HOW THE DUKE STOLE
CHRISTMAS is one of the best Christmas present ever! It could
hardly fail, with such stellar authors, but it's even better than I hoped!
There are four stories, which can be read in any order as they are not
interconnected, and they run the gamut of emotions.
In MEET ME IN MAYFAIR by Tessa Dare, Miss Louisa must find a
wealthy husband at the last ball before Christmas, or else she and her
family lose their home by New Year's Day. James Standish, the Duke of
Thorndale, is the villain who wants to evict them, and to her dismay,
Louisa must waltz with the enemy. This is such a delightful tale with
beautiful descriptions of Mayfair at Christmastime. It is delightfully
romantic, cleverly plotted, and brilliant dialogues highlight this most
charming, and very Christmassy romance which I read with a smile
plastered on my face the entire time.
THE DUKE OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT by Sarah MacLean is the longest
novella and a most ingenious retelling of A Christmas Carol. The Duke
of Allryd, our Scrooge, Eben, meets his ghost of Christmas past: Lady
Jacqueline Mosby who left him to his ledgers twelve years ago. I love
Ms. MacLean's take on the ghosts because there was not a spirit in
sight, but rather ghosts of loss and regret. This is a very emotional
story that had me sniffling copiously, and the characters are so
wonderfully drawn, that I'm hoping that Charles Lawton, Eben's
business partner, will have his story one day; he is so charismatic!
HEIRESS ALONE by Sophie Jordan is the author's sexy spin on Home
Alone as Annis Ballister is entirely forgotten by her family when a
snowstorm derails their Christmas plans and she is left to fend for
herself. But their neighbor Calder, the Duke of Sinclair, will not leave a
damsel in distress alone, even if he doubts of her good intentions. A
little warning here: the blistering attraction between Annis and Calder
could be hazardous to your e-reader! This is a steamy yet very sweet
and lovely story, while our couple faces all sorts of dangers -- great
and small -- for a magical Highland romance.
Then off to New York with Joanna Shupe's A CHRISTMAS IN CENTRAL
PARK as Miss Rose Walker fights to keep her job as an advice
columnist: Mrs. Walker, the Martha Graham of the Gilded Age, is partly
a fraud. No one must know, especially not the publisher Duke
Havermeyer; a real Scrooge albeit a sexy one. Rose is a spunky one
indeed, and I was surprised at how bold she was. This novella is
extremely fast-paced, as Rose and Duke battle misunderstandings,
secrets, and their undeniable attraction.
Sarah MacLean even includes a special gift for us: her family's recipe
for shortbread! What I appreciated the most about this anthology is
that the novellas are all really Christmas stories, imbued with an
undeniable historical Yuletide feel. HOW THE DUKE STOLE CHRISTMAS is a new holiday
classic that is sure to be cherished for years to come by historical
romance fans!
Christmas magic is in the air... From the ballrooms of
London, to abandoned Scottish castles, to the snowy streets
of Gilded Age New York, four bestselling authors whip up
some unforgettable romance...with a little help from some
enchanted shortbread.
"Meet Me in Mayfair" by Tessa Dare
Louisa Ward needs a Christmas miracle. Unless she catches a
wealthy husband at the ball tonight, the horrid, heartless
Duke of Thorndale will evict her family from their beloved
Mayfair home. But when her friend begs to switch dance
cards, Louisa finds herself waltzing with the enemy: the
horrid, heartless--and unexpectedly handsome--Thorndale
himself. Now the duke's holding her future in his
hands...and he's not letting go.
"The Duke of Christmas Present" by Sarah MacLean
Rich and ruthless, Eben, Duke of Allryd, has no time for
holidays. Holidays are for whimsy and charm--the only two
things his money cannot buy. Lady Jacqueline Mosby is full
of both, even now, twelve years after she left to see the
world. When Jacqueline returns for a single Christmas, Eben
can't resist the woman he never stopped loving...or the
future that had once been in reach. It will take a miracle
to convince her to stay...but if ever there were a time for
miracles, it's Christmas...
"Heiress Alone" by Sophie Jordan
When Annis Bannister's family leaves her behind in the rush
to escape an impending snowstorm, she finds herself stranded
in the Highlands, left to fend off brigands terrorizing the
countryside, robbing homes locked up for winter. Her only
hope falls on her neighbor, a surly hermit duke who unravels
her with a look, then a kiss ... until she fears the danger
to her heart outweighs the danger of brigands and
snowstorms.
"Christmas in Central Park" by Joanna Shupe
Women all over America devour Mrs. Walker's weekly column
for recipes and advice. No one knows Rose, the column's
author, can't even boil water. When the paper's owner, Duke
Havemeyer, insists she host a Christmas party, Rose must
scramble to find a husband, an empty mansion, and a cook.
But Duke is not a man easily fooled and she fears her
perfect plan is failing--especially when Duke's attentions
make her feel anything but professional. To save her career
will she give up her chance at love?
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