Heart2Heart: A Paranormal Charity Anthology (Collection), Volume 7

Heart2Heart Charity Anthologies

by Macy Blake, Grae Bryan, Kiki Clark

Once upon a time, a bunch of authors wondered… what would happen if Heart2Heart, the mystical matchmaking app adored across the supernatural world, brought in an absolute legend to help them find true love?

This Valentine’s Day, the sunshiny necromancer, the lonely vampire, and the nonbinary dragon will put their trust in H2H and a certain cheeky cherub of romance. Will Cupid’s arrows strike true?

As always, all proceeds from this anthology will benefit LGBTQ+ charities to ensure that love in all its incarnations will be celebrated and protected every single day of the year!

Stories included in this collection are:

You Can’t Spell Necromancer Without Romance, by Alice Winters
Hot Date, by Eliot Grayson
Sweet Treats, by Grae Bryan
Looking 4 Furever, by Kiki Clark
Locked in Love, by Lark Taylor
Love Me Love My Dogs, by Macy Blake
Not So Cupid, by Mika Nix
Starry Night, by Pandora Pine
The Hidden God of Open Doors, by Tavia Lark
Love Under the Sea, by Taylor Rylan

Genres: Anthologies, Paranormal, M M Romance, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, LGBT

501 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 2, 2024

About the author

Macy Blake believes in unicorns and fairies, in moonbeams and stardust, and that happily ever after comes in all colors of the rainbow. When she’s not busy at the day job, she loses herself in paranormal romance, living vicariously through her favorite sexy fictional heroes. These days you can often find her pounding away at the keyboard, trying to capture the magic of her own worlds.

Reviews

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semicolons~✡~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet Treats by Grae Bryan
~4.5~

This is an adorable story featuring a pixie named Perri who loves cupcakes and an accountant named Tobias who thinks he's too boring for a whimsical cutie like Perri. Tobias couldn't be more wrong, of course, because Perri has been crushing on him forever and is definitely "marriage material." Sweet and romantic with just enough steam and a glowing HEA. This author hasn't let me down yet!

The Hidden God of Open Doors by Tavia Lark
~4~

The third-person present tense narration was jarring initially, but I got used to it. This is an original, heartwarming (and at times heartbreaking) story about an arrogant, artifact-hunting human who drank from the fountain of youth and the lonely man living in a gray void whose one lifeline is the dating app. The ending was lovely!

Looking for Furever by Kiki Clark
~1.5~

The author should have sat this one out because this story is just embarrassing: numerous editing issues, no character or relationship development, a leap from zero to fucking, and a random epilogue (not labeled as such) that made me feel like I skipped a chapter or twelve. I know this author can do better.

Locked in Love by Lark Taylor
~2~

Started out promising but deteriorated toward the end with the "violent ex" plot, which was OTT, predictable, and entirely unnecessary. Plus, we never got the mating scene. Disappointing overall.

Love Me Love My Dogs by Macy Blake
~DNF~

Not So Cupid by Mika Nix
~DNF~

[Mug]

Hot Date by Eliot Grayson: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
human looking to solve his chronic migraine problems by summoning a demon who would “enter in and take complete possession of the body to use as he doth will it and fill the body with his vitality”💀💀 which of course translates to curing headaches in a completely normal way right???😏 lmfaooo u sweet summer child…..u better be prepared (literally)🤭

Looking 4 Furever by Kiki Clark: ⭐️
human barista wants the lynx shifter who frequents the coffee shop he works at, but both are complete dodo birds who are too scared to make the first move….enter the H2H app, their blind pairing, the cringiest sequence of texts, and the eventual meet up & reveal…..massively cringe and low effort😵‍💫 also the name RANCE, short for RANSOM…..just whyyyyy lmaooo all i could think was rancid😭😭💀

The Hidden God of Open Doors by Tavia Lark: ⭐️⭐️
a man who thinks he’s a bad demon has been stuck in the same windowless place for so long he’s lost track of time. a phone magically appears with the H2H app front and center. cupid matches him with an immortal human who loves adventure and treasure hunts and finding lost items, or in this case, people. this was…..hmmmm….let’s just say i don’t think the dating app texting in this anthology is for me and the praise kink here felt cheap, although i’ll give points for creativity.

ideally, i’d like to read at least one more story, preferably lark taylor’s, but idk if i can do it fr, none of these are really working for me😭

