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Silver Bells Collection
Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed new stories to A Timeless Romance Silver Bells. Readers will love this collection of six historical romance novellas, all centered around the Christmas season.
In NY Times & USA Today’s bestselling author Lucinda Brant’s delightful novella, FAIRY CHRISTMAS, Kitty Aldershot is orphaned and forced to live on others’ charity. Offered a home under the generous roof of her relatives, the Earl of Salt Hendon and his countess, Kitty wants for nothing, not even the affections of Mr. Tom Allenby. But when Kitty stumbles across a letter written by Lady Caroline that reveals how Mr. Allenby would be ruined should he marry the likes of Kitty, she realizes she has been fooling herself all along. Kitty’s world crumbles around her as she recognizes she will forever be alone with no prospects at all.
Sarah M. Eden’s charming romance novella A CHRISTMAS PROMISE, Sean Kirkpatrick is trying to get to his new place of employment, Kilkenny Castle, in order to start as the new stable-hand. His only requirement is to drive a team of high-spirited nags from Dublin to Kilkenny in a certain amount of time. Unfortunately he winds up in a muddy field, stuck, lost, and running out of time. He’s about to lose the job before he can prove himself capable of finishing his first assignment. When Maeve Butler arrives on the scene, Sean isn’t sure if she’s intent on rescuing him or bent on torturing him with her fiery wit and lovely dark eyes.
In Heather B. Moore’s enchanting novella, TWELVE MONTHS, Lucien Baxter’s best and most incorrigible friend, Will, dies unexpectedly, leaving behind his new bride and unborn child the week before Christmas. Will’s last request is that Lucien watches over Cora, not just as a benefactor, but as a husband. When Lucien does his duty and proposes to Cora, he’s turned down flat. But over the course of the next few days, Lucien discovers that marrying Cora wouldn’t be any sort of duty after all, but a matter of following his heart.
In Lu Ann Staheli’s sweet romance novella, A FEZZIWIG CHRISTMAS, Dick Wilkins and his best friend Ebenezer Scrooge have been looking forward to the annual Fezziwig Christmas dance for weeks. Ebenezer is practically engaged to Annabelle Fezziwig, and Dick hopes to start courting her younger sister, Pricilla. Once the dance starts, and Pricilla arrives, as pretty and charming as ever, Dick discovers that he’s not the only man vying for her attention. His best friend advises Dick that he has to win Pricilla’s heart, as well as her mother’s favor. Losing his heart has suddenly become very complicated.
A TASTE OF HOME, a captivating romance by Annette Lyon, we meet Claire Jennings, who’s on her way to spend Christmas with her family. As she rides the train with William Rhodes, who grew up across the street, memories of Christmases past flood her mind. He may be twenty-one now, but she can’t forget his torturous teasing from their school years. At the rail station, Claire discovers that her home is under quarantine because her little brother has measles. She's stuck in town, away from her family, on her favorite holiday. William stays behind with her, and as Christmas Day approaches and her homesickness deepens, she discovers that perhaps he has changed in more ways than one.
Becca Wilhite’s entrancing novella, MY MODERN GIRL, follows Margie, who lands her dream job as a clerk at Macy’s department store in New York City. Margie might be new in town, but she’s determined to succeed and prove to Henry that moving to the city was the right decision.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 14, 2014
154 people are currently reading
726 people want to read
About the author
Lucinda Brant
45 books501 followersHello! I'm a history geek who loves the 18th Century!
I write about families, creating worlds that are full of history, heart, and Happily Ever Afters. When I'm not in my writing cave in the 1700s I live in the middle of a koala reserve, so the neighbors are cute and cuddly and sleep all day!
I write because I must, and I write from the heart, and only what I love to read.
My books have been on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, and Audible bestseller lists, and have won numerous awards. All are available as audiobooks narrated by British actors Alex Wyndham, Mary Jane Wells and Matthew Lloyd Davies, and voice talent Marian Hussey. My books are also available in translation— French, German, Italian, and Japanese languages. I love to hear from my readers.
I write about families, creating worlds that are full of history, heart, and Happily Ever Afters. When I'm not in my writing cave in the 1700s I live in the middle of a koala reserve, so the neighbors are cute and cuddly and sleep all day!
I write because I must, and I write from the heart, and only what I love to read.
My books have been on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, and Audible bestseller lists, and have won numerous awards. All are available as audiobooks narrated by British actors Alex Wyndham, Mary Jane Wells and Matthew Lloyd Davies, and voice talent Marian Hussey. My books are also available in translation— French, German, Italian, and Japanese languages. I love to hear from my readers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
December 27, 2017
Six pleasant and very fluffy historical romance novellas, of the squeaky clean variety, and all Christmas-themed. They weren't particularly memorable for me and I wasn't really feeling most of the romances, but they were fun enough for a few hours' diversion. I picked these up on a 99c Kindle sale.
3.25 stars. "Fairy Christmas" by Lucinda Brant - a spin-off of Brant's Salt Hendon novels, involving a penniless young woman taken in by the Earl of Salt Hendon and his wife, a somewhat scandalous aunt, and a Russian aristocrat. The misunderstanding was a little silly but there was a surprising shift in focus that I thought was fun and different.
3.25 stars. "A Christmas Promise" by Sarah Eden - Sean Kirkpatrick, on his way to a new job in a new area of Ireland, takes a wrong turn onto the Butler farm and finds Maeve Butler ... and her very protective dogs and brothers. Sweet and charming, in a very Irish-flavored way.
4 stars. "Twelve Months" by Heather Moore - Lucien Baxter's longtime friend Will is a roguish player, with a pregnant wife that he's cheated on several times. On his deathbed, Will asks Lucien to marry Cora (and, by the way, treat her better than Will did). But Cora doesn't want to be anyone's pity project. Something in this story touched me, so it was a winner.
2.25 stars. "A Fezziwig Christmas" by Lu Ann Staheli - Young Ebenezer Scrooge and his friend and co-worker Dick Wilkins romance the Fezziwig daughters. Cute but superficial, and knowing what later happens with Scrooge and his romance with Belle gave this one an oddly unsatisfying vibe for me, though the story focuses mostly on his friend Dick.
3.75 stars. "A Taste of Home" by Annette Lyon - Claire Jennings is taking the train back home to Utah to spend Christmas with her much-missed family. Claire is looking forward to her mother's holiday cooking, especially her walnut-topped toffee. She's a little irritated to be escorted home by a young man, William Rhodes, who teased her terribly when they were growing up (he really did do some pretty awful things!). But when Claire's visit home goes off track, it might be William who saves her Christmas. The story raised some interesting family relationship issues that I wished had been delved into more deeply.
3 stars. "A Modern Girl" by Becca White - In 1924, Margie leaves behind her coal miner beau Henry and heads to New York City, where she's sure she's going to find the exciting new life she's always longed for. When she's hired as a clerk at Macy’s department store in New York City, she's delighted. Though she's mostly enjoying her independence and city life, she begins to see the drawbacks in it as well. This story was weak in the romance department but enjoyable as a slice of 1920s life for a NYC shop girl.
3.25 stars. "Fairy Christmas" by Lucinda Brant - a spin-off of Brant's Salt Hendon novels, involving a penniless young woman taken in by the Earl of Salt Hendon and his wife, a somewhat scandalous aunt, and a Russian aristocrat. The misunderstanding was a little silly but there was a surprising shift in focus that I thought was fun and different.
3.25 stars. "A Christmas Promise" by Sarah Eden - Sean Kirkpatrick, on his way to a new job in a new area of Ireland, takes a wrong turn onto the Butler farm and finds Maeve Butler ... and her very protective dogs and brothers. Sweet and charming, in a very Irish-flavored way.
4 stars. "Twelve Months" by Heather Moore - Lucien Baxter's longtime friend Will is a roguish player, with a pregnant wife that he's cheated on several times. On his deathbed, Will asks Lucien to marry Cora (and, by the way, treat her better than Will did). But Cora doesn't want to be anyone's pity project. Something in this story touched me, so it was a winner.
2.25 stars. "A Fezziwig Christmas" by Lu Ann Staheli - Young Ebenezer Scrooge and his friend and co-worker Dick Wilkins romance the Fezziwig daughters. Cute but superficial, and knowing what later happens with Scrooge and his romance with Belle gave this one an oddly unsatisfying vibe for me, though the story focuses mostly on his friend Dick.
3.75 stars. "A Taste of Home" by Annette Lyon - Claire Jennings is taking the train back home to Utah to spend Christmas with her much-missed family. Claire is looking forward to her mother's holiday cooking, especially her walnut-topped toffee. She's a little irritated to be escorted home by a young man, William Rhodes, who teased her terribly when they were growing up (he really did do some pretty awful things!). But when Claire's visit home goes off track, it might be William who saves her Christmas. The story raised some interesting family relationship issues that I wished had been delved into more deeply.
3 stars. "A Modern Girl" by Becca White - In 1924, Margie leaves behind her coal miner beau Henry and heads to New York City, where she's sure she's going to find the exciting new life she's always longed for. When she's hired as a clerk at Macy’s department store in New York City, she's delighted. Though she's mostly enjoying her independence and city life, she begins to see the drawbacks in it as well. This story was weak in the romance department but enjoyable as a slice of 1920s life for a NYC shop girl.
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January 6, 2020" 'And do you always let your map do your thinking for you?' Liam asked. 'Or only on rainy days?'
'Around here,' Kieran jumped in, 'every day's a rainy day.'
'Meaning,' Liam added, 'he's somethin' of a muttonhead every day.' "
A Timeless Romance Anthology: Silver Bells (2014, Mirror Press), 9th in the multiauthor A Timeless Romance Anthology series is a collection of six historical Christmas romance novellas. I read this book simply because I knew I would enjoy it. I can always rely on a clean, feel-good read in this series.
Rating: 4.4 stars
Narration: 5 stars
------------------------------------------------
Fairy Christmas by Lucinda Brant: 4 1/2 stars
From the blurb: " . . . Kitty Aldershot is orphaned and . . . Offered a home under the generous roof of her relatives, the Earl of Salt Hendon and his countess, Kitty wants for nothing, not even the affections of Mr. Tom Allenby. But when Kitty stumbles across a letter written by Lady Caroline that reveals how Mr. Allenby would be ruined should he marry the likes of Kitty, . . . she recognizes she will forever be alone with no prospects at all. "
This isn't Christian fiction, but Kitty briefly reflects on the meaning of Christmas.
"Christmas was a joyous time, a celebration of the birth of Jesus, which had brought great happiness to the world. But lost in her own selfishness, she had forgotten the message of Christmas."
I enjoyed this story, but found the premise and the resolution a bit dissatisfying. The writing was good, otherwise.
------------------------------------------------
"Different lands have their own unique ideas about those things that make a man attractive to a woman. In Scotland, they put a great deal of importance on kilts and tossing tree-sized logs about. In England 'tis of great importance for a man to sport particularly clean clothes and fine manners. No one quite knows what to make of the Americans' approach to almost anything."
A Christmas Promise by Sarah M. Eden: 4 1/2 stars
From the blurb: ". . . Sean Kirkpatrick is trying to get to his new place of employment, Kilkenny Castle, in order to start as the new stablehand. His only requirement is to drive a team of high-spirited nags from Dublin to Kilkenny in a certain amount of time. Unfortunately he winds up in a muddy field, stuck, lost, and running out of time. . . . When Maeve Butler arrives on the scene, Sean isn’t sure if she’s intent on rescuing him or . . . "
I initially abandoned this story on account of the narrator. My deaf ears were having so much trouble with the accent. After reaching the end of the book, I decided I wanted to try again to understand him. So I read the blurb, and that was enough to figure out what was going on. I usually read stories set in the US or the UK, so Ireland was a fun change, and I enjoyed it.
I definitely enjoyed the "ribbing" in the story.
------------------------------------------------
"You allow a Christmas tree, and I'll play you one of my compositions."
Twelve Months by Heather B. Moore: 4.5 stars
From the blurb: ". . . Lucien Baxter’s best and most incorrigible friend, Will, dies unexpectedly, leaving behind his new bride and unborn child the week before Christmas. Will’s last request is that Lucien watches over Cora, not just as a benefactor, but as a husband. . . ."
The boys met in boarding school over a prayer they both chose not to close their eyes for. I'm never really thrilled with jokes at the expense of clergy, sermons, or prayers. It grates on me.
Lucien has been "cleaning up" after Will for years, always ready to step in when Will got into trouble. And now he's supposed to do it again. Cora's husband was a womanizer, but Lucien is made of better stuff.
A very sweet story.
------------------------------------------------
A Fezziwig Christmas by Lu Ann Staheli: 4 stars
From the blurb: ". . . Dick Wilkins and his best friend Ebenezer Scrooge have been looking forward to the annual Fezziwig Christmas dance for weeks. Ebenezer is practically engaged to Annabelle Fezziwig, and Dick hopes to start courting her younger sister, Pricilla. . . . His best friend advises Dick that he has to win Pricilla’s heart, as well as her mother’s favor. . . . "
Both of these I think are drawbacks, but not so much that it affects my enjoyment of the story. I liked the idea of an A Christmas Carol spinoff, and the characters were well-drawn. I would have enjoyed more interaction between the Dick and Pricilla.
------------------------------------------------
A Taste of Home by Annette Lyon: 5 stars
From the blurb: ". . . Claire Jennings . . . on her way to spend Christmas with her family . . . . rides the train with William Rhodes, who grew up across the street. . . she can’t forget his torturous teasing from their school years. At the rail station, Claire discovers that her home is under quarantine. . . She's stuck in town, away from her family, on her favorite holiday. William stays behind with her. . .
