Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishings Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the worlds literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishings Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the worlds literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Virgin & Her Shotgun Groom
Wounded bounty hunter Kane Slater had sought refuge at Josie McCoy's secluded mountain cabin.Still, the handsome loner was not about to succumb to his nurse's gentle touch.Not even when Josie told him how he could repay her for saving his life...Because honorable men bent on remaining bachelors didn't trifle with virgins.

But how could Kane convince four very angry McCoy men that he hadn't seduced their precious Josie?For they would let him off their mountain only if he took Josie as his wife!And that's how Kane Slater became a shotgun groom...to one very hopeful bride.

GRAB THIS ONE!
This is of the Silhouette Romances "Virgin Bride" series!
There was pain. There was darkness. There was snow. [what a great opener]
Bounty hunter Kane Slater was wounded, stumbling through the pain, darkness and snow. Aiming for the light in the darkness over on the next ridge. He never planned to grow old but he didn't plan to bleed to death on some nondescript little mountain in Tennessee either. Blasted blizzard. Blasted weakness. Blasted poor excuse for a mountain. [You gotta understand, this man was from Montana].

Josie McCoy was a 23 year old Tennessee hills girl that had just about had it with the attitudes of her father, Saxon McCoy and her 4 brothers, Billy, James, Roy and J.D.Let them cook and pick up after themselves for a while. Josie also can out talk just about anyone, she makes neat birdhouses and has a womanly appeal even though she looks about thirteen.

Josie is determined to have Kane Slater as her very own and first lover.[grin] the trouble she has is very humorous. Kane wants her but he doesn't trifle with virgins and he definitely doesn't want to get married.See what happens!

See how Josie saves Kane and meets his brothers, Spence and Trace and learns from Spense's wife, Gwen, methods of winning Kane's heart. She proves to be a gutsy little lady who will not walk away from Kane, no matter what provication he tries to provide.

A more than satisfying, appealing, lovable story of a great little woman and a wounded [in more ways than one]man.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED -- you should really enjoy this one. ... Read more

Product Description
Includes stories “I Will “ by Lisa Kleypas, “Three French Hens” by Lynsay Sands, and “Father Christmas” by Leigh Greenwood. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Lots of BANG for your BUCK!
Usually I do not bother to review anthologies.Takes to long and they are not usually worth writing about....This one being the exception to that rule.

For the price tag and quality of stories...you can't go wrong with this one.

It's tough, but Lisa Kleypas's RITA award winner "I Will" was my favorite.For those that read her pair of books Somewhere I'll Find You and Because You're Mine, you'll recognize the hero.He is Logan Scott's renegade half brother, Andrew, Lord Drake.This is a reformed rake story...my favorite.It has one of the most fun, interesting, imaginative, and sexy love scenes I've ever read...in a short story no less!I loved the heroine Caroline and how she goes about getting her man!I found myself reading portions of this story over and over.Andrew's reformation is sweet, convincing, and heartwarming.

Lynsay Sands, "Three French Horns" was the weakest of the bunch.It's kind of a Cinderella story with a twist ending.I appreciate Sand's humor, but often times her novels lack the depth of feeling that others do.However, only when reading Lynsay Sands have I ever laughed out loud uncontrollably!In this one, Royce, Lord Thurleah is never really developed enough for me to connect with him.Okay book....just not memorable like the other two are.

Leigh Greenwood delivers a special treat with "Father Christmas".If you like this one you have to read "Outsider" by Penelope Williamson.It has the same premise.A drifter comes into the life of a widow and her child and none are ever the same.Although Joe is definitely a bit rough around the edges, the way that he cares for Mary and Sarah had me choked up a few times.This story, out of all of them, seems to best capture the "feeling" of Christmas.A beautiful story of the making of a family.

