The Dunning Man, by Kevin Fortuna

Sometimes, life is not neat and tidy.  Sometimes folks are just doing the best that they can.  This collection of stories helps us meet characters that we might normally simply dismiss as lowlifes, the dregs of society.  Their stories help us remember that rarely is anything black and white, all good or all bad.

This book was a very quick read, but that does not mean that it was all easy and breezy to get through.  On the contrary, I found the characters to be complex, and the stories to be quite compelling.  I found myself wondering about the characters, long after their stories ended.  That is the sign of some pretty powerful writing.

Anyone who has ever struggled (and who among us has not?) at some period of his or her life will be able to connect to the stories in this book.  Sometimes, life is hard, and we may not always handle it as well as we could.  I found that the writing was raw and honest.  This is the kind of book that really stays with you.  I am now interested in reading more by this author, perhaps something novel length.

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours.  See the rest of the tour here.

The Valentine's Day Curse, by Elena DeRosa

For 25 years, Lisa has been carrying around the pain dealt to her by her first husband.  While she has moved on with her life, a part of her still hurts.  As a result, she hates Valentine's Day, and has a ritual that she performs every year.  But a surprise phone call may change all of that.

I thought this was a really cute little story.  As with any short story, there is not a whole lot of deep character development.  We do not learn a whole lot about Lisa's motivations, and why she married Joey in the first place.  And I am not really sure we needed to.  All we needed to know is he broke her heart, and that is what we learn the most about.

Not everyone loves Valentine's Day, so this story is a funny little reminder of that.  There was a time in my own life, after getting burned one too many times, that I too hated that day.  But, things can be transformed by the power of true love.  So, this story can appeal to either people who love or hate the holiday.  All in all it was just a cute little story.

This book is from my personal library and I wrote an honest review of my own volition.

She Looks Pale, by Kate Rigby

Hannah had meningitis early in her childhood.  Her mother noticed her pale, sickly complexion, but by the time she took Hannah to see a doctor, the meningitis was so sever, Hannah nearly died.  As a result, her parents have become increasingly protective of her with every passing year.  At some point, the fear of Hannah's sickness becomes a sickness in an of itself for her mother.

I thought this story was haunting, and in many ways it reminded my of The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.  Hannah is portrayed as this wounded, fragile creature that must be protected at all costs due to a legitimate health problem.  But the fear of illness, the need to protect, and the need to isolate Hannah becomes an obsession for her mother.  We see Hannah forced into a much sicker, weaker state as a result of this smothering need to protect.

Written in Hannah's first person narrative voice, the tale, though brief, is heartbreaking.  We feel intimately connected to Hannah, and it hurts that we can see better than she what is happening to her.  The writing, though simple, is evocative of fairly sophisticated emotions.  Do not let the brevity of the story fool you; there is a lot going on here.

This book is from my personal library and I wrote an honest review of my own volition.

Oddities and Entities, by Roland Allnach

A young girl is visited by a mysterious creature, and develops the ability to physically see inside people.  A man expels a small gray being that had been living inside his brain.  A brother and sister suffer an affliction in their youth that changes the course of their existence.  These are just half of the strange tales that you will encounter in this truly haunting collection.

I am a sucker for a spooky story, particularly during the month of October, so when I was given the chance to read this collection, I jumped at it.  A long time fan of the horror genre, something needs to be pretty innovative to really knock my socks off.  And innovative does not begin to describe these stories.  They were deliciously disturbing, leaving the reader to wonder about the world around you.  What lurks in the shadows and the recesses of our minds?  Those papery whispers that we hear late at night, are they the wind, or something far more sinister?

Each story is thoroughly developed, the characters rich, the dialog intimate and realistic, the plotlines solid.  These stories changed the way I thought about the world around me, the truths I believed, and the explanations I accepted.  The stories are dark, and raw, and unlike anything I have ever read.  I think fans of traditional horror and dark gothic literature will like the book, but it is so different that I think it could help convert some new horror fans as well.

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.  See the rest of the tour here.

  

Late Lights, by Kara Weiss

Very rarely does one person's story unfold without affecting the stories of others.  As children, Monty, BJ, and Erin saw themselves as equals; as they grew and evolved, each child took their own path, illuminating the differences between the three.  Yet no matter where they go and what they choose, they all still seem to have  a bearing on each other.

