What do you think?
Rate this book
A Question of Sincerity
Honesty is a way of life for Claudia Khoury. So when it turns out that her fun-rebound is married to her new boss, she is at a loss as to how to deal with this unexpected curveball.
Elizabeth Lancaster’s life flows along placidly—if someone were to ask her where she sees herself in ten years, she would give an exact and detailed answer, at least until her new employee derails her certain future.
Claudia’s revelations rip through Elizabeth’s life like a destructive whirlwind, tearing apart old bonds and creating new ones.
After a collision that leaves them with more questions than answers, the two women find themselves on an unexpected journey. In the end, they must decide how to move forward and what role to allow the other to play in their lives.
A Question of Sincerity is a spinoff of the stand-alone contemporary romance series Constellation, featuring two characters mentioned in the third novel, The Truce.
Elizabeth Lancaster’s life flows along placidly—if someone were to ask her where she sees herself in ten years, she would give an exact and detailed answer, at least until her new employee derails her certain future.
Claudia’s revelations rip through Elizabeth’s life like a destructive whirlwind, tearing apart old bonds and creating new ones.
After a collision that leaves them with more questions than answers, the two women find themselves on an unexpected journey. In the end, they must decide how to move forward and what role to allow the other to play in their lives.
A Question of Sincerity is a spinoff of the stand-alone contemporary romance series Constellation, featuring two characters mentioned in the third novel, The Truce.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 22, 2023
79 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Sabrina Blaum
10 books51 followersSabrina Blaum hails originally from Germany and moved to the United States in 2006. She studied Sociology, Geographic Information Systems, and English at a local university in Alabama, at which she is currently teaching English Composition.
She has always written and wrote her first “novel” in elementary school, when she decided that Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers needed a sequel. She also had the habit of telling her late grandmother bedtime stories.
Sabrina is an avid reader and writer, and she loves to spend time with family and friends.
She has always written and wrote her first “novel” in elementary school, when she decided that Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers needed a sequel. She also had the habit of telling her late grandmother bedtime stories.
Sabrina is an avid reader and writer, and she loves to spend time with family and friends.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
June 13, 2025
What happens when you discover your new boyfriend is the husband of your new boss?
After a rocky year, Claudia is finally back on track. Until she discovers she’s been dating the husband of Elizabeth, her boss, and being honest with her costs her her dream job. She’s not too mad about it, she just feels awful. Especially, because she feels she and Elizabeth could have been friends, maybe even more than friends, if only they hadn’t started with the very wrong foot.
Because there is no way they could make it work after all that happened with Elizabeth’s husband, right?
I was interested in the premise of this book and, in that regard, it didn’t disappoint. Sadly, I was so frustrated by how this book was written that I couldn’t appreciate anything else. The other books written by this author have great average ratings, which means this may be on me. If you have enjoyed this author’s work before, please ignore this review.
However, I need to be honest with you. I didn’t enjoy reading this. The only reason why I finished it was because it was an ARC and I hate dnfing ARCs. I was hoping I would find something to make me love this book but the only thing that improved was Elizabeth. I hated her at the beginning but, very slowly, she redeemed herself.
As I was saying, my main problem was the writing style. Instead of getting me into the story, I felt I was reading a book written by one of my friends back when we were teens aspiring to be authors. The dialogues sometimes often felt off, like the first time they talked to each other via text, when they thought they were strangers and started to talk about mundane things instead of getting to the point of why Claudia was messaging a complete stranger. The scenes felt disconnected at times. The opening scene, for example, felt abrupt and didn’t flow into the next one. It continued to be that way during the entire book. I think a lot of those scenes, as well as part of the inner monologues, could have been cut to improve the pacing.
Also, it was a bit confusing that the last chapters were an epilogue but weren’t marked that way, since there is a big time jump from one chapter to the other. It didn’t bother me much as it was explicit in the text once you read the first page, but I think it would have been better to indicate there is a time jump to the reader at the beginning of the chapter.
Overall, the writing style hindered my ability to enjoy this book. I’d still recommend this if you have tried this author before and enjoy her writing style, as well as age-gap and slow burn romances.
I kindly received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
After a rocky year, Claudia is finally back on track. Until she discovers she’s been dating the husband of Elizabeth, her boss, and being honest with her costs her her dream job. She’s not too mad about it, she just feels awful. Especially, because she feels she and Elizabeth could have been friends, maybe even more than friends, if only they hadn’t started with the very wrong foot.
Because there is no way they could make it work after all that happened with Elizabeth’s husband, right?
I was interested in the premise of this book and, in that regard, it didn’t disappoint. Sadly, I was so frustrated by how this book was written that I couldn’t appreciate anything else. The other books written by this author have great average ratings, which means this may be on me. If you have enjoyed this author’s work before, please ignore this review.
However, I need to be honest with you. I didn’t enjoy reading this. The only reason why I finished it was because it was an ARC and I hate dnfing ARCs. I was hoping I would find something to make me love this book but the only thing that improved was Elizabeth. I hated her at the beginning but, very slowly, she redeemed herself.
As I was saying, my main problem was the writing style. Instead of getting me into the story, I felt I was reading a book written by one of my friends back when we were teens aspiring to be authors. The dialogues sometimes often felt off, like the first time they talked to each other via text, when they thought they were strangers and started to talk about mundane things instead of getting to the point of why Claudia was messaging a complete stranger. The scenes felt disconnected at times. The opening scene, for example, felt abrupt and didn’t flow into the next one. It continued to be that way during the entire book. I think a lot of those scenes, as well as part of the inner monologues, could have been cut to improve the pacing.
Also, it was a bit confusing that the last chapters were an epilogue but weren’t marked that way, since there is a big time jump from one chapter to the other. It didn’t bother me much as it was explicit in the text once you read the first page, but I think it would have been better to indicate there is a time jump to the reader at the beginning of the chapter.
Overall, the writing style hindered my ability to enjoy this book. I’d still recommend this if you have tried this author before and enjoy her writing style, as well as age-gap and slow burn romances.
I kindly received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 19, 2025
I liked the husband's mistress trope. Falling for someone you should want to rip the hair off. In this one, Blaum even adds some extra obstacles, and it was refreshing. What I liked most was the honesty between them from the beginning to the end. There is no useless miscommunication. There is still some push and pull dynamic happening, but it never lasts. I also really appreciate the age gap being addressed frontally, which is rare. I didn't particularly feel their chemistry to my core, because some exchanges felt a bit stiff. There is a time jump, and maybe I'd rather see them resolving all the issues with their respective families. The placement of flashbacks as an excuse for sex scenes in the last chapters was a bit strange to read, but I appreciate seeing them far away in the future. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.
June 18, 2025
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars
The book leaves me somewhat conflicted. Even after a few hours, I'm still a bit perplexed about the structure of this age gap love story. The content sounded totally interesting at first:
Claudia starts a new job and meets her new boss, Elizabeth. It doesn't take Claudia long to realize that the Tom she's been sleeping with for a few months is Elizabeth's husband. What should she do? She doesn't want to lose her new job or the opportunity to have Elizabeth as a friend. Elizabeth has no idea that her husband Tom is cheating on her. When she finds out, her world falls apart. Why should she keep Claudia in her company and her life?
