Tag: #romance

Feature Post and Book Review: Rogue Christmas Operation by Juno Rushdan

Hi, everyone!

I have been posting Feature Post and Book Review blog posts on the Harlequin Investigators Blog Tour for all of these great reads throughout this month and last.

Today I am sharing my blog post for ROGUE CHRISTMAS OPERATION (Fugitive Heroes: Topaz Unit Book #1) by Juno Rushdan.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book, an about the author section and the author’s social media link. This is my last post for this tour. Enjoy!

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Book Description

He’ll sacrifice his safety

…for a woman who could completely upend his Christmas.  

After Gage Graham saves her from drowning, Hope Fischer revives, determined to learn the truth about her sister’s death. All she has to do is infiltrate a mysterious closed Virginia town and discover why the attractive—but secretive—Gage feels compelled to help her. Can she trust him? Will he risk being discovered by his former employer, the CIA, for a woman he just met? Neither will matter if a killer succeeds.

Add Rogue Christmas Operation to your Goodreads!

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

ROGUE CHRISTMAS OPERATION (Fugitive Heroes: Topaz Unit Book #1) by Juno Rushdan is an action-packed, edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense. This book is the start of a new Harlequin Intrigue series by a new-to-me author. While Christmas is in the title and when the book is set, it is not really a holiday read, but it is an excellent romantic suspense.

Hope Fischer is a globe-trotting photojournalist who is notified that her sister, Faith has committed suicide. Hope finds everything about the supposed facts regarding her sister’s death unbelievable and she is willing to do anything to get to the truth.

Gage Graham rescues Hope from drowning as her car crashes on the rode to the Benediction, which is a rural Virginia closed town, locked down by the government. Gage feels compelled to help Hope find what truly happened to her sister even as it may cost him his safe sanctuary and expose him to his former CIA employer.

Can Gage and Hope trust each other enough to uncover the truth, find a killer and escape with their lives?

I read this book in one sitting. It is exciting and has two fast-paced suspense plots which are both equally intriguing. You get the main suspense plot of the H/h searching for the truth of Faith’s death and the secondary suspense plot featuring the Topaz Unit hiding out while they attempt to figure out why they have been targeted for elimination. Hope and Gage are engaging main characters who both love family, are intelligent and resilient. The danger they are in speeds up their connection and trust, but I never felt like it was forced or unbelievable in this story. The sex scenes are explicit, but not gratuitous. This new-to-me author gave me everything I am looking for in a Harlequin Intrigue and I will definitely be looking for more of her stories.

I highly recommend this romantic suspense and I am anxiously waiting for the next book in the Topaz Unit series!

***

Excerpt

She’d been warned. That’s what everyone wanted. For her to leave it all alone. To go back to California and bury her head in the sand.

But then a murderer would go free.

She had failed her sister once. Not again. She swallowed past the ball of anxiety in her throat. You can do this.

The SUV zoomed up alongside her, sending a new wave of fear crashing through her. What was he doing?

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than the SUV swerved sharply. The front end slammed into her side of the car, propelling it into a wild slide toward the edge.

Hope panicked, hitting the brakes. The wheels locked. Her vehicle lost traction and went into a skid. Everything was happening so fast. Too fast.

Spinning out of control, her car missed a large tree and slid over the edge of the slope. A high-pitched cry escaped her lips. Dirt and rocks spit up. She tried to straighten the steering wheel and pumped the brakes. Her car fishtailed, clipped a tree and went airborne.

The sedan flipped. Rolled end over end down the gradient. Metal crunched and groaned around her.

Hope’s seat belt jerked hard across her body, cutting off her oxygen for a second.

The airbag deployed like a hot fist, knocking her head back against the seat. Dust and chemicals saturated the air.

Her lungs seized as a scream lodged in her throat.

The car slammed to a stop with the impact of crashing into a brick wall. Her skull smashed into something hard. 

A riot of pain flared…everywhere. In her head, chest, bones—even her teeth hurt.

Her vision blurred. Not that it mattered. She couldn’t see past the airbag, which was the size of a large beach ball in her face.

Hope pushed on the light fabric, and the airbag deflated. Coughing, she wiped at the wetness coming from her nose with the back of her hand. Blood. Her nose was bleeding.

She switched on the interior light and pushed the deflated airbag out of her way.

The headlights were still on.

Water.

The car was in the lake. Beneath the water, or at least half of it. The weight of the engine pitched the front end forward, so that the car was almost pointing straight down. She looked back at the rear window. Rain and darkness.

Water was starting to seep inside the vehicle. The foot well was filling up as water rushed in. Faster and faster.

Hope pressed the button to release the seat belt. But nothing happened. It was stuck, jammed tight. She yanked on the belt, trying again, tugging and pushing. Praying.

Oh, God. She was trapped.

Icy water rose past her hips to her waist. Shockingly cold. Her toes were already growing numb, and she was shivering. She had to get out. Now!

Her purse floated up on the passenger’s side. If she reached it, got to the Swiss Army knife inside, she could cut herself free.

She extended her hand in the water. Her bag was inches from her fingertips. She stretched out as much as she could, straining her arm muscles. A pang wrenched through her chest, her eyes tearing at the intense pain, but she didn’t stop. She kept reaching for her purse. Almost had it. The bag was so close—she needed to stretch a hair farther, but the seat belt had her pinned.

The car shifted, still moving. Down and down it sank. The car tipped to the side, and water carried her purse away, out of reach.

***

About the Author

Juno Rushdan draws from real-life inspiration as a former U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer to craft sizzling romantic thrillers. However, you won’t find any classified leaks here. Her stories are pure fiction about kick-ass heroes and strong heroines fighting for their lives as well as their happily-ever-after.

Although Juno is a native New Yorker, wanderlust has taken her across the globe. Fortunately, she is blessed with a husband who shares her passion for travel, movies, and fantastic food. She’s visited more than twenty different countries and has lived in England and Germany. Her favorite destination for relaxation is the Amalfi Coast, Italy for its stunning seascape, cliffside lemon groves, terraced vineyards, amazing pasta, and to-die-for vino.

When she’s not writing, Juno loves spending time with her family. Exercise is not her favorite thing to do, but she squeezes some in since chocolate and red wine aren’t calorie-free.

She currently resides in Virginia with her supportive hubby, two dynamic children, and spoiled rescue dogs. Check her out on Instagram, Facebook or follow her on Twitter or BookBub. She loves to connect with readers!

Social Media Links

Website: https://junorushdan.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/junorushdan/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JunoRushdan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/junorushdan/

Buy Rogue Christmas Operation by Juno RushdanHarlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335555410_rogue-christmas-operation.html

Book Review: Ravens In the Rain by Christie and Jeff Santo

Book Synopsis

    Ravens In The Rain centers around Pru and Carney, she’s a woman with a past, and he’s a man with no future. Down on luck and down on love, they meet over a game of chance at an off-strip Vegas casino, and Carney wonders if Pru’s sparkle is what he needs to lift him from his darkness. He doesn’t even mind that she swiped a hundred-dollar bill from an old cowboy. It excites him. 

    While Pru, disillusioned by her sparkle, is now accustomed to the cynical disposition of vagabond life. She’s not looking for a one-night stand; she’s looking for survival and sizing Carney up as a comfortable solution, for the moment. When she finds out who he really is, she’ll ante up for the game of her life.  

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

RAVENS IN THE RAIN: A Noir Love Story by Christie and Jeff Santo is an intriguing story that is a noir romance. I love noir mysteries and crime stories, but they usually do not end well for the main characters, so I was very interested in reading how a noir romance is imagined. (And of course, I imagined it in black and white.)

In the subgenre of noir romance the protagonists should never fall in love, but they do. They are cynical, disillusioned and/or feel more despair than hope. In the traditional romance novel, the H/h may not believe they belong together, but they work through diversity to end up together. In both, the H/h must end up together to be a romance no matter how light and hopeful or dark and gritty the journey.

Ravens In the Rain pulled me in to the despair and drama of Pru and Carney’s lives. What kept me reading was the constant tension and unanswered questions between these two. When I began to feel as if I had an understanding of either character, the authors would throw in a twist that would change my perspective of the character/characters or their situation. I love the continual speculation between truth and lies and the differing perspectives of each.

Can Pru and Carney’s very different and yet equally unsettling pasts decide the future for these two, or do they break free of their pasts and find their own happiness together?

I recommend this unique genre bending, but not breaking modern day dark romance with fascinating protagonists.

