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We Shall Rise: LGBTQIA2+ Rights
Book Overview (Placeholder)
The ability to overcome adversity is called resilience, which is the capacity to adapt to and recover from challenging life experiences. Each character in these pro-reproductive and LGBTQIA2S+ rights charity volumes will face such a decision and ultimately RISE.
More than 100 authors and book service providers have gathered together to bring you a spicy romance anthology with purpose. ALL proceeds will be split between reproductive and LGTBQIA2S+ charities. No one involved with the project is being compensated.
1. We Shall Rise, Reproductive Rights Anthology
2. We Shall Rise, LGBTQIAS+ Rights Anthology
The ability to overcome adversity is called resilience, which is the capacity to adapt to and recover from challenging life experiences. Each character in these pro-reproductive and LGBTQIA2S+ rights charity volumes will face such a decision and ultimately RISE.
More than 100 authors and book service providers have gathered together to bring you a spicy romance anthology with purpose. ALL proceeds will be split between reproductive and LGTBQIA2S+ charities. No one involved with the project is being compensated.
1. We Shall Rise, Reproductive Rights Anthology
2. We Shall Rise, LGBTQIAS+ Rights Anthology
- GenresAnthologiesM M Romance
1626 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2025
53 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
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May 20, 2025Finding Reality by Joelle Lynne
I LOVED Nelly! What a strong woman she is. All she wants is to be loved and accepted. Theme? Even with those who can seem supportive and accepting, aren't always. Not fully. Nelly deserves love and to be loved wholly and unconditionally. And she found him! Thank you Joelle for writing outside your box and writing about a lovely transwoman.
Statement Made - Bree Wiley
RTC
The Trust - Rae Stone
RTC
Never Forget Me - V. Wynter
RTC
I LOVED Nelly! What a strong woman she is. All she wants is to be loved and accepted. Theme? Even with those who can seem supportive and accepting, aren't always. Not fully. Nelly deserves love and to be loved wholly and unconditionally. And she found him! Thank you Joelle for writing outside your box and writing about a lovely transwoman.
Statement Made - Bree Wiley
RTC
The Trust - Rae Stone
RTC
Never Forget Me - V. Wynter
RTC
May 22, 2025
5⭐️ Statement Made by Bree Wiley
this story is fire, like literal singe your kindle hot!! Bree Wiley brings her signature depth to the dynamics that at first are developing between three people but becomes very very clear are about Devon and Christian.
Holy dirt bikes these two have mountains of chemistry. Devon isn’t a character I honestly was fond of before this book but somehow the glimpses we get have softened me towards him and Christian is so cocky but also sweet I love it.
Cannot wait for the rest of their story I need it.
4 ⭐️Otto and Noah by C S Autumn
oh this one was a short one packing in all sorts of goodness. There is palpable grief, hopelessness and fear, a lifeline, chemistry, heat, sweetness, caretaking and hurt comfort- not to mention the kink. The story is well developed for the length it tackles
I would love to read more of Otto and Noah and Sammy and Fi. Can’t wait to see what the author brings next
this story is fire, like literal singe your kindle hot!! Bree Wiley brings her signature depth to the dynamics that at first are developing between three people but becomes very very clear are about Devon and Christian.
Holy dirt bikes these two have mountains of chemistry. Devon isn’t a character I honestly was fond of before this book but somehow the glimpses we get have softened me towards him and Christian is so cocky but also sweet I love it.
Cannot wait for the rest of their story I need it.
4 ⭐️Otto and Noah by C S Autumn
oh this one was a short one packing in all sorts of goodness. There is palpable grief, hopelessness and fear, a lifeline, chemistry, heat, sweetness, caretaking and hurt comfort- not to mention the kink. The story is well developed for the length it tackles
I would love to read more of Otto and Noah and Sammy and Fi. Can’t wait to see what the author brings next
July 6, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ overall. Another fun buddy-read antho. This antho had a wide array of pairings which made me read stories I wouldn’t normally and I really enjoyed that for the most part. With all anthos there were some that were awesome and some that were not unfortunately but overall I would recommend this one for the stories I loved!
Perfectly Tempting by Alexa L Stephen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow. This is the first I’ve read by this author and it was awesome. It is the start of a new full-length novel coming out in October 2025 so no resolution to their story but totally had me interested that I now need to read the rest of their story! I felt a little bit confused at times knowing I was missing some context from other books but honestly it wasn’t too bad and I was mostly able to ignore it. I highly recommend this story and October can’t come soon enough!
Alpha’s Conquest by Elizabeth Dunlap
⭐️⭐️.5
I’m not quite sure how I feel about this story. This is the start of a full-length novel the author is writing. I feel like if we got the full story in this short and the cheating aspect wasn’t there I would have been all over it. As it was I really enjoyed the story until getting to the end and realizing that there was no sex scene in this short so we didn’t get to fully see their dynamic yet (most of the short the two MCs weren’t around each other) and felt it did a bit of a disservice because I didn’t get attached to the couple and it’s unlikely I will read this story when it comes out. If you’re interested in kind of a fated mates situation with lots of drama surrounding cheating it’s worth a try!
A Race or Two of Ginger by Kelrai Sara Martin
DNF
Trade Up by Kate Bauer
⭐️⭐️
So I was into this one in the beginning but the more and more I read the less and less I enjoyed. I know it’s a short so there’s not a lot of time on page but many things were skipped that I felt were important. And somethings just didn’t make sense (having sex instead of telling the other MC his daughter got kicked out of daycare and has a high fever)! And the ending didn’t feel resolved. If you are a fan of the author it’s worth a try in case you’ll enjoy.
Before It Was Us by Jac Franklin
⭐️
I was hesitant going into this one knowing it was an MMM set 20 years before the MMMF these guys are MCs in. Initially I really enjoyed the story. I was super into and liked seeing how two of the MMCs came together (pun intended 🤣). But then we get the third MMC and they are all chummy and I’m thinking ya let’s see them get together. But no. We have the one couple and their friend and then 20 years later they are now in the hospital with the woman they all love and are now a happy polyamorous family and talking about all these things we should have known from reading the book they’re in. Didn’t make any sense to me to have this together. The prequel was cool and a way to get introduced to the characters but was completely ruined with the last few chapters. Oh well. On to the next!
Petrifying Love by Chelsey J Leon
DNF
The Frat House by Domina Easton
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I was so excited to finally enjoy another story in this antho. I was worried that I’d never find another one I liked!! This is an all-male RH with frat guys. What more can you ask for? It’s a completed story but I wish we had more time with them. Would have loved to see the relationships develop more and some things were missing but honestly over all it was a super fun story with some hot scenes and an awesome trans-male MC! Definitely recommend!
Flawed by Courtney W Dixon
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
So the concept of this story was great and I was really intrigued by it. Unfortunately I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing so it wasn’t my fav but still kept me reading and interested until the end. Overall I would recommend if you’re a fan of this author’s writing!
Blood is Thinner than Water by RE Johnson
⭐️.5
I don’t even know what to say about this story. It was really not good. The writing, the concept, just everything was very off for this one. It does get an extra half star because I was actually invested in how bad it was so I had to finish it! I probably wouldn’t recommend this one unless you’re a fan of FF and want a short story to read!
Her Fire by CJ Willis
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So I am not usually a fan of FF but this one was amazing!! I highly recommend this short! This was a darker story with a morally grey FMC. I think that is one of the things I loved the most. Was amazing to see a bad-ass female mafia assassin who wasn’t some super hero with super human strength etc. It’s hard to describe but just the whole thing was awesome. Even the other FMC was awesome. If you like strong female characters this is a must-read! I would have loved more of their story but overall it was amazing.
Otto and Noah by CS Autumn
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the first thing I’ve read by this author but it absolutely won’t be my last. I absolutely loved this short. It ends on a wonderful HFN but sounds like we might get more of them which I would absolutely read! This was a really emotional nanny/boss short and the author did a great job with the limited word count. I definitely recommend this short and am really looking forward to reading more by this author!
The Trust by Rae Stone
DNF
Denial Ain’t Just a River by Rachel Belrose
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I really enjoyed this short story! It’s a why-choose FFM romance. I’m not usually a huge fan of FF but this one was really well done and I enjoyed the story as well. And I’m also a sucker for a story where there’s one MC with multiple lovers (this is a love V not triangle)! Even though I wish there had been a bit more to the end, it was still great and I definitely recommend this short.
Hands Like Ours by River Hale
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m a huge fan of professor/student relationships so this one wasn’t hard to get into at all! I loved their dynamic and the little bit of mystery that was in this short. I’d definitely read more by this author and recommend this story.
Acts of Resistance by Rebecca Rathe
⭐️⭐️⭐️
So I really wanted to love this one as the writing was great and the message was fantastic but it was a smidge too political for me. I read to escape and found I had a bit of a hard time doing that with this story but overall it was a wonderful short and I would recommend.
Statement Made by Bree Wiley
DNF
Never Forget Me by V Wynters
DNF
Finding Reality by Joelle Lynne
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I am always on the lookout for more books with trans female MCs so I was super excited to start this short. It was a wonderful story and I loved how it turned out for her. It is a single POV story and I found it worked well in this case. I definitely recommend!
Sixteen or Ninety-One by BL Maxwell
⭐️⭐️
Well I was really disappointed to find out that this story was in this antho as it appeared in another antho back in February (Candy Hearts: Volume 2). Really expected anthos to have unique stories that haven’t been released elsewhere. Here is my review from the first time I read this:
That was not great. This is the first time I’ve read this author and don’t think I will again. It could be just me but I wasn’t a big fan of the writing. If you enjoy this author then I recommend as I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Also felt like it was reverse wrong number and not really wrong number but not a huge deal.
Perfectly Tempting by Alexa L Stephen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow. This is the first I’ve read by this author and it was awesome. It is the start of a new full-length novel coming out in October 2025 so no resolution to their story but totally had me interested that I now need to read the rest of their story! I felt a little bit confused at times knowing I was missing some context from other books but honestly it wasn’t too bad and I was mostly able to ignore it. I highly recommend this story and October can’t come soon enough!
Alpha’s Conquest by Elizabeth Dunlap
⭐️⭐️.5
I’m not quite sure how I feel about this story. This is the start of a full-length novel the author is writing. I feel like if we got the full story in this short and the cheating aspect wasn’t there I would have been all over it. As it was I really enjoyed the story until getting to the end and realizing that there was no sex scene in this short so we didn’t get to fully see their dynamic yet (most of the short the two MCs weren’t around each other) and felt it did a bit of a disservice because I didn’t get attached to the couple and it’s unlikely I will read this story when it comes out. If you’re interested in kind of a fated mates situation with lots of drama surrounding cheating it’s worth a try!
A Race or Two of Ginger by Kelrai Sara Martin
DNF
Trade Up by Kate Bauer
⭐️⭐️
So I was into this one in the beginning but the more and more I read the less and less I enjoyed. I know it’s a short so there’s not a lot of time on page but many things were skipped that I felt were important. And somethings just didn’t make sense (having sex instead of telling the other MC his daughter got kicked out of daycare and has a high fever)! And the ending didn’t feel resolved. If you are a fan of the author it’s worth a try in case you’ll enjoy.
Before It Was Us by Jac Franklin
⭐️
I was hesitant going into this one knowing it was an MMM set 20 years before the MMMF these guys are MCs in. Initially I really enjoyed the story. I was super into and liked seeing how two of the MMCs came together (pun intended 🤣). But then we get the third MMC and they are all chummy and I’m thinking ya let’s see them get together. But no. We have the one couple and their friend and then 20 years later they are now in the hospital with the woman they all love and are now a happy polyamorous family and talking about all these things we should have known from reading the book they’re in. Didn’t make any sense to me to have this together. The prequel was cool and a way to get introduced to the characters but was completely ruined with the last few chapters. Oh well. On to the next!
Petrifying Love by Chelsey J Leon
DNF
The Frat House by Domina Easton
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I was so excited to finally enjoy another story in this antho. I was worried that I’d never find another one I liked!! This is an all-male RH with frat guys. What more can you ask for? It’s a completed story but I wish we had more time with them. Would have loved to see the relationships develop more and some things were missing but honestly over all it was a super fun story with some hot scenes and an awesome trans-male MC! Definitely recommend!
Flawed by Courtney W Dixon
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
So the concept of this story was great and I was really intrigued by it. Unfortunately I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing so it wasn’t my fav but still kept me reading and interested until the end. Overall I would recommend if you’re a fan of this author’s writing!
Blood is Thinner than Water by RE Johnson
⭐️.5
I don’t even know what to say about this story. It was really not good. The writing, the concept, just everything was very off for this one. It does get an extra half star because I was actually invested in how bad it was so I had to finish it! I probably wouldn’t recommend this one unless you’re a fan of FF and want a short story to read!
Her Fire by CJ Willis
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So I am not usually a fan of FF but this one was amazing!! I highly recommend this short! This was a darker story with a morally grey FMC. I think that is one of the things I loved the most. Was amazing to see a bad-ass female mafia assassin who wasn’t some super hero with super human strength etc. It’s hard to describe but just the whole thing was awesome. Even the other FMC was awesome. If you like strong female characters this is a must-read! I would have loved more of their story but overall it was amazing.
Otto and Noah by CS Autumn
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the first thing I’ve read by this author but it absolutely won’t be my last. I absolutely loved this short. It ends on a wonderful HFN but sounds like we might get more of them which I would absolutely read! This was a really emotional nanny/boss short and the author did a great job with the limited word count. I definitely recommend this short and am really looking forward to reading more by this author!
The Trust by Rae Stone
DNF
Denial Ain’t Just a River by Rachel Belrose
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I really enjoyed this short story! It’s a why-choose FFM romance. I’m not usually a huge fan of FF but this one was really well done and I enjoyed the story as well. And I’m also a sucker for a story where there’s one MC with multiple lovers (this is a love V not triangle)! Even though I wish there had been a bit more to the end, it was still great and I definitely recommend this short.
Hands Like Ours by River Hale
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m a huge fan of professor/student relationships so this one wasn’t hard to get into at all! I loved their dynamic and the little bit of mystery that was in this short. I’d definitely read more by this author and recommend this story.
Acts of Resistance by Rebecca Rathe
⭐️⭐️⭐️
So I really wanted to love this one as the writing was great and the message was fantastic but it was a smidge too political for me. I read to escape and found I had a bit of a hard time doing that with this story but overall it was a wonderful short and I would recommend.
Statement Made by Bree Wiley
DNF
Never Forget Me by V Wynters
DNF
Finding Reality by Joelle Lynne
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I am always on the lookout for more books with trans female MCs so I was super excited to start this short. It was a wonderful story and I loved how it turned out for her. It is a single POV story and I found it worked well in this case. I definitely recommend!
Sixteen or Ninety-One by BL Maxwell
⭐️⭐️
Well I was really disappointed to find out that this story was in this antho as it appeared in another antho back in February (Candy Hearts: Volume 2). Really expected anthos to have unique stories that haven’t been released elsewhere. Here is my review from the first time I read this:
That was not great. This is the first time I’ve read this author and don’t think I will again. It could be just me but I wasn’t a big fan of the writing. If you enjoy this author then I recommend as I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Also felt like it was reverse wrong number and not really wrong number but not a huge deal.
June 3, 2025
Perfectly Tempting by Alexa L. Stephen
I can see where the author was trying to lead this but it just didn't work for me. It felt like too much was going on and not much got resolved or discussed. I understand that it's to entice readers to read the full story but it didn't work as a short story in my opinion.
Alpha's Conquest by Elizabeth Dunlap
This story gives a glimpse into Elizabeth's upcoming book about Adam and Casey. Casey is in a happy relationship with Marshall, but when Casey goes with Marshall to meet his family things take an unexpected turn.
A Race or Two of Ginger by Kelrai Sara Martin
I really liked Ophelia and Perdita's story! The way this was written makes me want to go ahead and read the full version once it's out. Even though this is a short story, it still had a plot and great characters, and it can be read as a standard. Aside from the cliffhanger at the end, I think it's successful being read on its own. I didn't feel like I was missing anything, and I really appreciated the neurodivergent representation.
Trade Up by Kate Bauer
Cas and Fred's story made my heart hurt and feel all warm and fuzzy at the same time. What started off as a sad situation ended up becoming a beautiful one that neither men expected.
Before It Was Us by Jac Franklin
This story was so adorable and was such an immaculate display of a healthy polyamorous relationship. They prioritized communication and making sure to make every partner feel loved and special and that their needs were met in whichever way they needed them. I do wish that we got to see how James, Eddie, Fitz, and Chrissy got together. We got the backstory on how the three men met, but we didn't get a backstory on how they met Chrissy, or how they came to all be in a relationship together. Other then that though a really great story!
Petrifying Love by Chelsey J. León
Oh my gosh, I loved Gray and Piper! The writing of this was so unique and so vivid with the details. I haven't read very many books about Gorgons but this one is the most detailed one, hands down. I enjoyed getting the backstory of how Piper became the woman she is today, and how her and Gray met. Reading about her growth and determination throughout the story was excellent!
The Frat House by Domina Easton
This is a steamy story centered around joining a frat and trying to change the archaic rules from the inside out. Along the way though Jaxon has some fun with his future frat brothers.
Flawed by Courtney W. Dixon
Rory and Colt's story was a good way to showcase how people can change if they truly want to and if they try. Colt comes from a conservative small town and a conservative family, growing up all he was ever taught was that gay men were despicable. But after being Rory's roommate and watching him flourish with becoming his true self, he realizes that his family was wrong. People within the LGBTQIA+ community aren't bad or evil, they are human beings trying to live their lives authentically. And I love that that message is in this book!
Blood is Thinner than Water by RE Johnson
FF, dystopian romance, with a human/demon pairing. Morgan and Lilith make quite the crime fighting pair, I liked that they worked together to try to get to a common goal.
Her Fire by CJ Willis
FF romance about two women who stand up for themselves and others in their own unique ways. High steam.
Otto and Noah by CD Autumn
Can I just say "aw?" Noah and Otto's story is full of resiliency, determination, learning how to live with loss, and love. I think this one might be my favorite so far, it was poignant and beautiful. Their relationship didn't progress too fast and after they got their bearings they had open communication, which I really appreciated and enjoyed. And Sammy and Fi are so stinkin' cute, it's amazing how quickly they became friends.
The Trust by Rae Stone
This is an MM rockstar romance where the bodyguard became the rockstar's best friend, and then they became more. I thought this was a good story, although I wish that we got to see how these two went from being friends for seven years to them being in a romantic relationship.
Denial ain't just a river by Rachel Belrose
Charlie, Piper, and Bennett's story is a unique one. Charlie and Piper are best friends and while they are attracted to each other they've never acted on it. Until Bennett shows up in their lives and everything changes. I enjoyed all the details that described what they were doing as far as fixing up the house. It was nice to have that being built up so well and not be an afterthought. It was the main feature of the story which I liked. I also appreciated how important communication was for these three, the three of them are in a relationship together but they had to talk about what that looked like for them, and I liked how that was an important part of them becoming a unit. And the ending was so sweet! I love how Charlie has such a big family who shows up for her to help, even when she doesn't ask for it, it's beautiful that they just showed up for her no matter what.
Hands Like Ours by River Hale
MM, Student/Professor romance, with twists and secrets get uncovered.
Act of Resistance by Rebecca Rathe
Orlando and Antoni's story was a beautiful demonstration on what's going on in the world right now and how to stand up and fight back. I liked that there was real information and real statistics on such an important topic in this story, I like when real life merged with fiction. And that's exactly what happened here.
Statement Made by Bree Wiley
An MFM romance story featuring bike stunts, and lots of steamy scenes.
Never Forget Me by V. Wynters
Veera and Willow's story I thought was a great spin off. It has enough going on for it to stand on its own, yet it left you wanting to know more, which I thought was great!
Finding Reality by Joelle Lynn
Nelly's story is so cute! It was amazing watching her character grow and flourish, she got knocked down a few times but she got back up again. And David is just a sweetheart, the two compliment each other very well.
Sixteen or Ninety One by BL Maxwell
This is a speed dating MM romance story about a chef looking for his future partner, and a man who works in the Capitol looking for his person.
I can see where the author was trying to lead this but it just didn't work for me. It felt like too much was going on and not much got resolved or discussed. I understand that it's to entice readers to read the full story but it didn't work as a short story in my opinion.
Alpha's Conquest by Elizabeth Dunlap
This story gives a glimpse into Elizabeth's upcoming book about Adam and Casey. Casey is in a happy relationship with Marshall, but when Casey goes with Marshall to meet his family things take an unexpected turn.
A Race or Two of Ginger by Kelrai Sara Martin
I really liked Ophelia and Perdita's story! The way this was written makes me want to go ahead and read the full version once it's out. Even though this is a short story, it still had a plot and great characters, and it can be read as a standard. Aside from the cliffhanger at the end, I think it's successful being read on its own. I didn't feel like I was missing anything, and I really appreciated the neurodivergent representation.
Trade Up by Kate Bauer
Cas and Fred's story made my heart hurt and feel all warm and fuzzy at the same time. What started off as a sad situation ended up becoming a beautiful one that neither men expected.
Before It Was Us by Jac Franklin
This story was so adorable and was such an immaculate display of a healthy polyamorous relationship. They prioritized communication and making sure to make every partner feel loved and special and that their needs were met in whichever way they needed them. I do wish that we got to see how James, Eddie, Fitz, and Chrissy got together. We got the backstory on how the three men met, but we didn't get a backstory on how they met Chrissy, or how they came to all be in a relationship together. Other then that though a really great story!
Petrifying Love by Chelsey J. León
Oh my gosh, I loved Gray and Piper! The writing of this was so unique and so vivid with the details. I haven't read very many books about Gorgons but this one is the most detailed one, hands down. I enjoyed getting the backstory of how Piper became the woman she is today, and how her and Gray met. Reading about her growth and determination throughout the story was excellent!
The Frat House by Domina Easton
This is a steamy story centered around joining a frat and trying to change the archaic rules from the inside out. Along the way though Jaxon has some fun with his future frat brothers.
Flawed by Courtney W. Dixon
Rory and Colt's story was a good way to showcase how people can change if they truly want to and if they try. Colt comes from a conservative small town and a conservative family, growing up all he was ever taught was that gay men were despicable. But after being Rory's roommate and watching him flourish with becoming his true self, he realizes that his family was wrong. People within the LGBTQIA+ community aren't bad or evil, they are human beings trying to live their lives authentically. And I love that that message is in this book!
Blood is Thinner than Water by RE Johnson
FF, dystopian romance, with a human/demon pairing. Morgan and Lilith make quite the crime fighting pair, I liked that they worked together to try to get to a common goal.
Her Fire by CJ Willis
FF romance about two women who stand up for themselves and others in their own unique ways. High steam.
Otto and Noah by CD Autumn
Can I just say "aw?" Noah and Otto's story is full of resiliency, determination, learning how to live with loss, and love. I think this one might be my favorite so far, it was poignant and beautiful. Their relationship didn't progress too fast and after they got their bearings they had open communication, which I really appreciated and enjoyed. And Sammy and Fi are so stinkin' cute, it's amazing how quickly they became friends.
The Trust by Rae Stone
This is an MM rockstar romance where the bodyguard became the rockstar's best friend, and then they became more. I thought this was a good story, although I wish that we got to see how these two went from being friends for seven years to them being in a romantic relationship.
Denial ain't just a river by Rachel Belrose
Charlie, Piper, and Bennett's story is a unique one. Charlie and Piper are best friends and while they are attracted to each other they've never acted on it. Until Bennett shows up in their lives and everything changes. I enjoyed all the details that described what they were doing as far as fixing up the house. It was nice to have that being built up so well and not be an afterthought. It was the main feature of the story which I liked. I also appreciated how important communication was for these three, the three of them are in a relationship together but they had to talk about what that looked like for them, and I liked how that was an important part of them becoming a unit. And the ending was so sweet! I love how Charlie has such a big family who shows up for her to help, even when she doesn't ask for it, it's beautiful that they just showed up for her no matter what.
Hands Like Ours by River Hale
MM, Student/Professor romance, with twists and secrets get uncovered.
Act of Resistance by Rebecca Rathe
Orlando and Antoni's story was a beautiful demonstration on what's going on in the world right now and how to stand up and fight back. I liked that there was real information and real statistics on such an important topic in this story, I like when real life merged with fiction. And that's exactly what happened here.
Statement Made by Bree Wiley
An MFM romance story featuring bike stunts, and lots of steamy scenes.
Never Forget Me by V. Wynters
Veera and Willow's story I thought was a great spin off. It has enough going on for it to stand on its own, yet it left you wanting to know more, which I thought was great!
Finding Reality by Joelle Lynn
Nelly's story is so cute! It was amazing watching her character grow and flourish, she got knocked down a few times but she got back up again. And David is just a sweetheart, the two compliment each other very well.
Sixteen or Ninety One by BL Maxwell
This is a speed dating MM romance story about a chef looking for his future partner, and a man who works in the Capitol looking for his person.
May 27, 2025
Overall 4.5/5 ⭐️
Flawed by Courtney W. Dixon
This was really cute. For such a short story, there were still some emotion filled scenes. Especially the break down Rory had after he was attacked, my heart broke for him. Colt was a walking green flag and it was nice to see him finally understand his sexuality after years of feeling lonely. They made such a sweet couple, experiencing things for the first time together.
Otto and Noah by C.S Autumn
Noah and Sammy’s tragic loss of their parents was heartbreaking. Even I was emotional when Noah broke down on the floor at Otto’s house. I loved how playful and sunny he was even though he was internally suffering. Otto comes off as stern and grumpy but once he warms up to Noah you can see just how sweet and caring he is. He was such an amazing dad to Fi. I can’t wait for what’s to come in the future for this story.
Statement Made by Bree Wiley
Okay, I need more of Devon and Christian STAT! I loved both characters. Christian has a big heart and is sweet to all of those he cares about. He’s a little confused about his feelings towards Devon. Devon is seen as this unfeeling, a-hole guy but he does have feelings. He just chooses not to show them to protect himself because in the end everyone leaves him behind.
Act of Resistance by Rebecca Rathe
I loved the strong message in this and the trans representation. Antoni was a sweetheart standing up for his friend Rae even though he knew it would cost him the gig of his dreams. He was very passionate about trans rights and was able to get through to Orlando and change his mindset about fighting for what is right. I liked that the main focus just wasn’t on the romantic couple but on real life hardships the trans community is going through.
Hands Like Ours by River Hale
This was a great short story. We get the background to Isaac and Jackson’s relationship and see how it develops into more. I liked the mystery and secrets I didn’t see coming. The Dom X sub dynamic was fun as well as seeing Jackson be a brat to Isaac for the way he treated him.
Flawed by Courtney W. Dixon
This was really cute. For such a short story, there were still some emotion filled scenes. Especially the break down Rory had after he was attacked, my heart broke for him. Colt was a walking green flag and it was nice to see him finally understand his sexuality after years of feeling lonely. They made such a sweet couple, experiencing things for the first time together.
Otto and Noah by C.S Autumn
Noah and Sammy’s tragic loss of their parents was heartbreaking. Even I was emotional when Noah broke down on the floor at Otto’s house. I loved how playful and sunny he was even though he was internally suffering. Otto comes off as stern and grumpy but once he warms up to Noah you can see just how sweet and caring he is. He was such an amazing dad to Fi. I can’t wait for what’s to come in the future for this story.
