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A Perfect Fit
Ella Gardner is a high school English teacher and former volleyball star who lost out on her chance to play in college when she became pregnant with her daughter in her senior year of high school. Fed up with the direction of her life, she acknowledges her sexuality at thirty-five and decides to try online dating. While her first and only foray into that world did not work out the way she had intended, happenstance brought her into the orbit of the woman who would change her life forever.
Parker Chase is everyone's friend and every woman's conquest. She's always looking for her next one-night companion until a statuesque blonde strolls up to her bar one night. She never believed in love at first sight before now, but can she overcome a troublesome past which leaves her feeling unworthy of any lasting affection?
The twists and turns on the road to love are never easy to navigate. And with a cast of characters that will make you cry and keep you in stitches from one chapter to the next, this story visits old tropes and looks at them with new eyes. Happily ever after free with purchase.
Parker Chase is everyone's friend and every woman's conquest. She's always looking for her next one-night companion until a statuesque blonde strolls up to her bar one night. She never believed in love at first sight before now, but can she overcome a troublesome past which leaves her feeling unworthy of any lasting affection?
The twists and turns on the road to love are never easy to navigate. And with a cast of characters that will make you cry and keep you in stitches from one chapter to the next, this story visits old tropes and looks at them with new eyes. Happily ever after free with purchase.
413 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 5, 2023
316 people are currently reading
1342 people want to read
About the author
Kellan McKnight
4 books92 followersKellan lives in the deep south with her wife and a cadre of kids and pets. She enjoys the finer things in life like quality dark roast coffees, ice-cold lagers, and world peace (in that order).
You can often find her listening to an audiobook while heavy metal blasts on Spotify and a scary movie plays on TV (hello ADHD), or just trying to catch some downtime (napping) from
her crazy, busy, wonderful life.
You can often find her listening to an audiobook while heavy metal blasts on Spotify and a scary movie plays on TV (hello ADHD), or just trying to catch some downtime (napping) from
her crazy, busy, wonderful life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
February 10, 2024
Another romance without the actual romance. But there is plenty of sex if that’s all you care about.
It did make me laugh when Ella said sorry, we can only be friends because of the 11 year age gap and then proceeded to sleep with her the very next week.
It did make me laugh when Ella said sorry, we can only be friends because of the 11 year age gap and then proceeded to sleep with her the very next week.
November 12, 2023
My heart loves love
There's a new voice in lesbian romance and I like what she's saying. McKnight gives us characters to cheer for, fall for,laugh with and cry with and it all comes together nicely in her first novel. I'm not going to give out any of the plot but I do recommend reading this for yourself and enjoy all the feels.
There's a new voice in lesbian romance and I like what she's saying. McKnight gives us characters to cheer for, fall for,laugh with and cry with and it all comes together nicely in her first novel. I'm not going to give out any of the plot but I do recommend reading this for yourself and enjoy all the feels.
May 4, 2025
I’m changing my review of this book as I am doing a reread. Oddly enough, the author posted something that made me think about rereading this. I am definitely enjoying this way more than the first time around. I’m changing this from a 3.5 to a 5…here’s why…
The first time I read this, it was one of my very first WLW romances and I don’t think I “got it.” The first read of this, I didn’t like Ella…AT ALL..but this time around, I totally got her and her point of view. She basically had never had a dating life since she was 17 and she had been closeted for half of her life, so of course she didn’t know how to act when she had challenges with her relationship with Parker. Well, she hit the frigging jackpot with Parker. Not that Parker is perfect, she’s got some baggage, but damn, she is precious.
There is some angst and some struggle, but you get to see both characters grow and become the people and the couple they want to be. Many thanks to Kellan for writing this…and yes, I’ll reread it again!
The first time I read this, it was one of my very first WLW romances and I don’t think I “got it.” The first read of this, I didn’t like Ella…AT ALL..but this time around, I totally got her and her point of view. She basically had never had a dating life since she was 17 and she had been closeted for half of her life, so of course she didn’t know how to act when she had challenges with her relationship with Parker. Well, she hit the frigging jackpot with Parker. Not that Parker is perfect, she’s got some baggage, but damn, she is precious.
There is some angst and some struggle, but you get to see both characters grow and become the people and the couple they want to be. Many thanks to Kellan for writing this…and yes, I’ll reread it again!
January 7, 2024
4.5 stars
I love discovering new works from emerging talents and I’m happy to say that this book was even more than I anticipated!
Debut author Kellan McKnight could have just made Ella and Parker’s age gap romance fun and sexy and left it at that. But no - she goes deeper and the book is better for it.
While there is love/lust at first sight - both women are drop dead gorgeous and are pretty much gone from the moment they lock eyes - it is followed by strong character development and growth. Their stories go to some very interesting and surprising places. And their chemistry? Oof. Off the charts! I found Parker’s journey especially satisfying.
The ending was a little abrupt, but we got a nice glimpse of things to come. I think fans of romance with some depth will enjoy this novel.
I look forward to seeing what’s next from McKnight!
I love discovering new works from emerging talents and I’m happy to say that this book was even more than I anticipated!
Debut author Kellan McKnight could have just made Ella and Parker’s age gap romance fun and sexy and left it at that. But no - she goes deeper and the book is better for it.
While there is love/lust at first sight - both women are drop dead gorgeous and are pretty much gone from the moment they lock eyes - it is followed by strong character development and growth. Their stories go to some very interesting and surprising places. And their chemistry? Oof. Off the charts! I found Parker’s journey especially satisfying.
The ending was a little abrupt, but we got a nice glimpse of things to come. I think fans of romance with some depth will enjoy this novel.
