Together, Apart

by Erin A. Craig, Auriane Desombre, Erin Hahn

A collection of original contemporary love stories set during life in lockdown by some of today's most popular YA authors.

Erin Craig "delivers" on a story about a new girl in town and the cute pizza delivery boy, Auriane Desombre captures our hearts with teens communicating through window signs, and Bill Konigsberg takes us along on daily walks with every step bringing us closer to love. There's flirting and romance from Rachael Lippincott, a tale of a determined girl with a mask-making business from Erin Hahn, and a music-inspired love connection from Sajni Patel. Brittney Morris turns enemies to lovers with the help of a balcony herb garden, Jennifer Yen writes an unconventional romance that starts outside a hospital, and Natasha Preston's teens discover each other--and their love story--in a storybook oak tree.

Romantic, realistic, sweet and uplifting, TOGETHER, APART is a collection of finding love in unexpected places during an unprecedented time . . . each with the one thing we all want: a guaranteed happy ending.

Stories:

1. "Love, Delivered" by Erin A. Craig - read by Caroline Hewitt
2. "The Socially Distant Dog-Walking Brigade" by Bill Konigsberg - read by Christopher Gebauer
3. "One Day" by Sajni Patel - read by Nikki Massoud
4. "The Rules of Comedy" by Auriane Desombre - read by Catherine Ho
5. "The New Boy Next Door" by Natasha Preston - read by Nikki Massoud
6. "Love with a Side of Fortune" by Jennifer Yen - read by Catherine Ho
7. "The Green Thumb War" by Brittney Morris - read by Cary Hite and Keylor Leigh
8. "Stuck with Her" by Rachael Lippincott - read by Caroline Hewitt
9. "Masked" by Erin Hahn - read by Rachel Music and Christopher Gebauer

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Short Stories, Contemporary, Anthologies, LGBT, Fiction

7 pages, Audible Audio

First published October 20, 2020

About the author

#1 New York Times bestselling author Erin A. Craig has always loved telling stories.

After getting her B.F.A. from the University of Michigan, in Theatre Design and Production, she stage managed tragic operas with hunchbacks, séances, and murderous clowns, then decided she wanted to write books that were just as spooky.

An avid reader, decent quilter, rabid basketball fan, and collector of typewriters, brass figurines, and sparkly shoes, Erin makes her home in West Michigan with her husband and daughter.

To find out more about Erin and the worlds she creates, follow @penchant4words on Instagram and Threads.

She is represented by Sarah Landis at Sterling Lord Literistic.

Reviews

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

1. Love , delivered🍕📚❤
3.5/5

-> aahhh I loved it , that's the thing about these short stories , they just leave to hanging like this with smile from ear to ear , omg this was so cute , like I totally can feel Millie , when your both parents are working and you have to spend the quarantine alone, and then there comes a friend , a spark of hope , omg that's cute!

2. The socially distant dog walking brigade 🐕🌈❤
4/5

--> This was even cuter than the previous one , two queer boys and their dogs going on a walk everyday and sharing things which are "not normal".

"I felt the slightest jolt of joy, imagining more conversations with the cute, queer boy who said not Normal things."

3. One day 🎸🍞👟❤
4.25/5

->only one word :- CUTEEEEEEEEEEEEEE , this was over the top amazing , probably my fav till now ! Yess bobby we all are waiting for that one day!

“One day” couldn’t come soon enough, but it would come.
I couldn’t wait for our “one day.”

4. The rules of comedy🌈🎬📱🎶❤
3/5

-> I really loved the siblings relationship , however it wasn't that cute and mushy like the rest but still good and readable!!!

5. The new boy next door 🌳🍲❤
1/5

-> let me tell you where you went wrong , 4 references if twilight in 10 pages of short story! Sorry!

6. Love with a side of fortune🍲❤
1.5/5

-> It was okaish, like nothing too cute or lovable about the characters, that mother was kinda irritating though!

7. The green thumb war 🐕🌷🌱
3.5/4

-> We need more platonic friendship stories like this! This was super cute!

