This is an anthology of 3 short stories, one of them, Great Scot, is a continuation of the Wild Wicked Highlanders series by Suzanne Enoch. I enjoyed the stories, but I'm not a big fan of short stories. I like the stories to be longer and more involved and not quick to be done. Still enjoyable stories by great authors and I would read again.

This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Suzanne Enoch gave Jan Bansil her HEA. After being loyal to her cousin Amy, everyone is married. Now she doesn't know what she will be doing. Brennan Andrew, cousin to the MacTaggert's, is going to build his cousin's home. From the moment they meet, sparks are flying. She's afraid and he knows what he wants. With the help of the women, she captures his heart. Love the end to the series. Amelia Grey is bringing Isabelle Reed together with the Duke of Notsgrave grandson.. From the moment they meet, he thinks she's the help. Oh the fun they have with each other. The Duke approves. Time is of the essences and once the mission is complete, they are off to London. Gate knew his heart and has come back to stay permanently. Another sigh worthy ending. Anna Bennett is set up two strong people. Eva Tidings is bound an determined to get her dad's watch back. How far will she go? It depends on Jack Hardwick Earl of Frostbough. He needs a fake fiance and after the holidays, she will get her watch back. Little did they know that grandma has a mind of her own. At a Ball with the help of Lady Rufflebum and her mistletoe branch, true love finds its way.

<b>Great Scot by Suzanne Enoch</b>
<b>My Rating:</b> 3 stars out of 5

Let me begin by saying that this is obviously an addition to a well-established series, and while I don't feel like I missed out on anything having not known who these characters were previously, I will say that the family is so large that trying to keep all the secondary characters straight was a daunting task that often lead to confusion.

Once I gave up trying to do that, it was easier to enjoy this novel for what it was. A quick read about "true love" or what I like to call "instalove" a trope which I hate with a passion. However, I understand that this was a novella and therefore certain things have to be overlooked (like the fact that they met, fell in love, slept together and decided to get married over the course of three days? A week at most)?

It was easy to see the attraction between them, and the blossoming friendship between Jane and the other MacTaggert wives made for an enjoyable read. I just wish this story would have been a bit longer so that their story would have felt more fleshed out and believable. I do however believe that this was an excellent start to this anthology and I can't wait to read the other novellas.


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<b>Christmas at Dewberry Hollow by Amelia Grey</b>
<b>My Rating:</b> 2 stars out of 5

I just couldn't get into this one with any real enthusiasm. Our story begins with Isabelle accidentally shooting a man by mistake (she thought it was a deer and didn't take the time to properly make sure before she fired). Thankfully, the man is okay and it is love at first sight for Isabelle and the wounded man's employer.

As the story continues, we find out that Gate has returned to Dewberry Hollow to aid his dying Grandfather in finding the tree that he once carved his and his wife's initials in years ago. As the days pass by, his attraction to Isabelle grows, although we are never given a reason for why. Sure they have some interesting conversations, but I never felt a deeper connection than lust.

Time and again, Gate presses his interest on her (apparently the poor guy just can't take a hint) and while she claims not to be interested her actions tell a different story. Part of her reasoning? When she was 12 the man she thought was going to be her step-father left and never came back, breaking her mother's heart. So of course, Gate cannot possibly love her. Even when he proves to her he's not like the man who broke her mother's heart, it still takes a lot of convincing on his part.

For me, this one just needed to be a little bit longer with more attention paid to the two main characters, and less on some of the background characters.

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<b>My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett</b>
<b>My Rating:</b> 4 stars out of 5

This was by far my favorite of the three stories. I enjoyed the banter between Eva and Jack, it was easy to tell from the start that these two had chemistry and I love the unconventional way they came to be together. Whenever these two appeared on the same page, I just knew fun times were about to be had (although I would have liked to reach into the page and whack him at one point).

I will say I wish this had been longer simply because it seemed a though a lot of things were wrapped up rather quickly at the end (including two new budding relationships that I am keen to know more about), but all things considered this one is sure to please!

