Review: Timeless Victorian Collection: The Orient Express by Elizabeth Johns, Annette Lyon, Nancy Campbell Allen

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

From the publisher of the USA TODAY bestselling Timeless Romance Anthology series, comes our new Victorian Romance collection: THE ORIENT EXPRESS.

TO BREAK A BETROTHAL by Elizabeth Johns
Recently orphaned heiress Kate Worthington must travel to England from her home in India to break an outdated betrothal contract. Surely the lure of money will tempt Lord Darlington to release her! A gentleman befriends her whilst she is aboard the luxurious Orient Express, and the attraction she feels firms her resolve to break the betrothal. What she does not count on is Lord Darlington’s hidden depths. She has so much to lose, least of which is her heart.

DETECTIVE GRACE MEETS HER MATCH by Annette Lyon
Even private investigator Grace Thomas needs a vacation, yet she can’t exactly turn off her detective skills at a whim. Boarding the Orient Express might be a vacation for some, but Grace finds that her senses are on high alert. She prides herself in being one step ahead of any flirtatious gentlemen, and fellow passenger Marshall Bailey is no exception. When Grace discovers that Marshall is traveling under another name, she learns that her first impressions aren’t always correct, and that she’s mistakenly allowed him to play havoc on her heart. Marshall will just have to convince Grace to give him a second chance.

MARRIED ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS by Nancy Campbell Allen
Detective Vincent Brady must recover a priceless statue before it falls into the wrong hands. The only problem is that the American woman who’s carrying it for her brother has no idea the value. Vincent catches up with Emily Grant, but convincing her that he’s not out to harm her or her brother is harder than Vincent expected. Finally, Emily agrees to travel with Vincent on the Orient Express, and they plot how to rescue her brother while keeping themselves out of harm’s way. Vincent soon discovers that out of all the hardships he’s overcome in his lifetime to rise to his current detective status, convincing Emily to take a chance on him even harder.

My Review

Before I read this collection I hadn't heard about the Orient Express, so I found the history fascinating and loved learning more about this era. Each story shared various details about the train and its stops, and they also had a common element of one of the main characters being a detective. The first story has a fun twist with hidden identities and an exciting plot that played out beyond the journey on the train. The second story also had a twist with the female being the detective, although her jaded attitude about men was a bit off-putting. There is much more internal dialogue than shared dialogue and I missed the bonding between Grace and Marshall that could have occurred when they were angsting instead. The last story was my favorite, and one I plan to read again in the future. There is a great connection between Emily and Vincent, and I loved seeing them grow closer together as they worked together to save her brother and solve his case. The romance is awesome and I loved the way the story wrapped up. Another great collection from Timeless Romance!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Books in the Timeless Victorian Collections:
SUMMER HOLIDAY
A GRAND TOUR
THE ORIENT EXPRESS

Books in the 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

Review: A Season in London (Timeless Regency Collection) by Elizabeth Johns, Heather B. Moore, Rebecca Connolly

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

From the publisher of the USA TODAY bestselling & #1 Amazon bestselling Timeless Romance Anthology series in Clean Romance, comes A SEASON IN LONDON.

Three brand new Regency Romance novellas by Elizabeth Johns, Heather B. Moore, and Rebecca Connolly.

POOR RELATIONS by Elizabeth Johns
As a ‘poor relation,’ Emma Standrich has already pre-empted her dismal Season by applying for a governess post. Her aunt and cousin are kind enough to sponsor her, but in truth, Emma is just waiting for it to all be over. Emma’s grief over the death of her brother while in military service casts a pallor on everything else in her life. When Colonel Shelton, the man who was her brother’s superior, asks her to dance at her first ball, Emma is more surprised than anyone. But she has questions for him, and soon she’s caught up in an intrigue she wasn’t expecting—both of the heart and the mind.

EDWARD & EMILY by Heather B. Moore
As a second son, Edward Blackwood never anticipated becoming heir to his family estate, or the need to find a wife and secure that inheritance. But with the death of his older brother, Edward is thrust into a life he never wanted. When his mother encourages him to be kind to his long-time neighbor Emily Foster, a girl he’d hardly paid attention to while growing up, Edward realizes that returning home might not be such a set-back after all.

A SPORTING SEASON by Rebecca Connolly
Daphne Hutchins is no simpering female who aims for a husband with a fortune. In fact, she’d be more than happy to live her life free of the heartache that men seem to bring. So when she sets out to play the fool in front of the ton during her first Season in order to send all eligible men running, she’s quite unprepared for James Woodbridge. Bored, but with a sense of family duty, James arrives for the Season, anticipating going through the expected motions befitting any gentleman. What he isn’t prepared for is Daphne Hutchins and the way she completely upends his heart.

My Review

I get so excited when there's a new Timeless Regency Collection! Thank goodness they release so often ;) I love that they are a bit longer than your average novella so the stories get a good wrap up. This one was fun because two of the authors are new to me.

The first story "Poor Relations" by Elizabeth Johns is very plot focused, and although I was interested at first, I didn't form a strong connection to the characters so my attention waned as the mystery became more drawn out. There is a strong Regency setting and I think the story will be enjoyed by many. (3 stars)

"Edward & Emily" by Heather B. Moore was amazing and definitely one I'll read again in the future. I loved how Edward and Emily's acquaintance quickly develops into friendship then more over a longer period of time and correspondence. The admiration and encouragement they share for each other's secret hobby creates a bond of understanding. They also join forces to unite star-crossed lovers which gives them more opportunities to be together and their sweet romance was just lovely to read. (5 stars)

There are lots of fun scenes in "A Sporting Season" by Rebecca Connolly as Daphne does her best to repel any and all potential suitors. It showed just how desperate she was to avoid marriage and risk having her trust broken again, which stemmed from a heartbreak in her past. Fortunately James sees through her charade and finds her fascinating for it, and withstands her efforts to push him away. He launches a mission of his own, to make Daphne see that there are other desirable options (such as himself) and help her overcome her fears. I loved the way they interacted and that Daphne was able to finally process her hurt in a healing way and come out triumphant. (5 stars)

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)