From USA TODAY best-selling author Stacy Henrie comes five inspirational historical romance novellas.Her Winter SuitorIf Callie doesn’t attract the interest of a suitor by the Patriarch Ball, she’ll be shipped off to England to find a husband. Unwilling to let that happen, Leo, the son of Callie’s favorite chocolatier, volunteers to pretend to be her secret admirer. In return, Callie will ensure … return, Callie will ensure his family’s shop provides chocolate favors for the ball—in hopes of keeping the shop from closing. But when their arrangement deepens into real feelings, the two must decide if a humble maker of chocolate and a wealthy heiress can find more than temporary happiness together.
An Unlikely Spring Courtship
Tempest and Bram are both eager to have the most successful mercantile in town. But there are only enough customers to support one store, and neither Tempest or Bram are willing to concede defeat. In spite of their initial competition, the two can’t help but admire the tenacity of the other and eventually they form a bond of friendship. When disaster strikes the town, the pair will have to choose what matters most—success in business or in following one’s heart.
A Summer for Love
When circumstances thwarted their young love, Wyatt and Loralee promised to meet in eight years if neither of them had found someone. This time Loralee isn’t returning to the beach resort as a lowly hotel maid, though—she’s become a renowned singer, performing across the country. Wyatt’s situation has also changed. He’s become a father to his orphaned niece and wishes to provide her with a stable home. But when Wyatt and Loralee see each other again, they begin to wonder if their love hasn’t lessened with time but has deepened instead into something lasting.
Romance in Autumn
Once the daughter of a servant, Phoebe is now an heiress with enough funds to provide herself and her mother with a home of their own. And she knows exactly which house she wants to buy—the mansion at the seaside where she and her mother once worked in the summers. However, James, the son of their former employer, has been tasked to sell the mansion at auction for a price much higher than Phoebe can likely afford. Still hopeful, she volunteers to help James return the neglected mansion to its former glory, and the two become good friends. Yet as the auction draws nearer, they will need to determine which dreams are worth pursuing and which are worth changing.
A Long Winter Kiss
Once the best of friends, with the promise of being something more, Samantha and Rex have seen little of each other since Rex returned home from the war. Samantha is still hurt over Rex eventually asking her not to write him anymore while he was away, and Rex is certain Samantha doesn’t deserve to be with a man who bears the emotional scars of a soldier. However, the two of them are thrown together again when Samantha’s father is unable to deliver his annual Christmas Eve gifts. As Samantha and Rex perform the task, the walls between them start to crumble, making them both hope in the miracles of the season.
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I really liked all the love stories in this collection. Each one takes place in a different season and a different era. I love novella collections because you can read a complete story in about an hour.
Her Winter Suitor–I loved this friends to more love story of Callie and Leo, the chocolatier she visits every week to buy chocolates for her grandmother. When they develop feelings for each other, Leo stops it before it can continue because a chocolatier couldn’t possibly marry someone from a wealthy family like Callie. I loved Callie’s relationship with her grandmother who provides an unexpected solution to Leo and Callie’s problem.
An Unlikely Spring Courtship–Tempest runs the town mercantile, a feat she’s proud of since it’s uncommon for a woman to own and run a business alone. Then Bram opens up another mercantile across the street and they battle to attract customers. This was a fun enemy to lovers type of story. I liked that they were becoming friends before the disaster that strikes the town happened. It was more realistic than if they had suddenly become friends because of the hardship that comes upon the town.
A Summer for Love–This was a sweet second chance at love story. Loralee and Wyatt aren’t of the same class–he’s the son of a logging company baron and she’s a maid at the resort where Wyatt stayed. It’s been 8 years since that magical summer but Loralee and Wyatt never forgot each other. Upon meeting again on the date they’d decided upon so many years beforen it seems as if the connection between them is still there. I liked how Loralee and Wyatt had both grown since their first meeting years before but the feelings they had for each other never went away. I also liked that Wyatt had decided to run his father’s company differently than his father had and the company benefited from that.
Romance in Autumn–Phoebe becomes an heiress because of the generousity of
former employer and would love to buy the mansion where she and her mother worked during the summers, because it hold so many fond memories. While at the estate she runs into James, the owner’s son, who informs her the house is going to be auctioned, not sold. Disappointed, she offers to help him get the house ready for the auction because at least she’ll get to live in the lovely mansion for a month. Of course Phoebe and James become close while preparing the mansion and she has to decide what/who means more to her–the house or James. Although this story has a romantic element in it I felt it was more about choosing which dreams are worth pursuing.
A Long Winter Kiss–This is a Christmas story, a best friends to more story, and a second chance at love story all rolled into one. Samantha and Rex become sweethearts right before he goes off to fight in the Civil War. Because of all the horrors he’s seen, he feels Samantha could do better and breaks things off with her. Then on Christmas Eve after he’s returned from the war he providence intervenes and he goes with Samantha to deliver gifts to their neighbors. His interactions with their neighbors softens his resolve and he and Samantha find their way back to each other. Such a sweet story but it also gently reminded us of some of the consequences of war.
