Review - A Husband by Christmas by Lisa Ann Verge

Today on my first post of 2023 I'm sharing my review of A Husband by Christmas by one of my all time favorite authors and good friend, Lisa Ann Verge aka Lisa Verge Higgins. Lisa and I go waaay back to my days moderating the virtual B&N romance book club where I absolutely fell in love with her masterful storytelling. Now she's gone back to her wicked ways and spends her days writing historical romance. I hope you enjoy reading my review as much as I enjoyed reading the novel and hope you also give this series a try.

ASIN:  B0B64MFLCS
Publisher: Bay Street Press
Release Date: 10-19-2022
Length: 173pp
Source: Author for review
Buy It: Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound

ADD TO: GOODREADS 

Overview:
She's A Riddle He Can't Solve...

Orphaned and destitute, Marietta agrees to become a King’s Girl, one of many women shipped to Quebec to be married to ungovernable settlers. Determined not to be rushed into matrimony, she challenges every bachelor to solve a riddle before courting her. The scheme buys her time—until the knotty riddle is solved by a most unlikely suitor….

My Review:

A Husband by Christmas
Lisa Ann Verge

 

Lisa’s third in her King’s Daughter’s novels, A Husband by Christmas, is both tragic and uplifting and based on true events which draws readers in more. The true event is that in the mid seventeenth century King Louis XIV of France collected young female orphans, street urchins and the like gave them good dowries and sends them off to the Canadian wilds in order to settle down the rowdy settlers. In fact many residents of modern day French speaking Quebec are the direct descendants of these 800 brave women from France.

Like always Lisa’s novel is a gift to readers. In this story the audience gets a step back in time, an interesting premise, fantastic characters and breathtaking backdrops from the early days of newly settled Canada. Marietta, her main protagonist is a delight, she’s feisty, intelligent, a good friend and gives the bachelors of Quebec a run for their money with her riddle.
Philipe Martineau is the perfect match for Marietta, even though he’s got a rough exterior he’s an honorable man and the perfect man for the mystery that is Marietta. Lisa also includes the aboriginal Canadians with Philippe’s adoptive Abenaki tribe. There are some really great costars in the novel also like the entire Bourdon family, especially all the Bourdon children which are usually in Marietta’s care, the other King’s Daughters and of course Philipe’s friend and business partner Andre. Plus you can’t leave out Canada herself as a character in all her beautiful and brutal winter glory. If you love historical novels especially those based on true events you’ll love A Husband by Christmas and don’t forget to try all Lisa’s novels in her King’s Daughter series.

Left orphaned and penniless in France Marietta once a diplomat’s daughter has agreed to be a King’s Daughter and travel to the wilds of the new French colonies of Canada to wed one of the settlers. But being the oldest of the girls she traveled with she wants to see her fellow “sisters” well wed first. Then there’s the fact that she really doesn’t want to marry so Marietta comes up with a riddle that the men of Quebec must solve before she agrees to be courted by anyone. Confident that no one will solve her riddle she sets out to find mates for the other girls until a rough and wild woodsman catches her eye and suddenly she wonders (hopes) if he might be the one to find the elusive answer.
Philipe Martineau left his adoptive Abenaki tribe to try his hand at the fur trade which brings him and his partner to Quebec, that is until he meets a charming riddler who makes him think of white picket fences and not the Canadian wilderness.

About the author:
Lisa Ann Verge is the multiple award-winning author of dozens of emotionally intense, wildly passionate historical romances, and a fervent believer in love, magic, and happily ever after. Visit her at www.lisaannverge.com. --This text refers to the paperback edition.