Regency Christmas Spirits (Paperback)

The first story, by Nancy Butler, is horrendous. One star or less! She steals Shakespeare's Robin Goodfellow and places him in Regency England where he becomes mortal to protect the woman who protects the fairy lore. Hmm. The story has little originality and less emotional pull. I had to force myself to finish it; had it been a novel rather than a short piece, I'd have given up. Ick.

After that disaster, the next story almost seemed worth 5 stars (but only by comparison). Nevertheless, it was the best of the bunch. Emma Jensen crafted a perfectly delightful story with an abundance of interesting characters, one of which was the house itself. The story was tightly written with great humor, an appropriate dash of pathos, and an ending that leaves the reader with a smile. one of the best stories written for this sort of Christmas anthology. Too bad it's stuck with such company. Perhaps worth up to 4 stars, certainly 3.

Edith Layton was simply not up to form in her tale. First of all, considering the social mores of the time, how on earth could the hero call on the heroine without ever having been introduced to her? Although the story started well and promised an interesting twist (with the lady relying on liquor), it quickly became unrealistic and preachy. The result was singularly unsatisfying.
Add to that, the dizzying lack of proper punctuation... Layton has a penchant for comma splices, the text often has to be reread to be understood. (For those who don't know what a comma splice is, that was one.) Maybe a 2, if you're feeling generous.

Item 4 wasn't up to Barbara Metzger's usual standard either. It was a fairly interesting premise, what with the ghosts and the curse. But the ghosts were annoying and the resolution to the curse too pat. on the positive side, the war-disfigured hero was a nice change of pace. Indeed, the main characters were likeable if fairly ordinary. Touches of humor helped, too. The end result is a pleasant though generally uninspiring story. 2 and 1/2 stars.

The final entry is Andrea Pickens' tale. The heroine starts off as a spoiled brat, who naturally rediscovers her better self well before the end of the story. Then, however, she turns weepy when she's around the hero even though she's jolly the rest of the time. I think I would have liked the hero a great deal had he been in a longer work where we could have learned more about him. The story line for the romance has the typical reticence and misunderstandings. Nothing special, but mildly enjoyable. 2 & 1/2 stars?

I wish I could rate the book higher for the sake of Emma Jensen, but alas, the whole does not deserve it.

We begin with Nancy Butler - variable to good usually - and The Merry Wanderer. Butler tries to merge Arthurian legend with Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, and it simply doesn't come off. The story feels completely wrong for the period, and I found myself rolling my eyes as I continued to read. I couldn't wait to get to the end of it.

Better things had to come, I thought, and so I started on Emma Jensen's The Wexford Carol with high expectations. I do enjoy Jensen very much as a rule, and her Irish settings are usually very well done. Lizzie, trying desperately to save the family home which is falling down around her ears, is horrified when she discovers that her father's heir has sold it, and that the new owner is sending his agent to inspect it. The agent seems unable to recognise any of the delights of Hollymore. Captain Jones, or more properly Lord Rhys Edward-Jones, seems unable to find joy in anything - can Lizzie, and the atmosphere of Christmas, do anything to change him? This one is better, but felt over-contrived in places.

Edith Layton's High Spirits just didn't do anything for me. Arabella finds Society balls and functions unbearably nerve-wracking, so she takes to swilling brandy before she goes, and from time to time during each evening. Uhh... didn't anyone *notice*? Why wouldn't dance-partners or her chaperones have smelt the brandy on her breath? It's not as if she chose a drink which didn't have a strong smell. I found it incredible that the hero only noticed when he kissed her. Furthermore, it was very clear that Arabella was well on the way to becoming an alcoholic: would she have been able to stop drinking as easily as all that?

Barbara Metzger's The Christmas Curse was mildly amusing, but definitely forgettable. Two ghosts, cursed to haunt Worth Keep until one of their heirs falls in love and proposes to his love at a certain time and in a certain manner, try their best to bring about this happy event. Let's just say that a huge amount of suspension of disbelief is required.

And finally, Andrea Pickens, of whom I expected much, presents A Gathering of Gifts. A young lady is injured on Lord Kirtland's land, and he is obliged to offer Lady Emma a room under his own roof until she can be moved. She sprained an ankle - couldn't they have strapped it up and taken her home slowly in a carriage? Anyway, Emma is a spoiled brat who deserves no sympathy whatsoever. She treats her hosts as unpaid servants. Kirtland's infatuation with her makes no sense whatsoever; I simply couldn't believe it. And Emma's own rehabilitation was too little, too late, and entirely unconvincing.

