Heidi Wessman Kneale

I have only read Linda Rae Sande’s contribution to this anthology, so I cannot comment on the other contributions. If time permits, I will read other contributions and will amend my review if/when that occurs.

The Making of A Mistress by Linda Rae Sande – 4-Stars

This author’s stories are always excellently written, well-plotted, perfectly paced, and populated with characters you’ll love. If you haven’t tried her books, you should!

Daisy has been featured in several of this author’s works as has Alex and it is nice to see the two of them together. Both Daisy and Alex work for the British government – one for the Foreign Office and one for the Home Office. When Daisy is given a new assignment, she doesn’t have the required skills and has to acquire them quickly and who better to teach her what she needs to know than Alex Bradley? Will Alex also teach her to love as well? Or, will they go their separate ways after her ‘lessons’? You’ll just have to read this lovely story to see.… (más)

Originally posted on Tales to Tide You Over

This is an odd story, and I can tell you it didn’t go where I expected most of the time, but I enjoyed the read. I’ve read other Wessman Kneale stories set in her magic-infused Regency era, but this one stretches to the time of the Great War with only an homage to the other tales. This story jumps right into the middle, leaving me scrambling to get my bearings, but the important parts are clear enough to keep me going.

Miss Georgia Palmerton, otherwise known as the Stoweham Ghost, is a bit of a bully, but she mostly choses deserving victims. Her story is a true tragedy, but she’s had long enough to come to terms with the fact and move on in her naked unlife.

James Cowper was bullied so horribly as a kid that he has PTSD from the experience, not that it’s recognized in this time period. He’s been declared the village coward, an undeserved reputation but unsurprising when the village hero is none other than the bully who traumatized him as a kid. Yet, this very ostracism is what makes him willing to converse with a highly unconventional ghost.

While very much a sweet love and growth story, The White Feather has explicit and enthusiastic sex so is not appropriate for all ages.

I don’t always agree with the main characters’ actions, and I so wanted the story to prove only one bully existed rather than that the whole village took pleasure in making James miserable, but the events felt appropriate to the characters. There’s a strong theme about the nastiness of people and how they should get their comeuppance.

I did find it odd how magic was pervasive a hundred years ago but then vanished so completely from the collective memory that no one considered another explanation for the Stoweham Ghost. Still, the question made me curious rather than disrupting my enjoyment of the tale. I wondered what drove Aunt Violet as well. I loved the mix of the unreal and actual historical events, too.

The story is a short one, yet feels complete even so. The characters, however, are interesting enough to make me wonder if this isn’t the last we’ll see of this particular family and estate. Odd it may be, but in a good way.

P.S. I received this ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.… (más)

Originally posted on Tales to Tide You Over

A Lady of Many Charms

This is a Regency Era love story with magic that delves into the questions of why and how someone falls in love. The story offers a focused view of the marriage mart that demonstrates both the foolhardy and desperate nature found in the historical tradition, which magic only emphasizes.

At the same time, through Daphne and Perry’s story, we get to experience the newfangled trend of wanting a love match instead of an advantageous one up close. While I laughed and felt for them at times, what I liked the most is how, though they met by chance, the story builds in time and ways for them to grow in affection. I enjoyed my return to the world of Her Endearing Young Charms, but beyond the shared world, this story is in no way a repeat of that one. Despite the length, I got a good sense of both Perry and Daphne while the issues that sprang from their first instinct to maintain a hint of mystery between them were half of the chuckles. I loved how I could understand what drove both of them to act against the trends of the time, and loved especially the ultimate moment where desire and fear clash until strength of character comes through. And yes, that’s about as obscure as I can make it, because I don’t want to spoil the fun.

Ellie Loves Josh

This is another look at magic as manipulative that managed to surprise me even though the initial issue was one I predicted. You might think you know exactly what’s going to happen with Ellie and her unrequited love for Josh, but wait for it because the story takes an interesting turn I haven’t seen much in love spell tales. It made me appreciate the story all the more. The feel of high school and crushes and that whole environment came through very well, and I loved how Josh wasn’t the quarterback or debate team captain or the type of person everyone crushes on. He’s just a boy who caught Ellie’s attention and with whom she built a connection even though he doesn’t seem to realize she exists. It’s familiar in that everywoman story way, but has its own unique elements.

The Valentine Raffle

The third story had some good points, but honestly didn’t work as well for me. The tone of the first two, light and a little hyper, blended beautifully with their stories, strengthening them. The same tone is not as effective in a dystopian future, at least for me, and so came across as overdone. I also had issues with the premise, but without the tone, I’d probably been more willing to accept it as a gimmie. On the other hand, I liked Leo a lot. He has a fun way of thinking around problems and he’s willing to take the big risks to help people. Even more, when things don’t go his way, he hops onto a new contingency plan or identifies how a failure brought unexpected benefits. He doesn’t wallow. A strong character can make a story enjoyable even with issues, and he certainly did that. Though not my favorite of the stories, he kept me reading to the end.… (más)