***

Christie & Jeff Santo

Authors of Ravens In The Rain: A Noir Love Story

www.RavensInTheRain.com

www.SantoFilms.com

Follow us on

Instagram: @christiesanto @jeffsanto10

& Facebook C-Goodreads J-Goodreads Twitter BookBub 

Watch our Book Trailer on YouTube

Feature Post and Book Review: Texas Baby Conspiracy by Barb Han

Hi, everyone!

I have been posting Feature Post and Book Review blog posts on the Harlequin Investigators Blog Tour for all of these great reads throughout this month and the last.

Today I am sharing my blog post for TEXAS BABY CONSPIRACY by Barb Han.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book, an about the author section and the author’s social media link. Come back later this month for the last book in this tour and enjoy!

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Book Description

She’s fighting for her and her baby’s lives
But she can’t remember why…

Injured and locked up in a decrepit trailer, Alyssa Hazel wakes to only fragments of memory. She knows she’s pregnant, her life is in danger—and there’s one man she can trust once she escapes. But police officer Blake O’Connor hasn’t forgiven Alyssa for walking away from their marriage. Can he protect her and their unborn child…even when this conspiracy hits too close to home?

Add Texas Baby Conspiracy to your Goodreads!

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

TEXAS BABY CONSPIRACY (An O’Connor Family Mystery Book #4) by Barb Han is an action-packed Harlequin Intrigue romantic suspense. This is the fourth book in the O’Connor Family Mystery series by this author, but it can easily be read as a standalone.

Alyssa Hazel wakes up in a decrepit trailer bedroom closet. As she moves out of the closet, she hears two voices discussing her dire fate in the other room. Pregnant and with only scattered memories, she knows she is in danger and escapes to find her way home.

Police officer Blake O’Connor is shocked when he finds his very pregnant ex-wife with no memory of their divorce on his doorstep seeking help. He has been devastated for months since she walked out on him with no explanation. She claims the child is his and she has no memory of leaving him or why she is in danger.

Can Blake protect his ex-wife and their unborn child and discover why they are in danger?

I enjoyed this action-packed, fast-paced romantic suspense. The suspense/mystery conspiracy was well paced and plotted with surprise twists. It is an interesting romance plot twist to have a second chance romance when one of the main characters does not remember the separation and it was handled in a believable way. There is no sex in this romance, but a realistic chemistry and a rebuilding of trust and love.

I can recommend this romantic suspense for an exciting, quick read which is heavier on the suspense and mystery than the romance. I am looking forward to also checking out other books in this series by this author.

***

Excerpt

When Alyssa Hazel stirred and felt nothing but walls on all four sides of her, shock robbed her voice. Panic caused her pulse to pound and the extra blood thumped against her skull. Her head threatened to split open as she tried to recall where she was and why she was here.

She pushed her hands out, trying to see if the walls would give. The material was pliable but solid enough to hold form. She felt for cracks or anything she could grip. Movement hurt. She attempted to stretch out her legs and couldn’t get very far.

Where was she? What happened? Why was she enclosed in such a tight space? A haze pressed down on her brain and the pressure was the equivalent of a thunderstorm rolling in.

It was pitch black and she couldn’t remember a thing about where she’d been or what she’d been doing before ending up in this…whatever this was. Forcing recall only made her brain hurt more. A stomach cramp drew her legs tighter to her belly. 

Wouldn’t there be a door if she was in some kind of compartment? There would have to be a crack around a door or hatch. She reached up and couldn’t find a ceiling. That seemed like the first good sign so far. It meant that she might be in a small closet or storage room.

She felt around, trying to get her bearings because right now she was at a loss as to where she was and what she was doing there. Bringing her hands to cradle her stomach, she knew one thing was certain, she was pregnant. Very pregnant. Her belly was huge.

Again, her mind drew a blank to a question that was so basic she felt like she should have an answer. What on earth was she doing there? She brought her hand up to her head and looked for a reason for the memory loss and headache. She touched a tender spot and felt dried blood.

At least she thought it was. Seeing was impossible despite her eyes adjusting to the dark.

Logic said if she’d gotten inside this structure, there had to be a way out. Bracing her hands against thin walls, she maneuvered up to a sitting position.

