Archive for the Category »Anthology «

17
Dec
Review: This Wicked Gift by Courtney Milan (New Author Challenge)
the book girl

47751778From the back of the book:

Lavinia Spencer has been saving her hard-earned pennies to provide her family with Christmas dinner. Days before the holiday, her brother is swindled, leaving them owing more than they can ever repay. Until a mysterious benefactor offers to settle the debt. Innocent Lavinia is stunned by what the dashing William White wants in return. Will she exchange a wicked gift for her family’s fortune?

This is the only new story in the anthology and my favorite of the three. It has a completely different take on a historical. Instead of a Duke and Duchess as the main characters, we have a woman who works for her family’s lending library and a man who works as an accountant. William Q. White (which has to be among my top 10 character names) saves all of his money so that he can buy a subscription to the library and instantly becomes enamored of Lavinia. Lavina is equally impressed with William Q. White (and yes I have to type the whole thing - just like Lavinia likes to call him by the whole thing), and when her younger brother makes a mistake with dire consequences she isn’t afraid to turn to him. I just loved everything about this novella and I cannot wait to read Ms. Milan’s first novel, PROOF OF SEDUCTION in 2010!

the book girl gives THIS WICKED GIFT a 5/5!!

To find this book:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Books-a-Million

To find more about the author:

Courtney Milan

Category: 2009 New Author Challenge, 5/5, Anthology, Historical Romance  Leave a Comment
09
Nov
Review: Kissing Santa Claus by Donna Kauffman, Jill Shalvis, HelenKay Dimon
the book girl

38226991From the back of the book:

Lock, Stock, and Jingle Bells by Donna Kauffman

Holly hates the yuletide season more than ever since she inherited her mother’s Christmas novelty store, but her childhood pal Sean’s determined to warm her up - to Christmas and to him. When they uncover a diary concealing secrets involving both their families, this could be the Christmas that changes their lives forever…

Bah Handsome! by Jill Shalvis

Behind on her bills, B&B owner Hope receives an unlikely guest - stranded solicitor Danny, who’s been threatening to put her out of business. Hope’s staff sees more fire than fight in the sparks that fly as they try and bring Hope and Danny together, but only a Christmas miracle can help these unlikely lovers see the light…

It’s Hotter at Christmas by HelenKay Dimon

Hawaii’s no paradise for Marissa, who, thanks to a series of unfortunate events, can’t seem to get away from the sand to enjoy her Christmas East Coast style - with plenty of snow and slush. But tall, dark, and serious police officer Ted’s about to give this bad Santa in heels a Mele Kalikimaka she’ll never forget…

I love Christmas anthologies. I have a set that I read every year and make sure to catch the new ones when they come out. Kissing Santa Clause is a fantastic anthology. I loved all three stories. My favorite was Bah Handsome! by Jill Shalvis. The story is funny and sweet. This book is a must for Christmas romance lovers!

the book girl gives KISSING SANTA CLAUS a 5/5!

To find the book:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Books-a-Million

Category: 5/5, Anthology, Holiday Romance  Leave a Comment
22
Apr
Review: Tails of Love by Lori Foster, Stella Cameron, etc. (Anthology)
the book girl

tails-of-loveFrom the back of the book:

In this irresistible anthology of never-before-published stories, ten award-winning and bestselling authors come together to celebrate their love of animals and the wonderful, curious ways they take part in our lives.

From Seeing Eye dogs to the cat who sits in your lap, animals are there for us in more ways than we can count. Helping us get through the day with a wag of the tail or a tilt of the head, they let us know that someone is on our side - no matter what. They also have an uncanny ability to break down barriers between people, bringing families and loved ones closer and giving strangers an excuse to strike up a conversation. In Tails of Love, each writer draws from her own unique perspective on our loyal friends - exploring the many mysterious ways animals bring love into our lives.

The authors are donation a portion of their proceeds from Tails of Live to the Animal Adoption Foundation, a charitable organization.

This was a very fun read. All of the stories are super short and get right to the point. My favorite was the story by Lori Foster. These stories made me laugh and cry (one story in particular had me bawling). My only complaint is that in one story the animals have conversations with each other and it completely took me out of the story every time it was the animals turn. But, all in all this was a great read and with the authors donating a portion of the proceeds to the Animal Adoption Foundations it’s for a great cause too!

the book girl gives Tails of Love a 4/5!

To pre-order the book:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

To find out more about the cause: Animal Adoption Foundation

Category: 4/5, Anthology  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
23
Mar
Review: Winter Heat Anthology
the book girl

winter-heatFrom the back of the book:

Weekend Pass Ski Resort…where winter becomes your private wonderland! Hot tubs, skiing, drinks by the fire, a luxurious and intimate setting - everything you need to ensure your weekend is…

UNFORGETTABLE

For two cynical best friends who believe beginning an affair would be too much of a cliche…until they decide to share a vacation - and a bed!

UNBELIEVABLE

For a schoolteacher eager to exchange her schoolmarm nature for that of an insatiable tigress and the undercover agent who knows how to bring out her wild side!

AND COMPLETELY MIND-BLOWING!

For a corporate gal looking to shed her office shackles with the one man who can’t afford to get carried away…

This anthology was a quick and fun read. I loved the continuation from one story to the next with a little overlapping of characters/events. The first story is WEEKEND FLING by Vicki Lewis Thompson, one of my favorite writers. Her books always have a sense of fun to them and this story is no exception. Next is WEEKEND TIGRESS by Jade Lee. This was the first time I had read anything by Ms. Lee. The story made me want to read more by this author. I loved the emotion put into this novella. I could almost feel what the main characters were feeling. The last story is WEEKEND MELTDOWN by Anna DeStefano. I really liked this story too. I laughed out loud at the antics of the female characters best friend. This was a fun and steamy read, just perfect for a winter night.

Where to find this book:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Category: Anthology, Contemporary Romance  Tags: , , , ,  Leave a Comment