2 Screams 1 Sugar: A Sapphic Friends to Lovers Romance

by Sula Sullivan

In the bustling streets of Whittlesham, where gas lamps flicker, and crime abounds, two young women find themselves drawn together after a chance encounter at a crime scene turned tourist attraction. Destiny is a plucky aspiring detective stuck in the murky world of low-ranking journalism, and Jada is a giantess artist who turns the macabre into money with her crime scene sketches. Driven by insatiable curiosity and a mutual passion for justice, the two women embark on a journey that leads them to unexpected places, including the purchase of a derelict narrowboat. Working together, the duo transform the boat into a cozy shop where they serve coffee, gather clues, and concoct plans to establish their own detective agency.

As they navigate the treacherous waters of the lowest currents of Whittlesham’s society and unmask the secrets hidden within its dark alleys, Destiny and Jada must rely on each other's strengths to unravel the truth behind the crimes that haunt their city. Danger lurks around every corner. Can they stay one step ahead, or will they become the next victims in Whittlesham’s twisted history?

2 Screams 1 Sugar is a sapphic friends to lovers romance. It's equal parts twisty mystery and quirky rom-com.

Genres: Lesbian, Romance, Mystery, Queer, Fiction, Cozy, LGBT

120 pages, Paperback

Published June 29, 2024

Reviews

[a.loversbookclub · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5. first time read by this author n idk how to feel. this was the longest 85 page book i have ever read. for a book like this i prolly would have loved the plot and relationship between the MC’s more if it was a novel. they meet, fall in love, move in together all in the same night??? we dont know much abt these MC’s at all besides their occupation. there was some much things happening but at the same time nothing at all. i think this would’ve been even better in first-person pov. this dragged a lot n then the epilogue…. what how did we get there???

[Amivi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this short story but the romance between the leads wasn’t believable and the overall mystery was just boring. Plus there were typos that took me out of the story.

[Katie O’Reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, the missed punctuation and typos are sometimes distracting. BUT I loved this book. It’s whimsical, sweet, and spicy. It’s part Black sapphic romance, part cozy mystery, part screwball comedy, part ghost story, part coffee shop, and I LOVED Destiny & Jada together so much. I’m not sure I 100% understood the solution to the murders but this book gave me so much joy I don’t even care.

[Jess]

DNF at 23 percent.

I really want to support sapphic books by Black authors. But spell check is not the same as proofreading. The main character’s name changed in the middle of a chapter. And that wasn’t the first problem. I’m sure the average reader will enjoy themself. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Tania · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I had such high hopes for this one. A cozy sapphic murder mystery with such a cute title. Unfortunately I was so disappointed. It felt very rushed. So much happened that I still don't understand what I read. Maybe if the story had been fleshed out more, then it would have had a chance. I wish there had been more substance to it. Such a great premise but it didn't meet my expectations. For such a short story, I had trouble finishing it to the point that I almost DNF'd it.

[Madison Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

charming

This was a perfectly cozy murder mystery! And the fact that it’s sapphic was absolutely the cherry on top. Such a fun quick read!

[VelvetReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real rating: 3.5 🖤

Short and sweet sapphic love story/cozy mystery. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I wasn’t as engaged with it as I would have liked. Because of that, it took me much longer to get through than it should have, but that could have been other factors!

Really enjoyed the progression of Jada and Destiny’s relationship and they are so cute together. Definitely worth a read!

[Lillian]

The experience of reading this book was like putting an audiobook on 5x speed. I don't mean that as a criticism, exactly, but it really is a novel's worth of ideas packed into a novelette's length. It's not really a romance, more of a mystery with a fast-burn romantic element. I can't decide if I was more intrigued or confused by the world building; there are carriages and top hats, but also kebabs, and giants and potions, but also coffee shops. There are quite a lot of typos and continuity issues as well as rather uneven pacing, but it's readable, and I'll happily overlook a lot in an indie book. I picked it up for the cover and excellent title. I come away with some measure of bemusement, but I enjoyed the cosy vibes nonetheless.

[Bookish_Pixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg! I really enjoyed what i have read so far in this book. It ended abruptly and i decided to check the author's IG. it turns out something happened when the book was uploaded to Amazon and it resulted in only first part of the book being available to read. The author posted on their Instagram that the full version of the book will be uploaded soon on Amazon. I'm happy that I will get the full story because what I have read so far is 5 stars for me!

I think the character in the book, Destiny, would be very proud that I did a little detective work to find out what was going on.

[Kyra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so disappointed with this! I saw that it was a cozy black sapphic friends to lovers book and I was so excited. Then I read it and saw that they aren't friends at all. They get together on the first day which absolutely ruined it for me. I've been halfway through it for weeks but I haven't been able to make myself go back to it with how upset it made me.

[HeadCanonHeadCase · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew that 2 Screams 1 Sugar was going to be a short read before I started, but it felt like it was over before it started. Not a bad book, and not a bad concept, just one that could have used a little more editing. There were scenes that were just filler, which in a book this short, just took away from the overall story.

[Andrea (looselfeftlesbian) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m so confused on what the point of the book was. There were also many spelling mistakes and it made it hard to get through. There was a lot of potential though.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good bones but needs polishing and a good copy editor. I’d be interested in checking back in on this author in a few years when they’re more seasoned.

[A.E. Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a cute friends-to-lovers story in a creative, gas lamp setting. Destiny and Jada are fun characters. You'll enjoy Sullivan's take on the cozy murder mystery genre!