an·thol·o·gy – nown – noun: anthology; plural noun: anthologies – a published collection of poems or other pieces of writing.
I always thought I knew what an anthology was, but after reading this last one, it got me wondering if I was right. Yes I was!!! One thing I like about anthologies is that you get a small taste of an authors work and it is a fabulous way of “meeting” new authors. If you know at least one writer that contributes, buy it and read the whole thing. If at least one other story interests you, then you just found another author to read!
So it comes to question, how can you review an anthology since it is many authors and stories? For me, it is pull I have of knowing more about the people in one of the stories. I can tell there is more to the story and the only way to truly find out, is to go to that author’s website and find out what series this novella is from and then buy them all! If I can be interested in more than one, than that adds to the overall “score” if you will.
That being said, here are the blurbs for Holiday Kisses.
This Time Next Year by Alison Kent
“Brenna Keating is on her way to spend Christmas with her grandmother when treacherous roads and a skittish deer put her car in a ditch. Riding to the rescue—literally—is Dillon Craig, a reclusive doctor who insists she weather the storm in his cabin.
Since returning from Afghanistan where he treated wounded soldiers on the front lines, Dillon’s made it a point to avoid any emotional involvement. But his unexpected guest has him dangerously close to breaking his own rules.
Brenna has a plan for her life—until she’s stranded for three days with Dillon. Soon, the chemistry sizzling between them forces her to reexamine her priorities. The man is gorgeous, if taciturn, and a true hero in every sense of the word. No woman in her right mind could resist him, and so Brenna doesn’t—even though she can’t stay…”
A Rare Gift by Jaci Burton
“With a disastrous marriage behind him, Wyatt Kent has no interest in getting involved with any woman, let alone his ex-wife’s younger sister. But when Calliope Andrews hires him to build an addition onto her daycare center, Wyatt can’t help but notice she’s a desirable woman, as warm and funny as his ex was cold and aloof.
Calliope fell hard for Wyatt the first time he walked through the door of her family’s home, and can’t believe her sister let him get away. He’s still the star of all her fantasies, and she’s determined to prove to him she’s nothing like his manipulative ex. Wyatt may be all business, but Calliope sees the way he looks at her when he’s supposed to be working…
It’s not long before Wyatt and Calliope are keeping each other warm on cold December nights. But it’s going to take a Christmas miracle for Wyatt to put his trust in love a second time.”
It’s Not Christmas Without You by HelenKay Dimon
“Carrie Anders officially broke up with Austin Thomas when she accepted a dream job in the city. Unofficially, she misses him and is tempted to sneak back to her West Virginia hometown to see him. That’s why this year, she’s not going home for the holidays. Her heart can’t take any more mornings after where nothing has changed–and Austin has made it clear he’s not interested in relocating.
Austin’s been waiting for Carrie to realize she can’t live without him. But when he hears she’s not coming home for Christmas, he decides to take action. If Carrie won’t come to the country, he’s going to bring a piece of the country to Carrie – in the form of a Christmas tree lot just minutes from her apartment. He’s certain daily meetings will entice her to come home with him, this time for good. Their attraction is as hot as ever, but with such contrary Christmas wishes, can either of them get what they really want this year?”
Mistletoe and Margaritas by Shannon Stacey
“Claire Rutledge still believes in love, despite losing her husband. So, after two years, she’s not surprised by the steamy dreams telling her it might be time to start moving on. But she didn’t expect her friend Justin to have the starring role.
Justin McCormick has loved Claire since the moment he first saw her, but his best friend got there first. Now that Claire is ready to move on with her life, Justin is finding it harder than ever to hide his true feelings. And when they both get caught up in the holiday spirits at a party, their simmering mutual attraction boils over into a night neither of them can forget…”
I admit, I bought this anthology because I love Jaci Burton. I had already read A Rare Gift as part of her Kent Brothers Series, but I figured, if Harlequin put these authors together, they did so for a reason. I thoroughly enjoyed the other three novellas. They are a small taste of what these authors write, and like a piece of my mom’s lasagna, I want more! I will definitely looking up these other authors to read their other books. I give this anthology ❤❤❤❤ one for each author!
This Anthology is due out, in Print, in November 2013 by Harlequin. Pre-Order at Amazon Pre-Order at Barnes & Noble
Ciao! ~*Karen*~
