Captured by Your Kiss: Brides of the Bloodstone

Book Description

To find the ancient treasure that will bring an end to an age-old feud, beautiful mystic Mona Graham chooses an unlikely ally to protect her on her quest -- Patrick Maxwell, rogue knight and the Graham clan's sworn enemy, who has been captured and held for ransom. But even as the two journey to the hiding place of the Bloodstone, their own conflicting needs for peace and freedom give way to a desire that cannot be denied....

Customer Reviews:

Captured by Your Kiss.......2003-01-30

Jen Holling has written a wonderful story of love and intrigue, full of excitement. I found it hard to put down. She brought 16th century Scotland to life. The feud between the Graham's and Maxwell's was well plotted. I only wish there was a fourth book in the Brides of the Bloodstone Trilogy. I highly recommend this book.

WORTH THE WAIT!.......2003-01-30

After enjoying the first two books, TEMPTED BY YOUR TOUCH and TAMED BY YOUR DESIRE,in the BRIDES OF THE BLOODSTONE trilogy, I was pleasantly surprised that Holling's books just keep getting better! As I came to know and love the characters I dreaded the book coming to an end. The passion portrayed between Mona and Patrick kept me turning pages late into the night. I was on edge throughout the entire book waiting to see what evil Ridley would dish out next. I was thrilled with the conclusion, all of the details from the previoius novels were tied up beautifully. Holling writes the fantasy that romance readers are looking for; mystical and romantic, with evil in hot pursuit of the hero and heroines happiness.
I look forward to more historical fantasy from this most talented author!

Read the books in order -too confusing otherwise........2003-01-24

This is an ok book. I suspect it would have been more enjoyable and understandable if I had read the other two first. The romance between Patrick and Mona was nicely done. BUT, my biggest problem with the book is that it is disjointed. Example - Ridley (Mona's evil stepson) is fine looking (though crazy)and then a few pages later, one side of his face is all melted (Huh? WHEN did THAT happen?). There is no explanation until later. Face is fine, then it is burned. There are several other instances of this and I found this to be very frustrating. Everything makes sence by the end of the book and all loose ends are neatly tied. I will not be buying the first two books in the series though. I might get them from the Library, but I would not spend the money on buying them.

exciting wrap up to delightful tales.......2003-01-18

In 1542, as war threatens Scotland, the Bloodstone Keeper Mona Graham decides to retrieve the gem in an attempt to gain peace. She needs a protector on her quest to keep her safe from her son-in-law Ridley, who desires her almost as much as he covets the Bloodstone. Unlike his deceased father who forced Mona to marry him to gain possession of the magical artifact, Ridley plans simply to take the stone from his mother-in-law. Mona chooses Ridley's prisoner Patrick Maxwell to guide her.

Mona frees Patrick and he reluctantly agrees to escort her even while Ridley's men pursue them. As Mona and Patrick fall in love, they find the Bloodstone, but Ridley takes it from them. He uses the stone to see into the future to insure his side slaughters his opponent in the upcoming war between England and Scotland. Only Mona has the remote chance of stopping his ascendancy, but she needs the extended family of her beloved to remotely hope to win.

The conclusion of the Brides of Bloodstone trilogy, CAPTURED BY YOUR KISS, is an exciting wrap up to delightful tales. This novel ties up all the threads of the previous novels (see TEMPTED BY YOUR TOUCH and TAMED BY YOUR DESIRE) yet also can stand-alone. The story line contains fantasy elements such as a quest and magical powers inside a strong Scottish historical romance that will elate readers of the two genres. Though acceptance of how fast Ridley and his thugs seem to travel is needed, Jen Holling provides a terrific triad that requires more romantic fantasy from this awesome author.

Book Description

FOUR BRIDES, FOUR BEGINNINGS. . .FOUR STORIES OF ROMANCE FROM THE INCOMPARABLE KATHLEEN E. WOODIWISS, and JO BEVERLEY, TANYA ANNE CROSBY, and SAMANTHA JAMES

MARRIED AT MIDNIGHT by
KATHLEEN E. WOODIWISS

The wedding of Jeff Birmingham of THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER and his new bride Raelynn inflames the jealous ire of a determined rival. . .

