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Timeless Regency Collection
A Christmas Promise
Coming this Christmas: Three Regency Romances by Joanna Barker, Annette Lyon, and Jennifer Moore
THE TWO BELLS OF CHRISTMAS by Joanna Barker
Roland Hastings made a promise to his father: to marry and carry on the family line. But after a year of searching, he has given up hope of finding the right woman. Anticipating a quiet Christmas with his mother, Roland is frustrated to learn she has organized an entire house party to help him find a bride. Cassandra Bell arrives for the house party with her twin sister Vivian, who has set her heart on winning a proposal from the eligible Mr. Hastings. But when Vivian grows ill, she begs Cassie to switch places with her and keep the other conniving ladies away from Mr. Hastings. Cassie reluctantly takes on the role of her poised and proper twin, but things become much more complicated when Roland begins to take an interest in the spunky and unconventional Cassie...
PROMISE ME AGAIN by Annette Lyon
Secret wedding plans. A powerful brother who will go to any lengths to stop them. Can love truly conquer all? Miriam and Jacob have loved each other for as long as they can remember. They want to wed, but Jacob's older brother Norman forbids it. Deciding to do so secretly without his blessing, Miriam and Jacob make plans to marry on Christmas Eve at a church several hours’ journey away. Despite their efforts, Norman’s long reach finds them. Miriam’s love is tested to the very limit when she is forced into a devil’s bargain with him. She agrees only to spare Jacob pain, but can their hearts find their way back to each other no matter what—or who—stands in their way?
A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY by Jennifer Moore
The war is over, but Lucy Breckenridge’s plans for a perfect Christmas are ruined when Captain James Stewart brings news that her father will not return in time for the holiday. Determined to not miss yet another Christmas with her father, Lucy starts on a journey for London with her trusty maid and manservant. Learning they have gone, James follows, hoping to stop her before she discovers the true reason for Colonel Breckenridge’s absence. Along the way, the two join in local holiday celebrations and learn that families have flaws, friendship requires trust, and Christmas traditions can be created in the most unexpected places.
THE TWO BELLS OF CHRISTMAS by Joanna Barker
Roland Hastings made a promise to his father: to marry and carry on the family line. But after a year of searching, he has given up hope of finding the right woman. Anticipating a quiet Christmas with his mother, Roland is frustrated to learn she has organized an entire house party to help him find a bride. Cassandra Bell arrives for the house party with her twin sister Vivian, who has set her heart on winning a proposal from the eligible Mr. Hastings. But when Vivian grows ill, she begs Cassie to switch places with her and keep the other conniving ladies away from Mr. Hastings. Cassie reluctantly takes on the role of her poised and proper twin, but things become much more complicated when Roland begins to take an interest in the spunky and unconventional Cassie...
PROMISE ME AGAIN by Annette Lyon
Secret wedding plans. A powerful brother who will go to any lengths to stop them. Can love truly conquer all? Miriam and Jacob have loved each other for as long as they can remember. They want to wed, but Jacob's older brother Norman forbids it. Deciding to do so secretly without his blessing, Miriam and Jacob make plans to marry on Christmas Eve at a church several hours’ journey away. Despite their efforts, Norman’s long reach finds them. Miriam’s love is tested to the very limit when she is forced into a devil’s bargain with him. She agrees only to spare Jacob pain, but can their hearts find their way back to each other no matter what—or who—stands in their way?
A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY by Jennifer Moore
The war is over, but Lucy Breckenridge’s plans for a perfect Christmas are ruined when Captain James Stewart brings news that her father will not return in time for the holiday. Determined to not miss yet another Christmas with her father, Lucy starts on a journey for London with her trusty maid and manservant. Learning they have gone, James follows, hoping to stop her before she discovers the true reason for Colonel Breckenridge’s absence. Along the way, the two join in local holiday celebrations and learn that families have flaws, friendship requires trust, and Christmas traditions can be created in the most unexpected places.
320 pages, Paperback
First published November 17, 2020
61 people are currently reading
507 people want to read
About the author
Joanna Barker
14 books1,314 followersJoanna Barker firmly believes that romance makes everything better, which is why she has fallen in love with writing Regency romances. When she’s not typing away on her next book, you’ll find her listening to podcasts, eating her secret stash of chocolate, or adding things to her Amazon cart. Joanna thinks being an author is the second-best job in the world—right after being a mom. She is just a little crazy about her husband and three wild-but-lovable kids.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
December 26, 2020
Another wonderfully entertaining collection from Timeless Regency! I love the variety of stories we get that relate to the title theme, and these anthologies with three novellas also give us longer and more complete stories than we find in the collections with six stories. The first story, The Two Bells of Christmas, was fun and entertaining as Cassie tried her best to be a posed substitute for her sister, but her personality can't help but shine through. I enjoyed trying to figure out when Roland becomes aware of their ruse, and convinces Cassie that she is just as lovable and worthy as Vivian. The second story was my least favorite of the collection because I missed seeing the main characters fall in love, and the villain made the plot rather two-dimensional. The third story was my favorite, and one I plan to re-read in the future. Even though Lucy is headstrong and naive, she is full of determination to reunite with her father and celebrate Christmas with him for once. I could sense that something was not right when James was so hesitant to lead her to her father, but along their journey Lucy's compassionate and selflessness personality reaches out to all in their little group and she makes it a special holiday season for them all. I loved how she was able to thaw James's heart and the joy they found together. Recommended for fans of sweet Regency romance!
Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
December 18, 2020
Updated December 2020: I listened to the audiobook and loved it. Love hearing all the British words of the Regency era pronounced correctly because I know I don't do that while reading.
I'm sure I've mentioned how much I love the Timeless Regency collections, probably every time one is released. Lol. This one was no different and it was the perfect book to get me in the Christmas spirit.
THE TWO BELLS OF CHRISTMAS by Joanna Barker--Roland Hastings made a promise to his father: to marry and carry on the family line. But after a year of searching, he has given up hope of finding the right woman. Roland is frustrated to learn his mother has organized an entire house party to help him find a bride. Identical twins Vivian and Cassandra Bell are invited to the house party and things get very interesting.
When Vivian talks her twin, Cassandra (Cassie) into pretending to be her 'just for dinner that night', I knew it wasn't going to be that simple. It was funny listening to Cassie's inner dialogue as she tried to pretend to be Vivian, when the sisters are so very different from each other--their interests, they way they talk, etc. I love when the men fall in love with "unconventional" women or the ones their mothers don't particularly care for. They're so much more interesting that the women who only talk about the weather, fashion, and who's attending which party. I thought the play on words in the title was cute.
PROMISE ME AGAIN by Annette Lyon--Can love truly conquer all? Miriam and Jacob have loved each other for as long as they can remember. They want to wed, but Jacob's older brother Norman forbids it. Miriam’s love is tested to the very limit when she is forced into a devil’s bargain with him. Will they be able to find their way back to each other?
This story tugged at my heart because Jacob's older brother wanted power and used Jacob to get it. He interfers with their lives and tells lies to manipulate Jacob and Miriam. I loved how Jacob and Miram met again and the truth was able to be told. I love second-chance-at-love stories and this one was so satifying after all the heartache the couple had been through.
A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY by Jennifer Moore--The war is over, but Lucy Breckenridge’s plans for Christmas are ruined when Captain James Stewart brings news that her father will not return in time for the holiday. Determined to not miss yet another Christmas with her father, Lucy starts on a journey for London with her trusty maid and manservant.
Lucy has spent many Christmasses with various relatives while her father was away, but this year is going to be different. Father will be with her even if she has to bring Christmas to him. I loved Lucy's spunk and determination. Poor Captain Stewart didn't know what he was getting himself into when he offered to chaperone Lucy to London. I liked how James and Lucy get to know each other on the journey and that he's there for her when she finds out why her father couldn't come home for Christmas.
All of these novellas are sweet stories with heart. I like these collections because sometimes we aren't able to sit and read for hours, with these you can read a complete story in a short amount of time.
I received a complimentary copy through BookFunnel. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I'm sure I've mentioned how much I love the Timeless Regency collections, probably every time one is released. Lol. This one was no different and it was the perfect book to get me in the Christmas spirit.
THE TWO BELLS OF CHRISTMAS by Joanna Barker--Roland Hastings made a promise to his father: to marry and carry on the family line. But after a year of searching, he has given up hope of finding the right woman. Roland is frustrated to learn his mother has organized an entire house party to help him find a bride. Identical twins Vivian and Cassandra Bell are invited to the house party and things get very interesting.
When Vivian talks her twin, Cassandra (Cassie) into pretending to be her 'just for dinner that night', I knew it wasn't going to be that simple. It was funny listening to Cassie's inner dialogue as she tried to pretend to be Vivian, when the sisters are so very different from each other--their interests, they way they talk, etc. I love when the men fall in love with "unconventional" women or the ones their mothers don't particularly care for. They're so much more interesting that the women who only talk about the weather, fashion, and who's attending which party. I thought the play on words in the title was cute.
PROMISE ME AGAIN by Annette Lyon--Can love truly conquer all? Miriam and Jacob have loved each other for as long as they can remember. They want to wed, but Jacob's older brother Norman forbids it. Miriam’s love is tested to the very limit when she is forced into a devil’s bargain with him. Will they be able to find their way back to each other?
This story tugged at my heart because Jacob's older brother wanted power and used Jacob to get it. He interfers with their lives and tells lies to manipulate Jacob and Miriam. I loved how Jacob and Miram met again and the truth was able to be told. I love second-chance-at-love stories and this one was so satifying after all the heartache the couple had been through.
A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY by Jennifer Moore--The war is over, but Lucy Breckenridge’s plans for Christmas are ruined when Captain James Stewart brings news that her father will not return in time for the holiday. Determined to not miss yet another Christmas with her father, Lucy starts on a journey for London with her trusty maid and manservant.
Lucy has spent many Christmasses with various relatives while her father was away, but this year is going to be different. Father will be with her even if she has to bring Christmas to him. I loved Lucy's spunk and determination. Poor Captain Stewart didn't know what he was getting himself into when he offered to chaperone Lucy to London. I liked how James and Lucy get to know each other on the journey and that he's there for her when she finds out why her father couldn't come home for Christmas.
All of these novellas are sweet stories with heart. I like these collections because sometimes we aren't able to sit and read for hours, with these you can read a complete story in a short amount of time.
I received a complimentary copy through BookFunnel. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
November 12, 2020
Beautiful collection of Christmas love stories
Christmastime in the Regency era gives me a major case of nostalgia for some reason and this collection won my heart as well.
In THE TWO BELLS OF CHRISTMAS, identical twins attend a house party where one has to impersonate the other. I adored Cassie's spunky personality and anticipated the unorthodox situations she'd find herself in. The bond between these sisters was so endearing and the blossoming romance was so sweet. Although a novella, Barker does a fantastic job in creating a complete story that was easy to get lost in.
A secret wedding is in the works in PROMISE ME AGAIN. I'm of the opinion that a person can chose whom they want to marry and it was so aggravating to watch Jacob's brother try to thwart his marriage to Miriam. My heart shattered when events turned in such a heartbreaking way throughout the course of this novella. Lyon is able to create a story that runs the gamut of emotions, while maintaining a core of tenderness.
I was surprised by the depth in A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY. Lucy decides if her father can't be home for Christmas, then she'll take the beloved holiday to him. Moore does a great job of portraying the feeling of home and takes the reader on a journey right along with the characters. This was the perfect way to wrap up this set of stories about everyday, normal people in the Regency era.
Content: mild romance
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
Christmastime in the Regency era gives me a major case of nostalgia for some reason and this collection won my heart as well.
In THE TWO BELLS OF CHRISTMAS, identical twins attend a house party where one has to impersonate the other. I adored Cassie's spunky personality and anticipated the unorthodox situations she'd find herself in. The bond between these sisters was so endearing and the blossoming romance was so sweet. Although a novella, Barker does a fantastic job in creating a complete story that was easy to get lost in.
A secret wedding is in the works in PROMISE ME AGAIN. I'm of the opinion that a person can chose whom they want to marry and it was so aggravating to watch Jacob's brother try to thwart his marriage to Miriam. My heart shattered when events turned in such a heartbreaking way throughout the course of this novella. Lyon is able to create a story that runs the gamut of emotions, while maintaining a core of tenderness.
I was surprised by the depth in A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY. Lucy decides if her father can't be home for Christmas, then she'll take the beloved holiday to him. Moore does a great job of portraying the feeling of home and takes the reader on a journey right along with the characters. This was the perfect way to wrap up this set of stories about everyday, normal people in the Regency era.
Content: mild romance
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
December 12, 2020
An utterly delightful set of feel-good Christmas novellas.
Read full review in the 2020 Holiday issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2020 Holiday issue of InD'tale Magazine.
November 12, 2020
I know I say this a lot but...I love the Timeless Romance Collections. Be it Regency, Singles, Fairytale, Western, Contemporary...any of them. I can always trust that I'll be getting great stories that are clean and full of sweet romance, humor, emotions, growth, great developed characters and lots of variety in stories and authors. I even find new to me authors that I wouldn't have discovered otherwise.
So, if you're looking for some novellas that you can enjoy in little spurts of time or, three stories that you can devour or savor (or both) and Christmas, grab this one!
My favorite of the three was Joanna Barker's story. But I was pulled into the stories and characters' lives. I loved the diversity and similarities of the stories. And a big plus for me is that they're Regency stories. *Happy sigh* I'm hoping you guessed that Regency is one of my favorites. But I really liked the female leads and their tenacity and standing up for something they loved and believed in.
Curl up by a fire, with your favorite blanket, while the snow is falling all around, drinking some hot cocoa and enjoy these stories.
Content: Clean.
I received a copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
So, if you're looking for some novellas that you can enjoy in little spurts of time or, three stories that you can devour or savor (or both) and Christmas, grab this one!
My favorite of the three was Joanna Barker's story. But I was pulled into the stories and characters' lives. I loved the diversity and similarities of the stories. And a big plus for me is that they're Regency stories. *Happy sigh* I'm hoping you guessed that Regency is one of my favorites. But I really liked the female leads and their tenacity and standing up for something they loved and believed in.
Curl up by a fire, with your favorite blanket, while the snow is falling all around, drinking some hot cocoa and enjoy these stories.
Content: Clean.
I received a copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!!
November 18, 2020
THE TWO BELLS OF CHRISTMAS by Joanna Barker
What a wonderful, tantalizing story! Joanna Barker has a superb talent for writing stories that instantly hook the reader and never let go. I love the twins switching places trope, and Barker writes her version of it very well. Roland and Cassie are quite cute together, and their story absolutely got me in the Christmas spirit. 5/5 stars
PROMISE ME AGAIN by Annette Lyon
A sweet, hopeful story! I felt like I needed more of Jacob and Miriam’s backstory in order to truly root for them as a couple, and the tone of the story was a bit depressing for Christmas. I did enjoy Lyon’s writing style! There were a few loose ends, and I didn’t love the story overall, but it ended on a hopeful and loving note. 3/5 stars
A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY by Jennifer Moore
A very sweet story! This one has a very intriguing premise, and though there could have been a bit more plot development, it was a lovely novella and definitely got me in the Christmas spirit. I loved the subplot with Meg and Nick, and I’d really love to see more of their story! 3.5/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
What a wonderful, tantalizing story! Joanna Barker has a superb talent for writing stories that instantly hook the reader and never let go. I love the twins switching places trope, and Barker writes her version of it very well. Roland and Cassie are quite cute together, and their story absolutely got me in the Christmas spirit. 5/5 stars
PROMISE ME AGAIN by Annette Lyon
A sweet, hopeful story! I felt like I needed more of Jacob and Miriam’s backstory in order to truly root for them as a couple, and the tone of the story was a bit depressing for Christmas. I did enjoy Lyon’s writing style! There were a few loose ends, and I didn’t love the story overall, but it ended on a hopeful and loving note. 3/5 stars
A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY by Jennifer Moore
A very sweet story! This one has a very intriguing premise, and though there could have been a bit more plot development, it was a lovely novella and definitely got me in the Christmas spirit. I loved the subplot with Meg and Nick, and I’d really love to see more of their story! 3.5/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
October 30, 2020
I loved being able to be a part of this wonderful collection! I had so much fun writing Cassie and Roland’s love story (it might just be my favorite novella I’ve written!). I also adored Jennifer’s and Annette’s stories in this book! Both are touching, beautifully written romances with so much heart and Christmas spirit. I hope you’ll enjoy this anthology!
