Most of the stories seem to focus around the theme of finding love again. Widows and divorcees abound, as well as a few unwed single mothers. Rather than try to review each piece individually, I'll touch on a few highlights. In "A Rose a Day", the initial offering from Carolee Joy, a widowed florist is puzzled by the handsome man who comes in each day to purchase a single rose - always in a different color. "Engraved Memories", by Betsy Norman, features a couple who has been married for 47 years. Is the magic gone? One of my personal favorites, "Hungry for Love" by Su Kopil, tells the story of a secretary who keeps finding half of her lunch missing - and notes in its place. Who is leaving them? The shy mailroom clerk? Or her attractive new boss?

No doubt, the price is rather steep for a short-story collection. These are light, quick reads, without the length needed to develop characters and emotions much beyond the surface, but as a bedside collection, they'd do just fine. The writing is of a uniformly acceptable standard; no heaving bosoms here, and the dialogue is realistic.

To be sure, some of the stories are so short (2-3 pages) that it's hard to get much of a feel for anything beyond the basic framework. That may turn some readers off. In fact, one of the best-developed stories is, quite naturally, one of the longest. "When Hearts Heal", by Susan D. Brooks, tells the story of a young widow trying to let go of her husband's memory enough to face the future. It was poignant and absorbing. Tami D. Cowden's "Prom Queen" features a never-wed single mom who is invited to chaperone her daughter's prom - with unexpected results. Thirty-somethings will grin.

Love Triumphs will no doubt find its way onto the bedside tables of quite a few readers. New publisher Dream Street Prose is to be commended for offering romance readers something unique. Have a look.

--Cathy Sova