Star of Wonder

by Jo Beverley, Tess Farraday, Alice Alfonsi

This holiday collection for the millennium offers joy, hope, and romance from writers Beverley, Alice Alfonsi, Tess Farraday, and Kate Freiman. On the very first Christmas, the Magi carried a beautiful star sapphire that has inspired an unusual legend. Each Christmas, as a new century is about to begin, the sapphire will mysteriously come into the possession of a woman in need of guidance and love.

Genres: Romance, Anthologies, Historical Romance, Christmas, Short Stories

362 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 1999

About the author

Mary Josephine Dunn was born 22 September 1947 in Lancashire, England, UK. At the age of eleven she went to an all-girls boarding school, Layton Hill Convent, Blackpool. At sixteen, she wrote her first romance, with a medieval setting, completed in installments in an exercise book. From 1966 to 1970, she obtained a degree in English history from Keele University in Staffordshire, where she met her future husband, Ken Beverley. After graduation, they married on June 24, 1971. She quickly attained a position as a youth employment officer until 1976, working first in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, and then in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire.

In 1976, her scientist husband was invited to do post-doctoral research at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. When her professional qualifications proved not to be usable in the Canadian labour market, she raised their two sons and started to write her first romances.

Moved to Ottawa, in 1985 she became a founding member of the Ottawa Romance Writers’ Association, that her “nurturing community” for the next twelve years. The same year, she completed a regency romance, but it was promptly rejected by a number of publishers, and she settled more earnestly to learning the craft. In 1988, it sold to Walker, and was published as "Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed". She regularly appears on bestseller lists including the USA Today overall bestseller list, the New York Times, and and the Publishers Weekly list. She has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Golden Leaf, the Award of Excellence, the National Readers Choice, and a two Career Achievement awards from Romantic Times. She is also a five time winner of the RITA, the top award of the Romance Writers Of America, and a member of their Hall of Fame and Honor Roll.

Jo Beverley passed away on May 23, 2016 after a long battle with cancer.

Reviews

[Christy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was not a huge fan of Jo Beverley's especially... I couldn't relate to any of these characters.

[Sandy Carmichael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do not know if the legend told in this book of Christmas stories is true or not but sure should be. Each story set in a different time but woven well together.

[Debby]

Four novellas all revolving around a beautiful star sapphire - supposedly worn by one of the Magi and touched by Christ. Each Christmas as a new century is about to begin, it magically appears - usually in a fish - and brings guidance and love.

Interesting premise and stories.

[Julee Johnson-Tate · Rating 2 out of 5]

wasn't that impressed by this anthology

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first three stories were some of the better stories I've ever read in a romance anthology (especially Jo Beverley's, as per usual). The fourth story was awful. Barely skimmed it.

[Tammy Raney · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting way of interpretation.