It’s always lovely to jump back into the world of familiar characters! Lovely short Christmas stories to get in the mood for the holiday!

What a great collection of stories!
"The Holly and the Ivy” by Sarah M. Eden is a prequel of sorts to some of her other books--and although it can be read as a stand-alone, it will especially tug at the heartstrings of those who are familiar with the Duke of Kielder (Adam) and the Jonquils from her other books. The romance between Nurse Robbie and the gardener was sweet and funny, and this was just a wonderful story to kick off the collection.

“Hiding Christmas” by Esther Hatch made me laugh, and oh, how I love a book that makes me laugh. There were some really fantastic lines in this one, and I also learned some things (I had no idea that Christmas was ever banned in Scotland!)

“A Twist of Christmas” by Dana LeCheminant was a fun story, although keeping track of who was who and if they were acting like themselves or the people they were pretending to be and who knew about the switches got a little dizzying at times! I think this was my first time reading anything by Dana LeCheminant, but I'll definitely be looking to read more by her in the future.

“A Season to Love” by Anneka R. Walker was such a cute story! The meet-cute is so original, funny, and just plain awesome--and I love how it connected with the ending. I also loved seeing how Alice's matchmaker quickly came to appreciate her for who she was.

All of these stories were so fun to read and made me want to read nothing but Christmas stories for the next three month!

4.5 stars.

I read an ARC provided by the publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

4.5* I love the variety of scenarios in these stories! There was a little bit of something that will appeal to every reader, and a lot of Christmas miracles! The sweetness of love and the magic of the season can be shared and enjoyed every month of the year, as demonstrated in “The Holly and the Ivy” by Sarah M. Eden. Helping others (even extending the protection of your good name) can bring the blessings of the season, we find in “Hiding Christmas” by Esther Hatch. A little mix up brings to light how right things are (that are meant to be) in “A Twist of Christmas” by Dana LeCheminant. And we are bolstered in our self confidence and looking for the hand of God in our lives by reading “A Season to Love” by Anneka R. Walker.

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

The Holly and The Ivy is a warm and tender collection of Christmas novellas from some of my favorite authors: Sarah M. Eden, Esther Hatch, Dana LeCheminant, and Anneka R. Walker. Sarah M. Eden has The Holly and the Ivy and while I did not care for Adam, the young duke, I adored Robbie and Gardner. I loved the mischief and antics in Hiding Christmas by Esther Hatch. Kirstine and Isaac are the kind of couple I would love to spend more time getting to know, but there’s enough romance there to make my heart skip a few beats. A Twist of Christmas by Dana was a comical and creative approach to breaking out of traditions. A Season to Love is just a great ending to remind you of the magic of Christmas and bring hope for a miracle. I highly recommend this book, and all the enclosed novellas, to anyone who enjoys sweet and clean Christmas romance.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

The Holly and the Ivy; a collection of Christmas novellas that’ll warm your heart.

🎁The Holly and the Ivy by Sarah M. Eden: Join beloved characters from Sarah M. Eden’s series and enjoy a lovely story with holiday cheer. A lonely scarred boy, a sweet couple, a caring nursemaid and a handsome gardener star in this story. Lord and Lady Jonquil invite Adam the little Duke for a stay at their estate. A Christmas celebration is involved with sweet moments, found family and a love story. I loved the fun and touching moments and the happy ending that warmed my heart!

♥️Hiding Christmas by Esther Hatch: Two lovable main characters, an important loaf of bread and a hilarious granny make this story memorable! This story is set in Scotland and England and I enjoyed being immersed in both cultures. A fake relationship mixed with several other tropes, excellent witty banter and hilarious mishaps kept me turning pages to see what would happen next. This novella has the sweetest love story and kisses that you don’t want to miss!

❄️A Christmas Twist by Dana LeCheminant: When a Duke’s daughter and an Earl decide to swap places with another to have a holiday off from their titles, an amazing story begins! I love a good house party, and this story was so fun! Mix in wonderful characters, hidden identity, instant attraction, family, an adorable meet cute and Christmas! I loved this unique storyline and I fell so in love with the characters and the beautiful writing!

🎄A Season to Love by Anneka Walker: Alice is hoping for a Christmas miracle in the form of a handsome and kind husband. She hopes her prayers will be answered. She receives help from an unexpected someone and they go on quite the journey together. This story has the cutest meet cute, a teasing handsome hero, an sometimes awkward and fiery heroine, banter, laugh out loud moments, Christmas miracles and a wonderful love story that made me tear up and smile!

What could be better then Regency combined with Christmas and this stellar lineup of authors! Each of these stories are wonderful and I loved reading each one!

Thank you to Netgalley and Covenant Communications for an arc copy. All opinions are my own.

This is a Christmas romance collection of four short stories. I was happy to discover that unlike some compilations, each of these stories are well done and worth reading.

•The Holly and the Ivy by Sarah M. Eden – Adam became a duke at age 8 when his father died. His nurse Robbie loves him. Along with Lord and Lady Jonquil, they have a Christmas celebration for Adam since he was at a boarding house and missed the holiday. Mr. Simpkin the gardener helps.

•Hiding Christmas by Esther Hatch – Kristine lives with Granny after losing her home to Mr. Parker at her brother’s death. Because they are prohibited from celebrating Christmas in Scotland, she hides the Yule loaf under her dress, not realizing it made her look pregnant, then lies that Mr. Parker is her husband. I love her scheming Granny and Aunt Gill. It was cute and fun and made me smile.

•A Twist of Christmas by Dana LeCheminant – Graham/Lord Bartlett and his brother Henry and Lady Elizabeth Spencer and her companion Miss Jemma Campbell both secretly switch places with each other for a few days while visiting a new town. They want to be known for themselves and not just for their titles.

•A Season to Love by Annaka R. Walker – Alice Hunt wants to find a husband on her own but only has a couple of weeks before her Aunt Morris arranges a marriage for her. The rector, Mr. Thomas Perry, overhears her praying for help finding a husband and agrees to assist. Her frequent social blunders are fun to read.

Five stars. I loved it. I already love Sarah Eden’s writing and picked this book up because of her, but now I want to read all of Esther Hatch’s books. Dana LeCheminant and Anneka Walker were less familiar to me, but I loved their stories just as much. Thanks to Covenant Communications and NetGalley for a temporary digital copy to use for my review.

I loved all of the novellas in this collection! In novella collections, I usually like one or two a lot more than the others, but that wasn’t the case in this book. After each one I read, I would think that that one was my favorite, but then I would read the next one and think that that one was my favorite. Each one is unique and well worth reading! See below for my thoughts on each novella:

The Holly and the Ivy by Sarah M. Eden
I loved this story!! I love the world Sarah has created, and it was so fun seeing more of the Duke of Kielder as a child, as well as getting to know his Nurse Robbie. And seeing more of the Jonquils is always a treat! You certainly don’t have to be familiar with their family to enjoy this novella, but I really enjoyed seeing how the relationship between these families began while knowing how it ended up.

Hiding Christmas by Esther Hatch
Esther’s books have been a favorite of mine since I treat her first one. I loved this novella, too! I didn’t know that celebrating Christmas was illegal in Scotland at one point. I loved the flirting between Kirstine and Isaac, especially with the kissing boughs! I wish this story was a full novel, but that’s only because I enjoyed it so much!

A Twist of Christmas by Dana LeCheminant
This novella was so fun! I loved the plot of a future Earl and his brother trading places and the daughter of a Duke and her companion trading places for a Christmas house party. It was so cute!

A Season to Love by Anneka R. Walker
I know I’ve said this about all the novellas in this collection, but this one is so cute and fun, too! I loved how Thomas and Alice met at the church. And poor Alice - I loved the silly things she did!

What a fun anthology! One of my favorite books is Seeking Persephone, so I love any story that involves the Dangerous Duke - even when he's only 8 years old.
Each one of these novellas was enjoyable to read, although "A Season to Love" started out a bit slow for me. Thankfully, it picked up after awhile and I was able to enjoy the rest of the story. It's not often that I read an anthology and enjoy all of the stories, so this book was refreshing.

