"Light, Fluffy and Warmly Satisfying Holiday Anthology"
SEASONS OF ROMANCE is a perfect read for a cold, lazy
evening. With five peaceful, softly romantic stories of
holiday love, this anthology is perfect for curling up with
on the couch -- thank goodness that it is offered in lots
of portable formats -- but even those stuck at the computer
can enjoy this sweet collection of stories. FALL MAGIC -- Pamela Johnson
Sabrina DuChien was taking her nephew through a haunted
house when she met Reese. As he was coming at her with a
buzzing chainsaw at the time, she felt no compunction when
she tossed him over her shoulder and onto his back. Reese,
however, was a little perturbed by the circumstance. She
never expected to meet him that evening at a charity
auction, where he was up on the auction block.... Set near Halloween, FALL MAGIC is a sweetly rewarding short
story about how a person can find his or her mate under any
circumstances. Johnson's trademark everyday characters (no
over-the-top heroes here, folks!) are comfortingly amiliar,
and the only less than totally pleasant part to the story
is the fact that the characters spend the entire story
lying to each other. Reese and Sabrina do, nevertheless,
manage to connect -- truthfully -- in the end. THE MASQUERADE -- Sher Hames Torres
Paige Wilkins hadn't been on a date in a year and a half,
and her best friend Eden was determined to put a stop to
it! Paige didn't really care (she was still carrying a
torch for the man who left her -- choosing his career over
the woman who loved him) but for Eden she'd do anything.
She agreed to attend the big Halloween Ball, and met a
handsome, suave and captivating man who was somehow
familiar.... THE MASQUERADE is really a story of redemption. Of making
amends and admitting you're wrong. Unfortunately, the
characters aren't quite sympathetic enough to pull off the
near- angst necessary to lift this story past "okay." They
are simply not likeable enough! While the lush descriptions
of the ball, the chemistry between the characters, and the
fairy-tale-like plot are wonderful, the characters
individual actions left a bad taste in this reviewer's
mouth. GAMBLE OF LOVE -- Elaine Hopper
Jenny Profitt was alone in the world. Her mother had just
died, leaving behind one request. Still an obedient
daughter, Jenny immediately headed for Kentucky to meet
relatives she didn't know she had. On the way, a terrible
accident catapulted her into the past where she met
Zachariah "Black Jack" Roy, (who she found instantly
attractive) and her slimy great-great-uncle Uriah, who
wanted to claim her as his own. GAMBLE OF LOVE is this anthology's gift to paranormal
romance readers. The story features a spunky heroine, a
darkly gentle hero, and a whole host of interesting
relatives. Jenny really shines as she adapts to the new
time she finds herself in, deciphering her 'mission' and
still romancing the alluring Black Jack Roy. Thank goodness
Jenny's not the type to blather endlessly about the
impossibility of time travel! GAMBLE even wraps up nicely,
considering its limited length. The mention of Thanksgiving
is, however, little more than window-dressing in the story.
Window-dressing aside, GAMBLE is a heart-warming, fast-
moving short story that any Time Travel Romance fan is sure
to enjoy. NAUGHTY OR NICE -- Ruth D. Kerce
Kayla had always hated Christmas. The only memories she had
of the holiday were painful and lonely. The only reason she
even went through the motions of celebration were to please
her best friend Kirk -- the man she'd secretly loved for
years. Kayla had finally decided to do something about her
not-quite-there romance with Kirk however, and this
Christmas was going to be memorable indeed! As a reader with a soft spot for "best friend" romances,
NAUGHTY OR NICE sure hit the spot! The characterization is
good, and you can feel the attraction between Kayla and
Kirk. While it wasn't an earth-shattering read, it was the
down-homey enjoyable sort of tale that makes Christmas
reads so fun. A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS -- Su Kopil
Celia Stanton was a governess at an orphanage when she was
informed that she was going to travel to Silver Springs,
Arizona. She was to accompany one of the boys -- Johnathan
Kimball -- to meet a friend of his parent's (Nathan
Clemens) who may want to keep him. Though reluctant, she
went, and met a man who needed her just as much as
Johnathan needed him. Kopil offers the only straight historical story in the
entire anthology. Set in the late 1800's, A HOME FOR THE
HOLIDAYS does give the reader a sense of the 'old west.'
Though the story revolves around the twisted web of
Johnathan's relationship with Nate, Celia still comes
across as vibrant and caring. She's not very spirited, but
her lack of aggression and rebellion accentuate the
setting, making it more authentic in the details. Reviewed by Ann Leveille
Posted March 3, 2003
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted November 19, 2006
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