This was a really cute romance anthology! My favourites were Edges by Ashley Herring Blake, And by Hannah Moskowitz, and The Passover Date by Laura Silverman.

Thank you to Running Press and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is an absolutely delightful collection of short stories that spanned a wide range of genres and featured all of the best and most-loved romance tropes, like enemies to lovers, only one bed, secret royalty, fake dating, and many many more! All of the stories were really fun and interesting, with great BIPOC and queer diversity (almost every story is queer!!!). Highly recommend if you're looking for a fun, quick read!

Honestly, I am not one for anthologies but when I saw Julian Winters on here, I knew I had to give it a shot. And I am so, so glad that I did.

From girls sled racing to a fluffy heroxvillian story, I just became FULLY obsessed with this book and placed it on preorder immediately.

There was such an array of books in this anthology which is something I think people will really appreciate. While there were certain stories that felt rushed or not fleshed out enough, the ones that I enjoyed completely captivated me. Also, as someone who doesn’t always have a ton of time to read, these were really quick little stories that I snuck in during different parts of my day. And boy oh boy did they make me so happy. They stole my heart and I cannot wait to go through and annotate a physical copy.

Also, I’m pretty sure everyone knows this but me, but anthologies are freakin amazing! Like how does everyone not screech about them all the time? If I could, I would read this for the first time over and over and over again.

Needless to say, I truly enjoyed this and genuinely cannot wait to read more from these authors.

A fun anthology of short love stories, unusually from a wide variety of genres and had a lot of queer stories.. Unfortunately a lot of the stories I didn’t find that entertaining or find myself interested in, but others I was really gripped by. Wish there had been more I had meshed with!

Finally I'm done! This collection took me forever because I struggle to connect with characters when it's just a brief little story with them.

Recommended: for some people
If you like short stories, if you can buy into love stories quickly, if you're a sucker for those "first confession / first kiss" kind of scenes

Thoughts:
UGH. I'm so sad I'm starting this off with a groan, but... dang. I always struggle with short stories, but I had hoped this would be different. I live for those moments in books where the characters finally come together and admit how they feel, but this collection just didn't do it for me. If any of my difficulties below resonate with you, then you might want to dodge this one, but I think a lot of folks will treasure this collection.

Issue #1: since they're all short stories, they all read as insta-love to me because it happened in the course of 10-15 pages.Even in the tropes that necessitate a history (ex. friends to lovers, second chance) it all felt so rushed! I didn't really know or care about the characters in most of these because I barely knew them. My pleasure at seeing two people find love was muted by the fact that they still felt like strangers.

Issue #2: if I did like a story, it was over too soon!This is again an issue more inherent to the style itself, since obviously yes short stories are going to be short! With a collection like this, on the stories where I did start to like the scene or setup, it ended, and I'd go into the next story resenting that I had to read something new and not the one I liked. Really a personal issue, but if you're as petty as me, this might take you out of it as well. 😅 I had hoped that I would get consistent tiny rushes of dopamine from each as I fell in love over and over again with the characters, but alas... a lot of it fell flat for me. The fall was that much harder when it came after one that I had enjoyed.

Maybe issue #3: it's truly YA, with all teen characters and chaste scenes. I think this is expected going into a young adult collection, but in case you're wondering, this is not at all explicit. A lot of the stories don't even end with a kiss, and more of a promise of the chance of something new.

Maybe issue #4: I hope you like tropes! Since this is a varied collection of stories based entirely on different love tropes, you'd better like the tropes. If familiar story lines are going to bore you, then this is obviously not for you! I found most of the ideas of the tropes to be ones I liked, and only had one that I skipped entirely (time-travel love, a la the one with the letters mailed across time). That one was astonishingly long, which I noticed as I quickly flipped through pages looking for the next story. Prepare to commit for that one -- either to reading, or to page-flipping! This is also THE MAIN DRAW OF THE BOOK! So if you're not sure if you'll like that, why are you even here? xD You can safely skip this one and try something else. Maybe check out All Signs Point to Yes instead (YA stories of all kinds of love, based on Zodiac signs).

Not an issue #5: practice writing these tropes yourself! I think this collection would be excellent for anyone teaching writing particularly in high school, or anyone working on their own skills in writing romance and love. Each story is categorized by the trope theme it follows, and it could lead to some fun activities in classes.

My list got kind of weirdly structured by the end, and any of these items could be a pro or con based on who you are. This was a tough one to rate, but ultimately the rating ("it was ok...") reflects my own experience and not whether I think it's a good book or if others will like it. I think a LOT of folks will embrace this one! But if you're like me and struggle with short stories and insta-love, you might also want to skip it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Perseus Books for a free advanced copy! This is my honest review.

A delightfully entertaining anthology which breathes new life into familiar romance tropes such as “Snowed In Together,” “Only One Bed,” “Mistaken Identity” and “Fake Dating.” There’s an amazing amount of diversity and representation here, with the majority featuring LGBTQ characters and relationships. The overall balance skews a little more towards f/f pairings, but bi, gay, trans, and straight characters all have their time in the spotlight as well. The selections range across genre, including contemporary, fantasy, urban fantasy, science fiction, and superheroes. As to be expected by a romance collection, the tone tends to be joyous and uplifting, but the authors don’t always shy away from conflict and complicated emotions. My only real complaint is that many stories feel too short, ending too soon and leaving the reader wanting more.

A quirky anthology of short love stories, with a wide variety of genres within it. I appreciated that so many were queer stories, and the different types of stories. As a reader for the most part it kept me engaged and on my toes, but it also meant some stories I just did not vibe with. Overall a really fun collection.

I thought I would love this twist on romantic tropes. It is actually quite difficult to rate. I love some of the stories, both others were a miss for me. Also this is much better suited for a younger audience. I can enjoy YA, but some of these felt very surface level for me. Overall fun, but didn’t really pack a punch.

most anthologies are hit or miss in my opinion, especially the compendiums with a slew of authors. that said, i really enjoyed claire kann, rebecca barrow and malinda lo’s entries.

Fools in Love is an anthology about popular different romance tropes reimagined. The stories in this anthology reminded me the ability for a short story to pack a punch and suck you in and give you all the feels. I really loved the representation in this book, with many LGBTQIA+ stories in it.

My favourite stories in this anthology were:

Boys Noise by Mason Dever - This was a cute story about a boy band and two of its members escaping for a birthday weekend away. I loved how sweet Felix and Lev were, and just how honest they were about how they felt. It also had the "only one bed" trope on point. I have never read anything by Mason Dever, but I will be checking more out by them in the future!

Teed Up by Gloria Chao - Again another cute story, but it really packed a punch of how the pressure of providing for her family, Sunny is just not enjoying moving toward being a professional golfer. She also faced a lot of sexism participating in a tournament that had always only had men/boys in it. Her romance with Liam is cute and sweet though and adds some lightness to the harder subjects. I have read Gloria Chaos books before and if you like her books, you will like this short story.

Bloom by Rebecca Barrow - This was an amazing story. Barrow is able to really touch on the grief and emotions of loss. This was a "love transcends space & time" and it was absolutely beautifully written.

Silver and Gold by Natasha Ngan - I will admit, I have loved Natasha Ngan's writing in her previous novels and this story did not disappoint. It had the heart and passion of her previous work and was an excellent, sapphic love story. It was a perfect length, but at the same time I could see this being a full length novel as well.

Of course, with all anthologies there were just some that didn't hit for me, but that was okay because they were quick to get through. If you love romance tropes, this book would be an awesome book to pick up. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an open and honest review. All opinions are 100% mine.

This was such a cute book filled with so many types of romances. I guarantee that you will find at least one trope you love in this book. Thank you to the publisher! <3

Ah, love. L-O-V-E Love *cue me quoting Ross Geller’s drunken speech from season ten of Friends*
Fools in Love: Fresh Twists on Romantic Tales is a sparkling anthology that invites you to fall in love with romantic tropes, old and new, beloved and unfamiliar to you. With fifteen short stories by a star-studded group of fantastic authors, this one’s a must buy for any romance lover – and the perfect gift this holiday season!
The authors truly went all out in this anthology – there are beloved tropes that I bet no one can say no to: Laura Silverman, for example, offers a wonderful take on the fake dating trope in her story “The Passover Date” that’s set during a Jewish family’s celebration of Seder. Not your cup of tea? Then perhaps Amy Spalding’s take on the Mistaken Identity trope or Mason Deaver’s tale of “there’s only one bed” might just be the perfect fit for you. And if those aren’t the ones that make you fall head over heels, I can guarantee that you’ll find something to love in the stories dedicated to secret royalty, mutual pining, or even a love that transcend space and time! From hilarious to sweet and emotionally impactful, these fifteen stories highlight some of the best romance tropes that we all love for good reason. Truly, there’s such a variety (and diversity!) that absolutely enamored me.
There’s also an astounding amount of depth to these short stories I wasn’t prepared for. It’s hard to make you ache, fear and cheer for your characters in such a short amount of time, but safe to say, these authors delivered! Additionally, beyond the romance themselves there’s also so much more to be discovered. Julian Winters, for example, offers an insightful discussion on what (or who) decides what makes a villain in his story “What Makes Us Heroes.”
While my favorite was Blake’s rendition of The Grumpy and the Sunshine One (another sapphic story!), I truly feel like there’s something for everyone in here. What surprised me perhaps the most – but really shouldn’t have – was how some stories were so good, they actually converted me to picking up certain tropes in the future that I wasn’t on board with prior to reading this anthology. I’m not the biggest fan of second-chance romance (it usually goes against my “resent and remember” approach to life) but Podos – who also co-edited this lovely anthology – delivered such a sweet, sapphic, summery depiction of it in “Disaster” that I’m now itching to get my hands on more tales that give lovers a second chance at a happily ever after.
Bottom line, whether you’re going to pick this up with a certain trope (or author) in mind, be ready to fall foolishly in love with a trope you normally wouldn’t seek out on your own!
Celebrating romance in all its forms and proving that no one can sweep you off your feet quite like fictional characters, Fools in Love is an enchanting, genre-bending anthology that will have you falling in love with romantic tropes all over again!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this anthology and I felt it was particularly well done. Well-represented of people of colour and queer protagonists, I loved the different takes on popular tropes, written usually in a unique and interesting way. Natasha Ngan's Silver and Gold, Amy Spalding's Five Stars, Laura Silverman's The Passover Date, Gloria Chao's Teed Up, Mason Deaver's Boys Noise and Disaster by Rebecca Podos were particular stand-outs for me, and I would have loved some of the stories to be full-length novels.

I definitely would recommend it for anyone who enjoys LGBTQ+ YA anthologies, and this is a stand-out read for me this year.

Release date: December 7th, 2021!!

Average rating: 3.06
Rating: 4

This is probably the BEST anthology I've ever read. Ever! The concept itself is amazing, each author executes their tropes really well, and there's such great diversity in, not only the characters, but also the themes of the stories. Just amazing! So happy to read this.

Natasha Ngan - Silver and Gold ("Snowed in Together") 3.5 stars

was a bit confusing and hard to grasp bc i didn't realize it was fantasy hahahahaha, but I loved the concept and was really rooting for these characters. it definitely had that ~snowed in together~ fuzzy feeling.

Amy Spalding - Five Stars ("Mistaken Identity") 4 stars

kewwwwwwwt. li mistakes our mc for her uber and, instead of correcting her, our mc just goes along with it. i could NEVERRRR, but kewt. definitely a fun take on the mistaken identity trope.

Rebecca Kim Wells - Unfortunately, Blobs Do Not Eat Snacks ("Kissing Under the Influence") 4 stars

i was a bit confused by this one at first (it's like my brain can't process anything other than contemporary rn), but i ended up REALLY enjoying it. not only did i really like the characters, but i was also suuuuuper intrigued by the plot itself. typically with anthologies, i feel like more focus goes into the characters, but this had a magical intriguing plot alongside that i really liked.

Ashley Herring Blake - Edges ("The Grumpy and the Soft One") 2 stars

i wanted to really like this one, but it felt really underdeveloped to me and lacked a solid plot. the characters also felt really one-dimensional and i just couldn't root for them the way i wanted to. i don't know. i just didn't like this much. i kept waiting for more and, unfortunately, it never really came.

Julian Winters - What Makes Us Heroes ("Hero vs. Villain") 3 stars

i'm not a HUGE fan of superhero-type stories (think: extraordinaries, the rest of us just live here, etc.), but i am a huge fan of julian winter's writing. their story in "out now" was the only story that still stands out to me much from that collection. overall i didn't like the whole concept much, but could connect with the characters and loved the writing. still quality.

Hannah Moskowitz - And ("Love Triangle") 2.5 stars

at first, because of the story being told in second person, i was sooooo confused. i got used to it relatively quickly though and then i enjoyed the story quite a bit. i just felt confused by some elements (especially the ending- really random and unbelievable to me). i feel like it lacked

Sara Farizan - My Best Friend's Girl ("Best Friend's Girlfriend") 3 stars

annnnnother superhero story. not a huge fan, like i said above, but i did enjoy this regardless. i will say, i feel like we didn't really get to know the li. we got to know the best friend wayyyyy more and that made me root more for the friendship than anything else. i also feel like this was really unrealistic and a bit problematic in some elements. i did like the writing style a LOT though and the concept was sick.

Claire Kann - (Fairy)Like Attracts Like ("Mutual Pining") 1.5 stars

i just didn't get this one. i wanted to and i tried reeeally hard, but it just wasn't for me. i liked certain elements, but couldn't connect with it as a whole.

Lilliam Rivera - These Strings ("Sibling's Hot Best Friend") 1 star

not for me. i feel like it lacked proper development and i didn't connect to the characters at ALL. the ending was super rushed too and everything wrapped up too quickly.

Laura Silverman - The Passover Date ("Fake Dating") 5 stars

this went by so quickly and was over way too soon! i swear i got so wrapped up in the story, it felt like i was only reading for a minute or two. i am DYING for a full-length novel about these two. i loved everything about this! all the feeeeeeeels.

Rebecca Barrow - Bloom ("Love Transcends Space Time") 4 stars

at first, i was like "whaaaaat? :/" and then i was like "aw wut :(" the first half of this had me a bit confused and a little bored, but once the romance started i was ALL IN. this is absolutely beautiful and the writing had me nearly in tears. NEARLY IN TEARS I TELL YOU!! stunning, lovely, breathtaking.

Gloria Chao - Teed Up ("Oblivious to Lovers") 2 stars

this was kindaaaa cute, but i just didn't feel all the feels. i feel like this focused more on the mc and her career path than anything else. the romance was really lacking and then just rushed in the end.

Mason Deaver - Boys Noise ("Only One Bed at the Inn") 2.5 stars

i liked this story and the connection the mc and li had, but it doesn't really fit the trope as much as i would have wanted. they've stayed in the same bed multiple times before and weren't that taken aback by it. this is one of my favorite tropes so i was looking forward to this one a LOT, but i was left disappointed. again, the romance was nice and sweet, but not what i expected or needed.

Malinda Lo - Girls Just Want to Have Fun ("Secret Royalty") 4 stars

wow this was such a pleasant surprise. when i first started reading this one, i felt a bit confused, but it ended up being one of my faves. lo's ability to create SO much character development and worldbuilding in such a short amount of pages is honestly SUCH an immense talent and skill. i don't know why, but when i think of the "secret royalty" trope i usually imagine someone not knowing they're royalty and then figuring that out, but this took a different type of angle and i wasn't entirelyyyyyyy into it to be honest which is why 4 instead of 5 stars. still amazing though!!!!!! good god.

Rebecca Podos - Disaster ("Second Chance Romance") 4 stars

this was so cute and unexpected. i absolutely loved the discussion on how often bisexuality is confused and misinterpretted. it's honestly exhausting. the whole end of the world thing was also very trippy and added so much depth and suspense to the story. overall, i really really loved it.

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reading comments

48%: considering i'm not a huge fan of anthologies, i am really liking this ATM.

78%: loving nearly every story and questioning everything now. do i hate anthologies or have i never read a good one?

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tbr comments

I kind of subconsciously swore off anthologies bc I have not been enjoying them, but an anthology where each love story is based on a typical romance TROPE?? r u kidding??? innovative. perfection. stunning.

I was soooo excited about this, but now it's been sitting on my netgalley shelf for literal MONTHS so, in order to review before its pub date, I'm gonna read a story or two every single day for the rest of the month/until I finish it. HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE!

Fools in Love is full of some of my favorite authors ever. I've read them all and you can easily search this blog of my rave reviews. So when I saw this star studded anthology I knew I had to request it. In the past years I have relied on romance to brighten my weary days. To give me hope in the darkest of days when nothing was certain. It's just a reminder about how important these stories, these feelings, and happiness are.

Anthologies are notoriously hard to review because they involve so many different plots, characters, and settings…but that’s also what makes them captivating, and Fools in Love is no exception. In such an fun collection of stories, four in particular stood out to me: “The Passover Date” by Laura Silverman, “Teed Up” by Gloria Chao, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Malinda Lo, and “What Makes Us Heroes” by Julian Winters. These stories caught my attention with strong protagonists, beautiful relationships, enjoyable plots, and creative twists of familiar romantic tropes. However, most of the other stories just didn't entice me and were fairly forgettable. I was disappointed to only really love these four stories, but that's the risk with anthologies. With great representation and diverse voices telling the stories, this book is perfect for anyone who enjoys reading love stories.

It's tough to rate any collection of short stories because you like some a lot more than you do others because of reasons that are personal to you only. With this compilation in particular, knowing the tropes in advance kind of defeated the purpose at times... I tried to stay open-minded, and I think it worked (mostly) as I only strongly disliked one story out the 15 presented.
4 of them were absolutely delightful. I recommend the following:
- FIVE STARS
- WHAT MAKES US HEROES
- MY BEST FRIEND'S GIRL
- TEED UP.
The rest was overall quite cute, but not as remarkable (in my humble opinion).

*I got a free ebook through Netgalley, this in no way influenced this review*

This was such a fun book to read!

Fools in Love is a collection of 15 stories where two characters fall in love against all odds. There were some stories that were amazing and I would love to see them as complete books. There also were some stories that I had to push to get through.

I really feel this is a good book to read around Christmas, because a lot of the stories gave me that Hallmark movie vibe!

I also loved all of the diversity in the book and I discovered some new authors as well!

Anthologies are hit or miss for me. I thought this would be a hit, as I have read books by many of these authors and loved them. I also loved the idea of exploring common romance tropes. This ended up being a miss for me, but I think it could be more me and not the book. I think others will appreciate all the different genres here, which was probably one of the reasons the collection didn't work for me as a hardcore contemporary reader.

If you are looking for a light, fluffy romance with tons of LGBTQ+ representation, Fools in Love is the book for you. I read most of the stories in one sitting. The stories are cute, short, and uncomplicated. The characters a diverse and lovable. This book seems to have turned me grandmotherly because all I want to do is pinch the characters' cheeks and give them a hug. The perfect light read for the holiday season.