"Serving Up Love: A Harvey House Brides Collection" by Peterson, Witemeyer, Jennings, and Turano

Tracie Peterson joins Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, and Jen Turano in this collection of four novellas, each featuring a Harvey Girl heroine. From Kansas to Texas, the Grand Canyon to New Mexico, the stories cross the country with tales of sweet romance and entertaining history.

"A Flood of Love" by Tracie Peterson: It was interesting to learn about the existence (and swift and utter demise) of a town along the Rio Grande. The story was my least favorite of the four, but it's more to do with writing style than plot.

"More Than a Pretty Face" by Karen Witemeyer: I was glad to finally get Rosalind's story after her significant role in the novel More Than Words Can Say. At last, she's redeemed from a poor choice in the past that has been defining present for years. For such a short story, there's a huge amount of grace, even in unexpected places.

"Intrigue a la Mode" by Regina Jennings: An entertaining mystery of alcohol smuggling. I appreciated the cleverness of the mystery, but upon finishing it, I found the title especially clever. I also like it when characters have families and all the complications that can arise from so many loving relatives.

"A Grand Encounter" by Jen Turano: Nobody does quirky like Jen Turano, even in a novella. None of the other Harvey Girls have to resort to saving a man's life by shoving his face in plate of creamed cauliflower and mashed potatoes (okay, so it may have been a side effect, rather than the actual method of salvation, but all the same). It's definitely the funniest of the four (but then, what else can one expect from this author?).

All told, it's a lovely collection of stories, unrelated except for the occupation of the heroines and western Harvey House settings. Each offers a different glimpse into the lives of the Harvey Girls, who civilized the West.

Related stories:

Karen Witemeyer
Patchwork Family
1. More Than Meets the Eye
2. More Than Words Can Say
2.5: "More Than a Pretty Face" (originally published in the Serving Up Love novella collection)

Jen Turano
American Heiresses
1. Flights of Fancy
2. Diamond in the Rough
3. Storing Up Trouble (May 2020)
3.5: "Grand Encounters"  (originally published in the Serving Up Love novella collection)