Book Review: A Seaside Summer a Compilation of Authors

 

Title: A Seaside Summer

By:

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 300

Release Date: August 24th, 2021

Publisher: Mirror Press

Rating: ★★★★☆

 

Summary from Goodreads:

Summer on the seaside . . . a perfect place for romance.

Join us for three novellas in one collection:

The New Countess by Josi S. Kilpack
Diane knows why the earl asked her to marry him; he needed a mother for his daughter, an heir for his title, and a hostess to assist with his position in Parliament. With two sons of her own, and no security to speak of, she never thought twice about accepting his proposal. Summering at his holiday cottage at the sea was meant to be reward for a busy first year as the new countess, and a time for her to rest before their baby is born. She is expecting lazy days on the beach with the children, simple meals, and keeping her own schedule. When the earl surprises her with a visit, she does her best not to resent the intrusion. When she learns that he came for the sole purpose of being with her and getting to know her better, she realizes that perhaps this marriage can be more than she expected. Is she ready for him to know her and love her and explore this new possibility together? She wants to be, but it is not an easy thing to let go of expectations and open up to an entirely new way of life.

Mishaps and Memories by Martha Keyes
Judith Jardine’s one chance at a brilliant match is doomed from the start when she is ignored and then mocked by the ton’s most sought-after gentleman. Under a gloomy cloud of failure, Judith is exiled to a seaside cottage to spend the summer helping her sister—and living a life far below the one she experienced for her week in Brighton. When she discovers the man responsible for her misfortune unconscious on the beach, she heeds her better impulses and has him brought to the cottage to be seen to. But James Carlisle has no recollection of who he is, what happened to him, or how he has wronged her, and Judith sees the opportunity to teach him a valuable lesson—unless the deception and her feelings get the best of her first.

Moonlight Summer by Heather B. Moore
Oscar Rosewell’s life is not lacking in many things even though he lives on the fringes of society due to his father’s ruined reputation. He’s sworn off having any personal relationships with ton members—his only interest lies in keeping his business thriving. He’s content with his day-to-day anonymity, and business keeps his heart from getting exposed. It’s safer that way. Until Oscar meets Miss Dorothea Atkinson. A woman capturing his interest is a rare thing, but Miss Atkinson is nearly engaged to a man of her parents’ choosing. Would it be wrong to wish for something to go terribly wrong between the couple? Soon, Oscar learns that wishing can become a reality, but often, the price is an even heavier thing to pay.

 

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Review:

Three wonderfully warm stories that compliment each other well.

Going into this read, I actually didn't realize this was a compilation of short stories, so imagine my surprise when the first story by Kilpack ended abruptly just as I was really starting to love the characters. I guess that's the problem with novellas.

First story- Josi S. Kilpack:
I really loved the strong female character in this one. She had some anger issues, but after the lose of her husband, its completely reasonable for her to be over protective of her children, the only thing she has left of her previous husband. I really enjoyed how the characters intertwined and the story ended well.

Second story - Martha Keyes:
This is the story that I didn't really get into as much. I didn't find it as interesting and the characters felt dull to me. 

Third story - Heather B. Moore:
This story was filed with fiery characters that bounced off each other creating tension and a wonderful story. It reminded me of the Bridgerton series and the scandals that played out. 

I can't make up my mind on which story was my favorite. It was either the first or the last. Still, three wonderful stories that I really enjoyed reading. 

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. 

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Sarai. I love short fiction and really enjoyed being by the seaside with these stories. I am looking forward to the next book in the collection, The Inns of Devonshire. Best, LA

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by. I've already got The Inns of Devonshire on my TBR list. Can't wait to read it. Happy reading!

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