Category Archives: Lesbian

January 20, 2022 · 12:01 am

Review: Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

Title: Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Contemporary, Lesbian, Nonbinary, Romance
Length: 285 pages
Book Rating: C

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

The first openly nonbinary contestant on America’s favorite cooking show falls for their clumsy competitor in this delicious romantic comedy debut that USA Today hailed as “an essential read.”

Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show Chef’s Special. Too bad the first memorable move she makes is falling flat on her face, sending fish tacos flying—not quite the fresh start she was hoping for. Still, she’s focused on winning, until she meets someone she might want a future with more than she needs the prize money.

After announcing their pronouns on national television, London Parker has enough on their mind without worrying about the klutzy competitor stationed in front of them. They’re there to prove the trolls—including a fellow contestant and their dad—wrong, and falling in love was never part of the plan.

As London and Dahlia get closer, reality starts to fall away. Goodbye, guilt about divorce, anxiety about uncertain futures, and stress from transphobia. Hello, hilarious shenanigans on set, wedding crashing, and spontaneous dips into the Pacific. But as the finale draws near, Dahlia and London’s steamy relationship starts to feel the heat both in and outside the kitchen—and they must figure out if they have the right ingredients for a happily ever after.

Review:

Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly is an intriguing romance that takes place during filming of a cooking show.

Dahlia Woodson is divorced, heavily in debt and sort of lost. She really has no idea what she wants to do career-wise. She does not know where she would like to live. While her marriage was in steadily going downhill, Dahlia discovered cooking shows and she is now a contestant on cooking show, Chef’s Special. She is bubbly, outgoing and a bit of a klutz which are endearing (but sometimes irritating) traits. However, her emotions swing wildly between high and low as she tries to figure out who she is and what she wants out of life.

London Parker is nonbinary and a bit on the serious and grumpy side. They are close to their twin sister Julie whose drunken dare is the reason they tried out for Chef’s Special. While the rest of the family is accepting of London, their father continually uses the wrong gender. London is open about being nonbinary but they run into prejudice from one of the competitors.

Love & Other Disasters has a cute premise but it is a little angsty. Dahlia and London are reflective so there are long passages of inner monologue from both characters. While they bring out one another’s best qualities, there is a lack of communication between them. The romance is sweet and steamy but neither Dahlia or London discusses what happens to them after filming of Chef’s Special concludes. The storyline is interesting but the pacing is slow and the romance has an insta-love vibe. Both characters undergo growth which is  wonderful to watch play out over the course of the novel. Anita Kelly brings this entertaining romance to a satisfying conclusion.

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Filed under Anita Kelly, Contemporary, Forever, Lesbian, Love & Other Disasters, Nonbinary, Rated C, Review, Romance

February 22, 2021 · 12:02 am

Review: Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers

Title: Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
Publisher: Park Row Books
Genre: Contemporary, Lesbian, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Length: 241 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

When becoming an adult means learning to love yourself first.

With her newly completed PhD in astronomy in hand, twenty-eight-year-old Grace Porter goes on a girls’ trip to Vegas to celebrate. She’s a straight A, work-through-the-summer certified high achiever. She is not the kind of person who goes to Vegas and gets drunkenly married to a woman whose name she doesn’t know…until she does exactly that.

This one moment of departure from her stern ex-military father’s plans for her life has Grace wondering why she doesn’t feel more fulfilled from completing her degree. Staggering under the weight of her parent’s expectations, a struggling job market and feelings of burnout, Grace flees her home in Portland for a summer in New York with the wife she barely knows.

In New York, she’s able to ignore all the constant questions about her future plans and falls hard for her creative and beautiful wife, Yuki Yamamoto. But when reality comes crashing in, Grace must face what she’s been running from all along—the fears that make us human, the family scars that need to heal and the longing for connection, especially when navigating the messiness of adulthood.

Review:

Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers is a multi-layered novel with a fantastic cast of diverse characters.

Grace Porter should be on the top of the world. After years of hard work, she finally has her doctorate in astronomy. The next phase of her plan should be easy but as a Black woman working in a white man’s career field, Grace is struggling to secure a job. And then there’s the fact that on a girls’ trip to Vegas, Grace wakes up to find she is married a perfect stranger. Her new wife, Yuki Yamamoto, skipped out the morning after their impulsive wedding, but she left her contact info. As Grace tries to figure out her future, she decides to take a break and get to know her new wife. But can she compromise her life goals in order for her and Yuki to live happily ever after?

