Mistletoe Christmas

An Anthology

By: Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, Erica Ridley

Narrated by: Susan Duerden

Length: 14 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

From four beloved writers - Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, and Erica Ridley - come four original stories that tell a hilarious tale of a Christmas house party that serves up love and scandal in equal measure!

The Duke of Greystoke’s Christmas Revelry is famous throughout the British Isles for its plays, dancing, magical grotto...not to mention scandals leading to the marriage licenses he hands out like confetti.

But not everyone welcomes a visit from Cupid.

Lady Cressida, the duke’s daughter, is too busy managing the entertainments - and besides, her own father has called her dowdy. Her cousin, Lady Isabelle Wilkshire, is directing Cinderella and has no interest in marriage. Lady Caroline Whitmore is already (unhappily) married; the fact that she and her estranged husband have to pretend to be together just makes her dread the party all the more.  But not as much as Miss Louisa Harcourt, whose mother bluntly tells her that this is her last chance to escape the horrors of being an old maid.

A house party so large that mothers lose track of their charges leads to a delightful, seductive quartet of stories that you will savor for the Season!

©2021 Eloisa James, Christi Caldwell, Janna MacGregor, Erica Ridley (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

This was so much fun!

I liked the first and last stories best. They were certainly the cheeriest. The two stories in the middle were more moving and powerful but also upsetting, especially the married couple. They had happy endings but stressful middles. My only complaint is about not hearing more on the duke and his heir at the end. I could use closure on their stories.

Too much relationship drama

For a summary promising 4 “hilarious” stories, this was a remarkably non-hilarious, angst-filled quartet. Perhaps that’s because a common theme involves the ladies leaving and then holding grudges because their men don’t chase after them, beg forgiveness, or change. Further, the reunions and HEA occurred after the ladies came round, forgave first, and settled for the relationships originally deemed insufficient. Finally, the heat, while not cozy, was also on the warm rather than sizzling side. I listen to Xmas regency romances for fun, good cheer, and seasonal spice, so I can’t say I’ll listen to this again.

(1) Mistletoe Kiss by Eloisa James - Cressida and Elias - My favorite of the bunch for having at least one positive, always supportive man in Elias, who is unfailingly sweet and charming as he courts Cressida, whose focus on running ducal affairs has left her insecure as to her personal worth. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

(2) Wishing Under the Mistletoe by Christi Caldwell - Isabelle and Cyrus - A second chance romance between two lower class work-aholics, him in bookkeeping and her with theater. Lots of pity party thinking about being second place in the other’s priorities.⭐️⭐️

(3) Compromise Under the Mistletoe by Janna MacGreggor- Caroline and Steven - Another second chance romance filled with endless remonstrations between the married, but yearlong estranged couple. I especially disliked Caroline’s constant accusations that his affections were just an act, considering they agreed to act like a reunited couple.⭐️

(4) Mischief and Mistletoe by Erica Ridley- Louisa and Ewan - Bad poet broods and gets to know would-be poet and wannabe wife Louisa. Juvenile, with forced attempted humor that fell completely flat.⭐️

Stories were great. Narration pretty awful.

I could hardly finish listening to the stories because the narration was so grating and distracting.
The cadence, and the rise and fall of the narrators voice sounded like I was listening to hours of a British news presenter

It averages out

The first two novellas kept my interest. The plots are interesting and the writing is good. The third I read with many stops, often for a day or two at a time. The third I started and stopped a couple of times until chapter 5 which I listened to for a few minutes, then skipped to 6. Then I decided and skipped to the epilogue.
I don’t know if the first two novellas are worth a credit. But hey, if you can slog your way through the 3rd & 4th, it might’ve worth getting — from the library.

2 out of 4

Not as I expected. 2 out of 4 isn't to bad but could be better.
The first and the last were good the 2 other ones were disapointing for me.