I had some problems with my laptop over the past few days, so I apologize for my review being late, but thankfully it’s up and running again. I’m so glad because I’m thrilled to be sharing this book with all of you. I adored A Very Austen Christmas, so when I saw that some of my favorite JAFF authors were back with A Very Austen Valentine, I couldn’t pass it up. And I’m delighted to say that I wasn’t disappointed one bit.
A Very Austen Valentine has a little bit of everything for the Austen fan, and of course, plenty of romance for Valentine’s Day. Robin Helm’s “I Dream of You” has the Darcys settling into married life and Elizabeth devising ways for them to get to know each other on a deeper level. Laura Hile’s “Sir Walter Takes a Wife” is the perfect Persuasion/Pride and Prejudice mashup that made me laugh so hard I cried. Wendi Sotis’ “My Forever Valentine” has Elizabeth and Darcy meeting in Kent after the Bingleys have married, with Richard and Anne helping things along. Barbara Cornthwaite’s “Pretence and Prejudice” has Darcy and Elizabeth meeting in a completely different way, with spies and romance! Mandy H. Cook’s “My Valentine” is the love story of the Darcys’ daughter, Charlotte, and brings in some characters from Sense and Sensibility. Finally, Susan Kaye’s “The Lovers’ Ruse” imagines what might have happened if Anne Elliot hadn’t been persuaded to give up Captain Wentworth.
All of the stories are beautifully written, and despite being shorter works, they are perfectly paced and completely satisfying. I loved the mix of stories, covering different points in Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship and featuring characters from other Austen novels — and even original characters. Moreover, the stories are very different from each other and equally enjoyable — and it’s hard to find anthologies where you like ALL of the stories. A Very Austen Valentine is a must-read for JAFF fans, and I truly hope these authors release another anthology in the future.
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About A Very Austen Valentine
I Dream of You by Robin Helm
Newly-married Elizabeth Darcy has a plan: to charm her too-busy husband into desiring her company as much as he did when he was courting her. A series of romantic dreams gives her just the push she needs to put that plan into action.
Sir Walter Takes a Wife by Laura Hile
Faced with a lonely future and finding himself strapped for cash, Persuasion’s Sir Walter Elliot manfully decides to marry again. But his careful plans go sadly awry! A lighthearted Valentine mash-up featuring two of Jane Austen’s worst snobs.
My Forever Valentine by Wendi Sotis
Jane and Charles Bingley have married, even though Miss Elizabeth Bennet remains certain Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy gave his best effort to keep them apart. After Mr. Darcy refused to stand up with Bingley and did not attend the wedding, she despises the gentleman more than ever and finds his company intolerable. How will she endure her visit to Kent if Mr. Darcy turns up everywhere she goes?
Pretence and Prejudice by Barbara Cornthwaite
A chance encounter with a handsome stranger forces Elizabeth to resort to subterfuge in order to discover his true intentions.
My Valentine by Mandy H. Cook
Little Charlotte was always determined and independent, traits which served her well as she battled a serious childhood illness and later as she took on Polite Society. Will those traits now deprive her of true love? Or would her lifelong Valentine win her heart?
The Lovers’ Ruse by Susan Kaye
In this Persuasion alteration, Anne is so altered by Wentworth’s love in the summer of 1806, she refuses to give him up when both her godmother and father try to persuade her. “The Lovers’ Ruse” follows Frederick and Anne through their whirlwind courtship and their secret engagement. When Wentworth returns for his Annie girl, the cat comes out of the bag.
Buy on Amazon (U.S.) | Amazon (U.K.)
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About the Authors
Robin Helm’s books reflect her love of music, as well as her fascination with the paranormal and science fiction.
Previously published works include The Guardian Trilogy: Guardian, SoulFire, and Legacy (a guardian angel protects a supernaturally gifted girl), the Yours by Design series: Accidentally Yours, Sincerely Yours, and Forever Yours (Fitzwilliam Darcy switches places in time with his descendant, Will Darcy), and Understanding Elizabeth (Regency romance).
She contributed to A Very Austen Christmas: Austen Anthologies, Book 1, an anthology featuring like-minded authors, in 2017. A Very Austen Valentine: Austen Anthologies, Book 2 was released on December 29, 2018. A Very Austen Romance: Austen Anthologies, Book 3 is planned for December 2019.
She lives in sunny South Carolina and adores her one husband, two married daughters, and three grandchildren.
Connect with Robin: Amazon Author Page | BeyondAusten.com | Twitter | Facebook (Robin Helm) | Facebook (Austen Anthologies) | Instagram @jrhelm or @AustenAnthologies | Goodreads | Blog
Readers are loving Laura Hile’s joyous Regency novels. Her signature style—with intertwined plots, cliffhangers, laugh-out-loud humor, and romance—keeps them coming back for more.
The comedy Laura comes by as a teacher. There’s never a dull moment with teen students!
Laura lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and a collection of antique clocks.
Her fiction is for everyone, even teens.
Connect with Laura: Amazon Author Page | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | BeyondAusten.com | Goodreads
Wendi Sotis lives on Long Island, NY, with her husband and triplets. While searching for Pride and Prejudice from Darcy’s point of view, she became thoroughly enamored with Jane Austen Fan Fiction or JAFF. In early 2010, she dreamed of an idea for a story and hasn’t stopped writing since: Promises, Dreams and Expectations; All Hallows Eve; The Keys for Love; Safekeeping (with just a dash of Austen); The Gypsy Blessing; Foundation of Love (The Gypsy Blessing 2); and A Lesson Hard Learned.
The Marriage Pact, and some of Wendi’s works-in-progress, have branched away from JAFF to Regency Romance (the Loving an Aldridge Series) and Contemporary Romantic Mysteries (the Implicated series). Wendi will also continue bringing Darcy and Elizabeth together again and again in an unusual manner.
Connect with Wendi: Amazon Author Page | Website | Facebook | Twitter | BeyondAusten.com | Goodreads
Barbara Cornthwaite lives in the middle of Ireland with her husband and children. She taught college English before “retiring” to do something she loves far more; her days are now filled with homeschooling her six children, trying to keep the house tidy (a losing battle), and trying to stay warm in the damp Irish climate (also a losing battle). She is surrounded by medieval castles, picturesque flocks of sheep, and ancient stone monuments. These things are unappreciated by her children, who are more impressed by traffic jams, skyscrapers, and hot weather.
Connect with Barbara: Amazon Author Page | Jane Started It!
Susan Kaye discovered Jane Austen and writing at about the same time. She leads a quiet life with her husband and dog, Harley. “I don’t know a lot, but I do know I’ve probably spent more time with Frederick Wentworth and Anne Elliot than just about anybody else.”
Connect with Susan: Amazon Author Page | Jane Started It! | Facebook
Mandy Cook was an RN for over ten years, half of which she served in the Navy, living in far-flung places, enjoying experiencing the world while following her calling. Just before she and her handsome Marine were both deployed to different places, they married. They now have three children, ages four and younger.
She previously published The Gifted, using her nursing experience to lend accuracy to her story about an ER nurse who is handed a gift that changes her life forever. Adversity, and a long history of secrets, constantly battle against her natural instinct for truth and justice, but will the truth be worth the dare?
Connect with Mandy: Facebook | Instagram @hisloved1s
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Giveaway
The authors are generously offering an ebook of A Very Austen Valentine to my readers. To enter, please leave a comment with your email address. The giveaway will run through Wednesday, January 23, 2019. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced in the comments section of this post. Good luck!
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01/06 Just the Write Escape
01/07 Margie’s Must Reads
01/08 So Little Time…
01/09 Babblings of a Bookworm
01/10 Half Agony, Half Hope
01/11 Austenesque Reviews
01/12 My Love for Jane Austen
01/14 From Pemberley to Milton
01/15 My life journey
01/16 My Vices and Weaknesses
01/18 Diary of an Eccentric
01/20 Darcyholic Diversions
01/21 Austenprose
Disclosure: I received a copy of A Very Austen Valentine from the authors for review.
Anna, Thanks so much for your review. I haven’t had a chance to dig into this anthology yet and look forward to doing so soon since Valentine’s Day will be here in no time. This sounds like a wonderful collection and I look forward to reading. Jen Red
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Faithful Jen, how kind you are. Smart too, to nip in where the odds of winning are really good.
You are so right; Valentine’s Day will be here in no time. Will I still have those Christmas boxes stacked in the corner of my living room? 😀
Good luck in the giveaway!
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Thank you, Jen! We hope you enjoy our stories.
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Thanks so much, Jen! Good luck in the giveaway 🙂
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Thanks, Jen!
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Anna, thanks SO much for soldiering through the technical difficulties. There are few things as annoying (and scary) as a dying laptop.
Anyway, because of the delay, I want to remind your followers that this giveaway is NOT on the Rafflecopter. This means a comment here will enter you to win … and the odds right now are really, really good.
Anna, you say I truly hope these authors release another anthology in the future? We’ve got you covered. A Very Austen Romance is in the works for December-ish, 2019.
(Lately I’ve been adding “ish” to deadlines because … real life happens.)
And after that, we’re toying with the idea of A Very Austen Darcy … all Darcy, all the time. What do you all think? Too much?
