A Regency Christmas Eve

Rating:
Summary: For any time at all . . .
Review: A Regency Christmas Eve features stories from two new-comers, two veterans and one in-between. To begin with, Barbara Metzger's tale of treasure hidden in a little country church and uncovered by the Merry Christmouse (and family) will have you holding your sides, laughing as you read. A rakish viscount is reformed, and made to recognize his true love, while the vicar receives the lady of his choice, as well. The humans may not realize it, but they owe it all to the industrious little Churchmouse dynasty.

The weakest story (for me, at least) was The Marriage Stakes by Allison Lane. Dreary and bleak, with a bit of preposterous thrown in, I couldn't like the characters and the setting wasn't much better. In fact, I nearly didn't finish it at all, but other readers may find this style to be enjoyable and should form their own opinion.

Nancy Butler (who won the RITA award for best Regency this year) shows yet another facet of her talent with a story that blends fantasy into romance for one enjoyable result. When Kit Herne goes into the forest looking for the wise-woman who lives there, he wants her to find a cure for his son's ailment. Instead, he finds her daughter, Pippa, who uses her own variety of magic to cure not only the son, but also his father.

Diane Farr serves up the lightest and happiest confection with The Reckless Miss Ripley and her hapless target, Fred Bates. A mere three minutes too late for the mail coach, Miss Ripley is forced to find another way to travel to Bath where she expects to meet up with her long-time (possibly imaginary) fiancé. She badgers the not-quite unwilling Mr. Bates into accompanying her, with all the travails, humorous and otherwise, that can befall such ill-prepared travelers.

And then, to close the book, Edith Layton tells a wonderful, heart-warming story with a twist. (Be sure to have the tissues handy--you'll need them.) On his way back from the wars to his home in England, Max Evers reads in the newspaper that his financial agent has been the victim of an embezzler and all is lost! When he sees his townhouse surrounded by clamoring bailiffs, that sad fact is made all too clear to him, so he turns away from all he'd been anticipating this Christmas season, taking great pains not to be found by anyone from his past life. Especially he turns from his fiancée who's been waiting patiently for him for five long years. However, all is made delightfully right again, however, on the most wondrous night of the year--Christmas Eve!

Rating:
Summary: Oh, heavens... I couldn't even bring myself to finish it
Review: Anthologies of this type are always hit or miss affairs. Even those with the big single title names vary in quality. This edition was, to my mind, utterly miserable. Even those authors who usually have something decent to contribute were a great disappointment.

I managed to trudge through Barbara Metzger's story, even though I couldn't stand any of the main characters. Two couples, and the only sympathetic person among them was the mistress! The mice were annoying.

I then forced myself to skim through Allison Lane's and Diane Farr's tales, but neither was worth it. Lane's situations were ridiculous and would never have occured in the time period. It started out well, but deteriorated once the house party ensued. As for Ms. Farr's story, I can't help but believe that the hero will one day rue marrying such a reckless girl. Her only redeeming quality was her peppiness, which was exhausting. I simply couldn't bring myself to even attempt the last two stories.

Avoid this one at all costs. It is dull and silly.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful book!
Review: As someone else wrote the stories in anthologies are usually uneven, with a couple of good ones and some that are only fair. Not in this case! I thought all the stories were excellent. I have a penchant for humour so the Metzger and Farr stories were probably my favourite. Nancy Butler's story is (as usual) a wonderfully heart warming one (just what you want at Christmas), as are the stories by Lane and Layton. A book that has something for everyone.

Rating:
Summary: Christmas cheered
Review: Every year I look forward to the Signet Christmas regency anthology, and so far I've never been disappointed. This year's is no exception. The Barbara Metzger story about the mice is truly charming, and the Edith Layton story is a classic I know I will reread again and again. The Diane Farr, Allison Lane and Nancy Butler stories are all very enjoyable as well. I won't go into detail about them because a previous reviewer did it so thoroughly -- I will just say that this collection got me out of a really bad mood and into a really good one, and I surely got my money's worth! (I don't know what book "a reader from Rochester NY" read, but it can't have been the same one I read!) Hey, Merry Christmas, everybody!!!