September 18, 2020
Thank you to Joanna Barker, Annette Lyon, Jennifer Moore and Timeless Regency Collection of Mirror Press, LLC for my win of A Christmas Promise. I don't give away spoilers in my reviews.
I was honestly having a hard week and needed a softer, romantic story to escape into for a few hours. This collection of three stories - The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker, Promise Me Again by Annette Lyon and A Christmas Journey by Jennifer Moore fit that bill. Each story was beautifully written in descriptive text of settings with easy to care about characters from the first paragraph.
Each story takes place during the holiday season and is romantic. I couldn't pick a favorite and very much enjoyed each story for its main female character as well as her romantic lead.
I loved the collection and would be eager to read other collections by Mirror Press as well.
I was honestly having a hard week and needed a softer, romantic story to escape into for a few hours. This collection of three stories - The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker, Promise Me Again by Annette Lyon and A Christmas Journey by Jennifer Moore fit that bill. Each story was beautifully written in descriptive text of settings with easy to care about characters from the first paragraph.
Each story takes place during the holiday season and is romantic. I couldn't pick a favorite and very much enjoyed each story for its main female character as well as her romantic lead.
I loved the collection and would be eager to read other collections by Mirror Press as well.
November 17, 2020
I really enjoy holiday collections! My favorite novella in this series was The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker. I found the plot to be interesting and the characters entertaining! It had a great balance of humor and romance. I throughly enjoyed it!
The other selections in this collection weren’t as captivating to me, however the selection of stories and writing styles offers a variety to readers and each center around the Christmas season which is great for Holiday reading.
The other selections in this collection weren’t as captivating to me, however the selection of stories and writing styles offers a variety to readers and each center around the Christmas season which is great for Holiday reading.
December 31, 2022
Three cute Christmas novellas to get you feeling the Christmas spirit and love. All three were so different from one another. They all had surprises and sweet clean romance.
February 10, 2021
3.5 rounded up because I am feeling generous.
Three cute stories.
The first has a reasonable, if potentially embarrassing, premise that goes on longer than I found believable, but, the protagonists are likeable and their love story although quicker than I would usually like progresses in believable way.
The second story has a few scenes that seemed over long for a short story and , but, the love story is believable in that our couple has been falling in love for years before the tale starts and the action of the story has compelling reasons to happen.
The third story feels a little bit instalove-ish, but, I like the themes that are explored in what seemed to be a time period appropriate way and the end is something of a surprise.
Three cute stories.
The first has a reasonable, if potentially embarrassing, premise that goes on longer than I found believable, but, the protagonists are likeable and their love story although quicker than I would usually like progresses in believable way.
The second story has a few scenes that seemed over long for a short story and , but, the love story is believable in that our couple has been falling in love for years before the tale starts and the action of the story has compelling reasons to happen.
The third story feels a little bit instalove-ish, but, I like the themes that are explored in what seemed to be a time period appropriate way and the end is something of a surprise.
November 29, 2020
This is my favorite time of year when I get to read all of the new Christmas books. The new Christmas Timeless Regency Collection has three very different stories. Each has some type of Christmas Promise interwoven into its plot. One story is full of humorous incidences and surprises, the next is sad and full of tragedy but a miracle happens at the end, and the last is a good mixture of the first two. The good news is, they all end in such a beautiful way. The three authors who wrote these stories know what they are doing when it comes to writing romance. You can be assured when you pick up this anthology you will have fabulous stories in your hands. I enjoyed this collection and you'll feel the spirit of Christmas as you become lost in its pages.
November 17, 2020
I haven't had the chance to finish this beautiful book yet but so far I am enjoy it! The characters are loveable and unique. The plots are so fun, cozy, and christmassy. I also really love the writing style. It's fun and keeps engaged in the different stories. This book is great so far and I can't wait to keep reading it!
January 6, 2021
* The Two Bells of Christmas ~ Joanna Barker always writes delightful stories, and the premise of this one was especially intriguing. I adore plots of mistaken identity or two people switching places, and it was even more fun to watch it unfold between two identical twins whose personalities are so drastically different.
I loved Cassie’s spunky, unconventional personality and watching her navigate the situations the switch with her more proper sister put her in. Not only was the plot fun, but the developing romance between her and sweet Roland was so tender and delightful. I adored watching them fall in love and come together. This was one of those novellas I would happily read as a full-length story. It’s definitely one of my favorite Christmas stories, the perfect one for me to read on Christmas Eve.
So far I’ve only read Joanna Barker’s contribution to this compilation, but I hope to read Promise Me Again and A Christmas Journey next Christmas season.
I loved Cassie’s spunky, unconventional personality and watching her navigate the situations the switch with her more proper sister put her in. Not only was the plot fun, but the developing romance between her and sweet Roland was so tender and delightful. I adored watching them fall in love and come together. This was one of those novellas I would happily read as a full-length story. It’s definitely one of my favorite Christmas stories, the perfect one for me to read on Christmas Eve.
So far I’ve only read Joanna Barker’s contribution to this compilation, but I hope to read Promise Me Again and A Christmas Journey next Christmas season.
November 18, 2020
This is perfectly lovely anthology of three beautifully written Christmas novellas. I thoroughly enjoyed each story. It was fun to see the stories of three different authors side by side in this way, noting the differences in language and voice and style. And I loved each one. The only thing I wished was for more of the stories, simply because I enjoyed them each so much that I didn’t want them to end.
The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker — Cassandra and Vivian are twins—and pull a switcheroo at a Christmastime house party. Roland is not excited about the house party his mother, Mrs Hastings has sprung on him at the last moment. He is determined to endure it and be left alone. Joanna writes such spunky, unique heroines and I love it! I loved that Cassie didn’t fit the “mold” of a proper English maiden. I also loved that Roland had a mind of his own and didn’t bend to every whim of his mother (who I struggled to like, if I’m being honest. Also, the romance in this one is SO good! I desperately wanted more Cassie and Roland.
Promise Me Again by Annette Lyon — The premise on this sweet story was very different and I really loved it. I love the untraditional romance. You run the gamut of emotions with this one: loathing, hope, love, despair, sadness, grief, more loathing, more hope, and lots more love. It was beautifully written!
A Christmas Journey by Jennifer Moore — Lucy Breckinridge wants nothing more than to spend Christmas with her father, with whom she hasn’t spent a Christmas is 13 years as he has been away at war. He is now finally coming home and Lucy has been planning everything out to have the perfect Christmas reunion and celebration. Until Captain James Stewart comes along and completely details her plans by delivering the message that her father won’t, in fact, be home in time for Christmas. So she chooses to go to him. James feels obligated and responsible, so chooses to travel with her. Rounding out the traveling group is Meg, Lucy’s maid and traveling companion, Mr. Owens, who is driving the carriage, and Matthews, James’ friend and fellow soldier. This story takes us through their traveling adventures and a love story (or two!), as well as talks about difficult topics, such as PTSD and stroke. My only complaint was that I wanted more when it was over. Very well done.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Notes: does contain some sensitive topics, such as becoming crippled, war and memories from it, PTSD, and medical difficulties, including memory loss.
The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker — Cassandra and Vivian are twins—and pull a switcheroo at a Christmastime house party. Roland is not excited about the house party his mother, Mrs Hastings has sprung on him at the last moment. He is determined to endure it and be left alone. Joanna writes such spunky, unique heroines and I love it! I loved that Cassie didn’t fit the “mold” of a proper English maiden. I also loved that Roland had a mind of his own and didn’t bend to every whim of his mother (who I struggled to like, if I’m being honest. Also, the romance in this one is SO good! I desperately wanted more Cassie and Roland.
Promise Me Again by Annette Lyon — The premise on this sweet story was very different and I really loved it. I love the untraditional romance. You run the gamut of emotions with this one: loathing, hope, love, despair, sadness, grief, more loathing, more hope, and lots more love. It was beautifully written!
A Christmas Journey by Jennifer Moore — Lucy Breckinridge wants nothing more than to spend Christmas with her father, with whom she hasn’t spent a Christmas is 13 years as he has been away at war. He is now finally coming home and Lucy has been planning everything out to have the perfect Christmas reunion and celebration. Until Captain James Stewart comes along and completely details her plans by delivering the message that her father won’t, in fact, be home in time for Christmas. So she chooses to go to him. James feels obligated and responsible, so chooses to travel with her. Rounding out the traveling group is Meg, Lucy’s maid and traveling companion, Mr. Owens, who is driving the carriage, and Matthews, James’ friend and fellow soldier. This story takes us through their traveling adventures and a love story (or two!), as well as talks about difficult topics, such as PTSD and stroke. My only complaint was that I wanted more when it was over. Very well done.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Notes: does contain some sensitive topics, such as becoming crippled, war and memories from it, PTSD, and medical difficulties, including memory loss.
December 27, 2020
I read 2 of the 3 novellas immediately after receiving this book and adored them.
I love identity swaps! Will they get caught? How much mayhem will they cause? It's just good fun! My little sister and I are very close in age and always tried to pull a fast one. It never worked. If you saw what we looked like, you'd know why, but our 6 and 7 year old brains heard we look like twins and assumed that meant identical.
The second one I read - but third in this collection - features a determined heroine who refuses to believe her father unwilling to join her for the holidays. Nothing - or no man - can get in her way!
I did drag my feet on reading the second novella. I'd heard it was sad and just couldn't bring myself to go through those emotions. While it's not as lighthearted, it had its own beauty and I shouldn't have been so timid.
Thank you to @authorjoannabarker for the copy! All thoughts are clearly my own.
I love identity swaps! Will they get caught? How much mayhem will they cause? It's just good fun! My little sister and I are very close in age and always tried to pull a fast one. It never worked. If you saw what we looked like, you'd know why, but our 6 and 7 year old brains heard we look like twins and assumed that meant identical.
The second one I read - but third in this collection - features a determined heroine who refuses to believe her father unwilling to join her for the holidays. Nothing - or no man - can get in her way!
I did drag my feet on reading the second novella. I'd heard it was sad and just couldn't bring myself to go through those emotions. While it's not as lighthearted, it had its own beauty and I shouldn't have been so timid.
Thank you to @authorjoannabarker for the copy! All thoughts are clearly my own.
October 31, 2020
I really enjoyed these stories!!! With everything going on it was nice to read something light and Christmassy. I appreciated how clean it was and I enjoyed reading about the different characters! 10/10 recommend.
I received a copy of this book from the author but all opinions are my own.
I received a copy of this book from the author but all opinions are my own.
