Falling for your best friend’s crush really ruins your matchmaking.
When Alyssa’s life in Boston falls apart, her long-distance friend Daniela’s house in Vermont is supposed to be just a quick stay while she escapes her ex and gets her life together. But an encounter with the gorgeous, rugged, and not-too-approachable Jade on the way only gets more interesting when Alyssa finds out Jade is the crush Daniela’s been talking to her about—until an incident split Jade off from the local community. Eager to repay her friend, Alyssa teams up with Jade’s best friend Cat to get Jade and Daniela together. But Alyssa wasn’t planning to get jealous about it working.
Jade is done with Vermont. After small-town drama drove her friend Cat out of the community, she’s seen enough, and is planning her move in secret. But the arrival of a bright-eyed new girl in town with an amount of enthusiasm Jade cannot comprehend might be an opportunity to get Cat her friendships back before she goes. Only problem is that Alyssa is hard to shake once Jade starts talking to her. And so are the feelings she really, really doesn’t want to catch.
Burned from Both Ends is a small-town matchmaker romance with jealousy so thick you could cut it with a knife, a queer small town with more drama than you could shake a candle at, and a matchmaker plot gone wrong in the best way. Content warnings for open-door sex scenes, an off-screen abusive ex, childhood depression, very nearly a bad car accident, very definitely a bad slap accident, and a sexy scar resulting from it.
I have read a couple of books by this author, one of which is solidly on my favorites list. This one however did not work out for me.
What I liked: • It is a romcom. I was already laughing at the beginning scene. • I enjoyed the setting descriptions of spring in mountainous Vermont. • Diverse queer friend group • Inclusion of a deaf secondary character
What I didn't like: • Petty friend group drama • Alyssa is a hot mess. She babbles awkwardly but not in a cute way. She has no filter. As she tells herself she should stop talking, she continues to pry into other people's business asking personal questions. She is super nosey. • Alyssa is intent on interfering in other's business. She tells herself it is to be helpful. • She is crushing on her friend's crush.
Why I DNF'd @ 14% no rating: • Alyssa is too much for me. I just couldn't like her. • The friend drama was kind of middle school stuff that I am not interested in. It may have worked out in the end but since I couldn't tolerate Alyssa, I couldn't find out.
Lily’s storytelling knows no bounds and we are being granted with a glorious peek. This book captured me right away with its charm, humor, insight and depth. Alyssa and Jade have so many layers and are also so similar in their mental baggage in many ways.
I love how Alyssa just seems to light up everyone she meets. She is so emotionally available even when she doesn’t see it in herself. She just wants others to find and/or keep their happiness and she will support you however you need.
Jade is a mean…well I don’t think being honest and supportive and thinking of others even when they don’t necessarily deserve it is considered mean. Truly.
I adored Cat. She is a powerhouse! Daniela grew on me throughout the story and I am definitely rooting for…well read and find out ;).
I loved the story, the characters and the location! Highly recommend!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Ms Seabrooke has given Vermont a whole new look for me, lively with some quirky fun folks. The scene is set beautifully with a wide cast of characters. The main characters meet up quickly, and there is immediate tension. The tension grows until it explodes in one very spicy scene and then mixed signals derail everything. A long road trip brings things back into focus and when they return to VT, well you just have to read it!
I’ve received and advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.
I was a little apprehensive before I read the book because the theme of “falling for you friend’s love interest” can be tricky, it can ruin a book when it’s not done right, but in this aspect, the book did a great job! It’s clear that Jade and Daniela’s relationship was already non-existent when Alyssa came in to the picture and the thing I liked the most about it was Daniela’s reaction to knowing about the two of them. That being said, miscommunication bothers me so much!! I hate it when people overcomplicate things because they are just not talking to each other. I understand that for Alyssa, it was kind of a trauma response, but everything could’ve been way simpler if everyone was just honest from the start. Main plot aside, it sucks that the whole LGBTQIA+ community was freezing Cat out but I can see it happening. I really liked Cat and Daniela as supporting characters and I can see them getting their own book in the future. I liked Jade and Alyssa as well, the sexual tension was great and I understand that it took a while for Alyssa to realize her feelings considering everything she went through. I’m glad the whole “making Jade jealous with Abby” thing didn’t last long though, it’s not my favorite type of dynamic. I just wish we could’ve catch a glimpse of Jade’s past to understand better why she was so guarded. But overall, it was a great book! I recommend it for everyone who likes sapphic fun romances (even if there are heavy themes as well). Also, I loved the Savannah Grace reference!!
I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book was a delight from cover to cover. Seabrooke has once again created a diverse cast of characters with rich characterization and very realistic flaws. We have Alyssa, an optimistic and friendly woman from the city seeking refuge from a bad relationship in a small town, and Jade, who believes herself a hermit but cares too much about people to really be one. Their chemistry is very believable, and Alyssa dropping right in the middle of major drama into Jade's (and now Alyssa's) closely-knit friend group creates a very realistic conflict for our heroines to overcome.
