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Romance #13
The Color of Love
Literary agent Emily May is in danger of losing everything she’s worked for—her job, her home, her friends, and the security she provides her older sister back in Singapore—all because she doesn’t have a green card. Racecar enthusiast, high-flying, fast-living Derian Winfield is called home when the only family member she still cares about falls ill. Forced into assuming a role in her father’s dynasty she’s spent years avoiding, Derian needs to rehabilitate her black sheep reputation in a hurry or the agency will likely end up being lost in a takeover. Together, she and Emily take on Derian’s father and his hatchet woman, and in the process, Derian comes up with a plan to solve both their problems. Now she only needs to convince Emily to marry her, a perfectly reasonable solution to all their troubles, or so she thinks. She just hadn’t counted on falling in love.
291 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 12, 2016
35 people are currently reading
465 people want to read
About the author
Radclyffe
142 books1,667 followersRadclyffe has written over forty-five romance and romantic intrigue novels, dozens of short stories, and, writing as L.L. Raand, has authored a paranormal romance series, The Midnight Hunters. She has also edited Best Lesbian Romance 2009 through 2015 as well as multiple other anthologies. She is an eight-time Lambda Literary Award finalist in romance, mystery, and erotica—winning in both romance and erotica. A member of the Saints and Sinners Literary Hall of Fame, she is also an RWA Prism, Lories, Beanpot, Aspen Gold, and Laurel Wreath winner in multiple mainstream romance categories. In 2014, she received the Dr. James Duggins Outstanding Mid-Career Novelist award from the Lambda Literary Foundation. In 2004, she founded Bold Strokes Books, an independent LGBTQ publishing company, and in 2013, she founded the Flax Mill Creek Writers Retreat offering writing workshops to authors in all stages of their careers.
She states, “I began reading lesbian fiction at the age of twelve when I found a copy of Ann Bannon’s Beebo Brinker. That book and others like it convinced me that I was not alone, that there were other women who felt like I did. Our literature provides support and validation and very often, a lifeline, for members of our community throughout the world. I am proud and honored to be able to publish the many fine authors at Bold Strokes Books and to contribute in some small way to the words that celebrate the LGBTQ experience.”
Radclyffe lives with her partner, Lee, in New York state.
She states, “I began reading lesbian fiction at the age of twelve when I found a copy of Ann Bannon’s Beebo Brinker. That book and others like it convinced me that I was not alone, that there were other women who felt like I did. Our literature provides support and validation and very often, a lifeline, for members of our community throughout the world. I am proud and honored to be able to publish the many fine authors at Bold Strokes Books and to contribute in some small way to the words that celebrate the LGBTQ experience.”
Radclyffe lives with her partner, Lee, in New York state.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
December 17, 2017
Totally blown away by what i read,unexpected because it was so good from the very first chapter to its ending which i really did to see. You know a book is a hit because of their instant chemistry coming off these pages with the right wording from a great author to go along,plus it takes having some good dialogues,nice supporting cast that blend when necessarily,a little family drama,good steamy sex scenes,great writing,good pacing and editing and a fantastic conclusion to this beautiful story...i absolutely recommend to everyone
December 16, 2016
4 1/2 Stars. When I love an author, like I do Radclyffe, I normally add a warning that I might be a little biased in my review. However, with this book I can't believe it's my bias, this book is just that good.
Radclyffe is one of the few authors, that has a large catalog of books, that I can say I've read all her full length books. I've heard a few people mention that her storylines have gotten a little stale. I guess I can see that a little bit, but she is such a brilliant writer, that I still enjoy myself every time I pick up her books. This book, I can't see people having those same concerns. This is an excellent lesbian romance. Both characters are wonderful, and the chemistry is so strong, it hits you over the head. Being in love does come a little fast for these characters, but they are both so darn likeable, I could see someone quickly falling in love with either of them.
The chemistry is off the charts, the sex scenes are steamy, and I can honestly put this in the top 5 best lesfic romances released in 2016. If you are in the mood for a great romance, don't hesitate to pick this one up.
Radclyffe is one of the few authors, that has a large catalog of books, that I can say I've read all her full length books. I've heard a few people mention that her storylines have gotten a little stale. I guess I can see that a little bit, but she is such a brilliant writer, that I still enjoy myself every time I pick up her books. This book, I can't see people having those same concerns. This is an excellent lesbian romance. Both characters are wonderful, and the chemistry is so strong, it hits you over the head. Being in love does come a little fast for these characters, but they are both so darn likeable, I could see someone quickly falling in love with either of them.
The chemistry is off the charts, the sex scenes are steamy, and I can honestly put this in the top 5 best lesfic romances released in 2016. If you are in the mood for a great romance, don't hesitate to pick this one up.
June 29, 2016
I'm completely guilty of judging this book by its cover. One look at it (and the title) and I decided to skip, not even bothering to read the blurb. I maybe stereotyping but the cover model looks more to me like a dolled-up pop star than say, a woman of substance whose story I'd care to read about. I guess that's one of the risks of putting a face on the cover. Anyway, thanks to a little nudge from another reader, I took the plunge and am happy to say, I think I've just read Radclyffe's best romance ever. I'll have to qualify this with the fact that I'm not a huge fan of her old romances. I've read a few, even everyone's favorite 'Fated Love' and none of them particularly stood out to me. Most likely because I've read so many of her other series books and the usual overtly butch/femme dynamic she employs for her leads feels overly familiar to me (also I'm more partial to femme/femme pairings). The butch/femme dynamic is still firmly in place here, so what makes this book stand out from the rest and overcome my preference for femmes? Radclyffe's just written my favorite butch character ever.
Derian is rakish and supremely confident, with an endearing naughty and playful side, and loyal to a fault. Away from Emily (the femme in the book), she's just like any of Radclyffe's other butches, tall, dark, and handsome though not as brooding. But when they're together, she transforms into this deliciously sexy yet surprisingly lovable creature that any girl would be blind not to fall in love with in a 60 seconds flat. Needless to say, Derian and Emily have amazing chemistry. The author delves deeper into the emotions of these two leads than is her usual style. That and Their romantic back-and-forth and the sparkling repartee was a joy to read from start to finish. Providing some meat to the plot is a hostile takeover of Emily's employer by Derian's father, who wants only family to run the business, and Emily's uncertain status as a foreigner working in the US. Derian offers an instant solution to all their problems: an arranged marriage with Emily will make her instantly 'family' and give her a greencard. But Emily is aghast at the implications of that offer, as she is practically reduced to a mail-order bride marrying for convenience.
All of that drama is set against a backdrop of the cutthroat literary agency business, where everyone is always on the hunt for the next bestseller. It would have been nice to actually get a glimpse of some behind-the-scenes negotiating and board action instead of just fluffy literary conventions and awards ceremonies, but then again maybe its too hard to work a good narrative into that. Not a big deal though. What's odder is the author's choice to have Emily be from Singapore and then de-Singaporeanize her completely. From her ethnicity, to her accent and her vague and fuzzy background, she is simply a generic foreigner. She must have lived in a bubble if she has no friends, hasn't picked up any traits, and has no connections whatsoever to anyone in the country, even after living there most of her life. Why not make her more authentically Singaporean or even more stereotypically Singaporean? In this age, it's not that hard. There's this thing called the 'internet'. :) Even if she doesn't look like 95% of Singaporeans, a bit of culture thrown in can go a long way towards making her background more believable.
Aside from that little wrinkle, the book pretty much hits every note as a romance. Gorgeous leads with angsty backgrounds the reader can empathize with, strong supporting characters, compelling plot, great dialogue, realistic and well-paced romantic development, sexy erotic scenes, and a picture-perfect ending . Finally, Radclyffe shows 'em who's boss.
4.8
ARC from Netgalley and BSB
Derian is rakish and supremely confident, with an endearing naughty and playful side, and loyal to a fault. Away from Emily (the femme in the book), she's just like any of Radclyffe's other butches, tall, dark, and handsome though not as brooding. But when they're together, she transforms into this deliciously sexy yet surprisingly lovable creature that any girl would be blind not to fall in love with in a 60 seconds flat. Needless to say, Derian and Emily have amazing chemistry. The author delves deeper into the emotions of these two leads than is her usual style. That and Their romantic back-and-forth and the sparkling repartee was a joy to read from start to finish. Providing some meat to the plot is a hostile takeover of Emily's employer by Derian's father, who wants only family to run the business, and Emily's uncertain status as a foreigner working in the US. Derian offers an instant solution to all their problems: an arranged marriage with Emily will make her instantly 'family' and give her a greencard. But Emily is aghast at the implications of that offer, as she is practically reduced to a mail-order bride marrying for convenience.
All of that drama is set against a backdrop of the cutthroat literary agency business, where everyone is always on the hunt for the next bestseller. It would have been nice to actually get a glimpse of some behind-the-scenes negotiating and board action instead of just fluffy literary conventions and awards ceremonies, but then again maybe its too hard to work a good narrative into that. Not a big deal though. What's odder is the author's choice to have Emily be from Singapore and then de-Singaporeanize her completely. From her ethnicity, to her accent and her vague and fuzzy background, she is simply a generic foreigner. She must have lived in a bubble if she has no friends, hasn't picked up any traits, and has no connections whatsoever to anyone in the country, even after living there most of her life. Why not make her more authentically Singaporean or even more stereotypically Singaporean? In this age, it's not that hard. There's this thing called the 'internet'. :) Even if she doesn't look like 95% of Singaporeans, a bit of culture thrown in can go a long way towards making her background more believable.
Aside from that little wrinkle, the book pretty much hits every note as a romance. Gorgeous leads with angsty backgrounds the reader can empathize with, strong supporting characters, compelling plot, great dialogue, realistic and well-paced romantic development, sexy erotic scenes, and a picture-perfect ending . Finally, Radclyffe shows 'em who's boss.
4.8
ARC from Netgalley and BSB
July 6, 2016
I've been sitting on my review for a while to let this one settle.
Initially I put this down as a 4 star book, but a week later and having read a truly superb book (Poppy Jenkins by Clare Ashton) this book didn't really deserve such a high rating and I dropped it to 3 stars.
With hindsight this book is fine, the romance is a little on the instant side (okay it's absolutely love at first sight) and the characters are straight out of Radclyffe's back catalogue.
Radclyffe has been writing these type of books for a long time and it shows in both a good and bad way, the writing is very assured and driving, but and it's quite a big but(t, God I'm so childish), the characters are flat and lacked dimension. Read and forget.
Wish Radclyffe would try something new.
Book provided by the publisher for an honest review.
Initially I put this down as a 4 star book, but a week later and having read a truly superb book (Poppy Jenkins by Clare Ashton) this book didn't really deserve such a high rating and I dropped it to 3 stars.
With hindsight this book is fine, the romance is a little on the instant side (okay it's absolutely love at first sight) and the characters are straight out of Radclyffe's back catalogue.
Radclyffe has been writing these type of books for a long time and it shows in both a good and bad way, the writing is very assured and driving, but and it's quite a big but(t, God I'm so childish), the characters are flat and lacked dimension. Read and forget.
Wish Radclyffe would try something new.
Book provided by the publisher for an honest review.
June 11, 2016
The current description for The Color of Love on Goodreads is outdated and incorrect. Derian is a racing enthusiast not a driver and there is no six month deadline in place. Here is a blurb which matches the book you will want to read.
Literary agent Emily May is in danger of losing everything she’s worked for—her job, her home, her friends, and the security she provides her older sister back in Singapore—all because she doesn’t have a green card. Racecar enthusiast, high-flying, fast-living Derian Winfield is called home when the only family member she still cares about falls ill. Forced into assuming a role in her father’s dynasty she’s spent years avoiding, Derian needs to rehabilitate her black sheep reputation in a hurry or the agency will likely end up being lost in a takeover. Together, she and Emily take on Derian’s father and his hatchet woman, and in the process, Derian comes up with a plan to solve both their problems. Now she only needs to convince Emily to marry her, a perfectly reasonable solution to all their troubles, or so she thinks. She just hadn’t counted on falling in love.
I really enjoyed this read. I liked the characters and their stories so much I put everything else aside to spend time with Emily and Derian and was sorry to see this novel reach its conclusion.
Rad plays to her strengths and gives us an inside glimpse of the publishing industry through the eyes of literary agent Emily, a warm, caring and beautiful woman. Her positive attitude in the face of job loss and possible extradition is noteworthy but I will remember her more for her wit and charm. She sparkles in every scene and her rapport with Derian is lovely to watch. I also liked that she controls the speed of their developing relationship.
Derian in many ways represents the strong masculine character Radclyffe loves to include but Derian is different. Softer, more vulnerable, she carries more baggage and her emotional range is larger than many of the traditional characters we see in Rad’s novels. She is also a terrific vehicle for some wry commentary on the state of publishing today when she is forced to assume control of the business. The scene where Emily and Derian attend an awards ceremony for authors and their publishing houses was an entertaining chance for the author to point her fictional finger at these galas and their debateable winners.
The writing is polished and the dialogue is excellent and memorable. There are villains, notably the hatchet woman Donatella and Derian’s mogul father Martin. I would have liked even more confrontational scenes between Martin and his daughter. Both villains served their purpose as plot devices and were effective at bringing Derian back from her self-imposed exile.
In the end it’s the romance which carries the story and makes The Color of Love one of the best Radclyffe novels I have read in years.
eARC received with thanks from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for review
Literary agent Emily May is in danger of losing everything she’s worked for—her job, her home, her friends, and the security she provides her older sister back in Singapore—all because she doesn’t have a green card. Racecar enthusiast, high-flying, fast-living Derian Winfield is called home when the only family member she still cares about falls ill. Forced into assuming a role in her father’s dynasty she’s spent years avoiding, Derian needs to rehabilitate her black sheep reputation in a hurry or the agency will likely end up being lost in a takeover. Together, she and Emily take on Derian’s father and his hatchet woman, and in the process, Derian comes up with a plan to solve both their problems. Now she only needs to convince Emily to marry her, a perfectly reasonable solution to all their troubles, or so she thinks. She just hadn’t counted on falling in love.
I really enjoyed this read. I liked the characters and their stories so much I put everything else aside to spend time with Emily and Derian and was sorry to see this novel reach its conclusion.
Rad plays to her strengths and gives us an inside glimpse of the publishing industry through the eyes of literary agent Emily, a warm, caring and beautiful woman. Her positive attitude in the face of job loss and possible extradition is noteworthy but I will remember her more for her wit and charm. She sparkles in every scene and her rapport with Derian is lovely to watch. I also liked that she controls the speed of their developing relationship.
Derian in many ways represents the strong masculine character Radclyffe loves to include but Derian is different. Softer, more vulnerable, she carries more baggage and her emotional range is larger than many of the traditional characters we see in Rad’s novels. She is also a terrific vehicle for some wry commentary on the state of publishing today when she is forced to assume control of the business. The scene where Emily and Derian attend an awards ceremony for authors and their publishing houses was an entertaining chance for the author to point her fictional finger at these galas and their debateable winners.
The writing is polished and the dialogue is excellent and memorable. There are villains, notably the hatchet woman Donatella and Derian’s mogul father Martin. I would have liked even more confrontational scenes between Martin and his daughter. Both villains served their purpose as plot devices and were effective at bringing Derian back from her self-imposed exile.
In the end it’s the romance which carries the story and makes The Color of Love one of the best Radclyffe novels I have read in years.
eARC received with thanks from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for review
December 29, 2017
Rad is back… and what an absolutely fantastic book – I loved it!
I started reading The Color of Love at ‘ridiculous-o'clock’ (substitute that with ‘when I should’ve been going to sleep’) and I kept reading into the wee hours of the morning before falling asleep from exhaustion. I got about 3.5 hours sleep before getting up and going to work. It was hard to concentrate on work throughout the day as all I wanted to do was go home and continue reading. Needless to say, when I got home I ate a quick dinner and then it was straight back to reading until I finished the book.
