Meet Cute - according to the Urban Dictionary this a scenario in which two individuals are brought together in some unlikely, zany, destined-to-fall-in-love-and-be-together-forever sort of way. Apparently, also according to Urban Dictionary, the most unusual circumstances make for the best stories and relationships. This term was fairly new to me when I started reading this anthology, but the concept of finding love in an unexpected place it not anything new. It's something that has been happening in literature and film since the dawn of their existence. Finding love is equal parts terrifying, exhilarating, and passionate. There is nothing more enchanting than that first glimpse at someone who is destined to hold a piece of your heart. Young love, however, doesn't always run a smooth course and can often be bittersweet. We've all had our hearts broken at some point and hopefully we've all had them mended as well. Fourteen YA authors have joined forces to bring a diverse cast of characters to life to allow readers to see the moment when the Meet Cute occurs. Some of the couples have staying power while others seem to linger only in the short expanse of these pages like smoke that is dissipating into the night sky. There is truly something for every reader in this collection no matter your genre preference.  "Whether or not you believe in fate, luck, or love at first sight, every romance has to start somewhere" (Kindle Location 3340).

Story #1: "Siege Etiquette" by Katie Cotugno
Rating = 4
Contemporary

I will read anything Cotugno writes, so I was excited to see her in another anthology so soon after finishing Three Sides of a Heart, another YA anthology focusing on love triangles that had a short piece of Cotugno's. This story doesn't have a love triangle, but it wasn't a lot darker than I was expecting. The story focuses on Wolf and Hailey, two polar opposites in virtually every way, that find themselves stuck together in a bathroom during a party. The police are in the process of breaking the festivities up and teens have tried to hide in order to avoid their parents' wrath and possible consequences. As Wolf and Hailey hope they will avoid trouble, they find themselves in conversation and learn that what they always thought about one another is only partially true.

Every autumn you forget about him and every January he shows up at school again, blinking and dazed, like he's spent the last six months wandering dumbly in a cornfield. You've never seen him at a party before in your life. 
~ Kindle Location 38-42

Story #2: "Print Shop" by Nina LaCour
Rating = 4
Contemporary

Evie is starting a new part time job at a print shop in her California town. Rather than using the new methods to make prints, her job is in a business that prides itself on doing things the old fashioned way. The work is exquisite but time consuming which Evie will soon learn when setting up the new Twitter account for the shop will come with a tenacious disgruntled customer. Evie wishes that she could hand things off to Neve, the full time employee, but a prenatal appointment has the mother to be out of the shop and Evie is left to her own devices to try to set things right. Along the way, Evie may just find that the customer is the girl of her dreams.

When I wasn't sure of myself, those writers were sure of me.
~ Kindle Location 308

Story #3: "Hourglass" by Ibi Zoboi
Rating = 5
Contemporary

Ibi Zoboi's debut, American Street, was one of my favorite reads in 2017, so I was thrilled to see that she was a contributing author in this collection. She delivers another courages heroine - this time in the form of Precious, a girl living in a town where she comes from one of the few black families in residence. As such, Precious doesn't have a lot of friends within her culture, and her best friend, Stacy, is a popular white girl who spends her time buying expensive clothes and posting pictures of herself on social media. Precious doesn't see anything wrong with Stacy's choice of hobbies, but it's hard to have those things in common when you're taller than most of the boys in your grade and your figure is fuller than a matchstick. To make matters worse, Stacy's ex is responsible for a racist meme featuring Precious that sweeps through the halls of their high school life wildfire. Precious must decide how to handle the dwindling days of high school and make a choice about how to move forward into the next phase of her life. Her perspective shifts when she encounters a family with roots in Senegal who seem to understand her better than Stacy ever could. 

This story not only touches on racism, but also bullying that is too common of an occurrence in high schools across our country.

This story was one of my favorites in the collection.

I quickly check my email for any news from Superman, or Hampton, or even Florida A&M. They all waitlisted me. And they are miles and miles away from here - Virginia, Georgia, and Florida. They're historically black colleges that are nothing like my small, white town where my family is one of fourteen black families, and we stand out like four giant oak trees in a forest of shrubs.
~ Kindle Location 583

Story #4: "Click" by Katharine McGee
Rating = 5
Science Fiction

This was my first experience reading Katharine McGee, but I found that I loved the characters in this one and the writing style instantly pulled me in. As such, I'll certainly be checking out other works by this author.

This story was difficult to pin a genre on as it has elements of a contemporary, but is set slightly in the future and deals with some technology elements that gave it a futuristic air. It's not truly science fiction, but I couldn't think of a better option.

There are two main characters who drive the narration in this tale. Alexa is a college student who is still reeling from the unexpected death of her little sister, Claire, who was also her best friend. She has thrown herself into her work in computer science to create a program she feels would honor Claire's memory. As her grades drop as she shirks off academic responsibilities to work on her program, Alexa realizes that she needs to live life a little and it wouldn't hurt to do some research on a new program, Click, that uses a similar algorithm to match people romantically. By pulling data from a variety of sources, Click promises that it can link you with someone who is 99% compatible with you. Alexa has to see if it truly works for herself, so she agrees to meet a Click date.

The other main character, Raden, has also signed up for the Click service and meets Alexa. He's not expecting someone like her, but soon learns that sometimes the heart wants what it wants, logic and "type" be damned. Besides, technology never lies, right? The pair are off on one of the most unorthodox (and memorable) dates in the history of YA literature.

This was one of my favorite stories in the collection.

The first snow. That had always been Claire's favorite day of the year. It's when the world feels full of magic, when anything seems possible, Claire used to say, with an infectious smile. Then she would drag Alexa outside to twirl in the snow, before coming back in to make cocoa with dollops of whipped cream.
~ Kindle Location 751

Story #5: "The Intern" by Sara Shepard
Rating = 4
Contemporary

Clara is an intern at her father's music label against her better judgment. After her mother's death, nothing seems to work right anymore, and her father forces the position on her in an attempt to help her begin the healing process. Everyone at work keeps her at an arm's length because they don't want anything getting back to her father. Clara isn't a spy and she's not even a fan of the music produced by the label, but she can't very well make this announcement to her co-workers. Instead, she jumps at the chance to get out of the office when an opportunity arises to show Phineas Cleary, a popular singer around New York City and escort him to a psychic reading.

No matter how much any one of us wanted to play God, no matter how much we wished it were possible, the world wasn't supposed to be in the hands of just one person.
~ Kindle Location 1000

Story #6: "Somewhere That's Green" by Meredith Russo
Rating = 3.5
Contemporary

Nia, a transgender student, is engaged in a battle with her high school over allowing her to use the restroom of her identified gender. Her town located on the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee isn't exactly the most open minded of places, but Nia still hopes that somehow she will get treated fairly. A conservative family in town is fighting back against the school board's decision concerning the restrooms by having their daughter, Lexie, a classmate of Nia's, go on record as saying she's uncomfortable with the thought of sharing a restroom or locker room with Nia as she feels its a Pandora's Box. As the media circus swirls around both sides, the girls try to avoid one another, but when they are both cast in the school's upcoming production of Little Shop of Horrors, they will have to learn to get along. A cast party on a rural farm forces the girls to confront their feelings and learn to see one another in a different light.

For me, this story is a timely piece, but I had trouble connecting with Nia and Lexie. I felt for each girl as they struggled to come to terms with things, but I didn't particularly like them as people. I did love Nia's Dad. Every child needs a parent like that in their corner.

She was almost certain she had some kind of anxiety disorder, which would probably explain the constant jitters, the jumpiness, and the nauseous panic attacks, but her parents didn't believe in psychiatry or secular therapy, so she couldn't do much about it except try to breathe.
~ Kinde Location 1217

Story #7: "The Way We Love Here" by Dhonielle Clayton
Rating = 5
Fantasy

Viola (aka Vio) has grown up on the Isle of Meridien, where the Gods have predetermined the identity of each youth's beloved. Children of the island are born with tattooed rings around their finger that fade over time as they get closer to the moment when they will meet their soulmate. Vio isn't sure she believes in all of the old tales and she longs to see what's beyond the horizon of her island, but her mother warns her that nothing exists outside of the boundaries of the island except a death delivered by the sea. Vio refuses to believe that nothing else exists in the world. One evening while she is on the beach hoping to find some divine intervention, a boy washes up half drowned on the shore. Vio pumps the sea water from his lungs hoping to meet someone from another land, but it turns out to be a young man, Sebastien, from the other side of the Isle of Meridien. Sebastien says he was trying to see his beloved under the waves as an old legend instructed, but things had gone badly wrong for him. The pair decide to try another legend, ensnaring, to see if they might get a glimpse into their futures. What they find are several possible paths, but which one will ultimately guide Vio's heart?

This one was yet another favorite from this collection. I was fascinated by the lore of the Isle of Meridien. I would love to see this expanded into a larger work.

Momma said people are like streams, and when you meet your beloved, you become a single river flowing in one direction; currents, waves, ripples, indistinguishable from one another.
~ Kindle Location 1474

Story #8: "Oomph" by Emery Lord
Rating = 5
Contemporary

Cass comes from an overprotective home, but she has spent her Spring Break in the wilds of New York City all on her own learning to navigate the fast paced world that will become hers in the fall when she joins the freshman class at NYU. As a talented actress, Cass knows that there is no better place to attend college than the big apple, but she also worries that she isn't good enough to compete with the vast amount of talent that is sure to be present at NYU. As she lingers at JFK airport waiting to get home to Indianapolis after a weather delay, she fields frantic texts and calls from her Dad about the weather and status of her flights. Everything in her world shifts though the moment she lays eyes on Johanna. The pair spend their time waiting for flights in deep conversation which has Cass rethinking all of her doubts about college life and the big city.

This was another personal favorite.

"I think... I think all we can really do is chase the oomph."
I lean forward, thinking I've misheard. "The oomph?"
Man, she's pretty. Pale lashes fluttering as she thinks. "Yeah, that thing you feel when you're right where you're supposed to be. That... steeled feeling."
~ Kindle Location 1825

Story #9: "The Dictionary of You and Me" by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Rating = 5
Contemporary

Any story set in a library is a win for me, but this story in particular has a special place in my mind. It is impossible to read this one without getting warm fuzzies. The main character, Moss, works at a library in her small town of Waverly Hollow. I kept envisioning a Rory Gilmore sort of girl in a Stars Hollow sort of town while reading. Moss is charged with the responsibility of trying to get overdue materials returned to the library. For months, she has been trying to track down a dictionary which has not been returned. Every evening she finds herself on duty at the library, she calls the elusive owner of the library card in question to request the return of the dictionary and every night she finds herself lost in conversation with a guy who makes her heart zing. Could the voice on the other end of the phone be her soulmate?

I loved this one hard. The addition of the Christmas time frame makes it one I want to reread next December.

Things like this only happened in Hallmark movies, the kind that made Libby cry like she was an angry, unfed baby. They didn't happen in real life, but this was happening. I wasn't dreaming.
~ Kindle Location 2036

Story #10: "The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love" by Jocelyn Davies
Rating = 4
Contemporary

Sam is one of those girls who adores statistics. While I couldn't relate to her on that level as I hated math as a student, she thrives on data and numbers. The logic and rules behind math help keep her grounded in a chaotic world. Her family of creative types doesn't understand her love of stats, but they are more intrigued when she discusses a project for her AP Statistics class that she has designed to track the probability that she will run into a cute guy on the subway. Her train is heading into Manhattan while his is going to Brooklyn. In a city as large as NYC, it's impossible that their paths will cross again, but maybe if Sam does her math right, the impossible will have a probable chance of reoccurring. Is it truly statistics or fate that will determine if Sam finally gets to make the acquaintance of the cute guy on the opposite train?

And then, something happened that changed my life. Something that never would have happened if the constellation of minuscule events in my life hadn't aligned perfectly to deliver me to this exact moment.
~ Kindle Location 2089

Story #11: "259 Million Miles" by Kass Morgan
Rating = 3.5
Science Fiction

A program is being launched to send gifted teens to Mars to begin a new colony. Philip is hoping for a spot on the next launch as staying on Earth and living with the embarrassment of his internet infamy is more than a teen boy can bear. He's in the final phases of the selection process and has to be in a mission simulation for twenty four hours with another potential selection who turns out to be none other than Blythe, a well known teen inventor who seeks to help Earth clean up its environmental mistakes. The twenty four hours will teach them both about their strengths and weaknesses.

While I felt sorry for Philip due to the bullying, I wasn't a big fan of his personality. I also just didn't sink into this story as easily as some of the others despite the intriguing premise.

I meet with a different psychologist this time. James. He's a cheerful youngish guy with dreadlocks, wearing a tie and the kind of immaculately pressed shirt I'm pretty sure you only get from having a team of house elves dress you every morning.
~ Kindle Location 2394

Story #12: "Something Real" by Julie Murphy
Rating = 4
Contemporary

Reality TV rears its overproduced head in this fun tale about June and Martha, two girls chosen to compete on a show called A Date Come True to land a date with famous musician, Dylan. June runs Dylan's official fan club and while she's confident in herself in most ways, she realizes that a superstar probably won't appreciate her curves. Martha is competing to find closure after her sister's death. Both girls have a vision for how the experience will unfold, but as they see the fakeness of the show and experience what Dylan is truly like, they decide that maybe winning a date with a celebrity isn't as great as it sounds after all. This story had me cracking up. I'm not sure I'll ever look at chicken nuggets the same way again.

I guess you can call me a glutton for punishment, or you can just refer to me by my official title: June Smith, President and Founder of the Official Dylan Fan Club International. Yeah, I've got it bad.
~ Kindle Location 2644

Story #13: "Say Everything"
Rating = 4
Contemporary

Emma is a waitress at a local diner where she is constantly forced to serve the lacrosse team from a nearby posh private school. Emma can't help starring at the perfect happy faces shining with money, success, and future possibilities. She used to have the same look about her when her family was rich and lived by the sea, but things haven't been that good in a long time. Making ends meet is now the family motto and Emma makes due with public school and her tips, but she can't help thinking about how easy life used to be. One of the guys catches her eye each time he comes in and orders nothing but iced tea while his friends make a nuisance of themselves, order tons of food, leave a huge mess, and rarely tip well. The guy, Sean, ends up asking Emma on a date and she finds that he knows more about who she used to be than she could have ever imagined. Emma's past and present collide in a heartbreakingly sweet turn of events.

"It's the book of lost opportunities," Sean says.
You nod. "I thought it would help me remember to do stuff differently - if I got the chance."
~ Kindle Location 3067

Story #14: "The Department of Dead Love" by Nicola Yoon
Rating = 3.5
Fantasy

In Thomas Marks' world, there is an entity that exists called the Department of Dead Love. There are various divisions within this department, but as a teen, Thomas frequents the building that focuses on young love as it's often the most volatile and brutal to the heart. Thomas was dating his best friend since childhood, Samantha, but after a few months in a relationship that was more than plutonic, Samantha called things off with little explanation. She wanted to remain friends, but Thomas' battered heart couldn't handle that, so he headed to the Department to find answers. His quest landed him in the division that handles relationship autopsies to address the cause of the break and depending on the circumstances can lead to a "do over". Thomas is desperately clutching to the last shred of hope that he will be granted a "do over" with Samantha. He doesn't bargain on the young intern in charge of his relationship autopsy, but there is something compelling about her that just might make him leave Samantha in the past.

While I loved the creativity and world building in this piece, Thomas frustrated me with his whiny behavior. 

Most people agree that Young Love is the prettiest of all the buildings. It's the tentative green of a new leaf and shaped like a single blade of grass.
~ Kindle Location 3100

One Last Gripe: Personally, I wish there had been a few more fantasy stories or a historical fiction piece in the collection.

