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A Satchel of Richards
Novelist Bridget Stanton’s life needs a massive rewrite. Between the mortgage on her first home, a perfect if teensy beach cottage, and the cost of feeding her horse-sized dog, she’ll never be able to quit her day job. Until it quits her.
Suspended for teaching the suddenly and inequably banned A Wrinkle in Time, her childhood favorite, she is desperate for a book advance. So she throws herself at the mercy, literally, of her brand new, witty, suave, unflappably charming agent, who has reluctantly inherited her.
His skip the Lit Fic and write steamy romance instead. Has he met her? Actually, no. But Bridget knows nothing about passionate sex. Ever ready with advice, he proposes a research—she needs to get herself a satchel of Richards.
Enter Josh, a wildly successful romance cover model with Hollywood screenwriting dreams. His vivid descriptions have helped numerous authors navigate their spiciest scenes, but Bridget, it seems, needs a more hands-on approach.
As their "research" heats up, she offers him credit on the book—a big break that could help launch his wished-for career. But her publisher balks. The God of Abs cannot share the byline.
Now, Bridget must do it their way and save her way of life or risk it all for a real-life love story.
A Satchel of Richards is your must-have accessory for spring!
Suspended for teaching the suddenly and inequably banned A Wrinkle in Time, her childhood favorite, she is desperate for a book advance. So she throws herself at the mercy, literally, of her brand new, witty, suave, unflappably charming agent, who has reluctantly inherited her.
His skip the Lit Fic and write steamy romance instead. Has he met her? Actually, no. But Bridget knows nothing about passionate sex. Ever ready with advice, he proposes a research—she needs to get herself a satchel of Richards.
Enter Josh, a wildly successful romance cover model with Hollywood screenwriting dreams. His vivid descriptions have helped numerous authors navigate their spiciest scenes, but Bridget, it seems, needs a more hands-on approach.
As their "research" heats up, she offers him credit on the book—a big break that could help launch his wished-for career. But her publisher balks. The God of Abs cannot share the byline.
Now, Bridget must do it their way and save her way of life or risk it all for a real-life love story.
A Satchel of Richards is your must-have accessory for spring!
366 pages, Paperback
Published January 20, 2026
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27 people want to read
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November 7, 2025
A Satchel of Richards by Lee Taylor
Thank you to Periwink Press and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.
Let me start by saying I did not expect A Satchel of Richards to be the literary equivalent of a rollercoaster ride run by a caffeinated raccoon. And yet—here we are. This book is loud, chaotic, occasionally brilliant, sometimes baffling, and absolutely committed to being A Lot. Did I enjoy it? At times. Did I want to throw it across the room? Also yes.
The setup is irresistible in that “this should be a Netflix movie” kind of way: Bridget Stanton, a recently unemployed middle-grade English teacher, gets suspended for daring to teach A Wrinkle in Time in her Florida classroom. Because Florida. With bills to pay and a mortgage hanging over her head like the sword of Damocles, she makes a wild Hail Mary and flies to New York to beg for an advance from her brand-new, never-met-him-in-person literary agent. He gives her some soul-crushing advice: ditch the literary fiction and write steamy romance. You know, the kind that actually sells.
The only problem? Bridget has no experience writing—or having—hot, emotionally charged sex. Her solution? “Get herself a satchel of Richards.” (No, seriously. That is the actual phrase used.) Which leads her to Josh: a romance cover model with dreams of becoming a screenwriter, a chiseled everything, and just enough depth to keep him from being a literal Ken doll. He offers to “help” Bridget with her “research,” and before you can say “mutual exploitation with benefits,” they’re knee-deep in romantic tropes, a mirror installation, and unresolved sexual tension.
Here’s where things get tricky. The book starts off sprinting—like, chaos-out-of-the-gate fast. Bridget’s voice is manic, sarcastic, unfiltered, and at first, it’s kind of fun. But within the first 30 pages, she’s hearing voices, dreaming about faceless gym hunks, losing her job, and making life-changing decisions like flying across the country on zero notice with almost no money. It’s a lot. And not always in a good way.
The tone swings wildly. One moment we’re discussing the deeply real issue of book bans in public education, and the next moment, Bridget is making sexual innuendos at a man she’s never spoken to. The pacing is jarring, with entire plot points appearing and vanishing like literary whack-a-mole. Is there magical realism? Is the dog a metaphor? Why does her agent seem to exist purely to sigh dramatically and drop romcom wisdom like a sexy fairy godmother?
Josh, the love interest, is equal parts charming and empty calories. We’re told he’s deep, thoughtful, sensitive—but we mostly just see him shirtless and occasionally brooding. There are flashes of something more, particularly when he’s co-writing with Bridget and showing actual vulnerability, but they’re fleeting. Their chemistry is… fine. Not scorching, not fake, just solid “hot people who like each other, probably.” The emotional connection between them never fully takes root because we’re too busy being told they’re falling in love rather than being shown.
And then there’s the spice. Or, more accurately, the lack thereof. For a book built around the premise of learning to write sex scenes by having sex, the actual scenes are oddly chaste. There’s a lot of talk about sex, and even more talk about how mind-blowing it supposedly is, but when the action happens, the camera pans away. We get metaphors. We get dialogue. We get post-coital reflections. What we don’t get is the thing we came for. It’s like ordering a jalapeño margarita and getting a glass of LaCroix with a pepper floating in it.
That said, there are some moments that genuinely work. There’s a sharp, witty thread buried under the chaos. Bridget’s internal monologue occasionally lands with perfect timing. Josh has a few monologues that are almost romantic. And there’s a quote that honestly made me pause and smile:
“I’m not sure if this is research or love, but either way, I want to keep writing it.”
It’s one of the few lines that nails the intersection of creativity, intimacy, and emotional risk the book was aiming for.
Unfortunately, for every strong moment, there’s a baffling one. There are entire scenes where characters say things no human being would ever say, or behave in ways that feel written for drama instead of grounded in reality. Miscommunication runs rampant, and not in the fun romcom way—more in the “I’m losing brain cells watching these two grown adults avoid one honest conversation” way. And don’t get me started on the dog, who’s either a metaphor, a personality test, or an excuse for Bridget to fall over in public a lot.
The book improves around the halfway mark. The writing calms down, the characters get slightly more tolerable, and the plot threads start to tie together. The final act wants to be sweeping and emotional, but the stakes don’t quite land because we were never fully convinced these two people should be together in the first place.
Overall? I’d call this a bold, messy debut with a lot of ambition and a title that oversells the spice. It’s not without charm, and there are readers who’ll love the chaotic voice, the self-aware banter, and the emotional journey of a woman learning to own her story. But for me, it was just too uneven. The highs were high, but the lows had me muttering “you have got to be kidding me” out loud more than once.
Rating: 3 stars — a solid “I read it, I survived it, I might never fully understand it” kind of read.
#ASatchelofRichards #NetGalley #RomanticComedy #RomComBooks #BookReview #RomanceReaders #BookTok #RomanceBookRecs #LeeTaylor #SatchelOfRichardsReview #ContemporaryRomance #ARCReview #Bookish #BookBanDrama #RomanceWritingFails #SlowBurnRomance
Thank you to Periwink Press and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.
Let me start by saying I did not expect A Satchel of Richards to be the literary equivalent of a rollercoaster ride run by a caffeinated raccoon. And yet—here we are. This book is loud, chaotic, occasionally brilliant, sometimes baffling, and absolutely committed to being A Lot. Did I enjoy it? At times. Did I want to throw it across the room? Also yes.
The setup is irresistible in that “this should be a Netflix movie” kind of way: Bridget Stanton, a recently unemployed middle-grade English teacher, gets suspended for daring to teach A Wrinkle in Time in her Florida classroom. Because Florida. With bills to pay and a mortgage hanging over her head like the sword of Damocles, she makes a wild Hail Mary and flies to New York to beg for an advance from her brand-new, never-met-him-in-person literary agent. He gives her some soul-crushing advice: ditch the literary fiction and write steamy romance. You know, the kind that actually sells.
The only problem? Bridget has no experience writing—or having—hot, emotionally charged sex. Her solution? “Get herself a satchel of Richards.” (No, seriously. That is the actual phrase used.) Which leads her to Josh: a romance cover model with dreams of becoming a screenwriter, a chiseled everything, and just enough depth to keep him from being a literal Ken doll. He offers to “help” Bridget with her “research,” and before you can say “mutual exploitation with benefits,” they’re knee-deep in romantic tropes, a mirror installation, and unresolved sexual tension.
Here’s where things get tricky. The book starts off sprinting—like, chaos-out-of-the-gate fast. Bridget’s voice is manic, sarcastic, unfiltered, and at first, it’s kind of fun. But within the first 30 pages, she’s hearing voices, dreaming about faceless gym hunks, losing her job, and making life-changing decisions like flying across the country on zero notice with almost no money. It’s a lot. And not always in a good way.
The tone swings wildly. One moment we’re discussing the deeply real issue of book bans in public education, and the next moment, Bridget is making sexual innuendos at a man she’s never spoken to. The pacing is jarring, with entire plot points appearing and vanishing like literary whack-a-mole. Is there magical realism? Is the dog a metaphor? Why does her agent seem to exist purely to sigh dramatically and drop romcom wisdom like a sexy fairy godmother?
Josh, the love interest, is equal parts charming and empty calories. We’re told he’s deep, thoughtful, sensitive—but we mostly just see him shirtless and occasionally brooding. There are flashes of something more, particularly when he’s co-writing with Bridget and showing actual vulnerability, but they’re fleeting. Their chemistry is… fine. Not scorching, not fake, just solid “hot people who like each other, probably.” The emotional connection between them never fully takes root because we’re too busy being told they’re falling in love rather than being shown.
And then there’s the spice. Or, more accurately, the lack thereof. For a book built around the premise of learning to write sex scenes by having sex, the actual scenes are oddly chaste. There’s a lot of talk about sex, and even more talk about how mind-blowing it supposedly is, but when the action happens, the camera pans away. We get metaphors. We get dialogue. We get post-coital reflections. What we don’t get is the thing we came for. It’s like ordering a jalapeño margarita and getting a glass of LaCroix with a pepper floating in it.
That said, there are some moments that genuinely work. There’s a sharp, witty thread buried under the chaos. Bridget’s internal monologue occasionally lands with perfect timing. Josh has a few monologues that are almost romantic. And there’s a quote that honestly made me pause and smile:
“I’m not sure if this is research or love, but either way, I want to keep writing it.”
It’s one of the few lines that nails the intersection of creativity, intimacy, and emotional risk the book was aiming for.
Unfortunately, for every strong moment, there’s a baffling one. There are entire scenes where characters say things no human being would ever say, or behave in ways that feel written for drama instead of grounded in reality. Miscommunication runs rampant, and not in the fun romcom way—more in the “I’m losing brain cells watching these two grown adults avoid one honest conversation” way. And don’t get me started on the dog, who’s either a metaphor, a personality test, or an excuse for Bridget to fall over in public a lot.
The book improves around the halfway mark. The writing calms down, the characters get slightly more tolerable, and the plot threads start to tie together. The final act wants to be sweeping and emotional, but the stakes don’t quite land because we were never fully convinced these two people should be together in the first place.
Overall? I’d call this a bold, messy debut with a lot of ambition and a title that oversells the spice. It’s not without charm, and there are readers who’ll love the chaotic voice, the self-aware banter, and the emotional journey of a woman learning to own her story. But for me, it was just too uneven. The highs were high, but the lows had me muttering “you have got to be kidding me” out loud more than once.
Rating: 3 stars — a solid “I read it, I survived it, I might never fully understand it” kind of read.
#ASatchelofRichards #NetGalley #RomanticComedy #RomComBooks #BookReview #RomanceReaders #BookTok #RomanceBookRecs #LeeTaylor #SatchelOfRichardsReview #ContemporaryRomance #ARCReview #Bookish #BookBanDrama #RomanceWritingFails #SlowBurnRomance
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was such an interesting take on storytelling! The first half is from the FMCs POV, the next 30% is from the MMCs POV, and then the last 20% is a back-and-forth POV within each chapter. I don't think I've ever seen it done exactly that way, and it worked pretty well. As a debut novel, I thought this was a great story! While the pacing was a little uneven in spots, overall, I was invested in the characters and the issues they needed to work through. I also thought it was fun to have a romance writer who doesn't understand how to write spicy scenes, and the cover model who wants to be more than a "body".🥺 Absolutely worth your time!💖
4.25🌟
4.25🌟
August 17, 2025
This is so fucking dumb in so many ways, but just to list a few:
1. The premise of the book is that the writer needs to have HAWTSEX so she can write HAWTSEX scenes for her books, but of course she’s a 35 year old who’s never had an orgasm and needs a MAN to teach her about her own body.
2. We then never actually see all that much of the HAWTSEX she and this anatomical wonder of a male model are having. There’s a lot of TELL — of “I woke up the next day after we’d had all the sex everywhere in my house, and it was awesome,” — and very little SHOW.
This book is BASED IN the idea that readers want spicy scenes, so why does it keep backing away from them?? She spends more time describing a trip to buy a mirror to have sex in front of than she does the actual sex.
3. Hire a fucking editor. At one point, the male MC’s last name is spelled “Silva” when he says it and then “Silvva” on the next line when someone else does. At another, the FMC “waives” her hand.
4. The fucking dog
5. The fucking teaching plot line
6. Her mother’s ideas about cursed red hair
7. His family history of … debilitatingly high testosterone
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy. I wish it wasn’t digital, because I’d really like to drop kick this book into the fucking stratosphere.
1. The premise of the book is that the writer needs to have HAWTSEX so she can write HAWTSEX scenes for her books, but of course she’s a 35 year old who’s never had an orgasm and needs a MAN to teach her about her own body.
2. We then never actually see all that much of the HAWTSEX she and this anatomical wonder of a male model are having. There’s a lot of TELL — of “I woke up the next day after we’d had all the sex everywhere in my house, and it was awesome,” — and very little SHOW.
This book is BASED IN the idea that readers want spicy scenes, so why does it keep backing away from them?? She spends more time describing a trip to buy a mirror to have sex in front of than she does the actual sex.
3. Hire a fucking editor. At one point, the male MC’s last name is spelled “Silva” when he says it and then “Silvva” on the next line when someone else does. At another, the FMC “waives” her hand.
4. The fucking dog
5. The fucking teaching plot line
6. Her mother’s ideas about cursed red hair
7. His family history of … debilitatingly high testosterone
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy. I wish it wasn’t digital, because I’d really like to drop kick this book into the fucking stratosphere.
January 25, 2026
3.5⭐
okay, where should i start? i feel like this theme of books where a writer searches for inspiration in another person of a similar background, job wise, is never quite done to my expectations
i have to say the start of the book is equal parts funny and confusing. too many pov's in our fmc's inner monologues and (possibly) the fact that my kindle decided to hell with the format, which i just 🫠 (wouldn't know how else to express the feeling😂)
aside from that the first time our mc's meet is so funny and so delightful that i was IN, i just wanted to keep reading
i would like to say the "romance" at times felt rushed? a bit insta-lovey? i guess that's what happens when two hot people with a libido to envy get together 😂
also, spicy scenes were hawt, but along the book they kind of died down? as in they got less and less detailed and cut short? lee, i know you can give us the spice, don't be shy about it next time 👀
i really did like how we got insight into the mmc's thoughts and troubles, it was an unexpected yet interesting turn of events, but i wasn't really a fan of the shared pov (at least not with the formatting i got🫠)
after those pov's though, i felt like the fmc's pov's were a bit shallow which kind of reinforced by the end with how things ended?
it kind of still felt like their love story was just a transaction which i wasn't expecting🫠
either way i had fun and i enjoyed the book, would 100% read something from the author again, it can only get better from here!
