familiar one - a carriage journey stopped by snow, forcing the travellers to take shelter at a local lord's house - but it's done well and has other elements that keep it fresh, such as the forgotten childhood friendship between the hero and heroine. The Christmas side of things is fairly light and serves to create a nice atmosphere. rather than being particularly cheesy.

However, one thing spoiled the book for me: I didn't like the focus on pregnancy/wanting an heir, as this overwhelmed the last quarter of the book for me, and I just don't find it romantic or sexy. It ruins the steamier scenes for me if people are thinking about 'seed' and how lovely it would be to get pregnant - just let them enjoy it for their own sakes! I also think this could use a content warning for the heroine's recovery from sexual assault and rape, and subsequent sex aversion - this is worked through nicely on page, but it would be nice to warn readers to let them know what they're getting into, as it may be a sensitive subject.

Overall though, this is a nice warm read.

There were some plot points that were a bit difficult to believe but overall, this is a sweet, fun Christmas romp. I enjoyed it!.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars for me.
90% inter dialogue or their fighting inter dialogue. Also reading about his past bed partners even when he’s being with Caro and still comparing their moments with his paid ‘friends’ is disturbing, he’s thinking A. Lot. about those ‘friends’. He’ll even tell Caro he had one of his ‘friends’ in the same bed the night before she laid in his bed...
Another point is Nick’s constant complaining of wanting to bed a woman but don’t want a child, an heir to his cold hearted uncle’s title, he wants to marry Caro but don’t want sons to inherit. For a man in his 30s he’s still bitter about losing his parents and his Italian family and forced to live in the bitter cold of England and in a cold mansion.

Christmas miracles, Will there be?
Nick knew Caro when he was a child and went to his best friends Henry’s family home for school holidays and Caro is the only sister with 10 brothers, she was also a tomboy when she could escape her parents watchful eye. She harbored a crush on Nick then and won’t see him for over 10 years later. Caro was 17 when she went to work in a Marquis home and the titled man forced himself on her a few times with sweet words and touches. Her own father despises her for allowing a man her husband’s gift and tells her she’s not his daughter, all in a letter! What a jerk!

This was a pleasant read. Caro has been rejected by her family, after losing her job as a nanny because she was seduced by the master of the house. She lives in the a benevolent home for women and children, and is the brewmaster for the ale they brew to support the home. Disappointed and furious when her attempt to sell her ale in London is unsuccessful and her potential buyer propositioned her, she is travelling back to the home on the stage.

The coach is commandeered by a couple of young aristocrats and driven into a ditch, and Caro decides to march through the snow to the nearest Manor House to ask for assistance for the passengers, especially a young mother with a newborn and a young boy. When she arrives, she soon realises that the lord of the house is her brother’s friend, Nick, who she used to play with when she was little.

Nick is half Italian, brought up in Italy, after his parents died, he was forced to live in England, with his distant, demanding and damaged uncle. He is still bitter about his destroyed childhood and avoids his seat at Oaklands as much as possible in favour of his house in London, he’s had to vacate his London house due to a - very funny- mishap. He decides to thumb his nose at his uncle’s memory by inviting a couple of his rakish friends and some courtesans to his house for a Christmas orgy.

When Caro and the rest of the passengers descend on his house, Nick isn’t sure how he is going to manage, but soon everyone settles in, except that Caro confounds him by proposing that she should masquerade as his lover, in order to avoid unwanted propositions from the other men resident.

The growing awareness of Nick in this story was a pleasure. He was genuinely caring of Caro and protective of her, as he heard of her ruination at the hands of an aristocrat, and helped her to believe that it wasn’t her fault, including her family’s desertion. Nick starts to realise that he is being controlled by his resentments and that he needs to let go and change.

There were some amusing interludes with the secondary characters including the servants that made me smile.

