He's Come Undone: A Romance Anthology
Emma Barry
For him, control is everything...until it shatters, and now he's come undone. "Appasionata" by Emma Barry Piano technician Brennan Connelly lives to control details: the tension on a piano string or the compression of hammer felt. But he's never faced demands like those heaped on him by Kristy Kwong, the diva who's haunted his dreams for two decades. Kristy's got her own secrets--the debilitating stage fright that's kept her from performing publicly for years to start--and this concert is the last chance to save her career. But can he locate her lost passion without losing his precious control? "Unraveled" by Olivia Dade Math teacher Simon Burnham--cool, calm, controlled--can't abide problems with no good solution. Which makes his current work assignment, mentoring art teacher Poppy Wick, nothing short of torture. She's warm but sharp. Chaotic but meticulous. Simultaneously the most frustrating and most alluring woman he's ever known. And in her free time, she makes murder dioramas. Murder dioramas, for heaven's sake. But the more tightly wound a man is, the faster he unravels--and despite his best efforts, he soon finds himself attempting to solve three separate mysteries: a murder in miniature, the unexplained disappearance of a colleague...and the unexpected theft of his cold, cold heart. "Caught Looking" by Adriana Herrera When best friends Yariel and Hatuey's gaming night turns into an unexpected and intense hook up, Hatuey can't wait to do it again. Yariel is less certain--the major leaguer might seem to all the world like he has a heart of stone, but he's been carrying a torch for his friend for years, and worries this will ruin the most important relationship in his life. That means Hatuey has to do all the work, and he's planning to give it all he's got. Yariel may be the one hitting home runs on the field...but Hatuey is playing a game of seduction, and he knows exactly how to make Yariel crumble. "Yes, And..." by Ruby Lang When rheumatologist Darren Zhang accidentally sits in on acting teacher Joan Lacy's improv class, he's unprepared for the attraction that hits him--and he's a man who likes to be prepared. Joan is caring for her ailing mother and barely has time to keep up her art, let alone date. But as the pair play out an unlikely relationship during stolen moments, they both find themselves wanting to say yes, and... much more. "Tommy Cabot Was Here" by Cat Sebastian Massachusetts, 1959: Some people might accuse mathematician Everett Sloane of being stuffy, but really he just prefers things a certain way: predictable, quiet, and far away from Tommy Cabot--his former best friend, chaos incarnate, and the man who broke his heart. The youngest son of a prominent political family, Tommy threw away his future by coming out to his powerful brothers. When he runs into Everett, who fifteen years ago walked away from Tommy without an explanation or a backward glance, his old friend's chilliness is just another reminder of how bad a mess Tommy has made of his life. When Everett realizes that his polite formality is hurting Tommy, he needs to decide whether he can unbend enough to let Tommy get close but without letting himself get hurt the way he was all those years ago.
Publication Year: 2020
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A romance anthology by some of my favourite authors, and 5 stories with all my favourite tropes? SIGN.ME.UP. I requested an ARC because Olivia Dade is slowly becoming one of my favourite writers and I couldn’t pass up a chance to read one of hers but I wasn’t planning to like all stories so much!
While every story in this anthology were phenomenal, Unraveled by Olivia Dade and Caught Looking by Adriana Herrera were personal favourites.
Appassionata by Emma Barry about a wound-up concert pianist and a piano technician was so well done. The breath and cadence of the story felt so intimate and well-crafted, as if every word had been a deliberate choice.
Gosh, I can’t talk enough about Dade’s writing. It’s like personalised catnip for me. After Teach Me, I’ve been waiting on tenterhooks for her next and this bite-sized tale was perfectly timed! I love that she writes older characters who are their own persons and still find ways to change and be with the person they love. Plus, murder-based dioramas!!! What’s not to love?
Caught Looking was such a surprise! I wasn’t expecting to read Yariel’s story after the throwaway reference in American Sweethearts. And it was so intelligently told. Gay-for-you is a tough line to tread, also because it has been done so badly for so long; but by grounding the story in friends-to-lovers and not resorting to the tired trope of - am I sure I’m gay?; Herrera won me over. Can’t wait for her next!!
Ruby Lang writes stories that define comfort reads. Yes, And is a very sweet tale of two who come together, balance each other was very sweet to read. Plus, love just how compassionate Darren was!
Lastly, Tommy Cabot was here. This was unexpectedly heart-rending. Would love to read more of these two!
This anthology is so timely and well-done, I’m going to go back and read this at least a couple more times this year.
**Received an ARC by the authors
0I am so excited for this book. The topic is perfect and the authors are all fantastic.
Update: The anthology is all I ever wanted. I parceled out each story, saving them for when I wanted a treat.
"Appassionata" by Emma Barry
So sexy. I loved being dropped into this world which was so foreign to me.
"Unraveled" by Olivia Dade
Okay, wow. Buttoned up math teacher and and murder-diorama making art teacher butt heads then give into each other. An exercise in tension. Totally delicious.
"Caught Looking" by Adriana Herrera
Best friends sleep together and it changes everything. Yariel knows he can't have Hatuey, though he's loved him forever. Hatuey realizes that Yariel is all he ever needed. Hatuey sets out to convince Yariel is a steamy, emotional story.
"Yes, And..." by Ruby Lang
Darren signed up for Meditation, but accidentally ended up in Joan's Improv class. Joan is caring for her mother with dementia and the Wednesday Improv class is her escape. They can't stop thinking about each other and their Wednesday nights. This story made me laugh and cry in the best way. Just beautiful.
"Tommy Cabot Was Here" by Cat Sebastian
1959 sweet second chance romance, between two men who finally both understand what they mean to each other and what they can be for each other. One is from a Kennedy-esque family, the other teaches at the school where they met. This story is an argyle sweater in a snowstorm.
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