Ellie's Song by Ginger Hanson

Story: 6
Presentation: 9
Total: 15
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Sweet Contemporary
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Blurb: Take one heroine and hero gripped in relationship limbo. Stir in a possible media scandal. Sprinkle lightly with a three-year-old child. Add one potential mother-in-law, a former boyfriend, a celebrity reporter hot for a story break and a Hollywood starlet. Knead above ingredients. Cover and let rise in a warm place. Bake for 31 chapters. Yield: Ellie’s Song, the story of shy folk artist Ellie Kellson who loves country singer Lane Walker, but abhors the media attention he needs to be a successful singing artist.


Review: I wish I could give this story a higher rating. The plot had great possibilities, but Ms. Hanson just did not keep my attention. The opener is a tear-jerker with unwed mother, Ellie, seeing her baby's father's wedding announcement to another woman. Lane shows up and does not know about his daughter. At this point, I really expected a great story. This story could have been great, it had all the characters, all the relationships, all the necessary elements, but it just didn't do anything for me. The characters and their personalities were pretty well developed, but they just didn't leap off the page and come alive for me. The other man, Joshua, is a nice guy, but I found him to be wimpy. Ellie's mom was caring, but intrusive. Her younger sister is a star-struck teenager, sweet and nice, but just not "alive" for me. I guess that is what I could say about all the characters; they were nice, but just bland like mashed potatoes are nice but baked potatoes are better.

The three year old daughter is cute, but I had problems with her dialogue. I have a three year old granddaughter, and the difference in their vocabulary was striking. The section about the little girl being lost was terrifying for a mother to read. It makes us realize just how fast a little one can get out of sight and be lost.

I enjoyed the descriptions of food and the aromas, especially the cinnamon used in her bread. In fact, cinnamon was mentioned many times. That and the cardamon, hmmmm , were enough to almost make me drool. The references to food like chocolate pie, fried chicken, green beans sautéed with Roma tomatoes made me go to the fridge several times.

It is a good story, but, for me, it could have been great with more work. I would suggest you read it and decide for yourself. This story might really appeal to you. We all know that what one reader likes, another will not care for. Give it a chance, you might really like it.

The Treasure by Theresa Scott

Story: 8.5
Presentation: 9
Total: 17.5
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Sweet Historical
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Blurb: Gentle Fawn longs to give her husband a baby, but when yet another child is stillborn, she begs the Great Spirit to give the love in her husband’s heart to a woman who can give him many sons.

Grieving along with his wife, Hawk Catcher overhears Gentle Fawn’s desperate plea and vows to ease the pain in his beloved's heart.

Through the magic of the season, their prayers are answered by two bumbling trappers... and a goat.

Review: You know, I really enjoy a sweet feel good story anytime of the year but for some reason during the holiday season they just seem to stick with me a bit longer.

This one was filled to the brim with a couples love for each other and their grief over the loss of another child. Ms Scott wove a tale that is just bursting at the seams with magic. I got misty more than once while I was reading. The wonderful way she describes the journey of the trappers, this loving couple and the season miricle was just pure poetry for the eyes. :) Well Done!!!

Sold! By Stacy Dawn

Story: 8
Presentation: 9
Total: 17
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Contemporary Sweet
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Blurb: Playing around with ways to let a co-worker know she wants to share more than just the look over the staffroom coffeemaker, a nervous newspaper employee inadvertently sends him a made-up classified ad. Will her colossal mistake put her in next week's gossip column or land her the best deal of her life?

Review: A super-sweet, but refreshingly fun story. I smiled from the cheeky opening to the last flirtatious paragraph. For a buck, this is a sweet and romantic was to spend a couple of minutes. A nice lunch time pick me up.

Corvette Confessions by Stacy Dawn

Story: 9
Presentation: 9
Total: 18
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Sweet Contemporary
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Blurb: Class of '85 Series

Have you ever been in the right place at the wrong time?

Dumped at the senior spring dance, AJ, who’d always been more into softball and shop class than cheerleading and pep squad, escaped the crowd to mope in the Corvette on loan to the class for the semester. When Greg Roberts unexpectedly joined her, his attempts to cheer her worked—too well. She might have even confessed her love that night if Greg’s longtime girlfriend hadn’t come looking for him.

Twenty-five hard years later, forced to come to the reunion by her best friend, AJ escapes back to her favorite class, only to find the exact Corvette—a little worn and faded—sitting right where she’d left it. Fond memories turn into reality when Greg shows up at her driver’s side window again—and déjà vu takes on a whole new meaning.

Review: What a cute story!! AJ's friend, Janelle, convinces her to attend their 25th high school class reunion. AJ had been a "softball and body shop" type in high school, not really one of the in crowd. Janelle was a cheerleader and popular girl.

AJ trips going up the steps into the gym where the reunion is being held and a male hand saves her from falling on her face. He happens to be Greg, her shop class buddy, a hunk then and still a hunk now. As they are talking Marly, his old girlfriend runs up and kisses him.

During the reunion, AJ leaves to roam her old high school and ends up in the shop class room where she finds the Corvette the class worked on their senior year. It turns out to be the exact same one. As AJ is sitting in the Vette reminiscing about her senior prom when her date left her on the dance floor for his ex-girlfriend, Greg rescued her then and took her riding in the green Corvette. Greg comes in and surprises AJ sitting in the old classic. They talk and catch up with what has been going on in their lives for the past 25 years. She is divorced and has her own business.

Marly shows up and AJ starts to leave, when Greg stops her....and you'll have to read the rest yourself.

For a short story, the main character’s personalities were well developed. Dialogue was realistic. I liked the ending. Like I said above, this is a cute story, and proves the old saying, "It's never too late..."

Gift of Love by Cynthia Moore

Story: 8.5
Presentation: 8
Total: 16.5
Publisher: Cerridwen Press
Sweet Historical
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Blurb: Lady Rebecca Hastings has lost her sparkle, her intense joy for living, since her intended was killed in the Battle of Waterloo. On the day that Rebecca’s wedding had been scheduled to take place, she is reunited with her childhood friend and neighbor, Adrian Russell, Marquess of Burton.

Rebecca is immediately conscious of new feelings of contentment as she speaks with Adrian about the happy experiences they shared as children. Memories of their past combined with the cheer of the Christmas season—and some alarming visits from the spirit of her intended—eventually bring Rebecca the knowledge of an enduring love for Adrian. But can he ever accept her as more than a friend?

Review: Sometimes with the death of someone close to us we don’t realize how sad and withdrawn we have become until those closest point it out.

This was a really heartwarming tale about a young woman who has lost her fiancé and still mourns him. His ghost tells her that she needs to move on or he cannot rest. With the help of her friends she discovers that there is opportunity for a happy life again.

Totally sweet tale that gave me warm fuzzies :) The rich detail and developed characters made it easy for me to feel connected to the story and it is one that I would recommend to others.

Perfect Partners by Kate Richards

Story: 8.5
Presentation: 8.5
Total: 17
Publisher: Breathless Press
Sweet Contemporary
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Blurb: Scarred from dating hell, Rachel never expected to receive a membership to PerfectPartners.com from her meddling mother and co-workers on her birthday. To please her loved ones, she joined the Internet dating service, but on her terms and requesting the impossible—until she received a surprise: Mr. Perfect in the flesh.

Handsome, intelligent, Quinn Everby was everything a woman could wish for, if only Rachel could allow herself to give him a chance. Will she put faith in the site's choice, or will their encounter show Rachel that there is no "perfect partner"?

Review: Awwww! That was one of the sweetest, short lovey stories that I have read in awhile :)

A woman not wanting a relationship…there is no bigger cynic :) But Rachel got a good dose of sweet hot stud and suddenly realized not all guys are losers. This story was a winner for me even though I felt like slapping the crap out of her friends :) Sometimes those who love you do things out of love that you might just wish they hadn’t…but when it all works out for the best….oh what great friends they are to have :)

Made To Order by Johanna Riley

Story: 7.5
Presentation: 9
Total: 16.5
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Sweet Contemporary
To Purchase

Blurb: The Flower Basket

Between running a diner, refereeing her employees, and pretending she’s not in love with best friend Todd Chambers, Shelby Winters has enough on her plate. But when she receives flowers from an anonymous admirer and dinner invitations from her other best friend, Kevin Grady, she can’t pass up the tempting opportunity to infuse her life with a little fun. Unfortunately, her new life is alienating Todd. Is Shelby’s new joie de vie enough to give her the courage to confess her true feelings? Or will her inherent shyness leave her at a table for one?

Review: This one really started out with a bang. I was introduced to the characters and like them instantly. Then comes chapter 4, I get left going…huh? How in the world did she put two and two together? I was totally in the dark as to how she figured out what Kevin was doing. Then there was a mention of Todd and when was he going to realize he was in love with her….While I know he is, SHE doesn’t or at least has never said where I the reader can understand where she is coming up with these conclusions.

There was sooooo much that could have been expanded on so I wouldn’t have felt half blind while reading the story. Kevin, Todd and Shelby were all fantastic characters, but I always felt like I was only getting half a glimpse of them and the story.

In the end, while I loved the way the story worked out…just as I knew it would, I was left with an incomplete feeling. One that really, really wants to know more about the why’s and how’s.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a HUGE Flower Basket series fan. I have read them all and will continue to do so. Ms Riley came up with a story and plot that I am a huge fan of….friends to lovers can’t be beat for me. The story for me is like Swiss cheese, delicious and bright, complete in every way…even with the holes :)