Mistletoe Christmas audiobook

A really solid Christmas anthology with four good-to-great novellas! The collection includes an overarching setting - all of them take place at the Duke of Greystoke's Christmas Revelry, which seems to be a house party that sets the tone for Society for the year to come.Eloisa James: 3.5 stars. James is a very good writer, and her clear, fun prose shines. The romance itself moves very quickly and includes some questionable choices - the hero shares a touching(?) story about how he met the heroine ... when she was 6 and he was 15. Not sure that was the foundation of a lasting love, especially since he doesn't seem to remember her now that they've both grown up.20-Word Summaries:Meg: You might not’ve been looking for a wife, but when your best friend suggests his plain cousin, you say “Sure!” ⁠⁠Laine: Reluctant party planner loses her dowry so her dad can throw posthumous parties. Luckily her cousin's BFF realizes she'll suit.⁠Christi Caldwell: 4 stars. This novella is a fun second-chance romance reminiscent of A Christmas Carol - but if Scrooge and Belle managed to reconcile after a decade apart. It's a sweet story that includes amateur theatricals, lots of late-night conversations, and a very sexy piano-top hookup.Janna MacGregor: 3.5 stars. If you like marriage in crisis, this is the novella for you! Caroline left her husband one year ago because he just didn't appreciate her. She's only back now because she thinks that by convincing her family she and her husband have reconciled she will receive an inheritance earlier than usual. Her husband, of course, has been in love with her the whole time. The novella seems to point out the importance of knowing your partner's love language (The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts) and also includes a "snowed in with my husband" scene that was pretty perfect.Erica Ridley: 4 stars. This novella focuses on a wallflower poet whose mother is determined to get her off the shelf. In her last moments as a free woman, she decides to approach another poet at the house party. But he's got secrets of his own - about his poetry but also about his connection with her. A+ grand gesture.This objective review is based on a complimentary copy.

Mistletoe Christmas is an anthology consisting of four stories, all set in England, 1815, and evolving around the Duke of Greystoke's Annual Christmas Revelry, always the most sought after party invitation of the season. The stories are written by four different authors, Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, and Erica Ridley. All four stories transport us to Regency England at Christmas time. In A Mistletoe Kiss, by Eloisa James, the main character, Cressida, is the long-suffering victim of her abusive father, the Duke of Greystoke, who has used her for years to plan his famous Revelry. Cressida's growth as a person and evolving ability to see her true self and gain some confidence was well done. The romance with Elias was a little over the top as he suddenly and instantly fell in love with her although he'd known her for years. It was a touch unbelievable, but overall it was a very nice romance. 4 stars.Wishing Under The Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell brings a little of "A Christmas Carol" vibe. Isabelle and Cyrus's relationship ended because he became completely wrapped up in the idea of amassing a fortune, supposedly for her. Ten years later, they meet again at the Revelry and sparks are still flying. This is the story of how an "Ebenezer Scrooge" type of character has a chance to get his lost love back. I found it a satisfying Christmas story. 5 stars.Compromise Under the Mistletoe by Janna MacGregor is the story of a marriage torn apart. Caroline and Stephen are reunited at the Christmas Revelry. They have to pretend to be a happy couple for the Duke so Caroline can gain access to her trust fund. I found this to be a bit much. The reason for reuniting was to get money, and the reason they broke up in the first place was because Caroline wasn't getting enough attention. It all seemed simple and selfish, and not in any way based on a real marriage. 2.5 stars.Mischief and Mistletoe by Erica Ridley is a well done story of Miss Louisa Harcourt, who is told by her mother that the Revelry is her last chance to find a husband. Determined to make her mother happy. Louisa entertains her less than ideal marriage candidates, although her real desire is to write and publish poetry. When she meets Ewan, a fellow poet, at the Revelry, she faces a choice between happiness and duty. I really enjoyed this one as it showcased a woman with interests and ambitions other than marriage. 5 stars.Overall, this anthology earns four stars. It transports us to the Christmas season. I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.

