Lady Jenny’s Christmas Portrait by Grace Burrowes-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: September 2013

A freshly wrapped Regency Christmas romance from New York Timesand USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes.

What Lady Jenny wants for Christmas…

For Christmas, soft-spoken Lady Jenny Windham craves the freedom to pursue her artistic ambitions, though it will mean scandalizing her ducal parents and abandoning all hope of a family of her own. She confides her plans to successful artist Elijah Harrison when he’s commissioned to paint a portrait of her small nephews, because assisting Elijah will bring Jenny that much closer to her heart’s desire—won’t it?

…Will break both their hearts.

Elijah Harrison finds in his unlikely assistant not only an inspiring muse and unappreciated talent, but also a lovely and passionate woman. If Elijah supports Jenny’s career, his own professional interests will suffer, but more significantly, he will lose Jenny forever. Both Jenny and Elijah must choose between true love and a lifelong dream.

REVIEW

4 out of 5 for this reader folks!

Well Grace Burrowes does it again. Another beautiful historical romance (regency) and all set during the holiday season. Lady Jenny’s Christmas Portrait is another book of her popular Windham Series that centers around a family and their personal journeys to find their one true love. Again I found myself breaking my own rule of not reading a series in order, and this time I really felt it. There were so many characters. You can really feel the bonds among this family, and I sensed that those readers who have read this series in order, really got the feeling of a satisfying continuation of other love stories. I will most definitely will be starting at book one and likely will reread this book at a later date so I too can enjoy an aspect of this book that I feel I missed out on.

So Lady Jenny is the last sibling of this Windham family who is left unmatched. She can be shy and quiet, but seems to be coming into her own without apology and is driven to pursue a future as an artist (as opposed to a married baby making machine). When Elijah arrives at the family home by chance, and later hired to commission a painting of certain family members, the attraction between Jenny and Elijah is instant and a kinship of sorts begins. Both aspiring artists, they use this common ground to spend time together with Elijah often sharing trade secrets. When the romance becomes full bloom, all of a sudden they both feel they have to give up one love to enjoy the other. Elijah has given up a life of privilege to pursue his art and Jenny has stood up to her family and told them exactly what she wants to do with her life. It took guts to go that far, and they both do not want to throw that away for an affair. Well the affair turns to unexpected love and these two have to figure out what they need to do to get on the same page.

This is an honest to goodness love story set during a beautiful, festive, family oriented season. I happen to love all things art and I reveled in Grace Burrowes ability to paint her beautiful story in my mind using only words. Her descriptions of art pieces were stunning, the love explosive and the family as tight knit as they come. My only complaint is the repetitive conflict between Jenny and Elijah with regards to “I can only become an artist if I go to Paris”. I was so sick of hearing that by the end of the book. Honestly this book could of been a little shorter as I found it a little “laggy” (wait is that a word …lol) and again repetitive. However, this is Grace Burrowes I am writing about, and it’s hard for me to really pick apart much of what she writes.

If you want to curl up with a good book this holiday season and have had the pleasure of reading this series, then grab that mug of cocoa, get under that warm blanket, let the Christmas lights set the mood and enjoy!

HAPPY READING!

Reviewed by Rachel T.

Copy supplied by Netgalley