This was a decent story and I somewhat enjoyed both the hero and the heroine. However, nothing really stood out making it a great book, which is surprising to me because I've really enjoyed Sabrina Jeffries in the past.

If I had to describe the story in one word that would have been mills. Other than the romance, the mills are the most mentioned thing in this book, which made me feel weird, but makes complete sense since we are talking about an era where people were working on them. It gives to the reader a deeper knowledge of how things worked then and it's heartbreaking.

Lord Stephen Correy’s passion is writing exposes about the cruelty of the factory owners to their workers. When he gets a chance to interview an American factory owner, Miss Amanda Keane, and prove that American factories are ran just as bad, he jumps on it, even if it means attending a holiday house party. He didn’t count on the attraction between them or how wrong he just might be.
This was a short story but it was a full story, with well drawn out characters and a full plot. I really liked Amanda’s character. She was strong and had a purpose. I loved how she kept proving Stephen wrong. Great story. I highly recommend.

I just realized that I never did review this after I read this last year. Like the first time, my whole attention during my reread is transfixed on Amanda Keane, a true queen, she can step on me whenever she wants. I admire her passion to better and improve her mills, her wit, and whenever she one-ups Stephen in their banter I'm on the sidelines cheering wildly.

All in all, I would have liked a longer story on both of them, but nevertheless it has been an enjoyable read.

If Sabrina Jefferies wrote it, I will read it. Though I prefer full length books to novellas, this one fits very nicely into the Sinful Suitors series. It all starts at a holiday house party at the Keanes. A cause of mistaken identity leads to an overpowering kiss, which leads to more kisses. Lord Stephen Corry, the hothead in the title, is a journalist taking on the radical task of exposing the terrible conditions in the cotton mills. Miss Amanda Keane owns a mill in her native America. How this two work out their differences makes a good read. One of the best things about Ms Jefferies' books is her character development, they are not your usual run of the mill characters. Even their vocations are not the norm for this time period. A member of society a crusader for class justice? A woman running a cotton mill, even if he is an American, it is just not done. A refreshing read indeed.

I enjoyed this quick read from Sabrina. It is part of a series, but you can read it as a stand alone book. The characters are funny, stubborn. Just remember it is a small book so the story line will be a bit faster than most. I hope you enjoy.

This is a fun Christmas novella, short enough to read in on a cold snowy evening by the fire.

Lord Stephen Corry, has set views on mill life in England. He meets Miss Amanda Keane, an American mill owner and she takes offense to his views, as she doesn't run her mill the way he has seen. Both characters have such strong views that it immediately puts them at odds. But a surprise kiss under the mistletoe shows them there can be more to their relationship than arguing. A dangerous episode towards the end of the story really brings them together. Romance and mistletoe create the perfect holiday read.

Sabrina Jeffries can do no wrong! I can never wait to read her books and this one certainly did not disappoint!

Lord Stephen Corry regrets not being able to save a childhood friend from the dangers of working at a mill. As an adult, he's made it his life's mission to expose those mill owners who break the law and not take the necessary precautions to protect the workers. Unfortunately, he thinks most, if not all, millowners fall into this category; which is not a good thing for American mill owner Amanda Keane.

While visiting her brother and his wife in England, she plans to learn how mills in England are run, hoping to gather enough insight to improve her own. She does care about her workers, and she feels very much insulted when Stephen suggests otherwise. When a case of mistaken identity results in them sharing a kiss under the mistletoe, they both find it difficult to ignore their physical attraction to one another, despite their opposing opinions. It doesn't take long for Stephen to see that Amanda is one of the good guys; and despite his brunt behavior, Amanda sees the gentle side of Stephen. They learn to appreciate each other and work together to make things better.

Considering the two had never met before the kiss -and the fact that this is a novella- the relationship develops quickly, which is actually believable for this era. I'd already read the Study of Seduction (Edwin and Clarissa's story), so it was nice to get a quick peek at them before they actually became a couple. I was quite surprised at how/when the first love scene between Stephen and Amanda occurred. I have mixed feelings about it, but the originality leans me more towards acceptance. Amanda and Stephen both are quite a handful, and their charitable deeds make them even more likeable. It was a nice, quick read.

I had not realized that when I requested this book from Netgalley that I had actually read it already. It’s actually part of the anthology What Happens Under the Mistletoe! Here’s my thoughts on this Sinful Suitor holiday novella!

For me, Jeffries’ The Heiress and the Hothead was my favourite. It might have been because I knew the characters (Amanda and Stephen) from her Sinful Suitors series, or it might be because I love bantering couples. It’s got the bit of pride and prejudice and it was cute to see their romance grow. There was one kinda odd scene, but otherwise all around fun.

Too short a read for me! I just felt like it was missing something, but all in all, still entertaining.

I love Sabrina Jeffries books, and this is no exception. I loved the banter between Stephen and Amanda and that eventually they found their HEA

Mistletoe, holly berries, mills, and more than one kind of spark…

I enjoyed this short Christmas story. Sabrina Jeffries is one of my favorite authors and once again she’s woven a story you can’t help but dive right in to. This story was previously published as What Happens Under the Mistletoe in a holiday collection and is technically part of the Sinful Suiters collection although can certainly be read as a standalone.

Amanda is an American mill owner and heiress whose brother has recently inherited a dukedom. While in England helping her sibling’s become settled in their new lives Amanda, a woman highly unconventional for the time period, comes across a man equally as progressive.

Stephen is a younger brother of a marquess and hardly the typical man of the ton. Eschewing the trappings of his birthright Stephen is a reporter hell bent on exposing the horrors of millworks and their corrupt owners.

When the Amanda and Stephen meet up at a house party for Christmas sparks fly and not always the good kind either. It’s clear the two have an immediate attraction complete with a few embraces under the mistletoe and quickly the two pair up to work together on exposing the bad side of English mills to the public.

I had a few minor issues with the book. The first was where the two became intimate for the first time. I’m not sure I’d feel romantic at all if I was in the middle of a fire and possibly taking my last breath. The second was Stephen himself. I like my main men to be a little more alpha than he was, but he was so sweet, driven, and attentive I got over it… mostly. The final was that I wanted the villainous owners of Hanson Millworks to get more of comeuppance than they did. Although the mill burned down and Stephen’s brother took ownership of the soon to be rebuilt business I felt that there needed to be something more that stuck it to them after they had been so horrible to their employees.

Overall though, I enjoyed this short read and am eager to read the next from Sabrina Jeffries. As always, she spun a take that had me reading full speed ahead.

**I received an ARC of this book for my honest unbiased opinion and review.**