Next, she instinctively checked to make sure she had on clothes and then immediately checked for her wedding ring. The band was gone. Thank heavens she had on a cotton shirt and jeans. No shoes but she did have on socks. She remembered wearing her favorite boots. The random memory seemed to float around with no context to ground it. Where had she been going? What had she been doing?
A noise startled her. She froze, unable to make out what it was or exactly where it came from other than out there.

***

About the Author

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Barb Han lives in Texas with her adventurous family and beloved dogs. Reviewers have called her books “heartfelt” and “exciting.” When not writing or reading, she can be found exploring Manhattan, on a mountain, or swimming in her backyard.

Social Media Link

Website: https://www.barbhan.com/

Buy Texas Baby Conspiracy by Barb HanHarlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335555359_texas-baby-conspiracy.html

Feature Post and Book Review: Colton K-9 Target by Justine Davis

Hi, everyone!

I have been posting Feature Post and Book Review blog posts on the Harlequin Investigators Blog Tour for all of these great reads throughout this month and the last.

Today I am sharing my blog post for COLTON K-9 TARGET (Coltons of Grave Gulch Book #8) by Justine Davis.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Come back throughout the month for more and enjoy!

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Book Description

Man’s best friend 

…is this cop’s most trusted partner

New to the Grave Gulch Police Department, K-9 detective Brett Shea feels like an outsider among its many Coltons. Even Annalise, his dog’s trainer, is a Colton! But when she’s attacked by a man pretending to be her date, Brett vows to track down the criminal. Though he’s sworn off forever love—which is proving harder by the day—Brett will protect her at any cost.

Add Colton K-9 Target to your Goodreads!

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My Book Review

RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars

COLTON K-9 TARGET (Coltons of Grave Gulch Book #8) by Justine Davis is a romantic suspense in the Coltons of Grave Gulch series. This is the first Colton book I have read in this series and while the romance is enjoyable, I wish I would have read the previous books first. This series should be read in order and not as standalones.

Detective Brett Shea was happy to move to the small-town police force in Grave Gulch and become their first K-9 officer. Brett’s canine partner is the black lab, Ember who has been training with Annalise Colton.

Annalise Colton and many in her family are all part of law enforcement in Grave Gulch. Besides her job training dogs, she wants to find a forever love like many in her family. She goes on-line and believes she has found her perfect match, until she is attacked and discovers she has been “catfished”. Brett happens to be close by and interrupts the attack, but he gets away.

Brett and Annalise have grown up with very different examples of family and love and even as Brett does want to catch Annalise’s attacker, he is hesitant about their strong attraction. As the two grow closer, so does the danger from an attacker who wants to finish the job.

I enjoyed Brett, Annalise and all the dogs in this story, but the romantic suspense plot itself was not strong enough for me. Much of the book was two supposedly successful and mature adults not honestly communicating enough until three quarters of the way through the story and the “catfishing” plot was interesting, but it was interrupted repeatedly by the series overall plotline of a serial killer on the loose.

Overall, it was a fast, enjoyable read, but not as good as other Colton books I have read.

***

Excerpt

Annalise stared into the darkness, hoping that forcing herself to keep her eyes open would perversely trigger the overwhelming urge to sleep. It was her last resort; she’d been lying here for two hours, unable to find a way to turn off, or at least slow down, her whirling thoughts.

And the fact that a few minutes ago Brett had come to her open doorway and lingered a moment didn’t help.

She’d heard the faint creak of a floorboard and felt a spike of that adrenaline rush before she realized it was him. That realization caused a spike of an entirely different kind until she heard him walk away and realized he’d only been checking on her.

What did you expect? That he’d climb into bed with you?

She rolled over and buried her face in her pillow, wondering why these wild thoughts kept careening into her mind. What kind of woman was she, to have been so very excited about her date tonight—never mind that it had all been a scam—yet almost simultaneously so attracted to this man who had no interest at all in her that way? Or in anything like the kind of relationship she was looking for?

I’m not looking for what you’re looking for.

He meant it. She didn’t doubt that. And she knew she should consider it fair warning. A warning some men would never bother to give. Why had he? She felt her cheeks heat at the thought that maybe he knew, how she reacted to him. Maybe she’d betrayed it somehow. That would be embarrassing. They’d always gotten on well in the joint training sessions with Ember, but her focus had been on the smart, willing dog, not on him.

