2025-05 May Summer Romance Story Contest

Jasmine In Bloom

Two lonely high school students walk parallel paths.  One, impoverished and losing hope, yearns desperately to become their authentic self. The other, wealthy and the victim of unfathomable manipulation, resists changing to something they never wanted to be. Can these two, meeting amidst the clatter and chatter of the school cafeteria, find connection? Can they embrace their fractured selves and each other and then become whole? Or will a duplicitous villainess, in the guise of a loving mother, destroy their fragile hope and leave them living a miserable, incomplete existence?



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This story is 90 words long.

Our Final Contestants


Okay, Here it is! Seems like I was premature about the Christmas Contest being my last! Bah Humbug!
Here is our new Current Contestants and their Entries for the May 2025 Summer Romance Story Contest! Voting will begin on Friday, May 30, at 12 am Pacific Standard Time.

We do Have Prizes too! Maybe... $750 worth...

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The Lunch Club

 

The Lunch Club
by Melanie Brown
Copyright  © 2025 Melanie Brown

 

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“Hey Tony!”



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This story is 11 words long.

REAL Love

REAL Love:

A Transgender Coming of Age Adventure / Romance

By Jo Dora Webster

George in VR Discovers Their Authentic Self

~~~~~~~~

Will George and Lisa, forced to go on the run from Bruce and EdenVR find a way to evade them using Lisa's spycraft and disguises?

Copyright 2025 by Ariel Montine Strickland. All Rights Reserved



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This story is 53 words long.

The Greatest Treasure

When Janessa decides to risk everything on a trip to the Ruins, the only thing that Xiria can do is to go along and keep the girl she loves safe, but what is the treasure that Janessa seeks?

 

The Greatest Treasure
treasure.png
By
Amethyst


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This story is 43 words long.

Spin First, Think Later

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Blue Girl

Love, especially when sentimental or idealized.



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This story is 8 words long.

Foxfire and Fury Chapter 10b: Into the Unknown (Part 2)

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The specialized isolation ward in Doyle Medical Complex was unlike any hospital room Ethan had seen before. The walls were covered with subtle geometric patterns that seemed to shift when viewed from different angles. Various monitoring devices surrounded the hospital bed, some familiar and others clearly designed for paranormal patients.



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This story is 50 words long.

Blindside 6

I, me, the one with the rapid-fire gob, it was still hanging open, so I hauled it shut by pure force of will, and sought the right words, hoping to avoid the reflex “Didn’t think you were a queer”. I may be ‘queer’ myself by most people’s definition, but I had to learn about homophobia. I’m as straight as they come, in every double meaning of that word, and the idea of two men together had always been a bit ‘ick’ to my younger self. I know full well how wrong those thought are, so did my best to make it ‘were’, but my hindbrain still kicks in at inappropriate moments.



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This story is 114 words long.

Foxfire and Fury Chapter 10a: Into the Unknown (Part 1)

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The dense woods north of Whateley's main campus lay shrouded in darkness. Moonlight filtered through the autumn canopy, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor as Ethan, Kira, and Jordan moved silently between the trees. The night air carried an unusual stillness—no insects chirping, no nocturnal creatures rustling in the underbrush—creating an eerie, expectant atmosphere.



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This story is 57 words long.

Blindside 5

I took the skewers out as instructed. Leaving them to be slathered with gloop and slapped onto the grill, and then stood for a few seconds to put my thoughts in order. There was something about him, something off, that didn’t match the Norman Rossiter I remembered from that school. The lad I had known had been one of the rugby crowd, exactly the people I had spent so much energy in avoiding., and their behaviour could never have been fairly described as ‘accommodating’ or ‘inclusive’, unless it was a matter of intersectional hatred. The Venn diagram of their world had been a classic double circle: ‘Us’ and ‘every lesser being’. That second circle could just as easily be labelled ‘targets’.



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This story is 122 words long.

Blindside 4

Breakfast was more than a little awkward, Jules sneaking little glances at me before ducking her head whenever I caught her gaze. I assumed it was a mixture of smugness and shame, like that song about him knowing that she knew that he knew and so on. The two of them had shared some intimate moments, occasionally with most of the county from what I’d heard prior to inserting my little foam plugs, and she knew that I did, indeed, know. In an instant, my traitor mind came up with ‘Not so much kiss and tell as shag and scream’, but I think I managed to hide the smirk, and to be sure, I covered it with words.



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This story is 119 words long.

Delivering Love

Delivering Love

A Transgender Coming of Age

Adventure - Romance - Book

By Jo Dora Webster

Will Lucy be able to win over Patrick with kindness and in the process find both herself and unconditional romantic love?



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This story is 37 words long.

Blindside 3

I watched the expressions dance over her face, realising how much the ‘O’ and ‘W’ words meant to her, poor girl.

“I’m in Salfords, as Jules probably told you, so train will work well if you’re in Horley. There’s a bus stop as well. Where are you based?”

“Top end of Lumley Road”

“Ah. Several buses go past there”

He reeled off some suggestions, all of which I was aware of, although my own choice was usually the number twenty. I was a little puzzled by his knowledge, as he was a driver, like most estate bloody agents, but I assumed it was all part of the toolkit for potential sales.

“Where to, then?”



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This story is 117 words long.

Miracle Love

Miracle Love

A Transgender Coming of Age Romance Fantasy

By Jo Dora Webster

A Wish to Gain Truth and the Miracle of Love

Will Dora's sacrificial love overcome Pastor Mark's failings

and save Hope Shelter's promise that Hope Lives Here?



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This story is 40 words long.

Blindside 1

“YOU A GEEZER, OR WHAT?”

Volume control wasn’t his strong suit, evidently. Thankfully, the bus was already there, so I stepped on as if he hadn’t spoken, eructated, puked, whatever. Good start to the day.

Usual start to the day.



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This story is 42 words long.

System Quest: Ultimate Love

System Quest: Ultimate Love

A Transgender LitRPG Coming of Age Romance

Princess Rebirth into a Goddess' World

By Jo Dora Webster

Will Jamie, reborn as Lyria, overcome all the quests to make her dying wish come true?



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This story is 37 words long.

2025 May Summer Romance Story Contest

Well, that time of year has come around again and time for another contest. What the heck you are saying? I was dying last year? How is it I am still alive. Well, let's just say I have a pocket miracle upon me.

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Foxfire and Fury Chapter 09: The Dimensional Anomaly

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The secured conference room in Kane Hall felt like a pressure cooker despite the early morning chill seeping through the reinforced windows. Sunlight filtered through ancient oak trees outside, casting dappled shadows across the polished mahogany table where Whateley's senior faculty had gathered. The room smelled of old books and fresh coffee, a deceptively normal backdrop for the extraordinary discussion about to unfold.



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This story is 63 words long.

Foxfire and Fury Chapter 08: Unexpected Alliances

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The Crystal Hall cafeteria buzzed with morning activity, sunlight streaming through the massive geodesic dome to illuminate the central arboretum. Ethan sat at what had become their regular table, surrounded by what she now hesitantly thought of as friends. A full week had passed since her dramatic teleportation incident with Kira—seven days of intensive training, gradual improvements, and subtle shifts in her relationships with everyone around her.



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This story is 68 words long.

Foxfire and Fury Chapter 07: Red Flag Day

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This story is 0 words long.

Foxfire and Fury Chapter 06: Unexpected Proximity

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Ethan entered the small practice room in Laird Hall, her stomach knotting with a peculiar mix of anxiety and anticipation. The space was modest—just a square mat area surrounded by mirrored walls, with a few practice dummies and basic equipment stored along one side. Designed for individual training rather than classes, it offered the privacy she desperately needed for what was about to happen.



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This story is 65 words long.

Foxfire and Fury Chapter 05: Unexpected Connections

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Ethan arrived ten minutes early for her mandatory Warper control session with Professor Reynard, nervously tugging at the upgraded tracking band now encircling her wrist. The new device looked almost identical to the old one, except for a small blinking light and slightly increased weight—minor differences that somehow made it feel all the more intrusive.



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This story is 56 words long.

Foxfire and Fury Chapter 04: Powers and Personalities

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Ethan sat nervously in Professor Miranda Webb's Warper Theory classroom, fidgeting with the white "Pacifist" band around her wrist. The band had taken on a more complex meaning after the incident with Rex in the cafeteria yesterday. What had begun as a simple designation had become a constant reminder of just how dangerous her uncontrolled abilities could be.



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This story is 58 words long.

Foxfire and Fury Chapter 03.5: The Aftermath (One Week Before Whateley)

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The world was crumbling around Ethan, piece by piece.

Three days had passed since Jordan's machine had transformed her, and the aftermath was unfolding in ways she couldn't have imagined. What had started as a desperate attempt to hide from her parents while Jordan tried to fix his mistake had evolved into something far worse.



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This story is 55 words long.

Foxfire and Fury Chapter 03.0: Navigating Social Complexities

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Ethan sat alone at a corner table in Crystal Hall, pushing her food around her plate without much enthusiasm. The massive geodesic dome cafeteria buzzed with lunchtime activity, students of all descriptions moving between the various food stations and tables. Sunlight streamed through the transparent panels, illuminating the central fountain and tropical arboretum that gave the space its distinctive character.



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This story is 60 words long.

Foxfire and Fury Chapter 02.5: The Aftermath (One Week Before Whateley)

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The bedroom door slammed with such force that the framed diploma on the wall tilted sideways. Ethan didn't bother to fix it. She collapsed onto her bed, staring at the ceiling she'd gazed at for the past seventeen years of her life. The same ceiling, the same room, but everything else had changed.



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This story is 53 words long.

Foxfire and Fury Chapter 02: First Day of Classes

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Ethan stared at the female school uniform spread across her bed, each piece mocking her with its inherent femininity. The Melville Cottage uniform consisted of a black pleated skirt, black feminine dress jacket, white blouse, and a dark purple necktie with three gold stripes. Black mary jane shoes completed the ensemble, arranged neatly beside the bed by someone with far more enthusiasm for this nightmare than Ethan possessed.



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This story is 68 words long.

Foxfire and Fury Chapter 01.5: The Transformation (One Week Earlier)

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The September sun beat down on Ethan's back as he lounged in Jordan's backyard, a half-empty can of soda warming beside him. It was one of those lazy weekend afternoons where time seemed to stretch endlessly, a welcome break from the first few weeks of their senior year that had already proven to be more demanding than expected.



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This story is 58 words long.

Working clothes?

Dedicated to Sephrena Lynn Miller, in the hope that this story fits her expectations. Thank you for all you have done for the group.


Working Clothes?

Frances and Jill were friends from a long way back. They had met in their nursery school and unlike many small girls, or boys for that matter, had not been selfish, but had played happily together with imaginative games like ‘Doctors and Nurses’ or ‘Mummies and Daddies’ for as long as they were awake.



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This story is 80 words long.

Foxfire and Fury Chapter 01: Orientation Day at Whateley Academy

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Ethan stared out the car window as the dense New Hampshire forest gradually gave way to the sprawling campus of Whateley Academy. The tall brick buildings with their ivy-covered walls looked like something out of a college brochure—normal, prestigious, safe. Nothing about the place screamed "school for mutants," which was probably the point.



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This story is 54 words long.

We Love Alex(a)

Jimmy is in love with a boy named Alex. His twin, Rachel, is in love with a girl named Alexa.
Two bedrooms, one wall apart. But the person that they're really crushing on is...?



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This story is 34 words long.

I Was a Teenage Pick Up Girl

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I Was a Teenage Pick Up Girl
by:
Enemyoffun


Finley's old sister likes to use him as a subject for her beauty school makeup projects. He has fair skin and soft features. He never fully complains because he knows only a few people will ever see him that way. That is until he's late for work and there's no time to take it off, so he rushes to the bus stop. There he's spotted by a visiting teenage Hollywood heartthrob who wants Finley to become his fake "girlfriend" fix his bad image and to make his ex jealous. The plan doesn't go too well for either of them.



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This story is 108 words long.

Choir Question

I have the start of an idea for the May Summer Romance Story Contest, but the inciting incident involves a 14-year-old boy filling in for his mom (who has laryngitis) in the local church choir. I was wondering, is it too far of a stretch for a boy that age being able to sing in the same range as an adult woman?

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Happiness Is A Warm Hound 5

PART 5
Brian had a little bit of time before his appointment, so stood us another round of tea, or rather I did, as Diesel was clearly in her favourite spot. Once we’d supped up, Marion and I walked out to the van.

“I came up by bus, Jules. Could you shove that stuff in the back, and I shall cadge a lift”

“Home or work?”

“Left the car at work, so no need for a detour. You did well there, love”



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This story is 82 words long.

Happiness Is A Warm Hound 4

PART 4
I found myself laughing, almost automatically. I dealt with so many dogs I had a routine check-list for their owners, a method of deciding whether the owner was Dog People or rather someone who liked accessories. Small dogs in handbags, oh please.

My boss did much the same thing, not only refusing jobs where one or more of us had raised enough concerns, but passing them up the line for official action. As she also ran a kennels and cattery near Shipley Bridge, we saw a LOT of dogs and their owners.

I sobered up quickly, giving him a smile, but refraining from patting his hand. Most definitely not a good idea.

“Sorry again; not laughing at you. It’s just ridiculous, given how you look after her. Who has this come from?”

“You got time for this?”

“Not working for anyone but myself today. What do you have?”

“Well, I’ll put the kettle on first, then. Tea or coffee?”

“Tea, please, in this weather”

He smiled.

“You can lie down again if you want, but I will be in a chair”



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This story is 184 words long.

Happiness Is A Warm Hound 3

PART 3
It was only three days before I got the tasking to walk Diesel again, and this time I ran them out to Owlbeech. I normally avoided there with smaller dogs, but Tara loved it, as there could be a lot of splashy water and a huge space to sprint, which she seemed to do for the sheer hell of it. There was also a lot more dead wood to pick up, drop, chew and so on.



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This story is 77 words long.

Happiness Is A Warm Hound 2

Part 2
I gave him enough time to get back down the path to the public car park, then gathered my two for their ride home. Ryan was wanting a chase again, so he stayed on the lead while Tara did her own in and out of the trees roaming, which I had worked out meant she typically walked and ran about a dozen times the distance I did. It was heading towards school run time, so I stopped by the little tea place, where they had a warm pasty and, to my delight, a piece of lemon drizzle cake.



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This story is 99 words long.

Happiness Is A Warm Hound 1

PART ONE
I always avoided the first part of the hill when the weather was likely to produce mud, which meant the whole of January and most of February in practice. It wasn’t the mud on the path itself, for that was why wellies existed, but the immense quantity my dogs would collect. They’re not exactly my dogs, of course, so mud meant cleaning them off before returning them to their ‘real’ owners, and I rather liked having some ‘me time’ each day and enough hot water for a bath for myself rather than two or three mud-magnet hounds.



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This story is 101 words long.
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