I haven't previously read anything by any of these authors, so I was a little apprehensive about whether I'd find anything I liked--and I enjoyed ALL of the stories, although not all equally. I really liked the fact that they were novellas, so I could read them quickly, but I also felt like they were, for the most part, well-developed stories that didn't feel rushed or end too abruptly. It's hard to be pick a favorite story; they were all good!

Review on my blog:

http://averagegalreads.blogspot.com/2017/08/review-of-rags-and-riches-romance.html

A wonderful set of stories featuring people from all walks of life who find love and faith bridge any differences. Set across the U.S. between 1867 and 1899, a period of rebuilding and growth, and a time of new ideas and inventions. This fun series starts with a train explosion and ends with an exciting auto race, with a unique set of nine new stories.

"Goodness and kindness know no social limits."
From immigrants to heiresses, a women's baseball team to a woman fly fisher, people in service to politicians, former soldiers, librarian, sea captain, entrepreneurs, to fox hunts and auto races, there was a full gamut of interesting characters and adventures. Some had more faith lessons included than others, yet all had some message of hope and inspiration.
"Never could wealth or the lack of it, nor hardship, ease, or difference ever destroy what faith, hope, and love could build."
Some stories had an upstairs-downstairs Downton Abbey feel to them, and a few with a bit of a Cinderella plot. Hard to say what my favorite was, as I thoroughly enjoyed them all! The tale of the women's baseball team in The Right Pitch was unusual and fun, with an exciting game, also the enthusiastic librarian in The Gardener's Daughter working in a "Chautauqua" community--something new to me--was an endearing one. They were all very good though. One of the best collections I've read so far.

Highly recommend to readers who enjoy historical Christian romances. 4.5 stars

(An e-book was provided by NetGalley and Barbour Publishing. All opinions are my own.)

Usually when I read and review one of these collections, I like to give a review on each individual story. But, occasionally, my opinion on each individual story is nearly the same as what I could say about the collection as a whole.

I can honestly say that I really enjoyed this entire collection. There were a couple of stories that had settings that just didn’t quite resonate with me as well—but that is certainly more of a preference than the quality of the story and writing. There were also a couple of stories that had settings that I just loved! But including those stories and the ones that fell somewhere in between, I found this to be a collection with a large variety of settings, characters, and circumstances. Binding everything together was a theme of money (or lack of). The stories took me all across the country and it was quite the adventure.

There were a few times that I felt like the stories may have been a bit on the rushed side, but I suppose to some degree that is to be expected with novellas. And there were certainly times that I was disappointed that I couldn’t stay in a particular story longer. All in all though, this collection is well-written, has wonderful themes and messages in the story, and was a joy to read. I can highly recommend this one.


**I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.**

I received a free copy via NetGalley; this is my honest review.
1. Union Pacific Princess ****: Classic Indian/Pioneer rivalry story. Not too many prayers, no sermon. I'm not sure how they fell in love though as we don't see much interaction between them that is positive.
2. The Right Pitch ****: Sports romance. No surprise but cute nonetheless.
3. A Gift in Secret ****: An arranged marriage. A bit too much of morals or mini sermons to my taste. Good story. Little twist before the epilogue.
4. For Richer or Poorer ****: Classic poor to rich/rich to poor story. A bit too many prayers but it flowed well in the context.
5. A House of Secrets ***: Predictable. Nothing outstanding. Fast to fury instead of trusting. Expecting the worst instead of the best without a chance of explanation. I also didn't see the poor/rich theme.
6. Win, Place or Show *****: Clash of classes. Prayers are in passing, not read along which makes the story light and delightful. You can see and feel the love building into "they were really made for each other". Good descriptions of people and horses. Good story development. Great ending with a twist.
7. The Fisherman's Nymph ***: Classic enemies to lovers story (without the sex of course). The end leaves us a lot to our imagination since we don't know how she came to finally at least like him. She loves him? Wow, didn't see that coming.
8. The Gardener's Daughter *****: A real decent rich/poor combination. It made me laugh and cry, cringe and hope. No prayers or sermons, all the same you know they live their faith.
9. A tale of Two Hearts *****: Both poor to rich. Sweet story. It will make you hope. Multiple occasions to develop friendship and love. No prayers nor sermons, yet these people practice their beliefs by being kind to their enemies and persevering in what they know is right.

Wonderful collection of novellas by a cast of great authors! Great summer read.

This was a great collection of novellas featuring all different economic classes. I figured I'd enjoy it but I will say I enjoyed it more than I initially thought I would. Several great novellas here and such fun ideas for each storyline. I loved the variety, some more sweet, some more intense but all with a happily ever after.

These are Christian fiction and written very well by some authors I've read before and some whom I was very happily surprised to discover. If you enjoy sweet historical Christian romance stories and novellas that you can enjoy one or two here or there I recommend checking this one out! There are nine great novellas waiting for your enjoyment!

The stories vary in location and subject matter but all are set in the same time period. Some little bits of what you'll find within this collection are:

Railroads, Native Americans, attorneys, intrigue, horses, hidden identities, secrets, heartache, sickness, maid servants, baseball, deceit, foreign language, ships, newspapers, fishing, dancing, outdoor excursions, storytelling, archery, hospitals, competitions, hunting, civil war, library, children, studies, academies, flowers, flowers, flowers, books, race cars, fathers, damsels in distress, fire, atoning, music, sorrow, gentlemen, adventure, fortunes, balls, orphanages, picnics, stolen kisses, Love and weddings.

And so much more than all of those awaits you within the pages of this collection. Grab it, sit and savor one novella at a time or snuggle in with a blanket and drink and devour it all at once(plan nothing else for that day).

Content: Clean. Some kissing, some peril but nothing graphic or too intense. This is Christian fiction so there are some elements of religion, mostly characters thinking about God, silent prayers for help and guidance and a few characters reminding each other that God is in charge and to trust him.

I received a copy from the publisher, Barbour Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

A wonderful collection of stories by my favourite authors....Loved each & every story. Have shared this novel w/ my reading friends.

Nine Stories of Poverty and Opulence During the Gilded Age
by Susanne Dietze, Michelle Griep, Anne Love, Gabrielle Meyer, Natalie Monk, Jennifer Uhlarik, Erica Vetsch, Jaime Jo Wright, Kathleen Y’Barbo

This collection of novellas had a number of great stories. I rated it a 4/5 overall and would recommend it.

Union Pacific Princess by Jennifer Uhlarik

Young Dora, her uncle William and her cousin Becca, leave Boston to join Dora’s father at the railroad camp where he works after four years apart.

Gage is at the railroad camp trying to stay under the radar to gather information that will help his Indian friends.

When dynamite goes off, Gage injures himself protecting Dora and Becca and exposes himself to Dora’s father, the very person Gage was hiding from.

-A lot of times I feel like novellas leave me feeling like there is a lot missing or it ends abruptly. This one didn’t. It was fast passed but didn’t feel rushed and I liked how the author used the passing of time to move the story along.

-I like how the characters aren’t perfect, like when Gage realized he was still learning when he compared the treatment of his Indian friends with that of the slaves.

-This was one of my favorite novellas in the collection.

The Right Pitch by Susanne Dietze

Winnie loves playing baseball but fears that this will be her last time playing a charity game with the Liberty Belles before she has to give it up to marry.

Beck had his heart broken when he was younger and is afraid to risk it again.

Will risk or precaution win out?

-This was a cute story. There was a lot of baseball in it and if you don’t like baseball, you might not enjoy it was much.


A Gift in Secret by Kathleen Y’Barbo

Thomas Bolen dies, leaving a will that will change the life of this daughter as well as the Austin family that was wronged. Without revealing the stipulations of the will, Samuel Austin III must decide to keep Bolen Shipping and leave May Bolen penniless or marry her.

-I enjoyed this story but I think it would have served the plot better if it had been a longer novel. Not enough time passed for the characters to develop a real connection for each other.

-There were also things that felt unresolved like where they would live since May loves New York so much and Sam was at home on a boat. It would be a shame if he had to give that up completely.


For Richer or Poorer by Natalie Monk

Polish maid Ella is pretending to be of a higher class when dray driver Woody literally runs into her. Ella tries to hide her growing feelings for Woody due to her need to marry a wealthy man in order to bring her sickly family to America. Meanwhile, Woody is trying to establish an orphanage and hide from his past.

-The orphan storyline is something that is near and dear to my heart and I loved reading about them and their little personalities.

-I also liked when Woody translated for Ella while hiding at the church.

-Some of the scriptures quoted in the book were favorites of mine.

-I thought the ending was a little too neat but I still enjoyed the book and this was another favorite in the collection.


A House of Secrets by Michelle Griep

Amanda is determined to open a school for the poor to impress her father and the Ladies’ Aide Society. Her fiancé, Joseph, has plans of his own for the “haunted” house Amanda wants. Will keeping secrets tear Joseph and Amanda apart?

-I like books that have a mystery to them, although the readers were privy to the majority of the mysteries in this story.

-I also liked the message of waiting on those you trust and love, especially God.


Win, Place, or Show by Erica Vetsch

Beryl just wants to spend the summer taking riding lessons with her beloved horse Lacey and competing in the show at the Deep Haven Hunt Club. However, her parents have different plans for her that include marrying her off to Lord Springfield and selling Lacey.

Major Gard Kennedy is spending the summer teaching riding lessons and saving every penny so he can buy Arcturus as the perfect foundation Sire for his new stud farm.

When Gard falls for Beryl, will he risked everything he has worked so hard for?

-There was a lot in this story that was very predictable but I still liked it.

-The vast majority of the book focused on horses. Since I like horses, this was a positive for me but I think even those who don’t like horses as much as I do will enjoy it.

-Beryl’s parents both annoyed me. They were equally clueless as to their daughter’s obvious feelings and they had the wrong priorities. It was disappointing that Beryl even seemed to laugh about their priorities at the end. Stringing Lord Springfield along until after the business deal closed also felt wrong.


The Fisherman’s Nymph by Jaime Jo Wright

“Maybe you’re not the only one who is pushing through sorrow. Some, like you, turn to bitterness- And some make their penance by blaming themselves.”

Charles Farrington III hides his pain under the façade of a carefree, charming rouge. Abby never grieved properly after her mother’s death and she still blames other people for it. Can two grief-stricken souls help each other find peace?

Abby and her father host fishing retreats for the rich that Abby so despises and Charles and his friend Jonathan are their clients. Through Abby’s forced time with Charles, she must finally face her past.

-This book had a lot of descriptions and details about fishing which I am not a fan of, so this was a negative for me.

-This story also had a darker tone to it and I usually like to read books that are lighter and make me feel uplifted.

-And except for their shared grief and their “spark”, I didn’t see Abby and Charles as a potential couple.

-This wasn’t a bad story, it just wasn’t for me.


The Gardener’s Daughter by Anne Love

Magdalena “Maggie” Abbott loves to read and learn and she has a power with words. She spends her days working at the library and hiding the truth of her circumstances with others.

Wesley Graham was raised by his wealthy uncle and is expected to meet certain family expectations.

While spending the summer in their wealthy cottage home, Wesley meets Maggie at the nearby library and they begin an academic project together. Will Maggie’s secrets and Graham’s family obligations keep them apart?

-The pace seemed a little strange in this book. Some parts were drawn out and other parts seemed to move too quickly.

-My favorite part of the book was when they were working together at the library.

-I found it strange that Maggie thought she would hurt her father’s pride if she liked a wealthy man.


A Tale of Two Hearts by Gabrielle Meyer

After the death of Lucy Taylor’s father, she has to take on a job as a lady’s maid so she can help care for her family, especially her injured sister.

Eli Boyer dreams of racing and manufacturing cars one day and leaving his life as a footman behind. However, when he meets Lucy, he is coming to realize that his previous dreams may no longer be enough.

-As a fan of auto racing, I enjoyed reading about the early days of racing.

-I felt like I wanted to know more about Mr. Alexander and Mr. Walker’s past with Mrs. Walker that was briefly mentioned in the book.

Union Pacific Princess ~ Gage saves Darra and her cousin from an explosion, covering them with his body. Gage is an interpreter and friend of the local Indians. When trouble strikes he is impressed by Darra's desire to help and her compassion.

The Right Pitch ~ This is the story of a women's baseball team. Winnie is the captain of the team, they are preparing to play a charity game at the exhibition. When Beck brings his sister to join the team, Winnie talks him into coaching their team. Beck lost his arm in the war, will he let it hold him back from finding love?

A Gift in Secret ~ Sam and May are brought together by May's father's will. They are given choices, and neither of them know all the details, but time is running out and they only have one month to make up their minds. They get to know each other, and are surprised by what awaits them at the end.

For Richer or Poorer ~ Woody runs a delivery business and spends the remainder of his time helping the orphaned immigrant children. He is good with languages and is able to speaks to Elena when he almost runs down with his horses. Elena is an immigrant from Poland and asks Woody to teach her English so that she can marry a rich man who can pay to bring the rest of her family to America. But will her best laid plans go awry?

