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Autumn Collection
Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: Autumn Collection. Readers will love this collection of six romantic suspense novellas, all with one thing in common: Romance.
In Heather Horrocks’ charming story, A Hound Dog Named Elvis, interior designer, Kaitlin Hartley returns to her hometown of Aspen Grove, California, to the job of her dreams after a year of specialized training in New York. During the town’s Autumn Festival, she enters her dachshund, Elvis, into the Running of the Hallowieners race. Joshua Moore, the man who hadn’t wanted her to leave Aspen Grove, but hadn’t waited for her either, enters Elvis’s sister, Priscilla. When Kaitlin gets home afterward, she realizes Elvis has left the building—with Joshua. She has the wrong dog! Can she get her dog—and the man she’s never stopped loving—back?
Eye for an Eye, Stephanie Black’s thrilling novella, follows Mallory as she is just getting her life back together, living with her sister and brother-in-law and starting college. After a difficult few years following a family tragedy, she’s finally ready to move forward, which includes getting to know the charming Darien better. But when illegal drugs turn up in her sister’s drawer, the first person accused is Mallory, and suddenly she doesn’t know who to trust. She turns to Darien, but with all evidence pointing at her, she doesn’t know if Darien is the man to save her.
In First Heist, a suspenseful novella by Heather B. Moore, Mia, an undercover agent is about to make a handoff to co-agent, Omar Zagouri. But before she can complete her assignment, her cover is blown, and she finds herself escaping with Omar. The only problem is, her boss warned her about Omar and his sketchy history of landing himself in the middle of danger. After losing her mother in an attack planned for Mia, pulling off any heist with a man like Omar is the last thing she needs for her career . . . or her life.
Sarah M. Eden’s cozy mystery, Letter for Two, we meet Sophia, who looks forward to the 5:30 p.m. mail sorting she does with her next door neighbor, Ethan. They live in a renovated house, now split into two apartments. Ethan is one of those dreamy, smart guys, but he shows no interest other than being friendly toward Sophia. When they find a mysterious letter addressed to Eleanor, dated to 1953, Sophia and Ethan determine to solve the puzzle together. Sophia knows that spending evenings with Ethan in ‘research’ might be her only chance to convince him that she should be more than just a neighbor.
In the enchanting novella, Silver Cascade Secrets, by Rachelle J. Christensen, Jillian is the master landscaper at a beautiful park. Meeting Travis there soon after breaking up with her boyfriend, Jillian is wary at first. Travis seems like a great guy, but Jillian had fallen for great guys before. When she learns that his brother, Craig, was murdered six months before, her heart goes out to Travis. True to her curious nature, she starts asking questions and learns about Craig’s close connection with the park. But finding the answers puts Jillian’s life in danger, and she must decide who she really trusts.
Chocolate Obsessed, a captivating romantic suspense by Annette Lyon, we meet Whitney, an executive pastry chef who is working her resort’s booth at the New York Chocolate Show. The only problem is that she shares the shift with her arch rival, Stephen. But then an unexpected visitor shows up: Jeremy, a man who lost a dessert competition she judged. When Jeremy confronts her and becomes threatening, Stephen steps in and gets Jeremy dragged off by security. But that doesn’t throw Jeremy off for long; soon Stephen and Whitney are running for their lives.
In Heather Horrocks’ charming story, A Hound Dog Named Elvis, interior designer, Kaitlin Hartley returns to her hometown of Aspen Grove, California, to the job of her dreams after a year of specialized training in New York. During the town’s Autumn Festival, she enters her dachshund, Elvis, into the Running of the Hallowieners race. Joshua Moore, the man who hadn’t wanted her to leave Aspen Grove, but hadn’t waited for her either, enters Elvis’s sister, Priscilla. When Kaitlin gets home afterward, she realizes Elvis has left the building—with Joshua. She has the wrong dog! Can she get her dog—and the man she’s never stopped loving—back?
Eye for an Eye, Stephanie Black’s thrilling novella, follows Mallory as she is just getting her life back together, living with her sister and brother-in-law and starting college. After a difficult few years following a family tragedy, she’s finally ready to move forward, which includes getting to know the charming Darien better. But when illegal drugs turn up in her sister’s drawer, the first person accused is Mallory, and suddenly she doesn’t know who to trust. She turns to Darien, but with all evidence pointing at her, she doesn’t know if Darien is the man to save her.
In First Heist, a suspenseful novella by Heather B. Moore, Mia, an undercover agent is about to make a handoff to co-agent, Omar Zagouri. But before she can complete her assignment, her cover is blown, and she finds herself escaping with Omar. The only problem is, her boss warned her about Omar and his sketchy history of landing himself in the middle of danger. After losing her mother in an attack planned for Mia, pulling off any heist with a man like Omar is the last thing she needs for her career . . . or her life.
