Birdie

by Tilly Ridge, C.S. Silverne

Note to When your friends and family tell you not to drink away your sorrows, you should probably listen.

Too little. Too late.

Three-and-a-half months after catching my ex-fiancé cheating—and spiraling straight into a drunken, ill-advised one-night stand in a bathroom stall with my best friend—I’ve officially reached burnout. The weight of the world is crushing my chest, and I can barely remember what genuine happiness even feels like.

So naturally, I chose the most reasonable solution.

Run away to Dad’s ranch in Whiskey Creek, with the hope that I can remember who I was before my life imploded.

The problem?

My dad invited my best friend, Lenny, too.

The bigger problem?

There’s only one room. One bed.

And apparently, between my father’s matchmaking tendencies and Lenny’s stupidly charming grin, they’ve already decided they know exactly how to coax the sunshine out of me again.

Whether I’m ready for it or not.

Genres: Friends To Lovers, Lesbian, Novella, Queer, Audiobook, Romance, LGBT

164 pages, Paperback

Published June 23, 2026

About the author

Tilly Ridge is a romance author who resides in the middle of nowhere, Kentucky, with her husband, two kiddos, and two dogs. She loves to dabble in a variety of romance topics, themes, and subgenres, but you’ll typically find her writing in the dark and polyamory sections of the shelves. Tilly can be easily identified by the pink slush clutched in one hand while her laptop is in the other, ready to write whenever the mood—or the character—strikes! In her free time, she enjoys playing sand volleyball in her local rec league. But what she finds most exciting is her podcast, Releasing Romance, where she shares her knowledge and experience about indie publishing, often bringing on guests to discuss the ins and outs of indie publishing from different professional points of view! This podcast is a passion project of Tilly’s as she finds true joy in helping and educating others in a way that is easy to understand.

Join Tilly’s readers group for exclusive BTS, art drops, first looks at pretty much anything, and even chapter-by-chapter releases of her ongoing projects at: Tilly’s Thots

The newsletter is where the fun is, and maybe even a free ebook will hit your inbox after—along with a first look at the big news.

Find everything you’ll need to stay connected at https://www.tillyridgeauthor.com/links

Reviews

[AshleyReadsSmut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mommy? I’m sorry, I mean MOMMY 🥵😻
I loved every. single. second. of this.

𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗟: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗘: Standalone Novella
𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: Whiskey Creek #1
𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗢𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞: Dual narration

𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚: FF
𝗛𝗘𝗔/𝗛𝗙𝗡: 💖
𝗟𝗚𝗕𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗣: 🏳️‍🌈
𝗪𝗛𝗬-𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗦𝗘: 🚫
𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: Lenny + Daisy

𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:
♥︎ sapphic romance
♥︎ best friends to lovers
♥︎ small town: ranch
♥︎ age gap (8 yrs: 24/32)
♥︎ depression/anxiety rep

𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗦:
♥︎ mommy
♥︎ somnophilia
♥︎ degradation

𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎: 𝙸 𝚍𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚜, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚜𝚖𝚞𝚝 > 𝚙𝚕𝚘𝚝.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comfortable novella. A shame it wasn’t a full novel actually because I think the characters are well thought out even with this length, including the supporting characters who come in hot and humorous. Spice is a 10/10 and no page is wasted. Unfortunately for me, these authors seem to work with men in the other books so probably not much more I’ll get to enjoy but this was good.

[Kassie Bates · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m still blushing, probably will be forever. Birdie and Lenny..

MOMMY? 🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭

The double sided 🤫. I feel like this is a 3.5ish star and it could’ve been a 6⭐️if it was a whole ass book and extended. I want more of these two

[Emma ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Add “women calling each other mommy” to my list of favorite tropes because I am obsessed. Need every book ever written where this happens, thank you.

This is a very short, fast-paced, all-spice-no-plot kind of read, but somehow the authors still made the relationship feel fully developed. Birdie and Lenny had me invested from the start, and the chemistry between them was off the charts. The spice? Incredible.

We get best friends to lovers, a small-town ranch setting, plus-size representation, black cat x sunshine, a one-bed situation, and enough yearning to keep me thoroughly entertained.

My favorite character, though, was Birdie’s dad. He is so supportive of his daughter’s sexuality that it bordered on too much. The amount of scheming he did to get Birdie and Lenny alone together had me cracking up. Plotting against his own daughter because he’s tired of watching her pine after the obvious love of her life.

And then the ending lets you know he’s getting his own book? Plus Maeve, who is in love with her foster sister? Yeah, I’ll absolutely be back.

