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Creative Differences
Not yet published
Expected 9 Mar 27Propulsive and sexy, Creative Differences is a sapphic second-chance romance for fans of Here We Go Again and Daisy Jones & The Six.
Swanboat was your favorite band's favorite band. But after one perfect record and one fraught, intimate tour, the confessional–indie rock trio—lead singer Amelia Wells, guitarist Ramona Sloane, and bassist Bea Fink—suddenly broke up.
Five years later, Amelia is a star: She's transitioned into mainstream pop music, performing sold-out shows for obsessed fans. It's everything she's convinced herself she should want . . . even though her fame has started to feel less like success and more like loneliness.
Ramona hasn't spoken to Amelia since the last night of the tour. She's content playing small crowds and avoiding Amelia's inescapable hit single, "Emergency Contact," during her slot at the local indie radio station.
When Amelia's record label suggests a Swanboat reunion tour, she and Ramona each have their own reasons for agreeing. And they'd both do anything for Bea, who still doesn't know about the kiss that broke their band apart. All Ramona and Amelia have to do is get through two months of playing the songs that made them fall in love in the first place . . . and try not to do it all over again.
Swanboat was your favorite band's favorite band. But after one perfect record and one fraught, intimate tour, the confessional–indie rock trio—lead singer Amelia Wells, guitarist Ramona Sloane, and bassist Bea Fink—suddenly broke up.
Five years later, Amelia is a star: She's transitioned into mainstream pop music, performing sold-out shows for obsessed fans. It's everything she's convinced herself she should want . . . even though her fame has started to feel less like success and more like loneliness.
Ramona hasn't spoken to Amelia since the last night of the tour. She's content playing small crowds and avoiding Amelia's inescapable hit single, "Emergency Contact," during her slot at the local indie radio station.
When Amelia's record label suggests a Swanboat reunion tour, she and Ramona each have their own reasons for agreeing. And they'd both do anything for Bea, who still doesn't know about the kiss that broke their band apart. All Ramona and Amelia have to do is get through two months of playing the songs that made them fall in love in the first place . . . and try not to do it all over again.
336 pages, Paperback
Expected publication February 9, 2027
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July 9, 2026Saw this on Instagram last week and set a reminder to request it on netgalley when it was uploaded only for the publisher to reach out to me with an arc. Thank you Bindery Books for sending me an arc.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The introduction of characters (especially Ramona) made me weary it was going to be a generic band book. Ramona was way too annoying (at the beginning), that tone inadvertently set my mood for the book. However, as the chapters flew by, the dynamic of the characters and the sapphic yearning was way too good that I lost my initial impression fast.
As a reader it was easy to feel familiar with the characters. They were relatable yet unique in their own way. The mental health rep was well written. The authors were true to the signs and symptoms which made the story feel authentic. In addition, the one thing that truly hooked me was how the characters portrayed their insecurities. It was genuine AND yet so very logical (as in their train of thoughts made sense).
Side note: THIS is the kind of story and writing that deserves swoony and a cult following because it is written well. Not that one “popular” author that makes my insides hurt by how indecisive her characters are.
As a reader it was easy to feel familiar with the characters. They were relatable yet unique in their own way. The mental health rep was well written. The authors were true to the signs and symptoms which made the story feel authentic. In addition, the one thing that truly hooked me was how the characters portrayed their insecurities. It was genuine AND yet so very logical (as in their train of thoughts made sense).
Side note: THIS is the kind of story and writing that deserves swoony and a cult following because it is written well. Not that one “popular” author that makes my insides hurt by how indecisive her characters are.
July 20, 2026
ARC Copy from Netgalley
Investing heavily into this one. Big big potential.
Inject this into my veins. A unique venn diagram of my love for rockstar autobiographies, sapphic yearning, and messy second chance romance. Loved the characters - especially Bea!!! They were way too cool for the rest of the band. Such a fun vibrant novel. Funny, very real and made you feel as if you were on this adventure with them. Also the music references were very nostalgic and had me drifting back to my favourite L7 and Jack Off Jill albums that I loved myself at 21.
This is a dumb criticism for a romance novel but I didn’t enjoy how the characters kept creating problems for themselves in a way that was very true to life but I wish there had been some actual obstacles for them to cross.
I felt the rigidness of the narrative was holding the book back. This almost veered towards being more than a romance novel but didn’t seem eager to step fully outside the boundaries of the genre, just staring longingly out the window at perhaps sorta being a satire and commentary on the modern diy scene.
Investing heavily into this one. Big big potential.
Inject this into my veins. A unique venn diagram of my love for rockstar autobiographies, sapphic yearning, and messy second chance romance. Loved the characters - especially Bea!!! They were way too cool for the rest of the band. Such a fun vibrant novel. Funny, very real and made you feel as if you were on this adventure with them. Also the music references were very nostalgic and had me drifting back to my favourite L7 and Jack Off Jill albums that I loved myself at 21.
This is a dumb criticism for a romance novel but I didn’t enjoy how the characters kept creating problems for themselves in a way that was very true to life but I wish there had been some actual obstacles for them to cross.
I felt the rigidness of the narrative was holding the book back. This almost veered towards being more than a romance novel but didn’t seem eager to step fully outside the boundaries of the genre, just staring longingly out the window at perhaps sorta being a satire and commentary on the modern diy scene.
July 13, 2026
Sometimes the need to smack both the MCs upside the head is so strong. Amelia and Ramona were so painfully in their own heads, and for two MCs who are supposed to be super confident, when it came to each other they weren’t.
I couldn’t get into either character, Bea ended up being my favorite since they were the least problematic. There wasn’t anything in particular about the two that was bad, but there wasn’t anything about them that I loved. Usually I latch on to at least one, but was at a loss.
Everything was wrote well, and it was easy to follow along with the story. I didn’t love the sex scenes, mainly the wording made it feel vulgar.
Following a queer band on their journey of getting back together was a cool experience to be part of, but I just wanted a biiiit more of them being all together and getting closer.
Thank you NetGalley and Bindery Books for the ARC!
I couldn’t get into either character, Bea ended up being my favorite since they were the least problematic. There wasn’t anything in particular about the two that was bad, but there wasn’t anything about them that I loved. Usually I latch on to at least one, but was at a loss.
Everything was wrote well, and it was easy to follow along with the story. I didn’t love the sex scenes, mainly the wording made it feel vulgar.
Following a queer band on their journey of getting back together was a cool experience to be part of, but I just wanted a biiiit more of them being all together and getting closer.
Thank you NetGalley and Bindery Books for the ARC!
July 29, 2026
Read for work, such a fun and earnest queer romance for sad girls everywhere!!
August 23, 2026
Thank you for the ARC!
Let me open with how much I absolutely love the cover art. Absolute wow factor. Gorgeous!
Now, let’s get into why I gave this 3 stars.
This book is straight up Taylor Swift fanfic and you cannot convince me otherwise. Will I elaborate? Absolutely. Buckle up.
The writing itself was easy read, but lacking in… well, just lacking. It has great mental health representation (particularly for anxiety) and wonderful Trans rep. The banter was good! Love the banter. It really did sound similar to how my friends and I would speak when we were in our twenties. I clocked the reference to Straight Edge, which I haven’t seen or heard anyone talk about in like fifteen years (showing my age here) which was fun!
Now the characters; Ramona’s one character trait was anxiety. Depression also, but definitely heavy on the anxiety. Amelia’s one character trait was being a “control freak”. Bea actually felt more fleshed out than either of them! I really liked Bea and I wish we got more page time with them. I understand that the story is about Ramona and Amelia, but Bea deserved better. #JusticeforBea
I did like the use of actual body part names in the sex scenes. Threw me for a second but honestly it was super refreshing.
As someone who knows entirely too much about Taylor Swift (and I’m married to a Swiftie) the parallels between Swift lore, more specifically Gaylor lore, are just too loud and too many to ignore. I’m not going to list all the lore drops through the book because I’d be here all day. I’ll list a few undeniable Swift/Gaylor lore references, but unless you know this lore yourself you won’t pick up on it in the book.
1) Amelia Wells’ fans are called “Wellies” (aka Swifties)
2) Amelia’s anticipated 3rd album is referred to as “AW3” (Swifties refer to Taylor’s albums by their chronological number in their release order before Taylor announces the album name)
3) Declan is Matt Healy. No I will not elaborate.
4) American Spirit is The 1975. See above.
There’s many more. Screw top wine. Tiny Desk. Kimmel. It’s actually mentioned quite early in the story that Amelia listens to Taylor Swift. There’s one more reference I want to list which is when Ramona says to Amelia “I’m pretty much exactly where you left me.” If you know, you know.
This book could have been so much more involved when it comes to the intricacies of being signed to a label and being on the road. Instead, we got a lot of internal monologuing and very little payoff when it comes to the characters interacting. Lots going on upstairs, very little comes out of their mouths. Needless to say, I did not enjoy the miscommunication trope. Or the third act breakup. Sweet baby Jesus please just have a conversation with each other.
The side characters aren’t very fleshed out or even utilised. For example, the only we learn about Nico is that he shows up unexpectedly sometimes. I can’t even tell you the names of the other side characters because they get so little page time. Quinn? I think Quinn was another musician in Swanboat? Or a roadie? I honestly don’t know.
To close out, I really wanted to like this book but it just wasn’t for me. I can absolutely see it having a very dedicated fanbase though! If you enjoy aaaalllll the yearning, this book is for you.
Let me open with how much I absolutely love the cover art. Absolute wow factor. Gorgeous!
Now, let’s get into why I gave this 3 stars.
This book is straight up Taylor Swift fanfic and you cannot convince me otherwise. Will I elaborate? Absolutely. Buckle up.
The writing itself was easy read, but lacking in… well, just lacking. It has great mental health representation (particularly for anxiety) and wonderful Trans rep. The banter was good! Love the banter. It really did sound similar to how my friends and I would speak when we were in our twenties. I clocked the reference to Straight Edge, which I haven’t seen or heard anyone talk about in like fifteen years (showing my age here) which was fun!
Now the characters; Ramona’s one character trait was anxiety. Depression also, but definitely heavy on the anxiety. Amelia’s one character trait was being a “control freak”. Bea actually felt more fleshed out than either of them! I really liked Bea and I wish we got more page time with them. I understand that the story is about Ramona and Amelia, but Bea deserved better. #JusticeforBea
I did like the use of actual body part names in the sex scenes. Threw me for a second but honestly it was super refreshing.
As someone who knows entirely too much about Taylor Swift (and I’m married to a Swiftie) the parallels between Swift lore, more specifically Gaylor lore, are just too loud and too many to ignore. I’m not going to list all the lore drops through the book because I’d be here all day. I’ll list a few undeniable Swift/Gaylor lore references, but unless you know this lore yourself you won’t pick up on it in the book.
1) Amelia Wells’ fans are called “Wellies” (aka Swifties)
2) Amelia’s anticipated 3rd album is referred to as “AW3” (Swifties refer to Taylor’s albums by their chronological number in their release order before Taylor announces the album name)
3) Declan is Matt Healy. No I will not elaborate.
4) American Spirit is The 1975. See above.
There’s many more. Screw top wine. Tiny Desk. Kimmel. It’s actually mentioned quite early in the story that Amelia listens to Taylor Swift. There’s one more reference I want to list which is when Ramona says to Amelia “I’m pretty much exactly where you left me.” If you know, you know.
This book could have been so much more involved when it comes to the intricacies of being signed to a label and being on the road. Instead, we got a lot of internal monologuing and very little payoff when it comes to the characters interacting. Lots going on upstairs, very little comes out of their mouths. Needless to say, I did not enjoy the miscommunication trope. Or the third act breakup. Sweet baby Jesus please just have a conversation with each other.
The side characters aren’t very fleshed out or even utilised. For example, the only we learn about Nico is that he shows up unexpectedly sometimes. I can’t even tell you the names of the other side characters because they get so little page time. Quinn? I think Quinn was another musician in Swanboat? Or a roadie? I honestly don’t know.
To close out, I really wanted to like this book but it just wasn’t for me. I can absolutely see it having a very dedicated fanbase though! If you enjoy aaaalllll the yearning, this book is for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2026
As a big music lover and sapphic romance reader, I was thrilled to come across a new novel that combines both of these passions in an exciting way! Creative Differences revolves around the members of Swanboat, a fictional indie rock band that could have gone on to be big in their heyday if they hadn’t fallen apart. That’s because the romantic tension between the band’s guitarist Ramona Sloane and lead singer Amelia Wells caused things to come to a sudden end, with the truth of their dynamic unbeknownst to bassist Bea Fink. Flash forward several years and life looks decidedly different for the trio— especially Amelia, who now goes by Mia Wells and has a massive pop following, with a hit album, inescapable single, and big expectations from her label. Given the chance to perform as Swanboat again on a reunion tour, the three find themselves with an unexpected opportunity to revitalize the band and pick up where they left off. However, for Ramona and Amelia, this also means being forced to return to unresolved feelings, contending with their emotionally complex dynamic while touring the country.
One of the things I enjoyed most about Creative Differences is how authentically written the characters felt and that I was invested in their fictional music. It made me wish that Swanboat (and Mia Wells) were real so I could listen to them! When romance is a focus, I prefer chapters written from alternating perspectives as it gives you an insight into not only both characters’ individual lives, but the depth of their thoughts and feelings about each other. The chapters that focused on Amelia were my favourite because I found myself most interested in her character, with her internal struggle of perfectionism and trying to find her voice and identity feeling relatable. I also like the fact that this book doesn’t shy away from addressing mental health both in and out of the spotlight, with mention of anxiety attacks, burnout, and the cost of people pleasing.
While the relationship between Ramona and Amelia was really sweet, I did find myself frustrated with how both characters seemed incapable of making any kind of decision about what to do with their feelings for much of this book. (I was still rooting for them though!) It would have been nice to have an external factor continuing to drive the narrative tension forwards since this was resolved early on, with the rest of the conflict being more internal. That said, I still really liked Creative Differences and would read more from these authors in the future. I would recommend it to anyone wanting a fun sapphic read, especially if you’re a fan of books like Daisy Jones & The Six (which I can definitely see the comparison to!) and enjoy books about the struggle of maintaining both a private and public persona, especially when romantic feelings are involved!
Thank you to Bindery Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
One of the things I enjoyed most about Creative Differences is how authentically written the characters felt and that I was invested in their fictional music. It made me wish that Swanboat (and Mia Wells) were real so I could listen to them! When romance is a focus, I prefer chapters written from alternating perspectives as it gives you an insight into not only both characters’ individual lives, but the depth of their thoughts and feelings about each other. The chapters that focused on Amelia were my favourite because I found myself most interested in her character, with her internal struggle of perfectionism and trying to find her voice and identity feeling relatable. I also like the fact that this book doesn’t shy away from addressing mental health both in and out of the spotlight, with mention of anxiety attacks, burnout, and the cost of people pleasing.
While the relationship between Ramona and Amelia was really sweet, I did find myself frustrated with how both characters seemed incapable of making any kind of decision about what to do with their feelings for much of this book. (I was still rooting for them though!) It would have been nice to have an external factor continuing to drive the narrative tension forwards since this was resolved early on, with the rest of the conflict being more internal. That said, I still really liked Creative Differences and would read more from these authors in the future. I would recommend it to anyone wanting a fun sapphic read, especially if you’re a fan of books like Daisy Jones & The Six (which I can definitely see the comparison to!) and enjoy books about the struggle of maintaining both a private and public persona, especially when romantic feelings are involved!
Thank you to Bindery Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
September 20, 2026
After one perfect record and a disastrous tour, Swanboat split and the members mostly went their separate ways. Five years later, lead singer Amelia, now pop singer Mia Wells, suggests a reunion tour.
Creative Differences is a sapphic, second‑chance romance set in an indie pop/rock scene. We follow the three members on a reunion tour as they work to rebuild their friendship. The story uses dual POV, switching between Amelia (the lead singer) and Ramona (the guitarist), while they work through their unresolved romantic tension. It is, after all, what originally fractured the band.
Amelia, now a successful pop singer, has the most compelling chapters: her perfectionism and pressure to write a new album create strong emotional stakes. Ramona’s chapters offer an intimate portrayal of mental health.
The tour scenes and music details make the band feel lived‑in, though sometimes specific references distracted me.
Overall, this was a fun, enjoyable read. I’d recommend it to readers who like sapphic romance, band dynamics, and second‑chance stories.
Creative Differences is a sapphic, second‑chance romance set in an indie pop/rock scene. We follow the three members on a reunion tour as they work to rebuild their friendship. The story uses dual POV, switching between Amelia (the lead singer) and Ramona (the guitarist), while they work through their unresolved romantic tension. It is, after all, what originally fractured the band.
Amelia, now a successful pop singer, has the most compelling chapters: her perfectionism and pressure to write a new album create strong emotional stakes. Ramona’s chapters offer an intimate portrayal of mental health.
The tour scenes and music details make the band feel lived‑in, though sometimes specific references distracted me.
Overall, this was a fun, enjoyable read. I’d recommend it to readers who like sapphic romance, band dynamics, and second‑chance stories.
August 11, 2026
Review of advanced reader copy received from NetGalley
Another great sapphic romcom from these authors! The road trip aspect of this book was well done and brought all the best aspects into the story including with a funny and original take on the one bed trope I haven’t seen before. If you like Muna or Boygenius you will like this book, it repeatedly had me thinking about both bands in the best way. I really appreciated the way that anxiety and depression was represented in Ramona and how it was also a factor in the relationship between her and Amelia. This story was a lovely mix of angst, fluffy romance, and plot with just the right amount of spice! The characters in this book were relatable and well thought out creating believe dynamics with friendship and romantic relationships with a group of people. I would have loved to read a chapter or 2 from Bea’s prospective on the tour or have a spinoff following them. Overall this book was incredibly enjoyable and perfectly showed a lovely friends to lovers story line with lots of sapphic yearning.
Another great sapphic romcom from these authors! The road trip aspect of this book was well done and brought all the best aspects into the story including with a funny and original take on the one bed trope I haven’t seen before. If you like Muna or Boygenius you will like this book, it repeatedly had me thinking about both bands in the best way. I really appreciated the way that anxiety and depression was represented in Ramona and how it was also a factor in the relationship between her and Amelia. This story was a lovely mix of angst, fluffy romance, and plot with just the right amount of spice! The characters in this book were relatable and well thought out creating believe dynamics with friendship and romantic relationships with a group of people. I would have loved to read a chapter or 2 from Bea’s prospective on the tour or have a spinoff following them. Overall this book was incredibly enjoyable and perfectly showed a lovely friends to lovers story line with lots of sapphic yearning.
August 19, 2026
Thank you Bindery Books and Netgalley for sending me an ARC!
