All Systems Red by Martha Wells

 

What book adaptation are you looking forward to this summer?  I am looking forward to watching the adaption of this book, All Systems Red by Martha Wells, on Apple TV.

A group of scientists are working on a planet doing research.  They have a self-ware Sec Unit (android with human parts) that is the security for the mission.  The Sec Unit calls itself “Murderbot” in secret.  It has hacked its government module and is running his life the way, he wants to which includes watching reruns of his favorite soap opera.  When the scientists face peril, will Murderbot choose to help the scientist?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This is the start of a series, and I can’t wait to read more.

·       Murderbot is very factual and has a dry sense of humor.  I loved it!

·       This was a novella and a very fast read.

·       The story was action packed.

Favorite Quote: “As a heartless killing machine, I was a horrible failure.”

Overall, All Systems Red by Martha Wells was a quick, fun read that left me wanting more.

 Book Source:  I bought this for my husband for a gift after reading about it on @readingbeagle on Instagram.  He greatly enjoyed it.

Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin

 

What's a book that you've recommended to everyone?

In 1901 New York City, Howard and Adelaide are excited to spend their first Christmas together as husband and wife.  Adelaide is trying to learn how to be a middle-class wife after being raised in great wealth.  Adelaide discovers a young boy, Jack, who says he’s not really an orphan, but that his mother died and, his father is away at sea, and his sister is missing.  He is sure his father will return for Christmas.  Howard and Adelaide help Jack out.  Will his father return for Christmas?

My thoughts on this novella:

·       I love an Edwardian Christmas. 

·       The sections were split to correlate with the advent calendar.  I liked this unique storytelling and the deep faith elements.

·       I have not read the first book in this series, but it was fine reading this as a standalone.  I do want to go back and read the first novel.

·       I enjoyed reading about Adelaide’s work for the suffrage movement.

·       The cover of this novella was striking. 

·       This was a sweet and clean read.

·       I loved how the story included the true meaning of Christmas.  I especially loved when Adelaide brought home the family nativity and explains it to the kids.

·       Adelaide must ponder what to do with her inherited fortune and how best to help others and the suffrage movement.

·       The ending was heartwarming.

Overall, Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin is a wonderful historical fiction Christmas novel that encompasses the true meaning of Christmas.  I loved it.

Book Source:  Review copy from NetGalley. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Christmas Duet by Debbie Macomber

 

Do you enjoy Christmas music?  Do you have any favorite songs?  I love Christmas music and especially older songs.  My daughter gets annoyed about not updating the Christmas music list, so I’ve been adding in newer albums as time goes on.

Hailey Morgan decides to accept her friends offer to stay at a family cabin over Christmas break to have time to focus on her music.  She also doesn’t want to return home as her mother has invited her ex-boyfriend for Christmas in an attempt to get them back together.  While in the small town of Podunk, Washington, she asks for help removing the wild animals in resident.  The mayor/general store owner sends her son Jethro (Jay). As Hailey and Jay get to know each other, will Haily be able to have her Christmas dreams of love and music come true?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I always enjoy reading Debbie Macomber’s Christmas novels and novellas every year at Christmas time. They really put me in the Christmas mood.

·       This novel was the December pick for the 2024 Brenda Novak Reading Challenge.

·       This was a nice, short cozy read for the holiday season.

·       I enjoyed that Hailey was able to take control of her life and do what she wanted to do.

·       I loved the romance between Hailey and Jay as they both seemed to really understand one another.

·       I also enjoyed the secondary characters such as Hailey’s sister Daisy and Jay’s Mom.  Hailey’s mom drove me crazy.

·       This was a clean read.

Overall, A Christmas Duet by Debbie Macomber was a sweet, cozy Christmas novella that will get you into the Christmas spirit.

Book Source:  E-book review copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Under the Mistletoe by Mary Balogh

 

Do you like to read short or long books during the holiday season?  I definitely prefer short during the busy holiday season!

Under the Mistletoe by Mary Balogh is a collection of five different Regency Novellas as follows:

·       A Family Christmas – This story had it all, an arranged and estranged marriage, snobby mother-in-law, and Christmas traditions.  I loved this story of the couple finding true love with each other.

