I've liked stories in the past from Quinn Anderson, so I was excited to give this one a go. I thought it would be a quick and sweet read. And it was sweet, but it was also too fast moving . Which made it a bit forgettable and unbelievable at times.

A sweet romance of two guys, afraid to go for it with each other, who are thrown together after an earthquake. Now that the world has made the first move, they can make theirs. Was quite sweet.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angie – ☆☆☆
The blurb really grabbed my attention and I couldn't wait to read this book. This book just missed the mark for me. There was so much description about the earthquake and the aftermath that I felt like Chance and Kit were just thrown in as an afterthought. There were sooo many pages with no dialogue that I was getting bored. I really liked the parts where Chance and Kit interacted, but those times were lost in all the earthquake info. Then in the last chapter, everything happened and then the book was over. It was like the author was rushed to hurry up and get the book done. I am sure others will enjoy this book but it was just a miss for me.


Erica – ☆☆☆☆
4.5 perfectly truncated Stars

First things first... the narrator's name is Chance Crawford. (raises eyebrow) Any Gossip Girl fans? Who else envisioned Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford) while reading this novella?

Now that my snark has passed, let's move on to the review itself, shall we?

This is an instance of a novella perfectly crafted, the content written in a way where the reader doesn't feel as if anything was left out, or that the pacing was too quick, or that it was just a fluff piece to pass the time. On Solid Ground was a complete story, spanning twenty-four hours, that somehow managed to remove insta-lust/love and replace it with realistic slow-burn romance.

With that being said, this novella isn't for everybody. There're no bells and whistles, no nonstop, gratuitous between-the-sheets action. The heart-pounding moments are due to realistic situations, not over-the-top angst or suspense. The plot is hyper-focused on a singular event affecting the two men as they struggle to survive.

Nate and Kit... (cough cough) excuse me, I mean Chance and Kit, they work together in the same building. Both working their way from lower level jobs within their professions, an IT geek and a business suit, yet there is a clear divide in their matter of importance. They're friendly, giving a wave and a hello, but nothing has passed since a pleasant, chemistry filled office party months ago.

The unthinkable happens – an earthquake shakes their lives to the very core, followed by the destructive nature of aftershocks. The pair of men struggle to survive, while their narrative showcases a viewpoint readers generally never hear. Usually a book takes place in the aftermath, or we see it on the news during and after the event, but it's always the view of those looking from the outside in. This is shown in the now, happening on the inside, while they look out waiting for help to arrive.

Chance and Kit voice the panic, the fear, the stark terror, and the hope of waiting for rescue that may never arrive in time, while also battling the bittersweet of what might/should have been, if only they'd acted on the crushes they've felt for many months.

With so few pages, and even fewer hours it encompasses, the threat of this being the end accelerates their emotions, but not in an unrealistic or insta-love fashion. The chemistry and connection was felt by this reader.

There are brief moments of levity that lessen the stress, which was most appreciated when it came to pacing, and these moments fed into the realism of the slow-burn romance.

Enjoyed or entertained wouldn't be the words I'd use, which is why I'm not sure this novella is for everyone, especially those who wish a surface level feel-good read about romance and heat. As a word-weaver, I don't know which word to use, but I am glad I read the novella and do recommend for serious, realistic readers, looking for new take on romance.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is a really clever story, which definitely had me on the edge of my seat, and most definitely cheering on their opportunity to finally come clean about how they feel about each other. The earthquake elements were very vividly written, and between Die Hard, and every earthquake movie ever written, I was right there with collapsing walls, glass all over the floor, and lack of comms.

The two men are both selfless by nature, but as they find themselves alone, the barriers break down, and they reveal much about themselves. They continue to show great restraint and care for each other, which comes over so well. I loved the changes in pace as they rush to try and get everyone out, then have to sit and wait for rescue, then recognise that maybe there will be no rescue. At no time is there any self-pity, no, they are too happy to have finally accepted that they have the desire to explore further the feelings they have for each other.

That all this comes out in just over a hundred pages, and 24 hours, is an indication of excellent writing, so thank you very much Ms. Anderson.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
A single life-altering earthquake traps Kit and Chance alone together in an unstable office building. In a matter of minutes, the two strangers are forced into an intimacy only forged in a life or death situation.

I loved everything about this story. The novella format perfectly captures the abrupt intensity of Kit and Chance’s experiences over a few short days. There is very little build up to the earthquake. At the start, both men are likeable strangers to each other – and to the readers. Their characters are revealed first through their instinctive responses to the disaster and later as their situation becomes more perilous.

Faced with their own mortality, Chance and Kit’s reflections feel natural. They question relationships and life choices with raw honesty. I loved the ideas thrown up in conversation. I love the relationship that develops between Kit and Chance in such a pressurised environment. As always, Quinn Anderson’s strength is her brilliant dialogue and she manages to keep this story feeling real but not too heavy or maudlin.

This is very different than anything else I’ve read from this author and the carefully, deliberately crafted writing is wonderful. I was completely immersed in Kit and Chance’s experience and they both instantly became very real to me. This was a completely unexpected treat and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Solid 3.5 stars. Quinn Anderson is one of my favorite go-to authors when I'm in the mood to read well written, character-driven plots. On Solid Ground didn't disappoint.

3.5 stars

This was a really sweet book. It was easy to like Chance and Kit and I their (in their minds) unrequited crushes in each other. A character-driven read, I didn't even mind the "big event" that throws them together and forces them to get to know each other and come to self-realizations and to deal with their issues and feelings. A smooth read complete with HEA that left me smiling, my second read from author Quinn Anderson will most certainly not be my last.

<b>A nice mix of action and character driven plot.</b>

Two young co-workers who've been eyeing each other from afar are trapped in a crumbling high-rise when an earthquake strikes in the middle of the workday. After heroically helping some others get out, they are left to hope for rescue before the rest of the building comes crashing down on top of them.

With nothing to do other than get to know each other (and survive), the truth comes out and they're able to make that romantic connection they were both wanting.

Even though the romance was set in the middle of a natural disaster. I thought it was easy to read having relatively low angst.

On Solid Ground wasn't a long book, but a lot happened within those 139 pages. The description does a pretty good job at laying the ground work for this book.

Kit and Chance work in the same office, but have totally different jobs. Kit has a job that is moving him up the ladder, which is why he doesn't want to risk anything, even his attraction to Chance, to keep him from his goal. The thing is, he's not sure that it's worth it anymore.

Chance is too afraid of rejection to do much more than throw a subtle, awkward flirt Kit's way from time to time. He doesn't see what someone like Kit could see in someone like him. Too bad the motivation mentioned in the description came in the form of a life and death situation.

It may not have been the ideal situation, but it gave both the characters and the readers a chance to see what kind of men Kit and Chance really were. It would be hard not to respect both of them by the way the sacrificed their safety to get everyone else out safely.

On Solid Ground was a fast paced, nail biting and yet sweet romance. I've only read one other book by Quinn Anderson and I've got to say that I liked this one a lot more than All of the Above, mainly because of the characters. Which obviously means that I need to check out some of her other books ;)

This a novella with disaster, hidden feelings and a HFN ending. I loved the premise of this book The characters are adoravle and engaging. The author describes they mayhem in the wake of the earthquake well- you can picture the devastation. I just needed more momentum. It took too long for the chemistry to kick in. Once it did, I was invested in Chance and Kit- however it was at the 65%ish mark. It was an ok read, but I won't be revisiting it.

~ 3.5 Stars ~

Life at the office is mundanely the same for both Chance Crawford and Kit Gibbons. For Chance, it’s the stress of being on-call to answer and fix any and all IT questions the multi-floor building offers up, and for Kit, it’s dealing with executives who aren’t always the most fiscally responsible—especially his direct boss. Kit also has the added worry of hiding his sexuality from those he works with, because he fears he will be denied promotion, or be ostracized by his peers, if he doesn’t. Chance has no such qualms, and while he doesn’t exactly broadcast that he is gay, nor does he hide it from his coworkers. The two men have been eyeballing each other for some time, but neither are sure of reciprocating interest or, in Chance’s case, if Kit is even gay.

Then, in a split second the world implodes. A major earthquake rocks the very foundation of the building in which they work, and within hours, Kit and Chance find themselves alone and trapped in the crumbling shell after helping those surrounding them to escape. Now the two men are faced with the idea that the next aftershock might bring the entire building down, and bury them inside. Should they grab what could be their last chance to express to each other how they feel, or do they remain silent and lose what could be the last opportunity to see if their interest is mutual?