After her parents’ divorce, Grace and her military father leave her mother’s Florida orange grove to settle down in Portland. Her dad is strict with exacting standards and high expectations for his only daughter. In between working the orchard, Grace’s mom travels the world trying to find herself. Although Grace does not want to let either parent down, she does insist on choosing her career path.  In order to please her parents, she studies hard and excels in college. Now twenty-eight years old, Grace is a new graduate with an unexpected wife and trying to figure out how to make her career goals mesh with her new marriage.

Yuki has a cool radio show where she incorporates storytelling with her exploration of interesting urban myths. She is mostly comfortable with where she in life and she is delighted Grace wants to give their marriage a chance.  Yuki is not as driven as her wife and she prioritizes relationships over climbing the career ladder. When their different approaches to life clash, will Grace and Yuki find a compromise that works for them?

Both Yuki and Grace have strong support systems. Since Grace is the one who does not have a job, she travels to New York to get to know Yuki. She misses her friends but she is a good fit with Yuki’s friends. Despite being surrounded by people who care for her, Grace struggles to escape the loneliness and anxiety she feels while trying to cope with the stress of finding the perfect job. Grace cannot outrun her problems but will she slow down long enough to take the necessary steps to deal with her issues?

Honey Girl is a captivating novel with a realistic storyline and relatable characters. Despite her outward success, Grace is a hot mess once it is time to move on to the next stage in her life. Yuki is a delightful young woman with quirky interests and a steadying presence. The secondary cast of characters is quite colorful and extremely loyal to one another.  Morgan Rogers brings this charming debut to an uplifting conclusion that readers will love.

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Filed under Contemporary, Honey Girl, Lesbian, Morgan Rogers, Park Row Books, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Women's Fiction

May 25, 2020 · 11:58 pm

Review: Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner

Title: Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Lesbian, Romance
Length: 333 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A showrunner and her assistant give the world something to talk about when they accidentally fuel a ridiculous rumor in this debut romance.

Hollywood powerhouse Jo is photographed making her assistant Emma laugh on the red carpet, and just like that, the tabloids declare them a couple. The so-called scandal couldn’t come at a worse time—threatening Emma’s promotion and Jo’s new movie.

As the gossip spreads, it starts to affect all areas of their lives. Paparazzi are following them outside the office, coworkers are treating them differently, and a “source” is feeding information to the media. But their only comment is “no comment”.

With the launch of Jo’s film project fast approaching, the two women begin to spend even more time together, getting along famously. Emma seems to have a sixth sense for knowing what Jo needs. And Jo, known for being aloof and outwardly cold, opens up to Emma in a way neither of them expects. They begin to realize the rumor might not be so off base after all…but is acting on the spark between them worth fanning the gossip flames?

Review:

Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner is a charming debut romance set in Hollywood.

Emma Kaplan is a little uneasy when her boss Jo Jones invites her to attend an awards ceremony. Jo is under intense media scrutiny as she negotiates a new writing project and needs a buffer to keep questions at bay. Not thinking when she sees Jo in an uncomfortable situation on the red carpet, Emma rushes to her rescue. Immediately nervous now she is in the spotlight, she is grateful when Jo puts her at ease. Unbeknownst to the women, their moment is caught on camera and they are caught in a media storm about their “romance” . Hoping the attention will die a natural death, they continue to work together. But both of them are incredibly aware of one another which leads to them naturally wondering if maybe those rumors might be right…

In her late twenties, Emma is a refreshingly upbeat  and extremely competent woman. She finally knows what direction she wants her career to go, but she is content with her current employment. Emma greatly admires Jo and she does everything she can to make her life easier. Although she has always denied having a crush on Jo,  her sudden awareness  of her boss tells a different story.

Jo is force to be reckoned within the Hollywood community but she strives to keep her private life private. She is eager for the new project but she is a little distracted by thoughts of Emma. She has always liked her assistant and she definitely appreciates the little ways Emma makes her life at the office easier. Confident the rumors about them will die down, Jo refuses to comment on the gossip swirling around her and Emma. But Jo is beginning to realize that she might just feel more for Emma than she believes.

The relationship between Emma and Jo is a very slow burn. They grow closer throughout the story and there are a couple missteps and miscommunications that neither Jo nor Emma make much effort to overcome.  But following a workplace incident, the ice between them suddenly thaws. However, there are real life issues that prevent them from acting on their feelings. Jo is ever aware of how a romance between would look to the outside world and she refuses to taint Emma with that brush. Emma is also conscious of that both public and the movie industry perception would be negative if they started dating while she works for Jo.  Their patience eventually pays off but their road to happily ever after definitely takes place in the slow lane.

Something to Talk About is a delightful romance with a diverse cast of characters and enjoyable storyline.  Jo and Emma are multi-faceted characters who are quite appealing. The supporting cast of characters are also well-developed and likable. The plot is engaging with most of the the story taking place against the unique backdrop of a Hollywood studio. Meryl Wilsner brings this heartfelt debut to a sigh worthy, steamy conclusion.  I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this wonderful romance to readers of the genre.

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Filed under Berkley, Contemporary, Lesbian, Meryl Wilsner, Rated B, Review, Romance, Something to Talk About

April 3, 2017 · 11:57 pm

Review: Get It Together, Delilah! by Erin Gough

Title: Get It Together, Delilah! by Erin Gough
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Lesbian, Romance
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Delilah Green wouldn’t have chosen to do her last year of school this way, but she figures it’s working fine. While her dad goes on a trip to fix his broken heart after her mom left him for another man, Del manages the family cafe. Easy, she thinks. But what about homework? Or the nasty posse of mean girls making her life hell? Or her best friend who won’t stop guilt-tripping her? Or her other best friend who might go to jail for love if Del doesn’t do something? But really, who cares about any of that when all Del can think about is beautiful Rosa who dances every night across the street. . . . Until one day Rosa comes in the cafe door. And if Rosa starts thinking about Del, too, then how in the name of caramel milkshakes will Del get the rest of it together?

Review:

Get It Together, Delilah! by Erin Gough is a charming lesbian young adult romance with a strong lead character who is self-assured but, more often than not, is her own worst enemy.

After her mother leaves them, Delilah Green encourages her father to take an extended vacation while she takes care of running the family owned diner, The Flywheel. When the situation at The Flywheel become more serious due to her lack of reliable employees and dwindling sales, Delilah decides to take time off from school in an effort to save the diner. Her choice to ditch school is an act of self-preservation since she has been the target of unrelenting bullies due to her sexuality. Delilah is, in many ways, a resilient and likable young woman but she stubbornly refuses to ask for help as the situation at the cafe worsens. Nor is she willing to give a concerned teacher/counselor the opportunity to help deal with the harassment from her classmates.

With her best friends busy with school, Delilah’s friendship with her best guy pal Charlie McFarlane turns out to be the most reliable support during her trials and tribulations. While he is rather fickle when it comes to matters of the heart, he is unfailingly loyal and his irreverent charm and good nature is the perfect foil for Delilah’s troubles. Charlie is also exceptionally skilled in the kitchen but he finds himself in a bit of trouble when he impulsively decides to pursue his latest love interest.

As if Delilah does enough problems in her life, she is the midst of a huge crush on flamenco dancer and uni student Rosa Barea. While she adores Rosa from afar for a good part of the novel, there are a few cringe worthy scenes where Delilah finds herself tongue-tied and clumsy when she has the opportunity to talk to the girl of her dreams. Although they do eventually make progress with their relationship, Delilah’s impatience once again causes problems with her fledgling romance.

Get It Together, Delilah! is a light-hearted and entertaining young adult romance with a great cast of adorable characters. Although some parts of the plot are a tad bit unbelievable, Erin Gough does a wonderful job balancing the true to life issues such as bullying and homophobia with plenty of humor. Although the romance between Delilah and Rosa is just in the beginning stages by the novel’s conclusion, it is easy to root for them as a couple. This part of the storyline could have been fleshed out just a little more and while Rosa’s hesitance to go public with their romance is realistic, Delilah’s reaction is completely understandable.

An imperfect but completely darling debut that fans of contemporary young adult novels will enjoy.

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Filed under Chronicle Books, Contemporary, Erin Gough, Get It Together Delilah!, Lesbian, Rated B, Review, Romance, Young Adult