Sweetest Regret is a second chance novella written by Meredith Duran. The blurb sums up what the book is about and there isn't another thing to add.

For a short book, I am surprised that I came up with so many things to dislike. The biggest thing was the miscommunication between the main characters. Two years ago, Georgie and Lucas had a problem with expressing their feelings and that hasn't changed in the present. Lucas has issues that kept him from going after what he wanted and Georgie was a pawn her father used. That man is the most hated element of the book.

I had problems with the pacing, the setting and pretty much everything to the point where I struggled to finish this novella and Georgie's father was the cherry on top of the cake, so that's why I wouldn't recommend it.

This is my first book by Meredith Duran. I hadn't realized it was a novella when I picked it up (#ebookproblems) and quickly found myself wishing it were a full-length novel. I was truly impressed by how invested I felt in these characters after just a short glimpse into their lives. I'm usually not a fan of misunderstandings that could be easily cleared up with a conversation, but I loved the dynamic between the two leads and how their pain prevented them from asking questions about the past. I wish the confusion had been dragged out just a bit more, but overall enjoyed this story and will be looking to pick up more from Duran in the future.

I am a huge fan of Meredith Duran and this book is perfect to get you into the festive season spirit (even if you read it in July). As a historical romance fan, I sometimes find a lot of books to sound alike, especially when they're set in the same time period. But I feel like Duran's books always have that little twist to make them stand out.

This was a sweet and interesting novel. This is my first novel by Meredith Duran and hopefully it is not my last! The plot was well thought out, the pace was on point and the character's and dialogue were all believable! I recommend!

I love second chance romance but the conflict here was a big overblown misunderstanding, which was frustrating. It's a quick read with a little holiday vibe, though, and it was enjoyable with a good HEA.

Short, but sweet. I love how Meredith Duran can develop such depth of character even in a short novella. This is why she's one of my favorite authors!

A second chance romance that will tug at your heart for sure! Both the characters are manipulated into believing the other didn't love them, so they break up. A couple years pass before they are reunited. They find out the truth and realize they care more about each other than anything else.

The story is very straight forward and is a classic tale; Duran's writing is beautiful and makes this an easy read. Its a novella, so its short and to the point. If you enjoy second chance romance, this historical romance novella will be a perfect weekend read!

I really enjoyed most of the book but towards the end it became more and more shallow.

This was a wonderful book! I enjoyed the characters and it was well developed. I found the story to move at a nice pace and I would read more books from this author.

Miss Bates was travelling for work on old chugga-chugga trains this week and, to their rocking motion, read a rom novel and novella, Sabrina Jeffries’s The Danger of Desire and Meredith Duran’s “Sweetest Regret”, two of her favourite romance writers. Jeffries’s rom was the follow-up to one of last year’s top MissB. roms, The Study of Seduction. As for Duran, it had been a while and MissB. was most happy to find herself in Duran’s erudite, moving romance ethos.

Jeffries’s late-Regency Danger of Desire sees yet another St. George’s Club heroes, Warren Corry, Marquess of Knightford, so-called rakehell (though he never behaves as such) pit himself against the shenanigans of miss-dressed-as-boy, Delia Trevor. Clarissa, Study of Seduction‘s heroine, asks Warren (possibly the worst rom-hero name ever) to look out for Delia. Delia, on her part, spends her nights, disguised as a young man, gambling her way to discovering the identity of the man who cheated her deceased brother of her, and his wife and son’s, living. Delia’s mystery and intrigue isn’t the only challenge facing her and Warren as they, at least initially, spar and circle each other. Warren, on the surface devil-may-care, contains a psychic wound, which explains his reluctance to marry.

Jeffries’s Danger of Desire is a lacklustre read, especially when compared to the marvelous Study of Seduction. The first third is the strongest, wherein Warren and Delia banter the wisdom of her nightly gambling forays and Warren takes on the role of foiler. When his foiling turns to protectiveness, the rom violins come out and the story turns conventional. Moreover, Miss Bates never felt that the narrative really gelled after that initial witty repartee opening. Jeffries created two protagonists with interesting personal dilemmas, but their coming together in mutual support, respect, and love never quite got off the ground. They’re amorous coming together, on the other hand, is all too frequent and apparent. The narrative, especially in the last third, meandered into sequal-bait territory and the culprit’s revelation was ho-hum deus ex machina, the romance narrative’s bane. Miss Bates went in wanting to like this, but it fell flat after a fledgling promise. Echoing Miss Austen, Miss Bates would say that Sabrina Jeffries’s Danger of Desire provides “tolerable comfort,” Northanger Abbey.

Meredith Duran’s reunited-lovers, cross-class novella is a whole other story (pun intended). It is a gem of a romance narrative because the protagonists so obviously belong together, their obstacles are believably insurmountable, at least initially, and Duran’s handling of the novella form is one of the best Miss Bates has seen. As Miss B. has argued elsewhere, Duran is a master of cross-class and divided loyalties conflict. In “Sweetest Regret,” she manages so much with such a low “word” count and the reason is because few romance writers understand and exploit the constraints and possibilities of the romance narrative. By making Georgiana “Georgie” Trent and Lucas Godwin reunited-lovers, after an embittered and painful parting two years ago, Duran cleverly brings a shared history and established love to and for her protagonists. Lucas Godwin, diplomat in Georgie’s father’s service, the product of mésalliance between an aristocratic father and commoner mother, abandoned Georgie, without explanation. Georgie, in turn, has lived in hurt, anger, and disappointed confusion since. Now, three days before Christmas, Lucas Godwin arrives at her absent father’s house-party on a mission to find a stolen, sensitive letter.

It is worth reading Duran’s Victorian-set novella for the blind-man’s bluff game that constitutes Lucas and Georgie’s reunion. It’s worth it to read Duran’s novella for her clever exploitation of the Christmas season, reflecting Lucas and Georgie’s reunion and re-admittance of love: the pre-season hush, the preparation, the joy of something new and promising being born. It’s worth reading Duran’s novella for the writing and the thematic Christmas allusions:

“Are you mad?” He cupped her cheeks, swept her hair back from her eyes. “I could use ten thousand words to describe you – but never, even at my most disillusioned, would plain and ordinary have numbered among them. You are … ” He shook his head as he gazed at her. “Georgie, you are a miracle. Clever without cruelty, kind without naïveté, beautiful without flaw. And I prayed nightly that you would be my miracle … “

How does Duran manage to write romance that is intelligent and moving? She builds a world of hurt between Georgie and Lucas and then chips away at it with confrontation, conversation, shared purpose, friendship, attraction, and ends with, cherishing. One of the most important ways to write a convincing HEA is not about the LURVE, but about how the hero and heroine will cherish each other. It is very easy to see how Georgie and Lucas will.

On a final note, Duran has understood that the romance novella cannot sustain the full brunt of the romance narrative arc: encounter/reunion, repulsion/attraction, conflict/obstacles, betrayal/loss/hopelessness/dark moment(s), and resolution/grovel/confession, and HEA. She most astutely allows Lucas and Georgie the former and saves the latter, the key moment of separation, the betrayal (which Miss Bates analyzed in detail elsewhere) for another person, outside the central couple. So, read Duran’s novella to see how the form is used by a master hand. In Duran’s “Sweetest Regret,” Misses Austen and Bates say, “there is no charm equal to tenderness of heart,” Emma.

Sabrina Jeffries’s The Danger of Desire is published by Pocket Books. It was released in November 2016 and may be found at your preferred vendors. Meredith Duran’s “Sweetest Regret” is published by Pocket Star Books. It was released in November 2016 and may be found at your preferred vendors. Miss Bates received e-ARCS, via Netgalley.

Second chance romances are some of my favorites and this one is delightful! Lucas and Georgie met in Munich where Georgie’s father, a diplomat, was stationed and Lucas was climbing the ranks in the foreign service. For a brief time they were friends hoping for more, until a misunderstanding and deceit perpetrated by Georgie’s father resulted in a two year separation and broken hearts. Now they are back under the same roof and trying to be civil as Lucas is tasked with retrieving a letter thought stolen by one of the houseguests Georgie must entertain while her father is away. But of course, those feelings of animosity tinged with sadness and regret are at the forefront of their relationship – until they realize that their separation didn’t have to happen. Some sexy scenes, a few tears (on my part!), and as always stellar writing made this a truly enjoyable and riveting story. I loved hearing about the Christmas traditions of the time, and the sexual tension just builds and builds as we wait for Lucas and Georgie to reconnect. Definitely worth the read!

