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The Lost Lords of Pembrook #2.5
A Christmas to Remember
Romance stars Lisa Kleypas, Lorraine Heath, Megan Frampton, and Vivienne Lorret prove in this collection of stories that love is the most magical during Christmas…
I Will by Lisa Kleypas
To be reinstated into his father’s will, Andrew, Lord Drake, must court a respectable woman-his friend’s spinster sister, Miss Caroline Hargreaves. After he blackmails Caroline into helping him, the charade begins-but is it really a charade once love takes hold of their hearts…?
Deck the Halls With Love by Lorraine Heath
Alistair Wakefield, the Marquess of Chetwyn, devastated Lady Meredith Hargreaves when he proposed to another. But when he becomes free to pursue her, it’s too late for she’s on her way to the altar….. As Christmas approaches, Chetwyn vows to lure Lady Meredith back into his arms.
No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton
James Archer detests his mother’s matchmaking ways. When ordered to attend a Christmastime house party filled with simpering maidens, he produces a fiancée-Lady Sophronia Bettesford. James and Sophronia pretend to be in love for one month. But their pact soon turns into love.
The Duke’s Christmas Wish by Vivienne Lorret
To the Duke of Vale, science solves everything-even marriage. When the impulsive Ivy Sutherland makes him question all of his data, he realizes that he’s overlooked a vital component in his search for the perfect match: love.
I Will by Lisa Kleypas
To be reinstated into his father’s will, Andrew, Lord Drake, must court a respectable woman-his friend’s spinster sister, Miss Caroline Hargreaves. After he blackmails Caroline into helping him, the charade begins-but is it really a charade once love takes hold of their hearts…?
Deck the Halls With Love by Lorraine Heath
Alistair Wakefield, the Marquess of Chetwyn, devastated Lady Meredith Hargreaves when he proposed to another. But when he becomes free to pursue her, it’s too late for she’s on her way to the altar….. As Christmas approaches, Chetwyn vows to lure Lady Meredith back into his arms.
No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton
James Archer detests his mother’s matchmaking ways. When ordered to attend a Christmastime house party filled with simpering maidens, he produces a fiancée-Lady Sophronia Bettesford. James and Sophronia pretend to be in love for one month. But their pact soon turns into love.
The Duke’s Christmas Wish by Vivienne Lorret
To the Duke of Vale, science solves everything-even marriage. When the impulsive Ivy Sutherland makes him question all of his data, he realizes that he’s overlooked a vital component in his search for the perfect match: love.
420 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 26, 2017
415 people are currently reading
1725 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Kleypas
122 books31.5k followersLISA KLEYPAS is the RITA award-winning author of 21 novels. Her books are published in fourteen languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She lives in Washington State with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
December 15, 2017
I've given this a C+ at AAR, s0 3.5 stars. Each novella is rated C (Kleypas), B- (Heath), C+ (Frampton), D (Lorret).
Note: A Christmas to Remember is a collection of four Christmas-themed novellas that have been previously published elsewhere.
Anthologies are, by their very nature, a mixed bag, and I usually find they consist of perhaps one excellent story, one poor one and a couple in between. In the case of A Christmas to Remember, however, while there is one poor story (the last) the quality of the others is fairly consistent in that the grades all fall within the mid-range, but that does mean that the anthology as a whole lacks that one outstanding tale that makes the whole thing worth the price of admission.
When I started reading I Will, I immediately thought – “this is the one. This is going to be the best of the bunch” – and that thought stayed with me for around the first half of the novella. It’s a classic bluestocking-meets-rake story in which our hero, Lord Andrew Drake (legitimate half-brother of Logan Scott from Because You're Mine), an unrepentant rake, needs to convince his terminally ill father that he is a reformed character in order to inherit the family fortune and intends to do so by pretending to be betrothed to a thoroughly unobjectionable and respectable young woman. Andrew, whose relationship with his father has always been strained and who has no intention of reforming once he inherits, approaches Lady Caroline Hargreaves, the sister of one of his friends, and pretty much blackmails her into agreeing to become his fake fiancée.
Caroline has never liked Andrew and likes him even less now because he is leading her brother into bad company and habits; Andrew has never liked Caroline because she is opinionated and starchy and not at all his type. Yet as he starts to really look at her during their discussion, he starts to see things about her he’s never noticed before and to realise, to his shock, that he desires her.
The novella comes in at just under a hundred pages, but the events within span a few weeks during which Andrew eschews his normal rounds of drinking and depravity so as to make his performance as a reformed character more convincing. I really liked the way that Caroline comes to see the real Andrew beneath the rakish façade and how the strength of her belief touches Andrew and gives him the confidence he needs to be able to reform in truth, but unfortunately, it’s not long after this that things take a very different direction and the whole thing falls apart. There’s an extremely awkward sex-scene (which comes very close to being non-consensual – on his part, not hers) and a hurried and somewhat silly blackmail plot which I could have done without. I Will stars very promisingly, but ends up as a bit of a mess.
This novella is book 2.5 in the Lost Lords of Pembrook series and tells the story of Alastair, the Marquess of Chetwyn, who was betrothed to Lady Anne, heroine of Lord of Temptation. Upon realising his betrothed was in love with someone else, Chetwyn released her from their engagement, and now, he is intent on pursuing the woman he has always loved. The problem is that she is due to marry another man just after Christmas, so Chetwyn is facing an uphill struggle if he is to convince her that he is – they are – worthy of a second chance.
A year or so earlier, Lady Meredith Hargreaves (no relation to Caroline, above!) had been on the verge of falling in love with Alastair Wakefield when he turned his attention to another lady. Meredith told herself – or tried to – that she had had a lucky escape and that it was as well his defection had happened before she could fall for him completely. She is now happily engaged to be married, although she can’t deny that her intended has never made her pulse race or her stomach flutter. Still, it’s a good match, and no matter that seeing Chetwyn again has churned up all her emotions, she can’t afford to be charmed by him all over again.
Chetwyn is in deadly earnest over his pursuit of Meredith, but he’s not pushy or possessive; in fact what he wants is for her to be able to follow her heart and choose freely. There’s a nice frisson of sexual tension between the pair and the fact that they share a romantic history means that their rekindled relationship doesn’t feel quite so rushed as it could have done. Deck the Halls with Love is a charming story, and while it’s the shortest in the collection, it’s the one I enjoyed the most.
Here we have another fake-betrothal story, this time between an earl’s daughter and a gentleman desperate to avoid his mother’s matchmaking schemes. Lady Sophronia Bettesford has been left almost destitute by her late father, who cared far more for his books and his studies than for anything remotely practical such as making sure his daughter was provided for after his death. No longer able to support herself, all she has to look forward to is a life of drudgery living with a distant cousin – which is why, when a strikingly handsome stranger asks her to marry him – or at least, to pretend to be engaged to him – she doesn’t immediately dismiss him as some sort of madman. When he offers to buy her a cottage –an attractive alternative to living with her cousins, their children and their chickens – Sophronia agrees to a month-long pretend engagement.
