by Susan Roberts
I've been in a major reading slump lately. Even though I missed reading, I just couldn't concentrate, and I kept trying new books with no luck. Someone suggested that I try reading some short stories, and even though I don't normally like short stories, I was willing to give it a try. One of my favorite authors had a book published by Amazon Original Stories - these are short stories by popular authors that are only available on Amazon Kindle. Each one can be read in an hour or less. I decided to try short stories by some of my favorite authors, and I ended up reading 12 short stories, and my reading slump has ended!!
NOTE: All of these books are available on Kindle Unlimited, and most are part of Amazon Prime Reading too (with free listening).
Amazon affiliate links are used on this site.
The Skydivers by Chris Bohjalian
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| June 2025; Amazon Original Stories audio, ebook (49 pages); mystery |
Two brothers parachute out of an airplane to scatter their father's ashes but only one survives. Is it an accident or murder?
This book is part of the Alibis series.
Buy The Skydivers at Amazon
The Road Home by Kristin Harmel
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| April 2023; Amazon Original Stories audio, ebook (41 pages); historical fiction |
Marie takes in a Jewish girl when her parents are sent to a concentration camp. After three years, she has a real bond with Josiane and treats her like a daughter. When the birth mother comes home after the war, Marie has to return Josiane to her real mother. It's a difficult decision and Marie has to decide what it really means to be a mother.
This is part of the Good Intentions series.
Buy The Road Home at Amazon
Leave It Up to Love by Kristy Woodson Harvey
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| March 2026; Amazon Original Stories audio, ebook (58 pages); women's fiction |
Lila has published her first novel and has dreams of quitting her job to write her second book. Her publisher doesn't like any of her ideas and suggests that she ghostwrite a book for the famous romance writer Elizabeth Lancaster. Elizabeth has an upcoming deadline, but hasn't been able to write a word in the last three years. Lila is reluctant at first, but because she always admired the older author, she agrees to ghostwrite her next book. They clash at first and then start to learn from each other. There's also some romance sprinkled in between Lila and Elizabeth's son. This was a great read about authors!
This book is a March Bonus First Read short story.
Buy Leave it Up to Love at Amazon
Natural Selection by Erin Hilderbrand
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| September 2024; Amazon Original Stories audio, ebook (55 pages); women's fiction |
Sophia has finally found love, and she and her boyfriend have planned a trip together to the Galapagos Islands. She just knows that he'll propose on the trip, but at the last minute, he cancels. She goes on the trip by herself and finds out that she doesn't have to be part of a couple to have fun. The tour is beautiful, and she makes friends with the other tour members. Will she be able to find herself and make plans for her future? This was a cute little book with a big message about learning to find happiness on your own.
Buy Natural Selection at Amazon
The Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories by Alice Hoffman
The four books together tell the story of sisters Isabel and Sophie. They had been close when they were young, but after Isabel moved to New York, they rarely talked. Sophie had stayed in the family home in Maine and tried to keep the family bookstore running. After their parents died, Isabel wanted to sell the bookstore, but Sophie and her daughter were determined to keep it open. Isabel stayed on the island and soon rekindled a romance with her teenage boyfriend. They make plans to get married, but the date keeps getting pushed out. Are they really meant to be together? Johnny and Isabel finally get married, but after 5 years, they run into lots of problems. Can they overcome their problems and remain happy? Isabel's daughter, Violet, takes a chance and follows her dream to culinary school in France. Even though she's happy, she feels disconnected. Will she return to the island and find out that her happiness revolves around her family?
I love books about sisters, and this group of books was all about the love between sisters. Despite what is going on in their worlds, they are always there for each other. It's also a book about family and finding your place in life with the help of your family
Buy The Bookstore Sisters at Amazon
Buy The Bookstore Wedding at Amazon
Buy The Bookstore Keepers at Amazon
Buy The Bookstore Family at Amazon
The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez
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| March 2025; Amazon Original Stories audio, ebook (81 pages); romance |
Charlotte and Seth have never met even though they live across the hall from each other in their apartment complex. They both have troubled lives - Seth has just gotten divorced and Charlotte is keeping a low profile to stay hidden from a man who is stalking her. A construction error changes everything. A contractor has torn out their stairway by mistake and they have no way to get to the first level until after the weekend. So they go out into the hallway to talk and then they have dinner in the hallway. The sparks are flying but both of them are resisting because of what is going on in their lives.
Their best friends are hilarious and bring a lot of laughs to the story. This is a fun romance with two great main characters. Loved it!
This book is part of the Valentine's Day collection.
Buy The Fall Risk at Amazon
The Scenic Route by Christina Baker Kline
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| September 2023; Amazon Original Stories audio, ebook, print (42 pages); women's fiction |
EAT. SLEEP. TRAVEL. REPEAT. AND ALWAYS TAKE THE SCENIC ROUTE
Jess's life has imploded. Her husband asked for a divorce, she lost her job, and after an accident, her son started to live with his dad. She didn't see much of a future in her life, so she decided to try a nomadic life. She stole her ex-husband's van and started living a camper's life. At first, she wasn't sure of what to do except to keep driving. But eventually, she made friends who lived their lives in campers, and it became her new life. Everyone she meets is either running from something or looking for something, and she fits right in. Then one day, she gets a surprise that may change her wandering ways. Will she be prepared to take advantage of the possible changes in her life? Loved Jess and the way she lived her life. I think we've all thought about just running away, and Jess made the best of what could have been a really bad situation. She was stronger than she knew and gained a lot of strength from her new network of nomads.
Buy The Scenic Route at Amazon
Golden Hills by Jennifer Weiner
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| June 2023; Amazon Original Stories audio, ebook (52 pages); women's fiction |
Congresswoman Ida Berkowitz is running for a Senate seat, and the polls have her well ahead of her competition. She was surprised when she found out that a local radio personality was planning a press conference with someone that she hadn't thought about for years - Marissa from the year she went to camp. Ida was poor growing up and got a scholarship to a camp that was full of rich and popular girls. She tried not to be jealous of the other girls and their clothes and privileged lives, and was surprised when Marissa wanted to be friends with her. Their friendship had an abrupt and unpleasant ending, and she was really nervous about what Marissa would say in the interview. Ida was a strong woman, but the knowledge of this upcoming interview took her back to the days when she felt less than. Will she survive whatever Marissa decides to share with the world?
Buy Golden Hills at Amazon
The Last Father-Daughter Dance by Lisa Wingate
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| January 2026; Amazon Original Stories audio, ebook (57 pages); women's fiction |
Kalista is an Olympic medalist and lives in California while she is in training for the next Olympics. When she receives a call that her father's heart condition has gotten worse, she immediately goes to Atlanta to be with him. When he gets out of the hospital, he asks Kal to take him to their Blue Ridge mountain farm, where there are a lot of memories of his earlier life. He wants to do something to remind him of each season in the mountains, and Kal works hard to make that happen, along with the help of the people in town. They only have a month to live all four seasons, and she manages to make his wish come true. This was a very emotional read for me - it reminded me of the last year of my mom's life when I was with her for months at a time away from my home that was 600 miles away....but I'd do it all again. This book was a beautiful and emotional look at the love that exists in a family and the importance of creating good memories.
Buy The Last Father-Daughter Dance at Amazon
Susan Roberts grew up in Michigan but loves the laid-back life at her home in the Piedmont area of North Carolina where she is three hours from the beach to the east and the mountains in the west. She reads almost anything but her favorite genres are Southern Fiction and Historical Fiction.
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