Nothing new! but still good, many stories for all of us who are single and sometimes lonely during this pandemic times. Very much YA and wholesome. I recommend for a light and quick read.

Let us face it, we are all paranoid about the pandemic. So, why in the Dickens would I want to read about this real-life situation?

Reason 1: THAT COVER. How stinking cute is it?? The art made me almost desperate to know what stories these characters were trying to tell.

Reason 2: YA Romance, much?

I am 100% there.

All these stories were precious, some tugging at my little love-obsessed heart, while others made me laugh at loud. Our settings range from two young men meeting while walking their dogs to that annoying apartment neighbor across the way who keeps playing his guitar super loud while you are trying to enjoy some peace.

“Love Delivered” by Erin A. Craig
Too cute! Millie and her parents are uprooted from their home because of a job offer in a hospital needing help working with COVID-19 patients. While Millie’s parents work seemingly unending hours, Millie meets the cute pizza delivery boy.

“The Socially Distant Dog-Walking Brigade” by Bill Konigsberg
I am absolutely debating if this one is my all-time favorite in the collection. It is so hard to decide! Remember earlier when I mentioned the socially distancing young men who meet while walking their dogs? Yeah, I think that about sums up this stinking cute story.

“One Day” by Sajni Patel
A young man plays his guitar in the apartment across the alley with headphones in, not realizing that he is disturbing the peace of the girl’s apartment opposite him. The girl throws a shoe, the guy holds it hostage. Romeo and Juliet, right? Trust me, it is funny and adorable!

“The Rules of Comedy” by Auiane Desombre
This one, ugh. I liked it but I got a bit annoyed. Complaining about millennials on TikTok? Yeah, I almost skipped this one. It was cute, in the end.

“The New Boy Next Door” by Natasha Preston
Hellloooo, bad boy next door. Well, almost. He is just mad about moving, but it is fine because both end up bonding over the tree between both yards. Sounds odd, but it was adorable.

“Love with a Side of Fortune” by Brittney Morris
I giggled at this one. Mom was a little nuts. Going to a fortune-telling on almost a daily basis? Yeah, that was a little much for me. But, hey. You do you. I liked the daughter, though. She was funny!

“Stuck with Her” by Rachael Lippincott
Going into this story, I kind of pegged early on what would happen, but was not sure how the author would get there. My heart really hurt for our main character, though.

“Masked” by Erin Hahn
This one totally threw me, BUT I LOVED IT. It’s American Idol-esque.

Overall, I give this anthology a solid 4!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this to review!

a very cute and endearing YA contemporary romance. nothing too groundbreaking but it was nice for a relaxing and light weekend read. great for teens and new adult readers looking for light escapism

This is a collection of short romantic stories...Love In The Time of COVID-19 Quarantine. There were a lot of very sweet stories throughout. When first reading this, I was hesitant because I've dived into books for escapism, but it was very sweet and hopeful about a time AQ (after quarantine). I've often wondered what books/movies/TV would look like in this new reality and I think the authors did well in executing realistic rom-coms.
-Love Delivered by Erin Craig - 2
-The Socially Distant Dog-Walking Brigade by Bill Konigsberg - 4 (very cute, socially awkward, and who doesn't love a dog meet-cute).
-One Day by Sajni Patel - 4 (water guns is such a good idea for enforcing the 6 feet rule)
-The Rules of Comedy by Auriane Desombre - 3
-The New Boy Next Door by Natasha Preston - 2 (not a fan of brooding guys who are just ~soo~ magnetic)
-Love with a Side of Fortune by Jennifer Yen - 2
-The Green Thumb War by Brittney Morris - 5 (I enjoyed the switching perspectives of the main characters, I think it worked well to allow insight into both characters in a short story form)
-Stuck with Her by Rachael Lippincott - 2 (who doesn't like a good rival to lovers arc, but it was a bit too rushed in this medium)
-Masked by Erin Hahn - 4

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

While still living in a pandemic, thank you COVID, I thought it was high time to dive into Together, Apart. I feel like now was way better for me instead of when I actually received the eARC. Mostly because I laughed so hard since I've basically lived through some of this already. Especially when we got to the plant chapters.

I actually took a screenshot from my phone and sent it to my sister, the plant killer. She wasn't thrilled and said that they are probably dying from my dark energy. Which may or may not be true.. but I don't go near the plants and they don't go near me. So I'm fully blaming her for killing the plants in our condo. So many plant victims.

Plus she killed my cactus.

Other than that one story, all the other ones had their own unique awkwardness and cuteness. I was actually surprised with so many characters finding a new love or friendship during this hard time. I'm sure that has actually happened throughout the world. Not for me because I barely leave the house and when I do.. I hope to never run into anyone I know because I'm on a mission. Get stuff and go back into my bubble and be safe.

Not sure what the world will be like once we can go back to being normal full time but I'm also not in a rush to do so. Thriving in the hermit life with my books.

First off, I went into Together Apart without knowing one key thing about the short story collection - all the stories have happy endings. I start off when that because while I enjoy a good happy ending, reading through an anthology and having every single story wrap up perfectly happily was weirdly overwhelming. So while I was reading, a book with stories about the COVID pandemic nonetheless, I didn’t expect every story to have a happily ever after and instead of leaving me happy and optimistic (as it should have), it almost left me uneasy. But the point of the story collection is to provide hope in a time that often feels hopeless.

Each story in the book is set during the COVID pandemic and quarantine, when the world was basically shut down for months. Each story is a hopeful and sweet YA journey that really demonstrated so much of the fear, confusion, worry, and (yes, again) hope that we have all been feeling over the past year. Even more, I think these stories will all be so important for teenagers experiencing the disappointments of things like missing out on prom, graduation, friendship experiences, etc. I laughed and smiled a lot. I got a big emotional. But none of the stories brought me to tears, and I am an emotional reader. Each of these stories was so sweet, and they were all so diverse and different. I really enjoyed that. I’m not huge on short stories, but I felt these were perfect in length and gave me just enough to connect with the characters and look forward to the future and feel a sense of excitement for what’s to come.

I just wish I would’ve went in with the expectation of all happy endings. That would have completely changed my experience while reading. Instead, hindsight is a bit closer to 20/20.

This was really cute! I enjoyed each story which is rare for me, usually short story collections tend to be hit or miss. A few I think would be great if they were expanded into novels. I also really appreciated the diversity. Overall this was a quick, very enjoyable read. 3.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley, author and publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Overall the stories were good. I loved the premise of the book and the short stories inside. Some are better than others but I enjoyed it.

2020 was awful, and 2021 is still really tough, especially for young adults. This book is a collection of stories written by some popular contributing YA authors who do a great job of bringing the angst of this time period to the page. Definitely a collection worth reading.

I loved the meet cutes in this collection so much. I was so happy to see some of my friends in this. Erin Hahn had my favorite story in this book. Each of these could be an entire novel and I’d read them all. Loved it.

This was an enjoyable collection of short stories taking place during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The characters are diverse and show a range of realities for people living through this crisis.

This book will be a definite purchase for our high school library! Thank you so much for allowing me to have access to the digital arc!

All of the stories in Together, Apart are so cute and show a glimmer of hope and joy during such a difficult and devastating time. My favorites in the collection were “Love with a Side of Fortune” by Jennifer Yen and “Masked” by Erin Hahn, but they were all so good!

“Love, Delivered” by Erin A. Craig - 4 stars
A strong start to the collection, “Love, Delivered” was a fun meet-cute and explored what it might feel like to have moved right as the lockdown began. When it ended, I wanted more of Millie and Luka's story so that's good sign!

“The Socially Distant Dog-Walking Brigade” by Bill Konigsberg - 4 stars
I love dogs, so I loved the idea of two people meeting while walking their dogs! Kaz and Daxton instantly connect and begin meeting up daily to walk their dogs together (while six feet apart, of course).

“One Day” by Sajni Patel - 3.5 stars
Being in a cramped apartment with your family during lockdown would be hard, and Sajni Patel captures this feeling in Bobby. Her annoyance comes to a bursting point when she goes to her balcony for peace and quiet only to hear a bit playing guitar. So of course she throws her shoe at him, and then they start communicating through a whiteboard and later text. Very cute!

“The Rules of Comedy” by Auriane Desombre - 3 stars
While the “The Rules of Comedy” was cute, it was my least favorite in the collection. I did like that there was a focus on a sister relationship (especially the gap on high school/college age) and how part of the love story unfolds through TikTok.

“The New Boy Next Door” by Natasha Preston - 3.5 stars
The boy next door trope is a classic, and “The New Boy Next Door” was a fun lockdown take on it. Quinn was super friendly and it was neat to see how her neighborhood came together to try to support each other during the difficult time.

“Love With a Side of Fortune” by Jennifer Yen - 5 stars
I've been looking forward to reading Jennifer Yen's debut A Taste for Love, so I'm super glad that I loved “Love With a Side of Fortune” as much as I did! Michelle is working at her family's Chinese restaurant during lockdown, so when her crush Evan picks up an order, it's a pleasant surprise. But then Evan keeps returning as his parents both work at the hospital, and sparks fly between him and Michelle!

“The Green Thumb War” by Brittney Morris - 4 stars
Another apartment story, I love how Billie and Bastian windows were right across from each other. The dual POVs was a fun change-up for the collection, and their competition was cute!

“Stuck With Her” by Rachael Lippincott - 4 stars
As someone who had a terrible roommate my freshman year of college, I cannot imagine being in quarantine with her. I would have gone out of my mind. So I could sadly relate to Mia's annoyance and anger a little too closely. But this one has a happy ending!

“Masked” by Erin Hahn - 5 stars
I’ve read and loved both of Erin Hahn’s novels, so it’s no surprise that “Masked” was one of my favorites in the collection! It was absolutely adorable! I loved how Gray destroyed her dream dress in order to sew masks for her community, the dual POVs of her and Jude, how they met, and the secret musician/celebrity identity reveal.

As with all short story collection, some are better than others. It may be because I'm reading this almost a year into quarantine, but the stories all felt a little bit saccharine. It's easy to tell that this was written at the beginning of the pandemic (a lot of references to things being normal by summer or fall), which, while not the authors' faults, definitely leaves me feeling a little depressed.

Is it possible to have a meet cute in quarantine? Yes, yes it is! Assortment of straight and queer relationships develop in the middle of a pandemic. Whether it's flirting with the pizza delivery guy or bantering over Chinese take-out, meeting someone from the next balcony or while walking your dog, all of these romances begin to blossom because of Covid. In these stories, everyone is concerned and everyone is taking precautions seriously. Most are expressing some level of anxiety, are being personally affected by the virus, and are meeting or interacting with someone they otherwise would not.

I voluntarily read this book and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. This book is well written and the characters are described well. I really enjoyed this anthology. It is a good read. It is enjoyable and it defines how everyone is doing because of Covid-19. This book is in stores now for $9.99 (USD). I would definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

Several authors come together in this collection to share short stories set during the current pandemic. There's a definite sense of melancholy given the situation, but there's also a sense of hope in the connections the characters are able to make even despite the circumstances. I enjoyed each of these stories, relating to their feelings of frustration at being cooped up and enjoying the creative ways they made new friends--and even found love--while taking precautions and being safe. Whether flirting to the cute boy on the balcony across the way, falling for the pizza delivery boy, connecting with someone while out walking the dog, or bonding in an oak tree, among other ways, these stories capture our reality and that we really aren't alone in this.

This book is everything I needed right now! Filled with short stories from various authors about finding love amidst the pandemic. Thank you to @Netgalley for allowing me to read an early readers’ copy in exchange for an honest review.

Together, Apart by Erin A. Craig is a short story collection about finding love in untimely mattered. Aka durning the pandemic.
When I first started this arc I didn't realized what this one was about. Tbh I didn't read the summary of this one and just saw the cover cause it was really cute! This is a nine short story collection from authors that I have read before and haven't read. This is a short story collection that is set durning everyone's pov and durning the pandemic, which was a little hard to read at some point but each of these story was very cute.
So down below will be rating and thoughts of each short story starting with Erin A Craig.
Story 1: Love Delivered by Erin A. Craig
This was a really short probalay one of the shorter stories in this collection and tbh I kind of thought it wasn't as good as the other ones and I barley remember what happened in this story, but I give this one a 3 stars.
Story 2: "The Socially Distant Dog-Walking Brigade by Bill Konigsberg
This story I was really exctied for because of two reasons! Reason number one: I haven't read anything by this author and was really looking forward to see if I loved their writing and I did! Second reason why I was excited for this book is because it dealt with two boys who fell in love while dog walking! What a dream for me to find someone while I'm dog walking!!! 4/5 stars
Story 3: 'One Day' by Sajini Patel
This one was really good probaly one of my favorite in this collection! I loved how everytime this character wanted to go outside there was a lot more noise outside then inside their loud house. I will be giving this one a 3/5
Story 4: 'The Rule of Comedy' by Auriane Desombre
This was another story I enjoyed and can't wait to read more from this author. This one had a family centered story and was a girl trying to fall in love with another girl and I didn't realized this how diverse this collection was but I really enjoyed it and it's about a girl trying to ask another girl out on tik tok of all palces.....
Story 5: 'The New Next Door Boy' by Natasha Preseton
This was in a point in the story where I kind of lost intresneted in because I felt like this one was one of the longer ones. I barley remember what this one was about too....
Story 6: 'Love with a side of fortuine' by Jennifer Yen
This is one of the rare stories that I really enjoyed! It's another family centered story and also a story that made me laugh a whole lot. The mom in this book and their daughter whenever they talked to each of other was funny and I haven't read anything by this author so I'm excited to find out what else this author has in store for me... 4/5 STARS
Story 7: 'The green thumb war' by brittany morris
This was one of the few storys that I really enjoyed! I'm not a big plant person but when I read this one I found myself wanting to buy mutliple plants and made me want to go and make lasagna because I really love that meal!
Story 8: 'Stuck with her' by Rachel Lippincott
This was another story that I enjoyed! This is about two friends who are in the same college door room and they are currently on a lockdown and so the main character has a secret crush on her roomate and then they fall in love.....
Story 9: 'Masked' by Erin Hahn
This is one that I was really looking forward too! This has like an American Idol type of show and another story that had lgbt characters and I was sold with this one and probaly one of the only story that I gave 5 stars too because of how cute it was!!!(:
So overall I liked some stories more than others and that's alright with me but I can't wait to read some more from the authors I haven't heard of but fell in love with! Thanks for checking out my review!!!(:

I love a good short story collection, and having read a non-YA version of 'essays/stories set in the craziness of 2020,' I felt like I needed to round it out with some romantic YA. This definitely didn't disappoint - most stories I really enjoyed (I didn't finish only one of them), and it was really interesting to get a different perspective of the pandemic. As someone who has been out of high school for a while (14 years?!), I haven't really thought about how I would've dealt with this pandemic as a teen ... but this collection opened my eyes to how teens are having to deal with this. All in all, a fun, thoughtful, cute collection, one that's a little different from most YA collections.