TLDR: Loved it, pick it up!

This book feels different in a way that I can’t put my finger on. It wasn’t just the emotional and physical interactions between the characters (which was totally unique and fresh). Idk if I would have picked it up on my own without my excitement and trust in 831 Stories behind it. It’s just something that isn’t usually my vibe when it comes to romance- the one night only, emotional scars of it all doesn’t tend to lead towards the happy, shiny, “wrapped in a bow” escape that I usually seek out in romance novels. (We can talk about how this is bad later, I’m working on it). But, I really loved this book!

I’m so impressed with the plot, the character development, and emotional range that AC Robinson managed to pack into a tiny novella. What a rollercoaster! I didn’t stay up all night with Shera and Max but I really felt like I did! The characters were messy and raw in a way I have never personally experienced yet the book was so relatable in the way you want books to be to really hit you in the heart. It was sexy, fun, sad, and flawlessly written. Can’t wait to see what Alana writes next!

The book is not complete without the epilogue, which I loved. It was the perfect way to end the story for this couple (although I’d preorder a sequel in a heartbeat). You must go to 831 Stories and read it.

After loving Big Fan from 831 stories immediately requested two more books from the publisher. Thank you to NetGalley for the gifted arc.
This novella is basically a story of how one night and one person can change the trajectory of your future. I think maybe if it was longer I would have been more connected although the writing was good and the characters had a lot to offer I just did not have enough time to really get invested. Definitely a darker vibe that goes beyond the surface level getting to know you and the characters went deep in sharing their insecurities and pasts. It was good but not sure this one will stick with me

3.5

"𝑰 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒔𝒆 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒏, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒓𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒓 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎 𝒅𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒔 𝑰 𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒎 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔—𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒎𝒊𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏.”

The second story from 831 Stories delivers a raw and sexy one-night romance with just the right amount of angst.

Read this for:

🌙 A modern Before Sunrise-style romance set over one electric night
🎸 Sharp character study about a witty writer and a punk rock musician
💔 Themes of healing, jealousy, and rediscovery in the aftermath of heartbreak

Shera Benoit is waiting for a date she’s been crushing on for months when Max King—the darkly seductive, charismatic frontman of an Irish punk band—walks into the bar. What begins as a chance meeting evolves into a night-long connection, forcing them to confront their pasts, insecurities, and vulnerabilities.

This second novella from 831 Stories is sexy, filled with sharp banter and raw emotional depth. It leans more introspective and angsty than the usual contemporary romance, delivering a quick, character-driven exploration of love, trust, and the art of letting go (in just 160 pages).

If you enjoy novellas with witty dialogue, imperfect but deeply compelling characters, and emotional nuance, this is one to add to your list.

While I didn’t fully connect with Shera's love interest, I absolutely connected with Shera herself. Her deep insecurities and the pain of betrayal felt almost too real—I saw pieces of myself in her journey. I devoured this in one sitting (during Brady's latest ping pong tournament) and couldn’t put it down. 831 Stories novellas keep delivering, and I’ll definitely be back for more. (And if you haven’t seen, they’re *feeding* us in 2025)

Thank you to Netgalley and 831 Stories for providing me with an arc for review.

Oh Shera. I was (am?) rooting for you. Hardly Strangers is a steamy little thing. Max is pretty dreamy. Shera is obviously a Neurotic Hottie, and I much preferred her when she was talking about her Big Writing Dreams instead of her miserable ex. Or miserable filmmaker.

Maybe as a neurotic non-hottie myself, there was a bit of a disconnect with me. That's not to say that total babes can't have problems or neurosis, but Shera, girl. Giving up your dreams for the most mid man ever? Help. SOS. And then the constant looping spiral around Max was too repetitive for me. I feel like AC Cloud was working through some things on her own. I did enjoy the prose, and again, the steamy scenes were steamy. But it didn't quite live up to my expectations.

I'm loving 831 Stories novellas! I loved the concept and appreciate a messier, more rugged romance. But this one just felt like it was trying to do too much in such a short book. I wanted more from both of the characters. The writing was great, and I would certainly read more from this author.

✅ Shera, 20s, writer + aspiring noveist & Max King, lead singer in an Irish punk band
✅ Shera and Max meet when she gets quasi stood up on a date
✅ this is about 150 pages and happens in the span of one night. It reads like a movie, 100% would watch
🌶️: yes

I so badly wanted to like this book because I want 831 stories to do well. I love their concept. Unfortunately, for me, this book was overwritten and overwrought—especially for a novella. The behavior / situation that the female protagonist was trying to heal from needed to be presented with more explanation / care i.e,, more time on the page. The best part of the reading experience was the epilogue, which can be found on their website.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! After really enjoying 831 Stories' debut, Big Fan, I was excited for the second installment, but this ended up being a bit of a let-down. I found both the main characters to be unlikeable, and while I understood that the author was trying to make them flawed and angsty because of their traumatic pasts, they just didn't work for me. I know this imprint's niche is romance novellas, but the romance felt rushed and unsatisfying and left something to be desired at the end. It was described as a "Before Sunrise"-type plot which could've been exciting, but I really found myself not caring how their story ended. I don't know if this is a good thing or not but the story felt very LA - I've never lived or dated there but I think the author accurately described what it's like and confirmed it's not for me lol. I thought the writing style was great the plot just wasn't for me. I'm still excited to pick up 831's next installment!

Unfolding over one night, two people unite through an electric connection uncovering attraction, grief, and absolving yourself of past mistakes. A poetic voice lifts this novella up, while the careful attention to detail and Los Angeles setting create an unmistakable mood.

I am a big fan of 831 Stories and what they are doing. The premsie of this one was my catnip - I love a celebrity romance.

Unfortunately, the length of this one really felt like it did the story a disservice. It felt incomplete, and I wished there had been greater character development. I struggled to get invested with the characters because it moved so quickly.

Overall, it was fine but I wanted more out of it.

I was really afraid that Michael was going to be the love interest, and I could not figure out where this book was going because of that. I'm happy that wasn't the case. It's hard to have a satisfying arc over the course of one night, so I have to admit, Hardly Strangers doesn't quite hit the mark. I enjoyed the writing though and was interested in Shera as a character. I could have read about 100 more pages of this to see the characters fleshed out in a more satisfying way.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy!

Sometimes I think I don't like novellas because I'm just thrown into the world without context...but then I read something like this book, and I'm sold. The pacing was just right, and the chemistry between the MMC and FMC were spot on. I loved their whirlwind romance, and loved this snapshot of the east side of LA.

Definitely recommend this novella!

I had a hard time connecting with this one. Maybe it’s the writing style or the excessive amount of details, which for me was just unnecessary waffle. I simply couldn’t care less about the characters and secretly wished to reach the last page as fast as I could.

Sheera meets musician Max in a bar while waiting for her date. Sheera realizes she'd rather go home with this perfect stranger than the man she'd been waiting on.

Told over one night, this short romance is almost like a play. Sheera and Max have chemistry but then allow themselves to reveal more of their personalities and lives to each other, all over the course of one night. I liked that this was short and propulsive, almost like new couples' therapy. It has a good amount of sex, but also lots of introspection. It reminded me a lot of the Zendaya movie Malcom & Marie.

This is a book under the new publisher 831 Stories and I'm very interested to see what they are doing. They seem to be publishing well curated romances that are shorter in length, but every word is used wisely. I like their marketing strategies (all except their boring covers that look like republished classic books- definitely not my favorite.) So far, I've read two of their books and really liked both.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

3.5 stars! The premise of HARDLY STRANGERS had me hooked, and I really enjoyed the story. Shera and Max had obvious chemistry, and while readers only get to spend time with them for one night, it still felt like I got to know them as characters as well. A.C. Robinson does a great job of showing Shera and Max's messiness and flawed moments, while also making it difficult not to root for them, both as individuals and together. I'm looking forward to reading more titles from 831 Stories—I really love what they're bringing to the romance genre with their novellas! Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC.

Romance Novella

✨The Highlights✨
• Rockstar x Writer 🎸🖊️
• Second Chances ⏳
• One-Night Stand Turned Deep Connection 💫
• One Night Only (Literally)
. Irish Punk Rocker MMC ☘️
. Past Heartbreak 💔
. LA Vibes
• Single POV

✨The Feels✨

Whoa. Hardly Strangers packs a serious punch for a novella. I wasn’t expecting a short story to dive so deeply into heavy, raw themes, but here we are! Timing is everything, and just when Shera thinks she’s out with her dream guy, another one (hello, magnetic Max King) walks into the bar and turns her night upside down.

Fans of Big Fan (another 831 Stories gem!) will find this has a very different vibe: less dreamy, more real, honest, and emotionally intense. Shera and Max connect with playful banter and insane chemistry, but as their night unfolds, they end up baring their flaws, mistakes, and insecurities in ways that feel real and uncomfortably raw. This isn’t the kind of romance that sweeps you off your feet—it’s more a gut punch of vulnerability and humanity, the kind of love that requires total honesty and acceptance of even the most imperfect parts. This story doesn’t shy away from the darkness; it leans into it, revealing how complex and flawed we all are…and how that can sometimes make connection even more powerful.

✨The Spoiler-Free Details✨

Shera has her sights set on a date with her longtime crush, but a chance encounter with Max, a charismatic Irish punk rock singer, changes everything. They spend one night connecting in a way that’s as exhilarating as it is terrifying—revealing parts of themselves they usually keep locked away. But can two people really lay their hearts bare and walk away unscathed?



Content Warnings/Themes:
• Low self-esteem
• Panic attacks
• Infidelity
• Erectile dysfunction
• Regret and past mistakes
• Guarded hearts and themes of trust

spectacular, give me 14 more of them!!! I had the most fun ever with this bite sized rockstar romance. It was quick and hot and surprisingly emotional and I am deeply in love with Max King (and Shera tbh).

4.25 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and 831 Stories for my ARC!

I’m so excited about what 831 Stories is doing and I was eager to gobble up a new novella from them. I read this easily in one sitting, both because it was short and because it was super engaging.

I’m really impressed with the depth and emotion that fit into this shorter story. And it was such a unique concept, capturing a single (albeit long!) night between a couple who meet at a bar, each originally there to meet someone else. I thought this was done masterfully and magically!

It was a high bar to follow Big Fan, and this was less of a clean HEA and more complex and realistic, but I think that was actually a strength of this novella in the end. And you know I ran to read the epilogue online!!

I’m so eager for what 831 Stories publishes next!

I’m so obsessed with 831 stories and hope they continue to publish these romance novellas! Truly broadening and reshaping the genre! Slay etc

Hardley Strangers by A.C. Robinson is an insta-love romance novella inspired by the vibe of Before Sunrise. I love and fully support 831 Stories' mission to bring quality romance novellas to readers, but this one didn’t quite work for me. While the writing is solid and the premise intriguing, the insta-love felt rushed, and the emotional depth I craved was hard to capture in the shorter format.

I think the novella format might lend itself better to rom-coms, where a lighter tone and faster pace are more forgiving than in romance dramas. Still, if you’re a fan of love-at-first-sight stories, it might be worth the quick read.