A Grosvenor Square Christmas

The Sons of the Revolution #3.5

by Anna Campbell, Shana Galen, Vanessa Kelly

Enchantment touches a tall gray house in Grosvenor Square. The legend of Lady Winterson’s Christmas ball promises true love and happiness to one lucky couple. Four short tales.

1 1803 - The Seduction of a Duchess by Shana Galen

Rowena Harcourt, Duchess of Valère, never forgot the handsome footman who helped her escape the French Revolution. For fourteen years, Gabriel Lamarque has loved Rowena. Now at Lady Winterson’s Christmas ball, has fate finally given him a chance to win her hand?

2 1818 - One Kiss for Christmas by Vanessa Kelly

Nigel Dash is London’s most reliable gentleman, a reputation he never minded until he fell in love with beautiful Amelia Easton. Amelia sees Nigel as a dependable friend, not a dashing suitor. At Lady Winterson’s Christmas ball, Nigel vows to change Amelia’s mind by sweeping her off her feet.

3 1825 - His Christmas Cinderella by Anna Campbell

At the season’s most glittering ball, a girl who has never dared to dream of forever after discovers a Christmas miracle.

4 1830 - The Last First Kiss by Kate Noble

Susannah Westforth always loved Sebastian Beckett, but he only sees her as a friend. When Sebastian takes his Grand Tour, Susannah transforms herself into a woman he must notice. Now Sebastian is back, just in time for Lady Winterson's Christmas ball and to see his little Susie, all grown up.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Historical Romance, Anthologies, Historical, Holiday, Historical Fiction

223 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 10, 2013

About the author

I've written 53 bestselling historical romances: 11 multi-award winning books for Hachette Grand Central Publishing and Avon HarperCollins, and more than 40 as an independently published author, These include my popular series The Sons of Sin (6 books), The Dashing Widows (7 books), The Lairds Most Likely (10 books), A Scandal in Mayfair (4 books), and Scoundrels of Mayfair (4 books). My new series, Cinderellas of Mayfair, launched with Sir Hugo Seeks a Wife in 2025.

When I'm not touring the world seeking inspiration for my passionate stories, I live on the beautiful east coast of Australia.

I've always been a voracious reader and I delve into many different genres, as you'll see if you check out my books list. Favorite authors include Dorothy Dunnett, Elly Griffiths, K.J. Charles, and Loretta Chase.

My website is http://www.annacampbell.com

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

Twitter: AnnaCampbellOz

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Anna-Campbell/...

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/anna-...

I love to hear from readers and you can contact me on AnnaCampbellOz@hotmail.com

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was magic to be found at the Christmas Ball at No. 3 Grosvenor Place. One need only look in the right place.

Lovely Christmas anthology of four sweet stories set around No 3, Grosvenor Square, where every year one couple finds true love at the traditional holiday ball.

Shana Galen: The Seduction of a Duchess ~ 2 stars
A widowed Duchess finds the man who saved her and her children's live during the French Revolution - her former footman. This story was much too short for me. Both characters have feelings for each other and the story is just them confessing to it. I really wanted to see how her children reacted to her marrying a former servant, or. Something. Anything really.

Vanessa Kelly: One Kiss for Christmas ~3 stars
Good and depending Nigel Dash has been in love with Amelia Easton for a while now, but he always thought she was way out of his league. Determined to make her see him as more than just, well, dependable (don't blame me, his words, he keeps saying it, it annoyed me after a while even though I really loved him. He was good, and decent, and kind for crying out loud. I wish he'd had more of a backbone...). Cute, adorable, and fluffy!

Anna Campbell: His Christmas Cinderella ~ 4 stars
For the past 6 weeks, Campion Parnell has been enjoying her secret affair with Lachlan Mcmarnie. But now, her aunt (the evil stepmother with whom she has been staying since her parents died) is determined to move them back to the country after her daughter failed to attract a suitor. Lachlan only has one night to make her believe that he wants more than that...
How Anna Campbell manages to put so many emotions in so few pages is still a mystery to me. But she does it. Lovely story!

Kate Noble: The Last First Kiss ~ 5 stars
While her best friend, Sebastian Beckett, is enjoying is Grand Tour, Susannah Westforth is trying her hardest to learn from her aunt everything she can about attracting the man she loves. She has transformed herself from a gangly girl who runs wild in breeches into the most sought-after debutante, but will Sebastian realize that all she wants is for him to notice her?
I absolutely adored this story! It also had a heartwarming secondary romance about the widowed hostess and her butler which was just adorable!

Overall, I really enjoyed these stories. I love that I found two new authors to look out for, so if anyone has any recs for books from Kate Noble and Vanessa Kelly, let me know!

This anthology is currently free on amazon!

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an exciting free book deal on Amazon Kindle. I am an admitted huge fan of Anna Campbell, so I ran to get it when she said it was free in her newsletter. What a pleasant surprise that I enjoyed all the stories more or less equally. One caveat, if you don't care for very short romance stories at all, give this one a miss.

The premise was quite pleasing. This collection of stories revolve around the concept of a ball held by a particular doyenne of the ton known for throwing a Christmas ball where a particular couple finds their true love match. You would think the stories would be samey with this idea. In fact, quite the contrary. Each story had a different feel. In fact, you could go down the list and suggest themes for historical romance and this short collection more or less covers the gamut.

