Robin Helm

Gather round as you enjoy these wonderful stories that are filled with romance, intriguing characters and a time period where Lords and Lady’s abound. Find a comfy place and be swept away to an era that whispers royalty and memories fit for a lady.
The King of Hearts by Robin Helm
The story is centered around Kitty Bennett at the age of twenty. Every time I read books about this era I always snicker because it was such a disgrace to not be married by a certain age. My goodness everyone is a buzz about the upcoming dance where Kitty will be the center of attention. The dance was fun to read about and how distinguished the gentlemen were. I loved when Kitty said she would marry for love and not money. Bravo to her for following her heart. She has quite a selection of gentlemen vying for her attention. Who will she choose? I enjoyed how the author gave Kitty several gentlemen to get acquainted with. I think a few tried too hard but in the end does love win over power and money?
You’ve Got To Kiss The Girl by Laura Hike
Right away I was hooked on this story. A plot to kidnap Darcy and Anne seemed simple. They would be taken to a place where hopefully a wedding proposal would take place. Lady Catherine was determined that her scheme would work. The house had to be comfortable, well stocked and perhaps a bit romantic.
I think Lady Catherine steals the show in this story. What is she thinking making people waddle on the carpet so it would last longer. Oh my she is becoming quite unquestionably a bit out there . I laughed at all her shenanigans and how her plan, well I mustn’t say more. The story is fun to read and I thought the author did a great job of showing how determined someone is to pick a spouse for someone else. I loved how the story had some funny moments and how a mixup delivers an unexpected romance.
A Step Too Far by Wendi Sotis
This story finds us witnessing the rescue of Elizabeth after she falls from a cliff. Of course if she hadn’t been so curious about her neighbors, perhaps she wouldn’t find herself in this predicament. Darcy stumbles upon her and must now find the easiest way to get her to safety.
Elizabeth is known for her little adventures and this one is no exception. It was nice to read how thoughtful Darcy was as he returned her to her home. The author gives a glimpse into how Darcy and Elizabeth interact with each other as she recovers from her injuries. Do I smell romance in the air? I thought the author painted a lovely picture of two people getting to know each other as they follow their hearts.
John Knightly Wins A Wife by Barbara Cornthwaite

This adventure was very fun to read as John has his hands full trying to keep Miss Maria’s brother out of trouble. I wonder if he agreed to this endeavor a bit too hasty? Perhaps he is hoping to impress Maria and get her attention. Oh how attraction to someone can make us do silly things.

John is starting to see that Arthur is becoming hard to deal with. As I read the story I kept thinking of Arthur as a scoundrel . He is someone who sets their sights on something or someone for their personal gain. It ruffles John’s feathers when Arthur’s attention is drawn to a certain young lady who is rumored to have money or will soon come into money. The prank Arthur pulls on John is in such poor taste. I think there is going to be a little anger brewing within John. Someone needs to set Arthur straight in how to behave himself as a gentleman.

I enjoyed getting to go along with John as he pursues a young woman who will compliment his life perfectly. The author does a great job of letting readers get a glimpse into John’s heart as he intends to make a special someone his wife.
Charming Miss Dashwood by Chautona Havig

I couldn’t wait to see where the author would take her story. It is no secret that I love her writing and her adventurous spirit. Margaret is everything I had hoped for. She is funny in a sarcastic way and her uncanny one liners are perfectly written. I think I see a little of me in her with the sarcasm and little time for nonsense.

I loved how the author was able to put Conrad and Margaret in a position where they began to slowly get to know each other. Conrad had many adventure which I think Margaret enjoyed hearing. I have always wondered what it would be like living during this time period. A woman’s reputation was of the upmost importance and they were usually accompanied by someone who would protect the woman’s honor. It intrigued me that Margaret wanted to help stand guard with Conrad when intruders sneak in the house.

I couldn’t wait to find out why these men were there to invade the home and what danger was ahead. The author had me trying to read faster because I had to know if Conrad and Margaret would finally start to be cordial to each other. It reminds me of that saying, “ I think thou does protest too much.”
The part where the intruders come once again is definitely a look at how brave Margaret is. Her instinct to protect her family and Conrad is admirable and dare I say impressive. The author does a good job of writing a story that not only gives us a glimpse into espionage but a cleverly written storyline that includes a bit of romance. I liked that the romance didn’t overshadow the entire story, but complimented the characters as they developed feelings for one another. I liked that Conrad was a humble man who felt like he didn’t have much to offer a wife. The ending is full of surprises and left this reader wanting to stay awhile longer with Conrad and Margaret.
In The Looking Glass by Mandy H. Cook

Fanny is not happy on this special day of hers. Her birthday reminds her of how old she is getting and feeling like a spinster. She decides to wander away from home and thus starts an adventure she will never forget. The story moves at a fast pace much like Fanny herself does.

The stranger she meets is very intriguing and I couldn’t wait to see how Fanny’s family welcomes him. It takes awhile to find out the strangers name but it is worth the wait. A timepiece given to Fanny as a child holds the key to unlocking a promise made by the stranger . I did enjoy getting to know more about the stranger and his past. The story is good and I liked the ending especially. It is a sweet story that young girls dream about. Love finds you in the most unexpected places.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.… (altro)

Several years ago we attended a Home School drama production of Jane Eyre and I became captivated by all things related to Jane Austen. Then, Istarted reading anthologies based on the works of Jane Austen and fell in love with them as well. So when I had the opportunity to review this book, I was excited, especially since Chautona Havig was one of the author’s in this book. I could not wait to read her story. However, in typical fashion for me, I had to read other selections in this book for first. Each story made me fall in love with the characters, the plots, and the settings.

The first story in the collection tells the tale of Kitty, Elizabeth’s younger sister. Kitty comes to life on the pages of this book and shines in her own right. Sometimes we are granted our heart’s desire even when we do not believe we deserve it.

Then we jump to Laura Hile’s story entitled “You’ve Got to Kiss the Girl”. I have to say as I began reading this story all that occupied my mine was Sebastian’s voice singing a song titled the same from The Little Mermaid.

This collection includes a story where Lady Catherine, Mr. Darcy’s aunt schemes to have her nephew Mr. Darcy and her own daughter Anne abducted and left at a property she owns thanks to her late husband, so Mr. Darcy will be forced to marry her. Only Elizabeth is taken by mistake instead, and the two fall in love. So it illustrates the points, the plans of mice and men are often gone astray.

The next story is “A Step Too Far” by Wendy Sotis. I enjoyed getting to know John and Isabelle.

Finally , I made it to the story I had been waiting and wanting to read, “Charming Miss Dashwood” by Chautona Having and it did not disappoint.

The final story in the collection is “In the Looking Glass” by Mindy H. Cook. I also enjoyed reading this book.

All of these books took beloved or memorable characters and created stories that captured my imagination. I can not wait to see if more of these anthologies are written.

So if you enjoy reading historical books that utilize characters from Jane Austen’s books, check out this collection for yourself.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from CelebrateLit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.… (altro)

For reasons I won't get into here, I used to steer clear of all literary retellings and fan fiction based on iconic classics that were done so well. Even so, I jumped in to read Her Christmas Gift by author Robin Helm, a romantic holiday tale based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

You certainly should be familiar with the original novel before trying this novella, as the retelling wouldn't hold much significance or make the best sense on its own. I found myself visualizing most of the characters here as the actors who played the corresponding roles in thee best onscreen adaptation of the novel, the 1995 BBC miniseries.

Now, even with its short length, I felt that this read could have been shaved down and sharpened for pertinence and pacing. Also, the chunks of Elizabeth's italicized thoughts often seem more like careful, extended lines of narration than just a person's natural thoughts, and both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy seem somewhat softer in this story than I picture their original characters.

Nevertheless, the novella does have its shining moments, some interesting further development of a character or two, and the warmth and festivity of Christmas. Worth checking out for fans of P&P retellings.

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What do you get when you mix Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Mansfield Park for the lead-up to Christmastide? You get The Christmas Matchmaker by author Laura Hile.

Wow! I wasn't expecting to like this Austen World mash-up so much, but I found the novella to be a refreshingly clever reimagining of paths for classic characters I know. (And, yes, you do have to know Austen's original characters already to truly appreciate what this read means.)

It all started out nicely enough, and I expected mild entertainment, but once a certain mysterious relative and the touch of the fantastical came into play... And, my, I even had some real laughs here and there, and then a little conspiracy began to heat up, and...

Well! Suffice it to say I was in for some surprises. I've not tried many, but so far, this is the most I've ever enjoyed a tale based on Austen's work.

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More than the two novellas preceding it, No Better Gift by Wendi Sotis felt to me like the middle of a story rather than a story on its own. That's fine, since I jumped in knowing what had come before already in Pride and Prejudice.

I appreciate the strength and wit to Elizabeth's character here. But where the romance comes into play, the sentimentality is overdone on Elizabeth's side as well as on Mr. Darcy's, Elizabeth's virtual 180 concerning her thoughts about Mr. Darcy is too fast, and the rush to bended knee and the mutual declaration of major feelings is indeed a huge rush.

The possibility of Elizabeth Bennet being a competent mistress of an estate, though? Quite easy to see in this story.

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Mistletoe at Thornton Lacey by Barbara Cornthwaite is a quick conclusion to this Austen-inspired collection.

This short story has a few letter case errors, and the plot won't give you a whole lot to go on if you haven't already been into the characters before and you aren't familiar with their situation already. But my previous experience with Mansfield Park made this simple read a fun little one for me.… (altro)