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Outdrawn
It isn’t always lonely at the top.
Noah Blue’s finally got her foot in the door. After clawing her way to the top of the charts with her webcomic, she’s garnered enough attention to earn a full-time position at a company re-launching their cult classic Queen Leisah.
Queen Leisah is predicted to be an instant bestseller with movie deals already in the making. Things are falling into place. There’s nowhere to go but up…as soon as she gets one person out of her way.
Sage Montgomery has always been the best artist in every building she’s stepped foot in. Raw talent’s gotten her webcomic to the top of the charts every month for the past eight years. She’s been the best for as long as she can remember. Sure, her career has plateaued but that can be easily fixed by working on a big, mainstream comic.
She was promised complete creative control over Leisah. Instead, she got a shared credit with the one artist who’s been breathing down her neck since college. The one artist who has a fighting chance of being better than her.
Sage and Noah have to work as a team — or, at least appear to work as a team. They thought the hardest part of the relaunch would be drawing together. But that's easy in comparison to falling in love.
__
Outdrawn is a slow-burn, rivals-to-lovers sapphic romance. This book is a standalone.
Noah Blue’s finally got her foot in the door. After clawing her way to the top of the charts with her webcomic, she’s garnered enough attention to earn a full-time position at a company re-launching their cult classic Queen Leisah.
Queen Leisah is predicted to be an instant bestseller with movie deals already in the making. Things are falling into place. There’s nowhere to go but up…as soon as she gets one person out of her way.
Sage Montgomery has always been the best artist in every building she’s stepped foot in. Raw talent’s gotten her webcomic to the top of the charts every month for the past eight years. She’s been the best for as long as she can remember. Sure, her career has plateaued but that can be easily fixed by working on a big, mainstream comic.
She was promised complete creative control over Leisah. Instead, she got a shared credit with the one artist who’s been breathing down her neck since college. The one artist who has a fighting chance of being better than her.
Sage and Noah have to work as a team — or, at least appear to work as a team. They thought the hardest part of the relaunch would be drawing together. But that's easy in comparison to falling in love.
__
Outdrawn is a slow-burn, rivals-to-lovers sapphic romance. This book is a standalone.
11 pages, Audiobook
First published November 17, 2023
1306 people are currently reading
19219 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,609 reviews
February 17, 2024
★4 stars
✎𓂃 “You’ve made me feel a lot of things, Pastel, but never less than. You’ve never seen me as less than. If anything, I was more when I didn’t deserve to be.”
Ever since I hit my 200-book reading goal in 2023, I’ve been in a burnout slump 😭 My interest in books has waned, and I feel like I’ve been sluggishly climbing through quicksand to get back. So when I tell you I read this sapphic romance in under two full days, it means I truly loved it.
☆Summary:
Noah and Sage are both head artists at Harpy Comics, freelance competitors on Inkmic (a social media site for legit comic artists), and rivals since their college days. When Harpy decided they needed a rebrand of their Black female superhero Leisah, longtime Harpy artist Sage thought she finally made it, becoming the lead on the rebrand. Much to her chagrin, her boss decided to hire another head artist for a fresh perspective and efficiency–her rival Noah. Both Sage and Noah decide to strategically put aside their feud “for the better of the company” and become friends (aka a ploy to learn each other’s weaknesses). But all this time spent together is making both ladies wonder if they really hate each other, or if it’s the complete opposite.
☆My Thoughts:
Outdrawn felt like it was literally meant for me. As a graphic designer and illustrator, the art theme spoke to my soul in a way most books don’t. It was a huge factor in what kept me rapidly turning the pages. I loved every second Noah and Sage were talking about their comics, the scenes they were drawing, even just their descriptions of how much they loved drawing. Before corporate America killed my joy, I felt the same way lol (not me still trying to find the motivation to create for my art booksta 🫠). Noah though, girl! White space IS YOUR FRIEND in design!!! Smh not every pixel of your work needs to be filled.
☆The Characters:
Noah 🩷 is the sensitive, bubblegum-pastel pink one of the couple. Her work clearly speaks for itself, yet her self-worth has her second-guessing herself at every turn. It definitely doesn’t help she has family in jobs on the opposite side of the spectrum, who unknowingly treat her like art is more of a hobby than a “real job.” On top of that, she struggles with debilitating carpal tunnel–quite possibly the worst thing to happen to an artist.
Sage 🖤 is Noah’s opposite, the dark to her light. She rides a motorcycle, is confident in her bisexuality, uses humor and insults as a coping mechanism, and rightfully vain in her position. I felt SO much for her–she had worked so hard her entire career to get to where she was, finally becoming the head artist spot on her own comic. Then magically, this one single spot expands to accommodate another. I’m currently experiencing this same phenomenon at work, and it’s a crushing feeling. She also has less-than-stellar family circumstances: being the financial support they depend on.
The way these two COMMUNICATE with each other is 😮💨👏 Idk if I’ve ever seen better communication!! After having an issue with each other and a little self-reflection, they talk it out, working to better understand each other’s feelings. Maturity is not overrated my friends!! Their chemistry and the tension leapt off the page, I just LOVE their relationship sm. And I know I freaked out thinking there would be a third act breakup. Don’t worry, Grey tricked me in the end, there is no third act breakup 🙌
☆Final Thoughts:
Highly recommend this one, especially for my creative friends out there! My star is docked as there were a small handful of typos which I always immediately notice, and I wanted a little more drama (esp in as competitive of a field the characters were in). The phrase "sausage juice" was included once and I just about 🤮
In the end, I feel that even though this book is a work of fiction, as a straight, part-white woman, I learned a lot from these characters. Really, what more could we ask for in our reading journeys?
☆Quotes:
✎𓂃“She looked at me now, those dark brown eyes confident. I didn’t know why they set a spark in my belly, the kind of spark I got when I have a long day of drawing ahead of me. Those kinds of days were the only ones I looked forward to.”
✎𓂃“I was so good at being alone, it almost scared me some days.”
✎𓂃“You’re good at humbling me,” she said. “I’ve learned it’s not the worst thing ever.”
✎𓂃“I didn’t even know about bisexuality…I thought you had to choose something. I always heard ‘don’t be greedy, pick a side,’ but, I never thought of bisexuality as greediness. I thought it was inevitable to fall in love with so many kinds of people.”
✎𓂃“But when it’s us, I want to make sure you feel safe to be, to do, say, or just be.”
-----------------
Pre-review:
A sapphic rivals to lovers AND they’re both artists at a comics company??! Omg this was MADE for me 😍👩🏾🎨❤️👩🏾🎨
✎𓂃 “You’ve made me feel a lot of things, Pastel, but never less than. You’ve never seen me as less than. If anything, I was more when I didn’t deserve to be.”
Ever since I hit my 200-book reading goal in 2023, I’ve been in a burnout slump 😭 My interest in books has waned, and I feel like I’ve been sluggishly climbing through quicksand to get back. So when I tell you I read this sapphic romance in under two full days, it means I truly loved it.
☆Summary:
Noah and Sage are both head artists at Harpy Comics, freelance competitors on Inkmic (a social media site for legit comic artists), and rivals since their college days. When Harpy decided they needed a rebrand of their Black female superhero Leisah, longtime Harpy artist Sage thought she finally made it, becoming the lead on the rebrand. Much to her chagrin, her boss decided to hire another head artist for a fresh perspective and efficiency–her rival Noah. Both Sage and Noah decide to strategically put aside their feud “for the better of the company” and become friends (aka a ploy to learn each other’s weaknesses). But all this time spent together is making both ladies wonder if they really hate each other, or if it’s the complete opposite.
☆My Thoughts:
Outdrawn felt like it was literally meant for me. As a graphic designer and illustrator, the art theme spoke to my soul in a way most books don’t. It was a huge factor in what kept me rapidly turning the pages. I loved every second Noah and Sage were talking about their comics, the scenes they were drawing, even just their descriptions of how much they loved drawing. Before corporate America killed my joy, I felt the same way lol (not me still trying to find the motivation to create for my art booksta 🫠). Noah though, girl! White space IS YOUR FRIEND in design!!! Smh not every pixel of your work needs to be filled.
