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jackiehorne's review
5.0
A fabulous anthology featuring many of my favorite younger generation romance writers. Each story would be a stand-out in any other anthology. It was especially interesting to me to read Cat Sebastian's story, as it is set in 1959, rather than in the Regency period in which all her previous works have been set. Many of the stories are also set in Massachusetts, an added bonus for this New England girl...
readingwithhippos's review against another edition
5.0
When I saw the list of authors contributing to He’s Come Undone, that was pretty much all I needed to know to smash that pre-order button. So many of my favorites all in one place! But THEN I found out it’s an anthology of novellas featuring starchy heroes, and I almost had to bust out the smelling salts to revive myself. Things are so tough right now for so many people, and then this anthology shows up (for $2.99! WHAT) like a beam of light directly from heaven. Do you like a buttoned-up, all-business hero? How about five of them? Well, make some cocoa and get out the snowblower because Christmas done came early.
Each author is at the top of their game here—each novella is fabulous, across the board. One thing I was extra impressed with was how Adriana Herrera and Cat Sebastian managed to convince me of their characters’ shared history. I’m often a tough sell on second chance romance or stories where the characters already have years of history off-page—I often need to see that closeness develop before my eyes to really buy in—but both authors execute the trope perfectly, weaving in scenes from the past organically, with no clunky flashbacks or distracting breaks. If you’ve loved Ruby Lang’s Uptown series with its grown adult characters confronting real life issues while still being delightfully steamy, you’ll be enamored with “Yes, And.” Emma Barry was a new author to me, but I can 1000% vouch for her depiction of anxiety, and I loved all the technical detail about the science and art of piano tuning in “Appassionata.” And finally, the pairing of a darkly whimsical art teacher and an uptight math teacher in Olivia Dade’s “Unraveled” is lovely in an opposites attract kind of way, although as a former teacher myself, I can think of nowhere less sexy to hook up than a classroom. Broom closet at a funeral home? Nope, still sexier than a classroom.
Regardless of where two teachers may or may not have banged it out, this anthology is all the superlatives and you definitely want to read it.
Each author is at the top of their game here—each novella is fabulous, across the board. One thing I was extra impressed with was how Adriana Herrera and Cat Sebastian managed to convince me of their characters’ shared history. I’m often a tough sell on second chance romance or stories where the characters already have years of history off-page—I often need to see that closeness develop before my eyes to really buy in—but both authors execute the trope perfectly, weaving in scenes from the past organically, with no clunky flashbacks or distracting breaks. If you’ve loved Ruby Lang’s Uptown series with its grown adult characters confronting real life issues while still being delightfully steamy, you’ll be enamored with “Yes, And.” Emma Barry was a new author to me, but I can 1000% vouch for her depiction of anxiety, and I loved all the technical detail about the science and art of piano tuning in “Appassionata.” And finally, the pairing of a darkly whimsical art teacher and an uptight math teacher in Olivia Dade’s “Unraveled” is lovely in an opposites attract kind of way, although as a former teacher myself, I can think of nowhere less sexy to hook up than a classroom. Broom closet at a funeral home? Nope, still sexier than a classroom.
Regardless of where two teachers may or may not have banged it out, this anthology is all the superlatives and you definitely want to read it.
scrow1022's review
5.0
All of these are wonderful, each very much in their own way. No knowing which is my favorite (though the Herrera may be the hottest and the Dade the one I felt deepest).
gabymck's review
3.0
I liked all stories, all very talented authors who had a very consistent theme. The reason I don’t give more stars is that I found more than a couple of grammar/spelling mistakes. That took some of my enjoyment away.
storytold's review
3.0
Fun! I'd been hunting around for a romance to read when this got released. I picked it up immediately on name recognition alone, and I'm glad I did. Five novellas, each feeling well developed and complete, with good variety considering the confines of the theme. I did skim one story that wasn't my style, but Ruby Lang's story resonated especially strongly with me, and I'm sure I'll come back to it again. This has become my new go-to first recommendation for anyone new to romance as a good example of what it's capable of.
erickabdz's review
2.0
Lit only by a dim lamp behind them, he could have been the boy Everett had loved.
This was my last 2020 read and, just like 2020, it was disappointing. I'm very sorry for this because I was excited about reading a romance anthology that featured middle-aged people instead of young adults, but sadly it was the only good thing I could rescue of many of the short stories.
It was mostly my fault, I think. The topic for this anthology is something very specific and easily turned into a pet-peeve of mine: snowflake people bringing joy to stoic people. I just... expected something with more nuance but it was basically it and definitely not something I could make myself enjoy. Maybe because I'm quite a serious person and can't stand the idea of people thinking this is something they have to cure with their "warmth". Also, these stoic men had often the only the purpose of understanding the bright protagonist and bringing some order / showing them that their chaos was something lovely. There was also of love(lust?)-at-first-sight thing and it's a trope that's just not for me.
Spoiler
^ would be the three m/f stories. I did enjoy much better Yes, And... though, maybe because the male protagonist at least had some distinct personality. I liked the subplot of Unraveled, because I had never heard about dioramas and it was interesting to read about but that's about it. Caught Looking was just... a fully mess for me, and just as in Unraveled they were lusting after each other 24/7 and I was so tired of it...The only short story I really liked was Tommy Cabot Was Here by Cat Sebastian which is, unsurprisingly, the reason I actually bought the book in the first place. I expected something sweet and it was BUT while breaking my heart. It was such a nostalgic, yearning love story and I think Cat Sebastian really made something more out of the topic.
In general, I'd not recommend this anthology but it sure is a book to help to pass time.
cleo_reads's review
4.0
I read 2 out of the 5 stories - the 2 queer ones.
The Cat Sebastian was worth the price of the whole anthology.
Friends to lovers / 2nd chance romance set in 1959 in an elite New England boarding school. It’s kind of like if the boys in A Separate Peace had acted on all of that UST and it had ended badly and then they reunited 15 years later as adults - with one of them a teacher at the school and the other the father of one of his students. So, so good!
I didn’t like the Adriana Herrera as much - too much posturing for my taste. Once the h/h admitted they liked each other, I enjoyed it more.
The Cat Sebastian was worth the price of the whole anthology.
Friends to lovers / 2nd chance romance set in 1959 in an elite New England boarding school. It’s kind of like if the boys in A Separate Peace had acted on all of that UST and it had ended badly and then they reunited 15 years later as adults - with one of them a teacher at the school and the other the father of one of his students. So, so good!
I didn’t like the Adriana Herrera as much - too much posturing for my taste. Once the h/h admitted they liked each other, I enjoyed it more.
araleith's review
2.0
I wanted to love this anthology because I love so many of the authors in it, but for some reason most of the stories just set my teeth on edge and made me so irritated.
sm_almon's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this anthology - the standout for me was the first story, "Appasionata", by Emma Barry, which I'd give five stars to on its own. I also particularly liked "Unraveled" by Olivia Dade. But every story in this anthology was really good.