5 STARS Too busy to read the individual reviews of each story in this collection? Here’s the short version. I enjoyed The Time Traveler’s Desire, A Knight’s Desire, The Angel and The Prince, and Highlander in Her Dreams. All earned 5 star ratings. The Wicked Lady was disappointing and would have been better left out of this collection. I give it 2 stars. The Angel and the Prince was one of the better stories I’ve read in a long time, earning 5++ stars. I loved it! 4-24-2020 The Time Traveler's Desire - Amy Jarecki 5 stars I was surprised by how quickly and completely I was caught up in this story. As historical fiction, it captured my imagination and carried me into the past. I loved the characters: Lachlan, Christina, Andrew, Sir Boyd, Hamish. All of these characters, with the exception of Hamish, were multidimensional and intriguing. As the hero, Lachlan was the most compelling of all. The relationships he developed with Christina and Andrew were nuanced and relatable. I cannot find any fault with this book, neither in the writing nor in the plot. 4-26-2020 The Wicked Lady - Brenda Jernigan 2 stars Aside from the ridiculous plot, characters behaved in a manner that was unrealistic and incompatible with the time period. A few times, I considered skipping over this story to get to the next one, but I was intrigued by what was going to happen next (even though I thought it was silly). I’m embarrassed to say that I'm not really sure why I kept reading it. I am going to list some of the problems I had with the plot/writing, but there are likely to be SPOILERS:
4-28-2020 A Knight’s Desire - Catherine Kean 5 stars I really enjoyable story of soulmates, separated by a jealous rival. Detailed historic descriptions made me feel a part of the time period. The characters were wonderful, especially Ash. I loved that he called Rosetta Briar Rose. There was ample opportunity to add more angst to the story and I am glad the author kept it to a minimum. Knowing a happy ending would ensue made it easier to read when plans went awry. 4-30-2020 The Angel and the Prince - Laurel O'Donnell 5++ stars This was an amazing read and well worth the price of this collection. If you read nothing else here, read this one. It pits England’s Prince of Darkness (Bryce) against France’s Angel of Death (Ryen), enemies to lovers in the most literal sense of the word. Despite their clear attraction and respect for one another, there is no possibility that they can find happiness together, unless one is willing to become a traitor to his/her country. As knights, that is not an option for either of them, who value honor above all else (even love). There were some wonderfully descriptive passages in this story: “The red glow of the setting sun stung his eyes as the light attacked him through the windows in the hallway.” (I might have preferred that the light stabbed his eyes, but still, it was good.) “Like the pickets of a fence, numerous armored guards were stationed on either side of a wide path that stretched from Bryce to the other end of the hall.” (Great depiction of a frightening scene) “She did not feel the chilly air as it tried to wrap its frigid fingers around her bare shoulders; her body blazed with a blanket of anger.” (Love the personification!) “Lightning ripped the sky in two, striking the barren field far off to their left. A cloud of dust exploded upward from the impact of the sharp spear of energy.” (An apt way to describe a bolt of lightning in a time when swords and spears were commonplace.) “His entire body was caked with mud, his skin barely covered by a tunic and breeches that were so torn and ragged they hung from his thin limbs like an old cleaning cloth that had long outlived its usefulness.” (This description is so visceral, it made me shudder.) The plot is full of twists and turns and I spent the better part of a day trying to complete daily tasks, but being continually pulled back to the story to find out what would happen next. I don’t want to say I wasted a day with my nose buried in my Kindle, but my family might argue that’s what I did. I was incapable of focusing on anything else until I had reached the end of this story, and when I did, I just said, “wow.” Seriously, WOW. I had two issues with the plot, although by the time I reached the end, I was so blown away, I didn’t even care anymore. However, they are fairly significant so I feel I should mention them. Unfortunately, they are spoilers. I would never spoil a surprise simply to summarize a plot. I mention these because they are important “mistakes” and they happen to illuminate surprise plot points. I don’t think reading them in advance will ruin the book for any reader unless surprises are their only reason for reading. Personally, the quality of the writing itself is what makes or breaks a book for me. That said, here goes: **SPOILERS**
Toward the end, I was terribly worried that I was about to read a Romeo & Juliet ending. I love that story, but I was trembling as I pictured the events that would lead to the death of both of them. I just didn’t want that for them—they had already suffered so much. Thankfully, Laurel O’Donnell concocted a much better ending, one I could not have imagined, which was perfect. I’m afraid this book might get lost in a collection like this one, which is good but not outstanding (aside from this story). This is a story I want to tell everyone to read because the plot is incredible, the writing is evocative, and the characters are memorable. They came to life and I will not forget them. I’m sad to say good-bye to Bryce and Ryen, but I’m so glad they finally faced their love for one another and figured out their happily-ever-after. 5-3-2020 Highlander in Her Dreams – Sue-Ellen Welfonder 5 stars I didn’t think anything could compare to The Angel and the Prince; I was wrong. Despite the far-fetched concept of this story, I was thoroughly convinced that it could absolutely happen. Time travel was described in a way that was clear and believable. The love between Aiden and Kira was timeless and swoon-worthy. Furthermore, the descriptions regarding how one might react to sudden immersion in a world centuries apart from your own was touching and relatable. I have never desired travelling back to a time devoid of indoor plumbing and hygiene, to name a few modern expectations. When the author describes the smells of medieval Scotland, I loved it: “Their scent leaned toward armpit and old leather. Wool and linen that hadn’t been washed in the saints knew how long, the whole charming effect enhanced by the slight whiff of stale ale, horse, and dog.” Phew! I really don’t want to go there. Thank goodness for happy endings. I worried that Kira would be pulled away from Aiden, and on more than one occasion, it seemed likely. I also worried it would be one of those “it was all a dream” endings, which would have really aggravated me (and resulted in far fewer stars in the review). Instead, the book ended happily and with all loose ends resolved. However, I was a bit confused by the two characters depicted at the very end. I’m sure they were familiar characters from some other point in the story, but I couldn’t quite figure them out. May 3, 2020
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Elizabeth J ConnorWriter. Editor. Proofreader. Archives
September 2022
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