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Robin (USA: VA) (2011/07/07):
4.0 out of 5 stars Nice, October 14, 2003
By E. Kay "karenlk" (Ohio) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)
This review is from: Regency Christmas Wishes (Signet Regency Romance) (Paperback)
In "The Lucky Coin" by Barbara Metzger, Adam Standish has hit rock bottom. He hasn't a penny in his pocket--until a stranger in a carriage offers him "a penny for his thoughts." With this new penny in his possession, Adam Standish's luck begins to change. He meets lovely Jenna, and starts to believe that wishes come true. This is a fun story, and I've always been a fan of Metzger's humor. My only qualm lies within the tepid heroine. 4 stars.
In "Following Yonder Star" by Emma Jensen, Alice Ashe is preparing to have an Irish Christmas--without Gareth, the beau who abandoned her years ago. When he shows up for the Christmas festivies, Alice has mixed feelings about his unexpected arrival. Gareth, who plans to leave after Christmas, starts to wonder if he'll have a reason to stay. He still have feelings for Alice. ...This was an interesting story, aside from the fact that it veered from the plot sometimes. 3 stars.In "Merry Magpie" by Sandra Heath, Charlie Neville blames the downfall of his marriage on his estranged wife's aunt's... bird. It was because of the drunken (yes, drunken) magpie that his infidelity was exposed. 5 years later, he returns as a more mature man, hoping to get a second chance. This story was pleasantly different in the way it consisted of mostly flashbacks, which eventually led up to a 10 page reunion between the couple. In spite of the lack of interaction between the main characters, I still enjoyed it. 4 stars. In "Best Wishes" by Edith Layton, newlyweds Pamela and Jonathan suddenly find themselves at odds with each other. They can't agree on anything, and both spouse and husband end up being miserable during different parts of the holidays. Together, they must search for some common ground. I really wanted to enjoy this story, but I was irritated by Jonathan's controlling behavior, and by Pamela's whininess. 2 1/2 stars. In Carla Kelly's "Let Nothing You Dismay," Miss Cecilia Ambrose finds herself in close quarters with the family of her pupil, Lucinda. She is intrigued by Lucinda's uncle, who is both caring and intelligent. But Uncle Trevor harbors a secret--he blames himself for a tragedy that happened many Christmases ago. Somehow, Cecilia must help him to rid himself of his sorrows. As I would expect of Carla Kelly, the character developement is superb. 4 1/2 stars. To sum things up: This collection of Christmas stories (all written by popular writers of the genre) is pleasant in every way, and does an adequate job of presenting the spirit of the season.
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