I love this kind of book. It’s full of really well-written novellas. I loved that I was able to read each of them in not too much time. And there were still more to read. And the seasons theme that the author chose was fun.
The first novella is Her Winter Suitor. This one is Callie’s story. She is an heiress, but her mother has given her an ultimatum to get married or go to England to find a husband. She knows Leo from his chocolate store. He offers to help her seem like she has a suitor. I loved the way this one played out. The two fell in love as they worked together to better Callie’s life and Leo’s chocolate factory. How could you not love this one.
Next up is An Unlikely Spring Courtship. I loved Tempest in this one. She really lived up to her name with the organization of her store and her being so quick to cut Bram completely off when she found out he had opened a competing store. But the sermon changed her completely. I loved her humility of being willing to help. Bram was also humble enough to help. And the two were amazing together when they needed to be!
A Summer for Love comes next. This one features Loralee and Wyatt. I loved the way this was written with parts being in the current day for the characters and parts a flashback to how they met and fell in love. But due to Wyatt’s family they weren’t able to get married when they wanted to. And they promised to meet 8 years later if they were both free. I loved the plot of this one!
Then there’s Romance in Autumn. I loved Phoebe in this one. She was once a servant in a home. Now she’s an heiress because of the generosity of others and she wants to buy that same home. It’s James’ job to sell that mansion. He and Phoebe knew each other as children. James is not allowed to sell the mansion, except at auction. So even though he’d love to make an exception for Phoebe, he can’t. But the two work together to ready the home. And they fall in love, even though they don’t realize it. I loved the way the two of them work to make the other happy once they do realize they’re in love.
And last we have A Long Winter Kiss. Samantha and Rex are the main characters in this one. They were childhood friends. Rex asked Samantha to wait for him as he went off to war. But he soon realized that war changed a man and asked her not to write to him anymore. I loved the way this one ended up working out. Rex had been avoiding Samantha. But they were thrown together on Christmas Eve to deliver gifts to those who wouldn’t have any. And Samantha’s dad’s surprises might have been my favorite part of this one.
This book is so great! I loved each of the novellas. And I know you will too!
I was sent an e-copy of To Every Love a Season by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
To Every Love A Season by Stacie Henrie (5 stars)
Her Winter Suitor (5 stars)
A sweet romance about a chocolatier and an heiress. No insta-love, just a friendship evolving into love. Luckily, class differences become resolved.
An Unlikely Spring Courtship (5 stars)
Adorable couple with fun competition at the beginning of the story. Scenes with prayer and a church sermon. Makes it feel more authentic (people back at the turn of the 19th century were church-goers.) Plus, I like it when there’s a bit of faith and prayer in a story.
A Summer for Love (3 stars)
An enjoyable story, but a bit short and simplistic. The author tried to avoid insta-love by using flash backs, and it was a good plot device, but people change in 8 years. I felt like our H and h could have spent a bit more time reconnecting (certainly longer than a single day!).
Romance in Autumn (5 stars)
A lovely story where the hero and heroine have some important decisions to make about what is most important in life.
A Long Winter Kiss (5 stars)
A glimpse at the damage war did to the men who lived through it and those waiting at home. Mind you, it was just a glimpse, not a treatise.
The main characters resolved their issues all in one night, so although it was a Christmas miracle that the author was writing about, she did recognize that the hero will need time and prayers to work through his survivor’s guilt.
*poor, **ok, ***good, ****very good, *****something special
It’s true that I complain about winter–it really isn’t my favorite season because I despise being cold and the long, dark nights. However, I really do enjoy living in a place that has different seasons because there are reasons to celebrate each and every one (yes, even winter). I adored this collection by Stacy Henrie for those very reason–any season is a good season for falling in love and there’s something to be found within each one. Each of these novellas does a great job of detailing a sweet, tender union, while embracing the season and transporting the reader right into the story. As with all novellas, these offerings are short, yet Henrie manages to fully develop the characters and plots, earning this collection a spot in my heart.
Content: very mild romance; mild+ Christian religious elements
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
I loved this collection of historical romantic novellas (short stories). Each one with different characters, stories, and time periods. Easy reading since they are short. Clean Christian fiction.
All of the stories were fun to read and I especially liked the first two stories. Although they are short, I still felt like there was enough depth to the characters and story lines.
I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
Overall Rating: 5 stars
This anthology showcases Henrie’s versatility in her writing styles. She has put together a wonderful collection of short historical romances that I highly recommend. Each romance was short, but they were all very satisfying and they all felt complete.
I was given an advance copy of this anthology. My review was voluntary and my opinions were my own.
HER WINTER SUITOR
Rating: 4 stars
New York 1892
• Callie Sloan’s mother was distraught because Callie was not married or engaged like the other girls she debuted with. If she did not find a beau in six weeks her mother would take her to England. Wanting to find out what Callie would do with her mother’s ultimatum drew me into this story right away.
• Henrie developed and brought to life a great love match.
