Holiday romance

Christmas Brides

By Suzanne Enoch, Alexandra Hawkins, Elizabeth Essex, and Valerie Bowman

St. Martin's. 384 pp. $7.99 paperback

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Reviewed by Lidija Dorjkhand

Christmas Brides is a holiday collection of short stories by four best-selling historical romance authors.

"One Hot Scot," by Suzanne Enoch, opens the anthology with the tale of English heiress Julia Prentiss, on the run in the Scottish Highlands, trying to escape Lord Bellamy, a fortune hunter who had kidnapped her from a party. Walking past a lake, she comes upon a folded blanket, which she uses to wrap herself against a brewing storm. Then, Duncan Lenox emerges naked from the lake and demands the return of his kilt.

Julia is reluctant to trust Duncan and he is reluctant to get involved. Still, he wants to protect her and hides her when Lord Bellamy and his brother stop by. Though they've only known each other for a few short hours, Duncan and Julia realize their growing love, and must figure out a solution that will save everyone.

"Once Upon a Christmas Scandal" continues Alexandra Hawkins' Lords of Vice series. Lady Ellen Courtland discovers that her father, whose heart is failing, wants her married quickly and has tripled her dowry. Now she will be the target of every bachelor in England. Derrick Martin Hunt, Earl of Swainsbury, realizes that Ellen will be the perfect lure to draw out the unknown man who killed his sister after eloping with her. A real attraction grows between Ellen and Derrick - an attraction that becomes obvious to others at the party and that forces the hand of the killer.

"The Scandal Before Christmas" by Elizabeth Essex is the story of Lt. Ian Worth, whose overbearing father is trying to force him into marriage by Christmas. Ian blurts out that he is already married. Now, Ian must find a wife before he goes back to sea. He agrees to meet and hopefully wed the daughter of a former shipmate. His initial view of what appears to be a plain, meek woman is not promising, but he has no time to woo another. But Anne Lesley is not what she seems. She jumps at the chance to marry sight unseen a naval officer who would be away often, leaving her to enjoy the solitude of her own home. The way the two of them discover that this hastily arranged marriage might just be a perfect union is heartwarming.

"It Happened Under the Mistletoe," by Valerie Bowman, is a delight. Stuck at a holiday house party pursued by young hoydens intent upon marrying a duke, Oliver Townsende desperately takes refuge in a silver closet. He discovers that the closet is already in use by the lovely Cerian Blake, who is seeking to avoid her own persistent admirers. Saucy and witty, Cerian charms Oliver, who soon devises a plan to help them both during the remainder of the days-long party.