After the first few pages, I was really excited about the story. The conflict sounded promising. And I also had the feeling that the sparks were starting to fly as the friendship slowly developed. But then new drama came along and I don't want to spoil, but somehow it totally threw me off. In my opinion, it didn't need this added conflict and it just felt like too much in places. Just the fact that Claudia had an affair with Tom would have been enough in terms of severity. I mean, Elizabeth had to deal with that alone, how realistic is it that she can just get through another huge drama and continue the relationship?
The slowly building connection between the two women was really beautiful. Above all, I liked the communication and openness. I missed the attraction at some points. The feeling that you can't stand it any longer until they finally kiss. The slow burn was very long and a little tough. The epilogue was also very sudden and took me by surprise.
Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the book. I liked both women and I especially admired Elizabeth for how she coped with all this and got involved with Claudia despite so many obstacles. Such a strong woman, wow! Claudia was very brave for me and I liked her ruthless honesty and clumsiness. That's what made her so likeable.
A book that I can still recommend, even if the structure of the story was a bit bumpy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC.
The book leaves me somewhat conflicted. Even after a few hours, I'm still a bit perplexed about the structure of this age gap love story. The content sounded totally interesting at first:
Claudia starts a new job and meets her new boss, Elizabeth. It doesn't take Claudia long to realize that the Tom she's been sleeping with for a few months is Elizabeth's husband. What should she do? She doesn't want to lose her new job or the opportunity to have Elizabeth as a friend. Elizabeth has no idea that her husband Tom is cheating on her. When she finds out, her world falls apart. Why should she keep Claudia in her company and her life?
After the first few pages, I was really excited about the story. The conflict sounded promising. And I also had the feeling that the sparks were starting to fly as the friendship slowly developed. But then new drama came along and I don't want to spoil, but somehow it totally threw me off. In my opinion, it didn't need this added conflict and it just felt like too much in places. Just the fact that Claudia had an affair with Tom would have been enough in terms of severity. I mean, Elizabeth had to deal with that alone, how realistic is it that she can just get through another huge drama and continue the relationship?
The slowly building connection between the two women was really beautiful. Above all, I liked the communication and openness. I missed the attraction at some points. The feeling that you can't stand it any longer until they finally kiss. The slow burn was very long and a little tough. The epilogue was also very sudden and took me by surprise.
Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the book. I liked both women and I especially admired Elizabeth for how she coped with all this and got involved with Claudia despite so many obstacles. Such a strong woman, wow! Claudia was very brave for me and I liked her ruthless honesty and clumsiness. That's what made her so likeable.
A book that I can still recommend, even if the structure of the story was a bit bumpy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC.
June 20, 2025
3.75, pushing up to 4. I found A Question of Sincerity to be a bit of a mixed bag. And I think that’s about personal preferences. I found this book possibly about a hundred pages too long. For me, there was too much buildup and internal monologues about the friendship rather than showing the friendship. The two MCs managed to find endless ways of mis-assuming and then not communicating, all while we’re supposed to understand that they have this amazing connection and yet they are full of angst about having any friendship at all. The payoff, when we get there, is great, and pushes the story, along with its setup and the two strong MCs up towards being a solid four for me. But I found that too many pages around the middle of the book meandered and tested the level of my interest.
As I understand it, this is the second, revised edition of the story, and it has a longer page count. I don’t know where added those pages are, of course, but if they’re at the ending that too I found to be a mixed bag. The last chapters jump forward in time by about a year or so. Perhaps that’s because the author wanted to leave the characters in a very specific place but also wanted to add in a couple of strong flashback scenes. So I’m probably being very fussy, but the last chapters felt a little choppy to me in the way they are structured.
I wanted to like this book a lot. I knew going in it was going be different—set up on a rare premise. But it needs to be tighter IMHO. Having said what I do above, if you like your slow burn to be very slow with a lot of fairly light but very present angst along the way, then you’ll certainly enjoy this book. And the good parts are certainly good. When we finally get there, the chemistry is palpable, and, my criticisms notwithstanding, one thing the slow buildup does do well is show the eventual bond and closeness between the women.
This book tackles a couple of tricky subjects as revealed in the blurb, and Ms. Blaum is to be commended for that, and she does it as well as I would have hoped.
So, while I’ve got some strong opinions on this, the story is more than valid, enjoyable in many parts, and I do recommend it, in hopes of readers being forewarned about some of the structure will enable them to enjoy the story as much as I originally hoped to.
This story is imperfect, but I will remember it. And actually, that’s a big something.
Thank you to the author and the publisher, the amazing Ylva, and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.
As I understand it, this is the second, revised edition of the story, and it has a longer page count. I don’t know where added those pages are, of course, but if they’re at the ending that too I found to be a mixed bag. The last chapters jump forward in time by about a year or so. Perhaps that’s because the author wanted to leave the characters in a very specific place but also wanted to add in a couple of strong flashback scenes. So I’m probably being very fussy, but the last chapters felt a little choppy to me in the way they are structured.
I wanted to like this book a lot. I knew going in it was going be different—set up on a rare premise. But it needs to be tighter IMHO. Having said what I do above, if you like your slow burn to be very slow with a lot of fairly light but very present angst along the way, then you’ll certainly enjoy this book. And the good parts are certainly good. When we finally get there, the chemistry is palpable, and, my criticisms notwithstanding, one thing the slow buildup does do well is show the eventual bond and closeness between the women.
This book tackles a couple of tricky subjects as revealed in the blurb, and Ms. Blaum is to be commended for that, and she does it as well as I would have hoped.
So, while I’ve got some strong opinions on this, the story is more than valid, enjoyable in many parts, and I do recommend it, in hopes of readers being forewarned about some of the structure will enable them to enjoy the story as much as I originally hoped to.
This story is imperfect, but I will remember it. And actually, that’s a big something.
Thank you to the author and the publisher, the amazing Ylva, and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.
July 10, 2025
Lovely and warm romance. Great writing. This review is about the first edition, which I loved and have read a few times. The cover shown in Goodreads now is from the new revised edition which is published by Ylva. I haven’t read that, because I don’t want to spent money on a book that I already have and enjoyed, if it’s not very much different or maybe not as much fun. So, waiting for new reviews about this revised book.
November 13, 2023
I think this is a 2nd or maybe 3rd book that I read this year with similar trope; slow burn, age-gap romance blooming with an ex of a former partner….and the plot always piques my interest. There’s a twist in the plot which I didn’t see coming which adds a little drama to the romance.
July 2, 2025
I'm going to be a little more harsh on this one because I believe it's a second publishing, this time with Ylva, and was formerly available as a self-published book. Given that it's a republished work, I would have hoped that some small issues that pile up would have been fixed or removed. I won't harp on about typos because there are some, and it's fine, it happens.
The problems I actually had were more fundamental, for example, that one of the main characters is Lebanese and also but neither of these really plays into the plot in any meaningful way. What I mean by this is my opinion, possibly controversial, is that I have a personal minor beef with characters who are POC, but this doesn't tie into their characters in any way and if you just replaced them with a white person, literally nothing in the book would need to change. The same applies to Claudia. Aside from the two instances of dropping any Arabic words or phrases and possibly one Lebanese food item, there is no real reason for her to be Lebanese, since it is completely irrelevant to the story. I would have loved to see more interaction with her family and a bit about expectations from them for her as the one bisexual child in a three-generation family who migrated to the US. Unfortunately, you could literally replace all the family with a random white family, and there wouldn't be much difference aside from the titles.