I loved Derian and Emily's characters. Derian’s partying playgirl exterior, with a softer vulnerable interior, was well written and obviously Emily had no trouble seeing through the hard shell Derian tried to display. The chemistry between the two was off the charts, yet so sweet and tender. Emily was the typical nice girl who'd do anything for those she loved and that was evident with HW. I loved HW – what a great character. She was very astute and wise and an all-around nice lady.
I must say I wanted to know more about Emily's family. Emily is supposed to be Asian, however does not have the stereotypical Asian features (she has green eyes and chestnut hair). Was her father some sort of government executive? Or were her parents expats stationed in Singapore? I also wanted to know what happened to Emily's sister, Pam. Does she ever recover or will she forever be in her own little world?
There were a couple of clichés in the book:
The Color of Love is a great story with plenty of love, admiration, family drama and a splash of angst. I loved Derian's determination to learn the family company despite her father’s lack of interest in his daughter. It was nice learning a little about the publishing world through these lovable characters.
When I finished this book all I could do was sing along to "Without Me" by Eminem and substitute a few words…
Guess who's back, back again…
Radclyffe's back, tell a friend...
Rad is back, Rad is back...
Rad is back….lol
(it must’ve been that lack of sleep I mentioned earlier, hahaha)
Bravo Radclyffe on such a wonderful novel! 5 stars all the way!
*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
I started reading The Color of Love at ‘ridiculous-o'clock’ (substitute that with ‘when I should’ve been going to sleep’) and I kept reading into the wee hours of the morning before falling asleep from exhaustion. I got about 3.5 hours sleep before getting up and going to work. It was hard to concentrate on work throughout the day as all I wanted to do was go home and continue reading. Needless to say, when I got home I ate a quick dinner and then it was straight back to reading until I finished the book.
I loved Derian and Emily's characters. Derian’s partying playgirl exterior, with a softer vulnerable interior, was well written and obviously Emily had no trouble seeing through the hard shell Derian tried to display. The chemistry between the two was off the charts, yet so sweet and tender. Emily was the typical nice girl who'd do anything for those she loved and that was evident with HW. I loved HW – what a great character. She was very astute and wise and an all-around nice lady.
I must say I wanted to know more about Emily's family. Emily is supposed to be Asian, however does not have the stereotypical Asian features (she has green eyes and chestnut hair). Was her father some sort of government executive? Or were her parents expats stationed in Singapore? I also wanted to know what happened to Emily's sister, Pam. Does she ever recover or will she forever be in her own little world?
There were a couple of clichés in the book:
The Color of Love is a great story with plenty of love, admiration, family drama and a splash of angst. I loved Derian's determination to learn the family company despite her father’s lack of interest in his daughter. It was nice learning a little about the publishing world through these lovable characters.
When I finished this book all I could do was sing along to "Without Me" by Eminem and substitute a few words…
Guess who's back, back again…
Radclyffe's back, tell a friend...
Rad is back, Rad is back...
Rad is back….lol
(it must’ve been that lack of sleep I mentioned earlier, hahaha)
Bravo Radclyffe on such a wonderful novel! 5 stars all the way!
*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
September 4, 2016
Yay, good old Radclyffe is back! This is as usual all Rad-formula in action, but with a beautiful touch/feeling of some of her earlier works. All Rad's books are well written -- it is a known fact. She is too experienced, too much of a master of her work, for it to be any other way. But it is another matter entirely whether that well-written book has a soul that creates that special bond with us -- the readers. That special chemistry between the main characters, as well as between them and us. This book has good chemistry in all necessary directions, and I recommend it to all fans of romance novels.
4.5 stars
*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
4.5 stars
*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
March 11, 2020
The blurb had me believing this was gonna be a fauxmance, when 'marriage of convenience' didn't even come up till the end. But in this case I am happy to be misled because I got to read such a cute slowburn which I probably wouldn't have picked otherwise. I really like Radclyffe's writing, might just read the whole Romance series.
did-not-finish
May 21, 2017DNF. No Stars.
I got halfway through this book and put it aside. Two months later and I've yet to return to it. A few reasons. I just couldn't get why the author had Emily come from Singapore, yet have her be Caucasian. Yes, I know there are Caucasians from Singapore. But why not have her be Asian from a predominantly Asian country? There are so few Asian characters in Lesbian fics. If Radclyffe didn't feel comfortable writing an Asian character than have her come from another country.
I also got bored so when a new and shiny book came along and put it down intending to return to it. Obviously, that didn't happen. So for now, I'm taking it off my currently reading shelf and eventually will return. Or not.
I got halfway through this book and put it aside. Two months later and I've yet to return to it. A few reasons. I just couldn't get why the author had Emily come from Singapore, yet have her be Caucasian. Yes, I know there are Caucasians from Singapore. But why not have her be Asian from a predominantly Asian country? There are so few Asian characters in Lesbian fics. If Radclyffe didn't feel comfortable writing an Asian character than have her come from another country.
I also got bored so when a new and shiny book came along and put it down intending to return to it. Obviously, that didn't happen. So for now, I'm taking it off my currently reading shelf and eventually will return. Or not.
February 2, 2020
Books by Radclyffe are generally a safe bet and most that I’ve read are generally pretty enjoyable. Having said that, TCOL was pretty flat for me and there just weren’t anything in the plot/characters that swoon me over. Maybe the insta-love just put me off a bit; or perhaps I read this after coming off/reading a really excellent book. Overall, just an ok read for me.
July 20, 2023
Second Listen - 2023 - Still enjoyed it but would probably pull the rating down to a 4. I feel like we got a bit short-changed on the ending. There was more story to tell and I am sad we don't get some scenes of their happiness and reactions from friends/family and maybe a couple more scenes with Martin would be very satisfactory. Then an epilogue a year or so down the road. Oh well.
5⭐ - audible version - love, love, love
*chef's kiss* as far as fantasy wish fulfillment romance goes. Heart throb playboi masc millionaire with a heart of gold. Smart, kind, hardworking, gorgeous femme with a tragic past. They meet and its basically love at first sight. Derian is just perfect but also flawed but flawed in a lovable way. She is charming, chivalrous and caring and I want to be her. lol. Emily, is easy to like and even though there are some super tragic family issues in her past and currently she is strong and does what needs to be done. Their chemistry is fire. The writing brings it to LIFE. So so so good - add in Abby Craden's narration and this will be a yearly listen for me - no doubt.
I loved it!!
2 nitpiks: one - what is with the cover? two - how does the title have anything to do with the book?
5⭐ - audible version - love, love, love
*chef's kiss* as far as fantasy wish fulfillment romance goes. Heart throb playboi masc millionaire with a heart of gold. Smart, kind, hardworking, gorgeous femme with a tragic past. They meet and its basically love at first sight. Derian is just perfect but also flawed but flawed in a lovable way. She is charming, chivalrous and caring and I want to be her. lol. Emily, is easy to like and even though there are some super tragic family issues in her past and currently she is strong and does what needs to be done. Their chemistry is fire. The writing brings it to LIFE. So so so good - add in Abby Craden's narration and this will be a yearly listen for me - no doubt.
I loved it!!
2 nitpiks: one - what is with the cover? two - how does the title have anything to do with the book?
August 27, 2016
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review.
This book here is the first book I’ve read by this author.
For various reasons I’ve been somewhat, hmm, reluctant to read Radclyffe. One reason is kind of stupid and the other depends on what you (no idea who ‘you’ is) think of series. The stupid reason involves Radclyffe Hall, and how terribly depressing ‘The Well of Loneliness’ is; and no, Radclyffe Hall and Radclyffe, the author of this book here, are not the same person (more or less obviously, what with Radclyffe Hall having been dead these past few 73 years). I did say it was a stupid reason – I associated the name Radclyffe with depressing lesbians with stunted lives.
