Elite Connections: an LGBTQ Romance Charity Anthology

Chester Falls #7.5 (How to Catch a Billionaire)

by Ana Ashley, B.A. Tortuga, Colette Davison

Every need met. Every desire fulfilled.
Welcome to Elite Connections, the secret, exclusive service where money is no object and your every wish is guaranteed to come true.

Fake dates, arranged marriages, or just some company for the night, whatever it is, with Elite you are covered.

Benefitting Outright International, an organization that works to amplify inclusion and equality across the world, and Lambda Legal, fighting for the civil rights of LGBTQ+ people.

Elite Connections is a queer charity anthology containing MM, FF, and other LGBTQ+ romances and will be available for a limited time only. All proceeds will be split between the chosen charities.

With stories:
How to Catch a Billionaire (MM) by Ana Ashley (Chester Falls #7.5)
Solid as Gold (MM) by B.A. Tortuga
Falling for My Husband (MM) by Colette Davison
Power Pose (FF) by Emily Silver
Mastermind (FF) by Erin Zak
Tastes of Honey (FFX) by Frances M. Thompson
Hired by the Enemy (MM) by Jax Calder
Spotlight (MM) by Jodi Payne
At His Wife’s Behest (MM) by Kelex
Text Me Like You Love Me (MM) by Rhys Everly
Becoming a Bi-con (FF) by Sarah Zane
Friend for Hire (FF) by Saxon James
Darts and Dashers (MM) by V.L. Locey

Genres: Anthologies, M M Romance, Romance, LGBT, Enemies To Lovers, Queer, Contemporary

1656 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 26, 2024

About the author

Meet Ana Ashley, your friendly neighborhood romance author!
Ana has been lost in the pages of books for as long as she can remember, taking a few amusing missteps with her childhood writing attempts. But everything changed when she discovered the magical world of LGBTQ+ romance—cue the confetti!


Ana's books offer sweet and sexy romance with a charming mix of humor and heart. Getting her guys together wouldn't be the same without the meddling but well-intentioned cast of secondary characters, who always insist on having their own story.


When she’s not crafting heartfelt tales, you can find her indulging in her favorite pastime of baking delicious treats, enjoying quality time with friends, or staying up late immersed in the pages of a good book.

You can find out more about Ana and her works-in-progress by joining her Newsletter. To sign up visit Ana's website anawritesmm.com

Reviews

[Dani (Daniiireads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ anthology review is based off the following stories ✨

How to Catch a Billionaire by Ana Ashley
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.75

Sweet Alexi hires Elite Connections in the hopes they can teach how to be the kind of man to catch his long time friend Troy's eye. Only whomever he's supposed to meet with from Elite keeps canceling their meetings, but he doesn't really mind because he runs into Troy each time it happens.

As the two reconnect and spend more time together, sparks fly, but Troy has a secret that could make or break their fledgling relationship. Things end up working out though once the truth is revealed, and he and Alexi get to have their happily ever after!

For not having read anything in the Chester Falls series, I didn't feel like I was missing out on much, and really enjoyed their story!

Hired by the Enemy by Jax Calder
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Liam & Matthew were childhood rivals, and now thanks to Matthew using Elite’s services to provide him a fake boyfriend, they’re reunited once again and stuck together for the next week on a tropical island pretending to be in love. Oh the hardship!

The more time spent together has them realizing how thin the line between love and hate truly is as the attraction between them sizzles, and their relationship becomes not so fake.

I’m a sucker for enemies/rivals, so I absolutely loved the banter and tension between Liam and Matthew, and honestly wanted more of their story. They were just so cute for two people who supposedly hated each other 🤣

Friend for Hire by Saxon James
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Margot sees that her mess of a younger brother has signed up to work for Elite, and being the protective big sister that she is takes a job meant for him to save him from himself. Especially when the woman he’s been assigned to is an equally disastrous hot mess, and Margot does not want to unleash their pairing on the world.

When Margot finally meets Elle, she is nothing like she expected, and against her better judgement becomes Elle’s only female friend. The more she gets know Elle makes keeping things platonic a struggle, and after a minor hiccup learns the feelings are mutual.

GIVE ME MORE SAPPHIC ROMANCE SAXON!!!

I have loved Elle since meeting her in Christian & Emile’s book, and I’m so glad she finally met her match in Margot (and for telling her parents to fuck off 🤣).

[Miki_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok so I only read friend for hire by Saxon James but IT MADE ME TEAR UP MULTIPLE TIMES AND I COULD LITERALLY DIE.

I love Elle from the accidental love series so hard and it was great to see her get a little story. Saxon slayed this, especially for her first go at a sapphic story

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

this rating will update as I read more of the stories. i usually average the rating for each individual story when i finish :)


Hired by the Enemy by Jax Calder 5/5

FAKE DATING AND CHILDHOOD RIVALS TO LOVERS!!!! This was such a silly yet sweet story. I loved how this wasn't a typical jock bullying the nerd kind of vibe, Liam and Matthew both gave as much as they took. I also really enjoyed how they were both reflective afterwards of how their words may have influenced the other. They really were just kids messing with one another but now as grown ups they come to admire that traits that they used to make fun of the other for. I loved how Liam was quick to defend Matthew. It was very "hey i can make fun of him but no one else can". I thought Matthew and Liam had great chemistry and it further proves how close love/hate could be! I liked that they can full circle when they finally came clean about their feelings. The Christmas wishes were so cute! I was worried the whole Elite hiring was going to be used against them so I was glad when it wasn't. Overall, this was a very enjoyable read!!

*i received an arc and this is my honest review.

[Lillian Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to catch a billionaire by Ana Ashley - 4* A sweet story about the founder of Elite Connections.

I’ve read all of the Chester falls books so I knew all the side characters but I do wonder how hard it would be for someone coming into the story blind, as the families of the two MCs have a lot of page time.
* friends to lovers
* college age (Lexi is 22 and Troy is couple of years older)
* one of them is a prince
* and the other is keeping a big secret

Solid as Gold (MM) by B.A. Tortuga - 5* Another cowboy adjacent story from BA. An ex rodeo bullrider is now a big name country singer and he's being stalked. Elite connections are called on to send a bodyguard. If you read BA's cosy cowboys then you'll know what to expect from the relationship and the quick transition from hooking up to 'baby's.
* ex cowboy
* stalker
* country star
* bodyguard

Falling For my Husband - Colette Davison 4.5*
Sweet Husband for hire story. Harper needs a husband to prove to his mother that he's not husband material. Turns out he just needed the right man. Harper is fun, ridiculously rich, and generous to a fault. Bailey is sweet but with low self esteem due to being thrown out by his family at 16. A very sweet story, high heat and low angst.
* rich boy poor boy
* opposites attract
* fake husbands
* charity volunteer

Skipped Power Pose
Skipped Mastermind
Skipped Tastes of Honey

Hired by the Enemy - Jax Calder

[Frances Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super proud to have a story in this queer charity anthology, and for it to be my first poly romance. So a bit more about Tastes of Honey... It's FFX and features non-binary, lesbian and bisexual rep. There's Katja, a German Dominatrix with time-keeping issues; Wren, a non-binary lesbian who likes to sweat out their feelings in the gym; and Amara, a chaotic bisexual Pisces who wants it all. Amara and Wren's marriage is in trouble and Katja is the private chef Amara hires through Elite Connections for a make or break dinner, but none of them could imagine what happens as Katja starts to cook for them and a big secret is revealed.

[Jamie Lee Zonneveld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elite Connections is a LGBTQ+ Romance charity anthology. This is a review for 2 of the stories.

How to Catch a Billionaire by Ana Ashley. 4,5 stars.
This is a friends to lovers story with a prince and a secret billionaire. It's a standalone story within Ana Ashley's Chester Falls serie (I really recommend that series if you haven't read it). This story is about Alexi and Troy. I loved it. Their story was sweet, sexy, full of feels and very well written.

Falling for my Husband by Colette Davison. 5 stars.
This is a fake marriage, well it's technically a real marriage. A marriage of convenience. I loved Falling for my Husband. It's the story of Bailey and Harper. It was sweet, sexy, full of feels and very well written.

[Fedora · Rating 5 out of 5]

ELITE CONNECTIONS is an LGBTQ+ Romance Charity Anthology in support of Outright International and Lambda Legal. It's a terrific collection of m/m, f/f, and other LGBTQ+ stories that will move and charm and captivate readers. Standouts include BA Tortuga's SOLID AS GOLD, Frances M Thompson's TASTES OF HONEY, Jax Calder's HIRED BY THE ENEMY, Jodi Payne's SPOTLIGHT, and Kelex's AT HIS WIFE'S BEHEST, but every story was solid. Well worth the read.



