Silent Night: Midnight in Death/Unexpected Gift/Christmas Promise/Berry Merry Christmas (Christmas Anthology)

"Silent Night" is a truly superior anthology, containing four entertaining tales of romance at Christmas. The stories run from light romance to dark romantic suspense, and all four will keep you turning pages.First is Claire Cross' "A Berry Merry Christmas". This is a sweet tale of a North Pole elf named Holly Berry who just doesn't fit in, so she is sent on a special mission to fulfill an orphan's Christmas wish. Holly is hired as nanny for the orphaned Natalie, who wrote to Santa asking for a wife for her "Unca Drew" so she could have a mommy. Unbeknownst to Holly, she is the perfect woman for the job, and Natalie's Uncle Drew is starting to agree. This is a truly lovely, fanciful story that will have you believing in magic!Dee Holmes' "The Unexpected Gift" is by far the weakest story in this anthology, although it is still enjoyable. Sabrina McKay and her young son are having their first Christmas since Sabrina's divorce. Sabrina's son finds what he believes is a body in the front yard, but who turns out to be Sabrina's high school boyfriend, Zach Danforth. Spending time in each other's company rekindles the flame between Sabrina and Zach, and together they find the true meaning of Christmas. The problem with this story is that nothing really happens in it - there is no real conflict, no suspense, no nothing. It is, however, a sweet story about the true spirit of Christmas.Third is Susan Plunkett's "Christmas Promises", which is a really excellent story. FBI Agent Jake Rimsa reunites with his ex-fiancé, Marne York on their way to a shared Christmas celebration. Marne has changed dramatically from the rich, pampered girl Jake remembers into a fierce advocate of abused women. When Marne is suddenly enlisted to help find a missing child, their holiday plans are put on hold. As these two work together, it becomes painfully clear that Jack and Marne never stopped loving each other, but Marne is carrying around a painful secret that ended their engagement 4 years earlier and may destroy their chances for happiness now. Marne and Jake are very well developed and intriguing characters, and the plot of this short story is fresh and exciting and will keep you turning pages. Saving the best for last, we have J.D. Robb's "Midnight in Death" which is fantastic. We catch up with Lieutenant Eve Dallas of the NYPSD as her Christmas is interrupted by murder. Serial killer David Palmer, who Eve caught and locked away three years earlier has escaped, and is out for revenge against everyone who put him away, especially Eve. He has already killed the judge who sentenced him, and Eve goes into overdrive trying to catch this madman before he gets to the other people on his hit list. Eve's sexy billionaire husband Roarke is right by her side, helping with the case and keeping his `Darling Eve' safe. Eve and Roarke's romance is as hot and passionate as ever, and their scenes together will all but steam up your windows! Robb has created a fully de

I read this book for Midnight in Death by J. D. Robb. That story was just as intense and suspenseful in a third of the pages. Eve doesn't even get Christmas off. The other three stories in this book were more of a Romantic nature but just as good. I thought all four authors did a remarkable job in very few pages. It kept your interest and before you knew it you were to the end. I enjoy these books it does give you a change to sample authors you may not have any other way!

J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) and three other writers (Claire Cross, Dee Holmes and Susan Plunkett) make up the four stories in Silent Night. I bought the book for the J.D. Robb Midnight in Death story although the other three weren't bad either. Of course, all the stories were centered on the theme of Christmas and the holidays.A Berry Merry Christmas, by Claire Cross, is about an orphan, Natalie Sinclair and her Uncle Drew. Natalie wishes for a new mother for Christmas and Holly Berry turns out to be the one to fill that role. The Unexpected Gift, by Dee Holmes, Sabrina McKay is having her first Christmas after her divorce with her young son. Her son finds what he thinks is a dead man in the yard but who turns out to be a girlhood boyfriend of Sabrina's, Zach Danforth. Predictably, they fall in love and have a wonderful ChristmasChristmas Promises, by Susan Plunkett, has Jake Rimsa giving his ex-fiancée, Marne York, a ride home for Christmas. Marne has become an of battered women and has changed much from the woman that Jake once knew. Jake and Marne renew their love and it's better then it had been before as they come to know each other again.Midnight in Death, by J.D. Robb, Eve and Roarke's first Christmas together as husband and wife is interrupted by the discovery of the naked, mutilated body of the judge responsible for convicting serial killer David Palmer. Since Eve was the officer that brought down David Palmer, her name is on a list of those to be killed. This was the best story in the book and continues the "in Death" series with all the characters that are in the full-length books of the series. Of course, with Roarke's help, Eve finds the escaped murderer and wraps up the case.

In Silent Night we are treated to a quartet of four different stories, short enough to fit into one regular sized paperback. Anyone remember the ryhme, one of these is not like the others? Well, that would be Midnight in death by J.D. Robb. She does a fantastic job of keeping our interest and spicing up the holidays with death, murder, mystery and danger. Poor Eve Dallas and hubby, Roarke...they do not even get holidays off. A perfect wonderful 5 star read! The other three stories are sweet and romantic, and do not fit well with Robb's novela! Here is my take and rating of the other three:Christmas Promises: Marne carries an awful secret that destroyed her relationship with her handsome ex-fiancee. Now that they are united in finding a lost child, will the truth stand between them? Will Marne be able to trust Jake with her life? Four Star Read. The Unexpected Gift: Sabrina and her boy are facing a first time Xmas without her ex husband (and her son's father.) Now, in the short span of twenty four hours, she is faced with the reality of having her lost love back in her life again...and her ex husband wants to give their relationship one more try. As Sabrina battles her hormones and tries to find the answer, her son seems to have a mind of her own. Four star read.A Berry Merry Christmas: When Holly Berry is assigned on a secret mission to encourage a marriage between her new boss, Drew and a woman named Katherine.... things start to go haywire. First, there seems to be an intense attraction between Holly and Drew. Second, Holly has started to fall in love with Drew's orphaned niece. The icing on the cake? Well, Holly happens to be a nice friendly elf straight from the north pole. Its a season for miracles, but come on....a romance with an elf? This is a sweet journey for Holly and we see her start to learn more about herself...and others.. Four Star read. (Yes, I like make believe too!)Hope you like it!

MIDNIGHT IN DEATH was execllent and packed a lot of adventure into a few pages. This was the best story in the book (and the reason I bought it in the first place)... I will re-read it as is my habit when I re-read all the JD Robb books when her next one comes out.As for the other three stories: I liked THE UNEXPECTED GIFT and CHRISTMAS PROMISES enough that I will probably re-read them next Christmas when I'm in a mushy mood. A BERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS was a nice fluff piece, but I probably won't re-read it. The five-star rating is based on the JD Robb section alone.THE UNEXPECTED GIFT ****CHRISTMAS PROMISES ***1/2A BERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS *1/2