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Just Come Clean
A suave player and a sweet romantic catch a bad case of feelings in this charming, small-town lesbian romance.
Alden Breslin has everything she could want—a cushy job, lifetime friends, and women falling at her feet. She’s great at separating work and play, so it catches her off guard when she spots cute and shy Rebecka at work. Now suddenly, she’s the one in danger of falling. And isn’t that an unsettling thought?
Rebecka Nash is back in the US after a decade abroad. Her new job comes with a smooth, experienced developer who charms her way into her bed. Casual might sound fun, but Rebecka always falls hard and fast. How can she pretend she hasn’t imagined their whole future together? As if the eternally single Alden would ever want a real relationship!
Wanting the same thing while pretending they don’t shouldn’t be so complicated!
Alden Breslin has everything she could want—a cushy job, lifetime friends, and women falling at her feet. She’s great at separating work and play, so it catches her off guard when she spots cute and shy Rebecka at work. Now suddenly, she’s the one in danger of falling. And isn’t that an unsettling thought?
Rebecka Nash is back in the US after a decade abroad. Her new job comes with a smooth, experienced developer who charms her way into her bed. Casual might sound fun, but Rebecka always falls hard and fast. How can she pretend she hasn’t imagined their whole future together? As if the eternally single Alden would ever want a real relationship!
Wanting the same thing while pretending they don’t shouldn’t be so complicated!
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First published March 1, 2025
64 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
About the author
Ria Wyland
2 books4 followersRia Wyland wears many hats: painter, photographer, engineer, and now published writer with Ylva Publishing. She grew up in the suburbs of Philly (go birds!) but calls New England home now. She is completely besotted with her dear dog - her son - and is always open to pictures of yours!
riawyland.com
Want to contact her? Twitter/X @RiaWyland, Email riawyland@gmail.com
riawyland.com
Want to contact her? Twitter/X @RiaWyland, Email riawyland@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
March 16, 2025
Alden has her routine down—work just hard enough to shine at her job, paint a lot, try and give up new hobbies, limit her romances to one-night stands in which she can sneak out in the morning, before the other woman wakes up. But her office's requirement that she work two days in-office each month throws a wrench in this—not least because of an intriguing new colleague.
Sometimes a girl just needs a bread-and-butter romance, so, you know, here we are. This is marketed at least in part as a small-town romance, but I'd argue that it's more accurate to call it a workplace romance. Alden and Rebecka are both software developers, and a lot of their early interactions take place at or around work. (If you're a techie yourself, I expect you'll be able to tell right away whether Wyland knows their stuff or is making it up as they go—I am not a techie, so I'm just going to assume that it all makes sense.) There's also a fair amount of soccer, which makes me happy, but I think the only real "small town" element is that the characters' friends tend to be up in their business. So...a better sell for those who like the workplace romance trope than those who like a small-town setting. (A side note: though pains are taken to make clear that Rebecka isn't in Alden's chain of command—and thus that there isn't actually a question of power balance—Alden comes on strong, which I don't really love when she's also fecking terrible about communicating her intentions. It is 100% fine to be looking for something casual, but why spend the night only to sneak out and block your one-time paramour's number? Why not leave when the night is over?)
At any rate, it's a cute story that flies by. The bedroom part of things isn't really to my tastes (I can't take romance seriously when characters go to bed together and immediately have, like, eleven screaming orgasms in a row), but there's a lot of it, so readers who are in it for the banging will have, ah, a banging good time. I'm more in it for the way the Other Woman storyline plays out—I won't spoil it, but it didn't go as I expected, and with Other Woman storylines that's almost always a good thing.
A final aside: The acknowledgements at the beginning of the book note that I'm not fully out in real life, and since all my writing is queer, that means that not many know I write (loc. 23*). Here's hoping that the author will someday be in a position to share their writing with whomever they like. I'm glad that, until then, that's not stopping them from writing.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
Sometimes a girl just needs a bread-and-butter romance, so, you know, here we are. This is marketed at least in part as a small-town romance, but I'd argue that it's more accurate to call it a workplace romance. Alden and Rebecka are both software developers, and a lot of their early interactions take place at or around work. (If you're a techie yourself, I expect you'll be able to tell right away whether Wyland knows their stuff or is making it up as they go—I am not a techie, so I'm just going to assume that it all makes sense.) There's also a fair amount of soccer, which makes me happy, but I think the only real "small town" element is that the characters' friends tend to be up in their business. So...a better sell for those who like the workplace romance trope than those who like a small-town setting. (A side note: though pains are taken to make clear that Rebecka isn't in Alden's chain of command—and thus that there isn't actually a question of power balance—Alden comes on strong, which I don't really love when she's also fecking terrible about communicating her intentions. It is 100% fine to be looking for something casual, but why spend the night only to sneak out and block your one-time paramour's number? Why not leave when the night is over?)
At any rate, it's a cute story that flies by. The bedroom part of things isn't really to my tastes (I can't take romance seriously when characters go to bed together and immediately have, like, eleven screaming orgasms in a row), but there's a lot of it, so readers who are in it for the banging will have, ah, a banging good time. I'm more in it for the way the Other Woman storyline plays out—I won't spoil it, but it didn't go as I expected, and with Other Woman storylines that's almost always a good thing.
A final aside: The acknowledgements at the beginning of the book note that I'm not fully out in real life, and since all my writing is queer, that means that not many know I write (loc. 23*). Here's hoping that the author will someday be in a position to share their writing with whomever they like. I'm glad that, until then, that's not stopping them from writing.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
March 31, 2025
“I enjoyed reading this novel, however I think that there are about 300 that I would recommend to someone before this made the list”
-Me, to a friend after finishing this novel.
