Christmas Belles: A Holiday Regency Anthology

by Bree Wolf, Collette Cameron, Charlie Lane

Can you hear the Christmas Bell(es)?

It's that time of a year..

Step back in time to the enchanting world of Regency-era romance this holiday season. In “Christmas Belles," join eight extraordinary couples as they navigate the glittering ballrooms of London and the snow-kissed landscapes of the countryside, where love blooms amidst mistletoe and the promise of a yuletide happily ever after.

From stolen glances beneath twinkling chandeliers to secret rendezvous by the roaring hearth, these timeless tales of passion and desire will warm your heart and leave you longing for your own Regency romance. Surrender to the magic of the season and discover love that transcends time in this captivating anthology.

Celebrate this Christmas season with 8 brand new holiday Regency romances by some of your favorite USA Today and bestselling authors: Bree Wolf, Tracy Sumner, Collette Cameron, Charlie Lane, Jennifer Monroe, Meredith Bond, Shannon Gilmore, and Rebecca Paula.

Genres: Historical Romance, Christmas

1038 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 19, 2023

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Excited for my new series? The Flames of Winter Series:

An epic love story that spans across an entire series. Ensure that you have a good cup of tea, something to nibble on and perhaps a box of tissues at hand before you dive into this slow-burn Regency romance full of enchanting moments between Sarah and Keir, the little wisp and the highlander.

Reviews

[Margaret]

THE DARING DEBUTANTE
Tracy Sumner
Arabella Macaulay is determined to seduce Nigel Streeter. It doesn't matter if he's older than she is, or was partially raised on the streets, she just knows she loves him. One mistake on his part has him grovelling at her feet. A heart warming novella of love and a little magic at Christmas.
I have read and reviewed a copy of this novella gifted by the author.

[BookishMya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology is packed with some of my favourite authors, my favourite characters. They are all beautifully written and dig into your heart leaving you with a perfect glow of love. You will laugh, cry and cheer! I have already ready two of those stories and can’t wait to dive into the rest. I will continue to update my review as I read each, here are my thought on the first 2 I’ve read.

The Heiress who dared me. By Charlie Lane
Somewhere between cake and pretend they found bliss! Brace yourself, I’m about to gush! I could not love this any more if i tried! I knew from the first sneak peek that I would fall for Josiah, but I was not prepared for him to shatter the mold. He absolutely tops my Lane Book Boyfriend list, no other brute stood a chance (sorry Xavier!). This story stole into my heart with the playful banter, the tender secret longings and the pure combustion of their chemistry. Georgie is every bit the independent, fierce heroine that I love, coupled with a delicate vulnerability that only her perfect cinnamon roll can heal. But since this is Georgie & Josiah, maybe we’ll have to forgo the “cinnamon roll” title for the perfect ooey gooey “cupcake”! Josiah is every bit of delectable frosting covering a soft and tender heart just searching for someone to protect and love unconditionally. The way these two see each other for all their faults and all their successes is simply beautiful. My cheeks hurt from smiling so hard. If I wasn’t smiling, laughing and cherishing every word of their story, I was sobbing for the hurts they’ve endured. Seeing Georgie embrace Josiah by confronting his father was a pure “hurrah!” moment. It was the absolute best declaration! I could go on and on, there was nothing I did not like in this story. I devoured this delicious slice of cake in one sitting, and am seriously considering going back for seconds! If you want my recommendation… I Dare You! Read this story.

A Daring Debutante by Tracy Sumner
There is a Sumner prerequisite for every story… pining, groveling, grand gesture! This is simply the way the story goes and I am never disappointed. This story is near and dear to me being that Pippa & Macauley are the love story of my heart. Now we skip ahead to the next generation. They are perfectly reflected in Nigel & Bell. These two are the spitting image of their parents. Nigel encompasses a perfect blend of Streeter’s charm and Macauley’s fierce loyalty. Two men he’s grown up emulating. Arabella is every bit of her mothers determination and tenacity blended with her father’s stubbornness and flair. Their love story was like a walk down memory lane, with all the tender glow of remembrance. Can you enjoy this story as a stand alone? Sure! But I assure you the complete package is worth the time invested. This found family is best served as a whole as they will fill your heart with an all-encompassing love that sticks with you.

[Kristi Hudecek-Ashwill · Rating 4 out of 5]

FOUR STARS OVERALL

I have to admit that I’m a bit of a Grinch when it comes to Christmas. I tire easily of the excessive decorating, the movies, music, and the books. I went into this book with a bit of apprehension, but I’m glad I took the time to read it. I enjoyed all of the stories. They left me with good feelings and they reminded me that Christmas can be a magical, happy time of the year.

Some stories are sweet while others have some steam. The plots are all good, the characters are great, and the reading experience was satisfying.

I reviewed each story independently.

Once Upon a Not at all Innocent Kiss by Bree Wolf

FIVE STARS

What is a girl to do when she gets pregnant by a guy who won’t marry her? Both of them are members of the ton, but he is a scoundrel and an arrogant one at that and is betrothed to another woman. It breaks her heart and leaves her in a bind.

Beatrice has determined to pay her dues and marry her father’s friend who is a widower and is going into this kicking and screaming. He’s doing her and her family a favor. Gone is the dream of marrying for love. She has to save her reputation as well as the reputation of her family.

But when Charles sees her at a ball, it’s love at first sight for him and he isn’t going to let a little thing like a pregnancy get in the way of pursuing that. He was such a stand-up guy and didn’t care that the baby wasn’t his. That was a first for me when reading historical romances. I loved that about him and wanted her to love him back. But would she?

This is a sweet romance of some unrequited love that needed some nurturing and had a great ending.

The Daring Debutante by Tracy Sumner

FIVE STARS

Arabelle and Nigel have known each other since they were children, even if he is eleven years older than she. He was a kid of the streets and was picked up and raised by Tobias Streeter who hung out with Arabelle’s father, Xander Macauley. The two men were friends and their children were friends, too. Nigel really did have a tragic childhood. I won’t go into details, but I thought it was sad that he had no idea of when his birthday was.

Arabelle comes from wealth and she is a bit spoiled in that she does whatever she wants whenever she wants without a whole lot of regard for how it will affect others. I did like her, but I do prefer a softer heroine. She went after Nigel with reckless abandon, even when he tried to thwart her advances. She wanted him and she wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

This novella had some steamy scenes in it. I liked Arabelle okay and I loved Nigel. I enjoyed the secondary characters and the story overall.

A Yuletide Toss of the Dice by Collette Cameron

FIVE STARS

This is a friends-to-lovers trope that rocked my world in a good way. Aubriella and Jackson (Jack) have known each other for years and years. Knowing she was scientifically minded, he used to bring all sorts of things to her to study. He also used to tease her and the only one who called her Aubrie.

Aubriella was a misfit, on-the-shelf wallflower. Everybody ignored her or thought she was weird. Women whispered about her while the men didn’t give her a second look. She was plain, but intelligent and had a penchant for anatomy. If women could’ve been doctors in this era, she would’ve been one.

She and a few of her friends have a bookie business. They take wagers from select women in order to make money for everyone involved. For some, it’s all they’ve got for income. They are discreet and men don’t know about it.

She had to make a bet with Jack over a game of hazard, a dice game. I won’t go into that, but the stakes are high and it leads to heartbreak.

We get a two-for-one with this story. Not only do we get the story of Aubriella and Jack, we get a peek into a growing romance between Roxina and Shelby, two secondary characters. Since this is a prequel to an upcoming book series, I hope we get their story.

I loved this story. I loved that Aubriella wasn’t like everyone else and that Jack embraced that uniqueness in her, stood up for her, and made her his, even if she thought anybody ever loving her and accepting her was impossible.

Excellent story.

The Heiress Who Dared Me by Charlie Lane

FIVE STARS

It looks like one of my many wishes came true and it isn’t even Christmas yet. I read the entire series of The Debutante Dares and in my review of the last book Daring Done Right, I mentioned that I would like to read Josiah’s story. I didn’t expect it, but here it is and I was not disappointed.

Josiah Evans is managing an estate for his brother, Xavier, and doing a fine job of it. Meanwhile, he and Georgiana, a wealthy heiress, have made a pact to protect each other from no-good greedy suitors for her and women who are taken in by Josiah’s good looks and charm for him. It turns out to be quite a job for her at this particular Christmas event held at Xavier’s country estate. Josiah is being hunted like an elusive deer in the forest by Miss Darlington, who just won’t take no for an answer.

There is so much to this story for it being a mere novella. The chemistry between Georgiana and Josiah leaped off the screen. The love scenes left me breathless. But the best part of all was feeling these two falling in love and acknowledging it. These two belonged together and for one to be without the other was unfathomable. They had a common love for cake, but they had love for each other, too.

Of course, there were obstacles, the biggest being from her aunt who was a total misandrist and left her book of memoirs behind after she passed. The Masculine Inconvenience; Memoirs of a Superior Lady was the title and much of the crap she peddled in that stuck with Georgiana like a fly to fly paper (although she did have some valid points sometimes). There were other issues, as well that made me feel bad for her, but Josiah was up to the task of showing her that maybe Aunt Prudence wasn’t always right and Christmas really can be a joyous event.

