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Three Fates
For time immemorial, the goddesses of fate have decided which human threads will shine and which will be cut short. But even the fates have off days.
Fate Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey: Finding love shouldn't be that difficult for a diplomat's son, except Cheyenne is part of a grand tradition of werewolves, and a werewolf with a skin condition needs more help than most mortals. When Chay meets the prince of his dreams, it takes Clotho's intervention to keep him from letting go.
Jump by Mary Calmes: When two lovers die, their threads of life are collected instead of scattered, as one of them was the brother of a god. Can the fates reunite two lovers whose threads should have twined together for eternity? Or will Cassidy allow Raza's interest to pass his pale, mortal self by?
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane: The gods' meddling isn't always welcome. It's given Leif good luck but poor fortune, and Hacon a family curse he's lived in fear of all his life. But when Leif's good luck saves Hake's life, Hake has to reevaluate everything he's ever believed about luck, life, and love.
320 pages, Paperback
First published July 26, 2012
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February 10, 2024
Andrew Grey, Mary Calmes, and Amy Lane have teamed up to deliver their own interpretations of Fate, Fortune, Luck, and Chance...whatever name you choose to give the whims of existence that fit into and drive your life. Three Fates, is three very unique stories that all spin one common story: men who find love thanks to the benevolence of those agents of the breathtaking adventure that we call life. These are thoroughly charming paranormal fairy tales where "Fate" delivers a Prince, a contemporary setting with a romantic Jump. The enchanting tale of perspective and opportunity takes place in "Believed You Were Lucky". These three of my favorite authors drew me into their stories and made me just want to stay there. Cheyenne and Prince Arthur; Cass and Raz; Hake and Leif...each of these men learned to trust in the formidable and sometimes tenuous balance between fate and free will, and in the process also learned to receive the blessings gifted to them by those possessed of the wisdom to successfully manipulate the weave of the very fabric of life. Accepting and embracing the inevitable is what these stories are about, though they say it all in far more eloquent ways than I ever could. Some of the mythology was new to me, but interesting. The stories would have still been exceptional even without the "Fates". Good job, Andrew, Mary & Amy!
February 18, 2014
Grey: 2
Clunky prose, but mostly pleasant.
Calmes: 3
Fun. Hot menz.
Lane: 3
Odd artifacts in cadence, but the most ambitious of the three. Satisfying and sexy.
Clunky prose, but mostly pleasant.
Calmes: 3
Fun. Hot menz.
Lane: 3
Odd artifacts in cadence, but the most ambitious of the three. Satisfying and sexy.
January 9, 2013
Overall rating - 4.25
Fate Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey - 4 stars
This was a very intriguing story. Not only does it provide uniqueness in the form Cheyenne having a skin condition, one that his werewolf abilities can't cure, but Arthur, Chay's love interest, is a non-shifting wolf. It's always interesting to see shifter stories portrayed differently and while this one was a bit sweet and used the big misunderstanding conflict(a conflict I'm not very fond of), Grey's writing pulls you in and makes you adore both characters. This was a good story but really wished it had been longer so we could have seen what these two do after they get back together.
Jump by Mary Calmes - 5 stars
I loved this story so much. Calmes has always been able to make me fall in love with her conventional characters within pages of her stories. While this has severe insta-love, I loved the chemistry between Cass and Raza. I adored the fact these two are reincarnated and instantly know that they are meant for each other. I was confused once or twice with a few references to Raza's waiting for Cass but other than that, the story was phenomenal, exactly what I would expect from Calmes and perfect for the mood I was in.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane - 3.75
I enjoyed this story because Leif was so happy all the time. He was exuberant and didn't often get sad or lonely because he had his luck and that luck gave him things others didn't have. It was interesting to see Hacon and Leif together because they were so different. Hacon so lonely and cold while Leif was joyful and content. I liked the mystery regarding who was trying to kill Hacon. Although, it ended a bit too conveniently and hinted at things getting more complicated and bigger yet never delivered on that aspect. I still really enjoyed the story and the love they developed. It dragged a tad towards the middle and I was confused at times regarding a few things with the Fates, Thor and Loki but also with some things Hacon and Leif said but I still really enjoyed the story a lot (but it's never said which one was actually Thor's kid). Also, Thor and Loki?? Omg, SMOKIN' HOT! Love Loki so much!! I wished we got to see Leif and Hacon later on and how they make their vast differences work.
Fate Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey - 4 stars
This was a very intriguing story. Not only does it provide uniqueness in the form Cheyenne having a skin condition, one that his werewolf abilities can't cure, but Arthur, Chay's love interest, is a non-shifting wolf. It's always interesting to see shifter stories portrayed differently and while this one was a bit sweet and used the big misunderstanding conflict(a conflict I'm not very fond of), Grey's writing pulls you in and makes you adore both characters. This was a good story but really wished it had been longer so we could have seen what these two do after they get back together.
Jump by Mary Calmes - 5 stars
I loved this story so much. Calmes has always been able to make me fall in love with her conventional characters within pages of her stories. While this has severe insta-love, I loved the chemistry between Cass and Raza. I adored the fact these two are reincarnated and instantly know that they are meant for each other. I was confused once or twice with a few references to Raza's waiting for Cass but other than that, the story was phenomenal, exactly what I would expect from Calmes and perfect for the mood I was in.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane - 3.75
I enjoyed this story because Leif was so happy all the time. He was exuberant and didn't often get sad or lonely because he had his luck and that luck gave him things others didn't have. It was interesting to see Hacon and Leif together because they were so different. Hacon so lonely and cold while Leif was joyful and content. I liked the mystery regarding who was trying to kill Hacon. Although, it ended a bit too conveniently and hinted at things getting more complicated and bigger yet never delivered on that aspect. I still really enjoyed the story and the love they developed. It dragged a tad towards the middle and I was confused at times regarding a few things with the Fates, Thor and Loki but also with some things Hacon and Leif said but I still really enjoyed the story a lot (but it's never said which one was actually Thor's kid). Also, Thor and Loki?? Omg, SMOKIN' HOT! Love Loki so much!! I wished we got to see Leif and Hacon later on and how they make their vast differences work.
July 28, 2012
What a fun concept, Fate…..Have you ever given much thought to what fate had in store for you? Do you believe in fate? Well these three very talented authors have not only thought about it, they have written a book about it called The Three Fates. Each one of the three authors chose a different mythology, Andrew picked Greek, Mary chose Egyptian and Amy chose Norse. The Fates are sister, with different names but yet the same, in charge of lifelines. One is the weaver , one was the counter and one holds the scissor to cut the thread. We learn, you might be fated to be with one person, but it might take many lifetimes for their souls to meet and acknowledge each other, like meeting someone and feeling you have known them forever.
Andrew Grey is our first author to be heard and I hear the instigator of this idea (only if it goes well) writing Fate Delivers a Prince. I am new to Mr Grey, but certainly not for long. The enchanting story he conjured was brilliant in context, love, humor and faith. Cheyenne was the youngest son of a diplomat father. He kept to himself, very shy. It was a party and of course he did not wish to go and possibly embarrass his parents. What is fate to do, when the person is unreasonable….give a little push???? With that push Cheyenne goes to the party and across the room meets “the one” and he it is a Prince no less. What a fun, sexy story to give the fates grey hair
Mary Calmes has written her piece called Jump a little deeper and little darker. I am a huge fan of her writing, my first introduction was Change of Heart Series and I never looked back. Mary’s Fates are in no longer in a cave but on Olympus and being visited by a man who claims he is Hermes. He is there for a favor, not for himself but for his fallen Brother. It seems his brother’s beloved Cassius was slain along with is brother. Cassius was thought to have ‘the sight’, a seer an oracle. Hermes wish was to have the two threads woven, Since this request was for a fallen brother and his lover, Clotho said she would spin the two threads together when next it was the mortals time on earth. Hence we meet Cassidy Jane. Mary, you were in you element for this story and I was so swept up in it I did not want it to end.
Cass, found out at an early age, he saw things; things that would happen to that person when he made eye contact with them. His mother finally trusted in it when he cried and carried on at eight years old that she should not take that plane to Texas, that the plane was broken. He saw scattered remains of plane and passengers and sure enough that plane went down. Mom never doubted his gift.
Now after work, he sits with friends in a bar, looks across the room seeing five men in trench coats leaving a private area. Eyes of jade green meet his and Thank the Fates they did. Will it be enough that Cassidy can save Raz’s life? Will the thread that was woven take hold? Will Cass think he is too plain to consider Raz?
Let me tell you, not only are the would be lovers hot, Mary has cast an ensemble to die for. Jamie Kidd and Snow Drake are a blast, and the explosion of the two lover’s souls finally being let loose makes for a sensual, sexy story. It is a Must read
Lastly in our Threesome , but certainly not least is Amy Lane offering Believed You Were Lucky. The Fates names have changed. Our three are Urdh the weaver, Skuld who cuts the thread of life and Verdandi who has just hooked up with Loki for an evening of sex. They discover Loki has stolen a thread, a thread from a baby from Thor’s lineage. To maybe fix this mess they split-splice the thread. A golden string. It is imperfect but it could work. The family with the thread should be lucky, long lived and blessed-mostly. The family without will be unlucky, doomed, intelligent and resourceful. Verandi thanked her sisters for their help and still murmured Loki was a God in bed.
We now meet Leif Torval. Leif is a messenger. Rides a bicycle up and down the hills of San Francisco. The string of bright gold appeared the morning after his mother died. The string guides Leif and he guides his friends to keep them safe. He has a package to deliver, and there began the story of how he met Hacon Haldor the other half of the thread. Amy Lane never ceases to amaze me, this is supposed to be a short story in a 3 and 1 anthology. But no Amy has dragged us into a murder mystery, a screw up by the fates, a love story and characters you fall in love with.
Leif is living a life of contentment with friends, empowered with a light from within. Hake lives fearing life and the families ‘curse’ and that is not living. Can this all be healed by love? Even Loki and Thor decide to watch along with the fates what they have wrought. Ms Lane, I always hold you to a higher standard, and your brightness shines though. The characters dance off the page, and I wouldn’t mind meeting that sexy cop in another short story either. Hmmm what more can you do with Andre??? Loved this entire book ....a Must read,
Review by Gloria Lakritz
Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild
Andrew Grey is our first author to be heard and I hear the instigator of this idea (only if it goes well) writing Fate Delivers a Prince. I am new to Mr Grey, but certainly not for long. The enchanting story he conjured was brilliant in context, love, humor and faith. Cheyenne was the youngest son of a diplomat father. He kept to himself, very shy. It was a party and of course he did not wish to go and possibly embarrass his parents. What is fate to do, when the person is unreasonable….give a little push???? With that push Cheyenne goes to the party and across the room meets “the one” and he it is a Prince no less. What a fun, sexy story to give the fates grey hair
Mary Calmes has written her piece called Jump a little deeper and little darker. I am a huge fan of her writing, my first introduction was Change of Heart Series and I never looked back. Mary’s Fates are in no longer in a cave but on Olympus and being visited by a man who claims he is Hermes. He is there for a favor, not for himself but for his fallen Brother. It seems his brother’s beloved Cassius was slain along with is brother. Cassius was thought to have ‘the sight’, a seer an oracle. Hermes wish was to have the two threads woven, Since this request was for a fallen brother and his lover, Clotho said she would spin the two threads together when next it was the mortals time on earth. Hence we meet Cassidy Jane. Mary, you were in you element for this story and I was so swept up in it I did not want it to end.
