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Heartwaves: A Greyfin Bay Novel
Mae Kellerman is content. After forty years of ups and downs, she has a meaningful job at a queer community center in Portland, Oregon. She has an apartment full of plants, a ride-or-die group of friends.
Until the day her best friend and mentor actually does up and die. Leaving Mae with a hole in her heart—and a shocking amount of money from his inheritance.
Before she can think about the cash, she has to focus on throwing his perfect death party, followed by spreading his ashes on the Oregon coast. Only then does she take a breath, and in the process, stumbles upon an empty storefront for sale in the tiny whale-watching town of Greyfin Bay. Overnight, an old dream surfaces…and her newfound inheritance could make it possible.
If only Dell McCleary didn’t stand in her way.
Real estate agent and owner of said storefront, Dell only sells property to the folks actually invested in the best interests of Greyfin Bay. Not some Portlander with pink hair who breezes in on a whim. A Portlander who, irritatingly, refuses to take no for an answer.
As Mae upends her life for the pursuit of opening a queer-owned bookstore in a conservative coastal town, she and Dell are forced to work together, navigating prejudices and past traumas along the way. But as opening day of Bay Books grows nearer, Mae’s heart grows increasingly tangled with her landlord’s—even if his own heart might already belong to someone else.
Heartwaves is a contemporary queer romance that explores the risks and rewards of life in any landscape, and the freedom to lift the limitations we put on love.
Until the day her best friend and mentor actually does up and die. Leaving Mae with a hole in her heart—and a shocking amount of money from his inheritance.
Before she can think about the cash, she has to focus on throwing his perfect death party, followed by spreading his ashes on the Oregon coast. Only then does she take a breath, and in the process, stumbles upon an empty storefront for sale in the tiny whale-watching town of Greyfin Bay. Overnight, an old dream surfaces…and her newfound inheritance could make it possible.
If only Dell McCleary didn’t stand in her way.
Real estate agent and owner of said storefront, Dell only sells property to the folks actually invested in the best interests of Greyfin Bay. Not some Portlander with pink hair who breezes in on a whim. A Portlander who, irritatingly, refuses to take no for an answer.
As Mae upends her life for the pursuit of opening a queer-owned bookstore in a conservative coastal town, she and Dell are forced to work together, navigating prejudices and past traumas along the way. But as opening day of Bay Books grows nearer, Mae’s heart grows increasingly tangled with her landlord’s—even if his own heart might already belong to someone else.
Heartwaves is a contemporary queer romance that explores the risks and rewards of life in any landscape, and the freedom to lift the limitations we put on love.
414 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 11, 2024
28 people are currently reading
639 people want to read
About the author
Anita Kelly
12 books1,447 followersHi there! I'm a lover of romance of all stripes, and a writer of queer contemporary HEAs, including a forthcoming three-book series published by Forever. I live in the Pacific Northwest with my wife, our kiddo, a cat who loves me a little too much sometimes, and a three-legged dog who's a real dummy with a heart of gold. I love tea and frequently eat too much ice cream and hate myself a little afterwards.
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May 8, 2024Hi friends! Since some ARCs are starting to go out in the world, I thought it’d be a good time to share some content warnings for this one, which I do not consider a rom-com, even though I still hope these serious topics are balanced with a healthy amount of lightness (and of course, romance):
- PTSD from a random act of violence, including triggers on page
- grief from recent death of a close friend
- malicious property damage
- mentions of past cheating
- illness of a parent, but no parent dies on page (nor is any dog harmed)
This book also discusses polyamory, if for any reason that is a tricky subject for you.
I love this book very much. While I do plan on writing more in this world (you can likely guess, after reading this one, who I plan to write more about in the next two books), this will likely be the last adult romance I publish for quite some time, so I hope you enjoy Mae and Dell’s story. Thank you for your support <3
- PTSD from a random act of violence, including triggers on page
- grief from recent death of a close friend
- malicious property damage
- mentions of past cheating
- illness of a parent, but no parent dies on page (nor is any dog harmed)
This book also discusses polyamory, if for any reason that is a tricky subject for you.
I love this book very much. While I do plan on writing more in this world (you can likely guess, after reading this one, who I plan to write more about in the next two books), this will likely be the last adult romance I publish for quite some time, so I hope you enjoy Mae and Dell’s story. Thank you for your support <3
June 25, 2024
I so enjoyed spending time in the world of this book- it's a very gentle place, though not without intrusions from difficult topics.
This book is trying to balance a lot: both queer joy and resistance in the face of bigotry and danger; both two central protagonists and a LARGE cast of secondary characters; both complex individual growth arcs for its MCs and a sweet romance. On the whole, I would say that the book pulls off most of its balances well. It did get me thinking, though, about the one balancing act that didn't *quite* work, and what it says about my tastes in genre romance more broadly. To try to put it succinctly: Mae and Dell are both 40-something grown adults who - while they have issues to work out, don't we all - really largely have their shit figured out. They are emotionally fluent and self-aware, they are surrounded by love and care, they have meaningful life goals and projects, and they have enough mutual respect to want the best for each other, even if that "best" means a life apart. And at the same time, as a genre romance novel, this book is trying to sell me on the idea that it's really, vitally important that these two characters get together. And - for me - Heartwaves errs a bit too far on the side of "these lovely self-actualized humans would also be fine without each other, really" for my genre romance tastes. Which is funny because... in real life, Mae and Dell have exactly the kind of romance arc that I would wish for anyone I loved: a life where romance adds to an already-solid foundation. But as a genre romance reader? And an angst-lover at that? I want a book that makes my heart ACHE at the idea of these MCs being apart. Which doesn't mean they have to be codependent hot messes! I can get that ache from two functioning adults in love. But I do think I need a little less reassurance, maybe, that they'll be fine without each other.
I want to end on a positive note here, because there's a lot else to love in this book. I adored reading a romance with two non-binary/gender non-conforming protagonists, and the subtle ways this book explored the ranges of experience those "labels" can cover (all while resisting a lot of strict labeling, which I also enjoyed). There's also some really interesting pushing of genre boundaries as the two MCs explore an open curiosity towards polyamory/non-monogamy in a way I thought was handled excellently.
On the whole, this book is a lovely place to visit, offers a deeply caring and affirming reading experience, and is also making some meaningful and necessary contributions to the genre. But if you want your heart ripped out by love, you might not find that here.
This book is trying to balance a lot: both queer joy and resistance in the face of bigotry and danger; both two central protagonists and a LARGE cast of secondary characters; both complex individual growth arcs for its MCs and a sweet romance. On the whole, I would say that the book pulls off most of its balances well. It did get me thinking, though, about the one balancing act that didn't *quite* work, and what it says about my tastes in genre romance more broadly. To try to put it succinctly: Mae and Dell are both 40-something grown adults who - while they have issues to work out, don't we all - really largely have their shit figured out. They are emotionally fluent and self-aware, they are surrounded by love and care, they have meaningful life goals and projects, and they have enough mutual respect to want the best for each other, even if that "best" means a life apart. And at the same time, as a genre romance novel, this book is trying to sell me on the idea that it's really, vitally important that these two characters get together. And - for me - Heartwaves errs a bit too far on the side of "these lovely self-actualized humans would also be fine without each other, really" for my genre romance tastes. Which is funny because... in real life, Mae and Dell have exactly the kind of romance arc that I would wish for anyone I loved: a life where romance adds to an already-solid foundation. But as a genre romance reader? And an angst-lover at that? I want a book that makes my heart ACHE at the idea of these MCs being apart. Which doesn't mean they have to be codependent hot messes! I can get that ache from two functioning adults in love. But I do think I need a little less reassurance, maybe, that they'll be fine without each other.
