Marked as The Haberdashers #2.1, and as a Tale is apparently as clean as The Haberdashers isnt! At time of reading/reviewing, I haven't read other books in the series (Trials of Artemis being the first in the series) I couldn't possibly comment!

Anyway, this is a standalone book, where you dont need to know other characters elsewhere in the series to enjoy it. It's a short story length, and with virtually all the staff having been sent home for the Christmas holidays by Dibbs, the butler, there is a naturally reduced cast list to contend with.

Grace Ashman has been kicked out of the house by her (unseen) brother after the death of their remaining parent, all a week before Christmas. She has trailed through the streets of London, finding out who her true friends are - she has none it turns out - and after a week of walking the streets she takes the chance and knocks on a back door, which is opened by Joshua Dibbs the Butler.

Dibbs is on his own, after his master has gone to the country for Christmas, and Dibbs has left the staff take a few days for Christmas. He has no idea why he opened the door, or why he let the girl stay to dry out. However, he is thankful when the Earl returns to London earlier than expected, and with no cook or female servants in the house!

Turns out that Grace is a decent if simple cook, and is roped into cooking and cleaning duties until the main staff arrive back. She has to contend with outrageous flirting from the Earl's valet Whitman (who it turns out is Dibbs' cousin) but it goes nowhere but to force Dibbs into showing his hand under the mistletoe on Christmas day.

This is a short sweet novel, ideal book to wile away a few hours, no matter what the time of year. I'm certainly going to check out other books in this series, and see where we go!

Marked as The Haberdashers #2.1, and as a Tale is apparently as clean as The Haberdashers isnt! At time of reading/reviewing, I haven't read other books in the series (Trials of Artemis being the first in the series) I couldn't possibly comment!

Anyway, this is a standalone book, where you dont need to know other characters elsewhere in the series to enjoy it. It's a short story length, and with virtually all the staff having been sent home for the Christmas holidays by Dibbs, the butler, there is a naturally reduced cast list to contend with.

Grace Ashman has been kicked out of the house by her (unseen) brother after the death of their remaining parent, all a week before Christmas. She has trailed through the streets of London, finding out who her true friends are - she has none it turns out - and after a week of walking the streets she takes the chance and knocks on a back door, which is opened by Joshua Dibbs the Butler.

Dibbs is on his own, after his master has gone to the country for Christmas, and Dibbs has left the staff take a few days for Christmas. He has no idea why he opened the door, or why he let the girl stay to dry out. However, he is thankful when the Earl returns to London earlier than expected, and with no cook or female servants in the house!

Turns out that Grace is a decent if simple cook, and is roped into cooking and cleaning duties until the main staff arrive back. She has to contend with outrageous flirting from the Earl's valet Whitman (who it turns out is Dibbs' cousin) but it goes nowhere but to force Dibbs into showing his hand under the mistletoe on Christmas day.

This is a short sweet novel, ideal book to wile away a few hours, no matter what the time of year. I'm certainly going to check out other books in this series, and see where we go!