4.5 ⭐️
Love Between The Lines is A Romance Anthology featuring short stories from 6 authors; Luna Day, Ellory Douglas, Marlee Ryan, Mimi Gunn, Ivy Dawes & Violet Pearce.

The stories range in length and spice and there’s a little something for everyone! There are a few stories I would love to read more of in the future!

Thank you to the Authors for allowing me the opportunity to receive an advance copy! Be sure to grab this anthology now!

4.5/5 ⭐️s!! Love Between the Lines has something for everyone and everything for some, making this anthology so enjoyable! Six very different stories including everything from paranormal romance and fated mates to small-town rom-com and longtime pining for best friend’s brother. The spice level varies in each story as much as the characters do.

I absolutely devoured these stories! Damn you all for making me fall in love with so many characters and leaving me wanting more. I can’t wait to read more from all of you in 2025!

Thank you NetGalley and all of the wonderful authors on this anthology - Luna Day, Ellory Douglas, Marlee Ryan, Mimi Gunn, Ivy Dawes and Violet Pearce - for the eARC 💜💖🩵

Romance short stories are my new favourite thing to read on vacation!

This book was so much fun and I loved the variance between the stories while at the same time it still felt cohesive when read in quick succession. I really appreciated how the book started out with short descriptors of each story and gave a spice rating as well. The spice is definitely on the open door side which was perfectly fine for me!

I feel like the only way to really review this book is to do some quick thoughts on each story! So here goes

Stupid Cupid - Luna Day
This was such a fun fantasy romance! I love that Luna branched out a little bit with this one and I will never look at cinnamon hearts the same! I am always a sucker for the fated mates trope so this one was perfect for me.

The Hand Off - Ellory Douglas
Okay, I need more to this story!! I immediately loved all three characters and the dynamics, secret crushes and the heat!! Sports romance absolutely done right. That ending?? I need a full book with these characters, like yesterday!! Noah!!!

Love Ink - Marlee Ryan
Friends to lovers is always a hit!! The pining! The tension! Jade and Lucas were so cute and they are the definition of miscommunication but in a really cute way. I am loving tattoo artist romances lately and this one really hit the spot.

All My Love by Mimi Gunn
Okay, I was not prepared for the sweet and emotional journey this would take me on! Hidden letters and a set up from the beyond was just such a sweet take on a romance.

Skeleton MDS4A by Ivy Dawes
All the Mummy vibes!! If you loved the movie the Mummy you will love this story. Workplace rivals, relics and ancient curses', what could possibly go wrong?

Be Mine by Violet Pearce
I will sum this one up with one quote. Also, I immediately sought out Violet's book after reading this.

'I eye his man bun. He looks like Charlie Hunnam and a Viking gave birth to a national surfing champion. Neat.'

If you like short stories and some insta-love, pining and spice this book is a great choice for you!!

Thank you to the wonderful authors for the ARC of your book.

I really enjoyed these short stories - especially the one with Griffin; I'm ready for the novel for that one!! A really enjoyable, short read. Would recommend.

I never really read anthologies but after reading this one, clearly I’ve been missing out.
This was filled with 6 short stories that were cute, spicy, and everything nicey (im…not funny)
It it a perfect book to read on Valentines Day and feel allll the love!

Included:
-Stupid Cupid by Luna Day: fated mates, strangers to lovers, mythical romance, instalust
-The Hand-Off by Ellory Douglas: age gap, athlete x trainer, sports romance, cliffhanger, love triangle??
-Love Ink by Marlee Ryan: best friend’s brother, forced proximity, tattoo artists, childhood crush
-All My Love by Mimi Gunn: matchmaking, small town, neighbours to lovers, close proximity
-Skeleton MDS4A by Ivy Dawes: paranormal, rivals to lovers, dark academia
-Be Mine by Violet Pearce: small town, black cat x golden retriever, close proximity, neighbours

Thank you to NetGalley and the authors for an arc!

This is a collection of 6 short romance stories. A couple of the stories are fantasy/paranormal, which I found interesting. There are varying degrees of spice in each story. I quite enjoyed a couple of them, but not so much some others.

1) Stupid Cupid by Luna Day-- Short but sweet (yet spicy) fantasy(?) story about a woman who meets cupid at a bar. (And *maybe* hooks up with him 🤭) 4⭐
2) The Hand-Off by Ellory Douglas-- a young woman is on work exchange in PT for a Welsh rugby team. This story had so much potential! I was into the vibes, but I feel like it just cut off abruptly when it seemed like it was going somewhere. It seemed like it wasn't a finished story, but a teaser for a longer story/book. 3⭐
3) Love Ink by Marlee Ryan-- about 2 tattoo artist coworkers/childhood friends (by proxy of his sister, her bff.) I love a friends to lovers/best friend's brother/coworker/tattooed hottie romance. Felt the butterflies in this one! 4.5⭐
4) All My Love by Mimi Gunn-- I ALWAYS love a meddling granny (even if from beyond) and a renovation romance. This one was a pretty mild/mid story, but it got the job done. 4⭐
5)Skeleton MDS4A by Ivy Dawes-- A paranormal romance about 2 archaeologist rivals at a dig site. It was too weird and abrupt for me. We could have gotten some sweet Brendan Fraser The Mummy action if it were a bit longer, maybe? it just felt abrupt and unfinished, again like it was just the beginning of a longer story instead of a finished story. 2.5⭐
6) Be Mine by Violet Pierce -- Excellent, give me 14 of this handy mountain man. Opposites attract. And again, I love a meddling granny. 4.5⭐

3.75⭐ overall

I read an advance copy of this book, and this is my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley for the eArc for review!

I really enjoyed this collection of short stories! They were sweet and steamy, and my only complain was that I wish it was longer! I feel like whenever I was getting into the story, it ended, and I would have liked to see more! This is perfect if you’re looking for something short and sweet and spicy, and it’s perfect for Valentine’s Day!

3.75⭐️

I love a good short story collection and this was packed with good romance stories! I really enjoyed the stories stupid cupid, ink love and all my love. They were all good stories and I think everyone would find at least one story they really enjoyed!

If you love short romances that pack a punch—from sweet “awws” to sizzling “oohs”—this anthology has your name all over it. Love Between the Lines delivers six unique stories that prove there’s a perfect match for every taste (and heat level).

What’s Inside?
A Burnt-Out Cupid who’s finally found his soulmate—except she’s human. Talk about heavenly complications!
Two Rival Rugby Teammates competing for the same athletic therapist. Expect sweaty tension… in more ways than one.
Tattoo Parlour Co-Workers secretly pining for each other. When ink meets longing gazes, sparks fly.
An Unexpected Inheritance leading to sweet (and steamy) times with the handyman next door. House repairs have never been so fun.
Rival Archeologists discovering the ultimate treasure: love at the bottom of a dig site in Scotland. Ancient ruins, modern hearts, major swoon.
Small-Town Reunion featuring a quirky local hot dog stand—and something a lot spicier than ketchup.
Each tale stands on its own, offering a quick, satisfying romance. If you’re looking for variety in tropes (enemies-to-lovers, workplace crush, forbidden fruit), this anthology’s got you covered.

Why You’ll Love It
Variety of Heat Levels: From sweetly romantic to full-on scorching, there’s a flavor for everyone.
Bite-Sized Stories: Perfect for reading between busy moments or devouring all at once.
Fresh Settings & Tropes: Tattoo parlors, dig sites, small-town charm… you name it, this book has it!

Verdict: Love Between the Lines offers a little something for every romance reader. Whether you’re in the mood for a quick dose of cute or a sizzling escape, these stories deliver all the feels in short, satisfying bites.

#LoveBetweenTheLines #RomanceAnthology #ShortStoryCollection #SpicyReads #Bookstagram #QuickRomanceFix #TattooShopLove #ForbiddenLove #AnthologyAddict

I really enjoyed this collection of short stories! Most of these authors (all but one) are local to me and it was an excellent way to dip my toes into each of their writing. I will now be checking out more from all of them! I really appreciated how the beginning features a handy graphic that spells out some tropes and a spice rating for each story, so that you can skip ahead/pick and choose the ones that interest you most. I read them in order because obviously my intention was to read them all, and I had a very good experience doing that.
Stupid Cupid by Luna Day: Cupid is having a bad day when he meets a woman in a bar and she can actually see him. Must be meant to be! I loved this one, it was one of the spicier stories and the chemistry between Cupid and Alma was hot. It got very *ahem* creative with the spice which I appreciated. It was so easy to fly through this one!
The Hand-Off by Ellory Douglas: Rugby trainer Maisie travels to England for a position as a trainee athletic therapist for a rugby team. Two players tempt her to break the rules and give in to their attraction. This one could definitely become a full length novel, and I wouldn’t complain if that novel was why choose, just sayin’!
Love Ink by Marlee Ryan: Two tattoo artists at a tattoo shop are secretly in love with eachother, but they'll never admit it. I absolutely loved this one and I think I might have a new short story comfort read? I've spent a ton of my life watching tattoo shop reality shows and this jangled my brain chemicals in the best way.
All My Love by Mimi Gunn: Julia is tasked with cleaning up and selling her deceased grandmother's house, which is in a very small town far away from her city job. She meets her grandmother's neighbour, Harry, and sparks fly. This one was so cute, definitely the sweetest of the bunch! I really loved that it felt like a warm hug.
Skeleton MDS4A by Ivy Dawes: Dr. Amelia Todd and her colleague Dr. Ian Connolly are academic rivals who have joined the archaeological dig of a lifetime in Scotland. The unearthing of two sarcophagi leads gets downright paranormal when Amelia starts hearing things. This one absolutely grabbed me. You could read it as a standalone short story with an unresolved ending, but I am DESPERATELY hoping that Ivy turns this into a full book so that I can get more of the story. This was fun, creepy, spicy, and I just loved the possibilities for where it was going.
Be Mine by Violet Pearce: Samantha is taking care of her grandmother's house and dog while grandma is out gallivanting in warmer weather (Florida). While chasing after Charlie the dog one day, she meets her grandma's man-bun toting, shirt-hating, viking/surfer vibes neighbour. She is very annoyed by this cheerful human until his overly helpful ways actually save her and Charlie from freezing to death. Sparks fly! I really loved the writing for this one!! It was so so entertaining and deeply funny to me, I will absolutely be looking up more from this author!

*ARC review*

Stupid Cupid - Holy spice! No slow burn for this one; it dives right in! I enjoyed the banter, but some of it was a little cheesy. Very fast-paced story.

The Hand Off - Ellory Douglas was very descriptive in all aspects of writing, so it made imagining what was happening or where they were at easy. A slow burn, but spicy when it gets there! I would love this story as a full book to learn more about their backstories, see how things progress, and see what happens with Noah.

Love Ink - This one was a friends/coworkers-to-lovers short story. I enjoy histories where characters always had crushes on each other but never acted on their feelings. There are a couple of whitty lines and some workplace spice. I loved the nudge from the best friend because it is something I could totally see happening. The flashback really threw me for a minute and I had to stop and think about what was going on.

All My Love - This story was my favorite of the anthology. It's a classic slow-burn, small-town romance with some spice. I would love for this to become a full book. The cute and snarky little notes in this one definitely made me giggle. If “Grammie” was real, I would get along with her.

Skeleton MDS4A - The very first excerpt from this story gives a sense of foreboding that doesn’t really make sense until the end. The story is a mix of paranormal and work rivals-to-lovers, but feels like it should be two completely different stories. I wasn’t a huge fan of this one as a short story, but I think it has potential as a longer story to see how it all comes together.

Be Mine - Such a cute small-town romance with a MMC who gives off major “golden retriever” energy. The dialogue between the FMC and MMC was quirky but funny. It goes from a sweet little romance to spicy quickly. The little section at the end helped to “wrap up” the story, but I would enjoy a longer version of this one as well.

Love between The Lines is a collection of short stories. I had a hard time finishing it. All the stories were nothing but smut. Now I love reading smut it books, but I felt like there wasn't any plot at all in the stories.