James Archer sounds to me like he has a serious case of ADHD! He can hardly sit still and dislikes remaining in one place for any length of time, spending most of his life travelling and collecting, buying and selling the artefacts (or “arty facts” as his mother calls them) he finds on his travels. His mother loves him dearly and he loves her; he doesn’t want to settle down but can’t face telling her so, hence his need for a fake fiancée who can accompany him to an upcoming house party he has learned will be comprised mostly of young, eligible females. I have to say that I wasn’t wild about the deception being practiced upon James’ mother, who really didn’t deserve it, and his initial exit-strategy is just plain dumb.
The attraction between James and Sophronia is built well considering the limits imposed by the page-count, and I liked the way their characters are shown to balance each other. James yearns to get away – which makes sense given his family history – while Sophronia wants to settle somewhere quiet and peaceful, yet both of them start to wonder if, perhaps, there is something to the other’s lifestyle. James wonders if perhaps, with someone like Sophy at his side, he could be content to wander less, while she thinks that perhaps mouldering away in a remote cottage for the rest of her life without love isn’t perhaps all it’s cracked up to be.
No Groom at the Inn is a light-hearted, easy read, although I found it difficult to connect with the characters. Ms. Frampton is an accomplished writer and I’ve read and enjoyed a number of her other books, but the humour in this often felt forced and at times, the heroine’s internal monologues waffled on too long.
The weakest story in the anthology features a scientifically minded duke who has invented a formula for creating successful marriages (or so he thinks) and a young woman who thinks he should marry her best friend in order to help her to secure her inheritance. After having spent most of the first chapter reading about how the heroine (Ivy) was desperate to pee owing to having imbibed one too many cups of tea, and then spent the next two chapters watching the duke and Ivy desperately avoiding each other because of the confusing emotions they each evoked in the other, I was bored and probably wouldn’t have continued reading had this not been the final novella and if I hadn’t been reviewing it. Our hero is sweet if somewhat clueless, but ultimately both central characters are bland, there is no chemistry between them whatsoever and though the writing is decent, not having your principals interact for three chapters out of ten is a bad move.
I don’t read a great many anthologies as I find that the majority of novellas I’ve read have tended to be fairly average, but they’re useful for those times you’re busy and want to read something that satisfies the appetite for an HEA when you don’t have time to commit to a full-length novel. A Christmas to Remember is actually fairly un-memorable, but if you’re in a forgiving mood, it delivers a quick romance-fix with a nice side order of Festive spirit thrown in for good measure.
Note: A Christmas to Remember is a collection of four Christmas-themed novellas that have been previously published elsewhere.
Anthologies are, by their very nature, a mixed bag, and I usually find they consist of perhaps one excellent story, one poor one and a couple in between. In the case of A Christmas to Remember, however, while there is one poor story (the last) the quality of the others is fairly consistent in that the grades all fall within the mid-range, but that does mean that the anthology as a whole lacks that one outstanding tale that makes the whole thing worth the price of admission.
I Will by Lisa Kleypas
Grade: C Sensuality: Warm
When I started reading I Will, I immediately thought – “this is the one. This is going to be the best of the bunch” – and that thought stayed with me for around the first half of the novella. It’s a classic bluestocking-meets-rake story in which our hero, Lord Andrew Drake (legitimate half-brother of Logan Scott from Because You're Mine), an unrepentant rake, needs to convince his terminally ill father that he is a reformed character in order to inherit the family fortune and intends to do so by pretending to be betrothed to a thoroughly unobjectionable and respectable young woman. Andrew, whose relationship with his father has always been strained and who has no intention of reforming once he inherits, approaches Lady Caroline Hargreaves, the sister of one of his friends, and pretty much blackmails her into agreeing to become his fake fiancée.
Caroline has never liked Andrew and likes him even less now because he is leading her brother into bad company and habits; Andrew has never liked Caroline because she is opinionated and starchy and not at all his type. Yet as he starts to really look at her during their discussion, he starts to see things about her he’s never noticed before and to realise, to his shock, that he desires her.
The novella comes in at just under a hundred pages, but the events within span a few weeks during which Andrew eschews his normal rounds of drinking and depravity so as to make his performance as a reformed character more convincing. I really liked the way that Caroline comes to see the real Andrew beneath the rakish façade and how the strength of her belief touches Andrew and gives him the confidence he needs to be able to reform in truth, but unfortunately, it’s not long after this that things take a very different direction and the whole thing falls apart. There’s an extremely awkward sex-scene (which comes very close to being non-consensual – on his part, not hers) and a hurried and somewhat silly blackmail plot which I could have done without. I Will stars very promisingly, but ends up as a bit of a mess.
Deck the Halls with Love by Lorraine Heath
Grade: B- Sensuality: Warm
This novella is book 2.5 in the Lost Lords of Pembrook series and tells the story of Alastair, the Marquess of Chetwyn, who was betrothed to Lady Anne, heroine of Lord of Temptation. Upon realising his betrothed was in love with someone else, Chetwyn released her from their engagement, and now, he is intent on pursuing the woman he has always loved. The problem is that she is due to marry another man just after Christmas, so Chetwyn is facing an uphill struggle if he is to convince her that he is – they are – worthy of a second chance.
A year or so earlier, Lady Meredith Hargreaves (no relation to Caroline, above!) had been on the verge of falling in love with Alastair Wakefield when he turned his attention to another lady. Meredith told herself – or tried to – that she had had a lucky escape and that it was as well his defection had happened before she could fall for him completely. She is now happily engaged to be married, although she can’t deny that her intended has never made her pulse race or her stomach flutter. Still, it’s a good match, and no matter that seeing Chetwyn again has churned up all her emotions, she can’t afford to be charmed by him all over again.
Chetwyn is in deadly earnest over his pursuit of Meredith, but he’s not pushy or possessive; in fact what he wants is for her to be able to follow her heart and choose freely. There’s a nice frisson of sexual tension between the pair and the fact that they share a romantic history means that their rekindled relationship doesn’t feel quite so rushed as it could have done. Deck the Halls with Love is a charming story, and while it’s the shortest in the collection, it’s the one I enjoyed the most.
No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton
Grade: C+ Sensuality: Warm
Here we have another fake-betrothal story, this time between an earl’s daughter and a gentleman desperate to avoid his mother’s matchmaking schemes. Lady Sophronia Bettesford has been left almost destitute by her late father, who cared far more for his books and his studies than for anything remotely practical such as making sure his daughter was provided for after his death. No longer able to support herself, all she has to look forward to is a life of drudgery living with a distant cousin – which is why, when a strikingly handsome stranger asks her to marry him – or at least, to pretend to be engaged to him – she doesn’t immediately dismiss him as some sort of madman. When he offers to buy her a cottage –an attractive alternative to living with her cousins, their children and their chickens – Sophronia agrees to a month-long pretend engagement.
James Archer sounds to me like he has a serious case of ADHD! He can hardly sit still and dislikes remaining in one place for any length of time, spending most of his life travelling and collecting, buying and selling the artefacts (or “arty facts” as his mother calls them) he finds on his travels. His mother loves him dearly and he loves her; he doesn’t want to settle down but can’t face telling her so, hence his need for a fake fiancée who can accompany him to an upcoming house party he has learned will be comprised mostly of young, eligible females. I have to say that I wasn’t wild about the deception being practiced upon James’ mother, who really didn’t deserve it, and his initial exit-strategy is just plain dumb.
The attraction between James and Sophronia is built well considering the limits imposed by the page-count, and I liked the way their characters are shown to balance each other. James yearns to get away – which makes sense given his family history – while Sophronia wants to settle somewhere quiet and peaceful, yet both of them start to wonder if, perhaps, there is something to the other’s lifestyle. James wonders if perhaps, with someone like Sophy at his side, he could be content to wander less, while she thinks that perhaps mouldering away in a remote cottage for the rest of her life without love isn’t perhaps all it’s cracked up to be.
No Groom at the Inn is a light-hearted, easy read, although I found it difficult to connect with the characters. Ms. Frampton is an accomplished writer and I’ve read and enjoyed a number of her other books, but the humour in this often felt forced and at times, the heroine’s internal monologues waffled on too long.
The Duke’s Christmas Wish by Vivienne Lorret
Grade: D Sensuality: Kisses
The weakest story in the anthology features a scientifically minded duke who has invented a formula for creating successful marriages (or so he thinks) and a young woman who thinks he should marry her best friend in order to help her to secure her inheritance. After having spent most of the first chapter reading about how the heroine (Ivy) was desperate to pee owing to having imbibed one too many cups of tea, and then spent the next two chapters watching the duke and Ivy desperately avoiding each other because of the confusing emotions they each evoked in the other, I was bored and probably wouldn’t have continued reading had this not been the final novella and if I hadn’t been reviewing it. Our hero is sweet if somewhat clueless, but ultimately both central characters are bland, there is no chemistry between them whatsoever and though the writing is decent, not having your principals interact for three chapters out of ten is a bad move.
I don’t read a great many anthologies as I find that the majority of novellas I’ve read have tended to be fairly average, but they’re useful for those times you’re busy and want to read something that satisfies the appetite for an HEA when you don’t have time to commit to a full-length novel. A Christmas to Remember is actually fairly un-memorable, but if you’re in a forgiving mood, it delivers a quick romance-fix with a nice side order of Festive spirit thrown in for good measure.
September 4, 2017
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
I Will
This novella almost didn't seem like a short story, it could have easily been made into a novel if Lisa Kleypas had the inclination to do so. It didn't feel super rushed like normal novella's tend to do more often than not. It's what I admire about Kleypas, every book she writes whether long or short, is a story you can become fully invested in and this is what happened with I Will. I truly adored this book. This story is about a fake engagement that turns out turning very real. Our heroine, is smart with glasses. And our hero, is a full on rake. Even though he seems on the outside to be a scoundrel, only interested in drinking and gambling, there is much more to him than that. And I liked peeling the layers off of him because he ended up being a hero to fall in love with. I truly adored the way that these two were together. Their interactions with one each other were engaging. A very easy book to flip pages through to see these two to their happy ending along with a twist or two along the way.
"And the way you dress reminds me of an unmade bed!"
"Does that mean you'd like to lie on top of me?"
Deck The Halls With Love
This is a second chance romance and what a sweet and lovely story. I swear Lorraine Heath can always deliver a wonderful romance and she does with this novella. As with Kleypas, Heath is one of those romance authors you can depend on to deliver a lovely story and she does with Deck The Halls With Love. This story is about two people who are able to have a second chance for their own happy ever after. Our hero, may have cared for Meredith, but went off intending to marry another. But when his fiancée fell in love with another man, he let her go. And the one woman he really wants is now engaged to another. A man who could never truly understand her. And now Alistair will have to prove to Meredith during a Christmas house party, how sincere his intentions towards her really are. Both characters are simply wonderful, and you just want them to win in the end of this one. I think what I enjoyed most was seeing how well Alistair really knows Meredith, and see who she really is, unlike her fiancée who doesn't really know her at all.
No Groom At The Inn
As with her normal style, Megan Frampton delivers a purely entertaining story that wins your heart and makes you smile all the way through. This novella is a part of her Dukes Behaving Badly series. Sophronia is looking for any reason to avoid taking care of six children and the numerous amounts of chickens. So when a stranger proposes to her, she accepts. She is looking for a way out of her current predicament. Christopher is trying to avoid his matchmaking mother, especially at her Christmas party. And is having Sophronia act as his fake fiancée to avoid his mothers creative ways to get him hitched. Even though this portrays a fake engagement trope, pretty quickly these two form a close attachment to each other and awaken a sizzling desire for each other that turns into more than they expected. I had a blast with this story, and it kept me entertained and wrapped up in this charming love story.
The Duke's Christmas Wish
Vivienne Lorret is a new author for me, but every time I read her I truly fall in love with her a little bit more and I had a wonderful time with this one. I do love a character is so smart. And our hero is that....science and experiments are everything. He has this formula for marriage that he just knows is the most "logical" approach to marriage. Until he meets his match and the one woman he never could have put in his formula unless he added in the element of "love" too. Ivy has come to see that her cousin finds the best match and never expected to be intrigued by the most peculiar and fascinating Duke. A man of intelligent and caring. Two combinations she never thought she would find stimulating. I just adored this book so much. Seeing a smart intelligent man be worn down by love, and seeing a heroine show him the power of desire and tender emotion. Definitely a story you want to keep in mind during the upcoming holiday season
Overall this anthology was simply magnificent and I had a blast reading all four of these stories by four of the best historical romance authors to write in this genre!! A must read for any romance lover!
I Will
This novella almost didn't seem like a short story, it could have easily been made into a novel if Lisa Kleypas had the inclination to do so. It didn't feel super rushed like normal novella's tend to do more often than not. It's what I admire about Kleypas, every book she writes whether long or short, is a story you can become fully invested in and this is what happened with I Will. I truly adored this book. This story is about a fake engagement that turns out turning very real. Our heroine, is smart with glasses. And our hero, is a full on rake. Even though he seems on the outside to be a scoundrel, only interested in drinking and gambling, there is much more to him than that. And I liked peeling the layers off of him because he ended up being a hero to fall in love with. I truly adored the way that these two were together. Their interactions with one each other were engaging. A very easy book to flip pages through to see these two to their happy ending along with a twist or two along the way.
"And the way you dress reminds me of an unmade bed!"
"Does that mean you'd like to lie on top of me?"
Deck The Halls With Love
This is a second chance romance and what a sweet and lovely story. I swear Lorraine Heath can always deliver a wonderful romance and she does with this novella. As with Kleypas, Heath is one of those romance authors you can depend on to deliver a lovely story and she does with Deck The Halls With Love. This story is about two people who are able to have a second chance for their own happy ever after. Our hero, may have cared for Meredith, but went off intending to marry another. But when his fiancée fell in love with another man, he let her go. And the one woman he really wants is now engaged to another. A man who could never truly understand her. And now Alistair will have to prove to Meredith during a Christmas house party, how sincere his intentions towards her really are. Both characters are simply wonderful, and you just want them to win in the end of this one. I think what I enjoyed most was seeing how well Alistair really knows Meredith, and see who she really is, unlike her fiancée who doesn't really know her at all.
No Groom At The Inn
As with her normal style, Megan Frampton delivers a purely entertaining story that wins your heart and makes you smile all the way through. This novella is a part of her Dukes Behaving Badly series. Sophronia is looking for any reason to avoid taking care of six children and the numerous amounts of chickens. So when a stranger proposes to her, she accepts. She is looking for a way out of her current predicament. Christopher is trying to avoid his matchmaking mother, especially at her Christmas party. And is having Sophronia act as his fake fiancée to avoid his mothers creative ways to get him hitched. Even though this portrays a fake engagement trope, pretty quickly these two form a close attachment to each other and awaken a sizzling desire for each other that turns into more than they expected. I had a blast with this story, and it kept me entertained and wrapped up in this charming love story.
