CAROL’S REVIEW: THE SNOWDROP BY JAYNE FRESINA

Genre: Historical Romance (Victorian)

Cover Blurb (Amazon):

He was once a boy abandoned, left to make his own way in the world.

She was a girl stifled by the demands of her family and constrained by the strict customs of Victorian society; a bird caged and without hope.

Raised in two disparate worlds, with one fortune rising while the other tumbled, they might never have known each other.

But when a disreputable old rogue dies unexpectedly and in spectacular, explosive style, a chain of remarkable events is destined to draw these two strangers close— to the bemusement of one and the disgust of the other.

The last Will and Testament of Sir Mungo Lightfoot Mayferry McClumphy has gone astray, and a large number of claimants are fighting over a vast fortune.

She wants nothing to do with it, her grieving heart bereft of hope.

He is in the thick of it, a man of ruthless perseverance and— in her eyes— a dark, mercenary, unfeeling heart.

Drawn together one Christmas, these two “Mortal Enemies” will have to find a way to put aside the strife and be civil. Whether or not they can survive the season remains to be seen.

If they also find hope and love along the way, it will surely be a Christmas miracle. 

♥♥♥♥♥♥

Jayne Fresina is a new-to-me author and I bought this book on the recommendation of a friend. While enemies to lovers is an often used trope, it is Ms. Fresina’s imaginative story, wonderfully descriptive prose, sparkling, witty dialogue, and delightful characters that made The Snowdrop an absolute delight.

Despite his inauspicious start in life, Dash Deverell has studied and worked hard to become a successful lawyer. Everything he has achieved is through his own efforts, with a little help from his eccentric aunt, Lady Emma Audley.

”He has always been of the opinion that there is nothing he cannot do if he sets his mind to it and perseveres.”

His reputation for being ruthless and arrogant is well-earned in the courtroom,, but he chooses to hide his true self and is content to be thought of as a man with ‘no compassion, no mercy and no heart. As the story unfolds, I saw a man who was caring and compassionate; a man who took up law because he believed in justice, fairness and equality; a man who showed kindness and tolerance towards his motley crew of servants and gave them jobs when no one else would.

For thirty years, Daisy’s father had been obsessed with proving he was the legitimate heir to Sir Mungo’s fortune, spending a fortune on legal fees, but his claims proved fruitless and he was left bankrupt when he passed away. Although still unresolved, his daughter, Daisy, wants nothing to do with the case that ruined not only her father’s life but her own too. She never wanted the money – all she ever wanted was a quiet life and to be happy. Now she is forced to sell the house and all her father’s possessions to pay off his debts. I really felt for Daisy because her life had become a mere existence without the hope of something better.

…there had been nothing before her; nothing she was able to see or imagine.

In need of employment to support herself and her nephew, who is dependent on her, she spots an advertisement for a lady’s companion to an elderly widow. Not only does it provide her with respectable employment but, for the first time, it will be her own choice to make.

On arriving at Stanbury House, she is shocked to discover the man she regards as her ‘Mortal Enemy’ in residence there. She has every reason to hate Dash Deverell. He had represented one of the rival claimants, repeatedly setting aside her father’s claims, and he had also used his influence with his friend, Frederick Ellendale, to discourage him from proposing to her. She has no choice but to stay because she needs this job. Luckily, as her employer, Lady Audley, lives in the dower house and Deverell is rarely in residence in the main house, Daisy feels safe in the knowledge that their paths are unlikely to cross very often. However, with Christmas approaching, she might find she is a little too overconfident in her assumption.

Daisy begins to see Dash in a new light and finds herself wanting to know more about him. She is touched by the poignant story of a little boy abandoned by those who should have cared for him, and sees how his kindness had earned him his servants’ gratitude and loyalty. His affection for his aunt is obvious and he’s not at all the cold-hearted man she had always thought him to be – especially when she comes across him sans shirt! The budding romance between Dash and Daisy is tender, funny and romantic, with an added sprinkle of Christmas magic.

I like how Ms. Fresina takes the enemies to lovers trope and gives it a refreshingly different twist. In flashbacks she gradually reveals that things are not always what they seem. There are clues to the true situation but they are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that have to be fitted together to see the full picture. Saying more would spoil the impact of this cleverly thought-out plotline, but I can say that Dash is revealed to be a wonderful hero – honourable, patient, resolute, and a true romantic at heart.

The secondary characters all add richness to the story. There’s Chauncey, Dash’s steward, who is frequently three sheets to the wind, his cook, Mrs Elkins, with her aches and pain, and Bess, the shy scullery girl. I loved Emma Audley, with her pet miniature donkey, Jack, who has the run of the house. No wonder the more time Daisy spends with this amusing and kindly lady, she finds her spirits uplifted. Emma is certainly wiser and has a sharper mind than people give her credit for. Then there’s Master Mayferry Buckingham, Daisy’s spoilt, obnoxious nephew, but he is no match for Dash.

Who the hell are you?”
Suddenly, it seemed as if all daylight vanished. The hall was cast in darkest grey and this giant ogre was but a shadow moving in it, coming toward them and filling the space.
“My name is Dash Deverell. And I am hell. For boys who do not behave.”

Ms. Fresina has a wonderful descriptive flair and here are a two of my favourites:

She did not like this answer. It made her shoulders wriggle and her bosom rise up like two giant sea monsters from the frothy lace waves of her gown.

Chauncey’s face looked like a crumpled shirt, discarded upon the floor after its owner had enjoyed a night of carousing.

The book is also laced with plenty of delightful humour and I especially loved Coco, Daisy’s pet cockatoo, who provides some great moments with his ribald language. These are just two of the wide vocabulary he uses to insult Dash – Chutless Codpiece’ and ‘Beef-witted Knave.

The mystery of Sir Munro’s missing will is finally and satisfactorily resolved, while exactly what Dash is hiding in his desk drawer is revealed. I thought the surprise at the end was a lovely touch and I loved how the reference to the snowdrop perfectly reflected the theme of the story.

I have no hesitation in giving this book the highest recommendation and I will definitely be reading more by Jayne Fresina.

Originally posted on Goodreads