Savannah Grace is on top of the world. She's back to selling out stadium tours and winning Grammys and she's just arrived home from her honeymoon after marrying the love of her life…nothing could burst this bubble.
Except, of course, her estranged family.
When her younger sister Cassidy shows up on her doorstep, in need of help and thoroughly—inexplicably—pissed off, the whole household gets turned on its end. Where did she spring from and why the heck is she so damn mad?
Savannah's nanny Lane has grown all the way up, from a cute punk kid to a classic handsome heartbreaker, a long trail of short flings in their wake. They don't have a second to waste on Cassidy, after all, she's rude, ignorant, hot-tempered, and kind of a brat. It's just…does their boss's little sister have to be so hot?
Of course, things could always get worse. Cassidy has one plan and one plan for her sister to turn her into a star.
Contains mature content. A complete list of content warnings can be found on the author's website.
Ruby Landers is an independent author of sapphic contemporary romance. She lives in Meanjin (Brisbane) Australia. As you’re reading this, she is either typing a million daydreamy words a minute, giving someone a thousand-yard stare while secretly working out a plot twist, having a deep conversation with anyone four-legged, bargaining with an expert kindergartner negotiator, or feeling wildly grateful she got to quit her day job. Either way, there’ll be coffee. You can follow her at
Okay read! Not even close to the storytelling of book #1 -- but okay/enjoyable enough to overcome those average parts. Good family drama and dynamics also good supporting casts. Still recommended book and series!
Updated review 01/15/25 after listening to the audiobook: Ruby Landers and Quinn Riley have done it again. Graceless, the second installment in the Grace Notes Trilogy, is an unforgettable continuation of a series that has completely enraptured my heart. If I thought the first book was a masterpiece, the audiobook of Graceless is a symphony—a dazzling harmony of exquisite storytelling and exceptional narration that had me utterly spellbound.
From the opening chapter, Lane and Cassidy’s story demands your full attention. Ruby Landers’ writing is as sharp as ever, painting vivid emotional landscapes with a deft touch. But it’s Quinn Riley’s narration that takes these already brilliant characters and makes them leap off the page (or, rather, out of the headphones) in ways that are downright magical.
The Characters Lane is everything you want in a swoon-worthy sapphic love interest: enigmatic, charming, and achingly vulnerable beneath that tough exterior. Through Quinn’s performance, Lane’s aloofness feels magnetic, her rare moments of emotional openness heart-stopping.
And then there’s Cassidy. Her evolution from an initially prickly, dislikable character into someone raw, relatable, and deeply human is pure magic. Landers’ writing ensures Cassidy’s journey feels authentic, but it’s Quinn’s nuanced portrayal that breathes life into every moment of Cassidy’s transformation.
Hearing Savannah and Brynn again (from Falls From Grace) was like reconnecting with old friends, their voices as vivid and distinct as ever. Their growing family brings warmth and depth to the story, with Quinn perfectly capturing their chemistry and the messy beauty of family dynamics.
The Romance The enemies-to-lovers tension between Lane and Cassidy is electric. Every verbal sparring match crackles with energy, every glance feels like the start of a wildfire. The slow unraveling of their defenses and the tender moments they share are amplified tenfold in audio format. Quinn Riley captures every layer of their chemistry—sharp-edged banter, simmering attraction, and the eventual melt into vulnerability—with such precision that I found myself holding my breath.
The Narration Quinn Riley’s narration is nothing short of a masterclass in voice performance. She doesn’t just read the story; she inhabits it. Each character is given a distinct voice, each emotion conveyed with such depth and authenticity that it’s impossible not to feel completely immersed. Lane’s drawl has a quiet intensity that left me swooning. Cassidy’s voice brims with determination and emotional rawness, capturing her struggle and growth beautifully. The way Quinn transitions seamlessly between the voices of Savannah, Brynn, and the supporting characters adds a richness to the narrative tapestry. And let’s talk about the tension—THE TENSION. Quinn’s pacing and delivery make every loaded silence, every almost-touch, and every emotional crescendo utterly breathtaking.
Themes and Storytelling Ruby Landers doesn’t just write romance; she writes about people—their flaws, their triumphs, and the messy, beautiful ways they love and hurt and heal. In Graceless, themes of forgiveness, family, and redemption shine through. Landers has an uncanny ability to create stories that feel deeply real, and the audiobook format amplifies the emotional resonance in a way that feels like a gift.
Final Thoughts Graceless is a triumph, a shining example of what happens when an extraordinary author and a phenomenally talented narrator join forces. Ruby Landers’ stunning prose, combined with Quinn Riley’s stellar performance, creates an experience that will leave you completely captivated.
If you loved Falls From Grace, Graceless is a must-listen. This audiobook is a testament to the power of sapphic storytelling and the incredible talent of Ruby Landers and Quinn Riley. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be patiently (read: desperately) waiting for Saving Graces because I’m not ready to leave this world anytime soon.
🌟 Graceless on audio is a perfect 5/5 stars. Don’t walk—run and dive in. You won’t regret it.
Original Review May 2024: I finished this in less than 24 hours. I’m stupefied at the writing and this incredible story. Review to come when I pick myself up off the floor..
"Graceless" by Ruby Landers is nothing short of spectacular. This second book in the Grace Notes Trilogy solidifies Landers as a new favorite author in sapphic contemporary romance. The fact that this is her debut series is simply incredible, showcasing her exceptional talent and storytelling prowess.
The characters are fantastic, each one vividly brought to life with depth and authenticity. I have fallen in love with Lane, the classic handsome heartbreaker with an aloof demeanor and a secret soft side. Landers' portrayal of Lane is nothing short of perfection. Cassidy, who starts as a dislikable character, undergoes a remarkable evolution. Landers masterfully transforms her into a multifaceted, relatable person, making her journey both compelling and extremely satisfying.
Seeing Savannah and Brynn's love story continue is a true delight. Their growing family and the dynamics with Cassidy add layers of complexity and warmth to the narrative. Landers captures the nuances of family relationships and romantic entanglements with a deft hand, making you root for every character.
The story is an engaging blend of enemies-to-lovers and family drama, wrapped in a contemporary sapphic romance that feels fresh and exciting. The tension between Lane and Cassidy is palpable, making their eventual connection all the more rewarding.
Additionally, the covers of both books are superb, perfectly capturing the essence of the series and adding a visual treat to the literary one.
I am positively ensnared by these characters and this series. Ruby Landers has crafted a world I never want to leave, and I am eagerly anticipating the release of Book 3. "Graceless" is a must-read for romance fans and a testament to Landers' extraordinary talent.
Re-read Oct 13th, 2025: I liked Lane even less this read through and considered dropping the rating, but the Savannah/Cassidy scenes are good enough (IMO) to make this book worth a read.
When I like a book and I find out it’s part of a series, I feel like I’ve been given a gift. (Don’t tell my GR friend Kay ;) ) Even though I’m usually disappointed in the subsequent stories. But my high in getting more time with the characters I’ve fallen in love with in the first book is enough for me to keep me engaged. So what did I do immediately after finishing Falls from Grace? I bought Graceless and started reading it. Even though I know it’s a bad idea to read a series in such quick succession. And, yes, before you ask, I am reading book 3 right now.
And, well, predictably Graceless isn’t as strong as Falls from Grace, but I did read it in a day. So it’s very readable. I’m finding I really like Ruby Landers’ writing (with the exception of the her spelling of “whoa”), especially the dialogue. But I wish this wasn’t a romance. I wish the focus on the novel was between Savannah and Cassidy with the romance the secondary plot, if it has to be there.
And ready for some more controversy? I think Lane is a bit of a cliché. At least in regard to their whole masc-player persona, which thankfully happens off the page, but I tired quickly of them, despite loving their character in book 1. And even though I think it’s really great that we get a romance featuring a masc non-binary character, I don’t think this story needed the romance. It over complicates Cassidy’s growth as a person, which is where I think the strength of the story lies. But even though I would have preferred no romance here, I will give credit to Landers who made me super invested in it anyway. I was rooting for it. But is this a HEA? I’m having a hard time believing it. They’re so young and both still trying to figure out their sh!t.
But I was really here for more moments between Savannah and Brynn, and (again) credit to Landers because I was not left wanting here. For people who want more time (and meaningful time) with the first book’s main characters, Graceless delivers on this better than most sequels do.
What a pleasure it is to have at last dived into this series! Every character is so special and layered, flawed but trying their best.
Savannah and Brynn are enjoying married life and being a family—with a new baby on the way—when Savannah’s half-sister suddenly shows up. Despite Savannah financially supporting her estranged family, Cassidy, mad as a kitten, seems to hold her responsible for ruining her life. Still, the star welcomes her into her home, intent on trying to understand the younger woman. As weeks and months pass, Cassidy gets to know her sister and her family better. A family that includes Savannah’s son Tucker’s nonbinary nanny, Lane…
Unlike Savannah and Brynn, who were decidedly adults in Falls From Grace, this second book has a more New Adult feel. Cassidy, in particular, appears—at least at first—both sheltered and bitter beyond her age. You know how it’s said that you can only make a first impression once? Lucky for Cassidy, Savannah and her family are willing to look beyond the petite and pretty but resentful young woman, whose sharp tongue doesn’t hide how lost she is. Once the feral kitten façade starts slipping, Cassidy turns out to be a more than decent person, and her character growth is heartwarming and inspiring. And then there’s Lane. When they first meet, Lane is unbothered, secure in Savannah’s support and Brynn’s friendship. They’ve just had top surgery and are still enjoying the feeling of freedom it gives them. They seem happy and well-adjusted, until they’re expected to interact with people their age. I really liked how Cassidy’s impressive capacity for adaptation offsets her inexperience, and the contrast with the way Lane’s own worldliness conceals their vulnerabilities from cursory glances.
In the background of Lane and Cassidy’s romance, Savannah’s pregnancy and the baby’s subsequent birth bring their own share of drama and add to the character development of both MCs. Between all four characters—Lane, Cassidy, Savannah, Brynn—there’s a lot of past trauma to deal with and manage, the perfect setup for Ruby Landers to illustrate the significance of friendship, found family, love.
I should probably say that while this book can probably be enjoyed as a standalone, I recommend starting with Falls From Grace anyway. I made the mistake of listening with my wife after summarising the first book for her. She was caught up on the story, but she didn’t know the characters like I did. Cassidy is the only new character, and the other three’s reactions to situations make complete sense when you’re familiar with them.
And do I need to mention that the narration is impeccable or is the name Quinn Riley enough?
Read all my reviews on my website (and please get your books from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars
4⭐️ "Graceless" isn't on the same level as "Falls from Grace", but it's a good continuation of the story surrounding Savannah Grace's family.
Cassady, Savannah's little sister, is hard to like at first, but it didn't take long for me to recognize her as a deeply wounded person who doesn't know how to communicate and instead just lashes out. The story of Cassidy and Lane is the central theme of this book, and despite all their differences and prejudices, they are good for each other. I liked them both. And of course, I loved seeing more of Savannah, Brynn, and Tucker.
I can't wait to read the third part of this series.
Graceless is a continuation of Country music superstar Savannah Grace’s world. When teenage Savannah ran away years ago, she left behind a baby sister. Two decades later, adult Cassidy shows up on the mansion’s doorstep, furious at the world but mostly blaming her famous sister. Both sheltered and jaded, Cassidy is a fiery character. Unbeknownst to Savannah, Cassidy’s abusive father pissed away most of the money she sent the family so in a lot of ways, Cassidy grew up just as poor as her sister. But having nothing has made Cassidy hungry for success and determined to make a name in music on her own merit. Besides giving us Cassidy, the author expands Savannah’s character to shed light on her vulnerability. The roles of wife, mother, and sister are hard enough but to also navigate the ups and downs in front of millions of fans seems almost impossible. Both Cassidy’s growth and Savannah’s evolution are my favorite parts of the book.
The story also features Cassidy falling for Lane, the nanny for Savannah’s son, Tucker. Lane has been through horrible times in their life so they don’t allow for bs from anyone, including Cassidy. I wish I liked this new romance more than I did and I couldn’t figure out why. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still hot but not as potent as I hoped. After finishing Book 3, it occurs to me that Lane’s story is not fully told in any of the books. Given what we know about them as an adult and glimpses into their teen years, it’s probably the most powerful backstory. When Lane struggles to be open and commit to a relationship with Cassidy, they mention their past but we never see it like we do everyone else’s in the series. I feel like this absence of hearing Lane’s full story keeps the romance more surface level.
Overall, Book 2 is solid and I still highly recommend. 4.25 stars.
Update audiobook. How hot was this book? I had forgotten a bit. Had me and wofe squirming in our seats while driving....
Oef!
Ruby Landers is becoming one of the authors to watch out for.
I read first Saving Graces, and then I went back to Graceless. I thought that the book featured a straight couple (not that I would mind), but then reading the last one I discovered that Lane was a non-binary trans man, and I adored them in Saving Graces, so I wanted to know more about them.
Graceless picks up where Falls for Grace left, with Savannah and Brynn starting a new life together and dealing with the new pregnancy of Savannah. Everything seems to fall into place, finally some quiet times, until Grace's younger sister, Cassidy, barges into their home with one request: she wants to become a famous country singer and her sister owes this to her.
I tell you the truth, at the beginning Cassidy's character made my skin crawl and hair stand on alert. Everything she learnt from her parents is everything I stand against. The whole MAGA culture and their hate for the queer community and especially the trans community makes my stomach churn, but then I remembered that a lot of this has to do with ignorance, and there is no more ignorant person than the one that doesn't want to learn, and Cassidy does want to learn so much. She is open to new experiences and she is just trying to find her "safe place" where she can grow as a person and as a musician.
This grow is not without bumps on the road, but with many trials and errors, and several lives will be touched by it.
Lane will be the main reason for this grow, and I absolutely adored their character.
I nodded so many times reading about the political situation around the world and the bans to the trans community.
I hope that in November the Americans will choose right this time. I hope times will change and that our younger generation won't have to hide or be scared of being bullied.
Graceless is a statement to all of this. It's is a great YA novel, which I hope many younger people will read.
I loved getting to see what was happening with Savannah and Brynn.
I could not stand Cassidy or Lane. They were both too immature for too long. I was past the point of caring by the time they started growing up some. And Cassidy was completely unlikeable for a majority of the book. I also thought them making out and wanting each other was abrupt. They never really acknowledge each other as attractive and then all of a sudden they’re desperate for one another.
3.5 ⭐️ I'm going to be honest, I came back for Brynn and Savannah and really enjoyed their follow-up. I really appreciate that they still love each other deeply, but still encounter doubt sometimes. Cassidy and Lane didn't really grab my heart fully. Cassidy had a hard life, and I probably didn't understand her enough because she was so hard for me to love. She went through abuse and struggle and is a 24-year-old ball of anger, and that anger is directed at Savannah to the point of being unreasonable. Maybe that's what made her character growth appreciable, but it's a shame I couldn't manage to fully forgive her. Lane is really likeable, loyal, and seeing her fiercely and fairly defending the right people was so satisfying. The non-binary representation seemed good, and I admit I have a lot to learn, because I have questions.The romance missed a little something to make it feel palpable to me. Maybe I would have liked more chapters from Cassidy's point of view, really showing me what made her fall for Lane. I didn't really feel her struggle or questioning, despite her coming from deep MAGA territory and upbringing; that would have made it so interesting. The last part of the book was really well-written, even tackling the topic of postpartum depression. Ruby Landers definitely writes stories that make readers invested. I can't wait to read Rosalie's story and see where Lane and Cassidy are because I can't help but think they are still very young and have a lot to figure out. That's probably why their story didn't really resonate with me.
