It should come as no surprise that when this collection of short stories was announced, and then promptly showed up on NetGalley for review copies, I knew I needed to read and review each of these stories by the following six amazingly talented authors: Christina Lauren, Abby Jimenez, Sally Thorne, Jasmine Guillory, Ashley Poston, and Sariah Wilson.


The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren

This sweet epistolary romance has all the delightful meet-cute vibes of “You’ve Got Mail.” Spanning over a decade, Terra and Callum begin emailing each other due to a fluke in their school district’s system. Deciding to only email on Valentine’s Day, both Terra and Callum begin to open up to the other. The culmination happens on the 10th anniversary of their pen pal relationship. It would be appropriate for Christina Lauren to make me squeal over the sheer cuteness of how their romance plays out, and I guarantee that you will have an equal reaction.

The Worst Wing Man by Abby Jimenez

If anyone can make you laugh and cry throughout the same short story it would be Abby Jimenez. Holly is a hospice nurse and her current job is helping her Grandmother journey through her end of life care. John is the maintenance man with a heart of gold whose selflessness doesn’t just extend to helping his brother fix up his apartment, it also includes taking care of a flat tire for a nurse’s car that he just can’t seem to stop thinking about. This short story gave me all the feels.

Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne

Rosie is a woman with disastrous luck. She decides to spend a boatload of money on a Galentine’s Spa Day with her sister. Rosie feels more than ever that she is the ugly duckling to her sister’s swan-like grace especially when Rosie gets trapped within an enclosed relaxation chamber. When everything goes to pieces and the fire department gets called, it’s a guy dubbed “Romeo” who faithfully sticks with Rosie until she’s safely out of the fancy Japanese chamber. Through quips, heartfelt conversation, and so much earnest praise, Rosie and her Romeo forge a fast friendship. I was cheering so hard for these two characters, and I absolutely adored the ending. This short story hit every single sweet spot for me.

Drop, Cover, and Hold On by Jasmine Guillory

Set in San Francisco, Daisy is a woman with a vendetta against a surly bakery owner. She’s determined to believe that this man is rude, hates her, and has horrible business acumen since he becomes more infuriating with every time that she points out she’s been given extra pastries and attempts to pay for them. Harris is the bakery owner who has no idea how to talk to the woman who is as vivacious as she is gorgeous. Imagine his surprise when she hurls herself on top of him during an earthquake. As luck would have it, they are trapped inside his bakery. I love when he falls first, and I also admire that Daisy is unabashedly herself throughout the entire short story. Harris and Daisy’s interactions are as fun as they are sweet. I love the humor and their ending was equally as spicy.

With Any Luck by Ashley Poston

Audrey’s best friend is getting married which means that she’s the Best Man, naturally. Unfortunately for her, that also means that her one-night stand with the bride’s best friend is also the Man of Honor for the big day. Audrey also believes that she is afflicted with a kissing curse. If anyone kisses her, soon after that person will find their true love. After the bachelor party becomes a drunken blur, Audrey is awoken by Theo only to find out that the groom is missing. Retracing her steps, Theo and Audrey are forced to confront their attraction. This short story felt like a throwback to rom coms of the 90’s and early oughts. I love when he falls first, kissing curses be dammed.

Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson

Ilaria is a princess who yearns for an anonymous two-day vacation in Rome. She manages to get her reluctant PA to swap places with her. Anne will travel back to the palace and act as royalty so that Ilaria can have peace to explore Rome on her own. Unfortunately for Ilaria, she has a mishap and ends up waking up in the apartment of a kind Scottish photographer, Callum. Callum and Ilaria are instantly smitten and end up exploring Rome together while discovering more about each other. It only takes one brief run-in with the paparazzi to discover that Ilaria isn’t the only one with a secret. I adored this short story. Equal parts charming and fun. I love reading about the flutter of emotions with a new relationship, and I love a grand gesture even more.

This adorable collection of short stories is the perfect Valentine's day read!

