| These three stories are a tribute to mothers, although only the first one involves a biological mother. The first story, "The Dowager's Dilemma" by Jo Ann Ferguson, has a cast of wonderful and likeable characters. However, the plot quickly becomes disjointed and confusing. Characters behave ways that are not explained and make no sense. Also, it often seems that Ferguson cut phrases or scenes to shorten the novella, and the plot seems hacked apart. I would give this story 3 stars. The second story, "A Mother's Devotion" by Valerie King, is simply awful. The characters are unlikeable, the plot terribly contrived, and the whole thing is boring. The two main characters proclaim to be in love, but don't even seem to like each other. The secondary characters are annoying. The plot has huge holes in it (e.g., where is the children's father and what did he do that was so terrible?). This story only deserves 1 star. The third story is the best one. Although it really didn't involve a mother, the characters are wonderful and the emotions believable. This one involves two main characters who grow and change while they fall in love with each other. The secondary characters bolster the story without overshadowing it. The only problem with this story is that it is too short: it could have been a full-length book. I think this story deserves 4 stars. Overall, this wasn't bad for a book of Regency short stories. The second story by King can easily be skipped, but the other two by Ferguson and Savery are enjoyable reads. |
A Kiss For Mama (Zebra Regency Romance) Books In Print, Audio Books.