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A Regency Holiday
HOLIDAY CHEER TO WARM THE HEART...
'TIS THE SEASON WHEN LOVERS' EYES SHINE BY THE LIGHT OF A BLAZING YULE LOG, WHEN A QUICK KISS IS SHARED BENEATH THE MISTLETOE, AND WHEN LOVE IS THE MOST SPLENDID GIFT OF ALL...
Savor the beauty and passion of Christmas with heartwarming stories by outstanding Regency authors...ELIZABETH MANSFIELD pairs a roguish Scot with a stubborn lass at a memorable country holiday...MARTHA POWERS unwraps true love that grew over the years between two friends--as they discover one Christmas Eve... JUDITH NELSON turns peaceful Wickly Manor upside down for the frenzy of Christmas--and discovers love within its festive halls...plus two more dazzling tales of holiday escapades.
'TIS THE SEASON WHEN LOVERS' EYES SHINE BY THE LIGHT OF A BLAZING YULE LOG, WHEN A QUICK KISS IS SHARED BENEATH THE MISTLETOE, AND WHEN LOVE IS THE MOST SPLENDID GIFT OF ALL...
Savor the beauty and passion of Christmas with heartwarming stories by outstanding Regency authors...ELIZABETH MANSFIELD pairs a roguish Scot with a stubborn lass at a memorable country holiday...MARTHA POWERS unwraps true love that grew over the years between two friends--as they discover one Christmas Eve... JUDITH NELSON turns peaceful Wickly Manor upside down for the frenzy of Christmas--and discovers love within its festive halls...plus two more dazzling tales of holiday escapades.
262 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1991
31 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Mansfield
59 books61 followersElizabeth Mansfield is the author of numerous regency romances. She is an intelligent and thoughtful writer, a hidden gem whose novels deserve to be more widely read and enjoyed.
Elizabeth Mansfield is the pen name of the talented Paula Reibel Schwartz. Ms Schwartz also wrote different genres under the pen names Paula Reibel, Paula Reid, and Paula Jonas.
Elizabeth Mansfield is the pen name of the talented Paula Reibel Schwartz. Ms Schwartz also wrote different genres under the pen names Paula Reibel, Paula Reid, and Paula Jonas.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 22, 2015
The Girl with Airs by Elizabeth Mansfield, 2*
Proof of the Pudding by Monette Cummings, 2*
A Christmas Spirit by Sarah Eagle, 3*
Christmas at Wickly by Judith Nelson, 4*
The Kissing Bough by Martha Powers, 2*
Proof of the Pudding by Monette Cummings, 2*
A Christmas Spirit by Sarah Eagle, 3*
Christmas at Wickly by Judith Nelson, 4*
The Kissing Bough by Martha Powers, 2*
February 20, 2019
4.25 stars overall - very mild pg13 to heavy pg13 (A secular “clean” traditional Regency --- there
might be
use of: mild cursing/profanity, innuendo, mention of mistresses, gambling, drinking, etc. -- see specific details below)
I was under the impression that the only story I would like, and want to read, was the fourth story because I already knew I liked that author’s style. I decided to persevere and try some of the other stories and found that some of them were rather cute Christmas novellas.
The Girl with Airs by Elizabeth Mansfield - 4.50 stars - rated pg13/heavy pg13 (occasional use of God’s name in vain and the expletive “damn”; the beginning of story was not too wholesome, with references to a debauched lifestyle including drinking, gambling, innuendo and mistresses <-- although, it’s nothing too detailed and it’s ultimately shown to be a negative lifestyle for the hero) - The hero of this story is a lovable Scotsman with a brogue (that he could - and would! - turn on & off to suit his audience and achieve his objectives!). Anything having to do with Scotland is almost an automatic guarantee of at least four stars from me! I loved the way the author wrote the Scots language and brogue so I could hear it perfectly in my head. Elizabeth Mansfield’s stories tend to be hit or miss for me, but I enjoyed this one; I liked both the hero and heroine, as well as all the secondary characters. I love how when the hero and heroine are arguing (sparring, bantering) he insults her in his native tongue and then translates in English to make sure she understands the insult! They were so cute together.
