REVIEW: 12 Alphas 12 Months by Yvette Hines (Editor)

By Tqwana B.

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3 out of 5 stars   ★★★☆☆

Synopsis ––

USA Today, Amazon and Multi-published Bestselling Authors bring you sensual contemporary romance stories of…
ALPHAS: Military/Vets, Shifters, Blue Collar, Business Men, Athletes, Smoke Jumpers, Doctors and more… Ladies this is the YEAR of your dreams. 12 Alphas 12 Months come and get your calendar men!
All New Stories…with a connection. That’s right. These stories all have a main theme that unites them. Tamela Harvin is a nationally syndicated radio host who left the glitz and glamour of Hollywood to use her fame helping out those less fortunate. She loves a cause. When she contacted by a listener about a grave concern close to her heart; widower fathers struggling to find emotional support and care for their children after a lose of a wife, Tamela gets to work. Calling in all her community activist across the continent and one sharp photographer, Braden Niles, she creates a calendar of hot sexy men to raise money and support.
From one story to another, men are stepping up, and taking it off to
Meet your men:
Mr. January
Beg for It by Angie Daniels
Three wild erotic nights will have her begging for more…
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Mr. February
Got your Six by Erosa Knowles
In the end, the only words he needed were hers in Reclamation: Got your Six by Erosa Knowles.
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Mr. March
Succulent by TJ Michaels
Twilight Teahouse ~ Choosing something decadent from our menu…
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Mr. April
Stalking Nayla by Yvette Hines
Nayla is being hunted. Shimar has to keep her safe, but convincing her she’s his mate is the real challenge.
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Mr. May
Prescription for Love by Seressia Glass
She’s just what the doctor ordered in Prescription for Love
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Mr. June
Solomon’s Quest by Serenity King
He’s determined to protect her, but the secrets she keeps may destroy her.
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Mr. July
One Hot Dare by Michelle Monkou
When to serve and protect escalates into a sexy dangerous game.
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Mr. August
All The Small Things by Stephanie Burke
The more unbearable the pain, the richer the rewards
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Mr. September
Inferno by Aliyah Burke
Sometimes the flames aren’t meant to be put out.
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Mr. October
Wicked Games by Maureen Smith
Some games are too dangerous to play.
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Mr. November
The Ultimate Goal by Di Topaz
Will Justice and Angelique put their difference aside and go for the Ultimate Goal?
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Mr. December
Seeking Santa by Latrivia S. Nelson
Alone during the Christmas holidays in a new city, Jade sets out on a mission to find happiness.

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I had really high expectations for this collection of novellas. It’s what you should expect from bestselling authors. But, the one word that immediately pops into mind when thinking of 12 Alphas, 12 Months is messy. Every single story in here needs work. And not just the grammatical mistakes that are distracting to the point that I DNFed several. But, there are glaring continuity errors in many that took me right out of the narrative. There were abrupt POV changes, sometimes from one sentence to the next. It made for a frustrating read.

Nor did the thread linking them – the calendar shoot – work organically with all the stories. I wouldn’t have missed it were it left out completely. The interracial couples angle was enough of a link.

Quite a few of these read like first drafts instead of finished and polished books ready for the public eye. How are we ever expected to overcome the negative stigma of diverse books being substandard if we put out books that are this problematic? What’s even more upsetting is that the problems are all fixable, some with just a simple spelling and grammar check in a word processing program. Others just needed another set of eyes. This more than anything angered me, because it just comes across as lazy. Considering the caliber of talent included here and the success of some of these authors, this is unacceptable. Your readers deserve better.

However, there are a few bright spots that stand out, though they are also not without issue themselves (And I use ‘however’ ironically here, because some of the novellas used it so much, I thought I was back reading high school essays instead of fiction.). Beg For It was a great opener and kept me wanting to read. But, some of the low-key body and slut shaming angered me. Stalking Nayla was great, with its combination of fantasy and erotica. I just wish that the author had noticed that Nayla went from being experienced to being a virgin from one chapter to the next. Are we even still on the prized virgin trope?? But, I will probably pick up the rest of the books in that series.

My favorite entry came from Maureen Smith, with Wicked Games. I’ve never had a thing for hockey players, but Ms. Smith’s Reid did a lot to change my mind. It was the most put-together of all the novellas. Another favorite is Prescription for Love by Seressia Glass. I’ve been wanting to read this author for a while, so I’m glad she was included in this anthology. Succulent was also enjoyable, but the ending felt wanting and unfinished, like there’s more to this couple’s story.

I guess I’m so upset is that I saw tons of potential in this collection. But, when you put something out in the world for public consumption, you better damn well make sure it’s ready for it. We have enough uphill battles in this industry without bringing them on ourselves.