This is a fun read. Four short historical romance Christmas stories revolving around the mistletoe. Great escapist reading for fans of these genres and a good book to get in the Christmas mood. I particularly liked that the stories were short, you get to enjoy them separately, each in one go.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Duke of Greystoke is known far and wide for hosting the best Yuletide house party/grand soiree It’s not just an honor to be invited, but the Revelry (as it is known) has been the cause of not just delicious scandal but also some of the most prestigious wedding matches in the realm. Why, it’s known that the Duke has procured several special licenses for just such an opportunity.

So join us for this season of love and merriment with the magic of Christmastide.

As always, I will be reviewing each story individually and since this is a linked anthology I will discuss it as a whole at the end.

Let’s get to the Revelry!

--

A Mistletoe Kiss
Eloisa James

As the youngest of her father’s children, Lady Cressida has long devoted her life to her father, the Duke of Greystoke, and putting on his famous Yuletide Revelry. In fact, it would be more honest to call it Lady Cressida’s Revelry, but with her father dying, Cressida is looking forward to either marrying or retiring to the Scottish Estate in her dowry. But when her father uses the estate to coerce his heir, Viscount Valentine Derham (Val), her dreams are shattered. Worse, he expects her to continue planning the Revelry for her cousin long after he’s gone. What is Cressida to do?

I didn’t love this first entry into the anthology. I found it weak and the romance was far and away the weakest of the lot. Instalove is expected in shorter stories like this, but it felt like this story had the worst case of it. First off, the hero is Elias, Lord Darcy de Royleston... the BFF of Val and also a neighbor of the Duke’s. The Duke in this story is a huge bully and very much the antagonist but he’s almost too over the top. But honestly, my biggest complaint is that I just didn’t buy the relationship between the two leads.

Three Stars.

--

Wishing Under the Mistletoe
Christi Caldwell

Granddaughter to the Duke of Greystoke, Isabelle had long ago given up her dream of marriage to a man of common means when he threw himself into his work to the detriment of everything else in his life -- including her.. Now a talented playwright, Isabelle is called upon to stage the pantomimes and plays at what promises to be her grandfather’s final Revelry. She never expects to be paired up with Cyrus, her former fiance and the man who broke her heart. Nor does she expect to discover that she still has feelings for him ten years on.

I liked this story of a second chance class-difference romance initially but then it swerved into two of my least favorite tropes that still make me gnash my teeth. It is made very clear in the beginning who is at fault for the relationship failing -- Cyrus -- and that Isabelle did everything to communicate with him and even talk with him to no avail. It wasn’t Isabelle’s fault. At all. Which is why I absolutely hated that she said that she was at fault for not communicating with Cyrus. It totally belied what we saw in the prologue. There’s also a public proposal which is something I hate with a passion. The story also requires a heapton of suspension of disbelief to expect that the eldest daughter of an Earl and granddaughter of a Duke would be allowed to marry the son of a stablemaster without so much as blink of an eye. Too much, in fact. In addition, Cyrus is the man of business for Val and the Viscount and future duke seems totally okay with his employee marrying his cousin. I really didn’t love this entry. But I liked it up until the very end.

Two stars.

--

Compromise Under the Mistletoe
Janna MacGregor

Niece of the Duke of Greystoke, Caroline Whitmore has been abandoned all her life. First by her mother, then by her father, and finally by her husband. Unable to be ignored by her husband everywhere but in the bedroom, she flees to London and sets herself up as a patroness of the arts. But now, in order to get the remainder of her inheritance, she has to convince her dying uncle by the end of the Revelry that she and her husband, Stephen, have reconciled. The spark of attraction is still there. But is it enough to rekindle the flame of their relationship.

If this sounds familiar, to the second story with a second chance romance caused by the woman leaving a man who abandoned her for his work, then you are not alone. The Duke of Greystoke is once again a bully for this story (in the previous story he was much more sanguine and kind). However unlike the first and second stories in this anthology, I liked this one. The conflict worked and the relationship felt real and the fake/dating becomes real worked. I liked the fact that attraction had never been their problem... communicating and actually having a relationship that was built on more than sex was. The conflicts worked. The story worked.

Five Stars

--

Mischief & Mistletoe
Erica Ridley

On the verge of being put on the shelf, Louisa Harcourt must make an advantageous match by the end of the Revelry. But thanks to the scandal sheets calling her insipid and bland, this is a challenge. Especially since all Louisa wants to do is be a poet. She feels as though she’s found a kindred spirit in fellow poet, Mr. Ewan Reid, a friend of one of the men she’s supposed to be encouraging, Viscount Valentine Derham. Ewan seems to be the man of her dreams, but he’s harboring a terrible a secret. A secret which could shatter her to her very core.

This story has the most tenuous connection to the rest and I felt it would have been better had it been actually a romance between Val and Louisa... not Louisa and Ewan. First off, I really didn’t like the hero... it’s revealed very early on that he’s not actually a poet, but a scandalmonger and the very author of the scandal sheet which torpedoed her chances of a happy marriage. He’s a bully. Worse, he never comes clean to her until she accidentally reads his notebook after they’ve consummated their relationship. To his credit, he hadn’t promised her marriage. But still, he deceived her and was super dishonest with her. Worse still, I hated the ending of this. It felt way too rushed. And one of the main conflicts... their class-difference... was just waved away with flick of a hand. Additionally, we again get a public grovel and proposal... which is one of my most hated things ever.

Two stars.

Over all, I feel like this linked anthology collection was uneven. First off, the Duke... who appeared in each story varied wildly from story to story. He was a bully and horrid in James and MacGregor’s entries. Kindly but stern in Caldwell’s. And downright nice in Ridley’s (giving his blessing for the heroine to marry his heir). It felt like inconsistent characterization. Additionally, all three of the heroes are good friends of Val, the Duke’s heir. Yet none of them are mentioned in any of the other stories. Even events, locations, and characters appeared and disappeared as needed. It didn’t feel cohesive. Like there needed to be better communication between the authors or an overarching editor whose job was to make sure continuity existed. It is possible.

Additionally, I felt like the stories needed to be shifted around so that the two second chance romances weren’t right by each other. Additionally, only one story should have had a distant epilogue... since the two that did contradicted each other.

Honestly, I didn’t love this anthology. Two entries featured tropes I hate... which is a personal thing. But it also needed a better continuity editor, which is a less personal thing.

Averaging everything together this anthology gets... 2.5 stars. Which in the spirit of the season I’ll round up to:

Three Stars

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley

Mistletoe Christmas is a compilation of four stories, each revolving around the Duke of Greystoke’s annual holiday house party, the Revelry. It is known for bringing together the most influential people of England and is the most important event outside of the Season.

The first story, A Mistletoe Kiss by Eloisa James, involves the Duke of Greystoke’s daughter, Cressida (Cressie), and Lord Darcy de Royleston (Elias). On his deathbed, the Duke secures a promise from his nephew, his heir, to continue with the Revelry for 10 more years. Cressie, who is the actual brains behind the Revelry, does not want to continue. Cressie would rather find a husband, even though she has not been afforded a season and has not had much male attention. The nephew’s best friend, Elias, is looking for a wife and decides to consider Cressie.

I found this story to be quite charming. The characters are likeable, and I found myself rooting for them. Even though this is a short story, the author does a good job allowing the characters feelings to develop. It doesn’t feel rushed or forced. There is one sex scene. It’s not particularly graphic, much more focused on emotions than the physical act, so it scores a Sensual on the heat scale. I highly recommend this story and I rate it as a 4.5.



The second story, Wishing Under the Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell, involves one of the Duke’s granddaughters, Lady Isabelle Wilkshire, and her once fiancé, Mr. Cyrus Hill. Isabelle cut off her engagement with Cyrus when she felt he was more interested in his work than with starting a life with her. She left and pursued her passion for writing plays. Ten years later, Isabelle is invited to attend and produce the pantomime for the Revelry. It also happens that Cyrus, who had become successful as an investment manager, is invited to attend with his friend, the future heir to the dukedom. Isabelle and Cyrus are assigned to work together on the pantomime.

I enjoyed the author’s writing style and storytelling. The characters were interesting and not the typical lord or lady. However, the idea that these characters would suddenly acknowledge their faults and responsibilities in their break-up, 10 years after the fact, and in a matter of days be completely able to forgive and forget is unrealistic. There is one sex scene in this story. More time is spent telling of the emotions surrounding this act that the actual sex itself. I give this story a classification of Sensual on the heat scale. I would give this story a 3.5 rating, pretty good but some minor problems.



The third story, Compromise Under the Mistletoe by Janna MacGregor, involves Caroline Whitmore, niece of the Duke of Greystoke, and Lord Stephen. After a year of marriage, and feeling ignored, Caroline left Stephen and moved to London. A year later, Caroline would like to gain her trust fund money and must convince her Uncle, the Duke of Greystoke, that she and Stephen have reunited.

This was a pretty good story. The characters were relatable, and the author did a good job of bringing empathy for them. She also did a good job of telling how the characters begin to see one another’s perspectives. This story has one sex scene which is quite descriptive, therefore it earns a score of Hot on the heat scale. I liked this story a lot and give it a rating of 4.5.



The fourth story, Mischief & Mistletoe by Erica Ridley, is the story of Miss Louisa Harcourt and Mr. Ewan Reid. As neighbors of the Duke of Greystoke, Louisa and her mother receive an invitation every year to the Revelry. At this year’s event, her mother is determined for her daughter to find a husband. Louisa reluctantly agrees although she would prefer to spend her time writing poetry. Surprisingly, Louisa is drawn to a gentleman known as a poet. Ewan keeps to himself, portraying the image of the brooding poet, but he is not what he seems to be.

This story was the frustrating for me to read. I disliked Ewan and it made it difficult to enjoy. While behaving in a manner to assist a family member, Ewan did awful things. It was also quite unbelievable that Louisa, who had suffered from the Ewan’s past actions, was able to simply forgive and forget in a matter of a hours. There is one sex scene in this story. It is short and not very detailed. I give this story a heat score of Sensual. The story I give a score of 3.

~ Andrea

I generally don't read short stories because I get frustrated that they are short. I really like to read! However, because these were all set at the same party it worked for me. The first two stories were the best. I loved them. The third was weak. I also really liked the last.

This is one of those rare anthologies where all of the stories were well written and each one was a reading pleasure. I also appreciated very much that the characters behaved true to the period. I can't really pick a favorite as they were all good. The setting is at the Duke of Greystoke's Christmas Revelry, an annual event where invitations are much coveted. Many marriages have occurred because of the Revelry.

In Eloisa James' story, the heroine is the Duke's daughter, who has always thought she was plain. Her father has also discouraged her from marrying since he wants her available to organize the Revelry. Her admirer had a different opinion of her looks and her future.

Christi Caldwell's story is about a young woman, one of the Duke's granddaughters, who was betrothed for almost three years to a common man obsessed with building wealth. Ten years after she ended their betrothal, can these two find their way back to each other?

Janna MacGregor's story is about Lady Caroline, the Duke's niece, and her husband, a man so irresistible that even cows love him. The two parted a year previously, but are going to attend the Revelry together. Lady Caroline needs the Duke to believe that they are reconciled when the opposite is true.

Erica Ridley's story is about a young woman whose mother is desperate for her to marry a man with a title. Louisa is desperate to have time to herself to write her poetry, not for marriage, not yet. Then she meets Ewan Reid, a man who presents himself as a poet. Can he be her match?

I thoroughly enjoyed this and recommend it to any lover of well-written Regency romance. I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. These are my opinions of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the chance to read an early copy of this book.

This is an anthology of linked stories centered around a Christmas party. I loved the Erica Ridley story (the last one), though that was inevitable because I adore her so much, and this was charming and witty as always. The middle two stories weren't to my taste. I had mixed feelings about the first story, by Eloisa James--I was off-put by the hero 1) thinking that the heroine's hair was fake, and 2) reminiscing about becoming romantically interested in the heroine when he was 16 and she was 5 (gross). Additionally, while I love that the heroine is big and beautiful and that the hero celebrates her curves, the incorporation of breeding kink was VERY jarring. But I overall liked the story, especially because there's some good grovel and it's not the climax of the story but instead they get to reset their relationship and rebuild it halfway through.

Overall a mixed bag for me, but worth a read for the first and fourth stories.

Four romance writers. Four novellas set at 'the' Christmas house party of the Regency era.

I enjoyed Eloisa James' and Christi Caldwell's stories, but they felt a bit stilted. Yet, I really loved the stories by Janna MacGregor and Erica Ridley.

All in all, a lovely Christmas romance read.

Mistletoe Christmas is a delightful holiday anthology with short stories from Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor and Erica Ridley. This is going to be a perfect winter read for anyone who loves reading holiday stories. While the tile does include "Christmas" the stories all center around the party. This is a great holiday or winter read for those looking to get into that spirit.

