I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Kissing Under the Mistletoe is an anthology of three Christmas novellas.
Great Scot! by Suzanne Enoch takes place in the world of her Wild Wicked Highlander series. The family has travelled to Scotland for the holidays. When Jane Bansil, the quiet and shy companion of the McTaggert matriarch, meets Brennan Andrews, widower, architect, and cousin, the McTaggart's sparks fly, and Jane must choose to play it safe or to take a chance on her own happily ever after.
Christmas At Dewberry Hollow by Amelia Grey features Isabel Reed, daughter of the innkeeper and John Cabot Gatestone grandson to the Duke of Notsgrove, who has returned to the inn on an end of life quest to find the heart he and his duchess carved on a tree near the inn. Isabel knows better than to trust her heart to a guest of the inn as they always leave and seldom return.
My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett is my favourite of the three stories. Eva Tiding is caught in the act of larceny when she tries to retrieve her father's watch, and her intended victim Jack Hardwick, Earl of Frostbough, proposes that they pretend to be engaged so as to forestall his grandmother’s matchmaking efforts. In exchange, he will return the watch to her.
Sparkling banter and intriguing protagonists make for a delightful holiday read. Steam Level: Medium. Publishing Date: September 28, 2021. #KissingUnderThe Mistletoe #GreatScot #ChristmasAtDewberryHollow #MyMistletoeBeau #SuzanneEnoch #AmeliaGrey #AnnaBennett
#HistoricalRomance #HistoricalRomanceReader #HolidayAnthology #RomanceReader #HistoricalRomanceAnthology #HolidayNovellas #NetGalley #bookstagram #bookstagrammer

The short storied were entertaining and fun to read.

Great Scot! by Suzanne Enoch (2 stars):
I have read the series of which this story is part of and enjoyed it. It was fun to see the MacTaggerts again. However, I felt the romance in this story felt flat. It annoyed me how Jane kept saying she was boring. I liked Brennan.

Christmas at Dewberry Hollow by Amelia Grey (3 stars):
This was a cute story with likeable characters.

My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett (4 stars):
This was my favorite of the three stories. I loved the bantering between Jack and Eva. The couple had chemistry. I wish the story was longer. The ending felt a little rushed.

I always approach an anthology with a different mindset than I do a full-length book, because I know I have to be prepared for great stories boxed in tiny packages. Sometimes this works, other times it doesn't. Thankfully, all three of these authors are very talented, and overall this collection earned a solid five stars from me.

Great Scot! - Suzanne Enoch

This is the only novella in this collection that is tied to a series I have also read, which really enhanced my enjoyment (although it's not necessary to read the series to enjoy the novella). The story is about the paid companion, Jane, who helped her cousin Amy marry Niall in a prior book. Forced to consider what direction her life will go in now that she has options, she never thought marriage would be a possibility. Until she meets a handsome architect named Brennan, who thought love wouldn't be his again after losing his wife seven years ago. When they meet, there is immediate chemistry, and over a few days they grow close. But Jane is afraid of change, and that fear may keep her from realizing her future lies in the arms of the man she loves. Jane and Brennan made my heart skip a beat! I loved them as a couple and as individuals, and I really enjoyed seeing their love grow. Poor Jane was so lost, not knowing what road she should take, and it was so sweet to see how patient Brennan was with her. There is one scene where they discuss a library Jane would want to own one day, and the way Brennan immediately draws up the plans for what it could look like...the man is my hero. Where can I find a man like this? Sign me up! I was sad when the story ended, but it was such a happy ending for two amazing people. Left me smiling.

Christmas at Dewberry Hollow - Amelia Grey

In this novella, I really loved the author's description of the inn, the secondary characters, and the backstory of the hero's grandfather. She did an amazing job setting the scene and drawing the reader into the story. The hero, John Gatestone, is the duke's grandson, and he is trying to help him find the tree where he carved his initials alongside his wife's many years ago. While out in the forest, one of his guards is shot by a young woman who he later learns is the local innkeeper's daughter. They immediately are attracted to each other, but she fights it knowing he will only leave someday. But as with many forced proximity romances, things heat up and their passion can no longer be denied. Now the only question is if they will pursue a life together or leave things as one night of pleasurable memories. The secondary characters get a standing ovation from me, especially the portrayal of the elderly woman with dementia. Everything felt so genuine. I enjoyed the heroine, and the hero seemed like a decent fellow, although I felt like their chemistry was lacking at times. I would have liked more development, as the ending felt a bit rushed to keep the story short. I would have loved to see this written as a full-length novel, and I'm eager to read more by Amelia Grey to see how her stories are when they're able to fully spread their wings.

