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!

I absolutely loved this super cute (and steamy!) Christmas anthology based around a huge annual Christmas party. I think that because each story is shorter than a whole novel and can be read independently, it would be a great introduction for anyone looking to get into romance, particularly historical romance. It definitely made me more excited for Christmas!

Wow, what a wonderful group of authors who got together for this anthology. They are all top notch, and their stories were wonderful. Who doesn’t love a house party where the attendees get into trouble? I enjoyed all the stories so much. Would love to see another collection from these authors.

I didn't know about this one since its a combination of four authors and three I hadn't read yet, well needless to say this was a happy surprise of how much I loved these little novellas that complete a the story around the Duke's huge Christmas party- we get to look into many different lives with this one. I loved all the writing and enjoy each of the flow with the plots, characters that build throughout the books, side characters, so many different voices, the party though many eyes, and just the whole party. We get 4 HEA's with this one!

I'm going to have to read more of the back list of these authors as I really enjoyed this and each their novellas. I don't think I have read an Anthology before but especially around the holiday books this is a cute idea!

5 stars
3.5 steam

I received an advanced reader's copy of a Mistletoe Christmas by Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, and Erica Ridley.

I love that the stories in this anthology were tied together with the characters attending the same house party.

I like the characters in Eloisa James's story A Mistletoe Kiss. Cressida was interesting in that she was so skilled in planning yet felt inadequate in other aspects of her life. Elias's kindness made him a good match for Cressida.

Wishing Under the Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell is a wonderful second chance romance. There was great tension between Cyrus Hill and Isabelle Wilkshire. They both had to do introspection to realize that they each played a part in their break up long ago.

Compromise Under the Mistletoe by Janne MacGregor is another lovely second chance romance. Caroline Whitmore and Stephen Whitmore had to learn to be vulnerable and communicate with one another.

Mischief and Mistletoe by Erica Ridley is an endearing story. Louisa Harcourt has dreams other than what her family duty dictates and she find a supportive partner in Ewan Reid. However, they have some secrets and hurdles to overcome first.

Mistletoe Christmas was a delightful collection of holiday romances that all take place at the Duke of Greystone's Christmas Revelry, one of the most coveted events in British Society.

Overall average rating — 3.5 Stars


A Mistletoe Kiss by Eloisa James — 2 Stars

Lady Cressida, The Duke of Greystoke’s youngest daughter, has been secretly running the Duke's Christmas Revelry for the last fifteen years. With her father dying, Cressida has vowed this will be her last Revelry as she longs to start a family of her own. This story didn't really work for me as I didn't love any of the characters, Cressida was the only one I actually liked. She's intelligent, creative, and knows what she wants even if she thinks she can't have it until after her father passes away. Elias, her love interest, did not endear himself to me as he insults Cressida's looks the first time we meet him. The duke is the worst of them and insults Cressida at every turn. This story is full of men thinking they know what's best for Cressida which was incredibly frustrating. Overall A Mistletoe Kiss was not for me and the only story in the book I didn't enjoy.


Wishing Under the Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell — 4 Stars

Ten years ago Lady Isabelle Wilkshire was betrothed to the man she loved but when his business got in the way of their relationship, Isabelle ended things. Now, Isabelle is to direct the theatre production at her grandfather's famous Revelry, a dream since she was a child. When she unexpectedly runs into the man she walked away from a decade ago, all those old feelings come back. I really enjoy second chance romances and the one in this story is very well done. Both Isabelle and Cyrus realize they made mistakes ten years ago which led to the end of their relationship. Initially it seems like those same issues will get in the way again but I was happy to see the pair work through them. The chemistry between these two was fantastic and I loved the grand gesture at the end of the story. Overall Wishing Under the Mistletoe was an excellent read and I highly recommend it.


