Four stories of one lavish holiday party, each told by a different author from a different attendee's point of view, with each including some of the same characters. Each of the stories was wildly descriptive. Cute, enjoyable, historical romantic fiction, good for when you want to read something light.

These four stories were entertaining and well-written. Each novella intertwined around a house party all of the characters were attending. The stories were clever, sweet, steamy and humorous. They held my attention and I didn't want them to end. I enjoyed these stories and look forward to reading more books by the authors.

I really enjoy books that take place during house parties. Each story was enjoyable, but my favorite was Cressida's.

Review: This was a 5 star short story collection! I loved how all the stories tied together (But also stand completely on their own.). My favorite stories were Eloisa James tale of Cressie and Elias, A Mistletoe Kiss, and Erica Ridley's tale of Louisa and Ewan, Mischief & Mistletoe! But I thought all the stories were wonderful. Overall, this was a delightfully festive historical romance collection that I would highly recommend reading!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

I am giving this book four stars only because one of the stories didn't fully hook me.

All these stories happen during the same event, the annual Revelry, and some of the characters pop into the other stories which I really enjoyed. This is a great holiday read and worth it.

The four stories each focus on a different couple; Cressie/Elias, Isabella/Cyrus, Stephen/ Caroline, and Lousia/Ewan. I love how Cressie doesn't want credit for all the work she does for the Revelry and how she wants out of it. Isabella is an amazing character and I could really relate to her. Caroline's story was heart breaking and beautiful all at the same time. Lousia's end was awesome and the greatest way to end the whole book.

This was an utter delight from start to finish. Full of heart and warmth and sweetness but still with enough heavy emotions that it didn't come off as shallow or overly simple. My favorite was definitely Eloisa James' - not only did it set the stage and the tone for the anthology but Cressie and Elias are just the sweetest combination and I love her absent minded creativeness and him literally following a trail of hair pins to her!

This Christmas Anthology is very well put together. Four different authors individually portrays the path of four different couples during a Christmas party, lasting for a fortnight.

First off, Cressie is overlooked because her grandfather takes credit for all of her achievements. She believes herself to be undesirable as it's drummed into her. She will never make a match, but in Elias, she finds love. She has a rough journey which ends blissfully.

Secondly, there is a second chance romance. Isabelle and Cyrus part ways as they have different goals. Neither is happy without the other. They are reunited ten years later (with the help of Cupid under the guise of Val) and find that they are still attracted to each other. They have now matured and better understand where they went wrong and how to move forward. A gratifying conclusion.

Then there are Stephen and Caroline. They are married, but have lived separate lives for a year. There are misunderstandings and lack of communication. This party gives them a second chance of getting things right. Very well portrayed.

Lastly, there is Louisa. Her mother has ambitions different to her own. Being the caring and obedient daughter, she aims to please. When she meets Ewan, she starts to think that maybe, she could have a little of what she wants, before committing to what her mother wants. Unfortunately, he is an imposter who inadvertently breaks her heart. She then finds out that her mother only wants her happiness and will respect whatever decisions she makes. With some grovelling Ewan redeems himself and all is well.

The setting of the scenes is very creative and gives the Christmas feels. Each story has its charm. A very enjoyable anthology.

I received an eARC from Netgalley and the views expressed are my personal opinion.

This. Was. Amazing. If I could rate it higher, I would. I love that all the stories revolve around the same party, with a different set of characters taking the spotlight each time. I got so wrapped up in the stories I felt like I was transported back in time, watching it all unfold. Although I loved all 4, if I had to pick one favorite, I would have to go with Wishing Under the Mistletoe. A second chance romance, there was just something about it that hit right. Normally I wouldn't be into reading holiday stories so early in the fall, but this definitely lifted my spirits and brought some cheer to my life. You won't want to pass this one up!

A Mistletoe Christmas brings together four popular historical romance authors to write an interconnected collection about four couples who fall in love and find their HEAs in the midst of an old Duke’s Christmas Revelry, which is established to be a long-held tradition.

“A Mistletoe Kiss” by Eloisa James kicks off the anthology, and while I haven’t read anything from her in a while (her recent series hasn’t appealed to me), I really enjoyed this one. I loved how it set up the concept of the Revelry by introducing the crochety old Duke at death’s door through the eyes of his daughter and nephew’s friend, who are the central couple. Cressie doesn’t have a lot of prospects, except in managing the old Duke’s affairs, something of which she’s well aware of. However, she has long been in love with her cousin’s friend, Elias. Meanwhile, the wastrel cousin has offered Elias money to marry her. I loved the journey of Elias proving to Cressie how he truly feels about her and that he didn’t entertain his friend’s offer.

“Wishing Under the Mistletoe” is Christi Caldwell’s contribution, and it’s a heartfelt and emotional read, as is her trademark. I really liked the exploration into Isabella and Cyrus finding each other again after the demise of their betrothal years ago. The hurt feelings, the pride on both sides, I loved how that was conveyed, yet how it all ended up culminating in the realization that they should try this time to do things right. Isabelle in particular is also interesting in how she sets herself apart from her aristocratic origins, and she was especially easy to root for.

“Compromise Under the Mistletoe” by Janna MacGregor is about an estranged married couple coming back together, and it is sweet, if not immune to some of the typical pitfalls. It does rely on miscommunication, which can be frustrating, but I did enjoy that Caroline made a life of herself when she felt she wasn’t valued.

“Mischief & Mistletoe” by Erica Ridley closes out the anthology on a good note. While not my favorite of the stories, it still has its good points. I love that Louisa has an interest in poetry, and that leads her to bonding with another poet during the Revelry. While the romance felt the weakest in this one, especially with Ewan being a bit secretive, I still liked it for the most part.

The stories overall are enjoyable, and I like the way they slyly nod to one another with the shared cast of overlapping characters (three of the heroines are relatives of the old Duke, for example) and different perspectives of roughly the same passage of time. And where the backgrounds of the heroines might have felt a bit too interconnected, I did like the diverse backgrounds for the heroes, from aristocratic to untitled poet, thus giving different dynamics and stakes to each couple.

This is a pretty solid anthology overall, and it should please many from the collective readerships of the authors. I would also recommend it to anyone looking for a good historical read to kick off the Christmas season.

Anthologies are hit or miss for me, with miss being the most prominent, but I wanted to give Mistletoe Christmas a chance because it's Christmas and I love the holiday season.

The anthology didn't feel quite as festive as I would've liked, but that could be because I'm reading it in September.

I also felt that the main conflict between each couple was harped on too much by one of the main characters. It got to be a bit much, especially with these stories being novella length.

Otherwise, I enjoyed each story for the most part. They were each pretty well done, considering the challenge of developing a good story and characters in a short amount of time and book space.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley.***

Mistletoe Christmas is a collection of four short stories with the common link of the Duke of Greystone's annual Revelry party. It tells of three women who are perhaps considered to old, too unattractive, or have been unable (or unwilling) to marry what was offered, and one woman who is trying to escape a loveless marriage.

Not being a huge fan of short stories, I don't think this book really fits that label. There is a common theme running throughout the book. The authors have written delightful stories from the mid 1800s and the Revelry seems like the best party to see and be seen and perhaps get away with things a proper lady of that time period would never do.

Of all four stories my favorite was A Mistletoe Kiss, there was nothing Cressida could not do and her father gave her no credit and insulted her constantly. The truth was she was the one who organized the entire event even though no one knew.it. When she finds out that her dying father has given the property that was supposed to be part of her dowry to her cousin, the soon to be new Duke of Greystone, she decides that she is done being a patty and makes plans to leave. That is until Lord Darcy de Royalton decides that she is the woman he wants to marry.

#HarperCollinsPublishers #AvonBooks #AMistletoeKiss #WishingUnderTheMistletoe #CompromiseUnderTheMistletoe #MischiefAndMistletoe #EloisaJames #ChristiCaldwell #JannaMacGregor #EricaRidley #HistoricalFiction #Romancs NetGalley#ARC

A Mistletoe Kiss – Eloisa James
Does he love her or does he feel sorry for her? I love this story of Darcy and Cressie and their developing relationship. I also love the positive body image portrayal. Cressie thinks that she cannot possibly be loved for her intelligence and loving ways. Darcy would not let that happen to Cressie. This is a huge hit for Eloisa.

Wishing Under the Mistletoe – Christi Caldwell
Man, did I love this story. I absolutely adore stories about older heroes and heroines. Ten years! Ten years between a fallout and coming back together. That is a long time but love does not know time. Cyrus and Isabelle are such an adorable couple and their story will break your heart. Fabulous! Christi’s writing is such that you do not want to stop reading.

Compromise Under the Mistletoe – Janna MacGregor
A fantastic second chance romance from Janna. I love Stephen’s devil-may-care attitude but he is really trying to figure out how to woo his wife. I am sure the way Caroline feels is the way a lot of women felt - her husband does not know her and does not listen to her. How can she live with what she feels? Stephen has his job cut out for him. Their re-learning each other is a joy to read. Lovely!

Mistletoe & Mischief – Erica Ridley
Awwww, this is such a sweet story of people from different sides of the tracks who just cannot stay away from each other. One has a secret and when confronted it is not pretty. A nice friends-to-lovers romance that Erica writes so well.

This group of stories will warm your heart this Christmas season!

Four couples find love at a Christmas house party in this anthology featuring four stars of Regency romance. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

A Mistletoe Kiss by Eloisa James:
Cressida may be a duke's daughter, but her father's insults have convinced her she'll never attract a husband. Now, on his deathbed, he's changed his will to leave her without a dowry. Her cousin, the duke's heir, suggests his wealthy friend Elias consider Cressie for his wife. Can Elias break through her distrust to convince her he's sincere?

The duke has really done a number on Cressie, wanting her to stay with him and run his household rather than marrying. She has no self-confidence when it comes to men, and Elias has an uphill battle. Fortunately, he's patient and proves he can be the man she needs. This is a fun, original story.

Wishing Under the Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell:
Isabelle and Cyrus broke their engagement ten years ago, and have since focused their energies on their careers: she as a playwright, and he as an accountant. When they see each other again at a house party, their attraction sparks back to life. Can they resolve their differences and find happiness at last?

This is a poignant story, with both characters realizing that they took each other for granted the first time around. It's an emotional journey as they find their way back to each other.

Compromise Under the Mistletoe by Janna MacGregor:
Feeling neglected by her husband, Caroline left Stephen a year after the wedding. Now, a year later, her uncle the duke insists that she reunite with Stephen if she wishes to receive her inheritance. At the duke's house party, they pretend to be devoted to each other. Can they work through their differences and find true love?

The sparks fly between Caroline and Stephen: the hurt and anger of their separation, as well as the powerful attraction between them. They both show a lack of maturity, in their pride and unwillingness to communicate. But as the story progresses, they realize they were both at fault and demonstrate the growth they need to repair their marriage. This is an entertaining and ultimately satisfying story.

Mischief & Mistletoe by Erica Ridley:
Louisa needs a husband. At least, that's what her mother keeps telling her. The duke's party is prime ground for husband hunting, with eligible noblemen present. But Louisa can't deny her interest in poet Ewan, despite his low birth. When his secrets come out, will they drive her away?

Erica Ridley is a master at creating characters with small strokes, so that even novellas feel like richly developed stories. There's so much emotion in this story, with both Louisa and Ewan torn between what they want for themselves, and the ambitions of their families. It's fun and heartfelt and a very satisfying read

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. It was 100 degrees in the shade yesterday, so this book hit the exact right spot for me. Written by some of the best names in the historical romance business, Mistletoe Christmas is a fun little dose of holiday spirit. Set at an annual holiday Revelry at a duke's estate, each story tells the tale of a creative young woman finding her true love under the mistletoe. Each story is perfectly snack-sized, and seems to be a stand alone in each author's universe. This collection was enjoyable, and just what I needed to this week.

Welcome to this year's Revelry!

The Duke of Greystoke’s Revelry is a two-week-long Christmas festival with the most sought-after invitations in town. This year, even though the duke is on his deathbed, he still manages to inflict his own kind of holiday spirit on those in his family. Each of the four novella-length romances in this collection is set at the Revelry and involves several of the duke’s relatives as both major and minor characters.

I was amazed at how seamlessly the stories played off each other, with several characters and events crossing over into more than one of the stories without missing a single step despite the different authors. Each story has its own delightful HEA, though one of my favorite secondary characters is still single and hopefully will be featured in a future book by one of these talented writers.

The first story is “A Mistletoe Kiss” by Eloisa James, which finds the duke’s youngest daughter, Cressie, frustrated that her father seems determined to keep her from marrying so she can continue to run the Revelry that he takes all the credit for. Her next-door neighbor suddenly expresses an interest in her, but she can’t trust that Elias is motivated by true affection and not some other ulterior motive. Elias is honestly seeing Cressie for who she really is, finally taking the time to look past her efforts to fade into the woodwork, and he’s instantly determined to win her hand.

I really enjoyed the way Elias and Cressie played off each other, her pride was always just enough without ever being arrogant, while his dogged determination never crossed into being pushy or demanding. It was a sweet tale of a man falling in love with a woman who has to learn to trust her heart. This was my favorite of the set, with the sweetest HEA.

The second story is “Wishing Under the Mistletoe” by Christi Caldwell. Cyrus and Isabelle meet again at the Revelry, years after their broken engagement. Their attraction is still as strong as ever, and the celebration gives them the time necessary to recognize the changes in each other as well as to take an honest look at the differences that separated them long ago. Theirs is a sweet second-chance story, a little poignant for all the years they lost.


Up next is “Compromise Under the Mistletoe” by Janna MacGregor. Caroline and Stephen are a young married couple who separated after their first year due to misunderstandings about what they each expected of the marriage. Now a year later, her uncle, the duke, insists on their proving the stability of their marriage before he releases the funds from her trust.

Thinking they’d just pretend they’ve worked everything out long enough to collect and share the money, Caro and Stephen actually embark on an honest examination of their marriage and whether there’s a chance of really making it work. Compromise is the order of the day, and I really enjoyed the way they found to make each other’s dreams come true.

“Mischief & Mistletoe” by Erica Ridley is the final story of the set. Louisa and Ewan are star-crossed from the start with a huge secret weighing between them. She’s resigned herself to accepting the less-than-ideal proposal from a womanizing viscount, if only so that she can be free to spend her time pursuing her passion for writing poetry. He’s trying to keep his grandfather’s newspaper going, even though it means publishing the kind of news that has far-reaching repercussions, the extent of which he’s only just beginning to understand.

I loved the way the author used poetry to reveal both of their hearts. Their writer’s retreat was one of my favorite parts of the entire collection. These two work so well together, despite their differences, that it was truly heartbreaking when the truth comes out and nearly destroys their fragile alliance. Ewan’s scandalous all-or-nothing grand gesture at the end was absolutely sublime and I loved every bit of it. Their HEA was sweetly satisfying.

I loved every part of this enchanting trip to the duke’s Revelry, and highly recommend it for anyone who is looking for Regency or holiday romances. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Do you love historical romance? Do you love Christmas? Then you need to read this anthology. We have four interconnected stories taking place at a Yuletide party. I really enjoyed all of these stories and they all of very different characters, which made this really fun. Each story is unique and enchanting and steamy. A great holiday read.

Romance, intrigue, and undeniable chemistry will provide the perfect balance to the Christmas season. An absolute amazing anthology of authors that make you wish it’s the holiday season all year long.

I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an advance reader copy of this story.

Mistletoe Christmas is a holiday anthology with 4 stories all taking place at the same house party. This kind of cooperation between the four authors must have been time consuming and hair pulling. To their credit it works. The Duke of Greystoke is throwing what may be his last Christmas gala house party. No one has a clue that his poor overworked, overlooked daughter is the mastermind behind the event of the season. Cressie's story is heartbreaking, he own father refuses to see her worth and it's warped her sense of self. Thank goodness she gets her HEA, though it's a rough journey. My favorite is the last in the quartet, Louisa lives in her head like so many of us do. She manages to get through social situations by bringing out her "automaton", the polite façade that follows all the rules and never puts a foot out of line. Gosh it sounded familiar. The Duke's amazing party turns out to be the setting for four lovely HEA's that are well deserved. I found the all to be a delightful way to spend the day.
#MistletoeChristmas #EloisaJames #ChristiCaldwell #JannaMacGregor #EricaRidley #Christmas #romance HarperCollins

Mistletoe Christmas is an anthology from Avon Romance by authors Elisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, and Erica Ridley. All four of the short stories take place during the Duke of Greystone’s two week Christmas Revelry. Each book brings something different and each writer keeps to their own style but the stories feel cohesive. With anthologies I find it best to discuss each story on its own as they are all so different.

A Mistletoe Kiss by Eloisa James – I’m usually a big fan of Eloisa’s books but I didn’t love this one. It’s in the vein of a brother’s best friend romance, but it is a cousin’s best friend and follows Cressida and Elias. it’s an insta love romance in that the two fall in love very quickly in this book but they have known each other distantly through Cressida’s cousin. It did have an ew moment for me when Elias mentioned being 16 and meeting Cressida for the first time when she was 5 and being impressed with her independent nature. I also couldn’t get over how horrible Cressida’s father was. There was just a lot to pack into a 100 ebook page story.

Wishing Under the Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell – This one worked better for me. It was a second chance romance between Isabelle and Cyrus who had been engaged ten years before. It was a very nice story of love and growth and reconciling who someone is now with who they were before.

Compromise Under the Mistletoe by Janna MacGregor – This is a marriage in trouble story with Caroline and Stephen pretending to be happily married so she can receive her inheritance from the Duke and then the two can go their separate ways. I wanted to like this one more than i did. I found their lack of communication frustrating and again I really hated the Duke’s meddling in their relationship.