·       The Star of Bethlehem – This story also featured an unhappy couple at Christmas and a missing engagement ring.  A chimney sweep helps to bring the couple together. 

·       The Best Gift – This story had Jane Eyre vibes.  What if when Jane Eyre was a teacher that was invited to the home of a pupil and able to experience Christmas for the first time?

·       Playing House – A trio of siblings is about to be separated after the holidays due to the death of their parents and a lack of funds.  At their last Christmas together, an old sweetheart comes back to town and may change their lot in life.

·       No Room at the Inn – Numerous travelers are stranded together at an inn and unable to make their Christmas destinations.  The birth of a child has them all realize the true joys of Christmas.

My overall thoughts:

·       I loved all five of the Regency novellas.

·       This collection was recommended to me by my friend Barb who enjoys Regency Christmas romance novels as much as I do.  It was a great recommendation!

·       I loved the romance in each story and how they found out the true meaning of Christmas.

Overall, Under the Mistletoe by Mary Balogh is an enjoyable Christmas Regency Romance collection.

Easter Basket Murder by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, Barbara Ross

 

Do you like to read holiday themed books?  I read this delightful collection of Easter mysteries in the week leading up to Easter.  I’m trying to catch up on my reviews and am just now posting my review on the third Sunday of Easter.  At least I’m still in the Easter season? 

This book had three easter mystery themed novellas in it.  I loved their short length.  It kept the action moving without getting bored.  I enjoyed all three stories, and they were a perfect read in the week before Easter.  The stories were as follows:

Easter Basket Murder by Leslie Meier

Tinker Cove’s chamber of commerce has put together an Easter themed promotion to help local businesses.  If you get stamps from all of the businesses on a card, you have a chance to win a fabulous Easter basket which contains a one-of-a-kind Easter egg by a famous and reclusive artist.  When the egg is stolen, and a murder occurs, will reporter Lucy Stone be able to crack the case? 

Death by Easter Egg by Leslie Hollis

After the Easter bunny is found dead after eating a peanut butter egg that he is allergic to from her grandson’s easter basket, Hayley Powell is determined to clear her young grandson’s name.  Will she discover who really murdered the Easter bunny and why?

Hopped Along by Barbara Ross

On a remote island in Maine, Julie Snowden has been rehabbing a mansion that will soon open as a resort.  She is startled to find a dead body in the garden, that soon disappears.  Is this an April Fool’s Day joke or is something else afoot?

I enjoyed all three stories equally, which is rare to find in a collection.  They were all amusing mysteries that caused me to laugh out loud at times. They also made me feel old when I realized that Hayley Powell, the grandmother detective in Death by Easter Egg is my age.  My oldest is just graduating from high school and I hadn’t thought of myself in a grandmotherly way yet.  The mystery plot in all three novellas was interesting and had great conclusions.  I loved the three main heroines.  I have not read any of these authors before, but I think I need to investigate more cozy mysteries by all three as I enjoyed these so much.

Overall, Easter Basket Murder is a great collection of Easter themed cozy mystery novellas that I highly recommend if you are looking for a holiday read and intriguing cozy mysteries.

Book Source:  Review copy from NetGalley. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson

 

Title:  The Christmas Guest

Author:  Peter Swanson

Narrated by:  Esther Wane

Publisher: HarperAudio

Length: Approximately 2 hours and 48 minutes

Source: Purchased from Amazon.com

Do you like to read novellas or short stories?  I do, especially during the busy holiday season.  I have enjoyed Peter Swanson’s thrillers in the past and was excited to see what he would craft with a Christmas story.

Ashley Smith is an American Art student studying in London in the 1980s.  She is excited to be invited to spend the Christmas season with a fellow student Emma Chapman at her family’s country estate.  Ashley is intrigued and smitten by Emma’s brother Adam.  There is also a sinister stranger lurking in the woods between the manor house and the local pub the young people like to hang out at.  Has Ashley stumbled into a romance, a gothic story, or something else at this picturesque estate over the Christmas season?

I don’t want to get too much more into the story as I appreciated all the twists and turns.  As with other Peter Swanson novels, things are not what they seem at first glance and the characters are much more than they first appear.  I liked how this story was told through Ashley’s diary entries from the 1980’s and the second half was Ashley filling in the rest of the story in the present day.  This is definitely NOT a Hallmark Christmas story, but I loved the English manor atmosphere, the mystery, and the psychological thriller aspect.  It was a good Christmas story and definitely had me thinking at the end.

Esther Wane was a good narrator and was the voice of Ashley through the novel for me.

 

Jack Frost by Debbie Macomber

 

Title:  Jack Frost

Author:  Debbie Macomber

Narrated by:  Lisa Negron

Publisher: Debbie Macomber Inc.

Length: Approximately 1 hours and 44 minutes

Source: Purchased from Amazon.com on Audible

 

Have you ever met anyone who seemed cranky at first but was really a wonderful person once you got to know them?  I worked at my local Dime Store in high school with an older woman named Ann.  She seemed very cranky when I first started working at the Dime Store, but as I got to know her, she turned out to be a wonderful person who has a reason to be cranky (her beloved husband died young). 

Jack Frost is this type of story.  Lindsay Calhoun’s family is on a cruise, and she will be spending Christmas alone.  She volunteers to organize the office Christmas party.  The office scrooge, Jack, is not happy about an office Christmas party and always seems grumpy.  When the power goes out as the two are tying up things at the end of the party, they find themselves trapped together in the office.  As they get to know each other better, they begin to really understand one another.  Will love blossom between these two?

Jack Frost was the November pick for the Brenda Novak Book Group, but I didn’t get to it until December.  It was a perfect light and uplifting Christmas book, perfect for the season.  I think this one would make a great Hallmark movie.  Lisa Negron was a good narrator.

Five and Dime Christmas: Four Historical Novellas by Cynthia Hickey, Susanne Dietze, Patty Smith Hall, and Christina Lorenzen

 

Do you have a favorite job or place your worked?  One of my favorite jobs was working for the local dime store in my hometown as a teenager.  It was a great place to work with a great boss, the late Mr. Soncrant.   Mr. Soncrant and the dime store were immortalized in the children’s book Something About Hensley’s by Patricia Polacco.  It’s neat to have a past job immortalized.

I was very excited to read a collection of four Christmas novellas set in in a five and dime store called Five and Dime Christmas.  All four stories were set in 1881 in a Woolworth’s store in Scranton Pennsylvania.  Each story is about a different young woman that works at the store and her finding a true love.  Different characters also find the true meaning of Christmas as well. I’m not going to break down a summary of each story, but I will say I loved each and every one of these four stories.  I loved the historic setting, the characters, and the plot.  There is just something about historic Christmas stories that I enjoy.  They were clean, Christian romances.  I would highly recommend this collection.

This is my last Christmas book for this year . . . although depending on the weather, I may yet read another one this winter.

Review Copy from Netgalley.   Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

O Little Town by Amanda Wen, Janyre Tromp, and Deborah Raney

 

Do you like to read about big cities or small towns?  I enjoy both.

O Little Town is a collection of three novellas set in the fictional town of Mapleview, Michigan during the Christmas season.  “Hopes and Fears” by Amanda Wen is set in 1912 and is the story of a young school teacher, Emma, and her plans to bring a new Christmas pageant to her school.  Her plans may be derailed when a new principal, Frederick, arrives who doesn’t think a new pageant is required and is also Emma’s crush from her childhood.  I loved their relationship which went from enemies to lovers. This story was delightful.

“While Mortals Sleep” by Janyre Tromp is set in 1944.  Lennie has returned to her small hometown in Michigan after her sister’s death.  She is the guardian of her six year old niece and she is using her investigative skills to figure out what exactly happened in her sister’s mysterious death. Sparks also fly with Gideon, a friend from her past that also cares for her niece.  I liked the intrigue of this story and how it was set during World War II.  I thought it was fascinating to learn about balloon bombs that were sent by the Japanese military against the United States that did make it all of the way to Michigan.  I had never heard of this before.  The mystery, history, and suspense were great, but the best part of this story was the relationship between Gideon, Lennie, and six-year old Enid.

“The Wondrous Gift” by Deborah Raney is set in present day. Music teacher Rachel is shocked to learn that the school she teaches at will be closing in ten days.  High school football coach Caleb and Rachel bond over losing their jobs.  How will they move forward and make a living?  This story reminded me of a present day O. Henry story.  It was a good story.

I loved this collection.  All three stories were unique and interesting with great characters.  I loved that they were clean, Christian romance stories and perfect for the Christmas and winter season.

Review Copy from Kregel Publications.  Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the O Little Town Book Tour (I posted about the book when it first came out.) Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Timeless Victorian Collection: An Autumn Kiss by Laura Rollins, Annette Lyon, and Lisa H. Catmull (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

Title:  Timeless Victorian Collection: An Autumn Kiss

Author: Laura Rollins, Annette Lyon, and Lisa H. Catmull

Narrated by:  Kim Bretton

Publisher: Mirror Press, LLC

Length: Approximately 7 hours and 9 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Mirror Press for being on the Austenprose PR Book Tour.  Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

 Are you ready for autumn?  It’s a warm day today in Northeast Wisconsin, but our leaves are starting to turn.  I’m ready for 60-degree days, hot chocolate, and beautiful fall colors.

An Autumn Kiss is a delightful book.  It has three novellas in it, which I will discuss individually.

The Plucky Miss Ruth by Laura Rollins

This story charmed me right off the bat.  It has a bit of Groundhogs day to it as Miss Ruth Hughes feels she is caught in a time loop as every day is the same in her small village.  She enlists Lord Lambert to help her bring her friend, Nettie, back together with the fiancé she broke up with due to her parents’ rejection of him.  Now that Nettie’s parents have passed away, Ruth thinks that there could be time for a second chance romance.  As her and Lord Lambert help the budding romance, will Ruth find a romance of her own?

This story was very enjoyable.  I loved the charming characters and setting.  I loved how Ruth was reading all sorts of great books (for example, The Time Machine by H.G. Wells) and discussing them with Lord Lambert.  I always like a good second chance romance story and this had shades of my favorite Austen novel, Persuasion, in it. 

Mr. Dowling’s Remedy by Annette Lyon

This story intrigued me as it had a very different setting than most Victorian romances.  Beverly Stanton has been diagnosed with “hysteria” for reading novels and being sensitive to others.  Her stepfather has had her committed to the asylum against her will and is keeping her fortune.  While at the asylum, Beverly meets Crandall Rowling.  Crandall was on his way to becoming a physical when his verbal and physical tics caused his instructor to commit him to the asylum.  As their friendship blossoms, will Beverly and Crandall find a way out of the asylum, and will they find love?

I really enjoyed the unique setting.  It was all the more disturbing knowing that people were committed for the reasons that Beverly and Crandall were and that there was no way for you to get out.  I enjoyed getting to know their characters and it had an exciting conclusion.

A Railway through the Roses by Lisa H. Catmull

Lady Anne Baxter loves her home and is firmly on the shelf.  Her best friend, Mr. Adrian Everard needs to keep his father’s factory open.  He needs to build a railway and marry an heiress.  As potential brides come to town, Lady Anne realizes she doesn’t want Adrian to marry anyone else.  Adrian realizes that in order to save his family business, he may lose his best friend forever.  Will these two be able to work it out?

I love a friends to lovers’ story as well and this story was captivating.  I enjoyed how it took them time to realize how much they really meant to each other.  I like that Lady Anne had to realize as well how much she and her good deeds meant to the community as well.

I listened to this on audiobook and Kim Bretton was a wonderful narrator.  I enjoyed this book immensely.  It helped me to relax during my drives to and from work.

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: An Autumn Kiss

·       Series: Timeless Victorian Collection (Book 7)

·       Authors: Laura Rollins, Annette Lyon, & Lisa H. Catmull

·       Genre: Historical Romance, Victorian Romance, Inspirational Fiction

·       Publisher: Mirror Press (September 20, 2022)

·       Length: (275) pages

·       Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook 

·       ISBN: 978-1952611308

·       Tour Dates: September 12 – 25, 2022

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

An Autumn Kiss is the seventh book in the Timeless Victorian Collection, a bestselling anthology series from Mirror Press. The book features three novellas from acclaimed historical romance authors whose stories reveal if one kiss will change the lives of the three heroines.

“The Plucky Miss Ruth,” by Laura Rollins

 

Miss Ruth Hughes is certain she’s caught in a time loop—every day she wakes to find it exactly as the one before. A thrilling prospect to be sure. If the many books she reads on time travel has taught her anything, it is that to break free she must complete an all-important task. For Ruth the task is straightforward: reunite a couple, once desperately in love but forced apart by society. Unfortunately, things are not always as easy as they first appear. Struggling, Ruth opens up to the handsome Lord Lambert and he readily agrees to help. With autumn on the brink of turning into winter, time is running out for Ruth to help the ones who need her most. And, with a bit of luck, perhaps she can even find a little time for her own happily ever after.

“Mr. Dowling’s Remedy,” by Annette Lyon

Crandall Dowling’s aspirations of becoming a physician collapse when he develops symptoms that land him in an asylum. He’s been at Sherville Retreat long enough for autumn leaves to appear when Beverly Stanton arrives. She’s held under the dubious diagnosis of “hysteria” but seems perfectly sane, unlike Crandall, though his verbal and physical tics don’t seem to scare or even bother her. Beverly and Crandall develop a friendship fueled by an undeniable attraction that under other circumstances could become more. But in an asylum, one cannot plan a future, let alone one of love or marriage. Then tragedy strikes, testing staff and patients beyond anyone’s training. When the dust settles, Beverly’s diagnosis may be reversed, but if she leaves, what will become of her? What of Crandall? And what of their autumn-born love?

“A Railway Through the Roses,” by Lisa H. Catmull

Mr. Adrian Everard has tried everything to keep his father’s factory open, but a single solution remains. Marry an heiress before Christmas to fund the desperately needed railway. The local landowner, Lady Anne Baxter, will not agree to sell her garden—or her heart. Indeed, his childhood friend is determined to sabotage all his efforts to find a wife. As the deadline for Adrian to choose a bride draws close, one thing becomes painfully obvious. Saving the factory will mean losing the woman he loves forever.

 

ABOUT THE SERIES

Since 2015, Mirror Press has been presenting the Timeless Romance Collection, a curated anthology of novellas and short stories featuring bestselling authors from the contemporary and historical romance genres. The collection has hit the USA TODAY bestselling list and charted at #1 at Amazon.com. Learn more about the series and other anthologies published by Mirror Press at their website.  

 

ADVANCE PRAISE

·       5 STARS – “…a fun collection and each of them have something unique from most of the romances I've read. Very enjoyable reading.”— Maria Thomas, Goodreads

·       “This anthology is truly wonderful. Each story is very distinct from the others, and each is also very compelling. It will keep you reading and wanting more with each page and chapter.”— Shauna Jones, Goodreads

·       5 STARS “absolutely adored this collection of short stories! I would recommend this collection to anyone who needs an escape for a couple of hours.”— Jzcotter03, Goodreads

 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

 

AUTHOR BIOS

 

Laura Rollins

Laura Rollins has always loved a heart-melting happily ever after. It didn’t matter if the story took place in Regency England, or in a cobbler’s shop, if there was a sweet romance, she would read it.

Life has given her many of her own adventures. Currently she lives in the Rocky Mountains with her best friend, who is also her husband, and their four beautiful children. She still loves to read books and more books; her favorite types of music are classical, Broadway, and country; she loves hiking in the mountains near her home; and she’s been known to debate with her oldest son about whether Infinity is better categorized as a number or an idea.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

Annette Lyon

Annette Lyon is a USA Today bestselling author, a 9-time recipient of Utah’s Best in State medal for fiction (three times for novel-length works and five times for short fiction), and a Whitney Award winner for BAND OF SISTERS. She's the author of over a dozen novels, at least that many novellas, a cookbook, a popular grammar guide, and over a hundred magazine articles.

She’s a founder and regular contributor of the Timeless Romance Anthologies line of sweet romance stories, which she served as editor for its first three years. She's also one of the four co-authors of The Newport Ladies Book Club series. She graduated cum laude from BYU with a degree in English.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

Lisa H. Catmull

I write clean and wholesome romances in the Victorian era and sweet contemporary romances. My books have been nominated for Swoony, RONE, and Whitney awards.

I taught Middle School English and History for seven years before pursuing screenwriting and writing. I currently live between a canyon and a lake in Utah with my husband, two cats, and two rambunctious children.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

To Kiss a Wallflower by Jen Geigle Johnson, Heather B. Moore, and Anneka R. Walker (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Title:  Timeless Regency Collection – To Kiss a Wallflower

Author:  Jen Geigle Johnson, Heather B. Moore, and Anneka R. Walker

Narrated by:  Shane East & Shakira Shute

Publisher: Mirror Press

Length: Approximately 8 hours and 31 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Mirror Press.  Thank-you!

 What would be the perk of being a wallflower?  I have never read The Perks of Being a Wallflower, but I realized as I listened to this audiobook collection that all of the ladies have a reason why they like being a wallflower.

 To Kiss a Wallflower is a Timeless Regency Collection of three delightful novellas.  I had an enjoyable time listening to these stories and I was only sad that they had to end.  I just love the Timeless Regency Collections.  I have enjoyed every one I’ve read.  This is the first time I have listened to one as an audiobook experience, and it was wonderful.  There were two narrators, Shane East & Shakira Shute who alternated chapters depending on what perspective was narrating.  It was very entertaining.

  I will give my thoughts on each of the novellas below.

 “The Wallflower’s Dance,” by Jen Geigle Johnson

Lottie is tongue tied in social situations, but she always has her good friend Denny to help her out and have someone to dance with.  After she unexpectedly inherits a fortune, she finds herself suddenly no longer a wallflower and pursued by many eligible young men.  But what if the only man she wants has really been there all along?  This was a friends to lovers trope and I loved it.

“Letters to a Wallflower,” by Heather B. Moore

Ellen has been proclaimed a “diamond of the first water,” and her mother is pushing her into marrying a titled gentleman.  After betting with her cousin Dinah, Ellen dresses down and joins the wallflowers hoping for an evening of peace.  What she doesn’t know is that Lord Ravenshire’s mother has told him to dance with all of the wallflowers in his search for a wife.  Lord Ravenshire just wants to do the minimum to appease his mother so he can return to his estate.  When Ellen and Lord Ravinshire meet, they find they have a lot to talk about.    Will they be able to find common ground?  This had fake dating and I loved this story.

 “To Marry a Wallflower,” by Anneka R. Walker

Charlotte has been betrothed by her father to a man she has never met, Lord Templeton.  Charlotte would rather stay a wallflower, but she is curious about the man she is going to marry.  When she finds a man who knows Lord Templeton, she pretends to be her cousin to find out more information from Mr. Luke.  What she doesn’t realize is that Lord Templeton had the same idea.  This was a cute story of mistaken identity.

I didn’t have one favorite story, I enjoyed all three.  I loved that the ladies all embraced their own natures and their wallflower status.  I also liked that they all decided they were going to stand strong and forge their own path in the world.

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: To Kiss a Wallflower

·       Series: Timeless Regency Collection (Book 19)

·       Authors: Jen Geigle Johnson, Heather B. Moore, & Anneka R. Walker

·       Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Inspirational Fiction

·       Publisher: Mirror Press (June 21, 2022)

·       Length: (305) pages

·       Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook 

·       ISBN: 978-1952611261

·       Tour Dates: June 20 – July 1, 2022

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

To Kiss a Wallflower is the nineteenth book in the Timeless Regency Collection, a bestselling anthology series from Mirror Press. The book features three novellas from acclaimed historical romance authors whose stories reveal that eventually, all wallflowers will have their chance at love . . . This is where it begins.

“The Wallflower’s Dance,” by Jen Geigle Johnson

Lottie Hughes likes people, as long as they aren't too close. Does it bother her that no one asks her to dance? Yes, but she's not sure how to drum up dance partners when she has almost no dowry, no title, and freezes up when anyone tries to talk to her. When she suddenly inherits a huge amount and is the new center of attention all over London, her secret dreams might come true but also her worst nightmares. Suddenly everyone wants to talk to her. Men ask her to dance. And she is inundated with interested suitors. She fights to stay close to the few friends she knows are true. One man saw her before her life changed forever. But does she want to accept his help when he, too, might be insincere?

“Letters to a Wallflower,” by Heather B. Moore

Ellen might be beautiful and considered a diamond of the first water by Society, but she is so very tired of the pressure to marry a titled gentleman so that her beauty won’t go to waste. When her cousin Dinah dares Ellen to attend a ball with no frills and to stand with the wallflowers, Ellen takes on the dare. What’s in the wager for her? The prize cuttings of her aunt’s extraordinary roses. But what Ellen isn’t expecting is Lord Ravenshire to engage her in the most interesting conversation. When she confesses to him of her opposition in marrying for a title, he confesses his distaste of the London scene. They strike a bargain together, one which will either push them apart or lead to a future sweeter than either of them could have imagined.

“To Marry a Wallflower,” by Anneka R. Walker

Charlotte Winters is destined to spinsterhood until she turns down an unwanted proposal and everything changes. With gossip rampant, her father attempts to salvage her reputation by betrothing her to another. Soon she is sent off to her aunt’s to meet Lord Templeton, her intended. Anxiety-ridden, Charlotte begs her aunt to let her observe Lord Templeton from afar before their introduction. She never planned to pretend to be her fictional cousin to learn more about him, or to fall in love with Lord Templeton’s friend in the process. Lord Templeton dreads returning to the empty halls of Newcliff Manor. When his father’s old friend, Mr. Winters reaches out for assistance, Lord Templeton finds himself returning home engaged to a woman he has never met. Desperate to learn more about Miss Winters, he befriends her cousin. He wouldn’t have spoken to her, or lied about his identity, if he’d known the quiet woman would sneak into his heart.

ABOUT THE SERIES

Since 2015, Mirror Press has been presenting the Timeless Regency Collection, a curated anthology of novellas and short stories featuring bestselling authors from the contemporary and historical romance genres. The collection has hit the USA TODAY bestselling list and charted at #1 at Amazon.com. Learn more about the series and other anthologies published by Mirror Press at their website.  

ADVANCE PRAISE

·       “5 STARS - I loved the unique twists that each author used in their stories and how they tied them into the theme.”— Julie Carpenter, Goodreads

·       “What a great set of stories! If you have read any of these three authors you know you are in for a treat. If you aren’t familiar with them, prepare to add their names to your list of favorites.”— Shauna Jones, Goodreads

·       “I thoroughly enjoyed all three of these novellas. They were lighthearted, fun, and took me away from my worries for a while.”— A Bookish Romantic, Goodreads

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

AUTHOR BIOS

Jen Geigle Johnson

An award-winning author, including the GOLD in Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards and LDSPMA Praiseworthy's top award for Romance, Jen Geigle Johnson has more stories circulating in her brain than can possibly be told. She discovered her passion for England while kayaking on the Thames near London as a young teenager. History is her main jam. Her literary heroes include the greats: Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. But she has modern sensibilities as well.

She loves to share bits of history that might otherwise be forgotten. Whether in Regency England, the French Revolution, or Colonial America, her romance novels are much like life is supposed to be: full of adventure.

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Heather B. Moore

 Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestseller and award-winning author of more than seventy publications. She's lived on both the east and west coasts of the United States, including Hawaii, and attended school abroad including the Cairo American College in Egypt, and the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel. She loves to learn about anything in history and, as an author, is passionate about historical research.

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Anneka R. Walker

Anneka Walker is an award-winning author raised by a librarian and an English teacher turned judge. After being fed a steady diet of books, she decided to learn about writing. The result was a bachelor's degree in English and history. When she isn't dreaming up a happy ending for a story, she is busy living her own with her husband and adorable children.

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