Compromise Under the Mistletoe by Janna MacGregor — 4.5 Stars

Lady Caroline Whitmore has been estranged from her husband for a year, but if she wants access to her trust fund then they need to play a happily married couple at this year's Revelry. But as she spends time with her husband and he attempts to win her back, old feelings begin to resurface. This is another second chance romance but this time it's between a couple that's already married. Caroline and Stephen have no issues in their relationship when it comes to the bedroom, but outside of it Caroline feels like she doesn't matter to her husband. I felt everything Caroline was asking for was perfectly reasonable and I liked that Stephen realized just how much he messed things up by not paying enough attention to Caroline. Overall Compromise Under the Mistletoe was a fantastic read and I highly recommend it.


Mischief & Mistletoe by Erica Ridley — 3.5 Stars

According to her mother, the upcoming Revelry is Miss Louisa Harcourt's last chance to find a suitor or become a spinster. But Louisa is more interested in writing her poetry than finding someone to marry. When Louisa meets a fellow poet at the Revelry, she has finally met someone who she thinks she could share the part of herself she keeps hidden. Louisa and Ewan have amazing chemistry and a lot in common compared with their peers. I really enjoyed their connection and did mostly like their relationship. The one issue I had is that Ewan hid some things about himself and I didn't like how long it took him to tell Louisa the truth. Overall Mischief & Mistletoe was a great read and I enjoyed it.

I received an ARC for this book in exchange for a honest review.

I struggled with this book for some reason. The winter/Christmas aspect was beautiful and truly transported me to a December feel. I am realizing that I struggle with novellas as they feel insta-lovey and lack the depth in the relationship. For example early on the couples were saying I love you and it felt out of left field for me. Overall the stories were slow moving, but had potential.

Book Details
You are cordially invited to the Duke of Greystoke's annual Christmas Revelry
Held at Greystoke Manor, Cheshire December 1815 (If you have received one of these coveted invites, you are making a mark!) Entertainment will be everything imaginable!

Four different stories with a chance of love, whether brand new or found again, will keep you enthralled for several hours!

A Mistletoe to Kiss by Eloisa James
Being the daughter of the Duke of Greystoke has it's challenges, especially when all he does is criticize her, making her feel unattractive and a failure. But, she is the one who makes the party successful each year! He comes with her cousin, the future duke, and it seems, as they meet, there is an attraction there between them. Could this be real? Unfortunately she learns about a wager he made with her cousin and all seems lost. But never fear, love will find a way and they will begin to truly know each other. A truly special romance!

Wishing Under the Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell
You never know what can happen under that mistletoe! It had been ten years since she had began her future to become a playwright. Unfortunately she had given up her one love to pursue that career. Now they meet again at the party, when her great grandfather, the Duke (grrr) invites her to create a play for the entertainment. A second chance at love seems to be in the cards, if they can only get through their misunderstandings and reunite. As always Christi works her magic and creates a tale of the heart found again!

Compromise Under the Mistletoe by Janna MacGregor
An estranged couple have to come back together in order for the wife to gain an inheritance.
She had left her husband over a year ago because she felt alone because he only gave her minimal attention and never shared himself. Now, she needs her inheritance due to keep funding her art gallery for women and her uncle, the Duke, demands that she and her husband attend his party to prove they are still together. Can love truly come to light and mend their hearts? A wonderful story that touches the heart.

Mischief & Mistletoe by Erica Ridley
A wonderful story with humor and secrets that bring two people together, if they can only survive the machinations of her mother! Pushed by her mother to attend the Duke's revelry, she is expected to catch the eye of a title gentleman with marriage in mind. But her heart is engaged by a gentleman who is a kindred spirit with their love of poetry. There is a definite attraction, but he has a secret that may ruin everything! A wonderful story of two people who are meant for each other, if only they can find their way!

This is a fun, touching Christmas anthology by 4 of my favorite authors and it is wonderful entertainment. I always love a good house party and with Christmas added, it is even better. Definitely recommend!

I loved reading each of the four stories in the anthology Christmas Mistletoe, written by the amazing historical romance Eloisa James, Christie Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, and Erica Ridley. Each story celebrates Christmas features a separate couple, with overlapping supporting characters, the setting is the same for all the stories, and all the stories occurring concurrently. Each story brings together two people who never thought that they would find love or that a couple that is given a second chance at finally getting that HEA. These flow seamlessly from one into the next, and are connected to a Christmas house party thrown by a dying Duke.

