Once upon a Star [Mass Market Paperback]

Nora Roberts (Author), Jill Gregory (Author), Ruth Ryan Langan (Author), Marianne Willman (Author)

Book Description

Series: Once Upon | Publication Date: December 1, 1999

Four all-new stories of romance, passion, and magic..."Ever After" by Nora Roberts
"Catch a Falling Star" by Jill Gregory
"The Curse of Castle Clough" by Ruth Ryan Langan
"Starry, Starry Night" by Marianne Willman

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

From the same authors who brought you Once upon a Castle comes Once upon a Star, a welcome addition to romance anthologies. Not only are the four tales extraordinary (linked together with the common thread of magic), each contains an element of enchantment. In Nora Roberts's "Ever After," the gift of an ancient pendant belonging to a fairy changes two lives forever. Jill Gregory's "Catch a Falling Star" finds a princess forced into a political marriage with a wife-murdering barbarian, while Ruth Ryan Langan's "The Curse of Castle Clough" offers a ghost who helps save a castle from the auction block and its owner from a life without love. Finally, a burned-out American tourist travels back in time to be rescued by--and to rescue--a handsome sailing captain in "Starry, Starry Night" by Marianne Willman. Sit back, put your feet up, and travel to distant times and places with four of romantic fiction's best authors. --Alison Trinkle

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Jove (December 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515127000
• ISBN-13: 978-0515127003
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #597,241 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #99 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Romance > Authors, A-Z > ( R ) > Roberts, Nora

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Once Upon A Star, December 19, 1999

By 

Shawna Lanne (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Once upon a Star (Mass Market Paperback)

This collection of short stories is a sequel of sorts to last years short story collection, Once Upon a Castle, and unlike most story collections there is not a stinker story in it. These are imaganitive short romance's that feature a star as an important part of the story line and a fantasy element to each of the short romances.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's Magical, July 10, 2000

By 

Brenda "MYSHELFDOTCOM" (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Once upon a Star (Mass Market Paperback)

Having read ONCE UPON A CASTLE, I couldn't wait to read ONCE UPON A STAR. I can honestly say, each author has her own magic and each story has it's own enchanting gift of entertainment.

Ever After by Nora Roberts You know Nora Roberts; she's yet to write one that isn't a winner. The woman can paint a picture with her words--it's amazing! Allena buys a magical necklace and finds herself on a magical trip. When Conal meets Allena, he realizes his fight with the past is going to be even more difficult than he ever imagined. A fanciful, entertaining read.

Catch A Falling Star by Jill Gregory Jill Gregory's historical short story is light on magic and heavy on romance. I love historical reads and found this one enjoyable. Princess Lianna is being forced into a marriage with Ambrose the Barbarian. She hates the thought of being married to a barbarian and resents that he will not let her use her special gift. While Ambrose fights for the right to keep his inherited property, Lianna finds her self fighting for the right to keep her heart. They will teach you a lesson in love and loyalty.

The Curse of Castle Clough by Ruth Ryan Langan A ghostly read. This is one of two that I enjoyed the most. Warming up to the characters (especially Jamie) was no problem at all! When dropped off at her next assignment, the driver warns Estelle that the castle is cursed. Her job is to estimate and sell some family antiques for Lord Cameron, who is being forced to liquidate his precious family heirlooms. A delightful read!

Starry, Starry Night by Marianne Willman This is the second of the two that I enjoyed the most. It's a Time Travel that will captivate you, and a romance that will move you. After coming to Cornwall, Lily finds her self lost and in danger. A stranger appears to save her, yet disappears again. Rees finds himself haunted by the site of a woman in a white dress, and each time he reaches for her, she disappears. A wonderful experience of love reaching through time.

A great read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Truly Wonderful Anthology!, July 29, 2002

By 

Sophie (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Once upon a Star (Mass Market Paperback)

"Once Upon a Star" is a delightful anthology filled with four fantastic tales of magic and true love. Every story is well-written and utterly enthralling, making it nearly impossible for me to pick a favourite. Each of these four talented authors shines in the original and intriguing stories they have created.

"Ever After" by Nora Roberts tells the story of Allena Kennedy, who just can't find her place in the world. While in Ireland helping her stepsister Margaret run her tour company, Allena buys a beautiful star pendant. The next thing Allena knows, she has missed the ferry she was supposed to be taking, but then finds a boy with a boat to take her where she needs to go. But Allena ends up on Dolman Island, miles from where she should be, in the midst of a wild storm.
Reclusive Conal O'Neil finds Allena out in the storm and reluctantly brings her back to his home. Though at first he is rude and standoffish, Conal can't resist Allena's charms, as she makes his house feel like a home for the first time in years. But Conal knows from the star pendant around Allena's neck that she is the woman the fates have chosen for him. Determined to make his own destiny, and not allow his life to be dictated by fate, Conal tries to push Allena away, and may just be throwing away his one chance at happiness and true love!
Being a Nora Roberts story, "Ever After" is undeniably a fabulous read.

"Catch A Falling Star" by Jill Gregory is a wonderful historical romance with just a dash of magic thrown in. Princess Lianna of Penmarren has promised to marry Ambrose the Barbarian to keep peace in her father's land. But Lianna is terrified by the prospect, as Ambrose is a ruthless warrior who supposedly murdered his first wife. The day before the wedding is planned, Ambrose arrives in the middle of the night demanding Lianna marry him at once and return to his home at Crow's Keep. Ambrose's homeland of Blackenstar is once again under attack, and he must go at once to defend it. So Lianna marries Ambrose, counting on her father's promise that a great army will come to rescue her soon.
But as Lianna gets to know Ambrose, she finds he is not the heartless monster she has heard about. Lianna discovers the real Ambrose, a fair and compassionate man who his people regard with affection and respect, forced to defend his lands against a never-ending onslaught of invaders. Lianna finds incredible passion and tenderness in Ambrose's arms, and falls deeply in love with him. But soon the day Lianna has dreaded comes, when she learns the attack on Crow's Keep is imminent. Will Lianna find a way to save Ambrose's home? And will Ambrose believe that Lianna truly loves him, or will he be too shattered by her apparent betrayal to see the love she feels in her heart?
This was an excellent tale, that had me really caring about Ambrose and Lianna, and praying for a happy ending.

"The Curse of Castle Clough" by Ruth Ryan Langan tells the story of Lord Robert Cameron. Rob's heartless and incredibly wealthy ex-brother-in-law, Griffin Mackenzie, lent his late father fifteen million pounds for his many debts. Knowing Rob will never be able to come up with that much money, Griffin gives him one month before Castle Clough becomes his. Desperate to keep his beloved home from Griffin, Rob hires a highly regarded auction house in the U.S. to sell his precious family heirlooms in hopes of raising the money that way.
When Professor Estelle Sinclair arrives, she is in awe of Castle Clough's beautiful antiques. But when she finds out about Rob's plight from a helpful spirit, she joins him in his fight, and falls head over heels in love. As Estelle and Rob search for a way to save Castle Clough, they get a glimmer of hope from their spirit helper, the ghost of a young boy named Jamie. If Jamie can just lead them to the "Star of Scotland", a priceless diamond lost hundreds of years ago; their problems would be solved. But does the Star of Scotland really exist? And if so, will they be able to find it before Castle Clough is lost to the Cameron family forever?
This was a heart-warming tale containing a truly lovely romance and just the right dose of fantasy. I loved everything about it!

"Starry, Starry Night" by Marianne Willman is an excellent tale that rounds out the book perfectly. Lily Kendall is on a much-needed vacation in St. Dunstan's village in Cornwall. When she takes a nighttime walk along the beach, she gets caught by the rising tide, and narrowly escapes a watery grave because of a star-shaped window and the help of a handsome and mysterious man. The man, Rees Tregarrick, takes Lily home, leaves her with his housekeeper then rudely disappears. But when Lily awakes the next morning, she is no longer in Rees' home, but instead in a museum where Rees Tregarrick lived over a hundred years ago. Confused and off-balance, Lily is convinced it was all a dream.
Several more encounters with Rees, however, convince Lily that she has somehow found a doorway into the past. But Lily has fallen deeply in love with Rees, and wants to spend her life with him. Are Rees and Lily destined to spend separate, lonely lives yearning for what can never be? Or is their love strong enough to overcome time itself?
This is beautifully written and captivating tale that left me sighing over the magic of true love.

"Once Upon a Star" is a superior romance anthology that doesn't contain even one poor story. I loved all the tales in this book, and I highly recommend it. This is a terrific read and one you definitely don't want to miss!