"Light, Fluffy and Warmly Satisfying Holiday Anthology"

SEASONS OF ROMANCE is a perfect read for a cold, lazy evening. With five peaceful, softly romantic stories of holiday love, this anthology is perfect for curling up with on the couch -- thank goodness that it is offered in lots of portable formats -- but even those stuck at the computer can enjoy this sweet collection of stories.

FALL MAGIC -- Pamela Johnson
Sabrina DuChien was taking her nephew through a haunted house when she met Reese. As he was coming at her with a buzzing chainsaw at the time, she felt no compunction when she tossed him over her shoulder and onto his back. Reese, however, was a little perturbed by the circumstance. She never expected to meet him that evening at a charity auction, where he was up on the auction block....

Set near Halloween, FALL MAGIC is a sweetly rewarding short story about how a person can find his or her mate under any circumstances. Johnson's trademark everyday characters (no over-the-top heroes here, folks!) are comfortingly amiliar, and the only less than totally pleasant part to the story is the fact that the characters spend the entire story lying to each other. Reese and Sabrina do, nevertheless, manage to connect -- truthfully -- in the end.

THE MASQUERADE -- Sher Hames Torres
Paige Wilkins hadn't been on a date in a year and a half, and her best friend Eden was determined to put a stop to it! Paige didn't really care (she was still carrying a torch for the man who left her -- choosing his career over the woman who loved him) but for Eden she'd do anything. She agreed to attend the big Halloween Ball, and met a handsome, suave and captivating man who was somehow familiar....

THE MASQUERADE is really a story of redemption. Of making amends and admitting you're wrong. Unfortunately, the characters aren't quite sympathetic enough to pull off the near- angst necessary to lift this story past "okay." They are simply not likeable enough! While the lush descriptions of the ball, the chemistry between the characters, and the fairy-tale-like plot are wonderful, the characters individual actions left a bad taste in this reviewer's mouth.

GAMBLE OF LOVE -- Elaine Hopper
Jenny Profitt was alone in the world. Her mother had just died, leaving behind one request. Still an obedient daughter, Jenny immediately headed for Kentucky to meet relatives she didn't know she had. On the way, a terrible accident catapulted her into the past where she met Zachariah "Black Jack" Roy, (who she found instantly attractive) and her slimy great-great-uncle Uriah, who wanted to claim her as his own.

GAMBLE OF LOVE is this anthology's gift to paranormal romance readers. The story features a spunky heroine, a darkly gentle hero, and a whole host of interesting relatives. Jenny really shines as she adapts to the new time she finds herself in, deciphering her 'mission' and still romancing the alluring Black Jack Roy. Thank goodness Jenny's not the type to blather endlessly about the impossibility of time travel! GAMBLE even wraps up nicely, considering its limited length. The mention of Thanksgiving is, however, little more than window-dressing in the story. Window-dressing aside, GAMBLE is a heart-warming, fast- moving short story that any Time Travel Romance fan is sure to enjoy.

NAUGHTY OR NICE -- Ruth D. Kerce
Kayla had always hated Christmas. The only memories she had of the holiday were painful and lonely. The only reason she even went through the motions of celebration were to please her best friend Kirk -- the man she'd secretly loved for years. Kayla had finally decided to do something about her not-quite-there romance with Kirk however, and this Christmas was going to be memorable indeed!

As a reader with a soft spot for "best friend" romances, NAUGHTY OR NICE sure hit the spot! The characterization is good, and you can feel the attraction between Kayla and Kirk. While it wasn't an earth-shattering read, it was the down-homey enjoyable sort of tale that makes Christmas reads so fun.

A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS -- Su Kopil
Celia Stanton was a governess at an orphanage when she was informed that she was going to travel to Silver Springs, Arizona. She was to accompany one of the boys -- Johnathan Kimball -- to meet a friend of his parent's (Nathan Clemens) who may want to keep him. Though reluctant, she went, and met a man who needed her just as much as Johnathan needed him.

Kopil offers the only straight historical story in the entire anthology. Set in the late 1800's, A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS does give the reader a sense of the 'old west.' Though the story revolves around the twisted web of Johnathan's relationship with Nate, Celia still comes across as vibrant and caring. She's not very spirited, but her lack of aggression and rebellion accentuate the setting, making it more authentic in the details.

Reviewed by Ann Leveille
Courtesy ParaNormal Romance (PNR Reviews)
Posted March 3, 2003

Summary

Also Available in a variety of electronic formats

As individual as snowflakes, each story has it's own intricate tale of romance...Bold, bright and fresh as the first cold snap of autumn, these tales will quicken your heart to the romance and delight of the coming holidays

"The Masquerade" (a contemporary Halloween romance) ~ by Sheryl Hames Torres

"Fall Magic" (a contemporary Halloween romance) ~ by Pamela Johnson

"Gamble on Love" (a time travel/historical Thanksgiving romance) ~ by Elaine Hopper

"Naughty or Nice" (a contemporary Christmas romance) ~ by Ruth D. Kerce

"A Home for the Holidays" (an historical Christmas romance) ~ by Su Kopil

In "Gamble On Love", Jenny Proffitt finds her true love in 1881 Kentucky. Now she prays that time doesn't whisk her back into the future nor that her great great great uncle, the infamous outlaw Uriah Jarvis, doesn't murder her new love as history dictates - on Thanksgiving Day. Can she prevent either? Is she crazy to take such a gamble?