Victorian Parlour Games

 

Last month, we toured a museum all decked out for Christmas, then visited the gift shop. 

When I spied a colorful box, I knew it had to come home with me.

Victorian Parlour Games is just that - parlor games the Victorians used to play. And this set contains 50-era appropriate entertainments.

From the description it states:

"Deal yourself in for a good time as you choose from a selection of games enjoyed in many a Victorian parlour. The box comes with rules to fifty games that can be played without any extra frippery, except perhaps a deck of cards if you fancy a game of Whist. Each game is good for two or more players, with most designed for a group to play together. Card games and guessing games, pantomime and word play—all provide an after-dinner evening of fun, or an afternoon of amusement on the couch or around a picnic table. These games are simple to learn, quick to play, and have silly penalties for when a player is “out.” One side of each card provides the category, the number of players, and the setup for the game while the other has the rules so you can keep them handy as you play.

Test your memory with What’s in Grandmother’s Trunk?, where each player must remember all the other items that have already been named.
Take on The Poet’s Chair by remembering more poems, songs, or rhymes than any other player
Perhaps you wish to Pass the Slipper? Then close your eyes as players pass a small object and on the count of ten, guess who is holding it.
Be careful not to break the rules, or you may have to shake hands blindfolded, pretend to be a parrot, or pay another silly forfeit to account for your blunder."

I'm looking forward to exploring all of them just to see what kind of fun the Victorians had, especially during long winter months that kept them indoors more. 

My Hardman Holidays series includes several scenes of the characters engaged in parlor or after-dinner games. 

Start with The Christmas Bargain to check them out!

One Old West Cinderella discovers Prince Charming is a . . . Cowboy?

The death of her mother left Philamena Booth grieving and at the mercy of her drunken father. After spending more than a decade held captive on their run-down farm, she’s left speechless and dazed when her father strikes a bargain to settle a long overdue debt. In lieu of payment, a handsome cowboy agrees to take her. Mortified yet relieved to leave the farm, Philamena unexpectedly finds herself married to a charismatic, caring man.

Luke Granger might own Hardman’s bank and the fanciest house in this Eastern Oregon town, but he’d much rather be outside riding his horses or wrangling his herd of cattle than keeping his account books straight. In a strange, unsettling turn of events, he finds himself accepting a farmer’s daughter instead of money to cover a loan. If the man hadn’t threatened to sell her to the saloon owner, Luke might have refused. He has no idea what to do with beautiful Filly or their marriage of convenience, but he’s about to get far more than he bargained for.

Full of western charm and holiday warmth, The Christmas Bargain is a sweet Christmas romance filled with the spirit of the season.

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write character-driven romances with relatable heroes and heroines. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with sarcasm, humor, hope, and hunky heroes.

When Shanna isn’t dreaming up unforgettable characters, twisting plots, or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.

Shanna is a member of Western Writers of America and Women Writing the West. Connect with her online at Shanna Hatfield.

MY FIRE IS BIGGER THAN YOUR FIRE! by Marisa Masterson

Fire, elemental and necessary. And agressive and deadly. 

from the Peshtigo Fire Museum

As a girl in Wisconsin, I learned about that horrible night in October, 1871. An intense blaze raced through the North Woods with deadly consequences. In fact, it is considered the deadliest wildfire in recorded history.

It began with the winds. That night they gusted over 100 miles per hour. Those gusts found a fire purposely set to clear land, the easiest way to get rid of brush. Sadly, the extended dry season had turned the area around the brush into fodder for the fire.

I include glimpses of that night in my fictional book Compromised:

As she leaned her head back, she again sighed. The man across from her arched his brow. To ignore him, she shut her eyes. That allowed memories to flood her mind.

They suffered through a dry summer. The drought continued into the fall. Around Peshtigo, fields and forests crackled from it.

Someone had decided to burn brush. It was the best, easiest way to clear the land. Sudden winds grabbed at the fire and used it as a deadly weapon. The winds hurled it at her town. The blaze murdered more than two thousand people as gusts drove it.

The late fall cold sent shivers through her, bringing her out of the memory. She tugged the woolen cloak closer around her shoulders and fingered the ends of her scarf. Across from her, a throat cleared.

She glanced up to meet the other passenger’s sympathetic gaze. He offered a gray army blanket. “You want this, miss. I’d gladly give it up if you need it.”

