The Unexpected Meet-Cute: Geschichten zum Verlieben

The Improbable Meet-Cute #1-6

by Abby Jimenez, Jasmine Guillory, Christina Lauren

Sechs mal auf Wolke sieben schweben

Ob in einem Spa, auf der Hochzeit des besten Freundes oder im Tiefschlaf auf der Spanischen Treppe, es gibt in diesen sechs Geschichten keinen Ort, an welchem den Protagonistinnen die Liebe nicht über den Weg läuft. Genauso überraschend sind die Wege, die sie sei es über eine falsch adressierte E-Mail, einen fehlgeleiteten Valentinstagsgruß, eine Aspirin, die keine war oder einen Notruf an einen   unglaublich netten (und heißen) Feuerwehrmann, der versucht die defekte Floating-Muschel wieder zu öffnen. Eines aber hat die Liebe in den Geschichten  von Christina Lauren, Abby Jimenez, Sally Thorne, Jasmine Guillory, Ashley Poston und Sariah Wilson Sie ist unverhofft, und das ausgerechnet am Tag der Liebe!

Sechs romantische und unglaublich unterhaltsame Kurzgeschichten zum Lächeln, Weinen und herzhaft Lachen.

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Short Stories, Contemporary, Novella, Contemporary Romance, Fiction

369 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 23, 2024

About the author

Abby Jimenez is a Food Network winner, #1 New York Times best selling author of Just for the Summer, and recipient of the 2022 Minnesota Book Award for her novel Life's Too Short. Her book Yours Truly was the first romance novel in the history of Book of the Month to win the coveted Dolly Award for Book of the Year. Abby founded Nadia Cakes out of her home kitchen back in 2007. The bakery has since gone on to win numerous Food Network competitions and, like her books, has amassed an international following.

Abby loves a good romance, coffee, doglets, and not leaving the house.

Reviews

[Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Happy Pub Day** These six stories, ebook and audio, are now available on Amazon!


Super cute collection of meet-cute short stories, each revolving around a Valentine's Day theme.

-An accidental email that leads to 10+ years of penpal correspondence.
-A declaration of love gone wrong.
-Grump v. Sunshine trapped in a bakery post earthquake.
-A relaxing day at the spa takes a crazy turn.
-Princess in disguise.
-Good Luck Chuck curse just waiting to be broken.

This collection of novellas is perfect to read in preparation for February 14th. Sugary sweet, laugh out loud funny, swoon worthy...these 6 stories may have all had the same writing prompt and theme but they each feel unique!


Featured authors:
•Christina Lauren
•Abby Jimenez
•Sally Thorne
•Jasmine Guillory
•Sariah Wilson
•Ashley Poston

*Publishing January 23, 2024*

[preoccupiedbybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audible of this, but can't find it on here 🎧🎧🎧

The exception to the rule 💛💛💛💛💛
Damn that was cute, and I was internally screaming at one point!

Worst Wingman Ever💛💛💛💛💛
Cute and wise!

Rosie and the Dreamboat💛💛💛
Cute, weird and so cheesy that I'm craving crackers 🧀

Drop, Cover and Hold💛💛
This one didn't do it for me, they went from he hates me, oh there's an earthquake, let's have sex in the blink of an eye! Nice sounding baked goods though 🤷🤤

With Any Luck💛💛💛
This was cute, once I got used to the narrator's voice. Although how much would you have to drink to not remember the night before?! I'm glad it didn't go in the direction I thought it was going in. It was nice.


Royal Valentine💛
DNF an hour from the end. So close to finishing, but I can't bring myself to listen any more! Terrible accents by the narrator, particularly the Scottish one. The plot and the princess's inner thoughts were eye rolling!

A mixed bag, as you would expect from an anthology, but the stories started strong for me, but went downhill 💛💛💛 overall I guess!

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful collection for romance meet cute novella for Valentine’s Day.
I reviewed each separately.
A few were fantastic. The othes a promise of a happy for now.
I enjoyed reading each of these creative author’s stories.

The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren
Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez
Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne
Drop, Cover, and Hold On by Jasmine Guillory
With Any Luck by Amy Poston
Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson

[Kirsten Coughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

These were great reads for Valentine’s Day! Especially the Abby Jimenez and Christina Lauren stories.

