Hot for the Holidays [Mass Market Paperback]

I bought this anthology for Lora Leigh and Angela Knight. Both stories were very satisfying. In Lora leigh's addition we are given Hawke and Jessica's story. It takes place about a year after Jessica was caught betraying the Breeds. For such a short story, I felt like I was still given another great slice of life with the Breeds. Its christmas time and Hawke has been waiting long enough for suspicions and anger against Jessica to die down. He is ready to claim his mate. Hawke was very romantic for a wolf under the mating heat. At first I thought that Lora Leigh was making the stories more tame or taking away from the mating heat but then I remembered that the breeds have gotten better with the hormones and medicines they've created to deal with the mating heat. The sex was still spicy Leigh style and the plot concerned the council and the drug they've created that hides their scents. I am fascinated by how this author is going through the plot and giving us a great story line.

In Angela Knight's story we are back in the world of the mageverse. I dont know how she makes it believable that the characters have to have sex to reveal their power but it works.LOL. I have no problem believing it. The story is about Kat one of Lance's many children before he met his wife Grace and Ridge Champion the vamp selected to help her through her change. The plots very thin but I expect thats more to do with the anthology format then Knight's writing. While brief it was still an enjoyable short story read.

I know Allyson James from her dragon stories. In Hot for the holiday, we are following the story of Naomi a single mother and the return of her old lover Jamison. Jamison left Naomi for 2 yrs when he discovered he was a changer(he can shift into a lion) Jamison had no control and left to protect Naomi, although she never had any idea why he left. The story then goes down hill while we are given detail about a wierd changer colony thats after Jamison and Naomi just falling back into bed with her old lover. I was really surprised that the story was thin and just did not engage me at all.

Lastly was Anya Basts contribution. I have never read this author before so I dont know if the addition to this was typical of her writing. The story was better then James. It is about Ronan the unseelie and his lover or ex lover Bella who is from the Queen's court. Ronan is about to be sentenced to death but Bella steps in to save him. The story was GOOD not great but I will be looking at some fuller length novels by Anya Bast

There is not much mention of the holidays in this book. In fact, Christmas is hated in Angela Knight's story. In the Allyson James story, there is mention of poinsettias and the belief that a ghost train went through the town every Christmas. Yuletide Eve is mentioned in Anya Bast's short story and that's about it. Lora Leigh starts off by describing the town's decorations for Christmas. If this book had been named something similar to Fated Mates, it would have been more appropriate.

Of the four, I thought Lora Leigh's was the best. I must admit to collecting all her books in the Breed series. While I liked the love story Allyson James wrote and thought Angela Knight's offering was okay, I wasn't impressed by Anya Bast's story of lovers long torn apart.

Vampire's Ball by Angela Knight.
We enter the world of Mageverse and read about vampires, witches, and Knights of the Round Table. Kat Danilo, a fitness instructor, is a Latent who could become a witch (and immortal) if she survives the transition without going mad. It seems Kat's mom got drunk and had a one-night stand with a gorgeous man (Lancelot) which resulted in Kat's birth. As it turns out, Arthur, Lancelot, and the other knights are vampires and have tried to sire as many children as they could over the years. Ridege Champion is a handsome vampire given the task of bringing Kat into her powers which means he has to have sex with her. Usually it takes three times for this to happen, but Kat enjoys it so much she hopes it will take more. Despite only meeting Kat a few days earlier, Ridge decides she is for him and that he want to Truebond with her.

A Little Night Magic by Allyson James
Naomi has a garden center and a deaf daughter. Her Navajo shaman boyfriend, Jamison Kee, disappeared two years earlier. Now he is back saying he lover her, wasn't leaving again, and would protect her/daughter from the Changers from Mexico who had kept him caged until he managed to escape to return to her. When he discovered his shape-shifter powers (he turns into a mountain lion), he sought other Changers to help him control his powers. They imprisoned him instead. Jamison loved only Naomi and he knew the Changers would come after him to kill her and weaken him. Jamison and Naomi had already bonded but didn't know it.

Sweet Enchantment by Anya Bast
Bella offered Ronan Quinn, a powerful mage, escape from imprisonment and death by marriage to her. Thirty years earlier he had broken her heart. When he refuses her marriage offer, he makes Bella the laughingstock of the Seelie Court again. He escapes, goes to her room, and she hides him. When Ronan tells her she is his now and forever, she says no way. When they are seen together, he has no choice but to take Bella with him so she wouldn't be punished. They had wanted each other for thirty years without acting on it, but now they no longer deny what they want.

