Good Vibes Only

Iron on Iron #5

by Gregory Ashe

Just vibing. Good Vibes Only is a collection of short stories from Iron on Iron. It includes the “All the Feels” Jem and Tean get settled in their temporary new home. This story is set after The Face in the Water . “Add Me Back” Theo and Auggie (especially Auggie) spend time with their new friends. This story is set before The Girl in the Wind . “Adulting is Hard” North and Shaw are...North and Shaw. This story is set before The Girl in the Wind , but it was written to be read between The Girl in the Wind and The Spoil of Beasts . “I Can't Even” Emery and John-Henry might need a break from their houseguests. This story is set before The Evening Wolves . “Good Vibes Only” Theo and Auggie get married. With (unfortunately) some help from their friends. This story is set after The Evening Wolves . Please note that the first four stories were distributed previously in various formats. “Good Vibes Only” is exclusively available in this collection.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Short Stories, Novella, Mystery, Crime

134 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 7, 2024

About the author

I'm a long-time Midwesterner. I've lived in Chicago, Bloomington (IN), and Saint Louis, my current home. Aside from reading and writing (which take up a lot of my time), I'm an educator.

While I enjoy reading across many genres, my two main loves are mystery and speculative fiction. I used to keep a list of favorite books, but it changes so frequently that I've given up. I'm always looking for recommendations, though, so please drop me a line if you have something in mind!

My big goal right now is one day to be responsible enough to get a dog.

Reviews

[alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

and with this short story collection’s official release, that’s a wrap! Gregory Ashe is the definition of “i see it, i like it, i want it, i write it” - i don’t know any other author who’s taken the hard-won cumulation of 37 books to write a 4+1 part love letter to his 8 brainchildren. the fact that he only began publicly speaking on the project in 2022 and actively wrote these books over the past year to get ‘er done will never cease to blow my mind.

hopefully he can finally give his braincells a proper rest after all the juggling he’s had to do. in the meantime, i’m off to celebrate by listening to the latest BGFP episode where he talks about his patron platform! https://jeffandwill.com/biggayfiction...

————

*my sole piece of advice: no sneaking a peek at the blurb until you’ve finished book 2, The Girl in the Wind. place your trust in me, your most loyal street peddler 😌

[floating on cloud nine and riding the highest of highs, i had no choice but to seek the help of spirit medium Shawdicous Maximus to relay my thoughts and feelings from the afterlife. the following text has been heavily edited down to preserve the original topic thread]

oh, that last story! one big, beautiful bow and goodbye group hug on the greatest crossover known to history. a tearjerker collection of moments embodying the cliché: the real treasure was the friends we made along the way :’)

it’s a magical feeling when a character, let alone a collective crew of eight, manages to make their mark on your soul and carve out a permanent space in your heart to house them henceforth. i can never give these short stories, what i consider instant shots of dopamine, less than 5 stars - not when they revive my sense of awe at the power of words in the hands of a true wordsmith. is it not baffling to think we use the same 26 letters in the English language, but string letters together in a precise order, with a particular intent, and they're capable of delivering emotions in their purest form? mindboggling.

i’ve said this a ridiculous amount of times, but i’m so incredibly grateful to exist in the same timeline as this author, his never-yielding creative genius, and the wonderful friends i’ve met in this small corner of the internet through a shared love of reading. a small miracle in and of itself.

in radically wild news, uh, please keep your eyes peeled for my cameo 😳

Thank you to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book; this is my honest review :)

—initial review—

February 12, 2024. having an official release date is catastrophically bittersweet when it marks the end of an era. this whole journey has been akin to riding a ferrous wheel, and i’m gripping my seat, not even close to ready to walk off. as we brace for the impending Iron deficiency, perhaps Master Hermes can lend us a hand to cope with this harsh reality. for a Fe, of course; his services are highly sought after and pricey.

let us strike while the iron’s hot to score ourselves a group discount - or recruit Jem and Shaw’s credit cards to solve our conundrum (an entirely hypothetical case. not implicating myself in any crime, no sir 😗) *facepalms myself into the next galaxy with my puns*

no better time to let myself be delulu about The Evening Wolves and this short story collection sandwiching my birthday on purpose. THE BEST SANDWICH TO BE HAD IN 2024 AND I AM HERE FOR IT

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

All The Feels
Jem and Tean going to stay at the Hazard-Somerset house was hilarious 😂 Colt's approval of Jem was so funny - they're actually competing for my second favourite hazardverse character so I loved their interactions! Tean training Evie and Biscuit to Emery's disbelief was so perfect!! I loved this little slice of life in Wahredua.

Add Me Back
Someone thinking Tean was Auggie's dad in their insta picture had me cackling. Auggie having an existential crisis because Ash thought he was 30... 💀💀💀 Auggie essentially being tech support to the whole cast of characters though was really cute! Kinda want to see these thirst pictures of John-Henry though...😂😂

Adulting Is Hard
Shaw's hyperactiveness was actually really funny here. I loved how he was botherign everyone until Tean decided to be gym bros with him, and then everyone wanted to be gym bros!

I also loved North so much in this one. He's my favourite in the Borealis couple by a long shot, and I love his exasperation, but the way he's bonded with Colt in like an older brother way is so stinking cute I can't cope with it!

I Can't Even
I love the slices of life we get with the Hazard-Somerset household! I'd love to see John-Henry's video 😂 😂 I also love Colt so much - his determination to get Biscuit to love him is so funny, and his idolising of North is both sweet and entertaining! I feel like there hasn't been enough Colt and Ash in this series!!

Good Vibes Only
Emery Hazard making a stripper do a career aptitude test at Auggie's bachelor party may have just made my life 😂

Usually I'm not a fan of proposals or weddings with gushy vows - I mean, my own vows were super simple and to the point - but knowing Auggie and Theo's journey to this point definitely made their vows hit much harder. They even got me to cry! I love these two together and like I keep saying, I just want a million more books in the Hazardverse, please and thank you!

[Cyndi (hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first decided to give this new-to-me author named Gregory Ashe a shot and picked up They Told Me I Was Everything, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I have a habit of getting attached to fictional characters (I still cry over Ash Lynx and I miss Gon and Killua something fierce), but I don't usually feel like I know them. I feel like I know Auggie, Theo, Emery, John-Henry, North, Shaw, Tean and Jem. I've seen them at their best and their worst. I've seen them grow and make mistakes and suffer and laugh and fall in love. I've been scared for them and hurt by them and disappointed in them. I've wanted to simultaneously hug and slap each of them for a variety of reasons. I've rooted for them. I've been with them during some of the most pivotal moments in their lives. And with this series, I finally got them all at once and it was magnificent.

I've always considered these short stories a breath of fresh air before the often heavy, gruesome and angsty themes of the novels. These were no different. It was endlessly funny to watch these men grate on each others nerves in the most endearing ways possible. On top of that, every scene in the first four stories had the chaotic energy of the opening scene in Home Alone. The final story, though, was such a gift and the perfect way to wrap this series up. I have no reason to believe that this was The End, but as far as a "see you later" goes, this was a damn good one.

[Lily Loves 📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read these stories as they were released before each books release as part of Gregory Ashe’s mailing list. He emails a short story before each new book and then also releases them plus a new story once the series is done. It’s one of my favorite things ever! I look forward to these short snippets that are so much lighter than the full length stories are.

The last two stories in this book are the ones I have not previously read. I Can’t Even is hilarious! It’s Emery at his finest in the library joining a group that are fans of Shaw’s short stories about “Shawn” and “Emerson” (or is it “Edison”?). I laughed out loud and would love to read these stories! Then there are shenanigans between all the guys at Emery & John-Henry’s house which always make me smile.

Good Vibes Only is the sweetest and funniest story! Auggie and Theo get married, Shaw tries to throw a bachelor/ette party. It was so sweet and made me feel so happy. This was a gift for us readers after making it through this series which was so tough. If you read Ashe’s books you know you both love and hate him (at least a little) for all he puts these characters through. But then he writes stories like these and you feel he can do no wrong.

