The Earl in Winter
Part 1, Brothers de Lohr
Kathryn Le Veque
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

James de Lohr goes looking for his brother James’s remains, after the Battle of Culloden.
What he finds is so much more than he could ever have dreamed.

This story brought me to tears so many times, it’s so beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time, depicting some very poignant moments and memories between the siblings, and James’s prayers of wanting more time to say ‘I Love You Brother’.
Get the tissues ready, it’s Kathryn at her best.

The Earl Of Christmas Past
Part 2, The Brothers de Lohr
Kerrigan Byrne
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
💋💋

As a follow up to the first story in this set , Kerrigan has written Jonathan de Lohr ‘s story.

This is probably one of my favourite stories ever. It made me giggle and cry buckets.
It is totally awesome and brilliant to read.

Vanessa visits the Inn after being stranded in a storm, she ends up sharing with the most unusual roommate, Johnathan‘s ghost.
As the two become closer they discover they have something that cannot be denied, love.
It’s a heartbreaking story that will twist your emotions into mush.
Can there be a happy ending?
Outstanding reading!!

Fiona and the Three Wise Highlanders
Jennifer Ashley
❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

A family take a trip back in time to when Culloden was still bright in memory and Clan were still scattered and torn apart by war.

It’s a real eye opener reading these stories, they make you realise the hardships and troubles these people had to deal with.

Very addictive reading.

One Knight Stand
Tanya Ann Crosby
❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

An unexpected meeting at the famed inn leads to a great love and a passionate meeting of hearts.

A really lovely story that grabs your attention, great characters too .
All this set as expected at the time of the Jacobite uprising and after Culloden.
Enjoyable novella

Legend of a Rogue
Darcy Burke
❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

Darcy writes some brilliant characters, Tavish Crawford is one of my favourites.
Don’t ask me why but he has something that really clicked with me.

Enjoyed reading this novella, the characters chemistry was wonderful, and only added to by the plot that was great to follow.
That of a missing treasure and two people on the hunt , with a little danger thrown in for good measure.

Great reading

The Highlander who Stole Christmas
Eliza Knight
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
💋💋

A brilliant novella by Eliza that really hits the spot.

A Brother looks to avenge his dead sister, by kidnapping the sister of the Clan she married into. Angry they did not pay the ransom when she was taken by the enemy .
But this is a lot easier than he thought, when the woman helps him to take her.

Brilliant plot and characters that have you both shedding a small tear and a few sighs of satisfaction.
Great read!

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

4/5 stars!

After the Battle of Culloden, the couples from the six stories tackle some personal issues and more as they fall in love. Written by Jennifer Ashley, Darcy Burke, Kerrigan Byrne, Tanya Anne Crosby, Eliza Knight, and Kathryn Le Veque, these six Highland holiday romances shared the same tavern where most of the stories takes place as the holiday cheers works its magic on the couples.

Kathryn Le Veque and Kerrigan Byrne wrote about two brothers separate by time and circumstance. Jennifer Ashley writes about a Mackenzie family friend returning back to the woman he couldn't forget. Tanya Anne Crosby wrote about a prodigal son learning that he has a fiancée he didn't know about. Darcy Burke reunites a couple and a legendary magical sword. Lastly, Eliza Knight writes about a runaway bride and a fake kidnapping.

The book is highly enjoyable and quite an entertaining read. I enjoyed reading all the stories, some more than others. There are a bit of a confusion in the central characters residing in the tavern that didn't make it cohesive in some of the stories. And I enjoyed some couples more than others, but overall all the authors wrote stories that gives the holiday romance vibe.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.**

This collection is truly puts the historical in this category. I did have little trouble with the pronunciation of names and places. All in all very exciting and entertaining collection.

The ratings for the six novellas average to 3.58 stars, which will round up to 4 stars for the anthology as a whole.

There were definite highs and lows here — I loved the stories by Byrne and Ashley, disliked the one by Le Veque, and the remaining three (by Crosby, Burke, and Knight) were just fine.

I did, however, really like the overall setting and how the stories were tied together. The inn was fantastic, the Room of Sorrows was touching, and the fallout from Culloden added drama and emotion to it all.