The It just feels like we could have skipped this pointless subplot altogether and had a reasonably good slow-burn romance anyway.
Additionally, a few reviews have mentioned that abrupt epilogue! There is no indication before we go from one time in these women's lives and skip everything interesting () and skip ahead approximately 18 months? Very disorienting and awkwardly done, I'm afraid.
Those were the negatives. For the positives, this was a decent slow burn toaster oven romance. I appreciated that the slow burn is indeed slow, as befits grown-ass nearly fifty-year-old women who are barely divorced as they explore friendship and more with a much younger coworker. After the first painfully bad text conversation, their in-person banter gets much better and is pretty funny at points. I enjoyed the organic evolution of their relationship, so well done on that.
Overall, an enjoyable book but could have been much better.
The problems I actually had were more fundamental, for example, that one of the main characters is Lebanese and also but neither of these really plays into the plot in any meaningful way. What I mean by this is my opinion, possibly controversial, is that I have a personal minor beef with characters who are POC, but this doesn't tie into their characters in any way and if you just replaced them with a white person, literally nothing in the book would need to change. The same applies to Claudia. Aside from the two instances of dropping any Arabic words or phrases and possibly one Lebanese food item, there is no real reason for her to be Lebanese, since it is completely irrelevant to the story. I would have loved to see more interaction with her family and a bit about expectations from them for her as the one bisexual child in a three-generation family who migrated to the US. Unfortunately, you could literally replace all the family with a random white family, and there wouldn't be much difference aside from the titles.
The It just feels like we could have skipped this pointless subplot altogether and had a reasonably good slow-burn romance anyway.
Additionally, a few reviews have mentioned that abrupt epilogue! There is no indication before we go from one time in these women's lives and skip everything interesting () and skip ahead approximately 18 months? Very disorienting and awkwardly done, I'm afraid.
Those were the negatives. For the positives, this was a decent slow burn toaster oven romance. I appreciated that the slow burn is indeed slow, as befits grown-ass nearly fifty-year-old women who are barely divorced as they explore friendship and more with a much younger coworker. After the first painfully bad text conversation, their in-person banter gets much better and is pretty funny at points. I enjoyed the organic evolution of their relationship, so well done on that.
Overall, an enjoyable book but could have been much better.
June 13, 2025
We know from the blurb one of the plot bombs. I was a bit tense wondering how it would explode. Good start!
I am enjoying the writing. There is plenty that is making me smile. One of the things I am enjoying about the writers style, is when she recaps to her friend about scenes we saw, she summarises her spin, friend says “give me the detail” and we don’t have to reread the whole thing being regurgitated. Some other writers take note!
43%. Oh my!!!
I’m not able to verbalise why but there is something compelling about this book. When I have to put it down, I can’t wait to get back to it.
Star rating, I was thinking this might nudge up to five, but the ending read a bit odd. A sudden jump in time, then in the new time some intimate scenes that just didn’t work for me, actually most of the intimate scenes just missed the mark. A 4 that was nearly 5 but towords the end nearly went to 3.
I am enjoying the writing. There is plenty that is making me smile. One of the things I am enjoying about the writers style, is when she recaps to her friend about scenes we saw, she summarises her spin, friend says “give me the detail” and we don’t have to reread the whole thing being regurgitated. Some other writers take note!
43%. Oh my!!!
I’m not able to verbalise why but there is something compelling about this book. When I have to put it down, I can’t wait to get back to it.
Star rating, I was thinking this might nudge up to five, but the ending read a bit odd. A sudden jump in time, then in the new time some intimate scenes that just didn’t work for me, actually most of the intimate scenes just missed the mark. A 4 that was nearly 5 but towords the end nearly went to 3.
August 8, 2024
4 Stars
The author SB couldn’t have a picked a more complicated topic to tackle. And the best thing about it is SB played it with sensitivity and forethought to all aspects of the story leaving me quite content with how the story unfurled and no finagling doubt as to how and where the author took the story.
The author SB couldn’t have a picked a more complicated topic to tackle. And the best thing about it is SB played it with sensitivity and forethought to all aspects of the story leaving me quite content with how the story unfurled and no finagling doubt as to how and where the author took the story.
June 4, 2025
Not my cuppa tea
(Note this review is for the 2025 edition of this book published by Ylva)
If you like age gap romances, angst and drama along with humor in wlw fic, this story fits that bill. Heads up though if you've skipped reading the story synopsis because infidelity is a thing in this book along with the repercussions to and for everyone involved in that group of characters.
I was curious to see how a friendship was going to be possible between mains Elizabeth and Claudia but bought into that relationship more than their romance even though they have some steamy scenes when they do finally get together. They have moments of dialogue that are snappy but elsewhere I had the distinct thought while reading of 'who talks like this' because of the stiffness of their speech. A few times I wasn't sure which one was speaking to the other as their individual voices weren't distinct enough for me to tell who was who in that exchange, or their verbal interplay felt flat rather than being great banter that pops and fizzes with chemistry or emotion. That inconsistency was distracting and took my mind and attention out of the flow of the story. There are a couple of unlikable (on purpose) characters, one of whom was like a bad smell that lingered too long in the story (for my taste and preference anyway) and took up space on the page that could have been devoted to the mains or some secondary characters like Elizabeth's mother and Claudia's family members, or their best friends. The story felt unbalanced with a slow burn and massive buildup to an ending that was unconventional yet fitting for the main characters, but felt rushed in the final leadup to get there; scenes that should have been there to show the reader how Liz and Claudia handle necessary conversations with people important to them among other issues (no spoilers) were glossed over. I had to wonder if those scenes got cut down in the editing process or were never written out as part of the story in the first place.
I did find the family dynamics entertaining reading and ringing true along with the best friends ride or die devotion to the other. Overall the book was okay but parts were frustrating to read and when a wlw romance has me making a note while reading to look up the criteria of the Bechdel test to see if this story passes or fails it, that further robs me of enjoyment.
If you're cool with reading about infidelity and like the 'how are they gonna find a way to get and stay together' aspect of the 'will they/won't they' push pull dynamic you may enjoy this book far more than I did.
I am curious to see what other stories author Blaum publishes in the future and may give them a try.
(Note this review is for the 2025 edition of this book published by Ylva)
If you like age gap romances, angst and drama along with humor in wlw fic, this story fits that bill. Heads up though if you've skipped reading the story synopsis because infidelity is a thing in this book along with the repercussions to and for everyone involved in that group of characters.
