Such a cute anthology! Low on steam but high on feels! Wish some of them had been a bit more fleshed out bt that is the problem with anthologies normally - I am left wanting more.

How terrific to have three novellas in one volume - all romantic and all with a Christmas theme! I read these one at a time over a period of time and thoroughly enjoyed each of them. Each has a slightly different , let's face it up front, trope but each couple works wonderfully. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A fun one to keep by your side for when you need a short and happy romantic read.

Okay, this was so fun! Not that I didn't expect it to be, but anthologies can be so hit or miss and this one, by and large, was a hit! The perpetually positive part of anthologies is that there's almost always something for everyone depending on your particular faves.

If we're going to split out each of the stories here, I gave Suzanne Enoch's "Great Scot" 4.5 stars. I vaguely recalled that I had read one of her books before, and it was actually a book in the same series in which this is an installment, though I read #3 in the series not realizing it was the third in the series! Anyway, this one was candy just for me. An older (for the time period) unmarried heroine, a dashing one-eyed widower architect who plans to build her a dream library? Sign me right up. I appreciated how forthright and communicative they were, which is a thing you're more able to do when you plant your hero and heroine into their particular circumstances. I loved the big family vibes as well. Lovely.

I gave Amelia Grey's "Christmas at Dewberry Hollow" a solid 3 star. I don't think it's one that will stay with me, but it gave me "Hallmark movie in Regency era" vibes, and who doesn't want that during the holiday times? (By which I mean, the day after Labor Day to mid-January, lol) Set in a small town at an inn, the hero Gate brings his grandfather to help him honor the last request of his dying wife: to find the tree they carved a heart into decades earlier and tie her ribbon around it. But Gate wasn't anticipating Isabelle, the feisty, independent daughter of the inn owner, who shakes up his plans in the best way. It has a little bit of holiday magic, and while there's definitely chemistry, nothing is too explicit or descriptive, including a fade-to-black sex scene. Very Hallmark, in the best way!

And I gave Anna Bennett's "My Mistletoe Beau" a full five stars and definitely plan to keep an eye out for her work in the future! I had never read anything from her before, and what a delightful introduction. This is my favourite of the possible outcomes of an anthology - coming away with a new-to-you author on your radar! This one truly hit my romance book bingo: historical, fake dating, very steamy, low-ish angst, good communication. Eva is caught breaking into rakish earl Jack's house to steal back a beloved and sentimental pocket watch that her father lost to him in a card game. In a surprising turn of events, Jack has basically been lying to his grandmother about courting someone in order to get her to leave him alone a bit, and he proposes that Eva pose as said person he's courting in order to get the pocket watch back. But then they catch feelings! I love how much control Eva is allowed to have in this relationship - they're very communicative about where they're both at, how things are progressing, but she's the one who is bold enough to ask for more on the physical side. Their banter is super cute, and the cozy holiday vibes are high, especially towards the end. It's pretty low drama, although there is reasonable conflict, and I just loved it so much.

Overall, a holiday historical romance anthology that offers something for everyone, but a little something extra for folks who like similar things to me.

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

Available on 9-28-2021, Kissing Under The Mistletoe is a anthology of short stories for the Christmas season. Three romance writers have each provided a story revolving around love for the best present ever. I enjoyed all three but I will admit that one was my favorite. A plus to these Christmas book is that the story will usually involve secondary or new characters in an existing series. It's fun to catch up on what's going on while being involved in a new romance. I thought this was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

#SusanneEnoch #AmeliaGrey #AnnaBennett #KissingUnderTheMistletoe #StMartin'sPaperbacks #historicalromance #romance #Christmas

I was itching for another HR, so I was delighted when I was invited to view the ARC via Netgalley.

I’m normally not a fan of historical romance novellas - instalove bothers me, and they tend to just condense a full plot into less pages, which never seems to make much sense.

That being said, I enjoyed this collection far more than I thought I would.

