Sense And Instability: An enemies to lovers sapphic romance set in Minneapolis

by CM Harris

Late-blooming curvy girl Lina Johannsson leaves her predictable copywriting job to bring stability to a floundering Minneapolis marketing firm. Led by enigmatic designer Isabel Sloane, the diverse and eccentric staff spitball their way through daring projects that barely pay enough to keep the lights on. As the two women circle each other, down-to-earth Lina bristles at Sloane's unconventional methodology and troubled past. Despite this, they team up to create ground-breaking real estate campaigns while an inconvenient attraction flickers between them.

Meanwhile, their growing city experiences an increasing homeless population and police violence. Lina and Sloane grapple with their agency’s role in gentrification and culpability in the unrest—navigating it on separate paths that eventually merge. As Lina grows into a more confident woman, their relationship heats up. When she discovers firm investors want her to replace “bohemian” Sloane as creative director, it threatens their partnership in more ways than one.

Perfect for fans of Ashley Herring Blake, TJ Alexander, Clare Lydon, Georgia Beers, Melissa Brayden, Harper Bliss, Lee Winter, Jae, and Crystal Maldonado.

Genres: Romance, Lesbian

308 pages, Paperback

Published August 3, 2025

About the author

CM Harris is the author of novels SENSE AND INSTABILITY, THE THICKET/SHE NEVER LEFT, MAIDEN LEAP, ENTER OBLIVION, and THE CHILDREN OF MOTHER GLORY

Her short stories and essays appear in O Magazine, The Fabulist Magazine, Escape Artists’ Pseudopod podcast, SALiT Magazine, Harrington Literary Quarterly, Queer Voices: Poetry, Prose, and Pride, and the anthology Coppice & Brake.

Her screenplay The Cost of Glory received a Gold Award for Best Concept Script and a Silver Award for Best Feature Script from the Queen Palm Film Festival. Her screenplay 'A Woman Unbecoming' was a semi-finalist at Horrorfest.

CM Harris lives in Minneapolis with her wife and their twins. She is also the lead singer/guitarist of the indie rock band Hothouse Weeds.

Reviews

[Stuffl · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Sense And Instability” is an office romance about two women, Sloane and Lina. They have very different personalities, and considering how the story begins, it fits nicely into the “enemies to lovers” category.

I had trouble getting into the story, especially the numerous projects that Sloane's team was working on. I really lost track there. What I did like, however, was the team. I found it very impressive how they were there for each other, not only professionally but also privately. For example, they went to parties together and had a lot of fun.

Sloane and Lina definitely had chemistry, and I liked the moments when they exchanged glances and there was tension in the air. However, I completely missed Sloane's point of view here. I would have loved to know how she feels and how she sees Lina. The time jumps also confused me. Lina's memories sometimes merged with the present, and I wasn't sure where I was in the plot.

Overall, it's a nice novel, but the plot didn't captivate me.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[KJ The Grey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was multilayered in a way a lot of typical sapphic romances are not. It kinda had rom com vibes but had moments tackling issues like BLM, and how to help the unhoused population etc. What I found I liked most about the book was watching the MC try to do better throughout those moments oh how to step up her game and not be so self absorbed and get her head into the happenings around the city from people that don’t look like her. It’s not a bad thing, I think a lot of people have a sense of “Im helping” while almost entirely missing the point, until they actually do the work when it comes to being an advocate and ally.

The characters were diverse, and honestly the only one that I wasn’t always sold on was the MC. I think that is because even though we are always in her POV, she seemed a bit unsettled within herself for the first while. Heads up digging in, there’s a lot of focus on the workplace front. Very marketing cantered, and while not bad, I found myself getting lost in the “why” since I am not from Minnesota, nor the marketing world. Despite that, it had a lot of fun moments, and heavy. The end seems like a tonal shift, hard, but I feel when this story takes place, it did for a lot of us in the world. The time jumps seemed rather confusing for me as well. I think for a slow burn I typically like a bit more pining than what was displayed, but there was no point that I was bored because these characters were chaotic in all of the best ways.

All in all, I enjoyed it and am pleased to have gotten an advanced copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily. The writing itself was done well, and I’d love to read more from the author.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sense and Instability follows Lina and Sloane in a contemporary sapphic rom com at an architecture firm. Tension builds as Lina both doesn't want to jeopardize her job, nor does she want to hurt her friendship with Sloane.

I'd say this was a slow burn. The romance doesn't really start until about 2/3rds of the way through the book and while the spice isn't YA, it's also quite minimal, so if you're looking for something lower spiced, this is for you. It's a fun read with lots of dialogue and a large cast. It feels similar to the early 2000's novels with a lot of brand name drops and cultural references, just made sapphic.

I took a star away because I really wanted to know more from Sloane's POV. She feels like a much more interesting character and we only get the 1st person POV from Lina. This might have also increased the tension to last all the way to that 2/3rds point.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet chaos that works! I enjoyed this book by a new to me author. I got hooked in the early chapters and hardly put it down after. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

There is fun, depth, tension, romance, character growth and connections. Sloane and Yohann ;) are memorable and relatable characters and I recommend their story!

[Cheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked a lot of this novel but there were some things that stood in the way of falling totally in love with it.

First off, I love the author's voice. Some of the prose is poetic and evocative, but some is modern language and real-life. I loved the side characters, particularly the co-workers. I loved that the civil unrest that hit Minneapolis and other cities, including my own Milwaukee, was discussed and dealt with by a diverse cast. Also how different moral/political views exist in families.

I wish there had been more depth on the hard emotional stuff, though. I wanted to know how Sloane dealt with her loss and how those things were addressed or eased through her new relationship with Lina. I wanted much more personal depth instead of so much work-life stuff. And, while I appreciate the ending for what it was, a little less abruptness would have been nice. I had to check to see if I missed a page.

While this didn't knock it out of the park for me, I did enjoy my time reading and will absolutely recommend Sense and Instability to my friends.

Thanks to Booksprout and the author for the ARC.

[Fran Sappharc · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a bit at sixes and sevens at the start as I couldn't get straight in my head who was who and what was what. That settled down and I really got in to the book.
Some wonderful writing and really good points made, not in a lecturey way.
I got really quite emotional at some bits, they are so well written! A wonderful book that tackles some difficult subjects. I've made this sound heavy……I would describe it as true to life rather than escapism. Yet still a beautiful romance.

[Johnni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the slow movement from enemies to something more. I liked the way the workplace romance developed. It was also nice to see the impact of some current issues upon their relationship. I would definitely read more by this author.

[fedstyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

full review coming soon

[SusieQ · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the description to the cover, this book immediately appealed to me. It was my first time reading something by this author, and I truly enjoyed the writing style. The way the characters were described made them feel real—whether you like them or not, they were convincingly and beautifully portrayed.

I also appreciated how the developments in the business world were woven together; the storyline came together nicely in that regard. The main characters had a genuine connection, which made their journey engaging to follow.

What I did find more challenging were the time jumps. At certain moments it wasn’t clear to me right away that the story had shifted, and I even wondered if I had accidentally skipped a page. This made it harder to fully follow the characters’ choices.

Overall, I am enthusiastic about this book, but because I sometimes lost the thread of the story, I would give it 3.25 stars.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Penelope · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an office romance, on the slow burn side that I really enjoyed.

I thought it was gonna have more spice but I didn’t mind.

It was an easy read with fun and well written characters.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Heather Grey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Sense and Instability. The business plotting, social activism thread, and the side stories all pulled their weight, and I found myself invested in the world Lina moves through.

Where I wanted more was the romance itself. We spend the whole book in Lina's head, so I expected to feel every change in her attitude to Sloane: the small physical cues, the second-guessing, the quiet recalibrations. Instead, Sloane sometimes seemed to shift quickly without Lina visibly registering it, and Lina herself occasionally pivoted without the introspection the rest of the book had me primed for.

That's a wish-list note more than a complaint. The bones of the relationship are there, and the surrounding story is strong enough that I'd still recommend it. I just would have happily traded some of the side plot real estate (sorry for the pun if you've read this) for more time inside the romance.

Thanks to the author/publisher for the ARC ebook. This review is my own honest opinion.

[Naito Diamond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sense and Instability is an FF opposites-attract romance that delivers exactly what its title promises. Lina is grounded, sensible, and logical, while Sloane—her manager at a marketing agency—is more volatile and emotionally unpredictable. Their dynamic is interesting on paper, especially in a workplace setting, and the story is competently told.

While I appreciated the representation (sapphic contemporary romances are still far too rare), the book didn’t fully click for me on an emotional level. The romance felt more restrained and analytical than passion-driven, which may simply be a genre convention but left the connection feeling a bit distant. One aspect I found lacking was the single POV: experiencing the story solely through Lina’s perspective made it harder to truly understand Sloane and her inner world. A dual POV might have added depth and emotional texture.

Overall, it’s a solid, inoffensive read—enjoyable enough once, but not one I’d revisit.

[September Withers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sense And Instability is a smart, engaging enemies-to-lovers romance that combines emotional depth with contemporary social awareness. CM Harris skillfully develops Lina and Sloane, creating tension, chemistry, and growth against the backdrop of a diverse Minneapolis marketing firm. The story balances romance, personal transformation, and meaningful exploration of citywide issues like gentrification and social justice. With well drawn characters, realistic dialogue, and a heartfelt narrative, the novel delivers a satisfying and thought-provoking romance that will resonate deeply with fans of LGBTQ contemporary fiction.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written. Highly recommend.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t love it. Also didn’t realize how political would be!