Frequent Flyers

by Beth Bolden

[Lindsey Gray]

Anthologies are so fun to read, but sometimes a little difficult to review. This group of stories was fantastic, but each was so different from the other. The common theme of flight was given to the six authors and they took it in six completely different directions. Sweet, steamy, spooky, and even a little scary. There was an element in each story that had me savoring each paragraph.

Eye of the Storm is the story of Tess and Grant. The two had been admiring each other from a far, but Tess was never confident enough to approach the seemingly stiff Grant. I loved the story that Bolden weaved and the characters she created. Making an effort to spend time with someone can completely change your point of view. The attraction was always there for Tess, she just needed the opportunity to pull back some of Grant's layers to find the man inside. A beautiful story of "don't judge a book by it's cover"is told in this eloquently written tale.

Fly Me to the Moon is the story of Jessamy and Griffin. I am a sucker for a second chance story, but this was throughly different from any other I had read before. These two live on the same block, but ended their romance two years before due to both of their difficulties with OCD. Jessamy was the less meticulous one, but when her dating life is in the toilet and Griffin seems to be vastly improving, she decides to give him another chance. My heart hurt for these two as they faced such difficulties in the midst of deep and abiding love. Elle completely won me over with the ending to this short narrative and left me with a feeling of wonderment.

Unscheduled Departure is the story of Rowan and Finn, or at least a version of the two. One decision creates a parallel universe and Ro ends up with a Finn that is not her Finn. Strange phone calls from a private number are from her Finn in another dimension. Franklin kept my mind engaged and my heart pounding as I read every word. A few twists and turns surprised and delighted me. I wouldn't expect anything less from the Paranormal Pro Franklin. She wrote a transcendental adventure that will keep me thinking for years to come.

A Midsummers Flight's Dream is a unique tale of woe about the life of Jolie Flynn. After losing her husband, her job, her house, and her money, her life dips even lower when her beloved great aunt dies. Jolie rushes to Sweden to say her final goodbyes and bumps into her first love, Mattias. Poor Jolie had little left in her life and though comical at times, everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Even her meeting with Mattias. The connection was still there after twenty years, but she believed he was happily married with five daughters. This funny, sweet, sad, and ultimately exquisite saga left me with a sense of hope. When you hit bottom, there is nowhere else to go but up and after an arduous journey, Jolie finally begins her rise.

Forced Landing is the story of Naydia and the strange airport that has become her entire life. Her father has owned the small airport since she was born. After her mother's sudden death, her father's strict rules have kept her close to his side and making the airport her world too. Her attraction to one of their best customers, Liam, has her questioning the world around her, rightly so. Liam turns out to be her protector as she is the last of her bloodline to watch over the portal that resides over the airport. Lawson designs another world and races of beings who walk amongst our own, taking the story in a direction I never saw coming. I loved the unexpected path Lawson drew with this story and I can't wait to read more from her.

The Friendly Skies is the story of weary travelers, Cass and Simon. When their flight is unexpectedly turned around due to a volcano, the direction of what could've been a horrendous day ignites a passion the two had been desperately missing. Weaver builds the story in layers as the two spend the day together. The slow burn is so delicious, that when the flame is ignited, you're more than willing to watch it explode over and over again. This seductive fantasy leads to something neither expected and I'm so glad I got to go along for the ride.

Thanks to all the authors of this anthology for giving me a copy of Frequent Flyers in exchange for an honest review.