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Lord and Lady Spy #includes 3.5
Christmas in the Duke's Arms
The Duke’s Arms is an undistinguished little inn in the tiny village of Hopewell-on-Lyft. But one Christmas season sees both inn and village seething with adventure, intrigue, rabbits, and, above all, love as four couples find Yuletide happiness. An anthology of Regency novellas by Grace Burrowes, Shana Galen, Carolyn Jewel and Miranda Neville.
A Knight Before Christmas by Grace Burrowes
With her year of mourning at an end, Penelope Carrington must remarry in haste, or her portion of her late husband's estate won't be enough to dower her younger sisters.
Shy, handsome man of business Sir Leviticus Sparrow longs to give Penelope a marriage proposal for Christmas—and his heart—but Sir Levi must first foil the other bachelors scheming to meet Penelope under the mistletoe in his place.
In The Duke’s Arms by Carolyn Jewel
What's a Duke to do when he's made an awful impression on the love of his life?
The Duke of Oxthorpe lost his intensely guarded heart to Miss Edith Clay when Edith’s rich cousin sought to attach the duke’s marital interest. So smitten is Oxthorpe with the former poor relation that he’s gone through intermediaries to sell Edith a property adjoining the ducal seat.
Edith doesn't much care for the haughty duke, but as Christmas approaches, Oxthorpe reveals himself to be reserved rather than arrogant, considerate, and—blame the mistletoe!—an accomplished kisser. Will Edith hold Oxthorpe’s earlier behavior against him, or will she learn that the best holiday gifts can be the most unexpected?
Licensed To Wed by Miranda Neville
If Lord Carbury could learn to take no for an answer, his marriage proposal might earn him a yes!
Wyatt, Viscount Carbury is much too busy to court a bride, but when his childhood neighbor, Robina Weston, is left orphaned and penniless, Wyatt dutifully adds marrying Robina to his list of responsibilities. Wyatt is dismayed to learn that for Robina, poverty and pride are preferable to sharing life with an arrogant, infuriating man who always thinks he knows best.
When Wyatt and Robina must endure Christmas in the country together, antipathy turns to interest, and then to unexpected attraction. Will they fight their feelings, or yield to the surprising gifts the holidays offer?
The Spy Beneath The Mistletoeby Shana Galen
Fledgling spy Pierce Moneypence seeks a highwayman and the key to Eliza's heart...
When weapons designer Eliza Qwillen (Q) and clerk to the mysterious M, Pierce Moneypence, arrive in the English countryside, they're unprepared for the dangers that await. The operatives are intent upon capturing the highwayman styling himself as the New Sheriff of Nottingham.
Secret rendezvous, mistaken identities, and cat-and-mouse games challenge these fledgling agents, but rediscovering their passion for each other is the most rewarding mission of all.
A Knight Before Christmas by Grace Burrowes
With her year of mourning at an end, Penelope Carrington must remarry in haste, or her portion of her late husband's estate won't be enough to dower her younger sisters.
Shy, handsome man of business Sir Leviticus Sparrow longs to give Penelope a marriage proposal for Christmas—and his heart—but Sir Levi must first foil the other bachelors scheming to meet Penelope under the mistletoe in his place.
In The Duke’s Arms by Carolyn Jewel
What's a Duke to do when he's made an awful impression on the love of his life?
The Duke of Oxthorpe lost his intensely guarded heart to Miss Edith Clay when Edith’s rich cousin sought to attach the duke’s marital interest. So smitten is Oxthorpe with the former poor relation that he’s gone through intermediaries to sell Edith a property adjoining the ducal seat.
Edith doesn't much care for the haughty duke, but as Christmas approaches, Oxthorpe reveals himself to be reserved rather than arrogant, considerate, and—blame the mistletoe!—an accomplished kisser. Will Edith hold Oxthorpe’s earlier behavior against him, or will she learn that the best holiday gifts can be the most unexpected?
Licensed To Wed by Miranda Neville
If Lord Carbury could learn to take no for an answer, his marriage proposal might earn him a yes!
Wyatt, Viscount Carbury is much too busy to court a bride, but when his childhood neighbor, Robina Weston, is left orphaned and penniless, Wyatt dutifully adds marrying Robina to his list of responsibilities. Wyatt is dismayed to learn that for Robina, poverty and pride are preferable to sharing life with an arrogant, infuriating man who always thinks he knows best.
When Wyatt and Robina must endure Christmas in the country together, antipathy turns to interest, and then to unexpected attraction. Will they fight their feelings, or yield to the surprising gifts the holidays offer?
The Spy Beneath The Mistletoeby Shana Galen
Fledgling spy Pierce Moneypence seeks a highwayman and the key to Eliza's heart...
When weapons designer Eliza Qwillen (Q) and clerk to the mysterious M, Pierce Moneypence, arrive in the English countryside, they're unprepared for the dangers that await. The operatives are intent upon capturing the highwayman styling himself as the New Sheriff of Nottingham.
Secret rendezvous, mistaken identities, and cat-and-mouse games challenge these fledgling agents, but rediscovering their passion for each other is the most rewarding mission of all.
338 pages, Paperback
First published October 8, 2014
52 people are currently reading
1357 people want to read
About the author
Grace Burrowes
192 books2,914 followersGrace Burrowes started writing as an antidote to empty nest and soon found it an antidote to life in general. She is the sixth out of seven children, raised in the rural surrounds of central Pennsylvania. Early in life she spent a lot of time reading romance novels and practicing the piano. Her first career was as a technical writer and editor in the Washington, DC, area, a busy job that nonetheless left enough time to read a lot of romance novels.
It also left enough time to grab a law degree through an evening program, produce Beloved Offspring (only one, but she is a lion), and eventually move to the lovely Maryland countryside.
While reading yet still more romance novels, Grace opened her own law practice, acquired a master's degree in Conflict Transformation (she had a teenage daughter by then) and started thinking about writing.... romance novels. This aim was realized when Beloved Offspring struck out into the Big World a few years ago. ("Mom, why doesn't anybody tell you being a grown-up is hard?")
Grace eventually got up the courage to start pitching her manuscripts to agents and editors. The query letter that resulted in "the call" started out: "I am the buffoon in the bar at the RWA retreat who could not keep her heroines straight, could not look you in the eye, and could not stop blushing--and if that doesn't narrow down the possibilities, your job is even harder than I thought." (The dear lady bought the book anyway.)
To contact Grace, email her at graceburrowes@yahoo.com.
It also left enough time to grab a law degree through an evening program, produce Beloved Offspring (only one, but she is a lion), and eventually move to the lovely Maryland countryside.
While reading yet still more romance novels, Grace opened her own law practice, acquired a master's degree in Conflict Transformation (she had a teenage daughter by then) and started thinking about writing.... romance novels. This aim was realized when Beloved Offspring struck out into the Big World a few years ago. ("Mom, why doesn't anybody tell you being a grown-up is hard?")
Grace eventually got up the courage to start pitching her manuscripts to agents and editors. The query letter that resulted in "the call" started out: "I am the buffoon in the bar at the RWA retreat who could not keep her heroines straight, could not look you in the eye, and could not stop blushing--and if that doesn't narrow down the possibilities, your job is even harder than I thought." (The dear lady bought the book anyway.)
To contact Grace, email her at graceburrowes@yahoo.com.
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November 22, 2015A Great Kindle Christmas Anthology for just $0.99! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O...
Blurb
The Duke’s Arms is an undistinguished little inn in the tiny village of Hopewell-on-Lyft. But one Christmas season sees both inn and village seething with adventure, intrigue, rabbits, and, above all, love as four couples find Yuletide happiness.
A Knight Before Christmas by Grace Burrowes
With her year of mourning at an end, Penelope Carrington must remarry in haste, or her portion of her late husband's estate won't be enough to dower her younger sisters. Shy, handsome man of business Sir Leviticus Sparrow longs to give Penelope a marriage proposal for Christmas—and his heart—but Sir Levi must first foil the other bachelors scheming to meet Penelope under the mistletoe in his place.
In The Duke’s Arms by Carolyn Jewel
What's a Duke to do when he's made an awful impression on the love of his life?