A House of Secrets ~ Amanda and Joseph are getting ready for their upcoming nuptials. Amanda wants to fix up an old house and turn it into a school for children. but little does she know that doing some may uncover Joseph's secret. Joseph has his secrets and he hasn't told Amanda everything about his past.

Win, Place or Show ~ Beryl comes from a wealthy family. but she has more interest in her horses than in flirting. Her parents want her to marry an English lord. Gard is an excellent horseman and ex-military, he agrees to give Beryl riding lessons for the summer and he is a great teacher. He has his own plans and doesn't want distractions. This was one of my favorites, very poignant with a fantastic ending.

The Fisherman's Nymph ~ Abby and her father are skilled fishers, her father wants to guide people and fishing expeditions. Their first trips is with a family friend Jonathan, who brings along a city slicker who takes a shine to Abby. Charles really get's on Abby's nerves, but will he prove his worth when there is a lot on the line?

The Gardner's Daughter ~ This one was my favorite. Wes is a professor and he asks librarian, Maggie with a projec by reading, reviewing, and answering questions about books. Wes is impressed by Maggie's insight, imagination, and thought provoking questions. But after each of their meetings in the library she disappears. Wes is intrigued and wants to know her better. I loved Miss Eloise who serves as a chaperone, and helps Wes as well.

A Tale of Two Hearts ~ Lucy is grateful for her new job as a lady's maid. She want to compete in her employer's contest to win money for her sister's operation. But she also would like her friend Elijah to win so that he can pursue his dream of building racecars.

This is a great collection of stories that highlight different times and places in history, with strong men and women of faith, integrity, who are searching for someone of good character regardless of their station in life.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

First, let me clarify that the title of this novella collection isn’t From Rags to Riches. I wanted to get that across upfront because after the second story, I was a little confused.

Each of these stories set in the gilded age (1867-1899) follows characters in different financial situations. Some of the stories are about a poor person and a rich person, some about two servants, and some about two wealthy people. However, all of them emphasis the point that love knows no boundaries.

It’s always hard for me to review these collections because each story has something special about it but if I go into all nine stories in this novella collections, you’re going to get bored. So, instead, I’ll share my favorite of the bunch.

The Right Pitch by Susanne Dietze has a hero who sees himself as not whole but the heroine doesn’t see him that way at all. Add in the fun of women playing baseball and the fourth of July, and there’s something that screams summer about this love story.

With so many offerings in this collection, there is bound to be something for everyone to enjoy. Plus, readers have the added benefit of several bite-size stories you can read in one sitting. Barbour Publishers excel at providing readers with quality novella collections that don’t disappoint.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

I really liked this collection of novellas. The were mostly well-written and well-researched - some of the language was too modern but I'll file that under artistic freedom.

A great collection of stories set in the late 1800s. I enjoyed each selection in the set. Each was well written. I enjoyed the authors' writing.

This collection of stories is well-written. There is a good variety here. It is sometimes difficult to find a good set of Christian stories such as these. I was pleased to have had the opportunity to read them. I recommend "Of Rags and Riches Romance Collection". I am grateful to NetGalley for allowing me to receive an ARC. I did not feel obligated to leave a review.

Of Rags and Riches Romance Collection was an entertaining collection of novellas involving to some degree the unlikely relationships between one poor and one wealthy person. Each novella was set in a slightly different setting, time period, or state. I enjoyed all of them immensely, and I thought that each author did an excellent job with crafting a good storyline and believable characters in a short number of pages.

She's poor, he's rich; he's poor, she's rich; either way, the love bug bites them and elevates at least one of the couple into the polite society of the day. In this collection of romance novellas, the money spoke and it said, "I love you."

The powers that be at Barbour Books pulled together nine extremely talented authors to bring love to society's mis-matched couples. I have come to the conclusion that there are authors who write best when they write full length novels, but there are some incredible authors who can write the short novella and bring just as much enjoyment to the reader as the full-length novelists do. It's quite a feat, and Barbour Books knows who these authors are and how to tap into their talents to the best outcome.

This is a five-star collection, two thumbs up, and an unexpected bit of money.

My thanks to Barbour Books for allowing me to read and review this book.

Another perfect collection of short stories! I loved getting to know the unique characters and storylines of each author's section. I really adore these romance collections.