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Winter Collection
Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed brand new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: Winter Collection. A collection unlike any other, readers will love this compilation of six sweet historical romance novellas, set in varying eras, yet all with one thing in common: Romance.
The Road to Cavan Town by Sarah M. Eden, set in 1864 Ireland, combines Eden’s sense of humor with her signature sweet romance. Alice Wheatley walks each weekend into town, accompanied by Isaac Dancy. And while Alice finds herself falling in love with the gentleman, unfortunately he has his eyes set on the belle of the town, Miss Sophia Kilchrest. Alice must find a way to turn Isaac’s eyes toward her.
Regency author Heidi Ashworth’s delightful story, It Happened Twelfth Night, set in England 1812, follows Luisa Darlington who discovers the man of her dreams, Percy Brooksby, isn’t in love with her as much as she thought he was. When Percy’s friend, the mysterious foreigner, Mr. Flynn, visits for the twelfth night holiday, he promptly sweeps Luisa off her feet, quite literally. Luisa is left catching her breath in more ways than one.
An Unexpected Proposal by Annette Lyon is a captivating romantic novella, set in remote Wood Camp, the snowy canyon of Logan, Utah, 1880. When Caroline Simpson is forced to thwart the aggressive advances of Mr. Butch Larson, she discovers that her long-time friend, James, has genuine affection for her. But as stubborn as Caroline is, she minimizes the feelings he’s awakened in her, and it takes almost losing James to admit her true feelings for him.
In Joyce Di Pastena’s charming medieval story, Caroles on the Green, we enter England of 1151, in which Lady Isabel has a dilemma. She promises herself that she’ll marry the man who sent a ring hidden in her pastry since the man she truly loves, Sir Lucian de Warrene, has proved to be impossible and exasperating. To forget him, Isabel sets her eyes on other eligible men, only to face another confrontation with Lucian—who isn’t about to back off and leave her to her newest plot.
Donna Hatch’s enchanting novella, A Winter’s Knight, begins when Clarissa Fairchild’s coach just happens to break down in front of the most forbidding estate in the county, that of Wyckburg Castle, a place where young brides have been murdered for generations by their husbands. Clarissa is horrified yet curious all in the same breath. When she meets widower Christopher de Champs, Earl of Wyckburg, she must decide if she should flee or uncover the greatest secret in the county about her handsome rescuer.
In Heather B. Moore’s exciting turn-of-the-century story, A Fortunate Exile, Lila Townsend finds herself the victim of a broken heart—broken by the most notorious bachelor in 1901 New York City. If that isn’t bad enough, her father sends her to Aunt Eugenia’s remote farm where Lila must wait for her father’s anger to subside and the gossip columns to find new fodder. When Lila meets her aunt’s boarder, Peter Weathers, she discovers a man who isn’t afraid to stand up to her formidable family and take a chance on a woman with a sullied reputation.
The Road to Cavan Town by Sarah M. Eden, set in 1864 Ireland, combines Eden’s sense of humor with her signature sweet romance. Alice Wheatley walks each weekend into town, accompanied by Isaac Dancy. And while Alice finds herself falling in love with the gentleman, unfortunately he has his eyes set on the belle of the town, Miss Sophia Kilchrest. Alice must find a way to turn Isaac’s eyes toward her.
Regency author Heidi Ashworth’s delightful story, It Happened Twelfth Night, set in England 1812, follows Luisa Darlington who discovers the man of her dreams, Percy Brooksby, isn’t in love with her as much as she thought he was. When Percy’s friend, the mysterious foreigner, Mr. Flynn, visits for the twelfth night holiday, he promptly sweeps Luisa off her feet, quite literally. Luisa is left catching her breath in more ways than one.
An Unexpected Proposal by Annette Lyon is a captivating romantic novella, set in remote Wood Camp, the snowy canyon of Logan, Utah, 1880. When Caroline Simpson is forced to thwart the aggressive advances of Mr. Butch Larson, she discovers that her long-time friend, James, has genuine affection for her. But as stubborn as Caroline is, she minimizes the feelings he’s awakened in her, and it takes almost losing James to admit her true feelings for him.
In Joyce Di Pastena’s charming medieval story, Caroles on the Green, we enter England of 1151, in which Lady Isabel has a dilemma. She promises herself that she’ll marry the man who sent a ring hidden in her pastry since the man she truly loves, Sir Lucian de Warrene, has proved to be impossible and exasperating. To forget him, Isabel sets her eyes on other eligible men, only to face another confrontation with Lucian—who isn’t about to back off and leave her to her newest plot.
Donna Hatch’s enchanting novella, A Winter’s Knight, begins when Clarissa Fairchild’s coach just happens to break down in front of the most forbidding estate in the county, that of Wyckburg Castle, a place where young brides have been murdered for generations by their husbands. Clarissa is horrified yet curious all in the same breath. When she meets widower Christopher de Champs, Earl of Wyckburg, she must decide if she should flee or uncover the greatest secret in the county about her handsome rescuer.
In Heather B. Moore’s exciting turn-of-the-century story, A Fortunate Exile, Lila Townsend finds herself the victim of a broken heart—broken by the most notorious bachelor in 1901 New York City. If that isn’t bad enough, her father sends her to Aunt Eugenia’s remote farm where Lila must wait for her father’s anger to subside and the gossip columns to find new fodder. When Lila meets her aunt’s boarder, Peter Weathers, she discovers a man who isn’t afraid to stand up to her formidable family and take a chance on a woman with a sullied reputation.
285 pages, ebook
First published October 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
September 5, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology! Each story is set in a different era, and some are witty, some poignant, some inspirational...six novellas, each a romantic, pleasant, entertaining read.
Cover Blurb-These stories are charming romances with interesting plots and characters. It was one of the books that made it to the finals of InD'Tale Magazine's RONE Awards, and I mention this to give you an idea of the caliber of this collection.
Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed brand new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: Winter Collection. A collection unlike any other, readers will love this compilation of six sweet historical romance novellas, set in varying eras, yet all with one thing in common: Romance.
The Road to Cavan Town by Sarah M. Eden, set in 1864 Ireland, combines Eden’s sense of humor with her signature sweet romance. Alice Wheatley walks each weekend into town, accompanied by Isaac Dancy. And while Alice finds herself falling in love with the gentleman, unfortunately he has his eyes set on the belle of the town, Miss Sophia Kilchrest. Alice must find a way to turn Isaac’s eyes toward her.
Regency author Heidi Ashworth’s delightful story, It Happened Twelfth Night, set in England 1812, follows Luisa Darlington who discovers the man of her dreams, Percy Brooksby, isn’t in love with her as much as she thought he was. When Percy’s friend, the mysterious foreigner, Mr. Flynn, visits for the twelfth night holiday, he promptly sweeps Luisa off her feet, quite literally. Luisa is left catching her breath in more ways than one.
An Unexpected Proposal by Annette Lyon is a captivating romantic novella, set in remote Wood Camp, the snowy canyon of Logan, Utah, 1880. When Caroline Simpson is forced to thwart the aggressive advances of Mr. Butch Larson, she discovers that her long-time friend, James, has genuine affection for her. But as stubborn as Caroline is, she minimizes the feelings he’s awakened in her, and it takes almost losing James to admit her true feelings for him.
