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Keep Talking: A Sapphic Age Gap Romance
Not yet published
Expected 12 Mar 26They’re only supposed to pretend to want each other.
Bryn Garbo is a struggling actress with big dreams, a termite-infested apartment, and a secret side hustle as an erotic audio performer. When she lands a job recording the sapphic romance of the summer, her hope of breaking into audiobooks is finally within reach. If only her co-narrator weren’t Vivian del Castillo.
Vivian is a legend. A former Hollywood sex symbol turned reclusive narrator, she’s built her life around one no one gets close.
At first, they clash. Hard. But day after day in a sweltering studio, Bryn effortlessly chips away at Vivian’s resolve. One brushed elbow. One hungry gasp. One gaze that lingers too long.
When the recording ends, the real performance begins. As Vivian blames the heat on the booth and Bryn tries not to fall for the version of Vivian no one else gets to see, the question isn’t whether one of them will break. It’s whether either of them can survive what comes after.
Keep Talking is a steamy, slow-burn, age-gap romance about reclaiming identity, healing through intimacy, and finding not just a story worth telling, but a love worth living.
Bryn Garbo is a struggling actress with big dreams, a termite-infested apartment, and a secret side hustle as an erotic audio performer. When she lands a job recording the sapphic romance of the summer, her hope of breaking into audiobooks is finally within reach. If only her co-narrator weren’t Vivian del Castillo.
Vivian is a legend. A former Hollywood sex symbol turned reclusive narrator, she’s built her life around one no one gets close.
At first, they clash. Hard. But day after day in a sweltering studio, Bryn effortlessly chips away at Vivian’s resolve. One brushed elbow. One hungry gasp. One gaze that lingers too long.
When the recording ends, the real performance begins. As Vivian blames the heat on the booth and Bryn tries not to fall for the version of Vivian no one else gets to see, the question isn’t whether one of them will break. It’s whether either of them can survive what comes after.
Keep Talking is a steamy, slow-burn, age-gap romance about reclaiming identity, healing through intimacy, and finding not just a story worth telling, but a love worth living.
- GenresLesbian
325 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 12, 2026
128 people want to read
About the author
J.J. Arias
35 books1,325 followersHello! And thank you for finding me!
I am an independent author writing about fictional lesbians of all varieties.
My writing journey began with fan faction, and as much as I LOVED being part of a community of super fans, I got tired of working with other people’s characters to tell my stories. I started asking myself: Why should we string together pieces of subtext when our community deserves well-developed main-text about LBGT people and those who love them! So, that is what I aim to deliver.
If you want to know a little more about me personally, J.J. Arias is my pen name. I do have a day job, and due to the industry I’m in, I can’t write under my given name. Although who knows, maybe one day I can write full-time and come out of the … office? I am a Scorpio woman (I know, I know, but I’m a nice one I PROMISE) happily married to a uniquely wonderful Cancer lady. Together we have several fur babies of the feline and canine varieties.
So, here I am, and I hope you enjoy my writing! I’m very open to thoughts, comments, critiques, and knock-knock jokes, so please feel free to message me with any of the above – or anything else you would like to say!
I am an independent author writing about fictional lesbians of all varieties.
My writing journey began with fan faction, and as much as I LOVED being part of a community of super fans, I got tired of working with other people’s characters to tell my stories. I started asking myself: Why should we string together pieces of subtext when our community deserves well-developed main-text about LBGT people and those who love them! So, that is what I aim to deliver.
If you want to know a little more about me personally, J.J. Arias is my pen name. I do have a day job, and due to the industry I’m in, I can’t write under my given name. Although who knows, maybe one day I can write full-time and come out of the … office? I am a Scorpio woman (I know, I know, but I’m a nice one I PROMISE) happily married to a uniquely wonderful Cancer lady. Together we have several fur babies of the feline and canine varieties.
So, here I am, and I hope you enjoy my writing! I’m very open to thoughts, comments, critiques, and knock-knock jokes, so please feel free to message me with any of the above – or anything else you would like to say!
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 6, 2026
I’m a sucker for how JJ Arias writes chemistry between her characters. I could have read another 100 pages of these two falling in love 😍
March 7, 2026
JJ Arias!!! Ahhhhh, this book is SO SO damn good! Hands down one of your best so far! That’s saying something! Vivian and Bryn will stay with me always whether it’s a mullet or not. I preordered the hard copy so I can stare at it everyday.
