Struck by Eros

Holiday Hookups #2

by Kayla Grosse

THEO is done with Valentine’s Day. Dumped by his boyfriend on the most romantic night of the year, he finds himself at a hotel bar, ready to drown his sorrows alone with a drink… or ten.

One tiny there’s only one booth remaining, and he has to share it with a captivating stranger who calls himself “E.”

“E”—better known as EROS—has spent millennia shooting arrows for everyone else, never finding his own soulmate.

Until tonight.

One glance at Theo, and the god of love and desire this broken-hearted man is the missing half he’s waited eons for.

One shared bottle of wine.

One unforgettable night.

One divine spark that could rewrite forever.

Struck by Eros is an MM high-heat standalone Valentine's Day novella. Ready to make you swoon and sweat.

Genres: Novella, Holiday, Paranormal, M M Romance, Romance, Queer

76 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 5, 2026

Reviews

[Larareads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, fun and spicy!

[Meredith Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm gonna need a tall glass of milk, because this was spicy. After a bad breakup, Theo runs into E, and he's instantly accepting an offer for one night only. But more than just appendages grow as the two men spend time together.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

a spicy, gay valentines treat!💘

Honestly one of the best novellas I’ve read. Kayla writes high heat so, so well and the plot worked incredibly within such short parameters.

Highly recommend for a hot, queer valentines romance sent from the gods💘

[Hannah Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

kayla grosse writing mm spicy valentines novella? yeah that’ll do it for me.

[EllieGraceReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love a Kayla Grosse novella🤩

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect valentines novella

[Leigh Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[madmanreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️ | 3 🌶️

A cute & spicy Valentine’s Day novella!

[Pana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super spicy! Wickedly hot, and sexy!
Get your Valentine’s Day read on early with this scorching hot read!

[Kristen ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

┈ Read this if you like ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
✦ Valentine’s Day 💕
✦ Meet Cute
✦ One Night Stand
✦ Soul Mates
✦ Instalove 💗
✦ MM Romance 👬
✦ Novella / Short Story

┈ MY THOUGHTS ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
- Fuck Ricky. Boy bye 👋🏼
- I really need to know if Eros was using magic to get Theo to sit with him. I mean, obviously he was with the coat, but the spare seats suddenly filled?! Was it fate or Eros doing everything he could to get a moment alone with Theo🤔
- Holy hot hotel scene that lasts FOUR CHAPTERS 🔥🥵🚒🧯
- Overall: This was a great Valentine’s Day themed MM romance, it was short, spicy, and fast paced.

┈ OVERVIEW ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
⛔️ Warning - possible spoilers below ⛔️
Emojis: 🍷🏩🛌💘🏹👬🍇
Pacing: 4/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Spice: 3/5
Overall: 3.75/5
Cover Art: 4/5
Format: eBook
POV: One 👤
Would I Recommend? 👍
Read Again? 👎
Setting / Location: Grove City

Hero/MMC: Theo
〰️Characteristics: tall, lean muscle, sun-kissed bronze skin, short dark brown hair, toned ass, brown eyes, hard body
〰️Occupation: Florist
〰️Age: N/A
〰️Nickname(s): Good boy, little slut, baby

Hero/MMC: Eros
〰️Characteristics: Short curly sandy colored hair, sweet features, beautiful, long dexterous fingers decorated in silver and gold rings, plush form, perfectly straight white teeth, stubble on his curved jaw, different shades of blonde in his curls, bowed lips, blue eyes, curved belly, soft body
〰️Occupation: God of Love & Desire aka Cupid
〰️Age: ♾️
〰️Nickname(s): Beautiful, baby

H/h virgin? No
First kiss💋: 26%
First time they have sex: 63%
First time they say "I Love You": 97%
Noteworthy Chapters🔥: 3-6, epilogue
✔️Smut List: Praise, dirty talk, toys, edging/orgasm denial, no condom, 🍑 play, spanking/impact play, breeding kink, biting/marking, degradation/humiliation, hair-pulling
OW/OM Drama? No
H/h cheat? No
Time apart? No
Did I cry? No
Ending: HEA 🥰
Standalone/Series? Yes to both
Epilogue? Yes

[BookReviews_by_MissaPoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 in the Holiday Hookups Series

This was a sultry, sinfully delicious holiday novella that will give you just enough to wet your pallette and leave you begging for more.

Theo is in love with being in love. A hopeless romantic, he finds himself once again on the outside looking in as he's unexpectedly dumped on Valentine's Day. Looking to drown his sorrows, lick his wounds and heal his 'broken' heart, he winds up at an out of the way hotel bar ready to forget everyone and everything.

Until he locks eyes with a mysterious stranger...

"E", otherwise known as Eros, is the Greek God of Love. One look at Theo and he knows. He's finally found his soulmate. The one he's spent centuries searching for only to walk away all alone once more. Inviting him to share his table and a drink, having an air about him that Theo is unable to resist, Eros vibrates with excitement at having found his mate as Theo feels an unusual calmness and familiarity work its way throughout him.

One look, one touch, one night? Underlying tensions and an undeniable pull that'll set off an intense firestorm of chemistry, emotion and heat.
Once the storm calms and the dust settles, is Theo willing and ready to accept the truths that are right in front of him? To understand that there's a greater power beyond us that is always at work? Fate has a funny way of showing up when you least expect it...

If you're looking for an in-depth background & storyline, you won't find it here. But for what it's meant to be, this was a hot quick read! Take the super short journey, it's worth it. Cupid's Arrow strikes again...

[Lynnette Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌶️📚 Book Review 📚🌶️
Struck By Eros
By: Kayla Grosse

Listen—when I opened my email and saw Struck By Eros waiting for me, I immediately dropped everything. Coffee? Grabbed. Book? Downloaded. Responsibilities? Ignored. And just like every Kayla Grosse book before it… she did not miss.

Struck By Eros is a high-heat MM Valentine’s Day novella that hits fast, hot, and right in the feelings. When Theo gets dumped on the most romantic day of the year (rude), he heads to a hotel bar to lick his wounds. One crowded bar, one empty, corner booth left… but it’s suddenly occupied by a mysterious, beautiful man who only introduces himself as E.

From the first glance, the chemistry is electric. One shared booth turns into a bottle of wine, which turns into a one-night stand that had me fanning myself and reaching for a cold drink 🥵🔥

But what really makes this story shine isn’t just the spice (and trust me, the spice is spicing). It’s the mutual respect, the genuine desire to please one another, and the quiet longing to fill the emptiness both men are carrying. It’s tender. It’s emotional. It’s sexy and beautiful—and that combo? Elite.

✨ Short, steamy, and surprisingly heartfelt
✨ Perfect for a Valentine’s Day read
✨ High heat with actual depth (we love to see it)
✨ Paranormal twist

⭐ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️ Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

If you want a quick, scorching-hot read that also leaves your heart a little fuller—this one’s for you. 💘🔥
#BookTok #MMRomance #SpicyReads #HighHeat #ValentinesRead #KaylaGrosse

[The Millennial Mood Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️‍🔥Scorching, Hot Valentine’s Day Romance with a literal God!! ❤️‍🔥

This is a spicy, MM Valentine’s Day Novella that will have you fanning yourself!

Kayla writes top tier spice and this did not disappoint!

Theo our sweet, plant daddy was dumped on none other than Valentine’s Day. What’s a guy to do? Head across town to a random hotel bar to drink his breakup away. What he was not expecting was to meet “E” aka Eros.

They have instant chemistry and a connection he can’t seem to fight.
How’s the saying go.. best way to get over someone is to get under someone else?! 🥵🥵🥵🔥

“𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆, 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐. 𝑷𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄*𝒎, 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝑰 𝒃𝒓€€𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆.”

“𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙖 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙗𝙤𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙤 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙨𝙖𝙮, 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”

Oh, did I mention their fated mates?! Swoon!

I devoured this novella! If you want a hot as sin but swoony holiday romance then add this to your TBR!

Tropes:
One Night Stand
Fated Mates
Magical Elements
Impact Play
Sensory Play
“Good Boy”
Toys as Teammates

Thank you Kayla Grosse and team for the eARC. All opinions are my own

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG, it's finally here! The Vday novella! I have to say, I really enjoy these short novellas. Don't get me wrong, I love the long form too, but these really give me the feels and pick me up.

Alright, onto the book. Theo, who thought he was with the love of his life, just broke up with him on Valentine's Day. What the.... the jerk of it all, he wanted a goodbye f- that's just proved the point - Nope!

Theo stumbled into a bar and met this mysterious man. They drank, they chatted, and is it heat we feel there? As they talk, that tension builds. Theo thought, hey one night with a gorgeous man, why not. Turns out this man would be his forever.

Of course, we're here because Kayla knows how to write smut in the best feeling way and we're here for it. The feeling both Theo & Eros have is super sweet, the trust they have in a short time is divine.

Thank you author for the ARC.

[Carrie West · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a bit of a bumpy start when this started. To have Leo’s boyfriend kick him out on Valentine’s Day but still want to get some? Dude. I was ready to have someone hold my earrings. Someone who breaks up with their partner but then tries to get in one last bumping nasties session are just gross. Way to mess with their emotions by letting them know you have feelings and needs but none of theirs matters.

The bar scene was good. It was a little rushed for me, though. It would have been nice to have that a little more drawn out. Maybe since Leo was only thinking hookup, not that he just found the love of his life, did that scene kind of work. That was the point though, right? For Leo to think he was getting over Ricky by getting under Eros.

