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Under the Paper Moon
๐ณ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐. ๐ณ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐.
๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ is a walking red flagโdrives too fast, feels too little, and keeps her life free of emotional clutter. Feelings are messy. Love? Overrated.
๐ณ๐๐๐๐ is everything Gabby isnโt looking for.
Free-spirited and inconveniently engaged, sheโs a singer with too much charm and zero chillโshowing up when Gabby least expects it, and somehow always when she needs it most.
๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐บ ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฏโ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ต.
๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ช๐ณ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ด ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฏโ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ญ๐ญ๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ.
๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐บ ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ง๐ช๐ฏ๐ช๐ต๐ฆ๐ญ๐บ ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฏโ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ง๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ญ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ค๐ฉ.
๐๐ฐ ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ด. ๐๐ฐ ๐ง๐ถ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ฆ. ๐๐ฐ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด๐ฆ.
๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โ
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐.
๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ is a walking red flagโdrives too fast, feels too little, and keeps her life free of emotional clutter. Feelings are messy. Love? Overrated.
๐ณ๐๐๐๐ is everything Gabby isnโt looking for.
Free-spirited and inconveniently engaged, sheโs a singer with too much charm and zero chillโshowing up when Gabby least expects it, and somehow always when she needs it most.
๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐บ ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฏโ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ต.
๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ช๐ณ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ด ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฏโ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ญ๐ญ๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ.
๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐บ ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ง๐ช๐ฏ๐ช๐ต๐ฆ๐ญ๐บ ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฏโ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ง๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ญ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ค๐ฉ.
๐๐ฐ ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ด. ๐๐ฐ ๐ง๐ถ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ฆ. ๐๐ฐ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด๐ฆ.
๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โ
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐.
Kindle Edition
Published June 5, 2026
About the author
Aya Canicosa
3ย books27ย followersAya is a New Yorkโbased writer, artist, and professional overthinker who creates emotionally immersive sapphic fiction about women who love deeply, mess up gloriously, and sometimes find their way back.
Of Chasing Raindrops is her debut novelโand her most productive form of emotional damage yet.
Itโs not a love story. Until it is.
Of Chasing Raindrops is her debut novelโand her most productive form of emotional damage yet.
Itโs not a love story. Until it is.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 31, 2026
โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ1/4 (4.25 stars)
Wowwww
To say that I cried at least once while reading Lexi and Gabbyโs story probably doesnโt do the whole book any justice but thatโs still exactly how i want to begin my review: Throughout the story we follow Lexi and Gabby who rather passionately fall in love due to fate (in my humble opinion) bringing them together not once or twice but three times over the whole course of the book.
Both characters were beautifully written and layered, I practically adored the complexity of both of them but would say that I could relate a bit more to Gabby and her experiences throughout the book (especially towards the end, & I wonโt spoiler but damn I cried so much). Lexi on the other hand was really well written too and I found it refreshing to see how much thought was put into these characters and how their respective trauma was woven within the story. Moreover, though I had my moments in which i didnโt understand Lexi, I really liked how she was written as the person who tries to conform to societies standards even if they ultimately donโt make her happy at all. I really appreciated to be able to see her character development and how she basically learned how to accept who she is and that she is good the way she is. Furthermore, I loved the spicy scenes too! As an avid romance reader, I sometimes get a bit nit-picky here but Aya managed to write them with so much emotion that I simply enjoyed reading them and didnโt think they were too โclicheโ or anything.
However, I do have one point that I rather disliked and hence I didnโt give the full 5 starsโฆI unfortunately didnโt always love the writing style of the story itself. Though, I think the characters were amazingly written, the general style of how the story is told is a thing where I had my problems with. And I know this is a me problem but I just want to be honest about how I feel.
Overall, though, I did really like this book and the characters and especially the depth and detail in which this romance between Gabby and Lexi was told. If youโre a fan of emotional and complex stories with great character building then this might just be for you โก
Thank you SO much to Aya for including me in her arc team in exchange for an honest and voluntarily given review!
Wowwww
To say that I cried at least once while reading Lexi and Gabbyโs story probably doesnโt do the whole book any justice but thatโs still exactly how i want to begin my review: Throughout the story we follow Lexi and Gabby who rather passionately fall in love due to fate (in my humble opinion) bringing them together not once or twice but three times over the whole course of the book.
Both characters were beautifully written and layered, I practically adored the complexity of both of them but would say that I could relate a bit more to Gabby and her experiences throughout the book (especially towards the end, & I wonโt spoiler but damn I cried so much). Lexi on the other hand was really well written too and I found it refreshing to see how much thought was put into these characters and how their respective trauma was woven within the story. Moreover, though I had my moments in which i didnโt understand Lexi, I really liked how she was written as the person who tries to conform to societies standards even if they ultimately donโt make her happy at all. I really appreciated to be able to see her character development and how she basically learned how to accept who she is and that she is good the way she is. Furthermore, I loved the spicy scenes too! As an avid romance reader, I sometimes get a bit nit-picky here but Aya managed to write them with so much emotion that I simply enjoyed reading them and didnโt think they were too โclicheโ or anything.
However, I do have one point that I rather disliked and hence I didnโt give the full 5 starsโฆI unfortunately didnโt always love the writing style of the story itself. Though, I think the characters were amazingly written, the general style of how the story is told is a thing where I had my problems with. And I know this is a me problem but I just want to be honest about how I feel.
Overall, though, I did really like this book and the characters and especially the depth and detail in which this romance between Gabby and Lexi was told. If youโre a fan of emotional and complex stories with great character building then this might just be for you โก
Thank you SO much to Aya for including me in her arc team in exchange for an honest and voluntarily given review!
June 7, 2026
Thank you to the author for my advanced review copy for honest review.
I donโt think Aya Canicosa realizes how important her books are.
There are a lot of books that entertain me. There are fewer books that stay with me. And then there are the rare books that make me feel seen.
Under the Paper Moon falls firmly into that last category.
Aya writes women who feel real. Not polished. Not perfect. Real. Messy, complicated, hurting, healing, and trying to figure out where they belong in a world that doesnโt always understand them. And as someone who has spent a lot of my life feeling a little out of place, there is something incredibly powerful about seeing that reflected on the page.
Gabby was that character for me.
Sheโs all sharp edges and self-protection. Sheโs spent so long trying to survive that sheโs forgotten what it feels like to simply be.
Then thereโs Lexieโฆheart first, free-spirited, impossible not to love, and exactly the kind of person capable of turning someoneโs carefully constructed world upside down.
And together?
They wrecked me.
โNot to live your life around the people who left.โ
โLearning how to function with the absence of her, but I never learned how to make it feel normal.โ
Those werenโt just beautiful lines. They felt like truths.
This book is raw emotion. Itโs grief. Itโs love. Itโs longing. Itโs learning how to carry loss without letting it define you. Itโs learning that being understood by another person can be both terrifying and healing.
The coastal setting was beautiful. The slow burn was exquisite torture. The right person, wrong time energy was absolutely brutal. And every chapter felt like Aya had reached into the deepest parts of what makes us human and put it on the page.
I loved Gabby.
I loved Lexie.
I loved this book.
But more than that, Iโm grateful for it.
Because stories like this remind people they arenโt alone.
Ayaโs books donโt just tell sapphic love stories. She creates space for people to see themselves. To feel understood. To feel a little less alone.
And that matters.
Five stars. No notes. Just a full heart, emotional damage, and the certainty that Aya Canicosa is one of the most important voices writing sapphic fiction right now.
I donโt think Aya Canicosa realizes how important her books are.
There are a lot of books that entertain me. There are fewer books that stay with me. And then there are the rare books that make me feel seen.
Under the Paper Moon falls firmly into that last category.
Aya writes women who feel real. Not polished. Not perfect. Real. Messy, complicated, hurting, healing, and trying to figure out where they belong in a world that doesnโt always understand them. And as someone who has spent a lot of my life feeling a little out of place, there is something incredibly powerful about seeing that reflected on the page.
Gabby was that character for me.
Sheโs all sharp edges and self-protection. Sheโs spent so long trying to survive that sheโs forgotten what it feels like to simply be.
Then thereโs Lexieโฆheart first, free-spirited, impossible not to love, and exactly the kind of person capable of turning someoneโs carefully constructed world upside down.
And together?
They wrecked me.
โNot to live your life around the people who left.โ
โLearning how to function with the absence of her, but I never learned how to make it feel normal.โ
Those werenโt just beautiful lines. They felt like truths.
This book is raw emotion. Itโs grief. Itโs love. Itโs longing. Itโs learning how to carry loss without letting it define you. Itโs learning that being understood by another person can be both terrifying and healing.
The coastal setting was beautiful. The slow burn was exquisite torture. The right person, wrong time energy was absolutely brutal. And every chapter felt like Aya had reached into the deepest parts of what makes us human and put it on the page.
I loved Gabby.
I loved Lexie.
I loved this book.
But more than that, Iโm grateful for it.
Because stories like this remind people they arenโt alone.
Ayaโs books donโt just tell sapphic love stories. She creates space for people to see themselves. To feel understood. To feel a little less alone.
And that matters.
Five stars. No notes. Just a full heart, emotional damage, and the certainty that Aya Canicosa is one of the most important voices writing sapphic fiction right now.
June 6, 2026
Advance copy review from the author
Whoosh this book is an emotional roller coaster ride of emotions.
Gabby my gosh Gabby truly broke my heart. Dealing with grief heartbreak she never stays. What she does best is leaving. Gabby was in her office and came across a lavender envelope an invitation and she lost it!! So relatable in so many ways. So what does gabby do she left to bohol. Where sheโs soaking in her pain until she is greeted again with Lexie..
Lexie a musician engaged and needed to get away from her fiancรฉ to think to relax. To think things through. Lexie is on the beach in bohol walking and comes across a body thinking someone was dead but what and who she found was gabby.
Gabby is suffering alone hiding her feelings from those who loved her. Until something happened and she comes to a realization that hurting being angry wasnโt something she couldnโt deal with.
Lexie is just as heartbroken choosing to leave or stay. The heartbreak the song. Was beautiful and the lyrics you felt the pain.
When I tell you I freaking sob like a baby I freaking sobbed.
Gabby and Lexie have this beautiful chemistry. Gosh even with everything they went through they still loved each other.
once again this book is about choosing to stay. To chose to live and learn to love yourself your own journey. Itโs choosing to stay for yourself.
โUnder a paper moon, we let it live, let it die You were never mine to lose, but I still lost you.โ
Please check your trigger warnings
Aya wrote this book with her heart and soul . You felt the pain the hurt the grief all of the emotions. I promise you this book is worth every tear.
Whoosh this book is an emotional roller coaster ride of emotions.
Gabby my gosh Gabby truly broke my heart. Dealing with grief heartbreak she never stays. What she does best is leaving. Gabby was in her office and came across a lavender envelope an invitation and she lost it!! So relatable in so many ways. So what does gabby do she left to bohol. Where sheโs soaking in her pain until she is greeted again with Lexie..
Lexie a musician engaged and needed to get away from her fiancรฉ to think to relax. To think things through. Lexie is on the beach in bohol walking and comes across a body thinking someone was dead but what and who she found was gabby.
Gabby is suffering alone hiding her feelings from those who loved her. Until something happened and she comes to a realization that hurting being angry wasnโt something she couldnโt deal with.
Lexie is just as heartbroken choosing to leave or stay. The heartbreak the song. Was beautiful and the lyrics you felt the pain.
When I tell you I freaking sob like a baby I freaking sobbed.
Gabby and Lexie have this beautiful chemistry. Gosh even with everything they went through they still loved each other.
once again this book is about choosing to stay. To chose to live and learn to love yourself your own journey. Itโs choosing to stay for yourself.
โUnder a paper moon, we let it live, let it die You were never mine to lose, but I still lost you.โ
Please check your trigger warnings
Aya wrote this book with her heart and soul . You felt the pain the hurt the grief all of the emotions. I promise you this book is worth every tear.
June 7, 2026
4.5 โญBeautiful,raw, and messy. Under the paper moon is an intimately written story about love, loss, and healing. Gabby has learned not to get close to protect herself and Lexie is in a relationship that's comfortable. Both just happen to be on a solo trip in the same place at the same time. Author Aya Canicosa portrays this complexity of human emotions so authentic that it gave me all the feels, especially when you get to read the same scene from both Gabby and Lexie 's point of view. Life is messy and sometimes along the way we meet someone unexpected, that changes everything.
"Loosing broke her. Loving her broke me"
"Loosing broke her. Loving her broke me"
June 5, 2026
โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโจ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ
This book walked in wearing soft sapphic romance perfume and then immediately started unpacking emotional baggage like it had a late checkout.
Under the Paper Moon is messy, tender, angsty, and full of the kind of yearning that makes you want to lovingly place two fictional women in a room and say, โNo one leaves until we use our words.โ
Gabby and Lexi had me STRESSED. The tension? Delicious. The secrets? Loud. The coping skills? Questionable at best. Every time I thought we were approaching emotional maturity, someone made a choice that had me staring at my Kindle like it owed me an apology.
And honestly? I was seated.
This has that very specific sapphic chaos where everyone is acting โtotally fine,โ absolutely no one is fine, and the moon is just up there witnessing crimes against my peace.
The vibes are very:โจโ coffee shop-adjacent emotional spiralingโจ๐ moonlit yearningโจ๐ sapphic tension with consequencesโจ๐ซ โIโm fineโ said by people who are historically not fineโจ๐ข me yelling โplease communicateโ at fictional women once again
Was I rooting? Obviously.โจWas I stressed? Deeply.โจDid I trust anyoneโs decision-making? Not once.โจDid I eat it up anyway? Unfortunately, with a spoon
Basically, Under the Paper Moon is for anyone who likes their sapphic romance tender, chaotic, emotionally loaded, and just rude enough to keep you turning pages.
Soft title. Sharp feelings. Zero regard for my peace.
Thanks to Aya Canicosa and Swamp Witch Media for the chance to ARC review this book.
This book walked in wearing soft sapphic romance perfume and then immediately started unpacking emotional baggage like it had a late checkout.
Under the Paper Moon is messy, tender, angsty, and full of the kind of yearning that makes you want to lovingly place two fictional women in a room and say, โNo one leaves until we use our words.โ
Gabby and Lexi had me STRESSED. The tension? Delicious. The secrets? Loud. The coping skills? Questionable at best. Every time I thought we were approaching emotional maturity, someone made a choice that had me staring at my Kindle like it owed me an apology.
And honestly? I was seated.
This has that very specific sapphic chaos where everyone is acting โtotally fine,โ absolutely no one is fine, and the moon is just up there witnessing crimes against my peace.