Mischief and Mistletoe by Erica Ridley – This story follows Louisa whose mother is forcing her to find a husband at the party and Ewan, a poet with a secret. I really liked Louisa however I do think that this story would have been better suited to a full length book as the reveal of Ewan’s secret and subsequent reconciliation happened way too quickly for my taste.

Overall this wasn’t my favorite Christmas anthology, but was better than some I’ve read. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC.

𝗚𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

This awesome anthology brings into light with the well known Eloisa James and Janna MacGregor, the rising stars of the Historical Romance Christi Caldwell and Erica Ridley.
Each with their specific tone and various range explores an array of emotions with only one aim cheer our days with these feel good tales.

𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀

𝗔 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗼𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝘀𝘀 by Eloisa James

It has been a while since I have read this author, and once more a novella.
And like my two previous readings, she uses the tale length to go straight to the core of the story all the while giving enough background to her characters.
Here, Cressida is a kind of Cinderella, never seen nor heard but doing all the work to make her Duke of a sire annual Christmas revelry, the party of the year. As he lies on his dying bed, he announces her he has traded her dowry to his heir against the promise the revelry even after his demise. So her endless drudgery is to continue again and again.
The heir and his friend Elias are witness of the hurtful words and add their own after her flight.
In some way, this scene opens Elias’ eyes on Cressida’s existence and all she sacrificed in her father’s renown. The man who never had to fight to win a woman’s regard is dismissed at every turn. The hunt whets his appetite for something he did not expect.
I wondered rightly if the careless words said by Elias would come bite his rear, as at that time I was much upset in Cressida’s name for the overlooked women never seing because judged lacking.
In all, it is a sweet retelling with no other magic than the one of love in the eyes of the beholder to change the mouse in a princess.
4 stars

𝗪𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗼𝗲 by Christi Caldwell

I love this very prolific author, I have now read her for sometime and I am happy she is now recognized for the talent she has. Mrs Caldwell has such a brilliance to paint one’s many shades and her characters’ heart turmoils.
Here we have a Scrooge like hero under the name of Cyrus, former betrothed of a Duke granddaughter who let her slip through his fingers too busy building his fortune as he believed only wealth could made up for his lack of breeding.
Isabelle having lost the love of her life in his search for rich, followed her second call, theater. For now ten years, she has wrote under a male pen name and directed pieces. Allowing her love to remain only the recesses of her heart.
But as they are paired together to work alongside for her grandfather’s Christmas revelry, will past hurts, unsaid words and truth mend the bridge time has created. Their old friendship is still there, as their attraction but can more mature persona find a way out of their self inflicted pain…
Once again Mrs Caldwell gives us with a wondrous tale of past pains, second chance and love vanquishing all hurdles.
5 stars

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗼𝗲 by Janna MacGregor

Stephen and Caroline let his duty to his estate dig a breach between them, so much she has come to believe he is indifferent to her. And for the lonely little girl who grew up with no one to share anything, being a wife only when night comes, it like going back to the aloneness of her childhood years. So if she must be put aside, be it her choice.
In Stephen’s mind there is no doubt about his love for his spouse but a marriage of convenience and no wooing comforted him in the idea what he shared with his wife was enough, what she might be seeking. Forgetting the basis of love, respect, partnership, they both let distance, misunderstandings and lack of talk come between them.
Mrs MacGregor offers us a tale of changing the past and healing their ailing marriage when time and distance did not douse their affection, maybe closeness and urgency can remedy to it and each makes see truly the other.
5 stars

𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗳 & 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗼𝗲 by Erica Ridley

Like Mrs Caldwell, here is another talented author I have read for years, Mrs Ridley has joined the ranks of the lucky and skilled authors to be mass-market published. A well deserved reward.
I laughed at Louisa’s prickling nose problem, yet with her Automaton Alternate I was wondering if the tale would lean more toward dramatic Pinocchio than funny Bewitched.
But here is a game of deception, two people hiding who they truly are and what they really want to fulfill others needs and expectations.
Louisa dreams of poetry but who would long for a woman who thinks and feels too much.
Ewan wants his own published newspaper instead he follows his grandfather’s lead to fill their coffers the fastest way he believes he is able.
By purporting to make true some others’ dreams instead of theirs, they both are living a lie, burying their living essence within themselves until there is nothing left of their life’s spark.
Yet will love be enough to break the chains and forgiven past choices.
5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scenes.

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.