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Start Here: Short stories of first encounters
There’s a first time for everything. Gatecrashing a KPop concert with an oppa in a business suit. Taking shelter from the storm with the girl you’ve been meaning to shake off. That kiss that blurs the line between friendship and something more. A one-night stand (or, is it?) with your best friend from across the hallway.Dive into these 10 stories of first encounters – unapologetically queer, happy endings required, with a smattering of that signature #romanceclass kilig. Whether you’re recalling your own firsts or out there looking for one, there’s a story in here for you.So, go on.Turn the page.Start here.(Edited by Ronald S. Lim and Brigitte Bautista. Featuring short stories by Agay Llanera, H. Bentham, Ella Banta, Danice Sison, Yeyet Soriano, Barbie Barbieto, Katt Briones, Bobbi Moran, Motzie Dapul, and Brigitte Bautista. This anthology contains M/M, F/F, F/NB romance stories with happy endings. Some stories have a high heat level.)
278 pages, Paperback
First published January 27, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 24, 2018
this sounds like it will cleanse my soul
Update: My soul was in fact cleansed
Update: My soul was in fact cleansed
Read
May 7, 2018A collection of #romanceclass LGBT+ shorts of first meetings. I tend to feel that romance is hard to pull off at short length given the fun is in the build up and elaboration of characters, but I am also a total sucker for the UST-to-first-kiss part and some of these stories got it terrifically.
I bought this for the m/m Ajay Llanera story that gives Caleb of Another Word for Happy his HEA *happy sigh*, but the whole antho is worth your time. I particularly liked 'Gorgeous' by Motzie Dapul (f/nb about the fat misfit and the cool kid who hated her meeting many years later without recognition--emotional, fat positive, and honest about how horrible teenagers are and how we change); Lemon Drop Friday by Brigitte Bautista (f/f friends to lovers with two fairly edgy hard-drinking leads, lovely writing); Another First by Yeyet Soriano (f/f where the heroine starts off in a two year relationship with her boyfriend and the consequences are beautifully worked out).
Admirably varied collection--loads of f/f, loads of bi rep, a nonbinary lead. Mostly low heat or off page sex but the H Bentham in particular is scorchio. Overall a strong collection, and it's fab to see more queer stories from this remarkable author collective.
I bought this for the m/m Ajay Llanera story that gives Caleb of Another Word for Happy his HEA *happy sigh*, but the whole antho is worth your time. I particularly liked 'Gorgeous' by Motzie Dapul (f/nb about the fat misfit and the cool kid who hated her meeting many years later without recognition--emotional, fat positive, and honest about how horrible teenagers are and how we change); Lemon Drop Friday by Brigitte Bautista (f/f friends to lovers with two fairly edgy hard-drinking leads, lovely writing); Another First by Yeyet Soriano (f/f where the heroine starts off in a two year relationship with her boyfriend and the consequences are beautifully worked out).
Admirably varied collection--loads of f/f, loads of bi rep, a nonbinary lead. Mostly low heat or off page sex but the H Bentham in particular is scorchio. Overall a strong collection, and it's fab to see more queer stories from this remarkable author collective.
October 1, 2020
Among everything in the collection, I adored In the Moonlight, Come Full Circle, and Lemon Drop Friday the most. Although I was not able to emotionally connect and invest in all the stories, for the most part, Start Here managed to exceed my expectations and left my heart all warm and fuzzy and hopeful. This anthology definitely addresses the sorely lacking, disappointingly limited representation of LGBTQIA+ stories and serves as an insightful, inspiring guide that hopefully, other authors can utilize as a springboard.
The collection of diverse short stories in Start Here – each one offering different perspectives and unique portrayals but all written with the same amount of heart – has set an incredibly high bar for future ‘unapologetically queer’ romances. I look forward to the awaiting plethora of surprises #romanceclass has in store for all of us because, as the title of the anthology suggests, from this point onwards, we start here.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of the Start Here anthology in exchange for an honest review, as part of my participation in a blog tour hosted by Tara Frejas. This neither affects my opinion nor the content of my review. I am extremely grateful to Tara and the rest of the #romanceclass community for this amazing opportunity!
🌻🍃 More bookish content on Shut up, Shealea 🍃🌻
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The collection of diverse short stories in Start Here – each one offering different perspectives and unique portrayals but all written with the same amount of heart – has set an incredibly high bar for future ‘unapologetically queer’ romances. I look forward to the awaiting plethora of surprises #romanceclass has in store for all of us because, as the title of the anthology suggests, from this point onwards, we start here.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of the Start Here anthology in exchange for an honest review, as part of my participation in a blog tour hosted by Tara Frejas. This neither affects my opinion nor the content of my review. I am extremely grateful to Tara and the rest of the #romanceclass community for this amazing opportunity!
🌻🍃 More bookish content on Shut up, Shealea 🍃🌻
instagram • pinterest • twitter
February 28, 2018
TITLE: Start Here (Short Stories of First Encounters)
AUTHORS: H. Bentham, Agay Llanera, Katt Briones, Ella Banta, Danice Sison, Yeyet Soriano, Barbie Barbieto, Bobbi Moran, Motzie Dapul, Brigitte Bautista
RATING: ☆☆☆☆ (4.5/5)
Signed up for the Blog Tour and received an epub copy of this anthology in exchange for an honest review. This is my second blog tour and yes it's still #romanceclass. Blog tour runs from February 19 - 23, 2018. The book was a collection of M/M, F/F, F/NB short romance stories, and i believe that some of the stories have heat levels, so be warned guys! So, I will be reviewing this anthology per story.
In the Moonlight by Agay Llanera
Rating: 5☆
I’ve always loved the book Another Word for Happy so reading this short story of Caleb makes me so happy and brings me back to the other book, I love his story so much and I want to see the changes in him and of course, I want to see him happy and to see him find his special one. Knowing how much he has changed has brought me into tears, I am so pleased on how he had become, on how he was able to move on from Franco and as I can see this is yet the much better version of himself, add to that the relationship we had now with his Mom. This book solely focuses on Caleb alone and yes Ezra?? My God my mind is working overtime thinking of Ezra. I adore his character, he is so positive and well yeah hot! I can only imagine him and Caleb. Just pure beauty. I love the fact that from the start of the story I knew that he likes Caleb but taking it slow. It is definitely worth the wait. I think he would be the best one for Caleb. And that kiss and the tapsilog with pepper thing? Clever, just clever! I am just swooning over them. And glad that the ending of this short story happens the way exactly what I want them to be. Ms. Agay never fails to make me feel this way. I just wish there is a full length story of happy endings for Ezra and Caleb. I want more!!
Come Full Circle by Bobbi Moran
Rating: 4☆
I love how the story was told in Lan’s point of view. This story makes me warm inside and kilig. One of those stories that most of us can really relate to. When you have feelings for a friend but you can’t tell the person because you are afraid or not really sure how would the person react. When sometimes you think that taking a risk means getting what you want or maybe not. But I love how patient Lan is in waiting only to make Marion realize that she also loves Lan. I get all the feels in this one. Happy endings are just love, sometime you’ll never know that the one for you is just around the corner.
Gorgeous by Motzie Dapul
Rating: 4☆
The story was a bit heavy on some parts and I can totally relate to Gorgeous (I think her name was not mentioned in the story and I read it twice just to make sure and I am calling her that because to me she is really gorgeous.) I really feel her, how she gets bullied in high school, how she feels about herself, no confidence at all and the fact that she thinks nobody will ever like her or love her, I see a bit of myself in her. Each one of us has a little bit of Gorgeous inside of us. But I like her attitude as the story goes by. On the other hand how she met Jays was just lovely, I feel intrigued and I had a strong feeling of what will come around. The story about Gorgeous and Them is really unexpected ,revelation of who Them really is, to me was one of the exciting part of this story. As the characters give it time and forget and forgive the past, I know that they will be happy with each other even if things got bad at some point. This short story has all the feels In it, from happy, to sad and then it becomes hot. It’s a good read.
Shipping Included by Danice Sison
Rating: 5☆
This story is so cute. Very millennial and yes KPOP. Filipinos are so into them and we all know that. As for me, I am much more into the KDramas instead of the KPOP boyband/girlband thing. As for the story, I so adore David and Kiko. I fell in love with them. For me, they’re so perfect. The characters are very on point and I love it, I love them. I had lots of fun reading their KPOP adventure, you definitely can see the other side of David which is nice. Kiko is a good brother, and his character just fits perfectly with the story. This is a feel good story and I feel happy about it, I giggle with David and Kiko and yes I ship them! I envisioned them as this happy, lovely and gorgeous couple. I want to see more of their adventures and escapade. It keeps me asking for more, more of them. I want to see them go further and I bet their story will just be as lovely as this one. The story is very light, no drama frills, but very heartwarming and cute.
Delubyo by Barbie Barbieto
Rating 3.5☆
The story was simple yet interesting. The relationship of Pebbles and Gab develops into a more serious note. And of course finally at the end of it P realizes her love for Gab is not just temporary. Love that is until the end of time. I like the story, how it progress till the end. I just wish for more of them.
The Other Story by H. Bentham
Rating 4☆
This one is so very hot! Yes, you read it right sexually hot and stimulating. My God! How in the world would you be able to read this story without sweating. It's a good story and the way the author describes the pumping and the kissing and all makes you visualize it in your mind. I tell you it is wild. But, when you keep reading it, I feel warmth and sweetness from the characters. It will somehow make you believe that there is also a happy ending for this kind of first encounters. I like the last part it makes me giddy, i feel the love between Marcus and Pablo. I hope Pablo will say yes!
Blooms and Hues by Ella Banta
Rating 5☆
I don't know how to describe this one but it has all the feels and it is just lovely. From the very first line of the book I know it will be sweet, it will be warm and it will be very colorful like the flowers. I love Haya's name perfectly fits him. Right from the start you can already see the budding relationship and I like that. The story is clean, short but well developed. I like the way it is written. All the characters were just adorable. Patrick's sister was too funny, he really ships Haya and Pat and it is good kind of shipping.
Another First by Yeyet Soriano
Rating 4.5☆
OMG! This is just so good. I love how well this is written, how well the author has described the places they have been. It feels like you were also there with the characters. I enjoyed Lily so much, her character was just full of joy and liveliness. Jess on the other hand, during the first part of the story I was kind of annoy with her attitude but I was happy that she has come to terms with everything, even herself at the end. And Matteo was just hot! The story progress slowly but surely and lovely. It has the exact feels and not too much drama which I like. I love that the characters just compliments each other and yes to all the body shots and the drinking!! I enjoyed this so much!
Luck from the Skies by Katt Briones
Rating 4☆
This has all the Oppa feels to it! From the characters to the contest and the management of the artists it all has the Korean feels to it. And i know that most of us will relate to the fandoms and all. I love Chan, he is so warm and nice and just right about anything. His character lifts up the mood of the story. Asher was okay too. But the ending for me was a bit fast, I wish that they have a bit more confrontations or banters about what happen and I feel that only Chan was able to voiced out his frustrations and feelings to Asher, I wish that Asher could've voiced out his feelings too. I would like to see them debate a little more before making up. But Asher went for the kiss and all is just well again. I need a bit of drama first. But i love this story, it is very promising and I love it. Fighting!
Lemon Drop Friday by Brigitte Bautista
Rating 4☆
I really need to have that Lemon Drop drink!! I bet it taste good haha! Oh again the feeling of liking someone and not be able to let them know was just hard. Tal and Liv are perfect for each other, from the very beginning of the story I totally want them to be together. Oh yes I ship them. I didn't stop reading this story so that I can assure myself that they will be together. And if not, I will confront the author itself and ask her WHY?? But yes it is worth the wait reading this book till the end. It is just worth it waiting for the right moment for Tal. And by the way i like the name Tala. She sparkles like a star whenever she was with Liv. And Liv? why look for someone else when a star was always right there with you. This is just so good and I love it.
After reading this anthology, my feels was heightened by all of these glorious stories. It is such a delight to read the stories by these talented authors. I enjoyed this anthology so much and of course a romanceclass book would not really be complete without food because yes food is life right? This book has so much feels, emotions, kilig and is super hot! So please be warned as most stories will make you sweat and crave for more or make you feel things. Hoping to read more from the #romanceclass people. Thank you to Ms. Tara for the chance to join this blog tour. I know my review was a bit late and I truly apologize for that. But thank you so much romanceclass for the chance to read all of your wonderful books. I encourage everyone to support our local authors and their books. Don't forget to also leave a review on their beautiful works.
AUTHORS: H. Bentham, Agay Llanera, Katt Briones, Ella Banta, Danice Sison, Yeyet Soriano, Barbie Barbieto, Bobbi Moran, Motzie Dapul, Brigitte Bautista
RATING: ☆☆☆☆ (4.5/5)
Signed up for the Blog Tour and received an epub copy of this anthology in exchange for an honest review. This is my second blog tour and yes it's still #romanceclass. Blog tour runs from February 19 - 23, 2018. The book was a collection of M/M, F/F, F/NB short romance stories, and i believe that some of the stories have heat levels, so be warned guys! So, I will be reviewing this anthology per story.
In the Moonlight by Agay Llanera
Rating: 5☆
I’ve always loved the book Another Word for Happy so reading this short story of Caleb makes me so happy and brings me back to the other book, I love his story so much and I want to see the changes in him and of course, I want to see him happy and to see him find his special one. Knowing how much he has changed has brought me into tears, I am so pleased on how he had become, on how he was able to move on from Franco and as I can see this is yet the much better version of himself, add to that the relationship we had now with his Mom. This book solely focuses on Caleb alone and yes Ezra?? My God my mind is working overtime thinking of Ezra. I adore his character, he is so positive and well yeah hot! I can only imagine him and Caleb. Just pure beauty. I love the fact that from the start of the story I knew that he likes Caleb but taking it slow. It is definitely worth the wait. I think he would be the best one for Caleb. And that kiss and the tapsilog with pepper thing? Clever, just clever! I am just swooning over them. And glad that the ending of this short story happens the way exactly what I want them to be. Ms. Agay never fails to make me feel this way. I just wish there is a full length story of happy endings for Ezra and Caleb. I want more!!
Come Full Circle by Bobbi Moran
Rating: 4☆
I love how the story was told in Lan’s point of view. This story makes me warm inside and kilig. One of those stories that most of us can really relate to. When you have feelings for a friend but you can’t tell the person because you are afraid or not really sure how would the person react. When sometimes you think that taking a risk means getting what you want or maybe not. But I love how patient Lan is in waiting only to make Marion realize that she also loves Lan. I get all the feels in this one. Happy endings are just love, sometime you’ll never know that the one for you is just around the corner.
Gorgeous by Motzie Dapul
Rating: 4☆
The story was a bit heavy on some parts and I can totally relate to Gorgeous (I think her name was not mentioned in the story and I read it twice just to make sure and I am calling her that because to me she is really gorgeous.) I really feel her, how she gets bullied in high school, how she feels about herself, no confidence at all and the fact that she thinks nobody will ever like her or love her, I see a bit of myself in her. Each one of us has a little bit of Gorgeous inside of us. But I like her attitude as the story goes by. On the other hand how she met Jays was just lovely, I feel intrigued and I had a strong feeling of what will come around. The story about Gorgeous and Them is really unexpected ,revelation of who Them really is, to me was one of the exciting part of this story. As the characters give it time and forget and forgive the past, I know that they will be happy with each other even if things got bad at some point. This short story has all the feels In it, from happy, to sad and then it becomes hot. It’s a good read.
Shipping Included by Danice Sison
Rating: 5☆
This story is so cute. Very millennial and yes KPOP. Filipinos are so into them and we all know that. As for me, I am much more into the KDramas instead of the KPOP boyband/girlband thing. As for the story, I so adore David and Kiko. I fell in love with them. For me, they’re so perfect. The characters are very on point and I love it, I love them. I had lots of fun reading their KPOP adventure, you definitely can see the other side of David which is nice. Kiko is a good brother, and his character just fits perfectly with the story. This is a feel good story and I feel happy about it, I giggle with David and Kiko and yes I ship them! I envisioned them as this happy, lovely and gorgeous couple. I want to see more of their adventures and escapade. It keeps me asking for more, more of them. I want to see them go further and I bet their story will just be as lovely as this one. The story is very light, no drama frills, but very heartwarming and cute.
Delubyo by Barbie Barbieto
Rating 3.5☆
The story was simple yet interesting. The relationship of Pebbles and Gab develops into a more serious note. And of course finally at the end of it P realizes her love for Gab is not just temporary. Love that is until the end of time. I like the story, how it progress till the end. I just wish for more of them.
The Other Story by H. Bentham
Rating 4☆
This one is so very hot! Yes, you read it right sexually hot and stimulating. My God! How in the world would you be able to read this story without sweating. It's a good story and the way the author describes the pumping and the kissing and all makes you visualize it in your mind. I tell you it is wild. But, when you keep reading it, I feel warmth and sweetness from the characters. It will somehow make you believe that there is also a happy ending for this kind of first encounters. I like the last part it makes me giddy, i feel the love between Marcus and Pablo. I hope Pablo will say yes!
Blooms and Hues by Ella Banta
Rating 5☆
I don't know how to describe this one but it has all the feels and it is just lovely. From the very first line of the book I know it will be sweet, it will be warm and it will be very colorful like the flowers. I love Haya's name perfectly fits him. Right from the start you can already see the budding relationship and I like that. The story is clean, short but well developed. I like the way it is written. All the characters were just adorable. Patrick's sister was too funny, he really ships Haya and Pat and it is good kind of shipping.
Another First by Yeyet Soriano
Rating 4.5☆
OMG! This is just so good. I love how well this is written, how well the author has described the places they have been. It feels like you were also there with the characters. I enjoyed Lily so much, her character was just full of joy and liveliness. Jess on the other hand, during the first part of the story I was kind of annoy with her attitude but I was happy that she has come to terms with everything, even herself at the end. And Matteo was just hot! The story progress slowly but surely and lovely. It has the exact feels and not too much drama which I like. I love that the characters just compliments each other and yes to all the body shots and the drinking!! I enjoyed this so much!
Luck from the Skies by Katt Briones
Rating 4☆
This has all the Oppa feels to it! From the characters to the contest and the management of the artists it all has the Korean feels to it. And i know that most of us will relate to the fandoms and all. I love Chan, he is so warm and nice and just right about anything. His character lifts up the mood of the story. Asher was okay too. But the ending for me was a bit fast, I wish that they have a bit more confrontations or banters about what happen and I feel that only Chan was able to voiced out his frustrations and feelings to Asher, I wish that Asher could've voiced out his feelings too. I would like to see them debate a little more before making up. But Asher went for the kiss and all is just well again. I need a bit of drama first. But i love this story, it is very promising and I love it. Fighting!
Lemon Drop Friday by Brigitte Bautista
Rating 4☆
I really need to have that Lemon Drop drink!! I bet it taste good haha! Oh again the feeling of liking someone and not be able to let them know was just hard. Tal and Liv are perfect for each other, from the very beginning of the story I totally want them to be together. Oh yes I ship them. I didn't stop reading this story so that I can assure myself that they will be together. And if not, I will confront the author itself and ask her WHY?? But yes it is worth the wait reading this book till the end. It is just worth it waiting for the right moment for Tal. And by the way i like the name Tala. She sparkles like a star whenever she was with Liv. And Liv? why look for someone else when a star was always right there with you. This is just so good and I love it.
After reading this anthology, my feels was heightened by all of these glorious stories. It is such a delight to read the stories by these talented authors. I enjoyed this anthology so much and of course a romanceclass book would not really be complete without food because yes food is life right? This book has so much feels, emotions, kilig and is super hot! So please be warned as most stories will make you sweat and crave for more or make you feel things. Hoping to read more from the #romanceclass people. Thank you to Ms. Tara for the chance to join this blog tour. I know my review was a bit late and I truly apologize for that. But thank you so much romanceclass for the chance to read all of your wonderful books. I encourage everyone to support our local authors and their books. Don't forget to also leave a review on their beautiful works.
February 19, 2018
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Please note: We don't use ratings but for this purpose, we tag books with three stars by default.
Would like to be a reviewer/contributor to Bookbed? Sign up here!
We also accept review requests. More info here.
February 22, 2018
really enjoyed this! my fave story was definitely the last one in the antho. Lemon Drop Friday, f/f by Brigitte Bautista.
Loved the variety of stories here with varying heat levels too.
Loved the variety of stories here with varying heat levels too.
February 22, 2018
Collection Rating: 3.5 Stars
There's a lot of love and sex and beauty in this collection. Some of the stories had me wanting to read them again and some less so. There's heat levels for everyone, I think, that enjoys a little bit of steaminess to their romance stories.
In the Moonlight by Agay Llanera
Rating: 5 Stars
Caleb and Ezra are two of the most adorable boys I've read about in recent memory. Their story has everything: vacation romance, nerves, and what might be true love winning in the end. Caleb had to contend with coming to terms with feelings for someone he wasn't sure he ever see again. Ezra, though we don't hear things from his side, seemed to have to deal with potential feelings for an ex. Would he hold onto the past or would he look to the future with Caleb?
The writing was excellent and though it ends, it ends on a sweet note and smiles all around.
Come Full Circle by Bobbi Moran
Rating: 3 Stars
The story of unrequited love has potential for sadness and hurt. There was some of that in this tale, but there was also a nice enough ending wherein things blossomed over the years for Alana and Marion.
The reason this isn't rated higher is for a couple of reasons. Primarily, I felt the writing style was stilted and told in a manner that suggested Alana was relating this tale back to Marion when she no longer remembered it herself or had passed on. There was no such conclusion, though, so it turned out to just be an awkward storytelling style.
The second reason is that I didn't realize that Alana, unnamed up to a certain point, was female. Her character is introduced as playing Captain Von Trapp to Marion's Maria and without any other identifiers, I thought she was male. We only find out that their school was an all-girls academy at the end of the story, so I couldn't have used that to deduce Alana's gender.
The friendship was certainly enduring and the locales were nicely described. I wish some events had had more attention paid them, but overall it was an alright story.
Gorgeous by Motzie Dapul
Rating: 2.5 Stars
I can't decide if I liked this story very much or if it falls on the lower end of the scale for me. The writing was alright, perfectly adequate, but I didn't get a spark of interest while I was reading it.
The character whose point of view is our window into the story, I wasn't sure of her name even at the end of everything. There was one person, CJ, that called her mars, but that seemed more like a nickname or a pet name than her name with a capital N. Mars was an interestingly described character. She was plus size, sex positive, and her aesthetic was attractive (pink hair, unique hairstyle, piercings, etc.).
Jays, Mars's love interest, was the most complex character, I think. Apparently an old classmate of Mars, Jays had a certain manner in high school that was adverse to Mars and now, in their mid-20's, not realizing who she is, has fallen in love. Coming to terms with their feelings tugged a bit on my heartstrings and I wish we could have heard more from their point of view.
As much as I liked these two, I couldn't really get into Gorgeous. I didn't feel the soul of the story and while it might technically written well, it fell flat for me.
Shipping Included by Danice Sison
Rating: 5 Stars
Kiko was the best brother. He might be the type to tease Kyra, his sister, for her love of K-Pop, but he was supportive. He watches K-dramas with her, he gets into liking some of the songs and bands even! When Kyra wants to go to a mega K-pop concert, he protests at the price, but is impressed when Kyra is determined to get there by saving her allowance, even going so far as to take whatever side jobs he can so he can help her with the balance. Such a supportive sibling relationship was refreshing.
What I loved, besides the passion for K-pop that was evident, was that this was the story that brought in both points of view from the intended couple. It was easy to get into both Kiko and David's heads, see what they were thinking or feeling, whether it was working extra hard to give their sister a gift (Kiko) or embracing their kind-of-secret interests and sharing them with their niece (David).
There was so much energy in the writing, in creating KPOPOCALYPSE as the main setting, that I was brought back to the anime conventions that I attended until a couple years ago. It brought a smile to my face, feeling like I was immersing myself in that world once again.
Delubyo by Barbie Barbieto
Rating: 2.5 Stars
To start, I can tell this writing was not for me. The style is objectively good, but to my mind it didn't fully embrace the story it was trying to tell.
The author tells us that Pebbles has a policy regarding relationships, but it didn't feel like we saw that. It was more "tell tell tell". Whatever relationship Pebbles was intended to have with Gab in the end, it didn't feel fully formed. Her about face in terms of relationship length and intimacy was sudden and I didn't get the sense that it was authentic.
The Other Story by H. Bentham
Rating: 3 Stars
Marcus and Pablo's story was more than a little bit steamy. After meeting at a sex club, and hitting it off rather well, they find they have things in common and begin a long and seemingly lovely relationship.
It's clear that they're together for a long time and I think they were really nice. I think this story could have benefited from some more detail because the scope of their relationship was painted with broad strokes. It was the one story that I think I could have seen as being a full length novel and would have been pleased to see it.
I'll admit the sex scene made me a bit uncomfortable, but that has to do with my personal identity & preferences. It seemed well written and could be enjoyed by people who like their stories hot and steamy.
Blooms and Hues by Ella Banta
Rating: 4 Stars
I loved the visuals in Blooms and Hues. From the paper Pat used in his sketches to the endless kinds of flowers in Haya's shop and garden, the scenes unrolled before my eyes and enveloped me. Flowers, their scents and colors, are a powerful too in storytelling.
Things moved rather quickly and while that would usually be off putting, Pat and Haya didn't become the end all be all couple. The beginning is there and you could see how things might develop, but for now, a sweet beginning was all that was needed.
Another First by Yeyet Soriano
Rating: 2.5 Stars
Another First was another story in this collection that I found embraced the setting and described it beautifully. From Jesslyn and Lily Rose's zip lining adventure to the animal sanctuaries they visited, I enjoyed really seeing the locale and seeing how interested the characters were at the newness of it all.
That being said, the characters overall didn't appeal to me. The relationship difficulties that existed between Jess and Matt felt like they blew over and were resolved too easily, like it was a convenience that they weren't getting on well and Lily Rose was conveniently there to be a new love interest. They all three fell flat for me, though Lily Rose did have a bit more personality and uniqueness that the other two.
Luck From the Skies by Katt Briones
Rating: 2.5 Stars
A lot of stuff that went on in this story seemed to be crammed into a too small space. While the behind-the-scenes look at a reality competition and modeling work was interesting, the dates and the interactions between Asher and Chan afterwards felt like a little more time could've been put into developing a terrific story. It was hard to distinguish just how much time passed and thus had both the feeling of rushed into "love" and a bit of a dragging development.
The locations where the story started out and where the commercial shoot took place was a bit confusing. The running around, seemingly added for drama, was more confusing that atmospheric.
Asher and Chan could've been a really good couple to read about, but I rather felt that they were okay.
Lemon Drop Friday by Brigitte Bautista
Rating: 5 Stars
I don't like bars and yet, the author's description of Tala's work place had me giving seconds thoughts to the idea. The atmosphere was perfect for a lively Friday night place and the bar food sounded delicious. Even Tala's cooking: maple bacon and chocolate chip pancakes, anyone? Yum.
The tension following the Friday night in question made me sad rather than frustrated. Tala's position was understandable, but it was also hurting Liv, so Tala's confusion was understandable. Short as this story was, I was engaged with these women and loved their energy, despite the sad circumstances in the middle.
The ending, the vision of couch cuddles and breakfasts to come, was sweet. Maybe I'll even try a Lemon Drop sometime. ;)
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There's a lot of love and sex and beauty in this collection. Some of the stories had me wanting to read them again and some less so. There's heat levels for everyone, I think, that enjoys a little bit of steaminess to their romance stories.
In the Moonlight by Agay Llanera
Rating: 5 Stars
Caleb and Ezra are two of the most adorable boys I've read about in recent memory. Their story has everything: vacation romance, nerves, and what might be true love winning in the end. Caleb had to contend with coming to terms with feelings for someone he wasn't sure he ever see again. Ezra, though we don't hear things from his side, seemed to have to deal with potential feelings for an ex. Would he hold onto the past or would he look to the future with Caleb?
The writing was excellent and though it ends, it ends on a sweet note and smiles all around.
Come Full Circle by Bobbi Moran
Rating: 3 Stars
The story of unrequited love has potential for sadness and hurt. There was some of that in this tale, but there was also a nice enough ending wherein things blossomed over the years for Alana and Marion.
The reason this isn't rated higher is for a couple of reasons. Primarily, I felt the writing style was stilted and told in a manner that suggested Alana was relating this tale back to Marion when she no longer remembered it herself or had passed on. There was no such conclusion, though, so it turned out to just be an awkward storytelling style.
The second reason is that I didn't realize that Alana, unnamed up to a certain point, was female. Her character is introduced as playing Captain Von Trapp to Marion's Maria and without any other identifiers, I thought she was male. We only find out that their school was an all-girls academy at the end of the story, so I couldn't have used that to deduce Alana's gender.
The friendship was certainly enduring and the locales were nicely described. I wish some events had had more attention paid them, but overall it was an alright story.
Gorgeous by Motzie Dapul
Rating: 2.5 Stars
I can't decide if I liked this story very much or if it falls on the lower end of the scale for me. The writing was alright, perfectly adequate, but I didn't get a spark of interest while I was reading it.
The character whose point of view is our window into the story, I wasn't sure of her name even at the end of everything. There was one person, CJ, that called her mars, but that seemed more like a nickname or a pet name than her name with a capital N. Mars was an interestingly described character. She was plus size, sex positive, and her aesthetic was attractive (pink hair, unique hairstyle, piercings, etc.).
Jays, Mars's love interest, was the most complex character, I think. Apparently an old classmate of Mars, Jays had a certain manner in high school that was adverse to Mars and now, in their mid-20's, not realizing who she is, has fallen in love. Coming to terms with their feelings tugged a bit on my heartstrings and I wish we could have heard more from their point of view.
As much as I liked these two, I couldn't really get into Gorgeous. I didn't feel the soul of the story and while it might technically written well, it fell flat for me.
Shipping Included by Danice Sison
Rating: 5 Stars
Kiko was the best brother. He might be the type to tease Kyra, his sister, for her love of K-Pop, but he was supportive. He watches K-dramas with her, he gets into liking some of the songs and bands even! When Kyra wants to go to a mega K-pop concert, he protests at the price, but is impressed when Kyra is determined to get there by saving her allowance, even going so far as to take whatever side jobs he can so he can help her with the balance. Such a supportive sibling relationship was refreshing.
What I loved, besides the passion for K-pop that was evident, was that this was the story that brought in both points of view from the intended couple. It was easy to get into both Kiko and David's heads, see what they were thinking or feeling, whether it was working extra hard to give their sister a gift (Kiko) or embracing their kind-of-secret interests and sharing them with their niece (David).
There was so much energy in the writing, in creating KPOPOCALYPSE as the main setting, that I was brought back to the anime conventions that I attended until a couple years ago. It brought a smile to my face, feeling like I was immersing myself in that world once again.
Delubyo by Barbie Barbieto
Rating: 2.5 Stars
To start, I can tell this writing was not for me. The style is objectively good, but to my mind it didn't fully embrace the story it was trying to tell.
The author tells us that Pebbles has a policy regarding relationships, but it didn't feel like we saw that. It was more "tell tell tell". Whatever relationship Pebbles was intended to have with Gab in the end, it didn't feel fully formed. Her about face in terms of relationship length and intimacy was sudden and I didn't get the sense that it was authentic.
The Other Story by H. Bentham
Rating: 3 Stars
Marcus and Pablo's story was more than a little bit steamy. After meeting at a sex club, and hitting it off rather well, they find they have things in common and begin a long and seemingly lovely relationship.
It's clear that they're together for a long time and I think they were really nice. I think this story could have benefited from some more detail because the scope of their relationship was painted with broad strokes. It was the one story that I think I could have seen as being a full length novel and would have been pleased to see it.
I'll admit the sex scene made me a bit uncomfortable, but that has to do with my personal identity & preferences. It seemed well written and could be enjoyed by people who like their stories hot and steamy.
Blooms and Hues by Ella Banta
Rating: 4 Stars
I loved the visuals in Blooms and Hues. From the paper Pat used in his sketches to the endless kinds of flowers in Haya's shop and garden, the scenes unrolled before my eyes and enveloped me. Flowers, their scents and colors, are a powerful too in storytelling.
Things moved rather quickly and while that would usually be off putting, Pat and Haya didn't become the end all be all couple. The beginning is there and you could see how things might develop, but for now, a sweet beginning was all that was needed.
Another First by Yeyet Soriano
Rating: 2.5 Stars
Another First was another story in this collection that I found embraced the setting and described it beautifully. From Jesslyn and Lily Rose's zip lining adventure to the animal sanctuaries they visited, I enjoyed really seeing the locale and seeing how interested the characters were at the newness of it all.
That being said, the characters overall didn't appeal to me. The relationship difficulties that existed between Jess and Matt felt like they blew over and were resolved too easily, like it was a convenience that they weren't getting on well and Lily Rose was conveniently there to be a new love interest. They all three fell flat for me, though Lily Rose did have a bit more personality and uniqueness that the other two.
Luck From the Skies by Katt Briones
Rating: 2.5 Stars
A lot of stuff that went on in this story seemed to be crammed into a too small space. While the behind-the-scenes look at a reality competition and modeling work was interesting, the dates and the interactions between Asher and Chan afterwards felt like a little more time could've been put into developing a terrific story. It was hard to distinguish just how much time passed and thus had both the feeling of rushed into "love" and a bit of a dragging development.
The locations where the story started out and where the commercial shoot took place was a bit confusing. The running around, seemingly added for drama, was more confusing that atmospheric.
Asher and Chan could've been a really good couple to read about, but I rather felt that they were okay.
Lemon Drop Friday by Brigitte Bautista
Rating: 5 Stars
I don't like bars and yet, the author's description of Tala's work place had me giving seconds thoughts to the idea. The atmosphere was perfect for a lively Friday night place and the bar food sounded delicious. Even Tala's cooking: maple bacon and chocolate chip pancakes, anyone? Yum.
The tension following the Friday night in question made me sad rather than frustrated. Tala's position was understandable, but it was also hurting Liv, so Tala's confusion was understandable. Short as this story was, I was engaged with these women and loved their energy, despite the sad circumstances in the middle.
The ending, the vision of couch cuddles and breakfasts to come, was sweet. Maybe I'll even try a Lemon Drop sometime. ;)
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 31, 2018
After almost a month, I'm finally putting up a proper review for this very strong anthology. Yay finally! *sabog confetti*
**also, I signed up for the blog tour of this book and received an epub copy in exchange for an honest review. :)
While I am no stranger to #romanceclass reads, I am however, a stranger to LGBTQ+ themed reads though. I've been meaning to read a few but I haven't gotten around to it. (So many books, so little time. Hay) But I am really happy that Start Here was my first fully LGBTQ+ read. One of the editors definitely got it right when they mentioned how "These stories are mini-universes in themselves." That is a very apt description for them, since they feel realistic and fully-formed with beautifully human characters you cannot help but relate with. These stories will definitely hook you from the first page until the very last.
While some stories stood out for me, (In the Moonlight, Shipping Included, Luck from the Skies, The Other Story) everything was gorgeously written and it was a joy to read them all; though they have their own individual vibes, it still feels coherent and very much interconnected with each other. Another thing is, there's something here for everyone: the stories vary from M/M, F/F to F/NB. Also, if fluff is your cup of tea, there's a story here for you. Or if you're into something angsty or even a little bit steamy, Start Here's got you too. Diversity? Check. Representation? Check. Kilig? Check!
Ang masasabi ko lang, walang tapon sa anthology na to. I swear. I tip my hat off to you, authors. Congratulations and more anthologies like this please! <3
**also, I signed up for the blog tour of this book and received an epub copy in exchange for an honest review. :)
While I am no stranger to #romanceclass reads, I am however, a stranger to LGBTQ+ themed reads though. I've been meaning to read a few but I haven't gotten around to it.
While some stories stood out for me, (In the Moonlight, Shipping Included, Luck from the Skies, The Other Story) everything was gorgeously written and it was a joy to read them all; though they have their own individual vibes, it still feels coherent and very much interconnected with each other. Another thing is, there's something here for everyone: the stories vary from M/M, F/F to F/NB. Also, if fluff is your cup of tea, there's a story here for you. Or if you're into something angsty or even a little bit steamy, Start Here's got you too. Diversity? Check. Representation? Check. Kilig? Check!
Ang masasabi ko lang, walang tapon sa anthology na to. I swear. I tip my hat off to you, authors. Congratulations and more anthologies like this please! <3
February 12, 2018
I literally cannot fully express just how much I enjoyed and loved this one, but full review to come. For now, here's a short blurb:
"To say that the Start Here anthology is an amazing, 5-star read would probably be an oversimplification. Each short story is written with so much love, hope, and longing, and I honestly have no words to describe just how madly in love I am with this book. Every author had so much to offer in their stories, and I had a wonderful reading experience, thanks to this work of art. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and it feels good to have felt the things I did while reading this, and I'm looking forward to reading more books from the contributing authors."
Huge thanks to my friends from #romanceclass books for sending me an e-galley of this title in exchange for an honest review. This did not, in any way, affect my overall opinion of the book and/or the story.
"To say that the Start Here anthology is an amazing, 5-star read would probably be an oversimplification. Each short story is written with so much love, hope, and longing, and I honestly have no words to describe just how madly in love I am with this book. Every author had so much to offer in their stories, and I had a wonderful reading experience, thanks to this work of art. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and it feels good to have felt the things I did while reading this, and I'm looking forward to reading more books from the contributing authors."
Huge thanks to my friends from #romanceclass books for sending me an e-galley of this title in exchange for an honest review. This did not, in any way, affect my overall opinion of the book and/or the story.
Want to read
December 31, 2018I don't want to be ambitious for this month but I'm planning to read this anthology, one story per day. I'm going to do a mini review per each story.
In the Moonlight by Agay Llanera could easily be a classic. Based from Llanera's coming-out novel Another Word for Happy, which is a favorite book of mine, the story follows Caleb. He's currently on a vacation with his mom where he meets this hot jock. They just click off, the story will condensed their meet-cute development that could possibly lead to romance. I just love this story so much, I've seen Caleb grow up as inexperienced gay young adult who's trying to wade through his own identity and community. I'm glad Llanera chose to write about his arc, it's so refreshing to see his reluctant mom supporting him openly. In addition, I love the poetic writing and the homely description of Philippines' summer season. Pairing: M/M.
Come Full Circle by Bobbi Moran is an f/f short story chronicling a love story that's literally fifteen years in the making. The first heroine is the goody-two-shoes girl while the other is the gone-bad girl. There's contrast in their personalities that put a boulder in their social interaction and their chance to bond over the years. This story is just tender, and heartwarming. BUT, there's hot scene/s on it. I love it.
The music was called Claire De Lune, which translated to “In the Light of the Moon.” The piece was inspired by a poem, which explained why the notes sounded intimate and soft, like poetry meant to be whispered into one’s ear. It reminded him of Ezra’s kiss on that moonlit summer night.
In the Moonlight by Agay Llanera could easily be a classic. Based from Llanera's coming-out novel Another Word for Happy, which is a favorite book of mine, the story follows Caleb. He's currently on a vacation with his mom where he meets this hot jock. They just click off, the story will condensed their meet-cute development that could possibly lead to romance. I just love this story so much, I've seen Caleb grow up as inexperienced gay young adult who's trying to wade through his own identity and community. I'm glad Llanera chose to write about his arc, it's so refreshing to see his reluctant mom supporting him openly. In addition, I love the poetic writing and the homely description of Philippines' summer season. Pairing: M/M.
It was October again, fifteen years after I had realized I was in love with you, and I've come full circle.
Come Full Circle by Bobbi Moran is an f/f short story chronicling a love story that's literally fifteen years in the making. The first heroine is the goody-two-shoes girl while the other is the gone-bad girl. There's contrast in their personalities that put a boulder in their social interaction and their chance to bond over the years. This story is just tender, and heartwarming. BUT, there's hot scene/s on it. I love it.
February 20, 2020
i thought i'd love this, i mean, queer filipino romances with happy endings? sign me up! but the stories either didn't do anything for me or they annoyed me. lots of assumptions and avoidance and childish behavior from adults that i'm just tired of and don't consider part of a cute romance.
i'm gonna give cw/tw for the whole collection and rep for each story and any comments i had on stories. enjoy.
overall content/trigger warnings; ableism, arophobic language, mentions of past negative reaction to coming out, kissing, mention of death of boyfriend, mention of death of mother, mention of alcohol and drug use, on-page guided masturbation, gendered slur, mentions of past bullying, fatphobia, racism, non-binary antagonism, deadnaming, ghosting, real life shipping, amatonormativity, on-page sex, mention of stillbirth, misogyny,
in the moonlight by agay llanera: m/m, gay mc, gay li
come full circle by bobbi moran: f/f, unlabeled mspec mc, unlabeled queer li
don't care for how the love interest was described in the beginning tbh.
gorgeous by motzie dapul: fat pansexual mc, non-binary li (who said they're still questioning their gender)
bothered by the mc's friend pushing her about dating and when the mc resists, the friend becomes cold and the mc has to apologize and agree to what her friend wants. respect your friends' boundaries. the mc's friend referrs to her non-binary partner as "this guy-girl, whatever" and wow does that feel super dismissive. overall, nothing felt resolved in the relationship. it just ended happily for the sake of a happy ending without it making any sense given the context of the conflict they were dealing with.
shipping included by danice sison: m/m, unlabeled queer mcs
kpop isn't my thing and all the real life shipping is gross. they're real people, not fucking fictional characters. knock it off.
delubyo by barbie barbieto: f/f, unlabeled queer (lesbian?) mc, unlabeled queer li
non-monogamy is not a plot device for your jaded/jilted characters. i'm tired. everything the mc thinks and says and believes is so overly cliche and cringeworthy, i just can't.
the other story by h. bentham: m/m, gay mc, unlabeled queer li
blooms and hues by ella banta: m/m, unlabeled queer mc, unlabeled queer li
overbearing friends/family is a trope i can't stand. mc's friend asking the li if his job is really what he wants to be doing and if there isnt anything else he'd rather do is quite a rude, dismissive question to ask someone period, let alone someone you literally just met. and the assumptions the mc makes which leads to pining and avoidance is too childish for me.
another first by yeyet soriano: f/f (although it's m/f for most of it), unlabeled mspec mc, unlabeled mspec li
mc is trash lmao break up with your boyfriend if you can't stand being around him so much oh my god and cool it with the irrational jealousy and girl hate wtf. also though, the mc being told that her boyfriend being there with her should be enough for her even though he's never truly present is trash. and i don't care for the mc falling for the li while dating someone else.
luck from the skies by katt briones: m/m, unlabeled queer mc, unlabeled queer li
the mc and li are being shipped by ~fangirls and it's never called out. sigh. i didn't really know what was going on, but the ending was sweet, even though i'm so over avoidance due to assumptions. FUCKING COMMUNICATE!!!
lemon drop friday by brigitte bautista: f/f, unlabeled queer mc, unlabeled mspec li
the li says her date was bad because she did oral and he refused and LISTEN no one has to do any sex act they don't want to. and they don't deserve to be shamed for that. yes, even men. there's a line between calling out men who expect women to pleasure them without ever even thinking about returning the favor because they're misogynists and just shaming all men who don't do oral and people never seem to acknowledge that line.
i'm gonna give cw/tw for the whole collection and rep for each story and any comments i had on stories. enjoy.
overall content/trigger warnings; ableism, arophobic language, mentions of past negative reaction to coming out, kissing, mention of death of boyfriend, mention of death of mother, mention of alcohol and drug use, on-page guided masturbation, gendered slur, mentions of past bullying, fatphobia, racism, non-binary antagonism, deadnaming, ghosting, real life shipping, amatonormativity, on-page sex, mention of stillbirth, misogyny,
in the moonlight by agay llanera: m/m, gay mc, gay li
come full circle by bobbi moran: f/f, unlabeled mspec mc, unlabeled queer li
don't care for how the love interest was described in the beginning tbh.
gorgeous by motzie dapul: fat pansexual mc, non-binary li (who said they're still questioning their gender)
bothered by the mc's friend pushing her about dating and when the mc resists, the friend becomes cold and the mc has to apologize and agree to what her friend wants. respect your friends' boundaries. the mc's friend referrs to her non-binary partner as "this guy-girl, whatever" and wow does that feel super dismissive. overall, nothing felt resolved in the relationship. it just ended happily for the sake of a happy ending without it making any sense given the context of the conflict they were dealing with.
shipping included by danice sison: m/m, unlabeled queer mcs
kpop isn't my thing and all the real life shipping is gross. they're real people, not fucking fictional characters. knock it off.
delubyo by barbie barbieto: f/f, unlabeled queer (lesbian?) mc, unlabeled queer li
non-monogamy is not a plot device for your jaded/jilted characters. i'm tired. everything the mc thinks and says and believes is so overly cliche and cringeworthy, i just can't.
the other story by h. bentham: m/m, gay mc, unlabeled queer li
blooms and hues by ella banta: m/m, unlabeled queer mc, unlabeled queer li
overbearing friends/family is a trope i can't stand. mc's friend asking the li if his job is really what he wants to be doing and if there isnt anything else he'd rather do is quite a rude, dismissive question to ask someone period, let alone someone you literally just met. and the assumptions the mc makes which leads to pining and avoidance is too childish for me.
another first by yeyet soriano: f/f (although it's m/f for most of it), unlabeled mspec mc, unlabeled mspec li
mc is trash lmao break up with your boyfriend if you can't stand being around him so much oh my god and cool it with the irrational jealousy and girl hate wtf. also though, the mc being told that her boyfriend being there with her should be enough for her even though he's never truly present is trash. and i don't care for the mc falling for the li while dating someone else.
luck from the skies by katt briones: m/m, unlabeled queer mc, unlabeled queer li
the mc and li are being shipped by ~fangirls and it's never called out. sigh. i didn't really know what was going on, but the ending was sweet, even though i'm so over avoidance due to assumptions. FUCKING COMMUNICATE!!!
lemon drop friday by brigitte bautista: f/f, unlabeled queer mc, unlabeled mspec li
the li says her date was bad because she did oral and he refused and LISTEN no one has to do any sex act they don't want to. and they don't deserve to be shamed for that. yes, even men. there's a line between calling out men who expect women to pleasure them without ever even thinking about returning the favor because they're misogynists and just shaming all men who don't do oral and people never seem to acknowledge that line.
February 20, 2018
My initial reaction when I read the synopsis was “Wow, #romanceclass really has a way of making me feel kilig just by reading a book summary.” If I remember correctly, I have very limited experience in reading books that are predominantly queer – the last one being You Know Me Well, which was just okay for me. When I first heard about this book, I had thoughts but when I read the synopsis – hah, I was sold instantly. And I am very much glad that I gave it a shot. Start Here is the romance anthology I never knew I needed. It stayed true to its promise of being “unapologetically queer” and having required happy endings.
Due to bad time management and cramming on my part, I read the book in just two days. This is not normal since I am a slow reader and usually, it takes me weeks just to finish a book. It didn’t matter. I guess I was going to finish it that quick either way. Every story is full of feels and butterflies and raw and fluffy love that every time one ends, it makes me want to read more. Which may probably explain the additional one or two circles under my eyes, thank you very much.
If I may also add, it is my first time reading the work of all these authors. Before I started reading, I set myself to pick one or two (or three) favorites but halfway into the book, I realized that it was an impossible task as each of them are equally lovely in their own ways.
Start Here is more than just a collection of meet-cutes. It’s a collection of stories on loving oneself, acceptance of one’s own body, and acknowledging one’s own emotions and feelings, awkward first meetings, and actually ‘seeing’ someone for the first time even after knowing them for so many years. (And happy endings!!) It is a pleasant reminder that love, indeed, knows no gender.
Read my favorite lines here!
Due to bad time management and cramming on my part, I read the book in just two days. This is not normal since I am a slow reader and usually, it takes me weeks just to finish a book. It didn’t matter. I guess I was going to finish it that quick either way. Every story is full of feels and butterflies and raw and fluffy love that every time one ends, it makes me want to read more. Which may probably explain the additional one or two circles under my eyes, thank you very much.
If I may also add, it is my first time reading the work of all these authors. Before I started reading, I set myself to pick one or two (or three) favorites but halfway into the book, I realized that it was an impossible task as each of them are equally lovely in their own ways.
Start Here is more than just a collection of meet-cutes. It’s a collection of stories on loving oneself, acceptance of one’s own body, and acknowledging one’s own emotions and feelings, awkward first meetings, and actually ‘seeing’ someone for the first time even after knowing them for so many years. (And happy endings!!) It is a pleasant reminder that love, indeed, knows no gender.
Read my favorite lines here!
March 11, 2018
Start Here is a powerful anthology and ALL of the authors should be incredibly proud of their work in this one! *bravo #romanceclass bravo* Thank you for bringing to life so many stories that needed to be told!
There is a story for everyone in this anthology. If you like steamy romances, they got you covered.. If you like something sweeter with less steam, they got you covered.. And they are ALL swoony and bring the f e e l s! What more could you want in a romance, am I right?
I just adored these stories, the characters, and all that they represented. EVERYONE needs to read this and open their minds and hearts to how beautiful our world truly is. <3
There is a story for everyone in this anthology. If you like steamy romances, they got you covered.. If you like something sweeter with less steam, they got you covered.. And they are ALL swoony and bring the f e e l s! What more could you want in a romance, am I right?
I just adored these stories, the characters, and all that they represented. EVERYONE needs to read this and open their minds and hearts to how beautiful our world truly is. <3
April 23, 2025
3.25. A collection with diverse pairings. I thought Lemon Drop Friday was outstanding, and the others had different kinds of appeal featuring mostly new adult protagonists. Lots of longing to try the different kinds of dishes mentioned. One tale is steamy, while some of the others end with the relationship about to start *here*.
February 23, 2018
My heart has been hooked and my soul has been very happy after reading each short stories. This is the first M/M, F/F, F/NB romance anthology that I read and I'm grateful for the ten authors who wrote each story with so much passion, love, and hope. I'm crossing my fingers that some of the short stories will be a full-length novel and I would definitely buy them. And I truly agreed that love was love regardless of gender. One of the best romance anthologies that I read!
August 29, 2020
Full review tk.
And oh boy, there is a lot to unpack here. All lovely thoughts, and I need to compose myself first. But THIS. BOOK. was just so... aghhhhh 😍
And oh boy, there is a lot to unpack here. All lovely thoughts, and I need to compose myself first. But THIS. BOOK. was just so... aghhhhh 😍
March 1, 2018
This anthology is a perfect blend of stories. One story could literally sweep off your feet and the other will leave you breathless. The concept is refreshing. What I love with #romanceclass release books they always go outside of the box and produce something worth reading for.
The authors did an awesome jobs of bringing this story to our life. Thank you for this stories!
(expect a book review on my blog.)
The authors did an awesome jobs of bringing this story to our life. Thank you for this stories!
(expect a book review on my blog.)
August 24, 2018
4.5 stars. This anthology was so cute! A couple of the stories, I didn't really like that much, but the majority I enjoyed immensely! I read a lot of LGBT books and surprisingly, there aren't a lot of diverse books like this, at least, I haven't seen them. I loved this collection and I am considering buying the paper version because that cover is so beautiful! 😍
June 21, 2019
3.5 stars
This was a super cute anthology with 10 queer stories by #romanceclass authors about first meetings.
The stories were fun and diverse, with a mostly lower heat level safe for one or two stories. There were m/m, f/f and one f/enby stories with one featuring a bit of m/f on the side. The settings and background stories were different, but most stories played in the Philippines.
While I enjoyed the anthology overall, the writing was sometimes confusing to me, and scene breaks could have been marked more clearly. I found it interesting that while each story was written by a different author, the writing was often similar, even if the styles (like POVs) and settings were different.
One "problem" I had with several of the stories was that they started our really great and then just turned south. This was partly because the writing style didn't click with me, partly because I just didn't like the decisions the characters made.
Content warnings for the entire anthology include: real-person shipping, ghosting, past bullying, fatphobia, deadnaming of a trans character, sex on-page, misogyny that is partly challenged.
My ratings, thoughts and a bit of information about the individual stories are below:
In the Moonlight by Agay Llanera: 4 stars
m/m; I liked this one a lot! Caleb and Ezra meet on vacation but part without exchanging contact data. Caleb fights to overcome his anxiety to fight the courage to meet with Ezra again.
Come Full Circle by Bobbi Moran: 3 stars
f/f; This one was interesting because it was told through the narrator adressing her partner in second person - as in an "I/me" narrator talking to a "you". It took some time to get used to it, but once I did I enjoyed it! The story is VERY heavy on the pining - I'm talking over a decade of pining here. They meet in high school but were never friends, and then met again and again over the years.
It could have been 4 stars, but I disliked the setting for the ending and some other executive choices.
Gorgeous by Motzie Dapul: 3.5 stars
f/enby; This was probably my favourite story! The main characters again met in highschool, where one of them hated the other, but when they meet again years later they don't recognize each other. I loved that the protagonist is fat and that the love interest is still questioning their gender. (They don't call themselves enby, but they are labelled that way in the blurb so that's what I took.)
I wanted to rate this one higher but again was unsettled by the choices of the characters towards the end.
Shipping Included by Danice Sison: 3.5 stars
m/m; This one was the only dual POV story and it was so much fun! It's about two guys in their thirties who both got dragged into the KPop fandom and eventually to a huge concert by younger family members, which is where they meet. Super cute, but some parts and the way they sometimes talked about the fandom stuff was weird.
Delubyo by Barbie Barbieto: 3 stars
f/f; This one was told from the POV of Pebbles, who doesn't do relationships for longer than a few months and who is getting ready to break up with her girlfriend - a breakup that is longer overdue after eight whole months! But even though she has it all planned out already.... things don't go according to plan.
Again, cute setup and idea, but I disliked the repeatedly mentioned idea that everyone absolutely HAS to find love in their life and that that is something everyone does.
The Other Story by H. Bentham: 3.5 stars
m/m; Once again, super fun premise! The narrator tells the story looking into the past, talking about how they usually tell people how they met, when actually they met in a sex club. This is the only story that has explicit sex on the page. It briefly discusses the insecurity the narrator faces repeatedly, which was a nice touch. It also features some extremely questionable describtiors of intimate body parts.
Blooms and Hues by Ella Banta: 3 stars
m/m; FLOWER SHOP SETTING!!!!!! At first I thought this would be my favourite story, but then the main characters barely ever talked to each other on page???? Which I thought was super weird. Plus the ending was extremely rushed :(
Another First by Yeyet Soriano: 3 stars
f/f with a side of m/f; With this one I had the opposite problem than with most of the other stories: I really disliked the beginning, but the ending was great! Here the protagonist is on a romantic getaway with her boyfriend.... except it's not romantic, because he keeps working. Instead she starts doing activities with another woman at the resort. For the most part this story was just miserable. The protagonist is clearly unhappy in her relationship and people keep telling her she is the only one at fault and should just accept the things her boyfriend does that she hates, even if it makes her unhappy. She was also so full of ugly jealousy, and the book acted like pitting women against women was the norm, which I hated.
Luckily the ending was great!
Luck From the Skies by Katt Briones: 3.5 stars
m/m; Another cute premise, except the setting lacked any elaborating so I was very confused for most of the time. From what I understood, it's about two models (?) who are on a reality show (?) and there is a typhoon and good food. Lots of pining!
Lemon Drop Fridays by Brigitte Bautista: 3 stars
f/f; This one has a best-friends-to-lovers storyline, with the protag being a bartender at the bar where her best friend picks up a different woman each friday week after week. It was semi-explicit. I'm not sure why, but this was the one story that didn't engage me at all. It wasn't bad, but would have been bored had it not been so short.
This was a super cute anthology with 10 queer stories by #romanceclass authors about first meetings.
The stories were fun and diverse, with a mostly lower heat level safe for one or two stories. There were m/m, f/f and one f/enby stories with one featuring a bit of m/f on the side. The settings and background stories were different, but most stories played in the Philippines.
While I enjoyed the anthology overall, the writing was sometimes confusing to me, and scene breaks could have been marked more clearly. I found it interesting that while each story was written by a different author, the writing was often similar, even if the styles (like POVs) and settings were different.
One "problem" I had with several of the stories was that they started our really great and then just turned south. This was partly because the writing style didn't click with me, partly because I just didn't like the decisions the characters made.
Content warnings for the entire anthology include: real-person shipping, ghosting, past bullying, fatphobia, deadnaming of a trans character, sex on-page, misogyny that is partly challenged.
My ratings, thoughts and a bit of information about the individual stories are below:
In the Moonlight by Agay Llanera: 4 stars
m/m; I liked this one a lot! Caleb and Ezra meet on vacation but part without exchanging contact data. Caleb fights to overcome his anxiety to fight the courage to meet with Ezra again.
Come Full Circle by Bobbi Moran: 3 stars
f/f; This one was interesting because it was told through the narrator adressing her partner in second person - as in an "I/me" narrator talking to a "you". It took some time to get used to it, but once I did I enjoyed it! The story is VERY heavy on the pining - I'm talking over a decade of pining here. They meet in high school but were never friends, and then met again and again over the years.
It could have been 4 stars, but I disliked the setting for the ending and some other executive choices.
Gorgeous by Motzie Dapul: 3.5 stars
f/enby; This was probably my favourite story! The main characters again met in highschool, where one of them hated the other, but when they meet again years later they don't recognize each other. I loved that the protagonist is fat and that the love interest is still questioning their gender. (They don't call themselves enby, but they are labelled that way in the blurb so that's what I took.)
I wanted to rate this one higher but again was unsettled by the choices of the characters towards the end.
Shipping Included by Danice Sison: 3.5 stars
m/m; This one was the only dual POV story and it was so much fun! It's about two guys in their thirties who both got dragged into the KPop fandom and eventually to a huge concert by younger family members, which is where they meet. Super cute, but some parts and the way they sometimes talked about the fandom stuff was weird.
Delubyo by Barbie Barbieto: 3 stars
f/f; This one was told from the POV of Pebbles, who doesn't do relationships for longer than a few months and who is getting ready to break up with her girlfriend - a breakup that is longer overdue after eight whole months! But even though she has it all planned out already.... things don't go according to plan.
Again, cute setup and idea, but I disliked the repeatedly mentioned idea that everyone absolutely HAS to find love in their life and that that is something everyone does.
The Other Story by H. Bentham: 3.5 stars
m/m; Once again, super fun premise! The narrator tells the story looking into the past, talking about how they usually tell people how they met, when actually they met in a sex club. This is the only story that has explicit sex on the page. It briefly discusses the insecurity the narrator faces repeatedly, which was a nice touch. It also features some extremely questionable describtiors of intimate body parts.
Blooms and Hues by Ella Banta: 3 stars
m/m; FLOWER SHOP SETTING!!!!!! At first I thought this would be my favourite story, but then the main characters barely ever talked to each other on page???? Which I thought was super weird. Plus the ending was extremely rushed :(
Another First by Yeyet Soriano: 3 stars
f/f with a side of m/f; With this one I had the opposite problem than with most of the other stories: I really disliked the beginning, but the ending was great! Here the protagonist is on a romantic getaway with her boyfriend.... except it's not romantic, because he keeps working. Instead she starts doing activities with another woman at the resort. For the most part this story was just miserable. The protagonist is clearly unhappy in her relationship and people keep telling her she is the only one at fault and should just accept the things her boyfriend does that she hates, even if it makes her unhappy. She was also so full of ugly jealousy, and the book acted like pitting women against women was the norm, which I hated.
Luckily the ending was great!
Luck From the Skies by Katt Briones: 3.5 stars
m/m; Another cute premise, except the setting lacked any elaborating so I was very confused for most of the time. From what I understood, it's about two models (?) who are on a reality show (?) and there is a typhoon and good food. Lots of pining!
Lemon Drop Fridays by Brigitte Bautista: 3 stars
f/f; This one has a best-friends-to-lovers storyline, with the protag being a bartender at the bar where her best friend picks up a different woman each friday week after week. It was semi-explicit. I'm not sure why, but this was the one story that didn't engage me at all. It wasn't bad, but would have been bored had it not been so short.
August 24, 2018
This is an anthology of queer romance stories. I really enjoyed reading all the stories in this book (which are more on the New Adult/Adult genre). It has relatable characters, swoon worthy scenes and even hot & steamy ones! This was my first #romanceclass read and will definitely not be the last!
"In the back of my mind, I always thought I'd find love somehow. I mean, everyone did, didn't they?"
"That's what people did, right? They made you buy into the whole 'happily ever after' BS and then when they'd gotten their claws into your heart, they'd leave and tear out entire chunks of you."
"Love and relationships was a plague, I'd told myself that countless times before. It consumes people, making them stupid and irrational. It is a waste of time."
"Nope, but someone once told me, I should stop overthinking and take a leap of faith. So here I am, leaping."
Soundtrack: Something Beautiful by Tim Halperin
"In the back of my mind, I always thought I'd find love somehow. I mean, everyone did, didn't they?"
"That's what people did, right? They made you buy into the whole 'happily ever after' BS and then when they'd gotten their claws into your heart, they'd leave and tear out entire chunks of you."
"Love and relationships was a plague, I'd told myself that countless times before. It consumes people, making them stupid and irrational. It is a waste of time."
"Nope, but someone once told me, I should stop overthinking and take a leap of faith. So here I am, leaping."
Soundtrack: Something Beautiful by Tim Halperin
March 3, 2018
Start Here is an anthology of short Filipino LGBTQ+ stories. Start Here proudly showcased that love is for all and these stories are worth reading. Giving more positive and accurate representation in Filipino media. My particular favorites in the collection are In The Moonlight by Agay Reyes and Shipping Included by Danice Sison (I need a full-length story of this. PLEASE.) because they are just so damn cute. Start Here is a wonderful feat in further portraying more Filipino LGBTQ+ stories with happy endings. I recommend you all read this book! Looking forward to the next one!
February 19, 2018
Ahhh, this one!! What a ~breakthrough in terms of Filipino LGBTQIA+ rep in romance. I enjoyed every story, and felt the thought and care poured into each one. Happy that this one's here because now I have the perfect recommendation to my friends who have been forever bugging me to find something that's about them, something that they'll love, something that's both sweet and hot!
Read the rest of my thoughts about this book on Bookbed!
Read the rest of my thoughts about this book on Bookbed!
Read
June 29, 2020Let me just say this right off the bat, I’m giving this 6 of 5 Stars! First of all, the editors and my co-authors deserve the 5.5 of 5 Stars. This is my favorite book this year, cheesy for me to say, but it is! I’m giving a half star more for my own story because I’m very proud of this, okay? :P I’ll talk more about that on a separate blog post, haha.
To begin, I want to thank the editors (and our PM, Hi Mina!) for coming up with this anthology. The intros by Ron and Brij, in itself, were already strong messages to those who are looking for contemporary romance that represents Filipinos of this time, LGBTQIAP or not. It perfectly put out the reasons behind the conception of this anthology, as well as the hope that this sparks a flame towards more Queer Romance and Queer HEA in Philippine Literature.
1. In the Moonlight by Agay Llanera
This was a sweet start to set the tone for the rest of the stories. It’s an awesome sequel to my other favorite, Another Word For Happy. And like what I said in my review for AWFH last year, Caleb seems to have been made after my own heart.
I wish I was exaggerating, but the indecision, the awkward reaction to ‘the kiss’, the hyperawareness to the smallest of things, IT ME! When I was Caleb’s age, at least. LOL. And I’m sure a lot of gay people (maybe not even gay people, everyone, really) will find it relatable one way or another.
What Caleb is better than me, though, is his courage towards the end of the story. He did something I never would’ve been able to do. And I hope when others read this, they’d be inspired to be braver, too.
2. Come Full Circle by Bobbi Moran
I love me some slow burn romance and huhu, the slow burn in this one killed me (in a good way!).
This short felt quite episodic as the characters are shown through different stages of them finding themselves – and eventually, love – but that slow progression allowed me to really root for them to be together at the end.
I found the attention to detail fascinating (especially the architectural ones when Alana and Marion went on a holiday) but what I loved most about this is the accuracy of tiptoeing in a relationship when one is still unsure where the other one stands. I mean, relationships are already complicated without the whole guessing-and-hoping-the-other-one-plays-on-the-same-team narrative, but add in sexual confusion (and tension!) and you’re in for a wild, but nonetheless more interesting, ride. This story tied to a full circle satisfyingly.
3. Gorgeous by Motsie Dapul
This is probably my first F/enby romance and it certainly lived up to its title. This might also be the first fiction story I’ve read using the singular they/them pronoun and while it took me about a minute to re calibrate my [faulty] sense of grammar, it wasn’t jarring and it told Jays and the MC (I’m not 100% sure she was named, I need to reread the story, stat!)more genuinely for me.
It is also somewhat a variation of the enemies to lovers trope which is always interesting. I’m happy to note that there is grovel. :)
I think what I want to focus more about this story is how something that happened years ago, something that seemed small and irrelevant to you, might mean a whole different world to another person. And simple things like words said haplessly, or actions that weren’t well thought of in our youth, could still impact us as adults no matter how much we’ve changed in the time in between.
This story tells and awesome story of discovering one’s self, discovery of love, and acceptance of the MC’s past, present and future with Them. :)
4. Shipping Included by Danice Sison
Can this be any cuter?? <3 <3 <3
I will admit that I didn’t get all the KPop references but I know those who are knowledgeable (and obsessed) with oppas will appreciate and enjoy this.
Done in alternating POVs between the protagonists, David and Kiko, the story’s strength lay on the well-rounded characterization of the heroes, as well as the kids who made their meetcute extra cute! There is a glimpse of what it must be like to be a Filipino KPop fan while also focusing the spotlight on those who don’t share the dedication but support their loved one’s hobbies nonetheless.
The Kuya and Tito may not be in their girls’ fandoms but Kpopocalypse gave them (all of us, really) a different reason to swoon and make fingerhearts at each other.
5. Delubyo by Barbie Barbieto
This is beautifully written.
This was the first work from the author that I’ve read and I loved it so much, it made me seek out her other work. Haha. The style and flow of words are smooth and easygoing, it hooked me up real quick.
Add to that is Pebbles’ odd four-month relationship rule which I thought was mean at first, but actually makes so much sense and is understandable from someone who’s constantly afraid to put her heart on the line. Still, I don’t tolerate it. (I loved this so much, I’m super invested and I want to have a talk with Pebbles bec huhu, the poor ex-girlfriends! LOL)
I love the progression of her feelings towards Gabrielle, told brilliantly somewhere in the middle of the story – after that awesome beginning! It made the ending such a relief and a source of immense kilig!
6. The Other Story by H. Bentham
*sly grin emoji*
7. Blooms and Hues by Ella Banta
I loved the softness of the themes in this short story, reminiscent of Gay YA fiction I used to devour in college (from foreign authors like Brian Sloan, Alex Sanchez, John Hall, etc.) and the short films I still find on YouTube from time to time.
It is a lovely addition to this anthology, despite not being heavy on the romance like the other stories, especially since being queer in this country, love, relationships - and matters of the heart in general - are less likely to be this soft and dreamy. (At least during my time as an actual young adult. IDK, maybe kids these days are allowed this gay tenderness we weren’t given access to. It wasn’t even such a long time ago, I mean…anyway, that’s not what this review is all about. I got distracted. lol)
The artistic MC and LI are adorable. And flowers! I’m never not in love with stories where flowers come into play.
8. Another First by Yeyet Soriano
I admit that I felt scared to continue with this once it was established that Jess, the MC, is in a long term relationship at the beginning of the story. I dislike scenes with messy break-ups due to cheating, but I soldiered on and was greatly relieved that this didn’t go that way.
I liked that the characters acted like the adults that they are and that this did not turn into a rehash of popular love-triangle telenovela plots. I especially loved the part where things had to settle down and fall into place for all characters (Jess, Lili and even Matt) separately at first – on a personal level – before the romance could be resolved. It showed a healthy depiction of self-discovery and acceptance a little bit later in life.
9. Luck from the Skies by Katt Briones
This one I’ve actually read before the book came out and ugh, rereading it second, third and fourth time did not make it less wonderful! The characters have supporting roles from Katt’s other book, Chasing Mr. Prefect, but the timeline here is before that book’s time.
I liked the fictional artista/modeling angles and the progression of friendship between Chan and Asher towards a romantic ship (#ChaSher5everr!!!). The rainy weather theme is also very Filipino and how it plays in the advancement of the plot is just brilliant! And kilig! So kilig!
Sab is defineitely a scene stealer (I love bestfriends!) but since the romance was so strong in the first place, she didn’t overshadow my boys. LOL.
Also, prepare to crave bulalo!
10. Lemon Drop Friday by Brigitte Bautista.
“Here goes [Brij] again, making a mess [with my heart]”
When I was reading the review copy and got to this point in the book, I stopped for a full day before I started this story. Part of me knew I would breeze through it and I didn’t want the book to end just yet. And I was right.
Brij did it again! Made me fall in love with her mastery of words and then made me cry because this was so good and so satisfying.
I was highlighting passages throughout the book (for review notes) but with this one, I couldn’t even stop to highlight words, I just wanted to fully immerse in that universe and feel the love, and the fear of rejection, and the ultimate HEA where these messy girls finally, finally got together!
I have a favorite quote (aside from the mis-quote above. Lol)
“If she looked at me a tad longer, she would figure it out.”
Argh! MY HEART! I loved Tala’s POV so much! It’s quirky and funny and honest and SO relatable. I’m done talking about this because I WILL SPOIL IT FOR EVERYONE so please get the book and read it! :P
***
To end, again I want to thank everyone who worked (and continue to work hard to promote) this book! I cannot fully express into words how important this is to me, as well as to others who might need these stories in their lives (whether they know it or not). I hold this dear this not because it is among the first queer books from #romanceclass, but more because all were written with wonderful skill and heart. Each story offers something unique for the reader who might be reading queer for the first time as well as someone looking for themselves in the written page,
We yearned so much to be represented well. We craved for stories we can connect to on a deeply personal level. We waited for our happy endings, in fiction at the very least.. This is definitely the beginning of us getting all that. And more.
**This review also appears on my personal blog: bentchcreates.tumblr.com
To begin, I want to thank the editors (and our PM, Hi Mina!) for coming up with this anthology. The intros by Ron and Brij, in itself, were already strong messages to those who are looking for contemporary romance that represents Filipinos of this time, LGBTQIAP or not. It perfectly put out the reasons behind the conception of this anthology, as well as the hope that this sparks a flame towards more Queer Romance and Queer HEA in Philippine Literature.
1. In the Moonlight by Agay Llanera
This was a sweet start to set the tone for the rest of the stories. It’s an awesome sequel to my other favorite, Another Word For Happy. And like what I said in my review for AWFH last year, Caleb seems to have been made after my own heart.
I wish I was exaggerating, but the indecision, the awkward reaction to ‘the kiss’, the hyperawareness to the smallest of things, IT ME! When I was Caleb’s age, at least. LOL. And I’m sure a lot of gay people (maybe not even gay people, everyone, really) will find it relatable one way or another.
What Caleb is better than me, though, is his courage towards the end of the story. He did something I never would’ve been able to do. And I hope when others read this, they’d be inspired to be braver, too.
2. Come Full Circle by Bobbi Moran
I love me some slow burn romance and huhu, the slow burn in this one killed me (in a good way!).
This short felt quite episodic as the characters are shown through different stages of them finding themselves – and eventually, love – but that slow progression allowed me to really root for them to be together at the end.
I found the attention to detail fascinating (especially the architectural ones when Alana and Marion went on a holiday) but what I loved most about this is the accuracy of tiptoeing in a relationship when one is still unsure where the other one stands. I mean, relationships are already complicated without the whole guessing-and-hoping-the-other-one-plays-on-the-same-team narrative, but add in sexual confusion (and tension!) and you’re in for a wild, but nonetheless more interesting, ride. This story tied to a full circle satisfyingly.
3. Gorgeous by Motsie Dapul
This is probably my first F/enby romance and it certainly lived up to its title. This might also be the first fiction story I’ve read using the singular they/them pronoun and while it took me about a minute to re calibrate my [faulty] sense of grammar, it wasn’t jarring and it told Jays and the MC (I’m not 100% sure she was named, I need to reread the story, stat!)more genuinely for me.
It is also somewhat a variation of the enemies to lovers trope which is always interesting. I’m happy to note that there is grovel. :)
I think what I want to focus more about this story is how something that happened years ago, something that seemed small and irrelevant to you, might mean a whole different world to another person. And simple things like words said haplessly, or actions that weren’t well thought of in our youth, could still impact us as adults no matter how much we’ve changed in the time in between.
This story tells and awesome story of discovering one’s self, discovery of love, and acceptance of the MC’s past, present and future with Them. :)
4. Shipping Included by Danice Sison
Can this be any cuter?? <3 <3 <3
I will admit that I didn’t get all the KPop references but I know those who are knowledgeable (and obsessed) with oppas will appreciate and enjoy this.
Done in alternating POVs between the protagonists, David and Kiko, the story’s strength lay on the well-rounded characterization of the heroes, as well as the kids who made their meetcute extra cute! There is a glimpse of what it must be like to be a Filipino KPop fan while also focusing the spotlight on those who don’t share the dedication but support their loved one’s hobbies nonetheless.
The Kuya and Tito may not be in their girls’ fandoms but Kpopocalypse gave them (all of us, really) a different reason to swoon and make fingerhearts at each other.
5. Delubyo by Barbie Barbieto
This is beautifully written.
This was the first work from the author that I’ve read and I loved it so much, it made me seek out her other work. Haha. The style and flow of words are smooth and easygoing, it hooked me up real quick.
Add to that is Pebbles’ odd four-month relationship rule which I thought was mean at first, but actually makes so much sense and is understandable from someone who’s constantly afraid to put her heart on the line. Still, I don’t tolerate it. (I loved this so much, I’m super invested and I want to have a talk with Pebbles bec huhu, the poor ex-girlfriends! LOL)
I love the progression of her feelings towards Gabrielle, told brilliantly somewhere in the middle of the story – after that awesome beginning! It made the ending such a relief and a source of immense kilig!
6. The Other Story by H. Bentham
*sly grin emoji*
7. Blooms and Hues by Ella Banta
I loved the softness of the themes in this short story, reminiscent of Gay YA fiction I used to devour in college (from foreign authors like Brian Sloan, Alex Sanchez, John Hall, etc.) and the short films I still find on YouTube from time to time.
It is a lovely addition to this anthology, despite not being heavy on the romance like the other stories, especially since being queer in this country, love, relationships - and matters of the heart in general - are less likely to be this soft and dreamy. (At least during my time as an actual young adult. IDK, maybe kids these days are allowed this gay tenderness we weren’t given access to. It wasn’t even such a long time ago, I mean…anyway, that’s not what this review is all about. I got distracted. lol)
The artistic MC and LI are adorable. And flowers! I’m never not in love with stories where flowers come into play.
8. Another First by Yeyet Soriano
I admit that I felt scared to continue with this once it was established that Jess, the MC, is in a long term relationship at the beginning of the story. I dislike scenes with messy break-ups due to cheating, but I soldiered on and was greatly relieved that this didn’t go that way.
I liked that the characters acted like the adults that they are and that this did not turn into a rehash of popular love-triangle telenovela plots. I especially loved the part where things had to settle down and fall into place for all characters (Jess, Lili and even Matt) separately at first – on a personal level – before the romance could be resolved. It showed a healthy depiction of self-discovery and acceptance a little bit later in life.
9. Luck from the Skies by Katt Briones
This one I’ve actually read before the book came out and ugh, rereading it second, third and fourth time did not make it less wonderful! The characters have supporting roles from Katt’s other book, Chasing Mr. Prefect, but the timeline here is before that book’s time.
I liked the fictional artista/modeling angles and the progression of friendship between Chan and Asher towards a romantic ship (#ChaSher5everr!!!). The rainy weather theme is also very Filipino and how it plays in the advancement of the plot is just brilliant! And kilig! So kilig!
Sab is defineitely a scene stealer (I love bestfriends!) but since the romance was so strong in the first place, she didn’t overshadow my boys. LOL.
Also, prepare to crave bulalo!
10. Lemon Drop Friday by Brigitte Bautista.
“Here goes [Brij] again, making a mess [with my heart]”
When I was reading the review copy and got to this point in the book, I stopped for a full day before I started this story. Part of me knew I would breeze through it and I didn’t want the book to end just yet. And I was right.
Brij did it again! Made me fall in love with her mastery of words and then made me cry because this was so good and so satisfying.
I was highlighting passages throughout the book (for review notes) but with this one, I couldn’t even stop to highlight words, I just wanted to fully immerse in that universe and feel the love, and the fear of rejection, and the ultimate HEA where these messy girls finally, finally got together!
I have a favorite quote (aside from the mis-quote above. Lol)
“If she looked at me a tad longer, she would figure it out.”
Argh! MY HEART! I loved Tala’s POV so much! It’s quirky and funny and honest and SO relatable. I’m done talking about this because I WILL SPOIL IT FOR EVERYONE so please get the book and read it! :P
***
To end, again I want to thank everyone who worked (and continue to work hard to promote) this book! I cannot fully express into words how important this is to me, as well as to others who might need these stories in their lives (whether they know it or not). I hold this dear this not because it is among the first queer books from #romanceclass, but more because all were written with wonderful skill and heart. Each story offers something unique for the reader who might be reading queer for the first time as well as someone looking for themselves in the written page,
We yearned so much to be represented well. We craved for stories we can connect to on a deeply personal level. We waited for our happy endings, in fiction at the very least.. This is definitely the beginning of us getting all that. And more.
**This review also appears on my personal blog: bentchcreates.tumblr.com
February 20, 2023
This had been on my TBR for the longest of times and I'm glad to get to read more stories of people meeting and subsequently catching feels...or meeting first and then catching feels after, because love manifests in various ways and paces and I enjoyed seeing how every story blooms differently. Each story was all beautiful in their own special ways but me being who I am, I have the softest spot in my heart for the story where a tito and a kuya sneak into a K-pop concert...
Originally posted on Instagram.
Originally posted on Instagram.
August 14, 2024
3.5
Collection of short stories is always a mixed bag. Some are very well written structured love stories, while some felt like an advertisement storyboard prompt. Some of the gender complexities are so naturally woven, as it should - and it helped narrate their stories better. Some… felt like I’m being fed? I appreciate they didn’t censor the sex when it needs to be there, and I appreciate the subtle romantic scenes that makes up for the whole kilig moments of the stories.
Collection of short stories is always a mixed bag. Some are very well written structured love stories, while some felt like an advertisement storyboard prompt. Some of the gender complexities are so naturally woven, as it should - and it helped narrate their stories better. Some… felt like I’m being fed? I appreciate they didn’t censor the sex when it needs to be there, and I appreciate the subtle romantic scenes that makes up for the whole kilig moments of the stories.
April 2, 2019
This LGBTQ Anthology is a must read. I feel the loved and all the emotions in each story.
Each short story focus on different lgbt problem. But my favorite of all is the Luck from the Skies by Katt Briones. It is slow and lovely. It is pure of love. I just feel Chan and Asher's love 💕 ChAsher shipper here. 😂
I'll keep reading romance class books! 💚 Kudos to alk the authors and the editors of this book!
Each short story focus on different lgbt problem. But my favorite of all is the Luck from the Skies by Katt Briones. It is slow and lovely. It is pure of love. I just feel Chan and Asher's love 💕 ChAsher shipper here. 😂
I'll keep reading romance class books! 💚 Kudos to alk the authors and the editors of this book!
January 8, 2019
I had fun reading it! Very light, very sweet. The pacing of, tbh, /most/ of these stories didn’t gel with what I usually want out of short stories but I’ll chalk that up to being a Me Problem. The KPOP concert short story was a standout tho, will be looking for more by that author.
January 22, 2021
Actual rating: 4.5
SO BEAUTIFUL & UNAPOLOGETICALLY QUEER! Need more rep who aren't sidelined or misrepresented AND who gets their HEAs please and thank you :<
Live-tweet here: https://bit.ly/2G5jhi9
SO BEAUTIFUL & UNAPOLOGETICALLY QUEER! Need more rep who aren't sidelined or misrepresented AND who gets their HEAs please and thank you :<
Live-tweet here: https://bit.ly/2G5jhi9
May 17, 2018
Adorable.
January 26, 2019
I really enjoyed this and I would love to check out some of the authors' other works soon :)
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