In Joyce Di Pastena’s charming medieval story, Caroles on the Green, we enter England of 1151, in which Lady Isabel has a dilemma. She promises herself that she’ll marry the man who sent a ring hidden in her pastry since the man she truly loves, Sir Lucian de Warrene, has proved to be impossible and exasperating. To forget him, Isabel sets her eyes on other eligible men, only to face another confrontation with Lucian—who isn’t about to back off and leave her to her newest plot.
Donna Hatch’s enchanting novella, A Winter’s Knight, begins when Clarissa Fairchild’s coach just happens to break down in front of the most forbidding estate in the county, that of Wyckburg Castle, a place where young brides have been murdered for generations by their husbands. Clarissa is horrified yet curious all in the same breath. When she meets widower Christopher de Champs, Earl of Wyckburg, she must decide if she should flee or uncover the greatest secret in the county about her handsome rescuer.
In Heather B. Moore’s exciting turn-of-the-century story, A Fortunate Exile, Lila Townsend finds herself the victim of a broken heart—broken by the most notorious bachelor in 1901 New York City. If that isn’t bad enough, her father sends her to Aunt Eugenia’s remote farm where Lila must wait for her father’s anger to subside and the gossip columns to find new fodder. When Lila meets her aunt’s boarder, Peter Weathers, she discovers a man who isn’t afraid to stand up to her formidable family and take a chance on a woman with a sullied reputation.
I had written full reviews for each individual story but, iPad challenged ninnytwit that I am, accidentally deleted them from my "notes" thingy, and can't tell you how much this upsets me! I'll most certainly re-read and re-write the reviews one day, but for now, I'm sorry to say, this will have do.
A note for those who might be interested: the "steam factor" for these stories is little-to-none.
I read and rated this anthology as a RONE Awards judge, and a copy was provided for that purpose by InD'Tale Magazine.
January 30, 2015
What a great collection, I’m not even the least bit surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I was excited when I first heard about this anthology and couldn’t wait for its release. I was looking forward to reading from some of my favorite authors as well as being introduced to new ones. I hope these authors come together again and provide us with lots more. I normally am not a huge fan of short stories, I always want more, but I thought this was a great collection. I enjoyed all of them, but my favorites were probably the ones by Ms Eden, Ms Hatch and Ms DiPastena.
The Road to Cavan Town by Sarah Eden
I loved this! I was immediately drawn into this charming story. Alice is just lovely, just a really good person and easy to like. She is so patient and understanding of Issac, even though he has his mind set on courting another woman. Isaac was also likable, I was glad we got to hear his POV as well, it was fun to watch his eyes open and see what really mattered in his life. It really is a sweet story and even though it was short, it was full of fun characters, lovely romantic tension and a charming Irish town. I really enjoyed it and will definitely be re-reading it. Ms. Eden is an expert storyteller!
It Happened Twelfth Night by Heidi Ashworth
This was another sweet, charming story. Louisa was a likable heroine, I liked that she was so kind. She is at a crossroads in her life not sure what path to take when a mysterious man enters her life. While I normally don’t go for the whole “love at first sight” thing I believed in this case. Our hero is someone who you could fall for rather quickly. He is also kind; I loved how he fell for Louisa and took on the role of protector. They have a very sweet relationship. I would love a continuation of their story. I loved the fun winter regency setting and wish I could have read this curled up next to a fire with some yummy hot chocolate.
An Unexpected Proposal by Annette Lyon
I liked this one; it had more of a western feel to it. It takes place in an old wood camp in Logan Utah. Since I’ve been to Logan many times it was easy to picture the little camp covered in snow. I liked the story; Caroline and James have a sweet relationship. I liked their story and it was fun reading about how their relationship grows from friendship to love.
Caroles on the Green by Joyce DiPastena.
I really enjoyed this medieval story. Lucian was a great character; I liked him quite a bit. I also liked Isabel, and I think Lucian would be good for her. This is one where I wish we could get a whole book!
A Winter’s Knight by Donna Hatch
This was a fun gothic regency. I thought our heroine Clarissa was charming, she really has a positive outlook on life and a fun imagination. She’s read her fair share of gothics and is excited to find herself stranded in an old gothic castle. Christopher has the whole tortured-hero thing going on and I was drawn to him from the start. He really is a sweetheart. I loved what he did to bring a smile to Clarissa’s face. They had good chemistry. The story does take place in a pretty short time, but their love was believable. A fun holiday story.
A fortunate Exile by Heather Moore
I liked this one. It ended to soon, I wanted more time with Lila and Peter. I liked their story and how they both are able to heal each other. I liked how Peter was always coming to Lila’s rescue. This was the first fiction book of Ms Moore’s that I’ve read and I’m looking forward to reading more from her.
Content: Squeaky clean, just kissing.
The Road to Cavan Town by Sarah Eden
I loved this! I was immediately drawn into this charming story. Alice is just lovely, just a really good person and easy to like. She is so patient and understanding of Issac, even though he has his mind set on courting another woman. Isaac was also likable, I was glad we got to hear his POV as well, it was fun to watch his eyes open and see what really mattered in his life. It really is a sweet story and even though it was short, it was full of fun characters, lovely romantic tension and a charming Irish town. I really enjoyed it and will definitely be re-reading it. Ms. Eden is an expert storyteller!
It Happened Twelfth Night by Heidi Ashworth
This was another sweet, charming story. Louisa was a likable heroine, I liked that she was so kind. She is at a crossroads in her life not sure what path to take when a mysterious man enters her life. While I normally don’t go for the whole “love at first sight” thing I believed in this case. Our hero is someone who you could fall for rather quickly. He is also kind; I loved how he fell for Louisa and took on the role of protector. They have a very sweet relationship. I would love a continuation of their story. I loved the fun winter regency setting and wish I could have read this curled up next to a fire with some yummy hot chocolate.
An Unexpected Proposal by Annette Lyon
I liked this one; it had more of a western feel to it. It takes place in an old wood camp in Logan Utah. Since I’ve been to Logan many times it was easy to picture the little camp covered in snow. I liked the story; Caroline and James have a sweet relationship. I liked their story and it was fun reading about how their relationship grows from friendship to love.
Caroles on the Green by Joyce DiPastena.
I really enjoyed this medieval story. Lucian was a great character; I liked him quite a bit. I also liked Isabel, and I think Lucian would be good for her. This is one where I wish we could get a whole book!
A Winter’s Knight by Donna Hatch
This was a fun gothic regency. I thought our heroine Clarissa was charming, she really has a positive outlook on life and a fun imagination. She’s read her fair share of gothics and is excited to find herself stranded in an old gothic castle. Christopher has the whole tortured-hero thing going on and I was drawn to him from the start. He really is a sweetheart. I loved what he did to bring a smile to Clarissa’s face. They had good chemistry. The story does take place in a pretty short time, but their love was believable. A fun holiday story.
A fortunate Exile by Heather Moore
I liked this one. It ended to soon, I wanted more time with Lila and Peter. I liked their story and how they both are able to heal each other. I liked how Peter was always coming to Lila’s rescue. This was the first fiction book of Ms Moore’s that I’ve read and I’m looking forward to reading more from her.
Content: Squeaky clean, just kissing.
October 11, 2012
Yes, I'm one of the authors in this anthology, but I hadn't read the other stories until now. Here are some of my thoughts:
"The Road to Cavan Town," by Sarah M. Eden: A very sweet, heart-warming romance. Lovely start to the anthology.
