Secret Crush

by Jax Calder

Genres: Friends To Lovers, M M Romance, Short Stories, Romance, Contemporary, LGBT, Ebooks

31 pages, Unknown Binding

First published September 9, 2022

About the author

Jax's stories are all about light-hearted conversations and deeply-felt connections. She loves exploring exactly why two characters are the only ones who’ll make the other truly happy, and the journey they take to reach their happily-ever-after.

Jax lives in New Zealand and is a rabid sports fan, a hiking enthusiast and has a slightly unhealthy addiction to nature documentaries. As an extrovert who spends way too much time in her own head, she loves to connect with readers. To read her exclusive novella Being Set Up, sign up to her newsletter: https://jaxcalder.com/newsletter-sign.... You can also join her Facebook group Jax's Crew (www.facebook.com/groups/jaxcaldercrew) for bonus stories plus exclusive excerpts from her upcoming books.

Reviews

[Snjez · Rating 4 out of 5]

No idea how this author can write such cute stories with relatable characters and full of feels in less than 20 pages. Yes, they are super short, but reading them feels like I jumped into the story at the "right moment".

This is one my favourites. It's about Jordan who, with a huge help from his roommate Torrin, wins a backstage pass to meet his favourite singer. He has had a crush on this singer for ages. Or has he? 😉

[Drusilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huh, that was amusing. I grinned the whole time, well at least the few minutes it took to read this story.

“Are you sure this shirt is okay? I want it to say, ‘I’m a nice, kind, wholesome guy…but I’m also a tiger in bed.”
My roommate Torrin glances up from the couch.
“That’s a whole lot of pressure to put on one shirt,” he comments.
“It will probably require counseling afterwards,” I agree. ☺️😂☺️

My thanks to Snjez for finding it. Free to read if you subscribe to the author's newsletter.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fuck, that was absolutely ADORABLE 😭🥰

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for this lovely and sweet short story.

I'll rate below also a few other short stories. I got these via the author's newsletter but they aren't listet here on Goodreads (so I don't forget about them!)

RESTARTING
1 star - Well, if you just look at the 2 MCs this could be considered cute. But as they aren't alone in the world, the plot and set up were awful, in my opinion.

VALENTINE'S DAY
3 stars - Ok but not a favorite.

MAKING IT PERSONAL
4 stars - Very short but sweet novella about a PA who has been in love with his boss for years.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute!

[Bluebelle-the-Inquisitive (Catherine) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The swirling feeling in my mind is duplicated in my stomach. I’ve got matching whirlpools going on inside my body right now as we find our seats and the concert starts. — Jordan (this is just a pleasing passage to read)

Warnings: nothing of note

This is just uber cute, Jax herself refers to it as "an extremely light and fluffy short story —think the fiction equivalent of cotton candy" which I think is more than fair. Protagonist Jordan is relatable in that blind to what in front of you way. Anthony is a total sweetie, a lovely way for a professional musician to be written. And Torrin is not as good a liar as he thinks he is. There is a heartwarming element to this too that I didn't expect.

As with at least one other of her stories that I've read this is set in Auckland. So it's Jax writing representations for my Kiwi cousins, a country that gets so little reference romantic in fiction. Secret Crush is completely self-contained, it really does not read to be longer It's short and a fantastic way to spend a few minutes.

“Are you sure this shirt is okay? I want it to say, ‘I’m a nice, kind, wholesome guy…but I’m also a tiger in bed.”
My roommate Torrin glances up from the couch. “That’s a whole lot of pressure to put on one shirt,” he comments.
“It will probably require counseling afterwards,” I agree.
“I’m fairly sure I’m the one who requires counseling from listening to you agonizing over this.” He grins at me. “Maybe me and your shirt could get a two-for-one-deal at a therapist.” — Jordan and Torrin

A representative gif:

[Tammy Moldovan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally seeing what’s right in front of you

The Jordan and Torrin love story was just a perfect swoony sexy roommate into forever short story. This story is told from a single POV, Jordan, so we are not privy to Torrin’s inner thoughts. Despite being short, the story included witty dialogue, three dimensional relatable characters, and an engaging storyline that gave me all the feels.

[Julie Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, Jax Calder manages to set a short story at just the right moment in time for the characters involved. Even though this story is less than 20 pages long, I absolutely adored Jordan and how much I got to know about him in such a short story! Idk how he could miss the fact that his roommate and best friend Torrin definitely has a crush on him when, to me, it was glaringly obvious from the start, but I loved how it clicked for him when it eventually did!

Super cute, super adorable, super fluffy - I adored this story 🥰

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very short, very sweet, and very satisfying

Like all Jax's writing, this is just what you didn't know you needed. Such a lovely short story, exactly the right length for a cup of tea and a couple (or ten) of chocolate biscuits.
Enter one very clueless idiot who can't see that the man he needs has been there all along, until it is pointed out by his not so secret crush. No drama, just happpiness. A big warm hug of a story.

[Lexee Toste · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute, short story about 2 friends realizing that they they have something special between them, something more than friendship. It was cute and pulled me in from beginning to end. It is a very short story so we just get that first part of realization and the start of it all coming together.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

mm - white MCs - roommates to lovers - short story - 4 stars. Another fluffy Jax Calder short. Jordan wins a backstage pass to interview his favorite musician he has a crush on, and ends up talking a lot about his roommate. We don’t get much of the roommate trope, never seeing them at home, but it’s a sweet story.

[fishreads (back? from hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3,5 stars rated down) Cute short story about Jordan, an aspiring music journalist, meeting his celebrity crush, who helps him realize his true love has been much closer to home than he realized.

Themes: single POV, friends to lovers

[Xavier Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute! Give me clueless friends to lovers any day of the week :3

[Jozey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sweet little short short story about finally seeing what is right in front of you.

[Shawna (endemictoearth) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Essie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not a fan of short stories, but this one was done really well. In just a few sentences I was totally rooting for the two MC’s. I love Jax Calder’s writing!

[abookwithacupoftea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short, but very sweet mini story. Very comforting.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sadly very short but very sweet. It takes your idol to prove a point, then love surprises you.
Short, sweet and over waaaay too soon.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very short and cute story about realizing what's been in front of you the whole time. They're cute and Torrin does the sweetest thing for Jordan.

[Arcturus170 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Supercute. Loved it. Big dumb smile on my face.

[Savannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Erin]

This is really cute.

[Fritz42 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know how she does it, but Jax Calder can write a short story and make the reader heavily invested in the MCs by the end. Such a cute story!