Lights Camera Cupid“Just Another Day” by L.A. Witt: I loved this quick check-in with our first Bluewater Bay couple, actors Carter and Levi. Levi is his usual cantankerous and loveable self, Carter is still too perfect for words, and I’d be jealous of those cats if I didn’t own three ridiculous Siamese of my own. Also, those guys have to stop breaking social media in the best ways possible. 4 stars

“Nascha” by Amy Lane: I’m not sure I’ve ever laughed AND cried this much during a short story before. This was stunning character creation packed into a short space, with people and their stories that I absolutely adored. Happiness and heartbreak go hand in hand, and I highly recommend this piece to any readers looking for stories about diverse characters (the Valentine’s Day and Bluewater Bay connections are incidental and unnecessary, in the end). 5 stars

“No Easy Way” by S.E. Jake: This was a quick, fulfilling read that was absolutely TOO quick. I wish this had been extended into a full Bluewater Bay novel rather than a novella packed away into a holiday collection. The story was solid, but I wanted a lot more out of the characters than the space allowed. Ultimately, the story felt rushed rather than satisfying. 3 stars

“Helping Hand” by Anne Tenino: Despite the sexy bit in the middle, this was not a romance. Once I figured that out, I enjoyed this story about a young man figuring out how to escape his roots. 3.5 stars

“I’ll Be There” by Z.A. Maxfield: And without any sexy bits at all, this was definitely my favorite story of the collection! Spencer and Nash are fabulous characters, and Maxfield brings secondary characters to life just as beautifully. I laughed out lout multiple times during this story, even as I also felt genuine stress for the situations each got themselves into. 5 stars

Rating: 4 (out of 5) stars. Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.