A CHRISTMAS BALL

Author: Jennifer Ashley, Emily Bryan, Alissa Johnson ISBN: 9780843962505 10/2009 ANTHOLOGY Publisher: DORCHESTER

’TIS THE SEASON FOR SEDUCTION It is the most anticipated event of the ton: the annual holiday ball at Hartwell House. The music is elegant, the food exquisite, and the guest list absolutely exclusive. Some come looking for love. Some will do almost anything to avoid it. But everyone wants to be there. No matter what their desires, amid the swirling gowns and soft glow of candlelight, magic tends to happen. And one dance, one kiss, one night can shape a new destiny…

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

I'll review each story in A CHRISTMAS BALL separately first. To note, in my copy of the book, Emily Bryan and Jennifer Ashley's stories were switched so that The Longest Night was listed as the first story, when in fact, My Lady Below Stairs is first. Not a big deal, but just wanted to make that clear.

My Lady Below Stairs by Emily Bryan

It's not too often I run across a story with a peer's bastard as the heroine, or at least I can't think of any others at the moment. It's not a trope I would normally find appealing, since the very nature of an illegitimate child usually means one or the other parent (if not both) have been neglectful in some way. That's not truly the case in this story, at least; Lord Somerville doesn't exactly welcome Jane, but he gives her a place in his home (as a servant) after her mother dies.

As a main character, Jane begins a little bland but begins to pick up personality (and gumption) as the story goes on. As she falls further into her guise as her half-sister, the missing Lady Sybil, Jane is torn between wanting to keep this life of glitter and lavishness or returning to her ordinary life where she is at least certain of who she is. Complicating matters are the feelings she has for Ian, a stable hand on her father's estates who she isn't sure whether his feelings are transitory.

The story worked well as we slipped between Jane-as-Sybil at the ball and Sybil with her lover, vacillating between guilt over leaving her poor father in a bind and stubbornly refusing to give up her lover, an Italian painter. The ending is something of a comedy of fools, as everyone tries to sort out who's who, what's what, and who belongs with whom. It was a little too perfect, with Lord Somerville realizing all his errors and trying to make everyone happy, but it is a holiday story and that can be forgiven, at least.

The Longest Night by Jennifer Ashley

This ties in with Nvengaria Series, tying up loose ends from the third book, HIGHLANDER EVER AFTER. I had not read any of those books, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the story. The pertinent details are well-covered in this novella without seeming like the author had to give an info-dump for any new readers. I was intrigued by this violent, passionate country of Nvengaria, where knife fights in the middle of government meetings were not unheard of (or frowned upon, if I understood correctly). And where a legendary creature known as the logosh roam around, if not with heartfelt love, at least with more freedom than they would find in any other country.

Much of the romantic development between Mary and Valentin was covered in the aforementioned third book, but we're given snippets of what it must have been like. Mary is his elder by a few years, which hardly signifies, quite frankly, since Valentin isn't completely human and is a worrier. A constant worrier. Everything makes her fret and doubt herself, which is a little irritating but understandable. Valentin, for his part, finds it very hard to view things from Mary's English sensibilities. It's considered a smart choice not to marry if the man can't provide for the house. Better to live together and part ways easily if things become too unbearable. At least by Nvengarian customs it's a smart choice; for Mary, that's tantamount to becoming his mistress!

This was a quick read, with a bit of mystery thrown in to keep the story moving along and add a little layering. It makes me want to seek out the other books now, in fact!

Traditions by Alissa Johnson

Unexpected falling in love stories—for either party—are really fun. I especially like it when the guy does so, but doesn't worry about the fact. William had some very certain ideas about everything, especially his choice of a wife, so it was amusing when the simple act of eating a whole cake slice in one bite sends his ideas out the window.

Patience, who had already been in love with William from afar, was an odd sort of person. If we didn't 'see' things from her perspective every so often I would have thought her bi-polar, her mood switched so quickly. As it was, it seemed less like her mood was switching than the mask she was able to keep her emotions in check would crack for certain reasons.

The romance was sweet, the two of them trying to enjoy every minute they can (for different reasons) and watching William slowly...compromise, if not bend completely, from his firm plans. The only aspect I did not like was Patience's father. The whole thing seemed so absurd that I kept thinking there had to be something else to it. Except there wasn't. And the end was even more absurd—not the romance part, but the tie up with her father. It soured the story for me a little bit, honestly.

Each approaches the Hartwells' Ball from different angles, for different reasons, and with mixed results, adding to the fun. Separately I think the stories have weak points that could handle more fleshing out, if that was possible, but as a whole overall, the three stories are a fun and diverting holiday read.

Alexandra Cenni