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Oh Laura! There can never be too much Darcy for me. I must tell you that I have finally got round to reading Darcy by any other Name! I bought it ages ago but struggled with the idea of him looking like Mr Collins. However I found he was kind and caring and loved how he treated Elizabeth and her family. So may I say thank you for that and I look forward to this one. 🙂
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Darcy By Any Other Name is sooo good!
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The idea of an all-Darcy collection sounds fun. We’ll see what we come up with.
And I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed Darcy By Any Other Name, Glynis. As you discovered, it’s all about how the man on the inside changes the man on the outside — Darcy-as-Collins changed in appearance because he wasn’t Collins. 😀
We women value intelligence and wit and kindness and honor — a meeting of the minds, a shared glance, private laughter — way more than we do a hot-hot body.
I’ve got to quit thinking up story ideas that have a cringe factor, though. My wretched sense of humor gets me into trouble every time!
Good luck in the giveaway. The Rafflecopter thingy now says only 30 hours left. Oh boy!
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There’s never too much Darcy! Can’t wait!
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this book. It sounds wonderful and I have it at the top of my wishlist. jadseah4(at)yahoo
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Hi, darcybennett! Last Christmas we did a giveaway of A Very Austen Christmas here with Anna, and because we wanted to award the eBook on Christmas Eve, it had a short turnaround time. Just like this one — Wednesday, whoo-ee!
We’re hoping that those who did not win the Rafflecopter — deadline tonight? (I forget) — will come over here and enter this one. Good luck!
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Hi, darcybennett. I hope you win a book. You have been so faithful on the blog tour. Good luck!
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Hi darcybennett! Good luck!
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Thanks for checking out my review!
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This is definitely on my wishlist!
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Thanks for coming by to enter, Sheena. WAsn’t Anna was a sport to persevere through the agony of laptop woes? Good luck in the giveaway.
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Hi, sheenaaustinauthor! Best of luck in the giveaway!
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Cool, sheenaaustinauthor! Good luck! Thanks for entering 🙂
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Great review Anna. Congratulations Ladies for the new release.
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Hi, Kate! Thanks for entering the giveaway. This one will be especially fun because it’s independent. 😀
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Hello, KateB. Anna has been such a good sport through all her posting problems! Thank you, and good luck!
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Thanks, Kate!
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Ha Ha Laura! Boxes stacked in the corner. Well, at the end of August Greg put new carpet down in my computer area, and I have yet to finish putting away some of the boxes I cleared out. Hmmm. Is this a JAFF thing or just because we are teachers too?
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Definitely the teacher thing. When I come home from a long day with middle school students, I am DONE. And then there is writing work to do and keeping up with friends (like you) on social media stuff …
I need to invite house guests. Yes, that will get a few things slicked up around here — and the carpets cleaned, too. You think?
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for Sure! At least that’s what my husband always says.
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I have this on my list. I really loved A Very Austen Christmas and this looks to have the kind of stories I like (ie. about Darcy and Elizabeth either directly or indirectly.) I so look forward to reading it. Thank you.
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Hi, Glynis. So glad you enjoyed A Very Austen Christmas, and we really hope you love A Very Austen Valentine just as much.
Good luck in the giveaway!
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This sounds like so much fun. I can’t wait to read it. jwgarrett13@hotmail.com
Thanks to the authors for the generous giveaway. Good luck to everyone in the drawing.
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Hi! You’re most welcome, and good luck to you!
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Thanks for commenting, J.W. Garrett! Good luck 🙂
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This sounds like a wonderful group of stories to read for Valentines Day! Thank you for the review and giveaway.
evamedmonds(at)gmail(dot)com
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Everyone gets their Happily Ever Afters, so that makes it fun for the day of love. We hope you enjoy it. Good luck!
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Good luck evamedmonds! 🙂 Thanks!
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This is on my TBR, sounds like a wonderful read!
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Music to my ears. Good luck!
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Thanks, Ceri 🙂 Good luck!
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Looking forward to reading this one!
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Hi, Lily. We’d love to hear what you think of it. Good luck in the giveaway!
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Good luck, Lily! Thanks for commenting 🙂
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This sounds like a wonderful book! Thanks for the opportunity to win a free copy! Cyndyhenry1@gmail.com
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We hope you enjoy it! Good luck!
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Good luck in the giveaway, Cyndyhenry! I’m glad you like the post.
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I thought it was terrific, too, Anna. The variety of ways they developed the theme and using more than one of the novels was great.
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I saw your lovely review, Sophia Rose! Thank you so much. 😍
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Thanks so much for the review, Sophia Rose! I’m so happy you enjoyed the stories 🙂
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Glad you enjoyed it, too, Sophia. And thank you for hosting the group read on Goodreads!
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Each time I go to a different blog post it makes me more and more eager to read this anthology. It is on my wish list. It sound like it will be so much fun. Thank you for the generous give away.
skamper25 (at) gmail (dot) com
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Wonderful to hear that, Deborahanne2. Best of luck to you!
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Thanks so much, deborahanne2! I’m glad you’re getting so much out of the blog tour 🙂 Good luck!
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I plan to read this one way or another. Thanks for the chance to win. odara7rox@rcn.com
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Hi, Sheila! I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Good luck!
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Enjoy it, sheilalmajczan! Good luck in the giveaway! 🙂
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Ooh, can’t wait to read this one!
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So nice of you to say that, Bronwen. Good luck in the giveaway!
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I’m a big fan of short fiction, and these Austen short stories sound delightful. Thanks for hosting this giveaway! I will add it to my blog’s sidebar.
suko95(at)gmail(dot)com
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Hi, Suko! I like anthologies for that very reason. Good luck to you@
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Thanks so much, Suko! Good luck!
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Valentine’s Day is around the closer and this anthology would be perfect for relaxing, reading, having a few chocolates and a glass of wine. Sounds so yummy.
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Hello, Christa! That sounds like a great plan for Valentine’s Day. Good luck in the giveaway!
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Thanks, Christa! Good luck! Enjoy 🙂
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Thank you for the great review. A delightful valentine’s day read to be sure!
Thank you for the chance to win a copy. 🙂
stluc3@sbcglobal.net
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Hi, Virginia. Wasn’t the review just lovely? Anna did a wonderful job. Good luck!
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Thank you, Virginiakohl! Good luck 🙂
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Thanks, Virginia!
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I love the idea of the Anne and Wentworth story being different, and of course the Darcy stories always steal my heart! They all sound wonderful, cannot wait to read this! Thanks 🙂 Erika Messer hopefuldelight1 (at) yahoo (dot) com
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Susan Kaye did a superb job with her story, Erika. I think you’ll love it. ❤❤❤ Good luck!
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Lots of great stories in this one – I’m blessed to be associated with these ladies. Good luck, Erika!
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The Lovers Ruse is the one I really want to read – that and the one where Elizabeth tries to reignite the fire with Darcy 🙂 They all look amazing though! Congrats!
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I think you’ll enjoy The Lovers’ ruse, Erika. I like an Anne who has a bit more backbone. Good luck!
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[…] Excerpt, Giveaway 01/16 My Vices and Weaknesses; Guest Post or Vignette. Excerpt, Giveaway 01/18 Diary of an Eccentric; Review, Giveaway 01/20 Darcyholic Diversions; Author Interview, Giveaway 01/21 Austenprose; Author […]
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Thank you for the chance to win. Look forward to reading
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Cherringtonmb at sbcglobal dot net
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Hi, BeckyC. I hope you enjoy it. Best of luck in the giveaway!
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Good luck, BeckyC! Thanks for entering!
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There are some books that if you win them or not, you just have to read, and this is one them.
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We think so, cbbsadventures, but it’s gratifying to hear your kind encouragement. Our books are enrolled in Kindle Unlimited for those who subscribe. Good luck in the giveaway!
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What a wonderful thing to say, cbbsadventures! You just made my day. Good luck!
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Lovely review Anna and one I am looking forward to reading. I too loved the first one and this one sounds just delightful! Thank you for a chance at the giveaway!
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Hi, Carole! Thans for your vote of support … and also for entering the giveaway. Good luck!
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Thanks, Carole!
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Valentines…I love valentines…and this sounds like it will be a delight. 🙂
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Serena, thank you! Thanks for entering the giveaway. The odds of winning are still pretty good. 😀
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Thank you, Serena. I love valentines, too!
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I really enjoyed A Very Austen Christmas! This group of writers is so talented! Looking forward to reading A Very Austen Valentine!
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Hi, Layne! Thanks for the kind words. Your Robin has been instrumental in putting these anthologies together. Without her, we’d still be sitting around, looking at one another and saying, “Someday we ought to do this.” But we have Robin, and so we did.
Good luck in the giveaway.
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Hi, Sis! Thank you for your kind words. I’m so glad you enjoyed A Very Austen Christmas, and I’m looking forward to hearing what you think of A Very Austen Valentine. Good luck (though I’ll make sure you get a print copy).
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A good and succinct review, Anna. Glad your laptop is alright and that you can resume blogging again.
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Thank you!
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Thanks you all for checking out my review! It is much appreciated.
The winner of the ebook is caroleincanada. Congrats and happy reading!
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