The Duke's Christmas Wish
Vivienne Lorret is a new author for me, but every time I read her I truly fall in love with her a little bit more and I had a wonderful time with this one. I do love a character is so smart. And our hero is that....science and experiments are everything. He has this formula for marriage that he just knows is the most "logical" approach to marriage. Until he meets his match and the one woman he never could have put in his formula unless he added in the element of "love" too. Ivy has come to see that her cousin finds the best match and never expected to be intrigued by the most peculiar and fascinating Duke. A man of intelligent and caring. Two combinations she never thought she would find stimulating. I just adored this book so much. Seeing a smart intelligent man be worn down by love, and seeing a heroine show him the power of desire and tender emotion. Definitely a story you want to keep in mind during the upcoming holiday season
Overall this anthology was simply magnificent and I had a blast reading all four of these stories by four of the best historical romance authors to write in this genre!! A must read for any romance lover!
December 11, 2017
This is a review of I Will by Lisa Kleypas
I really liked it! Andrew and Caroline are so cute together! This was a fun Christmas read.
I really liked it! Andrew and Caroline are so cute together! This was a fun Christmas read.
January 14, 2019
I Will by Lisa Kleypas - 2/5 Stars
Let me start by saying that I absolutely adore LK, she's one of my top HR authors. But good god, what did I just read?
This was me for the last two chapters of the book :
The plot is simple. Rogue extraordinaire Andrew Drake needs to pretend to court spinster, bookish Caroline Hargreaves for innane plot point that I can't remember now. It's mostly been subdued by the fact that while I wasn't a fan of Andrew from the start I liked Caroline quite a lot. Should have known better.
Deck the Halls With Love by Lorraine Heath - 3.5/5 stars.
A classic second-chance romance. I truly enjoyed this novella, perhaps one of my favorite of the book. Alistair had to give up on his love for Merry when duty came in the way, and instead had to turn his attentions to another woman - out of some misguided sense of obligation. In all this self-sacrifice nonsense drawn from honor and secret codes of gentleman-ish behaviour, Meredith aka Merry was left heartbroken over his betrayal. And I really felt for her from the start. But she isn't the weepy sort, or the self-hating sort. Which I loved! Unfortunately she's to marry a bore of a man.
Alistair, now free of his mistaken duty has only one aim in sight. To once again rekindle what he had to forcibly kill between him and Merry. He hasn't stopped loving her and wants a chance to prove that he won't hurt her again. The story that follows is beautiful, and the ending just as enjoyable. A great cozy read!
No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton - 3/5 stars.
Basically James asked Sophorina to pretend to be his fiance so he won't have to deal with unwed ladies and their matchmaking mothers at a christmas party. But both didn't realize just how dangerous this was charade was going to be, with both steadily falling deeper in love with each other. The humor undertones of the entire novella were very well done, and kudos to the author for making me chuckle in many instances.
The way James expresses his love for Sophorina in the end is just the best!
The Duke’s Christmas Wish by Vivienne Lorret - 3/5 stars
Another lovely cozy read, with light humor undertones. I loved loved the Duke in question. He's creating a marraige formula, but in the end has to toss it out because of our heroine Ivy! They're perfectly suited for each other and I highly enjoyed reading their romance. The supporting characters were also wonderful!.
Let me start by saying that I absolutely adore LK, she's one of my top HR authors. But good god, what did I just read?
This was me for the last two chapters of the book :
The plot is simple. Rogue extraordinaire Andrew Drake needs to pretend to court spinster, bookish Caroline Hargreaves for innane plot point that I can't remember now. It's mostly been subdued by the fact that while I wasn't a fan of Andrew from the start I liked Caroline quite a lot. Should have known better.
Deck the Halls With Love by Lorraine Heath - 3.5/5 stars.
A classic second-chance romance. I truly enjoyed this novella, perhaps one of my favorite of the book. Alistair had to give up on his love for Merry when duty came in the way, and instead had to turn his attentions to another woman - out of some misguided sense of obligation. In all this self-sacrifice nonsense drawn from honor and secret codes of gentleman-ish behaviour, Meredith aka Merry was left heartbroken over his betrayal. And I really felt for her from the start. But she isn't the weepy sort, or the self-hating sort. Which I loved! Unfortunately she's to marry a bore of a man.
Alistair, now free of his mistaken duty has only one aim in sight. To once again rekindle what he had to forcibly kill between him and Merry. He hasn't stopped loving her and wants a chance to prove that he won't hurt her again. The story that follows is beautiful, and the ending just as enjoyable. A great cozy read!
No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton - 3/5 stars.
Basically James asked Sophorina to pretend to be his fiance so he won't have to deal with unwed ladies and their matchmaking mothers at a christmas party. But both didn't realize just how dangerous this was charade was going to be, with both steadily falling deeper in love with each other. The humor undertones of the entire novella were very well done, and kudos to the author for making me chuckle in many instances.
The way James expresses his love for Sophorina in the end is just the best!
The Duke’s Christmas Wish by Vivienne Lorret - 3/5 stars
Another lovely cozy read, with light humor undertones. I loved loved the Duke in question. He's creating a marraige formula, but in the end has to toss it out because of our heroine Ivy! They're perfectly suited for each other and I highly enjoyed reading their romance. The supporting characters were also wonderful!.
January 17, 2020
Los tres últimos libros que he leido pertenecian a esta antología que no sabia que que estaba completa en goodreads😅 la ultima historia, a duke's wish for Christmas, ha sido una de las mas bonitas junto con la de Lisa Kleypas y Lorraine Heath. Los personajes son muy diferentes lo que hace que haya mas situaciones graciosas y la historia fluya mucha mejor.
En general, la antología esta bastante bien si te gustan los relatos navideños y quieres leer historias mas light y sin mucho drama.
En general, la antología esta bastante bien si te gustan los relatos navideños y quieres leer historias mas light y sin mucho drama.
November 15, 2018
I Will by Lisa Kleypas- This was a fun romp featuring an almost on the shelf heroine and a devilish rogue who hatches a scheme to fool his dying father but pretending to mend his ways and date a bluestocking. Andrew, Lord Drake
Deck the Halls With Love by Lorraine Heath- I was a tad concerned at first since the heroine appeared to be engaged, but Heath soon had me at ease. This was a short, sweet, feel-good romance set at Christmas that left me smiling. Both the hero and heroine were likable, and I rather liked the outcome.
No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton- A scientific Duke believes he has the formula for finding a spouse, that is until he meets Ivy. Humor, inventions, frogs, and swoons made this a delightful story. I loved all the holiday details and talk of social ladders.
This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
November 18, 2017
This was a delightful read overall.
Lisa Kleypas and Megan Frampton's novellas were probably my favorites. Each novella contained a full story despite being a novella and therefore shorter. I didn't feel like there was much as far as the Christmas theme went beyond each story mentioning it was that time of year. Still, I enjoyed reading each story.
*i received an eARC from Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Lisa Kleypas and Megan Frampton's novellas were probably my favorites. Each novella contained a full story despite being a novella and therefore shorter. I didn't feel like there was much as far as the Christmas theme went beyond each story mentioning it was that time of year. Still, I enjoyed reading each story.
