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Chance Encounters
She boarded as Ally Brenner, her dreams neatly folded in her carry-on. She landed with her heart in beautiful chaos, forever altered by a chance encounter.
Ally Brenner, a driven project manager from Vancouver, boards a flight to Amsterdam, focused solely on landing a career-changing contract. Little does she know that her carefully planned world is about to be turned upside down by Candice Blackwater, a charismatic and successful investor.
Candice, intrigued by Ally's infectious laughter and beauty, orchestrates a chance encounter that sets in motion a series of events neither of them could have predicted.
As Candice's charm chips away at Ally's defenses, the two navigate a turbulent journey of desire and self-discovery.
Ally Brenner, a driven project manager from Vancouver, boards a flight to Amsterdam, focused solely on landing a career-changing contract. Little does she know that her carefully planned world is about to be turned upside down by Candice Blackwater, a charismatic and successful investor.
Candice, intrigued by Ally's infectious laughter and beauty, orchestrates a chance encounter that sets in motion a series of events neither of them could have predicted.
As Candice's charm chips away at Ally's defenses, the two navigate a turbulent journey of desire and self-discovery.
154 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 27, 2024
112 people are currently reading
409 people want to read
About the author
Lise Gold
52 books692 followersLise Gold is an author of lesbian romance. Her romantic attitude, enthusiasm for travel and love for feel good stories form the heartland of her writing. Born in London to a Norwegian mother and English father, and growing up between the UK, Norway, Zambia and the Netherlands, she feels at home pretty much everywhere and has an unending curiosity for new destinations. She goes by 'write what you know' and is often found in exotic locations doing research or getting inspired for her next novel.
Working as a designer for fifteen years and singing semi- professionally, Lise has always been a creative at heart. Her novels are the result of a quest for a new passion after resigning from her design job in 2018.
When not writing from her kitchen table, Lise can be found cooking, at the gym or singing her heart out somewhere, preferably country or blues. She lives in London with her dogs El Comandante and Bubba.
Working as a designer for fifteen years and singing semi- professionally, Lise has always been a creative at heart. Her novels are the result of a quest for a new passion after resigning from her design job in 2018.
When not writing from her kitchen table, Lise can be found cooking, at the gym or singing her heart out somewhere, preferably country or blues. She lives in London with her dogs El Comandante and Bubba.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
March 29, 2024
4.25 stars
Very sexy novella. The only thing that kept me from giving it five stars was the relentless pursuit of a woman who kept saying she was straight. It straddled a line, even though in the end it was very consensual. That said - it’s probably not unthinkable that someone would be at least tempted by a gorgeous woman shamelessly flirting with them. But it kind of played into the whole “predatory lesbian” stereotype that made me a wee bit uncomfortable initially. But once the pursued woman realized she liked what was happening, I was able to fully invest in the story.
Love Lise Gold and her books! I’m a fan.
Very sexy novella. The only thing that kept me from giving it five stars was the relentless pursuit of a woman who kept saying she was straight. It straddled a line, even though in the end it was very consensual. That said - it’s probably not unthinkable that someone would be at least tempted by a gorgeous woman shamelessly flirting with them. But it kind of played into the whole “predatory lesbian” stereotype that made me a wee bit uncomfortable initially. But once the pursued woman realized she liked what was happening, I was able to fully invest in the story.
Love Lise Gold and her books! I’m a fan.
April 28, 2024
3.5
A short light read which suit me just fine…And bring out that toaster-oven please.
A short light read which suit me just fine…And bring out that toaster-oven please.
June 11, 2024
Ally is in her late thirties, single and straight. She is flying from Vancouver to Amsterdam to present a sales pitch for her company. She is pleasantly surprised when the airline offers her an upgrade on her ticket to first class.
Ally finds herself seated next to Candice, who describes herself as "forty-one, very, very gay." Candice is gorgeous and openly flirts with Ally from the moment they are seated. Ally explains that she is straight and uninterested, but she is flattered and allows the flirtation to continue.
I loved the back-and-forth banter and mounting sexual tension between the two women throughout their seven-hour flight, during which Ally becomes an increasingly willing participant in her own seduction - which culminates in a risky, semi-public intimate interaction before their plane lands and a prospective dinner date for the following evening.
This was a fun read, packed with feels and sex on the way to a HEA. Recommended.
Ally finds herself seated next to Candice, who describes herself as "forty-one, very, very gay." Candice is gorgeous and openly flirts with Ally from the moment they are seated. Ally explains that she is straight and uninterested, but she is flattered and allows the flirtation to continue.
I loved the back-and-forth banter and mounting sexual tension between the two women throughout their seven-hour flight, during which Ally becomes an increasingly willing participant in her own seduction - which culminates in a risky, semi-public intimate interaction before their plane lands and a prospective dinner date for the following evening.
This was a fun read, packed with feels and sex on the way to a HEA. Recommended.
May 9, 2024
Surprised I gave this 4*s! Short, brick wall, ending, disappointing as I know LG is really capable of a full blown novel of substance.
November 23, 2025
Okay I'll admit Candice was a little TOO forward for my liking but listen. 👀 I didn't hear Ally complaining. That said, this was such a GOOD read, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I just want at least 300 more pages.
It was a pretty dark grey area. There's a very thin line between welcome persistent pursuits and well, creepy predatory pursuits. I'd say Candice crossed that line a number of times, but Ally was kinda interested from the very beginning so.
Also, the spice? 👌🏿 Lise does not disappoint.
It was a pretty dark grey area. There's a very thin line between welcome persistent pursuits and well, creepy predatory pursuits. I'd say Candice crossed that line a number of times, but Ally was kinda interested from the very beginning so.
Also, the spice? 👌🏿 Lise does not disappoint.
May 25, 2025
I want to take a plane ride like this. Candice is charming and flirty. Ally insists she's straight yet something about Candice draws her in. Candice sets a challenge for the ride and wow is it going to be hard. Ally is about to have her world turned upside down in the best way. I listened to the audiobook version with Tessa Stavers doing a magnificent job narrating. It's a short one, but oh so satisfying.
March 29, 2024
Short and sweet. Enjoyed getting to know the characters, the romance moved a bit too quickly for me but with this being a novella it’s not surprising.
May 20, 2024
Creepy as hell
If you turned Candice into a Carlos or Canton, you’d call the cops.
With a pick up manual straight from a college frat house, Candice
-gets the airline to upgrade Ally’s ticket to first class and have her sit next to Candice.
-proceeds to flirt/harass Ally despite her protestations that she’s not interested and is straight.
-gets Ally tipsy and drunk
-continues to pressure her until she gives in
Honestly, why lesfic authors talk shit on men in their stories but then write their female characters acting in the behaviors that they supposedly loathe from men just goes to prove the observation of ‘it’s not that you hate the behavior it’s that you hate who it’s coming from’. Twilight all over. It’s ok when your stalker looks like Cavill, but when they look like Bill Bailey, then it’s creepy and rapey.
Seriously. Switch Candice into a neckbeard and it all changes.
If you turned Candice into a Carlos or Canton, you’d call the cops.
With a pick up manual straight from a college frat house, Candice
-gets the airline to upgrade Ally’s ticket to first class and have her sit next to Candice.
-proceeds to flirt/harass Ally despite her protestations that she’s not interested and is straight.
-gets Ally tipsy and drunk
-continues to pressure her until she gives in
Honestly, why lesfic authors talk shit on men in their stories but then write their female characters acting in the behaviors that they supposedly loathe from men just goes to prove the observation of ‘it’s not that you hate the behavior it’s that you hate who it’s coming from’. Twilight all over. It’s ok when your stalker looks like Cavill, but when they look like Bill Bailey, then it’s creepy and rapey.
Seriously. Switch Candice into a neckbeard and it all changes.
September 14, 2024
This is the perfect read if you are coming off an intense, high anxiety or complex book prior. The trope is fairly simple and the storyline a bit predictable, but I think that was all intentional. So if you’re looking for a low angst, basic trope, low complexity, enjoyable, and quick read. You will enjoy this!!!
October 3, 2024
I felt pressured just reading this lmao. Cute but not my fav
April 14, 2024
Nothing original and the way the two meet is borderline stalkery, but it's a quick and cute read.
April 28, 2024
A very good read. I read it in one shot and loved every page. The chemistry between Ally and Candice oozed from the page.
July 25, 2024
It's a Lise Gold book! What's not to love?. Funny, Spicy and enjoyable
April 7, 2024
Short story but not too short. Sweet, sexy and not too much drama. Nice and easy for on a lazy day. Big 4⭐️
July 26, 2024
DNF
I’m honestly baffled by the number of positive reviews for this one.
Candice is predatory as hell and she made me so uncomfortable. There are many ways to write a character who is cocky and confident that doesn’t turn them into creep and this is not it. Her character doesn’t even read like a woman tbh. It’s like someone wrote a problematic hetero story on wattpad and changed the guy to a woman just to make it sapphic.
Weirdly enough though (sarcasm) if you take the kind of guy who says creepy shit like “I bet I can change you” to lesbians and then swap it so it’s a lesbian saying that to a straight woman…it’s still creepy.
But besides the fact that Candice acts like a frat boy-turned-40 who doesn’t understand the difference between flirting and sexual harassment or the fact that Ally is inexplicably okay with a whole box of red flags and is “turned gay” by the experience of being coerced, the writing is just kinda bad. The dialogue is even more stilted than the prose and I found myself cringing at it enough that I couldn’t even finish this novella for the sake of a book bingo slot.
I’m honestly baffled by the number of positive reviews for this one.
Candice is predatory as hell and she made me so uncomfortable. There are many ways to write a character who is cocky and confident that doesn’t turn them into creep and this is not it. Her character doesn’t even read like a woman tbh. It’s like someone wrote a problematic hetero story on wattpad and changed the guy to a woman just to make it sapphic.
Weirdly enough though (sarcasm) if you take the kind of guy who says creepy shit like “I bet I can change you” to lesbians and then swap it so it’s a lesbian saying that to a straight woman…it’s still creepy.
But besides the fact that Candice acts like a frat boy-turned-40 who doesn’t understand the difference between flirting and sexual harassment or the fact that Ally is inexplicably okay with a whole box of red flags and is “turned gay” by the experience of being coerced, the writing is just kinda bad. The dialogue is even more stilted than the prose and I found myself cringing at it enough that I couldn’t even finish this novella for the sake of a book bingo slot.
April 1, 2024
Lise Gold
Chance Encounters
During her business trip, Ally encountered a captivating woman named Candice. Little did she know that they would be sharing the same flight and traveling between the cities of Vancouver and Amsterdam. Their unexpected connection sparked a delightful romance that I found myself engrossed in from the very beginning. The chemistry between the two main characters was palpable, making the story all the more enjoyable. I highly recommend this short and spicy read, as it offers an intriguing mix of sweetness and sensuality. The author's vivid descriptions of Amsterdam paint a beautiful picture of the country, adding to the overall charm of the story. Ally's desire for more with Candice, drawn to her confidence and the unique time they spent together on the flight, made for a compelling narrative. It was a tale of love and discovery that surpassed Ally's wildest imagination.
April 15, 2024
This is a novella so quite short. But the perfect length for this story.
A set of coincidences get Ally upgraded on the plane and sat next to the woman (Candice) who looks familiar and helped get the wine stain out of her blouse. Who then flirts with her for the entire flight (as Ally keeps telling her she is straight, but not following that through with her behaviour) culminating in a sexual experience good enough for Ally to agree to seeing her following her work meeting.
Or was it no coincidence at all! Candice had engineered the whole thing as she had seen her at the airport previously. Quite creepy.
She then influenced the outcome of the meeting so Ally is going to move there. An interesting way to get a new girlfriend.
This is the point where Ally feels manipulated and that she slept her way to the job.
Luckily she confessed her creepiness and all is forgiven.
And they live happily ever after. Or at least they walk off into the sunset together.
It's a solid read.
A set of coincidences get Ally upgraded on the plane and sat next to the woman (Candice) who looks familiar and helped get the wine stain out of her blouse. Who then flirts with her for the entire flight (as Ally keeps telling her she is straight, but not following that through with her behaviour) culminating in a sexual experience good enough for Ally to agree to seeing her following her work meeting.
Or was it no coincidence at all! Candice had engineered the whole thing as she had seen her at the airport previously. Quite creepy.
She then influenced the outcome of the meeting so Ally is going to move there. An interesting way to get a new girlfriend.
This is the point where Ally feels manipulated and that she slept her way to the job.
Luckily she confessed her creepiness and all is forgiven.
And they live happily ever after. Or at least they walk off into the sunset together.
It's a solid read.
October 9, 2024
Super fun super toaster oven story. The thing I loved most was how honest and direct Ally and Candice were — especially Ally, under the circumstances. Even though not being completely transparent was sort of a bone of contention in the story, they were so good talking to each other! I also kind of giggled that the epilogue was only six weeks in the future… I’m so used to it being years, but the shorter time frame was perfect for this story. Everything about it was quick, and though in principle it seemed a little instalovey, it actually worked for me somehow. I don’t know if it was the two wounded characters working through their issues together? (And they had just enough to keep some tension in the story.) Maybe it was just that the shorter length left me more open to a kind of compressed relationship? Whatever, it worked. It was a very enjoyable read.
April 30, 2024
A Chance Encounter That Was So Hot!
I think all of us who do fly would love a chance encounter with Candace. This women has sex coming out of her pores. Sexy, smart and humorous. Her unbelievable ability to make a move on Ally, a straight passenger who was upgraded to sit right near Candace. This encounter on a seven hour flight to Amsterdam, has Ally telling Candace she is straight but as Candace replies, that leaves me six and a half. Ally looks the part of a sexy beautiful woman who is showing her extreme interest in Ally, who is now intrigued but is Candace wearing her down. A lovely story of an encounter that actually has both women thinking about each other more than they should. Loved It!
I think all of us who do fly would love a chance encounter with Candace. This women has sex coming out of her pores. Sexy, smart and humorous. Her unbelievable ability to make a move on Ally, a straight passenger who was upgraded to sit right near Candace. This encounter on a seven hour flight to Amsterdam, has Ally telling Candace she is straight but as Candace replies, that leaves me six and a half. Ally looks the part of a sexy beautiful woman who is showing her extreme interest in Ally, who is now intrigued but is Candace wearing her down. A lovely story of an encounter that actually has both women thinking about each other more than they should. Loved It!
March 30, 2024
another hit!
Lise Gold is one of my favorite authors, and she didn’t disappoint with this one! I’m not usually a huge fan of novellas, but this was actually longer than I expected, giving plenty of time for character development and I was really invested in their relationship even after the first few chapters.
Also, Ms. Gold does a really great job with the “straight” trope, which is honestly one of my favorites. If you like these storylines as well, you would also enjoy a couple of her other novels — like Western Shores and Beyond the Skyline :)
Lise Gold is one of my favorite authors, and she didn’t disappoint with this one! I’m not usually a huge fan of novellas, but this was actually longer than I expected, giving plenty of time for character development and I was really invested in their relationship even after the first few chapters.
Also, Ms. Gold does a really great job with the “straight” trope, which is honestly one of my favorites. If you like these storylines as well, you would also enjoy a couple of her other novels — like Western Shores and Beyond the Skyline :)
March 30, 2024
3 stars. I love Lise Gold but this was not it for me. Candice made me so uncomfortable. The way she relentlessly pursued Ally even though Ally kept telling her she was wasting her time because she was straight felt extremely gross and didn't sit right with me at all. She was just creepy to me. Didn't enjoy this one but I liked Ally's character and the writing is good of course so three stars I guess.
{Challenges completed:
✔For Love of a Book: Disney’s 100th Celebration Challenge
✔A Million More Pages: A Thrifting We Will Go Challenge}
{Challenges completed:
✔For Love of a Book: Disney’s 100th Celebration Challenge
✔A Million More Pages: A Thrifting We Will Go Challenge}
September 13, 2024
Well that was short. I didn't know when I got into it. I read the critics and I was like "okay I'm gonna read something good that's for sure. 4+stars are really good"
Now I'm really trying to understand what is it with this book that everyone loved. It was rushed, not really sexy, not very well written sex scenes, not much time for me to like the characters, not enough tension considering the situation.. so that's that.
Now I'm really trying to understand what is it with this book that everyone loved. It was rushed, not really sexy, not very well written sex scenes, not much time for me to like the characters, not enough tension considering the situation.. so that's that.
March 29, 2024
A COMPLETE DELIGHT!
I loved every word written in this story. The flirtation was blatantly sweet and funny. After just completing an utterly awful book I was happy to have such a light and happy romance to bring my spirits back up to normal.
Thank you Lise Gold, you always deliver.
I loved every word written in this story. The flirtation was blatantly sweet and funny. After just completing an utterly awful book I was happy to have such a light and happy romance to bring my spirits back up to normal.
Thank you Lise Gold, you always deliver.
April 28, 2024
Eh. Wasn’t feeling Cadence’s overly aggressive pursuit of Ally (the “straight” girl). This is a trope that I’m growing tired of and within the confines of a such a short story, it just felt gross. Scent of Rome (also by Gold) had a very similar beginning but that was a full novel. The interactions were over the course of a few days, not a few minutes so it was easier to accept. If you are looking for 🌶️ and don’t mind that sort of thing, you’ll probably like this.
May 5, 2024
A good read with a love story and an HEA
You're straight until you're not. A lovely romantic story about coming out and discovering who you really are, not the straight girl you thought you were! It only takes the right women to make you realise what and whom you feel comfortable with after being hirt by previous partners.
You're straight until you're not. A lovely romantic story about coming out and discovering who you really are, not the straight girl you thought you were! It only takes the right women to make you realise what and whom you feel comfortable with after being hirt by previous partners.
May 28, 2024
Good book
Ally just wanted to get on the plane and sleep or go over her pitch to hopefully get the new job in Amsterdam. Candice really like Ally and wanted a chance to meet her so when the meet, Candice is flirting hot and heavy but when they get to sit next to each other she has seven hours to get the straight girl. A cute and fun read
Ally just wanted to get on the plane and sleep or go over her pitch to hopefully get the new job in Amsterdam. Candice really like Ally and wanted a chance to meet her so when the meet, Candice is flirting hot and heavy but when they get to sit next to each other she has seven hours to get the straight girl. A cute and fun read
June 11, 2024
fun little read
3.1 🌟 This was a cute concept and I loved the chemistry between the two main characters. However I did have some issues with the general plot at times (I.e. preying lesbian stereotype). As well as the small grammar mistakes and plot continuity errors that sucked me out of the story at times. Worth a read for a quick fun story.
3.1 🌟 This was a cute concept and I loved the chemistry between the two main characters. However I did have some issues with the general plot at times (I.e. preying lesbian stereotype). As well as the small grammar mistakes and plot continuity errors that sucked me out of the story at times. Worth a read for a quick fun story.
June 25, 2024
“i didn’t know this insane sense of infatuation existed, and i want to explore where it can lead."
the only reason it’s not getting higher than 3 stars is because the constant pursuing of a “straight” girl irked me even tho it became very consensual quickly. other than that it was a cute very quick read!
the only reason it’s not getting higher than 3 stars is because the constant pursuing of a “straight” girl irked me even tho it became very consensual quickly. other than that it was a cute very quick read!
June 27, 2024
No creo que pueda tomar muy en serio a una persona que intenta coquetearme incluso si yo sigo insistiendo que soy heterosexual, por eso Candice me puso un poco (muy) incómoda.
Definitivamente no soy muy fan de los instalove, siento que son muy irreales y eso también hace que la historia baje puntos para mi.
En general, estuvo normal, por eso mi calificación es de 3 estrellas
Definitivamente no soy muy fan de los instalove, siento que son muy irreales y eso también hace que la historia baje puntos para mi.
En general, estuvo normal, por eso mi calificación es de 3 estrellas
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews