I loved this collection of stories. The Holly and the Ivy is the first story. For all Sarah M Eden's fans this will take you back to the early days of Adam, Duke of Kielder and Lord and Lady Jonquil. I loved getting more of a background on Adam. This story had me crying and laughing.
Hiding Christmas is written by Esther Hatch. I love her stories. This is an enemies to lovers story. So much fun and the characters have great chemistry. I loved the grandmother.
A Twist of Christmas is written by Dana LeCheminant and is a mistaken identity romance. I loved that the characters were tired of only being seen for their titles and wanted to be seen for themselves. This is a great story.
A Season of Love is by Anneka R. Walker. I loved Alice. She is a feisty character and gets into some hilarious situations. Mr. Percy is great too. I love the meet cute in this story.
This collection is perfect for getting into the Christmas spirit. I would highly recommend it.

What a great collection by some awesome authors! I love Christmas stories and these did not disappoint!

The first was a good background into the lives of some prominent Sarah Eden characters. It was sweet, but a little repetitious in describing the delicate situation of Adam. I would have liked to read more about nurse Robbie and Mr. Simkins and their developing relationship.

The second one “Hiding Christmas” by Esther Hatch was so fun and enjoyable! I was reminded of the “I Love Lucy” episode where she’s trying to smuggle a large cheese or sausage as a baby. The humor was on point, but I also loved the way she handled the prejudices and changes in feelings between the two main characters. I would love to see this as a full size novel.

“A Twist of Christmas” by Dana LeCheminant was sweet and fun, if a bit predictable. I would have liked to see a bigger surprise ending than what it was, but I’m sure that was hard to do in a shorter novella. I loved the relationship of the main characters and the exploration into the feelings and experiences of those in different ranks.

What can I say about “A Season to Love” by Anneka Walker? I think the meet cute was one of the best ever! Such a fun and relatable story. I loved both Alice and Thomas and how he viewed her supposed weaknesses as strengths, boosting her self esteem. Alice was quite a character! I loved her determination to accomplish her goal.

If you’re looking for some uplifting and humorous Christmas reading you can’t go wrong with this anthology. I hated to see it end.

I was excited to read more about Adam, the Dangerous Duke, because I love the book "Seeking Persephone." But unfortunately; this was a long, boring rambling story that needed considerable editing to condense it into something worth reading. There's a cute romance woven through, but it got buried in the dross. It needed more action than planning parties.

What a lovely collection of Christmas stories! I absolutely loved all of them, but my favorite was Sarah M. Eden’s, as we learned more about a young Adam from her other series. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a cozy collection of novellas to curl up with during the Christmas holiday!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I love these collections! I think the last story “A Season to Love” was my favorite because I really enjoyed Alice's character. Plenty of humor and shenanigans.

Adorable! A super cute collection of novellas to get you in the mood for Christmas. I wouldn’t expect anything less from this amazing group of authors. I’m always up for getting more insight to Little Adam and the Jonquil family. These novellas felt longer than your usual short story which was good.
Esther’s story was delightful and reminded me to appreciate the small Christmas traditions my family has. Favorite quote from this entire book, possibly. “When he had a wife of his own, he would kiss her well and good.” 😂😍 This book made me giggle SO many times! It’s going up there as a favorite Christmas romance.
Dana is one to keep an eye out for. I love house parties and this one didn’t disappoint. The plot was fun and one I could get behind.
I love matchmaking stories. Anneka’s novella was so sweet!
Overall, this was a fun collection of novellas and I loved them!

Three original Christmas stories. Christmas unlike any you have read before. If you are looking for something different for Christmas you have found it.
The first story was by Eden. Going back to Adam's boyhood was so sweet. Getting to know him better. It makes me want to read Seeking Persephone again. It was a slow start but ended so sweet a nice little romance with his sweet nursemaid added a nice touch.
The second book is by Hatch a favorite author of mine. Her light funny but compelling stories just fill me up. This was no different. I loved the romance in this one! SO much fun!
The 3rd is by an author I have never read before. After finishing I went and got another of her books. I was impressed with the writing. She made an unbelievable story believable. And wrote a beautiful love story to boot! A “A Twist of Christmas” by Dana LeCheminant was adorable.
The last book was A season to Love by Walker. I loved this one. I have read the other couples in the story and was looking forward to the third sisters story. It was so cute! Romance and awkwardness abounded:}
Overall a really wonderful collection for any time of the year:}

I went into this book with high expectations. In my opinion, a good holiday book is hard to find. I’m always on the lookout for something special and satisfying to read for the Christmas season. There are 4 stories in this book so let’s start at the beginning…

STORY #1…
The Holly and the Ivy by Sara M. Eden
“My father always said it’s the people that make Christmas special, nae things.”

-This was so sweet and darling. Out of all the stories, this focused the most on the purpose and meaning of family during Christmas. A lovely message of belonging and how the season brings people together. The Romance was present but very soft-spoken.
-It has multiple POV’s, and Sara M. Eden fans will love that it has a special couple from her previous books that play a large role in the story. I LOVED that the Scottish accent was portrayed in the writing. Example: “Nae for Not.” “Wee for little.” Etc.
-While this was very sweet, especially the POV’s from young Adam, I felt that it was the quintessential hallmark movie. This might be perfect for most people, but I’m a Scrooge and I’m not a fan of most hallmark Christmas movies. It fell a little flat towards the end for me because the dialogue was a bit cliche and didn’t hold my interest. But overall, a cute story.

STORY #2…
Hiding Christmas by Esther Hatch
“Who would have thought that ink and paper could have such power.”

-This was instantly funny, intriguing, and had more of the romantic tension that I prefer. I was so sad that it ended!! I would have loved another 100 pages with these characters and plot. I was impressed that in 12 chapters, we had character depth, growth, humor, romance, and grief. I loved this story.
-While this was set at Christmas time, the holiday message was a bit more subtle. It focused more on the traditions of Christmas and family. (The double POV was well done)
-I was sad that the Scottish cadence was not portrayed in the dialogue. We are told that they “spoke with a Scottish accent” but I wanted more. (It’s not a deal breaker, but it would have added a nice touch)

STORY #3…
A Twist of Christmas by Dana LeCheminant
“He simply wanted to feel like the only eyes on him were the only eyes that mattered.”

-This was entertaining and delightful. While I don’t usually like a “predictable” plot, this was done with a purpose, and I enjoyed it. That might not make sense but it’s difficult to explain without spoilers. This also had POV’s from both main characters.
-The message of Christmas was focused on the happy and unexpected miracles the season brings.
-I wish that the revelation at the end was more of a surprise to everyone. I wanted the grand reveal to make more of a splash than it did. For that reason, the ending wasn’t as strong as the rest of the story for me.

STORY #4…
A Season to Love by Anneka R. Walker
“For every big miracle, I imagine there are a million little ones.”

-This was pleasantly surprising, charming, and funny. The main characters stole my heart and instantly gave me some Anne of Green Gable vibes. The Characters drove this story and I just adored it. (This also had both POV’s)
-The message of Christmas was presented in a variety of ways. It had elements of service, God, and of course, love.
-I wish it had 1-2 more chapters to make it perfection, but since it’s a short story, (about 100 pages) and the author was probably very limited, I won’t hold it as a criticism. (I’m just greedy and wanted more)

OVERALL:
I think this is a lovely Christmas choice. A thoroughly satisfying comfort read. You can casually read the 400 pages through the holidays, or you can read each story as it fits your mood. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Hallmark movies, happily-ever-after, and clean romance books with endearing characters, thoughtful messages, and fun plots for the Christmas season.

This comes out October 3rd, 2022. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Characters - 9
Atmosphere/Setting - 8
Writing Style - 9
Plot - 8
Intrigue - 8
Logic/Relationships - 9
Enjoyment - 9
Total: 60
Divided by 7 = 8.5 (4 stars)

1.1-2.2 *
2.3-4.5 **
4.6-6.9 ***
7.0-8.9 ****
9.0-10 *****

This collection of stories was everything I wanted it to be. My favorite time of the year is the Christmas season, so there is nothing better than a collection of wonderful Christmas stories!

I absolutely love Sarah Eden's stories, and Adam's story is one of my favorites. I loved being able to see him as a young child and to see the special relationship he had with Luca and Julia Jonquil. I cannot wait for more!

Ester Hatch has a way of writing that draws you in and keeps you there. I loved this story! Celebrating Christmas is Scotland is frowned upon, especially in Kirstine's small town. She has lost everything she loved to an Englishman who invaded her family home after her brother dies in war. She despises this man, but has no choice but to use him to make it safely to England to celebrate Christmas. What she didn't expect is to find love also.

