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A Woman Lost #0
A Clueless Woman
Graduate student Lizzie Petrie feels more comfortable around books than people. Although an expert in the Hitler Youth, she’s a novice in love. Her former lesbian lover is blackmailing her, and not even those closest to Lizzie know the full story of their abusive relationship.
When visiting high school English teacher Sarah crosses Lizzie’s path at the campus, their attraction is instant, but not without complications. As they start to spend more time together, suspicions arise from both women in this sexy piece of LGBT fiction.
Plenty of good-natured teasing takes place between lovers as well as between PhD students in this lesbian contemporary romance. No relationship path ever runs smoothly, and oftentimes, those who can’t keep their mouth shut hasten necessary confrontation.
Lizzie finds herself buried in a mess of lies in this romantic comedy. The harder she tries to keep Sarah and the rest of her friends from finding out the truth about her first girlfriend, the more endearingly clueless she becomes.
When visiting high school English teacher Sarah crosses Lizzie’s path at the campus, their attraction is instant, but not without complications. As they start to spend more time together, suspicions arise from both women in this sexy piece of LGBT fiction.
Plenty of good-natured teasing takes place between lovers as well as between PhD students in this lesbian contemporary romance. No relationship path ever runs smoothly, and oftentimes, those who can’t keep their mouth shut hasten necessary confrontation.
Lizzie finds herself buried in a mess of lies in this romantic comedy. The harder she tries to keep Sarah and the rest of her friends from finding out the truth about her first girlfriend, the more endearingly clueless she becomes.
195 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 24, 2015
164 people are currently reading
446 people want to read
About the author
T.B. Markinson
72 books1,165 followersT. B. Markinson is an American writer, living in England. When she isn't writing, she’s traveling the world, watching sports on the telly, visiting pubs in England, or taking the dog for a walk. Not necessarily in that order.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
August 23, 2023
**'Don't be a boring and repetitive writer. Be able to enjoy and conscientious when telling your stories because readers do enjoy really good stories. They don't like elusiveness..'
Nice read!
A very good start to the ongoing 'A Woman Lost' series. A highly recommended book #0 and series!
Nice read!
A very good start to the ongoing 'A Woman Lost' series. A highly recommended book #0 and series!
June 29, 2017
This is a prequel which was written after books 1 ("A Woman Lost") and 2 ("A Woman Ignored") in the series. I haven't read books 1 and 2 so I'm going into this read with a clean slate.
"A Clueless Woman" is an f/f romance with an unusual protagonist. We see the story through the eyes of Lizzie who is a person that other books profess to write about but ultimately don't. Lizzie is an awkward, socially clueless recluse that perhaps truly does have an attachment disorder. She's a closed off person that trusts almost no one and whose anxiety spikes at the hint of any intimacy.
Her only previous, serious relationship was with an emotionally and physically abusive alcoholic that continues to manipulate her into present day. She carries her shame and secrets and does her best to keep her head down in her studies. And, if that wasn't enough, she has Graves' Disease and a is a ph.D student that devours WWII history, in particular Hitler youth.
Along comes Sarah, the beautiful, outgoing and gregarious woman that falls for her...
Romance ensues...but, even so, Lizzie doesn't change all that much.
On the whole, I thought this was an above average book but, at the same time, I didn't exactly cozy up to Lizzie so it pulls me out of the enjoyment some. The book is not terribly dark but it's also not a happy, feel good read, either.
One thing that bugged me is that I had no idea what Lizzie looked like or how the rest of the world viewed her. Is she beautiful? Cute? Average? Not attractive at all? Hair or eye color? No idea. Because of that, especially by the way the author described the way Lizzie dressed coupled with her social awkwardness, I wasn't sure what Sarah saw in her. I had to infer.
This is a kindle unlimited and very inexpensive to buy outright so, for that, I recommend.
3.5 stars
"A Clueless Woman" is an f/f romance with an unusual protagonist. We see the story through the eyes of Lizzie who is a person that other books profess to write about but ultimately don't. Lizzie is an awkward, socially clueless recluse that perhaps truly does have an attachment disorder. She's a closed off person that trusts almost no one and whose anxiety spikes at the hint of any intimacy.
Her only previous, serious relationship was with an emotionally and physically abusive alcoholic that continues to manipulate her into present day. She carries her shame and secrets and does her best to keep her head down in her studies. And, if that wasn't enough, she has Graves' Disease and a is a ph.D student that devours WWII history, in particular Hitler youth.
