I enjoyed all 3 stories,by 3 equally amazing authors. Each Novella was filled with ladies who find love when they were least expecting to. Who doesn’t enjoy books that feature adorable pets,awesome girlfriends,charming guys,a couple of sweet uncles & a hard to resist 5 year old girl,who steals everyone’s heart! This book releases on 4-29-‘25 make sure you grab yourself a copy

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. While I appreciated the stories, I didn’t completely love them.

This collection featured three short novellas, each with a different take on romance. The first, by Fern Michaels, follows Natalie as she returns home to care for her father after surgery. At a crossroads in her life, she has fleeting encounters with Garrett, a beekeeper, but their interactions are minimal. The story felt more like Natalie’s personal journey rather than a romance, and the connection between her and Garrett didn’t fully develop until the very end, making it difficult to feel invested in their relationship.

Lori Foster’s story centers on Annabeth and Devlin, neighbors who have admired each other from afar for over a year. When Devlin’s daughter falls ill, Annabeth steps in to help, and their relationship quickly turns romantic. It was a sweet and predictable story, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression.

The final novella, The Memory Cabin by Carolyn Brown, was my favorite of the three. Jenna has built a quiet life for herself in her family’s cabin after a difficult past, and her new neighbor, park ranger Carson, slowly becomes part of her world. Though their relationship develops quickly due to the short format, it was still charming and enjoyable.

Overall, this was a pleasant read, but I didn’t find the romances particularly deep or memorable. Fans of quick, light love stories may enjoy it more.

Three sweet stories but my favorite was the one by Lori Foster's, Everything She'd Ever Wanted. This was a story that was all about family- the one made by blood and the one made by the heart. AnnaBeth's heart was very tender and bruised from her years in foster care but she loved with every fiber of her being. Devlin is trying to find balance in his life but is willing to take a chance with AnnaBeth, and the tenderness he shows her is so sweet. Sony, Mia and Ruby are the cherries on top. Enjoy.

Lilac Time is a cute book with 3 novellas by three wonderful authors.
Sweet As Honey is a cute little small town romance about a girl who ends things with her boyfriend and goes home to help her parents and ends up falling for “the local beeman.” When they finally meet.
Everything She ever Wanted by Lori Foster was my personal favorite . Annabelle falls for her neighbor’s nephew and his little girl. Ruby the chiweenie steals the show.
The Memory Cabin by Carolyn Brown is a sweet story about three best friends that have survived heartache and the friendship they have shared for years .
This collection of stories is full of friendship, romance and new beginnings . Perfect reading if you enjoy small town romances.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy for my opinion.

Lilac Time by Fern Michaels includes 3 novellas.

Sweet as Honey - Fern Michaels
Natalie Simmons is a graphic designer and works online designing and maintaining websites for bands and recording artists. After a relationship with her boyfriend, Alec, ended, she gladly returns to her hometown to help care for her dad who had hip replacement surgery.
While volunteering at the local farmer's market, Natalie formally meets Garrett and his sister, Georgia, who owns and runs the Honey Business Apiary. Garrett is a beekeeper who is loved by everyone in town, but Natalie's first impression of him when she arrived was not a pleasant one. Natalie is glad to reunite with Diana, her childhood friend. Diana owns the Hometown Flower Shop.
Natalie and her cat, Mr. Meowser, are happy to be living with her mom and dad for a month or so while her dad undergoes physical therapy. She also enjoys helping out the local food pantry.
Garrett is happy running his business and playing with his dog, Mr. Bumbles. Neither are ready to get into another relationship.
As the time passes, Natalie begins to contemplate her future life and what she would want it to look like. Everything begins to change at the "Independence Day Jamboree", which was a huge success!
I loved the characters and the setting!

Everything She'd Ever Wanted
Anna Beth Sanders has never had a "family". Her parents died when she was very young, and her childhood was spent living with one foster family after another.
Anna Beth lives with her Chiweenie dog, Ruby. She watches over her elderly neighbor, Sony, who lives alone. She enjoys spending time with him. To her he feels like family.
Sony is visited often by his nephew, Devlin. Devlin's daughter, Mia, who is 5 years old, lost her mother when she was 2. Visiting Uncle Sony helps Devlin manage his grief and helps ward off Sony's loneliness. Mia loves playing with Ruby!!! Anna Beth is happy to visit with all of them. She is a very compassionate person and enjoys helping others.
Uncle Sony tries to play matchmaker with Anna Beth and Devlin while Mia's overindulgent grandmother tries to interfere!
I loved the characters and the setting!

The Memory Cabin - Carolyn Brown
Jenna Stewart loves to paint and works online with art galleries. On the same day that her husband of 11 months handed her divorce papers, her mom's housekeeper called to tell her that her mom had died suddenly of an aneurysm.
Jenna moved into her mom's cabin on lake. Victa beautiful lake. Victor is the park ranger and Dorena is his wife. Jenna has known them for as long as she can remember. Victor and Dorena will be retiring and moving to live close to their daughter and grandsons. Their nephew, Carson Makay, will take over as park ranger. Jenna saw Carson 15 years ago when his family stayed in a cabin next to them.
Once a year Jenna and her 2 friends, Amber and Kelly, get together at the cabin to share memories, both good and bad. They met at grief counseling 10 years ago and instantly became friends. This trip will bring many surprises for Jenna and her friends.
Read on as Jenna and Carson get to know each other!
I love the characters and setting!

I highly recommend this book!!!

I really enjoyed Lori Foster’s short story Everything She’d Ever Wanted in this anthology. Lori Foster is an auto read author for me. I really enjoyed AnnaBeth, Devlin and little Mia. The sweet dog Ruby helped tie these three together along with Uncle Sony. It was a fun novella to read.

Loved these short romance stories from three great writers. Easy reading and hold your attention as they have great storylines!

Everything She'd Ever Wanted - Lori Foster.
A sweet novella about a young woman, AnnaBeth, and her yearning for a family of her own. She grew up in foster care and never felt like she fit in anywhere until she moved next to a wonderful older man, Uncle Sony. Uncle Sony is funny and sees more than he lets on. His nephew and single father, Devlin, and his young daughter, Mia, visit Uncle Sony often to check on him. Something that AnnaBeth also does as his neighbor. She has secretly harbored a crush on Devlin and longed to be part of their little family. After spending more time together through circumstance, and how Devlin's daughter, Mia, had adopted AnnaBeth's dog Ruby, Devlin was finally able to share how he felt about AnnaBeth. She was cautiously optimistic since relationships never worked out for her. I really enjoyed this story and the characters. I highly recommend it. It is part of Lilac Time which is 3 novellas by 3 amazing authors!

I received an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest and unsolicited opinion.

If you are looking for something lighthearted to read this is it. These are some big hitting authors who have brought to us some quick stories with lots of heart.
I enjoyed reading this between some of my heavier reads as it brought a smile to my face.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

Cute short stories. Dragged a bit in parts but all in all I liked the characters and of course loved the dog.

Lilac Time is a sweet trio of stories by fantastic authors.

EVERYTHING SHE’D EVER WANTED by Lori Foster was a great read! I adore when a story is brought to life with the help of kids and animals, and this one had both! Annabeth has taken notice of her neighbor's nephew, Devlin and his adorable little girl. Devlin's daughter has taken notice of Annabeth's little dog. Devlin has definitely noticed his uncle's neighbor. Soon, they find their lives intertwined as their friendship develops.

This is such a delighful read that warms the heart.
 
SWEET AS HONEY by Fern Michaels

This is a cute and quick read. Natalie returns home to help her parents out while her dad is recovering from surgery. While home, she reconnects with old friends and makes new connections. After a less than ideal first meeting with the local beekeeper, she learns he's not so bad.

THE MEMORY CABIN * Carolyn Brown

This was a wonderful and emotional read. I loved how the main character was focused on moving forward while healing from the past. When Jenna learns this is the last annual gathering at her cabin with her friends, she finds it bittersweet. The promise of exciting days ahead arrives with a new park ranger.

Although it's a shorter story, the emotions of grief, uncertainties and new beginnings is weaved very well through the pages.

Three novellas by great authors. While I am not usually a fan of these short stories, as it feels the emotions go too fast from not meeting to the proposals, I did find my interest was kept for all three of these. Good authors. Would highly recommend.

Lilac Time contains three novellas, all of them heartwarming in their own way. In the stories, Fern Michaels, Lori Foster, and Carolyn Brown offer us a sense of family, neighbors, and long distance friends. There is an element of learning to trust again, working through grief in various aspects, secrets, and moving forward with life changes. And they all have animals in them! I recommend them for fun, easy reads!

This book is a collection of three heartwarming, entertaining romances. The real stars, of course, were the pets who somehow bring the couples together. Enchanting and charming, this is an easy-to-read go to for a feel-good story.

Three stories to read! And let’s be truthful, it’s all about the pets. In their own ways, they made the stories, at least for me.

Sweet As Honey by Fern Michaels: Great story about two people who are a little bit lost in life but finding each other makes it perfect. Natalie Simmons designs web presences for musicians and is owned by a cat. And she is a nature girl, though her solitary existence she’s come to realize, is limiting her joy of life. She runs into Garrett, the local beekeeper, and his dog Mr. Bumbles. Cute story, and dare I say...sweet.

Everything She’d Ever Wanted by Lori Foster: AnnaBeth Sanders and her Chiweenie dog, Ruby will melt your heart. To me, she was just a nice, caring, warm person who always looked at the bright side. She has a secret crush on Devlin Connely, the nephew of her next-door neighbor. And Devlin has a daughter Mia who not only stole AnnaBeth’s heart but her dog Ruby’s affections as well. So adorable! All the characters, including Uncle Sony, are just the best. AnnaBeth has a backstory that tugged my heart but it never gets her down. These four plus the pup make a perfect “family” and will warm your heart. I know they did mine. Loved it!

