Snowy Night with a Stranger

A book too make you feel good at christmas time," Happy endings".

"A Holiday Gamble" by Jane Feather On his way home to take his place as the new Viscount Allerton, Ned Vasey finds himself robbed by a highwayman and then trapped in a snowstorm. Forced to take refuge at the nearby Selby Hall, Ned is quick to determine Lord Selby and his companions are a less than reputable lot. Then Lord Selby's ward, the troubled Georgiana, catches Ned's eye. Ned is drawn to the spirited beauty, whom he knows is more than the placid miss she pretends to be. Selby Hall is filled with secrets, and Ned finds himself determined to uncover them all. The question is, will he succeed? Jane Feather heats up the holidays with this entertaining novella. "A Holiday Gamble" is an enjoyable love story with a likeable hero and heroine who are sure to charm. While I liked Georgiana and Ned, their romance was a bit abrupt for my taste. Though I have no issue with characters falling in love quickly, I never truly saw why they fell in love with one another, other than Ms. Feather leaving me no room but to accept that it should be so. A touch of menace from Georgiana's disreputable guardian, a brutish "fiancé," and a hunt for a missing will give depth to "A Holiday Gamble" that kept me more engaged in the story than the romance itself. Overall, I found "A Holiday Gamble" to be an appealing read and I will be on the lookout for more of Ms. Feather's work in the future. "When Sparks Fly" by Sabrina Jeffries After a carriage accident leaves her aunt injured and she and her family stranded, heiress Elinor Bancroft has no choice but to take refuge at the home of Baron Thorncliff aka the "Black Baron." If the accident weren't enough to put a damper on Christmas, their host just might finish the job. Martin, Baron Thorncliff, would rather have nothing to do with his unwanted guests, but he can't ignore the children underfoot any more than he can overlook the intriguing Ellie. She's nothing like the spoiled London miss he expected her to be and she's determined not to let him dismiss her as such. For both Ellie and Martin, this Christmas is the perfect time to discover that love and passion are the best gifts of all. My absolute favorite story of the book, "When Sparks Fly" is a heartwarming delight with a lovable heroine, a tender but gruff hero, and a place for one of the most famous authors of all time, Charles Dickens. I love Sabrina Jeffries's School for Heiresses series, of which "When Sparks Fly" is a part, and I've been impatiently waiting for a story for Elinor Bancroft since meeting her in Let Sleeping Rogues Lie. Happily, Ellie's story is all that I wished it to be for her. Ellie can be shy at times, but she is intelligent, kind-hearted, and possesses a gentle, but firm demeanor. Despite Martin's attempts to push everyone away from him, including Ellie, she stands firm, making her his perfect match. Martin, in turn, is sympathetic even in his gruffness. His brother's death and the rumors which continue to be spread

Christmas comes alive in three charming historical tales that exemplify the spirit of the season.... Jane Feather starts things off with "A Holiday Gamble". Ned Vasey, Viscount Allenton, is robbed by a group of highwaymen in the midst of a snowstorm while returning to a home he'd left many years ago. He takes refuge in the home of Roger Selby only to find himself in the midst of a raucous celebration featuring the Lord of Misrule. One woman stands out... the Lady Georgiana but she has her own secrets. What an interesting twist on the Christmas theme! Jane Feather does a beautiful job at showing the vulgarity of the celebrations in Roger Selby's home without crossing the line to being offensive. Georgiana's determination and spirit to withstand such impropriety and crudeness is admirable. Ned is the perfect hero for Georgiana as he has his own brand of spunk as well. Jane Feather demonstrates why she is so popular with "A Holiday Gamble"! "When Sparks Fly" by Sabrina Jeffries features spirited heiress Ellie Bancroft. When one of her carriages wrecks on the way home, Ellie is left stranded with her aunt and her young cousins. Baron Martin Thorncliff rescues them all, but is the Black Baron truly as prickly as he seems? Can Ellie reignite the Christmas spirit in a man as hardened as Lord Thorncliff? Oh, what a joy to read such a heartwarming story! Sabrina Jeffries writes such vivid characters that their emotions practically jump off the pages. Martin's story broke my heart as his inner pain and anguish are overwhelming. Ellie is a strong, determined character who clearly knows her own mind. The conclusion is emotionally powerful and ends the story perfectly. Fans of Sabrina Jeffries will note that "When Sparks Fly" is part of her School for Heiresses series although it is easily a stand alone story. Julia London concludes the anthology with "Snowy Night with a Highlander". Lady Fiona Haines is forced to leave London and search for her brother in Edinburgh to warn him of a possible scandal. Duncan Buchanan finds himself aiding Fiona in her quest, but Fiona is unaware that he is the same man who scorned her in the past. How will she react when his identity is revealed? "Snowy Night with a Highlander" is perhaps the most traditional tale in SNOWY NIGHT WITH A STRANGER. Duncan is a man scarred by his past, both physically and emotionally. Fiona is a bit too self absorbed at times, but her love and her willingness to sacrifice for her brother help soften her. The ending is sweet and perfect for a Christmas themed anthology. SNOWY NIGHT WITH A STRANGER contains three stories with a common theme and yet each story takes a different twist. Jane Feather, Sabrina Jeffries, and Julia London each write beautiful stories that are sure to warm the hardest of hearts as they show the beauty of the Christmas spirit. SNOWY NIGHT WITH A STRANGER is easily recommended! COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

