Book Description
Beloved on both sides of the Atlantic, bestselling Irish writer Maeve Binchy has been acclaimed by critics and readers alike for her heartwarming, beautifully crafted takes celebrating Ireland, its people, and the journey of life itself. Now three of her finest, most memorable works have been brought together for the first time in an outstanding collection that shines with the luminescent storytelling that has earned the author international renown.
THE LILAC BUS
Featuring two novellas, The Lilac Bus and Dublin 4, this national bestseller showcases Binchy's talents at their finest. In The Lilac Bus, Binchy masterfully and poignantly interweaves the lives and fates of eight very different individuals who travel from Dublin to the Irish country town of Rathdoon every Friday night in a lilac-colored minibus. In Dublin 4, a quartet of stories vividly portrays the quiet desperation and everyday heroism of ordinary people living ordinary lives in contemporary Ireland.
FIREFLY SUMMER
When American millionaire Patrick O'Neill comes to Mountfern in the fateful summer of 1962 to convert a dilapidated manor house into a luxury hotel, his intrusion turns life in the small Irish village upside down. The ensuing conflict between new money and old traditions, which strains families and friendships to the breaking point, is brilliantly explored in this truly unforgettable family drama that will live in your heart long after the last page is turned.
SILVER WEDDING
Guilty secrets from the past and plaguing fears in the present surface when sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, and friends and lovers reunite to celebrate Desmond and Deirdre Doyle's twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. Among the difficulties the Doyles must come to terms with: the daughter struggling to become a nun, the son who prefers the dreary farm in Ireland to life in London, and the enviable successes of their best man and bridesmaid.
Customer Reviews:
Stories of Ireland.......2007-04-05
Binchy clearly loves her homeland of Ireland, and readers will too. This collection of three novels gets an A+!
Three Complete Books ~ Maeve Binchy.......2007-01-04
Maeve Binchy is one of the best authors I have read. I love the fact that she is Irish and writes stories of Ireland. The slow pace makes reading a pleasure. I liked all three books in this, but particularly liked FIREFLY SUMMER. Hopefully, she will have another book on the market soonest.
The lilac bus, firefly summer, silver wedding.......2006-08-17
I was very disappointed with this book. I have read a few of Maeve Binchy's books and loved them. I couldn't put them down. However all the stories in this book just leave you unfulfilled for an ending. I expected 3 complete stories and was very disappointed.
Good Gift.......2005-10-21
The publishers get an A+ for putting these books together. I have always read her books as soon as they come out. Now I will buying this as an excellent give for others, so handy for the holidays!
A great collection of stories.......2002-10-08
I liked Maeve Binchy before, but I am even more of a fan after buying this set. Unfortunately because I am such a busy person this book took me just over a year to finish! But I loved every page and would definitely give it a re-read.
The three novels in this book are all distinctly different and, in my view, each deserve their own little mini-review:
THE LILAC BUS - Since I read this a year ago, the finer details are lost on me. But I did like how this novel focuses on so many characters and yet you get to feel like you know each one. And I loved how each character viewed each scene differently. You read one chapter and you see one person's point of view, and then you read the next and you get completely different thoughts on the situation. Only Ms. Binchy could keep tabs on so many characters so skillfully. And all I can say about DUBLIN FOUR is that I had to flip through it a little to remember what it was even about, so obviously it's not as stellar as its counterpart. 4 stars total.
FIREFLY SUMMER - A great book all around. It's easily the longest story of the three (it's almost 500 pages, compared to 200 for The Lilac Bus and 150 for Silver Wedding) but once you get going, you don't even notice the book's length. The characters are so genuine, and you are upset to see them go at the end. The main plot is very thick, and yet you enjoy reading all the little sub-plots that go along with it. I actually cried reading some parts of this book! The book ends as you hope it will but not in the manner that you expect! So will Patrick's hotel succeed? You'll just have to read it and find out! 5 stars.
SILVER WEDDING - is the freshest in my mind because I just finished it. It is similar to The Lilac Bus in that it devotes each chapter to a character. But while The Lilac Bus follows the characters through the same moments of time, each chapter in Silver Wedding is a distinct moment. For instance, when you read about Anna (chapter 1) it is months before the anniversary, but when you read about Deirdre (chapter 8), it's a few weeks before. The more you read, the more you find out about the wedding itself and the people involved. However, I found that although there were plenty of sub-plots to keep the story going, the main plot was not very well developed or interesting (ok, so they're having a party, and Deirdre's the only one who's truly excited... you almost get that from page one, why keep going?). And the characters themselves aren't as "3-dimensional" as they are in Ms. Binchy's other stories. I really expected more, but it still wasn't a waste of time. 3 stars.
Book Description
In these three plays, García Lorca's acknowledged masterpieces, he searched for a contemporary mode of tragedy and reminded his audience that dramatic poetry-or poetic drama-depends less on formal convention that on an elemental, radical outlook on human life. His images are beautiful and exact, but until now no translator had ever been able to make his characters speak unaffectedly on the American stage. Michael Dewell of the National Repertory Theatre and Carmen Zapata of the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts have created these versions expressly for the stage. The result, both performable and readable, has been thoroughly revised for this edition, which is introduced by Christopher Maurer, general editor of the Complete Poetical Works of García Lorca.
Customer Reviews:
Verde Que Te Quiero Verde.......2003-11-29
Here is one of Federico Garcia-Lorca's most famous poems, in Spanish. It will give you a taste of what it is like to read him in English or Spanish:
Verde que te quiero verde*
por F. García Lorca * Friday October 24, 2003 at 09:46 PM
Romance sonámbulo*
Verde que te quiero verde.
Verde viento. Verdes ramas.
El barco sobre la mar
y el caballo en la montaña.
Con la sombra en la cintura
ella sueña en su baranda,
verde carne, pelo verde,
con ojos de fría plata.
Verde que te quiero verde.
Bajo la luna gitana,
las cosas le están mirando
y ella no puede mirarlas.
*
Verde que te quiero verde.
Grandes estrellas de escarcha,
vienen con el pez de sombra
que abre el camino del alba.
La higuera frota su viento
con la lija de sus ramas,
y el monte, gato garduño,
eriza sus pitas agrias.
¿Pero quién vendrá? ¿Y por dónde...?
Ella sigue en su baranda,
verde carne, pelo verde,
soñando en la mar amarga.
*
Compadre, quiero cambiar
mi caballo por su casa,
mi montura por su espejo,
mi cuchillo por su manta.
Compadre, vengo sangrando,
desde los montes de Cabra.
Si yo pudiera, mocito,
ese trato se cerraba.
Pero yo ya no soy yo,
ni mi casa es ya mi casa.
Compadre, quiero morir
decentemente en mi cama.
De acero, si puede ser,
con las sábanas de holanda.
¿No ves la herida que tengo
desde el pecho a la garganta?
Trescientas rosas morenas
lleva tu pechera blanca.
Tu sangre rezuma y huele
alrededor de tu faja.
Pero yo ya no soy yo,
ni mi casa es ya mi casa.
Dejadme subir al menos
hasta las altas barandas,
dejadme subir, dejadme,
hasta las verdes barandas.
Barandales de la luna
por donde retumba el agua.
*
Ya suben los dos compadres
hacia las altas barandas.
Dejando un rastro de sangre.
Dejando un rastro de lágrimas.
Temblaban en los tejados
farolillos de hojalata.
Mil panderos de cristal,
herían la madrugada.
*
Verde que te quiero verde,
verde viento, verdes ramas.
Los dos compadres subieron.
El largo viento, dejaba
en la boca un raro gusto
de hiel, de menta y de albahaca.
¡Compadre! ¿Dónde está, dime?
¿Dónde está mi niña amarga?
¡Cuántas veces te esperó!
¡Cuántas veces te esperara,
cara fresca, negro pelo,
en esta verde baranda!
*
Sobre el rostro del aljibe
se mecía la gitana.
Verde carne, pelo verde,
con ojos de fría plata.
Un carámbano de luna
la sostiene sobre el agua.
La noche su puso íntima
como una pequeña plaza.
Guardias civiles borrachos,
en la puerta golpeaban.
Verde que te quiero verde.
Verde viento. Verdes ramas.
El barco sobre la mar.
Y el caballo en la montaña
Federico Garcia Lorca*
Lyrical, Passionate, Elemental.......2003-10-23
I saw BLOOD WEDDING and THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA on television during the '50s or '60s. I loved them so much, I got the books out of the library read and re-read them during high school.
Garcia Lorca is a master of language and poetry. His plays and poems are romantic, lyrical, and passionate.
THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA, BLOOD WEDDING, AND YERMA center on the urgent sexuality of women and the rage and pain that come when that sexuality is denied or thwarted. Lorca's plays are not pornographic or sexually explicit--rather they deal with drives, yearnings, impulses that inevitably flower, and how different characters in the play are affected by social pressures that allow--or restrain--her from expressing these ancient needs.
One reviewer included a quote in his review, and so will I--this poem will perhaps give the reader a sense of his style:
The Gypsy and the Wind
Playing her parchment moon
Precosia comes
along a watery path of laurels and crystal lights.
The starless silence, fleeing
from her rhythmic tambourine,
falls where the sea whips and sings,
his night filled with silvery swarms.
High atop the mountain peaks
the sentinels are weeping;
they guard the tall white towers
of the English consulate.
And gypsies of the water
for their pleasure erect
little castles of conch shells
and arbors of greening pine.
Playing her parchment moon
Precosia comes.
The wind sees her and rises,
the wind that never slumbers.
Naked Saint Christopher swells,
watching the girl as he plays
with tongues of celestial bells
on an invisible bagpipe.
Gypsy, let me lift your skirt
and have a look at you.
Open in my ancient fingers
the blue rose of your womb.
Precosia throws the tambourine
and runs away in terror.
But the virile wind pursues her
with his breathing and burning sword.
The sea darkens and roars,
while the olive trees turn pale.
The flutes of darkness sound,
and a muted gong of the snow.
Precosia, run, Precosia!
Or the green wind will catch you!
Precosia, run, Precosia!
And look how fast he comes!
A satyr of low-born stars
with their long and glistening tongues.
Precosia, filled with fear,
now makes her way to that house
beyond the tall green pines
where the English consul lives.
Alarmed by the anguished cries,
three riflemen come running,
their black capes tightly drawn,
and berets down over their brow.
The Englishman gives the gypsy
a glass of tepid milk
and a shot of Holland gin
which Precosia does not drink.