When narrator Quinn Riley has great material to work with, she is sublime and wow - does she knock this one out of the park! I exclaimed aloud many times while listening to this one! It's moving, sexy, insightful, inclusive.... all the things you want in an audiobook listening experience.
The characters in this series - starting with Falls from Grace - are terrific. I can't wait for book three - Saving Graces - to be available on audio. I'm spoiled by Quinn so want to wait - even though the printed and ebook versions are currently available.
3.5⭐️. I enjoyed book two in this Grace series. I liked Lane who’s a trans man. They suffered tremendously as a young teen and received counseling at a youth center sponsored by Savannah Grace. Savannah also opens her heart and home to Lane and hires them as her nanny for baby Tucker. I liked that Savannah and Brynn are both a large part of this book and we get to see more of their relationship.
Savannah’s sister Cassidy is the other main character She shows up as a 24 year old runaway from her homophobic and violent parents. She’s led a very rough life and blames Savannah for not taking care of her and rescuing her from her abusive parents.
Cassidy’s character was hard to like, I could understand her resentment to a point but her neediness and selfishness bugged me. She seemed phony to me and not good enough for Lane. Also it was way too contrived for her to have musical ability and to want to be a performer as well.
I did like the setting in Nashville, one of my favorite places. I do like Ruby Landers’ writing style. She shows some great ability to develop intelligent characters. I look forward to reading book three in this series and more of her books in the future.
Ruby Landers!! Are you trying to poke at all my emotions!? God this book made me laugh, scream and cry 🤣🤣 so many emotions. I loved every minute of it!! I loved that we got more Savannah and Brynn but also seeing Lanes story! I’m so impressed by this series so far, so can’t wait to finish it off with book three!
Written in third person with multiple POV’s. Forced Proximity, Enemies to Lovers, Toaster Oven, Opposites Attract, Found Family, Non-Binary Rep, Homophobia. 4x spicy scenes (plus a couple of teasing scenes 😏).
Of the books with non-binary rep (and there ain’t a lot), this is one of the good ones. This story is sweet-ish with the right level of slow burn to be tantalizing and enjoyable. This falls shy of the first in the series for me because the mains here were just not as interesting as Savannah and Brynn. Also, there is a b-plot around one of my more hated tropes in romance books; non-communication. “I’m so angry at you for reasons I’m not going to tell you because you should just know! And I won’t explain my unmitigated hatred to anyone until the end of story!” 🙄 Also there’s some jealousy drama that is better off left in the halls of a high school, not plaguing a 26 year old undergrad. I digress. The real highlight is, it was refreshing to see non-binary rep done right in a main character.
Ruby did it again. I ATE THIS BOOK UP. The pacing was perfect and a slow burn is not usually my preference but she keeps you so engaged. Seeing the development of Lane’s story and getting to see Savannah and Brynn’s story continue was beautiful. I was giggling and kicking my feet at the tension between Lane and Cassidy.
There are some sensitive topics in this book but she handles postpartum depression, transphobia, homophobia, and DV in such a delicate and tender way. I cannot wait for the third book in the series.
Don’t decide to read it, just read it, love it, READ IT AGAIN. You’re welcome.
**The copy I received was an ARC and the book releases on 6/6**
Thank you so much to the author for sending me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ruby Landers is easily becoming one of my favourite romance authors. Her writing it so easy to read and settle down into. It’s comfortable and comforting in equal measure and I could honestly live within her words forever.
This book follows Lane, who we meet in the first Grace Notes book, Falls From Grace, and Cassidy, Savannah Grace’s little sister, while also continuing to follow Savannah and Brynn from book one.
This book had a bit of a rocky start. I knew there was a lot more going on with Cassidy than she was saying, but she still made it very hard to love her in the beginning. But gosh, she grows throughout this book. She gets to meet people so completely different to her and her mind and her world are opened by it. I loved her journey throughout this book so, so much.
