Joy to the World ~ Review

Joy to the World

A Regency Christmas Collection

By Carolyn Miller,

  Amanda Barratt,

     and Erica Vetsch

Heaven and Nature Sing

By Carolyn Miller

Edith Mansfield broke the heart of the only man she ever loved. George Bannerman could not understand why Edith broke off the understanding they had but she had. Unfortunately through the machinations of their godmother, Lady Grantley, they are to spend the holiday together as invited members of her Christmas House Party. Could this Christmas get any worse?

What follows is a series of incidents that allow these two musically included hurting people to put the past behind them. There is just one little problem the Mansfield pride could once again stand in their way. But Christmas miracles can happen and with a little nudge from Lady Grantley this year wishes just might come true.  

Far as the Curse is Found

by Amanda Barratt

Jenny Grey's life has never been an easy one and all too often she has been a cast-off and those who have offered help from her earliest memories have never refrained from reminding her of this. Caring for a child on her own with her pittance of a wage is almost impossible. And when she is in her most desperate moment help finds her in the form of a masked and cloaked stranger.

Dwight Inglewood, the Earl of Amberly, has closed off the world. Scarred by the war, he has assumed the title that his brother was to hold. But his scars aren't the worst of it, he has to live with the guilt of his best friend's death. He lives in the darkness, away from the prying eyes that judge him. This escape allows him to offer a desperate young woman a place on his estate.

Could this act of heroism and kindness offer these two broken people a second chance at life? Or will the wounds of the past hold them too firmly in its grip of helplessness? With Christmas fast approaching could the season be what they need?

Wonders of His Love

by Erica Vetsch

Lady Priscilla Haverly was supposed to be the Duchess, but instead, she finds herself a young widow with a daughter who will never inherit, serving at the whim of her mother-in-law. Cilla longs to live but she's not exactly sure what that would even look like. With her sister-in-law, Charlotte expecting, Cilla finds herself sitting in for Charlotte as a model as her likeness is painted. 

Hamish Sinclair's dreams of being a sought after and commissioned painter are teetering on the edge. The commission at Haverly Manor is his last and unless he gets accepted into the Royal Academy of Arts it could very well be his last. As he paints Cilla he sees glimpses of a woman hidden within the structures that have shaped her life. The glimpses he sees make him wish for something more that he knows he can never have. A struggling artist, the son of a stable-master, who is he to even think of the widow of the nobility? But think he does.

Can love be an option for Cilla if her mother-in-law has determined she is to wed another of her choosing? This will be a Christmas not to be forgotten as Cilla determines if she will do as she ordered or to finally follow her heart.

These three stories are a delightful Regency assortment. And if you are unfamiliar with any of the authors a great way to be introduced to them. Having read Carolyn Miller's previous works I enjoyed a reference to a character in those books (no hints just read). These stories fall into the gentle read category in my opinion and are an excellent choice if you just need to take a break and sit-a-spell. No story is overly long and can easily be enjoyed over a long afternoon.

Grab a hot cup of tea and a favorite Christmas cookie or two and enjoy a season step back in time!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own. 

About the Book:

Inspirational Regency romance with a Christmas twist from three best-selling authors

In Joy to the World, three popular authors come together to offer a heartwarming collection of holiday Regency romance. Based on lines from a beloved Christmas carol, these three novellas in one book have depth, faith, and satisfying stories all packed into the perfect length for readers to curl up and take a brief break from their holiday busyness.

"Heaven and Nature Sing" by Carolyn Miller
Two music lovers, deeply devoted to each other, were on the brink of engagement when family circumstances drove them apart. How can they ever overcome their obligations and fears to find their way back into each other's arms?

"Far as the Curse is Found" by Amanda Barratt
One winter night, a woman struggling to provide for her illegitimate child encounters a scarred veteran of the Napoleonic Wars on the streets of London. Can love conquer the darkness of two broken pasts?

"Wonders of His Love" by Erica Vetsch
A Scots portrait painter with a hidden identity finds work at a noble manor house over the holidays. He never imagined he'd fall in love with the emotionally frozen widow there. Now he wants nothing more than to thaw her heart.