[Noi (in & out) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look at me, reading my first anthology.
This is what I call personal development.
3.5~

1. The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Love me a story with letters/emails.

2. Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This had no business being that good and that short at the same time.

3. Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne ⭐⭐
I didn't like the sister & TW for claustrophobia

4. Drop, Cover, and Hold On by Jasmine Guillory ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grumpy X Sunshine 🫠

5. With Any Luck by Ashley Poston ⭐⭐⭐
Cute, kinda went from 40 to 100 in a snap though

6. Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson ⭐⭐⭐
'Undercover' royal & Scottish photographer

[~Amber~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome line up of authors!

I absolutely adored these six Valentine Day themed novellas. Each one may have been themed the same, but each one was very unique and very well done for being novellas.

Perfect novellas to read around Valentine’s Day! Swoon worthy. Laugh out loud funny. Sweet. All the things.

Featured Authors:
🩵Christina Lauren
🩵Abby Jimenez
🩵Sally Thorne
🩵Jasmine Guillory
🩵Sarah Wilson
🩵Ashley Poston

Thank you to the authors for this wonderful e arc. Be on the lookout for these novellas. Pub date 01/23/24

[Stacie Champlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute collection of romance stories! I am not usually a big fan of short stories, but when I saw the authors I knew I had to read this collection. The common theme of characters finding their romantic partners in unpredictable ways helped tie all of these stories together into a cohesive collection.

The Exception to the Rule: 5 stars. This one was my favorite so I am happy that this started out the book. I enjoyed the back and forth emails on Valentine's Day throughout the years with the main characters. I found the characters to be likable and quirky and the romance to have good depth.

Worst Wingman Ever: 4 stars. I liked the way this storyline developed. There was the most emotional depth to me in this short story. Some humor, cute romance, and a good connection between the characters.

Rosie and the Dreamboat: 4.5 stars. At first the dreamboat fireman's personality irked me a bit. However, I loved the plot line and the witty banter between the two main characters. This was my second favorite storyline.

Drop, Cover, and Hold: 3 stars. This one was the most rushed to me. There wasn't a lot of chemistry between the characters before they were thrown together after an earthquake, so the connection between them seemed forced. I liked the setting of the bakeshop and the idea of the "meet cute" though.

With Any Lucky: 4 stars. Kind of a Hangover style storyline, the characters are missing a groom and must retrace their steps to find them before the wedding. I enjoyed the enemies to friends romance between the characters.

Royal Valentine: 3 stars. The storyline of the princess shaking off her responsibilities to have some freedom in Rome was a cute Hallmarky idea. I liked the romance between the characters, but the ending was a bit rushed.

Overall I enjoyed these short stories. They felt like a cohesive collection and many of the stories made me want to read more about these characters!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for granting me a free copy in exchange for my honest review!

[Hailey Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. Exception to the rule ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- oh my gosh this was so cute. I loved it.

2. Worst Wingman Ever ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I love anything Abby writes and this definitely could be a whole book. Loved it.

3. Rosie and the Dreamboat ⭐️⭐️⭐️- Fun, cute story that had me laughing out loud. I enjoyed it.

4. Drop, Cover and Hold on ⭐️- THE WORST. Unbelievable story. Terrible dialogue. Waste of time.

5. With any luck ⭐️⭐️- pretty cute, not my favorite but an enjoyable short story.

6. Royal valentine ⭐️⭐️⭐️- hallmark movie vibes and I really liked it. I recommend listening to this one so you can hear the accents!

[Cammie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Cute! I wish each of the short stories in this collection were a full-length novel.

[laur gluchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren: ★★★★
Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez: ★★★★
Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne: ★★★.5
Drop, Cover, and Hold On by Jasmine Guillory: ★
With Any Luck by Ashley Poston: ★★★.5
Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson: ★★

Overall: ★★★.5

[Stefani Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this collection of short stories!! It was perfect to read right after the holiday season and really got me ready for Valentine’s Day!!

Several of my favorite authors were featured, and their stores were so fun and perfect! The characters were well developed and lovable in each story. I can’t wait to read more by these authors.

This collection of stories would be a great way to start off your reading list this year!

[Katelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

These were so cute!!! Short stories by some of my favorite rom com authors about adorable meet cutes on & around Valentine’s Day. You won’t wanna miss these!!

Thank you NetGalley for eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick Summary: "Six short rom-coms to warm your heart"

My Review: The Improbable Meet-Cute by Christina Lauren; Abby Jimenez; Sally Thorne; Jasmine Guillory; Ashley Poston; Sariah Wilson is a dream collection of shorts by some of my most beloved authors, as well as by a few authors who are new to me.

About the Book: Six writers share their take on life, love, and romance.

----------

💌 The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren

💬 An accidental email leads to a lasting friendship and more.

🍬 This one gave off You've Got Mail vibes. I loved the style this was written in. It flowed perfectly. I also appreciated that what started innocently blossomed into something truly amazing.

Rating: 5/5
----------

💌 Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez

💬 Love, loss, and a few well placed notes bring clarity, direction, and an opportunity for happiness to two people seeking change.

🍬 The unexpected gift that came by way of the confession and through the parting wisdom were symbolic and freeing.

Rating: 4.25/5

----------

💌 Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne

💬 A day at the spa turns into a super surprising and very dreamy ordeal.

🍬 This was such an amusing story. It was like an extreme version of The Dating Game. Romeo stole my heart.

Rating: 4.75/5
----------

💌 Drop, Cover, and Hold on by Jasmine Guillory

💬 How do pastries, food porn, chocolate brown skin, and earthquakes connect?

🍬 This short was deliciously naughty. The foodie in me was all in!

Rating: 4.45/5

----------

💌 With Any Luck by Ashley Poston

💬 With the wedding of her best friend in play, the best man/maid and a frenemy are on the chase, but what will they find at the end of their journey?

🍬 This was my first AP read. I found it to be humorous and saucy. It gave off My Best Friend's Wedding vibes.

Rating: 4/5

----------

💌 Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson

💬 Royalty in disguise is real. What are the chances that two strangers who meet in a highly unusual way would end up with their very own fairytale adventure?

🍬 I'm a sucker for HEAs with HRHs. This had Hallmark, Freevee, and Netflix written all over it. Insta or not, it was charming.

Rating: 4.75/5

----------

My Final Say: This improbable meet-cute experience was my happy place. Each writer brought a sweet treat, just in time for a Valentine's Day jaunt. I hope another collection is in the works.

Other: I genuinely loved this compilation. Not only did it give me a chance to hear from some of my favorite authors, but it also introduced me to some new ones. I look forward to familiarizing myself with other works from both the old and the new.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: 💗

Sincere appreciation is extended to each of the authors, to Amazon Original Stories, and to NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to review this special Valentine's Day collection. It was delightful.

[Love_booksforlife Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just look at this amazing collection of romcom writers! This collection did not disappoint.

The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren- 5 Stars- When two strangers "meet" through an mis-sent email on Valentine's Day, they spark up a pen palship for years. I loved this story. Both the characters were super cute and I was waiting for them to meet in real life...which took years but was worth the wait.

Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez- 5 Stars- John mistakingly mis-delivers his brother's Valentine's Day card to the wrong car. From there, he and the mystery car owner, Holly, start exchanging gifts and notes. Abby Jimenez has this ability to make little scenes have so much power and humor to them. I adored all of the characters in this and would read a whole book on them.

Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne- 5 stars- When Rosie takes her sister to a spa day, she didn't expect to get stuck in the sensory deprivation tank and have to be rescued by the fire department. This one started out a little slow but the second Rosie and Leo started talking I was HOOKED. I loved the dialogue in this one. It was hilarious.

Drop, Cover, and Hold On by Jasmine Guillory- 3 stars- Daisy is lucky or maybe unlucky when she gets caught at her favorite bakery during an earthquake. This one was cute and funny but lacked some development for me. I liked Daisy but didn't really understand why Harris was so hot and cold.

With Any Luck by Ashley Poston- 5 stars- Aubrey is the best man at her friend's wedding. The only problem is the Man of Honor, her one time hook up. This is my favorite in the series. I loved the whole idea of Aubrey's kissing curse and adored her with Theo.

Royally Valentine by Sariah Wilson- 3 Stars. When a royal princess switches places with one of her assistants she just wants a low key day in Rome. What she gets is meeting a handsome Scottish photographer. This one was cute but didn't really steal my heart like some of the others. It reminded me of a Disney Channel movie.

This collection was so worth the read! They are all short and quick reads to really get you in the Valentine's Day mood.

Thank you to the authors and publisher for the gifted copy. My reviews are always honest.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 🌟

Fun, cute Valetines reads! ❤️

This collection of novellas was written by some of my favorite authors and I was so excited to pick up these books. They were all fun, quick reads and a good palate cleanser if you're looking for some quick, light reads!

[Timitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren - 4.5 Stars

The Exception to the Rule was so cute, sweet and easy to read. I adored it. I loved the progression of the relationship between the main characters. It left me with a smile on my lips. I definitely recommend.


Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez - 4 Stars

Worst Wingman Ever was a bit heavier. There were still light hearted and funny moments but this one left me in a somber mood. I'm loving the way these meet cutes are being orchestrated. I recommend it.


Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne - 3.5 Stars

Rosie and the Dreamboat was enjoyable. I loved the hero, he was adorable. He was kind and gentle with the heroine through her predicament. I liked the heroine but wasn't fond of the way she saw herself. I wasn't fond of her sister either.


Drop, Cover, and Hold on by Jasmine Guillory - 3.5 Stars

I liked Drop, Cover and Hold on. It was cute, sweet and had me craving pastries.


With Any Luck by Ashley Poston - 3.5 Stars

With Any Luck was awesome. It was a sexy and cute read. I loved the hero and heroine and their journey.


Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson - 3.5 Stars

Royal Valentine was good. It had the same cute, sweet and light hearted vibes as the previous stories. It was longer and a bit slower than the others.


Copy provided by publisher through NetGalley

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this Valentines Day themed collection of Novellas!

The Exception to the Rule: 5⭐️
Worst Wingman Ever: 5⭐️
Rosie and the Dreamboat: 3⭐️
Drop Cover and Hold On: 3⭐️
With Any Luck: 5⭐️
Royal Valentine: 4⭐️

📚Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Improbable Meet-Cute Collection.

[Ayo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Counting this as 1 book even though it was 6 novellas.

Abby Jimenez - you can write better than this.

Jasmine Guillory - exactly what I expected from you (derogatory)

Sally Thorne - don’t do that again

Sarah Wilson - never read a book by her — not impressed.

Christina Lauren - surprisingly the best novella. let’s do more of this ladies.

Ashley Poston - also not impressed.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a rockstar line up of authors in this collection! All of these stories were such fun, quick reads with all of the authors’ typical charm in their minimal pages. There were little nods that tied the universe together throughout and I enjoyed trying to catch those.

The Exception to the Rule - Christina Lauren
‘You’ve Got Mail’ vibes with anonymous emails swapped between C and T every Valentine’s Day for ten years before they unknowingly meet in a hilarious moment. The email relationship develops in a surprisingly deep way for only communicating one day each year, and their IRL moments were so sweet. All of CLo’s humor and heart was here. This felt like a complete story.

Worst Wingman Ever - Abby Jimenez
Unsurprisingly, Abby made me both laugh and cry with this one. Holly is a hospice nurse and John unknowingly provides a light on some of her darkest days. There’s a cute puppy, touching family moments, and beautiful interactions between John and Holly. This one also felt complete.

Rosie and the Dreamboat - Sally Thorne
This was probably the most humorous of the collection, but also incredibly sweet. Rosie has really terrible luck but a great spirit and persistence to brave difficult times. Leo has to come to her rescue in one bad luck moment and his charm absolutely jumps off the page. Also my 90s child heart loved that his name was Leo and his coworkers had nicknamed him Romeo. I would actually love if this one got expanded/continued with a full-length.

Drop, Cover, and Hold On - Jasmine Guillory
A handsome, grumpy, misunderstood baker thrown into a forced proximity situation with the customer who thinks he hates her when he’s actually been pining for all along? Sign me up. Daisy visits the same bakery three times per week, but she vows she won’t return after one too many glares from the grumpy owner, Harris. An earthquake traps the two of them together and the truth comes out. Daisy was hilarious trying to make sense of Harris and his mood swings, and her alternate rundown of how he should have approached the situation was great.

With Any Luck - Ashley Poston
Ashley delivered a little Hangover-vibes story if The Hangover was a rom-com and it was a delight. Aubrey Luck has luck in everything but love, where she’s always the girl before ‘The One’ for anyone she kisses. Theo Love is the “Best Maid” to her “Man of Honor” in their best friends’ wedding and the two of them have to track down the missing groom on the big day. Aubrey and Theo have a *history* from a previous event—their chemistry is undeniable. (Also loved the tiny Iwan from The Seven Year Slip mention dropped in here 🥹)

Royal Valentine - Sariah Wilson
This one gave me Lizzie McGuire movie vibes with its mistaken identity/famous person hiding in plain sight in Italy setting. Princess Ilaria sends her assistant posing as her back to her home country so she can experience two days of anonymous freedom exploring Italy. An incident finds her in the care of the handsome Callum who spends the day playing tourist with her. There was an expected twist to the whole set up and it was a delight to be surprised.

This collection of stories was such a great way to kick off my 2024 reading year. Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Katlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren - I might have liked this one more if I read it physically instead of listening to the audiobook. The back and forth emails were annoying to listen to, as each individual email was preceded by a screen name. It made it flow very poorly and the first quarter of the story was not compelling in the slightest. It picked up when we started seeing from the perspectives of the characters though and was pretty fun from that point on! There were some pretty hilarious scenes and the chemistry really worked. It made me want to read more Christina Lauren books, actually. They tend to be mindless fun, which fits this story perfectly. 3.5/5

Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez - I stayed up late to finish this story and was disappointed when it ended somewhat abruptly, as I wanted more. I think it would have worked as a full length novel or at least a novella! Everything I’ve ever written by Abby Jimenez has been heartfelt and thoroughly enjoyable, so it’s no surprise I enjoyed this story. It had more emotion than I expected for a short story and I grew more attached to both protagonists, as well as Holly’s Grandmother, than I expected. I’m smiling while writing my review because the story made me happy. 4.25/5

Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne - The last couple stories had crazy coincidences that seemed unrealistic, but somehow this one still feels the most fantastical in just how cheesy it managed to be. I still enjoyed it though, as I have a thing for witty banter between love interests. I liked the back and forth while Leo was trying to keep Rosie calm. However, I couldn’t quite believe that proper character development could be accomplished within a few hours, even if it involves a traumatic experience. I think the other stories involving some time passing really helped me find the romance and changes more believable. Also, a hot firefighter isn’t a good excuse to abandon your sister while she’s trapped. 3.25/5

Drop, Cover, and Hold On by Jasmine Guillory - I liked the beginning of this story, but the ending seemed rather abrupt. It was kind of funny that Daisy, the protagonist, thought that the bakery owner hated her because he was grumpy and kept giving her extra pastries. The reason was obvious from the get-go, but she took a while to catch on. He seemed sweet, despite being grumpy, and I liked the description of all of the yummy pastries. Who doesn’t love the idea of a handsome man who can bake? However, it kind of lost me once they got together because everything seemed to move rather quickly. Suddenly, they jumped into bed together which seems rather strange considering how recently they’d been through a serious earthquake and reconciled their feelings for each other. I’m not slut shaming, but it seemed a bit too quick given the circumstances. Perhaps things could have been developed a bit more? 2.75/5

With Any Luck by Ashley Poston - I have to admit that the protagonist wasn’t exactly my favourite person. I mean, she got so wasted that she ducked out on a bar tab and completely blanked to the events of the previous night. I know bachelor parties can be kind of crazy, but I feel like as the Best Man, it was kind of her job to keep things together. Regardless, this was a fun story. I enjoyed seeing her memories slowly come back as she retraced her steps from the previous night. The dynamic between her and the maid of honour was kind of antagonistic, but sweet once they realized they were in the exact same position of losing their best friends. I must admit though, once her memory fully returned, everything was kind of abrupt, which seems to be a common theme in this collection. 3/5

Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson - This one took a while to pull me in, but I think it may have been partially due to the narration. The accents were strange. I’m not sure if they were poorly done or if I was just unfamiliar with them, but I found them off putting. The chemistry wasn’t really there for me either. It started to grow on me around the time of the “twist” of their true identities and I enjoyed the last half, but I still think it was one of the weaker stories in the collection. I’m a little disappointed, as I should have loved the setting and the royalty theme is one I tend to enjoy. 2.75/5

Overall, I enjoyed this collection. Some of the stories were stronger than others, as with all anthologies including stories by various authors. I wish they had put them in a different order though. I’ve looked at other reviews and it’s clear they put the two best stories at the start of the collection, which is a little bit of a let down when reading the rest of the stories. I suspect they did it in that order because of the popularity of authors, but it seems strange to end on a weaker story given that it’s the final impression of the collection.

I tend to prefer a bit more romantic tension in my romances and like it when things develop slower, which is perhaps why I found a few of these stories somewhat rushed, but I was pretty impressed overall given how short each story was. I liked that one story, With Any Luck, referenced the next story to come and wished that had been used more, but perhaps it was and I missed it. I read this for Abby Jiminez’s story though and it was the best of the bunch, so I was in no way disappointed. Average rating: 3.25/5 January 3 2026

[Sarah (sarahs_shelves_sc) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This absolutely fabulous collection of short stories immediately caught my eye when I saw the authors listed. Christina Lauren? Abby Jimenez? Ashley Poston! It was a must read.

The six authors each provide one short story varying in length from around 40 pages to around 100, all centered around a love story.

Christina Lauren’s short story is told partially in epistolary format, using emails for a big section of the story. I love the format and thought it was so fun to read one from them this way!

Abby Jimenez brings the feels in her short story, touching on grief and on choosing our own happiness. It has her usual heart and humor and I could have easily read a full length book of this one!

Sally Thorne’s contribution brings humor and such a funny meet cute, with a touch of mental health representation dealing with a past trauma.

Jasmine Guillery writes a quick one set during an earthquake, bringing real sparks and chemistry in right around 30 pages.

Ashley Poston’s short story touches on those feelings when your best friend is about to married and someone else is going to take your role as their person. It is sweet with some zingy chemistry and her trademark beautiful writing,

Sariah Wilson rounds out the pack with a cute story about a princess who just wants to spend a day in anonymity and what happens during that day.

If you are a fan of these authors, this collection is a must! Quick reads that bring all of their usual heart, humor, and chemistry, these short stories brought a smile to my face.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Annemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Christina Lauren, Abby Jimenez, Sally Thorne, Jasmine Guillory, Ashley Poston, and Sariah Wilson, for access to this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I adored The Improbable Meet-Cute collection! With stories told by Christina Lauren, Abby Jimenez, Sally Thorne, Jasmine Guillory, Ashley Poston, and Sariah Wilson, this anthology is the perfect blend of romance and wit.

The inclusion of stories from two of my favorite rom-com authors, Christina Lauren and Abby Jimenez, was the cherry on top!! Their signature styles shone through, delivering heartwarming and humorous narratives that left me laughing out loud at times.

What made this collection even more special was the introduction to a new-to-me author, Sariah Wilson. Her story captivated me, prompting me to immediately request one of her earlier books from my local library. Since then, I've found myself enchanted by her storytelling.

The Improbable Meet-Cute collection is a must-read for anyone seeking a perfect blend of love, laughter, and happily-ever-afters, expertly crafted by a lineup of brilliant authors. Five stars without a doubt!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Improbable Meet Cute is a collection of six short stories by some of the best current romance authors. Christina Lauren, Abby Jimenez, and Ashley Poston are three of my favorite authors, so I was thrilled to see them included in this collection.

Each story was unique and delightful to read. This collection was perfect for February, as the rom-com fit the Valentine’s vibe. It was a busy month, so it was great that each story was short enough to be read in a single sitting.

While I had some standout favorites (The Exception to the Rule and Worst Wingman Ever), I enjoyed all six stories. I've heard of all of the authors but hadn't yet read anything by three of them, so this was a great way to sample their work. The whole collection would be great for someone who wants to dip their toes into the romance genre or a new author without committing to a full-length novel.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ultimate Valentine's Day read!

If you want to smile and just be overwhelmed with cuteness and all the good feelings…this is definitely the one for you!
I absolutely devoured these shorts. It was such a pleasure to be able to read new stories from some of my favorite authors and discover the writing of authors that I hadn't read before.

I cannot recommend this collection enough to all my fellow hopeless romantics. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I loved every single one of these short stories.

My only complaint is that some of them just left me craving more 😭

Featured authors in the collection:
•Christina Lauren
•Abby Jimenez
•Sally Thorne
•Jasmine Guillory
•Ashley Poston
•Sariah Wilson


**Thank you to Netgalley for providing ARC in exchange for an honest review **

[Caitlin (CMAReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Amazon Original Stories for the eARC.
This was such a fun collection, and it is perfect for Valentine's Day. Each author created such an interesting, engaging, and satisfying short story all focused on romance with so many different tropes.
The Exception to the Rule - How much fun! I love epistolary story telling and to accomplish a well rounded story in a short story, is so well done. I love CLo's stories and this might be a favorite.
Worst Wingman Ever - Told in Jimenez's style of romance with depth, this pulled on my heartstrings in many different ways. I was invested in the personal and the secret notes being passed back and forth.
Rosie and the Dreamboat - I had so much fun reading this one. There was lots of humor and banter, and I loved how Thorne tied this one up.
Drop, Cover, and Hold - This was my introduction to Guillory's writing and I am now wanting more. The food descriptions, communication, and chemistry was excellent.
With Any Luck - Reminded me a bit of the Hangover, so it was a lot of fun. It has a smidge of Poston's expected magical realism, which I really liked. Super fun and satisfying ending.
Royal Valentine - I love a good royals story and need more in my life after reading this one. The setting was amazing, the depth was excellent, and I loved how complete this story felt.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of novellas is a lighthearted, feel good gift for readers who love a sweet happy ever after. The stories all have a Valentine’s Day theme and are stand alone reads with the very thinnest of threads connecting them. While responding to the same prompt, the voice of each author clearly comes through.

The collection can be found exclusively through Amazon on January 23, 2024. It will be free for Prime members and on Kindle Unlimited or can be purchased as individual stories or as a collection. It will only be available in digital and audio formats. Each story is charming on its own, but the real charm comes from reading - and appreciating - the different ways love can find us when we least expect it.

Thanks to NetGalley, Amazon, and the authors for the digital ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

[Addie Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spread these stories out over a long week of snow days and they were the perfect little bites of goodness that I needed each day. The combination of authors and stories is just an all star line up and I was here for every single page. This is exactly what we want to get through the big breaks between books from our favorite authors. I loved the Valentine theme threaded through the story and would read each and every book again.

[Melenareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic collection of short stories with sweet, fun, and sometimes funny meet cutes. I did like some more than others, but each was enjoyable. They all did a nice job writing a full story with an HEA even with the short story length.

My three favorites were the stories from Christina Lauren, Abby Jimenez, and Sally Thorne. I loved the set ups for each of their characters' meet cutes and I didn't want to put them down once I had started reading.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ich liebe Kennlerngeschichten. Ich liebe es, wie sich Spannung zwischen den MCs aufbaut und ich liebe es, wenn es knistert und funkt. Das habe ich mir von diesem Buch 6x versprochen. tja. Bis auf die Geschichte von Abby Jimenez hat mich ehrlich gesagt keine Geschichte angesprochen. Selbst Abbys Geschichte hat mich nicht mitgerissen.

Das Konzept ist süß und irgendwie deshalb auch so sneakable, aber leider nicht sonderlich empfehlenswert.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 Sterne! 🌟 Hab die Kurzgeschichten-Sammlung geliebt. Perfekt um kurzzeitig aus dem Alltag zu entkommen und so, dass man eine Geschichte auch nicht unterbrechen muss sondern es bis zum Happy End schafft! Perfekt für zwischendurch und um neue Autorinnen kennenzulernen. Manche Geschichten waren zwar mehr nach meinem Geschmack als andere aber ich denke, in der Sammlung ist für jeden Liebesroman-Fan etwas dabei.