The Holly and The Ivy is the title of the novella by Sarah M. Eden. There are three more novellas in their collection. Each celebrates Christmas. The characters are all so different, but I love each story.
Sarah M. Eden’s story gifts the reader with a view of Adam as a child while bringing his nursemaid Robby together with a landscape architect (of course, that’s not the proper name for the time period, but it is what he was).
Esther Hatch’s story gives us a sort of enemies to lovers story set in both Scotland and England.
Dana LeCheminant weaves a tale of mistaken/concealed identity that allows love to blossom over a Christmas house party visit.
Anneka R. Walker introduces a flawed young woman who yearns for love and the rector that helps her find it.
Each story may reinforce your belief in true love, and what is more special than love and holidays.
These are proper romances. While kisses may occur, it’s love that develops not lust.
I think you’ll enjoy this newest holiday collection of stories.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

I love Christmas anthologies and this is probably my favorite. I loved every story.

The Holly and the Ivy by Sarah M. Eden - I love the Duke of Keilder and the Jonquils. It's wonderful when the two come together. This was such a fun story getting to see Adam as a little boy and Lucas and Julia as soon to be parents. This story would have been great with just them, but then we had the added bonus of Robbie and Howard's romance. They were wonderful and so great together.

Hiding Christmas by Esther Hatch - This was an interesting story. I had no idea Christmas was outlawed in Scotland at one time. I found that fascinating and can't wait to learn more about it. Kirstine and Isaac's story was great. I love enemy to lovers stories and this one was so fun. I can always count on Esther Hatch for a good laugh. I loved Kirstine's character. She was so strong and independent and full of wit. I also loved her grandma and aunt. They added a lot of fun to the story. Isaac was such a good guy and my heart went out to him. He and Kirstine were a lot of fun together.

A Twist of Christmas by Dana LeCheminant - I often feel for titled rich characters during the Regency era because they seem to only be seen for their wealth and title. I could understand why Beth and Graham wanted a break from their reality. This story was fun. I enjoyed seeing the two finding themselves again. I actually wish there was an epilogue so I could see how things worked out when they retook their titles.

A Season to Love by Anneka R. Walker - Alice is such a fun character. I love how eccentric she was and her crazy ideas. Thomas was a fun character as well. I liked that he wasn't a normal rector, but that he remembered to have fun now and then. They're story was really fun. I loved them and their families.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley and this is my honest review.

I very much enjoyed this collection of Christmas stories.

The Holly and the Ivy by Sarah M. Eden
I loved this story. I love the Duke of Kielder so every addition to his story is wonderful to have. I loved his Nurse Robbie and her kind, loving influence on Adam. He is still going to grow up to be fierce and scary yet we know already, having read the Lancaster and Jonquil Family series', that he will also have a kind and caring heart for those he loves. He is such a lovable grump. I believe that comes because of Nurse Robbie's love for him. Such a lovely story. I also love knowing more about the Jonquil's positive influence on him and their love for him as well. I just can't get enough of the Duke, the Lancaster or the Jonquil families. They are such a favorite with me. So yes, I loved this story.

Hiding Christmas by Esther Hatch
While I liked this story, I’m not sure why exactly but stories set in Scotland are not my fav. Perhaps because there is always major conflict between people. And in this enemies to love trope, there is definitely conflict. But at the same time, I liked this story. I enjoyed it more as they became more flirtatious and playful. Kirstine was so mean to him in the beginning but as her attitude changed she was a lot more likable which made the story more enjoyable to me. And I suspect that I will like it even more with each reading. I love Ms. Hatch's writing in general and I believe I've read every one of her books.

A Twist of Christmas by Dana LeCheminant
I found this story to be a delightful mistaken identity read. I loved watching to see how the secrets would unfold and found the path the book took entertaining. And it really was the best way for these two to fall in love. I've only read Ms. LeCheminant once before but would enjoy reading more.

A Season to Love by Anneka R. Walker
I loved this story too. Although I confess that toward the end I wanted to smack both of them upside the head and tell them to stop making stupid assumptions. Ha ha. I found Alice to be a delightful heroine. She wasn't really inept but things seemed to go wrong a lot. I'm glad the people who love her could see the charm in it. I totally get her inability to remember names. I'm the worst. And Thomas was very charming in his teasing ways. Not your typical stodgy rector.

I enjoyed this whole collection!
No sex, language or violence
*I received a complimentary ARC through NetGalley and voluntarily chose to review it.

The Holly and the Ivy — is a collection of stories from four authors. I would say my favorite story was by Sarah M. Eden. It had the most interesting character arc as well as the development of the story. The rest of the stories were okay given the little chapters they had to work on. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read an arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I give it 3 Stars.

"The Holly and the Ivy" by Sarah M. Eden

Oh, my heart! This special story is a must-read for every Jonquil/Lancaster family enthusiast. Witnessing some of the childhood of Adam, Duke of Kielder, the future Dangerous Duke, from his youthful viewpoint is utterly heartbreaking. Witnessing his interactions with Lord and Lady Jonquil, beloved future parents of those delightful Jonquil brothers, is utterly heartwarming. This story brought me to tears as well as laughter. How this author manages to write Adam's point of view in a way that is authentically childlike while also authentically the brooding adult character we've grown to admire truly astonishes me. If it wouldn't spoil the delightful experience of reading this story, I would share some of the hilarious dialogue that is extremely Adam...so much so that I swear the author is winking at her fans. This story makes me want to reread all of the other books, because now I'm certain I've missed nuances. I had quite an epiphany realizing that maybe Adam's issue with Philip as adults is not so much because of Philip's dandy affectations but more like jealousy of the parents and upbringing Philip was blessed with that Adam only got a taste of. And maybe Adam thinks Philip doesn't behave like someone who deserves those things that Adam yearned for.

"Hiding Christmas" by Esther Hatch

What a unique and clever story with delightful characters! I would love to read more about them. The love story is so sweet, and the protagonists' shared grief had me in tears. Beautifully done.

"A Twist of Christmas" by Dana LeCheminant

Quite a twist, indeed! A fun story with charming characters and lovely HEA for all.

"A Season to Love" by Anneka R. Walker

I adored the witty banter between the protagonists and particularly appreciated how relatable they were, with authentic vulnerabilities. The secondary characters were also well-drawn and entertaining. A sweetly satisfying tale.

Highly recommend this fantastic anthology by these talented authors!

What a fantastic novella collection! When I saw who all the fabulous authors were in this Christmas anthology, I knew it was going to be amazing. I didn’t realize it would be an absolute favorite. Every story was engaging and enjoyable. I loved the unique premises and at the end of each novella I had major book hangover until I read the next story and fell in love with it. It’s a definite must read that will leave you wanting more!

The Holly and the Ivy by Sarah M. Eden is the endearing story of Adam aka the Duke of Kielder as a little eight-year-old boy. After experiencing a disappointing Christmas alone at his boarding school, Adam is invited to spend time with Lady Julia & Lord Lucas Jonquil. This pair along with his lovable nurse Robbie decide to make up for the Christmas holidays by having their own celebrations. Along with this achingly beautiful story of a loving couple trying to help a lonely, sad little boy, is the romance between Adam’s devoted nurse Robbie and Howard, the gardener whom Lucas hires to design his famous flower garden. It’s a lovely, romantic, heartwarming story Sarah Eden fans will absolutely adore.

Hiding Christmas by Esther Hatch is a fun, delightful story with two enemies, a fake marriage, and lots of surprises. I had no idea celebrating Christmas could get you in all sorts of trouble in Regency Scotland. Kirstine pretends to be married to the Englishman she bitterly despises to protect her Granny as they travel to celebrate Christmas. Though Isaac served with her brother in the war, Kirstine can’t abide him, especially when he came back and her brother did not, and purchases their family home. But as the two share a coach ride and she sees his kindness, her feelings begin to thaw. Will their fake marriage turn into something more? Loved all the swoony kisses, witty dialogue, humorous situations, and that Scottish brogue. Hanging the kissing boughs was my favorite!

