Within every heart lies a flame of hope, a dream of true love, a glimmering thought that the goodness of life is far, far larger than the challenges and adversities arriving in every life. In Flames of Gold lie five short stories wrapping credible characters into that mysterious, poignant mixture of pain and pleasure, sorrow and joy, stony apathy and resurrected hope.

In "A New Tradition," Leanne Burroughs introduces us to feisty Abigail Sommers, a woman filling in as a waitress for her ill friend. While Abigail is a staunch believer in women's suffrage, she's also wise enough in 1853 Saratoga Springs to disguise herself as a male in this job considered suitable only for men. All Abigail's certainty disappears with the arrival of Morgan Leighton, whose very look and touch make her heart leap around her chest. A wonderful yet challenging dance, a near catastrophic accident and more force Abigail and Morgan to make a pivotal choice commemorated with a sweet, little known tradition promising a wondrous future.

Then in "The Snowflake Ball," Amy Blizzard offers up a female Scrooge, the formidable Dr. Chloe Miller, a woman who can't wait for the holiday hoopla to disappear as it presents its horrors in a hospital emergency room of illness stemming from crazy accidental and self-induced holiday mishaps. So why would anyone ask her to be Mrs. Santa for the pediatric ward's Christmas party and what's with this stalking patient, Woody Larson, whom Chloe treats but who returns to help her with her Mrs. Santa role and much, much more? Tough but tender characters like Chloe, Woody, and other patients in Indianapolis Medical Center touch unexpected areas of readers' hearts and minds, leaving behind a memorable story for sure.

Next we meet Branson Adams and Gwendolyn Margate, two characters whose lives are about to be upturned with each other and a very special little girl in "Entertaining Angels" by Patty Howell. Gwen and this little girl, Nicky, are plagued by the need to trust and love again. It is Branson and other optimistic characters who help Gwen and Nicky realize that those casual, thoughtless prayers uttered in a single breath really might be answered, changing one's life and outlook on life forever!

Now enter the world of a very contemporary reality in the world of a little town called Mistletoe in "Chance for a Merry Christmas" by Judith Leigh. All the Mistletoe residents create a warm, accepting, enveloping atmosphere for those who are wounded physically and emotionally. Sue Johnson, whose mother passed away, and Chance, a wounded soldier home on leave from Iraq, meet and face the instantaneous reaction to each other which they only partially admit. For both have memories that cling so hard and the future in that environment looms with uncertainty. Will they let go and, like so many couples, allow love to heal the past, present and future?

Finally, Amber Dawn Bell in "A Christmas Flame" introduces us to Angel McKenzie and Jacob Campbell, two strangers whose lives are engulfed in the flame of failure, a world guaranteed to preserve their memories but shut out any possibility of warmth from the flames of love both so dearly need. One intense rescue on the part of Jacob and a little girl's faith-filled words will alter his inner world while a singular sermon will challenge Angel's world, creating a world of love for the future and wisdom for those who find it so very difficult to let go and let God!

Deftly plotted, paced precisely to hold interest and delightfully unfolding, Flames of Gold deserves to be enjoyed in any season, guaranteeing that real holiday spirit endures within the gifts of faith, hope and love personified in these engaging, spirited stories by these obviously terrific writers!

Viviane Crystal, Reviews by Crystal

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Flames of Gold: Romance Anthology by Leanne Burroughs, Amy Blizzard, Patty Howell, Judith Leigh and Amber Dawn Bell

Flames of Gold, is an amazing, heart-warming romance anthology that should be stuffed in every woman's stocking this year! It was perfect, kind of like the way hot chocolate feels when you come in from the cold. Every author brings something warm and inviting to the story you're reading at the time. There may have been hardships in the character's pasts, but with a little hope, love, and faith, anything can happen. Hearts that have been hardened against love, will blossom and accept true happiness.

A New Tradition by Leanne Burroughs is a historical Christmas tale, with a love at first sight romance. Abigail at one time loved Morgan, then was infuriated that he just left her in Saratoga Springs without so much as a goodbye, loved him again when he saved her life from a wayward carriage, hated him again when she thought he had a mistress. And then she loved him again. Oh and don't forget the peppermint pig! I loved Ms. Burroughs ideas of how life used to be; she paints the perfect picture of simple times and honest to goodness true love.

The Snowflake Ball by Amy Blizzard is a real tear jerker! This is the story of Chloe and Woody, an ER Doctor without any Christmas spirit and a Fireman that lives to celebrate and spread Christmas cheer. Chloe sees Christmas as the day of her brother's death, and does not really acknowledge the holiday. It is not until she meets Woody in the ER, turns him down for a date, then sees how wonderful of a man he is, that she realizes that the world does not have to stop, and she can still enjoy the magic of Christmas. Ms. Blizzard had me from the get-go with her lively characters and I enjoyed every moment!

Entertaining Angels by Patty Howell made me fall in love with her writing style, she writes with her emotions and I love that! Ms. Howell makes you cry, but in a good way. In this short story, Gwen finds out that the man she is currently seeing is in the witness protection program, but he does have a very handsome brother that comes to her rescue on that snowy winter night. Branson knew there was something special about Gwen from the moment she laid into him about why he was picking her up from work and not Danson. In the mix, they come across a child that is alone and much too young to be on the streets by herself, this little girl brings joy, love, and hope to Gwen and Branson. She is also taught there is a God, and if she believed with all her heart, good things would happen and her daddy would get well from the accident. While in Gwen and Branson's care, the little girl Nicky, brings their feelings to light.

Chance for a Merry Christmas by Judith Leigh is a story about loss and love that hits close to home. I think Ms. Leigh has done an impeccable job with this story because with love sometimes comes the fear of the unknown. Sue had just lost her mother, and was not ready to lose someone else she loved so soon. Chance said that being out of the Air Force was not an option so now what could these two do to be together? Let me tell you, distance can make the heart grow fonder, and would it really be so bad to be a military wife? Sue has to make that jump, is her love for the man she has only known a short time, enough to make her throw caution to the wind? Ms. Leigh is just begging you gals to find a military man that is sensitive and caring with this one!

A Christmas Flame by Amber Dawn Bell is a story you'll have to have a box of tissues nearby for. Angel blamed herself for the death of her husband and baby daughter 3 years ago because she had to be stubborn and leave the tree lights on, on Christmas Eve. Jacob was the fireman on duty that night, and he couldn't save them. He lived with that guilt every day, and he had finally had enough, he had to deal with the pain. After running into Angel, there was no turning back. He had to tell her everything, how he felt, how badly he wished he could save her family, and he also had to get off his chest the horrors of his past. He should have been the one to die when he was 12 years old, not his sister and his family made sure he knew that. Time and a little girl, healed his wounds and now he was off to hopefully fill the void and pain within Angel. Ms. Bell pours passion into each and every word of this short story. it made a perfect ending to an amazing anthology!

5 Hearts Without a Doubt!!

Crystal Adkins, Crystal Book Reviews

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This is a nice collection of short stories with a Christmas theme. The characters are all pretty well developed and the settings range from turn of the century New York to the present. The stories also carry an inspirational theme for the most part and this fits in with the seasonal theme. This is a welcome addition to the usual story collections of the Christmas season.

Maura, Coffee Time Romance