I liked the fact that an older heroine finds a second chance at love in Shana Galen's story. The inclusion of a Scarlet Pimpernel-type hero who rescued her and her son from the bloodthirsty French revolution and the fact that that same man has been in love with her for many years made this a delightfully romantic story. I didn't think I would enjoy having a heroine with grown sons as the main character, but it didn't bother me at all. I liked it, in fact.

Anna Campbell's story was the most passionate. I am not much of a fan of forbidden lovers, but she makes the desperate, illicit passion work in this story. Plus the hero is delightfully Scottish. The heroine is of the Cinderella variety, so you have to be in the mood for a downtrodden heroine. However, the romantic in me loves how the hero makes her long-cherished wish come true at the end.

Vanessa Kelly has a nice guy hero who is sorely lacking in historical romance. Thanks to her for that. While I love bad boy, dangerous heroes, I also love sweet, kind heroes and I like the idea that the hero can be that really adorable guy that always has a kind word for a wallflower and is a really good friend. This story hit my 'aww' button.

Readers who like friends to lovers stories will enjoy Kate Noble's offering. Our hero realizes that he took his next door neighbor and boon companion for granted when he returns to find her a diamond of the first water who has no time for him, despite her tomboy past. I liked the turnabout is fair play aspect of this story. It also reminded me of movies like Sabrina, where the hero realizes that his heroine has been there waiting for him all the time when he is about to lose her.

All in all, a very enjoyable, and quick read that this reader enjoyed when she collapsed exhausted on her bed on Christmas evening. I am so grateful that this was a free Christmas present on Amazon. Thumbs up!

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful, entertaining, well written, heart warming collection of Christmas historical romance novellas. The thread that ties the stories together is a Christmas ball, which takes place over the course of 30 years. I especially liked that the Kindle edition listed each story as a chapter, so that the reader is aware of how much longer remains in each story.

[Melanie THEE Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would’ve traded all of the “meh” short stories for a full length novel about Lady Winterson and Philbert. A romance between a butler and his mistress? They’ve been in love with each other for decades and assumed that their feelings were unrequited?!? INJECT IT INTO MY VEINS.

[Faye* · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was in such a Christmas mood so I tried this little book with four short stories. It wasn't really what I'd hoped, though.
If any of you have a recommendation for sweet christmassy love story, please please let me know, I'd really could use it. ;)

[Juliana Philippa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall. This is a generally sweet anthology that I didn't mind reading, but I think that's for the most part because I got it for free; I would have been disappointed had I actually paid for it. There was nothing that was horrible, but nothing that really glowed either. One of the biggest downfalls was that these were all actually short (short!) stories, not even novellas, and how can you possibly develop a good romance in that short a time? It's difficult to pull it off in a novella, let alone a short story! Thankfully there's a pre-existing relationship that's taken place before we enter on scene for all four (actually, five—surprise!) couples, but still, I feel like the authors were somewhat setup for failure.

The overall setup is that all four stories take place at the same holiday party, though several years apart. The hostess and her butler are the anchor characters whom we see in each story and who coordinate and plot to get people together (though honestly, sometimes they have nothing to do with it, but the "story" of the holiday party is that every year, a lucky couple finds love).

"The Seduction of a Duchess" by Shana Galen — 3 stars

He wanted to kiss her, but it was so much more than that. He might as well have asked, may I steal your heart?, because that was what he was doing.

Setting: 1803
Super short; not even sure it qualifies as a novella (stops at 17% on Kindle). Nice change in that the characters are much older and the heroine is older than the man (47 to his ~36). The heroine seemed interesting and I liked the dynamic between her, her sons, and her daughters-in-law—seemed like it could make for some really great additional scenes. I didn't buy the connection or love; maybe it's believable, if she really did spend that much time with him when he was the footman (apparently she taught him to read), but ... I don't know, it felt forced.

"One Kiss for Christmas" by Vanessa Kelly — 3.5 stars

With a mental sigh, Nigel consigned his dashing new persona to the dust heap. Life, it would seem, had consigned him to play only one role—that of dependable old Nigel Dash, always ready to take on whatever necessary task fate and the ladies of the beau monde decreed for him. “Of course, Miss Easton,” he said. “I am only too happy to help.”

Setting: 1818
This story features Miss Amelia Easton (already had several seasons, so late-late-teens/early 20s) and Mr. Nigel Dash (34). Nigel is the all-around-perfect gentleman, kind to little children and elderly women alike; he's Mr. Dependable and hates that he's not more dashing, as his name should suggest. He's been admiring Amelia from somewhat-afar for awhile now, but doesn't know how to make his intention known to her. He wants her to see him as more than just a friend as a "nice guy." Amelia, for her part, is a sweet if somewhat-spineless heroine; in this story we see her finally stick up for herself a bit when she says what she means, instead of just being polite and going along with the flow (which in the past has ended up with her engaged twice, and then having to break off the engagements).

I really enjoyed Nigel; it's such a nice change to have just a full-on, all-around nice guy as a hero. I mean, seriously, how often does that happen?! This is the first work I've ever read by Vanessa Kelly and I would definitely read her again. What I also appreciated was that there were some very funny lines that made me chuckle; for example, when Nigel is thinking through his positive attributes that might be appealing to Amelia: No matter how much he trained at Jackson’s Saloon, he only got leaner and tougher rather than imposing and muscled. Of course, his fencing skills were second to none, but unless he and Amelia happened upon privateers or highwaymen, Nigel was unlikely to have the opportunity to display that sort of prowess.

"His Christmas Cinderella" by Anna Campbell — 3.5 stars

“Every time I see you, I remember why I love you,” he said softly. She blocked the treacherous warmth that the declaration always inspired. He frequently told her that loved her. When he challenged her inhibitions. When he was buried deep inside her. When she made him laugh.

Setting: 1825
Lachlan Macmurrie, Earl of Ravenglass (28) and Miss Campion Parnell (23) met 6 weeks ago and have had a whirlwind romance ever since—albeit a very secret one that no one knows about. Campion is one of those poor-relations-treated-as-worse-than-a-servant heroines, who has been living with her aunt and cousins for the last 10 years. She met Lachlan at a masquerade ball and for some reason, plain, boring little Campion seemed to enchant him, and vice versa. She sneaks away to meet up with him and eventually their relationship develops further. Campion sees herself as a temporary mistress and although Lachlan tells her frequently that he loves her, she does not imagine that there could be anything more to their relationship—she's a little nobody, he's a much-sought-after and very eligible bachelor of the ton.

This story would have been so good as a longer novella or full-on novel. Anna Campbell is a mixed bag with me sometimes, so I wasn't sure where I would fall on this one, but I ended up enjoying it the most out of the lot. I really, really wish that we had been able to see the development of their relationship, because all of that that I just described is told to us very quickly, we don't get to observe any of it :-(. Regardless, I felt the connection between the two of them, though that's thanks to Campbell's writing talent—if only we had also been gifted with the actual development of their love story!! Very sweet and sizzling short story that made the anthology worth reading (again, keep in mind I got this eBook free; would I have paid just for this short story? I don't know.).

"The Last First Kiss" by Kate Noble — 2.5 stars

The butler simply shrugged. “I am Philbert, sir. I know everything.”
“Did you know that she tried to kiss me, then?” Sebastian mumbled, kicking his boot against the grey stone balustrade.
Philbert’s mouth crooked up. “In the ballroom? How very forward.”
“No, not now. She told me she tried to kiss me before.”
“Before…?”
“Before I went away. But apparently I wasn’t paying attention, and she ended up kissing a log.”
“And were you?” Philbert asked.
Sebastian’s eyebrow went up, not understanding.
“Were you not paying attention,” he clarified. “Or did you know she tried to kiss you?”
Sebastian felt another shift in the world beneath his feet. Smaller this time, but so, so important. Something clicking into place. “No. I suppose I did know. I just pretended it hadn’t happened.”

Setting: 1830
Susannah Westforth (19) has long been in love with Sebastian Beckett (23). They grew up together and her hero worship eventually developed into a crush, and then became more and more serious as they grew older. When we first start the story, Sebastian has just left for his Grand Tour and Susannah is overwrought, upset that Sebastian doesn't know how she feels and that he doesn't seem to feel the same way. Her aunt basically tells her she needs a makeover, to make Sebastian start to see her more than as just his "little Susie." Three years later, Sebastian and Susannah run into each other again for the first time at the winter ball, and Sebastian is caught completely off guard by this goddess who has all the men enraptured, has apparently turned down 7 marriage proposals (including one from an Earl), and who somewhat looks and sounds like his Susie, but also looks and sounds so very different.

Eh. Wasn't crazy about this one. I get the point about having to have him see her in a different way, but I wasn't crazy about the idea that Susannah, who when we meet her is clearly a non-Society girl and happy to be so, has spent 3 years being exactly that just so that she can catch Sebastian off guard and reframe how he sees her. She used to wear breeches and ride her horse all the time, and apparently she still sometimes wears breeches when she's at home riding, but whatever—I'm not a huge fan of the makeover move when it's such a profound one, but on purely superficial things. It was cute and there was some good back and forth between them (and the dialogue excerpt above), but Kate Noble has always been good at that, so I would expect nothing less from her.

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish]

You do not want to miss this!!

Free today on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FSLF4NO

Four breathtakingly romantic tales of a Regency Christmas from four bestselling romance authors.

Down through the years, enchantment touches a tall gray house in Grosvenor Square. The legend of Lady Winterson’s Christmas ball promises true love and happiness to one lucky couple. Who will feel the magic this winter?

1803 - The Seduction of a Duchess by Shana Galen

Rowena Harcourt, the Duchess of Valère, never forgot the handsome footman who helped her escape the French Revolution. For fourteen years, Gabriel Lamarque has loved Rowena—now at Lady Winterson’s Christmas ball, has fate finally delivered a chance to win her hand?

1818 - One Kiss for Christmas by Vanessa Kelly

Nigel Dash is London’s most reliable gentleman, a reputation he never minded until he fell in love with beautiful Amelia Easton. Unfortunately, Amelia sees Nigel as a dependable friend, not a dashing suitor. At Lady Winterson’s famous Christmas ball, Nigel vows to change Amelia’s mind—by sweeping her off her feet.

1825 - His Christmas Cinderella by Anna Campbell

At the season’s most glittering ball, a girl who has never dared to dream of forever after discovers a Christmas miracle.

1830 - The Last First Kiss by Kate Noble

Susannah Westforth has always loved Sebastian Beckett – but he’s only ever seen her as a friend. When Sebastian takes his Grand Tour, Susannah transforms herself into a woman he’ll notice. Now Sebastian is back, just in time for Lady Winterson's Christmas ball – but the last thing he expects to see is his little Susie, all grown up...

You’re invited to join the whirling dance at Lady Winterson’s sparkling Christmas ball, where miracles happen and true love shines forever. How can you resist?

[Mary - Buried Under Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this anthology. Fantastic stories from wonderful authors.

Full review to come. lol

[LaFleurBleue · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was my first "seasonal reading" to prepare for Christmas and the cold weather ahead. Not that obvious, even if it is the middle of the cool season here. Indeed the coolest temperature I ever saw on the thermometer was just a few days ago with a balmy 25.6C (78F), not exactly what we're used to for Christmas in Europe, or most of North America either.
Except for the mentioning of snow, mistletoe and holiday spirit, this book was a miss. I was also looking forward to reading it to discover recent successful authors that I had never tried before, except for Vanessa Kelly, which I had tried once and not found fantastic.
At least that was the one good thing about this anthology, it will help me save both money, time and hair not buying and reading full length novels from authors that I most probably would not appreciate.
All 4 novellas were too short with around 30 pages each - no character development, no secondary characters were achieved. One characteristic those novellas also shared was the absence of historic realism and my complete inability to buy any of the stories.
Two things I positively hated: 1. the heroine of novella 3 was called Campion. Even Barbara Cartland would not have dared give such a ridiculous first name and especially to a female character. I thought it was her family name for a long while. 2. The last novella had a style which irritated me to no end, with an accumulation of parenthesis filled in with a repetition of the previous words (with a repetition of the previous words). Irritating isn't it (irritating). Yeah, worse in my opinion that an overflow of !

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I made it to book 9 of my 10 book TBR challenge. My TBR is looking less overburdened by the day. :)

The Seduction of a Duchess (Shana Galen)- 2 stars. Not as much character development as the other stories, but I feel like this would’ve been better read as part of the Sons of Revolution series. Still, short and sweet.

One Kiss for Christmas (Vanessa Kelly)- 2 stars. Cute and sweet. No mentions of a OW to speak of.

His Christmas Cinderella (Anna Campbell)- 2 stars. Short, safe and sweet. Non-manho H, decently developed characters for a short.

The Last First Kiss (Kate Noble)- 2 stars. Same as the previous short story, this one had surprisingly decent character development. I liked that the h didn’t pine for the H the whole three years he was gone. I do wish she made him work harder, but that’s just me being a picky pooh.

[Rachel-RN · Rating 3 out of 5]

4 short stories about couples attending a holiday ball. Each story takes place in a different year (1803 to 1830) and features different people. The ball is given/held by the same person- Lady Winterson- who has her own (very short) love story. I thought this had a nice variety of people (an older heroine to a footman, to the boy next door).
Currently FREE!

[Sue Gerhardt Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

The magic of Christmas is well and truly alive in these four Christmas stories. Loved this anthology, each story was adorable and witty and the fourth book has a fabulous ending concerning the loveable butler who featured throughout all four books.

Definitely recommend this anthology over the festive season.

[Celestine · Rating 4 out of 5]

These were four well written short stories with an interconnected location and hostess. The stories span several decades. They were just the right length for my distracted attention during the holidays. All are sweetly romantic, with the offering by Anna Campbell having some added spice.

[HR-ML · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light, frothy Regency etc. novellas. The 1st was
so short, if you blinked it was over!

I liked best "One Kiss for Christmas" by Vanessa
Kelly. Where the man w/o the title 'won' the young
lady.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella is included in the anthology A Grosvenor Square Christmas. If you would like to know my thoughts on it and on the other stories of the collection, just click on the link below.

My review of "A Grosvenor Square Christmas"

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Merged review:

Four short stories, all of them set in the Regency era, and all of them with a main character that somehow links these novellas to each other. Lady Winterson lives at No. 3 Grosvenor Square in London and every year during Christmastime she invites the ton to her spectacular ball, where they say the magic of Christmas lets true love blossom. Is that true or is that just a way to show the charm and wealth of the Countess of Winterson?

The Seduction of a Duchess - Shana Galen (2.5 stars)

This was quite good until the author started to describe the protagonists’ thoughts about each other. I did not feel comfortable reading them and thought they were too lascivious. That was a shame because the plot (a second chance at love for a widowed duchess) was not a bad idea. This novella is part of the “The Sons of the Revolution” series but I am afraid I will not read the other books.

One Kiss for Christmas - Vanessa Kelly (3.5 stars)

Sweet novella about a man that cannot declare his feelings for the woman he loves because he fears her rejection. Nigel Dash was a very amiable hero and I loved what he did to please her beloved Amelia. It was lovely to see how the girl’s feelings changed throughout the story thanks to the unexpected charm Nigel did not know to possess. Book number 4.5 in the “Stantons” series.

His Christmas Cinderella - Anna Campbell (2 stars)

Like the first novella, this one had a good premise. A poor girl that falls in love with a rich man and hopes to become his wife, though her life does not even allow her to dream. Sadly, I lost interest in it after a few paragraphs because of the detailed description of an intimate scene between the protagonists. I thought it was totally unnecessary to turn a shy Cinderella type of girl into a mistress. If you prefer clean stories, do not pick this one up.

The Last First Kiss - Kate Noble (3.5 stars)

Ms. Noble’s story was very cute. It is probably a cliché plot (a girl and a guy grow up together and while the girl is deeply in love with him, the guy needs something more to open his eyes and see her hidden beauty), but I found it amusing and quite good.

Conclusion: I did not like this collection of short stories as much as I expected. Probably because I thought it was a clean book and instead I found out that there were some descriptions (in the first and third novellas only) that I did not enjoy reading. I was not that comfortable reading all those details. I guess it depends on the fact that I tend to prefer sweet books instead of spicy ones. It was a shame, though, because I love Regency England and I so wanted to give this one a higher rating!

[Aoi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a bit too impatient to wait for the holidays, this anthology does bring in the holiday mood.

1803 - The Seduction of a Duchess by Shana Galen : 4 stars
An unusual romance- both in terms of age and social classes. It was a wonderful story, though I confess to wanting to more about the hero's past.

1818 - One Kiss for Christmas by Vanessa Kelly: 1 star

DNF. It's all well and good to have a "just dependable" hero. But it's a little putting-off when the hero calls himself that,over and over again. This short story didn't catch my interest

1825 - His Christmas Cinderella by Anna Campbell: 5 stars

Amazing! Ms. Campbell didn't waste any time and got me hooked onto the story. Keeping in spirit with the synopsis, I won't be revealing the details, but this one's a emotion wringer..

1830 - The Last First Kiss by Kate Noble: 4stars

Quite cute. It's every girl's childhood fantasy after all; to dazzle and make an unrequited love fall at your feet.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Grosvenor Square Christmas is an October 2013 release. This is a collection of four novellas by Ana Campbell, Shana Galen, Vanessa Kelly, and Kate Noble. All the stories are set in regency period England.

No.3 Grosvenor Square is rumored to be a magical place. Each year, the owner of the house, a widow named Lucy host an extravagant Christmas Ball. Anyone invited to the ball simply can not or will not miss it.
The special butler, an institution, adds just right touch to make each story special.
From a Cinderella style story, to a man that is dependable , but considered dull, being in love with the most sought after girl in ton, to a middle aged duchess finally being reunited with the man who once saved her life, to the story of a man returning home to find his friend and former crush all grown up .

All these stories are heartwarming and romantic. A really solid collection of short stories. This one gets an A.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first Christmas stories of the season.
Four very different authors. Stories all connected by the wonderful Lucy, Lady Winterson & the lovely butler, Philbert at No. 3 Grosvenor Place.
There is nothing more fun than historical holiday romance.
Sweet stories. Fun characters. Mistletoe. Surprises. And love love love..........
Highly recommended reading for romance and getting into the holiday spirit!

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Grosvenor Square Christmas is a collection of short stories by some truly amazing authors. The Seduction of a Duchess, by Shana Galen was great. I loved that Rowena finally got her happily ever after! One Kiss for Christmas, by Vanessa Kelly was a very cute story. His Christmas Cinderella by Anna Campbell was very touching and I loved the characters. The Last First Kiss, by Kate Noble was a touching story of a girl growing into a woman and winning her man.

[Samanthya Wyatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Christmas reads

4 lovely stories about 4 different couples and a touch of mistletoe magic. Lady Winterson is connected to each story. The couples realise their love while attending her ball which is exciting. And a love is also revealed to the hostess. Very enjoyable.

[Booklover, Indianapolis · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Dec) This was an Amazon freebie a year or two ago, so I got it and it's been sitting on my Kindle ever since. I figured 'tis the season, so why not? The premise was cute - each year Lucy Frost hosts a holiday ball and each ball a couple ends up together. Maybe I should have read the reviews first? It was not at all what I was expecting. First of all, the whole book was only about 160 pages, so each story was >40 pages. Second of all, it was pretty much a no-sex book - not something I enjoy in romances. Of the 4 authors, I've only ever read Anna Campbell, so I wasn't familiar with the characters of most of the stories, which I don't think it mattered.

Seduction of a Duchess by Shana Galen (2*) I loved this at first. Older woman (47) pursued by a 10-year-younger man. She's a widowed Duchess, he's her former footman turned English spy. I was so ready for a wonderful story - except it ended before it started! He approaches her, asks her to dance, her sons fuss a bit, they dance, agree to meet up in the Blue Parlor, her sons insult her by wondering why anyone man would ask their mother to dance, she meets him in the Salon, they kiss, he says he wants to marry her - the end. The premise behind this could have easily been a full length novel - or even a novella - where we got more backstory as to how he saved the family, how he became a spy, what she's been up to, etc. Instead, I eagerly turned the page after the kiss and his declaration of love and plan to marry her - and there was no more story. Boo!!

One Kiss for Christmas by Vanessa Kelly (3*) This was probably the best of the stories. Nigel Dash is firmly in the Friend Zone. He's dependable, nice, everyone likes him - but no one sees him as romantic material. He's harbored a crush on Amelia Easton, a Diamond of the Ton, but is afraid to assert himself. She's being pursued by many, but not really interested in any. After saying yes and then no to two proposals she is developing a reputation and her parents want her to marry the rich and titled Lord Broadmore. She's not feeling it, but doesn't know how to get out of saying yes if and when he asks for her hand. Nigel finally finds the balls to approach her and goes out of his way to be a bit more assertive and less friend-like. They end up at Lady Wintertson's annual ball, her current suitor acts like an ass, Nigel saves the day, and he kisses Amelia and confesses his true love (and his staggering net worth). The story ends at their wedding. Chaste, nice story, and I'm guessing if you knew Nigel from previous stories you'd enjoy seeing him get his HEA.

His Christmas Cinderella by Anna Campbell (1.5*) This was the only story with any heat, and for Anna Campbell, it was pretty mild heat. Campion (and what kind of name is that? Even if it was all the rage in the early 1800s, I hated reading it - it just doesn't sound like a name!) is a poor girl who lives with relatives who treat her like, well, Cinderella - she works for them in order to have a roof over her head and food in her belly. She's also sleeping with Lachlan Macmurrie, a Scottish Earl. This story just made no sense. She meets him at a masked ball, they have secret outings , she hops into bed with him without a second thought and now here we are, 6 weeks into their affair - even though she knows it has to end. She sneaks off after a bout of lovemaking, and goes home - only to be summoned upstairs to meet Lachlan's mother! Who she's never met before! Except Lady Ravenglass pretends they have met and insists that Campion must accompany her to Lady Winterson's ball that very evening. She has had her seamstress make a dress for Campion and even though her aunt protests, Campion leaves with LR, who confesses she's doing all this to help her son (yes, of course, very common in 1825 for a titled Lady to help her son be with his poor-relation mistress). Once with Lachlan, she says she figures he's asking her to hang around as his mistress, something she can't do because "I know I'm provincial and poor, but I'm proud of the Parnell name. My parents were fine people who loved me. I can't bring shame upon their memory..." - huh? Um - what exactly has she been doing but being his mistress? I guess in her mind short term doesn't really matter? He says no, he loves her and wants to marry her. He is quite impassioned and eloquent and Campion, poor nobody Campion - "she couldn't relinquish herself to him. Not yet. Not until she knew that he'd never take her for granted." What?? When has he ever? She thinks that she needed to be certain he was willing to fight to win her. Campion, honey, you are not exactly a great prize? He's told his mother about you - wants to marry you, a nobody - he set up a whole charade to get you to be with him so he could confess his love and desire to marry you and have babies with you. When did he ever give you the idea he was taking you for granted, that he didn't value you? He says he won't sleep with you again unless you marry him, says he'll court you - whatever you want. Only then, after he practically humiliates himself, after she decides she's tortured him "enjoyably" enough, does she "smile smugly" and say yes, she loves him and will marry him. Ugh - run Lachlan - you deserve so much better!

The Last First Kiss by Kate Noble (2*) Susannah has always been in love with Sebastian Beckett, older boy next door. They were friends when they were kids, but then he left on a Grand Tour and she was heart broken and then she grew up and became Belle of the Ball. Sebastian comes home, goes to Lady Winterson's ball, practically doesn't recognize little Susie, gets very jealous of all the men flocking around her, they talk, he kisses her very sweetly and we assume they will love one another forever.

I know it was free, and I really should have investigated what I was about to read before starting, but overall, still a great disappointment. One last thing - each story took place in a different year - 1803, 1818, 1825, and 1830. In each one we get a snippet of Lucy (Lady W) and her ageless butler Philbert. We get a glimpse of them both in each story, and in the last one, they confess feelings for one another, share a kiss, and make plans for the future. That was quite sweet, and I think it's too bad no one wrote them their own story, because it could have potentially been better than the bland offerings I read.

[Mo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Every year at this time I love getting my PJ’s on right after dinner, and curling up with a Christmas Regency Romance novella. The problem is that so many of them are abysmally bad. Unfortunately, this was one of the stinkers.

2 1/2 stars The Seduction of a Duchess by Shana Galen - Uninspired. There was nothing charming nor magical about it.

2 stars One Kiss For Christmas by Vanessa Kelly - How exactly was this guy acting like a dashing rogue? I don't think so.

2 stars His Christmas Cinderella by Anna Campbell - tawdry and completely unrealistic.

2 stars The First Kiss by Kate Noble - There was nothing magical about the ball, the butler, nor the lady.

[Andree · Rating 2 out of 5]

These were okay. They're more short stories than novellas. I like the conceit of the collection (all the couples fall in love at an annual Christmas ball), but I read this a few days ago, and I really can't remember any of them. Basically, they're fine, but there's nothing memorable about them.

[Tanya Sridhar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating for individual books to come soon

[Carol Cork *Young at Heart Oldie* · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW OF THE SEDUCTION OF A DUCHESS BY SHANA GALEN

This was a sweet, tender older woman/younger man romance.

The heroine, Rowena not only battles her own insecurities but also the overprotectiveness of her sons. I enjoyed watching Gabriel convince Rowena that he truly loves her and coming to the conclusion that sometimes actions speak louder than words. I wanted to hug Rowena when she finds the courage to follow her heart…. she doesn’t care what her sons think and ‘the beau monde could go hang itself’.

Favourite Romantic Moment…

“But how can you want to marry a woman my age?”
“Yes.” He chuckled. “What was I thinking? A beautiful, vibrant woman in the prime of her life. How could I want to marry a woman like that? How could I want a woman like that in my bed?”

Ms Galen has such an engaging writing style and I definitely look forward to reading more of her books.

REVIEW RATING: 4/5 STARS

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

REVIEW OF ONE KISS FOR CHRISTMAS BY VANESSA KELLY

This was a delightfully entertaining friends-to-lovers romance with an endearing hero and heroine.

I adored Nigel who thinks that the way to Amelia’s heart is by sweeping her off her feet…becoming the dashing Mr Dash, complete with bright red waistcoat. But Amelia is tired of being regarded as nothing more than ' a decorative knick-knack and a means of plumping some man’s bank account’. She wants to marry a kind, loving man who accepts her for who she is…a man who will be a good husband and father. I enjoyed their journey together... Nigel discovering that he just needs to be himself and Amelia discovering that her perfect man has been right there all the time.

Favourite Romantic Moment…

“It’s your heart, Amelia. Your lovely, kind heart,” he said with a smile that melted her from the inside out.

Vanessa Kelly charmed me with her lovely writing style and I am delighted that I have more of her books on my Kindle.

REVIEW RATING: 4/5 STARS

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

REVIEW OF HIS CHRISTMAS CINDERELLA BY ANNA CAMPBELL

Anna Campbell gives us a spicy twist to the traditional Cinderella story.

Campion Parnell is forced to live with her unloving relatives, Aunt Ida and her two daughters. Treated worse than a servant, she lives for the times she spends with her illicit lover, Lachlan Macmurrie but knows only too well that her happiness is fleeting, even though she dreams of Lachlan being hers forever. Enter Campion’s ‘Fairy Godmother’ in the person of Lachlan’s mother, Lady Ravenglass who is determined to ensure that Campion does go to the ball…Lady Winterson’s Ball where dreams do come true! This was such a deliciously passionate story and Lachlan was one sexy Prince Charming. The only thing that irritated me was Campion’s reluctance to accept that Lachlan genuinely loved her and her insistence on torturing him undeservedly. I’m glad this was overshadowed by the lovely romantic ending.

Favourite Romantic Moment…

Lachlan turned her into his arms and smiled down at her, his eyes alight with pride and unashamed worship. “May I have this dance, my darling?”

(I hear the mutterings…that’s not particularly romantic. Well, you will just have to read the story to appreciate why it is!)

This had all the emotional and passionate intensity I’ve come to expect from Anna Campbell.

REVIEW RATING: 4/5 STARS

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

REVIEW OF THE LAST FIRST KISS BY KATE NOBLE

This was an enchanting story of a young girl’s unrequited love for her neighbour and what happens when he returns from his Grand Tour to find her all grown up.

Lady Winterson’s Christmas ball is the last place Sebastian Beckett wants to be until he catches sight of the lady who is garnering every man’s attention. He is shocked to discover that it is Susannah Westworth and she is no longer the little girl he left behind! I love Sebastian’s mixed reactions to seeing Susannah all grown up and his amusing conversation with Philbert, Lady Winterson’s butler. I also enjoyed how the various lessons, she was taught by her Aunt Julia, kept popping into Susannah’s mind.

Favourite Romantic Moment…

And she knew. Susannah knew she was about to be kissed. Well and truly kissed for the first time. By Sebastian. And it would be the moment that he finally came to know, to feel everything she felt for him.
The kiss that would alter everything. The last first kiss.

REVIEW RATING: 4/5 STARS

Kate Noble is another author who impressed me with her writing and I’m eager to read more of her books.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Overall, this anthology was perfect for the holiday season with just the right amount of magic to warm the heart.

This review is also posted on my blog:

http://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com/...

[Dorine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original Review posted at TBR Mountain Range.

A delightful Regency historical anthology by four talented "new to me" authors. Also currently a freebie at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

A GROSVENOR SQUARE CHRISTMAS is a great concept that easily creates a cohesive anthology. The widowed Countess of Winterson, Lucy Frost, throws great parties with the help of her secretive butler, Philbert. They have the reputation for bringing together unexpected, happy-ever-after couples as part of their party’s allure. Amongst the crush at Lady Winterson's annual Christmas Ball, four more couples will find love. Is there magic in the air at No. 3 Grosvenor Square Place, or is it simply the mistletoe or perhaps, the butler has something to do with it?

Normally with anthologies, I find a favorite amongst the stories and one or two that I don't like very much. This time, I enjoyed all four stories in A GROSVENOR SQUARE CHRISTMAS because they kept me entertained with laugh-out-loud moments and sweet romantic stories, were all well-written and each novella made me curious for more.

THE SEUCTION OF A DUCHESS, A SONS OF THE REVOLUTION story by Shana Galen... In the first story, a widowed duchess is reintroduced to her former footman after they've been apart. Can this familiar face of her former footman actually belong to the illustrious French Fox she has more than admired for years?

THE SEDUCTION OF A DUCHESS is a great reunion story with a clever twist. Loved the unexpected in this short story.

ONE KISS FOR CHRISTMAS by Vanessa Kelly... In the second story, Nigel Dash plots to make his feelings known to Miss Amelia Easton, with the support of his good friend who is doing his best to push this sensible, but currently obsessed, man forward.

ONE KISS FOR CHRISTMAS is excellent party fun with superb male characters whose posturing made me laugh. It exemplifies what a man will do, no matter how embarrassing, for the woman he loves. Very cute.

HIS CHRISTMAS CINDERELLA by Anna Campbell... A mistress, with no hope for a future with her lover, finds out what it's like to feel like a princess at the annual Christmas Ball.

HIS CHRISTMAS CINDERELLA is an enjoyable rendition of a fairytale classic. The fairy godmother replacement is an exquisite character and welcome surprise. The fairytale ending is just right.

THE LAST FIRST KISS by Kate Noble... A childhood friendship is renewed in adulthood with a plan for the girl next door to finally get the kiss from the man she loves; by proving she is no longer an admiring adolescent.

This is a great reel-him-in story where the hero can't see the forest for the trees. It is really entertaining to watch the girl get her man. THE LAST FIRST KISS has a welcome ending which ties up the anthology neatly.

Reading historical anthologies during the holiday season has become a tradition I can't seem to resist. Even though this anthology had a connectivity that united the stories, it was easy to stop at the end of one, get something done quickly, and then rush back to gobble up the next story. Bet you can't read just one!

A GROSVENOR SQUARE CHRISTMAS is the perfect example of a well-organized, entertaining anthology that entices the reader to continue from story to story. A GROSVENOR SQUARE CHRISTMAS illustrates why a Regency party can be such an addictive theme, and will, hopefully, bring new readers to one of my favorite sub-genres of historical romance. I love the humor, the witty repartee and the self-confident male characters who cannot resist these charming ladies.

Review written by Dorine, courtesy of TBR Mountain Range.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

I read this for the 2016 TBR Challenge -- December -- Holiday Reads. The challenge is hosted by Wendy the Super Librarian.

A Grosvenor Square Christmas is an enjoyable anthology that is centered around a legendary Christmas ball hosted every year by Lady Winterson. I have had a difficult time getting into the holiday spirit this year so I am happy to report that this collection of stories made me smile. Three of the authors are known to me with Vanessa Kelly being the only one I haven't tried before.

"The Seduction of a Duchess" by Shana Galen

This is a concluding novella to Galen's Sons of the Revolution series, but I was easily able to get into the dynamics of the Harcourt family without having read the rest of the books. I loved the fact that the hero was about ten years younger than the hero and that they were older than I usually see in historical romance novels. The maturity of these two characters and their past encounters helped sell the shorter length of the story plus I thoroughly enjoyed the premise of the widowed duchess getting a second chance with a former footman turned war hero.

"One Kiss for Christmas" by Vanessa Kelly

This novella has two tropes that I really love: beta hero and unrequited love so I was predestined to like it. I just adored the setup and the way that the author developed the story. The hero felt very real and I wanted him to be happy. I also appreciated the fact that, while he had been in love with Amelia for a long time, he didn't put her on a pedestal. She was allowed to be a real person and was also someone I cared about. The plot moved quickly, but it didn't feel rushed to me. I find myself wanting to read the earlier books in the Stanton series to see more of Nigel.

"His Christmas Cinderella" by Anna Campbell

Now we shift to a courtesan/protector romance which isn't my normal choice of story. Thankfully, Anna Campbell's writing is almost always a winner with me and this was no exception. I thought the protagonists were likable though they were not as developed as I would have liked. The steam level was much higher and it worked for the type of story that it was. I did feel like the hero's revelation towards the end was out of the blue and I think the plot would have benefited from a longer page length.

"The Last First Kiss" by Kate Noble

This was my favorite of the four novellas. The reunited childhoods friends storyline was perfect for this anthology and the evolution of Susannah and Sebastian felt organic. I completely fell in love with both of them and was rooting for them to find their happy endings. I also liked the way that the side characters were developed and provided such a good background to the romance. This was just a ton of fun and left me satisfied.

Overall, this was the perfect anthology for the holidays. The writing styles and plots were different, but the stories felt cohesive due to the Christmas ball theme. And I want to give a quick shoutout to all four authors for the extremely subtle way they developed the relationship between Lady Wintersun and her wonderful butler, Philbert. I came away from A Grosvenor Square Christmas with a smile on my face which is all I ask for in a holiday read.

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well worth the read. Usually, you're lucky to find just one decent story in an anthology. All four novellas were winners. I liked that each couple had history together. It kept the stories from feeling rushed. I also liked the common theme. Each story takes place during an annual Christmas Eve ball, and legend has it that one couple will find their happily ever after there against all odds.

I know I'll be reading this one again in the coming years.

Reread December 2016.

[Robyne S. Samuels · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely collection

A lovely collection of short stories centered around a yearly Christmas ball. Each story made me want to read more. I nice little book to read on a cold winter night with a warm cup off chocolate and snuggle with your winter bunny after reading one short. Romance is in the air how nice. Don't get caught up in them being short just enjoy.

[Katherine Ranft · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful reading!!

Each story had laughter,tenderness,and the hope the couple would overcome all. A book one could not put down till the very end. All the characters were believable and interesting.