I decided to give this four stars because it was an entertaining romance, with characters that I enjoyed reading about. While the conflict is mainly based on misunderstandings of characters and what is said and done, it wasn't too irritating to render the story frustrating or the characters unlikable.

Readers who enjoy a Darcy-like hero, composed, cold, uninvolved and very proper, they will probably like Bridgemere. I enjoy when the hero is forbidding and withdrawn from life, and stiff and we see him thaw out as he is around the heroine and falls in love with her. Bridgmere really liked Helen's authenticity and her caring for others, but at the same time, his experiences with his deceased wife has made him highly wary of love and withdrawn from life, determined not to make bad choices out of emotionalism. As such, there is a see-saw between his being drawn to Helen and his wanting to maintain distance.

As far as drama/conflict, there isn't a lot of external conflict. This story is more about the developing of the relationship between a lonely man and a young woman who was rejected by most of her family except for one lady who adopted her, and as such, she is devoted to the woman and calls her aunt. There is social conflict as Bridgemere is a powerful man surrounded by family who want access to his means and influence, and are playing a game of one upmanship. Helen is continually told she's not good enough for the Earl and couldn't possibly hope for marriage with him, because she's viewed as a threat to the others who see that the Earl likes, respect, and is drawn to her. This is reinforcing Helen's own feelings of unworthiness. Yet at the same time, she does seem to have a healthy sense of self esteem.

I liked that Helen is a spunky and independent person. She reminds me of one of my favorite literary heroines, Jane Eyre, in that regard. Even with the punches she's received in her life, her sense of loneliness and rejection, she won't lay down and die. She'll keep fighting and standing up for herself, and particularly others who need champions.

The holiday atmosphere was lovely, showcasing that the cold Earl really did have a soft, warm heart, especially for children. He makes a point of creating fun and welcoming activities to the overlooked and emotionally neglected children of his relatives. Bridgemere and Helen bond as they engage in these pursuits and they are allowed to see each other as they are, with the rigid social barriers lowered.

This isn't a particularly exciting book, but the writing is good, and the characters and their developing romance engaged me and kept my interest. I kept picking this up when I had a chance and getting drawn into the story, so that I'd read it longer than I should have been due to the need to complete other tasks.

I think readers who enjoy Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte would appreciate this book.

 I had mixed feelings about this book.  On the one hand, I thought the author did a great job of giving it a real setting.  There is no mistaking that this book is not only a medieval, but that it is set in England shortly after the Conquest. The romance sits nicely front and center, but the backstory of the Normans establishing their rule over the Saxons after having won at Hastings runs continuously through the story such that the romance and the rest of the story are inseparable.

And then there was Giles.  I thought Giles was a lovely hero. He has good sense and is enlightened for his time without seeming ridiculously modern. As bastard son of a nobleman, he had little to expect by way of advancement in France but following William to England gave him the chance of a lifetime - a title and an estate.  I loved watching how he managed to treat those around him with kindness and consideration while also showing himself strong enough to rule over his new lands.

I'll admit that the romance caused me some trepidation at first.  After all, not only does the Lady Fayth so clearly NOT want to marry Giles, but the power imbalance between them was huge.  As the conquering lord, Fayth is pretty much completely at Giles mercy. However, Giles repeatedly has opportunities to abuse his position and chooses not to. Affection was a bit slow to blossom between these two, but what really frustrated me was Fayth's continuing refusal to trust Giles despite all evidence that she should. Even so, I did enjoy the book overall.

This was a sweet read. I actually finished it a couple of weeks ago, but having a baby slowed me down a bit on reviewing. :)

The basic plot of the story is this - Heroine suffers a miscarriage, after which her husband sets her aside and she returns home to live with her mother and stepfather. She's not particularly welcome in their home and her life is pretty bleak. Then she meets the horseman her stepfather has hired to tame some of his horses. This goodhearted, gentle man helps her to feel alive again, and he in turn finds himself captivated by her. Both characters are likable and their love story is truly very sweet in a way that I haven't read in years. Sometimes I like a sweet, sentimental story and this one hit that spot. The tone reminded me quite a bit of some of the Western and Americana romances from the 90s that I enjoyed when I was in high school and college.

Another late posting review. This short story collection is great for readers who want historical western romance Christmas stories with a baby(ies) involved in the story.

Out of the three books, Cheryl St. John's story "A Baby Blue Christmas" was definitely my favorite. In this story, we actually get two babies, newborns, who are found in the stable owned by our hero, Turner. The heroine is related to their mom, but she allows Turner to assume she is their mother, so she can continue to care for them. Turner is a gruff hero who has a soft heart, especially for these two abandoned babies and their so-called mother. This story shows St. John's wonderful touch at crafting endearing 'beta' heroes that make you love them. Turner has a reason to keep at a distance from Gabrielle because of a past loss, but he really steps up and meets their needs. I admired Gabrielle for her loyalty to the mother of the babies, and especially the babies themselves. She stops at another to ensure that they get the best start in life. Although the babies are a huge part of the storyline, St. John doesn't stint on providing a heartwarming romance as well. I was very happy with this story, so I gave it 4.5 stars.

Although "A Christmas Child" wasn't a bad story, it was my least favorite. The writing didn't touch me that deeply, even though I admire Carolyn Davidson's storytelling abilities generally. On one hand, I did like Marianne a lot. She does rather remind me of Mary, Jesus' mother, which was probably intentional. The story set up kind of brings the original Nativity story to mind, but with a different twist. The hero is a pastor with a kind heart, who falls pretty hard and quickly for Marianne. However, I just didn't feel a big connection to this story in the way I did with the other two, and the small-mindedness of the town inhabitants towards Marianne was irritating to me. This one rated three stars.

"The Christmas Dove" by Victoria Bylin gives us a reunion romance between two souls who knew each other when they were young and wild, and to whom maturity brings a change of heart and a depth of character. Dylan is a great hero. He was once a callow hellraiser who realized he was wasting his life on carousing and playing around. Maddie was a spoiled rich girl who deigned to play around with him, even though he was way beneath her, and she runs off with a gambler when his flash attracts her adventuresome spirit. When his lost love, Maddie returns considerably fallen from grace as an unwed mother, he shows an incredible amount of grace to her, remembering his own past. While she hates herself for the bad decisions she makes, he supports her and builds her up with unconditional love. In return, Maddie has learned about what has true value in her life, and she has to gain the courage to reach out to a man who shows her with true love is. This story has a deeper message that speaks to me, and ties into this season very well, that no one is truly lost and beyond hope. The writing was eloquent and touching, and the characters were very well-developed despite the story's short length. This one earned four stars.

Overall, this was a successful and enjoyable short story collection to read around the Christmas holiday. Each story has an enjoyable western vibe and showcase some of the feelings and impact of the holiday. I enjoyed it, so my overall rating stands at four stars.

Historical Christmas Romance give us the chance to visit holiday traditions of old.  These books feature great love stories filled with Christmas joy. 

1. Christmas Angel  

2. The Knights Of Christmas 

3. Wish List 

4. Carla Kelly's Christmas Collection 

5. A Historical Christmas 

6. A Kiss For Midwinter 

7. The Sharing Spoon 

8. A Wallflower Christmas 

9. Unwanted 

10. Christmas Spirits (MacLeod, #6) 

I would love to know your favorite Historical Christmas Romances. 

If you would like to vote for the best of the best go to this Goodreads list: Historical Christmas/Winter Romance