Set Piece by Lana Schwartz was an absolute delight from start to finish! I was completely swept up in the story and couldn’t put it down. Lana’s writing style is so fresh and fun—it flows effortlessly and makes every scene sparkle. The banter between the main characters was swoon-worthy in the best way, and I genuinely found myself giggling and kicking my feet while reading more than once!

One of my favorite elements was the time jump, which was handled so well and added real depth to the characters and their relationship. Watching them grow and change, both individually and together, made their connection feel all the more real and rewarding. The chemistry? Off the charts. The tension? Perfectly built. The payoff? Chef’s kiss.

I really enjoyed every moment of this book, and I’m already itching to dive into more 831 stories. Lana Schwartz is definitely one to watch, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

This was a great, quick listen. I struggled to put it down because the quick pace, crackling romantic tension, and emotional arcs were entirely grabbing. Both narrators did a great job bringing the story to life. I also liked the little nods to other 831 books. This was a great romance with glimpses into the world of Hollywood and the film industry.

Thank you Net Galley and AE Titles / S&S Audio for the ALC!

I am fully obsessed with 831 stories and I am always amazed at how much emotion and humor can be found in such short stories.

Jack and Cara meet at a bar and have an innocent one night stand before going their own ways. By chance, they met again five years later on a movie set and both of their lives are vastly different.

Cara now goes by CJ and is a set designer with a 4 year old (thankfully she is not the result of the previous one night stand). Her mother has passed away and she has an unusual relationship with her father. Jack is now an in demand actor who has dated lots and is very keen to be known. They have tension filled interactions while on set but decide to date after the movie wraps.

I’m not a huge fan of a third act breakup but this one made sense and I enjoyed how they found each other again. I really enjoyed this audio too!

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

4.5 stars because i just cannot stand a second act break up, for ANY reason!

thank you 831 stories FOR SHORT ROMCOMS! i cannot stand that so many romance books are now pushing 500pgs! like babe! it’s not that serious!!!

set piece was a deliciously fantastic, short and sweet and steamy romcom about an up and coming actor and a production designer. i went in rather blind, and looking at the description now, i think that was the best option — especially for such a short romcom!

as for the audiobook — dual narrators are forever my favorite, and both narrators did fantastic.

overall, this was a fantastic romcom and i’ll be diving into 831 stories’ other romances!

First off, thank you Net Galley and AE Titles / S&S Audio for the ALC.

5 ⭐️ - Short and sweet, but packs a PUNCH.

The hook:
Jack Felgate, up and coming actor from London, walks into a bar… and hits it off with the bartender, CJ. Their instant chemistry leads to one memorable one night together. 5 years later Jack and CJ cross paths again when Jack books the lead in a Great Gatsby remake. Turns out, CJ is the production designer on set for the same movie and they realize this is their chance to explore more than one night together.

My general thoughts:
I have been wondering what 831 Stories are all about - I kept seeing this similar type of book cover pop up and was already drawn to its simplicity. So simple, but instantly catches my attention. I am so glad I gave this one a shot. I usually stay away from short stories because I don’t feel there’s enough time for me to invest in the characters or story. But boy was I wrong about that here!

This book tugged at my heartstrings, had me crying but also swooning. I wasn’t expecting how powerful the story was. At its root - it’s a woman who has had to be independent her whole life. She’s stubborn but confident and refuses to accept help. When she starts to open up to Jack and realize she doesn’t have to do this all alone, without compromising her morals or integrity - it’s a beautiful coupling of two strong characters. And of course, I always have a softness in my heart for any single-mother stories. While I am childless now, I could relate so intensely to CJ’s fierce independence and reluctance to have anything handed to her in her life or career.

The romance was sweet and I absolutely loved reading these two together. There was so much character growth and clear development of feelings and trust. I thought that would be hard in a short-story. I would even say this story was more well developed than some 500+ page books I’ve read.

I love when you can tell an author really did their research - reading this I would assume the author is a set designer or part of the movie-making world herself. But come to the author acknowledgments, I learn that it isn’t the case but instead she had insight from industry professionals to bring this to life. And that makes it all the more special, I felt so immersed in this world that I knew nothing about prior and now have insight into a whole industry I wouldn’t have understood otherwise. Excellent writing across the board, I have no notes!!!

Overall - so happy with this book and I am really excited to read more of the 831 Stories productions.

Audiobook specific notes:
-This is dual POV and dual narration
-I can be really particular about accents so I was worried with this being a British MMC and American FMC. I was SOO impressed by the ease and flawlessness of these narrators. They absolutely cursed the accents and it was so seamless I never once had an issue with the actual narration.
-I’ve always loved Andi Arndt but I am not as familiar with Shane East. However I thought both of them had incredible performances and were excellent matches for their characters. I couldn’t imagine anyone else narrating Jack and CJ.
-Pacing and production were perfect, again-- no notes!

5 starts ACROSS THE BOARD!