In a delightful collection, these three authors (Carolyn Miller, Amanda Barratt, and Erica Vetch) bring Christmas cheer to the reader’s heart. Each novella is a stand alone and will take you back in time to the early 1800s.
Character development and plot flow is great in all three novellas.

The three engaging stories in this collection were wonderful with each one being unique and entertaining. You will want to add Joy to the World to your annual favorites reads list.

“Heaven and Nature Sing” is the perfect title for the first novella. Scheming godmother, Lady Grantley, was just the type of lady that was needed for Edith and George to put aside their past heartaches. The title was perfect for this story of misunderstandings and reconciliation, making it a delightful story.

In “Far as the Curse is Found”, Dwight Inglewood is a tormented soul, seeking to make reparations. Coming to the aid of Jenny Grey and her fatherless baby, Dwight finds hope and healing. The air of mystery, sorrow, and suspicion that threatens to envelope Dwight sets the mood of the story and makes for a beautiful contrast to the hope that can be his. This carol was skillfully woven throughout this tale.

“Wonders of His Love” relates the story of a stifled young widow, Cilla Haverly, who wants to be free of her deceased husband's domineering mother and her expectations. I loved the events that help Cilia find her voice, gain new-found confidence, and find her soul mate. Wonders of Love was an excellent, heart warming love story.

I received this ebook from Net Galley and the publisher to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I was not required to write a review.

Joy to the World includes three Christmas themed Regency stories. The titles are based on lines from the carol, Joy to the World.
In Carolyn Miller's "Heaven and Nature Sing," Lady Grantley is hosting a house party of young people and their parents the week before Christmas at her estate. Two of the attendees, Edith Mansfield and George Bannerman, both godchildren of the hostess, left a budding relationship under an awkward situation and haven't seen each other for a year. They both love music and are a good match. Will they be able to mend their differences, especially when all the young ladies have their eyes on George and some of the young men might be interested in Edith.
In "Far as the Curse is Found," Amanda Barratt tells the sad story of an earl injured at Waterloo and left with disturbing scars. Dwight Inglewood, the Earl of Amberly is left without family or friends, feeling deep in sadness, cut off from the world. When he happens upon a young woman for the second time in dire straits, he decides to take her and her baby to his estate to give her chance at a new life to work on his estate. She changes his life and brings a special life to the estate, especially at Christmas.
In "Wonders of His Love," Erica Vetsch has written a lovely story of two people from different social standings who are attracted to each other but cannot possibly be together. Scotsman Hamish Sinclair is at Haverly Manor the month before Christmas to paint portraits of the Duke and Duchess, commissioned by the Dowager. Lady Priscilla Haverly is the widow of the eldest son who would have been the Heir had he not died. She is now the mother of a daughter and at the beck and call of the Dowager. She doesn't realize how unhappy she is until the painter comes to the estate.
All of the books are great reads with a holiday theme, are faith based, and have likable characters. I highly recommend for those who enjoy Regency stories.
I received a complimentary ARC from Kregel Publishing through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.

"Joy to the World" is a collection of three short story romances set in the Regency period. The main characters were all likable people. In the first story, a couple that wanted to be married now had a second chance at love. The heroine had to overcome her shame about hurting the man she loved when she rejected his marriage offer and find the courage to acknowledge that she still loves him. In the second and third story, the hero and heroine saw the beauty and good character of the other and built each other up. In the second story, two hurting people reached out and helped each other even though society rejected them. The heroine explained how she could still believe in God after everything bad that had happened, and this helped the hero break through the darkness in his life. In the third story, the heroine needed to break free from the stifling control of her mother-in-law. The kind, confident hero showed his interest in her life and opinions, which helped her find the courage to pursue the life she wanted. In each story, characters looked to God for guidance and comfort. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I recommend this enjoyable collection.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Carolyn Miller, Amanda Barratt, and Erica Vetsch have all quickly become new favorites in the new crop of up-and-coming Christian historical romance authors over the last few years, so I was hyped for the Joy to the World anthology, which would feature stories from all three of them. And while I may be a little biased as a result, I feel this is actually one of the handful of novella collections that is solid all the way through, without a single dud.

“Heaven and Nature Sing” by Carolyn Miller

5 stars

I loved the vibes of this one. I loved seeing Edith and George grapple with their responsibilities and lingering feelings for one another. Both are genuinely good people, and I like that neither was “the bad guy,” or tried to get back at the other, which can come up in stories like this.

“Far as the Curse is Found” by Amanda Barratt

4 stars

I really resonated with two people finding healing from their dark past in each other. While I’m not a fan of a love as a fix-all for trauma or loss, I like that it allowed them to find comfort and put them on the path toward becoming whole again and finding love in the process, whthout using each other as a crutch.

“Wonders of His Love” by Erica Vetsch

5 stars

This one has one of my favorite tropes, cross class romance with an aristocratic heroine and commoner hero…with another twist, with the heroine finding herself in limbo due to her husband dying before being able to assume the title, and thus she’s mistreated by her mother-in-law. I really resonated with Cilla and felt for her, hoping she would find happiness even with the obstacles in her way. And I loved seeing her relationship with Hamish develop, providing a ray of hope in her often unpleasant existence, even though the possibility of a happy ending for them also had obstacles.

***

This anthology is fabulous, and perfect for getting into the Christmas spirit of giving, (re)connecting with loved ones, and the general vibe of hope. If you’re looking for a sweet, inspirational anthology to read this holiday season, I recommend this one highly.

I am probably in the minority here but I thought this was just okay. Don’t get wrong...it’s beautifully written and it’s very inspirational (which is something that I believe should always be included in a Christmas boom) but it didn’t grab me like I hoped it would. The three stories are different but the second one was probably my favorite one although it’s the most dark. The characters in the first story got on my nerves. Just have a conversation for goodness sakes.

Three regency novellas in one book, but they are completely different. The first one, "Heaven and Nature Sing," is about two musicians who were almost engaged, but Edith's father takes ill, and it sets forth a series of events that makes a reconciliation seem impossible. Yet, with the joy of Christmas, and a season of new beginnings, will it ultimately be a new beginning for Edith and George? I felt this story flowed well and did not have the feel of a novella. It came to a nice conclusion, and had some nice themes in it.
The second story, "Far As the Curse is Found," was completely dark. From the circumstances surrounding Anna's birth, to the effects and long-lasting scars that Dwight has, it is difficult to get past the first few chapters. They are well-written and very vivid, which is good, but with the content being dark, it was hard for me to read. I am glad I persevered as Jenny brings light into Dwight's dark life, bringing about true change within him. It ends up being a heartwarming story, but has mostly dark overtures.
The third story, "Wonders of His Love," is also well-written. While there are many characters, the overarching theme is about Cilla coming into her own. The story is like a flower going from a timid bulb, to a full-bloom beauty, recognizing it's purpose and what it is here for. We find the same in Cilla and it is beautiful to see. I would recommend these novellas to anyone who likes the Regency period, and clean-romance stories. Thank you to Kregel Publishing and Net Galley for the opportunity to read these stories. All opinions are entirely my own.

Joy to the World: A Regency Christmas Collection by Carolyn Miller, Amanda Barratt & Erica Vetsch
Publisher: Independent Publishers Group
Genre: Christian
Release Date: October 13, 2020

Joy to the World is a collection of three Christmas stories by Carolyn Miller, Amanda Barratt & Erica Vetsch.

"Heaven and Nature Sing" by Carolyn Miller is a story of a young couple in 1813 whose family obligations drive them apart. "Far is the Curse Is Found" by Amanda Barratt is a story of a single mother who meets a veteran on the streets of London in 1816. "Wonders of His Love" by Erica Vetsch is a story about a Scottish painter who falls in love with a widow he met at a manor house where he was commissioned to work at over the holidays in 1814 England.

Each story was beautifully written and captures the magic of Christmas and the power of love & God.

I'm so grateful to Carolyn Miller, Amanda Barratt & Erica Vetsch, Independent Publishers Group, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This book is so good! All of the stories are well written and hold your attention. This is a heartwarming inspirational book that make your heart sing. Thank you Independent Publishers Group--Kregel Publications via NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Here is a most precious collection of Christmas novellas by some very fine authors. I highly recommend this to read this season because it will totally make your heart smile.

Carolyn Miller gives us 'Heaven And Nature Sing' where two young people have allowed circumstances to draw them apart. Will they now realize that God gives second chances? Beautifully written, I read it in one sitting.

Amanda Barratt gives us 'Far As The Curse Is Found' and I'll just be totally honest here. This was one of the best Regencies I've ever read. Absolutely exquisite. Barratt shines! The heart of her contribution is deeply felt and most humbly moving. Well done!

Erica Vetsch's contribution to this collection is indeed precious. She brings us a secondary character from her current series in Cilla Haverly. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing old frinds again. The story is just so wonderful.

This Christmas collection was just about the best I've ever read. Each was deeply moving and well done. I was incredibly touched by all. Bravo!

*I received a copy of this book via Kregel Publications. I was not compensated in any form and this review is expressly my own opinion.

A beautiful trio of Christmas novellas, each inspired by a line from the hymn Joy to the World. Each story has its own style, but they are all about redemption and second chances. I was initially thrilled to read a new Carolyn Miller story, but it was Amanda Barratt’s that affected me the most. I’ll be thinking on hers for some time.

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