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The Unfinished Line
Jen Lyon, award-winning author of The Senator’s Wife, brings another intricately woven world of nuanced characters, solidifying herself as a skilled storyteller of women’s fiction.
When Kameryn Kingsbury lands one of the most coveted roles in cinema history, she’s certain it’s the most monumental thing that’s ever happened to her—until a twist of fate introduces her to Dillon Sinclair.
Dillon is unlike anyone Kam has ever bold, certain of herself, and fiercely driven by an ambition that has skyrocketed her to the top of her career. A famed British triathlete who remains on a quest to secure the one accolade she’s yet to an Olympic gold medal.
The connection between the two women is intense and unexpected, challenging Kam’s understanding of herself as she’s drawn into a relationship with Dillon. From the Hawaiian islands to the Santa Monica Pier, to the tropical paradise of the Keys, and the tranquil coast of Wales, a love story begins to unfold.
But when Dillon’s turbulent past collides with Kam’s overnight fame, the challenges escalate and the pressure of the relationship is heightened.
The Unfinished Line unravels a heartachingly beautiful story set amidst the arduous world of elite sports and the unrelenting limelight of Hollywood. Dillon and Kam’s journey explores the power of love, the sacrifices made to achieve success, and the dangers of reaching for perfection.
Content warning: This book contains topics and themes some readers may find difficult, including struggles with mental health, discussions of suicide, and references to past sexual trauma.
When Kameryn Kingsbury lands one of the most coveted roles in cinema history, she’s certain it’s the most monumental thing that’s ever happened to her—until a twist of fate introduces her to Dillon Sinclair.
Dillon is unlike anyone Kam has ever bold, certain of herself, and fiercely driven by an ambition that has skyrocketed her to the top of her career. A famed British triathlete who remains on a quest to secure the one accolade she’s yet to an Olympic gold medal.
The connection between the two women is intense and unexpected, challenging Kam’s understanding of herself as she’s drawn into a relationship with Dillon. From the Hawaiian islands to the Santa Monica Pier, to the tropical paradise of the Keys, and the tranquil coast of Wales, a love story begins to unfold.
But when Dillon’s turbulent past collides with Kam’s overnight fame, the challenges escalate and the pressure of the relationship is heightened.
The Unfinished Line unravels a heartachingly beautiful story set amidst the arduous world of elite sports and the unrelenting limelight of Hollywood. Dillon and Kam’s journey explores the power of love, the sacrifices made to achieve success, and the dangers of reaching for perfection.
Content warning: This book contains topics and themes some readers may find difficult, including struggles with mental health, discussions of suicide, and references to past sexual trauma.
429 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2024
494 people are currently reading
6534 people want to read
About the author
Jen Lyon
5 books946 followersJen Lyon is an avid lover of sports, travel, theatre, and the ocean. When she isn’t writing, Jen can be found sailing, browsing the shelves of her local bookstore, cheering ardently at an NWSL soccer match, or training horses at her Southern California horse ranch, where she lives with her wife, Donna, and their dogs and horses.
Follow Jen on IG @jenlyonauthor where she unapologetically spams her page with photos of her corgis, dachshund, horses and obscenely large Maine Coon cats.
Follow Jen on IG @jenlyonauthor where she unapologetically spams her page with photos of her corgis, dachshund, horses and obscenely large Maine Coon cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 452 reviews
October 16, 2024
Jen fuck you. 5 stars.
October 4, 2024
Life. It’s complicated. Love. It’s worthy, no matter what.
The time on my clock indicated it was almost 1:00 a.m., last night when I reached the 85% of The Unfinished Line. I knew I had a choice to make. Keep on reading and not being able to sleep after closing the book or turning off my iPad and calling “quits”, as my body couldn’t take it. The latter option won, but I then woke up at 3:00 a.m. and couldn’t get myself into sleep anymore. I then finished it. I reached the last line.
I am sure that, by now, every reader must have read the blurb of The Unfinished Line, and therefore I won’t talk about it. But you got to give it to Jen Lyon to first let us be enamored of The Senator’s Wife, where Alex saves Catharine’s life, and then she strikes us again with a high angst moment depicting the very first meeting of Kameryn Kingsbury and Dillon Sinclair.
It’s like she’s warning the reader. You know what you’ll be getting into. She might as well have said: “All hope abandon ye who enter here”, but who isn’t a fan of Dante Alighieri’s Inferno? I still remember how boring Paradise was. Life isn’t always a paradise. Life is a mosaic of moments in which we are happy, sad, angry, lonely, euphoric, jealous and none of all these things. So, excuse me if I disregarded the warning, and continued to read, eager to have my heart tight in a grip, to feel all this book could make me feel, and it delivered and went beyond it. It resonated within me and what my story is.
If you are a fan of Jen Lyon, you know that she doesn’t shy away from choosing tough themes, from depicting life as it is, without all the fluffiness of romcoms. Nope, Jen Lyon tells you the brutal truth of what life can be. Sometimes it can go well, and other times, it is a constant fight to stay with the head above the rough tide. It’s another genre, it’s another type of movie if you want to speak in terms of it. And isn’t it interesting that instead of chapters, Jen Lyon used the term “scene”? A movie is usually composed by 40 to 60 scenes, and that’s exactly how long Kameryn and Dillon’s movie is.
A movie. A movie that tells you that life isn’t always a fairytale. A movie that leaves you with a void in your heart. With the echoes of the first person’s thoughts of Kameryn, and the third person narrated story of Dillon.
Why did Jen Lyon choose first person for Kameryn and third person for Dillon?
I was surprised when I noticed it, but then I started understanding the characters more in depth.
Kameryn, so anxious, so self-doubting, so haunted by the “What ifs” in life, so ready to jump into the unknown of what meant discovering her first attraction towards a woman, and gaining recognition as an artist. A life that basically was just starting.
And on the other side, Dillon. Dillon who is at the top of her triathlete career, who has a past that unfolds slowly during her frenetic race towards victory. Her fight. Her obsession with reaching perfection.
The first person used by Jen Lyon lets you enter inside Kameryn’s mind. It lets you feel the incessant whirlpool of her thoughts. Unnerving. The rhythm is fast. Her life is fast forwarding. While the third person, well, it’s less intrusive, but it holds so much meaning. There are things that Dillon doesn’t know how to say. There are words left unsaid. There is side of her that Jen Lyon wants to keep partially hidden. Her state of mind. Her pain. Her battle. The words unsaid weigh on the reader more than those said. They are the unknown. And the unknown is scary. No one wants to go there.
The Unfinished Line is not a romance novel, but a heartachingly love story between two people who seems at first so different from each other, but that have many similarities in the end.
The love story is enticing, witty in the dialogue, even funny at times. I fell in love with Kameryn’s clumsiness, with her shy nature, and with all the different aspects of her personality. There was always something more to her and to discover through the eyes of Dillon. And who can resist Dillon’s dry humor? Her cocky appearance and yet, her tender and broken heart. Her mind racing through a competition, her focus, her drive, and her stubbornness. An armor. Years of building it up, with the impossibility to free herself from it. The villain, always onto her. The past always winning and finishing the line before her.
Kameryn and Dillon’s love making is sensual, veiled. It tickles your fantasy and imagination with what it’s not said. With what you imagine is going to happen. It’s a velvety eroticism. It’s everything you wish it to be, sweet, rough, impatient, careful, insatiable. A never-ending desire.
Settings, writing style, slangs, secondary characters, the sport scenes and the Hollywood ones, and plot are fantastic. Jen Lyon manages to write characters’ archetypes that don’t fall into stereotypes. There is always more to them than their mere job, social status and so on. They are all-round characters that stick with you like literally tattoos on your skin. So memorable they are.
The plot evolves with the highs and lows of the waves crashing into the ocean. It’s the sinus rhythm of a pulsing heart. It beats harder and harder reaching the climax, the finished line. The flat line. It’s excruciatingly real. It’s the truth we all want to keep a taboo.
