Ashley James is a romance author who enjoys writing (and reading) LGBTQIA+ books. She is from Washington State—and no, not Seattle—and currently resides in South Carolina with her two kids and hairless kitties, Goose, Maverick, and Houston. Ashley is introverted and slightly (okay, majorly) awkward. She refuses to make this section sound like a tacky dating app profile, so she won't be telling you how much she enjoys music, how she thoroughly enjoys dancing and singing in her kitchen, despite not being able to carry a tune, and she won't be telling you about her love of toxic and broken fictional men.
Short novella of a best friend, Wren, dropping everything to fly from San Diego to Chicago to help her best friend from high school, Nelly, from an abusive husband. Trigger warning on domestic violence, but only in the past. Nice story.
Even though this was short and sweet it was amazing! I wish this could have been a whole book. I enjoy everything Ashley writes and this wasn’t the exception. Both characters were beautiful and there was an undeniable connection! The friendship was nice, the spice was enjoyable. Now I need more of these two friends
Wren has been in love with her best friend Nelly for as long as she can remember, but they’ve never been anything more than friends.
When Nelly calls her crying in the middle of the night asking her to come get her, Wren hops on the next flight to Chicago no questions asks. She’s not sure what to expect, but seeing Nelly covered in bruises with a split lip isn’t it.
It kills her seeing her best friend hurting, but Wren helps her pack up her things and the pair head on a road trip back to California.
Along the way things start to change between them, and the attraction Wren has always done her best to deny sparks to life between her and Nelly.
Their story hooked me from the start and left me wanting more! This absolutely was not enough, but the chemistry and tension between them was fantastic, and I didn’t feel like it was rushed despite how brief of a read it was.
How did Ashley pack so much into 75 pages?! 🤯😍 I ate this book up! I need more sapphic recs now! This is a best friends to lovers short story that packs emotion and spice. The fireplace scene. 🥵🤭 I hope we get more of these characters! Highly recommend!
This was a really sweet friends to lovers sapphic romance. It covers a lot of ground in a short timeframe thanks to the setup at the beginning, but it surprisingly never felt rushed. These two were ones I very much loved seeing have their happy moment together. Good writing as well.
Ok, just finished this book. Let’s take a moment for wren🤌🏽…….she’s just 😮💨🌶️
Wren goes to help her best friend after her pos bf beats on her. She gets a call from Nelly in the middle of the night and drops everything to go and get her. Poor Nelly is a mess after but wren is a great best friend 😢. This is a short story but definitely had me in my feels. Their chemistry was everything. Idk how the author was about to pack so much in 75 pages! I hope there will be a second book 🤞🏽
When you're married to a woman I don't know if you have higher standards for sapphic romances or what but I've liked 1 or 2 that haven't icked me out. With that said I absolutely loved Wren!!!
Penelope's (Nelly)realization of her feelings for Wren and coming to understand what certain feelings throughout their friendship actually meant was what I have personally experienced and what I think a lot of bi-sexual people have gone through and it was really cool too see that representation in a book!
The love Wren has for Nelly is fierce and protective and I can't wait to see what Ashley does with this when she develops it into a full length novel! You are left with an amazing HFN and even though it's short Ashley gives us a good amount of spice!
-sapphic romance -best friends to lovers -hurt/comfort -“who did that to you”
gahh i’m so happy i found this sapphic romance of ashley’s because i know it’s just gonna slaaayyyyy!!! & i can’t want for the rest of these twos story cause it’s gonna wreck me i just know it!!
um so this was fantastic. i felt like i really knew the characters even tho it was so short. the audio was amazing, quinn riley is such a great narrator. i absolutely must read more by this author
***Please note that this review is mainly for my benefit as it is more of a summary of the book and may contain spoilers.***
🌶 [v] Abduction [v] Actor M [v] Addiction (M [v] Adopted Siblings [v] Adoption of neice [v] Adult breastfeeding [v] Age Gap ( 21 F & 33 M) [v] Age play [v] Airplane Sex [v] Alien M [v] Alpha/Bega/Omega (Alpha M) [v] Amnesia [v] Anal [v] F to F anal [v] F to M anal [v] M to F anal [v] M to M anal [v] Anal Beads [v] Anal Felching [v] Anal Fisting [v] F to F anal fisting [v] M to F anal fisting [v] M to M anal fisting [v] Anal Gaping [v] Anal Hook [v] Anal Knotting [v] Anal Play [v] F to F anal play [v] F to M anal play [v] M to F anal play [v] M to M anal play [v] Anal Rimming [v] F to F anal rimming [v] F to M anal rimming [v] M to F anal rimming [v] M to M anal rimming [v] Anthology [v] Anxiety Attacks [v] Arranged Marriage (marriage contract) [v] Arrangement [v] Artist M ( artist) [v] Assault [v] Auction [v] Auralism Kink (sounds and voices) [v] Author F [v] "Baby Boy" [v] "Baby Girl " [v] Bar Sex [v] Baseball/MLB, former MLB player [v] Bath Sex [v] Bathroom Sex [v] Begging [v] Ben Wa Balls [v] Belt [v] Best Friend's Brother [v] Best Friend's Dad [v] Best Friend's Daughter [v] Best Friend's Mom [v] Best Friend's Son [ ] Bi-Awakening [v] Billionaire M [v] Birth Control Tampering [v] Biting [v] Blackmail [v] Blood Kink [v] Blood-Play [v] Blue Collar (cop M [v] Body Guard [v] Boat sex [v] Bookstore Sex [v] Branding (Forced tattoo) [v] Brat [v] Breast Binding [v] Breath-Play [v] Breeding Bench [v] Breeding Kink [v] Brother's Best Friend [v] Bully to Lover [v] Butt Plug [v] CSA (Child Sexual Assault) in M's past, off page [v] Cage [v] Candaulism Kink (desire to show off one's partner) [v] Cane [v] Car Sex [v] Carriage sex [v] Cat of Nine Tails [v] Chastity Cage [v] Cheating (she cheats on her boyfriend then fiance with MMC. boyfriend/fiance is a POS) [v] Chef M [v] Child Abuse [v] Childbirth (off page) [ ] Childhood Friends [v] Choking [v] Christmas [v] Church Sex [v] Classroom sex [v] Claws [v] Clit Clamp [v] Closet Sex [v] Cock and Balls Harness [v] Cock Piercing(s) [v] Cock Ring [v] Cock Sleeve [v] Cock Warming [v] CNC (Consensual Non-Consent) [v] Collar [v] College Romance [v] Communication Barrier [v] Cousins (not blood related) [v] Cowboy M [v] Cozy [v] "Crawl to Me" [v] Crime ( [v] Cuckhold [v] Cult (she escaped religious cult [v] Cum Kink [v] Cumming in his pants [v] "Daddy " [v] Dad's Best Friend [v] DADVP (Double Anal and Double Vaginal Penetration) [v] DAVP (Double Anal and Vaginal Penetration) with fist (P) and anal hook and cock (A) [v] Dark Romance [v] Daughter's Boyfriend [v] Death of a Child (in M's past, off page) [v] Death of a Parent (F, off page) [v] Death of a Sibling [v] Death of a Spouse (F's fiance in past, off page) [v] Degradation [v] Demisexual M [v] Dentist F [v] Dildo [v] Dining Room Sex [v] Disability (M, cant feel pain due to nervous system damage [v] Dissociation [v] Divorced M [v] Doctor M [v] Dom and Sub [v] Dom and Subs [v] Doms and Sub [v] Doms and Subs [v] Domme and Sub [v] Domme and Subs [v] Dommes and Sub [v] Dommes and Subs [ ] Domestic Voilence (F's ex) [v] DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and tentacle (A) [v] DP (Double Penetration) with cock (P) and vibrator (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with vibrator (P) and finger (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and butt plug (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and finger (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with two cocks [v] DP (double penetration) with fingers (P) and anal beads (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and anal beads (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with