A Summons From the Castle by Catherine Gayle, Suzie Grant, Christi Caldwell

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Author

Read: Nov. 19, 2011 

The powerful Duke of Danby summons all of his wayward grandchildren home for the holidays. Book two of the Regency Christmas Summons Collection.

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Image by Viktoria Ridzel
Used in accordance with the artist's terms of use.

This review is different than most of the books I feature here as it is an anthology collection. I feel commenting on the entire book as I do with most of my reviews would be unfair to each of the authors so I have opted to review each piece on it own though my overall rating reflects my opinion of the book in its entirety.

An Unintended Journey by Catherine Gayle: A very simple story, but a sweet one, notable for its content as well as its construction. I would have loved to see this heartwarming tale expanded but understand the nature of anthologies prevented Gayle from elaborating too much into Abigail and Wesley's romance. Still, Gayle made an impression on me in only a few short pages and I can only hope to encounter her work again in my literary wanderings. 

A Caribbean Jewel for Christmas by Suzie Grant: A well-written page-turner, I would have liked this one more as a standalone novel. Though I thought the exotic fusion creative, I didn't feel it blended with the other pieces of the Regency Christmas Summons Collection as well as it might have. Randall and Jewel's adventure is without doubt the most exciting addition to the series thus far, but not my favorite as it stands in such stark contrast to the other installments of the series. 

Winning A Lady's Heart by Christi Caldwell: According to Goodreads, Christ Caldwell's only published work appears in this anthology. It makes me sad for I would greatly enjoy reading more of from her. Alexandra and Nathan's story was my favorite installment of this book and one of the strongest pieces of the series in my humble opinion. A delightfully humorous and moving holiday romance.

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Any pain was preferable to the hellish torment he'd inflicted this evening - both on her and himself. He waved off his carriage, instead opting to walk the distance to his townhouse in the midnight cold. It was a meager attempt at penance for the sins he'd committed, a kind of absolution that would not come. 

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