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Upon a Midnight Clear : A Delightful Collection of Heartwarming Holiday Stories : The Teacher / Christmas Magic / Jolly Holly / If Only in My Dreams / White Out | 
 enlarge | Authors: Jude Deveraux, Margaret Allison, Stef Ann Holm, Linda Howard, Mariah Stewart
Publisher: Pocket
Category: Book
List Price: $7.99
Buy Used: $0.01
You Save: $7.98 (100%)
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Rating:  11 reviews
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 432
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 6.6 x 4.1 x 1.2
ISBN: 0671019880
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.0108334
EAN: 9780671019884
Publication Date: November 1, 1998
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: A tradition of southern quality and service. All books guaranteed at the Atlanta Book Company.
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Product Description
Heartfelt joy, enduring hope, and dazzling romance....Share the brightest treasures of the season with this acclaimed collection of holiday tales by five shining romance stars! A spirited Irishwoman comes to a rugged Colorado town to govern a young ruffian and learns a love lesson from the boy's father: there is more to the man than meets the eye....In the midst of a blizzard, a snowbound woman offers shelter to a stranger, a man who is an expert at covering his tracks....Home for the holidays, an artist proves opposites can attract -- and make sparks -- when she falls for an unconventional doctor....A holly berry-picking contest in the California hills brings two determined hearts together for the greatest prize of all: a true and lasting love....A lively family reunion on a Montana ranch brings on a flurry of memories for a beautiful young writer -- and a winter storm that rekindles an old flame....
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| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
 Four softly romantic stories with one sizzler at the end December 8, 2007
Diva (georgia)
The reason I picked up this book is because Linda Howards' name was on the cover. I have throughly enjoyed her books in the past and figured that this one would be equally enjoyable. I was correct.
Jude Deveraux, Margaret Allison, Stef Ann Holm, and Mariah Stewart each wrote okay stories with Deveraux's being the best of the four. Her characters were very likeable and the story-line was enjoyable.
I do not know about the rest of you but I enjoy good sex when I'm reading a romance book and I must say that Linda definately delivered! I have an advid imagination but there are time when you would rather have it all laid out on the table for you, and boy does she lay out a spread! Linda's male character was insatiable! Look out energizer bunny-you have competion.
Those of you who did not enjoy "White out" and found it to be, "sickening, pornographic, and extremely dislikeable," you are obviously out of you league with Linda Howard, stick to Mrs. Barbara Cartland romances and your secret fantacies of "vanilla sex."
Cute stories to inspire the Christmas spirit! December 26, 2006
Donna K. (Long Island, NY)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
1. The Teacher by Jude Deveraux: Wow - I can't recall a character in any western historical who displays the courage and grit of Kathryn! One can only admire the way she confronted even the hardest of people and stood up for what she believed in. I have a bit of a problem believing that the highly disagreeable Cole made the conversion into a kind and decent man, but I suppose only Kate had the power and charm to tame even the beastliest man.
2. Christmas Magic by Margaret Allison: Margaret Allison is the only author in this anthology with whom I wasn't familiar. I really like her style - the story flowed nicely and the dialogue was realistic and respectful. The theme of reconciliation between an estranged father and daughter is a wonderful illustration of the Christmas spirit, and showed how forgiveness and understanding are keys to inner peace and healing.
3. Jolly Holly by Stef Ann Holm: A magical story about the value of treasures that money cannot buy and the joy that can be found in sharing! The plot and the characters were quite unique, as was the setting, which was a refreshing break from the usual storyline formula of most romances.
4. If Only in my Dream by Mariah Stewart: I have two pet peeves concerning romance novels. One is the use of bickering dialogue representing conflict and sexual tension. On the contrary, this story was so delightful because of the respectful and loving way the characters interacted with each other, and I congratulate the author for brilliantly presenting the story in this manner! These were warm and likable people I admired immensely. My other peeve are conflicts that could easily resolved, or avoided entirely, if the characters simply communicated more openly and clearly with each other. Unfortunately, that was the case in this plot. Still, the story was highly enjoyable and quite relaxing to read, especially to this believer in the lasting qualities of true love between soulmates.
5. White Out by Linda Howard: Linda Howard is known for writing lusty and erotic scenes, so the graphic sex shouldn't have been such a shock to me, except that the previous 4 romances were comparatively sweetly romantic because the sexual aspects were left up to the imagination. I didn't like how the characters were nearly unconscious when they first came together, because it was so careless and animalistic. However, I like how the story opened, describing the lakefront property in such wonderful detail, as though it were a showcase home on HGTV. The blizzard was also described in such remarkable detail that it almost felt as though the storm was swirling around me too! This attention to visual and sensual detail is what makes Linda Howard's brilliant to me, not the gritty sex. This particular story redeemed itself from the off-putting erotica by ending with a dramatic flare of action, drama and mystery-solving.
 A failed Chirstmas romance anothology December 26, 2005
Gemma (Alberta, Canada)
1 out of 6 found this review helpful
From the back cover:
New York Times bestselling authors Jude Deveraux and Linda Howard are joined by Margaret Allison, Stef Ann Holm, and Mariah Stewart in a delightful treasure of stories that sparkle with "a definite touch of holiday magic" (Philadelphia Inquirer).
"The Teacher" by Jude Deveraux: A spirited Irishwoman comes to a rugged Colorado town to govern a young ruffian and learns a love lesson from the boy's father: there is more to the man than meets the eye...
"Christmas Magic" by Margaret Allison: Home for the holidays, an artists proves opposites can attract--and make sparks--when she falls for an unconventional doctor...
"Jolly Holly" by Stef Ann Hom: A holly berry-picking contest in the California hills brings two determined hearts together for the greatest prize of all: a true and lasting love...
"If Only in My Dreams" by Mariah Stewart: A lively family reunion on a Montana ranch brings on a flurry of memories for a beautiful young writer--and a winter storm that rekindles an old flame...
"White Out" by Linda Howard: In the midst of a blizzard, a snowbound woman offers shelter to a stranger, a man who is an expert at covering his tracks...
And my review:
When I was browsing the book section in my thrift store years ago, I picked up this book, leafed through it, then put it back on the shelf. Years later, I came across another copy of this book, and decided to give it a try. I wish I hadn't wasted my money.
"The Teacher" was the first story by Jude Deveraux that I was actually able to finish, so that's saying something for it. It was quite an interesting story - up until the heroine starts kissing a man she doesn't even know. What do romance authors think this is enjoyable, let alone plausible? Would any of us readers ever start kissing a total stranger? If we did, I think we'd get locked up in a nuthouse!
Also, this was a historical story that didn't state what year it was, which is a pet peeve of mine when it comes to historical stories. How hard is it to give me a year? I did finish this short story, but didn't find it very good. The hero's hellion son did a behavioural about-face waaay too easily, and everything seemed to be resolved without much of a struggle. Two stars.
"Christmas Magic" by Margaret Allison had potential, but didn't live up to it. I didn't see anything unconventional about the hero. And if he's a surgeon (and chief of thoracic surgery, no less), the heroine would just have to face it - there are times when he's just going to get paged and have to leave during important moments. It's one of those hardships the wives of doctors and soldiers have to deal with, and complaining about it won't help. This story never felt fully developed, and I ended up giving up halfway through. One star.
"Jolly Holly" by Stef Ann Holm was another story with lots of potential. The clashes between the leads was interesting, though I found the premise of adults engaging in a holly-berry picking contest kind of silly. Unfortunately, this was a story where I could see every plot twist from a mile away. The romance wasn't very well executed, and I had a lot of trouble connecting to the characters. Two stars, as it started off well.
"If Only In My Dreams" by Mariah Stewart fell back on another romance staple: the Big Misunderstanding. I felt that the author tried to use a rather silly misunderstanding rather than real issues to keep the characters apart. Sorry, but if this had happened to me, I never would have given up so easily on the relationship. I would have phoned the guy and yelled in his ear. Then of course, the truth would have come out and everything would have been resolved. But of course, we can't have people communicating in a romance novel, can we? Also, I felt that the hero was far too easy on his son's bad behavior. If I had been breaking lamps and vases I would have been in big trouble. Does the twin's father say anything to them? Nope! He just takes them out for a walk to wear them out. Doesn't anybody ever disipline their kids anymore? Also, this author was really bad for "head hopping", jumping from his point-of-view to hers and back and forth throughout the scene. Distracting and annoying. One star.
"White Out" by Linda Howard can be summed up in one word: disgusting. Actually, there are other words for it, which include offensive, revolting, repulsive, pornographic.... Basic synopsis: lonely woman takes in man from blizzard, strips him naked, climbs into bed with him to warm him up (who would do this with a stranger who could be an axe murderer?) and wakes up to find him having sex with her before he's even fully awake. Ewww! If I wanted this kind of "entertainment", I could rent a porno movie! (Which is something, of course, that I'd NEVER do!) One star. I've yet to be impressed by anything Linda Howard has written, and this piece of trash put her on my "do not buy" list.
There is not a single story in here worth the money or the time it takes to read it. Do yourself a favor and skip this one.
just skip this October 12, 2004
Krista Casada
1 out of 5 found this review helpful
I agree quite thoroughly with the reviewers who expressed extreme dislike for Linda Howard's "White Out." It was sickening. Some of us read romance for the romance, not for explicit descriptions of sexual relationships which begin before the hero (and I use the term loosely) is even conscious.
As for the rest, Jude Deveraux's hero is a paternalistic town despot. Margaret Allison and Mariah Stewart tell fairly ho-hum stories about creative, artsy types going home and falling in love, one with a (supposedly) unconventional doctor and the other with her first love, with whom she had lost touch through a lame misunderstanding--don't you just hate it when these people don't TALK to each other?
The star goes to Stef Ann Holm for "Jolly Holly"; though not a total classic, this story does introduce a handful of very memorable minor characters, especially an intriguing couple of "elves" named Yule and Tide.
 For "White Out" only March 26, 2001
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I only read the Linda Howard story "White Out," so I can't give a review of the others. But, that one alone is great. Yes, the premise of the Price's and Hope's relationship--and fabulous sex--is not something that can be applied to reality. But, so what? The story is still cute, fun, and very sexy. Plus, Howard has a true talent for making almost any scenario plausible with her skilled writing (e.g. anyone read "Son of the Morning"?). If you don't want to buy the anthology, I recommend settling in at Borders with a cup of coffee and reading "White Out" right there. Very Entertaining!
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