The Earl in Winter by Katherine Le Veque
2.5 stars
This first novella didn’t really do it for me, and I’m hoping the rest of the collection picks up. The focus of this story was far more about the relationship between the hero and his brother, rather than the hero and the heroine. It’s almost like the author came up with the brother story first, then shoehorned in a love interest so that it could fit in a romance anthology. I also just wasn’t wild about her writing style - very on the nose and over-explanatory. Plus the hero had a stutter, but only on the first word of each sentence/speech. Never in the middle. Don’t think that’s how stutters work.

The Earl of Christmas Past by Kerrigan Byrne
5 stars
The existence of the first story is justified just by setting up the glory that is this second novella. I’ve been meaning to read something by Kerrigan Byrne for ages, and I will definitely seek something out sooner rather than later. I’ve never had such an emotional reaction to a novella. I struggled to see how a woman falling in love with a ghost could have a happy ending, but Byrne pulled it off. Fantastic. Probably the best novella I’ve ever read.

Fiona and the Three Wise Highlanders - Jennifer Ashley
4.5 stars
I will read literally anything Ashley writes about the Mackenzies, or their in-laws, or their friends, or their neighbors... This excellent novella ties into that world well, but doesn’t expect you to remember the plot intricacies of the other books. Strong characters and backstory. An interesting and believable plot, even if it was resolved a tad too easily.

One Knight’s Stand by Tanya Anne Crosby
3 stars
A very meh story. The setup was fine, the characters were interesting, and the writing was good enough. It just never reached its potential complexity or connection or emotional depth. Plus it came right after the two incredible stories from Byrne and Ashley, which is a tough task.

The Legend of a Rogue by Darcy Burke
3.5 stars
Both the hero and the heroine of this novella were fantastic, and I liked the focus on storytelling. The whole quest for a magic sword plot was a bit blah though, and I really didn’t like the Die Hard references (it’s near Christmas and John McLean has to run barefoot through broken glass to save hostages!). It was distracting and took away from the rest of the story.

The Highlander Who Stole Christmas by Eliza Knight
3 stars
The idea for this story and backstory for the characters were fantastic, but there just wasn’t enough conflict. Everything came so easily for our hero and heroine. It never felt like there was a question or possibility of things not working out for them. Obviously I want a happy ending, but at least a little conflict please.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Legend of a Rogue – Darcy Burke
In the tradition of Darcy’s Legendary Rogues series, we have an earlier adventure in the Thirteen Treasures. Elspeth is a storyteller and wants to absorb all of the stories she can gather. Tavish is legendary in his own right and is related to the mystical sword. This is definitely an adventure book and totally worth reading about the sword and what it can do. Flames, guys, flames but only for those in the line or those gifted with the sword. Tavish and Elspeth work together and as they are working their romance is heating up. A fantastic story for those who like legends and adventure and romance. In fact, pick up the entire Legendary Rogues series to find out more about the treasures.

The Earl of Christmas Past – Kerrigan Byrne
Can a love between a ghost and a woman work? You bet but I am not saying how it works. Kerrigan writes a romantic story that will keep you wondering but the payoff is so worth it. A wonderfully written romance that transcends time and the storytelling is superb.

A very Highland Holiday
A collection of six enchanting seasonal novellas by some of the favourite authors is a delightful treat for all.
These ladies have gotten together to give us tales of happiness, love,joy and reflections of the past/future in such a way that they become a part of this joyous time on earth.
The stories bring out our faith in everything that is holy and pure. In this collection of short stories we get to see the true spirit of healing and love amongst all the turmoil that surrounded the people in April 1746.
On a night when angels walk the earth,the characters of these stories meet their own guardian angels who change their lives and bring to them faith in god’s grace and blessings.
Thank you for coming together to give us this beautiful gift on the eve of the holy season.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this anthology. I love historical romance and I love Christmas. I will say, in the middle of the pandemic, I did not really want to read a bunch of stories about life after the bloodiest uprising in Scottish/British history. I have to say that this might be shading my thoughts on the book. I love anthologies, which are quick to read and then you move onto the next one. However, this anthology was looooooooooooong. That being said, if you're ok with the setting/context of the anthology, then go for it.

A Very Highland Holiday

Step away from the world for a very enjoyable few hours and visit with the fascinating characters of these six short stories as they pass through the rather disreputable Balthazar Inn. Located just a few days carriage ride from Culloden Field, the Inn is frequented by Scots and English alike. There are tales aplenty to be heard, and not infrequent bursts of temper and angry fists flying. While you’re there, you might want to step into Carrie’s Secret chamber. Depending on whose eyes you are looking through, you will see it either as a Camber of Memories, a Shrine to the Fallen, or a Room of Horrors. You might even meet a ghost or two.

