Champagne Kisses by MJ Duncan

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

The author says this is a trope filled book —14, as per her. But this book is all the tropes done beautifully right. This book is pure romantic escapism in the best possible way — the kind of story that sweeps you up from the very first page and draws you in further with every page.

Aubrey Gill rolls into Whistler for her cousin's New Year's Eve wedding. She's not particularly looking forward to it since she's had a recent break up (but isn't particularly heartbroken) and single. She's not told anyone, so she'd pretty much dreading questions around her single status. 

Enter Beau Demers, Aubrey literally runs into Beau and there's a classic coffee drop moment. (Not a trope, but could probably be counted as one... since it's such a favourite amongst romance writers. Maybe coffee-shop and coffee-spill should be counted as tropes).

Beau Demers is charming; a burst of sunshine with irresistible warmth and sincerity. 

There's instant connection and somehow, Beau becomes Aubrey's fake date for the wedding. 

Through the pre-wedding shenanigans, Beau proceeds to capture everyone's hearts. 

I particularly loved Sam's dialogue about Beau... the one where she says, "It's a good ting you don't have Beau's game..."

The chemistry between Aubrey is crackling and ever present. Loved that. 

There is no angst but excellent pace. 

Aubrey Gill and Beau Demers are superb individually and irresistible together. 

This is a total romantic's romance. *chef's kiss*

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Don't Let Me Go by Rachael Sommers

⭐⭐⭐

Don’t Let Me Go is an age-gap romance that that blends themes of family and (possible?) healing. 

We have Kenzie in her late twenties. Her roommate and best friend Alice convinces her to go to Alice's family home in Portugal for a month-long Christmas vacation—with Alice's family. 

The family consists of Alice's mom (Mariana) and dad (blink-and-miss cameo), aunt Clara and her husband (another insignificant cameo), and Alice's ex Jonathan with his girlfriend. In addition, also expected is Alice's long (over 20 years) estranged aunt, Carolina Costa, CEO of a successful tech company. 

There are some simmering tensions between the three sisters — Mariana (the oldest), Clara and Carolina plus uneasy and unsettled emotions between Alice and Jonathan. The stage is well set with a tinderbox of disparate characters... and Kenzie.

Sommers' writes characters well and they feel quite real with all their flaws and shortcomings. In fact, all characters express emotions dramatically (stomping out, disappearing, running away from rooms etc.). But that's cool—most people at least want to do these things (if they don't already do them).

Carolina carries a chip (or is it a tree?) on her shoulder about her past and has deeply unresolved feelings, which is nicely used to show her characterization. She is quietly self-pitying and angsty. 

Kenzie is fine. I mean, there's nothing particularly defining about her. A nice, normal, late-twenties doctoral student—with a thing for successful older women. 

The book is pretty engaging. There are some nice moments between the leads. The romance is pretty okay. Most of the book's tension comes from the interactions between Carolina and Mariana, and from Carolina's very extreme (read: almost teenage hormonal) reactions to things. 

The chemistry simmers well enough. The romance follows well-worn beats, and while there are sweet moments, the overall arc felt predictable. (It's only while trying to write it all out that I'm realising how tepid it all was. Little wonder it took me four very long days to finish this one). 

After the long-drawn possibility of romance, the ending felt a little hurried and a lot pat.

The detailed description of Sintra, Portugal is the highlight of this book.

Overall, Don’t Let Me Go is an okay read, written with sincerity but doesn’t quite leave a lasting impression. 

⭐⭐⭐

Learning Curves by Rachel Lacey

 

⭐⭐⭐★

Learning Curves is an age-gap romance that is involving enough to complete. I mention this, because, sadly, more and more books by established authors are not particularly satisfying.

Audrey Lind, 30 is a fresh recruit to teach in her alma mater, Northshire University. She’s excited positive and eager to make an impression so that her temporary position is converted to a permanent one. It’s also the place where she had experience her first female crush on…

Dr. Michelle Thompson, mid-forties and Audrey’s first female crush. She’s no longer the passionate teacher who had made Audrey want to pursue a career in academics. Generally disliked by both colleagues and student, she seems to be just living in countdown mode.

Audrey’s excited to have a new dynamic with Dr. Michelle Thompson, but the latter is, if not an ice-queen, at least a frigid water queen. The unrelenting rudeness could’ve made Michelle an easily dislikeable person — the type that usually makes me wonder why the other MC is making all that effort. However, Lacey develops Michelle with enough care, that she’d not really all that bad. Both the MCs are well-enough characterized, but Michelle is drawn with much more sympathy.