My Mistletoe Beau - Anna Bennett

This was by far my favorite novella in the collection! I absolutely adored this couple, from the way they meet to the way they slowly fall in love. It's a classic enemies to lovers tale. Miss Eva Tiding breaks into Jack Hardwick, Earl of Frostbough, apartments to retrieve her father's watch, which she believes was swindled from him by Jack during a card game. When she is caught, Jack makes a deal with her - allow him to pretend to court her for the holidays to make his grandmother happy, and at the end, she can have her father's watch. Throughout it all, they bicker but it becomes clear very quickly that there is a thin line between love and hate. Eva finds Jack attractive and slowly begins to allow him into her heart, while Jack becomes smitten much more quickly. But there is a past between their fathers that may prevent them from finding love together, if they aren't able to let go of the past to enjoy the future together. What I loved most about this story was the way that Jack clearly fell in love first. And oh my gosh, the groveling he does towards the end. So good! I would rate this collection 5 stars for just this story alone. It is truly a wonderful story - so wonderful that it didn't even feel like a novella. Anna Bennett cleverly created a story that felt fully developed while remaining short for the collection. Amazing and makes me want to read more by her.

Three Christmas stories to get you into the holiday spirit. Each one features a couple who finds love at Christmas. They feature bold women and handsome men. Great Scot features the MacTaggert Clan which is funny and fun. Each story has a light level of steam and is all about making that love connection. It’s a good way to swing some Christmas miracles.

Each story in this anthology was fantastic. I devoured this book. Each story had a heartwarming element that was perfect. The drawing in Jane's story, the tree in Isabelle's and the watch in Eva's.

Great Scot! by Suzanne Enoch was my favorite of the stories. Even though this story stands well on its own, this story focused on Jane Bansil, who is a minor character from the The Wild Wicked Highlanders series. Jane feels more like a charity case than a companion. Jane has almost given up dreams of marrying but widower Brennan Andrews might give her hope. I really enjoyed this story and would give it 4 stars.
Christmas at Dewberry Hollow by Amelia Grey - Gate, the Duke of Notsgrave’s grandson is trying to find the tree that his grandparents carved a heart and their names on it. Meanwhile, Gate is intrigued with the innkeeper's daughter. This story was okay.
My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett - Miss Eva Tiding gets caught breaking into an earl's home. Eva makes a deal with the duke to pretend to be courting. I didn't care for the fact that Eva is not concerned with her reputation, but wants to experience passion rather than marriage. I think that too many stories place 'modern women' in historical stories. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review.

Wow this book should have a lot more stars, five for each story !! All of the stories are wonderful and heartfelt with three different couples.
Great Scoot, is the first book.
Anyone who has read "The Wicked Highlands" by Suzanne will know the characters in this book. It was great to revisit the brothers. Miss Jane Bansil thinks of herself as the poor relation, even thru her cousins and their husband don't see her that way. She is always trying to not be seen and is happiest only in her room with her books. She is 33 and knows she will never have the husband and family she once dreamed about. She has had a really hard life after her parents died.
Brennan Andrews is a cousin to the MacTaggart's. He has been thru a lot in his life. As a young man he was in a horrible accident with a horse which scared him. After overcoming his injuries and moved on he loss his young wife to a fever. He has been widowed for seven years now. He likes his quite life, with his books, and drawings. Till he meets Jane. Both have so much to give but both don't know how to think of themselves. This is a wonderful love story of two wounded people. It nice to read about a couple in their middle years as most stories are about the young who have not been thru what life sometimes gives us.
Christmas at Dewberry Hollow
Is about Isabelle Reed a young lady who helps run a famous inn with her mother. She had her heart broken at just twelve, when the man she thought would be a father to her just up and left both her and her mother. She vowed right then not to trust the males of the world. She has met many men over the years at the Inn. Not a one of them made her change her mind. Finding out that the grumpy, old Duke of Notsgrove is coming back for a visit at Christmas really upsets her. As she is not the usual London female. She loves being outdoors, riding and shooting too.
John Cabot Gatestone is the Grandson of the Duke. His whole life has been spent doing what most wealth sons do, gambling, partying, keeping himself entertained with his friends and women too.
He has no duties, or responsibilities. The life of these two couldn't be any further apart.
But from the first time they meet under really bad circumstances the attraction is off the charts.
How these two learn to help each other, solve a problem and teach each other what they are missing makes a fun, steamy story.
My Mistletoe Beau
Miss Eve Tiding has taken care of her father all her life as a promise made to her mother.
She was only nine at the time. She will do anything to make him happy even if it means breaking in to grumpy, swindler of a rough. One Earl of Frostbough !
Unfortunately, Eve is a poor thief and gets caught by the man himself. Jack can't believe that a lady tried to steal from him. When he finds out just who she is he wants revenge for past hurts starting when he was just six. He also wants to see how far she will go to get what she wants. You will love them both !!
As this very determine couple set out to both get their way fate steps in and the rest is hilarious, steamy, darling, and sad too. What a roll a coaster of a ride. This was my favorite of the three stories.
I loved them all, this is a great book. Be prepared to not get much done once you start this book.
It is not a quick read, but one that should be read and enjoyed. Would be great with a fireplace and a Hugh cup of coco.
I received an ARC from the authors and wish to thank them. This is my honest opinion and am freely giving it.