I look forward to seeing what’s next from McKnight!
February 25, 2024
1.5 stars
I rarely rate books this low and since I did I felt I should explain why since the reasons I really disliked this book, might be the exact reasons someone else loves it. In the end book reviews are subjective and based off of each persons preferences. There are a lot of spoilers in my review since I break down the whole book and my issues with it.
Brief Synopsis: Ella a 35 year old, newly divorced, mom to a 17 year old girl. She is now getting to explore her sexuality since she's now come to terms with it. She goes out to a bar and has an instant connection with the beautiful bartender Parker. She goes home drunk with Parker and sleeps it off on the couch. In the morning the connection is tangible. They kiss and then Ella finds out Parkers age, she's almost 25. She can't handle the age difference and leaves... and proceeds to do all sorts of shit before's suddenly deciding maybe she does have feelings for Parker and might try and be with her. (Then fucks that up and somehow still gets Parker in the end after just continuously hurting her throughout the whole book. - I obviously have strong feelings about this book lol)
First of all - the characters. I was really intrigued and engaged at the start. The sexual tension and chemistry was palpable. But all of Ella’s choices and actions, and her lack of self awareness was off-putting and then downright angering for me as things progressed. For example she’d say “I’m not wanting a relationship or anything exclusive” and then told Tilly she “wasn’t see anyone else and would love to go on a date to see where things could go with them.” Then proceeded to have a friends with benefits arrangement with Parker. Then she was confused why the people around her were hurt. I have no issue with characters being unlikable, but Ella’s particular mix of unlikeable hit on all the things that really piss me off in books. With reflecting on this I think I like difficult/unlikable characters that are self aware. They're assholes and know it. What I can't stand is a difficult/unlikable character that is unaware and then feels like other people are victimizing her.
The fact that at the end other people were apologizing to her when she “felt she had to go on a date with Tilly even though she realized she was in love with Parker” astounded me. I honestly was confused by the whole Tilly story line. I don’t need monogamy in the books I read and Ella viewed herself as being “honest with everyone” while, in my opinion, really not being. She had people around her even telling her what she was doing might cause issues but ignored it and was confused by them calling her out on her bs.
Honestly I would have preferred if Parker didn’t take her back after the 3rd act breakup and there was more self reflection in Ella. Parker had every right to feel betrayed by her parents and Ella. And yet she was told she was being too harsh by expecting people to care for her and stand by her when they said they would, but didn’t.
The messaging came across that one person (Parker) should sacrifice her needs and standards because feeling a connection with someone (Ella) or being in love out weighs that persons’s actions.
Sure Parker could look past Ella’s faults, but that doesn’t mean she has to be with her. Ella broke her word and was oblivious as to why that might anger someone. I felt there was no real self awareness even at the end. It took her own fucking daughter and daughters gf to convince her to try and get Parker back. Ella never seemed to make an effort for Parker, yes she held her while she cried while working through her trauma, but even then Ella denied to herself she wanted something with Parker. Yes, Parker could of said she had feelings and couldn’t handle things, but Ella, even when she said she wasn’t wanting a relationship would talk about how she wanted to see where things went between them which felt confusing.
It felt like there was no character growth in Ella, she was just as oblivious at the end as she was at the start, and not in an excusable way. And the big gesture was her just saying she loved Parking in front of tons of people at a club and Parker took her back. I’m sorry what???
Ella never makes a move on her own. She only returns to Parker and "wants to be with her" post date with Tilly because Tilly called it off. She only tried to get Parker back because her child and Parker's family convinced her to. She never showed any intentionality.
The ways the characters were portrayed at the start and then the way they were throughout the rest of the book felt off. Like their actions didn’t match up with who they were presented as being at the start. It was confusing.
I found the book being in 3rd person and the random shifts in POV to be jarring. It took me out of the story multiple times when there was a sentence where it appeared like it was from Parkers POV and then continued with Ella’s.
In the end I was very angry and disappointed by this book. I wish I had dnf’ed it at 50% when I was so shocked by Ella’s actions that I felt there was no way I could find her character redeemable, unless there was a big dose of self awareness that came along. Which of course it didn’t and just got worse from there. In the end this was anything but an enjoyable read for me. I could see someone who likes lots of angst and difficult characters having a different view of this book than me, but overall for me I disliked it. The characters, plot, setting, layout, and writing just didn't work for me. As a queer woman, I really found it hard to see why Parker would want to be with Ella beyond the lust.
Since this is a "romance" book with the expectation of a happy ending I am rating this 1.5 stars. I don't think the intention was for me, as the reader, to loath one of the main characters and not in a fun way. I usually don't write book reviews if I rate a book under 3 stars, but I decided to with this one.
So the pros:
1. There was tangible chemistry between Parker and Ella
2. I liked the healthy friendship between Ella and her ex husband Alex
3. The book cover is pretty
The cons:
1. Ella and everything surrounding her
2. The unnecessary “other women” throughout the book
Three most enraging moments:
1. Ella obviously has feelings for Parker. But decides she needs to make it work with another woman, Tilly, who said she was no longer interested with how Ella ignored her and was wrapped around Parker at the bar. But no, this fucking woman convinces Tilly to go on a date with her. While being confused why her new friend Danna is not responding well to her actions. (Even knowing at the end that Danna had feelings for Tilly. Danna's criticisms still felt valid.)
2. Ella proceeds to take Parker up on her offer to help her get ready for her date. (Which yes Parker shouldn’t have done). But proceeds to have Parker help her while Parker is obviously hurting.
