I couldn’t connect with any of these stories. I loved the sound of this book, but I couldn't even finish "A Scot for Christmas"

A fun anthology--especially if you enjoy reading highlander stories. It's a really good group of authors participating. I enjoyed the book immensely.

A nice collection of 5 Scottish novellas set around Christmas. Obviously some are better than others, but a fun easy book that is easily a take along or curl up with on a snowy night. Would recommend.

OVERALL: 4 stars — Holy cow!! Dudes, I *don’t read* historical romance. Which is why it was a mystery why I accepted this NetGalley widget. But this is the best anthology I think I’ve ever read! Usually there are a few stories that just don’t work for me, but while one was just all right, I thoroughly enjoyed all the others! And not just enjoyed, I actually LOVED 2 of them, and they have tempted me into checking out more by those authors! If that’s not success, I don’t know what is.

A Highlander’s Hope by Terri Brisbin
4 stars — This one was weird to read, b/c I’m not used to reading historical and having all the class systems and such, but I got used to it fairly quickly. I appreciated the way Iain went about trying to win Robena’s trust…even if he faltered a few times. It made him seem more human and fallible. And I understood Robena’s wariness given her past. Very satisfying ending! (trigger warning for this one)

A Highland Christmas Wager by Lecia Cornwall
4 stars — I was super wary of this one at the start because of the POV of the dick Laird…seriously, that guy was the worst, and I hated being in his head. I could have done without that. But OMG, I adored Meggie and Hugh, and their journey to find one another. Meggie was so spirited and independent, but also guarded. Hugh was so lost and somewhat insecure, but so kind and respectful. He’s the kind of hero I LOVE. I even enjoyed the whole 12 Days of Christmas nod! It took until the craziness for me to realize it was there, but still cleverly done.

A Scot For Christmas by Bronwen Evans
4.5 stars — What can I say, I’m a sucker for the “unwanted” heroine. Loved how strong and brave Emma was — how she went after what she wanted, even if she did it a step at a time. Dougray was pretty swoony himself, even as tortured as he was. I appreciated that while he was stubborn, he wasn’t completely deluded. And Angus was hilarious, and I loved how he attempted to meddle.

Leftover Mistletoe by Lavinia Kent
3.5 stars — This one was solid, but I had a harder time connecting with Emma and Barran. While Emma’s naivety and…haughtiness? was perfectly understandable given the way she grew up, it still made it hard for me to like her a lot. A little? Yes. A lot? I don’t know… And their romance was just slower to develop. I still enjoyed the story, just not as much as the others.

Sweet Home Highland Christmas by May McGoldrick
4.5 stars — Oh dude, I loved this one from start to finish. Ella was INCORRIGIBLE with a capital CORRIGIBLE. Seriously, that kid was hilarious. Freya was so spirited and loving and…I don’t know, I just loved her. And Gregory was just swoony!! I loved the way their relationship developed, and I totally believed their feelings for one another. Definitely want to check out more from the Pennington family!

I fine compilation of Scottish holiday romance novellas, best for those already familiar with the authors' work.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I had originally requested this book back in late Fall 2017, thinking it would be a great into to the Holiday season. And I stand by that thought, I think if I had read this during a different time I might have enjoyed it a little more. I liked a couple of these stories ok but I can't say that I loved any of them. Granted I was reading them over Labor Day weekend when Summer is just wrapping up and it was still really warm. I feel like part of the draw of these novellas specifically is that they're geared to the Holiday season. I think I liked the last one (Sweet Home Highland Christmas by May McGoldrick) best, as it was (I thought) the cutest story line while not being overtly corny. There were things I liked and disliked about each book, however overall now of them particularly grabbed my interest. They were still sweet and easy reads and I sometimes enjoy an anthology since you can take each novella as it's own part. I'd recommend it if you enjoy Highlander novels or Christmas novellas.

This was the perfect Christmas present. Hot alpha males who get knocked over by love was truly captivating to behold. All if these books are well worth the read.

I really enjoyed all these stories and was very pleased to find A Highland Wager in there by Lecia Cornwall having read Enchanted by the Highlander recently it was a real bonus to find Meggie’s story (another one from the same family of sisters) included in this set. The thing I love about a set like this is that if one story isn’t immediately grabbing your attention you can read the others and then go back to it, and I admit I did this with the first story, at first I was out off by the female character being a lightskirt, however when I went back to it and carried on reading I then found it to one of my favourites reads of the set. All these stories are well written and perfect for cost Christmas / Winter nights tucked up reading in front of the fire. Perfect and I will seek out more from these writers.

