Thank you NetGalley, 831 Stories and A.C. Robinson for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Shera is recovering from a devastating breakup that really shook her self esteem and overall comfort with herself. She finds herself attracted to Michael, an acquaintance she has run into several times, and pushes herself to ask him out for drinks. While waiting for him she runs into Max King. Max seems to immediately push her buttons - waking up the sharp, clever woman she was before she lost herself.

The bulk of the novella is over the night with Shera and Max. They share an attraction and an undeniable urge to be honest with each other, whether it derails things or not.

Thank you to NetGalley and 831 for the ARC. I love what 831 is doing and look forward to keeping up with their works. I loved their first publication, “Big Fan,” and was thrilled to get a copy of “Hardly Strangers.”

I appreciated the writing and the perspectives explored in “Hardly Strangers.” It’s clear A.C. Robinson is a strong storyteller. That being said, the plot unfolding over just one night didn’t totally work for me — I had a hard time feeling invested in the characters and understanding them. Their relationship was also more serious/dark than I expected, and I would’ve liked to see it balanced with more feel good moments between them. I’d personally say this is more literary fic wjth an exploration of two people than it is what I’d call a true romance. Just something to be aware of!

The extra goodies at the end are such a great touch! Love that concept.

I too would like to meet a beautiful, straightforward man in Silverlake! This book felt like the fantasy I have for my love life as someone who lives in LA.

Two strangers, Max and Shera, meet in a bar while she's waiting for Michael for their could-be date. Max is surprisingly open, honest, and curious in his attraction toward Shera. Shera is understandably skeptical yet intrigued. The book follows their evening together from the bar, a gas station, a liquor store, and Max's home - all in one night.

What I most loved was the messy bits. You can't read this book and not think about your own 'trip wires' and notions of competition and morality. Max and Shera are beautifully sincere and oddly disarming with each other <3 The chemistry between the characters is there from the start from the looks and words they exchange. The dialogue is funny, sexy, blunt, and vulnerable all throughout!!

After reading, I am continuing to question what makes a person irredeemable (to me) and holding out hope for my sexy Silverlake meet cute <333

A.C. Robinson - please give us more. Anything you write, I will be reading :') Thank you to NetGalley, the 831 Stories team, and the author for this advanced reader copy of Hardly Strangers.

Quotes:
- "I guess I don't always know how to distinguish anxiety from intuition."
- "Unlike Michael's passive nonattachment, Max's desire is unambiguous, clear as day in the unflinching focus with which his eyes rove my lips and run the length of my body. No self-consciousness, no hesitation - as if his need outweighs all reason, all judgement, all possibility of humiliating rejection."
- "You know, you don't have to be nervous - it's no bother at all that you wanted to stop...There's no pleasure in it for me at your expense."
- "In a way, I feel like we met ten minutes ago, and in another, I feel like we've known each other for ten years."

Such a great romantic novella from 831 Stories, their second release which comes out next month! After loving BIG FAN, I was thrilled to jump right into HARDLY STRANGERS, and it didn't disappoint. This is the author's debut book, so I wasn't familiar with Robinson's writing style, but I loved the vibe and the perfect story of a romance that unfolds over one night like a classic Before Sunrise situation. I could see HARDLY STRANGERS being a fantastic indie movie as well.

Another celeb/normie match-up, in this case the normie is our MC Shera who falls for Max, a lead singer in a punk band. Except this time, Shera doesn't really know much about Max so the celebrity of Max isn't as exciting to her as it may be for others. Instead, he rescues her from a bad bar date and they spend the evening together learning about each other, having some sexy times, and generally being super cute. It's a warm story for a perfect Fall night in.

Thank you to 831 Stories and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in return for my honest feedback!

I absolutely adored Big Fan and couldn't wait to read another book from 831 Stories. I was not disappointed. What I am learning about this publisher is that their stories focus on real modern love and romance while being sexy AF. I was positively swooning for Max King and adored how real and even nitty gritty the night between Max and Shera gets. This is the kind of romance I've been looking for and I am so excited that it's here. I am ready to see what 831 Stories comes out with next. Highly recommend picking up all of the books published by them!

I loved this one! It’s like a perfect locked room mystery of a romance novel. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that concept done before and I really enjoyed it,

So immediately after found the book Big Fan, read it and finished it, I had to find out if there was going to be another book that was coming out and to my surprise it was! I enjoyed this book so very much.

I loved this book! It was such a quick, steamy read. I think it's really cool that the author was inspired by a real event in her life too. So excited to write fanfiction to go with it for 831 Stories! :)

3.5 stars. Thanks for NetGalley for the ARC. I devoured “Big Fan” so was thrilled to try another novella from 831 Stories. While “Big Fan” was dreamy and had a spark of magic…this story was filled with a bit more darkness as two very imperfect people find each other one night. They connect with chemistry and banter but that shifts to baring their biggest insecurities to each other. While not a love story that whisks you off your feet, this reveals a side of love where complete honesty of one’s deepest flaws and regretful mistakes can ignite powerful relationships…AND that humans can be accepted and loved - despite our least proud moments.

Definitely a different vibe than BF but excited to see the range and depth of stories from 831 in the future!

I am really loving the format of these books from 831 Publishing. They're like a nutritious, delicious snack - everything you want or need in a romance without a huge time commitment. I adored 831 Stories's first book, Big Fan, and was really excited to receive a copy of Hardly Strangers through NetGalley.

A.C. Robinson does such a brilliant job at the beginning of this book using Shera's voice to depict what it's like to try and decode a man's actions when dating that I was hooked (and stressed out) immediately. I enjoyed reading about Shera's very eventful night (no spoilers!) and thought that Max was a dreamy leading man, but the story did turn out to be a bit darker than I expected. This isn't necessarily a bad thing and is, in fact, probably more realistic and relatable, but I just found myself wanting something a little fluffier in the moment.

