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Love You However: A Sapphic Novel of Marriage and Self-Discovery
'Jean Taylor is a woman.'
This is a statement that I have always tolerated about myself. Except now… it seems to be getting harder. My gender has never felt right, but I’ve been able to overlook it. I’ve always been okay with being Jean retail worker, choir leader and wife of Petra. Our idyllic little life in Cornwall has given me the stability I’ve needed ever since my sister died, and everything’s been ticking along just fine. Up until now. A blast of menopause hormones has brought my gender to the front of my mind. When Petra is suddenly hurled into the role of ‘headteacher’ at work, it becomes harder and harder to share it with her. With work taking over her life and gender taking over mine, how can we keep our marriage alive? And can I realise my true identity before it’s too late?
Content warning: mentions of self-harm, family members lost to cancer, and discussions of gender identity.
While set in the same location as The Summer We've Had with many shared characters, both books can be read as standalones. That said, if you want to see how Cass and Felicia are getting on four years later, look no further...!
This is a statement that I have always tolerated about myself. Except now… it seems to be getting harder. My gender has never felt right, but I’ve been able to overlook it. I’ve always been okay with being Jean retail worker, choir leader and wife of Petra. Our idyllic little life in Cornwall has given me the stability I’ve needed ever since my sister died, and everything’s been ticking along just fine. Up until now. A blast of menopause hormones has brought my gender to the front of my mind. When Petra is suddenly hurled into the role of ‘headteacher’ at work, it becomes harder and harder to share it with her. With work taking over her life and gender taking over mine, how can we keep our marriage alive? And can I realise my true identity before it’s too late?
Content warning: mentions of self-harm, family members lost to cancer, and discussions of gender identity.
While set in the same location as The Summer We've Had with many shared characters, both books can be read as standalones. That said, if you want to see how Cass and Felicia are getting on four years later, look no further...!
295 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 22, 2024
10 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Blakeman
7 books22 followersWelcome to my page! I am the author of the Bound By The Rainbow series (Cornwall-based Sapphic novels consisting of The Summer We've Had, Love You However and A Different Kind Of Pride) and The Rainbow Lens, a second-chance Sapphic romance set in rural Italy.
My Instagram is @katherineblakemanwriter, my Twitter is @kblakemanwriter and I also use Facebook. My website is www.katherineblakeman.com, where you can find my blog, and I also have a Kofi page, ko-fi.com/katherineblakeman (which you'll have to copy and paste because apparently the link doesn't want to format correctly...).
Happy reading, everybody!
My Instagram is @katherineblakemanwriter, my Twitter is @kblakemanwriter and I also use Facebook. My website is www.katherineblakeman.com, where you can find my blog, and I also have a Kofi page, ko-fi.com/katherineblakeman (which you'll have to copy and paste because apparently the link doesn't want to format correctly...).
Happy reading, everybody!
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 28, 2024
Finding yourself
Read this book!! Heartbreakingly beautiful. The way the author writes these characters and their individual journeys grabs you tight and holds on until the conclusion! All of the hurt, angst and finding way back to where love started was so well written! I was completely invested in Petra and Jean from the first chapter! Love you however…
Read this book!! Heartbreakingly beautiful. The way the author writes these characters and their individual journeys grabs you tight and holds on until the conclusion! All of the hurt, angst and finding way back to where love started was so well written! I was completely invested in Petra and Jean from the first chapter! Love you however…
April 13, 2024
3.5 Stars
July 2, 2024
I read a lot of books, and this is a unique story that explored finding one's self, dealing with stress, and two people learning to communicate their needs to each other while deciding if they should remain a couple.
April 7, 2025
(rounded up from 4.5)
Jean is an androgynous woman married to Petra, the love of her life. When their marriage is going through a complete disintegration thanks to the stresses of Petra's sudden promotion to Acting Head of her school when he boss is in an accident, Jean finds herself rethinking her marriage, her life, and sometimes even her gender. Surely at fifty-two, it's too late to think about things like gender? (I saw this sarcastically, of course it isn't)
I appreciated how, unlike most love stories, this one is about the bits after the happy ending where the two lovebirds walk off to their happy life. It deals with the pressures of life seven years later, after menopause for one of the wives, career pressures, lesbian bed death, and wanting to hold on to your person but not sure if you are each other's person anymore.
I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected and it moved me in places where every time we hear someone use a gendered term for Jean, I was cringing alongside her (which is a great way to understand how trans people feel, I think). This is a more realistic kind of story where you evaluate whether a marriage is worth saving and whether the love of your life actually is that person, or if you're better off apart.
Jean is an androgynous woman married to Petra, the love of her life. When their marriage is going through a complete disintegration thanks to the stresses of Petra's sudden promotion to Acting Head of her school when he boss is in an accident, Jean finds herself rethinking her marriage, her life, and sometimes even her gender. Surely at fifty-two, it's too late to think about things like gender? (I saw this sarcastically, of course it isn't)
I appreciated how, unlike most love stories, this one is about the bits after the happy ending where the two lovebirds walk off to their happy life. It deals with the pressures of life seven years later, after menopause for one of the wives, career pressures, lesbian bed death, and wanting to hold on to your person but not sure if you are each other's person anymore.
I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected and it moved me in places where every time we hear someone use a gendered term for Jean, I was cringing alongside her (which is a great way to understand how trans people feel, I think). This is a more realistic kind of story where you evaluate whether a marriage is worth saving and whether the love of your life actually is that person, or if you're better off apart.
May 24, 2024
you need to read this book
If there is one thing Katherine Blakeman does right, it’s taking the hard topics and creating a story that not only grips you from the start, it also opens your eyes to the pain and suffering that could be hidden inside of anyone.
The characters the author have created are, from the outside, your average married couple. What is hidden beneath both of them is totally different. I always say that communication is key, but you also need time to figure things out for yourself. The author writes this journey perfectly.
I don’t want to give anything away, the journey you go on is, at times, a hard one. At one point I was scared to turn the page. You really do go on a deep emotional roller coaster ride.
I know this book is about Jean’s side of things, but I would have liked to know what Petra was thinking at certain points. That being said, the book doesn’t really need a second POV.
I truly believe that Katherine Blakeman is an outstanding author. This book as well as the previous one both tackle hard subjects. But they are done in a way that is informative while also being a joy to read.
I look forward to the next book.
If there is one thing Katherine Blakeman does right, it’s taking the hard topics and creating a story that not only grips you from the start, it also opens your eyes to the pain and suffering that could be hidden inside of anyone.
The characters the author have created are, from the outside, your average married couple. What is hidden beneath both of them is totally different. I always say that communication is key, but you also need time to figure things out for yourself. The author writes this journey perfectly.
I don’t want to give anything away, the journey you go on is, at times, a hard one. At one point I was scared to turn the page. You really do go on a deep emotional roller coaster ride.
I know this book is about Jean’s side of things, but I would have liked to know what Petra was thinking at certain points. That being said, the book doesn’t really need a second POV.
I truly believe that Katherine Blakeman is an outstanding author. This book as well as the previous one both tackle hard subjects. But they are done in a way that is informative while also being a joy to read.
I look forward to the next book.
March 23, 2024
Love you However. I received an early copy for review and I am so thankful to Katherine for this! You've done it again! And have written a book that made me feel so many emotions.
I feel this book is a little more relaxed than The Summer We Had, but that doesn't mean it isn't again well researched and sensitive to the topics it covers.
Gender identity is an issue that isn't readily talked about, so having a book that addresses that in later life is wonderful. The MCs are relatable, not perfect and feel like real people. That's something I love about Katherine's writing - the characters are like friends.
One of the last lines in the book that pretty much sums up the overall vibe:
‘I never knew what it was like to fly until I let myself breathe in.’
Thank you for the advance copy. I seriously can not wait to see what your pen produces next !
I feel this book is a little more relaxed than The Summer We Had, but that doesn't mean it isn't again well researched and sensitive to the topics it covers.
Gender identity is an issue that isn't readily talked about, so having a book that addresses that in later life is wonderful. The MCs are relatable, not perfect and feel like real people. That's something I love about Katherine's writing - the characters are like friends.
One of the last lines in the book that pretty much sums up the overall vibe:
‘I never knew what it was like to fly until I let myself breathe in.’
Thank you for the advance copy. I seriously can not wait to see what your pen produces next !
September 28, 2024
Finding Your Self Late in Life
Petra and Jean Taylor have been married for ten years and are struggling. Petra has had to step up as head teacher at her school after a motor accident. Jean is going through menopause and trying to work out her identity. The stress is driving them apart and draining their energy. A marriage in crisis and two people striving for resolution. Very well done.
Petra and Jean Taylor have been married for ten years and are struggling. Petra has had to step up as head teacher at her school after a motor accident. Jean is going through menopause and trying to work out her identity. The stress is driving them apart and draining their energy. A marriage in crisis and two people striving for resolution. Very well done.
February 26, 2024
This book is the second of Katherine’s books to be set in the same Cornish village, although you do not need to have read the first one to enjoy this. The characters from the first book are dotted around and feature in this one but the focus is on a married couple Jean and Petra. This story is told from Jean’s point of view and follows them through a turbulent time in their relationship impacted by a change in Petra’s working life. It is an age gap relationship which gives the opportunity to explore issues surrounding sexuality and gender identity whilst working through long term grief. It is beautifully woven into the story rather than it being force fed to the reader as sometimes books can.
Now, without telling you the gist of the story, this is an amazing book. I read it in one day because I just had to know what happened next. And I should have been working. There is a definite sense of foreboding following Jean through this book. Her emotions became my emotions. I needed to know what was going to happen next but there were points in the story that I hardly dare turn the page. But I had to as I was so caught up in what was going on. I knew there had to be a happy ever after. I just could not figure out quite how they were going to get there at the point when they hit rock bottom.
I would compare this book, if I may, to Rekindling the Spark by Cynthia Dane /Hildred Billings, The Touch of her Voice by Sara Scott and A Whisper of Solace by Milena McKay. They all explore emotions in characters that are so well written. When I read them the characters and emotions were so vividly written they could not be contained on the page. They all left me thinking about the story and characters for some time afterwards.
You have to read this book. And then if you have not already - go and read the first one – The Summer We’ve Had.
Now, without telling you the gist of the story, this is an amazing book. I read it in one day because I just had to know what happened next. And I should have been working. There is a definite sense of foreboding following Jean through this book. Her emotions became my emotions. I needed to know what was going to happen next but there were points in the story that I hardly dare turn the page. But I had to as I was so caught up in what was going on. I knew there had to be a happy ever after. I just could not figure out quite how they were going to get there at the point when they hit rock bottom.
I would compare this book, if I may, to Rekindling the Spark by Cynthia Dane /Hildred Billings, The Touch of her Voice by Sara Scott and A Whisper of Solace by Milena McKay. They all explore emotions in characters that are so well written. When I read them the characters and emotions were so vividly written they could not be contained on the page. They all left me thinking about the story and characters for some time afterwards.
You have to read this book. And then if you have not already - go and read the first one – The Summer We’ve Had.
March 22, 2024
Katherine Blakeman
Love You However: A Sapphic Novel of Marriage and Self-Discovery
The story revolves around Jean, who is facing her own challenges and dealing with them on her own. Similarly, Petra also has her own struggles, although she tries to portray herself as strong. However, deep down, she is falling apart. This is a tale of two women who are hurting in their own ways but fail to communicate effectively in their marriage. The author skillfully takes you through their story, highlighting the importance of communication in a relationship and portraying marriage as a journey.
Furthermore, this book offers a glimpse of characters from the previous book, The Summer We've Had, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend checking it out.