2 helms

Please follow me on my blog :) Review originally posted on Vellum Voyages (www.vellumvoyages.com)

Welll it's Christmas time here in Australia ;) so that means I get to read Christmas stories twice in one year :D Lucky me :D Actually to be completely honest, I started this book last December as part of my Christmas reads and the stories were just sooo hard to get into and not really my style, so took me a long, long time to finish the book...

I'm rating this anthology an overall 2 helms just because I really wasn't too impressed by the overall standard but have rated the stories individually as well (I think the individual ratings are a tad generous...) but saying that, the last story by May McGoldrick is an absolute gem so it's definitely the rose amongst the thorns in this anthology!

"A HIGHLANDER'S HOPE" by Terri Brisbin
3 helms

A romance between a very unlikely couple: a Scottish gentleman and a village prostitute...Christmas brings her the hope of a life she never imagined she could ever have.

I thought this was a sweet take on a very unusual couple. Terri Brisbin's love of the overuse of the words "kith and kin" were again found in this novella! Didn't hate it, didn't love it....


"A HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS WAGER" by Lecia Cornwall
3 helms

Meggie Macleod is forced to take shelter in a castle owned by Magnus MacVaneby, the Laird who stole her virtue a few years ago. Two other Lairds are also taking shelter at the castle and between them all, a wager is formed of who will be the first to win a kiss from Meggie.

Who the heck was the actual hero in this!? Prepare to be confused for a while.... slightly better than the first story....think of this like the Bachelorette Scottish style during Christmas...


"A SCOT FOR CHRISTMAS" by Bronwen Evans
3 helms

Dougray needs to remarry to beget heirs after losing his loving wife many years ago. Lady Emma, his best friend's little sister has been in love with Dougray all her life and has made a promise to herself that he is the only one who will have her virginity and then she will happily retire to the countryside in Cornwall to live her life as a spinster after her one night of passion!

Yeah the concept of this storyline sounds plausible but didn't really like or connect with either of the characters....a bit meh...



"LEFTOVER MISTLETOE" by Lavinia Kent
2 helms

Emma Spencer has lost her home and is on her way to her uncle's house when her maid robs her and deserts her. Travelling in the same carriage is James who is trying to stop his sister's wedding to his best friend. James's best friend has used some wiley ways to stop James from finding the couple and causes the carriage to become stranded. This meeting of chance becomes Emma and Jame's chance at happiness.

Oh this one was terrible! I don't know why I just could not get into it or believe the attraction between these two. I did not find the instalove and instasex appealing .....nup not for me...skim read most of it



"SWEET HOME HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS" by May McGoldrick
3 helms

Captain Gregory Pennington has to escort Freya, her five-year-old niece Ella and their servants to the estate that neighbours his parents house. Ella is motherless and is under the sole care of Freya. When Ella's paternal grandmother questions Ella's upbringing at Fie's hands, Fie plans to marry her cousin for a better chance of keeping Ella. Fiona and Gregory during the course of their journey together, develop an attraction and a bond with each other, making Fiona question her decision of marrying without love!

Oh my goodness FINALLY! I had to wait till the end of book to finally get a well-written story! This was a fantastic story and loved all the characters! Ella is an absolute hoot! She is a fiesty, hilarious thing and will keep you laughing! Loved this one :)

Overall opinion:
I've read a few of these authors before (Terri Brisbin/Bronwyn Evans) and haven't liked their style of writing and I don't think these two will work for me in the future either. The other three are new to me authors and apart from May McGoldrick I didn't like the writing style of the others either. The other issue I had was with all the descriptive sex scenes, especially the Lavinia Kent novella. With such a short time allowed for character development, sex is not a priority for me as the reader and there's no need for it to act as filler material as well! There was just too much nookie on the characters minds with no leadup or buildup of the relationship, which for me is really important. May McGoldrick handled the balance between a short length novel and physical and emotional connections between characters amazingly well and this really shone through in Sweet Home Highland Christmas!

*Thank-you Terri Brisbin, Bronwen Evans, Lecia Cornwall, Lavinia Kent & May McGoldrick, Netgalley & Swerve (St. Martin’s Press) for the ARC.

CHRISTMAS IN KILTS - Various Authors

SNOWY ROMANTIC COLLECTION OF STORIES - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - This is a collection of holiday-related stories. Not all of them mentioned Christmas, but they all had a wintery feel to them and definitely set the scene for a warm and romantic situation.

A Highlander's Hope by Terri Brisban - Warm--a potential marriage between the laird's uncle and the local harlot. They've always had a good friendship (and more) whenever he visits the village. But when he asks to marry her, she can't believe it or accept it.

A Highland Christmas Wager by Lecia Cornwall - Just the kind of book I like. Diverted because of the snowstorm, Meggie ends up at a local home, and she indicates there's some history there. The reader is expecting a fond memory, but it turns out to be just the opposite. Luckily there are 2 other handsome men there. When they wager on winning her, things don't go as planned.