☆The Characters:
Noah 🩷 is the sensitive, bubblegum-pastel pink one of the couple. Her work clearly speaks for itself, yet her self-worth has her second-guessing herself at every turn. It definitely doesn’t help she has family in jobs on the opposite side of the spectrum, who unknowingly treat her like art is more of a hobby than a “real job.” On top of that, she struggles with debilitating carpal tunnel–quite possibly the worst thing to happen to an artist.
Sage 🖤 is Noah’s opposite, the dark to her light. She rides a motorcycle, is confident in her bisexuality, uses humor and insults as a coping mechanism, and rightfully vain in her position. I felt SO much for her–she had worked so hard her entire career to get to where she was, finally becoming the head artist spot on her own comic. Then magically, this one single spot expands to accommodate another. I’m currently experiencing this same phenomenon at work, and it’s a crushing feeling. She also has less-than-stellar family circumstances: being the financial support they depend on.
The way these two COMMUNICATE with each other is 😮💨👏 Idk if I’ve ever seen better communication!! After having an issue with each other and a little self-reflection, they talk it out, working to better understand each other’s feelings. Maturity is not overrated my friends!! Their chemistry and the tension leapt off the page, I just LOVE their relationship sm. And I know I freaked out thinking there would be a third act breakup. Don’t worry, Grey tricked me in the end, there is no third act breakup 🙌
☆Final Thoughts:
Highly recommend this one, especially for my creative friends out there! My star is docked as there were a small handful of typos which I always immediately notice, and I wanted a little more drama (esp in as competitive of a field the characters were in). The phrase "sausage juice" was included once and I just about 🤮
In the end, I feel that even though this book is a work of fiction, as a straight, part-white woman, I learned a lot from these characters. Really, what more could we ask for in our reading journeys?
☆Quotes:
✎𓂃“She looked at me now, those dark brown eyes confident. I didn’t know why they set a spark in my belly, the kind of spark I got when I have a long day of drawing ahead of me. Those kinds of days were the only ones I looked forward to.”
✎𓂃“I was so good at being alone, it almost scared me some days.”
✎𓂃“You’re good at humbling me,” she said. “I’ve learned it’s not the worst thing ever.”
✎𓂃“I didn’t even know about bisexuality…I thought you had to choose something. I always heard ‘don’t be greedy, pick a side,’ but, I never thought of bisexuality as greediness. I thought it was inevitable to fall in love with so many kinds of people.”
✎𓂃“But when it’s us, I want to make sure you feel safe to be, to do, say, or just be.”
-----------------
Pre-review:
A sapphic rivals to lovers AND they’re both artists at a comics company??! Omg this was MADE for me 😍👩🏾🎨❤️👩🏾🎨
February 9, 2025
➥ 5 Stars *:･ﾟ✧
YEAH, YOUR EYES DO NOT DECEIVE YOU: 5 FULL STARS. Buddy read with the lovely Aishma 💓🎀💟💌😘!!
Having to pick a quote to feature for this downright dazzling book was a difficult task because there are so many swoon-worthy quotes I could pick. Should I go with my usual raunchy ones? No, because I simply adored this too much I needed something that would show how disgustingly perfectly romantic this was. But also hot because oh my god, Sage (h) please wife me up right now, I'm afraid it's an emergency, a life or death situation. Some my argue that she was a bit mean at first but I...I have a thing for that (sorry, sue me 😞🤧💘🙇♀️). And Noah (h) was such a sweetheart. I loved her characterisation SO much.
And can I just say how enamoured I am by this cover? I love these types of covers because they really help you visualise the characters and Noah's character in particular just shines through perfectly on the cover. Ugh, her unabashed girliness and glamour made me emotional, she's such a beautiful person. (She's real to ME.)
I forgot how hard it was to review a fantastic book. It feels like all I can do is clap after Deanna Grey's mic drop, I'm so serious.
To me, this was one of the most perfect books I've ever read. The tension was there :
Are you KIDDING ME. Charming, thoughtful women have my entire heart 🥺💕. You can just tell how much Sage truly loves and cares about Noah, like, this is women loving women I'm- (sniffle) 😭💓
But the playful dialogue and banter too? God, it's there.
SQUEALING, COMPOSURE GONE, I'M IN LOVE. And the steam HELLO?
Just rereading the quotes for this review has me blushing and giggling, itching to reread this masterpiece. The only things that I could minimally criticise are 1) the nickname Pastel. It didn't sound intimate to me, I really think calling each other their real names would have had much more effect. Also I feel like phonetically it's just not a nice sounding word, I really wasn't able to get on board with it. 2) Only once or twice this book slightly leaned toward having office romance qualities (which makes sense lol), which I didn't love. I think the stronger bits were definitely the events outside of work (the carnival, the motorbike rides, the time spent at each other's place, the school presentation, the hand massages), I just loved those parts so much. And lastly, I would have liked a teensy tiny bit more romance for their first time. Don't get me wrong, it was hot but a little more "I'm dizzy with how much I love you and get to have you, let me smother you in kisses" would have been perfect!
But omg, I'm so excited because Deanna Grey has said she plans to release a sapphic novella toward the end of the year AHHH!
Honestly, I wish I could have written a more coherent review, as this wonderful book deserves, but I'm just blinded by my absolute adoration for it.
If you haven't added this to your tbr, what are you even doing? I think it'd also make a perfect Black History Month read featuring Black love between our two precious fmcs 💓.
THANK YOU DEANNA GREY FOR BLESSING ME WITH THIS MASTERPIECE, ILY.
“It was perfect.” I turned to her and pulled her in for a kiss, and she made a noise of amused surprise before relaxing into my kiss.
“Really?” She smiled with her eyes closed like the sweet cartoon princess she was.
I kissed her nose. “Really.”
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
YEAH, YOUR EYES DO NOT DECEIVE YOU: 5 FULL STARS. Buddy read with the lovely Aishma 💓🎀💟💌😘!!
Having to pick a quote to feature for this downright dazzling book was a difficult task because there are so many swoon-worthy quotes I could pick. Should I go with my usual raunchy ones? No, because I simply adored this too much I needed something that would show how disgustingly perfectly romantic this was. But also hot because oh my god, Sage (h) please wife me up right now, I'm afraid it's an emergency, a life or death situation. Some my argue that she was a bit mean at first but I...I have a thing for that (sorry, sue me 😞🤧💘🙇♀️). And Noah (h) was such a sweetheart. I loved her characterisation SO much.
And can I just say how enamoured I am by this cover? I love these types of covers because they really help you visualise the characters and Noah's character in particular just shines through perfectly on the cover. Ugh, her unabashed girliness and glamour made me emotional, she's such a beautiful person. (She's real to ME.)
I forgot how hard it was to review a fantastic book. It feels like all I can do is clap after Deanna Grey's mic drop, I'm so serious.
To me, this was one of the most perfect books I've ever read. The tension was there :
I was wearing my lucky blue heels, so I had a little trouble keeping up with her as we made our way to the front door. She noticed my struggling stride and slowed to a more comfortable pace.
She laughed and paused when we got to a set of stairs. Instead of reaching for the railing like I did, Sage offered her hand. It took me a second to realize what she was doing. Once I did, my stomach fluttered. The gesture seemed innocent enough—so was the look on her face. Still, the warmth growing in my stomach felt far from innocent.
There was no logical excuse to ignore her hand, especially since I was out of practice walking in heels to begin with — working late nights meant letting go of dressing up and going out.
I slipped my fingers into her palm and murmured a 'thank you' as she helped me up the stairs. Her grip was gentle and firm, and Sage's gaze lingered on my steps, making sure I cleared each one with ease.
