Review: TRA MAIL ORDER BRIDE COLLECTION

It's About: Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: Mail Order Bride Collection, now a USA TODAY Bestseller! Six historical romance novellas set in the Old West. 

Audience: Adult (Clean)
Genre: Romance, Historical, Novellas, Anthologies
Length: 322 pages

Rating: 4.5

Review: Another really great collection from the Timeless Romance Anthology ladies. This bestseller lived up to it's hype, for sure. One of my favorites was Kristan Holt's Wanted: Midwife Bride. Talk about a swoony hero! One of my favorite things about novellas is getting to see relationships mostly workout--those stories that can't become novels because there's not enough conflict...they become lovely novellas that I gobble up and enjoy the happiness of the whole thing. Wanted: Midwife Bride was one of those, with an understanding and gentle hero, and a heroine ready to find her place to fall. Another was Sarah Eden's, of course. It had such a great twist to it and was adorable. My honorable mention is for Annette Lyon's The Sound of Home, tender and sweet. All the novellas in this collection are so great.

Content:
Sex - 0
Violence - 0
Language - 0
Overall Rating - PG

Robyn Reviews: TAILOR MADE (The Royals of Monterra) by Annette Lyon

Book: The Royals of Monterra: Tailor Made

Author: Annette Lyon    

Two people. An impossible Task. A traitor in their midst.

Sofia’s mother desperately needs medicine, and Sofia will do anything to get it—including working for a month at the royal palace, where she'll knit silk stockings from sunup to sundown. Yet if she can do it, Sofia will have the ability to get the medicine her mother needs, with money to spare.

But Sofia’s safe world of knitting needles and thread is turned upside down when she finds herself in the middle of palace intrigue. Head tailor Antonio and Sofia uncover a plot to sabotage the royal wedding and plunge Monterra into war. As they work together to save their country, she can’t help falling in love with the unassuming and attractive head tailor, even though she knows she can’t have him. Her country and her family need her. As they race to stop the traitor, the battle in her heart intensifies, and she fears that the victor won’t be love.

Audience: Adult

Genre: Historical Fiction, Novella

Length: 90 pages

Rating: 5

Review

This was a very interesting story. I was intrigued when I read that it was part of a “kindle world” set in the fictional kingdom of Monterra. The story is about a tailor and his very talented helper, Sofia. There is intrigue and romance. The description of the Castle and surrounding lands is very detailed. It made me feel like I was right there. Annette is very good at drawing you into her stories. The characters are well thought out and you feel like you are part of the story. Sofia was innocent, yet very smart and bold. I really liked the Queen (she reminded me a little of Princess Grace of Monaco), even though her part in the book was quite small. She was kind and thoughtful towards those who served her. Antonio was the best hero, strong, yet gentle and caring. He wasn’t afraid of doing the right thing and standing up to the bullies. The love story was very sweet. Maybe there could have been a little bit more controversy with some of the other workers. Overall, though, I enjoyed the book and seeing the story unfold. It is a fun and enjoyable read. This will be a fun series to read and get to know other people in the Kingdom of Monterra. You can’t go wrong with Annette Lyon, she always has something good to read!

Content

Sex - 1-Some kissing

Violence - 0

Language - 0

Overall Content Rating - PG For more adult themes. It was perfectly clean and sweet.

Robyn Reviews: LOVE IS COME (Power of the Matchmaker) by Heather B. Moore

Title: Love is Come (Power of the Matchmaker)

Author: Heather B. Moore

From Amazon: 

From the Power of the Matchmaker series: LOVE IS COME

Nelle Thompson lives a life of privilege during the turn of the century New York City. When her parents are killed in a terrible accident, she’s forced to live with her aunt’s family in a small town in Connecticut, and treated as a poor relation with no financial independence. Broken hearted and riddled with insomnia, Nelle’s health begins a downward spiral. When a locked part of her heart blossoms around her cousin’s fiancé Mathew Janson, Nelle doesn’t know if she can endure one more heartbreak. Miss Pearl, owner of the local apothecary shop, becomes a mother figure to Nelle, but a fateful summer day has Nelle questioning everything she's ever believed and wondering if she’ll ever love again.

Audience: Adult (Clean)

Genre: Historical Romance

Length: 264 pages

Rating: 5

Review:  The Power of the Matchmaker series is lovely and fun. This book, Love is Come by Heather B Moore, live up to any expectations by this wonderful author! Historical Romance is one of my favorite genres. And Heather Moore is one of my favorite authors.

