Candy Hearts: Volume 2

by Lee Blair (Author & Coordinator), Anna Sparrows, B.A. Tortuga

What's sweeter than a low angst queer romance at Valentine's Day? How about twenty-three of them in one anthology to help support a good cause?

Each novella in the Candy Hearts Anthology, volume 2, is overflowing with red-hot romance and all the good feels. This volume is all about wrong numbers—wrong phone numbers, addresses, office numbers, seats, and more. If you enjoy serendipity, then you’ll love this collection.

The Candy Hearts Anthology will be available for a limited time, and all proceeds will benefit the Rainbow Railroad.

The participating authors in this volume:
Anna Sparrows - Silver (Fox) Linings
B.A. Tortuga - Drunk Dialing
Becca Seymour - Falling for 42
Beck Grey - Wrong Place, Right Time
Bix Barrow - Last Mango in Palm Springs
B.L. Maxwell - Sixteen or Ninety-One
C.D. Rachels - My Eel-ectric Valentine
D.K. Sutton - A Crush on Coach
David Gray - He's Perfection
E.M. Denning - Wrong Number, Right Heart
Hinsel Meyer - Fluttering Heart
Jem Wendel - Blooming for You
Lee Blair - It Must Be Fate
London Price - Only Want to Be with You
Marie Sinclair - Two Wrongs Make Mister Right
Merry Farmer - Sugared
Minerva Howe - Calling from the Heart
Riley Long - Misdialed but Meant to Be
Rye Cox - All I Want Is You
Stella Rainbow - My Demon Keeper
Susan Scott Shelley & Chantal Mer - Smitten
Victoria Gillian - Five Little Numbers
Zoe Lee - The Wrong Henry

Genres: Anthologies, M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, LGBT, Novella, Paranormal

1540 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 4, 2025

About the author

Lee Blair is a queer author from Oregon who writes low angst, funny, M/M contemporary romance. She's constantly amused by the antics of her two ginger cats, considers daydreaming about future trips to Scotland a part-time job, and is obsessed with Schitt's Creek to an alarming degree.

Reviews

[b00ks_in_nature · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading and loving last year’s Candy Hearts anthology, I was excited to get to read this one. None of the stories disappoint!

SILVER (FOX) LININGS by ANNA SPARROWS
This was a delightful dad’s best friend story. I really enjoyed the connection between Ken and Cody. After Ken saves Cody from a bad date, they bond over a shared love of a TV show. Weeks of hanging out leads to a friendship, then FWB, and then real feelings. The confession scene is hysterical.

DRUNK DIALING by BA TORTUGA
This is a very cowboy country book. Having dated a bull rider in my own past, I greatly enjoyed reading this story. Jake drunk dials Treat, confessing he wasn’t over him. Treat immediately goes to where Jake is and works at winning his man back. There are things Jake must address and deal with, and Treat ensures Jake knows he isn’t alone anymore.

BLOOMING FOR YOU by JEM WENDEL
Nolan had an absolutely horrible Valentine’s Day a year ago. He wants to avoid it this year, but a mix-up brings Uli into his life. He begrudgingly spends some time with Uli, who gradually helps him heal. Uli has unbelievable compassion and patience, and Nolan eventually realizes it is possible to find love again.


(More RTC!)

[Book Binge: Reviews by Melissa DaSilva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall: 3.68⭐️
I enjoyed this collection and loved the whole wrong number thing. Some of them were super unique! There were some stories I absolutely loved and would recommend!

Silver (Fox) Linings by Anna Sparrows
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This story was super cute. I’ve never read this author before but I definitely would read more by them in the future. If you’re looking for a sweet, Valentine’s romance, best-friends son, age gap then I definitely recommend. We even got a little epilogue to see their true HEA.

Drunk Dialing by BA Tortuga
DNF

Falling for 42 by Becca Seymour
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was another super cute short story! I was interested in these two from the very first page and would absolutely read a full story about them! I’m a fan of this author and it was fun to see some other characters as well. Definitely recommend.

Wrong Place, Right Time by Beck Grey
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I think this was a case of it’s me not the book. It was good. Nothing was wrong with it but I wasn’t as into it as I hoped I would be. It was a bit long in parts (which is weird to say about a short story). Overall I would still recommend it. The end was sweet and I was so happy for the MCs. Would have loved to have a little epilogue from them to see their true HEA.

Last Mango in Palm Springs by Bix Barrow
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
When I first read the blurb I was a little confused because it didn’t sound like the MCs were even going to be around each other for a lot of it. And they weren’t but it honestly worked so well! I loved the one MC’s self-discovery and how understanding the other MC was. We even got an epilogue which was awesome. I would have loved one more sex scene but overall it was awesome!

Sixteen or Ninety-One by BL Maxwell
⭐️⭐️
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.

My Eel-ectric Valentine by CD Rachels
⭐️⭐️⭐️
So that was an interesting story. It reminded me very much of a Pixar Monsters Inc x-rated romance. It was very cutesy and had fun monsters but besides the fact there was one sexy scene it felt kind of like a kids story. And there was a lot self-depreciation that kind of got old. Now if you enjoy this author and are interested in cutesy monsters then I recommend and hope you enjoy!

A Crush on Coach by DK Sutton
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was another cute short story. It was a bit rushed and skipped over some things that I would have loved to see which I understand in a short story so I was able to see past those things. I would recommend whether you’ve enjoyed this author before or are new to them as it was a quick, fun read!

He’s Perfection by David Gray
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was another cute story but in a completely unique way! I loved the way the wrong number was incorporated into this story. It was a lot of fun seeing the two MCs work it out. The sexy scene was a little different but overall I definitely recommend this story if you’re looking for a short, fun story with a unique concept!

Wrong Number, Right Heart by EM Denning
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This is definitely one of my favs in this antho so far. Again another cute one (I’m sensing a theme here) but the story felt different. I loved the disability rep and their story felt incredibly believable. They were so great together. I would have loved an epilogue to see their HEA! But loved their HFN!

Fluttering Heart by Hinsel Meyer
DNF

Blooming for You by Jem Wendell
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a cute story but I found I had a hard time getting through it. It wasn’t bad but didn’t hold my attention as much as I wish it would have. If you enjoy this author I still recommend giving it a try!

It Must Be Fate by Lee Blair
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I can’t believe I haven’t read anything by this author before! I absolutely loved this short story! It honestly was so great and I don’t feel like anything was missing! These two had amazing chemistry and I loved how they kept running into each other! It was totally fate! I highly recommend this story and can’t wait to read more by this author!

Only Want to be With You by London Price
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow!! This short was absolutely amazing! When it started I was into it and interested but as soon as I met the second MC I was hooked!! He is so incredibly sweet and cute and I loved how hard he tried to communicate even though English wasn’t his first language. This story was cute but not overly so. I thought it had a great balance of sweetness, angst and romance. Absolutely recommend even if this is the only story you read from this antho. And an epilogue 30 years in the future? Yes please!!

Two Wrongs Make Mister Right by Marie Sinclair
⭐️⭐️
This one started off fun and I was interested in the concept but it didn’t really work for me. The MCs didn’t even interact for almost half the story which is hard with a short to feel the chemistry between them. And then when they were together it went way too fast. I think if this was a full story it would have been better. If you enjoy this author still worth the read.

Sugared by Merry Farmer
⭐️⭐️⭐️
So I enjoyed this story but this is definitely a case of needing to be a full-length story and not a short. There was some heavy topics in this story that almost felt glossed over or just miraculously fixed. We really needed more time to feel like the MCs actually trusted each other which is too bad cause the characters and the concept were pretty great. If you’ve read this authors Brotherhood series then I recommend as you see some cameos and the MCs were sweet.

Calling from the Heart by Minerva Howe
DNF

Misdialed but Meant to Be by Riley Long
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a cute story! I enjoyed getting to know the two MCs and they had great sexual chemistry. It felt a little fast at times but like it said in the short “when you know you know”! I would recommend this short for sure!

All I Want is You by Rye Cox
⭐️⭐️.5
So this was a weird one. It almost felt like the MCs were middle schoolers instead of college students, but not all the time. The one MC went fr black-out drinking one night to acting like a 12-year-old with a crush the next day. It was just really weird and disjointed. Overall as a story it was cute and I enjoyed the concept but wasn’t a huge fan of how it was done. If you enjoy this author I would still recommend.

My Demon Keeper by Stella Rainbow
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This was a super cute story. The couple was adorable. This was a super sweet, low-angst story with one character being a demon (but like the nicest demon ever). I loved how the two characters met and fell in love and think this short was the perfect length for this story. I would recommend this story if you’re looking for a nice, fun, easy read.

Smitten by Susan Scott Shelley and Chantel Mer
DNF

Five Little Numbers by Victoria Gillian
DNF

The Wong Henry by Zoe Lee
DNF

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

Review based on the following stories:

My Eel-ectric Valentine by CD Rachels
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

- monster + human
- jock + nerd vibes
- fake dating

A gym locker mishap kicks off Tyson’s friendship with eel-shifter Ardsley, and has him offering to play his boyfriend for a Valentine’s work function. Sparks fly—literally and figuratively—between Tyson & Ardsley, and their friendship turns into more.

Short and sweet and too adorable!

A Crush on Coach by DK Sutton
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

- small town romance
- age gap
- dad’s best friend

Back in his hometown for work and to help plan his parent’s 30th anniversary with his dad’s best friend (and his former wrestling coach), Brad, Charlie is unprepared for the attraction that sparks between him and the much older man.

Honestly l would have loved for this to have been full length! The chemistry between Charlie and Brad was so good, and I didn’t want their story to be over! So good though

It Must Be Fate by Lee Blair
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

- meet cute
- serendipitous meet ups
- strangers to friends to lovers (sort of)

A hilariously mortifying singing telegram mixup (and several run ins in the most unexpected places after) lead to love for Lex and Garrison in this adorable novella.

Another one I wish had been full length! Their meet cute was hilarious, and I loved that they kept running into each other, and how well they clicked. Plus the steam wasn’t half bad either 😉

My Demon Keeper by Stella Rainbow
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

- demon + human
- size difference
- fated mates

A text to a wrong number brings overprotective demon, Ten, into Matthew’s life. This was cute and steamy, but I didn’t really feel the connection between Ten and Matthew.

[Siobhan]

I will be slowly working my way through these. Ratings thus far:

Silver (Fox) Linings by Anna Sparrows was a four-star rating. This was a story that grabbed me from the start, sucking me in deep and ensuring I fell hard for the characters. It was a sweet story that could have easily drifted into drama and angst, but it remained in the sweet zone, which I really enjoyed. It was a nice change for the trope, ensuring I was wearing a wide smile on my face throughout. It was my first time reading the author, and it has certainly left me curious about their other work.

Drunk Dialing by BA Tortuga was a one-star rating. I can see why people will enjoy this, but it really did not work for me. A part of me wanted to give it a two-star rating because it seemed to get the setting and lingo right (as far as I could tell), but the story itself disappointed. I struggled to connect with the writing, which is very likely a me issue – but even with that acceptance, I could not get into it. I felt like I was missing far too much backstory to feel anything about or between the characters. It made everything feel disconnected from what I was supposed to be feeling. Add in the fact that I disliked the way certain elements were handled, and this was one of those cases where I was not the right reader for the story. It is possible it would have worked much better as a full-length novel, but it did not work in this format for me.

Falling for 42 by Becca Seymour was a four-star rating. This was such a cute read that had me grinning from the start. It was sweet, immediately sucking me deep into the story and falling for the characters. While there was one element that did not work for me – the small drama with the ex – I can see why the way it played out will tick boxes for others. It was nothing major, but it did feel unnecessary to me. Overall, though, it was a super sweet read that I could not put down.

Wrong Place, Right Time by Beck Grey was a four-star rating. I adored this story and fell so hard for it. In fact, had it been a longer story, I could have seen this being a story that managed to pull a five-star rating from me. I loved the characters and the look into the past, with these aspects ensuring I fell immediately for their story. Each element kept me hooked, and I was super excited to watch how everything would play out. Although I understand why things happened so quickly toward the end, I do wish there had been a bit more. It was due to this that I felt a little cheated by the story, as I wanted to explore these aspects a little deeper. Nevertheless, I could not get enough and was hooked.

Last Mango in Palm Springs by Bix Barrow was a four-star rating. I adored this story and fell instantly for the characters. I was super happy with the inclusion of the ace spectrum, as it is something that is rarely seen. Especially when it comes to demisexuality. I do wish things had been handled slightly different as things went a bit over the top about the consent to do anything side of things once the ace spectrum was accepted. As someone on the ace spectrum, I feel this is the kind of behaviour that infantilises us (after all, like everyone else, we will say no if we do not want to hug). Despite this, I enjoyed the acceptance of the spectrum and the fact that the characters were willing to explore it.

Sixteen or Ninety-One by BL Maxwell was a one-star rating. I can certainly see why this will appeal to many, but this was a story that did not have enough for me. It was aiming for easy and drama-free, which is certainly achieved. However, due to how easy everything was, I felt like nothing happened. I wanted something to make it hit hard, rather than it just being a sweet example of romance between two people without that deep connection that could have come from more being added to the story.

My Eel-ectric Valentine by CD Rachels was a two-star rating. While this was a sweet read, there were some elements I wish had been explored in more detail. The world was interesting, yet I felt like I was missing something. This was not enough to remove my enjoyment, but I did want a little more. I would have overlooked this and given it a three-star rating, but I was not impressed with the way what appeared to be dyscalculia was handled. It was pushed aside and overlooked, with the emotional side (especially the negative thinking that comes with it) being ignored and never handled properly. Due to this, what could have been a story I enjoyed became one that I felt hit the wrong mark.

A Crush on Coach by D.K. Sutton was a three-star rating. I had such high hopes for this story as it started so fun. It immediately grabbed me, promising lots of tension and fun. Unfortunately, the things that make the trope used in this story so addictive to me were skimmed over. I felt like the story skipped all the tension of them truly sneaking around to enjoy their relationship, and that is the fun part for me. Thus, while it was a wonderful start to the story, I needed more to truly adore the way things developed. To me, it was far too quick and missed the fun parts.

He’s Perfect by David Gray was a two-star rating. This was such an interesting idea, and I was super curious to see how things would play out. Unfortunately, I really struggled to connect with the story. I think a large part of this was the writing style. It did not have what was necessary to truly immerse me in the tale – which is vital when a story has the hint of the otherworldly that this did. Thus, while I liked the idea, I failed to be sucked into the story in the way I had hoped.

Wrong Number, Right Heart by E.M. Denning

Fluttering Heart by Hinsel Meyer

Blooming for You by Jem Wendel

It Must Be Fate by Lee Blair

Only Want to Be with You by London Price

Two Wrongs Make Mister Right by Marie Sinclair

Sugared by Merry Farmer

Calling from the Heart by Minerva Howe

Misdialed but Meant to Be by Riely Long

All I Want Is You by Rye Cox

My Demon Keeper by Stella Rainbow

Smitten by Susan Scott Shelley and Chantal Mer

Five Little Numbers by Victoria Gillian

The Wrong Henry by Zoe Lee

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic Candy Hearts anthology

I loved Volume 1 last year and this is just as good. Show me an amazing collection of authors generously lining up to help a good cause, with thanks to Lee Blair for organising again, and I'm in. I couldn't resist a few of my favourite authors to start with but I plan to read all the stories.

Hinsel Meyer - Fluttering Heart
I've read and adored all of Hinsel's sporting stars and the men they love. I couldn't possibly pick out a favourite because they're all that good and this is just another couple to fall in love with. Finn and Lou are so sweet together, after an inauspicious start, and I loved how they bonded over the most unlikely things. There are cameos from several very familiar faces as well, which shouldn't be unexpected because everyone knows everyone in Hinsel's world and they all love a get together but this can easily be read a stand alone.
Even better, Finn has a brother who is similarly fascinating and he'll will get his own story. And also, IYKYK, just one word. SANTA!

Jem Wendel - Blooming For You
Larchdown is where Nolan goes for a few days, not wanting anything to do with Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, nothing goes to plan but his not so quiet and solitary weekend turns out to be the best thing that ever happened to him. Uli is such a sweetheart and while Nolan is understandably grumpy, he turns out to be a bit of a sweetheart too. Their story is lovely and while I haven't read the Larchdown series yet, I didn't feel lost but I will have to read them at some point now after that taste of village life!
I've read the two books so far in Jem's Dance Lovers Collection series and loved them. I'm also really looking forward to the book that Jem is co-writing with Hinsel Meyer, called The Himbo and the Lord.

Lee Blair - It Must Be Fate
I've read all of Lee's books and look forward to her next one everytime I've finished her latest release. She is reliably consistent in always creating characters that you'd like to be friends with, and giving them heartwarming stories that are a pleasure to read, and Dahlia Springs seems to be the perfect small town for them to live in. It Must be Fate also features Dahlia Springs but can be read a stand alone.
Lex really hasn't got time to appear in a story because he's the busiest man on the planet. He has more jobs than any man ever but still manages to maintain a smile. His first meeting with Garrison (love his full name!), well, let's say it's not ideal if you take one look at the man and want to climb him like a tree. Then Fate keeps on throwing you in each other's path and what are you gonna do?
I loved how Lee found so many different scenarios to have them meet, all while keeping it believable. Their story was a pleasure to read, as always, and it made me laugh out loud more than once. Another one to keep my impatience at bay while I'm still desperate for Dom's story (Tap That Brewery 4).

Riley Long - Misdialed But Meant To Be
I haven't read anything by Riley Long yet but when I was looking at all the blurbs of the stories, something made me pause at this one so I knew I should read it. It's a small town, sweet story starring two men who meet after a wrong number sets their love story in motion. Once face to face, it's obvious there's an attraction between them but it's more than that. Their chemistry is off the charts so game over.
This is a gentle romance, with steamy scenes, between two incredibly nice men who deserve happiness. They are thirty-eight and forty and act their age, which is a bonus because I'm sick of men that age or older who talk and act as if they're teenagers.
I enjoyed reading it and am definitely putting Riley's books on my TBR.

[Wren Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna Sparrows - Silver (Fox) Linings
Cody is the son of Kenneth’s best friend. After a drunken text is sent to Ken by mistake, he finds himself rescuing Cody from a bad date. This leads the pair on a sweet journey that ultimately leads them to each other.
Cute and sweet with just enough spice!

BA Tortuga - Drunk Dialing

Becca Seymour - Falling for 42

Beck Grey - Wrong Place, Right Time

Bix Barrow - Last Mango in Palm Springs

BL Maxwell - Sixteen or Ninety One

CD Rachels- My eel-extric Valentine

D K Sutton - A crush on coach

David Grey - He’s Perfection

E.M. Denning - Wrong Number, Right Heart

Hinsel Meyer - Fluttering Heart

Jem Wendell - Blooming For You
Uli and Nolan. I am an absolute sucker for a grumpy MC, and Nolan is most certainly that! But bless him he had valid reasons! This is a very cute story and I love that we got a cross over into Larchdown

Lee Blair - It must be Fate

London Price - Only want to be with you

Marie Sinclair - Two wrongs make mister right

Merry Farmer - Sugared

Minerva Howe - Calling from the Heart

Riley Long - Misdialled but meant to be

Rye Cox - All I want is you

Stella Rainbow - My Demon Keeper

Susan Scott Shelley - Smitten

Victoria Gillian - Five Little Numbers

Zoe Lee - The Wrong Henry

[Molly CL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anthology review as a whole – if you’re looking for sweetness and no- to low-angst this Valentine’s Day, you’ll find it here. There are varied stories and tropes ranging from age gaps, cowboys, shifters, demons, mpreg, unrequited love, second chances, ace/demi rep, disability rep, grumpy/sunshine, new adult, historical, insta-love, hurt/comfort, opposites, second chances – you get it. But wait, there’s more! It’s a pretty fun read with funny moments and snark including just a few serious moments thrown in. Below, I’ve outlined each story with tropes that leapt out at me. You’ll find I use the descriptor “sweet” a lot because by and large they simply are. Worth a read for a great cause!
1 - Silver (Fox) Linings by Anna Sparrows
Lovely short with plenty of heat and sweet with a full arc despite its brevity. There’s enough humor in the potentially cringe-worthy confession scene so it doesn’t dive into oh noooooo territory. Overall, a pretty perfect V-Day and v-card story.
Age gap, best friend’s son
2 - Drunk Dialing by BA Tortuga
Gritty and gruff cowboys will steal your heart with their depth. It’s no heart-on-the-sleeve sweet and sappy V-Day, but you’ll feel the deep love nonetheless. This story tells a tale that’s years long and satisfying in just a few words.
Cowboys, gruff and secret
3 - Falling for 42 by Becca Seymour
Sweet and funny story about two guys who take time to get acquainted from afar before finding themselves in deep.
Brother manipulating a meet cute, tattoos, and basketball
4 - Wrong Place, Right Time by Beck Grey
This one set in 1987 tugged at the heartstrings. The MCs are so very sweet and there’s hockey and historical hurdles. My chest felt warm at the end looking forward to these guys’ HEA.
Historical, unrequited crush, second chance
5 - Last Mango in Palm Springs by Bix Barrow
This story had me smiling from the beginning. It’s a slow dance into love with humor and romance and self-discovery. There’s lace undies, pets, Ace/Demi rep, first times, clothing swaps, and strangers getting to know one another from afar. A fun and funny, sweet, and sexy story!
First times, Ace/Demi rep, self-discovery, age gap, slow burn
6 - Sixteen or Ninety-One by BL Maxwell
This one is sweet from beginning to end. You want love? Here it is in uncomplicated, adorable, and meant-to-be glory. Perfect V-Day reading!
Near-insta love, sweet and shy MCs
7 - My Eel-ectric Valentine by CD Rachels
This is a sweet (yet spicy) monster shifter V-Day tale about an eel shifter and a human meeting. They fake date for Valentine’s Day but it goes really well, so they make a go of it even if each MC is awkward in his own way.
BIPOC MC rep, eel shifter, sweetly awkward MCs
8 - A Crush on Coach by D.K. Sutton
This is a super light-hearted tale about a guy returning to town after a public humiliation five years previously. He’s ready to prove himself an adult but a wrong person text leads him to the one man who sees him that way, his old high school coach who also happens to be the MC’s dad’s best friend and a bi man who’s never been one to settle down. There’s humor and heart in this tale.
Age gap, former coach-student relationship
9 - He’s Perfection by David Gray
Adorable story about two men who have the opposite curse of luck but together they just might be able to make it work. They’re opposites in every way, but two pieces of a puzzle that fit perfectly.
Opposites, bad luck vs good luck
10 - Wrong Number, Right Heart by E.M. Denning
Sam has a seizure disorder and accidentally texts his new contact Oscar for help when his service dog indicates a seizure is coming. Oscar has crushed on Sam from afar and is ecstatic their mutual friend has given Sam Oscar’s number; when Oscar gets the text he doesn’t hesitate to rush right to Sam to get him help. Sam is embarrassed by their less-than-ideal first meeting but it doesn’t hinder Oscar from continuing his pursuit of a first date with reluctant Sam. It’s a story of two sweet guys who find each other at an imperfectly perfect time.
Disability rep, hurt/comfort, a little grumpy and a lot of sunshine
11 - Fluttering Heart by Hinsel Meyer
This one had me grinning from the beginning. What a funny set of circumstances from a room number mix-up to the longest, most epic first date ever. These uncomplicated guys are adorable from head to toe and I love them so much! This story almost wasn’t enough.
Sweet to the core
12 - Blooming for You by Jem Wendel
Still devastated a year after his world crumbled, Nolan escapes to the countryside to avoid anything to do with V-Day. But when an adorable florist, Uli, mistakenly tries to deliver roses and a poem to the cottage he’s staying in he faces the fact V-Day seeks him out regardless. Uli wants to make up for obviously destroying this man’s peace with unwanted reminders of romance and asks him to dinner as an apology. Though he puts forth a valiant effort, grumpy Nolan can’t resist sunshiny Uli at all.
Grump & sunshine, hurt/comfort, sweetness
13 – It Must be Fate by Lee Blair
This is a great story of all kinds of connections that simply must be kismet. As the MCs continually run into each other in unexpected places they rightly assume something’s gotta give and jack-of-all-trades Lex agrees to attend as Garrison’s date to Garrison’s best friend’s V-Day wedding where they have an incredible time. Two well-deserving guys find happiness and delight in each other. Swoon!
Opposites attract, financial disparity without consequence, unexpected connections
14 - Only Want to Be with You by London Price
Simply lovely story set 30 years ago in 1995 which had me rooting for these two the whole time. Two neighbors have recently moved to San Francisco and a shy Greg wants a boyfriend but is too timid to let the neighbor he’s got his eye on know by letter-under-his-door. His roommate takes it upon herself to surreptitiously deliver the letter for Greg but to the wrong apartment and that’s how Greg and Nico meet. Nico has come from Italy and is struggling to learn English so their relationship start is a little rocky, but Greg is convinced fate had a hand in the mix-up and no matter what, they’d have met and fallen in love.
Historical, language barrier, identity mix-up, light spanking
15 - Two Wrongs Make Mister Right by Marie Sinclair
Swoony story about two double-blind dates and the mix-up that ensues when Morgan and Dmitri meet when they missed their actual dates. They share an instant connection but end the night abruptly with Dmitri saying he’ll be in touch but it isn’t until later he realizes the man he had dinner with wasn’t the one he had contact info for. They both work for weeks to find each other with minimal personal info and in the end it’s a chance business meeting that brings them back together. It’s a perfect mix of will they, won’t they and confidence in their HEA.
Missed connections, near insta-love, hard won HEA
16 - Sugared by Merry Farmer
This one was grittier than others in terms of subject matter. Things weren’t all sweet. The young MC is a 20yo homeless kid kicked out by his homophobic family who’s had to do things he didn’t want to do just to make sure he didn’t starve. A friend of his older brother finds him desperately holding a wrong numbers lottery ticket and takes him home to care for him. Things turn out okay, but it’s a harder won HFN.
Hurt/comfort, dyslexia rep, older brother’s friend
17 - Calling from the Heart by Minerva Howe
This is a fast-moving mpreg story with Owen and Jeb who’ve been estranged for 5 months because newly pregnant Owen didn’t know how to tell commitment-phobe Jeb about the baby, so he walked away from him. Jeb tried to get him back at first but Owen ignored him so Jeb gave up. When Jeb finds out Owen is having his baby he does everything he can to convince Owen he’s the one he wants for forever. These are sweet guys who just let fear take over for a bit.
Alpha/omega, mpreg, second chance
18 - Misdialed But Meant to Be by Riley Long
This is a sweet and simple tale about a one number-off misdial that leads to a perfect match when Cody answers a stranger’s text offer of an apology lunch with “I’m not the guy you think I am but, sure, I’ll have lunch with you.” Ben and Cody are adorably destined to be together even after a first meeting misstep that ends in a V-Day date to remember.
Simply sweet
19 - All I Want Is You by Rye Cox
Sweet college guys story about seemingly unrequited love. A room number mishap has Kevin’s crush Lance (who has a crush on Kevin but thinks Kevin’s dating someone else) delivering a singing telegram to Kevin, but it’s altogether the wrong Kevin receiving it. Kevin thinks it’s Lance who wants to be his Valentine and happily accepts. Lance doesn’t realize the error in delivery until he gets an angry call from the guy who actually ordered the telegram accusing him of not delivering it. Lance realizes his crush Kevin is hurt by the mix-up and plans a grand gesture to convince *his* Kevin that Lance does actually want him to be his Valentine.
New adult, unrequited love on both sides
20 - My Demon Keeper by Stella Rainbow
This story is decidedly different and steamier than others in the anthology. Ten is a demon on earth who meets human Matthew when Matthew sends a desperate text meant for his landlord but delivered to Ten instead. Ten uses his magic to help Matthew out then follows him to meet him at a coffee shop where Ten realizes Matthew is his fated mate. They date and when Ten shows Matthew his true demon form Matthew is all in. True love finds a way!
Demon/human pairing, opposites attract, size difference, spicy
21 - Smitten by Susan Scott Shelley and Chantal Mer
This story had me feeling I was missing something. These authors are new to me, so the number of established characters and obvious backstory I didn’t have almost detracted from the tale, almost. It was distracting and a little frustrating but in the end it didn’t make brewery owner Blaze’s and cookie store owner Casimir’s story any less sweet. That said, it also felt like the most in-depth story of the anthology. It’s well written, worth it. The V-Day present box scene is pretty funny.
Business owners, sunshiny and fluffy MC, lots of friends
22 - Five Little Numbers by Victoria Gillilan
Maverick turned in a winning lottery ticket and was paid but then the lottery organization realized they’d published the wrong lottery numbers and Maverick wasn’t a winner. Maverick was allowed to keep the money but it caused him problems and he ultimately had to move. Evander has a spot for a roommate and it turns out he and Maverick knew each other from way back when and had secret crushes on each other but never at the right times. The MCs get their HFN, but honestly I found this one a clunky read that felt like I entered a conversation midway and never quite caught up with how it started.
Second chances, unrequited love
23 - The Wrong Henry by Zoe Lee
This is a fun story to end the anthology. Just enough sexy sweetness and snark to finish off V-Day with a smile. These enemies to lovers are fun and you’ll be rooting for them all the way!
Enemies to lovers, second chances

[KJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had been turned off of anthologies a while ago as the last few I read seemed to be full of either (1) obviously unfinished stories that will be expanded to be released at a later date (so why not just wait for them and get a finished story?) or (2) stories that are part of a series and barely standalone, leaving tons of character clutter and inside jokes (which goes against one of my main reason for reading anthologies, which is to try out new-to-me authors (and I’m not going to be interested in a new author if all they’ve done is confuse me)). But I was in the mood for something fluffy and sweet so when the opportunity for an ARC copy of Candy Hearts Volume 2 came up I figured I’d give anthologies one last chance... and it (mostly) did redeem them (although it’ll take another one or two like this before I’m convinced completely).

This collection has a solid variety of cute, low-angst stories that are (mostly) well written/edited, and it definitely provided the fluffy feel-good reads that I was looking for right now.

Here’s a super quick summary of each story (a better summary is included in the book ahead of most of the stories) with my quickie review in brackets:

1. Silver (Fox) Linings by Anna Sparrows: After Cody mistakenly texts his dad’s best friend for a rescue from a hook-up-gone-bad, the two start spending more time together (cute story, Cody’s confession was amazing)

2. Drunk Dialing by B. A. Tortuga: Jake accidentally calls his ex to complain about how much he misses him (didn’t really do it for me, but I’m luke-warm on 2nd chance stories in general so that could be just me)

3. Falling for 42 by Becca Seymour: Kobe’s brother sets him up with another player on his basketball team by giving him the wrong jersey to wear to a game (I liked watching Kobe and Malik interact, they were good together)

4. Wrong Place, Right Time by Beck Grey: Danny meets up with his high school crush after sitting in the wrong seat at a hockey game (overall good, I liked Danny and Mike together, but Danny’s crappy father gave this story a bit more angst than I was in the mood for)

5. Last Mango in Palm Springs by Bix Barrow: Ford accidentally swaps luggage with Zachary on his way to Palm Springs and the two text each other throughout their separate vacations (this was one of my favs in the set... a delightful story. I enjoyed Ford exploring what he likes with Zachary’s gentle encouragement. While part of the Bent Oak series (which I’ve only read part of), this story definitely stood alone)

6. Sixteen or Ninety-one by BL Maxwell: Jake and Spencer meet at a singles mixer (cute story)

7. My Eel-ectric Valentine by CD Rachels: After a locker mix-up at the gym, a human and an eel shifter start dating (Both characters were sweet, the world was interesting. This is part of the Maritime Monster Institute Series (which I haven’t read) but stands alone just fine)

