I loved this collection of stories! I honestly wished that each was a full blown novel. This made me want to cozy up next to a fireplace and read! I couldn’t set this book down. All four ladies novellas were so romantic! Definitely a must read for anyone who enjoys romance novels!

I enjoyed The Holly and the Ivy so much. Each novella was so unique and fun.
Dana LaCheminant was a new author for me but I loved her story A Twist of Christmas.
It was great to see Adam as a young boy in Robbie's story, by Sarah M. Eden.
I loved Kirstine and her grandmother sneaking around to celebrate Christmas and the antics that brings in Hiding Christmas.
And, a Christmas miracle is always a must and Anneka R. Walker did not disappoint!
Each story was heart warming with sweet romance. The perfect anthology!

A lovely collection of stories filled with Christmas spirit in a Regency setting! The first story, The Holly and the Ivy will be enjoyed the most by readers of the author's Lancaster Family series, as it shows Adam from the first book, Seeking Persephone, as a young boy enduring the challenges that shape him as an adult. The parents from The Jonquil Brothers series (who we get to know in depth in the first book of The Gents series, Forget Me Not) play an important role in Adam's life and attempt to stabilize his cracked foundation with unconditional love even though they are not related. I love the message that we choose our family and adopt one another as we forge connections.

My favorite of this collection, Hiding Christmas taught me some fascinating historical details, like Christmas celebrations being taboo in Scotland! Kirstine's quick thinking gets her grandmother and her on the road to England for their celebration, but also gets her into a humorous quandary with a loaf of bread and the neighbor who is living the life she feels her brother should have had. I loved the journey both physical and mental that reconciles Kirstine to Isaac, and the sweet romance that develops when she lets go of the past and embraces a new relationship.

A Twist of Christmas provides a fun if implausible scenario with the main characters both choosing to swap places with another of a lower station in order to avoid their usual experiences at the house party. Of course, they fall in love with each other, but think the other is of the lower station and it won't work out. Some repetitive angst and a predictable outcome.

A Season to Love brought more humor as Alice prays aloud in an empty church for a husband, and is answered by the local clergyman who sweetly helps her in her quest to find a match. They have lovely chemistry and naturally grow closer together during her time in the village. His sense of humor reminded me of a Henry Tilney, while Alice is awkwardly endearing yet confident in herself. A perfect conclusion to the book that left me with a smile on my face.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. This book was so fun. I really enjoyed it. This book kept me interested and i enjoyed the book and this genre

The Holly and the Ivy by Sarah M Eden, et al.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
________________________________________________________________________
Story Notes

What do you get when you bring four of the best romance writers together & tell them to create a Christmas novella anthology? You get a wonderful collection of stories that definitely gets you in the mood for Christmas. First off you have Sarah Eden taking us back to Adam Boyce’s childhood when he meets Lucas & Julia Jonquil. I loved seeing him as a child & how he learned what love & friendship really looks like in others. I also really wanted to make a 12th night cake in the upcoming holiday season. In the second story, Esther Hatch takes us to Scotland & England. Christmas traditions are controversial for the Scots so to prevent an uproar, Kirstine ensnares the last man she ever dreamed of asking for help - her brothers best friend & her nemesis. Their love journey is peppered with spicy banter that made me laugh a lot. Plus, Yule Bread sounds amazing. Dana LeCheminant brought us the third story that features two Ton members looking to find real love for who they are, not the title they hold. Graham & Beth are intriguing characters that I would love to have had a whole book about. Their meet-cute over fairy cakes was adorable. I also liked the secondary characters almost as much as the MCs. Anneka Walker bookends the anthology with a sweet story of a young woman’s search for a husband with the help of the local clergyman. Alice’s attempts to serve others & spend time with potential suitors often has disastrous results but her heart is both kind & well intentioned. I loved how she and Thomas danced around their attraction for each other until the brothers made them face it. Alice’s boldness at the end made me laugh - she knew what she wanted!! So if you’re looking for some sweet romance to help you get into the holidays, this is definitely the book for you. Definitely get it on your TBR for the upcoming Season.

I received this temporary complimentary E-book from the authors via NetGalley. I am not required by anyone to write a positive review but I am most pleased to do so. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

This is a great group of powerhouse authors and boy does it show! This amazing collection is HUGE! Its 400 pages long! I feel so spoiled to get such amazing stories and depth of characters in one book! I love reading these Christmas collections and it gets better every year!

-The Holly And The Ivy-

It’s always fun to jump back into the Sarah M. Eden world and to see familiar characters and to meet new ones. This is a unique story in that most of it didn’t happen in December but they celebrated Christmas later and I enjoyed learning of traditions and new games. The infamous Duke of Kielder is mentioned throughout many of Sarah’s books and it doesn’t need to be read in order but I do think you appreciate learning more of Adam after having read the Lancaster family series and the later Jonquil family series.

-Hiding Christmas-

I couldn’t put Esther’s story down, which tends to be the trend with any book written by Esther. She writes such pleasing characters that are witty and fun. Plus that quote above perfectly illustrates how Kirstine and Isaac meet each other wit for wit. I’m always there for fake dating! I never knew that Scotland didn’t celebrate Christmas and that it was forbidden!

-A Twist Of Christmas-

I’ll be honest that this is the 2nd story of Dana’s that I’ve read but it won’t be my last. I love house party tropes and mistaken identity and this story has it by 4! It was slightly predictable but it didn’t deter its charm at all. Graham and Beth’s freedom in being themselves for a week in mannerisms and speech was great fun to be a spectator on the wall.

-A Season To Love-

I loved returning to the world of Anneka‘s Christmas collections that have been in previous Christmas collections. You don’t need to read the collections in order but they have Alice’s older sisters in them and similar characters are referred to them like their Aunt Morris. Poor Alice just wants to get married which shouldn’t be so hard! She goes to pray for this very thing. This meet cute was so fun and unique and definitely captured my interest from the start.

All of these stories meld into one of the best anthologies to date that would make a perfect holiday read any time of the year! They’re stories of faith, being yourself, showing love and kindness to others and sweet kisses.

I received an e-arc copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

This was a fun anthology with four cute stories that I enjoyed. Ranked in order of my favorite stories: Dana LeCheminant, Esther Hatch, Anneka Walker, Sarah Eden.

There are books that you wish would not end. This lovely novella collection makes you feel good and content while you are reading, and sad when the story ends.

The stories center around Christmas celebrations. One is celebrated in the Spring, for a little boy who did not get a Christmas holiday. (Adam is still my all-time favorite character and I love the Jonquils.) Each story is unique and invites the spirit of the Christmas season into your heart. You will love the awkward moments and the ones that make you laugh. The best part is the romance and the couples falling in love. (sigh)

Grab your favorite blanket and pillow and snuggle up for stories that will make you want to forget to make dinner.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this collection of Christmas stories! Every year I anxiously wait for the Christmas collection from Covenant Communications to come out because I know it will be wonderful. I loved how unique each of these stories were and how they pulled on the heartstrings. Each story was sweet and uplifting and help to get you in the spirit of Christmas. I would recommend this book to anyone and know I will read it again.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors. A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

Love these novellas that you can read when you don’t have time for a full book! Sarah Eden’s story made me want to go back and re read the Lancaster series! Love sweet little Adam and enjoyed a continuation of the Jonquils
Love story all mixed with Nurse Robbie and the gardener. Esther Hatch’s story was original and entertaining as always! Love her books! Dana LeCheminant’s story was a sweet romance where both MC are not who they claim to be, but they grow to love their true selves. Anneka Walkers story started with me laughing at Alice’s “answered prayer” and continued to be a sweet entertaining story full of mishaps that end up being for the best. I would definitely recommend this compilation of holiday stories and it’s put me in the Christmas spirit

The Holly and The Ivy is another beautiful Christmas Romance Collection. All of the novellas are clean romances written by some very talented authors. The cover is also one of the most gorgeous ones I've seen in 2022.

The stories center around Christmas traditions, mixed identities (this truly made me giggle a lot), many kissing boughs that again put a smile on my face, and reverse matchmaking. It is truly impossible to choose one favorite because each story was so different. I did especially love an aspect of Eden's story where we get a look at the young, vulnerable Adam from Seeking Persephone.

If you are looking for that perfect Christmas gift for a romance reader, this should be number one on your list.

“The Holly and the Ivy”
Even in a novella Sarah’s stories are layered and her characters well developed. The glimpse into a young Adam was everything fans have always wanted to see. The details of his attachment to Nurse Robbie and the Jonquils was a layer that we always knew was there, but made more beautiful by this story.
“A Season to Love”
It was fun to come back to this town and this family with Anneka. The story was absolutely darling and the character growth was done really well.
“A Twist of Christmas”
I loved the imagination in this story. I loved the subtle matchmaking. I thought Dana handled the mistaken identity trope in a way that made you smile and laugh.
“Hiding Christmas”
The premise of this was really fun. The forced proximity, the pretend relationship and the misunderstandings made for a really good enemies to lovers story. Esther’s witty dialogue, her clever scenes, and her swoony kisses made it a great romance.

Oh the sweetness of this regency novella collection! Each book was so different but ever so sweet. Honestly, if you are looking for a feel good Christmas themed read, this should be the one you snuggle in with. It's a rock star line up of authors and each story is fantastic. I loved each of them for different reasons. There will be no calling out a favorite here.

There is the love of family, Christmas traditions, matchmaking, sneaking, faking, bumbling, dancing, and yes, some sweet kissing. Each story will make you smile and warm your heart.

