We all know Historical Romancelandia has a surfeit of dukes. However, never has that fact hit me so hard as while reading this anthology. The stories are set in different eras (the earliest is Georgian, the last is late Victorian), but it’s not the idea that these dukes might exist simultaneously that causes the problem….
I know – it feels a little bit early to be talking about Christmas, especially after the year we’ve all suffered through. A charity collection of romantic comedy novellas sold to benefit The Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation, Jingle Balls combines a number of fun novellas from a bunch of talented authors into one hefty (800…
Normally, I find a wide range of quality in an anthology. Tudor Christmas Tidings, however, is consistent from start to finish. That’s great for the strengths – every novella in this anthology has a wonderful sense of setting, with well-integrated historical figures. However, the main weakness of inadequately-developed romances is present in every story as…
The Deadly Hours is a multi-author anthology featuring four new historical novellas which revolve around a watch known as La Sirène. The timepiece, made from gold stolen from a church during a deadly raid, is said to be cursed as a result of the bloodshed surrounding it. But is the artifact truly to blame for…
Nothing gives you instant gratification like reading a short story anthology. One hour and – boom! – you’ve already finished a book! No need to tell others it was only sixty-two pages, natch! Beach Hut Surprise Anthology by Louise Allen, Lesley Cookman, Liz Fielding, Joanna Maitland, Sarah Mallory and Sophie Weston is great place to…
Working Stiffs : An m/m vampire charity romance anthology is a collection of thirteen short stories and novellas, and proceeds from sales will go to the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. I generally find anthologies to be a mixed bag and that’s true of Working Stiffs; given there are thirteen stories, I’m going…
For my December TBR Challenge, I dug into my stash of holiday anthologies and picked out a Christmas historical anthology from 2009. With one Western romance and one Americana romance, I was hopeful for a little holiday cheer. As it turns out, one story delivered and the other really did not. The first novella, Janet…
This is a curious anthology because while two of the stories are Kelly’s usual fare, one is happy-ending fiction rather than a romance, and the other is a reprint of the novella which introduced Able Six, an eidetic genius very unlike Kelly’s general ordinary-folk protagonists. Boxing the Compass: A (NB: fiction) Captain Paul Fergusson is…
Love and Other Perils is a light-hearted pair of romances that will especially appeal to cat lovers. These novellas also make a good introduction to the work of the authors, if you’re not already familiar with them. Lieutenant Mayhew’s Catastrophes by Emily Larkin Grade: B- Sensuality Rating: Warm Miss Wilhelmina (Willie) Culpepper is on a…
Seduction on a Snowy Night contains three novellas by some of the best known writers of Historical Romance – Madeline Hunter, Sabrina Jeffries, and Mary Jo Putney. Sadly, only one of the stories is worthy of recommendation. A Christmas Abduction by Madeline Hunter Grade: B Sensuality: Warm This story was my favorite. Caroline Dunham is…
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