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sapphic_library's Reviews (279)
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
ELIZABETH OF EAST HAMPTON is a pride & prejudice retelling set in the hamptons, where elizabeth loves to surf, works in her family's bakery, and longs to leave her hometown. if you know me, you know i love pride & prejudice retellings so i had the best time while reading this book (and will be picking up EMMA OF 83RD STREET asap!!).
it's everything you can expect from a pride & prejudice retelling, while still making the story fresh and interesting. i loved lizzy and will's dynamic in this—the tension! the banter!—and the build up to their romance was so worth the wait. i really enjoyed that each sister got her part in the story and i loved that they each had such different and unique personalities. i also loved jane and charlie's romance sideplot and especially the fact that they were both doctor who nerds (as a fellow doctor who nerd).
read if you like:
- austen retellings
- chaotic families
- he falls first and harder
thanks to netgalley and gallery books for the advanced copy! ELIZABETH OF EAST HAMPTON comes out august 6.
it's everything you can expect from a pride & prejudice retelling, while still making the story fresh and interesting. i loved lizzy and will's dynamic in this—the tension! the banter!—and the build up to their romance was so worth the wait. i really enjoyed that each sister got her part in the story and i loved that they each had such different and unique personalities. i also loved jane and charlie's romance sideplot and especially the fact that they were both doctor who nerds (as a fellow doctor who nerd).
read if you like:
- austen retellings
- chaotic families
- he falls first and harder
thanks to netgalley and gallery books for the advanced copy! ELIZABETH OF EAST HAMPTON comes out august 6.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
BETTER LEFT BURIED is a sapphic YA mystery where two teenage girls team up to investigate a murder and end up falling for each other along the way. i had such a great time reading BETTER LEFT BURIED that i finished it in one day. it really is THAT good. i loved both lucy and audrey as main characters but i especially loved their dynamic and the way they opened up to each other. i'm not much of a mystery reader so it doesn't take a whole lot for me to be surprised by twists but i loved the twists in this book and i audibly gasped several times as i was reading. even if you aren't a mystery reader, this is such a good book and i need everyone to read it!!
read if you like:
- dumbasses to lovers
- abandoned theme parks
- falling in love while solving a murder
thanks to the author and disney hyperion for the advanced copy! BETTER LEFT BURIED comes out august 6.
read if you like:
- dumbasses to lovers
- abandoned theme parks
- falling in love while solving a murder
thanks to the author and disney hyperion for the advanced copy! BETTER LEFT BURIED comes out august 6.
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
HOT EARL SUMMER is a steamy regency romance and the fifth installment in the WILD WYNCHESTERS series, though it's not necessary to read the other books to understand this one. when elizabeth (otherwise known as beth the berserker) is sent on a mission to the earl of densmore's castle, the last thing she expects is to find herself trapped inside with the reclusive inventor stephen lenox, who's been pretending to be the earl while his cousin has been missing.
this is the most chaotic, fun and hilarious historical romance i've ever read and i absolutely adored every minute of it. i have only read one of the other wynchester books but you bet i'm going to go back to read the rest now, based on how much fun i had reading this one!! i also loved how both elizabeth and stephen were neurodivergent, and that, along with elizabeth's disability, only added depth to the romance between the two of them.
read if you like
- big swords (not a euphemism)
- castle siege but make it sexy
- socially awkward MCs
thanks to forever for the advanced copy! HOT EARL SUMMER comes out august 6.
this is the most chaotic, fun and hilarious historical romance i've ever read and i absolutely adored every minute of it. i have only read one of the other wynchester books but you bet i'm going to go back to read the rest now, based on how much fun i had reading this one!! i also loved how both elizabeth and stephen were neurodivergent, and that, along with elizabeth's disability, only added depth to the romance between the two of them.
read if you like
- big swords (not a euphemism)
- castle siege but make it sexy
- socially awkward MCs
thanks to forever for the advanced copy! HOT EARL SUMMER comes out august 6.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
NAME YOUR PRICE is a romance about two exes who are offered a prize of a million dollars if they can spend 30 days locked in a house without leaving or killing each other. without a doubt, it's one of the funniest, messiest books i've ever read and i had the time of my life!! it takes a very talented author to make me go from disliking the MMC in the beginning to loving him in the end, and that's exactly what happened. liv and chuck's chemistry was absolutely insane and the bickering, arguing and sexual tension in this book had me SWEATING but loving every minute.