Favorite Thing About This Book: The diversity of the characters and romances

First Sentence: You're getting another beer in the kitchen and watching two badly dressed sophomores try not to be too obvious about the fact that they're staring at you, when the cops show up outside Madison Campbell's house.

Favorite Character: Moss from "The Dictionary of You and Me" by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Least Favorite Character: Thomas from "The Department of Dead Love" by Nicola Yoon

I loved this anthology. It was so cute and fun, and honestly just adorable. I'm usually not sure how to review anthologies, but I think I can honestly say there was not a story in here that I didn't like. I enjoyed all of them.

I absolutely loved the diversity and representation. All different couples were included. The stories were short, but sweet. Exactly as the title says - a meet cute. The stories ranged all sorts of different topics, and a lot of them left me yearning for more.

My top favorites, if I had to choose, would be:
Click by Katharine McGee
The Dictionary of You and Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout
The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love by Jocelyn Davies
The Department of Dead Love by Nicola Yoon

If you are looking for something short and sweet, this is perfect

All your favorite young adult authors in one book. I enjoyed most of the short stories.

Meet Cute is a short story anthology about cute first encounters that turn into romance. There were many different YA authors that I heard or read from.

I tend to steer away from anthologies, because short stories are hit or miss for me. I was surprised to have really enjoyed this one. There were several stories I gave five stars to!

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys contemporary YA romance.

This had such high points and low points, which is exactly how I feel after every single anthology I read. I think the concept of this whole collection was nice, but I would have liked a couple more stories from male perspectives - and a m/m story perhaps? Don't get me wrong, I loved how many f/f stories were in this, but I think it could have benefited from some other narrators. But let's get into my specific feelings on all 14 stories.

Breakdown of the stories:
Siege Etiquette by Katie Cotugno - 2/5
A very odd way to start the collection. I think the second person was a bit strange, but I adjusted. However, there was a very cavalier use of cheating that definitely didn't endear me to the characters.

Print Shop by Nina LaCour - 3.5/5
I will always adore Nina's writing. This had a very cute, romance vibe, which is exactly what I was looking for in this collection. It was nice to see a super rom com set up for two girls falling in love (in this instance, falling for each other over Twitter in the midst of customer service frustrations). The POV shift was a bit strange, but still an overall solid story.

Hourglass by Ibi Zoboi - 3/5
I thought this did a great job of tackling issues like body image, coming from a poor family, and college prep, but I felt like the best friend relationship was very lackluster in how it was dealt with. Also, the meet cute itself left me wanting more.

Click by Katharine McGee - 4/5
Such a cute story. I may have been in a particular mood for reading this, considering I had just barely watched the "Don't Hang the DJ" episode of <i>Black Mirror</i>, but I felt like the dating app aspect worked perfectly. Also, a big fan of the split POV. It definitely helped me to know BOTH of the characters more, and to feel more invested in their meet cute.

The Intern by Sara Shepard - 3/5
This was cute, but overall just rushed. I felt like none of the emotional punches were really earned, because I didn't get enough of a chance to know the characters and be impacted by the things they had gone through. The relationship also felt very rushed. 

Somewhere That's Green by Meredith Russo - 4/5
I loved this story, and I love Meredith Russo. This was f/f, and it was also split POV. One of the POV characters was a trans girl, and the other was a closeted lesbian, and they both wind up being cast in their high school production of <i>Little Shop of Horrors</i>. This tackles some huge stuff, especially transphobia, but I thought it did it all beautifully and also managed to fit in a wonderful meet cute. It's possible I was even more charmed by this considering my sister is currently in her school's production of <i>Little Shop</i>, but it is what it is.

The Way We Love Here by Dhonielle Clayton - 4/5
This has a really magical vibe and I enjoyed that aspect. I think there is a huge amount of skill involved in worldbuilding within a short story, which Dhonielle absolutely pulled off. This covers years and years of a relationship, and it doesn't feel rushed or forced in any way, which is so impressive. 

Oomph by Emery Lord - 5/5
CLEARLY my favorite of the entire collection. This was perfect in every way. Give me a full novel about these two amazing girls meeting in an airport and falling for each other, seriously. I have never read anything by Emery Lord before, but I will definitely be checking out more of her books after reading this. 

The Dictionary of You and Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout - 2/5
I think my overall review of this was that I just didn't care? I didn't care about the characters, the story, the stakes, etc. I spent most of the time rolling my eyes. It was a stumbling block in the middle of a really solid run of stories and I just didn't care for it.

The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love by Jocelyn Davies - 3.5/5
This was absolutely ridiculous, but I was still super charmed by it. I mean the concept - seeing someone on the subway and falling instantly in love, then using an AP statistics assignment to track them down again - is absurd, but I loved the way it was written. I don't know how this one got me, but it did.

259 Million Miles by Kass Morgan - 2/5
This was the first story to have a solely male POV, and I really wish it had been stronger. I think this tried to tackle way too much in a limited amount of space, and the love interest was laughably one-dimensional. Also, with how this ended, I don't know if I would really consider this a meet cute?

Something Real by Julie Murphy - 3.5/5
I'm giving out huge points to a great concept right here. I mean, it was solid. I thought it tried a little too hard with the emotional stuff near the beginning, but by the end I was grinning ear to ear.

Say Everything by Huntley Fitzpatrick - 2/5
I read this earlier today and I've already forgotten what it was even about... Yikes, let me go look back at it. Ah, yes. Ok, this one tried to tackle like a hundred deep, emotional issues, and I don't think it really managed any of them well. It was a really bizarre concept that I don't really think worked. And, apparently, it's a bit forgettable.

The Department of Dead Love by Nicola Yoon - 3/5
I thought the worldbuilding of this was absolutely incredible. If you want to know what it takes to build a totally new world in the space of a short story, I recommend checking this out. However, I think the relationship itself was a little weak. This is the only other story with a solely male POV, but I just wasn't very invested in him or the new relationship that was happening.

And that's it, those are my thoughts on <i>Meet Cute</i>. If you like anthologies, I think this is a pretty solid, standard YA anthology, but expect the highs with the lows. My favorite aspect of this book was the diversity, and the sheer number of f/f stories. It was really appreciated, especially in an anthology like this where it was just cute and romantic and simple. Ladies falling in love don't usually get that sort of story in mainstream YA, and I loved how many got the chance to in this collection.

I picked this up for a few specific names, but I stayed for most of the others. There are so many short, sweet stories packed within this fairly short collection that I was surprised.

This is a short story collection featuring many very popular YA authors and obviously there were some stories I didn't really like (the first one and the ones by Jennifer L Armentrout, Huntley Fitzpatrick and Katie Cotugno to be exact) and my favourites were the one by Julie Murphy (I love this woman now) and Nicola Yoon (who I am excited to read more from) as well as a super unexpected favourite: Jocelyn Davie!
I would definitely recommend this if you are into cute stories
3.75/5 stars

3.5 actually!

Very cute. My favorites were the first one (Siege Etiquette by Katie Cougno) and the Jennifer L Armentrout one (The dictionary of you and me).

I should have researched the meaning of "meet cute" before reading this book because some of the stories were so interesting and had so much potential that I just needed more! Specially the first one, it was very short but I can see it made into a book. I would like to see character development in those characters. 

All the stories were very original and different from each other so it wasn't repetitive at all, some of them are even sci fi I wasn't not expecting and I liked it! However I still felt like some of them were a little too cheesy for my taste, so that's why I give this book a solid 3.5.

It took me a bit to get into the stories, there were a few at the beginning that didn't really hit the "cute" part of the phrase "meet cute" in my opinion.  But as I got going, so many of the later stories won me over.  A few of the stories were done in second person, which isn't always a favorite of mine.  Like the Imagines book, I couldn't get that far in.  But then others in here that tried that point of view, did work.  I got to read something by Dhonielle Clayton, getting me ready to read her book The Belles soon.  I have to admit though, the first book that left me grinning like an idiot was Armentrout's story.  Of course it had to do with a library, so it was totally the nerdy girl type of story I love.  That was totally what I consider a "meet cute".  Then I also loved the story that took place on a subway, seeing the perfect guy on the subway train that was crossing the opposite way, and then having the girl use it as a project for her statistics class, it was just so cute! 

 

The book had a variety of stories, not all were necessarily just contemporary romance, there were several LGBTQ stories as well.  And I will say, that even though a few of the stories were  not my cup of tea, all of them were very well written.  I will be purchasing this one for my school library for sure.

What a lot of fun it was to see the beginnings! I thoroughly enjoyed this title! Some of my favorite authors writing lovely, sad, serious, and even silly stories and I got my fill of fresh romance. I dug it. Great concept for a book well-realized.

It's hard to rate anthologies because there are so many stories, but this book was not good. The only authors saving it from 1-star are Nina LaCour and Nicola Yoon. The rest of the stories weren't very good. Especially the first which was in second person and reminded me of a bad wattpad fanfiction.

I enjoyed this anthology of meet cute YA stories! I love meet-cute romance, it's one of my favorite romance subgenres, and it was really nice to spend time reading teen meet-cutes (most of whom were romances). There are some really lovely stories here, a few that didn't work for me, and one that I was troubled by. All in all, that's pretty good for an anthology.

I loved three of the f/f romance stories. "Print Shop", by Nina LaCour was gorgeous and held my heart. I especially loved all the details about the print shop and first jobs and falling for someone's online presence. (This was my first read of anything by this author and it made me want to read her other work!) "Somewhere That's Green" by Meredith Russo (which has a trans girl MC) made me cry. It's beautiful and heartwrenching and so so timely. "Oomph" by Emery Lord was a lovely meet cute f/f romance. Fluffy and adorable.

I also really enjoyed several of the geekier m/f meet-cutes. "Click", by Katharine McGee was sad and sweet and geeky in the best way. "The Unlikely Likelihood Of Falling In Love" by Jocelyn Davies was a lovely fluffy m/f romance, and a love letter to NYC. I really liked the secondary characters, and the heroine's voice was so strong. It was such a great take on the theme, too. I enjoyed "259 Miles" by Kass Morgan, a m/f meet cute where two teens who want to go to Mars are put into isolation together as a final test. Its got some angst & some light moments too, and felt balanced in them. 

The worldbuilding in "The Way We Love Here" by Dhonielle Clayton has wonderful detail, but I wanted a longer story to hold it! I struggle with the fated mates idea as a central concept; I liked that it doesn't just accept it, that challenge is built in. 

A few of the m/f romance stories felt more thinly drawn as far as characterization goes, but delivered a really strong meet cute, plotwise. "The Dictionary of You and Me" by Jennifer L. Armentrout is a cute and fluffy m/f romance where characters meet through a library book, and "The Department of Dead Love" by Nicola Yoon where characters meet through unpacking a break up were two good examples of this. 

I was all on board for "The Intern" by Sara Shepard, a grief centered rock star story til it turned into cultural appropriation. It's not okay to have a romantic gesture based on telling a white character that she's a Hawaiian goddess.

"Something Real" by Julie Murphy has a great premise, and quietly builds to it, and I liked the fat rep, but I was on tenterhooks about whether I was going to be queerbaited the whole time. I think it needed a few more cues to queer readers as to who the love interest was going to be.

A few stories just didn't work for me. "Say Everything"  by Huntley Fitzpatrick because of the pacing and arc, and the way the conflict just faded away for no reason. "Hourglass" by Ibi Zoboi because I was so angry with her friend being so awful that I just couldn't get excited about the meet cute. "Siege Etiquette" by Katie Cotugno mostly because I wanted it to be a romance with a happy ending and it just wasn't. 

Content Warnings listed by story

Siege Etiquette: References to alcohol use child physical abuse, parental death and a drunk driving car accident. Descriptions of bullying.
Hourglass: Fat hating racist bullying. Internalized fat antagonism.
Click: death of family member, grief arc.
The Intern: parental death, grief arc, cultural appropriation.
Somewhere That's Green: transmisogyny, trans oppression, misgendering.
The Way We Love Here: suicidality, terminal illness.
Oomph: parent with anxiety.
The Dictionary of You & Me: Reference to physical violence on a date, I read it as a coded reference to sexual assault.
The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love: casual ableist slur.
259 Million Miles: cyberbullying, parental death.
Something Real: description of car accident where MC's sibling died, vomiting.
Say Everything: financial ruin, jokes about violence.
The Department of Dead Love: references to partner death.

I had a really hard time getting into this anthology. The first story in particular with the second person writing was jarring to read. It also wasn't my idea of "cute" and I struggled with it quite a bit, so this is a DNF for me for now. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this anthology early.

*Thank you HMH Books for Young Readers, Netgalley, and all of the wonderful authors who contributed to this anthology for the early review copy in exchange for my honest opinion

This was such a unexpectedly wonderful read that left me feeling happy inside & in love with Romance haha! I’m going to need to watch Serendipity, You’ve Got Mail, Brown Sugar, Sleepless in Seattle, Love and Basketball, and last but not least Love Actually during this upcoming holiday weekend. Get it all out of my system LOL! but I digress..

Some of the diversity/own voices stories included in Meet Cute had POC, LGBTQIA+, and plus sized rep. Some of the relevant topics discussed were the misogynistic behavior in the entertainment industry, fashion & how it mostly caters to a specific body type, and struggling libraries with no real funding. I fell in love with so many of the stories & will treasure this collection for years to come. If you’ve been looking for an anthology but have been a bit weary due to some less than great ones (no shade)…look no further! I’ve found a few new to me authors I can’t wait to read more from & got reacquainted with some 2017 debut authors I need more from like yesterday (*whispers* Ibi Zoboi I’m pleading to you).

Siege Etiquette by Katie Cotugno ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Opening scene is a house party that the police have come to shut down. Hailey is the MC & The story is told in third person POV? Since this isn’t the first time the police have coming knocking, Haileys best friend is adamant on not opening the door. Instead everyone hides and Hailey ends up in the bathroom with Wolf, a classmate who she’s known since she was a little girl. Wolf receives partial homeschooling in order to allow him to help his family on their farm. To Hailey, Wolf is a fresh clean slate…someone who doesn’t know about the tragedy that marked her past. I gave this one 2.5 stars because of the writing style/POV, it just wasn’t my cup of tea tbh. I was however very interested in Wolf as a character & would love to find him in a future full length book

Print Shop by Nina LaCour ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh goodness! I should’ve known I would LOVE this to pieces! Any time I pick up anything by Nina LaCour I end up falling in love with the writing & characters. We meet Evie who interviews to work at a old fashioned print shop as a way to step back from technology & modern day everything. When she gets the job, she realizes the shop actually needs help stepping into the 21st century. Although it isn’t what she signed up for, helping this shop is something she really wants to do.
In doing so, she also wasn’t expecting to meet a girl after her own heart. This was such a cute queer story but I’m going to need more of the characters who work at the print shop! We have the Gay artist/owner of the shop with a quick cameo of his husband, his pregnant assistant and the baby’s father all giving life to this old school shop & gahhhh! Nina!!! Can 2018 be the year we get more Nina LaCour please & thank you?!?!

Hourglass by Ibi Zoboi ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Introduces Cherish as she is dress shopping with her best friend for prom. Cherish is debating whether she’s going to attend since finding a dress for her body type isn’t as easy as it is for her best friend Stacy. Cherish is tall, curvy, and dark skinned living in a town made up of primarily white people. When she stumbles across a flyer for Mamadou’s African Tailoring: One Size Don’t Fit All, she decides to make a visit. This story embraces the beauty in different body shapes & sizes and in turn highlights the need for more black owned businesses. Loved how this Meet Cute carried some important messages along the way. I did however wish we’d been given a tad bit more of the Meet Cute itself.

Click by Katherine McGee⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Takes place in 2020 NYC & is told in alternating POV’s between Alexa and Raden who’ve both signed up to a dating service app. Grieving & trying to get back in the day in scene, Alexa is giving Click a chance since she believes in the power of data. A computer engineer herself, she figured Click reliable enough to find her a compatible match. Raden is a photography student who is trying to get over his ex. Their meet up is sort of ruined when Alexa realizes she’s left her phone behind in the cab she took to get to her date. A unlikely adventure begins & I just died thinking what if someone would do this for me?!? the last line was sort of cheesy but otherwise I can see this one play out on the screen as a rom-com <3

The Intern by Sara Shepard⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

This one tells the story of Clara who has just started begrudgingly working at her Dad’s record label. Clara is grieving the death of a loved one & of the many businesses her dad owns, a internship at V is the last place she thought her dad would place her in. Clara is an old soul at heart when it come to music & it’s something she shared with the person she’s grieving. Sent on a errand that seems silly at first leads her to taking the first steps to healing. The Meet Cute in this one was ok but not as serendipitous as I’d like.

Somewhere That’s Green by Meredith Russo ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

We meet Nia a transgender student and her best friend Lucien (AMAZING BFF) as they try out for parts in the school’s fall production of Little Shop of Horrors. Ok, the fact that they went with one of my fave movies had me smiling from ear to ear :) then the supportive father is introduced & I knew this was going to be a favorite for me in this anthology. Nia is fighting for the right to use the girls bathroom after another student raised concerns & petitioned to deny that right. We see her confront the issue head on & we also see her valid fears when talking to her bff. There’s another student also struggling with identity but spoilers. Both characters showed a side not often seen in YA. These are the types of stories we need more of. I would LOVE to read a full length novel on these characters.

The Way We Love Here by Dhonielle Clayton⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

The first Fantasy I’ve come across in this anthology & it was wonderful!!! This one takes place on a island where the people have coil-like tattoos on their skin which fade/disappear as they get closer to meeting their soulmate as deemed by their Gods. The MC is struggling to accept this as her life path. Her Meet Cute is also struggling with the ways of the Gods regarding fated love. The whole “what if” and paths left untraveled has always interested me. Also enjoyed how this one didn’t stick to traditional Meet Cutes. It embraced life, it’s beginning & some day end.

Oomph by Emery Lord⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was so curious about the title to this short story that by the time I found out it’s meaning, I was smiling so hard! This is set in a airport which btw is one of my fave settings…there’s something about an airport…a place of goodbyes & hellos that make all the sense for matters of the <3 We meet Cass who is spending Spring break in NYC as sort of a trial run for NYU Tisch. Besides trying to calm her parents fears she’s also trying to battle her self doubts. I LOVED her Meet Cute! a funny loner girl who plays along with Cassie’s made up Marvel Universe identity. THAT ending was FLAWLESS!!! I WANT more of these two, either a full length book or a romantic movie set in NYC with the occasional flight home to see these worry wart parents I couldn’t help but loving! *adds Emery Lord books to cart*

The Dictionary Of You and Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Moss is a librarian who loves her job…even the “task” of calling H Smith almost daily to return the only dictionary the Library owns, isn’t really a task. Long overdue to return the book, H. Smith begins to get to know Moss by way of random conversations. Ok, I could not stop laughing at the back & forth exchange between the two characters in this Meet Cute <3 filled with humor & flirting, this was a fun one. The only thing is that the ending did feel rushed whereas the other stories maintained the same progression & wrapped up well. I also LOVE how the author brings light to the budgetary issue Libraries are facing, this was a plus!

The Unlikely Likelihood Of Falling in Love by Jocelyn Davies⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ll be the first to admit I started off thinking I wasn’t going to love this one because the MC is very rigid. Her own family thinks of things for her to do in order to loosen up and have fun. A germaphobe with a love for data and numbers is focused on only one thing, handing in a killer Statistics research paper. I ended up seriously loving this Meet Cute & I think it because I had a similar experience. The story plays with the idea of fate & the Universe defying numbers when it comes to love. It mentions women in STEM & how the government is trying to dissuade girls from going into STEM because it’s believed women can’t handle it. Our MC is set on defying gender norms & I found myself really admiring & respecting her hustle. As a NYC dweller, the subway system is a huge part of my commute and the odds of running into the same person are pretty slim…but what if? ;)

259 Million Miles by Kass Morgan ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This one was Ok in the Meet Cute Department. It’s centered around a guy and a girl who have signed up to win a spot on the space shuttle to Mars where they’d contribute in efforts to establish a new civilization. Philip is trying to escape Earth and all of the awkward moments he’s had in High School. Blythe on the other hand wants to help create a second chance at life on another planet. Both were selected due to their IQ’s and inventions that would prove to be useful on Mars. I guess it was hard to reconcile the Philip who is escaping Earth & socializing as a whole to the Philip we see in the end. Also, this read more as a platonic relationship. Otherwise & I appreciated the message of reclaiming your voice & identity.

Something Real by Julie Murphy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

This was my first Julie Murphy read & I’m sitting Happy with the fact that I truly enjoyed the writing. This one has plus sized + LGBTQ representation, I can only speak on the Plus sized rep and say I loved June to pieces! Confident & at times a little self deprecating, she owns her body and style. June is also a tiny bit obsessed with pop culture sensation/singer Dylan & is responsible for the creation of his international fan club. When an opportunity presents itself to go on a dating show (think The Bachelor) & win a date with Dylan, June is over the moon happy! This story had such a good turnout, Murphy highlights misogynistic behavior & calls it out *round of applause* I can’t help but want more June now that it’s over *Dumplin’ is now on my February TBR <3

Say Everything by Huntley Ditzpatrick ⭐️⭐️1/2

This one starts off in a diner, Our MC is a waitress who notices a guy come in with his group of friends, all distinguishable by their preppy uniforms that are clear markers of their wealth. The opening scene is very similar to that of when Blue Sargeant meets Gansey & the boys in Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Boys. Perhaps a bit too strikingly similar for my taste. Also, I wasn’t sold on this Meet Cute . The chemistry just wasn’t there & although it is a short story, I did feel like it was a bit rushed. Wanted to love it but just couldn’t get into it :(

The Department Of Dead Love by Nicola Yoon ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ALL THE STARS IN THE WORLD!!!!

How wonderful to finish my reading of this anthology with what is now my all time favorite Meet Cute of all time!!! Nicola Yoon you slayyyyyyed your story! & literally saved the best for last <3 this story is about heartbreak & all matters of the heart. There is a fantastical element in this world where The Department of Dead Love exists. A series of buildings that specialize in Break-ups, Unrequited Love, Bereavement, and Young Love…yea I know! sounds interesting already! tell me more! we meet our MC Thomas who has just had a break-up and is going through all the necessary steps to see if he can get approved for a “Do-Over” & bookworms it is exactly what you’re thinking, a second chance at your failed relationship. I LOVED the ingenuity & characters so much in this short story and wish with all my might that again as I’ve mentioned with some of the other stories, that this was a full length novel *le sigh* this was just perfection and the chemistry in this Meet Cute was off the charts making this story my #1!

Many of the stories themselves were cute, and many of the couples within the stories were super cute. I loved the diversity of stories and characters. But I didn’t think that all of the stories in this collection qualified as meet cutes.

The blurb says these are stories about “how they first met.” Ummmmm… that’s NOT necessarily meet cute. Stories about characters who already knew each other and then got to know each other better aren’t really meet cute stories. I don’t think that depressing stories qualify either, no matter how cute the meet.

HERE ARE A FEW STORIES IN THE COLLECTION THAT DID MEET MY DEFINITION OF MEET CUTE:

Print Shop by Nina LaCour

This was a tightly written, cohesive story with themes I appreciated and a meet cute that I give high points for creativity. When Evie agrees to help a small print shop in her neighborhood with their social media, she gets tangled up in a Twitter war with a very unsatisfied customer. I loved that this was a virtual meet cute that transitioned to a real meeting. This meet cute fit with the story’s themes of Luddite old fashionedness vs. newfangled online life and this super-cute couple put a smile on my face!

OOMPH by Emery Lord

This story takes place in an airport, which is such a great place for a chance encounter meet cute! Cass is at in the security line at JFK when she’s given a mysterious flyer by a TSA agent. This leads to a lot of witty banter with the passenger ahead of her in line. They’re on different flights, but at adjacent gates, and Cass saves her mysterious new friend from one of those overly chatty fellow travelers. OOMPH was a cute and flirty story that won my heart.

Something Real by Julie Murphy 

June is the president of the Official Dylan Fan Club International, which has won her the chance to compete on A Date Come True, a show where ordinary people try to win a date with a celeb. June is vying for a date with … you guessed it: Dylan, a singer who was plucked out of YouTube obscurity by a record label. I don’t want to say too much more about this story except that it was full of surprises! Meet cute with a twist.

Meet Cute is fabulous! There are some absolutely adorable stories in this collection, but it isn't fluff. Some of the stories are actually quite serious, and take on subjects like death, and being transgender. I love that they take on some challenging subjects in a way that is as accessible as it is enjoyable. All of the couples make your heart melt just a little, but none more so for me than Jocelyn Davies's
story about two people who meet on passing subways, or Jennifer Armentrout's story about love found from a missing library book. 

Meet Cute is perfect for when you just want a story that will make you feel good in the end, especially when you might not have the time for a novel. In less time than it takes to watch a Hallmark movie, you can read a much better story here. 

{Disclaimer: I received a free ARC of Meet Cute from NetGalley}

Overall, this was a lovely fun read of mainly contemporary stories. I would love some of these as full-length novels!

Oy. Everyone likes a good "meet cute," but it's hard to like when followed up with mediocre writing. 

I was excited to get check this out via NetGalley, but it became such a chore to get through some of these stories. I mean, I literally would flip my e-pages ahead to see how much longer I have to go to get to the end -- and often it would appear to be too many pages before I can change channels to what I hope is a better story, which it often wasn't. 

Best of the bunch was Click by Katharine McGee. Hard to pick what was the blah-est, but the 1st story and Something Real stuck in my head as the most infuriating to get through. The 1st story, Siege Etiquette, because I remember thinking "This is what they want to lead with?!" and Something Real because it did not feel real at all. With the exception of Click (and there were a few that were ok -- The Dictionary of You and Me and The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love; Print Shop was very lyrical, but I was meh on the story), I suspect this was not any writer's best effort.

Can't recommend purchasing this collection, which is 1.5/2 stars at the most.

Short story collections can be hit or miss. This one is mostly a hit, with a few that are less interesting. The only downside is wanting to read more and it's just a short story!