Can a single note change a life, start a romance, or drive two people apart?Waiting for the Post by Esther HatchNow that Harrison Chase has finally made his fortune as a working man, he will risk it all to save his factory workers from starvation. In the middle of his charge to reverse the Corn Laws, his housekeeper helpfully mails a letter she finds languishing amongst his things. A six-year-old … amongst his things. A six-year-old love letter. With no other choice, he rushes back to his childhood home on Christine Stone’s estate. If he can’t get his hands on that letter before she does, Christine will discover what a pitiful and pretentious fool he had been. The one thing he hadn’t counted on was the mail being delayed. Now Harrison must decide which is worse—waiting with Christine as he not-so-slowly falls back in love with her, or leaving, knowing once she reads his letter he can never return.
A Ring of Gold by Nichole Van
Viola Brodure longs for something more from her life. So when that something more arrives in the form of a letter from the renowned Highland Poet, Ethan Penn-Leith, she seizes her chance. After all, Mr. Penn-Leith merits every swoon-worthy adjective Viola can muster. What woman wouldn’t want to be in her shoes? But after journeying to Scotland and meeting the poet himself, Viola faces a difficult question: What happens if you don’t want the thing you thought you did?
A Rose by Any Other Name by Annette Lyon
As an orphan whose only home has been the Foundling Hospital, Rose is tasked to work in the fine houses of Bloomsbury. She knows her duty—take care of the family upstairs and never forget her place. But her traitorous heart won’t follow the rules, and she falls in love with Oliver Withey, a man far above her station. Though she feels like she’s found a home in Oliver’s arms, his mother has other plans for her oldest son—and marrying a servant isn’t one of them. She’ll do anything to keep Rose and Oliver apart, including making a devil’s bargain that ensures they’ll never see each other again. When a mysterious old woman appears, she seems to have answers to Rose’s past. Could those long-held secrets hold the key to the future with Oliver that Rose longs for?
Timeless Victorian Collections:
SUMMER HOLIDAY
A GRAND TOUR
THE ORIENT EXPRESS
THE QUEEN’S BALL
A NOTE OF CHANGE
Timeless Regency Collections:
AUTUMN MASQUERADE
A MIDWINTER BALL
SPRING IN HYDE PARK
SUMMER HOUSE PARTY
A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS
A SEASON IN LONDON
FALLING FOR A DUKE
A NIGHT IN GROSVENOR SQUARE
ROAD TO GRETNA GREEN
WEDDING WAGERS
AN EVENING AT ALMACK’S
TO LOVE A GOVERNESS
WIDOWS OF SOMERSET
A Note of Change is a Timeless Romance Anthology® book
Timeless Romance Anthology® is a registered trademark of Mirror Press, LLC
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I LOVED the first 2 stories in this series. This is a 3 novella series about letters leading to love. So much fun to read the differences each author created. The first two stories had me swooning with happiness. Love the way Van and Hatch write. The third story was good but something just felt unbelievable about it. I did enjoy it. Such a good collection I will be rereading again.
A Note of Change was such a fun collection of romance stories I really enjoyed reading. The three authors all did a great job staying true to the Victorian time period and wrote memorable characters and stories that are sure to appeal to fans of romance novels. Each novel is clean and full of great chemistry.
Waiting for the Post by Esther Hatch was five stars all around! This novel had such great humor and witty banter between the characters which is something I have come to expect and thoroughly enjoy from this author. Christine and Harry’s connection radiated off the pages and I loved all the great moments with them getting caught in a stream, caught in the rain, or caught up in each other while skipping stones. A sure delight, I definitely would recommend this book just for this story.
A Ring of Gold by Nichole Van is also five-star material. This novel was full of twists right from the start. I liked that what I initially expected to occur in the story is not the way it all played out. The way the main characters relationship developed carried such sweet depth, I felt their chemistry and loved it.
A Rose by Any Other Name by Annette Lyon landed more in the 4-4.5-star range for me. However, it was still an enjoyable story for sure and well-written. I felt like it would have worked better in a longer setting where more back story between the characters could have developed their relationship at a deeper level or brought the reader into their relationship a bit more. Still, the premise of their relationship and their loyalty for one another was super sweet.
Definitely add this to your to be read list and then make it happen.
Overall Rating: 5 stars
This is an anthology full of interesting, sweet romances. Each story is unique and approaches love from a different viewpoint. These stories are clean reads and are well edited.
I was given an advance copy of this book. My review was voluntary and my opinions were my own. I highly recommend this book to anthology lovers.
Waiting for the Post
Esther Hatch
Rating: 5 stars
• This story has witty banter and funny situations between Harry and Christine that made me laugh.
• The writer’s words painted clear pictures that helped me to visualize the scenes and the emotions of the characters. One minute I was laughing and the next I was crying.
• This story kept my interest from the beginning until the end. I highly recommend it.
Ring of Gold
Nichole Van
Rating: 5 stars
• Sometimes what we think we want, turns out to be wrong. What an interesting premise to have as one of the themes in a book.
• The author’s prose was wonderful, thought provoking, and creative. I am amazed at the depth of her characters. This is a must read.
A Rose by Any Other Name
Annette Lyon
Rating: 4 stars
• During the Victorian Era, class distinction was prevalent. But love happens, many times, without regard to society’s rules. Rose and Oliver were from different classes. Will they be allowed a chance for a happy ever after together?
• This was a sweet, enjoyable read.
The cover of this Timeless Collection is amazing and beautiful, I wanted to read it just from the cover art! This collection is easy to read, especially if you like a quick read. Waiting for the Post by Hatch was a great story about how one letter can change your entire world! I loved the relationship between Harrison and Christine, I could feel the chemistry and hesitancy between them. Each one so unsure of the other. The otter scene was one of my favorite by far and still makes me laugh! A Ring of Gold took me to the Scottish highlands and I was blown away by the beauty Van described and the love story of Viola. I loved it and I loved her as a character! A Rose by Any Other Name by Lyon was not your typical love story! I wondered if Rose and Oliver would ever be able to be together. I could not stand the horrid and awful Miss Holdaway! I don’t know if I have ever disliked a character so much! The mystery in this novella was a fantastic addition and made the story even more dynamic. I loved this collection and highly recommend it to romance and victorian era readers! I received a copy of this book for free, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
There is nothing I love more than these Timeless Romance Novellas. They are a perfect short read with such vivid and compelling stories, this collection was no different.
The first story reconnected childhood friends with a letter that was not meant to be sent. Harrison was the son of a steward who left home to make something of himself so he could return and marry Christine who was the daughter of the property owner who employed his father. He had grown up alongside Christine and and her brother Gerald.
The tone of this story is hopeful and the characters mature. Harrison is able to reconnect with both Christine and Gerald and found old feelings still very much alive and well. The story has wonderful characters and it is so easy to imagine the scenes. I loved every minute I read this story.
The second story is about an authoress who wrote about a poet in one of her stories, This set off a chain of events that had the whole of London playing matchmaker. Things, however, are not always what they seem and through twists and turns, the Lady finds her backbone and pluck and also the man that she loves. This was a delightful story from Nichole Van. I love the Scottish settings in her stories.
The third story was as romantic as it was devastating at times. Rose is an orphan in love with the heir, Oliver. Oliver’s parents are decidedly against their union. This story had me feeling a wide range of emotion and empathy for the plight of the orphans in the hospital and especially Rose. Oliver’s parents were vindictive and manipulative and it broke my heart. The outcome was wonderful and I loved the way this story unfolded.
Waiting for the Post by Esther Hatch
Harrison Chase was the steward’s son who left to try to make something of himself. Christine Stone was the daughter of a wealthy landowner who lived a life of luxury. Six years later a stray letter brings them back together.