Are you KIDDING ME. Charming, thoughtful women have my entire heart 🥺💕. You can just tell how much Sage truly loves and cares about Noah, like, this is women loving women I'm- (sniffle) 😭💓
But the playful dialogue and banter too? God, it's there.
"Hey." She shoved my shoulder playfully. "You set me up."
I shook my head. "It looked good, [redacted]. You look good."
Noah stared at me. "Careful, you're this close to complimenting me."
"I'll go one step closer," I promised, because I needed to let some of the energy out. Maybe it'd help me feel lighter. "You look beautiful."
SQUEALING, COMPOSURE GONE, I'M IN LOVE. And the steam HELLO?
“Give me your best,” I dared.
“Bend a little more for me.” Sage placed a hand on my lower back.
Just rereading the quotes for this review has me blushing and giggling, itching to reread this masterpiece. The only things that I could minimally criticise are 1) the nickname Pastel. It didn't sound intimate to me, I really think calling each other their real names would have had much more effect. Also I feel like phonetically it's just not a nice sounding word, I really wasn't able to get on board with it. 2) Only once or twice this book slightly leaned toward having office romance qualities (which makes sense lol), which I didn't love. I think the stronger bits were definitely the events outside of work (the carnival, the motorbike rides, the time spent at each other's place, the school presentation, the hand massages), I just loved those parts so much. And lastly, I would have liked a teensy tiny bit more romance for their first time. Don't get me wrong, it was hot but a little more "I'm dizzy with how much I love you and get to have you, let me smother you in kisses" would have been perfect!
But omg, I'm so excited because Deanna Grey has said she plans to release a sapphic novella toward the end of the year AHHH!
Honestly, I wish I could have written a more coherent review, as this wonderful book deserves, but I'm just blinded by my absolute adoration for it.
If you haven't added this to your tbr, what are you even doing? I think it'd also make a perfect Black History Month read featuring Black love between our two precious fmcs 💓.
THANK YOU DEANNA GREY FOR BLESSING ME WITH THIS MASTERPIECE, ILY.
━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━
March 26, 2024
Some days I’m just tired. I don’t want to analyze anything; I just want to read something sweet and fluffy and feel joy for a bit. The problem is that my brain doesn’t have an “off” button. I always have some analysis to give, some comment on a deeper meaning that the creator is trying to say. It makes me incredibly fun and not completely unbearable at parties (or just watching things in a group setting). When I say this book let me turn off my brain and just have fun, that is an incredibly high compliment. Grey does an incredible job at really making this a fluffy romance that I didn’t nitpick or overanalyze. I just sat down and had fun. This was so cute and lovely and I was just smiling the whole time. I really loved every aspect of this book and found it to be such a fun time. I love love and love seeing such a happy and positive relationship at the center of a book.
‘Lots of things made me happy: art, perfectly seasoned rice, bike rides downtown, and now, apparently, making Sage smile because of something silly.’
When Noah and Sage, college rivals and competing artists on Inkmic, are put on the same team as co-head authors for the revival of the Queen Leisah comics, there is bound to be tension, competition, and heads butting. What neither of them expected was to enjoy working with each other and actually want to collaborate with each other after years of both of them not taking help or collaborations from anyone. It’s been lonely on the way to the top and they’re starting to realize that maybe that’s not so sustainable.
The rivals to lovers portion of this moved fast and I think this is a lot fluffier than one may expect with it being labeled as rivals to lovers (which has become a very common problem in publishing). I personally loved that it was fluffier because I loved both Sage and Noah and wanted them to be happy together as soon as possible. The way Sage and Noah treat each other is so beautiful and they are probably one of my favorite couples I’ve ever read? We love couples in their mid-twenties actually having good communication skills and respecting each other.
This is a really cute book and it was aided by my love for both Noah and Sage. Both of them are SIX FOOT TALL (swoon) artists in their late 20’s (and they’re actually mature). Noah is a sweet and positive ray of sunshine who loves romance and is WRITING A COMIC ABOUT LESBIAN MERMAIDS??? I’ve never wanted an fictional story to be real so I could read it as badly as I wish that comic was real. Sage is a bit harder on the exterior, having trouble letting anyone in . She’s all about the black clothes and bike riding and has a bit of trouble understanding social cues. I love her equally as much as Noah and was glad to see that both girls really do have distinct personalities as this was a dual POV book. There are a few sex scenes too (really just one that spans multiple chapters) and, while I’m not the biggest fan of sex scenes and don’t want to discuss it that much, I do want to say that I really loved how Grey layered in consent, asking your partner what they liked, and just listening and communicating in those scenes without it feeling awkward or clunky. When there is such a stigma against doing stuff like that because it’s “not sexy”, it’s really cool to see in romance books.
Sage and Noah really were just the queens of good communication when they started pursuing each other and it was so nice to see. I really loved how a lot of the issues in this book weren’t central to the romance. Instead of having conflict between Sage and Noah, they were two strong and supportive partners who openly communicated and understood each other. They were there for each other and portrayed a really nice and healthy relationship. Their relationship stood strong as other problems swarmed around them.
‘Made it. Simple words, simple concept, except I didn’t understand it, not since walking across the stage during graduation and realizing that in the world of art, I had to give everything to make a simple ripple. The idea of “making it” got more abstract each day.’
With them working together everyday and a new opportunity in the form of an Inkmic there is a lot of room for jealousy and resentment as both of them are trying to reach the top spot.
The stress of creating in a way that generates a sustainable income is a source of stress for Noah and Sage. Noah, with her carpal tunnel, continually pushes herself past her physical limits in order to be the very best and “catch up” to Sage. Noah is driven by the thoughts that she just might not be good enough. While Sage got the same job right out of college, Noah had only been doing art on the side until she finally got this job. While Noah was not as relatable to me, I found her to be an incredibly empathetic character. It was painful to watch her continually destroy her body just to gain more notoriety, but I could see why she was doing it and it was heartbreaking.
Sage is hyper independent and cannot ask for help. She’s been stuck in the same place since she graduated and is convinced that she just needs to push herself harder and isolate herself in order to be the best she could, but she’s destroying herself mentally in the process. Sage is the control freak in group projects, the one who has to be in control of everything because she’s so used to other people failing her. I related a lot to Sage, especially watching her push her very cool and supportive coworkers away because she didn’t feel like she deserved to be happy until her work was perfect and she was satisfied (an incredibly depressing way to live).
I really liked seeing how Sage and Noah balance each other out and helped take away some of the stress and pain for each other.
‘our parents were adults in age only.’
Both Sage and Noah have some deep-rooted issues with their families that really shows why they are the way that they are. It’s really interesting to see how their families have shaped them and how with that, and working in a field that is hard to break into, leads both of them into thinking that they don’t really deserve to be happy, they just need to people please and work their asses off without asking for help. A lot of this book really is about two girls allowing themselves to be happy for the first time in their lives and them supporting and helping each other along the way. Sage’s family stuck with me a bit more than Noah’s, likely because the issues with her family were more pressing, but both family storylines were incredibly heart wrenching and realistic.
This is a really cute read that is just such a nice break with a wonderful cast of main and side characters. Check this one out when you’re in a fluffy feel good mood!
‘Lots of things made me happy: art, perfectly seasoned rice, bike rides downtown, and now, apparently, making Sage smile because of something silly.’
When Noah and Sage, college rivals and competing artists on Inkmic, are put on the same team as co-head authors for the revival of the Queen Leisah comics, there is bound to be tension, competition, and heads butting. What neither of them expected was to enjoy working with each other and actually want to collaborate with each other after years of both of them not taking help or collaborations from anyone. It’s been lonely on the way to the top and they’re starting to realize that maybe that’s not so sustainable.
The rivals to lovers portion of this moved fast and I think this is a lot fluffier than one may expect with it being labeled as rivals to lovers (which has become a very common problem in publishing). I personally loved that it was fluffier because I loved both Sage and Noah and wanted them to be happy together as soon as possible. The way Sage and Noah treat each other is so beautiful and they are probably one of my favorite couples I’ve ever read? We love couples in their mid-twenties actually having good communication skills and respecting each other.
This is a really cute book and it was aided by my love for both Noah and Sage. Both of them are SIX FOOT TALL (swoon) artists in their late 20’s (and they’re actually mature). Noah is a sweet and positive ray of sunshine who loves romance and is WRITING A COMIC ABOUT LESBIAN MERMAIDS??? I’ve never wanted an fictional story to be real so I could read it as badly as I wish that comic was real. Sage is a bit harder on the exterior, having trouble letting anyone in . She’s all about the black clothes and bike riding and has a bit of trouble understanding social cues. I love her equally as much as Noah and was glad to see that both girls really do have distinct personalities as this was a dual POV book. There are a few sex scenes too (really just one that spans multiple chapters) and, while I’m not the biggest fan of sex scenes and don’t want to discuss it that much, I do want to say that I really loved how Grey layered in consent, asking your partner what they liked, and just listening and communicating in those scenes without it feeling awkward or clunky. When there is such a stigma against doing stuff like that because it’s “not sexy”, it’s really cool to see in romance books.
Sage and Noah really were just the queens of good communication when they started pursuing each other and it was so nice to see. I really loved how a lot of the issues in this book weren’t central to the romance. Instead of having conflict between Sage and Noah, they were two strong and supportive partners who openly communicated and understood each other. They were there for each other and portrayed a really nice and healthy relationship. Their relationship stood strong as other problems swarmed around them.
‘Made it. Simple words, simple concept, except I didn’t understand it, not since walking across the stage during graduation and realizing that in the world of art, I had to give everything to make a simple ripple. The idea of “making it” got more abstract each day.’
With them working together everyday and a new opportunity in the form of an Inkmic there is a lot of room for jealousy and resentment as both of them are trying to reach the top spot.
The stress of creating in a way that generates a sustainable income is a source of stress for Noah and Sage. Noah, with her carpal tunnel, continually pushes herself past her physical limits in order to be the very best and “catch up” to Sage. Noah is driven by the thoughts that she just might not be good enough. While Sage got the same job right out of college, Noah had only been doing art on the side until she finally got this job. While Noah was not as relatable to me, I found her to be an incredibly empathetic character. It was painful to watch her continually destroy her body just to gain more notoriety, but I could see why she was doing it and it was heartbreaking.
Sage is hyper independent and cannot ask for help. She’s been stuck in the same place since she graduated and is convinced that she just needs to push herself harder and isolate herself in order to be the best she could, but she’s destroying herself mentally in the process. Sage is the control freak in group projects, the one who has to be in control of everything because she’s so used to other people failing her. I related a lot to Sage, especially watching her push her very cool and supportive coworkers away because she didn’t feel like she deserved to be happy until her work was perfect and she was satisfied (an incredibly depressing way to live).
I really liked seeing how Sage and Noah balance each other out and helped take away some of the stress and pain for each other.
‘our parents were adults in age only.’
Both Sage and Noah have some deep-rooted issues with their families that really shows why they are the way that they are. It’s really interesting to see how their families have shaped them and how with that, and working in a field that is hard to break into, leads both of them into thinking that they don’t really deserve to be happy, they just need to people please and work their asses off without asking for help. A lot of this book really is about two girls allowing themselves to be happy for the first time in their lives and them supporting and helping each other along the way. Sage’s family stuck with me a bit more than Noah’s, likely because the issues with her family were more pressing, but both family storylines were incredibly heart wrenching and realistic.
This is a really cute read that is just such a nice break with a wonderful cast of main and side characters. Check this one out when you’re in a fluffy feel good mood!
March 7, 2024
was surprisingly invested in the world/the competition elements but was less interested in the romance. the set up as rivals was pretty good but i don't think there was enough of a development from rivals to lovers. it was like "random kiss, omg wait i like you" which isn't my favorite.
September 1, 2024
2.5⭐️ i believe that if i didn’t listen to the audiobook, i would’ve enjoyed this book more
the audio was tragic, specifically when noah was talking in sage’s pov
the audio was tragic, specifically when noah was talking in sage’s pov
September 22, 2024
3.5/5 ⭐️
- This book was so cute!! FIRST let’s talk about the cover and how swoon worthy it is! Loved these characters so much. They both had so much depth and loved learning about their personal lives separately of one another & how it impacted their relationship with one another.
- Would have loved a bit more dialogue between the two fmc’s because I LOVED their banter. Enjoyed their inner monologue, but loved their conversations with each other even more.
- The ending of this one was so cute!! Rarely get surprised by an epilogue, but this one was so good!! This was the first book I’ve read by this author, but I’ll definitely read more in the future!
- This book was so cute!! FIRST let’s talk about the cover and how swoon worthy it is! Loved these characters so much. They both had so much depth and loved learning about their personal lives separately of one another & how it impacted their relationship with one another.
- Would have loved a bit more dialogue between the two fmc’s because I LOVED their banter. Enjoyed their inner monologue, but loved their conversations with each other even more.
- The ending of this one was so cute!! Rarely get surprised by an epilogue, but this one was so good!! This was the first book I’ve read by this author, but I’ll definitely read more in the future!
January 16, 2024
3.5 stars
i liked this book but i wanted to love it, i thought i was going to love it but i just don’t think this had the kind of tension and angst i was expecting from rivals to lovers. i felt like things kinda moved too fast and it felt very fluffy which isn’t really for me. the smut was good though and im so glad this book was about two black girls in love. i just think this author may not be for me, ive read another one of her books and it just doesn’t hit like i want it to.
i liked this book but i wanted to love it, i thought i was going to love it but i just don’t think this had the kind of tension and angst i was expecting from rivals to lovers. i felt like things kinda moved too fast and it felt very fluffy which isn’t really for me. the smut was good though and im so glad this book was about two black girls in love. i just think this author may not be for me, ive read another one of her books and it just doesn’t hit like i want it to.
February 25, 2024
Outdrawn is a sapphic, rivals to lovers, workplace romance following Noah and Sage, two comic creators battling it out at work and in their love lives. When Noah finally gets her big break and is hired to lead the production of Leisah an upcoming comic, she is shocked to learn her former classmate Sage is leading the project with her. While Noah and Sage clash in the workplace, they also find themselves pitted against each other when the site where they post their indie comics launches a competition. However, between work and their own issues, the two find themselves opening up to each other and learning it's okay to lean on people around them.
I loved this sweet and emotional romance so much! Sage and Noah both had their own paths and goals but learned throughout their relationship to trust in one another and themselves. There was serious character development, gooey romance, steam, banter, found family, slow burn, and so many more good tropes that all added up to make this read fly by. I can not get over how well the two fit each other and their lives together, the banter and tension worked so well with their chemistry and the development of their relationship.
I loved this sweet and emotional romance so much! Sage and Noah both had their own paths and goals but learned throughout their relationship to trust in one another and themselves. There was serious character development, gooey romance, steam, banter, found family, slow burn, and so many more good tropes that all added up to make this read fly by. I can not get over how well the two fit each other and their lives together, the banter and tension worked so well with their chemistry and the development of their relationship.
November 30, 2023
THIS IS MY FAVORITE BOOK OF THE YEAR.
Read it now. Review coming soon. I wanna do them justice
Genuinely still speechless 4 days later. This book ATE DOWN SO BAD.
Read it now. Review coming soon. I wanna do them justice
Genuinely still speechless 4 days later. This book ATE DOWN SO BAD.
November 28, 2023
MAFNIFICIENT. SHOWSTOPPING. INCREDIBLE.
based on the other two books i’ve read from deanna, i did not expect this to be a slow burn but it was a DELICIOUS - mariana zapata, chloe liese level type slow burn with allllll of the tension and build up!!!!
sage and noah have been rivals since art school and their rivalry continued in online art forums until now, when noah gets hired at the same comic company as sage.
THE TENSION. THE BANTER. THE LITTLE MOMENTS!!! ugh i ate this UP and was dying for one of them to finally make a move. i related to both of them in so many different ways and they are both precious little angels who deserve all of the love in the world.
if you are a slow burn lover, you musttttt read this!
based on the other two books i’ve read from deanna, i did not expect this to be a slow burn but it was a DELICIOUS - mariana zapata, chloe liese level type slow burn with allllll of the tension and build up!!!!
sage and noah have been rivals since art school and their rivalry continued in online art forums until now, when noah gets hired at the same comic company as sage.
THE TENSION. THE BANTER. THE LITTLE MOMENTS!!! ugh i ate this UP and was dying for one of them to finally make a move. i related to both of them in so many different ways and they are both precious little angels who deserve all of the love in the world.
if you are a slow burn lover, you musttttt read this!
March 17, 2024
1.75 stars
POPSUGAR READING CHALLENGE: an LGBTQ+ romance novel
I'm so disappointed in this 😭😭😭😭. When I tell yall I was HYPE!!! Black women queer romance??? SIGN ME UPPPPPP!! I was so ready for this to absolutely blow me away :(. The cover is beautiful, the representation, and they are artists?? UGHHHHH I was literally waiting for my friend and I to get to this book on our list. What I did like was how well written this book was, and how it really does shine a light on how the art world is so competitive and exhausting to be in. As someone who was in it herself for almost 10 years, it's not something I find in books a lot, or they make it seem like throwing some paint on a canvas gets you millions magically usually lol. So I really appreciated the realism, but I think this book made it its main message a lil too much which leads me into....
The hater energy in this book was overbearing. I'm all for an enemies to lovers romance, but this was like...actual disdain, burning, hope you fail in life type of hating. And EVERY character in the book was a hater. Their parents, siblings, I mean as someone who used to be in the art world I get it and understood that's the usual and very real, but I almost DNF'd this because of it. Then Sage and Noah hating each other and the constant jealousy, envy, self depreciation, and negative energy was just TOOOOO much. It consumed the entire book including the romance portion.
This was also a slow burn of all slow burns. And I'm a Mariana Zapata (slow burn queen) stan lol. But this slow burn had like zero believable build up and tension, and I just could not connect to the story or even be into what was going on. I mean the first connection and cute fluff they had was at 70%?????! (Besides their like first kiss that was really awkwardly placed in the book) I almost ain't make it imma keep it a stack.
The spice almost...didn't fit into the book? This read very YA (like zero cussing) and then all of a sudden "IM SO READY TO BUSS IT WID-" HUHHHHHHH???? It was just so jarring 😭.
Also...I had no idea who was who until like 75% into the book. There are like zero descriptors the entire book besides I think??? Noah's nickname being Pastel and her having on pink on the cover. I think it was also mentioned she was taller like twice?? Idk neither of them had any attributes that made them stand out in the book.
I hate that I didn't connect with this 😭. I wanted to sooooo bad. I feel like my reviews have all been long and negative recently but whew I can't lately 😭. Sooo overall pretty bummed I didn't like this. But I am happy that it exists for representation 🥹🩷.
POPSUGAR READING CHALLENGE: an LGBTQ+ romance novel
I'm so disappointed in this 😭😭😭😭. When I tell yall I was HYPE!!! Black women queer romance??? SIGN ME UPPPPPP!! I was so ready for this to absolutely blow me away :(. The cover is beautiful, the representation, and they are artists?? UGHHHHH I was literally waiting for my friend and I to get to this book on our list. What I did like was how well written this book was, and how it really does shine a light on how the art world is so competitive and exhausting to be in. As someone who was in it herself for almost 10 years, it's not something I find in books a lot, or they make it seem like throwing some paint on a canvas gets you millions magically usually lol. So I really appreciated the realism, but I think this book made it its main message a lil too much which leads me into....
The hater energy in this book was overbearing. I'm all for an enemies to lovers romance, but this was like...actual disdain, burning, hope you fail in life type of hating. And EVERY character in the book was a hater. Their parents, siblings, I mean as someone who used to be in the art world I get it and understood that's the usual and very real, but I almost DNF'd this because of it. Then Sage and Noah hating each other and the constant jealousy, envy, self depreciation, and negative energy was just TOOOOO much. It consumed the entire book including the romance portion.
This was also a slow burn of all slow burns. And I'm a Mariana Zapata (slow burn queen) stan lol. But this slow burn had like zero believable build up and tension, and I just could not connect to the story or even be into what was going on. I mean the first connection and cute fluff they had was at 70%?????! (Besides their like first kiss that was really awkwardly placed in the book) I almost ain't make it imma keep it a stack.
The spice almost...didn't fit into the book? This read very YA (like zero cussing) and then all of a sudden "IM SO READY TO BUSS IT WID-" HUHHHHHHH???? It was just so jarring 😭.
Also...I had no idea who was who until like 75% into the book. There are like zero descriptors the entire book besides I think??? Noah's nickname being Pastel and her having on pink on the cover. I think it was also mentioned she was taller like twice?? Idk neither of them had any attributes that made them stand out in the book.
I hate that I didn't connect with this 😭. I wanted to sooooo bad. I feel like my reviews have all been long and negative recently but whew I can't lately 😭. Sooo overall pretty bummed I didn't like this. But I am happy that it exists for representation 🥹🩷.
March 7, 2025
Perfect if you just need a sapphic romance with characters that are really easy to like.
February 13, 2025
🌸I know I want to see your smile and hear your voice every day. I know I want to help you feel seen and heard. I know not a day goes by when I won't work hard to give you everything🌸
sapphic rivals to lovers??? and they're both artists??? immediately yes.
did i also pick this book up because the cover was adorable? i did.
i read this in less than a day, so i really did enjoy it.
🎀noah (or pastel) was very relatable—struggling to take criticism, always trying to please everyone—but what i loved about her was that even with those things, she wasn't weak, she learned how to stand up for herself.
🖤sage was. so. hot. like run-me-over-and-i'll-say-thank-you kind of hot. from the way she dressed to how she carried herself and the way she talked. she was my favorite part of the book.
: ̗̀➛that being said, this felt a bit insta-lovey, which i'm not really into. i would've liked a bit more yearning and tension. there were moments where not much was happening and the pacing dragged a little.
i still had fun reading this—great palate cleanser🎨
❁ཻུ۪۪♡“Really?” She smiled with her eyes closed like the sweet cartoon princess she was.
I kissed her nose. “Really.”❁ཻུ۪۪♡
sapphic rivals to lovers??? and they're both artists??? immediately yes.
did i also pick this book up because the cover was adorable? i did.
i read this in less than a day, so i really did enjoy it.
🎀noah (or pastel) was very relatable—struggling to take criticism, always trying to please everyone—but what i loved about her was that even with those things, she wasn't weak, she learned how to stand up for herself.
🖤sage was. so. hot. like run-me-over-and-i'll-say-thank-you kind of hot. from the way she dressed to how she carried herself and the way she talked. she was my favorite part of the book.
: ̗̀➛that being said, this felt a bit insta-lovey, which i'm not really into. i would've liked a bit more yearning and tension. there were moments where not much was happening and the pacing dragged a little.
i still had fun reading this—great palate cleanser🎨
❁ཻུ۪۪♡“Really?” She smiled with her eyes closed like the sweet cartoon princess she was.
I kissed her nose. “Really.”❁ཻུ۪۪♡
March 3, 2024
3,5 stars.
I loved the cover art, and really wanted to love the book, too. It's awesome when the cover art represents exactly the MCs.
Noah, the woman on the left and Sage, the woman on the right, are both artists under heavy pressure, work-wise and family-wise.
They start off as rivals, have to work together, get closer, and fall slowly in love. This happened in an organic and believable way.
"Noah's grip made me feel like, for once, I had company at the bottom of the ocean. I didn't think she'd try to pull me up, and I didn't need her to."
I enjoyed reading, but it felt a bit like there were things missing, their relationship felt imbalanced from the start. Sage was the better artist, and Noah wanted to get at her level, too.