And Lane, oh my gosh. I really liked Lane in Falls From Grace so I loved that we got their romance in this book. I loved everything about their relationship, the push and pull, the ebb and flow, the hint of enemies AND lovers simultaneously. It was such a fiery, fierce romance and an absolute joy to read.
And I really loved that we got to stay with Savannah and Brynn, too. Watching their family grow, seeing all the ways their relationship has settled, was just so utterly lovely.
I truly can’t recommend this series enough and I am so excited for book 3!
Not as impactful for me as the first novel, but I still had a good time.
Extra credit for the nb rep, which is a rarity in itself.
I did have a problem with Cassidy. In the sense of, in my opinion, her behaviour was exaggerated for the sake of the conflict. And that made me annoyed. Because Cassidy, in retrospect, is a good character, and I think she kinda deserved a deeper delve into her inner conflict for the reader to understand her better. Instead, you get annoyed at her because you know Savannah better than she does, and you can't help but take sides.
All in all, it came together in the end, and I'm greatly enjoying this little universe.
I'm starting to truly fall in love with Ruby Landers' writing style. It is captivating and immersive and allows for really intriguing perspectives from all characters.
The dialogue always grips me into her stories and doesn't let go until the very end, and this book was no different. It was tense and yet so moving, and I loved every bit of it. But I would be lying if I said there weren't some things that felt lacking in this novel. It's hard not to compare Lanes and Cassidys' romance to Brynn and Savannahs. Brynns and Savannahs love story was multifaceted with so much electricity and constant connection. While in this book, Lanes and Cassidy relationship felt lacking when it came to a solid foundation. Don't get me wrong, the sexual chemistry was there, and it was intense and hot, but the growth of them as individuals felt rushed and unfinished. Their hard conversations always fell flat and often felt like they weren't truly getting to the point of their issues within the relationship. And as much as I enjoyed Cassidy journey when it came to her self-discovery, it didn't feel like it was truly doing her justice.
I would chalk this up to this story handling so much within so little time. There were so many key parts happening in this novel, and they were all good as individual parts, but when you put everything together, it feels too heavy. The book needed a more straight focus when it came to each character. For instance Cassidys relashonship with Savannah definitely should've been the main focus of the story, it was the best written parts of this novel, and it allowed for more depth to be added to both her and Savannahs character. Lane should've had their own journey within the story when it came to their future career, for another example.
I did really enjoy the moments we got to see with Brynn and Savannah it allowed us to see how they have changed and grown since their own love story, but also reflected how true love is never perfect and it was wonderfully written.
But overall, I think I just wanted more from our two main love interests within and outside their romantic relationship.but this does not change how much I enjoyed this story. It was an emotional roller-coaster, but the best kind, and I can't wait to read the third installment!
This one got a little lost in the weeds for me--Cassidy's progression both personally and politically felt a little unearned, as did her immediate closeness with Lane. The chapters from Savannah or Brynn's perspective were weirdly dispersed throughout the narrative (a bunch at the beginning and then fewer and fewer), but they were way more compelling that the other perspectives. Retconning Lane as hot was also a funny choice--no one goes from being annoying and babyish (as they are in book 1) to suave and sexy that quickly.
I did inhale this book, though, as I did the first one, and I'm already a decent way into the third, so clearly I didnt dislike it THAT much.
It’s hard to rate this one because I kept wanting to compare it to the first which was *chefs kiss* perfection. This was enjoyable!! But nothing will beat the first of the series. I found Lane to be a bit hypocritical and judgmental. I also found them to lack the funny sense of humour they showed in the first so that was a little disappointing!! I really liked Cassidy’s character development though
3 for 3, Ruby Landers! Your books are just stealing my heart ❤️
I love that we continue to see how Savannah and Brynn are doing. In this story, Savannah's little sister, Cassidy, comes crashing into their lives with lots of anger issues. However, she doesn't get under anyone else's skin more than Lane's. Everything starts to get a little...steamy.
