Christmas in Duke Street: A Holiday Historical Romance Anthology

Miranda Neville · Carolyn Jewel · Shana Galen · Grace Burrowes

Oct 2015 · cJewel Books

About this ebook

Christmas in London is a busy time at the little bookshop in Duke Street, for love, literature, and shopping. Four couples come and go and discover that happy ever after makes the perfect Christmas gift. A new anthology from the bestselling authors of Christmas in the Duke’s Arms and Dancing in the Duke’s Arms.

 

The Rake Who Loved Christmas by Miranda Neville

 

Sir Devlyn Stratton wants to save his brother from an unprincipled adventuress, especially when he meets Oriel Sinclair and wants her for himself. Oriel won’t marry for convenience or become a rake’s mistress. But succumbing to Dev’s seduction is all too tempting.

 

Sir Devlyn Stratton stays in London for Christmas to celebrate his brother’s engagement to an heiress—until Merrick gets cold feet because he fancies another woman. Dev will do anything to save his brother from a misalliance with a shopkeeper, even seduce the fascinating adventuress himself.

 

Oriel Sinclair is hanging on by her fingernails, with a sick father and an ailing business. She’s trying to make a living in her tiny shop, even if it means being nice to customers like the rich, leering Lord Frogmore. Despite her straits, she won’t take advantage of a young man’s infatuation. Especially once she meets his elder brother who is everything she ever dreamed of in a man. Trouble is she doubts Dev’s  intentions are honorable and she won’t be reduced to a kept woman, by the the vile Frogmore or the delectable Dev.

 

A Seduction in Winter by Carolyn Jewel

 

He’s an artist and a duke’s heir. She’s sheltered and scarred. Can he show her by Christmas that love can be theirs to share?

 

As the holidays approach, Lieutenant Leoline Marrable, now Lord Wrathell, travels to London where he’s expected to fulfill longstanding expectations and propose to his former commander’s daughter. Wrathell longs to ease the strained relationship with his ducal father.  The key may be an unfinished portrait of his late brother.

 

Honora Baynard has a terrible facial scar as a result of a childhood injury. She has never forgotten Leoline, who came to her defense when other children tormented her. Now, her over-protective artist father keeps her indoors, creating the beautiful detail work that makes his paintings so sought after.  

 

As Wrathell and Honora spend more time together, mutual interest becomes mutual attraction. Can Wrathell convince Honora that for Christmas, he’d like to give her not only passion and pleasure, but his heart to keep for her own?

 

A Prince in her Stocking by Shana Galen

 

Lady Cassandra has always done as she’s been told. Meek and malleable, she’s lived a life devoid of passion. When she meets a handsome man rumored to be an exiled prince, she sees one last chance at excitement. Little does she know, too much excitement can be dangerous.

 

When it’s cold outside…

Prince Lucien of Glynaven flees to England when his family is killed in a revolution. Homeless and penniless, he spends the winter days in a small bookshop, searching for documents his mother secreted among a box of books shipped to London. Lady Cassandra is the first woman in months to look at him like a man and not a vagrant, and he can’t resist flirting with her. When assassins find Lucien, he must end the budding romance and abandon his last chance to reclaim his identity.

 

A prince is the perfect hero to make Christmas cozy.

Cass Ashbrooke married for duty. Now that she’s a widow, she remains under the thumb of her late husband’s sister. When Cass glimpses an attractive man in her favorite bookshop, she offers him friendship, hoping to add a spark of excitement to her dull life. The prince’s kisses are more passionate than Cass imagined, but she and Lucien need a holiday miracle if they’re to thwart his enemies, find the missing treasure, and celebrate a happy new year together.

 

The Appeal of Christmas by Grace Burrowes

The best Christmas present is the one he didn't realize he desperately needed.

 

She's his favorite bluestocking...

Hester Hooper loves beautiful prose and old books, but she loves barrister Gervaise Stoneleigh more. For years, she's helped Gervaise polish his legal arguments, beat him at chess, and tolerated his annual holiday grumpiness, hoping all the while that this Christmas, her friend will finally see her as more than a reliable confidante and shopping partner.

 

He's the best argument for loitering beneath the mistletoe...

Gervaise Stoneleigh has no time for holiday sentiment, though he tries to humor Hazel's seasonal enthusiasms--she is his oldest friend, after all. When Gervaise finds an unsigned draft of a love letter at Hazel's favorite bookshop, he's intrigued by the author's passion and eloquence. The lady who wrote that letter is bold, courageous, and lusty--not at all like his sweet, demure Hazel. And yet, when Hazel accosts Gervaise beneath the mistletoe, he's in for quite the holiday surprise!

 

 

Ratings and reviews

Again this year, our favourite Regency authors reunite for a wonderful Christmas gift to us, readers. I have reviewed the books in the order in which they appear in the box set. It is a tad long, but aren’t those fabulous ladies worth it? Miranda Neville THE RAKE WHO LOVED CHRISTMAS Ms. Neville’s enchanted pen strikes again, she had me from the first paragraph!! O the loveliness of those sentences, the fabulous characters; THE RAKE WHO LOVED CHRISTMAS is filled with emotions, love, sadness, hope, bittersweet moments. Ms. Neville paints a Regency winter so authentic, you cannot help but be sucked in right into her world. And not all characters are always nice, but how delightful when they see the error of their ways and redeem themselves. Another glorious romance by the wonderful Miranda Neville! Carolyn Jewel A SEDUCTION IN WINTER A SEDUCTION IN WINTER is a perfectly magnificent book! Honora’s story is heartbreaking, and Ms. Jewell kept me enthralled with Honora’s fate. The art world is beautifully depicted, the dialogue is splendid. A SEDUCTION IN WINTER is profoundly touching, never maudlin; it is an achingly beautiful story. Shana Galen A PRINCE IN HER STOCKING With Shana Galen, you know you can expect romance plus action and adventure, and the author doesn’t fail us! Both Cass and Lucien are not your cookie-cutter romance protagonists, which makes the romance even more delightful – and real! I loved that the romance in A PRINCE IN HER STOCKING revolves around books, and a bookstore. There are surprises at every corner, fabulous plot twists, and terrific character development, especially when it comes to Cass. The writing flows beautifully, the chemistry between Cass and Lucien is palpable; what a wonderful story it is! Grace Burrowes THE APPEAL OF CHRISTMAS Gervaise Stoneleigh is not your stereotypical solicitor, and neither is Hazel your usual spinster and blue-stocking; and they are true friends, and have been for several years. Ms. Burrowes is her usual splendidly lyrical self, and the banter between Gervaise and Hazel is particularly witty. I particularly loved the feeling of really going Christmas shopping in Regency London: all those seemingly trifling details added so much to the holiday atmosphere. The characters are all splendid, and I enjoyed very much the little bit about Mr. and Mrs. Merriweather, of the bookshop. THE APPEAL OF CHRISTMAS is clever, superbly written, very romantic; another lovely story from Ms. Burrowes! I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

About the author

Miranda Neville grew up in England, loving the books of Georgette Heyer and other Regency romances. Her historical romances include the Burgundy Club series, about Regency book collectors, and The Wild Quartet. She lives in Vermont with her daughter, her cat, and a ridiculously large collection of Christmas tree ornaments.

 

Carolyn Jewel was born on a moonless night. That darkness was seared into her soul and she became an award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of historical and paranormal romance. She has a very dusty car and a Master’s degree in English that proves useful at the oddest times. An avid fan of fine chocolate, finer heroines, Bollywood films, and heroism in all forms, she has two cats and two dogs. Also a son. One of the cats is his.

 

Shana Galen is the bestselling author of passionate Regency romps, including the RT Reviewers' Choice The Making of a Gentleman. Kirkus says of her books, "The road to happily-ever-after is intense, conflicted, suspenseful and fun," and RT Bookreviews calls her books "lighthearted yet poignant, humorous yet touching." She taught English at the middle and high school level off and on for eleven years. Most of those years were spent working in Houston's inner city. Now she writes full time. She's happily married and has a daughter who is most definitely a romance heroine in the making.

 

Grace Burrowes started writing romances as an antidote to empty nest and soon found it an antidote to life in general. She is the sixth out of seven children, and grew up reading voraciously when she wasn't enjoying the company of her horse. Grace is a practicing child welfare attorney in western Maryland, and loves to hear from her readers.