Well, not any more than usual. Qualified, capable K-9 officers with a record like his weren’t thick on the ground, and he’d proven that rep well-earned in their first exercises together. That he was quietly competent and apparently unaware of his own looks were big points in his favor, in her book.

She’d assumed at first he was married, because how could he not be? He didn’t wear a ring, but some men didn’t. Then Troy had told her a week later he wasn’t and had never been.

You have to believe in love before you can give up on it.

She sighed into the darkness. That just might be the saddest thing she’d ever heard. Yet he didn’t seem sad to her. Or bitter. Just…closed off. Except with Ember. That alone told Annalise that he wasn’t completely closed off.

But that didn’t mean she should be lying here thinking about him.

And about what she would have done if he had climbed into bed with her.

“I can drive myself—”

“I know you can,” Brett said patiently to Annalise the next morning, “but I have to drop Ember off anyway.” He didn’t mention that he also didn’t want her taking off to go get lunch or something. He wanted her under observation at all times, and he’d already called Sergeant Kenwood to let him know to keep an eye on her; the man might be retired from active duty, but his instincts were as sharp as ever.

“But I’ll need my car to get home.”

“I’ll pick you up when I come get her,” he said, with a scratch of the Lab’s soft ears. “After I talk to the two other women this jerk targeted.”

“I want to take Apple and Jack,” she said. “I don’t want to leave them alone. They were scared, too.”

And that was Annalise Colton in a nutshell, he thought. “Fine. There’s room. And Ember won’t mind.”

And so he ended up with a carload of three dogs and the woman adored by them all.

Including you?

He yanked his mind off that fruitless path. He drove, trying to concentrate on mentally organizing his day.

***

About the Author

Justine Davis lives on Puget Sound in Washington State, watching big ships and the occasional submarine go by, and sharing the neighborhood with assorted wildlife, including a pair of bald eagles, deer, a bear or two, and a tailless raccoon. In the few hours when she’s not planning, plotting, or writing her next book, her favorite things are photography, knitting her way through a huge yarn stash, and driving her restored 1967 Corvette roadster—top down, of course.

Social Media Links

Website: https://justinedavis.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JustineDareDavis 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Justine_D_Davis

Buy Colton K-9 Target by Justine Davis

Harlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335759382_colton-k-9-target.html

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Liner by Chris Coppel

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for LINER by Chris Coppel on this Blackthorn Book Tour.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, an about the author section and a note from the author. Enjoy!

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Book Description

David Easton believed his life was in complete ruins. He managed to scrape together just enough money for a one-way ticket on the fabulous Oceanis. It was the most luxurious liner afloat and he planned to revel in all its opulent pleasures until in the middle of the Atlantic crossing – he would leap from the fantail, thus ending his pain and misery. The problem was that he never dreamt that while counting down the hours until his death, he would meet Diana.

Despite her traveling with her overly protective parents who hoped to introduce her to a suitable husband while onboard, they managed to find each other. As their affections grew, strange things began happening on the ship. At first, it was just mental images and dreams, but as the days passed their very reality began to bend beyond anything their minds could have imagined.

Together they had to find out what was happening to the Oceanis and how they could find a way to save the great liner and all those aboard her.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58620171-liner?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=0362Rmzfab&rank=1

  • Purchase link: http://mybook.to/Amazon_Liner
  • Release date: 28/07/2021 – Matador
  • Genre:  Horror suspense
  • Print length: 256 pages
  • Age range: This is an adult book but suitable for mature teenagers 16+
  • Trigger warnings: No
  • Amazon Rating: 4.5

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

LINER by Chris Coppel is a thriller set on an ocean liner in the 1960’s which I could not stop reading. The story has a bit of romance, a bit of horror, a bit of paranormal and a bit of spiritual otherworldliness that sends chills up your spine as well as makes you wonder what the heck is going on?

David Easton has lost everything he cares about, his marriage, his two children and his job as a microbiologist. Depressed, he takes his last bit of cash and buys first class passage on a top-of-the-line ocean liner named the “Oceanis”.  His ticket is one-way, and he does not plan on returning to New York.

While on board the luxury liner, David meets and becomes intrigued with Diana, an assistant editor at a New York publishing house on the ocean trip with her parents. As the couple becomes closer, strange things begin to happen on the Oceanis.

