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sian's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Alcohol, Bullying, and Classism
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Death of parent
Minor: Grief, Emotional abuse, Cursing, and Death
battyaboutbooks's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
🦇 The Fiancée Farce Book Review 🦇
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
❝ She was a total fucking goner. Whatever magic Tansy was made of, Gemma wanted to drown in it, revel in the honeyed heat burning her up from the inside out. It was better than the finest bourbon she’d ever had the pleasure of sipping. ❞
❓ #QOTD What was the best sapphic novel you read this year (I need recs!!)? ❓
🦇 After losing her parents and a traumatic romantic experience as a teen, Tansy Adams focuses all her time and energy on her late father's bookstore. To dodge questions about her love life, Tansy invents Gemma, a fake girlfriend inspired by the stunning cover model on a best-selling romance book. She never expected that real-life Gemma would step into her life, play along, and announce they were engaged, imploding that white lie into a full-on farce. Gemma van Dalen, the outcast of her wealthy family, needs a spouse to inherit Van Dalen Publishing; her grandmother's legacy. In exchange for Tansy's hand in marriage, Gemma offers to save Tansy's beloved bookstore before it's sold off. Can their marriage of convenience work, or will Gemma's scheming family get between them?
❝ "As for feeling like you’ve failed, well, failure is an inescapable part of life. But failing doesn’t make you a failure. And I’m sorry your father made you feel like the two were synonymous. You are more than your achievements, Gemma. You are brilliant, and ambitious, and you are good, do you hear me? And what you do or do not achieve in this life has no bearing on your value.” ❞
💜 Oh. My. Goddess. That's right: goddess, because that's exactly what these two cunning, sassy women are. Alexandria Bellefleur has taken the generally predictable "marriage of convenience" trope and turned it into an emotional, powerful story about finding the love you don't realize you deserve. Both Tansy and Gemma are full of so much pain, their family trees full of broken branches (and in Gemma's case, poisonous barbs. For them to find love and family in one another so unexpectedly (for them, at least, because, come on, that's what we're here for), so flawlessly...it's not only swoon-worthy and sweet, but a relief. It's the insane, instant, undeniable chemistry between Tansy and Gemma that empowers their every interaction from the start, but unlike other marriage-of-convenience stories, smut doesn't drive their relationship. What starts off as a business relationship blossoms from a friendship to a true partnership. Gemma is sweet and giving as she navigates her first real relationship, while Tansy comes out of her shell to defend Gemma when no one else has. These goddesses support one another, even when the relationship is only a farce, until it all becomes real. The character development between them both is a flawless example of how empowering love--and having someone by your side--can really be.
🦇 As much as I loved every interaction between Gemma and Tansy, it's difficult to love everything that happens outside of their sweet sapphic bubble. The toxic men--namely Tucker, Gemma's cousin, who manipulated teenage Tansy and shared underage nudes of her--seem unrealistically cruel. Tansy's step-mother goes from a social ladder-climbing step-Bridzilla to suddenly sympathetic. None of the secondary characters have real layers, making them no more than pawns to the story's plot progression. Because of that, none of the conflicts or twists are surprising. The boardroom scene/resolution seemed beyond unrealistic, regardless of how sweet the gesture was. You may need to expand your suspension of disbelief and focus on the sapphic sweetness for this one.
🦇 Recommended for fans of Stars Collide, Cleat Cute, and Love at First Set. This heartwarming sapphic romance is full of feels; a stunning addition to any shelf.
✨ The Vibes ✨
🩷 Fake Dating
🩷 Marriage of Convenience
🩷 Bi MCs (Bi4Bi)
🩷 Sapphic Romance
🩷 Mental Health Rep
🩷 Opposites Attract
⚠️ Content Warnings: Past Sexual Exploitation, Threatening Interactions, Toxic Men, Spice 🌶️
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
❝ She was a total fucking goner. Whatever magic Tansy was made of, Gemma wanted to drown in it, revel in the honeyed heat burning her up from the inside out. It was better than the finest bourbon she’d ever had the pleasure of sipping. ❞
❓ #QOTD What was the best sapphic novel you read this year (I need recs!!)? ❓
🦇 After losing her parents and a traumatic romantic experience as a teen, Tansy Adams focuses all her time and energy on her late father's bookstore. To dodge questions about her love life, Tansy invents Gemma, a fake girlfriend inspired by the stunning cover model on a best-selling romance book. She never expected that real-life Gemma would step into her life, play along, and announce they were engaged, imploding that white lie into a full-on farce. Gemma van Dalen, the outcast of her wealthy family, needs a spouse to inherit Van Dalen Publishing; her grandmother's legacy. In exchange for Tansy's hand in marriage, Gemma offers to save Tansy's beloved bookstore before it's sold off. Can their marriage of convenience work, or will Gemma's scheming family get between them?
❝ "As for feeling like you’ve failed, well, failure is an inescapable part of life. But failing doesn’t make you a failure. And I’m sorry your father made you feel like the two were synonymous. You are more than your achievements, Gemma. You are brilliant, and ambitious, and you are good, do you hear me? And what you do or do not achieve in this life has no bearing on your value.” ❞
💜 Oh. My. Goddess. That's right: goddess, because that's exactly what these two cunning, sassy women are. Alexandria Bellefleur has taken the generally predictable "marriage of convenience" trope and turned it into an emotional, powerful story about finding the love you don't realize you deserve. Both Tansy and Gemma are full of so much pain, their family trees full of broken branches (and in Gemma's case, poisonous barbs. For them to find love and family in one another so unexpectedly (for them, at least, because, come on, that's what we're here for), so flawlessly...it's not only swoon-worthy and sweet, but a relief. It's the insane, instant, undeniable chemistry between Tansy and Gemma that empowers their every interaction from the start, but unlike other marriage-of-convenience stories, smut doesn't drive their relationship. What starts off as a business relationship blossoms from a friendship to a true partnership. Gemma is sweet and giving as she navigates her first real relationship, while Tansy comes out of her shell to defend Gemma when no one else has. These goddesses support one another, even when the relationship is only a farce, until it all becomes real. The character development between them both is a flawless example of how empowering love--and having someone by your side--can really be.
🦇 As much as I loved every interaction between Gemma and Tansy, it's difficult to love everything that happens outside of their sweet sapphic bubble. The toxic men--namely Tucker, Gemma's cousin, who manipulated teenage Tansy and shared underage nudes of her--seem unrealistically cruel. Tansy's step-mother goes from a social ladder-climbing step-Bridzilla to suddenly sympathetic. None of the secondary characters have real layers, making them no more than pawns to the story's plot progression. Because of that, none of the conflicts or twists are surprising. The boardroom scene/resolution seemed beyond unrealistic, regardless of how sweet the gesture was. You may need to expand your suspension of disbelief and focus on the sapphic sweetness for this one.
🦇 Recommended for fans of Stars Collide, Cleat Cute, and Love at First Set. This heartwarming sapphic romance is full of feels; a stunning addition to any shelf.
✨ The Vibes ✨
🩷 Fake Dating
🩷 Marriage of Convenience
🩷 Bi MCs (Bi4Bi)
🩷 Sapphic Romance
🩷 Mental Health Rep
🩷 Opposites Attract
⚠️ Content Warnings: Past Sexual Exploitation, Threatening Interactions, Toxic Men, Spice 🌶️
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Death of parent
another_avid_bookreader's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death of parent
nicjmorrow's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
5.0
This is one of the most perfect romance books I've ever read! Great sex scene, great bi representation, this book is a masterclass on romance books with issues that come up but the characters talking about them and resolving them in a RESONABLE timeliness through rational conversation. Also fake dating, inheritance games, and Sapphic love! Perfect *chefs kiss*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Bullying
Moderate: Emotional abuse
There is a plot about a high-school bully sharing naked photos to shame a main character. That boy is in the book and is a major character who gets some pay back but not full justice. Also Gemmas family is pretty emotionally abusive but she knows it and it's a pretty great representation of how to deal and get out to live your own fulfilling life. This is her glow up!stacy837's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Narrator is excellent at capturing character's emotions
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Classism, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Cursing, Alcohol, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Child abuse and Panic attacks/disorders
gracelyn's review against another edition
2.0
⋆ ⁎ ★° ⁀ ➷ 2 stars & 2,5 steamy
”I don’t mess with ghosts.”
Tansy Adams is tired of her family’s opinions about her love life and decides to lie about being in a relationship - for months. However, when she actually meets the person she has been pretending to date they don’t rat her out - she goes along with it, and say they are engaged. Tansy decides to go along for it, both for Gemma, but because Tansy needs money to keep her father’s great love - their bookstore.
Gemma van Dalen is an heiress to a publishing company, however, her grandfather’s will states that she has to be married to inherit. When she meets a woman who has been pretending to date her to trick her family Gemma decides to go along with it, and takes it one step further by saying they are engaged. Good for Gemma is that both women need something from the relationship, but what happens when feelings start getting involved?
Not a huge fan of the third person. Didn’t expect it, and took some time to get into. Still dial pov, so that’s a plus. I genuinely think this book is good, however, it simply wasn’t for me. As someone who hasn’t read that many sapphic romances (but wants to), this sadly didn’t work. I do own more books of Alexandria Bellefleur so I’m not giving up. I just think this book is for other people.
Tropes:
- Marriage of Convenience
- Fake dating
- One bed
- Opposites attract
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Sexual harassment
arlaubscher's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
Minor: Emotional abuse
3frenchtoast's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Classism and Emotional abuse
Minor: Misogyny and Death of parent
poati's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse
alexfromistemor's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book broke a 4 month reading dryspell!
So, I loved Written in the Stars and Count Your Lucky Stars, and this book was a fantastic new read by Bellefleur, maybe a stand-alone, maybe the start of a new series (Gemma does have friends after all). I've been waiting for this book ever since the cover dropped months ago, but then somehow I forgot about it until we got in copies of it early at my book store, and I had to pick it up immediately! Alexandria has such an accessible quality to her writing, I was drawn in immediately. Maybe I'm also a sucker for the fake dating/face fiancée trope and that helped this one get through my readers block. Maybe it's the spring weather in the air, I dunno, but whatever it is, I read the first 100 pages in one day, and then the remaining 3/4 of the book the next day, staying up until 2am because I didn't want to put it down.
Is it tropey? Oh, absolutely. Possibly cliche? 100%. But most important, is it satisfying? Yes, a thousand times yes. It felt so good.
Tansy I related to so much. Bookstore, anxiety, fond of ugly cardigans? Big yes. The things she'd been through in her life broke my heart, and her experiences with Gemma's cousin...I wanted to kill him. But I love that, in spite of it all, she has a backbone. A sharp wit and a willingness to stand up for herself when the time comes. Gemma I wasn't sure how I would feel about her at first, but as soon as we had things from her POV? I was sold, absolutely loved her. Her life experiences we less relatable to me, personally, but I loved how open she was, and honest, at least with Tansy. They made a wonderful pair who's immediate physical attraction lead to something that felt like a genuine building of affection, and then love, albeit in an understandably accelerated rate. Was that realistic? I don't know, but it's handwave-able within the bounds of the trope. The point is, they weren't immediately in love with one another, and while the inevitable 3rd act break-up I hate so much I still hate, I kind of got it this time around, at least from Gemma's fairly damaged POV. The chemistry between Gemma and Tansy, also, was off the charts, and the sex scenes very hot, as I've come to expect from Alexandria.
The supporting cast was good, if a little distant. I liked Gemma's (and eventually Tansy's) ride-or-die BFF squad, though admittedly there were a lot of them, and they kinda blended together apart from "British guy" and "Lucy", who stood out for reasons obvious to anyone who read the book. The van Dalen family were suitably disgusting and smarmy (with the obvious exception to Uncle Brooks) and made for great antagonists you loathed appropriately. I loved the nod to Brendon and mention by name of Olivia from the previous trilogy without it ever overshadowing the story that's being told now.
Any qualms I have with the book are relatively minor...a character's decision here, or there. As another reviewer mentioned, a lack of POC (Off the top of my head, only Rochelle and Samira, Tansy's best friend who only really comes up twice, seem explicitly coded as non-white). That could come down to a lack of (or limited) description of supporting characters, Alexandria doesn't really describe many people outside of the protagonists.
Outside of that, I think this was great. 4.5 stars rounded up.
Rep: Tansy (bi), Gemma (unclear whether she identifies as bi, pan or just queer), British guy (can't remember his name...queer), and Lucy (possibly lesbian, possibly bi/pan/queer).
So, I loved Written in the Stars and Count Your Lucky Stars, and this book was a fantastic new read by Bellefleur, maybe a stand-alone, maybe the start of a new series (Gemma does have friends after all). I've been waiting for this book ever since the cover dropped months ago, but then somehow I forgot about it until we got in copies of it early at my book store, and I had to pick it up immediately! Alexandria has such an accessible quality to her writing, I was drawn in immediately. Maybe I'm also a sucker for the fake dating/face fiancée trope and that helped this one get through my readers block. Maybe it's the spring weather in the air, I dunno, but whatever it is, I read the first 100 pages in one day, and then the remaining 3/4 of the book the next day, staying up until 2am because I didn't want to put it down.
Is it tropey? Oh, absolutely. Possibly cliche? 100%. But most important, is it satisfying? Yes, a thousand times yes. It felt so good.
Tansy I related to so much. Bookstore, anxiety, fond of ugly cardigans? Big yes. The things she'd been through in her life broke my heart, and her experiences with Gemma's cousin...I wanted to kill him. But I love that, in spite of it all, she has a backbone. A sharp wit and a willingness to stand up for herself when the time comes. Gemma I wasn't sure how I would feel about her at first, but as soon as we had things from her POV? I was sold, absolutely loved her. Her life experiences we less relatable to me, personally, but I loved how open she was, and honest, at least with Tansy. They made a wonderful pair who's immediate physical attraction lead to something that felt like a genuine building of affection, and then love, albeit in an understandably accelerated rate. Was that realistic? I don't know, but it's handwave-able within the bounds of the trope. The point is, they weren't immediately in love with one another, and while the inevitable 3rd act break-up I hate so much I still hate, I kind of got it this time around, at least from Gemma's fairly damaged POV. The chemistry between Gemma and Tansy, also, was off the charts, and the sex scenes very hot, as I've come to expect from Alexandria.
The supporting cast was good, if a little distant. I liked Gemma's (and eventually Tansy's) ride-or-die BFF squad, though admittedly there were a lot of them, and they kinda blended together apart from "British guy" and "Lucy", who stood out for reasons obvious to anyone who read the book. The van Dalen family were suitably disgusting and smarmy (with the obvious exception to Uncle Brooks) and made for great antagonists you loathed appropriately. I loved the nod to Brendon and mention by name of Olivia from the previous trilogy without it ever overshadowing the story that's being told now.
Any qualms I have with the book are relatively minor...a character's decision here, or there. As another reviewer mentioned, a lack of POC (Off the top of my head, only Rochelle and Samira, Tansy's best friend who only really comes up twice, seem explicitly coded as non-white). That could come down to a lack of (or limited) description of supporting characters, Alexandria doesn't really describe many people outside of the protagonists.
Outside of that, I think this was great. 4.5 stars rounded up.
Rep: Tansy (bi), Gemma (unclear whether she identifies as bi, pan or just queer), British guy (can't remember his name...queer), and Lucy (possibly lesbian, possibly bi/pan/queer).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Sexual harassment