Scaling the Moon: The Sapphic Holiday Flirtation

by Gwyneira Blythe

When magical women are rare, two ladies will dare to let desire lead them this holiday season.

Gorgon-blooded witch Evetta St. Aubert has been abandoned by everyone all her life. A small detail she won’t let hold her back from being the perfect rule-following prefect over her dorms. When winter break comes, that perfect skin is shed to reveal more monstrous desires. Every year, she takes a lover, but none have stayed.

Seamstress and dreamer, Gemma Stein, is considered a pariah due to the vitiligo on her skin. Her father’s machinations would see her bound to his plans with little regard for her true desires. When she has the opportunity to spend more time with the woman of her dreams, their connection soon weaves them tighter than ever before. Yet, if her father has his way, she’ll have no choices left.

Is their flirtation only skin deep or can Evetta and Gemma navigate the trials ahead together?

One thing is certain, they can’t go back to how things were.



Standalone sapphic romance with a Happily-For-Now ending. Gemma and Evetta continue as side characters in The Wildeward Academy series.
Previously published as "Scaling the Moon" in the I Am The Limited Anthology from Nov 2022-Jan 2023. Rights have been reverted back to the author. Now with more polish!

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Lesbian, LGBT, Ebooks, Queer, Novella

106 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 31, 2023

About the author

Gwyneira Blythe is a romance novel junkie with a love of all things witchy, paranormal, and historical, plus the occasional dashes of sci-fi when the mood hits.

She loves stroopwafels with her hot beverages, believes there will never be a thing as too much garlic, lives for ASMR music while writing, and deep down holds tight to the belief that magic is real and in all of us.

When she's not writing, it's a mad world of toddler tantrums, dogs barking, and a cat dashing underfoot all while sneaking kisses from the bemused husband.


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Reviews

[Poppy || Monster Lover · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a bit surprised at the low average rating because I liked this book a lot. Gemma and Evie were so good for and to each other. They both had to make difficult decisions and face obstacles in their personal and public lives. They were sweet together.

Spice: 4/5

Triggers: violence, abuse, bullying (off page)

[(╯`▭´）╯︵ ǝɔnɒꓷ]

*Dropped at 6%*

[Betty Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m always on the hunt for sapphic books and this one is just alright. It’s got a historical feel with the writing. While the fantasy part is interesting enough I honestly didn’t care. I didn’t dislike this though. The sapphic uhaul agenda was all too real with this one lmaooo. She is part gorgon and fucks her with her tail but it still feels closed door somehow. I just wasn’t the audience for this but it really wasn’t bad.

[Beka · Rating 2 out of 5]

Such a short story which I think it's like a spin off of a series that I haven't read so I feel like I didn't understand the context. I liked Gemma and Evetta and how they were together and their relationship. It felt like it ended with a bunch of unanswered questions and wasn't tied up so I have no clue what happens to the characters. 

[Zoë · Rating 4 out of 5]

um okay, this was a random book i got for free and well nothing could have prepared me for that omg. i did fall in love with the characters however, doubt i’ll read the whole series as it’s a bit too fantasy for me.

[Gail Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short story full of mystery, awakening and sweet love. Really enjoyed it 😊

[Francesca Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect with this and I loved it! I adore these characters!

[Silvana Zago · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Este libro fue una muy grata sorpresa. Creo que lo consegui gratis en un Stuff Your Kindle y no tenia muchas expectativas, pero realmente lo disfrute

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

SCALING THE MOON is a Wildewardian Tale that accompanies the main series, The Wildeward Academy.

Evetta and Gemma are both supporting characters who still manage to have their own love story alongside Victoria and her coterie. HOWEVER, as with all of this author's characters, I wanted more. I wanted to know how they got together, what troubles they faced... You know what I mean. And this novella delivered all of that and more.

Evetta really comes into her own in this story. You understand more about the role she chooses with Victoria. As for Gemma, well, I already knew her 'father' was a piece of work but this just compounded it. Luckily for me, I've already read Victoria's story, so I knew what happened.

A brilliant side story to an amazing series. I would definitely recommend you read all of them, just so you don't miss anything. Absolutely fantastic.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 23, 2023

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this for free as part of Stuff Your Kindle Day. I liked this, but I don't think it works well as a standalone. These are more just bonus side-perspectives that follow along from the main narrative—which is all well and good, to be clear, it just doesn't work the best without that context. I did really enjoy Evetta and Gemma's chemistry, though.