Overall, fun short read. It ended better than how it started. Maybe a bit unbelievable with a few things at the end, but it was sweet seeing the two choose to be together after Eros told his truth.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Struck by Eros, book two in the Holiday Hookups series, written by Kayla Grosse, is a delicious Valentine’s MM romance novella with a paranormal twist.

Oh my sweet Theo! To be broken up with on the most romantic night of the year is soul-crushing. Wanting to drown his sorrows, he finds himself at a packed hotel bar. With his eyes on the last remaining booths, a handsome stranger gets there first, but offers to share it with Theo.

E and Theo have undeniable and electrifying chemistry. They are both exactly what the other needs. This spicy read will get your heart pumping, your cheeks flushed, and have you swooning.

Thanks to Kayla Grosse for gifting me an eARC of Struck by Eros. I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[britishbovinexo · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐂𝐊 𝒃𝒚 𝑬𝒓𝒐𝒔 𝐛𝐲 𝐊𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐚 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞
(𝖠𝖱𝖢)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️

"𝐍𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫, 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡. 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭." - 𝑬𝒓𝒐𝒔

*𝑹𝑬𝑽𝑰𝑬𝑾*

If you are looking for a spicy, MM, Valentines day novella with spice that will blow your socks off then this is the book for you 😏

Like seriously THE SPICE?!?! Is it hot in here or is it just me 😭

This was such a fun and bingeable read! Kayla could right literally ANYTHING and id probably eattttt it up 😈

Thank you so much to Kayla Grosse for sending me the ARC of this in exchange for my honest review! 🤍

"𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐛𝐲 𝐄𝐫𝐨𝐬" 𝐛𝐲 𝐊𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐚 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟓𝐭𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔!

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀:
❤️𝖬𝖬 𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾
🪽𝖭𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅𝗅𝖺
❤️𝖮𝗇𝖾 𝖭𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝖲𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖽
🪽𝖧𝗂𝗀𝗁-𝖧𝖾𝖺𝗍
❤️𝖬𝖺𝗀𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗅 𝖤𝗅𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗌

Lots of love,
Lillie Xo

[Hannah The Awkward · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MM Valentine’s Day novella with the God of Love. This novella was sweet, spicy, and filled with love. I’m a sucker for anything Greek Mythology related and I loved this contemporary spin on things. The main character, Theo, gets broken up with who he thought to be the love of his life on none other than Valentine’s Day. Wanting to drink his woes away, he finds at booth in a hotel bar. However, destiny has other plans when a handsome stranger slides into the other side of the booth.

Eros is a very fitting god for the holiday of love and what a better way to celebrate than reading him falling in love with Theo?! What a fun read!

Thank you Kayla Grosse for providing me with an eARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

[CurvyBookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a VERY high heat Valentine’s day novella about Theo who recently got dumped and somehow ends up in a hotel bar on Valentine’s day. He meets the stunning stranger who goes by E. There’s an immediate mutual attraction as E listens more to him than anyone ever has.

Theo and Eros are so adorable. I loved the respect and desire streaming from these two characters. One thing that absolutely made me smile was Eros, the god of love, being described as having a soft body. I love a good plus size mmc and Kayla delivered!!

If you like:
💘 High heat
💘 MM romance
💘 Good Boy
💘 Magical Elements
💘 Impact play and light degradation
💘 Fated Mates

Then this Valentine’s day novella is definitely for you!

Thank you Kayla for the arc in return for an honest review🥰

[Cayleigh Duffield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

“I’d rather live with the heartbreak of loving you for one night and losing you, than to never love you at all.”

This novella was such a delightful surprise! Kayla Grosse has quickly become an author that I will read anything she releases. This was such a fun, short, sweet and spicy novella. I finished the story and I thought I would read a full length novel of Eros and Theo, because the concept of the novella was interesting and I wanted to see more. That being said this is MM Valentine’s Day themed spicy novella, and ohh baby was it spicy; we’re talking 3 full chapters of spice with the last two chapters also containing spice mixed in with progression of the story. If want a hot and short Valentine’s Day read this should be next on your list.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶

Tropes:
Fated mates
one night stand
Holiday novella
Dual POV

Kayla Grosse is quickly becoming the Queen of Spicy holiday novellas for me lol. That's exactly what Struck by Eros was! Taking place on Valentine's Day, Theo is fresh off a breakup and hits up a local hotel bar where the only seat left is to share a booth with another... attractive and mysterious "E".

Here's my question to you, if you found yourself on the night of live with the god of love himself, what would you do? I'd probably take fun advantage of the evening too just like Theo lol. Yes, "E" is Eros himself.

The story is spicy, and I loved the involvement of cupid arrow bwhahaha. Check it out if you love pure spice!

[FER · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Valentine's Day, and Theo's been dumped. He intends to drown his sorrows at the hotel bar alone. But! Romance gods be praised! Theres. Only. One. Booth. And he has to share it with a handsome, flirty stranger. Is this a mere chance encounter or something designed by the gods themselves?

STRUCK BY EROS is an intoxicating erotic fantasy. A fantasy of intriguing strangers, shared desires, and the promise of forever. For readers who love an intense fast burn. Or perhaps are craving a daring little rendezvous. Theo and Eros will give you a delicious romantic thrill.

Thank you to the author, Kayla Grosse, for the advanced digital copy to read and review.

[Stephanie | ReadWithSnicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

many thanks to Kayla Grosse for the advanced reader copy of Struck by Eros 💘

I dropped everything to read this quick and fun novella - a perfect palate cleanser for the Valentine’s holiday! Even though it was short, we got a good sense of love-worn Theo before he met the mysterious E - and once they did meet, absolute chemistry!

I really enjoy the “magical realism” the way Kayla writes it - feels like it COULD be real, and that is hard to do! 👌

Kayla does some top tier spicy scenes and this was no exception - fit exactly for this book, and what I wanted from Theo and Eros!

A quick and spicy-hopeful read - highly recommend!

[Megs · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️💗ARC Review💗❤️

Thank you Kayla Grosse for this surprise ARC of Struck by Eros🫶

I think I must be struck by Eros because this novella was 😍
Heartbroken Theo, goes on a drive and ends up somewhere he has never been before, where he meets Eros in a crowded bar, and shall we say the rest is history?

The attraction, passion, and lust of these characters was perfection! It was everything that I didn’t know that I needed. Theo falls hard, he always does that’s why it took him a moment to really grasp everything that Eros was telling him after their incredible night together…

Tropes:
❤️Valentines Novella
💗Instalust/love at first sight
❤️One Night Stand to Forever
💗MM Romance
❤️Spicy AF
💗HEA

[Kim Vroege · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book of the year by Kayla Grosse. And what a book! Time and again, she proves why she's my favorite author. Besides writing plus-size books (books I can see myself in), she also writes engaging stories with interesting characters. I'm a big fan of retellings of Greek and Roman mythology, so this one was right up my alley. It's only a short story (77 pages), but it's a steamy one. I enjoyed it from start to finish and finished it in one sitting. This book is definitely recommended for anyone who enjoys spicy stories.

[Ashley (aneverendingbookstack) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine my surprise when I randomly checked my email at 1 am to find this arc waiting in the inbox. Short, sexy and to the point (see what i did there)

Theo is freshly heartbroken, raw around the edges, and aching to feel wanted again. Enter Eros—literally the god of desire—and suddenly every glance crackles, every touch lingers, and the tension is deliciously unbearable. Kayla Grosse excels at slow-burn heat that explodes, building anticipation until you’re practically begging these two to close the distance.

Highly recommend for readers who want their Valentine’s romance extra spicy.

[Novellaworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Struck by Eros by Kayla Grosse

Getting dumped on Valentine’s Day is bad enough—sharing a booth with the literal god of love afterward? Even worse… or maybe fate.

This short MM paranormal romance is fast, hot, and emotionally charged. Theo and Eros connect instantly, and while the spice is very much front and center, what really worked for me was the softness underneath it all. Two lonely souls finding comfort, desire, and understanding in one unexpected night.

A quick, steamy read with heart, longing, and a fun divine twist. Perfect if you want heat and feelings in one sitting.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

“There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Theo. Nothing.”

✔️valentine’s novella
✔️MM romance
✔️magical elements
✔️strangers to lovers
✔️one night stand
✔️no breakup


This is just a fun, spicy, good time. It’s a meet cute, a one night stand, and a peek into their happily ever after in the epilogue. Don’t expect a ton of character development or anything other than insta-lust (it’s a 70-something page novella after all). It’s a fun read, perfect for the valentines vibes, and I love the dash of magic and fated mates.

[SpicySeoulReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll tell you what! Kayla Grosse never misses!

Struck by Eros is an MM spicy Valentine’s novella and it was delectable! The connection between Theo & Eros was addicting; their chemistry on page was palpable! I loved their banter. Was it Instalove? Absolutely! Did it work for their dynamic? 100%! Who is gonna argue with the gods about destiny?! Not me!

I enjoyed every part of this novella and have no notes!

All thanks to Kayla Grosse for the early copy!

[Sarah Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️5 🌶️4

Broken up with on Valentine’s Day, Theo finds himself in a hotel bar, sitting across from a stranger. What could a one night stand hurt?
When the God of love, passion, and sexual desire claims you are his mate, you know you’re going to have a great rest of your life 🫶🏼

5 stars for the vibes, the pacing, the fated mates, and the happily ever after 💘
4 chilis for the dirty, dirty MM romance 🥵