I went into this one having only ever read ne of the collaborating authors and was looking forward to getting to know the other two. All in all this was an okay read but not a standout one. I read each story between longer, heavier reads and a# a palate cleanser, they worked. I can’t say that this was a favourite but I’m sure for fans of these authors , it will be a top read. TBR and Enjoy!

I was so excited for this anthology/Novela featuring three of my favorite authors.
EVERYTHING SHE EVER WANTED by Lori Foster
I absolutely fell in love with the characters in this book. For a novella, they just had so much personality. AnnaBeth lost her parents at a young age, and she was put into the foster care system. She eventually worked her way into a neighborhood with an amazing neighbor. They kind of adopted each other. Sony would call on Annabeth whenever he needed something. And Annabeth was always willing to help. Annabeth also had a sweet little dog that she named Ruby.

Uncle Sony had a nephew that would come by when he could. And that nephew’s name is Devlin and he just so happens to be extremely attractive. With a delightful little girl named Mia.

Ruby and Mia became best friends right away. So you can kind of say that this little family ended up coming together because of the dog.

THE MEMORY CABIN by Carolyn Brown

I cannot imagine what it would be like to be Jenna. Who lost her mom and was served with divorce papers from her somewhat useless husband on the very same day.
There’s this saying the grass is always greener. Jenna had two friends, Amber and Kelly that she met in grief counseling. They made a habit of getting together once a year to exchange memories and catch up. In what is called “The Memory Cabin”After hearing what Amber and Kelly had to say, Jenna felt better. And decided that maybe she could love again.
Carson Makay finished his military duties and came home to replace his uncle Victor as the park Ranger. Also, he’s carrying his burdens over the loss of a good friend.
He is pretty attracted to Jenna. Could this be Jenna’s new love?

SWEET AS HONEY by Fern Michael’s

Natalie, it’s a bit confused why everybody in town loves the local beekeeper Garrett. Natalie’s first impression of him was not that great. But the more she got to know him the more she could understand how the rest Of The Town felt.
Another great read with wonderful characters.

I find books that are a compilation of short stories to be very relaxing at the end of a long day and these three all star authors feed my soul. First up is Fern Michaels', "Sweet as Honey. "Natalie and Garrett's story is all about building expectations until the very end. The plotting was so unique and had me using my imagination to guess what would happen in their future.
Next up is Lori Foster's, "Everything She'd Ever Wanted." I read everything Lori Foster writes and this story truly warmed my heart. Annabeth is someone you can't help but fall in love with and she deserves all the best things in life. Devlin and his family have the ability to make all of her wishes come true. I didn't want this HEA to ever end!
The grand finale is Carolyn Brown's, "The Memory Cabin." A sweet, slow burn romance about three friends discovering their second chance at happiness. A testament to never give up!

My Thoughts

SWEET AS HONEY FERN MICHAELS

Thirty-four-year-old Natalie Simmons thought of herself as a tomboy-nerd, or a nerdy-tomboy because growing up an hour from Ocala National Forest Natalie was able to indulge in outdoor activities and dressing comfortably became her go to preference for clothing.

Before she realized almost 15 years had passed since Natalie spent any time in the area where she grew up.

When she moved home to help while her father recovered from hip surgery Natalie rediscovered how laid-back things were in her previous small town Florida life compared to the faster pace lifestyle she had grown used to a mere three hours away in the city of Jacksonville.

Over the weeks that Natalie spends helping out her parents and reconnecting with her best friend Diana her needs and wants for life change in the best possible ways.

By end of this story what started out as a short-term plan turned into a new beginning for Natalie, in more ways than one.


EVERYTHING SHE’D EVER WANTED LORI FOSTER

We are introduced to main character AnnaBeth Sanders and her tiny Chiweenie dog, Ruby, who’d fallen head-over-paws in love with five-year-old Mia the daughter of her elderly neighbor Sony’s hot nephew, Devlin Connely.

AnnaBeth had met Devlin the year before, playing it cool around him, his Uncle Sony and Devlin’s adorable daughter Mia every time she interacted with them but falling deeper in love the entire time.
Luckily for her those feelings were not just on her part but reciprocated by all three making the dream of one day having a family to call her own a reality for AnnaBeth.

THE MEMORY CABIN * Carolyn Brown

Jenna Stewart finds solace in reuniting once a year with her friends Amber and Kelly.

Having helped each other over the years to confront and overcome life changes that caused them mental anguish and grief.

Now however there are even more future changes as Jenna finds out and must find a way to stay positive about for each of her friend’s sake.

The common theme for each short story is change and second chances.

While each of these authors have always excelled in keeping a full length novel interesting and making me happy to have read them this particular collection worked but I did not feel any real compulsion to finish any of the three offerings in one sitting as I normally would.

[EArc from Netgalley]
On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

I enjoyed all 3 stories,by 3 equally amazing authors. Each Novella was filled with ladies who find love when they were least expecting to. Who doesn’t enjoy books that feature adorable pets,awesome girlfriends,charming guys,a couple of sweet uncles & a hard to resist 5 year old girl,who steals everyone’s heart! This book releases on 4-29-‘25 make sure you grab yourself a copy

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. While I appreciated the stories, I didn’t completely love them.

This collection featured three short novellas, each with a different take on romance. The first, by Fern Michaels, follows Natalie as she returns home to care for her father after surgery. At a crossroads in her life, she has fleeting encounters with Garrett, a beekeeper, but their interactions are minimal. The story felt more like Natalie’s personal journey rather than a romance, and the connection between her and Garrett didn’t fully develop until the very end, making it difficult to feel invested in their relationship.

Lori Foster’s story centers on Annabeth and Devlin, neighbors who have admired each other from afar for over a year. When Devlin’s daughter falls ill, Annabeth steps in to help, and their relationship quickly turns romantic. It was a sweet and predictable story, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression.

The final novella, The Memory Cabin by Carolyn Brown, was my favorite of the three. Jenna has built a quiet life for herself in her family’s cabin after a difficult past, and her new neighbor, park ranger Carson, slowly becomes part of her world. Though their relationship develops quickly due to the short format, it was still charming and enjoyable.

Overall, this was a pleasant read, but I didn’t find the romances particularly deep or memorable. Fans of quick, light love stories may enjoy it more.

Three sweet stories but my favorite was the one by Lori Foster's, Everything She'd Ever Wanted. This was a story that was all about family- the one made by blood and the one made by the heart. AnnaBeth's heart was very tender and bruised from her years in foster care but she loved with every fiber of her being. Devlin is trying to find balance in his life but is willing to take a chance with AnnaBeth, and the tenderness he shows her is so sweet. Sony, Mia and Ruby are the cherries on top. Enjoy.

Lilac Time is a cute book with 3 novellas by three wonderful authors.
Sweet As Honey is a cute little small town romance about a girl who ends things with her boyfriend and goes home to help her parents and ends up falling for “the local beeman.” When they finally meet.
Everything She ever Wanted by Lori Foster was my personal favorite . Annabelle falls for her neighbor’s nephew and his little girl. Ruby the chiweenie steals the show.
The Memory Cabin by Carolyn Brown is a sweet story about three best friends that have survived heartache and the friendship they have shared for years .
This collection of stories is full of friendship, romance and new beginnings . Perfect reading if you enjoy small town romances.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy for my opinion.

Lilac Time by Fern Michaels includes 3 novellas.

Sweet as Honey - Fern Michaels
Natalie Simmons is a graphic designer and works online designing and maintaining websites for bands and recording artists. After a relationship with her boyfriend, Alec, ended, she gladly returns to her hometown to help care for her dad who had hip replacement surgery.
While volunteering at the local farmer's market, Natalie formally meets Garrett and his sister, Georgia, who owns and runs the Honey Business Apiary. Garrett is a beekeeper who is loved by everyone in town, but Natalie's first impression of him when she arrived was not a pleasant one. Natalie is glad to reunite with Diana, her childhood friend. Diana owns the Hometown Flower Shop.
Natalie and her cat, Mr. Meowser, are happy to be living with her mom and dad for a month or so while her dad undergoes physical therapy. She also enjoys helping out the local food pantry.
Garrett is happy running his business and playing with his dog, Mr. Bumbles. Neither are ready to get into another relationship.
As the time passes, Natalie begins to contemplate her future life and what she would want it to look like. Everything begins to change at the "Independence Day Jamboree", which was a huge success!
I loved the characters and the setting!

Everything She'd Ever Wanted
Anna Beth Sanders has never had a "family". Her parents died when she was very young, and her childhood was spent living with one foster family after another.
Anna Beth lives with her Chiweenie dog, Ruby. She watches over her elderly neighbor, Sony, who lives alone. She enjoys spending time with him. To her he feels like family.
Sony is visited often by his nephew, Devlin. Devlin's daughter, Mia, who is 5 years old, lost her mother when she was 2. Visiting Uncle Sony helps Devlin manage his grief and helps ward off Sony's loneliness. Mia loves playing with Ruby!!! Anna Beth is happy to visit with all of them. She is a very compassionate person and enjoys helping others.
Uncle Sony tries to play matchmaker with Anna Beth and Devlin while Mia's overindulgent grandmother tries to interfere!
I loved the characters and the setting!

The Memory Cabin - Carolyn Brown
Jenna Stewart loves to paint and works online with art galleries. On the same day that her husband of 11 months handed her divorce papers, her mom's housekeeper called to tell her that her mom had died suddenly of an aneurysm.
Jenna moved into her mom's cabin on lake. Victa beautiful lake. Victor is the park ranger and Dorena is his wife. Jenna has known them for as long as she can remember. Victor and Dorena will be retiring and moving to live close to their daughter and grandsons. Their nephew, Carson Makay, will take over as park ranger. Jenna saw Carson 15 years ago when his family stayed in a cabin next to them.
Once a year Jenna and her 2 friends, Amber and Kelly, get together at the cabin to share memories, both good and bad. They met at grief counseling 10 years ago and instantly became friends. This trip will bring many surprises for Jenna and her friends.
Read on as Jenna and Carson get to know each other!
I love the characters and setting!

I highly recommend this book!!!

I really enjoyed Lori Foster’s short story Everything She’d Ever Wanted in this anthology. Lori Foster is an auto read author for me. I really enjoyed AnnaBeth, Devlin and little Mia. The sweet dog Ruby helped tie these three together along with Uncle Sony. It was a fun novella to read.

Loved these short romance stories from three great writers. Easy reading and hold your attention as they have great storylines!

Everything She'd Ever Wanted - Lori Foster.
A sweet novella about a young woman, AnnaBeth, and her yearning for a family of her own. She grew up in foster care and never felt like she fit in anywhere until she moved next to a wonderful older man, Uncle Sony. Uncle Sony is funny and sees more than he lets on. His nephew and single father, Devlin, and his young daughter, Mia, visit Uncle Sony often to check on him. Something that AnnaBeth also does as his neighbor. She has secretly harbored a crush on Devlin and longed to be part of their little family. After spending more time together through circumstance, and how Devlin's daughter, Mia, had adopted AnnaBeth's dog Ruby, Devlin was finally able to share how he felt about AnnaBeth. She was cautiously optimistic since relationships never worked out for her. I really enjoyed this story and the characters. I highly recommend it. It is part of Lilac Time which is 3 novellas by 3 amazing authors!

I received an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest and unsolicited opinion.

If you are looking for something lighthearted to read this is it. These are some big hitting authors who have brought to us some quick stories with lots of heart.
I enjoyed reading this between some of my heavier reads as it brought a smile to my face.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

Cute short stories. Dragged a bit in parts but all in all I liked the characters and of course loved the dog.

Lilac Time is a sweet trio of stories by fantastic authors.

EVERYTHING SHE’D EVER WANTED by Lori Foster was a great read! I adore when a story is brought to life with the help of kids and animals, and this one had both! Annabeth has taken notice of her neighbor's nephew, Devlin and his adorable little girl. Devlin's daughter has taken notice of Annabeth's little dog. Devlin has definitely noticed his uncle's neighbor. Soon, they find their lives intertwined as their friendship develops.

This is such a delighful read that warms the heart.
 
SWEET AS HONEY by Fern Michaels

This is a cute and quick read. Natalie returns home to help her parents out while her dad is recovering from surgery. While home, she reconnects with old friends and makes new connections. After a less than ideal first meeting with the local beekeeper, she learns he's not so bad.