I struggled with some of the mechanics of the plot as other reviewers have pointed out, it didn’t make sense that someone of Caro’s Station would be employed as a Nanny so young.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

Also posted on Goodreads

THE MERRY VISCOUNT is the second story in the Widow’s Brew series, although I will always suggest starting at the beginning of a series – if you cannot this one can stand on its own very well. I somehow missed the beginning book in this series so I’ll be going back for that soon.

The Cover Description tells you what you really need to know before picking up Caro’s and Nick’s story, but what it can’t tell you is how quickly these characters (and several secondary characters) are about to entertain you with an unusual story between two rather unique people. I liked them both, for different reasons, but they fit together well. Each is a wounded soul in their own ways, Caro from an incident she feels ‘ruined’ her good name and standing so never has tried to find love or marriage. Nick from the oftentimes cruel upbringing by his uncle who he had to live with during his formative years. I understood them both, but also wished that they could see themselves through someone else’s eyes – and that is how they eventually are seen, the real people, as they seem to be healing each other as they are falling in love.

I had several good laughs, some anger at characters’ actions, discovered a couple to root for a happy ending and met several secondary characters who eventually charmed me as the tone of Nick’s home (and party) changed into something far different. I had fun, and that’s the point. If you enjoy a good Christmas Historical Romance with engaging characters then you’ll want to check out THE MERRY VISCOUNT.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

After an unsuccessful trip to London, Caroline is making her way back home on the stagecoach. Unfortunately to young bucks decide to take over for the driver and the coach ends up in the ditch. Luckily they are close to the estate of Viscount Oakland, who was her brother's childhood best friend. Unfortunately when she arrives to get help for the coach, she realizes that she has interrupted a wicked holiday party.

Nick is surprised to see his best friend's little sister at his door in the middle of the snow storm. And she is not alone...agreeing to house the people that were on the coach until the storm passes and the coach is fixed, Nick knows that his wicked holiday party has come to a screeching halt. But as he spends time with Caroline, he soon realizes that she might be just what he needs this holiday season.

Can these two find the HEA that neither of them thought they wanted?

I really enjoyed Caroline and Nick's story. Both were in a place in their lives that they had determined that they would not marry. I loved watching them get to know one another as adults and to grow with the help of the other to want to know love and to build a life with the other. I'm very excited for the next book in the series and can't wait to see what MacKenzie has in store for us.

I found myself skipping and skimming over parts of this book and knew i was in trouble. Some of the plot seemed pretty implausible. While I enjoyed the characters, there were probably too many to keep track of. 3 stars.

I enjoyed this book. It's listed as #2 in the series, but it's more of a novella. I definitely enjoyed book one more, but this was still fun. The characters were sweet, and Caro and Nick were sweet together.

The Merry Viscount is a well written historical romance. I enjoyed the plot and the characters. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading historical romance. My thanks to the publisher for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

The Merry Viscount by Sally MacKenzie is a romance story set around Christmas. The author has brought back Miss Caroline Anderson a character from earlier books from Puddledon Manor’s Benevolent Home. Caroline is the brewer of Widow’s Brew a type of ale. It is their hope that selling the ale to more places will increase the monies available at Puddledon Manor’s Benevolent Home. After all, it will allow them to help save more women from being out on the street with babies. The problems with Caroline’s adventure were many. The owner of the bar tried to take advantage of her. It is the Christmas season and the snow is coming down hard. The coach she is riding in is full of people, there is a young mother has a crying baby and the coach is in the ditch. Caroline braves the weather and walks up the driveway to the nearest house.

Viscount Oakland, aka Nick owned that house. He was having a Christmas party, with some interesting characters when Caroline shows up. They immediately offer to help the people on the coach - and that is when things become even more interesting. There is a history between Caroline and Nick. They know each other. Then other complications happen…

I enjoyed the story and how the people interacted with each other. Caroline and Nick’s romance was not a surprise, but enjoyable. The Merry Viscount by Sally MacKenzie was a fun read.