Along comes Sarah, the beautiful, outgoing and gregarious woman that falls for her...
Romance ensues...but, even so, Lizzie doesn't change all that much.
On the whole, I thought this was an above average book but, at the same time, I didn't exactly cozy up to Lizzie so it pulls me out of the enjoyment some. The book is not terribly dark but it's also not a happy, feel good read, either.
One thing that bugged me is that I had no idea what Lizzie looked like or how the rest of the world viewed her. Is she beautiful? Cute? Average? Not attractive at all? Hair or eye color? No idea. Because of that, especially by the way the author described the way Lizzie dressed coupled with her social awkwardness, I wasn't sure what Sarah saw in her. I had to infer.
This is a kindle unlimited and very inexpensive to buy outright so, for that, I recommend.
3.5 stars
June 4, 2019
The narration didn’t work for me at all (it was too slow so I tried to adjust the speed and then it was too fast, and I also couldn’t help feeling the narrator’s voice was too « old », in a way, for the characters) so my opinion is probably tainted by that. I still enjoyed this, it just wasn’t the kind of voice and narration I like.
Anyway. While this might sound like a romance, it’s more about the difficulty of getting over an abusive relationship, of trusting again but also of talking about it, allowing others to know. The whole story between Lizzie and Sarah is sweet and lovely but the real story is Lizzie finding herself after the ex from hell.
The secondary characters have a real depth too, and have a real purpose in the story. I also like that the author gave Graves’ Disease to her main character, a condition she herself suffers from and knows well. It gave Lizzie another layer and at the same time educated me on this disease.
Now I’ll just have to read A Woman Lost again (I’ve read it before but my memory works in mysterious ways).
Anyway. While this might sound like a romance, it’s more about the difficulty of getting over an abusive relationship, of trusting again but also of talking about it, allowing others to know. The whole story between Lizzie and Sarah is sweet and lovely but the real story is Lizzie finding herself after the ex from hell.
The secondary characters have a real depth too, and have a real purpose in the story. I also like that the author gave Graves’ Disease to her main character, a condition she herself suffers from and knows well. It gave Lizzie another layer and at the same time educated me on this disease.
Now I’ll just have to read A Woman Lost again (I’ve read it before but my memory works in mysterious ways).
January 26, 2019
A Clueless Woman first book in the A Woman Lost series by T.B. Markinson is not an easy going romance. This is all because main character Lizzie Petrie was such a difficult woman to love. Love interest Sarah is a doll really. Well, she is a bit of a shop-a-holic but apart from that she is a peach compared to Lizzie.
Lizzie does not get along with her parents but they are absent from this prequel so we don’t really deal with them. Lizzie has very few friends, is socially awkward, reclusive and on top of that she gets blackmailed by her horrific ex-girlfriend Meg. All in all a quite dreary package. I wonder what polar opposite Sarah sees in her. If it is for her looks we’ll never know because the author does not give us any information in that regard. Only that Lizzie’s Graves’ Disease keeps her thin and constantly ravenous.
The slow burn romance does not do much to change Lizzie and get her out of her funk so sadly she stays drab. It made reading a bit of a slog to be honest and I had to pause the book for a few days to read something else in between.
Markinson is a good author but this romance did not leave me satisfied.
f/f explicit
Themes: recluse, socially clueless, oh bother… I’m filthy rich, blackmail, not very uplifting material.
3.4 stars
Lizzie does not get along with her parents but they are absent from this prequel so we don’t really deal with them. Lizzie has very few friends, is socially awkward, reclusive and on top of that she gets blackmailed by her horrific ex-girlfriend Meg. All in all a quite dreary package. I wonder what polar opposite Sarah sees in her. If it is for her looks we’ll never know because the author does not give us any information in that regard. Only that Lizzie’s Graves’ Disease keeps her thin and constantly ravenous.
The slow burn romance does not do much to change Lizzie and get her out of her funk so sadly she stays drab. It made reading a bit of a slog to be honest and I had to pause the book for a few days to read something else in between.
Markinson is a good author but this romance did not leave me satisfied.
f/f explicit
Themes: recluse, socially clueless, oh bother… I’m filthy rich, blackmail, not very uplifting material.
3.4 stars
December 23, 2015
First things first, for readers new to the series, this is actually the third book released. I'm not sure if I'd recommend reading them in numerical order (0, 1, 2) or in the order they were published (1, 2, 0). I felt as though this story did a wonderful job of explaining some of Lizzie's motivations for her behavior in later books; you'll have to decide whether you'd rather better understand her actions when they occur (in which case you should read them in numerical order) or whether you'd prefer to be pleasantly surprised after the fact (in which case you should read them in the order they were released).
