Tales of the Treasure Trove III again brings readers a wonderful collection of stories from The Jewels of the Quill authors. This time there are seven different romance stories spread across several genres. Each tale is a treasure and both exciting and fun to read. Set aside some time before you delve into this anthology. You will not want to put it down until you have read every story.

The Turquoise Talisman (North of Nonesuch Series, Book 2; Book 1 in Tales of the Treasure Trove II) by Jane Toombs kicks off this anthology and what a way to start! I love the paranormal surprises Ms. Toombs throws in this series. This time Ella Rose inherits a Talisman that is a strange looking dagger with a turquoise handle and apparently it comes with its own guardian in the form of Talal Aziz. Woohoo, I want a guardian that looks like Talal! Talal tells Ella that she is now the keeper of the Talisman and he is the guardian and they will work together to protect the Talisman. Ella thinks maybe Talal is a little crazy and it’s too bad because he is hot! Then someone starts trying to break into Ella’s house. Maybe Talal knows something after all. This story has all my favorite elements, adventure, danger, a hot guy, special powers or abilities, and romance. I can’t wait to see what will be in the next story, keep this series coming Ms. Toombs!

Do you believe in curses? In The Tanzanite Curse by C.J. Winters, Jillian Beaufort doesn’t believe in curses or strange paranormal occurrences but nothing can explain what happens when she buys “The Tanzanite” and meets Drew Ferris. “The Tanzanite” is a thirty-nine carat, cushion-cut tanzanite stone mounted as a necklace that according to rumors is cursed. All the known previous owners of “The Tanzanite” have had good fortune and then lost someone in their family they love or their own life under tragic circumstances. Jillian doesn’t have any family and wouldn’t miss her ex-husband if something happened to him so she isn’t worried. Then she meets Drew Ferris and they are drawn towards one another, almost as if they knew each other before. If she falls for Drew will the curse kick in? The Tanzanite Curse is a wonderful, inventive, and entertaining story. Normally I would say I don’t believe in curses but I’m not so sure after reading Ms. Winters’ story and there is a sequel in The Tales from the Treasure Trove IV. I can’t wait to see if I still believe there may be a curse on the tanzanite stone in the sequel…

In Princess Sapphire by Nancy Pirri, Mathew Black has the difficult task of being a guardian for Laura Woodbury and ensuring that she marries and isn’t taken advantage of. Laura is the sole heir of her father’s estate and quite well off, she is also rather spoiled. It won’t be easy to find a man worthy of Laura. It also doesn’t help that Laura insists on running around in pants and running the family ranch herself. As Matthew sets out to turn Laura into a lady, he discovers she really doesn’t need the help. It isn’t that she can’t do womanly things and dress appropriately; it is that she feels duty bound to oversee the running of the ranch. Matthew has never met a woman like Laura; it is too bad he has sworn off all women himself. Laura would make a great wife for him and a wonderful mother to his motherless son. This story is an excellent western, historical romance. I loved the willful, stubborn, independent Laura and the befuddled Mathew. Although Mathew is a strong man like you would expect in this type of tale he really has no idea what to do with Laura! The story Princess Sapphire will charm you; entertain you; and leave you feeling warm and content believing that love truly can conquer all!

The third installment of Christine DeSmet’s Mischief in Moonstone series, Mrs. Claus and the Moonstone Murder finds Lily Schuster, the newly appointed county deputy serving Moonstone, Wisconsin, going out on a call about a man digging for beaver bones under lavender chickens? Marcus Linden is a paleontologist and assistant professor and has the appropriate paperwork to dig but he sure does upset women of all descriptions, animal and human alike. That man is one fine piece of work and Lily has a hard time remembering what her job is. It would be difficult to find two people with less in common; Lily likes everything neat, orderly, clean and pressed while Marcus digs in the dirt all day and carries live maggots in his cooler. But Lily has a job to do and Marcus is an unwanted distraction. This story is another fun episode of the madness found in Moonstone, Wisconsin. Lily and Marcus are fun characters and while they seem to be trying to avoid a relationship; someone gets murdered and Lily must figure out what is going on and Marcus is more than willing to help. There are lots of funny and entertaining things happening all at once in Moonstone in this tale and I really enjoyed it. Lily is also a friend of Kirsten that was one of the main characters of the second story from the Mischief in Moonstone series, found in Tales of the Treasure Trove II. This is one of those series that the story incorporates characters from the earlier books and you will want to find and read the other episodes!

In the tale Bloodstone Legacy (The Saurian Series, Book 2; book 1 in Tales of the Treasure Trove I) by Cassie Walder, Mina Dracosdautter is a Priestess of Light for her planet. That means she is responsible for many of her people’s well being but the beasts from the darkness are attacking her city and killing her people. Lucian is on his way to her planet to seek bloodstone, a mineral necessary to his race, and to take home any remaining people of his race to their home world. Lucian hears Mina’s call for help and comes to her aid, killing the beasts and driving them back away from the city. The fact that Lucian heard (mentally) Mina’s cry means she is probably of his race but she is so entrenched in her society Lucian may not be able to take her home with him. Mina feels and immediate attraction for Lucian and the mental bond they share is very intimate and increases the attraction. How can Mina and Lucian deal with the needs for her people and then their own needs? Can they both do the jobs they were task to do or will one of them fail?

This is such an interesting society. I’m intrigued by the imagination that went into creating this world and the problems of its people. Of course there are parallels to aspects of our own society but if you don’t want to think that hard this story can still be ready for purely entertainment value! I am looking forward to what happens next in the third book found in Tales of the Treasure Trove IV.

Scott Romero and Melina Rose’s story picks up a month and a half after it left off in the first book, with them working on their house and yard in Revenge in Amethyst (Adventures in Amethyst Series, Story 2; story 1 in Treasures of the Heart) by Karen Wiesner. Melina and Scott’s romance is still going strong and they plan to marry in another week, but Melina is still having nightmares about some of the things one of her patients told her. The nightmares are getting worse and she’s even lost consciousness during the day a time or two. Now Scott is going to work with his uncle on a development project that will take him away for 10 hours a day or more. Can Melina deal with the nightmares with Scott gone so much? Then Melina’s spiteful sister Lora tells the press where to find her and Melina is worried that one particular unbalanced patient will come looking for her. Should Scott pass up his dream job, working with his uncle to stay with Melina? Will the mad man really turn up looking to harm Melina? Revenge in Amethyst is a more of a suspense thriller than a romance. We already know Melina and Scott love one another, now they just have to survive some rough times. I love that this is a continuation of the first story instead of switching characters; there was more I wanted to know about Melina and Scott and this time we get the answers!

In Garnet Nights (Troubled Waters Series, Book 3; book 2 in Tales of the Treasure Trove II) by Liz Hunter, Sadie Carlisle’s husband has cleaned out their bank accounts and every asset he could get his hands on and run off with his file clerk. How could he do this to her and their daughters? Sadie doesn’t know how she’s going to hold everything together. Then Sam Barrington drops by to check on her. Sam is an FBI agent and Sadie’s husband’s case isn’t a federal offense so he isn’t working her husband’s case but Sam wants to help Sadie and her daughters. Sam and Sadie have been secretly attracted to one another for years but neither wanted an affair. Now that Sadie will soon be free of her husband, Sam wants to stake his claim. Oh I just loved Sam sweeping and rescuing the damsel in distress, Sadie, and her daughters. I felt sorry for Sadie for getting herself in this situation, it sounds like she should have gotten rid of her no good husband years ago. I’m also glad Sadie wasn’t too proud to except help from Sam. This story is really cute with just enough suspense to keep it interesting! I’m looking forward to reading what happens next in this series.

I enjoy the variety of stories the Jewels of the Quill authors put into each of their anthologies and I am looking forward to reading the next one they publish. Tales of the Treasure Trove IV will be out soon and if it continues in the tradition of the first three Tales of the Treasure Trove anthologies, it will contain some sequels to some of the stories in this collection as well as a new story or two.

Reviewed by: Stephanie B.