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Montgomery/Taggert: Publication order #19
The Invitation
In the three novellas collected here, bestselling romancer Deveraux explores some of the limits of the genre she knows so well, indicating she may be as spunky as her heroines. The first story, The Invitation, is set in 1934. Jackie O'Neill returns to her hometown of Chandler, Colo., an accomplished pilot and a lonely widow. Developing her air transport business can keep her happy as a pilot, and her new partner, William Montgomery, promises to make very cozy company--until Jackie realizes he is the same little Billy she babysat for many years ago. In the second story, Matchmakers, Kane Taggert, who reluctantly agrees to guide four New York City women on a Colorado trail ride, may be enchanted by Ruth Edwards, a calculatingly charming widow, if only he can make it through the two-week trip without throttling Ruth's friend, bestselling author Cale Anderson. The last story, A Perfect Arrangement, finds Dorie Latham enlisting Cole Hunter, "an aging gunslinger with no visible means of support and the beginnings of a paunch," to play husband and help her elude her sister's matchmaking scheme.
306 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
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1677 people want to read
About the author
Jude Deveraux
199 books7,058 followersJude Gilliam was born September 20, 1947 in Fairdale, Kentucky. She has a large extended family and is the elder sister of four brothers. She attended Murray State University and received a degree in Art. In 1967, Jude married and took her husband's surname of White, but four years later they divorced. For years, she worked as 5th-grade teacher.
She began writing in 1976, and published her first book, The Enchanted Land (1977) under the name Jude Deveraux. Following the publication of her first novel, she resigned her teaching position. Now, she is the author of 31 New York Times bestsellers.
Jude won readers' hearts with the epic Velvet series, which revolves around the lives of the Montgomery family's irresistible men. Jude's early books are set largely in 15th- and 16th-century England; in them her fierce, impassioned protagonists find themselves in the midst of blood feuds and wars. Her heroines are equally scrappy -- medieval Scarlett O'Haras who often have a low regard for the men who eventually win them over. They're fighters, certainly, but they're also beauties who are preoccupied with survival and family preservation.
Jude has also stepped outside her milieu, with mixed results. Her James River trilogy (River Lady, Lost Lady, and Counterfeit Lady) is set mostly in post-Revolution America; the popular, softer-edged Twin of Fire/Twin of Ice moves to 19th-century Colorado and introduces another hunky-man clan, the Taggerts.
Deveraux manages to evoke a strong and convincing atmosphere for each of her books, but her dialogue and characters are as familiar as a modern-day soap opera's. "Historicals seem to be all I'm capable of," Jude once said in an interview, referring to a now out-of-print attempt at contemporary fiction, 1982's Casa Grande. "I don't want to write family sagas or occult books, and I have no intention of again trying to ruin the contemporary market." Still, Jude did later attempt modern-day romances, such as the lighthearted High Tide (her first murder caper), the contemporary female friendship story The Summerhouse, and the time-traveling Knight in Shining Armor. In fact, with 2002's The Mulberry Tree, Deveraux seems to be getting more comfortable setting stories in the present, which is a good thing, since the fans she won with her historical books are eager to follow her into the future.
Jude married Claude White, who she later divorced in 1993. Around the same time she met Mohammed Montassir with whom she had a son, Sam Alexander Montassir, in 1997. On Oct. 6th, 2005, Sam died at the age of eight in a motorcycle accident.
Jude has lived in several countries and all over the United States. She currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and has an additional home in the medieval city of Badolato, Italy.
She began writing in 1976, and published her first book, The Enchanted Land (1977) under the name Jude Deveraux. Following the publication of her first novel, she resigned her teaching position. Now, she is the author of 31 New York Times bestsellers.
Jude won readers' hearts with the epic Velvet series, which revolves around the lives of the Montgomery family's irresistible men. Jude's early books are set largely in 15th- and 16th-century England; in them her fierce, impassioned protagonists find themselves in the midst of blood feuds and wars. Her heroines are equally scrappy -- medieval Scarlett O'Haras who often have a low regard for the men who eventually win them over. They're fighters, certainly, but they're also beauties who are preoccupied with survival and family preservation.
Jude has also stepped outside her milieu, with mixed results. Her James River trilogy (River Lady, Lost Lady, and Counterfeit Lady) is set mostly in post-Revolution America; the popular, softer-edged Twin of Fire/Twin of Ice moves to 19th-century Colorado and introduces another hunky-man clan, the Taggerts.
Deveraux manages to evoke a strong and convincing atmosphere for each of her books, but her dialogue and characters are as familiar as a modern-day soap opera's. "Historicals seem to be all I'm capable of," Jude once said in an interview, referring to a now out-of-print attempt at contemporary fiction, 1982's Casa Grande. "I don't want to write family sagas or occult books, and I have no intention of again trying to ruin the contemporary market." Still, Jude did later attempt modern-day romances, such as the lighthearted High Tide (her first murder caper), the contemporary female friendship story The Summerhouse, and the time-traveling Knight in Shining Armor. In fact, with 2002's The Mulberry Tree, Deveraux seems to be getting more comfortable setting stories in the present, which is a good thing, since the fans she won with her historical books are eager to follow her into the future.
Jude married Claude White, who she later divorced in 1993. Around the same time she met Mohammed Montassir with whom she had a son, Sam Alexander Montassir, in 1997. On Oct. 6th, 2005, Sam died at the age of eight in a motorcycle accident.
Jude has lived in several countries and all over the United States. She currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and has an additional home in the medieval city of Badolato, Italy.
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February 7, 2023Finally the sense of humor and fun I remembered and why I am rereading the series :)
February 27, 2024
I usually like Jude Deveraux's books,but those novellas...they were just plain boring for me.
June 10, 2022
This is #17 in the Montgomery/Taggert series. This book has 3 novellas: The Invitation, Matchmakers and Perfect Arrangement. The Invitation is 1934 Eternity/Chandler Colorado. The H is William (Billy) Montgomery son of Jace and Nellie. Jackie O’Neill is the h a pilot and Widow 10 years older than Billy. Jackie is a famous pilot a celebrity who can outfly just about anyone. After her husband Charley also a pilot who was 20 years older than her died from heart failure in his sleep she received an invitation from Jace Montgomery to fly in a competition in Chandler. She decided to move home and fly freight and settle down. She met William when she crash landed. He rescued her. She didn’t recognize him as the boy that had a crush on her as a child. He offered to be a business partner with her and bought her some airplanes. Once she found out it was Billy her childhood crush she didn’t want him living with her. She knew people would think the worst. He asked her to marry him but she didn’t take him seriously. She dated an older man but while on the date all she could think about was William (Billy). When she got back home Billy was waiting for her. She told him how she felt. They started having an affair that night. He asked her to marry him again. She went away in her plane ran out of gas landing on a mountain top. It took a day for a friend to fly by and found her. Nellie Billy’s mom climbed the mountain bringing food and talked to her giving her some sound advice. She went down the mountain and found William telling him she loved him more than airplanes ✈️.
The Matchmaker H is Kane Taggert a stockbroker from NewYork with twin sons Jamie and Todd. The h is Cale Anderson a successful Murder Mystery author also from New York. Kane’s mother Pat was trying to matchmake for him. His twin brother Mike and his wife Pam were expecting twins and helping take care of his sons. Kane lost his wife a couple of years ago and was really lonely. His mom arranged for him to be a guide to 4 New York women in Chandler and Eternity Colorado. The women flew out to Denver and took a smaller plane to Eternity on the same airstrip that Montgomery’s owned from Invitation. Cale and Kane had a hot hate reaction from the start. A rattlesnake was ready to strike Ruth the woman Kane seemed to like ( looked like his first wife) he told Cale to get his revolver out of the glove bos and hand it to him. She decided to shoot the snake herself but she nearly shot off his toes. That made him want to strangle her. He touched her and she went berserk fighting him off scratching his face. After that they looked at one another and there were sparks. She met his twin brother Mike as they trades places for a day. She could easily tell them apart but know one else could. Mike said not to mention she knew to Kane. The family legend was that the woman who could tell the twins apart was the next bride. She was alone and he brought his twin boys into the room with her. She instantly fell in love with the two boys. She helped take care of them. The next evening he came to her and they made wild passionate love in the hayloft. It was the best orgasm Cale ever had. She went back to New York. She started writing sad romanced and her editor came to speak to her about that. A helicopter landed on top of the building where her penthouse was. Kane got off and was dressed in a Tuxedo with champagne and glasses. He proposed but she didn’t say yes until he let his sons in the front door.