A Mistletoe KissI had a hard time with this one because I was SO MAD at Cressida’s father. Hid her away for years, put her down, took advantage of her, and then took credit for her brilliance! No wonder she doesn’t believe Elias in the beginning! He just happens to start wooing her, start seeing her as a person and a lady, after her cousin offers him money to marry her. Hmph, I’m outraged on her behalf. She is wonderful! Elias is used to the women of the world falling about his feet, but suddenly the one woman he wants to marry has no interest in him! It was fun watching him have to scramble and grow rather than just have the world handed to him because he’s handsome and rich! 4 starsWishing Under the MistletoeOk Isabelle and Cyrus’ story is so freaking wonderful!! They were betrothed ten years ago but drifted apart while waiting to marry. Both of them were hurt and walked away from each other, never to see the other again….until now. Ten years means a lot of growing, but are they able to see past the hurt to begin again? I love Isabelle and how firm she was in not accepting less than she deserves, and for making a life for herself that was more than being a dukes granddaughter. Such a lovely story! 5 starsCompromise Under the MistletoeCaroline and Stephen’s story was nice, though a bit frustrating. They spent so much time not communicating, and then not communicating effectively, I just wanted to scream. I liked that Caroline left to make a life for herself when she felt she wasn’t being appreciated, and I love that what she wanted to do was make a space to support other women. Still, overall frustrating and I can’t stand the Duke, I am disliking him more and more as this book progresses. 3 starsMischief and Mistletoe I enjoyed Louisa’s story, even if I hated the secret that Ewan kept. Also, loathed how pushy her mother was, forceful about who she needed to marry and the means by which she should accomplish them. Louisa though, was a lovely person, shy but courageous, with a lovely soul. I did enjoy Ewan outside of the secret. He was thoughtful and giving and able to laugh at himself. 4 stars

The annual Christmas Revelry hosted by the Duke of Greystoke has become notorious throughout England for its creative entertainments, and even more so the scandals and hasty marriages that often result after the two-week-long house party. The true mastermind behind the Revelry is the duke’s daughter, Lady Cressida, who goes unnoticed by most and is relegated to the position of spinster by her own father, until her cousin’s friend begins to see her in a new light. Her cousin, Lady Isabelle, is more interested in finally directing the annual pantomime than in marriage, especially after the dissolution of her engagement to her beloved ten years ago. Lady Caroline Whitmore is less than happily married, but she and her estranged husband, Lord Stephen, must pretend all is well if she hopes to receive her inheritance. Perhaps no one dreads the festivities as much as Miss Louisa Harcourt, whose mother has decreed that she must marry before the end of the fortnight. Possibilities are endless with such a large house so full of mistletoe and charming activities.A Mistletoe Kiss by Eloisa James: 4.5 starsLady Cressida has been overlooked for years because the Revelry’s execution and planning have consumed her life. Her father has claimed the Revelry and its influence as his legacy and has made sure Cressie has appeared as somewhat less than desirable to potential suitors, so she’d be forced to stay in his home and run it. When he gives her dowry estate to her cousin, that is the last straw. Fortunately, her cousin is somewhat of a matchmaker himself and quietly pushes his friend Elias, Lord Darcy de Royleston, into Cressie’s path. Elias almost immediately realizes there is much more to Cressie than anyone has noticed but getting her to believe in and return his regard is no easy feat.This was a charming story as Cressie learned to see herself as more than the box her father had pushed her into and to have confidence in herself despite the hateful things he said to her. I loved how Elias was so doggedly determined to open Cressie’s eyes to his real feelings and that he stood up for her to others. This was probably my favorite story of the collection.Wishing under the Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell: 4 starsThe fact that Cyrus Hill was merely the stablemaster’s son never mattered to Lady Isabelle. The two were always fast friends and she loved him with her whole heart, a sentiment he returned. But once the two became engaged, Cyrus became obsessed with his work and in an effort to amass great wealth and give Isabelle the life he felt she deserved. None of that mattered to Isabelle who grew tired of waiting for Cyrus’ attention and broke the engagement to pursue her passion for playwriting. Now, ten years later, the two are thrown together as partners in planning the Revelry’s annual pantomime. Much to their chagrin, the passion of old still exists between them, but they both know that’s not always enough.This was a sweet second chance story and I loved that both Cyrus and Isabelle were mature and self-aware enough to realize and acknowledge the role they both played in the dissolution of their engagement. This made their reconciliation all the sweeter as they came to a new understanding and learned from their old mistakes. They were very endearing as a couple, and I was left believing their relationship would be a solid and lasting one. Compromise under the Mistletoe by Janna MacGregor 3/5Lady Caroline Whitmore has been living in London, estranged from her husband, Lord Stephen, for the past year. She is only meeting him now because they must put on a display indicative of matrimonial bliss if she hopes to receive her inheritance from her uncle, the duke. Stephen has missed his wife and is determined to find out where it all went wrong, but Caroline is wary of being hurt again so it will take some effort for these two to meet in the middle.This one was probably my least favorite of the collection, but it was still a solid story. I think the steamy connection between Stephen and Caroline was handled well. The two had always been able to get along well in the bedroom but not outside so I was afraid they would fall into bed too quickly here. Fortunately, that didn’t happen, and we got to see them learn how to communicate in a mature and open way that I found satisfying. Caroline was frustrating for me as she had her guard up so high that Stephen’s efforts at fixing things and trying to talk to her were often shut down before he even got started. Luckily for her, he was very determined and eventually won her over with some middle ground and I was happy to see them both learn to give a little and understand one another more.Mistletoe & Mischief by Erica Ridley 3/5After a couple of failed seasons, shy heiress Louisa Harcourt is firmly on the shelf. Her mother has decreed that she must marry by the end of the party, but all Louisa wants is a quiet corner in which to write her poetry. When she meets brooding poet Ewan Reid, Louisa amends those desires to include holing up in a cozy writing retreat with him. But Ewan has a secret and when Louisa learns the truth, he’s sure she’ll want nothing more to do with him.I didn’t love this story, but I still enjoyed it. I think Louisa’s mother and her ultimatums would’ve proven too much if this had been a full-length novel and her ridiculousness had been allowed to carry on for longer. As it was, having to contend with her in this short story was more than enough, especially when her resistance faded away so unbelievably quickly. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Louisa, who somehow felt a bit flat to me. Ewan had a bit more depth but his inner monologues about his situation with his grandfather and their business grew rather repetitive. I did like Ewan and Louisa as a couple however, and I’m glad their spat upon the revelation of Ewan’s secret didn’t last too long. Ewan also gets bonus points for a great public declaration.Overall, this was an excellent collection with lots of stories that are perfect to curl up and spend a few hours of escape with.I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Mistletoe Kiss by Eloisa James - 5 starsI adored Cressie and Elias's story!Wishing Under the Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell - 5 starsI adored Cyrus and Isabelle's story!!Compromise Under the Mistletoe by Janna MacGregor - 4 starsI really enjoyed Caro and Stephen's story!Mischief and Mistletoe by Erica Ridley - 4 starsI enjoyed Ewan and Louisa's story.Four of my favorite authors, I knew I would be in for a treat! I loved how they were able to weave all four of their stories together and you couldn't tell that they were written by 4 different people. This is a wonderful Christmas treat for my historical romance lover!

