A Place for Us

by Patricia Grayhall

For fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Harper Bliss, a thrilling tale of two women who find each other irresistible but struggle for a second chance for love, redemption, and sanctuary when the world is against them.

Jo, a driven environmental attorney based in Washington, DC, and Lauren, a spirited young woman from Britain on a journey of self-discovery, find themselves in a serendipitous encounter at a lively London pub in 1981. Their brief yet profound connection generates a whirlwind of emotions, but the vast ocean, Jo's career aspirations, and immigration hurdles thwart their burgeoning romance.

Fast forward twenty-two years, and both Jo and Lauren are unhappy in their current relationships. Fate intervenes when Lauren and her partner travel from Europe to visit Jo in her San Francisco home. The reunion is electric, rekindling a storm of emotions that neither can suppress, despite their efforts to honor their existing commitments.

Amid the majestic backdrops of Yosemite National Park and the Pacific Northwest, old passions can’t be denied, leading to dramatic confrontations and painful revelations. Jo and Lauren finally realize they must admit the they are irresistibly drawn to each other. But there is no country in which they can legally live together.

A Place for Us is a poignant narrative of profound emotional depth. Will this second chance lead to happiness, or will the same forces that once drove them apart prevail again?

Genres: LGBT, Romance, Contemporary, Lesbian, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Queer

296 pages, Paperback

Published June 3, 2025

About the author

Patricia Grayhall is a retired medical doctor. Her debut memoir, Making the Rounds; Defying Norms in Love and Medicine was an instant success, garnering a starred review in Kirkus Reviews and was among Kirkus' Best 100 Indie Books of 2022.

The memoir won many awards including two first place Best Indie Book Awards, It was also a Reader’s Favorite Award, and Firebird Award first place winner, a Nautilus Award second place winner, and a Nancy Pearl Best Book Award, Golden Crown Literary Award, American Book Fest Best Book Award, and Canadian Book Club Award finalist.

Patricia has published articles in Queer Forty, The Gay and Lesbian Review, The Millions, Lesbian Game Changers, and Seattle Magazine, among others. Podcast and NPR interviews appear on her website.

In 2023, Patricia pivoted to fiction, a pandemic project, publishing a romance novel with her partner, Golden Years and Silver Linings

Her most recent book, is a novel, A Place for Us.

Her current project is a thriller.

Patricia splits her time between Seattle and Vancouver Island, where she and her partner enjoy other people’s dogs, the noisy jostling of seals on the dock, the playfulness of otters, and the occasional sighting of an orca or black bear.

Reviews

[Diane Wallace · Rating 2 out of 5]

**'Every writer should have an editor even more than one..'

Mediocre read!
The writing was choppy and tediously boring (had to skipped pages & pages)

[Carol Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking and beautiful

Jo and Lauren meet in a pub in London in 1981 but distance separates them after their heated encounter. Twenty years later their paths cross again, and although both are in relationships, they realise that the unhappiness surrounding them has potential for change. Now if only they could overcome other obstacles that keep coming between them.

I really enjoyed how we got introduced to Lauren and Jo, got all swept up in their whirlwind encounter, then got to meet up with them again years later. It was heartbreaking that in the beginning fate hadn’t been on their side. Yet it was beautiful that they could almost pick up where they left off again when they were reunited. Where their feelings were concerned, they’d not weakened and if anything had gotten stronger. It had been the time apart they needed to realise that life together is what their hearts desired. For both Jo and Lauren, heartbreaking situations and decisions seemed to surround them from their first meeting until the very end.

Both Lauren and Jo created drama, but their partners also helped to create even more. The story focused on realistic breakdowns of relationships that had once been healthy. Careful focus was given not only to the mental and emotional toll taken on Jo and Lauren individually but also their partners. Their friendship and history was having a significant impact on their partners way before they made any moves to reignite their relationship. Even then, they had challenges and emotionally difficult decisions to make. However this time, that sense of adventure was present and they were wiser in making choices.

A story with characters who were strong and determined to follow their hearts, even if that took time.

[Xiaoqing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a second chance sapphic romance, but the majority of the book is about the cruel, expensive, long and very difficult way for a foreigner to get a long term visa to stay in the US, other that traditional marriage. Since this is the historic romance, the story traced back decades before US finally allow same sex marriage, legal status became a major player in the story. I am deeply moved by this couple, in their early 50s, tirelessly fighting for the chance of true love, of staying together after 20 years and an ocean apart. It is bittersweet, with plenty of drama, it deals with serious issues such as domestic abuse, discrimination of queer people, and the much hated bureaucracy in both UK, Canadian and American government.

[audrey williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

happy pride month🤗🤗

[Ellen Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Provocative, romantic, and a great read. The two couples that we follow in this novel could be anyone, anywhere, anytime, except that their struggles are complicated by inconsistent laws related to marriage and immigration. The author deals with all this using a light touch that informs without bogging down the storyline. She masters the fine art of creating a novel that is both character driven and plot driven. A thoroughly satisfying read.

[Heather Poet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this beautiful, bittersweet love story and I can’t stop thinking about it. 🌍💔 My beautiful daughter and daughter in law swooped this book right off my shelf too!!

Jo and Lauren’s connection spans decades, continents, and impossible circumstances. From a spark in a London pub in 1981 to an emotional reunion years later in San Francisco and the Pacific Northwest, their love is powerful, complex, and deeply moving. 🗺️❤️

This story explores love, timing and sacrifice. Highly recommend if you love second-chance romances with depth!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this Sapphic second chance romance between two women in their fifties who fight for a chance to be together even though immigration and same sex marriage laws make it nearly impossible.

Set largely in the early 2000s this was an eye-opening look and how far things have come in such a short time and why its more important than ever to keep fighting for LGBTQIA2S+ rights. I loved that there was disability rep (Lauren has diabetes) and how three dimensional and relatable the characters were (not to mention the fact that Canada was the country where the ultimately found a place to call home together).

Highly recommended for fans of other Sapphic love stories like An ordinary love (present day NYC) by Marie Rutkoski, Girls, girls, girls (1990s San Fransisco) by Shoshana von Blanckensee, Family matters (1980s England) by Claire Lynch or A language of limbs (1970s Australia) by Dylin Hardcastle.

[Erin Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨🔮🌞🌕🍄🌕🌞🔮✨

BOOK TOUR REVIEW

A Place For Us - Patricia Grayhall

4/5⭐️

📚📚📚
This was such a gripping read. I completely binged it in just a couple hours. This was just such a beautiful but also gut wrenching story. Lauren and Jo find the perfect connection in each other but with being from opposite sides of the world lots of obstacles stood in the way. What they did have ended but they stayed in “some” contact for over 20 years. Both are in very unhappy and toxic relationships with significant others now. With one camping trip it will change the coarse of everything for these two finally. They put in the work with so many road blocks along the way but ugh it was just so worth it!! Overall I totally recommend reading this one!

📚📚📚
If you like to read:
- Sapphic romance
- Second chance
… You should definitely check this out

📚📚📚

Thank you so much for sending me a copy for an honest review in my own words. #giftedcopy @getredprbooks @patricia_grayhall_author @katerockliteraryservices

#books #booklover #smut #booknerd #bookfriend #bookish #booklovers #bookishcommunity #bookloversunite #instabook #bookporn #bookphotography #reviews #igbooks #ilovereading #smutty #bookaddiction #bookhoader #hotnsexy #fortheloveofbooks #bookrecs #yummy #givemeallthebooks #readingthepainaway #booktok #arc

[RedReviews4You Susan-Dara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though Jo and Lauren met by chance with a deadline on their day, their hope for a future refused to be framed as something fixed—what they longed for was something more, something all humans want... tomorrow.

A Place for Us is one of those rare books that lodges itself in your heart, making space for lives lived in the historical margins to shine proudly and unapologetically. Told in an intimate and emotionally rich voice, Patricia Greyhall chronicles the frustrations, resilience, and deep love of two women—Jo and Lauren—who must fight to be together, not only against the people in their immediate lives but also against the broader forces of bureaucracy, culture, and time.

Set against the backdrop of the late 20th century—after the watershed of Stonewall but long before full societal acceptance—this novel captures a period of both progress and constraint. The 1980s in particular were marked by growing visibility and painful resistance, and Greyhall weaves that complexity into Jo and Lauren’s journey with grace. Their love isn’t just a personal story—it’s shaped by the world in which they dared to live it. And their hope isn't framed as something radical, but something human.

Although the novel spans a wide arc of time, these years apart are far more than a frame—they allow readers to witness the depth of Jo and Lauren’s bond as it withstands distance, societal shifts, and personal trials. In parallel, the story traces the evolving arc of LGBTQ history, highlighting how both love and identity are shaped by changing landscapes. It’s a portrait not just of longing, but of endurance, quiet hope, and the belief that joy—however deferred—can still arrive.

Greyhall’s storytelling is undeniable, and her structural choices give Jo and Lauren’s relationship the full gravity of LGBTQ+ history across continents. Unlike many stories that remain rooted in the U.S., this novel moves through the UK, France, and Canada, offering an understated yet powerful reflection on national cultures and the quiet endurance of queer love. It’s not a polemic—it’s a portrait of two intelligent women navigating the world as it is, yearning for the simple, human right to love and live like everyone else.

Though the connection between Jo and Lauren is undeniably intimate, Greyhall handles their relationship with the emotional depth of classic women’s fiction—more lingering glance than open door. Their love unfolds with subtlety, giving space for readers of all kinds to feel the resonance without ever veering into graphic terrain. This novel also offers a gentle path for readers who may be new to LGBTQ+ stories—inviting them in not through confrontation, but through empathy, clarity, and the kind of intimacy that transcends identity.

This isn’t a romance in the traditional genre sense—it’s a decades-spanning emotional odyssey grounded in character and culture.

The story begins in a London pub in 1981, where Lauren and Jo meet—not with fireworks, but with a quiet, knowing. Lauren is still stepping into her identity; Jo, more secure in her own, carries the quiet confidence of lived experience. Their meeting carries a bittersweet immediacy—something glimmering and rare that must end, like the pub’s closing bell. What follows is a decades-long connection defined by longing, distance, and the soul-deep ache of the almost.

Can a current romance ever match the resonance of someone who speaks your heart’s native language? That’s the haunting question that lingers as Jo and Lauren find themselves again in 2003—older, bruised by toxic relationships, but still tethered by something true. And yes, they do earn their HEA in 2006—but not without the hard-won battles to live life on their terms, to fight for joy, and to claim the one thing that always eluded them: a place to be.

This is a book everyone should read. It offers powerful insight into Jo and Lauren’s lives and refuses to reduce "Love is Love" to a slogan or a bumper sticker. In this story, love is being, loving, and daring to imagine joy. And really—why should it ever be harder than that?

Thank you to She Writes Press, GetRed, and Kate Rocks for connecting me with this book. All thoughts on this book are my own

[El · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew - um, that's an intense rollercoaster. I loved the allure in part 1. I was convinced enough. I enjoyed seeing Jo and Lauren come together 20 years later in their separate couplings come together to expose the fragility of their relationships and what they left behind. I was not prepared for the process on what it would take for them to be together, let alone the fact that they both, especially Jo, needed to develop tools to make a balanced relationship really work. I loved Jo's passion for her work, and was concerned for her because of it. I also echo'd the same questions the characters had, because the answers weren't easy! You know in other books, people pit against each other, but here, it was the systems - legal, healthcare, "homeland security," that were these huge evils. I mean - I did want to punch Delvin or put her in front of a TV screen of her own life. So oblivious. So buckle up. I categorize this with other books I've read like Kim Pritekel 's book Justice Won and Jae's book Shaken to the Core, where you get a glimpse of life for these women in a way that's relevant to their time. It's a medium spice book - they bring something specific and special to the scenes they are placed in. Of course, Abby was great in taking us around the world in the voices she created for every character. Thanks to the author and narrator.

[Megan Walrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Place for Us” illuminates the quiet ways we settle in relationships, believing that’s all there is, and the risk it takes to reach for true love. It’s a story about hope, persistence, and choosing something more.

Set across San Francisco, the Pacific Northwest, London, and France, the novel immerses you in places that both shape a sense of home while also serving to keep lovers apart. The characters are real, complex, and deeply human, inviting you to lean in, understand them, and cheer them on.

This is a beautifully written, deeply felt story that offers a raw and honest look at the unique challenges same-sex couples face. A 5/5 read.

[Julie Hatch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A contemporary love story that doesn’t disappoint . We cheer on Jo and Lauren as they tackle the ups and downs, challenges and risks that come with any love affair. But this one is a special test to the two women’s commitment to each other, as society’s laws and opinions are the biggest hurdles they must face. Enmeshed in their current dysfunctional relationships with other people, Jo and Lauren are determined to have a second go at the true love they had years ago, but that slipped away. Grayhall does a great job at ramping it up in the final chapters for an ending that truly delivers.

[Ashlynn 🧸 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sapphic story of a second chance romance between two women in their 50s. This novel hops from london in the 80s to San Francisco in the early 2000s, and Paris, Canada, and New York in between. Not as flowery as I like, but very easy to read intermittently, which I guess I needed at the time. The storyline was beautiful in its own way, but I hope the type of relationships mentioned in this book never find me lol.

All in all, I enjoyed its simplicity, the women’s determination to be together, as well as the leaps and bounds they endured to make it possible.

[Chelsea · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story itself was sweet, but I did not feel connected to the characters, both as individuals and as a part of the relationship. Personally, I would have preferred more insight into these areas instead of random tidbits that were either not relevant to the story or were never mentioned again.
Overall I liked the concept, particularly the demonstration of the marginalisation of same-sex couples, but the story was too surface level to evoke much emotion.

[Rebecca Gaddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story of immigration to the USA before 2013 brings to the foreground how difficult finding love can be. The two really bad times contrast bitterly & darkly with the good times. The book shows how people can sabotage themselves in self serving ways we don’t often think about. I found it intriguing someone would stay in a negative relationship for 20 years. That’s self-sabotage. Complex story!

[Luna Jordan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this book in a giveaway. I enter giveaways without looking at summaries; I do it based on if I really liked the cover. And I really liked the cover. I wish I really liked the book, too, but I didn’t.

The writing was very simple. It’s just a simple, sweet story. I couldn’t get into it, though.

[Cathleen (Woven From Words) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Place for Us was such a beautiful story to read! This details the hardships that the LGBTQ+ community face when trying to live a life of love and devotion. These hardships are things that are still endured in the current political climate, despite many attempts to prove that love is valid for everyone.
People should definitely add this book to their reading lists!

[Donna Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Place for Us is one of those books where you say, “I’m just going to read for a half-hour,” and then two hours later you’re saying, “Just one more chapter,” then pretty soon you’ve read the whole book in two sittings. It’s a lovely and powerful story of two women overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles and injustices to claim their second chance at love.

[Charisa Flaherty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Goodreads for the copy of A Place for Us. It was a sweet story about second chances with the one that got away. But I really could not get into it because, to me, the writing was very simplistic.

[L F · Rating 5 out of 5]

This romance concerns two women willing to risk so much for their rekindled love. Many of us have experienced the struggles of ending unhealthy relationships or overcoming geographical distance. As always, Patricia Grayhall's writing does not disappoint and draws you in to root for Jo and Lauren.

[Linda Lockwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the years and from one immigration block to another, Lauren and Jo keep trying to find a place where they can live together. The barriers are real, but so is their love ,and their perseverance wins in the surprise ending. Well written and hard to put down. I loved it!

[Joanna]

I don’t like romance novels and the writing isn’t particularly good- but for some reason I enjoyed and appreciated the love story of Lauren & Jo. Hard to give this book a rating, but I’d recommend it.

[Michael]

My conversation with Grayhall discussing the book here:
https://umfm.com/programming/broadcas...

[Karen Worden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decades Long Struggle to Find a place for their Love

The story is well written, keeping the reader on the edge with psychological angst and intercontinental long distance. So many twists and turns, internal and external obstacles to overcome before a HEA. The book backstory is timeline of political stopping blocks to queer relationship recognition over 3 decades. *trigger alert: the story revolves around both MC in emotionally abusive relationships

[El · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew - um, that's an intense rollercoaster. I loved the allure in part 1. I was convinced enough. I enjoyed seeing Jo and Lauren come together 20 years later in their separate couplings come together to expose the fragility of their relationships and what they left behind. I was not prepared for the process on what it would take for them to be together, let alone the fact that they both, especially Jo, needed to develop tools to make a balanced relationship really work. I loved Jo's passion for her work, and was concerned for her because of it. I also echo'd the same questions the characters had, because the answers weren't easy! You know in other books, people pit against each other, but here, it was the systems - legal, healthcare, "homeland security," that were these huge evils. I mean - I did want to punch Delvin or put her in front of a TV screen of her own life. So oblivious. So buckle up. I categorize this with other books I've read like Kim Pritekel 's book Justice Won and Jae's book Shaken to the Core, where you get a glimpse of life for these women in a way that's relevant to their time. It's a medium spice book - they bring something specific and special to the scenes they are placed in. Of course, Abby was great in taking us around the world in the voices she created for every character. Thanks to the author and narrator.

[Donna Reed]

This put me through the emotional rack. Patricia Grayhall gives second chance and self discovery a huge boost. Abby Craden's narration is so poignant especially the American , British and French accents and the crying voice. Very well done

Worth re listening to 2025