Christmas Brides

September 1, 2014
Harried holiday readers will appreciate these short, sweet, satisfying, and sexy Regency-era novellas. In Enoch’s “One Hot Scot,” boy meets girl in the Scottish Highlands, boy protects girl from would-be rapist, boy and girl marry the next day. In Hawkins’s sweet “Once Upon a Christmas Scandal,” a stranger appears at the Courtlands’ London home in time to celebrate Christmas and vie for Lady Ellen’s hand—and generous dowry. But that’s mere subterfuge for his real motives. Longest and most developed of the four is Essex’s “The Scandal Before Christmas.” Confirmed bachelor Ian Worth is ordered by his imperious father to marry within the week. His fierce charm transforms mousy Anne Lesley from bland to beautiful, even as familial hijinks ensue. Finally, what happens under the mistletoe in Bowman’s “It Happened Under the Mistletoe” is not nearly as interesting as what happens in the silver closet when two avowed marriage-evaders conspire to buck tradition. Fans of shorter romances will find these amply rewarding.

October 15, 2014
An anthology of four short historical romances sends up the holiday season with a touch of mischief, mistletoe and Christmas magic. In Enoch's "One Hot Scot," when a Highlander rescues an English lady who's been kidnapped by a rival clan, he risks his safety to help her, not realizing he's risking his heart by spending time with her. The Christmas connection is a bit of a stretch, but the amiable characters and sensual storyline-including the hero's clever outmaneuvering of the villain-win the reader over. In Hawkins' "Once Upon A Christmas Scandal," Lady Ellen is mortified and angry when her father increases her dowry to win her a husband, then confused when Lord Swainsbury finagles his way into their holiday party under false pretenses. He seems like her perfect match, but it's clear he's hiding something, so are his attentions to be believed? A hint of a housebound mystery spices up this warm yet sexy romance. In Essex's "The Scandal Before Christmas," a naval lieutenant must find a wife before his loathsome father forces him to marry his own choice. A colleague's docile and shy spinster daughter seems like a perfect choice, and when a snowstorm forces them together, he finds himself falling for the intelligent, passionate woman emerging from beneath her dowdy exterior. There's a satisfying plain-Jane storyline with the added bonus of outsmarting the insufferable father. Bowman's "It Happened Under the Mistletoe" offers a magical cat, a Regency meet-cute in a closet, and a duke and an heiress who are perfect for each other, though they're convinced they aren't-with a bit too much emotional hand-wringing on her part, which detracts slightly from the story's overall charm. Historical romance anthologies are as much a part of the Christmas season for some readers as trees and stockings, and this is a fun collection they'll appreciate. As warm, sweet and sexy as a quick kiss under the mistletoe.

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October 15, 2014

Four veteran historical authors put a holiday spin on this spirited collection of Regency-era novellas that sweep readers from the Scottish Highlands to the Isle of Wight (and points in between) and into a diverting assortment of romantic adventures. A runaway kidnap victim finds shelter--and more--with a virile, protective highlander in Enoch's "One Hot Scot"; an ailing father triples his daughter's dowry in Alexandra Hawkins's danger-tinged "Once upon a Christmas Scandal"; a winter storm on a windswept isle brings a romantic twist to a pragmatic betrothal in Elizabeth Essex's enchanting "The Scandal Before Christmas"; and a faux courtship turns real, thanks to mistletoe and a mysterious cat, in Valerie Bowman's "It Happened Under the Mistletoe." VERDICT Sassy, witty, and scandal laced, this diverse quartet of seasonal sparklers has something for everyone and will be at home in most popular romance collections.

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