* * * * * * * * * * * *
HOW TO CATCH A BILLIONAIRE by Ana Ashley ///
Troy Mason and Alexi Maxim, felt sparks from the first time they met, but it took a few years of longing and a couple moves before all the pieces aligned…


SOLID AS GOLD by BA Tortuga ////
Chayce Fall just wants to sing. Waylon Hudson is hired by his mom to protect him from an unknown threat…. Charming bodyguard-client to more situation…


FALLING FOR MY HUSBAND by Colette Davison ////
Harper Carr wants his mother to stop throwing marriageable candidates at him. So the way he sees it, he just needs to…get married. Bailey Sharp agrees to a pretend marriage for a year, but Harper and Bailey quickly discover that their growing feeling Ms are anything but pretend…


POWER POSE by Emily Silver ///.
Blair Stevens is hired by Raven West to pose as her girlfriend for a crucial meeting…. A terrific fake-doesn’t-stay-fake-for-long story!


MASTERMIND by Erin Zak ///.
Roberta Baldwyn and superstar singer Alison Grace meet when Roberta is hired to oversee Alison’s party. A lovely superstar and “regular person” romance.


TASTES OF HONEY by Frances M. Thompson ////
Katja Meijer and Amara Diamandis and Wren Hall…
Katja accepts a job to create a special celebratory dinner for a couple, not realizing the evening will be life changing for them all. A well written look at some of the biggest challenges in any relationship as well as the greatest joys as those involved choose vulnerability and truth and honesty.


HIRED BY THE ENEMY by Jax Calder ////.
Liam Jamieson’s first assignment should be straightforward—fake boyfriend to a wealthy man. But it turns out to be Matthew O’Conner, a blast from his past.. A completely lovely and funny and tender enemies to lovers on a tropical island story…


SPOTLIGHT by Jodi Payne ////
Cameron Clark is hired to provide a date for actor Dustin Harding on a red-carpet occasion. Turns out this hire-a-date situation is just what this former couple needs to launch a second chance…


AT HIS WIFE’S BEHEST by Kelex ////
Emma Shelby sets her best friend and I husband Kellan Rhodes up…


TEXT ME LIKE YOU LOVE ME by Rhys Everly ////
Feeling tremendous board and shareholder pressure, Keagan decides to hire a fake boyfriend to shore up his LGBTQ+ connections company. Milo cannot stand what he knows of Keagan’s public image. Fake to the max! But he can’t say no to the payoff…



BECOMING A BI-CON by Sarah Zane ////
A wretched spectacle of a divorce from an even worse guy has Savannah Hollywood turning to a dating service to help her spin things a bit, but matching her up with the ex-friend who also basically broke her heart? Yikes! Maya Ryder is not having this, but she knows she’s always been the better actor, and if this also pays her bills? Even better…



FRIEND FOR HIRE by Saxon James ///.
Margot and Elle meet when Margot protectively intercepts her brother’s Elite assignment. What she doesn’t expect is to find that Elle needs a friend more than anything, and that their friendship evolves into a relationship that is precious to them both.


DARTS AND DASHERS by V.L. Locey ///.
Hockey star Paul Rocha needs a date for the post season award ceremony. His assistant and BFF signs him up for Elite, and the dazzlingly colorful delight who appears knocks him off some long-held misconceptions about himself. Roth Morrison needs cash. When this contract comes through, he’s a bit apprehensive about being paired up with such a man’s man, but he soon discovers Paul has an enormous soft side…

[Denise GremoryKohta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing anthology filled with some serious author heavy hitters. With my love of these types of reads there was no way I was going to pass on it.

How To Catch A Billionaire
By Ana Ashley
I fell in love with this world when it first came out. I got distracted but reading this has me needing to jump back in. Plus seeing characters I’ve read about happy and in love still makes it even better.

Solid As Gold
By BA Tortuga
The Queen of cowboy romances to me. I loved reading Chayce and Waylon’s story. And I adored momma. With an ex rodeo turned singer and a bodyguard this was so exciting.

Falling For My Husband
By Colette Davison
I loved Bailey and Harper. I wondered how they would get their HEA but thankfully they did. What a great short read.

Power Pose
By Emily Silver
Oh man this was good. I wanted to give Blair all the hugs. Raven is a strong beautiful woman with an even more beautiful heart. I’m so glad both put down their shields for each other. Ari was adorable.

Mastermind
By Erin Zak
This was a sweet HFN with a realistic feel. Being that one of the mc’s is a pop star that’s an incredible feat. Another new to me author too. Been wanting some good ff authors to read.

Tastes Of Honey
By Frances M. Thompson
This one really delves into emotions surrounding changes and relationship growth. It shows that relationships still take work even when love is strong.

Hired By The Enemy
By Jax Calder
This was such a good funny read. It had just the right bit of excitement and angst to have a good flow. And the ending was beautiful.

Spotlight
By Jodi Payne
What an exciting second chance romance. There is always personal growth and as we get older we learn.

At His Wife’s Behest
By Kelex
Man this was so good. Really hits you in the feels. I’m so amazed, proud, and inspired by Kellan. It takes a lot to work through and try to overcome what he went through.

Text Me Love You Love Me
By Rhys Everly
This was so much more and better than I thought it would be. Rhys Everly took the Elite concept and owned it. And added a good bit of spice too.

Becoming A Bi-Con
By Sarah Zane
I have to be honest, this is not a favorite trope of mine. Sometimes it works for me and sometimes not. This time it didn’t. I think if certain situations had been explained and dealt with it would have. And there was a bit of an editing issue. The plot was good. It just needed a bit more meat.

Friend For Hire
By Saxon James
This was amazing. I love that while Elite was used to get them together it didn’t take over the story. I adore Perry. He so needs a story if it’s not out there already.

Darts And Dashers
By V. L. Locey
I loved it. Paul and Roth are adorable. In fact I enjoyed all the characters. I bet Amadeus looked adorable.

This was a wonderful anthology with a great blend of stories. I highly recommend it. Plus it’s for charity so it’s a win win.

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darts and Dashers by V.L. Locey & Falling for my Husband by Colette Davison

both 4.5 stars

Darts and Dashers



Paul is the captain of the hockey team. And has to attend the sports gala, being nominated as sportsman of the year

His boyfriend just broke up with him and left him for someone else.
Paul doesn’t want to go to the gala alone, his PA has a solution.
Here’s where Elite Connections steps in.
Paul has already a perfect picture of how this sophisticated fake date man should be. Ha! If he only knew!

Roth is broke, just lost his barista job and he really needs money for his rent, sewing, and food.
When there’s an opportunity to work for Elite Connections he takes it.
Luckily he got an offer right away. And he can take his beloved doggie with him, hooray!

Jeez, Roth is exhausting, he’s a feminine whirlwind, and he never stops talking! Roth is so not the man Paul expected him to be. There are so many reasons why he’s afraid to admit what he wants, maybe someone like Roth.
Thankfully his PA knows what he really needs. You go, Dee!

Paul is hot! Yes, Roth already loved his pics. Sadly in reality Paul doesn’t seem to like Roth’s appearance. Ha! If he only knew!

Watch them, gosh it was so wonderful! So opposites but so compatible!
I loved this fast-paced wonderfully written, romantic story, I loved Paul and Roth and loved the doggies and friends.



Falling for my Husband by Colette Davison

Harper is a darling, he’s silly rich, and his mom organized one date after another for him.
He doesn’t but she’s a force, she wants him to get married.
He has a plan, through Elite Connections he wants to hire a husband for a year. This way his mother will back off.

Bailey works for Elite Connections, business is going well. It allows him to have a decent life and also he can work for the shelter. The shelter helped him when he was thrown out on the streets at sixteen because he was gay. He lived on the streets himself and wanted to help others as much as he could. The offer from Elite Connections to play husband for a year for a huge amount of money means he can offer the shelter even more help.

Harper and Bailey meet and the contract is signed in no time. Harper’s parents are thrilled and such lovely people.

Harper is sweet and completely stunned by what Bailey does with his life. He never experienced any of this. He has money in abundance.
What follows is just wonderful, I fell so in love with these guys.

It was a super delightful story, with the best characters, the best secondary characters, and a wonderful plot.
Overall a fast-paced, amazingly written story, with delicious spicy moments, a lot of fun, some seriousness, and ALL the feels, I shed some happy tears.

Read and reviewed for Love Bytes LGBTQ book reviews

[ButtonsMom2003]

I'm still reading this very lengthy anthology but I decided to post the reviews of the stories as I read them. Note that I'm not reading them in the same order that they appear in the ebook.
I received an advanced copy but this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Now that I've read several of the novellas included in this anthology I'm going to rate it a 5 Stars based on those four books. It's a charity anthology and well worth the money IMHO.

How to Catch a Billionaire by Ana Ashley
Second chance, friends-to-lovers, royalty
5 stars
This was a great introduction to what Elite Connections is all about. After reading this story I wish I'd read all of Ana Ashley's Chester Falls series (How to Catch a…) BUT you don't need to have read them to enjoy this very sweet-with-heat story about a secret billionaire and the sort of shy prince.

Troy and Alexi/Lexi met when they were teens and became great friends and spent a lot of time together. Later, when they end up at the same college, Troy is afraid he'll scare Lexi off so he becomes distant. Fate sort of brings them back together and the attraction between them is strong. Now Troy has to decide whether or not to reveal his big secret to Lexi and the rest of their connected families.

Falling for My Husband by Colette Davison
Sweet and sexy, mostly lighthearted
5 stars

A husband-for-hire story that was sweet and sexy with one MC who is always sunny and fun while the other is a bit more serious (but not grumpy).

Harper comes from a very wealthy background and he turned the money his parents gave him into his own personal wealth. The only thing bothering him is his mother's constant matchmaking. The closer he gets to thirty-years-old the more aggressive she gets. He's not planning to ever get married.

Bailey works for Elite Connections and is grateful that the job allows him to give back to those who helped him out when his parents threw him out because he's gay. He's not sure about accepting the long-term job offer that Elite has presented him with but being a husband-for-hire for one year will give him more money than he ever imagined having and it will allow him to do even more for the homeless people he helps.

At His Wife's Behest by Kelex
5 Stars, made me cry, coming out, homophobic parents, lavender marriage
This story has the following trigger warnings:
A history of child abuse (not SA) in one of the MC’s past that is briefly mentioned and some threats of violence from his very homophobic father in the story.

This story touched me deeply and I loved reading it. Kellan and Emma entered a marriage of convenience to hide the fact that both of them are gay. A night of drinking and sad feelings ended in the conception of their daughter and neither of them had any regrets about that. After the death of her father, Emma was finally free to be her true self and she wanted Kellan to have the same thing. She contacted Elite Connections and arranged a surprise for Kellan.

Darts and Dashers by VL Locey
5 Stars, witty, funny, cute doggie, sweet and sexy, age-gap

I loved this one. It's classic V.L. Locey with a super femme character hired to be a hockey player's date for a weekend awards event. The problem is that the hockey player didn't know that his PA was going to hire the kind of man he's never dated but always wanted. I loved Roth and his dog Amadeus.

[Jennivie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great anthology full of mostly new-to-me authors in many different pairings. The two that stood out, of the ones I have read so far, are Colette’s Davison’s Falling For My Husband, which is the reason I signed up to ARC read the anthology. It’s also the first story I read. Then I went back and read How to Catch a Billionaire by Ana Ashley and continued on. I will update this review when I get to read some of the others. I also intend to check out more of the participating author’s books, even the authors for some of the stories that I didn’t jive as well with at this time.

Falling For My Husband was a sweet MM story about a very sudden marriage of convenience that becomes the marriage of their dreams. Harper doesn’t want to get married, thinks he doesn’t have what it takes to be anyone’s anything, and intends to pay someone to marry him, just to prove to his mother how terrible a husband he is. The plan is to play nice for a while then tank their relationship and get divorced in a year, so his mother will stop being a match-maker and insisting he settle down. But it turns out Harper is not a terrible husband and neither is Bailey, the man the Elite Connections agency sends to be his husband. The two of them together have real chemistry and feelings for one another. But neither of them were looking for a relationship and they are from two completely different worlds. Now what?


How to Catch a Billionaire was also a sweet MM story that belongs to a series I am not familiar with but am intrigued by after reading this. They meet as teens and become friends, then later on in college one of them pulls away while the other plots to get him back. Seeming coincidences throw them back together but will their secrets or letting the family know they are falling for each other pull them back apart?

[Heather MMRomanceReviewed]

Usually, when I get ARCs of Charity Anthologies I can skip around and just read my favourites, but I'm late with my review for Elite Connections because I just couldn't miss a story... Make sure you pick this one up before it disappears!

I had to read this entire collection cover to cover - several of my favourite authors and a few that are new to me, but all were excellent! From the origin story that ties into Ana Ashley's Chester Falls world, to Kelex's parent/teacher romantic trip to Italy, Emily Silver took her F/F romance to Italy too! Colette Davison's marriage of convenience tale (complete with a pair of trips to Bora Bora). We get a Body guard romance from B.A. Tortuga, a second chance romance for an actor and an escort who had a fiery break-up from Jodi Payne, a childhood enemies to lovers story from Jax Calder, a Hockey player romance from V.L. Locey and so much more.. including a F/F/X poly story from a new to me author, Frances M. Thompson and a F/F love story from Saxon James!

There is just so much packed into this anthology and I love the variations on the Elite Connections theme and that not all of them are strictly escort stories. This is one of my favourite anthologies this year!

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.5 stars

The Elite Connections anthology, whose profits go to Benefiting Outright International and Lambda Legal — two LGBTQ+ charity organizations — offers a baker’s dozen of romance stories and is only available for a limited time. The stories all revolve around the Elite Connections Agency, a company who works to provide billionaires and millionaires with company for a day, a night, a week, or a year. From a cook to a nanny, a bodyguard to a best friend, and, of course, boyfriends and girlfriends, husbands and wives.

These stories all come with a happily ever after and a lot of love; some are very steamy, one or two come with extra heat, and there isn’t a dud in the bunch. All thirteen stories were well written, with charming and sympathetic characters. There was no angst, no heartbreak or suffering in sight, just two (or more) people falling in love while pretending to be in love.

Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.

[C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tend to love anthologies. There are often so many new authors to exploe plus peeks into authors and worlds already familiar. They do damage to my already massive TBR.

Elite Connections is a good anthology. Each story was a novella length, so the characters and setting had time to develop and be well rounded and complete feeling.

I generally rate anthologies by story with a did not like, ok and good rating with some note to help me out. Every single one of these stories I rated as good. There were a few I had questions with and some where I did not like the characters in the beginning but they redeemed themselves eventually. Most of the authors incorporated the entity of "Elite" into their works well though there were a few where it wasn't really mentioned.

The stand outs for me in this book were:
"How to Catch a Billionaire" by Ana Ashley, "Hired by the Enemy" by Jax Calder, and "At His Wife’s Behest" by Kelex

Though really, ALL the stories were entertaing and good reads.

[Kathreadsall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this Charity LGBTQ romance anthology!

I love how all the stories are connected by the Elite Connections company- it's a neat idea that links them all, but they each exist on their own and can be read in any order.

I especially liked the m/m enemies to lovers story by Jax Calder-Hired By My Enemy. The chemistry between these two were off the charts- and these childhood rivals saw that they had always been obsessed with each other and now in a positive way was fun to watch! The variety of stories in general had something for every sexuality!

Also, YAY for supporting queer charities!!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great anthology full of queer romance stories connected by an agency that caters to the very wealthy in need of a date (or partner) for an event.

How to Catch a Billionaire by Ana Ashley: super cute childhood friends to lovers story
Hired by the Enemy by Jax Calder: my favorite in the series so far. Childhood enemies play fake boyfriends and the proximity triggers some pretty steamy encounters. Super hot!
Falling for my Husband by Colette Davison: fake husbands but technically marriage of convenience turn into real lovers and a wonderful HEA. It’s sweet and steamy!

[Lisa Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing anthology, and it's for such a great cause. Each story I read held me captive, and I didn't want to stop reading. I love the Elite theme, which is Tied into each story, and every author I read did a really good job with it. Several authors who were part of this were new to me, and I look forward to reading more of their books.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily gave my honest review.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cool anthology! A great range of stories, there is something for everyone! I love that this supports a great cause and introduced me to some new authors I know I’ll end up reading more from, as well as some new content from some of my favorites!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Catch a Billionaire by Ana Ashley (Chester Falls #7.5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Falling for My Husband by Colette Davison ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[mich ⚘ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elite Connections is filled with a mixture of different queer love stories written by various different authors and connected by one company who helps rich people’s wishes come true. It includes a wide variety of different tropes including but not limited to – enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, arranged marriages, forced proximity, bi awakenings and age gap.There is truly a story in here for everyone to enjoy.

