Three couples in Regency England find their way to each other through various Valentine’s Day related events and hijinks.
In “The Valentine Poem” by Victoria Henshaw, Susan Kimball falls in love with her Italian tutor, little suspecting that he is actually a nobleman undercover. This is a cute romance with little plot, and I liked the relationship between John and his half-brother the duke. However, Susan’s bleak moment seemed very illogical for a generally logical heroine – it really should have been timed for before the revelation of John’s identity. 3 stars.
In “The Ugly Duckling’s Valentine” by Julia Parks, Lady Claire considers herself the odd one out in her family. In an effort to raise her confidence, her brother’s best friend Kit starts writing to her as an anonymous admirer, only to realize his admiration may be real. This was my favorite of the novellas, with well-matched leads and a warm, close-knit family. Kit’s dawning realization about his feelings for Claire and the way she gets back at him for the deception is the icing on the cake. 4 stars.
In “Valentine Dreams” by Donna Simpson, Hartley swears off love after his fiancée Melony breaks off their engagement in the aftermath of a horrible tragedy. Eleven years later, his sister Lady Charmian brings them together in an effort to achieve closure. I’m usually not a big fan of second chance romances, but this one was sweet, and I liked seeing how Hartley and Melony rediscovered their feelings for one another and resolve the break in their past. 4 stars.