Eight bestselling and award-winning authors bring you brand new stories celebrating love is love! Featuring:Pinups and Puppies by RL MerrillTell Me More by Meg BonneyWhat If It All Goes Right by Sophia SoamesCriminal Intentions: In Bloom by Cole McCadeSugar Crush by Susan Scott ShelleyWhen Frankie Meets Johnny by Xio AxelrodThe Gentleman Attraction by Connor PetersonJust One Look by Mary Calmes… Connor Peterson
Just One Look by Mary Calmes
With a foreword by Roan Parrish.
All proceeds from the sale of the anthology will be donated to an LGBTQ+ advocacy group.
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An anthology with a great message. Love is love and love is perfect.
I read every book, some were great, some were not to my taste but overall the sum of the parts was a great mix of LGBTQ stories.
1. Pinups and Puppies by RL Merrill. An FF story with puppies Marianne is at a turning point in her life, newly retired from the Air Force when she meets the beautiful Dinah Shaw. I loved the music references in this story.
2. Tell Me More by Meg Bonney. YA MM with a Grease theme.
3. What If It All Goes Right by Sophia Soames. Set in the UK. Characters are Carl, Mila and Pup. This was the best in show for me. Top of the class. I love a MFM book but it must be well written and this is! Definitely looking up more by this author.
4. Criminal Intentions in Bloom by Cole McCade. My reason for reading this anthology because I love everything Cole. He writes with conviction and from the heart. I love Malcolm and Seong Jae but this was about Seong Ja – his sister. It was sweet. If only everyone in the world was like Trai Phan, he’s a hero.
5. Sugar Crush by Susan Scott Shelley. I liked this one. Jack a horror writer and Gabriel a baker. I want all the cake!
6. When Frankie Meets Johnny by Xio Axelrod. Another author that I love. Frankie is a DJ on a small radio station. Johnny is the contractor brought in to revamp the studio. They skirt around each other, I loved the tension between them. Fab little story.
7. The Gentleman Attraction by Connor Peterson. Ooooh this one! Historical MM and dare I say it, paranormal. I don’t tend to like paranormal books but a short story was ok by me. I just had a tiny issue – the first stop from Kings Cross to York is Stevenage not Stevenson. Bite me!
8. Just One Look by Mary Calmes. If you are writing a short romance story, it sort of follows that there has to be an insta love. This is the one. Rick and Daniel. Two souls who look like they shouldn’t be a match but they were meant to be.
All in all it was a thumbs up from me. I discovered a new favourite.
Delightful collection! Some hits a few near hits. There is a combination of couples that span the spectrum of relationships. The authors did good jobs in doing deep dives in couple/thruple relationships and presenting their backstories. I appreciated the inclusion of the Criminal Intentions contribution, nicely done! I’ve not read a FF story before. The author did such a good job, I look forward to more of RL’s works. The young love of Chase/Adam and Marty/Beth was sweet. What if it all goes right: was fun. Pup, Mila and Carl were interesting. I read this with an anxious mind hoping Carl would find his courage. Ms Soames did a good job hitting the right balance to make this story enjoyable. Library worthy!I received an ARC from Booksprout for a review.
I really liked it. It was well written. Sweet little love stories and erotic notions. While some of them hit spots of happiness, others just left me feeling very warm.
I would rate this whole collection 3.75 stars.
This is a charity anthology, so I tend to think of the stories as a thank you for donating money. All anthologies are a mixed bag and people will like different stories than I do, but here are a few of my favorites from this collection. There is a variety of combinations (M/M, F/F, M/M/F, M/F) with bisexual, trans, and ace represented. They are all contemporary except for the one historical, paranormal romance. The foreword by Roan Parrish is quite eloquent.
R.L. Merrill, Pinups and Puppies (F/F, 4 stars)
This is told from the first person POV of Marianne, who is struggling with grief and reintegration after her retirement from the Air Force. She owns a vintage plane and volunteers to transport dogs to help shelters who find them homes. That’s how she meets Dinah, who co-owns the shelter. They both seem to have great support systems filled with family and friends. With great chemistry, their lives and interests slot nicely together, making them a cute couple.
Susan Scott Shelley, Sugar Crush (Bliss Bakery Series) (M/M, 4.5 stars)
Jack, a horror novelist, gets to know a baker named Gabriel when he joins a softball team to help his friend Shane. This has an opposites attract trope with great sexual tension and friends as extended family. It is about fitting into someone’s life and making room for them to fit into yours–giving each other a safe space and carving out shared time, while still having their own interests. Also, not letting fear or the past get in the way of the future.
Xio Axelrod When Frankie Meets Johnny (M/M, 4.25 stars)
DJ meets contractor/teacher in this hurt/comfort tale with an age gap. This story is what you make it. I highly recommend listening to all the songs that he plays for a hell of a good time. If an artist is mentioned, but not a song, pick one that has a title that fits the scene. I would have rated this higher, but I couldn’t tell if this was Johnny’s first time with a man or he was demisexual? There is certainly a misunderstanding I think could have been handled better, but the story is charming.
3.5 stars- A little of everything
Honestly, I started the second Love is All anthology for the Criminal Intentions story, but I love shorts as a way to explore new authors and revisit others I’ve enjoyed in the past. This collection of shorts offers a little of everything regarding LGBTQ pairings and romantic tropes, so it’s definitely worth picking up if you are looking for new authors or enjoy short stories.
Pinups and Puppies (f/f)- 3 stars: This was my first time reading this author, but the story was well written with developed characters. Pinups and Puppies was a cute, sweet story and I liked the idea of exploring a new beginning after a major life/career change.
Tell Me More (YA m/m)- 2.5 stars: This was an okay story that definitely captured the young adult, new love vibe (which admittedly isn’t my favorite).
What If It All Goes Right (polyamory m/m/f)- 4 stars: This marked my first time reading the author but I found the characters and story intriguing and loved the ending Add in some super sexy scenes and I know I’ll be looking for more by the author.
Criminal Intentions: In Bloom (YA trans/asexual)- 4 stars: This was a sweet story exploring young love through the eyes of an ace teen and a trans teen . And because it’s this author, In Bloom has all the imagery that brings the feels.
Sugar Crush (m/m)- 3.5 stars: I enjoyed the writing and plotline in this short, though I ended up getting frustrated as the story progressed because the dreaded failure to communicate was the major source of conflict between these characters. That said, I liked the ending, so I definitely wouldn’t mind reading more from this author.
When Frankie Meets Johnny (GFY m/m)- 4.5 stars: This short boasted well-balanced characters, a good story arc, and a sweet budding romance. I really enjoyed the story and have already looked into this author’s other works.
The Gentleman Attraction (historical paranormal m/m)- 3.5 stars: This short story had an interesting storyline with solid writing. While historical romances aren’t my favorite, I do enjoy paranormal books, so it was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed the characters and will certainly keep an eye out for contemporary releases by the author.
Just One Look (m/m May-December)- 2.5 stars: This was the biggest surprise for me. I loved the start of the story, but the insta-love was a bit too strong and my head was spinning with how quickly the relationship progressed. Honestly, it felt like a rough outline for a really good full-length novel, just lacked the time to develop.
*eARC received via contributing author’s ARC group. None of the authors had any influence over my reviews*
Eight best-selling authors get together to bring us eight new love stories in this box set. Each one is different but you will fall in love with each of them. You will be rooting for them to find the love they all deserve
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
You are going to love the anthology LOVE IS ALL vol. 2 because it delivers Happily ever after every time, but also because it’s an amazing bargain. These are not eight short stories; each and every one is a full Novella and could have been published on its own at full price without a quibble. The calibre of the LGBTQ writers showcased is top-shelf too.
R L Merrill’s Pin-Ups and Puppies is one of the only FF offerings, but it also is about a veteran making it in the world of ‘civvies’, allowing all sides of her personality to unfold.
Tell Me More by Meg Bonney is a visit to the popular high school crush scenario and highlights young men in love learning to communicate.
Sophia Soames addresses the importance of letting yourself be happy in What if It All Goes Right? A unique MMF friendship could be so much more if only their strictly reared third opens his heart.
I am Team Cole McCade; who usually writes very dark tales, but this time it’s In Bloom, a story from the Criminal Intentions arc of trans teen love that is sweet as a shot of agave nectar.
From Susan Scott Shelley’s Bliss Bakery series comes Sugar Crush. An antisocial horror writer learns to be more human in order not to lose the sweet love of a big-hearted baker.
Xio Axelrod’s When Frankie Meets Johnnie is rendered like an oil painting in words, as a construction worker not good with words comes to terms with his attraction to an exotic foreign-born DJ who spells it out in music.
The Gentleman Attraction by Connor Peterson is an ambitious MMF paranormal trans historical experiment, but though it stumbles here and there, IT LIVES!
I found Just One Look by Mary Calmes to be a case of ‘last, but not least’. A Pennsylvania dad who thinks he’s over the hill discovers he’s exactly what a famously hot tv actor needs, and nearly every word is hilarious! Always listen to your grown children, ok?
True love, and such a bargain.
Very enjoyable set of stories. I loved the variety of authors, characters, themes, and relationships. Some touched me more than others, but all were well-written and enchanting.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Love is ALL
Title: Love is ALL: Volume 2
Authors: Xio Axelrod, Meg Bonney, Mary Calmes, Cole McCade, R.L. Merrill, Connor Peterson, Susan Scott Shelley, Sophia Soames
Publisher: Xio Axelrod, LLC
Release Date: 6/11/2019
Genre(s): MM, MFM, FF Romance
Page Count: 569p.
SteaMMy Swordplay: 3/5
Sharonica-Stars: 4
GoodReads AVG: 3.90
This Anthology has something in it for just about every one. It is the perfect addition to any summer read. Historical Romance, some PNR, a High School Romance I personally enjoyed to the max. Ex-military, DJs, bakers, writers, ordinary people finding love on a Tuesday, or Saturday, or Thursday.
Each story beautiful, and unique, because love was all it needed. Yes, they are still ordinary people doing ordinary things, but “Love is ALL,” it took to make it all EXTRA-ORDINARY !
I found a new author I am stoked to read more from too, so yay!
For all of those feels and more, I simply adored this.