My personal favorite was Hired By The Enemy by Jax Calder. Enemies to lovers WITH fake dating will hit every single time.

But, 4 stars overall.

I received this copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Megan McGrath · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Catch a Billionaire by Ana Ashley 4.5⭐
Troy and Alexi/Lexi
A short, sweet story about two friends being given a renewed chance at a love they've each felt for years, but never acted on.
A sweet second chance-like story with two men who fell in love when they first met as teens, but never admitted it at the time, so became the best of friends. When both men are back in the same area for college, their individual secrets & insecurities keep them apart until fate intervenes. Though they don't initially know it, Elite Connections brings them back together to allow them to reconnect and explore what simmered at the surface. A short, satisfying, and spicy story with some arcade antics, amazing extended family, and a lasting connection for two men who needed each other.

Solid as Gold by B.A. Tortuga 3⭐
Chayce and Waylon
Country music star and his new bodyguard need to figure out why Chayce is being followed and attacked.
Waylon's attraction is clearly written, but Chayce never says anything really, and then all of the sudden they're making out on the bus. Very confusing lead-in to that. The story POV was tricky to follow as well; it wasn't easy to understand who was saying or feeling what a lot of the time. Resolution of the story was OK, but felt like it didn't really fit the overall theme of events.

Falling for My Husband by Colette Davison 5⭐
Harper and Bailey
A marriage of convenience so Harper can get his meddling mother off his back about settling down. In an attempt to prove he'snot marriage material, he arranges to marry Bailey and proceeds to fall in love with him. Bailey falls easily, as he can see that Harper isn't good at trying to be a bad husband, and their feelings evolve very naturally.
Love the volunteering support factor added. It really helped to show more of Harper's maturity and was of course an excellent cause.
Sweet, meaningful, emotionally uplifting. Beautiful love story.

Power Pose by Emily Silver 4.5⭐
Raven & Blair
Sweet, cute connection. Businesswoman with inclusive background. Looking to earn/own an inclusive travel company from a lesbian couple. Both women feel at ease with one another. Blair became guardian of younger sister from unaccepting/homophobic parents. Easy story to follow, and a fun FF narrative that I hadn't initially been expecting.

Mastermind by Erin Zak 4⭐
Roberta & Alice
Tension behind pop star Alice wanting to come out, but feeling as though that's not possible. Roberta will direct an event/party Alice has put together to allow her to "play".
After an amazing night of spicy fireworks between the couple, at the end of the party, the two must part ways to their respective cities, but both cannot forget their encounter, and come together again soon after.

Tastes of Honey by Frances M. Thompson 4⭐
Katja & Amara & Wren
Surprising triad dynamic including a non-binary MC. Seeing the initial struggle between married couple Amara and Wren is heartbreaking.
Watching the growth and repair of Amara and Wren as a couple, and then welcoming and encouraging Katja into their relationship as a third, is a beautiful experience. Very spicy content, and well worked in the story. The ending epilogue is super cute, and gives the three individuals a rounded finish.

Hired By The Enemy by Jax Calder5+⭐
Liam & Matthew
Fake boyfriends AND enemies to lovers?! Solid gold start for me.
Shenanigans and hilarious insults ensue between Liam & Matthew after they reconnect via Elite. Since neither was aware of the other on the opposite side, they couldn't back out once they were both in Hawaii. It turns out, even if you spent years of your life pranking and essentially hating someone, you can still learn everything about them. And when you both finally grow up, you realize those past issues are easier to put behind you when you actually spend quality time together.
I LOVED this story from Jax and really wish it was a full book. I'm not sure I can wait another year for the accompanying story for Liam's friend Andrew.
Hilarious, spicy, adventurous. Lots of competition, and personal growth.

Spotlight by Jodi Payne 4.5⭐
Dustin & Cameron
Great fun! Dusty and Cameron are exes from two years prior, and ended badly at that time. When Dusty needs a date for an award show, Cameron is hired (w/o Dusty's knowledge) to assist. After a very tense greeting, they agree to work it out for the evening. As it evolves, old feelings come back into play, and by the end of the party, the two spend their night together, rediscovering their connection. It takes very little time after to decide they'd like to give their relationship a shot again.
Sweet, hot, a bit awkward at times. Very enjoyable.

At His Wife's Behest by Kelex 4.5⭐
Kellan & Connor
Kellan and his best friend Emma married 10 years prior to stave off their families' homophobia. Even after Emma's parents have passed, Kellan is still stuck under his father's hating thumb. Deciding to finally get a divorce, the couple have their 6 yr old daughter to care for among the difficulties, but plan to remain the best of friends.
Emma convinces Kellan to go to Italy to help put a family villa on the market, although that is only an excuse. She has secretly arranged a "companion" for him through Elite. When it turns out that said companion is Connor, also known as Abigail's teacher, Kellan is very hesitant to stay. But his continuing attraction and connection to Connor pushes them to find their way together while in Italy. Upon their return home, Kellan must find his inner strength to push back on his father's homophobia and hatred so that he and Connor may have a future.
Parent/teacher, hurt/comfort, MC gay virgin, super smart and sassy 6 yr old. Homophobia and mention of past abuse toward MC.

Text Me Like You Love Me by Rhys Everly 4⭐
Keaton & Milo
It took a little while to get into the story because the wording was throwing me off for some reason. Once in, the characters came to life and I really enjoyed the evolution of Keaton and Milo's love. Keaton is a billionaire who created an app that is now being threatened by his board to takeover since going public. He realizes that exposure to the app in a more positive light may help him keep his hold. Keaton decides to orchestrate a romance, but sets it up with Elite, and then uses his app to track conversation and connection. Milo was not one of Keaton's biggest fans before they met, so when he was assigned the role from Elite, he was hesitant, but knew he'd be able to help with his grandmother's continued care with the money from the role. When Milo is given the chance to interact with Keaton and experience his more human side, rather than the fake side he shared often with the public, they find common ground much sooner. Their story was a bit frustrating at times, but more because of external characters and miscommunication than from the characters themselves. Solid age gap romance, fun to read.
Age gap, Fake relationship, humiliation and degradation kink, slurs.

Becoming a Bi-Con by Sarah Zane 3⭐
Savannah & Maya
Due to horrifying rumors by ex-husband, Savannah's agent suggests a different direction and to get a fake girlfriend from Elite to spur different rumors. Savannah is surprised by a woman from her teenage past, Maya, who had been her best friend while working on a TV show. Through teenage assumptions and misunderstandings, the women didn't see one another for a decade.
Maya saving Savannah from her severely toxic ex-husband is great to see. Even fictional, evil men deserve their comeuppance. Though it was nice the couple ended with their HEA, it was somewhat difficult to believe it would last. Maya's character just seemed far too suspicious and didn't want to let her guard down and trust Savannah.

Friend for Hire by Saxon James 5⭐
Elle & Margot
I wasn't expecting a FF story from Saxon, but I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it. The characters and environment are fully fleshed out, despite being a super short story. I also liked the unconventional use of the Elite storyline, with Margot essentially taking over the assignment from her brother, who didn't even know about it to begin with. And although she regularly mentioned to Elle that she was paying Margot for her company, that was never true because all the funds went to her brother, Perry. Margot's presence and friendship in Elle's life helps her understand her reticence with relationships, realizing that she had never actually been straight, and therefore could never make a meaningful connection with men in the past. The story was very sweet and colorful. Margot's brother Perry provides some fun-filled laughs while the couple find their way.

Darts and Dashers by V.L. Locey 5⭐
Paul & Roth
Love that the byline for Roth mentions that he's a pet modiste. It's not a typical word used nowadays, and I honestly only really know it from Bridgerton.
Paul is attending a hockey awards ceremony and wants a date for it so that he won't be alone if he runs into his ex. When his agent and best friend arranges the role with Elite, Paul is surprised by Roth and thinks that there may have been a mistake. When his agent Dee confronts him about his true issues with Roth, which stem from his father's homophobia and control, Paul realizes that he hadn't been true to himself in his past relationships and understands that he's actually quite taken with Roth and his unique and colorful style. When a short, minimally tense, interaction between the exes confirms Paul's preferences, we get to see how much Paul and Roth are meant for one another. A wonderful age gap, size difference, jock/femme twink story to end the Elite Connections anthology.

A very long read overall, but very enjoyable as all anthologies tend to be.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Hillary · Rating 3 out of 5]

PLEASE be aware that this summary/review is meant for my own purposes in order to help me recall this book and definitely has spoilers. It is in no way a reflection of what I think anyone else will like or want out of a book. It is simply a memory aid and a rough voice-to-text which is completely unedited/reviewed for errors. Read at your own discretion.


How to Catch a Billionaire (Ana Ashley) - Alexi and Troy - Troy’s older brother Wren marries Tom. Tom’s best friend Charlie is married to Kris who is a prince. Alexi is their son they adopted when he was 15. Troy and Alexi meet at the wedding when they are 15 and become close friends. As they got older they each fell in love with the other but never told the other. When Alexi transfers to Troy’s college it gets messy. Troy started Elite Connections with his roommate and it’s wildly successful but due to its secret nature, he can’t tell anyone so avoids Alexi. They keep running into each other because Alexi has hired Elite but is anonymous so Troy doesn’t know. Eventually, Troy kisses Alexi and their love comes out. They come clean with everything and Troy decides to keep Elite until Alexi graduates in another year and then sell and move back to his country with him. Cute story if predictable.

Solid as Gold - Chayce and Waylon - Famous country singer and son of a wealthy oil tycoon mom gets shot at after a concert. His mom hires a private bodyguard from Elite. They sleep together basically for entertainment. At some point they fall in love but we are never really “in” on that. There is someone trying to kill Chayce and it turns out it is a fan turned band member who is delusional and thinks Chayse is in love with him. Waylon saves him and they move in together. I didn’t care for the writing style. It was confusing and hard to tell who was saying what. It was told in 3rd person but each MC’s perspective but no indication of whose we were getting and almost no insight into their thoughts or emotions.

Falling for My Husband (Colette Davison) - Harper and Bailey - Harper (described by his bestie as a puppy on speed) is very wealthy and his mother is driving him crazy about getting married. He decides he will arrange to marry someone for 1 year then divorce to prove to his mom that he is not marriage material. He uses Elite Connections to meet Bailey who agrees to this. They go to Vegas and get married. A few months into living together, they decide there is no reason for them not to sleep together since they both want to. They are actually falling in love and by 6 months in they both know it. At a charity event that Harper’s mom arranged to benefit the homeless shelter where Bailey volunteers (because he was on the streets after his parents kicked him out at 16), they tell each other. This was a very sweet story that was well written with very lovable and fully realized characters.

Power Pose (Emily Silver) - Raven and Blair - Raven is a high powered CEO who wants to acquire a travel company. The owners of the company only want to sell someone who has good work life balance. They invite all prospective buyers for a few weeks inMilan. Raven hires Blair to be her partner for that time. Blair is a public defender whose teenage sister lives with her. They go to Malon and fall in love. There’s very little plot or conflict in the story, but I may be biased just because I still do not like to FMCs

Mastermind (Erin Zak) - Roberta and Alison - Roberta is a 45 yo event executioner for Elite who is hired for a secret party for world famous popstar Alison. It turns out that Alison has had a crush on Roberta for a while when she met her briefly at another party. Roberta does not even remember her from then, because that is the same night she broke up with her ex girlfriend. Most of the first part of the story is the mystery of the party and why it’s so secret. Alison is not “out”. The women get together pretty quickly. Spicy scenes are decent for FF but there is not much in the way of actual story here.

Tastes of Honey (Frances Thompson) - Katja, Amara, Wren - Amara and Wren (who is non-binary) are married for eight years, but for the last year, their marriage has been on the rocks. Wren has been emotionally pulling away, and Amara has no idea by. So, amara plans a dinner in their house to help them reconnect. Katja is the chef sent by elite.Katja is planning to move away from London to pursue her dream of living by the ocean the day after this dinner. It turns out that Wren is pulling away because they have discovered that they no longer want to be the dominant person in the relationship, but also want to submit, and they think that Amara will not be able to handle that. They confide in Katja during the dinner, and she convinces Wren to talk. They finally do and it turns out Katja is a dom. They have a night of crazy sex and everyone reconnects. They fall in love. Katja refuses to stage pursue the relationship so Amara and Wren move to the seaside with her. This was basically porn and had no plot. The emotions of the characters were not believable. However, it was interesting to read about someone’s journey of self discovery regarding their gender identity.

Hired by the Enemy (Jax Calder) - Matthew and Liam - When Matthew hires Elite to get him a fake boyfriend for the retreat for his company, he has no idea it will be his old nextdoor neighbor and nemesis. They spent their entire home lives pranking and tormenting each other. They kiss on a dance floor to sell their relationship and sparks fly. They start connecting physically and it turns emotional and they realize how much damage they did to each other as kids. They fall in love but at the end of the retreat, they go their separate ways. After a few weeks Matthew realizes he’s in love with Liam and when they both go home for Christmas, he tells him via a Christmas star wish at the festival. Matthew’s best friend is Andrew who will get his own book. I liked this sweet story. The characters were very well done and the writing was good.

Spotlight (Jodi Payne) - Cam and Dusty - Dusty is a movie actor up for a Best Actor award. His agent hires an escort for the event and it is Cam who is Dusty’s ex (Cam knew who his client was but Dusty had no idea). They have a great time and end up sleeping together. Cam’s next job is with a billionaire who wants to put on a charity fashion show and invites the people he wants to a fancy dinner. Cam is his date and it turns out Dusty is invited. It’s fine, but leads to Cam quitting Elite and becoming a chef (he went to culinary school before working for Elite) Dusty and Cam stay together and it ends with them getting engaged 6 months later. This was a fun read.

AT HIS WIFE’S BEHEST (Kelex) - Kellan and Connor - Kellan is the gay closeted son of a conservative senator who is married to his female best friend, Emma, who is also gay and closeted. They meant to only be married for 5 years but got pregnant and have been together 10. When her rich father dies, she decides to divorce, come out, and marry her long time love, Amanda. Kellan is afraid to come out so Emma hires Connor to meet him in Italy to show him what he’s missing. Turns out, Conner is their daughter Abby’s teacher. Conner and Kellan fall for each other but Kellan won’t come out until his father tries to blackmail him with illicit photos taken in Italy. Kellan decides to come out and after some minor struggles, he and Connor get together. A year later they get engaged. This was an okay story but I didn’t really like the writing style. The POV was very confusing with it difficult to figure out who the author was referring to since she switched around practically mid-sentence.

TEXT ME LIKE YOU LOVE ME (RHYS EVERLY) - Keaton and Milo - Keaton (45) is the billionaire founder of a queer dating app that the board is threatening to fire so he hires Milo (25) to pretend to have met him on the app and fall in love for the publicity. Of course, they actually do fall in love but neither tells the other. Just after 6 months in, the manger of Milo’s grandmother’s nursing home leaks the fake relationship to the press. Keaton comes clean, buys back his app from the board, and announces it all on IG live including that he loves Milo. Milo messages that he loves Keaton and they get back together and live HEART. This was a very cute story that was easy to read and entertaining.

BECOMING A BI-CON (FF) SARAH ZANE - didn’t read this

Friend for Hire (FF) Saxon James - Elle and Margot - Elle is at her wits end and asks Elite to send a man to be her date and keep her company. The request goes to Perry but his sister Margot sees it and decides to show up to “protect” him. Elle decorated she needs a friend (even though Margo is a bitch to her). They paint Elle’s apartment crazy colors and talk. A few days later, they go to some botanical garden and Margo kisses Elle. Elle always thought of herself as straight but had never been romantically attracted to men. She likes the kiss but Margo leaves. Elle fights with her parents and decides she isn’t taking any more money from them and wants to pursue Margot. Margot shows up to her apartment and they hook up. Elle discovers she feels romantic towards women and they start a relationship. Sadly, I didn’t really like this story even though Saxon is one of my favorite authors. I probably expected too much. I couldn’t understand what Elle saw in Margo other than physical attraction and Margo never really became appealing.

DARTS AND DASHERS (MM) V.L. LOCEY - Paul and Roth - Paul is an out hockey player who wants to bring a date to an award ceremony because his ex boyfriend will be there. His PA/BFF arranges with elite to send Roth. Paul has always dated very masculine guys, and Rawson is exceedingly feminine in manners and Andreas. It turns out that that is what Paul secretly likes, but he was intimidated by society and his father. He quickly realizes this, and they fall for each other. the story was extremely simple, but very sweet and I liked the characters. The writing was very good as far as word choice, grammer, prose.

[Carole Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Hired by the Enemy the most. Some of these stories were almost too sweet for me, some were milk toast.

I read only the MM. FF is not for me.