Want to read
March 5, 2026Wow, the friendship with Quinn is so deep that Arias was inspired to write a book on a narrator and put a Quinn Riley look-alike on a cover! Sign me up!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
fiction is a gateway to fantastical worlds, authors using the power of imagination to craft a narrative that exists far beyond their own experiences. and as such, we have a sapphic romance about two audiobook narrators recording a sapphic romance
right from the get-go Vivian (ice queen, secretly sad) and Bryn (golden retriever, openly anxious) have a very fun dynamic as Vivian tries very hard to not shout at Bryn. and as their relationship develops things get spicy - a lot of dirty talk, naturally - and then very, very mushy. and while it was all very good, the mushy parts were excellent
I loved Vivian as a character, the complicated relationship she has with her body and image after a traumatic introduction into the world as a child actor. and how there is a slow burn, but the climax (heh) isn't the characters getting physically intimate but how Vivian acknowledges her feelings starts to reclaim herself as a full person after being commodified as a sexual object, commodifying herself as a sexual object, and then hiding away from the world
and also ice queens are generally sad but she's just so fucking sad it's heartbreaking
we also have all the other JJ Arias stuff - wealthy and successful Cuban women, big chaotic family scenes, and food. and while I focused on Vivian, Bryn is great as well. a lovely, wonderfully earnest ray of sunshine who already loves senior citizens so a 20 year age gap is nothing to her
right from the get-go Vivian (ice queen, secretly sad) and Bryn (golden retriever, openly anxious) have a very fun dynamic as Vivian tries very hard to not shout at Bryn. and as their relationship develops things get spicy - a lot of dirty talk, naturally - and then very, very mushy. and while it was all very good, the mushy parts were excellent
I loved Vivian as a character, the complicated relationship she has with her body and image after a traumatic introduction into the world as a child actor. and how there is a slow burn, but the climax (heh) isn't the characters getting physically intimate but how Vivian acknowledges her feelings starts to reclaim herself as a full person after being commodified as a sexual object, commodifying herself as a sexual object, and then hiding away from the world
and also ice queens are generally sad but she's just so fucking sad it's heartbreaking
we also have all the other JJ Arias stuff - wealthy and successful Cuban women, big chaotic family scenes, and food. and while I focused on Vivian, Bryn is great as well. a lovely, wonderfully earnest ray of sunshine who already loves senior citizens so a 20 year age gap is nothing to her
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5 ☆
Let me first say that JJ Arias is in the upper count of my top 5 sapphic authors. Her ability to write genuine dialog, banter, and spice is second to none. Last year I found and read 'Like First Love, Again'...and then proceeded to buy and read nearly every J.J. Arias book.
This book is super cute, and 100% worth the read. I like the story all lot, it keeps very interesting and a really good pace. To absolutely no surprise, the spice is HOT. I am such a sucker for dirty talk and especially praise, and this has both in spades.
the only part of this book that I didn't love, was the third act breakup (but that's a preference for any book to not have this), as well as Vivians struggles and doubts. I feel like Vivians deep rooted sense of being an unworthy and bad person was never really delved into. yes we saw she was objectified as a kid actress, and we saw she became very private and reserved. But there was never anything shared about why she was a bad person. it felt like a layer left unexplored.
Also, after Gloria gave Bryn the final relationship advise....her character was completely MIA. It would have been nice to see her revisited in the epilogue.
Worth those couple is points in mind, I really do think this is a great book for a weekend read. Very light, very earnest, and several moments of being very funny.
Let me first say that JJ Arias is in the upper count of my top 5 sapphic authors. Her ability to write genuine dialog, banter, and spice is second to none. Last year I found and read 'Like First Love, Again'...and then proceeded to buy and read nearly every J.J. Arias book.
This book is super cute, and 100% worth the read. I like the story all lot, it keeps very interesting and a really good pace. To absolutely no surprise, the spice is HOT. I am such a sucker for dirty talk and especially praise, and this has both in spades.
the only part of this book that I didn't love, was the third act breakup (but that's a preference for any book to not have this), as well as Vivians struggles and doubts. I feel like Vivians deep rooted sense of being an unworthy and bad person was never really delved into. yes we saw she was objectified as a kid actress, and we saw she became very private and reserved. But there was never anything shared about why she was a bad person. it felt like a layer left unexplored.
Also, after Gloria gave Bryn the final relationship advise....her character was completely MIA. It would have been nice to see her revisited in the epilogue.
Worth those couple is points in mind, I really do think this is a great book for a weekend read. Very light, very earnest, and several moments of being very funny.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Don’t ever start a J.J. Arias book before bed and think you’re going to pull yourself away from it. So what if you have to wake up early the following morning when you’ve got Vivian and Bryn completely devastating every single bit of you? I kept saying “one more chapter” and suddenly it was the middle of the night. Totally worth it.
Vivian is such a good ice queen and honestly one of my favorites JJ has written. But there’s also this layer to her that I really loved. She has clearly been sexualized and turned into this image for most of her life, and you can feel how much that shaped her walls. Bryn catches that almost immediately. She makes it very clear she sees Vivian as a person, not the body everyone else seems to want or the version of her the world thinks they know. She fell for her, and you can feel how careful she is about that line because Vivian has probably dealt with the opposite her entire life.