[Liya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love H2H Anthology as it gives me a chance to read stories from different authors and decide if I want more. I found several current favorites this way. This year discovery is Tavia Lark, I will definitely check her other books as her "The Hidden God of Open Doors" was my my favorite from this volume. Intriguing setup, emotional with unexpected depth for a short story
"You Can’t Spell Necromancer Without Romance" by Alice Winters - funny and OTT with ridiculous and endearing MCs. Exactly what I love about AW books.
"Sweet Treats" by Grae Bryan - my 2nd favorite in the anthology. Fun and sweet with lovable MCs.
"Hot Date" by Eliot Grayson - fun, sweet, and spicy. A perfect example of EG writing
I also liked " Love Me, Love My Dogs" by Macy Blake and "Locked in Love" by Lark Taylor.
The rest wasn't my thing, but that's the best thing about the anthology - everyone can find something to their liking. Don't expect to love everything and remember that those are short stories about finding your fated mates - things progress fast

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars overall

You Can't Spell Necromancer Without Romance - Alice Winters (3)
I found this underwhelming and with none of the usual Alice Winters humour unfortunately. 


Hot Date - Eliot Grayson (3)
The spell ingredients definitely made me laugh, but I wasn't really invested in the outcome.


Sweet Treats - Grae Bryan (4)
Ridiculously cute!! My first time reading about a pixie and it was as adorable as I thought it would be. 


Looking 4 Furever - Kiki Clark (3)
Cute! First story that's really utilised the H2H app which was nice. 


Locked In Love - Lark Taylor (3)
I actually think there was too much going on for such a short story. I'd rather the focus was on the two characters and their relationship, not on side characters when there's not really time to delve into other things.


Love Me Love My Dogs - Macy Blake (2.5)
Feeling a bit like Goldilocks because this felt too fast 😂 We didn't really find out anything about either character and suddenly they're mates and flying off?! Also this one changed how the app worked which threw me off 😬


Not So Cupid - Mika Nix (3)
So sweet it felt a little sickly for me! I'm way more into enemies to lovers and angsty tension rather than instalove so I struggled to get invested. 


Starry Night - Pandora Pine (3)
Really enjoyed the Ancient Greek mythology aspect but I lost interest near the end. I'm just not a fan of using magic to conveniently fix health problems, and the way it was done right before Orion proposed kind of made it feel like now Kaden was 'normal' he was better? I don't know but it always leaves a bad taste with me 🤷🏻‍♀️


The Hidden God Of Open Doors - Tavia Lark (4)
I was so invested in whether Raider would find Rune! 


Love Under The Sea - Taylor Rylan
(3)
Cute but it ended a bit abruptly!

[☆Kylie☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like with any anthology - some stories really hit the point, some not much - but the charity is amazing so what more can we ask?

[Saimi Vasquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una pequeña colección de historias románticas paranormales de varios autores del género. Aquí encontramos historias de vampiros, hombres-lobo, demonios, dioses, semi-dioses, inclusive hasta el mismísimo hermano de Cupido, encontrando su "pareja predestinada".
Eso si, todas tienen su toque de diversión, romance, con absolutamente nada de drama y un dulce final feliz.
Me gustaron casi todas las historias, y de las que no me gustaron fueron porque debías conocer el trabajo del autor para identificar el universo y entenderla mejor. Pero es seguro que seguiré leyendo estas Antologías cada vez que salgan.

[m · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll be adding reviews as I read the shorts but each one features a couple brought together for a blind date by Cupid himself via the Heart2Heart dating app.

▪️You Can’t Spell Necromancer Without Romance by Alice Winters: reluctant hero witch x sweetie pie elf necromancer. A prophecy says that Sylvan will kill thousands but when Axton has a mysterious dead body on his hands there’s only one person he can turn to. Classic Alice Winters humour and silliness. I loved this!!!

▪️Hot Date by Eliot Grayson: a demon summoning gone wrong… or very, very right??? David gets terrible migraines and as a last ditch effort decides to summon a demon to possess his body so he doesn’t have to suffer anymore. However he doesn’t realise the spell he uses is more like a fertility spell so when Xan shows he’s ready to possess David’s body intimately 😏 Spicy and fun - I would love a full book of this.

▪️Sweet Treats by Grae Bryan: a bubblegum and sunshine half pixie and a human accountant. Both have been unlucky in love but find happiness together no matter how unlikely the pairing. Pure sugary sweetness!!! I was giggling and swooning, this was just so stinking cute 💖

[caffeinated.crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart 2 Heart is an anthology that raises money for LGBTQIA+ charities. This year,there is a pnr edition as well as a contemporary edition. I was lucky and landed a copy of the PARANORMAL edition 💕💕💕 which is sweet because I have mad love for Lark Taylor and Kiki Clark ,ho both have stories in the pnr edition.