THE MEMORY CABIN * Carolyn Brown

This was a wonderful and emotional read. I loved how the main character was focused on moving forward while healing from the past. When Jenna learns this is the last annual gathering at her cabin with her friends, she finds it bittersweet. The promise of exciting days ahead arrives with a new park ranger.

Although it's a shorter story, the emotions of grief, uncertainties and new beginnings is weaved very well through the pages.

Three novellas by great authors. While I am not usually a fan of these short stories, as it feels the emotions go too fast from not meeting to the proposals, I did find my interest was kept for all three of these. Good authors. Would highly recommend.

Lilac Time contains three novellas, all of them heartwarming in their own way. In the stories, Fern Michaels, Lori Foster, and Carolyn Brown offer us a sense of family, neighbors, and long distance friends. There is an element of learning to trust again, working through grief in various aspects, secrets, and moving forward with life changes. And they all have animals in them! I recommend them for fun, easy reads!

This book is a collection of three heartwarming, entertaining romances. The real stars, of course, were the pets who somehow bring the couples together. Enchanting and charming, this is an easy-to-read go to for a feel-good story.

Three stories to read! And let’s be truthful, it’s all about the pets. In their own ways, they made the stories, at least for me.

Sweet As Honey by Fern Michaels: Great story about two people who are a little bit lost in life but finding each other makes it perfect. Natalie Simmons designs web presences for musicians and is owned by a cat. And she is a nature girl, though her solitary existence she’s come to realize, is limiting her joy of life. She runs into Garrett, the local beekeeper, and his dog Mr. Bumbles. Cute story, and dare I say...sweet.

Everything She’d Ever Wanted by Lori Foster: AnnaBeth Sanders and her Chiweenie dog, Ruby will melt your heart. To me, she was just a nice, caring, warm person who always looked at the bright side. She has a secret crush on Devlin Connely, the nephew of her next-door neighbor. And Devlin has a daughter Mia who not only stole AnnaBeth’s heart but her dog Ruby’s affections as well. So adorable! All the characters, including Uncle Sony, are just the best. AnnaBeth has a backstory that tugged my heart but it never gets her down. These four plus the pup make a perfect “family” and will warm your heart. I know they did mine. Loved it!

The Memory Cabin by Carolyn Brown: I started laughing at the first paragraph – Jenna Stewart came up with a great concept: birth certificates should come with the person’s “expiration date” so everyone can prepare. Now this was Jenna’s way to try to come to terms with her mother’s passing but the idea was still funny to me (not the actual death). She meets Carson Makay and his adorable dog, Bubba. Jenna has some lingering personal trauma from her past that she has to learn to deal with and Carson is the man to help. Great Southern-slant, sweet story and I enjoyed.

These are novellas about not related to each other, but with one theme. These stories are about three women who are not looking for love, but find it when they least expect it.

SWEET AS HONEY - Fern Michaels
Natalie Simmons thought she was right on track with a future with her boyfriend until he gives her the “we need to talk” line. She ends that relationship and with it her best friend.
She goes home to help her parents while her father recovers from hip surgery and suddenly realizes that happiness might be just where she is now. Having constant encounters with “the bee man” whom at first she found annoying,
Will being back home be the place to have a future? Will it include this new and interesting man?

EVERYTHING SHE EVER WANTED - Lori Foster
This one is at times heartbreaking as well as heartwarming.
AnnaBeth Sanders has finally found her happy place in her new house and a wonderful friendship with her next door elderly neighbor Sony. She’s also fallen in love with his granddaughter MIa and maybe even the little girl’s father, Devlin.
Devlin, a widower, is a man who truly sees AnnaBeth and wants to show her she really is worthy of love.
Hankies might be needed with this one.

THE MEMORY CABIN - Carolyn Brown
This was another sweet and touching story. Jenna Stewart’s life hasn’t always been easy. Ten years ago she lost her mother and her boyfriend broke up with her, but thanks to a grieving group, she gained two wonderful friends. Friends that for the last ten years, have come to visit her once a year at her cabin, making it “the memory cabin”. One where good memories are held.
When the new park ranger comes to town, an immediate bond and attraction occurs.
This is also the year that things will end and new ones will blossom. Will Jenna be able to let go of the past, and embrace her future? One that might include Carson Makay?

I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and Kensington Books. The opinions expressed are solely my own.