A Kiss for Midwinter

Courtney Milan

A Kiss for Midwinter
Courtney Milan
2012

The Summary
"Miss Lydia Charingford is always cheerful, and never more so than at Christmas time.  But no matter how hard she smiles, she can't forget the youthful mistake that could have ruined her reputation.  Even though the worst of her indiscretion was kept secret, one other person knows the truth of those dark days:  the sarcastic Doctor Jonas Grantham.  She wants nothing to do with him...or the butterflies that take flight in her stomach every time he looks her way.

"Jonas Grantham has a secret, too:  He's been in love with Lydia for more than a year.  This winter, he's determined to conquer her dislike and win her for his own.  It all starts with a wager and a kiss..."

The Good
A Kiss for Midwinter answers a very important question I had at the end of The Duchess War:  who did Lydia Charingford marry?

After the very loud, very public implosion of Lydia's engagement midway through The Duchess War, I was surprised to learn she had a husband in the epilogue.  Lydia was a rather lovely character--happy, optimistic, caring, kind--and a wonderful friend to Minnie, so, of course, I was intrigued to see who won her heart.

It was Jonas, which I didn't expect.

Given the animosity she harbors for him and the apparent distaste he carries for her, it seemed like such an odd coupling.  I decided to find out what happened, and I'm pretty glad I did.  I mean, I wasn't thrilled with A Kiss for Midwinter, but it wasn't a bad novella.  I liked it, because it has a sweet little story that culminates in a wonderful relationship--and I definitely liked the author's note.

The Bad
Jonas is a bit of an ass.

The Ugly
My heart went out to Lydia for what she suffered.

I knew a little bit about her predicament from The Duchess War, but directly hearing what she endured, knowing how she suffered so terribly at the hands of her lover and then her doctor, it was heart-wrenching.  I mean, you can really see why she distrusted Jonas so much:  he was another pompous male in her life, he was a doctor, and he knew her darkest secret.

No wonder she hated him at the outset.