The vibes are very:โจโ coffee shop-adjacent emotional spiralingโจ๐ moonlit yearningโจ๐ sapphic tension with consequencesโจ๐ซ โIโm fineโ said by people who are historically not fineโจ๐ข me yelling โplease communicateโ at fictional women once again
Was I rooting? Obviously.โจWas I stressed? Deeply.โจDid I trust anyoneโs decision-making? Not once.โจDid I eat it up anyway? Unfortunately, with a spoon
Basically, Under the Paper Moon is for anyone who likes their sapphic romance tender, chaotic, emotionally loaded, and just rude enough to keep you turning pages.
Soft title. Sharp feelings. Zero regard for my peace.
Thanks to Aya Canicosa and Swamp Witch Media for the chance to ARC review this book.
June 5, 2026
This was a well written romance. The author has a unique writing style that draws you in from the beginning. The characters were complex and well developed. I enjoyed the plot and felt the author did a phenomenal job with difficult topics. Thank you to the author for the ARC.
June 11, 2026
I was able to have the honor of being an ARC reader.
I would like to talk about the plot first, which starts off slow by introducing the characters. The second half just gets to feel a lot more brighter for when Gabby and Lexie start interacting. They bounce off of each other so well by complimenting each other.
Secondly, the characters in this story were used beautifully. Lexie and Gabby even though they're supposed to be like fire and water. They feel as if they're the same because it feels as if they're barely holding on for a reason they can't name, yet. Their first interactions allow them to leave a very big impression on each other, but it just leads to more.
The final third of this book is beautiful. Especially Lexie's conflict. It just feels real and is heartbreaking to read as you root for Lexie to make a decision for the situation that she is stuck in. Then Gabby, in her final chapters has one of the greatest conversations I've read with herself.
The ending of this book is something I personally loved because it is very open for interpretation. My only complaint of this book is that I feel certain side characters could have been used more.
This book is both for people that love reading book in a single sitting or for people that will read chapters throughout a week because it will always leave you thinking about what happens next.
I would like to talk about the plot first, which starts off slow by introducing the characters. The second half just gets to feel a lot more brighter for when Gabby and Lexie start interacting. They bounce off of each other so well by complimenting each other.
Secondly, the characters in this story were used beautifully. Lexie and Gabby even though they're supposed to be like fire and water. They feel as if they're the same because it feels as if they're barely holding on for a reason they can't name, yet. Their first interactions allow them to leave a very big impression on each other, but it just leads to more.
The final third of this book is beautiful. Especially Lexie's conflict. It just feels real and is heartbreaking to read as you root for Lexie to make a decision for the situation that she is stuck in. Then Gabby, in her final chapters has one of the greatest conversations I've read with herself.
The ending of this book is something I personally loved because it is very open for interpretation. My only complaint of this book is that I feel certain side characters could have been used more.
This book is both for people that love reading book in a single sitting or for people that will read chapters throughout a week because it will always leave you thinking about what happens next.
June 4, 2026
A โpaper moonโ is a metaphor for an illusion, a facade, or a reality that is artificial or make-believe. It represents things that are superficially beautiful but lack genuine substance, serving as a reminder of the fragility of fantasy when compared to harsh reality. (PapermoonPastries.com)
The title perfectly represents Lexie and Gabbyโs journey.
Two women who seem so different at first glance, yet deep down are struggling with the same things.
Their story begins at the Purple Coffeeโa place that is a character in its own rightโwith a pulse, a hunger, a depth, and a mischief that draws you in and doesnโt let go until it hits the bone.
From there, they begin to unravel, crashing into each other at first, tearing apart the facades they so carefully built but so poorly maintained, and finally coming undone in more ways than one.
If you like stories that are safe, soft, and easy, carry on.
If you want to rethink and relive every defining moment of your life, Under The Paper Moon by Aya Canicosa releases June 5, 2026.
I received an advanced readerโs copy and am voluntarily writing an honest review.
The title perfectly represents Lexie and Gabbyโs journey.
Two women who seem so different at first glance, yet deep down are struggling with the same things.
Their story begins at the Purple Coffeeโa place that is a character in its own rightโwith a pulse, a hunger, a depth, and a mischief that draws you in and doesnโt let go until it hits the bone.
From there, they begin to unravel, crashing into each other at first, tearing apart the facades they so carefully built but so poorly maintained, and finally coming undone in more ways than one.
If you like stories that are safe, soft, and easy, carry on.
If you want to rethink and relive every defining moment of your life, Under The Paper Moon by Aya Canicosa releases June 5, 2026.
I received an advanced readerโs copy and am voluntarily writing an honest review.
June 23, 2026
Under the Paper Moon by Aya Canicosa was a wonderful sapphic romance! The longing, the internal conflict, and the impossible choices felt so real that I found myself aching right alongside Lexie and Gabby. Their connection was magnetic, but what truly stood out was the struggle between living authentically and living the life others expect of you. This wasnโt wonderful in the typical romance sense. It was wonderful because it made me feel deeply. I became invested in every character and every choice, as if I were part of the story myself. This was beautiful, emotional, and unforgettable.
June 20, 2026
beautiful. a little broken. a little chaotic.
under the paper moon isnโt some perfectly polished love storyโitโs messy in the way real life is. itโs grief, itโs healing, itโs the kind of connection you donโt go looking forโฆ but it finds you anyway.
gabby keeps her distance like armor. lexie stays where itโs safe, even if itโs not right. and somehow, in the same place at the same time, everything shifts.
because life does thatโthrows someone into your path when you least expect itโฆ and suddenly nothing feels as simple as it did before.
โlosing her broke me. loving her broke me too.โ
this one doesnโt wrap itself up neatly. it lingers.
under the paper moon isnโt some perfectly polished love storyโitโs messy in the way real life is. itโs grief, itโs healing, itโs the kind of connection you donโt go looking forโฆ but it finds you anyway.
gabby keeps her distance like armor. lexie stays where itโs safe, even if itโs not right. and somehow, in the same place at the same time, everything shifts.
because life does thatโthrows someone into your path when you least expect itโฆ and suddenly nothing feels as simple as it did before.
โlosing her broke me. loving her broke me too.โ
this one doesnโt wrap itself up neatly. it lingers.
June 30, 2026
๐ฃDisclaimer: I don't normally read contemporary romance, but as a queer woman I make a point of reading queer lit, especially sapphic. Just wanted to put that out there for anyone who actually reads my reviews and knows this book is not my usual jam. ๐ณ๏ธโ๐๐ณ๏ธโ๐๐ณ๏ธโ๐
I'm much later with posting this review than I wanted to be, but June is an especially rough month, emotionally, for me. And it didn't help that this book...THIS BOOK...was a form of emotional damage all on its own. To say I cried, multiple times, would be the understatement of the year. I not only cried, I UGLY cried. Tears and snot everywhere. More than once my wife had to ask me if I was ok. I wasn't! I definitely wasn't.
Gabby and Lexie had me in a chokehold. The angst, the longing, the timing. It's all SO messy, but SO real. Gabby is all sharp edges and 'hurt them before they hurt me', which reminded me so much of myself. It's so easy to build walls around ourselves, to protect us and hide behind, but it's so hard to break those same walls back down. For me, Gabby was the embodiment of this defense mechanism. One I've hidden behind and used for most of my entire adult life. Until my wife came along. Who is actually as similar to Lexie as I am to Gabby. Lexie hides behind what's comfortable. What's expected. And at the time I met my wife, she was the same. The fact that the two main characters are so like myself and my wife really endeared this book to me, even more. It made this story so real. Which made it even easier for Aya and this book to absolutely destroy me, in all the ways. I know I'll be thinking of this book for years to come. I know I'll reread it, wishing that it was for the first time again, as I do so. This book is going to follow me. And I'm good with that.