"It Happened Twelfth Night", by Heidi Ashworth: Some of the best eye lash lines since Georgette Heyer's "The Nonesuch." Beautifully descriptive and the romance was sweet and fun.
"An Unexpected Proposal," by Annette Lyon: Romance in 1880 Logan, Utah. A young girl learns the hard way what's truly important in Annette Lyon's sweet winter romance.
"A Winter's Knight," by Donna Hatch: The heroine has always dreamed of stepping into the world of the gothic novel, and on Christmas Eve she gets her wish. Told with Regency author Donna Hatch's usual wit and charm.
"A Fortunate Exile," by Heather B. Moore: I haven't read a romance set at the turn-of-the century before. (Hmm, I guess in 2012 I need to specify which century. The setting is 1901.) Thoroughly enjoyed visiting this year and Heather's sweet romance. Though you may want a cup of hot chocolate to sip while you read this one. Heather definitely captures the anthology's winter theme. :-)
My contribution to the collection is "Caroles on the Green," set in 1151 England. All I will say is that I hope readers enjoy it. I thoroughly enjoyed writing it!
"The Road to Cavan Town," by Sarah M. Eden: A very sweet, heart-warming romance. Lovely start to the anthology.
"It Happened Twelfth Night", by Heidi Ashworth: Some of the best eye lash lines since Georgette Heyer's "The Nonesuch." Beautifully descriptive and the romance was sweet and fun.
"An Unexpected Proposal," by Annette Lyon: Romance in 1880 Logan, Utah. A young girl learns the hard way what's truly important in Annette Lyon's sweet winter romance.
"A Winter's Knight," by Donna Hatch: The heroine has always dreamed of stepping into the world of the gothic novel, and on Christmas Eve she gets her wish. Told with Regency author Donna Hatch's usual wit and charm.
"A Fortunate Exile," by Heather B. Moore: I haven't read a romance set at the turn-of-the century before. (Hmm, I guess in 2012 I need to specify which century. The setting is 1901.) Thoroughly enjoyed visiting this year and Heather's sweet romance. Though you may want a cup of hot chocolate to sip while you read this one. Heather definitely captures the anthology's winter theme. :-)
My contribution to the collection is "Caroles on the Green," set in 1151 England. All I will say is that I hope readers enjoy it. I thoroughly enjoyed writing it!
April 26, 2021
Love it!!!!!
I got this years ago for free when it first came out and I have read and reread one and all of the novellas. They are such great clean reads that I recommend them to anyone! I enjoyed all the stories just as much as I did the first time I read them.
I have read most if not all the books written by this collection of authors and I'm always watching and waiting for what they come out with next.
If you are looking for sweet clean and short reads any of the timeless romance anthologies are definitely worth the time!
Happy Reading!!!
I got this years ago for free when it first came out and I have read and reread one and all of the novellas. They are such great clean reads that I recommend them to anyone! I enjoyed all the stories just as much as I did the first time I read them.
I have read most if not all the books written by this collection of authors and I'm always watching and waiting for what they come out with next.
If you are looking for sweet clean and short reads any of the timeless romance anthologies are definitely worth the time!
Happy Reading!!!
October 11, 2012
This is a lovely book full of sweet stories that will satisfy your craving for romance. It was fun to see what each author came up with and how they put their own spin on "winter romance". The time periods cover medieval, regency, the mid Victorian era (but in Ireland and America) and on through to the turn of the last century. So much fun!
April 29, 2017
I love these novella collections because even though they have the same theme, each story is so different! I like being introduced to new-to-me authors and getting a taste of what their writing style is like. And I can always count on my favorite authors to deliver stories that make me smile :) I especially enjoyed the ones by Sarah Eden, Donna Hatch, and Heather Moore in this collection.
March 22, 2015
It's probably not fair of me to rate this since I only really read the first book, by Sarah M. Eden. I love Eden's works so I decided to pick this up and see if maybe I'd find a few new authors I'd enjoy reading books by.
The first story is sweet, clean and enjoyable. The hero may have been irritatingly blind, but I still liked him for his consideration and humility in admitting fault. The heroine and he both had a good relationship and I liked that they could tell each other anything. Except of course, they couldn't tell each other when they were being idiots. Not Eden's wittiest, but that's fine since she took this book in a different track to the others in this collection. Set in Ireland after the potato famine and the main characters are both common people. And better, their romance was over several months of close contact.
I skimmed or skipped the rest for various reasons. In my skimmings I couldn't help but notice that the hero was always tall, handsome and... Wait for it, desperately in love at the first sighting of the heroine. I'm not saying people don't fall in love at first sight, some do. But this was ridiculous! And another thing, if the hero/heroine had been crossed in love, they always fell in love with the opposite of their first. *sigh* I should never read new books when I'm sick, I just pick them apart too much. (Apologies to all who think this book good and who enjoy this genre)
The one story I really liked the beginning of (sorry I don't know the name of it) was rather Gothic, but since it had a curse in it i didn't feel comfortable reading it. The other stories are I'm sure, just what the romance reader wants. I just didn't dig it.
Note: expect Tall, handsome heroes and pretty/plain heroines with spunk and in some characters, a bad case of naivety. (One girl falls for a Rake even though she has been warned and then, once she sees for herself what he is, promptly falls out of love with him and into love with the first handsome, dark stranger she meets. There's a lesson well learnt. Thankfully this one was perfectly respectable and they were engaged within two days. Please don't see that as a spoiler, we all know the hero/heroine with be engaged quickly in a short story.
PG Perfectly clean with a few kisses, and mention of some characters philandering.
The first story is sweet, clean and enjoyable. The hero may have been irritatingly blind, but I still liked him for his consideration and humility in admitting fault. The heroine and he both had a good relationship and I liked that they could tell each other anything. Except of course, they couldn't tell each other when they were being idiots. Not Eden's wittiest, but that's fine since she took this book in a different track to the others in this collection. Set in Ireland after the potato famine and the main characters are both common people. And better, their romance was over several months of close contact.
I skimmed or skipped the rest for various reasons. In my skimmings I couldn't help but notice that the hero was always tall, handsome and... Wait for it, desperately in love at the first sighting of the heroine. I'm not saying people don't fall in love at first sight, some do. But this was ridiculous! And another thing, if the hero/heroine had been crossed in love, they always fell in love with the opposite of their first. *sigh* I should never read new books when I'm sick, I just pick them apart too much. (Apologies to all who think this book good and who enjoy this genre)
The one story I really liked the beginning of (sorry I don't know the name of it) was rather Gothic, but since it had a curse in it i didn't feel comfortable reading it. The other stories are I'm sure, just what the romance reader wants. I just didn't dig it.
Note: expect Tall, handsome heroes and pretty/plain heroines with spunk and in some characters, a bad case of naivety. (One girl falls for a Rake even though she has been warned and then, once she sees for herself what he is, promptly falls out of love with him and into love with the first handsome, dark stranger she meets. There's a lesson well learnt. Thankfully this one was perfectly respectable and they were engaged within two days. Please don't see that as a spoiler, we all know the hero/heroine with be engaged quickly in a short story.
PG Perfectly clean with a few kisses, and mention of some characters philandering.
July 10, 2013
A nice collection of six Romantic Short Stories. The time periods cover Medieval, Regency, Mid-Victorian in both Ireland and America as well as the turn of the century beginning in New York City.
All are clean, sweet love stories.
The Road to Caven Town by Sarah M Eden - 3.5 Stars
It Happened Twelfth Night by Heidi Ashworth - 4 stars
An Unexpected Proposal by Annette Lyon - 2.5 stars
Caroles on the Green by Joyce Dispastena - 3 stars
A Winter's Knight by Donna Hatch - 3 stars
A Fortunate Exile by Heather B Moore - 2.5 stars
This book courtesy of InD'Tale Magazine for the purpose of reading/rating as a participant in judging this year's RONE Awards.
All are clean, sweet love stories.
The Road to Caven Town by Sarah M Eden - 3.5 Stars
It Happened Twelfth Night by Heidi Ashworth - 4 stars
An Unexpected Proposal by Annette Lyon - 2.5 stars
Caroles on the Green by Joyce Dispastena - 3 stars
A Winter's Knight by Donna Hatch - 3 stars
A Fortunate Exile by Heather B Moore - 2.5 stars
This book courtesy of InD'Tale Magazine for the purpose of reading/rating as a participant in judging this year's RONE Awards.
July 15, 2018
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This collection features winter/Christmas themed romance stories throughout history from the Middle Ages to the early 20th-century. The characters hail from Ireland, the United States and England.
"The Road to Cavan Town" by Sarah M. Eden - In 1864 the roads to Cavan Town, County Cavan, Ireland feature a number of young bachelors headed to lake country to court the belle of the county, each hoping for a single word from the beauty. Alice Whatley is no beauty but she knows she would make Isaac Dancy a better wife than Miss Sophia Kilchrest. Alice is used to the hard work of life in service and caring for her aging relatives. Traveling back and forth she's gotten to know Isaac very well. He owns a good farm that survived the Great Hunger and he hopes to proper more. Isaac is proud of his farm and doing the backbreaking labor himself. He seeks a wife who will help connect him with the community and unite everyone with smiles and good grace. Alice wonders how he can expect a fine lady like Miss Kilchrest to give up her fancy house with servants and move to a farm. How can Alice convince Isaac that she is the one for him?
This is a cute story and I liked it best of all the stories in this collection. Alice is practical not a beauty; she's intelligent and though she's in love, she's not lovesick. She knows her limits of friendship and how much she's willing to accept. Alice won't give in to anything except true love. Isaac is a wonderful hero though completely blind to Alice as anything other than a friend. Like Edmund Bertram in Mansfield Park he sees a pretty face and elegant facade and thinks he's in love. Sophia doesn't deserve him. The introduction of Billy was a little bit too much of a plot device for me. He didn't quite fit the story but serves to show the characters of both women. The final courtship scene is so adorable. I dare you not to smile!
"It Happened Twelfth Night" by Heidi Ashworth- Luisa is eager to be reunited with her childhood sweetheart Percy after his trip abroad. Their summer kisses were so delicious and Luisa has waited for the promise of more. Somehow they will convince his noble parents that the daughter of their gatekeeper will make an excellent wife for their son. Months later Luisa slips into Percy's family's Twelfth Night ball, eager to be alone with her love at last. Instead she finds her heart broken and loses her way in the servants quarters. If found, it will lower her reputation even further than it already has. With the help of a mysterious stranger she finds her way out of her difficult situation.
Hmmm I'm not entirely crazy about this story. On one hand it takes place all in one night and I don't buy that timeline as a true love story. However, I did enjoy the details about the Mummers and the Twelfth Night activities in the Regency period. Luisa is no longer young and longs for romance and adventure. I can see why she falls in love but will it last? The mysterious man was a bit of a surprise and my instincts were telling me to run and not give in to chivalry. Is it real? Both Luisa's men lie to her for different reasons. If this story had a longer timeline and an epilogue it might appeal to me more.
"Un Unexpected Proposal" by Annette Lyon takes place in the wilds of Utah in 1880. Caroline is working as a maid in a logging camp to earn money to help her younger sister who is ill with a form of tuberculosis. Caroline doesn't mind the work except for serving the evening meal when that awful Butch Larson makes every attempt to touch her inappropriately against her will. Her boss, Mrs. Hansen, doesn't quite believe Caroline but her childhood chum James does and worries about her. James is ready to challenge Butch despite Butch being a relative of the Hansens who run the camp. Caroline doesn't feel this chivalry is necessary. It's not Jamie's place to protect her and it never will be. She dreams of being swept off her feet by a handsome, roguish man who will dance with her all night. When winter comes Caroline discovers some unexpected things about her own heart but it may be too late.
I liked this story the least. First, in a clean and secular collection this story doesn't fit the criteria exactly. It's Little House on the Prairie Mormon style with a #MeToo plot driving the romance. There's no overt preaching but it's mentioned the men read the Scriptures in the evening and Caroline doesn't even know what alcohol smells like pointing out the characters come from a religious community. The sexual harassment plot was a surprise and out of place in this otherwise light and fluffy anthology. The romance wrapped up quickly and sweetly but the rest of the story is a dud. I felt sorry for Caroline that she was being harassed and that was about the extent of my feelings for her. I liked Jamie much better. He's kind, caring, sweet and a hard worker. What's not to love in the wild west? Really, I would marry him! She doesn't have a lot of other options. I would recommend skipping this story if you prefer your romances fluffy.
"Carols on the Lawn" by Joyce DiPastena is unlike any other romance I've ever read. It's set in 1151 in England at Christmastime early on in the history of Christmas celebrations. The heroine, Isabel, and her sister Agnes are daughter of a Lord who has invited a number of knights and ladies to celebrate the Christmas season with them. Isabel has promised to choose a husband before the guests leave. One man is the same as the other as far as she's concerned. The one she will NOT marry is Lucian de Warrene. His kisses were divine but he is too controlling, too strong for Isabel. She is determined to rule her husband as she has ruled her father these many years. When she receives a ring mysteriously from an anonymous suitor she vows to marry whoever sent the ring. First though, she must figure out who sent it and how much she can control him.
I really liked this story more than I thought I would, mostly for the Christmas traditions. I had no idea Christmas carols were originally dances. "The Holly and the Ivy" is featured in this story and learning about the development of the dance is fascinating. The mystery sucked me in too. I could relate very much to headstrong Isabel. She isn't much of a medieval maiden though.
Isabel has a quick temper, is stubborn and incredibly strong willed. I didn't like how she wanted to rule her husband. Why not an equal partner? Agnes is sweet but she too seems to want some more control over her husband. Agnes would like to be allowed to do the accounts. Isabel's reasons for being the way she is are valid and I understand why but she is a little too annoyingly stubborn even for me. The gentlemen are not all that appealing. Sir Theo is kind and chivalrous but not too bright so he is a good candidate for husband material. I wouldn't want to marry him just to rule him. He's nothing but kind. Sir Eustace on the other hand is a dandy and possibly a medieval rake. I don't trust him. Sir Tristan is the male version of Isabel. He is a manly man-strong, brave, tough and really proud. Their sparks are a bit too mean to be delightful. The only other woman in the story is a spoiled beauty stereotype with no original personality traits.
I do recommend this story for the original setting and historical details.