8. Stuck with her 🎧🔇🎶🌈❤
4.5/5

-> My fav among all the stories , that title reminds me of "Stuck with you" song by Ariana and Justin , it was super super super cute! I hope they both live together for their entire lifetime !

9. Masked 🎆👗❤
3/5

-> My perfect quaratine prom fantasy !

Overall :- 3/5
Highly recommended , it has some great story collections you can swoon over these times!

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely bundle of delicious short quarantine romcom stories to get lost in! Heartwarming, sweet, funny, entertaining!

Some of them are hmmm okay (Delivered by Erin A. Craig, so sorry I hated the guts of heroine! Bill Konigsberg ‘s “ Socially Distance Dog and Walking Brigade” and “ Rules of Comedy “ centered on five minutes Tik Tok challenger heroine from Auriane Desombre were Switzerland read- neither I enjoyed nor I hated it!)

My less favorite one was unfortunately Natasha Preston’s New Boy Next Door( Normally I love her books but this story rubbed me a little! Not my cup of Irish Whiskey)

My favorites: Love with a side of fortune / Jennifer Yen, Sajni Patel’s One Day , Masked/ Erin Hahn

And my winners: Rachel Lippincott’s charming roommates’ romance story “ Stuck with her” and Brittney Morris’ Green Thump War ( I think this was the most adorable one with lovely characters. I actually enjoyed soooo much and reread it)

Overall: I’m rounding up my 3.5 stars to 4 as an average! This was so much fun to read those brilliant authors’ feel good, humorous stories with mostly charming and lovely characters!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/ Delacorte Press for sharing this reviewer digital copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
- [ ]

[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Some really cute stories in this lock-down love collection! There was only one that I didn't enjoy because I find brooding, rude, and dismissive guys or gals to be annoying and can't fathom why anyone would find that behaviour swoon worthy. The rest were varying degrees of charming, sweet and smile inducing!

[Avani ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

the stories are very cute and simple. I liked the last one the most.

[Drew's ambitious reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Together, Apart by Erin A. Craig is a short story collection about finding love in untimely mattered. Aka durning the pandemic.
When I first started this arc I didn't realized what this one was about. Tbh I didn't read the summary of this one and just saw the cover cause it was really cute! This is a nine short story collection from authors that I have read before and haven't read. This is a short story collection that is set durning everyone's pov and durning the pandemic, which was a little hard to read at some point but each of these story was very cute.
So down below will be rating and thoughts of each short story starting with Erin A Craig.
Story 1: Love Delivered by Erin A. Craig
This was a really short probalay one of the shorter stories in this collection and tbh I kind of thought it wasn't as good as the other ones and I barley remember what happened in this story, but I give this one a 3 stars.
Story 2: "The Socially Distant Dog-Walking Brigade by Bill Konigsberg
This story I was really exctied for because of two reasons! Reason number one: I haven't read anything by this author and was really looking forward to see if I loved their writing and I did! Second reason why I was excited for this book is because it dealt with two boys who fell in love while dog walking! What a dream for me to find someone while I'm dog walking!!! 4/5 stars
Story 3: 'One Day' by Sajini Patel
This one was really good probaly one of my favorite in this collection! I loved how everytime this character wanted to go outside there was a lot more noise outside then inside their loud house. I will be giving this one a 3/5
Story 4: 'The Rule of Comedy' by Auriane Desombre
This was another story I enjoyed and can't wait to read more from this author. This one had a family centered story and was a girl trying to fall in love with another girl and I didn't realized this how diverse this collection was but I really enjoyed it and it's about a girl trying to ask another girl out on tik tok of all palces.....
Story 5: 'The New Next Door Boy' by Natasha Preseton
This was in a point in the story where I kind of lost intresneted in because I felt like this one was one of the longer ones. I barley remember what this one was about too....
Story 6: 'Love with a side of fortuine' by Jennifer Yen
This is one of the rare stories that I really enjoyed! It's another family centered story and also a story that made me laugh a whole lot. The mom in this book and their daughter whenever they talked to each of other was funny and I haven't read anything by this author so I'm excited to find out what else this author has in store for me... 4/5 STARS
Story 7: 'The green thumb war' by brittany morris
This was one of the few storys that I really enjoyed! I'm not a big plant person but when I read this one I found myself wanting to buy mutliple plants and made me want to go and make lasagna because I really love that meal!
Story 8: 'Stuck with her' by Rachel Lippincott
This was another story that I enjoyed! This is about two friends who are in the same college door room and they are currently on a lockdown and so the main character has a secret crush on her roomate and then they fall in love.....
Story 9: 'Masked' by Erin Hahn
This is one that I was really looking forward too! This has like an American Idol type of show and another story that had lgbt characters and I was sold with this one and probaly one of the only story that I gave 5 stars too because of how cute it was!!!(:
So overall I liked some stories more than others and that's alright with me but I can't wait to read some more from the authors I haven't heard of but fell in love with! Thanks for checking out my review!!!(:

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it possible to have a meet cute in quarantine? Yes, yes it is! Assortment of straight and queer relationships develop in the middle of a pandemic. Whether it's flirting with the pizza delivery guy or bantering over Chinese take-out, meeting someone from the next balcony or while walking your dog, all of these romances begin to blossom because of Covid. In these stories, everyone is concerned and everyone is taking precautions seriously. Most are expressing some level of anxiety, are being personally affected by the virus, and are meeting or interacting with someone they otherwise would not. Clean teen, because how could it not be when everyone is six feet apart?

[Brinley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Together Apart is a compilation of short stories, and love during quarantine and Covid-19. All of us have been in quarantine for so many months, so it was so nice to read a book about people meeting and developing relationships. I haven’t had my meet-cute yet, but I still have my hopes!

Love Delivered by Erin A. Craig 5/5 stars

Super cute! Sure it was kind of insta love, but that is what I’m expecting due to this being a collection of short stories. I loved all the little nods to the Corona virus, and it was all so relatable. In between the social distancing parties, the awkwardness when talking to people (trying to yell across six feet apart), delivery, school being canceled, and not being able to meet people, most of us have experienced something. As a student who had school canceled, Millie was super relatable, and her meetings with Luca were adorable.

The Socially Distant Dog Walking Brigade by Bill Konigsberg ⅗ stars

First off, I absolutely love the title, but that’s about all I can say about this one. While I enjoyed the insta love in the first one, it was a bit too much in this one. We got way too many descriptions of Daxton’s hotness, way too early in the story. The way Kaz talked also irritated me, because while I understand that he was anxious, there were way too many mid sentence periods that just threw off the flow of the story. I loved the idea, and while I found it relatable, the execution just didn’t work with me.

One Day by Sajni Patel 5/5 stars

This might’ve been my favorite story so far. It was just so darned cute!! I mean, I’ve gotten the urge to throw my shoe at people, but Bobby actually went the extra mile and did! And of course, Neal kept it hostage, which led to the cutest exchanges. (you’ll see that this book and review has a recurring theme of cuteness) I could totally emphasize with Bobby, hoping that one day she’d be able to get out again, because I’m sure that everyone is feeling that way during this pandemic!

The Rules of Comedy by Auriane Desombre ⅘ stars

Like all of the rest of these little stories, this one was cute. I really loved getting to see a bit more of a sibling relationship, and seeing how short everyone’s temper has gotten during corona. I definitely know how easy it is to get irritated with family when you’re stuck inside all day with them! I guess my main problem with this story was that it was too short for any of the characters to get much development. I didn’t immediately attach to Harp, so while I liked the story, I just wasn’t dazzled by it,

The New Boy Next Door by Natasha Preston ⅗ stars

The second half of this - great. The first half - not so much. I’ve never been great at dealing with characters who are obsessed with their love interests, so clearly, this story wasn’t for me. Instead of being cute and relatable, Quinn’s obsession with Archer was just kind of creepy. And when they started having confession time, I had to put the book down. It just felt like too much, way too soon.

Love With A Side Of Fortune by Jennifer Yen ⅘ stars

Once again, this one was a bit too obsession like for me. That being said, I loved how different it was from the others. Having a fortune teller, and the fortune looming over Michelle’s head was an interesting conflict, and I loved her mom’s overreactions. So,while I enjoyed this story, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the romance.

The Green Thumb War by Brittney Morris 5/5 stars

I really loved this little story. First of all, a gardening war. How much cuter can things get?? I know that a lot of people have gotten into gardening over quarantine, and to be honest, this story made me want to go plant my own mini herb garden. Both Sebastian and Billie were absolutely adorable, and I loved the dog vs. cat thing that went on. (in my mind, Ruby came out on top every time) I loved how neither character was immediately in love with the other, it started off as a flirtatious friendship, and developed from there.

Stuck With Her by Rachael Lippincott ⅗ stars

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good enemies to lovers relationship. Problem is, those require page time, chemistry, and the loveable feuds. This story tried to do enemies to lovers, but instead it came off as insta love. Our characters got together way too fast, and we didn’t get to know either of them very well. Although I didn’t like the romance, I loved the story being told from two feuding roommates, it’s definitely something I can see happening during this mess,

Masked by Erin Hahn 5/5 stars

This was literally the cutest!! (There’s that word again) I loved the (kind of) slow burn romance, and the way they met was just so darn adorable! I’m not even going to pretend that I wasn’t smiling like a maniac the entire time, because saying I wasn’t would be a lie. You have no idea how hard I was rooting for these two to get together, and the way everything worked out was just perfect.


I get that these are short stories, and short stories aren’t everybody’s thing. To be honest, I didn’t think they were my thing either. This book definitely taught me that if they’re done right, I’ll love them! This was just what I needed during the endless days of online school and quarantine. I’d definitely recommend this!

Thanks to all of the authors featured, and Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review

[Anniek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology was weirdly comforting for me, and actually it might be something I'll revisit when I need it. Also, and this NEVER happens to me, I liked every single story in this anthology!

[Creya Casale | cc.shelflove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Delacorte Press for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

MY HEART CANNOT!!!!! This was the most adorable, relevant, and real anthology. Each story shows us that love in lockdown is a possibility. We sympathize with our characters staying six feet apart, wishing they didn't have to wear masks, worrying for high-risk family members and friends, and just wanting a damn haircut! We see some meet cutes and some enemies-to-lovers. There were even stories involving different cultures and LGBTQIA+ themes. There is something for everyone in Together, Apart.

It's hard to choose a favorite, but the stories I enjoyed most were Love, Delivered by Erin A. Craig, One Day by Sajni Patel, The Rules of Comedy by Auriane Desombre, Love with a Side of Fortune by Jennifer Yen, and Masked by Erin Hahn.

COVID-19 f*cking sucks, but this book makes us all feel a little less alone.

[Monika Seidlová · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spolu a každý zvlášť je sbírka devíti povídek, které spojuje společné téma – láska v čase covidu. Nikdy by mě nenapadlo, že budu číst takhle aktuální knížku, knížku o něčem, co jsme si všichni prožili, nebo vlastně stále prožíváme.

Musím říct, že tyto povídky byly neskutečně milé, roztomilé a do téhle, už trochu zoufalé, doby jako dělané. Celá kniha byla neskutečně čtivá a já jsem ji slupla v rámci společného čtení na @yoli.cz tento víkend. Jak už to tak bývá, tak některé povídky byly sice slabší než jiné, ale u celkového dojmu z knihy převažuje ta pozitivní stránka 😊 Spolu a každý zvlášť podle mě naprosto splnilo svůj účel, moc jsem si ji užila a jsem velmi mile překvapena. Jsem i ráda, že mezi autory nenajdeme příliš známých jmen (kromě dvou?), takže nemusíme moc řešit, zda autoři naplnili naše očekávání.

Mezi mé nejoblíbenější povídky se zařadily tyto: Jednou, Doručeno s láskou, Nový soused a Společně uvězněné.

[Markéta Forejtová · Rating 3 out of 5]

Přiměřeně prvoplánové, ale vykouzlí úsměv na tváři.
Každý si tu asi najde nějakou tu oblíbenou povídku, každému ale nejspíš taky nějaká nesedne :)
3/5*

[Steff Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

| Read on Reader Fox |


His eyes gave him away, they're doing the smiling.

I finished this book late into the night and near immediately shouted into the void about how much I loved it. In truth, I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did, having found Meet Cute to be somewhat mediocre. I've also never been a massive fan of anthologies since I prefer to really get to know characters rather than experience brief snapshots of their lives. But I'll give the authors of this book this much: their characters are incredible. It's also thoroughly impressive how none of the stories turned out to be insta-love.

Near, Afar

There were a lot of people involved in the making of this book. From Erin A. Craig to Jennifer Yen, you've got a lot of excellent authors collaborating together to bring you some of the most amazing stories. I definitely have my own personal preferences among them, as I'm sure you will, too. But I must at least admit the story that really blew it out of the water for me was the final one, written by Erin Hahn. I was so engaged reading this particular story that I could, unquestionably, see myself reading a full novel with the same plot.

Love, Delivered - #6

Honestly, I was skeptical, at first. The whole concept behind this book is that you have to find a way for people to meet and fall in love during a pandemic. As someone who has been, more or less, cooped up since February, this seemed like a fairly tall order. Well, speaking of orders, how about the pizza delivery guy? Erin A. Craig's Love, Delivered is incredibly cute. And it made me realize, there are a number of ways people could meet during a pandemic. Socially distanced love is an interesting concept, for sure, and I adored the way this relationship grew.

The Socially Distant Dog-Walking Brigade - #8

I'll be honest, I didn't love Bill Konigsberg's dog-walking romance. I think, in theory, it was an interesting idea, but I was anxious the entire time I read it. Like, just how socially distanced are these teenagers? I know it's just fiction, but I kept picturing them far too close to each other than I would've felt comfortable with. Also, this story was just a little bit all over the place for me. There were definitely some amusing moments, namely a dog's decision being the most humorous, but this story just didn't quite do it for me. The idea was good, but the execution just didn't quite measure up.

One Day - #5

Oh my gosh, I loved this one. Sajni Patel's quarantine story is definitely in my top five favorites for this book. Not quite what I'd call a 'hate-to-love,' story but it was definitely an 'annoyance-to-love' story. There's a lot of cute hidden in this gem of a story and I was particularly fond of not only how the relationship evolved, but also how the story wrapped up quite nicely. You definitely feel like you're not getting everything, though. And in a weird way, this particular one felt very unfinished. Still, I am here for the messages across the balcony!

The Rules of Comedy - #7

Despite my thinking that the original video that is supposed to have gone viral is...dumb, for lack of a better word, this was probably one of the most well done and adorable stories here. Auriane Desombre does a pretty phenomenal job of setting up and whisking us through her tale. It's definitely very easy to connect with the main character and you find yourself rooting for her and her crush very early on. You're even somewhat enamored with the sibling relationship. And I was actually pretty surprised by the degree of character development present in such a short story.

The Boy Next Door - #1

Natasha Preston, oh my gosh, how you managed to make me fall so head over heels for these characters, I have no idea. But damn, was this the most adorable story ever. Honestly, I'm realizing now that I'm sitting down to think about it, this is probably my favorite story. And, really, it largely comes down to how the tree was incorporated into the slow-burn. Ahk, I just cannot believe how beautiful it was.

Love With a Side of Fortune - #4

Jennifer Yen's quarantine story makes me giggle, a lot. Now, I'm not religious or superstitious so I find the whole superstitious mom going mental over a fortune telling thoroughly amusing. It's the kind of thing I could never really take seriously, but I'll admit that it does make for a cute quarantine story. Also, the family restaurant aspect was adorable. Yen does what's honestly a brilliant job with this one. Definitely top five material.

The Green Thumb War - #3

The BET in this story. Oh my skies. I don't want to give too much away on this one, cause Brittany Morris' one of the cutest in the bunch. But I will say, if you read only a few stories out of this book, please make sure this is one of them. It's got crazy cats, accidental injuries, plant raising, soap, and home-cooked meals. And it's utterly adorable. Hands down, this is one I wouldn't mind reading more of.

