Winter Wishes: A Regency Holiday Romance Anthology

Want to get in the mood for Christmas and romance? Go no further than this fabulous collection for an amazing group of historical romance authors. Some of my favorite! A Yuletide Highlander by Collette Cameron Loved, loved, loved this story! A brawny Scot named Gregor, who has an orange and white tabby he rescued and named Cat (sorry I have to mention the wonderful "friends" she always adds to the stories!) help a lass hide while some rough pieces of shite were trying to nab her. Thus, Gregor meets Sarah Paine and her brother Kipp, who have been on the run for a few years hiding from the villain who had murdered her father. He takes them in and cares for them. Can I just say again I loved this story? Collette also writes exactly what my heart is looking for!! Invitation to Pleasure by Bronwen Evans Such a sweet story with a lot of emotion. Georgiana was determined to get her colt back that her father had sold to the Earl of Hascombe. But her plan went awry as she was captured in the Earl's stables before she could make her escape. His brother in law Daniel, saw her as she was about to get away and stopped her. When he realized it was a lady, all bets were off and he stole a kiss. This story drew me from the first because I love horses and of course romance and Bronwen Evans wove a wonderful tale of an injured soul trying to save her mother and a man who realizes that maybe he has found the one woman who can share his dreams and life. Truly enjoyed this one so much! The Earl from Christmas Past by Wendy Vella A delightful story with one of my very favorite storylines. Friends as children who come back together when they are older. Such is the case with Maddie Spencer and Gabriel Lockhart. Gabe sees Maddie and cannot believe it is the same girl that was so much fun and wild when they were young. She seems to spurn any attention and keep to herself. That is until he finds out what she is really doing and tries to protect her... Of course Maddie is a determined soul, even though she is so attracted to the man Gabe has become. What will happen between these two? Adored this story!! More to come!

A Rogue’s Reputation by Lana Williams When Lady Louisa Felton finds her family on the brink of scandal, only a handsome rogue can step in to bring her salvation. But can she trust him? I enjoyed this book. I thought it was very clever and different. I loved the hero Benjamin Wright, the Earl of Granger. There were twists and turns in the plot that I didn’t expect. The fact that the hero is a man of humility was also a breath of fresh air. Benjamin has been a world traveler and it has widened his outlook on his fellow man. “These adventures had helped Benjamin realize he was but one star in the night sky and would only shine brightly for a brief time. The humility he’d experienced at that moment had sealed his desire for a new start.” This was my first time to read Ms Williams work and I look forward to reading more. A Yuletide Highlander by Collette Cameron A Yuletide Highlander is book 7 in the Highlander Heather Romancing a Scot series. I have to say that this is one of my very favorite series by Cameron. I enjoyed this book about Gregor and Sarah. Sarah’s brother Christopher is a very special character - a boy with special needs. Sarah is a wonderfully caring sister to him and Gregor is truly a hero in the boy’s life. There are some tense moments of intrigue and danger as well as a few tingly romantic scenes. You can’t go wrong with Cameron. I haven’t been disappointed yet. One Enchanted Christmas by Heather Boyd I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I think I fell in love with Otis, Lord Clement. He is so kind and caring - a wonderful hero. When Lord Clement agrees to wager with his cruel father - to marry within three months time, he is surprised to find two women he can choose between to be his bride. But who will steal his heart? Ms. Boyd has written a clever romance with a few twists that I wasn’t expecting. “There was a strange tension between them now - and then Otis suddenly darted towards her and pressed his lips to hers. His kiss was sweet, soft, and oh so gentle. His fingertips lingered on her cheek, warm but gentle as he cupped her skull. A lingering pleasure that curled her toes in her slippers and made her senses soar to incredible heights.” Bravo Ms. Boyd! Mistletoe and Kisses by Sasha Cottman I have read several of Ms.Cottman’s books and I have enjoyed them. My very favorite book is An Unsuitable Match. In fact I own 10 of Ms. Cottman’s books and I have enjoyed them all. I am sorry to say that this one has fallen short. I found the pace horribly slow and plodding. Hugh Radley is supposed to be a sort of Absent Minded professor. Mary Gray is the daughter of Hugh’s recently deceased teacher at Cambridge University. Hugh and Mary have been friends and she holds a special tendre for Hugh. Normally there is something that must be overcome that keeps two people a part in a romance. But I’m not sure what happened in this story. They go for quite a few walks…. I found there to be zero heat between the two. When there is a sex scene, it just feels forced. A disappointing read. I would give this one 3 stars. Must Love Majors by Samantha Grace I enjoyed Must Love Majors. The pace slowed a bit in the middle, but overall an enjoyable read. The Duke She Despised by Alina Field Wow! I really loved this book. This was my first time to read a story by Field and I am so glad to have discovered her. Her characters are well rounded and believable. The story moves at a good pace. There was some humor sprinkled here and there. I loved the theme of redemption. I look forward to more by this author.

I'm reading as time permits, and as it appears the novellas are not interconnected, I'm reading all out of sequence. Invitation to Pleasure by Bronwen Evans Invitation to Pleasure is a rather lengthy novella, with much substance and a little drama. The characters' backgrounds are solidly established, and while Daniel and Georgiana are immediately attracted to each other, the relationship is not rushed. They act like rational adults, even though they're both young - Georgiana is twenty and has a good head on her shoulders - and they have heart-to-heart talks about important matters. Lady Georgiana is determined, cunning, she is very brave and loyal, but she has trust issues, thanks to her uncaring father. The dialogues are great: quite witty between Daniel and Georgiana, and touching between Daniel and his sister Rheda - you can feel the filial affection, and appreciate the loving family atmosphere. Daniel is a wonderful hero, kind and considerate; for once, it felt like a relationship between equals without sounding anachronistic, and the intimate scene is beautifully written and apropos. Invitation to Pleasure is a lovely romance with a strong plot, where the characters communicate clearly and honestly. I truly felt that Daniel's and Georgiana's connection was real, they respect each other, they don't play mind games, and it was evident that their love would last. There's even a lovely epilogue to wrap things up. Pretty amazing for a novella! A Yuletide Highlander by Collette Cameron Highland Heather Romancing a Scot #7 It was love at first sight with Gregor! I loved his attitude, he's kind, honourable, he has a cat, and the way he's described; absolutely irresistible! Sarah is just as lovely: she's had a tough time staying alive and providing for her brother. She's far from helpless, but she willingly accepts Gregor's help; what a joy to have a heroine who is not needlessly stubborn! Both are sweet, charming people, with chemistry to spare, and with all the drama on two fronts, this is a very pleasant story. The romance happens quickly, it's entirely believable due to the circumstances; besides Gregor is the cat's meow and Sarah just as adorable. The book is wonderfully paced and all the loose ends neatly tied up. Collette Cameron again demonstrates that it is possible to write a complete story, with no plot holes and beautifully drawn characters within the confines of a novella. Ms. Cameron takes her time to weave a solid plot and craft engaging characters rather than waste pages on superfluous sex scenes. This is how I like my Regency romance! One Room at the Inn by Cheryl Bolen What a perfectly enchanting Christmas novella! While there is a case of mistaken identities, it's masterfully handled and entirely believable. The writing is utterly delightful, in tune with the Regency era, the descriptions crisp and bright, and the dialogues sparkle with wit. Charlotte, her children, and Philip are equally charming and engaging. The romance happens quickly, but given how Charlotte, Philip, and the children spent their time together, I was onboard. Philip, "the Usurper of Gloom", elicited a few giggles; oh, but he is adorable! One Room at the Inn is short, sweet, very Christmassy, and absolutely lovely!