Statement Made by Bree Wiley
Okay, I need more of Devon and Christian STAT! I loved both characters. Christian has a big heart and is sweet to all of those he cares about. He’s a little confused about his feelings towards Devon. Devon is seen as this unfeeling, a-hole guy but he does have feelings. He just chooses not to show them to protect himself because in the end everyone leaves him behind.
Act of Resistance by Rebecca Rathe
I loved the strong message in this and the trans representation. Antoni was a sweetheart standing up for his friend Rae even though he knew it would cost him the gig of his dreams. He was very passionate about trans rights and was able to get through to Orlando and change his mindset about fighting for what is right. I liked that the main focus just wasn’t on the romantic couple but on real life hardships the trans community is going through.
Hands Like Ours by River Hale
This was a great short story. We get the background to Isaac and Jackson’s relationship and see how it develops into more. I liked the mystery and secrets I didn’t see coming. The Dom X sub dynamic was fun as well as seeing Jackson be a brat to Isaac for the way he treated him.
May 29, 2025
5 🌟
Diversity: 5/5
Inclusion: 5/5
Spice Varies 2.5/5 to 4/5
We Shall Rise: Volume Two is a charity anthology whose proceeds will benefit The Trevor Project. Each novella length story ends in an HEA or HFN.
I read every story in this anthology. They were all wonderfully, poignantly, and thoughtfully written. The authors created dynamic characters with important and timely stories to tell and fashioned them into a fantastic reading experience for all.
The stories vary from paranormal to contemporary and include 2SLGBTQIA+ pairings and groupings.
The anthology includes:
Perfectly Tempting by Alexa L. Stephen - MM; contemporary
Alpha's Conquest by Elizabeth Dunlap - MM; Omegaverse
A Race or Two of Ginger by Kelrai Sara Martin - FF; dystopian
Trade Up by Kate Bauer - MM; contemporary
Before It Was Us by Jac Franklin - MM leading to MMM; contemporary
Petrifying Love by Chelsey L. Leon - FF; paranormal
The Frat House by Domina Easton - MMMM w/FTM MC; contemporary
Flawed by Courtney W. Dixon - MM; contemporary
Blood is Thinner than Water by RE Johnson - FF; paranormal dystopian
Her Fire by CJ Willis - FF; contemporary
Otto And Noah by C.S. Autumn - MM; contemporary
The Trust by Rae Stone - MM; contemporary
Denial Ain't Just a River by Rachel Belrose - FFM; contemporary
Hands Like Ours by River Hale - MM; contemporary
Acts of Resistance by Rebecca Rathe - MM; contemporary
Statement Made by Bree Wiley - MMF; contemporary
Never Forget Me by V. Wynters - FF; contemporary
Finding Reality by Joelle Lynne - MF w/FTM MC; contemporary
Sixteen or Ninety-One by BL Maxwell - MM; contemporary
I loved the characters and the beautiful way each author gave them life. Each character faces struggles, changes, and the ecstasy & agony of love. Their stories have meaning yet still deliver all the romance and spice you could ask for. A thoroughly enjoyable read with purpose. It should not be missed.
Diversity: 5/5
Inclusion: 5/5
Spice Varies 2.5/5 to 4/5
We Shall Rise: Volume Two is a charity anthology whose proceeds will benefit The Trevor Project. Each novella length story ends in an HEA or HFN.
I read every story in this anthology. They were all wonderfully, poignantly, and thoughtfully written. The authors created dynamic characters with important and timely stories to tell and fashioned them into a fantastic reading experience for all.
The stories vary from paranormal to contemporary and include 2SLGBTQIA+ pairings and groupings.
The anthology includes:
Perfectly Tempting by Alexa L. Stephen - MM; contemporary
Alpha's Conquest by Elizabeth Dunlap - MM; Omegaverse
A Race or Two of Ginger by Kelrai Sara Martin - FF; dystopian
Trade Up by Kate Bauer - MM; contemporary
Before It Was Us by Jac Franklin - MM leading to MMM; contemporary
Petrifying Love by Chelsey L. Leon - FF; paranormal
The Frat House by Domina Easton - MMMM w/FTM MC; contemporary
Flawed by Courtney W. Dixon - MM; contemporary
Blood is Thinner than Water by RE Johnson - FF; paranormal dystopian
Her Fire by CJ Willis - FF; contemporary
Otto And Noah by C.S. Autumn - MM; contemporary
The Trust by Rae Stone - MM; contemporary
Denial Ain't Just a River by Rachel Belrose - FFM; contemporary
Hands Like Ours by River Hale - MM; contemporary
Acts of Resistance by Rebecca Rathe - MM; contemporary
Statement Made by Bree Wiley - MMF; contemporary
Never Forget Me by V. Wynters - FF; contemporary
Finding Reality by Joelle Lynne - MF w/FTM MC; contemporary
Sixteen or Ninety-One by BL Maxwell - MM; contemporary
I loved the characters and the beautiful way each author gave them life. Each character faces struggles, changes, and the ecstasy & agony of love. Their stories have meaning yet still deliver all the romance and spice you could ask for. A thoroughly enjoyable read with purpose. It should not be missed.
Read
June 1, 2025💐 Finding Reality by Joelle Lynne🍸
Thank you, Joelle, for my copy of Finding Reality. This short story is part of the We Shall Rise LGBTQIA2S+ Rights Anthology Volume 2. I had wanted Nelly's story since we met her as August's BFF in Fighting for Freedom. I was not disappointed, though I'm greedy and was sad when this short story ended. Normally preferring Dual POV, single POV was perfect for Nelly's story. Finding Reality spans a large time frame, and the timeline overlaps with Fighting For Freedom.
Things I ❤️
💐 Trans MF MC
🥃 Hurt/Comfort
💐 Sassy FMC
🥃 Swoony MMC
💐 Perfect 1st Date
🥃 Pansexual MMC
💐 Single POV
Finding Reality is Nelly's story of finding love and not settling for less.
🩷 Flawed by Courtney W Dixon 🩷
Thank you, Courtney, for my copy of Flawed. This short story is part of the We Shall Rise LGBTQIA2S+ Rights Anthology Volume 2.
"Why can't I just be like everyone else. I'm flawed. Broken. Why can't I just be normal!"
Flawed is a college roommates to lovers mm romance short story. Rory & Colton are both flawed characters and after an incident after a frat party they grew closer. Flawed is a complete story and even contains an epilogue.
Things I ❤️
🩷 Unlikely Hero
🩷 Roommates
🩷 Opposites Attract
🩷 Grumpy/Sunshine
🩷 First Times
🩷 Pan Awakening
🩷 Femme MC
🩷 Size Difference
🩷 Demisexual
🩷 College
🩷 Dual POV
🩷 Epilogue
Thank you, Joelle, for my copy of Finding Reality. This short story is part of the We Shall Rise LGBTQIA2S+ Rights Anthology Volume 2. I had wanted Nelly's story since we met her as August's BFF in Fighting for Freedom. I was not disappointed, though I'm greedy and was sad when this short story ended. Normally preferring Dual POV, single POV was perfect for Nelly's story. Finding Reality spans a large time frame, and the timeline overlaps with Fighting For Freedom.
Things I ❤️
💐 Trans MF MC
🥃 Hurt/Comfort
💐 Sassy FMC
🥃 Swoony MMC
💐 Perfect 1st Date
🥃 Pansexual MMC
💐 Single POV
Finding Reality is Nelly's story of finding love and not settling for less.
🩷 Flawed by Courtney W Dixon 🩷
Thank you, Courtney, for my copy of Flawed. This short story is part of the We Shall Rise LGBTQIA2S+ Rights Anthology Volume 2.
"Why can't I just be like everyone else. I'm flawed. Broken. Why can't I just be normal!"
Flawed is a college roommates to lovers mm romance short story. Rory & Colton are both flawed characters and after an incident after a frat party they grew closer. Flawed is a complete story and even contains an epilogue.
Things I ❤️
🩷 Unlikely Hero
🩷 Roommates
🩷 Opposites Attract
🩷 Grumpy/Sunshine
🩷 First Times
🩷 Pan Awakening
🩷 Femme MC
🩷 Size Difference
🩷 Demisexual
🩷 College
🩷 Dual POV
🩷 Epilogue
July 7, 2025
3.5 stars
Whoo! That was a huge anthology! Enjoyed it overall, and found some great new-to-me authors. There were tons of different pairings in the collection, and though I don't typically read much sapphic romance, I found some of it was really great.
(I'm totally nitpicking, but I don't love the formatting. The font of the authors' names is hard to read, the chapters aren't tagged, and the authors' names are missing from the index.)
Perfectly Tempting by Alexa L. Stephen - 4.5 stars
This one is a boss/employee romance, with some homophobic bullying from a coworker. I found the first chapter a little confusing because it seems it's playing on a previously published book, but the rest of the story stood well on its own. It is also leading into the full-length novel, which I'm curious enough about to read when it comes out in October. The editing was a tad frustrating, because it didn't showcase the story well.
Alpha's Conquest by Elizabeth Dunlap - 3 stars
Omegaverse, age-gap, cheating. While I quite like the author's writing style, cheating is a hard no for me, especially when their partner is perfect from what I could see. This is also not a complete story, so it felt a bit unfair to include in the anthology.
A Race or Two of Ginger by Kelrai Sara Martin - 3 stars
I don't read a lot of FF, but I didn't hate this. Neurospicy rep. The author primarily publishes in sci-fi, but I could've guessed that from the writing style. There was a great attention to detail, though perhaps more than I typically see in the romance genre. I was really interested in the worldbuilding and potential for the series it's hinting at. It's a future where the country is run by a conservative government, but our characters live in a cult-like liberal oasis, with minimal exposure to the outside world. There is an element of magic (apparently triggered by sexy times), but at this early stage in the story, not a lot of answers are given. Ends on a HFN/dangling plot.
Trade Up by Kate Bauer - 3 stars
This one had a lot of potential. I loved the concept for the plot, a single father raising the daughter through a surrogate. And the first five chapters were great. From there, I feel like it was a matter of too much happening with too few pages to tell it in. Homophobia from all directions, a dom/sub relationship that came out of nowhere and was kind of unnecessary , and a sudden conclusion.
Before It Was Us by Jac Franklin - 3 stars
MMM with great characters, and a curious set-up for an existing mmmf in the author's back catalog. Good enough to make me keep reading past all the editing issues (like most plural possessives). I wasn't a fan of how it ended, because I felt like I was missing a whole lot of plot, having not read the full novel. I would’ve preferred it ended on a cliffhanger rather than trying to wrap up the entire novel as well. Instead of leaving me wanting more, I ended up with too much.
Petrifying Love by Chelsey J. Leon - 3 stars
FF with trans rep. It was a really interesting concept, with a Medusa type character and a gargoyle shifter. If that isn’t a match made in heaven, right? Mafia and plenty of death/gore. The ending was a bit overkill.
The Frat House by Domona Easton - 4.5 stars
Why-choose with trans rep. Plot-wise, this was probably my favorite of the collection so far, but the editing was frustrating.
Flawed by Courtney W. Dixon - 3.5 stars
College roommates with demi awakening and double first time. There was phobic violence to an MC. I really liked the overall message of personal growth in this one, but it wasn’t subtle. The two of them were super cute exploring their sexuality together, though.
Blood is Thinner than Water by RE Johnson - 2 stars
FF, dystopian, angels/demons. I didn't like this one. There was a lot going on without any explanation, random plot points dropped into the middle of the scenes, typos galore, and I couldn't follow the fight scene.
Her Fire by CJ Willis - 3.5 stars
FF, dark romance. I really enjoyed the author's writing style, barring a few editing issues and too-long paragraphs. There is on-page death and violence, so pay attention to those trigger warnings. There were some things missing for me, and it was a bit too insta-love for my taste, but I for sure would've read a full story about these two so the author could take their time to evolve their relationship and the plot properly.
Otto and Noah by CS Autumn - 4 stars
MM, nanny, single dad, with some mild kink and d/s thrown in for good measure. I really enjoyed this one and would for sure consider reading more by the author, but I'm also pretty thrown off by the poor editing.
The Trust by Rae Stone - 4 stars
MM, rock star/bodyguard, established couple. I wasn't sure how I would like this story, seeing as it carries on from another book I haven't read, but I actually quite liked it. There were a few mentions of events I wasn't familiar with, but it wasn't hard to grasp the storyline. There were homophobic comments, but the result was a lot of feel-good acceptance. Sex scenes were hot, and a gooey HEA. Minor editing issues.
Denial Ain't Just a River by Rachel Belrose - 4 stars
FFM, friends to lovers. I really liked this one, as two friends join forces with a veritable stranger to renovate an old home into a B&B. I wouldn't have said no to another spicy scene or an epilogue to show their HEA.
Hands Like Ours by River Hale - 4 stars
MM, professor/student, light d/s. I enjoyed this one, for sure, though there was a particular loose thread left at the end that ate at me a little. Wouldn't been nice to have it all tied up.
Acts of Resistance by Rebecca Rathe - 3 stars
MM with trans rep in supporting cast, fashion designer and model. This was well written, but it also leaned heavily on politics. While I can imagine it will hit home for a lot of people, I tend to read for the escape from everyday life. It was a little heavier than I like.
Statement Made by Bree Wiley - 3.5 stars
MMF (MCs are only the men), dirt bikes and sharing. I could see this one being tough for some people to read if they're not into the concept of sharing. I personally don't mind as long as it's their kink and consensual. There's a lot of dirty talk that comes off a bit crude, but again, didn't bother me. There were some references to previous books, and I have to say, I was a bit lost on that part of the story. It does end on an HFN, and I would def consider following up with the next story.
Never Forget Me by V Wynters - DNF
FF, military. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of military stories, and there were too many references to a story I haven't read, so I was quickly overwhelmed.
Finding Reality by Joelle Lynne - 4 stars
Trans MC, single POV, adventures in dating. Because this was told entirely from Nelly's POV, it really felt like it was telling her story, rather than that of her new romance. Really easy to read, it felt shorter than it was. I would for sure read more by this author.
Sixteen or Ninety-One by BL Maxwell - 3 stars
This one is a duplicate from another anthology I read, so I won’t be rereading. My review from before: The wrong number on a nametag for a singles night. Anyway, it was okay. Two workaholics trying to find time for love. The story keeps repeating how much the two characters have in common, so it's no surprise that I couldn't tell them apart.
Whoo! That was a huge anthology! Enjoyed it overall, and found some great new-to-me authors. There were tons of different pairings in the collection, and though I don't typically read much sapphic romance, I found some of it was really great.
(I'm totally nitpicking, but I don't love the formatting. The font of the authors' names is hard to read, the chapters aren't tagged, and the authors' names are missing from the index.)
Perfectly Tempting by Alexa L. Stephen - 4.5 stars
This one is a boss/employee romance, with some homophobic bullying from a coworker. I found the first chapter a little confusing because it seems it's playing on a previously published book, but the rest of the story stood well on its own. It is also leading into the full-length novel, which I'm curious enough about to read when it comes out in October. The editing was a tad frustrating, because it didn't showcase the story well.
Alpha's Conquest by Elizabeth Dunlap - 3 stars
Omegaverse, age-gap, cheating. While I quite like the author's writing style, cheating is a hard no for me, especially when their partner is perfect from what I could see. This is also not a complete story, so it felt a bit unfair to include in the anthology.
A Race or Two of Ginger by Kelrai Sara Martin - 3 stars
I don't read a lot of FF, but I didn't hate this. Neurospicy rep. The author primarily publishes in sci-fi, but I could've guessed that from the writing style. There was a great attention to detail, though perhaps more than I typically see in the romance genre. I was really interested in the worldbuilding and potential for the series it's hinting at. It's a future where the country is run by a conservative government, but our characters live in a cult-like liberal oasis, with minimal exposure to the outside world. There is an element of magic (apparently triggered by sexy times), but at this early stage in the story, not a lot of answers are given. Ends on a HFN/dangling plot.
Trade Up by Kate Bauer - 3 stars
This one had a lot of potential. I loved the concept for the plot, a single father raising the daughter through a surrogate. And the first five chapters were great. From there, I feel like it was a matter of too much happening with too few pages to tell it in. Homophobia from all directions, a dom/sub relationship that came out of nowhere and was kind of unnecessary , and a sudden conclusion.
Before It Was Us by Jac Franklin - 3 stars
MMM with great characters, and a curious set-up for an existing mmmf in the author's back catalog. Good enough to make me keep reading past all the editing issues (like most plural possessives). I wasn't a fan of how it ended, because I felt like I was missing a whole lot of plot, having not read the full novel. I would’ve preferred it ended on a cliffhanger rather than trying to wrap up the entire novel as well. Instead of leaving me wanting more, I ended up with too much.
Petrifying Love by Chelsey J. Leon - 3 stars
FF with trans rep. It was a really interesting concept, with a Medusa type character and a gargoyle shifter. If that isn’t a match made in heaven, right? Mafia and plenty of death/gore. The ending was a bit overkill.
The Frat House by Domona Easton - 4.5 stars
Why-choose with trans rep. Plot-wise, this was probably my favorite of the collection so far, but the editing was frustrating.
Flawed by Courtney W. Dixon - 3.5 stars
College roommates with demi awakening and double first time. There was phobic violence to an MC. I really liked the overall message of personal growth in this one, but it wasn’t subtle. The two of them were super cute exploring their sexuality together, though.
Blood is Thinner than Water by RE Johnson - 2 stars
FF, dystopian, angels/demons. I didn't like this one. There was a lot going on without any explanation, random plot points dropped into the middle of the scenes, typos galore, and I couldn't follow the fight scene.
Her Fire by CJ Willis - 3.5 stars
FF, dark romance. I really enjoyed the author's writing style, barring a few editing issues and too-long paragraphs. There is on-page death and violence, so pay attention to those trigger warnings. There were some things missing for me, and it was a bit too insta-love for my taste, but I for sure would've read a full story about these two so the author could take their time to evolve their relationship and the plot properly.
Otto and Noah by CS Autumn - 4 stars
MM, nanny, single dad, with some mild kink and d/s thrown in for good measure. I really enjoyed this one and would for sure consider reading more by the author, but I'm also pretty thrown off by the poor editing.
The Trust by Rae Stone - 4 stars
MM, rock star/bodyguard, established couple. I wasn't sure how I would like this story, seeing as it carries on from another book I haven't read, but I actually quite liked it. There were a few mentions of events I wasn't familiar with, but it wasn't hard to grasp the storyline. There were homophobic comments, but the result was a lot of feel-good acceptance. Sex scenes were hot, and a gooey HEA. Minor editing issues.
Denial Ain't Just a River by Rachel Belrose - 4 stars
FFM, friends to lovers. I really liked this one, as two friends join forces with a veritable stranger to renovate an old home into a B&B. I wouldn't have said no to another spicy scene or an epilogue to show their HEA.
Hands Like Ours by River Hale - 4 stars
MM, professor/student, light d/s. I enjoyed this one, for sure, though there was a particular loose thread left at the end that ate at me a little. Wouldn't been nice to have it all tied up.
Acts of Resistance by Rebecca Rathe - 3 stars
MM with trans rep in supporting cast, fashion designer and model. This was well written, but it also leaned heavily on politics. While I can imagine it will hit home for a lot of people, I tend to read for the escape from everyday life. It was a little heavier than I like.
Statement Made by Bree Wiley - 3.5 stars
MMF (MCs are only the men), dirt bikes and sharing. I could see this one being tough for some people to read if they're not into the concept of sharing. I personally don't mind as long as it's their kink and consensual. There's a lot of dirty talk that comes off a bit crude, but again, didn't bother me. There were some references to previous books, and I have to say, I was a bit lost on that part of the story. It does end on an HFN, and I would def consider following up with the next story.
Never Forget Me by V Wynters - DNF
FF, military. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of military stories, and there were too many references to a story I haven't read, so I was quickly overwhelmed.
Finding Reality by Joelle Lynne - 4 stars
Trans MC, single POV, adventures in dating. Because this was told entirely from Nelly's POV, it really felt like it was telling her story, rather than that of her new romance. Really easy to read, it felt shorter than it was. I would for sure read more by this author.
Sixteen or Ninety-One by BL Maxwell - 3 stars
This one is a duplicate from another anthology I read, so I won’t be rereading. My review from before: The wrong number on a nametag for a singles night. Anyway, it was okay. Two workaholics trying to find time for love. The story keeps repeating how much the two characters have in common, so it's no surprise that I couldn't tell them apart.
May 15, 2025
Arc Review
Otto and Noah by CS Autumn 4.5⭐️
Noah Whitmore’s life is turned upside down in the blink of an eye, when his parents are killed in an accident, leaving him sole custody of his two year old brother Sammy.
He is looking for a new job as his current one is ending soon.
Otto St James is in need of a nanny for his four year old daughter Ophelia. Otto demands quite a lot from Noah whom is given the job as the nanny. Otto is older than Noah, but both are caring for an infant, and are needing some adult company.
The only issue is that Noah needs to take Sammy with him to his new job, which Otto agrees to, but it is also company for Fi.
They get closer and closer, and they start something which they both know they shouldn't. They start an affair and don't look back.
This is CS Autumn’s novella for the charity anthology We Shall Rise.
I love anything CS Autumn writes. I adored this and could quite happily read more of Otto and Noah. I would love to know about how Fi and Sammy take to the new relationship.
Finding Reality by Joelle Lynne 4.5⭐️
Nelly Shadid has always known she was not the gender she was meant to be, and with the support of her fabulous parents, started the transition.
She has people around her who love her, especially her best friend since high school, August.
While out with Mitchel (boyfriend) meeting his parents, she chats to David who is the bartender. Mitchel asks Nelly to hide who she really is in front of his family, it is then Nelly realises that she needs to end things. David makes her a drink to console her.
David is charming and everything that Nelly wants and needs. Davis is pan sexual and falls for the person rather than the gender. He cannot stop thinking about her.
This is Joelle Lynne’s offering for the charity anthology We Shall Rise.
This is the first book I have read where the main character is a trans woman, and I will be reading more. It is so beautifully written, both Nelly and David have such an aura about them, they are perfect for each other.
I could have read more.
I will be reading more from this anthology.
May 25, 2025
ARC review.
Never Forget Me by V. Wynters
What a sweet novella it was! We're following the story, more like the beginning of the story, of Willow and Veera, two women in the army.
First of all, I loved the setting and the vibes. Kind of sad, with a touch of hopefulness, because both characters are struggling on their own -- but with the knowledge that they're not alone. Veera, with her past trauma and witnessing too much loss as a medic. And Willow, with the awakening of her feelings for Veera, who happened to be her boyfriend's sister!
The found family trope is very strong in this story, and just like in Never Too Late, it's probably one of my favorites things in this universe.
Even though It's really short, I loved these ladies. Willow's a really awesome character from what I could grasp, and I just want to get to know her a bit more. I absolutely adored the little moments she shared with Noah, her best friend. Their friendship is so cute! And of course, it made me want to read even more Noah and Ace's story!
Veera intrigued me just the same. While this novella didn't dwelve on her hardships very much, I strongly believe the full novel will bring a lot of answers. I'm curious to discover her relationship with her brother (Willow's boyfriend), and why they fell out. I just hope he won't cause too much problems for them in the future.
Safety infos:
- No OWD ;
- OMD: Willow has a boyfriend at the beginning. However, she quickly realizes that she doesn't have the same feelings for him as before.
Never Forget Me by V. Wynters
What a sweet novella it was! We're following the story, more like the beginning of the story, of Willow and Veera, two women in the army.
First of all, I loved the setting and the vibes. Kind of sad, with a touch of hopefulness, because both characters are struggling on their own -- but with the knowledge that they're not alone. Veera, with her past trauma and witnessing too much loss as a medic. And Willow, with the awakening of her feelings for Veera, who happened to be her boyfriend's sister!
The found family trope is very strong in this story, and just like in Never Too Late, it's probably one of my favorites things in this universe.
Even though It's really short, I loved these ladies. Willow's a really awesome character from what I could grasp, and I just want to get to know her a bit more. I absolutely adored the little moments she shared with Noah, her best friend. Their friendship is so cute! And of course, it made me want to read even more Noah and Ace's story!
Veera intrigued me just the same. While this novella didn't dwelve on her hardships very much, I strongly believe the full novel will bring a lot of answers. I'm curious to discover her relationship with her brother (Willow's boyfriend), and why they fell out. I just hope he won't cause too much problems for them in the future.
Safety infos:
- No OWD ;
- OMD: Willow has a boyfriend at the beginning. However, she quickly realizes that she doesn't have the same feelings for him as before.
May 29, 2025
Flawed-Courtney W Dixon
Oh, Rory. Never let anyone dull your sparkle! Thankfully, Colt is here to make sure that never happens. Colt is such a walking green flag of ‘I was taught badly and I’m learning and doing better.’ I really loved the scene after (the incident). I’d love to see this expanded and have Colt learn about found family and what family should be like. Plus to get lots more Colt and Rory!!! And some more Rory and Dani. I foresee her adopting Colt as a brother or really good friend.
Otto And Noah-C.S. Autumn
Oh my, this teases that there will be more to come and I am HERE for it!!! I absolutely loved Noah and Otto. The kiddos brought something special to the story as well. My heart just hurt for Noah and Sammy! This was a wonderful read and I’d love to see it expanded!!
The Trust-Rae Stone
This was a fantastic extended epilogue for The Chase. It would stand alone if you haven’t read it, but it is so much better when you’re already invested in the characters. Mac and Jordan are everything. I loved seeing the guys again!! There is spice-a-plenty and some great developments in their relationship and their lives.
The Frat House-Domina Easton
This was a story about a trans man joining a frat with the intent of dismantling the phobic behaviors and other disgusting hazing that was its history. I enjoyed Jaxon and especially his sister Jocelyn. Weston, Carter, and Quin are already in the frat and all fall for Jax basically on sight. Thankfully they turn out to be good guys.
Oh, Rory. Never let anyone dull your sparkle! Thankfully, Colt is here to make sure that never happens. Colt is such a walking green flag of ‘I was taught badly and I’m learning and doing better.’ I really loved the scene after (the incident). I’d love to see this expanded and have Colt learn about found family and what family should be like. Plus to get lots more Colt and Rory!!! And some more Rory and Dani. I foresee her adopting Colt as a brother or really good friend.
Otto And Noah-C.S. Autumn
Oh my, this teases that there will be more to come and I am HERE for it!!! I absolutely loved Noah and Otto. The kiddos brought something special to the story as well. My heart just hurt for Noah and Sammy! This was a wonderful read and I’d love to see it expanded!!
The Trust-Rae Stone
This was a fantastic extended epilogue for The Chase. It would stand alone if you haven’t read it, but it is so much better when you’re already invested in the characters. Mac and Jordan are everything. I loved seeing the guys again!! There is spice-a-plenty and some great developments in their relationship and their lives.
The Frat House-Domina Easton
This was a story about a trans man joining a frat with the intent of dismantling the phobic behaviors and other disgusting hazing that was its history. I enjoyed Jaxon and especially his sister Jocelyn. Weston, Carter, and Quin are already in the frat and all fall for Jax basically on sight. Thankfully they turn out to be good guys.
May 31, 2025
We Shall Rise LGBTQIA+ Edition
I love anthologies. I've got to know so many wonderful authors through them. This one is especially important to me for personal reasons. Thank you to all the great authors who support our community! The following review are for the stories of three of my favourite authors.
Flawed
by Courtney W Dixon
✍️ARC review✍️
rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
spice: 🌶️🌶️
darkness: 🖤
feelings: 🥰😱🥵😍🫠😡🥹😄
The story of Rory and Colt is an absolute must read.
Rory is on his way to becoming his sparkly, feminine self when he becomes the victim of a hate crime at a frat party. His stoic roommate Colt rushes to his aid.
What happens next is beautiful! Would I have liked to read more about Rory and Colt? Absolutely! Was the story still fulfilling? Yes, definitely.
Finding Reality
by Joelle Lynne
✍️ARC review✍️
rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
spice: 🌶️🌶️
darkness: 🖤
feelings: 😭🥰😱🥵😍🫠😡🥹😄
I love Nelly. She’s a strong and beautiful woman. She had to endure a few Aholes and a transphobic attack to get to her perfect match. I cried so much, when her best friend August left to live in another City. But the man she fell in love with and got her HEA with is absolutely swoon-worthy. Beautiful story 😍.
Act of Resistance
by Rebecca Rathe
✍️ARC review✍️
rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
darkness: 🖤🖤
feelings: 😭🥰😱🥵😍🫠😡🥹🤩😄
This novella is so Rebecca Rathe! The passion, the fire, the unerring sense of justice. It's as if she is giving vent to all her will to fight and anger about the current situation through Antoni. Bravo!
I love anthologies. I've got to know so many wonderful authors through them. This one is especially important to me for personal reasons. Thank you to all the great authors who support our community! The following review are for the stories of three of my favourite authors.
Flawed
by Courtney W Dixon
✍️ARC review✍️
rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
spice: 🌶️🌶️
darkness: 🖤
feelings: 🥰😱🥵😍🫠😡🥹😄
The story of Rory and Colt is an absolute must read.
Rory is on his way to becoming his sparkly, feminine self when he becomes the victim of a hate crime at a frat party. His stoic roommate Colt rushes to his aid.
What happens next is beautiful! Would I have liked to read more about Rory and Colt? Absolutely! Was the story still fulfilling? Yes, definitely.
Finding Reality
by Joelle Lynne
✍️ARC review✍️
rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
spice: 🌶️🌶️
darkness: 🖤
feelings: 😭🥰😱🥵😍🫠😡🥹😄
I love Nelly. She’s a strong and beautiful woman. She had to endure a few Aholes and a transphobic attack to get to her perfect match. I cried so much, when her best friend August left to live in another City. But the man she fell in love with and got her HEA with is absolutely swoon-worthy. Beautiful story 😍.
Act of Resistance
by Rebecca Rathe
✍️ARC review✍️
rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
darkness: 🖤🖤
feelings: 😭🥰😱🥵😍🫠😡🥹🤩😄
This novella is so Rebecca Rathe! The passion, the fire, the unerring sense of justice. It's as if she is giving vent to all her will to fight and anger about the current situation through Antoni. Bravo!
May 18, 2025
Otto and Noah by C.S. Autumn
5 ⭐
2 🌶️
Single dad is my jam. Add in single dad + nanny, yes freaking please.
I really really really need a full length novel of these two. My heart broke for Noah and the things that happened to him. I cried with him. Otto was hot as hell, and I loved the tender care he had with Noah.
The kiddos added such a sweet element to the story. I loved their friendship, the way Ophelia helped bring Sammy out of his shell.
As always a 5 star from C.S. Autumn
The Trust by Rae Stone
6 ⭐
4🌶️
A continuation piece of The Chance. If you haven't read The Chance, this story might not make much sense.
Mac and Jordan hot damn 🔥
One of the things I was sad about in The Chance was that I didn't get enough happy at the end for Mac and Jordan. They were idiots (our idiots) but still for most of the book so I needed more of their happy. Rae definitely delivered that in The Trust.
Vida & Tyro were giving me life in this short. I was so in love with their love I couldn't stop squirming. Loving each other out loud the way it always should have been. Audibly.
"Wherever you are. That's my happy ending." 🥺
"He's my sweet campfire, forever burning, lighting the way and keeping me warm in the process."
5 ⭐
2 🌶️
Single dad is my jam. Add in single dad + nanny, yes freaking please.
I really really really need a full length novel of these two. My heart broke for Noah and the things that happened to him. I cried with him. Otto was hot as hell, and I loved the tender care he had with Noah.
The kiddos added such a sweet element to the story. I loved their friendship, the way Ophelia helped bring Sammy out of his shell.
As always a 5 star from C.S. Autumn
The Trust by Rae Stone
6 ⭐
4🌶️
A continuation piece of The Chance. If you haven't read The Chance, this story might not make much sense.
Mac and Jordan hot damn 🔥
One of the things I was sad about in The Chance was that I didn't get enough happy at the end for Mac and Jordan. They were idiots (our idiots) but still for most of the book so I needed more of their happy. Rae definitely delivered that in The Trust.
Vida & Tyro were giving me life in this short. I was so in love with their love I couldn't stop squirming. Loving each other out loud the way it always should have been. Audibly.
"Wherever you are. That's my happy ending." 🥺
"He's my sweet campfire, forever burning, lighting the way and keeping me warm in the process."
May 24, 2025
The Trust by Rae Stone (part of WE SHALL RISE Volume Two, Charity Romance Anthology)
This short story is full of emotion, tension and very hot 🌶️ right from the start! We know the two main characters from the book "The Chance", and I enjoyed immersing myself in Mac and Jordan's world again. I devoured every word. It just gets really romantic at the end - that lifts the mood, and we all need something like that at the moment ❤️. I'm convinced the other stories in this book are great too. Pre-order it and support The Trevor Project!
Diese Kurz-Geschichte ist von Beginn an voller Emotionen, Spannung und sehr heissem 🌶️! Wir kennen die beiden Hauptfiguren aus dem Buch "The Chance", und ich habe es genossen nochmals in die Welt von Mac und Jordan einzutauchen. Habe jedes Wort verschlungen. Am Schluss wird es einfach richtig schön romantisch - das hebt die Stimmung, und sowas brauchen wir doch alle im Moment ❤️. Ich bin überzeugt auch die anderen Geschichten in diesem Buch sind toll. Bestellt es vor, und unterstützt damit The Trevor Project!
This short story is full of emotion, tension and very hot 🌶️ right from the start! We know the two main characters from the book "The Chance", and I enjoyed immersing myself in Mac and Jordan's world again. I devoured every word. It just gets really romantic at the end - that lifts the mood, and we all need something like that at the moment ❤️. I'm convinced the other stories in this book are great too. Pre-order it and support The Trevor Project!
Diese Kurz-Geschichte ist von Beginn an voller Emotionen, Spannung und sehr heissem 🌶️! Wir kennen die beiden Hauptfiguren aus dem Buch "The Chance", und ich habe es genossen nochmals in die Welt von Mac und Jordan einzutauchen. Habe jedes Wort verschlungen. Am Schluss wird es einfach richtig schön romantisch - das hebt die Stimmung, und sowas brauchen wir doch alle im Moment ❤️. Ich bin überzeugt auch die anderen Geschichten in diesem Buch sind toll. Bestellt es vor, und unterstützt damit The Trevor Project!
May 15, 2025
Review of CS Autumn’s Otto and Noah short story. I ate this story up! This dynamic was my favourite! Otto St Clair needs a nanny for his daughter; he’s a high flying executive who works a lot.
Noah Whitmore is having a hard time. He parents have recently died and he has become guardian for his Sammy, his toddler brother. This is what Noah had planned for his life, but Sammy needs him so he has to make this work. When he lands the nanny job with Otto he is chuffed- he can take Sammy with him and earn money at the same time.
Otto and Noah become closer as times goes by and it’s clear to see there is a spark between these two men. Otto has reservations as Noah is his employee and a lot younger than him, but when Noah needs Otto what choice does he have?
I loved the dynamic between these two and did a little squeal when I read that that’s all “for now”!!! I hope we have more of Otto and Noah in future!
Noah Whitmore is having a hard time. He parents have recently died and he has become guardian for his Sammy, his toddler brother. This is what Noah had planned for his life, but Sammy needs him so he has to make this work. When he lands the nanny job with Otto he is chuffed- he can take Sammy with him and earn money at the same time.
Otto and Noah become closer as times goes by and it’s clear to see there is a spark between these two men. Otto has reservations as Noah is his employee and a lot younger than him, but when Noah needs Otto what choice does he have?
I loved the dynamic between these two and did a little squeal when I read that that’s all “for now”!!! I hope we have more of Otto and Noah in future!
June 1, 2025
'Never Forget Me' by the amazing and talented V. Wynters !!
Anyone surprised by another 5 star book from V? No? Yeah, well, me neither.
I love everything this woman writes.
This time, she brings us two incredible, hot, strong women, Willow and Veera.🙇🏽♀️
This is such a short, fast read and yet, it had me bawling, smiling and freaking out about a FUCKING HAND ON THE ELBOW.
Their story is full of pining and tension, as well as vulnerable and wholesome moments. I loved everything about it (as always).
The found family, the "we can't do this", the "fuck it", even the CLIFFHANGER. Perfect. Absolutely brilliant.
Just to mention SOME of my favourite moments:
Noah and Willow's talk - I cried a little. (A lot)
Their sort of "fuck it" moment - I screamed. And giggled.
Frankie talking about Veera - I love my baby and it was so extremely cute.
Their story comes out TOMORROW!!
GO BUY IT. 🫶🏻
Anyone surprised by another 5 star book from V? No? Yeah, well, me neither.
I love everything this woman writes.
This time, she brings us two incredible, hot, strong women, Willow and Veera.🙇🏽♀️
This is such a short, fast read and yet, it had me bawling, smiling and freaking out about a FUCKING HAND ON THE ELBOW.
Their story is full of pining and tension, as well as vulnerable and wholesome moments. I loved everything about it (as always).
The found family, the "we can't do this", the "fuck it", even the CLIFFHANGER. Perfect. Absolutely brilliant.
Just to mention SOME of my favourite moments:
Noah and Willow's talk - I cried a little. (A lot)
Their sort of "fuck it" moment - I screamed. And giggled.
Frankie talking about Veera - I love my baby and it was so extremely cute.
Their story comes out TOMORROW!!
GO BUY IT. 🫶🏻
May 19, 2025
Anthology ARC Review:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
These stories were quite powerful and each one had me more and more introspective about the trials and tribulations the queer community undergoes each day, and the dangers the community faces just by existing and loving who they want to love. At the same time, there is so much beauty in being unapologetically yourself, proud to represent a group seen as “other” and standing up tall and defiant to oppression and mistreatment by society.
There’s something for any LGBTQIA+ romance lover in this anthology ranging from all types of queer relationships including MM and FF romance and polyamorous relationships, and sub genres/tropes like omegaverse, found family, monster and mafia romance, student/professor, friends to lovers, and more.
The topics touched upon by these stories explore include ones that almost everyone in the LGBTQIA+ community can relate to or have experienced themselves. Situations such as the use homophobic slurs and workplace harassment/bullying, biphobia, lesbophobia, transphobia, government oppression, discrimination by an institution using religious beliefs, housing discrimination and other scary and painful circumstances. At the same time, there are many moments full of joy and love; and of finding both emotional and physical connection as well. Finding help and allyship in unlikely places, feeling accepted and protected by your partner(s), finding supportive friendships, and parenthood are some of the lovely scenarios our main characters experience.
Some of the novellas end with their main characters finding happiness by the end, others will keep you CRAVING more (I know I was) because they are snippets or prequels of full lengths novels.
Spice levels in this anthology range from 🌶️ to🌶️🌶️🌶️
A reminder to all: Love is love is love 🌈
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
These stories were quite powerful and each one had me more and more introspective about the trials and tribulations the queer community undergoes each day, and the dangers the community faces just by existing and loving who they want to love. At the same time, there is so much beauty in being unapologetically yourself, proud to represent a group seen as “other” and standing up tall and defiant to oppression and mistreatment by society.
There’s something for any LGBTQIA+ romance lover in this anthology ranging from all types of queer relationships including MM and FF romance and polyamorous relationships, and sub genres/tropes like omegaverse, found family, monster and mafia romance, student/professor, friends to lovers, and more.
The topics touched upon by these stories explore include ones that almost everyone in the LGBTQIA+ community can relate to or have experienced themselves. Situations such as the use homophobic slurs and workplace harassment/bullying, biphobia, lesbophobia, transphobia, government oppression, discrimination by an institution using religious beliefs, housing discrimination and other scary and painful circumstances. At the same time, there are many moments full of joy and love; and of finding both emotional and physical connection as well. Finding help and allyship in unlikely places, feeling accepted and protected by your partner(s), finding supportive friendships, and parenthood are some of the lovely scenarios our main characters experience.
Some of the novellas end with their main characters finding happiness by the end, others will keep you CRAVING more (I know I was) because they are snippets or prequels of full lengths novels.
Spice levels in this anthology range from 🌶️ to🌶️🌶️🌶️
A reminder to all: Love is love is love 🌈
May 31, 2025
What a great collection of short stories!
I’m blown away with how amazing every single one was.
I laughed, I cried, I got so mad on behalf of the characters but most of all I felt the love that went into writing every single story.
There were some great shorts from favourite authors and I also discovered some I hadn’t read before and of course will now need to go and read their back catalogue.
A stand out favourite for me was C.S Autumn’s contribution, such a sweet and emotional one. I think I connected most with the characters in this. I hope we will see more from Noah & Otto and many of the other characters in future.
I’m blown away with how amazing every single one was.
I laughed, I cried, I got so mad on behalf of the characters but most of all I felt the love that went into writing every single story.
There were some great shorts from favourite authors and I also discovered some I hadn’t read before and of course will now need to go and read their back catalogue.
A stand out favourite for me was C.S Autumn’s contribution, such a sweet and emotional one. I think I connected most with the characters in this. I hope we will see more from Noah & Otto and many of the other characters in future.
May 31, 2025
The Trust by Rae Stone - 5☆
MACARONI!!!! I really enjoyed getting to see more of Mac and Jordan. It was a great glimpse into their future, and it was great to see how they navigate their relationship while doing their own things. I melted whenever Jordan called Mac Vida. I love their connection and their love is so strong. Their spicy times were as hot as ever. But more importantly we got to see them cement their connection and build their relationship, which was beautiful to see.
Otto and Noah by C.S. Autumn - 5☆
This novella had everything. Sad moments, swoony moments, hurt/comfort, grief, delicious tension and a great ending(for now). I loved how much plot we got in less than 100 pages. I loved how the story progressed, how the tension built between Otto and Noah. I really loved their flirting and the dynamic between them. Otto's daughter and Noah's baby brother were such cute additions to the story. I loved every moment of this beautiful novella. C.S. Autumn can make me teary eyed even when she only writes a novella length story, and this is not even the first time it has happened. Definitely worth a read!
MACARONI!!!! I really enjoyed getting to see more of Mac and Jordan. It was a great glimpse into their future, and it was great to see how they navigate their relationship while doing their own things. I melted whenever Jordan called Mac Vida. I love their connection and their love is so strong. Their spicy times were as hot as ever. But more importantly we got to see them cement their connection and build their relationship, which was beautiful to see.
Otto and Noah by C.S. Autumn - 5☆
This novella had everything. Sad moments, swoony moments, hurt/comfort, grief, delicious tension and a great ending(for now). I loved how much plot we got in less than 100 pages. I loved how the story progressed, how the tension built between Otto and Noah. I really loved their flirting and the dynamic between them. Otto's daughter and Noah's baby brother were such cute additions to the story. I loved every moment of this beautiful novella. C.S. Autumn can make me teary eyed even when she only writes a novella length story, and this is not even the first time it has happened. Definitely worth a read!
May 13, 2025
4.5 -
A review for River Hale's part "Hands like Ours"
The last thing Professor Kendall needs is to be attracted to a student. To fight this attraction to his student, he's kind of a... Jerk. And Jackson's unfortunate crush is starting to dissipate the more his professor assigns bullshit papers as some sort of punishment for his acting out. He assumes Isaac hates him. But it turns out that's not the case at all. That being said, Isaac tries to fight it. It could cost him his job. Turns out, fighting it is no use...
I've been falling into a bit of a slump lately and this is just what I needed to help me out of that. Something short and spicy. That, and not only does River's part in this anthology have all my favorite tropes, but I've also found that I tend to be a big fan of Dom/Sub dynamics. And that's something we get here too.
84 pages wasn't enough for this story. But I loved Jackson and Isaac all the same. Once again, River's writing doesn't disappoint.
A review for River Hale's part "Hands like Ours"
The last thing Professor Kendall needs is to be attracted to a student. To fight this attraction to his student, he's kind of a... Jerk. And Jackson's unfortunate crush is starting to dissipate the more his professor assigns bullshit papers as some sort of punishment for his acting out. He assumes Isaac hates him. But it turns out that's not the case at all. That being said, Isaac tries to fight it. It could cost him his job. Turns out, fighting it is no use...
I've been falling into a bit of a slump lately and this is just what I needed to help me out of that. Something short and spicy. That, and not only does River's part in this anthology have all my favorite tropes, but I've also found that I tend to be a big fan of Dom/Sub dynamics. And that's something we get here too.
84 pages wasn't enough for this story. But I loved Jackson and Isaac all the same. Once again, River's writing doesn't disappoint.
May 21, 2025
I absolutely loved it. So many emotions and real life problems mixed within. I adore the characters.
June 1, 2025
Flawed by Courtney Dixon:
Rory just wants to be himself and is happy to be away at school. Until an event happens at a party it makes him rethink everything. This is a hurt/comfort found family story with an HEA of course.
Finding Reality by Joelle Lynne:
Dating hasn’t always been easy for Nelly. Thinking she found the one only to have it crumble. Have no fear there is a night is shining armor ready to step in. This story does have some triggers so be sure to read the warnings.
Rory just wants to be himself and is happy to be away at school. Until an event happens at a party it makes him rethink everything. This is a hurt/comfort found family story with an HEA of course.
Finding Reality by Joelle Lynne:
Dating hasn’t always been easy for Nelly. Thinking she found the one only to have it crumble. Have no fear there is a night is shining armor ready to step in. This story does have some triggers so be sure to read the warnings.
May 27, 2025
Statement Made -Bree Wiley
Christian and Devon! Oh and Arya.. But CHRISTIAN AND DEVON. We've been desperate for these two for a while now and thank you Bree for delivering!
This short story has me so fu*king pumped for their full length book! It's short and sweet but oh so spicy. Devon clearly has a lot of trauma to unpack, and the more we learn about him the more I can forgive the way he treated our baby Xed in CA.
Christian has been a constant favourite from FD and this glimpse into his queer awakening has me desperate for more.
The spice in this novelette is just delicious. The scenes with Arya are some of the best MFM I've ever read. While I'm definitely team Christian and Devon, I can appreciate Arya's talents and the part she's played in bringing our boys together.
This Definity feels like the beginning of something good for Devon and Christian and I am here for it!
Vibes:
• MFM to MM
• Queer awakening
• Broken boy
• Motocross
• Found family
Rating: 4.5⭐️
Spice: 3.5🌶
Otto and Noah – C.S.Autum
The premise:
Noah's life is turned upside down overnight when his parents tragically pass away and he's left to care for his two year old brother. When he applies for a job as a nanny he gets more than he was expecting with Otto.
Otto is a single father with a high pressure job who works long hours whk only has time for his daughter and his work. When he hires Noah as his new nanny there's no denying he's attracted to him but he easily pushes it aside to remain professional.
As Noah gets more comfortable around Otto his slightly flirty side occasionally slips letting Otto's Dom mind wonder to what more he could do with Noah.
When Otto finally gives in and gives Noah what he needs it's hot hot hot! Noah is submissive and, after everything he's been through, craves the direction of a Dom to take away his choices and just let him feel. Something Otto is more than happy to accommodate.
I really felt for Noah and the tough hand life has delt him. He should be off studying for his future or out having fun like the rest of his friends, but that all came to a screeching holt when he found himself the sole caregiver of a two year old at 21.
Overall this is an amazing short spicy read and I can't wait to read more of Otto and Noah's story.
Vibes:
• Age Gap
• Light BDSM
• Hurt/Comfort
• Impact Play
• Grumpy/Sunshine
• Nanny/Single Dad
• Forced Proximity
Rating: 4.5⭐️
Spice: 2.5🌶
The Trust – Rae Stone
The Trust is a captivating novelette that picks up where The Chance left off, continuing Mac and Jordan's story in ways I never knew I needed! While I highly recommend reading The Chance first, this can absolutely be enjoyed as a standalone.
From the very first bursts to life—we dive straight into the passion between Jordan and Mac. They’ve finally worked through their issues, but perfection is still out of reach. Jordan is juggling the demands of his new gym, trying to turn a profit while keeping Mac’s safety his top priority. He wants to give Mac everything, but the fear of public scrutiny makes him hesitate. If their relationship goes public, will Mac bear the brunt of the backlash?
Packed with fiery chemistry, heartfelt moments, and a deeply satisfying conclusion, The Trust delivers the perfect happily-ever-after.
If you loved The Chance, this is a must-read!
Vibes:
• Rockstar and bodyguard
• Best friends to lovers
• Bi-lingual MC
• HEA
Rating: 4.5⭐️
Spice: 3🌶
Christian and Devon! Oh and Arya.. But CHRISTIAN AND DEVON. We've been desperate for these two for a while now and thank you Bree for delivering!
This short story has me so fu*king pumped for their full length book! It's short and sweet but oh so spicy. Devon clearly has a lot of trauma to unpack, and the more we learn about him the more I can forgive the way he treated our baby Xed in CA.
Christian has been a constant favourite from FD and this glimpse into his queer awakening has me desperate for more.
The spice in this novelette is just delicious. The scenes with Arya are some of the best MFM I've ever read. While I'm definitely team Christian and Devon, I can appreciate Arya's talents and the part she's played in bringing our boys together.
This Definity feels like the beginning of something good for Devon and Christian and I am here for it!
Vibes:
• MFM to MM
• Queer awakening
• Broken boy
• Motocross
• Found family
Rating: 4.5⭐️
Spice: 3.5🌶
Otto and Noah – C.S.Autum
The premise:
Noah's life is turned upside down overnight when his parents tragically pass away and he's left to care for his two year old brother. When he applies for a job as a nanny he gets more than he was expecting with Otto.
Otto is a single father with a high pressure job who works long hours whk only has time for his daughter and his work. When he hires Noah as his new nanny there's no denying he's attracted to him but he easily pushes it aside to remain professional.
As Noah gets more comfortable around Otto his slightly flirty side occasionally slips letting Otto's Dom mind wonder to what more he could do with Noah.
When Otto finally gives in and gives Noah what he needs it's hot hot hot! Noah is submissive and, after everything he's been through, craves the direction of a Dom to take away his choices and just let him feel. Something Otto is more than happy to accommodate.
I really felt for Noah and the tough hand life has delt him. He should be off studying for his future or out having fun like the rest of his friends, but that all came to a screeching holt when he found himself the sole caregiver of a two year old at 21.
Overall this is an amazing short spicy read and I can't wait to read more of Otto and Noah's story.
Vibes:
• Age Gap
• Light BDSM
• Hurt/Comfort
• Impact Play
• Grumpy/Sunshine
• Nanny/Single Dad
• Forced Proximity
Rating: 4.5⭐️
Spice: 2.5🌶
The Trust – Rae Stone
The Trust is a captivating novelette that picks up where The Chance left off, continuing Mac and Jordan's story in ways I never knew I needed! While I highly recommend reading The Chance first, this can absolutely be enjoyed as a standalone.
From the very first bursts to life—we dive straight into the passion between Jordan and Mac. They’ve finally worked through their issues, but perfection is still out of reach. Jordan is juggling the demands of his new gym, trying to turn a profit while keeping Mac’s safety his top priority. He wants to give Mac everything, but the fear of public scrutiny makes him hesitate. If their relationship goes public, will Mac bear the brunt of the backlash?
Packed with fiery chemistry, heartfelt moments, and a deeply satisfying conclusion, The Trust delivers the perfect happily-ever-after.
If you loved The Chance, this is a must-read!
Vibes:
• Rockstar and bodyguard
• Best friends to lovers
• Bi-lingual MC
• HEA
Rating: 4.5⭐️
Spice: 3🌶
June 2, 2025
Flawed by Courtney Dixon
- I had a feeling this would be super sweet and I wasn't wrong. Rory is sunshine and glitter; Colt is grumpy and silent. Opposites but dang if they don’t end up being perfect for each other. I loved watching Colt confront the beliefs he grew up with and choose something better. And the way he showed up for Rory? My heart. Their first times were awkward and sweet and I’m a sucker for cutesy nicknames. I’d definitely read a full length book of these two.
- What to expect: roommates, size difference, opposites attract, demi rep, first times
Otto & Noah by C.S. Autumn
- Ok well the prologue got right to business at putting me in my feelings. Talk about a textual punch to the chest. Noah is grieving, isolated, and just trying to keep it together after he becomes an orphan and guardian of his little brother overnight. Enter Otto…he’s a little grumpy and a lot bossy with a hidden side of (resistant) caretaker. When Otto hires Noah as his nanny, that’s all it’s supposed to be…but Otto sees Noah in all the ways that mean something - and the secret soft spot he develops keeps getting bigger. Noah is just a sad boy who wants to be held and Otto has some comfy looking arms. Oh he’s still bossy but don’t worry, Noah likes that part too. Bonus: We’re definitely going to see more of them in the future.
- What to expect: age gap, grumpy sunshine, size difference, D/s dynamic, single dad/nanny, hurt comfort
The Trust by Rae Stone
- This might have been the most perfect short story. You know how sometimes it feels like a slow start and you're waiting for 'the thing' to hook you? Not this time. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 is heavy on the spice and the feels - and it hooked me from the first line. Just like the history between Mac and Jordan hooked me because you can feel it through everything. There's this line that says "𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶." and it put such a unique angle on friends to lovers that I don't usually consider. The shift in dynamic - the loss and the gain and navigating them both at once. It had me feeling so soft for them. There's also a plot twist that had me bracing for impact but turned into something so sweet and left me smiling like a fool. Immediately adding 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 to my tbr because knowing their origin story is now a need.
- What to expect: friends and lovers, paintball dates, public play, cute nicknames, very satisfying 'good boy'
Act of Resistance by Rebecca Rathe
- Officially, I want to be like Antoni when I grow up. He is so fierce - in his beliefs, in his love for Rae (an actual ray of sunshine), and in his zero tolerance for those who don't match that energy. Their friendship origin story is adorable and when Antoni checks Rae's brother Orlando...I think I fell a little bit in love. It was the kind of necessary call out that's not easy to hear but Orlando really hears him, reflects, and adjusts accordingly. The romance that develops between them is very sweet but the core of this story is so much more than a love story. It's about community, responsibility, and what it means to truly show up for people. This line sums it up perfectly: "𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘷𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴."
- What to expect: age gap, best friends brother, grumpy/sunshine, fierce love and hard lessons, community and responsibility
- I had a feeling this would be super sweet and I wasn't wrong. Rory is sunshine and glitter; Colt is grumpy and silent. Opposites but dang if they don’t end up being perfect for each other. I loved watching Colt confront the beliefs he grew up with and choose something better. And the way he showed up for Rory? My heart. Their first times were awkward and sweet and I’m a sucker for cutesy nicknames. I’d definitely read a full length book of these two.
- What to expect: roommates, size difference, opposites attract, demi rep, first times
Otto & Noah by C.S. Autumn
- Ok well the prologue got right to business at putting me in my feelings. Talk about a textual punch to the chest. Noah is grieving, isolated, and just trying to keep it together after he becomes an orphan and guardian of his little brother overnight. Enter Otto…he’s a little grumpy and a lot bossy with a hidden side of (resistant) caretaker. When Otto hires Noah as his nanny, that’s all it’s supposed to be…but Otto sees Noah in all the ways that mean something - and the secret soft spot he develops keeps getting bigger. Noah is just a sad boy who wants to be held and Otto has some comfy looking arms. Oh he’s still bossy but don’t worry, Noah likes that part too. Bonus: We’re definitely going to see more of them in the future.
- What to expect: age gap, grumpy sunshine, size difference, D/s dynamic, single dad/nanny, hurt comfort
The Trust by Rae Stone
- This might have been the most perfect short story. You know how sometimes it feels like a slow start and you're waiting for 'the thing' to hook you? Not this time. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 is heavy on the spice and the feels - and it hooked me from the first line. Just like the history between Mac and Jordan hooked me because you can feel it through everything. There's this line that says "𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶." and it put such a unique angle on friends to lovers that I don't usually consider. The shift in dynamic - the loss and the gain and navigating them both at once. It had me feeling so soft for them. There's also a plot twist that had me bracing for impact but turned into something so sweet and left me smiling like a fool. Immediately adding 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 to my tbr because knowing their origin story is now a need.
- What to expect: friends and lovers, paintball dates, public play, cute nicknames, very satisfying 'good boy'
Act of Resistance by Rebecca Rathe
- Officially, I want to be like Antoni when I grow up. He is so fierce - in his beliefs, in his love for Rae (an actual ray of sunshine), and in his zero tolerance for those who don't match that energy. Their friendship origin story is adorable and when Antoni checks Rae's brother Orlando...I think I fell a little bit in love. It was the kind of necessary call out that's not easy to hear but Orlando really hears him, reflects, and adjusts accordingly. The romance that develops between them is very sweet but the core of this story is so much more than a love story. It's about community, responsibility, and what it means to truly show up for people. This line sums it up perfectly: "𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘷𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴."
- What to expect: age gap, best friends brother, grumpy/sunshine, fierce love and hard lessons, community and responsibility
June 10, 2025
I usually like this kind of anthologies with short storied, and this one is not an exception. I have however fixed feelings about some of the stories, here I review a selection of the stories and may come back later with more reviews.
Perfectly Tempting by Alexa L. Stephen
I liked the premise of this story and enjoyed it, until I saw at the end it's not really a complete story and to know what happens to Theo and Jayce we need to read the full novel that will be out later in the year
Alpha's Conquest by Elizabeth Dunlap
This one is the same feeling as the previous one not really a full story, just the beginning of a full one, and it was frustrating as I wanted to know more.
Trade Up by Kate Bauer
IThis is a charity anthology, regrouping some powerful and emotional stories, most of the ones I read dealing with homophobia. I usually like this kind of anthologies with short stories, but somehow I was a bit disappointed by this one as several of the stories I read are long prologues, introduction to a new world or long epilogues of other full length novel, not really what I look for in a short stories anthology. However, the stories are well written and enjoyable and I love the concept of charity anthologies. Below I review a selection of them and may come back later with more.
Perfectly Tempting by Alexa L. Stephen
I liked the premise of this story and enjoyed it, until I realised it's not really a complete story and to know what happens to Theo and Jayce we need to read the full novel that will be out later in the year
Alpha's Conquest by Elizabeth Dunlap
This one is the same as the previous one thus is not really a full story, just the beginning of a full one, and it was frustrating.
Trade Up by Kate Bauer
I loved this one!!! Caspian is such a strong and lovable character, and Fred is so sweet. They go very well together. It's sweet and heartwarming and full of hope.
Before It Was Us by Jac Franklin
This is a poly story, with three men and a woman. I loved how the MC communicated and made room for all of them. I missed a bit more of backstory.
Flawed by Courtney W. Dixon
I loved this story that is very sweet even if it has some heavy topics. I loved both Colt and Rory, I loved to read how Colt learns to accept what's different from what he was taught and to accept himself as well.
Otto and Noah by CS Autumn
Very emotional and sweet story. I loved both Otto and Noah, I hurt for Noah and was happy to read finding his happiness with Otto, for now ;-)
The Trust by Rae Stone
This is an extended epilogue of "the chance" a previous novel from the same author, it's hot and emotional, and even if it can be read as a standalone, it's really better after having read the full novel.
Sixteen or Ninety One by BL Maxwell
This is a very sweet short story, about two workaholics that want to find their person and go to a speed-dating. I loved it.
I got an ARC and this is my honest review.
Perfectly Tempting by Alexa L. Stephen
I liked the premise of this story and enjoyed it, until I saw at the end it's not really a complete story and to know what happens to Theo and Jayce we need to read the full novel that will be out later in the year
Alpha's Conquest by Elizabeth Dunlap
This one is the same feeling as the previous one not really a full story, just the beginning of a full one, and it was frustrating as I wanted to know more.
Trade Up by Kate Bauer
IThis is a charity anthology, regrouping some powerful and emotional stories, most of the ones I read dealing with homophobia. I usually like this kind of anthologies with short stories, but somehow I was a bit disappointed by this one as several of the stories I read are long prologues, introduction to a new world or long epilogues of other full length novel, not really what I look for in a short stories anthology. However, the stories are well written and enjoyable and I love the concept of charity anthologies. Below I review a selection of them and may come back later with more.
Perfectly Tempting by Alexa L. Stephen
I liked the premise of this story and enjoyed it, until I realised it's not really a complete story and to know what happens to Theo and Jayce we need to read the full novel that will be out later in the year
Alpha's Conquest by Elizabeth Dunlap
This one is the same as the previous one thus is not really a full story, just the beginning of a full one, and it was frustrating.
Trade Up by Kate Bauer
I loved this one!!! Caspian is such a strong and lovable character, and Fred is so sweet. They go very well together. It's sweet and heartwarming and full of hope.
Before It Was Us by Jac Franklin
This is a poly story, with three men and a woman. I loved how the MC communicated and made room for all of them. I missed a bit more of backstory.
Flawed by Courtney W. Dixon
I loved this story that is very sweet even if it has some heavy topics. I loved both Colt and Rory, I loved to read how Colt learns to accept what's different from what he was taught and to accept himself as well.
Otto and Noah by CS Autumn
Very emotional and sweet story. I loved both Otto and Noah, I hurt for Noah and was happy to read finding his happiness with Otto, for now ;-)
The Trust by Rae Stone
This is an extended epilogue of "the chance" a previous novel from the same author, it's hot and emotional, and even if it can be read as a standalone, it's really better after having read the full novel.
Sixteen or Ninety One by BL Maxwell
This is a very sweet short story, about two workaholics that want to find their person and go to a speed-dating. I loved it.
I got an ARC and this is my honest review.
May 25, 2025
🖤📖✨ Statement Made – Bree Wiley ✨📖🖤
Ohhh holy hell 😮💨 did I love this little slice of perfection!! Bree Wiley has once again dropped us right back into the world I’m lowkey obsessed with—and let me tell you, this novelette might be small, but it packs a deliciously emotional punch 💥
Devon has had me in a CHOKEHOLD since Finding Delaware 😩 And while Crossing Arizona let us peel back a few layers, this story?? 👏 Finally cracks him open just enough to see that soft centre under the cocky smirk and casual arrogance. He’s the “love to hate but secretly (not so secretly) love” kind of character that I’m desperate to unravel. And I need MORE. More pages, more angst, more Devon 🖤
Now let’s talk about Christian 😍 Our favourite chaotic bestie from Finding Delaware. He’s giving golden retriever energy 🐶, himbo hilarity 🤪, and SO much heart. Watching him navigate his queeriosity and catch unexpected feels for Devon?? I’m unwell 😭
Even though this was a tease in the best way (anthology novelettes be like that 😅), it absolutely delivers! It whet my appetite, gave me a full heart, and still left me begging for the main course. Bree, I’m on my knees for more of this duo 🙏
And YES, I’ll be over here patiently (ok not really) waiting for Slogan’s book too 👀 Bree’s magic is that even her MF pairings have me hooked when I’m normally a hardcore MM-only reader. That’s power. That’s ✨character writing✨
Go read it. Go support the anthology. And go fall in love with Devon and Christian like I did ❤️🔥
✨ Otto and Noah – C.S. Autumn ✨
Ohhh my heart 😮💨 Otto and Noah might be short, but C.S. Autumn came for my feelings with zero warning and absolutely wrecked me in the best way 🫠💔
From the first page I was hooked — Noah just trying to keep it together after losing his parents and suddenly becoming guardian to his baby brother Sammy?? 😭 I wanted to wrap him in a blanket, make him tea, and tell him everything would be okay. He’s soft, selfless, and doing his best — and I fell HARD.
And then Otto walks in... Tall, broody, single dad energy?? ✔️ A little gruff around the edges but with the biggest heart?? ✔️ Hot as hell but also emotionally available?? DOUBLE ✔️ The second Noah became Ophelia’s nanny, I was like yep. These two? Meant to be 💘
The chemistry?? Instant. Intense. Delicious. The kind of connection where they just get each other without needing to say a word. Otto showing up for Noah exactly when he needed it — even when Noah couldn’t ask for help?? That did things to me 🫠 And don’t even get me started on the 🔥 because YES, Otto delivers.
And can we talk about the kids?? Ophelia and Sammy bonding instantly, like tiny soulmates in playground form 🥹 Watching the four of them just click into place had me kicking my feet and wiping away tears. It’s pure found family gold ✨
This book might be a novella, but it gives you everything — heart, heat, hope — and then leaves you begging for more. I NEED to see how their story unfolds. I need more cuddles. More chaos. More Otto stepping up and Noah finally getting to breathe. I’m down BAD for this little family 🧡
C.S. Autumn, pls. More of them. Immediately 🙏
Add this to your TBR like yesterday.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book but this is my honest and voluntary review!*
Ohhh holy hell 😮💨 did I love this little slice of perfection!! Bree Wiley has once again dropped us right back into the world I’m lowkey obsessed with—and let me tell you, this novelette might be small, but it packs a deliciously emotional punch 💥
Devon has had me in a CHOKEHOLD since Finding Delaware 😩 And while Crossing Arizona let us peel back a few layers, this story?? 👏 Finally cracks him open just enough to see that soft centre under the cocky smirk and casual arrogance. He’s the “love to hate but secretly (not so secretly) love” kind of character that I’m desperate to unravel. And I need MORE. More pages, more angst, more Devon 🖤
Now let’s talk about Christian 😍 Our favourite chaotic bestie from Finding Delaware. He’s giving golden retriever energy 🐶, himbo hilarity 🤪, and SO much heart. Watching him navigate his queeriosity and catch unexpected feels for Devon?? I’m unwell 😭
Even though this was a tease in the best way (anthology novelettes be like that 😅), it absolutely delivers! It whet my appetite, gave me a full heart, and still left me begging for the main course. Bree, I’m on my knees for more of this duo 🙏
And YES, I’ll be over here patiently (ok not really) waiting for Slogan’s book too 👀 Bree’s magic is that even her MF pairings have me hooked when I’m normally a hardcore MM-only reader. That’s power. That’s ✨character writing✨
Go read it. Go support the anthology. And go fall in love with Devon and Christian like I did ❤️🔥
✨ Otto and Noah – C.S. Autumn ✨
Ohhh my heart 😮💨 Otto and Noah might be short, but C.S. Autumn came for my feelings with zero warning and absolutely wrecked me in the best way 🫠💔
From the first page I was hooked — Noah just trying to keep it together after losing his parents and suddenly becoming guardian to his baby brother Sammy?? 😭 I wanted to wrap him in a blanket, make him tea, and tell him everything would be okay. He’s soft, selfless, and doing his best — and I fell HARD.
And then Otto walks in... Tall, broody, single dad energy?? ✔️ A little gruff around the edges but with the biggest heart?? ✔️ Hot as hell but also emotionally available?? DOUBLE ✔️ The second Noah became Ophelia’s nanny, I was like yep. These two? Meant to be 💘
The chemistry?? Instant. Intense. Delicious. The kind of connection where they just get each other without needing to say a word. Otto showing up for Noah exactly when he needed it — even when Noah couldn’t ask for help?? That did things to me 🫠 And don’t even get me started on the 🔥 because YES, Otto delivers.
And can we talk about the kids?? Ophelia and Sammy bonding instantly, like tiny soulmates in playground form 🥹 Watching the four of them just click into place had me kicking my feet and wiping away tears. It’s pure found family gold ✨
This book might be a novella, but it gives you everything — heart, heat, hope — and then leaves you begging for more. I NEED to see how their story unfolds. I need more cuddles. More chaos. More Otto stepping up and Noah finally getting to breathe. I’m down BAD for this little family 🧡
C.S. Autumn, pls. More of them. Immediately 🙏
Add this to your TBR like yesterday.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book but this is my honest and voluntary review!*
May 22, 2025
Flawed by Courtney W. Dixon
This was such a sweet and angsty story. Rory and Colt are roommates who couldn't be more different. Rory is learning to embrace who he truly is he’s blooming like a flower in spring, full of hope and positivity, believing that things are finally starting to get better. Colt, meanwhile, is both drawn to and scared of Rory. He was raised with very different beliefs, and while he's curious, he sees Rory as a temptation he’s not supposed to give in to.
Their journey is both tender and painful, but I loved how they slowly discovered their true selves together. They challenged the beliefs that had been forced on them, supported one another, and showed that sometimes, love means unlearning everything you were taught to fear. Some people can’t see past their own prejudice, but Rory and Colt’s story shows how powerful it is when you do.
I adored how they became each other’s safe place, their home. I really hope we get to see more of this beautiful couple, because they are just too sweet together.
Star Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice Rating: 2 /5 🔥🔥
If you like to read:
📚 College
💄 Demisexual
📚 Size Difference
💄 Femme MC
📚 Roommates
💄 Pan- Awakening
The Trust by Rae Stone
We’re back with Mac and Jordan in this short novella, and we get a glimpse of how life as a couple is treating them. There are plenty of sweet moments, but also some really good spicy ones, because if The Chance taught us anything, it’s that Mac and Jordan are like a pair of drumsticks: they only work when they’re together. Without one, the rhythm just doesn’t play. But when they’re in sync, they create the most beautiful harmony.
We see how much their communication has grown, and even though they’re finally living the happy life they absolutely deserve, their story doesn’t shy away from the fears and prejudices that still linger. But when love is stronger than fear, anything is possible, and Mac and Jordan are living proof. They chose to be themselves, to stop letting others define their path, and to fight for each other. And watching that unfold was honestly so beautiful. This was a great conclusion to their story. That doesn't mean I’m not hoping to see more of them, because honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of these two. But I’m so happy they got a wonderful HEA.
And I loved seeing the rest of the characters again and Lemon, my precious boy.
Star Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice Rating: 3.5/5 🔥🔥🔥.5
If you like to read:
🥁 Established Relationship
💪🏻 Toys
🥁 Found Family
💪🏻 Paintball Dates
🥁 Sexy Times In Public
💪🏻 “Good Boy”
This was such a sweet and angsty story. Rory and Colt are roommates who couldn't be more different. Rory is learning to embrace who he truly is he’s blooming like a flower in spring, full of hope and positivity, believing that things are finally starting to get better. Colt, meanwhile, is both drawn to and scared of Rory. He was raised with very different beliefs, and while he's curious, he sees Rory as a temptation he’s not supposed to give in to.
Their journey is both tender and painful, but I loved how they slowly discovered their true selves together. They challenged the beliefs that had been forced on them, supported one another, and showed that sometimes, love means unlearning everything you were taught to fear. Some people can’t see past their own prejudice, but Rory and Colt’s story shows how powerful it is when you do.
I adored how they became each other’s safe place, their home. I really hope we get to see more of this beautiful couple, because they are just too sweet together.
Star Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice Rating: 2 /5 🔥🔥
If you like to read:
📚 College
💄 Demisexual
📚 Size Difference
💄 Femme MC
📚 Roommates
💄 Pan- Awakening
The Trust by Rae Stone
We’re back with Mac and Jordan in this short novella, and we get a glimpse of how life as a couple is treating them. There are plenty of sweet moments, but also some really good spicy ones, because if The Chance taught us anything, it’s that Mac and Jordan are like a pair of drumsticks: they only work when they’re together. Without one, the rhythm just doesn’t play. But when they’re in sync, they create the most beautiful harmony.
We see how much their communication has grown, and even though they’re finally living the happy life they absolutely deserve, their story doesn’t shy away from the fears and prejudices that still linger. But when love is stronger than fear, anything is possible, and Mac and Jordan are living proof. They chose to be themselves, to stop letting others define their path, and to fight for each other. And watching that unfold was honestly so beautiful. This was a great conclusion to their story. That doesn't mean I’m not hoping to see more of them, because honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of these two. But I’m so happy they got a wonderful HEA.
And I loved seeing the rest of the characters again and Lemon, my precious boy.
Star Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice Rating: 3.5/5 🔥🔥🔥.5
If you like to read:
🥁 Established Relationship
💪🏻 Toys
🥁 Found Family
💪🏻 Paintball Dates
🥁 Sexy Times In Public
💪🏻 “Good Boy”
May 23, 2025
Flawed by Courtney W. Dixon -
This was super cute. I love that even in a novella she makes sure to have a character with some hurt comfort. I loved these two together. This had such a beautiful point made if being taught hatred for the LGBTQIA+ and yet choosing to learn and be better. Yes Colt does end up identitfying as part of that but even before that he was changing his perspective. I loved this story.
Otto and Noah by C. S. Autumn - I loved this short so much. This starts post loss but loss is still such an integral part of the story. I loved the courage it took for Noah to raise his little brother and for Otto to see the man he could be. I really loved the kids too and I'm not usually one for young kids in stories but this was cute. Also the nickname NoNo for Noah had my whole heart.
The Trust by Rae Stone - This was a cute short for after you read The Chance. I enjoyed seeing these two again and seeing how their relationship progressed in this way. I loved the gym declaration. Honestly I love the idea of a space that is for everyone in that way. Beautiful sweet story.
Act Of Resistance by Rececca Rathe - The chills this story gave me is insane. For one I love Rae. She's strong as hell and badass. i thoroughly enjoyed Antoni putting Orlando in his place. I'm sure we all could do more to support the trans community and this story is reminder of that. This was beautiful and powerful.
Statement Made by Bree Wiley - I really did not like Dev from the main series but this story made me rethink that opinion. Like most people there is a lot more going on beneath the surface. I loved watching Christian deal with his curiosity and finally potentially accept that he may also be queer and that's okay. I really enjoyed this story. It's nice for a taste back into Finding Delaware.
Finding Reality by Joelle Lynne - I adore Nelly. She's so strong and just awesome. I hate how difficult it can be for trans people to navigate dating safely. I like that there was the representation of that in this story as well. It made her finding David that much sweeter. They are so cute and I love that he checked on her when she was a crying stranger. So sweet.
This was super cute. I love that even in a novella she makes sure to have a character with some hurt comfort. I loved these two together. This had such a beautiful point made if being taught hatred for the LGBTQIA+ and yet choosing to learn and be better. Yes Colt does end up identitfying as part of that but even before that he was changing his perspective. I loved this story.
Otto and Noah by C. S. Autumn - I loved this short so much. This starts post loss but loss is still such an integral part of the story. I loved the courage it took for Noah to raise his little brother and for Otto to see the man he could be. I really loved the kids too and I'm not usually one for young kids in stories but this was cute. Also the nickname NoNo for Noah had my whole heart.
The Trust by Rae Stone - This was a cute short for after you read The Chance. I enjoyed seeing these two again and seeing how their relationship progressed in this way. I loved the gym declaration. Honestly I love the idea of a space that is for everyone in that way. Beautiful sweet story.
Act Of Resistance by Rececca Rathe - The chills this story gave me is insane. For one I love Rae. She's strong as hell and badass. i thoroughly enjoyed Antoni putting Orlando in his place. I'm sure we all could do more to support the trans community and this story is reminder of that. This was beautiful and powerful.
Statement Made by Bree Wiley - I really did not like Dev from the main series but this story made me rethink that opinion. Like most people there is a lot more going on beneath the surface. I loved watching Christian deal with his curiosity and finally potentially accept that he may also be queer and that's okay. I really enjoyed this story. It's nice for a taste back into Finding Delaware.
Finding Reality by Joelle Lynne - I adore Nelly. She's so strong and just awesome. I hate how difficult it can be for trans people to navigate dating safely. I like that there was the representation of that in this story as well. It made her finding David that much sweeter. They are so cute and I love that he checked on her when she was a crying stranger. So sweet.
May 28, 2025
✨ Noah and Otto - C.S. Autumn ✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This story opens with Noah and his little brother Sammy’s heartbreaking loss. The author handles Noah’s grief with such soft, subtle grace — you feel it without being overwhelmed.
At first, Otto St. James seems grumpy and stern, but beneath that, he’s a warm, loving dad to Fi, Sammy, and Noah. His care for Noah, especially when Noah needs comfort the most, is heart-melting.
The chemistry between the main characters sparks right from the beginning and slowly, sweetly builds with every interaction. I’m so ready for this to become a full-length novel — I can’t wait to see where their journey goes! 💛✨
✨ The Trust by Rae Stone ✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This story picks up right where The Chance left off, and it’s so heartwarming to see how Mac and Jordan navigate their new relationship. Their connection feels sweet, comforting, and built on deep trust.
I especially loved the gym declaration scene — such a powerful, emotional moment! And seeing the gym become a safe, welcoming space for everyone was just the cherry on top. 🧡🏋️♂️
✨Statement Made - Bree Wiley✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Following the world of State of Us, this short dives into the evolving dynamic between Christian, Arya, and Dev. While all three have a history of hooking up, this time it's different—especially for Christian, who's grappling with the unexpected realization that his attraction to Dev might go beyond physical curiosity. It's a first for him, and watching that internal struggle play out felt raw and honest.
The story really shines through Dev’s perspective. Bisexual, out, and unashamed, he’s tired of being the “fun” third—tired of being used and left behind. All he wants is someone who stays. Christian could be that person… but Dev isn’t sure if he’s ready to step up.
Bree Wiley gives us a beautifully intimate look at two men caught in something real and possibly life-changing. Christian's growth—his fierce loyalty turning inward for the first time—was so satisfying to witness.
This is absolutely the beginning of something bigger, and I’m (not so) patiently waiting for what comes next.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This story opens with Noah and his little brother Sammy’s heartbreaking loss. The author handles Noah’s grief with such soft, subtle grace — you feel it without being overwhelmed.
At first, Otto St. James seems grumpy and stern, but beneath that, he’s a warm, loving dad to Fi, Sammy, and Noah. His care for Noah, especially when Noah needs comfort the most, is heart-melting.
The chemistry between the main characters sparks right from the beginning and slowly, sweetly builds with every interaction. I’m so ready for this to become a full-length novel — I can’t wait to see where their journey goes! 💛✨
✨ The Trust by Rae Stone ✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This story picks up right where The Chance left off, and it’s so heartwarming to see how Mac and Jordan navigate their new relationship. Their connection feels sweet, comforting, and built on deep trust.
I especially loved the gym declaration scene — such a powerful, emotional moment! And seeing the gym become a safe, welcoming space for everyone was just the cherry on top. 🧡🏋️♂️
✨Statement Made - Bree Wiley✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Following the world of State of Us, this short dives into the evolving dynamic between Christian, Arya, and Dev. While all three have a history of hooking up, this time it's different—especially for Christian, who's grappling with the unexpected realization that his attraction to Dev might go beyond physical curiosity. It's a first for him, and watching that internal struggle play out felt raw and honest.
The story really shines through Dev’s perspective. Bisexual, out, and unashamed, he’s tired of being the “fun” third—tired of being used and left behind. All he wants is someone who stays. Christian could be that person… but Dev isn’t sure if he’s ready to step up.
Bree Wiley gives us a beautifully intimate look at two men caught in something real and possibly life-changing. Christian's growth—his fierce loyalty turning inward for the first time—was so satisfying to witness.
This is absolutely the beginning of something bigger, and I’m (not so) patiently waiting for what comes next.
June 6, 2025
Statement Made ARC Review:
Set as a continuation of the State of Us series, Statement Made gives a deeper look into the innermost thoughts and feelings of Devon and Christian, two people I have been craving to learn more about!
With the bits of Devon that have been revealed through Finding Delaware and Crossing Arizona, I couldn’t wait to peer into how he truly feels and what guides him to behave the way he does. I knew it would hurt, but DAMN! 🥹 I had the sniffles with Devon’s POVs the entire time. Christian’s POVs weren’t any different, his just hurt in a different way more in tune with his POV and my knowledge of what Devon’s inner thoughts and feelings are. Statement Made had me feeling emotional all while I was fanning myself thanks to the incredible steamy scenes. I am nervous for the fallout of what is building during the events of Statement Made and for how long it could take for Devon and Christian to figure out what they really want from each other.
I need to mention this: I really am growing to love Arya! I like each little bit where I get to see who Arya is underneath the first impression she makes. Seeing Taylor and Huckslee again, along with other glimpses at where Logan and Salem are at, always makes being in their world feel like coming home. There is drama between them, but that won’t stop this group of found family from standing up for each other at any time! I adore them all.
5/5 🌟
The Truth ARC Review:
Mac and Jordan🧡
Taking place after The Chance, The Truth follows happier times for Mac and Jordan. The road to being together was filled with angst, so seeing more moments of love between them was so welcome! I shed some tears during my time back in their world, and they were mostly happy tears! I loved seeing Jordan’s growth even more in this additional story, how he sees Mac is incredible and I adore them together. Don’t get me wrong about getting all up in my emotions, The Truth is very steamy yet balanced perfectly with how much it pulled on my heartstrings once again with Mac and Jordan 🥹
Here’s to love!🧡👏🏻
5/5 🌟
Set as a continuation of the State of Us series, Statement Made gives a deeper look into the innermost thoughts and feelings of Devon and Christian, two people I have been craving to learn more about!
With the bits of Devon that have been revealed through Finding Delaware and Crossing Arizona, I couldn’t wait to peer into how he truly feels and what guides him to behave the way he does. I knew it would hurt, but DAMN! 🥹 I had the sniffles with Devon’s POVs the entire time. Christian’s POVs weren’t any different, his just hurt in a different way more in tune with his POV and my knowledge of what Devon’s inner thoughts and feelings are. Statement Made had me feeling emotional all while I was fanning myself thanks to the incredible steamy scenes. I am nervous for the fallout of what is building during the events of Statement Made and for how long it could take for Devon and Christian to figure out what they really want from each other.
I need to mention this: I really am growing to love Arya! I like each little bit where I get to see who Arya is underneath the first impression she makes. Seeing Taylor and Huckslee again, along with other glimpses at where Logan and Salem are at, always makes being in their world feel like coming home. There is drama between them, but that won’t stop this group of found family from standing up for each other at any time! I adore them all.
5/5 🌟
The Truth ARC Review:
Mac and Jordan🧡
Taking place after The Chance, The Truth follows happier times for Mac and Jordan. The road to being together was filled with angst, so seeing more moments of love between them was so welcome! I shed some tears during my time back in their world, and they were mostly happy tears! I loved seeing Jordan’s growth even more in this additional story, how he sees Mac is incredible and I adore them together. Don’t get me wrong about getting all up in my emotions, The Truth is very steamy yet balanced perfectly with how much it pulled on my heartstrings once again with Mac and Jordan 🥹
Here’s to love!🧡👏🏻
5/5 🌟
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