This story fired on all cylinders. I loved everything about it, but my favorite scene was when Josiah taught Georgina to ice skate. WONDERFUL!

Mistletoe Magic by Jennifer Monroe

THREE STARS

I liked the premise of this story. Who doesn’t like magic and Christmas is always a magical time of the year. That part played well. What I didn’t care for was it had a Pride and Prejudice vibe. I’m probably the only romance reader in the world who did not like that book.

In this novella, the characters don’t call each other by their first names until close to the end. They’d been courting for six months. He still called her Miss Felton and she called him Mr. Deverell. It gave the whole story a stuffy, insincere feeling. Granted, he was training to become an ordained minister, but he was still a man and she a woman.

Amy attends an all-girl school and Tobias is courting her, even though he hasn’t come right out and said it. Six months of seeing each other, never proclaiming any feelings for each other, and all he’s done is kiss her hand. Amy had the patience of a saint. She’s getting out of school soon, hopes to marry Tobias, and move to America with him and start a new life.

Well, even men of the cloth can be self-centered egotists and everything was about him and making a name for himself. He lived in his brother’s shadow and his father was always bragging about his brother, but even in this day and age, ministers aren’t out to make names from themselves and if they are, it’s all for the money and not for saving souls or helping their fellow man. Tobias wanted to make that name for himself and that left a bad taste in my mouth.

I did like the ending, but I never warmed up to any of the characters, other than Mrs. Rutley. She seemed to be the most genuine of all of them.

Christmas Forgiveness by Meredith Bond

FIVE STARS

This was a sweet story of forgiveness and redemption. A definite plus for me, but what made it even more interesting was the fact that it involved a royal family not from England.

Klaus tried to assassinate his cousins in order for his father to gain the throne. Rather than be hanged, his uncle exiled him to Klaus’ father’s estate. Never to leave.

Two years after the fact, he is granted leave to attend a Christmas house party off his father’s estate where he is to mingle with the cousins he tried to kill and their friends, one of whom is Sophia, the sister of a woman who impersonated the princess at one time. It was awkward and the author did a great job of bringing that into the story.

Sophia isn’t quick to warm up to him. As a matter of fact, she’s downright hostile. But after one incident, she saw a different side to him, saw that he was sincere with his apologies, and that he was trying to do better and be better.

The author did a good job of bringing the reader up to speed with what had happened in the story before this novella was written. Apparently, Klaus was a sinister reprobate that was motivated by power and greed. In this book, he turned it around and came out on top.

I really didn’t feel Klaus and Sophia falling in love, but the story theme of forgiveness and redemption was so strong, I didn’t care.

Until Spring by Shannon Gilmore

FIVE STARS

I have to admit that I really hate the name Lovie. It reminds me of Mrs. Howell on Gilligan’s Island, a show that is too stupid for words. It also sounds like an endearment, which is awkward for people who don’t know the woman. With that being said, I overlooked the name and went for the character. I adored her.

Lovie is supposedly a nag to her brother and her cousin, but considering Rochester, the cousin with whom she and her brother live, is slow on getting repairs done to the house, leaving rooms without doors and overall dishevelment, no cook when she’s not much of a cook, yeah, I’d be cranky, too. The only thing that matters to Rochester and Hudson (her brother) is billiards, which is how Lovie met Remington.

Remington Hawke is in town from America to visit his ailing grandmother, but that went south and he found himself with no place to stay. Being a pool shark himself, he finds himself in a game with Rochester, downing good Irish whiskey, and eventually going home with him, both foxed.

It’s Christmas and Lovie won’t have anybody being alone for the holiday, even a stranger. But she likes Remington. He’s handsome, smart, and is always teasing her about her wanting to kiss him. The banter between them is witty and fun. It made me laugh a few times. He was such a tease and she gave as good as she got. It made this light-hearted even when things got serious and he had to return to America in the spring.

This was a great read. I enjoyed it a lot and give it an easy five stars. I just wish Lovie had a different name and hadn’t giggled so much. Giggling heroines are so annoying. Babies and children giggle. When a heroine does it, she looks childish and immature. Just my opinion.

I may be reading Rochester’s story in the next book. I’ll be looking for it.

In Pursuit of a Christmas Bride< by Rebecca Paula

FIVE STARS

This was a unique story. Henry is a barrister and the best at what he does. He’s serious about everything, never acts on impulse, is a bit of a Grumpy Gus, and an overall stuffed shirt. I don’t think he knew how to have fun. So when his friends want him to go party with them for one of their birthdays, he agrees to one hour then he was going home. He had some brandy and a book waiting for him

But that one hour took an unexpected turn when a woman runs into him and knocks him down. It was a masquerade party and it was dark where they were, but she had an Irish accent and he had a Welsh. They exchanged a kiss, but not names.

That kiss would haunt them for a long time to come.

Tilly is an actress in London and is favored by everyone. But she has a secret that will surely ruin her and her manager threatens to reveal it if she doesn’t show up to a house party to entertain the guests. She doesn’t expect to meet the stranger she’d kissed before. He was equally surprised, but discovered he was all about spending time with her as she was him and he learned to have fun.

This was a fantastic story that I wished had been longer. It was so cool to watch Henry come out of his shell and even act inappropriately. It was just as rewarding to see Tilly come out on top, despite the odds against her.

Solid five stars

*I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily left a review.

[Elizabeth Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although not every book in this collection earned five stars, I feel the ones that did more than made up for the ones that didn't, which is why I'm giving the collection five stars. Listed below are my individual reviews for each story in the collection:

Once Upon a Not at All Innocent Kiss - Bree Wolf - 3 stars
Bree Wolf always seems to have interesting and unique plot ideas for her books, but she doesn’t always succeed in telling the stories as well as she could. I love the concept of this one. Beatrice Hartley, eldest daughter of Baron Benton, foolishly allows a man to take liberties and finds herself pregnant. He refuses to help her, so her parents arrange for her to marry a friend of her father, who turns out to be as judgmental and condescending as her parents. Only nineteen years old, she is heartbroken that she will never enjoy a marriage based on love.

Along comes Charles Beaumont, Viscount Hawthorne, eldest son of the Earl and Countess of Whickerton. Only twenty-one years old, Charles has not been home to England for ten years, and he is not looking for a wife. He and his family have spent most of his life traveling in warmer climates that are better for the health of his twelve-year-old sister. Within days of arriving, he notices Beatrice at a ball and finds himself drawn to her because he sees such sorrow in her eyes. That’s because she’s already betrothed to Mr. Carter and wishes she weren’t. Charles also wishes she weren’t because he realizes she is his soulmate.

Initially, Beatrice keeps turning Charles away because she is certain he wouldn’t want anything to do with her if he knew what she’d done. At a low point, he convinces her to confide in him, and rather than run away from her, he encourages her to marry him instead. He already knows he’s in love with her and hopes she will, one day, love him.

Although I did enjoy the story, I found the writing to be mediocre. The words never caused me to envision what was happening and never evoked any emotions in me. Engaging the senses more might have helped. What would have helped even more was avoiding trite phrases and cliches. I would have loved to see some more thoughtful choices of vocabulary—words with specific meanings and connotations to fit the descriptions. I also felt that the story could have ended before the epilogue. The issue of love in their marriage had been resolved by then. I felt that the epilogue was unnecessary to tie up loose ends. And this was a terribly disappointing sentence with which to end: “Indeed, the future was a bright one, and Beatrice could hardly wait.” That ranks right up there with “She wouldn’t have it any other way” as one of the most trite statements to make in a novel.

I’m still giving this story three stars because I really enjoyed the story itself. But I can’t give it more stars because there is much room for improvement in terms of the quality of writing.

The Daring Debutante - Tracy Sumner - 5 stars
There’s something so fun about reading of the adventures of the generation following the ones you fell in love with the first time around. In fact, I think Pippa and Macauley’s story was my favorite one, so to see Arabella, their daughter, face off against Nigel Streeter, son of Tobias and Hildy Streeter, was wonderful. And Arabella is so much a blend of her parents; Nigel doesn’t stand a chance. Luckily, since it’s a novella, the agony of him trying to fight and deny his feelings for her doesn’t get dragged out. Having grown up hearing the romantic stories of their own parents, Arabella knows what to expect and Nigel knows just what’s expected of him. And they don’t disappoint. I loved it!

As usual, some of the imagery was noteworthy so here are a few of my favorites: “...they flowed like two cups of water poured into one vessel.” “Her eyes were the dark hue of gunmetal, and the ringing in his ears sounded as if she’d discharged the pistol by his head.” “As he’d been told a thousand times by his father, a man didn’t choose. Love chose you. Unexpectedly, like a blow to the head.”