This book features a collection of stories that all take place against the backdrop of the Duke of Greystoke’s Christmas Revelry...."Mistletoe Christmas" by Eloisa James is the first short in this anthology and tells the story of the Duke's daughter, Cressenda, who is the actual architect behind the party, even though her father claims all the glory for the exclusive affair. The Duke is selfish and awful (and dying.) He's pushed Cressie to make the party the centerpiece of her life, forcing her to miss out on a real season or a chance to find a husband. He has even given away her dowry in an effort to bribe his heir to keep the party going after his death. And just when she'd given up hope, Elias (friend to the aforementioned heir) decides to make her his wife.This is definitely an instalove story. In just a matter of hours, Elias goes from seeing her as a frumpy nobody to a woman he can't live without. Of course, Cressie has trouble believing him. No one has ever wanted her. It's kind of sad. And this romance moves really fast. But James does a good job setting up this great party and Cressie as a character. Elias... not so much. But I guess it was enough that he was handsome and saw value in Cressie when no one else did.It was... ok.I liked the second story, "Wishing Under the Mistletoe" by Christi Caldwell, a bit more. I find that short stories work better for me when the hero and heroine already have a history. Here, Isabelle and Cyrus are reunited 10 years after they broke off their engagement. The son of a servant, Cyrus was more focused on making money than his fiancee, and as the granddaughter of a duke, she couldn't see outside of her own life experiences to understand why.Fate (or maybe some well meaning loved ones) throw them together on a project for the Revelry and all their old feelings come rushing back. I felt like Cyrus was a bit more in the wrong in their past than Isabelle was, and she had to do a little more work to give them their HEA, but overall, I enjoyed the journey. (Like I said before, class differences are like catnip for me.)"Compromise Under the Mistletoe" by Janna MacGregor was another second chance at love story, and it echoed the previous story a little. Unlike Isabelle and Cyrus, Stephen and Caroline are married, but estranged. She left him a year earlier because (like Cyrus) he was inattentive and too focused on his work. Other than their time in the bedroom, he treated her like an afterthought. They reunite at the Revelry so she can try to convince the duke to release her trust early. The only catch... she and Stephen have to convince the old man they are a happy couple first.It rang a little hollow for me after reading such a similar-themed story right before it. And like Isabelle, Caro takes on some of the blame for their problems, though Stephen was clearly more in the wrong.Meh."Mischief & Mistletoe" by Erica Ridley was probably my favorite of the short stories. It followed Louisa, a closet-poet with a mother bent on securing her an adventitious match at the party. Ewan is known as a poet, but it's actually just a cover story so he can do his real work as a gossip writer for his grandfather's newspaper. I'm not a big fan of a big secret trope, but I did like the dynamic between the hero and heroine. Plus, I almost always prefer a hero in trade to a lord.Overall, a solid collection of historical shorts.

✨Eloisa went hard on this novella.✨I was too lazy to write down quotes and I hate myself for it. Idk but it reminded me of it’s a wonderful life. He had George Bailey energy.Eloise’s story was absolutely perfect. Jilted woman, woefully-unobservant-until-precisely-the-right-moment man, everything. It’s the type of novella in an anthology that would make it five stars even if the other stories wished dishonor on your cow. Ms. James went so hard and she did it for us. Tropes: Cousin’s best friend, childhood friends but strangers, groveling. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶/5__________✨The feminine urge to throw myself upon the top step of a staircase and cry in a fancy dress.✨ But in a she’s-sad-now-but-her-broad-shouldered-love-will-kiss-it-better-in-twenty-pages main character type of way. Also ever since Taylor Swift sang it, kiss it better is a main character phrase. I love how they were both flawed and came to grow super naturally and beautifully. Yes my friends, this one made me cry. The ending was just so heartfelt and it was a second chance romance that had me feeling ALL the things. It’s not normally my trope but in this Christmas Carol-esque novella, it totally was. They also made merry use of a pianoforte. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶/5__________✨Two second chance romances in a row was a lot for someone who doesn’t love the trope.✨ I think it would have been better for him to have been the one who’d left. Caroline’s reasoning a lot of the time was her never telling him how she was feeling and the whole thing about her money/trust was kinda useless bc she would have had it in a year and they could’ve made it work until then. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶🌶🌶/5__________✨Apparently I’m just a bad person because all of these self-sacrificing characters willing to have a life of unhappiness to make someone else happy just…don’t do it for me.✨I just wasn’t really a fan of this last story. It ended very cute and the parental figures in their lives made a turn around, but I’m never a fan of such self sacrificing characters. I get it was the time but I also just get so exhausted and this was a short novella! Not very steamy at all compared to the rest of the stories. If I would have read a full novel of this I simply don’t think I would have had a good time. I did like the premise of it and was intrigued. I don’t understand though how he got away with never publishing a poem of his lol. Also Derham’s character wasn’t very consistent throughout the stories. I couldn’t decide if I liked him or didn’t and I definitely thought he’d get a story. ⭐️⭐️.75/5 🌶🌶/5__________Overall, I would buy this book for the first two novellas. Give the others a shot but I think the pick and choose nature of anthologies is a draw not a deterrent. It followed the same house party and all characters were connected in some way, shape or form. Eloisa’s was my favorite!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️*/5 🌶🌶🌶**/5*I averaged all the ratings for a total of 81% so 4/5 will have to do. **There’s enough sex to satisfy

4 authors, 4 HEA all taking place at one Christmas House Party.Each story was unique and offered very different paths to the HEA.I loved that all of these characters existed during each story. They were all written by different authors but characters crossed over and it worked really really well. The stories didn't feel disjointed or odd together, they were woven together nicely and fit in a perfect anthology of love, passion, dreams, and joy..I have to admit my favorite story was Compromise Under the Mistletoe by MacGregor- a bit of second chance romance mixed with enemies to lovers for this estranged but married couple and of course some Mistletoe kisses!.Definitely recommend for those who love histrom!!

The Duke of Greystoke's annual Christmas Revelry is the setting for unexpected love. Mistletoe, an unexpected suitor, a second chance and a matter of class. A dying Duke controlling the lives of his family does not go as he planned. Four great love stories that embrace the Christmas spirit, by four favorite authors.I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I’m not a huge novella fan. I like looong books with lots of character development and an intricate plot. There is one exception, however. The exception is holiday novellas. Especially the house party variety. Often at the holidays I just need a little escape for ~30 minutes or an hour, and can’t spare the time or mental energy for a good thick novel. Oh yes, a Christmas anthology is *JUST* the thing. I read this one on Labor day, as I have the ARC, but I will almost certainly revisit this anthology during the height of the holiday stress. These are Novellas that can easily be revisited. The best thing about house party themed historicals is that everyone falls head over heels in less than a fortnight. It is so fun!A Mistletoe Kiss by Eloisa James:Eloisa James is a treasure! I loved Cressie! I could not believe how ill she was treated by her father. I really wished the story was longer (I know, I know, that’s ALWAYS my problem with Novellas). The story felt a bit rushed. I did enjoy the characters and loved the setting. Though I felt it was a bit rushed, It was a full story. Every necessary detail is there, and we aren’t left with a bunch of loose ends. It was lovely.Wishing Under the Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell:This one has all of that particular Christi Caldwell magic! Cyrus and Isabelle deserve a second chance as adults with fully formed brains, and boy did Christi deliver. I love every single page. All Cyrus and Isabelle needed was a good conversation. They never stopped loving each other. *swoon*. Truly an excellent novella.Compromise Under the Mistletoe by Janna MacGregor: Caroline and Stephen are another couple here for a second chance. They also could absolutely resolve a lot if they had sat down and had a frank conversation with each other. They need a chance to learn to speak each other’s language, and what better setting for it than a house party!? The story is lovely, the characters are excellent. I had forgotten how much I enjoy Janna MacGregor’s style. I need to go catch up on her back canon. Cannot wait!Mischief & Mistletoe by Erica Ridley: I think this one might have been my favorite in the anthology. Again, Erica Ridley delivers. Louisa is a poet, Ewan is a “poet”. It’s a match made in heaven! Or is it? Dun Dun Duuuun. Secrets and deceptions come close to keeping this pair apart. I thoroughly appreciated Louisa. She is a pragmatic heroine. Ewan could have been a bit more honest with her. I’m not holding a grudge, he made up for it. I love this story. It kept me on my toes for sure. I did not know how Erica was going to make love triumph, but I knew she would. *melodramatic sigh*. This was a lovely note to end the anthology on.If you, like me, absolutely need a quick little bed time read to unwind during the holiday season, or a good launch into the Christmas spirit, grab this book and a warm mug of peppermint tea and settle in!

I enjoyed the fast pace of each story. I was thoroughly entertained by each story. The characters witty and charming. I really loved the romance between the couples. They were the most exciting parts to the stories. The journey in their stories was a treat to read. The collaboration of each authors story was a bonus for this book.

A quartet of novellas all set at the same Christmas house party, the Duke of Greystoke’s infamous Revelry. But the Duke is ailing, and the future of the Revelry is in doubt. A Mistletoe Kiss by Eloisa JamesOh wow, I hated Cressida’s father so much. And in fact her older sisters and her cousin Val, too, for allowing her to be so demeaned and exploited for so long. Elias at least recognised her for the treasure she was, but frankly it took him far too long.There’s an inherent problem in a story like this with a limited time frame. The entire thing takes place over, I think, three days, and it progresses from Elias barely being aware of Cressida’s existence to both of them convinced they are passionately in love with each other… and I’m afraid I just don’t quite buy instalove at that speed. Three stars.Wishing Under The Mistletoe by Christi CaldwellThis second-chance romance is much more my speed. The duke’s granddaughter Isabella was engaged to be married ten years ago to Cyrus, son of the head stableman (which did take quite a lot of suspension of disbelief, to be honest). Cyrus has been educated and is now an investment manager, looking after investments for various rich men, but he’s also become too buried in his work. Isabella calls off the engagement because she’s not prepared to come second to it. When they are reunited at the Revelry and forced to work together, it becomes clear that they’ve both grown up in the intervening years and are now ready to fall in love again.I liked this one a lot and because of the history, it didn’t feel rushed despite the short length… though it really never did get explained just how a duke’s granddaughter was permitted to become engaged to a stablemaster’s son in the first place. I’ll give this one four stars.Compromise Under The Mistletoe by Janna MacGregorAn estranged couple have to pretend to be happily married in another second-chance romance. Caroline walked out on her husband Stephen a year ago because she was tired of being less important to him than apparently everything, including his prize cow Betsey. She wants to open an art exhibition space for women in London, but to do it, she needs the money from her trust… and her uncle the Duke won’t release it unless she and her husband attend his Revelry… and appear to be happily married.Stephen clearly has ulterior motives from the beginning; he wants his wife back. I don’t think we really got enough information on the background to how it all went wrong, and Stephen and Caroline definitely didn’t talk it out properly, but that’s a hazard of such a limited word count. A good story, though. Four stars.Mischief & Mistletoe by Erica RidleyLouisa Harcourt wants nothing more from life than peace and quiet to write her poetry, but her ambitious mother is having none of it. Louisa must find a titled husband at the Revelry… or her mother will select one for her and force a compromise. Heirs to a dukedom and a marquessate are in the mix, but it’s brooding poet Ewan, a plain Mister, who catches Louisa’s eye.Interestingly, this was the one story in the bunch that didn’t feel rushed, and didn’t try to pack too much in. I really liked Ewan and how he appreciated Louisa: there was a significant issue because he was hiding something massive and as usual with men, he waited too long to come clean and got found out. He did follow up with a quite magnificent grovel, though, and I enjoyed the epilogue where we saw how their relationship worked in the real world. My favourite story of this collection: I’ll give it five stars.This collection was one which got better as I went through the stories: the first one was in my opinion the weakest. Most of these authors do normally write full-length and this shorter format does them no favours as they are struggling to get a whole story told in the limited word count: Ridley I know does write novellas (check out her 12 Dukes of Christmas series) and I could really tell because her story felt like the most complete and not rushed. Overall a decent collection with some enjoyable reads. Four stars.Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.