Eternally Yours

Starred review from September 5, 2022
This swoonworthy paranormal romance anthology, edited by Caldwell (A Phoenix First Must Burn), features 15 stories from such authors as Hafsha Faizal, Chloe Gong, and Julian Winters, among others. An introspective examination of vengeance, Kendare Blake’s “Undead Ghoul Meet-Cute” follows Maria, a once-human undead creature seeking revenge on the ghoul who turned her. “In the Eyes of Angels” by Alexis Henderson explores religious myth and leaps of faith, centering Tate, recovering from alcohol dependency, who, after getting fired from her job at a gas station, encounters a fallen angel. While most of the stories deliver well-drawn interpretations of dramatic love amid fantastical happenings, some are humorously couched in the everyday; Akshaya Raman’s “If You Give an Asura a Cookie” chronicles Rupa’s coming to terms with her appointment as a protector of the gods, even though all she wants is to stay curled up in her Ms. Marvel blanket. Meanwhile, Adib Khorram’s “Kiss the Boy” features merperson Dylan, who lounges on a beach in human form while yearning for the boy who saved his life. Each story is delicately infused with the creators’ lived experiences, and the protagonists come together in varying pairings, celebrating love across myriad gender and sexual identities. Ages 12–up. Agent: Sara Megibow, KT Literary.