My only real issue, and it always is with anthologies, is that the stories are too short! I literally hang on both of these author's words - with these being SHORT STORIES I really should know going in what to expect, but I always want more. I'm greedy.

❤️ Kiki Clark
Looking 4 Furever

The story is set in Michigan, and in my mind, they are very obviously in Rick Kincaid's territory. Because Michigan will forever be Rick Kincaid's territory. I blame Kiki and that awesome series.

Anyway, I digress. Rance is a barista in grad school hopelessly crushing on a regular customer. Dean is a lynx shifter. He's older and a professor, and WHY hasn't he hit on Rance already?

Thankfully, there is a best friend and a dating app to the rescue. Is the meeting by chance, or is it fate?

"Just as soon as you give the go ahead, I'm going to do my best to fuse our fucking souls together." *chef's kiss* love it.

💕 Lark Taylor
Locked in Love

Ash: the hyper, sweet, babbling, excitable vampire has been told repeatedly by everyone that he's "too much" - and has often dulled his shine to keep a partner.

Lochlan: huge, quiet, smoking hot Scotsman [often seen in kilt] and powerful water mage is instantly enraptured by the pixie-like hyper vampire.

Thank the gods for H2H and cupid setting these two up magically.

After brief miscommunication, Lochlan and Ash get along like a house on fire. A date swiftly turns into spending every day together and they keep falling harder and harder.

But what about the mystery baddie that's shown up on the scene? Can these two lovebirds survive the outcome?

"You didn't know what to think when you first
saw me." "You're right. I didn't. You stripped away my ability to speak, think, or even dream. You stood before me, and it was like nothing else existed."

💕 SWOON. R.I.P ME. Lark, once again, gives us a reason to continue living.

[Iz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the Eliot Grayson and Tavia Lark short stories, and both were absolutely wonderful. Cute, steamy, lovely!
Both of these authors are among my favourite paranormal romance writers, so I definitely couldn't miss out on them. I haven't read the rest, so my rating is based solely on these two short stories.
The premise was fantastic and cute though! I love the idea of a Cupid controlled dating app.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll update this with reviews of each story that I read.

Sweet Treats by Grae Bryan

4.5 stars

Absolutely adorable romance between a pixie and a human accountant, who are both over hookups and are looking for something more. Their personalities seem to be vastly different, but both are romantics at heart. The characters live in a town where the presence of magical creatures is not hidden from humans, and I'd love to see more stories in this world.

Locked in Love by Lark Taylor

4 stars

I loved the couple in this one; the pink-haired vampire and the Scottish water mage were both cute and very sexy together. I would love it if these two showed up in one of Taylor's future books.

[Gerbera_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the most part I liked the author line up and the stories they produced. It was not a chore to read this one.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

Heart2Heart is an annual charity anthology featuring a variety of authors. This year, the anthology has been divided this year into two collections, Contemporary and Paranormal. The anthology theme focuses on Cupid helping people find their perfect match. For the Paranormal volume, the matchmaker is the actual arrow-shooting Cupid of legend.

Read the review in its entirety here.

[SJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

* You Can’t Spell Necromancer Without Romance-Alice Winters A novella instead of a short story. Way too many undead characters and too much silly dialogue between the MCs. It took the romance out of necromance!
* Hot Date-Eliot Grayson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An entertaining story with an interesting premise of a migraine impaired guy summoning a demon in a ritual to take over his body to get relief from his ever increasing migraines. I can’t be the only reader who thought that he needed an MRI to check for a tumor. David has tried in years before to do a summoning for romance and it didn’t work. This time it does and he gets a massive and massively hung demon who has been watching and wanting David for years, through an opening David caused in a supernatural wall between the worlds. Now Xan has been sprung into David’s world and can give in to the ten years of lust from watching David 24/7. A fanciful plot that works because of charming and well written characters who really like each other amidst the sex.
* Sweet Treats-Grae Bryan ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A sweet romance between pixie Perri and uptight accountant Tobias. The attractive MCs know of each other, secretly like each other, and get together when the Heart2Heart app matches them together. Nice writing.
* Looking 4 Furever-Kiki Clarke ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I like a ‘here kitty kitty’ shifter.A lynx meets his human mate and both are too nervous to ask the other out in this cute, dual POV story. The ❤️2❤️ app comes to the rescue for love and a nice future HEA.
* Locked In Love-Lark Taylor ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A charming and capricious vampire falls in love with a tall, handsome, Scotsman, who wears a kilt with nothing underneath. Oh, yes, I liked this one. Good writing in a good story.
* Love Me Love My Dogs-Macy Blake ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Muscle clad wolf shifter George is paired with non binary dragon shifter Braxton through Cupid’s help at the app. George’s pack is a few humans and seventy-five dogs he keeps at his home animal shelter. Watch where you walk was an ‘eww’ dialogue in the story. This was cute, and if you like doggies, even cuter.
* Not So Cupid-Mika Nix ⭐️⭐️⭐️ I read this story about half way and then skimmed the rest. There was an odd vibe to the characters. I kept waiting for Weston to declare he was a being of some sort as his demeanor was so up and giddy from first meeting Roo, who was an actual other being. I did like when Roo realized that he was in love for the first time.
* Starry Night-Pandora Pine I started it, but didn’t want to read a second consecutive story about the Greek gods(Not So Cupid-Mika Nix)and I saw how long it was, more a novella length. I didn’t continue reading.
* The Hidden God of Open Doors-Tavia Lark ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Ooohh, this was so good! Did not want it to end! I had tears at the scene where Rune wants so badly to be freed from his room. The twist as to how this happens was everything. The romance was beautiful between he and Raider. I loved Raider’s sureness that he could free Rune. This is a new to me author. I see that their genre is fantasy, which I don’t read, but will try now. I hope some of their books are as good as this was. It is written in third person present tense and that only adds to the atmosphere of the story. The last lines are beautiful.
* Love Under the Sea-Taylor Rylan ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thought this one would be about Neptune, but the MCs are a silver back gorilla shifter and a koala shifter who have their set up by others first meeting date at the zoo aquarium. This was an okay story, but dragged on after the halfway. Nothing here grabbed me for the writing or plot line and that left me noticing the too much emphasis on dinner salads, no joke, there was a complete dissection of a salad, and the subsequent meal courses. The cake dessert was mentioned way too often, even after the MCs left dinner with dessert to go. The overemphasis on food was odd. The word ‘ironic’ was used incorrectly. It is not a synonym for ‘coincidence’.

[trice (semi ia) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. honestly some stories were pretty good, but i averaged the rating for each individual story and rounded it down (cos 1 story was a dnf). (i was sick (still am) so this review is gonna be brief)

You Can't Spell Necromancer without Romance (4.5 stars) is the best one. it started out messy but it's a fun kind of chaotic, and the main couple (especially Sylvan) had a unique brand of humor - literally Sylvan flirting with the intruder of his house after sending out undead to attack said intruder 😭😭

Hot Date (3 stars) was meh. i like Eliot Grayson's books, sure, but this short story was not it. it's giving porn without plot. after Xan was summoned they had boatloads of sexy times then Xan's presence will magically stop David's migraines? how?? so like...no.

Sweet Treats (4 stars) defied expectations cos Grae Bryan's vampire series is a lot more intense. But this story is more domestic and lighthearted and fluffy. it's a very sweet opposites-attract, boring human accountant x sparkly, colorful pixie romance. Perri is such a sweetheart hehe.

Not So Cupid (4 stars) is decent. a bit of instalove going on, and i def did not see the fated mates coming. the Cupid-is-my-brother thing is an interesting concept, and the couple's relationship is ok, nothing special.

Starry Night (dnf) was disappointing. i have some of Pandora Pine's books lined up in my tbr but i'm reconsidering. first pet peeve is when the characters tell their identity and entire life story in their narration/inner thought cos it's unrealistic, it's too straightforward and now there's nothing secret and it's boring. also i dislike Orion so much cos he was judging Kaden's everything from his name to his hobby (cooking) and presumably he'll have a 360 and end up with Kaden. no thank you, i'm outta the door.

thought this was gonna be better :/ i had higher standards for heart2heart.

[Andi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[BrittReadsALot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pre-ordered this then got 5 stories from GRR and they are so awesome I read
Looking 4 Furever, by Kiki Clark

Locked in Love, by Lark Taylor

Love Me Love My Dogs, by Macy Blake

The Hidden God of Open Doors, by Tavia Lark

Love Under the Sea, by Taylor Rylan

I have to say the tavia lark story was amazing, lark taylors story was definitely a favorite. Ash and Lachland are goals.

