Under the Mistletoe

October 15, 2003
Balogh's lovely early Christmas gift to her readers is five exquisitely crafted novellas set in Regency England at Christmastime, each featuring children. "A Family Christmas," which was written for this collection, portrays a couple who discover on Christmas that their problems hinge on her believing that he looked down on her for marrying money, while he thought that she looked down on him for "buying" a wife. In another tale, an antagonistic couple lose a ring but get it back in triplicate when they help a conniving little chimney sweep. Another heartwarming story features a diverse group of travelers marooned at an inadequate inn by torrential rains who learn the meaning of Christmas when a destitute couple seek shelter to have their baby. Balogh also presents a tale with echoes of " Jane Eyre" in which a young teacher experiences her first Christmas and helps a notorious rake experience love for the first time when she does not disdain his illegitimate child.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)