And Bryn herself is just so sweet. She’s patient in a way that feels really genuine and she leads with her heart even when Vivian is still figuring out how to let someone in. That contrast between them is honestly what makes their dynamic so good.
Thank you to the author for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review!
Vivian is such a good ice queen and honestly one of my favorites JJ has written. But there’s also this layer to her that I really loved. She has clearly been sexualized and turned into this image for most of her life, and you can feel how much that shaped her walls. Bryn catches that almost immediately. She makes it very clear she sees Vivian as a person, not the body everyone else seems to want or the version of her the world thinks they know. She fell for her, and you can feel how careful she is about that line because Vivian has probably dealt with the opposite her entire life.
And Bryn herself is just so sweet. She’s patient in a way that feels really genuine and she leads with her heart even when Vivian is still figuring out how to let someone in. That contrast between them is honestly what makes their dynamic so good.
Thank you to the author for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Author
As an avid J.J. fan, saying this book absolutely rocked my world in the best way, is an understatement! It’s the kind of sapphic romance that pulls you in slowly and then refuses to let go. The characters felt so real, flawed, funny, vulnerable; and watching their relationship unfold was both heartwarming and emotional.
The tension, the longing, the little moments of realization… it was all written so beautifully.
What really stood out to me was how natural the romance felt. The connection between the two leads developed in such an authentic way, with meaningful conversations, genuine chemistry, and moments that made me both laugh and tear up. Their story wasn’t just about falling in love, it was about trust, growth, and finding someone who truly sees you.
The writing style was engaging and immersive, and I found myself completely invested in their journey. By the time I finished, I was left with that wonderful book hangover where you’re not quite ready to leave the characters behind. I have started reading it a second time after a night of self-reflection and desire to not read the entire thing in 6.5 hours.
10/10 Simply the Best - quote Tina Turner
The tension, the longing, the little moments of realization… it was all written so beautifully.
What really stood out to me was how natural the romance felt. The connection between the two leads developed in such an authentic way, with meaningful conversations, genuine chemistry, and moments that made me both laugh and tear up. Their story wasn’t just about falling in love, it was about trust, growth, and finding someone who truly sees you.
The writing style was engaging and immersive, and I found myself completely invested in their journey. By the time I finished, I was left with that wonderful book hangover where you’re not quite ready to leave the characters behind. I have started reading it a second time after a night of self-reflection and desire to not read the entire thing in 6.5 hours.
10/10 Simply the Best - quote Tina Turner
Review of advance copy
This was such a fun read from one of my favourite authors that is on my auto buy list the day a book is released. The idea to write about sapphic audiobook narrators is such a fascinating idea and I loved every minute of the interaction between the young golden retriever Bryn with the fun hair and the much older recluse ice queen Vivian. It starts off with so much fun bantering and then as always in a book written by J.J. Arias, the build up of a sexual chemistry that is enhanced so much thanks to her amazing writing.
As a conclusion this is another must read and I long for the audiobook. I almost fainted reading this book at times so having a great narrator reading those sections will be pure fire without any doubt.
As a conclusion this is another must read and I long for the audiobook. I almost fainted reading this book at times so having a great narrator reading those sections will be pure fire without any doubt.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow. This book was so good. The characters, the pacing, their banter. I didn’t even think it was possible but this may have just become my favorite JJ Arias book. Their chemistry from the moment they met was sizzling and that is not an easy feat through words, but Arias does it well. Their chemistry burn and build up were perfect and the spice was to die for. I don’t want give away too much but I will say that if Quinn Riley doesn’t narrate this, it will be a true crime.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Advance copy? Not quite I purchased this from the author ahead of release like I'm sure some others have
I won't spoil anything and this is my first review so I'm sure it will suck but wow.....what a book
The chemistry of the characters, the self isolation of Vivian and the sheer light of Bryn
We all deserve love, every one of us deserves love
Just wow, J.J. never misses, ever
I won't spoil anything and this is my first review so I'm sure it will suck but wow.....what a book
The chemistry of the characters, the self isolation of Vivian and the sheer light of Bryn
We all deserve love, every one of us deserves love
Just wow, J.J. never misses, ever
Read
March 8, 2026Another masterpiece by J.J. and easily in my top three. The connection was beautiful and paced so well. Also, might be the best epilogue I have ever read. Chemistry of the charts. Heart strings pulled. Tears shedded. Bonus epilogue instantly signed up for.
Review of advance copy received from Author
JJ Arias has easily become one of my favourite authors. Every character she writes always feels so real. I fell in love with Vivian, she felt different than other ice queens I’ve read about and I was just rooting for her and Bryn so hard.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Gosh this had me laughing and smiling and then god damn crying at the end. Loved every second of it.
Review of advance copy
3.75⭐
Review of advance copy
Ohh JJ Arias, you’re amazing.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews