Goodwill for the Gentleman by Martha Keyes

Will Christmas… and Forgiveness Work Magic?

I have read a couple of other Regency romances by this author, and I have enjoyed them thoroughly. I’m happy to say that this one is no exception. She knows how to write complex characters with deep backstories who feel real and relatable. In this particular story, the hero and heroine have had a complicated relationship over time. They were friends when younger; he, in fact, was expected to marry her sister. But he just couldn’t because he actually was in love with the heroine. Rather than face these difficulties, he chose to break off the informal understanding with her sister and join the army. The heroine, even before he left, give him the cut direct, and when he returns, she can still recall the pain that her sister felt and cannot forgive him, even though her sister has moved on. What essentially happens in this story is that they are forced to be together at his parents’ house near Christmas during a snowstorm. Will calling a short-term truce while they are snowbound leave room for understanding, forgiveness, and perhaps more? if you like clean Regency stories that have a lot of heart and deep characterization, you will most likely enjoy this book.