REVIEW: A Christmas Gambol by Joan Smith
Her neighbor Lord Montaigne had asked Cecily Caldwell to pose as the anonymous author of the popular Chaos Is Come Again, written, supposedly, by his aunt. Cecily agreed because she had a novel of her own to introduce to a London publisher, and she wanted to do research on London society (including Lord Montaigne and his sister) for her next novel.
Or the more dramatic original paperback blurb!
THE GENTLEMAN WAS A DYED-IN-THE-WOOL-ROMANTIC. BUT HE HAD MUCH TO LEARN ABOUT LOVE!
At first, aspiring writer Cicely Caldwell was insulted to be asked to pose as the anonymous lady author of the vastly popular Chaos Is Come Again, a horrid piece of gothic drivel. Then she realized such a pretense would gain her entrée into the literary circles that might forward her own writing career.
Handsome Lord Montaigne confessed the real anonymous lady was his aunt and that Cicely seemed the sort of discreet country lady who would do the part justice. However, Cicely, with a nose for a good story, soon suspected the startling truth of the anonymous lady’s shocking identity.
As the holidays approached, Cicely was unaware that her search for a fictional hero was leading her straight to a man whose outward cynicism could not hide his true romantic nature . . . on the page or off!
Dear Ms. Smith,
I’ve loved and enjoyed several of your Regency novels. Looking for a Christmas one, I decided to try “A Christmas Gambol” hoping for a bit of holiday farce. The story has lots of amusing moments but there’s just a bit too much going on for too long.
Starting the book, initially I wasn’t loving it. Cecily or Sissie as she is mostly called, is a frank miss who speaks her mind and isn’t afraid to poke her nose into other people’s business if she thinks she can help them. Sometimes she actually can. Montaigne or Monty, is actually a romantic but one who is in a pickle due to his own actions. He’s also a little bit stiff-rumped and dictatorial. Good thing that Sissie is more than willing and able to take the wind out of his sails when needed.
It took me a while to realize that the story appears to be poking fun at all things Regency and possibly at the tendency of romance authors in the 80s/90s (the book was originally published in 1996) to give all their heroines violet eyes. Sissie is not flattered to be asked to masquerade as the author of a book she personally detests but realizing the opportunity to do research in London for her own writing, she agrees. Sissie comments on everything, doesn’t seem to mind being a country bumpkin (that is until her BFF Meg brings her up to crack), and then settles in to observe all and take notes.
Monty is astonished at how lovely Sissie is once his sister Meg has loaned some of her gowns and her dresser to fix Sissie’s hair. Soon Sissie is all the rage with gentlemen hanging off her sleeve and taking her all over London – completely unchaperoned BTW. The book mentions some of the social ills of the day which thankfully both Sissie and Monty abhor and want to do something about. At the end of the book, Sissie has done something in an attempt to salvage (yet another) couple’s troubled marriage which sets some of the ton gossips after her but frankly by that point I wondered how Sissie had any reputation left. There are also a few other anachronisms and historical errors I noticed so if these are an issue, beware.
Sissie is sensible but also a bit of a minx. She’s intelligent and figures out something Monty would rather she not after which she takes pleasure in teasing him. When Monty takes the romance situation into his own hands, Sissie astounds him with her reaction. But then by that point she is as much in love with him as he is with her though they manage to avoid giving the other a hint of this for far too long.
Once I saw that the book was poking fun at itself, romance novels, the London Season and ton the first 2/3 entertained me. Then another marriage in trouble has to be thrust into the story (after the first one that Sissie keeps from ending up in the ditches) and things begin to drag and some characters start to annoy rather than amuse me. There is also not that much actual Christmas in the story beyond Sissie writing a pantomime that is performed in London. Had this last section been trimmed or eliminated, I would have enjoyed the book more. B-/C+
~Jayne
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This author also wrote a handful of very enjoyable mystery novels. I read her mysteries before I learned of her romance novels. I recall that they have a certain type of humor which sneaks up on the reader, similar to that in Martha Grimes’ Richard Jury mysteries.
@LML: I don’t think I’ve read one of her mysteries but I did read this paranormal one years ago.
https://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/overall-b-reviews/review-never-let-me-go-by-joan-smith/