#Red – A Dandelion Anthology

OUT NOW

Dandelion Anthologies presents…

Red: a collection of short stories.

Ten indie authors writing a range of genres have come together to bring you an eclectic mix of short stories, each one featuring a red-headed beauty.

Whether you are a fan of boy-next-door love, romantic suspense or mystical beings, there is a tale for you between these pages.

There are stories with darker themes and stories with happy endings; there is sexiness and innocence and a whole lot of tension.

Delve inside and discover the different personalities of this scarlet lady.

Contributing authors:

TRACIE PODGER | TL WAINWRIGHT | LORIANA CAPPELLO | R.M. GARDNER | PAULA ACTON | ELLE M THOMAS | MBB WHYTE | GEORGINA HANNAN | SUSAN HORSNELL | THERESA HODGE

RELEASE DATE: 1st March 2024

Cover and graphics: Shower Of Schmidt Designs www.showerofschmidtdesigns.com

https://books2read.com/RedAnthology

https://mybook.to/RedAnthology

5.0 out of 5 stars Fab short story selection

A fab set of short stories to wet all appetites. Each story has a redhead and covers all genres like MC, Vampires, strippers and a touch of sweetness too. Hot, sweet, sexy and dark. Each one leaves you wanting more from these brilliant authors. I really loved these tasters and found a great selection of new to me authors.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great collection of short stories!

Whats not to love about this anthology all set around red headed beauties… i love how all authors get limited details and they all bring such a great mix of different reads, we have MC, vampire, Royals, undercover drama, second chances and the falling in love with your friends sister, all rolled into one fab set of stories.
I bought this initially for TL Wainwrights story which i absolutely LOVED! More twists, turns, and drama set around those hot YOMC bikers! Definitely want more from JB & Scarlett.
I also loved Elle M Thomas story with some forbidden bestfriends sisters romance, loved Spence and Emilia and would love to find out whats next for these guys.
RM Gardner, as much as i don’t read Royal romances i was hooked into this story 😉
This collection seriously has something for everyone, jump in and buy this asap!

5.0 out of 5 stars A mix of amazing short stories

A collection of short stories, all of which have a Red theme within. We have a mix of Vampyres, MC,Strippers and Gangsters, Brother’s best friend, girls night in with a ouija board, well you get the idea. This is a fabulous collection, each author has put their own take on the theme/picture that were given and have done it so well. Each tale will have you riveted and wanting more. If you fancy an opportunity to test the waters with new authors this is the way to do it. I will be honest I was drawn to this by the first story by Tracie Podger an already firm favourite for me and I got to the end of her story wishing I could have more, there is so much more to tell and I have heard a whisper that there may well be a full length book for A Blood Like Mine and in the meantime I have many new authors to explore. Grab this now and lose yourself in a world of fantasy, love and mystery, you will love it.

4.0 out of 5 stars A great collection

A great selection of short stories with a red headed heroine. There is definitely something for everyone in this anthology with fantasy, romance, vigilantes, motorcycle clubs. I particularly liked Full Disclosure by Loriana Capello, based in a club with hints of organised crime, fast paced and gripping. I also really enjoyed Book Keeper by Paula Acton with a vigilante vampire offering a safe haven to all in her Night Library and Velvet Reds by TL Wainwright which got me interested in her MC club and then was over far too soon.

There is a lot to like in this collection, and I’m sure I will be looking up more from some of these authors 🙂

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful mix of stories

Ok I’m 2 stories in, Tracie Podger and TL Wainwright’s are amazing. Interesting take on Vampires for the first one, fresh and exciting. TL went with the MC but it’s one of their businesses and the person who runs it, boy oh boy I want more of that, in fact more of both.
There is a mix of wonderful stories by some new to me authors and 3 favourite authors. Each are interesting and romantic, each contain something red, be it blood or hair colour. Great characters and a very enjoyable read.

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Variety Of Stories

There are some very interesting stories in this anthology. A lot is packed into these short stories and the authors managed to draw you in quickly. All the leading women have red hair and all are very different characters. There is a mixed of tropes from paranormal, romantic suspense and contemporary romance.
Some felt like they were prequels to a longer book and left me with unanswered questions. They ended in a to be continued fashion so you are left wondering what was going to happen. You will need to keep an eye out for the next book if you enjoyed the story.

A Blood Like Mine by Tracie Podger:
This is really two paranormal stories in one. The main romance is between Maxim and Lilith who are from two different clans. The author also gives us the tragic love story between Maxim’s parents, which left his father a heartbroken recluse and him without a mother. 
Maxim is part of a centuries old race of vampires but wants to find better ways to ensure their survival. His father wants him to take a partner but he has no desire for one until he is drawn by the aura of a red-headed woman in their prison. Something about her is special but he doesn’t know what she is. 
I found his friend Franco really funny and bet they have got up to some mischief together. I didn’t like his brother and could see why they didn’t get on. I don’t usually read vampire books but I found myself as interested in Lilith as Maxim was. I enjoyed finding out more about her and the history of both their clans.It turns out these two are soulmates and the next generation to fulfil a years old prophecy.

Velvet Reds by T.L. Wainwright is set in her Young Outlaws MC Nevada world. I was so excited to read this when I realised it was about Scarlett. If you have read Smoke then you will know the heartbreaking backstory about her parents. This follows on from the ending of Smoke’s book, when the Florida chapter ask for help with one of their members. While we learn all about Scarlett’s childhood and how her mother ended up at Reds. When tragedy struck, Scarlett took over from her mother to manage Velvet Reds for the YOMC and she has a secret bond with Smoke, their president. When he needs a favour, a very sexy and handsome man ends up hiding out in her apartment. JB is warned she is off limits and he promises to be on his best behaviour and resist her! JB is such a temptation and awakes a fire inside her. There is a funny shower scene and I loved how he was such a flirt. Knowing a relationship is forbidden, they both fight their feelings but a violent incident changes everything. The consequences bring revelations and heartbreak but also promises for the future which I can’t wait for. 

Full Disclosure By Loriana Cappello:
Rosa is a journalist on an undercover assignment as a choreographer for the dancers at a private members club. The Vine is owned by Matteo Rossi and brothers Michael & Roberto Lombardi, but is probably their only legitimate business. While writing her investigative piece, she had fallen in love with Matteo.There had been an immediate attraction between them since her first day but he suddenly broke up with her with no explanation. She is heartbroken but her boss demands she returns to find out the truth about the owners or get fired. Rosa knows she has fallen in love with a gangster and seen what happens behind the scenes but feels a loyalty to Matteo so needs to go back to protect him from her boss. A hurtful discovery leads to a forbidden final performance, a confrontation with Matteo and an explosive incident.
There are secrets and revelations that will leave you shocked and surprised as not everything is what it seems. Their connection is undeniable but can they find a way to be together. A very clever and enjoyable mafia romance with a great twist.

Choosing Us by R.M. Gardner:
A royal romance story about Princess Elizabeth and who she chooses to be her significant other. She has very firm ideas of what kind of Queen she wants to be. She has her own opinions and wants to lead her people into the future. The King and Queen are bound by royal protocol to find her a suitor. She has just turned twenty-one so it is a very important night for Elizabeth and her parents as they hold an extravagant ball for her to meet suitable men. Two young men catch her eye as they walk in and she is pleased when one of them asks her to dance. It turns out Marius and Dominic have a plan because from the first time they saw her, they were both fascinated and wanted her. Marius is adorable and totally irresistible. My heart went out to him as he battled his demons and we learn about what he had been through. Dom is so supportive and determined to show him he deserved to be loved. Would she be willing to make their dream come true? Could she accept them for what they were? Would their unorthodox relationship be accepted? An interesting why choose story with a sweet ending.

Book Keeper by Paula Acton :
This is not a romance story but a paranormal tale of an immortal being who has adapted so she can live amongst mortals. Vampire Cassandra is an independent woman who runs The Night Library, an exclusive members cafe. It is a sanctuary for humans and any immortals in their human form. She is called the Bookkeeper because she has a hidden library of books detailing the lives of immortals and she knows secrets about her kind and others. She is also a vigilante for women who have been victims of abusers and bad men. There are rules about interfering in mortals lives but she uses her gifts to take revenge on these men. She hands out the justice she believes they should have received. The author gives us lots of information about Cassandra and sets the scene for more plots and events that she could be involved in.I felt a little disappointed with the last chapter and the ending left me wondering what was going to happen next, so I presume this is a prequel for a full book.

