A Timeless Romance Anthology: Silver Bells Collection (A Timeless Romance Anthology) - Review

pic and descriptions taken from Goodreads

DESCRIPTIONS - REVIEW / THOUGHTS:

Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: Silver Bells. Readers will love this collection of six historical novellas, all centered around the Christmas season with one thing in common: Romance.

In NY Times & USA Today’s bestselling author Lucinda Brant’s delightful novella,

FAIRY CHRISTMAS, Kitty Aldershot is orphaned and forced to live on others’ charity. Offered a home under the generous roof of her relatives, the Earl of Salt Hendon and his countess, Kitty wants for nothing, not even the affections of Mr. Tom Allenby. But when Kitty stumbles across a letter written by Lady Caroline that reveals how Mr. Allenby would be ruined should he marry the likes of Kitty, she realizes she has been fooling herself all along. Kitty’s world crumbles around her as she recognizes she will forever be alone with no prospects at all.

My Thoughts on FAIRY CHRISTMAS:

This one I have to say wasn't my favorite.  It was good, but just not as good as some of the others in the anthology.

Kitty was a great character, I just wish she didn't just assume things.  When she finds a letter written on the pack of a picture she thinks its about her, and is devastated.  She wants the affection of Mr. Allenby, but the letter says she will ruin him.  How the story unfolds is actually quite entertaining if I do say so my self ;).  

It's a sweet romance.  Quick and fun.  I just didn't get as attached to the characters in this one.

My Rating:

Sarah M. Eden’s charming romance novella A CHRISTMAS PROMISE, Sean Kirkpatrick is trying to get to his new place of employment, Kilkenny Castle, in order to start as the new stablehand. His only requirement is to drive a team of high-spirited nags from Dublin to Kilkenny in a certain amount of time. Unfortunately he winds up in a muddy field, stuck, lost, and running out of time. He’s about to lose the job before he can prove himself capable of finishing his first assignment. When Maeve Butler arrives on the scene, Sean isn’t sure if she’s intent on rescuing him or bent on torturing him with her fiery wit and lovely dark eyes.

My Thoughts on A CHRISTMAS PROMISE

Well I knew right off hand this one would be awesome.  Sarah M. Eden is one of my favorite authors of all time.  Her writing is beautiful, and I LOVE the Irish setting!

When Sean Kirkpatrick runs across Maeve for the first time, he is a little frightened.  He was faced with her larger than life dogs wanting to take a bite out of him.  Sean was on his way to his new job, and got lost.  His cart got stuck in the mud and when he went for help he found dogs instead.

Maeve's sense of humor is AWESOME!  Her and her brothers actually.  They cracked me up the whole time.  They were such great characters.  I love that I got so attached so quickly in such a short time. 

The romance that blossoms is so fun, and so cute!  I love historical settings!

My Rating:

In Heather B. Moore’s enchanting novella, TWELVE MONTHS, Lucien Baxter’s best and most incorrigible friend, Will, dies unexpectedly, leaving behind his new bride and unborn child the week before Christmas. Will’s last request is that Lucien watches over Cora, not just as a benefactor, but as a husband. When Lucien does his duty and proposes to Cora, he’s turned down flat. But over the course of the next few days, Lucien discovers that marrying Cora wouldn’t be any sort of duty after all, but a matter of following his heart. 

My Thoughts on TWELVE MONTHS:

I LOVED this one.  It touched me.  It was so very sad, and sweet all at the same time.  Lucien's best friend passes away and his last dying wish is for Lucien to take care of his family.  Lucien finds that it is going to be his pleasure to do so.

In the time he is there to take care of Will's wife Cora after the funeral their sweet friendship is so fun to read.  Their budding romance was even more fun to read.

I think I loved this one so much because the relationship between Lucien and Cora grows, and sprouts over a years time, and it's not just insta love.  Their relationship brought a sweet, heart warming feeling while reading!

My Rating:

In Lu Ann Staheli’s sweet romance novella, A FEZZIWIG CHRISTMAS, Dick Wilkins and his best friend Ebenezer Scrooge have been looking forward to the annual Fezziwig Christmas dance for weeks. Ebenezer is practically engaged to Annabelle Fezziwig, and Dick hopes to start courting her younger sister, Pricilla. Once the dance starts, and Pricilla arrives, as pretty and charming as ever, Dick discovers that he’s not the only man vying for her attention. His best friend advises Dick that he has to win Pricilla’s heart, as well as her mother’s favor. Losing his heart has suddenly become very complicated.

My Thoughts on A FEZZIWIG CHRISTMAS

My FAVORITE Christmas story during this time is "A Christmas Carol", and this is such a different out take on the men in that book.  This might have been my second favorite!  It was so fun to see Ebenezer in such a different light.  He was fun loving, and kind.  

Fezziwig throws his awesome annual party and it is so much fun to see a different side of this story.  It was such a sweet love story.

Dick hopes to win the heart of one of Fezziwig's daughters.  He finds it's a little more difficult than he hoped.  He has to win the mother over first, and it doesn't seem to be going his way.  

Pricilla is the daughter Dick hopes to woo, and while at the party he gets the chance to steal a few dances and get to know her more.  Much to his dismay there is another suitor trying to do the same thing.

Reading how it turns out is so sweet.  It was such a fun story!  A great twist on one of my favorite Christmas stories of all time.

My Rating:

A TASTE OF HOME, a captivating romance by Annette Lyon, we meet Claire Jennings, who’s on her way to spend Christmas with her family. As she rides the train with William Rhodes, who grew up across the street, memories of Christmases past flood her mind. He may be twenty-one now, but she can’t forget his torturous teasing from their school years. At the rail station, Claire discovers that her home is under quarantine because her little brother has measles. She's stuck in town, away from her family, on her favorite holiday. William stays behind with her, and as Christmas Day approaches and her homesickness deepens, she discovers that perhaps he has changed in more ways than one.

My Thoughts on A TASTE OF HOME

Another great book in this anthology.  Claire is on her way home to spend Christmas with her family and finds out that her home is under quarantine, and is devastated.  On the train back to her home she was riding with an old acquaintance that grew up across the street from her.  William.  She wasn't too happy about this because William was never that kind to her.

This sweet story finds Claire in the company of William as they spend their time in a hotel since Claire cannot go home.  William is ecstatic.  He has always wanted to get close to Claire Jennings.  He only teased her as a way to be close to her.  (BOYS..UGH ;)).  

While trying to help Claire not miss being home so much Claire begins to find that maybe William is not as much as a rogue as he use to be.  

This story is so sweet.  Made me appreciate being able to be with my family a little more at this Christmas season.  Their story is fun and super sweet to read!  William is such a gentlemen in this book.  I loved him from the moment he came in to the book ;).  Which of course is fast since it's a novella...hehe.  He is the kind of guy I would want my daughter to bring home :).  

My Rating:

Becca Wilhite’s entrancing novella, MY MODERN GIRL, follows Margie, who lands her dream job as a clerk at Macy’s department store in New York City. Margie might be new in town, but she’s determined to succeed and prove to Henry that moving to the city was the right decision. As the Christmas season approaches, Margie realizes that being a “modern girl” might not be all she had dreamed of and Henry might have more to offer than she ever imagined.

My Thoughts on MY MODERN GIRL

This one wasn't one of my favorite either.  It was okay, but I thought Margie is a little full of herself.

The story about the Macy's Bettie's was kind of interesting.  It makes me laugh that shopping use to be like that.  I hate shopping, so I cannot imagine that being any ones dream.

I do not like how she treated Henry in this book, and yet Henry stuck around.  Sort of.  In another state anyway.  His devotion to her was sweet, I just didn't think she deserved it.  

In the end Margie redeems herself to me a little.  I just didn't like her so it was hard to connect to the book.  

Now, had it been from Henry's point of view it may have been different.  Henry was so sweet, and devoted.  That's what I like :). 

It was a cute story, just needed a little more "ump" for me.

My Rating:

Thanks to I'M A READER for the opportunity to read this book.  I was given this book in return for an honest review.  I was not compensated in anyway for these reviews.  These are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the books.