annielynn19's review against another edition
4.0
Very pleasant short stories. I enjoyed them very much.
emmelnie's review against another edition
4.0
If you’re looking for holiday reads, can I recommend Carla Kelly’s Christmas Collection? Kelly wrote a large number of short Christmas novellas for holiday anthologies. This collection gathers four of them.
There’s an earthiness to Kelly’s writing, a practicality and grittiness that stands out in our imagined romance world full of high society and ton gatherings. Stories like that may glitter and shine; Kelly’s romances gleam, burnished from within by the warmth and charity of her characters.
The last two stories in this anthology are good, but the first two are marvelous. The Christmas Ornament gives us two fathers who want their children to marry: James is a professor, a scholar, and painfully shy; Olivia is a brilliant woman in an age that didn’t necessarily encourage that in females. In Make a Joyful Noise, a nobleman works to build up his church choir to be a threat in a local holiday singing competition. Through that, he meets a young pregnant widow transforms his life.
One relatively unique aspect of Kelly’s writing is that she tends to emphasize the male voice more than the female voice. In both the stories that I highlighted, the perspective is either third person or the hero’s POV. Seeing everything from the hero’s perspective, especially if that hero is self doubting, or misguided, or insecure, gives Kelly’s books a special flavor.
I’d recommend this collection as a great way to get to know Kelly‘s writing as well as to remind yourself of the holiday spirit. That spirit imbues Kelly’s Christmas stories.
There’s an earthiness to Kelly’s writing, a practicality and grittiness that stands out in our imagined romance world full of high society and ton gatherings. Stories like that may glitter and shine; Kelly’s romances gleam, burnished from within by the warmth and charity of her characters.
The last two stories in this anthology are good, but the first two are marvelous. The Christmas Ornament gives us two fathers who want their children to marry: James is a professor, a scholar, and painfully shy; Olivia is a brilliant woman in an age that didn’t necessarily encourage that in females. In Make a Joyful Noise, a nobleman works to build up his church choir to be a threat in a local holiday singing competition. Through that, he meets a young pregnant widow transforms his life.
One relatively unique aspect of Kelly’s writing is that she tends to emphasize the male voice more than the female voice. In both the stories that I highlighted, the perspective is either third person or the hero’s POV. Seeing everything from the hero’s perspective, especially if that hero is self doubting, or misguided, or insecure, gives Kelly’s books a special flavor.
I’d recommend this collection as a great way to get to know Kelly‘s writing as well as to remind yourself of the holiday spirit. That spirit imbues Kelly’s Christmas stories.
gemmalaszlo's review against another edition
4.0
Carla Kelly writes lovely sweet stories. Nothing beyond kissing is described, if that is your preference. I like a little more steam, but sweet and innocent can also be enjoyable.
I liked the first three stories. The last one was a DNF for me. It just didn’t feel like a love story at all and I lost interest.
I liked the first three stories. The last one was a DNF for me. It just didn’t feel like a love story at all and I lost interest.
sheltzer's review against another edition
3.0
I am just not a fan of romance short stories. Unless they are characters that I know and love (in which case the story fills in some gap or another), the time frame of the story is just too short for me to check enough disbelief at the door for me to accept that these characters fall head over heels in 2 days.
However, I did enjoy the writing in this book. It is always fun, in my opinion, to read a romance from the male perspective and Ms. Kelly has 3 such stories in her collection.
I would seek out full length novels of hers to enjoy.
However, I did enjoy the writing in this book. It is always fun, in my opinion, to read a romance from the male perspective and Ms. Kelly has 3 such stories in her collection.
I would seek out full length novels of hers to enjoy.
kobfroggie's review against another edition
3.0
The usual Cara Kelly's in petite bites. I had a soft spot for the hero of "Make a Joyful Noise" and wished the story were longer. "The Three Kings" was the most enjoyable to me, mainly because of the plot and the adventure spirit.
sharlynnshida's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful collection of holiday tales. Definitely going to make a traditional yearly read.
ghumpherys's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars. Just the right thing to get me in the Christmas spirit! I love Carla Kelly's stories and these short stories were just about perfect!
aliibera's review
3.0
Warm hearted Regency Christmas stories. Several with a war theme - there is some darkness here on that front but the romance element is sweet and a little bit naive (there's a lot of soldiers or older men and much younger women falling in love awfully quickly for my taste). But a kind of holiday comfort food, nonetheless.
darlenemarshall's review
4.0
As always, Carla Kelly brings the angst, but also the hope for a better tomorrow. I'd read two of these stories in other collections, two were new to me, but all were enjoyable. Kelly's stories of ordinary people are every bit as satisfying, if not more so, than a thousand Regency tales of dukes and heiresses.
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