HomeGroupsTalkMoreZeitgeist
Search Site
This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and (if not signed in) for advertising. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms.

Results from Google Books

Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.

Loading...

Regency Christmas Spirits [2001: Merry Wanderer/ Wexford Carol/ High Spirits/ Christmas Curse/ Gatherings of Gifts]

by Nancy Butler

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingConversations
743357,833 (3.5)None
Celebrate the spirit of the season with this delightful collection of holiday tales from five of the most beloved and bestselling authors to pen Regency romances. Nancy Butler Emma Jensen Edith Layton Barbara Metzger Andrea Pickens
None
Loading...

Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book.

No current Talk conversations about this book.

Showing 3 of 3
3.5 stars


Read this for 12 Tasks of the Festive Season:
Task the Sixth: The Hanukkah:
- Let the dreidel choose a book for you: create a list of four books, and assign a dreidel symbol to each one (Nun=miracle; Gimel=great; He=happened; Shin=there, i.e. Israel). Google "spin the dreidel," and a dreidel comes up for you to spin. Give it a spin and read the book that the dreidel chooses!


Not to sound all "get off my lawn!" but reading older published stories (they have their problems too) is sometimes very refreshing; it's amazing how much story can be created in favor of just hurriedly working to get the leads into bed. I like my sexy times but purpose and dialogue, y'all. These were all short, sweet, and nothing beyond kissing regency holiday stories.

“The Merry Wanderer” by Nancy Butler

3 stars

But as often as he'd willingly played the fool for his master or his mistress, he had never yet played the fool for love.

This one had a magical feel to it with Robin Goodfellow, Merlin, faeries, and an Arthur sighting. The heroine's family guards a very important faerie book and Robin visits to make sure the heroine is up to the task of guarding it. It was a bit slow moving but fairy tale fun.


“The Wexford Carol” by Emma Jensen

3.5 stars

"Is that what you will wish for, then? My speedy demise?"
"Goodness. A jest. Very good, Captain."
As he watched, surprised, charmed, and increasingly warm, she removed another sprig of holly from her pocket, tucked it into a buttonhole on his coat, and briskly patted his chest.
"As you could easily guess, I will make a wish for Hollymore."
With that, she stepped back, draped an arm around the cherub, and surveyed her handiwork on Rhys's coat. She gave a satisfied nod. In that brief moment, Rhys was enchanted to his toes.


This was a super sweet and funny story but was little bit lacking in the showing the relationship build between leads (these were all pretty short stories). The hero and heroine spend a week together with the hero's cheeky nephew, mistaken identities, semi-villain relatives and a house with more character than stable walls. It was lovely and being set in Ireland, gave it a beautiful Irish Christmas spirit.

“High Spirits” by Edith Layton

4 stars

He'd never be thought of as handsome, except in a certain light and at certain moments, when anyone could see he was much more than that.

My favorite from the series because the author was able to build and create a relationship between the leads in the short amount of time allotted. The heroine is having her season but super nervous so her brother advises her to imbibe a bit for Dutch courage. Hero is sent by his sister and aunt to call on heroine to warn her away from his cousin who they want to marry someone else. Hero is charmed by her and calls on her during the day, falling love. At night he is shocked by her flirty different attitude at balls, figures out she is drinking, takes her to a pub to show her alcoholics, and gives her a come to Jesus talk. It sounds preachy but the heroine's shyness and the hero's melting stoicism makes this a very sweet story.

“The Christmas Curse” by Barbara Metzger


2 stars

" 'Til Death do you part, lad?" he said with a smile and a wink for his own beloved. "That's not the half of it."

This one has ghosts for "spirits" with a medieval couple haunting a castle, able to actually affect things during the week of Christmas, because the husband in a jealous act jousted someone but died and the wife had made curse that if he didn't return her ring to the castle they would never rest. Their heir and hero is a battle scarred war hero and our heroine is a widow with a horrible aunt. There's guilt, shame, anger, fear, and love but the characters and story all felt a bit disjointed. We get great flushed out backstories for the heroine and hero but current scenes with them together were missing, I wanted to see them fall in love.

“A Gathering of Gifts” by Andrea Pickens

3.5 stars

Indeed, the more they spoke, the more intriguing she became.

This involved a Duke's daughter who started off a total spoiled brat and an ex-soldier who wouldn't give into her whims. Heroine injured her ankle so has to stay at the hero's manor, where they bicker and snark themselves into falling in love. The hero's sister, nephew, heroine's cousin, and others gave this a great fun cast of characters. I really liked how it was shown how the hero and heroine caused each other to grow and become better, very charming story. ( )
  WhiskeyintheJar | Feb 14, 2019 |
"THE MERRY WANDERER," by Nancy Butler a mischievous forest spirit spends the holidays making magic with some mortals -- and discovering love....
"THE WEXFORD CAROL." by Emma Jensen A lady's courage touches the heart of a Scrooge and has him singing
"HIGH SPIRITS." by Edith Laytonthe story of a lord's growing fondness for a young lady who unfortunately overindulges in high spirits..
"CHRISTMAS CURSE." Barbara Metzger The spirits of a knight and his lady must help their descendant find a bride in order to break a curse..
"A GATHERING OF GIFTS" by Andrea Pickens finds a spoiled lady and a dour ex-soldier celebrating the holidays -- and a mutual affection....
  Pebblesgmc | Jan 7, 2011 |
The authors have different views of what spirits are: being in good spirits, ghosts, fairies, and alcohol. An interesting mix for Christmastime.
  nolak | Jan 19, 2010 |
Showing 3 of 3
no reviews | add a review

» Add other authors

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Nancy Butlerprimary authorall editionscalculated
Jensen, Emmasecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Layton, Edithsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Metzger, Barbarasecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Pickens, Andreasecondary authorall editionsconfirmed

Belongs to Series

Belongs to Publisher Series

You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.
For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.
Canonical title
Original title
Alternative titles
Original publication date
People/Characters
Important places
Important events
Related movies
Epigraph
Dedication
First words
Quotations
Last words
Disambiguation notice
Anthology includes:

The Merry Wanderer by Nancy Butler
The Wexford Carol by Emma Jensen
High Spirits by Edith Layton
The Christmas Curse by Barbara Metzger
A Gathering of Gifts by Andrea Pickens
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Original language
Canonical DDC/MDS
Canonical LCC

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English

None

Celebrate the spirit of the season with this delightful collection of holiday tales from five of the most beloved and bestselling authors to pen Regency romances. Nancy Butler Emma Jensen Edith Layton Barbara Metzger Andrea Pickens

No library descriptions found.

Book description
Haiku summary

Current Discussions

None

Popular covers

Quick Links

Rating

Average: (3.5)
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3 5
3.5 2
4 3
4.5 1
5

Is this you?

Become a LibraryThing Author.

 

About | Contact | Privacy/Terms | Help/FAQs | Blog | Store | APIs | TinyCat | Legacy Libraries | Early Reviewers | Common Knowledge | 203,279,993 books! | Top bar: Always visible