Eloisa James brings us a story of an overlooked Daughter, who is in fact the genius behind this grand party. It is sweet with some spicy conflict and a sweet romance. Christi Caldwell brings us a Christmas Carol retelling that made my actor heart very happy! Her heroine is a playwright who has to work with the man she was once betrothed to. Janna MacGregor brings us an estranged couple who pretend to be reconciled to gain an inheritance. I love stories about married couples finding their way back to each other. This story has some lovely humor too. Erica Ridley's story brings us a poetess and a secret scandal sheet writer.

Highly remained this fun anthology!

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. #EloisaJames #ChristiCaldwell #JannaMacGregor #EricaRidley #MistletoeChristmas #NetGalley

This Christmas anthology sparkles with witty dialogue, poignant emotion, steamy interludes, and happy endings. The four stories, featuring characters all in attendance at the Revelry, interweave with one another while each standing on its own. They all pulled me in, kept me entertained, and gave me four happily-ever-after endings brimming with good feelings and holiday cheer.

"A Mistletoe Kiss" by Eloisa James

The anthology leads off with a strong story about a young woman whose father (the duke) has turned her into little better than a slave to fuel his societal ambitions and the rich, handsome, and charming man next door whose eyes are suddenly opened to her well-hidden value. Their story is filled with witty banter, humor, a truly good hero (so much fun watching him fall hard and have to work hard for his happy ending), and one of my all-time favorite James heroines. I adored Cressie. Watching her blossom, recognize her worth, and claim her happiness was everything I could have wanted.


"Wishing Under the Mistletoe" by Christi Caldwell

This second-chance romance showcases the depth of Caldwell's writing skills. I love second chances and Isabelle and Cyrus surely deserved one. I respected Isabelle for following her own path and demanding that she be valued, even at the expense of her own happiness. My heart ached for Cyrus and his misplaced priorities. Their second chance brought growth, tenderness, forgiveness, understanding, a reawakening of love, and a truly splendid grand gesture. As usual, with a Christi Caldwell story, there were heartfelt sighs and happy tears.


"Compromise Under the Mistletoe" by Janna MacGregor

Marriage in trouble is the focus of MacGregor's novella and it's a trope she uses a deft hand to explore in this tale of love, yearning, and miscommunication. I enjoyed the layers of emotion in this tale, the individual growth of both Caroline and Stephen, the flickers of desire still simmering between them that were allowed to slowly but surely grow as they worked through the issues separating them, and the developing understanding and compromise that allowed them to once again claim happiness as a couple.


"Mischief and Mistletoe" by Erica Ridley

Ridley's writing chops shine in this fourth novella. If I hadn't read her yet, this novella would have had me seeking out her back list immediately. I adored Isabella and Ewan. They were so perfect for one another. I didn't love what Ewan was doing but I understood his reasons...and his ultimate mea culpa and grand gesture were definitely sigh-worthy. Watching Isabella come into her own was an absolute delight. These two took me on a ride filled with sighs, tears, laughter, and happy endings.

4.5 Stars

*ARC received for fair and unbiased review

You can tell that the holidays are imminent with the influx of Christmas collections. Here are a few more historical romance authors coming together.

This collection of stories will take you back to 1815 England. Four couples are attending the coveted Christmas Revelry hosted by a manipulative Duke, still trying to orchestrate people's lives from his deathbed.

A Mistletoe Kiss - Lady Cressida (youngest daughter of the Duke of Greystoke) is the master behind the scenes making each year's Revelry a success.
Elias, Lord Dorcy de Royleston, plans to marry Lady Cressida, but first he has to convince her that he truly wants her and that he hasn't been incentivized to marry her.

Wishing Under the Mistletoe - Cyrus Hill and Lady Isabelle Wilkshire were engaged until his work and push to make more and become more powerful pushed Isabelle away. Meeting again at the Revelry is Cyrus's second chance.

Compromise Under the Mistletoe - Lord Stephen and Lady Caroline Whitmore have been separated for a year. She walked out on him after he put everything in his life before her. She needs him to pretend their marriage is solid so the Duke will release her trust, Stephen plans to woo his wife during the next twelve days to win her back.

Mischief & Mistletoe - Ewan Reid is at the Christmas Revelry as a brooding poet. Louisa Harcourt is attending in a last attempt to find a titled husband or resign herself to becoming a spinster. They both know they have no future, but are willing to pretend they do during the twelve days of the Revelry. Shared passions and common interests create a deep bond neither wish to end.