thanks to periwink press and netgalley for the arc and as always my reviews are my own regardless of where the book comes from 🙂↕️
okay, where should i start? i feel like this theme of books where a writer searches for inspiration in another person of a similar background, job wise, is never quite done to my expectations
i have to say the start of the book is equal parts funny and confusing. too many pov's in our fmc's inner monologues and (possibly) the fact that my kindle decided to hell with the format, which i just 🫠 (wouldn't know how else to express the feeling😂)
aside from that the first time our mc's meet is so funny and so delightful that i was IN, i just wanted to keep reading
i would like to say the "romance" at times felt rushed? a bit insta-lovey? i guess that's what happens when two hot people with a libido to envy get together 😂
also, spicy scenes were hawt, but along the book they kind of died down? as in they got less and less detailed and cut short? lee, i know you can give us the spice, don't be shy about it next time 👀
i really did like how we got insight into the mmc's thoughts and troubles, it was an unexpected yet interesting turn of events, but i wasn't really a fan of the shared pov (at least not with the formatting i got🫠)
after those pov's though, i felt like the fmc's pov's were a bit shallow which kind of reinforced by the end with how things ended?
it kind of still felt like their love story was just a transaction which i wasn't expecting🫠
either way i had fun and i enjoyed the book, would 100% read something from the author again, it can only get better from here!
thanks to periwink press and netgalley for the arc and as always my reviews are my own regardless of where the book comes from 🙂↕️
January 11, 2026
A Satchel of Richards by Lee Taylor is an absolutely excellent debut novel that swept me away from the first page to the last. This story is steamy, sexy, and deeply reflective, perfectly balancing passion with heartfelt emotional beats. I loved how it was written from the perspective of both main characters, giving an intimate look into their thoughts and feelings as their journey unfolded.
One of my favorite elements is the beast dog—charming, memorable, and such a fun addition to the narrative. The animal’s presence added warmth and humor, making the story feel even more alive.
The romance is compelling and electric, with characters who feel authentic and whose struggles and desires are easy to root for. And that wonderful happy ending left me smiling long after I finished the last page.
Lee Taylor has crafted an unforgettable, sensual, and heartfelt debut that I can’t recommend highly enough. I can’t wait to read whatever comes next!
One of my favorite elements is the beast dog—charming, memorable, and such a fun addition to the narrative. The animal’s presence added warmth and humor, making the story feel even more alive.
The romance is compelling and electric, with characters who feel authentic and whose struggles and desires are easy to root for. And that wonderful happy ending left me smiling long after I finished the last page.
Lee Taylor has crafted an unforgettable, sensual, and heartfelt debut that I can’t recommend highly enough. I can’t wait to read whatever comes next!
October 10, 2025
That was ridiculous. The spice was mildly hot (if you squint and use your imagination), if not confusing and a bit ridiculous, but that’s basically the only upside.
It’s a mess of a book, hard to follow, often overwritten with no nuance or depth. The first third is proper awful, and if this was not an eARC would have been a DNF.
At 27 pages in, we established our MC is awkward, hears voices, has no shame or dignity, has lost her job that she cares about because she’s not able to follow the curriculum/clear guidelines and has weird dreams/lusts A LOT about a hooded stranger. Are we meant to care about her? So far it feels like melodramatic bs.
It got better once the smut happened (if you can call it that - it was more “let’s talk about cayenne pepper” rather than explicit scotch bonnet) and the story moved on. Add some miscommunication trope and some not-very-grand grand gestures and we finally got to the end.
Thoughts I had while reading:
God. Now she cares about writing, but doesn’t know her books are out of print, and is being told to pivot from being a (what kind of writer? Historical lit? Contemporary lit?) into a smut writer. If I had worked really hard to to even get published and build a readership, I’d be pissed to be told my Hail Mary was smut (but then, why does her Hail Mary involve an expensive flight to NY when she’s on a budget about to lose her job anyway? From FLORIDA?! Where she has to beg on her knees to get in. Why not just zoom? So stupid). Also, how did she NOT know she was out of print?! Stupid for someone who wants to be a writer.
It’s too much “I’m trying to be witty” dialogue, with more talk than doing or feeling, and trying to embed the tension/conflict, but I don’t care about our MC, I’m annoyed by the shit dialogue, the conflict she made herself by being an idiot makes me feel more “no shit, you imbecile” instead of “oh no!” Stop being so melodramatic, because right now the problem is that our character is making terrible choices, is very emotionally fragile, and I’m annoyed I can’t DNF this.
Literally hating this. But it’s an eARC. So onwards we go.
The innuendo is so bad, and because she’s just met the hooded stranger, it’s all one sided. It’s pretty gross. If it had been flipped, all of the threads about this book would be “this is why women chose the bear”.
How is the premise “I need to experience it to write it” so they have sex, but there is no explicit anything. It’s just fluff where they have big feelings and how SHE DIDNT KNOW it could be like that, and he has an adrenal disorder where he needs sex every day, but it’s better because he thinks he loves her. It’s contrived af.
Okay, she’s calling herself weak because she can’t do a pull up. Conveniently forgetting that women have different upper body muscle mass, and while we can do pull ups, it’s not often something you can just do with no training.
This I guess is meant to be a convenient metaphor, but yes, pull up ability aside, she has the resilience of a wet noodle. That’s why she is weak, not because of her inability to do a pull up.
Overall, glad to be finished. I feel like with some decent editing this could have been okay, instead it was overwritten, melodramatic and confusing, with added smut.
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC
It’s a mess of a book, hard to follow, often overwritten with no nuance or depth. The first third is proper awful, and if this was not an eARC would have been a DNF.
At 27 pages in, we established our MC is awkward, hears voices, has no shame or dignity, has lost her job that she cares about because she’s not able to follow the curriculum/clear guidelines and has weird dreams/lusts A LOT about a hooded stranger. Are we meant to care about her? So far it feels like melodramatic bs.
It got better once the smut happened (if you can call it that - it was more “let’s talk about cayenne pepper” rather than explicit scotch bonnet) and the story moved on. Add some miscommunication trope and some not-very-grand grand gestures and we finally got to the end.
Thoughts I had while reading:
God. Now she cares about writing, but doesn’t know her books are out of print, and is being told to pivot from being a (what kind of writer? Historical lit? Contemporary lit?) into a smut writer. If I had worked really hard to to even get published and build a readership, I’d be pissed to be told my Hail Mary was smut (but then, why does her Hail Mary involve an expensive flight to NY when she’s on a budget about to lose her job anyway? From FLORIDA?! Where she has to beg on her knees to get in. Why not just zoom? So stupid). Also, how did she NOT know she was out of print?! Stupid for someone who wants to be a writer.
It’s too much “I’m trying to be witty” dialogue, with more talk than doing or feeling, and trying to embed the tension/conflict, but I don’t care about our MC, I’m annoyed by the shit dialogue, the conflict she made herself by being an idiot makes me feel more “no shit, you imbecile” instead of “oh no!” Stop being so melodramatic, because right now the problem is that our character is making terrible choices, is very emotionally fragile, and I’m annoyed I can’t DNF this.
Literally hating this. But it’s an eARC. So onwards we go.
The innuendo is so bad, and because she’s just met the hooded stranger, it’s all one sided. It’s pretty gross. If it had been flipped, all of the threads about this book would be “this is why women chose the bear”.
How is the premise “I need to experience it to write it” so they have sex, but there is no explicit anything. It’s just fluff where they have big feelings and how SHE DIDNT KNOW it could be like that, and he has an adrenal disorder where he needs sex every day, but it’s better because he thinks he loves her. It’s contrived af.
Okay, she’s calling herself weak because she can’t do a pull up. Conveniently forgetting that women have different upper body muscle mass, and while we can do pull ups, it’s not often something you can just do with no training.
This I guess is meant to be a convenient metaphor, but yes, pull up ability aside, she has the resilience of a wet noodle. That’s why she is weak, not because of her inability to do a pull up.
Overall, glad to be finished. I feel like with some decent editing this could have been okay, instead it was overwritten, melodramatic and confusing, with added smut.
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC
December 14, 2025
Um… wow. That was maybe the longest, fast book I’ve ever read.
It’d be a farce if it was a play, and there’s a lot of fast paced farcial humor.
Josh is a sweetheart and Bridget is insane, in the best possible way but wow sometimes reading, since it’s her POV, was like a shot of caffeine or a train that departed the station took a loop around and all a sudden you’re on an airplane.
Then you find out they’re both struggling with different things. Josh’s struggles made me feel very emphatic vs Bridget’s struggles I think perhaps the writing made me feel very Kayla towards her at time(once you read it you’ll know what I mean)
The story definitely wasn’t drawn out. It was like a box of matches. With which a positive commentary not just on censorship but sex and the level of comfortability that a sex positive environment creates. Yet touches on many different issues, it’s at time overwhelming.
Thank you to Periwink Press for the ARC🩷
It’d be a farce if it was a play, and there’s a lot of fast paced farcial humor.
Josh is a sweetheart and Bridget is insane, in the best possible way but wow sometimes reading, since it’s her POV, was like a shot of caffeine or a train that departed the station took a loop around and all a sudden you’re on an airplane.
Then you find out they’re both struggling with different things. Josh’s struggles made me feel very emphatic vs Bridget’s struggles I think perhaps the writing made me feel very Kayla towards her at time(once you read it you’ll know what I mean)
The story definitely wasn’t drawn out. It was like a box of matches. With which a positive commentary not just on censorship but sex and the level of comfortability that a sex positive environment creates. Yet touches on many different issues, it’s at time overwhelming.
Thank you to Periwink Press for the ARC🩷
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rounded to 3.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Periwink Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
To be honest, when I got an email offering me access to this book, the title alone was enough to make me laugh and download it. It took me a second to get the joke in the title (IYKYK) but that happens to be one of my favorite expressions to use, and I often figure out ways to sanitize the phrase, so I can definitely make use of ‘a satchel of Richards.’ Fortunately, I also loved the idea of the story and the characters, and was curious to see how everything unfolded.
Although it hasn’t been featured in the news lately, Florida is a state that has actively worked to ban and censor books, so when Bridget leads her class in a reading of her favorite childhood book A Wrinkle in Time, it lands her in hot water. She gets suspended, and has to reevaluate her life—with two LitFic novels that aren’t selling and a mortgage on her tiny beachfront home that she can’t pay without her teaching job, she is forced to find a new means of earning money to pay for her house and enough food for her ginormous dog.
I really liked Bridget’s character for the majority of the book, and I adored Josh from start to finish—he’s basically the perfect guy. Bridget is pushed to consider writing spicy romance by her new agent, but the problem is that she is inexperienced and doesn’t know enough to convincingly write romance. Her life is about as spicy as Wonder Bread, and the closest she’s come to dating lately is fantasizing about the very attractive guy who jogs past her house daily. Her agent has suggested she get some real life practice and translate that into a spicy romance.
This leads into a whirlwind of entwined lust and cooperative writing sessions between Bridget and what seems to be the perfect man. I fell in love with Josh faster than Bridget did, although my feelings about her fluctuated a bit throughout the reading. Initially, readers are treated to the three-ring-circus that goes on inside her mind and it is a bit endearing although revelatory in some ways. Despite her life falling apart around her, she still manages to be a lot on the judgy side and doesn’t appear to have learned the cliche about people in glass houses. She isn’t even quiet about it—she says the quiet part out loud in such an awkward way almost every time that I felt secondhand cringe.
One thing about Bridget that I did love was her way with words, when she wasn’t veering off into a farce of unbalanced humor during her early interactions with Josh. It was easy to see how her abrasive and judgmental words and behavior are hurtful, and it frustrated me to watch her hurt people who haven’t done anything to her. I’ve been in situations where I get tongue-tied, but luckily I can keep my own stream of consciousness in my head the majority of the time I’m in those situations. It was when she said overly critical things right to a person that I had the hardest time connecting with Bridget, since I have worked as a therapist and put a lot of attention and work into what I’m saying and ensuring that it isn’t hurtful even if I fall short sometimes.
Josh, on the other hand, was as close to the perfect man as I’ve ever found. He’s physically attractive (read: basically Adonis), he’s well-educated and highly intelligent, hard-working, caring, and sweet, and in the true test of the ‘good-ness’ of a male love interest, he even picks up his grandmother and her friends on Sundays to attend church. Yet somehow, Bridget isn’t able to think of him in any other terms than how he looks and how many abs he has for far too long. She further objectifies a man who has spent his entire life being judged based on his appearance, which made it really hard to be fully on her side. However, she isn’t all bad. She turns out to be sweet and caring, and she makes one hell of a grand gesture during the story, plus she is incredibly devoted and caring towards Sally Girl, her horse-sized Irish Wolfhound. I firmly believe that how people treat animals says a lot about them, and that someone who loves and appreciates their canine companion as much as Bridget obviously does can’t be all bad, right?
The romance that develops between these two is off the charts spicy. It leaps off the page and I enjoyed how they both explore their physical relationship and how they feel towards it. However, this story falls on the safe and overdone romance trope of miscommunication, and I don’t understand the excessive reaction that Bridget has. Her behavior smacked of what I’d have expected to see out of her young students, and it makes it hard to believe that she is a real grown-up.
Something I rarely bring up in ARC reviews is editing, because many books go through a final proofread/edit/copyedit process before publication, but this book was absolutely riddled with errors and formatting issues that should have been caught before now. Josh might have been named something else in previous drafts, because multiple characters in radically unrelated settings call him by the same nickname (“T”) that has no relation to any part of his name. Chapters are told from the perspective of both Bridget and Josh, but initially we only get Bridget chapters, and it was confusing when they switched it up. There’s an increasing number of chapters towards the end of the book where the narrator changes mid-paragraph. Naturally, this was always a jarring experience, taking me immediately out of the story and back a paragraph to figure out what the heck happened and when the narrators switched. This occurred in a lot of the chapters, and it was hard to differentiate between their voices, which sounded too much alike to me.
Overall, I enjoyed the majority of what I read in this story, with the exception of a few things I didn’t like about a character or plot point. It wasn’t until I sat down and organized my thoughts after finishing the book that I started to notice the things that I didn’t like, and they impacted my star rating. Having a hard time telling between different character voices and struggling to identify when a narrator switch occurred had a negative impact on my star rating, as did the aspects of Bridget’s behavior that I had listed above. At first I was drawn to her quirky, unusual thoughts and chaotic life, though eventually her overly critical nature of only others but also herself, which appears in the guise of her mother’s voice, made it hard to stay connected to her. Ultimately, I found myself reading for Josh, who read as the main character for me. By this, I mean that it was his chapters I found myself looking forward to, and even finding myself outraged on his behalf, and angry at his love interest. Typically, I gravitate towards the identified MC who is nearly always female in the romance I’ve read, but in this case, the love interest and his outcome far outweighed that of the FMC. However, going into the reading with some of these critiques at the forefront of your mind might make this a higher- or lower-rated read than I did.
Thank you to NetGalley and Periwink Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
To be honest, when I got an email offering me access to this book, the title alone was enough to make me laugh and download it. It took me a second to get the joke in the title (IYKYK) but that happens to be one of my favorite expressions to use, and I often figure out ways to sanitize the phrase, so I can definitely make use of ‘a satchel of Richards.’ Fortunately, I also loved the idea of the story and the characters, and was curious to see how everything unfolded.
Although it hasn’t been featured in the news lately, Florida is a state that has actively worked to ban and censor books, so when Bridget leads her class in a reading of her favorite childhood book A Wrinkle in Time, it lands her in hot water. She gets suspended, and has to reevaluate her life—with two LitFic novels that aren’t selling and a mortgage on her tiny beachfront home that she can’t pay without her teaching job, she is forced to find a new means of earning money to pay for her house and enough food for her ginormous dog.
I really liked Bridget’s character for the majority of the book, and I adored Josh from start to finish—he’s basically the perfect guy. Bridget is pushed to consider writing spicy romance by her new agent, but the problem is that she is inexperienced and doesn’t know enough to convincingly write romance. Her life is about as spicy as Wonder Bread, and the closest she’s come to dating lately is fantasizing about the very attractive guy who jogs past her house daily. Her agent has suggested she get some real life practice and translate that into a spicy romance.
This leads into a whirlwind of entwined lust and cooperative writing sessions between Bridget and what seems to be the perfect man. I fell in love with Josh faster than Bridget did, although my feelings about her fluctuated a bit throughout the reading. Initially, readers are treated to the three-ring-circus that goes on inside her mind and it is a bit endearing although revelatory in some ways. Despite her life falling apart around her, she still manages to be a lot on the judgy side and doesn’t appear to have learned the cliche about people in glass houses. She isn’t even quiet about it—she says the quiet part out loud in such an awkward way almost every time that I felt secondhand cringe.
One thing about Bridget that I did love was her way with words, when she wasn’t veering off into a farce of unbalanced humor during her early interactions with Josh. It was easy to see how her abrasive and judgmental words and behavior are hurtful, and it frustrated me to watch her hurt people who haven’t done anything to her. I’ve been in situations where I get tongue-tied, but luckily I can keep my own stream of consciousness in my head the majority of the time I’m in those situations. It was when she said overly critical things right to a person that I had the hardest time connecting with Bridget, since I have worked as a therapist and put a lot of attention and work into what I’m saying and ensuring that it isn’t hurtful even if I fall short sometimes.
Josh, on the other hand, was as close to the perfect man as I’ve ever found. He’s physically attractive (read: basically Adonis), he’s well-educated and highly intelligent, hard-working, caring, and sweet, and in the true test of the ‘good-ness’ of a male love interest, he even picks up his grandmother and her friends on Sundays to attend church. Yet somehow, Bridget isn’t able to think of him in any other terms than how he looks and how many abs he has for far too long. She further objectifies a man who has spent his entire life being judged based on his appearance, which made it really hard to be fully on her side. However, she isn’t all bad. She turns out to be sweet and caring, and she makes one hell of a grand gesture during the story, plus she is incredibly devoted and caring towards Sally Girl, her horse-sized Irish Wolfhound. I firmly believe that how people treat animals says a lot about them, and that someone who loves and appreciates their canine companion as much as Bridget obviously does can’t be all bad, right?
The romance that develops between these two is off the charts spicy. It leaps off the page and I enjoyed how they both explore their physical relationship and how they feel towards it. However, this story falls on the safe and overdone romance trope of miscommunication, and I don’t understand the excessive reaction that Bridget has. Her behavior smacked of what I’d have expected to see out of her young students, and it makes it hard to believe that she is a real grown-up.
Something I rarely bring up in ARC reviews is editing, because many books go through a final proofread/edit/copyedit process before publication, but this book was absolutely riddled with errors and formatting issues that should have been caught before now. Josh might have been named something else in previous drafts, because multiple characters in radically unrelated settings call him by the same nickname (“T”) that has no relation to any part of his name. Chapters are told from the perspective of both Bridget and Josh, but initially we only get Bridget chapters, and it was confusing when they switched it up. There’s an increasing number of chapters towards the end of the book where the narrator changes mid-paragraph. Naturally, this was always a jarring experience, taking me immediately out of the story and back a paragraph to figure out what the heck happened and when the narrators switched. This occurred in a lot of the chapters, and it was hard to differentiate between their voices, which sounded too much alike to me.
Overall, I enjoyed the majority of what I read in this story, with the exception of a few things I didn’t like about a character or plot point. It wasn’t until I sat down and organized my thoughts after finishing the book that I started to notice the things that I didn’t like, and they impacted my star rating. Having a hard time telling between different character voices and struggling to identify when a narrator switch occurred had a negative impact on my star rating, as did the aspects of Bridget’s behavior that I had listed above. At first I was drawn to her quirky, unusual thoughts and chaotic life, though eventually her overly critical nature of only others but also herself, which appears in the guise of her mother’s voice, made it hard to stay connected to her. Ultimately, I found myself reading for Josh, who read as the main character for me. By this, I mean that it was his chapters I found myself looking forward to, and even finding myself outraged on his behalf, and angry at his love interest. Typically, I gravitate towards the identified MC who is nearly always female in the romance I’ve read, but in this case, the love interest and his outcome far outweighed that of the FMC. However, going into the reading with some of these critiques at the forefront of your mind might make this a higher- or lower-rated read than I did.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Oof. This book was rough. It did not work for me at all. Let’s start with the structure. The first 55ish% is from Bridget’s POV, the next 35ish% is from Josh’s, and then the last 10ish% is from both their perspectives. In the last section some chapters were one POV or the other but then there were some that were labeled as both but there was no delineations in the text to tell you which POV you were in when it would randomly switch, which does not work when the writing is all in first person. Sex lessons is a trope that I usually find fun, but this version of it was just insane. If you want to write sex lessons, the lessons should actually be on the page… in full. We were told about them rather than shown them. Literally there was a longer description about buying a mirror for Bridget’s bedroom so she could watch them have sex then the actual sex that followed. It was so frustrating to the point that it made me wonder if the author and Bridget may have a lot in common. The plot outside of the sex lessons was convoluted at best and at times didn’t even make sense. I’m all for “romance reasons” but it if isn’t driving the romance it’s not romance reasons. To top it all off, the book had numerous typos. I am not a close reader, but even I found spelling errors on the same page as the same word spelled correctly (Silva vs. Silvva, STI vs SDI, etc.), information changing chapter to chapter (90K payment vs. 6-figure payment), and found myself rereading sentences where the wrong word was used. I get that this is an ARC of a self-published book, but the credits literally thank a line editor and a copy editor, so why weren’t these problems caught during the editing process. I don’t see myself returning in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Periwinkle Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Periwinkle Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, Periwinkle Press, and Ms. Taylor for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.
When this ARC was offered to me, I accepted based on the title alone without really reading the blurb. I mean, a Satchel of Richards? Ha, ha, ha, awesome. Then I read the premise and OK, I can get behind that. But the execution just didn't entirely work out for me.
I found the POV switches difficult, especially considering that the plot was a little (a lot?) manic. Frankly I disliked Bridget, which I did not expect considering her profession and current difficulties lie close to my professional heart. But career choices aside, Bridget is surprisingly judgmental and opinionated (either that, or she has verbal diarrhea). Due to my own career choice I have had to learn to keep my opinions FIRMLY to myself, and it was difficult to read Bridget just letting loose left and right.
Furthermore, I wasn't really sure what was the point of experiencing Bridget experiencing sex lessons only to... not really experience anything on-page, ever. I don't even really want to read the mechanics per se but if that is the actual POINT of the story, then, IDK, maybe include it? I struggled. The entire concept sounded fun, like a made-for-tv movie, but in execution came across as painfully stilted. I could not imagine what the draw of Bridget was for Josh. She was just so... chaotic. Also, increasingly, I have no patience for plotlines involving catastrophes due to shitty communication. It is NOT THAT HARD. Say what you mean. Don't be a jerk. Explain yourself. Ask for an explanation when you don't understand. PROBLEM SOLVED.
Sally Girl, you deserve better. I am willing to come pick you up. I have a backyard and some very comfortable squirrels who need scaring.
When this ARC was offered to me, I accepted based on the title alone without really reading the blurb. I mean, a Satchel of Richards? Ha, ha, ha, awesome. Then I read the premise and OK, I can get behind that. But the execution just didn't entirely work out for me.
I found the POV switches difficult, especially considering that the plot was a little (a lot?) manic. Frankly I disliked Bridget, which I did not expect considering her profession and current difficulties lie close to my professional heart. But career choices aside, Bridget is surprisingly judgmental and opinionated (either that, or she has verbal diarrhea). Due to my own career choice I have had to learn to keep my opinions FIRMLY to myself, and it was difficult to read Bridget just letting loose left and right.
Furthermore, I wasn't really sure what was the point of experiencing Bridget experiencing sex lessons only to... not really experience anything on-page, ever. I don't even really want to read the mechanics per se but if that is the actual POINT of the story, then, IDK, maybe include it? I struggled. The entire concept sounded fun, like a made-for-tv movie, but in execution came across as painfully stilted. I could not imagine what the draw of Bridget was for Josh. She was just so... chaotic. Also, increasingly, I have no patience for plotlines involving catastrophes due to shitty communication. It is NOT THAT HARD. Say what you mean. Don't be a jerk. Explain yourself. Ask for an explanation when you don't understand. PROBLEM SOLVED.
Sally Girl, you deserve better. I am willing to come pick you up. I have a backyard and some very comfortable squirrels who need scaring.
January 27, 2026
I genuinely did not expect A Satchel of Richards to make me laugh as much as it did, but here we are. This book surprised me in the best way. It is funny without trying too hard, relatable without feeling cheesy, and packed with characters that feel like people you might actually know or at least recognize immediately.
