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The worst part about this anthology is its massive size. 27 novellas is a lot to work through, and the similarities between them are accentuated the further you get. Most of these Christmas romances are set in the Regency era, but some forays are into the Medieval, Victorian, and Edwardian eras.
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This book is a suspense-filled ride from start to finish. Whether dodging Black Friday shoppers or hunting down the people who took her pack, Mercy is on a mission. It is neat getting a better look at Mercy’s world’s politics as she toes the line between human and supernatural.
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Clara’s Soldier is a haunting rendition of The Nutcracker set at the end of World War II. Clara is waiting for her soldier, James, to come home from the war even after nearly everyone else has given up hope. This tale is darker than the original, but Godfather Drosselmeyer’s Christmas Magic still has a part to play.
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This book was a mixed bag for me. The opening story was engaging, and the authors clearly put a lot of effort into building this vibrant world. Still, lacking background information, crazy tonal shifts, and shoehorned in extraneous details made it very hard to follow all the way through.
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My True Love Gave to Me has a cute concept, and it works very well. The gifts are very inventive and entertaining. Sadly, the ongoing lack of communication between the lead characters spoiled the story for me.
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I expected this book to be four or five stars in the early chapters. Sadly, it hit a brick wall and went from fun fluffiness to angsty drama around the halfway point. The second half of the book took me nearly twice as long as the first because I would keep putting it down.
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I picked up this anthology for the Suzanne Enoch story. Sadly, it was the only one that I truly enjoyed.
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The Princess Bride has been one of my favorite movies for decades. The book has been languishing on my bookshelf for nearly as long. While what makes the film great is there, numerous extraneous tangents and long expository interludes ruin the book’s flow and destroy the experience.
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I usually have trouble with anthologies because they tend to be a mixed bag. This one is no different, and it was hard to keep going because I didn’t like the first three novellas. Fortunately, some standouts are worth reading. Four Calling Cards, Eight Ships A’sailing, and Nine Years ‘Til Christmas were my favorites.
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The premise made this book look intriguing, but it was never able to hold my interest. The main characters were too wishy-washy for me to like, and plot lines were either not fleshed out or left unresolved.
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