If you enjoy queer, messy, relatable love stories that feel real, feel lived in and have...
โ๏ธ Right Woman/Wrong Time
โ๏ธ Opposites Attract
โ๏ธ We Shouldn't Be Doing This
โ๏ธ Instant Chemistry/Delayed + Drawn Out Emotional Payoff
...vibes and more, then you need to stop waiting and dive into this story, right now. Seriously. There's no good reason to keep putting it off, except to check out the trigger and content lists. This isn't my usual dark romance, pitch black, wtf did I just read kind of book, but it still might not be for everyone, so I will always urge you to check 'em out first, and be absolutely sure. Once you've jumped over that small hurdle there's no more reason to wait any longer! Stop what you're doing and jump on this book. I promise that once the tears and nose blowing are over, you'll be thanking me!
Story - โ๏ธโ๏ธโ๏ธโ๏ธโ๏ธ
Spice - ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ
Overall - โญโญโญโญโญ
One last final thought... Keep your eyes on Aya Canicosa. Her prose and the way in which she wove this story had me absolutely mesmerized. She is a voice, a force and a talent to be reckoned with, in the world of sapphic literature. I am completely under her captivating spell. I see so many beautiful stories in her future that I already cannot wait to read. Thank you Aya, for allowing me to play a small part in your journey. I'm so excited to see what you bring for us next!!
I'm much later with posting this review than I wanted to be, but June is an especially rough month, emotionally, for me. And it didn't help that this book...THIS BOOK...was a form of emotional damage all on its own. To say I cried, multiple times, would be the understatement of the year. I not only cried, I UGLY cried. Tears and snot everywhere. More than once my wife had to ask me if I was ok. I wasn't! I definitely wasn't.
Gabby and Lexie had me in a chokehold. The angst, the longing, the timing. It's all SO messy, but SO real. Gabby is all sharp edges and 'hurt them before they hurt me', which reminded me so much of myself. It's so easy to build walls around ourselves, to protect us and hide behind, but it's so hard to break those same walls back down. For me, Gabby was the embodiment of this defense mechanism. One I've hidden behind and used for most of my entire adult life. Until my wife came along. Who is actually as similar to Lexie as I am to Gabby. Lexie hides behind what's comfortable. What's expected. And at the time I met my wife, she was the same. The fact that the two main characters are so like myself and my wife really endeared this book to me, even more. It made this story so real. Which made it even easier for Aya and this book to absolutely destroy me, in all the ways. I know I'll be thinking of this book for years to come. I know I'll reread it, wishing that it was for the first time again, as I do so. This book is going to follow me. And I'm good with that.
If you enjoy queer, messy, relatable love stories that feel real, feel lived in and have...
โ๏ธ Right Woman/Wrong Time
โ๏ธ Opposites Attract
โ๏ธ We Shouldn't Be Doing This
โ๏ธ Instant Chemistry/Delayed + Drawn Out Emotional Payoff
...vibes and more, then you need to stop waiting and dive into this story, right now. Seriously. There's no good reason to keep putting it off, except to check out the trigger and content lists. This isn't my usual dark romance, pitch black, wtf did I just read kind of book, but it still might not be for everyone, so I will always urge you to check 'em out first, and be absolutely sure. Once you've jumped over that small hurdle there's no more reason to wait any longer! Stop what you're doing and jump on this book. I promise that once the tears and nose blowing are over, you'll be thanking me!
Story - โ๏ธโ๏ธโ๏ธโ๏ธโ๏ธ
Spice - ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ
Overall - โญโญโญโญโญ
One last final thought... Keep your eyes on Aya Canicosa. Her prose and the way in which she wove this story had me absolutely mesmerized. She is a voice, a force and a talent to be reckoned with, in the world of sapphic literature. I am completely under her captivating spell. I see so many beautiful stories in her future that I already cannot wait to read. Thank you Aya, for allowing me to play a small part in your journey. I'm so excited to see what you bring for us next!!
June 22, 2026
3.5 temporal rating
Estoy MUY desacostumbrada a leer libros largos. segรบn mi kindle, este libro tiene +700 pรกginas. NO DIGO QUE SEA ALGO MALO, al contrario! Solo estoy desacostumbrada, y el ritmo de mi vida personal hace que me sea algo difรญcil enfocarme en algo tan largo.
Hablando del libro, no lo he terminado, pero dirรญa que me falta poco menos de ยผ del libro, y de lo que llevo, genuinamente me ha gustado. Como dije, la forma en que estรก escrito es bello, y ambas protagonistas, al ser desastres y estar metidas en pedos desde el inicio, les da mucho espacio para un gran desarrollo de personaje, algo que me encanta.
He llorado, he reรญdo, me he enojado.
Se que un libro estรก muy bien escrito cuando logras que el lector sienta de forma tan profunda, para mi, eso es primordial para saber que tu historia tiene calidad, y se logrรณ.
Lexi y Gabby son personajes complejos, con capas y capas de sucesos y personalidad que las vuelve ellas.
Todo el transcurso de la historia gira en torno a ellas, y como van cambiando, enamorรกndose, cometiendo errores y aprendiendo de ellos.
Es una historia de aceptaciรณn, cambio y mucho sentimiento.
La razรณn de que le estoy dando 3.5 es:
Porque no lo he terminado. Puede que cuando lo termine, mi rating suba. No lo he terminado, porque es muy largo, y de a ratos, lo he sentido muy pesado de leer. La narraciรณn tiene tanto detalle y descripciones, que a veces pierdo el hilo de lo que estaba pasando. Pero eso ya es tema mรญo y de mi cerebro.
Yo siento que soy una persona que lee relativamente rรกpido, dentro de lo que cabe del ritmo que llevo en mi vida personal. El hecho de que me estรฉ tomando tanto tiempo en terminarlo, siento que es en parte por que no me ha terminado de atrapar, pero no puedo decir porquรฉ.
La historia no es mala, los personajes no son malos, el ambiente no es malo. Probablemente se deba a la extensa narraciรณn, no lo sรฉ, como dije, ya es cosa mรญa y de mi cerebro. Honestamente, siento que, a veces, el estilo de narraciรณn no le hacรญa justicia a los personajes y sucesos que iban pasando.
Es por esta razรณn que, por el momento, dejarรฉ el rating en 3.5 estrellas.
Estoy MUY desacostumbrada a leer libros largos. segรบn mi kindle, este libro tiene +700 pรกginas. NO DIGO QUE SEA ALGO MALO, al contrario! Solo estoy desacostumbrada, y el ritmo de mi vida personal hace que me sea algo difรญcil enfocarme en algo tan largo.
Hablando del libro, no lo he terminado, pero dirรญa que me falta poco menos de ยผ del libro, y de lo que llevo, genuinamente me ha gustado. Como dije, la forma en que estรก escrito es bello, y ambas protagonistas, al ser desastres y estar metidas en pedos desde el inicio, les da mucho espacio para un gran desarrollo de personaje, algo que me encanta.
He llorado, he reรญdo, me he enojado.
Se que un libro estรก muy bien escrito cuando logras que el lector sienta de forma tan profunda, para mi, eso es primordial para saber que tu historia tiene calidad, y se logrรณ.
Lexi y Gabby son personajes complejos, con capas y capas de sucesos y personalidad que las vuelve ellas.
