Even If the Sky is Falling

by Taj McCoy, Farah Heron, Lane Clarke, Charish Reid, Sarah Smith

Overview

Includes a special introduction by USA TODAY bestselling author, Mia Sosa, author of The Worst Best Man and The Wedding Crasher!

It’s the end of the world as they know it—or so they think…

When an international warning siren accidentally goes off, convincing everyone that a meteor shower may just be the end of life as they know it, six couples—friends, exes, crushes and rivals—must take shelter. Inhibitions are abandoned, confessions are made and love blossoms, but what happens when the world doesn’t end?

Filled with humor, heat and hope, this riveting collection of interconnected multicultural stories by acclaimed authors Lane Clarke, Farah Heron, Taj McCoy, Charish Reid, Sarah Smith and Denise Williams beautifully explores the secrets we carry with us—and the joy we discover when we let go and reach for the stars.

• Two NASA specialist exes forced to reunite under pressure.
• Competing food stall owners face no escape—from each other or their shared past.
• Two law students learn just how strongly opposites attract between the library stacks.
• A pair of literature lovers confront long-held feelings under the covers of a bookstore bunker.
• A songwriter discovers her newly hired contractor hits all the right notes.
• Trapped on campus, former college rivals entertain their reignited spark.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781335452559
Publisher:	Harlequin
Publication date:	05/30/2023
Edition description:	Original
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	249,738
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 5.20(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Oakland-born law grad Taj McCoy is committed to championing stories that include Black and multiracial women of color, plus-size protagonists, Black love, Black joy, and strong senses of sisterhood and familial bonds. Taj started writing as a small child, enjoying her first publications in elementary school. When she's not writing, Taj may be on Twitter boosting other marginalized writers, practicing yoga, sharing recipes, or cooking private supper club meals for close friends.

Farah Heron writes romantic comedies for adults and teens full of huge South Asian families, delectable food and, most importantly, brown people falling stupidly in love. Her books have been named as best books of the year by CBC Books, USA TODAY and NPR. She lives in Toronto with her family.


Lane Clarke has been in love with books since the age of two. Her stories feature Black culture and bighearted characters with self-doubts and big dreams, who—with a little laughter and good friends—can accomplish anything. She currently lives in Northern Virginia and works as an attorney in Washington, DC.

Charish Reid is a fan of sexy books and disaster films. When she's not grading papers or prepping lessons for college freshmen, she enjoys writing romances that celebrate quirky Black women who deserve HEAs. Charish currently lives in Sweden.


Sarah Smith is a copywriter-turned-author who wants to make the world a lovelier place, one kissing story at a time. Her love of romance began when she was eight and she discovered her auntie's stash of romance novels. She lives in Bend, Oregon.


Denise Williams wrote her first book in the second grade. That book featured a tough, funny, heroine, a quirky hero, witty banter and a dragon. Minus the dragons, these are still the books she likes to write. After penning those early works, she finished second grade and eventually earned a PhD in education, going on to work in higher education. Denise lives in Des Moines Iowa.

Editorial Reviews

04/24/2023

Six couples risk their hearts when they believe the world is coming to an end in this beguiling linked collection. After a NASA scientist accidentally sets off an alarm alerting to a significant threat of falling debris, the world shelters in place, bracing for disaster. The threat of imminent doom leads exes to reunite in McCoy’s “All the Stars,” rivals to realize their true feelings in Denise Williams’s “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better,” and a long-simmering crush to come to a boil in “Keep Calm and Curry On” by Farah Heron. “My Lucky Stars” by Lane Clarke follows feuding first-year law students Jones Miller and Dianna Ellis, who release their animosity in the wake of the disaster, leading to a first lesbian encounter for Jones. In both Charish Reed’s “Bunker Buddies” and Sarah Smith’s “Interlude,” unlikely couples take cover together, and the close spaces and heightened emotions spark love. The high-concept premise is clever and original, and each of these six couples is easy to root for. Full of intense passion and diverse characters, this is sure to be a hit. Agent: Jemiscoe Chambers-Black, Andrea Brown Literary. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for EVEN IF THE SKY IS FALLING

Named one of the “10 of the Best Romance Books Coming Out in May 2023” by Book Riot

A POPSUGAR "Best New Romance Novel to Fall in Love With in 2023" Pick!

“Tremendously sexy, moderately suspenseful, and refreshingly diverse… Highly recommended for all libraries.” —Booklist

“The high-concept premise is clever and original, and each of these six couples is easy to root for. Full of intense passion and diverse characters, this is sure to be a hit.” —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

03/31/2023

This collection of interconnected short stories features couples whose romances begin during what they believe to be a meteor shower that might destroy life on Earth as they know it. While the NASA-employed former lovers from the opening story know what is going on, the remaining five couples are uncertain of how long the disaster will last or what will remain of the world when it concludes. With all means of technological communication unavailable, the new (or newly reunited) lovers shelter together wherever they were when the meteor alarms went off and represent each other's most solid connection to humanity. These stories offer something for every romance fan, featuring tropes such as forced-proximity, instalove, friends-to-lovers, rivals, second chances, and enemies-to-lovers. The individual stories shine on their own, and their shared meteor shower starting point provides an excellent springboard for each couple's unique romantic trajectory. VERDICT Frequently hilarious, often touching, and with a good amount of heat, this book is recommended for fiction collections, where short stories, multicultural works, and contemporary romance titles circulate well.—Nicole Williams

Library Journal

Who is the person you most want to be with when the end of the world is near? In this full-cast performance, six couples try to answer that question before a meteor shower ends everything. There are different relationships represented: a pair of exes, competitive business owners, and former rivals, to name a few. Despite the premise, these stories offer hope for reconciliation and understanding between many groups of people, all portrayed with care by the cast. Each character has a unique perspective, and the narrations shift from humorous to thoughtful to romantic in tone. But all the narrators deliver equally warm performances across the board. Stuffed with the quirky, fun moments that characterize every relationship--this audiobook delivers. G.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2023 - AudioFile