From the ballrooms of London, to abandoned Scottish castles, to the snowy streets of Gilded Age New York, four bestselling authors whip up unforgettable Christmas romance.“Meet Me in Mayfair” by Tessa DareLouisa Ward needs a Christmas miracle. Unless she catches a wealthy husband at the ball, the Duke of Thorndale will evict her family from their home. When Louisa finds herself waltzing with the … family from their home. When Louisa finds herself waltzing with the heartless Thorndale, she’s unnerved by his handsome looks—and surprising charm.
“The Duke of Christmas Present” by Sarah MacLean
Rich and ruthless, Eben, Duke of Allryd doesn’t care for the holidays. But when Lady Jacqueline Mosby returns to town after a long absence, Eben falls under the spell of Christmas—and the woman he never stopped loving.
“Heiress Alone” by Sophie Jordan
When Annis Bannister finds herself stranded in the Highlands during a Christmas snowstorm, she must fend off brigands terrorizing the countryside. Her only hope falls on her neighbor, a surly hermit duke who unravels her with a kiss.
“Christmas in Central Park” by Joanna Shupe
Mrs. Rose Walker pens a popular advice/recipe column. No one knows Rose can’t even boil water. When her boss, Duke Havemeyer, insists she host a Christmas party, Rose must find a husband, an empty mansion, and a cook. But Rose fears her plan is failing—especially when Duke’s attentions make her want to step under the mistletoe with him.
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4 Authors I like so the stories were short and sweet (shortbread related) I especially liked Sarah Mclean’s.
I liked all but the third story.
I enjoyed all the stories in this collection. They get steamier as they go along, so if you’re more into sweet (like I am), you might enjoy the first one or two more than the later ones. But they’re all well-written, with great characters. I found new authors to love here.
Brilliant
Four great Christmas audiobooks! All four very different, but equally as wonderful, and all four feature a fun shortbread side story! Loved it! And the narration was perfection!
This anthology was the perfect holiday read!
Each story was fun and romantic and long enough to not feel rushed – but was still short enough to be easily read amidst all the holiday craziness.
I knew going in that this was written by some of my favorite historical powerhouses, but it still had some nice surprises in it. Grab it up if, like me, you want to keep those warm and fuzzy holiday vibes going for a few weeks longer!
I’d rate this 3.5 stars. Containing four short regency romances set around dukes and Christmas, it was a nice, light read appropriate for the end of the year. Each book is a short story/novella with a predictable story line and a happy ending.
Meet Me in Mayfair by Tessa Dare – This was the only author I was familiar with and, as usual, the author produced an entertaining read. Louisa’s father’s debts to a long standing friend that had been previously forgiven had been called in by his heir. As a result, she had one night to make a good marriage match or the family would be forced to vacate their home and London. The duke was a second son and farmer who unexpectedly inherited the title. Standoffish and a little gruff, he’s partnered to dance with Louisa who he thinks is a title grabber when she turns up for the dance he’d reserved for his cousin (who’d run off with the steward’s son). Of course, he’s the heir who is kicking Louisa’s family out of their house. It had the author’s characteristic humour, dry dialogue and solid writing. Due to the duke not knowing who Louisa is and the latter being fully aware who the duke is, you can guess where the story is heading and what the drama will be but it was still a good read.
The Duke of Christmas Present by Sarah MacLean – A second chance romance. Eben and Jacqueline (Jack) had been childhood friends turned lovers after forming a deep connection encouraged by a secret door between their London homes. When Eben’s father dies, he assumes the title, inheriting an estate that is almost in ruins. Believing he has to make himself worthy of Jack, he throws himself into trying to rebuild the title to the detriment of their relationship. I liked it but there was a lot of back and forth where each pined over the other and were melancholy over lost opportunities for what they’d had and lost. As Eben focussed only on his estate, Jack left to travel with her eccentric aunt for twelve years. I found this length of time a bit of a stretch as they were both then in their thirties and it seemed a ridiculous amount of time to be separated. A lot of the book seemed to be them ruing losing each other as Jack prepared to marry another, making it seem pretty repetitive even though the writing was good. The story alternated between the present and the past. Without spoiling anything, the ending was really sweet and made up for some of the repetition.
Heiress Alone by Sophie Jordan – This had a grumpy duke in the Scottish Highlands. Annis is forgotten by her large and somewhat selfish family when holidaying in their new castle that their father had won in a bet. Having several sisters and a mother determined to see them marry well, Calder, a Scottish duke not overly fond of the English, rudely dismisses the Annis and her family when they go to introduce themselves to him as neighbours. He’s reacquainted with Annis when he goes to help two of the servants from her castle when there were violent looters on the loose who were targeting properties during the heavy snow. This story had a bit of instalove and the heavy attraction was put on a bit heavy at times (knees buckling kind of business). I liked the story as a whole but the ending didn’t do it for me as it was quick, predictable in parts and too ridiculous to be believed.
Christmas in Central Park by Joanna Shupe – The writing was good and the initial concept original, but the story was a bit too over the top and predictable for me. Rose pretends to be an older, married, wealthy woman of society, Mrs Walker, writing a very popular advice column about cooking, cleaning, house maintenance and the like. She’s actually the opposite in real life so when her boss, Duke (his name, not his title which I thought was cute seeing as it’s set in New York), comes to her for help, she can’t afford to lose her job and agrees to give him what he needs. And what is that? Well, after an editor at his paper was caught taking bribes to influence stories and the paper’s board is threatening to sack him as president when their stock price drops as a result of the scandal, he wants Mrs Walker to host a dinner at her house for the board. While I get it’s fiction, for Duke, a very wealthy entrepreneur, to presume to tell an employee that she would cook, clean and entertain strangers or lose her job was a bit of a turn off for me to read. Rose finagles the night by using friends to help her but of course it can’t be that simple. It was easy to see where the story was going from there and Duke’s attitude annoyed me more than not.
Not only did each story have a duke in it, there were also references to Christmas shortbread. The MacLean’s family recipe was included at the back of the collection and I thought this was a really neat touch. I’ll probably give it a go and it was a great addition around Christmas. I bought this on sale and while it probably wouldn’t have been my thing at full price, it hit the right spot for what I paid.
lovely collection, great stories and well placed
Four novellas by 4 great authors with several constants. Each features a Duke- whether in name or title; a magical foul tasting shortbread that is supposed to be a love potion; Christmas and snow. I bought it because I was craving holiday reads. I was familiar with Dare and MacLean. Jordan and Shupe were new to me. I will be reading more.
If you like witty, strong heroines with plenty of steam- this will be your Christmas jam. If you prefer “closed door” romance look elsewhere.
This book had several short stories which are perfect for reading just before bed. Easy reads.
How the Dukes Stole Christmas
Four different stories by four different Authors
Tessa Dare
Sarah MacLean
Sophie Jordan
Joanna Shupe
Maybe it’s because it is close to Christmas and maybe I’m a bit more forgiving when it comes to Holiday Novella’s but I have to say, I enjoyed each one of the shorts in this anthology. No complaints from me.
Meet Me In Mayfair – Tessa Dare
I loved Tessa Dare’s novella that brings Louisa Ward and James The Duke of Thorndale together. New to the role of Duke, James meets Louisa. Her family is about to be ousted from their home. What James doesn’t know is it’s Louisa’s family that his unloading of properties will affect.
The Duke of Christmas Present – Sarah MacLean
Eban James, Duke of Allryd is not a drinking man, well only one night a year and this happens to be the night. He hears a voice, nope it cannot be the one who left him, the one he has always loved…he’s drunk so he is dreaming this. Until he isn’t, until he realizes that the voice is real and it’s hers!
A little Christmas Carolish, but you know it’s a Christmas Novella so why not! Eban and Lady Jacqueline Mosby spent their youth together and Eban knew he loved her but he had things to accomplish before he could ask her to marry him. However, that never happened because she disappeared. Can they move past the misunderstandings and broken hearts? Twelve years apart can change a person or maybe just understanding and listening to each other can bring them together. It’s Christmas, fingers crossed.
Heiress Alone – Sophie Jordan
Don’t you just hate it when you wake up late and the entire family has left you in a Scottish home your father won in a whist game? Seriously, that happened to Annis Ballister…family gone with just two servants left behind and your stuck in Scotland for at least three or four months! To top it off, the rather angry looking Duke of Sinclair barges in and insists on whisking you and the servants off to his keep because there is a gang of thieves roaming the countryside breaking into unoccupied homes. Now this has potential!
Christmas in Central Park – Joanna Shupe
Miss Rose Walker writes an advice column for Havermeyer Publishing, under the name Mrs. Walker, because you know it’s New York and there weren’t a lot of women reporters in the day. Rose makes fairly good money for her column, which is good, what isn’t so good is her editor boss losing his job and the paper’s owner wants her to help win over the Board of Directors of the paper.
So when Duke Havermeyer meets Rose and comes up with his idea, Rose tries to make it happen.
Of course, parts of the evening go very well and then there is the part where Rose and Duke get locked in the kitchen.
All and all, four enjoyable short Christmas novellas.
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Curl up this holiday season with this boxed set of four holiday historical romances. It’s time for a love, Christmas cheer, and hope. Three of the stories are Regency romance, the fourth, Christmas in Central Park by Joanna Shupe is set in New York. Her hero isn’t a noble, but his first name is Duke. Lol. All the stories are good, but the latter was my favorite. I loved the concept of a woman reporter making her way in a man’s world and then finding love.
A great collection of authors and stories…wonderful holiday fare! I can’t even pick a favorite, I loved them all so much!
Enjoyed every minute of it. Couldn’t put it down.
Tessa Dare, Sarah MacLean, Sophie Jordon and
Joanna Shute are my favorite Regency Romance authors. I recommend these authors if you love reading Regency Romance as I do.
This is a wonderful collection of four amazing historical romantic Christmas novellas. Each is well-written with likable, engaging characters and happily ever after endings. They each contain the thread of a shortbread recipe, which ties the stories together. I am looking forward to reading the other works of these four fabulous authors.
I read this collection of novellas last year when it first came out and I see it’s making the rounds again this year. My favorite story in the collection was the Sarah Maclean take on the Christmas Carol with Eben (Ebenezer). The Tessa Dare story which is the first story, was solid. The other two were a bit flat for me, but that’s just me. One was sort of a Home Alone premise. But I liked the first two so much I re-read them again this year. The Sarah Maclean story has a definite big story feel to it and it’s not like you’re reading a short story.
Like historical romance? Like getting in the holiday spirit? Get this book.
Loved it
This anthology has four Christmas stories.
Meet Me in Mayfair by Tessa Dare has a heroine who needs to marry well to save her family’s home. At her ‘last chance’ ball, she finds herself waltzing with the heartless duke who is going to evict them. This is a nice story of how they save each other when they fall in love. Good writing, likeable characters.
The Duke of Christmas Present by Sarah MacLean is a reunion/scrooge story, where friendship and true love from the h/h’s youth, and the heroine’s strength in returning, open the reclusive, hard-working hero’s heart. A heart-warming, lovely Christmas tale.
Heiress Alone by Sophie Jordan follows its title. It’s Home Alone meets a sexy, gruff Scottish duke. A thoughtless family and an early winter storm strand a young woman in Scotland. When the area is threatened by marauding ruffians, her neighbor, the Duke, comes to rescue her two old retainers and is surprised to find he must rescue her, too. This was one of my favorites, with great interaction between these two characters. It was sexy and fast-paced and fun.
Christmas in Central Park by Joanna Shupe is dominated by a strong, smart, and determined heroine. The hero’s name is Duke, and he’s the new owner of the newspaper where our heroine is the popular advice/recipe columnist, but under a disguised persona. Not what I expected in this anthology, but a good industrialization era story.