New Release Review: Delicious: An MM/MMM Charity Anthology

Danielle

TITLE: Delicious: An MM/MMM Charity Anthology

AUTHORS: Annabeth Albert, Beth Bolden, Jax Calder, Vawn Cassidy, Colette Davison, Lane Hayes, Becca Jackson, E.M. Lindsey, Katherine McIntyre, Mia Monroe, Shane K Morton, K.M. Neuhold, Charlie Novak, Becca Seymour, Sebastian Sharpe, Toby Wise, and Ariella Zoelle.

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 895 Pages

RELEASE DATE: May 27, 2025

BLURB:

Love is delicious…

Join a fabulous group of authors for a brand new charity anthology that’s sure to make you hungry!

We’re serving up hot dishes, lamington kisses, cheesecake roses, and plenty of delicious indulgences. Accompanied by a buffet of your favourites like best friends to lovers, meet cutes, second chances, small towns, enemies, hot bosses, long time crushes, plenty of spice, and melt-in-the-mouth sweetness.

With taco trucks, celebrity chefs, bakers, pizza shops, and plenty of treats, Delicious has eighteen brand new contemporary short stories for you to savour!

All proceeds will be donated to the LGBTQ+ charities Switchboard and akt.

Includes stories from:
Annabeth Albert, Beth Bolden, Jax Calder, Vawn Cassidy, Colette Davison, Lane Hayes, Becca Jackson, E.M. Lindsey Katherine McIntyre, Mia Monroe, Shane K Morton, K.M. Neuhold, Charlie Novak, Becca Seymour, Sebastian Sharpe, Toby Wise, and Ariella Zoelle.

REVIEW:

A Slice of Life by Toby Wise

Review by Kat

What a sweet, romantic short story of two best friends that never let the other know how they felt about the other for years.

I love best friends-to-lovers stories and this one was just so sweet. It’s the story of best friends that finally admitted that they each had secretly loved each other for years. They have been besties since going to school together back in their home town. Rodney was always protective of his best friend. Pete actually probably has been in love with his best friend since Rodney punched a transphobe that was picking on Pete back in high school. And when Pete shared that he wanted to move from their small hometown to the big city, Rodney simply just moved with him. But it takes a big snow storm, that the clueless Pete didn’t even know about, to finally push these two together. But that was Rodney, always taking care of his Pete…making sure his guy was feed and safe.

I really liked the vibe that came from these two. And I get it. They both might have been suppressing feelings for a long time but they just didn’t want to do anything to risk their friendship. But when that first step happened you needed to hold on because there was no going back and they were both more than willing to finally experience what they longed for over the years.

A bit of warning: this is a FTM trans-man story and there is an on-page oral sex and frothing moment. But it was so sweet and well written. And the experience was so perfect for Pete to experience. Rodney loved Pete so much and simply chose to go at Pete’s pace.

Taco Dirty To Me by KM Neuhold 
Review by Sadonna
Bas has a taco food truck and secret crush on one of his regulars, Dylan Precious.  He’s a vet tech who frequently gets lunch from the truck.  But he has a boyfriend 🙁  Ah well, a boy can dream.
Dylan works with his best friend Robbie, the vet at the clinic, who has set Dylan up on a blind date since Dylan and his boyfriend broke up and he wants Dylan to get back out there.
Bas gets home from work and finds his brother sick as a dog. He’s supposed to go on a blind date.  He convinces Bas to go for him since he doesn’t have the guy’s number and doesn’t want to just stand him up.  You can see where this is going 😉
Bas shows up to find Dylan and his dog waiting at the appointed meeting spot.  He’s supposed to deliver the message, but instead he sets up his own date.  Which leads to more 😉
This is a quick cute story of mutual crushes that work out.  There’s dirty talk and a great pet and a date that seems meant to be.  I would definitely read more about these two 😀

Whet Your Appetite by Shane K Morton

Review by Cheryl K.

Martin and Ryder are a wonderful twist on the best friend trope.  Separated by a job that took Martin away from his best friend Ryder, they both realize that there might be more than just friendship in their relationship.  But are they willing to take a leap of faith and find out if they are perfect for each other.

Martin flies in to spend some time with Ryder, as they both lament the previous decisions they have made and all the dating mistakes, they continue to make. Testing the what if waters, Ryder makes a move that will ultimately change their relationship, hopefully for the better.

Shane injects this short story with lots of humor, food and sexy times. He has crafted a seriously hot take on best friends to lovers.  If you like sexy times with cake, you will enjoy this one from Shane.

 

All’s Fair in Love and Pizza – Lane Hayes 
Review by Sadonna
This is a quintessential Lane Hayes story 🙂  Closeted jocks, life after professional sports, teammates to rivals to lovers, and lots of strong family vibes 🙂
Mateo Cavaretti runs his family’s pizza business in the college town he grew up in, went to college in and returned to.  He was the quarterback of the college team.  He stepped up to run the family business and it’s taken over his life.
Rob Vilmer, a linebacker on the college football team, has just leased the space next to the Boardwalk Pizza, Mateo’s family business.  It’s the space that he had wanted to expand into but was told it was already leased.  But Rob’s retired from the NFL and it looking to put down roots in town now.  Hmmm.
Rob and Mateo were never exactly friends, but when Mateo talks to Rob and discovers that he’s opening a bagel shop, he’s skeptical.  A bagel shop next to a pizza place?  Really?  Then Rob teases him by saying maybe they will do pizza bagels and Mateo’s back goes up.  And it’s on!
At the grand opening, Mateo decides to make nice, but then he tastes the pizza bagel bites and he can’t help feeling like he’s being set up here.  He storms off and the war is on. He’s going to make bagels at the pizza place too!  Two can play this game 🙂
Rob has always had kind of a crush on Mateo – from back in college – but assumed that Mateo was straight and where Rob was from, well it wasn’t acceptable to be gay and certainly not in high school, college or professional football.  So he’s stayed closeted and is business partners with his best friend Amber.  Mateo assumed that was his girlfriend until Rob sets him straight 😉
Their competition has gotten folks talking and Amber has an idea of setting up a charity competition between the two businesses to draw in customers and raise money for the college.  This has the added bonus of pushing Rob and Mateo closer together as the contest goes on for the weeks of the football season.
One thing leads to another.  Confessions are shared.  Maybe it’s time for Rob to come out and live the life he worked so hard to achieve 😀
This story is really lovely.  Rob and Mateo get off on the wrong foot when Rob comes back to town.  They both made assumptions about the other that were totally off base and when they finally had a real conversation, it turns out they aren’t so different after all 🙂  This has small town vibes, secret crush, closeted athlete moving to the next chapter themes as well as coming to terms with the past and looking forward to a bright future focus.  Wonderful characters, the right balance of humor and pathos and a lot of truth telling complete the story arc.  Loved it.
OVERALL ANTHOLOGY RATING:

 

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