The Duke of Oxthorpe lost his intensely guarded heart to Miss Edith Clay when Edith’s rich cousin sought to attach the duke’s marital interest. So smitten is Oxthorpe with the former poor relation that he’s gone through intermediaries to sell Edith a property adjoining the ducal seat.
Edith doesn’t much care for the haughty duke, but as Christmas approaches, Oxthorpe reveals himself to be reserved rather than arrogant, considerate, and—blame the mistletoe!—an accomplished kisser. Will Edith hold Oxthorpe’s earlier behavior against him, or will she learn that the best holiday gifts can be the most unexpected?
Licensed to Wed by Miranda Neville
If Lord Carbury could learn to take no for an answer, his marriage proposal might earn him a yes!
Wyatt, Viscount Carbury is much too busy to court a bride, but when his childhood neighbor, Robina Weston, is left orphaned and penniless, Wyatt dutifully adds marrying Robina to his list of responsibilities. Wyatt is dismayed to learn that for Robina, poverty and pride are preferable to sharing life with an arrogant, infuriating man who always thinks he knows best.
When Wyatt and Robina must endure Christmas in the country together, antipathy turns to interest, and then to unexpected attraction. Will they fight their feelings, or yield to the surprising gifts the holidays offer?
The Spy Beneath the Mistletoe by Shana Galen
Fledgling spy Pierce Moneypence seeks a highwayman and the key to Eliza's heart.
When weapons designer Eliza Qwillen (Q) and clerk to the mysterious M, Pierce Moneypence, arrive in the English countryside, they’re unprepared for the dangers that await. The operatives are intent upon capturing the highwayman styling himself as the New Sherriff of Nottingham. Secret rendezvous, mistaken identities, and cat-and-mouse games challenge these fledgling agents, but rediscovering their passion for each other is the most rewarding mission of all.
Blurb
The Duke’s Arms is an undistinguished little inn in the tiny village of Hopewell-on-Lyft. But one Christmas season sees both inn and village seething with adventure, intrigue, rabbits, and, above all, love as four couples find Yuletide happiness.
A Knight Before Christmas by Grace Burrowes
With her year of mourning at an end, Penelope Carrington must remarry in haste, or her portion of her late husband's estate won't be enough to dower her younger sisters. Shy, handsome man of business Sir Leviticus Sparrow longs to give Penelope a marriage proposal for Christmas—and his heart—but Sir Levi must first foil the other bachelors scheming to meet Penelope under the mistletoe in his place.
In The Duke’s Arms by Carolyn Jewel
What's a Duke to do when he's made an awful impression on the love of his life?
The Duke of Oxthorpe lost his intensely guarded heart to Miss Edith Clay when Edith’s rich cousin sought to attach the duke’s marital interest. So smitten is Oxthorpe with the former poor relation that he’s gone through intermediaries to sell Edith a property adjoining the ducal seat.
Edith doesn’t much care for the haughty duke, but as Christmas approaches, Oxthorpe reveals himself to be reserved rather than arrogant, considerate, and—blame the mistletoe!—an accomplished kisser. Will Edith hold Oxthorpe’s earlier behavior against him, or will she learn that the best holiday gifts can be the most unexpected?
Licensed to Wed by Miranda Neville
If Lord Carbury could learn to take no for an answer, his marriage proposal might earn him a yes!
Wyatt, Viscount Carbury is much too busy to court a bride, but when his childhood neighbor, Robina Weston, is left orphaned and penniless, Wyatt dutifully adds marrying Robina to his list of responsibilities. Wyatt is dismayed to learn that for Robina, poverty and pride are preferable to sharing life with an arrogant, infuriating man who always thinks he knows best.
When Wyatt and Robina must endure Christmas in the country together, antipathy turns to interest, and then to unexpected attraction. Will they fight their feelings, or yield to the surprising gifts the holidays offer?
The Spy Beneath the Mistletoe by Shana Galen
Fledgling spy Pierce Moneypence seeks a highwayman and the key to Eliza's heart.
When weapons designer Eliza Qwillen (Q) and clerk to the mysterious M, Pierce Moneypence, arrive in the English countryside, they’re unprepared for the dangers that await. The operatives are intent upon capturing the highwayman styling himself as the New Sherriff of Nottingham. Secret rendezvous, mistaken identities, and cat-and-mouse games challenge these fledgling agents, but rediscovering their passion for each other is the most rewarding mission of all.
December 20, 2018
A Knight Before Christmas (Grace Burrowes)- 2 stars. Decent character and plot development for a short. I would’ve preferred less of the H thinking about his past dalliances, but at least he wasn’t a rake.
In the Duke’s Arms (Carolyn Jewel)- 2 stars. Again, this had decent character and plot development for a short. It was more of a restrained story (minus the one intimate scene) and I like those more than any insta-love story I've read. I enjoyed this tale of a heroine who was not a ninny and tried to do right by others and herself. A restrained but not mean (yet simply misunderstood) hero was nice to read about.
Licensed to Wed (Miranda Neville)- 1.5 stars. Characters were a little too wishy washy. Decent development but not my favourite.
The Spy Beneath the Mistletoe (Shana Galen)- 1.5 stars. Decent development but silly characters. The spy aspect of this entire series is too thin to be compelling. So this short is basically on par for the series.
Out of this anthology, In the Duke's Arms was my favourite. That's not saying much as the other stories were middling at best. At least the first three shorts were decently developed.
In the Duke’s Arms (Carolyn Jewel)- 2 stars. Again, this had decent character and plot development for a short. It was more of a restrained story (minus the one intimate scene) and I like those more than any insta-love story I've read. I enjoyed this tale of a heroine who was not a ninny and tried to do right by others and herself. A restrained but not mean (yet simply misunderstood) hero was nice to read about.
Licensed to Wed (Miranda Neville)- 1.5 stars. Characters were a little too wishy washy. Decent development but not my favourite.
The Spy Beneath the Mistletoe (Shana Galen)- 1.5 stars. Decent development but silly characters. The spy aspect of this entire series is too thin to be compelling. So this short is basically on par for the series.
Out of this anthology, In the Duke's Arms was my favourite. That's not saying much as the other stories were middling at best. At least the first three shorts were decently developed.
October 19, 2014
Tis the season for holiday-themed stories!
Christmas in the Duke's Arms is a anthology written by best selling authors Grace Burrowes, Shana Galen, Miranda Neville and Carolyn Jewel. The book is set in the English countryside during the holiday season.
I loved that these stories are connected. Characters travel from one story to another providing continuity to the book. Each author features individual characters and crafts a specific story for these characters in her short story while keeping to a common story line and holiday theme.
The novel begins with A Knight Before Christmas by Grace Burrowes. Readers may remember the character of Penelope Carrington from Ms. Burrowes' novel Lady Lousia's Christmas Knight. Penelope meets with her man of business Sir Leviticus Sparrow to discuss her finances. Penelope needs to marry quickly to inherit a larger portion of her late husband's estate to support her family. Will Penelope's rabbit Franklin help her choose her white knight? And will Levi approve?
Christmas in The Duke's Arms is written by Carolyn Jewel. I loved this short story about the Duke of Oxthorpe and Miss Edith Clay. Earlier in the year,the Duke had courted Edith's cousin. Edith had chaperoned the visits and had was not too impressed by him. I so enjoyed reading this story. It's charming, has great characters and it is great fun to see what lengths the Duke will go to to win Edith's affections. Will the Duke arrive home in time to dance with Edith under the mistletoe at the local holiday assembly?
Miranda Neville is a new to me author. I loved Wyatt Carbury, the list making Duke and the strong -willed heroine, Robina, in Licensed to Wed. Carbury begins each day by writing a to do list; the list indicates how he prioritizes his day. Proposing marriage to his neighbor and friend Robina usually appears last on the daily task sheet. Robina declines Wyatt's less than heartfelt proposal and chooses to become a paid companion to an elderly woman. Carbury is insulted and confused. After all, the proposal was on his list and he was prepared with a special marriage license. Robina and Wyatt meet at the Dukes Arms Inn after her coach has been robbed and she has been left without funds. The couple is stranded together during a holiday snowstorm....will they be able to work through their differences in time to attend the holiday assembly?