vibrator (P) and cock (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with fingers (P) and butt plug (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and finger (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with fingers (P) and cock (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with fist (P) and anal hook (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with dildo (P) and cock (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with champagne bottle (P) and fingers (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with tongue (P) and tentacle (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with fingers (P) and Tail (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with tail (P) and fingers (A) [v] DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and bed footboard spindle (A) [v] Drinking Blood [v] Drug Use (weed) [v] Drugging [v] DUBCON (Dubious Consent) [v] DVAP (Double Vainal and Anal Penetration) with cock and Vibrating bulb (P) and butt plug (A) [v] DVP (Double Vaginal Penetration) with cock and fingers [v] DVP (Double vaginal penetration) with vibrator and fingers [v] DVP (Double vaginal penetration) with vibrator and cock [v] DVP (Double Vaginal Penetration) with cock and dildo [v] DVP (Double Vaginal Penetration) with two cocks [v] DVP (Double Vaginal Penetration) with fingers and tentacle [v] Eating Disorder [v] Edging [v] Electrical Stimulation [v] Elevator Sex [v] Enemies to Lovers [v] Ex's Dad [v] Ex's Uncle [v] Ex-Convict [v] Exhibitionism [v] F Masturbation [v] F Virgin [ ] FF [ ] F to F oral [v] FFF [v] FFM [v] FMF [v] FFFF [v] FFFM [v] FFMF [v] FFMM [v] FMFM [v] FMMF [v] FMMM [v] FFMMM [v] FMMMF [v] FMMMM [v] Face Fucking [v] FaceTime Sex [v] Fairy [v] Fairytale Retelling (nightmare before christmas [v] Fake dating [v] Fall/Autumn [v] Fangs [v] Fantasy [v] Fated Mates [v] Feet Fucking [v] Flogger [v] Food Play [v] Foot Fetish [v] Football/NFL NFL player [v] Forced Marriage [v] Forced Orgasms [v] Forced Proximity [v] Four cocks [v] Free Use [ ] Friends-to-Lovers [v] Friends with Benefits [v] Frotting (Jacking off two dicks together with one hand) [v] Fucking machine [v] G-Spot Stimulator [v] Garage Sex [v] Gaslighting [v] Glory Hole [v] "Goddess" [v] Gods (Dragon shifter god M) [v] Golden retriever M [v] Golden Shower (peeing on someone) [v] Grumpy and Sunshine [v] Gun-Play [v] Gym Sex [v] Hair-Pulling [v] Halloween [v] Harness [v] He didnt know she was a virgin [v] He falls first [v] Heat/Rut [v] Hidden Cameras [v] Hidden Identity [v] Hockey/NHL NHL player [v] Hood [v] Horns [v] Horror [v] Hospital Sex [v] Hot Tub Sex [v] Hotel Sex [v] Humiliation [v] Imprisonment [v] Incest [v] Infertility F, doesn't seem upset about it [v] Interracial (Mexican/Italian M & white F's) [v] Jacob's Ladder Piercings [v] Kendo Sticks [v] Kinging (face-sitting) [v] Kitchen Sex [v] Knife-Play (cutting [v] Knot [v] Labia Clamps [v] Lactation Kink [v] Lake Sex [v] Laundry Room Sex [v] Lawyer M [v] Leash [v] Library Sex [v] Limo Sex [v] Lip Piercing [v] "Little Girl" [v] Locker Room Sex [v] Love triangle [v] M Masturbation [v] M Virgin (inexperienced) [v] MF [v] F to M oral [v] M to F oral [v] MM [v] M to M oral [v] MFM [v] MMF [v] MMM [v] MFFM [v] MFMM [v] MMMF [v] MMMM [v] MMFMF [v] Make-a-Baby Arrangement [v] Marriage of Convenience [v] Married Couple [v] "Madame" [v] "Master" [v] Masks [v] Mating Mark [v] Medical experiments [v] Medical play [v] Mental illness (agoraphobia F [v] Military (veteran M [v] Milking Machine [v] Miscarriage (in F's past, off page) [v] "Mistress" [v] Mistaken identity [v] "Mommy" [v] Monster (Wolf shifter F [v] Motel Sex [v] Motorcycle Club [v] Mouth Gag ( [v] Murder [v] Mutual Masturbation [v] Muzzle [v] Nanny [v] NBF [v] F to NB oral [v] NB to F oral [v] NBM [v] M to NB oral [v] NB to M oral [v] NBFM [v] Necrophilia kink [v] Needle Play [v] Neighbors [v] Neurodivergent M, can't process or name emotions [v] Nipple Clamps [v] Nipple