Christmas Joy by Mary- Anne O’Connor – 1889 Rye, Sussex, England. Joy’s favourite time of the year is Christmas and she loves nothing more than performing acts of kindness to ensure that other people’s lives are brighter. Despite the loss of her family’s fortune and needing to accept a job as lady’s companion to the unnerving demands of Lady Hyacinth Montague, she remains cheerful. Hyacinth regards her as the lowliest of servants, that is until her great-nephew and heir, Earl Peter Montague arrives to spend Christmas at the estate.
When they first meet, Joy makes an unfortunate first impression upon Peter. Despite this Peter is soon entranced and delighted by her tenderhearted nature. Mutually attracted to each other, Joy finds herself unexpectedly, yet heart-wrenchingly, in love. In the world of high society, however, love and marriage are considered two extremely different things! Hyacinth in particular has far grander hopes for her great-nephew than the poverty-stricken Joy. Montwoods Manor is filled with la crème de la crème of the upper class, and it appears that Lady Regina of Hove is the leading contender for the honour of becoming Peter’s wife.
Hyacinth charges Joy with the task of organising a lavish Christmas ball, one that Joy can hardly attend in her homemade gown. As snow falls on the picturesque seaside town on Christmas Eve, Joy’s kindhearted nature becomes entrapped by a shameful plot. She is caused to wonder if the games of the idle rich make love an impossibility…or if the magic of Christmas will bring her the greatest gift of all.
Dickensian, charming and just the novel to make Christmas seem all the more enchanting! A must read, however, at any time of the year. Mary-Anne never disappoints and remains at the pinnacle of historical romance.
ISBN: 9781761347979
Christmas Joy is available in paperback, e-book and audiobook formats.
About Mary-Anne O’Connor
Mary-Anne O’Connor has a combined arts education degree with specialties in environment, music and literature. After a successful copywriting and marketing career she now focuses on writing fiction and non-fiction as well as public speaking. Mary-Anne lives in a house overlooking her beloved bushland in northern Sydney with her husband Anthony and their two sons Jimmy and Jack.
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