“Three days—that should be enough.”
He took three steps before asking. “Enough for what?”
“To make you smile at me again, before you have to go back to living your life for nails.”
Esther Hatch is a master at writing moments between characters. I always enjoy the funny moments but it is the sweet and tender moments that stand out even more. I feel like I hold my breath when I read through some of these beautifully written scenes.
“Behind his eyes was a dark storm of emotions that belied the carefree young man she had once known.”
A Ring of Gold by Nichole Van
I like that the hero is not the one you would expect from the beginning of the story, and I liked that the main characters were in their 30s.
I was afraid that Viola and Malcolm’s relationship would be superficial because of their intense first attraction to each other, but it was nice to see them really get to know each other and have a deeper connection.
Naming the dog Beowoof is hilarious! The scenes with Viola, Malcolm, and Beowoof were my favorites, and someone not liking dogs should be a huge red flag.
When I was reading the scene where Viola talks baby talk to Beowoof I wondered what person in their 30s actually did this. Later that day I noticed I was talking the same way to my poodle-mix. I’m in my 30s. Point taken.
A Rose by Any Other Name by Annette Lyon
I liked hearing about the foundling’s home and the contrast with Oliver’s “new money” family, but I wish I had felt more connection with the characters. Maybe if there had been some more scenes when Oliver and Rose were falling in love?
There were also parts of this story that seemed a little far fetched which made it hard to relate to.
Waiting for the Post was my favorite story in the book, and I also really enjoyed A Ring of Gold.
As much as I enjoy the Timeless Regency collections (and Regency stories in general), I’m glad their latest collection is a Victorian collection; I love getting to see more about this era which is less familiar to me but no less interesting.
Waiting for the Post by Esther Hatch
I really liked seeing Harrison’s concerns for the poor and his desire to make changes; that provided some really good insights into the reform element of the era. I loved the romantic tension between Harrison and Christine in the scenes when they were caught in the rain and especially when they were skipping stones.
A Ring of Gold by Nichole Van
This was my favorite story of the collection. I absolutely loved it. I loved Malcolm and how he truly saw Viola and helped her be brave enough to express her true voice. I also just loved watching their courtship, and the Scottish setting was terrific. I just loved everything about this story and am going to have to find some spare time to read more of Nichole Van’s works!
A Rose by Any Other Name by Annette Lyon
This was a nice story, but it didn’t capture me as much as the other two, perhaps because we didn’t actually get to see many romantic interactions between Rose and Oliver; it focused more on their interactions with others as they tried to find a way to be together. I wish it had had an epilogue, too, to provide another glimpse into their happily-ever-after.
Overall, this was another great collection of stories in the Timeless line.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I enjoyed all three stories from the different authors. I like to see the different styles but all have the common theme. I would love to see more of each of the characters from the writings… you know… “the rest of the story” as I found you wanted to keep the story going.
Waiting for the Post by Ester Hatch was cute. A story of delayed love. Harrison is a driven character, for many reasons. He is driven to better himself for love but finds a different/better cause in feeding the hungry. Christine is full of life and love. Although she was raised with much she has a kind heart and cares for others. It is fun to see how they both rediscover their friendship and love.
A Ring of Gold by Nichole Van also grabbed me but for a different reason. Viola is a well-loved writer who struggles to express herself. She reaches out to Ethan Penn-Leith a poet. While visiting Scotland where Ethan lives, Viola discovers that part of her becomes alive within Scotland. She also meets up Malcom and Aileen, siblings of Ethan. Will true love find a voice?
A Rose by Any Other Name by Annette Lyon is a story of love between stations of class. Rose is a smart and caring young lady who finds love in the “wrong place” with Oliver. Oliver is a determined man who sees beyond what is on the outside. This is a page turner as you watch the meddling parents and headmistress try to fight against love.
A nice clean and delightful book!