Nellie is a spoiled, yet sweet young girl. She is out to find her true love and thinks she has, when she is let down horribly by someone who is just after some kisses. When her parents are killed in an accident, she is sent off to live with her Aunt to await her inheritance. There she is treated as a maid and forced to fend for herself as much as possible. When she meets Pearl, she is shown how she can grasp her own happiness and Pearl teaches her how to see the good in others, despite their obvious differences and less than desirable qualities. Her relationship to Matthew, her cousin’s soon-to-be fiancé, is sweet and frustrating because it seems that both want to be together, but the cousin always stands in the way. I love the way Matthew treats her with respect and concern even when others think she is really crazy. I love Pearl. She tries so hard to push these two together, but they are determined to do the ‘right thing’ and stay away from each other. Through out it all, Nelle learns to love others and overcome the harshness with which she is treated and see the good in her Aunt and cousin. She is able to see beyond the surface. Matthew is an honorable, and lovable hero. He loves with all his heart.

If you are looking for good, clean romance with a little sass, you will love this book. There is sweet kissing and swoon worthy scenes that won’t embarrass you if your kids pick up this book :) I love that.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Content:

Sex - 1—some kissing

Violence - 0

Language - 0

Overall Content Rating -  PG (written for adult, has adult situation, but no sex or violence)

Robyn Reviews: SPRING IN HYDE PARK

Title: Spring in Hyde Park (Timeless Regency Collection, Book 3)                            

Author: Jennifer Moore, G. G. Vandagriff, Nichole Van

Book Description

From the publisher of the #1 Amazon bestselling A Timeless Romance Anthology series in Clean Romance. 

Join three bestselling Regency Romance authors, Jennifer Moore, G.G. Vandagriff, and Nichole Van, for three new novellas in SPRING IN HYDE PARK:

A HAPPY ACCIDENT by Jennifer Moore. Jonathan Burles father has just died, making him the new Marquess of Spencer and the most sought after bachelor in London. An unfortunate accident leads to a forced marriage to Maryann Croft, a young woman who possesses no title, and an unexpected secret. With the unstable beginning to their marriage, finding love together seems impossible.

THE DISDAINFUL DUKE by G. G. Vandagriff. Lady Saphronia Huffington has always thought of herself as plain next to the beauty of her sister, Lady Lavinia. So when her sister becomes engaged to Lord Gilbert Caldwell and Saphronia is paired for wedding events with his brother, the granite-faced Duke of Mayfield, who is known to prefer beauties, she sharpens her wit. Thus begins a lengthy sparring contest during which the Duke realizes Saphronia is anything but plain.

AN INVISIBLE HEIRESS by Nichole Van. Miss Belle Heartstone has everything money can buy—houses, servants, carriages, clothing, jewels. A husband, however, is proving much harder to, ehr . . . purchase. Colin Radcliffe, the newly minted Marquess of Blake, is in desperate need of funds—preferably of the wife-free variety. When circumstances draw the two together, Blake might be the only man able to see beyond the Belle’s outer façade, and fall in love with the woman inside.

Audience: Adult (Clean)

Genre: Regency Romance, Novellas, Anthologies

Length of Book: 261 pgs

Rating: 5

Review:

Let me just start out with “Awesome. Great. Just what I expected!” I am not disappointed in this collection. Regency is my favorite genre and these ladies are definitely on their game when it comes to writing regency romance. Jennifer Moore never disappoints, G.G. Vandagriff is on her game as usual and Nichole Van is an author I haven’t read yet and this novella was a great introduction for me. 

“A Happy Accident” by Jennifer Moore is a sweet story about misunderstandings. There is plenty of angst and fun, romantic moments. A forced marriage because of greed by a father results in a fun romance. There is also some thoughtful discourse on mental illness and the stigma of it during the regency period. I wish this could have been a full length novel so we could have delved deeper into some of the side stories. I really hope that Archie and Jane have a story and we get to read it. Maryann is a sweet girl who has everyone at her fingertips, but she has her secrets and Jonathon can't decide who she really is. It is a great story that gets you thinking and is really nice read for anyone!

“The Disdainful Duke” by G. G. Vandagriff is another great story about a girl who thinks she is plain, especially when compared to her younger sister. The Duke really just thinks she is a spinster and firmly on the shelf until she intrigues him because she gives him the brush off and speaks her mind to him. She lets him know what she thinks of him. She has surprises in store for him. The Duke never thinks to marry, but when he meets Saphronia, his heart makes a change. I really loved the way they interacted and overcame their differences. There were obviously misunderstandings and some sweet romantic moments. Very good reading for a nice or rainy spring evening!

“An Invisible Heiress” by Nichole Van is a delightful surprise. I was a little hesitant in the beginning but I was quickly drawn into the story. I loved how the Marquess couldn’t remember meeting Belle. I loved how he told her she was worth more than her money and she deserved love, then promptly ‘forgot’ about her. Belle’s deception was fun and real. I enjoyed how they came together and forgave each other for their supposed lies. I really liked how Colin fell in love with her before ‘remembering’ who she was. He then had to reconcile himself with her ‘deception’. I enjoyed this story a lot and look forward to reading more from Nichole Van.

Content

Sex - 0

Violence - 0

Language -  0

Overall Content Rating - PG Adult themes

Source: Review copy

Robyn Reviews: Timeless Regency Collection AUTUMN MASQUERADE by Josie S. Kilpack, Donna Hatch, Nancy Campbell Allen

Book Description:

A MERRY DANCE by Josi S. Kilpack. When Lila overhears her uncle talking about a man coming to look for property in the county, she doesn’t think twice, until her uncle says he hopes Lila will find enough interest to marry the man. How can she marry someone named Mortimer Luthford, not to mention that his advanced age of thirty-three, and especially since she’s already in love with her absent cousin Neville? But when Mortimer arrives, Lila has to try every trick known to women to act not interested in the rather fascinating man, which proves a very difficult façade to maintain.

UNMASKING THE DUKE by Donna Hatch. The last thing Hannah Palmer wants to do is flirt with men in a crowded ballroom, but when her sister throws a Masquerade Ball, Hannah can’t say no to the invitation and takes comfort behind a mask. She dances with a charming masked man, matching him wit for wit. When the glorious evening culminates in a kiss, and the two remove their masks, Hannah is horrified to discover the man she’s been flirting with all night is her most despised neighbor, the Duke of Suttenberg. No matter how charming the duke was at the ball, and how wonderful the kiss, he is the last man she’d ever accept.

WHAT’S IN A NAME by Nancy Campbell Allen. Penelope Timely has a terrible secret. She’s been writing letters to the Duke of Wilmington, pretending to be her ever-proper twin sister, Persephone. Now, the duke has written that he’ll be coming for the Autumn Masquerade Ball and Festival. Penelope will have to continue the charade while the duke is in town in order to protect her sister. The Duke of Wilmington isn’t fooled for a moment, but instead of confessing that he knows about the deception, he finds himself utterly charmed by Penelope and jumps into the game of deception to see how far the twin sisters will take it.

Audience: Adult

Genre: Clean historical romance

Length: 235 pages

Rating: 5

Review: This is another Timeless Romance winner! My favorite genre is historical/regency, so it's no surprise that I love this book! It's always fun when mishaps and intentions are misunderstood and the throw in masquerades and the fun and romance just begins.

It is said that eavesdroppers hear no good of themselves and the first story, A MERRY DANCE, by Josie S. Kilpack, starts out with an eavesdropper and Lila overhears something she doesn't want to hear. This is such a fun story about thinking you know exactly what you want and realizing that you didn't rally know! This story is fun, romantic and even has some hard choices to make. The characters are real and fun to get to know.

UNMASKING A DUKE, by Donna Hatch was so much fun. I really liked how she showed that sometimes we put on a mask and that isn't who we really are. Hannah and the Duke each have a mask, but they must learn to look beyond the mask and see who they really are. Lots of misunderstandings, romance and fun is to had while reading this story. I really like the supporting characters in this story, especially the Dukes mother. She's a sweetheart.

In Nancy Allen’s WHATS IN A NAME, two sisters have switched places and now they must pretend to be someone they are not. Penelope has been corresponding with The Duke of Wilmington using her sisters name, but now the duke has arrived and she must pretend to be her sister. She's afraid she will lose the man she has come to love when he finds out she has deceived him. However, the Duke is not fooled and the fun begins. There are swoon worthy moments, misunderstandings and a happily ever after.

Grab a cup of cocoa, a cozy blanket and curl up on the sofa and r eat these enchanting and enjoyable stories. You won't want to put them down!

Content:

Sex - 0

Violence - 0

Language - 0

Overall Content Rating - PG (Adult Themes)

Source: Review copy

Robyn Reviews: THE POWER OF THE MATCHMAKER by Heather B. Moore

Book Description

Mystical . . . Beautiful . . . Romantic . . .

Read the matchmaker’s story to find out where it all starts . . .

Mae Li has been in love with Chen Zhu for years, and he with her. But when the matchmaker arrives at the Zhu family home, she recommends another village girl for Chen.

Heartbroken, Mae Li watches as Chen does his duty by marrying another. Mae flees her village with the clothes on her back and her only possession—a pearl embedded comb, given to her as a goodbye gift from Chen Zhu.

Upon Mae’s arrival in Shanghai, she quickly learns that she’ll starve within days unless she sells her prized comb or joins a courtesan house. She goes to the Huangpu River and promises the River God that she’ll always be selfless if he will save her from becoming a prostitute . . . Her wish is granted when Ms. Tan, the matchmaker of Shanghai, finds Mae. But Mae must completely change her future and her name if she is to become the next matchmaker.

Audience: Adult

Genre: Romance

Length: 60 pgs

Rating: 5

Review: I was a little hesitant to read this book because I wasn’t sure I would like it. As it turns out, I liked it a lot. I’m glad I took the opportunity to read it.

I liked the idea that Mae Li had to sacrifice in order to be the person she was meant to be. I was a little disappointed in Chen Zhu that he didn’t sacrifice and go after Mae Li, but that would have negated the whole premise of the story! The choices Mae Li had to make helped her become who she is meant to be. I struggled with her and wanted things to be fixed and made right, but, of course, in order to become the Matchmaker, she had to suffer trials and make the ultimate sacrifice. I felt like the author was able to show us Mae Li’s feelings and I could imagine myself in her shoes. This novella is well written and makes me anxious to read the full length novels in this series. I think knowing the background of the Matchmaker will make the series that much more enjoyable. Can’t wait to read them!

Content:

Sex - 1 (Mention of prostitution as a choice to make a living)

Violence - 0

Language - 0

Overall Content Rating - PG (Intended for adults, includes adult situations)

Source: Review Copy

Robyn Reviews: TRA SARAH M. EDEN BRITISH ISLES COLLECTION by Sarah M. Eden

Book Description: 

The SARAH M. EDEN BRITISH ISLES COLLECTION contains two brand new historical romance novellas A FRIEND INDEED and A HAPPY BEGINNING, as well as four hand-picked readers’ and reviewers’ favorites of Sarah’s popular Timeless Romance Anthology novellas. Readers will love this selection of six historical romance novellas set in the British Isles.

Audience: Adult (Clean)

Genre: Historical Romance

Length: 272 pages

Rating: 5

Review: Sarah M. Eden is one of my most favorite authors! She is a gifted writer who involves you immediately in the story she is writing. Her characters are real and experience real life, just like we do. This collection has some of my favorites and a couple of new ones. I love them all. Sarah shows wit and charm in each of her stories. I just wish they were longer!

A FRIEND INDEED is a new story about Caroline and George. She is being ‘auctioned’ to be married to save her family from financial ruin. She is afraid that George, her lifelong friend is offering out of pity and it will ruin her friendship with him. Along the way there are the usual pitfalls and funny misconceptions, but Sarah manages to make them all seem just the thing.

A HAPPY BEGINNING is so much fun. I loved how Sophia and Dermot get to know each other and that Sophia is so brave and Dermot is the perfect hero. He is brooding and quiet, but definitely gets under Sophia’s skin and causes all sorts of misunderstandings. Dermot is a true hero and Sophia is strong and brave, but also very feminine. I loved this story.

ROAD TO CAVEN TOWN is and old but favorite story. Alice is in love with Isaac, but it takes him a while to figure out that he loves her too. I loved how this story tells us the true meaning of love. And the storytelling is just too good!

A CHRISTMAS PROMISE is another favorite (I favorite all of Sarah's books). I loved the mishaps and the joking with each other, but when it came right down to it, they both knew what was right. This was just a fun, fun story.

DREAM OF A GLORIOUS SEASON is a sweet story of figuring out which sister our hero, Julian really loves. Sarah always shows us what true love really looks like!

A LESSON IN LOVE was a story about a husband and wife who had to learn to listen to each other instead of everyone else. I enjoyed the misunderstandings, because they were real life and I could see my own relationship here. It was fun to watch them finally take matters into their own hands and listen to their hearts.

Sarah always provides fun, love, romance, and insight into the lives of those she writes about. Her characters truly come alive!

Content:

Sex - 0

Violence - 0

Language - 0

Overall Content Rating - PG

Source: Review Copy