Cass, found out at an early age, he saw things; things that would happen to that person when he made eye contact with them. His mother finally trusted in it when he cried and carried on at eight years old that she should not take that plane to Texas, that the plane was broken. He saw scattered remains of plane and passengers and sure enough that plane went down. Mom never doubted his gift.
Now after work, he sits with friends in a bar, looks across the room seeing five men in trench coats leaving a private area. Eyes of jade green meet his and Thank the Fates they did. Will it be enough that Cassidy can save Raz’s life? Will the thread that was woven take hold? Will Cass think he is too plain to consider Raz?
Let me tell you, not only are the would be lovers hot, Mary has cast an ensemble to die for. Jamie Kidd and Snow Drake are a blast, and the explosion of the two lover’s souls finally being let loose makes for a sensual, sexy story. It is a Must read
Lastly in our Threesome , but certainly not least is Amy Lane offering Believed You Were Lucky. The Fates names have changed. Our three are Urdh the weaver, Skuld who cuts the thread of life and Verdandi who has just hooked up with Loki for an evening of sex. They discover Loki has stolen a thread, a thread from a baby from Thor’s lineage. To maybe fix this mess they split-splice the thread. A golden string. It is imperfect but it could work. The family with the thread should be lucky, long lived and blessed-mostly. The family without will be unlucky, doomed, intelligent and resourceful. Verandi thanked her sisters for their help and still murmured Loki was a God in bed.
We now meet Leif Torval. Leif is a messenger. Rides a bicycle up and down the hills of San Francisco. The string of bright gold appeared the morning after his mother died. The string guides Leif and he guides his friends to keep them safe. He has a package to deliver, and there began the story of how he met Hacon Haldor the other half of the thread. Amy Lane never ceases to amaze me, this is supposed to be a short story in a 3 and 1 anthology. But no Amy has dragged us into a murder mystery, a screw up by the fates, a love story and characters you fall in love with.
Leif is living a life of contentment with friends, empowered with a light from within. Hake lives fearing life and the families ‘curse’ and that is not living. Can this all be healed by love? Even Loki and Thor decide to watch along with the fates what they have wrought. Ms Lane, I always hold you to a higher standard, and your brightness shines though. The characters dance off the page, and I wouldn’t mind meeting that sexy cop in another short story either. Hmmm what more can you do with Andre??? Loved this entire book ....a Must read,
Review by Gloria Lakritz
Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild
November 22, 2012
For me the stories start with the weakest one to the strongest one.
Fate Delivers a Prince: I felt that the *conflict* was rather weak. Upon reflection, I realized that Chay was probably only 19-22 y/o. So perhaps that was believable. But since Chay was going to study to become a veterinarian, he should have had the concept of artificial insemination in his recollections already. Especially since he was working on his family ranch. I do like his interaction with this family and how he would stood up to his father when he felt like had to.
Jump: I like the prologue very much. It was very interesting . However, I didn't feel that there was a connection between the prologue and the main story. It was a fun to read one with typical instantly hot and blistering heat connections that Ms. Calmes employed in the majority of her works. But there were hardly any indications of the Gods at all. Sure, Cass got premonitions but so far I couldn't really tell which one was Horus and which one his lovers incarnated. Perhaps it was the gods absence from the story. But For me, it was nice and fun read but I felt that it was a slightly let down after the high of the prologue.
Believed You Were Lucky: Amy Lane is a really really talent author. However, I am not really sure what Loki actually stole or did in the prologue that made the Norns splice the threads that way. I will probably have to reread that part. The story itself was pure Amy Lane style. She manage the describe the exhilaration of bike messengers and how Leif navigate through life with optimism and cheerfulness when others would have crumbled to the weight of their lives. How Hacon was so very different from Leif and how self aware to his flaws and accepted it as his quirks. Their connections happened in a few days more than Jump's couple and yet, for me, it felt more natural. The ending was hilarious with the .
Fate Delivers a Prince: I felt that the *conflict* was rather weak. Upon reflection, I realized that Chay was probably only 19-22 y/o. So perhaps that was believable. But since Chay was going to study to become a veterinarian, he should have had the concept of artificial insemination in his recollections already. Especially since he was working on his family ranch. I do like his interaction with this family and how he would stood up to his father when he felt like had to.
Jump: I like the prologue very much. It was very interesting . However, I didn't feel that there was a connection between the prologue and the main story. It was a fun to read one with typical instantly hot and blistering heat connections that Ms. Calmes employed in the majority of her works. But there were hardly any indications of the Gods at all. Sure, Cass got premonitions but so far I couldn't really tell which one was Horus and which one his lovers incarnated. Perhaps it was the gods absence from the story. But For me, it was nice and fun read but I felt that it was a slightly let down after the high of the prologue.
Believed You Were Lucky: Amy Lane is a really really talent author. However, I am not really sure what Loki actually stole or did in the prologue that made the Norns splice the threads that way. I will probably have to reread that part. The story itself was pure Amy Lane style. She manage the describe the exhilaration of bike messengers and how Leif navigate through life with optimism and cheerfulness when others would have crumbled to the weight of their lives. How Hacon was so very different from Leif and how self aware to his flaws and accepted it as his quirks. Their connections happened in a few days more than Jump's couple and yet, for me, it felt more natural. The ending was hilarious with the .
March 13, 2015
This anthology consisted of 3 stories, interconnected only by the theme of the three fates (Health, Life, Luck) and their bearing on the lives of humans (well we will use humans loosely because the first book is a shifter story). They are by 3 of my favorite authors, so I knew once I finally made myself read it I would love it and I did :).
Fate Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey
Poor Chay, he has a skin condition that makes him itch all over all the time. As such, he feels he is an embarrassment to his Alpha-wolf father and the rest of his family. However, the meddling of Clotho, one of the aforementioned fates, helps lead Chay to Arhtur, his (non-wolf) mate. This story deals mainly with Chay overcoming himself to find his HEA with his mate. IT was short, so it could have had a lot more character building, but it was a sweet tale and an enjoyable read.
Jump by Mary Calmes
This tale dealt with life. When the threads of life are cut short for the brother of Anubis and his soul-mate, Anubis implores the fates to give them a second chance. As such we meet poor Cassidy, who is average in every way but one, he can see a person's immediate future with only a look into their eyes. After using his power on the beautiful and successful, if a bit shady, Raza he battles himself until he decides to take a chance on insta-love with Raza. Of course WE know they are the fated lovers re-incarnate, but they don't ;) It was a sweet story, with much of the self-deprecating banter I love from Mary Calmes.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane
Okay this one just confused the heck out of me. I never really got a good feel for Hacon's personality. They say he is cold and aloof, but I never saw it. By the same token, Leif is so freakin happy and optomistic it made my teeth hurt. All that being said, they do have to work hard for their HEA, despite the fact that the Fates see to be against them (though in reality they are rooting for them)
Fate Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey
Poor Chay, he has a skin condition that makes him itch all over all the time. As such, he feels he is an embarrassment to his Alpha-wolf father and the rest of his family. However, the meddling of Clotho, one of the aforementioned fates, helps lead Chay to Arhtur, his (non-wolf) mate. This story deals mainly with Chay overcoming himself to find his HEA with his mate. IT was short, so it could have had a lot more character building, but it was a sweet tale and an enjoyable read.
Jump by Mary Calmes
This tale dealt with life. When the threads of life are cut short for the brother of Anubis and his soul-mate, Anubis implores the fates to give them a second chance. As such we meet poor Cassidy, who is average in every way but one, he can see a person's immediate future with only a look into their eyes. After using his power on the beautiful and successful, if a bit shady, Raza he battles himself until he decides to take a chance on insta-love with Raza. Of course WE know they are the fated lovers re-incarnate, but they don't ;) It was a sweet story, with much of the self-deprecating banter I love from Mary Calmes.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane
Okay this one just confused the heck out of me. I never really got a good feel for Hacon's personality. They say he is cold and aloof, but I never saw it. By the same token, Leif is so freakin happy and optomistic it made my teeth hurt. All that being said, they do have to work hard for their HEA, despite the fact that the Fates see to be against them (though in reality they are rooting for them)
February 21, 2013
Review posted at The Armchair Reader.
Overall - 3.5 stars
I was interested in this quasi-anthology (?? -- collection?) from the get-go and bought it mostly because of two of my favorite authors -- Mary Calmes and Amy Lane -- were in it. But, now that I'm reading a book by both of these authors a week, or at least trying, for my Author Backlist Project, I knew it was time to get this one out and see what to make of it. While I mostly liked it, the three stories within are all very different, so I'll refrain from talking too much in this general part of the review and save it all for the individual stories.
However, all three stories do deal with the mythology of the Three Fates/Sisters/Morai. Known in Greek mythology as Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, there are many things you might associate or remember about them from different sources -- the one eye they share, how one allots the yarn or string, one weaves them and the other cuts them. These three different authors dealt with this mythology in different and interesting ways. Andrew Grey didn't associate them with any of our known mythologies, but made them rather independent and changed their tools from fiber to wheels (though this might be from another cultural myth, I'm not sure). Mary Calmes gives us a the classical Greek definition with a bit of ancient Egyptian flair. Amy Lane, however, took the cake with her representation of the sisters, I think. Much more heavily involved in the lives of the characters of her story than the other author's stories, her sisters were firmly entrenched in Norse mythology along with some other famous gods you might recognize, Loki and Thor. I found the interludes where they watched and discussed the lives of Leif and Hacon to be some of the best parts of the story and I loved that she inserted a bit of her own fiber knowledge (spit-slicing!) in there for comic relief. Of all the representations of the gods throughout these three stories, I have to say that not only were they the most enjoyable to watch, but they acted the most like the gods from mythology, at turns flighty and careless of their human charges, while at the same time playing favorites and taking a very firm hand in the mortal realm.
Fate Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey (3 stars)
Genre: m/m Paranormal Romance
Heat: 3 - Sexy & Mild
Sex Frequency: 2 - Few and Far Between
Keywords/Tags: Short Story, Wolf Shifters, Germany, Royalty, Mate Bonding
Coming in at around 20% of the overall length of the book, Andrew Grey's story is the paranormal tale of a wolf shifter named Cheyenne, an American in Bavaria with his family. Chay is the youngest of three boys in their diplomat family, his father a powerful Alpha. Cheyenne is a rather weak wolf himself and not at all like his brothers, the oldest just like their father in strength and personality and the middle cruel and callous. What Chay wants more than anything is so find a mate he can love, but he knows that won't ever happen. He's afflicted with a mysterious skin condition, but when he's a wolf and a human that covers his skin in large and red flaky patches that drive him crazy with discomfort and pain. He's a bit of an embarrassment to his family really -- who wants to sit next to the boy constantly starching himself at a state dinner?