Trying to avoid their responsibilities, a Christmas party gives Graham and Beth the opportunity to relax in this wonderful story by Dana LeCheminant.

Desperate to find a husband during the Christmas season, Alice petitions God, and local clergyman, Thomas, to help her in her suit. Little does she know, the perfect man is standing next to her in this wonderful story by Anneka Walker.

This is a must have collection!!

Enchantingly beautiful!

I love all the stories and the authors did a good job in staying true to the theme of the novel. All four stories are unique and sweet.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Christmas Regency collections are some of my favorite things to read, and this one is simply exceptional! I loved each of the stories.

Sarah M. Eden delivers another amazing novella, and we get another glimpse at our favorite duke, as well as Lord and Lady Lampton!

I enjoyed Dana LeCheminant’s novella about two upper members of the Ton who have had enough with being popular and decide to go incognito at a house party. It was so delightful and I loved Beth and how strong-willed she was! Definitely one to reread.

Congratulations to Esther Hatch for writing the best Scottish novella I have ever read!!!! I cannot stop obsessing over these delightful characters (honestly I wish I could read a whole series about them). Hiding Christmas was such an amazing read. Don’t miss out on this one! It is perfection incarnate. Seriously. I loved it so much!

I have to give an extra special shoutout to Anneka Walker for writing the best series of Christmas novellas! I love how she wrote these! The other two are published in A Hopeful Christmas and Meet Me Under the Kissing Bough and follow the same family. I absolutely loved this latest one about the youngest daughter, Alice. I will definitely be reading these novellas every Christmas! They are so amazingly good!

All in all, this is one of the best Christmas romance collections from five-star historical authors!

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This book has 4 stories; each is unique and set during the Christmas season.
The first story is by Sarah Eden and is set when the Duke of Kielder (Seeking Persphone) is very young and lonely. There is a sweet little love story about the Duke's nursemaid. She has been one of the few constants in Adam's life, besides his father. This story was sweet and loving and brings in characters from different series. This story added dimension to the Lancaster/Jonquil series.
The second story is based in Scotland, where Christmas was previously banned. Although it is no longer banned, celebrating it in any way can get you censured by the community. Kirstine's grandmother is English and although she married a Scotsman, she still celebrates Christmas by traveling to England. This year she gets a little anxious and fashions some Christmas before she and her granddaughter leave. This creates a series of events as Kirstine tries to hide this "Christmas staple' before they leave Scotland. Fun and sweet story and had me laughing at times.
The third story is about a Viscount, heir to an Earldom and the daughter of a Duke. Both are wrangled into a house party, designed to match them up. Since no one at the party has met either the Viscount or the Duke's daughter, they both decide separately to switch places with their companions who are attending with them, to give them some breathing room and assess the other party. Situations and craziness ensue. This was a fun and enjoyable story and will make you smile.
The last story is about Alice, who comes to her grandmother's estate for Christmas. This is her last chance to find someone to marry before her grandmother takes her to town and finds a husband for her. She wants to fall in love and find her own match, like her sisters. In her efforts, she slips out of the house early and heads to the local village church to pray for help. The ensuing scene is so funny and provides a charming story about how love can find us with or without our best intentions. A wonderful little Christmas Anthology that is perfect for your holiday read or as a gift to someone else.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are voluntary and unbiased and are entirely my own.

The Holly and the Ivy
Sarah M. Eden
5/5
Anytime I dive into a Sarah M. Eden book, especially into the Jonquil/Lancaster universe, I have to prepare myself emotionally. I’m so invested in these families, and truly care about them, that I feel like they are my actual family and friends. And going back and finally/officially meeting the wonderful Nurse Robbie was just amazing.
This novella was a roller coaster of emotions. I felt everything from joy, to sadness, to humor, to heartbreak in this short story. It deserves all the stars and all the love in the world. The message behind the story, reconnecting with beloved characters, and seeing the positive influence of love and hope all combined to make a story so meaningful.




Hiding Christmas
Esther Hatch
5/5 stars
Wow! Does Esther know how to write that fantastic romantic chemistry or what?! And not only was her story filled with a sweet love story, but I also loved the history behind it all. I had no idea how Scottish people felt about Christmas during this time, and it was so interesting to read about how people would treat/celebrate a holiday we take for granted today.
Now back to the romance! Talk about a super cute giddy romance. I absolutely love Kirstine and Isaac and I will never look at mistletoe the same way again. I only wish this could have been a full length novel because it only wouldn’t made a great love story even better.
And as someone who has a marriage where both parties are different nationalities, I can confirm it makes it hard sometimes, but ultimately life is more fun and exciting.


A Twist of Christmas
Dana LeCheminant
5/5 stars
What a fun “twist” on a regency Christmas story! See what I did there?
I never wanted this story to end, I loved it so much, I could gush about this sweet novella all day long.
This is my first Dana LeCheminant book and now I need to read everyone other book by her. The whole concept behind this story was so much fun and such a joy to read. I loved the banter and chemistry between Graham and Beth. Another aspect of this story I loved was the perspective of the ton and the insight into characters we don’t always hear from: second sons and companions. The relationships between Graham and Henry, and Beth and Jemma enhanced the story and made me love this novella even more.
My goodness I just can’t say enough good things about his story. Seriously do yourself a favor and dive into this, sadly short but just perfect, Christmas novella.




A Season to Love
Anneka R. Walker
4/5
While this story took a bit for me to really get into it, I ended up really enjoying it. Anneka’s books are always full of sweet romance, a strong heroine and of course a swoony hero. And if I’m being 100% honest, I absolutely adored Alice the more I got to know her. She reminds me of myself because I’m extremely awkward and despite my best efforts, eternally plagued with bouts of unluckiness. I love characters who are a bit clumsy or awkward because they seem more real to me. And sweet Thomas, I loved how he wanted people to see the man behind the clergyman.
I felt a tender connection with this story and a few of the lines in it reminded me of my own relationship.
Now I just want the stories behind Alice’s sisters marriages, because those seemed like they’d be gold.
Another great Christmas story!

What a great collection of Romance stories! The second and the fourth stories were my personal favorites, but the four were all light and sweet.

The Holly and the Ivy by Sarah M Eden
Cute story about the visit of a lonely young duke and his nursemaid to Lord and Lady Jocquil house. There is a sweet romance between the nursemaid and Mr Howard, a carpenter hired to design their garden. Their relationship and romance was quite enjoyable, and I wish the book focused more on it. It often read as a sequel for the Jonquil's book, or a prequel to the duke's one. Having not read either one, I often felt my mind wandering despite the good writing

“Hiding Christmas” by Esther Hatch
Light and fun Christmas romance. Due to some misunderstandings, Kirstie ends up traveling with her grandmother and Mr Parker, who ends up having to pretend is her husband. He was a friend of his late brother who she, on her grief, disliked for buying his old house. I quite enjoyed this novella, both the POV were pleasant to read and their interactions were truly funny.

“A Twist of Christmas” by Dana LeCheminant
This novella tells a story of a lord tired of the attention his status given to him. After being invited to a house party who he knows no one, he decides to change places with his brother to enjoy some time in the shadow. On the way to the same party, Lady Elizabeth, daughter of an influential duke, had the same idea and exchanged places with her companion. The rest is easy enough to predict lol

“A Season to Love” by Anneka R. Walker
My favorite out of the four! I savored every line of this cute novella... Both characters are extremely likable - there was an innocence and wholesomeness to their interactions that left a constant smile in my face. And they were so perfect for each other! I even left my place and went to read on a park, because the story was making me feel in a very good mood. It does falter a little on the end in my opinion. I will probably read this novella again closer to Christmas :)

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange of an honest opinion.

I enjoyed each novella. They are perfect for when I need a good story and I don’t have all day to read. The stories each had a fun Christmas theme. The romances were sweet and developed satisfactory. I liked them all so much I couldn’t pick a favorite.

A charming collection of Christmas novellas! It was so fun to read about new characters and revisit a couple already loved ones.
This is a fantastic way to get in the holiday spirit!! (Even in July.)

#thehollyandtheivy #netgalley

I'm not a huge fan of anthology books, I prefer the longer length of normal books. This anthology was an exception, I was a fan of every single story and each one drew me in so that I didn't want them to end. Each author did an amazing job of pulling me in and loving each story. Very well done!

A lovely collection of Christmas-themed historical novellas! All very well written, with engaging characters and fun settings.

The overall themes of family, hope, and love were well weaved and kept me reading. Hard to pick a favorite one!

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

With some of my favorite authors, I knew this would be a fantastic collection. I was not disappointed. Each story was beautifully written and left me feeling all the feels. Highly recommended!!

I love a compilation book of fun Christmas stories. These are cute, quick reads from great authors. Definitely would put you in the Christmas spirit.