Wednesday, July 23, 2014

A Timeless Romance Anthology: Summer in New York Collection

A Timeless Romance Anthology: Summer in New York Collection
by Janette Rallison, Heather B. Moore, Luisa Perkins, Sarah M. Eden, Annette Lyon, and Lisa Mangum

Summary from Goodreads:
In USA Today bestselling author Janette Rallison’s delightful novella, JOB HAZARDS, Lydia Robinson is posing as a prostitute. Undercover of course. Lydia’s job as a police officer hasn’t reeled in her prince charming yet. That is, until Harrison Aldridge, old high school flame, pulls up to the corner to rescue the fallen damsel. Lydia can’t exactly give Harrison the truth without blowing her cover, and it takes a series of mishaps and another whole set of misunderstandings before Lydia will even consider letting Harrison back into her life. 

In Heather B. Moore’s enchanting novella, A TASTE OF SUN, Winona Grant embarks on a summer-long visit to NYC to house-sit for her great-aunt after a nasty break-up with her boyfriend Paul. But when her aunt commissions neighbor Steve Monti to tour Winona around, they strike a deal. Winona has too many deadlines to play tourist, and Steve is looking for a distraction from his looming gallery opening. So Steve goes on the tours by himself, and Winona reports back to her aunt as if she’d gone too. The longer this happens, the more Winona wants to change her mind. Seeing the city with Steve might be the perfect solution to forgetting about Paul. 

In Luisa Perkins’s sweet romance novella, DULCE DE LECHE, Marisol is desperate for another nanny job after being unfairly fired from her previous position. She has only two more semesters of college, but she’s too proud to ask her wealthy parents for financial help. When her potential new employer, a single father working long hours as an anesthesiologist, decides she’s too young and pretty to hire, she practically begs him for the job. Darius finally agrees, and as he watches her work miracles with his Asperger’s son, he realizes there is much more to Marisol than he first believed. 

In TAKE A CHANCE, a captivating story by Sarah M. Eden, Miguel Santos has a stopover in New York. When the announcement of delayed flights comes over the PA system, Miguel is looking at spending several hours at the airport. Determined to get comfortable for the long wait, he’s surprised when he spies a familiar face amongst the stranded passengers: Jane Schoonenburg, the last person he expected to see. Three months have passed since he asked Jane to marry him—three months of misery. And now he knows that he must talk to her, if only to find out why she broke his heart. 

Annette Lyon’s entrancing novella, FIRSTS AND LASTS, begins with Dani’s last week in New York. She’s failed in her dreams to catch a break as an actress and is now ready to return home and dust herself off. As she visits the places on her final to-see list, she meets Mark, another New York City transplant with big dreams. Except Mark hasn’t given up on his. As they spend the day together, Dani realizes that even though she hasn’t hit the “big time” she might be living her dream after all. Only problem: she has a one-way ticket back home. 

In Lisa Mangum’s whimsically titled story: &, Lucy is riding a wave of success at having found a bestselling novel in the slush pile at an exclusive New York publishing house. If only her personal life was storybook perfect as well. Her relationship with Devon is on the rocks, and even though she's been put in charge of the house while her boss is gone on business, Lucy isn't sure she's up to the task. It will take a chance encounter with a handsome wordsmith to help Lucy claim the courage that has always been a part of her heart.


Read July 2014

Stars

Ebook from one of the authors in exchange for an honest review

My Review:
I have read all of the Anthologies published so far.  I have enjoyed reading each set.  Because they each have a different theme to their collection, they each have a different feel to them as well.  The same holds true with this collection in which each story takes place in New York City.

When I think of New York City, I think of people on the move, I think of beautiful architecture, I think of expensive stores and hotels, I think of historical landmarks.  I think of New York City as a grown ups city.  I can't imagine children there.  I know children live there, of course they do.  But for some reason I see it as a city full of adults.

I found this collection of short stories to be more adult than the others I've read.  Of course, all of the stories from each collection have adults in them.  But for some reason these stories seem to deal with more grown up issues.  I like historical fiction, it takes me away to another place.  I like contemporary fiction occasionally if it's happy.  What I like about the anthologies is that they are happy.  These are romances to make you smile.  This particular collection is a bit more "edgy".  And I put "edgy" in quotes because many would laugh at me for using that word in relation to these stories.  But, compared to the other collections, I found this one a bit more adult and "edgy".  

Having said all of that, the stories appeal to me.  I like the setting of New York City because it took the collection away from a specific time period (Old West) or specific theme (Love Letters) and made the collection based on location.  I like seeing the different perspectives of New York through the different stories.  And, of course, I like the romance.

Warnings: None (although it is a bit more mature in the way it talks about some situations)

I would let my 16 year old read this collection based on it being clean, but I don't think she would appreciate the stories as they are more grown up.





Monday, July 21, 2014

As You Are by Sarah M. Eden

As You Are by Sarah M. Eden

Summary from Sarah M. Eden's Blog:
A horse breeder by trade, Corbin Jonquil is more at home in the stables than in the ballroom of his sprawling estate. Corbin is the quietest of the Jonquil brothers and has always faded into the background, contentedly unnoticed. When a mysterious young widow, Mrs. Clara Bentford, moves into the neighborhood, however, Corbin quickly comes to realize that being noticed has its advantages. But how to catch the eye of the lady? According to his brothers, Corbin need only make a few simple changes to transform himself into the object of any woman’s desire—dubious advice, indeed. Following a series of misadventures, Corbin and Clara slowly lower the facades behind which they’ve been hiding, leaving Corbin shocked by the horrors that haunt the woman he’s coming to care for so ardently. When the menace of Clara’s past threatens to tear them apart and tensions mount, will the couple have the courage to fight for the promise of forever?

Read May 2014

5 Stars

Inter-Library Loan, clean historical romance

My Review:
Have a mentioned how much I love Sarah M. Eden's writing?  I LOVE HER BOOKS!

This book is no exception.  Sarah M. Eden has been writing several stories that have the Jonquil Brothers as main characters.  These men are so fun to read about.  I especially liked reading this one, as it had a different feel to it.

Many of the Jonquil Brothers are gregarious and we know a lot about them by what they say and do.  However, even though Corbin has been included in previous stories, we don't know a lot about it.  This story gives us insight in to his character as a quiet, compassionate, and upstanding gentleman.

Although I think it is worth reading the other books first, this book could be read on its own.

The previous books which are worth reading are:
The Kiss of a Stranger (this book is not about the Jonquil Brothers, but is where we are introduced to them)
Friends and Foes
Drops of Gold

Honestly, I wish I could read a book about each of these brothers.  Hopefully Ms. Eden will keep writing about these fine, funny, and very handsome men.  Gotta add the handsome, right?!

And, as a side note, Ms. Eden recently introduced this new t-shirt for those that love the Jonquil Brothers like I do.  Very cute.

T-shirt

Warnings: None

I would let my 16 year old read this book.


The Fortune Cafe (A Tangerine Street Romance) by Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson, and Heather B. Moore

The Fortune Cafe by Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson, and Heather B. Moore

Summary from Goodreads:
Welcome to Tangerine Street

Tangerine Street is a must-see tourist stop with a colorful mix of one-of-a-kind boutiques, unique restaurants, eclectic museums, quaint bookstores, and exclusive bed-and-breakfasts. The Fortune Café, situated in the middle of this charming collection of shops and cafés on Tangerine Street, is a Chinese restaurant unlike any other because, well, to be honest, the fortunes found in the cookies all come true…

MIS-FORTUNE: Emma, a waitress at The Fortune Café will do anything to avoid opening a fortune cookie. Each fortune is rumored to somehow magically come true. Being a girl grounded in reality, she doesn’t have time for that kind of nonsense. But when trying to prevent a food fight at the café, Emma accidentally cracks open a fortune cookie: “Look around, love is trying to catch you.” If there is one thing that Harrison, her former best friend in high school is good at, it’s catching her unaware.

LOVE, NOT LUCK: Lucy has always been lucky . . . until her parents meet her fiancé’s parents at a disastrous lunch at The Fortune Café, and she breaks her lucky jade necklace. Even worse, her fortune cookie reveals that “True love is for the brave, not the lucky.” How is she supposed to read that? She’s always considered how she met her fiancé lucky. But after breaking her necklace, Lucy’s luck takes a dive. And when her fiancé dumps her, the only person she can turn to is Carter, the unluckiest guy she knows. 

TAKEOUT: Stella is content in her new life of taking over her mom’s jewelry shop. No more boyfriend to worry about, and as long as she stays busy, she doesn’t have to dwell on her non-existent love life. When Evan comes into the shop with his young daughter, Stella is charmed. But she is reluctant to complicate her straightforward life, so when she reads her fortune after ordering takeout from The Fortune Café, she completely ignores it. After all, how can a fortune as vague as “Do the thing you fear and love is certain,” apply to her?


Read April 2014

4.5 Stars

Collection of contemporary romance novellas, received an e-copy from one of the authors for an honest review.

My Review:
This collection of novellas are all connected by The Fortune Cafe.  This is no ordinary Chinese Restaurant.  I loved reading about the quirky characters that work at The Fortune Cafe.  The setting of this restaurant and the folks that work in the area and, of course eat at The Fortune Cafe, are what make these 3 stories work.

I like that although the stories are written by 3 separate authors, they work together.  I don't feel like I'm jumping in to a completely different world.  That being said, the stories are separate and each would do well on its own.  

The stories are clean, fun, and of course, full of romance.

Warnings: None

I would let my 16 year old read this collection.  

I also read this book as part of the Summer Book Trek on newldsfiction.com.  Check this blog out!  I love it.