Life under a microscope is stifling for anyone, but for Grace Easton, the world’s most recognizable pop superstar who has both feet firmly cemented in the closet, it’s particularly hellish. After walking away from the love of her life five years ago because she wasn’t ready to come out, she’s become a master of smiling for the cameras that hound her every step to hide the fact that she’s miserable.
Most days, Veronica Adams would say that she’s happy. Her work as an actress is fulfilling, and while it’s not easy to heal a broken heart when the woman responsible for it is a global superstar, with every year that passes, the ache in her chest gets a little easier to manage. She’s not over it, but she’s past it.
Or so she thinks.
Theirs was a love story that once played out in secret before being crushed under the weight of the world’s attention. When they’re thrown together in an impromptu chemistry read and then by an unexpected offer, they’re forced to confront the past. Their broken hearts are proof that love isn’t always enough, but maybe, just maybe, this time will be different.
MJ Duncan is a Southern California girl who traded in her surfboard for hockey skates when she moved to Minnesota. When not writing, MJ enjoys reading, climbing, swimming, and spending time with her family. You can also follow her on twitter (@mj_duncan) and tumblr (mjduncan).
This audiobook was… long. Don’t get me wrong, I love longer romances and devour them in no time. But there has to be a plot, some build-up of tension, and a sense of progress. And that’s exactly what was missing from this book. I really liked the beginning of this second-chance romance, and I wondered how long it would take for the actress Veronica and the singer Grace to find their way back to each other. That actually happened pretty quickly, and so I found myself listening to a nearly 14-hour audiobook in which nothing happened for 10 hours. Yes, there was a lot of spice and much passion, but that was pretty much the extent of the plot. At some point, I couldn’t even keep track of how many times “I love you” was said. It was repeated over and over again.
I liked Veronica and Grace’s relationship. The way they grew together and overcame the difficulties that had caused them to fail in the past. You could really feel that deep love and read it between the lines. However, I would have enjoyed the love story more if it had been a few hours shorter. There was no third-act breakup, and I’ve never longed for one more than in this book. Something to ramp up the tension.
Lori Prince is the narrator, and I loved her accented voice for Veronica. She always manages to convey emotion in her words.
If you’re looking for a lighthearted, low-drama read, this is the book for you. Otherwise, I can only offer a qualified recommendation.
M J Duncan was one of my first finds in LesRom & I thought she was a star. (Symphony in Blue.) This has a good story but too much sex for my liking and very luvvy-dovvy.
Veronica is an actor doing TV series and movies, based out of LA. The last five years she has been running on autopilot; Grace, her four-year girlfriend at the time, was deeply in the closet, and after a lot of media speculation about them both there was a car chase with paparazzi which ended in a crash and both seriously injured. Then to make matters worse, Grace ended things, which totally broke Veronica’s heart. They haven’t seen one another since that, five years ago.
Grace is an international superstar musician, making albums, touring, writing her own songs. After the crash which nearly killed them both, Grace tried to protect Veronica from the media frenzy which followed wherever she went. She thought ending their relationship was the easiest way to do this. Grace was frightened of coming out, frightened of what that would do to her career, so Veronica was always her secret, and she was always in denial when confronted by the media and her fans.
For both of the women, love was never the issue. They were always deeply in love, which has never left. But it was Grace’s fear that destroyed their relationship.
Now, Veronica has signed to be a lead in a new sapphic movie, but made for mainstream cinema. Veronica and the production team are doing chemistry reads for prospective love interests for her character.
An incredibly emotional and wonderfully written story, full of tenderness and love and very little deep angst. The makeout sessions are so hot, and the delayed love scenes are beautiful.
This talks about fame, and how celebrity status can bring danger, and how people in this situation have money, but often don’t have control over their own lives and safety. I suppose the ones who lose out the most are those with the fame or notoriety, but without the resources to keep themselves safe.
I loved the way this showcased the filming experience, the feelings of being on set, how everything works. And then having Grace and Veronica’s romance happening within that is magical. There is very little about the musical process for Grace, but that is contrasted with such meticulous detail about the filmmaking process.
Later in the story this isn’t so much about the women getting back together, although that is a huge part of it; they are already deeply in love again by then. It’s more about managing their romance throughout the onslaught of the media circus, and the public’s sense of ownership and perceived right to know everything about their private life.
There are many steaming hot scenes throughout this story, some merging into others, some distinctly separate. But the thing they all share is that this isn’t gratuitous sex for the sake of it. They are necessary for the storyline, and they are written in such a warm way to show the deepest emotional ties between Grace and Veronica; to show the sorrow of their past, and the necessity of the honesty between them, and to show their future truth.
In my Goodreads profile ramblings, I said that you will know if I find a special story, one that I will remember. This is one of those special, timeless and epic stories.
I've read quite a few lesbian celebrity romances. This certainly wasn't one of the most exciting. It was all so detailed and therefore a bit boring. At times, it felt like a behind-the-scenes documentary.
There was barely any storyline. I kept waiting for something noteworthy to happen. That moment never really arrived. I don't know if it was just me, but I just couldn't quite stay focused.
While I can certainly appreciate an extended sex scene, this book had a lot of them, but they dragged on for ages, and it was pretty much the same old every time.
There were some really good parts, but even those were sometimes dragged on too long.
Grace Easton is a pop superstar and has been in love with actress Veronica Adams. She has been for severalyears, and broken up with her for 5. When fate brings them together. This is a beautiful slow burn, sizzling HOT love story! Oh! To have a love as theirs. This is a FAVORITE! I love this book! Worth more than 5 stars!
OK, first let me just say that this is an MJ Duncan story. So you can expect sweet romantic moments, lots of spice, great banter, and an HEA that you know the FMCs deserve.
Grace and Veronica were very much in love until things had abruptly ended. Years later, after a surprise meeting , they realize that they now have another chance with each other that neither of them wants to mess up. This story is about their healing, making things right, and building a love that will withstand what it couldn't before ❤️🔥
MJ Duncan is one of my favorite authors. She tells the whole story of how the two MCs where together but had split up. They are put together by chance and the chemistry is still there. They work through their differences hoping for a second chance together. Yes, there are plenty of love scenes that are written beautifully, but is that not what we do when we get together. This is a wonderful and beautiful written second chance love story that everyone needs to read.
Although I've loved so many of MJ's previous books, I'm sorry to say this one just didn't do it for me. Maybe I'm just too old for this much sex! The beginning and end were terrific, the telling of the movie making was very interesting, and the passionate intensity between mega pop star Grace and Irish actress Veronica was deeply felt, but there was so much repetition even down to "the hands between her shoulder blades." If three or four chapters had been cut from the middle, the book would have flowed better. I prefer a journey of the romance, not just the physical aspects. However, this will not prevent me from reading another of MJ's books. She is a terrific writer!
Good start. There aren’t misunderstandings at the beginning and I am settled in to see how the mains cope with probably the same challenges that broke them up before, this time round. I enjoyed the fact that most of the memories of the relationship, at least initially, were good. Also that the “I don’t know if I can trust you again" seems real and reactions are consistent with that. 40% in and I am not sure where the story is going. Yes there is a certain amount of tension to see if the main that ran away last time, will run away again, but if they don’t, I’m not sure what will fill the book other than descriptions of how wonderful life is now, which since we didn’t live through at the time the awful experience of the split, doesn’t have the same pay off! So many intimate scenes means the writer is using a lot of different words to describe basically the same thing over and over with the result some of the word choices are possibly only made because they hadn’t been used yet, not because they are the right choice aesthetically for that type of scene. I am forcing myself to read on because there is no tension and I am just reading about them being happy. To alleviate the feeling, I took a break for a few books, and it worked because going back to reading about them being happy was nice. However I kept thinking there would be drama or angst. There wasn’t. If you are looking for a happy escape with loads of intimate scenes and minimal, bordering on no drama, them this will be perfect for you! If you are looking for more, this will not be the right answer.
This book had potential, the popstar Grace is back from a tour and is asked to write the music for a movie. A movie where the lead is her is her old girlfriend Veronica that she broke up with five years ago because she was not ready to come out. When visiting the set Grace is asked to play Veronica’s love interest in the movie and she accepts. This could have led to some awkward moments, some resentment over their past but no. Veronica forgives Grace at once and then the rest of the book is just about hooking up on and off the set and the sex is not even hot, it is just never ending, repetitive and boring. I am sorry to say that one of the most boring books I have ever read, and I will never understand how so little storyline can be dragged out on 480 pages. I regret I did not choose to DNF.
This is the second MJ Duncan book I’ve listened to and Halcyon Nights remains my favorite. This Love is Undeniable felt a little slower in pace and very detailed. If you enjoy frequent, detailed spice, then definitely give this book a try.
I’m always a sucker for a second chance romance, it is by far one of my favorite tropes to read. I would have liked a little more angst before the reconciliation but that’s just my personal preference. Still I very much enjoyed the story and look forward to listening to or reading other MJ Duncan books.
Lori Prince is wonderful as always, she can narrate just about anything and as soon as I see her name listed as narrator, it’s an automatic buy.
Thank you to MJ Duncan, Tantor Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an ALC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Grace Easton had all she needed in life. Her career was flying as high as her hits atop the charts and she had the love of her life, Veronica Adams. Until one day that was upended by nosy paparazzi who wanted to expose their relationship, causing an accident that resulted in Veronica to be severely injured. Grace, who was not out because she feared her queerness would hurt her career, stepped back from their relationship, crushing them both in the process.
Five years later, Grace is asked to write some music for an upcoming movie and is excited to do so because it is a sapphic movie with a queer director. She is asked to come in during a script read so she could get a feel for the movie and characters for her to create the music. When she walks into the door, she is faced with her past.
I received this audiobook from NetGalley and the Author in return for my honest review. If you’re looking for a listen / read that provides a lot of depth and emotion (and a lot of spicy scenes too), then this is your listen / read. I did not want to stop listening to this book and the only reason I did was because I had to work. This is a zero to low angst listen / read. This isn’t a spoiler but Grace and Veronica pretty much pair back up in the beginning of the book. As they build their trust and relationship with each other again, you learn more about their first go around and what happened as to why it didn’t work. You listen to / read in real-time as Grace grows more into herself and becomes comfortable with her identity and in her own skin. This is a beautiful listen / read and one I will not forget.
Lori Prince is the narrator of this book. I will never have a bad thing to say about Lori. She is a queen when it comes to narrating. I will listen to any audiobook she narrates and will actively seek out any audiobook she has narrated and listen to it if I have not already. This woman gets you into the story and gets you fully involved with the characters like you are living the story with them.
🎸 Sapphic Romance 🎸 Identity Conflict 🎸 Hollywood / Entertainment Industry 🎸 Second Chance 🎸 Closeted Celebrity 🎸 Emotional Healing 🎸 Pressure of Fame
I received an ALC from RB Media via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Grace, a world famous pop star, and Veronica, a well known actress had a secret relationship for years. Veronica wanted to go public with their relationship, but Grace was afraid, and broke off their relationship, breaking both their hearts.
Now, 5 years later, they are co-stars in a movie that has a remarkable similarity to the up and downs in their own past relationship, except they are playing the roles from an opposite perspective. Grace, in the movie wants their relationship to be public, and Veronica doesn't believe it will work because of their differences.
There is a push pull between the main characters and their best friends who help them to question what happened in their past, how they felt before reuniting, and what it could mean for their futures. There is a good level of spice - so maybe be cautious of listening volume if you are in the car. The spice drives forward the story line and really shows the love and the need of the FMCs to be together.
I enjoyed the story, it is low angst, explores challenges of being in the public eye, and how a second chance can provide clarity after heartbreak.
The narration by Lori Prince is well done. Not only do they capture the emotional moments of the characters, they do it in multiple accents! I can only imagine how difficult it was to go from Irish, to a stronger Irish accent, to a southern accent, and to a non accented narrator voice. It's a talent that needs to be celebrated more.
I truly believe the narrator makes an audiobook. I've turned off audiobooks within the first chapter if I can't connect with the narrator, even if I love the author. This is never an issue when Lori Prince is the narrator, she makes me want to listen.
I read this book previously, and it was just as good listening to it. I will say it is a commitment, 15 hours is a long time to spend with someone, but I valued the time with the characters and with Lori.
This second chance romance was minimal angst with a lot of spice. I liked the popstar and actress trope in this book. The public aspect of their respective occupations was not only the reason for their previous breakup, but a big hurdle in their current reconnection. That could have caused a lot of unneeded drama in the story, but I appreciated that it didn’t. This book was more like the aftermath of a tumultuous, angsty romance story.
I had trouble connecting with Grace, Veronica, and their love. This story heavily relied upon the fact that they had a previous yearslong relationship. As the reader, you didn’t see that background or have any flashbacks. The most we got was the mention of a story from many years ago. This made it hard to feel the love in this book. It was more telling the reader that Grace and Veronica were in love rather than showing the fact.
In addition to relying on their past, the story also involved too many spicy scenes. I am an avid romance reader, so a lot of spicy scenes is hardly a deterrent to me. In this book it got in the way of getting to know anything about the characters. After finishing this book all I know about the characters is: Grace is a famous singer, Veronica is an actress, and they are both in love. I wanted to know more about them so badly!
I wanted more from this story especially since it was a sapphic romance, but it fell flat for me. The audiobook was well produced and easy to listen to. It made for a good listen while I did household chores even if I wasn’t jazzed with the story. The narrators did a great job bringing the characters to life.
So this is different in a good way. There’s no Third Act break up … that all happened years before page one.
What tou get is two women learning to forgive and reforge their connection so they can rebuild a relationship that will endure. One MC must find the strength and courage to come out and the other has to learn to trust her again.
It’s obviously well researched, and is leaps ahead of the typical celebrity romance trope. The attention to detail from this writer is evident and appreciated. Many indie writers who do the celebrity romance trope, especially, do little to no research (as evidenced in a glaring lack of details) and the details in this one truly enriches this story and helps with reader engagement.
I would have liked to see more non-sexual development between the MCs, maybe some on-page emotional development. I really liked the style of the story and that there was no present day breakup, but it felt like there was just a little something lacking.
Despite this, it is still a great read … it just felt like it fell a bit shy of being fabulous. Like it was well written, but not as superbly crafted as it could have been. I would still recommend this book for those new to this author, and especially for those who have read her other works.
For more selective readers, this falls a little short of the bar set by, say, Midnight Rain, for instance. But again, it is still a GREAT READ, one I recommend without hesitation.
This was only my third sapphic romance, and I finally get why people love these stories so much. There’s a different kind of emotional honesty here, softer, slower, and way more intentional than what I’m used to.
Grace and Veronica have that kind of history you don’t just walk away from. Grace is a full‑on pop star trying to survive fame without losing herself, and Veronica is the actress who had to put her heart back together after their breakup. When they end up working together again, all those old feelings show up like they never left. And the way they move around each other? It feels real grown, careful, a little tender, a little guarded.
What I loved is that the book doesn’t force drama. It lets these two women figure out if they can actually show up for each other this time, not just fall back into old patterns. It’s messy in a very human way, not a chaotic one.
And the audiobook really adds something. Lori Prince gives both characters this steady, grounded energy that makes their connection feel lived‑in. Nothing over the top — just the right amount of emotion.
If you’re into second chances, celebrity pressure, femme/femme romance, and stories that care more about feelings than theatrics, this one is a really satisfying listen. And as someone still new to sapphic romance, I can officially say… yeah, I see the appeal.
This was an okay read for me overall. I did enjoy the core story and the direction of the plot, and I thought the journey of Veronica and Grace was meaningful. It was beautiful to see them work through past trauma while also navigating the vulnerability of fully committing to each other in the present.
I also appreciated the strong presence of friendship throughout the story. Those connections added warmth and support to the narrative and helped ground some of the heavier emotional moments.
That said, the pacing didn’t fully work for me. At times, the story felt a bit drawn out, and I found myself ready for it to wrap up. Some of the dialogue also felt a little over-the-top for my personal taste, particularly when it came to the repeated declarations of love. While I understand the intention behind emphasizing deep emotional connection, it occasionally pulled me out of the story rather than pulling me in.
Overall, while there were elements I truly appreciated—especially the themes of healing and connection—this one didn’t fully land for me. Still, if you enjoy emotionally expressive romances with a strong focus on love and personal growth, it may resonate more with you.
10 stars…I am speechless. Just…wow. Thank you SO very much to NetGalley and Tantor Media for giving me an ALC of this audiobook narrated by Lori Prince. How do I put into words how incredible this book is…the passion, the beauty, the immersive experience of MJ Duncan’s words. Lori Prince is truly a gift to this world…the accents within this story blew me away. I read a few reviews before I started this audiobook and, although there are several mentions of “eyes rolling into the back of my head” and “hands between shoulder blades”, I found it endearing and funny. Did I literally laugh out loud at the sheer number of times I heard those specific phrases? Yes, I sure did. But it also somehow added to the enjoyment of the story. This story made me giggle and blush, swoon and laugh, tear up and heart skip a beat. This is my first MJ Duncan book and I canNOT wait to read more!!!!! G and V made my heart SWOON. There were *countless* steamy scenes and I am here. for. it. I want to be swept up into a dreamy world when I read and this book *delivers*. I am just absolutely in love with this audiobook and cannot give enough reasons to listen/read this book!!!
Mega pop star Grace Easton and actress Veronica Adams had a romance that ended badly, but time moves on. Grace is called in to do songs for a new film, and V is there, the lead actress. However, finding a costar is becoming a issue.
Veronica is stunned to see Grace there, but hides it. This is also a lesbian film, and as Grace refused to out herself, she figures that will be that and she'll leave.
The director and producer suggest Grace and Veronica read a scene so Grace can get a feel for it... and the chemistry is so good they ask Grace if she'll costar in the film!
(We find out that photographers chasing them triggered a car crash that hurt V. I'm getting Grace's issues on this more, now.)
I did kind of go huh as Grace owns her record company. Why be worried to come out? I guess the fans could turn on her but still...
The supporting cast are also very solid. The actors and each heroines' best friends are really entertaining.
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. My only gripe is it lacks conflict, really...
I like a Hollywood romance and there were definitely things to like in this. A decent length book (as usual by this author) and a nice second chance romance. The intensity of feelings between the two MC’s is well conveyed. I also liked the way that Grace didn’t mess about on the coming out issue - once she’s got Veronica back, she’s all in! Less great was the lack of much drama and action in the plot, the number of times the MC’s said ‘I love you’ to each other (too many to count, but a LOT!) the overuse of an Irish term of endearment apparently meaning ‘sweetheart’ and an excessive amount of kissing, love biting (who likes being marked all over the place with hickeys?) and a surfeit of sex. Certain aspects of this reminded me of the wonderful ’And Playing the Role of Herself’ by KE Lane, but that is far superior IMHO. N.B There’s a typo in the first paragraph of Chapter 6 where MC Veronica Adams is misnamed as Victoria. That threw me out for a moment as the famous Victoria Adams is of course ‘Posh Spice’…and now Lady Beckham!
The story is cute. I didn’t enjoy it as much as some of MJ Duncan’s other stories though. More of a me issue than a story issue. I didn’t really connect with either character.
Grace’s entire issue seems to be that she just couldn’t take a stand and that seemed weird. Also, all the wishy washiness of ‘we can’t come out because people will make a big deal of it’ was… ehh?
Like, alright, the biggest music star in the world. She’s worth millions. Who cares if some of her fans get upset because she’s not the hateful Christian they want her to be? Just come out and let the bigots get over it on their own damn timelines.
Also, I loathe the term ‘break the internet’. Don’t use it. Just because your crappy little website was slapped together by your teenagers friends and it can’t handle a few hundred thousand visitors, it didn’t break the internet.
It’s a nonsense term, and shows how little you understand about it.
This book was cute and sweet, and sometimes quite steamy. I was thinking it would be more of a formulaic romance book, but I liked that it wasn't. I saw some reviews that mentioned there wasn't a plot in this book, and I don't think that's true as much as it's a mix between a cozy read and a romance. There aren't huge shifts or challenges or misunderstandings, true, but it's a cozy revamp of a pair falling in love. The point seems to be the small moments in which they choose each other again and again and choose to grow together.
Additionally, I really liked Lori Prince's performance in the audiobook version. I thought she did a great job voicing and differentiating the two main characters. She also did a wonderful job of enhancing the dialogue with emotion. I would definitely listen to something she read again in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the audiobook version and an honest review
A feckin great book. This is how a wlw ROMANCE book should be, lots of love scenes and other beautiful moments. Nobody's grandma, grandpa, mother or father had to die in this story. Nothing but pure happiness after Veronica and Grace ... I don't want to spoil what happens. I will just say brace for plenty of romance and love scenes. Read this book if you are tired of someone dying in a lesbian romance, read this book if you want more loving in a lesbian book. I don't know how some people gave it a bad review by saying too repetitive. How in the hell can kissing and lovemaking be too much in a LESBIAN book? Geez, put some happiness in your life and read a good lesbian story where the main characters meet up again and nobody dies, nobody goes for a man and it's nothing but lesbian nirvana in the book.
So, I’m a huge fan of Duncan’s books. I love that they all kinda link together through the Easter Eggs included in each book. If for whatever reason you haven’t noticed them I’d highly recommend reading the back catalog.
This book is seriously great, definitely had me hooked from the first few pages. Loved the characters, the setting and timing. I’ve seen a few reviews saying it has too much spice? I’m gonna disagree with those people. These two had 5 years to catch up on… 😏 I’ll admit to wanting at least one more chapter. Possibly more, but that’s an issue I have with most books I read. I would love to know how the film was received etc.
I’ll also admit I pictured V as Katie McGrath the entire time. As for G, well, yeah, you guessed it, Melissa B. I guess I basically read this as a supercorp fanfic. Am I ashamed of myself…nope 😏
This author knows how to write lesbian romance books and there is never a bad book from this author. Really good on world building, entertainment and heat. Yes the author is also good with the love screens. However I struggled to finish this book. Not because its a bad book, but simply a matter of preference.
I prefer characters not so much in love right at the start of the book. The "in between" ; that moment from 'just beginning to fall in love' to 'can't live without you ' is lost. And I really love being "part of" that journey. So a great book...but lost the best of what does it for me.
MJ Duncan is one of my favorite authors and after thinking to myself “hmm this is about the time of year MJ Duncan releases a new book” I was so happy to look on Goodreads and see This Love is Undeniable!
MJ Duncan writes beautiful characters and you can feel their emotions. This one had my teary eyed in the first 2 chapters, laughing as the characters fell in love, and crying happy tears by the end. Grace and Veronica had insane chemistry throughout the book and this story made me blush, kick my feet, and performing a dramatic retelling to my wife.
I know I can always rely on MJ Duncan for an incredible story and am so thankful this one came out while I was in a reading slump.
I gave this five stars respecting the way MJ created a story for Veronica & Grace. The history way back when, gave us a connection that was so special in Grace’s quest for a second chance. There were areas where you laughed, areas where you cried. Mostly the story captured their way back to each other and their relationship. The vocal lines being drawn displaying their love for each other without care or worry. Was it a little long, yes. The writer made sure we got the point. But in the world we live in now, love being expressed in every way over a few chapters is alright with me.
I was really excited going into this because the couple is together fairly early on, and I was looking forward to seeing them navigate challenges as a team. It was well written and I genuinely enjoyed probably the first 30-40% of the story. However, I ended up stopping altogether around the 74% mark because the story felt stagnant. The plot ceased to move forward. the book may have worked better at a shorter length, as many scenes and conversations felt repetitive halfway through.