Buy this book.It's a steal for the price!

disappointing republish
I thought this was a new anthology of stories for Christmas. I was disappointed to see that the Lisa Kleypas story was one I had read a long time ago. I wish they would be more upfront about remakes, recompilations, and republished in new format works. I loathe the sneaky marketing. It makes me far more hesitant to make further purchases by the publishing company or the author.

Reissue -Kleypas's Rita Award winning novella "I Will" + two other holiday themed short stories
From the back cover-

I Will by Lisa Kleypas
When a Georgian bluestocking is propositioned by a rakish noble, she finds the unlikely deal he proposes is the gift of a life time.

5 stars -One of my favorite Kleypas stories. Andrew, Lord Drake, is the drunken dissolute half brother to Logan Scott Because You're Mine. Their father is dying. In order to get back into the willAndrew must prove he has transformed his scandalous ways. So comes about a sham engagement to the morally upright Miss Caroline Hargreaves. Fantastic novella, not surprising that this won a Rita. Great characters, captivating writing, unpredictable plot and a swoon-worthy romance. The same novella has also been published previously in Wish List.

Three French Hens by Lynsay Sands
A twelfth-century scullion gets a chance to play a lady's maid -and win the true love of an impoverished lord.

4 stars -Brinna, a scullery maid, is called upon to help Lady Joan avoid marriage to an poor lord. Brinna masquerades as the other woman. Soon shefind herself falling in love with Royce who desperately needs a substantial dower to help his people. Too bad Brinna is the wrong woman -or is she? Very good short story but not humorous like many of Sands other ones. I thought the ending was a far fetched but I guess thats in keeping with the feel good Christmas theme. Also published in Five Gold Rings.

Father Christmas by Leigh Greenwood
Delivering a young widow's baby during the holiday season transforms the heart of a lonely drifter in the nineteenth-century Arizona Territory.

5 stars -Joe Ryan is a wanted man. He shows up at his dead partner's ranch looking for the hidden gold, not only for the riches but to clear his good name. What he finds at the run down place is the man's pregnant widow and her step daughter. While searching for the lute lonely Joe can't help but lend a hand to the desperate woman and child who have captured his heart. Wonderful! Everything you could want in a holiday story including the cutesy little girl. The classic Christmas cliche of a loner finding a home -and a family- for the holidays. Also published in Their First Noel.

Can't go wrong with this anthology, good stories at a great price. ... Read more

Product Description
Andrew McAllisters crumbling family home in Scotland looks forbidding at first sighting. He and his PA, Liz, an expert in Celtic language and lore, soon discover secrets the dilapidated castle has never divulged before. Swept back in time a thousand years, to 1050, they are forced to fight for their survival in an alien and often hostile world. Among passions and violence, as they struggle to find a way back to their familiar world, they discover untapped strengths in themselves and a love to last forever. ... Read more

Product Description
Prairie County, Kansas, began its tradition of delightful fairs in the mid-1800s--a tradition of family-oriented fun that has continued for over one hundred years. Take a peak into four different time settings-- from the very first event to a modern-day fair--and join memorable characters as they sell their produce, exhibit their creations, judge contests, and reunite with old friends. Combine a little good-natured competition with some hair-raising fun and you just might discover a new recipe for love. ... Read more

Product Description
Having recently lost her father to cancer, the last thing Jessica Hart needs is to come across a confused and injured stranger on the beach near her home. Not only does Patrick O'Hara believe its 1778, he also thinks Jessica is a boy. As a psychologist, she wonders how he came up with his ancient sea-faring life. As a woman she can't help being drawn to his charming old fashioned ways. Patrick talks her into taking out her family yacht, and Jessica soon realises she's made a big mistake when a storm sweeps them both overboard and into the path of The Indian Rose. Rescued by his own crew, Patrick knows they have returned to the past, but Jessica is convinced The Indian Rose is just an authentic reconstruction complete with crazy sailors willing to go along with their insane captain's desire to live in the past. So begin Jessica Hart's adventures into the past. ... Read more

Product Description
General Books publication date: 2009Original publication date: 1824Original Publisher: Published by Bliss and WhiteSubjects: FictionAlbigensesHistory / Europe / FranceHistory / MedievalReligion / Christianity / HistoryReligion / HistoryReligion / Christian Church / HistoryNotes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free.Excerpt: CHAPTER VI.What means this tumult in a Vestal's veins ?Pope.Though Genevieve's wound on examination proved so slight that it was obvious the archer had purposely consulted her safety while he gave it, the tenderness of the queen would not suffer her for some days to quit her cell or her pallet. This interval she passed almost in utter solitude ; for Ingelbwg, exhausted by fatigue and emotion, remained in her apartment; and the nuns, when they had discovered that their guest was a heretic, (from her possessing neither cross nor rosary, and making no use of holy water) took care to remain no longer near her than was necessary for dressing her wound and supplying her with food. This solitude was as delicious to her as it was dangerous. Even amid suffering and peril the images of both had been effaced by the parting exclamation of Amirald ; and now, in the stillness and repose of her cell, her mental eye rested with unwearied luxury of gaze on the bright scenes of its internal and new-found world of felicity. From the moment that she had felt that compassion for a wounded and deserted youth was rapidly exchanging for a sensation new, indefinable, and tumultuous, she guarded her heart against his image with a vigilance and firmness that suffered itself neither to be surprised nor seduced into admitting its approach for a moment. The insurmountable inequalities of rank and of religion, ... ... Read more

Product Description

Romance is the Rodney Dangerfield of popular fiction genres. Neither the readers nor the writers receive much respect, yet the genre remains astoundingly popular. Romance Authors: A Research Guide provides a starting place for librarians, student researchers, and fans who wish to find out more about specific authors. The book will also be useful to book club leaders looking for background information on romance authors and readers' adviosr, as they help patrons find new authors or the complete backlist of a favorite writer.

The guide offers a brief overview of the romance genre, a timeline of events important to the genre, a listing of authors by subgenre, biographical and informational entries on each author, and an extensive bibliography of research sources on romance. The focus is on popular romance authors writing today. In order to provide context, notable romance authors from the past such as Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer, and Kathleen Woodwiss are also included.

Product Description
We wish to thank you for purchasing this book, as all of the proceeds go to South SideHelp Center. As a Whisper by AlTonya WashingtonIzaya Charles' & Gunther Datari's love affair ended horribly & unexpectedly but when they meet during a literary cruise on one of Gunther's ships, they realize the affair may have ended but the love remained.Show Me! By Barbara KeatonCammie's life would never be the same following a chance meeting (or so she thought) with Jacques, a man many years her junior who would grant her unselfish, unbridled passion!Trapped in Paradise by Deatri King-BeyAfter escaping an abusive marriage, Saundra Write swore never to allow anyone to trap her again. Then comes along Jeremy King, the kind of man any woman would beg to be trapped in paradise with.Seaside Seduction By A.C. AuthorMac should be the last person to teach his best friend tolove and trust when he's been lying to her for years. And now that his game is up, he can only hope the beautiful Caribbean days and sensual seaside nights will be enough to make CJ dismiss the mistakes of the past to sail towards a brighter future?On My Knees By Dyanne DavisCarmen placed everything before love until love was nothing more than the stories told in romance novels. Aaron is an accomplished romance author, but wants the real thing. A cruise brings the two together. Renewed love, with a healthy dose of lust, works to keep them together.More and More By Niobia ByrantMocha Nivens enjoys the casual nature of her long-term, long-distance relationship with businessman Dean Kincaid, but she ends it when he moves back to town wanting more. When Dean dates other women, Mocha realizes what she's lost, but is it too late to claim the love she deserves? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Romance on the High Seas
I like this novella, it contains six short stories from six different authors all surrounding a cruise during the 2010 Romance Slam Jam, which is a conference and awards ceremony celebrating black authors and romance writers. All I can say is that if half of what was written in these stories is true about this conference or the cruise count me in for the next one. The stories were very diverse. They covered reunited love, May-Dec. romance, married love, undiscovered love, friendship turn true love, and pretty much everything in between. I especially liked how the authors were to maintain the overall theme of the book, but get each story it's own feel and experience.

The book starts out with "As A Whisper" by AlTonya Washington with a reunited love, "Show Me!" by Barbara Keaton a May-Dec romance following the death of her husband, "Trapped in Paradise" by Deatri King-Bey about trusting and starting over in love, " Seaside Seduction" by A.C. Arthur about friends discovering true love, "On My Knees" by Dyanne Davis about a married couple finding their way back to each other, and More and More by Niobia Bryant about overcoming the fear of loving someone.

You could actually feel like all those things where happening on the boat at the same time, and you could see it from all the different characters living in stories. It was like reading the "Love Boat" but with a modern

Destination Romance Series
I readed each segment from cover to cover. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading this book.

Diva Reader of Romance
Readers, Let me tell you, what a great read and Crystal Hubbard edited... I so enjoyed the 6 novellas!!! I finished it in a couple of days and highly reccomend you get your own copy to enjoy!! Some authors I had not read, but will now make a point to look at their works in future!!!

A stellar anthology and great read
This anthology of six stories by some of the hottest African American romance novelist was awesome.Each of the authors brings their unique perspective to a short romance with strong lead characters, engaging story lines and undeniable, siizling romance. The unifying thread is the location - a cruise for romance writers and their fans.This unifying thread adds a nice grounding effect to the six individual stories.It's hard to say which one was my favorite as it seem I enjoyed each story in different ways, but all were greatly satisfying.I'd love to see another, similar format.Apart from the pure enjoyment of great, if brief, stories, proceeds go to support a number of worthy charities.Does it get any better?

Romance Slam Jam's Love Boat
The Romance Slam Jam is headed on a five-day cruise to the Cayman Island and Jamaica for its 15th Anniversary.Authors AlTonya Washington, Deatri King-Bey, Barbara Keaton, Dyanne Davis, AC Arthur, and Niobia Bryant bring the sexiness of the Love Boat to their readers in Destination Romance Series.

Each author tells a very different and sexy love story.Washington tells of rekindling love; Keaton writes of romance between an older woman and a younger man; Arthur's story find childhood friends hidden passion for one another; King-Bey's story is a blind date gone right; Davis' story tells how people who are not satisfied with thier partners at home, rekindle their dormant love lives and Bryant's story shows tells what could happen in a long distance romance.

The stories were hot, steamy and sexy.Each author incorporated every aspect of the Romance Slam from the opening dinner, meeting the authors, EMMA Awards, to the fans and so much more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading each story as the authors continued the theme of its founders, Emma Rodgers, Francis Ray and Ashira Tosishwe.I was even more impressed that all proceeds for the book is for charity. This book will be read by romance lovers everywhere.

Priscilla C. Johnson
APOOO BookClub
... Read more

Product Description

Speakers, musicians, and authors of the bestselling When God Writes Your Love Story Eric andLeslie Ludy invite couples to discover the elementsto make the love and romance of the wedding day last a lifetime.

• A Poetic Love—experience the beauty of forever faithfulness
• A Sacred Vow—the holy covenant where two become one
• A Lasting Kiss—explore the boundless depths of lifelong intimacy
• A Cheering Witness—embrace the love and support of God–given teammates
• A New Beginning—enter a Christ–built adventure

An accompanying CD of five original wedding songs—and the instrumentalversions—by Eric and Leslie provide inspirational background music for thecreative process and the ceremony.

Customer Reviews (4)

This Book is wonderful!!!
This book is so full of wonderful thoughts and ideas... I only wish there were pictures in it.Eric and Lesie are gifterd writers and have beautiful hearts for God.... very encouraging!The cd is also wonderful and the songs are touching and very worshipful.If you desire to glorify the Divine Author of Romance on your wedding day this book is for you!Though the book is rather short, the depth and honesty of each chapter is well worth the price1

I hope you all enjoy this book as much as I did!!

God Bless!

Sneak preview
Due to the problems we had right before the marriage commitment, we had to go through somewhat intensive pre-marriage counseling.Thanks to that continuous struggle in the first year of marriage, I've been happily married for three years now and am looking forward to years to come.Because I know how much the concept of having Jesus center of our marriage helped us through pre-marraige counseling, my husband and I are advocate of pre-marriage counseling to the engaged/newly married couples.Even if we were Christians who want to have Jesus to be center of our everything, it was easy for us to use Him just as a backdrop of life's most important event such as a wedding.This book is a fresh reminder that as a follower of Jesus, what it is like to have the most Christ honoring wedding through the authors' creative ideas.I have seen some weddings using ideas from this book.Unfortunately they didn't go beyond one of the special program and failed to reach the true meaning behind it.However, I can see how it can be used as witnessing to those who don't know Christ.I would suggest this book to those who want to explore how to honor Christ through their wedding with creative but biblical ideas.If you're looking for something beyond just wedding planning, I would suggest, 'Now you're engaged' instead.

Disappointing
I love the Ludy's, and their other books have impacted my life greatly. I ordered this book to give as an engagement gift for a friend of mine who is getting married this summer.I found the book surfacy and juvenile, and the ceremony tips were suggestions I have heard many times before.This book would best be for very young people who are getting married (under 23), but is not advisable for anyone over that age range.

Great!
I loved this book.It gives such meaning to a Christ centered wedding.The CD and the words to the songs that Eric and Leslie Ludy have included with their book have such meaning.Each part of the wedding ceremony is given Christ centered meaning in this book and is so important in the meaning of the convenant that a man and woman declare before God.Thank you Eric and Leslie for putting God back into the wedding ceremony! ... Read more

Product Description
Enchanting and enchanted lovers, magical romance, dark desires, otherworldly sensations, ethereal encounters, paranormal thrills, sensual spells, supernatural suspense, sizzling speculations... Highly imaginative short fiction and novellas from the best fantasy romance writers - both bestselling authors and new talent - of 2005. Edited by award-winning editor Paula Guran. Juno is a new imprint from Wildside Press. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

An anthology of varied and excellently written paranormal stories
Any book entitled "Best..." gives the potential for disappointment, especially in the crowded genre of paranormal romance. However this book was not disappointing in the least and was instead a great collection of short stories within this tricky-to-define genre, each very different in their own way. The editor, Paula Guran, gives an introduction to the genre (or, rather, how difficult it is to define the genre) and there follows twelve different short stories by authors within this field.

Most of these stories are set in the modern world although with paranormal elements: ('Follow Me Light' by Elizabeth Bear; 'A Maze Of Trees' by Claudia O'Keefe; 'Walpurgis Afternoon' by Delia Sherman; 'Calypso in Berlin' by Elizabeth Hand, 'Single White House' by Heather Shaw; 'Magic In A Certain Slant Of Life' by Deborah Coates; 'Fir Na Tine' by Sandra McDonald; 'A Treatise On Fewmets' by Sarah Prineas and 'The Hard Stuff' by John Grant), two are more traditional space science fiction ('The Shadowed Heart' by Catherine Asaro and 'Hero's Welcome' by Rebecca York) and one has historical elements ('A Knot of Toads' by Jane Yolen). Unlike most full-length romance novels there isn't always a Happy Ever After in these stories, they often instead explore some of the difficulties and sadnesses of life on this planet or another.

What really stands out about these stories is the writing styles. Many romance novels have little literary merit but the contributions to this anthology are written with great attention to detail and some wonderful turns of phrase. I particularly highlight "Calypso in Berlin" here which has some wonderful descriptions of Berlin after the Wall came down although in this story the romance is a very minor part of the piece.

The last story in the anthology, 'The Hard Stuff' is very different in that it has a male author. It focuses on a man severely injured in Iraq and is a strongly anti-war piece with a brilliant depiction of the difficulties of a man who has had both hands amputated coming to terms with his new disability and the different ways in which his disability is viewed in America and in Scotland. The paranormal aspect of this story came in quite a way through by which point I was fascinated with the hero's story and in some ways I would have enjoyed reading this without the paranormal aspect as the topic of the man and his injuries was so well written, although then it could not have been included in this collection!

This is an excellent book for those who wish to find talented authors in this overcrowded genre. Each of these stories has a writing style markedly better than much of the available writing in this genre and it's an excellent introduction to these authors for those looking for new things to read.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

Reviewed by Barb Radmore
Editor Paula Guran begins this anthology with a look at the definition of paranormal romance. It is a genre that is evolving over time, taking bits of its parental genres with it- Romance mixed with sci fi, fantasy and horror. Add a bit of suspense, maybe adventure and a dash of mystery.Shaken, not stirred. It is not an easily defined category as it can include happily ever after sex with a vampire as well as love in a space ship. But it may not even involve the love or sex or ahappy ending.Best idea- ignore the need to categorize and enjoy the stories in Best New Paranormal Romance from Juno Publishing.

Best New Paranormal Romance is the first of a planned series by that title. The twelve stories included cover a broad scope but adhere to the basic recipe in the title.

Noteworthy for different reasons are
For sheer imagination and humor, Heather Shaw's Single White Farmhouse is a stand out.It proves that everything has needs and meeting your true love in a chat room is always risky.
For its current, political bent, John Grant's The Hard Stuff as the story of a man who loses both hands in Iraq and the efforts of his wife to save him from himself is hard hitting and forceful.
For depth and intelligence, Calypso in Berlin by Elizabeth Hand is the book's stand out selection.Calypso is alive and smitten with her modern day Odysseus. She again finds it hard to let go.
For fun and a chuckle, a brand new way to rid the property of dragons is explored in the light hearted A Treatise on Fewmets by Sarah Prineas.

Each story is a drink unto itself, best sipped slowly to enjoy the levels of bouquet and aroma. The selection is varied enough to have something to appeal to any reader who enjoys well written, carefully selected short stories that each tell a unique tale on its own.

A mixed bag includes some good fantasy
Despite the title, not all of the stories in this book are romances in the traditional sense, nor do all have "paranormal" elements as they are often defined; many are just outright fantasy, which is, at least to me, something different from "paranormal."

The editor's introduction tries to explain what she means by "romance" but not all the stories in the book meet the definition. My favorite story in the whole collection, Delia Sherman's "Walpurgis Afternoon," is not a romance at all - although it happens to involve a wedding, it does not involve courtship at all. It's a very funny fantasy story, though - and it does have a happy ending.

The editor's intro also attempts to define "paranormal" - but has such a broad definition that it includes not only some sort of psychic powers among humans - the narrowest definition often used for paranormal - and supernatural fantasy beings, but also time travel, alternate history, and other sorts of science fiction; usually, science fiction that does not involve, say, elves, witches, or vampires is not considered fantasy or paranormal.

A couple of stories, in my opinion, involve all the worst cliches of the romance genre - big strong men, cowering women who need to be rescued, blah, blah - with some overlay of not-very-good science fiction. However, a couple of stories I don't like doesn't mean the collection isn't worthwhile, especially since there are more stories I did like than not.Elizabeth Bear is always worth reading. Jane Yolen's tale, more gothic horror than paranormal romance, is nonetheless a good story. And Sarah Prineas' "A Treatise on Fewmets" brings an entirely new slant to the old tropes about dragons and virgins.

Perhaps the most unusual romance in the whole book is "Single White Farmhouse" by Heather Shaw. It's one of the funniest, too.

One of the best things about an anthology like this is that it brings to one's attention authors one may not have run across before. At the end of each story, there is a paragraph saying what else the author has written and what magazines she (or in one case, he) has appeared, so that if you like a particular story, you can easily find more by that author. I am already looking forward to reading more by several of these writers.

These twelve short stories live up to the title
"The Shadowed Heart" by Catherine Asaro.He is the last empathic starfighter, but his soul has been devastated with all he felt as his comrades died; she is the native who healed his body, but can she restore his heart.

"The Hard Stuff" by Paul Barnett.Disabled in combat, he takes out his feelings of inadequacy on his loving wife until he learns how much she gave up out of love for him.

"Follow Me Light" by Elizabeth Bear.The public defender loved the crippled attorney, but she married someone else as he was disinterested in a relationship until he realized how much he lost.

"Magic in a Certain Slant of Light" by Deborah Coates.The scientist lives her life to a precise cosmic order until she loses her beloved Jeff and turns to magic.

"Calypso in Berlin" by Elizabeth Hand.Nymphs know men love and leave them, but she plans to be with her mortal forever.

"Fir Na Tine" by Sandra McDonald.They were college lovers who went different ways in life after graduation, but neither forgot how their love was hotter than the sun.

"A Maze of Trees" by Claudia O'Keefe.To know one will never go home while adjusting to totally alien environs seems too harsh, but for the bathrobe that provides memories and subsequently solace.

"A Treatise on Fewmets" by Sarah Prineas.The College of Magic professor arrives to rid the garden of the monsters, but neither she nor the owner's nephew yet understand a different form of magic is needed to send the pests packing.

"Single White Farmhouse" by Heather Shaw The rural cuddly farmhouse and the hunk San Franciscan building meet and fall in love over the Internet.

"Walpurgis Afternoon" by Delia Sherman.In the middle class urban neighborhood, a Victorian house is now owned by two resident witches who plan to bring the magic of love to the locals.

"A Knot of Toads" by Jane Yolen.Upon the death of her father the scholar returns home to learn what killed him, but finds no allies as no one, even her former lover, is quite like her memories of them.

"A Hero's Welcome" by Rebecca York.They were the best of friends until the war made them the worst of enemies, but the hostilities are over with each needing the other yet distrusting one another.

These twelve short stories live up to the title as each is an enchanting romantic fantasy.Fun to follow though the format does not allow the paranormal elements to feel believable, readers will appreciate the acute yet quirky tales of mystical love.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

Product Description
Carla Wainwright was building a house - and a future - with the man she loved. But when he walked out of her life, she held on to her dream of the house....Now, with the help of a reluctant contractor, Jack Dugan, she sees her project - and her hopes - rise to new heights. And that's only the beginning for this special place - when Carla moves on, the dream house plays a role in the lives and loves of three other women: Ellen White, afraid to surrender to God's call to missions, prefers the safety of her career in interior decorating - until Paul Stoneman helps her discover the courage to walk through God's open door. Professor Angela Cooper finds the squirrel damage in the attic isn't the only repair she needs in her life. Can Kendall Tyler's bumbling efforts fix the hole in her heart? Winnie Wainwright's heart - like her home - has been battered by storms. Will Dan Parker be the handyman to mend her house...and her soul? These four stories of hope and healing will surely find a home in your heart! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

THE BEST INSPIRATIONAL ROMANTIC TALES I HAVE EVER READ
Built around the development of this house, four novellas are arranged by four authors who interweave them expertly.Each author brings with her a style and story intimately her own.I highly recommend this collection.Although I may be new to this genre, I LOVED this book!Several of the tales won Best Novellas of the year 2003 from the American Christian Romance Writers' Association. ... Read more