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65 reviews for:
He's Come Undone: A Romance Anthology
Emma Barry, Ruby Lang, Adriana Herrera, Olivia Dade, Cat Sebastian
4.19 AVERAGE
65 reviews for:
He's Come Undone: A Romance Anthology
Emma Barry, Ruby Lang, Adriana Herrera, Olivia Dade, Cat Sebastian
4.19 AVERAGE
When I saw the list of authors contributing to He’s Come Undone, that was pretty much all I needed to know to smash that pre-order button. So many of my favorites all in one place! But THEN I found out it’s an anthology of novellas featuring starchy heroes, and I almost had to bust out the smelling salts to revive myself. Things are so tough right now for so many people, and then this anthology shows up (for $2.99! WHAT) like a beam of light directly from heaven. Do you like a buttoned-up, all-business hero? How about five of them? Well, make some cocoa and get out the snowblower because Christmas done came early.
Each author is at the top of their game here—each novella is fabulous, across the board. One thing I was extra impressed with was how Adriana Herrera and Cat Sebastian managed to convince me of their characters’ shared history. I’m often a tough sell on second chance romance or stories where the characters already have years of history off-page—I often need to see that closeness develop before my eyes to really buy in—but both authors execute the trope perfectly, weaving in scenes from the past organically, with no clunky flashbacks or distracting breaks. If you’ve loved Ruby Lang’s Uptown series with its grown adult characters confronting real life issues while still being delightfully steamy, you’ll be enamored with “Yes, And.” Emma Barry was a new author to me, but I can 1000% vouch for her depiction of anxiety, and I loved all the technical detail about the science and art of piano tuning in “Appassionata.” And finally, the pairing of a darkly whimsical art teacher and an uptight math teacher in Olivia Dade’s “Unraveled” is lovely in an opposites attract kind of way, although as a former teacher myself, I can think of nowhere less sexy to hook up than a classroom. Broom closet at a funeral home? Nope, still sexier than a classroom.
Regardless of where two teachers may or may not have banged it out, this anthology is all the superlatives and you definitely want to read it.
Each author is at the top of their game here—each novella is fabulous, across the board. One thing I was extra impressed with was how Adriana Herrera and Cat Sebastian managed to convince me of their characters’ shared history. I’m often a tough sell on second chance romance or stories where the characters already have years of history off-page—I often need to see that closeness develop before my eyes to really buy in—but both authors execute the trope perfectly, weaving in scenes from the past organically, with no clunky flashbacks or distracting breaks. If you’ve loved Ruby Lang’s Uptown series with its grown adult characters confronting real life issues while still being delightfully steamy, you’ll be enamored with “Yes, And.” Emma Barry was a new author to me, but I can 1000% vouch for her depiction of anxiety, and I loved all the technical detail about the science and art of piano tuning in “Appassionata.” And finally, the pairing of a darkly whimsical art teacher and an uptight math teacher in Olivia Dade’s “Unraveled” is lovely in an opposites attract kind of way, although as a former teacher myself, I can think of nowhere less sexy to hook up than a classroom. Broom closet at a funeral home? Nope, still sexier than a classroom.
Regardless of where two teachers may or may not have banged it out, this anthology is all the superlatives and you definitely want to read it.
I liked all stories, all very talented authors who had a very consistent theme. The reason I don’t give more stars is that I found more than a couple of grammar/spelling mistakes. That took some of my enjoyment away.
Fun! I'd been hunting around for a romance to read when this got released. I picked it up immediately on name recognition alone, and I'm glad I did. Five novellas, each feeling well developed and complete, with good variety considering the confines of the theme. I did skim one story that wasn't my style, but Ruby Lang's story resonated especially strongly with me, and I'm sure I'll come back to it again. This has become my new go-to first recommendation for anyone new to romance as a good example of what it's capable of.
I read 2 out of the 5 stories - the 2 queer ones.
The Cat Sebastian was worth the price of the whole anthology.
Friends to lovers / 2nd chance romance set in 1959 in an elite New England boarding school. It’s kind of like if the boys in A Separate Peace had acted on all of that UST but it had ended badly (but still, you know, both alive) and then they reunited 15 years later as adults - with one of them a teacher at the school and the other the father of one of his students. So, so good!
I didn’t like the Adriana Herrera as much - too much posturing for my taste. Once the h/h admitted they liked each other, I enjoyed it more.
The Cat Sebastian was worth the price of the whole anthology.
Friends to lovers / 2nd chance romance set in 1959 in an elite New England boarding school. It’s kind of like if the boys in A Separate Peace had acted on all of that UST but it had ended badly (but still, you know, both alive) and then they reunited 15 years later as adults - with one of them a teacher at the school and the other the father of one of his students. So, so good!
I didn’t like the Adriana Herrera as much - too much posturing for my taste. Once the h/h admitted they liked each other, I enjoyed it more.
I wanted to love this anthology because I love so many of the authors in it, but for some reason most of the stories just set my teeth on edge and made me so irritated.
I really enjoyed this anthology - the standout for me was the first story, "Appasionata", by Emma Barry, which I'd give five stars to on its own. I also particularly liked "Unraveled" by Olivia Dade. But every story in this anthology was really good.
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
A very fun romance anthology! Olivia Dade's story was definitely my favorite, although I also loved Cat Sebastian's story. Guess I have the hots for teachers?
This rating is entirely based on Tommy Cabot was Here by Cat Sebastian as that is the only one I wanted to read
I am so utterly delighted by the story of Tommy and Everett. It is beautiful and heartfelt with so much emotion between the two of them in such a short amount of time. I so wish for more 1950s queer stories of people being able to realize what they deserve is happiness and found family.
I loved Pat and the hints at her own queer relationship with the very butch lesbian Harry and how that Tommy truly wasnt alone that he has a queer nephew who sought him. It was just so beautiful and important to show how even during the turbulent time it was to be queer in the 50s that happiness could still be had.
It also makes me want to go drive around the berkshires this summer when we are finally free.
I am so utterly delighted by the story of Tommy and Everett. It is beautiful and heartfelt with so much emotion between the two of them in such a short amount of time. I so wish for more 1950s queer stories of people being able to realize what they deserve is happiness and found family.
I loved Pat and the hints at her own queer relationship with the very butch lesbian Harry and how that Tommy truly wasnt alone that he has a queer nephew who sought him. It was just so beautiful and important to show how even during the turbulent time it was to be queer in the 50s that happiness could still be had.
It also makes me want to go drive around the berkshires this summer when we are finally free.
This was the first anthology that I've seen such a detailed list of content warnings, which was pretty impressive (and honestly, I probably would have chalked up the stage fright flashback feelings I had as, "She just wrote about it REALLY really well" had I not gone into the first story thinking, "Oh, is that an actual trigger? Shit.").
Anyway, on the whole, this was a solid anthology. I was annoyed at some of the stereotypes that were used as character traits, though when you are trying to cram a whole story into 75ish pages, I suppose that makes sense that you might fall back on some "types". I found something to enjoy about each of these, though I really think the first one was my favorite. (But yay for the nod to Frances Glessner Lee in the second!)
Anyway, on the whole, this was a solid anthology. I was annoyed at some of the stereotypes that were used as character traits, though when you are trying to cram a whole story into 75ish pages, I suppose that makes sense that you might fall back on some "types". I found something to enjoy about each of these, though I really think the first one was my favorite. (But yay for the nod to Frances Glessner Lee in the second!)