Enlargers [ ] Nipple Piercing(s) F [v] No Happily Ever After [v] Non-Binary (NB) [v] NC (non-consent) [v] Novella [v] Nurse F [v] Office Sex [v] One Night Stand [v] Orgy [v] Outdoor Sex [v] Overdose [v] Paddle [v] Panic attack(s) [v] Pansexual [v] Paralytic Poison [v] Pegging [v] Period Sex [v] "Pet" [v] Pet Play [v] Phone Sex [v] Piercing [v] Pillory [v] Pleasure Dom [v] Plus Sized FMC [v] Plus Sized MMC [v] Pocket Pussy [v] Police Officer F [v] Politics (president M, first lady F, and vice president M) [v] Polyamory [v] Pool Sex [v] Postapolyptic [v] Praise [v] Pregnancy (Epilogue) [v] Pregnancy Sex [v] Prehensile Cock [v] Prehensile Tail [v] Priest M [v] Primal Play/Kink [v] Prince Albert Piercing [v] Professional domme [v] Professor F [v] Prostate Massager [v] Psychosis [v] PTSD M [v] Public Bathroom Sex [v] Public Sex (on sidewalk, at night [v] Punishment [v] "Pup" [v] Pussy Pump [v] "Queen" [v] Queening (face sitting) [v] Reincarnation [v] Remote Controlled Vibrator [v] Restaurant Sex [v] Restraints (ties, straps [v] Reverse Age Gap (24 M & 39 F) [v] Reverse Harem (1 F & 3 M's) [v] Riding Crop [v] Rock Star M [v] Role Playing [v] Roommates [v] Rose Toy [v] Royalty (princess & prince [v] SA (Sexual Assault) in F's past, off page [v] Saw Horse [v] Schizophrenia [ ] Scissoring [v] Scratching [v] Second Chance Romance [v] Secret baby [v] Secret Society [v] Selective Mutism [v] Self harm (in F's past) [v] Sentient Object(s) [v] Serial Killer F [v] Sex Club [v] Sex in a Corm Maze [v] Sex in the Woods [v] Sex lessons [v] Sex on a Carousel [v] Sex on a Motorcycle [v] Sex on a Piano [v] Sex Swing [v] Sex Tape [v] Sex trafficking (in F's past [v] Sex Worker (stripper & prostitute M [v] Sexting [v] Shape-Shifting [v] Shibari [v] Shock Collar [v] Shower Sex [v] Single Dad [v] Single Mom [v] "Sir" [v] Sissy Man [v] Size Difference [v] Slapping (breasts [v] Slit [v] Slow burn [v] Small Town [v] Snowballing (passing cum from one mouth to another) [v] Soccer (pro team owner) [v] Social Media Influencer [v] Somnophilia [v] Sounding [v] Spanking [v] Spanking Bench [v] Spitting (on pussy [v] Spreader Bar [v] Squirting [v] St. Andrew's Cross [v] Stalker (not MMC [v] Stepdad [v] Strap-On Dildo [v] Step Cousins [v] Step Siblings [v] Stepbrothers [v] Stepsisters [v] Stockade [v] Suicide (not a main character) [v] Suicide Attempt (in F's past, off page) [v] Suspension [v] Swingers [v] Tail [v] Tangy Dinger (giving blow job after doing anal) [v] Tattoo Artist [v] Teacher F [v] Teenagers [v] Temperature Play (ice in her pussy and ass, hot wax [v] Tentacles [v] Terminal Illness [v] Thanksgiving [v] Therapist [v] Titty Fucking [v] Tongue Ring M [v] Torture [v] TVP (Triple Vaginal Penetration) with three tentacles [v] Two Cocks [v] Unplanned Pregnancy (Epilogue) [v] Vaccuum Play [v] Vaginal Felching [v] Vaginal Fisting [v] Vaginal Gaping [v] Vaginal Knotting [v] Vaginal penetration with tequila bottle [v] Vaginal Piercings (clit hood [v] Vanilla [v] Vibrating bullet [v] Vibrating cock [v] Vibrating egg [v] Vibrating Tongue [v] Vibrating Wand [v] Vibrator [v] Vision Deprivation (blindfold [v] Voyeurism [v] War [v] Watching Porn [v] Wedding (off page) [v] Wet Dreams [v] Whip [v] Why choose [v] Widow [v] Wings [v] Workplace Romance [v] Yacht
5 FF
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Ashley really knows how to build depth and connection with her characters and her books and this one for sure shows that in just under 75 pages you see two friends both females who are there for each other no matter what happens or how much time is passed but the line is crossed when wren tries to get her friend out of a domestic violence situation and the two lives collide in a serious way while also feeling out hidden emotions that have been brought to light . If you want a book that is quick for your goodreads goals or a ff romance for pride month/LGBTQIA’s books or just want to dive into Ashley writing this is a good one.
THIS WAS PHENOMENAL! omg I need Ashley James to give me a full length FF novel immediately. I am arguably more critical of sapphic books than I am other genre's and I have to say, Ashley James did the genre justice and I hope she continues to write more.
This was a beautiful, emotional, angsty and HOTTTT 100 page novella and I could have read 500 more. I love Wren and Nellie so much. God DAMN. I'm shook.
4.5 stars. This was so good and I want more. I hope that the author does another part because there’s still so much story to tell about Wren and Nelly. I adored them so much. Great chemistry and a compelling plot for this to be such a short read. James’s writing is really good and the spice was fantastic. Nelly’s story broke my heart. All the shit she went through with her husband but she’s so resilient. And Wren…*swoon*. Such an amazing and protective best friend. She’s always been in love with Nelly so watching them get together was so satisfying. I really loved this and will definitely be checking out more by this author.
Penelope Boswell is my best friend. She’s my person. She’s who I call when I have good news and bad. She’s my comfort. My solace. But in the same breath, she’s my want, my longing, my ache. She isn’t mine. She never will be. It’s a special kind of cruel to be in love with someone you shouldn’t. To know your heart beats for someone you can never have. One phone call in the middle of the night, two thousand miles between us, and everything changes. She’s hurt. Sad. Broken. She needs me. He broke her, and now it’s my responsibility to step in and pick up the pieces… But what will be left of me when all is said and done?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book was really cute, sad, and really good all at the same time. I listened to the audiobook only, and as someone who is trying to get used to audiobooks, as someone who either reads on her kindle or a physical book, I really enjoyed this although Nelly reminded me of Paige from The Hideout by Melissa Tereze, Nelly has an abusive husband, as did Paige, which is the sad part but Nelly's best friend Wren saves her and it's just a really cute story 😊 i would definitely recommend it! I haven't read the ebook or physical book but as an audiobook it is really good!
This was fine. A sweet novella about two besties who are, surprise surprise, something more, but one of them hadn't realised it yet. I'm not a big fan of and immediately having sex with someone else because that's too close to taking advantage of someone having some big emotions and, to be fair, they address it, but it's a novella, so I guess there's not much time to deal with this anyway.
This is a tinder slow burn friends too lovers romance. One is a lesbian and the other is as it turns out a asexual and it has taken a traumatic event and a lengthy road trip with said childhood lesbian friend for her to realize that she has latent sapphic emotions for her childhood friend. A splendid sapphic love story😘 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥😝😜😋❗
This was a sapphic, best friends to lovers romance with some great tension and the best build up! Novellas can sometimes be hit or miss for me but i was so impressed with what the author was able to accomplish in such a short amount of time - it was really sweet to see the clear connection between wren and nelly. I could have easily read a whole book about them! such a good audiobook too
Friends-to-lovers is usually a guaranteed win for me, especially in sapphic romance—but this one didn’t leave much of an impression. While the premise has emotional stakes and longing baked in, I finished Wren realizing I couldn’t recall specific scenes or moments that stood out. It wasn’t bad, just forgettable, which is disappointing for a trope I normally adore.
This was a short, sweet and tender story between best friends Wren and Nelly. It was much more than a cross country trip, but a very special journey as well. I would have enjoyed a full length novel. The narration by Quinn Riley was wonderful and filled with affection!