A Mistletoe Kiss by Eloisa James — 4 stars
This nailed a few favorite tropes. Cressie might belong on the BBW shelf, but I suspect she is just voluptuous, though her awful father does call her plump. While not exactly an overheard insult, the hero’s unintentionally cruel words get repeated to the heroine, which made for some lovely angst and groveling. My only real complain is the instalove. Perhaps if they had had more of a relationship over the years, I could have bought it, but all it really did was make me think Cressie was totally right to dismiss Elias. But at least that lead to more groveling! Good stuff, going to probably be a regular reread when looking for trop fluff.


Wishing Under the Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell — stars



Compromise Under the Mistletoe by Janna MacGregor — stars



Mischief & Mistletoe by Erica Ridley — stars

I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an advance reader copy of this story.

Mistletoe Christmas is a holiday anthology with 4 stories all taking place at the same house party. This kind of cooperation between the four authors must have been time consuming and hair pulling. To their credit it works. The Duke of Greystoke is throwing what may be his last Christmas gala house party. No one has a clue that his poor overworked, overlooked daughter is the mastermind behind the event of the season. Cressie's story is heartbreaking, he own father refuses to see her worth and it's warped her sense of self. Thank goodness she gets her HEA, though it's a rough journey. My favorite is the last in the quartet, Louisa lives in her head like so many of us do. She manages to get through social situations by bringing out her "automaton", the polite façade that follows all the rules and never puts a foot out of line. Gosh it sounded familiar. The Duke's amazing party turns out to be the setting for four lovely HEA's that are well deserved. I found the all to be a delightful way to spend the day.
#MistletoeChristmas #EloisaJames #ChristiCaldwell #JannaMacGregor #EricaRidley #Christmas #romance HarperCollins ( )

Mistletoe Christmas
An Anthology

Manipulation in the extreme by a difficult dying older man sees four rather unhappy women achieve unexpected happiness in this holiday romance anthology.

A MISTLETOE KISS by Eloisa James
Cressida has been kept back and kept down by her father but manages to come into her own as she manages the Revelry and is “seen” as she truly is by Elias. I liked watching Cressida emerge from her cocoon and Elias become aware of her and what he truly wanted for his future.

WISHING UNDR THE MISTLETOE by Christie Caldwell
Isabelle and Cyrus have spent ten years apart after a broken betrothal in this scrooge-like holiday second chance romance. Both were in the wrong ten years before but thankfully it all comes right at the end of the story.

COMPROMISE UNDER THE MISTLETOE by Janna MacGregor
Caroline and Stephen have been apart for a year when it becomes imperative for them to appear to be happily wedded. I liked the chemistry between this couple, wished they had been able to better communicate earlier, and was happy with how they managed things in the end.

MISCHIEF & MISTLETOE by Erica Ridley
Louisa and Ewan are an unlikely couple though there is attraction between them. The trouble all who read it seem to have is “the secret” Ewan carries around with him – one that is rather unpleasant, actually. I am not sure I would be as forgiving as Louisa was but did enjoy the story.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by these authors? Yes

NOTE: I really REALLY did not like Greystoke…the manipulative dying older man pulling the strings. I am curious about Val and wonder if HE might show up in a book of his own and if so…which author will write it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars ( )

I received an ARC of this book to read through Edelweiss+. All opinions are my own. Mistletoe Christmas is an anthology of four holiday novellas connected by location and some shared characters. The stories all occur at the Duke of Greystoke’s annual Revelry, the most sought-after Christmas house party. A Mistletoe Kiss by Eloisa James features Lady Cressida, the duke's youngest daughter, who is secretly the creator of all the magic at the house party. It’s her imagination and creativity that make the event the source of delight that it is, and it’s also the reason she’s never really had a chance to be anything but a wallflower as her father is not about to give up any of the credit or allow her to have a life of her own. Lord Darcy de Royleston, upon whom Cressida has a secret crush, never really noticed her until her cousin suggests that he marry her, and so he looks at her, and she’s exactly who he’s been looking for if only he can convince her of the same.
Wishing Under the Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell is the story of one of Cressida’s cousins Lady Isabelle Wilkshire who many years ago was engaged to Cyrus Hill, the son of the stable master and now a well respected financial advisor, but he was so busy chasing his fortune that she ended the engagement because there was never any time for her in his life. They meet again at the revelry, older and wiser; perhaps they can find their way back to what they once had.
Compromise Under The Mistletoe by Janna MacGregor is the story of Caroline Witmore (another Greystoke cousin) and Lord Stephen Witmore, her estranged husband. In order to receive a trust from her uncle she must convince his solicitor that the marriage has been repaired and they are a couple again. So a bit of fake relationship, second chance at love and only one bed. Mischief and Mistletoe by Erica Ridley is the story of Louisa Harcourt who grew up next door to the Greystokes and is a close family friend and Ewan Reid supposed poet who’s hiding a secret that when revealed may end any chance of a Happy Ever After for the couple. I enjoyed these stories very much and do recommend reading them. They will definitely put you in the holiday mood. Steam Level: Medium Publishing Date: September 28, 2021.
#MistletoeChristmas #HolidayAnthology #HistoricalRomanceAnthology #RomanceAnthology #RomanceReader #HistoricalRomanceReader #EloisaJames #ChristiCaldwell #EricaRidley #JannaMacGregor #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #AvonRomance #HarperCollinsCanada ( )

This. Was. Amazing. If I could rate it higher, I would. I love that all the stories revolve around the same party, with a different set of characters taking the spotlight each time. I got so wrapped up in the stories I felt like I was transported back in time, watching it all unfold. Although I loved all 4, if I had to pick one favorite, I would have to go with Wishing Under the Mistletoe. A second chance romance, there was just something about it that hit right. Normally I wouldn't be into reading holiday stories so early in the fall, but this definitely lifted my spirits and brought some cheer to my life. You won't want to pass this one up! ( )