Six Free Reads this Valentine's Day.

Firstly, to celebrate this week of romance I will be offering my latest book 'The Bulletproof Proposal' free on Valentine's Day.

I also thought I'd indulge in five romantic stories and share my thoughts with you on each one. There is a story for everyone as they were a mix of romance, love, warmth, humour and one that will make you hot under the collar.

At the time of reading and reviewing these stories they were free to download from Amazon.

Valentine’s Day at the Star & Sixpence by Holly Hepburn

Book blurb taken from Amazon:

Fall in love at the Star and Sixpence this Valentine's Day.... Love is in the air as sisters Nessie and Sam prepare for Valentine's Day at their newly renovated pub, The Star and Sixpence. They have a star chef winging her way from London to cook a very special Valentine's Day dinner, for all the couples in the village. But as sparks fly in the kitchen, will love bloom in The Star and Sixpence? A romantic short story.

This is a cute and romantic story. I must admit I was a little confused at the beginning as there are a few characters and I was trying to work out who was who. However, don’t let that put you off, as once I had settled into it I really enjoyed the book. There are two main characters, Sam and Nessie, who are sisters. They both have a romance blossoming. I especially enjoyed the intrigue that was building up between Nessie and Owen. Holly has a selection of books named the ‘Star & Sixpence’ and I would happily read these.

The Day we Met is an anthology of stories from the following authors, Cheryl Adnams, Vanda vadas, Avril Tremayne and Sue-Ellen Pashley.

Book blurb taken from Amazon:

WHEN JACK MET EVIE he found his usual movie star charm wasn't enough to catch her attention. In fact, she seemed to be actively avoiding him . . . He's heard Evie has a fatal fear of paparazzi, but that doesn't mean he should ignore his heart, does it? WHEN HARRY MET BETH he was tongue-tied for weeks. How was it possible this goddess of a woman now worked at their local hardware store in McLaren Vale? And how on earth will this farmer's son get up the courage to win her love? WHEN HENRY MET GINA he instantly knew two things. One, that she was a changer like he was. And two, that his dad was right about the way their kind fell in love - instantly, irrevocably. But has Gina felt it too? WHEN ELOISE MET ZACH she sensed something strangely distinguished about the masked intruder holding her captive outside her own ball. Lady Eloise Blakely has always longed for a world less ordinary, but is she ready to give her heart to an outlaw?

'The Day we Met' is a collection of four short stories based on a 'boy-meets-girl' scenario. The stories are ideal for reading over a cup of coffee or on your lunch break. Being a short story, you are left wondering what happens next to the characters. The authors could certainly expand upon their stories if they had wished. The stories are each set in their own time period, two being modern day, one in the fifties and the other in 1744. The stories can be described as cute, a little raunchy in places, but an easy and pleasant read, which is ideal for this romantic time of year.

Rescue Me by Serena Bell

Book blurb taken from Amazon:

Getting stood up on Valentine’s Day has taken Molly Mack places she never would have dared to go… After Molly Mack’s deadbeat boyfriend dumps her on the most romantic day of the year, Molly finds herself pushed to the edge—and in a tight spot. The only rescuer for miles around is her grumpy, laconic—and piping hot—neighbor, Dave Jenkins. Before long, Molly and Dave have struck enough sparks to bring the fire department running. Now the question is, Does Molly still want to be rescued? Or is she exactly where she wants to be?

What can I say about this sizzling hot short story? It is certainly a steamy storyline between the two main characters. They find themselves in an interesting situation and whilst there, they find entertainment in each other. Apart from the sexual content, it is actually quite a cute story between a couple who ‘fall’ for each other in an unusual place. It can easily be read in one sitting if you fancy indulging in a heart racing romance this Valentine’s Day.

Try Me by Della Galton

Book blurb taken from Amazon:

Daily Della is a series of short fiction anthologies for all Kindle enabled reading devices. Five stories in each issue, ideal for your daily coffee break. This issue of ‘Daily Della’ is a special cut-down, cut-price version, designed to give you a taster. In this issue: The Naked Truth When Emma and Jilly see an advert for NUDE male cleaners they wonder whether it's genuine. Emma decides there's only one way to find out - she has visions of naked men ironing her clothes - and despite Jilly's protestations, she rings the number. On One Condition The last place Karen expects to find herself on her thirtieth birthday is stuck up a tree, but thanks to her niece and nephew, ten year old twins, Conrad and Sarah that's exactly what happens. They tell her not to worry, Tom will get her down and they disappear to find him. Then to make matters worse it starts to rain and Karen's left worrying about the identity of the mysterious Tom. Saint Or Sinner Debs and her friend go to see a Welsh male voice choir and Debs falls in love with a gorgeous tenor, third row, fifth from the left. When they play her favourite hymn, 'When the Saints Go Marching In' she begins to feel like a sinner herself. Especially as she's married to Andrew who's waiting patiently for her back home.

Della has written three very short stories, each slightly different from the other. The first story is about a naked butler who comes around to do the ironing for the main character. The story is funny and light-hearted (I think I even laughed out loud). I would certainly recommend this story to brighten up your day whilst waiting for your partner to cook you a candlelit dinner. The second story is a cute romantic piece that was an easy and enjoyable read. I wasn’t so keen on the third story, but I’ll let you read it for yourself and see what you think.

Loving Winter Nights, Love Romance (free sampler) by Lori Connelly, Teresa F. Morgan, Charlotte Phillips, Romy Sommer & Carmel Harrington

Book blurb taken from Amazon:

Enjoy this free festive treat from HarperImpulse this winter…

Inspired by roaring campfires and the cold nights of the Pacific Northwest, a group of HarperImpulse authors came together to write their own round robin style romance.

Sitting around our virtual fire, one author starts the tale before passing it off to the person beside them and so on… The story builds as each person adds their part, concluding when it reaches the one who started it. The result is this charming, beautifully told romance ‘For Clara’.

So wherever you are – at home on your sofa, a steaming mug of hot chocolate in your hand, or snuggled into your softest scarf on the commute to work – imagine yourself out there in the wild, the crackle and hiss of the wood burning, the glow of the fire warming you through. Sit back, relax and let our authors entertain you for a while…

I thought the concept of writing this was brilliant, the five authors mentioned above came together to each write a section of the story. As the plot unfolds the tension builds, I was definitely hooked until the end. This book was a mix of action and romance, so if you like your stories fast paced, intriguing and loving you’d be mad not to give this a try. Following the end of the story the authors share their thoughts on why they decided to take the plot in the direction that they did. Each author held a different concept of the time period, backdrop and how they would continue to write it.

I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on the above books. If you’re looking for another book to read this Valentine’s week, download ‘The Bulletproof Proposal’ which is free on the 14th February on Amazon. Click the image below to download your copy: