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marjoriem's review
I was only interested in Sidelined by Ki Stephens, did not read the other stories
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
cinderellaeyes's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
tayloraddison's review
4.0
anthology: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.2
i actually loved this anthology so much and i am so sad that i haven’t read one before! most of these short stories were so good and made me want a full length story to read bc i just loved the couples so much!
Love Made Me Do It by Saffron A Kent
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a single dad x nanny, soccer player, close proximity, insta love short story. For me, the story started a little slow but the build up was great. It kept getting better as the chapters went on for the most part. I enjoyed the characters and the tension was crazy. I also loved the relationship Riot and Meadow have with Sophie as well. Overall, I really enjoyed this read but I felt like it was very long compared to the other stories (some of which I wish were this length). Some of the things that were said were also a little… interesting but I think by the end of the book I ended up enjoying it.
Tempted by Becca Steele
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have never read a book by Becca before. I wasn’t blown away by this story but since I haven’t read any previous works I don’t have anything to compare it to. It was an okay read for me. I was entertained the whole time and I wanted to finish Niccolo and Bennett’s story. I also really enjoyed the tropes for this story as well! It was a soccer player x adult content creator, mm college romance set in the UK. There is also some sexual awakening, first times, size differences, and an insta lust sort of feel.
Sidelined by Ki Stephens
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I always have and always will love anything Ki writes. I was so obsessed with Lila and Callum and I really liked how their story went. I would want this to be made into a full length story so I could read more about them and their friendship/relationship. I really liked the small glimpses of their past and then getting to see Lila and Callum realize that they were both blind to their unknowingly mutual love for each other and realizing that they are each other’s person the whole time. It was such a sweet story and Im pretty sure I was smiling the whole time (with the exception of an occasional face palm when Lila and Callum were being a little slow lol). Sidelined is a college soccer romance between two childhood best friends. It’s second chance, childhood best friends to strangers to lovers, and mutual pining romance.
In the Company of Darkness by Jay McLean
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I haven’t read any books by Jay before but I think I want to start now lol. I really enjoyed this short story and would read it if it was turned into a full length one. I feel like this story was also a lot heavier than the rest as it touched on some sensitive topics. There were a lot of emotions going on but I really liked Harlow and Jace a lot. It’s a basketball romance with boy next door, small town, opposites attract, fake dating (kinda), grief and trauma healing.
Onside Recovery by Maggie Rawdon
⭐️⭐️⭐️.8
I also haven’t read Maggie Rawdon book before so I didn’t know what to expect or what to compare it to really. I liked Gabe and Aurora. Their story was sweet and cozy, kinda like coming home. I do think I would read this if it were a full length just because I would be so interested in their friendship growing up and getting to see how they got to where they were now. Especially with Aurora. It was so sweet that it was always Gabe and Aurora and how Gabe and his daughter were home for Aurora. Their dynamic was like a family even though they weren’t in a relationship (until they were) and you could really see how perfect they were for each other. This one was a friends to lovers, single dad, football romance, with a runaway bride and he falls first.
Call Me Teach by SJ Sylvis
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
AHHH oh my god I was so obsessed with Hannah and Nolan! Their banter was so funny and the tension was so thick. I liked the way their ‘situation’ started and it was so obvious that Nolan and Hannah were going to be more than a situation at the end. The ending was so freaking perfect and I was giggling and kicking my feet the whole time!!! I need this to be a full length novel so baddd. I just love them your honor! Call me Teach is a hockey, roommates/brothers best friend, forbidden romance with some spicy lessons!!
i actually loved this anthology so much and i am so sad that i haven’t read one before! most of these short stories were so good and made me want a full length story to read bc i just loved the couples so much!
Love Made Me Do It by Saffron A Kent
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a single dad x nanny, soccer player, close proximity, insta love short story. For me, the story started a little slow but the build up was great. It kept getting better as the chapters went on for the most part. I enjoyed the characters and the tension was crazy. I also loved the relationship Riot and Meadow have with Sophie as well. Overall, I really enjoyed this read but I felt like it was very long compared to the other stories (some of which I wish were this length). Some of the things that were said were also a little… interesting but I think by the end of the book I ended up enjoying it.
Tempted by Becca Steele
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have never read a book by Becca before. I wasn’t blown away by this story but since I haven’t read any previous works I don’t have anything to compare it to. It was an okay read for me. I was entertained the whole time and I wanted to finish Niccolo and Bennett’s story. I also really enjoyed the tropes for this story as well! It was a soccer player x adult content creator, mm college romance set in the UK. There is also some sexual awakening, first times, size differences, and an insta lust sort of feel.
Sidelined by Ki Stephens
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I always have and always will love anything Ki writes. I was so obsessed with Lila and Callum and I really liked how their story went. I would want this to be made into a full length story so I could read more about them and their friendship/relationship. I really liked the small glimpses of their past and then getting to see Lila and Callum realize that they were both blind to their unknowingly mutual love for each other and realizing that they are each other’s person the whole time. It was such a sweet story and Im pretty sure I was smiling the whole time (with the exception of an occasional face palm when Lila and Callum were being a little slow lol). Sidelined is a college soccer romance between two childhood best friends. It’s second chance, childhood best friends to strangers to lovers, and mutual pining romance.
In the Company of Darkness by Jay McLean
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I haven’t read any books by Jay before but I think I want to start now lol. I really enjoyed this short story and would read it if it was turned into a full length one. I feel like this story was also a lot heavier than the rest as it touched on some sensitive topics. There were a lot of emotions going on but I really liked Harlow and Jace a lot. It’s a basketball romance with boy next door, small town, opposites attract, fake dating (kinda), grief and trauma healing.
Onside Recovery by Maggie Rawdon
⭐️⭐️⭐️.8
I also haven’t read Maggie Rawdon book before so I didn’t know what to expect or what to compare it to really. I liked Gabe and Aurora. Their story was sweet and cozy, kinda like coming home. I do think I would read this if it were a full length just because I would be so interested in their friendship growing up and getting to see how they got to where they were now. Especially with Aurora. It was so sweet that it was always Gabe and Aurora and how Gabe and his daughter were home for Aurora. Their dynamic was like a family even though they weren’t in a relationship (until they were) and you could really see how perfect they were for each other. This one was a friends to lovers, single dad, football romance, with a runaway bride and he falls first.
Call Me Teach by SJ Sylvis
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
AHHH oh my god I was so obsessed with Hannah and Nolan! Their banter was so funny and the tension was so thick. I liked the way their ‘situation’ started and it was so obvious that Nolan and Hannah were going to be more than a situation at the end. The ending was so freaking perfect and I was giggling and kicking my feet the whole time!!! I need this to be a full length novel so baddd. I just love them your honor! Call me Teach is a hockey, roommates/brothers best friend, forbidden romance with some spicy lessons!!
amberisalwaysreading86's review
5.0
This was my most highly anticipated release for this year, because I am a sports romance fanatic.
It did not disappoint!
Each individual story had highlights that are too in numerable to name, but my favorites were Maggie Rawdon’s friends-2-lovers story “Onside Recovery”(we finally see Gabe again after a brief cameo in her other book Pick Six) Gabe and Aurora have danced around each other since college, and even though they have a special friendship and bond, I loved seeing the unexpected and possessive turn their relationship took!
~and ~
Saffron Kent’s “Love Made me Do It”, where we see Riot and Meadow’s sweet and sultry love story. Riot was like a man possessed
It did not disappoint!
Each individual story had highlights that are too in numerable to name, but my favorites were Maggie Rawdon’s friends-2-lovers story “Onside Recovery”(we finally see Gabe again after a brief cameo in her other book Pick Six) Gabe and Aurora have danced around each other since college, and even though they have a special friendship and bond, I loved seeing the unexpected and possessive turn their relationship took!
~and ~
Saffron Kent’s “Love Made me Do It”, where we see Riot and Meadow’s sweet and sultry love story. Riot was like a man possessed
meegzreads's review
3.0
OVERALL RATING - 3 STARS
ARC kindly received for an honest review.
Love Made Me Do It - Saffron Kent
*DNF*
I tried with this one - just had to DNF. I didn't like the way the MC was talking about certain things and I certainly didn't like the way the guy was acting. Just wasn't feeling it so decided to stop.
Tempted - Becca Steele
*4 Stars*
This was a fun and short read about these two guys - it was sexy and fun and low angst which was great. I liked it.
Sidelined - Ki Stephens
*2.5 Stars*
This wasn't bad. A decent enough second chance friends to lovers. I didn't love it, but it was still ok.
In the Company of Darkness - Jay McLean
*3.5 Stars*
I always struggle with short stories and whilst I love Jays work, this one was still just too short and for me that always feels like it’s missing something. I’d definitely be interested in reading a full length book about these two - I think there’d be a lot to uncover about them both - it seems they both have family issues/trauma to deal with and also seems like there are some cool people around them that they could explore friendships with. Most of this I wondered what I was reading but then Jay brought it all together. And as always her writing is easy to read and captures you. Hopefully we see some more of these two in the future.
Onside Recovery - Maggie Rawdon
*2 Stars*
This was a short friends to lovers story - it felt a bit quick and rushed and I'm not sure I liked Aurora. Gin was fun, Gabe was great, but it all felt just kind of ok.
Call Me Teach - SJ Sylvis
*DNF*
Not for me - the guy was way too cocky and it all felt a bit forced so I just decided not to finish this story.
ARC kindly received for an honest review.
Love Made Me Do It - Saffron Kent
*DNF*
I tried with this one - just had to DNF. I didn't like the way the MC was talking about certain things and I certainly didn't like the way the guy was acting. Just wasn't feeling it so decided to stop.
Tempted - Becca Steele
*4 Stars*
This was a fun and short read about these two guys - it was sexy and fun and low angst which was great. I liked it.
Sidelined - Ki Stephens
*2.5 Stars*
This wasn't bad. A decent enough second chance friends to lovers. I didn't love it, but it was still ok.
In the Company of Darkness - Jay McLean
*3.5 Stars*
I always struggle with short stories and whilst I love Jays work, this one was still just too short and for me that always feels like it’s missing something. I’d definitely be interested in reading a full length book about these two - I think there’d be a lot to uncover about them both - it seems they both have family issues/trauma to deal with and also seems like there are some cool people around them that they could explore friendships with. Most of this I wondered what I was reading but then Jay brought it all together. And as always her writing is easy to read and captures you. Hopefully we see some more of these two in the future.
Onside Recovery - Maggie Rawdon
*2 Stars*
This was a short friends to lovers story - it felt a bit quick and rushed and I'm not sure I liked Aurora. Gin was fun, Gabe was great, but it all felt just kind of ok.
Call Me Teach - SJ Sylvis
*DNF*
Not for me - the guy was way too cocky and it all felt a bit forced so I just decided not to finish this story.
rachellynnreadss's review
5.0
I absolutely love when some of my favorite authors get together for an anthology because the goodness just never stops. Every single one of these was a fantastic quick read! You get insight into their writing style, some of my favorite universes and some cute hot short stories. This is a must read!
jenjenbookfan's review
4.0
Hit Me With Your Best Shot is a fun, flirty, and spicy sports romance anthology that features 6 different best-selling authors writing in different sports, age groups, and locations. My unbiased opinions are below.
feralopossum's review
I picked this up because of Maggie Rawdon.
Her story and I think Ki Stephens were okay? Maggie’s was missing that spark I expect in her spicy scenes.
The nanny story was horrid, and I don’t even remember the rest - I just skimmed them out of spite so I could count the pages.
Her story and I think Ki Stephens were okay? Maggie’s was missing that spark I expect in her spicy scenes.
The nanny story was horrid, and I don’t even remember the rest - I just skimmed them out of spite so I could count the pages.
jhassebrook28's review
5.0
I read Call Me Teach by SJ Slyvis and she definitely made this short story count from the start. I was hooked from the very beginning and could not stop reading it! I loved every bit of the story and cannot wait to see what she has coming next!