I was curious to see how a friendship was going to be possible between mains Elizabeth and Claudia but bought into that relationship more than their romance even though they have some steamy scenes when they do finally get together. They have moments of dialogue that are snappy but elsewhere I had the distinct thought while reading of 'who talks like this' because of the stiffness of their speech. A few times I wasn't sure which one was speaking to the other as their individual voices weren't distinct enough for me to tell who was who in that exchange, or their verbal interplay felt flat rather than being great banter that pops and fizzes with chemistry or emotion. That inconsistency was distracting and took my mind and attention out of the flow of the story. There are a couple of unlikable (on purpose) characters, one of whom was like a bad smell that lingered too long in the story (for my taste and preference anyway) and took up space on the page that could have been devoted to the mains or some secondary characters like Elizabeth's mother and Claudia's family members, or their best friends. The story felt unbalanced with a slow burn and massive buildup to an ending that was unconventional yet fitting for the main characters, but felt rushed in the final leadup to get there; scenes that should have been there to show the reader how Liz and Claudia handle necessary conversations with people important to them among other issues (no spoilers) were glossed over. I had to wonder if those scenes got cut down in the editing process or were never written out as part of the story in the first place.
I did find the family dynamics entertaining reading and ringing true along with the best friends ride or die devotion to the other. Overall the book was okay but parts were frustrating to read and when a wlw romance has me making a note while reading to look up the criteria of the Bechdel test to see if this story passes or fails it, that further robs me of enjoyment.
If you're cool with reading about infidelity and like the 'how are they gonna find a way to get and stay together' aspect of the 'will they/won't they' push pull dynamic you may enjoy this book far more than I did.
I am curious to see what other stories author Blaum publishes in the future and may give them a try.
August 7, 2025
Quite the drama!
Claudia discovers her new boss is the wife of her lover and her need to be honest won’t let her keep in from Elizabeth. But this revelation turns Elizabeth’s world upside down, and Claudia being around is also having that effect, especially with the way they seem drawn to one another.
This was lots of fun right from the start. As soon as it was revealed who Elizabeth was in relation to Claudia’s discovery about her lover, I knew it would be drama filled chaos. I actually expected more tension and complete hysterics on Elizabeth’s part, but she continued to surprise me. She reacted to Claudia’s honesty about her fling, really well, and did what anyone would naturally, but I just had this feeling it wouldn’t be the end of Claudia in her life. Again, how she came back into it was unexpected, so I enjoyed being pleasantly surprised throughout.
Claudia was so cute. It was killing her already to find out she’d been having a fling with someone who was married. Elizabeth being the other woman involved really was just what she needed to turn her into a worried mess. There was her job at stake in telling the truth, but her strength in character was tested and shone through in the choice she made to be honest. It was that moment that really cemented a relationship fizzling away between them. A mutual understanding they had both been wronged in a way and time gave way to a nice slow burn romance.
Really enjoyed this! Had a lot of fun reading it.
Claudia discovers her new boss is the wife of her lover and her need to be honest won’t let her keep in from Elizabeth. But this revelation turns Elizabeth’s world upside down, and Claudia being around is also having that effect, especially with the way they seem drawn to one another.
This was lots of fun right from the start. As soon as it was revealed who Elizabeth was in relation to Claudia’s discovery about her lover, I knew it would be drama filled chaos. I actually expected more tension and complete hysterics on Elizabeth’s part, but she continued to surprise me. She reacted to Claudia’s honesty about her fling, really well, and did what anyone would naturally, but I just had this feeling it wouldn’t be the end of Claudia in her life. Again, how she came back into it was unexpected, so I enjoyed being pleasantly surprised throughout.
Claudia was so cute. It was killing her already to find out she’d been having a fling with someone who was married. Elizabeth being the other woman involved really was just what she needed to turn her into a worried mess. There was her job at stake in telling the truth, but her strength in character was tested and shone through in the choice she made to be honest. It was that moment that really cemented a relationship fizzling away between them. A mutual understanding they had both been wronged in a way and time gave way to a nice slow burn romance.
Really enjoyed this! Had a lot of fun reading it.
June 3, 2025
I struggled with the beginning of A Question of Sincerity.
Some things threw me off a bit, like the fact that Claudia doesn’t even think about the possibility that Elizabeth, the wife, is also Elizabeth, her boss, and vice versa. Also, their interactions are peculiar.
Disorienting is the word I would use to describe their conversations. However, the story grew on me as it progressed.
Claudia is a golden retriever puppy to Elizabeth’s black cat. Their banter is amusing, and I enjoyed how Claudia kept disconcerting and surprising Elizabeth. I also loved seeing Elizabeth lowering her walls and moving past her fears bit by bit.
The last chapters feel like an epilogue without bearing the name. It caught me off guard as the time jump was a bit sudden and unexpected. I wish we had more scenes showing their relationship during Claudia’s predicament, but the flashbacks alleviate some of the disappointment.
Some things threw me off a bit, like the fact that Claudia doesn’t even think about the possibility that Elizabeth, the wife, is also Elizabeth, her boss, and vice versa. Also, their interactions are peculiar.
Disorienting is the word I would use to describe their conversations. However, the story grew on me as it progressed.
Claudia is a golden retriever puppy to Elizabeth’s black cat. Their banter is amusing, and I enjoyed how Claudia kept disconcerting and surprising Elizabeth. I also loved seeing Elizabeth lowering her walls and moving past her fears bit by bit.
The last chapters feel like an epilogue without bearing the name. It caught me off guard as the time jump was a bit sudden and unexpected. I wish we had more scenes showing their relationship during Claudia’s predicament, but the flashbacks alleviate some of the disappointment.
Read
January 10, 2024I liked the storyline and the substance of the characters but I just didn't like the dialog between the main characters.
Read
June 21, 2025Where does one begin with a unique story like this?
First things first, this is a revised version, added pages. I am not sure this book need those. Obviously I don’t know where these pages are, but the story felt dragged out. There’s a fair bit of repetition, it makes the story drag from time to time.
Without getting into the details of the story, this spoiling lots of it, I can say this is one of a kind and very conflicting for me. Age gap isn’t always my favourite, but I tend to like office romances, this one is rather difficult for me to like though.
The uniqueness of this book, I am just going to call it that, is what’s making it a challenging read for me. To me either a story is so unbelievable and out there it becomes good, or it seems very real and relatable to be good. This one is a combination of the both and it just doesn’t work for me.
On top of this I found the writing to be a tad bit confusing. While this book takes place in the US, is written in American English, it felt distinctly like British English posing as American English. One of the MCs hails from the UK, been in America for decades, “has a faint accent”, the other is American. The writing just felt like it struggled to be American and would rather be British (how understandable). I can’t really explain the hows and what’s of that, it’s just a feeling, a distinct notion to me
First things first, this is a revised version, added pages. I am not sure this book need those. Obviously I don’t know where these pages are, but the story felt dragged out. There’s a fair bit of repetition, it makes the story drag from time to time.
Without getting into the details of the story, this spoiling lots of it, I can say this is one of a kind and very conflicting for me. Age gap isn’t always my favourite, but I tend to like office romances, this one is rather difficult for me to like though.
The uniqueness of this book, I am just going to call it that, is what’s making it a challenging read for me. To me either a story is so unbelievable and out there it becomes good, or it seems very real and relatable to be good. This one is a combination of the both and it just doesn’t work for me.