The first story by Suzanne Enoch takes place in one of her existing trilogies - one that I’d actually started two of the books in, but never finished. Ironically, that made me feel as if I already knew the characters, and was ready to jump in. Overall, this one was sweet, and probably my favorite of the lot. Jane was charming and insecure, and her love interest was respectful and wholesome. The story didn’t feel rushed, which I’m surprised by (if you ignore the fact that they fall in love after, like, a day).

The second one was also fun - Isabelle works at her mom’s inn, trying to help her make ends meet, and while hunting, shoots the guard of the grandson of a duke. The premise is so ridiculous that I thoroughly enjoyed it. At times, I didn’t love the writing, but again, the story was sweet, so I didn’t particularly mind. Gate was a solid love interest, and it was fun to see unfold.

The last one is one of those classic enemies-to-lovers: Eva breaks into the Earl of Frostbough’s house to steal a watch he won in a bet from her father. This was the most rushed of the lot, and I found myself skimming. At one point, Jack says, “hell yes,” which threw me out of the story a bit. Still cute and a fun, ridiculous premise, but I wasn’t feeling it overall.

3.5 stars, rounded down.

Light hearted enjoyable historical romances. Handsome heroes and beautiful heroines all looking for and finding love.

~ 4.5 stars overall
Three Christmas novellas from three Regency authors. I've previously read all three authors. I love two of them and like the third, which is reflected in my individual story ratings.

Great Scot by Suzanne Enoch ~ 5 stars
It was so great to revisit the MacTaggarts again, only in Scotland this time (need more). Even though they were minor to this story, it was enjoyable to get involved in their antics and relationships. This story is about a charming widower and a woman who firmly believes she doesn't matter and just tries to not be a burden by acting as a hired companion to MacTaggart matriarch for a time, even though they both know she's not needed. This was a lovely and sweet story with love at first sight (basically) but these are both older people so it works especially in the time period.

Christmas at Dewberry Hollow by Amelia Grey ~ 3 stars
As I often find in Ms. Grey's books, the characters are interesting and adorable, some more than others (hero), but the interactions between them are just okay and sometimes confusing. It's a pretty cute story, but has a few issues.

My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett ~ 5 stars
I loved this story. They're enemies, well he is to her, while her father is to him. He catches her red-handed trying to steal back her father's watch. A watch that means everything to her father. And he, to his consternation, needs a fake courtship to keep his grandmother at bay. Sounds like a trade is in order. This was enemies to friends to lovers short story was very heartwarming and funny.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an impartial review.

Kissing Under the Mistletoe

Great Scot! by Suzanne Enoch
Jane Bansil and Brennan Andrews: This is their Christmas story of love between a widower and a companion who thinks she is on the shelf.

Christmas at Dewberry Hollow by Amelia Grey
Miss Isabelle Reed and John Gatestone (Gate, the Duke of Notsgrave’s grandson): Their chance at love

My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett
Miss Eva Tiding and Jack Hardwidk, Earl of Frostbough: Hate to love story
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Page-turner Funny Easy-to-read Wonderful characters Happily Ever After Steamy Romantic

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

Suzanne Enoch- I was a little disappointed in this one because I really loved the last one in this series, but this fell super flat for me. I wasn't a big fan of Jane, and she was a little one dimensional. I wasn't invested in her and Brennan's love story. The secondary characters who showed up in previous books were the most interesting part about this one for me. 2.5 stars

Amelia Grey- I liked this one a little better, and found both main characters to be likeable. I found Gate to be pretty endearing and sweet. I thought his relationship with his grandpa and their mission they were on together was adorable. Unfortunately, sometimes with this author's writing, I find it to be jarring like it doesn't flow. It feels a little weird, and maybe that's just a personal preference issue for me. 3.5 stars

Anna Bennett- This story was the obvious star in this book. She is a talented writer, and I always enjoy the amount of romance she puts in her books. I am always able to feel the connection and chemistry between the characters. Eva and Jack were no different. I loved their banter and their teasing, and the beginning how they met. She is quickly becoming a new favorite for me. 5 stars

"Kissing Under the Mistletoe" 3-author anthology
"Great Scot!" by Suzanne Enoch
"Christmas at Dewberry Hollow" by Amelia Grey
"My Mistletoe Beau" by Anna Bennett
Triple the fun with 3 stories
I loved my time within these stories. I was rather sad when each ended but that is the way with stories by good story tellers. You just do not want the story to end, at least, not yet. They are three Light Easy reads, please note, there is a bit of spice but I think you can handle it, I did. Happy Reading ! !
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
This review is my honest opinion.

This historical romance Christmas anthology offers three tales. The first from Suzanne Enoch expands on her Wild Wicked Highlanders series. Cousin Jane who stuck her neck out for Amy & Niall finally gets her own highland love story with the MacTaggert's cousin Brennan, an architect. I don't know why, but this one gave me the tingles. It's a sweet, quick love-at-first-sight tale that has a spice level of 2.

The second story by Amelia Gray is the weakest of the three. It's a sweet romance (no explicit descriptions) between two aristocrats (Isabelle & Gate) at an Inn around Christmas. Together they search for a tree carved with his grandparents initials as a Christmas gift for his grandfather who is dying.

The third story by Anna Bennett, is the spiciest (level 4) and hence, my favorite of the three. It's a fake romance plot - always a winner. Eva & Jack both have reasons to fake an attachment but neither expected it to become real. I think it's my favorite because Jack was the most fleshed out of all three male leads in this collection.

The stories are quick reads and perfect for putting down and picking up during the busy holiday season. It's hard to rate these quick romances fairly compared to the longer more interestingly dramatic ones I usually read. I give this three stars. I liked it, but I need a little more spice in my egg nog.

I received a copy from NetGalley for preview and this is my freely given review. I am not looking for deep philosophy or to glean out the mysteries of the universe, and higher physics here - I am just looking for a little escapism from reality and some heart warming romance. I found this hit the right notes for me, so a solid 4.5 mistletoe balls for this little set of novellas.

Call me a sentimental fool, but I love Christmas love stories. I am all about the glad tidings, smell of pine, the bright red of holly, and warm toasty fires, while the swirl of snow blows outside... or maybe my brain is addled by the hot, humid weather that is my reality right now, which is why I am wanting to read Christmas stories. Probably come January, I will be huddled by the fire, with hot chocolate, reading about Caribbean waters, and pirate ships, or exotic travels to Egypt and trade with India!

Regardless, I was greatly anticipating this collection when I first saw it advertised on various book sites, because I have quite enjoyed various works by all three authors in the past. Throw in a historical romance, and Christmas goodness and I am a happy camper.

In Great Scot, by Suzanne Enoch, we have the antithesis of the alpha male highlander in another book I just finished. Brennan Andrews is a scarred widower looking to design a manor house for his cousin, and found instead an attraction to a hired companion, Jane Bansil. Jane, is a shy spinster who was orphaned early, and never thought to find love and independence. This was a sweet story of unexpected love, and two lonely souls who found each other. It was very gentle and heart warming. I also had never read any of the other books about the MacTaggarts, and now I am intrigued enough to go back and read that series too. It did not feel like you needed to know the other stories to enjoy this little short though. Perfect for a read by a cozy, toasty fire, cuddled under a blanket with the dog at my feet. A good 4/5 sprigs of holly for me here.

Christmas at Dewberry Hollow, by Amelia Grey, was another lovely story situated around an inn in what sounds like a charming bit of countryside, and a spunky heroine who is determined to be strong and independent, having seen how love has disappointed her mother in the past. The hero, is the grandson of a dying duke, who arrives to help his grandfather fulfill some unfinished business, involving the grandfather's own past love story. This was a fun read, involving accidental gunfire, and lots of frosty walks in the woods, and a few sweet side characters, including a rather grumpy old duke. Another good 4/5 brightly burning yule logs here too.

My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bradley is probably my favourite of the trio. It starts with Miss Eva Tiding learning to pick locks with her hairpin, and breaking into Lord Frostbough's bachelor apartment to steal back her father's watch, because it was a reminder of his beloved wife, who had passed away. Instead, she gets caught by the Earl, and they come to a deal where she has to play the loving partner to his sham courting, to fool his grandmother into thinking he is in a relationship. But what starts out as a sham, becomes reality. I wish this was actually more than a short story actually; there was the inkling of three other potential romances here that I would have liked to read more about, and some resolution of past issues that were intriguing. I enjoyed some of the pithy dialogue between the main characters, and the development of their passion for each other. This one made it a 5/5 steaming hot mugs of mulled cider for me!

A lovely collection of Christmas historical romance stories, I enjoyed the writing on each of these, I think the authors did a really good job writing these short stories, despite its lenght the plots and characters were very compelling and I truly enjoyed reading how the relationships developed for each of this couples.
Even if the anthology is centereed around Christmas you can read this stories at any time and have a nice time, specially if you're a romance fan.

Kissing Under The Mistletoe is a lovely trio of holiday books by Suzanne Enoch, Amelia Grey and Anna Bennett. Ladies Enoch, Grey and Bennett have given readers a treat with these holiday historical romances. Each book is well-written and filled with outstanding, lovable characters and holiday happenings. I loved each of these book and look forward to reading more from these talented authors. Each of these books are standalones, not cliff-hangers.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Three sweet Historical Christmas romances.
Liked reading them just a feel good book easy ,short stories.and sweet love.
Voluntarily reviewed.

Three wonderful and heartwarming historical stories that take place at Christmas time, written by some of my favourite authors, Suzanne Enoch, Amelia Grey and Anna Bennett. I love how each author has their own style of writing but one thing is the same....love, especially at Christmas time, can truly be magical!! The heroes and heroines of each story are remarkable people and deserving of their happily ever after!

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

A trio of Christmas romances encompassing rowdy Scots, quiet promises of love, family honor and duty, and passionate rascals. Absolutely something for everyone!

Kissing Under the Mistletoe is an anthology with three Christmas novellas (roughly 120 pages each). There isn't anything connecting the stories together so I'll comment on them individually.

Great Scot by Suzanne Enoch - This appears to be side characters from a series that get their own short insta love romance. The main character is a ladies companion and she meets a cousin to the family she is staying with who is a widowed architect. It is sweet but would be more memorable if I knew other characters by reading the series. 3 stars.

Christmas at Dewberry Hollow by Amelia Grey - The best thing about this story is the meet-cute which I won't give away. Isabelle loves her little hollow and the Inn she helps oversee with her mother. The Duke and Gate, his non-heir son, come to visit. They are looking for a heart the Duke carved in a tree for with his late wife. 3 stars.

My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett - This is my favorite and the reason you read the anthology. To get back her father's watch Miss Eva Tiding agrees to fake a relationship with Jack, the Earl of Frostbough. He is grumpy and she is a delight as they get to know each other to give hope to his grandmother that he is going to settle down. There is a good meet-cute and grand gestures. I've not read the author before and enjoyed her humor and empowered heroine. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So - I am a total sucker for anthologies. Holiday anthologies are always the cherry on top of that sundae. So that being said - I just didn't love this one. I adored Suzanne Enoch's Wild Wicked Highlander's series - so I was particularly excited to read the connected novella. That was definitely the best of the bunch. As for the rest - I just didn't like the characters. They were just OK for me.

Overall - these are festive - but I didn't love them.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.

I mostly clicked on this collection because I wanted to read the Suzanne Enoch short story, and while it was definitely my favourite of the three, I had a good time with the other stories too! All three stories are sweet, festive reads that will be perfect for Regency lovers wanting a bit of Christmas cheer, but Great Scot!, a spin off from the Wicked Wild Highlanders series, is the gem of the collection. Jane and Brennan have such a lovely, heartfelt connection, and the story is filled with humour and warmth, making it feel perfectly cosy for a winter's evening read. It was lovely to see cameos from some of the main series's characters, too!