Lee P. (copiousreader) reviewed The True Love Wedding Dress: A Perfect Fit / Glad Rags / Something Special / Beautiful Gifts on
Scotland, 1790.
As she quietly sewed, Aileanna MacEwan moved her weary fingers over the beautiful wedding gown, but alas, the exquisite dress was not for her. It was for her spoiled, ungrateful mistress. Sadly, Aileanna winced. All seemed so unfair, for she was in love . . . in love with the intended groom. Yet, Aileanna knew she COULD give her beloved a lifetime filled with happiness, so she WOULD cast a spell and so the legacy of the bewitched wedding dress begins . .
Devon, England 1813
[1.] The first story is the best. Barbara Metzger's "A PERFECT FIT" comes close to being a perfect story. It is fun, light, believable and enjoyable. Katie Cole, a highborn Lady, lives in a cottage with her daughter, Susannah, preparing for Susannah's wedding to Gerald. Katie lives falsely as a widow; Susannah is a bastard and Katie's family disowned her as she anticipated her wedding vows 18 years earlier. Viscount Forde comes to see if Katie and Susannah are using his nephew, Gerald, for his money and to see if the wedding should happen at all. They are a sexy couple and the dialogue is smart and funny. Of course love blooms, and there is that mysterious wedding dress that just won't get dirty, even when falling in mud. The only flaw with this story is Kate's father. It was unbelievable how he turned up in the end.
10 miles from London 1856
2). Connie Brockway: "GLAD RAGS." - In an anthology format, I was beginning to think that the perfect story was impossible. Connie Brockway proved me wrong! GLAD RAGS is reading perfection. This little gambol has it all - humor, spice, and wonderful characters.
Innocent, strong-willed Lucy St. James was driving Alexander Thorpe crazy . . . he was love-crazy, lust-crazy, and he was leaving for the Crimea! Therefore, he staunchly resisted Lucy St. James' charms. Alex swore he would not make Lucy a widow nor would he allow her to spend a lifetime married to an invalid! Therefore, he did the next best thing. He crazily bowed out of their relationship.
Using the wedding dress folklore, Brockway successfully spins it with a surprising twist. This talented, creative author surrounds the entire phenomenon with a gentle sense of humor. This is a splendid read.
Seattle 1864
3). Casey Claybourne: "SOMETHING SPECIAL." - Goodness another winner! In SOMETHING SPECIAL, Casey Claybourne intensely moves her heartwarming tale start into her reader's heart.
Wealthy, eleven-year-old Eliza Cooper was a lonely little girl. Although her frequently absent father tried, the lonesome child wanted a special friend. She wanted someone to share her life, someone to fuss and encourage her, someone to make every day special. Yes, Eliza wanted someone special - someone like a mother. As Penelope Martin arrived in Seattle, she looked forward to a new life. Although she lacked experience as a teacher, she was willing to learn and she knew she could create a wonderful world for Eliza Cooper. However, Josh Cooper had other ideas for his daughter and those ideas did not include this so-called `governess.' A governess? Why, the woman could not even read!
Through soft humor and like-able characters, Claybourne delivers a very good page-turner. SOMETHING SPECIAL is well written and very enjoyable.
Colorado 1887
4). Catherine Anderson: "BEAUTIFUL GIFTS." - Faith Randolph and her precocious daughter, Charity, are running away. They are running from the dark and sinister nature of one man - Faith's father. Through a quirk of magic, brought on by the wedding dress, Faith embarrassingly stumbles upon Patrick O'Shannessy. She is applying for the position of his housekeeper. Patrick is shocked, not only did he place the advertisement long ago, but also Faith Randolph is hardly the housekeeper type!
Catherine Anderson's stories are always tenderly written, poignantly moving, and commonly involve the unusual. Although BEAUTIFUL GIFTS is a lovely story, it does however bog down with information data.
[5] Epilogue by Catherine Anderson
As she quietly sewed, Aileanna MacEwan moved her weary fingers over the beautiful wedding gown, but alas, the exquisite dress was not for her. It was for her spoiled, ungrateful mistress. Sadly, Aileanna winced. All seemed so unfair, for she was in love . . . in love with the intended groom. Yet, Aileanna knew she COULD give her beloved a lifetime filled with happiness, so she WOULD cast a spell and so the legacy of the bewitched wedding dress begins . .
Devon, England 1813
[1.] The first story is the best. Barbara Metzger's "A PERFECT FIT" comes close to being a perfect story. It is fun, light, believable and enjoyable. Katie Cole, a highborn Lady, lives in a cottage with her daughter, Susannah, preparing for Susannah's wedding to Gerald. Katie lives falsely as a widow; Susannah is a bastard and Katie's family disowned her as she anticipated her wedding vows 18 years earlier. Viscount Forde comes to see if Katie and Susannah are using his nephew, Gerald, for his money and to see if the wedding should happen at all. They are a sexy couple and the dialogue is smart and funny. Of course love blooms, and there is that mysterious wedding dress that just won't get dirty, even when falling in mud. The only flaw with this story is Kate's father. It was unbelievable how he turned up in the end.
10 miles from London 1856
2). Connie Brockway: "GLAD RAGS." - In an anthology format, I was beginning to think that the perfect story was impossible. Connie Brockway proved me wrong! GLAD RAGS is reading perfection. This little gambol has it all - humor, spice, and wonderful characters.
Innocent, strong-willed Lucy St. James was driving Alexander Thorpe crazy . . . he was love-crazy, lust-crazy, and he was leaving for the Crimea! Therefore, he staunchly resisted Lucy St. James' charms. Alex swore he would not make Lucy a widow nor would he allow her to spend a lifetime married to an invalid! Therefore, he did the next best thing. He crazily bowed out of their relationship.
Using the wedding dress folklore, Brockway successfully spins it with a surprising twist. This talented, creative author surrounds the entire phenomenon with a gentle sense of humor. This is a splendid read.
Seattle 1864
3). Casey Claybourne: "SOMETHING SPECIAL." - Goodness another winner! In SOMETHING SPECIAL, Casey Claybourne intensely moves her heartwarming tale start into her reader's heart.
Wealthy, eleven-year-old Eliza Cooper was a lonely little girl. Although her frequently absent father tried, the lonesome child wanted a special friend. She wanted someone to share her life, someone to fuss and encourage her, someone to make every day special. Yes, Eliza wanted someone special - someone like a mother. As Penelope Martin arrived in Seattle, she looked forward to a new life. Although she lacked experience as a teacher, she was willing to learn and she knew she could create a wonderful world for Eliza Cooper. However, Josh Cooper had other ideas for his daughter and those ideas did not include this so-called `governess.' A governess? Why, the woman could not even read!
Through soft humor and like-able characters, Claybourne delivers a very good page-turner. SOMETHING SPECIAL is well written and very enjoyable.
Colorado 1887
4). Catherine Anderson: "BEAUTIFUL GIFTS." - Faith Randolph and her precocious daughter, Charity, are running away. They are running from the dark and sinister nature of one man - Faith's father. Through a quirk of magic, brought on by the wedding dress, Faith embarrassingly stumbles upon Patrick O'Shannessy. She is applying for the position of his housekeeper. Patrick is shocked, not only did he place the advertisement long ago, but also Faith Randolph is hardly the housekeeper type!
Catherine Anderson's stories are always tenderly written, poignantly moving, and commonly involve the unusual. Although BEAUTIFUL GIFTS is a lovely story, it does however bog down with information data.
[5] Epilogue by Catherine Anderson
Jean A. (readinggenie) reviewed The True Love Wedding Dress: A Perfect Fit / Glad Rags / Something Special / Beautiful Gifts on + 55 more book reviews
This selection of stories was a lot of fun to read.
