Something Sweet

The Neighborhood #1

by Megan Derr

It's just another day at the candy shop for a quiet afternoon spent more on reading his latest fantasy novel than on selling candy. The kind of day he loves, even if the looming New Year's Eve leaves him feeling nostalgic and a little lonely. But then the last person he ever expected to see walks through the door of his shop, and Sherlock realizes that some things don't fade with time, but only grow stronger. 

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Short Stories, Holiday, Ebooks, LGBT

15 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 27, 2011

About the author

Megan is a long time resident of queer romance and keeps herself busy reading and writing it. She is often accused of fluff and nonsense. When she’s not involved in writing, she likes to cook, harass her wife and cats, or watch movies. She loves to hear from readers and can be found all over the internet.

meganderr.com
patreon.com/meganderr
meganderr.blogspot.com
facebook.com/meganaprilderr
meganaderr@gmail.com
@meganaderr

Reviews

[Ben Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

🍬 Childhood friends-to-lovers
🍭 Small town romance

New Year's Eve is approaching and Sherlock is feeling a bit lonely. But when his childhood crush, that he never grew out of, has moved back to town. Sherlock's crush turns out to not have been as one sided as he assumed.

Basil and Sherlock's reconnection was so cute, I would have loved a full length romance with these two.

Thanks for the gift Jiggly Jinglefuck the Arsegoblin 😂 <3

[Macky · Rating 4 out of 5]

How can you not like a short, sweet free story like this. Sherlock and Basil ( cute names! ) two opposites who have been crushing on each other for years finally get the chance to make something happen.

" My quiet detective, still in his candy shop, still the sweetest thing in it."

Awwwwww!

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zero steam and barely sweet.

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely sweet...but felt like just the beginning.
I wish it was a prequel for a full book. Yep, I'd read it!

[Leaundra · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars... This was really a sweet book. This is the kind of book I wish was longer...

[Siobhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of the Megan Derr books I have read thus far, this one seems to be the cutest.

In a previous review, I spoke of how she seems to have perfected the formula for cute short stories, and this one highlights it to the max.

At first, I thought it was going to be sickly sweet – the names seemed overly cutesy, the idea seemed done before, the setting seemed a step too far – yet it worked out just fine. It had all I expected from her, and it left me with a smile on my face.

Overall, a great short story.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be a great prequel for a full length novel. It was a sweet introduction to Sherlock and Basil, but that's really all it was. We get a quick peek into Sherlock's past and how he came to this point in his life, and an even quicker look into Basil's life. There's definite potential there for a nice romance, but this was just a tease!

[Deeze · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short but as per Megan Derr so sweet LOL.

A lovely little story of two guys too shy to tell the other how they felt.

[Trisha Harrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet short story about two men who reconnect after thirteen years. Both had crushes on the other as kids, but never had the courage to tell them. This book has no sex scenes, but it's a very sweet book and I loved the MC's. It's refreshing to read sweet, non-erotica books sometimes. Plus it's free which is a bonus.

[Cole Riann · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Delightful!

There's something about Megan Derr's short stories that always pull me in and leave me with a huge smile on my face, and this one was no exception!

I definitely recommend this one to everyone looking for a short and super-cute read :)

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really sweet (pun intended!) free short story. I think I liked it just because the characters were named Sherlock and Basil!

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Such a sweet read. I took half a star off my overall rating because it wasn't long enough and I wanted more of these two sweet characters who have awesome names

[namericanwordcat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a tease. The heroes are wonderful. Bookworm, candy store owner and ex football player turned writer. They both had crushes on each other in high school.

I liked it a great deal but it needed to be a much longer book with these wonderful characters.

[Leia Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s not much to this short story, and much like its title, it’s very sweet (and very clean, aka no steam).

[Kaje Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, short, and free second chances story.

[Natalie H · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a book slump, so giving the shorter ones a go. Exactly what it says on the tin. It was short and sweet. Interesting naming.

[Julesmarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet indeed! Delightfully so! I adored both of the MC's, loved the small-town setting--especially the candy shop!--and thought the premise was... well, sweet.

One of my favorite poems is by Sir Edwin Arnold and goes:
"Somewhere there waiteth in this world of ours
For one lone soul another lonely soul,
Each choosing each through all the weary hours,
And meeting strangely at one sudden goal,
Then blend they, like green leaves with golden flowers,
Into one beautiful, perfect whole;
And life's long night is ended and the way
Lies open, onward toward eternal day."

The characters in this short story personify that poem beautifully! They each had a secret crush on the other in high school. And each has unconsciously been preparing himself for the other over the 13 years they were apart. When they meet again in the candy shop, they're both finally ready to be honest with themselves and with each other. So beautiful! And so very sweet! (and I have to add that Basil's inscription ranks among my favorite things done by one MC for another!)

I've long held that Ms. Derr is a genius, and this short story firmly settles her among my favorite authors ever.

[llv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3 stars
A good extremely short story that was a sweet as its title. Even though really short it was the perfect length. My only gripe was the author kept confusing the MCs names and called Sherlock Basil multiple times. Other than that a good cute story.

[Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Relly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

3.75 ⭐️

Good short story that is entertaining and worth the read.
I wish there was more from the boys as I’d love to see how the progressed.

[Monika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice feel good holiday story but far too short. I wish there was more.

[Moraa (vacation hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC

[L-D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute story. Sherlock owns a candy store that was left to him in his grandfather's will. One day he is surprised when Basil, his high school crush, pops into his shop. Basil left town years ago to play pro football and retired to write some fairly popular novels. Successful and rich and still gorgeous, Sherlock is a little tongue-tied to see Basil. This was a very short story, but I felt that in a few sweet pages, love definitely bloomed. It was very cute and I would actually have enjoyed a full length novel with these two characters and more courtship.

[Elizabetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can count on Megan Derr to give a well written tale and she delivers once again in this holiday short. We're in Smalltown, Somewhere USA and Sherlock (no explanation as to the name) has taken over his grandpa's candy store 'Something Sweet'. It's that lull between Christmas and New Years and in walks Basil, his old high school crush, newly retired from his life as a professional football player and now turned writer. Sparks re-ignite in this sweet little nosh and I really want to keep reading about these two. It's a freebie folks, run and get it.

[Ayanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was light, fluffy, cute, sweet. There were several times when it said "Basil" when I'm pretty sure it should have been Sherlock, though. Still, for a free read, it's not bad.

[Rissa (an M/M kinda Girl!!) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tooth-Achingly Sweet!

There were a few name issues but over all it was a sweet read and I wouldn't mind reading more about these guys.

[Bluebelle-the-Inquisitive (Catherine) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"My quiet detective, still in his candy shop, still the sweetest thing in it."
"That's a terrible line," Sherlock said, grinning.
Basil smiled back. "I told you I was a terrible flirt." — Basil and Sherlock

Warnings: none of note

This is a sweet hopeful story that perfectly suits the time of year it is set at. NYE a time of reflection and new beginnings. The protagonists are the owner of Something Sweet and seemingly happy homebody Sherlock and recently retired football star and small town boy made good Basil. Their dynamic is lovely, it's perfect for such a short work The characters are beautiful with believable in that fictional way backstories that are not shoehorned in. Their long separation allows the writer a natural place to reveal their pasts. I think Something Sweet is perma-free, it is a good sample of Megan's writing style and a perfect addition to a NYE reading list for those who, like Sherlock (and myself), would rather not go to the annual alcohol poisoning.

There is one glaring editing issue, the cardinal sin of getting your protagonist's names the wrong way around. It was the only issue I saw even if it wasn't the only one there. I really recommend this, it is everything it needs to be.

"Detective?"
Sherlock grimaced at the old nickname because really, what had his parents thought people were going to call him his entire life? "Long time no see, Basil." — Basil and Sherlock

A representative gif:

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this candy-coated short story romance from Megan Derr.

Although this is only a short story, the author has fleshed out the 2 main characters of Sherlock and Basil so well, that you just fall in love with them both.

It's just another day at the candy shop for Sherlock: a quiet afternoon spent more on reading his latest fantasy novel than on selling candy. The kind of day he loves, even if the looming New Year's Eve leaves him feeling nostalgic and a little lonely.

Then the last person he ever expected to see walks through the door of his shop, and Sherlock realizes that some things don't fade with time, but only grow stronger.

Would I read this story again? Yes, definitely...in fact, I have read it twice!

[Myllady · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a hit for me this time 😔

This novella was ultra short and very basic, it all happened it a day and a half common, no real info.about their long crush or the pining, and a very easy '' U've been in my head this whole time so let's move everything before talking to you again and kiss you on day one''

Honestly it was pretty empty, very different than most novella for this author, who can usually manage intriguing world building and fleshed out characters in just a few pages 🤷

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really sweet (giggle) short story, we meet two old school chums many years later as they reunite, one a famous football player (soccer for the Americans, you know, football, where they actually use the foot to play) and the other running his grandfathers shop. It's cute and clumsy as they shyly go down memory lane. It was over too soon, I'd love to read more of these two, but it's a lovely little tale.