A MacKenzie Family Christmas by Jennifer Ashely

The Mackenzies gather for a clan Christmas and New Year's 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 time 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 the loss of one of his precious bowls has made him withdraw once more into his private world.
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After all the hype and hooplah I've heard about the Mackenzie family I absolutely had to pick up "A Mackenzie Family Christmas" when it popped up as a freebie on Amazon. I'm not sure if it's inspired me to go back and read the whole series (The Duke's Perfect Wife is on my list though - I love Hart!) but it did do a great job of acquainting me with the personalities and back stories of all the brothers.

Each one may have already found their match but the legacy of their father's neglect and abuse remains strong. Even Ian, understood by so few but completely enamored with his wife and children, remembers what it's like to be shuffled away and forgotten. The heart of the story finds itself though, in the brothers' present and future - the lives they've made and the happiness before them. It results in a great Christmas story because even when people are afraid or worried you know it will all work out in the end.

Highly recommend, even for other n00bs like me :).

Overall Feeling - B

Series - 1) The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie 2) Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage 3) The Many Sins of Lord Cameron 4) The Duke's Perfect Wife 4.5) A MacKenzie Family Christmas