This delightful Christmas anthology contains stories from three of my favorite Regency romance authors. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Great Scot! by Suzanne Enoch:
If you've read The Wild Wicked Highlanders series, you'll recognize Jane, companion to the mother of the MacTaggert brothers. In this story, she's courted by their architect cousin, Brennan. Will she give up her quiet life and take a chance on love?

Throughout the series, Jane is a beloved figure. It's poignant in this book to see how she regards herself—a poor relation who's a nuisance to everyone. Brennan appreciates her for the lovely woman she is, and it's wonderful to see her get her HEA.

Christmas at Dewberry Hollow by Amelia Grey:
Isabelle may be the daughter of a viscount, but she's happy running a country inn with her mother. When Gate, a duke's grandson, comes to stay for a few days, she can't resist the romance that blossoms between them. But is she willing to change her whole life for him?

Isabelle is strong and independent, unwilling to take a chance on love. She's needed at the inn, and that's enough for her. Gate, however, can't help falling for her. He accepts her as she is and proves to her that love can last. This is a tender story with a very satisfying ending.

My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett:
Eva wants to get back the watch Jack won from her father in a card game. He makes her a deal: he'll give her the watch if she pretends to be his fiancée while his grandmother is in town. Will their pretend love turn real?

This is a lively story with a clever heroine who meets her match in the hero. Both have a distorted sense of reality due to their wounds from the past. But love helps them realize what matters most, so they can mature into the person the other needs.

This was a really fun, cozy read perfect for Christmas!

Great Scot by Suzanne Enoch:
Jane is the hired companion to her cousin and is staying with the family in Scotland when she meets her hosts friend and architect, Brennan. Jane has given up on love and had accepted her life as a spinster, but now she must decide if she can see a new path open to her to live the rest of her life. These two were really cute together and it was a fun, easy read.

Christmas at Dewberry Hollow by Amelia Grey:
Isabelle, the granddaughter of a viscount, runs the family Inn with her mother. Reluctantly, they agree to host a Duke over Christmas so the Duke and his Grandson Gate can locate a tree in which the duke and his late wife carved a heart with their initials. Gate enlists the help of Isabelle - after Isabelle shoots his guard thinking he was a deer! Definitely an interesting meet-cute for these two and it was a fun read overall.

My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett: My favourite of the three!
Eva is looking to get her father's timepiece back from the Jack, Earl of Frostbough and decides she will sneak into his house, pick his locks, and look for it herself. Of course, she is caught in the act by the Earl himself. Jack agrees to give her the watch back if she agrees to pretend to court him in order to appease his grandmother who desperately wants to see him engaged. This book was so funny and i really enjoyed it! I mean there is a striptease! These characters have plenty of chemistry from the start and apart from one bit at the end I loved it.

This was a fun anthology to read. The stories were not connected, but they were very similar in tone, which made them easy to read & enjoy.

Suzanne Enoch's story - 'Great Scot' - is related to her 'Wild Wicked Highlanders' series, but it stands just fine on its own. I, for one, am very glad Jane Bansil got her own tale. She's an interesting side character in the series, but one that deserved to find love.

