A Season for Romance: Summer Simmer

by Cassia Hall, Isla Ryder, Blythe Brandenburg

Balmy Summer Days, Magical Summer Nights Hoping to reveal all shades of romance, we have gathered together twelve authors from around the world, including Canada, India, Lithuania, and the United States for this diverse and inclusive sweet romance anthology.

In Summer Simmer, you will find true love in a variety of genres and styles, from first kisses to second chances, at pivotal junctures and in bittersweet moments. There is beauty, tenderness, angst, and even some humor and sizzle in these carefully crafted stories meant to transport you to magical worlds where love is just moments away.

From the mythical past to contemporary times and into the future, a diverse cast of memorable characters await you. Marvel at mystical customs and extraordinary worlds. Everything is new but strangely familiar, for love is love no matter the era or circumstances. Come with us on this magical journey through time and space!

~ A diverse and inclusive anthology of 21 stories by 12 authors.
~ 10 stories feature diverse (PoC or LGBTQ+) main characters
~ Sweet MM, FF, and MF romance
~ Multiple high fantasy, historical fantasy, urban fantasy, contemporary equestrian romance, espionage romance, futuristic romance and SF romance.
~ Prose poems from a Pushcart prize nominee.
~ Each story is complete and stands alone.
~ Some stories feature side characters from the author’s main work, giving a glimpse into complex worlds.

Genres: Romance, Anthologies, Fantasy

189 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 31, 2023

About the author

Cassia Hall is the author of the Seasons Cycle, a romantic fantasy series. Her short fiction can be found in anthologies and the collection, "Buttons & Other Stories", "Poems of Myth & Magick", and "Songs of Love & Longing". Her original music and songs can be found on her Lake Traveler Fantasy Music channel.
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Her work is diverse and inclusive. Her writing has been described as ‘lush and lyrical’, her music as ‘LoTR meets GoT and Witcher, with a musical theatre vibe’.

She lives in Toronto, Canada where winters are long and the other seasons very precious.

Visit her websites to read more about the books and listen to the original songs and music:

https://cassiahall.com/
https://www.youtube.com/c/LakeTravele...

Subscribe to the youtube channel to get notified of new releases for singles and upcoming albums!

Follow Cassia on BookBub to receive notices about her new releases : https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cassi...

Reviews

[Devon Gambrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of short romances! From almost kisses to romantic revelations and taking the next step toward love. I enjoyed all the stories and added so many more books and authors to my to-be-read pile!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Amanda Sloothaak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of cute, sweet and swooning romantic stories. We see stories from people falling in love, admitting to their crushes, seeing new loves bloom after hard times and characters that take matters in their own hands and shoot their shot at love spanning through different times and genres. I absolutely loved reading this, getting a glimpse of the different worlds and characters.

It's a fun and loving summer read that makes you curious to the rest of the stories! Which I surely will check out too.

[Byron · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Season for Romance Summer Simmer" is an enchanting collection of short stories that will sweep you off your feet and transport you to a world filled with love, passion, and the magic of romance. With its diverse genres, from high fantasy to historical, contemporary, and even future romance, this anthology beautifully captures the essence of love in various settings and eras.
The book, curated by a talented group of authors, is a true gem for any romance enthusiast. Each story is carefully crafted, drawing readers into unique worlds that awaken the imagination and evoke a range of emotions.

One aspect that sets "A Season for Romance Summer Simmer" apart is Cassia Hall's inclusion of beautifully written accompanying song lyrics to three of her short stories. These lyrical additions add an extra layer of depth and emotion to the tales, creating a truly immersive reading experience. Hall's ability to seamlessly blend storytelling with music is a testament to her talent and creativity.

"A Season for Romance Summer Simmer" is a delightful celebration of love in all its forms. It is a book that will make you believe in the power of romance and leave you with a warm and satisfied heart. Whether you're a fan of fantasy, history, contemporary settings, or futuristic worlds, this anthology is a treasure trove of love stories that will captivate and enchant you from beginning to end.