December 4, 2024
I loved this sweet collection of Christmas love stories. All three beautifully written and captivating. This is book # 16 of the Timeless Regency Collection. I look forward to more of these novellas.
December 9, 2021
2.5 rounded up.
The first story was fun. The other 2 really weren't worth much, thank goodness they weren't full length features!
The first story was fun. The other 2 really weren't worth much, thank goodness they weren't full length features!
April 14, 2025
I actually loved all 3 of these sweet Christmas Regency romances. Each one was unique, celebrated Christmas festivities in a different way, and had a swoony romance.
Content:
Clean, mild passionate kissing, maybe some mild peril, some characters experience grief
Content:
Clean, mild passionate kissing, maybe some mild peril, some characters experience grief
November 17, 2020
This book was so fun to read. Once I started I had a hard time putting it down. A great book to get you into the spirit of the season.
The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker. This was a fun story, Vivian Bell gets invited to a house party, and brings her sister as a chaperone. However when they arrive Vivian gets sick and asks Cassandra to take her place and keep the other visiting ladies away from Roland Hastings. When the girls switch back the truth comes out.
Promise Me Again by Annette Lyon. Viola (a sheep herder's daughter) and Jacob fall in love. However Jacob's brother and head of the household does not condone the marriage, the two decide to sneak off and get married anyway. However a accident on the way prevents this from happening. The older brother gets involved and convinces Jacob that Viola is dead and tells Viola to stay away from Jacob. A year later they meet in Bath each living a completely different life.
A Christmas Journey by Jennifer Moore. Lucy Breckenridge has been waiting a decade to celebrate Christmas with her father who has been away at war. Captain Stewart comes and informs her that her father had to stay in London and will not be coming home. Devastated at the news and wanting desperately to see her father, Lucy decides to head to London. Captain Stewart ends up accompanying the small group back to London. They have many wonderful adventures on their way. When they finally arrive in London Lucy's learns the truth of why her father did not come home. Luckily she has many friends to stand by and support her.
This book was great!
I was given a free copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker. This was a fun story, Vivian Bell gets invited to a house party, and brings her sister as a chaperone. However when they arrive Vivian gets sick and asks Cassandra to take her place and keep the other visiting ladies away from Roland Hastings. When the girls switch back the truth comes out.
Promise Me Again by Annette Lyon. Viola (a sheep herder's daughter) and Jacob fall in love. However Jacob's brother and head of the household does not condone the marriage, the two decide to sneak off and get married anyway. However a accident on the way prevents this from happening. The older brother gets involved and convinces Jacob that Viola is dead and tells Viola to stay away from Jacob. A year later they meet in Bath each living a completely different life.
A Christmas Journey by Jennifer Moore. Lucy Breckenridge has been waiting a decade to celebrate Christmas with her father who has been away at war. Captain Stewart comes and informs her that her father had to stay in London and will not be coming home. Devastated at the news and wanting desperately to see her father, Lucy decides to head to London. Captain Stewart ends up accompanying the small group back to London. They have many wonderful adventures on their way. When they finally arrive in London Lucy's learns the truth of why her father did not come home. Luckily she has many friends to stand by and support her.
This book was great!
I was given a free copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 2, 2020
What a wonderful collection of Christmas stories! Each story was unique and yet enjoyable and revolved around promises made out of love. If you are looking for some fun, clean regency Christmas romance, this book is for you! These stories will definitely help you get into the holiday spirit.
November 30, 2020
This is a sweet Christmas anthology. I loved all three stories that were included. In the Two Bells of Christmas I loved how the twins switched places and how the one who was always in the background found someone who loved her for her. In Promise Me Again I loved how they couple had something that was very hard to overcome but eventually were able to together. In a Christmas Journey I loved the heroine. I loved her determination to spend Christmas with her father and her joyful personality that brought Christmas cheer to those she met. I really loved this book and will read it again.
I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors. A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.
I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors. A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.
November 18, 2020
This was a great collection of Christmas stories! I won't go into details so there aren't spoilers, but there are some really lovely proposal scenes in this collection!
I loved The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker; Cassie is just the sort of heroine I love; she's unconventional and blurts out things she doesn't quite mean to, but that's what makes her so great. I appreciated her loyalty to her sister but was also glad to see her get her happily ever after. I really liked seeing Cassie and Roland together; it was just so fun to read their story.
Promises Me Again by Annette Lyon wasn't what I was expecting. It's well written; it just was a darker story than I'd anticipated, and there a few things left unanswered that I would have liked to know more about. It does have a happy ending, but it didn't have the light-hearted feel of the other two stories in the anthology.
A Christmas Journey by Jennifer Moore was delightful; I loved seeing how Lucy, Captain Stewart, and their friends joined in local Christmas celebrations on their journey to London. It definitely put me in the mood for Christmas. And while I'm normally a little skeptical of characters falling in love super fast, I was so swept up in the story that it didn't bother me at all that their love story happened so quickly.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I loved The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker; Cassie is just the sort of heroine I love; she's unconventional and blurts out things she doesn't quite mean to, but that's what makes her so great. I appreciated her loyalty to her sister but was also glad to see her get her happily ever after. I really liked seeing Cassie and Roland together; it was just so fun to read their story.
Promises Me Again by Annette Lyon wasn't what I was expecting. It's well written; it just was a darker story than I'd anticipated, and there a few things left unanswered that I would have liked to know more about. It does have a happy ending, but it didn't have the light-hearted feel of the other two stories in the anthology.