Some Mormon references: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Salt Lake City, ZCMI, and the Deseret News
I love this sort of story - a romance between a pair of people who formerly didn't get along. The dialogue was very enjoyable.
------------------------------------------------
"It's 1924, and I'm a modern girl, Henry. Undying love is so old-fashioned. Any girl on her way to the city to make her way knows that she can't leave home if she's all tied down."
My Modern Girl by Becca Wilhite: 4 stars
From the blurb: ". . .Margie. . . lands her dream job as a clerk at Macy’s department store in New York City. . . .she’s determined to succeed and prove to Henry that moving to the city was the right decision. As the Christmas season approaches, Margie realizes that being a “modern girl” might not be all she had dreamed of . . . "
This is one of those stories where I just can't sympathize with the heroine, and that limited my enjoyment. I liked the Macy's setting, however, and I loved Henry.
I wasn't really thrilled with the reference to her roommate's petting party.
I never did see just what qualities of Margaret Henry was interested in.
The story was interesting/unique, and it had a sweet ending.
------------------------------------------------
Is it clean/chaste? Yes.
Other content issues: It's impossible to know how involved the petting party mentioned in the last story was. Based on what I read when looking up the concept online, petting parties can be just hugging and kissing between already established couples. I'm turned off by the concept either way.
***********
The bottom line: This was another enjoyable Timeless collection, and I was very happy to be actually reading it at Christmastime. I recommend this book to fans of clean historical novellas or Christmas stories. I will certainly continue to listen to these anthologies. I've been so very appreciative of the occasional sale on Kindle and audio books in this collection.
'Around here,' Kieran jumped in, 'every day's a rainy day.'
'Meaning,' Liam added, 'he's somethin' of a muttonhead every day.' "
A Timeless Romance Anthology: Silver Bells (2014, Mirror Press), 9th in the multiauthor A Timeless Romance Anthology series is a collection of six historical Christmas romance novellas. I read this book simply because I knew I would enjoy it. I can always rely on a clean, feel-good read in this series.
Rating: 4.4 stars
Narration: 5 stars
------------------------------------------------
Fairy Christmas by Lucinda Brant: 4 1/2 stars
From the blurb: " . . . Kitty Aldershot is orphaned and . . . Offered a home under the generous roof of her relatives, the Earl of Salt Hendon and his countess, Kitty wants for nothing, not even the affections of Mr. Tom Allenby. But when Kitty stumbles across a letter written by Lady Caroline that reveals how Mr. Allenby would be ruined should he marry the likes of Kitty, . . . she recognizes she will forever be alone with no prospects at all. "
This isn't Christian fiction, but Kitty briefly reflects on the meaning of Christmas.
"Christmas was a joyous time, a celebration of the birth of Jesus, which had brought great happiness to the world. But lost in her own selfishness, she had forgotten the message of Christmas."
I enjoyed this story, but found the premise and the resolution a bit dissatisfying. The writing was good, otherwise.
------------------------------------------------
"Different lands have their own unique ideas about those things that make a man attractive to a woman. In Scotland, they put a great deal of importance on kilts and tossing tree-sized logs about. In England 'tis of great importance for a man to sport particularly clean clothes and fine manners. No one quite knows what to make of the Americans' approach to almost anything."
A Christmas Promise by Sarah M. Eden: 4 1/2 stars
From the blurb: ". . . Sean Kirkpatrick is trying to get to his new place of employment, Kilkenny Castle, in order to start as the new stablehand. His only requirement is to drive a team of high-spirited nags from Dublin to Kilkenny in a certain amount of time. Unfortunately he winds up in a muddy field, stuck, lost, and running out of time. . . . When Maeve Butler arrives on the scene, Sean isn’t sure if she’s intent on rescuing him or . . . "
I initially abandoned this story on account of the narrator. My deaf ears were having so much trouble with the accent. After reaching the end of the book, I decided I wanted to try again to understand him. So I read the blurb, and that was enough to figure out what was going on. I usually read stories set in the US or the UK, so Ireland was a fun change, and I enjoyed it.
I definitely enjoyed the "ribbing" in the story.
------------------------------------------------
"You allow a Christmas tree, and I'll play you one of my compositions."
Twelve Months by Heather B. Moore: 4.5 stars
From the blurb: ". . . Lucien Baxter’s best and most incorrigible friend, Will, dies unexpectedly, leaving behind his new bride and unborn child the week before Christmas. Will’s last request is that Lucien watches over Cora, not just as a benefactor, but as a husband. . . ."
The boys met in boarding school over a prayer they both chose not to close their eyes for. I'm never really thrilled with jokes at the expense of clergy, sermons, or prayers. It grates on me.
Lucien has been "cleaning up" after Will for years, always ready to step in when Will got into trouble. And now he's supposed to do it again. Cora's husband was a womanizer, but Lucien is made of better stuff.
A very sweet story.
------------------------------------------------
A Fezziwig Christmas by Lu Ann Staheli: 4 stars
From the blurb: ". . . Dick Wilkins and his best friend Ebenezer Scrooge have been looking forward to the annual Fezziwig Christmas dance for weeks. Ebenezer is practically engaged to Annabelle Fezziwig, and Dick hopes to start courting her younger sister, Pricilla. . . . His best friend advises Dick that he has to win Pricilla’s heart, as well as her mother’s favor. . . . "
Both of these I think are drawbacks, but not so much that it affects my enjoyment of the story. I liked the idea of an A Christmas Carol spinoff, and the characters were well-drawn. I would have enjoyed more interaction between the Dick and Pricilla.
------------------------------------------------
A Taste of Home by Annette Lyon: 5 stars
From the blurb: ". . . Claire Jennings . . . on her way to spend Christmas with her family . . . . rides the train with William Rhodes, who grew up across the street. . . she can’t forget his torturous teasing from their school years. At the rail station, Claire discovers that her home is under quarantine. . . She's stuck in town, away from her family, on her favorite holiday. William stays behind with her. . .
Some Mormon references: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Salt Lake City, ZCMI, and the Deseret News
I love this sort of story - a romance between a pair of people who formerly didn't get along. The dialogue was very enjoyable.
------------------------------------------------
"It's 1924, and I'm a modern girl, Henry. Undying love is so old-fashioned. Any girl on her way to the city to make her way knows that she can't leave home if she's all tied down."
My Modern Girl by Becca Wilhite: 4 stars
From the blurb: ". . .Margie. . . lands her dream job as a clerk at Macy’s department store in New York City. . . .she’s determined to succeed and prove to Henry that moving to the city was the right decision. As the Christmas season approaches, Margie realizes that being a “modern girl” might not be all she had dreamed of . . . "
This is one of those stories where I just can't sympathize with the heroine, and that limited my enjoyment. I liked the Macy's setting, however, and I loved Henry.
I wasn't really thrilled with the reference to her roommate's petting party.
I never did see just what qualities of Margaret Henry was interested in.
The story was interesting/unique, and it had a sweet ending.
------------------------------------------------
Is it clean/chaste? Yes.
Other content issues: It's impossible to know how involved the petting party mentioned in the last story was. Based on what I read when looking up the concept online, petting parties can be just hugging and kissing between already established couples. I'm turned off by the concept either way.
***********
The bottom line: This was another enjoyable Timeless collection, and I was very happy to be actually reading it at Christmastime. I recommend this book to fans of clean historical novellas or Christmas stories. I will certainly continue to listen to these anthologies. I've been so very appreciative of the occasional sale on Kindle and audio books in this collection.
May 3, 2017
I have a weakness for Christmas-themed stories! I love the spirit of the holiday and the magical glow of happiness. This is a great collection of stories from wonderful authors that I enjoy. It's always fun to see how the plots vary even though they have the same theme. I can never stop at just one novella- I end up devouring the entire collection in one sitting ;)
October 28, 2014
I love anthologies because you can read more stories in a shorter amount of time, and I love Christmas stories so I was excited to read and review this anthology. Especially because these novellas were written by some of my favorite authors. But I found this anthology to be slower than most and some of the stories were almost too slow for me. All were well-written so I'm sure that was just a personal preference...
Fairy Christmas by Lucinda Brant - 3.5 stars; 1767 England
Miss Katherine Aldershot, aka Kitty, is all alone in the world, but is fortunate to have been taken in by the wealthy and powerful Earl of Salt Hendon and his wife. She has had her eye on Mr. Tom Allenby, the brother of the Earl's wife, and thinks he is interested in her but he is a successful businessman and she is pretty sure that he might be too good for her. Her new assignment is to entertain the Russian noble who has come to visit the Earl, Prince Timur-Alexei Nikolai Mordvinov, who is old enough to be her grandfather. The Prince helps Kitty see that there is a lot she isn't seeing.
A Christmas Promise by Sarah Eden - 3 stars; Late 1820's
Sean Kirkpatrick is handsome, quick-witted, and not easily offended. He is also lost on his way to Kilkenny. Maeve Butler is lovely, quick-witted, and clever. And she happens to know the way to Kilkenny. Getting lost helped Sean find the greatest treasure.
Twelve Months by Heather Moore - 4 stars; 1907 England
Lucien Baxter has a law practice in London, but when his best friend Will Griffiths summons him to his deathbed, he goes. His best friend also has a last request: that Lucien marry his lovely widow. Cora is beautiful, intelligent, and devoted - and unlucky in love. Her first fiance was killed in battle and her husband is now dying when they have been married for less than a year. Can she open her heart again to the faithful and loyal Lucien?
A Fezziwig Christmas by LuAnn Brobst Staheli - 3.5 stars; 1790 London
Dick Wilkins is the best friend and co-worker of Ebenezer Scrooge (when he is young and before he is so Scrooge-y), and they both work for Mr. Fezziwig who has some beautiful daughters. Ebenezer is almost engaged to the oldest daughter and Dick is hoping for some Christmas magic to help him win the heart of the second daughter, Pricilla.
A Taste of Home by Annette Lyon - 4.5 stars; 1913 Utah
Claire Jennings has been working in San Francisco, and can hardly wait to get home to her family in Utah for Christmas. Her excitement is the only thing making the travel with Will Rhodes tolerable. Will has been her tormenter since she was a young girl. But when they get to Utah she finds out that her family is quarantined and she won't be able to see them after all. The only reason Will came home for Christmas was for the opportunity to be with Claire. So he stays in town with her for Christmas and works hard to show her that he is no longer that young boy who teased her, and that he is capable of making her very happy!
My Modern Girl by Becca Wilhite - 4.5 stars; 1924 New York
Margie is a modern girl on her way to New York. She has a job on the sales floor of Macy's and can hardly wait to get there! Modern girls don't go weak-kneed when kissing boys they've known their whole lives. Especially when that boy is a coal worker. And so she begs Henry not to proclaim his undying love, and tells him he can write. His parting words to her are "I'll make you proud." In New York Margie learns a lot about herself and others. I loved Henry! I loved how he never tried to change Margie and embraced every part of her - even the "modern girl" part of her! Instead of trying to change her, he worked to change things about himself.
Content: Very clean, no swearing
Source: Review Copy (opinions are 100% my own)
Fairy Christmas by Lucinda Brant - 3.5 stars; 1767 England
Miss Katherine Aldershot, aka Kitty, is all alone in the world, but is fortunate to have been taken in by the wealthy and powerful Earl of Salt Hendon and his wife. She has had her eye on Mr. Tom Allenby, the brother of the Earl's wife, and thinks he is interested in her but he is a successful businessman and she is pretty sure that he might be too good for her. Her new assignment is to entertain the Russian noble who has come to visit the Earl, Prince Timur-Alexei Nikolai Mordvinov, who is old enough to be her grandfather. The Prince helps Kitty see that there is a lot she isn't seeing.
A Christmas Promise by Sarah Eden - 3 stars; Late 1820's
Sean Kirkpatrick is handsome, quick-witted, and not easily offended. He is also lost on his way to Kilkenny. Maeve Butler is lovely, quick-witted, and clever. And she happens to know the way to Kilkenny. Getting lost helped Sean find the greatest treasure.
Twelve Months by Heather Moore - 4 stars; 1907 England
Lucien Baxter has a law practice in London, but when his best friend Will Griffiths summons him to his deathbed, he goes. His best friend also has a last request: that Lucien marry his lovely widow. Cora is beautiful, intelligent, and devoted - and unlucky in love. Her first fiance was killed in battle and her husband is now dying when they have been married for less than a year. Can she open her heart again to the faithful and loyal Lucien?
A Fezziwig Christmas by LuAnn Brobst Staheli - 3.5 stars; 1790 London
Dick Wilkins is the best friend and co-worker of Ebenezer Scrooge (when he is young and before he is so Scrooge-y), and they both work for Mr. Fezziwig who has some beautiful daughters. Ebenezer is almost engaged to the oldest daughter and Dick is hoping for some Christmas magic to help him win the heart of the second daughter, Pricilla.
A Taste of Home by Annette Lyon - 4.5 stars; 1913 Utah
Claire Jennings has been working in San Francisco, and can hardly wait to get home to her family in Utah for Christmas. Her excitement is the only thing making the travel with Will Rhodes tolerable. Will has been her tormenter since she was a young girl. But when they get to Utah she finds out that her family is quarantined and she won't be able to see them after all. The only reason Will came home for Christmas was for the opportunity to be with Claire. So he stays in town with her for Christmas and works hard to show her that he is no longer that young boy who teased her, and that he is capable of making her very happy!
My Modern Girl by Becca Wilhite - 4.5 stars; 1924 New York
Margie is a modern girl on her way to New York. She has a job on the sales floor of Macy's and can hardly wait to get there! Modern girls don't go weak-kneed when kissing boys they've known their whole lives. Especially when that boy is a coal worker. And so she begs Henry not to proclaim his undying love, and tells him he can write. His parting words to her are "I'll make you proud." In New York Margie learns a lot about herself and others. I loved Henry! I loved how he never tried to change Margie and embraced every part of her - even the "modern girl" part of her! Instead of trying to change her, he worked to change things about himself.
