How the Dukes Stole Christmas by Various Authors

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Title: How the Dukes Stole Christmas: A Holiday Romance Anthology
Author: Tessa Dare, Sarah MacLean, Sophie Jordan, Joanna Shupe
Published by: HarperAudio
Release Date: December 4, 2018
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Justine Eyre
Length: 12 hours and 31 minutes
Genres: Historical Romance, Holiday
Source: Libby
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2020 12 Books of Christmas Challenge, Lenoreo's 2020 Audiobook Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iTunes ✩ Libro.FM
Blurb:

Christmas magic is in the air... From the ballrooms of London, to abandoned Scottish castles, to the snowy streets of Gilded Age New York, four bestselling authors whip up some unforgettable romance...with a little help from some enchanted shortbread.

"Meet Me in Mayfair" by Tessa Dare
Louisa Ward needs a Christmas miracle. Unless she catches a wealthy husband at the ball tonight, the horrid, heartless Duke of Thorndale will evict her family from their beloved Mayfair home. But when her friend begs to switch dance cards, Louisa finds herself waltzing with the enemy: the horrid, heartless--and unexpectedly handsome--Thorndale himself. Now the duke's holding her future in his hands...and he's not letting go.

"The Duke of Christmas Present" by Sarah MacLean
Rich and ruthless, Eben, Duke of Allryd, has no time for holidays. Holidays are for whimsy and charm--the only two things his money cannot buy. Lady Jacqueline Mosby is full of both, even now, twelve years after she left to see the world. When Jacqueline returns for a single Christmas, Eben can't resist the woman he never stopped loving...or the future that had once been in reach. It will take a miracle to convince her to stay...but if ever there were a time for miracles, it's Christmas...

"Heiress Alone" by Sophie Jordan
When Annis Bannister's family leaves her behind in the rush to escape an impending snowstorm, she finds herself stranded in the Highlands, left to fend off brigands terrorizing the countryside, robbing homes locked up for winter. Her only hope falls on her neighbor, a surly hermit duke who unravels her with a look, then a kiss ... until she fears the danger to her heart outweighs the danger of brigands and snowstorms.

"Christmas in Central Park" by Joanna Shupe
Women all over America devour Mrs. Walker's weekly column for recipes and advice. No one knows Rose, the column's author, can't even boil water. When the paper's owner, Duke Havemeyer, insists she host a Christmas party, Rose must scramble to find a husband, an empty mansion, and a cook. But Duke is not a man easily fooled and she fears her perfect plan is failing--especially when Duke's attentions make her feel anything but professional. To save her career will she give up her chance at love?

My Review:

OVERALL: 3.5 stars — Solid anthology, but since I’m not much of a historical romance reader, I kind of didn’t give that last book a chance because I ran out of steam, you know?  Also, the narrator was solid.  I’d listened to another book by Ms. Eyre and wasn’t as impressed, but maybe I need to listen to her with a British/Scottish/etc accent?

MEET ME IN MAYFAIR by Tessa Dare
4 stars — Exactly what I expect from Ms. Dare: a sassy, strong, outspoken heroine; a strange courting situation; a gruff and grumpy hero.  I mean, not all her characters are like that, but I do enjoy the stories with the ones who are.  I enjoyed the weird way they got to know one another — the building fascination.  Even the miscommunication wasn’t horrible, and it made for a very satisfying ending.

THE DUKE OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT by Sarah MacLean
3 stars — Honestly, there was a lot I liked about this book…but it was so long and drawn out!  It would have been a 4 star book for sure if the author’d condensed at least a third.  I was considering DNFing actually — it was just the same back and forth, and apparently I wasn’t in the mood for it.  Which is too bad, b/c I genuinely liked Eben and Jacq, and really enjoyed their connection and love for one another, and even the struggle of what kept them apart.  But wow, I was done by the midway point.

HEIRESS ALONE by Sophie Jordan
4 stars — Oh yeah, this is just the kind of story line that sucks me in.  I mean, yeah…Annis was so my kind of girl.  I appreciated her quiet spunk, her curiosity, just all of that.  I was a bit frustrated on her getting hung up on the biscuits, but ah well.  And Calder was a pretty adorable grumpy Duke.  I don’t know, it was just fun.

CHRISTMAS IN CENTRAL PARK by Joanna Shupe
DNF somewhere in the middle of chapter 2 — Honestly, I didn’t give this one much of a chance.  I think I ran out of steam, and I just wasn’t that captured by the plot of this one, so I gave up way early.