Once upon a time, a bunch of authors wondered… what would happen if Heart2Heart, the dating and community app responsible for bringing together couples from all over the world, encouraged people to do something they’d never done before?
#NeverHaveIEver is trending on H2H, and fourteen authors who’ve never before appeared in a Heart2Heart anthology (and one who’s never left) have come together to show how funny, hot, and heartwarming it can be when H2H app users challenge themselves to do something outside of their comfort zones–from singing in public, to skinny dipping, to getting their first real kiss–while they manage to fall in love along the way.
As always, all proceeds from this anthology will benefit LGBTQ+ charities to ensure that love in all its incarnations will be celebrated and protected every single day of the year!
Amazon
I love that authors do this every year. The amount of money raised is always jaw dropping. There are a lot of great authors in this one (ok, in all of them), some were new to me, some are favorites of mine and some were ones I’ve been wanting to read. All of them that I read (I missed 2 or 3 just because of time constraints for this review) except for one (side eyes Kate Hawthorne) are complete stories. So jump in, have fun and read some great stories! The stories all have the basis of Never Have I Ever… from the fictional Heart2Heart app.
AM Arthur
Never have I ever…cold called a stranger’s phone number
Roommates, 1 popular extrovert, the other a quiet bookish introvert. Jasper, the extrovert, is always trying to get Charlie to open up, have fun, go to parties, meet people. But he is quite happy in his world. He takes school very seriously and is fine with it. Until he answers the “Never have I ever” with…cold called a stranger’s phone AND when he is at the library the book he is looking at has a card fall out of it. On the card is a drawing of one of the characters from the book as well as a phone number and the words “For a good time call…” and the phone number. Made me giggle because isn’t that what is written on bathroom stalls? Or it was back in the day.
Charlie works up the nerve to do it but gets a voicemail. Skitch, owner of the card, texts him back and they set up a date. Unfortunately that requires his roommate to drive him because it is a bit far.
Ultimately, Charlie ends up getting stood up. More than once. Or did he?
I really liked this story. Out of the norm for this author’s current works yet well written. And maybe I was tired but it took me a minute to figure out who Skitch was before I was like DUH!
Super sweet, enough back story for both guys and a happily ever after.
Kate Hawthorne
Never have I ever…gone on vacation
I felt like this one was a really good never have I ever. Because I know people who have never been on vacation for a variety of reasons. Jermaine grew up with a single mom. Vacation wasn’t even in his vocabulary. And even as a flight attendant, he still kind of has that mindset to not spend money if you don’t have to.
Milo, on the other hand, is basically a professional vacationer. Writing for a travel blog, he goes everywhere and sees everything. His hook is finding a local to both hook up with and to hook him up with the greatest local favorites that a tourist may not know.
Flirting on the flight is all they have. Until Jermaine’s next flight is canceled and he has an unexpected wait in New Orleans. AND Milo pinged him on Grindr. Totally out of Milo’s norm of finding a local, but it was a sacrifice he was willing to make. LOL
Jermaine has a bestie he lives with who is also a lover, but they are not exclusive. At all. In fact, they are both polygamous. But could that polygamy turn into a throuple? YES IT CAN EXCEPT SHE LEFT ME HANGING!
Ok, the story was a really good read. And honestly, ending it where she did is fine. But in a short time I got invested in these guys and I want more!
Giving this anthology the elusive 5 pieces of eye candy! Loved the premise of all of the stories, the mix of types of stories and the great causes that will benefit from sales.