**ARC provided
**All thoughts and opinions are my own

[Kathleen in Oslo · Rating 5 out of 5]

That last story!!!!! I am not made of stone, people.

With this collection, I feel like Tean and Jem and Theo and Auggie's stories are pretty much complete (don't get me wrong, I would love more of them -- but given that neither couple are real detectives, I'm not sure there's fodder for new arcs), while Emery and J-H are in a good place and North and Shaw have TONS of unfinished business.

That said -- my new head canon is Jem getting his PI license and opening a branch of Borealis or Astraea in SLC. I want more shenanigans.

💜💜😍😍😭😭❤️❤️❤️

[Em Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection ❤️❤️❤️

[StayCalm81 · Rating 5 out of 5]

We need this after all the heartbreak and pain of the series. It was good vibes only, I laugh so hard and had a smile plastered all the time I was reading it 🥹 happy happy happy 😊 thank you Greg for creating this amazing world and this incredible men ❤️

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect ending to this series

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet shots to balance
previous terror. Four couples
and a wedding. Yay!

[Nelly S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

These short stories are such a treat! Reading them, and especially doing so in the recommended order, really does add to the series’ enjoyment. Gregory Ashe is one of the rare writers who is just as great writing short stories as he is with novels.

[NikNak · Rating 5 out of 5]

#dead

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

Good Vibes Only is a collection of short stories from Gregory Ashe’s Iron on Iron series and is not intended to be read on its own. While I read this after reading the entire series, it would also be fun to read the stories after the individual books they are directly connected with. The first four stories have already been available in other places, while the last story, “Good Vibes Only,” is only available here and is set after the last book in the series, The Evening Wolves. Each story is short and a glimpse into the couples and actions that related to their books.

Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.

[Antara · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite eight blorbos in sweet, funny, and heartwarming short stories. :') The last story was a beautiful way to wrap up this series. I know it's unlikely we'll get another huge crossover extravaganza like this one again, but I'm confident these characters will remain in each other's lives for the rest of time.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing edition

If you love these four couples as much ad I do, you'll not want to miss this wonderful edition of short stories. I laughed so hard at a line said by North, I couldn't stop giggling for 15 minutes!
If you only read one short story collection this year, you cannot miss this. It had a wedding we've all been waiting for.

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always love these little slice-of-life stories that take place in between the full-length books in a GA series, and here we have the addition of more from all eight of the main characters AND we get to witness Theo & Auggie's wedding (with bonus Fer!).

[Crystal D. Budy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gregory Ashe's short story collections are always a soothing balm for the soul after whatever trauma he's dragged us through over the series. They are a collection of short stories provided via his newsletter before the release of a new book (in this case, All the Feels, Add Me Back, Adulting is Hard, and I Can't Even), plus one brand new one exclusive to the collection set after the series has ended (in this case, Good Vibes Only). I always adore these because they are little glimpses into the gentle and fun parts of the characters we never see nearly enough of during the action of the full books. This collection was no different.

Good Vibes Only made my little Thuggie heart soar. I loved everything about it, getting little glimpses into how each character helps (or horrifies) Theo and Auggie in preparation of their upcoming day, and that last chapter... ugh, my heart. 😍 Everything about it was lovely and I adore them to the ends of the earth.

I can't believe this is the end of the Iron on Iron series. It's been a wild ride and I've enjoyed every minute of it, and I look forward to some day in the future when GA may decide to grace us with a reappearance of these eight bumbling souls. Until then, I'll take solace in the ending, because it was a beautiful one.

