WINTER NIGHTS

Hardcover compilation of three short African-American Christmas novels by paperback romance novelists. Francis Ray’s Until Christmas tells of —breathtakingly beautiful— Samantha Clark, 27, a former accountant, and a hostess at a small-town bed-and-breakfast, who comes to high school principal Ethan Rawlings, an athletic 37-year-old widower, for a position as housekeeper and caretaker of his twin sons. Though shy, Ethan is deeply attracted to Samantha’s eyes like —expensive cognac with enough kick to knock a man on his back if he wasn’t careful,— her —lush— lashes, bold eyebrows, —lush, wicked mouth— and —mocha-hued face. . . . She was temptation with a capital T.” In Hailstock’s Kwanzaa Angel, Erin Scott, a department store sweater clerk (—beautiful brown eyes, lurking behind long black lashes—), meets up with Raimi Price (—tall, athletic, tight buns—), whom she hasn’t seen since he stiffed her at the high-school prom, but who is —blindingly sexy— and not only has that —outdoor athletic look— but runs a —large corporation.— In Hill’s ‘Round Midnight Late Night Talk with Soul, Dr. Summer Lane, 35, runs a late-night talk show for the lovelorn in D.C., drives a powerful gray Mercedes convertible, and finds herself falling for divorced program director Tre Holland, who is träs distant and —runs through women like old socks,— although he digs —the way her hips swayed leftright as if they had their own secret beat. . . .— In no way does hardcover improve the prose of these writers.