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A review by battyaboutbooks
No Rings Attached by Rachel Lacey
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
π¦ No Rings Attached Book Review π¦
Rating: βββ
β #QOTD What was the last road trip you went on? β
π¦ Between not fitting in with her family and being the spare wheel in a group of WLW couples, Lia has always felt like the odd one out. Exhausted with her mother's meddling in her love life, Lia decides to attend her brother's wedding with a fake girlfriend--her best friend's original best friend. Grace Poston is absolutely gorgeous, but her insecurities have her leaving everyone at arms' length. While their relationship might be fake, the chemistry is certainly real. Can their relationship last longer than one short weekend?
π I was so glad to find that the Ms. Right series continued with bookshop manager Lia's story (I mean, how often have you wanted to learn more about a side character's life and perspective, right?). Lia is an absolute delight, speaking her mind while remaining respectful and sweet. She helps Grace through emotional moments, patient and empathetic when Grace so readily pushes her away.
π At the story's start, it sounded like Grace was aspec ("I refuse to accept this societal notion that I need another person in my life to be happy, because I don't. I'm very happy on my own. There's nothing missing from my life.") which was refreshing to see. She prioritizes friendships over romantic bonds and has built a life she's proud of, despite the physical and emotional distance she's put between herself and her past. As she gets to know Lia more, it seems that Grace is demisexual instead, needing an emotional connection to form a sexual one (which is just as refreshing!).
π I do wish that Grace wasn't as PUSHED toward romance as she'd been (by both Lia and their mutual friend, Rosie), and instead had the chance to self-actualize. The parallel between Grace's childhood trauma (losing her parents) and Lia's accident was so well placed, Lia even sustaining a concussion as Grace's father had right before he died, but we don't linger in the panic. Readers don't get the chance to marinate in Grace's stress as history repeats itself; the moment she recognizes the parallel, she sees there's nothing to worry about. There are so many opportunities for readers to form an emotional connection with the characters while the characters form emotional connections with each other. Instead, there's a lot of tell and less show. Even when the two women say "I love you" (after a trauma, because "life is too short") it feels flat and hollow instead of heartfelt.
π¦ Recommended to fans of Alexandria Bellefleur and Anita Kelly.
β¨ The Vibes β¨
π Sapphic Ship
π Bi/Lesbian FMCs
π Only One Bed
π Fake Dating
π Dual POV
π (Kinda) 3rd Act Breakup
π Second in a Series
π¬ Quotes
β "You could be dangerous," Grace murmured. "If I let you." β
β "You make me want things I shouldn't want." β
β How ironic that a woman who translated languages for a living was so unwilling to verbalize her own feelings. β
Rating: βββ
β #QOTD What was the last road trip you went on? β
π¦ Between not fitting in with her family and being the spare wheel in a group of WLW couples, Lia has always felt like the odd one out. Exhausted with her mother's meddling in her love life, Lia decides to attend her brother's wedding with a fake girlfriend--her best friend's original best friend. Grace Poston is absolutely gorgeous, but her insecurities have her leaving everyone at arms' length. While their relationship might be fake, the chemistry is certainly real. Can their relationship last longer than one short weekend?
π I was so glad to find that the Ms. Right series continued with bookshop manager Lia's story (I mean, how often have you wanted to learn more about a side character's life and perspective, right?). Lia is an absolute delight, speaking her mind while remaining respectful and sweet. She helps Grace through emotional moments, patient and empathetic when Grace so readily pushes her away.
π At the story's start, it sounded like Grace was aspec ("I refuse to accept this societal notion that I need another person in my life to be happy, because I don't. I'm very happy on my own. There's nothing missing from my life.") which was refreshing to see. She prioritizes friendships over romantic bonds and has built a life she's proud of, despite the physical and emotional distance she's put between herself and her past. As she gets to know Lia more, it seems that Grace is demisexual instead, needing an emotional connection to form a sexual one (which is just as refreshing!).
π I do wish that Grace wasn't as PUSHED toward romance as she'd been (by both Lia and their mutual friend, Rosie), and instead had the chance to self-actualize. The parallel between Grace's childhood trauma (losing her parents) and Lia's accident was so well placed, Lia even sustaining a concussion as Grace's father had right before he died, but we don't linger in the panic. Readers don't get the chance to marinate in Grace's stress as history repeats itself; the moment she recognizes the parallel, she sees there's nothing to worry about. There are so many opportunities for readers to form an emotional connection with the characters while the characters form emotional connections with each other. Instead, there's a lot of tell and less show. Even when the two women say "I love you" (after a trauma, because "life is too short") it feels flat and hollow instead of heartfelt.
π¦ Recommended to fans of Alexandria Bellefleur and Anita Kelly.
β¨ The Vibes β¨
π Sapphic Ship
π Bi/Lesbian FMCs
π Only One Bed
π Fake Dating
π Dual POV
π (Kinda) 3rd Act Breakup
π Second in a Series
π¬ Quotes
β "You could be dangerous," Grace murmured. "If I let you." β
β "You make me want things I shouldn't want." β
β How ironic that a woman who translated languages for a living was so unwilling to verbalize her own feelings. β