IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT

Author: Stephanie Laurens, Mary Balogh, Jacqquie D'Alessandro, Candice Hern ISBN: 9780061354168 10/2008 ANTHOLOGY Publisher: AVON

Four couples will find each other once more... Robert Gerrard is London's most notorious rake. But he once did everything in his power to protect Lydia Makepeace, igniting a yearning that persists to the day they are trapped alone at an inn. Fueled by desire, Lydia is determined to finally have Robert for her own and delight in The Fall of Robert Gerrard, the sensual tale from New York Times bestselling author STEPHANIE LAURENS. Bound for London, Nora Ryder might have died in the terrible stagecoach accident were it not for the man who risked his life to save her. He is Richard Kemp, Lord Bourne, her husband—and she had no idea his ardor could still hold her Spellbound in this captivating tale from MARY BALOGH. Cassandra Heywood and Ethan Baxter were once cherished childhood friends. Now, after ten long years apart, Ethan is determined to win Cassandra for his own. But Cassandra has her own ideas in JACQUIE D'ALESSANDRO's Only You. He left her to defend His Majesty's honor. But Captain Sam Pellow never stopped fantasizing about Wilhelmina, Duchess of Hertford—and nothing she has said or done will keep him from her bed in CANDICE HERN's From This Moment On.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Have you ever wondered what would happen four incredibly talented authors were put to the task of telling the same story, each in her own way? IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT does exactly that. The result? Pure magic!

The basic story in each of these four novellas involves a couple, a separation of a decade, a meeting at an inn where they've got one twenty-four hour period to... well, that's entirely up to each of them. Each author takes a different season and uses her own characters, but the main ingredients in each story are the same.

The Fall of Rogue Gerrard is Stephanie Laurens' winter tale. It begins with a dark and stormy night, but love quickly chases the storminess away. I enjoyed the tale of the woman who is brave enough to try and tame the rogue. Very entertaining, and wonderfully historically accurate.

Spring belongs to Mary Balogh's Spellbound, and all I can say is that with its flawless delivery, real-as-life characters and fast-moving plot, this story did, indeed, hold me spellbound.

Only You by Jacquie D'Alessandro brings Cassandra and Ethan and the Blue Seas Inn to life with all the heat and passion one would expect in summer. I loved this story, mainly because Cassandra is such a warm, sympathetic character with so much to overcome. I wanted her to find happiness, wanted her to know joy instead of sadness.

Candice Hern's From This Moment On brings the year to a close, with autumn and its winds of change. The season itself is perfectly captured in this final story in the anthology. Throughout its characters, a handsome sea captain and a beautiful duchess are filled with emotions that echo the stormy conditions that have forced them to seek refuge in the Blue Boar. A candid peek into the underlying excuses for not mixing oil with water, this story is a heartwarming reminder that love can conquer all. I loved it!

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT is a gem. I know I'll read it time and again, perhaps revisiting each story at the beginning of every new season. It is a good, solid read and showcases the strengths of some very talented ladies. Fabulous!

Kay James