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568 reviews for:
How the Dukes Stole Christmas
Sarah MacLean, Joanna Shupe, Sophie Jordan, Tessa Dare
3.66 AVERAGE
568 reviews for:
How the Dukes Stole Christmas
Sarah MacLean, Joanna Shupe, Sophie Jordan, Tessa Dare
3.66 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this anthology. It's been a while since I've read one. I love novellas of prior characters from full books but flip flop on how I feel about novellas with brand new characters -primarily because it is sometimes hard to swallow the speed at which the MC's fall in love in a normal length romance book, so then cut it by 2/3 to 3/4 and see how fast it is.
Sometimes though you just have to completely suspend realistic trains of thought and enjoy - particularly during Christmas. However on that note my favorite 2 of the book was Tessa Dare's 'Meet Me In Mayfair' and Sarah MacLean's "The Duke of Christmas Present" were my favorite bc they expanded upon the length of the novella in the plot. TD's epilogue has a five month courting period, SM's novella is a second chance romance for a couple that had years of knowing each other before their separation. That isn't to say I didn't like Joanna Shupe or Sophie Jordan's books - the timelines were just a lot faster.
Overall I'd give Tessa Dare's 4 stars, Sarah MacLeans 4 stars, Joanna Shupe's a 3.5 and Sophie Jordan's 3.
I have previously read a Tessa Dare book, but hadn't yet read Sm, JS, or SJ books and I definitely want to read more by all of them.
Sometimes though you just have to completely suspend realistic trains of thought and enjoy - particularly during Christmas. However on that note my favorite 2 of the book was Tessa Dare's 'Meet Me In Mayfair' and Sarah MacLean's "The Duke of Christmas Present" were my favorite bc they expanded upon the length of the novella in the plot. TD's epilogue has a five month courting period, SM's novella is a second chance romance for a couple that had years of knowing each other before their separation. That isn't to say I didn't like Joanna Shupe or Sophie Jordan's books - the timelines were just a lot faster.
Overall I'd give Tessa Dare's 4 stars, Sarah MacLeans 4 stars, Joanna Shupe's a 3.5 and Sophie Jordan's 3.
I have previously read a Tessa Dare book, but hadn't yet read Sm, JS, or SJ books and I definitely want to read more by all of them.
A terrific collection of short stories and a fun holiday read. The Sarah MacLean story didn’t work for me (which was a surprise because I normally like her books) but the other 3 stories were a joy to read. The Joanna Shupe story was particularly enjoyable, like a shorter version of one of her 400 series.
So much fun! I loved the common thread of the shortbread in all four stories, and can't wait to try the recipe (Sarah MacLean's mother's own!) and am very thankful that it's reported to be more similar to the recipe used in the final stories than the one in the first three ;)
Wonderfully read, as always, by Ms. Eyre.
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
Wonderfully read, as always, by Ms. Eyre.
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
Meet Me in Mayfair has all of Tessa Dare’s trademark humour. I love love love her rom-coms set in the Regency period. Swoon!
The Duke or Christmas Present reminded me of The Day of the Duchess. I’m so incredibly emo for that book so this Sarah Maclean short story made me feel things and sigh with satisfaction. The angst! The yearning! The hurt! The reconciliation!
Heiress Alone is fun and silly. Sophie Jordan sure knows how to write a Scottish hero!
Christmas in Central Park by Joanna Shupe has to be the standout – which is a tough call because these stories are all exceptional. Christmas in Central Park has what me choose romance novels over anything else. It has a helluva good central love story. Plus, the sexy scene was gooooooooooood!
The Duke or Christmas Present reminded me of The Day of the Duchess. I’m so incredibly emo for that book so this Sarah Maclean short story made me feel things and sigh with satisfaction. The angst! The yearning! The hurt! The reconciliation!
Heiress Alone is fun and silly. Sophie Jordan sure knows how to write a Scottish hero!
Christmas in Central Park by Joanna Shupe has to be the standout – which is a tough call because these stories are all exceptional. Christmas in Central Park has what me choose romance novels over anything else. It has a helluva good central love story. Plus, the sexy scene was gooooooooooood!
Super cute, and, of course, 1000% apt for the season - I'm doing this summer thing remarkably well this year. 🙃
Tessa Dare - Meet Me In Mayfair 3/5
I love Tessa Dare's Spindle Cove novellas but this one didn't really do anything for me. Perhaps because in Once Upon a Winter's Eve, Beauty and the Blacksmith, and Lord Dashwood Missed Out, the couples already have a history to build on so even though everything happens very quickly, it doesn't really feel like instalove. This one was just too much too soon for me.
