THE COTTAGE ON PUMPKIN AND VINE is an anthology with
stories by Kate Angell, Jennifer Dawson, and Sharla
Lovelace all centered around a B&B in the small town of
Moonbright, Maine. Amelia Rose, owner of the B&B, acts as
a fairy godmother minus any actual magical powers.
Amelia's matchmaking is fun without seeming obnoxious or
meddlesome. The continuity throughout the anthology is
smooth and the book doesn't feel disjointed. One of the
things that helps each romance to not appear rushed, is
the fact that each hero and heroine have varying degrees
of familiarity with each other before getting together in
their story. This book initially grabbed my interest
because I'm a fan of Kate Angell's books, but I
wholeheartedly enjoyed the stories by the other authors
as well.
In "Charmed by You" by Kate Angell, party planner and
Halloween aficionado Grace Alden locks horns with Cade
Maxwell over her perfectionist ways, but romance sneaks
up on them. Grace and Cade are both town locals and know
each other, but haven't really hung out or gotten to know
each other. At first glance, this appears to be a case of
opposites attracting but they are forced to see how much
they have in common. I like how Cade and Grace balance
each other out and keep themselves from being too set in
their ways. Cade and Grace both make an effort to be more
understanding and get a little outside their comfort
zones. There is a little costume fun and humor that make
"Charmed by You" perfect romance brain candy.
"Mesmerized by You" by Jennifer Dawson is perhaps my
favorite story in this anthology. I adore friends-to-
lovers romances and "Mesmerized by You" is a great
example of what makes this kind of romance so appealing.
Due to some behind-the-scenes maneuvering by her aunt,
Chloe Armstrong finds herself in extremely close quarters
with her best friend Jack Swanson. Everything about this
story is so delicious -- the cozy setting of the B&B, the
skimpy costumes, and the secret long-suppressed
attraction Jack and Chloe have felt for each other.
Jennifer Dawson combines the cozy with the super-sizzle
factor expertly. I like the way Jennifer Dawson
incorporates flashbacks into the story to illustrate how
Jack and Chloe belong together, as well as get them to
slowly come to that same conclusion.
"Enchanted by You" by Sharla Lovelace is perhaps the most
emotionally intense story in this collection. Lawyer
Sidney Jensen and Sawyer Finn have a sad shared past but,
after reconnecting, discover a hopeful future together.
This story might have you reaching for the box of
tissues. When Sidney is sent to a small town on an
assignment for her firm, she experiences a mixture of
horror and joy to discover the boy she loved so many
years ago waiting for her. The sparks between Sidney and
Sawyer are still there, and the encounters between them --
from the everyday to the more erotic -- are electrifying.
Sharla Lovelace does an incredible job of packing so much
strong emotion into a short story and having it work.
THE COTTAGE ON PUMPKIN AND VINE is an amazing collection
of steamy stories that will delight and dazzle. The
characters are intriguing and the stories range from fun
and flirty to being packed with emotional resonance. I
look forward to reading more by each of these very
talented authors.
Welcome to Moonbright, Maine…Where the scents of
donuts
and cider waft through the crisp night air…with just a
hint
of magic.
It’s time for the annual Halloween costume party at the
cottage on Pumpkin and Vine, the perfect place to
celebrate
the pleasures of the season. Guests return to the
picturesque B & B year after year to snuggle up in
its
cozy rooms, explore the quiet, tree-lined streets and
enjoy
all the spooky fun of the holiday. But local legend
whispers
that it’s also a place where wishes have a strange way of
coming true.
For three unsuspecting revelers, it’s going to be an
enchanted weekend of candy corn kisses and midnight black
kittens, along with some real Halloween surprises—
the
kind that make your heart skip a beat—for many more
celebrations to come…
Excerpt
ENCHANTED BY YOU
Sidney walked around him, back to the truck, unfortunately losing
her balance as her heel caught on one of those cursed rocks.
“Oh, shi—” she exclaimed, the word clipped as her body slammed into
Sawyer’s and his arm caught her. Tightly. The side effect being
close enough to kiss him. If she wanted to. Which she didn’t. At
all. Even with his mouth right there.
“Sorry,” she said, as she laid her hands against his chest to push
back, and yet she didn’t push. And he didn’t let go.
God bless America, she couldn’t breathe. Everything in her wanted
to run her hands right on up to his neck, his face, his hair, and
wrap herself around this man with the hand burning a hole in her
lower back.
“Lets um—” she began, her gaze focused on his mouth solely because
his eyes would have done her in.
“Get to Crane’s,” he said, nodding slightly.
“Yeah,” she said, sliding her hands down his chest a little as he
let her go. As unfair as that may have been, his hands did a drive-
by down the side of her ass, leaving both of them a little unsteady.
“So,” he said.
“I’m gonna get—back in the truck,” she said, spurring her feet into
motion. “Shit!” she whispered as she got in and shut the door.
“Breathe. Grow up.”
His door opening made her gasp and cross her legs. Which showed
more thigh. So she put it back down and tugged her skirt down. In
doing that, she noticed a button undone on her blouse, giving a nice
little view. Jesus, she looked like she’d been making out in a back
seat. And looking to her left, she caught Sawyer watching the whole
show, a heat in his eyes that made the soles of her feet tingle.
“You done?” he asked.
Boy, was she. Done for.
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