Rating: 
Summary: Not Quite Up To Par
Review: I'm certain that quite a few people will purchase this anthology (as I did) to read Kurland's latest novella. I hate to be the one to break the news to you, but hers is the least enjoyable of the whole book. I would have given it a 1 or 2 had it stood alone.Kurland's story "The Icing on the Cake" reads like something out of the young adults section of your local bookstore. I love Kurland despite the fact that she is a G-rated author (a typical love scene in one of her books consists of the line "and then he loved her sweetly"), but "The Icing on the Cake" was not only devoid of love scenes, it was devoid of mature adult emotions. The interaction between the hero and heroine left me feeling as though I was reading from an old episode of "Happy Days" or something. Unfortunately, the hero is more of a Potzie than a Fonz. Regardless, here's a short recap of the novellas for you (taken from inside the book's jacket word for word): 1. "The Icing on the Cake" - He's a writer working on his new novel, and baking cakes on the side. She's an Alaskan wilderness buff more experienced at fending off grizzlies than men. But she's about to discover the joy of coming in from the cold... 2. "The Short, Hot Summer" - He was as out of place in Alabama as she would be in Manhattan. But the temperature spikes whenever an executive stuck in town for a big-time deal and his small-time landlady are together--creating enough heat to rival the sultry summer nights... 3. "Pride and Prejudice" - A double-booked hotel room during a prestigious dog show pits a cartoonist and her pet papillon with an award-winning Border collie. What ensues is a sexy contest of wills. And its winner take all... 4. "The Princess and the Adventurer" - She stuck out like a debutante at a monster truck rally. What was a lady doing in a cantina on the border of the Mexican jungle? Little did Matthew Kincaid realize, he was just the man she was looking for...
Rating: 
Summary: This was a very disappointing effort by Lynn Kurland !
Review: The novella compilation is a difficult genre for an author. The story has to develop the characters and romance enough that they're believable in a much shorter length of time. While a reader could accuse "Opposites Attract" of being "too light" and perhaps a bit unbelievable, this is a charming and entertaining collection by authors that all handle the novella genre well. Kurland's "Icing" is probably the weakest story in the bunch, despite the fact that Kurland is the headlining author here. The characters are very appealing, and I really enjoyed the role reversal, but I didn't find their romance particularly believable. I didn't find the romance in Bevarly's "Summer" believable, either, but as usual Bevarly's humorous, distinctive stream-of-consciousness writing style and incredibly charming characters make up for the lack of a deep romantic development. Carmichael's "Pride" was the best of the bunch. The characters were believable, as was their romance, and the dogs definitely rounded out the whole thing. Carmichael has a real gift for adding in appealing secondary characters, be they ghosts ("A Ghost for Maggie") or dogs ("Finding Mr. Right"). Minger's "Princess" is also good, with some pathos and humor thrown into the mix, along with believable characters and a nice adventure plot. "Opposites Attract" is not deep lasting literature, but it -is- fun and entertaining, and, in the end, I think that's what we ask of romantic novella anthologies.
Rating: 
Summary: Light but charming and entertaining
Review: The novella compilation is a difficult genre for an author. The story has to develop the characters and romance enough that they're believable in a much shorter length of time. While a reader could accuse "Opposites Attract" of being "too light" and perhaps a bit unbelievable, this is a charming and entertaining collection by authors that all handle the novella genre well. Kurland's "Icing" is probably the weakest story in the bunch, despite the fact that Kurland is the headlining author here. The characters are very appealing, and I really enjoyed the role reversal, but I didn't find their romance particularly believable. I didn't find the romance in Bevarly's "Summer" believable, either, but as usual Bevarly's humorous, distinctive stream-of-consciousness writing style and incredibly charming characters make up for the lack of a deep romantic development. Carmichael's "Pride" was the best of the bunch. The characters were believable, as was their romance, and the dogs definitely rounded out the whole thing. Carmichael has a real gift for adding in appealing secondary characters, be they ghosts ("A Ghost for Maggie") or dogs ("Finding Mr. Right"). Minger's "Princess" is also good, with some pathos and humor thrown into the mix, along with believable characters and a nice adventure plot. "Opposites Attract" is not deep lasting literature, but it -is- fun and entertaining, and, in the end, I think that's what we ask of romantic novella anthologies.
Rating: 
Summary: Great romance short stories
Review: This is an entertaining anthology that centers on love between individuals who, at first sight, have nothing in common. Each couple fusses, fights, and falls in love, but share nothing else except participating in excellent stories that will please readers of short contemporary tales. "The Icing on the Cake" by Lynn Kurland. Samuel is elite New York. Sydney is wilderness Alaska. They share nothing, until they fall in love. "The Short, Hot Summer" by Elizabeth Bevarly. Manhattan's Preston IV travels to Butternut, Alabama to close a deal. Mamie owns the bed and breakfast that the IV stays in. Though he feels like a stranger in an alien land, they fall in love. "Pride and Prejudice" by Emily Carmichael. Due to a convention hotel glitch, Cartoonist Josephine and her little dog Priss share a room with outdoorsman Scott and his bruiser Iowa. The canines and the humans fall in love, but she is urban and he is field. "The Princess and the Adventurer" by Elda Minger. San Francisco's Isabelle comes to this dangerous town seeking her lost brother. Matthew is an adventurer looking for the big break to make his fortune. Their trek through the jungle leads to love and treasure, but she is going home and he dreams of the Caribbean. Harriet Klausner
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