Maybe it's a me-issue, but I didn't feel deeply with the MCs.
They both had personal struggles with family and work to overcome, and I loved that both didn't depend on the other to save them or be the source of their happiness.
I loved that they talked about their hang ups and feelings, but I had the feeling that their reassurances didn't always translate into actions.
Espescially Sage kept all of her issues with her family to herself. She never confided with Noah about her past and her worries for her family, although she talked a lot about learning to accept help and learning to lean on Noah and accept her support. Strange enough Noah seemed to know about everything near the end, so maybe the author thought the talk should have better happened off page. For me this left their relationship feeling out of balance because Noah accepted Sage's help and support, and Sage in return just talked about sharing but never did on page, and never needed Noah's support but found her way on her own.
I loved the cover art, and really wanted to love the book, too. It's awesome when the cover art represents exactly the MCs.
Noah, the woman on the left and Sage, the woman on the right, are both artists under heavy pressure, work-wise and family-wise.
They start off as rivals, have to work together, get closer, and fall slowly in love. This happened in an organic and believable way.
"Noah's grip made me feel like, for once, I had company at the bottom of the ocean. I didn't think she'd try to pull me up, and I didn't need her to."
I enjoyed reading, but it felt a bit like there were things missing, their relationship felt imbalanced from the start. Sage was the better artist, and Noah wanted to get at her level, too.
Maybe it's a me-issue, but I didn't feel deeply with the MCs.
They both had personal struggles with family and work to overcome, and I loved that both didn't depend on the other to save them or be the source of their happiness.
I loved that they talked about their hang ups and feelings, but I had the feeling that their reassurances didn't always translate into actions.
Espescially Sage kept all of her issues with her family to herself. She never confided with Noah about her past and her worries for her family, although she talked a lot about learning to accept help and learning to lean on Noah and accept her support. Strange enough Noah seemed to know about everything near the end, so maybe the author thought the talk should have better happened off page. For me this left their relationship feeling out of balance because Noah accepted Sage's help and support, and Sage in return just talked about sharing but never did on page, and never needed Noah's support but found her way on her own.
March 3, 2025
i really enjoyed deanna grey’s mendell hawks series and so when i saw she had a sapphic book i knew i had to get it! and let me tell you it didn’t disappoint. i loved the characters and their tension, and as well as how their relationship developed. it was a really good read and i definitely recommend
September 29, 2025
Rivals to lovers is SO BACK. and it’s even better cuz it’s sapphic
https://bookshop.org/a/112791/9798987...
https://bookshop.org/a/112791/9798987...
July 7, 2025
DNF @43%
I didn’t like this book for a LIST of reasons.
FIRST OF ALL. What in the absolute world, Noah was described as being so “nice” and “sweet”, and then she talks to Sage, AND SHE HAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSONALITY. Like, there are no reminisce of her even being the SAME PERSON. She just manages to completely abandon all of her internal dialogue and thoughts, for a whole-new, not-even-funny, personality that she can abuse Sage with? Why? No? If characters are going to actually LIKE each other, maybe they should have the same general personality that they have the rest of the time? I dunno, just a thought.
AND WHY IS SAGE SO ANNOYING
I’m sorry, I just couldn’t do it. Sage isn’t a “strong woman”, she’s just whiny for no reason, and MEAN. Like, why?? For what??? And then she puts her feet on her bosses podium, even though she knows it really bothers him? AND SHE ACTS LIKE THIS TO THE PEOPLE SHE LIKES?? I genuinely don’t understand her, or sympathize AT ALL.
Next, Sage says that the criticism that Noah gives her, is just so much “nicer” than everyone else’s criticism. BEAR IN MIND, SHE IS IN A ROOM OF PEOPLE ACTIVELY SCREAMING CRITICISM AT HER. So, if logic decides to prevail again today, when you are in a room full of people screaming at you, and one person says something quietly, YEAH IT WILL SOUND NICER.
To me the chemistry just felt fake, and forced. And for the love of god, if they comment on each other’s eyeballs ONE. MORE. TIME.
Not to mention, WHY DOES IT LITERALLY TAKE FOREVER FOR ANYTHING TO HAPPEN? “Outdrawn”? More like Drawn Out.
I didn’t like this book for a LIST of reasons.
FIRST OF ALL. What in the absolute world, Noah was described as being so “nice” and “sweet”, and then she talks to Sage, AND SHE HAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSONALITY. Like, there are no reminisce of her even being the SAME PERSON. She just manages to completely abandon all of her internal dialogue and thoughts, for a whole-new, not-even-funny, personality that she can abuse Sage with? Why? No? If characters are going to actually LIKE each other, maybe they should have the same general personality that they have the rest of the time? I dunno, just a thought.
AND WHY IS SAGE SO ANNOYING
I’m sorry, I just couldn’t do it. Sage isn’t a “strong woman”, she’s just whiny for no reason, and MEAN. Like, why?? For what??? And then she puts her feet on her bosses podium, even though she knows it really bothers him? AND SHE ACTS LIKE THIS TO THE PEOPLE SHE LIKES?? I genuinely don’t understand her, or sympathize AT ALL.
Next, Sage says that the criticism that Noah gives her, is just so much “nicer” than everyone else’s criticism. BEAR IN MIND, SHE IS IN A ROOM OF PEOPLE ACTIVELY SCREAMING CRITICISM AT HER. So, if logic decides to prevail again today, when you are in a room full of people screaming at you, and one person says something quietly, YEAH IT WILL SOUND NICER.
To me the chemistry just felt fake, and forced. And for the love of god, if they comment on each other’s eyeballs ONE. MORE. TIME.
Not to mention, WHY DOES IT LITERALLY TAKE FOREVER FOR ANYTHING TO HAPPEN? “Outdrawn”? More like Drawn Out.
January 13, 2025
gay gay gay!
June 14, 2025
Ah! My goodness! I’m a big fan of the rivals-to-lovers trope and this gem is why I love them so much. I was so here for the quick and witty banter between this duo. Sage was so damn smitten with Noah and I rooted for them like it was nobody’s business. Oh, and I can't forget the spice because it was lip-biting and spanking hot! I loved that the nickname Sage gave to Noah when they were rivals actually turned into a term of endearment. I had such a great time reading this precious gem, and it’s a definite reread for me. Happy reading!
March 31, 2025
I love enemies-to-lovers, but I think it’s somewhat better suited to YA. There’s just something so middle school about crushing on a frenemy. But leads Noah and Sage find their footing fairly quickly, as does the novel, which is cute, sexy, well-executed, emotionally rich, and all in all delivers on its promise. That said, in prose and in plot, Outdrawn lacks the intensity, the adventurousness, the artistry, that it describes Noah and Sage putting into their own art—a fact that having obsessive art practices as a central theme draws attention to.
September 22, 2024
This was sucha lovely lovely read. There isn't much more about it I can say. I loved it, loved the characters, loved the lowstakes romance, loved the mutual healing, loved that every problem got solved with open communation so that it never ended up leading to a third act breakup. Just... lovely.
The audiobook was also so good and this was the kind of book I could just listen to on a walk, or while cooking, or doing chores, when I just wanted to relax and tune the world out.
The audiobook was also so good and this was the kind of book I could just listen to on a walk, or while cooking, or doing chores, when I just wanted to relax and tune the world out.
January 28, 2024
I have neverrrr took this damn long to finish a book. 😵💫
I wanted to like this so bad & the cover is beautiful but this did not give for me AT ALL.
I already knew that it was a slow burn so that wasn’t the problem, this book is just BORING.
The spice comes @ about 70% I skipped to the last chapter after because at that point I didn’t even care if they ended up together. 😶
The way ppl love this book so much I must’ve gotten the wrong copy this put me in a slump for sure.
I should’ve just DNF this tbh 😭
I wanted to like this so bad & the cover is beautiful but this did not give for me AT ALL.
I already knew that it was a slow burn so that wasn’t the problem, this book is just BORING.