The Exception to the Rule

Exception to the Rule is an incredibly cute story about two people who meet because of an email sent to the wrong address and keep up the correspondence. I loved how the anonymity of the internet let them share things they might not have otherwise. It made the payoff of their meeting in person worth it! The start is a little slow stick with it!

🌶️ - This story doesn't include any open-door scenes however, there is a fair amount of sexual tension and discussion of the hero's attributes.

The Worst Wingman Ever

The Worst Wingman Ever was a nice mix of adorable romance and heavier themes. Abby Jimenez always writes the best meet cutes and this one is no exception! We are able to see a very genuine connection between the two characters in a short time. I also liked that they both cared for others a lot and realized they also needed to care for themselves. I will note that this story contains mentions of domestic violence and some of the ways it is discussed may be upsetting for some readers.

🌶️ - No steamy scenes

Rosie and the Dreamboat

Rosie and the Dreamboat is the perfect example of the saying love finds you at the most unexpected times. I loved that both the hero and the heroine were able to grow a little bit during this story taking place over a couple of hours.

🌶️- no spice in this one

Drop, Cover and Hold On

I had never thought of an earthquake as a catalyst for romance but Jasmine Guillory pulled it off! This was a super cute story perfect for fans of he falls first!

🌶️ - Some making out

With Any Luck

I loved that Ashley Poston managed to add a tiny element of fabulism to this short story with the heroine's curse. This story had hangover vibes but make it a romcom. It was both cute and funny!

🌶️🌶️ - One mostly open door scene in a flashback and some kisses

Royal Valentine

Royal Valentine is perfect for fans of The Princesses Swap but make it Valentine's day. This is read from Sariah Wilson and it showed me I need to read more because I have loved both stories!

🌶️ - Only contains kissing but it's more along the lines of making out

I loved these short stories! Some were better than others, but they still kept me interested and kept me reading. Abby and CoLo’s stories were my favorite and I wish there were longer versions!

Such a cute collection of meet cute short stories🥹 Some I definitely liked more than others, but overall cute stories to read to get you all sappy for Valentine’s Day.

This is a cute series of short stories set on Valentine’s Day and written by some of my favorite romance authors! Each story has a unique premise — from mystery email correspondence to a crazy mishap at the spa — and are full of charm and entertaining moments.

My favorites were from Christina Lauren and Abby Jimenez, but all of them will have you wanting to flirt with a stranger ahead of Valentine’s Day. Highly recommend picking them up. Thanks NetGalley for the advance copy!

Okay, so this had a couple of good short stories and others were a miss for me. They are just like random meetcutes. My favorites are Sally Thorne and Jasmine Guillory. I fucking love Jasmine Guillory.

A great quick read for the valentines day season. I s5ruggle with novellas, as I feel they move much too fast for any real character development, but this was a great introduction to some new authors. A few of the books were too risqué and crass for me, but that's an individual preference. It was a good grouping of solid romance comedies that made for a great weekend read.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC and give my honest review. This was a collection of short stories by six different authors. I have read books by Abby Jimenez and Sariah Wilson before, but the other four were new to me authors. Some of these stories were cute and loved the characters and some I had to plow my way through the stories. All of these short stores are centered around Valentine's Day and the first meet of the couples. The stories in order of appearance with rating:

3.75 stars Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren
The beginning of the story told through a series of emails was a little hard for me to keep track of who was who at first. Hopefully, in the published edition it will be easier to read. Cute and different meet story.

4.5 stars Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez
Absolutely loved this one about a Valentine 's card delivered to the wrong car and ensuing meeting of the two characters.

2.5 stars Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne
The premise was kind of cute, and the ending was good.

3.5 stars Drop, Cover and Hold On by Jasmine Guillory
Sweet story of don't judge a book by it's cover (or a scowling meet cute guy).

2 stars With Any Luck by Ashley Poston
I did not like the characters and could not relate to them.


1.5 stars Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson
I did not care for this one. The story was rushed and characters not developed well.

Thanks again to NetGalley for the chance to read and rate this ARC.

The exception to the rule: 5/5 stars
This was SO CUTE! Ugh I just wish there was more! But it was perfectly written and hard to believe it was their first short story. I do wish we got more in between but I love this short story.

The Worst Wingman: 5/5 stars so far. “Medium ugly” made me laugh out loud!!!

Abby Jimenez does it again. This was SUCH the perfect story. My heart broke and Abby picked it up and put it back together before the end. The characters were well developed and the story felt complete even with it being a novella. It was just the most perfect short story. The love story among the sadness was such an incredibly thoughtful way to navigate the grief.

You deserve happiness. I’ll remind myself of that and when I do, I’ll think of this book!

Rosie and the DreamBoat: This was such a cute story. I haven’t read one like this before and I read a lot of romance. It was one of those cute predictable ones that you know (or hope you know) how it’ll end. Leo was SUCH a sweetheart and I would have liked to see their relationship develop a little more but it’s a novella so it’s to be expected! I really am enjoying this set of novellas!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book! All thoughts are my own.

With any Luck:
5/5 stars! This was so cute!! It did feel a little rushed but had a very clear plot and the characters were likeable. I really liked Theo and I wish the book was longer because I would have loved to see the characters, plot and world developed more! It’s a novella so I’m not going to fault it for that.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read improbable meet cute set! These opinions are my own!

Drop, Cover, and Hold on: 4/5 I really liked this short book. I really liked the characters, the plot, and the world. It was one of those cute feel good books that really has no third act break up. I really liked Daisy, and I thought that she was extremely likable. I did like Harris as well, but the grumpy thing didn’t really translate very well. Overall, I really liked this and I probably recommend it to friends who want something quick and happy!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novella set! All opinions are my own!

Royal Valentine: 5/5 This was a good novella. I really liked the royal aspect which I wasn’t sure how I was gonna feel about because I’m not normally into Royal romances. This was cute and well rounded for being a novella. Enjoyed the plot building and characters. The book was very good.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this! All opinions are my own!

A collection of fun and fast meet cute stories. I read these all 3 times and enjoyed them all each time. Each writer bringing something different and a completely interesting, I hope to be abo=le find more of these for futiue reading!

thank you so much netgalley & amazon books for providing these arcs!
these were the cutest books i have ever read .. i usually stay away from short stories because it’s hard to get attached to the plot/characters in such a short amount of time but leave it to these authors to do just that! after every book ended i wished it could keep going because i was so invested. the exception to the rule by christina lauren was def my fav but these were all sooo good! highly recommend! 🫶🏼

Have you guys seen this collection of short V-day stories by some of my favorite authors?? This was a fast and cute read. So many great meet cute tales and shenanigans. If you love these authors and love love, I recommend you try this collection out.

My favorites were Christina Lauren’s and Abby Jimenez’s. They just have such a way with words and characters and were even able to get that across in a short story! I loved the format of The Exception to the Rule with the back and forth e-mails. And of course the premise of Abby’s was something wild- a man accidentally left his brother’s valentine card for his girlfriend (complete with sex coupon) on the wrong car while trying to do him a favor. Hilarious back and forth notes and antics ensue with that touch of emotion and heart Abby is so well known for. And the chemistry??!!

Jasmine Guillory’s takes place in a bakery during an earthquake and was still so hot!🔥🥵 Sally Thorne’s takes place in a spa when the MC gets stuck in a pod full of water and the hot fireman comes to save her. So many crazy good stories!

I read through these stories so fast. They were 100% hilarious and bingeable. I had some real laugh out loud moments. They will also be available on audio as well.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @amazonpublishing for my ARC of these short stories which will be released on 1/23/24.

Rock art by me. Valentines hearts.

This was by far my favorite short story collection to date. I love all of the authors alone and having them all in one book made it all the more special. I love that they were all such adorable meet cute stories.

I found myself enjoying every single story equally which is highly unusual for me. The fact that they all took place on Valentine’s Day makes it the perfect read for this season. I thought all of the main characters were absolutely adorable and great choices.

