Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Under the Mistletoe; M. Balogh

An impulse buy gone wrong. I'd already read three of the five short stories in this holiday anthology. It's my own fault. I saw it in the grocery store & thought,"Wow! A MB Christmas title. I've not read this one." Dropped it into the cart and away she goes. Discovering too late I'd read most of it already. Ah well. I can always trade it later.

The five short stories are: A Family Christmas, The Star of Bethlehem, The Best Gift, Playing House and No Room at the Inn. These are traditional Regencies & feature the usual cast of plots: unhappy marriages, overbearing parents, stranding at a remote inn due to weather, etc. Balogh is a master, though, and I have to say that I enjoyed the rereads (the first three stories) quite a bit. My favorites were the last two. One of which features a remarkably pouty, willful four year old child and the other reminds me how a single event or short time period can cause a person to rethink their modus operandi and their priorities.

None are particularly realistic, but then originality isn't strictly necessary especially when we're discussing Christmas romances. After all- Christmas is the ultimate happily ever after season of them all. Or at least- it ought to be, if it weren't for meddling relatives, poverty, bills, etc. etc. For me, Christmas reads are all about comfort & familiarity & the love triumphing over all.

5 comments:

Mailyn said...

I've never liked holiday novels because I feel that the author is just trying to make some money off the holidays ergo there goes the plot, characters, etc. But I am glad you enjoyed this. :-)

Jenster said...

I may have to give this one a try. I always seem too busy to read much in December (much like the last several months) and I enjoy short stories for that reason. Not only that, but I love MB!

Jen

CindyS said...

There was a Christmas anthology that I really liked a few years back. I think McNaught was one of the authors. I think it takes an easy hand to write a good holiday story. I love to read about snow storms and such and I usually get in the spirit just from that.

This year, I want a white Christmas. There, I said it. I love Christmas when there is snow on the ground. We had about 8 years of gloomy rainy Christmas days - ugh.

Oh and I totally agree with what Christmas reads are all about.

On that note, can you read a Christmas story after Christmas - like even a day after? I have to read them before and won't touch them again until the next year.

The last Christmas story I read was Evanovich's.

Okay, now I'm just babbling ;)

Cindy

Kate said...

I liked the first mary balogh xmas story I read. And the second. But then I figured out the obvious pattern and so much for that.

Diane Farr and Barbara Metzger have both written xmas stories that are fun and not drealy sap.

Bob & Muffintop said...

Thanks for the input Kate R- I'll keep an eye out for the Metzger & Farr Xmas titles.