Eliza Qwillen and Pierce Moneypence are two of my favorite characters from Shana Galen's spies series. Shana Galen's A Spy Beneath the Mistletoe is the final story in the anthology. Eliza and Pierce are tasked by different members of the Barbican group to track down and apprehend the mysterious New Sheriff of Nottingham who is robbing the coaches as they travel through the countryside. Pierce suggests to Eliza that they work together. Will Pierce use this assignment as an opportunity to win back Eliza's heart? And will the New Sheriff of Nottingham be brought to justice?
Reading Christmas In The Duke's Arms definitely got me in the holiday spirit. The cover is gorgeous with it's holiday colors, snowflakes and mistletoe. And each story is heartwarming and full of holiday cheer! I highly recommend Christmas In The Duke's Arms to everyone!!
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December 9, 2015
Ben j'ai beaucoip aimé. C'est 5 étoiles parce que dans l'esprit de la saison.On a envie de bouquets de houx et de gui et de neige...
La dernière nouvelle est très fun...entre deux aspirants espions XD.
J'ai beaucoup aimé aussi le fait que toutes les héroïnes etaientdu genre indépendantes et les héros plutôt calmes (et ce sont eux qui sont amoureux dès le début)
La dernière nouvelle est très fun...entre deux aspirants espions XD.
J'ai beaucoup aimé aussi le fait que toutes les héroïnes etaientdu genre indépendantes et les héros plutôt calmes (et ce sont eux qui sont amoureux dès le début)
December 22, 2014
When I picked up Christmas in The Duke's Arms, I went into it with trepidation. I expected...well...Dukes. And while I don't have a problem with Dukes per se, I do have a problem with the sameness of Dukes: powerful guy, lots of wealth and responsibility, inevitably rakish, rarely seen doing any government work or estate business despite that I can only imagine those things took at least some amount of their time? I need not have worried. In fact, only one of the heroes in these novellas is a Duke. And even that Duke bears very little resemblance to the stereotypical romance Duke described above. Rather, the title refers to "The Duke's Arms" a pub that serves as one of the loose ties that hold these four stories together. There are others and we'll get to that below when I explain what candy canes are doing in a Regency romance review.
Each of these stories has something to recommend them. The main thing I appreciated about each is that they didn't try too heart to force the cheer and sentimentality. The first story, A Knight Before Christmas by Grace Burrowes, does have a number of fluffy bunnies, but as breeding rabbits, they hardly fit the stereotypical mold of the puppy-cover Christmas romance. This novella features the unconventional courtship of a widow and her deceased husband's man of business, himself a widower. The heroine, by virtue of an odd stipulation in her deceased husband's will needs to marry rather quickly and while the two have an affinity, there is an evil other woman holding up the show. The EOW trope is not one I'm fond of in general, but the way the conflict was resolved was hilarious; a farce, but one I enjoyed.
The second story, In The Duke's Arms by Carolyn Jewel, who I've heard wonderful things about, but hadn't read, features the only actual Duke of the bunch, a busy, distinguished fellow who tends to scare everyone around him, including his heroine. My favorite aspect of this story would be a bit of a spoiler, but suffice to say that I very much appreciated that the Duke of Oxthorpe is pretty much the opposite of the stereotypical historical romance Duke. He was socially isolated as a child and doesn't engage easily with other people. Heroine Edith Clay is very much the opposite as everyone likes her, except perhaps for her relatives. Seeing her wake up to the truth of Oxthorpe's personality and regard for her is a joy. And all those other Jewel books I've got languishing on my TBR just got bumped up several notches.
Licensed To Wed by Miranda Neville features another man bound by duty and ambition with designs on his now penniless childhood neighbor. In contrast to Jewel, I've read all of Neville's books and for the most part enjoyed them all. I was not at all disappointed by this one in which the poor orphaned girl who may never receive another offer of marriage rejects her dutiful, determined suitor out-of-hand right at the beginning of the story. Wyatt Herbert, Viscount Carbury, is a bit of a stick in the mud and a touch OCD, making to do lists of items, big and small, which get progressively funnier. Robina Weston is delightfully independent, but not excruciatingly so, making this clash of wills most enjoyable.
The final story, Spy Beneath the Misteltoe by Shana Galen, was the odd one out in a number of ways, a send-up of 007 Bond spy lore recast as a romance between two competitive spy colleagues. It didn't work quite as well for me as the other three novellas, but still had its charms, including the resolution to another plot thread running through the other stories, that of a highwayman terrorizing the road through the neighborhood in which the stories are set.
Christmas in The Duke's Arms had a little drop in price over the weekend as well. It's now 99 cents at Amazon so if you were holding off, now is the time to snap it up. If you're an historical romance reader looking for a short and sweet but not saccharine holiday read, I definitely recommend it.
For a recipe inspired by Christmas in The Duke's Arms, visit Cooking Up Romance: http://www.cooking-up-romance.com/201...
Each of these stories has something to recommend them. The main thing I appreciated about each is that they didn't try too heart to force the cheer and sentimentality. The first story, A Knight Before Christmas by Grace Burrowes, does have a number of fluffy bunnies, but as breeding rabbits, they hardly fit the stereotypical mold of the puppy-cover Christmas romance. This novella features the unconventional courtship of a widow and her deceased husband's man of business, himself a widower. The heroine, by virtue of an odd stipulation in her deceased husband's will needs to marry rather quickly and while the two have an affinity, there is an evil other woman holding up the show. The EOW trope is not one I'm fond of in general, but the way the conflict was resolved was hilarious; a farce, but one I enjoyed.
The second story, In The Duke's Arms by Carolyn Jewel, who I've heard wonderful things about, but hadn't read, features the only actual Duke of the bunch, a busy, distinguished fellow who tends to scare everyone around him, including his heroine. My favorite aspect of this story would be a bit of a spoiler, but suffice to say that I very much appreciated that the Duke of Oxthorpe is pretty much the opposite of the stereotypical historical romance Duke. He was socially isolated as a child and doesn't engage easily with other people. Heroine Edith Clay is very much the opposite as everyone likes her, except perhaps for her relatives. Seeing her wake up to the truth of Oxthorpe's personality and regard for her is a joy. And all those other Jewel books I've got languishing on my TBR just got bumped up several notches.
Licensed To Wed by Miranda Neville features another man bound by duty and ambition with designs on his now penniless childhood neighbor. In contrast to Jewel, I've read all of Neville's books and for the most part enjoyed them all. I was not at all disappointed by this one in which the poor orphaned girl who may never receive another offer of marriage rejects her dutiful, determined suitor out-of-hand right at the beginning of the story. Wyatt Herbert, Viscount Carbury, is a bit of a stick in the mud and a touch OCD, making to do lists of items, big and small, which get progressively funnier. Robina Weston is delightfully independent, but not excruciatingly so, making this clash of wills most enjoyable.
The final story, Spy Beneath the Misteltoe by Shana Galen, was the odd one out in a number of ways, a send-up of 007 Bond spy lore recast as a romance between two competitive spy colleagues. It didn't work quite as well for me as the other three novellas, but still had its charms, including the resolution to another plot thread running through the other stories, that of a highwayman terrorizing the road through the neighborhood in which the stories are set.
Christmas in The Duke's Arms had a little drop in price over the weekend as well. It's now 99 cents at Amazon so if you were holding off, now is the time to snap it up. If you're an historical romance reader looking for a short and sweet but not saccharine holiday read, I definitely recommend it.
For a recipe inspired by Christmas in The Duke's Arms, visit Cooking Up Romance: http://www.cooking-up-romance.com/201...
November 22, 2014
The good parts were sooo good, but the bad parts frustrated me so much more
A Knight Before Christmas: 1.5 stars
My first Grace Burrowes story. The writing style is not something I'd tried before, and I liked it. It doesn't sparkle with wit like Tessa Dare or Julia Quinn, but there's something there that makes you want to keep reading. The problems in this story were the characterization. The way the hero was written made me think about a sixty-something old man.
In The Duke’s Arms:3 stars
I liked it! Some of the finer points weren't explained at all though, for instance, why did Oxthorpe court Louisa in the first place.
Licensed To Wed: 2.5 stars
Arghh! Insta-love.. Illogical, ridiculous instalove
The Spy Beneath The Mistletoe: 4 stars
Ms. Galen has perfected the art of writing a novella. Interestingly written- just enough intricacies to keep the plot going and the right touch of chemistry to satisfy my romance cravings
A Knight Before Christmas: 1.5 stars
My first Grace Burrowes story. The writing style is not something I'd tried before, and I liked it. It doesn't sparkle with wit like Tessa Dare or Julia Quinn, but there's something there that makes you want to keep reading. The problems in this story were the characterization. The way the hero was written made me think about a sixty-something old man.
In The Duke’s Arms:3 stars
I liked it! Some of the finer points weren't explained at all though, for instance, why did Oxthorpe court Louisa in the first place.
Licensed To Wed: 2.5 stars
Arghh! Insta-love.. Illogical, ridiculous instalove
The Spy Beneath The Mistletoe: 4 stars
Ms. Galen has perfected the art of writing a novella. Interestingly written- just enough intricacies to keep the plot going and the right touch of chemistry to satisfy my romance cravings
November 24, 2014
I bought this book primarily for the Carolyn Jewel story. I'm a real fan of hers, and her book, Scandal, years after I read it is still in my top 5 books ever. I also loved another short story she put out a while ago called Moonlight which is one of the most loveliest stories and I gave it five stars so, yes, I'm a bit of a fan. I really loved her story in this book, and even though it was a short story, it had a real depth to it he others just didn't. It also had a lovely first joining scene that was quite tingly and hot. I liked the other stories and the three stars is for those, but Carolyn's story was a four.
November 19, 2014
What a treat! I don't often come across romance anthologies with such a high, consistent level of quality. The stories are all connected, taking place in a village called Hopewell-on-Lyft in Nottinghamshire, England, and much of the action takes place in the local pub called "The Duke's Arms". There is also a subplot about a highwayman who calls himself the "New Sheriff of Nottingham" and who has been terrorizing the coaches that pass through Hopewell-on-Lyft.
Grace Burrowes' story is about a lady called Penelope Carrington (related to Joseph Carrington, the hero of "Lady Louisa's Christmas Knight") and her legal adviser Sir Leviticus Sparrow, or Levi for short. Besides being a widow with an urgent need to be married by Christmas, Penelope also raises Angora rabbits, a couple of whom almost steal the show from Penelope and Levi.
Carolyn Jewel's story is probably the most satisfying of the set, although Grace Burrowes' is very good too. The Duke of Oxthorpe, the highest-ranking person in the area, is hopelessly in love with Miss Edith Cray, who recently moved into a small property next to the Duke's. The story of how the shy but arrogant Duke finally convinces the retiring (but not shy) Edith, who believes that the Duke is actually interested in her cousin, that she is the woman for him, is delightful and just about as good as a story of this length could be.
Miranda Neville's story is about the (relatively) poor Robina Weston, who refuses an offer of marriage from the extremely well-organized, wealthy and responsible Lord Carbury even though she loves him, because she feels that his offer is only out of a sense of duty towards her. They both end up in Hopewell-on-Lyft, staying at the home of a relatively youthful but extremely snobbish widow who is the mother of Carbury's wards. The widow has designs on Carbury and the story is about how Carbury comes to realize that his true love is Robina and how he gets himself out of the clutches of the widow. The story has several laugh-out-loud moments but not as much emotional involvement as the first 2 stories in the book.
Finally, Shana Galen's story is about a female "weapons designer" and a "clerk to spies" in the Foreign Office, who are both sent to capture the highwayman of Hopewell-on-Lyft. This is the weakest story, mainly because I could not suspend my disbelief about the 2 main characters and their interaction.
Grace Burrowes' and Carolyn Jewel's stories get 5 stars, Miranda Neville's gets 4 stars and Shana Galen's gets 3.
Grace Burrowes' story is about a lady called Penelope Carrington (related to Joseph Carrington, the hero of "Lady Louisa's Christmas Knight") and her legal adviser Sir Leviticus Sparrow, or Levi for short. Besides being a widow with an urgent need to be married by Christmas, Penelope also raises Angora rabbits, a couple of whom almost steal the show from Penelope and Levi.
Carolyn Jewel's story is probably the most satisfying of the set, although Grace Burrowes' is very good too. The Duke of Oxthorpe, the highest-ranking person in the area, is hopelessly in love with Miss Edith Cray, who recently moved into a small property next to the Duke's. The story of how the shy but arrogant Duke finally convinces the retiring (but not shy) Edith, who believes that the Duke is actually interested in her cousin, that she is the woman for him, is delightful and just about as good as a story of this length could be.
Miranda Neville's story is about the (relatively) poor Robina Weston, who refuses an offer of marriage from the extremely well-organized, wealthy and responsible Lord Carbury even though she loves him, because she feels that his offer is only out of a sense of duty towards her. They both end up in Hopewell-on-Lyft, staying at the home of a relatively youthful but extremely snobbish widow who is the mother of Carbury's wards. The widow has designs on Carbury and the story is about how Carbury comes to realize that his true love is Robina and how he gets himself out of the clutches of the widow. The story has several laugh-out-loud moments but not as much emotional involvement as the first 2 stories in the book.
Finally, Shana Galen's story is about a female "weapons designer" and a "clerk to spies" in the Foreign Office, who are both sent to capture the highwayman of Hopewell-on-Lyft. This is the weakest story, mainly because I could not suspend my disbelief about the 2 main characters and their interaction.
Grace Burrowes' and Carolyn Jewel's stories get 5 stars, Miranda Neville's gets 4 stars and Shana Galen's gets 3.
November 2, 2014
I really enjoyed this holiday anthology, by four wonderful authors. All the stories were great, but Grace Burrowes’ and Shana Galen’s were especially delightful. They are all set in the same location and there are interconnecting characters, so that was an added bonus.
Grace Burrowes - A Knight Before Christmas
The main characters were so likable and determined to find their happiness. Widowed Penelope wanted to finally have a real husband after marrying an older man who was more like a father to her. Widower and man of business Levi wanted nothing more than to make Pen his, but just had to take care of one minor problem before he could do so. The finale at the annual Christmas assembly was outstanding, where everything was worked out just as it should be. I loved it.
Carolyn Jewel - In the Duke’s Arms
I liked the humble Edith Clay who was so happy to get out from under her cousin’s thumb and live on her own and the socially awkward, brusque Duke of Oxthorpe. It was fun to see the Duke try to overcome his awkwardness to win the heart of the woman he longed for, as she took the effort to look deeper and realize what the Duke was really like.
Miranda Neville - Licensed To Wed
This couple were interesting and made me want to see them work things out. Robina could use a husband, but when Simon proposes for all the wrong reasons, she turns him down. She’s known him since childhood and he’s so bossy and responsible, she doesn’t want to be another obligation he takes on. I loved seeing them come to realize just how much they actually liked about each other, once they had a chance to see each other in a different light.
Shana Galen - The Spy Beneath the Mistletoe
I really love the Lord & Lady Spy series, and the two main characters in this story, Pierce Moneypence and Eliza Qwillen, are on a mission to find the highwayman who has been terrorizing the countryside. It was quickly established that they had a history together, with some misunderstandings about what they wanted in a relationship. Seeing them work together to solve the case and resolve their differences was a treat. I was delighted that this couple was a bit older than the usual, I think they deserve to find love just as much as the young debutantes and it was refreshing to see.
Grace Burrowes - A Knight Before Christmas
The main characters were so likable and determined to find their happiness. Widowed Penelope wanted to finally have a real husband after marrying an older man who was more like a father to her. Widower and man of business Levi wanted nothing more than to make Pen his, but just had to take care of one minor problem before he could do so. The finale at the annual Christmas assembly was outstanding, where everything was worked out just as it should be. I loved it.
Carolyn Jewel - In the Duke’s Arms
I liked the humble Edith Clay who was so happy to get out from under her cousin’s thumb and live on her own and the socially awkward, brusque Duke of Oxthorpe. It was fun to see the Duke try to overcome his awkwardness to win the heart of the woman he longed for, as she took the effort to look deeper and realize what the Duke was really like.
Miranda Neville - Licensed To Wed
This couple were interesting and made me want to see them work things out. Robina could use a husband, but when Simon proposes for all the wrong reasons, she turns him down. She’s known him since childhood and he’s so bossy and responsible, she doesn’t want to be another obligation he takes on. I loved seeing them come to realize just how much they actually liked about each other, once they had a chance to see each other in a different light.
Shana Galen - The Spy Beneath the Mistletoe
I really love the Lord & Lady Spy series, and the two main characters in this story, Pierce Moneypence and Eliza Qwillen, are on a mission to find the highwayman who has been terrorizing the countryside. It was quickly established that they had a history together, with some misunderstandings about what they wanted in a relationship. Seeing them work together to solve the case and resolve their differences was a treat. I was delighted that this couple was a bit older than the usual, I think they deserve to find love just as much as the young debutantes and it was refreshing to see.
December 5, 2014
This was an enjoyable anthology--the bunnies in Burrowes story were adorable, as was the endless list making of Viscount Carbury in Miranda Neville's contribution--but the story that was transcendentally delicious was Carolyn Jewel's In the Duke's Arms. The description from Amazon:
What's a Duke to do when he's made an awful impression on the love of his life?
The Duke of Oxthorpe lost his intensely guarded heart to Miss Edith Clay when Edith’s rich cousin sought to attach the duke’s marital interest. So smitten is Oxthorpe with the former poor relation that he’s gone through intermediaries to sell Edith a property adjoining the ducal seat.
Edith doesn’t much care for the haughty duke, but as Christmas approaches, Oxthorpe reveals himself to be reserved rather than arrogant, considerate, and—blame the mistletoe!—an accomplished kisser. Will Edith hold Oxthorpe’s earlier behavior against him, or will she learn that the best holiday gifts can be the most unexpected?
The Duke of Oxthorpe was so thoroughly ducal. It is a wonderful portrayal of a reserved, intelligent man who is desperately in love with someone who is quite out of the ordinary. How I liked Edith--the winner of a lottery, she makes small, convincing, pleasurable decisions every day about how she is going to spend her money, her time, and the days of her life. She relishs her independence.
The Duke and Edith become acquainted and their conversations are delightful, like when the Duke discovers the "The green of my china is an almost exact match for you eyes." They're wonderful conversationalists:
"I think I may be the only person alive who knows you are amusing."
"And I hope, Miss Clay, that you keep my secret."
And I hope you search out this story--one of my top reads of 2014.
What's a Duke to do when he's made an awful impression on the love of his life?
The Duke of Oxthorpe lost his intensely guarded heart to Miss Edith Clay when Edith’s rich cousin sought to attach the duke’s marital interest. So smitten is Oxthorpe with the former poor relation that he’s gone through intermediaries to sell Edith a property adjoining the ducal seat.
Edith doesn’t much care for the haughty duke, but as Christmas approaches, Oxthorpe reveals himself to be reserved rather than arrogant, considerate, and—blame the mistletoe!—an accomplished kisser. Will Edith hold Oxthorpe’s earlier behavior against him, or will she learn that the best holiday gifts can be the most unexpected?
The Duke of Oxthorpe was so thoroughly ducal. It is a wonderful portrayal of a reserved, intelligent man who is desperately in love with someone who is quite out of the ordinary. How I liked Edith--the winner of a lottery, she makes small, convincing, pleasurable decisions every day about how she is going to spend her money, her time, and the days of her life. She relishs her independence.
The Duke and Edith become acquainted and their conversations are delightful, like when the Duke discovers the "The green of my china is an almost exact match for you eyes." They're wonderful conversationalists:
"I think I may be the only person alive who knows you are amusing."
"And I hope, Miss Clay, that you keep my secret."
And I hope you search out this story--one of my top reads of 2014.
October 18, 2014
This amazing Christmas Anthology contains four wonderful stories that take place in the same little town at Christmastime and I absolutely loved them all.
Each of the four stories is written by a different historical romance author, two of whom are favorite authors of mine, while the other two were "new to me" authors that I now look forward to reading more from. The stories are connected by not only the town they take place in but also with secondary characters and secondary storylines, one of which isn't resolved until the last story.
These stories are all great reads and include a lot of funny moments as well as touching moments and they all definitely include some steamy moments to warm you this holiday season.
On a side note, if you are fans of Shana Galen's Lord and Lady Spy series, which you all should be, you won't want to miss her story in the anthology which features a couple we got to know in her latest book "Love and Let Spy".
Each of the four stories is written by a different historical romance author, two of whom are favorite authors of mine, while the other two were "new to me" authors that I now look forward to reading more from. The stories are connected by not only the town they take place in but also with secondary characters and secondary storylines, one of which isn't resolved until the last story.
These stories are all great reads and include a lot of funny moments as well as touching moments and they all definitely include some steamy moments to warm you this holiday season.
On a side note, if you are fans of Shana Galen's Lord and Lady Spy series, which you all should be, you won't want to miss her story in the anthology which features a couple we got to know in her latest book "Love and Let Spy".
October 17, 2014
First let me start by saying that I loved all the novellas in this anthology. Grace Burrowes starts it off with Levi and Penelope's story and it was so cute I couldn't put it down. Carolyn Jewel's In the Duke's Arms was about Edith Clay and the Duke of Oxthorpe. Their story kept me turning the pages! Licensed to Wed by Miranda Neville was Wyatt and Robina's story. I liked watching Wyatt come to the realization that he really did love Robina. Shana Galen's story The Spy Beneath the Mistletoe wraps up the antho. with Eliza and Pierce's story. I loved the passion between the two spies and the steamy scenes kept me up late at night reading! Great job ladies!!!
November 19, 2014
Here is the review for Shana Galens contribution to this anthology. I just did not have time to read the whole thing.
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January 16, 2017
Wow, this took me a billion years to read. I think I liked the first two. The third one felt disjoined and then the last one was just meh.
October 21, 2014
“Christmas in the Duke’s Arms” - Four Novellas
Novella Number One. “A Knight Before Christmas” - Grace Burrowes
Sir Leviticus (Levi) Sparrow is a widowed friend and financial advisor to Mrs. Penelope Carrington who was widowed nearly a year ago when her much older husband, Sixtus, passed away right before Christmas. He left her quite wealthy. One stipulation of his will is that if she agrees to marry again within a year of being widowed, she will gain even more of his holdings. At first, Penelope had decided that she was content as she was and did not feel the need to marry right away. That is until some of her family members approached her with the fact that they were now in debt and needed quite a large sum of money from her to settle their debts. Therefore, she is now feeling the pressure to find a husband and very soon as Christmas is quickly approaching.
When Penelope confides her dilemma to Levi, he wants to tell her how he has always adored her and would love to marry her. However, he does not want to pressure her. Penelope has always enjoyed his friendship but always thought he was engaged to be married. Amanda Houston has told many people that she is engaged to Levi but he has never confirmed it. It turns out that she had found some poems Levi had written to his dead wife and she claims that he wrote them to her! Despicable woman!
Penelope has her own business of raising rabbits and selling them for the meat and fur. While most are kept in pens, some are allowed to roam the house. This is something she truly enjoys and it has been quite profitable for her.
Will Penelope and Levi be able to confess their affection to one another? What about Amanda? Will Levi be able to convince society that Amanda is lying?
This is a clever story and I loved picturing the rabbits hopping through a huge mansion.
“Christmas in the Duke’s Arms” - Four Novellas
Novella Number Two. “In the Duke’s Arms” - Carolyn Jewel
1817, The Duke’s Arms, Nottinghamshire England
Miss Edith Clay, 27, has come into some money which has allowed her to purchase a home and furnish it. If she is careful with her funds, she should be able to support herself for sometime. On the Cook’s night off, she and her maid like to walk to The Duke’s Arms Inn to pick up their dinner. The weather has been very cold and now it is beginning to snow. As she has no other mode of transportation, she has decided to walk.
The Duke of Oxthorpe lives nearby in Killhope Castle. A very wealthy man, he has no living family and chooses to live alone with his servants. He rarely socializes. His father died before he was born and ignored by his mother, he was raised by tutors. His mother also died when he had just reached his majority.
The Duke of Oxthorpe happens to be at The Duke’s Arms and when he saw Edith walking home, he leaves and insistes on giving her and her maid a ride in his coach. The Duke is aware of the windfall that she has received and offers to help her purchase a curricle and a horse as she had had no experience with that.
As Christmas is approaching, Edith joins a committee that organizes quarterly assemblies. She agrees to make mistletoe balls for the next assembly scheduled for December 22nd. Edith is hoping that the Duke will attend.
Their encounters increase when he helps her cut mistletoe for the ball and he finds a curricle she would like. Each encounter finds them getting to know one another better as they become friends. Will their friendship turn into love?
I found this to be a delightful story that I enjoyed immensely.
“Christmas in the Duke’s Arms” - Four Novellas
Novella Number Three. “Licensed to Wed” - Miranda Neville
August 1817
Wyatt Herbert, Viscount Carbury, age 33, is the pillar of his family and very organized. Each month, he makes a list of tasks to accomplish and checks them off when completed. However, there is one task that he never gets to and it just floats over to the following month. What is that you ask? Well, it is for him to propose to Robina Weston.
Miss Robina Weston, age 25, is a single young woman living at the largesse of her godmother since the death of her parents. She knows that she cannot stay with her godmother much longer and is soon to accept a position as companion to a curmudgeonly old lady. Robina and Carbury have been friends since childhood. Their families were friends and neighbors. Unfortunately, both of their fathers were not good money managers.
Each month, Carbury visits Robina and chats with her for an hour or so but can never bring himself to propose until one day he finally gets his nerve up. It is approaching Christmas time and he feels they could be married and have a quick sojourn at his home outside London, Bourton Hall. Afterward, they can return to London and his usual schedule will not be interrupted. Ah - perfect planning for his structured life. Unfortunately, when his proposal is put forth in a non-romantic and matter-of-fact manner, Robina is angered that he assumes she will automatically accept him. Instead, to his utter shock, she declines.
Carbury heads home to Bourton Hall anyway to spend Christmas with his grandfather. Added to his already busy schedule, Carbury has recently taken over the guardianship of his late cousin’s four children. His plan is to stop by there on his way home to consult with the widow regarding the children. As her year of mourning is nearly at an end, she is ready to find another husband and has her eyes set firmly on Carbury.
Enroute to her new position, Robina is stranded at The Duke’s Arms Inn after the coach she was riding in was robbed by the new Sheriff on Nottinghamshire who has been wreaking havoc in the area. As Carbury is staying nearby at the widow’s home, he learns of Robina's situation and arranges for her to stay with the widow. What will come of this threesome together in the same house? Jealousy? Will Robina and Carbury be able to mend fences?
This was a delightful novella and one I enjoyed very much. Robina is a strong heroine and Carbury is a man who needs a woman like her to make his life complete.
“Christmas in the Duke’s Arms” - Four Novellas
Novella Number Four. “The Spy Beneath the Mistletoe” - Shana Galen
Christmas has just passed and Miss Elina Qwillen, age 35, is staying at The Duke’s Arms Inn. Her job as a covert spy and weapons engineer is very exciting and she is extremley satisfied with her life. She loves her work and is always looking forward to more missions.
Pierce Moneypence happens to be staying at the same Inn. He is also a spy and they are well acquainted with one another. As a matter of fact, at one time he had asked her to marry him but she refused because she felt he just wanted a wife like her to further his career.
As it turns out, they both have been assigned to find the highwayman known as The New Sheriff of Nottinghamshire that has been terrorizing the area. He has been holding up coaches and robbing the passengers of their money and treasures.
Together, they begin watching the people coming and going, plus those staying at the Inn to try and find anyone if a local person could be the highwayman. Their days at the Inn put them in close contact with one another which causes their old flame to spark again.
Will they be able to find love in their lives? Will The New Sheriff of Nottinghamshire finally be apprehended?
This is a cute romantic story. The descriptions of the cold and snow were perfectly written to the point I nearly needed to grab a sweater!
Novella Number One. “A Knight Before Christmas” - Grace Burrowes
Sir Leviticus (Levi) Sparrow is a widowed friend and financial advisor to Mrs. Penelope Carrington who was widowed nearly a year ago when her much older husband, Sixtus, passed away right before Christmas. He left her quite wealthy. One stipulation of his will is that if she agrees to marry again within a year of being widowed, she will gain even more of his holdings. At first, Penelope had decided that she was content as she was and did not feel the need to marry right away. That is until some of her family members approached her with the fact that they were now in debt and needed quite a large sum of money from her to settle their debts. Therefore, she is now feeling the pressure to find a husband and very soon as Christmas is quickly approaching.
When Penelope confides her dilemma to Levi, he wants to tell her how he has always adored her and would love to marry her. However, he does not want to pressure her. Penelope has always enjoyed his friendship but always thought he was engaged to be married. Amanda Houston has told many people that she is engaged to Levi but he has never confirmed it. It turns out that she had found some poems Levi had written to his dead wife and she claims that he wrote them to her! Despicable woman!
Penelope has her own business of raising rabbits and selling them for the meat and fur. While most are kept in pens, some are allowed to roam the house. This is something she truly enjoys and it has been quite profitable for her.
Will Penelope and Levi be able to confess their affection to one another? What about Amanda? Will Levi be able to convince society that Amanda is lying?
This is a clever story and I loved picturing the rabbits hopping through a huge mansion.
“Christmas in the Duke’s Arms” - Four Novellas
Novella Number Two. “In the Duke’s Arms” - Carolyn Jewel
1817, The Duke’s Arms, Nottinghamshire England
Miss Edith Clay, 27, has come into some money which has allowed her to purchase a home and furnish it. If she is careful with her funds, she should be able to support herself for sometime. On the Cook’s night off, she and her maid like to walk to The Duke’s Arms Inn to pick up their dinner. The weather has been very cold and now it is beginning to snow. As she has no other mode of transportation, she has decided to walk.
The Duke of Oxthorpe lives nearby in Killhope Castle. A very wealthy man, he has no living family and chooses to live alone with his servants. He rarely socializes. His father died before he was born and ignored by his mother, he was raised by tutors. His mother also died when he had just reached his majority.
The Duke of Oxthorpe happens to be at The Duke’s Arms and when he saw Edith walking home, he leaves and insistes on giving her and her maid a ride in his coach. The Duke is aware of the windfall that she has received and offers to help her purchase a curricle and a horse as she had had no experience with that.
As Christmas is approaching, Edith joins a committee that organizes quarterly assemblies. She agrees to make mistletoe balls for the next assembly scheduled for December 22nd. Edith is hoping that the Duke will attend.
Their encounters increase when he helps her cut mistletoe for the ball and he finds a curricle she would like. Each encounter finds them getting to know one another better as they become friends. Will their friendship turn into love?
I found this to be a delightful story that I enjoyed immensely.
“Christmas in the Duke’s Arms” - Four Novellas
Novella Number Three. “Licensed to Wed” - Miranda Neville
August 1817
Wyatt Herbert, Viscount Carbury, age 33, is the pillar of his family and very organized. Each month, he makes a list of tasks to accomplish and checks them off when completed. However, there is one task that he never gets to and it just floats over to the following month. What is that you ask? Well, it is for him to propose to Robina Weston.
Miss Robina Weston, age 25, is a single young woman living at the largesse of her godmother since the death of her parents. She knows that she cannot stay with her godmother much longer and is soon to accept a position as companion to a curmudgeonly old lady. Robina and Carbury have been friends since childhood. Their families were friends and neighbors. Unfortunately, both of their fathers were not good money managers.
Each month, Carbury visits Robina and chats with her for an hour or so but can never bring himself to propose until one day he finally gets his nerve up. It is approaching Christmas time and he feels they could be married and have a quick sojourn at his home outside London, Bourton Hall. Afterward, they can return to London and his usual schedule will not be interrupted. Ah - perfect planning for his structured life. Unfortunately, when his proposal is put forth in a non-romantic and matter-of-fact manner, Robina is angered that he assumes she will automatically accept him. Instead, to his utter shock, she declines.
