“ONE MORE STEP would mean certain death.”

An anthology where every story begins with this same line. An exercise in how no one author will perceive the same thing the same way. 26 authors, 25 interpretations. Almost all are romances of some sort, but I noted the variety next to each story. My overall rating averaged just below a 3, but individual ratings are below. My favorite was Saint by Colleen Hoover.

1. A meet cute and other natural disasters by Emma Scott - Adult. Side story from a novel written by the same author. 3/5
2. Something like Kismet by Ginger Scott - YA. 3/5
3. Love at First Fight by K.L. Grayson - Adult. 3/5
4. First Flight by Jessica Sorensen - YA paranormal. 2/5
5. Something Wonderful by LK Farlow - Adult. 3/5
6. Opening Up by TK Rapp -Adult sweet. My favorite so far, but it did feel like it ended too abruptly 3.5/5
7. The Ex-Dynamic by SM Soto - Adult. 3/5
8. Bound by Cathlin Shahriary - Fantasy Fae YA. This was a side story in the middle of the author’s Fae Realm series. If you plan on reading the series, skip this until after. If you haven’t read the series, there’s a lot of info dumping to bring you up to speed, but I feel like it hinders the flow. -2.5/5
9. Saving Ava Grace by Julia Solano & Tracy Justice - YA dystopian - 3/5
10. The story by Evan Grace - Adult - 2/5
11. Hail Mary by JB Salsbury - Adult - this was more of a preview to a full novel, so it definitely cuts off. There was just… something off about it that I didn’t like— the heroine is a bit stalker-ish and manipulative - 2.5/5
12. Whatever it Takes by Gianna Gabriela - YA - 2.5/5
13. Magical Show down by KF Breene - urban fantasy and the first that wasn’t a romance! - Adult/New Adult — this was a side story from the author’s series (and you could tell). 3/5
14. Rendezvous Dot Com by Lilly Wilde - adult, seemed like the prologue for an upcoming novel (yet to be released), wasn’t a fan- 2/5
15. Interception by Santana Blair -adult but not overly sexy - really cute! 4/5
16. The Bride by Devney Perr - really liked it but wish it wasn’t just the first chapter of the full book. I do think I might pick up the novel though! - 4/5
17. Leap of Faith by Jaci Wheeler - not a romance, but a story of life and hope - 3.5/5
18. Spy’s Heart by M Lynn - fantasy romance - a short story within one of the author’s series, but it still worked. - 3.5/5
19. 8°F by Debra Anastasia - Adult not really a romance, but more of a thriller type - 2.5/5
20. Kess by Tijan - adult mafia type romance, a side story in the author’s crew series - 2.5/5
21. Set Fire to the Sky by AL Jackson - adult - 3/5
22. Kick off by Amy Daws - adult love at first sight romance- a prequel to the author’s Harris Brothers series - 3/5
23. Call Me Heather by BB Easton - adult, suspense romance - 2.5/5
24. The deal by Aleatha Romig - adult dark romance - 2.5/5
25. Saint by Colleen Hoover - adult suspense, forbidden romance - 5/5


Content warnings:
Story 2 - Mentions of getting shot (in passing, side characters)
Story 4 - Bullying
Story 5 - heart attack of parental figure
Story 7 - cheating in a relationship
Story 8 - kidnapping
Story 9 - violence, murder/genocide
Story 10 - cheating (side characters)
Story 13 - gun violence (just injuries, relatively minor since the magic folk seem to heal easier)
Story 14 - gun violence, cheating/infidelity
Story 17 - suicide attempt, serious illness
Story 18 - attempted murder, threats of violence
Story 19 - death, gun violence, serious illness
Story 20 - drugs, violence, references to gangs/gang life
Story 21 - fire, domestic abuse, violence
Story 22 - familial death, cancer
Story 23 - suicide attempt
Story 24 - stalking, controlling behavior in a relationship
Story 25 - infidelity, mentions of suicide