The only novella here worth a second read is Jensen's Wexford Carol; the others weren't even worth the first read.

Five highly-acclaimed Regency authors are represented here, with their stories featured in alphabetical order by the authors last name, with that of Nancy Butler taking pride of place as first and best in this edition-in this reader's opinion. Other contributors are Emma Jensen, Edith Layton, Barbara Metzger and Andrea Pickens.

THE MERRY WANDERER from Nancy Butler is fantasy at its very best for the season of wishes and dreams. Robin Goodfellow is not exactly what he appears to be when he presents himself at Arden House, the home of Julia, Lady of Islay. Nearing the end of her year of mourning, Julia is now facing the possible loss of her home and her younger brother, when the charming stranger intrudes into her very life. He does seem to be a bit strange, but then, so was her father. And so, yet, is her cousin, who is the threat to her happiness. After a bit of determination, and some help from friendly spirits, Robin finds himself forced to choose between his former legendary life-style, and a new, more mortal one. With help from Julia-and her younger brother, Harry-he makes the right, the only choice possible, bringing a Merry Yuletide to all.

'Tis no secret that Emma Jensen has a huge soft spot for Ireland, and she exploits this for all it's worth in the delightful tale extolling THE WEXFORD CAROL. Hollymore, the ancient and exceedingly dilapidated home of Elizabeth Fitzhollis is also in jeopardy. This time, however, it's more easily understood. Hollymore is falling apart around her very ears, and has been sold by the new heir to a Duke from Wales, who plans to tear it down and build a hunting estate. The Duke sends his cousin, a Captain Jones, to survey and inspect. Or so Elizabeth is told by her ancient solicitor. Turns out the gentleman is really Captain Lord Rhys Edward-Jones, and he's no more impervious to the ghosts of Hollymore than is Elizabeth.

Edith Layton's story-telling with its wicked sense of humor and wordplay propelled her to the top of my list of favorites, and has kept her very near the top for all these many years. HIGH SPIRITS is a different sort of story; heart-warming, to be sure, because it does, after all, have a happy ending. Layton of whatever vintage is excellent, and many readers will find a extra message in this tale of young Arabella, her silver flask and the tall, dark and handsome Rupert.

THE CHRISTMAS CURSE by Barbara Metzger is a romp, plain and simple. Well, not so plain and not so simple, really. It is the strangest mixture of bawdy and sweet. And the spirits? Not your ordinary selection, to be sure, as Sir Olnic and his Lady Edryth are the very restless, unhappy 'spirited' inhabitants of Worth Keep, doomed to wander the halls endlessly, until the curse muttered by the Lady be lifted. This is not an easy trick, either, and so far, it's been some four to five hundred years of struggle. Sir Olnic merely asked his lady for a favor when entering a joust one Christmas Day, but she was unhappy with him, and uttered the fateful words that began 'if you lose this ring...' As of course he did, having lost his life-as did his opponent-and his finger, and the ring. It must be reinstated on the finger of the heir's true love, during the twelve days of Christmas or they'll continue to be restless. The current heir, Oliver Nicholson, Baron Worth, is another battle-scarred veteran, convinced he'll never marry, until he meets the lovely widow, Amelia Merriot and her little dog, Sir Digby. In almost any book by Metzger, it's the dog who saves the day, and this one is no exception.

In A GATHERING OF GIFTS by Andrea Pickens, Lady Emma Pierson, daughter of the Duke of Telford, is by way of becoming a very spoiled and head-strong young woman. Her cousin, Charles, Viscount Lawrence, is very vexed with her, and to spite him, she rides off in the opposite direction and promptly takes a frightful spill on the icy field. Her new neighbor, Noel Trumbull, insists she be taken to his nearby home, Hawthorne House, for recuperation. His widowed sister Anna and her small son Toby are about to arrive for a visit, and he insists that they not be inconvenienced by the thoughtless young lady and her friends. To the surprise of everyone, both Emma and Charles find much common ground, and help each other heal their wounds, in time to celebrate the most wonderful Holiday on the calendar.

All in all, this volume is a grand continuation of this long-running series of Christmas anthologies, one you'll remember with fondness for many years to come.