Christmas at Falstone Castle – Sarah M. Eden – The Dowager Duchess of Kielder eagerly anticipates spending Christmas with her son and his family. Though their relationship has been strained, the duchess is determined to heal the chasm. Even with the help of the widowed local vicar, her plan will take a Christmas miracle. But during this magical season, anything is possible . . . even two second … two second chances for love.
The Heart of Christmas – Anita Stansfield – When a chance meeting brings together a gentle seamstress and a widowed banker, each lonely soul finds a first hint of hope. As their lives become entwined, it will take Christmas spirit to guide a broken family to love and healing.
’Tis the Season to Be Daring – Esther Hatch Elizabeth – Davenport has had quite enough of the London Season. Determined to evade a parade of unsuitable suitors, she seeks help from the one gentleman who has no regard for Society’s rules. All of Society knows Lord Hawthorne is not interested in marriage, yet he cannot deny Miss Davenport’s unique charm. And as the Christmas season works its magic, their charade begins to feel less like playacting and more like love.
The Christmas Dress – Joanna Barker – Seamstress Nell Addington is thrilled when her childhood friend Jacob Hammond commissions a dress for his sister. But when Nell realizes her feelings for Jacob run far deeper than friendship, an unexpected snowstorm—and some holiday cheer—may convince them both that love is worth fighting for.
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All Hearts Come Home for Christmas is an enchanting collection of novellas written by four different authors. Not having read any of these authors’ works before I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but each of the stories was delightful. They were easy to read and I truly couldn’t put the book down. I read all four stories in one day. (It was a long day!) All four of the books were set in England, during the late 1700s to early 1800s. Each of the authors has a unique voice and using great dialogue and vivid descriptions, portrayed their characters and their situations well. They are stories about families, reconciliation, and of course, sweet romance. Readers who love stories set at Christmas and full of romance will not want to miss this collection. I definitely will be looking for more books from each of these authors.
I won a copy of an advance reader copy and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.
This is a wonderful collection of incredibly well-written novellas all with a Christmas time setting. I was laughing, crying, and smiling the whole time I read each of these stories. A great Christmas time read, but also a great anytime read. Full of love and hope, I truly enjoyed this book.
It’s always exciting to read and review the first Christmas book of the season. I have several coming up in the next few months. Today I’m happy to tell you about a collection of sweet Regency Christmas stories. The four authors are ones that I’ve read before and love their previous work. They were all stories of promise, hope, and love. I especially loved Christmas at Falstone Castle because I have come to love the Lancaster family that Sarah M. Eden has created. It truly felt like coming home to spend Christmas with family.
After you read, All Hearts Come Home for Christmas, I know it will get you ready and very excited for the holiday season. Each of these short stories was a pleasure to read. They have the perfect balance of humor, romance, hope, love, and forgiveness. All of the authors wrote emotional stories that truly touched me. I highly recommend this Christmas collection for you, your family, and your friends.
Oh, the joy of reading! This book was so much fun to read. Sometimes I get so bogged down in my reading list that I lose track of how much fun it is to read. This collection reminded me of the joy and contentment that come from reading a good book.
This collection of novella’s feature some of my favorite author’s. Particularly, my favorite character of all time. Sarah Eden was brilliant when she created the character of Adam, the Duke of Kielder. “Christmas at Falstone Castle” revealed some of Adams past and laid a basis for his cantankerous, ornery, snarky self. Seriously, I considered the story a heaven of words.
Anita Stansfield’s story was sweet. It made me think of the joy of finding a home and people to love. The spirit of Christmas was present in the story. Self-sacrifice and acceptance of another make the season brighter.
I think I think I may have a little book crush on Charles from Esther Hatch’s story. The characters were light and fun. They were on the daring side of Regency behavior. I couldn’t wait to get back to the story whenever I had to take a break. I was a very unconventional story. I relished every moment of it.
Nell in “The Christmas Dress” was a wonderful character to read about. To continually look at the good part of life even when circumstances haven’t treated you kindly is a gift. Her talents do not stop at being a seamstress. She breathes life back into a family in desperate need of cheer.
My take on this collection? Read it! You won’t be sorry.
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I have a special fondness for Christmas stories. I eagerly gather new ones every year. Combining Christmas with the Regency Era and I was truly excited to read this book. And I was truly delighted by each of the four stories. I smiled throughout Christmas at Falstone Castle as I read about familiar and well-loved characters. I yearned for the characters in The Heart of Christmas to find happiness amidst their loneliness and sadness. I laughed at the antics of Elizabeth and Lord Hawthorne in ‘Tis the Season to Be Daring. And I enjoyed the exchanges between Jacob and Nell in The Christmas Dress. If you enjoy characters old and new, laughter and tenderness, and some great banter all wrapped up with a bow in the Christmas season, I can highly recommend this collection of stories.
I love Christmas holiday books and I’ve read books by most of these authors, so I was really excited to read this! and it was absolutely wonderful!!
All 4 Regency Christmas stories included love, feel good stories. They were all truly wonderful! The short stories were all different with different characters and situations and I honestly liked them all equally. I especially liked “Tis the Season to be Daring” because it made me laugh alot at Elizabeth and Lord Hawthornes wit and banter back and forth.
If you enjoy reading stories in the Regency time period and especially holiday stories, you will LOVE this collection! Highly recommend!
I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
I’m normally not a huge fan of novellas because they seem to just skim the surface of the story and it feels like I don’t get to know the characters very well. I’m happy to say that this book is not like that at all. Each of the stories was well-written and I didn’t feel like they were rushed at all.
The Duke of Kielder is one of my very favorite characters, so I was really excited to read more about his family in Christmas at Falstone Castle, as well as getting to know his mother better. While I loved her story, I was also very happy to get a small glimpse into the lives of the other Lancaster siblings, because let’s be honest, I’ve kind of missed them! I have also decided that I’m going to make “hug horde” a part of my regular vocabulary. (And I’m also not quite so patiently waiting for Artemis’ story to come out.)
In The Heart of Christmas, I enjoyed Addie’s quiet strength and her determination to help the Hardwicke family heal. I’m always a sucker for “Cinderella” stories where people from different classes meet and fall in love, so this story and The Christmas Dress were right up my alley.
I laughed out loud several times in Tis the Season to be Daring, due to Elizabeth and Lord Hawthorne’s antics. The ride in Hyde Park was awesome. I also finally figured out what Snapdragon is, so that was fun.
In The Christmas Dress, aside from being a heart-warming Cinderella story, I always like to read about seamstresses back in those days for some reason. It just fascinates me that all the dresses were painstakingly handmade, so it’s fun to get to know the people who had that talent.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. Definitely one that I highly recommend and that I will read over and over again.
How could I pass up reading this book when it had the Dangerous Duke’s mother in it? I’ve been wondering about her story since the very beginning, and this story will not disappoint. I love getting more insights into this family, and the other families in the series that I love. Eden seldom disappoints and Christmas at Falstone Castle will leave you with happy sighs and a smile on your face. It will also leave you with a desire to reread almost all the series to recall all those great moments this story brings back to mind.
The Heart of Christmas was kind of of miss for me. It was pretty slow moving, and while it was a sweet clean story, I thought that as a novella it should move a little faster. I also didn’t really get the relationship between Addie and Theo. I loved the relationship between Addie and the daughter and grandmother. Those moved along and were believable. Theo was just….I had a hard time getting a read on his personality, and he seemed a little bland, and the romance, while hinted at the entire story, still seemed to come out of nowhere.
Tis the Season to be Daring made me laugh and smile and want to kick Elizabeth all at once. I loved Roses of Feldstone and getting to know Lord Hawthorne made me smile. Everything that was hinted at in Roses of Feldstone was explained, and I loved every minute of it. I enjoyed everything that Elizabeth got into, and I got frustrated at her lack of seeing Lord Hawthorne and his intentions. This is definitely something that I will be reading again and again.
A feel good story is found in The Christmas Dress by Joanna Barker. The pace was believable, the friendships between Nell and Jacobs sister was lovely, and Jacob was a great lead. I enjoyed learning about dressmaking and who doesn’t love a snow storm that gets the main characters together? Needing some holiday cheer? The Christmas Dress is not to be missed.
*I received a copy from the publish. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I was really excited to read Christmas at Falstone Castle. This story is a branch off of Eden’s Lancaster series, which is a series that I love and reread almost yearly. If you enjoy romance, this series is a must. The story had wit, warmth and was very beautifully written. I loved that the story shares the Dowager Duchess of Kielder’s perspective and provides additional narrative on the Lancaster’s lives. I can’t wait to read the next book in the Lancaster series.
The Heart of Christmas was a heart-warming story. I enjoyed the beginning and the ending. The middle of the story felt a little weak to me and needed more editing. At one point one of the characters mentioned that another character told her something when he didn’t. There was also indirect dialogue used for an entire page whereas most of the other parts of the story was exclusively direct dialogue. The direct dialogue was more interesting and appealing. Sometimes, the dialogue seemed more preachy than conversational. With a few minor fixes, it could have been a stronger story.
‘Tis the Season to Be Daring was a hilarious story. I loved it. It was amazing. I was laughing out loud at some of the scenes and I hardly ever laugh out loud. My daughter asked why I was laughing so hard and I tried to explain it to her, but she looked at me like I was crazy. The characters stretch the rules of society and make a mockery of its constraints. This story and the style of it was like a breath of fresh air for the Regency romance genre. I think Hatch may have created a new sub-sub-genre: Regency romance comedy. You can tell that the author had fun writing this story. I can’t wait to see what she does next. This story is a prequel to The Roses of Feldstone.
Please note that I received a free copy of the book to review, however, my opinions are my own.
I totally loved this collection of Christmas stories. It was sweet Reading christmas stories out of christmas time, because it’s my favorite holiday and I felt as if it was christmas for me too!
And also, I loved it because the four author are part of my favorite authors! And I mean, really favorite. I love their other books, even if I haven’t read them all, I’ve read quite a few.
Christmas at Falcone Castle, by Sarah M. Eden
Ever since I read Seeking Persephone, I fell in love with this couple: Adam, the Duke of Kielder, and Persephone, the strongminded woman, yet sweet enough to melt the famously feared Duke of Kielder and make him fall head over heels for her. Still, Adam always keeps his fierce facade before anyone, except his wife and his loving boy. But this story was different, it was about Harriet, Adam’s mother, who has never been close to him, who practically abandoned him, and now wants to make amends. So when she ass to spend christmas time at Falcone Castle, will she be well received by the family and their friends? Will Adam still evade her or will he overcome his resentment and let his mother into his heart like when he was a boy? Everything can happen a christmas and even a second chance at love for a woman that has lost everything she loved.
I truly enjoyed it. Since I’ve read the previous novels of the Lancaster Family it was easy to feel at home with them and enjoy their banter. I totally enjoy Adam’s witty and sarcastic remarks and how his wife tames him with her charms. And the new baby coming? The best miracle of all…
The Heart of Christmas, by Anita Stansfield
I haven’t read that much by Anita, but now I know I have to read more! This was a sweet tale about Addie, a poor and gentle orphaned seamstress, who is hired by widowed Theo as a sort of housekeeper and companion to her daughter and his invalid aunt. A tale about broken hearts that can be mended with trust and God’s help. It had an inspiring message, and I liked the way the characters grew and matured through out the story, even if it was in a short time. Christmas is an ideal season for hearts to change for the better and mend. Addie helps Theo’s heart heal and she gets a family for keeps. A sweet story!
‘Tis the Season to be Daring, by Esther Hatch
This was a delightful story, especially because of Elizabeth’s character! She’s tired of her mother’s scheming and she just wants to enjoy the season without the pressure to dance and spend time with men she has no interest in. That is, until she gets Lord Hawthorne to agree to pretend to be interested in her, to get out of her mother’s hook. But he exaggerates, and things get funny and complex at the same time. Elizabeth was spunky and witty and I loved her relationship with Charles as they get to spend more time with each other. There’s definitely an attraction there, but it takes a few twists for them to accept that it’s no longer pretend on either side. Elizabeth was sassy and they both made me laugh out loud with their dialogues. Loved the HEA!
The Christmas Dress, By Joanna Barker
We have another seamstress here, and I loved Nell. She seems to get easily in trouble, and unfortunately Jacob Hammond, a childhood friend with whom she reconnects, always manages to be there. She has to make Jacob’s sister, who is a bit reclusive, a dress for Christmas, and that’s enough for them to reconnect and make an instant click. Jacob has his own struggles too. Can they both share them and help each other? I loved how their relationship developed, it was really sweet. Especially seeing how their relationship brightened them and made each other better when they were together. Lots of funny, witty banter and sweet moments. Sweet characters and a lovely ending!
I definitely recommend this sweet Christmas Romance Collection! You don’t have to wait fot the Holidays. These are stories for all seasons that warm up your heart with their sweet love message and makes clear that Christmas is a special time for healing and LOVE!
I received an early copy of this book from the Covenant Communications. This is my voluntary and unbiased review.
This is a great collection of sweet novellas. I’m a huge fan of Sarah M. Eden, and I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve read by Esther Hatch and Joanna Barker, so it was hard to go wrong with this book. I can see myself pulling this out to read again.
Christmas at Falstone Castle by Sarah M. Eden was especially fantastic. I was so glad to have a continuation of the Dangerous Duke’s family and the Lancasters. It’s a fun story that focuses on Adam’s mom and her own love interest. It was a very sweet, clean read. It wasn’t too rushed as some novellas can be. Lovely story with a happy ending.
5 stars
The Heart of Christmas by Anita Stansfield started out strong for me, and then some parts seemed to drag, while others were rushed. It is a sweet story about overcoming grief, but I didn’t really connect to the characters.
2 stars
Tis the Season to be Daring by Esther Hatch is a fun story about a couple in a fake relationship that ends up falling for each other. It was sweet, well written and engaging.
4 stars
The Christmas Dress by Joanna Barker was another sweet story. It was a fast read, but not too rushed, and the old acquaintanceship that strengthened into a relationship was sweet. Nell also helped Jacob’s sister come out of her shell.
4 stars
What do you do when four of your favorite Regency romance authors release a Christmas book in September? You have Christmas in September…obviously! I loved everything about this book, the novellas in it are so great! They put me in the mood for Christmas. Now if only the weather would cool down!
First up is Christmas at Falstone Castle by Sarah M Eden. Yay for Adam, The Dangerous Duke aka The Duke of Kielder. He is my favorite Sarah Eden character hands down. I love the way he says whatever pops into his head. But he obviously has a soft side too. And no, he’s not the main character, but he’s in the book a lot. His mother Harriet is the main character.
I love how this one shows a lot of Adam’s backstory, it shows the reader why he is how he is. But it also shows that there’s always a second chance for love. I loved everything about it!
Next up is The Heart of Christmas by Anita Stansfield. I enjoyed this one too. It features Addie. She’s a seamstress. One day a man comes in out of the cold and offers her a one of a kind job. She takes it, and I loved the way not only does her life change for the better, but those she cares for in her new job as well. I loved the way hearts change because of love and Christmas becomes new in this one.
‘Tis the Season to be Daring by Esther Hatch is next. I loved Elizabeth in this one. She made me laugh out loud several times. It was fun how she wanted to be just scandalous enough to miss the rest of the season, but not completely ruin her reputation. This one left me wanting more!
Last up is Joanna Barker’s The Christmas Dress. I loved Nell in this one. She’s a seamstress, but she always seems to be in a bit of trouble. Especially at the worst of times, like when Jacob Hammond is watching her. Nell and Jacob have known each other for years, but lost touch. I loved everything about their sweet love story.
Each of these novellas is enchanting. This book will leave you ready for Christmas!
I had already anticipated loving “Christmas as Falstone Castle”, I couldn’t imagine a better Christmas story than one that included the danger duke of Kielder, and I did not disappoint! You will fall in love with the dangerous duke all over again. However, I loved that he wasn’t the focus.
I love that we got a fresh look at the dowager duchess. This was a second chance story I could get behind. It wasn’t just a second chance at romance, but a second chance at being the mother she wanted to be, and it was beautiful.
However, I don’t think I could pick a favorite story out of the bunch. They were all equally entertaining and heart warming.
“The Heart of Christmas” had a little bit of Cinderella magic, a little bit of Christmas magic and a whole lot of heart.
I possibly laughed the most with “’Tis the Season to Be Daring”. It had delightfully witty banter with just enough scandalous behavior to be both clean and entertaining.
If I had to pick a favorite as far as story line went “The Christmas Dress: would possibly be it. Joanna Barker always uses pertinent metaphors to pull you right into the story. I loved how much character development and story building she was able to connect me to in such a short amount of pages.
I loved these tender and encouraging stories. The romances are gentle and clean, as hearts are charmed by prolonged acquaintance and appreciation for each other’s kindness and good character. Although social convention may be breached, the individuals don’t compromise their moral codes. These stories are appropriate for a wide range of ages.
I requested and voluntarily read a copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley and I offer my honest opinion in response.
Christmas at Falstone Castle · Sarah M. Eden
Harriet, the Dowager Duchess of Kielder eagerly anticipates spending Christmas with her son Adam, Persephone and their growing family. Though their relationship has been strained, Harriet is determined to heal the chasm. Even with the help of the widowed local vicar Roswell Duncan, her plan will take a Christmas miracle.
A lovely short story of two older people finding love. It was also great to meet the Lancasters’ again with their spouses & children. Well written & heart warming
The Heart of Christmas · Anita Stansfield
When a chance meeting brings together a gentle seamstress and a widowed banker, each lonely soul finds a first hint of hope. As their lives become entwined, it will take Christmas spirit to guide a broken family to love and healing.
’Tis the Season to Be Daring · Esther Hatch
Elizabeth Davenport has had quite enough of the London Season. Determined to evade a parade of unsuitable suitors, she seeks help from the one gentleman who has no regard for Society’s rules. All of Society knows Lord Hawthorne is not interested in marriage, yet he cannot deny Miss Davenport’s unique charm. And as the Christmas season works its magic, their charade begins to feel less like playacting and more like love.
The Christmas Dress · Joanna Barker
Seamstress Nell Addington is thrilled when her childhood friend Jacob Hammond commissions a dress for his sister. But when Nell realizes her feelings for Jacob run far deeper than friendship, an unexpected snowstorm—and some holiday cheer—may convince them both that love is worth fighting for.
So far I’ve only read the first story & will update my review once I’ve read the others
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Hands down, this is my favorite Christmas anthology I have read! There is something for everyone in this set of novellas. Christmas at Falstone Castle takes the reader on a journey of redemption, love and family. This heartwarming tale is one you definitely want to read! The Hearts of Christmas is an unlikely Christmas miracle story that readers will enjoy. ‘Tis the Season to Be Daring is my personal favorite of this anthology! I love, love, loved Lord Hawthorne! His smirk, his willingness to play along, his disdain for what society accepts…just everything!!! This is a must-read for fans of Christmas, love, and regency. This story rocks! Last, but certainly not least, is The Christmas Dress. This story swept me away into the frozen and cold world of Nell. This is a story unlike most…they were friends as children and then years passed and her circumstances changed to a fall in station. I truly loved the relationship building between Nell and Jacob…this one is a great read! All fans of Christmas and regency novels will love All Hearts Come Home for Christmas!!! I received a copy of this book for free, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
In Christmas at Falstone Castle, the dowager duchess is trying to repair her strained relationship with her son and form a bond her with her grandson. She feels guilty for choices made years ago that affected her son. I loved how protective the duke was of his family and that came to include his mother when she started to form a relationship with the local vicar.
In The Heart of Christmas, Addie is a seamstress turned maid to a widowed banker, his young daughter, and his deceased wife’s aunt. All three family members are still hurting over the loss and she helps them to find happiness in their lives and with each other again. I loved the broken heart ornaments that were mended with different materials to make them unique and beautiful.
In ’Tis the Season to Be Daring, Elizabeth is tired of her mother’s machinations and she just wants to enjoy her time in London without being forced to attend balls and dance with men she has no interest in. She forms an alliance with Lord Hawthorne to pretend a fake interest in her. He is outrageous and reckless and her mother is appalled by the attention. But it’s hard to keep their hearts separate the more time they spend together.
In The Christmas Dress, Nell is a seamstress like Addie and like Addie she was forced into in by financial circumstances. Local landed gentry Jacob Hammond hires her to create a dress for his reclusive sister and a lot of funny and sweet moments ensue starting with a runaway hat. Nell has to content with a spiteful girl who wants Jacob for herself and her demanding employer.
These clean Christmas stories got me into the holiday spirit and I enjoyed them each in their own unique way.
I simply adore books like this where multiple authors come together to give short stories that fit perfectly into busy schedules. I loved reading about hearts mending, families gathering, and romance growing. Every page will bring joy to your soul and a smile to your face. Each story is splendidly unique with a blended theme of hope and healing that comes so willingly with the holiday season. Grab a copy of this delightful book and allow your heart to “come home for Christmas.” I LOVED IT!
Sarah Eden’s story was what I’ve come to enjoy in her stories just in a more condensed version. The Duke of Kielder is always a favorite. It was a nice second chance at love romance and the side story with the Duke and his mother was great. I’d give it a 4 The second story by Anita Stansfield was also well written. However, I didn’t connect with the book as much as the others. I’d say overall for me a 3-3.5. I just kept thinking how’d a well to do business man have no servants? There were a couple of other questions along that vein that distracted me. However, others might not have had that issue. I still had intrest to see how’d it end. The last two stories by Esther Hatch and Joanna Barker were my favorite and both 5 stars. I was bummed when they ended and wished it was full length. Both H’s were wonderful. They had good dialogue and characters. In Esther Hatch’s story I enjoyed the witty banter and rooted for the H & h. The story had a nice flow and story arch. Joanna Barkers was a sweet romance with a satisfying end.
This book was so good and a joy to read. All of the stories were very well written and hold your attention. I love reading this type of book because it is a wonderful way to try new-to-me authors. If you like Regency Christmas stories, you will love this book. Thank you Covenant Communications for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.