Geordie speaking to his manipulating and matchmaking Auntie --> “ ‘Wheesht, lass, dinna weep! I’ll do as ye ask. If ye and my father insist, I’ll come to ye at Christmas. …. I’ll come to ye, Aunt Maud, and flichter aboot wi’ yer glaikit little visitors, but if ye think I’ll have a buttertoothed English miss shoved down my throat, ye’re out in yer reckoning. Do ye hear me, Aunt Maud? Matchmakin’ I won’t have!’ “ < -- I love Geordie! I love “wheesht” and “flichter aboot”! And you know, of course, that Aunt Maud triumphed in her matchmaking.
Proof of the Pudding by Monette Cummings - did not read - I decided to skip this one. The little bit I read of the beginning of this story was sappy and cheesy, plus another reviewer said it was, overall, too unpleasant and too focused on the villain of the story.
A Christmas Spirit by Sarah Eagle - 3.75 stars - rated pg13 (a few instances of God’s name in vain; a couple of things like “damn and blast” or “what the devil”) - I was going to skip this because stories with ghosts are not my favorites. But I’m glad I read it – it was cute and I ended up liking it, the ghost part wasn’t too creepy or weird.
Christmas at Wickly by Judith Nelson - 4.55 stars - rated mild pg13 (I didn’t make note of anything that might be objectionable except maybe a “what the devil”) - I’ve very much enjoyed other books by this author, so I was hoping to like this one. And I did! I like her writing style. This story was witty and funny and sweet and full of Christmas coziness. (I loved how the hero would sneak around at night and remove all the berries from the mistletoe that his matchmaking grandmother and her bevy of eligible young ladies had hung during the day in hopes of catching him for kisses.) This was my favorite story in the collection.
The Kissing Bough by Martha Powers - 3.75 stars - rated pg13 and sometimes heavy pg13 - Most of this story I loved, but every once in a while, it would get just a bit …. I don’t know? .… awkward, icky, inappropriate or weird perhaps (I just felt that author could have found less tacky ways to get some points across). Overall, though, it was a sweet, poignant story that even brought tears to my eyes. The heroine had such a special relationship with her father who was a loving and kind man who did his best to raise his daughter by himself. They had lovely Christmas traditions together. It got a little weird and heavy pg13 toward the end of the story, but then the very ending was sweet.
I was under the impression that the only story I would like, and want to read, was the fourth story because I already knew I liked that author’s style. I decided to persevere and try some of the other stories and found that some of them were rather cute Christmas novellas.
The Girl with Airs by Elizabeth Mansfield - 4.50 stars - rated pg13/heavy pg13 (occasional use of God’s name in vain and the expletive “damn”; the beginning of story was not too wholesome, with references to a debauched lifestyle including drinking, gambling, innuendo and mistresses <-- although, it’s nothing too detailed and it’s ultimately shown to be a negative lifestyle for the hero) - The hero of this story is a lovable Scotsman with a brogue (that he could - and would! - turn on & off to suit his audience and achieve his objectives!). Anything having to do with Scotland is almost an automatic guarantee of at least four stars from me! I loved the way the author wrote the Scots language and brogue so I could hear it perfectly in my head. Elizabeth Mansfield’s stories tend to be hit or miss for me, but I enjoyed this one; I liked both the hero and heroine, as well as all the secondary characters. I love how when the hero and heroine are arguing (sparring, bantering) he insults her in his native tongue and then translates in English to make sure she understands the insult! They were so cute together.
Geordie speaking to his manipulating and matchmaking Auntie --> “ ‘Wheesht, lass, dinna weep! I’ll do as ye ask. If ye and my father insist, I’ll come to ye at Christmas. …. I’ll come to ye, Aunt Maud, and flichter aboot wi’ yer glaikit little visitors, but if ye think I’ll have a buttertoothed English miss shoved down my throat, ye’re out in yer reckoning. Do ye hear me, Aunt Maud? Matchmakin’ I won’t have!’ “ < -- I love Geordie! I love “wheesht” and “flichter aboot”! And you know, of course, that Aunt Maud triumphed in her matchmaking.
Proof of the Pudding by Monette Cummings - did not read - I decided to skip this one. The little bit I read of the beginning of this story was sappy and cheesy, plus another reviewer said it was, overall, too unpleasant and too focused on the villain of the story.
A Christmas Spirit by Sarah Eagle - 3.75 stars - rated pg13 (a few instances of God’s name in vain; a couple of things like “damn and blast” or “what the devil”) - I was going to skip this because stories with ghosts are not my favorites. But I’m glad I read it – it was cute and I ended up liking it, the ghost part wasn’t too creepy or weird.