"A Winter's Night" by Donna Hatch-In 1813 England Clarissa Fairchild is on her way home to celebrate Christmas with her family. As she passes the legendary Wyckburg Castle she can't help but imagine the terrifying lords who were said to have murdered their wives. How delicious! If only she could meet a murderous Earl! (Dun dun dun...) A carriage accident in a snowstorm may grant Clarissa her wish.
Clarissa is of a similar type to Jane Austen's Catherine Morland. Clarissa is young with a head full of silly gothic novels. She thinks the fantasy is more appealing than the reality of the dull suitors she's met in London. Clarissa is a bit more mature than Catherine. She doesn't let her imagination rule her mind. When she discovers the reality of the situation she is compassionate and kind. While I keep saying I hate brooding heroes, I guess I do like them because Christopher de Champs, Early of Wyckburg is a sympathetic hero. He's led a tragic life which causes his brooding. He's not cruel like Mr. Rochester or Heathcliff though. Christopher is understanding yet resigned to his terrible fate. I wasn't thrilled with the silly reason for that fate but it could just be a coincidence. The insta-love is a bit too much but I can see why they both fall in love with what they know about one another. The epilogue satisfied my curiosity. I liked this story a lot.
"A Fortunate Exile" by Heather B. Moore- In New York City in 1901 a lady should never cause a scandal. What will the papers say? Lila Townsend has done just that by getting caught in an unseemly position with her neighbor Roland, a bachelor. Lila's father is outraged and forces her into exile on her Aunt Eugenia's farm. Aunt Eugenia is old, a religious fanatic and cheap (or has money troubles which one would never admit). Lila is miserable. The only bright spot in her life is Aunt Eugenia's young distant cousin Peter Weathers. Peter is a Yale student staying with his relative and pinching pennies until he can help his family recover from disaster. Peter is instantly attracted to the young maiden in exile though she is a Society girl like his lost love Danelle. He knows to guard his heart but if he can make his young friend's life a little easier he will do it despite Aunt Eugenia's strict rules.
I did not like this story. I'm too old for silly, bratty heroines. Not that I wouldn't have acted the same way myself as a teenager but I didn't care for Lila. She's almost a victim of the "Why buy the cow when you can have the milk for free?" school of thought. Certainly that was Roland's intention. I do empathize with Lila's exile. It sounds horrendous and I think her life could be in danger. Aunt Eugenia is just awful and doesn't care about Lila at all. Lila's father only cares about his reputation and her mother is too weak to do anything to support her only child. It sounds like they blame Lila for something that happened long ago and they favorited their golden haired angel over her. That backstory is not fully developed. The romance happens too quickly for me and I need an epilogue. There's NO WAY that is going to work as is. Peter is a fun character. He has a sense of humor and is very kind. I can see Lila falling in love with him because of the situation and staying in love because of his personality. What he sees in her besides a maiden to be rescued I don't know. This is my second least favorite story of the collection.
This collection features winter/Christmas themed romance stories throughout history from the Middle Ages to the early 20th-century. The characters hail from Ireland, the United States and England.
"The Road to Cavan Town" by Sarah M. Eden - In 1864 the roads to Cavan Town, County Cavan, Ireland feature a number of young bachelors headed to lake country to court the belle of the county, each hoping for a single word from the beauty. Alice Whatley is no beauty but she knows she would make Isaac Dancy a better wife than Miss Sophia Kilchrest. Alice is used to the hard work of life in service and caring for her aging relatives. Traveling back and forth she's gotten to know Isaac very well. He owns a good farm that survived the Great Hunger and he hopes to proper more. Isaac is proud of his farm and doing the backbreaking labor himself. He seeks a wife who will help connect him with the community and unite everyone with smiles and good grace. Alice wonders how he can expect a fine lady like Miss Kilchrest to give up her fancy house with servants and move to a farm. How can Alice convince Isaac that she is the one for him?
This is a cute story and I liked it best of all the stories in this collection. Alice is practical not a beauty; she's intelligent and though she's in love, she's not lovesick. She knows her limits of friendship and how much she's willing to accept. Alice won't give in to anything except true love. Isaac is a wonderful hero though completely blind to Alice as anything other than a friend. Like Edmund Bertram in Mansfield Park he sees a pretty face and elegant facade and thinks he's in love. Sophia doesn't deserve him. The introduction of Billy was a little bit too much of a plot device for me. He didn't quite fit the story but serves to show the characters of both women. The final courtship scene is so adorable. I dare you not to smile!
"It Happened Twelfth Night" by Heidi Ashworth- Luisa is eager to be reunited with her childhood sweetheart Percy after his trip abroad. Their summer kisses were so delicious and Luisa has waited for the promise of more. Somehow they will convince his noble parents that the daughter of their gatekeeper will make an excellent wife for their son. Months later Luisa slips into Percy's family's Twelfth Night ball, eager to be alone with her love at last. Instead she finds her heart broken and loses her way in the servants quarters. If found, it will lower her reputation even further than it already has. With the help of a mysterious stranger she finds her way out of her difficult situation.
Hmmm I'm not entirely crazy about this story. On one hand it takes place all in one night and I don't buy that timeline as a true love story. However, I did enjoy the details about the Mummers and the Twelfth Night activities in the Regency period. Luisa is no longer young and longs for romance and adventure. I can see why she falls in love but will it last? The mysterious man was a bit of a surprise and my instincts were telling me to run and not give in to chivalry. Is it real? Both Luisa's men lie to her for different reasons. If this story had a longer timeline and an epilogue it might appeal to me more.
"Un Unexpected Proposal" by Annette Lyon takes place in the wilds of Utah in 1880. Caroline is working as a maid in a logging camp to earn money to help her younger sister who is ill with a form of tuberculosis. Caroline doesn't mind the work except for serving the evening meal when that awful Butch Larson makes every attempt to touch her inappropriately against her will. Her boss, Mrs. Hansen, doesn't quite believe Caroline but her childhood chum James does and worries about her. James is ready to challenge Butch despite Butch being a relative of the Hansens who run the camp. Caroline doesn't feel this chivalry is necessary. It's not Jamie's place to protect her and it never will be. She dreams of being swept off her feet by a handsome, roguish man who will dance with her all night. When winter comes Caroline discovers some unexpected things about her own heart but it may be too late.
I liked this story the least. First, in a clean and secular collection this story doesn't fit the criteria exactly. It's Little House on the Prairie Mormon style with a #MeToo plot driving the romance. There's no overt preaching but it's mentioned the men read the Scriptures in the evening and Caroline doesn't even know what alcohol smells like pointing out the characters come from a religious community. The sexual harassment plot was a surprise and out of place in this otherwise light and fluffy anthology. The romance wrapped up quickly and sweetly but the rest of the story is a dud. I felt sorry for Caroline that she was being harassed and that was about the extent of my feelings for her. I liked Jamie much better. He's kind, caring, sweet and a hard worker. What's not to love in the wild west? Really, I would marry him! She doesn't have a lot of other options. I would recommend skipping this story if you prefer your romances fluffy.
"Carols on the Lawn" by Joyce DiPastena is unlike any other romance I've ever read. It's set in 1151 in England at Christmastime early on in the history of Christmas celebrations. The heroine, Isabel, and her sister Agnes are daughter of a Lord who has invited a number of knights and ladies to celebrate the Christmas season with them. Isabel has promised to choose a husband before the guests leave. One man is the same as the other as far as she's concerned. The one she will NOT marry is Lucian de Warrene. His kisses were divine but he is too controlling, too strong for Isabel. She is determined to rule her husband as she has ruled her father these many years. When she receives a ring mysteriously from an anonymous suitor she vows to marry whoever sent the ring. First though, she must figure out who sent it and how much she can control him.
I really liked this story more than I thought I would, mostly for the Christmas traditions. I had no idea Christmas carols were originally dances. "The Holly and the Ivy" is featured in this story and learning about the development of the dance is fascinating. The mystery sucked me in too. I could relate very much to headstrong Isabel. She isn't much of a medieval maiden though.
Isabel has a quick temper, is stubborn and incredibly strong willed. I didn't like how she wanted to rule her husband. Why not an equal partner? Agnes is sweet but she too seems to want some more control over her husband. Agnes would like to be allowed to do the accounts. Isabel's reasons for being the way she is are valid and I understand why but she is a little too annoyingly stubborn even for me. The gentlemen are not all that appealing. Sir Theo is kind and chivalrous but not too bright so he is a good candidate for husband material. I wouldn't want to marry him just to rule him. He's nothing but kind. Sir Eustace on the other hand is a dandy and possibly a medieval rake. I don't trust him. Sir Tristan is the male version of Isabel. He is a manly man-strong, brave, tough and really proud. Their sparks are a bit too mean to be delightful. The only other woman in the story is a spoiled beauty stereotype with no original personality traits.
I do recommend this story for the original setting and historical details.
"A Winter's Night" by Donna Hatch-In 1813 England Clarissa Fairchild is on her way home to celebrate Christmas with her family. As she passes the legendary Wyckburg Castle she can't help but imagine the terrifying lords who were said to have murdered their wives. How delicious! If only she could meet a murderous Earl! (Dun dun dun...) A carriage accident in a snowstorm may grant Clarissa her wish.
Clarissa is of a similar type to Jane Austen's Catherine Morland. Clarissa is young with a head full of silly gothic novels. She thinks the fantasy is more appealing than the reality of the dull suitors she's met in London. Clarissa is a bit more mature than Catherine. She doesn't let her imagination rule her mind. When she discovers the reality of the situation she is compassionate and kind. While I keep saying I hate brooding heroes, I guess I do like them because Christopher de Champs, Early of Wyckburg is a sympathetic hero. He's led a tragic life which causes his brooding. He's not cruel like Mr. Rochester or Heathcliff though. Christopher is understanding yet resigned to his terrible fate. I wasn't thrilled with the silly reason for that fate but it could just be a coincidence. The insta-love is a bit too much but I can see why they both fall in love with what they know about one another. The epilogue satisfied my curiosity. I liked this story a lot.
"A Fortunate Exile" by Heather B. Moore- In New York City in 1901 a lady should never cause a scandal. What will the papers say? Lila Townsend has done just that by getting caught in an unseemly position with her neighbor Roland, a bachelor. Lila's father is outraged and forces her into exile on her Aunt Eugenia's farm. Aunt Eugenia is old, a religious fanatic and cheap (or has money troubles which one would never admit). Lila is miserable. The only bright spot in her life is Aunt Eugenia's young distant cousin Peter Weathers. Peter is a Yale student staying with his relative and pinching pennies until he can help his family recover from disaster. Peter is instantly attracted to the young maiden in exile though she is a Society girl like his lost love Danelle. He knows to guard his heart but if he can make his young friend's life a little easier he will do it despite Aunt Eugenia's strict rules.
I did not like this story. I'm too old for silly, bratty heroines. Not that I wouldn't have acted the same way myself as a teenager but I didn't care for Lila. She's almost a victim of the "Why buy the cow when you can have the milk for free?" school of thought. Certainly that was Roland's intention. I do empathize with Lila's exile. It sounds horrendous and I think her life could be in danger. Aunt Eugenia is just awful and doesn't care about Lila at all. Lila's father only cares about his reputation and her mother is too weak to do anything to support her only child. It sounds like they blame Lila for something that happened long ago and they favorited their golden haired angel over her. That backstory is not fully developed. The romance happens too quickly for me and I need an epilogue. There's NO WAY that is going to work as is. Peter is a fun character. He has a sense of humor and is very kind. I can see Lila falling in love with him because of the situation and staying in love because of his personality. What he sees in her besides a maiden to be rescued I don't know. This is my second least favorite story of the collection.
October 5, 2012
Love... love... LOVE all the stories in this book! All were very sweet, quick reads and of course came with HEA! This is going to be a must read every year at Christmas time! :o)
October 9, 2015
Some of these I absolutely loved and some were ok. Fun read for the holidays and completely clean.
November 23, 2015
Wow! Great way to get several great romances by several great authors for one low price! Usually, when I read a short story I feel like I didn't even get to know the characters very well! I did not feel that way with any of these stories -- they were all well done!
"The Road to Cavan Town" - by Sarah M. Eden -- (Ireland 1864) -- Alice Wheatley meets Isaac Dancy as they walk the dozen miles to and from Cavan every weekend. She is going home from her weekday job; he is going to court the wealthy and beautiful Miss Sophia Kilchrest. As they walk this road together every weekend for 4 months they have developed a solid friendship -- they share hopes, dreams, fears, etc with each other. Alice is smitten by Isaac and keeps hoping he will notice what a great couple they make. As Isaac is becoming a favorite of Miss Sophia's, Alice can no longer be around him as her heart is breaking. It has been Isaac's plan for so long to marry Miss Sophia that he is surprised at how much he misses being with Alice...
"It Happened Twelfth Night" - by Heidi Ashworth -- Luisa (daughter of the keeper at the abbey gate) and Percy (son of a baronet) are in love! They make plans to meet as soon as Percy returns from a trip abroad with his parents. While he is gone, Luisa's best friend scandalously elopes to Gretna with her dancing master and Luisa is tainted by association. So Percy conveniently forgets all about her when he returns. While she is at the Twelfth Night party, a mysterious stranger takes an interest in her...
"An Unexpected Proposal" - by Annette Lyon -- (Logan Canyon Wood Camp, Utah 1880) -- Caroline is helping at the Wood Camp to help raise funds for her sick sister. As the only single woman in the lumber camp, she becomes the target of unwelcome advances from Butch Larsen. Her one consolation is that her good childhood friend James is at the camp with her. One night Butch goes too far, and in the aftermath James seeks out Caroline to make sure she is all right. Caroline feels relieved at the safety she feels with James -- until what she is feeling becomes stronger. They kiss and she sees that he feels a lot more strongly about her than she does about him... or so she thinks! Sometimes you have to lose what you have to appreciate it...
"Carols on the Green" -- by Joyce DiPastena -- England 1151 - Isabel has promised her father she will choose a husband by Epiphany. And she is determined it will be anyone besides Lucian, the handsome knight she had once fancied herself in love with. Then fate steps in on the dance floor... and under the oak tree... sending Isabel's orderly and controlled world out of control and right into the arms of true love!
"A Winter's Knight" - by Donna Hatch - England 1813 -- Clarissa Fairchild and her Great Aunt Tilly get caught in a storm and seek refuge Wyckburg Castle! Clarissa is excited for the adventure - she has always wanted to know the mystery behind Wyckburg Castle. Did the earls for 5 generations murder their wives or is there really a curse? In the adventure, Clarissa gets a lot more than she bargains for -- she finds out that it's her ancestor who put the curse on the Earl (5 generations ago) who spurned her love. Christopher de Champs, the current Earl of Wyckburg is not what she expected either... Even though he realizes she is the enemy, he takes care of her and protects her. They decide to work together to find a cure for the curse... and find a happy ending, too!
"A Fortunate Exile" - by Heather B. Moore - New York City 1901 -- Lila has made the naive and unforgivable mistake of falling in love with the false promises of Roland. Because she has been caught with him, her father sends her off to his sister's house. Lila leaves the luxury and comfort of her home to be with the austere and formidable aunt who is sure to make her wish she was in a nunnery instead! But her aunt has an unexpected house guest, Peter Weathers. Peter is a student at Yale who has fallen on hard times after the death of his father... and the subsequent revelation of his father's debts. Peter is her advocate with her great-aunt, and quickly becomes much more than that...
"The Road to Cavan Town" - by Sarah M. Eden -- (Ireland 1864) -- Alice Wheatley meets Isaac Dancy as they walk the dozen miles to and from Cavan every weekend. She is going home from her weekday job; he is going to court the wealthy and beautiful Miss Sophia Kilchrest. As they walk this road together every weekend for 4 months they have developed a solid friendship -- they share hopes, dreams, fears, etc with each other. Alice is smitten by Isaac and keeps hoping he will notice what a great couple they make. As Isaac is becoming a favorite of Miss Sophia's, Alice can no longer be around him as her heart is breaking. It has been Isaac's plan for so long to marry Miss Sophia that he is surprised at how much he misses being with Alice...
"It Happened Twelfth Night" - by Heidi Ashworth -- Luisa (daughter of the keeper at the abbey gate) and Percy (son of a baronet) are in love! They make plans to meet as soon as Percy returns from a trip abroad with his parents. While he is gone, Luisa's best friend scandalously elopes to Gretna with her dancing master and Luisa is tainted by association. So Percy conveniently forgets all about her when he returns. While she is at the Twelfth Night party, a mysterious stranger takes an interest in her...
"An Unexpected Proposal" - by Annette Lyon -- (Logan Canyon Wood Camp, Utah 1880) -- Caroline is helping at the Wood Camp to help raise funds for her sick sister. As the only single woman in the lumber camp, she becomes the target of unwelcome advances from Butch Larsen. Her one consolation is that her good childhood friend James is at the camp with her. One night Butch goes too far, and in the aftermath James seeks out Caroline to make sure she is all right. Caroline feels relieved at the safety she feels with James -- until what she is feeling becomes stronger. They kiss and she sees that he feels a lot more strongly about her than she does about him... or so she thinks! Sometimes you have to lose what you have to appreciate it...
"Carols on the Green" -- by Joyce DiPastena -- England 1151 - Isabel has promised her father she will choose a husband by Epiphany. And she is determined it will be anyone besides Lucian, the handsome knight she had once fancied herself in love with. Then fate steps in on the dance floor... and under the oak tree... sending Isabel's orderly and controlled world out of control and right into the arms of true love!
"A Winter's Knight" - by Donna Hatch - England 1813 -- Clarissa Fairchild and her Great Aunt Tilly get caught in a storm and seek refuge Wyckburg Castle! Clarissa is excited for the adventure - she has always wanted to know the mystery behind Wyckburg Castle. Did the earls for 5 generations murder their wives or is there really a curse? In the adventure, Clarissa gets a lot more than she bargains for -- she finds out that it's her ancestor who put the curse on the Earl (5 generations ago) who spurned her love. Christopher de Champs, the current Earl of Wyckburg is not what she expected either... Even though he realizes she is the enemy, he takes care of her and protects her. They decide to work together to find a cure for the curse... and find a happy ending, too!
"A Fortunate Exile" - by Heather B. Moore - New York City 1901 -- Lila has made the naive and unforgivable mistake of falling in love with the false promises of Roland. Because she has been caught with him, her father sends her off to his sister's house. Lila leaves the luxury and comfort of her home to be with the austere and formidable aunt who is sure to make her wish she was in a nunnery instead! But her aunt has an unexpected house guest, Peter Weathers. Peter is a student at Yale who has fallen on hard times after the death of his father... and the subsequent revelation of his father's debts. Peter is her advocate with her great-aunt, and quickly becomes much more than that...
February 27, 2022
Kindle Unlimited 1/?
The Road to Cavan Town by Sarah M. Eden - 3 stars. Pretty standard fare. Girl loves a man, man oblivious and fancies another girl until one day he becomes less dense.
It Happened Twelfth Night by Heidi Ashworth -2 stars. Didn't care for the writing or tone of the story, and not even much invested in what took place.
An Unexpected Proposal by Annette Lyon - 1.5 stars. What a mess. I legitimately hated our main girl, Caroline.
Caroles on the Green by Joyce DiPastena - 3 stars. Though I generally steer clear of medieval stories, because I just don't care for the time period, I did ultimately enjoy this one. It had some character issues, like our leading lady wanting to basically "govern" her future husband, but it's addressed and rather explained even, so I wasn't too upset by it.
"His (her father's) yielding nature had allowed her to become this horrid, arrogant creature who must command every detail of her family’s life and prove to herself that she could match any man, Lucian most of all, for only he had ever tempted her to wonder if the cost might be too high."
A Winter’s Knight by Donna Hatch - 4 stars for sheer enjoyment and being so excited to find one I was actually interested in, though the insta-love and predictability was very strong. Elements of magic included in this one.
A Fortunate Exile by Heather B. Moore - 2 stars. I never liked any of the characters or felt any sort of connection to them. I didn't care and honestly, there wasn't even much story to it.
The Road to Cavan Town by Sarah M. Eden - 3 stars. Pretty standard fare. Girl loves a man, man oblivious and fancies another girl until one day he becomes less dense.
It Happened Twelfth Night by Heidi Ashworth -2 stars. Didn't care for the writing or tone of the story, and not even much invested in what took place.
An Unexpected Proposal by Annette Lyon - 1.5 stars. What a mess. I legitimately hated our main girl, Caroline.
Caroles on the Green by Joyce DiPastena - 3 stars. Though I generally steer clear of medieval stories, because I just don't care for the time period, I did ultimately enjoy this one. It had some character issues, like our leading lady wanting to basically "govern" her future husband, but it's addressed and rather explained even, so I wasn't too upset by it.
"His (her father's) yielding nature had allowed her to become this horrid, arrogant creature who must command every detail of her family’s life and prove to herself that she could match any man, Lucian most of all, for only he had ever tempted her to wonder if the cost might be too high."
A Winter’s Knight by Donna Hatch - 4 stars for sheer enjoyment and being so excited to find one I was actually interested in, though the insta-love and predictability was very strong. Elements of magic included in this one.
A Fortunate Exile by Heather B. Moore - 2 stars. I never liked any of the characters or felt any sort of connection to them. I didn't care and honestly, there wasn't even much story to it.
October 16, 2012
This is exactly what I needed. I LOVED it! So fun to try the "short stories" for a change. Three of the authors: Donna Hatch, Sarah M Eden, and Joyce DiPastena are three of my favorite authors, so I had no doubt that I would love it. I wasn't as familiar with the authors: Heidi Ashworth , Annette Lyon, and Heather B. Moore, but I thoroughly enjoyed their stories too and I'm excited to read more of their books! I loved the characters and the plots and thought they were amazingly developed for as "short" as they were. I think they would have ALL made great full length novels as well...and was sad to see them end....but on another note it was actually kind of nice to be able to sit down, get my "happily ever after" in one sitting, rather then having to spend a week of being interrupted with "life" trying to "find out what happens". :) Such fun reads! So glad I bought this book!
