Four well-written, different and heart-warming holiday stories from four of the top authors in the genre. Harper Fox's entry was darker than the rest, but solidly happy in its ending. Great characters are the order of the day here. The fact that there are even better stories out there by all these authors is a measure of how good these writers are, not a critique of this collection. (Do be aware that these stories are also available individually. I owned one already, but the collection was still well worth the purchase.)

4,5*

Reread for m/m team bingo special holiday theme challenge. 3.5 stars.

Mistletoe at Midnight by LB Gregg

I loved it. My only complaint is that I wish it would be longer; There were so many things happening! But the characters are great, the story sweet and the narration really good. The supporting characters were almost as interesting as the MD, so yes, I would have liked to spend more time with all of them.

Nine lights on Edinburgh by Harper Fox.

My favourite story, probably because McBride is such a complex and interesting character! Once again, I would like this story to be longer; I would have liked to know Toby better but, oh! Harper Fox has a great way to take a character to its lowest level, and make it shine! I just fell in love with the story. It is dark? Yes, maybe it is. But it is not a desperate reading, depressing, but hopeful.
Oh, and the reader was fantastic!

I heard him exclaim for Z.A. Maxfield
This is a cute story, sweet, and I liked it... more or less. But I keep thinking: Really? Can't leave your niece alone in the bathroom, but you are willing to put yourself and her in a stranger's car?
And the last talk, about feelings? It felt ... too long. Only my opinion * shrugs *

Icecapade by Josh Lanyon
Another one that I truly love. I love the premise (and yes, it actually reminds me of an old manga that I love: Eroica), I love Raffles-Noel, and I really, really love Robert. He went through so many things because of Noel's carelessness and yet, here he is, wondering, trying to understand, trying to find common ground ... and enjoying making Noel suffer a little :P
The narrator in this one is fantastic.

Highly recommended. =D

4.5 stars.

I'm splitting the difference with my rating. I really quite liked half the tales, but the other two seemed wrong for the theme I expected. I was expecting some fun gay holiday romance stories, but like I said, a couple - half of the four - weren't the right tone. I would add that I see a lot of people felt like the second story was too dark for the collection. While I agree - I'm not sure anyone wild have put underage girls being kidnapped and sold into the sex trade, alcoholism, beatings, and gunshot wounds on the top of a holiday story theme list - the story itself was very well put together and really enjoyable on its own merit. In a collection of darker tales (unholiday related) it could have been king. It was just misplaced here. In the last story, the character names were a tad much, and I just couldn't quite get how having someone ruin your career, make a fool of you, and get away with felonies could be so forgivable. The third story was likely my favourite - and I liked the inclusion of an older fellow and a strong supportive family. The first tale was sweet and fun.

It's pretty rare I like every story in an anthology but I liked them all in this one!