A Scot for Christmas by Bronwen Evans - When Emma shows up unexpectedly at a men's hunting gathering, her host starts to have feelings for her, his first since the death of his wife years earlier. When this girl makes him a proposition, he's not sure he can resist.

Leftover Mistletoe by Lavinia Kent - There's an inexplicable attraction between Emma and James when they ride together on a stagecoach. But when they are suddenly left to fend for themselves in a snowstorm, their feelings are suddenly out of control.

Sweet Home Highland Christmas by May McGoldrick - Another book about traveling together. In this one Fie is heading to her niece's family home to be introduced. Gregory is escorting them, and their attraction for each other grows quickly during their enforced time together.

Writing - 4 stars - Each story had its idiosyncracies, but they all embodied the typical romantic style. Each had to be condensed, of course, to fit the novella format, so instalove was expected and welcomed. Some authors were more successful than others with these stories, but all of them set the stage within the holiday/winter theme well.

Characters - 4 stars - Each story was fairly long, allowing the reader enough time to get involved in the story and become interested in the characters. I found them all to be attractive and appealing, definitely people that you wanted to cheer for. The most interesting characters were created by Lecia Cornwall, since they were a little bit different, although the typical romantic formula was still followed.

Title - 4 stars - Very clear, this title says it all.

Cover - 4 stars - The cover is well done, a little bit different from the typical cover, but definitely preparing the reader for its contents. The plaid covering the romantic couple is a classy but fairly subtle way to set the scene while attracting the eye.

Overview - 4 stars - Although these stories are all stand-alones and were easily understandable on their own, it was obvious that they were novellas from established series. The mention of other characters implied a knowledge of them that I didn't have, so that was a bit disconcerting from time to time. But rather than a detriment, that merely caused me to make a note of the series so I can look them up and start from the beginning to fill in the blanks.

I had not read a book by any of the authors in this collection and I was surprised to have enjoyed each and every one of the stories. I particularly enjoyed Lecia Cornwall's novella, A Highland Christmas Wager. Overall, each novella has pI had not read a book by any of the authors in this collection and I was surprised to have enjoyed each and every one of the stories. I particularly enjoyed Lecia Cornwall's novella, A Highland Christmas Wager. Overall, each novella has prompted me to look into and purchase a number of additional titles by these authors. (This is my voluntary and unbiased review of an advanced copy of Christmas in Kilts via Netgalley.)

This is a wonderful Christmas anthology that I enjoyed immensely. The books can be read in one sitting and it's a great introduction to several authors I haven't read before. I regret getting to this book so late (in March instead of in December as intended). However this book does an excellent job in creating a mood for Christmas. If you enjoy historical romance especially ones featuring Scotland, this is the book for you.

Great collection of five enchanting holiday stories.

The title says it all....Christmas and Scottish men (in kilts!). A collection of five wonderful novellas telling a different love story of the Highlands. The common thread of the holidays binds each story but they are not entwined. I enjoyed this anthology. It was the first time reading these authors and I was not disappointed. Will definitely read more from these writers.

I didn’t enjoy this anthology as I felt the romance in all of the stories was quite forced. Some of them started off really well but then the stories veered off the storyline.

* I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

I really enjoyed all 5 of these short historical Christmas stories!

I very much enjoyed these 5 short stories that were set in Scotland at Christmastime. Each story had a different spin, as well as wonderful characters. These stories were also very well-written, and they were very entertaining. It's the perfect read if you love Scotland, Highlanders and Christmas!

Christmas in Kilts ( A Highland Fairy Tale) by Bronwen Evans, Terri Brisbin, Lecia Cornwall, Lavinia Kent, and May McGoldrick is a fast and fun collection of historical, Scottish romances with holiday flare from five best selling authors. The stories include A HIGHLANDER'S HOPE by Terri Brisbin in which a village harlot who would never dream she could have a different life meets a Highlander visitor for the holidays who brings with him an offer and hope! Then there is LEFTOVER MISTLETOE by Lavinia Kent when readers discover what happens when a highlander finds himself stranded with an English lady around Christmas. Maybe the mistletoe will help answer that question. In A SCOT FOR CHRISTMAS by Bronwen Evans our main character is ready to embrace her life and future as a spinster while he is trying to have one last hurrah before he gives into his family's wishes and proposes marriage to his neighbor, but fate has other ideas when the lady and the Scot meet at a holiday house party in the wilds of Scotland. In SWEET HOME HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS by May McGoldrick a chance encounter between a ship's captain and a desperate aunt trying to keep custody of her young niece leads to a little magic during the holidays. And in A HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS WAGER by Lecia Cornwall a snowstorm forces a charming lass hiding a broken heart to take shelter in a castle with three fine Highland lairds just days before Christmas, there’s a game afoot, who will be the first to win a kiss and maybe her heart.

