Tag Archives: Short Story Collections

Black Thorn, White Rose edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling

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Overview
Image result for black thorn white rose book cover

Title: Black Thorn, White Rose
Author: Ellen Datlow, Terri Windling, Nancy Kress, Patricia C. Wrede, Ann Downer, Daniel Quinn, M.E. Beckett, Michael Kandel, Michael Cadnum, Lawrence Schimel, Isabel Cole, Tim Wynne-Jones, Midori Snyder, Jane Yolen, Howard Waldrop, Roger Zelazny, Peter Straub, Ellen Steiber, Storm Constantine & Susan Wade
Series: Adult Fairy Tales #2
In: Black Thorn, White Rose (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales, Retellings, Short story collections
Dates read: 12th February – 25th May 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Prime Books
Year: 1994
5th sentence, 74th page: Thank you for your last letter, which reached me before I set off.

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

Synopsis

The award-winning editors of II Snow White, Blood Red II return us to distinctly adult realms of myth and the fantastic with eighteen wondrous works. From Roger Zelazny’s delightful tale of Death’s disobedient godson to Peter Straub’s blood-chilling look at a gargantuan Cinderella, here are stories strange and miraculous that remold our most cherished childhood fables into things sexier, more sinister… and more appealing to grown-up tastes and sensibilities.

Thoughts

After reading Snow White, Blood Red, I knew that I needed the other books which were edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling featuring fairy tale retellings. Because these aren’t the retellings that you would expect. And they’re not the kinds of retellings that make you feel all nice and fluffy on the inside. They’re dark and twisted in places. Sexual in others. And just downright make you think most of the time.

Many of the authors in this collection are ones that I have already come across. Which is something I most certainly enjoyed. A few were totally new to me. Enough to make me wonder who I would be coming across next, but not so much that I felt like I had a whole slew of new people to add to my shelves. Rather, it was a fair few authors who are already in my wishlist…

I love the constant returning to fairy tales that were reminiscent of the Grimm Brothers. It’s a nice little departure from the more common fairy tales that I find. And other than Rumpelstiltskin and Red Riding Hood, the vast majority of these fairy tales were of the lesser known variety. Which suited me perfectly. I like those more abstract stories at times.

<- Mr. Simonelli or the Fairy WidowerWords Like Pale Stones ->

Image source: Goodreads

Lady Whistledown Strikes Back by Julia Quinn, Suzanne Enoch, Karen Hawkins & Mia Ryan

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview
Image result for lady whistledown strikes back book cover"

Title: Lady Whistledown Strikes Back
Author: Julia Quinn, Suzanne Enoch, Karen Hawkins & Mia Ryan
In: Lady Whistledown Strikes Back (Julia Quinn, Suzanne Enoch, Karen Hawkins & Mia Ryan)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Regency romance, Short story collections
Dates read: 12th – 25th May 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Avon
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: Peter was sure of it.

Synopsis

Who Stole Lady Neeley’s Bracelet?
Was it the fortune hunter, the gambler, the servant, or the rogue? All of London is abuzz with speculation, but it is clear that one of four couples is connected to the crime.

Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers, May 1816

Julia Quinn enchants: A dashing fortune hunter is captivated by the Season’s most desired debutante…and must prove he is out to steal the lady’s heart, not her dowry.

Suzanne Enoch tantalizes: An innocent miss who has spent her life scrupulously avoiding scandal is suddenly—and secretly—courted by London’s most notorious rogue.

Karen Hawkins seduces: A roving viscount comes home to rekindle the passionate fires of his marriage… only to discover that his beautiful, headstrong bride will not be so easily won.

Mia Ryan delights: A lovely, free-spirited servant is dazzled by the romantic attentions of a charming earl… sparking a scandalous affair that could ruin them both.

You’ll hear it first from Lady Whistledown

Thoughts

This was such a great little collection. Like The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown, the four novellas were intertwined in ways that you couldn’t quite imagine. But there was an extra complication / mystery in this collection – that of the missing bracelet. You don’t find out until the final story who actually stole it, but throughout all four novellas, you keep finding clues and wondering what actually happened at the party…

It was incredibly bittersweet finishing this collection – this is the last time I get to read a Lady Whistledown column for the very first time. I would like to reread all of these books in the future, but I’ll never have that beginning joy that you get when you read something for the very first time. I love how all four of these authors, each of who have very different styles, are able to have that similar tone of voice that you can read throughout the entire collection. It’s a great continuing thread that I don’t think many authors could manage so seamlessly.

I liked that this collection had an extra mystery that ran through all four novellas. It wasn’t just about the four couples and finding their happily ever after. But it was also about finding out who stole a priceless bracelet. And all of the wonderful connections between people in the ton. And just how messy this small community can be…

<- The Only One For MeThe First Kiss ->

Image source: Goodreads

Sirens and Other Daemon Lovers edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling

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Overview
Image result for sirens and other daemon lovers book cover

Title: Sirens and Other Daemon Lovers: Magical Tales of Love and Seduction
Author: Ellen Datlow, Terri Windling, Storm Constantine, Delia Sherman, Joyce Carol Oates, Tanith Lee, Edward Bryant, Garry Kilworth, Michael Swanwick, Elizabeth E. Wein, Pat Murphy, Ellen Steiber, Jane Yolen, Dave Smeds, Neil Gaiman, Doris Egan, Melissa Lee Shaw, Kelley Eskridge, Brian Stableford, Conrad Williams, Mark W. Tiedemann, Ellen Kushner, Wendy Froud & Bruce Glassco
In: Sirens and Other Daemon Lovers (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Lust, Paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, Short story collections
Dates read: 6th January – 19th May 2020
Pace: Slow
Format: Anthology
Publisher: EOS
Year: 1998
5th sentence, 74th page: She abruptly saw herself as if from another’s eyes, toiling in dirty work clothes with the sharp blades, the mirror, the powdered remains.

Synopsis

Prepare to be seduced by powerful magic — the sorcery of lust, need, and sensuality. Multiple award-winners Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling have gathered together twenty-two tales of unearthly temptations wickedly concocted by some of today’s most potent literary conjurers — including Neil Gaiman, Jan Yolen, Michael Swanwick, and Joyce Carol Oates. Here are stories of incubi and succubi, of forbidden fruits harvested in erotic gardens, of pleasures that persist beyond death. So heed the sirens’ song. Lie back, relax, and submit to the darkest delights you have ever experienced.

Thoughts

This collection isn’t quite toe curling, it isn’t quite horrific, but a nice mix between the two. It makes you think about the weirdness of sexuality. And the uniqueness of those things that go bump in the night. And thrive upon our sexual, deepest, darkest desires. I was honestly expecting this to be a little more of an uncomfortable read. However, mostly, I just found it intriguing.

This is a great collection of some very familiar authors, and some very new authors. It was a good way to depart from the realities of the world and be entertained by the imaginations of some very creative people. It wasn’t necessarily my favourite collection ever, the thread tying each of these tales together wasn’t as distinct as other collections. But it was a seriously enjoyable journey regardless.

This is definitely a collection that I’ll pick up again at some point in the future. It’s fun, light and easy. Also, there are a number of authors that I still need to hunt out books for… I enjoyed each and everyone of these stories.

<- ToadMy Lady of the Hearth ->

Image source: Goodreads

The Mammoth Book of Dark Magic edited by Mike Ashley

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Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of dark magic book cover

Title: The Mammoth Book of Dark Magic
Author: Mike Ashley, Steve Rasnic Tem, Richard A. Lupoff, Doug Hornig, Tom Holt, Tim Pratt, Diana Wynne Jones, John Morressy, Clark Ashton Smith, Michael Kurland, Michael Moorcock, Robert Weinberg, Darrell Schweitzer, Ralph Adams Cram, Ursula K. Le Guin, A.C. Benson, Lawrence Schimel, Mike Resnick, Esther M. Friesner, Tim Lebbon, David Sandner, Marion Zimmer Bradley, James Bibby, Louise Cooper & Peter Crowther
Series: Mammoth Books
In: The Mammoth Book of Dark Magic (Mike Ashley)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Magic, Short story collections
Dates read: 8th January – 7th May 2020
Pace: Slow
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: “I heard all you field hockey chicks are lesbians,” Curly said, still smiling.

Synopsis

23 spellbinding tales of sorcery, wizardry and witchcraft.

From Gandalf to Harry Potter, sorcerers and wizards have always enthralled us. It is their power, above all, that we covet – the ultimate wish fulfilment of being able to do whatever we want – to fly, or make ourselves invisible, or to conjure something from nothing.

Here, from some of the most outstanding writers of fantasy, is a wonderfully varied collection of stories which explores the tensions and dilemmas in dealing with magic, from a child’s first struggle to control magical powers to epic clashes between the forces of good and evil.

Thoughts

It took me a little while to seriously get into this collection. But, once I did… I was completely hooked. I quite obviously love fantasy from the books that fill my shelves. But, as I’ve gotten older, I have found that I am drawn again and again to fantasy of a darker bent. Although not all of these short stories suited that desire, they just weren’t that dark… this collection was still seriously brilliant.

The stories in this collection just completely run the gamut. There are some serious, dark and twisted stories. Some that are fun and light. And a few that make you question the state of the world as we know it. All the stories were enjoyable in one way or another, although maybe not as memorable as some of the other short stories that I’ve read.

This is a great little collection. One that is interesting and fun. There was a lot surrounding ideas of chaos throughout, which makes it one of those collections that I’ll probably want to read again. There always seems to be this sense of confusion and intricacy about chaos stories that just makes me want to read them again and again.

<- The Mammoth Book of CthulhuTen Things I Know About the Wizard ->

Image source: Hachette Australia

The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown by Julia Quinn, Suzanne Enoch, Karen Hawkins & Mia Ryan

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview
Image result for the further observations of lady whistledown book cover"

Title: The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown
Author: Julia Quinn, Suzanne Enoch, Karen Hawkins & Mia Ryan
In: The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown (Julia Quinn, Suzanne Enoch, Karen Hawkins & Mia Ryan)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Regency romance, Short story collections
Dates read: 6th – 26th April 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Avon
Year: 2003
5th sentence, 74th page: “I’ve never seen him like that.”

Synopsis

Lady Whistledown Tells All!

Society is abuzz when the Season’s most promising debutante is jilted by her intended—only to be swept away by the deceitful rogue’s dashing older brother—in New York Times bestseller Julia Quinn’s witty, charming, and heartfelt tale.

When the scandalous actions of his beautiful fiancée are recorded in Lady Whistledown’s column, a concerned groom-to-be rushes back to London to win his lady’s heart once and forever, in Suzanne Enoch’s enchanting romantic gem.

Karen Hawkins captivates with an enduring story of a handsome rogue whose lifelong friendship—and his heart—are tested when the lovely lady in question sets her cap for someone else.

A dazzling and delightful tale by Mia Ryan has a young woman cast out of her home by an insufferable yet charming marquis—who intends to take possession not only of the house… but its former occupant as well!

Thoughts

I figured that I would thoroughly enjoy this collection just because it was created by Julia Quinn and featured the character of Lady Whistledown in some way, shape or form. What I didn’t expect was how brilliantly each of these four stories related in to one another. Mostly I was expecting four separate novellas with Lady Whisteldown’s witty repertoire at the very beginning. What I didn’t expect was to find each of the characters from the novellas in each other’s stories.

This is a fantastic historical romance collection which features some amazing new authors. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into some of their books! Each had that great sense of humour and wit that I recognise in the writings of Julia Quinn. Plus, each of the four women in these stories is strong in her own way. Strong and independent (in some cases, unusually so for this style of story). Not only does this make this collection fantastic, but it is a great hint of the type of women who filled the pages of this book with some wonderfully engaging words.

For anyone who loves regency romances, this is a fantastic short story collection. For people who have already fallen in love with Julia Quinn and her Bridgertons series…. it’s even more of a must have. There is just something about the unique voices of the four authors and the way they are able to so seamlessly intertwine their stories with each other… it is just amazing. And beautiful. Definitely a collection that I will be picking up again and again and again.

