New Release: A Very Highland Christmas Anthology + Review!

 

It's time for A Very Highland Holiday! 

Check out this anthology featuring stories by Jennifer Ashley, Tanya Anne Crosby, Kathryn Le Veque, Kerrigan Byrne, Darcy Burke, and Eliza Knight!

Blurb:

It’s an enchanting Christmas in the Highlands with some of your favorite Historical Romance authors!

It’s Christmas Eve 1747, and the Highlands are snowy. In the village of Calvine, north of Tay Forest, along a road that leads straight into Inverness, the only tavern in town is packed to the rafters with travelers.

Eight months after the disastrous defeat at Culloden, the people haven’t recovered, nor has the land, and it’s a bad winter. But inside the tavern known as Balthazar’s Inn, the magic that is Christmas is about to happen.

A blustery innkeeper, his sensitive daughter, and a cast of unique characters passing through the careworn tavern will bring you six captivating stories of reflection, joy, and enthrallment that is the very spirit of the holiday season.

Welcome to an enchanting limited-edition collection you won’t soon forget!

The Knight of Christmas Future by Kathryn Le Veque - When James de Lohr heads into the wilds of Scotland to discover what happened to his brother at the Battle of Culloden, his stay at Balthazar’s Tavern has an unexpected twist. On a night when angels walk the earth, James comes face to face with his very own guardian angel.

Fiona and the Three Wise Highlanders by Jennifer Ashley - Fiona McDonald is overjoyed to see Stuart Cameron alive and well after his imprisonment by the English, but her worries are not over. Stuart Cameron owes his safety to a pair of smugglers who have come to collect on their debt, and Stuart will need her help to win himself free.

One Knight’s Stand by Tanya Anne Crosby - Lady Elizabeth Easton finds herself suffering a terrible case of wedding nerves. She feigns illness, stopping to recover at a highland inn where she signs in as the “MacKinnon's bride.” Presumed dead at Culloden, Callum MacKinnon stops at the inn, intending to clean up before his return as the prodigal son. Imagine his surprise to find his “bride to be” has already procured them a room.

The Earl of Christmas Past by Kerrigan Bryne - A solstice blizzard drives Victorian photographer Vanessa Latimer to a crowded Highland Inn where the only available room is haunted by the ghost of a fallen warrior unwilling to give up his side of the bed.

Highland Hearts by Darcy Burke - When Tavish Crawford learns treasure hunter Elspeth Marshall is on the trail of his family’s missing legacy, he swears to prevent her at any cost. As nefarious forces threaten them both, he realizes he must not only protect the mystical sword, but the woman who has stolen his heart.

The Highlander Who Nearly Stole Christmas by Eliza Knight - For eight months, Thane Menzies has patiently waited to enact his revenge against the Campbells, and finally, he can’t resist the opportunity that’s presented itself: stealing their most precious treasure for his own—Lady Sarah.

From our families to yours, we wish you the very best of the holiday season!

Links:

Amazon https://bit.ly/AVHC2020

Nook https://bit.ly/NookAVHC20

Apple https://bit.ly/AVHC20

Kobo: https://bit.ly/KoboAVHC20

Paperback: http://bit.ly/2AVHHPB

Review:

3.5 stars

***

A Very Highland Christmas is a fun, holiday themed, historical romance anthology from some of the best authors of the genre. This was a pretty good anthology with enjoyable stories. This anthology's stories all take place after the battle of Culloden and the Jacobite rebellion. They each have scenes set in an inn in Scotland run by a quirky family of characters and many of the stories have a paranormal element. There are a several stories I really liked and a few that were just okay to me, so I am rating this 3.5 stars. In general, I liked this anthology and felt it was worth reading.

Here are my thoughts about the stories:

The Knight of Christmas Future by Kathryn Le Veque - 3.25 stars. This was an interesting story, but I found it dragged in parts. It felt a little lacking in chemistry and depth. Still, it was entertaining, in general.

Fiona and the Three Wise Highlanders by Jennifer Ashley - 3.25 stars. This story was an okay read. I thought it was interesting, but I didn't feel any chemistry or love. This was a long story and I felt like it was long enough to feel more of the emotions having built up, but I never felt it.

One Knight’s Stand by Tanya Anne Crosby - 3.25 stars. This story was only okay for me. It was interesting enough, but was nothing extra special. I didn't really feel the love between the couple. Still, it was not bad.

The Earl of Christmas Past by Kerrigan Byrne - 3.5-3.75 stars. This was my favorite of the stories in this anthology. I enjoyed this story. The couple had great chemistry. I wanted to read more about them.

Highland Hearts by Darcy Burke - 2 stars. This was my least favorite of the bunch. This story felt too long. There was too much paranormal stuff going on and not enough romance. There was also too many extra characters, which left the story feeling chaotic without enough focus on the love story. I didn't really enjoy this story.

The Highlander Who Nearly Stole Christmas by Eliza Knight - 3.5 stars. This was a quick, easy reading story. It was low angst, low heat and chemistry, but entertaining enough.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book with lots of Holiday cheer. There is a lot of variety of stories and authors in this anthology so there is something for everyone. It is definitely worth picking up!