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.

Timing is everything in life and what happens when you have a date with your dream guy, when another unexpectedly walks in the door? This is a captivating novella that is told over the course of one night.

Shera has a date with a guy she has been flirting with for four months and believes him to be "the one." Only Max walks into the same bar, and his only goal is try to get Shera alone. The chemistry between Max and Shera is intense and their banter incredibly witty.

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

One thing about me is I adore this little novella. This one had me feeling a whole range of emotions in the scope of 160 pages, like ?! *wipes sweat from my brow* I loved how honest Max and Shera were with one another, although Shera's ourbursts at times were a bit immature and out of left field. Despite the fact that this book took place over the course of like 9 hours, it also felt like there was something real developing between the FMC/MMC. They had great chemistry on page! One thing about this book that I didn't like was the amount of alcohol these two characters drank over the course of the evening this book covers. It seems improbable that they'd be able to have as coherent and honest of conversations after housing that much alcohol, but hey, maybe that's just me! Thank you Net Galley and 831 Stories for the ARC <3

A little hard for me to buy in/believe this sort of character development from just one night, but I think the story was justly told. The buildup was worth it! I enjoyed Big Fan a lot more, but I am still looking forward to reading more from 831 Stories!

I know i dived into the book while knowing the trope and setting but still I struggled with getting adjusting to it because though it is a beautiful book it wasnt for me but it may be for you!

Thank you so much to 831 Stories for the advance copy of this!

As soon as I finished Big Fan I came back to see if the publisher had any other books to read and my luck they had this one. And even luckier that they approved me to read it.

I went into Big Fan knowing what it was about and knew that it had tropes that I loved whereas with this one I went in pretty blind. And I have to admit I struggled with this novella. I am not sure what about it caused me to take awhile to finish. I am not sure if it was the style of writing? Or how I felt like the story dragged a bit? Which I am not sure how that happened when this novella took place in a course of a night and that is one of my favorite types of tropes.

What I thought was interesting in this story is that you thought the story was going on one way rooting for a MMC but it pivots and you switch to a different MMC. I really loved how Max and Shera met and we learn later his move to get them alone. I think I was all for the characters until the part of Max talking about his past and how he cheated on his partner previously and suddenly Shera switched to a different person. I totally understand why this confession made her upset given her past history with her last long term boyfriend but I felt like it was a tad overkill? Sweet Max though he recognize that she was having a panic attack and knew what to do to help calm down. I will say the chemistry between the two was great and the author did a great job with the spice and their early banter.

There was just so much emotion and events that happened in one night that I think had this been a longer book we might have more time to develop the characters and the storyline.

This was not fully for me but it may be for you! I am going to keep an eye out for future books by this publisher as I love the initiative and also they have cute romance trope merch!

3.5

ahhhhh i loved the concept of this novella!! the majority of it being told over the course of a single night and the connection two strangers had was EVERYTHING. i'm learning i'm going to DEVOUR every book that comes out from 831 Stories...

special thanks to 831 Stories and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Shera is at a bar with her friends hoping it will turn into a date with the slippery Michael, whom she keeps running into but never quite catches. What she doesn’t expect is to encounter Max King, punk rock singer with his mop top, flirtatious Cupid’s bow and Irish lilt. Can one night turn two strangers into something more?

‘Hardly Strangers’ is a short and sharp character study about two flawed people unexpectedly finding and baring their imperfections to each other while carrying the ghosts of their past relationships.

I was thoroughly captured from the first sentence, feeling like a voyeur following Shera and Max as they meet, flirt, banter, spark, laugh, argue, challenge and reconcile. In some of the novella's most poignant moments, they force each other to confront their tender and wounded parts after it rubs against the other’s own wounds. I love the banter and dialogue and the conflict was handled beautifully.

I adored both characters and became fully invested. Shera is sharp but a wounded bird after a break-up. Max is flirtatious, forward and oozes with charisma. But he’s kind, patient and asks Shera about her, which allows her to reflect on her choices in men and slowly take her the last hurdle in her healing.

‘I feel like we met ten minutes ago, and in another, I feel like we’ve known each other for ten years.’

By the time A.C. Robinson kicks us, the reader, out of Max's house, I felt grateful for the privilege to meet Shera and Max, but also sad that I didn't get to see a time jump in the future to see where it all landed. That, in of itself, shows just how the ending was perfect. I want more though, please!

Thanks to 831 Stories and NetGalley for the ARC.

This novella tells the story of one night in which two people find each other while looking for something else entirely.

I am floored by how much I enjoyed this little novella. The characters felt so raw and real and I wanted more more more of their story. In a real-life setting I think I would’ve found Max way too direct in the beginning but I swooned while reading about it. I enjoyed Sherpa’s reflection of her ‘good-or-bad’-thinking and their healthy communication. The writing had a wonderful balance of interior monologue and witty banter.
P.S.: I did NOT understand the timeline of the first 7 or so pages…I was severely confused in which order these events happened despite reading it twice.

I loved the other 831 Stories title that is coming out in September, so had high hopes for this one. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me and I did not finish. The book starts in first-person present narration, which I don't mind when done well. However, it doesn't start narrating action that is happening, but instead immediately starts flashing back but telling it like you would a story to a friend? It was incredibly distracting and read somewhat amateur-ish. It's almost like this book wanted to be a TV-show script instead of a novel, with an overarching narrator throughout. The narrator hints at anxieties and issues they have, but none of it makes sense and instead comes off as whiny.

Fingers crossed the next book from 831 Stories is similar to Big Fan...Unfortunately this was not it. Thanks to 831 Stories and NetGalley for the opportunity to review.

Thank you net gallery for this arc.

This is a rare did not finish for me. This book was truly interminable to read and at around 50 pages I just could not anymore. There are no likable characters and there’s barely a plot and the conflict is nonsense. And the worst crime of this book is it’s a very dumb book that thinks it’s smart.

An alluring romance that captures the magical feeling of an unexpected spark with a stranger (and taking a risk to see where it goes).

Over the course of a few hours, we get to know Shera and Max, as their chemistry builds and as they try to get over their respective past hurts to move forward in the present.

This is a quick and compelling read and the author does a fabulous job of creating a cozy, intimate mood even when Shera and Max are in a noisy, crowded bar.

Thank you to 831 Stories and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.