The Memory Cabin by Carolyn Brown: I started laughing at the first paragraph – Jenna Stewart came up with a great concept: birth certificates should come with the person’s “expiration date” so everyone can prepare. Now this was Jenna’s way to try to come to terms with her mother’s passing but the idea was still funny to me (not the actual death). She meets Carson Makay and his adorable dog, Bubba. Jenna has some lingering personal trauma from her past that she has to learn to deal with and Carson is the man to help. Great Southern-slant, sweet story and I enjoyed.

These are novellas about not related to each other, but with one theme. These stories are about three women who are not looking for love, but find it when they least expect it.

SWEET AS HONEY - Fern Michaels
Natalie Simmons thought she was right on track with a future with her boyfriend until he gives her the “we need to talk” line. She ends that relationship and with it her best friend.
She goes home to help her parents while her father recovers from hip surgery and suddenly realizes that happiness might be just where she is now. Having constant encounters with “the bee man” whom at first she found annoying,
Will being back home be the place to have a future? Will it include this new and interesting man?

EVERYTHING SHE EVER WANTED - Lori Foster
This one is at times heartbreaking as well as heartwarming.
AnnaBeth Sanders has finally found her happy place in her new house and a wonderful friendship with her next door elderly neighbor Sony. She’s also fallen in love with his granddaughter MIa and maybe even the little girl’s father, Devlin.
Devlin, a widower, is a man who truly sees AnnaBeth and wants to show her she really is worthy of love.
Hankies might be needed with this one.

THE MEMORY CABIN - Carolyn Brown
This was another sweet and touching story. Jenna Stewart’s life hasn’t always been easy. Ten years ago she lost her mother and her boyfriend broke up with her, but thanks to a grieving group, she gained two wonderful friends. Friends that for the last ten years, have come to visit her once a year at her cabin, making it “the memory cabin”. One where good memories are held.
When the new park ranger comes to town, an immediate bond and attraction occurs.
This is also the year that things will end and new ones will blossom. Will Jenna be able to let go of the past, and embrace her future? One that might include Carson Makay?

I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and Kensington Books. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Sweet As Honey by Fern Michaels

While I did enjoy this story, I was a little disappointed in how long it took for the 2 MC's to actually meet face to face. They didn't have much conversation or getting to know each other before the story ended. I also was looking forward to meeting Garrett's dog, but we didn't get to, only heard about him a little bit.
There was a lot with Natalie and her parents which was a great relationship and let's not forget Natalie's cat Mr. Meower...a true lover all things nap and watching birds.
I was hoping to see Garrett's side of things and get to know him in his own voice.

Everything She'd Ever Wanted by Lori Foster

This story had me smiling from the very beginning.
Annabeth has a cutie pie dog named Ruby. Ruby's love for Mia, who is Devin's young daughter and Mia's for Ruby is adorable.
They are inseparable and in love with each other. Annabeth is ok sharing Ruby which is great because Ruby is a lady who knows what she wants.
Annabeth's attraction to Devlin is very understandable as is his attraction to her even though she doesn't see it. Then you have Devin's Uncle Sony who is a hoot, matchmaker and sometimes trouble make, in the best way.
Devin is a very attractive man, amazing dad and nephew.
Annabeth is a loving, giving and caring woman who doesn't realize just how great she is, but Devin, Mia and Uncle Sony do.
The dynamics of how these characters become a family, while having tragedy on both sides, is so well written that I couldn't help but to fall in love with them all and enjoy the journey.
I absolutely loved this story.


The Memory Cabin by Carolyn Brown

This story was great.
For me it was about great friendships born from tragedy but turned into amazing connections and lifelong friends.
Carson and Jenna are both kind of relationship shy due to past relationships. Thankfully they don't let this stop them becoming friends and then more.
The Memory Cabin is what Jenna, and her friends call Jenna's home.
There they get together for a week every year to talk about memories, both good and bad.
They have known each other for ten years. They met at a grief counseling and became fast friends.
They look forward to the yearly week get together.
Kelly and Amber are wonderful characters. They each have a surprise to tell Jenna. I love how they teased her in some parts and in others had her back and lifted her up when she needed it. Not to mention them nudging Jenna in Carson's direction.
Life is changing but not in a bad way for any of them.
I really liked how the author brought Carson and Jenna together.
I loved the addition of Bubba the kitten into Carson's life.

3 stories by 3 different authors. Natalie, Annabeth, and Jenna all living their lives and find happily ever afters without trying. Loved all three books. Great book!

What a wonderful story! The love and family bond was apparent, and fun to read. Oh Mia, she was too cute! I loved little Ruby, too.

A nice novella in a terrific anthology! What a trio.

This is my honest review of an ARC.

AnnaBeth is a person that I would like to have met. She is a kindhearted soul. Devlin and Mia thought so too! Ruby loved Mia as well, it just took AnnaBeth to realize how lovable she is.
With spring blooming Devlin bought a Lilac tree for AnnaBeth and she was sold. She had wanted a family of her own for so long, and thought maybe Devlin really liked her, but sometimes it’s hard to believe, until it hits you. It is said Spring brings new beginnings. Let’s hope so!