So Chay might be the most surprised of all of them when he finally gets a whiff of his mate at a ball. And not only is it a man like he expected (and his father feared), but it's Arthur, a prince. Chay is doomed. Not only is his mate entirely out of his league, but he's human. The intervention of a mysterious and divine woman will change all of that.
I suppose that I was just a little bit disappointed by this story. I mean, it isn't bad, but it really isn't great either. It's cute, but we never really get to know Arthur that well. It was frustrating to see the climax of the story hinge on the stupidity of the characters rather than a more original plot twist and the behavior of all of the characters was a little annoying. It doesn't quite read "Big Mis" standards, because the miscommunication doesn't last all that long, but I was hoping for a more interesting turn of events. In many respects it's a werewolf Cinderfella (Cindercubba?) story, with the rich prince falling in love with the skin-afflicted commoner (no matter how rich he is), but I found the tone of the story to be more in line with a typical paranormal story rather than a fairy tale.
In all, this was my least favorite story in the collection. However, it takes a really ingenious, original and interesting shifter story to really get my attention and I know that many readers will like this story. It's cute, a bit fluffy and an easy read. It just wasn't what I was looking for.
Jump by Mary Calmes (3.75 stars)
Genre: m/m Contemporary Paranormal/Fantasy Romance
Heat: 4 - Spicy & Smutty
Sex Frequency: 3 - Average Story to Sex
Keywords/Tags: Cops/Agents, Crime, The Mafia, Psychics, Mythology, Reincarnation
Taking up about a third of the overall length of the book, Jump is the story of Cassidy, a short-term psychic matchmaker who is urged by his gift to interrupt the pattern of Raza's life, in order to safe him from death. Raza is a mysterious figure, surrounded by guards, but Cassidy can immediately see that for as dangerous as he looks he has a big heart and a sweet disposition. Cassidy, who is rather self-effacing and seems desperate to remain lonely and guarded from his lovers, and the two immediately take to one another.
What they don't know is how their lives are fated to continually cross after their death in a past life in ancient Egypt. It isn't just Cass' gift that shows they have an extra-strong connection to one another, but also interference from the gods. Because this divine intervention from the gods is set up in the prologue, I didn't really mind too much that Raza and Cass fall immediately in love. If they were fated and felt like they knew each other upon meeting because of their past-life history, then I can suspend disbelief for that. I actually found Cass to be an interesting Calmes character, because though he has the token magnetism that she always seems to give her characters, where everyone is drawn to them as if they're sent down from Heaven, Cass was actually rather nerdy and had quite a strong streak of low self-esteem.
This was definitely an enjoyable read, something that I'm used to getting with Mary Calmes' stories. I still had a few problems with it, though. I felt it was rather short for the plot. I'm used to quite a fast pace from this author, where the scenes bleed into one another and seem to go directions I hadn't expected, but I felt like since the mystery behind the men who want to kill Raza isn't the primary focus of the story then we could maybe have gotten some more time for the romance to develop. I'm not even saying to make it not insta-love, but they only know one another for one day before their jumping into an HEA (and they really jump into it!), but a couple extra days together wouldn't have hurt anything and I would have liked to have a little more time to settle into the relationship and see the characters getting to know each other better.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane (4.25 stars)
Genre: m/m Contemporary Fantasy Romance
Heat: 3 - Mild & Sexy
Sex Frequency: 3 - Average Story to Sex
Keywords/Tags: Norse Mythology, Fiber Arts, Family Issues, Mystery
The last story in this collection takes the remaining half of the book, coming in at a much longer story than the others and around 50k. It's certainly a much larger story, with more characters and more time for the characters to develop a relationship. I already talked about one of my favorite aspects of this story, the heavy intervention on the part of the gods at just about every turn. The thing that made this story so absolutely charming, though, is Leif, who is lucky. Leif's luck is a tangible thing, a little piece of string he sees in his mind which makes his decisions for him and keeps him out of trouble. It's hardly scientific and sometimes it leads him into trouble only for him to learn that with that trouble is an even luckier payoff at the end. It also doesn't mean that Leif has lived a charmed life. The luck/string goes hand in hand with his personality, however. It has shown Leif to look on the bright side of every situation, which leads him to have the sunniest disposition of any person or character I've ever seen. Some might even think him naive, but he's a completely unique and utterly enthralling character, and so absolutely charming that you'll be cheering for him to have his happily ever after.
There is quite a bit more that I could talk about with this story, there are (funnily enough) multiple strands running throughout that all give greater meaning in reflection of one another. But, I'll let you find out all about this one on your own. Sure, I liked the other stories -- I liked Mary Calmes' story a lot -- but this story is worth buying the whole book for. Even if you don't read the others, get this book to read this story. Leif charmed me so much that I want to say he's one of my all time favorite Amy Lane characters, which is saying something considering I finish every book of her's and think, 'WOW… those are my new favorite characters!'
Overall - 3.5 stars
I was interested in this quasi-anthology (?? -- collection?) from the get-go and bought it mostly because of two of my favorite authors -- Mary Calmes and Amy Lane -- were in it. But, now that I'm reading a book by both of these authors a week, or at least trying, for my Author Backlist Project, I knew it was time to get this one out and see what to make of it. While I mostly liked it, the three stories within are all very different, so I'll refrain from talking too much in this general part of the review and save it all for the individual stories.
However, all three stories do deal with the mythology of the Three Fates/Sisters/Morai. Known in Greek mythology as Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, there are many things you might associate or remember about them from different sources -- the one eye they share, how one allots the yarn or string, one weaves them and the other cuts them. These three different authors dealt with this mythology in different and interesting ways. Andrew Grey didn't associate them with any of our known mythologies, but made them rather independent and changed their tools from fiber to wheels (though this might be from another cultural myth, I'm not sure). Mary Calmes gives us a the classical Greek definition with a bit of ancient Egyptian flair. Amy Lane, however, took the cake with her representation of the sisters, I think. Much more heavily involved in the lives of the characters of her story than the other author's stories, her sisters were firmly entrenched in Norse mythology along with some other famous gods you might recognize, Loki and Thor. I found the interludes where they watched and discussed the lives of Leif and Hacon to be some of the best parts of the story and I loved that she inserted a bit of her own fiber knowledge (spit-slicing!) in there for comic relief. Of all the representations of the gods throughout these three stories, I have to say that not only were they the most enjoyable to watch, but they acted the most like the gods from mythology, at turns flighty and careless of their human charges, while at the same time playing favorites and taking a very firm hand in the mortal realm.
Fate Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey (3 stars)
Genre: m/m Paranormal Romance
Heat: 3 - Sexy & Mild
Sex Frequency: 2 - Few and Far Between
Keywords/Tags: Short Story, Wolf Shifters, Germany, Royalty, Mate Bonding
Coming in at around 20% of the overall length of the book, Andrew Grey's story is the paranormal tale of a wolf shifter named Cheyenne, an American in Bavaria with his family. Chay is the youngest of three boys in their diplomat family, his father a powerful Alpha. Cheyenne is a rather weak wolf himself and not at all like his brothers, the oldest just like their father in strength and personality and the middle cruel and callous. What Chay wants more than anything is so find a mate he can love, but he knows that won't ever happen. He's afflicted with a mysterious skin condition, but when he's a wolf and a human that covers his skin in large and red flaky patches that drive him crazy with discomfort and pain. He's a bit of an embarrassment to his family really -- who wants to sit next to the boy constantly starching himself at a state dinner?
So Chay might be the most surprised of all of them when he finally gets a whiff of his mate at a ball. And not only is it a man like he expected (and his father feared), but it's Arthur, a prince. Chay is doomed. Not only is his mate entirely out of his league, but he's human. The intervention of a mysterious and divine woman will change all of that.
I suppose that I was just a little bit disappointed by this story. I mean, it isn't bad, but it really isn't great either. It's cute, but we never really get to know Arthur that well. It was frustrating to see the climax of the story hinge on the stupidity of the characters rather than a more original plot twist and the behavior of all of the characters was a little annoying. It doesn't quite read "Big Mis" standards, because the miscommunication doesn't last all that long, but I was hoping for a more interesting turn of events. In many respects it's a werewolf Cinderfella (Cindercubba?) story, with the rich prince falling in love with the skin-afflicted commoner (no matter how rich he is), but I found the tone of the story to be more in line with a typical paranormal story rather than a fairy tale.
In all, this was my least favorite story in the collection. However, it takes a really ingenious, original and interesting shifter story to really get my attention and I know that many readers will like this story. It's cute, a bit fluffy and an easy read. It just wasn't what I was looking for.
Jump by Mary Calmes (3.75 stars)
Genre: m/m Contemporary Paranormal/Fantasy Romance
Heat: 4 - Spicy & Smutty
Sex Frequency: 3 - Average Story to Sex
Keywords/Tags: Cops/Agents, Crime, The Mafia, Psychics, Mythology, Reincarnation
Taking up about a third of the overall length of the book, Jump is the story of Cassidy, a short-term psychic matchmaker who is urged by his gift to interrupt the pattern of Raza's life, in order to safe him from death. Raza is a mysterious figure, surrounded by guards, but Cassidy can immediately see that for as dangerous as he looks he has a big heart and a sweet disposition. Cassidy, who is rather self-effacing and seems desperate to remain lonely and guarded from his lovers, and the two immediately take to one another.
What they don't know is how their lives are fated to continually cross after their death in a past life in ancient Egypt. It isn't just Cass' gift that shows they have an extra-strong connection to one another, but also interference from the gods. Because this divine intervention from the gods is set up in the prologue, I didn't really mind too much that Raza and Cass fall immediately in love. If they were fated and felt like they knew each other upon meeting because of their past-life history, then I can suspend disbelief for that. I actually found Cass to be an interesting Calmes character, because though he has the token magnetism that she always seems to give her characters, where everyone is drawn to them as if they're sent down from Heaven, Cass was actually rather nerdy and had quite a strong streak of low self-esteem.