Meant To Be by Elle M Thomas:
An unrequited love, soulmates, friends to lovers, forbidden love, best friend’s sister romance between Spence and Emilia. Spence Knight has just moved back to his hometown. We find out he carries a photo of a girl in his wallet. His best friends Dan Oakes and Fin Parker are so pleased he is back. Dan needs his help as his sister is getting married to an awful man. Will they stop her from marrying the wrong person or accept her decision. Emilia Oakes aka “Little Oakes” or his Acorn! He’s not seen his best friend’s sister since his graduation. It turns out the photo was taken ten years ago on her eighteenth birthday and his feelings for her have never changed. A delay at her wedding leads to a startling revelation and opens the doors for Spence to get the one woman he has always wanted. Luckily for him she has always had a crush on him.
A night out with friends ends with her drunk and him rescuing her. It leads to him helping her get her life back together and admitting his feelings for her. Things don’t go as smoothly for the couple as they have her brother to convince and it turns out Spence has been hiding a secret. Will they get their long awaited HEA? Is he the one she was destined to be with?

Girls Night In by MBB Whyte:
This is a ghost story about a group of best friends who call themselves The Strays, having a sleepover at the weekend. The four girls have vastly different personalities. are the Taylor and Hazel brainiacs. Penny is a goth girl but calls herself a freak. Jen is the typical girl next door, a cheerleader with the football boyfriend.
Armed with drinks and snacks they head to Hazel’s house. Penny and Jen are shocked to find out the house is haunted. Taylor and Hazel surprise the other girls with a spirit board and suggest they try to contact the ghost who lives in the house. A series of spooky happenings over the evening leave the girls wondering if ghosts really do exist and their imaginations running riot over what they experienced. The author also suggests there is something going on with Penny and a new boy in school and the girls make a pact about spring dance. Along with the intriguing history of Hazel’s house and the red headed ghost, I wonder if this is all leading to a full book about The Strays.

Destiny by Georgina Hannan:
A paranormal romance about Lucien, a Vampire and Calista, a Werewolf. When a mystical beast turns eighteen they must go and find their mate. Mates are destined to be together but until they actually touch and the sparks fly, they don’t know who the other is. Destiny brings them together even if the circumstances are unlikely and the pairing not what either expected. Her life changes forever on her birthday when an anonymous note tells her where to go to meet her mate. The place is outside the safety of her pack so although dangerous, her curiosity gets the better of her. At the clearing she is spooked by a group of vampires and tries to escape. Luckily Lucien saves her. He is the leader of the vampires. A intense moment between them leads to confusion and denial. They are different and can’t be mates or can they? A leadership challenge and jealousy puts them both in danger. Will they realise they have no choice, accept their destiny and survive everything to be together.

Reigniting Love by Susan Horsnell:
This is a contemporary romance about Cherise Malone and Bryden Finch. A couple torn apart by no fault of their own and now getting a second chance at love. Bryden fell in love with Cherise in college but hasn’t seen her for eight years and we are about to find out why. Merin her assistant and best friend, has helped Bryden arrange their meeting as he needs the chance to explain in person. Cherise is a singer who is returning to performing after a two year gap away.After her encore she found Merin in her dressing room with a man she thought was dead. Why had he disappeared after graduation when they were about to tell their friends they’d got engaged. He tells her the story that had changed his life for the last eight years. She was the love of his life so leaving her was the hardest thing he’d ever done.
Can she forgive him for what he did when he has struggled to forgive himself over the years? He now wants a second chance because he’s never stopped loving her. Can they reignite their love after he has broken her heart? A really lovely story about revenge, righting a wrong and finally getting a second chance with the one you are meant to be with.

Chance Meeting by Theresa Hodge:
A love at first sight story about Tessa and Scott, even though it takes them a while to get together. Her life was never the same after her chance meeting with him on a visit to New York. They only met briefly but the interaction between them stayed with her. It was a wonderful night which didn’t end how either of them had hoped. Did she have the courage to find him? I did find this author’s style of writing a bit hard to read and never connected with Tessa or Scott.