read if you like:
- forced proximity
- second chance
- reality romance
thanks to netgalley and dutton for the advanced copy! NAME YOUR PRICE comes out july 30.
read if you like:
- forced proximity
- second chance
- reality romance
thanks to netgalley and dutton for the advanced copy! NAME YOUR PRICE comes out july 30.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-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:
Yes
YOU HAD ME AT HAPPY HOUR is a spicy, queer romance about a sommelier and a mixologist who decide to become friends with benefits since neither one of them is looking for a relationship. as their physical relationship progresses, they find themselves having more-than-platonic feelings for each other. this was such a good romance that touched on a lot of important themes like mental health, alcoholism, OCD, ED, among others, but still managed to be lighthearted and a fun read.
read if you like:
- meet-disaster
- opposites attract
- workplace romance
thanks to netgalley and harlequin for the advanced copy! YOU HAD ME AT HAPPY HOUR comes out july 23.
read if you like:
- meet-disaster
- opposites attract
- workplace romance
thanks to netgalley and harlequin for the advanced copy! YOU HAD ME AT HAPPY HOUR comes out july 23.
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
FOUR WEEKENDS AND A FUNERAL is a grumpy/sunshine romance set in the twin cities and probably one of the funniest books i've read in a while. when alison arrives at her ex-boyfriend's funeral, she's expecting to pay her respects and leave, only to find out his friends and family have no idea she was dumped. her little white lie spirals out of control and she ends up being recruited to pack up sam's apartment with his best friend, adam, also referred to as the north shore grump due to his prickly personality.
let me just say, i LOVED this book. i knew i was going to enjoy it because it was so up my alley based on everything i'd heard about it, but i was not expecting the extent of how much i would love it. i had such a good time reading it because alison was such a funny main character whose POV i loved following, and i loved the way she and adam interacted and how their feelings for each other flourished. i also felt like the themes of grief, self-love and exploration were handled really well, and i loved al's growth throughout the book.
read if you like:
- lots of midwest culture
- forced proximity
- trivia-playing besties
thanks to netgalley and putnam for the advanced copy! FOUR WEEKENDS AND A FUNERAL comes out august 6.
let me just say, i LOVED this book. i knew i was going to enjoy it because it was so up my alley based on everything i'd heard about it, but i was not expecting the extent of how much i would love it. i had such a good time reading it because alison was such a funny main character whose POV i loved following, and i loved the way she and adam interacted and how their feelings for each other flourished. i also felt like the themes of grief, self-love and exploration were handled really well, and i loved al's growth throughout the book.
read if you like:
- lots of midwest culture
- forced proximity
- trivia-playing besties
thanks to netgalley and putnam for the advanced copy! FOUR WEEKENDS AND A FUNERAL comes out august 6.
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
EXES & FOES is a YA romance about two ex-best friends who set their sights on the same girl and decide to compete for her affection. as you can probably imagine from the premise, things get messy and complicated, especially as we learn more about caleb and emma's past and what led to the end of their friendship. i was kicking my feet, giggling, twirling my hair the whole time. i loved how caleb and emma seemed to bring out the worst but also the best in each other. their connection was so deep, despite having fallen out four years prior. to put it simply, they were each other's person. this was such a fun, heartfelt and swoony YA romance and i had such a great time reading it!
read if you like:
- bi/demi x bi
- small angry gf x tall gentle bf
- queer found family
thanks to netgalley and penguin teen for the advanced copy! EXES & FOES is out july 23.
read if you like:
- bi/demi x bi
- small angry gf x tall gentle bf
- queer found family
thanks to netgalley and penguin teen for the advanced copy! EXES & FOES is out july 23.
emotional
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:
Yes
NOT ANOTHER LOVE SONG is a reylo-inspired romance about two professional musicians who don't get off to the best start. this is one of the most anticipated romances of the year and i'm so glad to have read an advanced copy! i had a great time and i really enjoyed the book (hence the rating) but i did have some Thoughts™️ (as my friend amy can attest because i kept texting her as i was reading it).
i'm a lifelong star wars fan and let's just say i am not a reylo (and that's putting it mildly). now, i am not here to yuck anyone's yum (before anyone yells at me) but it took a lot of effort to stop thinking about this book in its original context and that is my only criticism of it. i wish it had been reworked a bit more to make it less obvious BUT once i could put it out of my mind, i had the time of my life!!!
this book has some of the best spice i've read and if that's a selling point for you, i would say you need to get this book asap. their chemistry was explosive but beyond that, i loved seeing them fall for each other and the way they climbed over each other's walls. i also loved all of the side characters, i loved seeing ava and mabel patch things up (and am i the only one who was getting a bit of a gay, scorned ex lovers vibe from them??).
read if you like:
- sexy musical duets
- workplace rivals to lovers
- grumpy/sunshine
thanks to netgalley and forever for the advanced copy! NOT ANOTHER LOVE SONG comes out july 16.
i'm a lifelong star wars fan and let's just say i am not a reylo (and that's putting it mildly). now, i am not here to yuck anyone's yum (before anyone yells at me) but it took a lot of effort to stop thinking about this book in its original context and that is my only criticism of it. i wish it had been reworked a bit more to make it less obvious BUT once i could put it out of my mind, i had the time of my life!!!
this book has some of the best spice i've read and if that's a selling point for you, i would say you need to get this book asap. their chemistry was explosive but beyond that, i loved seeing them fall for each other and the way they climbed over each other's walls. i also loved all of the side characters, i loved seeing ava and mabel patch things up (and am i the only one who was getting a bit of a gay, scorned ex lovers vibe from them??).
read if you like:
- sexy musical duets
- workplace rivals to lovers
- grumpy/sunshine
thanks to netgalley and forever for the advanced copy! NOT ANOTHER LOVE SONG comes out july 16.
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
LET THE GAMES BEGIN is a new adult romance set against the backdrop of the 2024 summer olympics and one of my favorite reads of 2024 and probably ever. in fact, i will not be shutting up about this book!!!!
olivia and zeke are both in athens for the olympics, extremely ambitious, and there to win. zeke moyo is a star athlete for team GB, ready to win a gold medal. olivia nkomo is ready for an internship that will launch her career and finally earn her a seat at the table. but when they collide—literally—on the first day of the games, neither of them could have predicted how the summer would turn out.
okay, let me just say again: i loved this book. LOVED!! i will be forcing everyone i know to buy it because i need everyone to read it. it was so good and earned a spot as one of the very few books to have made me cry (scorpio things).
if you know me, you know i have very strong feelings about FMCs and olivia is one of the best FMCs i've read about. she's so unapologetic, decisive, takes no shit and bows down to no one and i LOVED it. but her walls are high and she struggles to let herself be vulnerable (me too bestie) and it makes her a bit prickly at times. but she's determined to make the best of the cards she's been dealt and i loved seeing her go through that journey and realize that she can be vulnerable and let someone in and still have a kickass career.
zeke is the golden boy of team GB, a star athlete with a lot to live up to. he has a big zimbabwean family cheering on him and a lot of anxiety about living up to everyone's expectations of him. on top of that, he has a lot (a lot!!) of unresolved trauma about his father's death but only making small talk with his team-appointed therapist. y'all know my standards for MMCs are high af as a lesbian reading m/f romances and zeke passed every single one of my tests. he's just a nervous anxious boy and i love him your honor!!!
zeke and olivia's dynamic was just *chef's kiss* because bantering couples are my kryptonite and i was eating up their interactions the whole time. the way olivia is so mean to zeke and he loves it!!! perfection. no notes.
i felt like i really connected with both olivia and zeke, especially as an immigrant who still has a very strong connection to my homeland and my culture. there's a bit at the end that i don't want to give away but it made me cry when i read it in a chills-all-over-my-body kind of way. what made this book so special to me is that it's so much more than a romance (not that there's anything wrong with that) because their identities as black and zimbabwean and the children of immigrants are all an important part of the story.
and because i haven't raved enough about this book, there were several things that catered specifically to me!!! 1) mention of chilean athletes <3 2) a side character named valentina and she was the best (and gay!!!) and not a villain, and 3) ted lasso season 3 mention (where they're discussing if it was any good or not).
read if you like:
- meet-cute? no. meet-disaster
- the olympics
- closed door spice
thanks to flatiron books for the advanced copy! LET THE GAMES BEGIN comes out july 9.
olivia and zeke are both in athens for the olympics, extremely ambitious, and there to win. zeke moyo is a star athlete for team GB, ready to win a gold medal. olivia nkomo is ready for an internship that will launch her career and finally earn her a seat at the table. but when they collide—literally—on the first day of the games, neither of them could have predicted how the summer would turn out.
okay, let me just say again: i loved this book. LOVED!! i will be forcing everyone i know to buy it because i need everyone to read it. it was so good and earned a spot as one of the very few books to have made me cry (scorpio things).
if you know me, you know i have very strong feelings about FMCs and olivia is one of the best FMCs i've read about. she's so unapologetic, decisive, takes no shit and bows down to no one and i LOVED it. but her walls are high and she struggles to let herself be vulnerable (me too bestie) and it makes her a bit prickly at times. but she's determined to make the best of the cards she's been dealt and i loved seeing her go through that journey and realize that she can be vulnerable and let someone in and still have a kickass career.
zeke is the golden boy of team GB, a star athlete with a lot to live up to. he has a big zimbabwean family cheering on him and a lot of anxiety about living up to everyone's expectations of him. on top of that, he has a lot (a lot!!) of unresolved trauma about his father's death but only making small talk with his team-appointed therapist. y'all know my standards for MMCs are high af as a lesbian reading m/f romances and zeke passed every single one of my tests. he's just a nervous anxious boy and i love him your honor!!!
zeke and olivia's dynamic was just *chef's kiss* because bantering couples are my kryptonite and i was eating up their interactions the whole time. the way olivia is so mean to zeke and he loves it!!! perfection. no notes.
i felt like i really connected with both olivia and zeke, especially as an immigrant who still has a very strong connection to my homeland and my culture. there's a bit at the end that i don't want to give away but it made me cry when i read it in a chills-all-over-my-body kind of way. what made this book so special to me is that it's so much more than a romance (not that there's anything wrong with that) because their identities as black and zimbabwean and the children of immigrants are all an important part of the story.
and because i haven't raved enough about this book, there were several things that catered specifically to me!!! 1) mention of chilean athletes <3 2) a side character named valentina and she was the best (and gay!!!) and not a villain, and 3) ted lasso season 3 mention (where they're discussing if it was any good or not).
read if you like:
- meet-cute? no. meet-disaster
- the olympics
- closed door spice
thanks to flatiron books for the advanced copy! LET THE GAMES BEGIN comes out july 9.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A DARKER MISCHIEF is a queer YA thriller that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. cal ware, a transfer student at a new england boarding school, is hoping to leave the skeletons in his closet back home in mississippi. when he stumbles upon a secret society lurking in the shadows of his school, he fixates on getting in and using it as a chance to reinvent himself and gain respect among his classmates. but the deeper he gets, the more he discovers that the society is a lot riskier and more nefarious than he ever imagined it would be.
i don't frequently read thrillers so i'm not the type to be guessing plot twists or predicting what's coming, so take my words with a grain of salt. but i was really hooked to the story crafted by milman and i finished the book in one sitting because i absolutely needed to know what was going to happen next! i don't want to say anything too specific and give anything away, but i loved this book and definitely recommend it!
read if you like:
- dark academia
- life and death brigade (but make it dark)
- morally grey teenagers
thanks to netgalley and scholastic for the advanced copy! A DARKER MISCHIEF comes out july 2.
i don't frequently read thrillers so i'm not the type to be guessing plot twists or predicting what's coming, so take my words with a grain of salt. but i was really hooked to the story crafted by milman and i finished the book in one sitting because i absolutely needed to know what was going to happen next! i don't want to say anything too specific and give anything away, but i loved this book and definitely recommend it!
read if you like:
- dark academia
- life and death brigade (but make it dark)
- morally grey teenagers
thanks to netgalley and scholastic for the advanced copy! A DARKER MISCHIEF comes out july 2.