Where's My Hero?

June 23, 2003
Unlike some romance anthologies, this refreshing volume is more a tribute to the authors' fans than a marketing tool. That isn't to say that the book won't be a major money-making machine for Avon—it will—but that the authors have listened to their readers and here revisit their most asked-about supporting characters. In "Against the Odds," Kleypas focuses on roguish Jake Linley, who first appeared in the Regency-era Someone to Watch Over Me. Both the daring doctor and his math-minded counterpart, Lydia Craven, hold appeal, but their sudden avowal of love two days before Lydia's wedding to another man feels forced and far-fetched. The affection that springs between spunky Scotswoman Lady Kenna and Simon of Ravenswood, a knight from MacGregor's Master of Desire, in "Midsummer's Knight" rings true despite the author's occasionally overwrought prose. The best entry in this collection, however, is Quinn's bright and breezy Regency-era romance between dashing Ned Blydon (from Splendid) and down-to-earth Charlotte Thornton, his fiancée's sister. With its airy prose and sparkling wit, Quinn's "A Tale of Two Sisters" is a small gem in an anthology that, while inconsistent in quality and setting, never fails to entertain. (Sept.)Forecast:Already anticipating the success of this venture, Avon has planned a second Hero collection for next year. With its stellar lineup of authors, this volume should hit sales heights that its predecessors will have difficulties matching.

August 1, 2003
Bowing to readers' requests for "follow-up" stories about notable peripheral characters, three best-selling writers have teamed up to produce a stunning anthology of historical novellas, each of which resurrects a memorable "nonhero" from an earlier novel and gives him a story of his own. Each tale begins with the hero or heroine being engaged or otherwise attached to the wrong person, a situation that is happily-and credibly-remedied by the end; as expected, selected characters from the original novels make appearances. Kleypas successfully pairs rakish Dr. Jake Linley (Someone To Watch Over Me) with a young bluestocking in "Against All Odds." Kinley MacGregor's "Midsummer's Knight" is a charming story with a Cyrano de Bergerac twist that features the mysterious Wraith (a.k.a. Simon of Ravenswood) from Master of Desire. Finally, Julia Quinn revives the memorable Ned Blydon (Splendid) in "A Tale of Two Sisters," a hilarious romp full of elopements and last-minute wedding changes. While this volume will appeal to those who have read the previous books, initiates can read each novella on its own. A wonderful collection.

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