The other reason is series. I have no problem with reading books in a series – it’s the part where I looked at Radclyffe’s books, and how many of the books are in series. And how ‘far behind’ I am with them. I mean, the book I read here is the thirteenth in the Romance series. I’m not actually sure any of the books in the Romance series have any connection to each other, though, so . . . I ‘broke’ my ‘rule’ and jumped into a series at book number 13.
Right. All that above was boring. This book here involves Emily May and Derain Winfield. Both roughly 29 years old. Both with a certain bit of a ‘rich’ background. So this isn’t a rich-poor match up; but, to a certain extent, while Emily grew up with an important family and with servants, I do not believe this is a rich-rich match-up either, as Emily’s circumstances have changed.
Right. So. Derain Winfield was a disappointment to her family – she had ‘some issue’ that was not fully discovered until after she started talking. Before she did start, though, there was some concern that she might not be fully mentally ‘there’. The father, at the very least, was deeply disappointed in his daughter for . . . this flaw. Even after it became known that Derain was not mentally . . deficient, but instead had a form of dyslexia, the father still despised her very existence. In the end, Derain had just one family member who mattered to her, the rest she could live without. So she, when she was old enough. ‘fled’ into a world of gambling and car racing. But when that one family member who still mattered to her ended up in the hospital, Derain dropped everything and rushed to her side. Which was complicated by the fact that Derain had been in Monte Carlo at the time, and Henrietta (that so far unnamed family member who mattered) was in New York. When she arrived in New York, Derain bumped into two people – Audrey something or other (name given, just doesn’t matter enough for me to get it – old family friend of Derain’s, though there was something like a bad break-up when they were in their late teens), and Emily May. I’ll get to May in a moment.
Winfield is an old Saxon name, apparently, dating back to 1035. Which I just now looked up after I finished reading the book. I did, though, somewhat assumed – rightly or wrongly, that Derain Winfield came from a long established WASP family based on context that I will not elaborate on (though will note that, in case not known, White Anglo Saxon Protestant). I mention this so I can include something about Derain’s background make-up. The Winfield’s sound like the kind of family who are very ‘into’ marrying the ‘right’ kind of people, so Derain Winfield, who isn’t exactly that type of person, still would likely be . . . whatever someone imagined a WASP to look like.
Emily May, as indicated somewhere up there, comes from a relatively well-situated family in Singapore. Her parents were somehow or another enmeshed in the Foreign Ministry, and I believe the word ‘diplomat’ was used once or twice for the father. Well, Emily of chestnut hair, enters this story with just one living relative – her older sister Pam. For, you see, roughly around the same time period Aud and Derain were having their falling out (~17), Emily was in the process of losing her family. She still has Pam, though. Though Pam is noncommunicative. Emily is very career oriented, for she must succeed at all costs so she can support Pam.
Right, so, in the book, despite how I worded things here, actually opens with Emily's story told first. She’s in a meeting with Henrietta Winfield (if I recall correctly, I think the book literally opens in Henrietta’s POV – I’d forgotten that, since fairly quickly the book limited itself to Emily and Derain’s POV’s). It turns out that immigration is playing games, and there’s an issue with getting Emily’s visa ‘fixed’. But Henrietta is going to do everything she can to fix . . . and now we are in the hospital after Henrietta has had a massive heart attack. Just to throw in there – Henrietta’s about 67.
Right. So. I said something, based entirely on guess work, about Derain Winfield. Emily May is from Singapore and gets listed as being ‘Asian’. Her family is from there, she grew up there. She is in all intents and purposes Singaporean. Just one thing though – no mention was actually given as to Emily May’s ancestral background. I have a strong feeling that Emily May is Asian in the same way Charlize Theron is African. People with a several generation connection to a place that might normally cause someone to think of a different race if the word ‘African’ or ‘Asian’ is used. Conceivably. May, it should be pointed out, is another surname with a Saxon background (or, separately, Gaelic) as opposed to specifically an Asian name. Oh, and the part wherein Singapore was created in 1819 as a trading post for the East India Company – conceivably the May family could have been in Singapore for a hundred years or more (though ‘or more’ is pushing things).
Right, went down that long road for some oddball reason.
So – long and short – Derain and Emily end up pushed together when Henrietta needs some time at the hospital. Derain and Emily need to try to ‘help’ keep Henrietta’s company from being taken over by the rest of the Winfield clan (specifically Martin Winfield, Derain’s father). And so, the two, Derain and Emily, circle each other, Emily helping Derain as the interim CEO; while both develop lustful feelings.
The book description is kind of misleading though. At least in terms of that green card and ‘Derian comes up with a plan’ part. Since, while the visa issue came up immediately in the book, it didn’t really play much of a part in the story until late in the storyline (and, for that matter, Derian’s ‘plan’ didn’t even get mentioned until . . . . . well, late in the book).
Enjoyable book. Wish that brilliant plan of Derian’s had been handled better, for various reasons. There’s a high likelihood that I will be reading another book by Radclyffe. I’d probably rate this book something around 4.425.
July 12 2016
This book here is the first book I’ve read by this author.
For various reasons I’ve been somewhat, hmm, reluctant to read Radclyffe. One reason is kind of stupid and the other depends on what you (no idea who ‘you’ is) think of series. The stupid reason involves Radclyffe Hall, and how terribly depressing ‘The Well of Loneliness’ is; and no, Radclyffe Hall and Radclyffe, the author of this book here, are not the same person (more or less obviously, what with Radclyffe Hall having been dead these past few 73 years). I did say it was a stupid reason – I associated the name Radclyffe with depressing lesbians with stunted lives.
The other reason is series. I have no problem with reading books in a series – it’s the part where I looked at Radclyffe’s books, and how many of the books are in series. And how ‘far behind’ I am with them. I mean, the book I read here is the thirteenth in the Romance series. I’m not actually sure any of the books in the Romance series have any connection to each other, though, so . . . I ‘broke’ my ‘rule’ and jumped into a series at book number 13.
Right. All that above was boring. This book here involves Emily May and Derain Winfield. Both roughly 29 years old. Both with a certain bit of a ‘rich’ background. So this isn’t a rich-poor match up; but, to a certain extent, while Emily grew up with an important family and with servants, I do not believe this is a rich-rich match-up either, as Emily’s circumstances have changed.
Right. So. Derain Winfield was a disappointment to her family – she had ‘some issue’ that was not fully discovered until after she started talking. Before she did start, though, there was some concern that she might not be fully mentally ‘there’. The father, at the very least, was deeply disappointed in his daughter for . . . this flaw. Even after it became known that Derain was not mentally . . deficient, but instead had a form of dyslexia, the father still despised her very existence. In the end, Derain had just one family member who mattered to her, the rest she could live without. So she, when she was old enough. ‘fled’ into a world of gambling and car racing. But when that one family member who still mattered to her ended up in the hospital, Derain dropped everything and rushed to her side. Which was complicated by the fact that Derain had been in Monte Carlo at the time, and Henrietta (that so far unnamed family member who mattered) was in New York. When she arrived in New York, Derain bumped into two people – Audrey something or other (name given, just doesn’t matter enough for me to get it – old family friend of Derain’s, though there was something like a bad break-up when they were in their late teens), and Emily May. I’ll get to May in a moment.
Winfield is an old Saxon name, apparently, dating back to 1035. Which I just now looked up after I finished reading the book. I did, though, somewhat assumed – rightly or wrongly, that Derain Winfield came from a long established WASP family based on context that I will not elaborate on (though will note that, in case not known, White Anglo Saxon Protestant). I mention this so I can include something about Derain’s background make-up. The Winfield’s sound like the kind of family who are very ‘into’ marrying the ‘right’ kind of people, so Derain Winfield, who isn’t exactly that type of person, still would likely be . . . whatever someone imagined a WASP to look like.
Emily May, as indicated somewhere up there, comes from a relatively well-situated family in Singapore. Her parents were somehow or another enmeshed in the Foreign Ministry, and I believe the word ‘diplomat’ was used once or twice for the father. Well, Emily of chestnut hair, enters this story with just one living relative – her older sister Pam. For, you see, roughly around the same time period Aud and Derain were having their falling out (~17), Emily was in the process of losing her family. She still has Pam, though. Though Pam is noncommunicative. Emily is very career oriented, for she must succeed at all costs so she can support Pam.
Right, so, in the book, despite how I worded things here, actually opens with Emily's story told first. She’s in a meeting with Henrietta Winfield (if I recall correctly, I think the book literally opens in Henrietta’s POV – I’d forgotten that, since fairly quickly the book limited itself to Emily and Derain’s POV’s). It turns out that immigration is playing games, and there’s an issue with getting Emily’s visa ‘fixed’. But Henrietta is going to do everything she can to fix . . . and now we are in the hospital after Henrietta has had a massive heart attack. Just to throw in there – Henrietta’s about 67.
Right. So. I said something, based entirely on guess work, about Derain Winfield. Emily May is from Singapore and gets listed as being ‘Asian’. Her family is from there, she grew up there. She is in all intents and purposes Singaporean. Just one thing though – no mention was actually given as to Emily May’s ancestral background. I have a strong feeling that Emily May is Asian in the same way Charlize Theron is African. People with a several generation connection to a place that might normally cause someone to think of a different race if the word ‘African’ or ‘Asian’ is used. Conceivably. May, it should be pointed out, is another surname with a Saxon background (or, separately, Gaelic) as opposed to specifically an Asian name. Oh, and the part wherein Singapore was created in 1819 as a trading post for the East India Company – conceivably the May family could have been in Singapore for a hundred years or more (though ‘or more’ is pushing things).
Right, went down that long road for some oddball reason.
So – long and short – Derain and Emily end up pushed together when Henrietta needs some time at the hospital. Derain and Emily need to try to ‘help’ keep Henrietta’s company from being taken over by the rest of the Winfield clan (specifically Martin Winfield, Derain’s father). And so, the two, Derain and Emily, circle each other, Emily helping Derain as the interim CEO; while both develop lustful feelings.
The book description is kind of misleading though. At least in terms of that green card and ‘Derian comes up with a plan’ part. Since, while the visa issue came up immediately in the book, it didn’t really play much of a part in the story until late in the storyline (and, for that matter, Derian’s ‘plan’ didn’t even get mentioned until . . . . . well, late in the book).
Enjoyable book. Wish that brilliant plan of Derian’s had been handled better, for various reasons. There’s a high likelihood that I will be reading another book by Radclyffe. I’d probably rate this book something around 4.425.
July 12 2016
July 8, 2017
ARC received from NetGalley in return for a fair review.
This is the second Rad book I've read this year that's a standalone, and I find I much prefer them. This one doesn't quite match the synopsis though, judging by that I was expecting a 'The Proposal', marriage of convenience type thing, but that's not what this book is at all, although it does get a mention.
I liked both characters, and they do spend a lot of time together, and this time is spent discussing things of substance, they don't just jump into bed. I did think that some time jumps were a bit jarring, (I actually had to page back to work out how long HW had been out of hospital), and for the most part the romance is very sweet.
I loved that Emily wasn't some shy wallflower type, she wasn't wrong about being reluctant to get involved, there were good reasons not to, but she owned the fact that she wanted Dere anyway, and jumped in with both feet when it got moving.
I could have lived without the fabricated breakup nonsense, but it was short lived, so I didn't care too much. The father takeover plot and Emily's visa issues also seemed to amount to nothing, so it felt like time was wasted on them.
What I did care about was that Emily was supposed to be a POC character, as everything we're told about her background, and her visa issues would suggest, but there was nothing at all ethnic about her, she could have been a white woman from the UK for all the part her ethnicity played in the book. Rad should read Jae's Heart Trouble for a lesson on how to write a character with an actual ethnic background. If it wasn't for the repeated mentions of her sister still being in Singapore, I'd have forgotten she was from there.
Still, I enjoyed this more than I had anticipated, it's a nice sweet romance, and for once didn't come with a slew of background characters from other books that I had to keep track of. I also loved that it was set in the world of publishing. I'm giving it four stars because I enjoyed those aspects of it, but really it should get 3.5 at most for the whitewashing of the POC character.
This is the second Rad book I've read this year that's a standalone, and I find I much prefer them. This one doesn't quite match the synopsis though, judging by that I was expecting a 'The Proposal', marriage of convenience type thing, but that's not what this book is at all, although it does get a mention.
I liked both characters, and they do spend a lot of time together, and this time is spent discussing things of substance, they don't just jump into bed. I did think that some time jumps were a bit jarring, (I actually had to page back to work out how long HW had been out of hospital), and for the most part the romance is very sweet.
I loved that Emily wasn't some shy wallflower type, she wasn't wrong about being reluctant to get involved, there were good reasons not to, but she owned the fact that she wanted Dere anyway, and jumped in with both feet when it got moving.
I could have lived without the fabricated breakup nonsense, but it was short lived, so I didn't care too much. The father takeover plot and Emily's visa issues also seemed to amount to nothing, so it felt like time was wasted on them.
What I did care about was that Emily was supposed to be a POC character, as everything we're told about her background, and her visa issues would suggest, but there was nothing at all ethnic about her, she could have been a white woman from the UK for all the part her ethnicity played in the book. Rad should read Jae's Heart Trouble for a lesson on how to write a character with an actual ethnic background. If it wasn't for the repeated mentions of her sister still being in Singapore, I'd have forgotten she was from there.
Still, I enjoyed this more than I had anticipated, it's a nice sweet romance, and for once didn't come with a slew of background characters from other books that I had to keep track of. I also loved that it was set in the world of publishing. I'm giving it four stars because I enjoyed those aspects of it, but really it should get 3.5 at most for the whitewashing of the POC character.
February 4, 2020
Emily May is a literary agent born in Singapur currently living in New York. She is about to lose her job, her home, and her friends because she doesn’t have a green card. Derian Winfield is a globetrotter racecar enthusiast who wants nothing to do with her family business. When a family emergency calls her back home to assume a role in her father’s company, she will have to join Emily in order to save the agency from a takeover. What both women weren’t expecting was to fall in love in the process. Could getting married be the solution to all their problems?
I have read most of Radclyffe’s books and I always look forward to her stories. I admit that after reading the blurb I was expecting a different type of story, more in terms of a sham marriage between two women who eventually fall in love. Instead, I found a slow burn romance where the matter of marriage is secondary to the plot and the description of Emily feels more of an American than an immigrant from Singapore. As an immigrant myself, I felt that the character lacked a bit of foreign identity which is a pity because it could have given a more realistic layer to the story.
Despite this initial surprise, I was taken by the chemistry between the main characters. Radclyffe sometimes presents her characters as larger than life (for example, in the Honor series) but in this case, she showcases their contradictions, shortcomings, and virtues which makes the story believable and very appealing. I also liked the incidental description of the publishing industry, something that this author knows a lot about as the owner of Bold Strokes Books, one of the most important LGBT publishing houses.
I’ve read this book when it was released and now decided to listen to the audiobook narrated by Abby Craden. I’m running out of adjectives to qualify her job so I’m going to go or my favourite: outstanding. Ms. Craden is a storyteller, she makes every single audiobook sound natural and generally makes the story much more enjoyable. This audiobook is not available with Scribd or Escape subscriptions but if you like Radclyffe romances, it won’t disappoint. Duration: 7 hours, 40 minutes.
Overall, a very good lesbian homecoming romance audiobook. 4.5 stars.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
I have read most of Radclyffe’s books and I always look forward to her stories. I admit that after reading the blurb I was expecting a different type of story, more in terms of a sham marriage between two women who eventually fall in love. Instead, I found a slow burn romance where the matter of marriage is secondary to the plot and the description of Emily feels more of an American than an immigrant from Singapore. As an immigrant myself, I felt that the character lacked a bit of foreign identity which is a pity because it could have given a more realistic layer to the story.