A Twist of Christmas by Dana LeCheminant is a charming twist on hidden identity. Graham is tired of being pursued only for his title while his younger brother is ignored. Elizabeth feels constantly scrutinized as the daughter of an Earl and longs to just be herself. When both are invited to a Christmas house party, they decide to switch places; Graham assumes his younger brother’s identity while Elizabeth assumes her companion’s identity. But what happens when the two meet and discover they have a lot in common? Will they reveal their true identities before the charade goes too far? I loved the romance in this one. From talking to family portraits, to horseback rides, to reading together in the library, this novella totally captured my heart.

A Season to Love by Anneka R. Walker is a sweet, funny tale with a darling meet cute. When Alice goes to the church and prays aloud for a husband, she’s surprised when her prayers are literally answered, not by the Lord, but by a handsome clergyman. He agrees to help her on her husband hunt, but what happens when he looks better and better as a potential suitor? Alice is such a fun, relatable character with lots of enthusiasm and creativity, but also self doubt. Thomas builds her up and encourages her. He can’t help but fall in love with her and her antics. These two were so cute together and I enjoyed watching as their camaraderie turns to more.

This anthology collection definitely put me in the Christmas spirit. The romance in each story is sweet, clean, and swoon-worthy! It’s a favorite collection of stories I will enjoy rereading. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

Four great stories that will bring a bit of Yuletide romance and sparkle. These are clean and sweet stories that will make you smile.
Starting with Sarah M. Eden’s ‘The Holly and the Ivy’, I found this to be a touching story with several couples, all hoping to bring some light into the life of a young Duke. His sweet governess Robbie and the builder/gardener who find romance gave such joy to everyone.
Esther Hatch’s ‘Hiding Christmas’ was another great romance. Celebrating Christmas in Scotland brought peril during this time in history was fascinating to read about as was the romance between Kirstine and Isaac. I wish this novella could have been stretched out for longer, it was so good.
‘A Twist of Christmas’ by Dana LeCheminant, was a fun read. It was great to add another wonderful author to my list and I enjoyed the romance between Graham and Beth. I always love a story that has an identity swap, and this one is well done.
Finally, ‘A Season to Love’ by Anneka R. Walker which tells of Alice Hunt and her romance with clergyman, Thomas. It was lovely to see Alice flourish despite her lack of confidence and for her family to help bring this couple together.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My favorite was Sarah Eden’s story! It was fun to finally read about Robbie’s life and Adam as a young child.

I normally don't request holiday-specific galleys because I never can find the motivation to read them out of season, but these four stories were really sweet and will put any romance reader in the Christmas spirit. Each story brings a new trope to the table, so truly something for everyone.

Nothing can set a festive mood better than this Christmas anthology from four authors who know how to knock it out of the park! I have read a couple of books by Ester Hatch and the other 3 have been authors on my want to read list so I knew this was going to be good before I even started it. I loved getting to experience the stories of these 4 amazing authors together in one book. The Holly and the Ivy are historical romances full of carriage rides, sweet kisses, and romantic proposals.

The Holly and the Ivy by Sarah Eden - This is a beautiful and touching Christmas story about a young boy named Adam who is in desperate need of some hope and love after losing his father. The one constant in his life has been his nursemaid Robbie. I loved the relationship between these two and the struggle for Robbie as she has to choose between following her heart or staying a part of Adam's life. I have not read the series that this is a companion too yet so this sweet novella can definitely stand alone.

Hiding Christmas by Esther Hatch - I have read a couple of novels by Esther before so I was really excited for this one. I loved the Scottish setting and was fascinated by this story. I did not know that Christmas was outlawed during this time period in Scotland. Such a great regency, enemies to lovers story with a fake relationship that turns real after Kristen and Issac get to know each other on a deep level. I adored the fun mistletoe hanging scene that was filled with sweet kisses.

A Twist of Christmas by Dana LeCheminant - This story was so charming. It had a dual identity swap and a super cute romance! I adored both Graham and Beth and could understand why they each wanted a break from their lives. I could also understand why his younger brother was so willing to step up and play the part of Lord Barlett since he didn’t receive much attention as himself. Beth was so feisty and unconventional for the time. I loved her! The way her and Graham meet made me giggle and the ending is sigh worthy. So romantic! I loved this one!

A season to Love Anneka Walker - Alice was a fun and relatable character. She struggles with feeling worthy of love and decides she needs to do service at church to be seen as good enough to find a husband. Her sisters are both married and happy and she feels she just doesn’t measure up. Throw in a meddling aunt and she feels even more desperate. There were many moments that made me smile and I loved it when her brother-in-laws step in at the end so Alice and Thomas will finally admit their true feelings for each other.

All four of these stories are amazing and well written. The content is clean and sweet. These stories definitely make you want to curl up and grab your hot cocoa.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher Covenant Communications via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#BookRevew: THE HOLLY AND THE IVY by Sarah M. Eden, Esther Hatch, Dana LeCheminant, Anneka R. Walker

I have really enjoyed this Christmas romance collection. Each novella was unique and engaging. I haven’t been a fan of anthologies lately but this one hits all the right spots.

Though the story of the young Duke of Kielder was my favorite, the stories were all charming. They will touch the readers’ hearts as it did mine. The length of each story was great and they didn't feel rushed. The sweet romances, fun moments and banters were a joy to read. But I got teary eyed at some point as well. The secondary characters were delightful. I learned a good bit about the traditions in England and Scotland during the regency era. This book will surely get you in the holiday spirit and reread worthy.


The Holly And The Ivy - A Gents Christmas Novella - by Sarah M. Eden (1786) 5 ⭐

Hiding Christmas by Esther Hatch (1817) 4.5 ⭐

A Twist Of Christmas by Dana Lecheminant (1814) 4.5 ⭐

A Season To Love by Anneka R. Walker (1813) 4⭐


Overall Rating: 4.5 stars
Pub date: 03 Oct 2022

Thank you Covenant Communications and #netgalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was such a great book of short stories by some of my favorite authors! You'll definitely want to read this one!

Readers who love the Lancaster/Jonquil/Gents series will love The Holly and the Ivy by @sarah_m_eden. It has young Adam, his nurse Robbie and Lucas and Julia Jonquil!! Finally meeting Robbie was so amazing! I love that we get to learn more about how Adam grew up and why he is the way he is throughout the series I mentioned! I already loved him, but after reading this novella I just love him even more! I felt so bad for him and all he went through with his father passing and his distant mother! I just wanted to jump into the story and give Adam a hug! 😥This story seriously put me on an emotional roller-coaster!

I love coming back to these characters and I'm so glad Sarah has continued writing stories in this same world! It's like being reacquainted with an old friend!

Hiding Christmas by @authorestherhatch is the second novella in this Christmas anthology and let me just say that Esther really knows how to write great chemistry between her characters and this story was further evidence of that! 😍 I absolutely love all things Scottish and the way she wrote about the history of Christmas in Scotland was phenomenal! 👨‍🍳💋I absolutely loved the chemistry between these two characters and the way they learned to trust each other. Oh my heck! And the meddling grandma was so perfect! 🤣

A Twist of Christmas by @authordanalecheminant is a story of double identity swaps between two nobles and I loved it! I don't usually read books with multiple love stories because it gets a little confusing with who's who but Dana does a wonderful job with this one!! I have only read a couple of her books, but after reading this novella I will definitely be checking her blacklist!!

A Season of Love by @authorannekawalker

Oh my heck! I loved this one!! Anneka always knows how to write hilarious meet cutes! 😂I love how in this story she wrote such great characters with great chemistry! I loved that they could just be themselves around each other! The banter was absolutely perfect!

I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review.