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The Holly and the Ivy by Anneka R. Walker, Sarah M. Eden, Dana LeCheminant, Esther Hatch
3.25
emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad slow-paced

I received an ARC of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This was a cute collection of wholesome holiday romances, though some were a bit difficult to get into. The first story, the Holly and the Ivy, started more sad than I was prepared for, but it was ultimately a sweet story. The second story, Hiding Christmas, started with what felt like a ridiculous premise, but I didn't know there was a time where Christmas celebrations were banned in Scotland so it was cool to learn something new. Of the four stories included, these first two had to do a lot with grief (loss of parent, loss of sibling/grandchild). The third story, A Twist of Christmas, started with me hating the hero, because who did he think he was? Again it was a cute story, but it dragged a bit and then concluded quickly, and I think I might have preferred to have some insight into the other couple (Jemma and Henry) instead. The last story, A Season to Love, might have been my favorite, especially since I really liked Mr. Perry! It also sounded like the sisters had their own stories as well as this one focused on the youngest. I'll likely be going back to read the stories by this author about the other sisters! Overall, this was a nice collection, but be prepared that some stories deal with grief, and I would describe each romance as wholesome (no spicy scenes). 
 

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