This was definitely an enjoyable read, something that I'm used to getting with Mary Calmes' stories. I still had a few problems with it, though. I felt it was rather short for the plot. I'm used to quite a fast pace from this author, where the scenes bleed into one another and seem to go directions I hadn't expected, but I felt like since the mystery behind the men who want to kill Raza isn't the primary focus of the story then we could maybe have gotten some more time for the romance to develop. I'm not even saying to make it not insta-love, but they only know one another for one day before their jumping into an HEA (and they really jump into it!), but a couple extra days together wouldn't have hurt anything and I would have liked to have a little more time to settle into the relationship and see the characters getting to know each other better.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane (4.25 stars)
Genre: m/m Contemporary Fantasy Romance
Heat: 3 - Mild & Sexy
Sex Frequency: 3 - Average Story to Sex
Keywords/Tags: Norse Mythology, Fiber Arts, Family Issues, Mystery
The last story in this collection takes the remaining half of the book, coming in at a much longer story than the others and around 50k. It's certainly a much larger story, with more characters and more time for the characters to develop a relationship. I already talked about one of my favorite aspects of this story, the heavy intervention on the part of the gods at just about every turn. The thing that made this story so absolutely charming, though, is Leif, who is lucky. Leif's luck is a tangible thing, a little piece of string he sees in his mind which makes his decisions for him and keeps him out of trouble. It's hardly scientific and sometimes it leads him into trouble only for him to learn that with that trouble is an even luckier payoff at the end. It also doesn't mean that Leif has lived a charmed life. The luck/string goes hand in hand with his personality, however. It has shown Leif to look on the bright side of every situation, which leads him to have the sunniest disposition of any person or character I've ever seen. Some might even think him naive, but he's a completely unique and utterly enthralling character, and so absolutely charming that you'll be cheering for him to have his happily ever after.
There is quite a bit more that I could talk about with this story, there are (funnily enough) multiple strands running throughout that all give greater meaning in reflection of one another. But, I'll let you find out all about this one on your own. Sure, I liked the other stories -- I liked Mary Calmes' story a lot -- but this story is worth buying the whole book for. Even if you don't read the others, get this book to read this story. Leif charmed me so much that I want to say he's one of my all time favorite Amy Lane characters, which is saying something considering I finish every book of her's and think, 'WOW… those are my new favorite characters!'
October 14, 2018
The legends talk about three sisters, The Fates, they are immortal being spinning the wheels of fate. Sometimes, they take interest in some of the Fates they "create". Like they decided to help Cheyenne a bit so he can find his true love, though sometimes like with Cassidy and Raza they needed more than a little pursuading. With Lief and Hacon I'm not even sure what they THOUGHT would happen but they were willing to give it a chance and through it a love story was formed.
I liked the idea behind the Anthology, but the novellas didn't really work for me. They were all nice but somehow lacking, each for it's own reason. The first two were shorter (I'd guess round 80 pages each, together getting to the middle of the book) with the last one giving us a much more developed story (taking the whole other half of the book).
Fate Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey ★★
This was a bit too predictable for me. The relationships in this one felt almost "staged" they portrayed in a very uncomplex way which made me feel quite indifferent to the story of Cheyenne Dobson and Prince Arthur keuerningen. Cheyenne is a were-shifter, he is the youngest of three brothers and though his family is a rather loving one, he is plagued with a skin condition which complicated his life and makes him miserable. In a convention in Germany he attends with his family he meets Prince Arthur and right from the first sniff he knows - he is THE ONE - his mate even if he doesn't smell like his kind. It doesn't take them long even if Cheyenne is very insecure about the whole matter. Arthur is sweet and loving and since he knows what he wants he is patient enough to wait for them to form more than just a physical bond. There is a minor issue they have to deal with first before they can claim their HEA but it happens quite smoothly nevertheless.
Jump by Mary Calmes ★★★
Cassidy Jane has a gift. He might not know how he came to this gift (from his last life), what he does know is telling people their fate should be done with care and mostly when it's absolutely necessary! When he realizes the gorgeous guy in the bar he doesn't even know is going to be tortured and killed he takes action! and luckily Raza Bashandi actually believes him. As a thank-you he offers to take him out to dinner. Neither of them expected the off-the-roof chemistry, as though they've known each other for years, eons maybe. But when Raza realizes much before Cassidy does is if you believe in Fate you should believe it's simply meant to be.
There's more to this story, with Raza's reasons to being at risk, Cassidy's work situation and new friends and opportunities to both of them. I liked it, but even with the special introduction of the Fates in the beginning, it still felt a bit too quick for me. There was too much emphasis on the supporting characters (most of no real interest) and too little of actually THEM as a couple.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane ★★★
Though I enjoyed Leif Torval and Hacon Haldor's story there were too many little details around I wasn't happy about. First, there is the "wrapping" of the story, which is about the Fates and the way they intervened which somehow even without them realizing brought these two men together, then we had glimpses into what's happening with them - the three sisters of Fate with Loki and Thor and truth been told it was EXHAUSTING! I didn't understand half of what's they were saying or what and who there were talking about so at some point I skipped their chapters all together.
While I liked the idea of a thread (of life) being cut in half - one for Hacon and one for Leif, making Leif very lucky and Hacon very UN-lucky - There were too many nuances about the gods, and luck in general the theme of it was TOO pronounced in the story. See, someone was trying to take out Hacon and while Leif hit him with his bike he somehow saved him and it ALL turned into a story of luck and Leif being overly content with his life. For me it felt like a sweet idea he was in love with which luckily (pun intended!) disappeared once he fell in love with a man and realized that together they can share life and be what the luck have been for him when he was all on his own.
More Reviews HERE
I liked the idea behind the Anthology, but the novellas didn't really work for me. They were all nice but somehow lacking, each for it's own reason. The first two were shorter (I'd guess round 80 pages each, together getting to the middle of the book) with the last one giving us a much more developed story (taking the whole other half of the book).
Fate Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey ★★
This was a bit too predictable for me. The relationships in this one felt almost "staged" they portrayed in a very uncomplex way which made me feel quite indifferent to the story of Cheyenne Dobson and Prince Arthur keuerningen. Cheyenne is a were-shifter, he is the youngest of three brothers and though his family is a rather loving one, he is plagued with a skin condition which complicated his life and makes him miserable. In a convention in Germany he attends with his family he meets Prince Arthur and right from the first sniff he knows - he is THE ONE - his mate even if he doesn't smell like his kind. It doesn't take them long even if Cheyenne is very insecure about the whole matter. Arthur is sweet and loving and since he knows what he wants he is patient enough to wait for them to form more than just a physical bond. There is a minor issue they have to deal with first before they can claim their HEA but it happens quite smoothly nevertheless.
Jump by Mary Calmes ★★★
Cassidy Jane has a gift. He might not know how he came to this gift (from his last life), what he does know is telling people their fate should be done with care and mostly when it's absolutely necessary! When he realizes the gorgeous guy in the bar he doesn't even know is going to be tortured and killed he takes action! and luckily Raza Bashandi actually believes him. As a thank-you he offers to take him out to dinner. Neither of them expected the off-the-roof chemistry, as though they've known each other for years, eons maybe. But when Raza realizes much before Cassidy does is if you believe in Fate you should believe it's simply meant to be.
There's more to this story, with Raza's reasons to being at risk, Cassidy's work situation and new friends and opportunities to both of them. I liked it, but even with the special introduction of the Fates in the beginning, it still felt a bit too quick for me. There was too much emphasis on the supporting characters (most of no real interest) and too little of actually THEM as a couple.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane ★★★
Though I enjoyed Leif Torval and Hacon Haldor's story there were too many little details around I wasn't happy about. First, there is the "wrapping" of the story, which is about the Fates and the way they intervened which somehow even without them realizing brought these two men together, then we had glimpses into what's happening with them - the three sisters of Fate with Loki and Thor and truth been told it was EXHAUSTING! I didn't understand half of what's they were saying or what and who there were talking about so at some point I skipped their chapters all together.
While I liked the idea of a thread (of life) being cut in half - one for Hacon and one for Leif, making Leif very lucky and Hacon very UN-lucky - There were too many nuances about the gods, and luck in general the theme of it was TOO pronounced in the story. See, someone was trying to take out Hacon and while Leif hit him with his bike he somehow saved him and it ALL turned into a story of luck and Leif being overly content with his life. For me it felt like a sweet idea he was in love with which luckily (pun intended!) disappeared once he fell in love with a man and realized that together they can share life and be what the luck have been for him when he was all on his own.
More Reviews HERE
October 28, 2017
Out of the three stories, Jump by Mary Calmes was my favorite. All three share the same theme of The Fates. The first is a shifter story by Andrew Grey, which is adorable. I loved how they met and interacted. Jump had the best premise, a man who can see someone's fate in their eyes and helps avoid the death of an FBI agent, who is also the love of his life. They are hot as hell and romantic, and I could have read a full-length novel based on their characters. I just didn't connect with the third story at all. It was a little confusing at times, but still okay. Overall, a good anthology by three great authors.
December 1, 2017
I don’t usually like anthologies; the stories in them are usually so short that they’re underdeveloped and more often than not have no business being thrown together in the same volume - even if they are authors that I adore. I’m happy to say in this instance the tide may have turned. This was a great anthology. The stories within worked well together and also stood well standing alone. While I would have loved just more detail from each (OK lets face it I wanted each as a full length novel) they were well rounded. All the MCs were likeable, plot intriguing, a story that was well paced and well written. The perfect ault bed time stories.
November 19, 2017
Overall an OK read but no story stood out. I was starting to enjoy Fate Delivers A Prince when it suddenly finished! Believe You Were Lucky I found a definite fairytale and a bit heavy on the schmaltz. My favourite would be Jump. The ability to see people's futures would be freaky - I definitely wouldn't be able to handle it and would probably end up a hermit!!
3.5 stars(3 GR)
3.5 stars(3 GR)
December 1, 2017
This was a nice anthology written by three authors I really enjoy. I liked the mythology of the Fates but what I enjoyed most was the uniqueness of each story. Each author approached the fates from a different mythology - Greek, Egyptian and Norse and this made these charming stories even more entertaining.
July 28, 2012
All three stories in this new anthology are charming reads. Each provided a unique world, with fully-developed characters. Kudos to all three authors for contributing such rich novellas that were steeped in various mythologies, although I especially enjoyed the submissions from Calmes and Lane.
August 10, 2012
Entertaining and well-written set of stories from three popular m/m authors.
September 7, 2014
This is a fun threesome of stories. Unlike some collections I really enjoyed all three of this tales, and with 3 great m/m authors it's no wonder!
August 8, 2012
Rating 5 stars
The Fates sit, spin, and weave the fabric of all human life. Some people’s threads are guided to the path of true love, some are lucky in love and life, some have their lives or threads cut short, while still others have waited many lifetimes to find their true love again. All human life is woven into a tapestry by the Fates with some surprising and unexpected results, even to the Fates themselves. Three Fates weaves the stories of three very different couples, from werewolves in Germany to Scandinavians in California.
Fate Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey gives us a young werewolf with a terrible itch who visits Germany with his family only to run into a prince who takes his royal duties very seriously. Only an intervention by Clotho will put these two on a path to love.