Carbury heads home to Bourton Hall anyway to spend Christmas with his grandfather. Added to his already busy schedule, Carbury has recently taken over the guardianship of his late cousin’s four children. His plan is to stop by there on his way home to consult with the widow regarding the children. As her year of mourning is nearly at an end, she is ready to find another husband and has her eyes set firmly on Carbury.
Enroute to her new position, Robina is stranded at The Duke’s Arms Inn after the coach she was riding in was robbed by the new Sheriff on Nottinghamshire who has been wreaking havoc in the area. As Carbury is staying nearby at the widow’s home, he learns of Robina's situation and arranges for her to stay with the widow. What will come of this threesome together in the same house? Jealousy? Will Robina and Carbury be able to mend fences?
This was a delightful novella and one I enjoyed very much. Robina is a strong heroine and Carbury is a man who needs a woman like her to make his life complete.
“Christmas in the Duke’s Arms” - Four Novellas
Novella Number Four. “The Spy Beneath the Mistletoe” - Shana Galen
Christmas has just passed and Miss Elina Qwillen, age 35, is staying at The Duke’s Arms Inn. Her job as a covert spy and weapons engineer is very exciting and she is extremley satisfied with her life. She loves her work and is always looking forward to more missions.
Pierce Moneypence happens to be staying at the same Inn. He is also a spy and they are well acquainted with one another. As a matter of fact, at one time he had asked her to marry him but she refused because she felt he just wanted a wife like her to further his career.
As it turns out, they both have been assigned to find the highwayman known as The New Sheriff of Nottinghamshire that has been terrorizing the area. He has been holding up coaches and robbing the passengers of their money and treasures.
Together, they begin watching the people coming and going, plus those staying at the Inn to try and find anyone if a local person could be the highwayman. Their days at the Inn put them in close contact with one another which causes their old flame to spark again.
Will they be able to find love in their lives? Will The New Sheriff of Nottinghamshire finally be apprehended?
This is a cute romantic story. The descriptions of the cold and snow were perfectly written to the point I nearly needed to grab a sweater!
November 25, 2017
2.5 stars.
Not a bad read, although I really only enjoyed two of the four.
The Grace Burrowes story was charming and quite cute, with bunnies featuring prominently. Unusual style of writing. The hero was borderline strange. But still enjoyable.
The Carolyn Jewel story was a bit frustrating and took a loooong time to get to the point, but I felt very sorry for both the MCs and rejoiced in their HEA. A very repressed duke and a very sweet heroine.
The Miranda Neville story got me a bit frustrated at times, too, when the hero takes too long to realise that his desire to marry the heroine is not just about a sense of duty to an old friend who needs rescuing. Too long for me. He really was obtuse!
Finally, the Shana Galen story about spies. Sort of. She makes explosions, he is a clerk. It was a bit annoying as a story, although refreshing to have an older heroine (35). The hero was very beta, but sweet. Not really into the James Bond allusions. I liked this one the least.
All in all, a pleasant but not especially memorable collection. What's with all these micro-managing, repressed, list-making and vaguely OCD heroes I keep hitting in HR lately? Yikes- either extreme rake/man-whore or repressed moralist :):)
Not a bad read, although I really only enjoyed two of the four.
The Grace Burrowes story was charming and quite cute, with bunnies featuring prominently. Unusual style of writing. The hero was borderline strange. But still enjoyable.
The Carolyn Jewel story was a bit frustrating and took a loooong time to get to the point, but I felt very sorry for both the MCs and rejoiced in their HEA. A very repressed duke and a very sweet heroine.
The Miranda Neville story got me a bit frustrated at times, too, when the hero takes too long to realise that his desire to marry the heroine is not just about a sense of duty to an old friend who needs rescuing. Too long for me. He really was obtuse!
Finally, the Shana Galen story about spies. Sort of. She makes explosions, he is a clerk. It was a bit annoying as a story, although refreshing to have an older heroine (35). The hero was very beta, but sweet. Not really into the James Bond allusions. I liked this one the least.
All in all, a pleasant but not especially memorable collection. What's with all these micro-managing, repressed, list-making and vaguely OCD heroes I keep hitting in HR lately? Yikes- either extreme rake/man-whore or repressed moralist :):)
December 4, 2017
I'm going to review each of these stories separately as there is a wide variety of quality involved.
A Knight Before Christmas by Grace Burrowes - 3.5 stars
I wanted to love this one more than I did. I so enjoyed Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish by the same author, which is what led me to purchase and read this book. Unfortunately, I never really connected with this story and, other than the rabbits, I didn't much care for it.
In the Duke's Arms by Carolyn Jewel - 4.5 stars
This was my favorite story in the book. I liked the Duke and Edith quite a bit and really enjoyed the story.
Licensed to Wed by Miranda Neville - 1 star
I hated this one. I hated Wyatt; he was clueless and arrogant and cold and I thought Robina was an idiot.
The Spy Beneath the Mistletoe by Shana Galen - 2 stars
This read like clumsy fan fiction and had way too much sex for my taste.
A Knight Before Christmas by Grace Burrowes - 3.5 stars
I wanted to love this one more than I did. I so enjoyed Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish by the same author, which is what led me to purchase and read this book. Unfortunately, I never really connected with this story and, other than the rabbits, I didn't much care for it.
In the Duke's Arms by Carolyn Jewel - 4.5 stars
This was my favorite story in the book. I liked the Duke and Edith quite a bit and really enjoyed the story.
Licensed to Wed by Miranda Neville - 1 star
I hated this one. I hated Wyatt; he was clueless and arrogant and cold and I thought Robina was an idiot.
The Spy Beneath the Mistletoe by Shana Galen - 2 stars
This read like clumsy fan fiction and had way too much sex for my taste.
November 9, 2014
I love novellas. In fact, I find most full-length romances so repetitive and tedious these days that I actually PREFER novellas, which promise fewer of the same conversations repeated ad nauseum, fewer frustratingly contrived conflicts and misunderstandings, and fewer of the nearly identical, painfully explicit sex scenes. I love how novellas force authors to trim the superfluous rambling and just focus on giving us a solid, more streamlined story.
All that said, I didn't love most of THESE novellas. The book wisely hooks readers with Grace Burrowes' tale, which I'd give at least a B+/A- and which is the primary reason I didn't rank this overall collection lower than I did. (The other is that it sells for such a reasonable price that I can't complain...well, not TOO much, anyway!) As is typical of Burrowes' work, the sex scenes are a little lengthy and explicit and overemphasized for my particular taste. As is also typical of Burrowes' work, however, I loved the prose and overall tone too much to care. Levi is one of Burrowes' typical heroes---an endearing beta with some inner "alpha-esque" qualities---smart, sensitive and, of course, in a certain amount of pain :) The heroine is likable enough, albeit not all that memorable other than that she's an animal lover, which immediately earned her bonus points from me. There's warmth, humor and some really strong writing here. I finished this one hopeful that I'd end up adoring the whole anthology...
...and then I read the other three :) Carolyn Jewel's writing style just isn't my proverbial cup of tea---it's a little too basic and clunky, for lack of a better way of describing it. Her heroine was likable---the cheery, resilient sort who determinedly makes the best of her lot---but her hero was one of those typical snarling brooders who's a jerk the vast majority of the time but who we're supposed to adore anyway because it turns out he's really a good sort underneath who's just uncomfortable. The real problem here, though, is that there's little to no actual story. It all revolves around a basic misunderstanding (ugh---I hate those!) where the heroine assumes the hero is about to propose to her cousin...and, well, that's pretty much it. *yawn* C-
I usually like Miranda Neville's writing, but her story in this one fell really flat for me. A few individual lines were really well written, but overall it felt rushed, hurried and unsatisfying. The fact that I can't even remember enough of it to comment further speaks volumes. C
Shana Galen's had definite potential. I tend to be a sucker for romances that incorporate some mystery and suspense rather than just droning on and on about the romantic angst that we know the couple is eventually going to overcome anyway :) I also found the characters relatable, at least initially. But the culprit proved embarrassingly obvious, the overall pacing and tone were just really off, and the H and h ended up feeling really generic and forgettable for me. C/C+
Overall, this was a disappointing collection for me, but you might decide that Burrowes' novella makes it worth the reasonable price.
All that said, I didn't love most of THESE novellas. The book wisely hooks readers with Grace Burrowes' tale, which I'd give at least a B+/A- and which is the primary reason I didn't rank this overall collection lower than I did. (The other is that it sells for such a reasonable price that I can't complain...well, not TOO much, anyway!) As is typical of Burrowes' work, the sex scenes are a little lengthy and explicit and overemphasized for my particular taste. As is also typical of Burrowes' work, however, I loved the prose and overall tone too much to care. Levi is one of Burrowes' typical heroes---an endearing beta with some inner "alpha-esque" qualities---smart, sensitive and, of course, in a certain amount of pain :) The heroine is likable enough, albeit not all that memorable other than that she's an animal lover, which immediately earned her bonus points from me. There's warmth, humor and some really strong writing here. I finished this one hopeful that I'd end up adoring the whole anthology...
...and then I read the other three :) Carolyn Jewel's writing style just isn't my proverbial cup of tea---it's a little too basic and clunky, for lack of a better way of describing it. Her heroine was likable---the cheery, resilient sort who determinedly makes the best of her lot---but her hero was one of those typical snarling brooders who's a jerk the vast majority of the time but who we're supposed to adore anyway because it turns out he's really a good sort underneath who's just uncomfortable. The real problem here, though, is that there's little to no actual story. It all revolves around a basic misunderstanding (ugh---I hate those!) where the heroine assumes the hero is about to propose to her cousin...and, well, that's pretty much it. *yawn* C-
I usually like Miranda Neville's writing, but her story in this one fell really flat for me. A few individual lines were really well written, but overall it felt rushed, hurried and unsatisfying. The fact that I can't even remember enough of it to comment further speaks volumes. C
Shana Galen's had definite potential. I tend to be a sucker for romances that incorporate some mystery and suspense rather than just droning on and on about the romantic angst that we know the couple is eventually going to overcome anyway :) I also found the characters relatable, at least initially. But the culprit proved embarrassingly obvious, the overall pacing and tone were just really off, and the H and h ended up feeling really generic and forgettable for me. C/C+
Overall, this was a disappointing collection for me, but you might decide that Burrowes' novella makes it worth the reasonable price.
October 27, 2014
I don’t usually read holiday romances or stories and they are too often an excuse for overwrought sentimentality. But this is a truly wonderful collection of romantic short stories and novellas that can be enjoyed any time of the year. All four stories are strong, funny, heartfelt, and sexy.
For my full review of all four stories on my historical romance & history blog: http://bit.ly/1wBRqX0
For my full review of all four stories on my historical romance & history blog: http://bit.ly/1wBRqX0
December 10, 2016
I enjoyed that these all were connected by people and events. I also liked they were all stories of people who loved one another but hadn't figured it out or figured out how tell their beloved. All were fun stories.
November 3, 2014
I really like Christmas anthologies. I especially liked the first story by Grace Burrowes, with a wealthy widow that raises rabbits and Sir Levi, her man of affairs. The second story is by Carolyn Jewel and it has a stuffy duke and an h that is a poor relation.
December 10, 2014
I expected this to be better. I don't know why, for me, but it didn't grab me.
Anyhow, GB 3*** - CJ 4**** - MN 4**** - SG 3 1/2 stars.
Anyhow, GB 3*** - CJ 4**** - MN 4**** - SG 3 1/2 stars.
February 9, 2015
For the Shana Galen story, haven't read the others.......yet ;)
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April 15, 2016Love a Duke
All these stories were awesome. They all connect in some way. Just loved how the authors tied things together. I highly recommend if you love romance
All these stories were awesome. They all connect in some way. Just loved how the authors tied things together. I highly recommend if you love romance
June 30, 2020
Synopsis:
The Duke’s Arms is an undistinguished little inn in the tiny village of Hopewell-on-Lyft. But one Christmas season sees both inn and village seething with adventure, intrigue, rabbits, and, above all, love as four couples find Yuletide happiness. An anthology of Regency novellas by Grace Burrowes, Shana Galen, Carolyn Jewel and Miranda Neville.
A Knight Before Christmas by Grace Burrowes
With her year of mourning at an end, Penelope Carrington must remarry in haste, or her portion of her late husband's estate won't be enough to dower her younger sisters.
Shy, handsome man of business Sir Leviticus Sparrow longs to give Penelope a marriage proposal for Christmas—and his heart—but Sir Levi must first foil the other bachelors scheming to meet Penelope under the mistletoe in his place.
The Duke’s Arms is an undistinguished little inn in the tiny village of Hopewell-on-Lyft. But one Christmas season sees both inn and village seething with adventure, intrigue, rabbits, and, above all, love as four couples find Yuletide happiness. An anthology of Regency novellas by Grace Burrowes, Shana Galen, Carolyn Jewel and Miranda Neville.
A Knight Before Christmas by Grace Burrowes
With her year of mourning at an end, Penelope Carrington must remarry in haste, or her portion of her late husband's estate won't be enough to dower her younger sisters.
Shy, handsome man of business Sir Leviticus Sparrow longs to give Penelope a marriage proposal for Christmas—and his heart—but Sir Levi must first foil the other bachelors scheming to meet Penelope under the mistletoe in his place.
December 22, 2019
Four of 5 stories are great
This collection has four wonderful stories and one mediocre one at the end. But it’s well worth reading.
I love that the different authors use the same neighbourhood as the setting for their stories, so you get to see incidents from the point of view of totally separate groups of people.
The Dukes and Earls are generally low in emotional intelligence and have trouble wooing their crushes. It is the heroines who have the self awareness and great back stories. They are struggling with poverty, unkind relatives and all sorts of challenges but they battle on bravely like all good heroines, who very much deserve their HEA.
This collection has four wonderful stories and one mediocre one at the end. But it’s well worth reading.
I love that the different authors use the same neighbourhood as the setting for their stories, so you get to see incidents from the point of view of totally separate groups of people.
The Dukes and Earls are generally low in emotional intelligence and have trouble wooing their crushes. It is the heroines who have the self awareness and great back stories. They are struggling with poverty, unkind relatives and all sorts of challenges but they battle on bravely like all good heroines, who very much deserve their HEA.
November 7, 2017
The first book was a great read. I loved the hero, heroine and a few of the other characters. The addition of rabbits was very unexpected. The plot while being a somewhat usual, had extra elements which kept the reader guessing. I just didn't want the story to end.
The second book thru fourth book was good and unique. The characters were likable and you could relate to them. He plot in each book kept you guessing as they didn't follow in traditional lines.
Each of these stories were based around a pub in a small country town and during winter which is very unusual.
Note: this is the 4th review I had done on the group as the Goodreads app never saved most of the other reviews.
The second book thru fourth book was good and unique. The characters were likable and you could relate to them. He plot in each book kept you guessing as they didn't follow in traditional lines.
Each of these stories were based around a pub in a small country town and during winter which is very unusual.
Note: this is the 4th review I had done on the group as the Goodreads app never saved most of the other reviews.
January 1, 2019
I enjoyed all the novellas in this collection, but what made it special for me was discovering Carolyn Jewell. Her contribution, In the Duke's Arms, is a gem, featuring a reserved, shy duke and a kind, lonely heroine who believes him to be in love with her cousin. Nope. It's really her, Edith Clay, whom he loves.
This story has one of the most romantic, sexiest, and sweetest love scenes I've ever read, and it's only a few paragraphs long. Less is more, as they say.
This story has one of the most romantic, sexiest, and sweetest love scenes I've ever read, and it's only a few paragraphs long. Less is more, as they say.
December 21, 2016
Cute seasonal fare, especially enjoyed Burrowes story, but wasn't crazy about Galen's, others were cute.
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December 3, 2020Read only Grace Burrowes after coming across Levi Sparrow in her Rogues to Riches series.
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