Content: Very clean, no swearing
Source: Review Copy (opinions are 100% my own)
November 18, 2014
FAIRY CHRISTMAS I thought this was a sweet story that took place in the late 1700s. Kitty is an orphan and has every reason to be bitter about life, yet she isn't. She is so sweet and tries to ease the lives of those around her to make up for their generosity towards her. She would love for nothing more than to win Tom's affections, yet wouldn't dream of ruining his reputation and career, which goes to show how selfless she is. Tom is such a shy and bashful man, yet he is very kind. I loved the foreign prince--he was a fun character to have around. Clean!
A CHRISTMAS PROMISE Maeve is such a fiery girl and before he knows it, Sean is whooped! Sean needs this new job, but gets stuck and lost and has to rely on Maeve to help him out. I loved that banter that ensues. Fun characters with a spin on a story that isn't your typical holiday romance. Clean!
TWELVE MONTHS Don't we all have a friend who is the more dramatic and dominate of the friendship? That's exactly the case in Lucien and Will's unlikely friendship. They are so opposite and for some reason, Lucien feels a strong pull of loyalty toward covering for Will's casual mistakes. When Will dies suddenly, Lucien promises to care for his new wife and unborn baby. Cora has been devastated by death not once, but twice, and doesn't want to marry again, yet Lucien has a way of worming his way into her heart. Lucien is such a kind and patient man and Cora is as sweet as can be. I love the piano battles. Clean!
A FEZZIWIG CHRISTMAS I don't believe I've ever read a story about the life of Ebenezer Scrooge before he became...scroogy. This was a fun story with his friend, Dick, in the forefront, trying to win the attention of the lovely sister of Ebenezer's girl. It's not as easy as he thinks, since Pricilla is being pursued by many and he's not as outgoing as he'd like to be. I love how meek and down-to-earth Dick is. Clean!
A TASTE OF HOME I love a romance about two people who grew up together, but never have a mutual attraction until later. Maybe that's because my husband and I grew up together, yet didn't have a relationship until college. :) William was the kind of boy who tormented Claire, but how else is he supposed to capture her attention? Now that they both work in CA, William is escorting Claire home for the holidays. And he's nothing like the boy she once knew. I love how sweet and thoughtful William is. He truly has Claire in mind, as he strives to make this a Christmas to remember. Claire is as sweet and pretty as ever and isn't one to hold a grudge. Very sweet story! Clean!
MY MODERN GIRL I haven't read many stories that take place in the 1920s, but this one did and was a lot of fun! It was fun to picture what life was like in NYC during this time. I loved the imagery, descriptions, and storyline. I also loved the way Margie set out to become modern, but learned some important lessons along the way. Henry is a rock-solid man who works hard and doesn't care for what society thinks, yet he doesn't take Margie's feelings lightly. He's very supportive. This one was a great story to end the book. Clean!
Each story was tender and really helped the spirit of the holidays come to life. This whole collection moved a little slower than some of the others, but the pace was perfect for a nice, holiday read. Read it all in one sitting or savor a story a day. Either way, it'll be a fun adventure.
*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*
A CHRISTMAS PROMISE Maeve is such a fiery girl and before he knows it, Sean is whooped! Sean needs this new job, but gets stuck and lost and has to rely on Maeve to help him out. I loved that banter that ensues. Fun characters with a spin on a story that isn't your typical holiday romance. Clean!
TWELVE MONTHS Don't we all have a friend who is the more dramatic and dominate of the friendship? That's exactly the case in Lucien and Will's unlikely friendship. They are so opposite and for some reason, Lucien feels a strong pull of loyalty toward covering for Will's casual mistakes. When Will dies suddenly, Lucien promises to care for his new wife and unborn baby. Cora has been devastated by death not once, but twice, and doesn't want to marry again, yet Lucien has a way of worming his way into her heart. Lucien is such a kind and patient man and Cora is as sweet as can be. I love the piano battles. Clean!
A FEZZIWIG CHRISTMAS I don't believe I've ever read a story about the life of Ebenezer Scrooge before he became...scroogy. This was a fun story with his friend, Dick, in the forefront, trying to win the attention of the lovely sister of Ebenezer's girl. It's not as easy as he thinks, since Pricilla is being pursued by many and he's not as outgoing as he'd like to be. I love how meek and down-to-earth Dick is. Clean!
A TASTE OF HOME I love a romance about two people who grew up together, but never have a mutual attraction until later. Maybe that's because my husband and I grew up together, yet didn't have a relationship until college. :) William was the kind of boy who tormented Claire, but how else is he supposed to capture her attention? Now that they both work in CA, William is escorting Claire home for the holidays. And he's nothing like the boy she once knew. I love how sweet and thoughtful William is. He truly has Claire in mind, as he strives to make this a Christmas to remember. Claire is as sweet and pretty as ever and isn't one to hold a grudge. Very sweet story! Clean!
MY MODERN GIRL I haven't read many stories that take place in the 1920s, but this one did and was a lot of fun! It was fun to picture what life was like in NYC during this time. I loved the imagery, descriptions, and storyline. I also loved the way Margie set out to become modern, but learned some important lessons along the way. Henry is a rock-solid man who works hard and doesn't care for what society thinks, yet he doesn't take Margie's feelings lightly. He's very supportive. This one was a great story to end the book. Clean!
Each story was tender and really helped the spirit of the holidays come to life. This whole collection moved a little slower than some of the others, but the pace was perfect for a nice, holiday read. Read it all in one sitting or savor a story a day. Either way, it'll be a fun adventure.
*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*
November 15, 2019
Overall, these stories were cute. I don't love historical books and some of the terminology I didn't understand. My favorite story was A Christmas Promise. The Irish accent of the narrator was great to listen to and the story was funny. I also liked Taste of Home because it was set in my home state and I got to recognize some of the places it mentioned. Nice book to get you in the Christmas spirit.
March 23, 2020
In this strange and worrying time I had a hankering for Christmas stories. Also I had heard good things about Lucinda Brant, and thought this a good way to see if I‘d like her writing.
The six stories are very different from each other, and I find it hard to rate the collection as a whole.
Fairy Christmas by Lucinda Brant
This story was very charming, with some sweet and funny moments. It came closest to my expectations. I also was very happy with the secondary romance.
4 stars
A Christmas Promise by Sarah M. Eden
At first I was a bit surprised by the way this story was introduced. This romance centers not on the nobility, but on the people who work for them or view them from afar. Here love is not about balls, gowns and grand gestures, but about kindness, understanding, suitability. Also: Irland.
4 stars
Twelve Months by Heather B. Moore
Here we start out with a tragedy: the death of a dear friend. I really enjoyed how the friendship between the two mourners grows into romance. I also liked that the heroine did not accept at first, but also did not dither when things changed.
4 stars
A Fezziwig Christmas by Lu Ann Staheli
Again a working class romance, this time with two apprentices who want to court their employers beautiful daughters. There seems to be some reference to Dickens, which confused me.
3 stars
A Taste of Home by Annette Lyon
Here we meet two young people returning home for Christmas and after a change of plans spend a magical day together in Salt Lake City. I had a hard time with the romance, probably because of the backstory: I just can‘t with bullies, and „wanting a girls attention“ does not make it better.
3 stars
My Modern Girl by Becca Wilhite
I really liked the voice of the heroine, and I was very happy when I realized that the author did not intend to make a statement for good women staying at home. There is a lot of growth and learning about herself going on for this young women, and I enjoyed that journey with her.
4 stars
So all in all I liked four out of six stories very much, which makes me add a fourth star.
I liked reading about „normal“ working class people in historical times, and what makes their Christmas magical and their courtships romantic.
The six stories are very different from each other, and I find it hard to rate the collection as a whole.
Fairy Christmas by Lucinda Brant
This story was very charming, with some sweet and funny moments. It came closest to my expectations. I also was very happy with the secondary romance.
4 stars
A Christmas Promise by Sarah M. Eden
At first I was a bit surprised by the way this story was introduced. This romance centers not on the nobility, but on the people who work for them or view them from afar. Here love is not about balls, gowns and grand gestures, but about kindness, understanding, suitability. Also: Irland.
4 stars
Twelve Months by Heather B. Moore
Here we start out with a tragedy: the death of a dear friend. I really enjoyed how the friendship between the two mourners grows into romance. I also liked that the heroine did not accept at first, but also did not dither when things changed.
4 stars
A Fezziwig Christmas by Lu Ann Staheli
Again a working class romance, this time with two apprentices who want to court their employers beautiful daughters. There seems to be some reference to Dickens, which confused me.
3 stars
A Taste of Home by Annette Lyon
Here we meet two young people returning home for Christmas and after a change of plans spend a magical day together in Salt Lake City. I had a hard time with the romance, probably because of the backstory: I just can‘t with bullies, and „wanting a girls attention“ does not make it better.
3 stars
My Modern Girl by Becca Wilhite
I really liked the voice of the heroine, and I was very happy when I realized that the author did not intend to make a statement for good women staying at home. There is a lot of growth and learning about herself going on for this young women, and I enjoyed that journey with her.
4 stars
So all in all I liked four out of six stories very much, which makes me add a fourth star.
I liked reading about „normal“ working class people in historical times, and what makes their Christmas magical and their courtships romantic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2020
Kindle freebie at time of download
This is a nice collection of simple, sweet love stories set at Christmas. None of them wowed me and none were all that memorable but the collection is good, if you like that sort of thing.
A Fairy Christmas by Lucinda Brant is set in 1767. It’s part of her Salt series which I have not read so who exactly the secondary characters were in relation to each other was very confusing. The heroine, Kitty, is a young spinster and relative to the wealthy and powerful Earl of Salt Hendon and his family. She’s sweet, innocent and lovely. The young children love her and Kitty is treated kindly but she longs for romance and marriage. Specifically, she would like to marry Tom Allenby, the brother of the Countess of Salt Hendon, wealthy and an MP for Hendon. Tom is expected to make a splendid match and can have any pick of young ladies but Kitty believes he cares for her. If only they could be alone long enough for Tom to declare himself. When Prince Timur-Alexei Nikolai Mordvinov arrives from the Russian court to observe an English Christmas, Kitty is expected to be his guide, leaving her little time for romance. When she stumbles across private correspondence presumably about herself and Tom, she’s devastated to learn the family is against the match. It’s up to the Prince and the Earl’s eccentric Aunt Alice, Lady Reanay to help set things right.
I liked this story a lot. It’s full of wonderful period details of celebrating Christmas in the Georgian period and what life was like in Imperial Russia under Catherine the Great. The secondary romance was more charming than the primary one. The older couple is a lot of fun but not very subtle about their feelings. The young couple are rather bland and lacking in personality. Tom is kind of a weenie. I don’t think he loves Kitty enough to marry her yet, if at all. They both need to grow older and wiser and get to know each other better. This story gets an ***** for period details and *** for romance.
In A Christmas Promise by Sarah M. Eden, an Irish storyteller known as Old Tom, relates the story of Sean Kirkpatrick, who in December of 1820 left his home in County Mayo for the castle at Kilkenny getting stuck in the mud at the farm of the Butler brothers and their sister Maeve. When Sean meets Maeve, at first he’s terrified of her hounds and then the ribbing her brothers will give him for confusing their field for a road. Soon they’re matching wits and trading jokes and when he must return to his new job at the castle stables, he promises to visit, especially on Christmas. With extra work to do as a newcomer, Sean has little time for socializing. If he can’t keep his promise to Maeve will she ever forgive him?
This story is not as wonderful as Sarah M. Eden’s Jonquil books. It still has her trademark humor and witty banter. The romance is more straightforward and uncomplicated, thank goodness. What the story lacks in Christmas details, it makes up for in descriptions of life in the Irish countryside in the 1820s. People are poor but happy and have simple needs. They make up for the dreary weather by remaining cheerful and joking. I’m not crazy about Maeve’s brothers. Their jokes can be borderline cruel but I like Sean and Maeve’s banter. They’re a fun couple and I hope they can be together forever. **** stars romance; * Christmas.
Twelve Months by Heather B. Moore is set in early 20th-century England. Or at least it says so in the header but I didn’t get much of a sense of period detail or even the location. I thought it was set in Canada or the United States. In this story, single lawyer Lucien Baxter hastens to the side of his dying friend William Bruce Griffiths. Friends since school days, William was lively and fun and made Lucien lighten up. Lucien has spent their entire friendship cleaning up William’s messes. Since William recently married, he seemed to straighten out and now he’s dying before he was barely married and with a child on the way. When William dies, he makes Lucien promise to marry his widow, Cora. Cora Griffiths married William with her eyes wide open but she didn’t expect to be a widow before she was a mother. Not so soon. She’s lost and hurt by her husband’s past deeds but she knows exactly what she wants and that is not a pity marriage to her late husband’s dearest friend. Lucien begs to stay on for Christmas in hopes of changing Cora’s mind. If only he had met her first…
I liked this story aside from the lack of a real period setting and details. The Christmas customs are familiar and fun. The romance is very sweet. It’s a shy, mature romance and not a heady courtship. I really like Cora. She’s strong, smart, accomplished and independent. She’s the one who helps Lucien more than the other way around. He’s kind of shy and not as self-confident. Their romance is sweet and slow, the way I like it. This would have been better drawn out into a longer book so the epilogue doesn’t feel so sudden. **** romance and Christmas.
My favorite story is A Fezziwig Christmas by Lu Ann Brobst Stahlei. I really like how she took the Fezziwig section of A Christmas Carol and expanded it. Told from the point-of-view of clerk Dick Wilkins, it’s about his romance but also Scrooge’s romance with Belle. It gives us a glimpse of how Ebenezer Scrooge came to be the man he is when the story opens.
A Christmas Carol is one of my favorite Christmas stories and I listen to it or watch it every year so I’m biased in my enjoyment of this story. The romance is kind of bland. Dick wants to court his boss’s daughter but he’s virtually penniless. Priscilla has other suitors and wants to choose from among them but one by one they all but disappear until one candidate is left. Cilla, as Dick calls her in his head, wants to be loved and respected by a good man, not bored to tears or treated like an object. I really like her. She’s flirtatious at first but comes to understand what true love means. She would be happy with a simple, poor man like Dick as long as he loved her. Dick is a bit weak. He’s shy and rather insecure when it comes to love. He’s not a remarkable hero but he’s honest and true and that’s what counts. We also see a little bit of Belle, Cilla’s older sister, who we know was once engaged to Ebenezer Scrooge. I believe she also would have been happy to marry a poor man as long as he loved here and was a good man. Unfortunately we know what happened. The Christmas details, aside from the party, are a little weak but the romantic plot is sweet and simple.
A Taste of Home by Annette Lyon is the second story set in the early 20th-century, this time in Salt Lake City, Utah. It features two characters who already know each other, maid/nanny Claire Jennings and her childhood nemesis, William Rhodes. William was the Gilbert Blythe character but Claire can control her temper more than Anne. While she was angry at his teasing, she learned to ignore William, until now. Traveling together from Sacramento to their homes in Utah brings them together for the first time as adults. Both have grown good looking and William seems kind but Claire is wary. How can William make her see how much he’s always cared for her? When the pair are stranded in Salt Lake City for Christmas, he sets about to make Claire have the happiest Christmas away from home as possible.
While I am in love with Gilbert, William didn’t do anything for me. His childhood teasing was tormenting and I wouldn’t forgive him for that easily. He’s changed and is now a devoted son and friend. He’s hurting from his mother’s recent remarriage to someone he doesn’t approve of and dragging his heels about going home. Claire is lively and fun but has moments of sadness. Their Christmas together in SLC is a lot of fun! I really enjoyed going around the city with them. I’ve never been there and now I feel like I have! The local color is incredible, the Christmas details are wonderful and the toffee sounds yummy. We need a recipe. I enjoyed this story but wish it could have been a full novel so the romance was more of a slow burn. I also wonder how they can marry if she needs to work to save her family’s farm and he needs to work to be independent? An epilogue would have been nice.
The final story My Modern Girl by Becca Wilhite takes place at Chistmastime in New York at Macy’s! In 1924, Margie leaves behind her country roots in western Pennsylvania and her sweetheart Henry, a frustrated artist, for the big city of New York and a job at Macy’s, the largest department store in the world. Margie loves her job, most of the time and enjoys a flirtation with a deliveryman who looks like a movie star. Sure her roommate is messy and entertains a lot but it’s all part of modern life. Why then does she feel homesick and miss Henry? He’s so DULL and his hands are stained with coal.
I really liked this story. It was the only one that wasn’t completely predictable. I expected a slightly different ending. I loved the period details, especially the first Macy’s parade. The 1920s modern life stuff was a bit forced but I think it suits the character because Margie is trying to convince HERSELF that she’s a modern girl! I think she’s a country girl at heart and more suited to a simpler life with a good man who loves her. I was angry with her that Henry was the one spending time with her grandmother and Margie didn’t even seem to be writing to her family or thinking about her grandmother. Henry is a shy, simple, rustic boy with an artist’s soul. He’s better able to marry his passion for art with the simple life he was born to. He’s authentically himself. Leo Spinelli is a flirt. He seems to really like Margie though but I think her heart is taken. She enjoys the attention because that’s what she thinks she wants but isn’t serious about a relationship right now. This story reminds me of the movie version of Anne of Avonlea when Anne gets swept up in the romance she thinks she wants but discovers she went looking for her ideals outside of herself and “it’s not what the world holds for you, it’s what you bring to it.” **** for Christmas and period detail, *** for the romance.
This is a nice collection of simple, sweet love stories set at Christmas. None of them wowed me and none were all that memorable but the collection is good, if you like that sort of thing.
A Fairy Christmas by Lucinda Brant is set in 1767. It’s part of her Salt series which I have not read so who exactly the secondary characters were in relation to each other was very confusing. The heroine, Kitty, is a young spinster and relative to the wealthy and powerful Earl of Salt Hendon and his family. She’s sweet, innocent and lovely. The young children love her and Kitty is treated kindly but she longs for romance and marriage. Specifically, she would like to marry Tom Allenby, the brother of the Countess of Salt Hendon, wealthy and an MP for Hendon. Tom is expected to make a splendid match and can have any pick of young ladies but Kitty believes he cares for her. If only they could be alone long enough for Tom to declare himself. When Prince Timur-Alexei Nikolai Mordvinov arrives from the Russian court to observe an English Christmas, Kitty is expected to be his guide, leaving her little time for romance. When she stumbles across private correspondence presumably about herself and Tom, she’s devastated to learn the family is against the match. It’s up to the Prince and the Earl’s eccentric Aunt Alice, Lady Reanay to help set things right.
I liked this story a lot. It’s full of wonderful period details of celebrating Christmas in the Georgian period and what life was like in Imperial Russia under Catherine the Great. The secondary romance was more charming than the primary one. The older couple is a lot of fun but not very subtle about their feelings. The young couple are rather bland and lacking in personality. Tom is kind of a weenie. I don’t think he loves Kitty enough to marry her yet, if at all. They both need to grow older and wiser and get to know each other better. This story gets an ***** for period details and *** for romance.
In A Christmas Promise by Sarah M. Eden, an Irish storyteller known as Old Tom, relates the story of Sean Kirkpatrick, who in December of 1820 left his home in County Mayo for the castle at Kilkenny getting stuck in the mud at the farm of the Butler brothers and their sister Maeve. When Sean meets Maeve, at first he’s terrified of her hounds and then the ribbing her brothers will give him for confusing their field for a road. Soon they’re matching wits and trading jokes and when he must return to his new job at the castle stables, he promises to visit, especially on Christmas. With extra work to do as a newcomer, Sean has little time for socializing. If he can’t keep his promise to Maeve will she ever forgive him?
This story is not as wonderful as Sarah M. Eden’s Jonquil books. It still has her trademark humor and witty banter. The romance is more straightforward and uncomplicated, thank goodness. What the story lacks in Christmas details, it makes up for in descriptions of life in the Irish countryside in the 1820s. People are poor but happy and have simple needs. They make up for the dreary weather by remaining cheerful and joking. I’m not crazy about Maeve’s brothers. Their jokes can be borderline cruel but I like Sean and Maeve’s banter. They’re a fun couple and I hope they can be together forever. **** stars romance; * Christmas.
Twelve Months by Heather B. Moore is set in early 20th-century England. Or at least it says so in the header but I didn’t get much of a sense of period detail or even the location. I thought it was set in Canada or the United States. In this story, single lawyer Lucien Baxter hastens to the side of his dying friend William Bruce Griffiths. Friends since school days, William was lively and fun and made Lucien lighten up. Lucien has spent their entire friendship cleaning up William’s messes. Since William recently married, he seemed to straighten out and now he’s dying before he was barely married and with a child on the way. When William dies, he makes Lucien promise to marry his widow, Cora. Cora Griffiths married William with her eyes wide open but she didn’t expect to be a widow before she was a mother. Not so soon. She’s lost and hurt by her husband’s past deeds but she knows exactly what she wants and that is not a pity marriage to her late husband’s dearest friend. Lucien begs to stay on for Christmas in hopes of changing Cora’s mind. If only he had met her first…
I liked this story aside from the lack of a real period setting and details. The Christmas customs are familiar and fun. The romance is very sweet. It’s a shy, mature romance and not a heady courtship. I really like Cora. She’s strong, smart, accomplished and independent. She’s the one who helps Lucien more than the other way around. He’s kind of shy and not as self-confident. Their romance is sweet and slow, the way I like it. This would have been better drawn out into a longer book so the epilogue doesn’t feel so sudden. **** romance and Christmas.
My favorite story is A Fezziwig Christmas by Lu Ann Brobst Stahlei. I really like how she took the Fezziwig section of A Christmas Carol and expanded it. Told from the point-of-view of clerk Dick Wilkins, it’s about his romance but also Scrooge’s romance with Belle. It gives us a glimpse of how Ebenezer Scrooge came to be the man he is when the story opens.
A Christmas Carol is one of my favorite Christmas stories and I listen to it or watch it every year so I’m biased in my enjoyment of this story. The romance is kind of bland. Dick wants to court his boss’s daughter but he’s virtually penniless. Priscilla has other suitors and wants to choose from among them but one by one they all but disappear until one candidate is left. Cilla, as Dick calls her in his head, wants to be loved and respected by a good man, not bored to tears or treated like an object. I really like her. She’s flirtatious at first but comes to understand what true love means. She would be happy with a simple, poor man like Dick as long as he loved her. Dick is a bit weak. He’s shy and rather insecure when it comes to love. He’s not a remarkable hero but he’s honest and true and that’s what counts. We also see a little bit of Belle, Cilla’s older sister, who we know was once engaged to Ebenezer Scrooge. I believe she also would have been happy to marry a poor man as long as he loved here and was a good man. Unfortunately we know what happened. The Christmas details, aside from the party, are a little weak but the romantic plot is sweet and simple.
A Taste of Home by Annette Lyon is the second story set in the early 20th-century, this time in Salt Lake City, Utah. It features two characters who already know each other, maid/nanny Claire Jennings and her childhood nemesis, William Rhodes. William was the Gilbert Blythe character but Claire can control her temper more than Anne. While she was angry at his teasing, she learned to ignore William, until now. Traveling together from Sacramento to their homes in Utah brings them together for the first time as adults. Both have grown good looking and William seems kind but Claire is wary. How can William make her see how much he’s always cared for her? When the pair are stranded in Salt Lake City for Christmas, he sets about to make Claire have the happiest Christmas away from home as possible.
While I am in love with Gilbert, William didn’t do anything for me. His childhood teasing was tormenting and I wouldn’t forgive him for that easily. He’s changed and is now a devoted son and friend. He’s hurting from his mother’s recent remarriage to someone he doesn’t approve of and dragging his heels about going home. Claire is lively and fun but has moments of sadness. Their Christmas together in SLC is a lot of fun! I really enjoyed going around the city with them. I’ve never been there and now I feel like I have! The local color is incredible, the Christmas details are wonderful and the toffee sounds yummy. We need a recipe. I enjoyed this story but wish it could have been a full novel so the romance was more of a slow burn. I also wonder how they can marry if she needs to work to save her family’s farm and he needs to work to be independent? An epilogue would have been nice.
The final story My Modern Girl by Becca Wilhite takes place at Chistmastime in New York at Macy’s! In 1924, Margie leaves behind her country roots in western Pennsylvania and her sweetheart Henry, a frustrated artist, for the big city of New York and a job at Macy’s, the largest department store in the world. Margie loves her job, most of the time and enjoys a flirtation with a deliveryman who looks like a movie star. Sure her roommate is messy and entertains a lot but it’s all part of modern life. Why then does she feel homesick and miss Henry? He’s so DULL and his hands are stained with coal.
I really liked this story. It was the only one that wasn’t completely predictable. I expected a slightly different ending. I loved the period details, especially the first Macy’s parade. The 1920s modern life stuff was a bit forced but I think it suits the character because Margie is trying to convince HERSELF that she’s a modern girl! I think she’s a country girl at heart and more suited to a simpler life with a good man who loves her. I was angry with her that Henry was the one spending time with her grandmother and Margie didn’t even seem to be writing to her family or thinking about her grandmother. Henry is a shy, simple, rustic boy with an artist’s soul. He’s better able to marry his passion for art with the simple life he was born to. He’s authentically himself. Leo Spinelli is a flirt. He seems to really like Margie though but I think her heart is taken. She enjoys the attention because that’s what she thinks she wants but isn’t serious about a relationship right now. This story reminds me of the movie version of Anne of Avonlea when Anne gets swept up in the romance she thinks she wants but discovers she went looking for her ideals outside of herself and “it’s not what the world holds for you, it’s what you bring to it.” **** for Christmas and period detail, *** for the romance.
October 28, 2014
I have been reading a lot of books this week that are set around Christmas. I'm feeling the need to bust out the Christmas music and put up a tree! But it isn't quite time for that. These books sure put me in the mood though. And in the last book, My Modern Girl, Margie works at Macy's where they have the most amazing Christmas displays. The book describes a set of ornaments that have heart shaped hangers. I seriously need those. My Christmas tree is heart themed and those ornaments would go perfectly!
These sweet, clean novellas are all set back in history and all revolve around Christmastime. They are gentle and perfect for snuggling up in a cozy blanket on a cold winter day. Well, that's what I did anyway. I would have been happy to read these on a warm beach as well, but alas, that wasn't a choice for me. :)
I love reading these collections and I always look forward to seeing a new set. Authors in these books are among my favorites and sometimes I am introduced to an author new to me. Each book is novella size which is perfect for a quick read. They are sweet romances that leave me feeling happy. Every single time. I love them!
These sweet, clean novellas are all set back in history and all revolve around Christmastime. They are gentle and perfect for snuggling up in a cozy blanket on a cold winter day. Well, that's what I did anyway. I would have been happy to read these on a warm beach as well, but alas, that wasn't a choice for me. :)
I love reading these collections and I always look forward to seeing a new set. Authors in these books are among my favorites and sometimes I am introduced to an author new to me. Each book is novella size which is perfect for a quick read. They are sweet romances that leave me feeling happy. Every single time. I love them!
October 16, 2014
This is a very sweet book, as I read the stories, I remembered the books I read when I was little, like Little Women, Eight Cousins, Under the Lilacs, Anne of Green Gables, etc. (The cover of the book, reminds me of Claire, from the fifth story)
Pros:
The six stories in this book are romantic, pure and innocent, all set around Christmas Time, my favorite is A Taste Of Home,I fell in love with the story of Claire and William, I loved it!
Cons:
The storys are too short!! I know, they're novellas, but I was wanting to know a little more of each of the couples...
I recommend this book for girls and tweens.
Pros:
The six stories in this book are romantic, pure and innocent, all set around Christmas Time, my favorite is A Taste Of Home,I fell in love with the story of Claire and William, I loved it!
Cons:
The storys are too short!! I know, they're novellas, but I was wanting to know a little more of each of the couples...
I recommend this book for girls and tweens.
October 17, 2014
Another amazing collection of novellas! The first story was a cute story about a young boy's picture of a Christmas fairy and a misunderstanding. The second story is a fun Irish tale. The third story was one of my favorites. It was about patience and enduring love. The fourth story was a fun Christmas tale that has a younger version of Ebenzer Scrooge in it. The fifth story was another of my favorites. It was about a young women not able to make it home for Christmas and how an unexpected source creates a happy Christmas for her. The last story was about searching for what you thought you wanted and finding out you had what you wanted and needed all along.
October 17, 2014
Such a wonderful collection of Christmas stories! While I longed to know more of the stories, the shortness of each novella provides the perfect glimpse into a Christmas Romance! I enjoyed the different settings and characters and writing styles! A great book for some added Christmas cheer that will warm your heart :)
February 10, 2015
I love clean secular romance full length e-book box sets or novella anthologies. I like that I don't have to gamble or do exhaustive combing through reviews hoping someone adds sensuality level information in their review. So I have enjoyed the many Triple Treat Romances box set series that have come out, each with three full length novels of bestselling clean secular romance authors, and the Timeless Romance Anthology collection series sets, each with six clean romance novellas, which the work here being reviewed is one of them
This novella collection is all new Christmas historical fiction set from the 1700's to the 1920's.
Fairy Christmas by Lucinda Brant, England 1767:
This was a novella that brought back the characters of the author's Salt Hedon Series which are Georgian era historical romance suspense. Through the vehicle of a guest of the Earl of Salt Hedon, Russian Prince Timur-Alexei Nikolai Mordvinov whom has been commanded by Russian Empress Catherine the Great to learn and record all he can about the tradition, culture, fashion, society, and goods of England, we learn a lot about Georgian era Christmas traditions. I finally know what the big deal and all the seriousness about the Yule log is about. This novella had a romantic major plot and a romantic sub-plot that I enjoyed being led astray about both conclusions, even though you knew there was going to be a HEA and they both would be resolved fast, because it was a novella.
A Christmas Promise by Sarah M. Eden, Ireland late 1820's:
I was looking forward to reading this as I am a big Sarah Eden fan. I have only read her earlier written works that became no longer available till they were republished under new titles. The ones where the heroes or heroines have realistic physical, psychological, or sociological adversities and sometimes a tragic back story as barriers to their romantic HEA. I had never read any of her “light and humorous” historical fiction that most Sarah Eden fans have read, so I didn’t know what to expect? Turns out I like light and humorous Sarah too. This was so refreshing as this was an Irish love tale narrated by an traditional story teller named “Old Tom”. Ireland and the Irish people seem to be severely neglected in popular historical romance and the format of an Irish tale is perfect for a short story or novella. I am a serious British Georgian-Regency era fiction aficionado, but I also additionally found this tale refreshing, because Sean and Maeve’s courtship was morally proper, but was NOT bound by stifling rules of British courtship. So there was laughter, fun, saying what you really mean , and choosing for love. The characterizations were great. I loved the hero and heroine!
Twelve Months by Heather B. Moore,England 1907:
Mercy! The romance in this was splendiferous heart squeezing breathlessly BEAUTIFUL!!! Lucien is such a magnifique extraordinary romantic hero. His courtship of Cora just makes me sigh and do soft girly squeals of delight in remembrance of. One example of many, it has been over a week since I have read this, and his musical compositions he played on the pianoforte to Cora are still playing in my head as real music, instead of just words on a page describing stories and emotions he composed into music and played for her. Yes *sigh*!
A Fezzwig Christmas by Lu Ann Brobst Staheli, England 1790:
I always enjoyed the evening of Mr. Fezzwig’s Christmas party in the “Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, which the Ghost of Christmas Past had Ebenezer Scrooge revisit. I always wished as a reader we could have stayed longer in that scene with the younger Ebenezer in love with the daughter of his mentor. Yet I know the story between the two of them could not revisited with them as the main characters, when it would have the reader foreknowledge hanging over it that Ebenezer, like a Greek hero fighting a prophecy from the Oracle of Delphi actually makes the prophecy come true, and ends up losing Belle anyways, by shattering her heart to pieces by his change into the miserly beast. I forgot about his friend Dick the other accounting apprentice and through his courtship of Belle’s sister Cillia we get an expanded revisit. Though Belle and Ebenezer were only side characters in this romance novella I enjoyed how romantically passionate and intelligent they were. This novella was wonderfully written over all, and I was pleased to revisit this expansion of the classic and look forward to reading more from this award winning author.
A Taste of Home by Annette Lyon, U.S.A. 1913:
This was another really swoony sigh worthy romantic one like Twelve Months. Will the heroine had nightmarishly tormented the heroine Claire with pranks all through their childhood together. Will has always loved with all his heart “The Claire Jennings” and negative attention to him was better than no attention. For Claire, Christmas equals family and family traditions. So when to Claire’s horror after traveling all the way back home to Utah from California (with Will as an escort), she finds news that her entire family is under quarantine and she can’t spend Christmas with them, she is in distressed to ceaseless tears of sadness. Will convinces her to stay in the city for the holidays and proceeds to be an example of a man who will selfishly do anything even to great sacrifice to make the woman he loves happy. This one put me into the Christmas Spirit the most and I blame for giving me a massive craving for toffee.
My Modern Girl by Becca Wilhite, U.S.A. 1924:
This is the same country only a decade later from the prior novella, but what a difference a decade makes. It is now the Roaring 20’s, the Jazz Age, and the “Dawning of the Modern Woman” (Era of the Flapper Girl). There is a post WWII youth social independence movement from the prior set of societal values and sexual conduct. The heroine Margie in my mind reminded me in so many ways of the character Jenna Rink in the movie 13 Going on 30. They both want to emulate the fun, flirty, and fashionable modern lifestyles of their favorite magazine. For Margie it is Harper’s magazine, as it was Poise magazine for Jenna. Both young women leave behind faithful honorable childhood male friends who are in love with them, for a worldly profligate lifestyle that they feel these men embarrassingly don’t fit in to. After the initial “pride” of achieving the lifestyle it is “mixed with shame” for their actions and how they have degenerated. They also both realize that sometimes getting what you want is not always what it is cracked up to be. They also both realize that sometimes what you leave behind is what you really want.
Sensuality content: Kisses only on all. Modern Girl has a flapper girl "petting party" which is not what you think. When I researched it they were "snogging", "cuddling", "hugging", and "kissing" only parties. Modern Girl also has extremely mild double entendre flirting constantly about snogging (again hugging and kissing).
Source: Review copy for my 100% honest opinion.
This novella collection is all new Christmas historical fiction set from the 1700's to the 1920's.
Fairy Christmas by Lucinda Brant, England 1767:
This was a novella that brought back the characters of the author's Salt Hedon Series which are Georgian era historical romance suspense. Through the vehicle of a guest of the Earl of Salt Hedon, Russian Prince Timur-Alexei Nikolai Mordvinov whom has been commanded by Russian Empress Catherine the Great to learn and record all he can about the tradition, culture, fashion, society, and goods of England, we learn a lot about Georgian era Christmas traditions. I finally know what the big deal and all the seriousness about the Yule log is about. This novella had a romantic major plot and a romantic sub-plot that I enjoyed being led astray about both conclusions, even though you knew there was going to be a HEA and they both would be resolved fast, because it was a novella.
A Christmas Promise by Sarah M. Eden, Ireland late 1820's:
I was looking forward to reading this as I am a big Sarah Eden fan. I have only read her earlier written works that became no longer available till they were republished under new titles. The ones where the heroes or heroines have realistic physical, psychological, or sociological adversities and sometimes a tragic back story as barriers to their romantic HEA. I had never read any of her “light and humorous” historical fiction that most Sarah Eden fans have read, so I didn’t know what to expect? Turns out I like light and humorous Sarah too. This was so refreshing as this was an Irish love tale narrated by an traditional story teller named “Old Tom”. Ireland and the Irish people seem to be severely neglected in popular historical romance and the format of an Irish tale is perfect for a short story or novella. I am a serious British Georgian-Regency era fiction aficionado, but I also additionally found this tale refreshing, because Sean and Maeve’s courtship was morally proper, but was NOT bound by stifling rules of British courtship. So there was laughter, fun, saying what you really mean , and choosing for love. The characterizations were great. I loved the hero and heroine!
Twelve Months by Heather B. Moore,England 1907:
Mercy! The romance in this was splendiferous heart squeezing breathlessly BEAUTIFUL!!! Lucien is such a magnifique extraordinary romantic hero. His courtship of Cora just makes me sigh and do soft girly squeals of delight in remembrance of. One example of many, it has been over a week since I have read this, and his musical compositions he played on the pianoforte to Cora are still playing in my head as real music, instead of just words on a page describing stories and emotions he composed into music and played for her. Yes *sigh*!
A Fezzwig Christmas by Lu Ann Brobst Staheli, England 1790:
I always enjoyed the evening of Mr. Fezzwig’s Christmas party in the “Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, which the Ghost of Christmas Past had Ebenezer Scrooge revisit. I always wished as a reader we could have stayed longer in that scene with the younger Ebenezer in love with the daughter of his mentor. Yet I know the story between the two of them could not revisited with them as the main characters, when it would have the reader foreknowledge hanging over it that Ebenezer, like a Greek hero fighting a prophecy from the Oracle of Delphi actually makes the prophecy come true, and ends up losing Belle anyways, by shattering her heart to pieces by his change into the miserly beast. I forgot about his friend Dick the other accounting apprentice and through his courtship of Belle’s sister Cillia we get an expanded revisit. Though Belle and Ebenezer were only side characters in this romance novella I enjoyed how romantically passionate and intelligent they were. This novella was wonderfully written over all, and I was pleased to revisit this expansion of the classic and look forward to reading more from this award winning author.
A Taste of Home by Annette Lyon, U.S.A. 1913:
This was another really swoony sigh worthy romantic one like Twelve Months. Will the heroine had nightmarishly tormented the heroine Claire with pranks all through their childhood together. Will has always loved with all his heart “The Claire Jennings” and negative attention to him was better than no attention. For Claire, Christmas equals family and family traditions. So when to Claire’s horror after traveling all the way back home to Utah from California (with Will as an escort), she finds news that her entire family is under quarantine and she can’t spend Christmas with them, she is in distressed to ceaseless tears of sadness. Will convinces her to stay in the city for the holidays and proceeds to be an example of a man who will selfishly do anything even to great sacrifice to make the woman he loves happy. This one put me into the Christmas Spirit the most and I blame for giving me a massive craving for toffee.
My Modern Girl by Becca Wilhite, U.S.A. 1924:
This is the same country only a decade later from the prior novella, but what a difference a decade makes. It is now the Roaring 20’s, the Jazz Age, and the “Dawning of the Modern Woman” (Era of the Flapper Girl). There is a post WWII youth social independence movement from the prior set of societal values and sexual conduct. The heroine Margie in my mind reminded me in so many ways of the character Jenna Rink in the movie 13 Going on 30. They both want to emulate the fun, flirty, and fashionable modern lifestyles of their favorite magazine. For Margie it is Harper’s magazine, as it was Poise magazine for Jenna. Both young women leave behind faithful honorable childhood male friends who are in love with them, for a worldly profligate lifestyle that they feel these men embarrassingly don’t fit in to. After the initial “pride” of achieving the lifestyle it is “mixed with shame” for their actions and how they have degenerated. They also both realize that sometimes getting what you want is not always what it is cracked up to be. They also both realize that sometimes what you leave behind is what you really want.
Sensuality content: Kisses only on all. Modern Girl has a flapper girl "petting party" which is not what you think. When I researched it they were "snogging", "cuddling", "hugging", and "kissing" only parties. Modern Girl also has extremely mild double entendre flirting constantly about snogging (again hugging and kissing).
Source: Review copy for my 100% honest opinion.
November 15, 2019
Pretty sure I just got annoyed by one book out of all six - so not bad.
A Timeless Romance Anthology was a pretty quick and fun audiobook filled with six unique holiday stories. The stories are all called: Fairy Christmas, A Christmas Promise, Twelve Months, A Fezziwig Christmas, A Taste of Home, and A Modern Girl. Not every book made me smile but at least something within those books did.
Now I love accents - doesn't matter what kind of what the character even says. I just love it - plain and simple. So when I came across A Christmas Promise, I about died. Ugh, my love for Irish freaking accents just grew even more. It also didn't hurt that the story was beyond cute too. Give me protective brothers and I'm sold. Even a puppy or two.
Besides that one, I also really enjoyed A Modern Girl. Mostly because it was the last book but it also was a pretty fun one to listen to. In it, you meet Margie and boy do we have something in common. EVERYONE either misspells our name or says it wrong. I don't even correct people anymore because it doesn't even faze me. This book also was light on romance, or maybe it was just me. I still enjoyed it because it was really cute to see Margie work in the one place she has dreamed to: Macy's department store.
Overall, I enjoyed diving into something new and now I am pumped for the holidays.
A Timeless Romance Anthology was a pretty quick and fun audiobook filled with six unique holiday stories. The stories are all called: Fairy Christmas, A Christmas Promise, Twelve Months, A Fezziwig Christmas, A Taste of Home, and A Modern Girl. Not every book made me smile but at least something within those books did.
Now I love accents - doesn't matter what kind of what the character even says. I just love it - plain and simple. So when I came across A Christmas Promise, I about died. Ugh, my love for Irish freaking accents just grew even more. It also didn't hurt that the story was beyond cute too. Give me protective brothers and I'm sold. Even a puppy or two.
Besides that one, I also really enjoyed A Modern Girl. Mostly because it was the last book but it also was a pretty fun one to listen to. In it, you meet Margie and boy do we have something in common. EVERYONE either misspells our name or says it wrong. I don't even correct people anymore because it doesn't even faze me. This book also was light on romance, or maybe it was just me. I still enjoyed it because it was really cute to see Margie work in the one place she has dreamed to: Macy's department store.
Overall, I enjoyed diving into something new and now I am pumped for the holidays.
November 2, 2014
This anthology is a set of six sweet Christmas stories. Each author has her own style and I enjoyed each one. All the characters were likeable and they really helped me get in the Christmas spirit. The language was clean and the romances were sweet, not steamy.
A Fairy Christmas by Lucinda Brant is set in England in 1767. After becoming orphaned, Kitty is goes to live with a distant relative. She falls in love with a young man but after catching a brief glimpse of a letter from her best friend on the back of a young boys drawing, she believes everyone in the household thinks she would be bad for him. The story kept my interest and I loved the banter between some of the characters.
A Christmas Promise by Sarah M. Eden is a story told by an old man in the late 1820’s and is set in Ireland. Ms. Eden painted such a picture I almost felt as if I were in Ireland. Sean Kirkpatrick is a stable hand with a new job a far distance from his home in County Mayo. In trying to follow a map to his new job, he feels he is hopelessly lost and turns in at a lane with a large hay barn at the end. His horse drawn cart becomes mired in the mud and Sean must ask for help getting “unstuck” and directions to Kilkenny Castle. Mauve Butler gets her brothers to help Sean but once the cart is freed, they insist he must stay the night. When Mauve leads Sean to Kilkenny Castle the next day and it is only a 15 minute walk away, sparks fly and the rest is a delightful story.
Twelve Months by Heather B Moore is set in the early 1900s and is the story of Lucien. He gets a call that his best friend, Will is dying. He takes a train to his friend who dies shortly after he arrives. Wills’ death bed wish is that Lucien will marry Cora, Will’s pregnant wife, and take good care of her. Lucien stands by Cora during the funeral and as a solicitor, helps clear up all Wills’ financial matters. When he asks Cora to marry him, she refuses. Will was unfaithful to her and she doesn’t want to burden Lucien with a child not his own. A sweet ending makes this a good story.
A Fezziwig Christmas by Lu Ann Brobst Staheli takes a spin back to the early days of Ebenezer Scrooge as a young courting man. His best friend, Dick Wilkins and fellow apprentice falls for the middle daughter of their boss. A Christmas work party is the setting for much of the book during which Dick tries to win the girl.
A Taste of Home by Annette Lyons is a sweet tale. Claire Jennings travels by train from California to Utah, going home for Christmas. Her childhood tormentor, Will Rhodes accompanies her at her father’s request as her protector. When they arrive at the train station in Salt Lake and Claire’s father is not there, Will investigates and finds out that Claire’s little brother has the measles and the family is in quarantine. Since Claire is unable to go home, Will agrees to stay in Salt Lake City and tries to make it so Claire is not so homesick.
My Modern Girl by Becca Wilhite takes place in the early 1900’s. Margie travels to NYC to work at Macy’s leaving the “boring” life and her lifelong friend Henry in Western Pennsylvania. She thinks the big city and being a modern girl will make all her dreams come true. As Christmas approaches, she grows up and realizes that the “city” isn’t as glamorous as she thought and she misses her family and especially Henry.
A Fairy Christmas by Lucinda Brant is set in England in 1767. After becoming orphaned, Kitty is goes to live with a distant relative. She falls in love with a young man but after catching a brief glimpse of a letter from her best friend on the back of a young boys drawing, she believes everyone in the household thinks she would be bad for him. The story kept my interest and I loved the banter between some of the characters.
A Christmas Promise by Sarah M. Eden is a story told by an old man in the late 1820’s and is set in Ireland. Ms. Eden painted such a picture I almost felt as if I were in Ireland. Sean Kirkpatrick is a stable hand with a new job a far distance from his home in County Mayo. In trying to follow a map to his new job, he feels he is hopelessly lost and turns in at a lane with a large hay barn at the end. His horse drawn cart becomes mired in the mud and Sean must ask for help getting “unstuck” and directions to Kilkenny Castle. Mauve Butler gets her brothers to help Sean but once the cart is freed, they insist he must stay the night. When Mauve leads Sean to Kilkenny Castle the next day and it is only a 15 minute walk away, sparks fly and the rest is a delightful story.
Twelve Months by Heather B Moore is set in the early 1900s and is the story of Lucien. He gets a call that his best friend, Will is dying. He takes a train to his friend who dies shortly after he arrives. Wills’ death bed wish is that Lucien will marry Cora, Will’s pregnant wife, and take good care of her. Lucien stands by Cora during the funeral and as a solicitor, helps clear up all Wills’ financial matters. When he asks Cora to marry him, she refuses. Will was unfaithful to her and she doesn’t want to burden Lucien with a child not his own. A sweet ending makes this a good story.
A Fezziwig Christmas by Lu Ann Brobst Staheli takes a spin back to the early days of Ebenezer Scrooge as a young courting man. His best friend, Dick Wilkins and fellow apprentice falls for the middle daughter of their boss. A Christmas work party is the setting for much of the book during which Dick tries to win the girl.
A Taste of Home by Annette Lyons is a sweet tale. Claire Jennings travels by train from California to Utah, going home for Christmas. Her childhood tormentor, Will Rhodes accompanies her at her father’s request as her protector. When they arrive at the train station in Salt Lake and Claire’s father is not there, Will investigates and finds out that Claire’s little brother has the measles and the family is in quarantine. Since Claire is unable to go home, Will agrees to stay in Salt Lake City and tries to make it so Claire is not so homesick.
My Modern Girl by Becca Wilhite takes place in the early 1900’s. Margie travels to NYC to work at Macy’s leaving the “boring” life and her lifelong friend Henry in Western Pennsylvania. She thinks the big city and being a modern girl will make all her dreams come true. As Christmas approaches, she grows up and realizes that the “city” isn’t as glamorous as she thought and she misses her family and especially Henry.
November 20, 2014
I love reading short romantic Christmas stories. They're sweet. They're fun. I can finish one in a single sitting and at the end they leave a smile on my face. These stories are no different.
FAIRY CHRISTMAS by Lucinda Brant - 4 stars
This was a sweet story that involved two romances. I found both to be sweet. I also liked the contrast between a younger and older couple falling in love and how the differences in their behavior. No one is ever too old to fall in love.
A CHRISTMAS PROMISE by Sarah M. Eden - 4 stars
This story was pretty much love at first sight. What I liked is that it was sincere and humorous. I also loved the feel of family with Maeve and her brothers. Another good story.
TWELVE MONTHS by Heather B. Moore - 3.5 stars
This was an interesting story. Basically the couple who should have probably been married in the first place are thrown together when her husband and his best friend passes away from an illness. There were some sweet moments.
A FEZZIWIG CHRISTMAS by Lu Ann Staheli - 3 stars
This felt like a retelling of Scrooge/A Christmas Carol, but about a younger and much happier Ebenezer and his co-worker and friend Dick. There were two romances in this one as well. It was a cute story, but not my favorite of the set.
A TASTE OF HOME by Annette Lyon - 5 stars
This was my favorite story from the set. I pretty much loved it from the first page to the last. I really liked the the two main characters had known each other their whole lives. Their history felt a little like Anne and Gilbert from Anne of Green Gables, especially with Will teasing Claire when they were younger because he had a crush on her and was trying to garner her attention. When they are thrown together again years later, that adoration is still there and Claire begins to notice Will in a different way. It was a sweet and heartfelt story, showing that Christmas can be found in more than just traditions, or places, or things, but in the people we love.
MY MODERN GIRL by Becca Wilhite - 4 stars
This story cracked me up. Margie was so focused on becoming part of her peers in the new flapper era that she lost sight of who she was and what she had in Henry. Oh, dear Henry. That guy was too good for her, but she made up for it in the end. I especially loved the symbolism of the glass hearts. Reminded me a little of the movie Sweet Home Alabama.
Overall Silver Bells was a sweet set of romantic Christmas stories. They each gave me a sweet happily-ever-after ending and reminded me that Christmas can be full of so much love.
Content: There was some innuendo and references to infidelity, but I would consider this clean.
Source: From a review site, which did not affect my review in any way.
FAIRY CHRISTMAS by Lucinda Brant - 4 stars
This was a sweet story that involved two romances. I found both to be sweet. I also liked the contrast between a younger and older couple falling in love and how the differences in their behavior. No one is ever too old to fall in love.
A CHRISTMAS PROMISE by Sarah M. Eden - 4 stars
This story was pretty much love at first sight. What I liked is that it was sincere and humorous. I also loved the feel of family with Maeve and her brothers. Another good story.
TWELVE MONTHS by Heather B. Moore - 3.5 stars
This was an interesting story. Basically the couple who should have probably been married in the first place are thrown together when her husband and his best friend passes away from an illness. There were some sweet moments.
A FEZZIWIG CHRISTMAS by Lu Ann Staheli - 3 stars
This felt like a retelling of Scrooge/A Christmas Carol, but about a younger and much happier Ebenezer and his co-worker and friend Dick. There were two romances in this one as well. It was a cute story, but not my favorite of the set.
A TASTE OF HOME by Annette Lyon - 5 stars
This was my favorite story from the set. I pretty much loved it from the first page to the last. I really liked the the two main characters had known each other their whole lives. Their history felt a little like Anne and Gilbert from Anne of Green Gables, especially with Will teasing Claire when they were younger because he had a crush on her and was trying to garner her attention. When they are thrown together again years later, that adoration is still there and Claire begins to notice Will in a different way. It was a sweet and heartfelt story, showing that Christmas can be found in more than just traditions, or places, or things, but in the people we love.
MY MODERN GIRL by Becca Wilhite - 4 stars
This story cracked me up. Margie was so focused on becoming part of her peers in the new flapper era that she lost sight of who she was and what she had in Henry. Oh, dear Henry. That guy was too good for her, but she made up for it in the end. I especially loved the symbolism of the glass hearts. Reminded me a little of the movie Sweet Home Alabama.
Overall Silver Bells was a sweet set of romantic Christmas stories. They each gave me a sweet happily-ever-after ending and reminded me that Christmas can be full of so much love.
Content: There was some innuendo and references to infidelity, but I would consider this clean.
Source: From a review site, which did not affect my review in any way.
November 3, 2014
This collection is fun and a great way to get into the Christmas spirit! As I've been listening to Christmas music for weeks already, this was the perfect book to continue my holiday mood :) I've ranked my favorite short stories as follows:
1. A Taste of Home - I love Claire's excitement at going home and the detail that is spent on her Christmas memories. I love Will's hesitation that isn't fully explained at the beginning. They are both their own person and the story develops over a short period of time, but, unlike most romances, it is almost believable. This book could do with a stronger editing though, unless Will really did dip Claire's "brains" in white paint ...
2. A Christmas Promise - This book reminds me so much of the Christmas song, "Christmas Day" by Dido. However, unlike the song there is quite the happy ending in store for these characters. Starting out with a narrator was a little awkward, but it reminded me of "The Princess Bride" in a good way. Sean is a hardworking, sweet guy whose ego gets the better of him and luckily, Maeve was there to save him.
3. My Modern Girl - This one just made me laugh. How many times have we gone out of our way to have fancy French chocolates and when we got them, thought that Hershey's bars were even better? That is the moral of this story, sometimes what's right in front of you really is the best thing. I loved seeing Macy's and the Thanksgiving Day parade from an "insider's" perspective and this book felt a little like the movie, "Sweet Home Alabama" which was really a good thing (I love that movie).
4. A Fairy Christmas - This was really the only story that didn't feel rushed in the collection. Time was spent on character development and the storyline. I think much of that has to do with the fact that this story takes place during a single evening. Sweet and classic.
5. A Fezziwig Christmas - What is up with that last name? Aside from being hung up on the terribleness of the name, I couldn't really get into this story. Too much happened with too many characters in too few pages. I couldn't remember who I wanted to get the girl and who I didn't.
My only overall hesitation, as with most short stories, is that they felt so rushed. Four out of the five stories felt like too much happened in a few pages. I find this to be the case with most short romances, but they are still a challenge to fully enjoy.
1. A Taste of Home - I love Claire's excitement at going home and the detail that is spent on her Christmas memories. I love Will's hesitation that isn't fully explained at the beginning. They are both their own person and the story develops over a short period of time, but, unlike most romances, it is almost believable. This book could do with a stronger editing though, unless Will really did dip Claire's "brains" in white paint ...
2. A Christmas Promise - This book reminds me so much of the Christmas song, "Christmas Day" by Dido. However, unlike the song there is quite the happy ending in store for these characters. Starting out with a narrator was a little awkward, but it reminded me of "The Princess Bride" in a good way. Sean is a hardworking, sweet guy whose ego gets the better of him and luckily, Maeve was there to save him.
3. My Modern Girl - This one just made me laugh. How many times have we gone out of our way to have fancy French chocolates and when we got them, thought that Hershey's bars were even better? That is the moral of this story, sometimes what's right in front of you really is the best thing. I loved seeing Macy's and the Thanksgiving Day parade from an "insider's" perspective and this book felt a little like the movie, "Sweet Home Alabama" which was really a good thing (I love that movie).
4. A Fairy Christmas - This was really the only story that didn't feel rushed in the collection. Time was spent on character development and the storyline. I think much of that has to do with the fact that this story takes place during a single evening. Sweet and classic.
5. A Fezziwig Christmas - What is up with that last name? Aside from being hung up on the terribleness of the name, I couldn't really get into this story. Too much happened with too many characters in too few pages. I couldn't remember who I wanted to get the girl and who I didn't.
My only overall hesitation, as with most short stories, is that they felt so rushed. Four out of the five stories felt like too much happened in a few pages. I find this to be the case with most short romances, but they are still a challenge to fully enjoy.
October 30, 2014
A Timeless Romance Anthology: Silver Bells,
These short stories are a quick and easy read. Each wonderful story was set in a different time in history and made you feel what it might be like at that time.
Fairy Christmas 1767 by Lucinda Brant; I fell in love with Kitty in the first chapter. Her thoughts where real but with a surprise twist. Loved her aunt and the secret she held. Now I know what a Yule Log is!!
A Christmas Promise Late 1820's by Sarah Eden; “Old Tom” tells a love story set in Ireland. Sean gets lost on a cold and rainy night and that’s where the unknown romance begins. Maeve’s brothers are the typical brother’s with their teasing. I almost felt sorry for Sean. ”Old Tom” gives this story a surprise ending.
Twelve Months 1907. by Heather Moore; Will has a strange request to ask of his friend and one time partner in a law firm, Lucien before he dies. As the story unfolds after Will’s death, Lucien learns of his friend’s marriage through the eyes of Cora his widow. Will Lucien be able to carry out his friend’s last wish?
A Fezziwig Christmas 1790 by LuAnn Brobst Staheli; Dick is falling for the beautiful young lady Pricilla Fezziwig his bosses daughter. As he and his coworker and friend Ebenezer Scrooge (yes Ebenezer Scrooge ) help get ready for the big Christmas Eve dance they talk about Mr. Fezziwig two daughters. Ebenezer wanting to ask for one of his daughter’s hand in marriage while Dick, wants to ask to court the beautiful Pricilla. But one thing is standing in his way.
A Taste of Home 1913 by Annette Lyon; Claire Jennings is heading home for Christmas with her long time menace Will. Both are traveling from California to Utah. As she travels with him she sees how handsome he has become but the memories of the teasing keeps getting in the way. As they reach Utah Claire gets a note that her brother has the measles and the family is quarantined. Will tries to make it a Merry Christmas for her and show her the sights of Salt Lake.
My Modern Girl 1924 by Becca Wilhite; I really loved this story. I’ve always wondered what the 20’s were like. I found this story humorous because of how “modern” she wanted to be. (compared to the 60’s when I grew up) A small town girl Margie leaves her boyfriend Henry, to go to the big city. New York. She lands a job at Macy’s and Macy’s first Thanksgiving Day parade.
These short stories are a quick and easy read. Each wonderful story was set in a different time in history and made you feel what it might be like at that time.
Fairy Christmas 1767 by Lucinda Brant; I fell in love with Kitty in the first chapter. Her thoughts where real but with a surprise twist. Loved her aunt and the secret she held. Now I know what a Yule Log is!!
A Christmas Promise Late 1820's by Sarah Eden; “Old Tom” tells a love story set in Ireland. Sean gets lost on a cold and rainy night and that’s where the unknown romance begins. Maeve’s brothers are the typical brother’s with their teasing. I almost felt sorry for Sean. ”Old Tom” gives this story a surprise ending.
Twelve Months 1907. by Heather Moore; Will has a strange request to ask of his friend and one time partner in a law firm, Lucien before he dies. As the story unfolds after Will’s death, Lucien learns of his friend’s marriage through the eyes of Cora his widow. Will Lucien be able to carry out his friend’s last wish?
A Fezziwig Christmas 1790 by LuAnn Brobst Staheli; Dick is falling for the beautiful young lady Pricilla Fezziwig his bosses daughter. As he and his coworker and friend Ebenezer Scrooge (yes Ebenezer Scrooge ) help get ready for the big Christmas Eve dance they talk about Mr. Fezziwig two daughters. Ebenezer wanting to ask for one of his daughter’s hand in marriage while Dick, wants to ask to court the beautiful Pricilla. But one thing is standing in his way.
A Taste of Home 1913 by Annette Lyon; Claire Jennings is heading home for Christmas with her long time menace Will. Both are traveling from California to Utah. As she travels with him she sees how handsome he has become but the memories of the teasing keeps getting in the way. As they reach Utah Claire gets a note that her brother has the measles and the family is quarantined. Will tries to make it a Merry Christmas for her and show her the sights of Salt Lake.
My Modern Girl 1924 by Becca Wilhite; I really loved this story. I’ve always wondered what the 20’s were like. I found this story humorous because of how “modern” she wanted to be. (compared to the 60’s when I grew up) A small town girl Margie leaves her boyfriend Henry, to go to the big city. New York. She lands a job at Macy’s and Macy’s first Thanksgiving Day parade.
October 31, 2014
This was a charming collection of Christmas novellas. I loved it!
I was charmed by the first novella, Lucinda Brant’s FAIRY CHRISTMAS. I enjoyed the warmth of the relationship between Kitty and Tom and also the sweet surprise of love between the elderly couple.
I really enjoyed the second novella, A CHRISTMAS PROMISE by Sarah M. Eden. A fun little story about an Irish lass and the man that stumbled onto her property and into her heart.
The next novella was Heather B. Moore’s enchanting novella, TWELVE MONTHS. I loved the loyalty and dedication with which Lucien watches over his best friend's widow and unborn child and the sweet story of how they fall in love.
I wasn't as enamored with the fourth novella, Lu Ann Staheli’s A FEZZIWIG CHRISTMAS. It wasn't a bad story or writing, I just wasn't interested in a story about a young Ebeneezer Scrooge and his friend Dick.
The fifth novella was a sweet story. A TASTE OF HOME by Annette Lyon. Claire Jennings finds out there's more to her childhood nemesis, William Rhodes, than she thought. As they spend the holiday together he proves he's now a grown man willing to do anything to prove his love.
The sixth novella was sweet but also not a favorite. MY MODERN GIRL by Becca Wilhite. Margie lands her dream job as a clerk at Macy’s department store in New York City leaving her coal working beau Henry back home. She comes to realize that he means more to her than she thought and reunites with him at Christmas.
*I received an eBook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I was charmed by the first novella, Lucinda Brant’s FAIRY CHRISTMAS. I enjoyed the warmth of the relationship between Kitty and Tom and also the sweet surprise of love between the elderly couple.
I really enjoyed the second novella, A CHRISTMAS PROMISE by Sarah M. Eden. A fun little story about an Irish lass and the man that stumbled onto her property and into her heart.
The next novella was Heather B. Moore’s enchanting novella, TWELVE MONTHS. I loved the loyalty and dedication with which Lucien watches over his best friend's widow and unborn child and the sweet story of how they fall in love.
I wasn't as enamored with the fourth novella, Lu Ann Staheli’s A FEZZIWIG CHRISTMAS. It wasn't a bad story or writing, I just wasn't interested in a story about a young Ebeneezer Scrooge and his friend Dick.
The fifth novella was a sweet story. A TASTE OF HOME by Annette Lyon. Claire Jennings finds out there's more to her childhood nemesis, William Rhodes, than she thought. As they spend the holiday together he proves he's now a grown man willing to do anything to prove his love.
The sixth novella was sweet but also not a favorite. MY MODERN GIRL by Becca Wilhite. Margie lands her dream job as a clerk at Macy’s department store in New York City leaving her coal working beau Henry back home. She comes to realize that he means more to her than she thought and reunites with him at Christmas.
*I received an eBook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
October 16, 2014
4 STARS
This is a sweet romantic collection of six novellas. They are all around Christmas. They are different stories set in diverse settings. I have read books by a few of the authors but a couple I have never heard of before. I would read books by any of them in the future.
I can't decide which one was my favorite. The Fairy Christmas has some sweet characters and a couple of romances.
A Taste of Home the setting was Salt Lake City which was a familiar setting to me. The character was stuck not being able to go home after traveling along time by train because her family was under quarantine with measles.
I guess a Christmas Promise I would have to say I enjoyed the most. Lots of teasing bantering between different characters.
Each story was a clean read. Each Christmas was different. I wish they were longer stories. I would like to read more from these authors in the future.
I was given this ebook to read so I could give a honest review of A Timeless Romance Anthology: Silver Bells
This is a sweet romantic collection of six novellas. They are all around Christmas. They are different stories set in diverse settings. I have read books by a few of the authors but a couple I have never heard of before. I would read books by any of them in the future.
I can't decide which one was my favorite. The Fairy Christmas has some sweet characters and a couple of romances.
A Taste of Home the setting was Salt Lake City which was a familiar setting to me. The character was stuck not being able to go home after traveling along time by train because her family was under quarantine with measles.
I guess a Christmas Promise I would have to say I enjoyed the most. Lots of teasing bantering between different characters.
Each story was a clean read. Each Christmas was different. I wish they were longer stories. I would like to read more from these authors in the future.
I was given this ebook to read so I could give a honest review of A Timeless Romance Anthology: Silver Bells
December 17, 2015
1.5 * Fairy Christmas by Lucinda Brant - Sorry to say but the majority of the story was about her older aunt finding love, rather than Kitty and Tom...they agree to write at the end...no romance at all really...feeling rather blah right now. Hopefully Sarah can make up for it.
4* A Christmas Promise by Sarah Eden - Sweet and cute. Thought the little insights into men\women\ the Irish were clever and entertaining.
3* Twelve Months by Heather Moore - Just ok for me, didn't love all the talk about her husband's mistresses, and women before hand...
1.5* A Fezziwig Christmas by Lu Ann Staheli - Not much meat in this story for me, That's the problem with novellas, you either kill it or it's lacking a lot. Says the "a" word once.
5* A Taste of Home by Annette Lyon - Loved it, so cute!!! Best of the bunch
3* My Modern Girl by Becca White - Wished there had been more romance in it.
4* A Christmas Promise by Sarah Eden - Sweet and cute. Thought the little insights into men\women\ the Irish were clever and entertaining.
3* Twelve Months by Heather Moore - Just ok for me, didn't love all the talk about her husband's mistresses, and women before hand...
1.5* A Fezziwig Christmas by Lu Ann Staheli - Not much meat in this story for me, That's the problem with novellas, you either kill it or it's lacking a lot. Says the "a" word once.
5* A Taste of Home by Annette Lyon - Loved it, so cute!!! Best of the bunch
3* My Modern Girl by Becca White - Wished there had been more romance in it.
October 25, 2014
*I received an e-book copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
I love the Timeless Romance Anthologies! I was excited for the opportunity to read and review this book. Silver Bells did not disappoint!
All of the romances were clean and shared the theme of Christmas. Also all of the novellas were ‘historical’ romances ranging from the 1700s to the 20s, and I feel like that added an interesting element to the collection. My favorite stories were the ones by Sarah Eden, Heather Moore, and Annette Lyon. The relationships in these novellas were sweet and the writing was great. I did enjoy ALL of the stories though. They were all well written and each one had something fun and interesting woven into the story. I would highly recommend this anthology to anyone who enjoys a fun, clean romance. I would also recommend the other books in the Timeless Romance Anthology collection if you enjoy this book!
I love the Timeless Romance Anthologies! I was excited for the opportunity to read and review this book. Silver Bells did not disappoint!
All of the romances were clean and shared the theme of Christmas. Also all of the novellas were ‘historical’ romances ranging from the 1700s to the 20s, and I feel like that added an interesting element to the collection. My favorite stories were the ones by Sarah Eden, Heather Moore, and Annette Lyon. The relationships in these novellas were sweet and the writing was great. I did enjoy ALL of the stories though. They were all well written and each one had something fun and interesting woven into the story. I would highly recommend this anthology to anyone who enjoys a fun, clean romance. I would also recommend the other books in the Timeless Romance Anthology collection if you enjoy this book!
October 21, 2014
This is a lovely collection of stories.
I loved every single one of them.
They are historical romance stories but the time setting varied from way back in the 1700s to up in the 1920s.
All of the stories have something to go with Christmas, which is really the perfect time for a romance anyway.
My favorite was a story about the follow who was friends with Ebenezer Scrooge (before he became the bitter miser), and fell in love with Fezziwigs daughter.
Reading the stories in this anthology will help you get in the Christmas spirit for sure.
They certainly made my day.
I loved every single one of them.
They are historical romance stories but the time setting varied from way back in the 1700s to up in the 1920s.
All of the stories have something to go with Christmas, which is really the perfect time for a romance anyway.
My favorite was a story about the follow who was friends with Ebenezer Scrooge (before he became the bitter miser), and fell in love with Fezziwigs daughter.
Reading the stories in this anthology will help you get in the Christmas spirit for sure.
They certainly made my day.
November 4, 2014
Silver Bells is a collection of 6 historical Christmas Stories. These include:
A Fairy Christmas by Lucinda Brant
A Christmas Promise by Sarah M Eden
Twelve Months by Heather B Moore
A Fezzwig Christmas by Lu Ann Brobst Staheli
A Taste of Home by Annette Lyon
My Modern Girl by Becca Wilhite
The stories are sweet, clean and romantic. I enjoyed every one of them. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the Irish take, a Christmas Promise.
I love the stories and they are definitely a must read for the Christmas season.
Five stars
A Fairy Christmas by Lucinda Brant
A Christmas Promise by Sarah M Eden
Twelve Months by Heather B Moore
A Fezzwig Christmas by Lu Ann Brobst Staheli
A Taste of Home by Annette Lyon
My Modern Girl by Becca Wilhite
The stories are sweet, clean and romantic. I enjoyed every one of them. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the Irish take, a Christmas Promise.
I love the stories and they are definitely a must read for the Christmas season.
Five stars
November 1, 2014
Another great Anthology. I love these collections. See entire review on blog.
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June 19, 2021
A Fairy Christmas by Lucinda Brant - 2 stars....There was so much going on that I was very confused. Also there was a lot of dialogue that only made the story drag.
A Christmas Promise by Sarah M. Eden - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5 stars....I was blown away by the writing style and the animated way in which the story was told (Btw, amazing audio) The narration was so engaging that I felt as though I was part of the story/as if it was being told to me directly from Old Tom. It was funny, wistful and had a healthy dose of obvious exaggeration. 😂 I loved every minute of it and adored the character’s quick wit and sense of humor.
Favorite Quote:
Sean continued on for a full Irish mile, a distance far shorter than an actual mile but long enough for calling it a mile when sharing the story later and wishing to make things sound more desperate than they truly were.
Twelve Months by Heather B. Moore - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4 stars....Another lovely story. Lucien and Cora were sweet characters and I enjoyed their HEA 😍
A Fezziwig Christmas by Lu Ann Brobst Staheli - 2 stars....Quick, light and fluffy. Pricilla’s unwanted suitor was overly dramatic and critical at the end, which was completely unnecessary and out of character for that time period. It just seemed like the author’s weak attempt to ensure that Cilla liked Dick instead.
A Taste of Home by Annette Lyon - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4 stars....Another super sweet read. Will was a darling and I adored both him and Claire.
My Modern Girl by Becca Wilhite - 1 star....I disliked how Margie treated Henry and her thoughts showed that she looked down on him. She was selfish, immature and wasn’t very smart. Honestly, Henry would have done better without her. Margie didn’t deserve sweet Henry. 🤷🏽♀️
Content: Squeaky clean.
A Christmas Promise by Sarah M. Eden - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5 stars....I was blown away by the writing style and the animated way in which the story was told (Btw, amazing audio) The narration was so engaging that I felt as though I was part of the story/as if it was being told to me directly from Old Tom. It was funny, wistful and had a healthy dose of obvious exaggeration. 😂 I loved every minute of it and adored the character’s quick wit and sense of humor.
Favorite Quote:
Sean continued on for a full Irish mile, a distance far shorter than an actual mile but long enough for calling it a mile when sharing the story later and wishing to make things sound more desperate than they truly were.
Twelve Months by Heather B. Moore - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4 stars....Another lovely story. Lucien and Cora were sweet characters and I enjoyed their HEA 😍
A Fezziwig Christmas by Lu Ann Brobst Staheli - 2 stars....Quick, light and fluffy. Pricilla’s unwanted suitor was overly dramatic and critical at the end, which was completely unnecessary and out of character for that time period. It just seemed like the author’s weak attempt to ensure that Cilla liked Dick instead.
A Taste of Home by Annette Lyon - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4 stars....Another super sweet read. Will was a darling and I adored both him and Claire.
My Modern Girl by Becca Wilhite - 1 star....I disliked how Margie treated Henry and her thoughts showed that she looked down on him. She was selfish, immature and wasn’t very smart. Honestly, Henry would have done better without her. Margie didn’t deserve sweet Henry. 🤷🏽♀️
Content: Squeaky clean.
January 28, 2022
My favorite of these six stories was Heather Moore's Twelve Months. Unfortunately, I found these stories to be somewhat of a hit and miss, hence the three star rating. There were two that I didn't like at all. It's hard to enjoy a story when the leading ladies are spoiled brats whom you don't even feel like deserve to be with the men who are pining over them. I felt like if the men knew what was going on in the ladies' minds, they may not have been so anxious to be with them. That's the only problem with these collections of novellas - some of the stories I love and others....not so much.
December 18, 2021
Cute collection of Christmas themed novellas. I enjoyed this set!
November 10, 2014
FAIRY CHRISTMAS. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Kitty and Allenby were sweet characters, but the part that surprised me the most was the other romance that took place in the story. I was focused on Kitty and her attempt to get Mr. Allenby to propose that I didn't realize that the other romance was happening although there are hints that point in that direction. This is the kind of short story that I enjoy, with enough conflict to create a plot, but the emphasis is on the characters.
A CHRISTMAS PROMISE. The details in this story about Ireland and the Irish I found quite amusing. I found myself laughing out loud at several points in the story. I also loved Sean and Maeve as they met and fell in love. The part where Sean gets stuck in the mud and meets Maeve and her large Irish wolfhounds entertained me very much. But the ending I found especially pleasing as it showcases the strength of a solid relationship that goes beyond just being in love, but true trust and commitment.
TWELVE MONTHS: Cory and Lucien both won me over immediately. Sweet Cory who lost both her fiance and now her husband, who also had to live with knowing her husband was unfaithful to her and is reluctant to believe in a good love again. Lucien, whose best friend was Cory's husband, is used to covering for Will but to marry his wife? He's uncertain at first until he starts to get to know her and realizes how great she is and how much he likes her. I especially enjoyed the musical parts where they played for each other.
A FEZZIWIG CHRISTMAS. This is an interesting take on Ebenezer Scrooge story with the main character actually being his friend, Dick Wilkins. Cilla is an interesting character as well as she looks forward to receiving suitors. And Dick being already smitten was cute as he tried to figure out the best way to approach her. The dance where Dick first becomes Cilla's rescuer is sweet as she seeks to avoid someone she discovers to her dismay is boring as all get out. It was kind of sad reading about Ebenezer proposing to Belle knowing what would happen later, but all in all a sweet story.
A TASTE OF HOME. The fun thing about this story was the way Claire started to see Will in a new way. After Will tormented her throughout her childhood she was reluctant to travel home to Utah with him, but it was better than traveling alone. When she discovers that she can't go home because her little brother has the measles she is devastated. Will decides this is his opportunity to show Claire how much he likes her by helping her face a lonely Christmas. I love the selfless gesture that Will makes to help a disappointed Claire enjoy Christmas.
MY MODERN GIRL. I think this one was my favorite of the six stories. I fell for Henry almost immediately. His willingness to let Margie go since that's what she wanted won me over as did his determination to prove to her his worthiness. And then as Margie slowly realized that while she loved certain things about the city, there were things about home she missed, including Henry. But the way Henry came through for her at the end really made me sigh happily. This is what a short story romance should be.
Overall a wonderful set of short stories that I thoroughly enjoyed.
A CHRISTMAS PROMISE. The details in this story about Ireland and the Irish I found quite amusing. I found myself laughing out loud at several points in the story. I also loved Sean and Maeve as they met and fell in love. The part where Sean gets stuck in the mud and meets Maeve and her large Irish wolfhounds entertained me very much. But the ending I found especially pleasing as it showcases the strength of a solid relationship that goes beyond just being in love, but true trust and commitment.
TWELVE MONTHS: Cory and Lucien both won me over immediately. Sweet Cory who lost both her fiance and now her husband, who also had to live with knowing her husband was unfaithful to her and is reluctant to believe in a good love again. Lucien, whose best friend was Cory's husband, is used to covering for Will but to marry his wife? He's uncertain at first until he starts to get to know her and realizes how great she is and how much he likes her. I especially enjoyed the musical parts where they played for each other.
A FEZZIWIG CHRISTMAS. This is an interesting take on Ebenezer Scrooge story with the main character actually being his friend, Dick Wilkins. Cilla is an interesting character as well as she looks forward to receiving suitors. And Dick being already smitten was cute as he tried to figure out the best way to approach her. The dance where Dick first becomes Cilla's rescuer is sweet as she seeks to avoid someone she discovers to her dismay is boring as all get out. It was kind of sad reading about Ebenezer proposing to Belle knowing what would happen later, but all in all a sweet story.
A TASTE OF HOME. The fun thing about this story was the way Claire started to see Will in a new way. After Will tormented her throughout her childhood she was reluctant to travel home to Utah with him, but it was better than traveling alone. When she discovers that she can't go home because her little brother has the measles she is devastated. Will decides this is his opportunity to show Claire how much he likes her by helping her face a lonely Christmas. I love the selfless gesture that Will makes to help a disappointed Claire enjoy Christmas.
MY MODERN GIRL. I think this one was my favorite of the six stories. I fell for Henry almost immediately. His willingness to let Margie go since that's what she wanted won me over as did his determination to prove to her his worthiness. And then as Margie slowly realized that while she loved certain things about the city, there were things about home she missed, including Henry. But the way Henry came through for her at the end really made me sigh happily. This is what a short story romance should be.
Overall a wonderful set of short stories that I thoroughly enjoyed.
October 28, 2014
Christmas is a time of miracles and a time of love. And when Six amazing authors join together, it becomes the perfect treat for the readers. These authors bring their short and romantic historical stories in “A Timeless Romance Anthology- Silver Bells”.
A Fairy Christmas (Lucinda Brant): England,1767. This story was a little slow for me, but overall had a very sweet and happy effect. I liked how Kitty is a hopeful person and her love for Tom Allenby is very sweet. They are smart and don’t rush things like many new-age couples and wait to understand each other first.
A Christmas Promise (Sarah M. Eden): Late 1820’s- This is one of my favorite story. I liked that Maeve, a sister of two annoying brothers, is an independent women with an air of authority and Sean and Maeve are perfect for each other, especially when they confess their love on Christmas. This story shows that how one mistake and a one wrong turn can completely change your life, especially when that change is good.
Twelve Months (Heather B. Moore): England, 1907-This was a beautiful story with the proof that miracles happen. After having bad luck twice in a love, Cora is not planning to fall in love again. But when her late husband’s best-friend Lucien cares for her and (for her husband’s last wish) proposes her, she was not expecting the love and a happy ending in her life. It’s a charming story that starts with being friends/companions and ending with the marriage.
A Fezziwig Christmas (LuAnn Brobst Staheli): London, 1790-For me, this book was a little frustrating. I liked the story but the heroine, Pricilla was a little slow to understand the love of Dick for her. I like how Dick even when being poor kept the hope that Pricilla will love him back until he got her and her parents’ permission to court her. Finally the end was happy and perfect.
A Taste of Home (Annette Lyon): 1913-This is the sweetest story of two childhood enemies becoming lovers when they get older. Due to some reasons, Claire and Will can’t go home and decide to spend the Christmas together. The efforts of Will to make Claire happy are very cute and make you wish you had someone like him, who would care for you and your wishes and make the Christmas day special.
My Modern Girl (Becca Wilhite): 1924-A beautiful story of a girl Margie, who is trying to fit in the modern city away from her family and friends, and her journey to the realization that she is in love with a man she left behind in her home town. The cute way they stay in touch with letters and how Henry is the perfect guy, she dreamt about. The sweet Christmas story including silver bulbs with heart shaped hooks.
Over all, it is a perfect Christmas package, with the best writers and amazing and enchanting stories to have on the Christmas Eve.
A Fairy Christmas (Lucinda Brant): England,1767. This story was a little slow for me, but overall had a very sweet and happy effect. I liked how Kitty is a hopeful person and her love for Tom Allenby is very sweet. They are smart and don’t rush things like many new-age couples and wait to understand each other first.
A Christmas Promise (Sarah M. Eden): Late 1820’s- This is one of my favorite story. I liked that Maeve, a sister of two annoying brothers, is an independent women with an air of authority and Sean and Maeve are perfect for each other, especially when they confess their love on Christmas. This story shows that how one mistake and a one wrong turn can completely change your life, especially when that change is good.
Twelve Months (Heather B. Moore): England, 1907-This was a beautiful story with the proof that miracles happen. After having bad luck twice in a love, Cora is not planning to fall in love again. But when her late husband’s best-friend Lucien cares for her and (for her husband’s last wish) proposes her, she was not expecting the love and a happy ending in her life. It’s a charming story that starts with being friends/companions and ending with the marriage.
A Fezziwig Christmas (LuAnn Brobst Staheli): London, 1790-For me, this book was a little frustrating. I liked the story but the heroine, Pricilla was a little slow to understand the love of Dick for her. I like how Dick even when being poor kept the hope that Pricilla will love him back until he got her and her parents’ permission to court her. Finally the end was happy and perfect.
A Taste of Home (Annette Lyon): 1913-This is the sweetest story of two childhood enemies becoming lovers when they get older. Due to some reasons, Claire and Will can’t go home and decide to spend the Christmas together. The efforts of Will to make Claire happy are very cute and make you wish you had someone like him, who would care for you and your wishes and make the Christmas day special.
My Modern Girl (Becca Wilhite): 1924-A beautiful story of a girl Margie, who is trying to fit in the modern city away from her family and friends, and her journey to the realization that she is in love with a man she left behind in her home town. The cute way they stay in touch with letters and how Henry is the perfect guy, she dreamt about. The sweet Christmas story including silver bulbs with heart shaped hooks.
Over all, it is a perfect Christmas package, with the best writers and amazing and enchanting stories to have on the Christmas Eve.
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