On Solid Ground by Quinn Anderson started off really well for me. The flirtatious air about Chance and Kit that always stopped short when Kit realized he could be exposed was very believable and well done. The pushy coworker who egged Chance on to actually step up and find out if Kit was indeed attracted to him was well-meaning and rather sweet in her attempts to help her friend finally act on his feelings. However, it was the actual initial quake and the violent aftershocks that really ramped this novel up to full speed, and provided a tension that made me want to continue reading. I could feel the fear and hysteria that the event caused for those trapped in the building, and the descriptive passages about the crumbling structure were spot-on and terrifying to read.

Then came the lull, the part of the story where Kit and Chance came to terms with the fact that they may not be rescued prior to the building going down completely, trapping them beneath the rubble. This should have been a rather huge declarative moment where the two guys would profess their attraction, and finally act upon it. Instead, I felt the story became decidedly tepid, at best, and their discovery of mutual desire rather limp. Mechanically, I was also rather distracted by the idea that anal sex had to be on the table, and that it was done with spit and grit alone—that had to be incredibly painful—and, unfortunately, that was all I could think about rather than the sexy intimacy the author was going for in that moment.

I appreciated how difficult it was for Kit to come out at work, despite it being an end of the world type scenario, but the way in which the two men broke that, and all the barriers they had erected, down seemed rather childish in nature, given that the walls were literally crumbling around them and the loss of life was the imminent danger. I think I expected some major confessions by both guys, and instead, got a rather shy, hesitant ‘maybe we should, or, ya know, maybe not’ kind of dialogue. Either way, it really didn’t work or fit into what was a rather fast-paced and exciting novel to that point. Chemistry between two people is vital, and theirs was definitely lacking.

In the end, On Solid Ground is a fine story with some pretty intense moments but no real emotional payout, relationship-wise. A good action adventure book that turned out to be rather thin in the romance department.

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ FOUR & 1/2 - STAR ✩ REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

> > Judging a Book by it's Cover < <
Deceptive cover. Two men in suits holding hands above, what appears to be, a cavernous gorge before the cracked ground. Author font is good, color is ok. Title has a split font that I am not a fan of. First glance, the appearance was just enough to catch my attention to read the synopsis. The synopsis intrigued my inner natural disaster nerd and demanded that I read this book.
> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> Although it gives the appearance of a defined first-person perspective, it is actually narrated in third-person.

Kit and Chance work on the eleventh floor of an office building in San Francisco. They've been attracted to one another for quite some time but neither had the courage to make the first move. When a destructive lunchtime earthquake hit, they found one another and worked together to get people to the exits - and hopefully, to safety. But, unfortunately, a series of aftershocks trapped the two men with no other way down or out. They learned more about one another and finally some truths were revealed.
Holy cow! This is the first book I've read by Quinn Anderson and if this is the quality of their work, I will be reading more! The story is very well-written and flowed incredibly smooth. The characters were strong despite their personal flaws. The chemistry was natural. Dialogue and interaction was believable. Low predictability. The conclusion was a bit loose, only providing a vaguely implied HEA.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this story, it was addictive and fed my action/thriller need nicely.
.
Rating: [R] ~ Score: 4.425 ~ Stars: 4 (4.5 if I could!)
==========================
⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐

Chance Crawford is the nerdy IT guy who has a secret crush on the suit Kit Gibbons but he’s not sure if he’s that way inclined. Kit is too afraid to come out to his colleagues and so keeps himself to himself despite noticing Chance from the off. Nothing would have changed except for the disaster that suddenly changed everything. You really start to know someone when you see how they react under pressure. Cute story.

This novella center's around chance and Kit, two men who work in the same building and both harbor an attraction for the other, though neither has acted on it. One is out and proud...the other slightly closeted.

An earthquake hits the cit and their building is hit hard. They are trapped inside, and during their time, they confess their feelings. That's basically the book in a nutshell. Their time together trapped is less than a day, so it's not a ton of time for a huge story arc.

All in all, a quick read to what by all accounts can be described as a HFN. I didn't love the book, but...it was ok.

4.5 Stars!

I don’t think I’ve read a Quinn Anderson book yet that I haven’t loved, and On Solid Ground was no exception.

I loved Kit and Chance, they were absolutely sweet together and although it’s slow going and I wasn’t quite sure they’d give into their attraction before I (and they) died of sexual frustration, they fit perfectly together and when they did finally give in, it was passionate and explosive.

I really loved the storyline, an earthquake plot is really unique, well, for me anyway, I don’t think I’ve read anything set to this type backdrop before and it was not only really interesting, but it also kept me sitting on the edge of my seat and biting my nails.

I can’t say enough how much I really loved this story. While the time period of the story is short, it felt much longer and the story flowed well. This was a great and enjoyable read that I’d definitely recommend!

*copy provided by author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

5 Stars!!!

Chance and Kit have been crushing on each other for a long time, however, Kit isn't sure if he's ready to come out in his workplace even for Chance. When an earthquake hits San Francisco and they're left trapped in their office building, they will need to decide if they should give into their attraction and if they do and they survive, will anything really come out of it when they are back on solid ground?

This is only my second book by Quinn Anderson, but she's shaping up to be one of my favorite authors. Her books are fresh, original, well-written and filled with lovable characters. In this case, Chance and Kit were really nice, perhaps Chance a bit more than Kit, since there were moments in which I wanted to slap Kit a bit when he was wavering between wanting to come out or not. They had fantastic chemistry, I could practically see the sparks coming out from their interactions and they were a great team when helping each other through the very difficult situation they were in.

While this book covers 24 hours in Chance and Kit's lives, it never felt rushed, perhaps because of the earthquake and its aftermath. I think it was very believable, realistic and the author didn't go overboard or make it overly angsty, which was a very good thing.

Overall, this book gave a realistic portrayal of what could go on during an earthquake and it was dealt with in a sensitive manner, which with me living in a country where earthquakes are prone to happen, I could appreciate. It was a great read that I thoroughly recommend.

*** Copy provided to me by Riptide Publishing via NetGalley for my reading pleasure. ***

I love disaster stories whether it's a book or a movie so I thought that I'd love this one but it ended up just being good for me and didn't really stand out. The characters are nice and likable but I didn't really connect to either of them. The earthquake part was intense but I was never really truly worried that they wouldn't survive, so some of the edge of your seat was missing and I can't even say for sure why. The time span is really 24 hours and although both men have been harboring a bit of crush on each other they really haven't spent much time together so while I understood the getting together I thought some of the "feelings" were a bit rushed. It was sweet and maybe that's my issue - I was expecting something a little different.

What a sweet story! If you want to smile, this one will work just fine.

It started out a bit slow, but once it picked up it definitely worked for me. The characters were interesting and well developed, and the story was creative and flowed well. It was beautifully edited.

I'd look for this author again.

I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review. I have such hard time reading third person point of view. I can never keep up. I find myself reading parts over in order figure out who’s talking. Thankfully this book was clear on who was who and I’m so glad about that! The book is in an office setting where Kit is the boss(soon) and Chance is the employee. Instead of a forbidden romance, is more of a “I’m too shy to make the first move” They are forced to admit their feelings to each other because there Was an earthquake and they are stuck in the building. The fought the feelings for awhile and I found myself wishing the would just kiss already several times! The story line was okay. I could of used more of their story. They were stuck in the building for 24 hours. They got to know each other, hooked up and got rescued. The climax happened when the earthquake happened and the aftershock. Not really anything to do with their relationship who I was kinda hoping for. Chance and Kit have a cute short story, I was able to finish in one sitting.

The basic story was very cute. Chance and Kit have been crazy about each other for some time now but both were too scared to make the first move. Once they're trapped together after the earthquake the tension soon becomes too intense to ignore. Sounds simple enough. And it was which was my main "problem" with this book. There were absolutely no surprises and since the book was very short there wasn't much time to add anything on a deeper level either. The book covers the time span of one day and while I agree it's been one hell of a long day it still felt all a bit superficial and cheesy in the end. 

Still, it was very cute and well written for the most part with charming characters so I would still recommend it as a fast, cute read.

I have read almost all of Quinn Anderson's stories and this is my favorite so far....

It opens with this line " After the world ended, everything was dark. " ... it should set a grim tone to the whole story, shouldn't it? Fortunately, Anderson didn't put this reader's heart in too much stress.

Yes, Kit and Chance are both trapped in their office building after earthquake, enduring aftershocks while (hopefully) waiting for rescue. BUT the situation instead makes for intense (and pretty intimate) relationship progress.

Kit and Chance have been harboring feelings for one another but too afraid of making a move. So after unable to find a safe exit plan, both men ended up playing games (Would You Rather, Two Truths and a Lie), drinking Kit's boss' scotch, and open up to one another about themselves. It's definitely a very effective 'date '.

Also, Kit and Chance are VERY likeable characters... So while we only spend about a day and a night with them, it doesn't take a long time for me to root for both.