<- Thirty-Six ValentinesOne True Love ->

Image source: Goodreads

The Mammoth Book of Dieselpunk edited by Sean Wallace

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Overview
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Title: The Mammoth Book of Dieselpunk
Author: Sean Wallace, Jay Lake, Shannon Page, Carrie Vaughn, Anatoly Belilovsky, E. Catherine Tobler, Jeremiah Tolbert, Brian Trent, Rachel Nussbaum, Trent Hergenrader, Gwynne Garfinkle, Genevieve Valentine, Joseph Ng, A.C. Wise, Kim Lakin-Smith, Nick Mamatas, Costi Gurgu, Tony Pi, Cirilo S. Lemos, Erin M. Hartshorn, Dan Rabarts, Mark Robert Philips, Catherine Schaff-Stump & Laurie Tom
Series: Mammoth Books
In: The Mammoth Book of Dieselpunk (Sean Wallace)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dieselpunk, Science fiction, Short story collections
Dates read: 18th March 2019 – 25th March 2020
Pace: Slow
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: The gremlins will be inside everything given long enough and they just want out.

Synopsis

21 tales of anarchic diesel mayhem. 88 From multiple Hugo Award-winning editor Sean Wallace, a new, cutting-edge anthology of twenty-one vibrant stories that explore the possibilities of history, while sweeping readers into high-powered, hydrocarbon-fuelled adventures that merge elements of noir, pulp, and the past with the technology of today… and sometimes a dash of the occult.

Journey into an era when engines were huge, fuel was plentiful and cheap, and steel and chrome overlaid the grit and grease of powerful machines!

Includes stories by Erin Hartshorn, Trent Hergenrader, Tony Pi, Catherine Schaff-Stump, E. Catherine Tobler, Jeremiah Tolbert, Laurie Tom, Genevieve Valentine, A. C. Wise and many more.

Thoughts

I’ve recently started to thoroughly enjoy steampunk. But this was my first excursion into Dieselpunk. And what an excellent introduction this proved to be! I was enthralled, mystified and totally sunk into some of the stories in this collection. And although it might not be my favourite collection of short stories… it certainly ranks up there.

I found this collection a lot darker than steampunk collections. There is just something about Dieselpunk that is a little more critical, and a little less optimistic than steampunk. Or at least, that’s how I’m finding it. Not that that was a bad thing, but this was certainly a darker collection than the steampunk collections and novels that have been filling my shelves lately.

As much as I loved these short stories, I did take a long time to read this collection. Mostly because I had to be in a pretty specific mindset to actually read them. There is something a little less approachable and more intense about this genre that I both loved and also found a little hard to factor into my daily reading schedules.

<- The Mammoth Book of Dickensian WhodunnitsRolling Steel: A Pre-Apocalyptic Love Story ->

Image source: Running Press

Wicked Games by Angela Knight

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
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Title: Wicked Games
Author: Angela Knight
In: Wicked Games (Angela Knight)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Bondage, Erotica, Short story collections
Dates read: 3rd – 12th February 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: “I dressed you,” Nimue told her with a faint smile.

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Synopsis

The New York Times bestselling author of the Mageverse novels makes her wildest moves yet in Wicked Games…

Anglea Knight’s reimagining of the Arthurian elgend in her Mageverse novels has been praised as “inventive, livey, and sexy as hell”. Now, in Wicked Games, she delivers an all-new novella, and a sensual new kick, to her Mageverse world. In a revealing prequel that draws together Arthur, Lancelot, and Guinevere in an explosive triangle, she sets the stage for the Mageverse magic, for the masterful men, and for the beautiful women who live to serve, outwit, and bewitch them

Plus! Angela Knight at her provocative best in two bonus novellas that have previously appeared in a different form…

In Bondage, Beauty and the Beast, lovely Brianne is sold as a bondslvae to Lord Ardolf Greycastle. Ardolf needs Brianne to break the spell that turned him into a beast, but to do that he must win her love even as he dominates her without mercy.

When female Confederate spy Rose Carson seduces a handsome Union Officer in A Question of Pleasure, it is only to gather secrets. She never expected to fall in love, or to submit to his extreme demands when he discovers her duplicity.

Thoughts

This is definitely not a collection for the faint of heart. It’s pretty graphic and intense. Although, to be fair, Knight does warn the reader of that in her introduction. She admits that some of this is seriously intense and based on the approach to the genre in the past. Which isn’t exactly PG or really all that great to women at times… I love that this book comes with a warning though. Not only did it make me laugh, but it was also great to know exactly what I was getting into before turning the first page… and to know that you probably shouldn’t read this in public.

