A Timeless Romance Anthology: Love Letter Collection

A Timeless Romance Anthology: Love Letter Collection by Karey White, Krista Lynne Jensen, Diane Darcy, Sarah M. Eden, Annette Lyon, and Heather B. Moore.


Summary from A Timeless Romance Anthology Blog:

In Maggie’s Song, a charming story by Karey White, Maggie Jensen is part of a trio of best friends with Lucas and Dan. Together, they own and run Wild Country Hiking Tours. When Lucas returns to the company after getting his college degree, Maggie realizes that the crush she had on him as a teenager has now blossomed into so much more. But Lucas still treats her as one of the guys, and Maggie worries that if she tells him her real feelings, their relationship will be damaged forever.

In Just Fly, Krista Lynne Jensen's captivating novella, Wren is faced with the devastating news of her grandfather's death. But when her mom finds a mysterious letter from a woman named Dot in Seattle, Wren decides to visit the woman herself to deliver the news in person. Wren learns of the bucket list Dot and Gramps had put together with the help of Dot's grandson, Seth, and Dot challenges Wren to take her grandfather's place in completing the list. Before the week of adventure is over, Seth has impressed Wren in more ways than one. But is that enough to overcome Wren's fear of losing those she loves?

How to Rewrite a Love Letter, an enthralling novella by Diane Darcy, high school teacher Julie Ashburn believes she’ll never live the “event” down in which she wrote her true feelings in a love letter to Principal Dane Parker, and he laughed out loud, mocking her. Now that her honors English students want to write love letters for the school fundraiser, Dane turns down the idea flat. Julie tries to convince him that it was her students’ idea and not any sort of payback. But when a student writes a fake love letter from the principal to Julie, everything gets even more mixed up, and both Julie and Dane are caught up in a series of misunderstandings that might be impossible to sort out.

In Sarah M. Eden’s delightful story, A Thousand Words, Shannon Ryan has been waiting half a year to be reunited with her fiance, Patrick, with only the letters between them keeping their relationship alive. He finally sends for her after securing a good job with the Sidney newspaper, and she can’t wait to be reunited with him, swept up in his arms and thoroughly kissed. And of course, married as soon as possible. But when she arrives at the train station, there is no Patrick waiting for her. Shannon must discover if the man she loves still has feelings for her.

Between the Lines is a sweet romance by Annette Lyon. Jane Martin is intelligent but extremely shy, especially around men. When the Aid and Cultural Society proposes a letter-writing program, Jane signs up, hoping she can find true friendship. The program doesn’t run as smoothly as expected, and unknown to Jane, one of the men in her city becomes her writing friend. Thomas Allred has always known shy and quiet Jane, but reading her letters written to his secret persona, opens his eyes to what an amazing woman she is. The only trouble is, Jane doesn’t know that the man who she is falling in love with through letters is also Thomas, the man who is falling in love with her in person.

In the enchanting novella, Blackberry Hollow, by Heather B. Moore, Lucy Quinn travels to England to inspect her inherited estate. Unfortunately, as a resident of New York and nearly engaged, Lucy needs put the house on the market. But first, she wants to learn more about her ancestors. What she doesn’t expect is Calvin Bevans, the man living next door. The two families have been divided by a misunderstanding decades old, and when Lucy discovers a set of love letters, she learns the truth. As Calvin helps her unravel the hidden secrets between the two families, Lucy finds that she has more reasons to stay in England than to return to New York. And Calvin is at the top of that list.

5 Stars

Read February 2014

Received a free e-book copy from one of the authors for an honest review.

Review:
My favorite of all of these anthologies that I've read is the Winter Collection.  This Love Letter Collection comes in a close second.  I LOVE the LOVE LETTERS!  

With all of the anthologies there is a common theme although they are all different stories by different authors.  Having the love letters be the common theme is genius.  And coming right at Valentine's time is perfect.  There are so many ways to incorporate love letters that I have never thought of.  Where do they come up with the ideas?  Thank you, Authors, for having such creative minds.

And, I'm looking forward to the next installment...The Old West Collection coming in May 2014.  


Warnings: None

I would let my 16 year old read this collection of stories.  

Victoria's Promise by Julie Wright

Victoria's Promise by Julie Wright

Summary from The Newport Ladies Book Club Blog:
A luxurious mansion. Thirty stunning bachelorettes. One very eligible bachelor. All of the ingredients are in place for a successful reality dating show, and behind the scenes, Tori Winters is set to pull the romantic strings as assistant director of Vows. Despite her distaste for public exhibitions of love—which spelled the death of her last relationship—Tori intends to give the public exactly what they want: scintillating footage of a bevy of beauties vying for the attention of Christopher Caine. But Chris, a consummate Southern gentleman and the star of Vows, seems almost too good to be true—and soon, even Tori finds herself falling under his spell. Despite legal obligations to avoid fraternizing with the talent, it’s clear her feelings are anything but unrequited. With the support of her friends in the Newport Ladies Book Club, Tori must make a life-altering decision: is she willing to jeopardize all she’s worked for in order to embrace her own fairy-tale ending?

4 Stars

Read January 2014

Free e-book from one of the authors for an honest review

My Review:
I read this book just after I read Ruby's Secret.  It was nice to keep the story going.  The stories take place at the same time, just from another character's point of view.  It was fun to see moments in the book I had just read from Victoria's perspective.  It opened up the story so much.  The collaborating authors did a great job of meshing the stories together.

This story had a lot more angst in it.  That was somewhat expected in a story about a twenty-something year old as opposed to a 62 year old.  I really had no idea how this story was going to end.  I couldn't see a happy ending.  The author did a good job of keeping me interested in the two main characters and their relationship even though it didn't seem that anything could come of it.  

There were some great insider details about "Dating Shows".  I have watched the Bachelor and the Bachelorette.  I'm not an avid watcher, but have definitely seen a few seasons of each.  I liked seeing a producers take on things that were happening in that kind of show.  I can't imagine how true love is ever found in that environment.  Good thing I'm already happily married and don't have to look for love on reality tv.

Warnings: Some drinking, drug abuse

I would let my 15 year old read this book.  Just like the other Newport Ladies books, the subject probably wouldn't interest her.  But the book is clean enough for her to read.

Ruby's Secret (A Newport Ladies Book Club Novel) by Heather B. Moore

Ruby's Secret by Heather B. Moore

Summary from Goodreads:
Welcome to the Newport Ladies Book Club series:

At age sixty-two, life is finally beginning for newly widowed Ruby Crenshaw. Her son is grown and gone, and after long years spent as a loyal wife to her charming but unfaithful husband, she’s ready to live the life she’s always dreamed of. Her resolve is firm: she’ll never make the mistake of giving her heart to another man.

The first step in Ruby’s quest for a carefree lifestyle was to create the Newport Ladies Book Club, an unlikely gathering of women who have been her haven. Now she’s ready to take her new found independence a step further—along with her friends from the local senior center, Ruby is jetting off to a much-needed Greece adventure. What she isn’t prepared for is Gabriel—the group’s tour guide—a native Greek and a true gentleman. His unquestionable charm is hard to resist. But resist she must—because no matter their growing attraction, Ruby is not about to fall for charming again!

4 Stars

Read January 2014

Free e-book from author in exchange for honest review.

My Review:
At this point there are 6 books in the Newport Ladies Book Club series.  I had read one of them before I read this book and that was over a year ago.  I was concerned that they needed to be read in order, but I was reassured that each book could be read as a stand alone book.

That was definitely the case here.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story about Ruby Crenshaw.  And, I liked getting to know the other ladies in the book club as well.  Although the story was about Ruby, she has experiences and situations with her book club friends that help us to know those women as well as Ruby.  I found myself just as interested in their stories as I went along.  The author did an excellent job of intriguing me about these women.  I will definitely be reading more books in the series.

Ruby was a woman who seemed like she had it all.  But, she had a secret...she was miserable in her marriage.  She was now a 62 year old widow and happy to find things to keep her busy and active.  In an effort to appease her daughter-in-law, Ruby visited the Senior Center and quickly got involved with this unusual group.  

The Seniors went on a trip to Greece where Ruby discovered that, although 62 years old and jaded to marriage, she had a heart that could still be touched.  I loved Ruby's relationship with Gabriel.  They developed a friendship that opened Ruby's heart in a way that she hadn't let herself experience.  I loved some of the dialogue between the two.  

This story was about relationships, people, and developing your best self.  There were some serious issues explored, but also happy and sweet moments as well.  