Lady Cressida, the duke’s daughter, is too busy managing the entertainments and organizing the entire party believing she is plain and dowdy, as her father often tells her. Her cousin, Lady Isabelle Wilkshire, is directing Cinderella and has no interest in marriage after a broken engagement. Lady Caroline Whitmore is already, unhappily, married; the fact that she and her estranged husband have to pretend to be together just makes her dread the party all the more. Lastly, Miss Louisa Harcourt, whose mother bluntly tells her that this is her last chance to escape the horrors of being an old maid, and wishes she was anywhere else, writing poetry. Needless to say it, but I would very much enjoy each author expanding their story. I fell in love with each of the characters and loved that everyone got their HEA.

Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, and Erica Ridley wrote beautiful love stories that are not to be missed. These tales are rich with kindness, magnetic attraction, off the charts chemistry, clever banter, and endearing characters giving these characters a chance at finding their forever love. I highly recommend the stories in Christmas Mistletoe anthology to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.

I’ve enjoyed books from all four of these authors in the past, so I couldn’t resist this collection when it popped up on NetGalley, even though I don’t usually read Christmas books before the winter’s actually here! All four stories take place at the Duke of Greystoke’s final Christmas Revelry, a house party that’s legendary for its scandals and life-changing events. A house party is always one of my favourite historical romance settings, and this one is particularly fun, with its dramatic scale and reputation. Although each story could be read alone without losing any of the main plot, I really enjoyed putting together the glimpses of the party’s workings to get the whole picture, and the shared setting definitely helped lend depth to the characters that’s tricky to achieve with a novella on its own. I’m going to address each of the stories individually:

Eloisa James’s story, ‘A Mistletoe Kiss’ is a very sweet one. It focuses on the Duke of Greystoke’s daughter, Cressida, who has felt dowdy and worthless all her life – largely due to her father’s veiled insults. She’s the brilliant mind behind much of the workings of the annual party, but refuses to believe she’s the kind of woman an eligible gentleman could want, and is resigned to a lonely spinsterhood, which causes some problems when the handsome Elias makes it very clear he finds her terribly attractive. I had great fun with this one, and it’s a great introduction to the collection, as Cressie’s behind-the-scenes view of the party lets you see right to the heart of it. The romance itself is adorable, with a hero who’s devoted to making sure the heroine finds some self-worth. I could have read a whole book of this one, with the awkward courtship drawn out for much longer! As it is, it’s a lovely bitesized treat.

Christi Caldwell’s story, ‘Wishing Under the Mistletoe’ was my least favourite of the four. It’s a second chance romance between playwright Isabelle and her workaholic former fiancé Cyrus, who broke off their engagement ten years before because their life goals didn’t seem compatible. Now forced to work together on a pantomime for the Revelry, their passion rekindles, but I didn’t think that very much had changed between them in ten years, and found it hard to believe they would have a particularly happy marriage after the end of the story. The issues that split them still exist, and the change that allows them to be together seems to be Isabelle accepting that she has to play second fiddle to his work, which I didn’t love as a moral – Cyrus doesn’t really make any accommodations for her, and I ended up not liking him much at all. Add to that a heaping dose of class difference issues, which is never my favourite trope in historical romance, and although it’s a nice read, this didn’t end up as one I loved.

I really liked ‘Compromise Under the Mistletoe’ by Janna MacGregor, which is a romance between a couple who are already married, but who never learned to communicate with each other very well. Caroline’s inheritance contract means that the Duke of Greystoke can withold her money until he’s satisfied she and her husband are truly in love, which is a bit of a strange set-up, but forces the two spouses to pretend to be besotted with each other… until maybe not much pretence is needed anymore. I love a fake courtship plot and this is a really cute one with a very emotionally literate hero, and a lovely use of the ‘trapped overnight in a hunting lodge’ trope.

I was most looking forward to Erica Ridley’s story, ‘Mischief & Mistletoe’, and it didn’t disappoint. Ridley writes wonderfully feisty and independent heroines, and Louisa fits right into the mould – I loved the way she put on a ‘proper’ persona when she needed to and reserved her wilder self for those she could trust. Her relationship with Ewan is really well drawn and their friendship is as strong as their passion, but as enjoyable as the romance is, I was just as invested in Louisa’s personal development as she tries to shake off her overbearing mother, and Ewan’s secret, which I won’t spoil but was genuinely something I’ve never seen in historical romance before.

This is a lovely collection, and one that’s perfect to dip into for some wintry warmth – and it’s well worth picking up whether you’re a fan of these authors or new to them. My only tiny complaint is that I was hoping for one of the stories to feature Valentine Snowe, the heir to Greystoke, as a hero so that I could see some of his arrogant edges knocked off – he’s certainly the most prominent side character and I’d love to see him get some development into less of an ass! Perhaps in the future one of these authors will return to the Revelry for another story… Four out of five cats.

Mistletoe Christmas is an anthology consisting of four stories, all set in England, 1815, and evolving around the Duke of Greystoke's Annual Christmas Revelry, always the most sought after party invitation of the season. The stories are written by four different authors, Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, and Erica Ridley.

All four stories transport us to Regency England at Christmas time.

In A Mistletoe Kiss, by Eloisa James, the main character, Cressida, is the long-suffering victim of her abusive father, the Duke of Greystoke, who has used her for years to plan his famous Revelry. Cressida's growth as a person and evolving ability to see her true self and gain some confidence was well done. The romance with Elias was a little over the top as he suddenly and instantly fell in love with her although he'd known her for years. It was a touch unbelievable, but overall it was a very nice romance. 4 stars.

Wishing Under The Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell brings a little of "A Christmas Carol" vibe. Isabelle and Cyrus's relationship ended because he became completely wrapped up in the idea of amassing a fortune, supposedly for her. Ten years later, they meet again at the Revelry and sparks are still flying. This is the story of how an "Ebenezer Scrooge" type of character has a chance to get his lost love back. I found it a satisfying Christmas story. 5 stars.

Compromise Under the Mistletoe by Janna MacGregor is the story of a marriage torn apart. Caroline and Stephen are reunited at the Christmas Revelry. They are only together have to pretend to be a happy couple for the Duke so Caroline can gain access to her trust fund. I found this to be a bit much. The reason for reuniting was to get money, and the reason they broke up in the first place was because Caroline wasn't getting enough attention. It all seemed simple and selfish, and not in any way based on a real marriage. 2.5 stars.

Mischief and Mistletoe by Erica Ridley is a well done story of Miss Louisa Harcourt, who is told by her mother that the Revelry is her last chance to find a husband. Determined to make her mother happy. Louisa entertains her less than ideal marriage candidates, although her real desire is to write and publish poetry. When she meets Ewan, a fellow poet, at the Revelry, she faces a choice between happiness and duty. I really enjoyed this one as it showcased a woman with interests and ambitions other than marriage. 5 stars.

Overall, this anthology earns four stars. It transports us to the Christmas season.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.

Mistletoe Christmas: An Anthology is a wonderful quartet of historical Christmas romance stories by some of today's hottest writers. You will be full of the holiday spirit by the time you're finished reading, no doubt about it. Be ready to snuggle with your someone special! All four stories take place at the Duke of Greystone's annual Christmas Revelry at Greystone Manor in Cheshire, England 1815. The duke, a nasty old man, is dying, but he's still trying to play puppet master at his Revelry, THE coveted entertainment invitation of the year. However his guests have their own ideas for romance!

A Mistletoe Kiss by Eloisa James gets the party started. Though the duke takes all the credit for planning the Revelry, it's actually Lady Cressida, his youngest daughter, who secretly plans everything. Her father took away her dowry and gave it to his heir Val, so she feels destined to be a spinster. Val wants his friend Elias, Lord Darcy de Royleston, to marry Cressie. He begins to consider the idea, and suddenly begins to see her in a whole new light. Ms. James is one of my favorite authors, and she never disappoints, with bright dialogue and relatable characters. Though I LOVE this author, this seems to be an insta-love story, though the characters have known each other for a long time. Yet this was the perfect introduction to the Revelry and sets up the following stories quite nicely.

