Review: A Yorkshire Carol by Jennie Goutet
“‘...I have lost everything that is good in the world. I have no one.’ ‘You have me.’”
The Basics
Title: A Yorkshire Carol (A Christmas Match #3)
Author: Jennie Goutet
Published: 2021
Publisher: Jennie Goutet
Pages: 204
Format: Paperback
Genres: Fiction — Historical fiction, Regency fiction, Holiday, Romance, Historical romance, Regency romance, Holiday romance, Clean romance
Book Synopsis
At the behest of her mother, Juliana accepts her godmother’s invitation to spend the Christmas season with her in Yorkshire, a place which Juliana has avoided for the last two years since her debut season in London. She might have grown up in Yorkshire, but she is keen to marry a London gentleman and spend the remainder of her days in that city. Her godmother, Mrs. Savile, however, has other plans for her. She wishes for her to marry her childhood friend and Yorkshireman, Willelm, and it is to that end that she has invited Juliana to her Christmas house party. She is going to put her matchmaking skills to the test and see if she can make the two of them realize just how meant for one another they are.
My Review & Overall Thoughts
TLDR: A delightful, holiday romance that transports you back in time to a rural, Regency estate at Christmastime.
A Yorkshire Carol is the perfect cozy read for Christmastime. It is a transportive, heartwarming story that whisks you away to a Regency country estate during the holiday season. There, you bear witness to charming Christmas traditions, tantalizing culinary creations, and a sweet, friends-to-lovers romance. It truly is the perfect Christmas read; you cannot help but get into the holiday spirit while reading it. Its cheeriness is infectious.
The highlight, as well as focal point, of this book is the romance between Juliana and Willelm. The two begin as friends but gradually, come to mean more to one another. They are highly compatible, which in addition to endearing them as a couple, adds to the story’s allure. As they complement one another so nicely, you want them to end up together, and so, you become drawn into the story, turning page after page to see if what you want to happen will transpire. Rest assured, their ending is a happy one (I will not tell you in what way it is happy --- you will have to read the book for that), and their relationship’s journey is just as sweet. There are so many smile-inducing moments between the two of them; I often caught myself sporting a broad grin while reading this book. Their romance is also clean, so if sex scenes aren’t your thing, you need not worry about encountering them in this book.
The way in which the book is written, namely its multiple points of view, enhances the romance and by extension, the plot. Chapters alternate between Julian and Willelm’s point of view, with the occasional epistolary chapter from Mrs. Savile’s point of view thrown in. This structure allows us to experience both of their love stories. We are able to watch Juliana as she falls in love with Willelm, and we are able to see Willelm as he gains hope that Juliana might at last be returning his love. Mrs. Savile’s letters inject some humor into the story and often express the same frustrations that we, the reader, are experiencing. Moreover, they help to center the story. Hers are the only chapters written in the present tense; thus, they give the story a sense of the here and now, as well as serve as a segue between scenes.
As noted at the beginning of this review, A Yorkshire Carol is set at a Christmas house party in Regency England, and besides the romance, this is the book’s main draw. When you read this book, you are no longer in the modern world; you are spirited back to a time of candlelit rooms and horse-drawn carriages. You are able to observe old-time traditions, such as caroling and Yule logs, and vicariously luxuriate in the characters’ leisurely way of life. It is an escapist treat.
Another notable aspect of this book is its size. At 204 pages, it makes for a quick read, but in the case of this book, quick does not equate to rushed. Goutet has managed to write a novella where the plot progresses at an ideal pace, which is no easy feat. I have read more than my fair share of novellas where the plot and/or characters are not granted enough time to properly develop.
The not so good
The plot is fairly predictable, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. In knowing that everything will work out, you are able to relax and enjoy the story, rather than worry over the characters’ fates.
My final critique is not really a critique, so much as a wish. I would have loved A Yorkshire Carol to have been a full-length novel, as I so enjoyed Juliana and Willelm’s story. I could have quite happily kept on reading about them.
Overall
A Yorkshire Carol is exactly what I had hoped it would be: a charming, feel-good historical romance infused with holiday cheer. This was my first Jennie Goutet book, but it certainly won’t be my last.
Have you read A Yorkshire Carol? If so, let me know what you thought of it in the comments section below!