The book itself is a rollercoaster. Its a rom-com one moment, in the next chapter it is a smoldering bodice ripper and it will become a horror story about being a pariah in a small town next. Seabrooke weaves it all masterfully and delivers an amazing story about self-worth, about daring to be happy and about learning to communicate not only with your partner, but with the people we love.
(And the supporting cast? Amazing, as usual. They have their own lives and their own storylines that are just as riveting as the main one and would by themselves carry any other book. Cat in particular, the character whose dilemma sets in motion a lot of the conflict of the book, downright steals the show)
All in all a great read, a must if you like romantic comedy and books with a zany and realistic cast of characters (and who doesn't?).
Alyssa moves to Vermont to stay with an online friend after getting away from her horrible ex-boyfriend. On the way there, she runs into Jade, a candle-maker, who had been friends with Alyssa’s friend Daniela. Jade and he friend Cat are on the outs with the group, and Alyssa, the type of person who wants to make everyone happy, tries to heal the rift in the group and get Jade and Daniela, who both admit they’ve had crushes on each other, together. The only problem is the thought of someone else boeing with Jade makes Alyssa feel jealous.
What is interesting about the book is that there are two male who are pivotal to the story, and yet both of them are largely background characters. One doesn’t make any appearance in the story beyond texts and the other is mentioned quite a bit, but doesn’t really have any meaningful dialogue until late in the novel. For a while I thought she was trying to write the book without any male interactions. It doesn’t really impact the quality of the book, but it does seem strange that two such important characters are essentially nonexistent.
Alyssa is one of those delightful characters that Seabrooke seems to be an expert at writing, and I fell in love with here as much as everyone else appeared to.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
(I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.)
Lily's always written delightful friend groups in small towns, and this book delivers in a really fun way.
What we have here is a bunch of people who have decided to make themselves smaller for the benefit of other people. Stepped away from things they love, places they have made their home, and their own desires - just to not have to say something difficult, to cause discomfort.
It's not a healthy way to live, and it bites them all in the ass. If you're a reader who's easily frustrated by bad communication, this may be a part of the book that bothers you! I'm usually one to be bothered by such miscommunication, but Lily delivers the experience so believably from all angles that I didn't feel like it's just drawing out the conflict for no reason at all - I felt instead that I could see myself and people I have known inside every one of these women who think they're just trying to do the right thing, but deep down, know they're just afraid to be vulnerable.
This book handles those themes gracefully and honestly, while being blazing hot and having wonderful banter between two leads who, im not gonna lie, managed to sell me on even jealousy being hot sometimes, which is a tall ask!
So bravo to Lily for another delightful read. Definitely recommended.
I really enjoyed this one. The plot was compelling, love some flawed queer characters, the spice was good and as always, the side characters were excellent.
Alyssa and Jade's romance was great. Two people who struggle to communicate their needs could have easily been very frustrating to read but Seabrooke threaded that needle so well.
Love the side characters in this one. Cat was definitely the stand out and I'm really hoping we get a Cat book next. The whole friend group was great and the rift between them made for a really interesting emotional setting.
The spice was great. Seabrooke always brings it. Love when a character dives into their first time with a woman with zero hesitation.
This book is for anyone who loves some messy small town queers, has found the strength to leave their terrible ex or just likes a well written romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
She is one of my absolute favorite authors. Period. Every time I pick up one of her books, I know I am in for an emotional ride. Burned from Both Ends certainly did not disappoint. What I loved most? How beautifully she weaves so many conflicting emotions into a single character. It feels real. It feels messy. The main characters here are deeply flawed, and honestly, that just made me root for them more. Alyssa's experiences and trauma hit so close to home. It mirrored real-world situations in a way that made my chest ache. You can tell the author poured so much empathy into writing her journey. Now, I will be completely honest. Is it the absolute best novel I have read by her? Probably not. But her 'not the best' is still miles ahead of most things out there. It easily earns 5 stars from me for the raw honesty and the beautifully imperfect sapphic romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this latest offering from Lily Seabrooke. Classic grumpy/sunshine story with so much humor and love poured into it. The small Vermont town is a great setting to create that cozy, close knit community as the backdrop for Alyssa and Jade’s story. The supporting characters were great, with a wide variety of personality types. The subplot involving Linda and Charlie was also intriguing and I thought the way the author handled it was superb, showing that it wasn’t necessarily the exact same situation Alyssa had dealt with in her recent past. Overall, I really just liked exploring the group dynamics and how honest communication is important in all relationships, not just romantic ones. Bonus: if you enjoy spicy scenes you’re in for a few treats along the way!
PS I want some of Candle Girl’s amazing candle creations!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It was an enjoyable read overall. The romance was well done, but the plot felt a bit underdeveloped—especially the reasoning behind Jade being ostracized, which could have been explored more deeply. I also found myself wanting more clarity about Alyssa’s life before arriving in town, as well as a stronger sense of her relationship with Sawyer.
