Dream by the Fire: Winter Magic Freya’s Bower

REVIEWED BY:

OVERALL SCORE:

Authors: Various
Publisher: Freya’s Bower

INDIVIDUAL REVIEWS:

A Love Rewritten
Esmerelda Bishop

Upon waking, Gabby finds herself ensconced in the world of the very book she’s been reading. Knowing how the plot works out, can she change fiction into the reality she wants? Will Devlin accept her as the heroine? A charming tale, one thoroughly enjoyed, especially because it goes back into olden day times.

Mistletoe Magic
Laney Fuller

With Christmas preparations well under way, Hannah and Jacob share the task of getting ready for the season to be jolly. However, Hannah experiences déjà vu, and panic assails her knowing what could possibly happen next… Will tragedy be averted?

High Maintenance
Jamie Hill

Poor Deirdre has a broken leg while on holiday with her family. The coming New Year celebrations don’t appeal—she can hardly jive around the dance floor, can she? Left to her own devices in the hotel lobby, Deirdre becomes bored. Until a certain young man catches her attention. Will she ring in the New Year with a smile on her face after all?

Letting Go
Ava Rose Johnson

Grace and John seem to have lost their way with regards to their marriage. Neither of them know what the other wants anymore. While learning to accept that divorce is probably their best option, a little magic—perhaps from Cupid himself?—intervenes, giving the couple something other than one another’s pitfalls to think about. Crossed wires and wrong signals are explored well here, making it easy to see how Grace and John both got the wrong end of the stick.

Upon a Midnight Clear
Kelly Madden

Soonsee ventures out into the forest to collect a Christmas Tree. A conversation with a mysterious fairy disconcerts her, and she flees home without the tree. However, the tree makes an appearance at a Christmas gathering. Who brought it there? The fairy? With the fairy’s arrival at the party, Soonsee discovers he isn’t quite as frightening as she first thought…

Solstice Night
Lyra Marlowe

Marta welcomes a hunter into her home to join the Solstice Feast. The Hunter, uninterested in sharing tidings of goodwill, wants only food and information: Where is the girl Liesel?

Liesel has gone out this stormy night on the moors, and the hunter is determined to find her. Will Liesel melt the burly hunter’s frosty attitude? Or will he remain a sourpuss forever? A really lovely, well-told tale.

A Winter’s Gift
Kim Rees

After a recent relationship break-up, Siobhan returns to her family home to lick her wounds. She has known Ethan for many years—almost too well. However, when he offers to take her on a surprise outing, she reluctantly agrees. After all, what else is there for her to do? All her other family members have gone out. Will Siobhan thaw when Ethan presents her with his winter’s gift?

Einmal nach a Modresnach
Emily Ryan-Davis

Sophie spends her winter vacation in Germany with the female members of her family. David, her grandmother’s nurse, explains his belief in Modranicht—the dreaming night. Dream what you wish for on this night and it may come true. Sophie is in need of true love. Will she fall asleep, dream of her desires, and wake up to find them? Very well written, Einmal nach a Modresnach is a tale of one woman’s yen for true, compelling love.

Sugar Baby
Fiona Shinn

Julia owns and runs Deveraux Bakery. Having to listen to her assistant, Tanya, waffle on about her current boyfriend isn’t Julia’s idea of fun. Especially when she doesn’t have a man of her own. A newcomer to town ventures into her shop, and Julia is intrigued by his knowledge of baking. He’s beautiful to look at, a veritable delight, and Julia finds herself thinking about him long after he leaves the shop. But, Julia’s hilariously portrayed low self-esteem prevents her from asking him out on a date when he next visits. My favourite tale of the bunch, Sugar Baby made me laugh out loud. What a well-written, excellent character portrayal. Bravo!