bookishkelly 's review for:

How the Dukes Stole Christmas by Sarah MacLean, Joanna Shupe, Sophie Jordan, Tessa Dare
3.0

“You have a smart mouth.”
“Aren’t you lucky you are able to kiss it?”

This year some of my favorite historical romance authors delivered an early Christmas present: an anthology of Christmas romances. The stories are all inspired by holiday movies and are all connected by a magical shortbread recipe (which, hilariously, tastes terrible but is rumored to bring you love). I thought this was a fun way to bring all of the tales together.

I went into this book with high expectations. Sarah MacLean and Tessa Dare are two of my favorite authors, and I’ve recently read and enjoyed books by Joanna Shupe and Sophie Jordan. I wasn’t as enchanted as I hope, but I still found this to be a fun and romantic collection that made for a good holiday read.

Tessa Dare’s "Meet Me in Mayfair" is short and sweet. It takes place in a single evening and finds the hero and heroine walking through the wintery streets in the middle of the night.

Sarah MacLean's "The Duke of Christmas Present" is an emotional tale that follows a Duke whose plans for a solitary Christmas are ruined when the woman who broke his heart returns. I didn’t fully connect with this story in the way I was expecting, but I do think fellow MacLeans fans will enjoy it.

The premise of Sophie Jordan's "Heiress Alone" intrigued me a bit more than the execution did, but it’s still an enjoyable story about a heroine who seeks shelter in the home of a Highlander when her family leaves her behind.

"Christmas in Central Park" by Joanna Shupe takes readers to New York where a columnist must work quickly to cover the little white lies that helped shape her career when her new boss asks her to host a party.

If you like any of these authors, this collection is definitely worth a read!