The Captain's Midwinter Bride
by Liana De la RosaGenres: Romance
Published on November 12, 2020
Pages: 114
Format: eBook
Is the bride he left behind ready to be his wife?
Life at sea sharpened Captain Phillip Dalton into a shrewd and strategic military man...yet none of those skills prepared him for the intricacies of planning his daughter’s upcoming Christmas wedding. His family, most especially his wife, are all but strangers to him thanks to his service to the Crown. But if Phillip finds himself bewitched by his practical, charming, and guileless wife, he does his best to hide his struggles.
Annalise Dalton raised two children and built a comfortable life for herself while her husband of convenience provided for them from afar. But now Phillip's home to stay, and she finds it impossible to ignore his gruff manner, brilliant blue eyes, or the gentle way he looks after her needs. And if Annalise is unnerved by the budding feelings her husband inspires in her, she does her best to hide how they unsettle her.
When past secrets and misunderstandings threaten the tenuous steps they've taken to create a real and loving marriage, can Phillip and Annalise overcome the years they spent apart to forge a happy future together, and for every Christmas to come?
I loved the premise of this novella. This isn’t a new romance between young people. This is a couple who are at another crossroads in their lives. He has been in the Royal Navy for his whole career. Now he had retired and is trying to find out where he fits in to his family’s life on land. She has been running the family and house for over 20 years. It is hard for her to made a space for him.
They haven’t ever lived together for long periods of time. Now they need to renegotiate their marriage to see how they want to proceed.
I wish this was longer than a novella. I loved this couple. The main part of the story involves their daughter working through whether or not she should marry someone. Can her father step back into a parenting role when he has missed most of her life?
Because of the short length, there are many plot points that are left unanswered. I’d love to see a series that explores these in more detail.
This is a great book if you are looking for something cozy and low conflict. There is no great drama from misunderstandings or anything here. They are working hard to accommodate each other and start their lives together all over again.