Sympathy. The expression in his eyes repelled her. Too often, she glimpsed that look instead of true understanding from people. Her lips tightened, and she struggled to force words past them.

As he offered her the blanket, she shook her head. Purposefully, she turned her face away from him. After weeks of sympathy, Gracie wanted to scream if the merest hint of the emotion flashed in her direction.

No kind words or caring gesture softened her situation. Mother. Father. They were dead, and no words could make their passing tolerable.

Again, the cold sent tremors through her body. An icy wind blew and reminded her of the terrible night only one month earlier. It had created an almost unbelievable contrast for the desperate people trying to escape the fire. Icy gusts had chilled them while the hot fire raged ever closer to the river.

And there, she had found questionable safety, standing in the Peshtigo River. At the warning cry, “Fire! Fire!” she had grabbed for her cloak and scarf. She stood, shivering in the cold water as the wool grew heavy with it. Her mother, clothed only in her nightgown and wrapper, had held tightly to Gracie’s hand while they watched Father run into the blaze.

Mother had pleaded, “Stay with us. Come into the water!”

He turned to shake his head. No words. No goodbye. Without words of comfort or explanation, her father raced toward the blaze, risking his life to save others. 

Burning of Peshtigo, Rust Belt Magazine

The enormity of the disaster, I fear, was understated in my novel. The blaze gobbled up the forest. It consumed small communities and the largest town in the area--Peshtigo. When it was over, one million (plus more) acres had been destroyed. Worse, 2,500 people died--five times the number killed in the Great Chicago Fire.

Why don't you know about this disaster? The Great Chicago Fire, that's why.

Chicago in Flames, Currier & Ives

 

That city's fire happened at the same time as the Peshtigo Fire. A city burning grabbed the headlines away from the North Woods. In the end though, five times more deaths happened in Northern Wisconsin than in Chicago.

My heroine resembles how I imagine many were after the fire. She is a person in shock and struggling to go on with life. Little wonder that we discover, as the story progresses, that she fears the fireplace.

Find out more in Compromised. Click here to find the book.

Look what our authors published in December!

Our authors have been busy writing your next favorite story.

Look what we published in December!

A Compromised Christmas

By Marisa Masterson

How had she lost her way?
      Gracie Williams only wants a private moment away from the other stagecoach passengers. Somehow, she wanders into the wilderness, and the forest refuses to allow her to leave—or so it seems to her as branches close in as she tries to push through them. She is completely lost until she hears a noise.
      Ezra Rafferty—Rafe to the few friends he allowed into his life—hums as he returns to his cabin. The hunt was successful, and he anticipates the warm fireplace in his cabin as heavy snow begins to fall. Yes, he savors the quiet life. Being alone suited him fine, especially after the incident.
     But he does not remain alone. A wild-eyed woman bursts onto his trail. She clutches his coat and begs for help. What’s a man to do? He takes her to his home for shelter during the storm.
      He does not plan to keep her. Plans have a way of changing…
      Rafe has set in motion the events that will unwind a scheme and bring to light secrets that reverberate all the way to the East. All because a woman wanders off the trail.

Release date: December 2, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FL12C122

Ruby's Christmas Escape: Mountain Man's Substitute Bride

By Kimberly Grist

When disappointed hopes collide – Will a resilient mail-order bride muster enough resolve to pursue her dreams of love and soften a reclusive mountain man's heart?

     Abandoned as a child and raised in a children’s home, Ruby knows that romantic dreams are mere illusions. After aging out of the orphanage , she follows her pastor's advice and applies to a matchmaking agency. While practical in her approach, deep in her heart lies a flicker of hope, a dream of her own happily ever after, where she longs for a place to belong and a husband to cherish. As circumstances would have it, her future groom is also short on time. Praying that is a good sign, she accepts a proposal of marriage and heads west to a land where the streams are said to flow with milk and the heavens rain down a supply of honey.
     Disheartened by love and rejected by his mail-order bride, Jonas Vann, a former army scout, is determined to protect his heart and keep the world at bay. Fortunately for him, knowing he needs help caring for his family, his friends and neighbors intercede on his behalf. As winter approaches, they take matters into their own hands, accepting a substitute mail-order bride on his behalf.
     The unyielding force of destiny is as strong as the power of attraction. Will an arranged marriage, a ready-made family, and the spirit of Christmas be the catalyst to fulfill all their dreams, or will their newfound love collapse under the weight of the challenges ahead?

Release date: December 3, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F4DY169F

The Brides of Fiddler's Gap Box Collection 2 Books 8-14

By Kit Morgan

      Welcome to Fiddler’s Gap, Oregon, a small western town where music fills the air, neighbors meddle with love, and mail-order brides arrive with secrets, surprises, and hearts full of hope.

This sweet historical western romance collection brings together seven heartwarming love stories, each featuring a spirited heroine brave enough to start over and a steadfast hero ready to meet her halfway. From society ladies forced west by shocking wills, to rescued heroines in need of protection, to musicians, writers, and women hiding more than one carefully kept secret, every bride arrives in Fiddler’s Gap carrying a past she must face—and a future she never expected.

      The men of Fiddler’s Gap are tailors, farmers, doctors, musicians, and quiet heroes who believe in patience, honor, and love that grows deeper with time. Some marriages begin as necessity, some as daring schemes, and others as elaborate ruses—but all must weather misunderstandings, outside threats, and the opinions of a very curious town before true love can take root.

      Filled with gentle humor, found family, musical mischief, and tender romance, this collection invites you to settle in and fall in love—one bride at a time—in the unforgettable town of Fiddler’s Gap.

      This box set includes seven books:
Miss Lystra, Miss Verity, Miss Philly, Miss Clementine, Miss Ione, Miss Isolde, and Miss Amity.

Release date: December 15, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G6LBCKGL

Stollen by Stella: Old Timey Holiday Kitchen Book 42

By Zina Abbott

      Stella Jorgenson struggles to enjoy the holiday now her father’s new job as a railroad yardmaster meant moving away from extended family and friends. Hopefully, baking her late mother’s traditional stollen will inspire the spirit of Christmas. She and her father are invited to join his boss and his family for the holiday dinner. Will the son with an out-of-town job who has captured her interest be able to join them?
      After being forced out of the job he loved in the Kansas City UPRR freight yard, Thomas Jewell moves to his parents’ home high in the Rocky Mountains. His suspicion that something was not right in Kansas City was confirmed when, during his Pueblo, Colorado, transfer he sees one of the men who sacked him talking with a freight handler. Thomas’s father, stationmaster for the Denver and Rio Grande Railway station in Cleora, asks Thomas to work in his freight yard. However, once he hears Thomas’s story, the new yardmaster knows Thomas will be more valuable to the railway company if he works in Pueblo. After weeks of investigating and collecting evidence, Thomas feels like he closing in on the culprits stealing silver from the railroad and its customers. But how will he spend Christmas? Will he be trailing stolen cargo or will he arrive home to join family and the yardmaster’s daughter who has caught his eye?
      You might also enjoy my other two Old Timey Holiday Kitchen books about the Jewell family:
Vinegar Pie by Varinia, Book 25
Lemon Cookies by Lisbeth, Book 32

Release date: December 19, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G8V8526S

The Sister's Mail-Order Bride Company's Christmas Calamity

By Kit Morgan

A woman running out of hope…
A rancher looking for a wife…
And three chaotic sisters and a sheepdog!
      On the verge of being destitute, Phoebe Hale enlists the help of the Sisters’ Mail-Order Bride Company to find her a husband. What she finds instead is disorder, paperwork stacked to the ceiling, and three well-meaning sisters who could desperately use a woman with Phoebe’s practical skills.
Braxton Jones arrives with a similar purpose. Ready for a wife, he turns to the same company, only to discover that before any marriages can happen, the business itself may need saving. Practical, steady, and unwilling to walk away from a problem left unsolved, Braxton offers his help.
Neither Phoebe nor Braxton came looking for love in Chicago. They came for solutions. But as Christmas approaches and the Merriweather sisters press them into service, shared work turns into shared laughter, and cooperation begins to look dangerously like courtship. With the future of the Sisters’ Mail-Order Bride Company at stake, and their own hearts unexpectedly involved, Phoebe and Braxton must decide whether the greatest Christmas miracle might be the one they never planned for.
      Because sometimes love arrives not through careful arrangement… but through a little Christmas calamity.

Release date: December 19, 2025

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G8LP5P4V

 

    Not all of our authors make their books available on pre-order. For those who do, those advance sales go a long way to help their book ratings.

Below are some future books.