Thank you to Luna Literacy and the authors for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

[Cella Oreta · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ 2.5 🌶️

HOLY FUCK 🥵 MOMMMMMMMY! LISTEN!! I will now be the goodest girl EVER!! 🙂‍↕️

BABY’S FIRST SAPPHIC NOVELLA! Women are truly the best!!! 🤩 this friends to lovers, mommy kink, cowgirl romance was just HELLLL YEAH! Lenny and Daisy were sooo cute and sweet- I loved that we got to see them talk about the barriers between them being together despite loving each other…AND LET US NOT GLOSS OVER THE DEPRESSION REP!!!! FUCK ME DISRESPECTFULLY PLEASEEEEEEEEE


THANK YOU FOR POPPING MY SAPPHIC CHERRY 🍒🤭

[megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is perfect for people wanting a really spice quick sapphic read. when signing up for the alc i unfortunately did not realize it was a novella (completely my fault and has no reflection on the rating) but i was definitely left wanting more! i really liked daisy and lenny and truly wished this was longer because i would have loved to have seen more of the yearning through out their friendship first.

the biggest thing for me was finding out i am not a mommy kink fan when the term “little girl” gets involved its a huge ick for me and i could have done without. i also had a hard time with one of the narrators.

i think had i read it vs listening to it i may have enjoyed it a bit more.

[Chelles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Birdie

This little novella does not waste any time! From the first chapter, you get the spice and the drama. A great quick read if you're looking for some steamy fun. Lenny and Daisy have you rooting for them all the way to the end.

[Montes · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s friends to lovers with the tiniest bit of miscommunication angst close to the beginning of the book and a LOT of spice. The narrators were really good, I felt like their voices and intonation really captured the essence of the characters and their connection.

If you’re looking for a quick smutty read, or listen or both, then give this a shot.

Thank you to Luna Literary Management for providing me with an eARC and an ALC.

[Eleanor Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

💗Sweet, Short, chaotic, emotional, and impossible not to binge.💗🤠
4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.✰

💕Birdie by Tilly Ridge & C.S. Silverne
🎧Audiobook Review ALC 🎧
Performed by: Amy Hall & Marina Craven


This is Lenny and Birdie story

✿ ❀ ✿
Birdie pulled me in from the very beginning with a heated start and never let go. Tilly Ridge and C.S. Silverne created a story that balances heartfelt emotion, swoon-worthy romance, and plenty of tension. Birdie is the kind of heroine you can’t help but root for—strong, relatable, and wonderfully imperfect. Watching her navigate life, love, and everything in between made her journey feel authentic and engaging.

In Lenny, I found the perfect blend of best friend and romantic partner – someone who was patient, understanding, and unwaveringly devoted. Unbeknownst to Birdie, Lenny had harbored feelings for a long time. Their years of friendship had created a rock-solid foundation, making every moment of shared feel significant. From the lingering glances to the stolen touches, everything felt charged with emotion. The fact that they shared a one-bed space only added to the tension.

The romance delivered all the feels. The chemistry was undeniable, and the emotional connection between the characters felt just as important as the attraction. There were plenty of moments that made me smile, laugh, and occasionally clutch my chest from all the emotions.

🩷I’ve come to the realization that I’ve been in love with her the entire time.👢✿

𝔹𝕦𝕥 𝕃𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕟 🎧
It’s the audiobook experience that elevated the story even more. The narrators brought the characters to life with expressive performances that captured both the lighter moments and the deeper emotional scenes beautifully. Their voices helped immerse me in Birdie’s world and made it easy to stay invested from start to finish.

A short and spicy novella. Overall, Birdie was a heartfelt, entertaining listen filled with emotion, romance, and memorable characters. If you enjoy character-driven romance with strong chemistry, emotional depth, and narration that enhances my first FF romance experience, this one is definitely worth adding to your audiobook library if this is your jam.


ℕ𝕠𝕥𝕖❀
*Sapphic romance refers to romantic relationships between women. The term is an umbrella term that includes women and nonbinary people who are attracted to women and/or nonbinary people.*

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎧 Audiobook Worthy? Absolutely!
❤️ Emotional | 🔥 Chemistry-Filled | 🎭 Engaging Characters | 🎙️ Great Narration

👢Small Town
💕Sapphic Romance
💋Best Friends to Lovers
👢One Bed
💋Age Gap 8yrs
👢Grumpy X Sunshine
💋Depression/Burn Out Rep
👢Plus Size Rep
💋Exhibitionism

A shout to The Author and Luna Literary Management for my very first FF Romance
Thanks also to my book besties for reading my review ramblings and recommendations.
Until Next time, One Love 💕 One Book at a Time
🦋GeorgiaReads🦋

[Solely Sapphic Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Duel 1st Person POV. 5🌟 4🌶️. 166 pages
4 Spicy Scenes

This little novella is deliciously spicy, we’re talking 95% spice, 5% plot. You best believe for that reason I was sat.

