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Her and Her: Lesbian short stories
A book of short stories imagining the lives of lesbians from 1952 to 2002.
Based on research into the social customs and political norms of the day, these stories capture the extraordinary lives of ordinary lesbians.
From the 1952 era of 'Female husbands' to 2003 when two elderly women find love in a nursing home.
Stories of nurses caring for the survivors of IRA bombing, Coming out stories. Tales of a woman with disabilities. Topics covered include considering having children, Infidelity and Stalking.
Diverse lives, described over diverse decades.
Based on research into the social customs and political norms of the day, these stories capture the extraordinary lives of ordinary lesbians.
From the 1952 era of 'Female husbands' to 2003 when two elderly women find love in a nursing home.
Stories of nurses caring for the survivors of IRA bombing, Coming out stories. Tales of a woman with disabilities. Topics covered include considering having children, Infidelity and Stalking.
Diverse lives, described over diverse decades.
126 pages, Paperback
Published April 23, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 20, 2025
Her and Her, Lesbian Short Stories is a book written by Jane McKears which, as the title suggests, is a collection of short stories of various lesbian couples navigating life throughout the years. This is McKears’ first book, and although the story focuses on several different couples, they are all based in the same area of Birmingham. The cover of the book is full of positive LGBTQ+ imagery, almost like having a pride parade in the hand every time the reader picks up this book. With its soft colours and diverse cast, the cover really draws the reader in. Through each story there is a little line of interconnected-ness which is really interesting, especially when you can see how these characters may have affected the others lives without even knowing, just like in real life.
That being said, the book could benefit from further editing. Each of the stories is written with predominantly short sentences, of which some of them could be combined to give the story more flow. Currently, its borderline bullet point narration makes the story feel more like the author is telling you what happens, rather than the reader experiencing the story with the characters as it develops. Whilst I am aware that it is only a short story, the compact nature of the sentences creates a fast pace which is not really needed for ‘slice of life’-esque stories such as these. Additionally, there are some grammatical errors and the author tends to flip the narration from one character’s perspective to another without any signal to the reader, which creates a little confusion. These things would be picked up and flagged by a professional editing team. Fixing these bits would elevate the book to its full potential, but did not take away the enjoyment for me of reading LGBTQ+ folks just living their lives.
That being said, the book could benefit from further editing. Each of the stories is written with predominantly short sentences, of which some of them could be combined to give the story more flow. Currently, its borderline bullet point narration makes the story feel more like the author is telling you what happens, rather than the reader experiencing the story with the characters as it develops. Whilst I am aware that it is only a short story, the compact nature of the sentences creates a fast pace which is not really needed for ‘slice of life’-esque stories such as these. Additionally, there are some grammatical errors and the author tends to flip the narration from one character’s perspective to another without any signal to the reader, which creates a little confusion. These things would be picked up and flagged by a professional editing team. Fixing these bits would elevate the book to its full potential, but did not take away the enjoyment for me of reading LGBTQ+ folks just living their lives.
May 5, 2025
This beautifully written collection of short stories offers a captivating glimpse into the lives of lesbians from 1952 to 2003. I read it in one sitting - an easy, immersive read full of unexpected plot twists and vivid descriptions. Each story stands on its own, yet subtle links between them build toward a touching finale that revisits the first tale, 50 years later. The warmth and intimacy of the writing made me feel a part of the characters’ friendships and lives. I felt it thoughtfully explored the struggles and resilience of the LGBTQ community, highlighting the evolving landscape of lesbian identity over the decades.
June 2, 2025
full disclosure I am a friend of Jane having met her in 2007 in Egypt
Nevertheless, these are really great stories which I could not get enough of. I truly hope Jane expands on the story of Les and Edith and turns it into a novel taking readers from a time of forced hidden identity to Edith's choices today. Do Katy and Bronwen reunite after the gap year.
While I am not a Lesbian, I appreciated each story for its authenticity. I cannot wait for Jane's next book
Nevertheless, these are really great stories which I could not get enough of. I truly hope Jane expands on the story of Les and Edith and turns it into a novel taking readers from a time of forced hidden identity to Edith's choices today. Do Katy and Bronwen reunite after the gap year.
While I am not a Lesbian, I appreciated each story for its authenticity. I cannot wait for Jane's next book
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews