Not Quite Shakespeare

by Sue Brown (Editor), Anne Regan (Editor), Becky Black

Take a ride to Northern Scotland on the famous train, the Jacobite, and rediscover desire. Get lost in the Peace Maze in Northern Ireland during a downpour and let a handsome young redhead come to the rescue. Take a tour of historical Blackpool on the English coast and set the stage for the perfect romance. From England to the outer isles, the UK holds treasure troves of romance, history, intrigue, and—naturally—quirky British humor. Not Quite Shakespeare samples it all in fifteen stories.

A man in London makes an accidental confession of sexual need to a virtual stranger who happens to be his boss. An American revisits West Sussex and rekindles an old flame with a romp in the stables. A couple finds their perfect third while vacationing on a pig farm in Yorkshire. In the office, on the race track, or in the kitchen baking bread—romance in the UK is alive and well, and full of sweet surprise.


Stories Included:
Ninety-nine Problems by Becky Black
The Jacobite by Bette Browne
Illumination by Sam Evans
Wag, Not a Dog by Theo Fenraven
The Benefits of Hindsight by MA Ford
Apollo, Heathcliff, and Hercules by S.A. Garcia
Misadventures of Mislaid Men by Penny Hudson
Rough Tackle by Annabelle Jacobs
Bread and Butter Pudding by Jules Jones
First Contact by Rhidian Brenig Jones
Chanctonbury Ring by Sarah Madison
Tops Down, Bottoms Up by Jay Northcote
In the Doghouse by Chris Quinton
Wrong Number by Megan Reddaway
Best Vacation Ever by Rob Rosen

- ebook edition is no longer available.

Genres: Anthologies, M M Romance, Romance, Short Stories, Gay, Contemporary, LGBT

350 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2014

About the author

Hot guys, big hearts, Sue's world.
Sue Brown is a Londoner with a dream to live on a small island. Coffee fuels her addiction to writing romance with hot guys loving each other, and her Adorkadog snores in harmony as she creates.

Reviews

[BevS · Rating 4 out of 5]

As is usual with these collections, there were stories I really liked, and others that for me, didn't work quite as well. Overall though, quite a good collection, and well done Sam with your story...especially the Morecambe & Wise mention, loved those two. 4 stars.

[Chris, the Dalek King · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t think there has been ever any doubt that I am an Anglophile. I love just about anything that has to do with the UK. A anthology set in the United Kingdom is just up my alley. And while there were a few stories here that just didn’t do it for me, for the most part they were enjoyable and fun to read. You get stories from all walks of life in England (/Scotland/N. Ireland), and touring the countryside in the heads of these MCs was just great.



Ninety-Nine Problems by Becky Black (4.5 stars)

Chez and Rob both grew up in the ice cream business, but it has been over fifteen years since Rob has seen Chez. When they meet again, after all that time, Rob is smitten with Chez. Too bad their families have long been rivals. Now with both men in charge of their family’s business, Rob has to wonder if is it too much a risk to make a move on the closeted Chez.

I’ve pretty much loved everything I’ve read from Becky Black. While I am more used to her scifi stories, I was quite taken by this sweet story of rivalries and love. Very Romeo and Juliet–w/o all the dying and teenage angst. This was a great story and one I wouldn’t mind having more of at some point. Rob and Chez are great. Though now after reading this, I will confess to wanting to go downstairs and raid our ice cream stash.

Bread and Butter Pudding by Jules Jones (3.5 stars)

Baking bread leads to some other fun activities for Trevor and Ben.

This was pretty short so there wasn’t more than a couple of scenes to this story, but what was there, I enjoyed. I do have a thing against olive-oil being used for non-cooking purposes, though that is just me and my sex and food shall never mix philosophy of life. Yummy bread, hot sex, and a sweet story.

Chanctonbury Ring by Sarah Madison (4.5 stars)

After his grandfather dies, Denny returns to England, and the location of his one summer romance. It has been years since he has been back, but there is much about the Downs that reminds him of Tarq and their time together…and of the time they spent apart. Now, back in the place where so many of his memories live, Denny hopes to recapture at least a small part of what that summer meant to him.

At the beginning I was getting a bit lost in all the descriptions of the countryside, but after the story comes into focus I was caught. Lovely writing and some great characters bring this short story to life.