My rating: “B-“
Converted Rating: 3-Stars (Rounded down)
The Good:
-I always appreciate autism/ADHD representation and I think this novel did a great job.
-I liked most of the writing. The spicy scenes were spicy, and through the whole novel the narrating characters emotions came through very well.
-I liked the side characters. They were not especially well developed but they were enjoyable and added to the novel. The author did a good job of bringing certain characters back around for mildly surprising twists, which I thought was well done.
The Less Good:
-WAY too much jargon and tech-talk. If you don’t work as a programmer or software engineer, then there are large sections of this novel where you are simply not going to care about what’s on the page. I found myself fighting to not skim over sections (I might miss something!) and that’s never a good sign while reading. I often had no idea what they were talking about, and even if I did its generally not very interesting to have people go that deep into discussing the little details of their work (on programming a fictional program no less).
-The first protagonist was kinda creepy? In the early scenes she was almost stalkerish (but in a way I didn’t enjoy? Lmao) and then something about the way she came across/talked just didn’t work for me.
-The utter lack of communication in this novel. Avoiding communication is a weak plotline. There, I said it! I don’t know why authors decide to keep going this route as its generally never well received. The main conflict of the entire novel could have been solved at any time with a very obvious and short conversation and the only suspense was waiting to see when it would inevitably happen. Both characters earned a bachelors degree in missing obvious signs and misinterpreting situations.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
-Me, to a friend after finishing this novel.
My rating: “B-“
Converted Rating: 3-Stars (Rounded down)
The Good:
-I always appreciate autism/ADHD representation and I think this novel did a great job.
-I liked most of the writing. The spicy scenes were spicy, and through the whole novel the narrating characters emotions came through very well.
-I liked the side characters. They were not especially well developed but they were enjoyable and added to the novel. The author did a good job of bringing certain characters back around for mildly surprising twists, which I thought was well done.
The Less Good:
-WAY too much jargon and tech-talk. If you don’t work as a programmer or software engineer, then there are large sections of this novel where you are simply not going to care about what’s on the page. I found myself fighting to not skim over sections (I might miss something!) and that’s never a good sign while reading. I often had no idea what they were talking about, and even if I did its generally not very interesting to have people go that deep into discussing the little details of their work (on programming a fictional program no less).
-The first protagonist was kinda creepy? In the early scenes she was almost stalkerish (but in a way I didn’t enjoy? Lmao) and then something about the way she came across/talked just didn’t work for me.
-The utter lack of communication in this novel. Avoiding communication is a weak plotline. There, I said it! I don’t know why authors decide to keep going this route as its generally never well received. The main conflict of the entire novel could have been solved at any time with a very obvious and short conversation and the only suspense was waiting to see when it would inevitably happen. Both characters earned a bachelors degree in missing obvious signs and misinterpreting situations.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
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March 14, 2025A first one by Ria Wyland and it’s a good start.
Let’s start with my dislikes before moving to my likes. The author clearly works in programming and has a lot of that woven into her story. There is so much technical software development talk between the two main characters, it takes away from the story and is just too in depth in my opinion. Having a former Swedish football player basically turn very specialised software engineer over night, without formal training, is not very believable.
I like the overall writing style, it’s easy to read and engaging (aside from the above mention stuff). The idea of a serial monogamist and a player having a no strings affair is doomed to fail from the start, of course. Which makes it a fun story to read, even though you already know where it’ll end up. The player, Alden, never mixes business and pleasure, until Rebecka comes along. Now they both find themselves in a situation they usually avoid.
The story develops according to the unwritten formulaic lesfic rules, it’s a rather predictable read, nonetheless an enjoyable one.
Let’s start with my dislikes before moving to my likes. The author clearly works in programming and has a lot of that woven into her story. There is so much technical software development talk between the two main characters, it takes away from the story and is just too in depth in my opinion. Having a former Swedish football player basically turn very specialised software engineer over night, without formal training, is not very believable.
I like the overall writing style, it’s easy to read and engaging (aside from the above mention stuff). The idea of a serial monogamist and a player having a no strings affair is doomed to fail from the start, of course. Which makes it a fun story to read, even though you already know where it’ll end up. The player, Alden, never mixes business and pleasure, until Rebecka comes along. Now they both find themselves in a situation they usually avoid.
The story develops according to the unwritten formulaic lesfic rules, it’s a rather predictable read, nonetheless an enjoyable one.
April 23, 2025
I had a bit of trouble getting into this one. At first, I found Alden's behavior toward women a bit off-putting, so I had trouble liking her. Even if she insists on being honest with them, she could be a bit more polite. Then she meets Rebecka, who makes her want more. I liked every scene that brought them closer. The miscommunication trope is not my favorite, so I spent most of the book feeling frustrated and thinking, "Will you two please talk to each other?" Maybe the pill would have been easier to swallow with a small dose of jealousy from Alden.
The writer must be a developer to write such detailed conversations as those in the book. Maybe it was a bit too detailed and technical; even though it must be realistic, I admit I kind of skipped a few lines/paragraphs at times.But the writing is easy to read, the pace is good, and I liked the ADHD representation. The secondary characters are likable, and I was rooting for the two main characters to get together. If you enjoy miscommunication, this book is definitely for you.
The writer must be a developer to write such detailed conversations as those in the book. Maybe it was a bit too detailed and technical; even though it must be realistic, I admit I kind of skipped a few lines/paragraphs at times.But the writing is easy to read, the pace is good, and I liked the ADHD representation. The secondary characters are likable, and I was rooting for the two main characters to get together. If you enjoy miscommunication, this book is definitely for you.
March 14, 2025
Alden is a player who doesn't want a relationship when she meets Rebecka, an ex-football player and now Alden's coworker, and she obviously falls head over heels.
I really enjoyed the miscommunication trope in this one. Mostly because it was based in characters just refusing to tell each other how they felt and well, let's just say I find that very relatable. I thought Rebecka was a really sweet and enjoyable character, I enjoyed the story the most when we were in her pov, but I also enjoyed her with Alden. I did struggle with Alden as a character. I'm personally not a fan of cocky players who think they are a God's gift to anyone they want, and I thought her hitting on Rebecka so strongly while at work was pretty inappropriate. But once we moved past that and we got her softer side, the book became way more enjoyable.
I thought the book suffered from going too deep into technical details of their jobs as software developers. As someone completely alien to that, some of the bits of the book sounded like complete gibberish and were hard to get through. But once the book focuses more on romance it's a breeze.
I really enjoyed the miscommunication trope in this one. Mostly because it was based in characters just refusing to tell each other how they felt and well, let's just say I find that very relatable. I thought Rebecka was a really sweet and enjoyable character, I enjoyed the story the most when we were in her pov, but I also enjoyed her with Alden. I did struggle with Alden as a character. I'm personally not a fan of cocky players who think they are a God's gift to anyone they want, and I thought her hitting on Rebecka so strongly while at work was pretty inappropriate. But once we moved past that and we got her softer side, the book became way more enjoyable.
I thought the book suffered from going too deep into technical details of their jobs as software developers. As someone completely alien to that, some of the bits of the book sounded like complete gibberish and were hard to get through. But once the book focuses more on romance it's a breeze.
March 17, 2025
It's been a sweet story, with not much drama. Is about Alden, a woman with ADHD which causes her to behave in an unconventional way. Regarding relationships, she doesn't believe that any woman could want anything stable with her, so she only has one-night stands, no strings attached, no commitments. She focuses on her work and her painting, which allows her to calm her active mind. She mainly works from home, so she doesn't interact physically much with coworkers. But in a online meeting, she is instantly drawn to Rebecka, another programmer but in a lower level. From that moment on, Aiden will do everything possible to get physically closer to Rebecka, even though she doesn't quite understand what attracts her so much and so suddenly. Rebecka is a former soccer player with dual Swedish-American citizenship, but she played for Sweden and is quite well-known there. She hasn't gotten over a romantic breakup with a teammate from the national team, so her romantic life is nonexistent. That is, until she meets Alden, and little by little, she becomes convinced that she can try a new relationship with her. But Alden is a complex woman, and it won't be easy.
Ylva Publishing was kind enough to send me a copy via Netgalley for an honest review
Ylva Publishing was kind enough to send me a copy via Netgalley for an honest review
March 6, 2025
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Absolutely loved this one! The development of the relationship between Becks and Alden is very well done. Seeing Alden slowly fall in love and forget her player ways, and Becks trying to hide her own growing feelings was so sweet. There were also quite a few good spicy scenes, but their inclusion didn't take anything away from the more romantic moments as some other books I've read.
As well, I liked that they both had such interesting professions and they were well described. I loved meeting Becks' teammates and hearing about her soccer career, and also Alden's programming job (while there was a bit too much jargon) was unique. It was especially great that they worked together and it provided them a way to stay in contact while getting to know one another.
Overall, this was a wonderfully sweet slow-burn friends-with-benefits, and such a great read (especially as a debut!). I would look forward to more books from this author in the future! 5/5 stars.
Absolutely loved this one! The development of the relationship between Becks and Alden is very well done. Seeing Alden slowly fall in love and forget her player ways, and Becks trying to hide her own growing feelings was so sweet. There were also quite a few good spicy scenes, but their inclusion didn't take anything away from the more romantic moments as some other books I've read.
As well, I liked that they both had such interesting professions and they were well described. I loved meeting Becks' teammates and hearing about her soccer career, and also Alden's programming job (while there was a bit too much jargon) was unique. It was especially great that they worked together and it provided them a way to stay in contact while getting to know one another.
Overall, this was a wonderfully sweet slow-burn friends-with-benefits, and such a great read (especially as a debut!). I would look forward to more books from this author in the future! 5/5 stars.
March 28, 2025
“Who knew? I can have dreams and also have you.” 🥹🥹
A solid read. Witty and fun. Niche. The sweet epilogue still has me smiling days later. Binged this. I was really excited going into this book for many reasons: 1) neurodivergent character mentioned, 2) developer mentioned (and I LOVED the tech talk I read in the free excerpt), 3) FWBs are my jam, 4) author is AAPI and I was hoping for some AAPI rep. Didn’t get #4, other than maybe Alden liking hot water, but oh well…
Alden doesn’t care what other people think, mostly. She does what she wants, and confidently so: hooking up with other women, deciding her own work hours, and taking too much free office fruit (I LOLed at that). I say mostly because she does care when she falls for Rebecka and doesn’t want to be made a fool of (obviously).
