This
is an anthology of three novellas.
The
first is by Blackstock and is about going from broke to winning
millions. The story itself is weak and seemed a little silly. There
is some humor included but it is not very sophisticated. The strength
of this story is how money affects a person – either not having
enough or having way too much. It made me think about money and my
attitude towards it. I might think I'd like to win the lottery. (I
know...I'd have to buy a ticket first!) But would I really want all
that money? What might it do to me? Could I handle it? It also made
me think about true riches, that it is really not about money at all.
The
second story by Calvert starts off with a bang. Aimee, a would be
culinary rising star, but currently assistant in the kitchen at a
hospital, creates a fuss with her black olive “flower” garnish
that looks suspiciously like a cockroach. Because of that debacle,
she meets Lucas, grandson of one of the patients. That began a sweet
romance that made me think about success and what it really means. Is
it winning a culinary contest or is it helping another person realize
the value of life and the importance of fighting for it? The
satisfying ending was a little quick and unrealistic, but then, this
is a novella and things do have to move quickly. (By the way, I've
made black bean brownies and they are delicious.)
The
last story by Warren, Abby and Ross are two college students who have
a history. That history includes a glaring painful episode that
divided the two. A fund raising fishing contest brings the two
together. They are on opposing teams and try as he might, Ross cannot
break through the shell Abby has placed around her heart. As in the
other novellas, this one centers on a choice. Abby has to choose to
open her heart again. I liked the old fisherman who helps her see
what she is really fishing for. There was much about fishing in this
story, a little unusual for a novella aimed at female readers.
As
is often the case with anthologies, the quality of the stories
differ. I had a hard time reading Blackstock's story. The rags to
riches plot seemed unrealistic. The humor was a little too corny for
me. Calvert's story was enjoyable. It contains a good lesson about
success and what it really is. Reading Warren's story, I felt like I
was in the middle of a novel. There were allusions to many
previous events that were essential to the romance. I wasn't really interested in all the fishing either.
All
three of these authors are great in their full length novels. I do
not think their abilities shine in these short offerings. Each story
did include a recipe and they looked pretty yummy.
Terri
Blackstock in a New York Times bestselling author. She has
been writing for twenty five years and has won numerous awards. She
was writing romance novels under two pseudonyms when a spiritual
awakening prompted her to change her writing, including faith. Find
out more at http://www.terriblackstock.com/.
Candace
Calvert is a former ER nurse and author of several medical novels.
Wife, mother, and grandmother, she makes her home in northern
California. Find out more at www.candacecalvert.com.
Susan
May Warren is the bestselling and award winning author of more than
forty novels. She served with her husband and their four children as
missionaries in Russia for eight years. Now she writes full time as
her husband runs a resort on Lake Superior in northern Minnesota.
Find out more at www.susanmaywarren.com.
Tyndale
House publishers, 384 pages.
I
received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for
the purpose of an independent and honest review.
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