Five hot and steamy stories, five highly intoxicatingly sexy reads, all the romantic feels in one festive anthology. Yes, that's how I would describe this exciting set of romances from five equally talented authors.

I enjoyed each story in the book, and was surprised to learn more about highlanders and Scots and their traditions in the past centuries. I admit I don't read much highlander stories nor watched a series, but this anthology helped me a lot in learning about thy ways and whatnots.

In a Highlander's Hope, I liked Iain McKillop and his determination to win the woman he loved even though she wasn't the entitled lady that his family seeketh of. Robena was quite headstrong about her "personal services" and had even rejected Iain's claim on her, but in the end, I loved how fate worked in their favor. 

The second story, A Highlander Christmas Wager was fun to read. Getting stranded in the snowstorm with the one she hated the most, Maggie MacLeod resisted Magnus MacVane's charms and irresistible looks. A kissing wager might just be what Magnus needed to get the breathtakingly beautiful woman he had always wanted. Maggie and MacVane's story resonated with me and had me grinning all through the journey.

A Scot for Christmas was also a favorite of mine with mournful Dougray digging his way to Lady Emma's heart even if he didn't want to. Theirs was a charming and endearing love story that transcended time.

I also loved the love and hate relationship between James and Emma in Leftover Mistletoe and I think the best story was Sweet Home Highland Christmas as Gregory was the most swoon-worthy Highlander I've ever met.

If you're in for a highly erotic stories with full of romance and hope and silliness, then this book is for you! Don't expect lovey-dovey sweet escapades, though. Because Christmas in Kilts is too hot to handle, to fiery to subside and too scorching to extinguish. You have been warned.

I like Christmas anthologies because the novellas tend to focus solely on the holiday rather than it just being a backdrop or only figuring into a few scenes in a full-length novel. Plus it gives me a chance to try out authors that are new to me, as all of these are. And five Christmas historical romances set in Scotland? Yes, please! Here we have five different stories in locations ranging from the Highlands to the Lowlands, and from the 14th century to the 19th. I'm giving you a brief rundown of my thoughts on each story along with my thoughts on the collection as a whole.

A Highlander's Hope: DNFed. I don't think a novella allows for enough time to have a satisfying arc for a heroine who is a courtesan. I just found the premise really unbelievable: An older soldier still grieving the death of his wife five years earlier, lonely, being pushed to remarry by his clan, suddenly decides that the perfect wife for him is the prostitute he visits once a year when he visits another clan? A prostitute who is still working? I just couldn't buy it. Added to that was choppy writing and a complicated backstory dump with too many people to keep straight from previous books in this author's series, and I just didn't have any interest in continuing past the second chapter.

A Highland Christmas Wager: At first I worried this was going the way of the first with an extremely unlikable male lead, but it turned out there were three different men in this tale, snowed in with an unwed beauty from a powerful clan, all vying for her physical attentions and her hand in marriage, but only one of them wants her heart. Some over-the-top moments and a silly misunderstanding, but the romance is sweet.

A Scot for Christmas: Compelling hero and heroine, a grieving widower and the woman who has always secretly loved him and happens to be the younger sister of his best friend, but the story is too short to allow love to blossom believably. I also find it unrealistic when a widower who has been grieving his wife for years, vowing never to love again, falls in love in the blink of an eye and realizes he never really loved his first wife. And there was no Christmas in this tale.

Mistletoe: A newly orphaned woman unwittingly becomes wrapped up in a plot to keep an angry brother away from his sister's wedding and ends up trapped in a cabin with him during a snowstorm. He decides they will have to marry since they are spending a night in each other's company, even though no one knows they're together. They are complete strangers and decide after twenty-four hours, a handful of conversations, and some steamy sex that they are going to get married and live happily ever after. It's really well-written, but again, I just found it so implausible.

Sweet Home Highland Christmas (see below!)

So overall, I'm sorry to say I found this collection underwhelming, for a variety of reasons. In every one I felt like the love story had been sacrificed to make room for lengthy sex scenes. Don't get me wrong, I like spicy romances, but I like a good story better. Insta-love abounds in each, the progression of feelings happens too quickly to be plausible, though in the case of the first three stories, at least the lovers knew each other before the story opened. Flimsy and sometimes fairly implausible circumstances drive each story's conflict. And the Regency period is over-represented, featuring in three of the five stories. I had hoped for a little more variety.

So by now you may be wondering what I did like and how I can still recommend the collection! Despite my quibbles, (and aside from the first story), I found the characters to be well-drawn, the sex scenes tastefully steamy, and there are some tender romantic moments. And the bottom line is that they delivered on what they promised: Scotsmen, romance, and holiday ambiance. Not a bad way to spend a winter weekend, but aside from the last one, not my favorite Christmas tales either.

However...

In a bit of a departure, I'm reviewing the fifth and final story, Sweet Home Highland Christmas, on its own because it is far and away the best of the bunch and a rather fine Christmas romance. An army engineer and a woman desperate to retain custody of her beloved niece, whom she's raised since birth, are traveling across Scotland to the same estate for the holidays. Allowing time for the leads to get to know each other and fall in love, and with a delightfully precocious and wise-for-her-years child who conspires to bring them together, this author knows how to craft an oh-so-satisfying romantic novella. Features a swoon-worthy hero and a very festive Christmas gathering at the end too. I will definitely be reading more by May McGoldrick.

3 Stars out of 5 for the collection as a whole
4.5 Stars out of 5 for Sweet Home Highland Christmas

This book is filled with such lovely Christmas stories. Each its own story and worth the read, but Bronwen Evans wins my heart with her story of Emma the spinster and her desire to know passion before she accepts her life of loneliness. Having Dougray whom she has loved since her childhood teach her about all that she has missed is the perfect set up. Each book was well written with characters that were believable.

Quite readable in places but too much explicit sex for me. I am frankly tired of reading every detail.

Christmas in Kilts is a fun collection of Christmas stories involving HIghlanders who find their loves

These are fun, romantic and heartwarming stories. There are no villains, no real angst, just sweet and entertaining people caught off guard. The storylines range from highly amusing to very practical. The characters are charming, spunky and adorable.. I loved every story in the book. A great addition for your TBR list.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntary opinion of it.

Sexy collection of Highland Christmas Novellas! Each one was vastly different from the one before it. Fun, quick reads, each one better than the last.

Apparently, being part-English and female and ending up trapped by snow with a manly highlander-with-issues is a trope, because all five stories in this compilation have different flavors of this structure. Sometimes that Scotsman is grieving a dead wife, often he is trying to navigate expectations from the clan (including land ownership, marriage for alliances, etc.) and to find a wife! Luckily these women show up right as a snowstorm does....

All five authors contributing to this compilation write romance series featuring Scottish clans during their height of power. This volume would be a good way to get to know some characters and find a way in. And it's probably the best thing to read during a snowstorm.

I've had this sitting there for quite a while. I got to reading it and I just couldn't get passed the first pages from each shirt story. From writing styles to the stories themselves. I just couldn't get passed the whole whore thing in the first one. She knows what she is and is unapologetic which is cool. But the other characters? Not realistic at all.

I just couldn't enjoy this like I'd hoped to

Christmas in Kilts is a 2017 Swerve publication.

Every holiday season, I sample at least one Christmas anthology. This one caught my eye, but as I was looking at the terrific authors featured, it occurred to me that it has been a very long time since I’ve read a Scottish/Highlander historical romance, and suddenly I felt a need to remedy that.

As usual, I choose one, maybe two, favorites in an anthology to feature in my review. But, to be clear, every book in the collection is very good, these were just the ones I enjoyed the most and wanted to spotlight.

A Highland Christmas Wager by Lecia Cornwall-

I loved this karma driven story featuring Meggie who, along with her grandmother, is forced to seek shelter from a snowstorm at Gleanngalla Castle, the last place on earth she wants to be.

However, with three Highlanders underfoot, things get a little prickly, when they agree to make a wager that could change the future for the two young ladies on the premises.

Despite Magnus MacVane’s confidence, things don’t exactly go as planned, when Charlie McKay and Hugh MacAulay put a wrinkle in his plans.

I really enjoyed the way this story turned out, and enjoyed seeing Meggie and Catriona get their much deserved HEA!


A Scot for Christmas by Bronwen Evans

Emma has loved Dougray since she was in her teens, but he married Francesca, who died tragically six years ago.

Dougray is still in love with Francesca, but realizes his duty to provide heirs. Therefore, he is beginning to think of remarriage and even has a prospect in mind. But, when Emma arrives with her brother, Dougray is stunned by her beauty and finds himself quite taken with her. But, when she approaches him with a scandalous proposition, his heart will face the ultimate test of courage.

This story pulls on the heartstrings, but has a wonderfully romantic and heartwarming ending. I was especially fond of Dougray- the brooding, tortured type I’m always a sucker for.


The remaining stories rounding out this star -studded anthology include:

The Highlander’s Hope by Teri Brisbin

Leftover Mistletoe by Lavinia Kent

Sweet Home Highland Christmas by May McGoldrick

Each novella is holiday themed and features super sexy Scottish Highlanders that will quicken your pulse and melt your heart!
4.5 stars

Christmas in Kilts is a spicy anthology of Celtic Christmas romances. For those who like a bit of a thrill with their 18th century trysts this one is for you.

Each story has its feisty heroine and its brave, muscular hero. But sometimes the heroine is hiding a secret, sometimes the hero has sworn he will never love again, maybe the heroine thinks she isn't good enough for her man, maybe the hero feels threatened by the thought of true love. It's all here between the pages of a wonderful holiday read.

Take a break and get away to Scotland for the holidays!!!

http://www.wesonerdy.com/2017/10/17/its-christmas-in-october-with-this-romance-blitz/

A great collection of Yuletide tales! From the sugary sweet to the saucy fun and adventurous, there was truly something for everyone.

This is a nice anthology of stories. Quick little reads to pace a few hours. This contains several novellas by bestselling romance writers with Scot heroes. All were entertaining and I enjoyed them all. Though I think the first, with a man who decides to marry the village prostitute is a bit of a stretch. Few men of the time would probably be pining for the local whore, but I certainly don’t know for sure! I plan to look into further reading some authors I hadn’t previously read.

This is an anthology of five novellas that revolve around Christmas. They are all highlander stories, have a strong women in the books, and romance. What more do you need to have a good Christmas book. They are written n the time they are supposed to be in and I felt it was well rounded.



** I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Anthologies can be hit or miss. This one is a hit. While Lavinia Kent's Leftover Mistletoe is the shining star for me, I found enjoyment in all the stories and now have two new authors I plan to follow. If you’re in a Christmas kind or mood, these are especially perfect for your fix. Regardless of the season, if you like Scottish regency romance. You’ll like Christmas in Kilts.

I recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Reviewed by Robin

Review: I think when I read anthologies I seem to always find one that makes me fall in love. I am not saying that the others aren’t good it is just that one stands out for me all the time. Always one to enjoy those Hot Scotsman; while all where unique and I wanted all of them to come to life, I found that the last story had to be my favorite if I had to choose…With each of these being short and well written I don’t want to send spoilers your way. But I know that you will enjoy them as much as I did. Although you will just have to decide on your own which is your favorite.

A Highlanders Hope by Terri Brisbin
Iain and Robena show that when loves hits you, it makes no difference who it is that you fall for… because love is simply love. No bounds; no conditions. Robena is the village whore. She took over after her mom died. When in the area Iain comes to her. Christmas is in a few days and fate has stepped in bringing these two together. Not only have they fallen in love but have also been given the gift of a child is left at Robena’s door.

I found not only a sexy Highlander but also plenty of romance, suspense and sadness along with happiness. Regrets always…but the characters got past the regrets…You do what you have to when you need to survive. The characters were easy to believe in and easy to feel what they were going through.

Ms. Brisbin wrote a really well rounded story that although it was short provided a very HEA.

A Highland Christmas Wager by Lecia Cornwall
Boys will be boys but in this case those boys are men. Do they ever grow up? A snowstorm brings Meggie and her grandmother in need of a place to wait out the storm. Of course, the place they stop at belongs to someone from her past. He makes a wager with his two friends about getting a kiss from Meggie. He considers her easy. He stole her virginity in the hayloft years ago but married someone else.

Ms. Cornwall gives us characters that are both easy to love and hate. Everyone has a story good or bad. The past tends to finds its way out at the most inopportune times. While in this case a certain man shares the past with others as he brags of his conquest. All in all Meggie ends up falling for Hugh. He loves her; he is willing to give up the wager.

I liked Ms. Cornwall’s story. It wasn’t a favorite but it was cute.

A Scot for Christmas by Bronwen Evans
Emma it seems has been in love with her brother’s best friend Dougray forever. She has decided to settle on being a spinster as most men in London are short and at 5’11” she towers over them. She has decided she wants to spend one night of passion with the hottest man she knows…Dougray. This way she can go into spinsterhood knowing what it is to feel passion. Things backfired and love intervened. Emma got her night of hot sex and passion and so much more. Spinsterhood was not in her future.

Ms. Evans gave us a story filled with characters that were very easy to like. I enjoyed this story although short it was easy to want to keep reading to find out what would happen despite the trickery.

Leftover Mistletoe by Lavinia Kent
Chemistry…things tended to happen a little fast but the way Ms. Kent wrote this story it worked. Robbie took off with all of the horses, men, and just everything to keep James from stopping Robbie’s wedding to James’s sister. Robbie directed him to a nearby cabin where provisions were left. Meanwhile Emma who had been sharing a coach had lost her maid. She’s a little high-strung not used to doing things on her own. When James and Emma arrive at cabin…cold, hungry you get the picture. Things tend to go fast…virginity lost…Christmas greens along with a lot of steamy sex with a hot Highlander. Fate gave Emma someone to love.

And Ms. Kent gave us characters that worked making me want to learn maybe a little bit more about them.

Sweet Home Highland Christmas by May McGoldrick
Last but not least is Ms. McGoldrick’s story. While I thoroughly enjoyed Gregory and Freya’s story I have to say that there would still have been a story but I found that Ella, a very precocious five years old, stole the story. Freya is Ella’s aunt; they were on their way to meet a cousin that Freya would marry so that Ella would be able to stay with Freya. Gregory is their guide to get them through the Highlands safely.

I found this to be a very entertaining story and all the antics that were within this story made it very special. I found that I wanted more…for me it was much to short even if all the elements woven within this story were finished and completed; I wouldn’t mind if this were a full length book. It was a magical Christmas story filled with lovable characters that tugged on my heartstrings.

These books are HOT, HOT, HOT!! After reading these Novellas I want to move to Scotland Highlands and see if I can find me a Highlander!! Each book is about finding their true love. You throw in some steam love scenes and you get the perfect Christmas books. All the Novellas were great and long enough to be a great story but short enough that you don't feel like you had so many to read.