Starstruck Anthology

by Tricia Kristufek (Editor), George Loveland, Sydney Blackburn

Lights, camera, action!

To the average person, celebrities seem to have it all—money, fame, and droves of adoring fans lining up to fawn over them. But a life in the public eye can make romance challenging, and deep down, these guys are looking for the same thing as any other someone to share a steamy tryst with between acts or to ride off into the sunset with after the curtain has gone down. Luckily there are those willing to love the men behind the billboards and on-air personalities, and they’re looking for a private performance from their favorite drag queens, musicians, reality TV stars, actors, rodeo champions, and video game designers. Even superheroes and legendary defenders. Money and fame might not always equal happiness, but these celebrities will leave stars in their lovers’ eyes.

Love, Stage Left—L.A. Merrill
Rodeo Champion—Jay Starre
Marked by the Queen—George Loveland
The Ruby—Avery Vanderlyle
Pride and Panoramas—Asta Idonea
Such Beautiful Music—M.T. Aspen
Out on Stage—Elizabeth Coldwell
Shooting Star—Rob Rosen
Drastic Measures—Sydney Blackburn
Garden Variety—Bell Ellis
Defying Gravity—Charles Payseur
The Defender of Ruldan—Jessica Payseur

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

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 12, 2016

About the author

Tricia Kristufek has an avid reading complex. Her writing is generally fantasy, but she has delved into the world of romance lately. When not writing or editing, she can be found with her nose in a book, passing on her love of books to her daughter, or playing with stray animals. Find out more at http://triciakristufek.com.

Author of "Accidentally Gift Wrapped" in the "Christmas Lites" Anthology, and "Accidentally Smitten" in the "Christmas Lites II" Anthology.

Editor of "The Willing" and "The Reluctant" by C.S. Splitter; Numerous works by Barb G.Tarn; "Sorrow's Child - The Taint" by Georgina Anne Taylor; "The Mission" by Bill Talcott; "Secrets of a Universe - The Mindkey Project" by H. Brian Rawson; "Path of Needles" by Hannah Kollef; "Under the Bed Across the World" by Rose Candis.

Proofreader of "Christmas Lites" Anthology.

Reviews

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are several new-to-me authors in this anthology and I thought it was a good opportunity to sample their works, and who knows, they might just enter my authors-to-watch list in the future.

As always with anthology, some stories are good, some are just okay. My favorite of the bunch was Marked by the Queen by George Loveland. It brought sappy happy smile to my face when I got to the ending.

Love, Stage Left—L.A. Merrill: 2.5 stars
Although Eli had crushes on Brandon for years but this short story just didn't have enough to justify the possibility of the romance in the present. I felt like I understood Eli and connected to him emotionally but not Brandon. His characterization was too thin for me to root for him and Eli. Plus considering that he just left everything for 10 years after a stage anxiety fiasco, I felt like Brandon's return to the stage was a little too easy.

Rodeo Champion—Jay Starre: 2 stars
Felt like it was more tell than show, I felt detached with the characters. Plus they easily went in for kisses and even if they hadn't seen each other for YEARS. Not like Graham told TJ how he felt in the first place. For a short story, I lost interest to it very early on because I felt like there wasn't any beginning and progress of the relationship. Just a flimsy excuse to get to the sex scenes *hmph* Oh, and I wasn't really a big fan of using pronouns like "the cowboy" or "the rancher" frequently instead of using character's names (my issue not yours)

Marked by the Queen—George Loveland: 4 stars *FAVORITE!*
Awww, this one was SO CUTE!! Yes, it was short but it felt complete. We got the first meeting, the first exchange of Twitter and DM conversations (ah, love in the time of social media), the first date, heck even the whole dealing with Jake's jealousy over one of job elements of Andrew's stage time as Shelley. I LOVED Jake's attempt to win Andrew back after he screwed up with his jealousy (show me that the man was paying attention!!).