On top of this I found the writing to be a tad bit confusing. While this book takes place in the US, is written in American English, it felt distinctly like British English posing as American English. One of the MCs hails from the UK, been in America for decades, “has a faint accent”, the other is American. The writing just felt like it struggled to be American and would rather be British (how understandable). I can’t really explain the hows and what’s of that, it’s just a feeling, a distinct notion to me
August 30, 2025
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book
wow well where to start with this one.....
claudia is happy with her life.... she has a great boyfriend and is about to start a new job at her favourite charity where she herself has volunteered
what she hadnt expected was to find out her perfect boyfriend was married.... she ended it right away as she had never wanted to be that person and rightfully or wrongly she had decided to tell his wife....
what she hadnt expected was the wife to be her boss....
what followed was quite a descriptive and at times long winded narrative but i was still glued as i have to admit it held my attention.... and above all else i was liking claudia as a character and i was drawn to elizabeth the other wronged person in this equation
have to admit that i will be keeping an eye out for more books from this author.... her spice when we got to it was hot
wow well where to start with this one.....
claudia is happy with her life.... she has a great boyfriend and is about to start a new job at her favourite charity where she herself has volunteered
what she hadnt expected was to find out her perfect boyfriend was married.... she ended it right away as she had never wanted to be that person and rightfully or wrongly she had decided to tell his wife....
what she hadnt expected was the wife to be her boss....
what followed was quite a descriptive and at times long winded narrative but i was still glued as i have to admit it held my attention.... and above all else i was liking claudia as a character and i was drawn to elizabeth the other wronged person in this equation
have to admit that i will be keeping an eye out for more books from this author.... her spice when we got to it was hot
October 4, 2023
IDK honestly what was going on and also there was no chemistry between the two main characters.
July 4, 2025
Thanks to Ylva's IG ad with a certain eye-catching catchphrase, my curiosity was piqued quite instantly! Then I read it. Could. Not. Put. It. Down. One of the best slow-burns I've read in a while that has all the ingredients I LOVE - humour, wit, natural chemistry, organic flow of dialogue that resonates art with realism, entertaining character development, engaging conversations that were written with easygoing flair, poignancy, and last but not least, hotness and spice that simply meld into the story and its characters (no shoehorning!) with seamless subtlety and satiation.
I never read Blaum before this. I must say, I utterly love her writing style. Her prose is warm, visual, sensual, colourful in descriptive text, structure and execution. Her narrative in exploring the complexities and challenges of an age-gap, office romance including power dynamics, social and ethical considerations wrapped around an even more taboo, frown-upon scenario when the subordinate falls in love with her boss who also happens to be her ex's spouse, is nothing short of captivating and endearing - relatable, heartfelt and authentic which resonates.
The best thing about Blaum's craft in navigating such compounded relationship complications is....the nuance it exudes. The nuance of humour. Dry humour. Layered within the context of a friends-to-lovers dynamic. The end result is an absorbing love story that slowly builds literally from the ground up, from the impossible scenario to the probable, to the potential, all the way to the eventual defining moment of truth - that the heart desires what the heart desires. That you can't help who you fall in love with. That's the crux of Claudia and Elizabeth's love story that's grounded in truth, honesty, openness and authenticity.
Blaum's "A Question of Sincerity" is a solid 5-star rated slow-burn love story between the 2 unlikeliest people you can imagine under the most impossible circumstance. How to put these 2 people together to create an authentic romance is a tall order. But Blaum delivers with flying colours. Read it and judge for yourselves.
For me, Blaum succeeds in giving me, the reader, the unexpected, the intrigue, the laughs, the heartfelt, the thrills, when she tells an endearingly sweet and charming, sensual and sexy love story. I'm just so glad that Ylva picked her up to add to its already impressive list of authors! I feel like the tone and style of Blaum's writing craft really complements Ylva's authorship. Well done and congrats, Sabrina Blaum!
I will be reading her next one without a doubt! Meanwhile, Claudia and Elisabeth's story is most definitely on my re-read list!!
p.s. How cool would it be if Ylva could get Angela Dawe (who does a brilliant English accent - Elisabeth is English after all!) to perform this otherwise fabulous love story, eh? Wishful thinking, I'm sure! Oh well.. I've put it out into the universe now! ;)
I never read Blaum before this. I must say, I utterly love her writing style. Her prose is warm, visual, sensual, colourful in descriptive text, structure and execution. Her narrative in exploring the complexities and challenges of an age-gap, office romance including power dynamics, social and ethical considerations wrapped around an even more taboo, frown-upon scenario when the subordinate falls in love with her boss who also happens to be her ex's spouse, is nothing short of captivating and endearing - relatable, heartfelt and authentic which resonates.
The best thing about Blaum's craft in navigating such compounded relationship complications is....the nuance it exudes. The nuance of humour. Dry humour. Layered within the context of a friends-to-lovers dynamic. The end result is an absorbing love story that slowly builds literally from the ground up, from the impossible scenario to the probable, to the potential, all the way to the eventual defining moment of truth - that the heart desires what the heart desires. That you can't help who you fall in love with. That's the crux of Claudia and Elizabeth's love story that's grounded in truth, honesty, openness and authenticity.
Blaum's "A Question of Sincerity" is a solid 5-star rated slow-burn love story between the 2 unlikeliest people you can imagine under the most impossible circumstance. How to put these 2 people together to create an authentic romance is a tall order. But Blaum delivers with flying colours. Read it and judge for yourselves.
For me, Blaum succeeds in giving me, the reader, the unexpected, the intrigue, the laughs, the heartfelt, the thrills, when she tells an endearingly sweet and charming, sensual and sexy love story. I'm just so glad that Ylva picked her up to add to its already impressive list of authors! I feel like the tone and style of Blaum's writing craft really complements Ylva's authorship. Well done and congrats, Sabrina Blaum!
I will be reading her next one without a doubt! Meanwhile, Claudia and Elisabeth's story is most definitely on my re-read list!!
p.s. How cool would it be if Ylva could get Angela Dawe (who does a brilliant English accent - Elisabeth is English after all!) to perform this otherwise fabulous love story, eh? Wishful thinking, I'm sure! Oh well.. I've put it out into the universe now! ;)
September 17, 2023
Wow! An Excellent Guide Of Sincerity For All!
Long review but the immediate basics is what pulls you in.
I Loved This Book! It was an unusual and unique experience that made the reading easy, exciting and enjoyable. The storyline itself is not unsurprising as it happens all the time but the honesty and integrity of the victim herself is what keeps this book relevant to the reader. Claudia, upset at not passing the bar on her first try decides not to again, working at a daycare her best friend hears of a job in “Helping Hands” helping people especially with legal advice for victims of domestic violence. A legal expert job that would be perfect for her as they didn’t want practicing lawyers but legal experience. Elizabeth Lancaster was the head and founder of the charity and had turned it into a success. Claudia found Elizabeth a little closed off during the interview, but how this woman dressed and held herself did things to Claudia. But she was going to be her boss. Also she was seeing Tom, who she met three months ago and even though she didn’t see a future, she was drawn to him. Especially after her breakup with her ex Mandy who was a control freak. Tom was fun and what she needed. But as the stars once again did not align for her, her worlds came crashing down as she was with Tom one night and he thought she was sleeping and she overheard him talking to another woman. After leaving abruptly, she and her best friend do some research and find out he is married. Claudia is not that kind of person. Being an honest soul, she decides to reach out to his wife. She needed to apologize and explain she didn’t know and thought she should. But something goes terribly wrong when said woman wants to meet her as she is not really believing her. There was something about their banter back and forth that compelled Claudia to see it through. But what a surprise she stumbles on and now she finds herself in a very uncomfortable and difficult situation. This story was so good. You just want to finish as fast as possible but also not reach the end. A slow burn that was so good with banter, flirting and a comfort not seen in normal couples. When it ended you wanted more. So much more! Sabrina I am new to your writing but am excited to check out more of your work. But consider a follow up to this……
Long review but the immediate basics is what pulls you in.