So, let's talk about Lizzie. Lizzie is a mess. A brilliant, dumbfounded, somewhat adorable, occasionally frustrating mess. She's a lot, and I liked her a great deal here, probably more than in either of the two previously-released books. In fact, I'm tempted to say that the author, T.B. Markinson, has grown with each book. Certainly, my appreciation for her characters and her work has increased with each subsequent title. Either that, or I'm just getting used to Lizzie. Nah, no one but Sarah could ever "get used to" Lizzie.
Speaking of Sarah, for those who've read the previous two books, we get a lot more of Sarah here, which I really appreciated. The story's still told from Lizzie's rather befuddled perspective, but it felt as though we received a bit more insight into Sarah's character than we've been used to up to this point. Not a lot more, because Lizzie still has no idea what's going on most of the time, but Ms. Markinson manages to subtly clue the reader into things that slip right past our confused protagonist.
On a technical level, the author demonstrates a great deal of skill. The sentence structure is varied, the story is paced very well, the humor is sharp and incisive, her characters are delightfully complex, and she turns some pretty amazing phrases that transform common occurrences into memorable events. A first date's knock on her door didn't just give Lizzie butterflies in her stomach. Oh no. It caused "a million butterflies to flutter in [her] stomach like it was the last day of summer, and they knew they didn't have much time left." (Now that's how you write a sentence.)
While not quite as important, the proofreading seemed to be of a fairly high level. There were a few minor mistakes, but they were negligible at best and never negatively affected my experience with the story. That's not always the case with self-published books, and I commend the author for dedicating the time and/or resources to smoothing out any rough edges. It paid off.
So, final thoughts. I really enjoyed this entry into the "Woman Lost" saga. If you've read the previous two books, I'd strongly recommend this one. If you're new to the series, you'll have to decide where you want to start, but this is as good a place as any. If you're a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, this is one of the best series and books you're going to find in the Lesbian Romance category, and it's a steal at list price even if you're not.
4.5 stars
So, let's talk about Lizzie. Lizzie is a mess. A brilliant, dumbfounded, somewhat adorable, occasionally frustrating mess. She's a lot, and I liked her a great deal here, probably more than in either of the two previously-released books. In fact, I'm tempted to say that the author, T.B. Markinson, has grown with each book. Certainly, my appreciation for her characters and her work has increased with each subsequent title. Either that, or I'm just getting used to Lizzie. Nah, no one but Sarah could ever "get used to" Lizzie.
Speaking of Sarah, for those who've read the previous two books, we get a lot more of Sarah here, which I really appreciated. The story's still told from Lizzie's rather befuddled perspective, but it felt as though we received a bit more insight into Sarah's character than we've been used to up to this point. Not a lot more, because Lizzie still has no idea what's going on most of the time, but Ms. Markinson manages to subtly clue the reader into things that slip right past our confused protagonist.
On a technical level, the author demonstrates a great deal of skill. The sentence structure is varied, the story is paced very well, the humor is sharp and incisive, her characters are delightfully complex, and she turns some pretty amazing phrases that transform common occurrences into memorable events. A first date's knock on her door didn't just give Lizzie butterflies in her stomach. Oh no. It caused "a million butterflies to flutter in [her] stomach like it was the last day of summer, and they knew they didn't have much time left." (Now that's how you write a sentence.)
While not quite as important, the proofreading seemed to be of a fairly high level. There were a few minor mistakes, but they were negligible at best and never negatively affected my experience with the story. That's not always the case with self-published books, and I commend the author for dedicating the time and/or resources to smoothing out any rough edges. It paid off.
So, final thoughts. I really enjoyed this entry into the "Woman Lost" saga. If you've read the previous two books, I'd strongly recommend this one. If you're new to the series, you'll have to decide where you want to start, but this is as good a place as any. If you're a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, this is one of the best series and books you're going to find in the Lesbian Romance category, and it's a steal at list price even if you're not.
4.5 stars
July 31, 2025
Feb 2023 - I re-read this prequel to A Woman Lost Series. The author gave it out free on her weekly newsletter. At this point I've read the entire series on KU (until another installment is written) and own a few. I couldn't help but dive back in and catch the beginning of Lizzie and Sarah's romance. Knowing everything I know now, especially about Lizzie my heart broke at her shame and insecurities. Sarah is just the best partner for her and I'd forgotten how early their relationship is tested.