Oh, and I love the cover. 💚

- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Love love loved this one! All of these Christmas stories were delightful but I confess Esther Hatch's story was my favorite. Plenty of laughs and swoons smuggling something over the border for Christmas. Definitely worth a read for Christmas or anytime of year.

I’ve read and loved so many of these Christmas collections. This one might be my very favorite of them so far. I loved each and every one of the stories.

The Holly and the Ivy by Sarah M Eden is the first story in the book. I loved this one! It was really great to see Adam, the Duke of Kielder as a child. He’s one of my all time favorite characters. It really helps to understand him. I loved his nurse, Robbie. She’s such a sweetheart. And one of the few people to care about him. This one had Christmas magic, even though it’s not set during Christmas time.

Next is Hiding Christmas by Esther Hatch. This one made me laugh! I loved her characters so much. Kirstine has such a strong personality. And the way she hated Isaac without knowing him was comical. So when she had to ask him for help to get the Christmas bread to England by pretending they were married. Oh so good!

Then we have A Twist of Christmas by Dana LeCheminant. I loved this one too! We have two brothers. One a duke, one a mister. They switch places when going to a house party. But little do they know that a Lady and her companion would do the same. I didn’t want this one to end!

Last up is A Season to Love by Anneka R. Walker. I was dying reading the first chapter. Alice prays in the church and she gets a response! But it was not quite what she expected. I loved the way her heart opened as the story goes along.

I wish each and every one of these were full length novels. You’ve got to read them!

This book had me from the very cover. Add in the fact that it is short stories from some of my absolute favorite authors!? I about died and went to heaven when I was approved for this. It does not disappoint! Yes, the stories are novellas, but all of them have excellent character development and somehow don't make the story feel rushed!

Anthology Book review: The Holly and the Ivy
.
The Holly and the Ivy by Sarah M. Eden
I love anything that involves Lucas and Julia Jonquil! Seeing Adam as a young boy gives even more depth to him, and helps me understand him even more. It also makes me want to go an read the other books that he is in. I love the romance and how well written this story is. I would also recommend the audiobook version because the narrator is awesome. Her singing voice is perfect! The Jonquil/Lancaster books always make my heart happy and this one didn’t disappoint! 😊
.
Hiding Christmas by Esther Hatch
Oh boy can Esther Hatch write a good kissing scene! Those kissing boughs.. 😍. I loved this sweet romance. I love how a simple loaf of Yule Bread was able to bring together two people who otherwise may have remained distant. This book had me smiling the whole time! Especially when Kirsten got caught smelling Isaac’s coat 🤣
.
A Twist of Christmas by Dana LeCheminant
I love stories where the couple can look past titles and position because I feel like they really get to know each other on a deeper level. This was such an enjoyable book and I adored Graham and Beth! They complimented each other so well. I also love the sort of bonus love story thrown in. Maybe they should get their own book 😉
.
A Season to Love by Anneka R. Walker
Alice was so endearing! She was so charmingly awkward. Thomas was so sweet to her! He was so respectful and always cheering her up after she had one of her awkward moments. I loved their initial meeting and how everything transpired afterwards. They make such an adorable couple!
.
All of these novellas were adorable and had me smiling throughout. Each are a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read in my opinion!

I loved all of these stories! They were well written and the perfect length for a quick and satisfying read.
All of the stories were interesting but I especially liked “A Twist of Christmas” - that one was pretty unique.
I loved all the Christmas traditions these stories talked about. I had no idea that Scotland outlawed Christmas.
I enjoyed all 4 stories so much that I bought a physical copy of the book!

One of my most favorite Christmas novella collections of all time! Every author in this collection is an auto buy for me and to get them all in one book is spectacular. Each story was a sweet romance that displayed the talents of each author. I positively adored it!

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Four wonderful holiday stories that will put a smile on your face and make your heart tingle.
The Holly and the Ivy by Sarah M. Eden
The story of young Adam was so endearing. The infamous Duke of Kielder as a young boy makes the daunting Duke more understood. I loved how this novella tied all the loose ends together. Robby and Harry’s sweet romance was a nice added bonus.
Hiding Christmas by Esther Hatch
I love Esther’s stories. Fun, flirty and swoony. This is a wonderful fake betrothal all over a Yule log! Entertaining charming and great chemistry! “Miss Jamieson, I am about to prove to you that an Englishman can kiss a woman so well she won’t remember her nationality” love it!
A Twist of Christmas by Dana LeCheminant
I really loved the premise of this story, but I struggled with following who was speaking or thinking to/of whom. It was still a fun story and I did enjoy it. It could just be me and my fuddled brain! I will need to listen to the audiobook and maybe it will be better with the different sounding characters.
A Season to Love by Anneka R. Walker
Sweet story about finding true love where you don’t expect it. When Alice asked the lLord to help her find a husband, she didn’t think he would answer so directly. Fun characters and a few embarrassing moments, Alice finds her happily ever after.
All of the stories are sweet wholesome romances with a happily ever after.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.