In dark, wintry Lochdubh, Christmas Cheer is about as welcome as a flat tyre on a deserted road. The Calvinist element in town has always resisted what they view as secular frivolity, so for most of the townsfolk there'll be no carols, feasting, gifts - or even whisky on Christmas Day! And for PC Hamish Macbeth there's no holiday from crime - he finds himself hunting for a missing cat belonging to a lonely spinster. Curt and unfriendly, the woman is convinced her pet has been stolen but once behind her heavily-bolted door, Hamish can spot her true problem - she lives in fear, though of who or what he cannot guess. Then someone steals a Christmas tree and lights from the nearby village of Cnothan. So it is up to Hamish to sort all these problems out - and he had better do it quickly, for the church bells will soon peal on the eve of Christmas. This one-off standalone story is a special Christmas treat for all fans of Hamish Macbeth and can be read at any point in the ongoing series. Also features the first UK publication of a Hamish Macbeth short story, Knock, Knock, You're Dead! Praise for the Hamish Macbeth series: 'First rate ... deft social comedy and wonderfully realized atmosphere.' Booklist 'It's always a treat to return to Lochdubh.' New York Times 'Readers will enjoy the quirks and unique qualities of the cast ... Beaton catches the beauty of the area's natural geography and succinctly describes its distinct flavour.' Library Journal 'Befuddled, earnest and utterly endearing, Hamish makes his triumphs sweetly satisfying.' Publishers Weekly

Celebrate the holidays with M. C. Beaton, the queen of cozy mysteries! In the dark, wintry highlands of Lochdubh, Scotland, where the local Calvinist element resists the secular trimmings of Christmas, the spirit of Old St. Nick is about as welcome as a flat tire on a deserted road. Nor is crime taking a holiday, as Constable Hamish Macbeth soon finds himself protecting an unhappy girl, unlocking the secrets of a frightened old woman, and retrieving some stolen holiday goods. Now the lanky lawman must use all his Highland charm and detective skills to make things right. And he had better do it quickly, for the church bells will soon toll and all of Lochdubh will be forced to face another dreary winter without the comforting embrace of Yuletide cheer. Praise for A Highland Christmas "Chock full of local color and sentimental cheer." - Booklist "An inspirational treat for the holiday season." - Library Journal "Fun throughout" - Publishers Weekly "A charmingly illustrated Christmas fable sure to please." - Kirkus Reviews

Tis the season to fall in love! These five bestselling authors bring you great tiding of highlanders and romances this holiday season! A HIGHLANDER'S HOPE by Terri Brisbin A village harlot who would never dream she could have a different life meets a Highlander who visits for the holidays and brings with him an offer and hope. A HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS WAGER by Lecia Cornwall When a snowstorm forces a charming lass hiding a broken heart to take shelter in a castle with three fine Highland lairds just days before Christmas, there’s a game afoot—who will be the first to win a kiss and maybe her heart. A SCOT FOR CHRISTMAS by Bronwen Evans She's ready to embrace her life and future as a spinster, he's trying to have one last hurrah before he gives into his family's wishes and proposes marriage to his neighbor, but fate has other ideas when the lady and the Scot meet at a holiday house party in the wilds of Scotland. LEFTOVER MISTLETOE by Lavinia Kent What happens when a highlander finds himself stranded, maybe kidnapped, with an English lady around Christmas... maybe the mistletoe will help answer that question. SWEET HOME HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS by May McGoldrick An encounter between an English officer and a desperate aunt trying to keep custody of her young niece leads to a little magic during the holidays.

Fans of RaeAnne Thayne and Debbie Macomber will love this USA Today bestselling author's latest holiday romance about two single parents whose holiday wishes come true in the small town of Highland Falls. Can the magic of mistletoe bring together two busy single parents? Mallory Maitland knows all too well what it's like to feel abandoned, which is why she's sworn never to give up on her two stepsons -- her late husband's children. But when the teens land in hot water, she's got a whole new problem: how to resist the caring and incredibly hot Chief of Police Gabriel Buchanan. All Mallory wants is to give the boys a magical holiday. She doesn't need the distraction of wondering what it would be like to kiss Gabriel under the mistletoe. After his wife died, Gabriel left his job as an adrenaline-chasing New York City homicide detective to focus on raising his three sons. But back in Highland Falls, he doesn't have to go looking for trouble. It finds him -- in the form of a beautiful neighbor and her troublemaking stepchildren. With Gabriel's mother-in-law looking for any excuse to gain custody of his sons, Gabriel can't risk getting involved with Mallory, even though she's the only woman capable of making this Christmas -- and all the rest to come -- his best ever.

The Mackenzies gather for a clan Christmas and Hogmanay in Scotland. In the chaos of preparations for the celebration--the first of Hart and Eleanor's married life--one of Ian's Ming bowls gets broken, and the family scrambles to save the day. Daniel busily runs a betting ring for everything from the hour Eleanor's baby will arrive, to whether Mac's former-pugilist valet can win a boxing match, to who will be the first of the many guests to be caught under the mistletoe. Ian begins a new obsession, and Beth fears that the loss of one of his precious bowls has made him withdraw once more into his private world. Revisit the Mackenzies in this heartwarming Christmas tale. Book 4.5 of the New York Times bestselling Mackenzies series.

In bestselling author Vanessa Kelly’s irresistible Clan Kendrick series, Christmas in the Highlands means family, celebration—and for one brother, the beginning of a passionate adventure . . . Being thrown over by the man she expected to marry was humiliating enough. Now that Donella Haddon, grandniece of the Earl of Riddick, has also proven a failure as a nun, she has no choice but to return to her family’s estate. The brawny Highlander sent to escort her is brash, handsome, and the only thing standing between Donella and a gang of would-be kidnappers. But the scandal in her past can’t be so easily outrun . . . Wealthy widower Logan Kendrick was expecting to meet a plain, pious spinster—not a gorgeous, sharp-tongued lass who can hold her own in any ambush. Though she’s known as the Flower of Clan Graham, Donella is no shrinking violet. In fact, she might be the perfect woman to bring happiness back to his lonely little son’s life, just in time for Christmas. But first he must protect her from ugly gossip and a mysterious threat—and convince her that their wild, unexpected desire is heaven sent. Praise for The Highlander’s Princess Bride “A thoroughly satisfying Regency romance.” —Publishers Weekly

He’s a Highland mercenary. She’s the noblewoman he abandoned. Can the child he never knew about and the woman he never forgot save him from a dark fate this Christmas? The Scottish Highlands, 1308. Infamous mercenary Hamish Dunn betrayed a powerful clan leader and is now pursued by killers almost as ruthless as himself. After a deadly duel, a Highland faerie convinces him to travel to Carlisle for a job that will provide enough gold to escape and live in peace. Deidre Maxwell has a dangerous secret. She’s not a widow but a disowned noblewoman with an illegitimate daughter. After being cast aside by Hamish nine years ago, she’ll never let herself or her daughter, Maeve, be hurt again. When Hamish visits the warden of the West English March, he finds more than the job he’s looking for. He finds the love of his life working as a wet nurse. How did she fall to this fate? And will she ever forgive him when she learns he has been hired to kill her father? A Christmas romance and a child’s love could heal their wounded hearts and give Hamish and Deidre the family they both crave—if they can beat the corrupt warden at his own game. Highlander’s Christmas is a historical novella connected to the enthralling Called by a Highlander time travel romance series. If you like reunion romances, secret babies, and dark alpha heroes, then you’ll devour Mariah Stone’s passionate tale of forbidden love. Buy Highlander’s Christmas and warm up with a spicy romance today! Keywords: Highlander Romance, Historical Romance, Outlander, Scottish Highlands, Medieval Romance, Time travel, time travel romance, strong heroines, Highlander, alpha hero, steamy romance reads, historical romance read, historical romance series, enemies to lovers, paranormal romance, fantasy romance, paranormal fantasy romance