Rebecka, on the other hand, is shy, somewhat insecure, and quietly HOT. I found it hilarious when Alden said to her “you could do with more confidence” or something like that. You tell her girl! I imagine I would be nervous too if I changed careers so completely and left everything behind. As much as I enjoyed her softness, I liked even more seeing her grow in confidence, albeit slowly, throughout the book. That’s why the epilogue was especially sweet,
The main thing I wanted to say: “Neurodivergent character” is mentioned, and it’s obviously Alden, but I honestly think both are, just in different ways. I want to start with Alden, because god was she relatable with her neurodivergence. I’m autistic and I’m fairly sure I also have ADHD. I know people experience ADHD differently, but I could relate to so much of what Alden did and said: loud music? Jep, sometimes I love it and it helps me focus, other times it’s the bane of my existence and I need it OFF. Reorganizing jars just to do something? Fidgety hands? Cluttered desk exactly how I like it? Hyperfocus and forgetting to go to the bathroom? Mind jumping from topic to topic? When I tell you I felt SEEN! We don’t talk enough about adult women with ADHD, often ones that have succeeded despite it, so it was refreshing to see. She might be autistic too? I mean, she codes for a living…lmao. (Takes one to know one)
Rebecka is presented as neurotypical, but with the way her anxiety even made me anxious I wouldn’t doubt if she’s also on the spectrum. She was relatable (kinda) in a different way, in the “I’m a normal person with a normal fear of rejection” way. Yes, we stan strong independent women, but not all of us are confident all the time. Big throwback to when I was a scared baby gay.
But speaking of baby gay…Jessie was adorable. And segueing to another side character: Lovisa was hilarious. I was so happy that she showed up in the epilogue. Alden’s best friends were fun but not as memorable as Lovisa or Jessie, maybe with the exception of Marie, who resonated with me as the soft and motherly one.
One of my favorite chapters ended up being the one in Ohio, probably because I liked seeing Rebecka challenged and emboldened. I also really enjoyed all the coding talk and wish it continued after the beginning, though I’m probably in the minority with this opinion. I just never thought I’d read “Confluence” in a book after working with it daily, so it was hilarious. Same with Agile. I imagine it’s gibberish to most readers though, so I like to think that this was a little treat for us lesbians in tech :) It’s hilariously accurate that Rebecka could change careers like that—I know someone on the design side who used to be a party planner. It tracks that Rebecka was in a frontend squad and that she struggled with basic backend things.
There was a bit more spice than I would’ve liked, but that’s a me thing. I would’ve been fine with no spice at all, but I’ve learned to pick my battles and not be choosy on that front. I generally just skim those scenes. Think there were like 3 distinct? So nothing too crazy. Still, it made their non-bedroom scenes extra precious to me. And of course, the sweet epilogue. Yes, the nature of their agreement meant they had sex a lot, but there was a clear chemistry/care/interest that kept them coming back to each other.
Did I cover all my bases? Probably not. To summarize, my favorite parts were the tech talk and the neurodivergence rep. Easy to read, engaging writing. Solid start to 2025 with this one. (I know it’s almost April, don’t come at me) 5/5, will read more from this author.
A solid read. Witty and fun. Niche. The sweet epilogue still has me smiling days later. Binged this. I was really excited going into this book for many reasons: 1) neurodivergent character mentioned, 2) developer mentioned (and I LOVED the tech talk I read in the free excerpt), 3) FWBs are my jam, 4) author is AAPI and I was hoping for some AAPI rep. Didn’t get #4, other than maybe Alden liking hot water, but oh well…
Alden doesn’t care what other people think, mostly. She does what she wants, and confidently so: hooking up with other women, deciding her own work hours, and taking too much free office fruit (I LOLed at that). I say mostly because she does care when she falls for Rebecka and doesn’t want to be made a fool of (obviously).
Rebecka, on the other hand, is shy, somewhat insecure, and quietly HOT. I found it hilarious when Alden said to her “you could do with more confidence” or something like that. You tell her girl! I imagine I would be nervous too if I changed careers so completely and left everything behind. As much as I enjoyed her softness, I liked even more seeing her grow in confidence, albeit slowly, throughout the book. That’s why the epilogue was especially sweet,
The main thing I wanted to say: “Neurodivergent character” is mentioned, and it’s obviously Alden, but I honestly think both are, just in different ways. I want to start with Alden, because god was she relatable with her neurodivergence. I’m autistic and I’m fairly sure I also have ADHD. I know people experience ADHD differently, but I could relate to so much of what Alden did and said: loud music? Jep, sometimes I love it and it helps me focus, other times it’s the bane of my existence and I need it OFF. Reorganizing jars just to do something? Fidgety hands? Cluttered desk exactly how I like it? Hyperfocus and forgetting to go to the bathroom? Mind jumping from topic to topic? When I tell you I felt SEEN! We don’t talk enough about adult women with ADHD, often ones that have succeeded despite it, so it was refreshing to see. She might be autistic too? I mean, she codes for a living…lmao. (Takes one to know one)
Rebecka is presented as neurotypical, but with the way her anxiety even made me anxious I wouldn’t doubt if she’s also on the spectrum. She was relatable (kinda) in a different way, in the “I’m a normal person with a normal fear of rejection” way. Yes, we stan strong independent women, but not all of us are confident all the time. Big throwback to when I was a scared baby gay.
But speaking of baby gay…Jessie was adorable. And segueing to another side character: Lovisa was hilarious. I was so happy that she showed up in the epilogue. Alden’s best friends were fun but not as memorable as Lovisa or Jessie, maybe with the exception of Marie, who resonated with me as the soft and motherly one.
One of my favorite chapters ended up being the one in Ohio, probably because I liked seeing Rebecka challenged and emboldened. I also really enjoyed all the coding talk and wish it continued after the beginning, though I’m probably in the minority with this opinion. I just never thought I’d read “Confluence” in a book after working with it daily, so it was hilarious. Same with Agile. I imagine it’s gibberish to most readers though, so I like to think that this was a little treat for us lesbians in tech :) It’s hilariously accurate that Rebecka could change careers like that—I know someone on the design side who used to be a party planner. It tracks that Rebecka was in a frontend squad and that she struggled with basic backend things.
There was a bit more spice than I would’ve liked, but that’s a me thing. I would’ve been fine with no spice at all, but I’ve learned to pick my battles and not be choosy on that front. I generally just skim those scenes. Think there were like 3 distinct? So nothing too crazy. Still, it made their non-bedroom scenes extra precious to me. And of course, the sweet epilogue. Yes, the nature of their agreement meant they had sex a lot, but there was a clear chemistry/care/interest that kept them coming back to each other.
Did I cover all my bases? Probably not. To summarize, my favorite parts were the tech talk and the neurodivergence rep. Easy to read, engaging writing. Solid start to 2025 with this one. (I know it’s almost April, don’t come at me) 5/5, will read more from this author.
April 23, 2025
Cute and fun!
Alden seems to have it made, but when she meets Rebecka Nash at work, everything starts changing as she feels herself falling for this cute woman. Rebecka has switched careers and everything is new, especially being back home in the US after 10 years abroad, except for how fast she falls for Alden.
Loved this! A great chance meeting but instant attraction romance that had me intrigued. Rebecka wasn’t a developer by nature so she was learning the trade and Alden’s help was priceless. Rebecka I identified with based on how she just fell for Alden and knew she might be a bit unattainable. It was quickly clear from the moment we met Alden that she was not one for falling for anyone. She did seem to have a perfectly set up life, living the dream as a single woman just having fun. How quickly Rebecka flipped all of that was fun.
Cute romances always need meddling friends and disruptive moments, which Ria delivered perfectly. Some of them were not even noticeable until nearer the end when Rebecka and Alden had grown closer and gotten to know one another, which was a lovely surprise. I adored all the moments they spent together, especially as they were getting to know one another but not taking it slow.
Loved it! A great romance and excited for more stories from Ria in the future.
Alden seems to have it made, but when she meets Rebecka Nash at work, everything starts changing as she feels herself falling for this cute woman. Rebecka has switched careers and everything is new, especially being back home in the US after 10 years abroad, except for how fast she falls for Alden.
Loved this! A great chance meeting but instant attraction romance that had me intrigued. Rebecka wasn’t a developer by nature so she was learning the trade and Alden’s help was priceless. Rebecka I identified with based on how she just fell for Alden and knew she might be a bit unattainable. It was quickly clear from the moment we met Alden that she was not one for falling for anyone. She did seem to have a perfectly set up life, living the dream as a single woman just having fun. How quickly Rebecka flipped all of that was fun.
Cute romances always need meddling friends and disruptive moments, which Ria delivered perfectly. Some of them were not even noticeable until nearer the end when Rebecka and Alden had grown closer and gotten to know one another, which was a lovely surprise. I adored all the moments they spent together, especially as they were getting to know one another but not taking it slow.
Loved it! A great romance and excited for more stories from Ria in the future.
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October 1, 2025Reading this book was a huge moment for someone who used to take screenshots of 17:23 on her phone
April 26, 2025
2.5 rounded down.
I really hate leaving a less than awesome review for young new writers who put themselves out there, but there were too many problems with this one to ignore. I think there is some promise for her future stories and hopefully she can grow.
If you are considering reading this, here are my main issues that really made this a challenge for me to slog through:
1. I love stories where a player is reformed, but there are players who don’t commit for a number of valid reasons, and there are players who treat women like conquests and objects. The author was aiming for the former with Alden, I believe, but really only showed us the latter. I would not want an Alden in my life in any capacity. Not a likable person in any way.
2. Others have called out the tech jargon. I work in software dev and still found it excessive, unnecessary, and at some points, unbelievable. There were times it felt like the author was just spewing her tech knowledge on the page where scenarios like that would not occur in a development environment. It didn’t add to the story and didn’t endear the book to me.
3. Miscommunication trope…. Cannot stand it and this is one of the worst examples of it I’ve ever seen.
4. It is really, really, REALLY boring when you get characters who are King Midas and excel at everything they do. World class soccer player decides to be a dev on a whim? Hotshot dev is secretly Monet in her off time? Characters are more interesting when they are nuanced and are challenged in their work and hobbies.
5. Not sure if the author used AI or not, but there are a couple of points where the dialogue feels like it was AI.
Had I known these 5 points going in, I maybe would have passed. At 300 pages, it is a longer book for the genre and was a challenge for me to finish.
I really hate leaving a less than awesome review for young new writers who put themselves out there, but there were too many problems with this one to ignore. I think there is some promise for her future stories and hopefully she can grow.
If you are considering reading this, here are my main issues that really made this a challenge for me to slog through:
1. I love stories where a player is reformed, but there are players who don’t commit for a number of valid reasons, and there are players who treat women like conquests and objects. The author was aiming for the former with Alden, I believe, but really only showed us the latter. I would not want an Alden in my life in any capacity. Not a likable person in any way.
2. Others have called out the tech jargon. I work in software dev and still found it excessive, unnecessary, and at some points, unbelievable. There were times it felt like the author was just spewing her tech knowledge on the page where scenarios like that would not occur in a development environment. It didn’t add to the story and didn’t endear the book to me.
3. Miscommunication trope…. Cannot stand it and this is one of the worst examples of it I’ve ever seen.
4. It is really, really, REALLY boring when you get characters who are King Midas and excel at everything they do. World class soccer player decides to be a dev on a whim? Hotshot dev is secretly Monet in her off time? Characters are more interesting when they are nuanced and are challenged in their work and hobbies.
5. Not sure if the author used AI or not, but there are a couple of points where the dialogue feels like it was AI.
Had I known these 5 points going in, I maybe would have passed. At 300 pages, it is a longer book for the genre and was a challenge for me to finish.
March 11, 2025
Workplace romance with an abundance of jargon and tech speak
This was a challenging read because one of the main characters was not very appealing to me for a long time, which made it harder to root for them to get together and stay together; I did eventually warm up to her but her treatment of the women she bedded was not impressive. Had she been a male character behaving this way towards women they'd have been labelled as something far stronger than just a jerk. The other main character was much more likable and relatable from the start with her shyness and awkwardness (despite her previous profession in the public eye). The scenes set in, and relating to, their workplace had lots of jargon, tech speak and some acronyms tossed around that were totally foreign to me so if you know the vocabulary and can read it with fluency you won't be as lost, or bored, as I was trying to get past them and into more familiar territory in terms of vocabulary. More than once the jargon went too much and deep in the weeds in my opinion and could have been better explained after paring it down; that might have helped to keep me in the flow of the story itself. Other word choices had me questioning if this story originated as fan fiction which is not intended as a slight to the author; many great published works in lesfic and other genres have their roots in fan fiction. I am curious however to read what this author publishes next and to see what other stories she has to tell.
There is humor and also drama in the story, plenty of miscommunication due to false beliefs and dishonesty between mains Rebecka and Alden. If your jam is lesfic where you want the mains to just sit down and be honest about their feelings (and they do get there, eventually, but not easily), this is a good option. ADHD comes up several times and the way it's viewed by each of the mains may help to dispel erroneous misconceptions about it out in the real world, without any kind of soapbox speech being delivered. Some of the secondary characters are more memorable than others while the rest blended together in my mind, particularly in friend groups. There were a few twists in the plot I didn't see coming and the ending was a bit different but still good. One stand out funny scene takes place in an IKEA store and may be relatable for some readers. If you want a workplace romance that's a little different and like one of the mains to be a player maybe give this debut lesfic a shot. And if you're a one chapter per sitting style reader, be aware that some of the chapters are on the longer side.
This was a challenging read because one of the main characters was not very appealing to me for a long time, which made it harder to root for them to get together and stay together; I did eventually warm up to her but her treatment of the women she bedded was not impressive. Had she been a male character behaving this way towards women they'd have been labelled as something far stronger than just a jerk. The other main character was much more likable and relatable from the start with her shyness and awkwardness (despite her previous profession in the public eye). The scenes set in, and relating to, their workplace had lots of jargon, tech speak and some acronyms tossed around that were totally foreign to me so if you know the vocabulary and can read it with fluency you won't be as lost, or bored, as I was trying to get past them and into more familiar territory in terms of vocabulary. More than once the jargon went too much and deep in the weeds in my opinion and could have been better explained after paring it down; that might have helped to keep me in the flow of the story itself. Other word choices had me questioning if this story originated as fan fiction which is not intended as a slight to the author; many great published works in lesfic and other genres have their roots in fan fiction. I am curious however to read what this author publishes next and to see what other stories she has to tell.
There is humor and also drama in the story, plenty of miscommunication due to false beliefs and dishonesty between mains Rebecka and Alden. If your jam is lesfic where you want the mains to just sit down and be honest about their feelings (and they do get there, eventually, but not easily), this is a good option. ADHD comes up several times and the way it's viewed by each of the mains may help to dispel erroneous misconceptions about it out in the real world, without any kind of soapbox speech being delivered. Some of the secondary characters are more memorable than others while the rest blended together in my mind, particularly in friend groups. There were a few twists in the plot I didn't see coming and the ending was a bit different but still good. One stand out funny scene takes place in an IKEA store and may be relatable for some readers. If you want a workplace romance that's a little different and like one of the mains to be a player maybe give this debut lesfic a shot. And if you're a one chapter per sitting style reader, be aware that some of the chapters are on the longer side.
March 29, 2025
So the main reason I wanted to read this one is bc I saw a few reviews mention how much tech talk there was in the book, as both leads are software developers. As a lesbian who's worked at a big company doing software dev for my whole adult life I wanted to see how that would translate to the page, if the tech talk made sense, all that stuff. And we got the acronyms and agile workflows starting on literally page 1!
Part of it felt a little forced and out of place, especially as it was usually done in one big info dump paragraph during their stand ups or discussing tech problems, but I think I was definately more picky than most would be just as that is my daily life.
Accuracy wise it was pretty solid, apart from how much free time Alden had... God I WISH I could work like she does. Like Becks says, her team must be shit at sprint planning & capacity if she's constantly left without work to do, and you can't tell me she wouldn't be pulling tickets off an endless backlog if she's done early 😂
Anyway enough about the tech. I really enjoyed this one after I got into it, I think the book really got into itself halfway through. I hate the miscommunication trope usually, but in this case it's understandable and how it unfolded was realistic. I enjoyed seeing both characters grow and expand their ways of thinking, and learning what they actually want and deserve.
It was also great to see some rep of someone who is a dual national, and someone who struggled with ADHD and the stigma surrounding it. I felt like Alden's ADHD was very similar to my own experiences and the ways it manifests for us (apart from car music, I NEED it to live). And I also really loved seeing Aldens group of friends, and Beck trying to find her footing with friendships after moving.
All in all a cute story with well developed characters and a sweet relationship! Now I gotta find out which company Alden works at and get myself an interview...
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Part of it felt a little forced and out of place, especially as it was usually done in one big info dump paragraph during their stand ups or discussing tech problems, but I think I was definately more picky than most would be just as that is my daily life.
Accuracy wise it was pretty solid, apart from how much free time Alden had... God I WISH I could work like she does. Like Becks says, her team must be shit at sprint planning & capacity if she's constantly left without work to do, and you can't tell me she wouldn't be pulling tickets off an endless backlog if she's done early 😂
Anyway enough about the tech. I really enjoyed this one after I got into it, I think the book really got into itself halfway through. I hate the miscommunication trope usually, but in this case it's understandable and how it unfolded was realistic. I enjoyed seeing both characters grow and expand their ways of thinking, and learning what they actually want and deserve.
It was also great to see some rep of someone who is a dual national, and someone who struggled with ADHD and the stigma surrounding it. I felt like Alden's ADHD was very similar to my own experiences and the ways it manifests for us (apart from car music, I NEED it to live). And I also really loved seeing Aldens group of friends, and Beck trying to find her footing with friendships after moving.
All in all a cute story with well developed characters and a sweet relationship! Now I gotta find out which company Alden works at and get myself an interview...
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
March 22, 2025
(3.5 Stars) Alden Breslin is a player, never sleeping with the same person more than once. She is also brilliant, blunt and has ADHD. She excels at her job as a director in software engineering. Rebecka Nash catches Alden’s eye during a company zoom meeting and Alden offers to help her on a project she is working on. Rebecca is a recent hire as a software engineer. She is in her thirties, and spent the last ten years playing professional soccer in Sweden, including being on their National Team.
This is pitched as a small-town romance but it is more of an office romance with good friend groups. To me small town romances are where everyone in town knows your business. The pair work for a large company and I cringed when Alden made her first move on Rebecka. But they work in different departments so the power imbalance is not a work issue. The story revolves around them being confused by mixed signals and trying to navigate feelings versus a vaguely defined friends with benefits situation. Honestly, Alden is off putting through a lot of the story. And Rebecka is often trying to understand Alden’s actions.
I liked Rebecka, because of course she is likable. The saving point and what fills out the book is both of their friend groups. They add humor to the story and more understanding to how Alden thinks and acts. I enjoyed reading the story but wasn’t necessarily cheering for Alden. I also thought the epilogue didn’t add much to the story as it takes place in the near future.
This is a debut book for the author and I will look for future books from her. Thank you to NetGalley and Ylva Publishing for the ARC and I am leaving an honest review.
This is pitched as a small-town romance but it is more of an office romance with good friend groups. To me small town romances are where everyone in town knows your business. The pair work for a large company and I cringed when Alden made her first move on Rebecka. But they work in different departments so the power imbalance is not a work issue. The story revolves around them being confused by mixed signals and trying to navigate feelings versus a vaguely defined friends with benefits situation. Honestly, Alden is off putting through a lot of the story. And Rebecka is often trying to understand Alden’s actions.
I liked Rebecka, because of course she is likable. The saving point and what fills out the book is both of their friend groups. They add humor to the story and more understanding to how Alden thinks and acts. I enjoyed reading the story but wasn’t necessarily cheering for Alden. I also thought the epilogue didn’t add much to the story as it takes place in the near future.
This is a debut book for the author and I will look for future books from her. Thank you to NetGalley and Ylva Publishing for the ARC and I am leaving an honest review.
April 5, 2025
Alden Breslin works in Software Engneering, and is a bit of a heart breaker, at least according to her friends. Rebecka Nash works at the same company, and normally Alden wouldn't hit on a coworker, but there's something about her.
Rebecka has noticed Alden, and thinks she's cute. Formerly a Swedish soccer player, Rebecka has only been in the states a few months.
(Amusingly Alden googles Rebecka and when they soccer player result comes up, assumes it's not her.)
Alden is neuodivergent, has ADHD.. And she has issues staying with someone overnight, even in her own home... so once they sleep together, Alden bolts leaving a very confused Rebecka. Ouch.
Alden also slept with Rebecka's other friend, Jessie. After trying a friends with benefits thing for awhile they fall for each other, but their communication is shit.
I was not impressed with Rebecka's former teammates conspiring to get her blackout drunk, as it nearly leads to her getting taken advantage of.
3 out of 5. Good, didn't blow me away, and the heroines mucking about annoyed me
Rebecka has noticed Alden, and thinks she's cute. Formerly a Swedish soccer player, Rebecka has only been in the states a few months.
(Amusingly Alden googles Rebecka and when they soccer player result comes up, assumes it's not her.)
Alden is neuodivergent, has ADHD.. And she has issues staying with someone overnight, even in her own home... so once they sleep together, Alden bolts leaving a very confused Rebecka. Ouch.
Alden also slept with Rebecka's other friend, Jessie. After trying a friends with benefits thing for awhile they fall for each other, but their communication is shit.
I was not impressed with Rebecka's former teammates conspiring to get her blackout drunk, as it nearly leads to her getting taken advantage of.
3 out of 5. Good, didn't blow me away, and the heroines mucking about annoyed me
March 4, 2025
First the positive. I loved that Rebecka was half Swedish and a former Swedish national football team player. The fact that Linköping was mentioned a lot as the place she lived in for years and played in the team there (LFC) was great since I live very close. The Swedish names, places, football teams and sentences all correct, so I suspect the author has close Swedish connections.
However, the writing is not really making me love the book overall. The chapters are a bit long, the writing way to wordy and way to detailed software discussions made me zone out. For a long time, the only interactions Alden and Rebecka had were sex, sex and more sex so difficult to belove they really will have more than that in the end, the relationship building aspect is really lacking.
I received a free ARC of this book via NetGalley and leave a review voluntarily.
However, the writing is not really making me love the book overall. The chapters are a bit long, the writing way to wordy and way to detailed software discussions made me zone out. For a long time, the only interactions Alden and Rebecka had were sex, sex and more sex so difficult to belove they really will have more than that in the end, the relationship building aspect is really lacking.
I received a free ARC of this book via NetGalley and leave a review voluntarily.
March 19, 2025
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book
aiden is very much a player and why not.... shes got everything she could ever want, a nice job. a nice house and working from home suits her so if she wants to play the field there isnt anything to stop her
Rebecka Nash is happy with her job and is still playing football even if its not representing her country anymore, her personal life not so much.... so when she meets aiden and finds out she only wants casual its a bit of a blow but she in for the ride....
i enjoyed getting to know aiden and rebecka their development was interesting to watch but i have to say the epilogue was a bit of a failure for me... i was wanting more than what we got...but on the whole its great to read a first book and watch the development of an author
aiden is very much a player and why not.... shes got everything she could ever want, a nice job. a nice house and working from home suits her so if she wants to play the field there isnt anything to stop her
Rebecka Nash is happy with her job and is still playing football even if its not representing her country anymore, her personal life not so much.... so when she meets aiden and finds out she only wants casual its a bit of a blow but she in for the ride....
i enjoyed getting to know aiden and rebecka their development was interesting to watch but i have to say the epilogue was a bit of a failure for me... i was wanting more than what we got...but on the whole its great to read a first book and watch the development of an author
March 17, 2025
This was my first book by this author and it was mostly enjoyable. I wouldn't say this was a small town romance though, more a workplace romance that revolves around a lot of sex with hardly any communication.
I did enjoy the soccer correlation, but overall, this was super wordy and tended to go on and on and on. There really seemed like no buildup for a relationship between Alden and Rebecka. They are software developers which I know nothing about, but it tended to delve too deep into their conversations that I tended to skim just to finish the chapter and eventually the book.
Not a bad book, but not one I would read again. I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I did enjoy the soccer correlation, but overall, this was super wordy and tended to go on and on and on. There really seemed like no buildup for a relationship between Alden and Rebecka. They are software developers which I know nothing about, but it tended to delve too deep into their conversations that I tended to skim just to finish the chapter and eventually the book.
Not a bad book, but not one I would read again. I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 18, 2025
This was a fun workplace romance between Rebecka, a former professional soccer player turned computer programmer, and Alden, a more experienced programmer working for the same company. I enjoyed watching Rebecka and Alden get to know each other and reveal their vulnerabilities and insecurities over the course of the novel. Both characters seemed relatable and like people I could imagine in my everyday life.
The story is heavy on both sports and programming/coding/tech, but not to the detriment of the characters or plot. I’m adding this to my re-read pile and would definitely recommend it to someone looking for a workplace romance that intersects sports and tech.
I received an ARC of the novel from NetGalley.
The story is heavy on both sports and programming/coding/tech, but not to the detriment of the characters or plot. I’m adding this to my re-read pile and would definitely recommend it to someone looking for a workplace romance that intersects sports and tech.
I received an ARC of the novel from NetGalley.
March 14, 2025
I have to admit, I’m having a hard time finishing this book. The character's background just feels a bit off to me—especially the idea of a former pro football player retiring and becoming some kind of software developer. I get the sense that the author might be a big fan of women’s football since all the details are spot on, but the career shift feels so random that I’m struggling to connect with the character and the story.
That said, I love the writing style, and I actually enjoy all the geeky conversations between Alden and Rebecka. I’m definitely looking forward to Ria’s next work!
I received a free ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.
That said, I love the writing style, and I actually enjoy all the geeky conversations between Alden and Rebecka. I’m definitely looking forward to Ria’s next work!
I received a free ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 6, 2025
It’ll be easier to start with what I didn’t like, a lot of the software stuff I didn’t understand and it was abit confusing especially at the start where they were just starting to talk.
The two MC’s made me want to hit my head against a wall sometimes how hopeless they were but it made me think of how hopeless me and my wife were at the start.
It was a nice read, a classic will they, won’t they story which I enjoyed, overall a great book, can’t wait to read more from this author
*full disclosure I was given this book in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley*
The two MC’s made me want to hit my head against a wall sometimes how hopeless they were but it made me think of how hopeless me and my wife were at the start.
It was a nice read, a classic will they, won’t they story which I enjoyed, overall a great book, can’t wait to read more from this author
*full disclosure I was given this book in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley*
March 24, 2025
I like how sweet the ending was. Lots of specific work conversations in the beginning that I didn’t really understand BUT I actually liked it, it helped me picture the two leads as professionals in their craft. Actually missed those conversations when they stopped after like chapter 3
made me laugh a lot (in a good way) (mostly Lovisa and how they got Richard) 4.5/5 fun read from a debut author
made me laugh a lot (in a good way) (mostly Lovisa and how they got Richard) 4.5/5 fun read from a debut author
July 6, 2025
I did end up enjoying reading this did have to take a few breaks cause some parts were boring for a short bit don’t let that stop you from reading.
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