******
I’m already into the series but went back and read this prequel. I love seeing Lizzie Petrie meeting her love Sarah. Lizzie is working on her PhD and Sarah teaches high school english. This gives a little better picture of Lizzie’s ex Meg who is an alcoholic and was abusive to Lizzie. It also makes it inexplicable to me that Meg is let back into their lives in book four in any way. For me the best part was the getting to know you dates. Sarah didn’t seem as clueless at reading others or emotionally unaware as she is in the early books in the story. But I still love Sarah and her trying to know Lizzie. I love the hesitancy of when you can share things from your past or even financial information because it has been an issue in other relationships. I consider this a bonus book giving an early glimpse of characters I already care about. If I’d read this first I don’t know if I would have been as hooked as when I read book #1 A Woman Lost.
******
I’m already into the series but went back and read this prequel. I love seeing Lizzie Petrie meeting her love Sarah. Lizzie is working on her PhD and Sarah teaches high school english. This gives a little better picture of Lizzie’s ex Meg who is an alcoholic and was abusive to Lizzie. It also makes it inexplicable to me that Meg is let back into their lives in book four in any way. For me the best part was the getting to know you dates. Sarah didn’t seem as clueless at reading others or emotionally unaware as she is in the early books in the story. But I still love Sarah and her trying to know Lizzie. I love the hesitancy of when you can share things from your past or even financial information because it has been an issue in other relationships. I consider this a bonus book giving an early glimpse of characters I already care about. If I’d read this first I don’t know if I would have been as hooked as when I read book #1 A Woman Lost.
December 6, 2015
You think you know a character after reading about them for a while. What about the events that made them the person/character you’ve met? T.B. Markinson has created a backstory for Lizzie, the main character in her novels, A Woman Lost and A Woman Ignored. Lizzie is a brilliant woman, books smart, educated and a secret trust fund baby. To meet her, one might think she uses too much starch in her undergarments, but as she opens up, ever so slowly, what is revealed is a woman damaged by family, romance and her sexual preferences. Now we are taken back to see a younger Lizzie, a more timid Lizzie, a Lizzie who was abused by her lover, both mentally and physically and finally financially.
When Lizzie finds Sarah, a Bohemian-type woman who is a free spirit, open about her lifestyle and drop dead gorgeous, once again, she takes a chance on love. Will Sarah be the life raft that saves Lizzie from drowning in her own insecurities or does Sarah have her own secrets that she doesn’t share?
Welcome back to the world of T.B. Markinson’s creation that feels real, draws on emotions and has some humor at points that one is not sure whether to chuckle at or cry. Ms. Markinson’s ability to add attitude and believability through her dialogue is amazing. More explicit than the previous “Woman” novels, the depth of feeling and the freeing of Lizzie from her self-imposed emotional prison is detailed and well-documented. A cast of wonderful, vile and quirky characters round out this tale as Lizzie one again, takes a chance on love, and possibly learning to accept herself.
I received this copy from T.B. Markinson in exchange for my honest review.
Series: A Woman Lost - Book 0
Publication Date: November 24, 2015
Publisher: T. B. Markinson
Genre: Romance | Lesbian Fiction
Print Length: 195 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
When Lizzie finds Sarah, a Bohemian-type woman who is a free spirit, open about her lifestyle and drop dead gorgeous, once again, she takes a chance on love. Will Sarah be the life raft that saves Lizzie from drowning in her own insecurities or does Sarah have her own secrets that she doesn’t share?
Welcome back to the world of T.B. Markinson’s creation that feels real, draws on emotions and has some humor at points that one is not sure whether to chuckle at or cry. Ms. Markinson’s ability to add attitude and believability through her dialogue is amazing. More explicit than the previous “Woman” novels, the depth of feeling and the freeing of Lizzie from her self-imposed emotional prison is detailed and well-documented. A cast of wonderful, vile and quirky characters round out this tale as Lizzie one again, takes a chance on love, and possibly learning to accept herself.
I received this copy from T.B. Markinson in exchange for my honest review.
Series: A Woman Lost - Book 0
Publication Date: November 24, 2015
Publisher: T. B. Markinson
Genre: Romance | Lesbian Fiction
Print Length: 195 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
December 17, 2019
5 Stars.
A Woman Lost has been on my to read list for quite some time and since this is the prequel I had to dive right in. And I loved it. I am glad I read this first instead of the way the book was originally published. Lizzie was her true slightly awkward but amazingly cute self and I just love how real she is as a character. Getting more detail and interaction with Sarah’s character was nice and to see how much she adored Lizzie was just the cutest. She really brings Lizzie out of her shell.
The story is amazingly well written, spicy and interesting. I loved the character interaction and the humour.
I highly recommend TB Markinson's A Clueless Woman!
Stephanie Murphy does a great job narrating it. It's a fabulous love story that leaves you wanting more.
A Woman Lost has been on my to read list for quite some time and since this is the prequel I had to dive right in. And I loved it. I am glad I read this first instead of the way the book was originally published. Lizzie was her true slightly awkward but amazingly cute self and I just love how real she is as a character. Getting more detail and interaction with Sarah’s character was nice and to see how much she adored Lizzie was just the cutest. She really brings Lizzie out of her shell.
The story is amazingly well written, spicy and interesting. I loved the character interaction and the humour.
I highly recommend TB Markinson's A Clueless Woman!
Stephanie Murphy does a great job narrating it. It's a fabulous love story that leaves you wanting more.
March 8, 2018
I had such a strong sense of deja vu all the way through this and I'm almost sure I haven't read this before. Has Markinson written fan fiction? Or is there another book out there with such a remarkably similar story?
Lizzie is an awkward academic with limited social skills. She's asked to show a teacher from the local high-school around and they get on surprisingly well and Lizzie asks Sarah out. Lizzie trust issues because her previous relationship was a shocker. Sarah seems nice but also comes across as though she's hiding something.
I enjoyed this but I'm not sure I'll read the rest in the series.
Lizzie is an awkward academic with limited social skills. She's asked to show a teacher from the local high-school around and they get on surprisingly well and Lizzie asks Sarah out. Lizzie trust issues because her previous relationship was a shocker. Sarah seems nice but also comes across as though she's hiding something.
I enjoyed this but I'm not sure I'll read the rest in the series.
May 14, 2018
This is the prequel to The Woman Lost book. How did Sarah and Lizzie meet? All is revealed in this book. I am glad I read this first instead of the way the book was originally published. It created a trail of breadcrumbs to understand Lizzie more and to be more understanding of A Women Lostand the how that book unravels. I really enjoyed it and I found Lizzie incredibly funny… the more I read it the more I read my wife into Lizzie’s place!
Lizzie has serious intimacy issues. Always wanting to be independent but craving more and not knowing how to deal with her emotions especially in relation to Sarah.
4 stars
Lizzie has serious intimacy issues. Always wanting to be independent but craving more and not knowing how to deal with her emotions especially in relation to Sarah.
4 stars
January 19, 2019
The most recent installation in this series was a recommended read for me so I decided to start from zero. It looks like this prequel came out after book one and two (very Star Wars’esque). The four star rating is really more a product of the whole series (so far) than it is as a stand alone book. Truth be told, I was fairly neutral when I read this but I knew there 5 more books following all with decent reviews so I kept going. After reading book five, I have to say that I’m glad I read this prequel. While I don’t think it was important or critical, it lends to the whole and it’s definitely a value add.
July 14, 2017
This prequel in the A Woman Lost series is ‘how Lizzie met Sarah’.
And, as such, it contains much flirting, early dates and finally ripping off clothes and diving into bed.
It also contains a number of tedious sex scenes. The first one was boring enough but then to have it repeated numerous times adds neither value to the story nor any semblance of erotica.
Really the majority of the book could be condensed into two or three chapters.
The continual reappearance of Lizzie’s ex, Meg, is like an annoying itch as Lizzie doesn’t know what to do with her apart from to give her cash hand-outs.
Lizzie ties herself in knots by lying to Sarah about Meg, and Sarah leaves her. But luckily, Lizzie has a good friend who sorts it all out with Sarah and they end up happily ever after.
And Meg? Well naturally Lizzie does nothing about her but she gets shipped off to another university and another rehab programme.
Markinson’s style is as good as usual, but the characters in this are flat with no/little development and it mostly seems to be a series of meals out or take-away and films, followed by sex. The university parts were more interesting.
All in all, an unmemorable story with little to hold it together.
Two and a half stars.
And, as such, it contains much flirting, early dates and finally ripping off clothes and diving into bed.
It also contains a number of tedious sex scenes. The first one was boring enough but then to have it repeated numerous times adds neither value to the story nor any semblance of erotica.
Really the majority of the book could be condensed into two or three chapters.
