Lady Dorothy Boone has joined forces with her former nemesis, Trafalgar, in this second book of what will likely be an adventure series. The book takeLady Dorothy Boone has joined forces with her former nemesis, Trafalgar, in this second book of what will likely be an adventure series. The book takes place in 1920 after WWI. Both women live in London. Dorothy is the wealthier of the two and is a lesbian in a relationship with Beatrice, her live-in lover who also serves as housekeeper and "majordomo." While the series is named for Dorothy and Trafalgar, Beatrice features prominently.
The adventure centers on the explorers' quest to find a submerged ancient civilization at the bottom of the Mediterranean sea. They are pursued by Virago, a woman determined to beat them to it, not for the academic achievement, but for the riches she will plunder.
The story and settings are well researched and place the reader squarely within the historical timeframe. And the realism of the historical context mixes well with the fantasy and magic of the book. All of the characters are well drawn and interesting.
Even though I hadn't read the first book, I didn't feel as if I was missing anything and there were multiple references to it that served as explanations without detracting from the story.
A strong effort and highly recommended.
Merged review:
Lady Dorothy Boone has joined forces with her former nemesis, Trafalgar, in this second book of what will likely be an adventure series. The book takes place in 1920 after WWI. Both women live in London. Dorothy is the wealthier of the two and is a lesbian in a relationship with Beatrice, her live-in lover who also serves as housekeeper and "majordomo." While the series is named for Dorothy and Trafalgar, Beatrice features prominently.
The adventure centers on the explorers' quest to find a submerged ancient civilization at the bottom of the Mediterranean sea. They are pursued by Virago, a woman determined to beat them to it, not for the academic achievement, but for the riches she will plunder.
The story and settings are well researched and place the reader squarely within the historical timeframe. And the realism of the historical context mixes well with the fantasy and magic of the book. All of the characters are well drawn and interesting.
Even though I hadn't read the first book, I didn't feel as if I was missing anything and there were multiple references to it that served as explanations without detracting from the story.
The night before starting a new job at a big law firm, Kelly decides to hook up with a woman for a one-night stand. While the sex was mind blowing, shThe night before starting a new job at a big law firm, Kelly decides to hook up with a woman for a one-night stand. While the sex was mind blowing, she knows it was a one-time thing, until she's face-to-face with this woman who's a partner at the firm and her supervisor for the first 2 weeks. Jillian is fresh out of a divorce from her former wife and is not about to get involved in another relationship. She cautions Kelly to act like their night together never happened, but soon the two are involved in what starts out as a friends with benefits situation.
This is a pretty standard age-gap, boss-employee set up, but what makes it interesting is Kelly's backstory having to do with her family. It's not a high angst plot and there are points when it's hard to like Jillian, but overall, it's a very solid and engaging romance with hot BDSM sex scenes that do not distract from the story.
I was provided an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley....more
Solveig is a young woman living with her family on an island off the coast of Norway during WWII and the German occupation. Looking to prove herself aSolveig is a young woman living with her family on an island off the coast of Norway during WWII and the German occupation. Looking to prove herself as a resistance fighter, Solveig encounters an Army deserter living in a cave and agrees to bring him food. She's also captivated by Liv, the new schoolteacher who unfortunately is a member of the collaborationist NS. The two end up forging a tentative friendship that, one night during a storm, becomes something more. But how compromised is Solveig willing to be?
This well-researched historical novel does an excellent job of placing the reader in the unforgiving setting of punishing storms and extreme cold of the islands, whose residents live off the sea and tend sheep, cows and pigs. Solveig's dreams belie her immaturity even if her heart's in the right place. But like the metaphor of the mice, little incidents tend to eat away at her sense of self and her values.
I'm going with 5 stars with one reservation. While it's clear that Liv's loyalties lie with the Germans, the author is trying to explain this by emphasizing her fear of Soviet Communism, especially given how geographically close Norway is to the USSR. But even that much gray area made me a bit uncomfortable. Nevertheless, the book is well written and an interesting look at a sapphic relationship during a really difficult time.
I was provided an ARC by the publisher via Book Siren....more
In a universe far into the future after humans go extinct, the Eternal City is ruled by the Witch Queen now that the witches have prevailed over otherIn a universe far into the future after humans go extinct, the Eternal City is ruled by the Witch Queen now that the witches have prevailed over other creatures. To protect the queen, there are four Blades, powerful witches who kill on command. Fey is one of the Blades. She and her sister Blades are mourning the loss of Alice, their fourth. Fey is determined to find out why Alice died in an explosion. Her clues lead her to a nightclub owned by Alastair, a vampire.
This novel is a paranormal fantasy version of A Discovery of Witches, minus the historical background. That said, it's incredibly well written and engaging.
One reader note: the main love affair in this book is heterosexual, with several explicit sex scenes. So if that's not your thing, probably skip it. But if you can deal, I highly recommend it.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC via NetGalley.
Set in San Francisco before the 2008 Great Recession and moving through the next few years,Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC via NetGalley.
Set in San Francisco before the 2008 Great Recession and moving through the next few years, the novel, ostensibly a Sapphic romance, uses the tech industry and anti-capitalist organizing made visible by Occupy Wall Street, as a backdrop and a metaphor.
Laurie, who comes from a poor family in upstate NY, moved to San Francisco to escape the dysfunction she grew up with. She takes a job at a dot com startup as the admin assistant to the founder. When the book opens she's dating a man who insists on bringing along his male college friend on some of their dinner dates. One evening, the friend brings his own date, Mal, a female tech engineer, who speaks an unacknowledged truth the the two men are in love with one another.
Laurie is forced to deal with the truth, breaks up with her boyfriend, and slowly befriends Mal, taking her in as a roommate. Most of the book then chronicles their growing friendship and closeness as well as Laurie's short affair with a woman and two relationships with men. All the while she refuses to acknowledge that she is falling in love with Mal.
Mal comes from a family of immigrants from India, a family that has expressed their disappointment in her her whole life. But Mal expresses little emotion, even when it comes to her friendship and growing feelings for Laurie.
Trope-wise, this is a slow-burn, friends to lovers romance written entirely from Laurie's POV, almost in places as a stream of consciousness. But it is so much more. The writing is strong and the metaphorical backdrop is so well done. The author writes Laurie's character arc beautifully while including a portrait of Mal's neurodiverse personality.
Thank you to the author for an ARC provided through StoryOrigin.
Naomi is spending her summer between high school and university house sitting and cat Thank you to the author for an ARC provided through StoryOrigin.
Naomi is spending her summer between high school and university house sitting and cat sitting for her father's boss who lives in a mansion in a ritzy Ottawa neighborhood. Inviting her best friend, Priya, and Priya's twin sister, Shal, the three spend time swimming in the pool and watching movies. Naomi has social anxiety and dreads the start of a new life in college, wishing everything in her life could stay the same. Shal convinces the other two to create a summer bucket list of 10 activities they have never done and will accomplish this summer. Then, Andrea, the daughter of man who owns the house arrives unexpectantly, having broken up with her boyfriend and reluctant to go back to her mother in Toronto.
The book not only follows the budding relationship between Naomi and Andrea, but also focuses on the growth of each of the four girls as they move through the items on the list and deal with their deep seated fears and issues.
There are many positive aspects of this book. The portrayal of Naomi's neurodiversity is well-described and convincing, as is Andrea's own issues about needing to find her own path and separate from her domineering and successful mother. The portrayal of the cultural background of the twins, who are South Asian with family from India, is also well drawn. This book departs in a good way from other sapphic novels where the best friend is a person of color but there is no exploration of how that impacts the character. This book does that pretty well.
My only drawback is how quickly some of the growth realizations happened, not in terms of time, but in terms of sudden, complete epiphanies. But that is something that's very common in YA fiction and I'm not penalizing this book for it.
Married to Nadya, Ayukta has been unable to agree to have children because she has been hiding knowledge of her gift from her wife. But the time has cMarried to Nadya, Ayukta has been unable to agree to have children because she has been hiding knowledge of her gift from her wife. But the time has come to be forthcoming and Ayukta recounts in great detail the lives of the two generations of women who have come before her. The book begins with Ayukta's grandmother, Amla, a Hindu born in Karachi before Partition, and moves forward to Arni, her mother, who grew up in India during the 1970s student protests. The gift each woman in this lineage has inherited enables them to be "accompanied" by those women who've come before and also enables them, through their art, to either predict or portend a future event.
Each woman's likeness is stitched onto a tapestry by her mother, which triggers the onset of the gift. The histories recounted show both the promise and danger of the gift as Ayukta tries to explain to Nadya why she has been reluctant to continue this legacy.
Beautifully written with well-researched historical details, this book weaves together significant eras of history with a mystically-inspired and very feminist story. It is rather long but never dull and is highly recommended.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via NetGalley....more
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
It's always such a pleasure to read a strong debut!
Matty returns to her parents' home after her divI received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
It's always such a pleasure to read a strong debut!