Todo el transcurso de la historia gira en torno a ellas, y como van cambiando, enamorรกndose, cometiendo errores y aprendiendo de ellos.
Es una historia de aceptaciรณn, cambio y mucho sentimiento.
La razรณn de que le estoy dando 3.5 es:
Porque no lo he terminado. Puede que cuando lo termine, mi rating suba. No lo he terminado, porque es muy largo, y de a ratos, lo he sentido muy pesado de leer. La narraciรณn tiene tanto detalle y descripciones, que a veces pierdo el hilo de lo que estaba pasando. Pero eso ya es tema mรญo y de mi cerebro.
Yo siento que soy una persona que lee relativamente rรกpido, dentro de lo que cabe del ritmo que llevo en mi vida personal. El hecho de que me estรฉ tomando tanto tiempo en terminarlo, siento que es en parte por que no me ha terminado de atrapar, pero no puedo decir porquรฉ.
La historia no es mala, los personajes no son malos, el ambiente no es malo. Probablemente se deba a la extensa narraciรณn, no lo sรฉ, como dije, ya es cosa mรญa y de mi cerebro. Honestamente, siento que, a veces, el estilo de narraciรณn no le hacรญa justicia a los personajes y sucesos que iban pasando.
Es por esta razรณn que, por el momento, dejarรฉ el rating en 3.5 estrellas.
June 5, 2026
Sapphic yearning is a well known phenomenon. It's the thing that keeps us sapphics coming back for more - on the page and IRL.
Under the Paper Moon does not expect you to be fully traumatised by implied yearning, or implied angst. Each page contains razor sharp similes which bypass anything the reader can ascribe to the scene and point to something harder, something even *more* devastating than you're thinking.
Gabby is a corporate girlie, a butch lesbian who does not do femme. She eats, roots, and leaves. No hangers on, no Hang ups. Except Hannah. Her ex who's marrying a man. And Tricia who lives like she's always in control (spoiler alert: she *is* always in control)
Lexie is a messy, perfectionist singer, songwriter, musician. She has a man who is perfectly disordered who has asked her to marry him.
She sees Gabby and Tricia in the women's toilets, hurrying towards release, and everything changes.
I was absolutely wrecked by the sensuous unravellings of the forbidden meetings of Gabby and Lexie on a small island holiday getaway that leads to incredible dynamics both in and out of the bedroom.
All the while, their histories collide with the truth of the present.
Lexie has a man who is waiting for her, and it *should* be perfect. So why does she hesitate?
Gabby never gets attached, and never wants to stay the night. So why does she hesitate to leave?
Visually stunning prose that keeps you coming back for more. I was entranced by the poetic gravity of every page colouring in the lines of the characters like an impressionist painting blurring the edges of everything.
The HEA is only implied, the last word a spoken line as heartwrenching as it is full of promise.
Highly recommend for those who have loved and lost.
A book for anyone who has ever needed to make themselves smaller for any reason, and then discovered the freedom of escaping that situation.
Under the Paper Moon does not expect you to be fully traumatised by implied yearning, or implied angst. Each page contains razor sharp similes which bypass anything the reader can ascribe to the scene and point to something harder, something even *more* devastating than you're thinking.
Gabby is a corporate girlie, a butch lesbian who does not do femme. She eats, roots, and leaves. No hangers on, no Hang ups. Except Hannah. Her ex who's marrying a man. And Tricia who lives like she's always in control (spoiler alert: she *is* always in control)
Lexie is a messy, perfectionist singer, songwriter, musician. She has a man who is perfectly disordered who has asked her to marry him.
She sees Gabby and Tricia in the women's toilets, hurrying towards release, and everything changes.
I was absolutely wrecked by the sensuous unravellings of the forbidden meetings of Gabby and Lexie on a small island holiday getaway that leads to incredible dynamics both in and out of the bedroom.
All the while, their histories collide with the truth of the present.
Lexie has a man who is waiting for her, and it *should* be perfect. So why does she hesitate?
Gabby never gets attached, and never wants to stay the night. So why does she hesitate to leave?
Visually stunning prose that keeps you coming back for more. I was entranced by the poetic gravity of every page colouring in the lines of the characters like an impressionist painting blurring the edges of everything.
The HEA is only implied, the last word a spoken line as heartwrenching as it is full of promise.
Highly recommend for those who have loved and lost.
A book for anyone who has ever needed to make themselves smaller for any reason, and then discovered the freedom of escaping that situation.
July 12, 2026
๐ARC/BOOK Review๐
Under the PaperMoon @ayawritesbooks
โ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐.โ ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ท๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐.โ
โโ
โ๐ฐโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐, ๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐.โ
โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ.5 (4.5/5)
How do I even start my review on this one? When Aya says this book is messy and thanked me for choosing โemotional devastationโ again, I didnโt think much about it. But as I get to know Gabby and Lexie, even Eli and TriciaโฆDamn! I didnโt expect this to hit so hard and so deep.ย
Gentle reminder, you have to have an open mind reading this book. Because as I go through the story, Iย found myself questioning love, boundaries, and the walls we build around ourselves. Aya doesnโt just tell a story; she walks you through the emotions, internalizing what her characters feel until youโre experiencing it alongside them.
One topic that made a mark on me about the book is how Aya tackles โcheatingโ. While I donโt condone it, seeing the story from the perspective of the one who committed it is quite fascinating for me. To clarify, the author doesnโt excuse the act, but she humanizes it in by showing the vulnerability, confusion, and flawed reasoning behind choices of the character. It forces you to consider how love and desire can blur boundaries in ways that are uncomfortable, but undeniably real.
Yes, the story is chaotic, but itโs also gentle. The situations are complicated, yet they feel achingly familiar. The characters are complex, but Aya writes them with such empathy that you canโt help but understand them โ maybe even see yourself in them.
PS. This book has spice, and I wonโt pretend it didnโt do something to me, because it did ๐ซฃ๐ฅ
Thanks so much again @ayawritesbooks for this ARC, and for sharing these kind of stories ๐ฅฐ
Under the PaperMoon @ayawritesbooks
โ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐.โ ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ท๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐.โ
โโ
โ๐ฐโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐, ๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐.โ
โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ.5 (4.5/5)
How do I even start my review on this one? When Aya says this book is messy and thanked me for choosing โemotional devastationโ again, I didnโt think much about it. But as I get to know Gabby and Lexie, even Eli and TriciaโฆDamn! I didnโt expect this to hit so hard and so deep.ย
Gentle reminder, you have to have an open mind reading this book. Because as I go through the story, Iย found myself questioning love, boundaries, and the walls we build around ourselves. Aya doesnโt just tell a story; she walks you through the emotions, internalizing what her characters feel until youโre experiencing it alongside them.
One topic that made a mark on me about the book is how Aya tackles โcheatingโ. While I donโt condone it, seeing the story from the perspective of the one who committed it is quite fascinating for me. To clarify, the author doesnโt excuse the act, but she humanizes it in by showing the vulnerability, confusion, and flawed reasoning behind choices of the character. It forces you to consider how love and desire can blur boundaries in ways that are uncomfortable, but undeniably real.
Yes, the story is chaotic, but itโs also gentle. The situations are complicated, yet they feel achingly familiar. The characters are complex, but Aya writes them with such empathy that you canโt help but understand them โ maybe even see yourself in them.
PS. This book has spice, and I wonโt pretend it didnโt do something to me, because it did ๐ซฃ๐ฅ
Thanks so much again @ayawritesbooks for this ARC, and for sharing these kind of stories ๐ฅฐ
Review of advance copy received from Author
The writing style in this book is very special, but it makes you feel all the feelings of Gabby and Lexie and I loved that. Their journey in the book is very complex and messy and that is exactly my cup of tea. If that is something you look for this is the book for you.
Gabby is quite the player after being left by her ex-girlfriend Hannah. She moves through bodies to distract herself, avoids feeling too deeply and that works rather well until she gets an invite to Hannahโs wedding and she starts to spiral. Lexie has a sensible life on paper and has just agreed to marry her boyfriend Jake, this is the easy comfortable route. The only time she doesnโt try to be good is when she sings.
Gabby bolts out of Manila for Bohol to forget about Hannah and her wedding. Lexi ends up alone at the same place when Jake cannot make it to their planned vacation together. Lexi saves Gabby when she finds her dead drunk on the beach and they slowly start to talk and get to know each other. They are both lost souls that need something different, a change in their life, and they connect in a way they have never done with anyone else. Lexie hates cheating, it is cowardice dressed as longing, Jake does not deserve this, and still she cannot resist Gabby, it is a desire she has never felt before. For Gabby Lexie is the first woman in years she wants more than just casual sex with, she wants the things she has trained herself not to need after Hannah, a way to survive.
To read the detailed description of them falling for each other is amazing, all their complex feelings described so well by the author. As a reader you know that this is such a complex journey and you have no clue if this ever can work for them in the long run.
I received a free ARC from the author and voluntarily leave an honest review.
Gabby is quite the player after being left by her ex-girlfriend Hannah. She moves through bodies to distract herself, avoids feeling too deeply and that works rather well until she gets an invite to Hannahโs wedding and she starts to spiral. Lexie has a sensible life on paper and has just agreed to marry her boyfriend Jake, this is the easy comfortable route. The only time she doesnโt try to be good is when she sings.
Gabby bolts out of Manila for Bohol to forget about Hannah and her wedding. Lexi ends up alone at the same place when Jake cannot make it to their planned vacation together. Lexi saves Gabby when she finds her dead drunk on the beach and they slowly start to talk and get to know each other. They are both lost souls that need something different, a change in their life, and they connect in a way they have never done with anyone else. Lexie hates cheating, it is cowardice dressed as longing, Jake does not deserve this, and still she cannot resist Gabby, it is a desire she has never felt before. For Gabby Lexie is the first woman in years she wants more than just casual sex with, she wants the things she has trained herself not to need after Hannah, a way to survive.
To read the detailed description of them falling for each other is amazing, all their complex feelings described so well by the author. As a reader you know that this is such a complex journey and you have no clue if this ever can work for them in the long run.
I received a free ARC from the author and voluntarily leave an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
โ๏ธ I received an ARC from the author. All opinions are my own. โ๏ธ
Meet Gabby and Lexie - they are two completely messed up women. I loved them. I hated them. There are moments I wanted to shake them and say, "Look at what is right in front of you! Stop searching, embrace it!" At other times, I wanted to say to them: " Look at what is right in front of you! Run!"
Under the Paper Moon is a second installment in the author's Purple Coffee Series. Of Chasing Rainbows is her previous novel. (I did not read the first one).
This is a sapphic love story with emotionally stunted characters that are extremely flawed but also completely relatable. It is messy. It is beautiful. It is full of grief, joy, love, confusion, navigating life and relationships, basically - flying by the seat of our pants!
The other characters fit into this story perfectly. Lexie's fiancรฉ, Jake. Gabby's business partner, Eli. Trish, Hannah...again, perfectly beautiful, messy people trying to get it right.
The author does not sugarcoat anything here. She lays bare the emotions and struggles of healing. Of moving on. Of putting one foot in front of the other.
The writing feels like the author is talking to herself at times. Gabby and Lexie live in the author's head, and she says what she feels - no apologies.
The only negative I have - and this is all me - is the ambiguous Epilogue. While I appreciate that it fits the story - after the journey I took, I wanted a bit more for Gabby and Lexie.
You have to experience this story. Sit with it. Feel it.
Watch for Triggers:
โdepression
โsuicidal ideation
โgrief, loneliness
" ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐."
Meet Gabby and Lexie - they are two completely messed up women. I loved them. I hated them. There are moments I wanted to shake them and say, "Look at what is right in front of you! Stop searching, embrace it!" At other times, I wanted to say to them: " Look at what is right in front of you! Run!"
Under the Paper Moon is a second installment in the author's Purple Coffee Series. Of Chasing Rainbows is her previous novel. (I did not read the first one).
This is a sapphic love story with emotionally stunted characters that are extremely flawed but also completely relatable. It is messy. It is beautiful. It is full of grief, joy, love, confusion, navigating life and relationships, basically - flying by the seat of our pants!
The other characters fit into this story perfectly. Lexie's fiancรฉ, Jake. Gabby's business partner, Eli. Trish, Hannah...again, perfectly beautiful, messy people trying to get it right.
The author does not sugarcoat anything here. She lays bare the emotions and struggles of healing. Of moving on. Of putting one foot in front of the other.
The writing feels like the author is talking to herself at times. Gabby and Lexie live in the author's head, and she says what she feels - no apologies.
The only negative I have - and this is all me - is the ambiguous Epilogue. While I appreciate that it fits the story - after the journey I took, I wanted a bit more for Gabby and Lexie.
You have to experience this story. Sit with it. Feel it.
Watch for Triggers:
โdepression
โsuicidal ideation
โgrief, loneliness
" ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐."
Review of advance copy received from Author
ADVANCE READER COPY REVIEW
Before I get into anything, I feel it is so necessary to make sure you pay attention to the trigger warnings with this one before you dive in!
Gabby and Lexie are two flawed, emotionally damaged/stunted women that the more you learn about, the more you want to root for.
Gabby has built a life of walls and distance in an effort to protect herself from getting too close to others and she makes decisions out of self preservation and survival. She is consistently running away due to fear and old wounds.
Lexie has built a life of functionality. She makes decisions based on what she thinks she should do and what others want, instead of looking deeper into who she really is and what she truly needs.
Gabby and Lexie challenge those beliefs and the status quo within the other by being the one thing that breaks through each of their defenses and allowing hope of a future neither of them imagined possible.
The supporting characters are perfectly written to compliment the personalities of the MCs and give more depth and truth to the lives they have created.
Ayaโs writing style is unlike most others I typically read, but I loved the different pacing she has throughout. I felt like it read a little as if a friend were telling me the story and also a little like we could see the process of what she was internally thinking as she was building this world.
Big thank you to the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review
Before I get into anything, I feel it is so necessary to make sure you pay attention to the trigger warnings with this one before you dive in!
Gabby and Lexie are two flawed, emotionally damaged/stunted women that the more you learn about, the more you want to root for.
Gabby has built a life of walls and distance in an effort to protect herself from getting too close to others and she makes decisions out of self preservation and survival. She is consistently running away due to fear and old wounds.
Lexie has built a life of functionality. She makes decisions based on what she thinks she should do and what others want, instead of looking deeper into who she really is and what she truly needs.
Gabby and Lexie challenge those beliefs and the status quo within the other by being the one thing that breaks through each of their defenses and allowing hope of a future neither of them imagined possible.
The supporting characters are perfectly written to compliment the personalities of the MCs and give more depth and truth to the lives they have created.
Ayaโs writing style is unlike most others I typically read, but I loved the different pacing she has throughout. I felt like it read a little as if a friend were telling me the story and also a little like we could see the process of what she was internally thinking as she was building this world.
