More Than Words, vol. 7 by Carly Phillips, Donna Hill and Jill Shalvis
Publisher: Harlequin
Release Date: April 1, 2026 (Hardcover)
Rating:
Source: Received a copy from the publisher, thank you!
Publishers Summary:

Each one of us has the ability to effect change—to make our world a better place. The dedicated women selected as this year’s recipients of Harlequin’s More Than Words award have changed lives, one good deed at a time. To celebrate their accomplishments, some of our bestselling authors written stories inspired by these real-life heroines.
We hope More Than Words inspires you to get in touch with the real-life heroine living inside of you.

In Carly Phillips’s Compassion Can’t Wait, two high school sweethearts are reunited and discover that if you believe in yourself and each other, anything is possible.

Donna Hill’s Someplace Like Home tells the story of how one woman’s dream becomes reality, as three special people learn that it’s never too late to form a loving family.

In Jill Shalvis’s What the Heart Wants, an honorable man must learn to forgive himself to regain the trust of the dedicated teacher who is the love of his life.

Each centered around the beauty of compassion are the three short stories by Carly Phillips, Donna Hill and Jill Shalvis. Through the lives of characters going through harrowing events they each are able to find love and compassion. Walk into these lives and discover that love can be found even in the most difficult of times and circumstances.

What I thoroughly enjoyed about this book was something that others may not care for, the short story aspect. I’m often found reading novels that reach well over 400 pages and finishing them on a daily basis. It gets to be a little difficult on the eyes at times and so it’s nice to have the occasional short story thrown in between books to break things up a bit. Not only that, but when the stories are so well developed in such a short space it’s even better.

This book contains three stories: Compassion Can’t Wait, Someplace Like Home and What the Heart Wants. Each had a slightly different situation varying from reconnecting to the members of a family who are affected by a devastating disease of another to a story filled with making a family where you never expected to find one. Each has an underlying theme that’s opened in the book with information and ways you might be able to reach out, but in all honesty I didn’t feel like each novella was “preaching” to me. Every story was so well written that it had the perfect balance of message and romance. Overall though I’d say my favorite of the three was Carly Phillips Compassion Can’t Wait.

Readers in need of a set of short stories filled with a cast of complex characters, a message of hope and a bit of romance will absolutely love this installment of the More Than Words series. For me personally it was the perfect read between lengthy novels, I could quickly pick up one of the three short stories and count on not only an enjoyable experience but an uplifting one as well. Chick Lit readers will love the romance filled within the pages of Carly Phillips, Donna Hill & Jill Shalvis’s stories and will be left feeling uplifted by the hope & inspiration behind each story.

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