The growth or their relationship and chemistry is very nicely handled.

That said, there are some utterly banal scenes and conversations between the leads, with side characters and even some random cameos that do nothing for plot development, character development or to even add texture to their world. They just exist — most likely to make word count.

What stands out most is the open and constant communication between the leads. There’s a refreshing lack of angst or unnecessary conflict; instead, the focus is on two women finding the courage to pursue what they want and deserve, both in love and in life — together.

The most interesting part of the book was learning about Women in Art. So many overwhelming stories. Michelle has the right idea about writing books about them — each of those artists deserve more, much more, recognition.

A gripe about the cover, though: it doesn’t capture either of the characters. At all. And also kind of sets it to be a romcom — which it isn't.

It’s a story of new beginnings, the joy of embracing who you are and courage to rock the boat enough to make scary changes. It’s not a book that tries to reinvent the wheel, but it delivers a nice easy-read romance.

⭐⭐⭐★

Too Good to be True by Leigh Hays

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

This is an age-gap romance, but that description doesn’t do justice to the depth of characterisation and the wonderfully built relationship contained within. 

Madison Hewitt (28) is a social worker. Jen Winslow (42) is a rain-maker in her profession of fundraising. The two run into one another at a wedding and there are sparks between them – more like a flame. Though neither of them is a one-night-stand kind of person, they do end up in bed together. Jen leaves the next morning before Madison wakes, but leaves a note with her number, which Madison throws away. Madison has been pretty much devasted – personally and professionally – by the last woman she was involved with and circumstantially, it looks like Jen is in almost exactly the same situation as Madison’s ex.

But Madison and Jen meet again is a loosely formal work situation. Madison is the social worker in the school that Jen’s son attends. When Madison puts forward a food security proposal, the principal asks Jen to help with the fundraising. It is an awkward situation especially since the draw between them only keeps growing stronger. 

Madison and Jen are wonderfully drawn and given depths, dimensions, backstories and maturity. The chemistry between them is electric (good sexy times too) and the way their relationship is developed simply rocks. In fact, it is so well done that we actually slowed down our reading to savour their feelings and experience our emotions in response to their relationship. 

Both women are struggling with the impact that their pasts have had on them and truly working to deal with that so that they can somehow be together and see where their relationship goes. There is some angst which develops organically in the natural course of their interaction and completely based on all the baggage that they are carrying individually. 

Admittedly the first half flows smoother and faster, but that is because it is the relationship-building stage. That bit always seems to be easier to write and make more immersive. The second half is also strong and we loved the way Madison and Jen deal with their own shortfalls. This ranks with Breathless by Sarah Sanders, Temptation by Kris Bryant, The X Ingredient by Roslyn Sinclair, Kiss the Girl by Melissa Brayden, Jump Then Fall by Sarah Sanders, Off Balance by L.E. Royal and Finding Jessica Lambert by Clare Ashton (amongst others) in our list of excellent age gap romances.

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

The Other Women by Erin Zak

 

⭐⭐⭐☆

This one is more a drama than just a romance.

Dramatis personae

Cecily Yates

• Married to a perfectly amiable man, Luke Yates
• Loves him, not in love with him
• Had a hot and heavy relationship with work colleague, Willow Carmichael, for four years having made it clear to Willow that she had no intention of breaking her marriage
• Now separated (after Willow left Chicago for Las Vegas four months back)
• Looking to pick up her relationship with Willow again during her work trip to Vegas

Willow Carmichael

• Something of a player
• Seduced and stayed with a married Cecily knowing that the latter wouldn’t leave her husband
• Claims to love Cecily
• Cruel in dumping Francesca with whom she’d had a relationship for three of her four months in Vegas

Francesca Lopez

• Bartender
• Sweet
• Heartbroken
• Unexpectedly swept away by Cecily (and also sweeping Cecily off her feet) 

Luke Yates

• Amiable
• Considerate

Cecily is the centre of the story. Given that all her actions seem wrong (cheating, having a long illicit affair, closeted with no intention of coming out, getting into an affair with Francesca rather quickly), she is surprisingly very, very likeable. Maybe because she really sees herself and doesn’t make excuses for her behaviour – amongst many other likeable factors. She is a very, very pale shade of grey.

