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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very sweet second chance sapphic romance
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was lucky enough to read an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is my new favourite sapphic romance and a fantastic bi romance to add to any collection!
I loved the elements of slow growth, strong friendships and queer community. Second chance is often very hit and miss for me, but this was definitely a hit and I loved the slightly messy, authentic young adulthood plot line.
The spice was very well balanced with the sweet and it overall worked out to be the perfect pride month read or just a delightful romance for the rest of the year too.
This is my new favourite sapphic romance and a fantastic bi romance to add to any collection!
I loved the elements of slow growth, strong friendships and queer community. Second chance is often very hit and miss for me, but this was definitely a hit and I loved the slightly messy, authentic young adulthood plot line.
The spice was very well balanced with the sweet and it overall worked out to be the perfect pride month read or just a delightful romance for the rest of the year too.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book left me conflicted.
It had so much potential. The writing is strong, the spice was clearly there, and learning more about Korean culture was a nice touch. However, it also had some flaws that kept it from being great.
The MC's had undeniable chemistry and emotional honesty that I genuinely loved, but their constant back and forth (with no real external restraints) became very tiring rather than romantic.
The main conflict relied too much on the MC's own doubts. At times, it even felt like Celeste was way more into Gemma than vice versa, rather than them loving each other equally. By the end, I was so exhausted by their prolonged indecision that the happy ending didn’t feel very satisfying. For the first time ever, I’ll say that even a bittersweet ending might have worked better. There were also a lot of stereotypes that made me roll my eyes way too many times.
I also listened to the audiobook, which I really liked. Natalie Naudus was exceptional as Gemma. You could truly feel the emotions in her voice. While Catherine Ho's narration of Celeste was performed well, it didn't quite match my personal vision for her character. I actually think the novel might have worked perfectly only from Gemma's perspective.
Overall, this is definitely a hard book to judge. If you love steamy romance and lots of Korean cultural references, you’ll enjoy a big part of it. However, if you’re expecting something to make you swoon and giggle while kicking your feet, this might not be the best pick, because you’ll spend the entire book wanting to yell at the MC's to stop being scared and just act on their feelings.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
It had so much potential. The writing is strong, the spice was clearly there, and learning more about Korean culture was a nice touch. However, it also had some flaws that kept it from being great.
The MC's had undeniable chemistry and emotional honesty that I genuinely loved, but their constant back and forth (with no real external restraints) became very tiring rather than romantic.
The main conflict relied too much on the MC's own doubts. At times, it even felt like Celeste was way more into Gemma than vice versa, rather than them loving each other equally. By the end, I was so exhausted by their prolonged indecision that the happy ending didn’t feel very satisfying. For the first time ever, I’ll say that even a bittersweet ending might have worked better. There were also a lot of stereotypes that made me roll my eyes way too many times.
I also listened to the audiobook, which I really liked. Natalie Naudus was exceptional as Gemma. You could truly feel the emotions in her voice. While Catherine Ho's narration of Celeste was performed well, it didn't quite match my personal vision for her character. I actually think the novel might have worked perfectly only from Gemma's perspective.
Overall, this is definitely a hard book to judge. If you love steamy romance and lots of Korean cultural references, you’ll enjoy a big part of it. However, if you’re expecting something to make you swoon and giggle while kicking your feet, this might not be the best pick, because you’ll spend the entire book wanting to yell at the MC's to stop being scared and just act on their feelings.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5⭐️ | 2🌶️
This book was so sweet and heartwarming.
I connected with Gemma right from chapter one—she was a compelling and layered character who absolutely carried the story. Her voice felt honest, vulnerable, and real.
One of the highlights for me was her dynamic with her friend group. Every scene with them felt lively, relatable, and full of joy. It made the story feel grounded in a way I really appreciated.
As a woman in a wlw relationship, I also genuinely appreciated the representation in this book. It felt affirming to see a story centered on a queer woman navigating identity and connection.
Even the third-act breakup—which I usually hate—worked for me. I understood why Gemma needed that time to grow and figure herself out.
Now… onto my issues with the book.
Celeste was my biggest struggle. Her POV being written in third person made her feel distant and emotionally unavailable, which was frustrating since she was already written as cold and reserved. The result? She felt more robotic than real.
