Doctor's Sweetheart

This book is a treasure, written by an author I have always loved. So pleased to own it.

The success of Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables" novels rather put her long career as a short story writer in the shade. With the exceptions of the "Chronicles of Avonlea" and "Further Chronicles of Avonlea" collections, most of her short stories were out of print and unavailable to the general reader for years. 1974's "The Road to Yesterday" is an episodic but mutilated version of her last "Anne" book. It wasn't until 1979's "The Doctor's Sweetheart and Other Stories" that Catherine McLay put out a sampling of Montgomery short stories as originally published. Many more collections have followed."The Doctor's Sweetheart" gathers 14 stories from across Montgomery's career, with dates from 1899 to 1935. They follow the familar magazine story formula of the era, in which a more or less happy ending is expected. It is a tribute to Montgomery's talent that she manages to make the journey funny or suspenseful or otherwise interesting."The Doctor's Sweetheart" features an older country doctor with a touching faith that the young girl of his dreams will come back to him. In "Kismet" and "Emily's Husband", estranged couples meet again. A different reunion is managed by a small boy in the excellent "Garden of Spices." In "Akin to Love", a spinster finally takes pity on a long time suitor. In "The Bride is Waiting", another patient suitor cleverly turns the tables on his reluctant intended bride. In "By Grace of Julius Caesar", an old bachelor lays unusual siege to two single ladies. In "My Lady Jane", a woman's promise to marry the first man she sees, prompts a furious horserace through a snowstorm."The Doctor's Sweetheart and Other Stories" is perhaps too small a sampling to please everyone, but it is a good introduction to Montgomery's short stories for fans of her novels, and is highly recommended to that audience.

very good

This is one of my favorite collections of stories from L.M. Montgomery. L.M. Montgomery weaves stories with characters that I would like to meet and stories that remind you how little we understand real love.

Good