This story is significant as it explores the complexities of relationships. It showcases how two people can be in a marriage, facing their own separate issues, and yet struggle to communicate. Clear and open communication is emphasized as crucial. The author brilliantly captures the struggles of each character and the challenges they face in expressing their inner turmoil to each other.
Katherine Blakeman does an excellent job of illustrating how things can easily fall apart in a relationship, but also provides insight on how to rebuild and mend. I would like to express my gratitude to the author for providing me with an advance copy of the book. It is now available on Amazon, and I highly recommend not missing out, especially as the weekend approaches. This is a must-read that should not be overlooked.
Love You However: A Sapphic Novel of Marriage and Self-Discovery
The story revolves around Jean, who is facing her own challenges and dealing with them on her own. Similarly, Petra also has her own struggles, although she tries to portray herself as strong. However, deep down, she is falling apart. This is a tale of two women who are hurting in their own ways but fail to communicate effectively in their marriage. The author skillfully takes you through their story, highlighting the importance of communication in a relationship and portraying marriage as a journey.
Furthermore, this book offers a glimpse of characters from the previous book, The Summer We've Had, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend checking it out.
This story is significant as it explores the complexities of relationships. It showcases how two people can be in a marriage, facing their own separate issues, and yet struggle to communicate. Clear and open communication is emphasized as crucial. The author brilliantly captures the struggles of each character and the challenges they face in expressing their inner turmoil to each other.
Katherine Blakeman does an excellent job of illustrating how things can easily fall apart in a relationship, but also provides insight on how to rebuild and mend. I would like to express my gratitude to the author for providing me with an advance copy of the book. It is now available on Amazon, and I highly recommend not missing out, especially as the weekend approaches. This is a must-read that should not be overlooked.
May 25, 2024
Katherine Blakeman’s "Love You However" is a poignant exploration of gender identity and marital resilience. The novel follows Jean Taylor, a woman grappling with her gender identity amid the stability of her life in Cornwall with her wife, Petra. Jean's internal struggle intensifies with the onset of menopause, forcing her to confront feelings she has long suppressed.
As Petra’s new role as a headteacher demands more of her time, Jean finds it increasingly difficult to communicate her evolving sense of self. The strain on their marriage grows as each battles their own challenges, leading Jean on a journey of self-discovery.
Blakeman delicately addresses themes of self-harm, loss, and identity, providing a heartfelt and authentic narrative. Set in the same world as "The Summer We've Had," this novel stands alone while offering glimpses into the lives of familiar characters. "Love You However" is a touching, insightful story about the complexities of love, identity, and finding one's true self, making it a must-read for those who appreciate deeply personal and transformative tales.
As Petra’s new role as a headteacher demands more of her time, Jean finds it increasingly difficult to communicate her evolving sense of self. The strain on their marriage grows as each battles their own challenges, leading Jean on a journey of self-discovery.
Blakeman delicately addresses themes of self-harm, loss, and identity, providing a heartfelt and authentic narrative. Set in the same world as "The Summer We've Had," this novel stands alone while offering glimpses into the lives of familiar characters. "Love You However" is a touching, insightful story about the complexities of love, identity, and finding one's true self, making it a must-read for those who appreciate deeply personal and transformative tales.
October 21, 2025
Jean and Petra have been married for ten years, but recently they've drifted apart. Jean is struggling with her sexuality. Because Petra has to step in as the head mistress of the school for the rest of the school year and has pressures put on her, Jean can't talk to her.
They're both grappling with problems that are affecting their marriage negatively. What Jean is thinking about is ,is she a woman. When "they" decide they're not. How will Petra feel about them then?
This is a beautiful story of self discovery, stress and a couple finding their way back to one another. A FAVORITE! I LOVE THIS BOOK! Deserves more than 5 stars!
They're both grappling with problems that are affecting their marriage negatively. What Jean is thinking about is ,is she a woman. When "they" decide they're not. How will Petra feel about them then?
This is a beautiful story of self discovery, stress and a couple finding their way back to one another. A FAVORITE! I LOVE THIS BOOK! Deserves more than 5 stars!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews