Search - The Christmas Visit (Harlequin Historical Series)

This anthology ranks up there as one of the best I've ever read, and I've read a lot. Anthologies are my favorite type of book. I love how novellas can usually be read in a single evening so I gravitate towards them every chance I'm in a bookstore.

All three of these stories were well done and entertaining.

Moore's entry included the physically scarred reclusive hero which we've seen many times, but which I don't get tired of. Her heroine had a spunky side and could curse right back at him when he got grumpy. Their exchanges were great.

Brisbin's story had a heroine who we find out on the first page is a woman who's body is for hire. While it completely surprised me, it made sense given the medieval setting. Which for me the author explained so well I didn't have a problem with the heroine's occupation and was in fact rooting for her before ever knowing her circumstances. A very different type of first few pages, I was hooked by the first evening and falling fast for the hero.

It took me a couple pages to warm up to Ranstrom's story but once I did there was no looking back. She had a great plot revolving around "secrets" and the confidence exhibited by the hero throughout was completely attractive. Knowing how he made up his mind to have the heroine made all of his actions and their interactions all the more special because we knew and she didn't.

I highly recommend this book.

Comfort and Joy by Margaret Moore, Love at First Step by Terri Brisbin, A Christmas Secret by Gail Ranstrom

3 stories- Gail Ranstrom's story is about Charity from the Wednesday League...Margaret Moore's story was my favorite, a Beauty and the beast type