Christmas at Wickly by Judith Nelson - 4.55 stars - rated mild pg13 (I didn’t make note of anything that might be objectionable except maybe a “what the devil”) - I’ve very much enjoyed other books by this author, so I was hoping to like this one. And I did! I like her writing style. This story was witty and funny and sweet and full of Christmas coziness. (I loved how the hero would sneak around at night and remove all the berries from the mistletoe that his matchmaking grandmother and her bevy of eligible young ladies had hung during the day in hopes of catching him for kisses.) This was my favorite story in the collection.
The Kissing Bough by Martha Powers - 3.75 stars - rated pg13 and sometimes heavy pg13 - Most of this story I loved, but every once in a while, it would get just a bit …. I don’t know? .… awkward, icky, inappropriate or weird perhaps (I just felt that author could have found less tacky ways to get some points across). Overall, though, it was a sweet, poignant story that even brought tears to my eyes. The heroine had such a special relationship with her father who was a loving and kind man who did his best to raise his daughter by himself. They had lovely Christmas traditions together. It got a little weird and heavy pg13 toward the end of the story, but then the very ending was sweet.
April 1, 2021
Wonderful light reading, pure escapist literature. Quite clean. There are five novellas by five different authors. Only two authors - Elizabeth Mansfield and Judith Nelson - were previously known to me. I read the book because of the Nelson contribution. I liked all stories except "Proof in the Pudding".
January 13, 2025
a little uneven in quality of characters and plots
Holiday treat
Holiday treat
May 17, 2012
TBR Challenge, May, 2012. First paragraph was written ages ago ... This book of Regency short stories has it all ... plot "types" that is. But the funniest story is "The Girl With Airs" by Elizabeth Mansfield because the hero is a Scot and it's DRIPPING with Scottish phrases and sayings ... I loved her book "Her Man of Affairs" (hero was Scottish bank clerk) but this story is pretty lame: it's as if she had done all this research on Scottish phraseology and she wasn't about the make use of it in just one book!
Edited to add I can't believe I didn't remember this book at all! Here I am reviewing it again, May 16th, 2012. I'm afraid I'm going to have to let the grade stand. A friend sent me a copy and I thought it would work for this month's TBR Challenge. Some things I noticed about this 1991 Regency antho -- all of the stories are of the kisses variety, all but one are set in the countryside, two of them, Christmas Spirit and The Kissing Bough, are of childhood relationships and love rekindled (or kindled). In only one story, Proof of the Pudding, is the heroine gorgeous and dazzling--and her uncle is prepared to marry her to a swine instead of her sweetheart to take possession of an ancient coin.
I think everyone knows how much I love old Signet tradional Regencies -- I really do -- but for this TBR Challenge, I hit quite a wall. Many of the stand-alone stories fell into the collapsing last 1/3 syndrome, others were bound up around a conceit (a lady writer Romantic Rebel by Joan Smith, an American heiress The Dangerous Marquis by Barbara Reeves). Maybe I just need to choose more carefully ...
Edited to add I can't believe I didn't remember this book at all! Here I am reviewing it again, May 16th, 2012. I'm afraid I'm going to have to let the grade stand. A friend sent me a copy and I thought it would work for this month's TBR Challenge. Some things I noticed about this 1991 Regency antho -- all of the stories are of the kisses variety, all but one are set in the countryside, two of them, Christmas Spirit and The Kissing Bough, are of childhood relationships and love rekindled (or kindled). In only one story, Proof of the Pudding, is the heroine gorgeous and dazzling--and her uncle is prepared to marry her to a swine instead of her sweetheart to take possession of an ancient coin.
I think everyone knows how much I love old Signet tradional Regencies -- I really do -- but for this TBR Challenge, I hit quite a wall. Many of the stand-alone stories fell into the collapsing last 1/3 syndrome, others were bound up around a conceit (a lady writer Romantic Rebel by Joan Smith, an American heiress The Dangerous Marquis by Barbara Reeves). Maybe I just need to choose more carefully ...
July 27, 2013
Judith Nelson's 'Christmas At Wickly' was nice. The others are alright but nothing that isn't forgettable.
January 2, 2015
Very short, entertaining novellas for Christmas. Nothing mind-blowing, but not bad. A good, light read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews