Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
This book was exactly what I wanted an adorable book that I could get lost in. I loved reading this book.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Most of these were not good stories. Three of them were told in second person. Why? WHY?
I only hated one of the short stories but some of the others were so great I can’t wait to read more from those authors
This anthology is such an adorable collection of stories. I absolutely loved them all! I found that as each story was nearing the end I hated that the story had to end so quickly because I became so attached to each of the characters that I wanted to know their whole story and not just the beginning.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Some were good, some were mid.
This review originally appeared on Novel Ink (http://novelinkblog.com).
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I’ll admit, after seeing subpar reviews of this anthology from reviewers I trust, I was quite hesitant when I cracked open this book. However, overall, I ended up enjoying these short stories much more than expected! I’ve been pretty disappointed by YA anthologies recently, but Meet Cute definitely surprised me in a good way. My average rating for the stories was 3.5, so I’ve rated the overall anthology 3.5 stars to reflect that (although I rounded up to a 4 stars on Goodreads, because I really did love the stories I enjoyed from this collection).
I appreciated that quite a few stories in this collection featured LGBTQIAP+ rep (although I do reeeeeaaalllly wish there had been some ace rep, considering the premise of the collection), and I also really liked the mix of genres! I was expecting purely contemporary cuteness, but there were quite a few sci-fi/futuristic stories, as well as a bit of fabulism in Dhonielle Clayton’s story. I will say, like all short story collections, this one has its duds… but it also has some definite gems. Many of these, I wouldn’t personally classify as “meet cutes,” and those stories were the ones I tended to like the least. I would have read full-length novels of a couple of these, though! Since it’s hard to talk generally about a short story anthology, let’s get into my thoughts and ratings of the individual stories.
Siege Ettiquette by Katie Cotugno: 1☆ // This collection did not start off on a good note for me. I knew going in that I’m not a fan of Katie Cotugno’s writing, so I didn’t expect to love her story or anything, but seriously? It was kind of a pile of hot garbage. It could not be described as “cute,” or really even as a “meeting,” much less a “meet cute.” The characters had about as much chemistry as two pieces of cardboard, and the second person POV was a weird choice. Ugh. This was by far my least favorite story.
Print Shop by Nina Lacour: 5☆ // In true Nina Lacour fashion, this story turned my quickly-souring feelings on this anthology around. It was an adorable f/f romance aided by social media. The print shop setting was so unique and fun! Love love love.
Hourglass by Ibi Zoboi: 2☆ // This story didn’t do it for me. I enjoyed the commentary on race, and the black and fat representation was much-needed, but what even was that “romance”? The “meet cute” was super anticlimactic and, once again, no chemistry.
Click by Katharine McGee: 4☆ // I really enjoyed this one! It’s total romance trope-y goodness, and it’s set in a near future where an app called Click matches people up with the people most compatible for them (kinda like Tinder of the future). It also made me think, which I didn’t expect!
The Intern by Sara Shepard: 2.5☆ // I didn’t have any issues with this story, but I also can hardly remember anything about it, so take from that what you will. I’ve definitely read/watched stories that use this same premise that are executed better.
Somewhere That’s Green by Meredith Russo: 4☆ // Yaaaaay for trans and lesbian rep! I liked the school musical element to this one, and there were some great discussions on things like anti-trans bathroom legislation. Super cute f/f romance.
The Way We Love Here by Dhonielle Clayton: 3☆ // I think the premise of this story is much better suited to a full-length novel. I love Dhonielle Clayton’s writing, and the fabulist elements were incorporated in an interesting way, but I wanted more. I didn’t get enough closure from just a short story.
Oomph by Emery Lord: 5☆ // MY FAVORITE STORY. But, like, who’s surprised? Emery Lord is my queen. This is the cutest f/f meet cute that takes place in an airport. Plus, it ends with an Avett Brothers reference. GOODBYE WORLD THIS WAS SO GOOD. *cries because I wanna have a meet cute with a cute girl in an airport*
The Dictionary of You and Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout: 4.5☆ // This story was total wish fulfillment for all the bookworms who will pick up this anthology, and I don’t even care. It was cheesy and formulaic as hell, but I ate it up and would read a hundred more stories with this premise.
The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love by Jocelyn Davies: 5☆ // An NYC subway romance! With a girl mathematician as the protagonist! It was adorable and I loved it!
259 Million Miles by Kass Morgan: 4☆ // I reeaaaalllly liked this one. Again, I would love a full-length book based on this story. We got some much-needed representation of a guy protagonist who has social anxiety, and this romance felt totally believable to me. Also, this was definitely the most bittersweet story in the anthology, which I am always a sucker for.
Something Real by Julie Murphy: 4☆ // So cute!! An f/f romance where two girls compete on a reality show to win a date with a famous guy singer, but end up falling for each other instead? Yes, please. More queer stories like this.
Say Everything by Huntley Fitzpatrick: 2☆ // This story was just okay. Again, the second person POV felt like a strange, unnecessary choice, and the premise was waaaaaay too melodramatic for my taste.