The continual reappearance of Lizzie’s ex, Meg, is like an annoying itch as Lizzie doesn’t know what to do with her apart from to give her cash hand-outs.
Lizzie ties herself in knots by lying to Sarah about Meg, and Sarah leaves her. But luckily, Lizzie has a good friend who sorts it all out with Sarah and they end up happily ever after.
And Meg? Well naturally Lizzie does nothing about her but she gets shipped off to another university and another rehab programme.
Markinson’s style is as good as usual, but the characters in this are flat with no/little development and it mostly seems to be a series of meals out or take-away and films, followed by sex. The university parts were more interesting.
All in all, an unmemorable story with little to hold it together.
Two and a half stars.
September 21, 2019
Clueless and the Cutie
This is a fun story about Lizzie, a grad student who is beyond socially awkward. She’s a great teacher and has a brilliant mind but nearly totally clueless about human interactions. Lizzie has other problems beyond the harmless. Her abusive ex is blackmailing her and she is too ashamed to admit it to anyone. She has such self-worth issues that she feels like she deserves it and thanks to her trust issues, there’s not likely to be anyone to get that close to her again. Sarah is a high school teacher. She crosses paths with Lizzie through her professor (the one she is a TA for) because Sarah wants some students to get a taste of college life and needs to sit in on some lectures. The attraction is instant but that old is she, isn’t she thing gets in the way and even if she is, there’s the whole trust and full disclosure thing…. Luckily for Lizzie, Sarah is patient and likes the nearly hopeless woman. This enjoyable tale is the first book in a series and this one makes you wanting to read the next!
This is a fun story about Lizzie, a grad student who is beyond socially awkward. She’s a great teacher and has a brilliant mind but nearly totally clueless about human interactions. Lizzie has other problems beyond the harmless. Her abusive ex is blackmailing her and she is too ashamed to admit it to anyone. She has such self-worth issues that she feels like she deserves it and thanks to her trust issues, there’s not likely to be anyone to get that close to her again. Sarah is a high school teacher. She crosses paths with Lizzie through her professor (the one she is a TA for) because Sarah wants some students to get a taste of college life and needs to sit in on some lectures. The attraction is instant but that old is she, isn’t she thing gets in the way and even if she is, there’s the whole trust and full disclosure thing…. Luckily for Lizzie, Sarah is patient and likes the nearly hopeless woman. This enjoyable tale is the first book in a series and this one makes you wanting to read the next!
September 22, 2018
This was a great prequel to A Woman Lost and gave great insight into the past of Lizzie and Sarah’s relationship that I had already read about. It was lovely to find out a bit more about them as characters, how they met and their lives before and in the early stages of their relationship.
As with A Woman Lost, Lizzie was her true slightly awkward but amazingly cute self and I just love how real she is as a character. Getting more detail and interaction with Sarah’s character was nice and too see how much she adored Lizzie was just the cutest. She really brings Lizzie out of her shell.
I very much enjoyed reading this story, loved the character interaction, the humour and the style that T. B. Markinson uses in her writing to make a light-hearted but exciting novel – not without its dramas, of course – come to life for us all to enjoy!
Fantastic and I highly recommend this series, and can’t wait to read more!
As with A Woman Lost, Lizzie was her true slightly awkward but amazingly cute self and I just love how real she is as a character. Getting more detail and interaction with Sarah’s character was nice and too see how much she adored Lizzie was just the cutest. She really brings Lizzie out of her shell.
I very much enjoyed reading this story, loved the character interaction, the humour and the style that T. B. Markinson uses in her writing to make a light-hearted but exciting novel – not without its dramas, of course – come to life for us all to enjoy!
Fantastic and I highly recommend this series, and can’t wait to read more!
February 18, 2018
I stumble upon this series of book out of luck and what a f* luck of mine! Because I've been devouring the books since I got them, so I read that the prequel got published after the 2nd book a few years back and since I'm new to the series I bought the "A Woman Lost: books 0-2".
Poor Lizzy, with her abusive blackmailing ex and her shitty childhood, I think she might have something else? Who knows, but she SUCKS on relationships, damn and I thought I was bad at those.
I loved Sarah from the moment she was introduced, she's cute and funny and energetic and super carismathic, I'm so glad she ended up with Lizzie even thought I had issues with Lizzie sometime because she's super clueless that it's a pain.
I'm glad I discovered this series of books, I can't wait to keep reading more about clueless Lizzie and gorgeous Sarah.