This is a lovely historical, holiday romance. New romances and second chance romances for you to enjoy over the holidays.

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This yuletide anthology features four romances that unfold during The Duke of Greystoke’s exclusive Christmas Revelry –where conspicuously placed mistletoe causes a bit of good trouble in this well-paced anthology. Each short story features determined heroines who aren’t afraid to defy society’s rules when it comes to their passions or true loves.

A Mistletoe Kiss by Eloisa James
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Lady Cressida’s cantankerous father may get all glory for the annual Christmas Revelry but she is the actual mastermind behind the magnificent house party. She loves planning the event but with her father drawing close to death and her dowry being threatened, she finds herself considering an impromptu marriage proposal from Lord Elias Darcy de Royleston.

Cressida was undoubtedly the star of this story, I liked seeing how much effort she put into making the Revelry a big success. There were a lot of details in this story showing how Cressida was able to achieve visual effects and high-concept decorations to keep the party goers delighted. This made it really easy to visualize the opulent setting. Watching Cressida’s passion for creating spectacular events gives Elias a newfound appreciation for her in this spirited and steamy winter romance.

Wishing Under The Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Cyrus Hill is a bit of a Scrooge, he’d rather spend Christmas with his numbers than at the Revelry. That is until he is made to work on the annual pantomime with his ex-fiancée, renowned playwright Lady Isabelle Wilkshire. I don’t read a lot of second-chance romances but this story made me want to read more of this trope. Having a shared history added an extra layer of tension to the story as Isabelle helps Cyrus find his joy again as they put on a show-stopping pantomime party-goers won’t soon forget. A top-notch romance with a swoon-worthy finale. Also, bonus points for a historical romance with a heroine over thirty.

Compromise Under The Mistletoe by Janna MacGregor
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Lady Caroline Whitmore walked out on her inattentive husband a year ago, but for the Revelry she will play the part of a happily married woman to gain access to her trust and open the art gallery of her dreams. But to her husband Stephen Whitmore this isn’t a game–he wants her back for good. This is one of those stories where the hero has to perform a world-class grovel to get this heroine back. I enjoyed the instant chemistry between the former newlyweds which made this second-chance romance such an engaging read. Once again I’m all in for the second-chance trope.

Mischief & Mistletoe by Erica Ridley
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
By the end of the Revelry Louisa Harcourt will secure a titled husband In the meantime, she plans to spend her last days of freedom seducing the brooding poet, Ewan Reid. Except Ewan is not actually a poet– but an undercover gossip columnist trying to make enough money to publish a legitimate newspaper. In addition to the steamy romance and scandalous affair this book also had a great mother-daughter relationship. This witty and humorous story was probably my favorite of the anthology.

We have a little smorgasbord with this book, a little bit of everything. You have 4 of the best historical romance authors out there, so if you don't like one of them you will like the other one, so grab. and enjoy. This is a wonderful Christmas treat for my historical romance

What can I say. I liked this book. Must read. Do it. If you do anything else. Read this book today. Great read and enjoyable.

The Revelry is England's most well-known Christmastide country house party. Credit for the amazing party is given to the Old Duke (a cruel man on his deathbed) but it is really his youngest daughter, Cressie, who deserves all the accolades. There are four stories in this anthology. Cressie is emotionally abused by her father who only wants her for her work on the party. He buys her dowdy clothes, tells her she's plain and no man would want her. The last straw, he gives his heir her dowry, a Scottish castle she was planning to use as her home. The cousin casually tells his friend he should marry her, a plain mouse of a wife is less trouble than a beautiful one. The friend goes along after some cruel words of his own. Except for taking place in the winter there really isn't much about Christmas. Unfortunately, the next two stories have exactly the same plot. Isabelle and Caroline leave their mates, one a fiancé, the other a husband because they work too much and ignore them. Both couples have to realize they need to communicate better. Louisa, a dutiful daughter, must find a duke to marry to please her mother. The Revelry is her last chance. A poet herself, she'd rather get to know the poor but famous poet in attendance. He has a secret he's afraid to tell her. This book fell a little flat to me. Parts I enjoyed, others not so much. Having the same plot in two of the stories dragged it down. Also, couple gets caught in a sudden snowstorm, but wait! Isn't that an unused cabin with firewood, a bed, and a charcuterie board?!

If you love Christmas Romances, especially Historical Romance then Mistletoe Christmas: An Anthology should be on your list as a gift to yourself. Four of my favorite Historical Romance authors combine in this one to deliver a fun, sizzling, emotional glimpse into the annual Christmas house party thrown by the Duke of Greystoke – and more than a little mischief is going to happen at this year’s event.

The individual novellas included in this anthology are A Mistletoe Kiss by Eloisa James, Wishing Under the Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell, Compromise Under the Mistletoe by Janna MacGregor, and Mischief and Mistletoe by Erica Ridley. I enjoyed all of the stories, of course, some more than others, but each reader is going to have their own favorites in this anthology.

I loved the overall arc to this Christmas Revelry party, it’s full of mischief, love found when completely unexpected, a bit of drama, lots of chuckles, and sizzling encounters galore. I had fun here and without giving away spoilers, I think any reader who loves a good Historical Christmas Romance will fall in love with Mistletoe Christmas: An Anthology quite easily.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Nothing is better than a Christmas Anthology with Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, and Erica Ridley. Mistletoe Christmas was just a delight to read. Anything can happen at the annual Revelry put on by The Duke of Greystoke. Coming into your own, finding happiness, pretending to be a happily married couple, learning to love all over again. Christmas is a beautiful time of year. This book was a gift and I chose to leave a review.

Mistletoe Christmas is a holiday romance Anthology from four prolific historical romance authors. Each story takes place around The Revelry, the grandest of all holiday gatherings invitations of which are given to a chosen few and where partnerships are formed not just in business but thru marriage as well. Eloisa James’ A Mistletoe Kiss, starts the party wherein love at a deeper glance develops between two individuals who’ve known each other for years but takes the magic of the season and the Revelry for feelings to develop. In Christie Caldwell’s Wishing Under the Mistletoe, parted lovers reunite after a decade at the Revelry where they discovered that maybe second chances are worth pursuing. While an estranged married couple reunites to get an inheritance but finds out that proving to be a loving devoted couple is not as hard or as unwelcome as they presumed, in Janna MacGregor’s Compromise Under the Mistletoe. Finally, a young lady must find her match before she’s declared on the shelf for good but the one that her gaze keeps drifting to is the one that seems unsuitable to her mother. But this is the Revelry and anything can happen in Erica Ridley’s Mischief & Mistletoe. All the stories are wonderful and integrates well with each others’ storylines. And all four can be a favorite for every lover of historical romance. It is witty and funny, excellent progression and pacing and wonderful well developed characters which makes it difficult to pick favorites. A truly enjoyable holiday romance!

The annual Christmas Revelry hosted by the Duke of Greystoke has become notorious throughout England for its creative entertainments, and even more so the scandals and hasty marriages that often result after the two-week-long house party. The true mastermind behind the Revelry is the duke’s daughter, Lady Cressida, who goes unnoticed by most and is relegated to the position of spinster by her own father, until her cousin’s friend begins to see her in a new light. Her cousin, Lady Isabelle, is more interested in finally directing the annual pantomime than in marriage, especially after the dissolution of her engagement to her beloved ten years ago. Lady Caroline Whitmore is less than happily married, but she and her estranged husband, Lord Stephen, must pretend all is well if she hopes to receive her inheritance. Perhaps no one dreads the festivities as much as Miss Louisa Harcourt, whose mother has decreed that she must marry before the end of the fortnight. Possibilities are endless with such a large house so full of mistletoe and charming activities.

A Mistletoe Kiss by Eloisa James: 4.5 stars
Lady Cressida has been overlooked for years because the Revelry’s execution and planning have consumed her life. Her father has claimed the Revelry and its influence as his legacy and has made sure Cressie has appeared as somewhat less than desirable to potential suitors, so she’d be forced to stay in his home and run it. When he gives her dowry estate to her cousin, that is the last straw. Fortunately, her cousin is somewhat of a matchmaker himself and quietly pushes his friend Elias, Lord Darcy de Royleston, into Cressie’s path. Elias almost immediately realizes there is much more to Cressie than anyone has noticed but getting her to believe in and return his regard is no easy feat.

This was a charming story as Cressie learned to see herself as more than the box her father had pushed her into and to have confidence in herself despite the hateful things he said to her. I loved how Elias was so doggedly determined to open Cressie’s eyes to his real feelings and that he stood up for her to others. This was probably my favorite story of the collection.

Wishing under the Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell: 4 stars
The fact that Cyrus Hill was merely the stablemaster’s son never mattered to Lady Isabelle. The two were always fast friends and she loved him with her whole heart, a sentiment he returned. But once the two became engaged, Cyrus became obsessed with his work and in an effort to amass great wealth and give Isabelle the life he felt she deserved. None of that mattered to Isabelle who grew tired of waiting for Cyrus’ attention and broke the engagement to pursue her passion for playwriting. Now, ten years later, the two are thrown together as partners in planning the Revelry’s annual pantomime. Much to their chagrin, the passion of old still exists between them, but they both know that’s not always enough.

This was a sweet second chance story and I loved that both Cyrus and Isabelle were mature and self-aware enough to realize and acknowledge the role they both played in the dissolution of their engagement. This made their reconciliation all the sweeter as they came to a new understanding and learned from their old mistakes. They were very endearing as a couple, and I was left believing their relationship would be a solid and lasting one.

Compromise under the Mistletoe by Janna MacGregor 3/5
Lady Caroline Whitmore has been living in London, estranged from her husband, Lord Stephen, for the past year. She is only meeting him now because they must put on a display indicative of matrimonial bliss if she hopes to receive her inheritance from her uncle, the duke. Stephen has missed his wife and is determined to find out where it all went wrong, but Caroline is wary of being hurt again so it will take some effort for these two to meet in the middle.

This one was probably my least favorite of the collection, but it was still a solid story. I think the steamy connection between Stephen and Caroline was handled well. The two had always been able to get along well in the bedroom but not outside so I was afraid they would fall into bed too quickly here. Fortunately, that didn’t happen, and we got to see them learn how to communicate in a mature and open way that I found satisfying. Caroline was frustrating for me as she had her guard up so high that Stephen’s efforts at fixing things and trying to talk to her were often shut down before he even got started. Luckily for her, he was very determined and eventually won her over with some middle ground and I was happy to see them both learn to give a little and understand one another more.

Mistletoe & Mischief by Erica Ridley 3/5
After a couple of failed seasons, shy heiress Louisa Harcourt is firmly on the shelf. Her mother has decreed that she must marry by the end of the party, but all Louisa wants is a quiet corner in which to write her poetry. When she meets brooding poet Ewan Reid, Louisa amends those desires to include holing up in a cozy writing retreat with him. But Ewan has a secret and when Louisa learns the truth, he’s sure she’ll want nothing more to do with him.

I didn’t love this story, but I still enjoyed it. I think Louisa’s mother and her ultimatums would’ve proven too much if this had been a full-length novel and her ridiculousness had been allowed to carry on for longer. As it was, having to contend with her in this short story was more than enough, especially when her resistance faded away so unbelievably quickly. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Louisa, who somehow felt a bit flat to me. Ewan had a bit more depth but his inner monologues about his situation with his grandfather and their business grew rather repetitive. I did like Ewan and Louisa as a couple however, and I’m glad their spat upon the revelation of Ewan’s secret didn’t last too long. Ewan also gets bonus points for a great public declaration.

Overall, this was an excellent collection with lots of stories that are perfect to curl up and spend a few hours of escape with.

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

Well it’s no secret that I love Christmas. Some would consider that a gross understatement, and well…they’d be right. So a romance anthology for Christmas stories- basically the equivalent of me being able to binge eat garlic bread while wearing sweatpants…aka- living the dream. This anthology all vibes together- I actually have not read one like that before! They all take place at an event called The Revelry (which is basically like a Kardashian Christmas party but way before Kardashians ran the world). You get to read about various couples experiences at The Revelry and my inner celebrity sleuth would have loved to get an invite to The Revelry!

I should mention that there are two second chance romances in this book. I know, I genuinely rarely vibe with that trope but I was into these! I can’t explain it other than amazing writing and the magic of Christmas… but sign me up for rooting for these second chance romances!

Overall I would rank the steam level at a 3 out of 5.
It’s hard to rank an anthology because you feel like you should rate every section individually but let’s call this a 4 star read! I can totally see myself rereading this in the holiday season of 2022!

My only question when I finished this book was…BUT WHAT ABOUT DERHAM?! Can we expect another installment where I can learn of his fate? Does it already exist and I don’t know about it?! Someone tell me!

I had not read these authors before and was happy to discover that Janna MacGregor lives in my neck of the woods! And other random facts about the authors as well (seriously, read their bios to find out which is married to a genuine Italian knight!)

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for the advanced readers copy of this book!