I Loved This Book! It was an unusual and unique experience that made the reading easy, exciting and enjoyable. The storyline itself is not unsurprising as it happens all the time but the honesty and integrity of the victim herself is what keeps this book relevant to the reader. Claudia, upset at not passing the bar on her first try decides not to again, working at a daycare her best friend hears of a job in “Helping Hands” helping people especially with legal advice for victims of domestic violence. A legal expert job that would be perfect for her as they didn’t want practicing lawyers but legal experience. Elizabeth Lancaster was the head and founder of the charity and had turned it into a success. Claudia found Elizabeth a little closed off during the interview, but how this woman dressed and held herself did things to Claudia. But she was going to be her boss. Also she was seeing Tom, who she met three months ago and even though she didn’t see a future, she was drawn to him. Especially after her breakup with her ex Mandy who was a control freak. Tom was fun and what she needed. But as the stars once again did not align for her, her worlds came crashing down as she was with Tom one night and he thought she was sleeping and she overheard him talking to another woman. After leaving abruptly, she and her best friend do some research and find out he is married. Claudia is not that kind of person. Being an honest soul, she decides to reach out to his wife. She needed to apologize and explain she didn’t know and thought she should. But something goes terribly wrong when said woman wants to meet her as she is not really believing her. There was something about their banter back and forth that compelled Claudia to see it through. But what a surprise she stumbles on and now she finds herself in a very uncomfortable and difficult situation. This story was so good. You just want to finish as fast as possible but also not reach the end. A slow burn that was so good with banter, flirting and a comfort not seen in normal couples. When it ended you wanted more. So much more! Sabrina I am new to your writing but am excited to check out more of your work. But consider a follow up to this……
June 21, 2025
Hoo boy, where to begin here. . . This is one of those "kitchen sink" books for me, where instead of concentrating on a single throughline plot device, the author throws a whole pile of them at their story along with unimportant details and characters until it's one big convoluted mess. This is an age gap romance first and foremost, despite there also being aspects of an office romance with a boss/subordinate relationship, but the main differentiator is how the romance gets going: the main character, Claudia, realizes she's been dating/sleeping with a married man and upon texting his wife, finds out it's her new boss. Wackiness ensues. If that wasn't enough melodrama for what tonally is supposed to be a fluffy romance book, there is one more out-of-left-field "surprise" that I won't ruin, but suffice to say it didn't seem to be particularly necessary to the main plotline.
At no point did I find this romance nor the Claudia/Elizabeth connection, particularly believable. They connect via those initial text messages, which the author tells us are supposed to be quippy and exciting,g but they fail to come across as such. So much of this book is back and forth dialogue that conceptually may have been intended as more of a spark and connection than how it actually comes across, which is extremely repetitive and immature.
I feel like this book could (and should) have easily been 100 pages shorter in order to tell a tighter story. Both main characters have best friends, who serve no purpose in moving the story forward yet we have several scenes with both, Claudia spends the initial chapter at a daycare job that doesn't really have a relevance, Claudia's family is Lebanese and there are several scenes with them but this has no impact one way or the other on the story, but my biggest gripe is the sheer repetition of their conversation topics (Tom and his cheating, Claudia's sleeping with Tom, that "surprise", and whether they could be friends/lovers). Severe editing could have made a difference for the better.
ARC provided by NetGalley
At no point did I find this romance nor the Claudia/Elizabeth connection, particularly believable. They connect via those initial text messages, which the author tells us are supposed to be quippy and exciting,g but they fail to come across as such. So much of this book is back and forth dialogue that conceptually may have been intended as more of a spark and connection than how it actually comes across, which is extremely repetitive and immature.
I feel like this book could (and should) have easily been 100 pages shorter in order to tell a tighter story. Both main characters have best friends, who serve no purpose in moving the story forward yet we have several scenes with both, Claudia spends the initial chapter at a daycare job that doesn't really have a relevance, Claudia's family is Lebanese and there are several scenes with them but this has no impact one way or the other on the story, but my biggest gripe is the sheer repetition of their conversation topics (Tom and his cheating, Claudia's sleeping with Tom, that "surprise", and whether they could be friends/lovers). Severe editing could have made a difference for the better.
ARC provided by NetGalley
June 14, 2025
Things were hit and miss for me but I landed on the positive side of this book. Claudia Khoury (27) is a new attorney in Dallas and starting a new job for a charity organization. She is thrilled about and prepared for the work. Her personal life takes a hit when she realizes the man she has been dating for the last four months is married. She wants to warn his wife only to find out that she is her new boss Elizabeth (46) who started and runs the charity.
Things I liked:
Both characters are very likable, although Elizabeth is a bit prickly at first.
They are adults and talk to each other honestly, no miscommunications.
Romance progresses organically, focusing on being friends first.
I always enjoy a toaster oven romance.
Very readable. Even though it was longer (362 pages), I read it almost in one sitting.
Strong friend and family side characters that add to the story.
Things I was less fond of:
I thought the banter felt forced in the beginning. The first texting and random conversation topics were awkward. I enjoyed conversations more when they talked about things they were dealing with.
The 18 year gap is big. I enjoy age gaps but I prefer the half the age plus seven rule to stay out of the icky zone.
The chapter with a several month time jump could have been labeled to avoid confusion.
Overall I like the story and felt I got to know the characters well. And the original strange setup was handled far better than I could have expected. I like the newer cover for the book that is on my copy, although the women seem to be similar in age. Thank you to NetGalley and Ylva Publishing for the eARC and I am leaving an honest review.
Things I liked:
Both characters are very likable, although Elizabeth is a bit prickly at first.
They are adults and talk to each other honestly, no miscommunications.
Romance progresses organically, focusing on being friends first.
I always enjoy a toaster oven romance.
Very readable. Even though it was longer (362 pages), I read it almost in one sitting.
Strong friend and family side characters that add to the story.
Things I was less fond of:
I thought the banter felt forced in the beginning. The first texting and random conversation topics were awkward. I enjoyed conversations more when they talked about things they were dealing with.
The 18 year gap is big. I enjoy age gaps but I prefer the half the age plus seven rule to stay out of the icky zone.
The chapter with a several month time jump could have been labeled to avoid confusion.
Overall I like the story and felt I got to know the characters well. And the original strange setup was handled far better than I could have expected. I like the newer cover for the book that is on my copy, although the women seem to be similar in age. Thank you to NetGalley and Ylva Publishing for the eARC and I am leaving an honest review.
May 26, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
'A Question of Sincerity' by Sabrina Blaum is a quiet, emotionally rich read that completely won me over with its sincerity (pun intended) and the adorable dynamic between its two leads, Claudia and Elizabeth.
Their relationship is a masterclass in slow burn—so much of the novel is spent with them just trying to be friends, navigating the complicated presence of Elizabeth’s ex-husband Tom, which hangs over them like a fog. And yet, it never feels tedious. Instead, their hesitant steps toward each other feel so very authentic.
One of the things I appreciated most was how the story lets us into both of their minds. I found myself deeply connecting with both Elizabeth and Claudia. Their individual perspectives, vulnerabilities, and inner conflicts felt honest, which made the progression of their bond even more compelling.
And, the tension! There’s such a delicious, quiet chemistry between them—they fit so well together, it was impossible not to root for them. I also really respected the way they actually talk about big issues like their age gap and professional boundaries before diving headfirst into a relationship. It really added a mature, thoughtful layer that a lot of romances skip over or only slightly mention.
The plot twist genuinely caught me off guard in the best way—just when I thought I had the trajectory figured out, the plot twist came and damn I was so surprised!!
And the ending? Absolutely satisfying.
I’m giving it 4 stars rather than 5 only because a few moments in the middle felt slightly drawn out—but honestly, that slow pacing fits the story’s emotional rhythm.
A heartfelt, layered romance that takes its time and earns every beat. Highly recommend for fans of slow-burn sapphic stories with real emotional stakes.
'A Question of Sincerity' by Sabrina Blaum is a quiet, emotionally rich read that completely won me over with its sincerity (pun intended) and the adorable dynamic between its two leads, Claudia and Elizabeth.
Their relationship is a masterclass in slow burn—so much of the novel is spent with them just trying to be friends, navigating the complicated presence of Elizabeth’s ex-husband Tom, which hangs over them like a fog. And yet, it never feels tedious. Instead, their hesitant steps toward each other feel so very authentic.
One of the things I appreciated most was how the story lets us into both of their minds. I found myself deeply connecting with both Elizabeth and Claudia. Their individual perspectives, vulnerabilities, and inner conflicts felt honest, which made the progression of their bond even more compelling.
And, the tension! There’s such a delicious, quiet chemistry between them—they fit so well together, it was impossible not to root for them. I also really respected the way they actually talk about big issues like their age gap and professional boundaries before diving headfirst into a relationship. It really added a mature, thoughtful layer that a lot of romances skip over or only slightly mention.
The plot twist genuinely caught me off guard in the best way—just when I thought I had the trajectory figured out, the plot twist came and damn I was so surprised!!
And the ending? Absolutely satisfying.
I’m giving it 4 stars rather than 5 only because a few moments in the middle felt slightly drawn out—but honestly, that slow pacing fits the story’s emotional rhythm.
A heartfelt, layered romance that takes its time and earns every beat. Highly recommend for fans of slow-burn sapphic stories with real emotional stakes.
June 29, 2025
Thank you to Ylva Publishing and NetGalley for this E-Arc. All opinions are my own.
I give this book 3.5 stars and will round it up to 4. We start of with Claudia who is having a fantastic life at the moment. She is getting a job ion the field she studied/loves, she has a wonderful boyfriend and is generally killing it with her familial connections. Then she finds out her boyfriend is actually cheating with her on his wife. His wife, Claudia's new boss-eek!
I found this set up to be super refreshing and I enjoyed Cluadia's and Elizabeth's banter and relationship building but i DID also find it to be a little drawn out. There was a lot of internal turmoil on both parts about friendship and connection but sometimes it didn't feel like that/repetitive. Both characters were unique and I did enjoy reading their perspectives but again if a big chunk could have been cut-off from that section I think I would have enjoyed the book more. In this way the pacing sometimes was jarring.
Once we got to the endgame, things started to fall into place more and I very much fell back into step with the book. Although I will say it was a little jarring in the last few chapters with the time skip and flashbacks. Which again I highly enjoyed but still got a little jarred with the transition there.
Overall I enjoyed the book, I think it was a unique strangers to friends to lovers and would work as a light hearted beach read.
I give this book 3.5 stars and will round it up to 4. We start of with Claudia who is having a fantastic life at the moment. She is getting a job ion the field she studied/loves, she has a wonderful boyfriend and is generally killing it with her familial connections. Then she finds out her boyfriend is actually cheating with her on his wife. His wife, Claudia's new boss-eek!
I found this set up to be super refreshing and I enjoyed Cluadia's and Elizabeth's banter and relationship building but i DID also find it to be a little drawn out. There was a lot of internal turmoil on both parts about friendship and connection but sometimes it didn't feel like that/repetitive. Both characters were unique and I did enjoy reading their perspectives but again if a big chunk could have been cut-off from that section I think I would have enjoyed the book more. In this way the pacing sometimes was jarring.
Once we got to the endgame, things started to fall into place more and I very much fell back into step with the book. Although I will say it was a little jarring in the last few chapters with the time skip and flashbacks. Which again I highly enjoyed but still got a little jarred with the transition there.
Overall I enjoyed the book, I think it was a unique strangers to friends to lovers and would work as a light hearted beach read.
June 13, 2025
I picked this up expecting a fun, slightly chaotic queer romance, and I got that, but I wasn’t prepared for how emotionally invested I’d become in Claudia and Elizabeth’s journey.
Claudia’s honesty is refreshing and, honestly, kind of admirable. So when she realizes her rebound hookup is married to her new boss? The awkward tension is real and I felt every second of it. I couldn’t stop turning the pages, mostly out of curiosity about how the hell they were going to navigate that disaster. What followed was a slow unraveling of lives and expectations, and it felt so raw at times.
Elizabeth, especially, stood out to me. Her world is so neatly organized, until Claudia crashes into it like a beautiful, truth-telling hurricane. Watching her unravel and rebuild herself felt incredibly real, and I appreciated how the story gave both women the space to grow, separately and together.
It’s not a light and fluffy read: there’s heartbreak, guilt, and lots of questions without easy answers but that’s what made it feel honest. Like life.
I’m giving it 4 stars only because a couple of moments felt a little rushed emotionally, but I closed the book feeling satisfied, hopeful, and a little wrecked in the best way. Definitely recommend if you like messy, emotional, beautifully complicated queer love stories.
Claudia’s honesty is refreshing and, honestly, kind of admirable. So when she realizes her rebound hookup is married to her new boss? The awkward tension is real and I felt every second of it. I couldn’t stop turning the pages, mostly out of curiosity about how the hell they were going to navigate that disaster. What followed was a slow unraveling of lives and expectations, and it felt so raw at times.
Elizabeth, especially, stood out to me. Her world is so neatly organized, until Claudia crashes into it like a beautiful, truth-telling hurricane. Watching her unravel and rebuild herself felt incredibly real, and I appreciated how the story gave both women the space to grow, separately and together.
It’s not a light and fluffy read: there’s heartbreak, guilt, and lots of questions without easy answers but that’s what made it feel honest. Like life.
I’m giving it 4 stars only because a couple of moments felt a little rushed emotionally, but I closed the book feeling satisfied, hopeful, and a little wrecked in the best way. Definitely recommend if you like messy, emotional, beautifully complicated queer love stories.
June 17, 2025
Sabrina Blaum’s A Question of Sincerity is a refreshingly original and emotionally layered novel that explores the unexpected intersections of heartbreak, healing, and human connection. With a narrative rooted in raw vulnerability, Blaum delivers a story that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable.
