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A review by thespacejamber
Story of a Kiss Anthology by Taylor Sullivan, Cherry Shephard, Louisa Blackwood, Kate DeHart, Emma Marie Leigh, Brandy Ayers, Jody Pardo, Sha Renée, Kelly Lincoln, Leslie Kung, Polly J. Brown, Kathryn L. James, Jaye Cox
4.0
Take it from an expert: being in a long-distance relationship is rough, especially when it comes to be around Valentine’s Day. That’s why, sometimes, little anthologies like these can really be a godsend when it comes to keeping the swooning going in between visits with my partner. Just like with any anthology, Story of a Kiss is filled with some incredibly adorable stories that make me insert myself and my partner in the main roles, but there definitely are a handful of misses within its pages. Overall, the love isn’t truly lost despite the missteps.
Story of a Kiss features thirteen short stories from up and coming romance writers ranging from sweet, to passionate, to romantic, to overly-dramatic moods. The common thread stringing all of these stories together is the one kiss that changes the course of the main characters’ relationships — often for the better. The majority of these short stories definitely fall within the contemporary side of things, although there are a few that flashback a few decades (or, in the case of one, millennia). No matter what your favorite flavor of romance, there’s bound to be something in this anthology that satisfies your sweet tooth.
The highs of this anthology were actually brilliantly-written and well-rounded. The romance in these particular stories, like in Taylor Sullivan’s Never Regret and Leslie Kung’s At Long Last, develops naturally, never shoehorned in. In some of these stories, I really felt connected to the characters despite knowing I’d only get to experience them for roughly 20 pages. One of the more touching pieces of the anthology, Love in Photographs by Jaye Cox, had me aching for more musically-inspired vignettes within Claire’s life after she recovered from her memory loss. Even stories like Sha Renee’s Forbidden Kisses had me gripped, despite my severe disinterest in almost anything pertaining to the military; it can all be credited to the author’s skill in creating well-rounded characters that make me want to see their happily ever after. Other highlights of this anthology include Wrong Time by Emma Marie Leigh, Brandy Ayers’ Fighting Faith, and Kate DeHart’s Missed Kisses.
However, some of the lows were incredibly low. Thankfully, they found themselves at the end of the anthology, so they can be easily avoided when casually flipping through stories. Jody Pardo’s Left Swipe Chronicles reads like a rejected screenplay for a third Sex and the City movie: vapid, shallow characters; a lack of a real plot line; and a missing emotional spark that makes readers care about the blossoming romance. The same could be said for Cherry Shephard’s Precious, except taking place in a high school setting rather than a corporate office. My eyes perpetually rolled while reading through these two pieces for the pure cheese factor alone. The latter story is less about romance and more about a petty high school rivalry and playing “I have the cute boy now, bitch!” Come on, y’all, how played out is this trope?
Overall, the Story of a Kiss anthology is truly a cute little delight for anyone looking to curl up with a fluffy romance this Valentine’s Day — even if you’re single, taken, long distance, whatever. Definitely do yourself a favor and check out the better pieces of the bunch if you’re looking to feel warmth and coziness melt the ice cold surrounding you in the dead of winter. Maybe they’ll make your heart grow three sizes that day. The beauty of anthology, though, is that you can pick and choose what you want to read as to not kill that fluffy buzz.
Story of a Kiss features thirteen short stories from up and coming romance writers ranging from sweet, to passionate, to romantic, to overly-dramatic moods. The common thread stringing all of these stories together is the one kiss that changes the course of the main characters’ relationships — often for the better. The majority of these short stories definitely fall within the contemporary side of things, although there are a few that flashback a few decades (or, in the case of one, millennia). No matter what your favorite flavor of romance, there’s bound to be something in this anthology that satisfies your sweet tooth.
The highs of this anthology were actually brilliantly-written and well-rounded. The romance in these particular stories, like in Taylor Sullivan’s Never Regret and Leslie Kung’s At Long Last, develops naturally, never shoehorned in. In some of these stories, I really felt connected to the characters despite knowing I’d only get to experience them for roughly 20 pages. One of the more touching pieces of the anthology, Love in Photographs by Jaye Cox, had me aching for more musically-inspired vignettes within Claire’s life after she recovered from her memory loss. Even stories like Sha Renee’s Forbidden Kisses had me gripped, despite my severe disinterest in almost anything pertaining to the military; it can all be credited to the author’s skill in creating well-rounded characters that make me want to see their happily ever after. Other highlights of this anthology include Wrong Time by Emma Marie Leigh, Brandy Ayers’ Fighting Faith, and Kate DeHart’s Missed Kisses.
However, some of the lows were incredibly low. Thankfully, they found themselves at the end of the anthology, so they can be easily avoided when casually flipping through stories. Jody Pardo’s Left Swipe Chronicles reads like a rejected screenplay for a third Sex and the City movie: vapid, shallow characters; a lack of a real plot line; and a missing emotional spark that makes readers care about the blossoming romance. The same could be said for Cherry Shephard’s Precious, except taking place in a high school setting rather than a corporate office. My eyes perpetually rolled while reading through these two pieces for the pure cheese factor alone. The latter story is less about romance and more about a petty high school rivalry and playing “I have the cute boy now, bitch!” Come on, y’all, how played out is this trope?
Overall, the Story of a Kiss anthology is truly a cute little delight for anyone looking to curl up with a fluffy romance this Valentine’s Day — even if you’re single, taken, long distance, whatever. Definitely do yourself a favor and check out the better pieces of the bunch if you’re looking to feel warmth and coziness melt the ice cold surrounding you in the dead of winter. Maybe they’ll make your heart grow three sizes that day. The beauty of anthology, though, is that you can pick and choose what you want to read as to not kill that fluffy buzz.