2.75⭐️
I went into this book thinking I was going to love it because the premise sounds like something right up my street; A second chance romance following a indie-rock band who broke up years ago but now finds themselves back together for one last tour. There's a full queer cast, years of yearning and the only-one-bed trope.
This book was just fine. I had a lot of trouble connecting with the main characters Ameila and Ramona, so both ended up feeling very flat to me.
Ramona in particular was quite a boring underdeveloped character to follow, and I found myself being annoyed with her most of the time.
Amelia felt a lot more developed as a character and her inner monologue was a lot more interesting than Ramona's because it had more depth to it.
Amelia and Ramona together mostly pissed me off. They both feel a little immature and there was multiple times I wanted to shake them both and just tell them to TALK!!! There were some cute moments between them and the spicy scenes were well written but I'm sad to say that wasn't enough.
Bea, the third bandmate ended up being my favourite character because they were the least problematic.
Something I did love about this book is how unapologetically queer it is. The whole cast is full of queer characters and being queer was never made an issue. Reading books like that always makes me so happy! While I can appreciate reading about the difficulties of being queer, sometimes you just want a book that focus on the beauty and love of being queer.
Overall all this book is okay and despite my negative talk, I was enjoying it. I think I might've had too high expectations going into this based on what I have heard about it.
This wasn't the perfect book for me but I'm sure there's plenty of people out there who would love this book!
2.75⭐️
I went into this book thinking I was going to love it because the premise sounds like something right up my street; A second chance romance following a indie-rock band who broke up years ago but now finds themselves back together for one last tour. There's a full queer cast, years of yearning and the only-one-bed trope.
This book was just fine. I had a lot of trouble connecting with the main characters Ameila and Ramona, so both ended up feeling very flat to me.
Ramona in particular was quite a boring underdeveloped character to follow, and I found myself being annoyed with her most of the time.
Amelia felt a lot more developed as a character and her inner monologue was a lot more interesting than Ramona's because it had more depth to it.
Amelia and Ramona together mostly pissed me off. They both feel a little immature and there was multiple times I wanted to shake them both and just tell them to TALK!!! There were some cute moments between them and the spicy scenes were well written but I'm sad to say that wasn't enough.
Bea, the third bandmate ended up being my favourite character because they were the least problematic.
Something I did love about this book is how unapologetically queer it is. The whole cast is full of queer characters and being queer was never made an issue. Reading books like that always makes me so happy! While I can appreciate reading about the difficulties of being queer, sometimes you just want a book that focus on the beauty and love of being queer.
Overall all this book is okay and despite my negative talk, I was enjoying it. I think I might've had too high expectations going into this based on what I have heard about it.
This wasn't the perfect book for me but I'm sure there's plenty of people out there who would love this book!
August 10, 2026
Funny and super cute, and as the book description said, this really is perfect for Daisy Jones & The Six fans.. because I'm one of them.. I'd also add that Ramona and Amelia were very Mizisua to me.. #eyes👀
We have sapphic rockstar second chance romance.. with a whole lot of tension..
The plot itself was great, but I feel like what really made me love the book were the characters. I loved them a lot.. You can still feel the care and love they have for each other even though they're all completely different people with different lives, and even after so many years apart they still clicked together so easily.
Ramona's dry sense of humour. Bea who's always trying to "fix the group" by leaving Ramona and Amelia stuck together, and oh!! Amelia!! I walked out as a huge Amelia lover!! I love how she was written 🥹 Her relationship with band members, with her friends, fans, it all just felt so sweet.
I also liked how even though we didn't get Bea's pov, they're still a character we can grow to love, they weren't left out even if the focus wasn't on them.
I felt as if the author let the scenes "breathe" as in there weren't any annoying "too many details" kind of thing. We had just enough information and could create a scene in our heads and feel the story, kinda be there with the characters. I didn't feel like I was reading a book, I felt like I was watching them on stage in front of me and I was a #big fan of that.
There weren't many things i disliked, other than mentions of social media and the music artists that are popular today. I also felt like the book could've been a bit longer, maybe to put more focus on the band, them making music and just existing as a group of friends.
All in all, a really great read.. perfect for anyone who wants a quick band romance read with queer and very loveable characters!!
Huge thanks to Netgalley for providing me an arc in exchange for a review!! All thoughts are my own.
We have sapphic rockstar second chance romance.. with a whole lot of tension..
The plot itself was great, but I feel like what really made me love the book were the characters. I loved them a lot.. You can still feel the care and love they have for each other even though they're all completely different people with different lives, and even after so many years apart they still clicked together so easily.
Ramona's dry sense of humour. Bea who's always trying to "fix the group" by leaving Ramona and Amelia stuck together, and oh!! Amelia!! I walked out as a huge Amelia lover!! I love how she was written 🥹 Her relationship with band members, with her friends, fans, it all just felt so sweet.
I also liked how even though we didn't get Bea's pov, they're still a character we can grow to love, they weren't left out even if the focus wasn't on them.
I felt as if the author let the scenes "breathe" as in there weren't any annoying "too many details" kind of thing. We had just enough information and could create a scene in our heads and feel the story, kinda be there with the characters. I didn't feel like I was reading a book, I felt like I was watching them on stage in front of me and I was a #big fan of that.
There weren't many things i disliked, other than mentions of social media and the music artists that are popular today. I also felt like the book could've been a bit longer, maybe to put more focus on the band, them making music and just existing as a group of friends.
All in all, a really great read.. perfect for anyone who wants a quick band romance read with queer and very loveable characters!!
Huge thanks to Netgalley for providing me an arc in exchange for a review!! All thoughts are my own.
July 25, 2026
4.5 stars.
this is a digital advanced readers copy I received from netgalley and sapph-lit, this has no affect on my rating nor review.
five years after their indie rock band broke up, amelia and ramona along with their bassist beatrix are back for a reunion tour. each one of them has changed from their college years, and after ameila and ramona left things on bad terms five years ago, both must accept any feelings they have for each other.
yes!! this is what I wanted—a queer-centered story. I can never find anything like that, but this? yes ma’am.
I love the complexity of amelia and ramona‘s relationship. sometimes, they could have been a little bit dense about feelings, their own and each other’s, but I think it’s very realistic how complex their relationship is. I honestly love them and all of the other characters in this book, maybe except declan, but he wasn’t too bad. all of these characters are different and flawed, but they each fit the story well. this genre alone was very interesting, because I don’t see it too much, the band mates, having a “secret relationship.” when I first saw the arc on netgalley, it piqued my interest just because I don’t read a lot of stories about music and bands.
like I said before, sometimes, amelia and ramona were very dense about their feelings and things like that, but it’s not too worrisome because I find it to be really realistic and relatable. I also wanted to see more of the other band members. yes, the story is mainly about amelia and the amona‘s relationship, but I feel like we don’t know too much about the other characters and it’s almost like you can kind of take them out in the story would play out the same, especially fink and georgia.
something I thought about when I was reading was the possibility of adding more of the band and music element into the story to kind of balance that with the romance. I think this could have even further improved storyline and learn more about the characters and how their music reflects them. the critiques I have are very minor and they didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the story. I really like this book and I think I would like to buy it when it releases.
this is a great book for queer people who want to see dynamics of queer relationships. relationships are complicated whether you’re straight or gay or lesbian, but I think dynamics are slightly different between straight and queer people
this is a digital advanced readers copy I received from netgalley and sapph-lit, this has no affect on my rating nor review.
five years after their indie rock band broke up, amelia and ramona along with their bassist beatrix are back for a reunion tour. each one of them has changed from their college years, and after ameila and ramona left things on bad terms five years ago, both must accept any feelings they have for each other.
yes!! this is what I wanted—a queer-centered story. I can never find anything like that, but this? yes ma’am.
I love the complexity of amelia and ramona‘s relationship. sometimes, they could have been a little bit dense about feelings, their own and each other’s, but I think it’s very realistic how complex their relationship is. I honestly love them and all of the other characters in this book, maybe except declan, but he wasn’t too bad. all of these characters are different and flawed, but they each fit the story well. this genre alone was very interesting, because I don’t see it too much, the band mates, having a “secret relationship.” when I first saw the arc on netgalley, it piqued my interest just because I don’t read a lot of stories about music and bands.
like I said before, sometimes, amelia and ramona were very dense about their feelings and things like that, but it’s not too worrisome because I find it to be really realistic and relatable. I also wanted to see more of the other band members. yes, the story is mainly about amelia and the amona‘s relationship, but I feel like we don’t know too much about the other characters and it’s almost like you can kind of take them out in the story would play out the same, especially fink and georgia.
something I thought about when I was reading was the possibility of adding more of the band and music element into the story to kind of balance that with the romance. I think this could have even further improved storyline and learn more about the characters and how their music reflects them. the critiques I have are very minor and they didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the story. I really like this book and I think I would like to buy it when it releases.
this is a great book for queer people who want to see dynamics of queer relationships. relationships are complicated whether you’re straight or gay or lesbian, but I think dynamics are slightly different between straight and queer people
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Did Not Finish
September 11, 2026DNF at 45%.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bindery Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book follows Amelia and Ramona, band mates in an indie-rock band Swanboat, as they navigate their reunion tour after five years of no contact. It's marketed as "propulsive and sexy second chance romance", which I completely disagree with.
The writing style itself wasn't particularly interesting to me. It somehow managed not to be neither poetic and lyrical, nor engaging and fast-paced. It's written in the third person, with chapters alternately focusing on Amelia and Ramona. I would have preferred for it to be written in the first person, so we'd (hopefully) see more of their thoughts and feelings, or at least a sliver of yearning or attraction. This way, it simply fell flat.
Characters themselves weren't either likeable or interesting to me. They seem very one dimensional, they show almost no growth in the time they spent apart, and they read more like everyday, normal people than celebrities. And while I can acknowledge celebrities are, in fact, human beings like the rest of us, I would expect them to lead at least a little bit different lifestyle than a random person you'd pick off the street. Their alleged romance was also not believable at all. We don't actually see any of the romance, which is surprising as this is supposed to be a romance book. There was no tension or yearning at all, and absolutely no romantic or sexual attraction between them. I love a good slow burn normally, but this wasn't it. It gave nothing in the romance department.
I was bored. The main reason why I stopped reading where I did was because I felt like nothing happened in the story, and I was almost halfway through it. We kept getting the same few recycled memories, and nothing new or even remotely exciting happened in the present time. In fact, in the past either. It kept circling to the exact same point, without any growth or even interesting banter on the way.
I feel bad for being so harsh in my review, but I genuinely didn't like anything about this book. It's unfortunately a big miss for me. However, keep in mind that I only got halfway through and there might be a redemption in the second half. I'm simply not patient enough to read more and hope it would get better.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bindery Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book follows Amelia and Ramona, band mates in an indie-rock band Swanboat, as they navigate their reunion tour after five years of no contact. It's marketed as "propulsive and sexy second chance romance", which I completely disagree with.
The writing style itself wasn't particularly interesting to me. It somehow managed not to be neither poetic and lyrical, nor engaging and fast-paced. It's written in the third person, with chapters alternately focusing on Amelia and Ramona. I would have preferred for it to be written in the first person, so we'd (hopefully) see more of their thoughts and feelings, or at least a sliver of yearning or attraction. This way, it simply fell flat.
Characters themselves weren't either likeable or interesting to me. They seem very one dimensional, they show almost no growth in the time they spent apart, and they read more like everyday, normal people than celebrities. And while I can acknowledge celebrities are, in fact, human beings like the rest of us, I would expect them to lead at least a little bit different lifestyle than a random person you'd pick off the street. Their alleged romance was also not believable at all. We don't actually see any of the romance, which is surprising as this is supposed to be a romance book. There was no tension or yearning at all, and absolutely no romantic or sexual attraction between them. I love a good slow burn normally, but this wasn't it. It gave nothing in the romance department.
I was bored. The main reason why I stopped reading where I did was because I felt like nothing happened in the story, and I was almost halfway through it. We kept getting the same few recycled memories, and nothing new or even remotely exciting happened in the present time. In fact, in the past either. It kept circling to the exact same point, without any growth or even interesting banter on the way.
I feel bad for being so harsh in my review, but I genuinely didn't like anything about this book. It's unfortunately a big miss for me. However, keep in mind that I only got halfway through and there might be a redemption in the second half. I'm simply not patient enough to read more and hope it would get better.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The mingling of vulnerability and comfort, or one that turns into the other over time; the slight shift in the angle, when you’re looking at the same image from a degree to the left.
(3/5) More than a generic second-chance romance, Creative Differences explores how people can change without necessarily leaving who they once were behind. It understands vulnerability and comfort not as opposites, but as things that can slowly become intertwined until a slight shift in perspective is enough to make something familiar feel different.
What I think I loved most about this was the reality of it all. So many relationships are ruined not by external circumstances, but by our own minds — by the things we assume, the things we fail to say, and the versions of ourselves we haven’t yet outgrown. Amelia and Ramona’s relationship perfectly exemplifies how time apart can sometimes allow two people to grow into better versions of themselves, and ultimately, better for each other.
It took nearly half the book for the story to fully pull me in, but once I became attached, I could not put it down. Bea and Amelia were easily my favorites, each so distinctly themselves that their personalities seemed to shine through every scene they were in. Despite its clichéd premise, Creative Differences offers a thoughtful exploration of the mental and emotional struggles its characters navigate, while also touching on the realities of being queer in a society that does not always make room for them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
July 18, 2026
One thing about me? I’m gonna eat up a sapphic rockstar romance!
This was a lot of fun and a true slowburn which I adored. We really got to know Ramona and Amelia on a deeper level before the romance even started and that’s the kind of romance books I gravitate towards. There’s a great balance of character study and relationship dynamics here and it’s done super well.
The romance. Romana and Amelia are both dealing with their own insecurities when it comes to their personal and work life. These two have a great deal of history.First friends, then bandmates then lines were blurred and they went their own way. After Swanboat split up Romana went on to work in radio and Amelia went on to become one of the biggest pop stars in the world. The juxtaposition of their lives was very well done but they were also mirrors in a lot of ways. Watching these two grow and learn was great. I also appreciated the aspect of friendship that was woven through too. Their mutual friend and fellow bandmate Bea was at the forefront of their decisions too and I loved how they were written as a well rounded character with feelings and a life outside the band.
The sex. I thought the explicit scene were done super well, not cringe at all and very in character for these two. They didn’t feel like they were wearing masks when we finally got to the intimate scene. I also want to note the way the One Bed situation came to fruition was so so great and unique and FUNNY! Tropes like this can get tiring without putting a different twist on things and I loved how it was implemented here.
The writing. I am so so happy this was dual pov. More often than not we don’t get dual pov in sapphic romances and while I understand why that is, I also think having that second perspective can bring so much to the story and I think it was needed here so I’m glad we got both of these women’s voices.
The only thing that kept this from being a 5 star read was that I wished that they were aged up. They’re in their mid to late twenties when they reunite and I think if they’d have met up again in their 30’s there could have been a lot more angst and yearning involved.
Overall highly enjoyable and I cannot wait to see what Annabel and Lydia do next because I’ll be for sure following along.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for sending me the arc. All opinions are my own.
This was a lot of fun and a true slowburn which I adored. We really got to know Ramona and Amelia on a deeper level before the romance even started and that’s the kind of romance books I gravitate towards. There’s a great balance of character study and relationship dynamics here and it’s done super well.
The romance. Romana and Amelia are both dealing with their own insecurities when it comes to their personal and work life. These two have a great deal of history.First friends, then bandmates then lines were blurred and they went their own way. After Swanboat split up Romana went on to work in radio and Amelia went on to become one of the biggest pop stars in the world. The juxtaposition of their lives was very well done but they were also mirrors in a lot of ways. Watching these two grow and learn was great. I also appreciated the aspect of friendship that was woven through too. Their mutual friend and fellow bandmate Bea was at the forefront of their decisions too and I loved how they were written as a well rounded character with feelings and a life outside the band.
The sex. I thought the explicit scene were done super well, not cringe at all and very in character for these two. They didn’t feel like they were wearing masks when we finally got to the intimate scene. I also want to note the way the One Bed situation came to fruition was so so great and unique and FUNNY! Tropes like this can get tiring without putting a different twist on things and I loved how it was implemented here.
The writing. I am so so happy this was dual pov. More often than not we don’t get dual pov in sapphic romances and while I understand why that is, I also think having that second perspective can bring so much to the story and I think it was needed here so I’m glad we got both of these women’s voices.
The only thing that kept this from being a 5 star read was that I wished that they were aged up. They’re in their mid to late twenties when they reunite and I think if they’d have met up again in their 30’s there could have been a lot more angst and yearning involved.
Overall highly enjoyable and I cannot wait to see what Annabel and Lydia do next because I’ll be for sure following along.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for sending me the arc. All opinions are my own.
August 8, 2026
FIRE. I love a sapphic book where theyre musicians and kinda hate each other but also maybe not? I will admit this took me a bit to get in to, but once I got it, I Got It.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review
September 17, 2026
This was SO good!!! The storyline and the characters are so so so amazing and it is so well written. I love Amelia so much and I loved the ending. I hope we get more of them!!
Read
July 23, 2026Thank you to netgalley for providing an advance reader copy!
This book is about two avoidants who i wanted to slap in the face multiple times throughout the book.
This book is about two avoidants who i wanted to slap in the face multiple times throughout the book.
August 1, 2026
This book made me feel so seen! Paulsen & Wang are so talented at incorporating deep emotional themes into light, funny romance novels!
September 10, 2026
3.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed 'Here for the wrong reasons' by the same authors and was looking forward to their second book so I was thrilled when I managed to get an arc copy and read it eagerly. Overall I really liked this book and would definitely recommend it, there were just a few things that lowered the rating for me.
The premise of Creative Differences absolutely caught my attention. A rock(ish) band coming back together for a reunion tour after a very sudden split five years ago is such an interesting premise. This book felt like it was written for the music lovers, with so many references and relatable aspects to the joy and power that music can provide. Also, the aesthetic was PERFECT. A road trip across the US, long drives, concert venues and lots of different cities to explore.
The characters were also very well crafted, they fit together as a group of friends and a band but were also their own distinct personalities with different characteristics and vibes. One of our main characters is definitely giving more confident girly pop music while the other gives darker, more private and grungey vibes. But opposites attract right? They definitely made sense as a couple to me, they complimented each other so well and I loved how they were able to support the other in the specific way they required. I liked the second chance aspect and how they had a rocky split years ago but were then in forced proximity (one of my fav tropes!) while going on tour together. I thought both of the main characters were loveable but flawed, they each had their own issues they were struggling with and they felt very real in that aspect. I thought the anxiety was depicted well and it felt touchingl to see that even "successful" people can struggle with their mental health. I also loved the third member of the band Bea, who was non-binary, loud, fun, queer and totally themselves. I thought having that third character worked well as a middle ground between the two mains and I loved seeing their friendship develop throughout the book as a trio. I found it very impactful to see adults who were still trying to find themselves, where they belong and what they want to be doing despite being in their mid-to late twenties where the world seems to think you should have everything worked out already.
However something I personally struggle with in books is miscommunication, and it was the central plot line of this book. I could understand having miscommunication as the reason the band initially split up as it worked to set the book in motion, but then we have more miscommunication later on and it just. felt frustrating. I feel that that would have been a really valuable part of the book towards the ending to showcase how the characters have developed over the course of the book and have them communicate and express their feelings to each other. It could have been a very powerful moment of them coming together as a couple but rather was another case of not communicating resulting in falling out.
I also found the book quite repetitive. We're constantly being reminded of the fact they broke up as a band and the main couple's history and it started to get a bit frustrating and boring. Even after we find out what happened five years ago it is still constantly brought up as to explain their thoughts/behaviours and it felt too repetitive in my opinion. Similarly, I think Declan served his role well in relation to Amelia's storyline but I think he was too present in the book. I felt like their split could definitely have happened closer to the quarter or third percent mark of the book rather than 50% through. It again felt repetitive and like an injustice to Amelia's character. I feel like it would have been more powerful if she split up with Declan earlier in the book so she could have more time to grow as a character by herself before her and Ramona then get together. I also didn't enjoy his return later in the book, the entire American Spirit subplot felt flat for me. Ramona and Amelia were starting to come together and bringing Declan and his band into the equation felt unnecessary.
Overall, I definitely enjoyed the general storyline and the characters. I loved being on tour with a band, and seeing how the characters developed over time. I also liked the glimpses we got into their past and seeing them as teenagers when they were first becoming friends and forming the band. I just struggled with some of the receptiveness and Declan's involvement in the plot. I would still recommend this book to other readers who are interested in complicated sapphic relationships and stories surrounding music and finding yourself as an adult. I will definitely continue to read more books from this author pair, as I really like how seamlessly they write together while developing different characters and storylines.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed 'Here for the wrong reasons' by the same authors and was looking forward to their second book so I was thrilled when I managed to get an arc copy and read it eagerly. Overall I really liked this book and would definitely recommend it, there were just a few things that lowered the rating for me.
The premise of Creative Differences absolutely caught my attention. A rock(ish) band coming back together for a reunion tour after a very sudden split five years ago is such an interesting premise. This book felt like it was written for the music lovers, with so many references and relatable aspects to the joy and power that music can provide. Also, the aesthetic was PERFECT. A road trip across the US, long drives, concert venues and lots of different cities to explore.
The characters were also very well crafted, they fit together as a group of friends and a band but were also their own distinct personalities with different characteristics and vibes. One of our main characters is definitely giving more confident girly pop music while the other gives darker, more private and grungey vibes. But opposites attract right? They definitely made sense as a couple to me, they complimented each other so well and I loved how they were able to support the other in the specific way they required. I liked the second chance aspect and how they had a rocky split years ago but were then in forced proximity (one of my fav tropes!) while going on tour together. I thought both of the main characters were loveable but flawed, they each had their own issues they were struggling with and they felt very real in that aspect. I thought the anxiety was depicted well and it felt touchingl to see that even "successful" people can struggle with their mental health. I also loved the third member of the band Bea, who was non-binary, loud, fun, queer and totally themselves. I thought having that third character worked well as a middle ground between the two mains and I loved seeing their friendship develop throughout the book as a trio. I found it very impactful to see adults who were still trying to find themselves, where they belong and what they want to be doing despite being in their mid-to late twenties where the world seems to think you should have everything worked out already.
However something I personally struggle with in books is miscommunication, and it was the central plot line of this book. I could understand having miscommunication as the reason the band initially split up as it worked to set the book in motion, but then we have more miscommunication later on and it just. felt frustrating. I feel that that would have been a really valuable part of the book towards the ending to showcase how the characters have developed over the course of the book and have them communicate and express their feelings to each other. It could have been a very powerful moment of them coming together as a couple but rather was another case of not communicating resulting in falling out.
I also found the book quite repetitive. We're constantly being reminded of the fact they broke up as a band and the main couple's history and it started to get a bit frustrating and boring. Even after we find out what happened five years ago it is still constantly brought up as to explain their thoughts/behaviours and it felt too repetitive in my opinion. Similarly, I think Declan served his role well in relation to Amelia's storyline but I think he was too present in the book. I felt like their split could definitely have happened closer to the quarter or third percent mark of the book rather than 50% through. It again felt repetitive and like an injustice to Amelia's character. I feel like it would have been more powerful if she split up with Declan earlier in the book so she could have more time to grow as a character by herself before her and Ramona then get together. I also didn't enjoy his return later in the book, the entire American Spirit subplot felt flat for me. Ramona and Amelia were starting to come together and bringing Declan and his band into the equation felt unnecessary.
Overall, I definitely enjoyed the general storyline and the characters. I loved being on tour with a band, and seeing how the characters developed over time. I also liked the glimpses we got into their past and seeing them as teenagers when they were first becoming friends and forming the band. I just struggled with some of the receptiveness and Declan's involvement in the plot. I would still recommend this book to other readers who are interested in complicated sapphic relationships and stories surrounding music and finding yourself as an adult. I will definitely continue to read more books from this author pair, as I really like how seamlessly they write together while developing different characters and storylines.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I'm not quite sure how to rate this. I think it was pitched wrong, and that affected my reading.
In general, this is a nice book. It's more of a contemporary romance than anything else, and at this it succeeds. The two protagonists have the kind of relationship where they make each other better by being together, and much of their character growth comes through this. The time they spend together before the obligate "break-up" feels real to their characters and it absolutely satisfying after what they've been through both before the book begins and throughout the story up until then. The smut is great and is just enough to where it fits this story and its writing just enough.
But of course, this is as a contemporary romance itself. I definitely think this book was pitched too ambitiously, which made this underwhelming for me. The comparison to Daisy Jones and the Six did this book no favors.
The story has very low stakes: the band was only together for a short time, and they've only been broken up for five years. The characters are still quite young, in their 20s. The reason for the band breakup doesn't make much sense for it to be such a big deal. (Generally, Amelia and Ramona just can't stop getting in their own way.) The music is not a very big focus—the scenes of concerts are pretty short, and mostly consist of the band members interacting with each other and the audience on stage. I don't even get a good idea of how big these venues are that they're playing. We're told that Mia Wells is a huge star, but we don't see much of how this affects her life except for a few moments where she's recognized in public. I was so curious what kind of crowds she would draw to this reunion tour, but we never get a good idea of the size or if there's any disconnect between Mia Wells fans and Swanboat fans (which it seems like there would be, considering the difference in genre). She's a huge star, and yet the record label still books the band at motels with worn mattresses?
The side characters are either one-dimensional or virtually non-existent. I was never clear on who exactly the other instrumentalists were. Every time they were mentioned, I was surprised again to remember that they were part of the tour. I don't even remember who played what instrument. Bea was a fun character, and it would have been so great to get more depth to them. They made such good points near the end of the book while getting Ramona and Amelia to deal with their issues, and I wish this could have been touched on more earlier.
In all, this was pitched as more of a band reunion book, but it was very solidly a contemporary romance, which also left not much room for deeper exploration of the world these characters inhabited. I would say it's more of a road trip novel, with two old crushes/friends finding their way back to each other and finding a way to be together.
It was fine, just not what I expected going in!
Thanks to Bindery Books for the eARC through NetGalley!
In general, this is a nice book. It's more of a contemporary romance than anything else, and at this it succeeds. The two protagonists have the kind of relationship where they make each other better by being together, and much of their character growth comes through this. The time they spend together before the obligate "break-up" feels real to their characters and it absolutely satisfying after what they've been through both before the book begins and throughout the story up until then. The smut is great and is just enough to where it fits this story and its writing just enough.
But of course, this is as a contemporary romance itself. I definitely think this book was pitched too ambitiously, which made this underwhelming for me. The comparison to Daisy Jones and the Six did this book no favors.
The story has very low stakes: the band was only together for a short time, and they've only been broken up for five years. The characters are still quite young, in their 20s. The reason for the band breakup doesn't make much sense for it to be such a big deal. (Generally, Amelia and Ramona just can't stop getting in their own way.) The music is not a very big focus—the scenes of concerts are pretty short, and mostly consist of the band members interacting with each other and the audience on stage. I don't even get a good idea of how big these venues are that they're playing. We're told that Mia Wells is a huge star, but we don't see much of how this affects her life except for a few moments where she's recognized in public. I was so curious what kind of crowds she would draw to this reunion tour, but we never get a good idea of the size or if there's any disconnect between Mia Wells fans and Swanboat fans (which it seems like there would be, considering the difference in genre). She's a huge star, and yet the record label still books the band at motels with worn mattresses?
The side characters are either one-dimensional or virtually non-existent. I was never clear on who exactly the other instrumentalists were. Every time they were mentioned, I was surprised again to remember that they were part of the tour. I don't even remember who played what instrument. Bea was a fun character, and it would have been so great to get more depth to them. They made such good points near the end of the book while getting Ramona and Amelia to deal with their issues, and I wish this could have been touched on more earlier.
In all, this was pitched as more of a band reunion book, but it was very solidly a contemporary romance, which also left not much room for deeper exploration of the world these characters inhabited. I would say it's more of a road trip novel, with two old crushes/friends finding their way back to each other and finding a way to be together.
It was fine, just not what I expected going in!
Thanks to Bindery Books for the eARC through NetGalley!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really liked the premise of Creative Differences, especially the idea of bringing a former band back together after everything that happened between its members. I enjoyed the way Swanboat's history was tied to the relationship between Amelia and Ramona, and how the book explores the contrast between creative fulfilment and the idea of success. Amelia has achieved the fame she once thought she wanted, while Ramona has chosen a much smaller and quieter musical career, which created an interesting way of looking at what success actually means to different people.
One of my favourite parts was actually the dynamic between the three members of Swanboat. I really liked the found family aspect of their relationship and how much history they shared beyond the romantic conflict at the centre of the story. I especially liked Bea, who often felt like the voice of reason between Amelia and Ramona. Her perspective and reactions brought some much-needed balance to their dynamic, and I genuinely enjoyed whenever the three of them were together.
I also appreciated the way the book touches on anxiety and self-worth. I liked seeing how much our perception of ourselves can influence the way we approach our relationships, careers and the choices we make. The band setting worked particularly well for this because music is so closely connected to the characters' identities and to how they see themselves.
My biggest issue was the reliance on miscommunication. I don't dislike miscommunication as a writing device when it is used well, but it was definitely overused here. There were quite a few moments where it felt like the characters were finally making progress and showing some real growth, only for that development to be reversed shortly afterwards.
I could understand some of this if it were presented as part of the human condition. People do backslide, repeat old patterns and struggle to actually change, especially when emotions are involved. My problem was that some of these reversals felt less like an intentional portrayal of that reality and more like the characters needed to regress because the plot still needed to go in a certain direction. That made their development feel inconsistent at times.
There were also some genuinely cute, quick moments between the characters that I really enjoyed and that reminded me why I was invested in the relationships in the first place.
Overall, I think Creative Differences had a really interesting foundation and some themes that worked well for me, particularly anxiety, self-worth, creative identity and the different ways people define success. I also really enjoyed the found family at the heart of Swanboat. Unfortunately, the repeated miscommunication and the inconsistent handling of character growth kept me from connecting with the story as much as I wanted to.
One of my favourite parts was actually the dynamic between the three members of Swanboat. I really liked the found family aspect of their relationship and how much history they shared beyond the romantic conflict at the centre of the story. I especially liked Bea, who often felt like the voice of reason between Amelia and Ramona. Her perspective and reactions brought some much-needed balance to their dynamic, and I genuinely enjoyed whenever the three of them were together.
I also appreciated the way the book touches on anxiety and self-worth. I liked seeing how much our perception of ourselves can influence the way we approach our relationships, careers and the choices we make. The band setting worked particularly well for this because music is so closely connected to the characters' identities and to how they see themselves.
My biggest issue was the reliance on miscommunication. I don't dislike miscommunication as a writing device when it is used well, but it was definitely overused here. There were quite a few moments where it felt like the characters were finally making progress and showing some real growth, only for that development to be reversed shortly afterwards.
I could understand some of this if it were presented as part of the human condition. People do backslide, repeat old patterns and struggle to actually change, especially when emotions are involved. My problem was that some of these reversals felt less like an intentional portrayal of that reality and more like the characters needed to regress because the plot still needed to go in a certain direction. That made their development feel inconsistent at times.
There were also some genuinely cute, quick moments between the characters that I really enjoyed and that reminded me why I was invested in the relationships in the first place.
Overall, I think Creative Differences had a really interesting foundation and some themes that worked well for me, particularly anxiety, self-worth, creative identity and the different ways people define success. I also really enjoyed the found family at the heart of Swanboat. Unfortunately, the repeated miscommunication and the inconsistent handling of character growth kept me from connecting with the story as much as I wanted to.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 very solid & happy Stars)
This one had a lot going for it. I loved the sapphic yearning, the Daisy Jones and the six vibes, the reunion tour, and even the second-chance romance which admittedly leaned hard into the "will they/won't they" tension. Even as someone who isn't always into to second-chance tropes, I really enjoyed reading this one.
Besides that, I wanna mention that the music references throughout are genuinely well done (it somewhat reminded me of Daisy Jones). But to continue to the main characters, Amelia and Ramona are the heart of the story, and their chemistry has real history behind it. A histories where you can actually feel the weight of everything unresolved between them. That said, I did find myself getting a little frustrated with both of them at times (you don’t wanna know how often I wanted to scream at them or push them together while reading this). I Even though I enjoyed the aspect that the two spend a lot of time stuck in their own heads when it comes to each other, it was still somewhat frustrating experiencing the same will they/won‘t they tension for the majority of the book. Moreover, I didn't connect with either of them quite as deeply as I wanted to, though I appreciated watching their old feelings slowly resurface as the tour brought them closer together, stop by stop. Bea (one could say the third main character and third person in the band) on the other hand, was an easy standout. She was genuinely so funny, and a genuinely great friend to both Ramona and Amelia (I’m so sure she would’ve liked to shake both of them too). I think it’s quite obvious from this review that she was the character I latched onto most, and I wouldn't say no to a spin-off centered on her. Furthermore, the backdrop of the band's reunion tour worked really well in my opinion. It blended the romance with themes of friendship, ambition, and reckoning with the past really nicely. Where this book shines though (besides having Bea as a character in it), is the tension and yearning!! But I think that’s gotten quite obvious from what I’ve written so far.
Overall I can say that if you're into sapphic musician romances with a MUNA vibe (I might’ve listened to them A LOT), plenty of longing, a slow-burn payoff, and such a good third main character (I’m looking at Bea again) this is worth picking up. It was still a solid and really enjoyable read.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bindery Books for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest and voluntarily given review!
This one had a lot going for it. I loved the sapphic yearning, the Daisy Jones and the six vibes, the reunion tour, and even the second-chance romance which admittedly leaned hard into the "will they/won't they" tension. Even as someone who isn't always into to second-chance tropes, I really enjoyed reading this one.
Besides that, I wanna mention that the music references throughout are genuinely well done (it somewhat reminded me of Daisy Jones). But to continue to the main characters, Amelia and Ramona are the heart of the story, and their chemistry has real history behind it. A histories where you can actually feel the weight of everything unresolved between them. That said, I did find myself getting a little frustrated with both of them at times (you don’t wanna know how often I wanted to scream at them or push them together while reading this). I Even though I enjoyed the aspect that the two spend a lot of time stuck in their own heads when it comes to each other, it was still somewhat frustrating experiencing the same will they/won‘t they tension for the majority of the book. Moreover, I didn't connect with either of them quite as deeply as I wanted to, though I appreciated watching their old feelings slowly resurface as the tour brought them closer together, stop by stop. Bea (one could say the third main character and third person in the band) on the other hand, was an easy standout. She was genuinely so funny, and a genuinely great friend to both Ramona and Amelia (I’m so sure she would’ve liked to shake both of them too). I think it’s quite obvious from this review that she was the character I latched onto most, and I wouldn't say no to a spin-off centered on her. Furthermore, the backdrop of the band's reunion tour worked really well in my opinion. It blended the romance with themes of friendship, ambition, and reckoning with the past really nicely. Where this book shines though (besides having Bea as a character in it), is the tension and yearning!! But I think that’s gotten quite obvious from what I’ve written so far.
Overall I can say that if you're into sapphic musician romances with a MUNA vibe (I might’ve listened to them A LOT), plenty of longing, a slow-burn payoff, and such a good third main character (I’m looking at Bea again) this is worth picking up. It was still a solid and really enjoyable read.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bindery Books for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest and voluntarily given review!
Review of advance copy
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review!
3.75
a wonderful second chance romance about two people with a lot of history and even more baggage. when I first saw the synopsis i immediately ran to add it to my tbr because i knew it would be right up my alley. i adored the discussions around fandom, the act of making music and the industry, it felt like mia wells and swanboat were actual artists i could go and listen to on spotify, which made the story feel all the more real. my favorite part of it all was 100% the dynamics between the members of swanboat; the anecdotes surrounding their early days and the history they shared once again felt very realistic and also super nostalgic. you could tell why they were so loved and why they had their success, all of them bringing their special something to the band worked so well. the theme of nostalgia and wanting to go back to a past that's no longer really yours for so many reasons hit me like a truck. i could've read a whole book about the origins of swanboat honestly. i adored the first half of the book, and had I had the same experience in the second half as well it would've definitely been a 5 star, but something just didn't click. the conflict between amelia and ramona felt very much realistic and it made sense to me that they would stop talking after that, but this specific point felt kind of dragged in the second half. it felt like things were being reiterated but without the plot really moving forward most of the time. not to mention the third act conflict that felt more frustrating than anything, and as someone who doesn't like third act conflicts that specific chunk was on thin ice as it is. i wanted the character to maybe it approach it in a different way, i liked that they kind of regressed to their old selves whenever they were together, it made sense, but they've also changed as people throughout the years and i would've liked to see that reflected a bit more. also slight nit-pick, but i did not like how many times amelia and ramona's heartfelt scenes were cut short because of someone interrupting them, it was used enough times in the book for me to notice and it got more frustrating than anything after the second time. overall i did enjoy this and there's a lot of elements that left me glued to the page, i can't wait for this book to be enjoyed by other readers as well.
3.75
a wonderful second chance romance about two people with a lot of history and even more baggage. when I first saw the synopsis i immediately ran to add it to my tbr because i knew it would be right up my alley. i adored the discussions around fandom, the act of making music and the industry, it felt like mia wells and swanboat were actual artists i could go and listen to on spotify, which made the story feel all the more real. my favorite part of it all was 100% the dynamics between the members of swanboat; the anecdotes surrounding their early days and the history they shared once again felt very realistic and also super nostalgic. you could tell why they were so loved and why they had their success, all of them bringing their special something to the band worked so well. the theme of nostalgia and wanting to go back to a past that's no longer really yours for so many reasons hit me like a truck. i could've read a whole book about the origins of swanboat honestly. i adored the first half of the book, and had I had the same experience in the second half as well it would've definitely been a 5 star, but something just didn't click. the conflict between amelia and ramona felt very much realistic and it made sense to me that they would stop talking after that, but this specific point felt kind of dragged in the second half. it felt like things were being reiterated but without the plot really moving forward most of the time. not to mention the third act conflict that felt more frustrating than anything, and as someone who doesn't like third act conflicts that specific chunk was on thin ice as it is. i wanted the character to maybe it approach it in a different way, i liked that they kind of regressed to their old selves whenever they were together, it made sense, but they've also changed as people throughout the years and i would've liked to see that reflected a bit more. also slight nit-pick, but i did not like how many times amelia and ramona's heartfelt scenes were cut short because of someone interrupting them, it was used enough times in the book for me to notice and it got more frustrating than anything after the second time. overall i did enjoy this and there's a lot of elements that left me glued to the page, i can't wait for this book to be enjoyed by other readers as well.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! Creative Differences comes out March 9th 2027.
Swanboat was your favorite band's favorite band. But after one perfect record and one fraught, intimate tour, the confessional indie rock trio, made up of lead singer Amelia Wells, guitarist Ramona Sloane, and bassist Bea Fin, suddenly broke up.
Five years later, when solo artist Amelia's record label suggests a Swanboat reunion tour, she and Ramona each have their own reasons for agreeing. And they'd both do anything for Bea, who still doesn't know about the kiss that broke their band apart. All Ramona and Amelia have to do is get through two months of playing the songs that made them fall in love in the first place… and try not to do it all over again.
So much of this book was amazing! I loved how messy and flawed both Ramona and Amelia were. I’m always a sucker for opposites attract and a good slow burn.
But perhaps the best part of this book for me was how much it focuses on friendship. So many romance novels sideline the romantic pairing’s friends, but Bea was a major character in this - present in practically every scene. You can feel how much these three love each other, both as friends and bandmates. Bea is also a great character, funny and talented in their own right. I also love that they called Ramona and Amelia out on their bullshit. Did I hate that there was a third act “breakup”? Yes! This romance is such a slow burn that it felt odd to have a “breakup” squeezed in at the end but it was satisfying to have Bea tear their actions apart!
This novel felt like it could have been a 4.5 or even 5 star for most of it but the “breakup” really bothered me. It felt entirely unnecessary and they weren’t even properly together yet (hence my use of quotation marks).
Still, this is a rare romance that isn’t cheesy and doesn’t have a perfect-in-every-way ending, which was refreshing! I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good sapphic romance and/or loves a story about a band.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! Creative Differences comes out March 9th 2027.
Swanboat was your favorite band's favorite band. But after one perfect record and one fraught, intimate tour, the confessional indie rock trio, made up of lead singer Amelia Wells, guitarist Ramona Sloane, and bassist Bea Fin, suddenly broke up.
Five years later, when solo artist Amelia's record label suggests a Swanboat reunion tour, she and Ramona each have their own reasons for agreeing. And they'd both do anything for Bea, who still doesn't know about the kiss that broke their band apart. All Ramona and Amelia have to do is get through two months of playing the songs that made them fall in love in the first place… and try not to do it all over again.
So much of this book was amazing! I loved how messy and flawed both Ramona and Amelia were. I’m always a sucker for opposites attract and a good slow burn.
But perhaps the best part of this book for me was how much it focuses on friendship. So many romance novels sideline the romantic pairing’s friends, but Bea was a major character in this - present in practically every scene. You can feel how much these three love each other, both as friends and bandmates. Bea is also a great character, funny and talented in their own right. I also love that they called Ramona and Amelia out on their bullshit. Did I hate that there was a third act “breakup”? Yes! This romance is such a slow burn that it felt odd to have a “breakup” squeezed in at the end but it was satisfying to have Bea tear their actions apart!
This novel felt like it could have been a 4.5 or even 5 star for most of it but the “breakup” really bothered me. It felt entirely unnecessary and they weren’t even properly together yet (hence my use of quotation marks).
Still, this is a rare romance that isn’t cheesy and doesn’t have a perfect-in-every-way ending, which was refreshing! I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good sapphic romance and/or loves a story about a band.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Creative Differences by Annabel Paulsen and Lydia Wang
☀️☀️☀️☀️
Big thanks to Bindery Books and NetGalley for this ARC!
This sapphic romance is an ode to music, friendship, queerness, and growth. Filled with yearning and earnestness, it's a predictable but genuinely enjoyable ride.
Most of the second chance romances I've read in the past are full blown relationships, so finding this book where Ramona and Amelia *almost* got there before burning out and running made for interesting context. The built-in tension from that unresolved situation propelled the story forwards while still maintaining a slow burn in the current time romance.
Ramona and Amelia have great chemistry, and are both interesting and complex characters on their own, but they're not without weaknesses, namely the believable yet incredibly frustrating third act breakup. Without Bea, the fascinating and cool third band member, things would have been much more sulky and indulgent, so their presence acted as relief to that as well as the voice of logic.
The plot, which is structured around the reunion tour dates and locations across the US, is incredibly formulaic. Despite this predictability, the insightful internal monologues written by Paulsen and Wang made these more bland moments become great moments to expand on character. The writing is accessible and enjoyable. The pop culture references felt cool, not cringey, as did the band member themselves.
This story does not reinvent the wheel, but it is easy to read with compelling characters who clearly care deeply for each other and their music. It is unapologetically queer and emotional and, most importantly, a really good time.
"They stand there, the three of them, in a tight triangle. And it's like they're standing in the eye of a hurricane, like everything is happening around them and any one of them could get swept away in the catastrophic winds, but they won't, because they're all anchored to each other. They're held together with the weight of their own gravity, the gravity that they invent whenever they share a space."
☀️☀️☀️☀️
Big thanks to Bindery Books and NetGalley for this ARC!
This sapphic romance is an ode to music, friendship, queerness, and growth. Filled with yearning and earnestness, it's a predictable but genuinely enjoyable ride.
Most of the second chance romances I've read in the past are full blown relationships, so finding this book where Ramona and Amelia *almost* got there before burning out and running made for interesting context. The built-in tension from that unresolved situation propelled the story forwards while still maintaining a slow burn in the current time romance.
Ramona and Amelia have great chemistry, and are both interesting and complex characters on their own, but they're not without weaknesses, namely the believable yet incredibly frustrating third act breakup. Without Bea, the fascinating and cool third band member, things would have been much more sulky and indulgent, so their presence acted as relief to that as well as the voice of logic.
The plot, which is structured around the reunion tour dates and locations across the US, is incredibly formulaic. Despite this predictability, the insightful internal monologues written by Paulsen and Wang made these more bland moments become great moments to expand on character. The writing is accessible and enjoyable. The pop culture references felt cool, not cringey, as did the band member themselves.
This story does not reinvent the wheel, but it is easy to read with compelling characters who clearly care deeply for each other and their music. It is unapologetically queer and emotional and, most importantly, a really good time.
"They stand there, the three of them, in a tight triangle. And it's like they're standing in the eye of a hurricane, like everything is happening around them and any one of them could get swept away in the catastrophic winds, but they won't, because they're all anchored to each other. They're held together with the weight of their own gravity, the gravity that they invent whenever they share a space."
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc of this book!
Splendid, wonderful time for me to pick up this book. I have genuinely been dealing with feeling like a third-wheel in a trio that I am in and so, I was extremely fixated on Bea and their role in the band. I was just waiting for some kind of conflict to arise regarding that and well... I don't want to spoil so I shan't tell if you if there was such a conflict. But Bea spoke to me a lot, since my friends were just leaving me out. My friends aren't fucking (at least... I don't think) but the point still stands.
My third-wheel tangent aside, I did enjoy the romance very much. It was well-developed, with the characters being deeply flawed, but they are humans beings and that is in their nature. They can't be cookie-cutter perfect. Their actions will annoy you somewhat, but I really think that's the beauty of it. Who wants to read about characters that don't feel like people? Their issues with loneliness, trying to find yourself, dealing with romantic issues, feeling inadequate, imposter syndrome, they are deeply relatable. You don't have to be a famous pop star musician to feel the things they felt, because it's so universal. They weren't also annoying about it, you know? Mostly, if a successful, famous musician was ranting about your issues, depending on their tone, you would feel annoyed about it, no? You would kind of roll your eyes. But it didn't feel like that to me.
One of the tropes that I find so tedious is internalized homophobia and all its different subsections. Like hating yourself for being queer, coming to terms with it and that's what the story is about. I am not shaming anybody who loves that trope, but it's just so annoying to me. And I am very glad that a lot of queer romances these days don't exactly follow the trope; their struggles aren't about how shameless it is to be queer, but it's very universal problems that stems from who they are as people. I really appreciate that.
Splendid, wonderful time for me to pick up this book. I have genuinely been dealing with feeling like a third-wheel in a trio that I am in and so, I was extremely fixated on Bea and their role in the band. I was just waiting for some kind of conflict to arise regarding that and well... I don't want to spoil so I shan't tell if you if there was such a conflict. But Bea spoke to me a lot, since my friends were just leaving me out. My friends aren't fucking (at least... I don't think) but the point still stands.
My third-wheel tangent aside, I did enjoy the romance very much. It was well-developed, with the characters being deeply flawed, but they are humans beings and that is in their nature. They can't be cookie-cutter perfect. Their actions will annoy you somewhat, but I really think that's the beauty of it. Who wants to read about characters that don't feel like people? Their issues with loneliness, trying to find yourself, dealing with romantic issues, feeling inadequate, imposter syndrome, they are deeply relatable. You don't have to be a famous pop star musician to feel the things they felt, because it's so universal. They weren't also annoying about it, you know? Mostly, if a successful, famous musician was ranting about your issues, depending on their tone, you would feel annoyed about it, no? You would kind of roll your eyes. But it didn't feel like that to me.
One of the tropes that I find so tedious is internalized homophobia and all its different subsections. Like hating yourself for being queer, coming to terms with it and that's what the story is about. I am not shaming anybody who loves that trope, but it's just so annoying to me. And I am very glad that a lot of queer romances these days don't exactly follow the trope; their struggles aren't about how shameless it is to be queer, but it's very universal problems that stems from who they are as people. I really appreciate that.
August 9, 2026
Thank you Netgalley and Bindery Books for sending me the ARC!
I had a lot of fun with this one, and I think you’ll be able to tell because my biggest feedback is just that I want more. I want more flashbacks, more detail, more time. This book felt like it was giving me half a story. I wish we got to see more of college Swanboat, how they actually formed. The flashbacks we do get feel half-baked and sort of provide the illusion of things happening without ever diving into the specifics. A good piece of writing is all about specificity.
Even romance books need to world-build somewhat. Characters, relationships, backstories make up the world of a romance in that it makes it come alive. I kept wishing for more from each character, but everything felt like set dressing for the Amelia and Ramona to fall in love. I also actually wish there was more conflict—not in that I wanted more miscommunication mind you, but rather, instead of having constant, tiny conflicts (and SO much miscommunication that did not feel realistic or understandable, because there is such a thing as well-done miscommunication), that were resolved just as quickly as it happened, the characters had larger actual conflict that put them at odds so they needed to solve it. In general, I’m just sick of the “I loved you this whole time” and “we were both wrong” of it all. Sometimes you learn to love someone over time. Sometimes it is one person who did something wrong. Characters should be allowed to make grievous mistakes and learn from them! They do not need to be perfect.
I also noticed a few continuity errors and repetition. I think in one paragraph the word hot was repeated almost four times. Since this was an ARC there may also be differences in the final book.
Overall, this did scratch the itch I had for a sapphic romance, particularly about two members of the same band. I just wish it was an even longer book!
I had a lot of fun with this one, and I think you’ll be able to tell because my biggest feedback is just that I want more. I want more flashbacks, more detail, more time. This book felt like it was giving me half a story. I wish we got to see more of college Swanboat, how they actually formed. The flashbacks we do get feel half-baked and sort of provide the illusion of things happening without ever diving into the specifics. A good piece of writing is all about specificity.
Even romance books need to world-build somewhat. Characters, relationships, backstories make up the world of a romance in that it makes it come alive. I kept wishing for more from each character, but everything felt like set dressing for the Amelia and Ramona to fall in love. I also actually wish there was more conflict—not in that I wanted more miscommunication mind you, but rather, instead of having constant, tiny conflicts (and SO much miscommunication that did not feel realistic or understandable, because there is such a thing as well-done miscommunication), that were resolved just as quickly as it happened, the characters had larger actual conflict that put them at odds so they needed to solve it. In general, I’m just sick of the “I loved you this whole time” and “we were both wrong” of it all. Sometimes you learn to love someone over time. Sometimes it is one person who did something wrong. Characters should be allowed to make grievous mistakes and learn from them! They do not need to be perfect.
I also noticed a few continuity errors and repetition. I think in one paragraph the word hot was repeated almost four times. Since this was an ARC there may also be differences in the final book.
Overall, this did scratch the itch I had for a sapphic romance, particularly about two members of the same band. I just wish it was an even longer book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A sapphic rockstar band romance with friends to lovers sadly sounds better than it was in practice. There are no real barriers keeping the couple from being together other than themselves and they have the same arguments and conversations about not being able to be together multiple times. There's not a lot about the actual band, how it formed (other than the fact they met in college), or about touring itself. It's a quick and predictable novel but there is nothing truly unique about it.
Swanboat was an indie rock trio born out of a college friendship between Amelia Wells (lead singer), Ramona Sloane (guitarist), and Bea Fink (bassist) that produced one record and broke up suddenly after their first tour. Five years have passed since then, and Amelia is now a popstar, performing sold out shows and sinking into loneliness while hooking up with her ex who was never quite actually her boyfriend. and failing to deliver her promised third album. Ramona plays small shows and has a slot at the local indie radio station in her hometown of Chicago, trying to ignore just how prevalent Amelia's music is becoming. Bea is living a great life on a farm with her longtime partner (this is Bea's entire character). In hopes of getting her creative juices flowing, Amelia's label suggests a Swanboat reunion tour. Amelia is shocked when Ramona agrees, and vice versa, while Bea is just excited for the three to reconnect. Amelia and Ramona never told her after all about the kiss they shared that led to the band breaking up. They just need to make it through two months of touring, sharing hotels, and spending all hours of the day together, and try not to mess it up this time. Of course, spending all that time together will rekindle feelings, though old obstacles may still be in the way.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
Swanboat was an indie rock trio born out of a college friendship between Amelia Wells (lead singer), Ramona Sloane (guitarist), and Bea Fink (bassist) that produced one record and broke up suddenly after their first tour. Five years have passed since then, and Amelia is now a popstar, performing sold out shows and sinking into loneliness while hooking up with her ex who was never quite actually her boyfriend. and failing to deliver her promised third album. Ramona plays small shows and has a slot at the local indie radio station in her hometown of Chicago, trying to ignore just how prevalent Amelia's music is becoming. Bea is living a great life on a farm with her longtime partner (this is Bea's entire character). In hopes of getting her creative juices flowing, Amelia's label suggests a Swanboat reunion tour. Amelia is shocked when Ramona agrees, and vice versa, while Bea is just excited for the three to reconnect. Amelia and Ramona never told her after all about the kiss they shared that led to the band breaking up. They just need to make it through two months of touring, sharing hotels, and spending all hours of the day together, and try not to mess it up this time. Of course, spending all that time together will rekindle feelings, though old obstacles may still be in the way.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wow. The first thing I can say is wow. When I found out I could get an ARC on this one, to say I was stoked would be an understatement.
I started reading this one yesterday while on the bus, and immediately was sucked into the narrative. It’s been a minute since I’ve been able to experience that. If it hadn’t been for my brother tapping my shoulder, I would’ve missed my stop.
It took me about 6 hours collectively to read, and I was able to sit down and read it on the plane. I was so impressed by the narrative.
Number 1) the characters were so relatable. I felt so seen in the portrayal of Bea and Ramona. I highlighted multiple quotes that made me giggle or made me connect with the story.
The way Ramona’s anxiety and depression was depicted, didn’t take up the entire storyline, which was wonderful, but it was also incredibly important to the character, and was perfectly executed.
Number 2) it was the perfect balance of fluff, angst, spice and plot. It was so perfectly blended, that I didn’t feel like I was craving something. It was all perfectly timed.
Number 3) I adored the ending. It’s very rare for me to finish a book that ends the way I hoped it would, and actually ties up all of the loose ends that I wanted.
Number 4) As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I can say this- I occasionally feel that in some books, the writing and characters are oversaturated with queer themes. I did not feel that way at all, when reading this one. Everything was exactly right.
Number 5) The writing style was so so good! I felt so comfortable with the narrative, and it flowed incredibly well.
So overall, I’m giving this one 5 stars. Can’t wait for the physical copy to come out so I can gift it to my girlfriend and get her to read it!
I started reading this one yesterday while on the bus, and immediately was sucked into the narrative. It’s been a minute since I’ve been able to experience that. If it hadn’t been for my brother tapping my shoulder, I would’ve missed my stop.
It took me about 6 hours collectively to read, and I was able to sit down and read it on the plane. I was so impressed by the narrative.
Number 1) the characters were so relatable. I felt so seen in the portrayal of Bea and Ramona. I highlighted multiple quotes that made me giggle or made me connect with the story.
The way Ramona’s anxiety and depression was depicted, didn’t take up the entire storyline, which was wonderful, but it was also incredibly important to the character, and was perfectly executed.
Number 2) it was the perfect balance of fluff, angst, spice and plot. It was so perfectly blended, that I didn’t feel like I was craving something. It was all perfectly timed.
Number 3) I adored the ending. It’s very rare for me to finish a book that ends the way I hoped it would, and actually ties up all of the loose ends that I wanted.
Number 4) As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I can say this- I occasionally feel that in some books, the writing and characters are oversaturated with queer themes. I did not feel that way at all, when reading this one. Everything was exactly right.
Number 5) The writing style was so so good! I felt so comfortable with the narrative, and it flowed incredibly well.
So overall, I’m giving this one 5 stars. Can’t wait for the physical copy to come out so I can gift it to my girlfriend and get her to read it!
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