MARRIED AT MIDNIGHT by
JO BEVERLEY

A women abandoned on the battlefield discovers that dreams can cone true when an honorable commanding officer gallantly offers his name. . .

MARRIED AT MIDNIGHT by
TANYA ANNE CROSBY

A rebellious heiress who must wed by the stroke of midnight learns that a twist of fate has fulfilled her heart_s deepest desire. . .

MARRIED AT MIDNIGHT by
SAMANTHA JAMES

A young woman_s reckless scheme to defy her father_s ultimatum leads to a hasty union and unexpected passion. . .

Celebrate the glorious, magical moment of new beginnings with for uncertain couples joined by a passionate promise--and surprised by unforeseen love.

FOUR BRIDES, FOUR BEGINNINGS. . .FOUR STORIES OF ROMANCE FROM THE INCOMPARABLE KATHLEEN E. WOODIWISS, and JO BEVERLEY, TANYA ANNE CROSBY, and SAMANTHA JAMES

MARRIED AT MIDNIGHT by
KATHLEEN E. WOODIWISS

The wedding of Jeff Birmingham of THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER and his new bride Raelynn inflames the jealous ire of a determined rival. . .

MARRIED AT MIDNIGHT by
JO BEVERLEY

A women abandoned on the battlefield discovers that dreams can cone true when an honorable commanding officer gallantly offers his name. . .

MARRIED AT MIDNIGHT by
TANYA ANNE CROSBY

A rebellious heiress who must wed by the stroke of midnight learns that a twist of fate has fulfilled her hearts deepest desire. . .

MARRIED AT MIDNIGHT by
SAMANTHA JAMES

A young womans reckless scheme to defy her fathers ultimatum leads to a hasty union and unexpected passion. . .

Celebrate the glorious, magical moment of new beginnings with for uncertain couples joined by a passionate promise--and surprised by unforeseen love.

Customer Reviews:

Married at Midnight an Anthology.......2007-07-04

It is a very good book. It was shipped in a timely basis. I do most of my shopping here

No problems.......2007-05-27

No problems. Book arrived in good time. Book had slight imperfection with the cover having a slight tear halfway down. Otherwise, everything was fine.

On my KEEPER shelf.......2007-02-10

I don't agree with the other reviewers...I loved it and as you can see it is on my KEEPER shelf.

As anthologies go, terrible. Don't waste your money!.......2001-11-09

I knew there was a reason I tend to avoid anthologies; this one has reminded me of it with a vengeance. Basically, most anthologies aren't worth the paper they're printed on: you get a selection of authors, some of whom may not be very good, and shorter stories than usual, some of which - if they are at all good - don't benefit from being compressed into under 100 pages.

This book is very definitely a case in point. We have novellas from Jo Beverley (normally excellent), Tanya Anne Crosby, Samantha James and Kathleen Woodiwiss - three authors I'd never come across before and whose work therefore I know nothing about. After reading this anthology, I know to avoid their work in future.

The Beverley novella, The Determined Bride, was interesting, but I kept feeling that I'd come in halfway through the story. Told by her soldier husband that their marriage hadn't been genuine, Kate desperately wants her baby to be legitimate. Unfortunately, her 'husband' has just been killed in battle. His commanding officer offers to marry her to give the baby a name. Afterwards, Kate returns to England with her son - but what of Captain Charles Tennant, the man she's just married? Does she want him? Does he want her? How does he really feel about having a legal son who is not his biological child?

An intriguing premise, written with something close to Beverley's usual style; but too rushed. Perhaps three stars.