What really worked for me was the humor. It is dry, awkward, and situational in a way that sneaks up on you. I caught myself snorting at more than one moment, especially when the characters were clearly doing their best while still making absolutely terrible decisions. It felt very human. The kind of humor that comes from life not going according to plan, which honestly made everything hit a little harder and land a little better.
The characters are where this book shines. They are flawed, a little ridiculous, and weirdly lovable. Their relationships feel authentic, full of misunderstandings, half truths, and moments where you want to shake them and also hug them. I never felt like anyone was playing a role just to move the plot along. They felt like people reacting in real time, which made even the quieter moments entertaining.
One line that absolutely cracked me up and perfectly captured the tone was:
“I wouldn’t say my life was falling apart, but it was definitely being held together with duct tape and optimism.”
That pretty much sums up the entire vibe of the book.
This is not a heavy, high stakes read, and I think that is exactly why it works so well. It is smart, funny, and comforting in a way that feels effortless. Four stars from me for being genuinely entertaining and for reminding me how enjoyable it is to read something that just gets human awkwardness right. If you like humor rooted in real life chaos and characters you can root for even when they mess up, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
What really worked for me was the humor. It is dry, awkward, and situational in a way that sneaks up on you. I caught myself snorting at more than one moment, especially when the characters were clearly doing their best while still making absolutely terrible decisions. It felt very human. The kind of humor that comes from life not going according to plan, which honestly made everything hit a little harder and land a little better.
The characters are where this book shines. They are flawed, a little ridiculous, and weirdly lovable. Their relationships feel authentic, full of misunderstandings, half truths, and moments where you want to shake them and also hug them. I never felt like anyone was playing a role just to move the plot along. They felt like people reacting in real time, which made even the quieter moments entertaining.
One line that absolutely cracked me up and perfectly captured the tone was:
“I wouldn’t say my life was falling apart, but it was definitely being held together with duct tape and optimism.”
That pretty much sums up the entire vibe of the book.
This is not a heavy, high stakes read, and I think that is exactly why it works so well. It is smart, funny, and comforting in a way that feels effortless. Four stars from me for being genuinely entertaining and for reminding me how enjoyable it is to read something that just gets human awkwardness right. If you like humor rooted in real life chaos and characters you can root for even when they mess up, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a fast and quick read with a quirky premise that belied its level of emotional depth. I liked it, it was definitely more complex than it seemed like it would be, and there was a subtle emotional sweetness to offset the spice. (And there is a *lot* of spice here, which shouldn't surprise anyone given the premise.) The way the dual POVs were presented was interesting and a bit unique. While I'm glad we got two POVs, I wish we'd had Josh's POV a bit earlier in the book because once his backstory was presented it felt like the book took a sudden and heavier (but necessary) turn. Neurotic Bridget and seemingly laid-back Josh appeared to be opposites-attract in the beginning, but Josh's backstory showed quite a bit of chaos and brooding of his own. This turned into one of those "do they feel the same way about each other" kinds of stories, which was a little frustrating sometimes even though you knew how it was going to end up. And while Josh was clearly smitten with Bridget (and Bridget reluctantly smitten with Josh), I sometimes found myself unsettled by the transactional nature of their intimacy (even while they're falling for each other). But maybe that's how the reader was supposed to feel, since both Bridget and Josh seemed unsettled by it as well. This is a fast read with a lot of layers which, while ultimately leading to an HEA, took a bit of a winding and difficult road to get there. Be prepared for some deeper emotional issues to surface over the course of the book, and pay attention to content warnings. I was rooting for Bridget and Josh, and was happy to see them get to where they needed to be. 4.5 stars. Publishes January 20, 2026. This review was based on a complimentary DRC of the book, all opinions are my own.
October 11, 2025
I enjoyed reading A Satchel of Richards. Honestly, I didnt even read the blurb on what the book was about (I rarely do), but this surprised me. From the cover and title I thought this would be an historical romance.
The story is split into three parts. The first part is Bridget's POV. She was just put on leave for teaching a banned book in Florida and she needs cash fast or she could lose her first house. She erratically flies to NYC to beg her agent for an advance on a book she hasnt put any thought into. He advises to write a steamy romance, but she cannot write something she doesnt have personal experience with. She ends up hiring a cover model to help her with the steamy scenes since he has helped previous authors. The second part is Josh's POV. He isnt just a pretty face, he actually helps co-write Bridget's book. He is starting to fall for her, but doesnt know how that could affect his future dreams. The third part is both POVs.
I thought Bridget as a character was erratic and kooky when I first started reading. I wasnt sure if I would like the book, but as her relationship with Josh developed, she became more sure of herself. I am also not a huge fan of physical attraction being the only reason why characters fall for each other, but had Kayla help with it. I enjoyed how each main character had their own support system that really looked out for their friends/family. I loved how Kayla really protected Josh.
Thank you to NetGalley and Periwink Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story is split into three parts. The first part is Bridget's POV. She was just put on leave for teaching a banned book in Florida and she needs cash fast or she could lose her first house. She erratically flies to NYC to beg her agent for an advance on a book she hasnt put any thought into. He advises to write a steamy romance, but she cannot write something she doesnt have personal experience with. She ends up hiring a cover model to help her with the steamy scenes since he has helped previous authors. The second part is Josh's POV. He isnt just a pretty face, he actually helps co-write Bridget's book. He is starting to fall for her, but doesnt know how that could affect his future dreams. The third part is both POVs.
I thought Bridget as a character was erratic and kooky when I first started reading. I wasnt sure if I would like the book, but as her relationship with Josh developed, she became more sure of herself. I am also not a huge fan of physical attraction being the only reason why characters fall for each other, but had Kayla help with it. I enjoyed how each main character had their own support system that really looked out for their friends/family. I loved how Kayla really protected Josh.
Thank you to NetGalley and Periwink Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2025
I want to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. What hooked me was the title! I didn’t even read the synopsis. I read the title saw it was under the romance genre and immediately said sold!
I did enjoy learning about Josh’s secret, I won’t reveal it but it’s something I’ve not heard of and thought it was a different topic to discuss that people really go through.
This book was not what I expected but I still enjoyed it. It’s about a woman going through a rough time in life and goes out of her comfort zone to reach out to her new publisher Richard to restart her career as an author. He tells her what she’s used to writing he can’t sell. He told her romance is where it’s at.
She stumbles into Josh and their relationship begins assisting each other to help her write a romance book. You don’t find out how she’s helping him until the end. But together these two bring out the best in each other, heal each other and grow their relationship.
My complaints were I felt like he was not being communicating in hiding some of himself that produced challenges in their relationship. I felt like she was also horrible at communication in telling him her feelings about him, and kept things secret about their joint job writing this book.
I would recommend this book, it was enjoyable and the clever title is so worth it!
I did enjoy learning about Josh’s secret, I won’t reveal it but it’s something I’ve not heard of and thought it was a different topic to discuss that people really go through.
This book was not what I expected but I still enjoyed it. It’s about a woman going through a rough time in life and goes out of her comfort zone to reach out to her new publisher Richard to restart her career as an author. He tells her what she’s used to writing he can’t sell. He told her romance is where it’s at.
She stumbles into Josh and their relationship begins assisting each other to help her write a romance book. You don’t find out how she’s helping him until the end. But together these two bring out the best in each other, heal each other and grow their relationship.
My complaints were I felt like he was not being communicating in hiding some of himself that produced challenges in their relationship. I felt like she was also horrible at communication in telling him her feelings about him, and kept things secret about their joint job writing this book.
I would recommend this book, it was enjoyable and the clever title is so worth it!
October 2, 2025
I really wanted to like this book. I think the potential is there with the setup of a writer needing to experience actual good sex to write about good sex, but I couldn't connect with any of the characters. We are told over and over again how hot Josh is and how much he works on his body, and he talks about it so much in the first 80% of the book that it seems like really all he does care about is being hot. And Bridget ... was almost completely unlikable. She never asked Josh a single thing about his life! From the very start when she assumes he's a sex worker, she just continues to make assumption after assumption.
The main issue I have with this book is that what we are shown is almost the opposite of what we are told: We are told that these two people communicate well enough to be AMAZING writing partners, but we are shown that they don't trust each other enough to ask each other questions or talk about anything real outside of writing and sex. We are told that the sex is incendiary, but surprisingly little of that is actually shown. I was left wondering why they even liked each other, let alone fell in love to the extent that their love story could be celebrated on a global stage.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.
The main issue I have with this book is that what we are shown is almost the opposite of what we are told: We are told that these two people communicate well enough to be AMAZING writing partners, but we are shown that they don't trust each other enough to ask each other questions or talk about anything real outside of writing and sex. We are told that the sex is incendiary, but surprisingly little of that is actually shown. I was left wondering why they even liked each other, let alone fell in love to the extent that their love story could be celebrated on a global stage.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I definitely grabbed this book due to its title. I mean, come on...how funny is that??!!
FMC Bridget is facing losing her home after losing her job, so she's decided to go back to writing. She was already a thrice published author, but when she flies to NYC on a whim to talk to the agent who took her former one's place, she is told that the kind of books she wrote before just won't cut it anymore. There isn't a huge market for them. Instead, he needs her to write...smut. Obviously. What else would she need to be writing about with that title? Her most pressing issue is, Bridget can really only what what she experiences first hand. So now, she needs to find someone willing to help her with those smutty scenes for real.
I wasn't expecting this to be some literary masterpiece, but it was definitely a fun time. There is some open door spice, but there's a genuine plot here, and characters who are dealing with real life problems that affect not just themselves, but those around them who they love. If you're looking for a quick, quirky rom-com, this would probably be worth giving a try.
4⭐️
2🌶️
I definitely grabbed this book due to its title. I mean, come on...how funny is that??!!
FMC Bridget is facing losing her home after losing her job, so she's decided to go back to writing. She was already a thrice published author, but when she flies to NYC on a whim to talk to the agent who took her former one's place, she is told that the kind of books she wrote before just won't cut it anymore. There isn't a huge market for them. Instead, he needs her to write...smut. Obviously. What else would she need to be writing about with that title? Her most pressing issue is, Bridget can really only what what she experiences first hand. So now, she needs to find someone willing to help her with those smutty scenes for real.
I wasn't expecting this to be some literary masterpiece, but it was definitely a fun time. There is some open door spice, but there's a genuine plot here, and characters who are dealing with real life problems that affect not just themselves, but those around them who they love. If you're looking for a quick, quirky rom-com, this would probably be worth giving a try.
4⭐️
2🌶️
December 3, 2025
'A Satchel of Richards' is the debut novel from Lee Taylor. It is a romantic comedy with frankly a ridiculous title.
Bridget an aspiring author and Josh a male model are the protagonists. Josh has dreams of becoming a script writer, so when Bridget's publisher recommends she spices up her writing , he is recommended as someone who may be able to help. Initially Bridget and Josh have rather different expectations of just how this help could be achieved! Their relationship is a confusing and chaotic roller coaster.
At times this was ok, at others so annoying. It feels like the basis of a good novel is there amongst all the confusion. Lee Taylor is going to be an author to watch as one feels she could do so much better.
With thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review.
https://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogsp...
Bridget an aspiring author and Josh a male model are the protagonists. Josh has dreams of becoming a script writer, so when Bridget's publisher recommends she spices up her writing , he is recommended as someone who may be able to help. Initially Bridget and Josh have rather different expectations of just how this help could be achieved! Their relationship is a confusing and chaotic roller coaster.
At times this was ok, at others so annoying. It feels like the basis of a good novel is there amongst all the confusion. Lee Taylor is going to be an author to watch as one feels she could do so much better.
With thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review.
https://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogsp...
November 14, 2025
I'm not usually a romance fan, but I thoroughly enjoyed a slow-burn read through A Satchel of Richards. I loved how Lee's debut novel is very meta in nature with her own first book being the one you are reading here! The book is creative with a lot of character development and fun extra details to add color and depth to the background around the characters. Lee really captures heartbreakingly real emotional complexity (and misunderstanding) between the characters. This seems like perfect escapism reading to me and maybe Lee has 'turned me on(!)' to romance! I enjoyed the writing style that offers different perspectives of the characters and creates very relatable tension while keeping the pace up toward the end. I think in a very heavy world this is the kind of fun-reading and vicarious romp in the hay that can help ease the burdens of every day stresses of life.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This one has a whole lot going on inside!
Bridget, an elementary school teacher, loses her job for teaching her students about a banned book. In order to pay her bills, she decides to write a book == only to be told that she needs to change the genre and write a romance instead. That's one area she doesn't have a lot of expertise and her agent tells her to get a "satchel of Richards" to help her research. In steps Josh, the hot runner she's been seeing on the beach every morning. As they're introduced, she thinks he's a sex worker and takes him as such. He's a romance novel cover model and decides to help her. There is a lot to unpack in this story, but it's highly entertaining.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.
Bridget, an elementary school teacher, loses her job for teaching her students about a banned book. In order to pay her bills, she decides to write a book == only to be told that she needs to change the genre and write a romance instead. That's one area she doesn't have a lot of expertise and her agent tells her to get a "satchel of Richards" to help her research. In steps Josh, the hot runner she's been seeing on the beach every morning. As they're introduced, she thinks he's a sex worker and takes him as such. He's a romance novel cover model and decides to help her. There is a lot to unpack in this story, but it's highly entertaining.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.
December 31, 2025
2.75 ⭐️
This is a very solid book for those who are looking for a fun, smutty read!
This book stars Bridget, a writer, who needs an advance for her next book after being suspended from her job after teaching A Wrinkle in Time. Her agent recommends that her new book be a spicy romance book, as that's what's been selling big with readers. However, Bridget's sex life is seriously lacking when it comes to spice. In comes our MMC, Josh, who Bridget is recommended to reach out to with help writing her steamy sex scenes. Bridget propositions Josh for a more hands-on approach, and so Josh gives her a sexy education. Once feelings enter the scene, it's hard to determine what is real, or not.
I would've liked more of a clear set up to what happened before Bridget approached her agent because the beginning was hard for me to get into at first. I loved the chemistry between Josh and Bridget, as well as each character individually. There were some plot lines that I wish were either more fully developed or cut from the book.
Rating it 2.75 stars because it wasn't necessarily my personal cup of tea, but I feel it will be a fun read for so many others!
Thank you to NetGalley for this Advance Readers Copy!
This is a very solid book for those who are looking for a fun, smutty read!
This book stars Bridget, a writer, who needs an advance for her next book after being suspended from her job after teaching A Wrinkle in Time. Her agent recommends that her new book be a spicy romance book, as that's what's been selling big with readers. However, Bridget's sex life is seriously lacking when it comes to spice. In comes our MMC, Josh, who Bridget is recommended to reach out to with help writing her steamy sex scenes. Bridget propositions Josh for a more hands-on approach, and so Josh gives her a sexy education. Once feelings enter the scene, it's hard to determine what is real, or not.
I would've liked more of a clear set up to what happened before Bridget approached her agent because the beginning was hard for me to get into at first. I loved the chemistry between Josh and Bridget, as well as each character individually. There were some plot lines that I wish were either more fully developed or cut from the book.
Rating it 2.75 stars because it wasn't necessarily my personal cup of tea, but I feel it will be a fun read for so many others!
Thank you to NetGalley for this Advance Readers Copy!
January 20, 2026
I requested A Satchel of Richards for the title alone. For the most part I enjoyed the book but there were some problems. The overall structure was fun. The first half of the story was told from Bridget's POV. Then there is maybe 25% or so from Josh's POV. I thought this made things really interesting. The last 25% was dual POV. And while there is no true issue with the dual POV - I enjoyed that within the chapters there is no call out when switching from one POV to the next. That can be a little confusing and jarring. Ultimately, as the story wrapped up it felt like there was a lot going on that didn't feel necessary to the main point of the story. But it was a fun kind of lighthearted romance read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
November 14, 2025
2 stars — an office(ish?) romance with a lack of substance.
Bridget gets fired for teaching a banned book, and goes to a fancy city to look for her top-tier agent. Turns out he only does books with steamy romance- he helps her, and the two slowly fall.
the pacing at the beginning was a bit confusing to wrap my head around, and certain scenes didn't really link/click and didn't make sense. But the internal monologue had a rhythm to it. The language was quite humourous and casual (perhaps too much at the beginning- the use of the word 'kinda' felt too slang-y to be appropriate in a novel). There were grammatical errors and parts to re-edit.
the characters had pretty distinct personalities yet they lacked the depth from real human connections, mainly from the dialogue. Unfortunately, I did not find the Bridget all that likeable (fantasising and having lustful dreams of a stranger just living his life), because somewhere between her incompetence and disorganized mannerisms, she stopped being 'slightly peculiar' to 'very strange and weird'.
Each had their own person to lean on for support, when times got rough. I did enjoy reading the conflict between her agent and her safe, comfort zone. Josh is hot, but remove that factor, and majority of the attraction between them is gone. More of the book is spent emphasising his looks than the 'sex' which was the entire premise, which was told in the aftermath but very rarely shown.
This falls into the quick contemporary romance read, and some characters were moderately enjoyable despite the lack of connection. If certain parts got patched up, perhaps it would interest me once again. But as of current, I wouldn't be inclined to reread the book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Bridget gets fired for teaching a banned book, and goes to a fancy city to look for her top-tier agent. Turns out he only does books with steamy romance- he helps her, and the two slowly fall.
the pacing at the beginning was a bit confusing to wrap my head around, and certain scenes didn't really link/click and didn't make sense. But the internal monologue had a rhythm to it. The language was quite humourous and casual (perhaps too much at the beginning- the use of the word 'kinda' felt too slang-y to be appropriate in a novel). There were grammatical errors and parts to re-edit.
the characters had pretty distinct personalities yet they lacked the depth from real human connections, mainly from the dialogue. Unfortunately, I did not find the Bridget all that likeable (fantasising and having lustful dreams of a stranger just living his life), because somewhere between her incompetence and disorganized mannerisms, she stopped being 'slightly peculiar' to 'very strange and weird'.
Each had their own person to lean on for support, when times got rough. I did enjoy reading the conflict between her agent and her safe, comfort zone. Josh is hot, but remove that factor, and majority of the attraction between them is gone. More of the book is spent emphasising his looks than the 'sex' which was the entire premise, which was told in the aftermath but very rarely shown.
This falls into the quick contemporary romance read, and some characters were moderately enjoyable despite the lack of connection. If certain parts got patched up, perhaps it would interest me once again. But as of current, I wouldn't be inclined to reread the book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 22, 2025
Loved it! Such a fun and clever plot, great character development, and a story that had you on the edge of your seat, feeling all the feels.
I love Josh. I love Bridget. This was one of those books you can’t put down and then as you near the end, you feel sad that it’s over.
While I’m typically not a fan of the miscommunication trope, I thoroughly enjoyed the miscommunication and tension it created with this read. And, lust to love may just be my new fave.
I can’t wait to see what Lee puts out next.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC access.
5 ⭐️
3.5 🌶️
I love Josh. I love Bridget. This was one of those books you can’t put down and then as you near the end, you feel sad that it’s over.
While I’m typically not a fan of the miscommunication trope, I thoroughly enjoyed the miscommunication and tension it created with this read. And, lust to love may just be my new fave.
I can’t wait to see what Lee puts out next.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC access.
5 ⭐️
3.5 🌶️
September 5, 2025
Without a strong sense of identity, all this is is a mildly perplexing idea. My main issue is that every single character seems to at least low-key hate every other character. Also, the grand gestures don't make a ton of sense. Also, the perspective gets really weird at the end. Also, there's this really prolonged spicy scene that may as well have been in the middle of a cornfield for all that it had jack nothing to do with anything around it. Also, like, he doesn't really like her dog? But he's kinda perfect? So...is he or isn't he?
November 30, 2025
I liked this book! It was unique, but still had some favorite tropes. It has spice and sort of a fake dating scenario, but more like a doing it for “science” kind of vibe. There were a few things that threw me off: Kissimmee is not anywhere near the Everglades and while I enjoyed the dual perspectives, I think they could be distinguished a bit better. Overall this story had humor, heart and a HEA, what more could you ask for? Thanks for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Star Rating: 🍆🍆🍆🍆🍆
Scovile Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
A Satchel of Richards! It must be a rom-com with absolutely no substance at all! Because how could something so preposterously titled have any layers? Well I'm here to tell you that I've read this book and layers it does have. It is not a rom-com with fluff. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of backbone this book has. In fact, this book made me cry. It's made me laugh. But it also made me cry. Because it spoke about the Human Experience. About raw human emotions. About real life human challenges.
"I'm about to stop this car and when I do, I would like for all that chatter in your head to cease." He whispers to my ear, "Capiche?"
Read this book if you love:
📻 The Grandest of Gestures
👗 He Picks Out An Outfit For Her
🪞 The Mirror
🍾 Each Bottle Has A Memory
💻 Giving Her Space & Atmosphere To Write
🕺💃 Hot Dancing
🏴 The Grandest of Grand Gestures
Thank you to the Author, @netgalley, @periwinkpress and @mindbuckmediabookpub for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Look for a more detailed review soon (as my hand is healed from surgery).
#asatchelfullofrichards #periwinkpress #mindbuckmediabookpub
#leetaylor
#thegrandgesture
Scovile Spice Scale: 🌶🌶🌶
A Satchel of Richards! It must be a rom-com with absolutely no substance at all! Because how could something so preposterously titled have any layers? Well I'm here to tell you that I've read this book and layers it does have. It is not a rom-com with fluff. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of backbone this book has. In fact, this book made me cry. It's made me laugh. But it also made me cry. Because it spoke about the Human Experience. About raw human emotions. About real life human challenges.
"I'm about to stop this car and when I do, I would like for all that chatter in your head to cease." He whispers to my ear, "Capiche?"
Read this book if you love:
📻 The Grandest of Gestures
👗 He Picks Out An Outfit For Her
🪞 The Mirror
🍾 Each Bottle Has A Memory
💻 Giving Her Space & Atmosphere To Write
🕺💃 Hot Dancing
🏴 The Grandest of Grand Gestures
Thank you to the Author, @netgalley, @periwinkpress and @mindbuckmediabookpub for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Look for a more detailed review soon (as my hand is healed from surgery).
#asatchelfullofrichards #periwinkpress #mindbuckmediabookpub
#leetaylor
#thegrandgesture
January 25, 2026
A Satchel of Richards is cute and quirky, but still had emotional depth.
Bridget is a bit of a chaotic, anxiety riddled mess (relatable) and some misunderstandings could have easily been avoided if she had been less embarrassed about asking questions. Josh is charming and longs to be more than just the pretty face on book covers.
A Satchel of Richards is a fun romp with emotional depth, fake-ish dating, and dual POV. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to advance read!
Bridget is a bit of a chaotic, anxiety riddled mess (relatable) and some misunderstandings could have easily been avoided if she had been less embarrassed about asking questions. Josh is charming and longs to be more than just the pretty face on book covers.
A Satchel of Richards is a fun romp with emotional depth, fake-ish dating, and dual POV. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to advance read!
October 16, 2025
The title hooked me, Richard (the protagonist’s hilarious agent) reeled me in, and the steamy romance between Bridget and Josh kept me turning the pages. Lee Taylor’s debut is fun, sexy, and carries sometimes surprising emotional resonance and depth. I can’t wait for her next novel.
Thank you to the author and Periwink Press for sharing an ARC with me.
Thank you to the author and Periwink Press for sharing an ARC with me.
October 16, 2025
A steamy debut romance, writing by an even lovelier human.
This novel follows a newly minted romance novelist as she tries to do "research" for her sexy scenes. It's a fun romp for steamy lit readers!
Thanks to the author for providing a galley.
This novel follows a newly minted romance novelist as she tries to do "research" for her sexy scenes. It's a fun romp for steamy lit readers!
Thanks to the author for providing a galley.
January 26, 2026
I really was not impressed with this story. It seemed very strange to me and not realistic at all. Maybe it’s just not my cup of tea.
I received an ARC from NetGallery and I’m leaving an honest and voluntary review.
I received an ARC from NetGallery and I’m leaving an honest and voluntary review.
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