I received an advance copy of JL Gribble's story, Toward Unity. I have not read the other stories yet.
I loved this MMM romance which brings together I received an advance copy of JL Gribble's story, Toward Unity. I have not read the other stories yet.
I loved this MMM romance which brings together three long-time friends who are at different points in their lives and who are different in their feelings about love and intimacy. The three men work through their situation and realize they fit together like puzzle pieces. It's about 9000 words, so I won't say much more to avoid spoilers, but there is aromantic representation.
Well written, entertaining - I'd have read a full book with these three! ...more
I'm a huge fan of Marie Sinclair's writing, and I enjoyed these novellas, maybe more than some because I've read the books that some of them go with. I'm a huge fan of Marie Sinclair's writing, and I enjoyed these novellas, maybe more than some because I've read the books that some of them go with.
I read Might Delete Later earlier this year and kicked myself for not reading it sooner as it's set before Love Comes in Threes, which I adore.
Nothing Like a Summer Romance set the scene for Nothing Like Forever, my favorite Marie book.
I'd previously read Same Old Love from a giveaway, I think, so that left me with
Chef’s Kiss, Man Down, and Voir Dear, all of which I thoroughly enjoyed. Great characters, excellent writing, and lots of queer representation. I always know that when I read one of Marie's stories, that it's going to challenge my intelligence regardless of how sweet or fluffy it may be.
I always enjoy these anthologies. Some years have more stories that hit for me than others. This was a good year.
I received an advance copy from GRR I always enjoy these anthologies. Some years have more stories that hit for me than others. This was a good year.
I received an advance copy from GRR and read the following:
Among Friends, by Annabeth Albert - such a sweet friends-to-lovers story!
Mixed Signals, by E.M. Lindsey - cute story where an autistic guy meets one with permanent damage from an accident. They find out how much they have in common, and how well they fit together.
Skating After You, by Hayden Hall - an ice hockey player and an ice ballet dancer make a steamy fun combination.
Love in Bloom, by Jocelynn Drake - showcasing Cincinnati and making me want to re-read the Unbreakable Bonds series, this story shows that you never know where fans of yaoi and anime will turn up.
Meat Cute, by Kelly Fox - One half of the blind date has a cochlear implant and the other stutters. It's quite the journey. It wouldn't be a Kelly Fox story if it wasn't funny as well as serrano-pepper spicy, and this one surely is both. One of the best lines, "This was starting to feel like seven disasters in a trench coat pretending to be a date."
The Shape of the Heart’s Desire, K.C. Wells - teacher goes on date with former student, and they fit together better than expected. One word: lingerie.
Then I got the full volume and read another story, August’s Thief, by Fearne Hill, which stole my heart and had me in tears. She pairs a man with facial scarring with a cute young man who is carer for his severely disabled brother, and the result is one of the best short stories I've ever read. Totally worth the price of the whole book, in my opinion. ...more
I don't typically go out of my way to read shifter books. Not sure why, because I do enjoy them, but they aren't my first choice when looking for someI don't typically go out of my way to read shifter books. Not sure why, because I do enjoy them, but they aren't my first choice when looking for something to read. However, several of my favorite authors contributed to this anthology and I was able to get an advance copy of a few of the stories so I grabbed it.
Here are the ones I read:
Inferno by Kiki Clark: I've not read a lot of Kiki Clark, but that will change because I had fun with this friends-to-lovers story featuring a tiger shifter and a human. It's short, but it gave me everything I needed to whet my appetite for more of Kiki's books.
Rating: 5 Stars
Black and White by Vinni George: I'm a huge fan of Vinni George's contemporary books, but haven't yet read the shifter ones yet. After this story, I've moved them up my TBR, because everything I love about her contemporary romances were in this short. It doesn't hurt that I love orcas and otters, I guess, but I'll definitely keep up with the series this is setting up.
Rating: 5 stars
Wounded Mate by Lee Colgin:
I've not read any Lee Colgin books before, but I've again added to my TBR, because I enjoyed this lovely romance between an incubus and a wolf shifter. Rather than being urban fantasy-like, it's just fantasy, which suited me just fine.
Rating: 5 Stars
Shiny Things by Kelly Fox:
If you read any of my reviews, you'll know I read and love anything Kelly Fox. This short story is no exception. The fated-mates factor allows for a much quicker emotional connection between the two characters than they probably would have had otherwise. They'd have probably hooked up anyway, but that plot device allowed for instalust and instalove to sit side by side. The steam level is off the charts, even for Kelly. I'd have liked a bit more story to go with all the mating, but I still enjoyed it and hope she adds to it at some point.
I was fortunate to get an arc of Riley Nash's contribution to this book, Becoming Light, and it's one of the best short stories I've ever read.
BeautiI was fortunate to get an arc of Riley Nash's contribution to this book, Becoming Light, and it's one of the best short stories I've ever read.
Beautifully written and filled with emotion, the story of a young transgender man's journey toward living his truth includes the relationship that develops between him and his best friend's father, who is gay.
Other tropes (besides a trans MC, best friend's dad and age gap) include Grumpy/Sunshine, Forced Proximity, and Hurt/Comfort. Riley Nash excels at hurt/comfort. I fell in love with this couple and hope that the author gives them a full story. There are trigger warnings, but everything is handled well, and nothing is included just for shock value.
I haven't read the other stories yet, and while I will, this story alone is worth the price of the book. ...more
I received an advance copy of Riley Nash's story from the author, and it was so good that it got me off the fence as to whether I would attempt this aI received an advance copy of Riley Nash's story from the author, and it was so good that it got me off the fence as to whether I would attempt this anthology...I'm definitely getting it, if only to read Riley's contribution again! I devoured it and immediately emailed asking for more, because I loved the dynamic between the characters even more than Victor and Alek in Hold Me Under, who make a cameo in "Wet." I don't DO humiliation kink, y'all. Not at all, but in this story, with these characters, it worked brilliantly and I loved it. The palpable tension between Tate and Darius thoroughly conveys enemies-to-lovers, making everything else that happens surprising, yet somehow inevitable. I needed more, more, more, so I'll get the whole book to chase more of that feeling! ...more
More of Lily Morton's men. What else need be said, really?
It's lovely that Lily's gathered up all these bits and bobs and put them together was some More of Lily Morton's men. What else need be said, really?
It's lovely that Lily's gathered up all these bits and bobs and put them together was some fresh new shorts just for this anthology. It's everything I love about Lily's work, just in bite-sized bits and across many of her characters.
If you're a fan of Lily, it's a must-read. If you've not yet read her work, start with The Summer of Us and work your way through in order of publication. By the time you get to Short Stack 2, you'll understand what I mean. ...more
I generally don't read these anthologies all the way through like a novel. I read two or three when it comes out, then work my way through the others I generally don't read these anthologies all the way through like a novel. I read two or three when it comes out, then work my way through the others when I want to read something but don't want to start a book. They're short - but they're supposed to be. Some are shorter than others, so I can choose the right length for the amount of time I have.
My 5-star review is for the concept, which in my opinion is a winner, and I'm being generous because shorts are hard to write, and shorts with setup like this one must be a real challenge, so everyone gets extra love from me.
In this edition, the now-familiar H2H app uses ice breaker questions to help the potential matches connect and the authors work those questions into their stories.
Here are the ones I've read so far: * Alice Winters - Heist of Hearts. Q: In case of zombie apocalypse, what skills do you bring to the table? If you're a fan of Alice Winters' humor and penchant for taking her characters on zany adventures, you will love this short story. Reed isn't Leland, but could be related. At the very least, they're kindred spirits. The craziness begins on the first page and carries all the way, ending in a HFN that may leave readers wanting more from Reed and Dylan. * Con Riley - Keeping Him in Cornwall. Q: How do you feel about Cornish pasties? Con never fails to deliver with her sweet, soft, yet not at all fluffy stories. This lovely brother's best friend tale has a bit of a twist, in that Stef's younger brother, Lukas, is pushing him to get with Marc, who's been like a family member to them for years, before Marc finds someone else with whom to settle down. The result made me hope Con's got more planned for this world. * Kelly Fox - Dog Days. Q: Kirk, Picard, Sisko, or Janeway? As you may be able to discern, in Kelly's contribution, the MCs address one of the pressing questions of modern life: Kirk, Picard, Sisko, or Janeway? (If you know, you know. If you don't, that's because it's Star Trek.) They also face an immediate challenge when one MC runs a dog rescue and the other had a traumatic experience with a dog and does not deal well with them. As is typical of Kelly's work, the story is heartwarming, funny, and surprisingly sexy for a short. * Lily Morton - My Darcy. Q: What is your most controversial opinion? I'm not an Austen fan, but I loved this cute friends-to-lovers story that had all the wit and snark you'd expect from Lily Morton. If you haven't read any of her work, this is a good introduction. Darcy and Freddie make a fun couple, and the other passengers on the Austen bus tour are a hoot! * Rachel Ember - Down the Mountain. Q: What's your favorite midnight snack? I'm a huge fan of Rachel Ember's writing so I loved this sweet second-chance romance that involves an Olympic medalist skier returning to his hometown, an awkward reunion at a charity event, a pair of Standard Poodles, and popsicles.
I've only read Kelly Fox's The Sheriff’s Troublemaker thus far, but it was worth the price of the book and then some. If you've read the Rebel Sky RanI've only read Kelly Fox's The Sheriff’s Troublemaker thus far, but it was worth the price of the book and then some. If you've read the Rebel Sky Ranch series, you'll recognize Patrick the sheriff and Jason, the young guy who needed a redemption arc like nobody's business. If you haven't read Rebel Sky Ranch, that's okay, you'll still enjoy the story and then you get the bonus of a series to read afterward. The story may not be long but it's packed with emotion and heat, and it left me wanting more from these two. Looking forward to reading some of the other stories! ...more
I've not yet read all these stories but the ones I have were fabulous. The theme is Never Have I Ever, which makes for some interesting meet-cutes!
LuI've not yet read all these stories but the ones I have were fabulous. The theme is Never Have I Ever, which makes for some interesting meet-cutes!
Lucy Lennox: Never Have I Ever...Fallen in Love I want more of this. Lucy does Alaska? Yes, please. Loved it!
Daryl Banner: Never Have I Ever... Dyed My Hair Flaming Red I'm a theater major, so this story spoke to me. It's Daryl Banner at his best, just in a short story.
Neve Wilder: Never Have I Ever...Flown in an Airplane Neve returns to the Rhythm of Love universe for the first time in over ttwo years with a sweet, hot story featuring synchronicity between a flight attendant and a musician, a tour of Venice (Italy, not California), and brief appearances from Owen and Ru.
Riley Hart: Never Have I Ever...Gone Skinny Dipping Riley Hart's story is cute and sweet, perfect for an anthology like this. I wouldn't mind seeing these characters again.
Tal Bauer: Never Have I Ever...Been on a Date Tal Bauer is EXTRA in his first contribution to a Heart2Heart anthology. Suspense and adventure in Antarctica while chasing dinosaurs. I'm not even kidding. I can't explain, just READ it. ...more
This book almost doesn't need reviews. Seriously. These shorts are glimpses at the lives of Lily Morton's beloved characters, and you'll need to have This book almost doesn't need reviews. Seriously. These shorts are glimpses at the lives of Lily Morton's beloved characters, and you'll need to have read those books first for them to make much sense, and if you've read the books, you'll be jumping on this like we Lily fans do everything she writes. I love visiting with these men who've become a part of my life every bit as much as any fictional characters have and more than most. It's comfort reading at its best, and nobody does comfort reading like Lily does. A lovely visit with delightful friends! ...more
I've enjoyed all the books in this series of anthologies but I think the premise of classified ads in the Heart2Heart app gave authors the most latituI've enjoyed all the books in this series of anthologies but I think the premise of classified ads in the Heart2Heart app gave authors the most latitude with their plots and thus the best stories yet! I read them all and enjoyed every single one of them.
Since I was prepping for a trip, I didn't want to get pulled into a full book and these short stories filled my need to read nicely. All of the authors brought their A-game, as far as I'm concerned, and I will be interested to see how many end up as expanded novellas.
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