******************SPOILER ALERT AND HEAVY CONTENT************************
The Unfinished Line was very hard to read for me, because it deals with a theme that I experienced directly on my skin. And this is where, if you are reading these words, you can stop, to avoid any spoilers and read about me. A nobody. A minstrel/menestrella as I call myself. Someone that wants to share with you some words with you. You who might find comfort in them. You, who maybe, experienced like me and Dillon the darkness of the mind.
If we are friends, of I thought of you as a real friend, you already know this story. If you are not, I just want to share it with you, as a reminder that, as Jen Lyon says, “We all burn sometimes”. I, too, as Dillon, carry a phoenix on my body. I have it on my arm as a constant reminder to myself that no matter how low I can feel, no matter how worthless and without a future I might be, I can start again. Day by day. Step by step.
On 10 April 2019, after several months of struggling with my mental health and not working therapy (I’ll keep the reasons to myself for this time), I stole from a cabinet at home all the medicines I was supposed to take for months, I bought several bottles of alcohol and set off on a bike to find a secluded place where I could finally find peace and stop all the pain I was feeling. The feeling of being a burden to my partner and to my family. The feeling of being nothing anymore, of having no fight left in me, no willingness to start a new life.
In my run toward this place, I stumbled upon a field among farms, where a boat was placed upside down on a metal structure.
I crouched down under it, I set my favorite playlist, I sent a message to my wife, telling her how much I loved her, and how sorry I was, but I couldn’t live like that anymore, and started taking pill after pill, while jugging the alcohol down. I can still feel the burning of it down my throat. I was done. I was not scared of dying at that moment. I truly wanted it.
I don’t know how long it had passed, but my following memories are of me trying to bike and falling on turf, biking and trying to cross a road, until a hand stopped me. The hand of a policewoman, later my wife would tell me.
My wife had called the police and, then after a huge fight with them, they managed to locate me with the signal of my cellphone.
I woke up in the middle on the night, on a hospital bed, a nurse trying to keep me awake every other hour.
I was angry. I wanted to be gone, but they didn’t want me “up there” or “wherever we go”.
I don’t know if that was the moment that pushed me to start everything again from scratch. I don’t know if that was the moment I burnt completely and was reborn. But after that day I tried, and tried, and tried, and here I am. Alive. I burnt. But I am happy to be able to write this to you. Depression is not a taboo. Suicide doesn’t have to be a taboo. Now I work less, I am happy to “feel again” everything, to “see” things. I took on taking pictures of the small things we usually don’t see as I reminder to myself to feel something that gives me joy, whether a fly, a snail, the smallest insect ever or a beautiful butterfly or dragonfly. I am more than what happened to me. And what happened to me will always stay within me, on the phoenix tattooed on my arm.
I thought I was alone. But I wasn’t. They always say that you “have to want to get better”, it is partially true. It takes a toll on you to rise again, but it is easier when you have a support system around you. But you have to start talking about how you feel. It will always start with “You” and “only you”. And then the others will help.
Dillon didn’t say those words, she hid them well, as well as many others do. Those who don’t come back from the darkness.
So today, when I finished the book, I talked about it one of my great friends. I told her that I cried. I cried because Take 1 could have been how my life ended, not jumping from a cliff, but being carried away through alcohol and meds under a boat in the middle of the fields, with probably a farmer finding my body. I cried, because my life took a Take 1.5-2 and I got lucky. I cried for all the things Dillon couldn't say, all those words left unsaid and unfinished like the line we aim to cross or not cross. I cried and told my wife everything about the book and kissed and hugged her. She is my Kameryn Take 2. She went to hell to save me, and even if I am still scared that the darkness might one day take me again, I take now everyday as it goes. Step by step. Talking… or having my wife getting words out of me.
I hope that if you are struggling with mental health, you will consider talking to a friend, a family member and a professional psychologist. You don’t have to do this alone.
I also hope that this book will also help all those sporters who struggle to achieve perfection while forgetting the pleasure of doing the sport. All the people who are survivors of abuse, whether physical or psychological.
I hope that one day this, all of this, would be easier to talk about. It’s life, it happens to more people than you might think.
Thank you for reading this rambling, whoever you might be.
The time on my clock indicated it was almost 1:00 a.m., last night when I reached the 85% of The Unfinished Line. I knew I had a choice to make. Keep on reading and not being able to sleep after closing the book or turning off my iPad and calling “quits”, as my body couldn’t take it. The latter option won, but I then woke up at 3:00 a.m. and couldn’t get myself into sleep anymore. I then finished it. I reached the last line.
I am sure that, by now, every reader must have read the blurb of The Unfinished Line, and therefore I won’t talk about it. But you got to give it to Jen Lyon to first let us be enamored of The Senator’s Wife, where Alex saves Catharine’s life, and then she strikes us again with a high angst moment depicting the very first meeting of Kameryn Kingsbury and Dillon Sinclair.
It’s like she’s warning the reader. You know what you’ll be getting into. She might as well have said: “All hope abandon ye who enter here”, but who isn’t a fan of Dante Alighieri’s Inferno? I still remember how boring Paradise was. Life isn’t always a paradise. Life is a mosaic of moments in which we are happy, sad, angry, lonely, euphoric, jealous and none of all these things. So, excuse me if I disregarded the warning, and continued to read, eager to have my heart tight in a grip, to feel all this book could make me feel, and it delivered and went beyond it. It resonated within me and what my story is.
If you are a fan of Jen Lyon, you know that she doesn’t shy away from choosing tough themes, from depicting life as it is, without all the fluffiness of romcoms. Nope, Jen Lyon tells you the brutal truth of what life can be. Sometimes it can go well, and other times, it is a constant fight to stay with the head above the rough tide. It’s another genre, it’s another type of movie if you want to speak in terms of it. And isn’t it interesting that instead of chapters, Jen Lyon used the term “scene”? A movie is usually composed by 40 to 60 scenes, and that’s exactly how long Kameryn and Dillon’s movie is.
A movie. A movie that tells you that life isn’t always a fairytale. A movie that leaves you with a void in your heart. With the echoes of the first person’s thoughts of Kameryn, and the third person narrated story of Dillon.
Why did Jen Lyon choose first person for Kameryn and third person for Dillon?
I was surprised when I noticed it, but then I started understanding the characters more in depth.
Kameryn, so anxious, so self-doubting, so haunted by the “What ifs” in life, so ready to jump into the unknown of what meant discovering her first attraction towards a woman, and gaining recognition as an artist. A life that basically was just starting.
And on the other side, Dillon. Dillon who is at the top of her triathlete career, who has a past that unfolds slowly during her frenetic race towards victory. Her fight. Her obsession with reaching perfection.
The first person used by Jen Lyon lets you enter inside Kameryn’s mind. It lets you feel the incessant whirlpool of her thoughts. Unnerving. The rhythm is fast. Her life is fast forwarding. While the third person, well, it’s less intrusive, but it holds so much meaning. There are things that Dillon doesn’t know how to say. There are words left unsaid. There is side of her that Jen Lyon wants to keep partially hidden. Her state of mind. Her pain. Her battle. The words unsaid weigh on the reader more than those said. They are the unknown. And the unknown is scary. No one wants to go there.
The Unfinished Line is not a romance novel, but a heartachingly love story between two people who seems at first so different from each other, but that have many similarities in the end.
The love story is enticing, witty in the dialogue, even funny at times. I fell in love with Kameryn’s clumsiness, with her shy nature, and with all the different aspects of her personality. There was always something more to her and to discover through the eyes of Dillon. And who can resist Dillon’s dry humor? Her cocky appearance and yet, her tender and broken heart. Her mind racing through a competition, her focus, her drive, and her stubbornness. An armor. Years of building it up, with the impossibility to free herself from it. The villain, always onto her. The past always winning and finishing the line before her.
Kameryn and Dillon’s love making is sensual, veiled. It tickles your fantasy and imagination with what it’s not said. With what you imagine is going to happen. It’s a velvety eroticism. It’s everything you wish it to be, sweet, rough, impatient, careful, insatiable. A never-ending desire.