[Justine Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Season for Romance: Summer Simmer is a diverse and inclusive romance anthology that features all new to me authors. I really enjoyed this book and am so glad I gave it a try. Each short story felt like a brief moment in time that I got to share with the characters; each forbidden love, sweet glance, shy smile, gentle touch, the not knowing what will happen if they express their true feelings, the I know you like me so ask me out already, each magical moment, happy ending, and new beginning. This book can be enjoyed over time or all at once. It is a book I know I will be enjoying again and again. Definitely recommend and I look forward to discovering more from these amazing authors.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like how the stories are organized into different sections. The fantasy section is the biggest one and has some really good stories. Some are funny and fun to read, some serious, some beautiful. The art help me connect more with the characters. It would be nice to have more SF. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy fantasy with strong female characters and romance that's sweet and moving.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this anthology! Short stories full of passion and tension, sweet and sexy at the same time. Such a delight to read stories that are full of love and hope.

Note: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[VeniVidiLegi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting. Original. Emotional.

"From the mythical past to contemporary times and into the future, a diverse cast of memorable characters awaits you". And they are, they are indeed!

Summer Simmer is a composition of shorts stories which open up wholes unique and charming worlds to you.
Very talented authors can make you fall in love with short stories' characters describing small traits but very strong behaviours. I think everyone of the characters took a spot in my heart. Everyone gave me something, different emotions and vibrations, anyone left me with the promise to see each other again. Love, here, is declined in all its beautiful shades: there are passion, fears, softness, heart-warming touches and glances. .. There is grief for the loss of a loved one, or the grief over a destiny we think shall never be our journey's end. But destiny always finds us... even when its shape is the one of love, love that each one of us deserves: from the quite-king to the handmaid; from the exile pirate to the demons' fighter; from humans to fantastic creatures; from the past to the future.
High quality, refined love stories that made me laugh and cry both... And made me feel encircled by love. Those stories leaving you with the wish to be there, to live in the story, to love all the characters by yourself. I loved all: the atmospheres, the dialogues, the stolen moments.
Those are heart-warming stories full of hope and a reminder to never give up: what we truly want always waits for us to come back, to find a way to it again.
The authors have high writing skills, gave me chills, in the good way!

Summer Simmer splits in different parts by arguments:
High Fantasy: my favorites! There all creatures of all sort...even centaurs!
Historical Fiction: I liked the light mood of the first story and the raging passion of the second(it made me feel the hunt, really!)
Contemporary Romance: I like how in Cassia Hall's stories music plays an important part: not only in the context but also in her writing style.
Futuristic Romace: Original and so romantic!

The only thing I feel to levae, as an advice, is that I wished to know better about 'arcs' and 'anima' and 'aura' for easy understanding... But I understood those short stories are just a peek-a-boo to very complex and awesome worlds. How I wish I could be part of those worlds!

If I have to pick favorite characters... I loved the most two of Fuente's characters: "The pirate, the rogue, the THIEF"...Everyone of us would like to hear that we are "worth the risk" to someone we truly care for...that pirate had me on this: I fell for him. The other one is Marahu, exclusively, unically handsome... I saw "the man behind the scars" and I hope to see him again very soon!

Thank you for giving me this great opportunity to receive an advance review copy! Reviewing this was a great pleasure. Thank you again!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I’m not usually the romance type but every now and then I feel like everyone needs a little feel good romance in their life and this book came around for me at just the right time. These are short quick stories that are pretty easy to get through I think the only issue I had with them is that some of the stories were just a little too short and left me wanting a little more. But overall they’re not too lovey dovey, not every one is necessarily a true happy ending which is great because not all love stories are but they were sweet and just what I needed. I’m also glad that there was a variety of ff, mm, mf, etc because if felt really inclusive and shows how love is love.

[Sara McClaflin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read my full review here: https://onreviewbysara.com/2023/06/21...

I was given this ARC as a gift from the author on BookSirens. My opinions and thoughts of the book are mine alone.

My Rating: I give this anthology 5 out of 5 stars! I want to read the works of the other authors as well! I encourage readers who are finding the genre that they like look at this anthology. This is a wonderful example of how it should be done. Find your favorite and read more! Although, I would say that you need to look at every author because if this is just a sample of their work, then you should read more. I know I am!

[Nicole Dunton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Summer Simmer
Author: Various Authors
Release Date: May 31st, 2023
Page Count: 189
Format: ebook
Start Date: July 9th, 2023
Finish Date: July 9th, 2023

Rating: 3 Stars

Review:

This review will be short. I should have taken notes on each individual story. But either way. The anthology was okay. It wasn’t really great. Nothing to gush on about. Some of the stories were heartwarming. Some of them felt really incomplete. Some of them felt more like a sampler than a short story. I’m still glad that I read it. I got to know many authors that I had never heard of before. I’ll make sure to look up other works by all of them.

[Brook Bhagat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful collection! Not only lust, but love, beauty, the whole magical game in very different, easily digestible bites. Delectable!

[Ayesha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been waiting impatiently for the release of the Summer Anthology after having been captivated by last year’s Spring Anthology.

Summer Simmer does not disappoint!

I am particularly touched by Cassia Hall’s story Dragonfly. Apart from the captivating love story that moves me, I feel a kind of subtle enlightenment dawning on me as I read on. How true it is that one should be prepared to let things go in order to move on, to come out stronger every time.

Last year’s First Dance and Red String characters are back in new stories!

R. L. Fuentes’s Feel Again! How wonderful and how right it should be that one should never be denied the chance of feeling again. I was also happily surprised to see the character art in her stories which made me feel closer to the characters.

The inclusion of different genres and styles of different authors in this Anthology help open up new possibilities for me to accept and pick up reading more on genres that I have never or rarely come across before. Despite the difference in genres and styles, one thing is constant, and that is love. Be it intense or bittersweet, love, as portrayed in all the stories brings warmth and hope to both the heart and soul.

[Jan Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.
This lovely collection of short stories is just the ticket for a quick peek into other worlds, other relationships and a diverse range of characters and settings. From enemies to lovers to friends which turn into something more, forbidden love, love which grows after loss, it's all in this fab anthology. I particularly enjoyed the beautiful wordsmithing of RL Feuntes and Cassia Hall, although all of the authors did a great job in quickly immersing the reader in their worlds.
It's only not a 5* from me because quite a lot of the stories are side characters or snippets from an existing series, which is a great way to introduce the reader to their other works, but at times (only a few times!) felt like I was coming into the story right at the end and I missed the build-up. I stress, this is only in occasional stories, and I'm certain I'll be reading works by these authors soon to find out more!

[Donna White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review For A Private Consultation by C. Phillip

When I found out that my favorite character from The Princess Amodini series was going to be in a flash fiction tale in Summer Simmer, I snatched C. Phillip's story as fast as I could. Satya is always a breath of fresh air with her intelligence, dedication, and compassion. Although this was super short, Phillip packs a lot into her scene with the strong people of Ancient India. I recommend reading The Princess Amodini books to get a richer understanding of Satya's intriguing, sensory-packed world. I was given a free ARC of A Private Consultation in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really sweet collection of short romance stories. I enjoyed the variety of sub-genres and getting a little peek into so many different writers' styles.

The lighthearted Karl and Smithy was really fun and I also enjoyed What's True using horses to bring the characters back together.

The addition of character art was a nice touch too, something you don't see often enough in books. Overall a nice group of stories perfect to sneak in whenever you have a spare moment.

I received this as an ARC read and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bookworm_acre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer Simmer is a collection of different romance novels ranging from fantasy to historical to contemporary romance so everyone can find stories they like. It's a perfect summer read and maybe one or the other will discover new genres for themselves.

I received a free review copy in advance and am giving this review voluntarily.

[Milo · Rating 3 out of 5]

As much as I wish, not too many of these short stories were memorable, but I did push through to the end
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each author brings so much to the table! Each book has its own tale and every author made the books well work the read!