Rating:
Summary: Christmas cheered
Review: Every year I look forward to the Signet Christmas regency anthology, and so far I've never been disappointed. This year's is no exception. The Barbara Metzger story about the mice is truly charming, and the Edith Layton story is a classic I know I will reread again and again. The Diane Farr, Allison Lane and Nancy Butler stories are all very enjoyable as well. I won't go into detail about them because a previous reviewer did it so thoroughly -- I will just say that this collection got me out of a really bad mood and into a really good one, and I surely got my money's worth! (I don't know what book "a reader from Rochester NY" read, but it can't have been the same one I read!) Hey, Merry Christmas, everybody!!!

Rating:
Summary: a keeper for fans of Diane Farr!!!
Review: Four of the stories in this anthology were entertaining and helped me pass several pleasant hours on a winter evening. The fifth one, by Diane Farr, was simply outstanding! I was practically giggling in delight the whole time I was reading, especially from the moment I figured out that this was Fred Bates's story--the Fred Bates whose honor Trevor Whitlatch was defending in Ms. Farr's second novel, Fair Game. In this novella, we discover why Trevor was so eager and willing to help his friend out. Fred Bates is one of the most likeable characters I've ever come across, and the heroine in this story, Claudia, runs a close second. Their story is interesting and engaging. At the inevitable happy ending, you're giddy with joy right along with them. If you are a Diane Farr fan, you must find this book! Her story alone made this book a keeper.

Rating:
Summary: Delighful fun and romance
Review: I can't believe I just read through five short stories about Christmas and did not find a romantic one in the bunch! Or a funny one, either. If you want some fun, romantic regency Christmas stories, read some of the earlier regency Christmas anthologies - they are much better.

Rating:
Summary: Wow - really bad
Review: I can't believe I just read through five short stories about Christmas and did not find a romantic one in the bunch! Or a funny one, either. If you want some fun, romantic regency Christmas stories, read some of the earlier regency Christmas anthologies - they are much better.

Rating:
Summary: Another hit-and-miss anthology: one dud, two so-so, two good
Review: I've said in previous reviews that there are two downsides to anthologies: one being that the stories are frequently too short for good character and plot development, and the other that poor authors are mixed in with the better ones. This anthology suffers from both of these problems, and as a result is really not good enough to be considered a keeper.

The first story is Barbara Metzger's Little Miracles, an unusual tale centred around a poor and run-down parish church and the few remaining church mice, who try hard to hint successive vicars in the direction of St Cecilia's riches. Evan, the current vicar, is in love with Alice, daughter of the local squire. But his stipend is a pittance and the vicarage has a hole in its roof; how could he ever ask her to marry him? It's a sweet story with amusing moments, but too short for real character development.

Allison Lane's The Marriage Stakes is typical of this author; the characters are all far too informal with each other, and minor characters are one-dimensional caricatures. She uses a plot device which appears in many other novels, where the hero holds a house party in order to choose a bride. The heroine, Sophie, who has been offered shelter after her carriage met with an accident, somehow manages to spy on the various eligible young ladies and report back to Westlake. None of this is at all convincing, and there are a number of scenes which are simply embarrassing to read.

The Gift of the Spoons, by Nancy Butler, is an unusual story and I'm not entirely convinced that it works. It helps if you believe in magic and healing and psychic powers, which I don't. Christopher Herne's son is dying, and as a last resort he is tracking down a woman he's been told about, who has healing powers - Pippa Spoon. Unfortunately, the woman he finds is the original Pippa's daughter. Still, he persuades her to come home with him to treat his son. Lots of strange goings-on and fits of temper from Christopher, and the fact that he never calls his son by his name, make this a difficult novella to like. The resolution is also too quick, and the diagnosis pretty much incredible.

On to Diane Farr's Reckless Miss Ripley; shades of Georgette Heyer's Friday's Child here, but done very well in Ms Farr's usual style. Fred Bates is hurrying home to spend Christmas with his family. He's feeling very sorry for himself, and guilty, because the family's new state of poverty is all his fault. Taking shelter from the snow at an inn, he encounters a young lady travelling alone; it transpires that she's trying to get to Bath to stop her friend Harry from marrying someone else. Claudia persuades Fred to drive her to Bath, and a delightful story ensues.

Finally, we have Edith Layton's The Christmas Thief. Max Evers has lost all his money and can't even afford to buy his niece a Christmas present. Unable to come up with any other solution, he decides that he will steal something for her. But committing a crime turns out to be not as simple as he'd envisaged. This novella was a disappointment: there are too many unconvincing events and leaps of logic and I simply can't see how certain things would have happened. The element of romance is also far too brief: the heroine gets perhaps half a dozen pages in a 60-page story.

Overall, just about so-so.

Rating:
Summary: All Five Keepers
Review: One rarely encounters an anthology such as this where all the novellas are equally appealing, though this should be no surprise considering the five Signet stars represented here. Nothing more need be added to the abundance of warmth, love, humor and poignancy found between the covers of A REGENCY CHRISTMAS EVE.

LITTLE MIRACLES, Barbara Metzger On the night before Christmas, the creatures were stirring--stirring up a bit of trouble. Well, actually, on two successive Christmas Eves they fail in communicating a secret to man; a secret only the resident rodents remember. Once again, their intent for the approaching season is to bring prosperity to themselves, to the Village of Lower Winfrey and to the Church of St. Cecelia's in the Trees. If they are instrumental in bringing lovers together as well, that is surely in the spirit of the season.

Beware of Barbara Metzger; she'll put smile lines on your face. Her way with words is as delightful as the meanings they convey.

THE MARRIAGE STAKES, Allison Lane After Miss Sophie Landiss rescues her very young, widowed and nearly to term half-sister Caroline from a possessive aunt-in-law, a broken carriage wheel halts their long flight home to Cumberland. Their chance rescuer seeks a temporary respite from Westlake Abbey and a large houseparty that includes all his relations, two dozen eligible young ladies and their hopeful papas and mamas. All await Christmas Eve, when Damon must name his intended bride, the next Countess of Westlake.

While suspense builds, a moving friendship develops between Sophie and Damon, two intelligent, decent and mature individuals. Read this endearing story to find out if Damon will recognize the treasure under his nose when Allison Lane treats readers to a lively expose of a 'marriage mart' taken to extremes.

THE GIFT OF THE SPOONS, Nancy Butler Desperate to help his son recover from a wasting disease, Christopher Herne's last hope sends him to a cottage in Chatham Wood to find the wisewoman healer, Pippa Spoon. Expecting a crone, he finds a young woman instead. Pippa hasn't the healing powers of her mother, but what power she has may well prove sufficient to heal both wounded spirits, Christopher's and his son's.

THE GIFT OF THE SPOONS will warm your hearts as the magic of Christmas joins forces with older mysteries under Nancy Butler's masterful touch.

THE RECKLESS MISS RIPLEY, Diane Farr Glad of the warmth and the passable accommodations to be had at the Coaches and Horses Inn on such a nasty night, Fred Bates takes his ease before continuing down the coaching road to Bath on his journey home for Christmas. At least, that's his plan before a lone female stumbles in from the snow and the cold--before Miss Claudia Ripley turns her beguiling smile his way.

With a lovable hoyden for a heroine, a thoroughly nice hero, and all the humorous banter that Diane Farr does so well, THE RECKLESS MISS RIPLEY becomes a delightful road romance.

THE CHRISTMAS THIEF, Edith Layton When his brother dies, Lt. Major Maxwell Evers leaves war behind to take up civilian life and his responsibilities toward his new barony and his orphaned niece, Gwenn. He also plans, at long last, to spend the rest of his life with his great love, Lizabeth. On his way home, however, he chances upon a newspaper article describing the failure of the venture in which all his funds are invested. Max hits bottom so hard that he must toil at hard labor, earning barely enough to settle himself and Gwenn in the country. Christmas is coming, and Max is determined to have a gift for Gwenn, even if he must steal it.

Max may be a bumbler as a thief, but he's a wonderful character--a true hero. The trials this honorable man goes through when pressed to do a wrong will tickle your funny bone while tugging on your heartstrings. Edith Layton's tale is a fittingly emotional conclusion to a collection of delightful Christmas stories.

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