[isthisakink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright, homies, I think it’s safe to say that the PNR edition of this anthology blew its contemporary counterpart out of the water. Like, it was so much better it was shocking.

If only the editing would’ve been better…

Anyway, here are my thought notes from the end of every story. As always, I HIGHLY recommend you purchase both versions and support amazing charities. Do with my opinions what you will. Super love all of you, even when you hate me.🙃😌

You Can’t Spell Necromancer Without Romance: A little chaotic, a bit messy, but sweet and funny and adorable.

Hot Date: Uhh… okay? That was EXTREMELY short. Like, suuuuper short. And confusing? I need more detail than that. It has potential, but it’s pretty anticlimactic as-is. Expanded it would be amazing, I’m sure, but as it stands, she cute but she lacks.

Sweet Treats: AHHH. TOO CUTE. GONNA DIIIIE😩🥺

Looking 4 Furever: I hate that it was short because I loved it. FUCKING ADORABLE. UGH.

Locked in Love: Why??? Why would you give us this amazing pair of MCs and it just be in a short story?? W H Y. Why? The disrespect.

Love Me Love My Dogs: This is one of those that was cute, but it was heavy on the “this belongs to an established, already known world” that I don’t actually know shit about, so therefore need more details than I’ve been given to fully enjoy it. Maybe if it had been a whole book, and maybe if I already knew the world and how it worked. Idk.

Not So Cupid: Again, cute and precious, but like…did I miss something? What world is this set in? I have no idea, so I’m pretty lost/confused. Kinda harshed the vibe.

Starry Night: DNF, first few pages. The writing style isn’t for me. It felt weird and oddly preachy, and while I’m all about detail, not like this. Sorry?

The Hidden God of Open Doors: Well that was a bit dark. Like, my heart broke for Rune the whole time. Poor baby😭🥺 It was too short, but only bc I wanted it to be longer. I enjoyed it immensely.

Love under the Sea: No ♥️ That was…that was just bad.

Bonus thought I marked down at one point: Random side note: The authors in the PNR collab seemed to have read the room and understood the assignment a LOT better than the contemporary counterpart authors did. I know I’m barely in it, but all of them have used the prompt and then added their own style. I fucking LOVE IT.

Welp, that’s that. Y’all be good to yourselves, now, ya hear? I’m gonna go read something that isn’t an anthology for the first time in a minute. ✨👁️💋👁️✨


~And, because you know someone actually DID say something on the last one…~

Original Amazon Review:

Thank the gods.

These stories understood the assignment MUCH better than the contemporary counterpart. The prompt was used and the H2H/Cupid aspect was consistent for the most part throughout each story.

The editing was still a nightmare, though. Some stories more than others, but it was just as not great as the other edition.

Again, for a full review, I’m on Goodreads.

3.75/5. .25 more for the fact that it felt more like an anthology than the contemporary version. I still wish some of these stories had been longer, as they were excellent and deserved more content.

[⭐Toonasa⭐ •Romance Book Lovers' Haven• · Rating 5 out of 5]

A paranormal LGBTQ+ romance Charity anthology where Cupid does matchmaking in time for Valentine's Day! With 10 stories from amazing authors, there's a story for everyone, just give a try ;)
I'm so lucky to WIN this as #ARC! Thanks Lark 😍. I'm loving this.

LOCKED IN LOVE by LARK TAYLOR

Lark's MM short story's the 1st I read (duh). We get (another) sweet, fun MCs with depth to love! Easily devoured in 1hr. And YAY, It's set in her PNR world.

Ash is a pink haired, talkative (aka word vomit) vampire. I liked his witch bestie!
Lochlan is a big Scottish (yes kilt), water mage, observant & quiet.

Due to a string of bad exes (aw A 🥺), they used Cupid & H2H for a match. A game blind date, Hiccups, sparks, a pathetic ex (REVENGE 😈), & LOVE. They're so cute & best together. I Love me vers couple 🥵 (& bites 😏). I enjoyed this fast-paced story, with a satisfying ending. (I won't say no to more tho!)

❤️Fav quotes:
“Ash was what was most important here. He’d clearly not been appreciated in the past. I was sure as shit going to appreciate him now.” ~Lochlan

“I knew he was ruining me. No one was going to compare to him. To this.” ~Ash

LOVE ME LOVE MY DOGS by MACY BLAKE

I've loved Macy's Chosen One series, so I chose this MX story next! I'm happy it's in that world 😁. I read this within 1hr!

George is a bit grumpy wolf-shifter with an animal sanctuary, has a lazy cute bulldog, & fun bestie with a set-up plan 😳.
Braxton is a dragon-shifter, non-binary, lovely & sassy. His cousin is Asher omg (IFYKYK)!

With a market blind date, Rockstar name-twin chaos 🤣, Mates, DOGS 🥰, we see their start! They're adorable, I wish we saw their consummation 😔😅. It's fun as a short story & a good ending, with a potential for more *Hint, I'm thirsty*.

~Above 2 read on 22 Jan 2024. If & when I read more, I'll be sharing more reviews.

** #arcHonestReview #AllViewsAreMyOwn **

FB Page | Instagram | Bookbub | FB group

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot Date by Eliot Grayson: 4.5
Loved it! I love when an author can pack so much into something so short and have it not feel rushed. Pining, demon summoning, insecurities… so good.

Looking 4 Furever by Kiki Clark: 4
Quick and adorable, I thoroughly enjoyed the modern dating app in a shifter mating world. Age gap, praise, pining.

The Hidden God of Open Doors: 5
Omg I didn’t expect this story… so sweet and heartbreaking. I ADORED this. I even teared up. I don’t even know what to say… retired treasure hunter unexpectedly finds love, but to keep it he’ll have to come out of retirement.

[Meredith Mouselovesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved the premise of this anthology! Basically each story shares the same matchmaking service, which is the Heart2Heart app, and it is offering a Valentine’s Day deal with the literal Cupid doing the matches. As you can imagine, this allows for Fated Mates galore, as well as plenty of well meaning but overbearing friends and family trying to get our MCs matched up.

Basics
Each story is Paranormal Romance; featuring different paranormal creatures like shifters, vampires, mages, etc.
Each story features mm pairings; or m/nb pairings
Stories have different levels of on page intimacy, ranging from on page descriptive and detailed or briefly mentioned and non descriptive.
Each story (of these 5) has an HEA
Each story (of these 5) is a standalone

I received an ARC of 5 of the stories in this anthology including:
Looking 4 Furever by Kiki Clark
*tied for my favorite of the five; which is no surprise. I love Kiki Clark’s shifter books, and this short shifter story was no exception!!

Locked in Love by Lark Taylor
*sweet, adorkable; I liked the MCs, enjoyed the conflict and could see the world being more.nI want to see what the author can do with more time to build up the conflict and resolution!

Love Me Love My Dogs by Macy Blake
*definitely felt like this had calls to other stories but still stood on its own. It was a sweet story. It was a little choppy, and had a lot of background for such a short story, but still really enjoyable.

The Hidden God of Open Doors by Tavia Lark
*tied for my favorite! Really wanted to read more and more! Loved the phone scene, and the brief angst and emotion but the joy too!

Love Under the Sea by Taylor Rylan
* Cute, I can see potential with the silverback brothers as a series. I liked the couple, but they had a a few too many awkward, uncomfortable moments for a one night date-novella length storyline. Created too much tension to resolve in too short a time. But overall, I still liked it!

I received an Advance Review Copy of five stories via Gay Romance Reads.

[Ducere · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very lucky to receive this as an ARC, even if it was already on my list to read. I was very excited to discover new authors.

A paranormal romance book that centers around couples finding their fated mate with the help of technology and cheeky Cupid, who clearly knows what's best for them.

All the stories were very sweet, even if a bit short but that is to be expected of an anthology. I'd definitely LOVE to read some more about some the couples and their stories. All these stories are HEA, which is always a plus.

Sweet treats by Grae Bryan - was such a delightful thing to read, in just a few chapters she makes you feel for Perri, a cheerful man trying to navigate misconceptions, stereotypes and find love without giving up his self while remaining being the sweetest. It was a sweet, fun, wholesome story. This author was definitely a pleasant surprise and I'm looking forward to read more of her.

The hidden God by Tavia Lark - Tavia Lark is definitely one of my favorite comfort authors and I'm always excited to read her work. I'd definitely love to read more about Rune and Raider. She managed to present the struggles of communication and reluctance, trust, and comfort and loneliness. While the main point of the anthology is fated mates, this felt like a slightly different approach, since this story presents it as a romance growing rather than magically be instantaneous, which I found more enjoyable. Rune's circumstances make you curious and make you want to know more about it and how he ended up in that situation and why. I'd love a whole book about them.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

*You Can’t Spell Necromancer’s Without Romance - the premise of this one was bananas and I loved it! Laugh out loud funny and swoony sweet!

*Hot Demon - the plot to sexy times ratio was not in balance on this one.

*Sweet Treats - this story lives up to its title as it really is a sweet treat! Peri and Tobias are adorable together and I loved every minute of this one!

*Furever - Cute story, but there was a really intriguing idea in the epilogue that was just mentioned and then, boom story over. I wish it had been explored more…what if you were allergic to your mate’s shifted form?

*Locked in Love - Very enjoyable story about a very energetic vampire and the water mage he is matched with. This book felt relatable - a lot of us just want to feel heard.

*Love Me Love My Dogs - I love everything Macy Blake writes, and this was no exception! Also, I totally followed directions and loved both the MCs and all the puppers!

*Not So Cupid - I didn’t care for this one…

*Starry Night - Orion is a massive jerk who never fully redeems himself & Kaden is the sweetie who could do so much better!

*The Hidden God of Open Doors - This one is a winner! Rune is so sweet and sincere & Raiden in supportive and adoring. A lot of questions don’t really get answered, but I didn’t mind. I liked the characters enough to give the rest a pass.

*Love Under the Sea - An okay premise that suffered from uneven pacing. The good parts were really good, unfortunately, they were buried between lots of unnecessary bits.

[Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The overall rating is only for the stories by Grae Bryan, Kiki Clark and Mika Nix.

Sweet Treats by Grae Bryan
Pages: 48
5 stars - I loved it!

This was an adorable story about two people who have been crushing on each other for a long time but don’t think the other even notices them so they join a dating app and get matched. Peri and Tobias' story was super cute and sweet. I think I was smiling the whole time.

Looking 4 Furever by Kiki Clark
Pages: 28
4 stars - It was really good

This was a sweet story about a social awkward lynx shifter who meets his mate in a coffee shop but doesn’t know how to talk to him so instead just returns for months not making a move, while the barista has been crushing the whole time. I enjoyed Rance and Dean’s fated mates story and thought it was a sweet, sweet story. I do wish there was a bit more between their first night together and the epilogue though.

Not So Cupid by Mika Nix
Pages: 44
2 stars - It was ok

I haven’t read any of Mika Nix’s books before but I am a fan of K.M. Neuhold so I thought this would be a good way to try out their new books with Mia Monroe. Sadly, I didn’t really connect with Ruairi and Weston and was a bit confused about the world until the end when some quick explanations were given, but I still have a lot of questions.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, first things first: A big high-five, hug, etc. to all the amazing writers, proofreaders and everyone else who worked on this with money going to LGBTQ+ charities! It's always wonderful see the writing world joining together for a good cause.

As for the book itself....

I'm sorry, maybe it's me? But a lot of these just felt....I'm struggling with the right word. So, let's see if I can do this. They were very cute (some too sweet even for someone who LOVES her Death by Chocolates with a nice hot mug of tea--with plenty of sugar) but some were just not working for me. Sometimes it felt like personalities changed very abruptly. Sometimes it felt like things that seemed supernatural and impossible were accepted, no question, no need for an explanation and that was a bit frustrating. Sometimes it just felt like the whole 'fated mates' trope was a nice way to throw people together, thinking there was no explanation needed.

Some were good though! Tavia Lark's The Hidden God of Open Doors was an interesting concept that I believe played out beautifully. My only issue with this one was I thought it could've been longer, as a book, it was just so intriguing! Sweet Treats by Grae Bryan was adorable.

For some, the length was the issue and it felt rushed. Overall, for what it was intended to be, I thought they all did a decent job, but perhaps some of them (I haven't read books by the majority) are just better at books than short stories.

If you're a big fan of fated mates and a whole lotta sweetness, this might just be the anthology for you.

[Jocelyn F · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of these felt so rushed that I didn't really enjoy them. These definitely leaned heavy on the boom, instant mate, done deal trope.

You Can't Spell Necromancer without Romance: 3☆ it was cute, but I felt like that extra OTT thing that makes Alice Winter's reads good was missing.

Hot Date:2.5☆ remember the rushed thing? This was a good example of that.

Sweet Treats: 3.5☆ I've been reading Grae Bryan's series recently and I enjoyed this one story about Perri the pixie and his Mr. Glasses!

Looking 4 Furever: 3☆ i like how these two used the app to communicate first and then met.

Locked in Love: 2.75☆ I liked the water mage/vampire pair, but the author tried to cram A LOT into a pretty tight space.

Love Me Love My Dogs: 2☆ .. c'mon Macy!! I was so excited for an ENBY dragon and I got a quickie runaway train of a story that was 6 chapters long and the bulldog got more descriptive time than the love story!!! Ugh!!!

Not so Cupid: 2.5☆ this had so much promise. Brother of cupid finds a mate... but I'm not sure why it endedbup falling flat for me, it just did.

Starry Night: 2.5☆ another one that had so much promise, but Orion was forgiven super fast and thenbit became all about the insta. I didn't like that he "cured" Kaden of allergies right before a meh proposal...

The Hidden God of Open Doors: 3.5☆ This one was interesting. I hated the weird writing style.. it was like an odd 3rd person telling us what was going on in the present, but we weren't inside the character's heads. Super weird, but I enjoyed the storyline.

Love Under the Sea: 2.75☆ Silver doesn't want to gobon this date, but then is all in once he figures out Charlie is his mate. Charlie gives mixed signals, but then all of a sudden, it ENDS. What the heck? No epilogue, no loose end tie ups, no NOTHING. I do not appreciate that. Like at all. No me gusta.

[Shannon Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far, sooo cute!! The only thing I wish for was that some of these stories could have been made out to a full book. Not ready for them to end!

Sweet Treats - Grae Bryan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So, so cute! I know that Grae has already written the most adorable vampire ever, but this goes another direction with pixie, and I love him almost as much. This story just put the biggest grin on my face!

Locked in Love - Lark Taylor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Super cute pink haired vampire and a big, super hot Scottish water mage. SOLD!! Start off with a date at an escape room?! Oh my nerdy little heart never stood a chance haha. This was such a fun little story, and I desperately hope that one day it might be stretched out a little to a longer story. Loved it!

Not So Cupid - Mika Nix
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This was a really cute idea, and it was cool to see a Fae character in the same world that Mika Nix has created with their dragon books! Super fluffy insta-love and fated mates... but I'm always a sucker for that 😉

I will probably go back and read more... but these 3 authors are some of my favorites, and I just had to jump into these little stories while I (not so) patiently wait for their next books in their current series haha

[Jacqueleen the Reading Queen♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEWS:

You Can’t Spell Necromancer Without Romance by Alice Winters

"I feel like I'm in a very strange porno."

This novella was very on brand for an Alice Winter's book. It was a super quick read, I read it in about an hour, and it had me smiling the whole time. Sylvan was an adorable little firecracker! And his undead "minions" were a source of great laughter, especially Paul and Johnny. Axton definitely has his work cut out for him with that man. Not to the level that Jackson does with Leland, but Sylvan will be keeping Axton on his toes!


Not So Cupid By Mika Nix

"Roo is different. Special. I feel it in my bones. He's the one. "

These sweet as candy stories are just so much lovable fluff. Roo and Wes were so cute! I loved how Roo was Cupid's brother, yet he was the jaded one when it came to love. Wes was like a breath of fresh air. He was so unapologetically himself.

This was very much an instalove story, but that is often the case with fated mates. These men were absolutely perfect for each other. They shared so much in common and their bedroom preferences lined up just right. Fate definitely was on her A game the day she matched those two.

[Resch Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Treats by Grae Bryan

This little novella was a breath of fresh air and something completely unique. I have never read about a pixie and this story was adorable. While it was a novella, the story flowed effortlessly and didn't feel rushed or insta-love-ish. Just a delightfully endearing read with the cutest ending.

Looking 4 Furever by Kiki Clark

I liked the premise of this story, a lynx shifter and human barista, fated mates, sprinkle in an age-gap and insecurities and I was sold. They know each other in person but an 'anonymous' pairing in an app allows them to develop a deeper relationship and it was so cute! I loved how the story flowed and there wasn't too much drama, just shy characters who put their foots in their mouths. Light-hearted, low risk, and a dash of steam.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

You Can’t Spell Necromancer Without Romance 3 stars
Hot Date 3.5 stars
Sweet Treats 4 stars
Looking 4 Furever 3 stars
Locked in Love 4 stars
Love Me Love My Dogs 2 stars
Not So Cupid 3 stars
Starry Night 3 stars
The Hidden God of Open Doors 3.5 stars
Love Under the Sea 3.5 stars

[Verdelite · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know if it was the exact specification of the prompts or the limited length but I disliked the stories here, even by authors I usually adore.
The instalove and awkward small talk was too much for me.