Seven Days by Annie Dean

Teresa is preparing to take her holy vows when she encounters a beautiful man in the church. He’s slightly menacing and makes her feel unsettled when he tells her with certainty that she will soon be lost. He calls himself Temptation and says he has seven days to tempt her away from God. If he wins, he gets his soul but she loses hers. Teresa turns the tables on him, saying she will see to his pleasure but tells him his temptation will not succeed. No one has ever been concerned with his pleasure before. Whose will is stronger?

Although I can see that the religious theme of this story might be morally problematic for some readers, I thought the author handled it exceptionally well without being preachy or offensive. She takes a very dark character and makes him not just palatable but kind and even gentle. Once again I see why Annie Dean is one of my favorite authors. Her creative flair and likeable characters take a dark and seemingly impossible scenario and turn it into a tender love story with a wonderful depth. This was my favorite part of the anthology.

The Straw Man by Bonnie Dee

Marie makes a wish, visualizes her perfect man, and her scarecrow comes to life. Tragically, she only wished for one night. Can she find a way to make her fantasy man a reality, not just for now but for keeps?

I think I’m predisposed to like this story not only because I love Bonnie Dee’s work but also because Halloween is my favorite holiday. She crafts lovers with an amazing sensitivity, and this story of miracles, wishes coming true and two souls who are meant to be together will touch your heart.

Waking Kitty by Dionne Galace

Jack Ridley is a trash reporter, and boy is he a mess. His boss calls him to cover a freaky story about a big ship appearing out of thin air, smack dab in the middle of a crowded bar. At the scene, Jack meets Kitty, a sexy waitress who was working at the bar at the time of the supposed incident. He soon discovers that weird things happen when Kitty is around. But why?