A Yuletide Toss of the Dice - Colette Cameron - 5 stars
I’m giving this story five stars because I really enjoyed it. The POVs of Aubriella Penford and Jackson Matherfield, neither members of the landed gentry, were refreshing in that neither was being pushed to marry into status. In fact, Jackson’s parents are deceased and Aubriella’s pretty much ignore her. She’s already 24 and has never been popular with men, probably because she’s so smart. Her oldest sister is already married and her youngest is very popular with the men so most of her parents’ attention is focused on her. Aubriella feels invisible and only her brother’s close friend, Jackson, seems to notice her. Unfortunately, most of his attention is directed toward teasing her.

One of my issues with the story is that there were so many different characters introduced that I had trouble keeping track of who was who. This meant that when the POV changed to Roxina, Aubriella’s closest friend, and her interactions with Shelby and his relationship to her brother, and so forth, I was thoroughly confused. Maybe I missed another book in the series. I don’t know. That's really my only criticism of the book.

The Heiress Who Dared Me - Charlie Lane - 5 stars
Charlie Lane never disappoints me. Heiress Lady Georgina is best friends with Sarah of "Daring Done Right." Josiah is the younger brother of Xavier Evans, Viscount Flint, married to Sarah. Georgina and Josiah meet over cake at the wedding. She complains about fortune hunters seeking to marry her, and he admits he hasn't the time to marry because he's busy running his father's primary estate. They form an agreement to rescue one another from persistent suitors by pretending they're in a relationship. Over time, that relationship becomes a deep friendship—to the point that both are afraid to act on their attraction for fear of losing the other.

And then, Sarah dares Georgina to kiss Josiah, while Xavier dares Josiah to kiss Georgina. Coordinated attack? Unknown. But it works. Next follows the efforts of each to deny the obvious.

The book is filled with clever dialogue which leads the reader to think, "I could be friends with these people." When Georgina is invited to attend a Christmas gathering, she tells Josiah "she'd rather clean her naval with a dirty boot scraper." She ends up attending anyway, supposedly because Sarah dares her. Truth is, she enjoys spending time with Josiah.

Georgina was traded to her widowed Aunt when she was only ten years old, in exchange for an annual stipend to cover her father's gambling habit. Sent there on Christmas Day, she does not have fond memories of Christmas. Add to that her aunt's deep-seated hatred of men and her indoctrination of Georgina, and you have a young woman bitter and distrustful of men. It's a sad background that makes her eventual surrender to Josiah and the love she feels for him even sweeter. His love for her sneaks up on him, and he has to work hard to convince Georgina he will never try to curb her freedom. The story ends with a scene about cake, strongly reminiscent of their first meeting. Their tongue-in-cheek response to this call-back has the story ending on a laugh.

Mistletoe Magic - Jennifer Monroe - 3 stars
We're back to Mrs. Rutley's School for girls, this time for Amy Felton. She's not part of the sisterhood of secrets but is friends with some of those grads. She is about to graduate and has been courting Tobias Deverell, who is studying to be a reverend. In a funny bit of foreshadowing that reflects her naivete, Amy tells her friend: "Well, I have nothing to worry about… After all, he'll soon become a vicar. Everyone knows men of the cloth have no faults." Obviously, this is a bit of foreshadowing for a fault she's about to discover.

Tobias has been programmed by his father to believe that sharing his feelings is a weakness. Amy feels she must wait for him to confess his love before she can. So, they both struggle to keep their love a secret.

Luckily, some well-meaning family and friends intervene to help move things in the right direction. To me, the story fails to delve into some of the deeper emotions Tobias and Amy must be feeling. There's something very superficial about the story. It's as deep as a fairytale that might end with "and they all live happily ever after." In fact, there were a few phrases that were so trite, I rolled my eyes.

Amy says to Tobias, "There is magic, but it does not reside in talismans or ornaments such as this. Rather it comes from the love in our hearts." Later, she says, " The answer I needed was inside me. How strange. Our love was the magic we needed this Christmas." Still later, the narrator says, "The magic of Christmas was love, and it continued to guide their every step long after the holiday was gone." OMG! We get it! Christmas magic is actually love. I guess that really sums up how I felt about this book. It feels like it's directed at a younger audience with less life experience and untested critical thinking skills. It's fine. There's nothing objectional about it, but there's also nothing particularly memorable.

Christmas Forgiveness - Meredith Bond - 4 stars
Up until now, I’ve loved every other book in the Royals & Rebels series. And although I enjoyed this one, I simply could not get past the fact that Klauss tried to kill his cousins, Princess Isa and Prince Nik, as well as Nik’s now-fiancé Hope. He also attempted to make it seem like he was trying to kill Lou, the woman impersonating Isa while she was missing. As a result, his attendance at a Christmas house party, his first outing in two years since being “imprisoned” at his father’s estate, receives a chilly reception.

The person who seems most upset by his presence is Sophia, Lou’s younger sister. Because she encouraged Lou to take on the position of faux-princess, she feels guilty. Unfortunately, while she feels revulsion for Klauss, she also finds herself drawn to him. He is also drawn to her, for reasons he can’t articulate.

I understand it would be most difficult for the people who love the victims of his machinations to offer forgiveness, so it makes sense that Isa and Nik’s father, the Prince, Hope, and Sophia find it more difficult to forgive Klauss. But Klauss is filled with regret for what he once did and desperately wants to be understood and welcomed back into society. The thing is, he never quite convinced me to forgive him either. I didn’t see enough evidence of his repentance. In fact, he couldn’t even understand why Sophia found it so hard to forgive him when he never intended to actually hurt Lou. It was as if he was incapable of understanding that the fear of what could happen to her was almost as bad as what did happen.

At one point, after Sophia has begun to warm up to Klauss—though she still hasn’t forgiven him—she talks to Hope who tells her she hasn’t forgiven him either. The Prince tells her she should stay away from Klauss because he’s bad news. He admits that his advisors told him not to hang Klauss for treason, but he wishes he had. It’s quite an extended dialogue which ends with: “'Hanging was not good enough for him!' the man said with venom in his voice." And, “I am ashamed that he is related to me.” He tells Sophia, “He is a dangerous man.” But soon after, he’s smiling at Klauss along with his father and acting as if, underneath it all, he’s a good guy. He agrees to allow Klauss to act as his secretary while they’re at the house party, then extends the invitation for when they return home explaining he’ll be supervised but, “It won’t be for very long, just until everyone is satisfied that you have indeed learned your lesson and are the responsible young man I’ve always expected you to be.” Wh-aaat? A few positive actions on Klauss’ part, and suddenly his uncle has a newfound respect for him? And, he always expected him to be a responsible young man? It just wasn’t believable.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, so even though it wasn’t at all believable as a concept, I’m only taking away one star. I guess I want to believe in redemption, regardless of the transgressions.

Until Spring: A Breaking the Rules of the Beau Monde Novella - Shannon Gilmore - 5 stars
I’ve just discovered a new Wolf Publishing author that I love. The storytelling style is engaging, with clever dialogue and unusual syntax in the narrative. There aren’t a lot of unnecessary words used to fill up the page. In fact, it’s as if each word is carefully chosen for optimal effect, proving that less is more. It’s not trite, using phrases that are so overused, they’ve practically lost their meaning. It’s intelligently written, dragging the reader into the circle of friendship as if they’ve always been a part of it, understanding the inside jokes and the loving way in which Lovie, her brother Hudson, and her cousin, Rochester torment one another. When Rochester discovers Remington, newly arrived from America and in need of a place to stay, he brings him home and Remi fits right in.

From the start, Remington is persistent in telling Lovie that she’s going to kiss him. He taunts her, telling her that she wants to and that he’ll be receptive when she does. It’s a gentle teasing that eventually leads to her saying something along the lines of, fine, let’s get this over with. Of course, it’s not as simple as that. After all, this is a love story. One of the things I liked about this story is the lack of pretense. There’s no false conflict or contrived storyline to force them together. Their relationship develops organically and leads to deep love. Neither tries to hide their feelings or run away from them. The only dilemma is that Remington needs to return home to take care of his business once spring arrives. This is neatly resolved near the end.

It’s a sweet story with memorable, likable characters, and I’m interested in reading more from this series when it becomes available.

In Pursuit of a Christmas Bride - Rebecca Paula - 5 stars
I've never read anything from this author so I was pleasantly surprised. Tilly is a respected actress in Drury Lane with a secret. The secret wasn’t hard to figure out. Henry is an attorney who unexpectedly inherits an earldom. Prior to this development, he meets Tilly at a masquerade. Though they only meet briefly, they feel an instant connection—sealed with a kiss. He promises to find her at the same time next year. I’m not sure why he planned to wait a year, but he tells her he will return and look for her each night until he finds her. Meanwhile, they separate but continue to think about one another. As luck would have it, they end up at the same house for a Christmas holiday and immediately recognize one another.

It’s refreshing that they both freely admit to loving one another, even as they find excuses not to commit to each other. Tilly’s afraid her secret will be too big a scandal, and Henry thinks it’s premature to propose because he barely knows her—even though he’s certain he’s in love. The solution is surprising, but left me with some questions. I’m not sure I fully understood why it was necessary to do things the way they did. Still, it’s a happy ending and it makes sense so I have no real complaints.

The story itself was unusual enough that I look forward to reading more from this author. I especially found their initial meeting both romantic and poetically described, and I always like that kind of thing. Although she’s not there yet, this author has the potential to become a favorite. Time will tell.

[K B · Rating 4 out of 5]

October 19, 2023 Christmas Belles Holiday Regency Anthology
1. Bree Wolf: Once Upon a Not at all Innocent Kiss: 5 stars
5 Stars
I received a free copy of the clean historical romance Once Upon A Not At All Innocent Kiss: A Whickertons In Love Novella by Bree Wolf in A Holiday Regency Anthology Christmas Belles, and this review was given freely.
Contains many cute, heartwarming, and amusing moments. This is the love-at-first-sight romance story of Grandma Edie’s son Charles, the father of the Whickertons siblings found in the series.
Returning to England with his family at Christmastime, the studious twenty-one-year-old Charles Beaumont, Viscount Hawthorne attends his first ball where he stumbles into the distraught and compromised Miss Beatrice Hartley thus vowing to save her from a loveless marriage, and the self-center rake, Lord Strumpton by quickly claim her for himself. When things look hopeless, his mother and his mischievous brother Henry secretly step in.
Good if read alone. Best if read in series order.

2. Tracey Sumner: The Daring Debutante: I did not read this. It did not appeal to me.
3. Collette Cameron: A YULETIDE TOSS OF THE DICE A LADIES OF OPPORTUNITY NOVELLA
It sounded good but reading it made me feel like I was taking a college class with all the adjectives. I stopped after a few pages.
4. Charlie Lane: The Heiress Who Dared Me
4 stars
I received a free copy of the steamy novel The Heiress Who Dared Me by Charlie Lane in A Holiday Regency Anthology: Christmas Belles and this review was given freely.
Easy flowing.
I enjoyed the snarky and witty banter between the Tart-tongued and curvy London heiress Lady Georgina Hunt and her friend’s country-loving and stout brother-in-law Josiah who bond over babies and cake then enter an agreement to assist each other to avoid marriage, only to have their family and friends intervene.
5. Jennifer Monroe: Mistletoe Magic: The Sisterhood of Secrets Novella
5 stars
I received a free copy of the clean romance Mistletoe Magic: The Sisterhood of Secrets Novella by Jennifer Monroe in A Holiday Regency Anthology: Christmas Belles and this review was given freely.
Easy flowing and filled with everyday events, this is a story of a couple who learn to reconcile their hopes, dreams, and parental expectations after they almost lose each other.
Stuck at a crossroads, 18-year-old finishing school student Miss Amy Felton must choose between marrying the man she loves, clergy student Mr. Tobias Deverell, marrying the man of her parent's choice, the repulsive Mr. Hamilton, or starting over again with her best friends in America working in an orphanage in NY City.
6. Meredith Bond: Christmas Forgiveness a Royals & Rebels Novella.
5 stars
I received a free copy of the clean romance Christmas Forgiveness A Royals & Rebels Novella by Meredith Bond in A Holiday Regency Anthology: Christmas Belles and this review was given freely.
An Intriguing Enemy to Lovers story but also one of love at first sight, forgiveness, and redemption. Lord Klaus’s getting a position as his uncle's secretary seems a bit farfetched, but this is fiction after all! Contains a fair amount of drama and a happy ending.
Two years after Klaus Kottenfurst the former Graf Adenheim has been sentenced to live out the rest of his days on his father’s estate after trying to kill his Uncle Prince Heinrich of Aachen-Duren’s two children, Klaus, and his parents are included in a family Christmastime house party to celebrate his Cousin Nik’s. While there, he releases a secret about his father and meets the enchanting Sophia North who is still traumatized by his kidnapping of her sister, and unsure of how to handle her changing feelings.
7. Shannon Gilmore: Until Spring: A Breaking The Rules Of The Beau Monde Novella.
4 stars
I received a free copy of the steamy romance Until Spring: A Breaking The Rules Of The Beau Monde Novella by Shannon Gilmore in A Holiday Regency Anthology: Christmas Belles and this review was given freely.
An intriguing opening with three rules of a spinster. I enjoyed the untraditional although bittersweet opening scene in this slow burn to steamy romance. It feels like modern-day personalities and intimate banter with glimpses of a Regency setting.
Leaving Boston to visit his ailing grandmother in London, Remington Hawke returns to his parents’ birthplace to find his grandmother dead, a fortune friendship in Rochester, and temptation in the form of Rochester’s twenty-five-year-old cousin Lovie Wright.
8. Rebecca Paula: In Pursuit of a Christmas Bride: A Society of Scandalous Brides Novella.
4 stars
I received a free copy of the mildly steamy romance In Pursuit of a Christmas Bride: A Society of Scandalous Brides Novella by Rebecca Paula in A Holiday Regency Anthology: Christmas Belles and this review was given freely.
A fast-paced instant attraction of opposites story of fate, family, and abuse.
An accidental run-in while leaving a masquerade leads to the dutiful, virgin, and career-focused barrister Henry Davies’ first passion-filled kiss. Henry’s vow to meet the mystery lady, single mother Matilda Brennan, the abused and blackmailed darling of London’s stage, the following June when the gardens reopen. Fate steps in upending Henry’s single-focused life when he is suddenly made an Earl and then reunited with Tilly at a house party.

[Fanosse23 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love Christmas Stories! They take me back to times spent with family and friends and help refresh my happy memories especially with loved ones that are no longer with us on earth but remain eternally in our hearts.

This Christmas Anthology is a Wolf Publication who happens to publish some of my most favorite authors so this book was even more special. Every one of these stories was interesting, romantic, had endearing characters, and were a joy to read. I especially enjoyed that some were related to earlier stories and provided a chance to connect with favorite characters from previous books.

I am highlighting a few of my favorites.

Once Upon a Not at all Innocent Kiss by Bree Wolf

This was a sweet story of love at first site for Charles Beaumont, Lord Hawthorne, who is attending his first ball when he sees Beatrice and they meet he just knows there is something special about her. Even when he finds out she is pregnant he cannot give up his pursuit regardless of what his family thinks.

It was so great to have another Whickerton family story, I absolutely loved the devotion and support his mother gives him telling him to follow his heart because we all know a Whickerton only marries for love.

Charles was a prince among men he didn’t care that she would give birth to another man’s baby, he just wanted to protect, love and marry her. She thought he was crazy and initially fights him but can he persuade her to take a chance on him and love?

A beautifully written Christmas romance that truly touched me!

The Daring Debutante by Tracy Sumner

If you have read the Duchess Society series you will be reintroduced to the daughter of Pippa Darlington and Xander Macauley one my favorite couples from that series.

Arabella is their daughter and has set her sights on Nigel Streeter who was rescued from the streets by Tobias and Hildy as a child. They have known each other since childhood and Arabella realizes she wants more than friendship with him. Nigel doesn’t think he is worthy of her, is too old, and tries his best to stay away from her, but together they are sizzling. I loved how Arabella’s pursuit was similar to Pippa’s in her quest to secure Xander affections.

I enjoyed having a reunion with these great characters from the Duchess series who provided advice to their children and hope Tracy plans to give us more stories about the now grown children from the original series.

A Yuletide Toss of the Dice by Collette Cameron

A loved this friends to lovers story about characters that were different from what we normally encounter in the regency time period. Aubriella has been ignored most of her life, is consider odd, and is firmly on the shelf.

Jack is her childhood friend who sees her true personality and doesn’t think she is strange. I loved that he wanted her regardless of what other thoughts, and helps her to see she is special and worthy of his love.

The Heiress Who Dared Me by Charlie Lane

The Debutante Dare series by Charlie Lane was a favorite of mine and I was sorry to see it end. In the last book of that series we were introduced to Josiah Evans, who was the estate manager for his brother, Xavier. This is Josiah’s story and takes place at a Christmas house party at his brother’s country estate.

He comes across Georgiana as she is eating cake and can’t keep his eyes off her or stop his imagination from envisioning other sensual acts. She is an heiress and out of his league but they come together to pretend to be a couple. She needs to discourage fortune hunters and he is trying to avoid Ms. Darlington who is determined to snag Josiah.

There is so much depth to this story, misconceptions, preconceived notions, and changing perceptions. I found myself smiling as I was reading because they did not realize they were falling in love. I was laughing out loud when Georgiana goes up to Josiah and kisses him in front of Miss Darlington to discourage her because she is jealous and doesn’t even realize that is why she behaved as she did. Their chemistry together was amazing, and their encounters were steamy.

I cannot say enough about this story it was perfect!

Until Spring by Shannon Gilmore

Remington Hawke comes back to England from America because his grandmother is dying and he is trying to see her before she passes, but does not make it in time.

He is unable to find a room and encounters Rochester who is a professional pool player, they end up getting foxed on Irish whiskey, and he decides to accept his offer to stay at his house.