In all of the chaos of the Inn and the times, Jennifer Ashley, Tanya Anne Crosby, Kathryn Le Veque, Kerrigan Byrne, Darcy Burke, and Eliza Knight have come together to bring us this delightful collection of stories of hope and love. Stories that weave around the months following the 1746 Battle of Culloden and are filled with characters who are sure to work themselves into your heart. All the main characters we meet have suffered loss and are struggling to find a foothold of hope in the aftermath of destruction.

The six short tales are quite different, but they have in common a sense of differing loyalties coming together to overcome grief and hate, and to work together for a brighter, loved filled, future. A perfect collection for the season.

I thoroughly enjoyed A Very Highland Holiday and would recommend this collection to any reader of historical romance.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in return for my review.

What a delightful collection of Yuletide tales. They are connected since at least in part they take place eight months after the terrible losses at Culloden, the main characters staying at least one night at Balthazar's Inn. The innkeeper's daughter has a collection she has named the Room of Sorrows. The characters visit this room, sometimes finding a token from a loved one, sometimes finding magic as well. It is hard to choose a favorite about the stories, they are all wonderful. The first two are interrelated involving two brothers. Kathryn Le Veque' s offering is one of redemption. James de Lohr felt guilty for not follow his brother, Johnathan to war. Even more so, they had a contentious relationship. Just how does he find his way to forgive himself? The second story about these brothers takes part 150 years later, when Vanessa Latimer meets Johnathan's ghost. How can love happen and survive between a livi g woman and a ghost? Kerrigan Byrne finds a solution with the help of a magic ring. Jennifer Ashley's tale contained some comic relief in the form of two less than reputable characters, loved them. The other three authors also contributed great reads. In particular, Darcy Burke's Legend of a Rogue would have made a superb longer novella or book. I wanted to delve into more of the legends of this magical sword. Fortunately, she has written a Legendary Rogues series, which features the thirteen treasures of Britain. Very nice read, not the traditional Christmas narrative.

There is a tavern on the way to Culloden with colourful characters and, if you're lucky, a warm place to sleep during the chilly festive season. The Highlands are still reeling from the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie, but there are still celebrations to be had. These six romantic novellas include guardian angels, ghosts, mystical swords, family feuds and enough steamy scenes to thaw any reader out.

This collection is exactly what I needed. It combines two of my greatest weaknesses: Highlander romances and stories with a slightly supernatural bent. I'll admit that I enjoyed the latter quite a bit more than the other novellas on offer, but the entire anthology is a great read. Perfect for cosying up with. My only quibble is that I would have liked to see Carrie find true love - the collection felt somewhat incomplete without her story.

This is a great collection of Christmas short stories. They are all set in the same area of the Highlands of Scotland. I enjoyed all of these stories.

I saw this on NetGalley and immediately requested for a copy. The idea of highland romance appealed to the reader in me. All the stories are short but delivers a sweet (with hints of sensual) romance. I did enjoy all of them but a favorite (or two) was inevitable. Le Veque’s story is a nice story of love amidst loss with the help of divine intervention. Crosby, as usual, wrote exceedingly well. Those were my two favorites but all the stories were entertaining in their own right and well written. I love that there were epilogues because the stories were short.

This will be a Christmas Cherished Collection ! What an exceptional Cohesive team that came together for this book, It was one awesome story to the next! Each author had written such amazing stories that I truly appreciate all their writing skills equally!

Each of the storylines I liked however I identified myself with the one written by Eliza Knight , The Highlander Who Stole Christmas! I am a total Grinch at Christmas. My husband and I go to the Movies and eat a hot dog with Nachos. We go home and couch potato the rest of the day!
I don’t have that holiday spirit! But, this story just resonates with you to look beyond that there is light and happiness!
Her story starts out with Thane Shaw who was consumed with hate. Lady Sarah of the Campbells helps him find his way, but it wasn’t an easy journey because the Campbells were the very ones he intensely disliked. What else do you want in a great Christmas story other than love, Highlanders, Clan Disputes, and beautiful lasses and Spirit?