I admit I'm a sucker for a Christmas romance. And these three very enjoyable short stories (~130 pages each) more than satisfied my holiday historical romance craving. There is something magical about a romance when a twist of fate, such as a snowstorm, forces the heroine and heroine into each others company -two people who under normal circumstances would have never met. And results are a holiday they would never forget. A Holiday Gamble by Jane Feather During his journey to his estate, after many years away from Northumberland, Ned Vasey, Viscount Allenton 1)gets trapped in a snowstorm, 2)robbed and 3)is forced to take shelter in the home of questionable gentleman and his less than reputable guests. He never wanted to leave India and return home. And this certainly wasn't the homecoming he was expecting. The one bright light in his cold miserable journey is the gentleman's lovely and spirited ward, Georgiana, who somehow doesn't seem to fit in with rest of the rowdy bunch. Nor does she seem to match up with her unpleasant fiance. Something is afoot and Ned is keen on finding out -most especially the beguiling Georgie's secrets. ****Good romance (could have been a little more sexual tension, no earth shattering passion here) with a bit of mystery thrown in. My favorite parts were all the sneaking around between Ned and Georgie. Him trying to find out whats going on and her trying to keep it secret while doing what she has to do and not distract herself by falling for him. When Sparks Fly by Sabrina Jeffries Martin, Baron Thorncliff aka Black Baron, doesn't need another distraction, most especially when he is so close to an experimental breakthrough. But a snowstorm deposits an injured widower on his land. His only choice is to take her in along with her three children and bespectacled niece, Ellie, who happens to be a great heiress. He soon discovers that the young lady is not the hot house flower he assumed her to be. In fact she manages to bring back into his house the love and warmth of the season that Martin thought he'd never see again. *****Jeffries is a favorite author of mine and I bought this anthology primarily for this story and I'm not disappointed. Here we have two people who start out with a great dislike of each other until they realize that their initial presumptions were all wrong. Both hind behind a heartache/insecurity that can only be overcome with true love. A nice warm and fuzzy Christmas romance. Snowy Night With A Highlander by Julia London Fiona Haines must travel deep into the Highlands in order to find her rakish brother and give him an urgent message. Once in Scotland she enlists the help of a Laird who sends his men with her on the journey north. But the rugged scarred Highlander she gets stuck in a storm with is no ordinary man and soon she falls under his spell. When his identity is revealed Fiona has to decide weather its worth forgiving and forgetting the past and taking a chance with her future. *****A be

There are three short stories in this book. All three are entertaining reads and each is better than the one before. I was quite satisfied when I finished and recommend as a good read, especially if you love these authors. The first is a story by Jane Feather about a lady who intends to escape the clutches of her distant relative and guardian and his nefarious friends. The hero unexpectedly comes into her life and aids in this mission. This was an enjoyable read. However, I felt the love between the hero and heroine was not quite well developed enough and the ending a little too abrupt. The second story by Sabrina Jeffires is about a recluse lord who accidentally falls into the path of an heiress who has decided it is time to give up on the marriage mart. He has suffered the loss of his family and his reputation and only wants to create inventions to improve mine safety. But this Christmas makes life anew for these two lonely souls. These characters were unique and it is a joy to watch their transformations. The final, and I admit my favorite, was A Snowy Night with a Highlander by Julia London. She is at her best in this short story, creating memorable and lovable characters and circumstances. Although, this was short, it was as good as any full length and a worthy read. Tragedy struck the life of rake and libertine Duncan and he is a changed man, both physically and emotionally. He is embarrassed at who he has become when Fiona comes back into his life. She, to his dismay and relief, doesn't even recognize him. But these two grow together and their journey is a gift for the reader. Enjoyable recommended read.