The Secret Admirer Romance Collection

When you collect nine authors who tell nine stories, you get some of the same kinds of stories, but all from a different perspective, and all have the right length to allow you to get away for an hour in the afternoon and escape the real world.

The problem with this format of reading is that the authors. who are ultimately qualified to write these stories, are hamstrung by the length of the narrative. Few authors are able to develop a plot as well as the personalities that populate the plot.

Barbour Publishing has the knack of finding the best of the best who can achieve this nearly impossible task of great stories that only take an hour to read. Each of the tales in this olio involve someone loving another from afar and finally finding his/her own true love. Part of the time, I read this before falling asleep, part of the time I read while I was exercising on my stationary bike.

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and an anonymous love letter.

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

My review:- I absolutely loved it. The collection was awesome with poignant and captivating plots,strong andengaging characters and a prose designed to hook the reader right in. I enjoyed it very much and would recommend it to everyone. The book is fabulous

This is a lovely collection with a wide range of settings and historical time periods and plot lines.

The Cost of a Heart-- Lily Mongomery is a rich, high society widow, she befriends her driver Nathan, talking to him about her daily life. When she discovers that the man she is courting is only after her money, she makes a bold choice.

The Advocate-- Hannah Davis comes to Riverton for two reasons. 1) To write for her aunt's newspaper, 2) To meet the legendary, Mitch Kincaid. Neither of her plans work out the way that she had planned. So helps Mitch by writing anonymous letters to the paper to get him re-elected, because he is too stubborn to do it himself. One of my favorites of the collection with great characters, action, interaction, and a fantastic ending!

Too Many Secrets -- Abigail agrees to be a mail-order-bride to give her 4 younger siblings a chance at a better life. But her groom-to-be never mentioned his age, and things don't go as planned, as rumors begin to run rampant. Will Abigail find a happily ever after?

Love in a Store -- Janet writes letters to Adam and leaves them hidden in his store. Adam has no idea who is ending him the notes. He also finds faith, as he begins reading the Bible for himself.

The Last Letter-- Emilia keeps her promise to her fiance even after his death in the war, after receiving his last letter she travels to Kansas to start again. Along the way she meets an orphan boy, who is deaf. Cyrus is the sheriff, and he does what he can to help them. But Cyrus has a secret, but he fears that it will change the course his growing friendship with Emilia. A great story with well developed characters, a lot going on, and a dramatic rescue!

The Outcast's Redemption -- Maisie has some mysteries to solve, as she tries to unravel the past of what happened when her father was sheriff, who is really behind the crimes that the sheriff is accusing Lucky of, and who is leaving gifts for her porch. Lucky really likes Maisie, but he get's tongue tied around her. But when the time comes will he be able to find his voice and help Maisie get to the bottom of everything?

Beside Still Waters -- John is a former Texas Ranger looking for a fresh start homesteading in Oklahoma. He does his best to make friends and help his prickly new neighbor, Sarah. She doesn't trust men. John keeps offering, and he's there for her when strange things start happening.

The Princess of Polecat Creek-- A series of mishaps bring Pearl Barrett and Deke Wyatt together though, despite the fact that their families have been feuding for years. I liked Pearl's determination, and that Deke doesn't stop looking for the truth. A great ending, and surprises along the way!

Love from Afar-- This was one of my favorites. I like that Meridith's sister, Tillie and Gabe's sister, Lula, plot to get their siblings together. Gabe needs all the help he can get because when he is around Meridith, he loses the ability to speak. This was a sweet and humorous read, and I enjoyed every minute.

This is a great compilation, with strong men of faith, and women who make bold choices and follow their hearts.


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The Secret Admirer Romance Collectionis an entertaining anthology of short stories by Amanda Barratt, Lorraine Beatty, Molly Noble Bull, Anita Mae Draper, CJ Dunham, Jennifer Uhlarik, Becca Whitham, Kathleen Y'Barbo, and Penny Zeller. I have said this before but find this to be a wonderful way to try out new authors’ work. There is sure to be something for everyone.

Each story takes you back in time to a period where life may have been simpler but love was just as complex. The titles are as follows:
The Cost of a Heart by Amanda Barratt
The Advocate by Lorraine Beatty
Too Many Secrets by Molly Noble Bull
Love in Store by Anita Mae Draper
The Last Letter by CJ Dunham
The Outcast’s Redemption by Jennifer Uhlarik
Beside Still Waters by Becca Whitham
The Princess of Polecat Creek by Kathleen Y’Barbo
Love from Afar by Penny Zeller

The size of the stories limited the author from truly developing the characters or expanding the plot. There were a couple I would have liked to see expanded into full novels such as Kathleen Y’Barbo’s The Princess of Polecat Creek and Too Many Secrets by Molly Noble Bull.

I dislike none of the novellas, but like some more than others. My favorites were the poignant The Last Letter by CJ Dunham, and The Outcast’s Redemption by Jennifer Uhlarik which is exactly as the title implies. My last favorite is a pioneer story, Beside Still Waters by Becca Whitham. All three are different from each other by relatively new authors for me to read their books. I love finding new authors to enjoy their writing.

I can recommend without reservation this Christian Historical Romance Anthology to others.

The secret admirer Romance Collection Can Concealed Love Be Revealed in 9 Historical Novellas? by Amanda Barratt, Lorraine Beatty, Molly Noble Bull, Anita Mae Draper, CJ Dunham, Jennifer Uhlarik, Becca Whitham, Kathleen Y'Barbo, Penny Zeller is a book published by Barbour this May 1 and a treasure of old romanticism and at the same time great love-stories with courageous women and strong feelings!
The stories are all beautiful.

I loved the most was the one of Miss Emilia Davis and Ava. Ava was the fiancee of this girl but he died. He died during the Secession War but although he died during the war, Emilia every few days went at the local post office of her town and sent a letter to him. This one was their favorite way of communication. But the day the war of Secession ended up she receives a last letter from Ava apparently written on June 2 1864 the day Ava lost his life. Emilia devastated from this news.

Emilia lost everyone during the war: his parents, siblings, the same man he loved the most. And now she should give also away Downy Lane the estate where she was living and working in.


She doesn't know what to do, but then she goes at a meeting and she understand that there is the possibility of buying a store in Kansas.

Emilia think that she doesn't lose anything or anyone behind and she can buying this store. But there will be other problems....Bureaucracy.

The tale will follow the historical days of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln with all the turmoil that this unwanted news brought with it.

She decides to adopt a kid. She needed a company someone to grow up waiting for a final stabilization although once arrived to Manhattan, Kansas, she discovers that the papers she signed were "fraudulent" in most parts, that she didn't have anything in that store.

Slowly slowly thanks to some local "guardian angels" Emilia will sort out the problems, bringing her also back some memories from the past.

But problems are not yet finished, because someone thought that well Emilia maybe had an illegitimate son comparing her at the heroine by Nathaniel Hawthorne: The Scarlet Letter.

At the same time Emilia started to analyze the two men she was interested in and the differences between them.

But there will be other problems. With the little boy, German. The end is a final confession and the best happy ending you could wish for Emilia and all the protagonists of this short, but absolutely tender, wonderful and strong story.

I suggest to every woman this book. It's relaxing, positive, you will love these stories and you will be at the same time transported in another time.

The cover of this book is romantic, enchanting.


I thank NetGalley and Barbour for this beautiful book!

A delightful collection of new romantic novellas with a wide variety of people and settings. Ranging from the 1860's to early 1900's, in New York and Boston to Kansas and Montana, with elite rich down to some with very little. Fun scenarios created by one person having a crush on another, but not knowing how to overcome a barrier, sometimes class, or past mistakes, shyness or family differences. Many of these would make good full-length novels!

I enjoyed them all, especially the ones with the gentlemen who were the strong, quieter solid type, looking out for the ladies who needed help and protection sometimes; the tongue-tied shy ones like Gabe in the last story, and cowboy Luke Tolliver, were especially endearing. Cyrus Holden in The Last Letter was my favorite though, with his quiet, sacrificial, faithful qualities, patiently helping Emilia. What a guy! The Advocate was a fun western too, with a mystery and action. Loved the ending on that one especially. Some sigh-worthy moments in them all when they reveal their true feelings.
Recommend for fans of Christian historical romances! 4.5 stars

Oh my! What an absolute delight it was to read The Secret Admirer Romance Collection! This is a collection of short stories by 9 Christian fiction authors. What I love about the stories is that they are clean christian fiction and I don't have to worry about hiding what I am reading when my younger children come into the room. I even approve of my teens reading these stories. I love that I can read as much or as little at a time as I want to with these shorter stories yet that they are full stories and you don't feel like you are missing out on a complete story.
Highly recommended to all!
Pub Date 01 May 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour books for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest review!

This 9-book compilation starts out with a great one, a chauffeur that is in love with the Lady of the house, Lily. A great read! Another story is a love romance with the town sheriff. There’s a story with repentance and salvation, one dealing with bitterness and the harm it does to the person allowing it to fester in their soul, and some with love notes that were passed. There’s a woman who travels West after purchasing a store unseen. She finds the love of a little boy and a man in this one. A quote I love from one of them says, “Just thinking how the prettiest gal in Blackwater is wearing my last name.” And “Perhaps pitied wasn’t exactly the right word, for no matter what sort of orders her groom would be receiving, he would still be putting his boots under the same bed where that woman slept.” It’s got you swooning at one moment and laughing-out-loud at the next. Check out these funny quotes from the book. “Sarah Maffey was a mystery wrapped in porcupine quills. Trying to figure her out was like trying to solve a crime, and the Texas Ranger in him was intrigued.” “Sakes alive! From nothing to jackrabbit speed in an instant.” And “Sarah no longer cared two bean or a pickle for the man. Not when men like John Tyler lived and breathed.” Of course, you have the usage of the new married name in “welcome home Mrs. Wyatt.” and the funny use of “Fiddlesticks!” A great read all around. Check it out for yourself at the links below.
I received a copy of this from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I so enjoyed this collection of nine novellas! I loved the unpredictability of who the secret admirer might be. I liked that it wasn't always a main character. Each novella is a stand-alone story. They are just the right length to read one novella in the evening before bed or in a waiting room for the doctor or car repair as I did.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Inspirational, Historical fiction.

The Secret Admirer Romance Collection is a book that makes you want to cuddle up on a couch or a window seat, boil a nice big cup of hot chocolate and spray a ton of whip cream on top and cuddle up next to your cuddliest pillow, teddy bear, boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse and start reading these touching, historical romances - each one - believe me or not - better than the other. There are 9 stories that set my heart aback. I was so absorbed in the reading I didn't hear my phone go off - now that's a book - it is a boundless in the differentiation in love stories. Not one was similar to the last - don't you get so sick of the same ole same ole? That isn't here - the authors are brave in their stories and how they tell them - the heart is the clear - cut subject object of the affection of these 9 stories. Your heart will be touched. You have stories of freedom and restarting of life and love it opens the heart and eyes of the characters, in some, some need a little extra help but these stories open hearts that have been closed or just lost - GOD uses all things to open or as a so called compass - lol - to love, or feel again or for the first time or for the right person. GOD is good - AMEN?

Generally, I prefer new romances and not ones that begin as an unrequited love. However, the authors of this book did a great job of making these romances very believable in spite of that. I enjoyed watching several of them come together. Yes, as others have commented the stories are a bit predictable, but honestly that's what I'm looking for when I sit down with a pleasant, light, Christian romance. I want a pleasant story, and that's what these provided. Short enough to read in one sitting, yet still have plenty of details and depth to the characters.