AN UNLUCKY SPRING COURTSHIP
Rating: 5 stars
Idaho City, Idaho Territory 1867
• This story was witty and funny. A humorous read. The writing in this short story had a completely different feel to it, than Her Winter Suitor, and showed Henrie could write in different styles.
• Tempest and Bram had a competition over whose mercantile was better. Can a small town handle two mercantiles? Whose mercantile will survive?
• Being kind to your neighbor (a religious theme) was woven throughout this story. However, this story was not preachy.
A SUMMER FOR LOVE
Rating: 5 stars
Bayocean, Oregon 1922
• This was a romance between Loralee Love, a singer, and Wyatt Noble, a businessman, who met one summer in 1914.
• The story began with an air of melancholy and nostalgia. But it ended on a high note of love.
• The story switches timeframes between the main characters’ lives in the years 1914 and 1922. l enjoyed switching back and forth from the present to the past.
ROMANCE IN AUTUMN
Rating: 5 stars
Newport, Rhode Island 1905
• Phoebe Hill is now a heiress and returns to Baywood House. A place of her fondest memories. There, she will need to decide what is more important: a house or James’s heart.
A LONG WINTER KISS
Rating: 5 stars
Michigan, May 1861
• Samantha Whitefield promises to wait for Rexford Montgomery, while he goes off to fight in the Civil War. Will Rexford make it back?
• This story deals with the mental trauma from being a soldier during the Civil War.
Each story shares the same Bible verse about there being a season and a purpose for everything, which in this case meant waiting for the romance timing to be right. But each story was unique enough that I got pulled right in. The last one was a little more heartbreaking, just because of the soldier theme, but I enjoyed each of them.
I received a free copy, and would honestly recommend this book.
I appreciate that this book is very well-researched, especially on the time periods (and the author’s notes at the end of the book, it’s a plus). I liked all the stories; the romance has just the right amount of sweetness, innocence, and spark. The book was not preachy despite its Christian romance theme.
Her Winter Suitor
I just love how this story was so cute, sweet and innocent! It lacked a little bit of romance, though.
An Unlikely Spring Courtship
Unlikely, indeed! A very entertaining competitors-to-lovers story.
A Summer for Love
I loved how the flashbacks were weaved in this story to create a bigger picture. But the attraction between the characters was just too immediate for me.
Romance in Autumn
This is my favorite in this anthology! I liked how the love bloomed, despite the shortness of the story. Also, autumn is a really cozy setting for romance.
A Long Winter Kiss
The heroine is a go-getter, which I definitely like but the hero was just too caught up in his insecurities. Still, it all worked out nicely in the end and it was so sweet.
If you are looking for a clean, romantic escape, this book is for you.
Five Christian novellas. Sweet reads.
Her Winter Suitor
Callie comes from a family of wealth and privilege. Leo’s family owns a chocolate shop. Leo knows Callie is far above him socially, but Callie treats him as an equal every time she comes into his store. Opportunities arise to spend more time together and they find their acquaintance deepening into friendship and then more. But will they be able to bridge the social gap between them?
An Unlikely Spring Courtship
Tempest runs the mercantile in her town. Bram moves to town an opens a new mercantile. Can competitors become friends? Can the town support two mercantiles?
A Summer for Love
Loralee was too young when she first met Wyatt. She was maid. He was a guest at the hotel. His father forbade him to have further contact with her after the end of summer. So, they decided to meet in 8 years if neither had married or was in a relationship. Loralee returns to Bayocean as a successful singer. Wyatt has custody of his niece after his sister and brother-in-law both pass away. Will Loralee and Wyatt connect again? Will she be willing to love his niece?
Romance in Autumn
Phoebe returns to the mansion she grew up in… Not as a family member, but as the daughter of the owner’s cook.as a new heiress, she has the means now to buy the house that holds her dreams. James is the son of the owner’s and delivers the unfortunate news the house is going to auction. Phoebe may not have enough money for an auction. However, she and her mother move in to the mansion to help James get it ready for auction and they develop a friendship. Will James do his duty and return to England after the house is sold? Or will he stay and pursue his dreams? And will Phoebe have the courage to change her life long dream of owning the mansion once she realizes she has a new dream? One that includes James…
A Long Winter Kiss
Samantha and Rex have been best friends forever. Before Rex goes off to war, he asks Samantha to wait for him. But as the war continues, Rex doesn’t think he’s good enough for Samantha anymore and asks her to stop writing him. He returns and things are stiff and awkward between the former friends. But a fateful Christmas Eve night changes all that. Will Rex let Samantha back in? Can she still love him after all he’s seen and done?
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Love, love, loved this book of five stories. They are all set in different places and times but they are based on love and hope and faith!
I especially like books that give historical facts that add to my interests… that I follow up with later.
(and this author adds a bit of more detail in the back which I enjoyed as well)
Great characters and wonderful, well- written descriptions of the places and era.
Highly recommend this book and author!
This was a really sweet collection of novellas, each in a different place and time period (although all are historical fiction), which made for a nice variety, as did the fact that they are set in different seasons of the year. Each novella is enjoyable, and it’s tough to pick a favorite!
I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.