Amelia Grey's story - 'Christmas At Dewberry Hollow' - is a lovely tale of the oddest meet-not-so-cute turning into romance that I have read in a long time. The characters were intriguing, and the story was paced just fast enough to keep it from becoming bogged down.

Anna Bennett's story - 'My Mistletoe Beau' - is the ultimate enemies to lovers tale with potential to spin off into other stories. You will fall in love with Eva & Jack as quickly as they fell for one another.

Overall, this was a short but sweet read, and any fan of historical romance will enjoy giving it a read.

Each of these stories will put you in the mood for the Christmas Season. Usually when I read an anthology there is at least one story that is not as good as the others. That's not the case here. Each is well written with good character development and well intentioned and executed plots.

𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
An other lovely bundle sets during the most cheerful period of the year, bringing together people who probably would never have meet under other circumstances.

𝙂𝙍𝙀𝘼𝙏 𝙎𝘾𝙊𝙏! by Suzanne Enoch
Miss Jane Bansil knows she will never have a fairy-tale moment. Well past the marriageable age, she’s taken a position as a companion and is now stuck in Scotland for Christmas, alone even in the middle of the boisterous MacTaggert family. But when Brennan Andrews, an architect and cousin to the MacTaggerts, arrives to draw up plans for a new family home, Jane must decide if she will take a chance at a happily-ever-after, or settle into her small, safe life for good.

𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

I remember having left upset after the last book in the Wild Wicked Highlanders series as there was no epilogue to conclude the trilogy, but it looks like this novella is the epilogue I so wanted to read.
One turned into another romance story.
It’s true, Jane was the only woman from the series left without a match when she helped her cousin to win her love but lost her position.
She had until now living a kind of Cinderella like life, orphaned, the relative no one wants nor needs if it is for her useful presence. And now she is at a cross turn in her life, and after so half her life spent in the shadows, is she willing to take a risk.
Brennan is the MacTaggerts’ older cousin, honest, hard working, widowed for some years now, is he ready for a new beginning, even more with the shy miss preferring the company of books to crowd.
A lovely tale of seeing beyond appearance and reaching for what seems impossible.
4 stars

𝘾𝙃𝙍𝙄𝙎𝙏𝙈𝘼𝙎 𝘼𝙏 𝘿𝙀𝙒𝘽𝙀𝙍𝙍𝙔 𝙃𝙊𝙇𝙇𝙊𝙒 by Amelia Grey
Miss Isabelle Reed has no plans to ever fall in love. She has a perfectly acceptable life with her mother at the Dewberry Hollow Inn, thank you very much. But when Gate, the Duke of Notsgrave’s grandson, appears at Dewberry Hollow searching for a carving on a tree, Isabelle cannot help but get involved. But Gate’s charm and their instant attraction makes Isabelle question if she’s willing to take her chance at love once again.

𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

A lovely tale of giving meaning to one’s live. While they could have been navigated the same sphere if Isabelle has wanted it but she feels the need to be useful, finding in her family’s business the answers she seeks, even if all is not smooth. Gate is bored like many younger sons, he abides by the rules of his caste but it seems the life of leisure has lost its shine.
So helping his grandfather fulfill his last wish gives him some reason to be.
Their chemistry is instantaneous, but Isabelle wants nothing to do with a man who will leave in a few days. And to Gate, it is only a respite from the restless life of the city. Yet as feelings deepen, they find themselves ensnared in a conundrum as none can picture its life out of its actual boundary.
With Isabelle and Gate, the author brings together two persons everything opposes but at the right time, opening Gate’s eyes to an other view of life.
4.5 stars


𝙈𝙔 𝙈𝙄𝙎𝙏𝙇𝙀𝙏𝙊𝙀 𝘽𝙀𝘼𝙐 by Anna Bennett
Miss Eva Tiding is determined to cheer her widowed father with the perfect Christmas gift. Even if it means breaking into the home of the rakish Earl of Frostbough who swindled Papa out of his pocket watch. But when the earl, Jack Hardwick, catches her in the act, they strike a deal: she’ll pose as his fiancée in exchange for the watch. Falling in love is not part of the plan—but with a little Christmas magic, anything is possible…

𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

Oh my this is my favorite of the three, after I am a sucker for stories with bickering and banters.
And one thing is sure, between Jack and Eva, nothing is smooth nor tidy.
Eva never had doubts about her parents love for each other, so she can not imagined anything for her than an union based on the same feelings.
Jack, on the opposite saw what love did to his father as he suffered as a collateral damage of his sire’s heartbreak.
Yet sparks flare from the beginning between them, but as they realize they do not so much hate the other, past pain, wrong wording and doubts come between them.
Mrs Bennett offers us a witty tale of two quippish persons who would do anything for those they love, even a bargain with the devil. Until love atones for their mistakes and mends their path to one another’s heart.
5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen sweet lovemaking scenes

This anthology is by 3 great authors. The only connection between them is that they take place at Christmas.
"Great Scot" by Suzanne Enoch was a continuation of her "Wicked Highlanders" series. This story is about Coll, a Mctaggart cousin and Jane, who we've met in a previous book. It was ashort and sweet story.
In "Christmas at Dewberry Hall" by Amelia Grey, we meet Gate and Isabelle. This was my favorite of the 3. It had a very good beginning which reeled you right in.
The 3rd story,"My Mistletoe Beau" by Anna Bennett is an enemies to lovers troupe. I loved how they met, their fake engagement and then seeing them fall in love.
3 stories by 3 great authors.
5 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kissing Under the Mistletoe was a decent enough anthology. I always find myself in conflict with anthologies and novellas: I want the convenience of a short and sweet read, but I dislike the insta-love/lust aspect and lack of development (character and otherwise) in such stories.

Keeping that in mind, the first story was a low three stars, the second a two star and the last a high three star rating.

I did not feel a connection between the main characters in the second story and found the storyline kind of boring as well. Thus, the two stars there. The other two stories were pretty decent, with the last being the best in my opinion. I enjoyed the bit of enemies to lovers feel in the third story, and the snark and banter between the main characters was quite good. Also, it was a little longer than the others, allowing a touch more development to occur.

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

Three fantastic short romances bring all the Christmas cheer!

This set of three, unrelated holiday-themed love stories was a delight to read. These are three of my favorite hist-rom authors, so my expectations were high from the start and I was not disappointed.

“Great Scot!” by Suzanne Enoch starts off the book with a couple minor characters from the author's Wild Wicked Highlanders series. If you've read those stories about the MacTaggert clan and their English brides, then you must get this book for this story alone. It's a sweet and tender love story all by itself, but it also serves as a wonderful follow-up with the characters we fell in love with in the series.

Brennan is a MacTaggert cousin and an architect who is helping Coll and Temperance design their manor house. He's enchanted by the demure, somewhat skittish Jane, who is in Scotland with the MacTaggerts as a companion for Lady Aldriss. Their relationship is adorable and everything that Jane deserves.

In “Christmas at Dewberry Hollow” by Amelia Grey, Isabelle and Gate have one of the most astonishing meet-cutes I've ever read. He's only staying at her family's historic inn for a short time, just long enough to help his grandfather fulfill a life-long promise. A true romantic at heart, Gate is determined to find a way for them to bridge the gap and make their romance work. I loved the symbolism and sentimentality of their HEA. This was a simple story, filled with heartwarming traditions and legendary romances.

“My Mistletoe Beau” by Anna Bennett gives us Eva and Jack, enemies from the start, though she's not exactly sure why. These two take bickering and banter as flirting to an all new level, and I loved every bit of it. The passion is evident throughout, even though the secrets were held to the very end. I loved the pacing, the surprise connections, the multi-layered secondary romances, and the sigh-worthy way everything worked out in the end. The scene that cemented their HEA was so brilliantly written I almost stood up and cheered.

If you're looking for historical holiday romances, this is the book you can't miss. Every story is a real gem and together they bring all the Christmas spirit you can hope for. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Wonderful, wonderful stories.
The first story made me believe that there is someone out there who fits us and confirms we are worthy of love in the most unexpected places.
The second story is just enchanting and loving, since Isabelle doesn't trust love it wonderful how a man she falls for return her love and gives her the best Christmas present ever. It made me want to cry because it was so wonderful.
The third story was just plan fun, after both Eva and Jack agree to make believe they are engaged, magic happens and they really fall in love with each other but until then what fun they are until they realize how they feel.
I wanted to read this trilogy because I love Amelia Grey's stories but I didn't know what to expected from the other two authors and after reading the stories I wasn't disappointed at all. I loved the stories so much that I couldn't put the story down and read all three stories in 3 days. I loved the romance and happy endings and you will love these too.