The whole story was playful, fun, and a little naughty when it came to the drag queen show on stage. I adored the 'queen bitch' banters between Shelley and Tina. But what clinched the story for me as one of my favorites of this anthology was the ending. I was literally awww-ing when I got to that part. It was sweet and romantic. I had my sappy teary-eyed eyes when I reached the ending. LOVED this, Mr. Loveland!!

The Ruby—Avery Vanderlyle: 2 stars
At first I thought it was cute, even if my eyes glazed over the whole description of the virtual game. I am not a gamer, will never be a gamer, so things related to VR and games don't interest me much. But then suddenly it was **SPOILER** six weeks later ... and it just stopped. It took me by surprise, I actually ended up flipping back the pages (or something similar to that because I read through my Kindle) to see whether I missed something! But nope, that was it. The End. Felt like I got a whiplash out of it.

Pride and Panoramas—Asta Idonea: 3.5 stars
This was cute -- I could feel Alaric's frustration of being type-cast in period drama and I thought the progress from him being antagonistic towards Greg to later soften up on the cameramen to be believable. Greg taking care of Alaric when the actor fell ill was sweet. The ending slightly felt more like happy for now but it fit with the timeline; it was a beginning of lovely new life for both.

Such Beautiful Music—M.T. Aspen: 3.5 stars
While it took me a while to get into the rhythm of Aspen's writing (she's a new-to-me author after all), I thought this story was good. As I was reading, I kept thinking that the relationship felt mature, even if Marsh acted like a playful kid sometimes being a rock star. Nick even had a good relationship with his ex-partner! I did wish there were more interaction between Marsh and Nick's kid, but then I realized the reason why the author didn't do it. It was understandable reason! So yeah, rock star and librarian. It worked :)

Out on Stage—Elizabeth Coldwell: 2.5 stars
Things happened a bit too fast for me to believe that Bradley was ready to come out of the closet for Stewart. I just didn't see enough interactions between them *shrugs*. I couldn’t help to feel that the author just wanted to include sex scene rather than actually exploring the situation of Bradley being in the closet. Also, with Stewart having multiple sclerosis (as stated on the blurb), I wished it was explored further in regards to the relationship with Bradley (like maybe a little hurt/comfort situation?) On a different note, I thought the (fictional) play that Bradley was involved in had such a great theme.

Shooting Star—Rob Rosen: 3 stars
Had similar situation like the previous story, Out of Stage . Things happened fast. BUT I thought the tone of this story was light and funny -- and I couldn't help chuckling over Jack Black's (no relation to the actor) reaction towards knowing that his favorite actor, Trey, came to his small town. So yeah, I skimmed the sex scene, but I was amused and entertained with Jack’s narrative voice that I enjoyed it more than the other story.

Drastic Measures—Sydney Blackburn: 3 stars
There were definitely sparks between Keith and Dominic, and while I don't usually like anything related to reality TV show plot on my romance, I admit that in here it was pretty entertaining. I enjoyed the parts that were scripted because Keith was having fun doing it, even if he was not faking when he found out what Dominic did with Keith's own cook *laugh*

Garden Variety—Bell Ellis: 3.5 stars
This was LOVELY. I enjoyed the progress of Derek paying attention to the gardens and the slowly built trust between him and Noah which of course progressed into friendship and then something better. I also loved reading about Noah's passion for plants and flowers. I always admire people who have gift and talent for nature :)

Defying Gravity—Charles Payseur: 2.5 stars
This was MEH for me. Probably because I am not really into superheroes, unless they are in movies (and I can ogle the prettiness of Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes *lol*)

The Defender of Ruldan—Jessica Payseur: DNF/No Rating
My issue not yours … mainly because this was fantasy with weird names like Ithrean. It just felt off considering the previous stories were all contemporaries. I just couldn’t get into it at all. No rating because it is more of my preference/taste rather than the quality of the story.

Overall/Average Rating: 3 stars


A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls



The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heads up for the looonnggg review. I had a lot of feels for this book anthology, some good and some painfully terrible. So, without further ado, let's get this review rolling!



