Wish list

Just in time for they holidays is an absolutely delightful new hardcover anthology from talented romance authors Lisa Kleypas, Lisa Cach, Claudia Dain, and Lynsay Sands.

In "I Will," by Lisa Kleypas Andrew, Lord Drake, needs a large favor from spinster Miss Caroline Hargreaves. In danger of being cut out of his father's family will, Andrew needs to prove to his father that he has reformed his debauched ways. Towards that end, he offers to pay Caroline's brother's debts if she will pretend to be Andrew's intended. But Andrew and Caroline get caught in their own charade, with some very funny and touching results.

"Puddings, Pastries and Thou" by Lisa Cach Tells a touching and amusing story about Vivian Ambrose, a poverty-stricken young woman who goes to live with some distant relations, who are quite eager to marry her off.

In "Union" by Claudia Dane, All Clarissa Walinford wants from her first season is not to marry an Englishman, to the horror of her family,

and in "All I Want" by Lyndsay Sands, Prudence desperately needs a way to stop their father's gambling which is going to land the family in debtor's prison. Could the handsome Lord Stephen help her in her difficulty?

The four stories are all set in early 1800s England, making this a real treasure for historical romance fans. Normally, anthologies are somewhat uneven in the quality of the stories. But I Wish has four heartwarming, excellently written winners that make this one a real keeper.