Big thank you to the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review
June 21, 2026
Reading this book will change you, itโs not your typical love story of finding the right person at right time, itโs about finding the right person at the wrong time. Loving someone completely that they might just end up breaking your heart.
Lexie was not meant to matter to Gabby, she was only meant to be a fling but she ended up wanting her more than she should have. Lexie was in a relationship that was more routine than love, she stayed for the safety it offered and when Gabby crashed into her world itโs was the first time someone has seen her, she doesnโt have to pretend.
Gabby had closed off her heart to relationships, she preferred casual hooks up but with Lexie instead of running away from her, she canโt help but be pulled towards her. They are on borrowed time, time that had bought them together and the memories they share they will never forget because sometimes a moment can change you ๐
Under a paper moon, nothing we say feels true
Iโm falling into you, I donโt know what to do.
I cannot put into words how beautiful and profound this story is, the emotional turmoil Gabby and Lexie go through, wanting each other when they shouldnโt, itโs messy, chaotic, raw, healing, a story of finding someone who sees you for who you are and doesnโt judge you. Be prepared for the emotional damage!
Lexie was not meant to matter to Gabby, she was only meant to be a fling but she ended up wanting her more than she should have. Lexie was in a relationship that was more routine than love, she stayed for the safety it offered and when Gabby crashed into her world itโs was the first time someone has seen her, she doesnโt have to pretend.
Gabby had closed off her heart to relationships, she preferred casual hooks up but with Lexie instead of running away from her, she canโt help but be pulled towards her. They are on borrowed time, time that had bought them together and the memories they share they will never forget because sometimes a moment can change you ๐
Under a paper moon, nothing we say feels true
Iโm falling into you, I donโt know what to do.
I cannot put into words how beautiful and profound this story is, the emotional turmoil Gabby and Lexie go through, wanting each other when they shouldnโt, itโs messy, chaotic, raw, healing, a story of finding someone who sees you for who you are and doesnโt judge you. Be prepared for the emotional damage!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was looking for gut-wrenching stories and discovered this author who promised worlds of emotional damage. Went into this expecting a rollercoaster, but was served a drop tower ride instead.
Iโm still reeling from this.
Gabby and Lexie have both learnt to design their lives in ways that protect them from what could hurt. Much like how we no longer stick our fingers into the fire after that first fateful attempt. Except, happenstance nudges them together and well, you know, drop towersโฆ
Introduction and character development of both protagonists were very well structured. I was turning the pages so quickly, hoping to uncover more about their back story, and soon I was rooting for both of them so hard. The side characters werenโt just empty vases either. I felt for Tricia too.
That said, this took me a while to get into because of the prose and a tad too many lines with metaphors that caused me to stumble at times. But thatโs just me. ๐คทโโ๏ธ
If you are looking for an engrossing contemporary romance where the characters have to actually work and fight through their pasts, Under The Paper Moon is for you.
And oh, read the trigger warnings before you get into this. Itโs messy, dark, and chaotic, sometimes all the same time.
Iโm still reeling from this.
Gabby and Lexie have both learnt to design their lives in ways that protect them from what could hurt. Much like how we no longer stick our fingers into the fire after that first fateful attempt. Except, happenstance nudges them together and well, you know, drop towersโฆ
Introduction and character development of both protagonists were very well structured. I was turning the pages so quickly, hoping to uncover more about their back story, and soon I was rooting for both of them so hard. The side characters werenโt just empty vases either. I felt for Tricia too.
That said, this took me a while to get into because of the prose and a tad too many lines with metaphors that caused me to stumble at times. But thatโs just me. ๐คทโโ๏ธ
If you are looking for an engrossing contemporary romance where the characters have to actually work and fight through their pasts, Under The Paper Moon is for you.
And oh, read the trigger warnings before you get into this. Itโs messy, dark, and chaotic, sometimes all the same time.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Under the Paper Moon by Aya Canicosa was an emotional roller coaster in every sense of the word.
This story had a way of lifting me up, tearing me down and then somehow putting all the pieces back together againโฆonly to start the cycle all over. More than once, I found myself with tears in my eyes, completely invested, not only in the main characters but also in the people surrounding them. Every emotion felt genuine, raw and deeply human.
What impacted me most was how relatable this story felt. It touched on experiences and emotions that many of us carry quietly; it created a space where I didnโt feel so alone in them. There were moments that made me pause, reflect and realize that maybe Iโm not the only one who has felt certain things or walked through similar struggles.
Aya Canicosa has written a story filled with heart, vulnerability, and hope. Itโs the kind of book that reminds you that healing isnโt always linear, that people are complicated and that sometimes being understood can come from the pages of a book.
Itโs a story that carries equal measures of heart vulnerability and hopeโฆIโm grateful to have experienced it.
This story had a way of lifting me up, tearing me down and then somehow putting all the pieces back together againโฆonly to start the cycle all over. More than once, I found myself with tears in my eyes, completely invested, not only in the main characters but also in the people surrounding them. Every emotion felt genuine, raw and deeply human.
What impacted me most was how relatable this story felt. It touched on experiences and emotions that many of us carry quietly; it created a space where I didnโt feel so alone in them. There were moments that made me pause, reflect and realize that maybe Iโm not the only one who has felt certain things or walked through similar struggles.
Aya Canicosa has written a story filled with heart, vulnerability, and hope. Itโs the kind of book that reminds you that healing isnโt always linear, that people are complicated and that sometimes being understood can come from the pages of a book.
Itโs a story that carries equal measures of heart vulnerability and hopeโฆIโm grateful to have experienced it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
This book scared me. Why? Because it's a romance book that's over 600 pages long.
However, did it work? Absolutely!
Under The Paper Moon was a beautifully written and emotionally engaging read. The story drew me in with its atmosphere and heartfelt moments, and I found myself laughing from time to time, as the humour provided a great balance throughout the book. I was also highly invested in the characters' journeys from start to finish.
One of the strongest aspects of the book was its writing style. Aya creates vivid scenes and emotions that feel authentic and memorable. The themes of self-discovery and friendship were handled thoughtfully, giving the story depth without feeling overly heavy.
Overall, Under The Paper Moon was a touching and worthwhile read that left a lasting impression. I would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy emotional, character-driven stories with beautiful prose.
There is also an amazing soundtrack created by Aya on Spotify, which I would highly recommend listening to while reading.
This book scared me. Why? Because it's a romance book that's over 600 pages long.
However, did it work? Absolutely!
Under The Paper Moon was a beautifully written and emotionally engaging read. The story drew me in with its atmosphere and heartfelt moments, and I found myself laughing from time to time, as the humour provided a great balance throughout the book. I was also highly invested in the characters' journeys from start to finish.
One of the strongest aspects of the book was its writing style. Aya creates vivid scenes and emotions that feel authentic and memorable. The themes of self-discovery and friendship were handled thoughtfully, giving the story depth without feeling overly heavy.
Overall, Under The Paper Moon was a touching and worthwhile read that left a lasting impression. I would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy emotional, character-driven stories with beautiful prose.
There is also an amazing soundtrack created by Aya on Spotify, which I would highly recommend listening to while reading.
June 5, 2026
Y'all. This book. These characters. The poetic prose of it all.
Aya Canicosa takes the title of author and spins it into wordsmith. This book is beautifully written.
The characters are Flawed. Broken. Complex. Real.
Their stuggle is real.
This isn't your standard issue sapphic romance novel.
This is a journey.
This is 700+ pages of gut wrenching yearning, love, and loss.
This book is not for amatures.
It's visceral.
This is a book that bruises, then presses hard on the purpling muscle of your heart.
Grab your tissues, your icecream, your emotional support demons. Get sucked into the chaos of Gabby and Lexi.
Be prepared to yell out loud.
Be prepared for the tears.
Be prepared to fall in love with broken women that are trying to heal.
Be prepared to be emotionally fisted.
Be prepared for the soul wrenching haunting when its all said and done.
Aya Canicosa takes the title of author and spins it into wordsmith. This book is beautifully written.
The characters are Flawed. Broken. Complex. Real.
Their stuggle is real.
This isn't your standard issue sapphic romance novel.
This is a journey.
This is 700+ pages of gut wrenching yearning, love, and loss.
This book is not for amatures.
It's visceral.
This is a book that bruises, then presses hard on the purpling muscle of your heart.
Grab your tissues, your icecream, your emotional support demons. Get sucked into the chaos of Gabby and Lexi.
Be prepared to yell out loud.
Be prepared for the tears.
Be prepared to fall in love with broken women that are trying to heal.
Be prepared to be emotionally fisted.
Be prepared for the soul wrenching haunting when its all said and done.
June 7, 2026
๐ Opposites attract
๐ Messy, complicated love
๐ Right person, wrong time
This one got me. ๐ญ
I really enjoyed this book but fair warning, it made me cry more than once. Both FMCs were so relatable in their own ways and my heart hurt for both of them throughout the story. Their chemistry was beautiful and the yearning had me in a chokehold ๐ฉ
Gabby and Lexie were flawed in their owns ways but very relatable. This story is messy in the best way. It felt raw, emotional and very real.
The authorโs writing style is also really unique. Itโs almost poetic at times and took me a little bit to get used to.
This was a beautiful and emotional read that left me with all the feelings with very spicy scenes! ๐ฅ
Please check the trigger warnings before reading. ๐ค Thank you so much for the ARC!
๐ Messy, complicated love
๐ Right person, wrong time
This one got me. ๐ญ
I really enjoyed this book but fair warning, it made me cry more than once. Both FMCs were so relatable in their own ways and my heart hurt for both of them throughout the story. Their chemistry was beautiful and the yearning had me in a chokehold ๐ฉ
Gabby and Lexie were flawed in their owns ways but very relatable. This story is messy in the best way. It felt raw, emotional and very real.
The authorโs writing style is also really unique. Itโs almost poetic at times and took me a little bit to get used to.
This was a beautiful and emotional read that left me with all the feelings with very spicy scenes! ๐ฅ
Please check the trigger warnings before reading. ๐ค Thank you so much for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Author
5โญ๏ธ/4๐ฅ
I need to hug Gabby...
Under the Paper Moon is a sapphic romance that is book 2 of the Purple Coffee series. They are standalone, but will knock you on your a$$... emotionally, of course. Gabby is our stoic, guarded FMC who keeps the walls high, and her b0dy count higher. Lexie is our demure, controlled FMC who sings the house down while trying to hold herself up. These two crash into each other like the waves on a beach, with crazy tension, spicy times, and heart-wrenching moments that will have you taking a mental lap for emotional support oxygen. Loved it. Love Gabby. Love the spice. Love this fkn book.
I need to hug Gabby...
Under the Paper Moon is a sapphic romance that is book 2 of the Purple Coffee series. They are standalone, but will knock you on your a$$... emotionally, of course. Gabby is our stoic, guarded FMC who keeps the walls high, and her b0dy count higher. Lexie is our demure, controlled FMC who sings the house down while trying to hold herself up. These two crash into each other like the waves on a beach, with crazy tension, spicy times, and heart-wrenching moments that will have you taking a mental lap for emotional support oxygen. Loved it. Love Gabby. Love the spice. Love this fkn book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Under a Paper Moon by Aya Canicosa was such an emotional and beautifully layered story. One of the things I loved most was Lexi as a character because she was the easiest for me to relate to. She worries so much about what everyone thinks and settles for comfort and what feels โsafeโ out of fear. Growing up, I always chose the โsafeโ and โreasonableโ path too, and somewhere along the way, I lost myself. It took me until my 30s to finally realize I needed to figure out what truly makes me happy, and I really connected to that struggle through Lexi.
Gabby was such a complicated character too, but honestly, they both were. Together they somehow made sense, even when fear kept driving them away from the truth and from what they really wanted. Their relationship felt messy, emotional, and real in a way that made me deeply invested in both of them.
Aya did an amazing job bringing these characters to life. They both came into the story broken in their own ways, and while being together helped them heal, it was clear growth was still needed individually too. I could feel the internal conflict each woman carried, and the emotions throughout the story felt incredibly real.
The mental health aspects and the past trauma woven into the story shaped these women so deeply, and I think Aya handled those themes with so much care and emotion.
Gabby was such a complicated character too, but honestly, they both were. Together they somehow made sense, even when fear kept driving them away from the truth and from what they really wanted. Their relationship felt messy, emotional, and real in a way that made me deeply invested in both of them.
Aya did an amazing job bringing these characters to life. They both came into the story broken in their own ways, and while being together helped them heal, it was clear growth was still needed individually too. I could feel the internal conflict each woman carried, and the emotions throughout the story felt incredibly real.
The mental health aspects and the past trauma woven into the story shaped these women so deeply, and I think Aya handled those themes with so much care and emotion.
June 9, 2026
Under the Paper Moon delivered what it promised: a chaotic tale of the right person at the wrong time.
It took me a while to get used to Aya's writing style, but I was immediately intrigued by how a walking red flag could possibly influence a bad decision in a sundress to finally choose waht she wants for herself.
Gabby and Lexie are both flawed and that made them so human and relatable. Although I do not agree with many of their choices, their story pulled me into a kind of chaos I won't soon forget.
Aya Canicosa knows how to break her readers emotionally, and I love-hate her for that.
It took me a while to get used to Aya's writing style, but I was immediately intrigued by how a walking red flag could possibly influence a bad decision in a sundress to finally choose waht she wants for herself.
Gabby and Lexie are both flawed and that made them so human and relatable. Although I do not agree with many of their choices, their story pulled me into a kind of chaos I won't soon forget.
Aya Canicosa knows how to break her readers emotionally, and I love-hate her for that.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Life is about choices and some are tougher than others, some experience situations that are impossible to get out of. How you fight to protect yourself, when life throws a new opportunity emotionally. When you reflect on yourself and who you are, what would really make the younger version of you proud?๐ฅน
โOne truth stayed lodged where I could not force it looseโ
This was an emotional, painful and beautiful read, Iโm so glad I got to read this.
โOne truth stayed lodged where I could not force it looseโ
This was an emotional, painful and beautiful read, Iโm so glad I got to read this.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Holy.....my first Aya book and not my last!!!! I found her through IG and holy I am invested!!!! This book took me two days to devour and dissect. I am floored and my emotions are everywhere and nowhere all at once!!!!! I am in love with this story and the characters Lexie and Gabby are my all time favorites now! I can't wait to see what Aya does next!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a really great read. Aya said it would be emotional and she wasn't lying. I really enjoyed the storyline. It did jump around a bit, which made it confusing in the beginning, but once I figured it out, it was easier to follow along with.
June 8, 2026
This was a beautiful but heartbreaking book, honestly I thought I was going to get triggered by some topics but I could manage, still crying and might read it again in the near future
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