Stuck with Her - #9

I'm sorry, but this one actually pissed me off. Of all the stories in this anthology, Rachel Lippincott's was the worst. I hated it, hated it, hated it. Like, I'm sorry...but purposefully interrupting your roommate's sleep when you know she has important things to do in the morning just because you want to spend time with her is not cute. There's nothing cute about it. I don't care how much you enjoy spending time with her. I don't care that you think she's cute. And I sure as fuck don't care that you don't know how to tell her you like her. DO NOT deprive your crush of sleep every bloody night just so she'll come out of her room to yell at you. UGH.

Masked - #2

Erin Han's story, the last of the bunch, really hit me in the feels. I think the most important thing to note about this one is just how adorable the story was. And, ultimately, I wish this had been a fully fleshed out novel, because it would have been so much fun to read. You definitely feel as though you're missing out on some stuff with it being just a short story, which is a shame. But, all in all, it was pretty wonderful.

I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

| Instagram | Twitter | Reader Fox Blog | Bloglovin’ | Facebook |

[Renata]

DNF this when I was 67% into it but I couldn’t connect with the stories and it was too out of nowhere everything.

[Adelína čte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dneska jsem dočetla sbírku devíti young adult povídek od ya autorů z období lockdownu - Spolu a každý zvlášť😍 Původně jsem měla v plánu si jednotlivé příběhy šetřit, abych stihla i víkendové společné čtení s Yoli, ale zkrátka nešlo odolat.
Bylo to tak pohodové! Miloučké, ňuňaté, roztomilé, oddechové, vtipné a optimistické, i přes lockdown a covidovou situaci.

Před začátkem čtení jsem byla vážně zvědavá na příběhy od Erin A. Craigové, která napsala Dům soli a smutku, a od Rachael Lippincottové, autorky Pět kroků od sebe. A má očekávání se vyplnila, jejich vyprávění byla jedna z těch nejlepších😍
Když bych měla zhodnotit každou povídku zvlášť, tak:
5 hvězdiček- dvě povídky (Distanční venčení a Společně uvězněné)
4 hvězdičky- tři povídky (Doručeno s láskou, Jednou, Zahradnická sázka)
3 hvězdičky- tři povídky(Pravidla komedie, Láska v režii osudu, Pod rouškou)
2 hvězdičky- jedna povídka (Nový soused)
Budu moc ráda, když mi pak po vašem dočtení napíšete do komentářů, jaké příběhy si získaly vás☺️ Já celkově celou sbírku hodnotím čtyřmi hvězdičkami, tohle je fakt zlepšovák nálady a hlavně ujištění, že v tom nejste sami.

Teď to asi vyzní jinak, než jsem zamýšlela, ale i když jsem si knížku vážně užila, tak moc moc doufám, že tenhle lockdown, co se teď u nás začíná rozvolňovat, bude ten poslední a už nebude důvod k napsání další sbírky lockdownových povídek😁

[Bookbypatrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tahle kniha je přesně něco, co jsem v této době potřeboval. 👌🏼 Povídky mi neskutečně zlepšily náladu, ale zároveň vystihly všechny problémy, se kterými se musíme v lockdownu potýkat.
Skvělá oddechovka na jedno odpoledne. ☺️

[therese]

quaranfling short stories?? mayhaps im in

[Lydia Hephzibah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the stories were only "meh" but 4 stars for the ones I really enjoyed (Love with a Side of Fortune; The Green Thumb War; One Day)

[bella · Rating 3 out of 5]

the stories are cute and i love some of the tropes used, but sadly this anthology wasn’t for me. as with any anthology, individual ratings for each story vary, but it was most challenging for me to get past the way the pandemic was depicted in most of them. i think i would have enjoyed it much more if i read it for a bit of escapism when it first came out. now that we’ve been in a pandemic for so long and after all the devastation and grief of the past few years, i just couldn’t get over the dissonance between reality and these lighthearted stories written/set when we didn’t foresee still being in a pandemic two years later. so unfortunately that really prevented me from being able to fully enjoy the book. however, i’m sure others will be able to enjoy these stories more than i did! they’re sweet and fun overall, which could be good for anyone in search of some fluffy escapism.

[T. Rosado · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars
(a collection average)

These stories all take place during the beginning and/or height of the Covid pandemic. I’ve come to realize that I don’t much care for stories existing within the recent pandemic. Since each of the short stories is written around the start of a new romantic relationship, the main characters have to work around isolation, social distancing, and masking. Therefore, they rarely, if ever, get to spend actual time together. Communication is mostly accomplished through text, phone, and in some instances, signs. Covid was and is real, but it makes for a very limited narrative.

All that said, I’ll admit, in shorter form, these are cute beginning romances. A couple of them stood out more than the others, but overall, a cute collection.

[Kait · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute YA short romances with LGBTQ that take place in the midst of COVID quarantine.

Love, Delivered - 5⭐️
This was adorable!! Millie and her parents move right as COVID hits and she really struggles.. Until a pizza delivery boy her age shows up.

The Socially Distant Dog-Walking Brigade - 4⭐️
Really enjoyed this! Kaz and Griffin (M/M) bond over their sexuality while walking their dogs in the park during quarantine.

One Day - 5⭐️
I’m cracking up. Bobby only wants peace and quiet. When she tries to get that on her balcony, she’s even more irritated when a boy across the way continuously plays his guitar. Throwing her shoe at him wasn’t the best idea, especially now that he won’t give it back.

The Rules of Comedy - 3.5⭐️
Super cute! Harper has a massive crush on a girl in her grade but she’s straight. When a video is posted of Alyssa coming out, Harper struggles with flirting.

The New Boy Next Door - 5⭐️
ADORABLE! Quinn is a bit obsessed with her new neighbor, Archer. Little does she know, he’s had his eyes on her too.

Love with a Side of Fortune - 4⭐️
Cute! Michelle has crushed on Evan he has no idea who she is. Showing up at her family’s Chinese restaurant is her way in but her mom is the definition of overbearing and superstitious. I REALLY disliked the mom. Like, cut the cord a bit and let your kid live.

The Green Thumb War - 3⭐️
Pretty cute. Probably my least favorite.

Stuck with Her - 4⭐️
Adorable roommate romance. Mia lives to rile up Allie and it’s hilarious!

Masked - 4.5⭐️
So cute! I love how they meet. And what a secret to have!

[aymanhabib075 · Rating 2 out of 5]

written by a bunch of millennials trying to be gen z

[Becca ♡ PrettyLittleMemoirs · Rating 5 out of 5]

First reviewed on Pretty Little Memoirs.

I don’t think that I’ve ever had my emotions flown so all over the place than when I was reading Together, Apart. Despite the stories being swoon-worthy and oh-so-magnetic, I just wanted each one to last forever. And there wasn’t a single story that I didn’t love. I do have a few favourites (of course) but I would ten-times over purchase a full-length book of each story that was woven in the novel. Each time that one of the stories would reach peak-cuteness, it ended and I was like OH NO, PLEASE CONTINUE! So, that was my first and most prominent clue that I pretty much would be rating this book very highly.

Erin’s story had me FLOORED. I adored Millie and Luka the most. Auriane had me flipping pages fast for the sweetest romance. Bill’s story involved dogs, and as an animal lover, I was sold, including on the romance that clutched at my heartstrings. Erin Hahn’s story just so happened to be one of my favourites, I was glued to the pages in those last moments for Gray and Jude. Sajni’s story had me enthralled from the get-go with the lost-shoe and guitar boy. Brittney’s story with a touch of plant-lover vibes was one of my favourites (of course, there was a cat and a dog in the novel, so it’s no surprise.) Jennifer’s part was one of my top-three for sure, I was hanging by a thread and partially feeling hungry with the mentions of food. Natasha’s story was golden – like, come on, they hang out in a tree, have that spark. I was in love. Rachael’s part was equally as sweet, filled with heart-clutching moments, leaving me not wanting it to end.

Overall, Together, Apart is easily one of the strongest, beautifully-written, honest and painfully-sweet YA novels I’ve read in such a long time. Even though most of the stories in the book involved a very distanced approach to love, centering around the COVID pandemic, there was still such a connection between the love interests, and THAT takes skill and sheer talent. I would highly recommend this book to literally anyone. This book, these characters, these authors, have my heart. Five stars for each and every one!

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

While still living in a pandemic, thank you COVID, I thought it was high time to dive into Together, Apart. I feel like now was way better for me instead of when I actually received the eARC. Mostly because I laughed so hard since I've basically lived through some of this already. Especially when we got to the plant chapters.

I actually took a screenshot from my phone and sent it to my sister, the plant killer. She wasn't thrilled and said that they are probably dying from my dark energy. Which may or may not be true.. but I don't go near the plants and they don't go near me. So I'm fully blaming her for killing the plants in our condo. So many plant victims.

Plus she killed my cactus.

Other than that one story, all the other ones had their own unique awkwardness and cuteness. I was actually surprised with so many characters finding a new love or friendship during this hard time. I'm sure that has actually happened throughout the world. Not for me because I barely leave the house and when I do.. I hope to never run into anyone I know because I'm on a mission. Get stuff and go back into my bubble and be safe.

Not sure what the world will be like once we can go back to being normal full time but I'm also not in a rush to do so. Thriving in the hermit life with my books.

[majulinka · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

Spolu a každý zvlášť mě opravdu mile překvapilo. Já nikdy nebyla moc velkým fandou povídkových sbírek, jelikož mě většinou polovina z nich vůbec nezaujala. Právě proto jsem z této knížky tak nadšená, jelikož až na jednu povídku, mi sedly opravdu všechny. Ono to jsou teda všechno jen roztomilé (a v celku nereálné) příběhy o prvních setkáních a láskách. Ale ty nápady jsou skvělý, až mi u některých přijde škoda, že to nejsou samotné tituly.

[Zoë ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5🌟

[Bookexpresss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tohle bylo krásné čtení, roztomilá povídková sbírka, některé povídky jsou lepší, některé horší, celkově bych ji ale doporučila ❤️.

[Devanshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and wholesome. I loved every single one of these stories. It was hope and healing and connection and new beginnings. They are all going to end up in a healthy relationship. 💖

[⛅ Sunny (sunnysidereviews) ⛅ · Rating 4 out of 5]

review and rating to come on my blog and here!
https://sunnysidereviews.wordpress.com/

[Madeline Noelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

A new romance won’t cure your depression. If you’re in therapy because you can barely get out of bed, a boyfriend can’t be the only thing you’re excited about. And depression isn’t cute. It isn’t staying curled up in bed with hot tea.
Starting a relationship with your roommate? Terrible idea. Doing that after being disowned by your family for coming out? Even worse. Again, the story is pushing the idea of one person being this magical answer.
The pizza delivery one was cute, as was the dog-walking story and the Chinese take-out story.
Across the board, there were too many unnecessary brand drops. I understand the need to make the story relatable, but it felt forced, like having your mom thrust your Vans in your face so that you put your Vans on and then go for a walk wearing your Vans.
I feel like there’s a misunderstanding of how TikTok works. It’s all about the algorithm. Did the author do their research? After even just 10 minutes on the app, it picks up on what content you’re looking for. The character wouldn’t see content from the “millennials ruining TikTok” if the character didn’t like that content.

[Bára · Rating 5 out of 5]

Příběhy jsou milé, úsměvné a se vzpomínkou na (spíše) první vlnu. Hlavní postavy se bojí, jsou znuděné a přejí si, aby to už všechno skončilo. V tom jsou příběhy velmi reálné. Někteří pomáhají rodičům, někteří jsou doma se sourozenci, jiní zase rodinu dlouho neviděli. Tak či tak, v každém příběhu je i světlá stránka s romantickou linkou, která může vzniknout i v dnešní době. 💙

Jsem ráda i za #lgbt příběhy, jelikož jsem moc knih s touto tématikou nečetla a příběhy se mi moc líbily. Mezi mé nejoblíbenější se řadí: Doručeno s Láskou, Nový soused, Láska v režii osudu, Zahradnická sázka a Pod rouškou. 💗