I want to end on a positive note here, because there's a lot else to love in this book. I adored reading a romance with two non-binary/gender non-conforming protagonists, and the subtle ways this book explored the ranges of experience those "labels" can cover (all while resisting a lot of strict labeling, which I also enjoyed). There's also some really interesting pushing of genre boundaries as the two MCs explore an open curiosity towards polyamory/non-monogamy in a way I thought was handled excellently.
On the whole, this book is a lovely place to visit, offers a deeply caring and affirming reading experience, and is also making some meaningful and necessary contributions to the genre. But if you want your heart ripped out by love, you might not find that here.
July 21, 2024
An ambitious contemporary romance with Anita Kelly’s trademark warmth and rich character work. Not all of the risks pay off but this was still a lovely story to sink into. It examines grief, going after a dream, and the gift of both new and old community. Plus appearances from the Moonie’s crew and Ben and Alexei!
Mae is in need of a fresh start after the death of their best friend and mentor. Jesús left her a windfall and that leads to Mae deciding to open Bay Books in a small Oregon town. That is, once she manages to convince realtor and woodworker Dell to sell the space. Dell is a major grump but he’s no match for Mae’s sunshine and determination.
Still, this is a slow, slow burn and the romance has a different pace. Mae and Dell might not get off on the right foot but there’s a connection there. Enough so that Dell offers to let Mae stay at the small home on their property while she’s remodeling the store. While they find each other attractive, Dell has a monthly arrangement with Luca and would want more from him if Luca was emotionally available. So it's only friendship for Mae and Dell at first. As the book continued, I started to wonder if it was headed in a polyamorous direction.
Simply put, there was too much happening. It’s hard because I liked so many of the components on their own but I wanted and more focus on Mae and Dell together. For as long as this book is, it got a little lost when it came to ensuring the central relationship got its due. That said: I really loved Mae and Dell together, especially how Mae supported Dell as they thought through their relationship to gender.
An important piece about any book featuring a bookstore owner is what books and authors are mentioned. While there is a brief list of POC and queer authors at one point, by far the most page time and description is devoted to books by Tessa Dare and Lisa Kleypas, two of the most heteronormative, whitest historical romance authors out there. (Full disclosure: I’ve enjoyed a few of Kleypas’s books in the past but I’ve never understood the fuss over Dare.) While readers can contain multitudes, Mae spending so much time thinking about Dare and Kleypas’s novels surprised me, since Mae’s aim as a bookstore owner is to offer a safe, inclusive space. Those simply aren’t the authors I would have guessed Mae would be into. Or at least not to the degree that they’re into them. It needed to be balanced out by talking about books by LGBTQ+ authors and Authors of Color and that didn’t happen. It’s a big omission and not one I would have expected this author to make.
Despite my issues, this was a lovely story to sink into. I loved the focus on how Mae has been able to maintain old relationships while starting new ones after having moved around a bunch—very relatable. There are so many secondary characters I want to know more about and I can’t wait to see what happens when their respective books come out.
Characters: Dell (he/they) is a fat white woodworker and real estate agent in their 40s having a nonbinary awakening. They have 4 dogs: Crosby (golden retriever), Stills (German shepherd mix), Nash (pit bull mix), and Young (collie mix). Mae (she/they) is a nonbinary white new bookstore owner and former social worker with pink hair in their 40s. This is set in Greyfin Bay, Oregon.
Content notes: PTSD, dissociative episode (triggered), past home invasion and gun violence (Dell shot in shoulder and thigh but survived), sound of gunshots (no danger), vandalism/hate crime (brick thrown through bookstore window and graffiti on door), Dell’s mom has a stroke (recovers), recent death of Mae’s best friend (pneumonia), past infidelity (Mae cheated on ex-girlfriend; Mae did not realize last girlfriend was actually married with children and broke it off once she learned), nonbinary-awakening, misgendering (before knowing pronouns and they immediately adjust), homophobia, transphobia, brief internet harassment/bigotry and direction to die by suicide, teen pregnancy (minor character), ageism, past death of deceased friend’s partner (heart attack), past death of secondary character’s wife (cancer), secondary character’s mother in remission from cancer, sober secondary character, Mae’s father uses a mobility cane, past death of Dell’s stepfather, past paternal abandonment (Dell’s father left when he was little), on page sex, pegging, alcohol, inebriation, hangover, gendered pejoratives, ableist language, mention of woman killed due to homophobic violence, reference to Kristallnacht
Disclosure: I’m friendly with the author online and I provided a sensitivity read for them in the past.
Mae is in need of a fresh start after the death of their best friend and mentor. Jesús left her a windfall and that leads to Mae deciding to open Bay Books in a small Oregon town. That is, once she manages to convince realtor and woodworker Dell to sell the space. Dell is a major grump but he’s no match for Mae’s sunshine and determination.
Still, this is a slow, slow burn and the romance has a different pace. Mae and Dell might not get off on the right foot but there’s a connection there. Enough so that Dell offers to let Mae stay at the small home on their property while she’s remodeling the store. While they find each other attractive, Dell has a monthly arrangement with Luca and would want more from him if Luca was emotionally available. So it's only friendship for Mae and Dell at first. As the book continued, I started to wonder if it was headed in a polyamorous direction.
Simply put, there was too much happening. It’s hard because I liked so many of the components on their own but I wanted and more focus on Mae and Dell together. For as long as this book is, it got a little lost when it came to ensuring the central relationship got its due. That said: I really loved Mae and Dell together, especially how Mae supported Dell as they thought through their relationship to gender.
An important piece about any book featuring a bookstore owner is what books and authors are mentioned. While there is a brief list of POC and queer authors at one point, by far the most page time and description is devoted to books by Tessa Dare and Lisa Kleypas, two of the most heteronormative, whitest historical romance authors out there. (Full disclosure: I’ve enjoyed a few of Kleypas’s books in the past but I’ve never understood the fuss over Dare.) While readers can contain multitudes, Mae spending so much time thinking about Dare and Kleypas’s novels surprised me, since Mae’s aim as a bookstore owner is to offer a safe, inclusive space. Those simply aren’t the authors I would have guessed Mae would be into. Or at least not to the degree that they’re into them. It needed to be balanced out by talking about books by LGBTQ+ authors and Authors of Color and that didn’t happen. It’s a big omission and not one I would have expected this author to make.
Despite my issues, this was a lovely story to sink into. I loved the focus on how Mae has been able to maintain old relationships while starting new ones after having moved around a bunch—very relatable. There are so many secondary characters I want to know more about and I can’t wait to see what happens when their respective books come out.
