These were good short stories that I really appreciated because they got straight to the romance. Nothing about them wowed me but they were really sweet stories that made me smile. I feel like they are more realistic with how people meet and don't have some drama keeping them apart.

The last story though with the girl that looks like her mom gave me chills though!

“Lilac Time” gives you three novellas, three different flavors of emotional mess, and one very strong urge to hug a pet with a ridiculous name. The premise is solid: women at crossroads, small-town backdrops, and enough lilacs and lemonade to wallpaper a Hallmark set. But let’s be real — this collection is less about the flowers and more about women trying to figure out how to live after the rug’s been yanked out from under them.

In “Sweet as Honey” by Fern Michaels, Natalie Simmons heads home to help her dad recover from hip surgery and maybe avoid making eye contact with her romantic past. She’s a web designer for rock stars (which feels extremely unbothered of her), but she trades in the city for farmer’s market booths and food pantry shifts while she stays with her parents — and also while dodging a complicated emotional rebound. The real plot starts buzzing when she meets Garrett, a grumpy but golden-hearted beekeeper who initially comes off like the human equivalent of a wet newspaper. He and his sister Georgia run a small honey company, and while Garrett clearly wants nothing to do with this rom-com energy, their slow-burn bickering builds into something sweet. Mr. Meowser (her cat) and Mr. Bumbles (his dog) obviously steal the show. There's a Fourth of July Jamboree, because of course there is. And while nothing in this story breaks new ground, the cozy small-town energy is so strong you can practically smell the honey sticks.

“Everything She’d Ever Wanted” by Lori Foster is a different kind of soft. Anna Beth Sanders has no family — not really. She grew up in foster care, she lives alone with her very emotionally intuitive Chiweenie named Ruby, and her version of human connection is hanging out with her elderly neighbor Sony and pretending not to be crushed by how lonely she is. Then comes Devlin — Sony’s nephew — and Devlin’s five-year-old daughter Mia, who Anna Beth can’t help but adore. Mia and Ruby are instant soulmates. Anna Beth and Devlin… not so much. At least not at first. But Sony is a seasoned chaos agent and determined to play matchmaker. It’s sweet, it’s slow, and it’s less about sweeping romantic gestures and more about what it means to belong — to a person, a community, maybe even a future. This one’s the only story that brings a little heat — like someone finally remembered grown adults have hormones and unresolved tension. Also? The grandma drama is peak meddling energy, and you’ll want to throw something at her. In the best way.

Carolyn Brown’s “The Memory Cabin” is all about emotional rubble. Jenna Stewart gets hit with the double whammy of a marriage falling apart and her mother dying — on the same damn day — and it sends her straight back to the lake cabin she grew up in. She paints. She processes. She meets Carson Makay, the soon-to-be park ranger with a conveniently tragic backstory and a history with Jenna that goes back fifteen years. But this story isn’t just about the romance — it’s also about friendship. Jenna’s annual grief-counseling weekend with her two best friends (Amber and Kelly, forever iconic) adds warmth and grounding to a story that otherwise could’ve tipped into melancholy. There are secrets, shared memories, and that very specific kind of love story that only happens after everything else falls apart. Carson doesn’t save her. He just shows up — and lets her choose what comes next.

Three stars. The pacing is uneven. Some emotional arcs get microwaved. And a couple of the romantic pairings go from "who are you?" to "I’d die for you" a little too quickly. But there’s real charm here. This is a collection about second chances — not the dramatic kind, but the quiet, hopeful ones. The ones that sneak up on you at a farmer’s market or in the middle of painting a lake at sunrise. If you need a reset, a warm hug of a read, or just a book where people have actual conversations and nobody gets ghosted or murdered? “Lilac Time” delivers.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for an advanced audiobook.

A compliation of three books by three different authors brings some healing stories and romance. Fern michaels story Sweet as honey 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. Everything she 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. 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. These are stories of healing from loss and trauma and finding your path forward back to love by still being yourself. Definitely great for the beach as well as quick reads recommend to the light reader. Thanks to Netgalley. the authors and publisher.

This is three books in one and I think they all deserve a separate breakdown.

Book one: sweet as honey
The main character Natalie has broken up with her boyfriends and in typical romance way something happens that causes her to move back in with her parents. In this case, she moved back in to help with her father.
Small town, typical romance, literally almost bumped into a guy and she can’t get him off her mind. While going about her life, she is constantly thinking about him. She ends up, designing a website for his business, and we assume happily ever after.
I can’t remember the title, but this was basically a Christmas book. I read a few years ago. Different characters, different setting same story though.
2/5 stars just not creative. The best part was the cat Mr. Meowser.

Book 2: Everything she’d ever wanted
Annabeth and Devlin cute love story Devlin’s wife died he has a small daughter and him and Annabeth have had feelings for each other for a long time. They are finally opening up to those feelings and to each other. Annabeth truly cares for his family and is unlike other girls. I wish this story was longer it was so cute and touching to read.
I really related to Annabeth not having family of her own, as well as Mia losing her mom at such a young age.
4/5

Book 3: The memory cabin
A group of friends that get together at the cabin in the summer, but they are all moving on with their lives. Different from the other 2 books as this one is a group of friends rather than one lead female. It’s typical group getting together looking back and moving on. With romance involved. There really isn’t a whole lot to say about it.
2/5

I wanted to listen to this audiobook because of one of my favorite authors, Lori Foster and it was just a bonus to get two more authors novellas as well. Lori Foster once again proved why she has become a favorite. I absolutely adore the single dad trope. Plus she really pulled on my heartstrings when our h was an orphan who gets a family in her happily ever after. Loved it! I’m also happy to get a taste of two new to me authors. I enjoyed both and plan to check out more by both of them. I must also mention the narrator did a great job with all three novellas.

Th stories were fine but not the greatest. All kind of a little boring.
The narrator really took me out of the stories. Definitely not a good fit.

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 and a great narrator 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!

Three sweet romances.

Three romance novellas. These are sweet stories that are not connected.

SWEET AS HONEY * Fern Michaels
Natalie is through with pining over her ex. If only her efforts to be social again didn’t lead to repeated run-ins with an infuriating beekeeper at the local farmer’s market. Yet Garrett keeps buzzing around. And as Natalie watches his patience and dedication in tending his hives, she begins to wonder if life has a sweet surprise in store.

EVERYTHING SHE’D EVER WANTED * Lori Foster
Annabeth can see that her neighbor’s handsome nephew, Devlin, has his hands full, raising his little girl single-handed. Yet though his life is frazzled, it’s full of the kind of joy and togetherness she longs for. And when Devlin’s daughter and Annabeth’s tiny dog fall hard for each other, it might be the start of more than one beautiful friendship.

THE MEMORY CABIN * Carolyn Brown
Jenna Stewart loves gathering at her Texas lakeside cabin with her girlfriends. It’s an annual tradition to reconnect with the women who helped her deal with her mother’s passing along with the end of her marriage. But this year, lives are changing, dreams are evolving. And perhaps Jenna’s heart has healed enough to welcome a new love that arrives with the first flowers of spring