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

This was a fun little collection of novellas. While at least one seemed to be connected to a series I hadn't read, all three stand on their own. You do have to get used to romance novella pacing - everything happens at warp speed. This was a nice way to start getting into the Christmas spirit.

Kissing Under the Mistletoe was a cute read. I've become more and more interested in historical romance. This was my first time reading these three authors and it was a nice way to get introduced to them. I enjoyed the banters and the relationships between each hero and heroine. They were fun and sweet. Definitely insta-love though it can be done right. These novellas were quick and light. They are great for a cold winter's read. Overall, three nice and enjoyable stories.

GREAT SCOT - Susanne Enoch

Jane Bansel, 33, is staying with the MacTaggert family at Aldriss Park in Scotland. Jane is the companion to the Countess of Aldriss and her cousin is married to one of the MacTaggert brothers. The house is filled with family members including lots of brothers and their wives. Christmas is in 4 days and the family is busy preparing for it.

Brennan Andrews is a widower who is designing a house for one of the clan and asks Jane for her help. Although Brennan has a scarred face and wears an eye patch, Jane finds him handsome and very intriguing. They enjoy their time together, finding they have a lot in common, and end up falling in love. Although the Countess has invited Jane to go traveling with her, Jane has opted to stay with the MacTaggert family where she hopes she and Brennan will find a future together.

An interesting story but I found reading the Scottish pronunciations a bit off-putting. However, I’m sure readers will enjoy the story.

CHRISTMAS AT DEWBERRY HALLOW - Amelia Grey

Isabelle Reed loves Christmas. She and her mother own and operate an Inn. As her mother is a widow, they have had to rely on a viscount who is a family member for monetary assistance. Now, that man has been replaced by his son who feels he shouldn’t be responsible for them. However, her mother has always prided herself on the wonderful respite they provide for guests and doesn’t want to cut back.

Isabelle meets a guest when she mistakes a man outside for a deer and shoots him. Fortunately, he only receives a flesh wound. Isabelle was hoping to bring in a deer so they could have more meat for the Inn guests. Turns out the man is part of the group of people with the Duke of Notsgrove who is staying at the Inn. The duke is not well but wanted to come and find the tree where he and his late wife carved their initials. Traveling with the duke is his grandson, Gate. While he is not his grandfather’s heir, he still enjoys being with his grandfather.

As Isabelle, Gate, and the duke spend Christmas together, Isabelle and Gate find themselves falling in love. Will they be able to find the tree?

An interesting book with enough descriptions of snow and cold that made me want to grab a sweater even though I live in sunny Florida.

MY MISTLETOE BEAU - Anna Bennett

Miss Eva Tiding knows that Jack Hardwick. the Earl of Frostbough, and heir to a dukedom, had swindled her father’s beloved watch from him and she is determined to get it back. When Jack catches Eva trying to steal the watch, he tells her that he will not turn her into the police as long as she promises to act as his fiancée to appease his grandmother who wants him married. They attend various events together, but while Eva is physically attracted to Jack, she does not want to marry him.

A clever romance with some humor but Eva needed to stop being so particular with Jack. Unusual that she just wants to be physical with him without commitment.

My overall take on these three novellas was three stars.

Copy provided by the NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I picked up this Christmas anthology because I was eager to read “Great Scot” by Suzanne Enoch, but after reading all three stories, I feel I must immediately research Amelia Grey and Anna Bennet’s backlist of books. I thoroughly enjoyed all three of these stories.

While ‘Great Scot’ is part of a series, it can be enjoyed as a standalone. I’m not sure if ‘Christmas at Dewberry Hollow’ or ‘My Mistletoe Beau’ are standalones, but I certainly enjoyed them that way. Each story was the perfect length to serve as a sweet Christmas treat this holiday season.

I received an advanced copy for review from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

A Collection of three charming romantic holiday stories.

Great Scot by Susan Enoch
Jane Bansil join the Mactaggerts when they all returned to Scotland. She feels out of place but appreciates their kindness. Then she meets their widowed cousin Brennan Andrews. Love at first sight, is it possible at their age? If you combine Highland magic with that of Christmastide, there just might be a fairytale happily ever after in store for them. I liked Jane and Brennan. Quiet and gentle, they are able to believe in a future together. It was great to see the Mactaggerts gathered in their native habitat. Heartwarming and enjoyable.

Christmas at Dewberry Hollow by Amelia Grey
What do you do with a beautiful young woman who shoots one of your guards? You fall in love with her, of course, and hope she falls in love with you. Gates is on a mission to find the tree where his grandfather, Duke of Notsgrave, carved a heart and his and his wife’s initials. Even though their feelings are strong and growing, Isabelle resists the attraction. Her fear is that he will leave and not come back. There is only on way to show her she is wrong, prove they are meant for each other. A caravan of carriages, a Christmas miracle? Oh, yeah. Good story, a few surprises.

My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett
Eva is not a very good burglar. She broke into Jack’s lodgings, but didn’t even hear him when he sneaked in and caught her. She wants her father’s watch returned (of course he shouldn’t have gambled with it to begin with). He “punishes” her by convincing her to pretend they are engaged while his grandmother is in town. See where this is going.? They are drawn to each other and have great chemistry. Their banter is snarky and entertaining. Add to this tension a sly grandmother, and another lucky couple finds a Christmas miracle, or maybe more than one.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My Review is voluntary.

An anthology of novellas from three authors, all written with at least one scene where the main couple kiss under the mistletoe, though there are no other links between them and they have no characters or locations in common.

Great Scot! by Suzanne Enoch
If you’ve read any of Enoch’s Wild Wicked Highlanders series, you’ll definitely appreciate the glimpse into the happily-ever-afters of the main couples we get here, as well as the romance for Jane, Amy’s companion, who finds happiness with an architect cousin of the MacTaggerts. However, if you’re not familiar with the series, I do think you’ll enjoy this; I’ve only read one of the books and I had no trouble following along with what was happening. I do like ‘ordinary people’ historical romances and Jane and Brennen were both easy to root for. Yes, things happen quickly, but there’s a time crunch and both characters still take the time to seriously consider what they want for their futures. Four stars.

Christmas At Dewberry Hollow by Amelia Grey
This is where I admit that I have read several Amelia Grey books and not really liked any of them (and actively hated a couple). She writes extremely low-stakes romance - there are no real consequences if the hero and heroine don’t get together - and her characters have a tendency to be pretty flat. She falls into that trap with the hero here, Gate. Literally his main personality trait appears to be ‘would like to be useful’, which is pretty unexciting to say the least. I did, however, like her heroine Isabelle, and I was amused by the opening in which Isabelle accidentally shoots one of Gate’s men. Because it’s a novella format, the lack of a complicated plot actually does Grey’s writing style some favours here. I don’t think I’ll ever be a fan of hers, but I didn’t hate this. Three stars.

My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett
I LOVED this one! From the opening where Eva is picking a lock to get into Jack’s room to steal back her father’s watch, I was riveted. There’s terrific banter and a great enemies to lovers storyline where neither of them want to be attracted to the other but are forced into proximity. Jack’s realization that he has made an Enormous Mistake was fabulous and had me laughing out loud. The only thing I quibbled with a bit was Jack’s father never making an apology to Eva’s father, who had definitely wronged, in word if not in deed. The two of them needed to have an honest conversation, but I daresay in the novella format there wasn’t the space for it. Forgivable and not enough to cause me to deduct a star from this story which was clearly the standout. Five stars.

Overall a solid collection: I was trepidacious because I’m not keen on Grey’s writing but that was a decent enough story and the other two definitely made up for it. Four stars on average overall.

Kissing Under The Mistletoe is a lovely three-book boxset of holiday-themed romances. The authors all wrote interesting and entertaining stories. It really put me in the holiday mood (especially as it was 85 degrees outside when I read this).

Many thanks to the publisher, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

Nothing says the holiday Better than kissing under the mistletoe. All it takes is one kiss and the sparks fly. Three ladies who never thought they would marry find the other half they were looking for.
Three strong ladies who aren't afraid to express what they want, find gentlemen who are willing to compromise. Easy to read with short novellas.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I really enjoyed these holiday stories, and especially liked that there was variety in each one. The setting, circumstance, personality of each person in each couple were so different each time and made for a truly enjoyable anthology. #netgalley #kissingunderthemistletoe

What's better than a romantic Regency Christmas story?...Three of them! Three of the best historical romance authors out there have collaborated on an engaging Christmas anthology. I love anthologies! And this one will be on my bedside table this Christmas.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this so resistant because I only want spooky reads.

Great Scot changed my mind!
I love a scarred hero. And before I knew it I'd finished the whole book.
Each novella is lovely and over before you're ready to leave that little world. But also so satisfying.

GREAT SCOT

Jane Bansil proved instrumental when it came to helping her cousin find her happily ever after. However, this is not something that she ever sees happening for herself. Taking employment as her aunt's companion seems to be the future that she will have. However, when she looks into the eyes of architect Brennan Andrews, she just might have her own chance at love. This lovely story proves that one is never too late for love and that second chances do indeed happen.

CHRISTMAS AT DEWBERRY HOLLOW

Isabelle Reed is a lady, and she enjoys working with her other at an Inn that hosts estimable guests. Isabelle finds contentment in her life, but that all changes when the grandson of a duke is one of the Inn's most recent guests. John Cabot Gagestone, referred to as Gate, finds Isabelle to be lovely and imagines that she just might be the woman for him. Having the example of the tender love of his grandparents leaves Gate wondering if Isabelle could be his. This second novella in this wonderful trilogy was quite a touching read.

MY MISTLETOE BEAU

Eva Tiding and Jack Hardwick are quite aware of a long-standing feud between their fathers. Jack has something that Eva wants, and she goes so far as to break into his home to acquire it. The two strike a deal that they will have a pretend courtship in order to please Jack's grandmother. This enjoyable novella does a fine job showing that pretend feelings could definitely lead to more.

Each novella in this trilogy proved heartwarming as true love shone through for three deserving couples. As these were historical romances, it was a nice layer to effective romances that were truly enjoyable.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

If you enjoy those Highlanders these are for you. One will show even when you have reached past what was considered a good marriage age you never know what could still happen.
In another she doesn't want love but she has made a promise that could result in her own heart being lost.
Another is most daring of all and those pretending need to be careful it could bite back.
All enticing but also at the time of year that is filled with cheer. Turn the pages to get touched by that spirit.

I love these Christmas novellas! Can't ever fo wrong with a short historical romance and these authors did not disappoint. A little gift come early.

If you're new to Suzanne Enoch, please read her other books prior to this to get the full background. While it is a standalone novella, it's better knowing the full story.

I absolutely adored ALL of the stories in this set. You simply can’t go wrong with this collection. These stories are packed with likable, interesting characters and swoon-worthy romance. Every single story is guaranteed to pique your interest and warm your heart with holiday cheer.

#KissingUndertheMistletoe #NetGalley

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

This collection of shorts by noted romance authors Suzanne Enoch, Amelia Grey and Anna Bennett is light fun for the winter holidays. These are all priority reads for me, and they were not a disappointment, although they were too short for real immersion in the characters and scene.

Regardless, they fill the gap until the next Wild Wicked Highlander appears!

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

A lovely collection of three Christmas set Historical romance novellas by Suzanne Enoch (Great Scot), Amelia Grey (Christmas at Dewberry Hollow) and Anna Bennett (My Mistletoe Beau). All are well written, lighthearted romances with some steamy, yet tasteful romance scenes, lots of heartwarming moments and a pinch of drama. There might be some spoilers in Great Scot, as there are 3 books preceding and those characters appear in the story, but it can be read as a stand alone, none the less. My favourite was Anna Bennett's book - a new author to me - as I really like the fake engagement trope. (I'll be checking her back-list!). An excellent set of romances that I really loved. My thanks go to Netgalley and St Martin's press for the eARC in return for my opinion.