If you are a fan of romance, look no further, give this book a try. If you are into short stories or want to get into them this would also be a good way to go.

I loved all the stories in this collection! I loved how it didn’t feel like I was left wanting more with any of them. They all ended perfectly and all made me swoon. I love how these amazing romance authors came together to make this lovely collection of short stories as an intro to their writing style

I loved all six stories but my favorite one is With Any Luck. So, so good! Indeed it is "funny and magical".

The Improbable Meet-Cute brings together six powerhouse RomCom authors for a series of short stories perfect for the season of love. And as a fan of Christina Lauren, Abby Jimenez, and Ashley Poston, I absolutely loved everything about this…especially the introduction to three authors I haven’t yet read!

My standouts? Christina Lauren’s short story that revolves around an accidental email sent on February 14th turning into an epic love story. And Abby Jimenez’s short story about a man and woman who fall in love through a series of notes left on a windshield. They’re both PURE perfection.

If you love romantic comedies and want to get lost in a few short stories, I highly recommend picking up this series on January 23.

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my review!

The improbable meet-cute collection is a group of short Valentine‘s day story written by multiple authors. I gave a little review to each story, but overall I really enjoyed this collection. They were short, fast, and cute reads.

The Exception to the Rule - Christina Lauren
An accidental email becomes a Valentine's day tradition. A super cute romance. This didn't feel cheesy to read and you found yourself cheering at the end. Perfect short love story.

Worse Wingman Ever - Abby Jimenez
A Valentine‘s Day card is put 9n the windshield of a white Honda, but it's the wrong one. This begins an exchange of letters through the car.
Holly is a hospice nurse and John is a handyman for an apartment complex. This was a very heartwarming and "gives you the fuzzy feeling " kind of short story. There was lots of different emotions in a short time.

Rosie and the Dreamboat - Sally Thorne
A spa date with her Sister on Valentine‘s Day ends up with flirting through a float pod. Loved the banter between the 2 flirted. I wasn't expecting the story to end so abruptly.

Drop, Cover, and Hold On - Jasmine Guillory
A earthquake leaves a baker and a client trapped in his bakery. While trapped, they clear the air of their miscommunication. The hate they thought they had for each other was really flirting. This story was one of the spicier stories.


With Any Luck - Ashley Poston
Audrey is unlucky in love. Her male best friend is getting married, she's his best man, and she can't stand the bride's male maid of honor. When the groom goes missing the morning of the wedding the 2 go in search for the groom, but find a bit more. A cute story that reminded me of "My best friends wedding" and "Made of Honor".

Royal Valentine - Sariah Wilson
An undercover Princess is looking to have a paparazzi free vacation while in Rome, when she wakes up in a handsome man's apartment. A day touring around Rome leads to a perfect Valentine‘s day! A very cute, easy read.

Thank you to Netgalley, all the authors, and the publishers for this free ebook. This review is 100% my own and honest review.

I. Am. In. LOVE!!!! This collection of short stories gave me alllll the warm fuzzy feels. Each story got better and better. While Christina Lauren, Abby Jimenez, Ashley Poston, and Salt Thorne are already go-to authors, Jasmine Guillory and Sariah Wilson were new-to-me authors. I was so glad to experience their fun writing styles through this collection of short stories! I can’t wait to pick up more of their work.

Each story was swoon-worthy in its own way! I blushed, I cried, I squealed, I kicked my feet!!! Thank you to these fabulous authors for giving me new book boyfriends to obsess over!!!

I received a copy of this e-ARC of 6 short stories/novellas. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
*Exception To The Rule - Loved it! Wonderful little feel good story ❤️
*Worst Wingman Ever - Beautiful and heart wrenching. Brought tears to my eyes twice.
*Rosie & The Dreamboat - Incredibly adorable and outrageously funny!
*Drop, Cover, & Hold On - A fun, steamy, rom-com involving a sexy grouch and baked goods!
*With Any Luck - Spicy rom-com with a little surprise twist. The cheesy last names and the first sentence of the acknowledgments made me laugh out loud.
*Royal Valentine - Royal rom-com abroad.

I was so excited when I saw this collection of short stories by some of my favorite romance authors! I loved that there was a common theme among all of the stories and it was so fun finding little details that linked the stories together.


The Exception to the Rule - Christina Lauren
C and T email each other every Valentine’s Day for years. Despite only emailing one day each year and withholding identifiable information from one another, they develop a strong emotional connection. Ten years later, they finally meet in real life in an unexpected (and hysterical) moment.

This story was super adorable, and I loved it. The emails were a great way to move the story along while still providing a solid and well-developed plot. Both characters were fantastic, and I loved the friendship and relationship that blossomed between them. I do feel like it wrapped up a tiny bit too quickly at the end, but that's mainly because I was enjoying the story and wanted it to continue!


Worst Wingman Ever - Abby Jimenez
Abby Jimenez hit me with all the feelings (as usual) in this one!

Holly is a nurse providing care for her dying grandmother and finds a hysterical Valentine's Day card on her car. John is a handyman who left the note - but it wasn't meant for Holly! The awkward exchange leads to them passing notes back and forth on her car, and John even saves her from a flat tire before they have even met.

I loved both Holly and John's characters in this book. The grandmother piece was heart wrenching, but she was also such a strong character with a feisty and unexpected story. Even though this was a short story, it felt complete...AND I still wanted to read more about John and Holly!


Rosie and the Dreamboat - Sally Thorne
Rosie is just trying to enjoy a spa day with her sister. For their entire lives, her sister has been kind of perfect, and Rosie has been a hot mess...and in true Rosie fashion, she ends up stuck in a spa floatation device! Thankfully, Leo the handsome firefighter comes to her rescue!

I absolutely loved the banter between Rosie and Leo. Even though Rosie has the worst luck in the world, she has such a good attitude about it. The plot is dramatic and hysterical. I wanted a bit more romance in this book as well as a bit more from the ending. I know it's a short story, but the ending just felt a little abrupt and unfinished to me.


Drop, Cover, and Hold on - Jasmine Guillory
Daisy is obsessed with the new bakery in town, but is doing her best to stay away after a few too many mean faced stares from Harris, the owner. Daisy just can't resist though, and finds herself peeking in the bakery when an earthquake hits. Soon, she's trapped with the grumpy baker and before you know it, they are rocking each other's world.

This story started out pretty cute, but overall I feel like it was lacking a bit. Literally as soon as Daisy and Harris actually talked and Harris admitted that he liked her they were in bed together. I think I may have enjoyed this one more if it was set up more as an actual meet-cute.


With Any Luck - Ashley Poston
Aubrey is always the one before “the one.” Anyone she kisses finds their one true love the very next day, and its a curse she’s lived with her whole life. She’s the “Man of Honor” in her best friends wedding, but loses him and is forced to track him down with Theo, the super handsome “Best Maid."

Aubrey and Theo have fantastic chemistry and I loved their story. I really enjoyed that this book was actually two love stories in one: Aubrey and Theo and their best friends who are getting married. I have no idea why Aubrey and Theo hated each other and the last names for the characters made me roll my eyes a little, but otherwise, this was a cute and fun read.


Royal Valentine - Sariah Wilson
Princess Ilaria just wants a few days to herself without anyone knowing. She sends her assistant home, pretending to be her, so she can explore Italy without attention from everyone. Unfortunately, she passes out and finds herself in the care of Callum, a complete stranger. They spend the day together exploring the tourist sites of Rome until the paparazzi catch up to them…and that’s when Princess Ilaria finds out Callum has a secret of his own.

I love a book with a secret royal! I enjoyed Ilaria and Callum's escapades around Rome. They were adorable together. The plot twist was a fun touch that I didn't really see coming. Overall, this short story felt really complete and it was such a fun and cute read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the eARC!