Christmas in Kilts is a collection of fast and fun reads. I like that I had a chance to explore writing by some authors that I had not read before, and a couple that I have. At no point did any of the stories or characters feel underdeveloped, or like I was missing something vital. Unfortunately that is a common flaw in this sort of collection, and I was glad to see it avoided here. While I did enjoy some of the stories more than others, Sweet Home Highland Christmas and A Scot For Christmas being my stand out favorites, there were none that would convince me not to try reading other things by the included authors. This is a great romance collection for those that enjoy the Scottish, historical romances, and want to try new authors without the commitment of a new series to follow.

Christmas in Kilts is a fun read for fans of historical fiction with a Scottish leaning. Fans of these authors will definitely want to pick it up, and those that have heard of the authors but have yet to dive into their work can use this as a fun, and enjoyable, way to test the waters. As always with collection, I enjoyed some stories more than others, but this time around there were none that I would have wanted to miss.

This was fantastic set of stories.I absolutely loved. I devoured these books as quickly as I could before christmas.

Christmas in Kilts is an impressive compilation of Christmas romances featuring kilted hotties by five fabulous authors! I’m a sucker for sexy Highlanders and love to read Christmas romances year-round – so this collection of festive Scottish tales caught my eye.

“There was no need to rush so, Iain,” she whispered, merriment filling her voice. “Ye could have taken off yer boots first.”

A HIGHLANDER'S HOPE by Terri Brisbin
While I did enjoy this tale, I had issues with both primary characters. Iain is a widower and he has his heart set on Robena, a known prostitute, to be his next wife. I did not take exception to her profession. To me, the hero was flawed because he remained with his clan even though they objected to his new wife; AND the heroine, because she continued to adhere to her profession, long past her initial chance to make a new life with the man she loved. You will have to decide if their HEA appears to be permanent.

“We must get you out of that wet dress,” Barran said. “Should I turn my back? I’ll certainly get the fire going, but that won’t help enough if you stay in that wet dress. Take it off.”
She kept her head lowered and spoke quietly. “I can’t.”
“You can’t?”
“I need a maid, and even with one, I doubt she could manage.”
A deep sigh. “You can’t get out of your dress.”

LEFTOVER MISTLETOE by Lavinia Kent
A rugged Highlander on a mission to save his sister from a bad marriage and an English lady who has never been without her tea find themselves stranded in a remote cabin. This was one of my favorites in this collection with a plethora of humor and steamy times.

“Tha thu mo bheatha aisling,” he whispered. “You are my life’s dream.”

A SCOT FOR CHRISTMAS by Bronwen Evans
Brooding, tortured Dougray, our hero, is still in love with his ex-wife who tragically died. Emma, our heroine, has accepted that she will forever be a spinster. However, Emma craves one scandalous fling with a man she trusts to fill her heart with hot memories before she goes into seclusion with nothing but lonely nights in her future. Can she convince Dougray to give her that one sensational night of passion? While I initially wanted to shake some sense into Dougray, I enjoyed this couple’s journey to an HEA.

“My name is Captain Gregory Pennington, but to my friends I’m just Penn.”
“Well, I’m Ella, which is what everyone called me. Except Grandfather. He has a number of names for me that Fie says I mustn’t repeat.”

SWEET HOME HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS by May McGoldrick
A young woman is determined to accept a marriage with her despicable cousin so that she can retain custody of her sister’s child whom she’s loved and raised since infancy. However, the young niece sets her scheming matchmaking sights on a capable and sexy ship’s captain instead. I laughed and swooned. This was another of my favorites in this compilation.

“Why, Laird MacAulay, I daresay you’re trying to steal a kiss.”
He blinked, and the spell was broken. He turned away to stack the firewood he’d cut. “Nay, I’ll not steal one, Meggie MacLeod. I’d rather have one that’s freely given. Those kind of kisses are sweeter than stolen ones.”
---
“I wouldn’t presume to reach under a lady’s skirts with cold hands, though I doubt they’d be cold for very long.”

A HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS WAGER by Lecia Cornwall
A Highland lass is forced to seek shelter at Gleanngala Castle – the last place in the world she wants to be. Add in three Highlanders who enter into a wager on who will first successfully finagle a kiss from her, and this story held my interest while I pulled for her to select the nice guy from the three.

Christmas in Kilts is a star-studded anthology teeming with brawny Highlanders and feisty lasses and overflowing with passion and romance. I enjoyed them all, some more than others. Regardless, these festive novellas are a wonderful way to warm up on a cold evening.