Settings, writing style, slangs, secondary characters, the sport scenes and the Hollywood ones, and plot are fantastic. Jen Lyon manages to write characters’ archetypes that don’t fall into stereotypes. There is always more to them than their mere job, social status and so on. They are all-round characters that stick with you like literally tattoos on your skin. So memorable they are.
The plot evolves with the highs and lows of the waves crashing into the ocean. It’s the sinus rhythm of a pulsing heart. It beats harder and harder reaching the climax, the finished line. The flat line. It’s excruciatingly real. It’s the truth we all want to keep a taboo.
******************SPOILER ALERT AND HEAVY CONTENT************************
The Unfinished Line was very hard to read for me, because it deals with a theme that I experienced directly on my skin. And this is where, if you are reading these words, you can stop, to avoid any spoilers and read about me. A nobody. A minstrel/menestrella as I call myself. Someone that wants to share with you some words with you. You who might find comfort in them. You, who maybe, experienced like me and Dillon the darkness of the mind.
If we are friends, of I thought of you as a real friend, you already know this story. If you are not, I just want to share it with you, as a reminder that, as Jen Lyon says, “We all burn sometimes”. I, too, as Dillon, carry a phoenix on my body. I have it on my arm as a constant reminder to myself that no matter how low I can feel, no matter how worthless and without a future I might be, I can start again. Day by day. Step by step.
On 10 April 2019, after several months of struggling with my mental health and not working therapy (I’ll keep the reasons to myself for this time), I stole from a cabinet at home all the medicines I was supposed to take for months, I bought several bottles of alcohol and set off on a bike to find a secluded place where I could finally find peace and stop all the pain I was feeling. The feeling of being a burden to my partner and to my family. The feeling of being nothing anymore, of having no fight left in me, no willingness to start a new life.
In my run toward this place, I stumbled upon a field among farms, where a boat was placed upside down on a metal structure.
I crouched down under it, I set my favorite playlist, I sent a message to my wife, telling her how much I loved her, and how sorry I was, but I couldn’t live like that anymore, and started taking pill after pill, while jugging the alcohol down. I can still feel the burning of it down my throat. I was done. I was not scared of dying at that moment. I truly wanted it.
I don’t know how long it had passed, but my following memories are of me trying to bike and falling on turf, biking and trying to cross a road, until a hand stopped me. The hand of a policewoman, later my wife would tell me.
My wife had called the police and, then after a huge fight with them, they managed to locate me with the signal of my cellphone.
I woke up in the middle on the night, on a hospital bed, a nurse trying to keep me awake every other hour.
I was angry. I wanted to be gone, but they didn’t want me “up there” or “wherever we go”.
I don’t know if that was the moment that pushed me to start everything again from scratch. I don’t know if that was the moment I burnt completely and was reborn. But after that day I tried, and tried, and tried, and here I am. Alive. I burnt. But I am happy to be able to write this to you. Depression is not a taboo. Suicide doesn’t have to be a taboo. Now I work less, I am happy to “feel again” everything, to “see” things. I took on taking pictures of the small things we usually don’t see as I reminder to myself to feel something that gives me joy, whether a fly, a snail, the smallest insect ever or a beautiful butterfly or dragonfly. I am more than what happened to me. And what happened to me will always stay within me, on the phoenix tattooed on my arm.
I thought I was alone. But I wasn’t. They always say that you “have to want to get better”, it is partially true. It takes a toll on you to rise again, but it is easier when you have a support system around you. But you have to start talking about how you feel. It will always start with “You” and “only you”. And then the others will help.
Dillon didn’t say those words, she hid them well, as well as many others do. Those who don’t come back from the darkness.
So today, when I finished the book, I talked about it one of my great friends. I told her that I cried. I cried because Take 1 could have been how my life ended, not jumping from a cliff, but being carried away through alcohol and meds under a boat in the middle of the fields, with probably a farmer finding my body. I cried, because my life took a Take 1.5-2 and I got lucky. I cried for all the things Dillon couldn't say, all those words left unsaid and unfinished like the line we aim to cross or not cross. I cried and told my wife everything about the book and kissed and hugged her. She is my Kameryn Take 2. She went to hell to save me, and even if I am still scared that the darkness might one day take me again, I take now everyday as it goes. Step by step. Talking… or having my wife getting words out of me.
I hope that if you are struggling with mental health, you will consider talking to a friend, a family member and a professional psychologist. You don’t have to do this alone.
I also hope that this book will also help all those sporters who struggle to achieve perfection while forgetting the pleasure of doing the sport. All the people who are survivors of abuse, whether physical or psychological.
I hope that one day this, all of this, would be easier to talk about. It’s life, it happens to more people than you might think.
Thank you for reading this rambling, whoever you might be.
October 20, 2024
I held my breath reading the last few chapters of this book. There's no question about it, this one is profound, poignant, haunting. I have to give it the highest rating because of how well it was done, but i'm really struggling to process it right now. It's worth the read, but be warned that this book contains very heavy topics. If I had known how it'd organically end, I would have given this a pass until I'm in a better mental and emotional state. Still though, kudos to this author for writing another heart stopping book.
Read
October 20, 2024I am a HUGE fan of this author! HUGE! However at this point of time I am unable to rate this book!
I have mixed feelings and unable to rate it or even understand my feelings about it!
Can’t remember if I’ve ever been put in this situation 🤔
One thing I know for sure, I won’t be forgetting this book! And I won’t be forgetting Dillon.
I have mixed feelings and unable to rate it or even understand my feelings about it!
Can’t remember if I’ve ever been put in this situation 🤔
One thing I know for sure, I won’t be forgetting this book! And I won’t be forgetting Dillon.
December 29, 2024
If you’re in the right headspace to tackle a story that explores the complexities of mental health struggles and their consequences, I’d recommend The Unfinished Line. Compared to Jen Lyons' The Senator's Wife series—which I found too wordy—this book feels like a significant step forward. Her writing has matured tremendously, with incredible character development and a solid, engaging plot.
As for Dillon and Kam’s relationship, there isn’t much I can add beyond what the authors note warns us: this is a love story, not a romance . That framing definitely set the tone. While I struggled with certain parts, I’ve never had a book physically make me feel numb before—yet this one did. For better or worse, I think that speaks volumes about its emotional impact.
As for Dillon and Kam’s relationship, there isn’t much I can add beyond what the authors note warns us: this is a love story, not a romance . That framing definitely set the tone. While I struggled with certain parts, I’ve never had a book physically make me feel numb before—yet this one did. For better or worse, I think that speaks volumes about its emotional impact.
December 5, 2024
UPDATE after audiobook listen:
Two words - Abby Craden. Wow. While I’d read the book and was familiar with the story, it was an entirely new experience performed by this master narrator. Nobody but nobody delivers the emotion like Craden - she is in a class by herself. At one point I wondered if I was going to be able to continue because I knew how raw I would feel as a result. But I did and was utterly blown away by it.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see this gifted performer honored as audiobook narrator of the year by GCLS again for this work. It’s just that good.
Lyon wrote an incredible book and hired just the right actor to bring these unforgettable characters to life. Bravo to Lyon and Craden both! Easily one of the best listens of the year.
Original review:
Rarely have I struggled so much to write a review. The Unfinished Line isn’t the kind of book you easily breeze through and then knock out a quick review for. It’s a substantial novel - in length and substance - that requires investment. It requires processing. And yes - for some it will require recovery time.
I can't let go of the story. I have so many thoughts and feelings - almost none of which I can share spoiler-free. God knows I hate spoilers. But when folks are done reading about it, I want to talk about it. In detail. I also want to have an in-depth discussion about why this author felt the need to provide what she did in the foreword of the book as to what the story is and isn't.
What I will say is that I wholeheartedly recommend you read it! It’s Jen Lyon, after all, who burst on the scene with the incredible Senator’s Wife series and proves once again with this release that she's the real deal. She doesn’t skimp in her storytelling, but writes fully fleshed out, unforgettable characters who readers invest deeply in. Lyon quite openly says if you're looking for light, fluffy romances, her books aren't for you. But if you want deeply meaningful stories that explore the human experience, she's absolutely a go-to author.
Lyon calls this her "passion project" so while it appears The Unfinished Line is a stand-alone novel, this reader hopes there might be something someday that provides a glimpse into what happens further down the road.
Two words - Abby Craden. Wow. While I’d read the book and was familiar with the story, it was an entirely new experience performed by this master narrator. Nobody but nobody delivers the emotion like Craden - she is in a class by herself. At one point I wondered if I was going to be able to continue because I knew how raw I would feel as a result. But I did and was utterly blown away by it.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see this gifted performer honored as audiobook narrator of the year by GCLS again for this work. It’s just that good.
Lyon wrote an incredible book and hired just the right actor to bring these unforgettable characters to life. Bravo to Lyon and Craden both! Easily one of the best listens of the year.
Original review:
Rarely have I struggled so much to write a review. The Unfinished Line isn’t the kind of book you easily breeze through and then knock out a quick review for. It’s a substantial novel - in length and substance - that requires investment. It requires processing. And yes - for some it will require recovery time.
I can't let go of the story. I have so many thoughts and feelings - almost none of which I can share spoiler-free. God knows I hate spoilers. But when folks are done reading about it, I want to talk about it. In detail. I also want to have an in-depth discussion about why this author felt the need to provide what she did in the foreword of the book as to what the story is and isn't.
What I will say is that I wholeheartedly recommend you read it! It’s Jen Lyon, after all, who burst on the scene with the incredible Senator’s Wife series and proves once again with this release that she's the real deal. She doesn’t skimp in her storytelling, but writes fully fleshed out, unforgettable characters who readers invest deeply in. Lyon quite openly says if you're looking for light, fluffy romances, her books aren't for you. But if you want deeply meaningful stories that explore the human experience, she's absolutely a go-to author.
Lyon calls this her "passion project" so while it appears The Unfinished Line is a stand-alone novel, this reader hopes there might be something someday that provides a glimpse into what happens further down the road.
December 19, 2024
Please read to the tune of “You’re a Mean One, Mr Grinch” 🎵🎵🎶🎶 ( my apologies to Dr. Seuss)
You’re a sneaky one, Jen Ly-on.
You really are a heel,
The book’s as cuddly as a Care-bear, and as romantic as a kiss, Ms Ly-ooooon!
You pulled the wool over our eyes while sneering from, ear to ear.
You’re a monster, Jen Ly-on.
Your heart’s an empty hole.
Your brain is full of endings and which one do you choose? Jen Ly-on,
Harlequin would toss your ass out for Scene 53 and, Take. number. one.
You’re a vile one, Jen Ly-on,
You really really are,
Poor Dillon carries the burdens, while Kameryn’s star is on the rise, Jen Ly-on,
You still get a 5 star review from me because, I’m as wildly depraved as you!
All kidding aside, The Unfinished Line is my Best Read for 2024.
You’re a sneaky one, Jen Ly-on.
You really are a heel,
The book’s as cuddly as a Care-bear, and as romantic as a kiss, Ms Ly-ooooon!
You pulled the wool over our eyes while sneering from, ear to ear.
You’re a monster, Jen Ly-on.
Your heart’s an empty hole.
Your brain is full of endings and which one do you choose? Jen Ly-on,
Harlequin would toss your ass out for Scene 53 and, Take. number. one.
You’re a vile one, Jen Ly-on,
You really really are,
Poor Dillon carries the burdens, while Kameryn’s star is on the rise, Jen Ly-on,
You still get a 5 star review from me because, I’m as wildly depraved as you!
All kidding aside, The Unfinished Line is my Best Read for 2024.
October 13, 2024
So many thoughts and too few words to describe this book. As others have said it was very emotional and moving. And unique with its very gritty ending. And yes we all need more compassion and grace in our everyday lives. This one will be unforgettable for me.
Dillon might be my favorite character in all sapphic literature.
Dillon might be my favorite character in all sapphic literature.
October 7, 2024
I will start by saying I loved The Senator’s Wife series by Jen Lyon. It was angsty, poignant, and brought me one of my favorite fictional characters in Catharine Cleveland. If you’ve read that series, you know Jen is a bold writer, and she doesn’t pull any punches. She makes you feel her work … viscerally. The Unfinished Line is no different, and yet it is very different.
The first hint that this book isn’t your typical fare is the author’s warning: it’s a love story, not a romance. Always, always heed an author’s admonition that they have written a love story and not a romance. Also, always heed the content warnings.
I’ve read The Unfinished Line twice. I wanted to write a review right away, but I needed time to sit with it for a while. There are books that are very good stories, and then there are books that are not only very good stories, they are important. This book is important.
It deals with issues that we should talk about more often, but don’t. As a reader, it brought up a lot of emotions in me, and it took some time and some soul searching before I was able to process them enough to settle it all into some semblance of understanding.
It’s not easy to write books like this. It’s not easy to send them out into the world and hope they move people in the way you intended. It moved me as intended, Jen Lyon. Thank you.
Highly recommend.
The first hint that this book isn’t your typical fare is the author’s warning: it’s a love story, not a romance. Always, always heed an author’s admonition that they have written a love story and not a romance. Also, always heed the content warnings.
I’ve read The Unfinished Line twice. I wanted to write a review right away, but I needed time to sit with it for a while. There are books that are very good stories, and then there are books that are not only very good stories, they are important. This book is important.
It deals with issues that we should talk about more often, but don’t. As a reader, it brought up a lot of emotions in me, and it took some time and some soul searching before I was able to process them enough to settle it all into some semblance of understanding.
It’s not easy to write books like this. It’s not easy to send them out into the world and hope they move people in the way you intended. It moved me as intended, Jen Lyon. Thank you.
Highly recommend.
October 11, 2024
"Gentle reader, please be aware: it's a love story, not a romance." (Author's Note)
And what a breathtaking love story this is. I can't say much as it will give away the story but if you have read the author's The Senator's Wife series then you know that you can count on Jen Lyon to provide you with great story. This was not an easy read as the author does not shy away from difficult topics. The final few chapters were a rollercoaster of emotions which I think I still need time to process. It also made me think about the Author's Note and why it is provided at the beginning.
June 15, 2025
Yeah. If you’re looking for a coherent review look elsewhere. This book will shatter you; incredible.
August 19, 2025
Jen Lyon’s books have eluded me to date, but The Unfinished Line recently won the Golden Crown Literary Society’s Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award (the big GCLS award), so I figured this was a good place to start with her wildly popular books. And, yes, I knew what I was getting into before starting this book. To be honest, I was curious how this “love story, not a romance” would play out—excited for the divergence from the formula(s), to be honest. And while I found the book engaging and readable, it didn’t quite work for me.
Let me start by saying that this didn’t hit me emotionally. Am I just a heartless asshole? Maybe. But I wasn’t devastated by the end. I was devastated for the characters, of course, but I was mostly relieved that this wasn’t a romance. Because where this book most prominently falls short is in the love story itself. Apart from the scenes in Hawaii, where this story begins—it’s a great meet cute—I didn’t want Dillon and Kam to be together. I didn’t get what was so great about Dillon, to be honest. And so I struggled watching this all play out and watching Kam be content with mere scraps when Kam is really great. And if the love story worked, I would have been appropriately wrecked.
Lyon’s ending is brave. I have so much respect for her taking her story there. It was visceral is likely to break your heart (at least based on the reviews I’ve read). It was also real. So why Lyon felt the need to provide an alternate ending is baffling. It cheapens the ending and, thus, the emotional impact.
And I know these are super nitpicky complaints, but two minor things bothered me about this book:
1. The British slang felt like it was written by someone who is not immersed in that language on a regular basis. It felt a little cringy to me. British people, please defend Lyon if this she did this well. I’m not saying I’m right, only that it distracted me from the narrative.
2. I’m not a fan when authors set stories in our very real timeline and reference real people who haven’t been dead for several years, and this book name drops so many people! In fact, when I logged into work this morning, one of the people she references in the book (a reference I read on my commute in this morning) was on my company’s intranet page. I didn’t like it. LOL
TL;DR: The Unfinished Line didn’t quite work for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. I now get why people enjoy Jen Lyon’s books. She’s a great writer. And I do admire her taking on a difficult subject when most of her readers are here for romances and all the expectations of the genre. Had the love story worked for me, I think I would rave about this like most readers have done.
3.5 stars.
Let me start by saying that this didn’t hit me emotionally. Am I just a heartless asshole? Maybe. But I wasn’t devastated by the end. I was devastated for the characters, of course, but I was mostly relieved that this wasn’t a romance. Because where this book most prominently falls short is in the love story itself. Apart from the scenes in Hawaii, where this story begins—it’s a great meet cute—I didn’t want Dillon and Kam to be together. I didn’t get what was so great about Dillon, to be honest. And so I struggled watching this all play out and watching Kam be content with mere scraps when Kam is really great. And if the love story worked, I would have been appropriately wrecked.
Lyon’s ending is brave. I have so much respect for her taking her story there. It was visceral is likely to break your heart (at least based on the reviews I’ve read). It was also real. So why Lyon felt the need to provide an alternate ending is baffling. It cheapens the ending and, thus, the emotional impact.
And I know these are super nitpicky complaints, but two minor things bothered me about this book:
1. The British slang felt like it was written by someone who is not immersed in that language on a regular basis. It felt a little cringy to me. British people, please defend Lyon if this she did this well. I’m not saying I’m right, only that it distracted me from the narrative.
2. I’m not a fan when authors set stories in our very real timeline and reference real people who haven’t been dead for several years, and this book name drops so many people! In fact, when I logged into work this morning, one of the people she references in the book (a reference I read on my commute in this morning) was on my company’s intranet page. I didn’t like it. LOL
TL;DR: The Unfinished Line didn’t quite work for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. I now get why people enjoy Jen Lyon’s books. She’s a great writer. And I do admire her taking on a difficult subject when most of her readers are here for romances and all the expectations of the genre. Had the love story worked for me, I think I would rave about this like most readers have done.
3.5 stars.
Read
November 17, 2025I can't describe how I feel about this novel. I don't think I've ever read a story like this before. And yes, Jen Lyon is right, this book is not a romance, and if I had known how the plot unfolded, I wouldn't have read it. I was already familiar with the author's first book (“The Senator's Wife”), which I enjoyed very much and was particularly impressed by her writing style.
I really liked the beginning of the story about the actress Kam and the triathlete Dillon. It was romantic, and the two of them were the absolute focus of the plot. But over time, it turned into the two of them living more side by side due to a long-distance relationship. The chapters were filled with their experiences in their professions, and yes, this naturally gave the two characters a lot of depth, but I simply missed the moments they shared together. Some sweet moments they had together were only recounted, and I wasn't there to experience them. I just couldn't root for Dillon and Kam, and I often wondered whether it was so good that the two of them were together or whether they would be better off without each other. A rather unhealthy side crept in, as Dillon in particular understandably got into more and more trouble with her life and bad experiences, and her mental health declined.
It didn't feel like a love story to me, but more like a drama, because one thing followed another. It was incredibly sad and depressing. As for the ending (spoiler),
I can't rate this book. I love love stories and romances, and this book was neither. I couldn't connect with the story because it was just so incredibly sad. But that doesn't mean this book is bad, not at all. It just wasn't my cup of tea, and that's why I don't want to drag the rating down with my review, because I'm sure there are many who are captivated by this book.
Thanks to my buddy read Luna! I couldn't have done it without you!!
I really liked the beginning of the story about the actress Kam and the triathlete Dillon. It was romantic, and the two of them were the absolute focus of the plot. But over time, it turned into the two of them living more side by side due to a long-distance relationship. The chapters were filled with their experiences in their professions, and yes, this naturally gave the two characters a lot of depth, but I simply missed the moments they shared together. Some sweet moments they had together were only recounted, and I wasn't there to experience them. I just couldn't root for Dillon and Kam, and I often wondered whether it was so good that the two of them were together or whether they would be better off without each other. A rather unhealthy side crept in, as Dillon in particular understandably got into more and more trouble with her life and bad experiences, and her mental health declined.
It didn't feel like a love story to me, but more like a drama, because one thing followed another. It was incredibly sad and depressing. As for the ending (spoiler),
I can't rate this book. I love love stories and romances, and this book was neither. I couldn't connect with the story because it was just so incredibly sad. But that doesn't mean this book is bad, not at all. It just wasn't my cup of tea, and that's why I don't want to drag the rating down with my review, because I'm sure there are many who are captivated by this book.
Thanks to my buddy read Luna! I couldn't have done it without you!!
October 2, 2024
I needed to take a moment to process this intensely emotionally evocative masterpiece before I could articulate my feelings and thoughts for a review.
The author appropriately and mindfully leaves this content warning:
"Gentle reader, please be aware: it’s a love story, not a romance.
*This book contains topics and themes some readers may find
difficult, including struggles with mental health, discussion of suicide,
and past sexual trauma."
This will be a review about my experience of reading this incredible book. I hope other reviewers will do the same as the story needs to be experienced without spoilers.
This is the love story of Kameryn and Dillon. I was hooked from the very first sentence. As my journey into their story began I found myself completely absorbed. The MC's, along with important side characters, were easy to love and want everything for. And that is all I will give away.
This story is one that needs to be told, needs to be experienced, needs time to digest and process. I loved The Senator's Wife series, but Jen Lyon has outdone herself with this book and it easily went to number 1 on my list of favorite books read this year. It is poignant and raw. I draws the reader in deeply and gives us so much to think about. The MC's backgrounds are unpacked so well that I felt I knew them to the core. She expertly and carefully writes about real and difficult topics with sensitivity and without being graphic. This is a story that made me feel all the feelings, from smiles to tears. It is one that will stay with me for a very long time.
This book is a must read and I would give it 10 stars if it were possible. Be gentle with yourself and take care to pause, if needed. I could not put it down until I was finished and that was way too soon. I look forward to listening to Kameryn and Dillion be brought to life when the audiobook releases.
Well done, Jen Lyon, well done 🥹
The author appropriately and mindfully leaves this content warning:
"Gentle reader, please be aware: it’s a love story, not a romance.
*This book contains topics and themes some readers may find
difficult, including struggles with mental health, discussion of suicide,
and past sexual trauma."
This will be a review about my experience of reading this incredible book. I hope other reviewers will do the same as the story needs to be experienced without spoilers.
This is the love story of Kameryn and Dillon. I was hooked from the very first sentence. As my journey into their story began I found myself completely absorbed. The MC's, along with important side characters, were easy to love and want everything for. And that is all I will give away.
This story is one that needs to be told, needs to be experienced, needs time to digest and process. I loved The Senator's Wife series, but Jen Lyon has outdone herself with this book and it easily went to number 1 on my list of favorite books read this year. It is poignant and raw. I draws the reader in deeply and gives us so much to think about. The MC's backgrounds are unpacked so well that I felt I knew them to the core. She expertly and carefully writes about real and difficult topics with sensitivity and without being graphic. This is a story that made me feel all the feelings, from smiles to tears. It is one that will stay with me for a very long time.
This book is a must read and I would give it 10 stars if it were possible. Be gentle with yourself and take care to pause, if needed. I could not put it down until I was finished and that was way too soon. I look forward to listening to Kameryn and Dillion be brought to life when the audiobook releases.
Well done, Jen Lyon, well done 🥹
October 1, 2024
Let me start off by saying I rarely give out five stars. Those I reserve for books that have touched my soul, moved me deeply and I’ll never forget. Having said that, The Unfinished Line, is a five-star book. While I thought Jen Lyon’s Senator’s Wife series was fantastic and put her at the top of the best sapphic author’s list, this book takes her to a whole other level. She is not just one of the best sapphic authors, she is one of the best authors of this generation, period. This book deserves to go mainstream and become a bestseller. I hope it wins every award there is.
I’m not going to go into the details of the book, others will do that better than I can. However, do not go into this book thinking it is a romance. It’s not, and the author warns the reader from the start. It is a love story, and love stories, can break your heart and leave you in tears. It did me, and I thank her for it.
I’m not going to go into the details of the book, others will do that better than I can. However, do not go into this book thinking it is a romance. It’s not, and the author warns the reader from the start. It is a love story, and love stories, can break your heart and leave you in tears. It did me, and I thank her for it.
July 26, 2025
✨5 stars✨
It’s been 20 years since I have felt this bad but I’m so grateful I didn’t give in, that I found one more thing to live for and then another until I found myself again. That doesn’t mean I don’t have days that I struggle. Depression is hard. Sometimes so hard to deal with and sometimes it’s so easy to let it overcome you.
It’s been 20 years since I have felt this bad but I’m so grateful I didn’t give in, that I found one more thing to live for and then another until I found myself again. That doesn’t mean I don’t have days that I struggle. Depression is hard. Sometimes so hard to deal with and sometimes it’s so easy to let it overcome you.
March 1, 2025
4.5 Stars
I just found this out but Jen Lyon, in my opinion, has a “signature” in her writing style. Like one says, “oh the movie is very M. Night Shayamalan or the show has the Ryan Murphy vibe, etc.” that kind of signature. It felt very Jen Lyon to read about these new characters out of her repertoire. It felt familiar yet new, reminiscent of something but not quite the same.
From the first few chapters I became aware I was going to be in trouble with my feels. The characters grew on me quickly and knowing the conflict part was coming soon, I dreaded that bit so much. And like Jen Lyon’s previous books, the foundation of the story and the characters were established and relatability to the characters was easy.
The Unfinished Line is perfect for sport fans and Hollywood-related contemporary stories en.
I just found this out but Jen Lyon, in my opinion, has a “signature” in her writing style. Like one says, “oh the movie is very M. Night Shayamalan or the show has the Ryan Murphy vibe, etc.” that kind of signature. It felt very Jen Lyon to read about these new characters out of her repertoire. It felt familiar yet new, reminiscent of something but not quite the same.
From the first few chapters I became aware I was going to be in trouble with my feels. The characters grew on me quickly and knowing the conflict part was coming soon, I dreaded that bit so much. And like Jen Lyon’s previous books, the foundation of the story and the characters were established and relatability to the characters was easy.
The Unfinished Line is perfect for sport fans and Hollywood-related contemporary stories en.
June 27, 2025
I asked my book club friends to suggest me a book that will make me cry and they did not disappoint.
This is probably one of, if not the best, love stories I have ever read. The love between Kam and Dillon, as well as their loss, was so palpable. 5 stars for such an outstanding story.
I think I’m going to cry some more now 😭
This is probably one of, if not the best, love stories I have ever read. The love between Kam and Dillon, as well as their loss, was so palpable. 5 stars for such an outstanding story.
I think I’m going to cry some more now 😭
December 2, 2024
Life is not a rom-com. It’s a grueling race of balancing expectations, ambition and ultimately the power of love and self acceptance. Trigger warning: this story contains mentions of sexual abuse, depression and suicide.
I received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Kameryn Kingsbury’s is driving her rental car back to her hotel in the tropics after she attended her friend’s destination wedding. Still reeling from all the fake socializing she had to do, Kam hits a cyclist on the dark island road. A cyclist that turns out to be the most captivating and charming woman Kam has ever met. The Welsh Dillon Sinclair is the best triathlete the world has ever seen. She’s won race after race, breaking record after record. With a bronze and silver Olympic medal in her pocket, Dillon has her eyes and ambition set on finally winning the most coveted price of all: Olympic Gold. Kam falls hard for Dillon and is willing to do anything to see what they can built together. But can they when there are thousands of miles between them. All the while Kam’s own star is about to shoot right through the Hollywood stratosphere. She landed the role in the most anticipated movie franchise of the decade. A role sure to land her into an alienating life of fame and fakeness. Together Kam and Dillon set out to navigate their relationship when the seas of life are determined to keep changing the tides.
Jen Lyon can write a damn good story. So many people warned me when I started reading The Unfinished Line! I was a little apprehensive but I thought I was at least a bit prepared for the impact of this story. Girl…I could not have been more wrong.
It’s so good. So good. But also very raw, emotional and can be triggering a lot of mental sensibilities. It really lays bare the messiest side of being human, it’s not sugar coated in any way.
Lyon used an interesting switch in POV. Kam’s is written in first person, Dillon’s in third. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a book that used this style, but it works beautifully. It somehow creates the same distance to Dillon for me as a reader that I feel she keeps between herself and anyone else at all times, even Kam.
I loved that Dillon calls Kam ‘Kam-Kameryn’. It’s a reminder of how Kam first blusteringly introduces herself. It immediately sets the tone of how Dillon sees and loves the most authentic version of Kam. She is not persuaded or distracted by the glitz and glam that is thrust upon Kam when she accepted her role as movie royalty. I think this is the first ‘celebrity’ story I’ve read where the celebrity isn’t the one wanting to keep the relationship private. That’s a refreshing take.
I’m in awe of the honesty and care with which the extremely sensitive subjects of depression and suicidal thoughts are described. Lyon doesn’t shy away from the painful messiness and the ugliness of real life. It never feels overly dramatized or sentimental.
To alleviate the drama a little bit. This story is anything but a comedy, so I didn’t expect to be snickering aloud, especially at the beginning of the book. Jen Lyon knows how to pen some funny dialogue! It’s a very welcome reprieve. The description of a very, very small plane for example still has me chuckling.
This is probably one of the very best, if not the best book I’ve read this year. Jen Lyon broke me and where most sapphic authors usually are kind enough to stitch me up again, Lyon just left me bleeding on the floor. Please read the aforementioned trigger warnings, I understand completely why this story isn’t for everyone. If you decide to read it though, grab your emotional support stuffy, book some recovery time for after and let yourself be swept away by this epically beautiful and heart wrenching story.
I received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Kameryn Kingsbury’s is driving her rental car back to her hotel in the tropics after she attended her friend’s destination wedding. Still reeling from all the fake socializing she had to do, Kam hits a cyclist on the dark island road. A cyclist that turns out to be the most captivating and charming woman Kam has ever met. The Welsh Dillon Sinclair is the best triathlete the world has ever seen. She’s won race after race, breaking record after record. With a bronze and silver Olympic medal in her pocket, Dillon has her eyes and ambition set on finally winning the most coveted price of all: Olympic Gold. Kam falls hard for Dillon and is willing to do anything to see what they can built together. But can they when there are thousands of miles between them. All the while Kam’s own star is about to shoot right through the Hollywood stratosphere. She landed the role in the most anticipated movie franchise of the decade. A role sure to land her into an alienating life of fame and fakeness. Together Kam and Dillon set out to navigate their relationship when the seas of life are determined to keep changing the tides.
Jen Lyon can write a damn good story. So many people warned me when I started reading The Unfinished Line! I was a little apprehensive but I thought I was at least a bit prepared for the impact of this story. Girl…I could not have been more wrong.
It’s so good. So good. But also very raw, emotional and can be triggering a lot of mental sensibilities. It really lays bare the messiest side of being human, it’s not sugar coated in any way.
Lyon used an interesting switch in POV. Kam’s is written in first person, Dillon’s in third. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a book that used this style, but it works beautifully. It somehow creates the same distance to Dillon for me as a reader that I feel she keeps between herself and anyone else at all times, even Kam.
I loved that Dillon calls Kam ‘Kam-Kameryn’. It’s a reminder of how Kam first blusteringly introduces herself. It immediately sets the tone of how Dillon sees and loves the most authentic version of Kam. She is not persuaded or distracted by the glitz and glam that is thrust upon Kam when she accepted her role as movie royalty. I think this is the first ‘celebrity’ story I’ve read where the celebrity isn’t the one wanting to keep the relationship private. That’s a refreshing take.
I’m in awe of the honesty and care with which the extremely sensitive subjects of depression and suicidal thoughts are described. Lyon doesn’t shy away from the painful messiness and the ugliness of real life. It never feels overly dramatized or sentimental.
To alleviate the drama a little bit. This story is anything but a comedy, so I didn’t expect to be snickering aloud, especially at the beginning of the book. Jen Lyon knows how to pen some funny dialogue! It’s a very welcome reprieve. The description of a very, very small plane for example still has me chuckling.
This is probably one of the very best, if not the best book I’ve read this year. Jen Lyon broke me and where most sapphic authors usually are kind enough to stitch me up again, Lyon just left me bleeding on the floor. Please read the aforementioned trigger warnings, I understand completely why this story isn’t for everyone. If you decide to read it though, grab your emotional support stuffy, book some recovery time for after and let yourself be swept away by this epically beautiful and heart wrenching story.
September 27, 2024
What to say... I was granted the opportunity as an ARC reader, and the most important takeaway, you NEED to read this book.
It should not be limited by a genre. To do so would be a huge injustice to the work.
It takes a lot to elicit actual emotion from me these days with a book. But this one hit all the points. Real, honest, tragic, and celebratory all wrapped into a nice package. You will smile, you will laugh, it will draw you to anger, and it will make you cry.
No slow lulls. It's engaging throughout: villains and friends, failure and redemption.
It truly is a story of love. Love in every regard: love's successes and love's failures, love of your sport, love of the job, the love of best friends, the deep love between souls, and all of the fight, fear, anguish and triumph that accompanies such matters of the heart.
Read it. You will thank her for it after. (Or maybe curse at her too like I did 😉 ).
It should not be limited by a genre. To do so would be a huge injustice to the work.
It takes a lot to elicit actual emotion from me these days with a book. But this one hit all the points. Real, honest, tragic, and celebratory all wrapped into a nice package. You will smile, you will laugh, it will draw you to anger, and it will make you cry.
No slow lulls. It's engaging throughout: villains and friends, failure and redemption.
It truly is a story of love. Love in every regard: love's successes and love's failures, love of your sport, love of the job, the love of best friends, the deep love between souls, and all of the fight, fear, anguish and triumph that accompanies such matters of the heart.
Read it. You will thank her for it after. (Or maybe curse at her too like I did 😉 ).
November 27, 2024
Someone wrote that this book isn’t just a romance; it’s a love story…. And wow, what a beautiful journey it is! It’s filled with flirtatious exchanges that spark joy, clever banter that brings a smile, and moments of humor that’ll have you laughing out loud—all intermingled with heart-wrenching, emotional scenes that can leave you breathless. By the time I turned that final page and read the last line, I was an absolute emotional wreck. Hats off to the author for daring to venture into territory that many shy away from.
June 27, 2025
“This is a love story, not a romance” WHAT KIND OF WARNING IS THAT?! I THOUGHT THEY WERE GONNNA BREAK UP! WTF! FUCK YOU, JEN LYON! I HATE U! AND I HATE MYSELF MORE FOR GIVING YOU FIVE STARS!
October 12, 2024
I've never cried so much while reading a book. I'm not usually one to get overly emotional about fictional characters, but Dillon and Kam's love story stirred emotions in me that I didn't expect.
I wish I had paid closer attention to the author's note, emphasizing that this is a love story, not a romance. I mean, it's Jen Lyon—we know her stories are always a bit different—but nothing could have prepared me for how this one unfolded.
Both main characters are instantly likable and fully fleshed out. We dive deep into their backstories, learning about their families and the experiences that shaped them. They felt like real people, like friends I'd known for a long time. I loved how they met and how, despite living on different continents and facing numerous obstacles, they fought for their relationship.
At first, I found the author's choice to switch between Kam's first-person perspective and Dillon's third-person perspective a little strange. But by the end, it made perfect sense. Like Kam, we could never truly see inside Dillon's mind or fully understand her choices. It was a clever narrative decision.
This story doesn't just pull at your heartstrings—it makes you think. It forces you to reflect and take time to process your emotions. It was eye-opening for me, someone fortunate enough not to have experienced the struggles described in the book. It reminded me how important it is to check in with the people you care about and to be mindful of how our actions impact others.
I also love that the story is set in the Senator's Wife universe (my all-time favorite series—I can't recommend it enough) and appreciated the few subtle references to The Senator's Wife along with the chance to see Sam and Kelsey again.
This isn't a light read, but that's what makes it feel so real. I wholeheartedly recommend it, even if you're not queer. This is a solid 5+ stars, and I eagerly await Jen's next books. A fan for life.
********* Spoilers ahead *********
Take 2 is how all sapphic books usually end, and that's how I prefer my stories to wrap up. But seeing the contrast between the two endings made me realize how improbable all those happily-ever-afters really are. In real life, things don't always work out so neatly—people don't always win, life isn't wrapped up with a neat little bow, and the bad guys don't always get what they deserve. I felt sympathy for Dillon, of course, but my heart broke for Kam, Seren, and Jacqueline. They're the ones left to bear the consequences of Dillon's choices. Seren's medal ceremony, in particular, was devastating to read.
I truly hope we get to hear more about Kam in future books. I need to know that she's able to move on and break the cycle.
I wish I had paid closer attention to the author's note, emphasizing that this is a love story, not a romance. I mean, it's Jen Lyon—we know her stories are always a bit different—but nothing could have prepared me for how this one unfolded.
Both main characters are instantly likable and fully fleshed out. We dive deep into their backstories, learning about their families and the experiences that shaped them. They felt like real people, like friends I'd known for a long time. I loved how they met and how, despite living on different continents and facing numerous obstacles, they fought for their relationship.
At first, I found the author's choice to switch between Kam's first-person perspective and Dillon's third-person perspective a little strange. But by the end, it made perfect sense. Like Kam, we could never truly see inside Dillon's mind or fully understand her choices. It was a clever narrative decision.
This story doesn't just pull at your heartstrings—it makes you think. It forces you to reflect and take time to process your emotions. It was eye-opening for me, someone fortunate enough not to have experienced the struggles described in the book. It reminded me how important it is to check in with the people you care about and to be mindful of how our actions impact others.
I also love that the story is set in the Senator's Wife universe (my all-time favorite series—I can't recommend it enough) and appreciated the few subtle references to The Senator's Wife along with the chance to see Sam and Kelsey again.
This isn't a light read, but that's what makes it feel so real. I wholeheartedly recommend it, even if you're not queer. This is a solid 5+ stars, and I eagerly await Jen's next books. A fan for life.
********* Spoilers ahead *********
Take 2 is how all sapphic books usually end, and that's how I prefer my stories to wrap up. But seeing the contrast between the two endings made me realize how improbable all those happily-ever-afters really are. In real life, things don't always work out so neatly—people don't always win, life isn't wrapped up with a neat little bow, and the bad guys don't always get what they deserve. I felt sympathy for Dillon, of course, but my heart broke for Kam, Seren, and Jacqueline. They're the ones left to bear the consequences of Dillon's choices. Seren's medal ceremony, in particular, was devastating to read.
I truly hope we get to hear more about Kam in future books. I need to know that she's able to move on and break the cycle.
Read
September 2, 2025DNF. I’ve never done that before. I love this author so much. The book started out so good, but I peeked ahead and I’m glad I did. I can’t handle a book that will break my heart with such intensity. I was able to run before I got invested in the characters. Im still sad. Maybe I will be able to read it another day, but today is not the one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2024
3.5 rounded to 4 🌟
October 26, 2025
This book has amazing highs; I loved the building of the unending love; then the lows…
It sticks with you.
But I just couldn’t stop reading despite the knowledge in a Hitchcockian fashion of feeling what’s around the corner
The next dreaded words
Yet I couldn’t stop reading despite the slow motion dread…
I voted for take two
It was my birthday trip while listening to this after all
I still feel the feels
Worth the torture for me…
Xx
It sticks with you.
But I just couldn’t stop reading despite the knowledge in a Hitchcockian fashion of feeling what’s around the corner
The next dreaded words
Yet I couldn’t stop reading despite the slow motion dread…
I voted for take two
It was my birthday trip while listening to this after all
I still feel the feels
Worth the torture for me…
Xx
October 10, 2024
Firstly, I want to commend the author for her phenomenal writing. Where do I even start as I have so many thoughts about this book but I’m not going to bore everyone with all of my thoughts, just a few. Great character development because I loved the MCs and I could feel every emotion written in the book. One of the first books where I emotionally got attached to not just the main characters but all the other characters in the book - Seren, Sam and even the stoic mother Jacqueline Sinclair to name a few. However, the ending of the book took away some of the brilliance of the book/story and will prevent some people from reading it or rereading it in the future. While I truly appreciate authors who delve into and write about difficult/hard topics because in today’s day and age where mental health is such a rampant issue, it is important to highlight/
educate people and destigmatize topics such as mental health. However, was it necessary to give such a tragic ending to such a beautiful love story? No, I don’t think so. Would it have been a brilliant book without the tragic ending? A 100% yes. Most people read books as an escape from the harsh realities of life, we don’t need more of that in books. Books in my opinion can and should shed light and educate people if possible on important topics but once the story ends, readers should walk away from the books more educated and aware of social issues but at the same time feel hopeful and not hopeless.
Thankfully the blow to the readers hearts were softened somewhat with the inclusion of take 2. There were so many ways the author could have chosen to end the beautiful love story but she chose the worst outcome. The author had the chance to go with take 2 and send people a message of hope that life is worth living even if the suffering/hardships of life get too overwhelming and unbearable to go on, things will get better eventually if you seek help and the right support system but alas Jen Lyon chose the worst possible outcome and also goes on to claim at the end of the book that take 1 feels like the most natural outcome to the story. Seriously? Will I read if there is book 2 of TUL with a continuation of take 1? No, thank you. I’ll save my money for something more positive. I read newspapers and watch enough news on TV for all the bad and sad stories from around the world, I don’t need more of that in fictional books.
educate people and destigmatize topics such as mental health. However, was it necessary to give such a tragic ending to such a beautiful love story? No, I don’t think so. Would it have been a brilliant book without the tragic ending? A 100% yes. Most people read books as an escape from the harsh realities of life, we don’t need more of that in books. Books in my opinion can and should shed light and educate people if possible on important topics but once the story ends, readers should walk away from the books more educated and aware of social issues but at the same time feel hopeful and not hopeless.
Thankfully the blow to the readers hearts were softened somewhat with the inclusion of take 2. There were so many ways the author could have chosen to end the beautiful love story but she chose the worst outcome. The author had the chance to go with take 2 and send people a message of hope that life is worth living even if the suffering/hardships of life get too overwhelming and unbearable to go on, things will get better eventually if you seek help and the right support system but alas Jen Lyon chose the worst possible outcome and also goes on to claim at the end of the book that take 1 feels like the most natural outcome to the story. Seriously? Will I read if there is book 2 of TUL with a continuation of take 1? No, thank you. I’ll save my money for something more positive. I read newspapers and watch enough news on TV for all the bad and sad stories from around the world, I don’t need more of that in fictional books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2024
I usually give myself a day or two to get my thoughts together before writing a review, but I needed a way to process it.
Jen Lyon is a master storyteller. Her characters are so real it’s so easy to fall in love or to hate them.
This is one of the most beautifully written stories from start to finish. So many reviews have stated that there aren’t words to describe this story, and it’s true. This book is the reason why storytelling is so important. It allows the reader to live other lives, and hope for a better world, but ultimately it allows us to grieve. It allows us to reflect on the ills that plague humanity: homophobia, misogyny, and abuses of power. It pulls back the curtain on the things we all think we know: how fame can impact a person, what makes a winner, and why people make that choice.
I’d love to stick to my belief that five stars mean an automatic reread, but this one will sit with me without ever looking at the pages again.
Jen Lyon is a master storyteller. Her characters are so real it’s so easy to fall in love or to hate them.
This is one of the most beautifully written stories from start to finish. So many reviews have stated that there aren’t words to describe this story, and it’s true. This book is the reason why storytelling is so important. It allows the reader to live other lives, and hope for a better world, but ultimately it allows us to grieve. It allows us to reflect on the ills that plague humanity: homophobia, misogyny, and abuses of power. It pulls back the curtain on the things we all think we know: how fame can impact a person, what makes a winner, and why people make that choice.
I’d love to stick to my belief that five stars mean an automatic reread, but this one will sit with me without ever looking at the pages again.
March 3, 2025
[edited on 26/02/25]: MY BEAUTIFUL TRAUMA. i think i'll never get over you, but i'm ready to give you 5 stars.
i don’t know if I should have read this book.
i was afraid of this reading. after so many warnings about it in the reviews, i was in a Sophie’s Choice situation, and thanks to my stubbornness, i picked it up.
i was reluctant yet curious to finally find out what happened in this story to break people’s hearts. and today, at 2:40 am, i found myself crying in bed, my heartbeat pounding like crazy, and my mind just trying to keep me sane: this is just a book. no, this is a love story.
ps: that last sentence didn’t just break me down - it shattered me completely!
ps2: I need some time to give the proper stars to this novel. Jen, you broke my heart- was that really necessary?
//
[pt - br]
eu não sei se deveria ter lido este livro.
eu tive medo dessa leitura. depois de tantos avisos sobre ele nos reviews, me vi em uma situação digna de A Escolha de Sofia e, graças à minha teimosia, resolvi ler.
estava relutante, mas também curiosa para finalmente descobrir o que aconteceu na historia que destruiu tantos corações. e às 2h40 da manhã, me peguei chorando na cama, com o coração disparado e a mente tentando me manter sã: isto é só um livro. não, esta é uma história de amor.
ps: aquela última frase não só me destruiu - ela me despedaçou completamente!
ps2: eu preciso de um tempo para dar as estrelas a essa obra. Jen, você partiu meu coração - isso era realmente necessário?
i don’t know if I should have read this book.
i was afraid of this reading. after so many warnings about it in the reviews, i was in a Sophie’s Choice situation, and thanks to my stubbornness, i picked it up.
i was reluctant yet curious to finally find out what happened in this story to break people’s hearts. and today, at 2:40 am, i found myself crying in bed, my heartbeat pounding like crazy, and my mind just trying to keep me sane: this is just a book. no, this is a love story.
ps: that last sentence didn’t just break me down - it shattered me completely!
ps2: I need some time to give the proper stars to this novel. Jen, you broke my heart- was that really necessary?
//
[pt - br]
eu não sei se deveria ter lido este livro.
eu tive medo dessa leitura. depois de tantos avisos sobre ele nos reviews, me vi em uma situação digna de A Escolha de Sofia e, graças à minha teimosia, resolvi ler.
estava relutante, mas também curiosa para finalmente descobrir o que aconteceu na historia que destruiu tantos corações. e às 2h40 da manhã, me peguei chorando na cama, com o coração disparado e a mente tentando me manter sã: isto é só um livro. não, esta é uma história de amor.
ps: aquela última frase não só me destruiu - ela me despedaçou completamente!
ps2: eu preciso de um tempo para dar as estrelas a essa obra. Jen, você partiu meu coração - isso era realmente necessário?
April 14, 2025
Jen Lyon is extremely talented. I devoured this book, was reading every spare minute I had. The MCs were artfully crafted, flawed, and human. People that one could relate to. The secondary characters were impeccable, supportive, and necessary. I loved the chemistry between the MCs. It was striking from the beginning.
I loved the overlap of a character briefly met from The Senator's Wife.
The emotional journey this book put me through was well worth it. The hangover is intense. Lyon has created magic with her newest release. One of my new favorite authors to follow.
I loved the overlap of a character briefly met from The Senator's Wife.
The emotional journey this book put me through was well worth it. The hangover is intense. Lyon has created magic with her newest release. One of my new favorite authors to follow.
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