And while she tells them, weeping,
of her strange adventure,
the wind furiously gnashes
against the slate roof tiles.
Now imagine these words in Spanish!
read and buy this book!!.......2003-01-26
garcia lorca is simply a person who must be read.
And where has gone the Argentine "Valsa de Requerda??"" Where?
Spain not Peru.......2001-08-03
The trilogy by FGL, Yerma, Blood Wedding and The House of Bernarda Alba is set in Spain not Peru. They are an excellent portrayal of life in rural Spain during those times. A must read for anyone, but especially those who are studying Spanish literature. Allthough most widely known as a poet, FGL displays his talent for drama with these plays.
Simply brilliant.......2000-03-10
Lorca uses simple mathematical expressions to convey emotions. A colour, for example white, combined with an object, for example a baby in the opening sequence of Yerma, will add up to a symbolic meaning where either two factors can be used somewhere else. Basically, anything white is a dream of happiness which is destroyed by an event. This very basic set of symbols and the application of "equations" makes Lorca one of the most powerful and accessible writers i've come accross. Oh and the stories are good too (!)
Customer Reviews:
A definite Wall-Banger.........2004-12-26
I enjoyed the second story in this anthology the most, as it lacked much of the redundancy and silliness that marked the other two. Mari's deep dark secret was laughable, and Tess was just TSTL (Too Stupid To Live).
The Unlikely Lover was a story that I forgot immediately after reading. Mari and Ward made no impression on me whatsoever. 3 Stars
The Princess Bride was much more readable. I enjoyed the interaction between King and Tiffany. I also liked the evil secretary (straight out of a 1930's serial!). 4 Stars
Now, the third story "Callaghan's Bride" is the one that made me decide to give this book one star. Alone, it would be a negative star book! Tess was irritating, Cag was a horrible individual that was completely unappealing (but his snake was nice- I would read a story about the snake in a heartbeat). Tess and Cag are "forced" to marry-Cag gets mad, Tess leaves and goes to St. Louis, a decided change from land-locked Jacobsville! Sure, St. Louis has a river (actually two) but you can't get more "land-locked" than Missouri (I lived less than one mile from the river, in Soulard)! Tess finds an apartment (rented by the week, nearly impossible in any city for an apartment that you would be able to live in) that's close to the job she found as a pastry chef (with no training and no experience) in a downtown hotel. No mention is made of the St Louis Arch, which is right on the river front, in downtown St Louis, yet Tess watches the barge traffic go by. There were so many flaws in this book that I was practically throwing it against the wall every time one of the numerous errors came up. Good thing I didn't or I would be paying for someone to fix multiple holes in my walls. -5 stars
Best Romance Novel Ever!.......2004-03-25
This was the first Diana Palmer book I read, but definitely not the last! I love her stories of innocent young women who steal the hearts of these long, tall Texan cowboys. I just can't get enough of them! Start with Callaghan's Bride (it's the best, in my opinion) and then the other two. You will love them!
Wrong category.......2003-08-08
This is a good book, but if you are looking for a Princess Diana book, this is not one.
THE WEDDING IN WHITE - HARLEQUIN EXCLUSIVE.......2003-01-11
THE WEDDING in WHITE is a Harlequin Exclusive and not this trilogy listed but had to let people know that this is an Excellent book also.
Mack Killain, twenty eight, had been responsible for raising his three siblings and has no desire to be tied down and no desire for starting over in raising children.
Twenty two year old sister, Vivian, who incidentally wants to go with a man who had acknowledged getting another girl pregnant. Of course Mack does not like the man. Then there is sixteen year old brother, Bob whom he advises, in a droll tone, to carry protection on his dates. And brother, Charles.
Natalie Brock is Vivian's best friend, and has a yen for Mack for years. She is also shocked to find out that the love of her high school life had gotten a long talk from Mack before going on a date. The young jock was killed shortly thereafter. And now Mack informs Natalie that her football hero only dated her on a bet.
Natalie also finds herself a bit jellous of Glenna, a free and willing woman that Mack sees when he needs a little free-for-all. Natalie doesn't know that Mack has been keeping his desire for her under strict control since she was seventeen and he was twenty-one.
Trouble was had by Natalie, Vivian and Mack [read it] and it took almost losing Natalie to bring Mack around and straighten out Vivian.
A great story - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED -- great addition to the Palmer collection.
Romantic.......2000-11-29
I love reading Diana Palmer's book. She is one of my favorite romance writer. If you love books about the strong hero, old fashion, and the heroine young, naive and virgin also old fashion, you will love diana's white wedding. six different characters pop out at you with different problems although sticking to the same themes, and after pain and suffering they end up together. I just wish that diana would write about successful women, with careers, who have spunk (but i like the virgin part/monogamous). I want to read about heros who are comfortable with women who are adventurous, challenging and talented and not intimidated by them. I also think that she should evolve and write about heroine and heros of different race. i'm black and i would love to read books about different races from my favorite author. I also recommend her Long Tall TExan series which follow in the plot of the above mentioned. If you are into the paranormal check out christine feehan dark series publish by lovespell, especially dark magic, dark prince and dark gold, of course you'll want to read the others, these books are great.
Average customer rating:
- One good story, three also-rans
- Chase's Story Is The Only Reason This Anthology Deserves 4 stars
- On my KEEPER shelf
- A mixed bag -There are better anthologies out there
- Disappointed in Kathleen
|
Three Weddings and a Kiss
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss ,
Lisa Kleypas ,
Loretta Chase , and
Catherine Anderson
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
 United States | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Anderson, Catherine | ( A ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
Chase, Loretta | ( C ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
Kleypas, Lisa | ( K ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books
United States | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
( A ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
( C ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books | Coulter, Catherine R.
( K ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
General | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
General | Historical | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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Wish List
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Where's My Hero?
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Petals on the River (Avon Historical Romance)
ASIN: 0380781220 |
Book Description
Everyone loves a wedding...
Nothing lifts our hearts like the joyous peal of wedding bells. Or the sight of a happy couple being showered with confetti and good wishes. Now the most exciting new names in romantic fiction and the bestselling author who started it all—escort you down the aisle to a place of honor at four glorious celebrations of everlasting love:
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss reintroduces us to the beloved characters from The Flame and the Flower including Jeff Birmingham, who seals an impetuous proposal with one brief, precious and passionate kiss.
Catherine Anderson calls us to meet a tempestuous pair of wild western hearts, in a tale of a frontier revenge that backfires.
Loretta Chase melts our hearts with a story of an unconventional young woman's offer of marriage to a "mad" and presumed dying earl.
Lisa Klepas shows us how true love will always win in a romance about one stubborn lady—and the persistent suitor who opens her heart.
So come join the celebration and experience Three Weddings and a Kiss.
Love for now...and always.
Download Description
Everyone loves a wedding...
Nothing lifts our hearts like the joyous peal of wedding bells. Or the sight of a happy couple being showered with confetti and good wishes. Now the most exciting new names in romantic fiction and the bestselling author who started it all -escort you down the aisle to a place of honor at four glorious celebrations of everlasting love:
KATHLEEN E. WOODIWISS reintroduces us to the beloved characters from THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER including Jeff Birmingham, who seals an impetuous proposal with one brief, precious and passionate kiss.
CATHERINE ANDERSON calls us to meet a tempestuous pair of wild western hearts, in a tale of a frontier revenge that backfires.
LORETTA CHASE melts our hearts with a story of an unconventional young woman's offer of marriage to a "mad" and presumed dying earl.
LISA KLEYPAS shows us how true love will always win in a romance about one stubborn lady -and the persistent suitor who opens her heart.
So come join the celebration and experience THREE WEDDINGS AND A KISS
Love for now...and always.
Everyone loves a wedding...
Nothing lifts our hearts like the joyous peal of wedding bells. Or the sight of a happy couple being showered with confetti and good wishes. Now the most exciting new names in romantic fiction and the bestselling author who started it all -escort you down the aisle to a place of honor at four glorious celebrations of everlasting love:
KATHLEEN E. WOODIWISSreintroduces us to the beloved characters fromTHE FLAME AND THE FLOWER including Jeff Birmingham, who seals an impetuous proposal with one brief, precious and passionate kiss.
CATHERINE ANDERSONcalls us to meet a tempestuous pair of wild western hearts, in a tale of a frontier revenge that backfires.
LORETTA CHASEmelts our hearts with a story of an unconventional young woman's offer of marriage to a "mad" and presumed dying earl.
LISA KLEYPASshows us how true love will always win in a romance about one stubborn lady -and the persistent suitor who opens her heart.
So come join the celebration and experience THREE WEDDINGS AND A KISS
Love for now...and always.
Customer Reviews:
One good story, three also-rans.......2007-08-02
Anthologies are curious things. With different authors you often find you're reading several entirely unrelated stories, possibly linked around a theme but with little else to enable them to sit happily together. This book is the same, with two stories set in America and two in England, most around the English Regency period (although I'm not sure of the dating of the two set in America) and all featuring a wedding but apart from that there seems little to tie them together. As an introduction to the works of these authors this is a useful book but sadly this reader only found one story worthwhile in the collection.
FANCY FREE
The first story, "Fancy Free", by Catherine Anderson surprised me by not being set in the Regency period in England, which is what I thought this book was about (although this was my mistake as it doesn't specify English Regency on the cover, it was just the featured authors that made me assume this). Instead it was set in America in some unspecified time in history (my knowledge of American history isn't enough for me to know when) and features Clint Rafferty, a cattle rancher, and his family of seven younger brothers who finds himself getting married, rather unexpectedly, and at the end of a pistol, to Rachel Constantine. So how can people settle down after a shotgun marriage when they know very little about each other and when Rachel is well aware she's not want Clint wanted? He wants someone to make a home but her cooking skills are somewhat lacking, especially as she can't see anything due to excessive short-sight and that she believes if she wears her spectacles men will be appalled by her ugliness. I felt the realism of this story was sorely lacking in terms of how Rachel could cope with her short-sight, especially when we learn she couldn't read a recipe - short sight would meant that she COULD read paper close to, it's distance things that would be a problem. Somehow Clint and the boys don't seem to mind her disasters and very quickly she becomes important to them. But Rachel has a low self image and doesn't understand this and when another woman comes to the house she can't handle it and runs away - Clint and she have to decide what is important to them.
This was a pleasant enough story but there wasn't any great character depth and I did have some problems overall with Rachel's domestic skills, especially bearing in mind her eyesight problems. Sometimes she seemed almost blind, other times it was clear she must have been able to see reasonably in order to function in public without her spectacles. It was an OK read but nothing that special and didn't inspire me to read anything more from this author.
THE MAD EARL'S BRIDE
The second story, "The Mad Earl's Bride" by Loretta Chase, was rather more engaging. We are given a brief history of Dorian Camoys' youth under his autocratic grandfather. Dorian knows that he is beginning to succumb to the same brain disorder that killed his mother - after she had spent some time in a lunatic asylum. He returns to Dartmoor to live his last months in peace but his peace is shattered when the other close members of his family die and he inherits the title of Earl of Rawnsley and finds one of his distant relatives trying to help arrange the succession. Dorian is asked to marry Gwendolyn, a young woman who badly needs his money in order to build a hospital. Gwendolyn wishes she had been born a man as she wants to be a doctor but no men except for one doctor ever take her seriously. Her experiences in learning about medicine mean that she can help Dorian in his last months and so they marry. However there is much research to be done about his condition and as it begins to worsen they begin to plan for the future and to learn about each other.
This story has links to "Lord of Scoundrels" and some of the characters from that story appear in this. It's a very enjoyable read and although a short story it seems surprisingly detailed. I very much enjoy Loretta Chase's writing style although her Regencies occasionally slip into Americanisms, but overall this is a good story with a likeable hero and heroine and a rather different theme from the norm.
PROMISES
"Promises" by Lisa Kleypas is another story set in England in the Regency period. Lidian Acland, our heroine, has been holding a torch for the improbably named Chance Spencer for a year whilst he does the Grand Tour. However her mother (along with pretty much everyone else) thinks Chance isn't worth her devotion and tries to encourage Lidian to look at other men. None interests her until she meets Eric de Gray, heir to an Earldom and squiring his sister at various parties. She and Eric clash a number of times as he tries to get her to see Chance for who he really is and Lidian wants to hang on to her dream. There's another mini romance within this story which isn't particularly detailed but is enjoyable.
The writing in this story was fine and the setting (for example the hero and heroine take a walk in Vauxhall Gardens) was well described but unfortunately I didn't get into the characters in this story. Eric seemed over-harsh and not very warm to Lidian, Lidian seemed rather stupid about Chance when we are told she is intelligent. Her behaviour is also not appropriate for a woman in her situation, going out unchaperoned etc, and her supposed constancy towards Chance is also dropped surprisingly quickly. Still it was a reasonable enough read if not particularly deep.
THE KISS
The final story is much shorter than all the rest (the first two accounted for over two thirds of the book) at only 29 pages. Written by Kathleen E Woodiwiss it was evidently a follow-up to another previous story (which I haven't read) which detailed the relationship between Brandon and Heather Birmingham. This couple's relationship is referred to repeatedly in this story and we also meet them in this tale.
"The Kiss" takes place in Charleston, America, and is about Brandon's brother Jeffrey who finds himself unexpectedly coming to the aid of a woman whose guardian is about to sell her to a man. Jeffrey buys her instead, takes her home and then realises that he hasn't necessarily helped her situation as he will have compromised her by buying her in public. He resolves this in a fairly obvious way and then the story ends. It's a 'love at first sight' story which I couldn't always believe but then a story this short can't go too much in depth. However there was one significant irritant - the author seems to have rather a small stock of adjectives and she massively over-used the adjective 'manly'. We had 'manly shoulders', 'manly scent of his cologne', 'manly form', 'manly costume', 'manly desires' and the rather bizarre 'manly tread' as he walks across the room - all in 29 pages. The other descriptions were all rather basic, 'narrow hips', 'slender waist', that kind of thing. This writing style proved rather irritating to this reader and the rest of the story wasn't really engaging enough to make it truly enjoyable.
In conclusion this is a rather bitty collection of stories. The only real stand-out story is Loretta Chase's one, the other three are ultimately fairly forgettable and seem to have either plot problems or writing disappointments. I understand this book won a number of awards but I'm not really sure why as I felt it was rather a disappointment.
Chase's Story Is The Only Reason This Anthology Deserves 4 stars.......2007-02-19
This anthology contains stories from Kathleen Woodwiss, Catherine Anderson, Loretta Chase and Lisa Kleypas. The cover shows Woodwiss as the marquee author in the anthology. However, once you read the stories, it is clear that Loretta Chase's The Mad Earl's Bride is the shining star in an otherwise banal collection. I'm giving this review 4 stars because of Chase's story. For those who have never read Chase's books, this is a great example of her talent. For those who are already fans, you will not be disappointed.
The anthology starts with Catherine Anderson's Fancy Free. I like westerns and I had high hopes for this one. However, it is forgettable. The heroine is irritating and the situation which leads to the wedding was inane. The heroine was so inept at everything, it was incomprehensible that the hero and his family, who desperately needed a competent woman to help at the family farm, would grow so attached to her. This story merits only one star.
Loretta Chase's The Mad Earl's Bride, by itself, is worth the price of the anthology. The story is unique and so are the characters. As with many of Chase's novels, the heroine is smart and capable and the hero is flawed but compelling. The romance between them is gripping and it is marvelous how Chase is able to capture this in a short story. This story deserves more than 5 stars.
Lisa Kleypas' Promises is adequate. I am a fan of Kleypas and I thought that this was not one of her better efforts. After reading Kleypas' story "I will" in the Wish List anthology and many of her other books, I had higher hopes. In "I Will" Kleypas described an interesting and steamy romance in a short story. Unfortunately, Promises lacked interesting and compelling characters. The story line was also boring. I still give this story 3 stars purely on Kleypas writing ability.
The worst of the stories was Woodwiss' The Kiss. I do not understand why she is the marquee author. The story just sucked. It seemed unfinished. There was absolutely no romance or chemistry between the two characters and I wasn't sure why it was published. It is absolutely the worst story I have read and if not for Chase's story, I would've demanded my money back from the publishers. I give this no stars.
On my KEEPER shelf.......2007-02-09
As far as I am concerned all of the authors came through with flying colors. It is one I will keep and read again. Love Woodiwiss.
A mixed bag -There are better anthologies out there.......2006-06-29
I really enjoy reading anthologies. It gives me the opportunity to sample several authors at a time. This one, unfortunately, is not so good. The only reason I gave three stars is due to Chase's The Mad Earl's Bride -an excellent story which saves this anthology. The others are just blah. I've read Kleypas (she's one of my fav's) before and Promises is not her best work. The same could be said for the others. Woodiwiss The Kiss was good but ended very abrubtly.
So if you want to read a good anothology get Where's My Hero (Kleypas is excellent in this) and Scottish Brides. They are both really well written romantic historicals.
Disappointed in Kathleen.......2006-03-22
Although this gave me an opportunity to read other authors, I was disappointed in Woodiwiss' work. She sounds tired. I will look for her next piece with greater expectations. If you are a Woodiwiss fan, you may also be disappointed in this short story.
Book Description
Warning: Laughter ahead! Liz Curtis Higgs delivers again with "Fine Print," where a businessman and the speech coach he's hired have no idea there are matchmakers at work on their behalf! Her novella is part of a delightful triple-header in Three Weddings and a Giggle. The "giggle" comes from Carolyn Zane, whose "Sweet Chariot" drops readers in on two little old ladies who purchase a motor home sight-unseen, then drag their adult grandchildren along for cross-country antics. In Karen Ball's "Bride on the Run," an heiress defies her father's demand that she marry a man she doesn't love. If only she hadn't waited until her wedding day to do so! So it's out the window, down the rose trellis ... and headlong into one escapade after another. Thoroughly fun!
Customer Reviews:
Enjoyable beach read.......2007-09-28
I wasn't impressed nor disappointed in this book. It is a cute and very sweet collection of short Christian fiction stories. Absolutely nothing shocking or soul-baring in any of them. To me, they are the type of story that just makes you feel better about the world. The book would make a good library check out as something to enjoy in your backyard or on the beach.
Laugh out loud funny.......2007-02-27
This is one of my favorite uplifting gift books! It contains three beautifully written romantic novellas by three amazing authors. Each novella reads so quickly that they can they be finished in one sitting!
"Fine Print" is Liz Curtis Higgs' contribution to this winning combination. It's the story of a printing magnate, his public speaking coach, and his matchmaking family. The printer, a widower, is terrified of public speaking. When Meghan is hired to coach Hugh through his fears, the romantic sparks fly.
Karen Ball's "Bride on the Run" begins hysterically and keeps the frenetic pace throughout! The runaway bride escapes her nuptials with her nanny in tow to wind up landfill diving and witness God's answers to prayer through flying kittens. This story is heartwarming and hilarious!
In "Sweet Chariot" by Carolyn Zane, two best girlfriends buy a motor home for post-retirement adventure. When their grandchildren insist on helping the ladies pick up the new purchase and driving it back to civilization, the adventure has already begun. The grandkids can't stand each other, and the sweet little old grandmas are convinced that God is in control of all of the mishaps that befall them on the trip.
You'll Laugh and You'll Cry.......2006-02-10
I thoroughly enjoyed these novellas. Maybe they had an element of "too convenient," but in novellas, there isn't time to develop intricate plot lines. However, the characters were delightful, the dialogue realistic, and all told by great story-tellers. I laughed and I cried, and you will, too. There's a plus in this book...each writer tells a bit about themselves and their own weddings. And Karen Ball's chilli episode really happened!
Puts the AWWW in love. .......2005-12-24
This collection of authors is incredible. Each one has her own style and tone to love. In Fine Print, a cute love story that includes a widow, a broken heart, and an idea between a fun grandfather and his granddaughter. A twist on common love with the exceptional tale of second chances, courtesy of yellow roses and love notes.
In Sweet Chariot, it answers the joke, "What do you get when you take two adventurous grandmothers, their grandchildren, a beat up RV, and humor?" The answer is LOVE. Meet Jake, a young handsome pilot who isn't set on spending a few days with workaholic Lexie. But when opposite ends of the human race attract, something is bound to happen.
In Bride on the Run, rich heiress, Alexandria, ran from her previous wedding to a man her rich father deems suitable for his beautiful daugther. But when she arrives with her governess to a shelter ran by handsome Evan, something is bound to spark. But what happens if Evan isn;t willing to admit Alexandria's effect on him?
AMAZING book. Definitely a must have for the people who love love!
Wow!!.......2003-06-11
Three Weddings and a Giggle is a must read. All of the stories have their flaws (but who doesn't wish that love just came along all of the sudden?).
Fine Print is very cute, although I think that it was my least favorite. Meghan is a speech coach and has to get rid of Hughs butterflies before his big speech. But what happens to their budding love when it's time for her to go?? Guess you'll just have to read!!
Sweet Chariot was most definately my favorite!!! What a hoot!! I laughed a lot during this novella, and I love that Lexie and Jake don't get along at first, I tend to like the stories like this... Jake and Lexie's grandmothers are adventurous... sometimes too adventurous. So Lexie and Jake go along to help their grannies pick up a sorry excuse for a motor home. Neither one knew the other was coming, and they REALLY don't like eachother... so will it be a disaster, or a miracle?
Bride on the Run, is very funny too. Again they all have their weaknesses, but it was a good novella. Alex can't go through with her wedding, so she goes THROUGH her window instead! When she meets Evan (and what a weird meeting...) she hears in her mind "Awake, my love, and come away." What she knew she would when she met "the one" except he doesn't seem so interested in her, in fact, he seems scared of her, not to mention frustrated, and he doesn't trust her with anything... ok there is good reason... but you'll just have to find out, wont ya?
All in all, It is an awesome book, you wont be able to put it down!!
Average customer rating:
- One good story, three also-rans
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Three Weddings and a Kiss
Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Anderson, Catherine | ( A ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
Chase, Loretta | ( C ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
Kleypas, Lisa | ( K ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000B9NY12 |
Product Description
Anthology includes "Fancy Free" by Catherine Anderson, "Mad Earl's Bride" by Loretta Chase, "Promises" by Lisa Kleypas, "The Kiss" by Kathleen Woodiwiss.
Customer Reviews:
One good story, three also-rans.......2007-08-02
Anthologies are curious things. With different authors you often find you're reading several entirely unrelated stories, possibly linked around a theme but with little else to enable them to sit happily together. This book is the same, with two stories set in America and two in England, most around the English Regency period (although I'm not sure of the dating of the two set in America) and all featuring a wedding but apart from that there seems little to tie them together. As an introduction to the works of these authors this is a useful book but sadly this reader only found one story worthwhile in the collection.
FANCY FREE
The first story, "Fancy Free", by Catherine Anderson surprised me by not being set in the Regency period in England, which is what I thought this book was about (although this was my mistake as it doesn't specify English Regency on the cover, it was just the featured authors that made me assume this). Instead it was set in America in some unspecified time in history (my knowledge of American history isn't enough for me to know when) and features Clint Rafferty, a cattle rancher, and his family of seven younger brothers who finds himself getting married, rather unexpectedly, and at the end of a pistol, to Rachel Constantine. So how can people settle down after a shotgun marriage when they know very little about each other and when Rachel is well aware she's not want Clint wanted? He wants someone to make a home but her cooking skills are somewhat lacking, especially as she can't see anything due to excessive short-sight and that she believes if she wears her spectacles men will be appalled by her ugliness. I felt the realism of this story was sorely lacking in terms of how Rachel could cope with her short-sight, especially when we learn she couldn't read a recipe - short sight would meant that she COULD read paper close to, it's distance things that would be a problem. Somehow Clint and the boys don't seem to mind her disasters and very quickly she becomes important to them. But Rachel has a low self image and doesn't understand this and when another woman comes to the house she can't handle it and runs away - Clint and she have to decide what is important to them.
This was a pleasant enough story but there wasn't any great character depth and I did have some problems overall with Rachel's domestic skills, especially bearing in mind her eyesight problems. Sometimes she seemed almost blind, other times it was clear she must have been able to see reasonably in order to function in public without her spectacles. It was an OK read but nothing that special and didn't inspire me to read anything more from this author.
THE MAD EARL'S BRIDE
The second story, "The Mad Earl's Bride" by Loretta Chase, was rather more engaging. We are given a brief history of Dorian Camoys' youth under his autocratic grandfather. Dorian knows that he is beginning to succumb to the same brain disorder that killed his mother - after she had spent some time in a lunatic asylum. He returns to Dartmoor to live his last months in peace but his peace is shattered when the other close members of his family die and he inherits the title of Earl of Rawnsley and finds one of his distant relatives trying to help arrange the succession. Dorian is asked to marry Gwendolyn, a young woman who badly needs his money in order to build a hospital. Gwendolyn wishes she had been born a man as she wants to be a doctor but no men except for one doctor ever take her seriously. Her experiences in learning about medicine mean that she can help Dorian in his last months and so they marry. However there is much research to be done about his condition and as it begins to worsen they begin to plan for the future and to learn about each other.
This story has links to "Lord of Scoundrels" and some of the characters from that story appear in this. It's a very enjoyable read and although a short story it seems surprisingly detailed. I very much enjoy Loretta Chase's writing style although her Regencies occasionally slip into Americanisms, but overall this is a good story with a likeable hero and heroine and a rather different theme from the norm.
PROMISES
"Promises" by Lisa Kleypas is another story set in England in the Regency period. Lidian Acland, our heroine, has been holding a torch for the improbably named Chance Spencer for a year whilst he does the Grand Tour. However her mother (along with pretty much everyone else) thinks Chance isn't worth her devotion and tries to encourage Lidian to look at other men. None interests her until she meets Eric de Gray, heir to an Earldom and squiring his sister at various parties. She and Eric clash a number of times as he tries to get her to see Chance for who he really is and Lidian wants to hang on to her dream. There's another mini romance within this story which isn't particularly detailed but is enjoyable.
The writing in this story was fine and the setting (for example the hero and heroine take a walk in Vauxhall Gardens) was well described but unfortunately I didn't get into the characters in this story. Eric seemed over-harsh and not very warm to Lidian, Lidian seemed rather stupid about Chance when we are told she is intelligent. Her behaviour is also not appropriate for a woman in her situation, going out unchaperoned etc, and her supposed constancy towards Chance is also dropped surprisingly quickly. Still it was a reasonable enough read if not particularly deep.
THE KISS
The final story is much shorter than all the rest (the first two accounted for over two thirds of the book) at only 29 pages. Written by Kathleen E Woodiwiss it was evidently a follow-up to another previous story (which I haven't read) which detailed the relationship between Brandon and Heather Birmingham. This couple's relationship is referred to repeatedly in this story and we also meet them in this tale.
"The Kiss" takes place in Charleston, America, and is about Brandon's brother Jeffrey who finds himself unexpectedly coming to the aid of a woman whose guardian is about to sell her to a man. Jeffrey buys her instead, takes her home and then realises that he hasn't necessarily helped her situation as he will have compromised her by buying her in public. He resolves this in a fairly obvious way and then the story ends. It's a 'love at first sight' story which I couldn't always believe but then a story this short can't go too much in depth. However there was one significant irritant - the author seems to have rather a small stock of adjectives and she massively over-used the adjective 'manly'. We had 'manly shoulders', 'manly scent of his cologne', 'manly form', 'manly costume', 'manly desires' and the rather bizarre 'manly tread' as he walks across the room - all in 29 pages. The other descriptions were all rather basic, 'narrow hips', 'slender waist', that kind of thing. This writing style proved rather irritating to this reader and the rest of the story wasn't really engaging enough to make it truly enjoyable.
In conclusion this is a rather bitty collection of stories. The only real stand-out story is Loretta Chase's one, the other three are ultimately fairly forgettable and seem to have either plot problems or writing disappointments. I understand this book won a number of awards but I'm not really sure why as I felt it was rather a disappointment.
Average customer rating:
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Marraige a LA Mode: Three Centuries of Wedding Tradition
Shelley Tobin
Manufacturer: National Trust
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Fashion Design | Commercial | Graphic Design | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Commercial | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
History | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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General | Weddings | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Marriage & Family | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | England | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0707803586 |
Customer Reviews:
Who's Fooling Who?.......2006-12-01
Book Description: Phoebe Brook hadn't planned on taking a nursing job in Holland, and certainly not under false pretenses. But when her sister Sybil decided to get married instead of going to work for Dr. Lucius van Someren, Sybil persuaded Phoebe to take her place. With Lucius's son Paul so hostile, and Paul's governess acting as if Lucius was her property, Phoebe really didn't need to compound her problems by falling in love with the doctor!
This story centers around a handsome, work-absorbed, rich, Dutch Doctor (Muscoviscidosys (Fibrocystitis) Specialist) and an attractive British Nurse (Women's Medical Ward Night Sister) who looks "enough" like her younger sister to fool the unobservant doctor. Or, is he as inattentive as he appears?
Sweet Romance .......2006-08-07
Phoebe Brooks enjoys being a nurse in London, but wouldn't mind a change from the night shift. Still, she hadn't planned on leaving England, but when her sister Sybil decides to get married instead of taking a job in Holland, Phoebe agrees to take her place. Phoebe's not happy about deceiving Doctor Lucius van Someren and is relieved when he tells her he knows who she really is. Phoebe settles into her job and soon falls in love with Lucius. But Lucius's adopted son, Paul, is hostile towards her, as is Maureen his governess, who will do anything she can to keep Phoebe away from Lucius. Will Lucius realize what's going on before it's time for Phoebe to return to London?
Betty Neels' romances are always a delight to read and "Three for a Wedding" is no exception. Phoebe is a delight, beautiful, sweet, but strong enough to stand up to Maureen, who has no redeeming qualities. Lucius is the typical handsome, rich Dutch doctor that Neels loved to write about, although readers will wonder why he puts up with Maureen for so long. Young Paul is the most realistic and sympathetic character; although he plays a mean trick on Phoebe, it's clear he's not a bad child, but afraid he'll lose Lucius who took him in after his parents died.
"Three for a Wedding" is yet another winner from Betty Neels!
Customer Reviews:
A great additon to the AND BABY MAKES THREE series!.......1999-01-09
Sherryl Woods progresses the Adams' family bloodline into The Next Generation series of Baby Makes Three. In romance novels it is very rare that you can come into such an in depth series of family based storylines that tie generations together but also give each individual novel a life of its own. You can pick up the first book or the last book and enjoy it immensely with Woods' characters and plots, but when you continue with the series you feel a sense of family, belonging, and security in the circle of life. Well written and easy to follow and enjoy, I recommend this book highly to anyone.
Books:
- Maiden Voyage
- Memories, Dreams, Reflections
- Never Lie to a Lady
- Night Tales: Night Shift & Night Shadow
- Once upon a Star
- Out Of The Dust (Apple Signature Edition)
- Palm Beach Splendor: The Architecture of Jeffery Smith
- Paula Pryke's Flower School: Mastering the Art of Floral Design
- Pharmacotherapy
- Risk: Are You Willing to Trust God with Everything? (The Every Man Series)
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