LOVE, STAGE LEFT by L.A. Merrill - 4.5 Stars

I was pretty ecstatic to see that the first little tale in this anthology was written by L.A. Merrill, because I don't know that I've ever been disappointed with her work. Eli was quite the cutie and Brandon kinda reminded me of that really outgoing, impossibly well-rounded, straight-A student from high school that you just couldn't hate. He was a little bit of a mary jane, but this was so short, I can understand how it would be difficult to show a character in all of their complexity. That being said, Love, Stage Left was funny, cute, and the HEA was A+.



RODEO CHAMPION by Jay Starre - 1 Star?

Okay, so when I was talking about painful, this is the section I was talking about. Rodeo Champion was... mediocre at best and the mistakes in this one were just too much for me to overlook. I didn't even like the characters. TJ and Graham seemed really rushed and flat to me, and I did not like that at all.

I was hoping that this one would be steamy enough that I could forgive, but with phrases like "clamped to swallow" and "cock-gulping," I just couldn't take it seriously. I almost thought to read it aloud as a theater play and offer $100 to any family member who didn't laugh, it was that ridiculous.

And don't even get me started on the accents, okay? I mean, I spent 8 years in southern Kentucky, a lot of it on small farms and around people who worked the rodeo circuit, and I have never in my life, ever, met anyone who talked like these two characters.

"If y'all quit the rodeo, will you get enough excitement living in a quiet place like this?"

I'm just so confused. Keep in mind, TJ is only talking to Graham here, they're the only two people around.

"I got to admit, I love y'all too. Always have, always will."

I have never heard anyone from the south refer to a single person as "y'all." Now, if I were talking to a group, yeah, I used to say y'all pretty often. It still slips out every now and then. But if I'm talking to just one person, I'd usually say ya, like "How ya doin'?," but if I found that phrase in this book, it would be written as "How y'all doin'?," even if he were only talking to one person, and that drove me insane!

I just can't with this book. I was even more disappointed to hear that he actually used to own a horse ranch! I sincerely hope that some of his other writing is much better than this... and I actually might have to go give another of his works a shot, because I really hate having such a sour impression of an author.



MARKED BY THE QUEEN by George Loveland- 5 Stars

I kinda really loved this one. I'd never heard of George Loveland before, but I definitely know who he is now. Shelley was sassy and flirty, while Andrew was sweet and genuine (but in no way subdued), and completely perfect for Jake. I caught myself laughing while reading this one on a few occasions and might have to revisit for a reread sooner rather than later.



THE RUBY by Avery Vanderlyle - 5 Stars

In every anthology, there's that one piece that deserves to be a solo, full-length novel and makes all of the mediocre fill-in pieces worth reading, and this is that gem. Gem... haha.

Anyway, Ezra and Toby were perhaps the most well written, complex, and beautiful characters in this entire anthology! If you're debating reading this, I'm going to tell you right now that these two make the entire book worth the read. I'm definitely keeping Avery Vanderlyle on my radar for future releases.



PRIDE AND PANORAMAS by Asta Idonea - 4.5 Stars

Ah, Alaric. I have a thing for that name, so I was instantly in love with him as a character (despite his social reputation). This is another one of those short stories that are just too short for their own good. I WANT A NOVEL, PLEASE.

I loved Alaric, and it was so hard not to adore Greg. Despite Alaric's rudeness towards him, Greg still put out the effort to help him... and it paid off. The tension between these two was unreal, and Alaric's internal conflict made Pride and Panoramas a pretty suspenseful story, despite it being so short



SUCH BEAUTIFUL MUSIC by M.T. Aspen - 5 Stars

"Have dinner with me, Nicky."

"Before or after you get your library card?"

"Well, I just assumed I'd need a card."

"Oh God," Nick groaned. "To check you out."

YES! So much yes for this! Again, another author that I have never heard of that I am going to have to do some digging on. Marshall and Nick were adorable and witty, but above all of that, they were genuine and sincere.

"Amazingly gorgeous librarian. Think blond Clark Kent, Christopher Reeve era."

