Valentine Delights

From the back cover: Matchmaking shop owner Pap Valentine dispenses sinful desserts, mouth-watering chocolates...and advice to the lovelorn. CHOCOLATE FANTASY by Meryl Sawyer It's February 14th--Black Friday, as far as the single-and-looking-in-vain Alexis Evans is concerned. Her only consolation? She'll treat herself to chocolates from Valentine Delights. But meeting handsome, sexy Kyle Paxton at the counter is the biggest treat of all... HIS SECRET VALENTINE by Kate Hoffmann Preparing the Valentine edition of the newspaper is a cakewalk for editor Chrlotte Keats. Convincing cool-hearted publisher Sam Harper she's the woman for him is another story! But Sam's romantic streak is unearthed when he sets out to find who is secretly sending him love notes and chocolates. GIFT OF THE HEART by Gina Wilkins It was a perfect Valentine's Day for Jessica Patterson. Flowers, perfume, diamonds...and chocolates from her favorite shop. Too perfect. Jessica wanted only one gift from her well-meaning but less-than-passionate fiance, Dr. Richard London--the precious gift of love. And my review: Lately, I've been really disappointed in romance anthologies, so I wasn't really expecting much of this one. But I was pleasantly surprised to find two keeper stories in this collection. I really liked how the character of the sage Papa Valentine was featured in each one, dispensing his to-the-point and down-to-earth love advice along with his delicious gourmet treats. The only story I didn't like was Meryl Sawyer's CHOCOLATE FANTASY. I'm afraid that the sexual attraction between hero and heroine was too heavy-handed. It felt like there was nothing else but out-of-control hormones pulling these two together. I mean really, who sees a good looking guy and immediately pictures eating chocolate body paint off him? It sounded like a line from a cheap "adult" movie. Two stars. But Kate Hoffmann's HIS SECRET VALENTINE got things back on track. I was a little worried that this was going to be a "stupid people bickering like children" kind of story, but it was so much more than that. The inital antagonism between the two characters was delightfully well-done. I really liked that these two had loved each other deep down for years, and how it just took some prodding for them to finally admit it and take a chance on each other. This was a heart-warming read, and one I'll probably read again. Five stars. Gina Wilkins' GIFT OF THE HEART was also a lovely story. If you like to read stories of estranged lovers reconciling, then you'll like this one. At first, I didn't really feel like Richard was good enough for Jessica. He was just such a dunce when it came to relationships. But watching the way he tried so hard to make things right (and constantly messed it up!)quickly changed my mind toward him. I really liked the heroine for being strong enough to insist on having all of Richard's love, not just his desire or companionship. Not many women would be unwilling to settle for les

These three stories are set in a close-knit small town and at its center is gourmet chocolate shop owned by a wise older gentleman who provides sage counsel to the protagonists. Each story runs parallel to the others, with overlapping characters, sights, and storylines so the anthology reads like a continusous full-lenth novel rather than as a collection of choppy disconnected stories. Chocolate Fantasy by Meryl Sawyer is a very steamy and sexy tale about a freelance restaurant reviewer and the restaurant owner who works his way into her heart. Kyle comes on a little too strong, and Allie is reluctant because of what she perceives as a conflict of interest. What I appreciated about this story was its moral - Allie writes with a sharp tongue, in the name of humor and interest, without considering how destructive her words can be. When the restaurant owner and employees are no longer anonymous, and she develops a personal relationship with them, it sheds light on an important life lesson. This story also showcases having the courage to pursuit one's dreams instead of hiding behind what feels comfortable and safe. His Secret Valentine by Kate Hoffman is about Allie's editor, Charlotte, and the newspaper's publisher, Sam. They've been friends and adversaries since childhood, and through a series of playful events, they come to realize that they are in love with each other. In Gift of the Heart by Gina Wilkins, first-grade teacher Jessica is exasperated with her fiance, who thinks more like a methodical and robotic doctor than a man deeply in love. Dr. Richard must learn how to give of himself, from his heart, in order to hang onto Jessica. Both of these stories are very cute, realistic, and satisfying to read.

Dispenses sinful desserts, mouth-watering chocolates...and advice to the lovelorn CHOCOLATE FANTASY by Meryl Sawyer It's February 14th - Black Friday, as far as single-and-looking-in-vain Alexis Evans is concerned. Her only consolation? She'll treat herself to chocolates from Valentine Delights. But meeting handsome, sexy Kyle Paxton at the counter is the biggest treat of all... HIS SECRET VALENTINE by Kate Hoffmann Preparing the Valentine edition of the newspaper is a cakewalk for editor Charlotte Keats. Convincing cool-hearted publisher Sam Harper she's the woman for him is another story! But Sam's romantic streak is unearthed when he sets out to find who is secretly sending him love notes and chocolates. GIFT OF THE HEART by Gine Wilkins It was a perfect Valentine's Day for Jessica Patterson. Flowers, perfume, diamonds...and chocolates from her favorite shop. Too perfect. Jessica wanted only one gift from her well-meaning but less-than-passionate finace, Dr. Richard London - the precious gift of love.

I liked the chocolate theme of this book. I thought Meryl's story of Kyle and Alexis was the best. It's a fast-paced read that makes you wish the story had been longer.