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Twelfth Moon
Elsie’s a small town with a lot of heart. Isn’t that how most small town romance stories begin? But this isn’t any love story. These five stories cross paths and connections, age, gender, sexuality, and different kinds of relationships. Stories like that of Harriet, the owner of Twelfth Moon perfumery and adopted mother to her nephew, Nu. Harriet always figured she’d be single for the rest of her life, but Dela Atwater appearing in her shop one blustery autumn day sparks something within her. A bit of romance and longing she’d long thought buried.
And what about Nu, Harriet’s nephew? He’s quickly falling for Miles, who works in the coffee shop next door to Twelfth Moon. The shop is owned by Miles’s brother, Jones, who has his own ideas about sex and lust and romance (or lack thereof). Across town, Maeve is learning how to exist as a widower but when they meet Evie, a spark is lit. And Yuri, Nu’s best friend, is anxiously awaiting the holidays so he can see his girlfriend, Beckett, once more.
It's about hope and joy and queer love in so many shapes and forms, from the author of the dark fantasy/romance novel Wilderwood ("...will shatter readers’ expectations with its bewitching complexities..." - The BookLife Prize).
And what about Nu, Harriet’s nephew? He’s quickly falling for Miles, who works in the coffee shop next door to Twelfth Moon. The shop is owned by Miles’s brother, Jones, who has his own ideas about sex and lust and romance (or lack thereof). Across town, Maeve is learning how to exist as a widower but when they meet Evie, a spark is lit. And Yuri, Nu’s best friend, is anxiously awaiting the holidays so he can see his girlfriend, Beckett, once more.
It's about hope and joy and queer love in so many shapes and forms, from the author of the dark fantasy/romance novel Wilderwood ("...will shatter readers’ expectations with its bewitching complexities..." - The BookLife Prize).
91 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 7, 2021
3 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
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November 20, 2022Oh my gosh, this book is like being handed wholesomeness! This short and sweet book follows the stories and romances of several folks in the town of Elsie, all centred upon, or connected to, The Twelfth Moon, a shop that deals in oils, scents and candles. I learned so many new words and scents! It's something wholly unique to this novel that I've not seen in a romance book before and I really liked how much detail Starling put in, in describing the way scents complement each other and smell differently on different people. Very cool.
All the characters were so cute and adorable, the romances wholesome and big-hearted. You have couples of all types, each unique and sweet, a snapshot of how romance blossoms differently for different people. I do wish it had been a tiny bit longer, just so we could spend more time with each couple! But it's perfect reading for an afternoon where you want to smile at ALL THE CUTIE PIES.
Thank you so much to the author for a review copy.
☆ Blog | Twitter | Instagram ☆
All the characters were so cute and adorable, the romances wholesome and big-hearted. You have couples of all types, each unique and sweet, a snapshot of how romance blossoms differently for different people. I do wish it had been a tiny bit longer, just so we could spend more time with each couple! But it's perfect reading for an afternoon where you want to smile at ALL THE CUTIE PIES.
Thank you so much to the author for a review copy.
☆ Blog | Twitter | Instagram ☆
November 5, 2021
This book was perfect for cuddling up on the couch with a blanket and enjoying the ride. Sweet stories of varied relationships with genuine characters that you can’t help but like and want to get to know better.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 5, 2022
Five intersecting cozy vignettes about a small town where everyone is queer. Super cute! I love the table of contents that tells you what kind of pairing you’re in for and where the story falls on the scale of sweet to smutty.
November 8, 2022
Twelfth Moon (F/F first meeting to new relationship) - 4 stars
Harriet owns a lovely shop where she sells scented products, of which she mixed and designed the scents herself. The descriptions of that process alone is great already. Then she meets Dela, a customer who is just as interested in the owner as she is in the products. Harriet, of course, offers private lessons to learn more. A beautiful start to a possible romantic relationship.
My only niggle was the "Is there such a thing as a demi lesbian?"-conversation. I couldn't gauge how serious the characters were being.
Goats, Drive-Ins, and Boffers (M/M first dates) - 5 stars
Nu and Miles go on their first date, and Miles has thought of literally everything. He even brought a blanket for Nu to sit on because he has a body that sometimes hurts when he's sitting too long! And he remembered Nu loves goats! This story was just so romantic and adorable.
Collision (M/M platonic friends with benefits) - 5 stars
Jones and Hollis have been friends for a very long time, and started having regular sex about a year ago. Jones is aromantic, and I think so is Hollis. Anyway, I love how solid their friendship was and how open Jones was with his partners about his expectations and needs. Jones was so unapologetically himself, and it was lovely.
Like A Memory Well Kept (F/X new friendship, possibility for more) - 4 stars
Maeve and Evie are both intimately acquainted with grief, which lets Maeve open up to Evie more easily than they normally would. There was definitely a spark between them, but at least the start of a strong friendship is shown. Evie's boldness fit perfectly with Maeve. I was just missing a little bit of background story for Evie, which made it harder to understand her sad eyes.
To You, My Home, I Return (M/F established long-distance relationship) - 5 stars
Yuri and Beckett are high school sweethearts who are just it for each other. And Yuri misses Beckett like crazy while she's at school. The love and the strength of their relationship just poured off the page, and I love how open and honest they were with each other. A partner they can talk to about literally anything and read gay romances with? These two are going to last. They belong. I loved this story.
This anthology followed some characters from the same town, each with their own little story. I loved these snippets and how different they all were. Yet each story still gave off the same calming and lovely vibes. I would definitely recommend this book!
Harriet owns a lovely shop where she sells scented products, of which she mixed and designed the scents herself. The descriptions of that process alone is great already. Then she meets Dela, a customer who is just as interested in the owner as she is in the products. Harriet, of course, offers private lessons to learn more. A beautiful start to a possible romantic relationship.
My only niggle was the "Is there such a thing as a demi lesbian?"-conversation. I couldn't gauge how serious the characters were being.
Goats, Drive-Ins, and Boffers (M/M first dates) - 5 stars
Nu and Miles go on their first date, and Miles has thought of literally everything. He even brought a blanket for Nu to sit on because he has a body that sometimes hurts when he's sitting too long! And he remembered Nu loves goats! This story was just so romantic and adorable.
Collision (M/M platonic friends with benefits) - 5 stars
Jones and Hollis have been friends for a very long time, and started having regular sex about a year ago. Jones is aromantic, and I think so is Hollis. Anyway, I love how solid their friendship was and how open Jones was with his partners about his expectations and needs. Jones was so unapologetically himself, and it was lovely.
Like A Memory Well Kept (F/X new friendship, possibility for more) - 4 stars
Maeve and Evie are both intimately acquainted with grief, which lets Maeve open up to Evie more easily than they normally would. There was definitely a spark between them, but at least the start of a strong friendship is shown. Evie's boldness fit perfectly with Maeve. I was just missing a little bit of background story for Evie, which made it harder to understand her sad eyes.
To You, My Home, I Return (M/F established long-distance relationship) - 5 stars
Yuri and Beckett are high school sweethearts who are just it for each other. And Yuri misses Beckett like crazy while she's at school. The love and the strength of their relationship just poured off the page, and I love how open and honest they were with each other. A partner they can talk to about literally anything and read gay romances with? These two are going to last. They belong. I loved this story.
This anthology followed some characters from the same town, each with their own little story. I loved these snippets and how different they all were. Yet each story still gave off the same calming and lovely vibes. I would definitely recommend this book!
June 23, 2022
Twelfth Moon is a collection of five short stories, featuring queer couples of varying ages, genders, and sexualities. Set in a quaint, small town called Elsie, we follow these pairings through their connection and blooming romances.
We follow Harriet and Dela as they meet at Twelfth Moon perfumery and begin a sweet romance. Then, we follow Harriet’s nephew, Nu, as he falls for Miles — a boy who works at the coffee shop next door. The same coffee shop is owned by Miles’ brother Jones, who explores intimate connections with people who respect and understand his aromantic nature.
Across town, Maeve, the owner of a speak-easy, falls into a healing romance with Evie. Our final pairing brings it all full circle with Yuri, Nu’s best friend, who is ever-so-sweetly pining after his away-at-college girlfriend, Beckett.
This sweet (and sometimes spicy) anthology was the perfect reset after reading denser, more emotionally charged novels. It is, in my opinion, the quintessential queer feel-good piece! Halli’s writing is beautiful, and engaging. I was amazed by how deeply I felt for each pairing, despite the small amount of time I got to spend with them. It left me yearning for more! I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of Halli Starling’s work in the future.
It cannot go without mention that a part of the proceeds of this anthology are being donated to charity: The Ozone House, a nonprofit in Ypsilanti Michigan which helps at-risk and displaced young people!
I definitely would recommend picking Twelfth Moon up as soon as you can!
We follow Harriet and Dela as they meet at Twelfth Moon perfumery and begin a sweet romance. Then, we follow Harriet’s nephew, Nu, as he falls for Miles — a boy who works at the coffee shop next door. The same coffee shop is owned by Miles’ brother Jones, who explores intimate connections with people who respect and understand his aromantic nature.
Across town, Maeve, the owner of a speak-easy, falls into a healing romance with Evie. Our final pairing brings it all full circle with Yuri, Nu’s best friend, who is ever-so-sweetly pining after his away-at-college girlfriend, Beckett.
This sweet (and sometimes spicy) anthology was the perfect reset after reading denser, more emotionally charged novels. It is, in my opinion, the quintessential queer feel-good piece! Halli’s writing is beautiful, and engaging. I was amazed by how deeply I felt for each pairing, despite the small amount of time I got to spend with them. It left me yearning for more! I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of Halli Starling’s work in the future.
It cannot go without mention that a part of the proceeds of this anthology are being donated to charity: The Ozone House, a nonprofit in Ypsilanti Michigan which helps at-risk and displaced young people!
I definitely would recommend picking Twelfth Moon up as soon as you can!
February 20, 2024
The only way I can describe this book is it felt like a hug. I don’t know how Starling but so much fuzzy feelings into these stories but I have rarely felt so cozy after reading something.
My favorite characters by far were Dela and Harriet but I loved everyone who made an appearance in this book.
My favorite characters by far were Dela and Harriet but I loved everyone who made an appearance in this book.
August 26, 2023
I'm on a serious cozy reads roll rn and I am loving it.
Twelfth Moon is cozy, quaint, delightful, and extremely queer 🥰
Centered in a small town, each chapter is a short story about a different couple, all interconnected, living in a darling small town Elsie located somewhere in the northeast. There's a variety of queer rep with themes of found family and newfound loves.
All the stories are sweet, (one with spice) and I particularly loved the first story of Harriet & Dela. Taking place in the candle, oil, & perfumes shop which shares its name with the title, Twelfth Moon, Harriet's expertise in fragrance-making is explored in sensuous detail and complements the whimsical vibes.
This is a great book to cuddle up under a soft blanket with a hot drink and read on a crisp or rainy fall day!
Twelfth Moon is cozy, quaint, delightful, and extremely queer 🥰
Centered in a small town, each chapter is a short story about a different couple, all interconnected, living in a darling small town Elsie located somewhere in the northeast. There's a variety of queer rep with themes of found family and newfound loves.
All the stories are sweet, (one with spice) and I particularly loved the first story of Harriet & Dela. Taking place in the candle, oil, & perfumes shop which shares its name with the title, Twelfth Moon, Harriet's expertise in fragrance-making is explored in sensuous detail and complements the whimsical vibes.
This is a great book to cuddle up under a soft blanket with a hot drink and read on a crisp or rainy fall day!
October 16, 2024
A collection of heartfelt short stories.
I really enjoyed the whole thing but the first story really caught my interest because of the amount of
Knowledge she had about mixing scents to create the perfect perfume
I really enjoyed the whole thing but the first story really caught my interest because of the amount of
Knowledge she had about mixing scents to create the perfect perfume
November 20, 2022
This was a lovely selection of inter-linked queer short stories with great characters throughout.
February 9, 2025
Infinitely adorable (with a dash of incredibly hot)!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews