Review: Stranded with a Hero by Karen Erickson, Coleen Kwan, Cindi Madsen & Roxanne Snopek

Getting snowed in never felt so good as boundaries are crossed, opposites attract, and friends discovering more promise a Christmas no one will ever forget. 

Loving Mindy by Karen Erickson
Mindy can’t believe she’s stuck with her ex–best friend—and the man whose heart she broke years ago—for the holidays, though the tension between them is more than enough to keep them warm. Josh Powers never forgot Mindy, but he can’t risk his heart a second time. 

White-Hot Holiday by Coleen Kwan
Naomi’s sworn off men like Aaron—rich, cocky, and dismissive of holiday traditions. Aaron decided to spend Christmas in sunny Australia to avoid snowy New York, not to fall for the woman his best friend warned him away from. But when a volcano grounds him, Aaron and Naomi’s relationship becomes eruptive. 

An Officer and a Rebel by Cindi Madsen
The last person police officer Nate Walsh expected to discover in a snowstorm is his brother’s ex and former town rebel, Kelsey Cooper. She’s his complete opposite and totally off-limits, but as they wait out the storm together, all he can think is how he wishes she’d stay forever. 

Saving the Sheriff by Roxanne Snopek
Frankie Sylva was determined to free the reindeer cruelly held for a holiday roadshow, even if it meant risking her own life. Deputy Sheriff Red LeClair set out to save a stranger in a snowstorm, never expecting he’d be the one to be rescued.

Series: Lone Pine Lake #2.5, Real Men #2.5, Accidentally In Love #2.5, Three River Ranch #3.5
Release Date: November 11th 2013
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Source: Manic Readers
Reviewer: Iris
Rating:

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Reviewer’s Thoughts

I always find it difficult to write reviews for anthologies for many reasons. Chief among them is the vast differences we often find between the different stories within the anthology itself. Such was the case when reading this one. In all honesty I cannot say that I completely disliked any particular story. There were some that just didn’t strike the right cord for me.

Loving Mindy was sweet and romantic. Josh has obviously been in love with Mindy for far longer than she ever realized and was the bigger man by stepping aside when she chose someone else. Mindy’s character on the other hand aggravated me to no end. I wanted to reach through the e-reader, shake her and remind her that she’s divorced. Stop letting her ex dictate her life! All in all, Loving Mindy was probably not my favorite in the entire anthology because of Mindy.

White-Hot Holiday proves that opposites attract. We all know it and we thrive on stories that make it so. It’s sweet, romantic and hits the right spot for a holiday romance. Exactly the type of book you want to read by the fire with a glass of wine.

An Officer and a Rebel is the classic tale of two brothers in love with the same woman. In high school, Nate was determined to forget his feelings for his brother’s girlfriend, Kelsey; after all, his brother was in love with her too. But now they’re all grown up and his brother is no longer an obstacle. Can these two make it work this time around? I actually enjoyed this story and I rooted for the characters to find a way to make things work regardless of their past history.

Saving the Sheriff was, I believe my favorite story in the entire anthology. Not because of the story itself, however, although the plot was decent. It was the characters themselves that sold the story. Unlike the other stories in the anthology both characters were likable, not just one. The build up of the attraction, even though they were both fighting it each for their own reasons, is there. We watch the characters skirt around their attraction and get to know them a bit more before they give in to each other.

Four heroes, all of which I loved, four heroines, one or two of which I could seriously do without, four sweet, heartwarming stories that will leave you sighing and smiling softly wishing for a hero of your own. All in all I would definitely recommend this anthology if you’re looking for something with just a little bit of heat but a whole lot of heart.