This is really all I can tell you without giving away a plot twist. I thought at first, I was reading a horror story, but this story is so much more than that. The author does a great job of creating a chilling and harrowing atmosphere, while still giving David and Diana a believable romance full of hope. This is a page turner and I finished it in one sitting. The ending was not what I expected, and I believe it will be discussed by all who read the book.

I recommend this unique thriller for an interesting and entertaining read.

***

About the Author

Chris Coppel was born in California and has since split his time between the USA and Europe, living in California, Spain, France, Switzerland and England. Chris taught advanced screenwriting at the UCLA film school and has been writing for over thirty years. As well as h this upcoming title, he is the author of Far From Burden Dell, Luck, The Lodge and Legacy.

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

“Hi Readers,

I was raised the son of a writer. My father wrote plays, films and novels. He was successful and suffered constant wanderlust. I was born in America when he was there writing Vertigo for Alfred Hitchcock.

I give that familial insight so that you can understand that I had the genes, I just needed to find my footing and get up the nerve to put pen to paper (or to be more accurate…open my laptop). Many would say that having a successful parent should make it easier to follow their path under the protective shadow of their parent’s success. Not so!

Writing is difficult. Writing in the hopes that you will be read and your works appreciated is terrifying. In my case, the fear of failure kept my ideas and stories buried in a back closet within my brain.

Feature Post and Book Review: Mistletoe Christmas: An Anthology

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for the new Christmas Historical Romance Anthology – MISTLETOE CHRISTMAS containing novellas from Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Jenna MacGregor and Erica Ridley.

Below you will find an overall anthology description, my book reviews and the authors’ bios and social media links. If you love holiday historical romance novellas as much as I do, then this is definitely the book you will want for this holiday season. Enjoy!

***

Anthology Description

From four beloved writers—Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, and Erica Ridley—come four original stories that tell a hilarious tale of a Christmas house party that serves up love and scandal in equal measure!

The Duke of Greystoke’s Christmas Revelry is famous throughout the British Isles for its plays, dancing, magical grotto… not to mention scandals leading to the marriage licenses he hands out like confetti.

But not everyone welcomes a visit from Cupid.

Lady Cressida, the duke’s daughter, is too busy managing the entertainments—and besides, her own father has called her dowdy. Her cousin, Lady Isabelle Wilkshire, is directing Cinderella and has no interest in marriage. Lady Caroline Whitmore is already (unhappily) married; the fact that she and her estranged husband have to pretend to be together just makes her dread the party all the more.  But not as much as Miss Louisa Harcourt, whose mother bluntly tells her that this is her last chance to escape the horrors of being an old maid.

A house party so large that mothers lose track of their charges leads to a delightful, seductive quartet of stories that you will savor for the Season!

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Avon (September 28, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 28, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3427 KB
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 475 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0063139693

***

My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

MISTLETOE CHRISTMAS: An Anthology is a new historical romance anthology with four novellas all taking place at the most anticipated event of the winter season, the Duke of Greystoke’s annual Christmas Revelry. This is an entertaining and romantic anthology from start to finish with novellas from four of my favorite historical romance authors, Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, and Erica Ridley.

The first story is Mistletoe Kiss from Eloisa James.

Lady Cressida “Cressie” is the Duke of Greystoke’s youngest daughter and has always been too busy managing all the entertainments of the Revelry to enjoy them. This year, the duke is on his deathbed and his nephew Valentine Snowe, Viscount Derham, who will inherit learns he is to continue the tradition of the Revelry for ten years after the duke’s death in exchange for a Scottish estate that was to be Cressie’s dowry. Lord Darcy de Royleston is Val’s best friend and a neighbor of the duke. He does not like Cressie’s situation and as his friend points out her finer points and he gets to know her; Darcy decides he wants Cressie for his wife. But will Cressie agree?

The second story is Wishing Under the Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell.

Lady Cressida’s cousin, Lady Isabelle Wilkshire has led a single life writing plays and is thrilled when she is assigned to direct the Revelry play. What she discovers when she arrives is that Val has paired her with the man, she broke off her betrothal from ten years earlier. Cyrus Hill has gone from the son of the stablemaster at Greystoke to a rich money manager to members of the ton. Numbers have been a cold master since Isabelle broke off their betrothal. Will they be able to work out their past hurts to have a second chance at love?