Warnings:  Infidelity, violence that is talked about, mental illness

I would allow my 15 year old to read this book, but it is definitely adult, with adult situations that I do not think she would appreciate or identify with.

My Favorites 2013

Here are some of my favorite books this year (not in any order).  I like them for different reasons, but all of them stand out in my mind this year.  What were your favorite reads this year?


Longing for Home

Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson

                                                                                     








V is for Virgin

       


Going Vintage

Not My Type

After Hello

Scarlet

Just Ella

My Own Mr. Darcy

The False Prince

A Timeless Romance Anthology-ALL OF THEM !

My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White

My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White

Summary from Goodreads:
After being dragged to the 2005 movie Pride and Prejudice by her mother, sixteen-year-old Elizabeth’s life changes when Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Darcy appears on the screen. Lizzie falls hard and makes a promise to herself that she will settle for nothing less than her own Mr. Darcy. This ill-advised pledge threatens to ruin any chance of finding true love. During the six intervening years, she has refused to give any interested suitors a chance. They weren’t Mr. Darcy enough. Coerced by her roommate, Elizabeth agrees to give the next interested guy ten dates before she dumps him. That guy is Chad, a kind and thoughtful science teacher and swim coach. While she’s dating Chad, her dream comes true in the form of a wealthy bookstore owner named Matt Dawson, who looks and acts like her Mr. Darcy. Of course she has to follow her dream. But as Elizabeth simultaneously dates a regular guy and the dazzling Mr. Dawson, she’s forced to re-evaluate what it was she loved about Mr. Darcy in the first place.

5 Stars

Read November 2013

Contemporary Clean Romance, ebook on Kindle App

I have been looking forward to this book ever since I heard about it.  I love all things Jane Austen and I liked the premise.  I don't have a Kindle and I rarely buy books.  Sorry to all of my author friends out there, I just don't have the funds to buy all of the books I want to read.  I do most of my reading from library books.  However, I subscribe to a couple of websites that tell me about free ebook or really good deals.  In November, this lovely book was on sale for $1.99!  I decided to splurge and buy it.  Of course, reading on my phone isn't ideal, but I figured it was worth it.

Sadly, October and November have been terrible months for me.  I have had a hard time concentrating on books and you may have noticed that I haven't been doing reviews as regularly.  I have read several books, but just can't seem to be motivated to write the reviews.  The week of Thanksgiving I put down a book I had been trying to read for 2 days and just couldn't get interested.  It was then that I turned on the phone and started to read this little gem, My Own Mr. Darcy.

Thank you, Karey White, for helping me get through a really difficult time.  This book brought a smile to my face and a much needed distraction.  The characters were lovely.  The story was not gritty, but real.  I was totally engrossed and routing for the characters.  This is a happy book.  I need happy books in my life.

Warnings: None that I can remember

I would let my 15 year old read this book.

A Timeless Romance Anthology: European Collection

A Timeless Romance Anthology: European Collection by Annette Lyon, G.G. Vandagriff, Michelle Paige Holmes, Sarah M. Eden, Heather B. Moore and Nancy Campbell Allen

Summary from A Timeless Romance Anthology Blog:

Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: European Collection. Readers will love this collection of six historical romance novellas set in Europe, all with one thing in common: Romance.

In War of Hearts, Annette Lyon’s exciting novella, Anna, a journalist, is desperate to escape the magazine where Pete, her now-former boyfriend, also works. Heartbroken and still in love with him, Anna snags an assignment to cover the Winter War in Finland. She arrives at a snowy Finnish battlefront only to discover that Pete is already there—as her photographer. She’s determined to be professional about the situation until a battle breaks out in camp, putting her and Pete in harm’s way and putting their love to the test.

In G.G. Vandagriff’s enchanting novella, The Earl of Oaksey Takes a Wife, Melissa Burroughs is the new Countess of Oaksey. Her whirlwind romance and subsequent elopement was worth every divine moment, even if her parents did disapprove. When Melissa learns about her new husband’s apparently empty pockets, she wonders if the intimacy they’ve shared is only the ruse of a fortune-hunter. Melissa is devastated and determines to live a separate life from her new husband. But the Earl has other plans, which do not include staying away from his wife.

