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joanna1905's review against another edition
1.0
A fine quick read, nothing too special but nothing particularly bad about them either.
I liked the way they all seemed to link with the love cookies plot, a nice way to tie the stories together especially since they’re by different authors and so had different styles.
I liked the way they all seemed to link with the love cookies plot, a nice way to tie the stories together especially since they’re by different authors and so had different styles.
musetraxed's review against another edition
"Meet Me in Mayfair" by Tessa Dare -- Enjoyed it! Would reread.
"The Duke of Christmas Present" by Sarah MacLean -- Respect for the Ebeneezer-ing of it all but the prose and the MMC just weren't my taste.
"Heiress Alone" by Sophie Jordan -- Liked it but probably wouldn't reread it.
"Christmas in Central Park" by Joanna Shupe -- Liked a lot of parts but I'm not keen on big deception/reveal plots or The Grovel(TM), so yeah, not my taste.
"The Duke of Christmas Present" by Sarah MacLean -- Respect for the Ebeneezer-ing of it all but the prose and the MMC just weren't my taste.
"Heiress Alone" by Sophie Jordan -- Liked it but probably wouldn't reread it.
"Christmas in Central Park" by Joanna Shupe -- Liked a lot of parts but I'm not keen on big deception/reveal plots or The Grovel(TM), so yeah, not my taste.
brianne_k's review against another edition
4.0
*3.5/5*
This was cute.. all very fast-paced.
I really liked Tessa Dare's and Sophie Jordan's stories.
This was cute.. all very fast-paced.
I really liked Tessa Dare's and Sophie Jordan's stories.
kamreher's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
amanda_siegrist's review against another edition
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially because I got four stories! I honestly wanted them to be a bit longer, I was getting that into them. The only story that kind of didn't connect with me was The Duke of Christmas Present. I think it's because we only ever got Jack's POV with flashbacks and I really wanted them in the present.
teatime_and_reading's review against another edition
4.0
Meet me at Mayfair by Tessa Dare: 3 stars ⭐
It was shocking to me that my least favourite story out of these four was a Tessa Dare one. Because I always admire her work. and I didn't quite feel this one. It was very mediocre, intsa love-y, thus making it not enjoyable to me.
The Duke of Christmas present by Sarah MacLean: 4 stars⭐
I'm always a sucker for a second chance romance. I usually don't like Sarah Maclean's characters that much, or the way her plot almost always seem to take a wrong turn. However, I've fallen for these two. The angst lovers who are trying so hard to be together and do it right this time. It was an endearing read.
Heiress alone by Sophie Jordan: 4 stars.⭐
I loved it, loved the energy they gave off, their interactions, their chemistry, their love. I'm going to be reading more of Sophie Jordan's books that's for sure. They guaranteed it.
Christmas in Central Park by Joanna Shupe: 4 stars⭐
I've been a fan of Joanna for a while now. And let's just say this lovely couple has solidified my love for her stories and writing. And I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
Overall, a heartwarming collection of love stories happening over Christmas and the right amount of love, steam, and cuteness to keep you warm during the winter season. ⛄❄️
It was shocking to me that my least favourite story out of these four was a Tessa Dare one. Because I always admire her work. and I didn't quite feel this one. It was very mediocre, intsa love-y, thus making it not enjoyable to me.
The Duke of Christmas present by Sarah MacLean: 4 stars⭐
I'm always a sucker for a second chance romance. I usually don't like Sarah Maclean's characters that much, or the way her plot almost always seem to take a wrong turn. However, I've fallen for these two. The angst lovers who are trying so hard to be together and do it right this time. It was an endearing read.
Heiress alone by Sophie Jordan: 4 stars.⭐
I loved it, loved the energy they gave off, their interactions, their chemistry, their love. I'm going to be reading more of Sophie Jordan's books that's for sure. They guaranteed it.
Christmas in Central Park by Joanna Shupe: 4 stars⭐
I've been a fan of Joanna for a while now. And let's just say this lovely couple has solidified my love for her stories and writing. And I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
Overall, a heartwarming collection of love stories happening over Christmas and the right amount of love, steam, and cuteness to keep you warm during the winter season. ⛄❄️
bookish_kristina's review against another edition
4.0
How many Dukes even were there in Regency England?
3.5 stars total.
This is a Christmas anthology containing four short stories by well known historical romance authors. I am familiar with Tessa Dare and Sarah Maclean but haven’t read the other two. I rated each story individually and then gave an average rating for the entire book.
Meet Me In Mayfair - Tessa Dare - 5 ⭐️
Cute, sweet and fast paced, this was a good Christmas story. Tessa Dare writes strong heroines and I can forgive her anachronistic style because I’m used to it by now. Little to no steam, which is unusual for this author, I think Christmas means low detail sex in many circumstances. But the narration was well done and I enjoyed this short tale.
The Duke of Christmas Present - Sarah MacLean - 4 ⭐️
Another Christmas Carol retelling. I guess all Christmas anthologies are obligated to include at least one.