I am really quite a fan of short story collections where the characters and stories are interwoven.  This book is yet another example of why this style appeals to me.  We get to see the characters from different angles and points of view, which allows us to have a clearer image.  We get to see this trio of characters interact in different ways and with different combinations of people, and we find that each, in some way, is wounded.  Each, in some way, is abused or unloved, and feels less than the others.  They cannot seem to notice that their feelings of inadequacy is probably their greatest uniting factor.

I really thought the characters were well developed.  They each have their own stories to tell, and by breaking them up into short story form, we get intimate flashes of each character.  I particularly loved that, while reading, I had no preconceived notions of the appearance of the characters (for the most part; Monty's enthnicity is described, as is BJs hair), which to me meant these characters could be, and in many ways are, all of us.

This is a very quick read, but it is intensely emotional, with a lot of stuff below the surface.  Even though you will get through it quickly, you will need a little time to digest it.  Fans of short stories, particularly interwoven collections, will enjoy this book.

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.  See the rest of the tour here.

  

Our Love Could Light the World, by Anne Leigh Parrish

The Dugans are a family that always seems to be down on luck.  Working mother, disabled father, five young children, and a dog make up the family, moving frequently, but never moving forward.  Eventually the family becomes fractured, and the children grow up, but no matter what, their own unique version of love will forever hold them together.

I quite enjoyed this collection of short stories following the Dugan family over the years.  Because the stories all contained (basically) the same characters, we got the character development of a novel in short story chunks, where the story could focus on smaller, more specific themes.  I really enjoyed the structure of the book, because it seemed to present the best of both literary forms.  I especially liked watching the characters grow and change throughout the stories, even when those changes were not necessarily for the better.

The characters comprising the Dugan family are so relatable.  We all know kids like the Dugans.  Heck, at one point or another, many of us were kids like the Dugans.  So, the characters in the book come across as real, relatable, and painfully honest.  To me, that was very endearing.  I really cared about these characters; I wanted them to succeed 

Most of the stories deal with dark, heavy subject matter; divorce, alcoholism, emotional neglect, abuse.  Yet throughout the book, I often saw a glimmer of hope, and an odd kind of humor.  The book was a quick, easy read, mostly because it was so engaging.  Fans of short story collections will appreciate the book, but I think it will also appeal to fans of novel length contemporary literature as well.

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.  See the rest of the tour here.

  

Half as Happy, by Gregory Spatz

The world is full of people with stories to tell.  Stories of tragedy, of aching loss, of momentary whimsy, of childhood antics, and of bliss filled seconds of peace.  In this collection of short stories, we get a peek into the different kinds of everyday stories people have to tell.  Some are sad, some are sweet, but most importantly, they all just are.

I am a big fan of classic short stories, but I tend to struggle a little with more contemporary short story collections.  Not because they are not well written, just because the contemporary short story has a different sort of pacing.  And I did find that to be true of this collection.  The writing itself, the very words that make up the stories, are nothing short of glorious.  And the ideas at the heart of the stories are all brilliant.  The one thing I personally struggled with was a connection to the characters.  To me, it was sort of that feeling of being under water, and looking up at the world around you.  You see the real world, but a wavering, distorted view.  That is how I felt about a lot of the characters.  I found myself wanting a much clearer view of them.  However, that is not how life really works, is it?

One of the stories stood out to me a lot, regarding an adult set of twins.  To me, this is the best of all eight stories in the book.  I thought there was a tremendous amount of symbolism in the story, and find myself wanting to dissect the psychology behind it all.  

All in all, this is an interesting collection of stories.  Thought the book is slim, I would encourage you to not rush through the stories.  Take your time, soak in each one.

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.  See the rest of the tour here.

  

Allister Cromley's Fairweather Belle, by Shane Portman

Allister is a man of mystery.  He has met many an interesting person, yet he has no idea when his own birthday is.  Throughout his life, he amasses a collection of stories that rival the fairy tales of old.  Each tale is more incredible than the last, but all will leave you at least a tiny bit likelier to believe in magic.

I, for one, believe that there are far few fairy tales and bedtime stories for adults.  I am so happy that this author has sought to correct this grave injustice.  Alliter's tales are, in a word, enchanting.  I loved reading the snippets of his life, and was immediately pulled in.  I want to know more about Allister and his fascinating life.

The character development of Allister is quite unique.  We do not learn a lot about him as a character, but the things we do learn make him seem like someone we know quite well.  And in fact, I think there is a little bit of Allister in all of us.