In Michele Paige Holmes’ charming story, Gift of Love, Ethan Mooreleigh knows he’ll never love another woman after the loss of his beloved wife. Yet he needs a male heir to inherit his vast fortune. Ethan’s best friend, Stuart, has an idea and retrieves his sister, Amelia, who has been living in a convent since the tragic death of her parents. Amelia only agrees to enter into the contract marriage because there’s a child involved, Ethan’s neglected three-year-old daughter. When Amelia meets Ethan for the first time at the altar, she realizes that the last thing she wants her marriage to be is loveless. But winning a man whose heart is still broken may be impossible.

A Lesson in Love, a delightful novella by Sarah M. Eden, captures the uncertainties of newlywed life. Lucy Stanthorpe arrives for the London Season, planning to attend every ball and musicale with her new husband, Reed, only to discover he has no intention of taking part in the social whirl. Spurred on by their family and friends, Lucy and Reed each formulate increasingly outlandish plans to teach the other a lesson in appreciation. Their battle of wills threatens to pull the young couple apart unless they can both soften their stubborn hearts.

In An Ocean Away, Heather B. Moore’s captivating story, Gina Graydon knows the last thing she’ll attract on her holiday in France is an eligible bachelor. Tall, outspoken, and with a weakness for laughing at the wrong moment, not to mention being much too occupied with reading gothic romances, Gina decides she’d rather live in her fictional world. Besides, the only man who pays attention to her at the resort hotel happens to be her father’s worst enemy. And that is far from romantic. Reading in a secluded garden, and dreaming about the perfect kiss, all keep Gina much too busy to consider Mr. Edmund Donaldson any sort of hero.

Nancy Campbell Allen’s entrancing novella, What Happens in Venice, follows Evangeline Stuart as she determines to enjoy her vacation in Venice—her first and likely her last since she lives under the strict confines of her step-father’s control. When she meets the mysterious and romantic Conte Bellini, who happens to be Italy’s most eligible bachelor, she decides he is all part of the dream of visiting Venice. It’s impossible for her to believe that his interest in her is anything more than kindness to a foreign visitor. But when he discovers the true betrayal of her step-father, Evangeline learns the Conte may be the one person with the power to restore her happiness.

4 Stars

Read October 2013

Collection of short stories, received free copy from one of the authors for an honest review

My Review:

This collection of stories is different than the others.  Most of the anthologies so far have had stories where people meet and fall in love.  This collection has more stories of married couples.  There is still so much to learn about love after one is married.  Many of these stories delve into miscommunications that happen in relationships and discovering how to love when everything isn't "perfect".  

I enjoyed these stories as I have the other anthology collections.  However, they did have a different feel to them than the other collections.  Be prepared to have a wider variety of emotions in this collection.  It isn't just the twitterpating of new love.

p.s. I love the cover!

Warnings: None

I would let my 15 year old read these short stories.  However, this particular collection has more stories that she wouldn't understand emotionally since she hasn't had the experience of marriage.

Rearview Mirror by Stephanie Black

Rearview Mirror by Stephanie Black

Summary from Stephanie Black's Website :

On a rainy night eight years ago, Fiona Claridge lost control of her car and crashed, injuring herself and killing her roommate, Mia Hardy. Now, she strives to keep the painful past at bay by staying burrowed beneath the demands of her job as a college professor in a small New England town. But when someone starts leaving her gift-wrapped boxes containing malicious reminders of Mia’s death, Fiona’s guilt and grief come flooding back. 

 

She assumes her stalker is Kimberly Bailey, a disgruntled student, and enlists the help of fellow professor James Hampton. But when Fiona encounters the angry wife of an old flame, it becomes clear her student isn’t the only one with an eye for revenge. Cruel messages escalate to danger, then murder. As past and present become horribly entangled, Fiona struggles to unravel the truth about a determined killer—before she becomes the next victim. 

4 Stars

Read October 2013

Thriller/LDS Fiction, Inter-Library Loan

My Review:
This book had me guessing the entire time!  I don't usually read thriller/suspense novels, but this won a Whitney Award in 2011 so I thought I would give it a try.

I liked the main character.  I liked the setting of the story; in the northeast in a college town.  I liked that there were many characters that could have been "the bad guy".  And I liked that there was a hint of romance.  

As a side note, the LDS aspect of this book was very slight.  The religion didn't play a major role in my opinion.

Warnings: Stalking, murder, attempted murder

I would let my 15 year old read this story.  I would not let my 12 year old read this story.