She welcomes an unexpected invitation to visit her sister at the Edenbrooke estate. On the journey Marianne comes face to face with a dangerous highwayman — and, in the same violent encounter, meets the love of her life.

Foreshadowing takes a backseat to character development and major plot points may be counted on a couple of fingers, but Donaldson’s delightfully witty dialogue is engaging. As in other contemporary novels set in the Regency Era, our heroine operates slightly outside the expectations of a “genteel” lady of her time. And unlike many romances which drag the characters through conflict, prolonging their joy until the finale, this refreshingly straightforward tale provides tender interludes throughout.

This debut novel captures all the charm of the Regency period — while offering plenty of romance for readers who crave a bit more than the tight-lipped love scenes written by 19^th century writers.

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Having suffered a traumatic event at an early age, Natalie, a middle-class seventeen-year old living in 1880 New York City, has lost her ability to speak… in this world, at least.  Natalie is pulled into the supernatural realm, first (figuratively) by a wealthy spiritualist, Mrs. Northe, and later (literally) by the allure of eighteen-year-old Lord Denbury—a nobleman trapped in a life-size oil painting by black magic. In her journey to free her beloved Lord Denbury from his cursed frame, Natalie struggles to gain control of her reality, find her voice, and deal with the plight of falling in love with a two-dimensional image.

Despite my initial misgivings, I found myself drawn into Hieber’s tale. Apart from the occasional awkwardly scripted romance scene, the novel effectively engages the reader with imaginative description and an unpredictable adventure.  The epistolary structure, composed of diary entries and letters, guides the reader through the tale in satisfying increments.  Although main plot points are told retrospectively, Natalie’s detailed (and period-appropriate) narrative effortlessly drives the action of the story.  Readers will revel in the quest to decode magical clues alongside this unassuming heroine.

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Dog food, frisbees, bubbles from a jar… what do these have in common? If you ask Tucker, a small blue-collared dog from Leslie McGuirk’s latest board book, Tucker’s Valentine, he will tell you that this short list comprises just some of what he loves most in the world. Tucker’s simple tastes are challenged by a spotted, quiver-wielding Cupid with grander plans for his fellow four-legged friend, resulting in an exhaustive chase to impress some Valentine’s Day spirit on the young pup. With very simple artwork and text, this easy read presents a straightforward case for life and love in one’s own way. Apart from gender-role stereotypes displayed by female character Cupcake (her love is motivated by the idea of procreating with Tucker), this book makes a sweet addition to the Valentine’s Day market.

Monica Sheehan’s Love is You and Me expresses “What Love is” between a dog and a mouse. I can’t help but feel this picture book is geared more toward the rom-com audience of love-struck adults celebrating Valentine’s Day, rather than young children. Considering the situations in which our characters find themselves — beach vacations alone, car rides, long distance telephone conversations — I find myself picturing grown-up female readers holding a box of chocolates, with a ratty copy of Eat, Pray, Love by their bedsides. (My suspicion is only reinforced with an “Eat, Play, Love” reference in the illustrations.) In spite of its mixed-audience approach, one (young or old) can’t help but feel a Valentine’s tug of endearment for Sheehan’s characters as they demonstrate their many definitions of love for the reader.

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