The Loving Blue in Red States Collection by Anne Hagan

A collection of five lesbian romantic short stories, mostly sweet with a little spice.

Loving Blue in Red States: Sweetwater Texas 

Emmie Warren is a middle school teacher who is just trying not to rock the boat until she can finish her Master’s Degree and find the courage to move herself and her son away from sleepy Sweetwater to diverse, vibrant Austin, the only place in Texas she ever felt free to be herself. She’s been hiding her truth for years. She doesn’t see any reason to change that before she can make a clean break of things and start all over.

Cass Prater is the brash cowgirl who lives life out loud, wherever she lives. Cass clashes with Emmie the minute they meet. It’s a battle of wills from there, on. She’s determined to show Emmie she can have it all: her family, a mate and a job that she loves, right there, in the heart of Texas. 

Loving Blue in Red States: Birmingham Alabama

Isabella is young, in love and she thinks she has it all. As a mechanic trained in high school, where being a female in the classroom was accepted, to doing the same job in the Air National Guard where it is too and getting her tuition to aviation tech school paid for by the Guard, she’ s got it made…or does she? She figures she’s well on her way to working on jets like she’s always wanted to and living the life she’s dreamed of. Her boss in her day job at the Air Base sees things a little differently, however, and he’s just waiting for her to screw up.

Aslyn makes no apologies for being black, out and proud. Nursing is her chosen vocation but women’s rights are her passion. She sees Birmingham as a city on the brink of an all new civil rights movements and she wants to be right in the middle of it all. Her family disagrees with that, with her sexual preference and especially with her choice of a girlfriend. 

Will a riot ruin it all for the two young lovers?

Loving Blue in Red States: Jackson Hole Wyoming

Liz Ventura is a semi-retired saddle and tack shop owner who just wants to get out of the house, out among people. Friends in community theater convince her to try out for a part in the summer long Jackson Hole Shootout show and she makes the cut. Jessica ‘Jess’ Davenport is a six-year veteran of the show. It’s been the only steady thing in her life for most of those years as she struggled with loss and the effects of addiction. Sparks fly between the two. Both women are living in the past. Can a Shootout show help them find a future together?

Loving Blue in Red States: Perryville Missouri

What happens in a cave...

Bethany French is a geologist who loves her job. She gets to explore caves and land forms for a living. The only thing missing from her life is a partner to share it all with. Renn Sowell has two doctorates; a formal one in ceramic engineering and one in cover and concealment earned over years of keeping secrets from her ultra-conservative, white nationalist father. She can’t keep a girlfriend in her life for long because she doesn’t dare do anything to upset the delicate balance she works to maintain. The Two women keep meeting in unlikely circumstances. They feel they couldn’t be more different. Will they find common ground in the light of day?

Loving Blue in Red States: Salt Lake City Utah

The banker and the barista…

Amanda and Rebecca were both raised in the male-centric Mormon church. Rebecca broke free. Amanda wants to, but her job is holding her back. What will it take for her to break free herself and find true love?