In Christi Caldwell's Wishing Under the Mistletoe, Lady Isabelle Wilkshire, the duke's granddaughter, is given the task of being in charge of the pantomime at the Revelry. She's a playwright who secretly writes under a nom de plume, so she's up to the task. But then she sees who is to help her in this endeavor: Cyrus Hill, the man to whom Isabelle was betrothed ten years ago! They had been in love, but Isabelle was a lady and Cyrus was a former stablemaster's son, so he was building up a business to support them; however, Isabelle felt neglected - Cyrus was totally immersed in work - and left him. All these years later, their reunion shows them both that the love is still there, but so are the problems that divided them. Can they learn from past mistakes and have the bright future they once dreamed of? I adored this story! Cyrus made a great Scrooge who finally learns the power of love. He and Isabelle discover that love can be even sweeter the second time around.

Janna MacGregor's Compromise Under the Mistletoe was my absolute favorite of the bunch. Lady Caroline Whitmore, the duke's niece, was married to Lord Stephen, but it didn't end well. They've been estranged for a year, but are reuniting for the Revelry because the duke refuses to give Caroline her inheritance unless she and Stephen prove they are happily married. My, that's going to be awkward! They must share a room and pretend to be blissful, as the duke has spies watching them. They never had any trouble connecting in bed, but communicating verbally was definitely a problem...will they be able to learn to tell each other what they need and feel? This second-chance story was beautifully written. These two obviously loved each other, and their chemistry was off the charts. I found this one to be particularly romantic. As a married woman, I appreciated the reminder to let your loved one know just what you need...they can't read your mind!

Mischief & Mistletoe by Erica Ridley wraps up the party. This is the story that brought some tears to my eyes! Miss Louisa Harcourt is a shy poet who just wants to be in nature and write. She hasn't had much of a social life since her debut, as stories written in a scandal sheet portrayed her as being particularly boring and she was ignored. Now her mother is insisting she marry a title before she's permanently on the shelf, preferably the duke's heir. However, it's brooding poet Ewan Reid who calls to Louisa's soul. The two cannot deny the attraction they feel for each other. However, Ewan has a big secret he's hiding from her, which can destroy any hope they have to be together. This story was the most romantic of the quartet! Even though Ewan was keeping secrets, he knew Louisa was his missing half. The gift he gives to Louisa could not be more perfect. Besides steaminess and bringing me to tears, I also adored the humor Ewan and Louisa shared.

Jump into this anthology to get you ready for the Christmas season. This collection of stories is a gift for the heart.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This is a wonderful way to start ones Christmas reading. Four great stories from four well-loved authors. The Duke of Greystokes's Christmastide House Party is legendary. Everyone from the top of the ton to simple commoners wait all year to see who will get an invitation. All four stories take place during the Revelry.
Each story is great, we have four couples with different problems.
The first is a kind of a Cinderella story, Lady Cressida [Cressie] is the youngest daughter of the Dukes.
She has four sisters all who had a season and married. Cressie didn't get one as she is made to help the Duke pull off the Revelry every year. It takes a lot of work and she is at his call all the time. The Duke is a selfless, nasty, person. He has made her to feel unloved, plain, old maid and she is only 23!
The last straw for her is when he does the unthinkable to keep her doing the Revelry.
Elias, Lord Darcy de Royleston is a friend of Val her cousin who will be the new duke. He lives right next door. Elias over hears the fight between Cressie and the old Duke. Feeling sorry for her he starts spending time with her. One should always be care what you say as words can hurt.
In Book two we see what misunderstanding and hurt feelings left unresolved can do.
Lady Isbelle Wilkshire doesn't care about wealthy, what the ton thinks all she wants is for her betrothal of three years to notice her and to get married. Cyrus Hill come from the working class and wants to make a name for himself. Society, wealth, standing and his reputation is most important to him. Till then his work is all he thinks about till Isbelle frees him and leaves. What will happen when the meet Ten years later and must spend time together. Christmas Magic??
Book three We have a Husband and Wife that have spent a year apart do to not understanding what the other wants or feels. But in order to get her heritance from the old Duke they must pretend to be a couple or lose it. Can they pretend without their feeling getting in the way? Is the marriage savable or has too many hidden feelings gotten in the way,
Book four Was my favorite, A dutiful daughter doing what her mother wants which is for her to marry a titled gentleman. Even if the gentleman is only marring cause he has to. Love is not part of the deal. Then we have a true gentleman doing the same for his grandfather even thru he knows what they are doing to put food on table is wrong. Can two very unhappy people from different walks of life find they have more in common then they think.
There is so much love, Christmas Magic, Joy, sadness and forgiveness and second chances.
What a wonderful book to start the season... Wow
I received and ARC from NetGallery this is my honest opinion and am voluntarily giving it.
Whatever you do don't miss this book.