Lovie is his cousin, and lives with Rochester and her brother at his home. She is leery of having a stranger stay with them but in the tradition of the Christmas spirit relents. As she get to know Remington they become friendly, she likes him, finds him handsome, easy to talk to, funny and eventually they give into their desire for each other. The problem is in the spring he has to return to America or does he?

If you enjoy a light hearted, funny, steamy story with great primary and secondary characters you will love this beautifully written Christmas story. I am looking forward to Rochesters’s story in the next book.

If you are looking for Christmas magic and stories that touch your heart you need to pick up this book today!

I received a free advanced copy of the book from Wolf publishing and this is my honest unbiased review.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful Christmas Anthology which has a mixture of sweet and spicy stories. I don't really like to read the spicy stories so I read the three stories written by the authors I know to keep them sweet. I liked that all three of these stories were additions to series written by those authors.

Bree Wolf: Once Upon a Not at All Innocent Kiss (A Whickertons in Love Novella). This is the story of how the parents of the Whickerton's came to be married. This definitely gave some insight into Troy their oldest son's story that was in Once Upon an Accidentally Bewitching Kiss. Beatrice Hartley found herself pregnant by a horrible rake who had no intention of marrying her. Her parents planned to protect all of their reputations by marrying her to one of her father's friends. When she met the gentleman, she could sense his disapproval of her and she knew the marriage would be somewhat difficult. When she is crying in despair- a gentleman Charles Beaumont, Viscount Hawthorne steps in with an offer of marriage. Will she decide to follow her parents plans or allow Lady Whickerton (Grandma Edie and the mother of Charles) to arrange an elopement with her son?

Jennifer Monroe: Mistletoe Magic (A Sisterhood of Secrets Novella)
This story involves another student at Mrs Rutley's School for Young Women, Miss Amy Fenton. She is ready to graduate from the program and her parents are coming to pick her up to bring her home. They already have a man arranged to marry her- someone she has no desire to marry. She is being courted by Mr Tobias Deverall who is finishing his studies in Theology. Mr Tobias is afraid that revealing his love to Amy will make him seem weak. He has plans to become a famous clergyman to finally make his father proud of him. Miss Amy wants to marry Tobias and travel to America with him to help out with orphans in NY. They both have good plans for their lives but are having trouble convincing one other on the best plan for both of them. Will Tobias finally reveal his love and propose before her parents come to bring her home? Will they decide to stay in England or move to America if they have a future together?

Meredith Bond: Christmas Forgiveness (A Royals & Rebels Novella)
This is a wonderful addition to the series and gives a second chance to the villain from the series Klaus Kottenfurst after his attempt to kill his cousins. We find out that Klaus' punishment was not death but to live out the rest of his life on his father's estate. He has been stripped of his title and lands and his days have become helping to work and mange his father's land. His uncle, the prince, has given him a brief reprieve to attend a house party for Christmas. Klaus' father has told him to be on his best behavior and maybe his sentence will be rescinded. Klaus will have some uncomfortable days ahead as the other guests at the house party react to his being there.

Sophia North is the younger sister of Lou who impersonated the missing Princess Isa Her sister and husband were invited to attend the house party to celebrate the upcoming marriage of Prince Nik and Lady Hope Clemens. Sophia is hoping to find her own suitor since living with the married newlyweds sometimes feeling left out. When they arrive at the house party, Sophia is angered at seeing Graf Adenheim, (now going by Klaus Kottenfurst. He was the man who kidnapped her sister and tried to poison her. She has a hard time forgiving the man for all of the pain he caused her sister and his cousins.

Will Klaus be able to convince those at the house party that he has changed? Will he be given a second chance by his uncle? Will Sophia be able to finally forgive him and see the man he truly has become?

I enjoyed all three of these stories and this is my honest unbiased review.

[Pat Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely Stories!
Once Upon a Not So Innocent Kiss by Bree Wolf

I so love the Whickerton Family and Charles’s story does not disappoint. He was such an awesome gentleman, worth his weight in gold and more.His demeanor is so swoon-worthy, I fell in love immediately ! Beatrice’s situation was certainly heartbreaking and to watch their relationship grow was so precious. I continue to shake my head how some parents are so into themselves , they forget to care for the children they have. Great story!

The Daring Debutant by Tracy Sumner

I love the Leighton Group, especially the intricate way they are mixed together. Nigel is a hard hearted adopted son, who was brought up in the gutter. Having watched Bella grow up a high spirited lady, it is no wonder that she gets what she wants…him! I loved how the two dads dealt with the whole situation. Just a lovely, fun story!

A Yuletide Toss of the Dice by Colette Cameron

What a heart wrenching of Aubrie, a Bluestocking who feels she doesn’t fit anywhere, even her own family. I was disgusted with the way her parents treated her, even thought they loved her. Watching Jack realize, almost too late , of his feelings, was a treasure to behold. The Inn scene was enlightening, especially after the villains were dispatched. This is a prequel and I can’t wait for the series in 2024!

The Heiress Who Dared Me by Charlie Lane

How fiendishly sad to see Georgianna be so left out of her family to be raised by such a bitter woman. Josiah, trying hard to make his dead Momma proud befriends her and her tart tongue. I loved the banter, am a sucker for it actually, and the dares were perfect. I truly loved these characters and hated to see the story end!

Mistletoe Magic by Jennifer Monroe

Oh, it feels so good to be back at Mrs. Rutley’s school! Amy’s story is one of conflicting ideas of life and how to navigate compromise. I loved how Tobias and Amy were both able to see their errors and wanted to slap Tobias’s Dad. A very sweet story!

Christmas Forgiveness by Meredith Bond

What a wonderful addition to The Royals and Rebels series. Klaus gets to explain what happened and finds love , unfortunately it with the sister of one of his victims. The back and forth of whether Klaus should have been hanged was interesting, as well as whether he should be forgiven or not. Sophia was a bit of a pill, but finally settles on one thought. I loved the ending and the closure of this series.

Until Spring by Shannon Gilmore

A very different story about an American man finding love in England. I loved how Remi and Lovie met, the banter between them and the angst between her brother and Remi. I especially loved the the surprise ending between Remi and Lovie. I can’t wait for the rest of the series.

In Pursuit of a Christmas Wife by Rebecca Paula

A different story of an icy hearted man and a respectable actress. I loved how they met, how they were reunited and how Henry protected her. Tilly and her family is adorably loud and I wished we could have had a “meet the family” scene. Simply wonderfu!

[iReadBooksNSchit · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Christmas Belles
HIGHLIGHTING: Tracy Sumner, Charlie Lane
Tropes: Holiday
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐/🔥🔥 (maybe 3) Depending on which book you're reading

This holiday season, the Christmas Belles are both naughty and nice and bringing havoc and joy to all far and near. Got me all ready to haul out the holly and what not. With a number of steamy romances and a few not so steamy. This charming anthology of tales is positively magical and I’ve absolutely enjoyed every single moment of it.

Two of my most favoritest stories: The Daring Debutante by Tracy Sumner and The Heiress who dared me!

They Daring Debutante
Tracy…Tracy…TRACY!!! Thank you for giving me the book I didn't know I needed this holiday! Woooweeee…everything about the Daring Debutante I love…EV.ER.RY.THANG.
Although a novella, Sumner has packed a Leighton cluster punch with this one. It's fun and steamy and so, so sexy. How many emotions can a chit go through in such a brief period of time?!? I don't feel like I am missing out on a single thing by it being a novella. As a matter of fact…this story owes me NOTHING. I've read it three times and every single time I fall just that much in love with Nigel.
Nigel Streeter and Arabella MacCauley are simply perfect for one another. The second generation of the Leighton cluster is all grown up and pulling all kinds of Shenanigans to win the hearts and souls of the ones they've desperately wanted for what seems like all their lives. There's a whole lot of love in this book and the perfect addition to the Duchess Society series.
And ya'all…we get to see some of our favs in this book….and its oh. so. satisfying. Tracy has set the bar for the second generation with this intro. Go head gurl…do the damn thang…I see you…🥂.

The Heiress Who Dared Me:
The heiress who dared me…what a fun and marvelous way to usher in the holiday season.
There’s romance, and snow and lots of laughter and love and just enough steam to melt. Lady Georgiana Hunt is her own woman – independently wealthy, beautiful and headstrong, she has no time for shenanigans, fortune hunters and fools. Josiah Evans, third son to an earl is too busy for anything other than work, however when his good friend Lady Gee needs him, he’s always there. Fending off the riffraff, serving up cake or simply making her smile. When two dares and a snow storm force these two together, they friendship turns into something magical and they discover a love unlike any other.

Ya’ll there's a scene so touching…so loving…that I whimpered my way through it. There’s something incredibly romantic and magical about Christmas and Charlie Lane captures it and your heart in this romantical tale. Brava for putting my already hyped holiday spirit in overdrive. My husband curses you for now I must put up my tree…and yes I know..

It's not even Halloween yet!

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection is a bundle of joy, eight holiday stories by a group of very special authors.

Once Upon a Not So Innocent Kiss by Bree Wolf
Charles steps into rescue Beatrice from a scandalous situation, fell in love with her, and put the scoundrel who hurt her in his place. Lovely story in the Whickerton family.

The Daring Debutant by Tracy Sumner
Arabella MacCauley sets her sights on Nigel Streeter. He doesn’t feel worthy of her, but she intends to show him differently. The fathers, Tobias and Xander, offer their offspring some sound advice based on their romantic experiences. A next generation Duchess Society romance.

A Yuletide Toss of the Dice by Colette Cameron
Aubrie feels she doesn’t fit, anywhere. Her family seems to feel the same. Jack is a childhood friend who sees her as more. It takes him awhile to realize that she is his treasure. An interesting prequel to a new series.

The Heiress Who Dared Me by Charlie Lane
Josiah and Georgiana are at the Christmas at his brother’s country estate. To deter fortune hunters and determined ladies, they agree to pretend to be courting. They had no intention to actually become a couple, but walks, talks, and the joy of eating cake eventually lead them in just that direction. Daring kisses!

Mistletoe Magic by Jennifer Monroe
Tobias and Amy are a charming couple, but have different dreams and views of their future. Even though they won’t admit it, they love each other. Will they be able to compromise, or will they part ways? This is another sweet story in the Sisterhood of Secrets.

Christmas Forgiveness by Meredith Bond
This is an interesting addition to the Royals and Rebels series. Klaus was the villain of the series, and has been exiled since. He would like to explain his actions and seek forgiveness. Sophia can’t get past his crime against her sister, but he chips away at her walls. Happy ending? Yes.

Until Spring by Shannon Gilmore
Remi has come to England to see his grandmother before dies. He meets Rochester who offers him a place to stay for a while. There he meets Lovie, Rochester’s cousin. They spend Christmas and fall in love. She wants to remain in England, and he needs to return to America. Is there a way for them to be together and be happy? Compromise?

In Pursuit of a Christmas Wife by Rebecca Paula
Henry Davies is a grumpy, serious barrister. Matilda Brennan is a respected actress and single mother (which is a secret). When they meet at a masquerade, they exchange a passionate kiss. By the time they meet again, at a house party, Henry had inherited an earldom. Will this give them a second chance to act on their instant attraction? How will Henry react to her secret and her large family? Quite an enjoyable opposites-attract romance.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

[Aj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a wonderful collection of Christmas regency romances.

Once Upon a not at all Innocent Kiss by Bree Wolf...
A sweet romance, gentleman saves his damsel in distress. Charles and Beatrice make a nice match all the way towards a new future and happiness.

The Daring Debutante by Tracy Sumner...
What a delicious, steamy and sensual romance. The next generation is just as good. Loved Arabella, she's daring and feisty and poor Nigel doesn't stand a chance with love barrelling down on him. He soon comes around and their hearts desire wins out towards a passionate happily ever after.

A Yuletide Toss of the Dice by Collette Cameron...
A delightful, engaging romance. Jack and Aubrie are frenemies since childhood, loved their journey of discovering their love for each other.

The Heiress Who Dared Me by Charlie Lane...
Wicked and daring, adoring little romance filled with lots of cake. An heiress and a steward who find each other over cake and fall in love unexpectedly. Josiah and Georgiana make the perfect pair.

Mistletoe Magic by Jennifer Monroe...
A sweet romance where the magic of Christmas turns out to be love. Amy and Tobias want to be together but have different paths for their future. Amy wants to start a life in America and Tobias wants to be a clergyman in England. Conflicts are resolved when they start to listen to each other and open their hearts to love.

Christmas Forgiveness by Meredith Bond...
Enjoyable holiday enemies-to-lovers romance, part of the Royals and Rebels series. Klaus and Sophia are definitely not meant to be together but some things are fated and their journey is adventurous, heart felt and forgiveness leads them to their happily ever after.

Until Spring by Shannon Gilmore...
This romance is gorgeous in every way, I was captivated by the story and the characters. I adored Remington and Lovie, instantly attracted to each other and their banter is a delight. Lovie's brother Hudson and her cousin Rochester also framed the story so well. The best part of course is Lovie and Remington and falling in love. Beautifully written, it flowed and caressed me all the way to the wonderful happily ever after.

In Pursuit of a Christmas Bride by Rebecca Paula...
Entertaining story, an instant attraction and connection for Henry and Tilly. A country Christmas party and second chance for love. I enjoyed this romance, open yourself to possibilities and for Henry and Tilly this brings them a forever love.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bree Wolf: Once Upon a Not at All Innocent Kiss (A Whickertons in Love Novella) 5 Stars
Beatrice thought Lord Strumpton loved her but when she finds herself in a delicate condition he wants nothing to do with her. Charles Beaumont, Lord Hawthorn returns to England & is immediately smitten with Beatrice & offers her a way out of the predicament
How the Whickerton’s sibling's parents met & married, I loved both Charles & Beatrice & thoroughly enjoyed their story.

Tracy Sumner: The Daring Debutante (A Duchess Society Novella) 5 Stars
Friends from childhood Nigel & Arabelle, they were also from very different backgrounds, I loved Nigel & my heart bled for all he’d suffered during his childhood, I liked Arabelle who was spoiled & headstrong. I loved their journey to a HEA

Collette Cameron: A Yuletide Toss of the Dice (A Ladies of Opportunity Novella) 5 Stars
A very lovely friends to lovers novella, which introduces us to the characters in a new series. I loved Aubriella & Jack, she’s an intelligent wallflower & seen as a misfit, Jack has been her friend for years but grows to love her for herself. An absolute gem

Charlie Lane: The Heiress Who Dared Me (A Debutante Dares Novella) 5 Stars
I’m so pleased Josiah has had his story & what a truly lovely story it was. I loved the chemistry between him & Georgiana. Whilst there were obstacles in their way, the journey was a delight

Jennifer Monroe: Mistletoe Magic (A Sisterhood of Secrets Novella) 3.75 Stars
An enjoyable novella, Iiked both Tobias & Amy but for me that all important chemistry just wasn’t there & there wasn't that magic

Meredith Bond: Christmas Forgiveness (A Royals & Rebels Novella)

Shannon Gilmore: Until Spring (A Breaking the Rules of the Beau Monde Novella) 5 Stars
It was different, the characters were brilliant & the story flowed effortlessly. I loved pool shark Remington & how he teased Lovie. I liked Lovie but found her to be a bit immature. I loved their journey to a HEA

Rebecca Paula: In Pursuit of a Christmas Bride (A Society of Scandalous Brides Novella)

A wonderful box set of novellas linked to a series by the author, some are preludes but others feature secondary characters who have been begging for their stories. Eight novellas & over a thousand pages
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eight Novellas - a Mixture of Sweet, Clean and Steamy.
Once Upon a Not at all Innocent Kiss 5* by Bree Wolf - it is love at first sight for Charles Beaumont, Viscount Hawthorne when he espies Miss Beatrice Hartley. When he sees her distress, he feels protective of her but how likely is it that she will confide in a stranger?
The Daring Debutante 5* by Tracy Sumner - Arabella Macauley knows what she wants and Nigel Streeter, originally from the Rookeries, doesn’t stand a chance!
A Yuletide Toss of the Dice 4* by Collette Cameron - a middle daughter who feels overlooked by her family and a teasing friend of her brother, who unexpectedly offers to support her at a houseparty. Having known each other for years, will their feelings mature?
The Heiress Who Dared Me 5* by Charlie Lane - a fun story with two cake loving individuals who form an alliance but are dared by friends and family to take things a step further.
Mistletoe Magic 3* by Jennifer Monroe - two young people with very fixed ideas of their futures, nearly miss out on a life together due to stubbornness.
Christmas Forgiveness 4* by Meredith Bond - From the beginning the reader is informed that the story is more easily enjoyed if you have read: In Lieu of a Princess, Princess on the Run, and A Prince Among Spies - not sure then why it would be included in an anthology. I must admit it took a bit of working out that Lou was a shortened form of Lucinda (rather than Louisa) whilst Isa’s full name was Louisa - talk about confusing. But having got through that I enjoyed this story about forgiveness and finding love.
Until Spring 4* by Shannon Gilmore - Remington Hawke sets sails for England but misses getting to see his grandmother one last time. Alone in London he is befriended by a billiard mad stranger and falls for the man’s cousin. However he has every intention of returning to America in the spring, or does he?
In Pursuit of a Christmas Bride 3.5* by Rebecca Paul - overall this was an enjoyable romance between a barrister turned Earl and an actress but towards the end it became rather disjointed and the plot became confusing.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this boxset from Wolf Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sandra Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an OK set of historical romance novellas. As is typical with boxed sets like this, some were better than others. Most of them were mildly entertaining, and the couples were mostly likable.

All of the books were set in the Christmas season, and most of the couples fell in instalove (often with very little reason for that given), but were usually afraid to pursue the relationship at first (for various reasons).