The first story sets the whole book up for the Spirit of Christmas! Kathryn Le Veque leads off with a poignant family relationship that will touch your heart & soul. Her story, The Earl in Winter is about James who is on a Quest and he comes upon an man that aids him and later he discovers he was actually his guardian angel!

Jennifer Ashley takes us to the story Fiona and the Three Wise Highlanders. Fiona has been worried about Stuart Cameron and she sees him in the flesh! But, he is not unaccompanied he owes some smugglers a debt and things are going to get dicey!

Tanya Anne Crosby writes about One Knight’s Stand where she is a “guilt” bride and her family will reap the rewards because of her cousins guilty traitorous deeds. But, their are twists and turns about to be played and she is betrothed to one brother and ends up with the older brother who rises from the Dead! Shock is to be felt from everyone to include the groom!

The Earl of Christmas Past by Kerrigan Bryne is the Companion Story to Kathryn Le Veque and it is no less stunning and well written! Both pieces come together like a jigsaw puzzle! Vanessa Latimer is about to meet her Christmas spirit of John De Lohr and he comes to her aid in more than one way!

The Legend of a Rogue by Darcy Burke is any treasure hunters dream if they are hunting for a sexy Highlander! Tavish Crawford is looking for a priceless family heirloom, but when he comes across Elspeth Marshall who is tracking long ago stories, he wonders how he can go on without her!

All of these stories will delight you and lift your spirits! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

beautiful Christmas stories. Everyone is interwoven beautifully. Some great authors all togeth in one anthology.

This was an amazing anthology! All of the stories fit so well together only complementing and not competing. Honestly am still going to buy a paper copy so I can reread this again and again. Each story was alternating emotionally evoking, sweet, and steamy with a solid dose of humor in many as well! If you know any love any of these authors do not miss this fabulous wintry and Scottish anthology!

I loved this one. I enjoyed every novellas . I do very much recommend if you are looking for quick east reads during the holidays .

Each story has this in common....the Balthazar Inn and the Chamber of Sorrow. I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The Earl in Winter by Kathryn Le Veque

I was ugly crying by the end of this story, Kathryn Le Veque has a tendency to do this to me every time I read one of her stories! lol I adored this story, so much heart and emotion was put into it. This is all about the love between brothers, a guardian angel and finding your soul mate when you least expect it.

Winter Solstice by Kerrigan Byrne

Omigosh, this was a story unlike any other I have read and I absolutely loved it! Is it possible to fall in love with a ghost? Oh yes, it is!! When Vanessa finds herself snowed in at the Balthazar Inn, she ends up sharing her room with a ghost, that of Johnathan de Lohr, killed in the Battle of Culloden. What happens is nothing short of a miracle, the ending will forever be etched in my heart.

Fiona and the Three Wise Highlanders by Jennifer Ashley

An exciting and wonderful tale of two lovers reuniting during the dangerous aftermath of the Battle of Culloden. Stuart and Fiona have been separated from each other for a year and she thought he had been killed in the battle. He was in fact, taken prisoner and endured torture while in captivity. Having escaped finally, he makes his way home with the help of two hired men and unexpectedly comes face to face with Fiona at the Balthazar Inn. Danger surrounds them and emotions are at an all time high.

One Knight’s Stand by Tanya Anne Crosby

I really enjoyed Callum and Elizabeth’s story, I loved both their characters. Callum, presumed dead in the Battle of Culloden, is on his way home when he stops at the Balthazar Inn and finds out his “intended” is there too! I had to smile at all the confusion but soon everything is sorted out and the instant attraction takes over. I loved the bath scene😊

The Legend of a Rogue by Darcy Burke

Elspeth loves to write stories of legends that people tell her about and is now on the hunt for a particular legend...a flaming sword, Lann Dhearg, that was last seen in the Battle of Culloden. She meets the mysterious Tavish who goes under different names and who is also looking for the same sword. Quite the adventure follows with plenty of danger surrounding them. Amidst all of that, love blossoms and passions flare.

The Highlander Who Stole Christmas by Eliza Knight

Thoroughly enjoyed this story. Thane only has one thing in mind and that is revenge for the death of his beloved twin sister. He plans on abducting the enemies’ sister but things don’t quite go according to plan. Not only does she willingly come with him, Sarah soon has his heart and love. Together they right the wrong that’s been done.

This is an anthology of stories that have some connection to an inn in Scotland and the battle of Culloden.