Willow, while not exactly a main player on page, is quite the pivot of the story. She starts off a deep black and ends up a very-close-to-black grey. Barely. 

Francesca is charming, sweet and wholly white. 

Luke also, mostly white. Well, maybe an even paler shade of grey than Cecily. 

We loved the chemistry between Cecily and Francesca and were totally rooting for them. But we just did not get the conflict, particularly Cecily’s actions, words and reactions. This, despite really, really liking Cecily. 

On the whole, we quite enjoyed this book because we were invested in Cecily and in the romance between Cecily and Francesca right up to the end.

⭐⭐⭐☆

The Matchmaker’s Choice by Alexa Woods

 

⭐⭐⭐

This is a straight-forward romance. 

Adley James is a highly strung, slightly flailing, goodhearted and sweet matchmaker. She works with an online matchmaking agency that offers personal support to their clients, which means that a human being, like Adley actually scrutinize and even engage with potential matches before suggesting personal meetings. Adley has had a sting of fails with her last six clients and is terrified that she might lose her job if she doesn’t succeed with her latest client, Stephanie De’Silvo.

Stephanie, a science teacher in high school, is not particularly keen on dating and unsure whether she really wants a match. She comes from money and finds that it colours the interactions during dating, hence, not keen. Deep in a closet, in a tightly shut drawer is the small kernel of truth that Steph actually likes women, ergo, unsure about being matched with a man. 

Adley is instantly attracted to Steph and is in the unenviable position of trying to get a match for her while kinda hoping that the matches don’t work out but that would mean losing her job. 

Adley and Steph are pleasant characters. The scene-stealer is Adley’s niece, Tilda. The attraction is decent. There is some sort of angst that we’ve completely forgotten. Part of the book reads really well but then when the conflict starts getting introduced, it is a little meh. 

On the whole, this is a non-intense, mostly predictable romance.

⭐⭐⭐

Goode Deal by JJ Arias

 

⭐⭐⭐

This is an age-gap, office romance with a little bit of rich-girl-poor-girl mixed in. 

Carmela Bravo is a successful real estate agent who loves her job. She has a great relationship with her boss, is driven and is aiming to break into new territory. Rhiannon Rodriquez is an ambitious young lady who took a few years of college before deciding it wasn’t for her. Now she’s become a real estate agent who works in a dubious set-up and is not above using dubious means to move forward. 

In their first meeting, Rhiannon uses her charms on Carmela to gather information about the house that Carmela is holding and open house for and subsequently torpedoes the entire deal for Carmela. Somehow, Rhiannon manages to get a job in the same company as Carmela. Almost the first thing Rhiannon does is to steal an opportunity that Carmela has been working hard for. 

Given this beginning, the interaction to develop into a romance is a little farfetched, but that is what happens. There is background about both the women that gives some context to their personalities. 

On the plus side, Carmela is really likeable from the start and Rhiannon also kinda grows on you as the story progresses. The interaction between the two is fairly nice and the attraction between them is also well done. 

On the whole this is…well, nice.

⭐⭐⭐

Her Forever: Lix 3 by Emily Hayes

 

⭐⭐★

Review-lite

…because…*shrug* 🤷

• Lauren, the bouncy, super-enthusiastic and unbelievable thirty-something reaches the peak of her journey to becoming a submissive in this one with a ‘collaring ceremony’
• We’re not super-convinced about the whole dome-sub dynamic being ‘equal’ despite the best efforts by the author to convince the reader about this
• Find the relationship particularly imbalanced because more than once Quinn says that as the domme she got to ‘help’ (or actually write) what Lauren will say in the collaring ceremony, which is positioned as equivalent to a marriage in the kinky world
• Better dialogue than in the previous two parts but still quite unnatural
• Unbelievable conversations between Lauren and her friends
• The relationship between Lauren and Quinn also seems strangely wooden and stilted
• Heads-up: much less sex in this one than expected from Hayes (but then, Lix 2 has a surfeit of sex)

⭐⭐★

Presidential by Lola Keeley

⭐⭐★

This is a rather unabashed retelling (fanfic?) of an old movie. The only difference is that the movie had a heterosexual couple and in this one the president is bisexual.

Emily Lawrence is an environmental lobbyist. In an unscheduled TV appearance, she calls out the incumbent president, Constance (Connie) Calvin on her lack of action on environmental issues. Connie, the first woman president, mother of a 12-year-old, is trying hard to juggle the world and keep it steady. 

We really wish we were inspired or even involved enough by the story to write more of a synopsis for this one, but really there's not much there.

Both the MCs are likeable. There are sweet incidents. But really, there seemed to be better chemistry (of the non-sexual variety) between Emily and Connie's son, Zachary. The one thing really going for the book is that it is well written. And that we really liked Emily.

As a book about the first female president, 46 by Lynn Ames was way better. 

⭐⭐★

Starting Over by Carol Wyatt

⭐☆

This one is an age gap, rich girl poor girl, celebrity (more like semi-brity) romance.

The main players of the story:

Alexandria Ryder: a relationship expert, a published author and a closeted lesbian.

Blake: Alex's beard, a soccer player who is also in the closet. 

Payton: a waitress who is also a covert paparazzo 

Payton sees Alex in the bar of the restaurant she works in and is immediately attracted. Alex has a meal with Blake and when they leave, Payton follows them, discovers that Blake seems to be involved with another man. The next day, on one of her covertly clicking celebrities outing at a hiking trail, Payton sees Alex readying for a run, follows her, sprains her ankle and has Alex looking after her. There is attraction and their relationship starts.

Blake wants to come out and even as she encourages him, Alex is in a bad place worrying about the impact on her career. At the same time, her relationship with Payton grows.

Despite all the drama in the events of this book, this is exhaustingly mediocre filled with people without any personality, stilted dialogue, behaviours that don't flow with the characterisations or narrative and most tragically, an utter lack of chemistry. 

Really, for someone so worried about her career, we cannot imagine why Alex would spill her life story and confide her sexuality to a woman (Payton), a complete stranger who she literally picked up on a hiking trail, in their very first interaction.

This is a book that makes us want to demand our time spent on it back.

⭐☆

Lix 2: New York Underground by Emily Hayes

⭐⭐⭐

This is the second instalment of the story of How Lauren Became a Submissive. Considering that this and the previous book are mostly erotica, it is not exactly necessary to have read the first book to read this one.

Lauren, the gorgeous femme, and her girlfriend, Quinn, the butch stud owner of an erotic club for ladies in LA, Lix; decide to go on a holiday to New York. So they have sex. They research erotic clubs in NY. Have sex. Go to NY. Have sex. Go to a club, get a joint lap dance, have sex. Go to a party for ladies. Have exhibitionist sex. Go shopping for fetish clothes. Have sex. Go to an erotic club. Have a threesome. 

And just when it seemed like there would be nothing more to this book than sex, post the threesome, Lauren has conflicting emotions including sadness and the two have something of a fight. Then they go to a workshop for Kinky Lesbian Relationships and get educated on a concept called sub drop. 

Then, of course, they have some more sex before going back to LA.

Lauren is altogether too bouncy and excited about sex, Quinn, kink and being a sub. We understand that Hayes probably wrote Lauren's over excitement about being a sub to ensure that no one has any doubts about her willingness (eagerness, more like it) to be in this role. To drive home the point that Lauren is doing it because she wants to do it. But really, it smacked too false. Also, isn't Lauren in her thirties or something? (We know Quinn is almost fifty.) So all that bouncing and squealing?

Most dialogues are stilted. Some of the sex is hot. On the sex level, there is vanilla sex, dildo, exhibitionism, voyeurism, mild spanking and a threesome.

Quinn remains not particularly likeable despite Hayes' best efforts.

The most real and engaging moments in the book are when Lauren struggles to reconcile the fact that she is a strong, independent woman with the fact she is Quinn's willing sub. When Lauren worries about how this dynamic during sex will impact her personality. Lauren after the threesome and her feelings about Quinn at that point were what made this book a notch above just plain erotica and earned its stars.

In the hyper-local niche of lesbian erotica, this is one of the better ones.

⭐⭐⭐

Heart of Ice by T. B. Markinson and Miranda Macleod

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Laurie Emerson is codenamed Laurie the Hatchet in the world of finance for her notorious ruthlessness. Laurie and her wife Bonnie were co-founders of one of the topmost financial advisory firms and their shared office was called the Shark Tank. When Bonnie's tumour was diagnosed with inoperable, she booked Laurie for a year in a high-end resort and handed the reins of the company to her son, Toby.

Laurie returns a little under a year during which the company has been nosediving under mismanagement. But Laurie has a lead that could completely turn the company around and make it a top player again. The lead is inside information that Silvio Othonos, an elusive Greek billionaire, is looking for a firm to manage his investments. Laurie's vigour is roadblocked by Toby who has jetted off across the Atlantic trying to jump the gun and meet with Othonos without a plan in place.

Undeterred, Laurie decides to make a team out of the available resources and create a solid proposal for the billionaire.

Jacqueline (Jack) Kennedy is a hardworking portfolio manager with Emersons. As a woman in a man's world she is overlooked and on the receiving end of entitled masculine behaviour. Not being an Ivy Leaguer also puts her on something of a back foot. Having joined after Laurie had left for her sabbatical, Jack knows Laurie only by reputation. So, when she is the only portfolio manager on the floor and becomes part of Laurie's team, she's quite pleased and is looking forward to the meeting the next day.

A snowed in evening, an Irish pub, a hot woman and amazing sex -- only to realise that the hot woman of the previous evening was Laurie / Jack i.e. boss / subordinate. Both decide to forget their evening together and keep it professional. Except that the chemistry keeps boiling over throwing emotions all over the map.

Laurie and Jack are superbly crafted characters. Laurie does keep slipping into being a version of Miranda Priestly but is also not Miranda Priestly often enough. Come to think of it, such fluctuations would actually leave a person with whiplash. But Jack works with her mercurial boss with fortitude. Realistically, Jack does have misgivings about working with Laurie and her impossible behaviour. 

Though older than Jack by 20 years, Laurie is clearly the immature one between the two. Jack is never without spine. Yes, Laurie is demanding and impossible but Jack never comes across as a doormat or pushover.

Jack's kooky mother and her story is a smile inducing twist.

The chemistry between Jack and Laurie is fantastic. And the grand-gesture love confession is perfect for die-hard romantics. 

The book captures you from the very start and keeps you totally engrossed for its entirety. Markinson and Macleod are a winning combination. Their collaboration brings to us the most romantic and adorable book.

Definitely recommended.

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Wrong Number, Right Woman by Jae

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This one is the ultimate fantasy and wish-fulfilment of all shy, socially awkward, overweight lesbians (including us).

Shy, sweet and awkward Denny works in a grocery store and has her sister, Salem, and tween niece, Bella, living with her. Thirteen years her junior, their parents kicked Salem out when she got pregnant at seventeen and Denny became Salem’s safe port and also something of a defacto parent to Bella.

One evening, fashion-challenged Denny receives a message from an unknown woman asking first-date outfit advise. Turns out that the unknown woman had a wrong number but the texts continue. Enough to become a highlight for both, Denny and Eliza.

Their connection deepens and their relationship slowly moves from texts to calls to actual in-person meetings.

We absolutely love toaster-oven romances. We are suckers for the ‘gay for you’ trope. We adore assertive femmes. We like slow burn. We are all for sizzling chemistry. And this one checks all these boxes.

We love the way Eliza takes the time and interest to understand Denny even when they’re just texting. That, right there is one fantasy. We love that Eliza takes the time to understand herself and then gathers her courage to make herself vulnerable to Denny. Fantasy two. We love that Eliza is sure enough about her feeling to be open about her relationship with Denny to her family. Fantasy three.

There is some mess with the timeline in the narrative in the sense the period of time Eliza and Dennt have been texting; how long since they've known each other; how long since they spoke or met -- it's all a little wonky but not detrimental.

Our only real issue with this book is the butch-femme binary. We are so not fans off that. It’s not like we want two femmes. But we do like chapstick lesbians, people on the spectrum, more female-presenting women much more than the suit-and-tie wearing, male-presenting butches. Somehow the butch rather puts us off. But we seem to be in some sort of a minority about this.

Despite our reservations, this is a wonderful romance with a fabulous leading lady in Eliza.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Off Balance by L. E. Royal

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆★

L. E. Royal is a must-read author for us. Well-realised characters, rocking chemistry, convincing relationships -- her books have it all.

Maya Scott is the newest employee with the Mars Fund. At twenty-two, Maya hasn't had an easy life. And there is one person, Robert Holt, determined to kick her down and keep her there. Holt also happens to be the grandfather of Maya's three year old daughter, Livvie. In a dick move, Holt managed to wrangle Liv's custody from the scared and confused teenager that Maya was when Liv was born. Ever since then, Maya is struggling to prove herself stable and capable and get her daughter back. 

Maya has an unfortunate and embarrassing first encounter with her boss, Elena Mars. Elena suffers from cerebral palsy but doesn't let that slow her down in any way. She is driven and tough, and works herself and her team hard. 

Liv proves to be an unexpected bridge between Maya and Elena and neither the fourteen years between them nor the vast gap between their financial statuses matters.

Maya and Elena are brilliantly written. Individually, they have all the complexes and complexities that make then entirely real and together their relationship has depths and dimensions that makes it just simply awesome.

Elena's difficulties and struggles are inescapable, incomparable and cannot be overstated. But Maya's difficulties and struggles, though of a different kind, are also as real and as valid. The beautiful part is how each one is there for the other in the way they are needed. How they both make an effort to learn about the place the other is in and what they can do to support -- Maya reading about cerebral palsy and Elena reading about toddler development goals are the obvious examples.

We absolutely love the part where Maya tells Elena that she doesn't entirely understand Elena's condition, but wants to and asks her to talk to her. In the flow of the story, this was incredibly beautiful. In fact, all the ways that Maya shows her love for Elena is heart-squeezingly gorgeous. The less obvious part of loving is that Elena let's Maya love her like the way she does. Uncontrollable physical difficulties have a huge mental and emotional toll. The defensiveness and need-to-prove one's self-sufficiency can be insurmountable hurdles. It requires Maya kind of expansive and unwavering love to overcome this hurdle. And it requires a leap of faith from Elena to allow it. We also loved the parts where Maya and Elena have disagreements and fights that play out in line the complexes they have as individuals. That is very insightful writing.

Liv and Maya's non-binary best friend and their girlfriend are delightful supporting characters. 

This one is definitely romantic erotica -- lots of fabulous sexy times driven by feelings and the relationship between the leading ladies. 

Royal gives us a book that has all the feels, amazing chemistry, multi-dimensional characters, hot sex, an adorable child and, Maya.

This book is most recommended.

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆★

A Shot at Gold by Nicole Pyland

⭐⭐⭐☆

Madison Fletcher is a quiet, hardworking, determined young lady with a single goal in life -- to win an Olympic gold for archery. Already a national champion, she believes that the right coach can make her Olympic-ready and to Madison that coach is Elodie Booker. When she was competing, Elodie had transcended the gender divide and was known as the best archer in the world. After winning a clutch of medals, culminating in an Olympic gold, Elodie disappeared from the scene post the death of her coach.

Madison gets to know that Elodie is going to be coaching at an archery academy and joins just for her. However, at the last minute Elodie reneges on her coaching commitment. Madison tracks Elodie down and convinces Elodie to become her personal coach.

The relationship between the student and coach is rocky and labours under the baggage Elodie is carrying. It is not exactly helped when the attraction between them becomes impossible to ignore.

Madison is such a wonderful person. Initially, she does seem a little cocky about her skills but as you get to know her you realise she's just confident. She is matter of fact, honest, open, forgiving and one of the most straightforward people ever. She expresses her emotions truthfully and without ambiguity. Whether her ambition, her past, her anger, hurt, attraction or love -- she doesn't prevaricate about expressing. While her goal of the Olympic gold is supposed to be all-consuming, Madison is, in fact, ruled much more by her heart than anything else. She is a great human. We'd love to have such people in our life. 

Elodie, right in the beginning, proves herself to be undependable. She does redeem herself somewhat later, but her biggest positive quality is that Madison likes her and is willing to repeatedly give her chances. 

This is book is an engaging read that we do recommend.

 

⭐⭐⭐☆

Just One Reason by Jaime Clevenger

⭐⭐⭐★

Sizzling hot chemistry and very, very explicit scenes make this more erotica than romance – though there is romance too.

Dr. Terri Anderson is an amazing doctor but has had a couple of setbacks in her relationships. Two divorces to be exact. The second marriage was to a resident in the hospital which ended up in a triangular drama of rather epic proportions. After that fiasco, Terri has sworn off ever getting involved with a resident.

Elizabeth Samuels (Sam) is a resident in Terri’s hospital. At thirty-one, she is older than a typical resident, but has her reasons for getting in late. Sam has had a crush on Terri from the start and when a colleague tries to set them up, Sam is all for it, except that she runs into Terri’s hard line about steering clear of residents despite scorching chemistry between them.

Terri is quite interesting as a character. Sam – we never really got Sam or even really got to know her. The attraction and chemistry between the two is crazy and once the sex starts, it eclipses everything else. The sex is in the BDSM world, but it is not intense. So it is palatable BDSM.

The forty-one million mentioned is the blurb is the defining touchstone for Sam’s characterisation, motivations and background. Maybe a little more development of their respective backgrounds and personality development would’ve helped in knowing the ladies better.

The writing is solid, but somehow we didn’t feel too invested in the relationship despite actively liking Terri. Nevertheless, we’d definitely recommend this as NSFW romantic erotica.

This is the third part of a series which has recurring characters, but each book can definitely be read standalone.  

⭐⭐⭐★

The Business of Love by Emma Collins

⭐⭐⭐★

Quinn Lawson went into her family business of real estate agency. Her beloved father had a dream of moving into real estate development. Quinn is determined to make her father’s dream come true and has been buying all the properties in a quiet Brooklyn street. There is just one house owned by an elderly lady in her nineties, with no family, left. But Quinn’s plan go a little awry when the lady actually wills her house to Lauren Burke.

Lauren is a chef with a future ambition of opening her own restaurant. Having had a poor coming-out experience with her family, Lauren is on her own, working hard. She is fair, kind and giving which is what made her one-time neighbour will her property to Lauren.

When Quinn arrives on Lauren’s new doorstep with a six-figure offer for the house, Lauren is taken aback, but not interested. Quinn is in a hurry to get the property because she wants her ailing father to know that his dream is on its way to materialise before he passes.

Quinn and Lauren have a stand-off over the house, neither willing to let go for their own reasons. A mutual attraction complicates matters further for them.

Quinn and Lauren are both okay women. Lauren gets the edge on being nicer because she is a little more open and Quinn employs at least one underhand move for the house. Both the woman are well developed characters and it’s easy to see where each one is coming from. The chemistry between the two is good. The pacing of the narrative is even and easy.

Within its niche of being a pocket packet, this age-gap romance is definitely a good choice.  

⭐⭐⭐★

Playing For Her Heart (The Ashforth Series Book 1) by Melissa Tereze

Dominique (Dom) Simmons works in a coffee house and plays football. At one of her practise sessions, the team notices a tall, beautiful, posh lady hanging around. Unwittingly Dom bumps into the posh lady’s expensive car and is at the receiving end of some (deserved) attitude. The lady, Blair Harrington, gives Dom her number with the expectation that Dom will speak to her insurance company and get back to her. Dom drags her feet on this till Blair reappears.

Dom begins to know Blair more and discovers that under the posh, put together exterior is an intense lived life and a woman struggling with her own complexes.

Big trigger warning: domestic violence plays an important part in the book and is a big part of both the characters’ backgrounds, albeit in different forms.

Right in the beginning it is established that Dom is a hook-up specialist and has a long-term friends-with-benefits thing going on with her roommate Charley. But at the same time, she is described as honest (particularly about her disinterest in relationships), considerate and kind.  

Blair is much more complex. She’s recently divorced from a verbally, emotionally and physically abusive man after twenty years of being married to him. She’s had therapy to deal with many, many things in her life. She obviously has a lot of self-worth and self-esteem issues. She has a son in university who is gay. All these things make Blair a real person with depth and dimensions.

The writing is good, yet we struggled through half the book because Dom was just so meh (despite all the virtues attributed to her). She was seemingly all sweet and considerate but in her actions, she kept rejecting Blair in many ways, practically ghosting her and constantly giving Blair the message that she was unimportant. And then, with her words, Dom said otherwise to Blair. Despite all good intentions, we didn’t find her behaviour with Blair okay.

Then there was Charley. Another person who was always there for Dom, was obviously interested and whom Dom kept rejecting. Again attributed to Dom’s cluelessness rather than uncaringness.

We confess that at the point where Dom is completely breaking Charley’s hear we had to abandon this book. We have a huge thing about love being returned. About love being treasured. About love being treated with gentleness. We think it takes immense self-absorption and absence of niceness or caringness for a person to be so clueless and callously break hearts (Charley’s) and confidence (Blair’s). It takes a huge amount of being emotionally absent with everyone to not see them at all.

We found Dom totally not nice. However, we’d like to be fair – the book is doubtlessly well written and draws you in. You actually feel Blair and feel for her every step of the way. While we have certain idealistic expectations, admittedly, Dom will not be a write-off for others. Even up to the part we read (which may be a little over 50%) there are certain sweet scenes.

However, this one wasn’t for us. At. All.