What really bothered me, though, was the lack of accountability around her internalized biphobia. Early on, she implies that Gemma was just “experimenting” when they were together in college and eventually went back to dating men—but this is never addressed again. No conversation, no closure. That silence felt like a huge missed opportunity for growth and healing.
And don’t even get me started on that last scene with Gemma’s ex (whatever his name was). Why on earth did we need a random cheating plot at the very end? That conflict was resolved at the beginning of the book—we didn’t need to circle back to it. 🙄
I received this book as a ALC in exchange for a honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the author.
This book was so sweet and heartwarming.
I connected with Gemma right from chapter one—she was a compelling and layered character who absolutely carried the story. Her voice felt honest, vulnerable, and real.
One of the highlights for me was her dynamic with her friend group. Every scene with them felt lively, relatable, and full of joy. It made the story feel grounded in a way I really appreciated.
As a woman in a wlw relationship, I also genuinely appreciated the representation in this book. It felt affirming to see a story centered on a queer woman navigating identity and connection.
Even the third-act breakup—which I usually hate—worked for me. I understood why Gemma needed that time to grow and figure herself out.
Now… onto my issues with the book.
Celeste was my biggest struggle. Her POV being written in third person made her feel distant and emotionally unavailable, which was frustrating since she was already written as cold and reserved. The result? She felt more robotic than real.
What really bothered me, though, was the lack of accountability around her internalized biphobia. Early on, she implies that Gemma was just “experimenting” when they were together in college and eventually went back to dating men—but this is never addressed again. No conversation, no closure. That silence felt like a huge missed opportunity for growth and healing.
And don’t even get me started on that last scene with Gemma’s ex (whatever his name was). Why on earth did we need a random cheating plot at the very end? That conflict was resolved at the beginning of the book—we didn’t need to circle back to it. 🙄
I received this book as a ALC in exchange for a honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the author.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you Net Galley for granting me this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
After breaking up with her finance, a woman moves in with her gay besties and starts an ill advised fling with her college fwb who she also has to work with… what could possible go wrong?
This had so much potential but sadly I think it really fell flat. I was willing to believe the relationship and the timeline (especially with how things were structured at the end of the novel – loved that bit!!) but also everything felt super unhealthy and insincere and like if I actually knew these people I would be shouting at them to just stop, stop right now, you absolute tits.
I think the biggest waste/mistake in this story was the inclusion of Celeste’s POV. It feels almost egregious to call it a POV when we got maybe 1-2 pages for every 20+ of Gemma’s and they barely added anything to the story. It almost felt like this was intended to have to authors but the author doing Celeste’s POV pulled out 5 days before submission was due and so they just used the scaffold blurbs to fill the blanks?
Speaking specifically of the audio format – I will always adore Natalie Naudas’ narration, even if the book isn’t up to snuff. But I have some major doubts about the narrator for Celete’s POV. In the kindest way possible, she did not feel like a good fit at all – if for no other reason than she sounded considerably older than the character which was really jarring. Also again, those chapters already felt disjointed in how they were written, squeezing in a second narrator only made this more noticeable.
I will say that this wasn’t a total flop for me. I feel like this would make a great Hallmark movie and fit those vibes totally. It didn’t require a lot of thought put into it which made it ideal as a second book. It also had moments where it was very funny and charming and sweet. I will read other things by this author as I’m curious to see if her other novels are more my thing. I don’t necessarily recommend this one but I do think it will find its audience!
After breaking up with her finance, a woman moves in with her gay besties and starts an ill advised fling with her college fwb who she also has to work with… what could possible go wrong?
This had so much potential but sadly I think it really fell flat. I was willing to believe the relationship and the timeline (especially with how things were structured at the end of the novel – loved that bit!!) but also everything felt super unhealthy and insincere and like if I actually knew these people I would be shouting at them to just stop, stop right now, you absolute tits.
I think the biggest waste/mistake in this story was the inclusion of Celeste’s POV. It feels almost egregious to call it a POV when we got maybe 1-2 pages for every 20+ of Gemma’s and they barely added anything to the story. It almost felt like this was intended to have to authors but the author doing Celeste’s POV pulled out 5 days before submission was due and so they just used the scaffold blurbs to fill the blanks?
Speaking specifically of the audio format – I will always adore Natalie Naudas’ narration, even if the book isn’t up to snuff. But I have some major doubts about the narrator for Celete’s POV. In the kindest way possible, she did not feel like a good fit at all – if for no other reason than she sounded considerably older than the character which was really jarring. Also again, those chapters already felt disjointed in how they were written, squeezing in a second narrator only made this more noticeable.
I will say that this wasn’t a total flop for me. I feel like this would make a great Hallmark movie and fit those vibes totally. It didn’t require a lot of thought put into it which made it ideal as a second book. It also had moments where it was very funny and charming and sweet. I will read other things by this author as I’m curious to see if her other novels are more my thing. I don’t necessarily recommend this one but I do think it will find its audience!
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I think I've come across another instance of not really enjoying a book because I'm the problem.
I don't have any complaints about anything wrong with this book. It was pretty sweet and cute and cozy and the characters weren't being toxic or miscommunicating or anything cringy, unless you count them lying to themselves a little until they finally decide to face their own baggage.
The characters were all human with flaws and strengths and were pretty likable in my opinion. And there was conflict and drama without any of the characters being particularly annoying. But for some reason, i found myself struggling to get invested. This very likely could be a me problem where I just wasn't in the mood for a romance, particularly one with seemingly reasonable protagonists and fairly low stakes. But it could also be a pacing problem. I'm not convinced every scene, nor many details and descriptions were necessary or supportive to the plot and the character development. Additionally, I'm also not sure if the conflict was optimally placed within the story arc to keep the reader engaged the whole way through.
But one of the things I really did love about this book is the portrayal of a low drama lesbian relationship. They way the characters talked through stuff and still didn't always make good decisions, the way they related to each other felt really genuine to my own sapphic experiences. The bisexual representation was also great. It was nice to a bisexual character with somewhat limited same-sex relationship experience but still no one questioned her sexuality. I'm not sure how accurate that is to real life but it wasn't unbelievable and it was very refreshing.
I also liked they spotlights of other types of relationships and the nuance of representation with lesbians of color, and older lesbian couples that we got to explore in the B plot.
Overall I'd recommend this for anyone looking for a cozy romance with a realistic portrayal of a sapphic relationship including characters of color and good bi representation.
I don't have any complaints about anything wrong with this book. It was pretty sweet and cute and cozy and the characters weren't being toxic or miscommunicating or anything cringy, unless you count them lying to themselves a little until they finally decide to face their own baggage.
The characters were all human with flaws and strengths and were pretty likable in my opinion. And there was conflict and drama without any of the characters being particularly annoying. But for some reason, i found myself struggling to get invested. This very likely could be a me problem where I just wasn't in the mood for a romance, particularly one with seemingly reasonable protagonists and fairly low stakes. But it could also be a pacing problem. I'm not convinced every scene, nor many details and descriptions were necessary or supportive to the plot and the character development. Additionally, I'm also not sure if the conflict was optimally placed within the story arc to keep the reader engaged the whole way through.
But one of the things I really did love about this book is the portrayal of a low drama lesbian relationship. They way the characters talked through stuff and still didn't always make good decisions, the way they related to each other felt really genuine to my own sapphic experiences. The bisexual representation was also great. It was nice to a bisexual character with somewhat limited same-sex relationship experience but still no one questioned her sexuality. I'm not sure how accurate that is to real life but it wasn't unbelievable and it was very refreshing.
I also liked they spotlights of other types of relationships and the nuance of representation with lesbians of color, and older lesbian couples that we got to explore in the B plot.
Overall I'd recommend this for anyone looking for a cozy romance with a realistic portrayal of a sapphic relationship including characters of color and good bi representation.
I really really really have been into the sapphic romances lately. This audiobook was a quick listen that did not disappoint. The main characters were relatable and the spice was just right. A great read!
Cuteeeee!!! I loved this quick read. A bi and lesbian sapphic love story. Friends to lovers to strangers to…. Lovers? Loved!
Gemma’s life was a mess and Celeste’s mental was a mess! I like that we get both of their POVs which normally I don’t like. I also really liked the side characters Val and Kiera and their CAT!!! Overall wholesome cute vibes.
Gemma’s life was a mess and Celeste’s mental was a mess! I like that we get both of their POVs which normally I don’t like. I also really liked the side characters Val and Kiera and their CAT!!! Overall wholesome cute vibes.