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My biggest complaint about this sweet story is that I wanted it to be longer. Loved both the characters and the story.

Georgina was the daughter of a diplomat - Sir Thomas Trent and is used to acting as his hostess. Then Sir Thomas has to travel travel immediately and leaves Georgina with house guests. To make it worse an important letter has been stolen by one of mentioned guests . Georgina must find said letter Lucas comes to help Georgina find the letter. Thus Georgina has to see Lucas again after he had broken her heart two years ago.Lucas had not only been handsome and charming Georgina could actually talk to him and they had spent a lot of time together until one day she found that Lucas was gone without so much as a goodbye. As they look for the letter Lucas and Georgina find that they are still attracted to each other.
I enjoyed this story. I liked the plot a lot and this was well written. I also liked that we as readers got background on Lucas and Georgina. I like Georgina and Lucas and was happy when the misunderstandings of the past were cleared up and the hurt is let go of. But I don’t think that a lot of the flashbacks really added to the story. I liked the characters a lot as well as the ins and out of this story and I recommend.

I am a sucker for a good historical romance story and this one didn’t disappoint! Once I started this book I didn’t put it down until I had finished it. Meredith Duran has a new fan in me!

❝Interest dulls. Interest does not ruin a man. It does not blind him to other women. It does not catch in his chest like a hook. What I felt for you -- what I feel for you -- is far from interest.❞

I love Meredith Duran's writing! I don't know how she does it. Within her stories, you find layers of romance. With the turn of each page, my heart grows fuller. Her writing is fluid, her characters are fully developed and her stories, exquisitely detailed and full of passion. Meredith Duran is my unicorn. The mystical creature who enthralls and excites.

❝But no wise man hoped to forget the only woman who had ever held his heart.❞

This is a second chance, historical romance, about a man who falls in love with someone above his class. He is manipulated to believe she does not feel the same way. She too is manipulated by the only other man she has ever revered, to believe the man she fell in love with did not love her back.

❝He would court a naive wallflower for her connections--and then drop her flat the moment opportunity called him elsewhere, promising to advance his career more expediently.❞

When the two find out the truth, he cares more about her than he does his career, and she cares more about his career than she does for his love of her. Both are self-less. Both are in love. Neither wants anymore regret.

❝I never let go of you,❞ he said fiercely.❝Never Georgiana. I will admit, I tried to do so. But I never succeeded. ❞

A novella that is full of heart, Sweetest Regret will prove it isn't the number of pages that matter, but the content.

If you love historical romance and you haven't read Meredith Duran yet, you're seriously missing out. This charming novella is a perfect little gem of a story; set in 1885, it tells the story of Georgie, daughter of a senior diplomat, and Lucas, a young man born from a scandalous marriage and determined to make something of himself in the diplomatic corps.

Georgie and Lucas first met two years before the happenings of Sweetest Regret, but heavy-handed interference from Georgie's father drove them apart then. Now, when Lucas may be the next heir to an earldom depending on the gender of an unborn child, machinations come into play again to push the young couple back together.

Meredith Duran is a mistress of her craft. Every paragraph is like a polished gem; sparkling with a host of facets, subtle meanings woven into her words like threads in a tapestry. I adore all of her work and this delightful story is no exception. Five stars.

Sweet holiday romance! Didn't realize it was a novella (very short) but enjoyed it.

Sweet romance. Needed more omph! Gentle story, not as hot as expected, but a lovely gentle read.

Georgina and Lucas believe the only relationship they have is one of betrayal. A Great Misunderstanding is between them; usually this trope really annoys me, but here it's handled deftly and with enough specificity that it works. I like that all characters involved (including her father) are drawn as flawed yet well-meaning; there's a depth to these people that's unusual, and this is a novella to boot.

Outstanding writing. I was rooting for them in the first five pages.

4 stars.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

I'm not a fan of historicals so I am unable to read and review for you. I'm sure it's a wonderful book and the cover is well done. Sorry and thanks.