One thing that is common with anthologies, and I am not a fan, is that all the novellas are part of another series written by the author. In some cases, not having read the other books in the series made me feel that I didn't really know enough about some of the characters. I suspect that I might have liked all of these novellas more if I had read them with the series they were part of.

None of the major couples were truly unlikable, but some of them had a few irritating behaviors. I found that I usually didn't really care much whether the couples ended up together in the end, although it was quite obvious they always would.

For all these reasons, my rating for the anthology is 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 stars. Some of the individual novellas would get a higher rating, but the stories that were not as good brought the overall rating down.

My rating system is below.
1 star -- Hated it, or did not finish. I usually only give this rating if some of the content is truly objectionable to me, like if one of the main characters does something really awful, and gets away with it.
2 stars -- Didn't like it. This rating usually means that I thought the writing wasn't very good, the editing was terrible, I didn't like the characters, or it had other major flaws.
3 stars -- I liked it, but had some minor issues with it. This rating means that there were minor editing issues, the story needed more character development, it was just too unrealistic, or had some other fairly minor issue. The majority of books I read get this rating – I do not consider it a bad rating.
4 stars -- I liked it a lot. This is a high rating for me, and I rarely give a higher one.
5 stars -- I loved it, and will probably read it again. Very few books are good enough to get this rating from me. The ones that do are usually classics.

[Tricia Olmedo · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Christmas Belles: A Holiday Regency Anthology" brings readers an enchanting collection of heartwarming stories set against the backdrop of Regency-era England during the most magical time of the year. This anthology, skillfully curated by some of the most talented authors in the historical romance genre, will transport you to a world of ballrooms, snowy landscapes, and the enchanting traditions of a bygone era.

In this anthology, eight accomplished authors — Bree Wolf, Tracy Sumner, Collette Cameron, Charlie Lane, Jennifer Monroe, Meredith Bond, Shannon Gilmore, and Rebecca Paula— each contribute a unique tale of love and passion, all tied together by the theme of Christmas. The collection delivers a delightful mix of romance, humor, and holiday cheer, making it an ideal read for the holiday season.

The Regency setting is vividly described, immersing readers in the era's glittering society, candlelit ballrooms, and horse-drawn carriages. The attention to historical detail and the inclusion of authentic customs and traditions of the time create an atmosphere that truly makes you feel transported to early 19th-century England.

Despite these strengths, the anthology does have a few minor shortcomings. Some readers may find that the stories are formulaic, adhering to the typical structure of historical romance novels. Additionally, the brevity of the novellas may leave you wishing for more development of the characters and relationships.

In conclusion, "Christmas Belles: A Holiday Regency Anthology" is a charming collection of Regency romance tales that capture the spirit of Christmas and the allure of the past. It is the perfect book to curl up with during the holiday season, transporting you to a world of love, romance, and yuletide magic. While the stories may be relatively short, they are sweet and satisfying, making this anthology an excellent choice for fans of historical romance seeking a delightful escape into the world of Christmas and Regency romance.

If you adore tales of love, historical authenticity, and the enchantment of the holiday season, "Christmas Belles" will warm your heart and provide a delightful festive escape.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over all 4.5

1 Once upon a not at all innocent kiss - Bree wolf

New to me author and I loved this book. I was wrapped up in the sweetness of it all not spicy part of the whickerton saga , I want to read more

2 The daring debutante Tracy Sumner

Read and enjoyed this author in the past. The spiciest of the books. we got to visit old friends from the the success society and I liked this addition

3 A file ride toss of dice Colette Cameron
New to me author I liked this story that is part of ladies of opportunity that is coming out next year. Friends to lovers story and I liked it quite a bit. I will read more of this series. I really liked both MC

4 THE heiress who dared me Charlie lane

Not new to me author in a series called debutante dares , I will read more in the series. Friends to lovers. I really liked the female main character she set hard lines of expectations with Josiah and until he met them did not give in to him.

5 mistletoe magic Jennifer Monroe

New to me author. The only story I ended up dnfing. Had a religious undertone and was very prim and proper but I dnfed cause the female characters were so dumb there was a conflict cause the MFC and his mother were too silly to think that something scandalous didn't have to do with his work in the church.

6 Christmas forgiveness Meredith bond

Enjoyable but I am not sure I would forgive Klaus there was no actual words of I'm sorry nor groveling. This author was new to me and is part of the series Royal and rebels. Might read


7 Until spring a breaking the rules of the beau monde Shannon Gilmore

Oh I loved this one the author was new to me but I loved it. Hawke was so charming and lovie was amazing. I will for sure read more of this series.


8 In pursuit of a Christmas bride society scandalous brides Rebecca Paula

I liked this book. I love manly aggressive bs in my books and this one had that. I liked tilly and it was a male virgin.

Favorites : 1,2 3 , 7

Liked 4, 6, 8

Did not like 5

[Cathy Geha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas Belles – A Holiday Regency Anthology

Happy Holidays for more than one regency couple can be read about and enjoyed at any time of year! I have not completed all the stories yet, but plan to do so and update my review over time.

I started Tracy Sumner’s THE DARING DEBUTANTE because I have read and am invested in The Duchess Society series that precludes this charming story. Nigel Streeter and Arabella Macauley have known each other since childhood. Arabella is a bit like her mother in that she knows what she wants, is willing to go after it, and she wants Nigel. Fun story that made me smile

Bree Wolf’s story came next. In ONCE UPON A NOT ALL INNOCENT KISS Charles Beaumont, Viscount Hawthorne is back in England with his family attending a party and Beatrice Hartley catches his eye. He sees her sadness and wants to provide succor and is persistent as he feels he fell in love immediately. Beatrice has a big secret and delicate issue to deal with but will Charles be the one to help her and perhaps also claim her heart.

The final novella read is by Collette Cameron and titled A YULETIDE TOSS OF THE DICE. Aubrielle Penford considers herself on the shelf, a bit awkward, and kept from pursuing her dreams due to being a woman. Jackson Matherfieild, a friend of her brother’s, has been in her life for years but more as a pain in the patoot than anything else…until one day…things begin to change. This was a great story that had me wanting to see how the two would find their way to a happy ending. I also want to know about the side story of Shelby Tellinger and Roxina Danforth. I wonder if their story will show up in the series this author is starting in 2024.

I enjoyed the stories read and look forward to reading the remaining five stories in the near future.

Thank you to Wolf Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

[Gloria Pastorino · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous collection of short stories from some of my favorite authors!

The Daring Debutante by Tracy Sumner

I couldn’t wait to see the second generation of the Duchess Society characters! And this was such a wonderful novella, with my beloved Macaulay and Pippa’s daughter who falls in love with Tobias and Hildi’s adopted son. A simple plot, but with wonderful lovemaking scenes (Sumner is the queen of emotional lovemaking!) and Sumner’s delicious brand of underlying angst. I’m just sorry this was a novella! I wanted more of them and of the older generation! Let’s hope the other sons and daughters have their own stories!

The Heiress Who Dared Me by Charlie Lane

I missed the characters of the Dare series so much! And I was so happy to find that all the Brutes are slowly changing for the better, regardless of their despicable father.
Josiah is yet another sweet cinnamon roll, the kind of hero that Charlie Lane writes so well that she almost makes me forget that I prefer a-hole heroes… Almost (ha ha). I loved this novella so much! Wonderful characters, a gorgeous plot, a healthy dose of angst and some humor made for a perfect reading.

Until Spring by Shannon Gillmore

Beautiful novella, a wonderful prequel for a promising new series. I loved the witty banter between the main characters, but I would have trimmed it a little bit to get to the “action” sooner. I would have trimmed the beginning as well, because I couldn’t wait to see the heroine and we had too many pages without her. But I get that this was an introductory novella, so to speak. I loved it all the same!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Lana Birky · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬: 𝐀 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 is a collection of eight novellas that will warm your heart and make you smile. Each story features a different couple who find love and happiness during the festive season. The stories are a mix of sweet, clean and steamy and I did enjoy several of the novellas, but I had a couple of the books that I had a hard time connecting with the writing and/or characters. Whether it’s a scandalous kiss, a daring escapade, a game of chance, a spy mission, a guardian angel, a second chance, a winter romance, or a fake engagement, these stories have something for everyone who loves historical romance. The authors have created engaging characters, witty dialogue, and sweet romance that will keep you turning the pages. If you are looking for a cozy and delightful read to enjoy this Christmas, you should definitely check out this anthology. You won’t regret it! I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own.
~~𝟏. 𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐊𝐢𝐬𝐬 by Bree Wolf: A sweet romance where a gentleman saves his damsel in distress. Charles and Beatrice make a nice match all the way towards a new future and happiness.
~~𝟐. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞 by Tracy Sumner: A delicious, steamy and sensual romance. Arabella is daring and feisty and poor Nigel doesn’t stand a chance with love barreling down on him.
~~𝟑. 𝐀 𝐘𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐜𝐞 by Collette Cameron: A delightful, engaging romance. Jack and Aubrie have been friends since childhood, loved their journey of discovering their love for each other.
~~𝟒. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐞by Charlie Lane: Wicked and daring, adoring little romance filled with lots of cake. An heiress and a steward who find each other over cake and fall in love unexpectedly.
~~𝟓. 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 by Jennifer Monroe: A sweet romance where the magic of Christmas turns out to be love. Amy and Tobias want to be together but have different paths for their future.
~~𝟔. 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 by Meredith Bond: Enjoyable holiday enemies-to-lovers romance, part of the Royals and Rebels series.
~~𝟕. 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 by Shannon Gilmore: This romance is gorgeous in every way; I was captivated by the story and the characters.
~~𝟖. 𝐈𝐧 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 by Rebecca Paula: Entertaining story, an instant attraction and connection for Henry and Tilly.

[Loujean Noble · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review is for the novella “The Daring Debutante” by Tracy Sumner. This book is one of the Novellas in the “Christmas Belles, A Holiday Regency Anthology”.
Reading the Novella The Daring Debutante, was like having Old Home Week but by reading a book. You will come across several of your favorite characters of Tracy’s previous books, plus new characters who will become your favorites also.
The book takes place in the year 1846, so our favorites Tobias Streeter and Xander Macauley are now parents of adult children, but they both still remain the same fun characters that we love.
This book finds us meeting Tobias’s son Nigel, you will read about his back story in the book. You will also meet Xander’s beautiful wayward daughter Arabella. She has fallen in love with Nigel and she knows there’s only one man for her and that man is the handsome Nigel Streeter.
It sure was fun to read Tobias and Xander giving advice to each of their adult children regarding love.
I really enjoyed Nigel and Arabella’s story and my only wish is that the book would have at least 100 more pages to read about these two delightful characters.
I was given a ARC of this Novella to read and this is my honest review.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for: The Daring Debutante by Tracy Sumner

The Daring Debutante is a novella in the Christmas Belles anthology. Arabella has had feelings for Nigel, her father’s friend and protege, for ages. Nigel has also noticed Arabella but as he is lower class and 10 years her elder he won’t allow himself to think of her too often. When Arabella demands a kiss, he complies, but afterwards tries to put some distance between the two before realizing she is all he wants.
For fans of Tracy’s book this is a fun trip back into the world of The Duchess Society as both Nigel and Arabella are the children of couples in the series. As always Tracy’s writing is just easy to read and she really knows how to pack a punch in a novella. I really liked both Arabella and Nigel and their chemistry was undeniable. The intimate scenes were steamy and I love that Arabella took what she wanted. I also appreciated we also got scenes with both characters interacting with their fathers as that is something so rarely seen in historical romances.

[Martha B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stories in this boxed set are five stars

As with the majority of boxed sets, Christmas Belles has four stories that are each five-stars (book one, two three and seven). The other four tales range between four and two stars. All eight novellas in this set are stand-alone and complete stories.

As to my five-stars favorites.....

Once Upon a Not at all Innocent Kiss by Bree Wolf (book 1)
The Daring Debutante by Tracy Sumner (book 2)
A Yuletide Toss of the Dice by Collette Cameron (book 3)
Until Spring by Shannon Gilmore (book 7)
Each of my favorites are novellas that seem to fit into existing series.

Content 411: With the exception of books 2 and 7, all of the books in this anthology are clean reads. Book 2 contains swearing and three “f” expletives as well as explicit sex. Book 7 does not have swearing, but it does have a beautifully described sex scene.

Disclosure: I received a complementary ARC of this boxed set from the publisher via BookFunnel. I am voluntarily submitting my honest review.

[Jessica Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

As seen on my blog (Jessie's Reading Corner):
(Review of The Daring Debutante by Tracy Sumner)

DISCLAIMER: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a really great next gen story to The Duchess Society series. Longtime fans of the series will recognize Arabella’s parents as Philippa (Pippa) Darlington and Xander Macauley (from The Wicked Wallflower) and Nigel’s as Tobias Street and Hildegard Templeton (from The Brazen Bluestocking.)

I loved how similar Arabella was to her mother in her pursuit of Nigel. Nigel broke my heart in this story. Having lived off the streets until Tobias and Hildy took him in, he isn’t used to having someone care for him and so it’s hard for him at first to navigate through his feelings for her.

If you like steamy historical/regency romance, and either have or have not read The Duchess Society yet, I really think you should read this story! It’s not that long either!

[Ioana · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review is only for The Daring Debutante

Which I loooved! I usually don't like much when authors extend their series with the children of their successful characters but this is an exception!

Now the kids of two of my favorite all time characters finally give into the temptation that has been building since they were pretty young. They both have traits of their parents which were lovely to witness but they are their own persons, which was lovely to discover. The story is short, charming, heated and a lovely fix for the times when you miss reading about the people of the Duchess Society.

This can easily be read as standalone, but it will enchant you to read the books that started it all, which are all so worth it!

I received a copy of this in order to share my view on it.

[Winnifred D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars. This review is for "The Daring Debutante", Tracy's Sumner's novella, only. This is a sequel to the Duchess Society series, introducing the lives and eventual love relationship of Arabella McCauley (daughter of Xander McCauley) and Nigel Streeter (an orphan from the streets raised by Tobias Streeter). I was a big fan of Xander and Pippa's story, which was in the 3rd Duchess Society book, "The Wicked Wallflower", so I couldn't wait to read this. It's steamy and heartfelt, and although I would have liked a bit more plot and character development (the novella length isn't quite long enough), it's an enjoyable read. This author rarely disappoints.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my voluntary review. Thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity.

[Gwen Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

During this busy time of year, reading anthologies are a perfect solution for me. I can give up a brief amount of time (rather than days) for an enjoyable story — and I can discover new authors.

I can to CHRISTMAS BELLES for Tracy Sumner’s story, “The Daring Debutante,” which involves the next generation of her Duchess Society characters. I was enchanted with both Nigel and Bella and enjoyed them repeating pieces of their parents’ histories. The best part came when the now-older fathers offered advice.

Along the way, I discovered author Bree Wolf and now must visit her Whickertons in Love series. Also entertaining was Charlie Lane in the Debutante Dares novella, “The Heiress Who Dared Me.”

If you are looking for new authors or want to catch up with new characters in a series you enjoy, then grab a copy of CHRISTMAS BELLES and be carried away with the spirit of the season.

[Randi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas Belles: A Regency Holiday Anthology has several great authors together to celebrate the holiday season. The Whickerton’s are one of my favorites because they always provide such heartwarming stories! Once Upon a Not at All Innocent Kiss by Bree Wolf doesn’t disappoint. This is a delightful Christmas story about love and redemption. Beatrice Hartley has a heartbreaking secret and Charles Beaumont, Viscount Hawthorne, wants to protect her if she will only let him. I enjoyed Lady Whickerton’s perspective and how she helped Beatrice and Charles with their decisions. Their sisters, Elizabeth and Francine, were a great addition to the story too. I enjoyed seeing if the Whickerton family tradition to marry for love and nothing else carries on in this book. I thought this was a fun read, and I definitely recommend it as well as all of the Whickerton series.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

❄️❄️ONE DELIGHTFUL BUNDLE ❄️❄️
Banging bells Ben! This extremely talented, immensely impressive, tantalizingly sensational group of authors doesn't skip a step, miss a beat or bat a lash laying out this incredible collection. Every installment is thrilling and unique, with all the exuberance and fervor, putting our characters through their paces, testing them in ways they could have never imagined, flinging this gem to life flawlessly. Throw in 100% on point realism, raising the stakes with such graphic scenarios that are so colorfully descriptive and vividly detailed its like you're living it with them instead of on the sidelines, feeling everything the characters feel. Remarkable job guys, thanks for sharing this little treasure with us.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those who have read Tracy Sumner’s Duchess Society, The Daring Debutante is a novella about Tobias and Hildy’s “son” (rookery boy), Nigel and Xander and Pippa’s daughter Arabella. It was such a wonderful story! Bella and Nigel are extraordinarily written! Tracy’s spellbinding writing brings you every fulfilling moment of their story and even though this is a novella, it isn’t lacking in depth or emotion or spice!! Tobias and Xander make appearances in this book that are magical!! For the first story of the Leighton Cluster’s children to get their story, it was everything you would hope for and more!!
♥️🔥📚🥰. Brava Tracy!!!
I will be reading the other stories in this collection but Tracy is my favorite author so I had to spread the love!!

[Karon Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is specifically for Daring Debutante by Tracy Sumner.

Arabella and Nigel are the offspring of two of the most loved Duchess Society couples. Based on her own parents love story Arabella knows to go after what she wants, even if Nigel is convinced he's too old and not good enough socially for her. But she's not giving up and he can't help himself from being the protective hero. These two burn up the sheets and the pages of this story. I loved how the first gen couples helped this couple along, giving great advice. And a very nice HEA. I hope this is the beginning of more second gen stories.