Sarah M. Eden’s cozy mystery, Letter for Two, we meet Sophia, who looks forward to the 5:30 p.m. mail sorting she does with her next door neighbor, Ethan. They live in a renovated house, now split into two apartments. Ethan is one of those dreamy, smart guys, but he shows no interest other than being friendly toward Sophia. When they find a mysterious letter addressed to Eleanor, dated to 1953, Sophia and Ethan determine to solve the puzzle together. Sophia knows that spending evenings with Ethan in ‘research’ might be her only chance to convince him that she should be more than just a neighbor.
In the enchanting novella, Silver Cascade Secrets, by Rachelle J. Christensen, Jillian is the master landscaper at a beautiful park. Meeting Travis there soon after breaking up with her boyfriend, Jillian is wary at first. Travis seems like a great guy, but Jillian had fallen for great guys before. When she learns that his brother, Craig, was murdered six months before, her heart goes out to Travis. True to her curious nature, she starts asking questions and learns about Craig’s close connection with the park. But finding the answers puts Jillian’s life in danger, and she must decide who she really trusts.
Chocolate Obsessed, a captivating romantic suspense by Annette Lyon, we meet Whitney, an executive pastry chef who is working her resort’s booth at the New York Chocolate Show. The only problem is that she shares the shift with her arch rival, Stephen. But then an unexpected visitor shows up: Jeremy, a man who lost a dessert competition she judged. When Jeremy confronts her and becomes threatening, Stephen steps in and gets Jeremy dragged off by security. But that doesn’t throw Jeremy off for long; soon Stephen and Whitney are running for their lives.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2013
87 people are currently reading
649 people want to read
About the author
Heather Horrocks
101 books244 followersI’m an author who had a somewhat unorthodox upbringing. I was raised in South America and the Middle East, and wrote my first stories as a teenager in Kuwait, where my sister and I proved it really is hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk. I wrote my first novel in three months on a typewriter when I was 21, I used every romance cliché possible (including amnesia — need I say more?), and never rewrote anything, which is why it’s so much fun to pull it out occasionally when I need a good laugh. I wrote sporadically until my youngest child (who is now 18) was two, when I decided it was time to either actually start writing, or to stop saying I was a writer. So I took a class and started doing the scary things that writing requires. Now I’ve written about twelve novels and several children’s books.
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November 20, 2018Kindle freebie, Nov. 20, 2018. A collection of sweet romance novellas, another in the Timeless Romance series. These ones are contemporary romances. The quality in these collections is sometimes uneven but hey, it’s free and they’re short! :)
November 20, 2018
I don't read a ton of short stories, and rating them is a pain (more on that below). But when offered a chance to read this for review, I snapped it up. Romance is always a draw and I've come to appreciate the blend with mystery/suspense.
I'll go through the stories individually and then pull it together for the whole below.
A Hound Dog Named Elvis by Heather Horrocks - 2 stars
The weakest of the stories, which makes me wonder why it's leading the anthology off. The relationship was weak, the heroine kind of clueless, and the secondary characters made little sense (particularly the flighty best friend). The villain was pathetic more than menacing. And it was capped by a kinda lame "one year later" bit at the end. Ouch.
Eye for an Eye by Stephanie Black - 5 stars
The best of the stories, I think, and I don't think that's just because it was through Stephanie that I received the opportunity to review the book. Mallory was both sympathetic and easy to relate to as a slightly older than usual freshman working her way through college. The frustration and panic as her life is disrupted in a way that is both deeply personal and personally terrifying had me riveted to the end. And Darien was a sweetie who was also imminently believable as an unlikely knight in shining armor. I particularly liked how things ended, with Mallory refusing the role planned for her by the bad guys.
First Heist by Heather B. Moore - 4.5 stars
Gripping from the start, but then, how do you not become enthralled by a spy vs. spy opening so charmingly told? Omar was immediately engaging, though it took a bit for me to warm to Mia. Better, though, was that together they ignited the very vivid scenery in a fast-paced adrenaline-laced plot that only slowed enough to make their building relationship believable for the very short time they have together. Indeed, the only weakness is how quickly their relationship grows and I would love to have a next story (or better, book) that shows their next steps together.
Letter for Two by Sarah M. Eden - 3 stars
This was a slow story with barely a mystery and absolutely no suspense. Which wouldn't be a problem for me, normally, as I'm pretty much in it for the romance, anyway. Unfortunately, Sophia and Ethan are kind of empty as characters. Which isn't helped by the backstory of months of being neighbors with daily interaction, each failing to notice that the other is interested in that way. Further, I think Eden made a mistake in which parts of their conversations to detail and which to summarize, as we get lots of pleasantries, but then elide over the interesting bits where actual personality might have shown up. This was headed for 2 star territory, but the mystery turned out to be touching in a really heart-warming way and that redeemed a lot of my dissatisfaction.
Silver Cascade Secrets by Rachelle J. Christensen - 4 stars
I was completely taken up in the relationship between Jillian and Travis. Which is fortunate as the mystery is rather weak. Jillian is just lovely and Travis is such a great fit for her that it was a joy watching them get to know one another. I loved their interactions and Christensen let us see all the best parts so we'd know how very well-suited to one-another they are. I particularly liked how Travis reacted to a momentary (and kind of predictable, really) romantic setback with maturity overcoming his initial impulse. It made me like him and gave me confidence in his being there for Jillian when she'd need him.
Chocolate Obsessed by Annette Lyon - 3 stars
Another really weak story, though at least Whitney and Stephen were fun to hang out with. I really liked the rivalry at the core of their past interactions and how it played out to resolution in this story. The bad guy was your vanilla psycho, though, with a little too much cunning for someone obviously nuts to really be believable. I mean, a loser that deeply delusional shouldn't have had the resources, let alone clarity, to pull off half of what he supposedly did. Still, it gave the two I cared about a chance to spend time together, so no hard feelings.
As always, an overall rating for an anthology is tricky at best. An average just isn't useful and I can't come up with any way to objectively justify anything that combines all this into a single score. So forget objectivity and I'll say this felt like a solid 3.5 approaching 4. I'll round to a 4 just because of how much I liked the top stories.
And I'll end with a thanks to the publisher for getting me a copy of the book to review. I appreciate the opportunity and really enjoyed reading it.
I'll go through the stories individually and then pull it together for the whole below.
A Hound Dog Named Elvis by Heather Horrocks - 2 stars
The weakest of the stories, which makes me wonder why it's leading the anthology off. The relationship was weak, the heroine kind of clueless, and the secondary characters made little sense (particularly the flighty best friend). The villain was pathetic more than menacing. And it was capped by a kinda lame "one year later" bit at the end. Ouch.
Eye for an Eye by Stephanie Black - 5 stars
The best of the stories, I think, and I don't think that's just because it was through Stephanie that I received the opportunity to review the book. Mallory was both sympathetic and easy to relate to as a slightly older than usual freshman working her way through college. The frustration and panic as her life is disrupted in a way that is both deeply personal and personally terrifying had me riveted to the end. And Darien was a sweetie who was also imminently believable as an unlikely knight in shining armor. I particularly liked how things ended, with Mallory refusing the role planned for her by the bad guys.
First Heist by Heather B. Moore - 4.5 stars
Gripping from the start, but then, how do you not become enthralled by a spy vs. spy opening so charmingly told? Omar was immediately engaging, though it took a bit for me to warm to Mia. Better, though, was that together they ignited the very vivid scenery in a fast-paced adrenaline-laced plot that only slowed enough to make their building relationship believable for the very short time they have together. Indeed, the only weakness is how quickly their relationship grows and I would love to have a next story (or better, book) that shows their next steps together.
Letter for Two by Sarah M. Eden - 3 stars
This was a slow story with barely a mystery and absolutely no suspense. Which wouldn't be a problem for me, normally, as I'm pretty much in it for the romance, anyway. Unfortunately, Sophia and Ethan are kind of empty as characters. Which isn't helped by the backstory of months of being neighbors with daily interaction, each failing to notice that the other is interested in that way. Further, I think Eden made a mistake in which parts of their conversations to detail and which to summarize, as we get lots of pleasantries, but then elide over the interesting bits where actual personality might have shown up. This was headed for 2 star territory, but the mystery turned out to be touching in a really heart-warming way and that redeemed a lot of my dissatisfaction.
Silver Cascade Secrets by Rachelle J. Christensen - 4 stars
I was completely taken up in the relationship between Jillian and Travis. Which is fortunate as the mystery is rather weak. Jillian is just lovely and Travis is such a great fit for her that it was a joy watching them get to know one another. I loved their interactions and Christensen let us see all the best parts so we'd know how very well-suited to one-another they are. I particularly liked how Travis reacted to a momentary (and kind of predictable, really) romantic setback with maturity overcoming his initial impulse. It made me like him and gave me confidence in his being there for Jillian when she'd need him.
Chocolate Obsessed by Annette Lyon - 3 stars
Another really weak story, though at least Whitney and Stephen were fun to hang out with. I really liked the rivalry at the core of their past interactions and how it played out to resolution in this story. The bad guy was your vanilla psycho, though, with a little too much cunning for someone obviously nuts to really be believable. I mean, a loser that deeply delusional shouldn't have had the resources, let alone clarity, to pull off half of what he supposedly did. Still, it gave the two I cared about a chance to spend time together, so no hard feelings.
As always, an overall rating for an anthology is tricky at best. An average just isn't useful and I can't come up with any way to objectively justify anything that combines all this into a single score. So forget objectivity and I'll say this felt like a solid 3.5 approaching 4. I'll round to a 4 just because of how much I liked the top stories.
