Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Heart2Heart: A Contemporary Charity Anthology (Collection) Volume 8
AUTHORS:
PUSLISHER: self-published
LENGTH: 784 Pages
RELEASE DATE: November 3, 2025
BLURB:
Once upon a time, a bunch of authors wondered… could Heart2Heart, the dating and community app trusted by queer singles around the world, help find the perfect temporary Plus One?
Whether it’s to protect your ‘assets’ at a fundraising gala, attend an ex’s wedding, share a tantric yoga class, walk the dog, or stand by your side at a funeral, sometimes you just need the right person at the right time, and H2H is here to help make it happen.
As always, all proceeds from this anthology will benefit LGBTQ+ charities to ensure that love in all its incarnations will be celebrated and protected every single day of the year!
REVIEW:
Date with the Dogcle by Becca Seymour – 4.5 stars
This is a super cute short story about two men who connect over a dating app when one guy, Angus, is looking for help with his sister’s dogs. He’s agreed to take care of a pack of beagles while his sister is out of the country on a business trip for nearly a month. He’s over his head, sees a cute guy who clearly knows what he’s doing with dog and when he realizes it’s on a dating app, he takes the plunge and asks the cute guy, Callum, to meet up at a dog walk to get some help with his new pack. Their dog walks lead to more and it’s adorable! Callum is a bit cautious and so is Angus due to past relationships, but they seem to fit in ways neither of them expected. It sweet and cute and romantic and hot – all thanks to that Heart2Heart dating app 😉
Mistakenly Yours by Briar Prescott – 4.5 stars
Eli comes home to surprise his boyfriend, but instead he is surprised by his boyfriend cheating on him. Said boyfriend then tries to make it Eli’s fault, gaslighting him 100%. 5 months later, Eli’s sister and mom have set up a profile for him on Heart2Heart and he’s now got to go on a date with someone who his family has set him up with. And boy is he surprised by the guy who is there to meet him. But looks can be deceiving and Raf isn’t at all who he initially seems to be. This dating disaster ends up with an elevator ride from hell and some revelations that make Eli consider Raf seriously 🙂 Eli and Raf end up being much more compatible then either of them would have ever believed. So sometimes family can be helpful 😉
A Hot Date with Death by C. Rochelle – 3.5 stars
NOTE: Trigger warnings for death by suicide and death of parents in the past.
Shay has to go to his sister’s funeral and he can’t face his mother alone, so he gets on the Heart2Heart app looking for a “one time thing” date. Josh, an artist who is very familiar with death since he was orphaned as a child and grew up with his aunt in her funeral home figures he’s the right guy for the job. Shay needs a protector and a fake boyfriend for this outing and at 6′ 8″, Josh is ready to take all comers. But Shay’s mother is awful and Shay is pretty shattered by what’s happened. Josh vows to give Shay “whatever he needs” in the way of support. Shay is shocked to say the least that Josh is willing to do this for him and also help him in dealing with his awful mother. Shay needs the support and Josh is more than willing. He finds Shay beautiful and talented and a bit bratty, but he kinda likes that. When he takes Shay home after he breaks down things begin to change and this one time date shifts into something quite different. This one didn’t quite work for me – mostly I guess because dealing with death many times leads to a lot of bad decisions in the moment and I just didn’t get into their dynamic. This is probably more of a “it’s me” thing. As usual YMMV.
The Hazard and the Hitman by Cambria Hebert – 
Haz is in a car wreck and he hits up someone on Heart2Heart to come spring him from the hospital by offering “anything” as long as the guy pretends to be his boyfriend and get him out of the hospital. He doesn’t expect the guy to actually show just as he’s trying to make a break for it. The guy in question. Keiran, is incredibly cynical and can’t believe that Haz is so guileless and that he was just trying to get out of the hospital to avoid a higher bill. But something about Haz makes him want to take care of him. And so he does. I didn’t connect at first with these two and it’s a SUPER fast story – like 1 day. There is sex with a guy with a head injury which I didn’t quite get (pretty sure that’s on the no list from the doc). Could be a start to something interesting.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS:
2 thoughts on “Release Day Review: Heart2Heart: A Contemporary Charity Anthology (Collection) Vol. 8 – Part 1”