Back of Book: 

Eli Preston and Xaden Pierce have been working together for a year and still haven’t figured out how to get along.

Eli, a financially struggling Computer Science scholar, has always been unimpressed by Xaden—the happy-go-lucky and flirty football scholar who seems to have everything. Working together is a nightmare, considering they argue every waking second What makes it even more difficult is the fact that Eli’s not actually unimpressed, and that he’s been crushing on Xaden since the day they met.

Xaden has never quite understood why Eli wants nothing to do with him. He’s always thought they could have a wonderful friendship—and more than that, if given the chance.

Closing Time is an MM Contemporary Romance Novella between two part-time baristas who are complete opposites and completely into each other.

Note: This novella is available as a free download via the author's newsletter. Subscribe through the author's website. 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Adult | Contemporary | Romance | Short Story 

Review: 🌟🌟

A M/M short story featuring two college students who work at a coffee shop together.

Eli Preston is a struggling Computer Science student who works their butt off to make rent. Xaden Pierce is a football jock who works at a coffee shop for fun. Despite working together for over a year, these two can't seem to get along. When their bickering finally gets on their boss' last nerve, the two are forced to close the shop together and take inventory. They never could have expected that closing time could be so hot.

This one wasn't the worst, but a fourth of the story is literally spice between two people who claim to hate each other, which isn't my cup of tea. Eli and Xaden's relationship felt weird to me, so it became even more of a red flag when these two decided to have sex at their place of work before even really getting to know one another. Also, Eli helps Xaden cheat on his homework, which feels like a weird way to start truly interacting with one's crush.

The nerd and jock vibes of this story was probably one of the best parts. Especially because it was paired with the grumpy x sunshine vibes. Eli is impatient, rash, and grumpy, whereas Xaden is optimistic, sweet, and outgoing. The two complimented each other well in that regard, but I still felt their relationship was strange.

Overall, "Closing Time" wasn't the worst story in the world, but it wasn't anything to write home about either. It was very spicy for a short story, which wasn't to my liking. It was easy to tell Eli and Xaden apart, which was positive, because sometimes characters really blur together in short stories. This is one I'm definitely unhauling with no regrets, but it could have been worse. 

Back of Book: 

When a grumpy sunshine centaur decides to end it all, it will take a Christmas miracle-plus a bear and a goblin-to save his life.

In a cozy, delightfully absurd world of goblins, centaurs, and ghosts, Hanna Bear must wield her brand-new ghostly powers to pull off a Christmas miracle. Her mission? Save Old Man Withers, the grump of Snowcider Lane. With a mischievous goblin, a freshly baked pie, and a dash of faith at her side, Hanna just might achieve the impossible.

But can she do it before time runs out?

Buy now for a heartwarming story full of holiday magic and spend an evening with a smile and cheer. 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Adult | Short Story | Fantasy 

Review: 🌟🌟

This festive short story combines the messages of "A Christmas Carol" with the absurdness of "Alice in Wonderland" while including fantastical creatures such as those in "Lord of the Rings." 

Old Man Withers is a lonely alcoholic who is ready to end his own life. Hanna Bear is sent by the Big Man upstairs to haunt Snowcider Lane in the hopes of pulling off a Christmas miracle that may just save Old Man Withers and unite the town along the way. 

Izaic Yorks work has really been hit or miss for me. On one hand, he does immersive high fantasy really well. On the other, his work can often feel preachy and long winded. For me, this one fell in the latter category. Christmas stories are hard for me to enjoy anyways, but this one certainly wasn't it for me. 

This story follows a recently deceased bear by the name of Hanna Bear who is sent as a ghost to monitor a suicidal centaur that the town calls Old Man Withers. Hanna Bear nudges a young goblin named Danger into Old Man Withers' path and quietly urges the boy to help the man. 

This story has some good themes about showing kindness to strangers, holding out hope for better times, and making a difference in the lives of others, but it isn't anything special. Hanna Bear is sent by the Big Man (AKA God) to look over Old Man Withers, which adds a Christian fiction element to this short story that seemed a tad out of place. 

Overall, "Does a Snowflake Make a Sound?" is a bizarre Christmas short story that may appeal to fans of "A Christmas Carol" and off the wall fantasy. The messages were good, but that's about the only positive note I have. I fear this one was too preachy for my liking, and the humor just didn't really work for me.  

Back of Book: 

he world is ending in five years, and humanity's solution is a mass exodus to the past. What could go wrong?

Renee's job for Serendipity is simple: she relocates families to the past so they don't die when the asteroid hits Earth in five years. On top of a paycheck, she earns her own time travel slot to escape the end of the world. Everyone wins.

But then Beckham shows up in her office, claiming she sent him from the past to find her. On top of that, he wants her help taking Serendipity down. As much as she likes the idea of sticking it to some of her bosses, she also really likes the idea of being alive after the Earth is destroyed.

But as Beckham spills more secrets about the dangers of time travel, Renee is forced to decide between securing her own happy ending and preserving thousands of others. 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Adult | Short Story | Science Fiction 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟

A short science fiction story that explores the complexity of time travel and just how far humans are willing to go in order to save our species as we know it.

Renee's job is a simple but an important one. In a not-so-distant version of Earth, it is predicted that an asteroid will crash into the planet and kill humanity in only a few short years. Desperate to save the species, a group of elite scientists come together and form Serendipity, a program that is meant to relocate families back in time in the hopes that they can live a happy life albeit in a different time period. Unknowingly, humans are once again doing more harm than help. When a strange man by the name of Beckham returns to Renee and begs her to help him save the world, she can't exactly say no now, can she? And thus, a journey through time to save humanity begins.

I have really enjoyed all of Karyne Norton's short stories that I have consumed in the past, so I was interested in checking out what a sci-fi short story from her would look like. Much like most science fiction writers, Norton found herself unable to ignore the urge to explore the idea of time travel, despite the confusing paradoxes and all the nitpicky details that one must attempt to keep straight when doing so.

I myself am very hit or miss on time travel stories. If they are too confusing, I often lose sight of the point of the story. Unfortunately, this was a bit of the case for this one. I found the beginning concept of this story to be really intriguing, but I soon found myself lost in the overwhelming number of Renees and Ruperts and all the jumping to different time periods. I think Norton did a great job of keeping everything straight and crafted a well-oiled story, I just found myself drifting off from time to time and couldn't find the brain power to keep it all straight.

The end of the world has been explored in many ways over the years, but I don't recall ever reading a book that used time travel as a solution for humanity's survival. Okay, maybe I've seen time travel used to change the ways that humans act in the past, so we are less likely to kill the planet in the future, but I've certainly never seen it used to give refuge to those that need to escape imminent death.

The romance between Renee and Beckham sort of comes out of nowhere, but it also feels rather fated. Renee definitely deserves her own happy ending after being abandoned by the man she thought she loved, so I'm glad that Beckham was able to help her out. I can't say I overly ship them or anything, but their relationship was nice enough for it not to raise any red flags in my brain.

Overall, "The End of Time" is a short science fiction story that explores the complexity of time travel and the literal end of the world. I found it to be a tad confusing as it jumps around in time quite a lot for such a short story, but Norton's writing was still very strong. Renee and Beckham were interesting characters to follow, and it was fun seeing what they valued most tested over the course of this short story. I am super interested in reading Norton's science fiction novel, "The Things We Can Change" when I get my hands on it in the near future!

Audiobook Note: Karyne Norton narrates her own books, which I think is pretty darn cool. She also runs a fantasy podcast, so it's no shocker that she is a guru in the audio world. I personally think that she did an amazing job narrating this story. I was so sold by her performance that I didn't even feel the need to speed it up! I hope to listen to more of her narration in the future, because I truly think she did a great job of bringing all the different types of characters to life. This story featured many different personalities and I feel she nailed them all equally. Overall, I'm very impressed by her work. 

Back of Book: 

From New York Times bestselling author Mary Kay Andrews comes a charming holiday romance about a newly single thirtysomething whose unauthorized vacation rental turns into a hilarious game of hide-and-seek when the new owner unexpectedly shows up.

Tilly Farriday isn’t feeling very jolly this season. Recently divorced and broke, she’s squatting in one of her rental agency’s properties until her new home is ready. The sprinkles on top of the burnt Christmas cookie that is her life? The new owner shows up early, forcing Tilly to hide in the attic to save her job…and what remains of her dignity.

George Holloway is here to sell his granduncle’s house—and to reconsider whether he and his fiancée are right for each other. Amid home repairs, George notices strange noises and missing food, but as much as he gets his rental agent on the phone, Tilly dodges every invitation to meet. He’s sure that someone’s here with him, and it’s certainly not the Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, or Future.

As Tilly and George circle each other, they both wonder where their lives are headed and if, maybe, meeting each other is just the Christmas miracle they need. 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Adult | Short Story | Contemporary | Romance 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟

A holiday short story featuring two acquaintances that get stuck in the same house together over Christmas.

Tilly Farriday was just recently divorced and kicked out of her apartment, so it is no surprise that she isn't feeling very festive this holiday season. With a plan to hide out at a rental property that isn't currently being used, Tilly sets out to quietly enjoy her Christmas with her dog, Smoosh. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned when the property owner shows up unexpectedly with the goal of renovating the building. Now, Tilly must stay hidden or risk being fired from her job at the rental agency and loosing what little she has left.

This was a quirky holiday story that had plenty of charm. It wasn't anything too original or interesting, but it was an entertaining enough holiday short that kept my brain stimulated on a late car ride back home.

The circumstances of this one are pretty bizarre. With no place else to go, Tilly decides to stay in a rental home and then has to avoid the owner, George Holloway, when he shows up. Tilly hides out in the attic for a good portion of this story and is trying to avoid George, which evidently backfires in the long run. I really don't think one could stay hidden like this for very long, but Tilly really only makes it a single day without getting caught, so it was what it was.

The romance in this one is a bit weird. I admit, these two did briefly interact in high school, but I found it odd that George had been crushing so hard on Tilly all these years. I mean, they barely knew each other in high school, so I found it strange that he was stuck on this girl he barely talked to for all these years. Oh well.

This story sort of feels like a snowed in story, even though they both technically could have left at any time. Tilly is avoiding being caught by her work and a few different circumstances keep George from wanting to leave, too. This gave the story a very cozy, wintery feel, even if the Christmas vibes weren't all that high.

Overall, "Holiday Hideaway" was a decent enough short story for the holiday season. It is definitely one of the quirkier Christmas stories I've read with a completely unrealistic premise, but I feel that added to the charm of this one. I can't say that it was anything special, but it wasn't a bad time either. 

​Back of Book: 

She's all coffee and chaos. He's pure chocolate charm. Will a sticky Valentine's disaster whip their hearts into sweet surrender?

On the most love-struck day of the year in rainy Tacoma, disaster-prone barista Joy Blessing is having an epically unromantic Valentine's Day. When a catastrophic run-in with an industrial mixer leaves her trapped in pink cake batter, her knight in a chocolate-stained apron arrives. Enter Mateo Curtis—the heart-stoppingly gorgeous Spanish chocolatier who's been secretly crushing on her for weeks.

From hopeless romantic mess to potential valentine, Joy finds herself wrapped up in a sugar-coated adventure of mysterious chocolate messages, an accidentally stolen phone full of sweet secrets, and butterfly-inducing glances across her café counter. As Cupid's arrows start flying between stolen moments and coffee breaks, Joy's focus on her business degree begins to melt faster than chocolate in summer heat.

With Valentine's Day sprinkling romance in the air, Joy must decide if her perfectly organized life plan has room for a dash of spontaneous love.

Will their blend of coffee beans, chocolate dreams, and secret candy heart messages create the perfect recipe for true love, or will their sweet connection crumble like day-old cookies?

In this deliciously romantic comedy of errors, find out if Joy and the swoon-worthy Mateo can transform their Valentine's Day disaster into a love story straight out of a heart-shaped box of chocolates.  

Book Number: Companion Short Story (Note: This is a short story that is a part of the "Valentine's Sweethearts" series and there are 18 books. I didn't want to take the time to add all these books that I don't care about to my website, but you can find them here: Valentine's Sweethearts. 

Genre: Adult | Short Story | Contemporary | Romance 

Review: 🌟​​

A short story that introduces the reader to many of the characters in the "Valentine's Sweethearts" series.

Joy Blessing is having a disaster of a Valentine's Day. Not only is she alone, but she's found herself stuck in a mixer on more than one occasion. Luckily, Mateo Curtis comes around to rescue her and the two share some interesting Valentine's Day experiences.

Honestly, this story was such a rip-off. I was so confused at the beginning because I thought that Joy owned the coffeehouse, and then it turned out she was just an employee that was left there alone. This story is only the start to Joy and Mateo's romance, which I thought was dumb. If one is going to write a short story about characters from their upcoming series, why not give it a happily ever after? Also, Joy and Mateo's date was completely skipped over, which I also thought was a major L decision.

Overall, "Joy's Coffeehouse Romance" was a horribly written story that left me feeling confused and angry. Nothing made sense in this story, and it literally ends with no resolution. This definitely didn't make me interested in reading the rest of the series. It actually has me wanting to boycott the author completely because it is cruel that they are charging people money to read this!

Back of Book: 

“I was raised with the knowledge my wedding night would involve blood, as all young girls are.”

Varena is set to marry a prince - young, handsome, wealthy. Why, then, does she see a glimpse of something in his eyes that terrifies her?

This short story is perfect for readers who crave gothic romance, morally grey characters, and love across lifetimes. 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Adult | Short Story | Fantasy | Romance | Horror

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

A gothic romantasy short story that truly packs a punch in under twenty pages! 

Varena is about to be joined in a loveless marriage with a prince. Her family couldn't care less about her wellbeing and have warned her that her wedding night will be filled with nothing but pain. When her wedding ceremony takes a bloody turn, Varena is swept up into a life she never could have predicted for herself.

This story may only be nineteen pages long, but it is so impactful! I was intrigued by the monster romance at the start. Then I found myself appreciating the feminist themes. I was shocked to discover that I was bawling by the end! This was so beautifully penned, and I can't believe how much of a punch it packed for such a short story. 

I don't want to give away anything about this one, but I will say that the romance in this one is so tender and beautiful. Varena and Draven are forced to be apart from each other for five-year intervals, but the moments they reunite are splendid. The more time passes, something in their relationship starts to shift and it had me so scared to see where this one was going to go. 

The ending of this story is completely stunning! Once again, I'm going to be very vague here, but I love stories that follow lovers who are intertwined throughout different lifetimes. The final moments were so vulnerable and raw; this story makes me remember why love exists. 

I'll talk a little bit about the feminist elements before I wrap this up. Varena has always been taught that she needs to be a chaste young woman and that her wedding night would be painful and not bear even an ounce of pleasure for her. This is a tad outdated view, but a value and a sentiment that many women still hold close to their hearts. The prince that is to wed Varena only has malevolent intentions towards her, which causes the Demon to appear and protect her. After Varena is saved and moves onto the next part of her existence, she strikes back against the evil people of the world that mean to prey on others. She has no pity to spare and won't back down once she has sensed one's evil intentions. This definitely has "feminine rage" vibes, and I'm totally here for it. 

Overall, "Petals, Pyres, and Promises" is a beautiful short story that completely surprised me. Varena and Draven's story is filled with tender love and the sweetest moments. I wasn't expecting this one to make me bawl like a baby, but I sincerely appreciate how much this one impacted me. This is definitely one I'll reread again and again, because this story is so poignant and is filled with wonderful themes.

Audiobook Note: This one is narrated by Anna Njie and they did a phenomenal job! This emotional story was meant to be heard, and I feel hearing the words aloud really adds to the rollercoaster of emotions of this one. I love Njie's accent and felt that their voice fit that of a demon queen perfectly. They were fierce in a controlled way, which fits Varena's vibe perfectly. If you have the chance to listen to this one audio, I'd definitely recommend it. 

Back of Book: 

From USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author Meghan Quinn comes a festive short romance about old flames and mistaken identities.

After a bad breakup, Nola wants nothing to do with Christmas, especially in her quaint hometown of Bright Harbor, Maine. Infuriatingly charming and cheery, Nola’s surroundings only worsen her sour mood.

To make matters worse, Caleb, the boy who broke her heart years ago, is all grown up and still living in town. While doing her best to avoid him, Nola bumps into the local mailman, who gives her a mysterious letter. And when she finds that the writer is a fellow Scrooge, she can’t help but feel her spirit lifting.

Nola writes back to her new pen pal—who, unbeknownst to Nola, is none other than Caleb. When Caleb gets a response hand delivered by the mailman, he’s intrigued by the mystery sender. A friendly correspondence develops—and quickly turns flirtatious.

Although Nola and Caleb claim they can’t stand each other, they can’t deny the simmering attraction that brought them together in the first place.

Can these nameless pen pals write their own love story—or will they be too caught up with the ghosts of their Christmases past to find a future together? 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Adult | Short Story | Contemporary | Romance 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

A short and sweet holiday second chance romance that is mostly told in an exchange of anonymous letters between two ex-lovers. 

Nola has been dumped one to many times in her life. Last year, she was dumped right before Christmas, and the season now feels dreary rather than merry. In the hopes of fixing up her old family home, Nola returns to Bright Harbor, Maine, the sight of her first—and biggest—heartbreak. Caleb is an older version of the boy who broke her heart all those years ago. Knowing that Nola is back in town, Caleb is doing everything in his power to avoid her. When the two start anonymously writing anti-Christmas letters to one another, the two come to realize that they might just be right for each other, all these years later. 

I actually enjoyed this one way more than I thought I would! Honestly, I feel that a big part of that was the fact that this was a clean romance, which I wasn't expecting but was certainly pleasantly surprised to encounter. Unlike the "Under the Mistletoe" Amazon original story collection that I recently finished, this one was actually a sweet holiday romance that wasn't ninety percent smut. 

I am a huge fan of most second chance romances due to the fact that the couple has an established history with one another before the story even starts. Nola and Caleb were high school sweethearts that literally planned to marry one another, but Caleb didn't want to move to New York with her for college, so their relationship ended up falling apart. I feel like a solid conversation between these two in their youth could have saved their relationship and they could have went long distance for a while, but miscommunication is the main killer of most relationships. Since their relationship fell apart for a pretty simple reason, it wasn't a huge surprise that it only took a little bit of nudging for the two of them to get back together. 

A huge part of this short story is filled with anti-Christmas themed letters between Resting Scrooge Face (Caleb) and Ho Ho No (Nola). These letters were really fun to read, and it was neat seeing Caleb and Nola fall for each other again pen pal style. There is a giant segment of this story where it is exclusively just them writing back and forth to one another, which really made it easy to fly through this one. The anti-Christmas vibe of this story was also pretty great; I'm not overly invested in Christmas, so it was fun reading a holiday romance where both of the main characters weren't super into it either. Seriously, I agree with so many of the points that they stated in their letters to one another. 

Overall, "Resting Scrooge Face" is a fun holiday short story that is one hundred percent clean. I fear that it can be hard to find sweet romances without smut in this day and age, but this story delivered wonderfully. Nola and Caleb had a fantastic second chance romance experience, and it was a cute holiday read. I've heard quite a few people complain that it wasn't overly festive, but I honestly felt that added to the charm. It doesn't take long for me to feel over Christmas every year, so following two characters who also find the season overrated was quite refreshing. The pen pal element of this story was also such a joy. I would recommend this one if you are looking for a quick, clean read with just a hint of holiday vibes. I feel this one would make a great palate cleanser on one's holiday TBR, because it isn't too heavily saturated with Christmas. 

Audiobook Notes: Carly Robbins and Aaron Shedlock are the narrators of this one. Honestly, it took me a bit to get invested in their narrative experience, but I was eventually hooked. My favorite part of having two narrators in this one was when they were reading the back-and-forth letters between Nola and Caleb. It was fun to hear two different voices read these letters to me; it truly felt like a snarky conversation happening between two people who were getting to know each other all over again. 

Back of Book: 

One cabin. One storm. One bed.

Cassie Marks was supposed to spend the weekend alone—just her, a bottle of wine, and no responsibilities. But when a snowstorm traps her in a remote mountain cabin with a broody, broad-shouldered stranger, her peaceful escape turns into a battle of wills... and chemistry.

Logan Brooks doesn’t do small talk, and he definitely doesn’t do sharing. But there’s only one bed, the power’s out, and the temperature’s dropping fast. Keeping his distance is the smart move. He’s never been smart where stubborn women are concerned.

The tension? Icy.

The fire? Cracking.

The heat between them? Unstoppable.

This steamy enemies-to-lovers romance brings forced proximity, a snowed-in storm, and a one-bed situation that will leave you breathless. If you love grumpy-sunshine banter, no-strings heat that turns emotional, and novellas that deliver both spice and heart, Rough & Reckless is for you.

Perfect for fans of short spicy romance reads, high-heat cabin love stories, and Kindle Unlimited novellas with bite. 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Adult | Short Story | Contemporary | Romance | Erotica 

Review: 🌟🌟

An erotic short story that stars two people who double book a cabin and then are trapped inside together during a snowstorm.

Cassie Marks was so excited for her weekend alone. Logan Brookes doesn't like to share. Neither of them is happy when they learn they have double booked the same cabin and are forced to spend time together when a huge snowstorm rolls through and traps them inside.

Honestly, I went into this one with my hopes pretty low. I really just wanted to hear the narrator, Patrick Sean, in action. There's a book that I'm really excited about coming up soon that he is going to be the male narrator for, so I wanted to hear what he sounded like before that project rolled around. More on my thoughts on that in the audiobook note at the end of my review.

This is one of those stories that was written solely as smut and then details were added to give the characters any sort of believability factor. I wish that there would have been more depth to this one, but the story is so short that there is no time for any character growth for either Cassie or Logan.

The one scene where Logan rescues Cassie and then warms her up in a nonsexual way was sweet. That was about the only part of this book that really caught my interest. The rest of it seemed mostly like subpar erotic scenes that were happening to two characters that I knew zilch about.

Overall, I can't say that I'd consider reading something like "Rough & Reckless" ever again. I really need to know the characters and see their chemistry to have any interest in witnessing them having sex on multiple occasions. If you are looking for a short erotic read as a palate cleanser between books this one might be for you, but it definitely wasn't for me.

Audiobook Note: On a positive note, I think Patrick Sean did a great job at narrating this one! He did the steamy scenes with finesse, while also not taking himself too seriously. It was always easy to tell which character was speaking, which was helpful in a story such as this where the reader didn't get much time to learn about the characters. He has a really cool tone of voice, and I believe he will do a great job with the project I'm super excited for. I look forward to listening to his work again! 

Back of Book: 

Roman can't help falling for the girl next door, even though she forgets who he is... every single day. He'll stop at nothing to figure out the cause of her memory loss if it means there's a chance she might fall for him. 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Adult | Short Story | Romance | Fantasy 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Pitched to me as "The Princess Bride" meets "50 First Dates," I couldn't not read this one as soon as I had a bit of time to.

"When There's a Tomorrow" follows a young man named Roman who meets Sienne, the mysterious girl who just moved in next door. . . except he knows that's not true because he's known her for years. Every day, Sienne forgets who Roman is, but that doesn't stop Roman from falling in love with her. As eight years go by, Roman works to discover the mysterious circumstances behind Sienne's memory loss and why she doesn't remember his visits the next day.

This story is a cute tale of perseverance, love, and dedication. Roman knows that Sienne won't remember him the next day, but that doesn't stop him from returning to her side day in and day out. When he comes of age, he even goes to become a physician to learn more about ailments of the brain in order to try to help Sienne. The "50 First Dates" vibes was at the forefront of this one, and I loved the magical twist to the tale (which is why I presume it's pitched as being similar to "The Princess Bride"). I love both of these stories, and I feel that it is fair judgement to compare it to these two, though it leans more into one than the other.

Overall, I thought that "When There's a Tomorrow" is a short and sweet love story that was unique as it was familiar. I enjoyed seeing a fresh spin on a topic that has already been explored before. I also enjoyed the hints of mystery and the fantastical elements at play. It was pretty good for such a short story and once again proves to me that Norton can draw an audience in with a fairly limited number of pages.