Just what IS a Kissing Bough? Why do we love Santa Claus so much? Where do all those treasured customs and rituals come from? The Kissing Bough is a wonderful collection of stories that explore the meaning of the holiday season. Some of the stories remind us why the spirit of Christmas is so important to families. Other stories remind us that human nature is what it is, no matter what the holiday says it should be! Long buried secrets will out. Murder happens even during this time of good cheer. Envy, jealousy and loneliness will rub shoulders with seasonal feelings of good will and brotherly love. The Kissing Bough gives the reader insight into the ancient customs and traditions that make modern day Christmas what it is. For its annual publication, The Queens Writers Group has selected twelve of its most engaging and diverse stories. Coming from all walks of life, the group is centered in Charlotte, North Carolina.

One Christmas kiss, and Lucinda will never be the same. No one expects mere Miss Lucinda Demerham to refuse a proposal from Edward, Lord Beaufield, no matter how stuffy and puritanical he might be. His invitation to Lucinda and her parents to spend Christmas at Beaufield Hall is seen as a certain preamble to an engagement. But when Edward's younger brother James erupts onto the scene, the dreary Beaufield Christmas is suddenly alight with revelry. There are feasts, surprises and unexpected joy—and a Kissing Bough above the door.

Jane Ramsey was invited to her old and dear friend Nick’s homecoming. His relatives believed he would now settle down with her for his bride. But Nick arrived with his Incomparable fiancé and plans to be married early in the new year. Was it only Jane who could see how wrong Aurelia was for Nick? And why did Nick exhibit jealousy when his friend Pelham kissed Jane? Regency Romance by Joan Smith; originally published by Fawcett Crest

The sixth Auguste Didier mystery. At the exclusive Cranton's Hotel in London, master chef Auguste Didier is host to a varied party of guests intent on enjoying a real English Christmas, complete with boar's head, Christmas trees, kissing boughs, party games and ghost stories. But not all is as it seems beneath the happy veneer of festive pleasures, for a killer stalks the elegant corridors. How could a baroness from the Continent, three pretty wards of a Foreign Office official, a soldier on leave from the South African War, a rich industrialist, a maiden lady from the provinces, a young married couple, a French diplomat and his beautiful wife with a roving eye, or a crusty retired army officer be embroiled in murder - not to mention a plot to assassinate the Prince of Wales? Auguste Didier, while anxiously ensuring the hotel cuisine reaches his own high standards, works his way through the complex ingredients of murder to put an end to the mysterious and terrible deeds that have not only ruined his Christmas but also disrupted his kitchens.

Four years ago, Jack Telford and Isabella Bruton made the mutual mistake of letting her contemptible brother come between them. Now that Jack has discovered her whereabouts, he’ll cross snowy hill and icy dale to be reunited with his heart’s desire. But his reception at Hope Cottage is lukewarm at best. No matter how much she might ache for Jack’s love, Isabella knows she can never be the wife a future prime minister needs. Besides, she’s forged a life and career of her own out from under the thumb of her brother. There is nothing for her in London. Until Jack catches her under the kissing bough and makes the proposal of a lifetime.

Shy Eleanor Glover agrees to a marriage of convenience--and a Christmas Eve wedding--to Geoffrey Westerly, Lord Staines, to please Westerly's dying father. But the only wedding gift Eleanor desires is the only thing she thinks he won't give her--his love.

In this Pennyfoot Hotel Christmas mystery, guests and staff alike are coming together under the kissing bough—only to fall victim to a cold-blooded killer… At the Pennyfoot Hotel, Cecily Sinclair Baxter and her staff are hustling and bustling more than ever. Cecily’s dear friend Madeline arrives with her new baby and adds a kissing bough to the festive decorations. Cecily gets in the spirit by kissing the precious baby beneath the bough, believing that the holiday couldn’t be getting off to a better start. But after a footman and a new maid are seen kissing under the bough and turn up dead, the staff is convinced a serial killer is spending the holidays at the Pennyfoot. And when Madeline’s baby disappears, Cecily has her hands full desperately trying to find the child. If she doesn’t catch this killer in time, everyone’s cheer will quickly turn to fear…

Includes excerpts from Project duchess by Sabrina Jeffries, The most dangerous duke in London by Madeline Hunter and Once a laird by Mary Jo Putney.

Medieval Christmas – roaring fires, Yule logs, boar’s head on a platter and carols. So many of our best-loved traditions have their origins in the medieval period that it would be impossible to imagine the season without holly and ivy, carol singers calling from door to door and a general sense of celebration in the face of the harshest season. Sophie Jackson investigates the roots of the Christmas celebration in this beautifully illustrated book. She offers guidance for re-creating elements of the medieval Christmas at home, tips on decorations, instructions for playing medieval games and recipes for seasonal dishes. Fascinating facts about some of our most cherished customs, such as the nativity crib, are unearthed, as are some that are less well known – wassailing the apple trees, the ritual beating of children on 28 December and the appointment of a Lord of Misrule and a boy bishop.Lively and entertaining, this book illuminates the medieval Christmas, showing how the traditions of the Middle Ages continue to delight us today.

This volume contains the first three complete cozy mysteries in London Lovett's Port Danby Cozy Mystery series. Join Lacey 'Pink' Pinkerton and the cast of colorful, lovable Port Danby characters—including the endearing and handsome Detective James Briggs—for three intriguing murder mysteries. Marigolds and Murder (Book 1) Lacey 'Pink' Pinkerton has left behind a six figure job and her reputation as the million dollar nose—a nickname her super sense of smell earned her within the perfume industry. With her pet crow Kingston and a tabby cat named Nevermore, she is settling right into her new life in the small coastal town of Port Danby. With a flower shop opening soon and a full cast of quirky neighbors and friends, her new digs are exactly what she's been looking for. Away from the hectic hustle and bustle of the city Lacey has found peace and happiness. However, her heightened sense of smell proves to be of use once again when a Port Danby neighbor turns up dead. Lacey finds herself caught up in an unexpected murder investigation alongside the handsome local detective, James Briggs. She’s determined to find the killer and solve the murder mystery before any more bodies turn up. Carnations and Chaos (Book 2) Lacey 'Pink' Pinkerton, the local flower shop owner, is thrilled to supply colorful flower arrangements for the Third Annual Food Fair being held in the Port Danby town square. But when one of the well-known but not so well-loved bloggers is found dead in her motel room, Lacey steps in to help Detective James Briggs solve the case. (Whether he likes it or not.) Mistletoe and Mayhem (Book 3) Port Danby is preparing for the annual Harbor Holiday Lights Flotilla, and Lacey 'Pink' Pinkerton is anxious to see the colorful boats light up Pickford Beach. But the festive spirits of the town are dampened when one of the boat owners is strangled to death. Lacey enthusiastically volunteers to help Detective Briggs sniff out the clues and track down the killer. Once again, she finds herself nose deep in a murder mystery. *Each book also contains a delicious, mouthwatering recipe that is perfect to pair with your cozy read!