Valentine's Day Collection (A Timeless Romance Anthology Book 19) by Janette Rallison, Heather B. Moore, Jenny Proctor, Annette Lyon, Heather Tullis, Sarah M. Eden

A BRUSH WITH THE LAW by Janette Rallison
Bethany has endured a streak of depressing Valentine’s Days. And this one is turning out no different. Her friend set her up on a blind date—and Bethany can only hope that James will be a decent guy. But it seems the fated day has other plans, and Bethany finds herself in the middle of a comedy of errors that make a blind date with a stranger the least of her problems.

EVERY OCCASION by Heather B. Moore
When Maurie moves back to her hometown to open up her dream shop, she calls a local construction crew for help. Former teenage crush Grant shows up on her front porch, answering the call for the construction job, and Maurie’s memories of her troubled childhood return with full force. When she discovers Grant has a troubled past of his own, Maurie realizes that she might have misjudged him all along.

HOLD YOUR BREATH by Jenny Proctor
As Kayla trains for the Olympic swimming trials, she vows to never let another boyfriend get in her way. When she finds out her younger sister’s new high school swim coach is Nate—the guy Kayla had a huge crush on when they were in school together—Kayla realizes that her resolve is weakening. But Kayla isn’t willing to risk giving up her Olympic dream for anyone, not even charming Nate.

THE ULTIMATE BACHELOR CHALLENGE by Annette Lyon
When Sam’s long-time boyfriend, Steve, texts that he has something important to ask her on Valentine’s Day, she’s sure that he’s going to propose. Determined to look great for the big day, she hits the all-night laundromat to wash her favorite outfit. When her clothes are chugging away in a machine, Steve calls and pops a question—not one she ever would have expected. Reeling with shock, she’s left facing the holiday alone, unless you count the other person at laundromat, a guy leaning against his own washer, intent on his phone.

DEAL BREAKERS by Heather Tullis
The last place Colette wants to be stranded is the snowed-in Denver airport, especially when her sister is enduring chemo treatments and needs Colette’s help back home. When Colette runs into another stranded passenger—none other than former college boyfriend Drew—she can’t believe how much he’s changed . . . and hasn’t changed. Drew is still the same amazing guy that Colette was foolish enough to blow off for someone else. By the time she’d realized her mistake all those years ago, Drew’s heart had been too broken to give her a second chance. Now Colette can only hope that she can work her way back into his heart.

HEY, HELEN! by Sarah M. Eden
On the surface, Helen seems to have her life figured out. Her advice column, Hey, Helen!, is gaining more readers every week. She regularly hangs out with the guy next door, laughing and chatting over pizza and work. But when her feelings for her handsome neighbor begin tiptoeing toward something more than friendship, Helen can’t help hoping Neil might feel the same way. Between her own uncertainties, his friend-zone treatment of her, and a pair of loudly interfering parents, Hey, Helen! could use a little advice in love.

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I love these Timeless Romance Anthology books.  They are so fun.  What could be better than a collection of romance books by your favorite authors?!  For me, not much.  😀

This collection includes six contemporary romance stories all revolving around Valentine's Day.  These surely are not your typical Valentine's Day romances.  They all have a sort of twisty element to add some smiles and fun.  I think my favorite was A Brush With the Law.  It had me shaking my head and cringing in embarrassment.  (I sure hope the author didn't draw off real life experiences for this story!)  It made me laugh though and I love that!

This is the perfect week to pick up this book.  You can read a story each day leading up to Valentine's Day or you can do a binge read, like me.  Either way is happy.

Content:  A few instances of mild swearing, some kissing but overall clean

- I received a copy of this book for free.  I was under no obligation to review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Falling for Sydney by Heather B. Moore

Sydney has been the perfect friend, the perfect daughter, and Rian checks off on her perfect fiancé list. But when Sydney notices a strange truck parked in her fiancé’s parking spot, she’s in for the surprise of her life. Not only is Rian not who she thought he was, but his brother Jake is about to turn her life upside down.

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I love Heather Moore.  I love her writing style and I love her books.  She is one of my favorite authors and I love reading and reviewing her books.

This book is the first book in Falling series.  It is a short story- only about 73 pages on my kindle.  The author does a good job of giving me a sense of knowing these characters in a short amount of time.  I felt like I understood Sydney, Rian and Jake and what they were about.  The scenes were so easy to picture in my mind.  It played out like a movie and I always love that!

This story did feel a bit rushed though.  It was hard for me to believe so many deep feelings could develop so quickly given the circumstances.  Attraction, yes.  Gratitude, yes.  Interest, yes.  But more than that?  In just a couple days?  I might have been able to believe it more if there hadn't been a declared love interest for Sydney already.  Yes, he's a lying lowlife, but she loved him.  Does that turn off and on so quickly?

Regardless of all that, I enjoyed this book.  The first sparks of attraction are always fun to read about.  Jake is such a good guy, I just couldn't help but love him.  I love the cover and I'm looking forward to the rest of the stories in this series.

Falling for Maria (coming February 2017)
Falling for June (coming Summer 2017)

Content:  a couple instances of swearing, kissing

- I received a copy of this book free from the author.  A favorable review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

A Timeless Romance Anthology: Road Trip Collection

Six new contemporary romance novellas:

WHAT FALLING FEELS LIKE by Jolene Betty Perry
High school was years ago, and Kendell is ready to admit that Tyler, her best friend’s younger brother, has matured into a good-looking man. But the once-popular Kendell is recovering from a marriage-gone-wrong, and she regrets turning Tyler down for high school prom. On their road trip to deliver a refurbished camper, Kendell rediscovers all the reasons she liked Tyler, but it might be too late to rekindle their friendship.

ANTIQUES ROAD TRIP by Sarah M. Eden
Kelsey is living out her dream for the weekend as she participates in a reality show contest by living on an 18th century film set. The contestant who wins the show receives a trip to England and $100k, more than enough to get her through grad school. When she meets Devon, who was coerced by his sister to participate, friendship blossoms. When things go wrong for Kelsey, Devon is there to help, and she soon realizes that winning the contest isn’t what she most desires.

WOULDN’T IT BE NICE by Ranee` S. Clark
When Jacqueline's boyfriend Colin drops out of their long-planned road trip with friends to put his job first—again—it's the final nail in the coffin of their dying relationship. But then Hudson, her best friend’s brother, takes Colin's spot for the road trip, and Jacqueline’s disappointment in her ex takes a back seat to the chance for reestablishing the close ties she once had with Hudson. When their friendship detours into romance, it forces Jacqueline to question her reasons for breaking up with Colin and her future with Hudson.

HEAD OVER HEELS by Annette Lyon
Tristan is proud to be an entrepreneur, running a popular singles’ lifestyle blog. So when she gets an offer to cover a singles convention in Las Vegas, she needs to find a way to get there from another freelance job in Salt Lake without breaking into her personal savings. Her friend sets her up with a co-worker who happens to be driving that way, and Tristan is more than surprised to come face-to-face with a man she has a lot in common with, not to mention seems to click with right away. The two decide to play a prank on Tristan’s friend, and pretend that they are smitten with each other, but soon, the lines between pretend and reality start to fade.

TWO DOZEN ROSES by Heather B. Moore
Dayna reluctantly takes time out of her busy work life to drive her mother up the Pacific Coast Highway from California to her brother’s home in Oregon. Strangely enough, they keep running into two brothers who are traveling the same route in honor of their sister’s memory. The older brother Garrett is a merciless flirt, but the younger brother Roman is who captures Dayna’s attention. Soon she realizes that the brothers are extremely competitive, and she’s just become their next target.

TRY, TRY AGAIN by Aubrey Mace
Sarah’s secret crush on Justin takes a sudden turn when he breaks up with his girlfriend and declares that he’s interested in Sarah. She believes he’s just on the rebound, and they slowly drift apart. Six months later, Sarah still can’t stop thinking about what might have been. She ropes her friend into taking a road trip to visit Justin, hoping for a second chance. When Justin sees her, he wants answers, and Sarah has to decide if she’s brave enough to finally tell him the truth.

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I always enjoy these Timeless Romance Anthologies but I especially liked this one.  Do I say that every time?  This was one of my favorites.  (I think I might say that every time as well)  These are some of my favorite authors and it's awesome having stories by them all in one place.  (I know I say that every time!)

The road trip theme is such a fun one.  I loved how each of these authors took it to a different place and in a different way.  Sarah Eden really knocked it out of the park with her take on the road trip theme.  So fun!  

All sweet romances.  All clean.  All will leave you with a smile in your heart and hopefully on your face as well!  I've got nothing but love for this collection!

Love is Come (Power of the Matchmaker) by Heather B. Moore

“I have to remind myself to breathe—almost to remind my heart to beat.” —Wuthering Heights

From the Power of the Matchmaker series:

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.

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I simply love this Power of the Matchmaker series.  Every month I get a new novel, by a different author, with one minor character as a common thread.  It's so fun.  Each novel can stand on it's own and is not dependent on the others.  The only thing you may want to read is the prequel novel, Power of the Matchmaker because it gives you the background on Pearl who is the common thread to all these novels.

I loved this book, Love is Come.  It was so gentle and it brought all kinds of feelings to my heart.  I just finished a book before this that was more aggressive and violent and so in contrast, this book felt so good.  I settled in right away and enjoyed the whole journey to love with Nelle.

Nelle is so sweet and kind.  I was drawn to her and I always wanted good things for her.  Even when her own heart is hurting, Nelle is kind.  That is a trait I find so admirable in people and something I wish to have more of myself.

This is a feel good book.  I could see it being a Hallmark movie!  I really enjoyed my time spent in the world of Nelle.

Content:  Clean 

The Mariposa Hotel (A Tangerine Street Romance) by Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson, Heather B. Moore

The Mariposa Hotel
A Tangerine Street Romance
(a novel in three parts)

Welcome to Tangerine Street

Tangerine Street is a must-see tourist stop with a colorful mix of one-of-a-kind boutiques, unique restaurants, eclectic museums, quaint bookstores, and exclusive bed-and-breakfasts. The Mariposa Hotel, a new resort, has revitalized Seashell Beach, bringing new life to the sleepy beach town. In the charming gardens of the hotel sits a three-hundred-year-old wishing well transported from Mexico. One toss of the coin, a sincere wish, and lives are changed forever…

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I really love this idea and this series.  This is the third installment in this Tangerine Street Romance series.  All three books revolve around different businesses on Tangerine street and each book has three different stories about three different people.  (The magic number today is three!)  One of the things I love is seeing places and people from previous books pop up in the stories.  It gives the books a feeling of community and familiarity to me as a reader.

I loved each one of these stories.  These authors are good at what they do and they make reading so enjoyable.  I immediately knew when I started Melanie Jacobson's story. Snappy dialogue is her trademark, I think.

The Mariposa Hotel came alive for me.  I could picture the people, the places, and the whole hotel vibe.  I enjoyed every minute I spent reading this book.  It was the perfect diversion for this cold winter day.

A Timeless Romance Anthology: Under the Mistletoe

Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: Under the Mistletoe Collection. Six contemporary novellas, all adding sweet romance to the Christmas season.

In the enchanting novella FORGOTTEN KISSES by Cindy Roland Anderson, costume designer Madison Taylor has no love lost when the male lead playing Sir Lancelot in a TV series is fired. She couldn’t stand working with him anyway. But when she discovers who his replacement is, her heart nearly stops. Caleb Matthews is one of the hottest male actors ever… and not to mention Madison’s former boyfriend. When things got too serious between them, everything fell apart. And now, Madison must play nice or lose her job. She just has to forget all of the reasons she’d fallen for him in the first place.

In THE LAST CHRISTMAS, a sweet romance novella by Annette Lyon, Meredith only has to make it through the Christmas holiday pretending that she and her husband Eric aren’t on the verge of divorce. She doesn’t want to ruin the holiday for her two grown daughters and their boyfriends. But when Eric hurries home after weeks of living in a motel to unpack before their daughters arrive, he starts pressing Meredith with questions about why she filed for divorce. The last thing Meredith wants to do it give Eric a second chance, but it seems that Eric is not willing to let her go without trying to win her back.

In Julie Coulter Bellon’s captivating novella TRUTH OR DARE After a year of recovery, wounded war veteran Jonah Harrison comes home for Christmas. No longer the outgoing high school track star, he just wants to be left alone, away from well-meaning friends and neighbors. But when a blizzard strands him with Cami Jackson—the girl who once knew him best—he can’t hide anything from her, no matter how much he wants to. Cami has a wounded heart of her own, though, and it might take a Christmas miracle for them to find the healing they both long for and the courage to reach for a chance at love.

In the charming novella HOLIDAY BUCKET LIST by Sarah M. Eden, Celeste Lagorio has officially given up on Christmas. A single mother, with her children grown and unable to return for the holiday, Celeste determines to take a break from everything. When her single neighbor and almost-best-friend, Mike Durham, discovers her non-plans, they discuss things they’ve always wanted to do, but never had time. Mike and Celeste put together a friendly competition of checking off the things on their bucket list, all the while drawing closer and discovering they have more in common than they thought.

In CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY, a delightful novella by Heather B. Moore, Monica is on the verge of buying her dream store, but when she tells her boyfriend, he turns it into an embarrassing public argument. Heartbroken, but determined to follow her dream, she goes to her employer’s Christmas party to play Mrs. Claus, only to be paired with someone unexpected. A young Mr. Claus who is the complete opposite of her ex-boyfriend in all the most important ways. Yet, Monica is not sure she can risk opening her heart again.

In Jennifer Griffith’s exciting novella FIRST (AND LAST) CHRISTMAS DATE, pilot Juliet Law has been in a holding pattern, dating the wrong guy, until she gets a holiday shake-up: old flame Tag McClintock e-mails her to ask for second date—after ten years. Their first date, back in high school, had been an unmitigated disaster culminating with Pepto Bismol and the police. Still, Juliet would have gone out with Tag again the next day—and the next—had he asked. So now that he’s finally popping up in her in-box again, Juliet must decide whether to say yes to the date, even if it puts her at risk of another decade of carrying a torch for Tag McClintock. Will their second date be their last?

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'Tis the season for some Christmas romance!  This Timeless Romance Collection is so appropriately named "Under the Mistletoe" and all these novellas capture that holiday romance perfectly.  I love these novella collections.  I have come to know what to expect of them and they just never disappoint.

So many of my favorite authors are represented in this collection.  I really can't call out a favorite here because each one of these stories made me happy.  In this collection you will find the rekindling of old flames, friends turning into more, and the butterflies of new love. This was such a fun collection and I read straight through them all.

This is the perfect book to curl up with this holiday season.  I loved it.

Power of the Matchmaker by Heather B. Moore

A prequel novella to the POWER OF THE MATCHMAKER Series
Mystical . . . Beautiful . . . Romantic . . .
12 novels by 12 bestselling authors
Released once a month in 2016
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.

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I am so excited about this upcoming series!  Oh, the anticipation.  One novel a month by so many of my very favorite authors?  Yes, please!  This one is going to be good, friends.

This novella is the prequel to this new series.  At about 60 pages, it gives us the background and making of Mae Li, the matchmaker.  Her story is one of sorrow, loss and heartbreak.  But, it is also a story of hope and love.  Mae is so sweet and innocent.  She has a heart full of love.  Her promise to be selfless in exchange for her life and her virtue is one she honors.  How can you not love Mae Li?

This prequel left me wanting more.  A lot more.  I'm really looking forward to reading the first official book in this series.  Ahh, I wish I could read them all now!  :)

Here is the lineup of authors:  Karey White, Rachael Anderson, Sheralyn Pratt, Jaima Fixsen, Kelly Oram, Heather B. Moore, Julie Wright, Heidi Ashworth, Taylor Dean, Michele Paige Holmes , Janette Rallison, and Regina Sirois.

Content:  Clean.  No swearing.  Some mentions of brothels and prostitution but nothing of consequence.

A Timeless Romance Anthology: All Hallow's Eve

Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: All Hallows’ Eve Collection. Three historical novellas and three contemporary novellas, all with romance, thrills, and chills. 

In Sarah M. Eden’s mysterious novella OF GHOSTS AND GARDENS, if Enid Pryce has one downfall, it’s that she talks to the ghost in her garden, which doesn’t make her too popular among society’s elite. In fact, she returns to her home in Wales after a Season in Bath with not one offer of marriage. Deeming herself a failure at the nearly-spinster age of nineteen, she is pleasantly surprised when an English gentleman shows up in her garden, apparently intent on finding out more about the ghost. Burke Kennard, grandson of an English marquess, quickly becomes utterly charmed by the young Welsh woman, but the ghost in the garden is more likely to push them apart than pull them together.

In Annette Lyon’s enthralling story IT’S YOU, when Charlie and Anna both see the ghost of Nanny Mae, they think they’re losing their minds. Anna tries to find out more about the ghost and uncovers a decades’ old family secret. One that separated two people in love. Now, the ghost of Nanny Mae must set her wrongs to right. As Charlie and Anna explore the past, and the truth of what happened, they discover that the mistakes of the past might lead to love of the future.

In SOPHIA’S CURSE, a suspenseful novella by Heather B. Moore, Joan grows up in an abbey in France, believing that she is an orphan. A chance encounter with the foreboding owner of a neighboring estate, alters everything she’s understood about her parents. She discovers she’s an integral part of changing a decades-old curse, and that her life, as well as the handsome and intriguing Simon Rousseau’s life, are both in danger unless she makes an enormous sacrifice that will change the course of her dreams. 

In Lisa Mangum’s haunting story THE SIRENS’ SONG, we meet recently widowed Oliver, the lead physician on a luxury cruise liner traveling to Greece. He hopes that the change of scenery will help ease his grief over his deceased wife, Cate. After falling overboard, though, he is captured by a siren and taken to a mystical island. Through the sirens' song, Oliver is able to relive his memories of Cate—both the good and the bad—as long as he gives away his memories of her. But can he sacrifice his best memory in exchange for one last chance to say good-bye?

In Jordan McCollum’s thrilling novella THE MAN OF HER DREAMS, homicide detective Alexandra Steen dreams about real murders before they happen, seeing the crime through the eyes of the killers. But the dreams never contain enough clues to save the victim before it's too late. Then one dream ends before a murder occurs—in a place she knows. She finds herself racing against time to prevent the deadly act, only to discover that the intended victim is a man she thought she’d never see again. Seven years might have passed since her breakup with Nick, but the years haven’t changed her feelings for him. Now, she must convince Nick that her dreams are real and find a way to prevent his death.

In Elana Johnson’s chilling story THE GHOST OF MILLHOUSE MANSION, Naomi knows her crush on Colt Jennings is unreasonable. When he invites her to his reclusive mansion to restore an old wooden rocking horse, Naomi can’t resist accepting the job. The more time Naomi spends touring his home, the more interested she becomes in Colt. Until she sees a man in the library who vanishes into thin air. She thinks she’s losing her mind until Colt tells her about the ghosts he’s been seeing for years.

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I've been reading these Timeless Romance Anthologies from the very beginning.  I pretty much love every one that comes out.  I love the authors and I love the varying themes.  In this collection, things get a little bit spooky.  (cue scary music)

The theme of this collection makes it different from all the others so far.  It was so fun and it kept my attention from beginning to end.  This is the perfect October/Halloween book to read, especially if you enjoy a bit of romance (all sweet) and maybe a bit of the paranormal to go with it.  There are ghosts, freaky sirens who steal memories and a girl that sees murders in her dreams.  Eek!

It was fun to see a few authors in here that don't usually show up in these anthologies as well as a few of my regular favorites.  What a great collection!  I loved them all.