A second chance romance between childhood sweethearts. Eban (dumb name) inherited an impoverished dukedom and drove his fiancée away while working with Scroogelike dedication to bringing his estate out of poverty. She returns twelve (!!) years later and they are reunited. This was bittersweet as so many years were wasted for them to get back together. I never like second chance but I think that’s the only way to retell a Christmas Carol type story. This was very good and well written and had a hopeful ending. But I still hate second chance romances and I always will.
Heiress Alone - Sophie Jordan - 3 ⭐️
The FMCs name is Annis…. Whyyyyy?
So this one was a Home Alone retelling, that’s a first. It stayed pretty true to the movie’s basic premise, if Kevin McAllister was ‘not like other girls’. Annis *which I giggled at every time it was said* is left behind by accident by her family at their Scottish estate before a snow storm. She is then trapped there while brigands rob all the empty houses. Her neighbour, the Duke, comes to rescue her and bring her back to his estate, where they are pushed together by matchmaking servants. Not a complex plot, just your usual forced proximity with a grumpy hero. It was a decent short read but I rolled my eyes at all the stereotypical secondary female characters that were used as juxtaposition to the uniqueness of the heroine. Just gawd, can we please stop with this crap? Anyway not my fave of the reads but now onto the fourth and final.
Christmas in Central Park - Joanna Shupe - 2 ⭐️
This one is a man named Duke, not an actual duke, set in historical New York.
Rose writes an advice column in Duke’s newspaper. She assumes the name Mrs. Walker, a wealthy married woman when she is actually a maiden living in a boarding house.
He pursues her and has sex with her when he thinks she’s married to another man AND she works for him. Not my kind of hero.
The whole premise for this plot is distasteful and I can’t get into it. This isn’t a romantic Christmas story, this is an opportunistic hero with a skewed moral compass who acts like an ass and then blames the heroine for lying. Why does she like him? No thanks.
Overall this is a good Christmas read, I’d recommend bailing after the third story, the fourth leaves a bad taste.
3.5 stars total.
This is a Christmas anthology containing four short stories by well known historical romance authors. I am familiar with Tessa Dare and Sarah Maclean but haven’t read the other two. I rated each story individually and then gave an average rating for the entire book.
Meet Me In Mayfair - Tessa Dare - 5 ⭐️
Cute, sweet and fast paced, this was a good Christmas story. Tessa Dare writes strong heroines and I can forgive her anachronistic style because I’m used to it by now. Little to no steam, which is unusual for this author, I think Christmas means low detail sex in many circumstances. But the narration was well done and I enjoyed this short tale.
The Duke of Christmas Present - Sarah MacLean - 4 ⭐️
Another Christmas Carol retelling. I guess all Christmas anthologies are obligated to include at least one.
A second chance romance between childhood sweethearts. Eban (dumb name) inherited an impoverished dukedom and drove his fiancée away while working with Scroogelike dedication to bringing his estate out of poverty. She returns twelve (!!) years later and they are reunited. This was bittersweet as so many years were wasted for them to get back together. I never like second chance but I think that’s the only way to retell a Christmas Carol type story. This was very good and well written and had a hopeful ending. But I still hate second chance romances and I always will.
Heiress Alone - Sophie Jordan - 3 ⭐️
The FMCs name is Annis…. Whyyyyy?
So this one was a Home Alone retelling, that’s a first. It stayed pretty true to the movie’s basic premise, if Kevin McAllister was ‘not like other girls’. Annis *which I giggled at every time it was said* is left behind by accident by her family at their Scottish estate before a snow storm. She is then trapped there while brigands rob all the empty houses. Her neighbour, the Duke, comes to rescue her and bring her back to his estate, where they are pushed together by matchmaking servants. Not a complex plot, just your usual forced proximity with a grumpy hero. It was a decent short read but I rolled my eyes at all the stereotypical secondary female characters that were used as juxtaposition to the uniqueness of the heroine. Just gawd, can we please stop with this crap? Anyway not my fave of the reads but now onto the fourth and final.
Christmas in Central Park - Joanna Shupe - 2 ⭐️
This one is a man named Duke, not an actual duke, set in historical New York.
Rose writes an advice column in Duke’s newspaper. She assumes the name Mrs. Walker, a wealthy married woman when she is actually a maiden living in a boarding house.
He pursues her and has sex with her when he thinks she’s married to another man AND she works for him. Not my kind of hero.
The whole premise for this plot is distasteful and I can’t get into it. This isn’t a romantic Christmas story, this is an opportunistic hero with a skewed moral compass who acts like an ass and then blames the heroine for lying. Why does she like him? No thanks.
Overall this is a good Christmas read, I’d recommend bailing after the third story, the fourth leaves a bad taste.
lilchocolatecat's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
earthboundcutie's review against another edition
4.0
Overall pretty solid. This collection was exactly what I was looking for, fun and fluffy Christmas romance!
My favourite story was Sophie Jordan's, an author I hadn't heard of before so really excited to look into her other novels!
My favourite story was Sophie Jordan's, an author I hadn't heard of before so really excited to look into her other novels!