I just couldn’t connect with any of these stories. I loved the sound of this book of short stories but it just wasn’t for me. ( )

Christmas in Kilts by: Bronwen Evans, Terri Brisbin, Lecia Cornwall, Lavinia Kent, May McGoldrick  
These highlanders set fire to the rain as they inspire faith in love. Christmas in Kilts is a plethora of lust, love and hot, sexy men. Terri Brisbin gives hope to a woman that never had a chance.  Bronwen Evans shares the pitfalls of instant love that was never part of the plan. May McGoldwick and Lecia Cornwall blend sentiment and seduction as they spark up a bit of romance while Lavinia Kent starts a bit of something, something in a tempting dance of chance.  Togetherness, temptation and seduction are found behind the kilt.  A spicy band of holiday fun.
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Christmas in Kilts are 5 standalone novellas that all end with a Happy Ever After.Each book is unique, and the Scottish brogue is throughout all 5 novellas.

Only one stands out as being too over the top, and being English with family from Aberdeen, it's just a little too cliche. But I did not let that stop me from enjoying the sweet romance, and learn something from almost every story.

In A Highlanders hope, you will learn that you should never let the prejudice of others hold you back from what you want.

In A Highlanders Christmas Wager, sometimes you have to set yourself a challenge, to get what you truly want.

In Sweet Home Highland Christmas, you learn that sometime you have to trust in others to truly get what you want.

In A Scot For Christmas, you learn that even when you think your dreams have no hope, and you resign yourself to a life alone, you should never set your plans in stone, because you never know what fate has in store.

Leftover Mistletoe was a difficult book for me, it didn't flow how I would have liked, and I struggled with the plot, so for me, that was my only distraction from the whole book.

I give Christmas in Kilts 4 stars. ( )

Christmas in Kilts is a 2017 Swerve publication.

Every holiday season, I sample at least one Christmas anthology. This one caught my eye, but as I was looking at the terrific authors featured, it occurred to me that it has been a very long time since I’ve read a Scottish/Highlander historical romance, and suddenly I felt a need to remedy that.

As usual, I choose one, maybe two, favorites in an anthology to feature in my review. But, to be clear, every book in the collection is very good, these were just the ones I enjoyed the most and wanted to spotlight.

A Highland Christmas Wager by Lecia Cornwall-

I loved this karma driven story featuring Meggie who, along with her grandmother, is forced to seek shelter from a snowstorm at Gleanngalla Castle, the last place on earth she wants to be.

However, with three Highlanders underfoot, things get a little prickly, when they agree to make a wager that could change the future for the two young ladies on the premises.

Despite Magnus MacVane’s confidence, things don’t exactly go as planned, when Charlie McKay and Hugh MacAulay put a wrinkle in his plans.

I really enjoyed the way this story turned out, and enjoyed seeing Meggie and Catriona get their much deserved HEA!

A Scot for Christmas by Bronwen Evans

Emma has loved Dougray since she was in her teens, but he married Francesca, who died tragically six years ago.

Dougray is still in love with Francesca, but realizes his duty to provide heirs. Therefore, he is beginning to think of remarriage and even has a prospect in mind. But, when Emma arrives with her brother, Dougray is stunned by her beauty and finds himself quite taken with her. But, when she approaches him with a scandalous proposition, his heart will face the ultimate test of courage.

This story pulls on the heartstrings, but has a wonderfully romantic and heartwarming ending. I was especially fond of Dougray- the brooding, tortured type I’m always a sucker for.

The remaining stories rounding out this star -studded anthology include:

The Highlander’s Hope by Teri Brisbin

Leftover Mistletoe by Lavinia Kent

Sweet Home Highland Christmas by May McGoldrick

Each novella is holiday themed and features super sexy Scottish Highlanders that will quicken your pulse and melt your heart!
4.5 stars ( )

Christmas in Kilts
An Anthology of Holiday Novellas

A HIGHLANDER’S HOPE by Terri Brisbin
A widow wants a wife but this one he wants to marry for love – even if she might not be acceptable to his clan. He has to woo her and what a wonderful job he does of doing so.

A HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS WAGER by Lecia Cornwall
Meggie made one mistake when young and has lost her ability to trust. Snowed in for Christmas with three lusty men wanting a kiss – will she finally be able to find a man she can give her heart to?

A SCOT FOR CHRISTMAS by Bronwen Evans
Emma is sure she is soon to be on the shelf BUT before she embraces spinsterhood she has a request to make of a man who never wants to love again. The request is a big one and might change both their lives forever.

LEFTOVER MISTLETOE by Lavinia Kent
Two people meet on a stage and are stranded on the road. Unlikely they would have ever met otherwise but definitely a propitious meeting for both of them.

SWEET HOME HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS by May McGoldrick
Ella needs to keep her niece and that means marrying someone she rather despises…until her niece starts playing matchmaker with the man accompanying them to visit family.

All of the books were different but well worth reading. The times of the stories ranged from the 1500’s to the 1800’s and were all set in Scotland. Definitely worth reading!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press – Swerve for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars ( )