The spice comes @ about 70% I skipped to the last chapter after because at that point I didn’t even care if they ended up together. 😶
The way ppl love this book so much I must’ve gotten the wrong copy this put me in a slump for sure.
I should’ve just DNF this tbh 😭
February 13, 2024
hi. do you want a romance where the main characters actually TALK OUT their issues and have wonderful communication while also great banter, tension and rivalry? Because then THIS BOOK is for you.
love them. love them. love them.
love them. love them. love them.
December 2, 2024
The more time I spent around her, the more I realized how I’d never seen her whole. I was closer than I’d ever been, and with every new reveal, I wanted more.
REREAD 2024. 4.5 stars. This was just as delightful the second time around. Rivals to lovers done really well, with a lot of great humour and banter, insight into the art world, and characters I ended up really loving. So many moments that made me smile to read; so many swoon-worthy little lines and scenes. The conflict with Sage's family also landed a bit better for me, with how she chose to resolve it.
This time, I listened to the audiobook as read by Sondra Symone and Julienne Irons, and it was good, but not my favourite? The narrator for Noah was great; really loved her voice, if not all her delivery. The narrator for Sage was okay too, EXCEPT for the voice she did for Noah. It was real bad. Faux-deep and scratchy for no reason. Noah's actual narrator sounded nothing like that, so it was baffling why Sage's narrator would give her that voice. Especially since it sounds so different and unnatural from her own speaking voice. There were several times where it kiiiinda ruined a scene for me, and I was just glad that I'd already read this book before.
But that isn't enough to sour the book as a whole for me. It's still absolutely lovely! Glad I took the time to read it again.
--
My heart beat ten times faster when she wrapped her arms around me again, and I felt like I was where I was supposed to be once more, a feeling I’d only ever gotten with a pen in hand.
SWOON. This made me so giddy! Maybe it's verging on a 4.5 idk. It's a rivals-to-lovers, workplace romance between artists who've had a sort of rivalry going on since college. Noah is the newbie at the company, while Sage had been entrenched there for years. They both have popular web-comics, there's an upcoming competition, and at work, they're now on the same team to revamp and revitalise an older comic series, for which they have varying ideas. Very soon, they're butting heads.
What makes this book is the chemistry. I loved these two from the moment they shared page time together. They have all the weight of shared history over them, when they met in college and orbited around each other, had a certain about of respect and jealousy for each other, and in a lot of ways, thoroughly misunderstood each other. I like how different they were, both in their backgrounds, and in their general vibes and attitudes. Noah is all pastels and pinks, with a lot of determined, hardworking energy. Sage is darker and moodier in tones and attitudes, and has a lot of raw, natural talent. I loved the early scenes where they'd bicker over ideas and approaches, argue about who is better at what. There's a lot of animosity, because they're working towards the same things, and they're in the same field. But it never got to a stage where it felt unfun, or too vicious or anything. The romance itself is slow burn., but it's sweet how quickly Sage abandons her plans to get rid of Noah. Instead it's all mid-meeting doodles, hand massages, bike rides, spilling intimate secrets because they feel so comfortable with each other. And it all felt so natural and good! I had a few quibbles about the pacing in the first half, and how they eventually jumped over the divide from rivals to lovers, but in general, the slow burn was so well done, and it was cute to see how down bad they both were. And when it came to it, the chemistry and passion was THERE. I sometimes get a little wary when a book labels itself as steamy, because some steamy scenes can feel pretty cookie-cuter, from book to book. That wasn't the case here. Their personalities shone all the way through, and it was sensual and emotional and immaculate. And hot.
Mutual destruction didn't sound too horrible if, for a moment, I was able to touch her.
I liked both their personal journeys with their families; Noah with trying to get her family to take her art career seriously, and Sage trying to break away from her family's dependence on her. But I have to admit, something about the Sage plotline with her family bugged me a liiiiittle bit. And that's probably not super rational of me. And I have to say again, a lot of the emotional writing and the character writing just hit the spot for me, when it came to mental health and the importance of art, etc. The writing quality in general was wonderful, and I found myself smiling a lot and giggling aloud several times. This couple was just so sweet, and so sexy, and I adored them to bits.
This is an author I'll be keeping an eye out for; hopefully she has more sapphic stuff in her future. And in the meantime, I can't recommend this enough. (Also shout to to the cover artist; it's sooooo gorgeous, and perfectly captures both women, gah. 😍 )
From that point forward, I knew I’d refuse to be with anyone who didn’t savor me.
March 17, 2024
3.5⭐️ rounded up
This was a cute read with an interesting world. Both FMCs are comic artists who write indie comics online but also work for a company. Their art is heavily referenced and a big part of the plot which I loved. It was quite different and refreshing to see black queer women dominating a fun industry that I didn’t know could be so competitive! I think this was the strongest part of the book for me.
Sage 🥹💗 she was so misunderstood. She had a real hard exterior and came across harsher than I think she meant. I feel like Noah didn’t really get her and let her jealously lead her. Don’t get me wrong, Sage was not the easiest 😂 but when she tried I don’t feel like she was given a fair chance. Her family were AWFUL and selfish, and she was suffering from the classic case of Oldest Daughter Syndrome - where the oldest girl in the family is expected to take on all the responsibilities and pick up the slack. So unfair but I’m happy with how she managed this towards the end. Sage in my opinion had the best personal growth and character development.
Noah 🤷🏾♀️ I have real complicated feelings about this one. She was sweet but a little judgmental and I feel like she was more jealous than competitive. But Noah had some deep feelings of inadequacy that she needed to overcome which explained her behaviour. There wasn’t much development with Noah? It was more Sage trying hard and making the first move to always say sorry.
Overall, I was conflicted about this rating and almost gave 3 ⭐️. The romance didn’t capture me as much as I would have liked. I think it might be because characters met off page? I always struggled with stories that have no meet cute! Sage and Noah met in college where their rivalry started, it’s quite a large part of the story but we don’t see that meeting! The story starts 7 years later…I wasn’t as invested in the relationship as I would have liked. And the development of feelings was awkward. (This is probably why I sometimes avoid the “best friends to lovers” trope. Because those books often take place years after the MCs have met and I don’t get to follow stories from the beginning.)
I gave this book 4 ⭐️ overall because of the interesting storylines about art and black queerness. Extra points for the way it handled the pressure we all put on ourselves to be the best and how it can be dangerous 🥺. There was a real message here about prioritising physical and mental health and avoiding burn out in our fight to achieve our goals.
The romance alone probably would have gotten a 2/5. But I’m 100% recommending this book for all the other reasons!
This was a cute read with an interesting world. Both FMCs are comic artists who write indie comics online but also work for a company. Their art is heavily referenced and a big part of the plot which I loved. It was quite different and refreshing to see black queer women dominating a fun industry that I didn’t know could be so competitive! I think this was the strongest part of the book for me.
Sage 🥹💗 she was so misunderstood. She had a real hard exterior and came across harsher than I think she meant. I feel like Noah didn’t really get her and let her jealously lead her. Don’t get me wrong, Sage was not the easiest 😂 but when she tried I don’t feel like she was given a fair chance. Her family were AWFUL and selfish, and she was suffering from the classic case of Oldest Daughter Syndrome - where the oldest girl in the family is expected to take on all the responsibilities and pick up the slack. So unfair but I’m happy with how she managed this towards the end. Sage in my opinion had the best personal growth and character development.
Noah 🤷🏾♀️ I have real complicated feelings about this one. She was sweet but a little judgmental and I feel like she was more jealous than competitive. But Noah had some deep feelings of inadequacy that she needed to overcome which explained her behaviour. There wasn’t much development with Noah? It was more Sage trying hard and making the first move to always say sorry.
Overall, I was conflicted about this rating and almost gave 3 ⭐️. The romance didn’t capture me as much as I would have liked. I think it might be because characters met off page? I always struggled with stories that have no meet cute! Sage and Noah met in college where their rivalry started, it’s quite a large part of the story but we don’t see that meeting! The story starts 7 years later…I wasn’t as invested in the relationship as I would have liked. And the development of feelings was awkward. (This is probably why I sometimes avoid the “best friends to lovers” trope. Because those books often take place years after the MCs have met and I don’t get to follow stories from the beginning.)