[Syd Springer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of a lot of these authors and some I have not read yet; that being said I will will be finding more from these authors and this Anthology helped me remember why I fell for the other authors. This is a great collection of a little bit of everything with steam, love, drama and endings that make you want more! I really enjoyed this read and I hope we get more anthologies that supports a great cause!

I received a e-book copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Jvles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology is full of great queer romance stories that are all set around a concierge agency that caters to the rich. Therefore at least one of the MCs is usually loaded. There is a wide variety of pairings, settings and tropes and it has been fun to read all of these loosely connected stories back-to-back.

It includes:

How to catch a billionaire (MM) - a cute childhood friends-to-lovers story with some not so coincidental coincidences and a well-kept secret, seems to belong to a series by this author

Solid as gold (MM)- this is a more action-filled romance story between a country singer and his bodyguard, solid suspense and romance plot

Falling for my husband (MM)- this is super sweet. Harper needs a fake husband to get his family off his back. What he finds is a happily-ever-after. These two have crazy chemistry.

Power Pose (FF) - a sweeping whirlwind romance set in Italy with a very balanced couple. These two are stinking cute together.

Mastermind (FF) - this is a shorter romance between a superstar and an event coordinator. The writing is fine but the couple left me a little cold. Maybe that is because the story ends before the relationship really begins.

Tastes of Honey (FFX) - a sensual poly romance with an established couple on the verge of losing each other and the personal chef they hire in an attempt to save their relationship. This story is kinkier than the others and super hot.

Hired by the enemy (MM) - a truly scorching enemies-to-lovers story. All the tension and heat between these two nearly made my e-reader melt.

Spotlight (MM) - a sweet, relatively short second-chance romance with mostly fade-to-black intimacy. These two were ridiculously cute together but I would have enjoyed a little more steam.

At his wife's behest (MM) - another story in Italy, the relationship was adorable and very organic with background themes that are a little darker than in most of the other stories

Text me like you love me (MM) - very cute couple with an unexpected dynamic between the sheets and a nice set of found family around them

Becoming a Bi-Con (FF) - This was a hot enemies-to-lovers story with a bit of a twist on the forced proximity trope and a misunderstanding that goes on for a decade.

Friend for hire (FF) - really cute, grumpy/sunshine love story. Elle orders a boyfriend but gets a friend instead, who then turns into a girlfriend.

Darts and Dashers (MM) - a fast-paced story about a hockey player, who needs a date and a colourful guy with an opinionated dog. I had to get used to Roth's voice as it annoyed me a little in the beginning but it turned out to be a decent story.

[GlamLawyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

All around 4/5. I didn't read or finish them all. Some were just not m cuppa. But it's for charity so it's always worth to support it. 


How to Catch a Billionaire, Ana Ashley 


Not my cuppa at all. Kinda uneventful and slow paced. 2/5 at most. 


Solid As Gold, BA Tortuga


It started nicely but it got cheap fast. Too easy. DNF at chapter 4. I should accept that Bodyguard stories don't work for me. Big sigh... DNF so no rating. 


Falling for My Husband by Colette Davison 

That was cute. 3.5/5


Power Pose by Emily Silver

DNF not my cuppa. 


Mastermind by Erin Zak 

2/5 


Tastes of Honey by Frances M. Thompson 

It was an interesting story and dynamic. I liked the characters and the writing was engaging. The link side and the d/s theme isn't my cuppa still it was mostly a good story. The random use of German words wasn't believable for me, as I being a bilingual myself can't say I use my second language with ppl who don't speak it. Yes in family or between bilingual friend we change between the languages randomly or use words from the the one randomly but not with non speakers. So that felt off for me. Also I thought the fast move into love and a relationship wasn't believable. A happy for now and we will see what happens in the future would have worked better for me. Still 3/5 stars. 


Hired By The Enemy by Jax Calder

5/5 that was a really good enemy to lovers story. 


Spotlight by Jodi Payne

3/5 


At His Wife's Behest by Kelex

2.5/5 

Interesting plot and the story was especially at the beginning very touching. Might be way better written in a longer version. There's also some editing needed. The ending falls a bit flat,the premise is good though. 


Text Me Like You Love Me by Rhys Everly

Skipping that one, not my cuppa. 


Becoming a Bi-Con by Sarah Zane

DNF


Friend For Hire by Saxon James 

3.5/5 I liked that one. Might have needed more pages to love it. 


Darts and Dashers by V.L. Lovey

3/5 that would be awesome given more time and writing space. As short story it falls literally too short to deal with the important issues. Nobody changes that fast and insta love doesn't work here that well imo. I wish it would be a full novella because the caharcters and the storyline are very interesting. 

[Edga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of the writers included in this anthology are talented, resulting in an anthology that has many wonderful characters, that truly come alive on the page. Even though the stories have the same theme (read the blurb), they're all different and entertaining, it’s hard not to enjoy something from most of the stories. I also think it's wonderful how the authors have got together to create something for such a deserving charity

Two of the stories I really enjoyed were written by Jax Calder and Vicki Locey.

Hired By the Enemy, is obviously an enemies to lovers tale, a trope which I really like. Liam and Matthew loathe one another, but end up as fake boyfriends (another favourite trope). It doesn't take long for them to realise that they actually fancy one another, and from then on the passion between them is sizzling 🥵 There's some decent banter, the two prove to be perfect for one another, which leads to a sweet ending.

************************************

Vicki Locey is one of my go to authors, and I especially enjoy her Ice Hockey Books, so this one was made for me. Paul and Roth are amazing together. Paul is quite set in his ways, and I loved how pink haired Roth and his pompoo, Amadeus, shake up Paul's life. Roth is an absolute hoot, and Amadeus is a real character, they both made me smile. The story is very low angst, starring a grumpy/sunshine couple, full of romance, a lot of fun, with a perfectly happy ending.

[Sheena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a charity anthology based around the Elite Connections app, designed to help the super-rich with whatever it is they need, from nanny to fake husband for a year, all done anonymously and by referral only. I haven't read all the stories, so I can only report on the ones I did read. Some new-to-me authors, and some I have read before.

How to Catch a Billionaire by Ana Ashley

This is the first story in the anthology, and features the app creator, Troy and Alexi. This is a new to me author and I quickly realised this was set in an existing book world they'd created, but I didn't enjoy it any less for not having read the other stories in this world. I liked Troy and Lexi, and it's not too far-fetched that Lexi moved across the world to have a chance with Troy. They had a good connection and there wasn't too much miscommunication. Troy created Elite in college with a friend and has made a fortune off of it without his family knowing. This was a cute, sweet and low angst story with a lovely HEA.

Solid As Gold by BA Tortuga

This is another new-to-me author, and this story is set in the world of country music, Chayce has turned his hand to music after a successful rodeo career, and when his safety is threatened, his mother turns to Elite to hire a bodyguard for him. Waylon I didn't actually know too much about, you never get to really know him, and for me, he turned his back on his own rules about getting involved pretty fast. That said, I did enjoy this - there was plenty of heat between the two even if Waylon was slightly overprotective. There was a nice resolution to the stalker storyline and I did enjoy their HEA.


Falling for My Husband by Colette Davison

This one I loved. Colette is a new-to-me author but based on this, I'd definitely go and look for more. I just adored Bailey and Harper, I'm a sucker for a 'golden retriever' character and Harper was certainly that. He's a lot, he's more than a little extra probably due to just how much money he has and honestly, him hatching a scheme to get married for a year to put his mother off just seems like something he'd do - no matter how far fetched the whole thing seems. Bailey has had a hard life up to this point and has worked hard to turn his life around, and it was a joy to see Harper doting on him and giving him everything, just because he could. These two suited each other so well and I found the whole story delightful and a complete joy to read.


Hired By The Enemy by Jax Calder

This was probably my favourite of the whole anthology. Liam and Matthew have been enemies since they were 10, constantly one-upping each other and playing mean pranks without realising the damage they were each doing to the other, things that have affected their whole lives up to this point. Matthew is a successful app developer who needs a partner for a corporate getaway, and Liam needs the money to start his dream gym helping people gain self confidence back after illness or injury. I loved seeing these two interact, I am nothing but a sucker for snark and these two had that in spades. I loved seeing them thaw towards each other as they got to know each other again as adults, and as who they are now and not the kids they were.

Hearing about their pranks on each made me really feel for their teacher (poor Ms Beauton) and I loved seeing them get closer during their time on the retreat and then Matthew standing up to the jerk, Paul. This whole story was great and I loved it.

Spotlight by Jodi Payne

Another new-to-me author and a story about an up and coming actor who is attending a prestigious awards ceremony and his agent hires a date through Elite, who just happens to be his ex. I struggled a little bit to like Dusty, if I'm honest. I got the sense that he'd changed quite a bit since Cameron knew him, but a little more of their history would have been good. I wasn't sure about Cameron either, he didn't seem to really know what he wanted other than Dusty but he was okay, charming and genuine and they did fit well together. It was a good story and I liked the epilogue too.


At His Wife's Behest by Kelex

Another new-to-me author, and the final story I read in this anthology. Kellan is married to his best friend Emma, and both are gay and went into the marriage knowing that, but did it to appease both sets of parents. Emma's parents we don't really meet other than in passing comments but they seemed terrible, especially her dad. Kellan's dad really is something else, a terrible human who did terrible things to his son, causing him to hide in the closet, scared for years. After Emma inherits her family company on the death of her dad, she decides to come out to be with her girlfriend and wants Kellan to find the same happiness. She hires Elite, and gets Kellan to go to Italy for a week on the pretext of selling her house there. I wasn't sure about Connor at first, he already knew Kellan, being Kellan's daughter's teacher and just dropping everything on a whim to go to Italy.

I liked seeing Kellan come out of his shell a little with Connor though, and embrace his sexuality finally and find some happiness with Connor and eventually stand up to his rotten parent.

I received an ARC and this is my honest review.

[Bianca · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Catch a Billionaire by Ana Ashley

Troy and Alexi story was hilarious as secrets are revealed, awkward situations keeps happening, and miscommunication as well as eavesdropping takes place.
They are sweet together, and with the intervention of their meddling family and friends they finally end up together after they acknowledge their feelings and are truthful about everything.
I liked the teasing and banter, as well as the shenanigans.

Solid as Gold by BA Tortuga

Chayce and Waylon story was adrenaline charged as dangers and life threats keeps coming.
They have an incendiary chemistry as they combine the personal with the professional.
I liked their interactions and the way they resolved the problems they get along the way.

Falling for my Husband by Colette Davison

Harper and Bailey story was sweet and entertaining in which a sham marriage becomes real.
I liked seeing their journey as they discover they're perfect for each other and how they work to make what they have last.

Power Pose by Emily Silver

Raven and Blair was interesting and I liked the way their relationship developed, how something faje and temporary becomes real and how they work toward their happiness.

Mastermind by Erin Zak

Roberta and Alison story is said from Roberta perspective and it reveals to us the perfect plan concocted to conquer one's heart. They are sweet together and explosive.

Hired by the Enemy by Jax Calder

Liam and Matthew story was funny with a side of hotness and a lot of shenanigans as two pranksters discovers after years of war that they are meant for each other.
I liked their teasing, pranks and support they offer each other, as well as the way their perspective and emotions change as they pass time together.

At His Wife’s Behest by Kelex

Kellan and Connor story had a heart-breaking beginning as the hurt and abuse of the past are still in the present and still influencing all the decisions.
They have a wonderful week together but all crashes down when they come back to reality. It takes a lot of courage, support and understanding to get over the hardships and to achieve their happiness.
There's a couple of moments that made the heart ache and soar, and a testament that in the end all that matters is love and happiness.

Tastes of Honey by Frances M. Thompson

Katja, Amara and Wren story was extremely hot, emotional, and with a side of self discovery for the characters.
Their dynamic was interesting and I liked the way they decide to fight for their happiness.
I really enjoyed their intimate moments and I would really liked to have the translation for the German words as I'm not a German speaker.
I liked their sweet moments and when they were true with themselves about their feelings and needs.

Spotlight by Jodi Payne

Dustin and Cameron story was exciting as two ex lovers reunite under interesting circumstances, they get to reconnect and to re-evaluate their feelings, they get to talk and resolve the hurt from the past, but most of all they are offered a second chance at happiness.
I liked their dynamic, teasing and sweet loving moments as well as the way they combined the professional with the personal.

Text Me Like You Love Me by Rhys Everly

Keaton and Milo story got drama, paparazzi, pretend love that becomes real, teasing and shenanigans.
They are cute together and very sweet, complete each other beautifully, but they have to be truthful with each other and their feelings as well as admit to their wants and needs.
It was engaging and entertaining, funny and full of feeling.

Becoming a Bi-con by Sarah Zane

Savannah and Maya story was an interesting enemies to lover adventure caused by a misunderstanding and a lack of communication, trust and perceived betrayal.
When those two are reunited sparks fly, temperaments collide, shenanigans and teasing are afoot, hot moments are abound, scheming of an ex and his entourage to come up on top, and supporting friends in time of need.
It was entertaining and I really enjoyed to see them rekindling their flame.

Friend for Hire by Saxon James

Elle and Margot story was sweet and the swapping made leaded to the happily ever after.
I liked the way they connected and the way they get to know each other, the fact they are getting to be the better selves and gives them courage to fight for what they believe in.
Liked the banter and their dynamic, the they thrive and how they get to have what they dreamed of.

Darts and Dashers by V.L. Locey

Paul and Roth story was sweet and engaging, colourful and loving.
Their first meeting wasn't a glamourous one thanks to some prejudice and hang-ups that are put to rest quickly and a one eighty takes place.
Their dynamic was interesting, I liked the protective side and they way they grow closer, how accepted are in the friends groups and the changes that come in their life.
It had emotion and fluff, pets adorableness and teasing.

[Julie Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

13 stories, totalling 1656 pages, for only £5.99?! Sign me up! I preordered this anthology because I saw Jax Calder promote it, so I started with that story, but it didn't take me long to read the rest either. This collection is full of queer HEA novellas that I absolutely recommend, and it's an added bonus that the money goes to charity as well! 😊 in sum: these stories are all wonderful, heartwarming, unputdownable queer stories that have completely captured my heart and I recommend them to anyone who loves queer romance novels!

✅ How to Catch a Millionaire (MM), Ana Ashley 6%
🗓️ 03.05.24 ⭐: 5
Troy is one of the creators of Elite Connections, a discreet service that matches people with who or what they want. But what Troy wants, he can't have: Alexi, prince of Lydovia, who's also the son of his brother's best friend. Alexi, on the other hand, has recently moved to the US for college and tried everything to casually bump into Troy, his childhood crush, without much luck, and decides to become an Elite Connections client to hopefully learn to be a man Troy would want to date.
This novella was so cute! I loved seeing Troy and Alexi meet for the first time as teenagers, and then reconnecting through a series of "accidental" meetings now they're both in their 20s and at college. This friend-to-lovers story was full of super sweet moments and I just adored how the romance played out! I would've loved a full length novel about these two - and it's definitely made me keen to read more of Ana Ashley's writing! This story is told in first person and has chapters that alternate between the narrators, so it was easy to keep track of whose mind I was in when reading.

✅ Solid as Gold (MM), BA Tortuga 5%
🗓️ 04.05.24 ⭐: 3
Cowboy-turned-country singer Chayce's life is in danger, so bodyguard Waylon from Elite Connections has been hired to protect him, and to find out who wants Chayse dead.
This is a bodyguard-client mystery-romance, which was a new one for me. I have to say I actually liked the mystery part the most in this story. The romance seemed a little bit rushed, although I liked both Waylon and Chayce as characters. This story was told in 3rd person and didn't split their perspectives into chapters, so sometimes it was a bit hard to follow who was saying and thinking what, especially when the pronoun "he" could refer to either of them. But the plot was interesting and it was a quick read.

✅ Falling for my Husband (MM), Colette Davison 9%
🗓️ 04.05.24 ⭐: 5
Harper is convinced marriage isn't for him, so he hires Bailey from Elite Connections to prove exactly that to his overbearing mother. Bailey is smart and sweet and willing to go along with Harper's plan, not to mention that the money is too much to pass up, even if it is a year-long contract of faking being in love with a stranger. It's a solid plan—until Harper finds that he's actually falling in love with his fake-husband, and there's a chance Bailey has similar feelings for Harper...
This was a sickeningly cute novella from start to finish; I don't think I ever stopped smiling in the time it took me to read it! I loved how Harper was using this experiment to prove that he'd make a terrible husband, yet everything he did for Bailey was the exact opposite of that! I adored everything about this story and I wish it had been even longer so I didn't have to let these characters go just yet! Told in first person, dual POV, chapters alternating between the two characters.

✅ Power Pose (FF), Emily Silver 7%
🗓️ 06.05.24 ⭐: 3
CEO Raven wants to buy a company she's had her eye on for a while—but the owners want to really get a feel for their potential buyers and invite anyone interested to a retreat in Milan with their significant others. Raven's only problem? She doesn't have a partner. Enter Blair, who signed up to work for Elite Connections to earn money to support her younger sister. The money from this job would do that and then some.
This story was okay - but not quite my cup of tea. It felt like the relationship was based more on the women being attracted to each other, not getting to know each other (on-page anyway). Therefore, the romance felt a bit rushed to me, and it felt like I didn't get to know the characters either. Told in dual POV and first person.

✅ Mastermind (FF), Erin Zak 6%
🗓️ 09.05.24 ⭐: 3
Roberta is an event planner for Elite Connections, and gets hired for the event of a lifetime, by Alison, the biggest pop start on the planet. At first, she doesn't want to take it, but she ends up caving and gets flown out to a secret location for 3 days for the event. She predicts Alison will be just like a lot of her past clients, but she ends up being surprised.
This was another okay story for me. It's single POV, Roberta's, and the chapters are split up into Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Two Weeks Later. The plot was fine, but predictable. There weren't any big twists or anything like that. I liked the characters just fine, although I didn't feel like I got to know them very well. The most interesting thing to me was how Taylor Swift-coded Alison was.

✅ Tastes of Honey (FFX) 11%, Frances M Thompson
🗓️ 11.05.24 ⭐: 4
Amara loves being Wren's submissive. But her spouse has withdrawn from her recently and she doesn't understand why. Wren has a secret, and they're so afraid that telling Amara will tear their relationship apart. In a last-ditch effort to bring them close again, Amara hires Katja, an experienced chef working for Elite Connections, to serve them a private dinner in their home so that she and Wren can hopefully, finally talk.
This was an okay story. There wasn't all that much plot, it was more character driven, and heavy on the smut side of things. Amara, Wren and Katja all have a POV, which I appreciated as I got to see each characters thoughts on and feelings about the other people. The story has a good ending, which I liked. But it didn't make me all giddy and happy like some other stories do, which is why I can't give it a higher rating.

✅ Hired by the Enemy (MM), Jax Calder 9%
🗓️ 27.04.24 ⭐: 5
Matthew: a brilliant, young CEO of a company he dropped out of college to start, who needs a fake boyfriend for a company retreat, seeing as he has no time to date in real life. Liam: a gym buff with a dream to open up his own business, but needs money to get started, and therefore works for Elite Connections. Both men are horrified when they get matched up, given that they grew up as neighbours and spent most of their childhood and teen years pulling pranks on each other, as they did not get along at all!
Absolutely loved this fantastic enemies-to-lovers story by Jax Calder! It was hilarious and heartwarming and everything my soul needed today! It's made me super hyped for The Revenge Game (coming next year), and I really hope Matthew and Liam feature in it too! I have no criticism for this story, it was perfect in every way! As with everything else I've read from Jax, this story was told in dual POV and first person, with chapters that are numbered and that name which character is narrating it.

✅ Spotlight (MM), Jodi Payne 7%
🗓️ 13.05.24 ⭐: 4
Cameron is an escort working for Elite Connections. Dustin is an actor who's been nominated for an award for the first ever movie he's starred in. Dustin's agent doesn't want him to go to the awards show alone as she knows he's nervous, so she reaches out to Elite, who pass the job on to Cameron. Cameron accepts.... Knowing Dustin won't know it's him until he shows up. And despite their terrible breakup two years ago, Cam really wants to see Dusty again...
This was a really cute second chance romance novel! I felt like I got good insight into the characters and their feelings, about each other and in general. Both men were likable characters for sure, and the story had a decent plot. The twist was very interesting - I saw it coming but I liked watching it unfold! The ending was adorable! The story is told in third person which wasn't a problem most of the time, but on a couple of occasions I did struggle to follow who was talking or thinking something, which is why I've deducted a star.

✅ At His Wife's Behest (MM), Kelex 10%
🗓️ 15.05.24 ⭐: 5
Ten years ago, long term best friends Kellan and Emma got married to appease, or to hide from, their homophonic families. Their plan was to get a divorce after five years... But that was before Abigail happened. When both of Emma's parents pass away in close succession and she takes over the company, she's ready to move on with her life, get a divorce, and finally be with her on-again off-again girlfriend. Kellan, however, is nowhere near ready for the life-altering decision to come out to his abusive, Texas Senator father. Enter: Connor. First grade teacher by day, escort for Elite Connections by night, hired by Emma, with Kellan being none the wiser...
I loved this story from beginning to end! Specifically, I loved Connor's kindness and understanding towards Kellan and how his past affected him, and I loved how Kellan worked on himself, becoming braver, daring to speak his truth and ask for what he wants, and standing up for himself. These characters were wonderfully written! Written in 3rd person but not hard to follow who's speaking or thinking due to formatting that made it clear.

✅ Text Me Like You Love Me (MM), Rhys Everly 10%
🗓️ 17.05.24 ⭐: 5
25 year-old Milo works for Elite Connections as an escort. He loves his work, but lately he's regretting signing a contract to only work with super wealthy clients, as they're becoming fewer and further between, and he needs to pay for his grandmother's round-the-clock care. 45 year-old Keaton created a dating site two decades ago, which then turned into an app, which is now struggling. Desperate to prove to the investors that the app is a success, he sets out on a very well-documented journey to find love himself, only to find it's harder than it looks. Elite Connections to the rescue...
Not gonna lie, the trigger warnings at the start of this story scared me a little. That being said, I ended up loving this story!! Told in first person, alternating between Keaton and Milo, I really felt for both men when they fell for each other, both thinking their relationship is "just a job" to the other. I loved how tender they were with each other. Milo's reaction and reassurance when Keaton was being vulnerable was beautifully written and I loved that we also got to see a lot of their texts to each other in-between the chapters. Interesting narration style, and a very well written story!

✅ Becoming a Bi-Con (FF), Sarah Zane 9%
🗓️ 25.05.24 ⭐: 2
Savannah Hollywood is fighting a losing battle against her soon-to-be ex-husband, Darren, who accused her of cheating, right before the release of her next big album, when her manager comes up with a plan: hire Savannah a fake girlfriend for a month and have her become a bi-con the whole world will adore! Only there's just one problem: the girl hired for the job via Elite Connections is none other than Maya Ryder, who was a child star alongside Savannah a decade ago, and things did not end well between them.
This story was okay. I was getting a little bit tired of stories where one of the MCs is famous by now though, and at the start of this story I was a little bit confused about what was going on. There were also a couple of technical issues I had with this story, namely some repetition that seemed unnecessary, and I'm not sure whether that was something that was missed in editing or if this story was rushed. The plot seemed a little rushed too at times and it didn't seem entirely believable that they'd go from enemies to lovers quite so quickly. The story is told in dual POV with first person narration.

✅ Friend for Hire (FF), Saxon James 4%
🗓️ 26.05.25 ⭐: 4
Margot's brother Perry is a mess. And when he applies for a job with Elite Connections, Margot is highly sceptical. So much so, that when his first job offer comes through, she decides to take it for herself, rather than risk her brother getting into trouble. Rich party girl Elle is also a mess, and she's lonely. One night, drunk, she requests a boyfriend from Elite, asking them to "just send anyone". To say she's surprised when Margot shows up at her door is an understatement...
This was probably my favourite FF story in this anthology. It's told in first person and dual POV, I liked the chemistry between the two characters a lot, and the pacing of the story was good. It's not a very long story, but it's very sweet, and I really enjoyed witnessing Elle's self-discovery journey. My only wish is that this story had been longer! I'll definitely be checking out more of Saxon James' stories in the future!

✅ Darts and Dashers (MM), V. L. Locey 7%
🗓️ 26.05.24 ⭐: 5
38-year-old hockey player Paul Rocha doesn't want to go to the awards ceremony alone, knowing his ex-boyfriend will be there with his new, and young, partner. His PA suggests hiring a date via Elite Connections; Paul agrees, telling her to get someone his age, athletic, professional, and mature. Roth Morrison is a broke grad student who makes matching outfits for pets and their owners, and likes to wear dresses, heels, and makeup. In essence, Roth is the complete opposite of what Paul requested. But it's just a job for a weekend, right?
All in all, this was the perfect ending to the anthology! From the get-go, I absolutely adored Roth and his silliness, randomness and rambling. I liked Paul too, and og my god I just want to hug them and take away the pain caused them in the past! Their story was a whirlwind romance and I'm so glad they found each other; this story was so precious! Told in first person with dual POV, which 100% is my favourite for romance stories!

Overall average rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5