In Kathryn Le Veque's The Earl in Winter, the stuttering James de Lohr has recently acquired a title and lost a loved one. His brother Johnathan died in the Battle of Culloden, and James goes looking for his brother's remains, or failing that, some of his belongings. Coincidentally, women in Balthazar's Tavern have collected mementos from the battlefield. One of the guests at the inn may be an angel. James gets to learn more about his brother's thoughts and finds some peace. There is a girl who says she fell in love with James sight unseen through reading his writings, but it's not terribly clear why and how James fell in love with her, and the romance feels less important and less interesting than the grief and self-esteem issues that James is dealing with.

Kerrigan Byrne's The Earl of Christmas Past is set in the Victorian era. Vanessa Latimer gets stranded in Balthazar's inn and has to sleep in a room haunted by the ghost of Johnathan De Lohr who has been dead for many years (the same brother that James lost in the first story). It's the solstice and he gets more corporeal for one night. Vanessa and the ghost banter and find a mutual attraction. But is there any kind of magic that would let them find a life together? I enjoyed this mystical tale.

In Fiona and the Three Wise Highlanders by Jennifer Ashley, Fiona has thought her missing lover Stuart is dead. Coincidentally, they both end up at the inn at the same time. In the aftermath of the battle they have some problems to overcome with the help of smugglers. This story is more of an adventure than a romance.

In Tanya Anne Crosby's One Knight’s Stand an English woman, Lady Elizabeth has been betrothed to a Scotsman sight unseen. Her cousin had come across Callum MacKinnon after Culloden. Coincidentally, now she finds herself at the inn with her bridegroom who is older than she imagined and who didn't know he was betrothed. This was a nice instalove story but I thought the plot hangs upon too many coincidences. Supposedly her cousin arranged them to be together but it seems the cousin had no way of knowing they would meet in time to prevent her from marrying a fifteen year old.

The Legend of a Rogue by Darcy Burke is another action filled adventure. Elspeth collects oral stories and when she stays at the inn she hears rumours about a mystical fiery sword that was seen on the battle field in Culloden her curiosity is awakened. Coincidentally, a man she met two years ago is also staying at the inn. She wonders if she can trust him because he never came back and because he seems to have several aliases. He wonders if he can trust her because he's got secrets he wants to keep and enemies he wants to avoid. Sooner rather than later, the enemies catch up with them.

The Highlander Who Stole Christmas by Eliza Knight describes a kidnapping that turned out pretty well. Do not try this at home, usually kidnappings have an unhappier outcome. Thane wants to kidnap Lady Sarah to avenge his sister's death in the hands of her family. Lady Sarah does not object. Coincidentally she was planning to run away for reasons of her own on the same night, and Thane offers her a ride and a place to go. Some instalove at the inn follows.

Anthologies are always hard to rate but I'm giving it four stars because it was overall an enjoyable read. Kerrigan Byrne's story was my favourite of them all. The stories are independent and can be read in any order but it might be best to start with the first story by Le Veque because it gives the most background about the inn and people that are mentioned in later stories. Many of the stories depend on big coincidences but maybe that's where Christmas magic comes in.

I read an ARC from Netgalley. It was well edited, I noticed just a few tiny errors such as missing quotes and spelling errors, nothing major. I am not sure what the title of this book is? Netgalley, my ARC, and the Amazon page said this book is titled A Very Highland Holiday but the Goodreads page, including the cover photo, says it's A Very Highland Christmas. The titles of some stories seem to have changed too, in the Goodreads blurb Le Veque's story is The Knight of Christmas Future, and Darcy Burke's Highland Hearts.

Can I just say that interconnected novellas are sometimes just the best? This one is really one of the best I've ever read. I mean its already a winner with the authors involved - but I feel like this one was particularly good. All of the stories revolve around a specific inn - and are rooted in the Battle of Culloden and its aftermath. The first two stories are probably the best of the bunch - and are very closely connected. The two stories are beautifully written and I will admit I sobbed at Katherine Le Veque's.

All the stories stand alone and are beautifully crafted. While this is a holiday collection - you could read these at any time of the year and be extremely happy you did.

Loved it!

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own and I would have bought this with my own money if I hadn't read it as an ARC.

All six authors center their stories around a December stay at the Balthazar’s Inn. This takes place after the Battle of Culloden and I found it confusing as to which characters had been on which side and who specifically was hiding from whom. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Press for my honest review.