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the_vegan_bookworm's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I liked Scottie, but Nailah didn't really vibe for me. She seemed to be kind of a jerk to everyone besides her parents, and people in her life were equally disrespectful to her (like Pauline and Scottie who never seem to respect her boundaries). Scottie and Nailah have great sexual chemistry, but the romantic chemistry felt really lacking for me.
Nailah also has some really concerning views that feel sort of glossed over? She thinks deeply biphobic things, even if Pauline talks to her about them, and never really reconciles those views. She also has problematic views around adoption, motherhood and children, which go largely unchecked and unresolved.
I look forward to reading other works by this author, and hopefully finding a main character I like better!
Nailah also has some really concerning views that feel sort of glossed over? She thinks deeply biphobic things, even if Pauline talks to her about them, and never really reconciles those views. She also has problematic views around adoption, motherhood and children, which go largely unchecked and unresolved.
I look forward to reading other works by this author, and hopefully finding a main character I like better!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Biphobia, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Car accident, Stalking, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Abortion
jackiehorne's review against another edition
DNF at 50%. I was excited to find POC queer romance recs after reading Nicole M. Jackson's essay "Finding Queer Black Women in Romance" in [b:Black Love Matters: Real Talk on Romance, Being Seen, and Happily Ever Afters|57926133|Black Love Matters Real Talk on Romance, Being Seen, and Happily Ever Afters|Jessica P. Pryde|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1635972311l/57926133._SY75_.jpg|90761668], and picked up a copy of Fiona Zedde's FEMME LIKE HER as a result. Zedde's prose is strong, unfussy, clear and direct, writing in the first person present tense from Black lesbian Nailah's POV. But I just didn't get a strong sense of either her character, or the character of her love interest, even after making it halfway through the book. Why is Nailah so reluctant to get involved with a femme? (Even when we get a sort of explanation, the explanation is confusing and unclear). Why is she so passively hanging in her job, even after being told that she's going to be downsized in the near future? What does she want??? Why did Scottie come on so strong, then immediately ditch Nailah (and why didn't we actually see this happen in real time, rather than be told about it after it happens)? And why doesn't Nailah ask her about it when they meet up again??When I found myself skimming, hoping to find something of interest, character-wise or plot-wise, to latch onto, I decided this one was not for me and set it aside.
caphine's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
The spice right off the starting line was wild and hot. From there it was just kind of miscommunication and waffling around with a rushed ending.
rocky_'s review against another edition
4.0
It only got four out of five because it was too short! I wanted more!!!
lezreadalot's review against another edition
4.0
It’s not that I don’t want to fall into her— I do. God, I do. But this is scary, just how fast she brought me back to how things were between us in the beginning. Charmed and surprised. Turned on. Ready to follow wherever she leads.
3.5 stars. After a little bit of a rollercoaster with this one, I ended up really really liking and appreciating it. It takes some turns that I didn't expect it to, and doesn't always follow the script as far as typical romances go. It also made me feel super seen in a way I just don't ever get in romances.
After a bad experience years ago, Nailah has made up her mind never to date another femme like her, until bold, brazen, feminine Scottie breezes into her life. It's an interesting premise, though I did get a little impatient with it. Not that there's anything wrong with having a preference, but when it was revealed WHY Nailah had made that rule for herself, it just wasn't totally convincing? IDK if I missed something while reading, but the way I understood it, it all seemed a little overblown.
The book's strengths, for me, lay elsewhere. I loved having a protagonist from the Caribbean; it's always a delight to see that representation and recognise the details that the author is careful to put in. This is my first book by Zedde, but I'm going to make sure it's not the last, because I loved every bit of Jamaica we got. I loved her writing, which was descriptive and lush, simple and down-to-earth by turns. The steam, when we got it, was at 110%. The romance was just as good. I started off not being terribly convinced of their attraction/connection, but then they shared a few moments that were relatively simple but had me swooning all over anyway. (Swimming! Late night phone calls that become early morning phone calls! That time up against the door!
niaimani's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
2.0
ramintah's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
laura_theaudiowasbetter's review against another edition
5.0
Nailah and Scottie had some unique twists and turns in this F/F story. I personally didn’t see the major twist coming which is what makes this a 5 star read for me. The character development and motivations on Scottie’s side would have been nice to see, but the decision to make this a single POV did not throw me off as other books have.
Fiona’s writing also makes you feel like the inanimate objects and places is the story are truly auxiliary characters with purpose driving the plot. Was a great new author to be introduced to and looking forward to the follow up in this series.
Fiona’s writing also makes you feel like the inanimate objects and places is the story are truly auxiliary characters with purpose driving the plot. Was a great new author to be introduced to and looking forward to the follow up in this series.