
Love at First Set
by Jennifer Dugan
I so did not expect to like this book! As someone with a definitely not made up allergy to gym equipment and exercise, I was not expecting to like the strong ladies book. But oh my gosh, did you know that the strongest muscle is the heart (it's actually your jaw, or your uterus, or your butt, or your eye, or your tongue, or the heart, depending on your definition of "strongest") and this one's working overtime.
This doesn't really count as a spoiler because it's in the description, but Lizzie's drunken bathroom pep talk is so inspiring, funny and touching I almost went and broke up some weddings myself. It's just that good.
Lizzie comes across as a real person, with lots of insecurities owing to how she grew up that she mostly manages to shove away. Both James and Cara are absolute wankers at times (James early and often, Cara once or twice but at exactly the wrong times), but in Cara's case it's easy to see her redeeming values as to why Lizzie would fall in love with her (and vice versa).
I don't know, y'all, I just love Lizzie's energy. She's a disaster gay, through and through, but because her heart's in the right place (and it's so strong) she always manages to rack 'em after pounding out that last set. You'd have to be a dumb belle not to like this book. Do not weight to pick it up. Alright, much like Lizzie I might be too tipsy for this (despite drinking squat) and need to bail before I (bench) press my luck. It's definitely worth curl-ing up with.
Synopsis
The gym is Lizzie’s life—it’s her passion, her job, and the only place that’s ever felt like home. Unfortunately, her bosses consider her a glorified check-in girl at best, and the gym punching bag at worst.
When their son, Lizzie’s best friend, James, begs her to be his plus one at his perfect sister Cara’s wedding, things go wrong immediately, and culminate in Lizzie giving a drunken pep talk to a hot stranger in the women’s bathroom—except that stranger is actually the bride-to-be, and Lizzie has accidentally convinced her to ditch her groom.
Now, newly directionless Cara is on a quest to find herself, and Lizzie—desperate to make sure her bosses never find out her role in this fiasco—gets strong-armed by James into “entertaining” her. Cara doesn’t have to know it’s a setup; it’ll just be a quick fling before she sobers up and goes back to her real life. After all, how could someone like Cara fall for someone like Lizzie, with no career and no future?
But the more Lizzie gets to know Cara, the more she likes her, and the bigger the potential disaster if any of her rapidly multiplying secrets get out. Because now it’s not just Lizzie’s job and entire future on the line, but also the girl of her dreams.
Maybe a glimmer of recognition in "disaster gay"? WHO CAN TELL

Iris Kelly Doesn't Date
by Ashley Herring Blake
Y'all, I struggled with this one a bit. There are so many conflicting emotions going on in my brain right now.
Looking at it holistically, it's the third in a series. Delilah Green was excellent, Astrid Parker didn't really do it for me. Iris Kelly is sort of inbetween, leaning toward Delilah, a bit?
I'll say this, Blake can write characters. I loved Iris Kelly, the bold and brassy lass of Irish descent whose temper is as fiery as her passion. Her family is ... verging on unbelievable? I don't know that there's a likable older parent in this series, but Iris' mom is almost worse than Astrid's and Delilah's. This all actually would cohere a lot better if I believed that we were supposed to be filtering our perceptions through Iris' slanted, tempestuously-colored eyes, but I don't get that sense. I think we're supposed to take literally that her mom is condescending to the point of seeming like a negging pick-up artist, and her family is just a ball of uncontrollable.
And Stevie is wonderful, too, in her own way. But also just this side of realistic? I truly don't know how one could exist as a successful actor being that much of a doormat to everyone around them. Flaws are fine, but enough cracks in the mirror and it's a bit hard to actual understand what's being reflected back.
But they make sense together. Maybe the trick is to not assume this is set in our universe, but in one slightly removed. If you can put aside the absurdity of nearly every situation our fierce females face, their story and connection is one that can make your heart sing (or get up on stage and prance around in a donkey's head, as required). I think most people can suspend their disbelief to get to the goodness at the core of the novel, but I won't pretend it comes without effort.
Synopsis
Everyone around Iris Kelly is in love. Her best friends are all coupled up, her siblings have partners that are perfect for them, her parents are still in marital bliss. And she’s happy for all of them, truly. So what if she usually cries in her Lyft on the way home. So what if she misses her friends, who are so busy with their own wonderful love lives, they don’t really notice Iris is spiraling. At least she has a brand-new career writing romance novels (yes, she realizes the irony of it). She is now working on her second book but has one problem: she is completely out of ideas after having spent all of her romantic energy on her debut.
Perfectly happy to ignore her problems as per usual, Iris goes to a bar in Portland and meets a sexy stranger, Stefania, and a night of dancing and making out turns into the worst one-night stand Iris has had in her life (vomit and crying are regretfully involved). To get her mind off everything and overcome her writer's block, Iris tries out for a local play, but comes face-to-face with Stefania—or, Stevie, her real name. When Stevie desperately asks Iris to play along as her girlfriend, Iris is shocked, but goes along with it because maybe this fake relationship will actually get her creative juices flowing and she can get her book written. As the two women play the part of a couple, they turn into a constant state of hot-and-bothered and soon it just comes down to who will make the real first move…

Delilah Green Doesn't Care
by Ashley Herring Blake
I think I have abandonment issues with really good books. Think about it! Every book you've ever loved, ever craved to wedge yourself between the lines and live among the fictional world, is finite. Even as part of an ever-sprawling series, inevitably you get to the last page of the last chapter of the last page ... and it's over.
Both the titular Delilah Green and her love interest, Claire, seem to have (justifiable) abandonment issues of their own. Delilah (dead parent alert!) hasn't had any family to rely on since she was young, so she books it to NYC as soon as she can and stays there. She's only brought back by the lure of much-needed cash from wicked stepsister Astrid Parker, but she's coming and going just as fast as she does in any relationship - quickly, and without remorse.
That is, until she meets one of Astrid's BFFs, Claire. Suddenly she's consumed by the thoughts of this girl and her manic pixie dream daughter, and just mayyybe it's enough to keep her sticking around ...
Isn't it useful how the Lothario, only-in-it-for-themselves types always turn out to have secret mushy hearts that just need the right queer person unlock them?
I jest! Things can be tropes simply because they happen often, not because they were written to follow said trope. Delilah is a wonderfully fleshed-out character, and the progression in all the relationships feels justified and well-earned. And hey, who can blame Delilah? I'd stick around and shack up with Claire if only I knew she wouldn't leave me before the acknowledgments.
Oh, Claire. We could have been so good together. Instead, I'll just have recommend others spend their time with you and hope that can satisfy your insatiable craving.
Synopsis
A clever and steamy queer romantic comedy about taking chances and accepting love—with all its complications—from the author of Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail.
Delilah Green swore she would never go back to Bright Falls—nothing is there for her but memories of a lonely childhood where she was little more than a burden to her cold and distant stepfamily. Her life is in New York, with her photography career finally gaining steam and her bed never empty. Sure, it’s a different woman every night, but that’s just fine with her.
When Delilah’s estranged stepsister, Astrid, pressures her into photographing her wedding with a guilt trip and a five-figure check, Delilah finds herself back in the godforsaken town that she used to call home. She plans to breeze in and out, but then she sees Claire Sutherland, one of Astrid’s stuck-up besties, and decides that maybe there’s some fun (and a little retribution) to be had in Bright Falls, after all.
Having raised her 11-year-old daughter mostly on her own while dealing with her unreliable ex and running a bookstore, Claire Sutherland depends upon a life without surprises. And Delilah Green is an unwelcome surprise…at first. Though they’ve known each other for years, they don’t really know each other—so Claire is unsettled when Delilah figures out exactly what buttons to push. When they’re forced together during a gauntlet of wedding preparations—including a plot to save Astrid from her horrible fiancé—Claire isn’t sure she has the strength to resist Delilah’s charms. Even worse, she’s starting to think she doesn’t want to...

Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail
by Ashley Herring Blake
Astrid Parker is kind of a bitch.
I'm sorry, she is? I'm understanding about people growing up in bad situations (truly, the overall family dynamic as well as how specifically her mother treats her was and is pretty bad), and needing to grow, but Astrid just ... doesn't?
I mean, we literally spent an entire book blowing up her wedding because she was marrying some (presumably) MAGA chump (forced it into it by her mother) who thought he should buy a house several hours away without telling his fiancee and ... didn't see it? Didn't care? Hard to tell, really.
But that wasn't enough! Even though Astrid Parker has already Failed, she's determined to make her interior design business (forced into by her mother) succeed by renovating a historic old B&B on some home renovation show. But the carpenter/contractor, Jordan, has her own ideas. Better ideas. They're just straight-up better. It took Jordan almost no time to come up with them. Astrid Parker is almost entirely superfluous. But we can't say that because .... reasons?
Look, I know contrivances are part and parcel for genre novels, especially romance. But that on top of Astrid just being a straight-up dick most of the time really made me struggle to finish this book. I have absolutely no idea what Jordan saw in her other than 🔥, and that doesn't always come through in books, y'know?
It's not bad writing! It's just an annoying character. I can recommend this book out of completeness' sake for the Bright Falls series, but otherwise there are plenty of other, better options for your time. And Jordan, you can do so. Much. Better.
Synopsis
For Astrid Parker, failure is unacceptable. Ever since she broke up with her fiancé a year ago, she’s been focused on her career—her friends might say she’s obsessed, but she knows she’s just driven. When Pru Everwood asks her to be the designer for the Everwood Inn’s renovation, which will be featured on a popular HGTV show, Innside America, Astrid is thrilled. Not only will the project distract her from her failed engagement and help her struggling business, but her perpetually displeased mother might finally give her a nod of approval.
However, Astrid never planned on Jordan Everwood, Pru’s granddaughter and the lead carpenter for the renovation, who despises every modern design decision Astrid makes. Jordan is determined to preserve the history of her family’s inn, particularly as the rest of her life is in shambles. When that determination turns into some light sabotage to ruffle Astrid’s perfect little feathers, the showrunners ask them to play up the tension. But somewhere along the way, their dislike for each other evolves into something quite different, and Astrid must decide what success truly means. Is she going to pursue the life that she’s expected to lead or the one that she wants?

When You Least Expect It
by Haley Cass
It sounds like the cheapest of plot devices - divorce attorney meets latebian with asshole ex-husband. And wouldn't you know it, the ex-hubby used to work at the same firm!
But oh my gosh, it goes beyond the tropes and the clichés. It's a slow-burn love story where, yeah, you can tell that Caroline (the main character) has a crush on Hannah. She admits it to herself at first, but then they build an honest friendship and (slight spoilers) even a little family, as Caroline met and charmed Abby (Hannah's little girl) when she was stuck at the office on weekends.
It's just so charming and endearing I want to melt every time I read it.
Legitimately the best way to impart how much I thoroughly enjoy the book is to admit that I own on Kindle, in paperback and audiobook - and I've read/listened to all of them more than once. Per year.
It's the best of what romance has to offer, whether in literary or real-world form. Deep, abiding friendship; mutual respect; an all-encompassing love that suffuses both of their lives. I promise you'll find yourself striving to reach the warmth you'll find in this book.
Synopsis
Caroline Parker knows three things to be true. First, she is going to be Boston's most sought after divorce attorney by thirty-five. Second, given how terrible her romantic track record is, falling in love isn't in the cards for her. And third, Christmas only brings her bad luck - being broken up with not once, not twice, but three times during the holidays is proof enough of that.
When she runs into Hannah Dalton on Christmas Eve, she has no reason to believe her luck will change. After all, though Hannah is probably the most gorgeous woman she’s ever seen, she’s also straight. And married to Caroline’s work rival. While being hired by Hannah throws her for a loop, winning a divorce case and sticking it to her ex-colleague should be enough of a thrill. But as the months slip by, bringing her closer to both Hannah and her adorable daughter Abbie, the lines between attorney and client begin to blur.
And she could have never predicted just how much she wants them to.

The Ride of Her Life
by Jennifer Dugan
Look, "disaster queer" is a real-life trope we all know and probably embody to some extent, but it exists for a reason. And boy, "hot mess" does not even begin to describe what goes down in this book. Every character has more issues than your average grandparent's National Geographic collection ("it'll be worth something someday!"), to the point of you might find yourself wishing for appendices to keep everything straight.
If I'm being honest, I felt more than a little personally attacked by some of the problems plaguing Molly McDaniel. Her biggest issue, as the book memorably puts it, is that Molly "makes someone else her IPA" - that is, she transforms herself in order to fit neatly into the life of whomever she's dating at the time (in the case of the IPA, Shoni, the love interest, bought a home-brewing kit to impress her IPA-loving lady friend).
So I can't really fault the realism there! The sheer depth of the characters drew me in certainly, but I will say at times it left me flailing my arms trying to stay afloat. Like, it's mildly difficult to keep track of everyone's issues? If every wall is an accent wall, you're actually lacking a primary color. Similarly, if every character is presented as a prickly patch of insecurities, it makes it more difficult to savor or even appreciate the juicy, fruity parts. And with so many unresolved issues just hanging off everyone's shoulders, the book's ending feels a bit rushed and left far too many burdens on my poor little brain and heart.
All that being said, it's a very emotional, complex novel that demands you sit with it for a bit. You can rush through it, of course, but I think you'll feel better afterwards if you pace and give it the time it deserves. I don't know that I'd recommend it for those looking for lighthearted romantic fare, but it's a solid work that should manage to hit you in the feels.
Synopsis
Molly McDaniel's life is falling apart. Between her day job as a barista, her night job at a call center, and her crushing student loans, she's barely getting by. And that dream she has of starting a wedding event planning business? The dream that led to all those student loan in the first place? She can feel it slipping farther and farther out of reach every day. So the absolute last thing she needs is to discover she's inherited a run-down, struggling horse barn out of the blue, courtesy of her estranged late aunt.
Molly is so ill-equipped to run the barn, it's laughable. She certainly doesn't have the money, time or knowledge needed to save it, no matter how much faith everyone who loved her aunt has that she will. But the more Molly gets involved, the more she starts to wonder: maybe the barn is a blessing in disguise. If she can sell the land, the profits could be the small-business seed money miracle she's been waiting for. So what if she's starting to love everyone in the mismatched family she's found here?
Well, everyone except Shani, the resident farrier and family friend who took care of Molly's aunt in her last days. Judgmental, grouchy Shani, who refuses to give up on the barn; who walks around like she so much better than Molly; who's actually really good with the horses...and kind of thoughtful. And obnoxiously hot. And unfailingly loyal.
And suddenly, Shani has become an entirely different kind of problem, one Molly can't possibly solve, not without risking her whole future, no matter how much her heart wishes she could.

Boys Don't Dance
by Ivy Whitaker
There are so many expectations bound up in this book.
From a plot standpoint, our author heroine (Lyra, a name I absolutely love) flees sunny California for the rundown mid-Atlantic foothills of Pennsylvania when her sister falls victim to a stroke. Lyra tries to meet the expectations of being a devoted sister as best she can, while also trying to stave off what's expected of a multiple-time best-selling author after a flop (namely: Write more, better).
This, of course, is complicated when she runs into her childhood best friend/love, Alex. Alex has not only felt the weight of the expectations of others, she has flat-out surrendered to them. Her mother expected her to marry a man and live the life of a stay-at-home mom, and only upon reacquainting herself with the force that is Lyra does she start to realize the crushing burdens of those expectations.
This book felt challenging - In a good way, mind you! But by no means an easy or breezy read.
Part of that, I think, lay in the expectations on my part. Expectations affect everything we do, from consuming media to consuming food to how we relate to other people. If we have an expectation, even if we don't realize it ourselves, failing to have that expectation met can leave you feeling off-kilter, or disappointed.
To put it bluntly, I expected a simple sapphic romance. It's more than that! Better in many ways, with lyrical prose and extremely vivid depictions of emotions and connection. And certainly much deeper in terms of the difficult subject matter it deals with.
But in its (successful, in my eyes) aspirations to literary fiction, the novel's insistence on hitting some of the simplistic romance tropes felt forced. I think the book would have worked much better had it simply shed its romance-constrained plot points and just kept exploring and exposing its beating heart, which was otherwise mesmerizing.
Expectations are a double-edged sword. I've no doubt "sapphic romance" has some advantages for marketing purposes, and with that designation comes certain expectations. I just think this book is better than that, and I'm only sorry it seems to try shape itself to a form it has clearly outgrown.
All that said, this book is a lovely, wonderful piece of work. And I truly can't wait to see what the author will do next.
This review is for an advanced reader copy of the book, provided by the publisher.
Synopsis
Lyra Moreno's life has fallen apart. Her latest book was a literary flop, and her on-again-off-again relationship was, again, off. When her sister suffers a stroke, Lyra returns to her small hometown to temporarily run her sister’s dance studio.
Lyra hopes the familiar setting will help heal her wounds and distract her from the pressures of a relentless agent, hungry publicists, and the curious public. It might have worked if she hadn’t run into an old flame—Alexis Marsh, now Alexis Cole.
Alexis’s worst fear was coming true—turning out like her mother. She followed the tried and true formula to happiness a handsome husband with a great job, two kids, a beautiful house, and a homemaker lifestyle. She should be happy. She is happy.
Her carefully curated reality begins to crumble when a ghost from her past breezes Lyra Moreno. Her high school sweetheart and first love—a person she had convinced herself had been little more than a minor character in a passing phase.
So why does she feel the need to prove she’s happy?

Turning Back
by Katia Rose
It took me a long time to read this book. Not because of the quality (it was softly mesmerizing, to no surprise), but because it's the second in what I assume is to be a trilogy. I kept seeing it in my TBR pile and would go to read it, before remembering that, once I finished it, there would only be one more chance to enter this world for the first time. So I put it off.
It was worth the wait.
Katia Rose's remote Vancouver (BC) campground – where these stories take place – even makes me, an avowed inside-only kitty, want to drive out and pitch a tent in the wilderness. Though perhaps there was a touch too much romanticism in the wild's seduction of the main character city girl, it's described with such loving detail that it's impossible not to get swept away.
The characters, as is always the case with Rose, are painstakingly crafted with realistic backstories, baggage, fears and doubts. But even grounded in realism, the sparks between the two main characters (Kennedy and Trish) are more than enough to convince of the romance catching hold, sweeping them away.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and wait with some trepidation for the last entry. It can't come soon enough and yet, I know, I'll have to wait to read it.
Synopsis
Trish Rivers lives a good life.
A happy life.
A safe and predictable life spent running the cafe at her family’s campground, perfecting her award-winning recipes, and terrorizing the local small town bartender with her endless supply of bad jokes.
Trish has never wanted more—or at least, she’s never admitted she wants more, but that was before Kennedy March showed up on Vancouver Island.
That was before Trish realized falling for your sister’s girlfriend’s best friend doesn’t fit into a safe and predictable life, especially when you’ve never fallen for a girl before.
Kennedy’s not sure why life as a real estate star in Toronto doesn’t feel quite as shiny as it used to, but a spontaneous vacation to visit her newly coupled-up best friend seems like the perfect opportunity to ignore the problem.
Three weeks without client calls, benefit galas, and, most of all, dating apps is worth braving the woods for, but her plans for relaxation come crashing to a halt at the sight of Trish—the absolutely off-limits and definitely straight little sister of her best friend’s new girlfriend.
There’s no path to each other that doesn’t end in disaster, but the farther they go, the more Trish and Kennedy realize it might be too late to turn back.
Almost enough to make me want to visit Canada. Almost. (j/k I love British Columbia, and no other provinces.)

Love is for Losers
by Wibke Bruggeman
Whyyy do I feel so seen when I read these books?
Oh, right, queer book website. Duh.
Every thought, action and emotion that flitted through main character's Phoebe's mind made absolute sense to me. The tight, choppy prose (the entire novel is presented as a particularly terse teen's personal diary) immediately told me who this girl was and how she saw life. How confusing interpersonal relationships seemed to be, veering from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other with hardly a breath inbetween. The whiplash as you try to tamp down the hard, bad feelings no matter how much they struggle and whimper, only to have them explode out from your grasp when you least expect it.
Writing characters on the autism spectrum is hard. (I'm going to take a wild leap of faith here and assume Phoebe is on the autism spectrum, despite never being officially confirmed in the novel.) Much in the same way that depictions of mental illness handled incorrectly can seem trite or patronizing to those who actually have those conditions, too often autism comes off as performative, a collection of traits or tics or quirks instead of a character.
Phoebe, on the other hand, feels authentic and true in a way I haven't often encountered in a novel, especially one aimed at younger readers. Both in how she relates to herself and others, I can 100% confirm her actions are, if not exactly how I would act, completely within the realm of possibility. In that portrayal, I can see how some people might be put off by the book (much in the same way I find some neurotypical folks are put off by neurospicy behavior and thinking).
Though I don't think I can classify this novel as happy or peppy, it was nevertheless driven and energetic. It doesn't have a sad ending, per se, but it's not all sunshine and rainbouws (no, that's how they spell it in England, it's fine). But oh my gosh, this book was a wonderful chance to step outside myself and see the world filtered through someone else who thinks just like me. And that's so rare and valuable, I can't help but cherish it.
Synopsis
In this wry and hilarious queer YA romantic comedy, fifteen-year-old Phoebe realizes that falling in love is maybe not just for losers.
Did you know you can marry yourself? How strange / brilliant is that?
Fifteen-year-old Phoebe thinks falling in love is vile and degrading, and vows never to do it. Then, due to circumstances not entirely in her control, she finds herself volunteering at a local thrift shop. There she meets Emma . . . who might unwittingly upend her whole theory on life.
This is a laugh-out-loud exploration of sexuality, family, female friendship, grief, and community. With heart and hilarity, Wibke Brueggemann's sex-positive YA debut is perfect for readers who love Heartstopper and Casey McQuiston.

Changing Gears
by LA Wright
An engaging sapphic romance novel whose villains felt heartrendingly drawn from real life. Aussie protagonist Jen's relationship with her family, her faith and the accompanying judgment
made me uncomfortable for the first half of the book or so; I was mildly concerned it was going to take a swerve into late 90s lesbian fiction (spoiler alert: One or both of them always die, because queer relationships weren't allowed happily ever afters. Thankfully, not a concern here). I eventually realized my discomfort lay in how much it reminded me of the same thoughts and feeling I had when I was younger. So huge props to the author for making that aspect feel so realistic!
But I come not to damn this book with faint praise; the relationship between the two leads was lovely, a simultaneous instant attraction that builds slowly but surely. I sincerely hope the author got to expense a bike trip to France for all the details that were put in; I can't speak to their truth, but it certainly helped me feel like I was along for the ride.
Synopsis
Changing Gears sweeps you off your feet as Jen, a reserved private school teacher from Sydney, discovers love and faces the ultimate test of self-discovery.
When Jen collides with Abi, a magnetic Scottish travel writer, on a serene cycling expedition through France, sparks fly and temperatures rise. But their flirtatious two weeks together challenges everything Jen thought she knew about herself, her beliefs, and her future. Their sizzling chemistry not only makes her question her conservative upbringing but also ignites a fire of self-exploration she thought she had extinguished years before.
As Jen grapples with returning to her old life in Sydney, she finds herself entangled in a heated conflict when a student faces cruel, homophobic bullying. Fuelled by her newfound courage, she takes a stand against injustice, risking her job and confronting her deepest fears to protect her student.
Just when the chaos reaches its peak, Abi reappears, forcing Jen to confront her innermost desires and make a heart-wrenching decision. Will she embrace love and acceptance, defying her family and risking it all for a chance at happiness? With the stakes higher than ever, Jen must summon the courage to be true to herself, no matter the consequences.
Packed with longing, resilience, and the power of love, Changing Gears is a captivating tale that will leave you breathless. Join Jen on this emotional rollercoaster as she navigates the storms of her heart and discovers the true meaning of bravery in the face of adversity. Don't miss this gripping romance where love challenges boundaries and drives one woman's journey to authenticity.
The ending felt a bit "and everyone clapped!", but it was still satisfying.