Four stories written around the same theme. Fun reads. Each is easy to read in one setting. Get this for Christmas fun and romance.

These three novellas all take place at the same Christmas party - a supposedly legendary week of elaborate entertainment for a select group of guests. I was rather disappointed with them. These are all authors that I’ve enjoyed very much in the past, but perhaps the short form leads to undeveloped characters and plots. I thought the first one by Eloisa James was the best as she describes the transformation of the youngest daughter of the host, a dying selfish duke. He wants to keep his youngest daughter forever bound to planning this party. She finally wakes up to the fact that her father doesn’t love or care about her and it’s time for her to go out on her own. Apparently, she has impressive organizing skills and is also quite creative in planning the annual party even though her father would steal all the credit. I found her personality and transformation enjoyable since her father was such a selfish, old curmudgeon that everyone would be better off if he just finished dying. The romance was less interesting, but provided a hook for her story.

The other two stories weren’t all that believable or interesting. These authors need to stick to their long-form novels and work on more believable characters and romances.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

This anthology contains four festive regency romances,
All feature couples who are reluctant to take their chances
Thank you to Avon and NetGalley, too,
For my copy of this Anthology, here's my honest review:

Attending the Duke of Greystoke’s Christmas Revelry
Expecting fun, plays, dances and lots of guests to see.
None expected to find the one they'll love at all
But Cupid has other plans when he comes to call!

With a determined Duke who wants his legacy to be
The continuation of his Christmas Revelry
His daughter is the organiser extraordinaire
He plans to keep her doing this, it isn't fair.

Then there are two second chance romances
Will attending the Revelry rekindle their chances?
And last, but by no means least, there's a lady poet who
Has a manipulative, determined Mum with plans, too.

With nobility and commoners, self made men and poets, too
Along with secrets, possible scandals and things to do,
Each of the four authors have helped to create
A Christmas collection that to read is great!

I have been champing at the bit to get my eyes on this book; after all, The Duke of Greystoke’s Christmas Revelry is well known for its entertainments of all kinds but especially the scandalous happenings that result in marriage licenses being handed out by the duke himself. However; not everyone who is attending this revelry is interested in marriage & we have four young ladies not looking for a man but with the four authors we have writing each of their stories, well, you know each & every one will be a romantic, humorous, spicy & fun time.

I loved all four of the stories & you just can't miss reading them - all of the characters are such fun & there are so many people that daughters just seem to get misplaced or lost in the shuffle. I voluntarily read & reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book; all thoughts & opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this anthology about a Christmas house party. The authors are all top shelf and kept me engaged throughout their stories about people attending the party. It was well woven together with interconnecting characters and each author gave us a happily ever after. I haven't read two of the author's recently and I still was captivated by the individual characters.

The Duke of Greystoke has an annual Christmas Revelry at his country estate every year and it's a huge event attended by the Ton, friends and family. The Earl has taken to his deathbed and he's determined to have his heir, Viscount Derham, Val Snowe, his nephew carry it on as his legacy. The Duke's youngest unmarried daughter has been in charge of the event for years and she want a family of her won. Val on the other hand is being bribed by his gruff uncle to promise to carry it on.

Eloisa James - A Mistletoe Kiss is about Greystoke's youngest daughter Lady Cressida who is 23 and on the shelf. He interrupted her first season so she could start planning the Revelry that year and she never found a husband. He's convinced her she's dowdy, plain and unmarriageable while she's anything but that. One of her cousin Val's best friends Elias de Royleston, is being pressured to marry and Val suggests Cressie, given her talents as a hostess. When Elias starts spending time with Cressie he begins to truly see her after all these years of ignoring her. He becomes captivated by her creativity, intelligence and loyal heart.

Christi Caldwell - Wishing Under the Mistletoe is a story of second chance, my favorite. Lady Isabelle Wilkshire is the Duke's granddaughter. She's in charge of the play for the Revelry. As she writes plays for a living it makes sense. She and Cyrus Hill, the stablemaster's son were more than friends after growing up together. After a 3 year engagement, they never spent any time together she finally gave him up as he'd become a workaholic, saving for their future. Now it's 10 years later and Cyrus has been investing for Val and his friends. Val insists Cyrus must attend this year and he has been paired with Isabelle to help with the play. This enables them to rekindle their relationship.

Janna MacGregor - Compromise Under the Mistletoe is a discovering & healing an arranged marriage. Lady Caroline Whitmore is the Duke's niece. The Duke manages her trust and will give it to her early if she can prove she and her husband Lord Stephen Whitmore are happily married. Unfortunately right now he resides at their country estate managing it while she resides in London working on opening an art gallery for women. She left him when she felt invisible to him except in bed. They were very compatible in the bedchamber but that was the only time. Spending time at the Revelry forces them to start communicating and finding they do very much care for each other.

Erica Ridley - Mischief & Mistletoe is a mother pushing her daughter to find a titled husband. I had issues with this storyline's happily ever after. While I really enjoyed Miss Louisa Harcourt, daughter of a deceased Baron and her love interest Mr. Ewan Reid, I disliked immensely her mother Baroness Hester Harcourt. Her change of heart at the end of the story was hard for me to swallow because it was a radical 180. Louisa's mother is pushing her to make a match with either Viscount at the party, Lord Val Snowe, the Duke's heir or Lord Paxborough heir to a Marquess. Neither man seems to much be attracted to her and only notice her when competing with each other. The person she's drawn to is Val's friend Mr. Ewan Reid, a brooding poet who attends as Val's friend. He pretends to be a poet but he's listening for gossip for his grandfather's newspaper. He hates his deception but it's necessary to help build a nest egg for his aging grandfather. He and Louisa strike up a friendship because she is a poet that can't be because she's a woman. They fall in love during the revelry and when the truth comes out about who he really is there is a crisis.

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

A Quartet of Lovely Regency Romances

The Duke of Greystoke holds a revelry every year, and there is scandal and romance to be had. There is Cressida. She is a spinster, and her father the duke, says she is too plain for any man to be interested in marrying her. They say not to speak ill of the dead or dying, but if the dead or dying resemble the horse’s back end, what’s a person to do? You should ignore the duke, for he is in his bed and not attending the festivities. As for Cressida, there just might be a man who sees the treasure she is, but she must open her heart to love and not let her father’s words take root.

Then, there is lady Isabelle who leaves her betrothed because, all he wants to do is make money. He grew up as a stablemaster’s son, so he wants to prove he is worthy. Could the revelry be Isabelle and Cyrus’s second chance, or are they ten years too late?

Lady Caroline left her husband and went to London. Now, the Duke of Greystoke decreed that for her to get her trust of twenty thousand pounds, she and her husband must reconcile. Caroline thinks that Stephen values his estate and tenants over her, but could it all be just a misunderstanding? We sometimes see love differently, and it can lead to misery if we don’t find a way to meet in the middle.

Louisa wants to marry well to please her mother, but she finds herself falling in love with a most inappropriate man. It turns out the Ewan is not just inappropriate; he also has a secret that she might not be able to forgive. Is Louisa’s love strong enough to forgive what some might deem unforgivable?

These are delightful stories about love, redemption, hope, and second chances. They will provide hours of delight and entertainment. I enjoyed these charming stories and would recommend this set to those who like Regency romance. Love, secrets, and scandal await.