Tag Archives: Cindy Miles

The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance edited by Trisha Telep

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Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of time travel romance book cover

Title: The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance
Author: Trisha Telep, Gwyn Cready, Sandy Blair, Maureen McGowan, Sara Mackenzie, Margo Maguire, Sandra Newgent, Michelle Maddox, Patrice Sarath, Jean Johnson, Patti O’Shea, Autumn Dawn, Holly Lisle, Cindy Miles, Michelle Willingham, Colby Hodge, Michele Lang, Madeline Baker, Allie Mackay & A. J. Menden
Series: Mammoth Books
In: The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Romance, Science fiction, Short story collections, Time travel
Dates read: 11th April – 30th December 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: She glanced over her shoulder, towards the light left on in her home, as if to remind herself she wasn’t so very far from safety.

Synopsis

Time has no meaning for true love.

Twenty tales of swachbuckling adventure and passionate romance from some of the most exciting names in romantic fiction, including Margo Maguire, Autumn Dawn, Sandy Blair, Michelle Maddox, Patti O’Shea, Holly Lisle, Kimberly Raye and Madeline Baker.

Join the heroines in this delightful anthology as they step backwards – or forwards – in time, transported to the Scottish Highlands of yesteryear, the Wild West or the distant future. Propelled through time into situations rich with possibility and fraught with danger, these sexy, sassy heroines each seek their dreamed of happy ending.

Will souls separated by time be reunited – or separated, forever?

Thoughts

This is an absolutely brilliant collection. I haven’t read any time travel romances before. So it was kind of nice to read a whole collection of them. I do have a few full length novels in this genre sitting on my shelves ready to go though. Now that I’ve read this collection, I kind of can’t wait!

Even though all of these stories featured time travel and romance in some way, shape or form, the themes and messages throughout were vastly different. The stories weren’t overly lustful like many of the romances that I’ve read. Actually, there tended to be more of a focus on the romances and the finding true love message. Or just on the ways in which time travel actually works.

The stories were generally a mix of present and past; or present and future. Only one or two stories feature the past and the future, but most had a great blending of realities. Sometimes characters ended up back in their own time, sometimes in a different time that fulfilled their greatest desires. There really was something for everyone in this.

Whilst I absolutely adored this collection, it isn’t one that I will probably read again and again. As much as I loved everything, there was nothing that stood out as a story that I wanted to reread.

<- The Mammoth Book of Thrillers, Ghosts and MysteriesThe Key to Happiness ->

Image source: Goodreads

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The Gloaming Hour by Cindy Miles

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of time travel romance book cover

Title: The Gloaming Hour
Author: Cindy Miles
In: The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Romance, Scottish romance, Time travel
Dates read: 8th December 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: She held him tight, as though doing so would prevent him from fading away.

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Synopsis

He’s the spirit of an ancient scotsman who can only appear in the Gloaming Hour. She’s a woman who has the scars of a tragic past. Yet, somehow, in their stolen moments of time, they manage to find a miracle worth living for.

Thoughts

I don’t really get the ins and outs of the time travel in this story. Which is alright, because I loved it anyway. Most of the time I like to understand exactly what is happening when you need to have time travel. But in the case of The Gloaming Hour, I didn’t actually care. It was just such an easy, sweet and nice story.

I love how this story is all about new beginnings. Not just for the woman in the present, but also the weirdly time travelling man who she falls for. And, ultimately, it’s about finding your own version of happily ever after. Whatever that may be. It’s actually a good reminder for me at the moment to find my own Zen outside of what is expected of me.

This is an incredibly quick, easy and light read. Which was quite surprising since the lead female was stalked and attacked in an incredibly horrific way. It was a nice way to just relax for ten minutes or so. Without having to think about the realities of the world.

 <- Last Thorsday Night ReviewA Wish to Build a Dream On Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance edited by Trisha Telep

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Overview
The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance

Title: The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance
Author: Trisha Telep, Shirley Kennedy, Claire Delacroix, Margo Maguire, Cat Adams, Cindy Miles, Patricia Rice, Jennifer Ashley, Kathleen Givens, Jenna Maclaine, Dara England, Cindy Holby, Helen Scott Taylor, Roberta Gellis, Ciar Cullen, Susan Krinard, Nadia Williams, Penelope Neri, Sandra Newgent, Sue-Ellen Welfonder & Pat McDermott
Series: Mammoth Books
In: The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Celtic, Fae, Romance, Short story collections
Pace: Slow
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Running Press
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: He gazed around the tiny room and frowned.

Synopsis

An enthralling collection of romantic tales set amidst beautiful Ireland’s lush ancient landscapes: pre-Christian ruins, green hills, rugged cliffs, and pounding Atlantic surf. These stories–by writers such as Roberta Gellis, Bertice Small, Jennifer Ashley, Claire Delacroix, and Mary Jo Putney–honor Ireland’s rich heritage as a land of poets, magic, and mystery. The publication will be just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

Thoughts

I loved, loved, loved this collection. My heart melted. My soul sang. And I had a constant smile on my lips throughout the tale.

Irish folklore has always fascinated me and pulled me in. Probably because some of my family is originally from there. And so I collection of romances that are guaranteed to make your heart melt all based in the folklore and mythos of this beautiful country… well, for me, it is a dream come true.

I mostly read each of these beautiful short stories when I was up late at night and struggling to sleep. The short stories guaranteed that I couldn’t get too involved in the storyline. But the romantic and beautiful angle of the stories meant that I was guaranteed to have pleasant dreams and drift off with a smile on my face.

<- Just AskThe Blue Pebble ->

Image source: Goodreads

Nia and the Beast of Killarney Wood by Cindy Miles

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

The Mammoth Book of Irish RomanceTitle: Nia and the Beast of Killarney Wood

Author: Cindy Miles

In: The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance (Trisha Telep)

Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)

My Bookshelves: Celtic, Easy reading, Fantasy, Romance

Pace: Slow

Format: Short story

Publisher: Running Press

Year: 2010

5th sentence, 74th page: What was this strange man about?

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Nia is trying to escape her father’s plan for her future, and in doing so, she might just find her future in the arms of a beast.

Thoughts

I knew from the very beginning that Nia was going to run into the beast and they would fall madly in love. After all, this is a short story in a collection of Irish romance tales. And the title is Nia and the Beast…

Nia is trying to escape her father’s ideas for her future, and the ways in which he is trying to dictate her life. The fact that this is a literal escape made quite an exciting moment of fleeing through the woods. Falling into a trap with the beast that everyone dreads is completely predictable. But it was still so much fun and worked so well.

One of the parts of this story that I absolutely loved is the fact that both Nia and the Beast were not typical ideals of beauty. They are both kind of ugly and scarred – each in their own way. Yet, at the end of the tale, they both found the love that they were looking for.

 <- The Trials of Bryan Murphy Review Beyond the Veil Review ->
Image source: Goodreads