Despite this initial surprise, I was taken by the chemistry between the main characters. Radclyffe sometimes presents her characters as larger than life (for example, in the Honor series) but in this case, she showcases their contradictions, shortcomings, and virtues which makes the story believable and very appealing. I also liked the incidental description of the publishing industry, something that this author knows a lot about as the owner of Bold Strokes Books, one of the most important LGBT publishing houses.
I’ve read this book when it was released and now decided to listen to the audiobook narrated by Abby Craden. I’m running out of adjectives to qualify her job so I’m going to go or my favourite: outstanding. Ms. Craden is a storyteller, she makes every single audiobook sound natural and generally makes the story much more enjoyable. This audiobook is not available with Scribd or Escape subscriptions but if you like Radclyffe romances, it won’t disappoint. Duration: 7 hours, 40 minutes.
Overall, a very good lesbian homecoming romance audiobook. 4.5 stars.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
December 24, 2016
Different setting, same formula but without the depth of character for which Radclyffe is known. Unfortunately, this book didn't quite hit the mark for me. I have read most of the author's other works. I love her "Honor Series". However, with this book, I just didn't feel the connection or the chemistry. Maybe it was the lack of background info on both characters. It was mostly glossed over on both main the mains. This reader just really didn't feel a connection to either Derian or Emily.
But in the end, it is superb writing as only Radclyffe can do with an albeit too short foray into two worlds most of us know noting about...Racing and publishing. I gave it 4 stars because it is a solid romance well worth the read!
ARC from Netgalley and BSB.
But in the end, it is superb writing as only Radclyffe can do with an albeit too short foray into two worlds most of us know noting about...Racing and publishing. I gave it 4 stars because it is a solid romance well worth the read!
ARC from Netgalley and BSB.
July 10, 2016
This is easily the best work of Radclyffe I've read recently. So good news for everyone: Good old Radclyffe is back!
April 27, 2018
1.5 stars
Eh, I wasn't really feeling this one. I have never read this author before so I wasn't sure what to expect- I only picked it up because one of the MCs worked in the publishing industry. I loved the details about Emily May's life & her relationship with Henrietta. This was the only think I liked about the book. I felt that Emily May/Derian's relationship was too instalove; I didn't get that "true connection" vibe. At times I thought Derain was a bit demanding & I personally didn't appreciate the way a few individual's physical traits were described. Quite a few times I skimmed through because it was dragging on (get to the point already & stop talking about tea/wines), yet the ending felt rushed & I finished this thinking, "Gee, I wish there was more of Henrietta in here"- which isn't a great sign in a romance. The s/s were hot, but honestly, there are many authors who can do them well. I'm not sure if I'll bother picking up another book from Radclyffe.
Eh, I wasn't really feeling this one. I have never read this author before so I wasn't sure what to expect- I only picked it up because one of the MCs worked in the publishing industry. I loved the details about Emily May's life & her relationship with Henrietta. This was the only think I liked about the book. I felt that Emily May/Derian's relationship was too instalove; I didn't get that "true connection" vibe. At times I thought Derain was a bit demanding & I personally didn't appreciate the way a few individual's physical traits were described. Quite a few times I skimmed through because it was dragging on (get to the point already & stop talking about tea/wines), yet the ending felt rushed & I finished this thinking, "Gee, I wish there was more of Henrietta in here"- which isn't a great sign in a romance. The s/s were hot, but honestly, there are many authors who can do them well. I'm not sure if I'll bother picking up another book from Radclyffe.
August 10, 2017
This is a Radclyffe book, so there are certain things that you can expect. Dashing & butch enigmatic player? Check. Strong, intelligent femme in a bind? Check. Well written characters, plot, and dialogue? Yup, all good to go. Radclyffe rarely disappoints with a well-written, HAE romance. I gave her 4 stars because it was a really good book.
Now, that being said, I only gave it 4 stars and not my coveted 5 stars because it didn't blow me away. It wasn't 'amazing' like a few of her others have been. On one hand, I never really got a great mental image of her to MC's, unlike some of the other books. And maybe that was a good thing. I mean let's face it, most of Radclyffe's books beat you over the head with the X&G stereotpye (black hair/blue eyes, blonde-reddish hair/green eyes). As a fan, I love that match up, it's romantic, it takes me back to those deeply-connective fanfic days. However, it was nice to see something just a little bit different from her. A book where the romance didn't focus so much on how they looked, but the transformation of each character emotionally and mentally.
So no, it didn't knock my socks off, but it certainly took me away for a few hours of great reading, just as I was hoping. Nicely done.
Now, that being said, I only gave it 4 stars and not my coveted 5 stars because it didn't blow me away. It wasn't 'amazing' like a few of her others have been. On one hand, I never really got a great mental image of her to MC's, unlike some of the other books. And maybe that was a good thing. I mean let's face it, most of Radclyffe's books beat you over the head with the X&G stereotpye (black hair/blue eyes, blonde-reddish hair/green eyes). As a fan, I love that match up, it's romantic, it takes me back to those deeply-connective fanfic days. However, it was nice to see something just a little bit different from her. A book where the romance didn't focus so much on how they looked, but the transformation of each character emotionally and mentally.
So no, it didn't knock my socks off, but it certainly took me away for a few hours of great reading, just as I was hoping. Nicely done.
November 11, 2016
A pleasant surprise this was!! After loving Rad's books ever since the first one, I gradually became bored with the "same kind of story" all the time. This one was definitely better, especially as they only jumped into bed near the end!!!
April 25, 2017
Derian Winfield is the typical bad boi butch. Rich beyond most people’s dreams, rebellious and bored, she spends her life on the Formula One circuit holding parties, smoozing donors and picking up women – women with whom she is unfailingly polite but who mean less than an excellent bottle of scotch.
When her beloved aunt, Henrietta, collapses with heart problems, Derian drops everything to go home. She finds Henrietta’s beautiful protégé, Emily May, sat outside her hospital room and a turf war for the literary agency Henrietta and Emily adore.
Emily, orphaned by a plane crash, responsible for her non responsive older sister and now threatened by deportation, resists the charismatic jet setter with all her will, and when she succumbs knows it is extremely temporary – literally until the next race, the next casino or the next woman attracts Derian’s attention.
This is another in a line of relatively formulaic romances from Radclyffe, but I enjoyed it. For me the romances don’t come close to the series; Provincetown, Honor, Justice and First Responders (in my personal favourite order) but I really liked the characters and found myself pulled into the story.
Derien is the typical playboy but not only charming, she has integrity and deep down, knows her life is a sham, simply a way of escaping the fact she was never good enough. Emily appears all sweetness and light, the archetypical good girl, but underneath all that goodness is a tiger waiting to be unleashed, and of course Derian is just the woman to unleash her.
Some of the background characters are a little shadowy, but Derian’s adoring best friend Aud is amusing, some of the agency staff are solid and most of all Henrietta herself is a real character, irascible yet inspiring, she is what really holds the plot and the agency together.
I was slightly confused by Emily’s history; needs a visa, comes from Singapore and yet is clearly not Asian from her description or the jacket. That and some of the other back stories, such as the feud between brother and sister Martin and Henrietta, could have done with more detail, but as with any good traditional romance, be it book or movie, we forget unimportant facts in the rush to the ‘happy ever after’ and only remember afterwards that there was something missing.
The writing is excellent, fast paced and enthralling, and I genuinely wanted it to all work out.. not that I had a moments doubt. Definitely Radclyffe at her romantic best.
When her beloved aunt, Henrietta, collapses with heart problems, Derian drops everything to go home. She finds Henrietta’s beautiful protégé, Emily May, sat outside her hospital room and a turf war for the literary agency Henrietta and Emily adore.
Emily, orphaned by a plane crash, responsible for her non responsive older sister and now threatened by deportation, resists the charismatic jet setter with all her will, and when she succumbs knows it is extremely temporary – literally until the next race, the next casino or the next woman attracts Derian’s attention.
This is another in a line of relatively formulaic romances from Radclyffe, but I enjoyed it. For me the romances don’t come close to the series; Provincetown, Honor, Justice and First Responders (in my personal favourite order) but I really liked the characters and found myself pulled into the story.
Derien is the typical playboy but not only charming, she has integrity and deep down, knows her life is a sham, simply a way of escaping the fact she was never good enough. Emily appears all sweetness and light, the archetypical good girl, but underneath all that goodness is a tiger waiting to be unleashed, and of course Derian is just the woman to unleash her.
Some of the background characters are a little shadowy, but Derian’s adoring best friend Aud is amusing, some of the agency staff are solid and most of all Henrietta herself is a real character, irascible yet inspiring, she is what really holds the plot and the agency together.
I was slightly confused by Emily’s history; needs a visa, comes from Singapore and yet is clearly not Asian from her description or the jacket. That and some of the other back stories, such as the feud between brother and sister Martin and Henrietta, could have done with more detail, but as with any good traditional romance, be it book or movie, we forget unimportant facts in the rush to the ‘happy ever after’ and only remember afterwards that there was something missing.
The writing is excellent, fast paced and enthralling, and I genuinely wanted it to all work out.. not that I had a moments doubt. Definitely Radclyffe at her romantic best.
July 26, 2016
Love colors all aspects of this story
The Color of Love is a romance set in the world of the New York publishing industry. It touches on issues and questions related to our increasingly globalized societies, including immigration.
Initially, Derian Winfield and Emily May are a study in contrasts—globetrotting Derian has done everything she could to leave her family in New York behind, while Emily would do anything to stay in New York, but maintains strong connections to her sister, who is in long-term care in Singapore where they grew up. Derian and Emily are thrown together when a woman they both admire and care for, Henrietta (Derian’s aunt and Emily’s boss), is taken seriously ill.
While Emily is from Singapore, the book does not go into too much depth about her background, as other reviewers have mentioned. Rather than focusing on the cultural acclimatization aspect of immigration, the story is built on the bureaucracy and red tape of the immigration process, and Emily’s issues regarding extending her work visa. As characters in the story note, the politics of immigration in the U.S. underly the changing laws that Emily faces in securing her life in the United States. The story touches on some other aspects of Emily’s immigrant experience, including developing a sense of place in her new country, maintaining ties to her country of origin, but eventually finding that the place she left behind is no longer truly home.
I really felt the emotional connection and attraction between Derian and Emily. I liked the focus on the publishing and book industry, the sometimes comedic elements, as well as the ordinary, everyday aspects of Emily’s life and work that we glimpsed in the story.
In a metaphorical sense, The Color of Love is about the colors, or meanings behind, many different things. It’s about the color of money and how it can smooth the way for so many things on the one hand, or create family rifts, on the other. It’s also about how love (or lack thereof) colors our experiences of the world and how we share our lives with others.
The Color of Love is a romance set in the world of the New York publishing industry. It touches on issues and questions related to our increasingly globalized societies, including immigration.
Initially, Derian Winfield and Emily May are a study in contrasts—globetrotting Derian has done everything she could to leave her family in New York behind, while Emily would do anything to stay in New York, but maintains strong connections to her sister, who is in long-term care in Singapore where they grew up. Derian and Emily are thrown together when a woman they both admire and care for, Henrietta (Derian’s aunt and Emily’s boss), is taken seriously ill.
While Emily is from Singapore, the book does not go into too much depth about her background, as other reviewers have mentioned. Rather than focusing on the cultural acclimatization aspect of immigration, the story is built on the bureaucracy and red tape of the immigration process, and Emily’s issues regarding extending her work visa. As characters in the story note, the politics of immigration in the U.S. underly the changing laws that Emily faces in securing her life in the United States. The story touches on some other aspects of Emily’s immigrant experience, including developing a sense of place in her new country, maintaining ties to her country of origin, but eventually finding that the place she left behind is no longer truly home.
I really felt the emotional connection and attraction between Derian and Emily. I liked the focus on the publishing and book industry, the sometimes comedic elements, as well as the ordinary, everyday aspects of Emily’s life and work that we glimpsed in the story.
In a metaphorical sense, The Color of Love is about the colors, or meanings behind, many different things. It’s about the color of money and how it can smooth the way for so many things on the one hand, or create family rifts, on the other. It’s also about how love (or lack thereof) colors our experiences of the world and how we share our lives with others.
October 21, 2017
Why on earth would you make one of your main characters an immigrant from Singapore, and then describe her as having green eyes, chestnut hair with gold highlights, and pale skin? You have an opportunity to write a character of color (albeit, in a potentially offensive plot), and you choose to code her as white? And then call the book "the color of love?" Admittedly, the title may have nothing to do with the actual story (many of Radclyffe's don't), but it still seems an odd choice.
This is otherwise a typical Radclyffe story - the book is moving along fine, and then the ending is completely rushed. It's almost as though she's not allowed to write more than about 250 pages. Most of her books could really benefit from another 100 pages of development.
This is otherwise a typical Radclyffe story - the book is moving along fine, and then the ending is completely rushed. It's almost as though she's not allowed to write more than about 250 pages. Most of her books could really benefit from another 100 pages of development.
July 15, 2017
I didn't really connect with the characters so most of the book I felt meh about it. The thing I liked most was the look into the life of a literary agent. Towards the end I started to like the characters a little more and enjoyed how the story ended.
Received this book from Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
Received this book from Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
June 23, 2016
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have read most of Radclyffe books and I always look forward to her stories. I admit that after reading the blurb I was expecting a different type of story, more in terms of a sham marriage between two women who eventually fall in love. Instead, I found a slow burn romance where the matter of marriage is secondary to the plot and the description of Emily feels more of an American than an immigrant from Singapore. As an immigrant myself, I felt that the character lacked a bit of foreign identity which is a pity because it could have given a more realistic layer to the story.
Despite this initial surprise, I was taken by the chemistry between the main characters. Radclyffe sometimes presents her characters as larger than life (for example, in the Honor series) but in this case she showcases their contradictions, defects and virtues which makes the story believable and very appealing. Some of the secondary characters were a bit stereotypical but they still added material to the plot.
In conclusion, The Color of Love is a well written and edited romance that won't disappoint to Radclyffe readers. Highly recommended.
I have read most of Radclyffe books and I always look forward to her stories. I admit that after reading the blurb I was expecting a different type of story, more in terms of a sham marriage between two women who eventually fall in love. Instead, I found a slow burn romance where the matter of marriage is secondary to the plot and the description of Emily feels more of an American than an immigrant from Singapore. As an immigrant myself, I felt that the character lacked a bit of foreign identity which is a pity because it could have given a more realistic layer to the story.
Despite this initial surprise, I was taken by the chemistry between the main characters. Radclyffe sometimes presents her characters as larger than life (for example, in the Honor series) but in this case she showcases their contradictions, defects and virtues which makes the story believable and very appealing. Some of the secondary characters were a bit stereotypical but they still added material to the plot.
In conclusion, The Color of Love is a well written and edited romance that won't disappoint to Radclyffe readers. Highly recommended.
June 29, 2016
I am a Radclyffe fan. I don't think I haven't enjoyed one of her romance books. I don't know what happened this time but I just struggled to really get into this book. I just didn't feel the chemistry between the two characters. There was no real build up just attraction and then some very minimal resistance that was weak.
The story of fighting for the agency I thought needed to have more of a role within the book to give something extra. Again for me the fight was just not really there no angst it was sorted so easily and quickly it had no really effect for me.
It's odd I personally didn't love the book but what I would say is it is still very Radclyffe and somewhat enjoyable enough. I think most of my frustration comes from the fact that I thought it could have been so much more! Just when I thought something with substance was about to happen it didn't.
I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review.
The story of fighting for the agency I thought needed to have more of a role within the book to give something extra. Again for me the fight was just not really there no angst it was sorted so easily and quickly it had no really effect for me.
It's odd I personally didn't love the book but what I would say is it is still very Radclyffe and somewhat enjoyable enough. I think most of my frustration comes from the fact that I thought it could have been so much more! Just when I thought something with substance was about to happen it didn't.
I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review.
September 12, 2016
After giving up on 4-5 author's books consecutively finally able to read this one. Light and sweet romance with nothing too much going on. It was just perfect for my mood at that time.
April 16, 2020
I was trying to work out what is so good about Rad - I think is that her characters are on fire - know what they want and where they are gòing. Class, just class.
March 1, 2023
Okay, so if you follow my reviews, you will see I’m a huge Abby Craden fan. But what can I say? Sometimes, you just need a sure thing, and even if the book isn’t great, Craden will be.
The Color of Love, by Radclyffe, was a sure thing, though, because we have both a writer and a narrator who never fail to impress.
Set in the world of book publishing, Emily’s life is thrown off kilter after her boss and mentor has a heart attack, and she is left questioning her future. A future that will always involve her older sister whose medical care is reliant on her income.
Derian comes to the aid of her aunt, the only family member to understand her and fits neatly into her world, determined to keep things afloat while she recovers. She can’t fight her attraction to Emily, and when they both succumb to their feelings, everything makes sense for the first time in years.
Emily is fiercely independent and strong-willed with the determination to succeed but carries the weight of her responsibilities on her shoulders. Likewise, Derian may be running from her family, with them assuming she will do anything to avoid her responsibilities, but she wants her own success and the ability to make a name for herself.
The Color of Love is a beautiful romance, with a cast of characters who keep the momentum moving forward and two MCs with a really intense connection. This is a definite audiobook recommendation from me.
The Color of Love, by Radclyffe, was a sure thing, though, because we have both a writer and a narrator who never fail to impress.
Set in the world of book publishing, Emily’s life is thrown off kilter after her boss and mentor has a heart attack, and she is left questioning her future. A future that will always involve her older sister whose medical care is reliant on her income.
Derian comes to the aid of her aunt, the only family member to understand her and fits neatly into her world, determined to keep things afloat while she recovers. She can’t fight her attraction to Emily, and when they both succumb to their feelings, everything makes sense for the first time in years.
Emily is fiercely independent and strong-willed with the determination to succeed but carries the weight of her responsibilities on her shoulders. Likewise, Derian may be running from her family, with them assuming she will do anything to avoid her responsibilities, but she wants her own success and the ability to make a name for herself.
The Color of Love is a beautiful romance, with a cast of characters who keep the momentum moving forward and two MCs with a really intense connection. This is a definite audiobook recommendation from me.
June 30, 2016
Every once in a while I find a book that makes me wonder how short F/F romance would be if people actually managed to communicate on their feelings or what they want out of a budding relationship. Then again I won’t pretend that communication is actually easy— But let’s be honest here, while I feel it is one of the most important building block of any relationship (even friendship!), it’s a pretty hard one to achieve. Needless to say, it’s still a staple of romance in general.
Emily May is an agent for a book publishing company and she loves her job. Unfortunately, she’s an immigrant and she doesn’t have a green card, and she’s in danger of losing everything— Especially when her beloved boss falls ill and is temporarily replaced by a ruthless woman hell bent on gutting the company to make it more profitable. When she meets Derian Winford, her boss’ niece, who’s a racecar enthusiast and a socialite who’s so butch her nickname is pronounced “Dare”, she quickly falls head over heels for her, which raises the stakes significantly…
The Color of Love uses a fairly simple recipe for romance, and I admit I wasn’t enthralled. I didn’t connect much with its characters, especially Derian. I was surprised to notice that the official description for the plot is exactly what you get— in fact, the “plan” involving marriage only happens towards the very end, which made me feel that this book lacked a plot. It didn’t help that the initial challenges between Derian and Emily (namely that Derian is a player who doesn’t commit and Emily someone who doesn’t like to be used) kind of went through the window when Derian seduced her anyway after the initial hesitation and Emily went with it, only to remember towards the end of the book why a relationship between them wouldn’t work. At no point did our protagonists clearly communicate on what they wanted out of this relationship, which is frustrating because there was little reason for them not to; and I guess this, combined with my initial disinterest in Derian’s socialite personality, sedated me to the rest of their romance.
Still, Radclyffe’s writing is solid and pleasant to read. I just guess there wasn’t much chemistry between me and this particular book.
Emily May is an agent for a book publishing company and she loves her job. Unfortunately, she’s an immigrant and she doesn’t have a green card, and she’s in danger of losing everything— Especially when her beloved boss falls ill and is temporarily replaced by a ruthless woman hell bent on gutting the company to make it more profitable. When she meets Derian Winford, her boss’ niece, who’s a racecar enthusiast and a socialite who’s so butch her nickname is pronounced “Dare”, she quickly falls head over heels for her, which raises the stakes significantly…
The Color of Love uses a fairly simple recipe for romance, and I admit I wasn’t enthralled. I didn’t connect much with its characters, especially Derian. I was surprised to notice that the official description for the plot is exactly what you get— in fact, the “plan” involving marriage only happens towards the very end, which made me feel that this book lacked a plot. It didn’t help that the initial challenges between Derian and Emily (namely that Derian is a player who doesn’t commit and Emily someone who doesn’t like to be used) kind of went through the window when Derian seduced her anyway after the initial hesitation and Emily went with it, only to remember towards the end of the book why a relationship between them wouldn’t work. At no point did our protagonists clearly communicate on what they wanted out of this relationship, which is frustrating because there was little reason for them not to; and I guess this, combined with my initial disinterest in Derian’s socialite personality, sedated me to the rest of their romance.
Still, Radclyffe’s writing is solid and pleasant to read. I just guess there wasn’t much chemistry between me and this particular book.
June 25, 2016
All I need is for the "right person" to come along. If I am patience, she will come. She does not have to be perfect, just right for me.
Emily May literary agent, hardworking, caring, focused on self and the well-being of her sister. She is also a loner. As stated by Derian, a woman of substance. Derian Winfield rich, compassionate, player and she is lonely even though she is surrounded by many. Derian has spent all of her adult life chasing fast cars and captivating woman. What engaged me most about this read was the emotional and mental chemistry between Emily and Derian. They were presented as real people with real issues. Both were likable and spoke from the heart. Also, their passionate intense feelings and their compassion and concern for each other was well presented.
The author did a nice job articulating the strengths/vulnerabilities, virtues/frailties and highs/lows of each. Although I am not a fan of butch/fem dynamics, there was much to like about how Derian was presented. Specifically, her need for someone to care about her as well as see her authentic self. She knows that pushing herself with the lifestyle she leads is not satisfying. The secondary characters were a positive addition to the story. Audrey/Heneritta and Ron/Heneritta were good at listening, providing feedback and keeping them grounded. The end of the story begs for a sequel.
eARC received with thanks from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley.
Emily May literary agent, hardworking, caring, focused on self and the well-being of her sister. She is also a loner. As stated by Derian, a woman of substance. Derian Winfield rich, compassionate, player and she is lonely even though she is surrounded by many. Derian has spent all of her adult life chasing fast cars and captivating woman. What engaged me most about this read was the emotional and mental chemistry between Emily and Derian. They were presented as real people with real issues. Both were likable and spoke from the heart. Also, their passionate intense feelings and their compassion and concern for each other was well presented.
The author did a nice job articulating the strengths/vulnerabilities, virtues/frailties and highs/lows of each. Although I am not a fan of butch/fem dynamics, there was much to like about how Derian was presented. Specifically, her need for someone to care about her as well as see her authentic self. She knows that pushing herself with the lifestyle she leads is not satisfying. The secondary characters were a positive addition to the story. Audrey/Heneritta and Ron/Heneritta were good at listening, providing feedback and keeping them grounded. The end of the story begs for a sequel.
eARC received with thanks from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley.
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