This story contains some rough family issues/dynamics, so please take care of you. It's such a good story, though, you'll be swooning at the end 🫶🏽🥰
it’s 5:30am and my brain is mush but I really really really liked this one. this series is on its way to becoming a favorite of mine. thx to my sweetie for making me read it 💕
i do not think you understand how HAPPY i am to be back in the world of savannah grace
i LOVE authors who can write characters that annoy and piss me off, ruby landers did exactly that
with that being said, cassidy pissed me the fuck off at the beginning. her mannerism and brattiness and the way she talked to savannah, brynn, and lane made me want to rip my hair out! after going through this, it’s understandable why she felt that way, is very closed off, had that mindset, etc. her character development throughout this, especially with the help of lane and everyone else was just *chef’s kiss* and i teared up at parts. seeing her rebuild her relationship with savannah and start one with brynn, lane, and tucker was just so heartwarming and made me so happy!
we finally get more backstory on lane! the way they met savannah and what they’ve been through. the relationship between them, savannah, brynn, and tucker is just so precious. god i love this family. lane and cassidy’s relationship was really something extraordinary to watch unfold. lane being an absolute flustered mess whenever they see cassidy and cassidy realizing how she feel for them was so delicious, i love this world so much. i laughed, was kicking my feet twirling my hair, grinning like an idiot one minute then absolutely sobbing the next.
also seeing more of savannah and brynn’s relationship was just the icing on top! I! LOVE! THEM! SO! MUCH!
i received an arc from the author and am leaving this review voluntarily
This isn’t quite as angsty as Saving Graces, which is great. I don’t think I could go through that again, even though it was an amazing read that has been living rent free in my brain. This is Lane’s story and it’s a great read. I blasted through this on a Sunday.
I will always love Brynn and Savannah and I was glad to see them in the narrative. I didn’t feel like Cassidy was fully fleshed out. It’s not like she had some big a-ha moment where she was suddenly accepting of the queer people around her. She basically lusted after Lane without any questions. I would have enjoyed some deeper conversations. The spice was superb. Lane is a beast in all the best ways.
While this had two elements I had been waiting for a long time in a sapphic romance: a nonbinary lead on T who had top surgery and a pregnancy romance for the other couple; having four POVs was a bit too much for a book on the shorter end of a romance novel.
Lane as a character had very little going or depth and it was disappointing. They had friends, a job and absolutely no conflict or arc. They had no introspection regarding putting boundaries on their relationship with Cassidy.
Cassidy was the crux of the story, it was more about her moving on from trauma, overcoming her upbringing than a real fully fledged romance with Lane
As far as sequels go, this is pretty solid. We have established characters from the first book getting their time to shine and ongoing glimpses into the main characters' lives from the first book, which is really nice. Cassidy is hard to like as a character but as long as her trauma reasonably informs her being shitty, I can get behind it. Emotional and fun, this was a very solid second book in the series.
4.5 stars rounded up. I really enjoyed Graceless. I liked Lane in Falls From Grace and after I got over Cassidy's brattiness the pairing felt perfect. I like that this 2nd book in the series was also slow burn with a nice amount of pining. And it was a pleasant surprise to have a mini Savannah-Brynn sequel inside the book, too.
Second book in the Grace notes trilogy. This was another slow burn and I’m normally not a huge fan of this trope. I devoured this book in one day.
Cassidy is Savannah’s sister from book one and she goes to her sister for help. She has a lot of penthouse up anger for her sister so she’s a straight up brat about 50 to 60% of the book. She’s hurt and has gone thru a lot. (Slight triggers). Lane is Savannah’s nanny and was also in book one. I loved lane so much. They had such a kind soul. They both start to get really close but Lane has reservations. Mainly Cassidy’s horrible attitude towards her sister and honestly I couldn’t understand why she was so mean at first. However, I loved how Cassidy was such a flawed character but had major character development. This book was so realistic in terms of the family dynamics. They all loved each other, argued sometimes but at the end of the day, they were a family.