The additional media at the end of these books is just *chef's kiss*. I really love being able to hear the songs mentioned in the book!

Hardly Strangers is a captivating short story that unfolds over the course of one night, emphasizing the idea that timing is everything. Shera, expecting a first date with someone she’s been pining over for months, is instead swept up in an unexpected encounter with Max King, where the chemistry is instantly intense.

I won’t give too much of the story away, but the banter between Shera and Max is incredibly witty, which I loved. Despite its short length, the story pulls you in and makes you care about the characters and the outcome. I’m also really enjoying how 831 Stories are delivering these brief, yet impactful, stories that still leave you invested in the characters. Highly recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and 831 Stories for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In this second novella from 831 Stories, our main character Shera is anxious for her maybe-date with frequent acquaintance Michael. While waiting for him at the bar, she meets the mysterious Irish Rocker Max. Over the course of the night, Max and Shera explore their connection and expose their prior relationship traumas.

Billed as a romance for fans of Before Sunrise, Hardly Strangers had an interesting premise that ultimately missed the mark for me. I found the beginning unnecessary but mostly enjoyed the second half. The highlights of the story were the intimate setting at Max’s house and the quippy dialogue between the two main characters.

For me personally, Hardly Strangers muddies the waters of what to expect going forward from 831 Stories. Big Fan was a massive hit with me. It had strong, independent, older characters mixed with escapism and a dash of serious topics. I found Hardly Strangers superficial and way too angsty. I’ll be interested to see where they go next.

Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for providing a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. #HardlyStrangers #NetGalley #BookReview

Hardly Strangers by A.C. Robinson is the latest novella from 831 Stories, a new romance publisher by Claire and Erica from the podcast A Thing or Two. Max and Shera meet by chance in a bar where Shera is waiting for her maybe date to show up and the chemistry is undeniable from the start. In less than 200 pages, I felt emotionally connected to the characters and invested in their outcome. The majority of the book takes place over the course of one evening, but you still see emotional growth in each of the main characters, as well as the deepening intimacy between the two of them. I thought this book was the perfect balance of sweet and sexy.

Another stellar novella from the new 831 Stories imprint that I devoured in one sitting. I loved Max and Shera’s time together, cannot wait for more!

Another stellar novella from the new 831 Stories imprint that I devoured in one sitting. I loved Max and Shera’s time together, cannot wait for more!

I just finished this novella, and wow, what a whirlwind of emotions packed into 160 pages! I adore this little gem. Max and Shera’s dynamic pulled me in right away, and their chemistry leaped off the page. The story spans a mere nine hours, but it feels like so much more, like something real is blossoming between them in such a short time. Their honesty with one another was refreshing, although Shera’s outbursts were a bit... unpredictable at times, adding some unexpected drama.

831 stories is revitalizing my love for rockstar romances -- such an amazing follow up from their first book!

I really enjoyed this novella. The story unfolds over one evening full of truths. It was short and sweet (and a little sexy.) There is definitely a lot of past relationship trauma dealt with in a short amount of time, but this helped me believe in the longevity of the pair. They get right into the real stuff and I enjoyed watching it unfold.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC. I’m really enjoying what 831 stories is delivering so far.

I’ve heard a lot about 831 Stories, a new romance publishing imprint inspired by the Idea of You, (probably my favorite romance ever written) so I was curious to read one of their first releases.
Hardly Strangers is billed as a Before Sunrise type story (which is probably one of my favorite movies ever made) so that might be a little bit hard to live up to for this little novella. Shera and Max meet randomly one night at a bar in LA and spend the entire night talking and working through old relationship trauma. My basic criticism of this book is that there just wasn’t that intangible magic that the best romances manage to attain. The story was just a little boring and I don’t think the characters were fleshed out in an interesting way. I am still very curious about the books of this imprint and I look forward to reading more from them in the future.
Thank you to 831 Stories and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Hardly Strangers by A.C. Robinson is a captivating novella that grips you from the very first page. The premise—a chance encounter between two strangers on a night that changes everything—draws you in, and Robinson’s execution of it is both sexy and emotionally charged. Told over the course of one evening, this novella explores deep connection, witty banter, and electric chemistry, all while leaving you yearning for more.

Shera, fresh off the hope that her date with Michael might be “the one,” is suddenly thrown into a whirlwind when Max, a charming and enigmatic stranger, walks into the bar. The chemistry between Shera and Max is instant and palpable, with witty exchanges that make the pages fly by. I particularly enjoyed how real and flawed both characters felt—Shera with her hesitations, and Max with his bold, straightforward approach. Together, they challenge each other, forcing raw vulnerabilities to surface, which makes their dynamic both intriguing and believable.

The emotional depth packed into such a short story is impressive. Robinson does a fantastic job balancing the sexual tension and emotional stakes. Max’s past, including his confession about infidelity, introduces a crucial turning point in the novella, leading to a powerful exploration of Shera’s own wounds from past relationships. While I felt Shera’s reaction was slightly overblown, I appreciated how the narrative gave both characters space to reflect and communicate honestly—a refreshing aspect in romance novellas.

The pacing is brisk, as expected in a novella, but I couldn’t help wishing for more time to explore Shera and Max’s backstories and future together. Despite this, Robinson’s sharp, evocative writing delivers just enough to make you feel fully invested in the couple’s journey, and by the end, I was left craving a continuation of their story—perhaps in fanfiction or a follow-up from the author.

Thank you to Netgalley and 831 Stories for providing me with this ARC.