By: Riley Bancroft, Evelyn Berry, Cara Carnes, Jax Garren, Irene Preston, Rebecca Royce, Chandra Ryan
Publisher: Valkyrie Books
Published: May 5, 2015 by
Genre: Contemporary, Anthology, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
Length: Novella, Novel
Heat Level: Spicy
Reviewer: Toni
Date: May 3, 2015
Former rock star Dex Reed throws a wild comeback party in his Austin penthouse, and seven romances heat up the night.
No Quitting Allowed – Rebecca Royce
One last assignment and then Lana is quitting her job, quitting Austin, and moving on with her life. Until Jake stumbles into her and changes the direction of her whole world.
Twisted – Cara Carnes
Caleb "Colt" Douglas agreed to close out Twisted Delirium's sold out world tour with a gig at SXSW for one reason--win back the woman he left behind.
Do Over – Chandra Ryan
When life offers Juliana a fresh start, will she follow her heart or play it safe?
Consortium – Riley Bancroft
Record exec Holt Michaelson married the enigmatic Chloe to keep his assets safe from a vindictive competitor, but after a fiery encounter with his new wife, he's determined to claim her as his own, body and soul.
Tall Order – Irene Preston
Dylan made the worst mistake of his life when he chose his career over Aston, but tonight he'll take a risk on Aston even if it's too late.
Enchanted – Evelyn Berry
Stripped of her magic, fairy princess Aurora is torn between her duty to her imperiled family and to a brilliant musician who holds the key to their freedom...and her heart.
One Night with the Vampire – Jax Garren
Tonight Alex will finally possess the woman he's craved, but Sofia's dangerous family secrets threaten to tear them apart.
No Quitting Allowed – Rebecca Royce
One last assignment and then Lana is quitting her job, quitting Austin, and moving on with her life. Until Jake stumbles into her and changes the direction of her whole world.
Twisted – Cara Carnes
Caleb "Colt" Douglas agreed to close out Twisted Delirium's sold out world tour with a gig at SXSW for one reason--win back the woman he left behind.
Do Over – Chandra Ryan
When life offers Juliana a fresh start, will she follow her heart or play it safe?
Consortium – Riley Bancroft
Record exec Holt Michaelson married the enigmatic Chloe to keep his assets safe from a vindictive competitor, but after a fiery encounter with his new wife, he's determined to claim her as his own, body and soul.
Tall Order – Irene Preston
Dylan made the worst mistake of his life when he chose his career over Aston, but tonight he'll take a risk on Aston even if it's too late.
Enchanted – Evelyn Berry
Stripped of her magic, fairy princess Aurora is torn between her duty to her imperiled family and to a brilliant musician who holds the key to their freedom...and her heart.
One Night with the Vampire – Jax Garren
Tonight Alex will finally possess the woman he's craved, but Sofia's dangerous family secrets threaten to tear them apart.
Welcome to my home town!
I have the hardest time reviewing anthologies or book sets, but I’m happy to say the last two that I have read have been perfect. The new trend of collaborative stories is brilliant and I love how over a half a dozen people can come together, brainstorm, make up “world” rules and then let their imaginations fly.
That is what you get with Romancing Austin. It’s not just a bunch of rock n roll related stories thrown together and distributed to capitalize on the popular Austin event; South by Southwest. You have a well thought out mini world of excellence. You have seven stories that wrap you up, keep you warm, and makes you want to cuddle and stay in for the night.
Each story has the element of different types of love stories. All of them are unique and fresh; with only a handful of them being part of established series.
No Quitting Allowed – is a story about “New Love”. Strangers brought suddenly brought together; one who loves Austin and the other who can’t wait to leave. I loved how Jake was able to capture Lana with is sense of adventure and determination.
Twisted – “Calculated Second Chances” are in the cards for Caleb and Shasta. What a sweet story of forgiveness with a touch of tragedy. While things were pretty set in stone and you can see that nothing has changed for these two; I loved how Ms. Carnes showed Caleb with strength and a bit of insecurity.
Do Over – is what happens when life decides to throw you over a cliff, but you look at the positive side and say “hey what a great view”. Juliana is all about making lemonade with Luke. Both of them are blindsided by “Surprise Love”. Loved it!
Consortium – From business partners to “Surprise Love”. Such a great story of a married couple trying to find common ground when what they thought was agreed upon is not what each of them want. I got tingles a few times.
Tall Order – The other “Second Chances” love story. While it may seem like a duplicate theme, the story had an abundance of heart and depth. I loved the journey these two had to go on to get back together.
Enchanted – tell of the “Magic of Love”. Two completely opposite people seem to keep getting gentle nudges into each other’s arms and I can’t be more pleased. What a different story! One that had me smiling most of the way through.
One Night with the Vampire – and to finish off the exceptional anthology, is the story of “Secret Love”. Oh my. How can the tender heart of a soul filled vampire champion his personal savior against great odds when he has nothing but himself to give…sigh. This story was a totally unexpected treat.
Each story is special and is well blended with the theme of the anthology. I enjoyed every story, but of course I had my favorites. While I really should rate them individually, this book can’t be separated and should be read in its entirety; making it very distinctive in the world of anthologies. I will admit I’m one of those readers that pick and choose stories to read in traditional anthologies, they are usually so vastly different or set deep into the authors other series, they are hard to enjoy. Not the case here. I never felt confused or not totally enthralled within the pages.
These seven ladies did an amazing job and this novel shouldn’t be missed!
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