Customer Reviews

Under The Mistletoe (Signet Eclipse)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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....

"A Family Christmas" opens this holiday anthology in perfect regency style. Elizabeth Chambers has been overpowered all of her life by her mother's strong personality and this Christmas starts out as no exception. Lady Templar has every inclination to control Elizabeth's household until Elizabeth's husband, Edwin Chambers, unexpectedly returns home to celebrate his first Christmas with his estranged wife. Love will be a powerful force for "A Family Christmas".

Mary Balogh's story of an arranged marriage blossoming into a real marriage is beautiful. Readers will enjoy watching Elizabeth begin standing up for herself rather than letting Lady Templar continue controlling her. Their battle allows for some very tense moments but these only enhance and emphasize the other picture perfect Christmas moments. "A Family Christmas" is sweetly sensual and truly showcases the heart of the holiday season as the love between Elizabeth and Edwin has a chance to flourish and shine through.

"The Star of Bethlehem" focuses on the marriage of the Earl of Lisle to Estelle. In a fit of anger, Estelle tossed her ring, affectionately dubbed The Star of Bethlehem, at Allan. Now, the ring is lost and it appears their marriage is as well. However, the arrival of a young apprentice chimney sweeper will soon change all of their lives.

"The Star of Bethlehem" is a magical tale demonstrating the power of love and forgiveness to conquer all. The character of Nicky, the apprentice chimney sweeper, is essential for the story to work as he softens the sharp edges of Estelle and makes her likeable. Mary Balogh demonstrates her gift at transporting readers back to a time long past with this precious story.

"The Best Gift" brings together a lonely teacher, a student, a viscount who hates Christmas, and an illegitimate child as they create an unforgettable Christmas. Jane Craggs is thrilled when Viscount Buckley requests her assistance at chaperoning his niece. However, he didn't expect the surprise awaiting him when he realizes his daughter, Veronica, has been sent to him as her mother is gone. See what "The Best Gift" really is in this tale.

"The Best Gift" has some rather charming moments. The overall relationship that develops between Jane, Viscount Buckley, Veronica, and Deborah is sweet and brings out the best in each of these characters. However, the concept did seem a bit contrived as it felt to me that the romance happened too suddenly and I grew a bit tired of the "plain Jane" inferences. This could be my ignorance of the genre as historical regency romances are not generally my reading choice. Regardless, "The Best Gift" is worth reading.

"Playing House" begins with Lilias Angrove's request that the Marquess of Bedford fulfill an old "debt" simply by providing her sister and brother with a Christmas goose and a doll. Stephen thinks Lilias is after his money but he is in for the surprise of his life as his daughter, Dora, helps him recover the true spirit of Christmas.

"Playing House" depicts the sharp contrast between the wealthy and the poor. Mary Balogh does a fabulous job at creating a very infuriating character in Stephen. At times, I was so angry at Stephen that I wanted to reach into the book to slap the arrogance right off of his face! Lilias carried herself with dignity and it was heartwarming to see her not allowing poverty to diminish her Christmas spirit. "Playing House" is a darker tale than any of the others in UNDER THE MISTLETOE and yet the beauty of Christmas brings light into the story, making it a real joy to read.

No Room at the Inn concludes this anthology by returning to the real meaning of Christmas. A group of weary travelers find themselves trapped at a dismal inn due to the heavy rainstorms. The arrival of a very pregnant Lisa Curtis and the expectant father, Tom Suffield, will change everything when there is "No Room at the Inn".

"No Room at the Inn" harkens back to the classic biblical basis for the Christmas holiday. I was angered at the insufferable attitudes of several of the wealthy individuals at the inn, but the actions of Sally and Pamela kept the story focused more on the positives. I find it a bit difficult to believe that none of the inn visitors immediately saw the correlation to the birth of Jesus but the overall powerful impact of the story makes "No Room at the Inn" a must read.

UNDER THE MISTLETOE is a delightful collection of five Christmas stories by Mary Balogh. Ms. Balogh has a gift at evoking powerful emotions so be forewarned as you will laugh, cry, and even scream at some of the moments found in this anthology. However, through each and every story is the overriding joy found through love and forgiveness. UNDER THE MISTLETOE is a perfect collection of tales for the Christmas season!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

If you are a fan of a good Christmas Holiday Regency Romance, this is one to treasure. Mary Balogh is one of the true masters of the "traditional" Regency Romance. She makes this period of history come alive with her characters so true to life that the reader feels they are there in England with "The Ton" and all of the beauty and pagentry of the time. The new story "A Family Christmas" just happens to be the best of them all, although the reprints of Ms. Balogh's Regency Christmas classics are a real treat. These stories will make you a believer in true love and the miracles of Christmas. A definite keeper and one that will warm your heart. So curl up with an afghan, a good cup of hot chocolate, tea, or holiday cider; around the lights of the Christmas tree, and bring Regency Christmas into your heart and home. Don't miss reading this holiday romance this season!

Five Regency Christmas stories, one original and four previously published, are contained in this collection by Mary Balogh. I consider Mary one of the best writers in her genre. Her stories are character driven rather than plot driven. I alternated read one of the Christmas stories with other books so I would no be overwhelmed with all the Christmas good cheer. I worked out nicely. All the stories are good, but the first and only original story in the book is the best one. Fans of Mary Balogh won't be disappointed and new fans will be in for a treat.

"A Family Christmas". Lady Templar detests the fact that her son-in-law Edwin is coming home for Christmas though he owns the estate because she believes he is beneath her. Her daughter Elizabeth married Edwin as Templar needed money. Both actually wed due to the respect they have for his now deceased father, but neither know that what they feel for each other is love.

"The Star of Bethlehem". Ellen tells her husband Allan that she lost the Star of Bethlehem diamond that he gave her. Angry he informs her she will go into exile. Though they love one another, this marriage looks dead even when three betrothal rings surface.

"The Best Gift". Warren's sister dumps her teenage daughter on him. Needing a companion for his niece, he obtains the services of teacher Jane, who has no family. Jane and Warren fall in love during their family Christmas.

"Playing House". Lilas asks Stephen for "payment" for the times her dad tutored him without remittance. She wants a last Christmas together for her younger siblings before they are scattered as orphans, but has no means of doing so. He agrees to host a grand holiday, but soon he and Lilas fall in love.

"No Room at the Inn". The storm is so bad that everyone stops at the White Hart Inn seeking shelter even with Christmas coming. When Lisa goes into labor, Edward gives up his room for her and her spouse. Pamela sees Edward in a kind light and soon they fall in love.

These five Christmas tales are delightful historical romantic gifts of the magi that fans of the author, sub-genre, or the holiday cheer will appreciate.

Harriet Klausner

I know that if you read Regencies, you must recognize Mary Balogh is really one of the best writers of this genre. She writes with so much soul and class that it places her far above other Regency authors. I am certain I have read everything she has ever published and have her books stored away. Therefore, it's a lot easier to buy a new, albeit recycled version of her stories than it is to dig out the old ones. I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology and was surprised that I did not remember all of the stories. Yes, they're brief...and resolution comes quickly, but that's the nature of an anthology collection. I think if you're a huge Mary Balogh fan, you will enjoy this. And buy it...so she can continue to write the type of Regencies we crave!

It's not easy to tell from the description that only one of these stories is new and the remainder are republished stories. When Mary Balogh is "on" she writes as well as Georgette Heyer, and I can't praise anyone more highly than that. Unfortunately she doesn't have as high a batting average as GH. This anthology is particularly disappointing as I consider Balogh to be one of the most gifted short story Regency authors. This is definitely not her best work.

In this anthology of five short stories by Mary Balough we are treated to recurring themes of discovering love in places you never expected (like with your current spouse), the meaning of the nativity story and the delights of standing under mistletoe. Somehow despite the redundancy of some plot elements each story manages to be touching and romantic in its own original way.

My favorite tale was "The Best Gift" where a school teacher who has never experienced Christmas is taken in by a Lord to chaperone his teenage niece and, much to his surprise, also became caretaker to his young daughter. This story was both heart wrenching and sweet. I didn't even mind that it made me cry a little. Even if I hadn't enjoyed the other stories (which I did) this one would have made the entire book worthwhile.

The last story "No Room At the Inn" was probably my least favorite being a little heavy handed with the religious overtone and parallels. Although I liked it the least, it was still an interesting read in that it brought together many different people who had to all learn to interact and work together towards a common goal.

Altogether a very seasonal and Christmacy romance anthology that I enjoyed very much. I'll certainly keep an eye out for more historical romances by this author in the future.