I want to thank St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Paperbacks and NetGalley for this holiday treat.

Kissing Under the Mistletoe is the perfect collection of novellas to get you in the Christmas spirit. I thoroughly enjoyed all three stories while I pretended it isn't still 95 degrees outside in the middle of September. They're all well written with great characters.

Great Scot by Suzanne Enoch: I was happy that Jane got her own story. Great Scot was so sweet and the perfect ending for her. I also adore the MacTaggerts and loved seeing them all again. This is a good read even if you haven't read any of the Wild Wicked Highlanders.

Christmas at Dewberry Hollow was my first Amelia Grey book and I enjoyed it. It was very charming. I'm not sure if it's a spinoff of a series, I wasn't lost in the characters or the plot if it was.

My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett was also my first read by her. I loved it so much. I was invested in Eva and Jack instantly. I'm so excited to dive into her backlist and see what I've been missing out on.

What a delightful trio of sweet, sexy stories with interesting, lovable characters and intriguing plots.

Suzanne Enoch is one of my favorite authors, and in her contribution, GREAT SCOT, she takes us back to the wonderful Wild Wicked Highlanders Coll, Niall, and Aden and their wives Temperence, Amy, and Miranda while introducing us to companion Jane Bansil and MacTaggert cousin Brennan Andrews. She knows she will never have a fairy-tale life and he believes his fairy-tale life is in the past. But of course they are thrown together, feel an instant, strong attraction and provide us with some very touching, funny and sexy encounters. We are sure where this should be going; they are a bit more hard-headed. As always author Enoch gives us great words and word pictures, excitement, danger and love, love, love. A thoroughly satisfying story I couldn’t put down. A perfect little follow-up to the third MacTaggart adventure.

The second story, CHRISTMAS AT DEWBERRY HOLLOW, continues the pleasure of this trio of stories. Author Amelia Grey has caught my eye in the past and her entry here more than lived up to my expectations. Isabelle Reed has seen and experienced love in the past and knows just how much desertion and betrayal can hurt and has no intention of making herself vulnerable and going there again. She enjoys running the inn with her mother in their small village and doesn’t see herself ever leaving. Gate is not the heir to his grandfather’s title so has no glorious future awaiting him but keeping his promise to fulfill his dying grandfather’s wish is finally the opportunity he has looked for to do something of value, something that counts. Isabelle and Gate meet in the woods when she thinks she is shooting at a deer. A bit of a comedy of errors follows, along with heat-searing, heart-stopping, achingly sweet instant attraction between them. He’s not going to stay, she’s not going to leave, this won’t work. Or can it? Isabelle and Gate are both strong yet vulnerable, sweet yet stubborn and beyond delightful. Plus Christmas at the inn is beautiful. Don’t miss this one!

Anna Bennett is another author I’ve enjoyed in the past, and MY MISTLETOE BEAU makes her one of my favorites. Eva has a giant chip on her shoulder. She doesn’t really mind that her widowed father’s finances have suffered and they must live more simply, but she believes he was swindled out of his pocket watch, an item with great sentimental value, and is determined to get it back to cheer him up for Christmas. Naturally breaking into the home of the earl who she thinks swindled Papa is the plan that comes to mind. Well, she’s caught by Jack, that very same rakish earl. She can’t stand him – except there is something about him that keeps drawing her to him. And he’s equally attracted to her. They agree she can have the watch if she will pretend to be date him while his grandmother is visiting. Of course it’s all pretend, right? They can’t stand each other. Except somehow they announce they are engaged, she loves spending time with his grandmother, and he is jealous of the marriage her father is trying to set up for her. And everyone but Eva and Jack can see what’s happening between them. Funny, sweet, suspenseful, just a wonderful story. I loved it and so will you.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance copy of Kissing Under the Mistletoe for my reading pleasure and honest review. You can never have too many Christmas stories, especially if they are as wonderful as these. Highly recommend. All opinions are my own.

Three delightful stories from NetGalley. They show humor with a surprise to the characters. One takes place in Scotland and one takes us to the beach in the southern end of England. Each has a different story to tell but they all find love in the end.

Wow What a wonderful set. All of the second leading ladies we have all been reading about finally get their happy ever afters. Loved ever page.