ABOUT THE BOOK
Spend the holidays with four of your favorite historical romance authors, whose stories of Yuletide romance will brighten the season with humor, hope, and the promise of true love. - “The Holly and the Ivy” by Sarah M. Eden: As nursemaid to the eight-year-old Duke of Kielder, Robbie will spend her holidays with her young charge as a guest of Lord and Lady Jonquil. While the couple makes the child’s holiday magical, the handsome gardener works his own magic on nurse Robbie’s heart.
- “A Season to Love” by Anneka Walker: Alice Hunt is searching for a Christmas miracle: a husband of her choosing. With the threat of an arranged marriage looming, she looks to an unlikely matchmaker for help.
- “A Twist of Christmas” by Dana LeCheminant: A Christmas house party offers two members of the ton an irresistible opportunity: a weekend of anonymity. But their charade comes with unexpected romantic consequences.
- “Hiding Christmas” by Esther Hatch: Celebrating Christmas in Scotland will only invite persecution. But that never stopped Kirstine's English grandmother. When they are almost caught, Kirstine is forced to beg the help of the one man she cannot abide.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write this particular story for the anthology?
Anneka Walker - A Season to Love is a continuation of the Hunt sisters featured in other Christmas compilations I’ve written in. Alice is the third sister, and I was so excited to write her story that I wrote it directly after sister number two. She’s quirky and sweet, and her journey to find love is such a fun one.
Dana LeCheminant - I don't remember where the story idea came from specifically, but I wanted to try my hand at the mistaken/false identity trope because it's always so fun to read. I didn't plan on it being a dual-fake identity story until I started outlining, and suddenly Lady Elizabeth was telling her companion that she wanted to switch places. Figuring out how to make both sides work was an adventure, and hopefully it turned out well!
Esther Hatch - I actually started this story years ago while brainstorming ideas for my first Christmas Anthology All Hearts Come Home for Christmas. While researching Christmas during the regency period in England, I came across the fascinating tidbit that Christmas had been banned in Scotland from 1640 until 1712. It felt like a perfect conflict for a Christmas novel, however, when I started writing it, I really struggled with all the cultural and historical details in Scotland and that novella had a deadline fast approaching, so after getting the story about a third of the way done, I put it aside and wrote 'Tis the Season to be Daring instead. But still, the idea was such a fun one, I'm glad I got to go back to it when I had more time.
Life Is What It's Called - If you could magically teleport in one of the stories in this anthology other than your own, which story would it be and why?
Anneka Walker - Can I cheat and pick all three? I would want the camaraderie of Sarah’s story, the mistletoe in every room in Esther’s story, and the charm of Dana’s story.
Dana LeCheminant - All of the stories had such dynamic characters that it would be hard to choose, but hopping into Sarah's world of Jonquils and Lancasters would be a dream! There are so many incredible characters in her world that meeting them would be the best thing ever!
Esther Hatch - I've been a fan of Sarah's Jonquil and Lancaster series since Seeking Persephone was released, so I would have to go with the setting of The Holly and the Ivy by Sarah M. Eden. And if I'm being completely honest, it would be the very beginning when they are at Falstone Castle, which has become almost a magical place.
Life Is What It's Called - What do you think readers will like most about this anthology?
Anneka Walker - Readers are going to LOVE the how this book wraps them in the Christmas spirit! Prepare to laugh, cry, and swoon all in the space of football practice or in between appointments, because these quick reads pack a punch!
Dana LeCheminant - All of the stories are so fun! Each is full of hope and magic and characters that really care about each other and other people.
Esther Hatch - I can speak for what I personally loved about the Anthology, I have struggled to read lately because I am mostly a one-sitting kind of reader. Lately, my kids are up later and I can't handle reading until 4 am very often. So when I got the advanced copy I snuggled up in bed with three stories that were not only delightful, they were the perfect length to start and finish in one sitting. And if I'm once again honest, I did some mental cheering about how amazing each of the stories is. It was a wonderful feeling to know that I get to be a part of this fun, heartwarming anthology.
REVIEW
The Holly and the Ivy shared four Christmas novellas by four talented authors. The stories shared a bit of Christmas magic in each one of them. The Holly and Ivy connected some of Sarah Eden's novels The Jonquil Family, The Gents, and The Lancaster Family. I felt like it filled in a few of the gaps from her books, but it would also serve as a nice introduction to her books. She does a good job at encompassing and highlighting moments that her characters mentioned from very early on in her writing career and exploring it further. You can tell she has all of her characters' lives mapped out and understands their world. I felt like it was well-done and added to her world building throughout her novels. A Season to Love starts out really strong with a funny humorous scene that's memorable and different. I also felt like the author did a good job at describing the scenes and characters and even giving a distinct impression of the minor characters. There were several moments in this novella that really stood out and I enjoyed watching the characters unfold their emotions. I liked seeing how Alice's perspective didn't always match the perspectives of those around here and it gave the story a greater depth. A Twist of Christmas reminded me of a mix of double Prince and the Pauper retelling, romance, and mistaken identities. It was a fun retelling that I enjoyed reading. The characters were interesting, and the story was cleverly written. Esther Hatch is a comedic regency romance writer and I feel like she hits the mark with Hiding Christmas. It still didn't have me laughing so hard that tears were streaming down my face as in her Tis Season to Be Daring in the All Hearts Come Home for Christmas collection, but it's up there as one of her best. I've learned with Esther's books the less that's shared the better and she's an automatic must read for me. I would highly recommend this story. (I would caution readers that to get the full effect on her books, the less known the better. I would read it before you see too much about the story on social media.)
Learn more about The Holly and the Ivy, here.
Please note that I received a free ebook to review, however, this is my honest opinion. This post contains affiliate links that help support this blog.
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