Next, there is Tanya Anne Crosby's A Kiss After Midnight. Two children brought up together are separated when Victoria's father, a duke, becomes concerned about her friendship with the gardener's son. Can their love survive? What happens when Victoria needs to marry to save her estates? To begin with, I thought her hero, Thomas, was American; his internal narrative in the first few pages is entirely American in dialect and vocabulary. Too many things didn't ring true in this story for me to take it seriously. For instance, apparently Thomas and Victoria drove to Gretna Green in under five hours. So where were they? North of the Lake District and in the middle of nowhere fifty miles south of the border? Unlikely. And did Victoria really not recognise Thomas??

Oh, and *what* is "a'tall" supposed to mean? That simply isn't a word. It's not an expression used anywhere in the UK (or in Ireland, in case Crosby thinks it is). If she means 'at all', then she should say so. Terrible. One star.

The next story is Samantha James' Scandal's Bride. It was readable, more or less, though Victoria seemed to me to behave like a spoilt brat. I can't understand what Miles saw in her; he should have refused to marry her and insisted that her father sent her back to the country until she grew up. Two stars, maybe.

And finally, Kathleen Woodiwiss's Beyond The Kiss. This, I gather, is the sequel to another book by Woodiwiss. She spends the first dozen pages summarising Raelynn and Jeff's story to date (tedious exposition of an overly melodramatic tale) before launching into this story. The language is extremely overblown -talk about purple prose! The dialogue is stilted: I couldn't believe some of Jeff's speeches. Take this:

"In my lengthy quest for the woman of my dreams, I cannot deny that I've tested my heart with others, but they never assuaged that unsettled feeling gnawing at my vitals. I tell you no lie, madam, when I say that of those maidens I've courted, I favoured none with a plea to be my wife. Whatever enticements inspired me to seek their company were ephemeral, as fleeting as the morning dew." Ewwwww!!!!! I couldn't take this guy seriously at all.

In fact, I couldn't even finish this story. After 30 pages of it I'd had enough, and it's definitely put me off reading any more by Woodiwiss. I can't believe she's considered to be a top historical fiction writer! Zero stars.

Don't waste your money on this one.

Married at midnight.......2001-06-25

It's not easy to rate four stories with one mark, so I do it one by one:

The determined bride" - I give it 3 stars. It's not a bad story, but I found something missing there.

A kiss after midnight" - nice, but just a little bit unbelievable. How Victoria couldn't recognize her best friend? I don't believe a man can change so much! And that marriage ceremony ... oh, it was sooo long, I became unpatient! 3 stars.

Scandal's bride" - a bit cliche. I read so many books about London high society of 19th century I became tired of them. Why always London and 19th century? Why not France during 100 years war for example? 3 stars.

Beyond the kiss" - out of question the best of Married at midnight". I just love Woodiwiss and Birminghams. 5 stars.

And at the end - romance authors, keep writting. We need your stories to warm our hearts and make our lives easier.

Average customer rating:

A business marriage, or the marraige of a live time?

A clever, quirky historical

A clever and funny historical romance.

KISS THE BRIDE is a sheer delight

Enjoyable read but not her best!
Kiss the Bride (Sonnet Books)
Patricia Cabot
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books
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Lady of Skye (Sonnet Books)

A Little Scandal

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Nicola and the Viscount

Size 12 Is Not Fat: A Heather Wells Mystery

ASIN: 0743410289

Book Description

One lucky man would win her hand...

A lady of London breeding, Emma Van Court never expected to be left widowed -- and penniless -- in the Scottish village of Faires. But when a fortune is promised if she remarries, the pretty schoolteacher finds Faires' motley assortment of eligible men scrambling for her attentions -- from the local cowherd to an obnoxious baron!

One sweet kiss would seal their love...

James Marbury, Earl of Denham, was urbane, sophisticated....and utterly at odds among the muddy roads and thatched roofs of Faires. He had come after hearing of his cousin Stuart's passing -- and was exasperated to find his maddening, tempestuous love for the widowed Emma was as strong as ever. With bachelors coming out of the woodwork to woo her, James sees only one solution: offer himself to her as a temporary husband...even if secretly he longs to make his "I do's" last a lifetime.

Customer Reviews:

A business marriage, or the marraige of a live time?.......2006-03-26

What do you do when the girl you love is going to marry another and move out of the country? This is the predicament James finds himself in at the beginning of the story, when Emma Van Court comes to ask him to help tell Stuart and her guardians that they plan to marry. Instead of taking the information rationally James ends up attacking Stuart.
Stuart and Emma elope and run off to the Hebrides, where Stuart meets his death six months later. When James recieves the message a year after the pair married, he goes down to receive Stuart's body. There he finds Emma living in the cottage Stuart and she shared, alone and with suitors chasing after her.
Emma is less than happy to see James and tries to get him to take the ferry back home. Instead James stays and finds out about O'Malley's will and part of the truth about Stuart's death.
James does what he thinks is the best way to keep Emma safe and to get her to fall in love with him, and proposes for them to temporarily marry.

A clever, quirky historical.......2005-08-31

All his life James Marbury, the Earl of Denham, has been treated with the care and dignity due the scion of a noble family. In other words, he's had everything handed to him on a silver platter. His one soft spot has been his childhood friend, lovely Emma Van Court. When Emma asks for his help in securing her guardians' permission to marry his cousin Stuart and move to an isolated island in Scotland where Stuart has accepted a curacy, James flies into a rage and reveals the pair's plans to their respective families. The pair responds by eloping and nothing else is heard of them for a year.

When word comes that Stuart has died, James goes to Scotland to arrange for his remains to be returned to England. Assuming that Emma had returned to the bosom of her family, he is taken aback to find her still living on the island, working as a schoolteacher and acting highly secretive. To make matters worse, James finds out that Stuart was killed by an angry parishioner, and to make amends before he was hanged, the man left Emma his fortune. A fortune she can only inherit if and when she remarries. Now, James must uncover Emma's secrets even as he protects her from her motley assortment of suitors.

All Emma Van Court wanted out of life was a husband and a family of her own. She thought all her dreams would come true when she married Stuart Chesterton. Now, Stuart is dead, she's hounded by the island's bachelors both young and old, and the Earl of Denham is back in her life asking all sorts of questions. Until the day she asked him for his help in marrying Stuart, James had been her hero. When his actions had led to her being cut off by her family, Emma had sworn never to forgive him. But now James is back, wanting to make amends and certainly acting differently. Emma is soon looking at James in a totally new light and when a debacle forces them into a marriage of convenience, James knows this is finally his chance to win the woman he's always wanted.

Patricia Cabot's KISS THE BRIDE is a romantic confection filled with charm and humor. Not only is the interaction between Emma and James a delight to read, the secondary characters are interesting and certainly varied, from the lovestruck Cletus MacEwan to the strangely Yoda-like youngster Fergus MacPherson. The scene where young Fergus doles out love advice to a clueless James is a classic. An especially interesting twist is the fact that readers get a full sense of one of the characters, Stuart Chesterton, even though he never once makes an appearance in person. The true star of this tale, however, is the clever, quirky narrative that will keep readers entertained to the very end.

TheSchemer

A clever and funny historical romance........2002-07-21

I read this book because I was a fan of the author's books for teens, and I was not disappointed. Emma Van Court is an orphan raised by her wealthy aunt and uncle. At eighteen, she elopes with Stuart Chesterton, a well-meaning but impractical man who takes his new wife to live with him on a small Scottish island village, much to the anger of Stuart's cousin, James Marbury, the Earl of Denham. Within a year, Stuart is dead, and Emma is struggling to survive on her meager salary as a schoolteacher. Without marrying, she cannot claim her inheritance. So when James comes to the island, he proposes a marriage of convenience. Having always loved Emma, he hopes she will come to love him, and wish to stay married. This book was written in the same clever, funny style as the author's other books. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a romantic and funny historical read.

KISS THE BRIDE is a sheer delight.......2002-05-28

Patricia Cabot wields her magic again in Kiss the Bride, a fluffy romance between the ninth earl of Denham, James Marbury and Emma Van Court who married his sacrilegious cousin Stuart. When James receives the news from Emma that she planned to elope with the impoverished Stuart against the wishes of her relations, his concealed adoration for Emma propelled him to foil the plan. Yet Emma manages to escape and cross over to Scotland Hebrides with the religious Stuart to start life as a curator's wife. When news of Stuart's demise after a manslaughter complicated by the typhus epidemic, James decides to claim Stuart's body to bury in the ancestral hall and is unprepared for the wretched life Emma is subjected to.

He finds himself intrigued by the independent widow who teaches the underprivileged kids, who fends off eager suitors trying to hook her up with a marriage proposal with eyes set on the bequeathed money that is attached to her marriage. James is tenacious to put a stop and marries her in her utmost reluctance. He decides to convince Emma that he intends to secure her to him this time round with wooing and passion....

While Ms. Cabot has a penchance for creating wonderful sub-characters like Lady Denham, Judge Reardon and the meddlesome peasants, her humour in this outing falls short and less furious than her previous efforts. It is nonetheless an enchanting treat when Ms. Cabot imbues a fairy-tale mood and languid sensuality in her narration. The protagonists are as usual captivating in their own rights - a reformed rake and a resilient widow. Kiss The Bride may not be her best effort, but it is a sheer delight.

Enjoyable read but not her best!.......2002-05-09

Perhaps I should preface this review by saying that I have very much enjoyed some of Ms.Cabot's previous novels. Portrait of my Heart and Lady of Skye are among my favorite romance novels. This novel, however, was not among one of my favorites.
The story begins in London, 1832. A young lady, Miss Emma Van Court (our heroine), intends to elope with her long time infatuation, the religious and missionary minded, Mr. Stuart Chesterton. Due to a long-running friendship between the two families, Emma plans to alert the head of Stuart's family, James Marbury, Earl of Denham. James is horrified at the idea of Emma marrying his cousin. He warns her that life as the wife of an impoverished curate in the Scottish Hebrides will not be the romantic adventure she imagines. James even goes so far as to physically assault Stuart to prevent the marriage. His efforts prove futile, however, and the marriage proceeds.
We resume the story a year later in the Scottish Hebrides. Stuart has died six months previously and James, Earl of Denham, has come to retrieve the body to return it to the family tomb. He never expects to find Emma still there, still trying to help those not much worse off than she is and still mad as hell at him. His feelings, however, have undergone a transformation. He realizes quite quickly that he has always loved her and that that is what irked him the most about her marrying Stuart.
Without giving too much more of the story away, for the events mentioned previously happen quite quickly, I would just like to outline a few more points. I find that Ms.Cabot can usually write a good love scene. This time, while the scenes themselves seem well written, I didn't really enjoy their place in the novel. The first love scene came up so abruptly it was over before I even noticed. There hadn't been any of those really good `awareness' scenes to lay the foundation. Unfortunately it made the scene feel less like a sudden flare up of passion than the author realizing that she's made it to page one hundred and something without a proper love scene. Despite this problem, the book is still an enjoyable read. There are no major conflicts between our hero and heroine and we get to enjoy a rather odd assemblage of secondary characters. Emma is being courted by an assortment of village gentlemen including the slightly daft neighboring farmer, encouraged by his mother, and the eccentric Baron who lives on the hill. Emma also shows some spunk as our heroine in her determined pursuit for the happiness and betterment of others. James I felt could have been a little more developed as a character. There is some talk of him having been a bit of a rake in London, yet we see little evidence of it. Overall I would deem this a good though not great book. The main characters converse well together and the story, while containing some typical ideas, on a whole proves to be quite original. Unfortunately the sense of humor that Ms. Cabot has demonstrated to such overwhelming success in previous novels, here, seems to have taken a bit of a back seat.
If you enjoy this novel, I would recommend her other novel set in the Scottish Hebrides, Lady of Skye. It is a good example of the aforementioned humor. You might also try her two-part set, Where Roses Grow Wild and Portrait of my Heart. The latter is my favorite book by Patricia Cabot and again displays the humor I enjoy to wondrous effect.

Average customer rating:

Make The Kiss Count
Larissa K. McPheeters
Manufacturer: Lifevest Publishing, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Weddings | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Planning | Weddings | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1598792660
Release Date: 2006-11-13

Product Description

A way to keep all your contacts, ideas and information in one place. There are tips to make the day more enjoyable for everyone. Plus, learn a little about the meaning behind some traditions.

To Kiss A Sheik Desert Brides (Silhouette Romance, 1686)

Average customer rating:

Yawn!

To Kiss A Sheik Desert Brides (Silhouette Romance, 1686)
Teresa Southwick
Manufacturer: silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

Silhouette Romance | Series | Romance | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0373196865

Customer Reviews:

Yawn!.......2005-02-09

Sheik(h) Fariq Ibn What's-His-Name is a single father who hires Crystal What's-Her-Name as a nanny for his two small children. Since his ex-wife once done him wrong, Fariq has agreed with his father's plan to hire a very plain woman for the job. But Crystal, who desperately needs the job to help her ailing mother, is a home-town beauty queen. So she dons a disguise and gets the job. But Fariq falls for her inner beauty, even though he has the expected arrogant-male temper tantrum when he figures out her scheme . . .boring! Not a single noteworthy surprise here.
Except that both of Fariq's brothers are more interesting than he is.
For a better "in disguise" romance, see Day Leclaire's "Who's Holding the Baby?"

Kiss the Bride: Angel Food/Just Deserts/A Recipe for Romance/Tea for Two (Heartsong Novella Collection)

Average customer rating:

A Delicious Treat!
Refreshing, upbeat and clever!
A fun romantic read

Kiss the Bride: Angel Food/Just Deserts/A Recipe for Romance/Tea for Two (Heartsong Novella Collection)
Kristy Dykes , Aisha Ford , Vickie McDonough , and Carrie Turansky
Manufacturer: Barbour Publishing, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1597893536

Product Description

Contemporary Romance: Four young women meet at a restaurant owner's conference-Angel from Florida, Monica from Missouri, Haley from Oklahoma, and Allison from New Jersey-and discover they share the same faiths, fears, and hopes, including a lack of a love story in their lives. They vow to keep in touch, pray for one another, and meet again at next year's conference. What happens in between is an absolute smorgasbord of changed lives, challenged faiths, new dedications and directions, and romantic twists that turn next year's conference reunion plans into reservations for eight.

Customer Reviews:

A Delicious Treat!.......2006-12-08

"A Recipe for Romance" is one of four novellas in the book "Kiss the (Cook) Bride." An apron connects all four stories adding a fun twist.

Our story starts when Haley Tannehill's brother asks her to email an old school buddy; Scott Jantzen. Haley and Scott exchange emails and a friendship forms. Meanwhile Haley is put in the awkward position of taking over, The Cowpoke Café, the family restaurant she grew up despising.

When Scott returns home from the Middle East, Haley hires him to help her renovate the neon, cowboy boot blinking restaurant, into something a little more modern. As Haley spends more time with Scott, his witness and devotion to his heavenly father, makes Haley realizes she has more missing in her life then an updated restaurant.

At the end of Ms. McDonough's book is a recipe for "Aunt Mildred's Icebox Cake". It made a wonderful addition to my Thanksgiving dinner and has a surprisingly nice tart and nutty flavor. And really, there is no better way to enjoy a good book then having a great dessert to go with it!

Refreshing, upbeat and clever!.......2006-10-14

Reviewed by Kelli Glesige for Reader Views (9/06)

"Kiss the Bride" is a compilation of four contemporary romances written by four different authors, but all are intertwined. Four young women become fast friends at the National Restaurateurs' Convention in Dallas, Texas, when the hotel elevator gets stuck. Angel, Haley, Allison and Monica learn they have several things in common besides all attending the same convention and being in the restaurant business. All the young women are single and have high hopes of meeting Mr. Right in the not-too-distant future. In varying degrees, the young women trust God and know he has a plan for each of their lives. All the women vow to remain friends and to reunite at the next convention. Will any of them be able to share success stories of finding Mr. Right?

"Angel Food" and the Epilogue is written by Kristy Dykes and tells the story of Angel Morgan and her struggle to find patrons at her new restaurant, the Rue de France in the small town of Nine Cloud, Florida. "Just Desserts" by Aisha Ford tells the story of Monica Ryan and her family-owned business in Missouri called The Pie Rack. A "Recipe for Romance" by Vickie McDonald finds Haley Tannehill in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as a hostess at her brother's restaurant called Tannehills and working at her parent's business, The Cowpoke Café. And "Tea for Two" by Carrie Turansky tells of Allison Bennett and her sister who are opening Sweet Something Tea Shop in Princeton, New Jersey.

Since all the stories have food and a restaurant as common traits, we find that each story shares with the reader a special dessert that in some way has brought success for its preparer. Each dessert is known in that particular story for its popularity and "heavenly" taste. At the end of each story, the recipe is included for the reader to try at home. Being able to prepare a dessert that we have just read so much about makes the reader feel a greater connection to the story.

"Kiss the Bride" is refreshing, upbeat, and clever. Four authors were able to put their talents together and show their individuality, but they also successfully show their ability to work together as a team. The common thread of a special traveling apron, purchased at the convention and then passed along to all the women, appears in each story. The authors obviously worked together to bond this element among the four stories. If you like Christian romance and cooking, you should thoroughly enjoy this compilation. I highly recommend this book!

A fun romantic read.......2006-10-10

This novella starts with a very fun premise~ a Kiss the Cook apron passed between friends~ and provides four stories about female restaurateurs falling in love.

Each story provides a unique perspective from love interests with competing restaurants to military romance budding long-distance and ending with a story of suspense, humor, and a great takeaway about forgiveness. A favorite feature is the yummy recipes provided with each story.

Average customer rating:

Definitely one of my keepers
Lots of Fun
This book is a hoot!
really just two words....Ma Recklaw!!!
The Wizard of Oz meets Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Bushwhacked Bride (Wink & a Kiss, 2)
Eugenia Riley
Manufacturer: Love Spell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

Time Travel | Romance | Subjects | Books

Western | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0505523205

Customer Reviews:

Definitely one of my keepers.......2007-07-18

I loved this book! It was so much fun and Ma Recklaw was the real star. Bushwhacked Groom is a good one,too.

Lots of Fun.......2006-08-01

This story starts with heroine Professor Jessica Garrett on a dude ranch with four other colleagues. While on a buggy ride Jessica gets stuck in the rear with a cameo pin, hits her head and wakes up in the past (1880) being robbed by an old west gang. When the gang doesn't get the money they are after, they kidnap Jessica hoping to ransom her.

Jessica soon finds out her gang of outlaws, the Recklaw Gang, are really 5 very handsome brothers who rob coaches and gold mines to feed their family. Mine owners practicing unsafe and illegal ways of mining have ruined their land for farming, so its either work in the dangerous mines or make a living as outlaws. Their mother has hopes that one day her boys will make an honest living and when she finds out they kidnapped a lady offers the best behaved son in marriage to Jessica. Jessica finds herself falling for sexy oldest brother Cole. Cole doesn't take place in the contest to win Jessica's hand but vows he will be the one to win her.

When Jessica and Ma Recklaw plot together to educate her sons and make them respectable citizens everything seems to come together and then fall apart. The four youngest brothers find young women, fall in love and earn the respect of the town. The sexual tension between Cole and Rebecca sizzles. When their identies are revealed its time to earn their mettle. They help the town take on the mine owners while trying to stay out of the noose.

One thing I like about this book is it never takes itself too seriously and is filled with humor. Ma Recklaw keeps the order in her family with a broom and it is obvious who runs the household. This story allows the women to be the stronger characters, while never making the men seem weak. Its a good lighthearted book, with some steamy love scenes but nothing over the top. Sometimes, its just a little too hokey, but not enough to ruin it. Jessica's past(in the future) just really isn't explained much and kind of leaves you wondering what kind of life she really had before the kidnapping.

This book is a hoot!.......2006-04-14

I enjoyed the Reklaw family and this will be the first of many Riley books I will read.

really just two words....Ma Recklaw!!!.......2005-03-07

Lord, did I bust a gut reading this book. Ma Recklaw was your typical redneck mama, complete with broom and hitting in the back of the head. I usually don't laugh out loud when I read a novel, but I did with this one just imagining what those five men looked like hiding in barrels and behind wagons and up trees to get away from their ma. Eugenia Riley is now on the top of my favorite authors list.

The Wizard of Oz meets Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.......2005-01-24

This is the 2nd book of Eugenia Riley's I've read, the first being
A Tempest in Time, and once again, I was not in the least bit disappointed. I am finding out that from reading the first 15 or
so pages in a book, that if I manage to laugh outloud and proclaim
"I know I'm going to LOVE this book!!!" to whomever will listen, then it will be a winner. And it was.

I loved everything about the book. One of my favorite things about
the book was the secondary couple, in addition to the primary couple. I am talking about Billy & Dumpling. They were two very
strongly willed people who overcame other peoples hurtful comments in regards to her weight, to truimph in happiness.

Ma was great -- but so were the Reklaw brothers -- the book
wouldn't have been the same without her keeping them in line,
whether it be by way of her broom, her rolling pin, or her way of
convincing them to stay in line by way of threats she had every intention of carrying out, if they didn't behave.

Cole & Jessica, the primary couple, were wonderful! He (and his
brothers) was/were stubborn & set in his/their ways, and she, coming from the future, knew what she wanted and of course, what she wanted was love, but also respect not just from Cole & his family, but also from the community of Mariposa. She wouldn't concede to marrying him unless he told her he loved her AND reformed his outlaw ways. Dumpling, by contrast, was also very strong willed, but did not need a declaration of love from Billy to know she wanted to marry him. (I don't think that declarations of love were so important in the past, I think that evidence of love through actions was much more important than the three little words).

I debated about whether or not to read this book and its sequel,
The Bushwacked Groom, in order. I finally decided to read them
in order, but I nearly didn't because I thought it might be fun to read them out of order, just to be different. Often, movies are made that way, where the prequel comes later. Maybe I'll read another duo of books out of order sometime, to see what I think.

I highly recommed this book for its time travel, for the western flavor, and for just the all-around fun of it! I'm going to start reading the sequel tomorrow.

One more thing -- Time Travel is to Eugenia Riley as Regency is
to Julia Quinn. Think of Eugenia Riley as the Time Travel Queen!!! :)

Kiss A Kid And A Mistletoe Bride (Virgin Brides) (Silhouette Romance, 1336)

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Kiss A Kid And A Mistletoe Bride (Virgin Brides) (Silhouette Romance, 1336)
Longford
Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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If Kisses Were Roses A 50th Anniversary Tribute to War Brides

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If Kisses Were Roses A 50th Anniversary Tribute to War Brides

Manufacturer: Journal Printing
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$Christmas Wedding Belles: The Pirate's Kiss\A Smuggler's Tale\The Sailor's Bride (Harlequin Historical Series)$
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Christmas Wedding Belles: The Pirate's Kiss\A Smuggler's Tale\The Sailor's Bride (Harlequin Historical Series)
Nicola Cornick , Margaret Mcphee , and Miranda Jarrett
Manufacturer: Harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
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The Pirate's Kiss by Nicola Cornick

Famous and feared pirate Daniel de Lancey is master and commander of the Defiance. Only one woman makes him want to swap danger for desire, sea for seduction.… And with one Christmas kiss, he will make Lucinda his bride!

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Masquerading as a smuggler, society's handsome bad boy, Lord Jack Holberton, finds himself protecting young Miss Linden's honor, despite his reputation. But will this rake keep his twelfth-night promise and return to claim her as his own?

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War-ravaged Lieutenant Lord James Richardson is about to put in to Naples after a victorious sea battle that has made him a hero but has left its mark on his soul. Young and innocent, Abigail Layton is just the woman to heal his hardened heart.…

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