Love Between the Lines – A Romance Anthology

Six Sizzling Short Stories perfect for Valentine’s…or ANY day! Great way to read new authors and see which ones might become favorites.

STUPID CUPID by Luna Day
Cupid is having a bad night drinking alone in a bar when the woman next to him SEES him and nobody human ever sees him. What starts off as a conversation quickly becomes more.

THE HAND-OFF by Ellory Douglas
Maisie is off to England for a summer internship working with a Rugby team. A couple of the steaming hot men are interested but only one will win her hand and all the rest of her, too.

LOVE INK by Marlee Ryan
Jade, her BFF Maddy, and Maddy’s brother Lucas own a tattoo studio together and one day what had been friends become lovers and perhaps forever after lovers at that.

ALL MY LOVE by Mimi Gunn
Julia meets Harry when she goes to prepare her grammie’s home for sale. Harry lends a helping hand and soon things steam up but can two people who live far apart find a way forward together?

SKELETON MD54A by Ivy Dawes
Archaeologists Amelia and Ian are on a dig in the Hebrides when their antagonism does an about face and attraction sizzles between them. What they find on the dig is powerful, in mor ways than one.

BE MINE by Violet Pearce
Samantha’s grandmother decides that her granddaughter should house and dog-sit for her while she plays. Meeting the local neighbor is not love at first sight but that situation heats up quickly.

All of the stories were fun and sizzled with heat. Some of the couples may or may not have HEA’s but all were definitely satisfied with the encounters they enjoyed in the stories in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC - This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

Great collection of stories, lovely spice. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a spicy romance anthology from Canadian authors.

LOVE BETWEEN THE LINES
A Romance Anthology


Thank you @netgalley, LOVE Lit Press and authors for ARC of this amazing book.

Six short romance stories perfect for your end of the day grabs, read in between and ofcourse for the Valentines season.

Let's break into each and see what you're up for...

1. STUPID CUPID by Luna Day- it's my most favorite of all and a modern day retelling of Cupid where he finds the love of his life in bar on the eve of valentines day. The story got me on the magically glowing tattoos.

2. THE HANDS OFF by Ellory Douglas is an age gap sports romance between an athele and trainer which was interesting and sooo gooodd especially the jealousy part.

3. LOVE INK by Marlee Ryan is a Best friend's Brother with years in the making and finally the tension explodes with oh wow jealousyyyy and both being tattoo artist was another wow moment in the story.

4. ALL MY LOVE by Mimi Gunn has a super amazing and meddling grandma who left Julia her estate and a strong, handsome handyman neighbor to help. Yeah! You can feel it too right?

5. SKELETON MDS4A by Ivy Dawes is between the two rival archeologists who are on the same project with the Paranormal angle involved. It will confuse you in the beginning but leave you wanting more of it by the end.

6. BE MINE by Violet Pearce is small town, Black Cat × Golden Retriver short story where they are stuck admist a storm and not much of my favorite but a good one nonetheless.


All in all it's a book you should pick next when you desperately want to read something in between those heavy topic books and want a light but quick reads.

It has my thumbs up for it....



Toodles 💕

More please!

This book gets ALL the superlatives from me, because it was so much fun. There wasn't a single story in this collection where I didn't get to the end and think "Wait, that's it? No!" and immediately resolve to go check out the authors to see what books they've published. So that I've been gushing like the fangirl I am, let's look at each of the stories.

STUPID CUPID by Luna Day: This really kicks off the series, and I was on board straight away. A disenfranchised Cupid sighing over his beer in a bar on Valentine's Day because apps are ruining his career. Then he realises he's sitting next to a woman who, against all the odds, can see him, and curiosity turns to fascination turns to a very spicy hookup and a sentient motorcycle. What's not to love?

THE HAND OFF by Ellory Douglas: Maisie is a Canadian sports medicine placement at a UK football sports clinic/school. Griffin is an older player who is hiding his injury because he doesn't want anyone to think he's aging out of the game. Then there's Noah, another staff/team member who ... might be interested in them both? Hmm.

LOVE INK by Marlee Ryan: Jade has opened a tattoo parlour with her best friend Maddy, and Maddy's brother Lucas. Jade and Lucas squabble all the time, and you know what that means, right? Who knew getting locked in a cleaning cupboard/storeroom could be such a revelation?

ALL MY LOVE by Mimi Gunn: This one is sweet. Julia has inherited her Grandmother's house, and so travels back to the small town to renovate and sell. The money from the sale will give her the funds to buy something in the city, because she's a career woman. But then the small town effect kicks in. All the locals know her, there's a series of notes from her Grandmother while the renovations continue, and then there's the "He's single!" neighbour, Frank. Ah, Frank. Ever helpful, ever hunky, nice forearms, Frank. Done deal. Love it.

SKELETON MDS4A by Ivy Dawes: Oh this one was interesting, a story that's archaeological with a bit of paranormal/supernatural and love/hate colleagues. There's a discovery of two sarcophagi, one with a lock, one with a key, and one of the occupants can sense that change is coming. Are the two archaeologists channelling the occupants? Mysterious forces are afoot, and this one ends on a cliffhanger. If there isn't some sort of novella built around this one I'm going to have to find the author and hit her up with a "please explain?"

BE MINE by Violet Pearce: Okay this one had me snickering when I was on the bus heading to work. No regrets. There are some real zinger lines in this one and the dialogue - both inner and between the characters - was a delight from start to finish. I mean, there's this line "He looks like Charlie Hunnam and a Viking gave birth to a national surfing champion". Gold.

Each of these stories has a deft touch and writing style that I adored. The characters are all fully formed with an economy of words that somehow never feels stingy. They're all so vibrant that they jump off the page, and the spice is ... well a girl can dream, right? I should be so lucky. The pacing was well done, to the point where I wanted more for every story in this series, but I'm also happy to leave them where they are. Sometimes it's nice to finish on a possibility rather than taking it too far.

Great fun all round. Read it, love it, you're welcome.

@TrishSparklerReads Bookstagram:

“Love Between The Lines” by Luna Day, Ellory Douglas, Marlee Ryan, Mimi Gunn, Ivy Dawes, Violet Pearce
Genre: Romance/Erotic Short Stories
Rating: 4⭐️
Spice: 3-4🌶️
Darkness: 1-3🩶

Highlights:
💙Short Story Anthology
💙Valentine/Love Focus
💙All Canadian Authors 🇨🇦
💙A Variety of Tropes

Thoughts:
This was a perfect Valentine’s read, or when you are the mood for sweet and steamy stories before bed. I loved the feature in the index where each author provided tropes and heat levels for their stories. I have been reading one story each night before bed and have really enjoyed the creativity and variety in these stories. I think my favourite was the Cupid story and the quirky paranormal story.

🛑Please read all the author warnings as themes and events in this book could be triggering. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley, Love Lit Press & authors
Luna Day, Ellory Douglas, Marlee Ryan, Mimi Gunn, Ivy Dawes, Violet Pearce- for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Listen, if you're seeking short, sweet and spicy stories somewhat based around Valentine's Day- this anthology is for you. (Even though I'm a strict season/mood reader- you could easily enjoy this well outside of Valentine's Day season!)

These are short. So they take off QUICK. But that's the fun of an anthology like this, right? This collection would be sooo fun to read for a book club- there's something for everyone!

Buckle up, book lovers—you’re in for a treat!
I was beyond excited to receive the ARC of 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝘽𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨. This steamy compilation features six incredible indie authors, and trust me when I say it has something for everyone! It’s always tricky to critique short story compilations since each author brings their own unique style, but that worked in my favor here! Every story gave me exactly what I needed. My only complaint? That it’s over! I loved the variety and how each story felt fresh and different.

This book is absolutely perfect for readers who love a variety of themes. It’s like an amuse bouche of spicy stories. You have a handful of different tropes from 6 different authors in short story format. Each story has lovely spice and is thoroughly captivating. This was an amazing palate cleanser for those of us who read heavy themes books and was a wonderful introduction to these authors. I’d give the whole book a 3 🌶️!