Sarah MacLean - The Duke of Christmas Past 1.5/5
Oh boy. I don't like saying this but I hated this story. It was so hard for me to get through and it was an audiobook so I couldn't even skim it to get to the stuff that wasn't horrible. I do understand her reasons for leaving, but until the very end when we get the flashback to Fergus telling her she's as wrong as he was, the way everyone attacked Eben drove me crazy. It was just so much. Everyone was just piling on him when he'd spent years hurting. And then he beats himself up because he'd broken his promise to always come after him, but SHE promised never to leave! I just wanted someone to cut him a fucking break for one moment. And there was this part in the beginning where the word "noticing" is said about twenty times in one paragraph and it drove me fucking insane. But I'm still going to try one of Sarah MacLean's novels because she's supposed to be amazing and anthologies like these are really not very indicative of how good someone's work can be.
Sophie Jordan - Heiress Alone 4.5/5
I loved this one. Hands down it was my favourite. I would read a full-length version of this story happily. It was so funny and cute and having to cuddle to keep warm has been one of my favourite romantic tropes since I was a kid watching Hana Yori Dango. My only problem with this is that it was too short because it's a novella. Can't wait to read more Sophie Jordan.
Joanna Shupe - Christmas in Central Park 3.5/5
I really liked this one as well. I love a little subterfuge and mistaken identity and I love the being jealous of a fake relationship thing. I don't like that he's her boss, but it's not real life and I can deal with some less-than-ideal power dynamics, especially in a historical (a woman's entire existence was shrouded in less-than-ideal power dynamics). It felt a little instalovey though, which I could have forgiven if those awful biscuits had been baked and Duke had eaten one of them.
I love Tessa Dare's Spindle Cove novellas but this one didn't really do anything for me. Perhaps because in Once Upon a Winter's Eve, Beauty and the Blacksmith, and Lord Dashwood Missed Out, the couples already have a history to build on so even though everything happens very quickly, it doesn't really feel like instalove. This one was just too much too soon for me.
Sarah MacLean - The Duke of Christmas Past 1.5/5
Oh boy. I don't like saying this but I hated this story. It was so hard for me to get through and it was an audiobook so I couldn't even skim it to get to the stuff that wasn't horrible. I do understand her reasons for leaving, but until the very end when we get the flashback to Fergus telling her she's as wrong as he was, the way everyone attacked Eben drove me crazy. It was just so much. Everyone was just piling on him when he'd spent years hurting. And then he beats himself up because he'd broken his promise to always come after him, but SHE promised never to leave! I just wanted someone to cut him a fucking break for one moment. And there was this part in the beginning where the word "noticing" is said about twenty times in one paragraph and it drove me fucking insane. But I'm still going to try one of Sarah MacLean's novels because she's supposed to be amazing and anthologies like these are really not very indicative of how good someone's work can be.
Sophie Jordan - Heiress Alone 4.5/5
I loved this one. Hands down it was my favourite. I would read a full-length version of this story happily. It was so funny and cute and having to cuddle to keep warm has been one of my favourite romantic tropes since I was a kid watching Hana Yori Dango. My only problem with this is that it was too short because it's a novella. Can't wait to read more Sophie Jordan.
Joanna Shupe - Christmas in Central Park 3.5/5
I really liked this one as well. I love a little subterfuge and mistaken identity and I love the being jealous of a fake relationship thing. I don't like that he's her boss, but it's not real life and I can deal with some less-than-ideal power dynamics, especially in a historical (a woman's entire existence was shrouded in less-than-ideal power dynamics). It felt a little instalovey though, which I could have forgiven if those awful biscuits had been baked and Duke had eaten one of them.
Sarah and Joanna's books were my favourites, but I enjoyed the whole anthology :)
Okay, so I only actually made it through Tessa Dare and Sarah MacLean's story (had to return to the library), but I loved what I listened to!
Tessa Dare's story features a woman reluctantly accepting a dance from the Duke who's ruining her family by calling in their debts (he doesn't know he's the reason for why she's moving), and a lovely walk in the snow that makes them fall in love.
Sarah MacLean, you crafty minx. I cannot believe the sheer depth of longing, feeling, and awe I had for a story set mainly in the claustrophobic quarters of one miserly Duke. She's the master, and this novella shows why. I loved that the characters were childhood lovers, separated by his unwillingness to marry her until he "proved himself worthy" and her unwillingness to wait around for him at home until he did. I was kept biting my nails for how these two would finally get there HEA, and oh a good one it was.
I'll pick this up again around the holidays!
Tessa Dare's story features a woman reluctantly accepting a dance from the Duke who's ruining her family by calling in their debts (he doesn't know he's the reason for why she's moving), and a lovely walk in the snow that makes them fall in love.
Sarah MacLean, you crafty minx. I cannot believe the sheer depth of longing, feeling, and awe I had for a story set mainly in the claustrophobic quarters of one miserly Duke. She's the master, and this novella shows why. I loved that the characters were childhood lovers, separated by his unwillingness to marry her until he "proved himself worthy" and her unwillingness to wait around for him at home until he did. I was kept biting my nails for how these two would finally get there HEA, and oh a good one it was.
I'll pick this up again around the holidays!