A Christmas Journey by Jennifer Moore was delightful; I loved seeing how Lucy, Captain Stewart, and their friends joined in local Christmas celebrations on their journey to London. It definitely put me in the mood for Christmas. And while I'm normally a little skeptical of characters falling in love super fast, I was so swept up in the story that it didn't bother me at all that their love story happened so quickly.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
December 3, 2020
I loved the first story The Two Bells of Christmas. With the twins switching places and Cassie's tendency to speak her mind or be clumsy, there was a lot of room for humor. I couldn't wait to see what would happen when all was revealed. 5 stars!
Promise Me Again was beautiful and heartbreaking. It was like a Regency version of An Affair to Remember.
A Christmas Journey was sweet with Lucy just longing to have a traditional Christmas with her father. Her plans are ruined with the arrival of a message from Captain Stewart. I loved Lucy's determination, her love for her father, Captain Stewart's loyalty, and the Christmas memories they made.
Promise Me Again was beautiful and heartbreaking. It was like a Regency version of An Affair to Remember.
A Christmas Journey was sweet with Lucy just longing to have a traditional Christmas with her father. Her plans are ruined with the arrival of a message from Captain Stewart. I loved Lucy's determination, her love for her father, Captain Stewart's loyalty, and the Christmas memories they made.
November 10, 2020
A beautiful collection of sweet romances, these novellas are the perfect way to celebrate the Christmas season. All three novellas were well written and full of heart. Each had its own unique storyline hinging on the idea of keeping a promise out of love.
The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker
This cute little novella may be my favorite of Barker's novellas so far. I loved the premise of the sisters being identical twins and switching places. Roland was ADORABLE! I loved Cassie so much and everything that made her who she was. Their romance was so cute and had a good mix of humorous moments as well as swoony moments. Barker is a master at writing witty and engaging dialogue which continues to shine in this story. Her characters and descriptions are so well done, the story just came alive for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Promise Me Again by Annette Lyon
This is the saddest of the three novellas and definitely teared me up a little. The overall story was very unique as far as Jacob and the path he takes as well as the bit of time jump the plot has. I enjoyed this one and was so glad it had a happy ending, though I wonder if I would have connected more to the story had it not been a novella and we were able to see more of what happened over time. That being said, it definitely worked as a novella and had a happy “true love” wins vibe to it readers will appreciate.
A Christmas Journey by Jennifer Moore
I loved this beautiful novella! I hardly can believe it was a novella because it had so much depth and everything from the characters to the plot were so well developed it felt like a full-length story. The title is so fitting and I personally felt like I took a Christmas journey right along with Lucy, James, Mr. Matthews, Meg, and Mr. Owens. It touched my heart and was exactly the kind of message one wants in a Christmas story.
I definitely enjoyed reading this collection and highly recommend it! I will be rereading these stories for years to come.
I received an advance reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker
This cute little novella may be my favorite of Barker's novellas so far. I loved the premise of the sisters being identical twins and switching places. Roland was ADORABLE! I loved Cassie so much and everything that made her who she was. Their romance was so cute and had a good mix of humorous moments as well as swoony moments. Barker is a master at writing witty and engaging dialogue which continues to shine in this story. Her characters and descriptions are so well done, the story just came alive for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Promise Me Again by Annette Lyon
This is the saddest of the three novellas and definitely teared me up a little. The overall story was very unique as far as Jacob and the path he takes as well as the bit of time jump the plot has. I enjoyed this one and was so glad it had a happy ending, though I wonder if I would have connected more to the story had it not been a novella and we were able to see more of what happened over time. That being said, it definitely worked as a novella and had a happy “true love” wins vibe to it readers will appreciate.
A Christmas Journey by Jennifer Moore
I loved this beautiful novella! I hardly can believe it was a novella because it had so much depth and everything from the characters to the plot were so well developed it felt like a full-length story. The title is so fitting and I personally felt like I took a Christmas journey right along with Lucy, James, Mr. Matthews, Meg, and Mr. Owens. It touched my heart and was exactly the kind of message one wants in a Christmas story.
I definitely enjoyed reading this collection and highly recommend it! I will be rereading these stories for years to come.
I received an advance reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 11, 2020
The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker shares the story of twins attending a house party. One twin wants to make a match while the other twin just wants to not be a disappointment. One of the twins gets ill on the journey and the sisters decide to swap identities. This story was a fun read. I enjoyed the humor in the story and the stark contrast of the sisters. The sisters in the story were fun and interesting to get to know.
Promise Me Again by Annette Lyon shares a romance between Jacob and Miriam. Jacob's brother despises the match and has expectations for Jacob to rise in society according to his plans. Jacob rebels and plans to elope with Miriam when tragedy occurs. This story was full of twists and turns. Promise Me Again was a dramatic romance. It reminded me a bit of An Affair to Remember. I was very surprised by this one. It's not a typical romance, but I liked the story and found it to be quite the page turner.
The Christmas Journey by Jennifer Moore opens with the main character, Lucy waiting for her father to arrive for Christmas. She's bitterly disappointed when a captain arrives to tell her that her father is unable to come. Lucy decides to set out to London, find her father, and enjoy Christmas with him. This story was surprising and a little suspenseful. The author lets the reader know that there's more going on then Lucy realizes and I had a bunch of wild guesses that all turned out to be wrong. This story reminded me a bit of The Little Princess where a daughter longs to be reunited with her father and makes unexpected friendships along the way. This was a heartwarming romance.
Please note that I received a free ebook to review this book, however this is my honest opinion.
