Review: A Timeless Romance Anthology: Summer in New York Collection

 

Summer in New York Collection (A Timeless Romance Anthology)
Published: July 2014, 268 pages
My Source: I received a copy in exchange for an honest review

Description: In USA Today bestselling author Janette Rallison’s delightful novella, JOB HAZARDS, Lydia Robinson is posing as a prostitute. Undercover of course. Lydia’s job as a police officer hasn’t reeled in her prince charming yet. That is, until Harrison Aldridge, old high school flame, pulls up to the corner to rescue the fallen damsel. Lydia can’t exactly give Harrison the truth without blowing her cover, and it takes a series of mishaps and another whole set of misunderstandings before Lydia will even consider letting Harrison back into her life.

In Heather B. Moore’s enchanting novella, A TASTE OF SUN, Winona Grant embarks on a summer-long visit to NYC to house-sit for her great-aunt after a nasty break-up with her boyfriend Paul. But when her aunt commissions neighbor Steve Monti to tour Winona around, they strike a deal. Winona has too many deadlines to play tourist, and Steve is looking for a distraction from his looming gallery opening. So Steve goes on the tours by himself, and Winona reports back to her aunt as if she’d gone too. The longer this happens, the more Winona wants to change her mind. Seeing the city with Steve might be the perfect solution to forgetting about Paul.

In Luisa Perkins’s sweet romance novella, DULCE DE LECHE, Marisol is desperate for another nanny job after being unfairly fired from her previous position. She has only two more semesters of college, but she’s too proud to ask her wealthy parents for financial help. When her potential new employer, a single father working long hours as an anesthesiologist, decides she’s too young and pretty to hire, she practically begs him for the job. Darius finally agrees, and as he watches her work miracles with his Asperger’s son, he realizes there is much more to Marisol than he first believed.

In TAKE A CHANCE, a captivating story by Sarah M. Eden, Miguel Santos has a stopover in New York. When the announcement of delayed flights comes over the PA system, Miguel is looking at spending several hours at the airport. Determined to get comfortable for the long wait, he’s surprised when he spies a familiar face amongst the stranded passengers: Jane Schoonenburg, the last person he expected to see. Three months have passed since he asked Jane to marry him—three months of misery. And now he knows that he must talk to her, if only to find out why she broke his heart.

Annette Lyon’s entrancing novella, FIRSTS AND LASTS, begins with Dani’s last week in New York. She’s failed in her dreams to catch a break as an actress and is now ready to return home and dust herself off. As she visits the places on her final to-see list, she meets Mark, another New York City transplant with big dreams. Except Mark hasn’t given up on his. As they spend the day together, Dani realizes that even though she hasn’t hit the “big time” she might be living her dream after all. Only problem: she has a one-way ticket back home.

In Lisa Mangum’s whimsically titled story: &, Lucy is riding a wave of success at having found a bestselling novel in the slush pile at an exclusive New York publishing house. If only her personal life was storybook perfect as well. Her relationship with Devon is on the rocks, and even though she's been put in charge of the house while her boss is gone on business, Lucy isn't sure she's up to the task. It will take a chance encounter with a handsome wordsmith to help Lucy claim the courage that has always been a part of her heart.

 

My Review: I love these collections of stories! Each one is unique, as each author spins her tale of the topic given. This collection is all about New York City! I've never been to NYC, but now I really, really want to go. As usual, it's hard for me to choose a favorite. We are given stories about an undercover cop, a house-sitting artist, a nanny, a former couple who meets up again in an airport while stranded (due to bad weather), a woman trying to find her dream as an actress, and someone tied up in the book publishing world. Each story had something to offer and gave me another little piece of an amazing city. I loved the romances that were kindled in fun situations and the little snippets of such different lives. I went through so many emotions while reading these stories.

I laughed out loud while reading JOB HAZARDS. Lydia is posing as a prostitute, as part of her undercover cop work. The situations she found herself in and the people she came across were hilarious and surprising.

My heart melted a little bit in A TASTE OF SUN. Winona has recently gone through a terrible break up and is house-sitting for her aunt. The aunt asks a neighbor to show her around so that she doesn't spend the whole summer inside, hiding. Steve is very persistent and I loved the way he draws her out.

I felt pride in DULCE DE LECHE. Marisol comes from a well-to-do family in Chile, yet she is determined to go through college on her own, paying her own way. She's a hard-working nanny and is soooo great with the kids! How can she not draw the attention of their father?

TAKE A CHANCE drew me into a small little world--La Guardia airport, to be exact. This one seemed to be through a male point of view, which was different. Miguel is determined to win Jane back and what better way to try than when stranded in a place where she can't run. His determination and sweetness were so endearing.

I felt heartbreak throughout FIRSTS AND LASTS. Dani has given herself a 6 month deadline to make it or break it before heading back home to the Mid-West. Shortly before she leaves, she has a chance meeting with Mark and the sparks fly instantly. I loved watching them go through her list of things to see before she leaves. Really...how can she leave?!

& is a fun story about Lucy, a girl who discovered the next great book in the publishing world. I loved watching her come into her own and see her confidence build. I felt such strength is seeing her stand up for herself and realize her dreams.

As always, I'm looking forward to what's next in the Timeless Romance Collection world.

Content: the 2nd and 6th stories had a few mild expletives; no violence; lots of good, old-fashioned romance with mild kissing. Clean!