And I'll end with a thanks to the publisher for getting me a copy of the book to review. I appreciate the opportunity and really enjoyed reading it.
August 5, 2013
I am a big fan of romantic suspense and these are some of my favorite authors!! I love how these are little bite-sized stories that are just enough to satisfy a reader. Of course, I would love it if all of them were full-length novels, but they were well developed and were great as they were.
It's a lot of fun to read the works of different authors because their styles are similar, yet so different and that becomes very apparent with the mystery and suspense elements added. They each have a unique way of unfolding the story and solving the mystery.
This would be a great book to read in October--some were a little spooky and creepy, but not over the top--definitely no horror here. I always try and choose a favorite with these anthologies, but it's so hard. I'm sure I could read it again in a week and have a completely different favorite, but this time around, I would have to say it's Rachelle J. Christensen's, if only because all I could picture was Hook. :) I will definitely be re-reading this one!!
Content: mild kissing; a few of the stories had a little language; a little creepiness.
It's a lot of fun to read the works of different authors because their styles are similar, yet so different and that becomes very apparent with the mystery and suspense elements added. They each have a unique way of unfolding the story and solving the mystery.
This would be a great book to read in October--some were a little spooky and creepy, but not over the top--definitely no horror here. I always try and choose a favorite with these anthologies, but it's so hard. I'm sure I could read it again in a week and have a completely different favorite, but this time around, I would have to say it's Rachelle J. Christensen's, if only because all I could picture was Hook. :) I will definitely be re-reading this one!!
Content: mild kissing; a few of the stories had a little language; a little creepiness.
January 19, 2016
This ended up being a little different than I was expecting. Overall, I enjoyed all the stories and thought it was a fun read. Probably not my favorite of the Timeless Anthologies, but still worth reading. Some were a little more suspenseful than others, but each had their own mystery involved.
Content: Clean.
Content: Clean.
August 2, 2013
This collection is a bit different than the other romance anthologies. These novellas have suspense or mystery in them. I love Heather Horrocks' clever Elvis references in A HOUND DOG NAMED ELVIS. This novella is suspenseful, funny at times, and romantic... doesn't get much better than that.
Stephanie Black's EYE FOR AN EYE is deliciously creepy. Beginning with a false drug accusation, the plot escalates until you aren't sure if the heroine is innocent or guilty. This is "classic Black"--if you've read Stephanie's other novels, you'll know what I mean.
Sarah M. Eden is best known for her regency romances, but her talent as a writer shines through no matter which genre she writes. Her skill at creating a sweet and sigh-worthy romance is brought to the forefront in LETTER FOR TWO. You don't want to miss this one.
Rachelle J. Christensen wrote a really fun mystery in SILVER CASCADE SECRETS. In fact, the cover is perfect for her story, and I can totally imagine the creepiness of the park that Jillian landscapes and the mysteries it holds. Great romance and mystery in a single story.
In Annette Lyon's perfectly-titled novella, CHOCOLATE OBSESSED, you'll catch a glimpse into the world of gourmet chocolate (Annette has also written a Chocolate Lover's cookbook and used to help run the Utah Chocolate Show). I loved being swept away into a "delicious" heart-pounding suspense story.
And finally, I also have a novella in this anthology. If you are familiar with my international thriller FINDING SHEBA, you'll know already know Mia and Omar. In FIRST HEIST, you'll find out how they first met and what made them fall in love.
Stephanie Black's EYE FOR AN EYE is deliciously creepy. Beginning with a false drug accusation, the plot escalates until you aren't sure if the heroine is innocent or guilty. This is "classic Black"--if you've read Stephanie's other novels, you'll know what I mean.
Sarah M. Eden is best known for her regency romances, but her talent as a writer shines through no matter which genre she writes. Her skill at creating a sweet and sigh-worthy romance is brought to the forefront in LETTER FOR TWO. You don't want to miss this one.
Rachelle J. Christensen wrote a really fun mystery in SILVER CASCADE SECRETS. In fact, the cover is perfect for her story, and I can totally imagine the creepiness of the park that Jillian landscapes and the mysteries it holds. Great romance and mystery in a single story.
In Annette Lyon's perfectly-titled novella, CHOCOLATE OBSESSED, you'll catch a glimpse into the world of gourmet chocolate (Annette has also written a Chocolate Lover's cookbook and used to help run the Utah Chocolate Show). I loved being swept away into a "delicious" heart-pounding suspense story.
And finally, I also have a novella in this anthology. If you are familiar with my international thriller FINDING SHEBA, you'll know already know Mia and Omar. In FIRST HEIST, you'll find out how they first met and what made them fall in love.
September 3, 2013
This is a hard one to review because of the range of stories in the anthology. Each story had some great characters that I could relate to, and there were some fun settings from small towns to New York City. There was also a pretty wide range of stories, from crazed stalkers, to the mystery of a letter's owner.
I liked some stories more than others, but I had a bit of a hard time with the pace of most of them. I wonder if a novella just isn't enough pages to really build suspense because there wasn't time for red herrings or any sort of wondering---most of the time when the villain was mentioned, that's who it really was. And some villains came out of nowhere, with hardly any mention. It was just a bit odd for me, maybe because I'm used to the authors' full length works which include a lot of twists and turns and wondering, which you really can't do in a novella setting. Yet, even with that, it was nice to have a quick read I could do when I had a second and everything was easier once I realized that the stories were pretty cut and dried.
The one novella I wanted to gush a bit over was Heather Moore's contribution because it's a prequel story for her new novel Finding Sheba. Her novella in this compilation is how Omar and Mia met and it does not disappoint. I love those two!
So, if you are in the mood for a quick straightforward romantic suspense story, this anthology is for you.
Originally reviewed on http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com
I liked some stories more than others, but I had a bit of a hard time with the pace of most of them. I wonder if a novella just isn't enough pages to really build suspense because there wasn't time for red herrings or any sort of wondering---most of the time when the villain was mentioned, that's who it really was. And some villains came out of nowhere, with hardly any mention. It was just a bit odd for me, maybe because I'm used to the authors' full length works which include a lot of twists and turns and wondering, which you really can't do in a novella setting. Yet, even with that, it was nice to have a quick read I could do when I had a second and everything was easier once I realized that the stories were pretty cut and dried.
The one novella I wanted to gush a bit over was Heather Moore's contribution because it's a prequel story for her new novel Finding Sheba. Her novella in this compilation is how Omar and Mia met and it does not disappoint. I love those two!
So, if you are in the mood for a quick straightforward romantic suspense story, this anthology is for you.
Originally reviewed on http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com
November 21, 2015
Only Sarah M. Eden's story was worth reading in this book. The first story was pleasant and predictable enough until the author got into making light of mental health issues. The last story also included a conflict involving a person with mental health issues that were unrealistically portrayed, as well as way too much time spent trying to describe the female protagonist's physical, romantic reactions to a guy she's hated until about fifteen minutes ago. The second story was a waste of time, and the fourth story was okay. Come on, writers, a short story/novella is not just a short novel with the actions speeded up and a lack of character development because there's not space to do it.
March 16, 2017
Autumn Anthology
An Interesting Mishmash of Completely Different Stories and Styles
A Dog Named Elvis
3* rating
-clean, fast-paced, light - good for all ages
Eye For An Eye
3.5* rating
-This was the complete opposite of the previous story- while the first one was light and a little silly, this one was suspenseful and dark. Kept me on my toes!
First Heist
5* rating
-Intrigue. Action. Suspense. Spies. Terrorists. Excellent.
Letter For Two
5* rating
-just like a Hallmark movie
An Interesting Mishmash of Completely Different Stories and Styles
A Dog Named Elvis
3* rating
-clean, fast-paced, light - good for all ages
Eye For An Eye
3.5* rating
-This was the complete opposite of the previous story- while the first one was light and a little silly, this one was suspenseful and dark. Kept me on my toes!
First Heist
5* rating
-Intrigue. Action. Suspense. Spies. Terrorists. Excellent.
Letter For Two
5* rating
-just like a Hallmark movie
August 6, 2013
This is a little different then the other books in the collection-this is a suspense/romance. My favorites were by Sarah Eden and Stephanie Black. A quick read. A couple of the stories I just couldn't get into. I almost gave this a three star rating, but really enjoyed Sarah Eden and Stephanie Black.
October 11, 2013
I loved these short stories. All of them. Read them one at a time when you can grab a few minutes or read them all at once. (like me) Great authors and fun characters.
June 5, 2021
A Hound Dog Named Elvis by Heather Horrocks - 4 stars...Really cute novella. “Second chance romance” at its best. The two wiener dogs (Elvis & Priscilla) were super adorable☺️
Eye for an Eye by Stephanie Black - 3 stars...Good story. More suspense than romance but interesting nonetheless.
First Heist by Heather B. Moore - 4.5 stars...This was so exciting. Filled with action and a lot of cute romantic scenes🥰😍😍 I loved the suspense surrounding Omar and Mia. I really enjoyed this novella.
Letter for Two by Sarah M. Eden - 3 stars...Sweet story 😊
Silver Cascade Secrets by Rachelle J. Christensen - 3 stars...An okay read. Julianne was a bit headstrong and unreasonable closer to the end and it made me lose interest in the story.
Chocolate Obsessed by Annette Lyon - 3 stars...Okay story. Not very memorable. 🤷🏽♀️
Content: Clean, mild peril, mild suspense, kisses only
Eye for an Eye by Stephanie Black - 3 stars...Good story. More suspense than romance but interesting nonetheless.
First Heist by Heather B. Moore - 4.5 stars...This was so exciting. Filled with action and a lot of cute romantic scenes🥰😍😍 I loved the suspense surrounding Omar and Mia. I really enjoyed this novella.
Letter for Two by Sarah M. Eden - 3 stars...Sweet story 😊
Silver Cascade Secrets by Rachelle J. Christensen - 3 stars...An okay read. Julianne was a bit headstrong and unreasonable closer to the end and it made me lose interest in the story.
Chocolate Obsessed by Annette Lyon - 3 stars...Okay story. Not very memorable. 🤷🏽♀️
Content: Clean, mild peril, mild suspense, kisses only
October 12, 2020
Fun collection
This was a fun collection of romances. It was fun that they took place in the Fall, but I also enjoyed that each one had some mystery or suspense to the story, some more so than others.
This was a fun collection of romances. It was fun that they took place in the Fall, but I also enjoyed that each one had some mystery or suspense to the story, some more so than others.
August 5, 2013
Novellas are always fun when you don't have a lot of time or energy to put into a novel. However, they are very dangerous when you start them and think, "Oh, I have time for a quick read." but there are five others complied with it and your "quick time" read turns into....well, longer than you were planning. For some reason my family never thanks me for this. Go figure.
The Autumn Anthology is comprised of 6 novellas. Here are my thoughts on what I read.
A Hound Dog Named Elvis - Heather Horrocks
You know how sometimes in a novella the main characters get together a little too quickly to be believable? Well, if that has ever been a hang up for you then you will probably like how Kaitlin and Joshua already knew each other well. And if you like dogs and Elvis then this story was made especially for you. Not being an Elvis fan or an animal lover (my vet husband cringes every time I admit this...I like animals, but not to the devotion level shown in the book. You know how grandparents say they have the best job in the world because they get to enjoy the kids, and then send them back to their parents when the kids need a diaper change, or are acting up, or whenever...this is how I feel about animals, but that is neither here nor there.) I had a harder time loving this story. It's hard when you can't relate to things, and I really wouldn't consider this a suspense story, but the humor in Horrocks' story and other elements kept me reading to the end.
Eye for an Eye - Stephanie Black
I wasn't expecting this type of story from this book. I should have known from the author that it would be a suspense story, but I didn't put things together. I was pleasantly surprised. Right away in this story my attention was grabbed (which was bad because I was going to do something else, but I just kept reading). It's a quick read with likeable main characters. Mallory has made some bad decisions, and has had a hard life, but you root for her. Darien is just a great guy. Personally, I like that he's a math geek. While I wish the story was longer and developed more, it's a novella, and a well written one at that.
First Heist - Heather B. Moore
I really struggled with this story. There is language, talk of sex, and unbelievable romance. Mia goes from not trusting Omar, thinking he's drunk and going to take some blonde home, to trusting him completely. All with no conversation, just looking into his eyes and him saying, "Trust me". At one point in the story Mia says she feels that everything is wrapped up. I had to go back and reread a page to see what I missed because nothing really got resolved, and rereading didn't make it any clearer. Mia was also pretty unbelievable. Shes supposed to be a great agent, but Omar saves her again and again and over "simple" things that a great agent would know. She was too needy for my taste.
Letter for Two - Sarah M. Eden
While reading this story my husband walked in the room and shook his head. "What?" I asked. "You have a silly grin on your face." It's true. I did. I can still feel the grin. Letter for Two was sweet and funny. It had me smiling, laughing, and I'll admit that parts even gave me fun butterflies in my tummy. Sophia and Ethan meet every evening to switch the mail that gets sent to the wrong person. They live in the same house, different apartments. He likes her, she likes him, and they each wonder what the other person thinks. I hated that it had to end. Do you ever get into a story that you hate to see the last page come up? That's how I felt reading this. The pace was good, the romance believable. My only hang up was that it was a novella and therefore too short and had to end. Letter for Two was everything a romance should be.
Silver Cascade Secrets - Rachelle J. Christensen
This was a fun story. Jillian and Travis clicked really well, and the romance was well paced and believable. While the ex-boyfriends role was predictable, I was surprised by "who-done-it" at the end. This is something I'd definitely read again, but I do wonder about the swear word that was thrown in there. The story didn't need it, and it just seemed to throw the flow of the story off. It was disappointing to me, although I realize most people probably don't care.
Chocolate Obsessed - Annette Lyon
This story is best read while snacking on some form of chocolate (obviously). Chocolate chip cookies were my snack of choice, and while polishing off my cookies I was able to "polish" off the last story in this Anthology (yes, that was my attempt at humor...this is why I'm not a writer). Two rival chefs, Whitney and Stephen, team up when Whitney is threatened by a culinary flunky. While Whitney's side of the romance seemed a bit rushed, Stephen was a really "good guy" (you'll understand the " when you read the story) that from my romantic perspective kept me reading and rooting for him.
The Autumn Anthology is comprised of 6 novellas. Here are my thoughts on what I read.
A Hound Dog Named Elvis - Heather Horrocks
You know how sometimes in a novella the main characters get together a little too quickly to be believable? Well, if that has ever been a hang up for you then you will probably like how Kaitlin and Joshua already knew each other well. And if you like dogs and Elvis then this story was made especially for you. Not being an Elvis fan or an animal lover (my vet husband cringes every time I admit this...I like animals, but not to the devotion level shown in the book. You know how grandparents say they have the best job in the world because they get to enjoy the kids, and then send them back to their parents when the kids need a diaper change, or are acting up, or whenever...this is how I feel about animals, but that is neither here nor there.) I had a harder time loving this story. It's hard when you can't relate to things, and I really wouldn't consider this a suspense story, but the humor in Horrocks' story and other elements kept me reading to the end.
Eye for an Eye - Stephanie Black
I wasn't expecting this type of story from this book. I should have known from the author that it would be a suspense story, but I didn't put things together. I was pleasantly surprised. Right away in this story my attention was grabbed (which was bad because I was going to do something else, but I just kept reading). It's a quick read with likeable main characters. Mallory has made some bad decisions, and has had a hard life, but you root for her. Darien is just a great guy. Personally, I like that he's a math geek. While I wish the story was longer and developed more, it's a novella, and a well written one at that.
First Heist - Heather B. Moore
I really struggled with this story. There is language, talk of sex, and unbelievable romance. Mia goes from not trusting Omar, thinking he's drunk and going to take some blonde home, to trusting him completely. All with no conversation, just looking into his eyes and him saying, "Trust me". At one point in the story Mia says she feels that everything is wrapped up. I had to go back and reread a page to see what I missed because nothing really got resolved, and rereading didn't make it any clearer. Mia was also pretty unbelievable. Shes supposed to be a great agent, but Omar saves her again and again and over "simple" things that a great agent would know. She was too needy for my taste.
Letter for Two - Sarah M. Eden
While reading this story my husband walked in the room and shook his head. "What?" I asked. "You have a silly grin on your face." It's true. I did. I can still feel the grin. Letter for Two was sweet and funny. It had me smiling, laughing, and I'll admit that parts even gave me fun butterflies in my tummy. Sophia and Ethan meet every evening to switch the mail that gets sent to the wrong person. They live in the same house, different apartments. He likes her, she likes him, and they each wonder what the other person thinks. I hated that it had to end. Do you ever get into a story that you hate to see the last page come up? That's how I felt reading this. The pace was good, the romance believable. My only hang up was that it was a novella and therefore too short and had to end. Letter for Two was everything a romance should be.
Silver Cascade Secrets - Rachelle J. Christensen
This was a fun story. Jillian and Travis clicked really well, and the romance was well paced and believable. While the ex-boyfriends role was predictable, I was surprised by "who-done-it" at the end. This is something I'd definitely read again, but I do wonder about the swear word that was thrown in there. The story didn't need it, and it just seemed to throw the flow of the story off. It was disappointing to me, although I realize most people probably don't care.
Chocolate Obsessed - Annette Lyon
This story is best read while snacking on some form of chocolate (obviously). Chocolate chip cookies were my snack of choice, and while polishing off my cookies I was able to "polish" off the last story in this Anthology (yes, that was my attempt at humor...this is why I'm not a writer). Two rival chefs, Whitney and Stephen, team up when Whitney is threatened by a culinary flunky. While Whitney's side of the romance seemed a bit rushed, Stephen was a really "good guy" (you'll understand the " when you read the story) that from my romantic perspective kept me reading and rooting for him.
September 16, 2022
These are short stories so the character development suffers a bit. They are entertaining bit nothing super great. Sometimes a quick read is nice, so if you are looking for that these are pretty good.
November 27, 2013
I really enjoyed this anthology. It took me forever to finish the first story because I HATE Elvis and although the story was super cute, the references and quotes of Elvis sayings, songs, and movies really turned me off. If the dogs were named anything else (Romeo and Juliet, Antony and Cleopatra, heck call them Rachel and Ross) I would have given the story great reviews.
The remaining stories were spot on. Stephanie Black's Eye for Eye was great. I guessed "who done it" early one, but it was a cute read.
I loved the story by HB Moore. I just finished her Finding Sheba and LOVED this glimpse into the characters before that story happened.
The final 3 were all fun, sweet, easy read romances that I will probably read again when I find 5 minutes waiting in line for car pool or at the DR office!
The remaining stories were spot on. Stephanie Black's Eye for Eye was great. I guessed "who done it" early one, but it was a cute read.
I loved the story by HB Moore. I just finished her Finding Sheba and LOVED this glimpse into the characters before that story happened.
The final 3 were all fun, sweet, easy read romances that I will probably read again when I find 5 minutes waiting in line for car pool or at the DR office!
September 18, 2013
I generally prefer a full length novel to a novella. I kept hearing about these "Timeless Romance Anthologies" though and decided to give the "Autumn Collection" a try. I wasn't disappointed.
I was most excited to read "First Heist" by Heather B. Moore. This story is about Omar and Mia, the main characters from Moore's recent novel "Finding Sheba." In "First Heist" they meet and fall in love. It was so fun to learn more about these characters and this part of their story. I look forward to learning more about Omar and Mia in Heather's soon to be released book, "Beneath."
I was impressed with the other stories as well. Some of the authors were new to me and I really enjoyed sampling their work. I look forward to reading more form each of these authors in the future.
I was most excited to read "First Heist" by Heather B. Moore. This story is about Omar and Mia, the main characters from Moore's recent novel "Finding Sheba." In "First Heist" they meet and fall in love. It was so fun to learn more about these characters and this part of their story. I look forward to learning more about Omar and Mia in Heather's soon to be released book, "Beneath."
I was impressed with the other stories as well. Some of the authors were new to me and I really enjoyed sampling their work. I look forward to reading more form each of these authors in the future.
August 30, 2013
This book is so fun! I really enjoy the collections like these, because the stories are short and manageable, not to mention the best authors are writing them! I really loved how each of these stories had a mystery that would need to be figured out in them. From the crazy Omar Zagouri to Sarah M Eden's beautiful letter mystery, they each worked and complimented each other. And of course, every one of them had plenty of romance. I really enjoyed seeing characters in here that I was already familiar with, like Omar and Mia, and the Chick Flick Clique. I am super excited for the next installment of the Timeless Romance Anthology, I can't wait!
October 17, 2017
It will be very rare that an anthology will get more than three stars from me. The stories were pretty good. However, there's not enough time for much character development, and too often, authors try to throw in things they could do in full length novels, but detract a little from a shorter story.
One thing I wasn't expecting, although I should have given the authors, is that some of the stories were cute, while others were suspense. I wasn't quite ready for the transition.
All of that said, I did enjoy the stories, and will continue to read anthologies like this one.
One thing I wasn't expecting, although I should have given the authors, is that some of the stories were cute, while others were suspense. I wasn't quite ready for the transition.
All of that said, I did enjoy the stories, and will continue to read anthologies like this one.
July 20, 2022
4.5 stars. Another wonderful collection of short stories by some of my favorite authors! While I didn't like this collection overall as much as some of the others (the Summer Wedding collection is still my favorite), it has some great stories. The stories range from fairly intense and suspenseful to a cozy, gentle mystery with no danger in sight. I've really enjoyed all the timeless romance collections!
January 6, 2016
Decent Anthology
I love the timeless romance anthology series and that they choose a new theme each time, however in this anthology it became more than clear that some of the authors had to really try hard to make their contribution fit the suspense category. For that reason this anthology fell flat. Having said that, if it had just been any old unconnected anthology most all the stories would get at least a 4 out of 5 star rating.
I love the timeless romance anthology series and that they choose a new theme each time, however in this anthology it became more than clear that some of the authors had to really try hard to make their contribution fit the suspense category. For that reason this anthology fell flat. Having said that, if it had just been any old unconnected anthology most all the stories would get at least a 4 out of 5 star rating.
August 19, 2014
4.5/5.0
In the anthology ”August Collection” the variety of stories gives the reader something different to look forward to in each one.
Read full review in the November 2013 issue of InD’tale Magazine.
In the anthology ”August Collection” the variety of stories gives the reader something different to look forward to in each one.
Read full review in the November 2013 issue of InD’tale Magazine.
December 24, 2013
liked three of these short stories but the other three I could have done without. I buy these mostly for Sarah Eden's books, and hers was by far the best of the lot. I love how she writes a story and you get amazing chemistry in a short story. Heather Moores and Annette Lyons were pretty good too. I am not really a big mystery fan.
August 14, 2013
An Anthology filled with mystery and action!
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August 8, 2013
I especially enjoyed Sarah's and Annette's stories.
August 25, 2013
Overall this was just a fun little read. Some stories were lacking... but overall good. The best ones were by Sarah Eden and Stephanie Black.
August 25, 2013
It was okay. 4 of the 5 stories were mystery and suspense type novellas. The first one was really weak and beyond fluff.
August 24, 2013
Some of the stories I thought were 5 stars. Others were less interesting to me.
September 4, 2013
This was my favorite of the Romance Anthologies so far. I really enjoyed a couple of these stories. As with any anthology, some pieces are much better than others, but overall it was a fun read.
September 24, 2013
Not my favorite of this collection but still a fun read.
August 30, 2013
Fun quick reads. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of these novellas.
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