A Christmas Kiss by Lora Leigh
At the Wolf Breed Compound of Haven, Jessica Raines was imprisoned in an underground cell for a year. She was locked up for being a traitor, revealing important information to her father about Breed mates. Jessica had not done so willingly--she had been drugged by her father, knowing she would be caught and killed. Despite her drugged state, she had managed to save the lives of the mates targeted. After a year imprisonment, she was assigned a cabin and surrounded by bodyguards. Jessica had fallen in love at first sight with Hawke Esteban, and during her confinement she had longed for him, dreamed of him, and cried for him. Hawke had stayed away from her to reduce the risk of mating heat. Now, he couldn't wait any more. Someone was trying to kill his mate and he had to have her--he was protecting what was his.

VAMPIRE'S BALL by Angela Knight
For Kat Danilo Christmastime is an extremely difficult time. Concern about her mother's well being and work consumes all of her time - but this year is different. A woman claiming to be her father's wife has mysteriously appeared and insists that the man whom Kat has never met is none other than Lancet du Lac, Knight of the Round Table. The next thing she knows she's accompanying vampire Ridge Champion to the Mage's Ball in the Mageverse. He'll guide her through the process to find out if she has what it takes to be a Magae - and that's just the beginning of what promises to be a relationship that will last throughout eternity.

Angela Knight thoroughly enchanted me with this read. I was captivated by the dynamics between the characters and loved Kat's kick butt attitude. The whole situation with her mother broke my heart but still left me with a feeling that it will be `okay.'

A LITTLE NIGHT MAGIC by Allyson James
Jamison Kee regrets few things in life as much as he regrets leaving Naomi but he also feels that he had no choice. It's been two long years since he left in search of answers to a stunning revelation that he's a shape-shifter. Now he's returned and Naomi is definitely not pleased - that is until he reveals the reason he had to go ... or why he's returned. Jamison loves Naomi and her deaf daughter, Julie, and he's determined to claim them both as his. The only trouble is someone is out to destroy them. Can A LITTLE NIGHT MAGIC and the wonder of the holidays deliver the joy the all deserve?

I admit it; I love shape-shifter stories. Combine that with Native American heritage and beliefs and the result is a thrilling read that touches your heart as well as your imagination. There isn't a single character in this story that doesn't evoke an emotion of one sort or another. Beautifully written.

SWEET ENCHANTMENT by Anya Bast
Despite Bella's vow to never bond her life with Ronan's it appears that's the only way to save the proud mage from the execution the Summer Queen has planned for him. Ronan has no intention of marrying Bella on her terms - in name only - and rejects her proposal. He has a few tricks up his sleeve still and even though his life might be forfeit Ronan has every intention of making Bella his in every way possible. Does Bella dare risk losing everything for this man?

Anya Bast really surprised me with this tale. The characters are highly memorable and have a sense of `self' that draws the reader to them and their plight. What fascinated me was the characters' selflessness in their dedication to each other - they made me sigh and tear up at the same time.

A CHRISTMAS KISS by Lora Leigh
Imprisoned as a traitor by the wolf breeds, Jessica missed the festivities of the Christmas season last year - and this year she simply isn't feeling much in the spirit of things. She's still not free to come and go as she pleases and under security constantly but things aren't as bleak as she believes. Hawke has seen to her comfort, even if she is unaware of his kindness, while maintaining his distance. He has no doubt that Jessica is his mate, but there are circumstances preventing him from being with her that must be dealt with first. And there is the issue that he doesn't want to force a mating. If she doesn't want to be bound to him he is willing to accept that - but can she resist A CHRISTMAS KISS and everything it entails?

All right, let's face it. There aren't many people who haven't devoured every Lora Leigh Breed story out there - and I'm sure there are many who'll buy this book for this story alone. I've often wondered about Jessica and Hawke since they first appeared so many stories ago so it was a sheer delight to finally see these two come together.

HOT FOR THE HOLIDAYS consists of four exciting paranormal Christmas themed tales that will definitely heat up those cold winter nights. Each of these authors put their own unique spins on these stories so you get plenty of scorching romance along with a satisfying plotline. I loved the hopefulness and openhearted spirit that each story conveyed and how love of their craft could be felt in their writing. The holidays may still be a way off but reading HOT FOR THE HOLIDAYS will definitely put you more in the spirit of the season.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)