A Highlander Christmas

I'm a fan of Cindy Miles and bought this anthology because of her. Ms. Miles once again proves her artistic worth with "A Christmas Spirit" delivering believable characters that I love to empathize with as well as a wonderful story that leaves me wishing it were longer or I had another to follow up with! I was ecstatic however, to discover a new favorite author in Sophie Renwick. Her story, "Yuletide Enchantment" really shines! If you are into the beauty of Celtic myths and legend, and want a well crafted story with some of the best love scenes I've read in a long time, then you will not be disappointed. If you love Highlander stories, and especially Highlander paranormals, you will not be disappointed!!

Usually, I don't rate anthologies very high-- average rating, about a 3.5 or so is common for me. But with Highlander Christmas, there was no doubt in my mind that it would receive a 5 Star rating when I finished the last page! When you get three very talented, very popular authors together, and have their stories all published in one book, you're sure to get one spectacular novel out of the deal. And with Highlander Christmas, that's what happened! I don't even know where to begin-- all three stories were great, and I so loved reading each and every one! Dawn's story, the first in the novel, could quite possibly be my all-time favorite of the three, if I had to choose. I almost forgot that her story was supposed to be a novella, part of an anthology, and therefore shorter in pages than usual-- you can't even tell! Why? Because the characters came alive in the pages, flourished and developed, and the connection, the love, between hero and heroine was clearly there, and very well done. Something that, usually, can be a bit challenging to accomplish in a shortened novel. But Dawn, well, I already knew from her previous work that she could do it, and once again she managed to grab me from page one, and wrap the magic of her story-telling around me until the very end. Touching, passionate, and witty, I loved her "Winter Heat", which will definitely help to keep a reader warm during the upcoming winter evenings, snuggled up by the fire with this book! *Wink* Next up was Sophie's "Yuletide Enchantment". Now, I've not yet read any of Sophie's contemporary romances, but I've been anxiously awaiting her upcoming paranormal series-- and this short novel is a bit of a prequel, I guess you could call it, for said series. After reading this one, my mind was still a bit numb-- wow! I thought the plot/theme alone was very unique, not the usual ones filling the shelves today, and the story flowed nicely-- again, I almost couldn't tell it was a novella instead of a full length! The only problem, if you could call it that, is that the story teased me, leaving off at the end, and torturing me until the first novel, Velvet Haven, comes out this next year! *Cries* Otherwise, the characters were well done (and the hero, by the way, is very yummy!), there was plenty of romance, action, and a good dash of magic to captivate the reader! The last story was Cindy's "A Christmas Spirit". I've read one of her books before, and I did enjoy it, so I had a fairly good idea of what to expect in this one-- and again, I wasn't disappointed. Although, to be honest, out of the three I would have to say this one would receive my lowest rating on it's own (but no lower than 4 stars, if that!), it was only because I didn't quiet feel the pull between the hero and heroine in her story. It was there, but it felt like it was a bit, well, rushed, like most novellas, and it only came in stronger at the very end. But I do enjoy her writing still, I always find a few witty are

A Highlander Christmas By Cindy Miles, Dawn Halliday and Sophie Renwick Dawn Halliday's Winter Heat - - When Logan Douglas rescues Maggie MacDonald in the middle of a Highland blizzard, he had no idea his life is changed forever. But will he be able to keep her when her fiancé steps back into the picture? Sophie Renwick's Yuletide Enchantment - - When Isobel MacDonald saves the life of a white stag in the forest near her home, she has no clue that she will soon be swept into a world like none she has ever encountered. When she falls in love with Prince Daegan, will their two worlds allow a love that was destined to be? Cindy Miles's A Christmas Spirit - - Stranded in a raging snowstorm, Maggie MacDonald has no idea what to expect when she finds her way to an eerie castle. When she falls in love with its ghostly inhabitant, will the deeds done by her ancestors keep them apart? Review for A Christmas Spirit Page MacDonald is a modern day woman and a curator for a museum. Unable to stand another lonely holiday, she sets out to find a way to keep herself busy. Getting out of the city, she ventures into the Norwest Highlands on a self driving tour. Unfortunately, Mother Nature isn't cooperating and she finds herself hopelessly lost in the middle of a snowstorm. When her car breaks down on a snowy side road, she's lucky to make her way to a light off in the distance. When she catches site of the looming castle, she starts doubting how lucky she actually is. Then when she meets the haunting proprietor, she wonders if she should have taken a chance on surviving the freezing weather. Gabriel Munro is a twelfth century ghost, cursed to haunt the place of his death. Life goes on around him as he is forced to accept his fate in the world. That is until Page MacDonald barges into the castle and disrupts everything he's ever known. Slowly, he begins to let the stubborn woman into his heart; until he finds out that she is one of `those' MacDonalds, a descendant of the man who killed him. This is a fun, touching story! I was thoroughly enchanted by the ghostly kisses that are far more sensual that some of the loves scenes I've read over the years. Cindy Miles does an awesome job of creating love stories that span the centuries and brings couples together that never would have met otherwise. This was an awesome trio of stories linked together by a unique family pin passed down from generation to generation of MacDonald women. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for some light, easy stories. Although the book is a quick read, the stories are so touching that they will stick with you long after you finish. Great job, ladies!

My book came in on Friday and I started reading it and I could not put it down. I read the whole book over the weekend. I liked every story equally. It was a great holiday book and anyone that likes the highlander type romance novels will love this book. I think it would make a great gift. All three authors are great and I have read books from all three.