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kangokaren's review
4.0
Very enjoyable love-at-first-sight story with all the complications of life trying to interfere.
breehime's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
kimily's review
4.0
This book was provided to me for free by the author in exchange for an honest review.
So, I read a lesbian romance. It’s not the kind of book I usually review, because normally I only read romance when my brain is feeling tired and I need to let it rest in some fluff. I was, however, pleasantly surprised with Cara Malone’s first full length book. Her characters are multi-faceted and relatable. The story itself is absorbing, well-written, and conscientious. It’s a comfortable mix of steam, heart, and conflict. The resolution is a little safe for my taste (I like a rowdy ending), but not so much that I felt the need to throw my eReader across the room. I will definitely look for more of Ms. Malone’s books.
So, I read a lesbian romance. It’s not the kind of book I usually review, because normally I only read romance when my brain is feeling tired and I need to let it rest in some fluff. I was, however, pleasantly surprised with Cara Malone’s first full length book. Her characters are multi-faceted and relatable. The story itself is absorbing, well-written, and conscientious. It’s a comfortable mix of steam, heart, and conflict. The resolution is a little safe for my taste (I like a rowdy ending), but not so much that I felt the need to throw my eReader across the room. I will definitely look for more of Ms. Malone’s books.
saveyourtears's review
I cannot deal with the 'but I'm straight' angst in this book. There is no build up of their connection and it's really physical. I like 'do I have feelings for a woman' tension more. It's not bad at all I'm just not in the mood for it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
telemachus's review
lighthearted
- Loveable characters? No
1.0
Since I'm now reading another book by this author, I figure it's time to finally write this review.
I'll start with what I liked since, as I mentioned, I'm giving Malone another shot. On a technical level, she's a good writer. Her style keeps me engaged, her plots are tightly paced, and her steamy scenes are, well, steamy. And as the type of romance reader who generally skips sex scenes, that's saying something.
Admittedly, there were parts of this book that were just never going to work for me. I'm not big on office romances, and the soul-sucking cubicle farm setting was a major turn off. But that's on me; if you've liked those tropes in the past, you might like this one. I did find the characters to be flat, but that's entirely subjective. If these had been my only issues with this book, it would've been 2 stars: I didn't enjoy it but you might. However, there were other elements that just rubbed me the wrong way. Spoilers for this section.
I'll start with the most minor: a subplot between two of Leah and Morgan's coworkers. These coworkers were in a secret, kinky relationship; when the office finds out, one of the coworkers quits in shame and the other eventually resigns in anger. I just didn't like how this subplot existed solely to make Leah and Morgan think about their own relationship and how it was never resolved. I'm 99% sure we never hear from them again after they've lost their jobs due to their relationship. I don't know if this was meant to be a set up for a sequel that never happened because Malone only writes lesfic, but it was dissatisfying.
I suppose this 2nd point is subjective, but I hate how Leah's sexuality is handled. She insists that she's straight at the beginning of this book, but her friend/roommate insists that she's not. Saying that you know someone's sexuality better than they do to their face is never okay in my book. But even ignoring that, Leah's "straightness" never convincingly feels like a portrayal of either comphet and/or coming to terms with your sexuality. And frankly, it just feels lazy; if you're at all familiar with romance beats, than you know that both characters are supposed to have a reason in the beginning for not wanting a relationship with their love interest, and Leah's "straightness" is so glaringly that that it might as well be written in neon lights.
But the most egregious, and the issue I genuinely got upset about, was how this book portrayed bipolar disorder. Morgan's ex left her in a maniac episode some time before the start of this story and it left her jaded on love. Alright... Up until the point that her ex returns, lying about being pregnant with their child, and serving as roadblock/villain to Leah and Morgan's budding relationship. The moment it's revealed that she's actually pregnant with some guy's child, she's completely forgotten. The story is never sympathetic to her or her struggles and she's portrayed as every negative stereotype about people with bipolar.
Basically, every conflict in this book is Yikes.
I'll start with what I liked since, as I mentioned, I'm giving Malone another shot. On a technical level, she's a good writer. Her style keeps me engaged, her plots are tightly paced, and her steamy scenes are, well, steamy. And as the type of romance reader who generally skips sex scenes, that's saying something.
Admittedly, there were parts of this book that were just never going to work for me. I'm not big on office romances, and the soul-sucking cubicle farm setting was a major turn off. But that's on me; if you've liked those tropes in the past, you might like this one. I did find the characters to be flat, but that's entirely subjective. If these had been my only issues with this book, it would've been 2 stars: I didn't enjoy it but you might. However, there were other elements that just rubbed me the wrong way. Spoilers for this section.
I'll start with the most minor: a subplot between two of Leah and Morgan's coworkers. These coworkers were in a secret, kinky relationship; when the office finds out, one of the coworkers quits in shame and the other eventually resigns in anger. I just didn't like how this subplot existed solely to make Leah and Morgan think about their own relationship and how it was never resolved. I'm 99% sure we never hear from them again after they've lost their jobs due to their relationship. I don't know if this was meant to be a set up for a sequel that never happened because Malone only writes lesfic, but it was dissatisfying.
I suppose this 2nd point is subjective, but I hate how Leah's sexuality is handled. She insists that she's straight at the beginning of this book, but her friend/roommate insists that she's not. Saying that you know someone's sexuality better than they do to their face is never okay in my book. But even ignoring that, Leah's "straightness" never convincingly feels like a portrayal of either comphet and/or coming to terms with your sexuality. And frankly, it just feels lazy; if you're at all familiar with romance beats, than you know that both characters are supposed to have a reason in the beginning for not wanting a relationship with their love interest, and Leah's "straightness" is so glaringly that that it might as well be written in neon lights.
But the most egregious, and the issue I genuinely got upset about, was how this book portrayed bipolar disorder. Morgan's ex left her in a maniac episode some time before the start of this story and it left her jaded on love. Alright... Up until the point that her ex returns, lying about being pregnant with their child, and serving as roadblock/villain to Leah and Morgan's budding relationship. The moment it's revealed that she's actually pregnant with some guy's child, she's completely forgotten. The story is never sympathetic to her or her struggles and she's portrayed as every negative stereotype about people with bipolar.
Basically, every conflict in this book is Yikes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
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