January Releases:

Pinna Sequoia Bride: National Park Brides book 14

By Linda Carroll-Bradd

     Training and caring for horses at her father’s side fills Pinna Walton’s summer at Sequoia National Park. But she yearns to be crafting her healing evergreen teas and syrups and fragrant soaps to help others in her small town in the valley. When she’s assigned a greenhorn to help her in the barn, she learns that city boys know nothing about anything useful in the California mountain wilderness. And he has to live down mocking her for wearing trousers.

      Orphaned young and in a Chicago gang by age twelve, Dixon Lombard counted himself saved when he attempted to steal the wallet of a well-dressed man and was caught. That man recognized skills in this street-wise youth and schooled him in additional ones. Years later, Dixon is disillusioned with being a Pinkerton detective and the types of jobs he’s assigned. Being shot on an undercover sidelines him, and he is invited to spend the summer with his uncle at a national park. He figures he’ll get a lot of reading done. But Uncle Sprague expects him to earn his keep and assigns him to assist with chores in the barn.

      Coming from totally different worlds, Pinna and Dixon struggle to communicate but she grudgingly teaches her boss’s nephew the essentials. On a foraging expedition, they run into some men living in a cave. Dixon recognizes a bank robbery gang from wanted posters of a five-year old crime. To keep Pinna safe, Dixon employs all his detective skills. Can he count on the independent woman to go along with his ruse? Will his skills be enough to save them?

      This kisses-only historical romance features hidden identity, fish out of water, and opposite attract tropes.

Release date: January 16, 2026

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G9BGS7QK

February Releases:

The Rancher on a Pennsylvania Farm

By Marisa Masterson

Who really inherited the farm?
     Jack Poston believes he has found a safe haven for his pregnant wife, Caroline, on a farm in Pennsylvania. But when Caroline's stepmother refuses to leave, Jack begins to question if he truly belongs on this unfamiliar land.
     As mysterious accidents start to occur, Jack must fight to protect his wife and uncover the truth behind the dangers. Will he be able to keep his family safe and hold onto their new home, or will they be forced to leave once again?
     Set against the backdrop of the quaint farms of Pennsylvania following the Civil War, "The Rancher on a Pennsylvania Farm" is a gripping tale of love and survival. Note: While this is a continuation of the story begun in The Bride on the Shawnee Trail, it can be read as a standalone story.

Release date: February 10, 2026

https://www.amazon.com/Rancher-Pennsylvania-Farm-Marisa-Masterson-ebook/dp/B0FW53SC6L

 March Releases:

No Finer Dream

by Jo-Ann Roberts

“Your journey doesn’t have to end in disappointment.”
      Lila Hartley had waited for hours on the frozen train platform, a mail-order bride no one came to claim, her trunk beside her like a tombstone. The man who'd promised her marriage, a home, and a future, left her stranded two thousand miles from Boston with nothing but the clothes on her back and a heart full of shattered dreams.
      Just when hope was fading, a man cowboy emerged from the white curtain of snow like an apparition, took off his coat, and changed her life.
      Clay McCallister viewed every woman who had taken a chance on the frontier as the sister he’d failed…a woman who’d risked everything for the possibility of something better, much like the woman standing on the platform in the bitter cold.
      Sometimes warmth doesn’t always come from fire — sometimes it comes from the heart.

Release date: March 6, 2026

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FY12R2SX

Brady's Battle: Mountain Men - Echoes of Thunder

By Kimberly Grist

       Where storms end, and thunder falls silent, could love find its beginning?

       Haunted by battlefield memories and sleepless nights, former Union officer Brady Holt carries scars he can’t name or outrun. Now guardian to children who have already lost too much, he lives in a state of vigilance—cautious, alert, and convinced that peace ended the day his hope did.

       He is silence, storms, and sharpened edges.
She figures he’s more stubborn than a mule and not nearly as friendly.

      A spirited bootlegger’s daughter from the South, schoolteacher Eden Murphy has nowhere left to run. With danger close on her heels, she heads west with only faith, grit, and a fragile hope    for a new beginning.

      She is warmth, wit, and wildflowers, with a soft Southern drawl that stirs up memories he’s spent years trying to bury.
He’s confident she’s just another burr working its way under his saddle.

      He wants solitude. She needs a fresh start. Could this unexpected connection calm the storms within and lead them to redemption?

Release date: March 31, 2026

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2NRSBZK