Under the Mistletoe [Paperback]

Mary Balogh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 28, 2003

Old loves rekindled, new loves found, and family bonds strengthened are the themes of these stories from the beloved, multiple-award winning author Mary Balogh. The four classic stories included here are The Star of Bethlehem, The Best Gift, Playing House, and No Room at the Inn. The new story exclusive to this trade collection is A Family Christmas.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Balogh's lovely early Christmas gift to her readers is five exquisitely crafted novellas set in Regency England at Christmastime, each featuring children. "A Family Christmas," which was written for this collection, portrays a couple who discover on Christmas that their problems hinge on her believing that he looked down on her for marrying money, while he thought that she looked down on him for "buying" a wife. In another tale, an antagonistic couple lose a ring but get it back in triplicate when they help a conniving little chimney sweep. Another heartwarming story features a diverse group of travelers marooned at an inadequate inn by torrential rains who learn the meaning of Christmas when a destitute couple seek shelter to have their baby. Balogh also presents a tale with echoes of Jane Eyre in which a young teacher experiences her first Christmas and helps a notorious rake experience love for the first time when she does not disdain his illegitimate child. Diana Tixier Herald
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Balogh's lovely early Christmas gift to her readers is five exquisitely crafted novellas. -- Booklist --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: NAL Trade; First Edition edition (October 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451209788
• ISBN-13: 978-0451209788
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #789,773 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mary Balogh is the New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed Slightly novels: Slightly Married, Slightly Wicked, Slightly Scandalous, Slightly Tempted, Slightly Sinful, and Slightly Dangerous, as well as the romances No Man's Mistress, More than a Mistress, and One Night for Love. She is also the author of Simply Love, Simply Unforgettable, Simply Magic, and Simply Perfect, her dazzling quartet of novels set at Miss Martin's School for Girls. A former teacher herself, she grew up in Wales and now lives in Canada.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Beautiful Christmas Stories, November 9, 2006

By 

V. Bratcher "vjbratcher" (Webster, New York USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Under The Mistletoe (Signet Eclipse) (Mass Market Paperback)

My only issue with anthologies is that just when you are getting into it, and falling in love with the characters and their story, it all comes to an abrupt end! That never seemed more true than with this anthology. I loved each and every one of these stories and fell in love with the characters that brought them to life. I wanted to know more about them and I wanted their stories to go on and on. One thing I love about Mary Balogh is how true to the period she is, the manners and customs of 'the Ton' and society. She didn't stray one iota and it's very refreshing. What's more, even though the stories were told separately, there was a point where it felt as though the characters each could be experiencing the same Christmas simultaniously, they blended so well. Thank you, Ms. Balogh.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Balogh-lite, October 25, 2006

By 

Kathy Kaiser - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Under The Mistletoe (Signet Eclipse) (Mass Market Paperback)

This compilation was such a treat. I usually await each of Balogh's full-length books with great anticipation because she's absolutely the best Regency writer on the market, bar none. So, when I saw this short story collection, I was thrilled. Yes, there are two stories that may be slightly poorer than the others, but even those are written better than anything else that's on the market now. Each story is geared to pointing the reader towards the true meaning of Christmas. She strips away all the hubris attached to the holiday season and helps us focus on what's really important: being with family, giving selflessly of all that we have and are, and most importantly, the birth of Christ. I hadn't read any of these shorts before, so I came to them with an open mind. I discovered, as I suspected, that Balogh can still tell a moving, well-written, character-driven tale in a compact form. They're all lovely stories. I was weeping at the end of each one.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Only worth buying if you haven't read the older stuff, November 8, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Under the Mistletoe (Paperback)

Wish I could give a split star review.... If you haven't read the previously published stories, this is a four-star item, and worth buying. BUT if you're a Balogh fan and have read the older stuff, I'd think twice before shelling out even the reduced Amazon price in order to get the new story, which is not up to her usual high standards. I've read everything she's ever published; this story feels like leftovers, with elements from older stories sort of hashed together. Mary, Mary....