I forgot that I was reading an anthology while I was reading Such Beautiful Music. Granted, some of the references made in this one require a little bit of background knowledge and/or intelligence to figure out, but this is that kind of witty banter that builds and builds into such a beautiful relationship that I just can't even explain it.

Read this. Just do it.



OUT ON STAGE by Elizabeth Caldwell - 4 Stars

Stewart was that kind of character that you root for from the beginning, and not just because he's the underdog (due to his disability), but because he's so honest and hardworking and sincere that if anyone deserves happiness, it's him.

Bradley was... not my favorite character. Again, I saw another mary jane type here, hidden in a closet (that's not really complex to me). But these two were so great together that I know I have to be missing something. This one just wasn't long enough for me to really get Bradley, and that upsets me.

That's the only reason I bumped this one down to 4 stars instead of 5. Another great read.



SHOOTING STAR by Rob Rosen - 3 Stars

Trey is the famous movie star coming to Jack's home town to shoot a movie. This one had a good premise, but Jack was a little too worship-ey for me. I really wanted to like him, but it was hard. Trey was kind of flat to me. I don't think I could distinguish him from a line-up of hollywood stars. Another disappointment.

I couldn't even remember the MC's names for this review. I had to go look them up. It wasn't a bad read, but it wasn't up to par with the rest of the pieces in this anthology.



DRASTIC MEASURES by Sydney Blackburn - 5 Stars

This one was just adorable. I could see the inspiration from Kitchen Nightmares (I think that's the right restaurant rescue show...), and I love rude chefs, especially Gordon Ramsay, so I knew from the get-go that this was going to be a good one.

"Network loves him because he's pretty and rude, even when the cameras aren't running.

Despite this one being awfully short, I did get to see well fleshed-out and complex characters. Dominic was kind of an ass on camera (and sometimes off camera too), but he was also caring and thoughtful and so into Keith that I could feel it.

I don't want to go on about this one too much because I don't want to give it all away, but this is another 5 Star perfect read that left me wanting a novel at the end. I'm going to have to keep an eye out for more Sydney Blackburn releases!



GARDEN VARIETY by Bell Ellis - 5 Stars

"Morrow, you're fired."

"You already fired me once this week. You're not allowed to do it twice. We've discussed this."

This was just cute. Garden Variety, unsurprisingly, was about a gardener (Noah) and a tv star (Derek) working on set of a tv show about gardening. Noah is everything perfect and precious in this world all rolled up into one fine-as-hell package, and Derek was so sincere it almost hurt. These two are the perfect example of two people who are too perfect for each other.

Garden Variety made me laugh and smile the rest of the day after reading it! I can't say enough about this short story. I really wish I could give more than 5 stars here. I want a novel. I want a Noah.



DEFYING GRAVITY by Charles Payseur - 4 Stars

This one is definitely not what I expected. Gravity is a superhero and Bruce wants to be his sidekick. Through some strange series of events, they are brought together and... it was a strange ride. Thinking back, I guess I did like the MC's, but it felt a little out of place in this anthology. The mannerisms of the characters were very staged (or that's how it felt).

Gravity was a little arrogant sure of himself, and it got him in trouble a lot. Bruce was quite intelligent, and he drew Gravity to him in a way that was clearly new to him. These two were good together, but I didn't get to see enough of them actually together. This short story placed a lot of emphasis on Gravity's conflicts as a superhero, which took the spotlight away from Gravity and Bruce as a couple.

Again, this one wasn't bad, I really liked it actually, but it felt really out of place with the rest of the anthology.



THE DEFENDER OF RULDAN by Jessica Payseur - 4.5 Stars

This one also felt a little out of place, but the characters were so lovable that I didn't even care. Cade (beautiful name) "the Defender of Ruldan" was somewhat of a hero to Ithrean, a master painter who frequently takes Cade as his muse in his private studies.

Ithrean and Cade were complete, complex characters in their own right, as well as in their relationship with each other. The conflict in this short story was very well thought out and it almost felt like an entire novel because of the complexity, which is exactly what I look for when I'm reading short stories. Short doesn't have to mean incomplete, and Jessica Payseur gets that.

I might have to keep an eye out for more of her works.



So the average rating for this anthology is about a 4-4.5, give or take, and it is definitely 100% worth the read. It's perfect if you only have a little bit of time to read each day and don't like the disappointment of having to stop reading mid-chapter of a full length novel (or don't like the end-chapter cliffhangers that are all too common).

 



Reviewed by Jordan at Alpha Book Club.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the author or the publisher in any way.

[Serena Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love, Stage Left by L.A. Merrill - 4 stars
Stage fright is something I can totally relate to, so Eli and Brandon, who both suffer from it, had my immediate sympathy. Brandon was a successful, promising actor in New York before he froze and vanished from the public eye; Eli wanted to be an actor but never made it beyond drama club in high school. Both men have steered their lives in a different direction, but when Fate decides to make them meet, it is actually on the stage. I couldn’t wait to see what happens!

Please find my full review of this short story on Rainbow Book Reviews.

Rodeo Champion by Jay Starre - 3 stars
Shyness can be an awful affliction, and paired with not being sure what your best buddy from ten years ago thinks about you, now that he is a rodeo star, I can see why Graham has not worked up the courage to talk to his childhood best friend. When the opportunity presents itself, in the form of TJ visiting his hometown, Graham finally gets up the courage – to ask him to dinner at his family’s ranch. After the sizzling chemistry in their short encounter just before that dinner, I certainly hoped that wouldn’t be all they’d get up to!

Please find my full review of this short story on Rainbow Book Reviews.

Marked by he Queen by George Loveland - 4 stars
In line with the theme of this anthology, ‘Marked by the Queen’ features one main character who is a star – Shelley, a drag queen of some fame. Jake sees her perform and is basically smitten right then and there. But as it turns out, dating someone in the public eye can be more complicated than Jake expected…

Please find my full review of this short story on Rainbow Book Reviews.

The Ruby by Avery Vanderlyle - 4 stars
As brief as it is cute, this short story is a treat for gaming nerds and those who like secretive “celebrity” game designers alike. Plus it reads a lot like a quest - the search of Ezra, a determined gamer, to find a way to get to know the elusive Toby, who designs video games for a living.

Please find my full review of this short story on Rainbow Book Reviews.

Pride and Panoramas by Asta Idonea - 3.5 stars
‘Pride and Panoramas’ is set in the world of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ – but not in the “historical” sense of being a story about times past and the society of the 19th century. No, this short read is very much a child of the early 21st century with its focus on a leading actor of some fame and one of the cameramen. They manage to create their own drama as they discover they may have more in common than anyone suspects.

Please find my full review of this short story on Rainbow Book Reviews.

Such Beautiful Music by M.T. Aspen - 5 stars
With a rock star who breaks all his rules, a librarian who does the same, and a kid who is cuter than you can imagine, this story is sweet, emotional, and funny all at the same time. Most of that is due to the quirky, complicated main characters who can’t see what’s right in front of their noses. But there is also the humor inherent in a famous rock start dating a librarian who used to be a psychiatrist. It will make sense when you read the whole background, I promise!

Please find my full review of this short story on Rainbow Book Reviews.

Out On Stage“Star appeal” can have all kinds of effects on people like turning them into babbling fans or making them jealous of someone else’s success. This story looks at the effect Bradley, a famous soap star has on Stewart, the artistic director of a small local theater – a man who does not think that TV actors are necessarily to be taken seriously. But the unexpected effect goes both ways…

Please find my full review of this short story on Rainbow Book Reviews.

Shooting Star by Rob Rosen - 5 stars
Hilarious is a good way to describe this story about Jack, a completely starstruck fanboy, meeting his idol, Trey, when he comes to the tiny, backwater town to shoot a few scenes for a new movie. From the moment Jack finds out what is going to happen to Trey actually turning up (and beyond), Jack bubbles over with enthusiasm and fanboys all over the pages. It’s a parody of what every fan has ever felt – and then some – and had me laughing throughout.

Please find my full review of this short story on Rainbow Book Reviews.

Drastic Measuresby Sydney Blackburn - 5 stars
The idea of inviting a reality TV team into your restaurant for a makeover could only occur to someone truly desperate – and that describes Keith’s situation perfectly. His dream of running a successful nightclub has come true, but the “attached” restaurant is going nowhere fast. It’s probably because Keith is a disaster in the kitchen and doesn’t even know where to begin. Since Restaurant Take Two will cover half the cost of the renovations and contribute a new menu for free, Keith decides it is worth the pain and goes ahead.

Please find my full review of this short story on Rainbow Book Reviews.

Garden Variety by Bell Ellis - 5 stars
The idea of a successful sitcom star having to do a reality show to “tide him over” with the studio is pretty amusing. But to have that show focus on gardening, something poor Derek has less than no clue about, makes the whole setup even funnier. The descriptions of his initial attitude, his attempts at gardening, and the surprising friendship he strikes up with the “real” gardener behind the scenes are very entertaining – until things get serious and the mood changes to a much gentler tone.

Please find my full review of this short story on Rainbow Book Reviews.

Defying Gravity by Charles Payseur - 4 stars
“Defying gravity” sounds like something a superhero can do, if you read the words in their traditional sense. But in this case, the author has very cleverly played with the meaning of that description, making it mean something quite different. In this story, the superhero in question is actually called Gravity, and he begins to have all kinds of previously unknown enemies, villains out to defy him, as soon as he meets his new, very distracting sidekick, Bruce. It’s a promising premise, and I am happy to report that this story delivers on the humor of the situation – in spades!

Please find my full review of this short story on Rainbow Book Reviews.

The Defender of Ruldan by Jessica Payseur - 4.5 stars
Hero worship can have interesting effects and the consequences when admirer and hero get to meet are unpredictable. In this interesting fantasy world, Cade the Defender of Ruldan is a legend, a hero whose exploits are discussed and written about widely. Master Painter Ithrean, a courtier in the palace of Zithneal, has admired him from afar to the point where he has developed a major crush on a man he has never met. All his dreams and fantasies of impressing the hero of his dreams come to a screeching halt when Cade is appointed Ruldan’s ambassador to Zithneal and they actually meet.

Please find my full review of this short story on Rainbow Book Reviews.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great collection of stories. I love reading anthologies often. You get such a jam packed stuff in a little story. It's great.

[Jaymie · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review. ***

Rodeo Champion—Jay Starre

Graham and TJ grew up together but ended up going their separate ways. When they reunite their friendship evolves quickly into something more and they are unable to deny their attraction to one another.

This was an okay read but in truth, I just didn't get invested in the story or the characters. I might have enjoyed it more had it been longer and fleshed out more. It's definitely got steam though, so if you're looking for that in a story, you'll probably enjoy it.

3 Stars!

Marked by the Queen—George Loveland

Jake is pretty much enthralled with Shelley from the very first moment he sees her. A kiss and a wink and he's hooked. The mark from Shelley's kiss is captured and posted on social media, getting hit after hit and sparking a connection between the two. However, Shelley hopes Jake will be as interested in Andrew as he is in Shelley.

This was a cute story. Jake was pretty smitten and super sweet up until he seemed to go a little overboard in his jealousy. When Andrew is performing as Shelley he has a whole persona he's perfected. Jake is unhappy when he sees Shelley place her mark on another man during a show and he throws a fit. I had to roll my eyes at the whole thing because it was a tad controlling. Luckily they work it out though because Jake and Shelley/Andrew are cute together and make a good couple.

4 Stars!


Such Beautiful Music—M.T. Aspen

Two very different men. The Rockstar and the Librarian. This story was good as well as fun. However definitely not my favorite.

3 Stars!


Shooting Star—Rob Rosen

Jack Black, Pharmacist and President of the Trey Jones fan club (there are only 2 members) gets the surprise of his life when he learns Trey Jones will be in Parker for his next film. As luck would have it, the film pays Jack to use his home for outside location shots. When it also turns out that they are placing Trey's trailer outside as well, Jack is on cloud nine. One thing leads to another when Jack decides to introduce himself to his crush and he soon finds that some dreams do come true.

Okay, I guess I'm just a fan of Rob Rosen because this is the second story I've read by him and I absolutely loved it. Shooting Star is hilarious and while it's definitely unbelievable it does not matter in the least. The writing was great and the characters fresh and funny. This was definitely my favorite story in the anthology.

5 Stars!

Garden Variety—Bell Ellis

Derek is talked into doing a garden reality show and while not excited in the least, he soon grows to appreciate the beautiful garden he's taking care of thanks to Noah. Noah is the gardener tasked with repairing the damage left behind the various celebrities who work on the plants. While he hates how the show allows these plants to be treated, he works hard to make sure they look immaculate. With Derek's help, Noah is able to see a change in the way the plants are treated this season and finds himself getting to like Derek more and more.

Another cute story that made me smile. While this was the first story by Bell Ellis I've read it definitely won't be the last.

5 Stars!

Defying Gravity—Charles Payseur

Gravity had been used to working alone, now suddenly he has Bruce vying to be his sidekick. While he looks good in his singlet and half cape, Gravity turns down his offer to join him. But when Bruce is in need of help Gravity is there for him.

A very different read but I definitely enjoyed it. It's not too often I read about Superheroes and their want-to-be sidekicks. Fun, Unique and a bit of action.

4 Stars!

[BTina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Defying Gravity, Charles Payseur ****
Drastic Measures, Sydney Blackburn ***
Garden Variety, Bell Ellis ***
Love, Stage Left, L.A. Merrill ****
Marked by the Queen, George Loveland ***
Out on Stage, Elizabeth Coldwell ***
Pride and Panoramas, Asta Idonea ***
Rodeo Champion, Jay Starre **
Shooting Star, Rob Rosen **
Such Beautiful Music, M.T. Aspen ***
The Defender of Ruldan, Jessica Payseur ****
The Ruby, Avery Vanderlyle ****

[Mari Cardenas · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie in exchange for a fair and honest review. ***

Love, Stage Left—L.A. Merrill

This was such a sweet, cute story. I really enjoyed the almost immediate connection between Eli and Brandon and how the two of them seemed to fit together so well. It was lovely to see Eli get the man who'd been his inspiration through the hard times he lived and see that Eli's fan letters had made an impact on Brandon as well.

Rating: 4 Stars!!!

The Ruby—Avery Vanderlyle

It was so cute to see this story evolve. Yes, it took some work and strategic planning on Ezra's part, since Toby didn't seem able to function if not directed by his handler at times, but it all worked out nicely in the end.

Rating: 4 Stars!!!

Pride and Panoramas—Asta Idonea

This story was one of my favorites! It had great character development and a very intriguing plot that the author managed to do justice to in very few words. I would have loved for it to be longer, but that's because I'm a greedy wench, LOL. Still, I really liked Greg and Alaric and loved seeing how their relationship progressed from admiration to semi-loathing, then friendship to love. It was really, really good!

Rating: 5 Stars!!!

Out on Stage—Elizabeth Coldwell (Mari's Review)

This was a great story, as well. I really loved Stewart, even when he was a bit of a snob, but it was nice that he actually cut Bradley some slack and allowed himself some happiness. Bradley was a sweet character and it was nice how happy he was that Stewart was impressed with his talent. All in all, an adorable story, which left me smiling in the end.

Rating: 4.5 Stars!!!

Drastic Measures—Sydney Blackburn (Mari's Review)

I'm very fond of cooking/business and home makeover reality tv and this one was amazing! I left it for the end, because I was pretty sure I'd love it and I definitely did. The chemistry between Dominic and Keith was magnetic and I loved seeing them butt heads and fall for each other, even if they weren't too sure of the end result.

Rating: 5 Stars!!!

The Defender of Ruldan—Jessica Payseur (Mari's Review)

Much as I liked the other stories I read, this one just felt like it didn't quite belong with the rest. For one, it was set in a different world, with different values, and I for one I'm not overly fond of multiple pairings in books with the MCs when I'm not aware of it before I start reading. Still, the writing was good and while I didn't enjoy it as much as the others, it was mildly entertaining despite my personal issues with it.

Rating: 2.5 Stars

[Natosha Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly love a good anthology. I love how even though they are several short stories in a big book, each short story is so totally different from the last. It makes it an exciting read becaus you never know what you are about to get. In Starstruck Anthology it is a variety of short stories that are all based on famous characters finding love with usually an average joe.

There are at least twelve short stories in this book if my count is right by different authors. The only thing each book has in common. Is they are based off of a famous character whether they are a rock star, a super hero, an actor, or even a rodeo star to name a few.

Each story has its own story line and they also range from serious, to comical, to loving, and even to enimies becoming lovers. It is a great mixture of stories that will warm your heart and have you smiling.

Of course with any anthology I had my favorite short stories I loved more then the one before and I also had the story that will stick with me for time to come.

One of those stories was "Such Beautiful Music" by M.T. Aspen. This short story really got to me because it was packed with so much emotion. It was beautifully written and the characters, Nick and Marsh, did not just get their happily ever after easily. They had to work for it. It was not an easy journey all of the time and they had not only themselves that was affected by their relationship but also others that knew them also. This story was one that will stick with me.

Such Beautiful Music may have been my favorite of the stories but that does not mean the others were no less good. I enjoyed reading every story in this book. Each story had something different about it then the last one did and I enjoyed each of them for different reasons. I recommend that others read this anthology because I believe there is something in this group of short stories for everyone.

Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review.

[Morningstar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book: Starstuck Anthology
Author: Multiple
Rating: 4 Stars

This anthology was about one of my favorite tropes (which I have many) celebrities! The stars all have fame, money, and fans but they want what all people want...love. This one has a wide variety of the love stories from rodeo stars, to movie stars, to famous game makers, and more. Something for everyone. Each one were as different as the one before but one thing they all seemed to have in common was the sugar sweet love.

This anthology has a whole bunch of new to me authors which is always a good way to find new authors for future reads. This was a book of 12 short stories that all had different tones some hot and dirty, some sweet and loving, and others funny and light. Of course, as in any anthology I had favorites and ones that...well... not so much. One of my favorites was Marked by Queen by George Loveland which was cute and sweet romance that had fun banter between the MC’s that was as sassy as you could get. One of my other favorites was Such Beautiful Music by M.T. Aspen which was super romantic with a fun snarky banter and well developed characters for a short story. Love the glimpses of the secondary characters and it was a well paced from meet cute to full on relationship/HEA.

Now as with most anthologies there were a couple of stories that needed more development to them. They seemed to jump to the HEA after one date or time jumped without giving us enough build up to believe the love connection between the MC’s while another that just had too many issues with it for me to even really like it at all. Still a fun and sweet read that you should give a try!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://diversereader.blogspot.com/ *

[Nicki Markus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starstruck is a 3.5 star read for me.
In general with anthologies, I tend to give most stories a standard rating, with a few stand-outs. However, here it was a real mixed bag. There was one in particular I found dull and strange, and would have only given two stars. On the other hand, I thought a couple were five-star worthy. But I guess that means there's something for everyone. What didn't appeal to me might attract others.
My two favourite stories were definitely Marked by the Queen by George Loveland and Garden Variety by Bell Ellis. Both these had great character development and nicely paced plots. Drastic Measures by Sydney Blackburn was also very enjoyable.

Disclaimer: I have a story in this anthology; however, my review and rating only relate to the other stories in the collection.

[GlamLawyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Eleanore June · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, Stage Left by LA Merrill was darling. It was so nice seeing a non- Christan religion featured. It was never heavy handed and had right blend of humor and romance.