His Lady of Mistletoe by Charlotte Jardine

I'm not usually a fan of misunderstandings at the root of the drama, but that misunderstanding stems from another misunderstanding so I didn't mind it so much. (Oh the horrors!) As expected, this was a second chance story for both characters but it was well done and a nice respite from the usual virginal debutantes. Anyhoo, the two leads, Albon and Mary, are middle-aged (gasp!) and in their late 30s. I read primarily Regency and Victorian stories and this was the first I think I've ever read 'daddy' in dialogue rather than papa or father. Writing was good, dialogue was tight, except I did note modern-speak slip in a few times. Can this fiery redhead burn down the walls he’s built around his heart? To his surprise, the widower Albon, who long ago swore off love, enjoys Mary’s company more than he could have imagined. Stanfield takes pity on the wounded ex-soldier and allows him to share her hotel suite, although, for the sake of her reputation, they must pretend to be husband and wife. However, missteps and botched bookings-primarily caused by their common surname-plague his trip. Newly returned from the Crimean War, injured hero Major Albon Stanfield travels to Buxton to take the waters. Is the handsome major too good to be true? And is she willing to relinquish her hard-won freedom for love? But a botched reservation prompts an encounter with a dashing silver fox, a man who delights in her unconventional spirit. The widow of a loveless marriage, the last thing on her mind is romance. When thirty-eight-year-old nurse Mary Stanfield-a lover of extravagant bonnets and brightly-colored clothing-travels to the spa town of Buxton, it’s to escape the trials of establishing a private London nursing agency in a society that judges women incapable of business. And a hotel mix-up that ignites their romance!

A feisty nurse, mistress of her own destiny.

His Lady of Mistletoe by Charlotte Jardine