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Summer Loving
♥ Summer Loving is a collection of short summer stories from a selection of some of the hottest names in f/f fiction right now ♥
These nine stories will definitely get you in the mood for summer. From Honduras to Lanzarote and from beach houses to camping, there’s something for everyone.
Including:
Stranded Lise Gold
Blisters and Beer Claire Highton-Stevenson
Beach House KC Luck
Order Up! Cara Malone
Tropical Heat TB Markinson
Always Check The Reviews Amanda Radley
Park Service Aurora Rey
#MissedOpportunities Erin Zak
Insomnia Club Emma Radley
⚠ This collection is limited edition and will only be available for sale during the summer of 2020, so grab your copy now! ⚠
These nine stories will definitely get you in the mood for summer. From Honduras to Lanzarote and from beach houses to camping, there’s something for everyone.
Including:
Stranded Lise Gold
Blisters and Beer Claire Highton-Stevenson
Beach House KC Luck
Order Up! Cara Malone
Tropical Heat TB Markinson
Always Check The Reviews Amanda Radley
Park Service Aurora Rey
#MissedOpportunities Erin Zak
Insomnia Club Emma Radley
⚠ This collection is limited edition and will only be available for sale during the summer of 2020, so grab your copy now! ⚠
510 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 27, 2020
110 people are currently reading
152 people want to read
About the author
Lise Gold
52 books692 followersLise Gold is an author of lesbian romance. Her romantic attitude, enthusiasm for travel and love for feel good stories form the heartland of her writing. Born in London to a Norwegian mother and English father, and growing up between the UK, Norway, Zambia and the Netherlands, she feels at home pretty much everywhere and has an unending curiosity for new destinations. She goes by 'write what you know' and is often found in exotic locations doing research or getting inspired for her next novel.
Working as a designer for fifteen years and singing semi- professionally, Lise has always been a creative at heart. Her novels are the result of a quest for a new passion after resigning from her design job in 2018.
When not writing from her kitchen table, Lise can be found cooking, at the gym or singing her heart out somewhere, preferably country or blues. She lives in London with her dogs El Comandante and Bubba.
Working as a designer for fifteen years and singing semi- professionally, Lise has always been a creative at heart. Her novels are the result of a quest for a new passion after resigning from her design job in 2018.
When not writing from her kitchen table, Lise can be found cooking, at the gym or singing her heart out somewhere, preferably country or blues. She lives in London with her dogs El Comandante and Bubba.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
June 1, 2020
To quote my friend – and LezReviewBooks boss – Gaby, anthologies are tricky. Finding the right balance, choosing authors whose stories will fit together, cannot be easy. Sometimes it works perfectly, sometimes it doesn’t. More often than not, it falls in the middle. That’s where Summer Loving is, an uneven but overall good mix of not-so-short stories.
The strongest point of this collection – a limited edition, only sold this summer – is in the variety of stories it offers, around a pretty traditional but always fun and exciting theme. Nine authors, nine stories, with a wide range of situations and writing styles. Some stories portray teenagers, others women in their thirties, others older women, either with brand new characters or some we’ve already met. Some authors have chosen to fade to black when it comes to sex while other stories are borderline erotica. All of them take advantage of the lightness and joy associated with summer and either play along or turn the feelings on their head.
A couple of the stories are really excellent, some are more formulaic, some are full of surprises while others are more predictable but there’s a little something for everyone. I know I’ll read Aurora Rey‘s Park Service again at some point because it’s fun and sexy and really good. And my favourite of all stories is #MissedOpportunities by Erin Zak, which I think will stay with me for a while for many reasons, one of which is the masterful way Zak pulls off a second-person narrative.
1- Stranded by Lise Gold
2- Blisters and Beer by Claire Highton-Stevenson
3- Beach House by KC Luck
4- Order Up! by Cara Malone
5- Tropical Heat by T.B. Markinson
6- Always Check The Reviews by Amanda Radley
7- Park Service by Aurora Rey
8- #MissedOpportunities by Erin Zak
9- Insomnia Club by Emma Sterner-Radley
The strongest point of this collection – a limited edition, only sold this summer – is in the variety of stories it offers, around a pretty traditional but always fun and exciting theme. Nine authors, nine stories, with a wide range of situations and writing styles. Some stories portray teenagers, others women in their thirties, others older women, either with brand new characters or some we’ve already met. Some authors have chosen to fade to black when it comes to sex while other stories are borderline erotica. All of them take advantage of the lightness and joy associated with summer and either play along or turn the feelings on their head.
A couple of the stories are really excellent, some are more formulaic, some are full of surprises while others are more predictable but there’s a little something for everyone. I know I’ll read Aurora Rey‘s Park Service again at some point because it’s fun and sexy and really good. And my favourite of all stories is #MissedOpportunities by Erin Zak, which I think will stay with me for a while for many reasons, one of which is the masterful way Zak pulls off a second-person narrative.
1- Stranded by Lise Gold
2- Blisters and Beer by Claire Highton-Stevenson
3- Beach House by KC Luck
4- Order Up! by Cara Malone
5- Tropical Heat by T.B. Markinson
6- Always Check The Reviews by Amanda Radley
7- Park Service by Aurora Rey
8- #MissedOpportunities by Erin Zak
9- Insomnia Club by Emma Sterner-Radley
May 29, 2020
MY 700TH REVIEW!!!!
I couldn’t decide which author to choose for my 700th review so I chose several. This LOVELY tome contains nine WONDERFUL stories by nine FABULOUS authors. This book contains tales by these star studded authors: Amanda Radley, Lise Gold, Claire Highton-Stevenson, KC Luck, Cara Malone, TB Markinson, Aurora Rey, Emma Sterner-Radley and Erin Zak.
Summer Loving is an AMAZING and AWESOME book, chock full of steamy, sweet, sexy and stunning summer stories. There is so much to love and so many settings. Sunny days, moonlit nights, beaches, resorts and even drama at home. Wives, partners, pick-ups, relationships, new love and old, it’s all in here and all so well done!! Some are chapters long, others not so much but all of them will hit your heart and give you warm fuzzies. The authors are all REALLY, REALLY GOOD at their craft too. None of them is new to me and all of them are the type of authors that I cannot wait to read their books again soon after I finish them. Out of the authors and the stories, I honestly can’t pick a favourite… and I’ll bet you won’t be able to either! DO NOT MISS this FANTASTIC read!!!
I couldn’t decide which author to choose for my 700th review so I chose several. This LOVELY tome contains nine WONDERFUL stories by nine FABULOUS authors. This book contains tales by these star studded authors: Amanda Radley, Lise Gold, Claire Highton-Stevenson, KC Luck, Cara Malone, TB Markinson, Aurora Rey, Emma Sterner-Radley and Erin Zak.
Summer Loving is an AMAZING and AWESOME book, chock full of steamy, sweet, sexy and stunning summer stories. There is so much to love and so many settings. Sunny days, moonlit nights, beaches, resorts and even drama at home. Wives, partners, pick-ups, relationships, new love and old, it’s all in here and all so well done!! Some are chapters long, others not so much but all of them will hit your heart and give you warm fuzzies. The authors are all REALLY, REALLY GOOD at their craft too. None of them is new to me and all of them are the type of authors that I cannot wait to read their books again soon after I finish them. Out of the authors and the stories, I honestly can’t pick a favourite… and I’ll bet you won’t be able to either! DO NOT MISS this FANTASTIC read!!!
September 27, 2020
Stranded Lise Gold
A story about a straight woman who is on a long vacation. At the time of the story, she has decided to go on some kind of nature walk on an island in, near, Thailand. Story actually starts with the lead character learning that she, and the rest of the group have been 'stranded' on the island because the weather is too bad for a boat, and there is no where for a helicopter to land. So the tour group will need to stay on the island over night. Luckily there is shelter. Though not enough for each person to have their own bed. Which only matters to two of the people - the two single women on the tour. They'll have to share a bed.
The lead character is one of the two single women. She is also straight. Or, she had thought she was. The other single woman is flirting with her and . . . well, maybe she isn't completely straight?
The story was well written but had certain things I am not interested in reading in a f-f story (straight woman hooking up with women; non-straight woman who can't seem to stop flirting; 'liquid encouragement '; causal first meeting hook up) -
An aside: I've never read this author before.
Rating: 3.3
Blisters and Beer Claire Highton-Stevenson
Difficult to write about a story when my notes just say '"Second story read, Beer & Blisters' - rating 4.78"' Um, so . . . I appear to have rather liked this story. I've never read this author before.
Beach House KC Luck
One person POV. 13 year old and 15 year old agree to be 'best friends forever' and that they would write to each other. 30 years have passed and the 13 year old, now 43 year old, is back in the same house her parents rented way back when. She has a small dog with her - which is important because the dog likes running off and confronting humans who come nearish to the lead character.
Dog runs up to a male wandering along the beach. My first thought while reading this section was 'WTF was her immediate belief that the person in the distance a man?' At first I thought it was just someone who uses the male pronoun for anyone and everyone until they know the person is a woman (bah, that's called something, but I can't recall words).
Man turns out to be a woman. A woman named Toni - the same Toni who, at the age of 15, had promised the 13 year old that they would be best friends forever but then never wrote (there were reasons).
I thought Luck was the first author in this book that I had read before. Looking at their page on Goodreads shows me that I have not read them until this short story. So three stories in a row by authors I'd not read before. Though I'd seen their names on books.
Rating - 4.58
Order Up! Cara Malone
Ah! An author I've read before! Though not one I normally rush out to get their next book. I've read two previous works by this author, average rating of 3.755.
So, this specific story here: This story involves two women around 17 to 19 years of age (both just graduated high school and are in the summer between high school and college). Two point of view story.
The first point of view is a young woman working at a food stand in a resort type area. The kind of food stand that employees young women in skimpy uniforms on roller skates. This young woman, whose name now escapes me, has experience with 1) roller skates; 2) waitressing - but not both at the same time. She's put the two together as there is a good chance of making more money. Which she needs so she can eat while she's off at Harvard.
Other main character comes into the picture when she's sitting in the food stand parking lot in a convertible. And some woman on skates dumps a milk shake on her. A strawberry milkshake. That'd be the other main character doing the dumping, by accident, when she avoids two running children, spins, and 'is taken out' by a rock.
The two characters then spend the summer getting closer and dating. Good neat story.
Rating: 4.97
Tropical Heat TB Markinson
I've owned several books by this author but this is the first story I've read by them. Story involves two married women, both in failing marriages. Both have point of views. Both are vacationing in Honduras at same hotel.
Right, so, story opens with a woman being annoyed, sad, depressed. She had planned to spend the week at this resort with her wife. But the wife chose work over her. So . . . she (she here being the woman in Honduras - I only recall their fake names, Susan Vance & Tracy Lord) texted something along the lines of 'fuck you, we are done' and went on her vacation.
Story switches to other POV. A woman has just arrived on a plane. Gets into a cab, has no idea if the person with the sign with her name on it (misspelled; ah, I think her name is/was Alex Cabot or something like that) was actually for her. If she's being 'tricked/captured'. By the time the cab drives down a road with vegetation so close to the road that the car is getting scratched, to arrive at a gate with a guard with a large gun; to another large man with large gun; to being lead to a room and being so tired she just falls into it and asleep. She's so messed up about her failing marriage that she doesn't really, at that point, care to figure out if she's being 'trafficked' or not.
The two women meet in a hotel bar. Hook up. There's a layer of 'they don't know each other' mixed with 'obvious clues show that they probably do know each other' while both are in bar. Don't worry, reader knows 'real story' before story over.
Rating: 4.38
Always Check The Reviews Amanda Radley
I've never read anything by anyone named Amanda Radley. Until now. I have, though, read books that I rather enjoyed by an author named A.E. Radley (average rating of 4.1667). A.E. Radley and Amanda Radley is same author.
So, this story. Two people have point of views. Another 'two women on vacation who happen to know each other and bump into each other while on vacation' story.
A 28 year old young woman has arrived on a Spanish island. She has a reservation at a five star hotel. She doesn't speak Spanish. So - story follows her as she arrives, gets a cab, arrives at . . . a build site. That five star hotel does not actually exist. That's where that 'check the reviews' comes in - apparently everyone, when they learn that the young woman had found herself in the situation she is in, needs to tell her that she should have checked the reviews. Right, so, she's wandering around, sad. Not knowing the language. Getting surrounded by and sexually harassed by British men. And being saved by the last woman she wanted to see. Her ex-boss.
Nice enough story. I gave it a rating of 3.7.
Park Service Aurora Rey
There's not a single author in this book that I had never heard of before. As should be obvious by this point, I've not really read many of them, though. And, yes, I've not read Rey before.
Right, so, an engineer is camping. Figures out she can't figure out how to put up a tent. She's startled when a voice asks if she needs help. That other woman is in a park ranger uniform. And is gorgeous. Park ranger helps. Mentions visiting the lake to see the moon reflected in it. Leaves.
Engineer, around midnight, heads off to visit the building with the plumbing. Then wanders over near the lake. Suddenly catches sight of the other woman out of the corner of her eye. Naked. Skinny dipping. Wonders if she is dreaming, especially adding in the reaction of the other woman, who appears to be suggesting that she strip down and join her.
One person point of view.
I orignialy rated this 3.7. I am going to put down a higher rating now.
Rating: 3.85
#MissedOpportunities Erin Zak
One of the few authors in this book who I've read before. I've both loved and not loved books by this author. So naturally . . . this is the one where I wrote, in my notes, something along the lines of 'WTF'.
This is a second person type story. You know, those stories that use 'you'? As in 'You read the review of the short story collection, scratch your butt, burp, wonder what you should eat that day for lunch. Burp again. You continue reading the review, amazed about how neat the lettering is on the screen.' You know, 'you'.
Right, so. I've read many 'you' type books. The 'you' part is not why I wrote 'WTF'. The WTF was for the weird plot about the co-anchors who circle each other. One who appears unable to not date her co-anchors. While being married (not to her co-anchor). Other being completely intimidated by the other.
Rating: 2
Insomnia Club Emma Radley
Last story in book. Another author I've read before. I've read two stories written by them (4.52 average rating); and one written by them and Amanda Radley (3.25 rating).
This is both my favorite story in this book, and the highest rating I've given to something written by this author.
A young woman who has trouble getting words out, has a crush on a particular woman. Said woman, Johanna, runs an Insomnia Club - a club for women who have trouble sleeping so that they would have a safe place to go when they can't sleep, and a place to try to help each other figure out how to sleep.
Tilde, the main character, was dragged to the club when she had been having trouble sleeping. While she can sleep now, she pretends she can't, because she wants to hang around Johanna.
Great story.
Story ends with a note, afternote?, indicating that the characters, well the four friends (Tilde, Martina, Jenny & Elina), appear in a prior book set a year before the short story. That book being Once in Sweden.
Rating: 5.25
--
So, collection overall rating:
Stranded Lise Gold - 3.3
Blisters and Beer Claire Highton-Stevenson - 4.78
Beach House KC Luck - 4.58
Order Up! Cara Malone - 4.87
Tropical Heat TB Markinson - 4.38
Always Check The Reviews Amanda Radley - 3.7
Park Service Aurora Rey - 3.85
#MissedOpportunities Erin Zak - 2
Insomnia Club Emma Radley - 5.25
------------------------ 4.0789
A story about a straight woman who is on a long vacation. At the time of the story, she has decided to go on some kind of nature walk on an island in, near, Thailand. Story actually starts with the lead character learning that she, and the rest of the group have been 'stranded' on the island because the weather is too bad for a boat, and there is no where for a helicopter to land. So the tour group will need to stay on the island over night. Luckily there is shelter. Though not enough for each person to have their own bed. Which only matters to two of the people - the two single women on the tour. They'll have to share a bed.
The lead character is one of the two single women. She is also straight. Or, she had thought she was. The other single woman is flirting with her and . . . well, maybe she isn't completely straight?
The story was well written but had certain things I am not interested in reading in a f-f story (straight woman hooking up with women; non-straight woman who can't seem to stop flirting; 'liquid encouragement '; causal first meeting hook up) -
An aside: I've never read this author before.
Rating: 3.3
Blisters and Beer Claire Highton-Stevenson
Difficult to write about a story when my notes just say '"Second story read, Beer & Blisters' - rating 4.78"' Um, so . . . I appear to have rather liked this story. I've never read this author before.
Beach House KC Luck
One person POV. 13 year old and 15 year old agree to be 'best friends forever' and that they would write to each other. 30 years have passed and the 13 year old, now 43 year old, is back in the same house her parents rented way back when. She has a small dog with her - which is important because the dog likes running off and confronting humans who come nearish to the lead character.
Dog runs up to a male wandering along the beach. My first thought while reading this section was 'WTF was her immediate belief that the person in the distance a man?' At first I thought it was just someone who uses the male pronoun for anyone and everyone until they know the person is a woman (bah, that's called something, but I can't recall words).
Man turns out to be a woman. A woman named Toni - the same Toni who, at the age of 15, had promised the 13 year old that they would be best friends forever but then never wrote (there were reasons).
I thought Luck was the first author in this book that I had read before. Looking at their page on Goodreads shows me that I have not read them until this short story. So three stories in a row by authors I'd not read before. Though I'd seen their names on books.
Rating - 4.58
Order Up! Cara Malone
Ah! An author I've read before! Though not one I normally rush out to get their next book. I've read two previous works by this author, average rating of 3.755.
So, this specific story here: This story involves two women around 17 to 19 years of age (both just graduated high school and are in the summer between high school and college). Two point of view story.
The first point of view is a young woman working at a food stand in a resort type area. The kind of food stand that employees young women in skimpy uniforms on roller skates. This young woman, whose name now escapes me, has experience with 1) roller skates; 2) waitressing - but not both at the same time. She's put the two together as there is a good chance of making more money. Which she needs so she can eat while she's off at Harvard.
Other main character comes into the picture when she's sitting in the food stand parking lot in a convertible. And some woman on skates dumps a milk shake on her. A strawberry milkshake. That'd be the other main character doing the dumping, by accident, when she avoids two running children, spins, and 'is taken out' by a rock.
The two characters then spend the summer getting closer and dating. Good neat story.
Rating: 4.97
Tropical Heat TB Markinson
I've owned several books by this author but this is the first story I've read by them. Story involves two married women, both in failing marriages. Both have point of views. Both are vacationing in Honduras at same hotel.
Right, so, story opens with a woman being annoyed, sad, depressed. She had planned to spend the week at this resort with her wife. But the wife chose work over her. So . . . she (she here being the woman in Honduras - I only recall their fake names, Susan Vance & Tracy Lord) texted something along the lines of 'fuck you, we are done' and went on her vacation.
Story switches to other POV. A woman has just arrived on a plane. Gets into a cab, has no idea if the person with the sign with her name on it (misspelled; ah, I think her name is/was Alex Cabot or something like that) was actually for her. If she's being 'tricked/captured'. By the time the cab drives down a road with vegetation so close to the road that the car is getting scratched, to arrive at a gate with a guard with a large gun; to another large man with large gun; to being lead to a room and being so tired she just falls into it and asleep. She's so messed up about her failing marriage that she doesn't really, at that point, care to figure out if she's being 'trafficked' or not.
The two women meet in a hotel bar. Hook up. There's a layer of 'they don't know each other' mixed with 'obvious clues show that they probably do know each other' while both are in bar. Don't worry, reader knows 'real story' before story over.
Rating: 4.38
Always Check The Reviews Amanda Radley
I've never read anything by anyone named Amanda Radley. Until now. I have, though, read books that I rather enjoyed by an author named A.E. Radley (average rating of 4.1667). A.E. Radley and Amanda Radley is same author.
So, this story. Two people have point of views. Another 'two women on vacation who happen to know each other and bump into each other while on vacation' story.
A 28 year old young woman has arrived on a Spanish island. She has a reservation at a five star hotel. She doesn't speak Spanish. So - story follows her as she arrives, gets a cab, arrives at . . . a build site. That five star hotel does not actually exist. That's where that 'check the reviews' comes in - apparently everyone, when they learn that the young woman had found herself in the situation she is in, needs to tell her that she should have checked the reviews. Right, so, she's wandering around, sad. Not knowing the language. Getting surrounded by and sexually harassed by British men. And being saved by the last woman she wanted to see. Her ex-boss.
Nice enough story. I gave it a rating of 3.7.
Park Service Aurora Rey
There's not a single author in this book that I had never heard of before. As should be obvious by this point, I've not really read many of them, though. And, yes, I've not read Rey before.
Right, so, an engineer is camping. Figures out she can't figure out how to put up a tent. She's startled when a voice asks if she needs help. That other woman is in a park ranger uniform. And is gorgeous. Park ranger helps. Mentions visiting the lake to see the moon reflected in it. Leaves.
Engineer, around midnight, heads off to visit the building with the plumbing. Then wanders over near the lake. Suddenly catches sight of the other woman out of the corner of her eye. Naked. Skinny dipping. Wonders if she is dreaming, especially adding in the reaction of the other woman, who appears to be suggesting that she strip down and join her.
One person point of view.
I orignialy rated this 3.7. I am going to put down a higher rating now.
Rating: 3.85
#MissedOpportunities Erin Zak
One of the few authors in this book who I've read before. I've both loved and not loved books by this author. So naturally . . . this is the one where I wrote, in my notes, something along the lines of 'WTF'.
This is a second person type story. You know, those stories that use 'you'? As in 'You read the review of the short story collection, scratch your butt, burp, wonder what you should eat that day for lunch. Burp again. You continue reading the review, amazed about how neat the lettering is on the screen.' You know, 'you'.
Right, so. I've read many 'you' type books. The 'you' part is not why I wrote 'WTF'. The WTF was for the weird plot about the co-anchors who circle each other. One who appears unable to not date her co-anchors. While being married (not to her co-anchor). Other being completely intimidated by the other.
Rating: 2
Insomnia Club Emma Radley
Last story in book. Another author I've read before. I've read two stories written by them (4.52 average rating); and one written by them and Amanda Radley (3.25 rating).
This is both my favorite story in this book, and the highest rating I've given to something written by this author.
A young woman who has trouble getting words out, has a crush on a particular woman. Said woman, Johanna, runs an Insomnia Club - a club for women who have trouble sleeping so that they would have a safe place to go when they can't sleep, and a place to try to help each other figure out how to sleep.
Tilde, the main character, was dragged to the club when she had been having trouble sleeping. While she can sleep now, she pretends she can't, because she wants to hang around Johanna.
Great story.
Story ends with a note, afternote?, indicating that the characters, well the four friends (Tilde, Martina, Jenny & Elina), appear in a prior book set a year before the short story. That book being Once in Sweden.
Rating: 5.25
--
So, collection overall rating:
Stranded Lise Gold - 3.3
Blisters and Beer Claire Highton-Stevenson - 4.78
Beach House KC Luck - 4.58
Order Up! Cara Malone - 4.87
Tropical Heat TB Markinson - 4.38
Always Check The Reviews Amanda Radley - 3.7
Park Service Aurora Rey - 3.85
#MissedOpportunities Erin Zak - 2
Insomnia Club Emma Radley - 5.25
------------------------ 4.0789
June 1, 2020
I don't usually read compilation books with short stories because they usually leave me wanting more, more story, more character, just more. While these stories still left me with that feeling, it had more of a completeness. I don't know if that makes any sense but just go with it. Of course I enjoyed more than others. I would love to have a full all out novel on "Blisters and Beers" and "Order Up." With "Tropical Heat." I could easily picture this being part of the Lizzy series. All the stories were good, I liked more than others, but still all great reads. If you are a fan of any of the nine authors in this book, you need to get it. You will love their story and might get a new author to follow. A solid 4 star but maybe even a little more :)
June 3, 2020
A fantastic collection of summer stories!!!
If you need something cute, romantic, fun, or just adventurous to give you summer vibes, you will find a story to suit your needs in this brilliant collection put together by Amanda Radley. The authors who have contributed to this short story collection are some of my favourites, and they have delivered summer in style. There were even some new authors and therefore new discoveries made, which is always the best thing about anthologies, getting a taste of a new author to love.
Each story was unique, and each story had elements of surprise, wonderful moments, or undoubtable cuteness that just made me feel all warm and lovely, but also made me wish I was there in the moment with them. Whether experiencing first love, reconnecting with old loves, or just falling in love all over again, each story had a beautiful romantic element that had me falling in love.
To me, each story was special and I couldn’t possibly pick a favourite. There is literally a story for each mood, and you could just pick up and read which ever one suited you. On a hot summer’s day, you can fall in love with certain stories, and on a more dreary summer day, you can cosy up with one of the more intimate or angsty offerings.
A really wonderful collection, expertly crafted stories by talented contributors, and a must for your collection of summer reading material! Get in the holiday spirit, and have a vacation of the mind with the short stories in Summer Loving!
If you need something cute, romantic, fun, or just adventurous to give you summer vibes, you will find a story to suit your needs in this brilliant collection put together by Amanda Radley. The authors who have contributed to this short story collection are some of my favourites, and they have delivered summer in style. There were even some new authors and therefore new discoveries made, which is always the best thing about anthologies, getting a taste of a new author to love.
Each story was unique, and each story had elements of surprise, wonderful moments, or undoubtable cuteness that just made me feel all warm and lovely, but also made me wish I was there in the moment with them. Whether experiencing first love, reconnecting with old loves, or just falling in love all over again, each story had a beautiful romantic element that had me falling in love.
To me, each story was special and I couldn’t possibly pick a favourite. There is literally a story for each mood, and you could just pick up and read which ever one suited you. On a hot summer’s day, you can fall in love with certain stories, and on a more dreary summer day, you can cosy up with one of the more intimate or angsty offerings.
A really wonderful collection, expertly crafted stories by talented contributors, and a must for your collection of summer reading material! Get in the holiday spirit, and have a vacation of the mind with the short stories in Summer Loving!
March 31, 2025
I discovered this glorious anthology on my TBR shelves! I found it enthralling with all the fabulous authors writing slow burn, HOT loving stories. I thoroughly enjoyed everyone! I love this book! 5 stars!
June 13, 2020
Un livre contenant des histoires légères et agréables à lire, rien de dramatique. Parfait pour l’été. J'ai eu du plaisir à les lire.
***********
Great stories that are light and easy to read. There is nothing raw or too antsy. Perfect for summer. I had fun reading them.
***********
Great stories that are light and easy to read. There is nothing raw or too antsy. Perfect for summer. I had fun reading them.
June 17, 2020
It's a good collection of stories and, bonus! I found new authors to check out.
August 21, 2020
I enjoyed majority of these short stories. This for sure should be added to your cute summer reads list.
June 13, 2020
Two friends find each other again at the Beach House written by K.C. Luck. Thirty years may have gone by that has not stopped the feelings left over from summer crushes that were never spoken of. Luck brings the sparks to Abby and Toni, proving that love can come later in life and that we do get second chances.
TB Markinson counts on the Tropical Heat to bring a couple back together. Jamie books a much needed romantic vacation for her wife and her and at the last minute her wife chooses to handle a work emergency versus going. Jamie has had enough and ends their relationship via text message. Then goes on the vacation alone. Alex goes to Honduras looking to seduce the woman she loves and convince her that nothing means more to her than their relationship. When these two see each other across the bar, they cannot keep their hands off each other. Now can they each remember why they originally went there? (laugh) I ended up writing a synopsis versus a real review, but Markinson does bring the heat. I loved this story.
#MissedOpportunities is all about secret crushes and the times when we could have said something and we didn’t. Erin Zak brings longing to another level. Remember those aching stomachs, banging heads, and how many “ughs!” have been said when those moments passed by when our crushes were right there and the moment hangs with potential. Zak wrings these moments out and some with comedic timing. This is a very cute rom-com where you might be nodding your head in remembrance and remembered empathy.
Authors include: Lise Gold, Claire Highton-Stevenson, K.C. Luck, Cara Malone, T.B. Markinson, Amanda Radley, Aurora Rey, Erin Zak, and Emma Sterner-Radley.
TB Markinson counts on the Tropical Heat to bring a couple back together. Jamie books a much needed romantic vacation for her wife and her and at the last minute her wife chooses to handle a work emergency versus going. Jamie has had enough and ends their relationship via text message. Then goes on the vacation alone. Alex goes to Honduras looking to seduce the woman she loves and convince her that nothing means more to her than their relationship. When these two see each other across the bar, they cannot keep their hands off each other. Now can they each remember why they originally went there? (laugh) I ended up writing a synopsis versus a real review, but Markinson does bring the heat. I loved this story.
#MissedOpportunities is all about secret crushes and the times when we could have said something and we didn’t. Erin Zak brings longing to another level. Remember those aching stomachs, banging heads, and how many “ughs!” have been said when those moments passed by when our crushes were right there and the moment hangs with potential. Zak wrings these moments out and some with comedic timing. This is a very cute rom-com where you might be nodding your head in remembrance and remembered empathy.
Authors include: Lise Gold, Claire Highton-Stevenson, K.C. Luck, Cara Malone, T.B. Markinson, Amanda Radley, Aurora Rey, Erin Zak, and Emma Sterner-Radley.
June 1, 2020
Loving can happen anytime but summer bring on the hot romance.
Wow what a collection of stories. Lise Gold starts off with a hot touching beach romance that sets the bar high. Claire Highton Stevenson brings the next story and it is a masterful growing up romance. All these amazing authors in one hot loving collection. I will reread these stories and so enjoyed the escape each one supplied.
Wow what a collection of stories. Lise Gold starts off with a hot touching beach romance that sets the bar high. Claire Highton Stevenson brings the next story and it is a masterful growing up romance. All these amazing authors in one hot loving collection. I will reread these stories and so enjoyed the escape each one supplied.
June 21, 2020
Awersome stories and Excellent Authors
What a great summer read. All the characters in each story were believable. Each author put a different spin on each story.
If your looking for short stories then give this a spin, you might be pleasently suprised. Recommend Definitely 5*****STARS
What a great summer read. All the characters in each story were believable. Each author put a different spin on each story.
If your looking for short stories then give this a spin, you might be pleasently suprised. Recommend Definitely 5*****STARS
July 23, 2020
Stories of summer loving.
I love reading these stories of summer love when you go on vacation and meet the love of your life or when your childhood friend come back home and you get too meet each other and the attraction is still there and when you and your wife went on vacation separate and meet up and pretend too be someone else.
I love reading these stories of summer love when you go on vacation and meet the love of your life or when your childhood friend come back home and you get too meet each other and the attraction is still there and when you and your wife went on vacation separate and meet up and pretend too be someone else.
September 16, 2020
A great intro to new authors!
This collection is such a great introduction to some new authors for me. Perfect short reads for a day at the beach, on the patio, or a mountain retreat. It's truly a bargain. Each story is well worth the read with a unique style of its own. I just won't pick out a favorite! 😏
This collection is such a great introduction to some new authors for me. Perfect short reads for a day at the beach, on the patio, or a mountain retreat. It's truly a bargain. Each story is well worth the read with a unique style of its own. I just won't pick out a favorite! 😏
October 7, 2020
Perfect Collection
This was a delightful perfect collection of short stories by a masterful selection of authors. I thought I'd find a "favorite" here, but they're all so good I simply can't pick one.
I highly recommend this book! You just can't go wrong here. All stories are expertly written and have a nice variety of content. Pick this up, you'll love it.
This was a delightful perfect collection of short stories by a masterful selection of authors. I thought I'd find a "favorite" here, but they're all so good I simply can't pick one.
I highly recommend this book! You just can't go wrong here. All stories are expertly written and have a nice variety of content. Pick this up, you'll love it.
June 6, 2020
An assortment of different stories!
Several authors come together to bring entertainment to their readers. You can usually tell how an author writes and intriguing to the keep the reader to read other books created by each author. Enjoy!
Several authors come together to bring entertainment to their readers. You can usually tell how an author writes and intriguing to the keep the reader to read other books created by each author. Enjoy!
June 9, 2020
The book was great, full of awesome short stories that were giving you the feel of summer love.
Great authors, great stories and wlw romance. Plus, I couldn't get Summer Nights out of my head the entire time I was reading.
Great authors, great stories and wlw romance. Plus, I couldn't get Summer Nights out of my head the entire time I was reading.
June 9, 2020
A fantastic collection of short stories.
I bought this book as a number of my favourite authors had contributed. As a result of reading the excellent stories I had now added more to my list of favourite authors.
I bought this book as a number of my favourite authors had contributed. As a result of reading the excellent stories I had now added more to my list of favourite authors.
June 18, 2020
All my favorite authors in one book writing stories that had me laughing and sighing and sometimes just tearing up. A wonderful group of stories about finding love in the most surprising places and women learning that falling for another woman isn't so bad. A great read.
June 23, 2020
Recommend this book!
A wonderful collection of romance short stories by fabulous authors. From the first sentence to the last, I was entranced in this book. Very enjoyable and entertaining.
A wonderful collection of romance short stories by fabulous authors. From the first sentence to the last, I was entranced in this book. Very enjoyable and entertaining.
June 3, 2020
Brilliant
Loved this collection of short stories. All well written and brilliantly defined characters - a must read for all, would highly recommend.
Loved this collection of short stories. All well written and brilliantly defined characters - a must read for all, would highly recommend.
June 9, 2020
Omg wow
Omg wow what a fantastic book it's has everything you want in short stories,I loved every single story in this book amazing put together and unbelievable hot.
Omg wow what a fantastic book it's has everything you want in short stories,I loved every single story in this book amazing put together and unbelievable hot.
June 24, 2020
Nice
I enjoyed this book of short stories. There was some comedy that had me laughing out loud. Of course there was some hot love scenes. Each story had a nice ending.
I enjoyed this book of short stories. There was some comedy that had me laughing out loud. Of course there was some hot love scenes. Each story had a nice ending.
June 30, 2020
Awesome!
This is a great collection of lesbian short stories written by a very talented group of authors. This book will make a great addition to your summer reading list!
This is a great collection of lesbian short stories written by a very talented group of authors. This book will make a great addition to your summer reading list!
September 23, 2020
Great stories
I enjoyed all these stories. I felt like I was part of each one seeing their stories and actions right in front of me. Loved the book.
I enjoyed all these stories. I felt like I was part of each one seeing their stories and actions right in front of me. Loved the book.
June 12, 2020
Nice
Nice collection of stories about love, romance and all the "ins and outs, ups and downs" . Pleasant way to spend a few hours.
Nice collection of stories about love, romance and all the "ins and outs, ups and downs" . Pleasant way to spend a few hours.
June 16, 2020
Absolutely loved these and wish some of them will be expanded on them. Fantastic job
May 12, 2021
Good book
I liked this book with the different characters. Some of the books were funny with the antics they went they.
I liked this book with the different characters. Some of the books were funny with the antics they went they.
January 9, 2022
To be reviewed.
April 5, 2022
Most stories are really good!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews