THE SEVENTH STAR INN by Sally Britton
After years of looking after one another, Susan Baxter and her mother view their neighbors in Totnes as family. When a new landlord inherits the leases on their homes and businesses alike, Susan dreads knowing her world could change at the whim of a stranger. But when she meets Collin Stonecroft and his inquisitive daughter, her feelings shift quickly from cautionary to hopeful. Collin has lived in the confines of London boarding houses all his life, and he’s determined to give his daughter more. They check into the Seventh Star Inn with plans to return to London as soon as possible, but both find Miss Baxter and her local history lessons far too enchanting to leave behind. When Susan learns of Collin’s proposed changes to her beloved neighborhood, will she be able to help him see that some things are perfect the way they are?
This story was adorable. I loved the dichotomy of their opposing backgrounds and current situations, it added a beautiful depth to the relationship Sally built. The way Sally developed and resolved the conflict between the two was impressively done. Both of them had their ideas challenged and grew through their interactions together. I loved reading this novella. The added interactions of both Susan and Collin with Beth made the book even that more fun to read.
THE TRUTH ABOUT MR. BLACKMORE by Annette Lyon
Leigh’s life at the Old Grey Inn is drudgery broken by flights of fancy thanks in part to novels by Simon Blackmore. When Mattias McGrady comes to the inn for a fortnight, Leigh captures his attention. A relationship develops, and she dreads the end of his stay, which will mean a return to an unhappy life. An urgent letter to Mattias leads to him inviting Leigh to an event that stands to change both of their lives forever. If all goes well, Leigh will have a life of her choosing after all. But half-truths and lies have a way of complicating matters. When their plans go awry, Leigh loses her reputation and Mattias almost surely loses his career. Can either of them find happiness?
This story had just the right touch of whimsy and mystery. I loved the magical elements brought to life in their perspective imaginations and how that brought the two of them together. The story was so compelling that I must admit I thought the story ended a little too soon. There were a few things I had hoped would be tied up and were left open ended, but Novella’s are like that and it didn’t detracted from the enchanting nature of the story.
THE COACHMAN’S CHOICE by Deborah M. Hathaway
Ever-reliable Mary Thorne has helped her widowed mother run The Golden Mermaid Inn for years. She spends her days greeting guests, ensuring the inn runs smoothly—and dodging flirtatious remarks from passing coachmen. But she’s far too busy to pay any attention to such men, even the enticingly attractive Mr. Northcott. Known far and wide for his horsemanship, punctuality, and dallying reputation. Robert Northcott relishes his life as a coachman, especially his freedom to flirt with numerous women from inn to inn, all without the messy details of commitment. There’s just one woman who’s immune to his charms: the lovely, single landlady of The Golden Mermaid. Robert is determined to win Mary over, just as heartily as she is determined to keep her distance from him. But his carefree life is threatened when his pursual of Mary becomes more than just a game…
Deborah did a fantastic job of showing the push and pull of attraction verses logic and goals in this story. It was really well done and created a fun tension in the plot and in the chemistry of the characters. I felt like she did an amazing job of developing her characters in the short spans of the novella.
I think my favorite part of these stories was the status of the individuals. There were no parties or drawing rooms. These kinds of regency stories aren’t told often enough, and I loved them!
**** Low Language, Low Romance, Low Violence, Low Religion