Jump by Mary Calmes brings us into the lives of Egyptian gods and the Fates. When one god loses his mortal lover, he renounces his immortality and dies. Bereft, his brother God begs the Fates interference to bring the two back together, no matter how many lives each must live before they find each other again.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane stars Loki and Thor as the Nordic gods whose meddling changes the patterns of two families, giving one the abundance of luck after stealing the luck from another. When Lief, the lucky bike messenger saves the life of Hacon, who is laboring under a family curse, the Fates have a chance to right a wrong as the Gods look on.
What a remarkable trio of stories by three amazing authors. In each story, the Fates weave out the pattern of peoples lives but things never go as planned, not without a little interference by the weavers themselves. If you have ever heard someone say “well, it must have been fate” and you believed it, then these stories are for you.
In Andrew Grey’s story, he brings the Greek Gods, or rather Clotho, the youngest of the Moirai, or Fates, to help two young lovers accept their destiny. Clotho is responsible for making decisions, weaving the human story. When it looks like Cheyanne, the young were, is going to listen to his insecurities and poor self image instead of attending the ball, Clotho sends the appropriate dress and instructions to send him to the ball and a meeting with his prince. Chey is an endearing young man, whose position in the family as the baby, plus an undiagnosed skin disease, has turned him into someone who craves a library and books over human interaction and society. The descriptions of Chey interactions with his father were so touching and had that authentic feel of a father and son trying to navigate their issues with each other. In fact, all the relationships here feel very real whether it is family dynamics or odd man out at the ball. Reading this story gave me the feeling of being there watching it all unfold. Grey gives us a great sense of setting with his descriptions of the buildings and streets in Munich, Germany combined with terrific characterizations. And the idea that love is an itch you must scratch as well as the balm? Priceless. And so is this gentle tale of love and a forever prince.
Anubis and Horus come to life in Mary Calmes’ touching tale of love lost and centuries later found once more. Haven’t you ever looked at someone and sensed an immediate connection beyond all logic? I did and let the moment and the person go by to my everlasting regret. So this story had a special resonance for me. When Raza and Cassidy meet and seem to know one another, I almost wept so right did Mary Calmes get that feeling, that moment in time. And the character of Cassidy Jane is someone I have never seen from Calmes before. Short, skinny, bald, and wearer of bowties! I kept thinking where did you come from? And I loved him! And Raza, seemingly implacable until Fate smacks him in the chest in the form of Cass and they put right what went horribly wrong so long ago. But this is a Mary Calmes story, so you have two lovable and oh so human best friends for our two main characters, Snow Drake and Jamie Kidd. I loved them too. And there is angst, and anxiety towards the end that it will all go wrong again but the Fates have other ideas, and so does Anubis. That climatic scene at the end? Scary and fun? Ah, Mary Calmes, you did it again. This was wonderful. I so love Cass! Can we please see all of these people again?
Our third and last weaver of human destiny is Amy Lane. Here she invokes the Gods of Asgard and the Fates called Verdandi (neccessity), Urdh (fate), and Skuld (being). Here the Fates, or Norns, also known as the three sisters, live under the world tree,Yggdrasil, in the realm of Asgard. They weave together the destinies of men and gods as well as the changing laws of the cosmos. Their tapestry was interrupted, the pattern broken when Loki comes and steals a golden thread of luck from one baby and gives it to another. The Fates are horrified at Loki’s act; Skuld takes the broken threads and spit splices them together as best she can. This results in “The family with the thread, they shall be lucky, long-lived, and blessed—mostly. And the family without? They shall be unlucky and doomed—but optimistic and intelligent and resourceful.” A temporary fix until a solution comes around in the form of sons from each family that meet and heal the break in their destinies in a most extraordinary way. Here we meet two of the most remarkable creations, two sons of Norway residing in California, undeniable in their uniqueness and depth of character. Lief, the lucky “Thundergod” of bike messengers glows his way off the pages and into our hearts, his personality larger than can be contained within this story. Hacon Haldor, aka Hake, took a little longer to creep into my heart. Dark, thin, brooding, he can kill tanks of tropical fish by freezing them and make his mother’s plants turn black as he passes, although he doesn’t really believe he is to blame no matter what his ex boyfriend and brother says. Flanking these remarkable beings are Lethal, a pint sized bit of attitude and energy who is Lief’s best friend, Andre who is Hake’s ex boyfriend and cop, and two unforgettable cats, Loki (of course) and Vanir who have their own roles to play. Element upon element, layer upon layer, the yarn Amy Lane has woven intertwines until we are given a story tremendous in scope, as large as Asgard itself. We have mythological elements, the scary world of bike messengers, marvelous explanations of the meaning of stories and hero figures, knitting, and some of the best cussing phraseology that has come down the pike. I am talking some memorable wall hangings and cross stitch pillows just screaming out to be made with those phrases in mind. And no I cannot repeat them here. You will have to read the story! Uh hem.
I loved these stories. They spoke to my mind and my heart. Clearly these wonderful authors were fated to write them as we are to read them, enjoy them and bring them close. Don’t pass these by, don’t give Loki a reason to make more mischief (like he needs any). Whether you believe in Fate or happenstance, these stories are for you. No quibbles here. Trust me. You’ll love them.
Cover art by Christine Griffin. Love it. What a great sexy cover. Amy Lane says she is the Fate in the hoodie. Of course she is. So who do you think are the other two?
The Fates sit, spin, and weave the fabric of all human life. Some people’s threads are guided to the path of true love, some are lucky in love and life, some have their lives or threads cut short, while still others have waited many lifetimes to find their true love again. All human life is woven into a tapestry by the Fates with some surprising and unexpected results, even to the Fates themselves. Three Fates weaves the stories of three very different couples, from werewolves in Germany to Scandinavians in California.
Fate Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey gives us a young werewolf with a terrible itch who visits Germany with his family only to run into a prince who takes his royal duties very seriously. Only an intervention by Clotho will put these two on a path to love.
Jump by Mary Calmes brings us into the lives of Egyptian gods and the Fates. When one god loses his mortal lover, he renounces his immortality and dies. Bereft, his brother God begs the Fates interference to bring the two back together, no matter how many lives each must live before they find each other again.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane stars Loki and Thor as the Nordic gods whose meddling changes the patterns of two families, giving one the abundance of luck after stealing the luck from another. When Lief, the lucky bike messenger saves the life of Hacon, who is laboring under a family curse, the Fates have a chance to right a wrong as the Gods look on.
What a remarkable trio of stories by three amazing authors. In each story, the Fates weave out the pattern of peoples lives but things never go as planned, not without a little interference by the weavers themselves. If you have ever heard someone say “well, it must have been fate” and you believed it, then these stories are for you.
In Andrew Grey’s story, he brings the Greek Gods, or rather Clotho, the youngest of the Moirai, or Fates, to help two young lovers accept their destiny. Clotho is responsible for making decisions, weaving the human story. When it looks like Cheyanne, the young were, is going to listen to his insecurities and poor self image instead of attending the ball, Clotho sends the appropriate dress and instructions to send him to the ball and a meeting with his prince. Chey is an endearing young man, whose position in the family as the baby, plus an undiagnosed skin disease, has turned him into someone who craves a library and books over human interaction and society. The descriptions of Chey interactions with his father were so touching and had that authentic feel of a father and son trying to navigate their issues with each other. In fact, all the relationships here feel very real whether it is family dynamics or odd man out at the ball. Reading this story gave me the feeling of being there watching it all unfold. Grey gives us a great sense of setting with his descriptions of the buildings and streets in Munich, Germany combined with terrific characterizations. And the idea that love is an itch you must scratch as well as the balm? Priceless. And so is this gentle tale of love and a forever prince.
Anubis and Horus come to life in Mary Calmes’ touching tale of love lost and centuries later found once more. Haven’t you ever looked at someone and sensed an immediate connection beyond all logic? I did and let the moment and the person go by to my everlasting regret. So this story had a special resonance for me. When Raza and Cassidy meet and seem to know one another, I almost wept so right did Mary Calmes get that feeling, that moment in time. And the character of Cassidy Jane is someone I have never seen from Calmes before. Short, skinny, bald, and wearer of bowties! I kept thinking where did you come from? And I loved him! And Raza, seemingly implacable until Fate smacks him in the chest in the form of Cass and they put right what went horribly wrong so long ago. But this is a Mary Calmes story, so you have two lovable and oh so human best friends for our two main characters, Snow Drake and Jamie Kidd. I loved them too. And there is angst, and anxiety towards the end that it will all go wrong again but the Fates have other ideas, and so does Anubis. That climatic scene at the end? Scary and fun? Ah, Mary Calmes, you did it again. This was wonderful. I so love Cass! Can we please see all of these people again?
Our third and last weaver of human destiny is Amy Lane. Here she invokes the Gods of Asgard and the Fates called Verdandi (neccessity), Urdh (fate), and Skuld (being). Here the Fates, or Norns, also known as the three sisters, live under the world tree,Yggdrasil, in the realm of Asgard. They weave together the destinies of men and gods as well as the changing laws of the cosmos. Their tapestry was interrupted, the pattern broken when Loki comes and steals a golden thread of luck from one baby and gives it to another. The Fates are horrified at Loki’s act; Skuld takes the broken threads and spit splices them together as best she can. This results in “The family with the thread, they shall be lucky, long-lived, and blessed—mostly. And the family without? They shall be unlucky and doomed—but optimistic and intelligent and resourceful.” A temporary fix until a solution comes around in the form of sons from each family that meet and heal the break in their destinies in a most extraordinary way. Here we meet two of the most remarkable creations, two sons of Norway residing in California, undeniable in their uniqueness and depth of character. Lief, the lucky “Thundergod” of bike messengers glows his way off the pages and into our hearts, his personality larger than can be contained within this story. Hacon Haldor, aka Hake, took a little longer to creep into my heart. Dark, thin, brooding, he can kill tanks of tropical fish by freezing them and make his mother’s plants turn black as he passes, although he doesn’t really believe he is to blame no matter what his ex boyfriend and brother says. Flanking these remarkable beings are Lethal, a pint sized bit of attitude and energy who is Lief’s best friend, Andre who is Hake’s ex boyfriend and cop, and two unforgettable cats, Loki (of course) and Vanir who have their own roles to play. Element upon element, layer upon layer, the yarn Amy Lane has woven intertwines until we are given a story tremendous in scope, as large as Asgard itself. We have mythological elements, the scary world of bike messengers, marvelous explanations of the meaning of stories and hero figures, knitting, and some of the best cussing phraseology that has come down the pike. I am talking some memorable wall hangings and cross stitch pillows just screaming out to be made with those phrases in mind. And no I cannot repeat them here. You will have to read the story! Uh hem.
I loved these stories. They spoke to my mind and my heart. Clearly these wonderful authors were fated to write them as we are to read them, enjoy them and bring them close. Don’t pass these by, don’t give Loki a reason to make more mischief (like he needs any). Whether you believe in Fate or happenstance, these stories are for you. No quibbles here. Trust me. You’ll love them.
Cover art by Christine Griffin. Love it. What a great sexy cover. Amy Lane says she is the Fate in the hoodie. Of course she is. So who do you think are the other two?
November 24, 2017
I'm not a fan of anthologies. But I'd have to say, this one is pretty good.
Fate Delivers a Prince--I really enjoyed. I liked the skin condition. It made it stand out a little, as an chronic ailment in a shifter is rarely shown. It was insta-love, but since it's a shifter story, shifter get a pass from me on insta-love. I like that in some versions they can find their soul mate by a scent.
Jump--I remember I enjoyed it. But half way through the next story, I could barely recall the details of the story. I'd have to skim the story again to regain any real details.
Believed You Were Lucky--I really thought this was going to be my favorite of the 3...but the ending didn't quite hold up to the rest of the story. It wrapped up to easily, and felt rushed at the end. But I loved the characters, and the story, up to the end.
Man, I wish there was some more on page time with Thor and Loki. That's okay though, I have my imagination. Overall I liked the story.
Fate Delivers a Prince--I really enjoyed. I liked the skin condition. It made it stand out a little, as an chronic ailment in a shifter is rarely shown. It was insta-love, but since it's a shifter story, shifter get a pass from me on insta-love. I like that in some versions they can find their soul mate by a scent.
Jump--I remember I enjoyed it. But half way through the next story, I could barely recall the details of the story. I'd have to skim the story again to regain any real details.
Believed You Were Lucky--I really thought this was going to be my favorite of the 3...but the ending didn't quite hold up to the rest of the story. It wrapped up to easily, and felt rushed at the end. But I loved the characters, and the story, up to the end.
Man, I wish there was some more on page time with Thor and Loki. That's okay though, I have my imagination. Overall I liked the story.
September 1, 2017
Overall, a pretty good anthology. I didn't really like all the mystical/god aspects of the stories, though.
Fate Delivers A Prince by Andrew Grey
Really good story about a shifter who is constantly itchy until he meets his prince. His mate is truly a prince, who unfortunately needs an heir. I did like the story but just felt that it was missing a lot of details.
Jump by Mary Calmes
Probably my favorite of the bunch, which is no surprise. I love unconventional MCs, and Cassidy is just that. His whirlwind romance did move a bit too fast, but I felt that it worked. Loved the secondary characters as well.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane
My least favorite of the bunch, mostly because of all the details with the gods and goddesses. I also just didn't really connect with either MC.
Fate Delivers A Prince by Andrew Grey
Really good story about a shifter who is constantly itchy until he meets his prince. His mate is truly a prince, who unfortunately needs an heir. I did like the story but just felt that it was missing a lot of details.
Jump by Mary Calmes
Probably my favorite of the bunch, which is no surprise. I love unconventional MCs, and Cassidy is just that. His whirlwind romance did move a bit too fast, but I felt that it worked. Loved the secondary characters as well.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane
My least favorite of the bunch, mostly because of all the details with the gods and goddesses. I also just didn't really connect with either MC.
November 24, 2019
Andrew Grey Fate Delivers a Prince 3 stars
Mary Calmes Jump 4 stars
Amy Lane Believed You Were Lucky 2 stars
Mary Calmes Jump 4 stars
Amy Lane Believed You Were Lucky 2 stars
November 27, 2020
3 insta love short stories with 0 reality.
December 17, 2022
Really fun read. Loved the last story the most.
October 21, 2025
Entertaining afternoon reads by 3 of my favorite authors
July 23, 2013
I am going to review each story as a standalone for that is how they best stack up—while thematically hanging together. First up is Fate Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey. Rating 4.5 stars
Cheyenne (Chay) Dobson is a were shifter with a horrible skin conditions that renders him nearly unable to participate in any social aspect of his parent's considerably visible lives. His father is an Alpha with considerable power and therefore often called upon to negotiate and broker deals with the wealthy and powerful. Unfortunately for Chay, he is often asked to participate in these social events which causes stress that worsens his skin condition.
While on one such occasion, he meets and falls for Prince Arthur Keueuningen, a human. There is a great deal of angst over the fact that Chay really cannot reveal either his wolfiness or his ailment to the Prince whom he also believes to be straight. He finds out he is wrong on so many counts.
This was a tender love story, with lost of really fine moments. Chay's parents are accepting of his homosexuality and supportive--kind in so many ways. Your heart goes out to Chay who is socially incompetent and withdrawn and the twist that Mr. Grey pulls out concerning the Prince was very cleverly done. All in all it was a story that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt they existed on the outer circle looking in and all the heartache and loneliness that brings with it.
This was a well written, gentle story that had much to say about fighting for that or those we love. Unfortunately, in comparison to the two other stories in the anthology, it simply did not have the same impact--the same light hearted quality. Therefore, at times it felt like the pacing seemed to drag and the story began to take itself way too seriously. All in all these were minor problems--in an overall well written tale where fate and love collide.
Moving on to the second story, Jump by Mary Calmes and the one that was, admittedly , my favorite.
I am going to just say upfront--I now fully understand why this author has the following she does--this novella was brilliant!
In a nutshell, a god, Hermanubis threatens the three fates with mortal danger if they will not revive the life thread of domwon who has died so that it can be woven again to his brother's life. We then fall to earth and meet Cassidy, a seer--oracle, who can look into someone's eyes and see their immediate future He is a matchmaker--working at a dating service--matching up perfect couples--for everyone but himself.
He meets a man, Raza Bashandi--who turns out to be an undercover Federal Agent and whom he saves from a terrible death. Their fall into love is quick, sure and absolute--and the funniest, sexiest and most tender story line I have ever read.
I loved this cast of characters--each and everyone was quirky, smartly written and truly loveable! This was my 5.5 star story--it easily could have been a 10 in my book! Mary Calmes writes characters that resonate beyond the page and stay with you--cheering you up and making you smile! On top of that she wrote a delightful love story that just had you smiling--no great angst here--just a genuinely delightful read.
The last offering from this delightful anthology is Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane. Ok--Amy Lane...let's take a moment while we all confess that we have never read a bad book by this author...well you aren't about to break that record here--trust me!
Lief and Hacon--the love children of Thor and Loki--woven together due to a sly intervention by Loki himself. Lief, a bicycle messenger cum Nobel laureate who sees his luck in the form of a golden thread which he faithfully and happily follows with a tenacity that is inspiring. He literally saves Hacon's life--Hacon the polar opposite of Lief, Where Lief is light and happiness, Hacon is pessimism and grumpiness--the two collide and hilarity, love and a dose of healthy suspense ensues.
There were many quotable moments in this anthology, but Amy Lane takes the prize for this one:
"But that is the point of a hero, right? They are human, but they can fix what is wrong, so they can be the best of us."
And a little later in the story:
"I wanted to take care of you. I always want to take care of you. And I don't care if it's too early in the story."
And truly I think that sums up for me this entire anthology--love is more than sex, more than stars and songs and pretty sentiments. It really is about wanting to take care of someone else--of always wanting to be there for them. It is a selflessness that each of the heroes in these three tales had in spades.
This was a series of sweet and tender love stories, each with its own unique twist. They are so very well written and each was compelling in its own way. They complimented each other and really traveled well as companions stories. Simply put dear reader, this anthology was just pure fun to read--and just lovely enough to leave you with a happy smile on your face.
Cheyenne (Chay) Dobson is a were shifter with a horrible skin conditions that renders him nearly unable to participate in any social aspect of his parent's considerably visible lives. His father is an Alpha with considerable power and therefore often called upon to negotiate and broker deals with the wealthy and powerful. Unfortunately for Chay, he is often asked to participate in these social events which causes stress that worsens his skin condition.
While on one such occasion, he meets and falls for Prince Arthur Keueuningen, a human. There is a great deal of angst over the fact that Chay really cannot reveal either his wolfiness or his ailment to the Prince whom he also believes to be straight. He finds out he is wrong on so many counts.
This was a tender love story, with lost of really fine moments. Chay's parents are accepting of his homosexuality and supportive--kind in so many ways. Your heart goes out to Chay who is socially incompetent and withdrawn and the twist that Mr. Grey pulls out concerning the Prince was very cleverly done. All in all it was a story that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt they existed on the outer circle looking in and all the heartache and loneliness that brings with it.
This was a well written, gentle story that had much to say about fighting for that or those we love. Unfortunately, in comparison to the two other stories in the anthology, it simply did not have the same impact--the same light hearted quality. Therefore, at times it felt like the pacing seemed to drag and the story began to take itself way too seriously. All in all these were minor problems--in an overall well written tale where fate and love collide.
Moving on to the second story, Jump by Mary Calmes and the one that was, admittedly , my favorite.
I am going to just say upfront--I now fully understand why this author has the following she does--this novella was brilliant!
In a nutshell, a god, Hermanubis threatens the three fates with mortal danger if they will not revive the life thread of domwon who has died so that it can be woven again to his brother's life. We then fall to earth and meet Cassidy, a seer--oracle, who can look into someone's eyes and see their immediate future He is a matchmaker--working at a dating service--matching up perfect couples--for everyone but himself.
He meets a man, Raza Bashandi--who turns out to be an undercover Federal Agent and whom he saves from a terrible death. Their fall into love is quick, sure and absolute--and the funniest, sexiest and most tender story line I have ever read.
I loved this cast of characters--each and everyone was quirky, smartly written and truly loveable! This was my 5.5 star story--it easily could have been a 10 in my book! Mary Calmes writes characters that resonate beyond the page and stay with you--cheering you up and making you smile! On top of that she wrote a delightful love story that just had you smiling--no great angst here--just a genuinely delightful read.
The last offering from this delightful anthology is Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane. Ok--Amy Lane...let's take a moment while we all confess that we have never read a bad book by this author...well you aren't about to break that record here--trust me!
Lief and Hacon--the love children of Thor and Loki--woven together due to a sly intervention by Loki himself. Lief, a bicycle messenger cum Nobel laureate who sees his luck in the form of a golden thread which he faithfully and happily follows with a tenacity that is inspiring. He literally saves Hacon's life--Hacon the polar opposite of Lief, Where Lief is light and happiness, Hacon is pessimism and grumpiness--the two collide and hilarity, love and a dose of healthy suspense ensues.
There were many quotable moments in this anthology, but Amy Lane takes the prize for this one:
"But that is the point of a hero, right? They are human, but they can fix what is wrong, so they can be the best of us."
And a little later in the story:
"I wanted to take care of you. I always want to take care of you. And I don't care if it's too early in the story."
And truly I think that sums up for me this entire anthology--love is more than sex, more than stars and songs and pretty sentiments. It really is about wanting to take care of someone else--of always wanting to be there for them. It is a selflessness that each of the heroes in these three tales had in spades.
This was a series of sweet and tender love stories, each with its own unique twist. They are so very well written and each was compelling in its own way. They complimented each other and really traveled well as companions stories. Simply put dear reader, this anthology was just pure fun to read--and just lovely enough to leave you with a happy smile on your face.
August 1, 2012
4 1/2 Hearts
First published at MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...
Well readers you are in for a treat with three wonderful stories from three wonderful authors, with three slightly different sets of Fate that include Greek, Egyptian and Norse mythology.
Fate Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey
Cheyenne is a werewolf who has a skin condition, he’s picked on by his brothers and his father has a hard time with him being gay. When he meets his mate Arthur, he is happy but there is a problem. Arthur is a human Prince and is expected to have an Heir. Arthur has a secret of his own, he knows more about werewolves than Chey thinks and knows that it will work out with Chey, but he wants to get to know Chey better before being claimed. But, Chey overhears a conversation he shouldn’t have and reacts badly and Clotho’s has to step in.
This is a sweet story that has misunderstandings, sweet loving, forgiveness, and interference from the Fates, a father who has difficulty accepting his son has a male mate, a mother who puts her husband in his place and two young men who love each other. A story to shake your head at, as Chey has to decide if he is going to fight for what he wants. It’s a story to smile at, as finally he comes to his senses and pursues Arthur, and a story to grin at as Arthur turns the tables and gets the wolf he deserves.
Jump by Mary Calmes
When a pair of lovers is ripped apart, Anubis makes a deal with the Fates to ensure his brother Horus and Cassius are entwined in future lives. Cassidy has the sight, he can see a short way into people’s lives, and one night when he is out drinking with friends he ends up saving Raza’s life. Raza is fascinated by Cassidy and doesn’t want to let him go. But, his time in Chicago is coming to an end and he has to convince the man he wants to come with him after his secrets are revealed.
This is another wonderful story from the Queen of feel good love stories. A beautifully written story that draws Raza and Cassidy together, two souls torn apart but now reunited. But, Cassidy has decisions to make as Raza has no choice but to leave Chicago. He has too many enemies and is too well-known to have a normal life. So Cassidy has to make choices he isn’t sure he is ready to make yet, but he also has to keep Raza alive, when his sight shows him that he is in grave danger… yet again. So we have two wonderful characters, a wonderful love story, really hot sex and a very happy ending.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane.
The god, Loki, messed about with Fates threads and now the Fates have to fix what he has broken. But, it isn’t without its consequences. Lief and Hake are two opposites, Lief has luck, while Hake has a curse, but when they collide Lief’s luck just might have rubbed off on Hake.
This is a slightly stranger story, as we have interludes of the Fates and gods as they watch over the two men, Lief and Hake. Lief and Hake are complete opposites in every way. But, when they collide and Lief ends up accidentally saving Hake’s life, they become involved and their threads become entwined. Both characters are great in their own right, but together they are perfect. The storyline is really good and I loved the secondary characters. They brightened up the story and added a bit more depth. This is an enjoyable mystery with interfering Fates and gods.
I recommend this anthology to everyone who loves the Fates, gods, love stories, hot sex, three wonderful stories, three great couples and three very happy endings.
First published at MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...
Well readers you are in for a treat with three wonderful stories from three wonderful authors, with three slightly different sets of Fate that include Greek, Egyptian and Norse mythology.
Fate Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey
Cheyenne is a werewolf who has a skin condition, he’s picked on by his brothers and his father has a hard time with him being gay. When he meets his mate Arthur, he is happy but there is a problem. Arthur is a human Prince and is expected to have an Heir. Arthur has a secret of his own, he knows more about werewolves than Chey thinks and knows that it will work out with Chey, but he wants to get to know Chey better before being claimed. But, Chey overhears a conversation he shouldn’t have and reacts badly and Clotho’s has to step in.
This is a sweet story that has misunderstandings, sweet loving, forgiveness, and interference from the Fates, a father who has difficulty accepting his son has a male mate, a mother who puts her husband in his place and two young men who love each other. A story to shake your head at, as Chey has to decide if he is going to fight for what he wants. It’s a story to smile at, as finally he comes to his senses and pursues Arthur, and a story to grin at as Arthur turns the tables and gets the wolf he deserves.
Jump by Mary Calmes
When a pair of lovers is ripped apart, Anubis makes a deal with the Fates to ensure his brother Horus and Cassius are entwined in future lives. Cassidy has the sight, he can see a short way into people’s lives, and one night when he is out drinking with friends he ends up saving Raza’s life. Raza is fascinated by Cassidy and doesn’t want to let him go. But, his time in Chicago is coming to an end and he has to convince the man he wants to come with him after his secrets are revealed.
This is another wonderful story from the Queen of feel good love stories. A beautifully written story that draws Raza and Cassidy together, two souls torn apart but now reunited. But, Cassidy has decisions to make as Raza has no choice but to leave Chicago. He has too many enemies and is too well-known to have a normal life. So Cassidy has to make choices he isn’t sure he is ready to make yet, but he also has to keep Raza alive, when his sight shows him that he is in grave danger… yet again. So we have two wonderful characters, a wonderful love story, really hot sex and a very happy ending.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane.
The god, Loki, messed about with Fates threads and now the Fates have to fix what he has broken. But, it isn’t without its consequences. Lief and Hake are two opposites, Lief has luck, while Hake has a curse, but when they collide Lief’s luck just might have rubbed off on Hake.
This is a slightly stranger story, as we have interludes of the Fates and gods as they watch over the two men, Lief and Hake. Lief and Hake are complete opposites in every way. But, when they collide and Lief ends up accidentally saving Hake’s life, they become involved and their threads become entwined. Both characters are great in their own right, but together they are perfect. The storyline is really good and I loved the secondary characters. They brightened up the story and added a bit more depth. This is an enjoyable mystery with interfering Fates and gods.
I recommend this anthology to everyone who loves the Fates, gods, love stories, hot sex, three wonderful stories, three great couples and three very happy endings.
January 7, 2013
This was a wonderful anthology, definitely living up to my expectations from these three very talented authors.
Fates Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey
Cheyanne (Chay) Dobson is a werewolf and son of a powerful alpha and diplomat who is visiting London with his family. Chay has a huge problem, his skin itches constantly, so much so that it causes him to be very introverted and to shy away from large gatherings where others might think him abnormal. The fates intervene and he attends a large ball where he meets Prince Arthur and in one glance realizes he has found his mate. But Arthur's not a werewolf, or is he? As these two fumble their way through their attraction and ultimate bonding, the reader gets to enjoy a terrific romance. Andrew Grey always delivers!
Jump by Mary Calmes
Cassidy Jane, a short balding unassuming guy, is the best at his job as a relationship counselor. He has a gift whereby he can look into a person's eyes and see the immediate future. He puts it to good use by matching couples romantically. He only intervenes in someone's life if he see something life-threatening in their immediate future and thankfully that rarely happens. This is how he meets Raz. When he spots him in a nightclub, one glance and he sees that Raz is about to be murdered and he intervenes, thinking that Raz will believe he's crazy. But Raz does believe him and then begins an adventure that is directed by the fates so that ultimately Raz and Cass end up together. A true Mary Calmes tale with the strong little guy and the loving alpha male. Terrific!
Believed You Were Lucky – by Amy Lane
Leif, a very happy-go-lucky redhead giant of Scandinavian descent, is a bike messenger by day and flower delivery man by night. He is lucky and luck follows him everywhere. His luck points him to Nob Hill where he flys down on his bike to deliver a package to someone in the warehouse district. On the way, he sees someone about to step into an open manhole in the street and steers his bike to where he can knock the guy out of the way but he hits the manhole and hurls over the top of his bike, just after he's shoved the other guy out of the way. Hacon, aka Hake is the other guy and a more unlucky guy you will never meet. Bad luck follows him everywhere and the males in his generation are cursed. At least one of them will die at an early age from a bizarre accident and he believes it's going to be him.
What happens when the fates cause their luck to collide and intertwine forms the crux of the story. An enchanting tale by Amy Lane. This author's vivid imagination at its best!
Fates Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey
Cheyanne (Chay) Dobson is a werewolf and son of a powerful alpha and diplomat who is visiting London with his family. Chay has a huge problem, his skin itches constantly, so much so that it causes him to be very introverted and to shy away from large gatherings where others might think him abnormal. The fates intervene and he attends a large ball where he meets Prince Arthur and in one glance realizes he has found his mate. But Arthur's not a werewolf, or is he? As these two fumble their way through their attraction and ultimate bonding, the reader gets to enjoy a terrific romance. Andrew Grey always delivers!
Jump by Mary Calmes
Cassidy Jane, a short balding unassuming guy, is the best at his job as a relationship counselor. He has a gift whereby he can look into a person's eyes and see the immediate future. He puts it to good use by matching couples romantically. He only intervenes in someone's life if he see something life-threatening in their immediate future and thankfully that rarely happens. This is how he meets Raz. When he spots him in a nightclub, one glance and he sees that Raz is about to be murdered and he intervenes, thinking that Raz will believe he's crazy. But Raz does believe him and then begins an adventure that is directed by the fates so that ultimately Raz and Cass end up together. A true Mary Calmes tale with the strong little guy and the loving alpha male. Terrific!
Believed You Were Lucky – by Amy Lane
Leif, a very happy-go-lucky redhead giant of Scandinavian descent, is a bike messenger by day and flower delivery man by night. He is lucky and luck follows him everywhere. His luck points him to Nob Hill where he flys down on his bike to deliver a package to someone in the warehouse district. On the way, he sees someone about to step into an open manhole in the street and steers his bike to where he can knock the guy out of the way but he hits the manhole and hurls over the top of his bike, just after he's shoved the other guy out of the way. Hacon, aka Hake is the other guy and a more unlucky guy you will never meet. Bad luck follows him everywhere and the males in his generation are cursed. At least one of them will die at an early age from a bizarre accident and he believes it's going to be him.
What happens when the fates cause their luck to collide and intertwine forms the crux of the story. An enchanting tale by Amy Lane. This author's vivid imagination at its best!
December 1, 2013
Fate Delivers a Prince
by Andrew Grey 2 stars
Wolf-shifter Chayenne has a skin condition that can apparently only be cured by him being near his fated love, non-shifter German prince Albert. Luckily for Chey, Albert comes from a shifter family, even though he can't shift himself, se he also feels the whole ”mate”-thing. Or maybe it's not so lucky, since Albert is a stuck-up prick, but Chey seems happy, so good luck to them!
Jump by Mary Calmes 3 stars
Two loves are seperated by murder a long time ago, but since one of them used to be a god, their souls get a second chance as the Fates intervene. Their incarnations in present times meet and fall in love and all that. I thought the story was fairly good untill the last part. If you're going into some kind of wintness protection, do you really tell all your friends where you're moving and even agree to start up a new branch of the conmpany you're working for at the new place? I don't think so. If it hadn't been for that, this story would have gotten 4 stars from me.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane 4 stars
This was by far my favourite story in this anthology! I just loved happy-go-lucky Leif and felt so connected to him, since I also feel lucky and blessed, even though some people can't see that I am. That's due to differences in what people percieve as ”lucky” or ”successful”. Anyway, Leif meeting Hacon, who's quite unlucky, even though he has material wealth made this story even better for me. They were a great couple! However, I found it hard to believe that such an open, friendly and likeable guy as Leif only really had one friend. I think that people would queue up to be friends with him!
Wolf-shifter Chayenne has a skin condition that can apparently only be cured by him being near his fated love, non-shifter German prince Albert. Luckily for Chey, Albert comes from a shifter family, even though he can't shift himself, se he also feels the whole ”mate”-thing. Or maybe it's not so lucky, since Albert is a stuck-up prick, but Chey seems happy, so good luck to them!
Jump by Mary Calmes 3 stars
Two loves are seperated by murder a long time ago, but since one of them used to be a god, their souls get a second chance as the Fates intervene. Their incarnations in present times meet and fall in love and all that. I thought the story was fairly good untill the last part. If you're going into some kind of wintness protection, do you really tell all your friends where you're moving and even agree to start up a new branch of the conmpany you're working for at the new place? I don't think so. If it hadn't been for that, this story would have gotten 4 stars from me.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane 4 stars
This was by far my favourite story in this anthology! I just loved happy-go-lucky Leif and felt so connected to him, since I also feel lucky and blessed, even though some people can't see that I am. That's due to differences in what people percieve as ”lucky” or ”successful”. Anyway, Leif meeting Hacon, who's quite unlucky, even though he has material wealth made this story even better for me. They were a great couple! However, I found it hard to believe that such an open, friendly and likeable guy as Leif only really had one friend. I think that people would queue up to be friends with him!
October 29, 2014
Three Fates is an anthology of three short stories that involve the mythological Fates and shape-shifter "true mates". It is really a simple book -- there are three short stories, the first by Andrew Grey, the second by Mary Calmes, and the third by Amy Lane.
Andrew Grey's story is a simple werewolf shape-shifter story where a young werewolf, Cheyenne, finds that his true mate is a human prince, Arthur, with werewolf genes. The young werewolf is directed to his true mate by Clotho, one of the three fates.
Mary Calmes story is about a god who loses his love, and then turns to the Fates to join them together in a future life. A guy named Cassidy has a god-given gift of seeing the future (about a month into the future). He hides that gift from everyone, but once he sees his future mate, he knows whether there would be chemistry or not. The majority if this story is very good, and the ending is suspense filled. There are places in the middle of the story that are very slow reading.
Amy Lane's contribution to this anthology is called Believed You Were Lucky. There are certain problems with this story immediately. The author has a fixation with prose about feces. It is disgusting and annoying. It put a damper on the beginning of the story. It appears that this is an English translation story which is very difficult to understand. Additionally, the author uses so many different nicknames for her two main characters that it is difficult to follow the story. This is definitely the weakest of the three stories, and if this were a free standing story, I would say to pass it by.
As a package, these three stories are very uneven. Overall, the book rates three stars. Andrew Grey's contribution to this anthology is the best of the three works.
Andrew Grey's story is a simple werewolf shape-shifter story where a young werewolf, Cheyenne, finds that his true mate is a human prince, Arthur, with werewolf genes. The young werewolf is directed to his true mate by Clotho, one of the three fates.
Mary Calmes story is about a god who loses his love, and then turns to the Fates to join them together in a future life. A guy named Cassidy has a god-given gift of seeing the future (about a month into the future). He hides that gift from everyone, but once he sees his future mate, he knows whether there would be chemistry or not. The majority if this story is very good, and the ending is suspense filled. There are places in the middle of the story that are very slow reading.
Amy Lane's contribution to this anthology is called Believed You Were Lucky. There are certain problems with this story immediately. The author has a fixation with prose about feces. It is disgusting and annoying. It put a damper on the beginning of the story. It appears that this is an English translation story which is very difficult to understand. Additionally, the author uses so many different nicknames for her two main characters that it is difficult to follow the story. This is definitely the weakest of the three stories, and if this were a free standing story, I would say to pass it by.
As a package, these three stories are very uneven. Overall, the book rates three stars. Andrew Grey's contribution to this anthology is the best of the three works.
July 11, 2015
2.5 stars
Unfortunately this one was a total miss for me. I absolutely loved the idea of fate and the different cultures and mythologies that were brought in. But the stories themselves just did not work for me.
The first book, the one by Andrew Grey, I couldn't finish because it felt very immature and just really odd. I'm not sure how to explain but the writing just did nothing for me, and the characters brought nothing to the table.
The second story I really enjoyed. I love Mary Calmes so I knew what I was going to get, insta attraction with two lovely men; one grumpy and the other perfect to everyone but himself. And that is exactly what I got, plus a really emotionally charged prologue; I loved the backstory to these characters. And even though I'm not a believer in fate and destiny I really think it's a nice idea. So that being said, I really loved the idea that the couple was fated and destined to be together, it was really sweet.
Sadly the last story by Amy Lane was basically unreadable for me. Which is crazy because I love Lane's writing and characters. So when I started this story I was really excited, but what I got was such a disappointment. If I hadn't read who wrote it I would not have believed it was my beloved Amy Lane. The few pages I read had obnoxious MCs and it felt like the repetitive "luck" got to be too much. Which is such a huge bummer because Nordic/Norwegian mythology is one of my favorites. And the prologue was so promising! *sad face*
So sad day for me but this anthology just did nothing for me. The mythological aspects were beyond my favorite parts, it was just everything else that irritated me.
Unfortunately this one was a total miss for me. I absolutely loved the idea of fate and the different cultures and mythologies that were brought in. But the stories themselves just did not work for me.
The first book, the one by Andrew Grey, I couldn't finish because it felt very immature and just really odd. I'm not sure how to explain but the writing just did nothing for me, and the characters brought nothing to the table.
The second story I really enjoyed. I love Mary Calmes so I knew what I was going to get, insta attraction with two lovely men; one grumpy and the other perfect to everyone but himself. And that is exactly what I got, plus a really emotionally charged prologue; I loved the backstory to these characters. And even though I'm not a believer in fate and destiny I really think it's a nice idea. So that being said, I really loved the idea that the couple was fated and destined to be together, it was really sweet.
Sadly the last story by Amy Lane was basically unreadable for me. Which is crazy because I love Lane's writing and characters. So when I started this story I was really excited, but what I got was such a disappointment. If I hadn't read who wrote it I would not have believed it was my beloved Amy Lane. The few pages I read had obnoxious MCs and it felt like the repetitive "luck" got to be too much. Which is such a huge bummer because Nordic/Norwegian mythology is one of my favorites. And the prologue was so promising! *sad face*
So sad day for me but this anthology just did nothing for me. The mythological aspects were beyond my favorite parts, it was just everything else that irritated me.
October 29, 2014
When you have three popular authors writing an anthology, you can't really go wrong with the stories offered. While the stories are pleasant reads, they are not among the best that these authors could offer.
I am fond of mythology and I love seeing the theme mixed in with a contemporary setting.
Fate Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey is a nice story and I could completely relate to Chay's ongoing struggles with his skin condition. I wish I had my own mate to soothe my itch away. Sigh. Overall, a sweet, uncomplicated story.
Jump by Mary Calmes is probably my favourite from this anthology. It has all the markings of a Mary Calmes romance including the much beloved main character type and the alpha male. Of all the three stories, I think this used the mythology concept best. A very subtle touch and not obstrusive at all. That being said, the "Calmes syndrome" might ruin the story for those who aren't overly fond of her formula.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane was a nice read but confusing. I didn't realise until close to the end what the issue was between Thor and Loki. I also couldn't quite figure out what Hacon and Leif's threads were supposed to signify in real life and how it translated to their well-being as a whole. I enjoyed the overall concept of how the Fates play a role in people's lives and the use of their threads. This would have done better as a longer story as the story is too short to fully realise the potential of this idea.
I am fond of mythology and I love seeing the theme mixed in with a contemporary setting.
Fate Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey is a nice story and I could completely relate to Chay's ongoing struggles with his skin condition. I wish I had my own mate to soothe my itch away. Sigh. Overall, a sweet, uncomplicated story.
Jump by Mary Calmes is probably my favourite from this anthology. It has all the markings of a Mary Calmes romance including the much beloved main character type and the alpha male. Of all the three stories, I think this used the mythology concept best. A very subtle touch and not obstrusive at all. That being said, the "Calmes syndrome" might ruin the story for those who aren't overly fond of her formula.
Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane was a nice read but confusing. I didn't realise until close to the end what the issue was between Thor and Loki. I also couldn't quite figure out what Hacon and Leif's threads were supposed to signify in real life and how it translated to their well-being as a whole. I enjoyed the overall concept of how the Fates play a role in people's lives and the use of their threads. This would have done better as a longer story as the story is too short to fully realise the potential of this idea.
August 14, 2016
The first story (Fates Delivers a Prince by Andrew Grey) was nice right up until the "big ol' misunderstanding" that drove the rest of it. And once that was out of the way, it was too syrupy-sweet. Not Andrew's best work, in my opinion. Probably 2 or 2.5 stars.
The second story (Jump by Mary Calmes) was a bit better. Certainly longer and a touch more developed, but some of the scenes/sentiments felt a bit repetitive instead of moving on the story. I liked the initial premise of mixing a touch of Egyptian in with the Greek, but there wasn't much but the prologue. I also liked that one of the main characters was short, bald, and didn't have a ripped physique. The insta-love is understandable given the point of the story and their history. But it was just okay. 3 stars.
The third story (Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane) didn't capture my attention the way Amy Lane normally does. I liked the Norse gods as they were included, but the whole thing about the stolen string at the front confused me, and I just didn't get into the story. I got busy and it took me a week to really bother to get myself back to it and force myself to finish it. It was the longest in the anthology. I really liked Leif - he's a good character. Hacon was okay. I'm going to say it's just me and give the story 3 stars.
So, I guess overall I give the anthology 3 stars.
The second story (Jump by Mary Calmes) was a bit better. Certainly longer and a touch more developed, but some of the scenes/sentiments felt a bit repetitive instead of moving on the story. I liked the initial premise of mixing a touch of Egyptian in with the Greek, but there wasn't much but the prologue. I also liked that one of the main characters was short, bald, and didn't have a ripped physique. The insta-love is understandable given the point of the story and their history. But it was just okay. 3 stars.
The third story (Believed You Were Lucky by Amy Lane) didn't capture my attention the way Amy Lane normally does. I liked the Norse gods as they were included, but the whole thing about the stolen string at the front confused me, and I just didn't get into the story. I got busy and it took me a week to really bother to get myself back to it and force myself to finish it. It was the longest in the anthology. I really liked Leif - he's a good character. Hacon was okay. I'm going to say it's just me and give the story 3 stars.
So, I guess overall I give the anthology 3 stars.
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