8. A Crush on Coach by D. K. Sutton: Charlie gets an accidental dick-pic from his old wrestling coach, who just happens to be his dad’s friend (I liked Charlie’s inner voice and found him really relatable)

9. He’s Perfection by David Gray: Dale, with persistent bad luck, moves in next to Aaron, who has persistent good luck (this was another of my favs in the set... just adorable. I loved how Dale just cheerfully went from disaster to disaster and didn’t let anything keep him down. My one quibble is that it felt like there was too much skipped between the last two chapters, which probably means it’s going to get expanded at some point)

10. Wrong Number, Right Heart by E.M. Denning: Oscar rescues Sam after a seizure in the park (this was another cute story, Oscar was a total sweetheart)

11. Fluttering Heart by Hinsel Meyer: Finn goes to the wrong hotel room and accidentally starts a very long date with Lou (I really liked the parts with Lou and Finn, they were cute together. This is part of the Fan Service/All It Takes series (which I haven’t read) and mostly stands alone, although there is a lot of character clutter and there were a few parts that just felt like an ad for other books)

12. Blooming For You by Jem Wendel: Uli mixes up the address for a flower delivery and meets Nolan (Not for me... I really liked Uli but Nolan was determined to wallow in his misery for too much of the book. This is part of the Larchdown series (which I haven’t read) but stands alone fairly well)

13. It Must be Fate by Lee Blair: A series of mishaps bring Lex and Garrison together (I mostly liked it although I thought that Garrison unwound awfully fast for how uptight he seemed at the start of the story. This is part of the Dahlia Springs series (which I’ve only read part of) but stood alone just fine)

14. Only Want to Be With You by London Price: Greg’s letter of admiration goes to the wrong neighbour, which earns him a date with Nico instead (great story, I loved Nico. This is part of the Portland Symphony series (which I haven’t read) but stands alone just fine)

15. Two Wrongs Make Mister Right by Marie Sinclair: a mix-up leads to Morgan and Dmitri having a date with each other instead of the people they thought they were meeting (it was alright but I didn’t really connect with either character)

16. Sugared by Merry Farmer: Leland finds his former friend’s homeless brother and takes him home (This didn’t work for me. Ean was (understandably) a bit messed up from having to do what he needed to survive, which made this angstier than I was looking for. And I never got past feeling like Leland was taking advantage, as I thought the relationship moved too fast. This is part of the Art of Love series (which I haven’t read) and almost stands alone)

17. Calling From the Heart by Minerva Howe: Jeb finds out his ex-omega is pregnant and decides to get him back (it was alright but not my favourite, probably due to my previously mentioned luke-warm-ness for 2nd chances stories. This is part of the Secret Springs series (which I haven’t read) but stands alone fairly well)

18. Misdialed by Meant to Be by Riley Long: Ben sends a text to the wrong number and ends up with a dinner date (cute story)

19. All I Want Is You by Rye Cox: Kevin and Lance have been pining for each other, and a room number mix-up provides the excuse they need (cute story, Kevin was sweetly shy and I liked how Lance’s friends helped him out with his romantic gesture)

20. My Demon Keeper by Stella Rainbow: Matthew sends a text to the wrong number and instead of his landlord gets a demon soulmate (cute story. This is part of the Demon Debacle series (which I haven’t read) and mostly stands alone)

21. Smitten by Susan Scott Shelly and Chantal Mer: A wrong address for a cookie delivery leads to Blaze and Casimir finding each other (it started strong but kind of fizzled out for me... it kept introducing side characters (part of the Love & Rugby series (which I haven’t read)) and that really took away from the story... too bad because it had a lot of potential)

22. Five Little Numbers by Victoria Gillian: Maverick’s new roommate is his childhood friend and old crush (not a bad story, but the writing style didn’t work for me and felt a little bit stilted)

23. The Wrong Henry by Zoe Lee: Rozen accidentally calls his nemesis co-worker for a hook-up (I liked it. Rozen was sassy without being irritating and it was fun to watch them go from sniping at each other to flirting)

Each story was roughly 20K words, or about an hour’s read for me, which was perfect for unwinding in the evening. There were (admittedly) quite a few of the stories that were a part of a series but most of them stood alone just fine. Overall, I would recommend this anthology.

[Heather MMRomanceReviewed]

I wasn't sure if I was going to feel the Valentine's Day love this year, since I'm newly single after 26 years of marriage, but there was no denying how sweet and low angst this entire charity volume was... and I read it cover to cover

When I first responded to Marie Sinclair's cryptic request for ARC readers, I was in a completely different headspace, so by the ARC came in I was a little leary about diving into twenty-three low angst love stories focusing on Valentine's Day... but I have to tell you that the Wrong Number theme was absolutely addictive and I read all 1539 pages cover to cover!

I can't even say which stories were my favourites because this anthology is filled with novellas from my one click authors - there was no story that didn't meet the brief of wrong number/right people and low angst adorable!

I love that some of the authors gave us standalone glimpses into existing worlds like Merry Farmer with her Art of Love series and Lee Blair with Dahlia Springs and other authors like Beck Grey and London Price set their stories in the recent past (well recent for me - mid 80' and 90's). There's Ace rep, blind dates, singing messengers, age gap, opposites, all the tropes - even a sweet MPreg story....

This anthology is only around for a short time, so it's best to pick it up today!

[Edga · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent selection of short stories from a group of talented authors. On the whole, they are light hearted stories about finding love on Valentine's Day. Some are quite cute, and there's a little humour in each. The majority were well written, with good story and character development. My favourites were stories by Lee Blair, Rye Cox,and Anna Sparrow. All of the stories are worth a read, and even though I've received an ARC, I've also pre-ordered it, the proceeds will go to such a good cause.

Lee Blair is a newish to me author, but so far I've enjoyed her books.I really enjoyed, It Must be Fate, it was such a delightful read. Harrison and Lex worked so well together, they just clicked. It's a mix of emotion, sweetness and the little sprinkling of humour, and cuteness, it made me smile. Their whole relationship was a fortunate stroke of serendipity. The guys were both charming and charismatic, and what a sweet ending.

Silver (Fix) Lining by Anna Sparrow is a great story that drew me in from the beginning, and I couldn't help but want to know what was going to happen to Kenneth and Cody as the story progressed. Anna has taken two lonely souls, who just work together. It is a May/December romance, made more interesting due to Kenneth being Cody's dad's best friend! An emotional read, full of love, slow burn, with a touch of spice.

Rye Cox has written a sweet story about a Frat boy and a nerd who are meant for one another. All I Want is You, begins with a misunderstanding, and turns into the perfect Valentine's Day love story. Kevin and Lance, egged on by their friends, fall in love and find sweet romance.

Highly recommended. I received an ARC of this story, which in no way influenced my opinion

[Pati · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a multi author, sweet and spicy anthology. It contains a huge range of different stories, so everyone can find something interesting to read. I love the fact that most of them have a little „about” section, so I could just skip the one I would find triggering. I really enjoyed reading this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Roxanna Mascarenas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume was another incredible collection of wonderful stories that mix together moments of meet cutes in moments of "Wrong" numbers, doors, deliveries, and the like.
I read Jem Wendell's Blooming For You and OMG I love a great grumpy/sunshine and this was such a sweet "wrong delivery/door". Uli and Nolan meet as Uli delivers flowers to the wrong address on Valentine's Day and Nolan the grump wants nothing to do with the holiday. Uli is the absolute sunshine and owns the local florist shop, just wants everyone to find and feel the love of the day.
I am looking forward to reading all of the stories in this book and am sure they will be as sweet as candy hearts.

[Kendra Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to all the authors who participated in this anthology and a big thank you to Bix Barrow for the ARC. Each book is individually reviewed and rated with the average rating given above.

About Silver (Fox) Linings Anna Sparrows 5 stars
A wrong text gets two men into a FWB relationship that quickly flows into a real relationship. Loved that when Cody sends an SOS text to Ken, he dropped everything and went to his aide. Good story with good execution. Age gap, BF's son, lots of LOL moments.

Drunk Dialing BA Tortuga 2 stars
Rodeo cowboy and rancher are ex's that can't quit each other. Good story without follow through IMO. Weird and sometimes uncomfortable dialogue. Didn't like the description used for Angela. FWIW when someone comes into the ER with a head injury and loss of consciousness, the first thing the Dr orders is a head CT. Disappointed that the medical parts weren't very accurate. The story needed an editor badly. Hopefully that happens before it's released for sale.

Falling For 42 Becca Seymour 4 stars
Kobe is a tattoo artist going to his brother's college basketball game wearing a 42 jersey. There he finds out that his brother doesn't wear the number 42. Malik is Kobe's brother's best friend and wears 42. He has a crush on Kobe and loves seeing his jersey on him. Short, quick no drama romance.

Wrong Place, Right Time Beck Grey 4 stars
Danny is given seat tickets to a Penguins game and there he meets Mike (his HS crush) d/t a wrong seat situation. They have a lot in common and soon are a couple. No drama romance. Drawback for me was Mike saying "No Problemo" through the whole story. Cringe worthy!

Last Mango in Palm Springs Bix Barrow 5 stars
Ford is taking a much needed vacation. He has a layover in Vegas and ends up with the wrong luggage. Zachary is in Vegas for a friends wedding. Zachary has a wild idea to go with the mistake and use each others belongings. While they're each doing their thing they are texting each other daily and falling in love. No drama, sweet romance. Two men enjoying being out of their comfort zones.

Sixteen or Ninety-One BL Maxwell 3 stars
Spencer and Jake meet at a single's mixer. This was a good story idea without the follow through IMO. The dialogue sounded young twenties but the characters were older. There wasn't any spice or excitement, chemistry between them.

My Eel-Ectric Valentine CD Rachels 4 stars
Ardsley is an eel shifter and Tyson is a human. They meet at the gym when Tyson is having security cut the lock off what he thinks is his locker but it turns out to be Ardsley's locker. Cute no drama romance. Drawback for me was that Tyson was being described as having a numbers condition/disorder (possibly dyslexia) but the author ignored the chance to expound on this condition and just had Tyson calling himself dumb through the whole story.

A Crush on Coach DK Sutton 4 stars
Charlie is back in the small town he grew up in and working as a project manager fixing up low income houses. His HS coach and old crush volunteers to help with the renovations. Low drama, age gap romance. Issue for me was Charlie's dad mentions an ex and that Charlie should've pressed charges but the situation wasn't explained and mentioning the drunk showing up at work but not the outcome of that either. These were unnecessary to the story and was detractors IMO.

He's Perfection David Gray 4 stars
Dale has been unlucky his whole life. Aaron has been lucky his. These two together even each other out for a no drama sweet romance. I was crying ugly tears when Dale was reading Luca's letter. Dropped from a 5 star d/t the abrupt ending.

Wrong Number, Right Heart EM Denning 5 stars
Sam has seizures and so does his BFF Christian. When Sam is walking home and his service dog Ace warns him, he barely has time to text Christian and 911. Sam inadvertently texts Brandon and he comes to Sam's rescue. Texting the wrong number having a perfect outcome.

Fluttering Heart Hinsel Meyer 5 stars
Finn takes his identical twin brother Beau to Vegas to have brother time with their older brother and hockey player Charlie. There Finn gets plastered and goes back to the wrong hotel room. When Lou opens his door to the loud knocking, he astonished to find Finn at the door and what comes next will have you LOL. The following day Finn latches onto Lou and decides that the weekend plans will include him. No drama sweet romance with several LOL moments.

Blooming For You Jem Wendel 3 stars
Nolan is avoiding Valentines by hiding out in a cottage. He's surprised when someone comes knocking on his door and doubly surprised to find Ulrich standing there with roses. No drama romance with too much time spent on Nolan's break-up and not enough on his new relationship with Ulrich. No real excitement or chemistry between Nolan and Ulrich.

It Must Be Fate Lee Blair 5 stars
Lex has recently been let go from his college teaching position and is doing several jobs to make money. One of those jobs has him singing a break-up song to the wrong man. He then meets Garrison again at the sandwich shop where he prepares Garrison's sandwich wrong. Next they meet at a club where Lex gives Garrison a lap dance. There were several LOL moments. "Dumped by my imaginary partner", "the singing sandwich artist" were two moments I laughed till my stomach hurt.

Only Want To Be With You London Price 5 stars
Greg is in San Fran studying at the conservatory. He has a crush on a neighbor but can't get the nerve to approach, so he writes him a letter. When he still can't get the nerve to deliver the letter his roommate does. Problem is she delivers it to the wrong neighbor. It soon comes to be the perfect neighbor. Nico is from Italy and he's learning English. He's happy to get the letter. These two end up helping each other in the best way possible. Slight drawback was Greg's roommate opening her big mouth and causing problems.

Two Wrongs Make Mr Right Marie Sinclair 5 stars
Morgan and Dimitr are both going on a blind date. Due to miscommunications they both end up on a date with each other unknowing that they are with the wrong dates. They have the best night and want to follow it with another. Now how are they to find each other again when they don't know who the other really is? Sweet low drama romance.

Sugared Merry Farmer 3 stars
Leland is a chef working at an estate teaching cooking lessons. He meets his old BF's younger brother at the grocery store and takes him in. Ean is homeless d/t his family kicking him out for being gay. He's always had a crush on Leland so he goes with him, willing to do anything. It was a nice story with lack of follow through. The MCs didn't have much chemistry and the "I love yous" came out too soon. The story didn't feel authentic to me.

Calling From The Heart Minerva Howe 2 stars
Jeb is an alpha who thinks he wants a no strings life. Owen is the omega he knocked up. They end up breaking up d/t miscommunication and Jeb finds out later that Owen is pregnant. They are soon back together and the miscommunication is explained. I didn't feel any chemistry between the MCs. Also the story needed an editor badly. Hopefully that happens before it's released for sale.

Misdialed But Meant To Be Riley Long 4 stars
Ben rear ended James and wants to apologize. He texts him to offer a lunch date and inadvertently texted Cody. Cody agrees to go to lunch with him but Ben stays late at work and stands Cody up. He apologizes and they try again. They hit it off and soon are in a relationship. Sweet low drama romance with not much excitement.

All I Want Is You Rye Cox 4 stars
Lance and his frat bros deliver singing telegrams. After an all night kegger Lance is the only one available to deliver the mornings telegram. Due to a room number mishap he sings to the wrong person. Kevin is still hungover and all he gets from the singing is that Lance wants a date. When he finds out it was a mistake he's broken hearted. Lance conscripts his frat bros to help him apologize. Sweet low drama romance.

My Demon Keeper Stella Rainbow 3 stars
Ten is a demon who gets an awkward text from an unknown number. When he goes to check on the sender, he finds Matthew in a bad situation and decides to help him out. He does what he can to make Matthew's life better. He saves him from an abusive ex GF and a probable SA from his landlord. Drawbacks for me was the demon wasn't allowed to hurt bad people so these situations didn't get dealt with appropriately. Also Matthew wanted to find his father and Ten could've helped with that but the author missed that opportunity.

Smitten Susan Scott Shelley & Chantal Mer DNF
Casimir is a baker with his own shop. Blaze is a brewer with his own bar. I couldn't get into this story. It was bland and I was skimming too much. I didn't feel any chemistry between the MCs.

Five Little Numbers Victoria Gillilan DNF
Maverick and Geralt are SWAT members who are advertising for a roommate. In comes Evander an old friend of Maverick's. Evander supposedly won the lottery with wrong numbers because the company didn't want bad press. This isn't even in the realm of reality. Couldn't finish.

The Wrong Henry Zoe Lee 4 stars
Rozen and Henry have worked together for two years and it hasn't been fun. Henry doesn't know what he did to make Rozen hate him and every time he's tried to find out Rozen blows him off. When Rozen gets plastered, another person at the club is told to call his hook-up Henry for a ride and ends up calling his co-worker Henry. This gets them to talking and Rozen gets his answers and so does Henry.

[Kit Reads Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of 23 MM romance short stories, with proceeds going to Rainbow Railroad. I loved the stories by my favourite authors and discovered some new authors as well. I received an ARC in exchange for a review.

Silver (Fox) Linings by Anna Sparrow
Dual 1st person, present tense, MM Kenneth & Cody
Cody has always had a crush on his dad's best friend, silver fox Kenneth. When Cody accidentally calls Ken for help during a bad date, Ken comes to Cody's rescue. Despite the age gap, the dynamic between Ken & Cody does not feel unbalanced. Their relationship development felt natural and unhurried, not easy in a short story. Sweet & spicy. 5/5

Drunk Dialing by BA Tortuga
3rd person, past tense, MM Jake & Treat
I struggled to get into this. I feel it was missing a whole lot of background, I didn't really understand their history or why they liked each other. The writing was OK and the world of rodeos is an interesting setting. 2/5

Falling for 42 by Becca Seymour
Dual 1st person, present tense, MM Kobe & Malik
Short and very sweet! Kobe is a tattoo artist and Malik is his brother’s friend and basketball teammate. Great job building tension and intensity in just a few pages. Loved it and wished it was longer. 5/5

Wrong Place, Right Time by Beck Grey
Dual 1st person, present tense, MM Danny & Mike
Set in the 1980’s. Danny runs into his high school crush Mike at a hockey game. Mike doesn't remember Danny from school but is attracted to Danny. Even though it is a short story the relationship development feels organic. Some angst but is all external (Danny's homophobia father and Mike's unethical boss). Would love to read more Danny & Mike. 5/5

Last Mango in Palm Springs by Bix Barrow
Dual 1st person, past tense, MM Ford & Zachary
Sweet story, a little spice. A mix up on the luggage carousel results in 2 strangers meeting over the phone. Demi-awakening. 3.5/5

Sixteen or Ninety-One by BL Maxwell
Dual 1st person, past tense, MM Jake & Spencer
Short and sweet story about two people who meet and fall in love at a single’s mixer. Zero angst. Nice story but the voices were hard to distinguish from one another, making dual pov a little confusing. 3.5/5

My Eel-ectric Valentine by CD Rachels
Dual 1st person, present tense, MM Tyson & Ardsley
Super fun and sweet. Ardsley is an adorable, nerdy eel-shifter. Tyson is the human that can't help but fall in love, even with the occasional electric shock. 4.5/5

A Crush on Coach by DK Sutton
DNF. Coach/former student. Well written but the trope doesn't work for me.

He’s Perfection by David Gray
3rd person, present tense, MM Dale & Aaron
So original, quirky and sweet. Dale was born unlucky, but remains cheerful and optimistic. Aaron has perfect luck but anyone he is close to suffers bad fortune. What will happen when these two meet? I loved this story and both MCs. 5/5

Wrong Number, Right Heart by E.M. Denning
3rd person (dual pov), past tense, MM Sam & Oscar
Sam's friend has been wanting to set him up with someone for a while. Sam eventually relents and takes Oscar's number. When Sam has a seizure he accidentally texts Oscar, who comes to help.
Just delightful. I love both MCs. Wish it was a full length novel. 5/5

Fluttering Heart by Hinsel Meyer
Dual 1st person, present tense, MM Finn & Lou
Sweet and charming. Finn has too much to drink and crashes into the wrong room in his hotel. Against his better judgement Lou doesn’t kick him out. A bonus chapter is available which makes it more satisfying. 5/5

Blooming For You by Jem Wendel
Dual 1st person, present tense, MM Nolan & Uli
Nolan is still hurting from being dumped last Valentine's Day. Uli is the florist who accidentally delivers flowers to the wrong address. Uli is delightful. Grumpy/sunshine & hurt/comfort 4.5/5

It Must be Fate by Lee Blair
Dual 1st person, Past tense, MM Garrison & Lex
I loved the chemistry between these two. Lex is a great character. Lex works a number of gig-type jobs, despite having a PhD, but remains positive and sunny. He meets Garrison when he delivers a singing telegram to the wrong office, then their paths keep crossing. Fun and spicy. 5/5

Only Want to be with You by London Price
Dual 1st person, present tense, MM Greg & Nico
I adored this story, love both MCs. Would have been 5/5 but right at the end they did some things that I felt were out of character and it took me out of the story. Also the epilogue wasn't really needed it just set up other books in the series rather than telling their story. 4/5

Two Wrongs Make a Right by Marie Sinclair
3rd person, past tense, MM Morgan & Dmitri
Well-written and good story, but I didn't particularly connect with either MC unfortunately. Lots of name dropping of designers if that's your thing. 3/5

Sugared by Merry Farmer
3rd person, past tense, MM Leland & Ean
Just like its title this book is very sweet. However for a short story I did feel that the author tried to squeeze too much in – homophobic family, homelessness, disability and sex work. Lovely MCs though. Hurt/comfort. 3.5/5

Calling From the Heart by Minerva Howe
3rd person, past tense, MM Jeb & Owen
Omegaverse, mpreg. A bit all over the place, I felt like I was starting a movie halfway through. DNF

Misdialed But Meant To Be by Riley Long
Dual 1st person, past tense, MM Ben & Cody
This is a sweet story with no angst. Ben texts the wrong person (Cody) and they end up meeting in person. The dual first person didn't really work for me as I couldn’t differentiate the voices. 3/5

All I Want Is You by Rye Cox
1st person, past tense, MM Kevin & Lance
Short, sweet, spicy, low-angst. College setting. Lance delivers a singing telegram to the wrong person. Kevin doesn't have a boyfriend so assumes the telegram is from Lance himself, someone he has had a crush on for a while. He is embarrassed when he understands the truth, but it turns out that Lance does actually like Kevin too. 3.5/5

My Demon Keeper by Stella Rainbow
Dual 1st person, past tense, MM Matthew (Human) & Ten (Demon)
Protective demon Ten helps out Matthew the human when his ex steals from him. They discover that they are fated mates. Hot monster sex ensues. This is everything I want from a short spicy story. 5/5

Smitten by Susan Scott Shelley and Chantal Mer
Dual 1st person, present tense, MM Casimir & Blaze
Casimir is given the wrong apartment number for a delivery of cookies from his bakery. Blaze, the hunky brewery owner, is the lucky recipient. A lot of side characters which is a bit confusing for a short story, but I guess they are part of a bigger universe. Fun and swoony read. 4/5

Five Little Numbers by Victoria Gillian
This didn’t work for me, DNF

The Wrong Henry by Zoe Lee
Dual 1st person, past tense, MM Rozen & Henry
Rozen drunk dials his hot, "straight" colleague Henry instead of a previous hook-up with the same name. Fun, snarky banter and great chemistry. Loved it. 5/5

[LC · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I Want Is You
By Rye Cox

Lance and Kevin blew me away! When Lance started singing and dancing to Kevin, he thought his crush had a boyfriend. Hungover Kevin thought his crush was singing to him directly. Talk about misunderstanding! When Lance’s frat brothers opened his eyes to the MUTUAL crush, he was able to get all the guys onboard to help make Kevin’s Valentine’s Day a blast. This story was super romantic and lots of fun to read.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Silver (Fox) Linings
By Anna Sparrows

“Because this is more than just sex. We’re making love.”

Cody and Ken. 26 year old demisexual virgin and his Dad’s best friend. Texting when drunk can be a bad thing, but when it leads you to the man of your dreams? A good story that makes you believe that age really is just a number.

Drunk Dialing
By BA Tortuga

“You always have been. You’ve always been enough.”

Jake and Treat. Oh my goodness!! This story is AMAZING!! I loved the back and forth of the mc’s. I love how the author kept the characters lively.

Falling for 42
By Becca Seymour

Kobe and Malik are too cute. Imagine your younger brother setting you up with his bestie. Insta-love at its finest!

Wrong Place, Right Time
By Beck Grey

This is such a great story of two men getting away from toxic environments to live free and happily! It might be quick for Mike, but Danny has had a crush on him since high school. Running away together for a new adventure is a great way to spend Valentine’s day.

Last Mango in Palm Springs
By Bix Barrow

Ford and Zachary are absolutely too cute!! I love how they “met” and stayed in touch until they could meet in person. All the Jimmy Buffett references had me pulling up Spotify. I now have to go look up the Bent Oak series.

Sixteen or Ninety-One
By BL Maxwell

This story is so very romantic! Spencer and Jake make it all work at a mixer for singles. They quickly become that couple that is so in love and not afraid to show it.

My eel-ectric Valentine
A Maritime Monsters Short Story
By CD Rachels

I love reading about characters from the Halloween wave! These two, Ardsley and Tyson, were just adorable. I want to go back and read more of the maritime monsters.

A Crush on Coach
By D. K. Sutton

I adored Charlie! He is kind and sensitive. He’s moving back to his hometown after a very embarrassing episode kept him away for years. Brad can’t help but fall for grown up Charlie and just hopes his best friend will forgive him.

He’s Perfection
By David Gray

Aaron and Dale are two sides of the same coin. One is really lucky and one is really unlucky. Together, maybe they’ll be just perfect for each other.

Wrong Number, Right Heart
By E. M. Denning

Sam has it hard with his seizures and his bad luck with dating. Oscar has been wanting an introduction for awhile now, but will having one during a seizure be the end of them before they even begin?

Fluttering Heart
By Hinsel Meyer

Wow! Finn and Lou stole my heart. They make such a cute couple and that Lou was happy to spend time with the entire family was wonderful. I’ve added the It Takes series to my tbr list.

Blooming For You
By Jem Wendel

Aww, Jem, you made Uli and Nolan such a great couple. I adored this couple!

It Must Be Fate
By Lee Blair

Fate loves Garrison and Lex when a wrong number turns out to be the best thing to happen to the both of them.

Only Want to Be With You
By London Price

Greg and Nico are adorable. Their communication barrier makes the story even cuter. New author, next story added to tbr. Check!

Two Wrongs Make Mister Right
By Marie Sinclair

Meeting Mr. Right is tough. When Morgan gets set up on a blind date, Dmitri is not the man he is supposed to meet. How far will both men go to find each other again?

Sugared
By Merry Farmer

When Leland sees a person in distress, all he wants to do is help. What happens when that person is his old crush Ean, now homeless and in need of a friend and helping hand?

Calling From the Heart
A Secret Springs Story
By Minerva Howe

Jeb made a huge mistake. Is there anyway he can fix it and keep Owen from leaving? I love mpreg!!

Misdialed But Meant To Be
By Riley Long

A wrong number equals love for Cody and Ben.

All I Want Is You
By Rye Cox

Lance and Kevin blew me away! Talk about misunderstandings and even better friends.

My Demon Keeper
By Stella Rainbow
Part of Demon Debacles Series

I love demon stories! This one between Ten and Matthew was so nice. It has me curious about the other demons, so My Demon Roommates is on my tbr list now.

Smitten
By Susan Scott Shelley and Chantal Mer

Casimir and Blaze. A baker and a brewer. From accidental meet up/delivery to purposeful dating.

Five Little Numbers
By Victoria Gillilan

Evander and Maverick. Best friend’s brother story. I wonder if Geralt ever got his own romance?

The Wrong Henry
By Zoe Lee

The Wrong Henry was a good story to end on! A misunderstanding turned them into workplace enemies. An enduring connection and an apology saves the day.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Valentines anthology for LGBTQ charity featuring 23 Wrong Number themed short stories from well known authors containing over 1,500 pages(!!) of steamy goodness…talk about intimidating!

Out of the 23 , there were a few authors that I’ve never read before (which is one of the things I love so much about anthologies—you get a wide variety of stories and the opportunity to read books by new to you authors) and then some by authors that are such favorites that I couldn’t grab it fast enough.

Other reviewers wrote a brief description of the books they’d read so I didn’t think it was necessary to, as Ms. Farmer said in Forged, “[beat] a deceased equine,” so I’m gonna tell you what I liked about the authors whose books I enjoyed. First though, a little clarification…in case anyone isn’t familiar with that old saying, “beat a dead horse,” before you get upset, it simply means: to keep talking about a subject that has already been discussed or decided. It just tickled me, the way it was worded as if it really was said by someone in England. (Much the same way as the joke about someone from England crying out, “I’m arriving(!!!)” at that oh so intimate moment 🤣.)

Anna Sparrows: I love the pure sweetness and fluff she writes, nothing (that I’ve read so far) dark or angsty, just fun and fluffy.

B.A. Tortuga: I LOVE all her cowboy books, full of heart, lots of steam and just plain fun to read. (And don’t get me started on her cowboys on the covers🥵!)

Becca Seymour: She can write it all, from sports to shifters they’re all tons of fun but still with the heat that keeps us coming back for more.

Beck Grey: I’ve been lucky enough to read some of her ARCs and I can honestly say I’ve loved every single one of ‘em! They’re low angst which is what I prefer (second only to NO angst 😄) and so sweet but with enough steam that it keeps me turning the pages long after I should already be doing something else.

Bix Barrow: This is another author I’ve been lucky enough to read her ARCs. Oh my gosh, I have laughed so hard at some of her books! They’re not only funny though but they’re also sweet and they definitely bring the steam. If you haven’t read any of her Bent Oaks, Texas series, you need to, they’re SO deliciously good!

B. L. Maxwell: I haven’t read as many of their books as some of the others but all those that I’ve read, I enjoyed. I was first introduced to them through a free Bookfunnel promotion and now, from there, I own eight of their books and at the moment and am always on the lookout for others.

D. K. Sutton: This is another author I love for her low angst, sweet and steamy yet fun books. My first introduction to her books was through her Not So series a couple of years ago and I haven’t looked back since.

E. M. Denning: I’ve read four of her books so far, not counting this one, so she’s a newer to me author than some of the others but they’ve all been unfailingly sweet, not in a that-was-way-too-sappy way but one that makes you smile and hug yourself…more like thinking-about-when-I’m-gonna-be-able-to-read-the-next-one kind of way.

Merry Farmer: I’ve been lucky enough to read quite a few ARCs by this author as well; both under her M. M. Farmer pen name with the Bangers and Mash series, which was low angst and tons of fun as well as being where I was first introduced to her writing, then under this current pen name where I ‘met’ the Brotherhood and now the Art of Love series with the ridiculously fun Hawthorne family.

Minerva Howe: This is the author of my absolute FAVORITE dragon shifter series! That’s not all she writes but it’s where I had my first introduction and, so far, none of the other dragon shifter authors have been able to take that crown. My most recent read by Ms. Howe was Rory with an interconnected storyline of wolf shifters but with mention of my beloved dragons (I’m hoping she’ll bring them back to the mountain soon!).

The fact that I didn’t mention any of the other authors is by no means a a reflection of how much I would have enjoyed their books, it’s just, with over 1,500 pages in the anthology, it was a little overwhelming and I tended towards reading the authors I was most familiar with, knew and loved. Now that I have more time, I plan to go back and read the ones I skipped as, the fact they were included in such a well known charity collection at all, with other authors that I’m maybe more familiar with, it’s obvious they’re well known enough to have their names included as kind of a clickbait to draw readers and raise more money for charity. 5 AMAZING STARS for the ones I read and for those I still plan to!!!

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book for free but this is my honest opinion!

[Ana Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silver Fox Lining - Anna Sparrows
5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Age gaps and dad’s best friend is one of my favorite tropes and this one did not disappoint. Cody has had a crush on Kenneth since he was a teen. As his dad’s best friend, Cody feels he has no chance with Kenneth and thinks he’s way out of his league. Kenneth is the typical playboy CEO who’s tired of hookups and meaningless sex but Cody is off limits. The thing about being forbidden from doing something, it’s the fact that you want it even more. The text to a wrong number ends up being the chance they didn’t know they wanted. I was chuckling the whole time during Cody’s fumbles. I died of second hand embarrassment during THAT elevator scene! My poor Cody can’t catch a break, haha. I love no angsts and happy endings. I loved that there was no drama with Cody’s dad or that Kenneth didn’t dwell on whether to accept his feelings for Cody because of friendship. Short, sweet and to the point. Just how I like it!

Drunk Dialing - BA Tortuga
4 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Cute and to the point. Not familiar with all the rodeo terms or cowboy lingos but I enjoyed it.

Falling for 42 - Becca Seymour
4 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Story was cute. Loved how the brother was the one to help them see their attraction to each other. Which there was more to the story though. There’s so much that can be said about Malik and Kobe.


Wrong Place, Right Time - Beck Grey
4 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Four stars only because I wanted more of Danny and Mike! This was a story that I wish was a full book! I hated what their parents and coworkers did to them both. It’s sad that despite it been almost 40 years, a lot hasn’t changed. Ignorance, bigotry and homophobia are still a huge problem in our society today. It’s a lot better but not as it should be. People should be able to be who they are and love who they want without being judged. I’m just glad Mike and Danny were able to leave the toxic place that only made them miserable.

Last Mango in Palm Springs - Bix Barrow
4 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Talk about meeting your soulmate by taking the wrong luggage! This was a sweet and heartwarming story. I loved how Zachary’s patience helped Ford through his newfound sexual awakening. He helped him understand that it was ok to feel the way he felt and that there was nothing wrong with him. I loved how tender and gentle he was with Ford without making him feel overwhelmed. My favorite part was the epilogue. Ford is so adorable.

Sixteen or Ninety-one - BL Maxwell
4🌟🌟🌟🌟

Super cute story. Love it when love finds you in the most unexpected way. Jake is a restaurant owner who’s looking for Mr. Forever. Spencer is a sexy guy who’s looking for someone that can deal with him being a workaholic. They meet a party but Jake goes to the wrong group because he saw the wrong number. Both Jake and Spencer hit it off from the get go and sparks fly. They both needed something more meaningful than a hookup and boy did they find it.

My Eel-ectric Valentine - CD Rachel’s
4🌟🌟🌟🌟

What can be hotter than a maritime monster and a human? A handsome black man with braids! It made me so happy to read this story. Tyson was so adorable. His forgetfulness led him to find the love of his life. Ardsley was absolutely adorable. I could imagine a beautiful and colorful eel with the most beautiful eyes. Really enjoyed this story.


Demon Keeper - Stella Rainbow
4🌟🌟🌟🌟
Demons and humans? Yes, please! I fell in love with Stella’s Otherworld and Afterworld after reading Maximus and The Prince’s Mate. It was so good to read Demon Keeper because it showed a different side of the realms. This was a really cute story too bad it was so short, haha. Hated the ex and the landlord so much! I’m glad Mathew found someone who really cherished him and that Ten found someone who loved his true self. Definitely recommend it.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Candy Hearts Vol 2 is a collection of novellas that focus a set of events that bring together couples who may not have met without the said events. I really loved all these stories. They all just make your heart sigh and best of all the proceeds go to Charity. Here are just a couple of stories I have reviewed as well.

Wrong Place Right Time by Beck Grey. Sitting in the wrong seat at a hockey game was the best thing to happen to Danny in a long time. What made it even better was that it was his high school crush Mike. And the cherry on the cake was Mike was gay as well. As Mike and Danny get to know one another they find they have chemistry and a lot in common and well just click in all the right ways. I loved this novella with the chance meeting and taking a chance with the rest of their lives.

It Must Be Fate by Lee Blair what's a Garrison to do when the fates have put a Lex in your path several times before you get the hint. start dating him of course. This story of Garrison & Lex was just adorable with their mishaps and happiness along the way. The Club scene was swoon worthy and Valentine's day will forever be lovely and fun.

Silver (Fox) Linings by Anna Sparrows One SOS text to his bestie changes Cody's life only it wasn't his bestie but his dad's best friend and crush Ken. What started out as a long day for Ken ended with him getting an anonymous text asking for help. He finds his friend's son was the one who sent the text. As they start out getting to know one another again as adults Ken can’t seem to stop thinking about Cody but worries about losing his friendship with Cody’s dad Mike. I loved this age gap story of reconnecting and finding the right person just for you.

Drunk Dialing by BA Tortuga Jake can’t believe he accidentally drunk dialed his ex and confessed that he still loved him. Treat was never so glad that he received that call from Jake; it made him realize that he should have never let Jake get away and he was going to get his man back no matter what. This was a lovely story about how pride can get in the way of happiness but with a little finesse and miniature yaks they can have the life they really wanted and that’s to be together.

Falling for 42 by Becca Seymour Kobe, a tattoo artist and Malik, a college student and basketball player, have been set up by Kobe’s brother at one of his basketball games. When their eyes met they had a magnetic pull that could not be denied. This was a lovely sweet story that shows sometimes little brothers know best.

Last Mango in Palm Springs by Bix Barrow One Mix up with their luggage unbeknownst to Ford he is off on a grand adventure with Zachary as his tour guide. This was a wonderfully cozy and lovely story that I will likely reread when I need a pick me up.

[Flick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute concept!

I do love anthologies - although I do wish sometimes that the stories were a bit longer (each one is a very manageable circa 20,000 words, great for lunchtime reading). It is an anthology so not all the stories were entirely for me but I've put the ones I did particularly enjoy below!

Drunk Dialling
BA Tortuga
5 stars

I'll admit, it's not hard for me to love a BA story and this was no different. She's one of those authors that, despite not generally loving second chance romances, does them well enough that I always end up enjoying them. This was one of the few times drunk dialling actually ended in a HEA lol. Jake and Treat were very sweet and once they'd worked through things their relationship was solid.

It Must Be Fate
Lee Blair
5 stars

Lex was such a cutie but oh my gawd I was tired just reading about everything he did haha. I really loved the serendipity vibes in this one. I love the whole 'the universe is telling you something' trope and it was done well with Garrison and Lex. Cute and a great short read.

Calling from the Heart
Minerva Howe
4 stars

I do love a story from Minerva and Jeb and Owen were cute together once they stopped being ridiculous and actually talked to one another. I'm not always a fan of miscommunication but when it's a story this short it doesn't get irritating like it does in a longer book. Owen and Jeb just needed a chance to stop and hear each other and once they did they were just the sweetest.

My Demon Keeper
Stella Rainbow
4 stars

This was a fated mates story; I love a good paranormal story and fated mates are always fun. I've always enjoyed demon/human pairings and this one was great with a mistaken text leading to a HEA.

Only Want to Be with You
London Price
5 stars

This was so, so cute. Greg was a total sweetie. The story was a bit different as it was set a while back. Greg and Nico's relationship is a purely accidental meet cute thanks to a letter slipped under the wrong door. Their start isn't 100% smooth sailing but they make a really genuinely lovely couple once they put the work in.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I was provided an electronic ARC from one of the included authors.**

The Candy Hearts Charity Anthology returns with Volume 2 in 2025. 23 MM romance authors deliver short stories set near Valentine's Day in an effort to raise money for the Rainbow Railroad. The theme of the anthology is "wrong numbers".

Anthologies tend to produce mixed results as there are always stories that are better or worse than others for each reader. This anthology specifically contains a little bit of everything from general contemporary romance through to omegaverse and monster romance. Most of the stories include an "about" page before they start the story, though a few do not.

For me, most of these stories were nice, sweet, and inoffensive. There was one story that incorporated a trope I deliberately do not read, but I was able to skip that story with no issues. I spread the anthology out by reading 2 stories per day and found that 23 stories was still quite a lot. Amazon has the length of this anthology at 1539 pages, so my recommendation would be to spread out the reading rather than trying to read too much in any one sitting.

Overall, this was a nice sampling of the various authors' writing styles and a lovely way to support a worthy cause.

[ash-reads-romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this anthology and reviewed two stories;

Lee’s is first!

Must be Fate by Lee Blair

“This short story is just
Hilarious tooth-rotting fluff.
I laughed so hard all the way
Through garrison and lex’s
Story. It had everything.
Singing. Dancing. Mistaken
Identities and most importantly ,
Pickles as a plot point. 🤣🤣🤣
A must read for Valentine’s.”

My Eel-ectric Valentine by CD Rachels

“This little short story of the sweetest
Man and his eel shifter bf and their
Valentines fake date turned real
Is the powdered sugar cuteness
You need this valentines. Plus
I doubt you’ve ever read about
An eel shifter before and let me
Tell you, he’s ADORABLE!”

This anthology is SO worth the purchase and it is for charity!!!!

[Xanthe · Rating 5 out of 5]

**4.5**
What a fantastic collection of low angst romance that all comes about due to dialling a wrong number/turning up at the wrong door etc.
Some authors I love and some that are new to me, they have all given a novella that is full of sweetness and romance with a HEA that leaves the characters with a life full of love and happiness.
An occasional story is set in a world I already know and so it was great to also get to read characters I enjoy but even one off novellas and those who are new to me, made for a wonderful read.
A great anthology full of meet-cutes, low angst romance and happily ever afters.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.

[what_emmareadnext · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this anthology! There were a few authors I knew of, but a lot that were new-to-me authors. Being able to sample these authors in the form of a short story is perfect! It gives you the chance to read something by a new author without having a dive into a full length novel!
I loved every story in this book! They were tied together by the idea of mistaken identity, using the wrong number etc, and the premise makes for some great stories!
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this and given that it’s the month of love- give it a read ❤️.

[Lillian Francis]

Let's start with known author from this bunch, BA Tortuga - DRUNK DIALING - standard BA fare. Rancher x rodeo rider 4*
Becca Seymour - About Falling for 42. - Best Friends Brother. Tattoo artist. College basketball player. 4*
Anna Sparrow - Silver (fox) linings - The premise doesn’t make sense. Cody has Kenneth listed in his phone as 'silver fox' but last time he saw him his hair was brown with a few flecks of grey. He wouldn't have known he'd end up a silver fox. Still I liked story, which makes that even more annoying. Age Gap. Dad's best friend. Virgin MC. New to me author. 3.5* (would have been 4)

[Lelyana's Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

RTC

[Gavin Stephenson-Jackman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection should satisfy your need for sweet romances in this season of hearts and flowers. From quirky mixups to fated mates there's something for everyone in this collection.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brei-ayn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Candy Hearts: Volume 2 and struggled to put it down. The stories are amazing and I enjoyed reading all of them.

[Amy Weller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A phenomenal collection!

I loved this anthology! Filled with wonderful story of love that are truly an absolute joy to read!

Silver (Fox) Linings - Anna Sparrows - The story of Cody and Ken. Cody’s dad, Mike, is Ken’s best friend. Cody will text Ken one night for help when he gets into a bit of a tight spot with his date, only he thinks he’s texting his best friend. But Ken shows up to help and it will start them down the path of their adventure. Bonding over a tv show, the two become very close and even a bit more than friends. Ken is afraid to get to close because he’s concerned about Mike’s reaction but when Cody takes a brave step and declares his feelings to Ken, while his parents are in the room, unbeknownst to him, Ken decides to take a leap of faith and it will lead them to their happily ever after!
Drunk Dialing - BA Tortuga - BA does it again! I love her cowboy stories and the lengths said cowboys go to in order to get their happy ending! Jake and Treat dated before Jake got scared and ended it. But one drunk dial later, Treat knows just how Jake really feels about him and heads to Texas to get him and bring him home. There’s a bump or two in the road and one angry bull in the way before they get their happily ever after but with BA, there’s always a wonderful happy ending for her cowboys, and these two certainly get theirs!
Falling for 42 - Becca Seymour - This is the story of Kobe and Malik. Brought together by Kobe’s brother and Malik’s teammate, Kobe wearing Malik’s basketball jersey with it’s number 42 is the beginning of quite the adventure for the two. It will start with a drink and a conversation about a tattoo for Malik and it will end with them finding happiness together.
Wrong Place, Right Time - Beck Grey - A flashback to days gone by, this story takes place in the 1980’s. A time when things were hard for guys like Mike and Danny. But the two find their way to each other when Danny sits in the wrong section at a hockey game. The two hit it off during the game and things progress between them quickly. Both will have to deal with non-tolerant people in their lives and it is these people that will help these two decide to pick up and move across the country for the chance to be who they are and to do that together.
Last Mango in Palm Springs - Bix Barrow - This story, the tale of Zachary and Ford begins with a luggage mishap in the airport. Grabbing the wrong bag will change both their lives when they get to their destinations with each others clothes. The two begin texting regularly and are sharing pictures of their vacations and their swapped wardrobes. It’s a bit of fun added to a wonderful story about finding the right one and I love how the two of them manage to be just what the other needs.
Sixteen or Ninety-One - BL Maxwell - I really enjoy BL’s stories! Jake and Spencer meet at a singles mixer and a confusing font will separate them but they will soon find themselves back together again. I love how they have so much in common and they find more ways to spend time together after the mixer and in spite of their busy schedules. This story shows that a misread font and a bit of effort can make it possible for two workaholics to get their happily ever after!
A Crush on Coach - D.K. Sutton - D.K. gives the reader a wonderful tale about Charlie and Brad, one is the high school wrestling coach and the other is famous for a fiasco at the county fair. Charlie has returned home with a new job and wants to forget his embarrassing past and be treated like the adult he is. Brad was Charlie’s wrestling coach in high school and is his dad’s best friend. A few missent texts will have the two finding out that they have quite a bit of chemistry between them and I love how their story unfolds.
He’s Perfection - David Gray - What a great story! Dale is a bit of an unlucky guy but things start to look up for him when he moves into the house left to him by his unlucky uncle. His next door neighbor, Aaron, is just the opposite with good luck in abundance and the two getting together is quite the adventure to read! There are some very sweet but klutzy moments in the story that make their tale of love just right!
Wrong Number, Right Heart - E.M. Denning - The story of Sam and Oscar. They have a mutual friend who connects the two by giving them each other’s numbers. This will lead to Sam texting Oscar by accident during a seizure. Oscar rushes to his aid and stays despite Sam being sure he has ruined everything. But Oscar doesn’t give up and when the two finally get together it’s sweet and wonderful and absolutely amazing!
Fluttering Heart - Hansel Meyer - Finn and Lou will meet in Vegas when Finn accidentally shows up at Lou’s hotel room door in the early morning hours thinking it’s the room he is sharing with his brother. This oops will lead to a wonderful tale about two men who find it all in the arms of a stranger. Finn’s twin, Beau, goes along for the ride as Finn and Lou test the dating waters. It’s a wonderful experience all around and I love how Finn and his two brothers are not only very close, but his brothers embrace Lou as one of their own. The promise of a date back home is just the icing on the cake for Finn.
Blooming for You - Jem Wendel - Valentine’s Day is hard for Nolan until Uli shows up at his door with flowers. For someone else. An illegible address puts the two in each other’s orbits and it will take a little bravery on both of their parts to get them together. After a disastrous break up on Valentine’s Day, Nolan is done with love and romance. But Uli will slowly melt the ice around his heart and one year later, Nolan is a new man with a new love for Uli and Valentine’s Day.
It Must Be Fate - Lee Blair - What a wonderful story! Fate is very busy trying to get Lex and Garrison together as they keep crossing paths from an embarrassing wrong office breakup telegram at Garrison’s office to a sandwich with too many pickles at one of Lex’s many jobs. Garrison will get to see Lex dance at his best friend’s bachelor party and they are finally brought together for good by one very cute but very Houdini-like pup! This silly encounter will lead to dates that will have the two falling in love in no time! It’s a very sweet story and even mentions the town of Dahlia Springs, which is one of my favorite places of Lee’s!
Only Want To Be With You - London Price - A well meaning roommate will bring Nico and Greg together when she delivers a letter to the wrong apartment. Greg has noticed one of his neighbors but isn’t brave enough to actually deliver the letter he wrote. So his roommate Cathie will but it won’t be to the right place. Nico is thrilled when he gets the letter and though he doesn’t know a lot of English, being Italian, he tries to learn to be with Greg. I love how their relationship develops and all they do for each other. There is a little bump in their road of their adventure when Nico learns the truth about the letter but Greg goes all out to win him back and it works perfectly.
Two Wrongs Make Mister Right - Marie Sinclair - I loved this story! Morgan and Dmitri meet one night but it turns out to be a mistake. Dmitri’s true date had to cancel and Morgan went to the wrong place and missed his date. When Dmitri finds out his date isn’t who he thought he was, he does everything he can to find Morgan again. It will eventually happen and the adventure begins. They find a love worth keeping and I love how they get their happily ever after!
Sugared - Merry Farmer - Leland is shocked to find the little brother of his high school friend living on the streets. Ean has had a rough time of things lately and Leland will step in to help when Ean seems to be at his lowest. I love how Leland takes great care of Ean while also making sure Ean understands that he doesn’t expect anything in return. The two will soon find it impossible to stay out of each other’s arms and they give in to the feelings between them.
Calling From The Heart - Minerva Howe - Oh how I love Minerva’s stories! Jeb and Owen have quite the adventure ahead and I loved it! They broke up because Jeb got scared but when he finds out Owen is pregnant, he rushes in to fix what’s broken between them so that they can be a family. He has his work cut out for him as he has to prove to Owen he can be trusted but Jeb gets the job done and the two get to have their happily ever after in the end, complete with a Valentine’s Day baby!
Misdialed But Meant To Be - Riley Long - A sweet story, I loved it! Ben accidentally mistexts Cody to apologize and invite him to lunch. Cody agrees once he lets Ben know he’s not James. Ben doesn’t make it and Cody is a bit hurt but Ben will make it up to him and it will start them on a wonderful adventure. The more time they spend together, the closer they get. A party for Cody’s Aunt will bring them both face to face with James, the man Ben accidentally rear ended and the man Cody’s mom hoped to set him up with. It’s a cute moment on the road to Ben and Cody’s happily ever after!
All I Want Is You - Rye Cox - A singing telegram delivered to the wrong dorm room starts off this tale of Lance and Kevin. The two like each other but neither is brave enough to ask the other out. When Lance delivers the telegram, Kevin thinks Lance wants him to be his Valentine and meets him at the location chosen. But the telegram wasn’t for this Kevin but since Lance really wants a chance to be with him, he runs to the meeting place. Kevin is crushed when Lance tells him the truth about the telegram and doesn’t believe Lance is serious when he tells Kevin he really likes him. Enter Lance’s frat brothers and Kevin’s best friend Bernie. They will pull out all the stops to help Lance convince Kevin to give him another chance and be his Valentine.
My Demon Keeper - Stella Rainbow - Matthew finds himself sending a text to his landlord begging him not to evict him. But it isn’t his landlord he texts. Ten gets the text the first time and feels compelled to help Matthew out a bit. This will lead to him keeping an eye on Matthew and when he needs to step in to help Matthew with his aggressive ex girlfriend, Ten realizes Matthew is his mate. Ten gets Matthew to agree to go on a date and things go very well. It isn’t long until Ten is telling Matthew the truth about who and what he is. Matthew doesn’t mind, in fact, he prefers Ten’s true form and it starts the two down the path to a wonderful, happily ever after!
Smitten - Susan Scott Shelley and Chantal Mer - An incorrect apartment number will have Casimir delivering his cookies to the wrong door. Blaze thinks they are a birthday gift so indulges as soon as Casimir leaves. This isn’t the end of their adventure but just the beginning. They have mutual friends and it will draw them together as well as the chemistry between them. Time will be spent in Blaze’s brewery with friends and alone in Casimir’s cookie shop. I love how the two mix their love of cookies and beer into their feelings for each other and end up with their very own happily ever after!
Five Little Numbers - Victoria Gillilan - Maverick and Evander reconnect after years apart when he is forced to find a new place to live after his apartment is broken into for a third time since he won the lottery. He will end up moving into a house shared by Maverick and a man named Geralt. It isn’t long before Maverick and Evander are doing special little things for each other. A meeting with Maverick’s ex will have Evander stepping up to play the boyfriend and it will turn very real, very quickly. I love how the two admit the feelings they had for each other years ago and get a chance to be together.
The Wrong Henry - Zoe Lee - Rozen calls the wrong Henry to pick him up at the club where he is spending Valentine’s Day with friends, drinking and dancing. The Henry he called is the coworker he doesn’t like and it’s bound to be an adventure when Henry shows up. But things aren’t what Rozen thinks and soon he learns he was very wrong about Henry. A trip to the diner once the club closes has both men learning a truth or two about the other, namely the reason Rozen doesn’t like him and how Henry truly feels about Rozen. They will end up back at Henry’s place where Rozen finally decides that being in love might not be as bad as he thought.

I read an ARC copy of this book and am volunteering my honest review.

[Jo Atkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology is really, really good. I am not going to point out certain stories because I have found every single one to be a fantastic read. This book is chock full of amazing MM writers and it you are just discovering the genre then this is an excellent place to start. 20,000 words is full on, and I just haven't been able to put it down since I started reading.

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love anthologies! Some are hit or miss, some are fantastic But they all introduce new authors and worlds. The Candy Hearts: Volume 2 falls into the fantastic category, I have read most of the authors before and they are some of my favorites for feel-good reading.

The main theme of "wrong number" was an interesting and fun concept. The best thing is that the theme was up for different interpretations by the different authors, from calling or texting a wrong number, to accidents and mishaps, and familial matchmaking. This anthology has it all.

If you need a sweet bunch of stories to melt your heart and take your mind off reality for a while this anthology could be perfect.

I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.