The third story is Compromise Under the Mistletoe by Janna MacGregor.

Lady Caroline Whitmore left her husband a year ago to live a separate life in London. Now, they must return to Greystoke and pretend to be happily married to have her uncle, the Duke of Greystoke release her trust money early. Lord Stephen Whitmore does not understand where his marriage went wrong. With this trip to the Revelry, he is determined to get his wife back.

The fourth Story is Mischief & Mistletoe by Erica Ridley.

Miss Louisa Harcourt’s mother tells her that this is her chance to find a titled husband before she is off the market. Louisa is a dutiful daughter, but she also wants to write poetry more than husband hunt. She is excited to learn Val’s friend, the poet, Mr. Ewan Reid is in attendance. Louis and Ewan make a deal to spend as much time together as they can during the Revelry, but once it is over, so is their time together. But Ewan is keeping a secret that could ruin their time together even as he plans to ask Louisa for more time than just the Revelry.

This is one of the best Christmas anthologies I have read with every story pulling me in with believable couples and dilemmas. Each author is able to give the reader a hero and heroine that they are cheering on to their HEAs. There are sex scenes in each novella that are explicit, but I never felt they were gratuitous. Even with the shorter length of the stories, the characters are fully fleshed and the romance plots progress at a pace commensurate with the short length of the Revelry.

I highly recommend this Christmas historical romance anthology!

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Author Biographies

Eloisa James, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, wrote her first novel after graduating from Harvard, but alas, it was rejected by every possible publisher. After she got an MPhil from Oxford, a PhD from Yale, and a job as a Shakespeare professor, she tried again, with much greater success. In 2013 she won a Rita Award for Best Romance Novella. She teaches Shakespeare in the English department at Fordham University in New York. She is the mother of two children and, in a particularly delicious irony for a romance writer, is married to a genuine Italian knight.

Social Media Links

For info about books, visit www.eloisajames.com and sign up for her Five Fabulous Things newsletter. Or ask a question on Facebook (where Eloisa spends entirely too much time): https://www.facebook.com/eloisajames.

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Christi Caldwell is the USA Today bestselling author of more than ten series, including Lost Lords of London, Sinful Brides, The Wicked Wallflowers, and Heart of a Duke. She blames novelist Judith McNaught for luring her into the world of historical romance. When Christi was at the University of Connecticut, she began writing her own tales of love–ones where even the most perfect heroes and heroines had imperfections. She learned to enjoy torturing her couples before they earned their well-deserved happily ever after.

Christi lives in Southern Connecticut, where she spends her time writing, chasing after her son, and taking care of her twin princesses-in-training. Fans who want to keep up with the latest news and information can sign up for her newsletter at https://www.ChristiCaldwell.com.

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Janna MacGregor was born and raised in the bootheel of Missouri. She is the author of The Bad Luck Bride. She credits her darling mom for introducing her to the happily-ever-after world of romance novels. Janna writes stories where compelling and powerful heroines meet and fall in love with their equally matched heroes. She is the mother of triplets and lives in Kansas City with her very own dashing rogue, and two smug, but not surprisingly, perfect pugs. She loves to hear from readers.

Janna MacGregor’s Social Media Links

Website: https://.JannaMacGregor.com

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JannaMacGregor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Janna MacGregor

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Erica Ridley is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of witty, feel-good historical romance novels, including the upcoming THE DUKE HEIST, featuring the Wild Wynchesters. Why seduce a duke the normal way, when you can accidentally kidnap one in an elaborately planned heist?

In the 12 Dukes of Christmas series, enjoy witty, heartwarming Regency romps nestled in a picturesque snow-covered village. After all, nothing heats up a winter night quite like finding oneself in the arms of a duke!

Two popular series, the Dukes of War and Rogues to Riches, feature roguish peers and dashing war heroes who find love amongst the splendor and madness of Regency England.

When not reading or writing romances, Erica can be found riding camels in Africa, zip-lining through rainforests in Costa Rica, or getting hopelessly lost in the middle of Budapest.

Erica Ridley’s Social Media Links

FACEBOOK – https://facebook.com/EricaRidley

TWITTER – https://twitter.com/EricaRidley

INSTAGRAM – https://instagram.com/EricaRidley

GOODREADS – https://goodreads.com/EricaRidley

More info: https://www.EricaRidley.com