Of the four authors highlighted in this anthology, I'm only familiar with the work of Barbara Metzger. However, I was willing to take a chance on the others. I knew I would enjoy Mrs. Metzger's story.
The Christmas Ball (Leslie Lynn) -- This is a sweet story about Lord Andrew Finchley searching for the lovely woman he met at a masked ball. This is a bit of a Cinderella-type story. Athena takes care of her handicapped sister (through love, not a requirement) and always misses the annual masked ball. Her sister plans for a year to make sure Athena goes to the masked ball (with the hope of her meeting someone special).
Love a la Carte (Joan Smith) -- Monsieur Bongout has been roasting Cybele Leigh's new restaurant in the newspaper. She is the silent partner of a fine chef (who is missing his paramour too much and unable to cook effectively). When Lord Sinden (the true person behind Monsieur Bongout, the food critic) makes a play for Cybele, she sets him down smartly.
Greetings of the Season (Barbara Metzger) -- The Earl of Montravan lives a life of ease. His secretary takes care of his life, even to the point of purchasing all the Christmas gifts for the earl. When the earl finds out about the two-stepping of his secretary, he fires the man. As a parting shot, the unhappy secretary rearranges the cards on the gifts and leaves. When the recipients get their gifts, all hell breaks loose. As usual, this is a cute, funny story from a master of the genre.
Home for Christmas (Jennie Gallant) -- Elizabeth is in danger of having to marry the loathsome Baron Rathborne. He has acquired the debts of Elizabeth's family and is pressing her to marry him. Lord Wyckholme (an old friend) decides to get involved. I thought this one was the weakest story.
The Christmas Ball (Leslie Lynn) -- This is a sweet story about Lord Andrew Finchley searching for the lovely woman he met at a masked ball. This is a bit of a Cinderella-type story. Athena takes care of her handicapped sister (through love, not a requirement) and always misses the annual masked ball. Her sister plans for a year to make sure Athena goes to the masked ball (with the hope of her meeting someone special).
Love a la Carte (Joan Smith) -- Monsieur Bongout has been roasting Cybele Leigh's new restaurant in the newspaper. She is the silent partner of a fine chef (who is missing his paramour too much and unable to cook effectively). When Lord Sinden (the true person behind Monsieur Bongout, the food critic) makes a play for Cybele, she sets him down smartly.
Greetings of the Season (Barbara Metzger) -- The Earl of Montravan lives a life of ease. His secretary takes care of his life, even to the point of purchasing all the Christmas gifts for the earl. When the earl finds out about the two-stepping of his secretary, he fires the man. As a parting shot, the unhappy secretary rearranges the cards on the gifts and leaves. When the recipients get their gifts, all hell breaks loose. As usual, this is a cute, funny story from a master of the genre.
Home for Christmas (Jennie Gallant) -- Elizabeth is in danger of having to marry the loathsome Baron Rathborne. He has acquired the debts of Elizabeth's family and is pressing her to marry him. Lord Wyckholme (an old friend) decides to get involved. I thought this one was the weakest story.
4 short stories by Leslie Lynn, Joan Smith, Barbara Metzger, and Jennie Gallant. Lynn's story THE CHRISTMAS BALL has a Cinderella origin, Smith's LOVE A LA CARTE is of a woman who has spent her dowry on starting a restaurant in London, Metzger's GREETINGS OF THE SEASON -the funniest- an earl whose Christmas gifts have had the cards deliberately jumbled, and Gallant's HOME FOR CHRISTMAS a girl who is being pressured to marry a loathsome baron.