July 3, 2016
Six romantic stories from long ago. Each story is set at or near Christmas lending to a more charming setting. It's more difficult to review an anthology with so many different authors because each story is so different. But I enjoyed all of the stories in this book. Each story was sweet, romantic, and entertaining. Clean (no sex) stories that are enchanting and fun for the romance lover. The pros would be that I enjoy a good romantic story, they are short and quick reading for the busy person, and each story was well written. The cons would be lack of plot development due to the shortness of the stories. I would have to say that for me the pros outweigh the cons. Definitely a fun book to read that led me to some new favorite romance authors.
March 4, 2013
Really enjoyed this collection of short stories!!!
Going to break it down by each one:
The Road to Cavan Town - Sarah Eden - 4 Stars (Clean)
An Unexpected Proposal - Anette Lyon - 4 Stars (Moral Note: A man leers at a woman and grabs her breast)
It Happened Twelfth Night - Heidi Ashworth - 3 Stars (this one felt really rushed to me)
Caroles on the Green - Joyce DiPastena - 5 Stars - Really liked it
A Winter's Knight - Donna Hatch - 5 Stars - First Donna Hatch read, loving her!!!
A Fortunate Exile - Heather B. Moore - 3 Stars - (Has "dang" and talk of rakes/mistresses)
Going to break it down by each one:
The Road to Cavan Town - Sarah Eden - 4 Stars (Clean)
An Unexpected Proposal - Anette Lyon - 4 Stars (Moral Note: A man leers at a woman and grabs her breast)
It Happened Twelfth Night - Heidi Ashworth - 3 Stars (this one felt really rushed to me)
Caroles on the Green - Joyce DiPastena - 5 Stars - Really liked it
A Winter's Knight - Donna Hatch - 5 Stars - First Donna Hatch read, loving her!!!
A Fortunate Exile - Heather B. Moore - 3 Stars - (Has "dang" and talk of rakes/mistresses)
October 8, 2012
This was my first experience with "short stories." I like them all, I only wished they were longer :). Really, though, this was fun.
July 17, 2017
3'5 stars since I enjoyed most of them while still feeling they were too short for the romance to be believable at times. If you're looking for winter/Xmas novellas this is a nice one ;)
December 12, 2022
Lovely
Individually, I would probably only rate each novella 4 stars; but it was such a pleasure none disappointed. All authors were new to me. The stories varied in time and place, but all were clean. I would definitely recommend if you enjoy Christmas romance novellas.
Individually, I would probably only rate each novella 4 stars; but it was such a pleasure none disappointed. All authors were new to me. The stories varied in time and place, but all were clean. I would definitely recommend if you enjoy Christmas romance novellas.
March 15, 2017
4 1/2 stars.
I couldn't find this book on the already-read list but I read it before because all the stories were so familiar.
In any case, I really liked this anthology. Highly recommend.
I couldn't find this book on the already-read list but I read it before because all the stories were so familiar.
In any case, I really liked this anthology. Highly recommend.
October 25, 2012
What is happier than reading one book with so many of your favorite romance authors? I was so excited to get my hands on this book because just based on the authors and blurbs above I knew I was in for some great stories. I was not disappointed.
I love anthologies. It's like getting lots of flavors of ice cream, but it's all still ice cream. You know? Ice cream is yummy. Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, cookies & cream, . . .
This book was so good. I traveled all over the world and all through time. I was in castles, canyons and along the roadside. No matter where I was the endings left me satisfied and happy. Very happy. All these books are set in the winter or at Christmastime and it was the perfect book to read all snuggled up as it's cold outside.
I'm really looking forward to reading the next collection!
I love anthologies. It's like getting lots of flavors of ice cream, but it's all still ice cream. You know? Ice cream is yummy. Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, cookies & cream, . . .
This book was so good. I traveled all over the world and all through time. I was in castles, canyons and along the roadside. No matter where I was the endings left me satisfied and happy. Very happy. All these books are set in the winter or at Christmastime and it was the perfect book to read all snuggled up as it's cold outside.
I'm really looking forward to reading the next collection!
October 2, 2012
6 historical romance novellas by 6 award-winning authors. I had a hard time deciding which story was my favorite, so I guess I'll just have to love them all. It was great to read something short from each author . . . I'd read books by all of the authors except for Donna Hatch. So when I read her story and loved it, I went and bought one of her other ebooks to read. I'm not normally a short story reader, but these romances were clean, quick reads, and I didn't feel like I was missing out on longer plots.
October 12, 2012
Some of my favorite authors teaming up for a romance anthology? I'm so there.
And they still blew my expectations out of the water. I loved each story and can't wait for the spring collection! Each of these stories delivered romance as it should be--though in the author's particular style. I loved Joyce DiPastena's Isabel and Lucian and would read an entire novel about them. And getting to see Heather Moore show off her talent at romance was truly a treat. I can't recommend this anthology enough.
And they still blew my expectations out of the water. I loved each story and can't wait for the spring collection! Each of these stories delivered romance as it should be--though in the author's particular style. I loved Joyce DiPastena's Isabel and Lucian and would read an entire novel about them. And getting to see Heather Moore show off her talent at romance was truly a treat. I can't recommend this anthology enough.
October 10, 2012
What a fun collection! I was finally able to set aside some time and really read this(it's been CRAZY)! I was not disappointed! I like some of the stories better then others but over all it was a nice escape.
I will say that I'm not sure I love short stories. I like them because I can start and finish them in an hour or more. But I dislike them because I so badly want the story to go on and for there to be more build up. I just want more!!!
I will say that I'm not sure I love short stories. I like them because I can start and finish them in an hour or more. But I dislike them because I so badly want the story to go on and for there to be more build up. I just want more!!!
December 6, 2012
This was a perfect quick read. It contained six historical romance short stories that were perfect for my "waiting for the bus" times of day. The stories were sweet as they hopped through time.
If I had to pick my favorites they would be: It Happened Twelfth Night, Caroles on the Green, and A Winter's Knight.
If I had to pick my favorites they would be: It Happened Twelfth Night, Caroles on the Green, and A Winter's Knight.
January 17, 2013
I really enjoyed reading all of these short stories. My favorite had to be Sarah Eden's tho she has a way of creating great tension between her characters. I liked each short story a lot but found Joyce's story a little muddled in the beginning. It was worth the 4$ kindle price and this is one I am glad I bought so I can go back and read again.
December 7, 2012
A very enjoyable compilation of short holiday stories by some fabulous authors. Of course, I wish that each story could be a full-length novel, but they were still very cute--like eating a bite of rich, delicious chocolate to satisfy a craving.
Content: some kissing, but clean.
Content: some kissing, but clean.
December 16, 2012
Great collection of historical romances (set in different time periods and countries). Clean.
http://brooke-brookesbooks.blogspot.c...
http://brooke-brookesbooks.blogspot.c...
November 2, 2012
Really, really LOVED the stories by Sarah Eden and Donna Hatch!
October 21, 2012
Very enjoyable! Full review Oct. 23.
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