Poor Lizzy, with her abusive blackmailing ex and her shitty childhood, I think she might have something else? Who knows, but she SUCKS on relationships, damn and I thought I was bad at those.
I loved Sarah from the moment she was introduced, she's cute and funny and energetic and super carismathic, I'm so glad she ended up with Lizzie even thought I had issues with Lizzie sometime because she's super clueless that it's a pain.
I'm glad I discovered this series of books, I can't wait to keep reading more about clueless Lizzie and gorgeous Sarah.
November 11, 2018
I received a free audible version of this book from the author. A Woman Lost has been on my to read list for quite some time and since this is the prequel I had to dive right in. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found Lizzie to be frustrating and comical at the same time. She definitely had her clueless moments. I applaud the author for delving into what alcoholism and physical/mental abuse can create. Lizzie has a lot of baggage to overcome but luckily Sarah seems to be perfect for steering her in the right direction. I'm looking forward to continuing the series.
September 23, 2020
I love learning how Lizzie and Sarah meet. I'm really digging this series.
My OCD had me annoyed when I noticed I hadn't been reading in chronological order, but saw the author wrote A Clueless Woman after the first two books. I convinced myself I'm still technically reading everything in order and life is good again.
My OCD had me annoyed when I noticed I hadn't been reading in chronological order, but saw the author wrote A Clueless Woman after the first two books. I convinced myself I'm still technically reading everything in order and life is good again.
March 7, 2020
I appreciate the opportunity to learn about Lizzie’s life from the very beginning. I think Sarah will be the best addition to her life if she doesn’t sabotage it. I think is is boarder line autistic really. I have started the next audiobook already. Stephanie Murphy was wonderful as always.
January 8, 2020
It was hard not to love the main character since she reminds me of me. Her way on approaching life snd dealing with issues is priceless and so close to how I feel about life. Wonderful story.
May 9, 2019
It didn't quite work for me - I really liked the second heroine - Sarah - but found Lizzie too "thinking verbose" (is that even a thing? She thinks all the time & we get to share her thought process - 1st time, interesting, by the end, too much for me!) Wont be continuing the series unless I can be persuaded other wise! 🙂
May 27, 2023
Okay, I only discovered that this book existed after reading 'A Woman Lost'. And it was actually a good thing because, in a weird way, knowing Lizzie's background beforehand it probably would have made me try less hard to understand her. Does it make sense?
Anyway, Lizzie's phobia of commitment is a lot easier to understand after 'meeting' Meg. And I totally get why Lizzie was so determined to prevent her story with Meg from coming to light at all costs. Yes, she takes a lot of stupid decisions but then, paraphrasing Sherlock, shame is a vicious motivator, isn't it?
We learn how Lizzie and Sarah met, and see their romance come to life, but at its core, this book is not about their romance. It's about getting over an abusive relationship, about how to deal with the guilt and the shame and go forward.
As an extra, even when this book, too, is from Lizzie's POV (and I adore Lizzie's voice, so I hope that that will never change!) we still get more insight into Sarah and I liked her more in this book.
Yep, another one that I liked a lot :D
Anyway, Lizzie's phobia of commitment is a lot easier to understand after 'meeting' Meg. And I totally get why Lizzie was so determined to prevent her story with Meg from coming to light at all costs. Yes, she takes a lot of stupid decisions but then, paraphrasing Sherlock, shame is a vicious motivator, isn't it?
We learn how Lizzie and Sarah met, and see their romance come to life, but at its core, this book is not about their romance. It's about getting over an abusive relationship, about how to deal with the guilt and the shame and go forward.
As an extra, even when this book, too, is from Lizzie's POV (and I adore Lizzie's voice, so I hope that that will never change!) we still get more insight into Sarah and I liked her more in this book.
Yep, another one that I liked a lot :D
February 3, 2020
Great story
I heard this series discussed on a podcast and thought I'd give it a try. I was excited to see that nearly all of them are available on KU, so I'm not out anything if they don't really grab me. Im happy to say I couldn't put this book down and pushed to read the whole thing well into the night! If they are all this good, I'll end up purchasing them to keep the collection. I highly recommend this book. I loved the characters, laughed many times and shed a tear during a heartfelt moment at the end.
I heard this series discussed on a podcast and thought I'd give it a try. I was excited to see that nearly all of them are available on KU, so I'm not out anything if they don't really grab me. Im happy to say I couldn't put this book down and pushed to read the whole thing well into the night! If they are all this good, I'll end up purchasing them to keep the collection. I highly recommend this book. I loved the characters, laughed many times and shed a tear during a heartfelt moment at the end.
April 8, 2018
Great start!
Graduate student, teacher, complex person, abuse, blackmail, lies and a scary blossoming love. A very hard to put down book and I'm glad that there are 3 more books in this series waiting for me.
Graduate student, teacher, complex person, abuse, blackmail, lies and a scary blossoming love. A very hard to put down book and I'm glad that there are 3 more books in this series waiting for me.
February 26, 2021
Lizzie and Sarah prequel
For a history on Lizzie and Sarah this was a must read. I enjoyed the beginnings of Sarah and Lizzie's relationship. T.B. Markinson has an amazing series on her hands that you don't want to miss.
For a history on Lizzie and Sarah this was a must read. I enjoyed the beginnings of Sarah and Lizzie's relationship. T.B. Markinson has an amazing series on her hands that you don't want to miss.
December 16, 2015
Nice prequel to the series.
added-it
September 13, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (9/13/2019)! 🎁
December 10, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audio book.
September 22, 2023
THIS:
“That was why I avoided getting close to people. It opened me up to feeling like there was something missing when the other person was absent. I hated that feeling. It made me lonelier than when I was alone.”
July 31, 2025
I LOVE this book! It is great getting to know how Lizzie and Sarah met and started dating. Of course with Lizzie, nothing is easy, especially with Meg involved.
This book is so entertaining! 5 stars!!
This book is so entertaining! 5 stars!!
November 19, 2019
I finished this book. I'm involved in writing NaNoWriMo, so it's taken me a while to get the review. In between, I went ahead and read book one and am now involved in book two. I had already read the first and second book, and I remember really liking them.
I don't know if it's because how long ago I read them, or if it's the Star Wars phenomena. Let me explain. I remember watching the first three Star Wars movies back in the 80s. They were fantastic movies. They were full of philosophies you could live by. The characters were strong, people you care about. But the prequels. I can't give you words for this. I can only shake my head. Was it time between watchings? Was it the addition of new irritating characters? Need I say Jar Jar Binks? I don't know.
It had been a while since I read books one and two. But I thought I remembered them enough to try to read from the prequel on. What I remember as a character I truly loved in my first read was a troubled, abused, weak character in the prequel. Would I have felt this way had I not read the first two books before? Had I started with the prequel before reading the others, would I have cared what happened to the character next?
Wait! That is not to say the character wasn't appealing. That is not to mention the writing was not good. That is not to say this kind of warning for others who might find themselves in similar situations shouldn't find their way out. Strong characters, personalities, can find themselves in abusive relationships. And I care for many friends who have fallen into these situations. They were still exciting, loving, deserving of love people. So maybe it is the fact that I remember a strong character from future books and can't handle seeing her go through such pain.
Would I have handled it better if I read the prequel as an insert into the series as a flash-back? I think I might have done better that way. I don't want this review to go against the author and her fantastic writing. So instead of rating this as a three-star grade, I will pull it to a four-star. It probably deserves more, but I have to be honest with my feelings about it, too. I do love the characters in this series.
I don't know if it's because how long ago I read them, or if it's the Star Wars phenomena. Let me explain. I remember watching the first three Star Wars movies back in the 80s. They were fantastic movies. They were full of philosophies you could live by. The characters were strong, people you care about. But the prequels. I can't give you words for this. I can only shake my head. Was it time between watchings? Was it the addition of new irritating characters? Need I say Jar Jar Binks? I don't know.
It had been a while since I read books one and two. But I thought I remembered them enough to try to read from the prequel on. What I remember as a character I truly loved in my first read was a troubled, abused, weak character in the prequel. Would I have felt this way had I not read the first two books before? Had I started with the prequel before reading the others, would I have cared what happened to the character next?
Wait! That is not to say the character wasn't appealing. That is not to mention the writing was not good. That is not to say this kind of warning for others who might find themselves in similar situations shouldn't find their way out. Strong characters, personalities, can find themselves in abusive relationships. And I care for many friends who have fallen into these situations. They were still exciting, loving, deserving of love people. So maybe it is the fact that I remember a strong character from future books and can't handle seeing her go through such pain.
Would I have handled it better if I read the prequel as an insert into the series as a flash-back? I think I might have done better that way. I don't want this review to go against the author and her fantastic writing. So instead of rating this as a three-star grade, I will pull it to a four-star. It probably deserves more, but I have to be honest with my feelings about it, too. I do love the characters in this series.
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