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To Love Violets for Their Thorns
Not yet published
Expected 10 Feb 26218 pages, Paperback
Expected publication February 10, 2026
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27 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Sullivan
11 books3 followersLibrarian's note: There is more than one author by this name on Goodreads.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The whole idea that two exes that broke up a year ago, not done with each other, meet again at a dating show is an intriguing concept. Overall I liked the book, but I had hoped for even more tension, pining and angst before they are back together again. Now they see each other and even if some bad blood and misunderstandings that is quickly resolved and I think it would have been great to get even more pages describing the past relationship and break-up. Now it is handled a bit too lightly for my taste and the whole dating show setting is kind not used to its full potential.
Sonia broke up with the love of her life, Elly, one year ago. She lost her father and lost herself at the same time and then this felt like the best solution when she didn’t get the support she expected from Elly. Her friends want her to get back to dating so they have enlisted her for a reality dating show in Madrid, The Sapphic Bacheloress , a once in a lifetime chance.
Elly is still grieving the loss of the love of her life, Sonia, that just broke up out of the blue one day via a telephone call. She still wonders what is so wrong with her that made that happen and that Sonia didn’t even allowed a discussion first. She just cut all ties just like that and Elly’s dreams of a future together was shattered. To try to get over it she has applied to a reality dating show.
This dating show is very special, unique in the way that they also have invited exes to the contestants to test if they are over them and read for love with the Bacheloress Tallia. Sonia and Elly are not over each other, they desperately need to clear the air make it possible to move on with another partner in this dating show or perhaps forgive each other and try again.
I received a free ARC via NetGalley and leave an honest review voluntarily.
Sonia broke up with the love of her life, Elly, one year ago. She lost her father and lost herself at the same time and then this felt like the best solution when she didn’t get the support she expected from Elly. Her friends want her to get back to dating so they have enlisted her for a reality dating show in Madrid, The Sapphic Bacheloress , a once in a lifetime chance.
Elly is still grieving the loss of the love of her life, Sonia, that just broke up out of the blue one day via a telephone call. She still wonders what is so wrong with her that made that happen and that Sonia didn’t even allowed a discussion first. She just cut all ties just like that and Elly’s dreams of a future together was shattered. To try to get over it she has applied to a reality dating show.
This dating show is very special, unique in the way that they also have invited exes to the contestants to test if they are over them and read for love with the Bacheloress Tallia. Sonia and Elly are not over each other, they desperately need to clear the air make it possible to move on with another partner in this dating show or perhaps forgive each other and try again.
I received a free ARC via NetGalley and leave an honest review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
What would you do if your ex would be in the same dating show as you?
- I for one, would either be trying to act as if I didn’t care or hide in a bathroom and cry my eyes out.
Since I already started with this crazy question, I think it won’t be surpising to know that this exact scenario happens in this book, and let me tell you (without spoilers ofc) that it’s gonna make you swoon while also delivering the right amount of drama needed.
The main characters, Elly and Sonia, were dating each other a year prior to the show until one day Sonia suddenly broke up with Elly over the phone. Now a year later, they meet again and then at a sapphic dating show. What is pretty clear from the very beginning is that neither one of them is over the other, which made the whole story very nice to read if one is a fan of yearnig (ps. I SO am), besides, the characters generally are written so sweet, really, but also flawed in some aspects that made them seem very human to me. I also loved seeing how Rachel Sullivan wrote the second chance into this story, because it isn’t always clear if they’ll actually end up together. I also really liked the side characters, though I wish the story itself would’ve included more information to them or in that aspect more drama generally since the setting is a dating show like 'The Bachelor'.
Neverthless, it is a very nice book which is amazingly written and so very sweet too!! It certainly made me swoon a couple of times.
I would definitely recommend it if one is a fan of second chance romances with a lot of yearning and a bit of angst too.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for a voluntarily given and honest review.
What would you do if your ex would be in the same dating show as you?
- I for one, would either be trying to act as if I didn’t care or hide in a bathroom and cry my eyes out.
Since I already started with this crazy question, I think it won’t be surpising to know that this exact scenario happens in this book, and let me tell you (without spoilers ofc) that it’s gonna make you swoon while also delivering the right amount of drama needed.
The main characters, Elly and Sonia, were dating each other a year prior to the show until one day Sonia suddenly broke up with Elly over the phone. Now a year later, they meet again and then at a sapphic dating show. What is pretty clear from the very beginning is that neither one of them is over the other, which made the whole story very nice to read if one is a fan of yearnig (ps. I SO am), besides, the characters generally are written so sweet, really, but also flawed in some aspects that made them seem very human to me. I also loved seeing how Rachel Sullivan wrote the second chance into this story, because it isn’t always clear if they’ll actually end up together. I also really liked the side characters, though I wish the story itself would’ve included more information to them or in that aspect more drama generally since the setting is a dating show like 'The Bachelor'.
Neverthless, it is a very nice book which is amazingly written and so very sweet too!! It certainly made me swoon a couple of times.
I would definitely recommend it if one is a fan of second chance romances with a lot of yearning and a bit of angst too.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for a voluntarily given and honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The pretext of a second chance romance at a reality dating show was intriguing, and angsty. I was hooked.
Sonia and Elly were engaged when Sonia decided to break things off. Both of them then try to recover from the aftermath of their mutual heartbreak. Only to be forced to face their past on a reality TV.
Except, that sapphic reality dating show felt rather underhanded. The first elimination was based solely on appearance and first impressions, it gave me interview level anxiety lol. Pulling all stops to bring exes into the show felt like an manipulative move 😒 but all’s fair in the name of drama and plot, i guess.
Would have love to learn more about Sapphire and even Tallia’s stories too.
To Love Violets For Their Thorns is a short, fast paced, second chance romance, to be published on 10 Feb. If you like angsty, force proximity, pick this up!
Sonia and Elly were engaged when Sonia decided to break things off. Both of them then try to recover from the aftermath of their mutual heartbreak. Only to be forced to face their past on a reality TV.
Except, that sapphic reality dating show felt rather underhanded. The first elimination was based solely on appearance and first impressions, it gave me interview level anxiety lol. Pulling all stops to bring exes into the show felt like an manipulative move 😒 but all’s fair in the name of drama and plot, i guess.
Would have love to learn more about Sapphire and even Tallia’s stories too.
To Love Violets For Their Thorns is a short, fast paced, second chance romance, to be published on 10 Feb. If you like angsty, force proximity, pick this up!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Interesting concept with exes meeting again on a dating show. Not something I've read before. Sonia broke up with Elly, the love of her life after Sonia lost her father and and herself. She thought the best solution was to break up with Elly via the telephone which was a crappy way to do it.
They both join a reality dating show in Madrid, 'The Sapphic Bacheloress' a fantastic opportunity. Sonia's friends pushed her back into the dating scene and Elly applied to try and get over Sonia once and for all.
I wish there would have been more buildup, more tension, more angst. Not wham, bam back together again. It was resolved way too quickly and handled not as in depth as it could have been.
Overall, not a bad book, but could've been better.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
They both join a reality dating show in Madrid, 'The Sapphic Bacheloress' a fantastic opportunity. Sonia's friends pushed her back into the dating scene and Elly applied to try and get over Sonia once and for all.
I wish there would have been more buildup, more tension, more angst. Not wham, bam back together again. It was resolved way too quickly and handled not as in depth as it could have been.
Overall, not a bad book, but could've been better.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
There’s something I need to say, first: I don’t need to know the colour of everyone’s slacks in any given scene. The word “slacks” has lost all meaning, and I’m British so it already had very little. I did not like the writing in this book. It was all description, very little insight.
The main characters, Sonia and Elly, are ex-fiancées who have unwittingly both joined the same sapphic dating show. I think that the concept was interesting enough, and I appreciated the references to lavender and violet in lesbian history and culture — even if this itself was slightly heavy-handed. But it was hard to really get to know either character, and their interactions were frustrating: everything seemed like a case of miscommunication.
Ultimately, not for me, but maybe it could work for others.
I received a free digital copy via NetGalley.
The main characters, Sonia and Elly, are ex-fiancées who have unwittingly both joined the same sapphic dating show. I think that the concept was interesting enough, and I appreciated the references to lavender and violet in lesbian history and culture — even if this itself was slightly heavy-handed. But it was hard to really get to know either character, and their interactions were frustrating: everything seemed like a case of miscommunication.
Ultimately, not for me, but maybe it could work for others.
I received a free digital copy via NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Overall rating: 4/5
Format:e-arc
Tropes: second chance, sapphic, dating show, exes
Spice level: 1.5-2/5
Thoughts:
As a reality TV fan, this concept drew me in easily. I love the title and how it plays into the book aka the two FMC's finding space to forgive for the past and love each other "flaws" and all.
a cute quick read! thank you Netgalley for this ARC
Format:e-arc
Tropes: second chance, sapphic, dating show, exes
Spice level: 1.5-2/5
Thoughts:
As a reality TV fan, this concept drew me in easily. I love the title and how it plays into the book aka the two FMC's finding space to forgive for the past and love each other "flaws" and all.
a cute quick read! thank you Netgalley for this ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This story is BEAUTIFULLY written! I was pulled in at chapter one! The love these two characters have for each other is beautiful. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews