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All That Matters
Life is going damned well for Blair Spencer. She's a very successful real estate agent, happily married to a man who encourages her to live the independent life she loves; and they're actively working to have a baby.
The wrench in the works is that Blair favors adoption, while her husband David desperately wants to have a biological child. The fates are against them, and they finally seek the help of a group of reproductive specialists. One of the doctors, a surgeon named Kylie Mackenzie, eventually becomes a good friend to Blair. And she needs all of the friends she can get when things start to go horribly wrong at home. As her marriage teeters on the brink of collapse, she relies more and more on Kylie's friendship.
Kylie's happily gay; Blair's happily straight. But the way they structure their relationship leads friends and family to privately question whether the pair is setting themselves up for heartache. They eventually come to a crossroads, which could either destroy their friendship or turn it into what each of them has been seeking. The question is whether each woman can change her view of herself and her needs. The answer is all that matters.
The wrench in the works is that Blair favors adoption, while her husband David desperately wants to have a biological child. The fates are against them, and they finally seek the help of a group of reproductive specialists. One of the doctors, a surgeon named Kylie Mackenzie, eventually becomes a good friend to Blair. And she needs all of the friends she can get when things start to go horribly wrong at home. As her marriage teeters on the brink of collapse, she relies more and more on Kylie's friendship.
Kylie's happily gay; Blair's happily straight. But the way they structure their relationship leads friends and family to privately question whether the pair is setting themselves up for heartache. They eventually come to a crossroads, which could either destroy their friendship or turn it into what each of them has been seeking. The question is whether each woman can change her view of herself and her needs. The answer is all that matters.
504 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
117 people are currently reading
3751 people want to read
About the author
Susan X. Meagher
59 books372 followersSusan X Meagher was born in southern Illinois and grew up in East St Louis. She attended college in Chicago and started her working career there. She and her partner moved to the Los Angeles area in the late 80's. It was there that she started to write. Her first few books were simply posted on the web and became the I Found My Heart in San Francisco series. In 2002 she moved to New York and divides her time between Manhattan and the Jersey Shore. She has published thirteen books in the series and has gone on to write many individual books as well. She has partnered with other authors on two short story books and has written many stories that have been published in other mainstream anthologies. Susan is active in the lesbian author community and loves to attend Women's week at Provincetown and the GCLS annual conventions. Her stories revolve around the relationships that two women can build when given a chance and how those relationships can strengthen the individual and the partnership. Her genre is lesbian romance/fiction and she believes strongly in the happy ending that we all so deserve. Susan X Meagher was awarded a 2011 Lesbian Fiction Readers’ Choice Award for Favorite Lesbian Fiction Writer. She is the recipient of the 2014 Alice B. Medal for her body of work.
From the author's website: I live in New York with my spouse, Carrie. We've lived in Chicago and Los Angeles for significant periods, but New York fits us very well. I love to discuss my work and fiction in general. My goal in writing is to explore feelings. I want to entertain, but I also want to make people think. I've heard that life is all about finding out who we are. To me, life if about finding out who other people are. I'm interested in the small details of life, that's how a story about two young women in college is slowly becoming a 26 book series. The joke in Seinfield was that it was about nothing. I feel the same about most of my books. They are about the many things that happen when nothing is happening. The small joys and sorrows of everyday life can be fascinating, especially if you care about the people involved. I try to create characters that will make a reader care deeply. I'm always interested in hearing how close I am to that goal. So please drop me a line whenever you have a comment or a question about a story. Writing is a pretty solitary pursuit and it's great to know that I'm not alone.
From the author's website: I live in New York with my spouse, Carrie. We've lived in Chicago and Los Angeles for significant periods, but New York fits us very well. I love to discuss my work and fiction in general. My goal in writing is to explore feelings. I want to entertain, but I also want to make people think. I've heard that life is all about finding out who we are. To me, life if about finding out who other people are. I'm interested in the small details of life, that's how a story about two young women in college is slowly becoming a 26 book series. The joke in Seinfield was that it was about nothing. I feel the same about most of my books. They are about the many things that happen when nothing is happening. The small joys and sorrows of everyday life can be fascinating, especially if you care about the people involved. I try to create characters that will make a reader care deeply. I'm always interested in hearing how close I am to that goal. So please drop me a line whenever you have a comment or a question about a story. Writing is a pretty solitary pursuit and it's great to know that I'm not alone.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
June 10, 2018
Another fictional doctor that I've fallen for.
When I started reading this I couldn't wait for Blair and David to break up. Reading about the intimate moments between the two of them just felt wrong because I knew eventually she would end up with Kylie. I do however understand that these moments were included to show Blair's utter devotion and willingness to have a child and ultimately her feeling of betrayal and heartbreak towards David. Their story is about 20% of the book but of that there are still a lot of moments between Blair and Kylie mixed in thankfully.
I really liked how Blair and Kylie's relationship progressed from friends to best friends to eventually lovers. It's an amazingly written slow burn. However once it became clear that they had feelings for each other their relationship went from 0 to supersonic in the blink of an eye. I wish the author would have stretched that moment out a little bit more because it was a huge commitment that Blair asked Kylie to make, though I also understand why.
This book is a total page turner and is filled with really sweet moments and even some absolutely hilarious ones like them calling each other 'pal' or when Blair is describing her clothes now that she's pregnant:
"A nursing bra that could stop a pair of cantaloupes from swaying, the sausage casing pantyhose, and the panties that I could dry my whole car with."
This book was like a blast from the past. I couldn't help cringe and smile a little when the author alluded to things like a DSL connection, disposable camera and flip phones. Of course back then same sex marriages weren't legal either. It's a nice little reminder of how far the LGBT+ community and women in general have come.
Definitely give this a shot if you're a hopeless romantic who likes a slow burn with some very lovable characters. Overall rating is a *4.25
When I started reading this I couldn't wait for Blair and David to break up. Reading about the intimate moments between the two of them just felt wrong because I knew eventually she would end up with Kylie. I do however understand that these moments were included to show Blair's utter devotion and willingness to have a child and ultimately her feeling of betrayal and heartbreak towards David. Their story is about 20% of the book but of that there are still a lot of moments between Blair and Kylie mixed in thankfully.
I really liked how Blair and Kylie's relationship progressed from friends to best friends to eventually lovers. It's an amazingly written slow burn. However once it became clear that they had feelings for each other their relationship went from 0 to supersonic in the blink of an eye. I wish the author would have stretched that moment out a little bit more because it was a huge commitment that Blair asked Kylie to make, though I also understand why.
This book is a total page turner and is filled with really sweet moments and even some absolutely hilarious ones like them calling each other 'pal' or when Blair is describing her clothes now that she's pregnant:
"A nursing bra that could stop a pair of cantaloupes from swaying, the sausage casing pantyhose, and the panties that I could dry my whole car with."
This book was like a blast from the past. I couldn't help cringe and smile a little when the author alluded to things like a DSL connection, disposable camera and flip phones. Of course back then same sex marriages weren't legal either. It's a nice little reminder of how far the LGBT+ community and women in general have come.
Definitely give this a shot if you're a hopeless romantic who likes a slow burn with some very lovable characters. Overall rating is a *4.25
August 29, 2023
3rd read - August 2023 - 6 stars
Did this book get even better on the third read-through? Yes, it did. I swear this is the best, most organic friends-to-lovers slow-burn romance I have ever read. I just love every page of this story. I feel like I get something new out of it every time I read it. And even though I have read it 3x now, I still had a hard time putting it down.
2nd read - November 2022 - 5 stars
Still 5 stars. This book is soooooo good.
First read - March 2022 - 5 Stars
Wow. I loved (like I was OBSESSED) with this book. I could not put it down. I had no idea how long this book was when I started it but I am so glad it was as long as it was. This story starts with a happily married straight couple trying to get pregnant. Be aware you are going to have to read a few m/f s*x scenes. They are not super graphic but they are there. Where a lot of wlw romance will start past the whole story of how one of the MCs came to be divorced, but I really enjoyed getting to know Blair way before anything happened between her and Kylie. You really get to see how the dynamic of her relationship with David worked and how it slowly started to crack as some fundamental differences started to appear and how when you love someone you try and make compromises to make them happy even if you are not sure you are making the right decision. Having a baby is a major life decision and when you add in complications of possible infertility and the emotions around biological children vs donor vs adoption you can really get into some complex emotions.
This book is a super slow burn. I enjoyed the realistic way the characters become friends and how they slowly become closer and closer. Everyone that says Kylie is a saint is not kidding. Blair is a bit high-maintenance, to say the least. And there is a bit of an imbalance in their friendship at first. In my opinion, I understand why Kylie behaves the way she does. She is falling in love with Blair (whether she is conscious of it or not) and when you are falling in love, it is very easy to give and give to the person your heart is pining for. Blair is not a bad person, she's actually a very good person, but she is in a horrible situation and a bit broken on top of being pregnant and full of pregnancy hormones. The imbalance lasts a while, but they are actually good communicators for the most part, so eventually things start to even out. Even so, Blair is very logical and holds back a bit of herself. They are happy together but she is still not all-in.
There are a few scenes that show her coming to terms with being in love with someone in a way she has never felt and when she finally realizes what she has in Kylie it's awesome and the rest of the book will give you a sugar rush. It's toned down a bit with continuing drama outside their relationship and of course with the pregnancy and birth of the baby.
I can't wait to let a few months go by so I can re-read this story. I LOVED IT.
Did this book get even better on the third read-through? Yes, it did. I swear this is the best, most organic friends-to-lovers slow-burn romance I have ever read. I just love every page of this story. I feel like I get something new out of it every time I read it. And even though I have read it 3x now, I still had a hard time putting it down.
2nd read - November 2022 - 5 stars
Still 5 stars. This book is soooooo good.
First read - March 2022 - 5 Stars
Wow. I loved (like I was OBSESSED) with this book. I could not put it down. I had no idea how long this book was when I started it but I am so glad it was as long as it was. This story starts with a happily married straight couple trying to get pregnant. Be aware you are going to have to read a few m/f s*x scenes. They are not super graphic but they are there. Where a lot of wlw romance will start past the whole story of how one of the MCs came to be divorced, but I really enjoyed getting to know Blair way before anything happened between her and Kylie. You really get to see how the dynamic of her relationship with David worked and how it slowly started to crack as some fundamental differences started to appear and how when you love someone you try and make compromises to make them happy even if you are not sure you are making the right decision. Having a baby is a major life decision and when you add in complications of possible infertility and the emotions around biological children vs donor vs adoption you can really get into some complex emotions.
This book is a super slow burn. I enjoyed the realistic way the characters become friends and how they slowly become closer and closer. Everyone that says Kylie is a saint is not kidding. Blair is a bit high-maintenance, to say the least. And there is a bit of an imbalance in their friendship at first. In my opinion, I understand why Kylie behaves the way she does. She is falling in love with Blair (whether she is conscious of it or not) and when you are falling in love, it is very easy to give and give to the person your heart is pining for. Blair is not a bad person, she's actually a very good person, but she is in a horrible situation and a bit broken on top of being pregnant and full of pregnancy hormones. The imbalance lasts a while, but they are actually good communicators for the most part, so eventually things start to even out. Even so, Blair is very logical and holds back a bit of herself. They are happy together but she is still not all-in.
There are a few scenes that show her coming to terms with being in love with someone in a way she has never felt and when she finally realizes what she has in Kylie it's awesome and the rest of the book will give you a sugar rush. It's toned down a bit with continuing drama outside their relationship and of course with the pregnancy and birth of the baby.
I can't wait to let a few months go by so I can re-read this story. I LOVED IT.
January 27, 2018
Susan X. Meagher’s All that Matters is about a woman trying to get pregnant, the pregnancy itself and the birth and when you’re done reading all 500 plus pages it feels like you’ve delivered a baby yourself.
Of course there is also a healthy amount of drama involved and a lot of love and self-realization, but the main theme is the pregnancy. I knew I had to read it someday (as a fairly big Meager fan you’re kind of obliged to do so) but the fact that Blair was a straight, happily married woman for a big portion of the book was a bit daunting. But I stuck with it and it was worth it in the end.
What I love about Susan’s lengthy books is that you really get to know the characters inside and out. No chance of insta-love or rushed scenarios here. If you don’t like pregnancies being followed from conception to birth and beyond, I suggest you skip this doorstopper.
m/f, f/f explicit
Themes: it’s a labor of love!, I’m straight but gay for you, Kylie is the dream woman really, so patient and understanding she’s one halo away from being a saint, the displays of love between these two were sometimes getting too syrupy for my tastes and I was afraid I would keel over in sugar shock, I’m just too old and cynical for that amount of twee, and again sooo glad I never had the urge to procreate.
5 stars
Of course there is also a healthy amount of drama involved and a lot of love and self-realization, but the main theme is the pregnancy. I knew I had to read it someday (as a fairly big Meager fan you’re kind of obliged to do so) but the fact that Blair was a straight, happily married woman for a big portion of the book was a bit daunting. But I stuck with it and it was worth it in the end.
What I love about Susan’s lengthy books is that you really get to know the characters inside and out. No chance of insta-love or rushed scenarios here. If you don’t like pregnancies being followed from conception to birth and beyond, I suggest you skip this doorstopper.
m/f, f/f explicit
Themes: it’s a labor of love!, I’m straight but gay for you, Kylie is the dream woman really, so patient and understanding she’s one halo away from being a saint, the displays of love between these two were sometimes getting too syrupy for my tastes and I was afraid I would keel over in sugar shock, I’m just too old and cynical for that amount of twee, and again sooo glad I never had the urge to procreate.
5 stars
April 9, 2018
It's a very long book but is definitely worth it.
Great character development and I have no shame in admitting, that I prefer Kylie over everyone else.
The story describes step by step how is to be pregnant, really step by step.
But the main point of the story is to show how the love between Blair and Kylie develops, I adore a slow-burn romance with good chemistry and the author makes sure you notice every little change in the relationship.
Kylie is amazing, charming, lovable, kind, almost perfect ( My dream woman)
Blair has a perfect life until she doesn't is.
Blair is also a woman who happens to fall in love with another woman, as she described it
Overall a great read, I recommend this to slow- burn romance fans.
P.S. I have been told that my English is terrible and that it shows in my reviews, so apologies in advance.
Great character development and I have no shame in admitting, that I prefer Kylie over everyone else.
The story describes step by step how is to be pregnant, really step by step.
But the main point of the story is to show how the love between Blair and Kylie develops, I adore a slow-burn romance with good chemistry and the author makes sure you notice every little change in the relationship.
Kylie is amazing, charming, lovable, kind, almost perfect ( My dream woman)
Blair has a perfect life until she doesn't is.
Blair is also a woman who happens to fall in love with another woman, as she described it
Overall a great read, I recommend this to slow- burn romance fans.
P.S. I have been told that my English is terrible and that it shows in my reviews, so apologies in advance.
April 1, 2018
Just as incredible on the second read. One of my all-time favorites.
***
5 stars! What a journey this was. I just love how Meagher writes, her longer books are always a joy to read for me.
I especially liked Blair, she has many of the same hang-ups I do and her mind works similar to mine in how she (at least tries) to process everything logically. If it makes sense, it's not a problem. And who wouldn't change their sexual orientation for Kylie, she's almost too perfect but Meagher managed to keep her human enough.
The story was something completely new for me, pregnancy is described from the very start to the very end and it was engaging. I now want a kid of my own though I'm nowhere near that goal yet. And Blair is straight and happily married to a guy for a considerable amount of the book. But Meagher never rushes, everything was looked at in detail properly and all major themes explored. That's why I love her writing.
All That Matters is an incredible read that I'll revisit in the future.
***
5 stars! What a journey this was. I just love how Meagher writes, her longer books are always a joy to read for me.
I especially liked Blair, she has many of the same hang-ups I do and her mind works similar to mine in how she (at least tries) to process everything logically. If it makes sense, it's not a problem. And who wouldn't change their sexual orientation for Kylie, she's almost too perfect but Meagher managed to keep her human enough.
The story was something completely new for me, pregnancy is described from the very start to the very end and it was engaging. I now want a kid of my own though I'm nowhere near that goal yet. And Blair is straight and happily married to a guy for a considerable amount of the book. But Meagher never rushes, everything was looked at in detail properly and all major themes explored. That's why I love her writing.
All That Matters is an incredible read that I'll revisit in the future.
December 29, 2019
I love Kylie and Blair so much. They really are one of my favourite couples in lesfic. Both women are brilliant, accomplished, hilarious, and yet also show their vulnerability at times, especially with each other. They also come from fundamentally different emotional places because Blair is independent and likes having a life separate from her partner, while Kylie loves being around people and craves the kind of connection that means entwining her life with someone else’s. Each woman has to think about who she is and what she truly wants out of a relationship, and that’s especially difficult for them because Blair only leaves David a few months before she gets together with Kylie and that Kylie’s been waiting for years to find the right woman.
Full review: http://www.thelesbianreview.com/matte...
Full review: http://www.thelesbianreview.com/matte...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2014
I was really hyped up about this book and author due to the rating but I gotta be blunt.. over all it sucked. I think there is just so much horrible lesbian romance out there that anything that is halfway well written is like an awesome treat to the audience. I don't understand the ratings but let me tell you why i rated this a 2 (would have went 1.5 if i could have but I will always round up). First of all the length.. there was absolutely not one f* of a reason this needed to be half the length it was. I really appreciate a long read, as long as it's good. This was just.. so clustered with over descriptive drama that it was absolutely annoying. And the sex scenes? I'm sorry but they were not that great, at times.. awkward. Honestly the sex through HALF the book with Blair and her husband was much more natural and 'hotter' than between Kylie and Blair. Honestly, I could go on and on with my review like this book seemed to. It was like a horribly done soap opera.. waaaayyy too much drama. The whole pregnancy thing was like the author read a manual of annoying things that can happen during pregnancy and walked Blair through every single one of them. The characters (especially Blair) was over dramatic and half the book was Blair crying about one thing or another. Every main character in the book was prone to high degrees of emotion including Blair's ex mother an law. Compared to everyone else, Kylie was about boring and came off to me like a stereo typical older dyke. It seriously read like a really, really bad soap opera.. I can't say that enough. Most of the time you could not relate as the things that came out of the characters mouth's were not even realistic or believable conversations. What the author turned the husband into was just a complete opposite character than what he started out as. I'm a little OCD (had to finish) and I can't believe i wasted so much of my life on this book. I kept telling my self to walk away when I was 1/3 of the way through the book and we were still on David and Blair's relationship but given the ratings on this site.. i stuck with it thinking that something so hot and meaningful was going to happen that it had to be worth my time. It was not. I'm trying to warn you so you don't end up like me. Let me put it this way - If you've read a lot of literature in your time and 90% of it was not lesbian romance.. you will likely not enjoy this book. If you only read for lesbian romance, then unfortunately it is up there with the better half *sigh*. So disappointing.
December 5, 2024
I've lost count of the number of times I've read this book. I love the characters and the story and the humor and drama. There are some issues with POV and other stuff but it's one of those books that I just can't help loving.
2/12/24 - another reread of this long-time favorite. I have other things I should be reading right now but I'm still wanting more mental hugs and still doing lots of reporting. That makes it easy to put on a book I've read a bajillion times before and let it wash over me as I work. Don't have to worry about having to stop paying attention and missing a key piece of info since I pretty much have these book memorized. :-)
2/12/24 - another reread of this long-time favorite. I have other things I should be reading right now but I'm still wanting more mental hugs and still doing lots of reporting. That makes it easy to put on a book I've read a bajillion times before and let it wash over me as I work. Don't have to worry about having to stop paying attention and missing a key piece of info since I pretty much have these book memorized. :-)
August 30, 2017
It's not too terribly often that I rate a book 5 stars but this was undoubtedly a 5 star book for me. I adored the 2 main characters and couldn't wait for them to fall in love. It is most definitely a slow burn type of novel and that's the kind I like. It's also relatively long and that's another huge plus for me. I'm sure I could come up with some other positives but you get the gist. Read it!
November 18, 2019
A really really long read - one that I can afford since I’m home bound for the moment. Story of Blair and Kylie who met, became friends and eventually lovers. Simply loved the journey (a wonderful journey, I might add) and all the bumpiness that came with this journey. It’s well written and storyline is unique and different from those that I’ve read. The first quarter of the story mainly focus on Blair & David and their attempts in getting pregnant; before things went downhill for them. As one ship sank, another embarked with Blair and Kylie on it. Lots of dialogues and banters between Blair and Kylie. The sexy scenes were simply sizzling! ☺️ And I liked the fact that Blair’s quirkiness was mentioned; i.e. her love for a taste of a ‘freshly scrubbed mouth’ is so relatable and Kylie gets Blair’s quirkiness!
4.5 ⭐️
4.5 ⭐️
September 16, 2017
Susan X. Meagher went directly from my authors-I-have-not-read to favorite-authors shelf with this book. It was long, which cost me some sleep, but helped me to immerse in it. And I couldn't help but love it. Blair is a successful, straight real estate broker and Kylie is a surgeon. It's a frustratingly slow burn romance as Blair moves in with Kylie while she and her husband struggle with fertility as their marriage falls apart. But the wait is worth it, the cast of characters grows as we meet friends and family and Blair and Kylie navigate the early days of their relationship.
February 5, 2023
Blair Spencer is married to David and they decide to have a baby. After months of trying to get pregnant they decide to use a sperm donor. After Blair becomes pregnant, David decides he’s unhappy with this decision. Meanwhile Kylie MacKenzie meets Blair and offers her to move in with her after Blair and David decide to separate.
This book is filed with emotion and a great deal of dialogue between the MCs. It’s a very long book with details on their everyday life.
The best part for me was the change in Blair throughout the book as she started out being needy and closed off and in the end she opens up her heart to Kylie. Also it was great to read adult conversations on the ups and downs of their relationship.
This book is filed with emotion and a great deal of dialogue between the MCs. It’s a very long book with details on their everyday life.
The best part for me was the change in Blair throughout the book as she started out being needy and closed off and in the end she opens up her heart to Kylie. Also it was great to read adult conversations on the ups and downs of their relationship.
March 9, 2017
Before I start this review I want to tell you that I finished this book months ago however it has taken me this long to write a review because I’m realizing that there is no way for me to write how truly amazing this book actually is. I’m not sure words could do it justice, but I’m going to try…
My Review
I may have found my all time favorite lesbian fiction romance… Ever! Don’t be put off by the length of the book because it truly is worth every second and every word. A friend recommended this book and I am extremely grateful for the recommendation as I have never read a novel like it.
The short version is that Blair Spencer is struggling to get pregnant with her husband and they decide to seek the help of a fertility doctor. While having their first consultation Dr. Kylie Mackenzie is introduced to them by their doctor. Blair and Kylie strike up a friendship that becomes closer and closer as the months go on. So when Blair and her husband hit some rocky times in their marriage once she’s already pregnant, she leans on Kylie for support. As they begin to get closer their feelings for each other begin to change.
The way the Susan X Meagher writes Kylie and Blair’s development from friendship to love is beautiful. These women don’t fall head over heels straight away, they build a genuine friendship that develops over time. Blair is straight and at the start of the book she is madly in love with her husband, David. When Blair falls pregnant with the baby, Kylie becomes her main support during a hard and emotional time. Kylie bonds with the baby before he’s even born and is everything a spouse would be during a pregnancy without the intimacy of love.
I think Kylie is probably one of my all time favorite characters…Ever! Susan X Meagher wrote her so beautifully and gave her some characteristics that where key to making her a stand alone character, she’s honest, caring and in my imagination probably the woman of my dreams. Kylie struggles with her insecurities about why Blair loves her and wants to be intimate with her. I totally understood this because she was so very straight and even though in love with Kylie she doesn’t identify as a lesbian or even bi-sexual. But what is beautiful about that is that Blair just loves Kylie for Kylie. Not because she a woman but in loving Kylie she also finds her unbelievably sexually attractive because its about the person not the gender for her. But convincing Kylie of her love and attraction is a feat.
There were a few moments that I cried to the point of the words blurring on the page. In fact this whole book was an emotional rollercoaster. There are many twists and turns throughout the novel and all make this book all the more wonderful.
Lastly, I think many authors capture the relationship between a mother and her child wonderfully but what Meagher has achieved is effortlessly explaining the relationship between a non-biological parent and their child and she did it beautifully. Kylie had actually fallen in love with the baby in Blair’s womb before she fell for Blair. They love between all three was undeniable.
I can’t believe this book hasn’t been picked up to do a full-length movie or TV Series because I reckon it would get a phenomenal reaction.
I would love to see a sequel to this novel to check in with Blair, Kylie and the baby to see where they are now. I just need more of this amazing little family and their love.
5 Stars… But if I could it would be so much more.
My Review
I may have found my all time favorite lesbian fiction romance… Ever! Don’t be put off by the length of the book because it truly is worth every second and every word. A friend recommended this book and I am extremely grateful for the recommendation as I have never read a novel like it.
The short version is that Blair Spencer is struggling to get pregnant with her husband and they decide to seek the help of a fertility doctor. While having their first consultation Dr. Kylie Mackenzie is introduced to them by their doctor. Blair and Kylie strike up a friendship that becomes closer and closer as the months go on. So when Blair and her husband hit some rocky times in their marriage once she’s already pregnant, she leans on Kylie for support. As they begin to get closer their feelings for each other begin to change.
The way the Susan X Meagher writes Kylie and Blair’s development from friendship to love is beautiful. These women don’t fall head over heels straight away, they build a genuine friendship that develops over time. Blair is straight and at the start of the book she is madly in love with her husband, David. When Blair falls pregnant with the baby, Kylie becomes her main support during a hard and emotional time. Kylie bonds with the baby before he’s even born and is everything a spouse would be during a pregnancy without the intimacy of love.
I think Kylie is probably one of my all time favorite characters…Ever! Susan X Meagher wrote her so beautifully and gave her some characteristics that where key to making her a stand alone character, she’s honest, caring and in my imagination probably the woman of my dreams. Kylie struggles with her insecurities about why Blair loves her and wants to be intimate with her. I totally understood this because she was so very straight and even though in love with Kylie she doesn’t identify as a lesbian or even bi-sexual. But what is beautiful about that is that Blair just loves Kylie for Kylie. Not because she a woman but in loving Kylie she also finds her unbelievably sexually attractive because its about the person not the gender for her. But convincing Kylie of her love and attraction is a feat.
There were a few moments that I cried to the point of the words blurring on the page. In fact this whole book was an emotional rollercoaster. There are many twists and turns throughout the novel and all make this book all the more wonderful.
Lastly, I think many authors capture the relationship between a mother and her child wonderfully but what Meagher has achieved is effortlessly explaining the relationship between a non-biological parent and their child and she did it beautifully. Kylie had actually fallen in love with the baby in Blair’s womb before she fell for Blair. They love between all three was undeniable.
I can’t believe this book hasn’t been picked up to do a full-length movie or TV Series because I reckon it would get a phenomenal reaction.
I would love to see a sequel to this novel to check in with Blair, Kylie and the baby to see where they are now. I just need more of this amazing little family and their love.
5 Stars… But if I could it would be so much more.
November 8, 2022
”I could never have picked a better person to fall in love with. You’re the woman I didn’t know I’d been looking for.”
5 stars. What a journey. I loved this book to pieces. It is a slooooooow burn and I mean really slow given that this a little over 500 pages Kylie and Blair took their sweet time. They start off as just friends as Blair is married and is trying for a baby with her husband but the stress of them not conceiving is really doing serious damage to their relationship. When Blair does become pregnant everything blows up and she ends up staying with Kylie and things kick off from there.
I really enjoyed both characters. Blair had her annoying moments but I was able to give her some grace due to her being pregnant but Kylie was so damn swoon worthy. I am in love with her character. She’s doctor and she’s really smart and sweet and loving. She and Blair’s friendship was wonderful and since this is from Blair’s point of view we get to see her fall for Kylie and I loved that once she recognized her feelings she was all in. There was no angst surrounding her being attracted to another woman which I appreciated. Their chemistry is amazing and I loved how supportive and patient they were with one another.
This book was so good. I’m a big fan of Meagher’s writing and of the books I’ve read by her this is without a doubt my favorite thus far. I couldn’t get enough and I will definitely be reading it again. The romance and the journey to these character’s HEA was so incredibly satisfying.
5 stars. What a journey. I loved this book to pieces. It is a slooooooow burn and I mean really slow given that this a little over 500 pages Kylie and Blair took their sweet time. They start off as just friends as Blair is married and is trying for a baby with her husband but the stress of them not conceiving is really doing serious damage to their relationship. When Blair does become pregnant everything blows up and she ends up staying with Kylie and things kick off from there.
I really enjoyed both characters. Blair had her annoying moments but I was able to give her some grace due to her being pregnant but Kylie was so damn swoon worthy. I am in love with her character. She’s doctor and she’s really smart and sweet and loving. She and Blair’s friendship was wonderful and since this is from Blair’s point of view we get to see her fall for Kylie and I loved that once she recognized her feelings she was all in. There was no angst surrounding her being attracted to another woman which I appreciated. Their chemistry is amazing and I loved how supportive and patient they were with one another.
This book was so good. I’m a big fan of Meagher’s writing and of the books I’ve read by her this is without a doubt my favorite thus far. I couldn’t get enough and I will definitely be reading it again. The romance and the journey to these character’s HEA was so incredibly satisfying.
January 22, 2020
This book was so unbelievably long. The protagonist Blair spend half of it stroking her worthless husband's ego and the next half was spend by Kylie doing the same for Blair who cried every two seconds. It was such a unevenly balanced relationship between the two. Kylie can best be described as Manic Pixie Dream Girl. She lets Blair stay with her, cooks for her, gives her foot massages, cuddles. After a while i started laughing at how lopsided the friendship was but stuck around till they got together. I wouldn't have if it wasn't a slowburn or if they didn't have chemistry but I should really be given a medal for not DNF-ing because of how unnecessarily long it was.
January 11, 2015
I loved this book, from the beginning to the end! It has everything!!! It serious and funny, sexy and romantic. The discussions between Kylie and Blair cover everthing important in human life and relationships! It's a very thick book but I could hardly put it down, hurried home to read more!!!
November 15, 2025
Additional notes:
I read this once a year (sometimes more frequently and, aside from a few dodgy comments such as "straight men don't get massages, David", it remains an excellent story about a woman who is married to a manchild and discovers this the hard way and ends up falling for her kind, successful, funny, and loving doctor bestie who happens to be a woman.
I don't want to put words in anyone's mouth, but I suspect a lot of bi and pan women (or even women who thought they were straight) in long-term relationships with men will be able to relate to having a partner who is a bit undeveloped emotionally and in terms of maturity and are used to being the partner who makes decisions and initiates big, emotional conversations and thinks that's a solid relationship while not realising the vulnerability needed to actually give in to being in love and trusting your partner. I do appreciate that Blair is stubborn, strong-willed, and very determined to remain independent and have her own life and hobbies, and slowly comes to terms with the dichotomy between wanting someone as a partner and needing them in your life. It's a beautiful journey, and I love going through it with her.
Old review:
Through reading this book, I feel like I've experienced in detail the highs and lows of a full term pregnancy. It's an interesting period to set a romance in, and makes for some unique relationship challenges, especially since we start the books in the middle of a different couple's relationship.
All in all, I enjoyed this book, although I would have liked Kylie to be a bit more assertive about her needs rather than focusing always on Blair, but nobody's perfect.
I read this once a year (sometimes more frequently and, aside from a few dodgy comments such as "straight men don't get massages, David", it remains an excellent story about a woman who is married to a manchild and discovers this the hard way and ends up falling for her kind, successful, funny, and loving doctor bestie who happens to be a woman.
I don't want to put words in anyone's mouth, but I suspect a lot of bi and pan women (or even women who thought they were straight) in long-term relationships with men will be able to relate to having a partner who is a bit undeveloped emotionally and in terms of maturity and are used to being the partner who makes decisions and initiates big, emotional conversations and thinks that's a solid relationship while not realising the vulnerability needed to actually give in to being in love and trusting your partner. I do appreciate that Blair is stubborn, strong-willed, and very determined to remain independent and have her own life and hobbies, and slowly comes to terms with the dichotomy between wanting someone as a partner and needing them in your life. It's a beautiful journey, and I love going through it with her.
Old review:
Through reading this book, I feel like I've experienced in detail the highs and lows of a full term pregnancy. It's an interesting period to set a romance in, and makes for some unique relationship challenges, especially since we start the books in the middle of a different couple's relationship.
All in all, I enjoyed this book, although I would have liked Kylie to be a bit more assertive about her needs rather than focusing always on Blair, but nobody's perfect.
July 23, 2014
This is book is looong. Excessively long. Unnecessarily long - over 1000 screens in epub on my ipad! It's just bogged down in detail that is rambling rather than rich and was almost like reading a script with heavy heavy dialogue. I would have given it 2.5 stars as a pass but gave it three given how many hours of my life I devoted to reading it! Not sure in the end why i continued. It's an interesting but somewhat implausible situation between the two main characters - only in LA! It's not a typical lesbian rom book, the build up is so slow and when both the reader and the characters could use the release of a good quick f--- even that is slow, meandering and exhausting! In the end I was flicking screens to get to the end not. It's not a long slow burn, it's more of a grind.
June 12, 2018
To paraphrase people who make comments about life in general, this book is for grown folks. Not that it’s xrated, although it certainly has sex scenes which are a part of any adult relationship, no, what it has is the breakdown and buildup of two marriages. There’s just so much good detail to savor in the book and for those of us who have gone through the ups and down of long term commitments, much of it was a reflection of our own moments. The author’s language is tight, the scenes on point, and the story was impossible to put down. Blair and Kylie are well rounded characters with a lot of chemistry but Kylie will steal your heart. I read some of the negative reviews surrounding Blair’s first marriage to a man but when you’re over 40 and you date, people are coming with baggage and pasts. It’s challenging but also incredibly fulfilling. It was also important for the story to juxtapose one relationship to the other because it wasn’t about David being evil, it was about people outgrowing one another and moving on. The ending was perfect. Big recommend.
January 14, 2015
Love this book! (and also Arbor Vitae)
November 24, 2017
Loved it.
I loved All That Matters. Very enjoyable. Great story. Friendship that starts innocently enough and turns into more. It would make a great audio.
I loved All That Matters. Very enjoyable. Great story. Friendship that starts innocently enough and turns into more. It would make a great audio.
April 21, 2018
God! Finally i finished this book!
Why do i feel like the sentence that i just said made the book sounds so bad? The book is not bad. I just didnt have much time to read, sorry. Sigh.
I would say this is a good book. I think there were an up and down parts that i liked and bored during reading it. There was one thing that i certainly not like at all.
Reading this book, it kind of reminded me lots of things and i also learn many things as well. Being in love, you need sacrifice, communication, commitment, patience, effort and many more.
And pregnant doesnt seem to be easy at all! 😱 but the outcome is wonderful.
Well, i guess the book show me lots of things, like being in a married relationship, the decision of doing something that cannot take it lightly, that also show where their relationship stand when the problems arrive if they will be able to go through them together or not. And the pragnancy things that pregnancy women suppose to do and things to expect.
Well, all in all i like and enjoyed this book.
Why do i feel like the sentence that i just said made the book sounds so bad? The book is not bad. I just didnt have much time to read, sorry. Sigh.
I would say this is a good book. I think there were an up and down parts that i liked and bored during reading it. There was one thing that i certainly not like at all.
Reading this book, it kind of reminded me lots of things and i also learn many things as well. Being in love, you need sacrifice, communication, commitment, patience, effort and many more.
And pregnant doesnt seem to be easy at all! 😱 but the outcome is wonderful.
Well, i guess the book show me lots of things, like being in a married relationship, the decision of doing something that cannot take it lightly, that also show where their relationship stand when the problems arrive if they will be able to go through them together or not. And the pragnancy things that pregnancy women suppose to do and things to expect.
Well, all in all i like and enjoyed this book.
July 20, 2020
This was my second Susan X Meagher book and it was so beautifully done. Though published in 2007, it has held up quite well. Beyond doctors carrying around pagers (there are cell phones in this too, however) gay marriage not yet being legalized and the price of California real estate - the rest of the story could very well happen today. I absolutely fell in love with these characters - especially their humor and instant rapport from the moment they met. I appreciated the fact that this wasn't a short read. To do this story justice, there needed to be strong character building and enough background to get a real understanding about what made these women who they are, where they are in their lives when they meet and a believable progression of their story and relationship. Nothing is rushed. If you Google slow burn, the result would be a picture of this book. This is one of those that spoils you and makes you wish there were many more like it. While there is a place for the quick, 3 hour afternoon read - however formulaic it may be - sometimes you want something more meaty that takes you through a gamut of emotions. Something to immerse yourself in that flows over and around you like a warm bath. This is one of those. Completely satisfying. And incidentally, hot as hell.
January 15, 2024
Excellent
Its my first by this author and I loved the slow burn and length of this novel-which was a gift because I sometimes find rather long novels a little bit of a burden. She has a wonderful way of telling a story that is realistic and detailed but not tiresome or average in any way. It was brilliantly written and as a wannabe novelist gave me some real food for thought.
Re-read this several times and it is still one of my favourites.
Its my first by this author and I loved the slow burn and length of this novel-which was a gift because I sometimes find rather long novels a little bit of a burden. She has a wonderful way of telling a story that is realistic and detailed but not tiresome or average in any way. It was brilliantly written and as a wannabe novelist gave me some real food for thought.
Re-read this several times and it is still one of my favourites.
November 15, 2025
Through reading this book, I feel like I've experienced in detail the highs and lows of a full term pregnancy. It's an interesting period to set a romance in, and makes for some unique relationship challenges, especially since we start the books in the middle of a different couple's relationship.
All in all, I enjoyed this book, although I would have liked Kylie to be a bit more assertive about her needs rather than focusing always on Blair, but nobody's perfect.
All in all, I enjoyed this book, although I would have liked Kylie to be a bit more assertive about her needs rather than focusing always on Blair, but nobody's perfect.
January 20, 2012
My absolute favorite Meagher book. I reread it on a regular.
edited to add: Just re-read it for the BotM, still like it a lot. Although the main characters actually irritated me more this time around.
edited to add: Just re-read it for the BotM, still like it a lot. Although the main characters actually irritated me more this time around.
December 19, 2013
Good lord this book is long! ! It's like Game of Thrones long, but where GoT had an epic storyline with casts of characters...this is essentially just following a poorly characterized handful. This book should be no where near 500 pages, in terms of actual story, a quarter of the length would suffice. I started out really enjoying the book, but after the first hundred pages or so the characters began to grate my nerves. Finally I stopped caring about them completely because they just rang so false. Nothing it's particularly unexpected about the storyline, and even when the two leads do "fall" for eachother, it feels fake.
February 8, 2023
Very entertaining
I enjoyed the story, it was a bit of a slow ride. I wasn’t as interested in the beginning when the main character was married to her husband. I don’t really care about intimacy between the husband and wife. I was definitely interested to see where the story would go and I was so glad I did. I definitely found the writing to be superb. I will read more by this author.
I enjoyed the story, it was a bit of a slow ride. I wasn’t as interested in the beginning when the main character was married to her husband. I don’t really care about intimacy between the husband and wife. I was definitely interested to see where the story would go and I was so glad I did. I definitely found the writing to be superb. I will read more by this author.
April 21, 2013
*review contains spoilers, although nothing terribly surprising - this isn't a suspense novel*
This book was not as rewarding or relatable as I'd hoped. A disappointment, because it's the second book I've read by Meagher, and the first (Almost Heaven) was excellent.
The pregnancy dominates the story. This may be realistic, but it makes for an annoying slog of a story. And it makes the "romance" about the third or forth most important thing in the book. The life-changing trials of pregnancy will elicit sympathy when mentioned to someone you just met. But if that's all you talk about for hours and hours on end... that sympathy will wear awfully thin. Meet Blair.
Blair, the main character, is cold. It's a romance cliché to have a character who's cold and unwilling or afraid to give him or herself romantically. But there has to be _something_ else going on: maybe the character was hurt in the past, or only seems cold on the outside (Pride and Prejudice), or is having trouble admitting she's gay (Something in the Wine), or has a deep dark secret (Accidental Love). Maybe the prospective couple meets as adversaries (Tropical Storm), or comes from vastly different cultures or backgrounds (Almost Heaven). But Blair has none of this. She just doesn't care. I admit to liking Camus' The Stranger, but that guy will never be a good romance hero.
About 80% of the way through the book, Blair does have a change of heart, although it seems shaky for a little while. But it was too late. This is much too long a book to have the change of heart 80% of the way through. The love interest, Kylie, has been mad about her from almost the beginning. That doesn't work. The reader needs to fall at roughly the same rate as the love interest. Imagine if Lizzie Bennet had swooned over Mr. Darcy from the very beginning, and immediately dedicated her life to him. Wouldn't that have made you throw up a little?
Blair is also very hard for me to relate to. Very good literature can find the universal even in specific experiences, but I couldn't relate to Blair because I didn't share her key experiences (pregnancy and being adopted herself). This, then, is not very good literature. In addition, she's utterly neurotic about adoption. This may be understandable given her background, but at times it makes her an unsympathetic character. Her husband does do a very douchey thing, but what's presented as his Grand Inexcusable Sin is that he doesn't think he will feel like the true father of a child that's not biologically his. I would understand if Blair found this upsetting. But Blair finds this grounds for leaving him immediately. And she literally does not understand how he could feel that way. Really? She somehow missed one of the most basic biological imperatives, ingrained from a billion years of sexual reproduction? Humans may be more civilized than the species where a new top male kills all the progeny of the previous top male, but we're not _entirely_ immune from wanting our children to be biologically our own.
Maybe Blair is hypersensitive and bitchy because she's pregnant. Fine. It doesn't make her a very sympathetic character, though. I understand why Blair wants Kylie. I don't ever really understand why Kylie wants Blair. When you've taken _this_ many pages and still can't sell the romance... Obviously some people do like this book (see some of the other reviews). I couldn't tell you why.
And it didn't have to be this way. This book touches on themes not entirely dissimilar from Maas' None So Blind, but that book is so vastly superior that I hesitate to compare them. And I have almost nothing in common with the lead character in Atwood's Cat's Eye, but thought that book was fantastic.
This book was not as rewarding or relatable as I'd hoped. A disappointment, because it's the second book I've read by Meagher, and the first (Almost Heaven) was excellent.
The pregnancy dominates the story. This may be realistic, but it makes for an annoying slog of a story. And it makes the "romance" about the third or forth most important thing in the book. The life-changing trials of pregnancy will elicit sympathy when mentioned to someone you just met. But if that's all you talk about for hours and hours on end... that sympathy will wear awfully thin. Meet Blair.
Blair, the main character, is cold. It's a romance cliché to have a character who's cold and unwilling or afraid to give him or herself romantically. But there has to be _something_ else going on: maybe the character was hurt in the past, or only seems cold on the outside (Pride and Prejudice), or is having trouble admitting she's gay (Something in the Wine), or has a deep dark secret (Accidental Love). Maybe the prospective couple meets as adversaries (Tropical Storm), or comes from vastly different cultures or backgrounds (Almost Heaven). But Blair has none of this. She just doesn't care. I admit to liking Camus' The Stranger, but that guy will never be a good romance hero.
About 80% of the way through the book, Blair does have a change of heart, although it seems shaky for a little while. But it was too late. This is much too long a book to have the change of heart 80% of the way through. The love interest, Kylie, has been mad about her from almost the beginning. That doesn't work. The reader needs to fall at roughly the same rate as the love interest. Imagine if Lizzie Bennet had swooned over Mr. Darcy from the very beginning, and immediately dedicated her life to him. Wouldn't that have made you throw up a little?
Blair is also very hard for me to relate to. Very good literature can find the universal even in specific experiences, but I couldn't relate to Blair because I didn't share her key experiences (pregnancy and being adopted herself). This, then, is not very good literature. In addition, she's utterly neurotic about adoption. This may be understandable given her background, but at times it makes her an unsympathetic character. Her husband does do a very douchey thing, but what's presented as his Grand Inexcusable Sin is that he doesn't think he will feel like the true father of a child that's not biologically his. I would understand if Blair found this upsetting. But Blair finds this grounds for leaving him immediately. And she literally does not understand how he could feel that way. Really? She somehow missed one of the most basic biological imperatives, ingrained from a billion years of sexual reproduction? Humans may be more civilized than the species where a new top male kills all the progeny of the previous top male, but we're not _entirely_ immune from wanting our children to be biologically our own.
Maybe Blair is hypersensitive and bitchy because she's pregnant. Fine. It doesn't make her a very sympathetic character, though. I understand why Blair wants Kylie. I don't ever really understand why Kylie wants Blair. When you've taken _this_ many pages and still can't sell the romance... Obviously some people do like this book (see some of the other reviews). I couldn't tell you why.
And it didn't have to be this way. This book touches on themes not entirely dissimilar from Maas' None So Blind, but that book is so vastly superior that I hesitate to compare them. And I have almost nothing in common with the lead character in Atwood's Cat's Eye, but thought that book was fantastic.
June 24, 2022
There were elements of this story that worked really well with my tastes…and some that didn’t. Overall, it was a well-written book and I would recommend it to readers who enjoy slow burn romance (this was one of the slowest I’ve ever read).
I took issue with the way the topic of bisexuality and later-in-life sapphic attraction was addressed. It didn’t feel outrageously offensive or anything, but considering it was published in the early ‘00s, there should have been room for less of a black and white take on these issues.
I took issue with the way the topic of bisexuality and later-in-life sapphic attraction was addressed. It didn’t feel outrageously offensive or anything, but considering it was published in the early ‘00s, there should have been room for less of a black and white take on these issues.
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