'she tasted of whiskey and sin'

Lady Jenny's Christmas Portrait (The Duke's Daughters, #5) (Windham, #8) by Grace Burrowes

Oh My!  Burrowes does it again with those tantalizing, exploratory love scenes as the mostly innocent heroine spreads her wings and partakes at the cup of passion.

But there is so much more in this Christmas tale. (As I remember, wasn't another Windham daughter involved in Christmas romance and adventuring, the fair Lady Sophie? Oh, and let's not forget Lady Louisa's Christmas fare! )

Christmas is obviously a time for more than stolen mistletoe kisses for those Windham lasses. In fact it's become quite a tradition!

For Guinevere (Jenny) Christmas has become a time of remembrance of the brothers she's lost, the talent she is unable to use, and the children she seems doomed to never have.

I really liked Elijah and his care for not only Guinevere's emotional being but her artistic soul.  That he was willing to set her free, to let her seek her artistic destiny, even though losing her would bring him heartache, marked him for me as a true hero, sensitive and caring.

But more than this, once again Burrowes' fascination with the arts in Regency days, and particularly women artists and their struggle for acceptance at this time is present. I noted her representations about the Royal Academy and allusions to its stranglehold on artistic endeavours and her comments on English attitudes of the time towards woman as compared to attitudes in Europe. Burrowes continues her artistic narrative, begun in Beckman with child genius Allie, and continued with Polonaise in Gabriel. Where shall Burrowes take us in future journeys with respect to artists I wonder?

Definitely a Christmas read of tidings and joy.