Reviewer's Bookshelf: "Ladies of Intrigue" by Michelle Griep

Book Summary (Amazon): The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady
Cornish Coast, 1815
When a prim and proper governess returns to England from abroad, she expects to comfort her dying father—not fall in love with a smuggler. Will Helen Fletcher keep Isaac Seaton’s unusual secret?

The Doctor’s Woman (A Carol Award Winner!)
Dakota Territory, 1862
Emmy Nelson, daughter of a missionary doctor, and Dr. James Clark, city doctor aspiring to teach, find themselves working side by side at Fort Snelling during the Dakota Uprising. That is when the real clash of ideals begins.

A House of Secrets
St. Paul, Minnesota, 1890
Ladies Aide Chairman, Amanda Carston resolves to clean up St. Paul’s ramshackle housing, starting with the worst of the worst: a “haunted” house that’s secretly owned by her beau—a home that’s his only means of helping brothel girls escape from the hands of the city’s most infamous madam.

My thoughts...If you like picking up a book that you can read in a day, pick up a novella. This book is a collection of 3 novellas, and only took me a few days of leisurely reading to complete. Each story was a little different, with "The Doctor's Woman" being completely different as it is set in the western US. The other two novellas were set in England. 
Michelle Griep's full length novels are typically filled with exciting plot twists, romantic tension, and a nicely paced story line that will keep you reading from beginning to end. This novella collection is like three miniature versions of that. I personally liked "The Doctor's Woman" more than the other two because i enjoyed the characters and plot line a little more. The western setting is one I'm partial to as well, so I was quickly turning pages to see what would happen next. As with the nature of all novellas, you don't get all of the detail and the romantic aspect is usually sped up a bit. While there are times that I do like the long building up of tension, every so often it's nice to see things move along a little faster! 

**I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley in order to give an honest review, which I did.**

Reviewer's Bookshelf: "The Heirloom: Four Holiday Novellas of Love Through the Generations" by various authors

Novella Summaries....In Kristi Ann Hunter's "Legacy of Love," Sarah Gooding never suspected returning a brooch to an elderly woman would lead to a job . . . and introduce her to the woman's grandson, a man far above her station.

In Karen Witemeyer's "Gift of the Heart," widow Ruth Albright uses the family brooch as collateral for a loan from the local banker. But the more she comes to know the man behind the stern businessman, the more she hopes for a second chance at love.

In Sarah Loudin Thomas's "A Shot at Love," Fleeta Brady's rough-and-tumble childhood means she prefers hunting to more feminine activities. She never expected her family's brooch might be how a fellow hunter turns her attention from competition to romance.

In Becky Wade's "Because of You," Maddie Winslow has spent years in love with a man whose heart was already spoken for. When a church Christmas project brings them together and she stumbles upon an old family brooch, might it finally be her turn for love?

My thoughts...I typically don't read a lot of novellas, but they're starting to grow on me! Especially when it's a collection that includes some of my favorite authors: Karen Witemeyer and Becky Wade. I haven't read many of Kristi Ann Hunter or Sara Loudin Thomas' books, but I really enjoyed their work in this novella collection. 

The connection between each of these novellas was a brooch that was passed down from generation to generation. It not only was a beautiful, valuable piece of jewelry, but there was a deep love that passed from the giver to the receiver. There was also a "legend" that accompanied the brooch that foretold of a love match. I enjoyed both of these aspects of each story. Each heroine was a little different and full of personality. The heroes stories were also told, but were a supporting role to the female leads. I love that you get a taste of each author's style in a novella collection like this. As the holidays are approaching, this is the perfect book to cozy up on the couch with and get a taste of Christmas. I would definitely recommend it!

**I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in order to give an honest review, which I did. **