The True Love Wedding Dress

I loved all of the stories in this anthology because of the special and magical plot about the dress. My very favorite has to be GLAD RAGS by Connie Brockway though because she gave that plot a very funny twist. I don't want to give it away because it's so cute but I can say that only Ms. Brockway (and maybe Cary Grant) could have pulled it off!

I'm kind of sick of anthologies that have two good stories and three bad ones, but this antho is enough to change my mind. First of all, I loved the Brockway one called Glad Rags. Because it was hot: the hero is totally in lust, but he's going off to war, and he doesn't want to leave the heroine alone if he dies. So he backs out of the marriage--and I was DYING for him to come back and make love. Which he does. Fabulous story. I really liked the other ones too, although they don't stand out quite as clearly -- but this is one of those anthologies where I kept reading right through all of them. That almost never happens for me. I highly recommend this one!

Giving an overall rating to an anthology is always VERY difficult. Some stories hit and some miss. Yet, I always enjoy reading an anthology, because you USUALLY come across an unfamiliar author . . . someone new and satisfying. Scotland, 1790. As she quietly sewed, Aileanna MacEwan moved her weary fingers over the beautiful wedding gown, but alas, the exquisite dress was not for her. It was for her spoiled, ungrateful mistress. Sadly, Aileanna winced. All seemed so unfair, for she was in love . . . in love with the intended groom. Yet, Aileanna knew she COULD give her beloved a lifetime filled with happiness, for inside her flowed the blood of a sorceress and for the man of her dreams, Aileanna WOULD cast a spell . . . and so the legacy of the bewitched wedding dress begins . . . 1). Barbara Metzger: "A PERFECT FIT." - Rating: (4 Stars) (Grade: B+) This was my first trip into Ms. Metzger's world and the adventure pleasantly surprised me. Katie Cole may be an earl's daughter, but she spent the last eighteen years raising chickens and an illegitimate daughter. Tanyon Wellforde, Viscount Forde has a very unpleasant task. He must reluctantly cancel his nephew's wedding. It seems Gerald is too young and too inexperienced to deal with the designs of a rural gold-digger. As Gerald's uncle and guardian, it is Forde's duty to find out exactly what Miss Susannah Cole and her mother are! A PERFECT FIT is delightful, witty, and pleasantly poignant. However, the rushed concocted ending (specifically her unforgiving father's reappearance) caused an otherwise intriguing story to slip a notch. 2). Connie Brockway: "GLAD RAGS." - Rating: (5 big Stars) (Grade: A+) In an anthology format, I was beginning to think that the perfect story was impossible. Connie Brockway proved me wrong! GLAD RAGS is reading perfection. This little gambol has it all - humor, spice, and wonderful characters. Innocent, strong-willed Lucy St. James was driving Alexander Thorpe crazy . . . he was love-crazy, lust-crazy, and he was leaving for the Crimea! Therefore, he staunchly resisted Lucy St. James' charms. Alex swore he would not make Lucy a widow nor would he allow her to spend a lifetime married to an invalid! Therefore, he did the next best thing. He crazily bowed out of their relationship. Using the wedding dress folklore, Brockway successfully spins it with a surprising twist. This talented, creative author surrounds the entire phenomenon with a gentle sense of humor. This is a splendid read. 3). Casey Claybourne: "SOMETHING SPECIAL." - Rating: (5 Stars) (Grade: A). Goodness another winner! In SOMETHING SPECIAL, Casey Claybourne intensely moves her heartwarming tale start into her reader's heart. Wealthy, eleven-year-old Eliza Cooper was a lonely little girl. Although her frequently absent father tried, the lonesome child wanted a special friend. She wanted someone to share her life, someone to fuss and encourage her, someone to make every day