I gave this book 4 ⭐️ overall because of the interesting storylines about art and black queerness. Extra points for the way it handled the pressure we all put on ourselves to be the best and how it can be dangerous 🥺. There was a real message here about prioritising physical and mental health and avoiding burn out in our fight to achieve our goals.
The romance alone probably would have gotten a 2/5. But I’m 100% recommending this book for all the other reasons!
September 30, 2025
2.5 Stars
I feel so mislead by all the glowing reviews. It’s marketed as rivals to lovers but they’re only rivals for about a minute before they start crushing on each other. That was a big let down for me.
I think part of my unhappiness is that so much of the story takes place around their jobs. And I found those sections to be pretty boring. However, if you’re into comics/graphic novels you may enjoy that aspect more.
While I did enjoy their date scenes I do wish the romance was more emotional. It felt pretty flat to me and I didn’t really feel a spark there. At least not enough of one.
I do not recommend the audio book. The narration is TERRIBLE. there are two narrators and I had to switch speeds and volume every chapter. also, the Sage narrator did this weird frog voice for Noah that really annoyed me.
The cover is gorgeous at least!
I feel so mislead by all the glowing reviews. It’s marketed as rivals to lovers but they’re only rivals for about a minute before they start crushing on each other. That was a big let down for me.
I think part of my unhappiness is that so much of the story takes place around their jobs. And I found those sections to be pretty boring. However, if you’re into comics/graphic novels you may enjoy that aspect more.
While I did enjoy their date scenes I do wish the romance was more emotional. It felt pretty flat to me and I didn’t really feel a spark there. At least not enough of one.
I do not recommend the audio book. The narration is TERRIBLE. there are two narrators and I had to switch speeds and volume every chapter. also, the Sage narrator did this weird frog voice for Noah that really annoyed me.
The cover is gorgeous at least!
March 11, 2024
May God bless the ground beneath tall sexy women 🧎♀️
December 19, 2023
this book made me like workplace romance which is pretty darn high praise from me
December 19, 2023
Similar to Sunny Disposition, this was a case of the cover being so incredibly adorable... but the book was disappointing.
I honestly feel like Grey wrote this book with the intent to humble Sage and hasn't she been through enough? Aside from thinking the chemistry between these two was nonexistent, I couldn't help but feel like Sage gave 10x more to everyone around her than she got in return and that was so sad.
Another grumpy sunshine (ish) book, this story sets up a rivals situation that made me feel like it should've taken place between teenagers. They describe Noah as being so sweet, but she was incredibly petty and childish, in my opinion. She didn't like Sage because she had a crush that wasn't reciprocated? She interpreted everything Sage did, no matter how innocuous, as negative and reacted like a brat. All this makes the "turn" less interesting than it could've been because Sage had no reason to dislike Noah (aside from competition between webtoon artists).
The turn where Sage just decides to be mature and try to extend an olive branch is so sudden and nonsensical. Suddenly, she's really smiley and trying to be nice to Noah and it just didn't have any set up that made sense.
The comic platform's stunt was so nonsensical and hard to believe. Especially them introducing movie pitching as a potential prize for the winner.
Overall, I felt like Sage was a well fleshed out character with a background that was developed and explained her actions and reservations. Noah didn't feel half as well developed. Their plights were like night and day with Noah's feeling quite shallow. Maybe I would've felt differently if there'd be more scenes with her family or friend? Either way, it felt like she was yet another person getting more from Sage than she gave.
Sage helps her with her carpal tunnel. Sage is the one to extend the olive branch. Noah shuts down at the carnival because of her personal issues and Sage is the one to try to fix things. Sage defends her in front of her parents. Sage puts up with Noah's constant need for validation. Noah is a child.
Again, it would make more sense to me if this had no sex scenes and was set in high school. Side note: can you straddle someone in a maxi skirt? That threw me off.
Back to the romance, Sage is constantly trying to be the bigger person and constantly apologizing. It just didn't make for a romance I wanted to root for. I think these two would break up by month two. (Also, the make up scene for their fight lasted way longer than the fight itself).
Aside from some grammatical issues and one really weird exchange:
What?
Aside from those, my issue was mostly that I just couldn't root for these two. I found Noah childish and petty and Sage was just getting the short end of the stick literally everywhere. Poured her heart and soul into work for a company that maybe wasn't the best at handling her mental breakdown, poured her heart and money into a family that didn't care to check in on her mental health, and poured her heart into making up with someone who literally had no reason to hate her. I'm glad she left the company in the end, but honestly, it's hard for me to think she's getting anything all that supportive out of her relationship with Noah. The first time we see Noah try to support her, it turns into a sex scene...
I honestly feel like Grey wrote this book with the intent to humble Sage and hasn't she been through enough? Aside from thinking the chemistry between these two was nonexistent, I couldn't help but feel like Sage gave 10x more to everyone around her than she got in return and that was so sad.
Another grumpy sunshine (ish) book, this story sets up a rivals situation that made me feel like it should've taken place between teenagers. They describe Noah as being so sweet, but she was incredibly petty and childish, in my opinion. She didn't like Sage because she had a crush that wasn't reciprocated? She interpreted everything Sage did, no matter how innocuous, as negative and reacted like a brat. All this makes the "turn" less interesting than it could've been because Sage had no reason to dislike Noah (aside from competition between webtoon artists).
The turn where Sage just decides to be mature and try to extend an olive branch is so sudden and nonsensical. Suddenly, she's really smiley and trying to be nice to Noah and it just didn't have any set up that made sense.
The comic platform's stunt was so nonsensical and hard to believe. Especially them introducing movie pitching as a potential prize for the winner.
Overall, I felt like Sage was a well fleshed out character with a background that was developed and explained her actions and reservations. Noah didn't feel half as well developed. Their plights were like night and day with Noah's feeling quite shallow. Maybe I would've felt differently if there'd be more scenes with her family or friend? Either way, it felt like she was yet another person getting more from Sage than she gave.
Sage helps her with her carpal tunnel. Sage is the one to extend the olive branch. Noah shuts down at the carnival because of her personal issues and Sage is the one to try to fix things. Sage defends her in front of her parents. Sage puts up with Noah's constant need for validation. Noah is a child.
Again, it would make more sense to me if this had no sex scenes and was set in high school. Side note: can you straddle someone in a maxi skirt? That threw me off.
Back to the romance, Sage is constantly trying to be the bigger person and constantly apologizing. It just didn't make for a romance I wanted to root for. I think these two would break up by month two. (Also, the make up scene for their fight lasted way longer than the fight itself).
Aside from some grammatical issues and one really weird exchange:
Sage: Forget I said anything, Noah
Noah: I don't want to
Sage: Well, then it sucks to be you, because I am
What?
Aside from those, my issue was mostly that I just couldn't root for these two. I found Noah childish and petty and Sage was just getting the short end of the stick literally everywhere. Poured her heart and soul into work for a company that maybe wasn't the best at handling her mental breakdown, poured her heart and money into a family that didn't care to check in on her mental health, and poured her heart into making up with someone who literally had no reason to hate her. I'm glad she left the company in the end, but honestly, it's hard for me to think she's getting anything all that supportive out of her relationship with Noah. The first time we see Noah try to support her, it turns into a sex scene...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2026
The pacing felt a bit weird at times, but overall the story was cute. If you're looking for a lighthearted and sweet story, with fun banter and great artists: then this is the story for you!! I could feel that some information almost felt "missing", but honestly, I am rather glad that the author did not get lost in the details. I like Sage more as a character, but I could relate to some of Noah's situations. However, the story did feel like it was more between freshly young adults, and not two ladies in their late 20s/early 30s.
3.5/5 stars!
3.5/5 stars!
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