Matty returns to her parents' home after her divorce from her ex-wife and a string of auditions in Hollywood that didn't yield anything. She's in her late 30s and feels lost. Her mother gets her a temporary teaching position in the local Catholic high school as the theater arts teacher. It's a difficult fit for Matty who is Jewish and who seems to have received the ire of Jillian, the soccer team coach who's won 13 consecutive state championships for the school. The two develop a combative relationship in which Matty refuses to be intimidated by Jillian, unlike the rest of the school. Then the principal informs her that Jillian will be working along side her as co-director of the school's musical.
The enemies-to-lovers, butch-femme romance was a pleasure to read. The writing was strong, especially for a debut; the character development well done; and the author successfully used the issue of religion as a plot point conflict. It's unusual and so refreshing to read about a Jewish MC whose family, while not religious, is notably culturally Jewish. This is rare in Sapphic lit.
I look forward to more from this author and highly recommend this book....more
I was provided an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley.
Yoyo is an Orthodox Jewish teen and the daughter of the community's revered rabbi. As the eldest I was provided an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley.
Yoyo is an Orthodox Jewish teen and the daughter of the community's revered rabbi. As the eldest daughter, she's taken on a lot of household responsibilities and is looked to by her friends as a wise problem-solver. But as the book opens, Yoyo is dealing with the fact that her best friend, Esti, has left the community for a boarding school after it becomes known that she kissed a boy. Yoyo's anger at the loss of her friend and the unfairness of the situation pushes her to begin to chronicle the hypocrisy of her community in a series of videos she posts. At the same time, she's become attracted to Shua, a boy in her community who was expelled from a Yeshiva in Israel for removing the "Kosher filters" from his classmates' cell phones.
The book centers on questions of faith and responsibility and being true to ones self. How does Yoyo deal with hypocrisy? How far is she willing to go to deviate from Orthodox observance? How does she deal with her feelings for Shua? Is there a way for her to remain observant but on her own terms?
The author deals so well with these complexities while also making Yoyo very real and believable. He and Yoyo remain respectful of the religious traditions while also keeping Yoyo true to herself....more
And we're back...with Cain, Emma, the children, Remi, Dallas, and the rest of the crew.
In this 8th book in the series, Cain faces a number of foes, inAnd we're back...with Cain, Emma, the children, Remi, Dallas, and the rest of the crew.
In this 8th book in the series, Cain faces a number of foes, including two Russian families, Colombians, and FBI agents doing illegal things. There are two shootings, one pretty violent scene of retribution, and a subplot about trafficking. Oh, and toward the end, some happy events.
As always, the love that Cain and Emma share is a thread throughout, and we begin to see Emma playing a larger role in the business.
I don't know what this book would be like for someone just picking up the series here. But since I've read all of the previous 7 books, plus the prequel, I was highly engaged in seeing how once again Cain prevails over multiple adversities.
Cameron Darrow returns with the start of what may be another alternative history series. This one is aI am grateful to the author who provided an ARC.
Cameron Darrow returns with the start of what may be another alternative history series. This one is a mash-up of alt hist, paranormal, mystery, and Sapphic. The time is 1948, right after WWII. The place is a small town on the moors of northern England. In this alt history, the Nazis were defeated when the US dropped several atom bombs in Germany, turning it (and possibly the USSR) into wastelands. But even before that, the Germans had figured out how to access The Realm, the land of paranormal creatures (vampires, werewolves...) and how to raise the dead as Zombies to attack soldiers.
The bombs also open a hole in the divider between Earth and The Realm, enabling some of the creatures to end up in England at the home of Dizzy Dixon, the world's most authority on The Realm. Along with Azalea, a vampire, and Kaliori, a blue fox with two tails, Dizzy sets out to solve the murder of a male werewolf, while protecting a teenage female werewolf that landed on her doorstep.
As you can see, there's a lot here, and as she did with the first Ashes book, Darrow drops us right into this world with little preparation, trickling out the back story little by little. That works here, as it did in the previous books, though it is a bit disorienting. The mystery holds the reader part of the way, enabling me to guess correctly before the big reveal. I assume Darrow will get better at writing mysteries with more practice. But where she excels is in world building and character, and this book has plenty of both....more
Samantha is a 24 year old bi woman living in present day Canada. When her planned trip to Barcelona with her girlfriend ends up as a solo trip after aSamantha is a 24 year old bi woman living in present day Canada. When her planned trip to Barcelona with her girlfriend ends up as a solo trip after a breakup, her plane runs into a storm off the coast of Spain. Everyone on the plane dies, except Sam, who is rescued by a British ship's captain in the year 1806. Traumatized and disoriented, Sam first tries to deny what's happened, but eventually she is reconciled to her fate, especially after she's introduced to the captain's sister, Margaret, an author just beginning her trade but destined to write the first queer novel.
This time travel book is wonderful; completely engaging and well plotted. Sam can be a bit tiresome at times, but she usually owns up to her impulsivity and stubbornness. The research appears to be well done. Overall a fun and really wonderful book.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley....more
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this advanced review copy.
Sara grows up in a large Haredi family in Brooklyn in which both her mother anThank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this advanced review copy.
Sara grows up in a large Haredi family in Brooklyn in which both her mother and one of her older sisters suffers from severe mental illness. Unable to receive any explanations for what's going on, Sara decides that she needs to pursue a career in psychology.
As a teenager, Sara becomes romantically involved with another Haredi girl but she knows that there is no future for them and she must marry a man. She goes ahead with an arranged marriage as is the practice in her community and has two children, but is desperately unhappy. Meanwhile, she is able to graduate college and pursue a social work degree.
The book details Sara's journey from Haredi Brooklyn through two marriages to men and to her growing realization that her well being and the well being of her children depend on her living an authentic life. The book is well written and highly engaging. While I knew how it would likely end, I was intent on reading every page.
I would count this book among the best memoirs of women leaving Haredi life. The author handles the story with compassion and great insight, including about herself.
This book takes place in two time periods. The present day (about 2000-01) where British history professor Helen Watt, suffering from Parkinson's and This book takes place in two time periods. The present day (about 2000-01) where British history professor Helen Watt, suffering from Parkinson's and nearing retirement, is called to the home of a former student to investigate a cache of documents found hidden behind a wall under a staircase. She enlists the assistance of post grad student Aaron Levy, an American who's having trouble finishing his dissertation. The second time period is the late 1600s, the time of the found documents, in which a mysterious scribe of a blind rabbi, known only as Aleph, writes the rabbi's correspondence and other documents. Helen and Aaron soon discover that the scribe is a woman named Ester, a Jew originally from Portugal who escaped the Inquisition with her family and fled to Amsterdam. When the parents died, the rabbi took Ester and her brother to England so he could teach the small Jewish community there.
There's so much strength in this long novel. The research and historical settings are excellently portrayed. The writing is beautiful. And there are enough unanswered questions in the plot to keep the reader turning all 706 Kindle pages.
Charlie (Charlotte) returns to NYC after 4 years away in LA to be in her younger sister's wedding. She left dayThanks to NetGalley and BSB for an ARC.
Charlie (Charlotte) returns to NYC after 4 years away in LA to be in her younger sister's wedding. She left days after her parents were killed in an auto accident. The first night in the city, she goes to a lesbian bar where she meets Annie. The two have a one-night stand that wows them both, but they know it's only for the one night. The next evening when Charlie attends a family dinner, in walks Annie.
Charlie must navigate all of the wedding-related events, an emerging issue about her family's hotel business, the longstanding enmity between her and her brother, and her growing feelings for Annie that come with many complexities.
I won't say more at the risk of introducing spoilers.
This appears to be the author's debut; and it is wonderful. The writing is excellent, particularly the dialogue. The plotting kept me reading, and when I wasn't reading, I wanted to go back to the book. All in all, this was a solidly good romance and a pleasure. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book this author has in store for us....more
High school student Val Vega lives in NJ with her mother, two brothers and her uncle, Umberto, to whom she's very close. The book begins as a typical High school student Val Vega lives in NJ with her mother, two brothers and her uncle, Umberto, to whom she's very close. The book begins as a typical YA novel: Val has a crush on her best friend, Will, who is interested in Val's best friend who isn't talking to her. Plus Val is worried at taking the SATs.
But soon we're thrown into a whole new universe and built world with the loss of Umberto and Val's appointment as his successor--the secret ambassador of earth--who's need to fill in as the mediator between two advanced powerful civilizations fighting over control of the planet Hosh.
This book has many strengths, first among them is the world building. The inhabitants of the other worlds are not at all humanoid. The Hosh, for example, are small, furry creatures who communicate with one another telepathically, something that is soon seen to be their greatest strength. The Levinti are huge blimp-like creatures that float above and are super-logical scientists, while the Etoscans are elephant-like beings with deep spiritual beliefs.
The early chapters show Val meeting each of these, and then the action begins and doesn't let up until almost the end. The book is strong in its values of peace, autonomy for the disenfranchised, and respect for difference. Val's Latinx heritage is also an important aspect of the book and is seamlessly woven in. Plus, as the hero of the story, she undergoes her own arc of change and we root for her....more
In this long and highly engaging book, there's so much more here than a regular contemporary Sapphic romance.
Baylee grew up in foster care, never knowIn this long and highly engaging book, there's so much more here than a regular contemporary Sapphic romance.
Baylee grew up in foster care, never knowing her parents. She's a flight risk, always running away from the homes where she's placed. As a teenager she meets Harper, former foster kid and now living with her father and step-mother, and volunteering at Baylee's home. Baylee and Harper's lives will meet and separate throughout the next 15+ years, with a long separation in young adulthood when Baylee becomes a famous travel writer who reads her work to audiences a la David Sedaris.
Woven into all of this is the story of Baylee's college friendship with Tovi, a free spirit who gets drunk a lot and sleeps with a number of guys, but also accompanies Baylee on a series of fun times and is the reason why Baylee becomes a published writer.
One night, after a performance, when Baylee wakes up horribly hungover with two strangers in her hotel room, she finds Rivers, a 14 year old girl and the daughter of Tovi, who enlists Baylee on a quest so that Tovi can be at peace.
There's so much here and all of it is really good, especially as this is Macon Leigh's debut novel. Yes, there's a lot of drinking, especially in the first half, but given the characters and what they are dealing with and their ages, this type of self-medication is to be expected.
All in all, just read this book and stick with it. It's one of the best Sapphic novels I've read....more
In this third and final book in the series that began with The Senator's Wife, Alex and Katharine confront two major obstacles to their happiness: KatIn this third and final book in the series that began with The Senator's Wife, Alex and Katharine confront two major obstacles to their happiness: Katharine's unsettled divorce from a man who is poised to be elected the next US president, and the ongoing struggle for Katharine to regain control of her company from her father. Alex continues to play soccer, and becomes the object of an unrelenting online attack by Katharine's evil husband. It's a lot for this relationship to handle, especially since there's so little time for the two to be together. Their inability to openly communicate with one another at times puts a strain on the relationship. As with the first two books, things are very up and down for the two of them.
But since this is the final book, it all gets sorted, and really, as I've said in my review of book one, it's all about Katharine. We see how important Alex has become to her, and she to Alex. But Alex continues to be reticent and self-effacing in a number of ways. Katharine can be reserved at times as well, but will also act when the situation demands it.
I'm sad to have to say goodbye to these characters. Book three is just wonderful, well written, great plotting, and incredibly detailed descriptions of settings, especially in England. The whole series is highly recommended. I'm eager to see what this author does next....more
In this 4th and final book in the series, Katherine is back in France with the the scientist doctor, Thierry. It's not clear if she's pretending to beIn this 4th and final book in the series, Katherine is back in France with the the scientist doctor, Thierry. It's not clear if she's pretending to be in love with him or if she does indeed have feelings. But the two glide through the social scene of occupied Paris with Thierry working for the Nazis but always appearing to be unaligned. Jenny meanwhile has rejoined OSS and is in Toronto being trained in the type of science her father researched. She is then assigned to France with the intent to kill Thierry who she is convinced murdered her father. It's in France where the two women reconnect until Katherine is again captured by the Nazis and Jenny is determined to find her.
All of this takes place in less than the first half of the book. It's all very intense. But the main theme of the book is the recovery that each woman must go through for the couple to get their happy ending. So with so much action in the first half, the second half is more interior.
This is a strong final book. Readers of the series will not be disappointed.
Riley and Gianna are the closest of best friends, all the way back to their freshman year of college when they were put together as roommates. When a Riley and Gianna are the closest of best friends, all the way back to their freshman year of college when they were put together as roommates. When a holiday gift mix-up leads Riley to believe that Gianna, who is bisexual, is interested in beginning a sexual relationship with her, Riley goes through the first of many processes of change. Could she sleep with a woman? Should it be her best friend? And then, once this starts up, what happens if she catches feelings?
This is a long book, but because it's highly engaging, it doesn't feel too long. The current time chapters, most in Riley's POV, are interspersed with flashback chapters from college, all from Gianna's POV. Mostly this works, except toward the end, when you're really focused on the plot in the current timeline and the flashback chapter feels intrusive.
The e-book had a bunch of copyedit needs and there was one plot point that Cass left hanging (having to do with a conversation Riley had with the head of her TV network at a party). But overall, the book is well plotted, though plot is not the focus of this author's books. It's all about the characters: their thoughts, inner lives and changes.
I've been very mixed about a rating. The flaws in the book make it a 4, but my level of engagement in wanting to spend every second of free time reading, moves it up to a 4.5. So I'll round up....more
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