Yet despite being spice over plot the relationship between Lenny and Daisy feels fully developed, we still had mental health rep and the grief of parental loss thrown in there.

Birdie is a fun quick read that is full of heart and delightfully detailed spice, we’re talking scenes that span several chapters 🤤. Lenny and Daisy will have you rooting for them from the first chapter and by the end they’ll have you wanting more. And you best believe if there are more sapphic novellas in this series (that don’t include men) I shall be there with bells on to read them 😍

If you like your novellas spicy, with a plus size FMC, BFFs to lovers and minimal plot, then add Birdie to your TBR. For the spice alone I’d highly recommend it.

Things to LOVE:
📚Small Town Romance
❤️BFFs to Lovers
⛓️Forced Proximity
🛏️One Bed
😍Plus Size FMC
🐴Ranch Setting
🧠Mental Health Rep
🌶️SPICE!!!

[Sarah S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooh, what a fun sapphic cowgirls novella!! It hurt a little that Daisy (Birdie) has an ex fiancée named Sarah, but I’ll survive.

Birdie and Lenny are hot as sin. They’ve been friends forever, and one night Birdie takes Lenny into the bathroom of a bar and drunkenly hooks up with her.

Things are strained after that, until Birdie comes to her Dad’s ranch to help out…and who’s there too? Lenny.

This one had so many shminks that I go absolutely feral for. I will be thinking about one scene in particular for a while.

Thanks so much to the authors for the ARC opportunity. I will be getting a shelf trophy for this one!

[Crex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess all I need to do is finger fck my best friend so I know if I'm in love with her and who knew I will find it hot reading a mommy kink..

I really liked this novella, it's so short, you wonder how it ended and I liked Daisy's dad, such a matchmaker. (Looking forward to his book tho)

[Jillian Fairfax · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s always a good time when these two authors get together to publish a book! 🔥🔥🔥

This sapphic country romance was a fun and lighthearted good time! I enjoyed the best friends to lovers trope!

I listened to this on audio and really enjoyed the narrators. I felt that they fit their characters voices perfectly!

If you need a quick and spicy good time, this is the book for you!

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This spicy sapphic novella was the cure to my reading slump, funny, sexy, and had me happy crying. Absolutely yes. Can’t wait for more from this series.

[ashlee ❤ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lenny + Daisy

-sapphic romance
-small town
-friends to lovers
-black cat x sunshine
-mommy kink
-age gap

yesssss i loveee getting sapphic love from these two! & of course these two were adorable while also being quick & down & dirty!!

[Clairsreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Daisy breaks up with her cheating girlfriend she finds herself comforted by the bottle but also by her best friend, Lenny. One thing leads to another and she realizes her feelings for Lenny might not actually be platonic.
WOOF WOOF BARK BARK these two walked me like a mfin dog. The smut pretty much was the plot and the vibes were immaculate.

[han ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

"i want her to be mine. it’s more than a want at this point; it’s a need."

short, quick, and spicy! definitely a bingeable read with it being under 100 pages. i knew what i was getting into with this being a novella, so i expected the plot to be relatively nonexistent and the spice to be the main character. while the spice was good, i think it was lacking something for me, and maybe i’m just not into the mommy kink…? overall, definitely snag this one if you’re looking for something to binge with drool-worthy spice! but the mention of the next book(s)? i’m so sat.

long live sapphic cowgirls!!!

thank you so much to the authors and luna literary management for the e-arc! 🌙

𐚁 age gap
❀ one bed
𐚁 small town
❀ friends to lovers
𐚁 forced proximity

[Anisha Choudhury | A Literary Autopsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 5/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Disclosure: I received an eARC for this title from the authors.

Birdie by Tilly Ridge and C. S. Silverne is a fantastic kick-off to the Whiskey Creek series. It follows Daisy (Birdie) after she flees to her father's ranch to recover from burnout and a messy breakup, only to find her best friend, Lenny, waiting for her.

While this is a short read, the authors managed to pack in so much potential and character depth. The chemistry between Daisy and Lenny is mature, palpable, and incredibly spicy. I was worried a shorter story might feel disconnected, but it was a completely immersive, sweet, and intense experience.

Beyond the romance, Miles—Daisy’s father—was an absolute standout character. If every queer kid had a parent as supportive and wonderful as Miles, the world would be a much better place. The story balances heavy themes like depression and burnout rep with high-heat tropes, including best friends-to-lovers, age gap, and plus-size representation.

If you’re looking for a short WLW romance that hits all the right spicy notes while still delivering a heartfelt story, Birdies is a must-read.

[Jay T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Birdie was a short but absolutely phenomenal read 🫦

Best friends to lovers? Say less, I was already seated. Birdie and Lenny had me screaming because the tension was THERE.

One hookup and suddenly somebody is avoiding the other like a plague 😭

Then Birdie's father decided to play matchmaker and forced proximity entered the chat. ONE ROOM AND ONE BED? I was literally screaming 😂

This book was sweet, emotional and spicy as hell because my jaw dropped several times 🌶️

The mommy kink? Listen… I did not know I would enjoy that but I did 😏.

I also appreciated the emotional and mental health aspects woven into the story.

My only complaint is WHY WAS IT SO SHORT? I NEED MORE OF BIRDIE AND LENNY

[Alaine McDaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Birdie- Tilly Ridge, CS Silverne
Narrated by Amy Hall and Mariana Cavern

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Narration 🎧🎧🎧🎧

Mommy? I’m sorry, mommy? 😆 this was super hot. I actually didn’t think the mommy was who the mommy was going to be. I thought they’d be opposite roles but somehow it works lol super quick sapphic cowgirl novella with public sex and somno, what more could you ask for?

Amy and Mariana did so good in this one. Their voices matched the characters perfectly but in that same sense, I still thought the “mommy” was opposite almost because of who was cast as each character but they both fit their respective character perfectly.

[Addy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars💫
Thank you, Luna Literary Management for the ARC & ALC!🩷

Birdie was a fun, short, and sweet (or should I say spicy?) read that was the perfect conclusion to my pride month reads. I absolutely devoured it in one sitting. This sapphic, southern romance follows Lenny and Daisy as they navigate their complicated relationship that is slowly becoming more. Despite things being complicated, I have to shout out how well they communicated and navigated deeper topics. Love to see it! Even with the story being on the shorter side, the representation was phenomenal and very well done. I enjoyed this read, and I'm curious as to how the future books will unfold.

Props to Marina Craven and Amy Hall for doing an amazing job of bringing the girls and the story to life!<3

[Rae Quigley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had quite a bit of heart mixed in with the spice, but overall I found the majority of it to be a bit cringe. Quick, fun read though. Birdie’s dad was hilarious.

I have learned two things about myself while reading this:
1) the “mommy” thing does not work for me unless it’s said ironically to be funny
2) friends to lovers does not work for me when done this quickly. If I don’t have time to buy into the friendship first, it gives me the ick

These are me issues, though, not the book’s.

I was able to immersive read this, and the narrators did a really good job of performing these characters.

[tiffanysreadingnook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was HAWT but also so cute. Like I loved them and I only spent less than 200 pages with them. I do wish this was longer because I would have ate it up. Also the spice?!?!! This is what I wanted from the other sapphic books I have read

[Katherine Hardeman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cringy as hell. Birdie’s relationship with her dad is gross, he practically pimped her out to her best friend????? No. I know it was a smutty, fast paced short story, but that killed it for me majorly. Almost DNFed at “Make mommy c*m, little girl.”

[Alix · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC! So good!

[Britt ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

You do NOT want to miss this book 🥵 this was my first book by Tilly & C.S. and I have already read another since then hehe. I will definitely be diving into their backlists as duos and individually because I’m HOOKED. I was lucky enough to get an eARC and ALC of Birdie and I literally read it and then listened to the audio because it was just THAT good. I already knew I loved Amy Hall’s narration and I have a newfound love now for Mariana Craven’s now too 👏🏼 they KILLED it.

I loved Lenny and Daisy so much. Their story starts off with a (finger) bang, LOL. I was instantly captivated by their differing personalities and the budding love between the two of them. I liked how they already had that built in love from their friendship and once they bloomed into full on romance, they had that strong foundation. I could’ve read so much more of these two because I just adored them. Their banter, the meddling of Daisy’s dad, the small town element and so much more. Also lowkey hoping for Maeve’s story 👀

Overall, I loved this book and highly recommend it. It’s so short so if you’re looking for a quickie - here ya go!

[Sinead · Rating 4 out of 5]

two sexy cowgirls who use toys on each other yes please

[Tasha_loves_to_read · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great little read this was. Both new to me authors and I'll definitely be reading more in this series.
Daisy and Lenny were perfect. I absolutely loved Miles and what he got upto 😂. Let me just say the spice was spicing and II ate this novella up.

[Carissa Caulum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Lenny and Daisy's story. I loved the storyline and the writing. This was a fun novella. I can't wait for Miles' book! I really enjoyed the relationship that Daisy and Miles had. I also enjoyed the friendship between Lenny and Daisy before it became more.

Thank you to Luna Literary for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Rania Zulkifli · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Birdie* by C. S. Silverne and Tilly Ridge was such a fun, emotional, and tension-filled small-town sapphic romance. It had heartbreak, healing, forced proximity, one bed, best-friend feelings, ranch vibes, family meddling, banter, and the kind of emotional tension that makes you want to scream, giggle, and keep reading all at the same time.

From the very beginning, I felt so bad for Daisy. She really thought she was heading toward her happily ever after, only to have everything fall apart after catching her ex-fiancé cheating. That kind of betrayal would break anyone, and I understood why she felt so lost, burnt out, and overwhelmed. She was not just dealing with heartbreak. She was dealing with the shock of realizing the future she imagined for herself was not going to happen the way she thought it would.

What made it even more emotional was the fact that her best friend had been in love with her all along. I love that kind of friends-to-lovers setup because there is already so much history between the characters. It is not just attraction. It is years of knowing each other, caring for each other, hiding feelings, and trying not to ruin something that already matters so much. That made every moment between them feel heavier, sweeter, and more intense.

Daisy running back to her dad’s ranch in Whiskey Creek felt like the perfect setting for her to breathe again. There is something so comforting about a small-town ranch escape after a life implosion. She needed distance from the city, from the cheating ex, from the pressure, and from all the noise in her head. She needed space to remember who she was before everything hurt.

But of course, peace and quiet does not exactly go as planned when her dad invites her best friend too.

And then there is only one room.

One bed.

That setup alone had me ready because I already knew the tension was going to be so good. Forced proximity and one bed are always fun, but when it is between best friends with hidden feelings and unresolved emotions, it becomes even better. Every look, every conversation, every moment of closeness feels like it means something.

One of my favorite parts was Daisy’s dad. He was so funny, and honestly, I loved how supportive he was. The fact that he is older but knows modern slang and lingo made me laugh because that kind of parent would be such an adventure. He felt like the kind of dad who knows more than he says, sees everything, and is absolutely not above a little matchmaking if it means helping his daughter find her happiness again.

I loved the idea that Daisy’s dad and her best friend had this plan to get her home, help her slow down, and give her a chance to heal. It was chaotic, but in a loving way. He clearly wanted Daisy away from everything that hurt her, and I loved how much he wanted her to be okay.

The emotional side of the romance was also really strong. Once Daisy and her best friend were together at the ranch, all those buried feelings started coming out. There was anger, confusion, hurt, longing, and misunderstandings. There were those “do you really love me?” kind of conversations that make the romance feel raw and emotional because both characters are scared in different ways.

And once they finally started talking? The tension was intense.

The banter between them was so good, and the chemistry had me giggling. I love when a book can balance emotional conversations with funny moments and romantic tension. There were scenes where I felt the angst, but then the banter would make everything feel playful again. It gave the story such a nice mix of heart and heat.

This book also worked for me because it was not only about romance. It was about healing after betrayal, accepting love when you are afraid to trust again, and realizing that sometimes the person who has always been there might be the person who truly sees you. Daisy needed to feel safe again, and I loved watching her slowly get there.

The best-friend longing was one of my favorite parts. There is something so beautiful and painful about loving someone quietly, especially when you are scared they may never feel the same way. That kind of love adds so much emotional weight to the story because you can feel how much is at stake. It is not just about starting a relationship. It is about risking a friendship, facing the truth, and deciding if love is worth the fear.

Overall, *Birdie* was such a cute, funny, emotional, and spicy small-town romance. It gave me friends-to-lovers, one bed, forced proximity, hurt/comfort, healing love, ranch escape vibes, sapphic romance, and a meddling supportive dad who deserves his own spotlight.

If you love small-town romances with emotional tension, best friends who clearly have unfinished feelings, one-bed chaos, supportive family energy, banter, healing after heartbreak, and a love story that comes with both angst and sweetness, this book is definitely worth reading.

Daisy’s story made me feel so much for her, but it also made me laugh, swoon, and root so hard for her happiness. This was messy, heartfelt, funny, and full of the kind of tension that makes a romance so addictive.