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Cover of A Christmas Gambol

A Christmas Gambol

Joan Smith

240 pages

A sparkling, farcical romp through Regency society where secret manuscripts and mistaken identities lead to inevitable romance.

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What it feels like

Reading this traditional Regency romp feels like stepping into a brightly lit drawing room where the tea is hot and the gossip is even hotter. The narrative moves at a brisk, theatrical clip, propelled by sharp banter, secret manuscripts, and a delightful comedy of errors. It is a thoroughly cozy and cheerful experience, wrapping the reader in a breezy atmosphere of high-society absurdity without ever dipping into heavy angst. The prose is sparkling and dialogue-heavy, perfectly capturing the wry, farcical tone of classic historical romance. Fans of Georgette Heyer will feel instantly at home in this playful world, where cynical heartbreak is swiftly cured by chaotic misunderstandings, literary ambitions, and a joyful, inevitable happily-ever-after.

Mood
  • cheerful
  • cozy
  • theatrical
  • breezy
Tone
  • wry
  • playful
  • farcical
  • lighthearted
Pace
brisk
Themes
hidden identities · literary ambition · comedy of errors · absurdity of high society
The writing
Sparkling and dialogue-heavy, driven by sharp Regency banter and comedic timing.
The arc
Moves from cynical heartbreak and chaotic misunderstandings to a joyful, romantic resolution.
Who it's for
Readers who delight in traditional, closed-door Regency romps filled with secret identities and Georgette Heyer-esque wit.

About the book

A Joan Smith farce. Lord Montaigne is felled by a broken heart and a broken leg. While recuperating, he pens a romance, Chaos is Come Again, which becomes a runaway success, Montaigne is embarrassed and keen to hide the identity of the author, not only because of his status and gender, but also because he has based the best-seller on his failed romance. A nobody from the country, Cecily Caldwell, agrees to pose as the anonymous author, although she is told it has been written by Montaigne’s aunt. Cecily agrees because she has a novel of her own to introduce to a London publisher, and she wants to do research on London society (including Lord Montaigne and his sister) for her next novel. The Christmas theme is slight.

Description from Open Library.

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