Thank you to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect collection of goofy stories to follow the sometimes harrowing four book series. These men are so very themselves. And, in the tradition of all true love stories, it ends with a wedding.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

These five stories are such a lovely balsam after the pain and angst from the books in this series! They are all funny, tender, and very, very clever :D

All the Feels Tean and Jem meet the family *laughs* John-Henry and Emery's place is such a lively, messy place. And, of course, adding two more people to the mix is tricky. Particularly when Jem and Colt are in the mix :P

Add Me Back Auggie and Theo interacting with the rest, Auggie having a crisis about age and losing his cool, and yet, still trying to get Tean into social media. Funny, but also with some great insight into these characters :D

Adulting is Hard Some instances of Colt and his crush on North; Shaw bent into becoming a muscle otter (WHAT?) and deeply in love with Evie's toys *dies laughing* Nothing can be better. Except for Tean with Evie *thinks* Maybe it's a draw :P

I Can’t Even And seriously this title, is exactly how I felt reading the first chapter in this short story. Emery, what are you doing? *throws arms in the air*
But then, we have Shaw interacting with John-Henry father and, OMG!
And Emery and Jem bonding over Emery's old toys is a thing of beauty :D
Finally, if you ask me, that auto-denominated Christian blogger got what he deserved *chocks on laughter*

Good Vibes Only Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!! ♥♥♥

[Mimi Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this series a surprising amount. It seemed like the ultimate fan service - gathering characters across various series and having them become friends and solve murders together. And it was, but you can also tell the author had a lot of fun with it. I wouldn’t recommend a new reader start here.

I did enjoy revisiting some of these couples - Hazard and Sommers in particular, but others as well (with Jen and Tean as my least favorite). The crimes were fine individually, but a bit of a stretch when put together. I liked the friendship and interactions between various people, and it was rarely too much (although North and Shaw from the outside, sheesh).

With each couple we thread some old ground, some new, and we see them through some really tough times and through the other side.

This final installment with short stories had a lot of really fun and emotional moments.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

These short stories bring me so much joy. SO MUCH JOY.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just perfect. These guys are the epitome of a found family, and I love how they come together in these little vignettes. It's all the good feelings, without the hurt that we love from the main books. Like meeting up with old friends!

[Bryoney McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, what a glorious way to end this fabulous series. Greg's shorts are only ever icing on the cake - a bit of wonderful deliciousness to make something wonderful even better - and this volume is no exception. All of it, every bit, made my heart happy.

I am generally not a fan of weddings in books. I think my heart is just too crusty and I tend to find them schmultzy. Emery and John-Henry's wedding was definitely an exception and now so to is Theo and Auggie's. Greg takes us on such long journeys with his characters, it feels right. It feels authentic rather than a cliched happy ending. And like E & JH, Auggie and Theo have BEEN THROUGH IT to get to their happy ending. Even my crusty heart melted at their vows.

Each story, each couple, is so briliantly written and so full of authenticity. I love these shorts that step out of the heaviness of the plots of the main novels and give us glimpses of the in-between moments. I think, as fans, those are always the moments we love best - where we get to see characters be people. Those are the ones we tend to hold close to our hearts in delight.

And this volume of shorts is just that, a delight. Loved every minute of it.

Note: I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Molly]

All the Feels
- Jem and Tean in Wahredua! And being introduced to teenage-dom haha
- Awww the puppy training! That's adorable, i love tean
- Jem and colt bonding, love it

I Can't Even
- Stop! Emery has read Shaw's book(s) and can book club about them. I love it
- JH is such a good dad
- Aw, Jem reliving the childhood he never got will never not make my heart melt, plus Emery joining in and remembering the good times from his childhood
- JH being a good dad x2

Add Me Back
- Aw Auggie, he just wants to be useful!
- Double aw, Jem and Tean bonding with them
- The dad comment💀
- The emotional crisis 😂 it's so relatable

Adulting is Hard
- They are so chaotic especially Shaw haha but I love how North knows it's just bullshit
- North being sweet to Colt! He needs more positive male role models

Good Vibes Only
- oh my god, loved it, cried
- Aw poor Tean just wants everything to be perfect
- Let Shaw have his party! Um, I mean Auggie's party. Also convinced that Auggie was hiding in the bathroom and texted Theo to come pick him up
- Cried even more. Actual sweet Fer and Auggie moments, just everything.

"Go ahead and kiss, you dummies. This is officially your happily ever after."