The Department of Dead Love by Nicola Yoon: 3☆ // A solid story, but my least favorite of the three futuristic stories in this anthology. Again, this would work better as a full-length book, maybe. The world building was great; I just didn’t feel a ton of chemistry between the main characters.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I’ll admit, after seeing subpar reviews of this anthology from reviewers I trust, I was quite hesitant when I cracked open this book. However, overall, I ended up enjoying these short stories much more than expected! I’ve been pretty disappointed by YA anthologies recently, but Meet Cute definitely surprised me in a good way. My average rating for the stories was 3.5, so I’ve rated the overall anthology 3.5 stars to reflect that (although I rounded up to a 4 stars on Goodreads, because I really did love the stories I enjoyed from this collection).
I appreciated that quite a few stories in this collection featured LGBTQIAP+ rep (although I do reeeeeaaalllly wish there had been some ace rep, considering the premise of the collection), and I also really liked the mix of genres! I was expecting purely contemporary cuteness, but there were quite a few sci-fi/futuristic stories, as well as a bit of fabulism in Dhonielle Clayton’s story. I will say, like all short story collections, this one has its duds… but it also has some definite gems. Many of these, I wouldn’t personally classify as “meet cutes,” and those stories were the ones I tended to like the least. I would have read full-length novels of a couple of these, though! Since it’s hard to talk generally about a short story anthology, let’s get into my thoughts and ratings of the individual stories.
Siege Ettiquette by Katie Cotugno: 1☆ // This collection did not start off on a good note for me. I knew going in that I’m not a fan of Katie Cotugno’s writing, so I didn’t expect to love her story or anything, but seriously? It was kind of a pile of hot garbage. It could not be described as “cute,” or really even as a “meeting,” much less a “meet cute.” The characters had about as much chemistry as two pieces of cardboard, and the second person POV was a weird choice. Ugh. This was by far my least favorite story.
Print Shop by Nina Lacour: 5☆ // In true Nina Lacour fashion, this story turned my quickly-souring feelings on this anthology around. It was an adorable f/f romance aided by social media. The print shop setting was so unique and fun! Love love love.
Hourglass by Ibi Zoboi: 2☆ // This story didn’t do it for me. I enjoyed the commentary on race, and the black and fat representation was much-needed, but what even was that “romance”? The “meet cute” was super anticlimactic and, once again, no chemistry.
Click by Katharine McGee: 4☆ // I really enjoyed this one! It’s total romance trope-y goodness, and it’s set in a near future where an app called Click matches people up with the people most compatible for them (kinda like Tinder of the future). It also made me think, which I didn’t expect!
The Intern by Sara Shepard: 2.5☆ // I didn’t have any issues with this story, but I also can hardly remember anything about it, so take from that what you will. I’ve definitely read/watched stories that use this same premise that are executed better.
Somewhere That’s Green by Meredith Russo: 4☆ // Yaaaaay for trans and lesbian rep! I liked the school musical element to this one, and there were some great discussions on things like anti-trans bathroom legislation. Super cute f/f romance.
The Way We Love Here by Dhonielle Clayton: 3☆ // I think the premise of this story is much better suited to a full-length novel. I love Dhonielle Clayton’s writing, and the fabulist elements were incorporated in an interesting way, but I wanted more. I didn’t get enough closure from just a short story.
Oomph by Emery Lord: 5☆ // MY FAVORITE STORY. But, like, who’s surprised? Emery Lord is my queen. This is the cutest f/f meet cute that takes place in an airport. Plus, it ends with an Avett Brothers reference. GOODBYE WORLD THIS WAS SO GOOD. *cries because I wanna have a meet cute with a cute girl in an airport*
The Dictionary of You and Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout: 4.5☆ // This story was total wish fulfillment for all the bookworms who will pick up this anthology, and I don’t even care. It was cheesy and formulaic as hell, but I ate it up and would read a hundred more stories with this premise.
The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love by Jocelyn Davies: 5☆ // An NYC subway romance! With a girl mathematician as the protagonist! It was adorable and I loved it!
259 Million Miles by Kass Morgan: 4☆ // I reeaaaalllly liked this one. Again, I would love a full-length book based on this story. We got some much-needed representation of a guy protagonist who has social anxiety, and this romance felt totally believable to me. Also, this was definitely the most bittersweet story in the anthology, which I am always a sucker for.
Something Real by Julie Murphy: 4☆ // So cute!! An f/f romance where two girls compete on a reality show to win a date with a famous guy singer, but end up falling for each other instead? Yes, please. More queer stories like this.
Say Everything by Huntley Fitzpatrick: 2☆ // This story was just okay. Again, the second person POV felt like a strange, unnecessary choice, and the premise was waaaaaay too melodramatic for my taste.
The Department of Dead Love by Nicola Yoon: 3☆ // A solid story, but my least favorite of the three futuristic stories in this anthology. Again, this would work better as a full-length book, maybe. The world building was great; I just didn’t feel a ton of chemistry between the main characters.
Overall Average: 3.53
Overall enjoyment: 2.75
Siege etiquette by Katie Cotugno - 2
Really not a fan of second person POV
Characters were kind of boring and not very cute
Found the main character annoying and kind of rude
No chemistry
Print shop by Nina Lacour - 3.5
Love the writing style and the aesthetic of the print shop
Made me really interested to read more nina Lacour
Didn’t have the same interactions between the 2 people as the most romantic thing was looking through a Twitter profile
Hourglass by ibi Zoboi- 2.5
Kind of boring
Didn’t grab my attention in any way
I feel like there is nothing else to say
Click by Katharine McGee - 4.5
Beautiful writing
Love having 2 POVs
Such an interesting concept! - worked really well as a short story
The intern by Sarah Shepard - 4
I liked that the love interest was present throughout the whole story
Really liked their characters
I like how it discussed grief but I also wish it wasn’t back to back with the last on because it was also about grief
Somewhere That’s Green by Meredith Russo - 4.5
Sooo cute
Love Meredith russos writing
Good ending
Would’ve loved to be a full book
The way we love here by Dhonielle clayton - 2.5
Reads very young
Magic system isn’t explained very well at all and left me confused
Good message but just fell flat for me overall
Oomph by Emery Lord - 5
I loved this one so much!
The chemistry, the characters, the writing it was all fantastic
Wish this was a full novel
Definitely want to pick up more of Lords work in the future
The dictionary of you and me by Jennifer L Armentrout - 5
I need a dictionary loving hot boy in my life
So cute
Just made me so super happy when I read it
The unlikely likelihood of falling in love by Jocelyn Davies - 2
Warning: very insta lovey
The whole “love at first sight” thing is just so exaggerated
Just not for me at all
259 Million miles by Kass Morgan - 3
As someone who hates instalove this anthology was probably a terrible idea lol
This was wayyy too instalovey
Didn’t really care about the characters and I found the whole concept not well developed
Felt like it was too complex to tackle in just a short story
Something Real by Julie Murphy - 4
Cute - that’s all I have to say
Say Everything by Huntley Fitzpatrick - 3.5
Started out really not liking this one but grew to like it more
The second person POV was really awkward but I thought the couple was actually really cute and their banter was pretty good
The Department of Dead Love by Nicola Yoon - 3.75
Really good concept and world building
Didn’t feel like there was much time for the relationship since there was so much world building/explanation
Predictable
Better as a sci-fi than a romance??
Overall enjoyment: 2.75
Siege etiquette by Katie Cotugno - 2
Really not a fan of second person POV
Characters were kind of boring and not very cute
Found the main character annoying and kind of rude
No chemistry
Print shop by Nina Lacour - 3.5
Love the writing style and the aesthetic of the print shop
Made me really interested to read more nina Lacour
Didn’t have the same interactions between the 2 people as the most romantic thing was looking through a Twitter profile
Hourglass by ibi Zoboi- 2.5
Kind of boring
Didn’t grab my attention in any way
I feel like there is nothing else to say
Click by Katharine McGee - 4.5
Beautiful writing
Love having 2 POVs
Such an interesting concept! - worked really well as a short story
The intern by Sarah Shepard - 4
I liked that the love interest was present throughout the whole story
Really liked their characters
I like how it discussed grief but I also wish it wasn’t back to back with the last on because it was also about grief
Somewhere That’s Green by Meredith Russo - 4.5
Sooo cute
Love Meredith russos writing
Good ending
Would’ve loved to be a full book
The way we love here by Dhonielle clayton - 2.5
Reads very young
Magic system isn’t explained very well at all and left me confused
Good message but just fell flat for me overall
Oomph by Emery Lord - 5
I loved this one so much!
The chemistry, the characters, the writing it was all fantastic
Wish this was a full novel
Definitely want to pick up more of Lords work in the future
The dictionary of you and me by Jennifer L Armentrout - 5
I need a dictionary loving hot boy in my life
So cute
Just made me so super happy when I read it
The unlikely likelihood of falling in love by Jocelyn Davies - 2
Warning: very insta lovey
The whole “love at first sight” thing is just so exaggerated
Just not for me at all
259 Million miles by Kass Morgan - 3
As someone who hates instalove this anthology was probably a terrible idea lol
This was wayyy too instalovey
Didn’t really care about the characters and I found the whole concept not well developed
Felt like it was too complex to tackle in just a short story
Something Real by Julie Murphy - 4
Cute - that’s all I have to say
Say Everything by Huntley Fitzpatrick - 3.5
Started out really not liking this one but grew to like it more
The second person POV was really awkward but I thought the couple was actually really cute and their banter was pretty good
The Department of Dead Love by Nicola Yoon - 3.75
Really good concept and world building
Didn’t feel like there was much time for the relationship since there was so much world building/explanation
Predictable
Better as a sci-fi than a romance??
For the most part, this book was pretty good. It did, however, remind me why I'm not really the biggest fan of short stories.
I really enjoyed this anthology. I read it on a cruise and it was good poolside reading, and there were lots of wlw stories which was nice.