To be honest, although this is a collection of three stories, it’s almost one novel with two short stories thrown in. The Once and Future Lover is almost one close to full-length novel. It’s filled with chapters, an intense storyline and a great journey that you won’t want to put down. The next two stories are much shorter and a little quicker to get through. Although, I actually found them a lot more intense than the first story… maybe because there was no gradual build up to the BDSM.

Every story in this is erotic and intense. There is BDSM, anal and a lot of other sexual choices that I wasn’t really aware of. Definitely an enjoyable eye-opener, just one that I don’t think I’ll be sharing with my friends and family at any point soon.

 <- A Question of Pleasure ReviewThe Once and Future Lover Review ->

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Stroke of Midnight by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Amanda Ashley, L.A. Banks & Lori Handeland

Book Review, , , , , , , ,
Overview
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Title: Stroke of Midnight
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon, Amanda Ashley, L.A. Banks & Lori Handeland
In: Stroke of Midnight (Sherrilyn Kenyon, Amanda Ashley, L.A. Banks & Lori Handeland)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Short story collections, Vampires, Werewolves
Dates read: 12th January – 12th February 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperback
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: The fact that she was warm and welcoming.

Synopsis

In an unseen world that lurks in the sahdows, they roam the night – feral, passioante, and dangerous. And when their world touches ours, a primitive desire takes hold, leaving mere mortals powerless in its wake…

Four of romance’s most intriguing authors have come together to create a mesmerizing anthology – unforgettable tales of vampires, shapeshifters, and werewolves. At the heart of these deeply sensual tales are everyday people facing extraordinary events – men and women thrown together by fate and an irresistible desire. In this world, your eyes can betray you as myth becomes reality, curses are vanquished, and love is the only weapon that can stand in the face of evil. In this world, there is a moment when passion and forbidden desire collide at the… STROKE OF MIDNIGHT

Thoughts

I absolutely adored this sensual, shapeshifting paranormal romance collection. There was just something about it that was completely impossible to put down. That got my heart pumping. That made me want to run to the nearest book shop and buy all the books. And spend days on end just reading. There was just something that made me fall head over heels with this collection.

The stroke of midnight is an eerie point, a tweening time when you’re kind of between times. The four novellas in this collection perfectly reflected that eerie feeling you get when you happen to be conscious at midnight. Not that the things that begin at midnight in this collection are necessarily good… they’re actually kind of concerning and dark. A little worrying. But still… they’re kind of mystical and great.

This entire collection is fantastic. If you like paranormal romance and things that go bump in the night… it’s the collection that you’re going to want to add to your shelves. It’s definitely one that I’m going to want to read again and again.

 <- Red Moon RisingWinter Born ->

Image source: Amazon

Hot Blooded by Christine Feehan, Maggie Shayne, Emma Holly & Angela Knight

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview
Image result for hot blooded angela knight book cover

Title: Hot Blooded
Author: Christine Feehan, Maggie Shayne, Emma Holly & Angela Knight
In: Hot Blooded (Christine Feehan, Maggie Shayne, Emma Holly & Angela Knight)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Erotica,  Paranormal romance, Short story collections
Dates read: 17th January – 6th February 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Jove
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: A shadowy figure exploded out of the ground, erupting directly in front of Riordan, fist slamming into his chest and driving deep.

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

“Dark Hunger” by New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan

In a dark jungle, a beautiful activist liberates animals from a secret laboratory—and stumbles across an unexpected prisoner. She releases the Carpathian from his bonds—only to unleash his voracious appetite on herself…

“Awaiting Moonrise” by New York Times bestselling author Maggie Shayne

A Science professor enters the steamy bayou to find a new species of animal, convinced that its presence is behind the stories of lycanthropy in the region, but finds herself tempted by a legendary creature straight out of her most sensual nightmare…

“The Night Owl” by Emma Holly

Little ever seems to stir in the sleepy woods of a small Vermont town, until a new owner takes over the exclusive local inn. He is centuries old and has traveled far and wide to find his queen—and now nothing will stop him from claiming her…

“Seduction’s Gift” by Angela Knight

All’s fair in the war between desire and resistance when a lady cop pulls over a speeder—and finds an immortal lover who is determined to seduce her into accepting her own passionate destiny…

When the sun goes down, each woman will discover the man she desires—within the beast that drives her wild…

Thoughts

This is a fantastic paranormal romance, erotica collection. It’s wonderfully lustful and desirable. The women are all strong-willed and strong-minded, which I always love. And, ultimately the worlds that were introduced were intense, powerful and impossible to forget.

Luckily, I already know and love all of the authors in this collection. Reading this doesn’t clog up the rest of my wish list, but it does make me grateful that these women help to fill my shelves. These stories are filled with some intriguing paranormal creatures and incredibly passionate nights. Which were great late at night when I was curled up feeling a little lonely myself.

The very intense and lustful nature of these stories honestly makes me just want to pick up all of the novels that I have on my shelves. There is something intriguing about these authors and the worlds they create that are kind of impossible to keep out of your head. Which is kind of why I love them so much…

 <- Seduction’s Gift ReviewDark Hunger Review ->

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Perfect for the Beach by Lori Foster, Janelle Denison, Erin McCarthy, MaryJanice Davidson, Kayla Perrin & Morgan Leigh

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Overview
Image result for perfect for the beach book cover

Title: Perfect for the Beach
Author: Lori Foster, Janelle Denison, Erin McCarthy, MaryJanice Davidson, Kayla Perrin & Morgan Leigh
In: Perfect for the Beach (Lori Foster, Janelle Denison, Erin McCarthy, MaryJanice Davidson, Kayla Perrin & Morgan Leigh)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Short story collections
Dates read: 7th – 15th January 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Kensington
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: But you need to make a decision before the weekend is over, Dana.

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

“Some Like It Hot” – Lori Foster: Family practitioner Cary Rupert wants Nora Chilton so badly he can barely keep a hold of his stethoscope. Now he’s out to prove that when it comes to loving her forever, he’s the man for the job.

“One Wilde Weekend” – Janelle Denison: Alex Wilde is crazy about Dana Reed. Career-driven Dana wants him as a lover, not a husband…until Alex whisks her away for a weekend that will fulfil every forbidden desire.

“Blue Crush” – Erin McCarthy: Dr Sara Davis loses her bikini top to a powerful wave and finds herself in the arms of gorgeous lifeguard Kyle Vanderhoff…where a little mouth-to-mouth just might resuscitate her love life.

“My Thief” – MaryJanice Davidson: John Crusher is hauled into his hotel room only to come fact-to-face with a stunning redhead who orders him to strip. But when the room service is this superb, what’s a guy to do but show his appreciation.

“Hot and Bothered” – Kayla Perrin: Marrying Trey Arnold after a whirlwind romance was the dumbest thing Jenna Maxwell ever did. Divorce is the simple solution, but once she sees Trey’s sexy smile again, things get complicated…and very, very hot.

” Murphy’s Law” – Morgan Leigh: Kat Murphy is in love with her lawyer boss, Sam Parrish. Fearing his heart may never heal, she quits her job and heads for the beach. And when Sam follows, the sensual heat they generate is out of this world.

Thoughts

This is one of those great, easy, relaxed reads that is just perfect for an afternoon out in the sunlight. The title kind of hints at that. But after reading it, I can attest that it is most definitely a perfect read for the beach. A nice departure from the more intense reads I do tend to fill my shelves with.

Each and every one of these six novellas is incredibly easy to imagine reading at the beach. Sadly, I haven’t been to the beach in a year or two…. But it certainly helped me to imagine doing so. Not only were most of the stories set along the coast, but they also had that chilled, carefree feeling that I tend to associate a day down on the sand with. The fact that they were also contemporary romances with a  great dose of humour… it was kind of fantastic.

I loved the fact that I recognised half the authors in this collection and found three new authors as well. I loved being able to revisit some of the styles of writing that I haven’t visited in a little while. And also find some new writing that I just wasn’t expecting. I loved each and everyone of these authors and their stories. Both standalones and parts of a series.

The cover of this collection mentions “bad boys”. There are none. Categorically so. There are no bad boys in this collection. There’s accountants and lawyers and sexy men with no clue how to treat the woman they love (until they get a kick up the ass). But no bad boys. Not that that’s a bad thing. Sometimes the bad boy trope is kind of overdone, and it was nice to have a different theme to pursue.

 <- Murphy’s Law ReviewSome Like it Hot Review ->

Image source: Goodreads