Promise Me Again by Annette Lyon shares a romance between Jacob and Miriam. Jacob's brother despises the match and has expectations for Jacob to rise in society according to his plans. Jacob rebels and plans to elope with Miriam when tragedy occurs. This story was full of twists and turns. Promise Me Again was a dramatic romance. It reminded me a bit of An Affair to Remember. I was very surprised by this one. It's not a typical romance, but I liked the story and found it to be quite the page turner.
The Christmas Journey by Jennifer Moore opens with the main character, Lucy waiting for her father to arrive for Christmas. She's bitterly disappointed when a captain arrives to tell her that her father is unable to come. Lucy decides to set out to London, find her father, and enjoy Christmas with him. This story was surprising and a little suspenseful. The author lets the reader know that there's more going on then Lucy realizes and I had a bunch of wild guesses that all turned out to be wrong. This story reminded me a bit of The Little Princess where a daughter longs to be reunited with her father and makes unexpected friendships along the way. This was a heartwarming romance.
Please note that I received a free ebook to review this book, however this is my honest opinion.
November 2, 2020
I truly enjoyed each story in this collection. Each one is a clean and wholesome read with each story being engaging and well developed and having loveable as well as intriguing characters (except for the ones that’s aren’t and those are definitely by design 😉)
I thoroughly enjoyed each of these stories, but it was the second story of this collection that probably surprised me the most. It was so fresh and original (not to say the others aren’t) and so different to what I was expecting. To be honest, I really wasn’t sure that I was going to enjoy it. Once I started reading it and could feel myself becoming emotionally invested in the story, I actually felt almost apprehensive - without giving any spoilers I’ll just say that there are some suspenseful moments in the story which the author did a really good job with. I had the sense of impending doom as I was reading and because I was already emotionally invested in the storyline I thought it might exact more of an emotional response from me than what I was prepared to give or experience.
But... I trusted in the knowledge that everything must surely end well ultimately... and turns out that it did, of course 😉
As I said, it was such an original story - on so many levels. It is set in the 1800’s, but rather than being a story surrounding nobles and gentry, this is a story about the working class folk who face hardships in life - those who don’t have much but are happy to make do with less so long as it means they can be with the ones they love. So despite it taking me on a somewhat unexpected emotionally charged journey, I thoroughly enjoyed it!
As for the other two stories - these also pull at the heartstrings and are thoroughly enjoyable each in their own way. I have read other stories by all of these authors before and they just keep getting more engaging and enjoyable each time.
I received an ARC of this collection with no obligation to leave a review. All thoughts expressed are my own.
I thoroughly enjoyed each of these stories, but it was the second story of this collection that probably surprised me the most. It was so fresh and original (not to say the others aren’t) and so different to what I was expecting. To be honest, I really wasn’t sure that I was going to enjoy it. Once I started reading it and could feel myself becoming emotionally invested in the story, I actually felt almost apprehensive - without giving any spoilers I’ll just say that there are some suspenseful moments in the story which the author did a really good job with. I had the sense of impending doom as I was reading and because I was already emotionally invested in the storyline I thought it might exact more of an emotional response from me than what I was prepared to give or experience.
But... I trusted in the knowledge that everything must surely end well ultimately... and turns out that it did, of course 😉
As I said, it was such an original story - on so many levels. It is set in the 1800’s, but rather than being a story surrounding nobles and gentry, this is a story about the working class folk who face hardships in life - those who don’t have much but are happy to make do with less so long as it means they can be with the ones they love. So despite it taking me on a somewhat unexpected emotionally charged journey, I thoroughly enjoyed it!
As for the other two stories - these also pull at the heartstrings and are thoroughly enjoyable each in their own way. I have read other stories by all of these authors before and they just keep getting more engaging and enjoyable each time.
I received an ARC of this collection with no obligation to leave a review. All thoughts expressed are my own.
November 14, 2020
BookReview : A CHRISTMAS PROMISE
These three delightful Christmas stories didn’t feel rushed even if they are short. If you like regency romance, these are for you.
The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker
This is my second book by Miss Joanna and she is now in my favorites list. I feel the thrill and at the same time the dread on how the planned switch by the Bell twin sisters will turn out. The story captivated me from the start and it’s very entertaining. I enjoyed the witty conversations and the funny “mishaps”.
Promise Me Again by Annette Lyon
I didn't expect to like it but the turn of events left me crying. Jacob’s love for Miriam is admirable. The dialogues are full of emotions.
A Christmas Journey by Jennifer Moore
The night of the new Christmas tradition prepared by Lucy is my most favorite scene. It’s fun and meaningful. It makes me think about my own family’s traditions.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
These three delightful Christmas stories didn’t feel rushed even if they are short. If you like regency romance, these are for you.
The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker
This is my second book by Miss Joanna and she is now in my favorites list. I feel the thrill and at the same time the dread on how the planned switch by the Bell twin sisters will turn out. The story captivated me from the start and it’s very entertaining. I enjoyed the witty conversations and the funny “mishaps”.
Promise Me Again by Annette Lyon
I didn't expect to like it but the turn of events left me crying. Jacob’s love for Miriam is admirable. The dialogues are full of emotions.
A Christmas Journey by Jennifer Moore
The night of the new Christmas tradition prepared by Lucy is my most favorite scene. It’s fun and meaningful. It makes me think about my own family’s traditions.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
November 16, 2020
This collection was perfect for getting in the mood for the holiday season! I love collections that have stories from different authors. This one didn’t disappoint. My favorite was The Two Bells of Christmas! This is perfect for regency fans!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
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