*i received an eARC from Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 26, 2017
A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER: AN ANTHOLOGY is a wonderful collection of four sizzlingly sexy regency tales that will warm you up on these chilly evenings.
From rakes of the highest order who need a convenient lady to pose as their intended, lords who are desperate for a second chance with the woman of their dreams, men who do not want to be shackled down by a wife, to those who believe science will give them the answers they seek, these short stories have something for everyone.
Now, I myself am not a huge lover of short stories as I usually feel that something is missing and the drama just ends too quickly, but I am delighted to say that with this collection, each story feels like it is a novel in its own right and I finished each story completely satisfied with how it all turned out.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the settings, and I particularly enjoyed the female leads in this collection as they were strong, independent, and determined to make up their own minds about their future. If I had to pick a favourite it would have to be I Will by Lisa Kleypas, but the other three tales are fantastic too!
A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER: AN ANTHOLOGY will transport you back in time and shower you with romance and the Christmas spirit, and I highly recommend it to all historical romance fans.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from Edelweiss
From rakes of the highest order who need a convenient lady to pose as their intended, lords who are desperate for a second chance with the woman of their dreams, men who do not want to be shackled down by a wife, to those who believe science will give them the answers they seek, these short stories have something for everyone.
Now, I myself am not a huge lover of short stories as I usually feel that something is missing and the drama just ends too quickly, but I am delighted to say that with this collection, each story feels like it is a novel in its own right and I finished each story completely satisfied with how it all turned out.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the settings, and I particularly enjoyed the female leads in this collection as they were strong, independent, and determined to make up their own minds about their future. If I had to pick a favourite it would have to be I Will by Lisa Kleypas, but the other three tales are fantastic too!
A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER: AN ANTHOLOGY will transport you back in time and shower you with romance and the Christmas spirit, and I highly recommend it to all historical romance fans.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from Edelweiss
December 30, 2024
Great! Loved all four stories and wow with the Victorian sex, really? That’s a thing? Didn’t know I needed that in my life but damn I did lol great holiday read and it had it all- snowed in forced proximity, kissing under mistletoe and much more!
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January 1, 2022The Duke's Christmas Wish 5/5 stars
Well it was short but perfect. It was fun and funny, it was sweet and cute, it had good characters, good chemistry between our two heros, and it was just a blast to read. So, yeah, going with the full stars for this one :)
Well it was short but perfect. It was fun and funny, it was sweet and cute, it had good characters, good chemistry between our two heros, and it was just a blast to read. So, yeah, going with the full stars for this one :)
November 30, 2025
3.5 or 4 stars? Still deciding….
October 9, 2017
This anthology was a good way to sample authors you may not have read before. Loosely tied together with a Christmas theme. I already love Lisa Kleypas, but got to try samples of the others. A couple of them were a little slow moving at times but overall it was a worthwhile read and very enjoyable. 3.5 stars
September 24, 2017
A Christmas to Remember Anthology by Lisa Kleypas, Lorraine Heath, Megan Frampton, Vivienne Lorret
This is what dreams are made of. Escapism, great storytelling and the creme de la creme in historical romantic fiction. Alone Lisa Kleypas, Lorraine Heath, Megan Frampton, and Vivienne Lorret take up more shelves on my ereader than even I can fathom. When they come together it's like Christmas comes early for any historical romance addict. From marriage of convenience, second chance love and mischievous maidens, love is in the air all year long with these holiday treasures.
This is what dreams are made of. Escapism, great storytelling and the creme de la creme in historical romantic fiction. Alone Lisa Kleypas, Lorraine Heath, Megan Frampton, and Vivienne Lorret take up more shelves on my ereader than even I can fathom. When they come together it's like Christmas comes early for any historical romance addict. From marriage of convenience, second chance love and mischievous maidens, love is in the air all year long with these holiday treasures.
December 8, 2021
Lorraine Heath’s novella in this collection definitely saved this anthology for me, and the Lisa Kleypas one was okay. The other 2, wow I had a hard time with…I’ve read other books from both of those authors and enjoyed them way more than what was offered in this. Mini reviews for each or you can find my full reviews for the first 3 novellas on their separate GR listings.
I Will by Lisa Kleypas - 3 stars
Part of her Capitol Theatre series, we see the couple of book 2 in this and they’re related to the hero in this. Romance was a bit lacking for me, we are told they fall in love but don’t get to see why/how this happened or any of their interactions really. Hero’s dad disinherited him because he just gambles, drinks excessively, and skirt-chases. He wants to get that reinstated so wants to prove he’s changed by having the heroine pretend to be into him (she’s a spinster and his friend’s sister). But he starts to change for real while pretending. He cleans her spectacles often for her, her brother handcuffs the hero to a bed for her at one point. 😅
Deck the Halls with Love by Lorraine Heath - 4 stars
Part of her Lost Lords of Pembrook series, second chance romance where the couple gets caught in a winter storm and seek refuge together in an abandoned castle. Loved this one and lots of wintery activities including ice skating on a frozen pond and a Christmas ball.
No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton - 2.5 stars
Class difference romance, fake fiancée. Hero says he’s betrothed to appease his mother and proposes to the first woman he sees. The heroine agrees to be his fake fiancée at a country Christmas 2-week house party. Hero I didn’t like at all, heroine and his mom were great.
The Duke’s Christmas Wish by Vivienne Lorret - 2 stars
I don’t even know what this was, it felt so boring. Heroine is at the hero’s castle and he’s an inventor/scientist/mathematician working on a fellowship. Very abrupt ending.
I Will by Lisa Kleypas - 3 stars
Part of her Capitol Theatre series, we see the couple of book 2 in this and they’re related to the hero in this. Romance was a bit lacking for me, we are told they fall in love but don’t get to see why/how this happened or any of their interactions really. Hero’s dad disinherited him because he just gambles, drinks excessively, and skirt-chases. He wants to get that reinstated so wants to prove he’s changed by having the heroine pretend to be into him (she’s a spinster and his friend’s sister). But he starts to change for real while pretending. He cleans her spectacles often for her, her brother handcuffs the hero to a bed for her at one point. 😅
Deck the Halls with Love by Lorraine Heath - 4 stars
Part of her Lost Lords of Pembrook series, second chance romance where the couple gets caught in a winter storm and seek refuge together in an abandoned castle. Loved this one and lots of wintery activities including ice skating on a frozen pond and a Christmas ball.
No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton - 2.5 stars
Class difference romance, fake fiancée. Hero says he’s betrothed to appease his mother and proposes to the first woman he sees. The heroine agrees to be his fake fiancée at a country Christmas 2-week house party. Hero I didn’t like at all, heroine and his mom were great.
The Duke’s Christmas Wish by Vivienne Lorret - 2 stars
I don’t even know what this was, it felt so boring. Heroine is at the hero’s castle and he’s an inventor/scientist/mathematician working on a fellowship. Very abrupt ending.
August 2, 2021
I Will (Lisa Kleypas) - I thought it was very bizarre that the MC's brother kidnapped her love interest, tied him to a bed, then delivered his sister to him. Not really my cup of tea. 1 star.
Deck the Halls (Lorraine Heath) - This story was predictable but really cute. Great Christmas story. Heath's plots are always the best! 4 stars.
No Groom at the Inn (Megan Frampton) - This story was cute. I hadn't heard of this author but will probably check out more of her stuff now. 3 stars.
The Duke's Christmas Wish (Vivienne Lorret) - Honestly I was just super bored. 1 star.
Deck the Halls (Lorraine Heath) - This story was predictable but really cute. Great Christmas story. Heath's plots are always the best! 4 stars.
No Groom at the Inn (Megan Frampton) - This story was cute. I hadn't heard of this author but will probably check out more of her stuff now. 3 stars.
The Duke's Christmas Wish (Vivienne Lorret) - Honestly I was just super bored. 1 star.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2017
I really enjoyed all 4 stories - I kept thinking that the one I was reading was my favorite, until I'd get to the next one. Ultimately I think story #3 was my favorite... But I'd give each of them at least 4 stars. Full review to follow on blog.
December 14, 2017
A Christmas to Remember:
First story, I Will by Lisa Kleypas - She can write excellent books but this isn't one of them. Totally predictable. The MCs know and hate each other but now he has to marry so he talks to her once and is desperately in lust for her. The same happens to her. Unbelievable and boring to boot. 1 star
Second story, Deck the Halls with Love by Lorraine Heath - A very short story with no surprises. But I really liked that our hero refused to trap her into marriage and insisted she get to choose if she wanted to marry him or not. 2.5 stars
Third story, No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton - Once you get past the unbelievable encounter at the coach house this is really cute. I giggled while reading it. 4 stars
Fourth Story, The Duke's Christmas Wish by Vivienne Lorret - A really cute idea not executed very well. Why have two smart MCs who for some unexplained reason become tongue-tied when ever the other one is within ten feet? Even if they can't see them, they "know they must be near" and can't speak. It means they never talk to each other, which makes for a dull story. I was very disappointed that the fun premise didn't go anywhere. 1 star
Short answer - save your money, pick this one up at the library and read the third story and maybe the second if you're in the mood. Otherwise, don't bother.
First story, I Will by Lisa Kleypas - She can write excellent books but this isn't one of them. Totally predictable. The MCs know and hate each other but now he has to marry so he talks to her once and is desperately in lust for her. The same happens to her. Unbelievable and boring to boot. 1 star
Second story, Deck the Halls with Love by Lorraine Heath - A very short story with no surprises. But I really liked that our hero refused to trap her into marriage and insisted she get to choose if she wanted to marry him or not. 2.5 stars
Third story, No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton - Once you get past the unbelievable encounter at the coach house this is really cute. I giggled while reading it. 4 stars
Fourth Story, The Duke's Christmas Wish by Vivienne Lorret - A really cute idea not executed very well. Why have two smart MCs who for some unexplained reason become tongue-tied when ever the other one is within ten feet? Even if they can't see them, they "know they must be near" and can't speak. It means they never talk to each other, which makes for a dull story. I was very disappointed that the fun premise didn't go anywhere. 1 star
Short answer - save your money, pick this one up at the library and read the third story and maybe the second if you're in the mood. Otherwise, don't bother.
December 12, 2017
I picked this up because of Lisa Kleypas but my favourite novella turned out to be Megan Frampton's.
Individual ratings:
- I Will (Lisa Kleypas): 2.5*
- Deck the Halls With Love (Lorraine Heath): 3*
- No Groom at the Inn (Megan Frampton): 4*
- The Duke's Christmas Wish (Vivienne Lorret): 2*
Individual ratings:
- I Will (Lisa Kleypas): 2.5*
- Deck the Halls With Love (Lorraine Heath): 3*
- No Groom at the Inn (Megan Frampton): 4*
- The Duke's Christmas Wish (Vivienne Lorret): 2*
October 8, 2018
3.5 stars
April 5, 2023
Great for the season.
My favorite was Vivienne Lorret's story! I love the main and side characters so much! They were both bluestockings and when they talked you saw Sparks fly! Amazing story and series.
My favorite was Vivienne Lorret's story! I love the main and side characters so much! They were both bluestockings and when they talked you saw Sparks fly! Amazing story and series.
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November 19, 2017When will I learn to skip Christmas anthologies? I JUST CAN'T HELP MYSELF.
I Will (Lisa Kleypas)- No rating as I skipped this one since I find rakes boring.
Deck the Halls with Love (Lorraine Heath)- 2 stars. Decent character development for a short. There was no indication that the H was a rake, reformed or otherwise. I️ didn’t like how the author made the OM a seedy sort, but I️ guess it was to make the reader ok with the fact that
No Groom at the Inn (Megan Frampton)- No rating as I skipped this one due to my annoyance by plots predicated by the LIE, and a selfish one at that.
The Duke's Christmas Wish (Vivienne Lorret)- 1 star. This was boring. It featured insta-love, characters that lacked development, and a ridiculous premise. I suppose a geeky, science-minded duke who finds love outside of his "marriage formula" could have been cute, but I found him boring instead. And the little detail that the H's presence rendered the h speechless, dizzy, swoony, and all manner of ridiculous things annoyed me.
I Will (Lisa Kleypas)- No rating as I skipped this one since I find rakes boring.
Deck the Halls with Love (Lorraine Heath)- 2 stars. Decent character development for a short. There was no indication that the H was a rake, reformed or otherwise. I️ didn’t like how the author made the OM a seedy sort, but I️ guess it was to make the reader ok with the fact that
No Groom at the Inn (Megan Frampton)- No rating as I skipped this one due to my annoyance by plots predicated by the LIE, and a selfish one at that.
The Duke's Christmas Wish (Vivienne Lorret)- 1 star. This was boring. It featured insta-love, characters that lacked development, and a ridiculous premise. I suppose a geeky, science-minded duke who finds love outside of his "marriage formula" could have been cute, but I found him boring instead. And the little detail that the H's presence rendered the h speechless, dizzy, swoony, and all manner of ridiculous things annoyed me.
November 17, 2017
Review to come
September 28, 2017
A Christmas to Remember is a collection of Christmas stories written by Lisa Kleypas, Lorraine Heath, Megan Frampton and Vivienne Lorret.
I Will by Lisa Kleypas
After being cut from his dying father's will, Andrew, Lord Drake has to prove that he can be a responsible man in order for his father to reinstate him. One of the best ways to do that is to pretend that he wants to settle down with a very respectable woman. That woman is his friend's sister Caroline Hargreaves.
Caroline thinks he is insane to think she could pretend to be in love with him when in fact she despises him. She believes he is a bad influence on her brother. When he promises to stop her brother from gambling and drinking, she agrees to help him. Their time together shows each of them in a different light to the other which leaves them both shocked.
This story is a beautiful feel good one that highlights that first impressions don't necessarily show a person in their true light. I enjoyed seeing the characters begin to have feelings for each other. When they did give in to their new emotions their intimacy and passion knew no bounds.
Deck the Halls With Love by Lorraine Heath
Alistair Wakefield, the Marquess of Chetwyn, despite obligation having got in the way, has never stopped loving Lady Meredith Hargreaves. He couldn't explain why he had to stop their courtship and Meredith was devastated.
Time has moved on, Meredith is betrothed to another when Alistair is relieved of his obligation and is free to court her again, free to marry her. Is she in love with her betrothed, or does he have a chance to beg her forgiveness and win her back?
I loved this story, Alistair is such a wonderful man, not many would put obligation to somebody else before their own happiness. I am glad he got a second chance with Meredith.
No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton
James Archer is an adventurer, he hates to stay in one place for any length of time. He loves to travel and his job is to find and buy antiquities for other people. His mother misses him terribly because he is hardly home, and she is forever asking him when he is going to settle down and get married. It's something he believes he never wants to do. When his mother arranges for them to attend a house party he knows that it will be full of single women and comes up with the idea of stopping his mother in her tracks at matchmaking. He tells her he is already betrothed. detests his mother’s matchmaking ways.
Lady Sophronia Bettesford is in a coaching Inn waiting for the mail coach to arrive to take her to a relative who will take her in now that her father has passed away and left her without the means to look after herself. James happens upon her in the Inn when he goes in search of a drink, he sees she is on her own and looks like a decent enough woman. He implores her to be his pretend fiance for a month. She agrees for a price, thankful that she doesn't have to go live with her relative after all. They both believe they have the perfect answer to their individual problems but neither count on falling in love with each other.
This was a nice paced, one that had me smiling a lot because of the really fun scenes including the games that the characters played at the party. There was a lovely collection of supporting characters in this story, not least James' mother, I thought she was a darling and I love how well she and Sophronia get on.
The Duke's Christmas wish by Vivian Lorret
The Duke has to hold a ball and house party, which everybody believes is where he will be looking for a bride. In actual fact, he is using his guests in an experiment in which he is sure to prove his latest invention. That of the perfect formula for a perfect marriage. Enter Miss Ivy Sutherland, a woman who believes herself fully on the shelf. She is only attending the ball because she wants to help her friend find a husband.
The Duke, of course, finds himself interested in Ivy but he fights the attraction tooth and nail because if he were to fall for her then it would prove his marriage formula a failure. Ivy is attracted to the Duke too, but she fights her feelings because, one, she is supposed to be matching him up with her friend, and two, she believes she isn't good enough for him.
The story that follows is about the relationship that forms between them despite the reasons it shouldn't.
I really enjoyed this story, apart from the romance and the obligatory tear-jerking scenes, there were some very funny light-hearted moments which had me laughing out loud.
This anthology of Christmas stories was a perfect mix of characters and situations to make the reader absolutely get into the Christmas spirit. It is only September as I write this, and I could quite happily get the Christmas decorations out now. Each story was just right in length, and each one held my attention from beginning to end.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers' copy of this book.
4 Stars
I Will by Lisa Kleypas
After being cut from his dying father's will, Andrew, Lord Drake has to prove that he can be a responsible man in order for his father to reinstate him. One of the best ways to do that is to pretend that he wants to settle down with a very respectable woman. That woman is his friend's sister Caroline Hargreaves.
Caroline thinks he is insane to think she could pretend to be in love with him when in fact she despises him. She believes he is a bad influence on her brother. When he promises to stop her brother from gambling and drinking, she agrees to help him. Their time together shows each of them in a different light to the other which leaves them both shocked.
This story is a beautiful feel good one that highlights that first impressions don't necessarily show a person in their true light. I enjoyed seeing the characters begin to have feelings for each other. When they did give in to their new emotions their intimacy and passion knew no bounds.
Deck the Halls With Love by Lorraine Heath
Alistair Wakefield, the Marquess of Chetwyn, despite obligation having got in the way, has never stopped loving Lady Meredith Hargreaves. He couldn't explain why he had to stop their courtship and Meredith was devastated.
Time has moved on, Meredith is betrothed to another when Alistair is relieved of his obligation and is free to court her again, free to marry her. Is she in love with her betrothed, or does he have a chance to beg her forgiveness and win her back?
I loved this story, Alistair is such a wonderful man, not many would put obligation to somebody else before their own happiness. I am glad he got a second chance with Meredith.
No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton
James Archer is an adventurer, he hates to stay in one place for any length of time. He loves to travel and his job is to find and buy antiquities for other people. His mother misses him terribly because he is hardly home, and she is forever asking him when he is going to settle down and get married. It's something he believes he never wants to do. When his mother arranges for them to attend a house party he knows that it will be full of single women and comes up with the idea of stopping his mother in her tracks at matchmaking. He tells her he is already betrothed. detests his mother’s matchmaking ways.
Lady Sophronia Bettesford is in a coaching Inn waiting for the mail coach to arrive to take her to a relative who will take her in now that her father has passed away and left her without the means to look after herself. James happens upon her in the Inn when he goes in search of a drink, he sees she is on her own and looks like a decent enough woman. He implores her to be his pretend fiance for a month. She agrees for a price, thankful that she doesn't have to go live with her relative after all. They both believe they have the perfect answer to their individual problems but neither count on falling in love with each other.
This was a nice paced, one that had me smiling a lot because of the really fun scenes including the games that the characters played at the party. There was a lovely collection of supporting characters in this story, not least James' mother, I thought she was a darling and I love how well she and Sophronia get on.
The Duke's Christmas wish by Vivian Lorret
The Duke has to hold a ball and house party, which everybody believes is where he will be looking for a bride. In actual fact, he is using his guests in an experiment in which he is sure to prove his latest invention. That of the perfect formula for a perfect marriage. Enter Miss Ivy Sutherland, a woman who believes herself fully on the shelf. She is only attending the ball because she wants to help her friend find a husband.
The Duke, of course, finds himself interested in Ivy but he fights the attraction tooth and nail because if he were to fall for her then it would prove his marriage formula a failure. Ivy is attracted to the Duke too, but she fights her feelings because, one, she is supposed to be matching him up with her friend, and two, she believes she isn't good enough for him.
The story that follows is about the relationship that forms between them despite the reasons it shouldn't.
I really enjoyed this story, apart from the romance and the obligatory tear-jerking scenes, there were some very funny light-hearted moments which had me laughing out loud.
This anthology of Christmas stories was a perfect mix of characters and situations to make the reader absolutely get into the Christmas spirit. It is only September as I write this, and I could quite happily get the Christmas decorations out now. Each story was just right in length, and each one held my attention from beginning to end.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers' copy of this book.
4 Stars
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December 1, 2025I just realized that I've read two of these before, Kleypas and Heath, so I actually had a blast going through the very first year I did booktube, 2022, and watched my thoughts for Vlogmas!
Lisa Kleypas' "I Will": ⭐️⭐️⭐️
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fovGm...
Book 2.5 of the Capitol Theater series
I enjoyed this, but it was BONKERS! Andrew needs to get in good standing with his father before his father dies (so he can get his inheritance, I believe). Andrew believes the best way to do this is to find a spinster who is willing to a fake courtship. Surprise surprise, feelings between Andrew and Caro (Caroline) develop! What follows is soap opera-level melo-drama, hijinks, and some very interesting love making. It wasn't QUITE for me. I never understood why Caro even liked Andrew. But it was entertaining!
Lorraine Heath's "Deck the Halls with Love": ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKwhN...
Book 2.5 of The Lost Lords of Pembrook series
This was my first experience with Lorraine Heath (in 2022) and I'm an official fan! This is a second chance romance done well. (It's so hard to get that right!) I thought the writing was stellar, whimsical and classic. I loved the love scenes. I adored the Christmas vibes and the fact that they get snowed in together in a CASTLE!! So much fun!!
Megan Frampton's "No Groom at the Inn": ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a new one for me in 2025. We have a pleasant but maybe not a super compelling story. Sophronia was devastated at having to live with her cousin until a handsome stranger offers her a way out: a fake betrothal during a month-long Christmas house party. I loved how Frampton wove words and the heroine's intelligence into the story, but the actual romance felt lacking. The ending was a happy one, though. This was one of the only instances I can remember actually liking one of the mother characters, too. (Why is this so rare, LOL?)
Vivienne Lorret's "The Duke's Christmas Wish": ⭐️⭐️
I loved the castle setting. The two MCs were likable enough. But the chemistry was lacking between these two cerebral people who were pretty much unable to interact, due to shyness. I appreciated a scientist hero, who attempts to figure out the perfect formula for marriage, but overall this story had trouble maintaining my attention, and was overall fairly lackluster.
Lisa Kleypas' "I Will": ⭐️⭐️⭐️
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fovGm...
Book 2.5 of the Capitol Theater series
I enjoyed this, but it was BONKERS! Andrew needs to get in good standing with his father before his father dies (so he can get his inheritance, I believe). Andrew believes the best way to do this is to find a spinster who is willing to a fake courtship. Surprise surprise, feelings between Andrew and Caro (Caroline) develop! What follows is soap opera-level melo-drama, hijinks, and some very interesting love making. It wasn't QUITE for me. I never understood why Caro even liked Andrew. But it was entertaining!
Lorraine Heath's "Deck the Halls with Love": ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKwhN...
Book 2.5 of The Lost Lords of Pembrook series
This was my first experience with Lorraine Heath (in 2022) and I'm an official fan! This is a second chance romance done well. (It's so hard to get that right!) I thought the writing was stellar, whimsical and classic. I loved the love scenes. I adored the Christmas vibes and the fact that they get snowed in together in a CASTLE!! So much fun!!
Megan Frampton's "No Groom at the Inn": ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a new one for me in 2025. We have a pleasant but maybe not a super compelling story. Sophronia was devastated at having to live with her cousin until a handsome stranger offers her a way out: a fake betrothal during a month-long Christmas house party. I loved how Frampton wove words and the heroine's intelligence into the story, but the actual romance felt lacking. The ending was a happy one, though. This was one of the only instances I can remember actually liking one of the mother characters, too. (Why is this so rare, LOL?)
Vivienne Lorret's "The Duke's Christmas Wish": ⭐️⭐️
I loved the castle setting. The two MCs were likable enough. But the chemistry was lacking between these two cerebral people who were pretty much unable to interact, due to shyness. I appreciated a scientist hero, who attempts to figure out the perfect formula for marriage, but overall this story had trouble maintaining my attention, and was overall fairly lackluster.
December 12, 2024
I don't know how to give this book an overall star rating because it is made up of 4 novellas, and each one would receive a wildly different star rating from me. So I'll rank them individually.
I Will by Lisa Kleypas 5 Stars
Steamiest of the bunch, but also the least Christmas vibes. My favorite of the books included in this anthology. Your tracking along with this book and it feels very standard Kleypas, but then the last 25% takes you on a bananas and comical journey. Closest Christmas movie vibes would be National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
Deck the Halls with Love by Lorraine Heath 4 Stars
This story was the shortest, but Heath manages to fit a lot in for a mere 63 pages. This one feels more wintery than specifically Christmasy. I enjoyed the story.
No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton 3 Stars
This one is great for fans of word play and the game of Balderdash, the author starts each chapter with your own little Balderdash opportunity. This book had the highest Christmas vibes in the book. The MMC's job is "treasure-hunter" aka Colonialism and so that sort of creates a yucky vibe that was hard to get over.
The Duke's Christmas Wish by Vivienne Loren 2 Stars
This was my least favorite of the 4, mostly because it was pretty boring and long. It is kissing only. The romance didn't have a lot of emotional connection, and it was a yawn. The most interesting part was how the Duke was on the forefront of elevators and flush toilets.
I Will by Lisa Kleypas 5 Stars
Steamiest of the bunch, but also the least Christmas vibes. My favorite of the books included in this anthology. Your tracking along with this book and it feels very standard Kleypas, but then the last 25% takes you on a bananas and comical journey. Closest Christmas movie vibes would be National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
Deck the Halls with Love by Lorraine Heath 4 Stars
This story was the shortest, but Heath manages to fit a lot in for a mere 63 pages. This one feels more wintery than specifically Christmasy. I enjoyed the story.
No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton 3 Stars
This one is great for fans of word play and the game of Balderdash, the author starts each chapter with your own little Balderdash opportunity. This book had the highest Christmas vibes in the book. The MMC's job is "treasure-hunter" aka Colonialism and so that sort of creates a yucky vibe that was hard to get over.
The Duke's Christmas Wish by Vivienne Loren 2 Stars
This was my least favorite of the 4, mostly because it was pretty boring and long. It is kissing only. The romance didn't have a lot of emotional connection, and it was a yawn. The most interesting part was how the Duke was on the forefront of elevators and flush toilets.
October 4, 2017
This was a fun filled holiday read that came just to announce the upcoming holiday season with romance, love, holiday cheer. Each of these ladies have brought wonderful read all on their own. Together the give a gift that was happily received and devoured. A Christmas to Remember Anthology will be remembered for certain by me. I loved the quick reads from each of the authors. The theme all around was love for some it was hard won, for some it was stolen, for some it was convenient, for one a hard hit over the head lesson in love. Love was not sought but the season dictated that it be a gift offered freely. Each one of these reads will find a way to endear your heart to the holiday season and love.
One holiday read at a time.
One holiday read at a time.
November 24, 2017
(Christmas romances are a big "guilty" pleasure of mine...)
There were 4 stories in this book.
I Will by Lisa Kleypas
-The characters were interesting, but the scenario they found themselves in near the conclusion was too WTF for me. Definitely not as good as her full length novels.
Deck the Halls With Love by Lorraine Heath
The Duke's Christmas Wish by Vivienne Lorret
-Both okay, entertaining enough, not very memorable.
No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton
-Five stars, I loved the humorous tone and the characters. While I wished it was a full length novel it still felt complete as a short story. I liked this one so much I ordered one of her full length books to try.
There were 4 stories in this book.
I Will by Lisa Kleypas
-The characters were interesting, but the scenario they found themselves in near the conclusion was too WTF for me. Definitely not as good as her full length novels.
Deck the Halls With Love by Lorraine Heath
The Duke's Christmas Wish by Vivienne Lorret
-Both okay, entertaining enough, not very memorable.
No Groom at the Inn by Megan Frampton
-Five stars, I loved the humorous tone and the characters. While I wished it was a full length novel it still felt complete as a short story. I liked this one so much I ordered one of her full length books to try.
February 13, 2021
I gave up on this...I was over it in the next to last story & the lid slammed shut with the last one I didn't even bother to finish it. I never knew short stories could drag on so long. Save yourself, skip this one.
December 26, 2019
I liked all of these but I hate how short they were! Novellas are the bane of my existence. Still, sweet and enjoyable stories, nothing extreme.
November 28, 2023
This book has four short romances that take place around Christmas. They're all pretty mediocre, I don't think they were worth the time it took to read them.
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