As the daughter of a duke, Lady Isabelle’s pristine reputation is paramount. Her high status is how she’ll attract the titled suitor her mother insists she wed. When Belle’s chaperone falls ill en route to a party, she must pose as an independent widow to avoid gossip. Why not have a wee innocent flirtation with a handsome tailor staying at the same inn? She’ll be gone in the morning…
A sudden blizzard upends Calvin McAlistair’s plans when he’s snowbound at a posting-house. He has no time to play lady’s maid to the helpless beauty next door, no matter how much he enjoys unbuttoning the straitlaced widow. His future depends on impressing an important investor… who will ruin them both once they realize Calvin has spent a scandalous fortnight with Lady Isabelle!
Tis the Season for holiday romance tropes, and Dawn with a Duke delivers the snowed in and needing to work together tropes in a lovely shorter book (its a bit longer than a novella). It doesn’t directly involve a Duke, so the title may be a bit misleading if you don’t read the back cover copy.
The MCs are a Duke’s sister, Lady Isabelle, and Calvin McAlistair, a tailor and aspiring fashion designer/mogul for pret-a-porter. Both are talented artists in their own right. Calvin struggles with social anxiety and Isabelle is really out of her realm fending for herself in a quaint country inn, while her maid is quarantined for influenza (although a fortnight seemed a bit excessive, I suspended my disbelief).
They are attractive, creative, and have instant chemistry based on a shared awkwardness. I found this delightful and full of all the sweet romantic moments I adore when two nerds fall in love. I don’t think its a huge secret I prefer the more Beta type hero, and Calvin leans in that direction, although he is very focused on his ambitions. Isabelle has the greatest amount of character growth, realizing her own power through the support of Calvin, and that adds an element to the romance which is sweet and empowering.
Overall, the book is low angst, with most of the premise surrounding their team up as a result of blizzard/being snowed in. Isabelle wants to help Calvin with his illustrations because she has the ambition of being recognized for her painting, and Calvin needs the help to prepare for an investor meeting where they pitch the idea of a men’s catalogue for working and middle class men.
The MCs are from different classes, and the ending is a bit too neat, but I found myself absolutely believing it. Its a comforting read, one where love triumphs and the holiday cheer makes you want to be a better person, so I think the magic of suspending disbelief over class differences was not hard (especially as Calvin is about to be very, very wealthy with his clever idea and designs).
Most of the intimacy is kisses, culminating in one intimate scene that is fairly light on details. There is no violence, little mature content, and mostly a focus on a surprising detour that delivers holiday magic, love, and friendship.
I am looking forward to reading the next in the series.
5 out of 6 Snowed in, two artists share more than a meeting of talents
| Content Rating/Heat Index | |
|---|---|
| Mature Content |   |
| Not much | |
| Intimacy | |
| Lots of kisses and one intimate scene | |
| Violence | |
| Nope | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| The one intimate scene was on page but limited in description. Good for most, except those who are strict kisses only readers. | |
