Truly, Madly, Deeply

by Sue Moorcroft (Editor), Jill Mansell (Introduction), Adele Parks (Contributor)

Fall head-over-heels...

From wedding days to special anniversaries, steamy one-night encounters to everlasting oves, Truly, Madly, Deeply takes you on an unforgettable romantic adventure where love really is all you need.

This collection brings together all-new specially selected stories from star authors from the Romantic Novelists' Association, including international bestsellers Adele Parks, Katie Fforde, Carole Matthews and Miranda Dickinson, and many, many more and is edited by Sue Moorcroft.

Genres: Romance, Short Stories

415 pages, Paperback

First published February 21, 2014

About the author

Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times bestselling author and has held the coveted #1 spot in the Amazon Kindle chart. She's won the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Romantic Novel Award, the Readers Best Romantic Read Award, two HOLT medallions and the Katie Fforde Bursary. She writes contemporary fiction of life and love.

She also writes short stories, serials, articles, columns, courses and writing 'how to'.

An army child, Sue was born in Germany then lived in Cyprus, Malta and the UK. She's worked in a bank, as a bookkeeper (probably a mistake), as a copytaker for Motor Cycle News and for a typesetter, but is pleased to have wriggled out of all 'proper jobs'.

Newsletter sign-up: https://signup.harpercollins.co.uk/jo...

Website: www.suemoorcroft.com
Twitter: @suemoorcroft
Facebook: SueMoorcroftAuthor
Instagram: suemoorcroftauthor

Reviews

[Cheryl M-M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a compilation of short stories written by members of the Romantic Novelists' Association and it includes tales from some of the most well-known names in the heart-squeezing, tear-jerking romance genre.

A Rose by any other Name Would Smell As Sweet by Adele Parks - It was the quintessence of family concern and their attempt at playing Cupid.
A Sensible Proposal by Anna Jacobs - Love found during times of great desperation.
The Corporate Wife by Carole Matthews - Everyone ages and only the ones willing to accept that are worthy of your time, loyalty and love.
The Art of Travel by Elizabeth Buchan - Time to let go of the memory of perfect love and move on.
The Rough with the Smooth by Elizabeth Chadwick - I wasn't impressed with the way hubby treated the wife. Not at all, regardless of the era.
Living the Dream by Katie Fforde - The grass isn't always greener on the other side, be grateful for what you have.
True Love by Maureen Lee - A whole life spent loving and living a memory.
Love on Wheels by Miranda Dickinson - Old love rekindled when two people find each other again after many years.
Clarion Call by Catherine King - Just a coincidence or meant to be?

Puppy Love by Chrissie Manby - Moral of the story, cheaters always get their just desserts. Oh and never mess with witches.
Third Act by Fanny Blake - Past loves meet up and their passion is reignited.
A real Prince by Fiona Harper - It is true what they say, you have to kiss many frogs to find your prince. Some frogs are just more ignorant than others.
The Fundamental Things by Heidi Rice - Misconceptions can lead to a lost lifetime.
Summer '43 by India Gray - Chasing dreams that will never come to pass.
How to get a Pill into a Cat by Judy Astley - Lovely and funny story about using a pet to capture the girl of your dreams.
Life of Pies by Kate Harrison - Funny and cute with a wisp of mystery.
Head over Heart by Louise Allen - All hope seems lost and then a glimmer of light appears as two souls connect.
The Marriage Bargain by Nicola Cornick - Wasted moments and assumptions.
Shocking Behaviour by Sue Moorcroft - Not exactly the way to charm a girl but very original.
Feel the Fear by Alison May - Connecting by teaching someone to overcome their fears.
The Eighth Promise by Jenny Harper - How one sentence can change the direction of your path.
A Night to remember by Nikki Moore - Beautiful, devastatingly so.
The Truth about the Other Guy by Rhoda Baxter - A mother playing matchmaker and trying to outsmart her daughter.
The Fairytale Way by Sophie Pembroke - Kiss a frog and hope for the best.

The stories are very short, but even in those few pages the reader gets a glimpse of what each writer is capable of. Some of these stories are memorable, poignant, heartwarming and some are also quite funny. You never quite know what is coming next.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin UK & Mills and Boon UK.

[Sara]

she had her words.awesome

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book I loved all the stories read authors and different genres I would of never picked up has opened up more genres for me to read.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan and lover of short stories. I’ve said this a lot - the truly BEAUTIFUL thing about short stories is that they are SO EASY to pick up, you can read an entire short story on your lunch break, on your way to work, while waiting for an appointment, and you get the joy of finishing a wonderful story and the excitement of knowing that there are more stories waiting for you.

Knowing how much I love short stories, Truly Madly Deeply was made even better for me because it featured stories from my favourite authors! Miranda Dickinson, Carole Matthews, Adele Parks and many more have written brilliant stories for readers to devour and enjoy!

I thoroughly enjoyed these! The best thing about these stories is that they all cover romance in their own special and unique way. There are a vibrant mix of stories, themes and characters, with each story as engrossing as the next, so there really is something for everyone! I had MANY favourites, but a personal highlight for me was Miranda Dickinson’s Love On Wheels, it was truly beautiful!

So whether you savour it to read in sections or devour it all in one go – Truly Madly Deeply is an engaging and enjoyable collection of short stories that all romance fans should own!

Merged review:

I am a huge fan and lover of short stories. I’ve said this a lot - the truly BEAUTIFUL thing about short stories is that they are SO EASY to pick up, you can read an entire short story on your lunch break, on your way to work, while waiting for an appointment, and you get the joy of finishing a wonderful story and the excitement of knowing that there are more stories waiting for you.

Knowing how much I love short stories, Truly Madly Deeply was made even better for me because it featured stories from my favourite authors! Miranda Dickinson, Carole Matthews, Adele Parks and many more have written brilliant stories for readers to devour and enjoy!

I thoroughly enjoyed these! The best thing about these stories is that they all cover romance in their own special and unique way. There are a vibrant mix of stories, themes and characters, with each story as engrossing as the next, so there really is something for everyone! I had MANY favourites, but a personal highlight for me was Miranda Dickinson’s Love On Wheels, it was truly beautiful!

So whether you savour it to read in sections or devour it all in one go – Truly Madly Deeply is an engaging and enjoyable collection of short stories that all romance fans should own!

[Tracey Risebrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published at www.bookthing.co.uk

From wedding days to special anniversaries, steamy one night encounters to everlasting loves, Truly, Madly, Deeply takes you on an unforgettable romantic adventure where love really is all you need.

This is a collection of 24 new stories from some of today’s best romantic authors including Katie Fforde, Carole Matthews and Miranda Dickinson. There really is something for everyone here, but I must confess I did not like all the stories, and some authors that were new to me and I will not look to read again. However, there were also a number of authors who I had never read before that will definitely have me looking for more of their work – Nikki Moore (she made me cry!), Alison May and Heidi Rice to name but three.

I have to say I’m not a big fan of short stories like this, as there is not enough time to really develop characters or a story. Having said that, I am amazed at how well some authors could drag me into their story in only a few pages.

I am also an extremely quick reader so short stories like these can take only a matter of a couple of minutes to read. Probably why I prefer a longer story I can get my teeth into. I do like a drawn out romance :)

This is however a great collection of stories and if you are the sort of person who likes to read in bite sized chunks this is perfect. Romance abounds and as mentioned you may discover some new authors to add to your reading shelf.
3.5 stars

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hats off to the awesome authors who did their short stories in this amazing book. Was wonderful short stories. I really enjoyed Mandy Baggot's called One Night it was amazing.


Merged review:

Hats off to the awesome authors who did their short stories in this amazing book. There were many I enjoyed but the one I really enjoyed was One Night by Mandy Baggot it was amazing.
A recommended read for sure.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice collection of short stories by some great authors. Lovely to dip into.

[Sasya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Average rating is 3,8 (and I skip 3 stories, not a fan of oldies stories, sorry 🙁)

5/5 A Rose by Any Other Name Would Smell As Sweet by Adele Parks
4/5 A Sensible Proposal by Anna Jacobs
5/5 The Corporate Wife by Carole Matthews
3/5 The Art of Travel by Elizabeth Buchan
3,5/5 The Rough with the Smooth by Elizabeth Chadwick
4/5 Living the Dream by Katie Fforde
4/5 True Love by Maureen Lee
4/5 Love on Wheels by Miranda Dickinson
4/5 Clarion Call by Catherine King
4/5 Puppy Love by Chrissie Manby
3/5 Third Act by Fanny Blake
4/5 A Real Prince by Fiona Harper
4/5 The Fundamental Things by Heidi Rice
3/5 Summer 43 by India Gray
4/5 How to Get a Pill into a Cat by Judy Astley
3/5 Life of Pies by Kate Harrison
/5 Head Over Heart by Louise Allen
/5 The Marriage Bargain by Nicola Cornick
4/5 Shocking Behaviour by Sue Moorcroft
4/5 Feel the Fear by Alison May
/5 The Eighth Promise by Jenny Harper
3/5 A Night to Remember by Nikki Moore
5/5 The Truth about the Other Guy by Rhoda Baxter
4/5 The Fairytale Way by Sophie Pembroke

[Yvonne Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

some great quick reads in here and something for everyone

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the short stories. This enabled me to read without pressure of guilt. Loved the different stories and being introduced to new authors

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spent a happy few evenings on the train home from work reading this book, and some happy hours at the weekend also. I don't read many short stories, but only because there aren't more available. If only publishers would publish more short story collections, it would be so handy! Especially for busy people like me who work a lot and find it takes them a loooong time to get through a book.

Anyway onto the stories themselves: it is already clear that I thoroughly enjoyed them. There's quite a good mix here, from historical to contemporary and a mixture of age ranges in the ages of the main characters, from young single girls to older ladies, some already with children. There is also a mixture of theme and mood. Not every story is happy and light-hearted: some are, like the opening story with its humorous touches: Valentino, indeed! Some are very touching, heartbreaking but still romantic; such as A Night to Remember, in which an older woman suffering from dementia has a rare moment of lucidity and remembrance during her golden wedding anniversary, and her and her husband briefly reconnect.

Though every story was good in its own way, strangely, for some reason, the stories written by the 'big names' were probably my least favourite in the collection. However, I still enjoyed them and they made me want to keep on reading and find out what happenbed. Katie Fforde's story was just a bit 'nothing' for me, it didn't have any impact. Carole Matthews' story was engaging, but I found it a bit depressing, despite the promise of hope at the end, I just found it not at all romantic. Adele's and Miranda's were better; the latter's story in particular was lovely.

But it was the stories by authors I'd never read or heard of before that I most enjoyed, and I also found I loved the historical ones the most: A Sensible Proposal by Anna Jacobs, The Rough with the Smooth by Elizabeth Chadwick, Summer '43 by India Grey, Head over Heart by Louise Allen, The Marriage Bargain by Nicola Cornick and The Eighth Promise by Jenny Harper.

However, ALL of the stories were good. There's not a bad one really. Other reviewers have already described how quickly you get dragged into each story, and all the writers who contributed are very talented, to be able to immerse their readers into the world of their characters' lives in such a short of space of time.

There were only one story which I didn't like:True Love by Maureen Lee I found too horrible to properly enjoy because I felt sorry for the hero's wife; I suppose it's just a different perspective on Summer of '43, but I preferred the latter because of how it dealt with the issues. I suppose I just don't think the hero is much of a hero if he never grew to love his wife and so never told her once that he loved her; how could she have really loved him? He should have set her free to find her own true love.

Luckily, most of the other stories were much more feel-good. Worthy of mention are Life of Pies and Shocking Behaviour as both were quirky, romantic and imaginative.

However, my absolute favourite story was The Marriage Contract which surprised me as I have only ever tried to read one book by Nicola Cornick previously and it didn't capture my attention so I didn't even finish it, but this story was fantastic: intriguing premise, great twist, romantic and passionate and really made me smile.

In short, if you like romantic fiction, you will probably enjoy most of these stories. The writers belong to the Romantic Novelists' Association, and the acknowledgement states that this collection showcases the diverse work of its members. They have definitely achieved that as the stories are all different and very individual and all have imagination and flair. Each one is special in its own way and there is an amazing amount of talent displayed in this book.

[Zarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted to my blog:

http://www.pagetostagereviews.com/201...

I'm not normally a fan of short stories, whether presented on their own, as a tie-in to an existing novel or as a collection around a particular theme. I generally find there simply isn't enough space for the proper plot development and characterisation that usually draws me into a book, and they lack a certain spark which could have made them more than just an unpolished draft of a much-longer story.

When I initially heard about Truly, Madly, Deeply I figured this wouldn't be one for me. However, some of the authors involved I admire greatly and so despite my normal stand on short stories I found myself tempted by the idea of the novel and eventually decided to give it a go. And I am very glad that I did as this is a surprisingly meaningful collection of contemporary and historical women's fiction.

The great variety in authors, settings, characters and even genres within the larger women's fiction umbrella makes this not only a book in which everyone will be able to find that one special story that will make them laugh out loud on the train or tear up vehemently, but also a delightful discovery of new writers and lesser known but still very significant historical affairs.

Each story is introduced by a brief summary of the author's life and writing accomplishments, whetting the reader's appetite before they've even read a single word of the story. In my case, while I picked up the novel to read something new from favourites such as Carole Matthews and Miranda Dickinson I ended up falling in love with many other authors too.

Particular highlights were Anna Jacobs' A Sensible Proposal, which offers a small glimpse into the lives of people in the mid-19th century who made the extraordinary brave decision to travel to the other side of the world in the hopes of finding better prospects, and Sue Moorcroft's incredibly funny Shocking Behaviour, which made me simultaneously snort out loud and recoil in horror at the thought of 'Rosie' being on the loose.

The format of short stories makes Truly, Madly, Deeply ideal to read in short chunks at a time, as each individual segment probably doesn't require more than a twenty minute attention span from its reader. This makes it perfect for people who are usually too busy to tackle a larger book or are unable to keep their focus on the story, as well as those who are in the middle of an intense read and would like something different to take their minds off for a bit.

I initially set out to see if this book would make a good Mother's Day gift and while it certainly does, once you've got your hands on the gorgeous cover (which I instantly fell in love with myself) you probably want to keep it for yourself. You have been warned.

[Beckie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at: http://beckiesbookmix.blogspot.co.uk/...

First of all I must take a minute to say what a talented bunch of authors have created this book! No two stories were the same but every single one had me equally enthralled. This anthology was an absolutely pleasure to read.

I'm not usually a big reader of short stories. I often feel like the story has reached a premature end where either the character or the storyline could have been developed. This was certainly not the case with this collection. I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything, each of the stories was perfectly balanced and I felt a warm glow inside when I finished each one. What was most wonderful about this book was that I could pick it up and read a story whenever I felt like it.

Romance was presented in so many ways in this anthology. There were weddings, anniversaries, make ups, break ups, old love, new love and so much more. I think it is apparent from the numerous settings in this book that love can strike at any time, any age or any location. Love can be grand, love can be secret, love can be anything you want it to be but if you look hard enough you will find it somewhere.

My favourite story was A Night To Remember by Nikki Moore. I think what drew me to this story was its resonance with real life. I'm not going to spoil the story but I could feel the emotions spilling out of the page - it was beautiful.

I highly recommend this short story collection. I believe there is emotional power in every single one of the stories included in this collection and I cannot wait to hear more from the authors that contributed.

[Kirsty (Book - Love - Bug) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book includes some of my absolute favourite romantic fiction authors. It totally amazes me how some of the authors can draw you in so rapidly, so that you're hooked on every word, despite the story only being a few pages long.

I don't like to pick favourites but I particularly enjoyed A rose by any other name would smell as sweet by Adele Parks - short, sweet, to the point, leaves you wanting more. If only life were that simple.

I personally think I prefer a full novel to get stuck into, the drawn out romance that has you totally hooked, but I really enjoyed the short stories in this book. I read most of it on the train, commuting to work - and I think a longer book is better for that situation as it allows you to immerse yourself in another world for the whole duration of the journey, rather than fragmented immersing.

However, I think this would be ideal for a little story before bed, whilst you're waiting for the kettle to boil, that kind of thing. Some truly gorgeous stories, and a lovely mix of different types of story. If the writers are capable of this in just a few pages, think what they can do with a whole book.....

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly madly deeply is a book which moves you to tears and lifts you up with laughter. it has 24 enchanting stories by some of the best known authors as Carole Matthews and Adele Parks. Every reader will take something different from each of these stories, whether it be a memory, or something to think about I'd say my favorite stories were Love on wheels by Miranda Dickinson and Shocking behavior by Sue Moorcroft.

Thank you to the publisher Mills & Boon M&B for providing this in exchange for an honest review.

[Christin Natalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of 24 romantic short stories, I love most of them, especially 'Puppy Love' not because there is a dog in it but because it oozes mystery and magic. There are some which are light and feel-good and also others that are touching.

[Paulette · Rating 5 out of 5]

a wonderful variety of stories, all beautifully written...now I need to read the ebook version to read the extra ones! and I need to track down the previous book ....

[Saffron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It contained a mixture of modern stories and historical ones. Some of my favourite authors were in this collection as well as some new authors.

[Keren Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the stories are really good, but I found some of them kind of boring, overall I enjoyed this.

[Rhoda Baxter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good way to find new authors whom I'd heard of, but never actually tried before. I read them one a night. I really enjoyed it.

[Victorialovesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

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