2. Turns out Tilly called off the date cause she has feelings for Danna. When Ella sees them she tells them she’s happy but they should have been more upfront and honest with her like she does with everyone around her. I'm sorry what the actual fuck. She went on a date with Tilly even after she realized she has feeling for Parker because since she asked she didn’t feel she could cancel and had to go. She WAS NOT HONEST about that. WTF? And then… Danna and Tilly APOLOGIZE TO HER. Sure everyone could have been more honest, but the audacity and lack of self awareness Ella had. I have no words.
Genre: LGBTQ+ (Sapphic (F/F)) Contemporary Romance
Tropes: Age gap (35/24), single parent, opposites attract
Heat Level: 4/5
Frequency: spice/smut
POV: 3rd person; Dual (Ella & Parker) *was mainly from Ella's POV
OM/W drama? Yes, a lot of it. Instigated by Ella.
Cheating? No
3rd act breakup? Yes
HEA? Yes (but I feel Parker would have been better off alone)
I rarely rate books this low and since I did I felt I should explain why since the reasons I really disliked this book, might be the exact reasons someone else loves it. In the end book reviews are subjective and based off of each persons preferences. There are a lot of spoilers in my review since I break down the whole book and my issues with it.
Brief Synopsis: Ella a 35 year old, newly divorced, mom to a 17 year old girl. She is now getting to explore her sexuality since she's now come to terms with it. She goes out to a bar and has an instant connection with the beautiful bartender Parker. She goes home drunk with Parker and sleeps it off on the couch. In the morning the connection is tangible. They kiss and then Ella finds out Parkers age, she's almost 25. She can't handle the age difference and leaves... and proceeds to do all sorts of shit before's suddenly deciding maybe she does have feelings for Parker and might try and be with her. (Then fucks that up and somehow still gets Parker in the end after just continuously hurting her throughout the whole book. - I obviously have strong feelings about this book lol)
First of all - the characters. I was really intrigued and engaged at the start. The sexual tension and chemistry was palpable. But all of Ella’s choices and actions, and her lack of self awareness was off-putting and then downright angering for me as things progressed. For example she’d say “I’m not wanting a relationship or anything exclusive” and then told Tilly she “wasn’t see anyone else and would love to go on a date to see where things could go with them.” Then proceeded to have a friends with benefits arrangement with Parker. Then she was confused why the people around her were hurt. I have no issue with characters being unlikable, but Ella’s particular mix of unlikeable hit on all the things that really piss me off in books. With reflecting on this I think I like difficult/unlikable characters that are self aware. They're assholes and know it. What I can't stand is a difficult/unlikable character that is unaware and then feels like other people are victimizing her.
The fact that at the end other people were apologizing to her when she “felt she had to go on a date with Tilly even though she realized she was in love with Parker” astounded me. I honestly was confused by the whole Tilly story line. I don’t need monogamy in the books I read and Ella viewed herself as being “honest with everyone” while, in my opinion, really not being. She had people around her even telling her what she was doing might cause issues but ignored it and was confused by them calling her out on her bs.
Honestly I would have preferred if Parker didn’t take her back after the 3rd act breakup and there was more self reflection in Ella. Parker had every right to feel betrayed by her parents and Ella. And yet she was told she was being too harsh by expecting people to care for her and stand by her when they said they would, but didn’t.
The messaging came across that one person (Parker) should sacrifice her needs and standards because feeling a connection with someone (Ella) or being in love out weighs that persons’s actions.
Sure Parker could look past Ella’s faults, but that doesn’t mean she has to be with her. Ella broke her word and was oblivious as to why that might anger someone. I felt there was no real self awareness even at the end. It took her own fucking daughter and daughters gf to convince her to try and get Parker back. Ella never seemed to make an effort for Parker, yes she held her while she cried while working through her trauma, but even then Ella denied to herself she wanted something with Parker. Yes, Parker could of said she had feelings and couldn’t handle things, but Ella, even when she said she wasn’t wanting a relationship would talk about how she wanted to see where things went between them which felt confusing.
It felt like there was no character growth in Ella, she was just as oblivious at the end as she was at the start, and not in an excusable way. And the big gesture was her just saying she loved Parking in front of tons of people at a club and Parker took her back. I’m sorry what???
Ella never makes a move on her own. She only returns to Parker and "wants to be with her" post date with Tilly because Tilly called it off. She only tried to get Parker back because her child and Parker's family convinced her to. She never showed any intentionality.
The ways the characters were portrayed at the start and then the way they were throughout the rest of the book felt off. Like their actions didn’t match up with who they were presented as being at the start. It was confusing.
I found the book being in 3rd person and the random shifts in POV to be jarring. It took me out of the story multiple times when there was a sentence where it appeared like it was from Parkers POV and then continued with Ella’s.
In the end I was very angry and disappointed by this book. I wish I had dnf’ed it at 50% when I was so shocked by Ella’s actions that I felt there was no way I could find her character redeemable, unless there was a big dose of self awareness that came along. Which of course it didn’t and just got worse from there. In the end this was anything but an enjoyable read for me. I could see someone who likes lots of angst and difficult characters having a different view of this book than me, but overall for me I disliked it. The characters, plot, setting, layout, and writing just didn't work for me. As a queer woman, I really found it hard to see why Parker would want to be with Ella beyond the lust.
Since this is a "romance" book with the expectation of a happy ending I am rating this 1.5 stars. I don't think the intention was for me, as the reader, to loath one of the main characters and not in a fun way. I usually don't write book reviews if I rate a book under 3 stars, but I decided to with this one.
So the pros:
1. There was tangible chemistry between Parker and Ella
2. I liked the healthy friendship between Ella and her ex husband Alex
3. The book cover is pretty
The cons:
1. Ella and everything surrounding her
2. The unnecessary “other women” throughout the book
Three most enraging moments:
1. Ella obviously has feelings for Parker. But decides she needs to make it work with another woman, Tilly, who said she was no longer interested with how Ella ignored her and was wrapped around Parker at the bar. But no, this fucking woman convinces Tilly to go on a date with her. While being confused why her new friend Danna is not responding well to her actions. (Even knowing at the end that Danna had feelings for Tilly. Danna's criticisms still felt valid.)
2. Ella proceeds to take Parker up on her offer to help her get ready for her date. (Which yes Parker shouldn’t have done). But proceeds to have Parker help her while Parker is obviously hurting.
2. Turns out Tilly called off the date cause she has feelings for Danna. When Ella sees them she tells them she’s happy but they should have been more upfront and honest with her like she does with everyone around her. I'm sorry what the actual fuck. She went on a date with Tilly even after she realized she has feeling for Parker because since she asked she didn’t feel she could cancel and had to go. She WAS NOT HONEST about that. WTF? And then… Danna and Tilly APOLOGIZE TO HER. Sure everyone could have been more honest, but the audacity and lack of self awareness Ella had. I have no words.
Genre: LGBTQ+ (Sapphic (F/F)) Contemporary Romance
Tropes: Age gap (35/24), single parent, opposites attract
Heat Level: 4/5
Frequency: spice/smut
POV: 3rd person; Dual (Ella & Parker) *was mainly from Ella's POV
OM/W drama? Yes, a lot of it. Instigated by Ella.
Cheating? No
3rd act breakup? Yes
HEA? Yes (but I feel Parker would have been better off alone)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2024
A Perfect Fit by Kellan McKnight is an age-gap romance that checks all the boxes for a thoroughly satisfying listen. Narrated beautifully by Sadie Provost, this story brings to life the journey of Ella Gardner—a high school teacher, mom, and newly out lesbian—who’s finally taking charge of her life and stepping into her truth. Her first encounter with the charming and notorious Parker Chase sparks an unforgettable romance that’s heartwarming and sizzling!
Ella’s character is so refreshingly layered; she’s not only navigating her identity but also balancing her role as a loving mother. I adored seeing her as a devoted parent to her daughter while also embracing her desires and growth. McKnight writes her character with great depth, capturing
the vulnerabilities and excitement of a late-in-life queer awakening. And I have to shout out the dynamic between Ella and her ex-husband—it was refreshing to see an ex portrayed as a good, caring person who genuinely loves Ella as a friend.
Then we have Parker, the seemingly classic player who’s known for one-night stands, but she’s so much more than a simple player trope. Behind her casual reputation lies a complex, caring character who’s got her own healing to do. Her instant attraction to Ella leads her to question everything she thought she wanted, and watching her open up to love and embrace her feelings is as tender as it is steamy.
This novel also has a fantastic side story between AJ and Kat, adding a fun, additional layer to the story that balances romance with friendship and humor. It’s a full cast of characters that I absolutely fell in love with.
Sadie Provost’s narration was top-notch. This was my first time listening to her, and I’m now a fan. She added so much depth and emotion to McKnight’s characters, making every interaction between Ella and Parker feel vibrant and alive. Her performance brought out the humor, chemistry, and emotional beats with ease, making this audiobook a joy to listen to.
If you love age-gap romances, healing journeys, and steamy sapphic stories, A Perfect Fit is a must-listen. This book is more than just romance; it’s a heartfelt exploration of love, acceptance, and second chances.
Ella’s character is so refreshingly layered; she’s not only navigating her identity but also balancing her role as a loving mother. I adored seeing her as a devoted parent to her daughter while also embracing her desires and growth. McKnight writes her character with great depth, capturing
the vulnerabilities and excitement of a late-in-life queer awakening. And I have to shout out the dynamic between Ella and her ex-husband—it was refreshing to see an ex portrayed as a good, caring person who genuinely loves Ella as a friend.
Then we have Parker, the seemingly classic player who’s known for one-night stands, but she’s so much more than a simple player trope. Behind her casual reputation lies a complex, caring character who’s got her own healing to do. Her instant attraction to Ella leads her to question everything she thought she wanted, and watching her open up to love and embrace her feelings is as tender as it is steamy.
This novel also has a fantastic side story between AJ and Kat, adding a fun, additional layer to the story that balances romance with friendship and humor. It’s a full cast of characters that I absolutely fell in love with.
Sadie Provost’s narration was top-notch. This was my first time listening to her, and I’m now a fan. She added so much depth and emotion to McKnight’s characters, making every interaction between Ella and Parker feel vibrant and alive. Her performance brought out the humor, chemistry, and emotional beats with ease, making this audiobook a joy to listen to.
If you love age-gap romances, healing journeys, and steamy sapphic stories, A Perfect Fit is a must-listen. This book is more than just romance; it’s a heartfelt exploration of love, acceptance, and second chances.
February 7, 2024
A good tale that kept me interested: a bit angsty but lived with that: lot of themes which sorted themselves out in the end.
November 11, 2023
Wow!
I can’t say enough about how much I adored this book! The chemistry between Parker and Ella is explosive and I was feeling every bit of the emotional ups and downs of their story. I was completely immersed and infatuated while rooting for them the whole way through. The character development was so great and the twist of the story came as a complete surprise. Loved it! This book is so well written and it will be staying in my library for a future re-read.
Don’t walk, run and grab this read! You won’t be disappointed if your looking to have your heartstrings pulled! ❤️
I can’t say enough about how much I adored this book! The chemistry between Parker and Ella is explosive and I was feeling every bit of the emotional ups and downs of their story. I was completely immersed and infatuated while rooting for them the whole way through. The character development was so great and the twist of the story came as a complete surprise. Loved it! This book is so well written and it will be staying in my library for a future re-read.
Don’t walk, run and grab this read! You won’t be disappointed if your looking to have your heartstrings pulled! ❤️
January 8, 2024
A Perfect Fit by Kellan McKnight is an age gap, coming out in later life romance that will have you hooked until the last page.
Let me just say that this book is nothing that I expected it to be. It is so much more and a solid debut from this author.
Ella and Parker have one of those first meetings where time stands still, sparks fly, hearts beat faster and you just know that you’re looking at ‘the one’. But it wouldn’t be much of a story if that was it, everything worked out and they lived happily ever after. So of course, things are standing in their way. But the main thing is Ella.
Ella started dating her best friend and got pregnant at seventeen while trying to prove to herself that she was straight, she married him and buried her head in the sand for the next 16 years. But now she’s 35, divorced, and finally ready to embrace her sexuality. She is thrilled when she has an instant connection with the hot bartender on her first visit to the local gay bar. That is until she finds out how much younger she is. This starts an angsty journey for Ella and those around her while she tries to fight what’s in her heart and follow her head. Losing Battle Ella, losing battle. As much as I liked Ella and understood where she was coming from, I also wanted to shake her and give her a stern talking too. The woman had me enraged, which for me is the sign of a great complex character, and what a great character she is.
Parker, oh Parker you have my heart. Parker is 24, mature, has spunk, is brave, and is such a survivor. Even before her story unfolded, I was drawn to her. She has a zest for life that jumps off the page, yet underneath it all she has a fragile vulnerability that calls out and makes you want to protect her.
Both women are dealing with things (I don’t want to spoil anything). This story has depth, trauma, drama, a great plot twist, and a hot steamy romance. There is a found family theme that runs throughout as well as a lot of sweet family acceptance. There are new friendships that bloom and this cast of extras add to the story perfectly and brings it all together.
Although there is a lot of drama it is all there for a reason and doesn’t make this a heavy read. In fact, it's fun, funny, sweet, and sexy. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Go give it a go It is one of those books that delivers more than you expect.
Arc received from the author- a solid 5 stars from me.
Let me just say that this book is nothing that I expected it to be. It is so much more and a solid debut from this author.
Ella and Parker have one of those first meetings where time stands still, sparks fly, hearts beat faster and you just know that you’re looking at ‘the one’. But it wouldn’t be much of a story if that was it, everything worked out and they lived happily ever after. So of course, things are standing in their way. But the main thing is Ella.
Ella started dating her best friend and got pregnant at seventeen while trying to prove to herself that she was straight, she married him and buried her head in the sand for the next 16 years. But now she’s 35, divorced, and finally ready to embrace her sexuality. She is thrilled when she has an instant connection with the hot bartender on her first visit to the local gay bar. That is until she finds out how much younger she is. This starts an angsty journey for Ella and those around her while she tries to fight what’s in her heart and follow her head. Losing Battle Ella, losing battle. As much as I liked Ella and understood where she was coming from, I also wanted to shake her and give her a stern talking too. The woman had me enraged, which for me is the sign of a great complex character, and what a great character she is.
Parker, oh Parker you have my heart. Parker is 24, mature, has spunk, is brave, and is such a survivor. Even before her story unfolded, I was drawn to her. She has a zest for life that jumps off the page, yet underneath it all she has a fragile vulnerability that calls out and makes you want to protect her.
Both women are dealing with things (I don’t want to spoil anything). This story has depth, trauma, drama, a great plot twist, and a hot steamy romance. There is a found family theme that runs throughout as well as a lot of sweet family acceptance. There are new friendships that bloom and this cast of extras add to the story perfectly and brings it all together.
Although there is a lot of drama it is all there for a reason and doesn’t make this a heavy read. In fact, it's fun, funny, sweet, and sexy. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Go give it a go It is one of those books that delivers more than you expect.
Arc received from the author- a solid 5 stars from me.
January 6, 2024
This is not a great book
I wanted to like it, and there are some fun elements, but the twist was telegraphed from a the moment the second teenager was mentioned. There were just to many moments where it felt so ridiculous. The compressed timeline of events is the absolute worst, and it felt like a pile of ideas someone tried to thread a narrative through, instead of a cohesive story.
I wanted to like it, and there are some fun elements, but the twist was telegraphed from a the moment the second teenager was mentioned. There were just to many moments where it felt so ridiculous. The compressed timeline of events is the absolute worst, and it felt like a pile of ideas someone tried to thread a narrative through, instead of a cohesive story.
July 31, 2024
This review is for the version in audiobook performed by Sadie Provost
So cute!
Ella is coming to terms with her sexuality at age thirty-five and finds herself chatting to women online. Meeting up with one of them, they agree to just be friends, but that’s the night that Ella meets Parker at the bar they visit. Parker is a woman everyone wants, but she likes Ella and after they get to know one another, Ella really has her believing it was love at first sight.
Such an exciting age-gap romance, with a bit of a difference. I loved how the story took lots of twists and turns, and even had layers and other characters who added to the drama and excitement of the budding romance between Ella and Parker. Ella was nervous about everything, and I could completely empathise with her. She had her daughter to consider, as a teacher her career was also important, but she really wanted to be happy and true to herself for the first time, after being married and a young mum straight out of high school. Given all she had been through, she really gave into her desires and tried to embrace what she wanted for once, and put herself first, which I really admired.
When we learned more about Parker, it was obvious there was more to her than Ella’s new friends had eluded. My heart broke for her when Ella was struggling with their age-gap, and when Parker opened up to her and really laid everything on the line, trusting Ella with something deeply personal. She’d been through some very traumatic events, so to have the confidence she did, I was just in awe, and hoped Ella would see sense and give into her feelings, embrace the wonderful relationship, so they could both have the happiness they deserved.
Listening to it as the audio, rather than reading it myself was an immersive experience. Sadie delivers a narration with personality, and different accents in the characters to decipher who was who when sections of dialogue were reached. There was lots of emotion in the narration, perfectly reflecting the characters and how they were feeling or reacting to situations. It was really well read, and paced according to the scenes or what was happening.
Really enjoyed this story and the narration, and would recommend it to any lover of romance stories.
So cute!
Ella is coming to terms with her sexuality at age thirty-five and finds herself chatting to women online. Meeting up with one of them, they agree to just be friends, but that’s the night that Ella meets Parker at the bar they visit. Parker is a woman everyone wants, but she likes Ella and after they get to know one another, Ella really has her believing it was love at first sight.
Such an exciting age-gap romance, with a bit of a difference. I loved how the story took lots of twists and turns, and even had layers and other characters who added to the drama and excitement of the budding romance between Ella and Parker. Ella was nervous about everything, and I could completely empathise with her. She had her daughter to consider, as a teacher her career was also important, but she really wanted to be happy and true to herself for the first time, after being married and a young mum straight out of high school. Given all she had been through, she really gave into her desires and tried to embrace what she wanted for once, and put herself first, which I really admired.
When we learned more about Parker, it was obvious there was more to her than Ella’s new friends had eluded. My heart broke for her when Ella was struggling with their age-gap, and when Parker opened up to her and really laid everything on the line, trusting Ella with something deeply personal. She’d been through some very traumatic events, so to have the confidence she did, I was just in awe, and hoped Ella would see sense and give into her feelings, embrace the wonderful relationship, so they could both have the happiness they deserved.
Listening to it as the audio, rather than reading it myself was an immersive experience. Sadie delivers a narration with personality, and different accents in the characters to decipher who was who when sections of dialogue were reached. There was lots of emotion in the narration, perfectly reflecting the characters and how they were feeling or reacting to situations. It was really well read, and paced according to the scenes or what was happening.
Really enjoyed this story and the narration, and would recommend it to any lover of romance stories.
Read
December 8, 2024unfortunately this wasn’t for me.
January 7, 2024
Such a sweet age gap love story! I can understand how Ella thought regarding the age difference. Parker is so lovable and damaged due to her past. But with Ella by her side she can recover. Is their love going to be strong enough.
I really enjoyed this book, and I'd love to reread it in the future. 5 stars!
I really enjoyed this book, and I'd love to reread it in the future. 5 stars!
April 23, 2025
I've been meaning to read this book since it first came out!
It's been hidden in my TBR list for so long 🤦🏽♀️
We start off by meeting Ella Gardner, an English teacher, who becames pregnant whilst in her senior year of highschool. After her divorce nearly 20 years later she decides to take her life in a different direction and be open about her sexuality.
It's really nice that in this book her Ex, Alex, isn't a A hole and wants her to be happy.
Ella gives online dating a try & even though those dates don't work out, she does start to make more friends & start to spread her wings. One night whilst out with her new gang she meets a woman who'll have her speechless, flustered & change her world.
Parker Chase isn't what everyone thinks she is... She's known around town as a player!....
After she takes a drunken Ella home to her place and NOT for what we think, we get to see the start of the real Parker.
While Ella is struggling with their age difference and being very attracted towards Parker .... Parker already feels this 'friendship' could be different for her. Never normally doing more than the one night stands she starts to want more from Ella.
It has so many touching moments throughout, and my heart hurts mostly for Parker when Ella can't decide what she wants or who she wants.... When you find out more of Parker's backstory it becomes even more emotional to read.
Don't get me wrong, Ella isn't an awful character.. she's struggling with her own emotions, feelings & how things will look to others if she dates someone younger.
I just really felt for Parker more.... The writing of those scenes had me tearing up often.
I'm glad I finally got round to checking this one out!
It's been hidden in my TBR list for so long 🤦🏽♀️
We start off by meeting Ella Gardner, an English teacher, who becames pregnant whilst in her senior year of highschool. After her divorce nearly 20 years later she decides to take her life in a different direction and be open about her sexuality.
It's really nice that in this book her Ex, Alex, isn't a A hole and wants her to be happy.
Ella gives online dating a try & even though those dates don't work out, she does start to make more friends & start to spread her wings. One night whilst out with her new gang she meets a woman who'll have her speechless, flustered & change her world.
Parker Chase isn't what everyone thinks she is... She's known around town as a player!....
After she takes a drunken Ella home to her place and NOT for what we think, we get to see the start of the real Parker.
While Ella is struggling with their age difference and being very attracted towards Parker .... Parker already feels this 'friendship' could be different for her. Never normally doing more than the one night stands she starts to want more from Ella.
It has so many touching moments throughout, and my heart hurts mostly for Parker when Ella can't decide what she wants or who she wants.... When you find out more of Parker's backstory it becomes even more emotional to read.
Don't get me wrong, Ella isn't an awful character.. she's struggling with her own emotions, feelings & how things will look to others if she dates someone younger.
I just really felt for Parker more.... The writing of those scenes had me tearing up often.
I'm glad I finally got round to checking this one out!
May 17, 2024
This was such a great listen! I love every thing about it. Such great depth, good plot, awesome main and supporting characters. This book felt like a movie and there aren’t many that I can say keep me up all night cause I can’t put it down and are dying in anticipation. Anyone who loves a good romance novel this one is for you. Don’t walk and run and get this one ASAP! Oh and the spice is oh so spicy 🥵 🌶️🌶️🌶️ I can’t believe this was a debut novel for Kellan. Please keep ‘em coming McKnight!!!
December 5, 2024
Yikes....DNF
January 9, 2024
Excellent
Oh wow, how good was this. Excellently written, one of those books you want to start reading again as soon as you finished it.
Oh wow, how good was this. Excellently written, one of those books you want to start reading again as soon as you finished it.
November 13, 2024
Oof. I don’t know where to start. The writing itself wasn’t terrible, but that doesn’t really matter when the character and plot falls so flat. There are lots of spoilers ahead.
I probably should have DNF’d early on when the two main characters, Ella and Parker, had a “funny” conversation that left me scratching my head since it wasn’t funny in the slightest (and telling me the character found it “funny” doesn’t make me believe it).
I spent so much of this book trying to understand why these characters even liked each other on any sort of deeper level, but I never found it.
Somehow we’re supposed to believe the older character, Ella, is a teacher when she blatantly lacks maturity. She has a conversation with Parker about their age-gap and is incredibly insistent it’s not right, but she can’t come up with an argument against it. What? I’m 30 and could come up with so many reasons not to date someone 10 years younger than me, but Ella’s just there completely stumped? She didn’t even try to argue a point and just grasped aimlessly at the air and her opinion. If she at least had come up with something, I may have believed her convictions. Then it may have been believable why she kept pushing herself toward someone else, Tilly, who she clearly had absolutely zero interest in. Instead it just felt like Ella being annoying and immature.
On top of that, she keeps stealing her teenage daughter’s clothes? To have something sexy to wear? Girl, wtf! That’s so wildly inappropriate and downright gross to go to basically a booty call in your kid’s clothing? I would feel so violated if I found out my mom was doing that. Also the way they talk to each other feels very odd considering the backstory of her family/relationship.
I did end up finishing this book (finally) out of sheer spite to not have wasted my time when I was over 2/3 of the way through.
The “twist” had me rolling my eyes. Of course Ella’s daughter’s girlfriend is Parker’s little sister. And then, instead of Ella showing an ounce of maturity and care toward Parker when her family finds out about their relationship, she basically runs off and abandons Parker (!!!). Once again… what? I do not believe this woman is a high school teacher in her mid thirties with how she behaves.
And then to round out how truly unbelievable this all is the timeline is so majorly compressed there is no way this relationship between Ella and Parker is healthy. In fact it’s incredibly toxic, and I wish Parker never took Ella back. She should have ran for the hills, but of course she didn’t.
At least the promposal was kind of cute considering the daughter and her girlfriend are on rival volleyball teams.
Two stars because I managed to finish and at least this book made me feel… something. Not sure I was supposed to aggressively dislike Ella as much as I did though.
I probably should have DNF’d early on when the two main characters, Ella and Parker, had a “funny” conversation that left me scratching my head since it wasn’t funny in the slightest (and telling me the character found it “funny” doesn’t make me believe it).
I spent so much of this book trying to understand why these characters even liked each other on any sort of deeper level, but I never found it.
Somehow we’re supposed to believe the older character, Ella, is a teacher when she blatantly lacks maturity. She has a conversation with Parker about their age-gap and is incredibly insistent it’s not right, but she can’t come up with an argument against it. What? I’m 30 and could come up with so many reasons not to date someone 10 years younger than me, but Ella’s just there completely stumped? She didn’t even try to argue a point and just grasped aimlessly at the air and her opinion. If she at least had come up with something, I may have believed her convictions. Then it may have been believable why she kept pushing herself toward someone else, Tilly, who she clearly had absolutely zero interest in. Instead it just felt like Ella being annoying and immature.
On top of that, she keeps stealing her teenage daughter’s clothes? To have something sexy to wear? Girl, wtf! That’s so wildly inappropriate and downright gross to go to basically a booty call in your kid’s clothing? I would feel so violated if I found out my mom was doing that. Also the way they talk to each other feels very odd considering the backstory of her family/relationship.
I did end up finishing this book (finally) out of sheer spite to not have wasted my time when I was over 2/3 of the way through.
The “twist” had me rolling my eyes. Of course Ella’s daughter’s girlfriend is Parker’s little sister. And then, instead of Ella showing an ounce of maturity and care toward Parker when her family finds out about their relationship, she basically runs off and abandons Parker (!!!). Once again… what? I do not believe this woman is a high school teacher in her mid thirties with how she behaves.
And then to round out how truly unbelievable this all is the timeline is so majorly compressed there is no way this relationship between Ella and Parker is healthy. In fact it’s incredibly toxic, and I wish Parker never took Ella back. She should have ran for the hills, but of course she didn’t.
At least the promposal was kind of cute considering the daughter and her girlfriend are on rival volleyball teams.
Two stars because I managed to finish and at least this book made me feel… something. Not sure I was supposed to aggressively dislike Ella as much as I did though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2025
I enjoyed this and listened to it on audio to which was really good. I think Parker’s trauma was written well. I did find the other FMC (Ella) frustrating at times 🤣. But overall I enjoyed it.
Written in Third Person with 2x POV’s. Coming out/Starting Over, Age gap (11 years), Single Parent, Online Dating, Teacher/Musician, Overcoming trauma. Narrated by Sadie Provost. 3x Spicy scenes.
Written in Third Person with 2x POV’s. Coming out/Starting Over, Age gap (11 years), Single Parent, Online Dating, Teacher/Musician, Overcoming trauma. Narrated by Sadie Provost. 3x Spicy scenes.
December 8, 2023
A Perfect Fit
This debut novel was well done. I really enjoyed the instantaneous chemistry. It was angsty but well resolved. I enjoyed the book from beginning to end. I look forward to more books by this author and will continue to follow her.
This debut novel was well done. I really enjoyed the instantaneous chemistry. It was angsty but well resolved. I enjoyed the book from beginning to end. I look forward to more books by this author and will continue to follow her.
January 23, 2024
3.5⭐ rounding up.
I think it’s the first book I read that really brought the age gap topic in this light. It’s not the usual sexy MILF sapphic fantasy. It’s a real issue here : Ella has trouble getting over their age difference and we can really follow the evolution of the relationship from her perspective : from revulsion to acceptance.
Parker’s character was not what I expected at all, she is far from being a simple player that only does one night stand, she is so much more... I won’t spoil anything but she is attaching, steady, thoughtful and very mature. You can only love her and want to protect her. Ella’s late bloomer journey is full of doubts, navigating in this new world and It was well written. Even if some of her choices can be frustrating for the readers, they are realistic for someone in her position.
Side characters are attaching : I personally liked AJ and Alex a lot.
Now, I have to mention one thing : when I read I always put myself in the shoes of the character whose POV is chosen to tell the story. There were some chapters with Ella and Parker where the POV is mixed or neutral (I don’t know what it’s called) but, the POV was jumping from one character to the other in the same chapter. It's always something disturbing for me. I think I am the only one having this issue so maybe it comes from my ability to read in English (as a non native English speaker. But overall, I really loved the plot, the twists, character depth and growth from this promising debut novel.
I think it’s the first book I read that really brought the age gap topic in this light. It’s not the usual sexy MILF sapphic fantasy. It’s a real issue here : Ella has trouble getting over their age difference and we can really follow the evolution of the relationship from her perspective : from revulsion to acceptance.
Parker’s character was not what I expected at all, she is far from being a simple player that only does one night stand, she is so much more... I won’t spoil anything but she is attaching, steady, thoughtful and very mature. You can only love her and want to protect her. Ella’s late bloomer journey is full of doubts, navigating in this new world and It was well written. Even if some of her choices can be frustrating for the readers, they are realistic for someone in her position.
Side characters are attaching : I personally liked AJ and Alex a lot.
Now, I have to mention one thing : when I read I always put myself in the shoes of the character whose POV is chosen to tell the story. There were some chapters with Ella and Parker where the POV is mixed or neutral (I don’t know what it’s called) but, the POV was jumping from one character to the other in the same chapter. It's always something disturbing for me. I think I am the only one having this issue so maybe it comes from my ability to read in English (as a non native English speaker. But overall, I really loved the plot, the twists, character depth and growth from this promising debut novel.
May 14, 2024
I'm giving this one two stars because I refuse to give a sapphic romance one star unless it's horrendous and this wasn't horrendous. It was not great, though. A lot going on, very little of it interesting. The writing was a monotone, and the dialog was routine and unimaginative. Basically pretty boring with a bit of spice. Nothing stressful, a few situations that promised some tension but they were softballs and dealt with pretty superficially. Forgettable.
January 6, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The angst, the love, the spice was an emotional roller coaster and I loved every second of it. The characters had me laughing and I found myself relating to them. I look forward to more writing from this author.
Read
December 19, 2024DNF
January 14, 2025
Such a fun book! It got a bit dramatic at parts, but I think it’s part of the genre. I loved the realistic nature of coming out later in life and finding community.
December 27, 2023
Really Great Love Story
I loved Ella finally coming out in her thirties and meeting other lesbians. She tries to start meeting women and being just friends but when she meets the incredibly cute bartender on her first visit to a gay club she is smitten. There is lots more to the story so don’t miss out on all the lesbian activities.
I loved Ella finally coming out in her thirties and meeting other lesbians. She tries to start meeting women and being just friends but when she meets the incredibly cute bartender on her first visit to a gay club she is smitten. There is lots more to the story so don’t miss out on all the lesbian activities.
December 22, 2023
Letting Love Heal
Ella and Parker each carry a lot of baggage at the start of this novel but by the end, they’ve begun healing. This story is how they get from wounded and broken to a place of light, healing, and love.
Distant parents and trauma when younger follow Parker, driving her to behaviors that are less than ideal. And Ella, finally admitting to herself that she’s a lesbian, then dealing mentally with the age gap between herself and Parker complicate the story throughout.
But reading these romantic journeys is why we choose these books, right?
I recommend this book. Strap in at the start and prepare for a roller coaster of emotions. And then enjoy.
Ella and Parker each carry a lot of baggage at the start of this novel but by the end, they’ve begun healing. This story is how they get from wounded and broken to a place of light, healing, and love.
Distant parents and trauma when younger follow Parker, driving her to behaviors that are less than ideal. And Ella, finally admitting to herself that she’s a lesbian, then dealing mentally with the age gap between herself and Parker complicate the story throughout.
But reading these romantic journeys is why we choose these books, right?
I recommend this book. Strap in at the start and prepare for a roller coaster of emotions. And then enjoy.
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