Cider Mill Press brings Shakespeare into the twenty-first century wrapped in a bright red, heart-shaped box of literary candy.

Women look forward to Valentine’s Day and anniversaries with baited breath and great anticipation, while men, for the most part, dread these so-called “lover’s days,” because they never know what to buy. Well author Eve Adamson, together with the gift book experts at Cider Mill Press have published an ideal gift for those days, as well as, the special person in your life, any day of the year. Uniquely presented in a sturdy heart shaped box, Shakespeare Select is a delicious, albeit fat free, combination of sonnets, poetry and special quotes offering readers a collection of compliments, come-ons and insightful suggestions in the art of love.

The first thing that you notice is the gorgeous design of the outer box, complete with a miniature photo of Shakespeare. Inside you will find 30 carefully crafted, individually wrapped love notes, which resemble old fashioned penny candies. Each ‘Bon Mot has two purposes, one side reveals a Shakespearean work, meant to inspire and set the mood, while the other side offers a flirtatious hint or suggestion, that your lover will find irresistible. The mini-book, is a replica of the outer gift box, containing 128 pages of Shakespeare’s poetry, sonnets and quotes from his many plays, as well as, the rules of attraction and ways to woo your lover.

The definition of love is one of the great mysteries of the universe and yet, through his sonnets, plays and poetry Shakespeare infused the literary world with a deep, philosophical portrait of relationships, the excitement of love discovered and the heart-ache of love lost. Cider Mill Press captured the wisdom of his words, spiced it up with 21st century come-ons and with a magical sense of creativity delivered a one-of-kind, super-sweet gift book, that says a lot without uttering a single sound.

I enjoyed the book immensely and the love notes are interesting and entertaining. The one thing I would like to see added is a small pocket, attached to the inside of the lid, to store those special little notes. Every now and then you discover a book that’s a delight to read and, even better, a delight to share with others: this is one such book. Don’t miss the opportunity to share the magic of Shakespeare! ( )