Customer Reviews

Gabe's Special Delivery (Special Edition S)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

GODDESS IN WAITING, written by Anne Stuart and the first of this collection, gives us Marike, a long-legged completely exasperating female whom William Lambert wants the minute he sees, despite the fact that she's not his type. His type is geared to match his life: sophisticated, elegant, and worldly, everything that the smart-mouthed, quirky Marike is not. And while he annoys her completely upon their first meeting, she is immediately drawn to this tall, sexy man. You'll race through this romance, enjoying the dialogue, the characters, and the wacky world that Marike inhabits. The duct-tape dummy scene is hilarious and easy to envision thanks to one of the best wordsmiths this genre has to offer.

There are few writers who can construct this short form so very well, so make this your introduction to Anne Stuart if you've never read her before. A collection like this is a perfect sampler. I confess that I got this book for her story alone, and I haven't even bothered to read the other two yet. But one Anne Stuart gives you more than your money's worth.

Kindle Customers BEWARE! 'My Man Valentine' is not part of an anthology but a single short story.

As of July 19, 2010 this is falsely listed as an anthology, and pictured on Amazon Kindle as part of 'Valentine Babies'. When delivered to a Kindle device or Kindle App, only one story arrives, and the other two do not appear. Is it worth it? NO! I can not recommend that anyone buy this story, which is pathetically plotted and written, as described by another reviewer of the Kindle edition, who generously gave it two stars (overrated).

"Valentine Babies" is an entertaining anthology containing 3 stories centred on Valentine's Day and babies. All 3 stories were fun and original. I wasn't really expecting to like this book, so it was a pleasant surprise to have really enjoyed it!
The first story, "Goddess in Waiting" by Anne Stuart is the best. Marike is a larger than life woman who runs a maternity shop/shelter for pregnant teenagers. When William arrives one day in his Gucci suit looking to have a maternity wardrobe made for his sister, it's clear that these two couldn't be more complete opposites. But William finds the funky and compassionate Marike irresistible, though she's far from his usual type. Now he just has to convince Marike that they're right for each other! This story was fresh and original, and I thought it was great!
Next is Tara Taylor Quinn's "Gabe's Special Delivery". This is the story of two very different people who fall in love and rush into marriage, only to have it fall apart because of a misunderstanding. However, a beautiful baby girl helps them find their way back to each other. Bailey and Gabe are both very likeable characters. This was an enjoyable read.
Finally, Julie McBride's "My Man Valentine" is a sweet story about friends becoming lovers. Eloise has lived next door to C.D. Valentine for two years, and has been fantasizing about him since the day they met. Her plans to profess her feelings for him on Valentine's Day are interrupted when she suddenly finds herself babysitting for a very unhappy little girl. C.D., however, comes to help out, and he and Eloise finally admit that their feelings run deeper than friendship. This is a lovely romance and is sure to please readers.
Overall, this anthology is great for light reading and a few hours of relaxation. Each story is fun and romantic, so pick this book up and enjoy!

My Man Valentine struggles with the limitations of the short story, which is much trickier than the novel, because in a few chapters, it's dificult to develop characters worth reading about, spending time with. These are not very appealing characters.

There's a heroine desperate to hook up with her hunky neighbor of 2 years, a desperate man who is NOT her hero, and has his own challenges with his cranky baby girl, a cavelier playboy, and a cranky baby. The baby is dumped on the heroine's doorstep by her father, who leaves his daughter with a stranger so he can make time with his own love interest. The baby, has 'separation issues' (who wouldn't with such a daddy?!) and her wailing and screaming put a definite crimp in the heroine's Valentime's Day plans. But never fear: the object of her plans dumps HIS Valentine's plans and date to help out. They traipse all over town in a blizzard in search of some clue to the baby's father, who failed to identify himself. The father finds true love while his baby is being taken care of by strangers all night. The heroine manages to get her man in spite of all these obstacles to her well laid plans to seduce him with sugar cookies(?). Then there is way too much angst over whether she really wants him. It's all rather silly, if you don't count the poor baby, who is distraught at being left with strangers, and eventually distraught when she is taken back from strangers. Apparently the author thought this was mildly zany. It isn't. It's the stuff of CPS family court cases.

I bought this offering, hoping to read all 3 stories in the collection, and most notably "Goddess in Waiting." But apparently when you purchase a Kimble story this cheaply, you get only one story of the collection. And wouldn't you know it--Goddess is not in Kindle format, it would seem. But I paid my money and took my chances. Perhaps this writer is better in the long fomrat.

A read that is centered around Valentine's Day and babies, this was a mostly pleasing anthology for me. I'm not a fan of anthologies--stories too incomplete, rushed. Ms. Stuart manages somehow, to convey a complete romance in her story. There's a prologue that makes you wonder....an epilogue that is really cute. In between you have, as the girls call him, a "hottie" for a hero, and a very different heroine. Sexy, fun, and romantic...and the story makes sense. Ms. Quinn's story was my disappointment. H/h spend most of a short story, apart. And, Gabe's gift from his "ex-wife" made no real sense,to me. Finally, Jule McBride does a story with one of my favorite romances--friends becoming lovers. I didn't like the use of the baby, in this one. But, the story is romantic and is a good, sexy read.