The two central characters are introduced from opposing emotional spectrums—one hardened by pain, the other caught in a haze of disbelief and hurt. Their lives, disrupted by the actions of a destructive partner, collide in a way that is both dramatic and transformative. Blaum masterfully unpacks the emotional fallout of betrayal while slowly guiding her characters toward a place of trust, empathy, and growth.
What makes this story stand out is its delicate balance of emotional realism and hope. The journey these characters take is filled with moments of tension, introspection, and ultimately, self-discovery. Blaum’s writing is sincere and resonant, inviting readers to reflect on the complexities of relationships and the power of unexpected connection.
A Question of Sincerity is a poignant and compelling novel that speaks to the resilience of the human heart. It’s a must-read for those who appreciate character-driven stories that stay with you long after the final page.
The two central characters are introduced from opposing emotional spectrums—one hardened by pain, the other caught in a haze of disbelief and hurt. Their lives, disrupted by the actions of a destructive partner, collide in a way that is both dramatic and transformative. Blaum masterfully unpacks the emotional fallout of betrayal while slowly guiding her characters toward a place of trust, empathy, and growth.
What makes this story stand out is its delicate balance of emotional realism and hope. The journey these characters take is filled with moments of tension, introspection, and ultimately, self-discovery. Blaum’s writing is sincere and resonant, inviting readers to reflect on the complexities of relationships and the power of unexpected connection.
A Question of Sincerity is a poignant and compelling novel that speaks to the resilience of the human heart. It’s a must-read for those who appreciate character-driven stories that stay with you long after the final page.
June 18, 2025
What an emotional chaos.
Neither of them would have imagined this journey when it all began.
First they were just boss and employee, and then, whoosh, they were anything but professional.
Now, I don't want to give too much away, but betrayal and disappointment go hand in hand here.
For Elizabeth, two things she hadn't expected, plus a woman who's the amazing new employee, her husband's affair, and a really interesting person who could potentially become her friend—all rolled into one.
For Claudia, it's no less shocking when she finds out that Tom has been cheating on her and using her, because the bastard is married. But when she finds out who his wife is, she can hardly believe her eyes and sees her perfect new job disappear instantly.
Besides, how could Tom be so stupid as to cheat on a woman like Elizabeth? She's beautiful and so much more... Things get complicated, and from the complicated, something truly beautiful emerges!
Honestly, the development was a bit slow, and there were some scenes that weren't really necessary for the story. The last few chapters were a bit confusing, as they served as an epilogue, but you didn't realize that until later. That's when things really heated up! These two are capable of hitting the ground running and should have done so much sooner. But that's just my opinion. Thanks for the ARC. I still enjoyed the story!
Neither of them would have imagined this journey when it all began.
First they were just boss and employee, and then, whoosh, they were anything but professional.
Now, I don't want to give too much away, but betrayal and disappointment go hand in hand here.
For Elizabeth, two things she hadn't expected, plus a woman who's the amazing new employee, her husband's affair, and a really interesting person who could potentially become her friend—all rolled into one.
For Claudia, it's no less shocking when she finds out that Tom has been cheating on her and using her, because the bastard is married. But when she finds out who his wife is, she can hardly believe her eyes and sees her perfect new job disappear instantly.
Besides, how could Tom be so stupid as to cheat on a woman like Elizabeth? She's beautiful and so much more... Things get complicated, and from the complicated, something truly beautiful emerges!
Honestly, the development was a bit slow, and there were some scenes that weren't really necessary for the story. The last few chapters were a bit confusing, as they served as an epilogue, but you didn't realize that until later. That's when things really heated up! These two are capable of hitting the ground running and should have done so much sooner. But that's just my opinion. Thanks for the ARC. I still enjoyed the story!
Read
June 15, 2025I hate DNFing ARCs but I can not push myself through to finish this book.
It is incredibly slow and the characters just aren't likeable. The sole character that brought me any enjoyment was Sammy, a minor side character. I actively hate Elizabeth and the way she speaks to and treats her husband before she even knows he's doing anything terrible, she is cold and disconnected and kind of mean. It feels like it's intentional to make you sympathize with the cheater, even though the narrative is clearly 'no matter what cheating is wrong'. So, the intentions felt to be battling with what was actually being said.
I wish that I could find something to push me through to the end of this book, because I love a redemption type romance. Two women who had been hurt by the same man, finding comfort in each other. Sadly, it's just not doing it for me.
It is incredibly slow and the characters just aren't likeable. The sole character that brought me any enjoyment was Sammy, a minor side character. I actively hate Elizabeth and the way she speaks to and treats her husband before she even knows he's doing anything terrible, she is cold and disconnected and kind of mean. It feels like it's intentional to make you sympathize with the cheater, even though the narrative is clearly 'no matter what cheating is wrong'. So, the intentions felt to be battling with what was actually being said.
I wish that I could find something to push me through to the end of this book, because I love a redemption type romance. Two women who had been hurt by the same man, finding comfort in each other. Sadly, it's just not doing it for me.
September 9, 2025
I read this book during Pride Month, and it felt special to explore a story about love, honesty, and strength. It’s an age-gap romance where Claudia starts a new job and meets her boss, Elizabeth, just as her marriage falls apart after she finds out Tom is cheating. The romance between Claudia and Elizabeth grows slowly, sometimes too slowly, and the sudden ending felt a bit rushed. Still, I really liked how real their bond felt—their open talks, their care for each other, and their courage to face hard moments. Claudia’s clumsy honesty made her easy to like, and Elizabeth’s strength made her stand out. Even with its ups and downs, the book touched me and showed how meaningful queer love stories can be.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC.
June 15, 2025
The idea with the book was really good and I liked the story overall. However, it dragged a bit at time with so much talk and so little action. I just screamed kiss already. Then suddenly they finally hook up and that is about it, the story is moving a long way into the future and they have a daughter. No details on how that really happened and then the book moves to pure erotica in a very strange way. So overall a good read but with some adjustments it would have been so much better. More time in the book with them as a couple raising Alice would have been so great.
I received a free ARC of this book via NetGalley.
I received a free ARC of this book via NetGalley.
September 4, 2023
This was surprisingly sweet! Claudia and Elizabeth were both well-rounded, likeable characters, and the latter was a great example of an ice queen who was witty and cunning without being emotionless or comically hostile.
The pacing was a liiiiitle slow for my taste, I'd have preferred if the leads got together before the 80% ish mark, but their prior friendship was written so well that I honestly didn't mind by the end. And plus, there were quite a few chapters of them being together and in love after they finally got together, which is always a good thing.
The pacing was a liiiiitle slow for my taste, I'd have preferred if the leads got together before the 80% ish mark, but their prior friendship was written so well that I honestly didn't mind by the end. And plus, there were quite a few chapters of them being together and in love after they finally got together, which is always a good thing.
June 6, 2025
I DEVOURED this book. This was the kind of slow burn where you want to shout “because you love her” at the characters. Claudia and Elizabeth were very likeable and relatable. Both characters had issues they were facing and we also got to explore how they supported each other, exploring the natural progression of their friendship.
I loved the writing style and pacing. There were subtle clues throughout and no elements of the story felt forced. The drama felt human, which was refreshing to read. This was a fantastic book and I highly recommend it!
I loved the writing style and pacing. There were subtle clues throughout and no elements of the story felt forced. The drama felt human, which was refreshing to read. This was a fantastic book and I highly recommend it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews