So I just started this anthology and I’m usually NOT a fan of anthologies. However, so far this book is spectacular!❤️🔥❤️🎄🔥
This book is what I think anthologies should be…. A short story in similar genre & form to what the writer normally writes. Not unfinished stories that leave you hanging unless your willing to purchase the author’s full book/ series.
So far I’ve already decided to add some of these authors to my TBR list. Here’s a few of the stories:
STALKER SANTA by Emma Bray- this was super cute, and definitely includes and over the top possessive stalker. Alex instantly falls in love with Zoe when he first sees her jog past in local park. Alex, a 25 yo mechanic who didn’t feel like he deserves the freshman college student, continued to watch from a distance (including bugging her dorm room, but never mind that;). After a year, he decides it’s time to claim his girl. This story was steamy and relatively drama free with a cute 1 year later epilogue.
FILTHY by Nikki Rome- ok this was freaking hot🔥. This was a second chance romance and the hotness makes up for the lack of backstory. I sorta felt slightly lost a few times because Nix & Hattie have some serious history, like 20 years of friendship and more. We don’t know this when we first meet them but details emerge throughout the story. Nix is amazing and patient despite Hattie’s insecurities that (apparently) caused their breakup over a year ago. We don’t really know much about these 2 except a few casual references here and there, especially in regards to Hattie’s family history. Years ago, despite being close with their families, Nix & Hattie moved several hours away to NYC. I’m not totally clear on that whole thing, and that maybe they want to move back? I dunno, BUT don’t let my rambling stop you from this steamy second chance romance. I am just really hoping the author uses this novella to start a new series with Nix’s brothers.🥵 Either way this is a new author for me and I’m definitely going to check out her other books!
SOOTHING SANTA by R. Sullins- Hmm I’m feeling a trend with these quickie reads. While I’m a fan of short fast Insta- love stories (plus mandatory smut..;) these are almost a bit too short. There’s definitely a good bit of story regarding the characters’ families that feels missing. The stories are great without it but I wish they were maybe a few pages longer to provide a small bit of character development. The last story, Filthy, had the same minor issue. In this particular story, for example, there is a casual remark about how Christophers’ parents died in a car-jacking when he was 8. After, he spent his entire life filled with a constant rage and hated life to the point he never made a single friend. Or how about Holly, who sounds like she had loving attentive parents until one day her dad dies and her mom walks out, never to be seen or heard from again. That’s all the info you get and the story is short and it doesn’t really have time to waste on backstory… I just feel like there was ALOT to unpack with those brief history synopsis. I mean these are some crazy wacky unusual backstories to mention over a sentence or 2. I guess it’s good writing if I’m complaining that I WANT MORE!!❤️
SANTA’s NAUGHTY ELF by Kelsie Calloway- After this ridiculousness I think I’m taking a break from this book. I feel like I’ve read one too many Christmas metaphors that represent body parts😂 (overall, not just this story).
“I fill my hot young employee’s center with my load until she looks like a freshly stuffed Twinkie”…..😂 yeah time to take a break, lol.