Wrong Number by Megan Reddaway (4.5 stars)

The only thing worse than drunk-dialing your ex: accidentally drunk-dialing your boss and explaining in explicit detail just what you’d do to his cock. Which, unfortunately, is exactly what Connor does after a late night out clubbing–-and then coming home alone. Now he has to go into work, knowing that his boss knows just how up for it he is.

Hot, funny, sweet…this short story has it all. I quite enjoyed Connor’s humor and Gary was all smoldering hot. And plus, who can resist a guy w/ cats? Not me, that’s for sure.

In the Doghouse by Chris Quinton (3.5 stars stars)

Someone is trying to mess with his uncle’s prize greyhound, so Jerry does the only thing he can think of: run. With the dog in his back seat, and a possible thug on his tail, Jerry goes to the one man who might be able to help him–if he doesn’t punch Jerry first. He hasn’t seen Mike since he was just out of uni, but he hopes that at least his copper sensibilities will kick in, and he’ll keep Jerry and Spot safe till morning.

I had a hard time getting into this at first. I was confused as to what was going on, and why Jerry was running. But once that got all sorted out, it was a pretty good story. Jerry and Mike are a bit of a combustible mixture when they finally get together, but mostly in good ways. There is still plenty there that needs to be worked on, but they seem to be headed off in the right direction. Was a little be iffy on how Mike reacted to Jerry’s past sexual history, but I guess he had his reasons.

The Benefits of Hindsight by M.A. Ford (2.5 stars)

Charlie and Chris have been a thing since almost the first time they saw each other across the racing paddock. But while they love each other, Chris is not ready to come out and be touted as racing’s gay star. He if doesn’t though, he might just end up losing Charlie.

Um…well. It was ok, I guess. I’m not a big fan of car racing, or cars in general, so that meant that this story probably wasn’t going to hit most of my buttons to begin with. And that middle part was a bit odd. I get what the author was trying to do, but it came out really forced. Had a hard time connecting with the characters from the start, but that just really hindered my believability of the story itself.

Misadventures of Mislaid Men by Penny Hudson (3.5 stars)

Dying relative leaving you all his money sounds like a great thing…except when you’re the solicitor in charge of finding the heretofore unknown son of the annoying old man. Walking out of a Welsh pub, after making a spectacle of himself, to find a cow cosying up to his car is the straw that broke the solicitors back. Luckily he might just know someone who can help him with his problems.

Mostly I ended up feeling really bad for the car. Everyone else seems to have come out of the story fine, but that poor car….scarred for life. This story was a bit predictable, but still good. And a sexy welsh publican is always a nice addition to any story.

Best Vacation Ever by Rob Rosen (1 star)

John’s trip to Northern Ireland is not exactly the thrill-a-minute adventure he was expecting. That is until he takes a little trip into a hedge maze and gets more than ever expected.

Ok…wow. First, walking around with your cock out to use as a ‘divining rod’ in a maze is weird and creepy–also a great way to get yourself banged up for public indecency. If this was supposed to be porn it seriously missed the mark (though if it was going for a satire on 80’s romance stories it found the bullseye). The language was stilted and confusing–-not to mention the deluge of metaphors and similes–-and the characters seemed little more than cocks with legs and arms. It was fairly ridiculous, to be honest.

Rough Tackle by Annabelle Jacobs (4 stars)

Declaring that he is drunk, and that the guy next to him has awesome hair, is not exactly how Alex would start out any conversation–especially one with a hot guy (with great hair). But after getting wasted with his friends, for his 23rd birthday, he just hopes that he didn’t make too big an ass of himself. Plus it isn’t like he is ever going to see Mr. Soft Hair again. That is when, of course, his best friend drags him to a football match (while still hungover) and he sees the hair–and the body attached to it–on the other side of the pitch. Which just figures.

Ah…you gotta love friends that put you in awkward positions and then mock you for it for the rest of your life. And by ‘love’ I mean you should totally get even and make their lives a living hell until they beg for mercy! Er…not that I would do that. This was a very good story. Alex was a very amusing drunk, and despite the fact that neither love nor money would pry me from the couch if I was that hungover, he was pretty interesting sober, as well. And Josh was cool. Just all around cool awesomeness going on here.

Illumination by Sam Evans (3.5 stars)

Jo is only hours away from losing his theater. It is pretty much the only thing he can think of, on that stormy, wet, day. That is until Maxwell Bond comes stumbling into his life. Too bad Max is the one who is going to be relieving him of his theater.

Had a bit of a problem getting into this one, at first. Something about the way it was written was just a bit confusing. But the characters were great, and Max’s offer was surely something Jo could never refuse. Plus, I have a thing for old buildings. I just love ‘em.

The Jacobite by Bette Browne (3 stars)

Jon’s come back to Scotland, from Australia, to attend his grandfather’s funeral. But since he has forked over a butt-load of cash to get there, he figures he might as well stay around afterwards and have a look around the Scottish countryside. That’s why he takes a train journey to a sea-side town and meets Colin, a fellow sightseer. Let’s just say that the sights are not the only thing Jon plans on seeing, after that.

This was a good story, and seeing as I am a fellow lover of all things Harry Potter, it was a trip I wouldn’t mind going on, myself. The story seemed to end a bit too soon, what with Jon and Colin only just figuring out that they want each other near the very end, but overall it was sweet. And I really want a beer now…just saying.

Wag, Not a Dog by Theo Fenraven (2.5 stars)

Wag’s job isn’t exactly on the upandup. His boss runs a computer protection company, but hires Wag to create the viruses that the company ‘protects’ against. And Wag’s ok with it, he guesses. It’s a job at least. Then Silver, the boss’s nephew shows up and Wag’s boring little life gets all kind of mixed up.

I didn’t ever really feel it between these characters. They said all the right things, did all the right things, but at the end of the story I was feeling a bit ‘blah’. Maybe it was the way the scenes were structured, or how I just never really liked Silver, but this was just not a great fit for me.

Tops Down, Bottoms Up by Jay Northcote (4 stars)

Rowan really isn’t into the whole ‘folk’ scene, but when his friend needs a hand running his booth at the local folk festival, Rowan agrees to help. When he get overheard slagging off Morris Dancing, by the festival’s Morris troupe, Rowan is pretty embarrassed–-but not as embarrassed as he is when he realized the guy he’s been drooling over is part of the troupe.

Yeah, I so don’t get Morris dancing. I’ve read several books with it in it, and while I thoroughly enjoyed the stories and the characters…the dancing itself still seems a bit silly. But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy this short story. I love when MCs find themselves making a fool themselves in front of their crushes. Mostly because the making up is great to read. Very fun story.

First Contact by Rhidian Brenig Jones (2.5 stars)

Will is in Wales to get some pictures of his grandparents’ gravestones for his sister back in the States. But being American, he has no clue how to navigate the streets or read the language, so the local owner of a pub offers his son as de facto tour guide. But it is not the countryside that Will wants Ceri to show him.

Will is a bit of a douche. Ceri is a bit of a douche. But at least Ceri has the whole ‘I just been dumped’ thing to justify it. I just didn’t like these characters. And that ending….yeah not for me at all.

Apollo, Heathcliff, and Hercules by S.A. Garcia (4 stars)

Char and Simon are not exactly drowning in the love at the moment. When Char demands that Simon stop being so difficult and just agree to go to the countryside, instead of the shore, for a short vacation, it looks like their relationship is going off the rails. But Simon relents, and off they go…not knowing just what or who they will find at the end of the journey.

Their mode of talking took a bit of getting used to, for the first couple pages I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, but after that it was smooth sailing. And Simon took a bit getting used to, but I found him rather fun for all his flirty ways. Very enjoyable time in the moors, and in the jacuzzi!


Anthology: 3.5 stars


This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.

[Helena Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ninety-nine problems by Becky Black (4.5):
Ice cream and two young men, Rob and Chex, newly in charge of their rival family businesses, one of them firmly closeted and also not entirely up to the role that’s been thrust upon him.
Told with a sweetness that resembles the ice cream it features this was a delicious delight.

Bread and Butter Pudding by Jules Jones (3.5):
Two men, homemade bread and a sensual massage make for a sexy, funny and rather sweet story.

Chanctonbury Ring by Sarah Madison(4):
Denny, an author of M/M romances is back in England for the first time in over a decade. When he reunites with his the man who was his lover during his visit it is a dream come true except that Tarquin is keeping his distance. A wonderful second chance at first love story.

Wrong Number by Megan Reddaway (4):
Maybe the story idea isn’t the most original; a guy accidentally calling his boss instead of his friend and saying mildly obscene things before realising his mistake, and maybe what happens next isn’t a huge surprise either but the story was easy to read, sexy and at times funny.

“(...)unfortunately you can’t just grab the cutest-looking stray man from the nearest gay bar, take him home, feed him twice a day, and expect him to love you for it.”

In the DogHouse by Chris Quinton(4+):
Another second chance at first love story but completely different from the previous one. This one includes a greyhound, a few gangsters and quite a few funny moments.

The Benefits of Hindsight(4):
Two racing drivers in love, one needing to be open about it the other too firmly closeted to even consider it. A bad accident and a strange experience lead to new perspective.

Misadventures of Mislaid Men by Penny Hudson (4):
A funny story. But what I liked best was the fact that it was completely open-ended.

Best Vacation Ever by Rob Rosen (3.5):
A nice quickie, both in length and content, and set in Northern Ireland not too far away from the place I call home.

Rough Tackle by Annabelle Jacobs (3.5):
Sweet story involving a rather drunken birthday celebration, a football match, a twisted ankle and two cute young men.

Illumination by Sam Evans (3.5):
One angry man thinks he’s about to lose the theatre that’s the passion of his life but finds not only doesn’t he lose anything, he gains quite a bit too.

The Jacobite by Bette Brown (4.5):
An Aussie expat in Scotland meets a man from Cornwall on a steam train. Easy companionship soon turns into something more.

Wag, Not a Dog by Theo Fenraven (5):
Written by the only author in this anthology I’ve actually read and enjoyed before this mark may partially be the result of familiarity. On the other hand it may be caused by the fact that this is a sweet, original, fully formed and well written story.

Tops Down, Bottoms Up by Jay Northcote (4):
Morris dancing might not be the first thing to spring to mind when it comes to romance but boy did it work.

First Contact by Rhidian Brenig Jones (3):
Set in Wales an American traveller meets a sulking Welsh man and helps him out of his dark mood. I liked the characters but the story felt a bit jumpy and unresolved.

Apollo, Heathcliff and Hercules by S.A. Garcia(4.5):
In which an established couple goes on rents a holiday cottage on the Moors, much to the regret of one of them. What could have turned into a weeklong disaster takes a turn for the better when they meet the owner and the possibilities he offers. Funny and at times very imaginative.

“I suffered a heated, fast fantasy of being a sheep submitting to his special herding skills.”


This is a wonderful and varied collection of stories. We have reunions, encounters that may or may not be one night stands, established relationships, unexplained phenomena, angst and lightness. We are treated to full on sex, glimpses of passion and encounter that leave the intimate details up to the reader’s imagination. I don’t think there are many regions in the United Kingdom not featured in this anthology, making this book as varied when it comes to setting as it does in every other aspect.

Not every story will give you a happy ever after, in fact a lot of them leave it up to the reader to imagine what might happen next, and since I like nothing better than fantasizing on after a story finishes, that worked wonderfully well for me.

This is great book if you like to occasionally dip into a well written but quick romantic M/M story. Every single one of these stories would make for a perfect lunch hour or bedtime read. ‘Not Quite Shakespeare’ works even better if you have been thinking of dipping a toe into this genre but didn’t know where to begin or are just looking for new authors to explore.

[The Novel Approach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not Quite Shakespeare is a collection of short stories about quirky, sexy and typical British men. The title is a cheeky way of saying, please don’t compare these stories to the Bard. But I disagree, this collection was phenomenal and in my opinion, will be a British classic in the M/M universe.

As an anglophile myself, I loved all the offerings. I can’t even pick my favorite. Reading this anthology reminded me how much I miss England. The language, dry humor and settings are all quintessentially British. The storytelling and the quality of the writing was exceptional. I think some stories paid homage to other great British writers. I was trying to remember my HS English lit and failing miserably.

Not Quite Shakespeare has something for everyone, from old friends reconnecting and finding that time doesn’t diminish feelings to a man dialing his boss by accident and telling him what he wanted—and the boss fulfilling the request, as well as a really cute story about roommates who find that a mutual love of bread can create a relationship. Olive oil plays a major part!

All the stories were fun to read. They were cute and heartwarming, but let’s not forget the sex. Some stories had more sex than others but all had the right level of sexiness and hotness. For me, British men are a wet dream and the authors did not skimp on the Britishness or the sexiness. Just the accent alone is drool worthy, and I was reading them in an English accent. LOL

If you’re having England withdrawals, pick up Not Quite Shakespeare! It’s just as satisfying as scones and clotted cream but not as fattening, and will leave you hot and bothered!

[F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with any anthology there are some you like, some you don't and very few that you remember. The few that stuck out were

Wrong Number by Megan Reddaway
Enjoyed this mutual attraction story between Connor and his boss Gary. 4.5 stars

In The Doghouse by Chris Quinton
The MC of the story was Spot, a racing greyhound whose human handler was trying to keep Spot out of the hands of a gang who had drugged Spot to fix a race. When trying to find a safe haven his handler ends up at the house of an old school friend. The inevitable happens and all ends well. A longer story but one of the best ones. 4 Star

Rough Tackle by Annabelle Jacobs
Alex drunkenly hits on a guy at a club and promptly falls asleep on his shoulder. The next day, suffering from a hangover, who does he meet on the opposing team on the football field but the guy he made a fool of himself to. Josh is a forgiving chap however and was similarly struck by Cupid so even when a hard tackle by Alex has him limping off the field he still leaves his number for Alex.
4.5 stars

Overall this was one of the better anthologies I have read with only one story earning 1 star.

4 stars

[Liz (Bugetta)]

I'm going to review as I read. Honestly, I just got it for the Jay Northcote and Annabelle Jacobs stories, but I'm going to give each one a try.

Tops Down, Bottoms Up by Jay Northcote 4*
Super cute and sexy, just what I've come to expect from Northcote.

Ninety-nine Problems by Becky Black 3.5*
I really enjoyed this one but the fade to black sex scenes were so annoying!

Rough Tackle by Annabelle Jacobs
The Jacobite by Bette Browne
Illumination by Sam Evans
Wag, Not a Dog by Theo Fenraven
The Benefits of Hindsight by MA Ford
Apollo, Heathcliff, and Hercules by S.A. Garcia
Misadventures of Mislaid Men by Penny Hudson
Bread and Butter Pudding by Jules Jones
First Contact by Rhidian Brenig Jones
Chanctonbury Ring by Sarah Madison
In the Doghouse by Chris Quinton
Wrong Number by Megan Reddaway
Best Vacation Ever by Rob Rosen

[Lillian Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent collection of British stories, many by British writers. There was not one story that I hated or skipped (unusual for an anthology). These are my favourites:

Ninety-nine Problems by Becky Black - 4* Loved this story of feuding ice-cream families.
Chanctonbury Ring by Sarah Madison -4* Excellent second chance at love story.
Wrong Number by Megan Reddaway - 3.5* Amusing story about a guy who drunk dials his boss. It's predictable but fun.
In the DogHouse by Chris Quinton - 4.5* love this story of second chance love. And greyhounds. And shady gangster types.
Rough Tackle by Annabelle Jacobs - 4* Cute.
The Jacobite by Bette Brown - 3.5*
Tops Down, Bottoms Up by Jay Northcote - 5* Morris dancing! LOL. Loved it.

I'd happily read any of these stories again.

[⚣Michaelle⚣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Stars

Lots of different kinds of stories in this anthology, from sweetly romantic to hot-n-heavy. Loved adding new "Britishisms" to my notebook (and looking them up was always an interesting exercise in all things tangential to the UK). A few hits (entries by Annabelle Jacobs & Jay Northcote). A couple misses. But in general a mighty fine read. I know that I'm going to be adding some of these authors to my TBR shelf (while a small handful are already there).

[Pamela Su · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable collection of romance stories based in the United Kingdom. There was a delightful taste of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Some of the stories brought the locations to life, some were just brief glimpses.

As with most anthologies, some stories fell a little short of its potential. Overall, this anthology was more a hit than a miss.

[fandomprincess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tops Down, Bottoms Up by Jay Northcote - 3 stars

[Clarene · Rating 4 out of 5]

hmmmm will right some later

[Aura Steel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ninety-nine Problems by Becky Black 3*
Bread and Butter Pudding by Jules Jones 2*
Chanctonbury Ring by Sarah Madison 1*
Wrong Number by Megan Reddaway 4*
In the Doghouse by Chris Quinton 3*
The Benefits of Hindsight by MA Ford dnf
Misadventures of Mislaid Men by Penny Hudson 3*
Best Vacation Ever by Rob Rosen 1*
Rough Tackle by Annabelle Jacobs 4*
Illumination by Sam Evans dnf
The Jacobite by Bette Browne 3*
Wag, Not a Dog by Theo Fenraven dnf
Tops Down, Bottoms Up by Jay Northcote 4*
First Contact by Rhidian Brenig Jones 2*
Apollo, Heathcliff, and Hercules by S.A. Garcia dnf

[Carole-Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had this book for a while so I settled for a weekend read.
Good entertainment; nice assortment of stories; quite good value.

[Asynia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Becky Black – Ninety-nine Problems - 2 stars
Rival ice cream business runners get together in a story that is too much about ice cream and no chemistry between the MCs. No on-page sex.

Jules Jones – Bread and Butter Pudding - 4 stars
Short, sweet, and sexy story about a guy who finds out his flat mate is actually gay too.

Sarah Madison – Chanctonbury Ring - 3 stars
Charming story about two men getting a second chance at a love that was always meant to be.

Megan Reddaway – Wrong Number - 5 stars
An accidental 2 am call to the boss instead of a friend leads to unexpected sex. Would have liked to read a longer version of this story.

Chris Quinton – In the Doghouse - 4 stars
A longish story about two men who were friends as kids, separated by a kiss as youths and find new love together as adults. And yes, there is a greyhound dog in the story.

M.A. Ford – The Benefits of Hindsight - 3 stars
Two race car drivers in love, one gives the other one an ultimatum: to stay together they have to be out. An eerie flashback makes the closeted guy see the light. No sex even mentioned.

Penny Hudson – Misadventures of Mislaid Men - 4 stars
English solicitor looking for lost heir in Welsh village. Charming and sexy story with a satisfying HFN.

Rob Rosen – Best Vacation Ever - 2 stars
Improbable story about a US tourist visiting a park with a maze in Northern Ireland and hooking up with a park employee.

Annabelle Jacobs – Rough Tackle - 4 stars
Guy meets the man he was too drunk to flirt with the night before as they play football the next day. Light weight but kind of sweet.

Sam Evans – Illumination - 4 stars
Sweet story about an owner of an old cinema who worries about its future after its been sold on. The representative for the new owners both assures and attracts him. No sex.

Bette Browne – The Jacobite - 4 stars
Aussie visiting Scotland meets English guy on a train. The attraction grows slowly, but it seems like both men are in for a very nice holiday.

Theo Fenraven – Wag, Not a Dog - 2 stars
Solitary workaholic programmer gets a colorful new co-worker and they hit it off, break up over stuff at work, but easily solves it in the end. No on-page sex.

Jay Northcote – Tops Down, Bottoms Up - 5 stars
Guy with low opinion of Morris dancing decides to try it when he meets a very sexy dancer. Who knew Morris dancing could be that hot?

Rhidian Brenig Jones – First Contact - 2 stars
US man get direction to a remote place by younger Welsh man, who accompanies him. Sex that seems somewhat inappropriate for more than one reason follows.

S.A. Garcia – Apollo, Heathcliff, and Hercules - 5 stars
An established couple reconnects while on holiday in Yorkshire, where they find that the owner of the holiday let is prepared to do more than advertised to make his guests happy. I went from “meh” about the couple to genuinely liking them both and I’m glad that all ended well.

[Lois - Who Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are not a lot of authors that can do short stories really well with that perfect balance of character development and actual story. As with every anthology, there are some good stories, some mediocre stories and a few gems. These were my favorites

Ninety-Nine problems. The story of the war of the ice cream families – the next generations are taking over the family businesses, but only one willingly. This was a story that I was not ready to end; I wanted to know where things went next.

In the doghouse. Reminded me of a Dick Francis book, but with dogs, in the Reader Digest condensed version (does anybody else remember those?).

The benefit of hindsight. A dip into the past opens Chris' eyes to a brand new present.

Rough Tackle. This is one of those rare short stories that feels like a full story and it was a fun read.

Frank Sinatra. Hands down my favorite from this anthology.

Tops down, bottoms up. One slightly drunken comment at a music festival ends in a lesson in Morris dancing and a skinny dip.

[Marlobo ♥ epilogues · Rating 3 out of 5]

I skipped stories from authors that rate all their books. It's not the case with those that only rate antologies; I still don't like it but I can understand it like a recognition to their co-authors.

Ninety-nine Problems by Becky Black - 3 stars

Bread and Butter Pudding by Jules Jones - 3 stars

Chanctonbury Ring by Sarah Madison - 3,5 stars

Wrong Number by Megan Redd away - 2,5 stars

In the Doghouse by Chris Quinton - 2,5 stars

The Benefits of Hindsight by MA Ford - 2 stars

Misadventures of Mislaid Men by Penny Hudson - 3 stars

Best Vacation Ever by Rob Rosen - Skipped

Rough Tackle by Annabelle Jacobs - 2,5 stars

Illumination by Sam Evans - 2,5 stars

The Jacobite by Bette Browne - 2 stars

Wag, Not a Dog by Theo Fenraven - 2 stars

Tops Down, Bottoms Up by Jay Northcote - 3,5 stars

First Contact by Rhidian Brenig Jones - 1 star

Apollo, Heathcliff, and Hercules by S.A. García - 2, 5 stars

[Tailtiu]

Read:
Tops Down Bottoms Up by Jay Northcote 3,5*
In The Doghouse by Chris Quinton 3*
Wrong Number by Megan Reddaway 3,5*

[DeeNeez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fifteen delightful shorts, all set in the UK. Some were so short you wanted more, a few pure romance with no sex scenes, they either warmed my heart or made me laugh. Only one out of the entire collection I would have rated a 2 star. But the majority of the stories were great. My favorites are:

In the Doghouse by Chris Quinton - I loved how it was written in a suspense/thriller mode. The MC is on the run, trying to save himself and the dog.

The Benefits of Hindsight by MA Ford - I loved the paranormal twist between the modern racetrack and the WWII airfield.

Illumination by Sam Evans - I loved the character Josef Sivok. I was so emotionally caught up with his attachment to the old theater. The descriptions, the setting with the storm, I felt I was there with him. Well done!

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ninety-nine Problems by Becky Black
4/5
The Jacobite by Bette Browne
3.5/5
Illumination by Sam Evans
3/5
Wag, Not a Dog by Theo Fenraven
2.75/5
The Benefits of Hindsight by MA Ford
CNF
Apollo, Heathcliff, and Hercules by S.A. Garcia
2/5
Misadventures of Mislaid Men by Penny Hudson
3.5/5
Rough Tackle by Annabelle Jacobs
3/5
Bread and Butter Pudding by Jules Jones
4/5
First Contact by Rhidian Brenig Jones
4/5
Chanctonbury Ring by Sarah Madison
3.5/5
Tops Down, Bottoms Up by Jay Northcote
3/5
In the Doghouse by Chris Quinton
4/5
Wrong Number by Megan Reddaway
4.5/5
Best Vacation Ever by Rob Rosen
3.5/5

[Rachel Emily]

Ninety-nine Problems by Becky Black - 4 stars, I really loved this one! Love the idea of competing ice cream parlors. This was a sweet story!

The Jacobite by Bette Browne
Illumination by Sam Evans
Wag, Not a Dog by Theo Fenraven
The Benefits of Hindsight by MA Ford
Apollo, Heathcliff, and Hercules by S.A. Garcia
Misadventures of Mislaid Men by Penny Hudson
Rough Tackle by Annabelle Jacobs
Bread and Butter Pudding by Jules Jones
First Contact by Rhidian Brenig Jones
Chanctonbury Ring by Sarah Madison
Tops Down, Bottoms Up by Jay Northcote
In the Doghouse by Chris Quinton
Wrong Number by Megan Reddaway
Best Vacation Ever by Rob Rosen

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.5 stars

This anthology is a collection of fifteen short stories all set in the UK. Now, I’ll admit to being a tiny bit of an Anglophile, so I was excited to pick this one up. There was a wonderfully diverse collection of stories included inside, and I greatly enjoyed them. There was a really great mix of different stories and, though a few missed the mark a little for me, on the whole, it was a lovely collection.

Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.

[Wende · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories need to be longer in some cases. The first one was just a tease. I hope it is made into a book. I loved these two men who are from two families that are in businesses that are in competition against each other.
My favorite was the Misadventures Of Mislaid Men it was funny and I just needed it.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Kobie · Rating 5 out of 5]

good collection. not all for me, but guess what? I skipped the ones that didn't interest me.