MIRROR,MIRROR by J.D. Robb, Mary Blaney, Elaine Fox, Mary Kay McComas & R.C. Ryan

Berkley

September 24^th, 2013

978-0-515-15407-8

Anthology, Fantasy

Paperback ARC

Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)

Obtained by Publisher

 

In this latest anthology filled with stories from J.D. Robb, Mary Blaney, Elaine Fox, Mary Kay McComas and R.C. Ryan, we are transported to the fairytale worlds these five authors created out of our favorite childhood fairytales. Get ready for Mirror, Mirror.

Five stories that center around childhood fairytales hooked me right off the bat. MIRROR, MIRROR is an anthology that has something for everyone to enjoy.

First up is J.D. Robb’s Taken In Death, where Lt. Eve Dallas has to track down twin siblings who go missing.

Taken In Death is a lovely quick novella that gives this author’s rabid fans something to enjoy while waiting with bated breath for the next full length In Death Novel. We find Eve on a case a la Hansel and Gretel that had me on the edge of my seat, hoping Eve, Roarke and their friends’ race against the clock to find them. The story is pure J.D. Robb. This was a fast paced, intriguing storyline and this futuristic twist on a beloved fairytale that worked perfectly in my opinion. A perfect morsel to enjoy if you need your In Death fix l ike I do every now and again.

Then came If Wishes Were Horses by Mary Blaney delivers a wish granting coing that causes some to get their deepest desire to one that finds that maybe you don’t need a magical coin to find your dreams.

This was a solid story and Ms. Blayney delivers a story that was at turns, intriguing and romantic as well. A twist on Goldie Locks and the Three Bears, Ms. Blayney captures the story perfectly and I enjoyed the story immensely. A perfect second course in this anthology.

Then Elaine Fox’s Beauty Sleeping, which tells the tale of ghosts, haunted houses and a charming twist on the fairytale, Sleeping Beauty.

This by far was one of the best renditions of Sleeping Beauty I have read. Ms. Fox delivers a charming tale that leaves you spellbound even as you flip the pages to see what happens next. The characters are downright enjoyable and very well written. I really wished this one was a longer story after the last page was read.

In Mary Kay McComas’s The Christmas Comet, the reader is treated to a contemporary retelling of The Little Match Girl with a second chance at love story abit with a reluctant hero and a heroine who doesn’t take orders too well.

This was a bit more modern for my tastes but still enjoyable. I wasn’t too familiar with the fairytale this author used as inspiration but overall, the story was a delight to read. What happens when an overly generous activist and a cop who thinks he is too old for her find when affairs of the heart involved? Love comes a knocking for these two intriguing characters-Natalie, an activist who has a huge heart and Miles, a cynical man who finds he is drawn to this woman like no other.

Finally R.C. Ryan’s Stroke of Midnight, a retelling of Cinderella that captures the magic of Ireland and finds a teacher finding love and more in her father’s hometown.

This was a lovely ending for this anthology. Ms. Ryan delivers a story that gives a modern twist on Cinderella and captures the essence of the fairytale perfectly. What happens when you mix the magic of Ireland, an evil step-mother and a romance that steals your heart? A story that leaves you eager for more and characters you can’t help but fall in love with. This is an author who knows how to weave a spell around her readers until the very last page is read.

MIRROR, MIRROR is a perfect blend of historical, futuristic, contemporary takes on childhood fairytales that will warm your heart. With the right amount of happily ever after and intriguing characters, these five authors deliver their versions on childhood classics you grew up on. If you are looking for a great beach read, then this might be the perfect book for you to enjoy. I can’t wait to see if these five authors collaborate on another anthology in the future.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

 

JAKE by R.C. Ryan

A Wyoming Sky novel
Forever (Hatchette Books)
February 2013 paperback
Obtained via: publisher
ISBN: 978-1-455-50244-8
Western Romance
3-1/2 Hearts

 

R.C. Ryan’s JAKE is a western romance with an edge of mystery and suspense thrown in to up the tension of this sweet and heartwarming family centric tale. Veterinarian Jake Conway is the most eligible bachelor in Wyoming and has no plans of changing that status any time soon. But when he is called to the neighboring Stanford ranch to nurse an injured horse and he meets Meg Stanford and her newly inherited seven-year-old brother, his protective side comes out and it becomes obvious his bachelor days are strongly in question.

Meg has been estranged from her father for over a decade when he dies suddenly and Meg inherits his ranch and young son. Meg is a high priced city lawyer intent on settling the estate within a week and getting back to her fast-paced life. She is completely unprepared to learn she is now responsible for a young brother and the emotions that coming home bring her. When the ranch is broken into and vandalized, Meg finds herself running headfirst into the arms of her sexy neighbor Jake. R.C.

Ryan’s JAKE is a sweet and emotion driven western romance that will have readers ready to visit the mountains of Wyoming if for no other reason than to experience the sheer majesty of the locale. The Conway family makes everyone they meet feel right at home. They are warm and generous and exactly what Meg and her shy unsure brother need. When Meg is threatened, they really circle the wagons and come to her rescue. The story has a comforting feeling that readers will treasure. The characters are as big as the Wyoming sky and you almost feel sorry for the villain for inadvertently tangling with this close knit clan. Almost.

This reader’s only confusion came from a few storyline details that may have been corrected by the time the book went to final print (I had an ARC). The cowboy on the cover just didn’t fit his description in the first chapter, “a tall, muscled cowboy, whose rugged good looks were enhanced by a spill of curly black hair always in need of a trim, and devilish blue eyes…” I could have overlooked this difference but in Chapter Twenty-Two, he is described by Meg as having, ”eyes the color of dark chocolate”. That might be the cowboy on the cover, but not what this reader had come to imagine Jake looked like while reading the story. A small sticking point I realize, but one that really caused me to stumble when reading.

All in all, R.C. Ryan’s JAKE was a comfortable and comforting western romance that fans of this genre should really enjoy.

Reviewed by T. Barringer tammyLRM@gmail.com

"This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book."