The last story Perfect Arrangement takes place in Abilene Texas in 1882. The H is famous gunslinger Cole Hunter who people hired for peacekeeping with a few unfortunate casualties. He really had nothing to his name. The h is Dorie Latham a thirty year old spinster. Her father passed away a year ago and her older beautiful married sister was on her way to America from England to see her sister married and taken care of. Dorie had pretended she liked a widower but wrote that they had broken off their courtship. Her sister was coming over to make the man see reason and marry her sister. While Rowena was born with the looks and charm plus a well meaning heart, Dorie was plain, quiet, observant, clever and blunt saying the truth. She was desperate and decided to hire Cole Hunter to be her husband and pay him 5,000 dollars to get her sister off her back. At first Cole was insulted and didn’t want the job. He didn’t like some of the things she said about him like he was an aging gunslinger with weathered skin and wrinkles. He was a hero with no future. Not a man a woman would settle down with and raise a family. He couldn’t get these things out of his mind. She was plain like a little mouse so why was what she thought about him bother him so much. He was talking to the sheriff about her and his family and she walked into the bank across the street and then some cowboys went in to hold up the bank. Cole knew she was in danger and without a second thought ran to the bank to rescue her. He had to shoot one of the robbers and the rest got away without any money. She had been held at gun point but Cole distracted the hostage taker and she was able to drop down and role away. He pulled his gun the same time the robber did. The robber died but Cole was wounde in his shoulder. The doctor said it would be a few months before he had use of his arm. It was his shooting arm. Rowena arrived and was pressuring the match between the widower and Dorie. Cole went to see Dorie at the hotel they were staying at. He wanted to take her up on her offer of marriage as he was out of commission for a while. She tried to talk him out of it but then he kissed her and the lights went on. They would have stayed kissing each other but Rowena butted in. She insisted they marry right away. After Dorie and Cole talked it over, she agreed to marry him. He wanted to protect her and couldn’t wait to kiss her again. While they were getting to know each other on the train in a private car the train was held up by W Ford a evil notorious outlaw after revenge for his brother’s death at the bank job in Abilene. He told Dorie to stay put and go to a safe place and he would shoot it out with the outlaws Ford’s gang. He didn’t think he would survive but wanted to protect her. She came out screaming saying Cole was a bad man trying to steal her gold and did unmentionable things to her. This interested the Ford gang, sex and gold. They took them both hostage. They had to think of a way out of this. Ford took them to the outlaw abandoned town where just gambling and prostitution prevailed. Dorie refused to go into town her her nightrail. One of the men got her a dress from a hooker. She put it on and the men couldn’t stop looking at her. She felt beautiful something like her sister must feel all the time. Once in the town in the saloon she thought If she could divert the mens attention Cole could get a gun, some cash and find a way to save them. She started singing and then had to do a burlesque act of singing and stripping. Just before she took it all off Cole burst in the saloon doors on a horse with the men who wanted to hunt done the Ford gang. He picked Dorie up off the top of the bar and took off out of town back home to Latham. They stopped frequently to make love. The end.
Of the three stories this one didn’t have any Montgomerys or Taggerts in it but it was humorous and the characters were colourful and a nice western romance.
I don’t always enjoy Novellas but this was part of the series I am reading so I liked learning about Nellie and Jace’s family. They had 12 children and then we learned about one of their sons love life. The next story was in present day 1994 New York and Chandler/ Eternity with the Taggerts. They even talked about Carrie Montgomery and her husband the Great Templeton who was a friend of her brother Rings and his wife Madeline.
The Matchmaker H is Kane Taggert a stockbroker from NewYork with twin sons Jamie and Todd. The h is Cale Anderson a successful Murder Mystery author also from New York. Kane’s mother Pat was trying to matchmake for him. His twin brother Mike and his wife Pam were expecting twins and helping take care of his sons. Kane lost his wife a couple of years ago and was really lonely. His mom arranged for him to be a guide to 4 New York women in Chandler and Eternity Colorado. The women flew out to Denver and took a smaller plane to Eternity on the same airstrip that Montgomery’s owned from Invitation. Cale and Kane had a hot hate reaction from the start. A rattlesnake was ready to strike Ruth the woman Kane seemed to like ( looked like his first wife) he told Cale to get his revolver out of the glove bos and hand it to him. She decided to shoot the snake herself but she nearly shot off his toes. That made him want to strangle her. He touched her and she went berserk fighting him off scratching his face. After that they looked at one another and there were sparks. She met his twin brother Mike as they trades places for a day. She could easily tell them apart but know one else could. Mike said not to mention she knew to Kane. The family legend was that the woman who could tell the twins apart was the next bride. She was alone and he brought his twin boys into the room with her. She instantly fell in love with the two boys. She helped take care of them. The next evening he came to her and they made wild passionate love in the hayloft. It was the best orgasm Cale ever had. She went back to New York. She started writing sad romanced and her editor came to speak to her about that. A helicopter landed on top of the building where her penthouse was. Kane got off and was dressed in a Tuxedo with champagne and glasses. He proposed but she didn’t say yes until he let his sons in the front door.
The last story Perfect Arrangement takes place in Abilene Texas in 1882. The H is famous gunslinger Cole Hunter who people hired for peacekeeping with a few unfortunate casualties. He really had nothing to his name. The h is Dorie Latham a thirty year old spinster. Her father passed away a year ago and her older beautiful married sister was on her way to America from England to see her sister married and taken care of. Dorie had pretended she liked a widower but wrote that they had broken off their courtship. Her sister was coming over to make the man see reason and marry her sister. While Rowena was born with the looks and charm plus a well meaning heart, Dorie was plain, quiet, observant, clever and blunt saying the truth. She was desperate and decided to hire Cole Hunter to be her husband and pay him 5,000 dollars to get her sister off her back. At first Cole was insulted and didn’t want the job. He didn’t like some of the things she said about him like he was an aging gunslinger with weathered skin and wrinkles. He was a hero with no future. Not a man a woman would settle down with and raise a family. He couldn’t get these things out of his mind. She was plain like a little mouse so why was what she thought about him bother him so much. He was talking to the sheriff about her and his family and she walked into the bank across the street and then some cowboys went in to hold up the bank. Cole knew she was in danger and without a second thought ran to the bank to rescue her. He had to shoot one of the robbers and the rest got away without any money. She had been held at gun point but Cole distracted the hostage taker and she was able to drop down and role away. He pulled his gun the same time the robber did. The robber died but Cole was wounde in his shoulder. The doctor said it would be a few months before he had use of his arm. It was his shooting arm. Rowena arrived and was pressuring the match between the widower and Dorie. Cole went to see Dorie at the hotel they were staying at. He wanted to take her up on her offer of marriage as he was out of commission for a while. She tried to talk him out of it but then he kissed her and the lights went on. They would have stayed kissing each other but Rowena butted in. She insisted they marry right away. After Dorie and Cole talked it over, she agreed to marry him. He wanted to protect her and couldn’t wait to kiss her again. While they were getting to know each other on the train in a private car the train was held up by W Ford a evil notorious outlaw after revenge for his brother’s death at the bank job in Abilene. He told Dorie to stay put and go to a safe place and he would shoot it out with the outlaws Ford’s gang. He didn’t think he would survive but wanted to protect her. She came out screaming saying Cole was a bad man trying to steal her gold and did unmentionable things to her. This interested the Ford gang, sex and gold. They took them both hostage. They had to think of a way out of this. Ford took them to the outlaw abandoned town where just gambling and prostitution prevailed. Dorie refused to go into town her her nightrail. One of the men got her a dress from a hooker. She put it on and the men couldn’t stop looking at her. She felt beautiful something like her sister must feel all the time. Once in the town in the saloon she thought If she could divert the mens attention Cole could get a gun, some cash and find a way to save them. She started singing and then had to do a burlesque act of singing and stripping. Just before she took it all off Cole burst in the saloon doors on a horse with the men who wanted to hunt done the Ford gang. He picked Dorie up off the top of the bar and took off out of town back home to Latham. They stopped frequently to make love. The end.
Of the three stories this one didn’t have any Montgomerys or Taggerts in it but it was humorous and the characters were colourful and a nice western romance.
I don’t always enjoy Novellas but this was part of the series I am reading so I liked learning about Nellie and Jace’s family. They had 12 children and then we learned about one of their sons love life. The next story was in present day 1994 New York and Chandler/ Eternity with the Taggerts. They even talked about Carrie Montgomery and her husband the Great Templeton who was a friend of her brother Rings and his wife Madeline.
April 10, 2015
This rating and review only pertains to the short story contained in this collection, titled "The Matchmakers". I know I've read the other two stories in the collection at some point, but all I remember is that the hero in the titular short story kind of creeped me out with his years-long obsession over the heroine and I remember thinking the third story was okay, but that's literally all I remember. I know I've read "The Matchmakers" a few times and I remembered loving it.
I recently read "Sweet Liar" (which features Mike Taggart, who is Kane's identical twin brother), mostly because every time I'd read this story over the years, I'd see the references to Mike and his wife, Sam, and wonder what their story was. I wasn't impressed and during the reading kept wishing I was reading Kane's story instead and also that Kane's story was the longer story and Mike's was the short one. Upon a re-read of "The Matchmakers", I was less than impressed.
The story isn't complicated: Cale Anderson is a very successful writer who is pressured by an old college frenemy, Ruth, to join her on a company mandated cowboy trail ride (were these ever really a thing? Or do romance novels and movies just like us to think that companies were doing this in the 90s? I've never once heard of a real company forcing employees to do these team building exercises -- mostly because they still had to pay the employees while they were not actually doing work). Upon showing up for the trail ride, Cale discovers Ruth is an out-and-out bitch (I'm pretty sure she already knew this, but I'll forgive her for forgetting as I often forget the magnitude of other people's bitchy behavior until I'm confronted with it once again) and quickly regrets her decision to come along. This regret is solidified when she meets the trail guide, Kane Taggart, who's pretty much an asshat to Cale, while he falls rather stupidly for the wiles of the animal-torturing Ruth. Cale and Kane squabble and honestly, the stuff that I remembered finding funny before came off as really immature on the sides of both parties. At one point, Cale made a really un-funny "joke" comparing Kane to a horse's backside and he finds himself chasing her around the room trying to strangle her. If you're going to have that much of a reaction to something, at least have the instigation be believable.
This is actually the first romance novel I'd ever read at the time that took place from first-person POV for Cale's scenes and alternated to third-person POV during Kane's. I'm pretty picky about that technique (I'm old-school; I tend to think an author needs to do first-person and stick with one character, or do third-person the whole way, but I am okay with authors alternating first- and third-person because I don't have a problem figuring out who I'm supposed to be reading about that way), but it works here because the technique allows a lot of Cale's personality to come through in a way it might not have had the story been told entirely in third-person. Unfortunately, as entertaining as Cale is as a character (and she really kind of is), the story was too short for me to figure out why she and Kane are in love with each other by the end of it. Seriously, there is one scene where they bond over Kane's twin boys (and seriously Jude Deveraux, you and I need to sit down and have a serious chit-chat about how twin genetics work), then they have sex and there's this whole "inner goddess" thing during that scene that made me think that E.L. James must have read this story at some point in her life, and Cale can tell the twins apart so Kane must be in love with her. It's very insta-love and it could have been done so much better.
Despite my disappointment in the re-read, I do maintain my original insistence that this story should have been longer, but not for the same reason. It's not that I was reluctant to leave the characters, like I thought before this re-read, but more that Kane and Cale could have been fleshed out so much better in a longer story, and maybe given a chance to actually fall for each other than some weird I-hate-you, she-can-tell-the-twins-apart, I-love-you-for-no-reason plot. A lot of this is because the book was written in the early- to mid-90s and that's just what Deveraux and other big "old-skool" romance authors wrote in that time period (I had a similar problem with "Sweet Liar"), but I've read books by other authors written in that same time period that used the same trope much better.
I recently read "Sweet Liar" (which features Mike Taggart, who is Kane's identical twin brother), mostly because every time I'd read this story over the years, I'd see the references to Mike and his wife, Sam, and wonder what their story was. I wasn't impressed and during the reading kept wishing I was reading Kane's story instead and also that Kane's story was the longer story and Mike's was the short one. Upon a re-read of "The Matchmakers", I was less than impressed.
The story isn't complicated: Cale Anderson is a very successful writer who is pressured by an old college frenemy, Ruth, to join her on a company mandated cowboy trail ride (were these ever really a thing? Or do romance novels and movies just like us to think that companies were doing this in the 90s? I've never once heard of a real company forcing employees to do these team building exercises -- mostly because they still had to pay the employees while they were not actually doing work). Upon showing up for the trail ride, Cale discovers Ruth is an out-and-out bitch (I'm pretty sure she already knew this, but I'll forgive her for forgetting as I often forget the magnitude of other people's bitchy behavior until I'm confronted with it once again) and quickly regrets her decision to come along. This regret is solidified when she meets the trail guide, Kane Taggart, who's pretty much an asshat to Cale, while he falls rather stupidly for the wiles of the animal-torturing Ruth. Cale and Kane squabble and honestly, the stuff that I remembered finding funny before came off as really immature on the sides of both parties. At one point, Cale made a really un-funny "joke" comparing Kane to a horse's backside and he finds himself chasing her around the room trying to strangle her. If you're going to have that much of a reaction to something, at least have the instigation be believable.
This is actually the first romance novel I'd ever read at the time that took place from first-person POV for Cale's scenes and alternated to third-person POV during Kane's. I'm pretty picky about that technique (I'm old-school; I tend to think an author needs to do first-person and stick with one character, or do third-person the whole way, but I am okay with authors alternating first- and third-person because I don't have a problem figuring out who I'm supposed to be reading about that way), but it works here because the technique allows a lot of Cale's personality to come through in a way it might not have had the story been told entirely in third-person. Unfortunately, as entertaining as Cale is as a character (and she really kind of is), the story was too short for me to figure out why she and Kane are in love with each other by the end of it. Seriously, there is one scene where they bond over Kane's twin boys (and seriously Jude Deveraux, you and I need to sit down and have a serious chit-chat about how twin genetics work), then they have sex and there's this whole "inner goddess" thing during that scene that made me think that E.L. James must have read this story at some point in her life, and Cale can tell the twins apart so Kane must be in love with her. It's very insta-love and it could have been done so much better.
Despite my disappointment in the re-read, I do maintain my original insistence that this story should have been longer, but not for the same reason. It's not that I was reluctant to leave the characters, like I thought before this re-read, but more that Kane and Cale could have been fleshed out so much better in a longer story, and maybe given a chance to actually fall for each other than some weird I-hate-you, she-can-tell-the-twins-apart, I-love-you-for-no-reason plot. A lot of this is because the book was written in the early- to mid-90s and that's just what Deveraux and other big "old-skool" romance authors wrote in that time period (I had a similar problem with "Sweet Liar"), but I've read books by other authors written in that same time period that used the same trope much better.
May 7, 2020
Rating: 5 Stars!! (Wish i could rate it 10 stars!!!)
Review:
This was my first time reading a book by Jude so i was unsure if i'd like it out not but i loved it!! The 1st story was a little slow for me but glad it picked up by Chapter 5.
This book contained 3 stories set in 1934 and 1800s all 3 Historical Fictions about War, Love and Loss.
I'll definately read more by Jude in the future!!
Review:
This was my first time reading a book by Jude so i was unsure if i'd like it out not but i loved it!! The 1st story was a little slow for me but glad it picked up by Chapter 5.
This book contained 3 stories set in 1934 and 1800s all 3 Historical Fictions about War, Love and Loss.
I'll definately read more by Jude in the future!!
May 8, 2022
Copyright 1994. This is a collection of 3 novellas set in different time periods. A frequent, favorite reread back in the day, it's been a long time since I've read it. Time changes what you think is a good read.
Book 1 3 stars: is set in the underused time period of 1932. One of the reasons I loved JD so much is she isn't afraid to step into an unpopular time & make it her own.
This is the longest story, but it could have been edited down IMO. The trope is older woman/younger man & I don't mean a measly 5 year difference! Jackie is a whopping TEN YEARS older than William. In fact, she used to change his diapers when he was 2 because she was his babysitter! She's 38 & William's 28 in this story.
Jackie ran off with an airplane pilot when she was 18 & the airplane was just getting popular. She's the best flyer in the world, but she's tired of the circuit & just wants to settle down.
The town of Eternity in Colorado is now a ghost town & that's where she ends up.
William is a rich banker who seems oblivious to poverty. Unusual if you're living in the 1930s, but there you go. He's loved Jackie since he was a child & that's where the problems are.
We get a whole lot of "I'm too old for you. I changed your diapers. I remember you as a child, so I'm still going to treat you liked one." It gets tedious fast. Eventually we get a HEA. Everyone gets a HEA!
Leaps of logic - William is 2 different ages when meeting Jackie during the story. First he's 2, then 5. If he was 5, he was slow to potty train.
Jackie owns a refrigerator in 1932. Then it turns into an ice box. Then a refrigerator again. A little editing goes a long way. Just saying...
William is the son of Jace & Nellie from Wishes. He's the grandson of Ring & Maddie from Mountain Laurel.
Book 2 - 2 stars (for Cale who is the only saving grace to this mess) : Set in 1994, we get to see Samantha & Mike from "Sweet Liar". This is Mike's twin brother Kane's story. JD's imagination works overtime in this one.
Kane's mom is trying to find a wife for him & a mother for his 5 year old twin boys. She talks him into helping out on a dude camping trip. There are 4 women, but 2 of them are interesting. Evil Ruth & quirky, writer Cale. Cale & Kane get off on the wrong foot & he pretty much hates her throughout the whole story. Until they're having hot random sex in the ghost town of Eternity.
I really hated this story after reading it after all these years. Instalove at it's worst. Kane is the biggest ass hole in romance noveldom. He's a complete dick to Cale & thinks he's cheating on the evil Ruth who happens to look like his dead wife. She's an animal abuser (puts out her cigarette on her horse's neck!!!). Hates kids (tells Kane to "Get those filthy beasts away from me"). However, he continues to pursue like she was the most wonderful woman in the world. After the trail ride, it's revealed he dates her for a whole month (& presumably sleeps with her). Cale would be better off alone.
Samantha & Mike have twin boys by the end of this story.
Book 3 5 stars! : set in 1882 in the American West. This story doesn't have a Montgomery or Taggart. This is JD at her wildly imaginative best! This is the best story in the book IMO.
Cole is a gunslinger who tries not to use his gun if possible. Dorie is a rich heiress looking for a temporary husband so her busybody sister will leave her alone. They get married & have a wonderful adventure. THE END!
Book 1 3 stars: is set in the underused time period of 1932. One of the reasons I loved JD so much is she isn't afraid to step into an unpopular time & make it her own.
This is the longest story, but it could have been edited down IMO. The trope is older woman/younger man & I don't mean a measly 5 year difference! Jackie is a whopping TEN YEARS older than William. In fact, she used to change his diapers when he was 2 because she was his babysitter! She's 38 & William's 28 in this story.
Jackie ran off with an airplane pilot when she was 18 & the airplane was just getting popular. She's the best flyer in the world, but she's tired of the circuit & just wants to settle down.
The town of Eternity in Colorado is now a ghost town & that's where she ends up.
William is a rich banker who seems oblivious to poverty. Unusual if you're living in the 1930s, but there you go. He's loved Jackie since he was a child & that's where the problems are.
We get a whole lot of "I'm too old for you. I changed your diapers. I remember you as a child, so I'm still going to treat you liked one." It gets tedious fast. Eventually we get a HEA. Everyone gets a HEA!
Leaps of logic - William is 2 different ages when meeting Jackie during the story. First he's 2, then 5. If he was 5, he was slow to potty train.
Jackie owns a refrigerator in 1932. Then it turns into an ice box. Then a refrigerator again. A little editing goes a long way. Just saying...
William is the son of Jace & Nellie from Wishes. He's the grandson of Ring & Maddie from Mountain Laurel.
Book 2 - 2 stars (for Cale who is the only saving grace to this mess) : Set in 1994, we get to see Samantha & Mike from "Sweet Liar". This is Mike's twin brother Kane's story. JD's imagination works overtime in this one.
Kane's mom is trying to find a wife for him & a mother for his 5 year old twin boys. She talks him into helping out on a dude camping trip. There are 4 women, but 2 of them are interesting. Evil Ruth & quirky, writer Cale. Cale & Kane get off on the wrong foot & he pretty much hates her throughout the whole story. Until they're having hot random sex in the ghost town of Eternity.
I really hated this story after reading it after all these years. Instalove at it's worst. Kane is the biggest ass hole in romance noveldom. He's a complete dick to Cale & thinks he's cheating on the evil Ruth who happens to look like his dead wife. She's an animal abuser (puts out her cigarette on her horse's neck!!!). Hates kids (tells Kane to "Get those filthy beasts away from me"). However, he continues to pursue like she was the most wonderful woman in the world. After the trail ride, it's revealed he dates her for a whole month (& presumably sleeps with her). Cale would be better off alone.
Samantha & Mike have twin boys by the end of this story.
Book 3 5 stars! : set in 1882 in the American West. This story doesn't have a Montgomery or Taggart. This is JD at her wildly imaginative best! This is the best story in the book IMO.
Cole is a gunslinger who tries not to use his gun if possible. Dorie is a rich heiress looking for a temporary husband so her busybody sister will leave her alone. They get married & have a wonderful adventure. THE END!
September 2, 2014
Not my favourite. I love Deveraux's books but these short stories just didn't allow her to carry you away the way she usually does. My favourite was the last story "The Arrangement". It was quick but fun and I loved Dorie. The second story "Matchmakers" about Kane the brother of Mike from "Sweet Liar" so it was nice to finally read his story but I think it could have been a full book on it's own to do it right. "The Invitation" the main story, as well as the longest, was not great. I consider it a throw away and usually skip it when I re-read this book.
May 30, 2018
Re-read. These three novellas are so cute. And, there be Montgomery/Taggerts here! Can't go wrong with them! Nice light reads. Just what I needed.
October 2, 2018
Three books in one.
The Invitation: William Montgomery is an old soul even as a child. He loves Jackie who is ten years older. When Jackie's husband dies, William gets his chance. Although Jackie does not think of herself as middle-aged at 38, everyone else does, and sees 28-year-old William as too young for her. They know the truth. Jackie is a child compared to William. Entertaining in some ways but I was more interested in Jackie's friend Terri and what was going to happen to her. Four stars.
Matchmaker: Kane's mother is worried that her son is still grieving for his wife and talks him into taking four New York City girls into the back country of Colorado. She has her eye on one of them in particular for Kane. She is very like is dead wife. She reckons without Cale Anderson, mystery writer and all-around smart mouth. Cale is a delight to any reader. Everything she says is startling and guaranteed to catch the reader's interest. My only complaint is that it is by far too short. Five stars.
A Perfect Arrangement: Dorie needs a husband and attempts to buy one for a few weeks, just until her sister Rowena leaves the country again. Otherwise she will find herself arranged into a marriage she doesn't want. When she approaches Cole Hunter, he turns her down but later he is injured and needs the job. Dorie becomes looser and more approachable as the book progresses, and Cole is mostly angry all the time, since he can't explain his reaction to Dorie. The ending is abrupt and leaves the most interesting parts of the story untold, their return to Lathem and how Cole handles his responsibilities there. Three stars.
The Invitation: William Montgomery is an old soul even as a child. He loves Jackie who is ten years older. When Jackie's husband dies, William gets his chance. Although Jackie does not think of herself as middle-aged at 38, everyone else does, and sees 28-year-old William as too young for her. They know the truth. Jackie is a child compared to William. Entertaining in some ways but I was more interested in Jackie's friend Terri and what was going to happen to her. Four stars.
Matchmaker: Kane's mother is worried that her son is still grieving for his wife and talks him into taking four New York City girls into the back country of Colorado. She has her eye on one of them in particular for Kane. She is very like is dead wife. She reckons without Cale Anderson, mystery writer and all-around smart mouth. Cale is a delight to any reader. Everything she says is startling and guaranteed to catch the reader's interest. My only complaint is that it is by far too short. Five stars.
A Perfect Arrangement: Dorie needs a husband and attempts to buy one for a few weeks, just until her sister Rowena leaves the country again. Otherwise she will find herself arranged into a marriage she doesn't want. When she approaches Cole Hunter, he turns her down but later he is injured and needs the job. Dorie becomes looser and more approachable as the book progresses, and Cole is mostly angry all the time, since he can't explain his reaction to Dorie. The ending is abrupt and leaves the most interesting parts of the story untold, their return to Lathem and how Cole handles his responsibilities there. Three stars.
January 5, 2022
The first 2 stories, no.
The thirds one was not bad, I mean it was for 15 sr. So it’s ok 🥲✌🏻
The thirds one was not bad, I mean it was for 15 sr. So it’s ok 🥲✌🏻
April 10, 2011
These three novellas were a lot of fun to read. The Invitation was a bit longer and enjoyable read of an older woman and younger man. Jackie was really struggling to change her thoughts about "little" Billy Montgomery. It was fun to watch her struggle with her belief about what love should be versus it's reality.
The other two novellas were short and had fun but different characters in them.
The other two novellas were short and had fun but different characters in them.
Read
May 17, 2011The Invitation - 1930'sJackie O'Neill - independent thinker - no mother, controlling father - babysat & spent a lot of time with Billy Montgomery - 10 years younger than her - at 17, she fell in love with airplanes, and left Chandler & married Charlie - an aging, carefree pilot, and though she never fell in love with him, she loved him & took care of the the details of their life... they flew, they traveled the world, she broke many records...but 20 years later, Charlie died.
and she received an invitation from Mr. Montgomery to return to Chandler and fly freight... and she finds that she is ready to go home... the Montgomery's turn over Eternity, a ghost town near Chandler, to her and build a runway and renovate the hotel...
so time passes... it's been 18 months... she's restless and unsure why... and one day flying, she sees a truck out in nowhere - he inside waves to her, so she knows he is fine and assumes he is stranded... when she returns she call for him to get assistance... but then a bird hits her propeller, and she must crash land - right into a tree... and she hits her head... and a man shows up in the dark to care for her... he keeps her awake, talking about real things... he warms her, feeds her, and she feels a connection... he knows her, but she doesn't remember him... he asks to be her business partner, and help her fulfill her dreams... she says yes, and he says he'll be back on Saturday with a new plane & ... she wakes up and his sister is there to take her home...
Saturday comes, and Billy Montgomery shows up - the pesky kid (now grown) who used to follow her around... and bit by bit, she realizes he is the man who rescued her & now her partner...
And the rest of the story is how he eases into her life - how he always loved her & her free thinking ways, how he 'watched' over her, keeping up with her, and arranged for help when money was tight... and arranged for her father to invite her back to Chandler... and she fights her attraction to him as he is 10 years younger...
but finally she gives in... they are natural and passionate for a week... when people come, she withdraws again... she 'runs' away up to the mountain (with her plane of course)... his mother comes to talk to her... and she realizes that she is afraid of love & of his potential death & leaving her... and that love is all... and runs down the mountain into his arms, finding him at the pond the frequented as children... and 2 kids later they live happily ever after...
Matchmakers - quick story of Kane Taggart - twin of Michael... he married, did not have his families' blessing as his intended could not tell Kane and Michael apart - they had twin boys, and he loved his wife and family, and his French wife died in an accident... and 4 years later, his mother and sister-in-law arrange for him to escort 4 new york business women on a 2 week trek into the mountains (Chandler) on horseback... they think he will be attracted to the executive, who is similiar to his wife & is herself a widower... and he thinks he is... but totally annoyed and angered by Cale Anderson, a woman who lived in a world in her mind to escape her father's anger, and sold a murder mystery book... and 5 years later is a famous, well read, highly paid author... in her mystery books, she kills off her father, the high school cheerleading squad, and Ruth, and anyone else who annoyed her... she is suckered in by the widower, Ruth, whom she hardly knew in college - a manipulative bitch, who flatters her and entices her to join her trek... and she knew right away that she was in trouble when they meet at the little airport, and Ruth expects her (and her 2 other chosen) to carry her bags for her...
and fireworks when Kane and Cale meet - he is tossing the bags in the truck when they hear a rattlesnake - Ruth clings to him, and he tells Cale to slowly retrieve his pistol from under the truck seat and give it to him... she can see he has his hands full, so she gets the pistol and shoots the snake herself (through his boot toe - ) and when he places his hand on her shoulder and yells at her, she flashes back to her father, and attacks him... until she realizes he only is holding her shoulder... crazy woman...
she wants to go home, but they must go to Eternal 1st - a 2 day trip... and when they dismount from their horses, Ruth lights a cigarette and in anger burns her horse - cale can see the horse is about to knock her over, and she inserts herself between the horse & Ruth to calm the horse down... and again Kane is angry... and later, when she finds a nice quiet place to hangout, Ruth & Kane come near, and start kissing - and when they realize they're not alone, once again he is angry...
and that night his brother Michael shows up... Kane sees the truck lights, thinks something bad has happened, and runs to meet the truck (the rest are sleeping)... and Michael tells him he is a father - but relatives are coming out the woodwork... so they agree to trade places for a day so that Kane can collect his boys to join them on the ride, and give Michael some space... the next morning, Michael comes up behind Cale, and when Cale turns, she is worried about this stranger that is suddenly there - and Michael assumes she is Ruth - and she sets him straight... and Michael tells her about how the legend is that the woman who can tell the twins apart is the one for them... and the next day, Cale meets Kane's children and in entranced by them... and later that afternoon, she is sitting in the abandoned house's 2nd story window sill when Kane sees her, and in a panic runs to rescue her (his wife died falling out of a 3rd story balcony having fallen asleep)... and they make passionate, passionate love on the floor - they talk a bit about his 1st wife... and the spell is broken when the truck is there to take her back to the airport... She makes the mistake of calling Michael by his name, cluing Kane into the fact she can tell them apart... she yells at him that there must be many who can tell the differences, and she was going home...
6 weeks later, she has not murdered anyone... instead she is writing proposals for doomed romances - her publicist is not happy with her... and then a helicopter delivers Kane to her balcony - in his boots & a tuxedo, and champagne... he asks her to marry him... after a bit of fussing, and when the kids show up at her door, she agrees...
And The Perfect Arrangement finds Cole, an approaching middleaged gunslinger, tired of prostitutes and laisons with women who wouldn't be seen in public withhime and who sees himself as a peacemaker- using solid arguments to persuade people to do what needs to be done) is confronted by plain looking, 30 year old, Dorie Latham who wants to hire him to pretend to be married to her for 2 weeks, while her sister is visiting... her sister is gorgeous, inside and out... and married and moved to France... but their father died a year earlier, leaving the small town of Latham to her, and her sister wants to see her married... Dorie had made a fiction of a widower in town that was interested, and when her sister announced she was coming decided she needed a romantic bad boy to get her sister off of her back... her father had been quite controlling, hardly letting her out of his sight, having lost his wife in childbirth and his older daughter to marriage... and she was a keen observor of people, but did not understand the subtleties of communication... she is honest, but it comes out abrasive to Cole - calling him middle ages, tending to a pouch, going blind gun slinger... and though Cole says no, he is thinking about her... and notices her going into the local bank...
and a few minutes later 4 robbers gointo the bank... and Cole rushes in, kills 3 - and when Dorie is taken hostage, saves her (she is quick to get his reference to roll away), but gets shot in the arm... she gives him money... then her sister shows up in town... and everyone is talking about how beautiful & gentle she is... and the next day, Cole goes to the hotel room, and tells Dorie & sister he is engaged to Dorie... (though he is toungue tied when he first meets sister)... he kisses Dorie to convince sister, and they are both surprised by the intensity of a real good kiss & the underlying attraction... he convinces Dorie to marry him (the only way her sistrer will be happy) for 6 months - he can heal (it is her fault after all), he can help her with her father's tenants, and earn some money... and keep everyone alive...
her sister organizes everything (as controlling as her father inher own way)... and sends them off in the private train car for the honeymoon trip... and Cole talks to her about charm... showing how true charm presents good truths, and then in bed (with their baggage between them) they have a playful, real conversation... but one of the robber's brothers stops the train, takes Dorie & Cole away on horseback... Dories uses reverse psychology that she used on her father to entice the brother intent on killing Cole to believe there is hidden gold, and that she can't stand Cole (so that he will place her on a horse with Cole)
they gointo a mining town and at the bar where the bad guys are stocking up, she had insisted on a dress (she had been traveling in her nightgown) that one of the gang gets from a prostitute... they go into the town (where an enemy of the bad guy is)... and in the bar, to distract the bad guys, Dorie (looking good with her wild hair down and the dress) starts to sing... and then to keep their attention, to start a strip tease... Cole finally takes advantage - takes someone's gun & money from the poker table... leaves, finds the bad guy's enemies, and comes storming into the bar on a horse & back up , and sweeps Dorie off the piano, bust before she was down to her last covering...
and 3 days later, on the train back to Lathem, interupted by sex, he continues to lecture her on her stupidity... and they both have realized that they need each other... ahhhhh...
and she received an invitation from Mr. Montgomery to return to Chandler and fly freight... and she finds that she is ready to go home... the Montgomery's turn over Eternity, a ghost town near Chandler, to her and build a runway and renovate the hotel...
so time passes... it's been 18 months... she's restless and unsure why... and one day flying, she sees a truck out in nowhere - he inside waves to her, so she knows he is fine and assumes he is stranded... when she returns she call for him to get assistance... but then a bird hits her propeller, and she must crash land - right into a tree... and she hits her head... and a man shows up in the dark to care for her... he keeps her awake, talking about real things... he warms her, feeds her, and she feels a connection... he knows her, but she doesn't remember him... he asks to be her business partner, and help her fulfill her dreams... she says yes, and he says he'll be back on Saturday with a new plane & ... she wakes up and his sister is there to take her home...
Saturday comes, and Billy Montgomery shows up - the pesky kid (now grown) who used to follow her around... and bit by bit, she realizes he is the man who rescued her & now her partner...
And the rest of the story is how he eases into her life - how he always loved her & her free thinking ways, how he 'watched' over her, keeping up with her, and arranged for help when money was tight... and arranged for her father to invite her back to Chandler... and she fights her attraction to him as he is 10 years younger...
but finally she gives in... they are natural and passionate for a week... when people come, she withdraws again... she 'runs' away up to the mountain (with her plane of course)... his mother comes to talk to her... and she realizes that she is afraid of love & of his potential death & leaving her... and that love is all... and runs down the mountain into his arms, finding him at the pond the frequented as children... and 2 kids later they live happily ever after...
Matchmakers - quick story of Kane Taggart - twin of Michael... he married, did not have his families' blessing as his intended could not tell Kane and Michael apart - they had twin boys, and he loved his wife and family, and his French wife died in an accident... and 4 years later, his mother and sister-in-law arrange for him to escort 4 new york business women on a 2 week trek into the mountains (Chandler) on horseback... they think he will be attracted to the executive, who is similiar to his wife & is herself a widower... and he thinks he is... but totally annoyed and angered by Cale Anderson, a woman who lived in a world in her mind to escape her father's anger, and sold a murder mystery book... and 5 years later is a famous, well read, highly paid author... in her mystery books, she kills off her father, the high school cheerleading squad, and Ruth, and anyone else who annoyed her... she is suckered in by the widower, Ruth, whom she hardly knew in college - a manipulative bitch, who flatters her and entices her to join her trek... and she knew right away that she was in trouble when they meet at the little airport, and Ruth expects her (and her 2 other chosen) to carry her bags for her...
and fireworks when Kane and Cale meet - he is tossing the bags in the truck when they hear a rattlesnake - Ruth clings to him, and he tells Cale to slowly retrieve his pistol from under the truck seat and give it to him... she can see he has his hands full, so she gets the pistol and shoots the snake herself (through his boot toe - ) and when he places his hand on her shoulder and yells at her, she flashes back to her father, and attacks him... until she realizes he only is holding her shoulder... crazy woman...
she wants to go home, but they must go to Eternal 1st - a 2 day trip... and when they dismount from their horses, Ruth lights a cigarette and in anger burns her horse - cale can see the horse is about to knock her over, and she inserts herself between the horse & Ruth to calm the horse down... and again Kane is angry... and later, when she finds a nice quiet place to hangout, Ruth & Kane come near, and start kissing - and when they realize they're not alone, once again he is angry...
and that night his brother Michael shows up... Kane sees the truck lights, thinks something bad has happened, and runs to meet the truck (the rest are sleeping)... and Michael tells him he is a father - but relatives are coming out the woodwork... so they agree to trade places for a day so that Kane can collect his boys to join them on the ride, and give Michael some space... the next morning, Michael comes up behind Cale, and when Cale turns, she is worried about this stranger that is suddenly there - and Michael assumes she is Ruth - and she sets him straight... and Michael tells her about how the legend is that the woman who can tell the twins apart is the one for them... and the next day, Cale meets Kane's children and in entranced by them... and later that afternoon, she is sitting in the abandoned house's 2nd story window sill when Kane sees her, and in a panic runs to rescue her (his wife died falling out of a 3rd story balcony having fallen asleep)... and they make passionate, passionate love on the floor - they talk a bit about his 1st wife... and the spell is broken when the truck is there to take her back to the airport... She makes the mistake of calling Michael by his name, cluing Kane into the fact she can tell them apart... she yells at him that there must be many who can tell the differences, and she was going home...
6 weeks later, she has not murdered anyone... instead she is writing proposals for doomed romances - her publicist is not happy with her... and then a helicopter delivers Kane to her balcony - in his boots & a tuxedo, and champagne... he asks her to marry him... after a bit of fussing, and when the kids show up at her door, she agrees...
And The Perfect Arrangement finds Cole, an approaching middleaged gunslinger, tired of prostitutes and laisons with women who wouldn't be seen in public withhime and who sees himself as a peacemaker- using solid arguments to persuade people to do what needs to be done) is confronted by plain looking, 30 year old, Dorie Latham who wants to hire him to pretend to be married to her for 2 weeks, while her sister is visiting... her sister is gorgeous, inside and out... and married and moved to France... but their father died a year earlier, leaving the small town of Latham to her, and her sister wants to see her married... Dorie had made a fiction of a widower in town that was interested, and when her sister announced she was coming decided she needed a romantic bad boy to get her sister off of her back... her father had been quite controlling, hardly letting her out of his sight, having lost his wife in childbirth and his older daughter to marriage... and she was a keen observor of people, but did not understand the subtleties of communication... she is honest, but it comes out abrasive to Cole - calling him middle ages, tending to a pouch, going blind gun slinger... and though Cole says no, he is thinking about her... and notices her going into the local bank...
and a few minutes later 4 robbers gointo the bank... and Cole rushes in, kills 3 - and when Dorie is taken hostage, saves her (she is quick to get his reference to roll away), but gets shot in the arm... she gives him money... then her sister shows up in town... and everyone is talking about how beautiful & gentle she is... and the next day, Cole goes to the hotel room, and tells Dorie & sister he is engaged to Dorie... (though he is toungue tied when he first meets sister)... he kisses Dorie to convince sister, and they are both surprised by the intensity of a real good kiss & the underlying attraction... he convinces Dorie to marry him (the only way her sistrer will be happy) for 6 months - he can heal (it is her fault after all), he can help her with her father's tenants, and earn some money... and keep everyone alive...
her sister organizes everything (as controlling as her father inher own way)... and sends them off in the private train car for the honeymoon trip... and Cole talks to her about charm... showing how true charm presents good truths, and then in bed (with their baggage between them) they have a playful, real conversation... but one of the robber's brothers stops the train, takes Dorie & Cole away on horseback... Dories uses reverse psychology that she used on her father to entice the brother intent on killing Cole to believe there is hidden gold, and that she can't stand Cole (so that he will place her on a horse with Cole)
they gointo a mining town and at the bar where the bad guys are stocking up, she had insisted on a dress (she had been traveling in her nightgown) that one of the gang gets from a prostitute... they go into the town (where an enemy of the bad guy is)... and in the bar, to distract the bad guys, Dorie (looking good with her wild hair down and the dress) starts to sing... and then to keep their attention, to start a strip tease... Cole finally takes advantage - takes someone's gun & money from the poker table... leaves, finds the bad guy's enemies, and comes storming into the bar on a horse & back up , and sweeps Dorie off the piano, bust before she was down to her last covering...
and 3 days later, on the train back to Lathem, interupted by sex, he continues to lecture her on her stupidity... and they both have realized that they need each other... ahhhhh...
August 25, 2020
Initially, I thought this anthology is a double win because it features a Montgomery and Taggert novella, respectively. I love William Montgomery! I love how he is depicted as an old soul and that at The course of the story turned out a bit of a drag, thanks to Jackie's stubborn and immature disposition over good 'ol Billy, but of course, it ended with a happy ever after. The second novella, which featured a Taggert twin, was okay. Sadly, it was quite forgettable because it was just too darn short and I think it would've been a good book had this been another Tagget novel if you know what I mean. Like the first novella, one of the reasons why this book is a 4-star read is because they are just too short. If you ask me, anything that features the Montgomerys and the Taggerts should be more than 200 pages!
Meanwhile, the final novella took me by surprise. I stalled reading the last one because it is neither of the abovementioned clans of Deveraux-land, but when I finally sat down to read it, I couldn't put the book down anymore. Cole and Dorie became an instant favorite, thanks to their bantering! It started with Dorie proposing marriage to Cole Hunter, an infamous gunslinger, so that her sister Rowena won't end up persuading some random men using her "charms" to marrying her. There is a surprise twist that happened while they are at it and well, that's when the hero falls in love with our heroine! I just love how she gradually grows on him. And while Dorie is described as someone who you wouldn't notice because of how she looks (compared to her dashing sister), I just love it that Jude made her an unforgettable character by being smart, sensitive to other's feelings and observant. I wished the last chapter told us how Cole brought back Latham to its former glory (which I would like to think he did, with his former profession and all).
All in all, this book is a triple win for me. As always, it feels good to read another good 'ol classic Jude Deveraux novel, despite it being an anthology. Will definitely be looking forward to reading more of the Taggerts, Montgomerys, and others in the future!
Meanwhile, the final novella took me by surprise. I stalled reading the last one because it is neither of the abovementioned clans of Deveraux-land, but when I finally sat down to read it, I couldn't put the book down anymore. Cole and Dorie became an instant favorite, thanks to their bantering! It started with Dorie proposing marriage to Cole Hunter, an infamous gunslinger, so that her sister Rowena won't end up persuading some random men using her "charms" to marrying her. There is a surprise twist that happened while they are at it and well, that's when the hero falls in love with our heroine! I just love how she gradually grows on him. And while Dorie is described as someone who you wouldn't notice because of how she looks (compared to her dashing sister), I just love it that Jude made her an unforgettable character by being smart, sensitive to other's feelings and observant. I wished the last chapter told us how Cole brought back Latham to its former glory (which I would like to think he did, with his former profession and all).
All in all, this book is a triple win for me. As always, it feels good to read another good 'ol classic Jude Deveraux novel, despite it being an anthology. Will definitely be looking forward to reading more of the Taggerts, Montgomerys, and others in the future!
July 28, 2022
This is three short stories.
Story 1: I really disliked this story. Our "heroine," Jackie, was a 38 yr. old famous pilot. When the story starts our hero saves her when her plane crashes. Little does she know that her saviour was William, or "little Billy" as she'd know him when she babysat him.
William appears wonderful. I personally think he's got a screw loose. At 10, he was obsessed with his 17 yr old babysitter and kept that obsession even when Jackie got married, saving himself for her. What? She'd married! The whole storyline was very creepy.
Jackie's logic is bizarre. It's okay to marry a man twice her age, but not a man 10 yrs younger. The whole plot made no sense to me.
Story 2: Kane and Cale clash from the moment they meet. Cale is a famous writer. She goes with her "friend" Ruth and two other women to a ranch for a western experience. Kane wants to fall for Ruth because she looks like his deceased wife but is attracted to Cale which, for some reason, angers him. I didn't like how Cale kept an important incident regarding Ruth's treatment of a horse from Kane.
I liked this story better than the first but it felt very rushed. It could easily have been a full novel. It was quite funny.
Story 3: Dorie, a well-to-do plain 30 yr. old spinster, wants to hire Cole, a 38 yr. old gun for hire (unlike our other heroes he has no money), to pretend to be her husband. Her managing sister is coming to visit her from England to find her a husband and Dorie doesn't want Rowena interfering in her life.
I liked this book because Cole's perception of Dorie changes as the story progresses, like in my children's book https://www.susanross.ca/books/the-ro....
Dorie's father was emotionally abusive and kept Dorie a virtual prisoner. She keeps all her emotions inside. Her transformation is wonderful and I think this plot warranted being a full novel so the changes in Dorie could be better savoured, their escape could have been more detailed, and Cole and Dorie's relationship could have continued as the two returned to her hometown. There was a lot of potential there.
Story 1: I really disliked this story. Our "heroine," Jackie, was a 38 yr. old famous pilot. When the story starts our hero saves her when her plane crashes. Little does she know that her saviour was William, or "little Billy" as she'd know him when she babysat him.
William appears wonderful. I personally think he's got a screw loose. At 10, he was obsessed with his 17 yr old babysitter and kept that obsession even when Jackie got married, saving himself for her. What? She'd married! The whole storyline was very creepy.
Jackie's logic is bizarre. It's okay to marry a man twice her age, but not a man 10 yrs younger. The whole plot made no sense to me.
Story 2: Kane and Cale clash from the moment they meet. Cale is a famous writer. She goes with her "friend" Ruth and two other women to a ranch for a western experience. Kane wants to fall for Ruth because she looks like his deceased wife but is attracted to Cale which, for some reason, angers him. I didn't like how Cale kept an important incident regarding Ruth's treatment of a horse from Kane.
I liked this story better than the first but it felt very rushed. It could easily have been a full novel. It was quite funny.
Story 3: Dorie, a well-to-do plain 30 yr. old spinster, wants to hire Cole, a 38 yr. old gun for hire (unlike our other heroes he has no money), to pretend to be her husband. Her managing sister is coming to visit her from England to find her a husband and Dorie doesn't want Rowena interfering in her life.
I liked this book because Cole's perception of Dorie changes as the story progresses, like in my children's book https://www.susanross.ca/books/the-ro....
Dorie's father was emotionally abusive and kept Dorie a virtual prisoner. She keeps all her emotions inside. Her transformation is wonderful and I think this plot warranted being a full novel so the changes in Dorie could be better savoured, their escape could have been more detailed, and Cole and Dorie's relationship could have continued as the two returned to her hometown. There was a lot of potential there.
October 10, 2023
I'm on the edge on how I feel about "The Invitation." I enjoyed the concept of Jackie being rescued by a handsome man and her later discovering it's someone from her past. While I appreciated the approach of substandards regarding age difference between partners and gender of the oldest, I felt weirded out by how the author kept having others address William ("Billy") as a kid (especially when he's a full-grown adult, not some teenager who could still get mistaken as such) and later the mention of the townsfolk considering the "unnatural closeness" between Jackie and William as kids. At times, I felt like readers were being made to dislike the two getting together rather than root for them. The romance was tame and I felt disappointed by how much we were being told on how magical their sexual encounters were rather than being shown. Overall, this story was a nice read but with how the relationship was presented, I couldn't fully enjoy it as I wanted to.
Considering the first story was the only one mentioned on the back cover's summary in details (aside from addressing it by title in the last sentence), it feels a bit weird having two novellas attached.
"Matchmakers" was hard for me to get into at first because the characters' actions seemed so cartoonish and drastic. This especially became a problem of taking anything seriously as the romance aspect was introduced. The change of POV from third person to first person was disorienting and I couldn't figure out why the author did it, especially when later on Cale ended having both perspectives used for her, not just first person POV. In the end, I wasn't too impressed with this story and felt it lacked the chemistry I expected to get to warrant the conclusion we received.
"A Perfect Arrangement" is my favorite of the bunch. I love the combined premise of pretending to be romantically involved and lady and rough guy end up together. Despite the novella length, I felt the story was fully flushed out. The main characters were enjoyable to read about and root for things to work out for the two of them, and the reasonings for their actions were realistic.
Considering the first story was the only one mentioned on the back cover's summary in details (aside from addressing it by title in the last sentence), it feels a bit weird having two novellas attached.
"Matchmakers" was hard for me to get into at first because the characters' actions seemed so cartoonish and drastic. This especially became a problem of taking anything seriously as the romance aspect was introduced. The change of POV from third person to first person was disorienting and I couldn't figure out why the author did it, especially when later on Cale ended having both perspectives used for her, not just first person POV. In the end, I wasn't too impressed with this story and felt it lacked the chemistry I expected to get to warrant the conclusion we received.
"A Perfect Arrangement" is my favorite of the bunch. I love the combined premise of pretending to be romantically involved and lady and rough guy end up together. Despite the novella length, I felt the story was fully flushed out. The main characters were enjoyable to read about and root for things to work out for the two of them, and the reasonings for their actions were realistic.
January 18, 2021
2 great stories and a rotten apple
4 stars
I couldn't decide whether to give this book three stars or four. The reason for my hesitation was that of the three stories I found two to be very good but the third awful.
Matchmakers was indeed fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed it and wished that it could have been longer. The characters were wonderfully depicted, especially Cale, as she was a down to earth, normal girl. A true heroine.
A Perfect Arrangement , the story of the aging gunslinger, was also very good and it was nice to see another heroine who wasn't perfect but still endearing and courageous. It was a good story to pass away a wet afternoon.
The problem I found with this book was The Invitation - the story of Jackie and William. I'm not a fan of 'older woman - younger man' at the best of times but I usually get over it as I'm drawn into the story. With this story I couldn't get past it as it seemed to me that the story focused more on the age difference than the actual love story. Even then, I found the story to be flimsy and disappointing.
I still gave this book 4 stars as it is redeemed by Cale's story which is truly a great read. I would also still recommend this book if you are a fan of Jude's work as it can be witnessed from other reviews that many liked Jackie's story so it may just be me who did not!!
May 19, 2024
Great read
I really enjoyed this collection of short stories.
There are 3 in all and the first one was my least favorite only because I found the h childish which was the whole point of the story. The first book is reverse age gap trope with a 10 year difference between the h and H. Physically that is, mentally the H is the older one. I loved the H in this, he fell in love with the h when he was 5 and pretty much never wavered. He watched over her while she was married to another man and took care of her anonymously in the background until her husband passes away. Then he manages to bring her back to her hometown and proceeds to try to persuade her to give him a chance. Also, he's a v!rg!n. So it was a pretty good read that was overshadowed by my love for the next two stories.
The second story is an enemies to lovers with a hilarious h whose a writer that unalives people that annoy her in her books. The H is a businessman who gets roped into taking 4 women on a trail ride because his mom wants him to stop being broody and get married again after his first wife passes away. Interestingly enough he has a twin brother and twin sons who do not look alike to the h. She can always tell them apart which according to family legend means she's his one. It was cute, could have had a little more grovel bit was satisfactory as it was.
The third book had a marriage of convenience trope going on where the h who is a plain overlooked rich spinster asks an 'aging gunslinger' to be her husband for 6 months to trick her beautiful meddling sister into leaving her to her life. The h is very honest and it doesn't endear her to the H but it does make him a tad bit obsessed.
All in all, I would read this book again and again.
I really enjoyed this collection of short stories.
There are 3 in all and the first one was my least favorite only because I found the h childish which was the whole point of the story. The first book is reverse age gap trope with a 10 year difference between the h and H. Physically that is, mentally the H is the older one. I loved the H in this, he fell in love with the h when he was 5 and pretty much never wavered. He watched over her while she was married to another man and took care of her anonymously in the background until her husband passes away. Then he manages to bring her back to her hometown and proceeds to try to persuade her to give him a chance. Also, he's a v!rg!n. So it was a pretty good read that was overshadowed by my love for the next two stories.
The second story is an enemies to lovers with a hilarious h whose a writer that unalives people that annoy her in her books. The H is a businessman who gets roped into taking 4 women on a trail ride because his mom wants him to stop being broody and get married again after his first wife passes away. Interestingly enough he has a twin brother and twin sons who do not look alike to the h. She can always tell them apart which according to family legend means she's his one. It was cute, could have had a little more grovel bit was satisfactory as it was.
The third book had a marriage of convenience trope going on where the h who is a plain overlooked rich spinster asks an 'aging gunslinger' to be her husband for 6 months to trick her beautiful meddling sister into leaving her to her life. The h is very honest and it doesn't endear her to the H but it does make him a tad bit obsessed.
All in all, I would read this book again and again.
May 19, 2024
Okay. We have some Montgomerys and Taggerts (and a bonus couple!) and I AM HERE FOR IT!
The Invitation - One of Jace and Nellie's children, William is an old soul. He fell in love with Jackie when he was a kid and that love has never wavered. Jackie isn't as quick to fall, though. Or maybe she is, but she has to work her head around being older than William before they can end up where they need to be. A ghost town, some daredevil flying, and family. I kinda love the callback to Wishes and seeing Jace and Nellie in their happy place as one of their kiddos finds his happiness with his lady.
Matchmakers - Kane (Mike's twin and father two two delightful little devils of his own) and Cale (mystery writer and Kane's bane) are up. Kane gets roped into leading a trail ride and he and Cale butt heads from the start. As the family saying goes, though, you marry the one who can tell the twins apart and GUESS WHAT CALE CAN DO? One sexy encounter in a ghost town, an over the top gesture, and two adorable little demons who know when something good crosses their path.
A Perfect Arrangement - Dorie and Cole are our non-Montgomery/Taggert couple and they're kinda great. Dorie doesn't have the best social skills and unintentionally insults Cole left and right on their first meeting. Thanks to Cole's sense of justice, he ends up taking the job Dorie proposed and things take a TURN before they know it. As in, they're person-napped off their train, being dragged around the countryside by a gang, and Dorie's dancing on bars to cause a distraction. Honestly, this one was just fun all around.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
The Invitation - One of Jace and Nellie's children, William is an old soul. He fell in love with Jackie when he was a kid and that love has never wavered. Jackie isn't as quick to fall, though. Or maybe she is, but she has to work her head around being older than William before they can end up where they need to be. A ghost town, some daredevil flying, and family. I kinda love the callback to Wishes and seeing Jace and Nellie in their happy place as one of their kiddos finds his happiness with his lady.
Matchmakers - Kane (Mike's twin and father two two delightful little devils of his own) and Cale (mystery writer and Kane's bane) are up. Kane gets roped into leading a trail ride and he and Cale butt heads from the start. As the family saying goes, though, you marry the one who can tell the twins apart and GUESS WHAT CALE CAN DO? One sexy encounter in a ghost town, an over the top gesture, and two adorable little demons who know when something good crosses their path.
A Perfect Arrangement - Dorie and Cole are our non-Montgomery/Taggert couple and they're kinda great. Dorie doesn't have the best social skills and unintentionally insults Cole left and right on their first meeting. Thanks to Cole's sense of justice, he ends up taking the job Dorie proposed and things take a TURN before they know it. As in, they're person-napped off their train, being dragged around the countryside by a gang, and Dorie's dancing on bars to cause a distraction. Honestly, this one was just fun all around.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
April 10, 2022
Not my first time on this one but something jogged my memory about it and I felt the need to pull it off my shelf and read it again. It’s three novellas in one, with the first two featuring Montgomerys and Taggerts 😍
The first one is the title story, the Invitation. It’s a little confusing in the beginning because of the weird circumstances of how Jackie and William meet - or meet again, really. I don’t quite get why he doesn’t tell her who he is. It makes the scene where he comes to discuss their business arrangement strange. Anyhow….William is amazing! I love that he’s Jace and Nellie’s kid. Wishes is one of my favorite JD books and I love the connection. At the end of Wishes, Jace makes the request of a dozen healthy kids of the fairy godmother and sure enough, William is one of twelve! Jackie alternates between endearing and annoying. She’s incredibly immature but I guess that is kinda the point of the story - she and William balance.
The second story, Matchmakers, was the highlight for me. I liked Sweet Liar a lot and wish this one had been as fully developed as that one. It was nice to see Mike and Sam again and see their twins born. Cale is a pistol and has no trouble holding her own with Kane, which I love. Sandy was a great side character!
The third story, A Perfect Arrangement, was my least favorite of the three but it wasn’t bad. I liked the characters and their banter.
I want to go re-read more of the Montgomery/Taggert novels now!!!!
The first one is the title story, the Invitation. It’s a little confusing in the beginning because of the weird circumstances of how Jackie and William meet - or meet again, really. I don’t quite get why he doesn’t tell her who he is. It makes the scene where he comes to discuss their business arrangement strange. Anyhow….William is amazing! I love that he’s Jace and Nellie’s kid. Wishes is one of my favorite JD books and I love the connection. At the end of Wishes, Jace makes the request of a dozen healthy kids of the fairy godmother and sure enough, William is one of twelve! Jackie alternates between endearing and annoying. She’s incredibly immature but I guess that is kinda the point of the story - she and William balance.
The second story, Matchmakers, was the highlight for me. I liked Sweet Liar a lot and wish this one had been as fully developed as that one. It was nice to see Mike and Sam again and see their twins born. Cale is a pistol and has no trouble holding her own with Kane, which I love. Sandy was a great side character!
The third story, A Perfect Arrangement, was my least favorite of the three but it wasn’t bad. I liked the characters and their banter.
I want to go re-read more of the Montgomery/Taggert novels now!!!!
July 14, 2020
Recently, i have finished reading " The invitation" by Jude deveraux , A short story full of emotions and sentiments conveyed beautifully through vibrant characters like Jackie O'niell and Willain Montogomery , I loved this story because it was concise and realistic, It showed the true colours of our society and tore apart all the obligations of race, gender, age and status, Through this novel jude reminded us that when there is love , there comes hope , hope of staying together forever , no matter how many trails comes in way.
This story is about a 38 years old widow pilot Jackie, who came back to her homeland Chandler after the death of her husband , her aim isto set up a business and to train youngsters about flying, with her 28 years old partner Willaim Montegomery, later she got to know that he was the same billy she used to babysat and she started to fall for the boy who is already in love with her ! here comes the trouble ;)
seeking help from her own thought will jackie be able to make it work? Ughh yes ! jude has wrote so beautifully that i got entrapped in every chapter ! curiosity took over me as what was coming next ! really enjoyed while reading this , and also my own self has changed to some extent,
i hope y'll are going to enjoy this one as much as i have enjoyed. <3
This story is about a 38 years old widow pilot Jackie, who came back to her homeland Chandler after the death of her husband , her aim isto set up a business and to train youngsters about flying, with her 28 years old partner Willaim Montegomery, later she got to know that he was the same billy she used to babysat and she started to fall for the boy who is already in love with her ! here comes the trouble ;)
seeking help from her own thought will jackie be able to make it work? Ughh yes ! jude has wrote so beautifully that i got entrapped in every chapter ! curiosity took over me as what was coming next ! really enjoyed while reading this , and also my own self has changed to some extent,
i hope y'll are going to enjoy this one as much as i have enjoyed. <3
July 15, 2017
2.3 stars for this collection of Novellas and short stories.
This collection has 3 stories, I wouldn't say that they were the best of Jude deveraux but there okay in the grand scheme of of ends.
The invitation - 1.5 Stars
The story I liked least of all , I found William to be too good to be true and his advances towards jackie to be too disturbing and creepy to be called " romantic childhood love "
Yet I liked Terri the MC BFF and I lived how things turned out well for her in the end.
Now our MC , Jackie was at times annoying and too selfish and mean spirited bottom line is she was insufferable !
A Perfect Arrangments - 2.5 Stars
I gotta say that I really enjoyed this story , the only thing I disliked was how fast and easy things turned out for the MC and her love interest in the end.
How she was readily accepted , didn't sit well with me,
The Matchmakers- 3 Stars
This is the story I liked most out of all them!
Despite being short it was well balanced and I really liked the romance aspect I felt both of the characters were compatible with one another!
They each had influenced and changed each other's lives.
Plus it is a historical western romance , never read a wester story before . It was a nice change of pace for me .
This collection has 3 stories, I wouldn't say that they were the best of Jude deveraux but there okay in the grand scheme of of ends.
The invitation - 1.5 Stars
The story I liked least of all , I found William to be too good to be true and his advances towards jackie to be too disturbing and creepy to be called " romantic childhood love "
Yet I liked Terri the MC BFF and I lived how things turned out well for her in the end.
Now our MC , Jackie was at times annoying and too selfish and mean spirited bottom line is she was insufferable !
A Perfect Arrangments - 2.5 Stars
I gotta say that I really enjoyed this story , the only thing I disliked was how fast and easy things turned out for the MC and her love interest in the end.
How she was readily accepted , didn't sit well with me,
The Matchmakers- 3 Stars
This is the story I liked most out of all them!
Despite being short it was well balanced and I really liked the romance aspect I felt both of the characters were compatible with one another!
They each had influenced and changed each other's lives.
Plus it is a historical western romance , never read a wester story before . It was a nice change of pace for me .
August 31, 2023
1994, a novel (The Invitation), and two novellas (Matchmakers and A Perfect Arrangement) in one volume and it is a treat for Deveraux fans (like me).
If you don't know Deveraux, she writes romances. They end happily. (Why do the two best-selling novel genres, romance and mystery, both have a simple formula? In one, hero and heroine will fall in love, overcome obstacles and then, HEA. In the other a murder will puzzle the sleuth, but he or she will finally figure it out and the guilty one will be brought to justice. If either is done well fans of the genre will always buy more!)
These three Deveraux stories are formula stories, for fans of the romance genre. They are done so well (robust, 3D characters, simmering and then blooming love!) that you will love them. And short enough so you will pop them in like good candies. They are not fattening!
If you don't know Deveraux, she writes romances. They end happily. (Why do the two best-selling novel genres, romance and mystery, both have a simple formula? In one, hero and heroine will fall in love, overcome obstacles and then, HEA. In the other a murder will puzzle the sleuth, but he or she will finally figure it out and the guilty one will be brought to justice. If either is done well fans of the genre will always buy more!)
These three Deveraux stories are formula stories, for fans of the romance genre. They are done so well (robust, 3D characters, simmering and then blooming love!) that you will love them. And short enough so you will pop them in like good candies. They are not fattening!
September 27, 2022
I liked the 3rd, Perfect Arrangement, the best - set in 1882 in the Old West - fun, funny, and wonderful characters. It deserved 3 stars and seemed the most complete as a short story. I thought the 2nd Matchmaker, a contemporary (in 1990s) just bad, totally unbelievable no matter how far I suspended my disbelief, earning only 1 star which is only because I really like the character of Cali. She deserved a better romance. The titular story was set in 1934 in the world of aviation. Had some good moments and characters but...the constant way a mere 10 year age difference was played - Jude, you coukd have done much better with that even in 1994, especially with such a great female aviator. This hit 2 stars for me.
November 10, 2017
I am not much of a short story fan as the shorter the story the less involved the characters or plot tend to be. Jude Deveraux is obviously an exception to this rule. She writes three moving novellas who's characters move you. You end up rooting for them shortly after starting each story.
Ms. Deveraux is an accomplished writer as is obvious when reading the novellas in The Invitation. She shows a great imagination that will have yours working overtime as you read. Her description is marvelous as you can picture the characters and places clearly. If you pick up this book, don't plan on putting it down. You won't be disappointed.
Ms. Deveraux is an accomplished writer as is obvious when reading the novellas in The Invitation. She shows a great imagination that will have yours working overtime as you read. Her description is marvelous as you can picture the characters and places clearly. If you pick up this book, don't plan on putting it down. You won't be disappointed.
January 3, 2019
I did not realize these are 3 very cute books in one, The invitation, Matchmakers and A Perfect Arrangement. All 3 are very cute stories. The 1st one is about a woman in 1934 who flies with her husband but she does fly by herself, the 2nd is about an author, I love the way she decided to write murder mysteries, about how she would love to murder people who have been in her life, like a cab driver, her father, etc. and the 3rd is in 1882 about a woman who wants to make a deal with an "aging" gunslinger she wants to pretend she is married to.
April 20, 2022
Rating is solely for second story, Matchmakers. Read this for the first time decades ago and got such a kick out of it. I still giggle thinking about it like I read it yesterday. Loved it and will continue to reread every five years😂
The other two stories I would be hard pressed to tell you anything about them even after reading the blurbs, except that I read them? I guess that’s a rating in and of itself.
The other two stories I would be hard pressed to tell you anything about them even after reading the blurbs, except that I read them? I guess that’s a rating in and of itself.
March 26, 2024
Weak Stories
Silly stories. I expected much better since I read other books by this author that were pretty good. Stories were rushed and could have been so much better. The last one was absolutely awful.
Silly stories. I expected much better since I read other books by this author that were pretty good. Stories were rushed and could have been so much better. The last one was absolutely awful.
November 2, 2024
2nd Read: Novella #3 - A Perfect Arrangement - 4 stars - Too bad the novellas aren't available as separate ebooks - I wanted to re-read A Perfect Arrangement only and it's one of my favorites.
1st read - 3 stars except for Novella #3 - A Perfect Arrangement which was 4 stars
1st read - 3 stars except for Novella #3 - A Perfect Arrangement which was 4 stars
June 25, 2025
Three great novella, all with a different message. I was nervous that one of the storylines may be too similar to a book I've already read by her, but it surprised me and was much different.
Next on my check list...
Next on my check list...
August 13, 2017
Not overly complex or deep but a good light read. I read it while waiting in airports so it was perfect for that. It is 3 short novellas that are loosely tied together.
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