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Rating: 
Summary: Not just for Christmas . . .
Review: I opened this book absolutely confident that I would absolutely love at least one of the stories. I closed it, delightfully surprised by the discovery that I truly enjoyed all three of them. With varying degrees of enjoyment, to be sure, but nevertheless I did like them all. Leading off this 'stockingful of love and joy. . .' (as it says on the cover) is "A Cache of Magical Kittens" by Judith A. Lansdowne, the one I knew I would greatly enjoy. Which I did. No one--absolutely no one--does cats or kittens better than Ms. Lansdowne, and, once you've made the acquaintance of Mrs. Oakwood, I'm sure you'll agree. C. Archibald Pope with his trusty mare, Feather, is on his way to becoming the tutor for the son of an old friend, when Feather stumbles, and the severe winter cold and snow almost does them both in. It's only the discovery of a litter of forlorn, nearly frozen kittens and their exceedingly bedraggled mother in a hollow tree that provides the inspiration and fortitude for Archie to continue his journey. Once he reaches Wyndhover, he meets his young charge, the six-year-old Viscount Wraithstone, who has not spoken nor allowed himself to be touched since the death of his father, some eighteen months prior. And, of course, the lad's mother, at her wit's end in the struggle to solve the puzzle of her young son. A Cache of Magical Kittens is indeed magical in every respect, and you'll feel a warm wonderful glow when you've finished reading it. No matter when you read it. I'm sure the magic will work just as well in mid-summer as it would in mid-winter. It certainly worked for me on Valentine's Day! Mistletoe Kisses by Jeanne Savery was a major delight. A touch of Gothic, a hint of mystery, a lost heiress, a soon-to-be Baron and a small kitten all combine to lead the reader through hidden passages in an old castle to hidden caves in the cliffs off Cornwall, fighting off smugglers and other difficulties in order to find true love. It all works wonderfully well, and you'll enjoy the trip as the two lonely souls, Grace Cheviot and Morgan St. Austell, fight off adversaries to gain each other, with the able assistance of Purrmew, of course. Noël 's Christmas Wish by Donna Simpson, although the weakest of the three novellas (in my own opinion, that is) is still enjoyable. One could wish for a slighter emphasis on the stereotypical behavior of the characters, and also for slightly more archaic speech patterns in what is, after all, a historical story. (Late 20th century phrases pop out in the strangest places--a habit I've noticed in other books by this author.) The six-year-old Mossy is a tad too precocious, but charming and winsome in her longing for a real family--something she's never known, for her mother died in childbirth. When her father, Charles Montrose, brings her a kitten he's rescued, the tyke is overjoyed that he's remembered his promise, when in reality he doesn't remember any such thing. Mossy and the kitten, who she's named Noël, wish on a falling star, and then set about to make the wish come true. The widowed Lady Ann Beecham-Brooke, known as Lady Ice to many of the ton in London, has no interest in assisting the wish to become fact, but finds herself accepting the hospitality of the Montrose family after her carriage suffers an accident. Helpless in the face of such a welcoming household, she is forced to confront the memories of her own unhappy childhood and marriage, until finally, she realizes she can indeed change not only her own life, but also that of Mossy and her father.
Rating:
Summary: Not just for Christmas . . .
Review: I opened this book absolutely confident that I would absolutely love at least one of the stories. I closed it, delightfully surprised by the discovery that I truly enjoyed all three of them. With varying degrees of enjoyment, to be sure, but nevertheless I did like them all. Leading off this 'stockingful of love and joy. . .' (as it says on the cover) is "A Cache of Magical Kittens" by Judith A. Lansdowne, the one I knew I would greatly enjoy. Which I did. No one--absolutely no one--does cats or kittens better than Ms. Lansdowne, and, once you've made the acquaintance of Mrs. Oakwood, I'm sure you'll agree. C. Archibald Pope with his trusty mare, Feather, is on his way to becoming the tutor for the son of an old friend, when Feather stumbles, and the severe winter cold and snow almost does them both in. It's only the discovery of a litter of forlorn, nearly frozen kittens and their exceedingly bedraggled mother in a hollow tree that provides the inspiration and fortitude for Archie to continue his journey. Once he reaches Wyndhover, he meets his young charge, the six-year-old Viscount Wraithstone, who has not spoken nor allowed himself to be touched since the death of his father, some eighteen months prior. And, of course, the lad's mother, at her wit's end in the struggle to solve the puzzle of her young son. A Cache of Magical Kittens is indeed magical in every respect, and you'll feel a warm wonderful glow when you've finished reading it. No matter when you read it. I'm sure the magic will work just as well in mid-summer as it would in mid-winter. It certainly worked for me on Valentine's Day! Mistletoe Kisses by Jeanne Savery was a major delight. A touch of Gothic, a hint of mystery, a lost heiress, a soon-to-be Baron and a small kitten all combine to lead the reader through hidden passages in an old castle to hidden caves in the cliffs off Cornwall, fighting off smugglers and other difficulties in order to find true love. It all works wonderfully well, and you'll enjoy the trip as the two lonely souls, Grace Cheviot and Morgan St. Austell, fight off adversaries to gain each other, with the able assistance of Purrmew, of course. Noël 's Christmas Wish by Donna Simpson, although the weakest of the three novellas (in my own opinion, that is) is still enjoyable. One could wish for a slighter emphasis on the stereotypical behavior of the characters, and also for slightly more archaic speech patterns in what is, after all, a historical story. (Late 20th century phrases pop out in the strangest places--a habit I've noticed in other books by this author.) The six-year-old Mossy is a tad too precocious, but charming and winsome in her longing for a real family--something she's never known, for her mother died in childbirth. When her father, Charles Montrose, brings her a kitten he's rescued, the tyke is overjoyed that he's remembered his promise, when in reality he doesn't remember any such thing. Mossy and the kitten, who she's named Noël, wish on a falling star, and then set about to make the wish come true. The widowed Lady Ann Beecham-Brooke, known as Lady Ice to many of the ton in London, has no interest in assisting the wish to become fact, but finds herself accepting the hospitality of the Montrose family after her carriage suffers an accident. Helpless in the face of such a welcoming household, she is forced to confront the memories of her own unhappy childhood and marriage, until finally, she realizes she can indeed change not only her own life, but also that of Mossy and her father.
Rating:
Summary: 3 delights
Review: The three of my favorite authors give us wonderful stories. Out of the three, however, my favorite would have to be the second with all its delicious intrigue (hidden passages, odd relatives). "Mistletoe Kisses" just does not stay put. The other stories are still not to be passed over. Archibald, who thinks he is not worthy and yet gives a mother a most precious gift, and Lady Ann, who refuses to deal with any more gossip, find themselves in interesting and difficult situations. They manage to find the courage to overcome their difficulties with a smile on their face.
Rating:
Summary: 3 delights
Review: The three of my favorite authors give us wonderful stories. Out of the three, however, my favorite would have to be the second with all its delicious intrigue (hidden passages, odd relatives). "Mistletoe Kisses" just does not stay put. The other stories are still not to be passed over. Archibald, who thinks he is not worthy and yet gives a mother a most precious gift, and Lady Ann, who refuses to deal with any more gossip, find themselves in interesting and difficult situations. They manage to find the courage to overcome their difficulties with a smile on their face.
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