Snowy Night with a Stranger [Mass Market Paperback]

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.

There's one in every anthology and the stand-out story in this one belongs to Sabrina Jeffries. Her contribution, "When Sparks Fly," deserves 5 stars. I gave the book as a whole 4 stars (actually 3.5, but that's not an option here), because the other two entries lacked the same quality, in my opinion. Despite the fact that there are only three stories in this book, meaning the stories were longer than what we usually see in an anthology, the other two didn't have the character development necessary for me to really enjoy them, particularly in the case of "A Holiday Gamble" by Jane Feather.

Jeffries' contribution is an installment of her School for Heiresses series. It's about heiress Elinor Bancroft, whom fans of the series may remember from "Let Sleeping Rogues Lie." It's Jeffries' own take on "A Christmas Carol" and she actually writes a young Charles Dickens into the story, having him witness what happens between the hero and heroine, presumably inspiring him to write his classic tale.
Elinor is traveling home with her aunt and cousins, along with their classmate Charlie Dickens, when her aunt's carriage runs off the road in foul weather and her aunt is injured. In the nick of time, the surly Lord Thorncliffe arrives to save the day, offering them shelter at his estate until the storm clears. Thorncliffe, punishing himself for a tragedy that occurred years ago, just wants to be alone and forget about Christmas and the painful memories it dredges up. But he quickly finds himself enjoying the life his visitors bring to his gloomy manor. And as for Elinor, he finds he dreads losing her company and has trouble keeping his hands off her body.

"Snowy Night with a Highlander" is Julia London's contribution and it's a light, enjoyable story. Fiona Haines fled her Highland home for London years ago as a debutante after overhearing the man she longed to wed make a cruel joke about her. Now, a search for her rakehell brother brings her back and she finds herself drawn to her mysterious escort, who obscures is scarred face and speaks infrequently. What she doesn't know is that he is the same man who once broke her heart, Duncan, the Laird of Blackwood. Duncan was injured in a fire after Fiona left and, though it disfigured him, it made him a better, more considerate man. He now wants nothing more than to make amends and be forgiven by Fiona.

"A Holiday Gamble" by Jane Feather was the weakest of the stories in my opinion. I liked the heroine, a brave, strong-willed young woman being forced into an unwanted marriage by her guardian. She's making careful plans for her escape when a snow storm brings the hero, Ned Vasey, Viscount Allenton, into her path. He takes refuge at the home of her guardian during a house party. The two are immediately attracted to each other and he decides to aid her in her escape. His character seemed rather flat to me and I thought the story had a weak climax.

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 beauty and the the beast type Christmas romance. Duncan regrets the man he used to be and fears because of his past reputation and current appearance he'll never have a family. Fiona manages to set aside past insults and give him the love he's longed for. Wonderful heart warming romance.

Other Christmas romances I've enjoyed-
A Gift of Love : Double Exposure / Just Curious / Gabriel's Angel / Yuletide Treasure / Five Golden Rings -my favorite holiday anthology
A Historical Christmas Present
Christmas Revels- fantastic beauty and the beast type Christmas romance
A Wallflower Christmas