[Rochelle Selwyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

And so it all comes to an end *sigh*
The entire Iron on Iron series was brilliant, and sometimes harrowing, and intense and hilarious and sometimes cringey, and Good Vibes Only is a little cherry on top (admittedly, Auggie and Theo still remain my least favourite of the crazy eight, but I'll take it).

I cannot imagine the complexity and difficulty it took to incorporate eight protaganists into one series of books, but Gregory Ashe has done this effortlessly. This series has been my absolute favourite of the Ashe oeuvre and I imagine it will remain so for a long time.

Even though these books have ended, I really hope there is more of all eight characters together in the future. I cannot imagine a world where they don't remain best friends forever.

Like previous short story volumes, Good Vibes Only is funny and sweet and crazy, I could read these little stories about these nutters forever. Especially Tean and Jem who will forever remain number ones in my heart.

Thank you as always to the author for an ARC of this book. Cannot wait to see what comes next.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Iron on Iron was a pure adrenalin infused ride from start to finish. We got some deep introspection, some fascinating character development, some laughs, some tears. Beyond the mystery and investigation, the guys have found a family in each other and that gave us some unforgettable moments, be it one-on-one or in a group setting.

GA managed to make each installment a typical book for the pairing it was centered around as well as a story that felt 100% part of this particular series. This is a feat I haven't quite managed to get my head around yet.

So in this context, this collection of shorts feels like the cherry on the whipped cream on the chocolate fudge ice-cream sundae. The delight of these shorts after the pleasure of the series feels downright decadent. GA fans are among the most spoiled readers outthere but this is taking it to the next level.

As a Thuggie fan this is better than I could have imagined and the perfect setting up for the upcoming Fer's book

I have nothing to add except a massive thank you.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This whole series has been a joy. Yes, plenty of signature Gregory Ashe trauma, but with these utter gems of polyfriendship moments mixed in. This book of short stories is (as the title suggests) pretty much all gain, no pain. (Except, because this is Greg we're talking about, there are pangs along the way—but they're mostly the kind that don't hurt too much.)

I'm not a huge short story fan. If a book is good, I want it to go on forever—and I love the in-depth plots you can only get in longer works. So almost by definition this wasn't going to be a five-star read for me. Nonetheless, it's excellent, and it's a truly heartwarming way to wrap up this series... although I'll be hoping hard for another series in this vein somewhere down the line.

My thanks to the author for an advance copy of this book.

[Keren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy in exchange of my honest opinion.
Not that its a great secret but I really enjoyed the whole series. However, I am not great fan of short stories. nonetheless, this book felt less like short stories and more like one more chance to enjoy Auggie, Theo, North, Shaw, Jem, Tean, John-Henry and Emery. these short stories allow for a final goodbye but also tying some last lose ends.
The following might be considered as spoilers.
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I particularly enjoyed Emery in the library and learning the Shaw finally published his dragons in the library books and that they are just as great as he imagined. The last story though was of a different vibe, featuring Auggie and Theo actually finally getting married!

[Ellie Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's always a joy to get these series outtakes that Gregory Ashe so generously offers, giving a slice of everyday life in between all the action and emotional angst of the main stories.

I'd read a couple of these already but needed them as a full collection (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it). The final story about Theo and Auggie's wedding was the icing on the cake. I was blinking away happy tears!

I'm looking forward to the next story about any combination of these four wonderful couples. Thank you for an outstanding series, Greg!

[jasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ugh, this was just as good and totally necessary as the shorts Gregory did for each of these couples’ individual series. GA really has a way with words and the shorts he writes are absolute perfection. I love these characters with my whole heart (maybe not so much Theo, but yes to other seven). These were funny, entertaining little glimpses into the time between books. GA’s shorts with Emery and Shaw just make me love them even more… literally two of my favourite individual fictional characters ever! Please never stop writing Hazardverse stories Greg.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Iron on Iron books were a feast of intense plots and passionate feelings from a wonderful group of protagonists. Good Vibes Only is the dessert after the feast - easy, fun, and a joy to read. I've enjoyed the interactions of characters from Gregory Ashe's different series throughout the Iron on Iron books, and this is no exception. Thank you to the author for bringing us on this wild ride and ending it on such a great note.