Characters: Dell (he/they) is a fat white woodworker and real estate agent in their 40s having a nonbinary awakening. They have 4 dogs: Crosby (golden retriever), Stills (German shepherd mix), Nash (pit bull mix), and Young (collie mix). Mae (she/they) is a nonbinary white new bookstore owner and former social worker with pink hair in their 40s. This is set in Greyfin Bay, Oregon.
Content notes: PTSD, dissociative episode (triggered), past home invasion and gun violence (Dell shot in shoulder and thigh but survived), sound of gunshots (no danger), vandalism/hate crime (brick thrown through bookstore window and graffiti on door), Dell’s mom has a stroke (recovers), recent death of Mae’s best friend (pneumonia), past infidelity (Mae cheated on ex-girlfriend; Mae did not realize last girlfriend was actually married with children and broke it off once she learned), nonbinary-awakening, misgendering (before knowing pronouns and they immediately adjust), homophobia, transphobia, brief internet harassment/bigotry and direction to die by suicide, teen pregnancy (minor character), ageism, past death of deceased friend’s partner (heart attack), past death of secondary character’s wife (cancer), secondary character’s mother in remission from cancer, sober secondary character, Mae’s father uses a mobility cane, past death of Dell’s stepfather, past paternal abandonment (Dell’s father left when he was little), on page sex, pegging, alcohol, inebriation, hangover, gendered pejoratives, ableist language, mention of woman killed due to homophobic violence, reference to Kristallnacht
Disclosure: I’m friendly with the author online and I provided a sensitivity read for them in the past.
May 29, 2024
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Heartwaves by Anita Kelly is a wonderful Queer contemporary romance!
Serious question, she typed. How would we feel about me moving to the coast and opening a queer ass bookstore?
Mae , after losing their best friend, decides to use the money they inherited to open up a queer bookstore in the small coastal town that meant so much to him. However the owner of the store front , Dell, doesn't trust that Mae will be able to cut it long term so gives them a monthly lease after Mae remains persistent. The two aren't fans of each other but when Mae needs a place to stay , Dell offers his quest house. When Mae needs bookshelves, he offers to build them. The more time spent together the more their connection grows. But things aren't smooth for them, and have situations and emotions to handle before they can take a chance on being more than friends.
Dell McCleary was the one thing, other than her books and the ocean, that made her feel at home here. That made her feel safe.
Where to start with everything I loved about this book but without giving away spoilers. Both our MCs, Mae and Dell, are in their 40s and fat - which YES to older MCs and quality fat rep 🙌 Then the overall Queer rep- gay , lesbian and trans side characters, Mae is nonbinary whose pronouns are she/they and Dell while his primary pronouns are he/him, when he feels safe with Mae he feels good with they. The emphasis that gender isn't straight forward, that love is complicated but in the end love is love.
How many times did one fall in love, over the course of a lifetime? Maybe there wasn’t only one answer. Maybe there was no limit.
The book isn't all sunshine and roses, but also shows the sad reality that there's those who don't accept others identities, hate crimes still happen, and not every space is a safe space. There's also mental health rep with Dell's PTSD and lots of dealing with grief and heartache.
He kissed her back like he was letting her see the whole of him for the first time, someone a little angry but mostly soft— a quietly desperate person— and she was here with him,
Mae and Dell's romance is very much a sloooow burn but oh my lanta is the wait worth it. These to create such a sweet bond and friendship that their sexual chemistry is delicious bonus. I loved the communication between them before and during their relationship. Lack of communication can destroy a relationship so Mae from the start his open and honest with him and Dell reciprocates.
Overall, Heartwaves by Anita Kelly is a romance between two stubborn humans, a proudly queer bookstore, matcha lattes, gender expression , love, found family, grief, head scratches, doggy love, communication, karaoke night, and a happy ending.
P.s. The Ben & Alexei cameos were YES and I need Luca to get a book of his own!
Favorite Quotes:
Letting yourself be happy, doing what feels right for you, is queer joy. And queer joy is always a revolution.”
“I’m going to ask you something, and you should definitely feel free to say no.” Dell put the postcards he’d been examining back on the counter, eyes turning cautious. “Okay.” “Can I hug you? I just… really need to hug someone right now. "
“These lips,” he said, his right hand crawling over her jaw, until his thumb pressed down on her bottom lip. “You are always biting this lip. Drives me fucking wild.”
Your forties weren’t really about being old at all. They were about watching the people you loved most actually grow old. They were about starting to lose people. And being utterly unable to stop it.
Maybe this place wasn’t hers and hers alone at all. Even if she was Bay Books’s only ever employee. Maybe nothing we ever tried— nothing good, anyway— was truly selfish, in the end.
Love. Even in Dell’s absence. Even in the forever absence of Jesus and Steve. Mae was surrounded with love. No limits.
That was the thing about love. No matter how far away they sometimes felt, the ones that mattered never really left you. Your body remembered the shit that was important.
I missed you, she kissed him. Thank you for coming home, she kissed him. Welcome to our store, she kissed him. And he kissed her back: an affirmation, a settling. An ember.
Love wasn’t a zero sum game. It wasn’t something to balance, to even scores.
Heartwaves by Anita Kelly is a wonderful Queer contemporary romance!
Serious question, she typed. How would we feel about me moving to the coast and opening a queer ass bookstore?
Mae , after losing their best friend, decides to use the money they inherited to open up a queer bookstore in the small coastal town that meant so much to him. However the owner of the store front , Dell, doesn't trust that Mae will be able to cut it long term so gives them a monthly lease after Mae remains persistent. The two aren't fans of each other but when Mae needs a place to stay , Dell offers his quest house. When Mae needs bookshelves, he offers to build them. The more time spent together the more their connection grows. But things aren't smooth for them, and have situations and emotions to handle before they can take a chance on being more than friends.
Dell McCleary was the one thing, other than her books and the ocean, that made her feel at home here. That made her feel safe.
Where to start with everything I loved about this book but without giving away spoilers. Both our MCs, Mae and Dell, are in their 40s and fat - which YES to older MCs and quality fat rep 🙌 Then the overall Queer rep- gay , lesbian and trans side characters, Mae is nonbinary whose pronouns are she/they and Dell while his primary pronouns are he/him, when he feels safe with Mae he feels good with they. The emphasis that gender isn't straight forward, that love is complicated but in the end love is love.
How many times did one fall in love, over the course of a lifetime? Maybe there wasn’t only one answer. Maybe there was no limit.
The book isn't all sunshine and roses, but also shows the sad reality that there's those who don't accept others identities, hate crimes still happen, and not every space is a safe space. There's also mental health rep with Dell's PTSD and lots of dealing with grief and heartache.
He kissed her back like he was letting her see the whole of him for the first time, someone a little angry but mostly soft— a quietly desperate person— and she was here with him,
Mae and Dell's romance is very much a sloooow burn but oh my lanta is the wait worth it. These to create such a sweet bond and friendship that their sexual chemistry is delicious bonus. I loved the communication between them before and during their relationship. Lack of communication can destroy a relationship so Mae from the start his open and honest with him and Dell reciprocates.
Overall, Heartwaves by Anita Kelly is a romance between two stubborn humans, a proudly queer bookstore, matcha lattes, gender expression , love, found family, grief, head scratches, doggy love, communication, karaoke night, and a happy ending.
P.s. The Ben & Alexei cameos were YES and I need Luca to get a book of his own!
Favorite Quotes:
Letting yourself be happy, doing what feels right for you, is queer joy. And queer joy is always a revolution.”
“I’m going to ask you something, and you should definitely feel free to say no.” Dell put the postcards he’d been examining back on the counter, eyes turning cautious. “Okay.” “Can I hug you? I just… really need to hug someone right now. "
“These lips,” he said, his right hand crawling over her jaw, until his thumb pressed down on her bottom lip. “You are always biting this lip. Drives me fucking wild.”
Your forties weren’t really about being old at all. They were about watching the people you loved most actually grow old. They were about starting to lose people. And being utterly unable to stop it.
Maybe this place wasn’t hers and hers alone at all. Even if she was Bay Books’s only ever employee. Maybe nothing we ever tried— nothing good, anyway— was truly selfish, in the end.
Love. Even in Dell’s absence. Even in the forever absence of Jesus and Steve. Mae was surrounded with love. No limits.
That was the thing about love. No matter how far away they sometimes felt, the ones that mattered never really left you. Your body remembered the shit that was important.
I missed you, she kissed him. Thank you for coming home, she kissed him. Welcome to our store, she kissed him. And he kissed her back: an affirmation, a settling. An ember.
Love wasn’t a zero sum game. It wasn’t something to balance, to even scores.
June 23, 2024
I sat on my feelings about this book for a bit and then tried to parse through them. I think I read this at the wrong time for me. What I have always loved about Anita Kelly is how real their characters and stories are—I can always find bits of myself in the characters or their journeys—but this one might be a bit *too* real for the moment I’m at in my life. I’m reaching for escapist stories more and more, and I would not call this escapist. I think it could also have used a bit more editing to tighten some things up. At a different time, I think I would have really been able to enjoy the unconventional trajectory of the romance and the way the characters communicate (it’s pretty freaking healthy, actually). So I hope that other people choose to support this wonderful author and give this book a chance.
July 2, 2024
Really loved this book. Slow burn queer romance in a small town and main character opening a bookstore! Bonus several cute dogs.
June 12, 2024
Maybe actually five stars? Maybe 4.5 stars rounded up? I will be able to decide better when I am fully done crying, like three days from now.
This book was so loving and so kind, and so deeply queer. I felt seen and held and thrilled, as a fat 40 something nonbinary queer person, as I read through this book. Every person and every place and every relationship and every dream is just written with so much care and so much depth. I started crying in the third chapter and just kept it up on and off all the way through the end, at which point I essentially just dehydrated myself and had to take a nap. I loved this book so much.
This book was so loving and so kind, and so deeply queer. I felt seen and held and thrilled, as a fat 40 something nonbinary queer person, as I read through this book. Every person and every place and every relationship and every dream is just written with so much care and so much depth. I started crying in the third chapter and just kept it up on and off all the way through the end, at which point I essentially just dehydrated myself and had to take a nap. I loved this book so much.
June 15, 2024
If a new Anita Kelly lands on your Kindle, you know you have to stay up until midnight to start it. Nevertheless, I did take my time with this, because it's on the slower side for a romance, and I had a great time.
I loved how queer this was, with Mae and Dell both being some flavour of non-binary in such a casual way that's never questioned or explained, which felt very relatable. It was amazing seeing some characters from Anita Kelly's previous books, both self-published and traditionally published, and seeing Mae carve out a space for herself in this small beach town. And of course, who wouldn't love a book about a bookshop??
It's not a super lighthearted book, but not a super heavy one either. It does have its heavier themes, like grief, queerphobia and PTSD, but there's also community and support and of course romance. I think this is a great summer read, seeing as this is set by the beach, if you love your summer reads a little more melancholic.
This is one of those books I might enjoy even more on a reread, and you can bet I WILL reread it. Some specific books just click for me more the second time around, and I feel like this will be one of those, because the tone of the book took a while for me to adjust to, and I think I'll appreciate it more on a second read.
I loved how queer this was, with Mae and Dell both being some flavour of non-binary in such a casual way that's never questioned or explained, which felt very relatable. It was amazing seeing some characters from Anita Kelly's previous books, both self-published and traditionally published, and seeing Mae carve out a space for herself in this small beach town. And of course, who wouldn't love a book about a bookshop??
It's not a super lighthearted book, but not a super heavy one either. It does have its heavier themes, like grief, queerphobia and PTSD, but there's also community and support and of course romance. I think this is a great summer read, seeing as this is set by the beach, if you love your summer reads a little more melancholic.
This is one of those books I might enjoy even more on a reread, and you can bet I WILL reread it. Some specific books just click for me more the second time around, and I feel like this will be one of those, because the tone of the book took a while for me to adjust to, and I think I'll appreciate it more on a second read.
May 11, 2024
first off, anita kelly, thank you so much for the eARC! I love your work, and everybody NEEDS to preorder heartwaves immediately thanks
now, allow me to get sappy about this book … no other author’s work in this world consistently makes feel as seen, heard, understood, and valid as anita kelly. their books are so honest and hopeful, it gives me so much joy. I don’t know how to put into words how much I loved this book.
I love all of anita kelly’s work, as a general rule, because duh. but there was something particularly special about heartwaves. heartwaves felt like reading a love letter to romance paperbacks and small town queers and the importance of our communities. i loved that this book was a sort of crossroads for some of anita kelly's previous books. It made this universe feel all the more special and lived in and loved. i will always love going back to moonie's whenever i reread a moonlighters novella, and it was so lovely to get some closure on the life alexei and ben established for themselves in portland after something wild & wonderful. I somehow had a crush on both protagonists at the same time, which was fun in and of itself, but i also saw so much of myself in both of them. It was such a touching story about the people who make us who we are. I cried four separate times while reading this book because i felt it somewhere in my bones, all the heartbreak and anxiety and stubborn, stubborn hope and love that mae clung to, the fierceness of their conviction to be themself at all times. a plot-relevant mental breakdown spurned by a lisa kleypas novel was also the most targeted experience of my life. it was like if you mixed olivia dade, meeting millie, some chloe liese, and that distinct anita kelly depiction of queerness in this devastating little novel about grief and reclamation and love. needless to say, I really loved this book. it wasn’t a rom com, it was heartbreaking and hopeful and beautiful. I could keep waxing poetic about this book forever and a half, but I’ll stop my review here because you get the point: read heartwaves by anita kelly out 6/11!
now, allow me to get sappy about this book … no other author’s work in this world consistently makes feel as seen, heard, understood, and valid as anita kelly. their books are so honest and hopeful, it gives me so much joy. I don’t know how to put into words how much I loved this book.
I love all of anita kelly’s work, as a general rule, because duh. but there was something particularly special about heartwaves. heartwaves felt like reading a love letter to romance paperbacks and small town queers and the importance of our communities. i loved that this book was a sort of crossroads for some of anita kelly's previous books. It made this universe feel all the more special and lived in and loved. i will always love going back to moonie's whenever i reread a moonlighters novella, and it was so lovely to get some closure on the life alexei and ben established for themselves in portland after something wild & wonderful. I somehow had a crush on both protagonists at the same time, which was fun in and of itself, but i also saw so much of myself in both of them. It was such a touching story about the people who make us who we are. I cried four separate times while reading this book because i felt it somewhere in my bones, all the heartbreak and anxiety and stubborn, stubborn hope and love that mae clung to, the fierceness of their conviction to be themself at all times. a plot-relevant mental breakdown spurned by a lisa kleypas novel was also the most targeted experience of my life. it was like if you mixed olivia dade, meeting millie, some chloe liese, and that distinct anita kelly depiction of queerness in this devastating little novel about grief and reclamation and love. needless to say, I really loved this book. it wasn’t a rom com, it was heartbreaking and hopeful and beautiful. I could keep waxing poetic about this book forever and a half, but I’ll stop my review here because you get the point: read heartwaves by anita kelly out 6/11!
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July 13, 2024I can’t overstate how much I appreciate the way Anita Kelly creates worlds that are, sort of, effortlessly queer? Does that even make sense? I don’t know. It’s not that everything is sunshine and rainbows and queer joy—on the contrary, just as one example, the main character in this book encounters queerphobic customers at her shop—but the default setting isn’t that everyone is straight, and each character has an identity as a person first. The fact that a character might be nonbinary or bi or demi or pan or none of the above or etc. is no more or less than…who they are and how they see themselves at that particular time.
Also! The main characters in this book are middle aged and don’t have perfect bodies and still have great sex. They’ve lived and loved and lost and they’re still full of dreams and hopes and courage. Mae opens a bookstore by the beach, and a lot of that story felt like a love letter to romance novels.
It is a very vibey book and it did meander and drag for me at times, but I’m so glad Kelly decided to self-pub this one. It meant a lot to me as a reader.
Might add more if I gather my thoughts more coherently.
Also! The main characters in this book are middle aged and don’t have perfect bodies and still have great sex. They’ve lived and loved and lost and they’re still full of dreams and hopes and courage. Mae opens a bookstore by the beach, and a lot of that story felt like a love letter to romance novels.
It is a very vibey book and it did meander and drag for me at times, but I’m so glad Kelly decided to self-pub this one. It meant a lot to me as a reader.
Might add more if I gather my thoughts more coherently.
September 25, 2024
This is completely wonderful, as I've come to expect from Anita, and I am so glad they are indie publishing! Heartwaves is very much a book that was not written for me and which I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated anyway. It's a love letter to older queers, to nonbinary folks, to being out in a small town, to starting over, and to doing what you know is right even when it's hard. Having spent a small amount of time on the Oregon Coast, this is reflective of both a great knowing and love for that place. There is a beautiful mix of rose colored glasses and the incisive reality of bigotry in a way that shouldn't be possible and which just works.
Mae and Dell are largely settled in their queer identities, whether that's publicly available or not, and this is the story of them trying to fit into each others lives. It's not easy. There is trauma, angst, other people, and an occasional incompatibility that would have made it easier for them to walk away from each other, but easy isn't always better. Their chemistry builds slowly, alongside their trust, and they are lovely together. Fat, queer, and dealing with hard things feels like exactly Anita's sweet spot, and I'm eager to continue the series whenever their heart allows.
Mae and Dell are largely settled in their queer identities, whether that's publicly available or not, and this is the story of them trying to fit into each others lives. It's not easy. There is trauma, angst, other people, and an occasional incompatibility that would have made it easier for them to walk away from each other, but easy isn't always better. Their chemistry builds slowly, alongside their trust, and they are lovely together. Fat, queer, and dealing with hard things feels like exactly Anita's sweet spot, and I'm eager to continue the series whenever their heart allows.
July 15, 2024
I don't really have a lot to say about this book because my thoughts about it currently are 'AAAAH' and 'eeeeeee' and '🥰.'
This book is just warm and so lovingly written. It is so obvious how much care Kelly puts into their characters and their work. I smiled until my cheeks hurt, I cried, and I enjoyed all of it. I love Mae and Dell, the supporting characters were all wonderful, and I wish I could visit Greyfin Bay. I also deeply appreciated the way Kelly wrote Greyfin Bay as a real small town- everything isn't rosy and perfect and idyllic like so many small town romances. Obv I love CSNY, the Ben and Alexei cameos were perfect, and I can't wait for the next book! I'm feeling a Luca x Emerson story- don't ask me why but it was my first thought when my sister who also read this asked me who I wanted the next book to be about.
Also, I apparently had more to say than I originally thought 😂
This book is just warm and so lovingly written. It is so obvious how much care Kelly puts into their characters and their work. I smiled until my cheeks hurt, I cried, and I enjoyed all of it. I love Mae and Dell, the supporting characters were all wonderful, and I wish I could visit Greyfin Bay. I also deeply appreciated the way Kelly wrote Greyfin Bay as a real small town- everything isn't rosy and perfect and idyllic like so many small town romances. Obv I love CSNY, the Ben and Alexei cameos were perfect, and I can't wait for the next book! I'm feeling a Luca x Emerson story- don't ask me why but it was my first thought when my sister who also read this asked me who I wanted the next book to be about.
Also, I apparently had more to say than I originally thought 😂
January 17, 2025
I’ve been saving this book until I was on the Oregon Coast and it was the right choice. Reading about Greyfin Bay while looking out at the ocean on a sunny January day was amazing.
Anita Kelly is a genius when it comes to character development and reading a book full of fat and queer representation was so beautiful.
Did I make it through the boo without crying to then cry at the acknowledgments, why yes, yes I did! They know what they did!
Anita Kelly is a genius when it comes to character development and reading a book full of fat and queer representation was so beautiful.
Did I make it through the boo without crying to then cry at the acknowledgments, why yes, yes I did! They know what they did!
June 24, 2024
I implicitly trust Anita Kelly to take me on an emotional journey, validate me, and introduce me to characters that I wish I knew in real life. I want to be Mae when I grow up. I loved this book so much and loved the cameos of characters in the Anita-verse? Anita Kelly-verse? Kelly bibliographic universe?! Whatever we call it, it's where I want to be always. 💕
June 4, 2024
happy pride y’all!!!! I was lucky enough to receive an e-arc of this novel from the author (thank u, Anita!!) which was extremely exciting to me as a book lover and a queer romance lover and an Anita Kelly fan!
this was a tender story about the PNW, rural queers, found family, gender expansiveness, recovering from trauma, and finding home. love that a queer-owned bookstore was the central setting!!!!!
this was a tender story about the PNW, rural queers, found family, gender expansiveness, recovering from trauma, and finding home. love that a queer-owned bookstore was the central setting!!!!!
June 24, 2024
Rep: NB MCs (she/they)(he/they), queer SCs
TW: PTSD, hate crime, shooting, queerphobia, death of a friend
People in their 40s deserve romance (novels) and new beginnings as well as anyone else and I really loved this one!
Mae inherited a lot of money from their best friend who resently passed and decides to live out her life long dream of opening a (queer) bookstore.
I mean what bookworm doesn’t dream of that?
Moving towns on a whim and slowly falling for the grumpy af owner of the storefront wasn’t part of that plan though.
Dell has his very own struggles, having moved to Greyfin Bey only a few years ago himself when an incident made him flee his home.
This book has a little more serious themes including US politics and recent events (gun ownership, crime, transphobia and queerphobic hate crimes, global warming) compared to Anita’s other books. It’s not the main theme, but they’re thrown into the conversations the characters have. I know Anita is very outspoken about these things so I think this fit the books vibe completely, though be advised this is not a sunshine and rainbows only queer romance.
I loved the slow burn of this story, the way Dell and Mae both figured out things about themselves and their past and future relationship(s).
The story follows the events of Mae buying the store and ends with them opening the store, which was a perfect conclusion.
For me some things where left too open, with this book having so many themes opened up. But I hope we’ll maybe get another book in this series and see our two MCs again?
TW: PTSD, hate crime, shooting, queerphobia, death of a friend
People in their 40s deserve romance (novels) and new beginnings as well as anyone else and I really loved this one!
Mae inherited a lot of money from their best friend who resently passed and decides to live out her life long dream of opening a (queer) bookstore.
I mean what bookworm doesn’t dream of that?
Moving towns on a whim and slowly falling for the grumpy af owner of the storefront wasn’t part of that plan though.
Dell has his very own struggles, having moved to Greyfin Bey only a few years ago himself when an incident made him flee his home.
This book has a little more serious themes including US politics and recent events (gun ownership, crime, transphobia and queerphobic hate crimes, global warming) compared to Anita’s other books. It’s not the main theme, but they’re thrown into the conversations the characters have. I know Anita is very outspoken about these things so I think this fit the books vibe completely, though be advised this is not a sunshine and rainbows only queer romance.
I loved the slow burn of this story, the way Dell and Mae both figured out things about themselves and their past and future relationship(s).
The story follows the events of Mae buying the store and ends with them opening the store, which was a perfect conclusion.
For me some things where left too open, with this book having so many themes opened up. But I hope we’ll maybe get another book in this series and see our two MCs again?
June 9, 2024
Review to come!
September 23, 2024
I really like the Anita Kelly books I've read so far, so when I heard of this book in a new series I was really excited. Heartwaves is my favorite book by the author so far, I just loved this story so much and had a wonderful time reading it. The characters and places all feel so real and I loved that. It feels like Greyfin Bay actually exists and these people are there living their lives, that's how well it's all written.
Heartwaves is told in dual point of views of both Mae and Dell. I liked getting to know both of them. Mae's best friend has just died and left her with a sizeable inheritance. When she's spreading his ashes in Greyfin Bay she sees this storefront and the idea of opening a bookstore there takes place. Dell owns the place and isn't planning to sell the property to Mae. They start out as adversaries, but slowly become friends and then grow even closer.
I really liked reading about these character, they both feel so real. They had their struggles, their dreams, their hardships, pasts and futures. They both felt so realistic and relatable. And the writing style of this author just really works for me. I wanted to keep reading about these characters, see how their lives played out. I wanted to see if Mae could make her bookstore dream come true and whether Dell would fall in love with Mae.
This is a very slow burn romance and I loved it. They slowly grow closer and I loved those little moments were I felt their connection deepen. I really liked reading about the two of them. I really liked them together. I liked reading about Mae's journey to open the bookstore, I had expected it be more about the bookstore after opening, but most of the book covers the journey toward opening. And I actually really liked that too, seeing how Mae's dream slowly became reality.
There was a part toward the end that I didn't like as much, although I did appreciate how the author avoided the typical type of conflict for romance books. I still felt that part just wasn't as engaging and I struggled through it a bit, but then the last chapter luckily was awesome again and wrapped up the story so well.
To summarize: I really loved this story, the characters feel so real, alive and relatable. They both have their struggles and their dreams, they have a past and dreams for the future. And I just really liked reading about them. I liked reading about Mae's journey to open her bookstore. There are some great side characters as well. The part toward my end I didn't like as much as it wasn't as engaging, but the ending was wonderful and I loved how it wrapped things up. I look forward to more stories in the series.
Heartwaves is told in dual point of views of both Mae and Dell. I liked getting to know both of them. Mae's best friend has just died and left her with a sizeable inheritance. When she's spreading his ashes in Greyfin Bay she sees this storefront and the idea of opening a bookstore there takes place. Dell owns the place and isn't planning to sell the property to Mae. They start out as adversaries, but slowly become friends and then grow even closer.
I really liked reading about these character, they both feel so real. They had their struggles, their dreams, their hardships, pasts and futures. They both felt so realistic and relatable. And the writing style of this author just really works for me. I wanted to keep reading about these characters, see how their lives played out. I wanted to see if Mae could make her bookstore dream come true and whether Dell would fall in love with Mae.
This is a very slow burn romance and I loved it. They slowly grow closer and I loved those little moments were I felt their connection deepen. I really liked reading about the two of them. I really liked them together. I liked reading about Mae's journey to open the bookstore, I had expected it be more about the bookstore after opening, but most of the book covers the journey toward opening. And I actually really liked that too, seeing how Mae's dream slowly became reality.
There was a part toward the end that I didn't like as much, although I did appreciate how the author avoided the typical type of conflict for romance books. I still felt that part just wasn't as engaging and I struggled through it a bit, but then the last chapter luckily was awesome again and wrapped up the story so well.
To summarize: I really loved this story, the characters feel so real, alive and relatable. They both have their struggles and their dreams, they have a past and dreams for the future. And I just really liked reading about them. I liked reading about Mae's journey to open her bookstore. There are some great side characters as well. The part toward my end I didn't like as much as it wasn't as engaging, but the ending was wonderful and I loved how it wrapped things up. I look forward to more stories in the series.
June 22, 2024
One of my favorite Anita Kelly novels! (And I have read them all)
My favorite thing about Mae and Dell is how they feel like whole complete and complex characters. They act/react/behave in ways that are so understandable and true to their wants/desires/needs and wounds. Antia's stories always have this heartbreaking softness to them, yes they are love stories and will have an HEA, but Antia is so descriptive on emotions. You hurt when her characters hurt, you love when they love.
They also feel like... Real people. Messy humans living regular lives just try to figure out how to keep living and loving.
My favorite thing about Mae and Dell is how they feel like whole complete and complex characters. They act/react/behave in ways that are so understandable and true to their wants/desires/needs and wounds. Antia's stories always have this heartbreaking softness to them, yes they are love stories and will have an HEA, but Antia is so descriptive on emotions. You hurt when her characters hurt, you love when they love.
They also feel like... Real people. Messy humans living regular lives just try to figure out how to keep living and loving.
September 16, 2025
a hella queer cozy wholesome small-town-on-the-beach romance with two 40+year old plussized love interests and lots of conversations about grief, queerness (all kinds but mostly bi/pan, poly and gender queerness), finding joy in todays grim world and friendship. also, 4 fluffy dogs and a bookstore. once again anita kelly steals my heart and soul
TW grief, queerphobia and brief mention of gun violence
TW grief, queerphobia and brief mention of gun violence
May 17, 2024
Heartwaves stole my heart and wrecked my soul in the best way. As usual, Anita hooked me from the first page and I couldn’t put this down.
It’s not nearly as rom-com as their other books. It’s much more mature which I loved, with some pretty heavy themes, but still with moments of lightness and banter mixed in.
Loved that I didn’t really know what to expect, and the journey this story took me on felt powerful and healing and just… all the things.
Honored to have been asked to read this and offer feedback from the view of a therapist. I wasn’t asked to give a review, I just loved it so much that I wanted to. 💕
It’s not nearly as rom-com as their other books. It’s much more mature which I loved, with some pretty heavy themes, but still with moments of lightness and banter mixed in.
Loved that I didn’t really know what to expect, and the journey this story took me on felt powerful and healing and just… all the things.
Honored to have been asked to read this and offer feedback from the view of a therapist. I wasn’t asked to give a review, I just loved it so much that I wanted to. 💕
September 5, 2025
I read a lot of romance. At times, they start to blur a bit and it’s hard to find a truly unique plot. This book was not part of the blur. It stands out from the crowd.
Its fresh take on open relationships, sexuality and gender identity was beautiful to read. The setting was perfection - how can you go wrong with small towns on the Oregon coast?! And it was full of characters that came together to love and support each other (even some crossover Anita Kelly characters)!
If you haven’t read Anita Kelly yet, this is a great place to start!
Its fresh take on open relationships, sexuality and gender identity was beautiful to read. The setting was perfection - how can you go wrong with small towns on the Oregon coast?! And it was full of characters that came together to love and support each other (even some crossover Anita Kelly characters)!
If you haven’t read Anita Kelly yet, this is a great place to start!
June 11, 2024
Thank you to the author for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.
The first and most important thing for me to say is that I absolutely loved this, five stars, highly recommend. I think sometimes when I especially connect with a book, it becomes even harder for me to capture those feelings. But there's no way I was letting that stop me from shouting this out on publication day. I may be more coherent at a later time, but for now...
Mae moves out to a small town on the Oregon Coast to start a queer bookstore. Dell owns the property and isn't convinced they'll stick it out. So he only agrees to a one year lease while he decides whether they and their store will be good for Greyfin Bay.
The writing is phenomenal. The descriptions of the coast and of Portland, the love for reclaimed wood, the amazing pack of four dogs, and of course, the bookstore swept me away. I especially enjoyed the love of a variety of genres and the celebration of mass market paperbacks.
It was so amazing to see hints of Anita Kelly's previous books. We get the karaoke bar Moonies, and we get Ben and Alexei from Something Wild and Wonderful. They posted content warnings on Goodreads, including grief and trauma, and I recommend reading through the whole list.
This book incorporates a lot of heavy aspects, some of which hit especially hard for my current life circumstances. And yet it also has such joy and hope. So I'll share one of my favorite quotes I highlighted,
"Letting yourself be happy, doing what feels right for you, is queer joy. And queer joy is always a revolution."
The first and most important thing for me to say is that I absolutely loved this, five stars, highly recommend. I think sometimes when I especially connect with a book, it becomes even harder for me to capture those feelings. But there's no way I was letting that stop me from shouting this out on publication day. I may be more coherent at a later time, but for now...
Mae moves out to a small town on the Oregon Coast to start a queer bookstore. Dell owns the property and isn't convinced they'll stick it out. So he only agrees to a one year lease while he decides whether they and their store will be good for Greyfin Bay.
The writing is phenomenal. The descriptions of the coast and of Portland, the love for reclaimed wood, the amazing pack of four dogs, and of course, the bookstore swept me away. I especially enjoyed the love of a variety of genres and the celebration of mass market paperbacks.
It was so amazing to see hints of Anita Kelly's previous books. We get the karaoke bar Moonies, and we get Ben and Alexei from Something Wild and Wonderful. They posted content warnings on Goodreads, including grief and trauma, and I recommend reading through the whole list.
This book incorporates a lot of heavy aspects, some of which hit especially hard for my current life circumstances. And yet it also has such joy and hope. So I'll share one of my favorite quotes I highlighted,
"Letting yourself be happy, doing what feels right for you, is queer joy. And queer joy is always a revolution."
December 21, 2024
a very lovely book!!! i loved the PNW setting, specifically the small town on the coast and the descriptions of dell’s house just added to the vibes (plus all of the woodcrafting. ugh i love when one of the characters has a very sexy artsy hobby). the characters were great, both together and separate. each with their own valid issues, along with cool goals and jobs, great and interesting relationships, and just fullness. good chemistry too! smth i appreciated about this book is it set good stakes, not too extreme on the romance side (which gets annoying imo and is nice to take a break from) but lots about their lives, esp with parent health (real asf) and living in a small town during the current political climate (which i also appreciated how it showed the good and bad sides of small town living, along with big city living too). really good stuff about loss as well, just a very complex book. also! pretty good dogs! dogs were very important in this book. finally, i always forget that anita kelly’s books all take place in the same world slash characters have cameos in each other’s books so i was like OMG PLS when i realized who certain characters were.
def one of my fav kelly books yet, not as high up as the hiking one tho, that one slaps so hard
def one of my fav kelly books yet, not as high up as the hiking one tho, that one slaps so hard
July 1, 2024
I don’t think I have the words to describe how much I loved this novel. Anita Kelly is such an amazing author. They manage to bring such realness to their characters. I just want to be best friends with Mae and Dell and live in their town and shop at Bay Books. I’m legitimately sad that I can’t!
I love romances with older characters. As a person in her 40s, I appreciate the representation! And I love that these characters were not stick thin. Again. Representation for those of us who are fluffy. I also loved that I got to see cameos of my favorite Anita Kelly characters—Ben & Alexi. Two more characters I wish I knew in real life. And it’s a book and books and bookstores. Truly the best sub genre.
This book really painted a picture of the experience of being queer in 2020s small town America. The way the characters had to find their people but also sadly come to terms with living alongside people who hated them was so raw and real. It helped me feel the lack of safety that my LGBTQ friends face every day.
Finally, the writing is just so powerful. So many phrases hit just right. There are so many insights into the human soul. I’m not one to annotate fiction, but their book had so many passages I just wanted to mark so I could find them and savor them again.
Do yourself a favor and find and read this book!
I love romances with older characters. As a person in her 40s, I appreciate the representation! And I love that these characters were not stick thin. Again. Representation for those of us who are fluffy. I also loved that I got to see cameos of my favorite Anita Kelly characters—Ben & Alexi. Two more characters I wish I knew in real life. And it’s a book and books and bookstores. Truly the best sub genre.
This book really painted a picture of the experience of being queer in 2020s small town America. The way the characters had to find their people but also sadly come to terms with living alongside people who hated them was so raw and real. It helped me feel the lack of safety that my LGBTQ friends face every day.
Finally, the writing is just so powerful. So many phrases hit just right. There are so many insights into the human soul. I’m not one to annotate fiction, but their book had so many passages I just wanted to mark so I could find them and savor them again.
Do yourself a favor and find and read this book!
July 31, 2025
Mae Kellerman loves her life in Portland, with a good job, close friends, and way too many plants. However, her world changes when her best friend and mentor dies, leaving her a lot of money. After planning his memorial, Mae finds an empty storefront in Greyfin Bay on the Oregon Coast and decides to open a Queer bookstore, a long-held dream. But the real estate agent, Dell McCleary, doesn't want to sell to her, a Portlander, thinking she's not serious about the town. As they work together, Mae and Dell, despite their differences and past struggles, develop feelings for each other, even though Dell might already be in love with someone else.
I have so many words but also not enough. I loved every single second of this book. When it comes to romance I only read Queer stories, and while Dell and Mae are both Queer, their straight-passing relationship was a new perspective for me. This book has so many great side characters, incredibly thought-provoking moments, and plenty of hurt. Similar to other Anita Kelly books, the friendships that are developed are absolutely incredible. I also loved how this book featured a fat man character and her being fat was not a plot point, rather it was just a fact. But my favorite thing that Anita Kelly wrote into this book was the honest discourse some characters had when it comes to polyamory and open relationships. There was just so much packed into this and I never wanted it to end. I hope they decide to write more in the Greyfin Bay series, because there are just too many characters that I need more information about! This book needs to be WAY more popular.
I have so many words but also not enough. I loved every single second of this book. When it comes to romance I only read Queer stories, and while Dell and Mae are both Queer, their straight-passing relationship was a new perspective for me. This book has so many great side characters, incredibly thought-provoking moments, and plenty of hurt. Similar to other Anita Kelly books, the friendships that are developed are absolutely incredible. I also loved how this book featured a fat man character and her being fat was not a plot point, rather it was just a fact. But my favorite thing that Anita Kelly wrote into this book was the honest discourse some characters had when it comes to polyamory and open relationships. There was just so much packed into this and I never wanted it to end. I hope they decide to write more in the Greyfin Bay series, because there are just too many characters that I need more information about! This book needs to be WAY more popular.
August 15, 2024
If you're looking for a book which has ups and downs, and a little gay panic and some romance, try this one out. Also note the content warnings in the beginning of the book. It's not as light-hearted as other books I've read by Anita Kelly (e.g. the romantic comedy books), but sometimes you need something a little more intense.
I love how Anita Kelly consistently develops layered characters for their books. As with actual humans, Mae and Dell are old enough to bring baggage, expectations, and conflicting personalities to this story. I love how Mae has their queer friend group that reinforces the idea that distance makes the heart grow fonder. I love how Mae was brave enough to move away from said friend group in order to open a local bookstore in a small town. Dell was an interesting character who was also going through quite the journey.
This book had me wanting to visit small town bookstores and look for queer people. Supposedly there will be a couple more books set in Greyfin Bay, so I am curious which characters will be the focus in those!
I love how Anita Kelly consistently develops layered characters for their books. As with actual humans, Mae and Dell are old enough to bring baggage, expectations, and conflicting personalities to this story. I love how Mae has their queer friend group that reinforces the idea that distance makes the heart grow fonder. I love how Mae was brave enough to move away from said friend group in order to open a local bookstore in a small town. Dell was an interesting character who was also going through quite the journey.
This book had me wanting to visit small town bookstores and look for queer people. Supposedly there will be a couple more books set in Greyfin Bay, so I am curious which characters will be the focus in those!
June 10, 2025
4.5 ⭐ - Anita Kelly once again writing something so deeply affecting and wonderfully queer. The way this handles grief of loss and how queer people find belonging and also personal understanding of themselves is superb, which is a staple of Kelly's writing. This book does feel a little different in its willingness to depict the very real ways in which queer people face harm and even violence, which is something I don't often see in modern fiction. Normally I'd rather not read about these experiences in my fiction, as they're uncomfortable to acknowledge and I personally prefer stories more focused on joy and acceptance, but the reality is those things exist and despite the progress made in the past few decades toward acceptance and equity for queer people, hate and harm against the community still exists and persists. But that's not to say this is an overly dark or pessimistic book; rather, it's one steeped in realism of queer experience. It's also got incredibly strong friendships, a beautiful central slow burn romance, and plenty of hope for healing. A lovely read and further proof that Anita Kelly is one of the best modern queer writers in any genre.
August 14, 2024
Wow, I loved this book! I'm not always a fan of books that are more about just experiencing the characters than a plot with some sort of conflict and resolution, but this one was so freaking good.
Mae and Dell are both extremely imperfect people with clear flaws, but they are both cherished despite and because of them, which was a really lovely factor. They both lived their queerness in their own ways, which I also really loved. But what I appreciated most about this book was their relationship, as it transitioned from one of skepticism and reluctance, to friendly, to more intimate care and support, and to love.
This book felt very unique to me in its portrayal of polyamory. It also represented middleaged queerness in ways I don't think we often get to see or read about. I also loved the portrayal of two fat MCs. Their bodies weren't shied away from, and they were also never treated with the shame we often see surrounding fat characters.
The story is certainly a romance between two characters, but it's so much more than that. Both of them have immense personal journeys around their own trauma, and the book also heavily explores the realities of caring for aging parents, the joys and dangers of living in a small town, long distance friendships, and allowing yourself to be cared for.
Mae and Dell are both extremely imperfect people with clear flaws, but they are both cherished despite and because of them, which was a really lovely factor. They both lived their queerness in their own ways, which I also really loved. But what I appreciated most about this book was their relationship, as it transitioned from one of skepticism and reluctance, to friendly, to more intimate care and support, and to love.
This book felt very unique to me in its portrayal of polyamory. It also represented middleaged queerness in ways I don't think we often get to see or read about. I also loved the portrayal of two fat MCs. Their bodies weren't shied away from, and they were also never treated with the shame we often see surrounding fat characters.
The story is certainly a romance between two characters, but it's so much more than that. Both of them have immense personal journeys around their own trauma, and the book also heavily explores the realities of caring for aging parents, the joys and dangers of living in a small town, long distance friendships, and allowing yourself to be cared for.
July 10, 2024
4.5 stars
Maybe this was the right book at the right time but I think this is my favourite Anita Kelly book and will be in my top romances for the year. It really worked for me and, it really got me feeling - A LOT. I teared up or cried on a few occasions and did I mention I had feelings? So many feelings. As I have found with every other Anita Kelly book I've read, there are always a couple of things that just sort of rub me the wrong way, but in this case it felt so authentic that it didn't bother me the same way. (That sounds cryptic but it's the best I can do right now.) The flawed and growing characters, the friendships, the sense of place, the inherent kindness - this was all Anita Kelly at their best.
Maybe this was the right book at the right time but I think this is my favourite Anita Kelly book and will be in my top romances for the year. It really worked for me and, it really got me feeling - A LOT. I teared up or cried on a few occasions and did I mention I had feelings? So many feelings. As I have found with every other Anita Kelly book I've read, there are always a couple of things that just sort of rub me the wrong way, but in this case it felt so authentic that it didn't bother me the same way. (That sounds cryptic but it's the best I can do right now.) The flawed and growing characters, the friendships, the sense of place, the inherent kindness - this was all Anita Kelly at their best.
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