A Historical Christmas Present (2008) - Plot & Excerpts
Three previously published historical Christmas novellas set in Georgian England, 12th century England, and frontier Arizona are collected here. I liked Lisa Kleypas' story best. A dissolute Lord who has been leading her brother to ruin proposes a plot to get back into his father's will in exchange for clearing the brother's debts. He will give up his bad habits and pretend to pursue her, a noted prim and proper spinster to convince his father to reinstate him. Of course, he is not as bad as he seems and only needs the support of a good women to save him. Very enjoyable. Lynsay Sands tells the story of a scullery maid who is pressed into service as a lady's maid and then gets talked into trading places with the Lady so she can avoid meeting her arranged fiance. A couple of secrets get thrown in and revealed to make everything turn out right. Leigh Greenwood brings an escaped convict to the door of a pregnant widow. Her husband framed him for the theft of a gold shipment and he wants to find it to clear his name before moving on to California. However, he ends up finding more than he expects on her ranch. Nice story. I Will by Lisa KleypasWhen a Georgian bluestocking is propositioned by a rakish noble, she finds the unlikely deal he proposes is the gift of a life time.Andrew, Lord Drake, is the drunken dissolute half brother to Logan Scott (Because You're Mine.) Their father is dying. In order to get back into the will Andrew must prove he has transformed his scandalous ways. So comes about a sham engagement to the morally upright Miss Caroline Hargreaves. The novella is a Rita Award winner. The same novella has also been published previously in Wish List.Three French Hens by Lynsay SandsA twelfth-century scullion gets a chance to play a lady's maid -and win the true love of an impoverished lord.Brinna, a scullery maid, is called upon to help Lady Joan avoid marriage to an poor lord. Brinna masquerades as the other woman. Soon she find herself falling in love with Royce who desperately needs a substantial dower to help his people. Too bad Brinna is the wrong woman -or is she? Also published in Five Gold Rings.Father Christmas by Leigh GreenwoodDelivering a young widow's baby during the holiday season transforms the heart of a lonely drifter in the nineteenth-century Arizona Territory.Joe Ryan is a wanted man. He shows up at his dead partner's ranch looking for the hidden gold, not only for the riches but to clear his good name. What he finds at the run down place is the man's pregnant widow and her step daughter. While searching for the lute lonely Joe can't help but lend a hand to the desperate woman and child who have captured his heart. Wonderful! Everything you could want in a holiday story including the cutesy little girl. The classic Christmas cliche of a loner finding a home -and a family- for the holidays. Also published in Their First Noel.(The summary of the stories come from an Amazon review.)Each of the stories was satisfying. I was especially pleased with Greenwood's story. I have heard of his work, but I rarely read "cowboy" stories. I would read others by Greenwood. Because of its improbability, Sands story was the weak one in the anthology.
What do You think about A Historical Christmas Present (2008)?
A set of three Christmas themed stories. Settings are Georgian, Medieval, and Western.
—GreatGenghis
Kleypas story - 4 stars - sweet, nice storySands story - 3 stars - okay
—rucahoneybear
Read a while back and don't remember it....
—CaliGyrl99
