***I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.***
Will one kiss change their lives? In this collection: The Plucky Miss Ruth by Laura Rollins Mr. Dowling's Remedy by Annette Lyon A Railway Through the Roses by Lisa H. Catmull
An Autumn Kiss by Laura Rollins, Annette Lyan Nd Lisa H. Catmull is an anthology of short stories set in Victorian England in autumn. All three stories gave me fall feelings.
THE PLUCKY MISS RUTH by Laura Rollins. In this story, we find Miss Ruth Hughes stuck in a time loop. She finds herself walking through the gardens every day at the same. Miss Ruth knows that the only way to break free from a time loop is to complete an all-important task. She decided to reunite her cousin, Nettie, with her former fiance. The lovers split apart after Nettie’s parents disapproved of the marriage.
I enjoyed this sweet lovely story of love lost and new love. Miss Ruth and her cousin Nettie walk slowly through the gardens in the fall in a time loop, they see the same people day after day. The author provides beautiful descriptions of the gardens, as the two walk around discussing their day.
MR. DOWLING’S REMEDY by Annette Lyon. Crandall Dowling is a resident of Sherville Retreat, an asylum, for the past six months. He was admitted to the asylum after serious tics and outbursts plagued him during his time as a medical student. He can’t control his tics and has resigned to spending the rest of his life inside Sherville Retreats. In the autumn, he meets a new resident, Miss Beverly Stanton, she’s been diagnosed with general hysteria. Beverly is immediately drawn to Crandall and doesn’t mind his outbursts and tics. Once Crandall realizes he hasn’t scared her away, Beverly and crandall start up a unique friendship inside the asylum. Can a couple fall in love and plan a future together while inside an asylum?
Mr. Dowling’s Remedy was my favorite of this anthology. I enjoyed learning about what it is like to be a patient, especially a perfectly sane patient, inside an asylum. The author did her research and described the lives of these patients with a lot of detail. Both these characters seem doomed to spend the rest of their lives inside the asylum, so how will this story result in a HEA?
A RAILWAY THROUGH THE ROSES by Lisa H. Catmull. The last thing Lady Anne Baxter wants is a railroad going through her gardens. As a young landowner, she can’t escape the memories of her parents when she walks through her gardens, and even the thought of a noisy, smelly railroad running through her mother’s precious gardens, makes her sad. Her neighbor, Mr. Adrian Everard needs to find the cash to help his father build the railroad. Friends since childhood, Richard wants Anne to help him find an heiress to marry. so he can help his father fund the railroad, and expand his factory. Lady Anne doesn’t like any of the heiresses who Arian is courting, and tries to sabotage Adrian’s efforts to find a wealthy wife.
I really enjoyed this story too. I liked the banter between Lady Anne and Adrian, and their obvious spark. Although the solution to their issues is fairly obvious, I enjoyed seeing them figure it out, and overcome their obstacles. I also enjoyed the author’s descriptions of the gardens and the countryside. No wonder Anne doesn’t want a smelly old railroad.
I highly recommend An Autumn Kiss to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
About Annette Lyon
Annette Lyon is a USA Today Bestselling author. She's won a Whitney Award (2010) and is an eight-time recipient of Utah's Best of State medal for fiction and short stories. She's the author of more than a dozen novels, even more novellas, a cookbook, a grammar guide, and some 120+ articles. She's worked as a professional editor for publishers and bestselling authors and graduated cum laude from BYU with a degree in English.
Laura Rollins has always loved a heart-melting happily ever after. It didn’t matter if the story took place in Regency England, or in a cobbler’s shop, if there was a sweet romance, she would read it.
Life has given her many of her own adventures. Currently she lives in the Rocky Mountains with her best-friend, who is also her husband, and their four beautiful children. She still loves to read books and more books; her favorite types of music are classical, Broadway, and country; she’ loves hiking in the mountains near her home; and she’s been known to debate with her oldest son about whether Infinity is better categorized as a number or an idea.
Lisa H. Catmull is the author of clean and wholesome romances in the Victorian era and sweet contemporary romances. Her books have been nominated for Swoony, RONE, and Whitney awards.
She earned a Bachelor of Art in English from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and a Master of Education in Elementary Education from Utah State University in Logan, Utah. Lisa taught Middle School English and History for seven years before pursuing screenwriting and writing.
She currently lives between a canyon and a lake in Utah with her husband, two cats, and two rambunctious children.
Ohh – this sounds like one I would really like. I enjoy Victorian and anthologies.
I am waiting for next week (9/21 and then I have three months) to read an “Autumn” title. I have some TBRs to choose from but this one sure is tempting.
They sound like an excellent collection of short stories. As you know I like to read seasonally as far as I can and I find that Autumn and Spring are the hardest seasons to do that in (I think because they are the inbetween seasons).
Ohh – this sounds like one I would really like. I enjoy Victorian and anthologies.
I am waiting for next week (9/21 and then I have three months) to read an “Autumn” title. I have some TBRs to choose from but this one sure is tempting.
Oooh this sounds good!
I’m glad you enjoyed this. I have such a hard time with short stories. I also feel a little bit disappointed that they weren’t longer, lol.
Yes, I agree, I don’t read short stories very often for the same reasons. But, it was fun to read these three stories so quickly
They sound like an excellent collection of short stories. As you know I like to read seasonally as far as I can and I find that Autumn and Spring are the hardest seasons to do that in (I think because they are the inbetween seasons).
Have a great week!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
Yes, you sure don’t see as many books about spring and fall.
Sounds like a lovely collection of short stories, great review 😊
Thank you, Jenny
I always enjoy stories in this setting, and I’m soooo ready for fall. Great review, Wendy!
I am ready for fall too, Teri!
This sounds like a fun journey through times past.
That’s a great description, Linda!
I don’t think I’ve ever read short stories set in the Victorian era. And they all sound good too. Must look this one up🙂
I hadn’t before either and it was nice that all three were in basically the same time period.
This is so up my alley. Thanks for sharing!
It was so good!
Oh I want to read this one so badly! Excellent review Wendy.🤗📚💕💕
Thank you, Susan!
I love the autumnal feel to these stories. Wonderful review Wendy!
Thank you, Jodie
The cover is very pretty even if it is a simple. I love dresses like that! Great review!
It is so pretty!
I love a book that prepares me for a particular season. Excellent review!
Thank you, Tessa!