In addition to solid and enchanting stories, the writing is accompanied by some truly superb illustrations.  Even the typography adds to the overall reading experience.  The result is simply magical.  I really look forward to more installments in this series, as it shows considerable promise.  

I received a review copy courtesy of the author in exchange for my honest review.

News from Heaven, by Jennifer Haigh

Bakerton, Pennsylvania is the quintessential Appalachian coal mining town.  Throughout the decades of the 20th century, the town, and her people, have undergone tremendous changes.  This collection of short stories  tells the stories of the townspeople throughout the years; many of the stories and the people are interconnected, in the way that people in small towns tend to be.

Everything about this book made me absolutely love it.  First off, I adore reading stories about realistic and relatable characters, and the characters in this book feel like my very own neighbors.  I particularly love that people and families show up in multiple stories, giving the reader a more robust picture of the characters and their family dynamics.  There was not a single story in this book that was not fantastic, a rare trait with short story compendiums.

Secondly, I have a soft spot in my heart for the Western PA setting of these stories, due to living in Western PA myself.  The small town I live in once had its booming heyday, also thanks to coal, and it has changed so much through the years, I can really relate to the setting of Bakerton; it feels like the world right outside my door.  However, I suspect I could love anywhere and still relate to Bakerton, since the author paints such a vivid portrait.

The plots of the stories themselves are so human, so real, so heartbreaking in many cases.  Yet even the melancholy stories are tinted with hope, something I adored about this book.  Fans of short stories will appreciate the book, as well as fans of historical fiction.  

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.  See the rest of the tour here.  There will also be a podcast discussion on February 4th, 2013, which will then be archived, and you can listen here.

      

Two and Twenty Dark Tales, edited by Georgia McBride and Michelle Zink

Perhaps Mother Goose was not telling us the full story in those catchy nursery rhymes.  Perhaps, like the original fairy tales, the origins of those nursery rhymes were much darker.  In this collection, you read about a dystopian Jack and Jill; an shipwrecked Winkin, Blinkin, and Nod; and the creepiest Wee Willie Winkie you ever did meet.  It may be a good idea to read these in the daylight, because these are certainly no bedtime stories.

Overall, I found this concept to be really awesome.  I love re-imaginings of old tales, regardless of the slant, but to take something as benign as nursery rhymes and reinvent them as something dark and brooding was an act of sheer brilliance by some of the authors in this anthology.  Like any collection of short stories, some appealed to me more than others.  I was certainly more predisposed to the very dark tales, like the one of Wee Willie Winkie, and the Little Miss Muffett story.  I also liked the stories that were more closely linked to the original nursery rhyme, which both of the stories I just mentioned were.  Some readers may like the stories that are less literal, for me they just did not work.  

For some reason, I found this book to be a very slow read, and felt like I was slogging through a lot of it.  For me, each story was either love or hate.  There were no stories on which I was just lukewarm.  I wish it had been a bit more consistent in terms of all the stories living up to the "dark tale" promise.  But the coolness of the concept, and the artistry of the stories I loved far outweigh the portions of the book I hated, so I still think this is a worthwhile read.  My only real complaint is that the advanced reader copy did not contain two of the stories; that is like leaving out chapters of a book and expecting a review to review the whole book.  To me, that just does not work well from a reviewer's perspective.  

The book will probably appeal to other fans of re-imagined fairy tales or classic stories.  Also, I think the book would be appropriate for, and appeal to, older teen readers, since many of them feature characters who are young adults.

I received a review copy courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Love, In Theory, by E. J. Levy

Love is never simple.  Sometimes love means sacrifice.  Sometimes love means forgiveness.  Sometimes love can not be conform to social constraints.  Sometimes love is temporary.  In this collection of short stories, we are are able to view love in many forms, new love, lost love, destroyed love, and theoretical love.

This collection of short stories is unlike anything I have ever read.  These stories are so smart, so deep, so powerful.  Not all literature needs to be highly intellectual in order to be good, but it just so happens that this particular collection is so intellectual, so philosophical, I had to consume these stories on a one by one basis, reflecting on each one before moving on to the next.

The characters on these stories are raw and real.  I see so much of myself, and the people I know, in the variety of characters and situations in these stories.  I really appreciate the fact that a wide variety of love and romantic situations are explored, heterosexual, homosexual, fidelity and infidelity, the complexity of love intersecting with religious faith.  We see several themes reoccurring across different stories, but playing out differently depending on the story.

I find Levy to be an incredibly gifted writer.  I was amazed with each story in this collection.  If you are someone who typically does not like short stories, I encourage you to still give this book a chance, as it is far from typical.  I found more depth and meaning in just one of these stories than I have found in some full length novels.  I really think this book will appeal to many readers.

I received a review copy of this book courtesy of TLC Book Tours, in exchange for an honest review.  You can view the rest of the tour here.

 

War Stories, by Elizabeth Doyle

War means different things to different people.  There are literal military definitions, such as Vietnam, as well as more metaphoric definitions, such as the wars found in everyday life.  We all have our own wars to face, and we all carry the scars of battle, both inside and out.  Set against a variety of backdrops, the stories in this collection explore the reasons behind and the implications of many different types of war.

Despite it's diminutive size, this collection of short stories packs a walloping emotional punch.  With the turn of each page, pain, despair, regret, hope, and youth all pour out onto the reader with so much intensity, at times I found it hard to breath.  I found that I could really only read one story at a time, so as to absorb the full meaning.  

Although these stories are short, the characters within them a memorable and richly developed within just a few pages.  These characters seemed real, they could be your neighbor, a person at your church, or in some instances, they could be you.  I think this relatability of the characters really heightened the emotional impact of the writing.

I found the writing to be simple, easily flowing, but it was clear that each word was chosen for a specific purpose.  A large, flowery vocabulary was not necessary for the author, her style alone was impactful.  I think that this book would be great for fans of short stories, and this book would be an excellent addition to high school literature curriculum, to introduce students to the modern short story.

I received a review copy courtesy of Tribute Book Blog Tours, in exchange for my honest review.  See the rest of the tour here.

Diving Belles, by Lucy Wood

Welcome to a place where the magical and mundane are entwined.  Prepare to realize that every person, place, and feeling has a story of its own.  This collection of short stories ranges from wives recovering husbands lured by mermaids to a house watching over its ever chancing occupants to a boy searching for a sign of his father in a boneyard for giants.  If this book teaches you anything, it is to not look at the everyday as being so everyday afterall.

I have quite mixed feelings about this book.  First off, Lucy Wood writes in a way that is silky and enchanting.  Her command of language is amazing, making me feel as if I were wrapped up in a giant sable on a cool winter's day.  I loved the exquisite way that she writes, full of sadness and beauty, joy and despair, dark and light all at once.  It is quite clear that she has a tremendous gift.  And I did enjoy the fact that the stories are so mystical.  I liked the hints of magic and the unexplained, it felt like a game of make believe.

As with any book of short stories, some struck me more than others.  I particularly enjoyed Of Mothers and Little People, as well as Notes from the House Spirits.  They were sweet and sad at the same time.  My only real criticism of the book is that I found a lack of resolution to the stories.  It seems like the just start and stop so abruptly.  It made me feel as if I were dreaming, or trying to hear underwater or something.  And this is not necessarily a bad thing overall regarding the book.  It just left me wanting a little closure.

I received a review copy as part of TLC Book Tours.  See the rest of the tour here.

 

Dancing Dog: Stories, by Jon Katz

Dogs can have a huge impact on the lives of humans.  And humans can have an even greater impact in the lives of dogs.  See the profound nature of the symbiotic relationships that can be formed between man and dog in this collection of short stories.

I feel like I was reading a totally different book than everyone else who has reviewed it so far.  I really disliked this book.  A lot.  I felt like the stories were trite, and the character development was very superficial.  And, in many of the cases, the stories portrayed humans perpetrating terrible acts upon these animals.  I anticipated that this book would be uplifting, and to me, it just was not.

One story actually made me pretty angry.  It involved a woman dying and visiting her dog in the dog portion of heaven.  In dog heaven, they can run all over, defecate and urinate all they want, eat rotten food and never get sick, tear apart homes and furniture, and that is their version of heaven.  And the angel that guards dog heaven says that hell is a place where dogs on tethered on leashes, forced to eat what the masters chose, must void themselves in specific locations.  In other words, dog hell is life on earth as pets to humans.  As an extreme dog lover and owner of two dogs, I take great offense to the idea that canine hell is life in a home that provides safety, shelter, and nutrition.  I do not crate or leash my dogs to be cruel or to have mastership over them, I do not chose their diet to be in control of them.  I do these things to keep them safe and healthy.  Hell might exist on earth for dogs with abusive owner, for sure, but to paint all life on earth as hell is a total slap in the face to people, like me, to would do anything to insure our pets are happy and healthy.

Perhaps I just missed something, but this book simply did not connect with me.  

I received this as part of the Amazon Vine program.

The Kissing List, by Stephanie Reents

Traveling through the rugged terrains of love and sex is never easy, but traveling these territories while trying to preserve friendships is even trickier.  We watch a group of women navigate relationships with various, and at times the same, men, as well as their relationships with each other.  These are their stories.

The idea behind this collection of short stories is that we follow a group of women through various stages of their lives (college, young adulthood, engagements, long distance romances, terminal illness, etc).  However, I found not a single of the females in the book to be well developed or the least bit memorable as characters.  I had difficulty remembering who was who, how they were related, and any previous stories in which she was involved.  In short, I found this book to be a hot mess.

I felt like the author tried to hard to be edgy.  She would use expletives, not to give a rhythm or cadence of realism to the dialogue, but to be shocking.  She had explicit and taboo sex scenes for the same reason.  The plot and dialogue of many of the stories felt flat and stilted.  Nothing intrigued me about any of these women or their stories.  Some of the stories were fairly well written, but all in all I just found myself incredibly disappointed.  Particularly because the summary featured on the jacket and on commercial website indicates the book to be a cohesive collection following 4 women through their romantic travails, much like Sex in the City.  What you get, instead, is a hot hot mess.

I received a review copy courtesy of the Amazon Vine program.

Shadow Show, edited by Sam Weller and Mort Castle

Every now and then, an author comes along whose impact is tremendous, whose mark on the face of modern literature is indelible.  Such is the case with Ray Bradbury.  The name alone conjures up iconic images of post Apocalyptic book burnings and rocket ships.  Bradbury's genius touched many, including some writers who are brilliant in their own rights.  This book is a collection of short stories inspired by and celebrating the works of a truly incredible man.

Having not really spent much time with Bradbury's works (a pitiful situation I hope to change soon), I was a bit nervous to read this book.  Would it be all Martians and robots?  Would I fully appreciate the impact of the stories?  In short would I "get it"?  Imagine my surprise when I not only "got it" but felt the desire to immediately read everything Bradbury had ever written.  This book is brilliant, and I desperately want to learn more about the man who inspired such brilliance.

As with any short story collection, some stories were more my style than others.  In a book full of stories by well know writers, the two that stuck out to me were the book's opener, "The Man Who Forgot Ray Bradbury" by the incredible Neil Gaiman, and the beautifully melancholic "Children of the Bedtime Machine" by Robert McCammon.  Something about these two stories, in particular, struck at the very heart of my humanity, at the depths to which I love literature.  

There was not a single bad story in this book.  Bradbury recently passed away, but he knew this collection was being done, and even wrote a short introduction for it.  I cannot imagine the pride with which he is now looking down, seeing the lasting impact he will forever have on American Literature.  I am so thankful to have said yes to this book, and to have a newly sparked appreciation for a truly gifted writer.

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours.  See the rest of the tour here. 

 

The Bet, by Darlene Panzera

Jenny is in a tough spot.  Her band loan on her ranch is due, and if she does not come up with the money, she will lose the land that has been in her family for generations.  Many of the men in town have created an elaborate bet to see who can convince Jenny to marry him, in order to save her ranch, but Jenny vows to reject any and every proposal of marriage.  A wealthy CEO sweeps into town with plans to woo Jenny, then use her land for personal gain.  But something changes his mind; love.  Now he only hopes he can change hers as well.

This was an unusual read for me.  This story was published in a book with another story, the story that gets the cover of the book.  But for the purposes of this review, I am only reviewing this particular story.  I thought that, in terms of a short story, this was quite good.  The author does a great job developing Jenny's character, as well as some of the potential love interests, and I think the backstory was really well developed, given the short length of the story.  There is a lot going on in terms of plot, but never does it seem overwhelming or confusing.

In terms of constructive criticism, I think the only issue I had was the actual romance developing.  Because this was a short story, there was not a lot of time to let the romance develop.  So, it seems like it flips on like a light switch.  And sure, that does happen in real life, but I think the story would benefit from more length and time for that romance to bloom in a more natural, realistic manner.  Also, I would like to have seen some resolution regarding other characters who played key roles in the story.

The story was sweet, delivering moments of humor, romance, and at least one of righteous indignation.  That is a lot to deliver in just a few pages, so well done.  But it left me wanting more, wanting to see this developed into a full length novel in its own right.

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours.  See the rest of the tour here.

 

Girl Meets Boy, edited by Kelly Milner Halls

There are two sides to every story, but rarely do we get to hear them both.  In this collection of short stories, we hear about several teenage relationships, from the perspective of both the male and the female involved.  A diverse cast of characters helps prove that even in the teen world, male-female interaction can be quite complex.

I must say, I really loved the concept of this book.  Hearing a story from both perspectives was an interesting idea, and I think overall it was very well delivered.  Some of the story couplings worked better than others, but overall, conceptually the book is fresh and interesting.  It also provides the reader with an opportunity to find new authors.

I thought that, in general, characters were well developed for being in short stories.  The book highlights many different types of teenagers by having characters from diverse ethnicities and cultures, 

sexual preferences, personalities, and family situations.  I greatly appreciated this diversity; I think makes the book relatable to a much broader spectrum of young adult readers.  Everyone wants to read about someone like them at that age, when everything makes you insecure.

As with any collection of stories, some will be stronger than others, and this book is no exception.  One particular pairing of stories really failed to hold my attention, and the execution of the writing just seemed awkward.  But overall, I thought the book well done.  While there are some sexual situations in some of the stories, this is hardly new to the world of teenage fiction.  And certainly no different than the television shows currently marketed to kids.  However, parents who are concerned about this may want to make note that teen sexuality is explored in this book.  I think the book will appeal to a broad audience of young adult readers.  The short stories make for a quick read, yet still have a lot of depth.


I received this book for review as part of the Amazon Vine program.

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Masters of Seduction, by Marsha Canham, Virginia Henley, Jacquie D’Alessandro, Jill Gregory, Sherri Browning Erwin, and Julie Ortolon

What would you do if you had your heart's desire revealed to you in a vision?  Follow the story of a mystical mirrored brooch as it travels through time, and the stories of six different women.  Each woman sees a vision of what she truly desires, but how many of them will have the courage to actually seek it out?

With a title like Masters of Seduction, and a chiseled man on the cover, this book made me a little nervous.  I tend to shy away from explicit romance novels, but I decided to take a gamble with this book.  Well, lo and behold, I hit the jackpot.  This books is amazing, pure and simple.  Each of the six authors in this short story anthology write a beautiful story, with vivid characters.  The stories were dreamy and romantic, passionate and steamy, but never crossing over into trashy or smutty as so many romance stories are apt to do.  Most of the stories are historical romances, following the mirror from its ancient roots to more modern times.  One story is a contemporary paranormal romance, and one is just a contemporary story.  But the stories are woven together in this anthology to reveal the bigger story and mythology of the mirror itself.

For short stories, the character development was exceptional.  The historical romances, in particular, really lept from the page in terms of vivid characters and setting.  I think romance fans will love this book.  I really liked the fact that it gave me a taste of some new romance writers, ones I am sure to revisit in the future.

I received a review copy courtesy of one of the authors.

An Amish Wedding, by Beth Wiseman

Three different women, three different stories, all interwoven, all showing the trials of planning an Amish wedding.  Priscilla King wonders if all the set backs and bad luck are God's way of telling her not to wed.  Naomi Fisher is tired of playing matchmaker for everyone else, while she remains alone.  Rose Bender struggles with allowing friendship to grow into love.  Will these women find their own happiness in the end?

Sometimes, you just need to read a nice sweet love story.  Or three.  This book make me happy.  Just plain happy.  Not a lot of books do that, and while this book was not high literature, it did elicit a specific feeling, so in and of that, it is successful.  I really enjoyed the way the book was three stories, with all the characters making appearances in the various stories.  It made for nice short reading sections, with the added benefit of continuity.  My only critique is that I might have changed the order of the three a bit, since we hear hints of Priscilla's troubles long before we actually read her story.  However, I think with some of the action seeming to take place simultaneously, the order is kind of irrelevant.

I really enjoyed the three main female characters, but I have to say Naomi's story was the one I enjoyed the most.  Having married later than many of my peers, I felt that was the one to which I most related.  Each story was written by a different author, and I think each had their own unique voice, but never strayed from the main concept of the book.

Fans of Amish fiction will enjoy this three-in-one book, as will anyone in need of a nice sweet romance.



I received a review copy courtesy of the publisher.