The group dynamic had potential, but it wasn’t fully fleshed out. More interactions between the characters—and a deeper look at the aftermath of the discovery—would have added depth to the story. While the book focused heavily on the matchmaking aspect, it only touched superficially on its causes and consequences, which left the narrative feeling somewhat unbalanced.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book made me want to live in a small town with a big queer community. The group is flawed, like we all are, but it was realistic. I loved Jade and Alyssa, how being opposites didn't stop them from catching feelings. Alyssa, with her too big heart, charming everyone and Jade, whom I loved, living like a hermit. I loved how these two came together and the scene outside the restaurant? Oh, hot! The descriptions of scenery was well done and you can see it in your mind when you read along. It's an easy read, some angst, mentions of a controlling former relationship, but nothing too heavy. It's a good book to pick up when you want to swoon away with these two, like I did.
After her life in Boston imploded, Alyssa Taylor agrees to spend some time with her friends in Paxton Ridge, specifically Daniella. On the way there she nearly crashes, only to be saved by a local, Jade. There's some kind of community drama involving Jade and her friend Cat, which keeps being alluded to. Daniella also had a thing for Jade, but it fizzled out. So Alyssa decides to try to fix both situations.... The only problem is, she and Jade start to click. Pretty good. EVERY CHARACTER in this novel fails to communicate, which drives the plot. Which is mildly annoying. 3 stars out of 5
The friend group in this book includes several characters I like more than others, making it a realistically portrayed group of people. The characters are well written and have every day problems and conflicts. I felt as if I could be a part of the friend group as the story developed. It's well paced and I found myself fully engrossed and rooting for Alyssa and Jade as the story progressed. Since it's written in dual first person POV, the additional insight into the mains' thoughts is welcome.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Well-paced story set in a beautiful location. It has a close-knit community that has its issues. But through it all friendships remain strong and supportive. Alyssa and Jades story us the main story but there is so much going on with the supporting cast. All characters have some challenges to overcome. Despite Jades tough exterior she has a heart of gold and creates truly special candles that show her sensitive side. Alyssa wants everyone to be happy, even if it means self-sabotage. Really enjoyed reading this story from Lily
Burned from Both Ends had me up all night. Once I got into this story I could not put it down. I really enjoyed the journey these characters went through. They both had a lot of emotional baggage to unpack. The gossipy townsfolks are such a Lily staple, and I love the Grace Notes reference. It was a very enjoyable read, and I highly recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed this one. I thought Alyssa and Jade were a very good couple together, I like how they learned how to communicate with each other to figure things out.
I really liked the side characters too, Cat being my favorite of the bunch. I hope she gets her own book, I think that would be a blast to read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It’s like a train wreck, you don’t want to look (read any more) but you can help yourself (you just can’t stop now, you gotta know how it ). It was an emotional roller coated. You were rooting for them and then this happens or that happens. But you couldn’t stop reading cause you Just knew their time was coming. Definitely worth the read. You’ll love the ALL characters and maybe even get mad at them too. But such an epic story and you won’t regret this read!!
I always love when romance books are more about 2 people falling in love. This one was about community and finding a place where you belong, even if it's so beautifully messy.
I really loved all the characters. They were amazing and so interesting. Cat, I will forever love you. The book is really funny and adorable.
Really recommend it! Lily Seabrooke always make great books !
This is hands down one of my absolute favorite books Ms. Seabrooke has ever written. It's such a slow burn and it's SO CUTE and I love Cat and Jade, Daniela and Alyssa, even the smaller side characters! This one felt so hopeful and kind and reading it just gave me the warm fuzzies.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The best part of this book is it's characters. The way they are portrayed... flawed still loving. The book starts a little dull but hooks you to the story even though at places you would want to slap the MCs on the face. Overall a good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Loved the characters and the romance was very sweet, but I felt that the end was a bit too neat. Jade and Alyssa both did things that hurt others, and I wished we got to see people be hurt and also love them, rather than just brushing things off. Was a lovely, very cute read still.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Burned From Both Ends is the third book I've read by Lily Seabrooke and it is my favorite one of hers so far.
Alyssa and Jade are both very likable characters and it is easy to root for their romance. The pacing was great and as always, Lily brings the spice to everything she writes.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Another winner from LS. She always seems to have a huge cast of characters who all seem unique and real. With some authors I get muddled as to who did what or which friend is which, but with LS you just get to know them all. Recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book is everything that I'd expect to find from a story from Lily. I really liked the characters and the way the story flowed. The character development was done well. Highly recommend.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I usually like Lily's stories but I just couldn't get my head around this one. It felt like a bad ROM com. The dialogue felt like it coming from high school teenagers rather than grown women. Disappointing.
The characters are credible and mostly fun (except when they’re not). One missed opportunity was having Sawyer reappear & get ousted, but I’m not the author. She kept it focused on community instead.
This book is another gripping page turner from Lily Seabrooke, I've read 12 of her books now and each one has me grasped. The characters are well written with a really nice story arc that brings everything together. A great love story with some twists and turns.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.