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Abigail is content with her quiet life as a librarian. But when she’s invited to a high-profile charity auction, she finds herself dancing with one of the most beautiful women she’s ever met. Abby’s sure she’ll never see her again, but then Gabrielle calls and asks her on a date. And soon after, another.
Supermodel Gabrielle Levesque has a reputation as the Ice Queen—cold and untouchable—except she warms up whenever she’s with Abby. Only Abby isn’t interested in the heat between them; she’s asexual, and she’s worried that admitting as much to Gabrielle might spell the end of their blooming romance.
They’re two different women from two very different worlds, but Abby knows she can love Gabrielle. Her passion for books, travel, and theater prove there’s more to the Ice Queen than meets the eye. But they’ll have to overcome Abby’s fears—and Gabrielle’s own threatening secrets—in order to find their way to love.
This title is part of the Seasons of Love universe.
Word count: 55,100
Type: Standalone
Cover by: Natasha Snow
Supermodel Gabrielle Levesque has a reputation as the Ice Queen—cold and untouchable—except she warms up whenever she’s with Abby. Only Abby isn’t interested in the heat between them; she’s asexual, and she’s worried that admitting as much to Gabrielle might spell the end of their blooming romance.
They’re two different women from two very different worlds, but Abby knows she can love Gabrielle. Her passion for books, travel, and theater prove there’s more to the Ice Queen than meets the eye. But they’ll have to overcome Abby’s fears—and Gabrielle’s own threatening secrets—in order to find their way to love.
This title is part of the Seasons of Love universe.
Word count: 55,100
Type: Standalone
Cover by: Natasha Snow
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2017
32 people are currently reading
1173 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
July 22, 2018
I received an arc from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to like this book, I really did. I wasn't a fan of the author's book Whiteout but I wanted to give them a second chance. And I honestly really don't like the author's writing style. I'll get more into that in a moment but I will say that this book does have good ace rep, and if I were to recommend it for any reason, it'd be that. Because the ace rep is great!
But I personally didn't like the writing. Abby's twenty-nine yet she, without irony, calls an eyelash curler a 'torture device'. That just seemed kind of juvenile. I don't care that she's not a fan of makeup but her calling an eyelash curler that seemed needless. Another thing in the writing that I felt was poorly written when Abby and Gabrielle were discussing interests.
"What do you read, then?"
"Fantasy. Science fiction. Those stories which do not take place here on Earth."
"You're a geek," Abby blurted out.
Would a twenty-nine year old really talk like this? It didn't feel like a natural conversation. And a throwaway line I wasn't really a fan of when heterosexuality was described as "sexually attracted to the opposite gender". While I'm sure it wasn't international, it does feel like it erases non-binary people. In this scenario, the character could've used "sexually attracted to men", since he was talking to a woman.
Abby's friends also had a weird obsession with whether or not Abby was having sex with Gabrielle. It just felt intrusive, even if she wasn't ace. But the questions from her friends did stop when she came out as ace to them.
So, the actual characters. I did like Abby, she was really introverted and bookish. She's a librarian as well, at risk of losing her job. That element of the story was kind of boring, which is another thing I didn't like, I found it kind of boring. As for the love interest, a thing I wasn't a fan of is that she's a black woman and called an 'ice queen'. I had some problems with that. And she kind of stalked Abby. She found her address from a guest list from the event they met at to send her flowers. She does apologise and acknowledge she shouldn't have done that but she still did it. Abby had wondered if she should be flattered or creeped out. After that it's just thrown away and forgotten. There's also a scene where Abby is visiting Gabrielle at a photoshoot and when a model sees Abby, she asks for a coffee as she mistook her for someone who worked there. I think in a reasonable response would be her just correcting her and the model apologises and it's kind of left behind. Instead, the model is written in a very rude and uptight way, then Gabrielle comes in and says something quite... possessive.
"You don't speak to her. She is here with me. If you even look in her direction again, I will call every designer I have in my phonebook and ensure that you never get another job in this city. Understood?"
This moment seemed unnecessary, and it was truly the first time the 'ice queen' reputation was shown. But this felt unnecessarily harsh over a small misunderstanding.
As for the romance, it was okay. Not something I'd remember but I do like the acknowledgment that relationships don't need sex. But in a way, Gabrielle seems to only be okay with it because she had a past of using sex as a form of emotional satisfaction. I don't think she needed to go through some sort of emotionally traumatic experience to be okay with being in a relationship without sex.
Overall, again, if you are asexual looking for more ace books, I can only really recommend it on that alone.
Review also posted on my blog.
I really wanted to like this book, I really did. I wasn't a fan of the author's book Whiteout but I wanted to give them a second chance. And I honestly really don't like the author's writing style. I'll get more into that in a moment but I will say that this book does have good ace rep, and if I were to recommend it for any reason, it'd be that. Because the ace rep is great!
But I personally didn't like the writing. Abby's twenty-nine yet she, without irony, calls an eyelash curler a 'torture device'. That just seemed kind of juvenile. I don't care that she's not a fan of makeup but her calling an eyelash curler that seemed needless. Another thing in the writing that I felt was poorly written when Abby and Gabrielle were discussing interests.
"What do you read, then?"
"Fantasy. Science fiction. Those stories which do not take place here on Earth."
"You're a geek," Abby blurted out.
Would a twenty-nine year old really talk like this? It didn't feel like a natural conversation. And a throwaway line I wasn't really a fan of when heterosexuality was described as "sexually attracted to the opposite gender". While I'm sure it wasn't international, it does feel like it erases non-binary people. In this scenario, the character could've used "sexually attracted to men", since he was talking to a woman.
Abby's friends also had a weird obsession with whether or not Abby was having sex with Gabrielle. It just felt intrusive, even if she wasn't ace. But the questions from her friends did stop when she came out as ace to them.
So, the actual characters. I did like Abby, she was really introverted and bookish. She's a librarian as well, at risk of losing her job. That element of the story was kind of boring, which is another thing I didn't like, I found it kind of boring. As for the love interest, a thing I wasn't a fan of is that she's a black woman and called an 'ice queen'. I had some problems with that. And she kind of stalked Abby. She found her address from a guest list from the event they met at to send her flowers. She does apologise and acknowledge she shouldn't have done that but she still did it. Abby had wondered if she should be flattered or creeped out. After that it's just thrown away and forgotten. There's also a scene where Abby is visiting Gabrielle at a photoshoot and when a model sees Abby, she asks for a coffee as she mistook her for someone who worked there. I think in a reasonable response would be her just correcting her and the model apologises and it's kind of left behind. Instead, the model is written in a very rude and uptight way, then Gabrielle comes in and says something quite... possessive.
"You don't speak to her. She is here with me. If you even look in her direction again, I will call every designer I have in my phonebook and ensure that you never get another job in this city. Understood?"
This moment seemed unnecessary, and it was truly the first time the 'ice queen' reputation was shown. But this felt unnecessarily harsh over a small misunderstanding.
As for the romance, it was okay. Not something I'd remember but I do like the acknowledgment that relationships don't need sex. But in a way, Gabrielle seems to only be okay with it because she had a past of using sex as a form of emotional satisfaction. I don't think she needed to go through some sort of emotionally traumatic experience to be okay with being in a relationship without sex.
Overall, again, if you are asexual looking for more ace books, I can only really recommend it on that alone.
Review also posted on my blog.
October 23, 2019
I quite liked this book. The story is about ace MC Abby meeting and dating an Ice Queen with hang ups (all ice queens seem to have them as that’s what makes them Icy) This Ice Queen Gabrielle is forced to be a model instead of an actress and has a history of being used by people and herself using others. Abby used to be a loner but is now making friends. These friends are supportive when she comes out as Ace. Abby is nice and her character is well built. I give this book 3.4 stars.
March 22, 2017
Abby is an introverted librarian happily living a regular life in Brooklyn. But things change when she attends a charity gala with a friend and meets Gabrielle, a famous actress and model. The two connect on the dance floor, and Abby is immediately taken by this lovely woman known in modeling circles as the Ice Queen. And while she can see how Gabrielle has earned this nickname, she also senses a softer side to her. Gabrielle asks Abby on a date, and the two begin to get to know each other, discovering they have a lot of similar interests. But even though Gabrielle seems to let her guard down around Abby, she also has problems opening up about her past. Meanwhile, while Abby finds Gabrielle fascinating, she's worried what will happen to their relationship when she admits she's asexual. She's also dealing with issues in her own personal life related to her library position. Can these two women overcome a variety of obstacles to find love?
This novel definitely follows the trope of a regular gal falling for the rich, remote, often angry lesbian: you have to surrender yourself to that and you'll enjoy the book more (much like watching a romantic comedy). There is a little too much focus at times on the fact that Gabrielle runs hot and cold, and her personal dynamics can be slightly weird at points. Still, even while occasionally annoyed, I found myself intrigued and interested at her reticence and wondering at its cause.
However, the real star of this show isn't Gabrielle, but Abby. Abby is just a real sweetheart. She's truly the force of the book. I personally identified with her and adored her love of books, avoidance of makeup, and general introverted self. She was a well-written character, and I found myself wanting to protect her. The fact she's asexual is interesting, and it really cast a light on a sexual orientation that I knew very little about. It was a good learning experience, honestly.
Much like said romantic comedies I mentioned earlier, a lot of this plot is predictable, but the book was written well-enough that I didn't mind: it's what I had signed up for, after all, and I was happy to be along for the ride. I still was really excited for the outcome and read the entire thing in about 24 hours. Besides, the novel has a hidden depth to it, giving us an interesting commentary on society's expectations about sex and relationships. Plus, Springer inserts some hidden inside jokes about books, literary series, and such. A lot of the novel just made me smile, between Abby, the asides, and the overall resolution. It was surprising and for the most part, very enjoyable. Probably a 3.75 stars, but bumped up to 4 stars due to the way it made me feel. I will definitely seek out the other novels in Springer's Season of Love series (this was actually #2, but it seemed to stand-alone just fine).
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 04/24/2017.
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This novel definitely follows the trope of a regular gal falling for the rich, remote, often angry lesbian: you have to surrender yourself to that and you'll enjoy the book more (much like watching a romantic comedy). There is a little too much focus at times on the fact that Gabrielle runs hot and cold, and her personal dynamics can be slightly weird at points. Still, even while occasionally annoyed, I found myself intrigued and interested at her reticence and wondering at its cause.
However, the real star of this show isn't Gabrielle, but Abby. Abby is just a real sweetheart. She's truly the force of the book. I personally identified with her and adored her love of books, avoidance of makeup, and general introverted self. She was a well-written character, and I found myself wanting to protect her. The fact she's asexual is interesting, and it really cast a light on a sexual orientation that I knew very little about. It was a good learning experience, honestly.
Much like said romantic comedies I mentioned earlier, a lot of this plot is predictable, but the book was written well-enough that I didn't mind: it's what I had signed up for, after all, and I was happy to be along for the ride. I still was really excited for the outcome and read the entire thing in about 24 hours. Besides, the novel has a hidden depth to it, giving us an interesting commentary on society's expectations about sex and relationships. Plus, Springer inserts some hidden inside jokes about books, literary series, and such. A lot of the novel just made me smile, between Abby, the asides, and the overall resolution. It was surprising and for the most part, very enjoyable. Probably a 3.75 stars, but bumped up to 4 stars due to the way it made me feel. I will definitely seek out the other novels in Springer's Season of Love series (this was actually #2, but it seemed to stand-alone just fine).
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 04/24/2017.
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September 19, 2017
It is not an understatement for me to say that I went into Thaw with huge, huge hopes and a sense of absolute wonder. There just are no words for how it feels to find a character in a book who feels exactly the same way you do about something people rarely, if ever, talk about. With passages like these:
-"It wasn’t that she hated the idea of sex, just . . . she didn’t want it. Didn’t need it. But no one else ever seemed to feel that way; in high school, college, and even now in the break room at work, where some of the part-time ladies would talk about their husbands or dates during lunch, sex was always the focus of every relationship."
-"...in front of her. Still, the thought of having someone to spend time with, to talk to, maybe to hold while she slept? It sounded romantic. Perfect. Why was it so difficult for others to contemplate a relationship built on mutual affection, on romantic gestures that didn’t extend into the bedroom? Abby wanted roses and inside jokes, something easy and natural. Sex was a complication she didn’t have any interest in."
-"Abby knew what people had said about her in the past: that she was frigid, weird, broken. That not wanting to have sex made her somehow less than human. And despite that, she’d accepted her asexuality for what it was, never mourned the loss of something she didn’t want in the first place."
There are more deeply meaningful sections like these and the story itself is extremely sincere and moving and is everything I had hoped it would be, with a beautiful friendship/romance being more than enough for both women and characters you cannot help but root for and understand more than you could have ever expected.
I can honestly say I have never read anything like this before; it almost feels like I dreamed it in the best way possible. My words for how special this book is, for how very lovely it is that two people can connect on such a deep level that transcends the physical, are woefully inadequate.
-"It wasn’t that she hated the idea of sex, just . . . she didn’t want it. Didn’t need it. But no one else ever seemed to feel that way; in high school, college, and even now in the break room at work, where some of the part-time ladies would talk about their husbands or dates during lunch, sex was always the focus of every relationship."
-"...in front of her. Still, the thought of having someone to spend time with, to talk to, maybe to hold while she slept? It sounded romantic. Perfect. Why was it so difficult for others to contemplate a relationship built on mutual affection, on romantic gestures that didn’t extend into the bedroom? Abby wanted roses and inside jokes, something easy and natural. Sex was a complication she didn’t have any interest in."
-"Abby knew what people had said about her in the past: that she was frigid, weird, broken. That not wanting to have sex made her somehow less than human. And despite that, she’d accepted her asexuality for what it was, never mourned the loss of something she didn’t want in the first place."
There are more deeply meaningful sections like these and the story itself is extremely sincere and moving and is everything I had hoped it would be, with a beautiful friendship/romance being more than enough for both women and characters you cannot help but root for and understand more than you could have ever expected.
I can honestly say I have never read anything like this before; it almost feels like I dreamed it in the best way possible. My words for how special this book is, for how very lovely it is that two people can connect on such a deep level that transcends the physical, are woefully inadequate.
April 15, 2017
This is the second book in a series. I did not read the first book, though this did not in any way inhibit my understanding of this story. This is only the second book I have ever read where the main character is asexual. I was interested in how this would be portrayed. I felt the author did a really good job with approaching this subject. However, the rest of the romance was a little bit of a mess. The miscommunication trope was way overplayed. I felt very little chemistry between the characters. Probably because they spent very little time together.
I gave 3 stars mainly due to the author's inclusion of someone ace.
I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I gave 3 stars mainly due to the author's inclusion of someone ace.
I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 18, 2017
mmphs, there's always all this kissing in Asexual romances. eww (they want to show intimacy, they don't want/enjoy sex, so . . . lots of kissing; I'd rather fuck than kiss, and I don't really wanna fuck...)
Series: Seasons of Love; Can you read this book without reading any other book in the series? Like I said about the other book I've read in this 4 book series - yes. Though there might be things you'd miss.
I've now read books 2 and 3 - both books include as characters (in level of importance in book 2): Abby (Abigail), Brie (Gabrielle), Nathan, Sara, Tony, Jason. Jason and Tony are barely in book 2; Jason is barely in book 3, though Tony plays a much larger role (at least compared to book 2). Sara stars in book 3; plays a much smaller role in book 2 than I'd have expected. Nathan is Abby's friend, and plays a large role in this book; and is Sara's friend and plays a large-ish role in book 3; Sara, herself, is also Abby's friend and is turned to a few times. Oh, forgot there was a very brief appearance by Laura - she stars in book 3; did Abby's make-up once as a favor in book 2. Brie stars in book 2 and is barely in book 3 (and by star, I mean love interest, this is all Abby's POV show). Abby stars in book 2, and is much less of a part of book 3 than might be expected. I believe I called her something like 'one of the barely seen friends' in my review for book 3. Wow, this paragraph is downright exciting.
Abby is 29 (just like Sara was 29 in book 3; I suspect that if I read book 1 and 4, the two stars there will be listed as being 29 . . . heh, maybe). She works in a library in Brooklyn, and lives in a shoebox apartment with a roommate named Jena. The book opens with her being slutted up, sorry, with her having massive layers of make-up slapped onto her face (by Sara the diner waitress/manager (her job wasn't mentioned in this book, beyond a brief 'stopped by Sara's diner' type mention), and then with a very much 'barely there' dress pulled from Sara's closet (which is vaguely amusing considering what is found in her closet when book three stars Sara - not exactly that type of clothing). Why is she getting all . . . . um, slicked up? As a favor for her friend Nathan who has to go to a charity gala and his rich boyfriend has a meeting or is out of town or something. And Nathan doesn’t want to go by himself. Though he barely pays attention to Abby at the actual party.
Abby, who has quite low self-esteem about her own looks, is hit upon by two people – a man, and a woman. Oddly enough, the man is Tony. Nathan had made some similar comments when he laid eyes upon the dressed up Abby, so when I realized that it was Tony who had approached Abby, I assumed it was something similar. Since Nathan is gay. And Tony spends most of book 3 looking for his ex-boyfriend Gee. Except . . . Tony is serious in his flirtation. Sooo, another bisexual. World be crowded with them. The woman? Gabrielle.
Everyone’s dressed up nicely at the party. Including Gabrielle. But the red number she’s wearing is super alluring and attention getting. She looks, as someone might say, ‘model hot’. Well, I said that that way so I can then say, which is fitting since Gabrielle works as a model. Abby’s eyes are on Gabrielle almost immediately upon seeing a flash of red at the corner of her eye. Of course, as is fitting (that word again!), Abby’s first view of Gabrielle is of her in an angry little argument with some man.
Later, near the end of the party, Gabrielle and Abby dance, and that angry man glares at them as they do. Reoccurring theme, that – angry man glaring at Gabrielle and Abby. He’s a massive dick, that Darren.
Right, so, Gabrielle and Abby flirt, date as the weeks unfold. Meanwhile Abby’s library branch faces possible closure. And, there are several (many?) scenes in which Abby voluntarily goes near her mother so her mother could scream at her and berate her for doing stupid stuff like get a library degree (you’ll only get to work a few years, a decade, with a degree like that!), and/or for allowing herself to be asexual.
Did I not mention that yet? I forget. So, yeah, Abby’s asexual, but not aromantic. She’s actually biromantic. Bioromantic. In love with biology. Pfft. I can’t recall how to spell the word that means that she is romantically interested in both men and women, while, at the same time, being quite uninterested in sex (that’d be the asexual part).
A quite interesting book. There’s an issue where one or the other would suddenly go silent on the other (though I think that’s more of a trick Abby pulls), which is kinda frustrating to read. Go silent as in ignore their texts and phone calls. For days. Or a week or more. Then there’s the issue where the massive ‘conflict point’ occurred, sadness all around and . . . I’m not really sure what exactly I witnessed. The word betrayal was batted around but . . . I’m not exactly sure how that word would ‘fit’ the circumstances of the conflict point. Bah, but never mind.
As noted, good, interesting book. Now if we can just get asexuals to stop slobbering all over each other in books . . ..
Rating: 4.12
July 14 2017
Series: Seasons of Love; Can you read this book without reading any other book in the series? Like I said about the other book I've read in this 4 book series - yes. Though there might be things you'd miss.
I've now read books 2 and 3 - both books include as characters (in level of importance in book 2): Abby (Abigail), Brie (Gabrielle), Nathan, Sara, Tony, Jason. Jason and Tony are barely in book 2; Jason is barely in book 3, though Tony plays a much larger role (at least compared to book 2). Sara stars in book 3; plays a much smaller role in book 2 than I'd have expected. Nathan is Abby's friend, and plays a large role in this book; and is Sara's friend and plays a large-ish role in book 3; Sara, herself, is also Abby's friend and is turned to a few times. Oh, forgot there was a very brief appearance by Laura - she stars in book 3; did Abby's make-up once as a favor in book 2. Brie stars in book 2 and is barely in book 3 (and by star, I mean love interest, this is all Abby's POV show). Abby stars in book 2, and is much less of a part of book 3 than might be expected. I believe I called her something like 'one of the barely seen friends' in my review for book 3. Wow, this paragraph is downright exciting.
Abby is 29 (just like Sara was 29 in book 3; I suspect that if I read book 1 and 4, the two stars there will be listed as being 29 . . . heh, maybe). She works in a library in Brooklyn, and lives in a shoebox apartment with a roommate named Jena. The book opens with her being slutted up, sorry, with her having massive layers of make-up slapped onto her face (by Sara the diner waitress/manager (her job wasn't mentioned in this book, beyond a brief 'stopped by Sara's diner' type mention), and then with a very much 'barely there' dress pulled from Sara's closet (which is vaguely amusing considering what is found in her closet when book three stars Sara - not exactly that type of clothing). Why is she getting all . . . . um, slicked up? As a favor for her friend Nathan who has to go to a charity gala and his rich boyfriend has a meeting or is out of town or something. And Nathan doesn’t want to go by himself. Though he barely pays attention to Abby at the actual party.
Abby, who has quite low self-esteem about her own looks, is hit upon by two people – a man, and a woman. Oddly enough, the man is Tony. Nathan had made some similar comments when he laid eyes upon the dressed up Abby, so when I realized that it was Tony who had approached Abby, I assumed it was something similar. Since Nathan is gay. And Tony spends most of book 3 looking for his ex-boyfriend Gee. Except . . . Tony is serious in his flirtation. Sooo, another bisexual. World be crowded with them. The woman? Gabrielle.
Everyone’s dressed up nicely at the party. Including Gabrielle. But the red number she’s wearing is super alluring and attention getting. She looks, as someone might say, ‘model hot’. Well, I said that that way so I can then say, which is fitting since Gabrielle works as a model. Abby’s eyes are on Gabrielle almost immediately upon seeing a flash of red at the corner of her eye. Of course, as is fitting (that word again!), Abby’s first view of Gabrielle is of her in an angry little argument with some man.
Later, near the end of the party, Gabrielle and Abby dance, and that angry man glares at them as they do. Reoccurring theme, that – angry man glaring at Gabrielle and Abby. He’s a massive dick, that Darren.
Right, so, Gabrielle and Abby flirt, date as the weeks unfold. Meanwhile Abby’s library branch faces possible closure. And, there are several (many?) scenes in which Abby voluntarily goes near her mother so her mother could scream at her and berate her for doing stupid stuff like get a library degree (you’ll only get to work a few years, a decade, with a degree like that!), and/or for allowing herself to be asexual.
Did I not mention that yet? I forget. So, yeah, Abby’s asexual, but not aromantic. She’s actually biromantic. Bioromantic. In love with biology. Pfft. I can’t recall how to spell the word that means that she is romantically interested in both men and women, while, at the same time, being quite uninterested in sex (that’d be the asexual part).
A quite interesting book. There’s an issue where one or the other would suddenly go silent on the other (though I think that’s more of a trick Abby pulls), which is kinda frustrating to read. Go silent as in ignore their texts and phone calls. For days. Or a week or more. Then there’s the issue where the massive ‘conflict point’ occurred, sadness all around and . . . I’m not really sure what exactly I witnessed. The word betrayal was batted around but . . . I’m not exactly sure how that word would ‘fit’ the circumstances of the conflict point. Bah, but never mind.
As noted, good, interesting book. Now if we can just get asexuals to stop slobbering all over each other in books . . ..
Rating: 4.12
July 14 2017
September 13, 2017
Meh, por la preview que nos da amazon (i luv u) puedo decir que esto es una telenovela disfrazada con traje de modelo. Nope.
July 9, 2023
rep; abby (mc) is biromantic asexual. gabrielle (li) is biracial and bisexual.
okay, so i have a whole word document filled with notes and thoughts and excerpts, but i’m just going to say this:
the message that i got from this book is that asexual people who don’t want or enjoy sex should have it anyways to please their partners as a healthy, mature compromise to keep their relationship. and that is a big fucking no from me. the author said in an interview that the book shows that “not every romance relies on sex,” yet she has her asexual character spend literally the entire book saying that no one will date her once they find out she doesn’t want sex, and then forces said asexual character to have sex they don’t want to keep their relationship. i mean. i just. this book’s representation of asexuality and sex just made me feel really uncomfortable the entire time and the fact that it’s own voices (not 100% sure) doesn’t change that.
okay, so i have a whole word document filled with notes and thoughts and excerpts, but i’m just going to say this:
the message that i got from this book is that asexual people who don’t want or enjoy sex should have it anyways to please their partners as a healthy, mature compromise to keep their relationship. and that is a big fucking no from me. the author said in an interview that the book shows that “not every romance relies on sex,” yet she has her asexual character spend literally the entire book saying that no one will date her once they find out she doesn’t want sex, and then forces said asexual character to have sex they don’t want to keep their relationship. i mean. i just. this book’s representation of asexuality and sex just made me feel really uncomfortable the entire time and the fact that it’s own voices (not 100% sure) doesn’t change that.
March 31, 2017
***I was given a review copy by the author in exchange for an honest review***
SUMMARY:
When she escorts her friend to a charity event, Abby meets Gabrielle, a supermodel called the Ice Queen who is so far out of her league, and she's shocked when Gabrielle asks her to dance. Not expecting to hear from Gabrielle again, Abby passes it off as a one time thing. But Gabrielle purses Abby, and soon the two are dating and slowly getting to know one another.
Soon, they're falling in love, but Abby worries that coming out the Gabrielle as asexual may put an end to things. If circumstances in Gabrielle's life doesn't ruin their relationship first.
---------
REVIEW:
I was beyond excited when I first heard about this book. A librarian and a super model falling in love? Yes, please. An asexual main character, where the term is used on page, people accept it without question, and the character isn't ashamed of her sexuality? ABSOLUTELY SIGN ME UP. A character called "Ice Queen"? Hello, have you met my new gf, she is soft and precious and I love her.
Basically, everything about this positively screamed my name, and I pre-ordered it ASAP. So when the author approached and asked me to review it, of course I jumped at the chance. And y'all. Y'ALL. Let me tell you, this book did not let me down. A bit predictable at times, but not enough to detract from a positive reading experience. Abby and Gabrielle, as well as the general plot, were more than enough to keep me entertained and quickly flipping through the pages.
I loved how Abby's asexuality was handled. As I mentioned above, it was so amazing to see a character who is ace and not be tortured about it the whole novel. She was, of course, nervous about sharing this with Gabrielle because, as pretty much every ace spec person knows, people can flip on you at the drop of a hat. But both of Abby's coming out scenes were really incredible for different reasons. The first because her friends, though a tad confused at first, just accepted it and went on like nothing had changed. (Because it hadn't, but still. People can be weird.) And then later, when she comes out to Gabrielle, there's a brief "oh frick" moment where you think this might be about to turn sour, but it all smooths over and they have a conversation about sexuality and sex, and you end up loving both of them even more.
Also, it was so great to watch Abby and Gabrielle's relationship develop, and to see Gabrielle morph from the Ice Queen into soft mush as Abby broke through all her walls. The most wonderful part of Gabrielle's transformation, though, was witnessing her start to break through the cycle of abuse she was caught in with certain people in her life. To watch her begin taking control of her own life and career. Such sweet, relatable victory.
Interspersed throughout the novel are appearances from the characters we first met in WHITEOUT, and it was so great to be able to catch up with them a bit too!
I cannot wait to see more from this series and this author.
SUMMARY:
When she escorts her friend to a charity event, Abby meets Gabrielle, a supermodel called the Ice Queen who is so far out of her league, and she's shocked when Gabrielle asks her to dance. Not expecting to hear from Gabrielle again, Abby passes it off as a one time thing. But Gabrielle purses Abby, and soon the two are dating and slowly getting to know one another.
Soon, they're falling in love, but Abby worries that coming out the Gabrielle as asexual may put an end to things. If circumstances in Gabrielle's life doesn't ruin their relationship first.
---------
REVIEW:
I was beyond excited when I first heard about this book. A librarian and a super model falling in love? Yes, please. An asexual main character, where the term is used on page, people accept it without question, and the character isn't ashamed of her sexuality? ABSOLUTELY SIGN ME UP. A character called "Ice Queen"? Hello, have you met my new gf, she is soft and precious and I love her.
Basically, everything about this positively screamed my name, and I pre-ordered it ASAP. So when the author approached and asked me to review it, of course I jumped at the chance. And y'all. Y'ALL. Let me tell you, this book did not let me down. A bit predictable at times, but not enough to detract from a positive reading experience. Abby and Gabrielle, as well as the general plot, were more than enough to keep me entertained and quickly flipping through the pages.
I loved how Abby's asexuality was handled. As I mentioned above, it was so amazing to see a character who is ace and not be tortured about it the whole novel. She was, of course, nervous about sharing this with Gabrielle because, as pretty much every ace spec person knows, people can flip on you at the drop of a hat. But both of Abby's coming out scenes were really incredible for different reasons. The first because her friends, though a tad confused at first, just accepted it and went on like nothing had changed. (Because it hadn't, but still. People can be weird.) And then later, when she comes out to Gabrielle, there's a brief "oh frick" moment where you think this might be about to turn sour, but it all smooths over and they have a conversation about sexuality and sex, and you end up loving both of them even more.
Also, it was so great to watch Abby and Gabrielle's relationship develop, and to see Gabrielle morph from the Ice Queen into soft mush as Abby broke through all her walls. The most wonderful part of Gabrielle's transformation, though, was witnessing her start to break through the cycle of abuse she was caught in with certain people in her life. To watch her begin taking control of her own life and career. Such sweet, relatable victory.
Interspersed throughout the novel are appearances from the characters we first met in WHITEOUT, and it was so great to be able to catch up with them a bit too!
I cannot wait to see more from this series and this author.
September 2, 2019
I listened to an episode of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books that focused on representations of ace/aro characters in romance, and that made me curious to read something along those lines. I was on a Kindle buying spree and picked up Thaw, which features New York Public Librarian Abby as she navigates a new relationship with a famous actress and a job scare. Like most romance series, other characters have a focus in other volumes but you don't have to start with book one. They are all part of Abby's circle of friends so some of book 1 has a storyline that continues here.
May 7, 2017
Sweet book. I liked the romance and asexual representation. I did find myself skimming whenever the two main characters weren't together. I hope we'll see more ace representation in lesfic!
June 12, 2018
I wish I remembered who tweeted a recommendation for this book so I can go back and see what they said. Because this book was terrible.
First, it takes place in Fake New York, a generic large-ish city that has no resemblance to the actual New York City. This isn't an automatic 'no' for me, but it certainly makes a book start with a negative.
Second, this was definitely recommended as something where you don't need to read the first one first, but I didn't find that to be the case. There were a ton of oblique references to whatever happened with Nathan and the bf. It never came out and said what it was that happened. None of it necessarily stopped me from understanding what was going on in the book. But they were unnecessary and clunky and made the book more confusing than it needed to be. Also, the references didn't make whatever happened with Nathan sound good.
Third, the characters were terrible.
It might have been fine if there was alternating POV so we saw Gabrielle from her own POV. But from Abby's POV Gabrielle was sort of horrible and jerking her around. And yes, that comes from her being caught in an abusive relationship. But just because there's a reason for someone to be terrible doesn't excuse them from being terrible. If Abby had any friends, they should tell her to leave Gabrielle alone. Gabrielle needs several years of therapy before she's ready to be in a relationship.
And Abby was the most wet blanked of wet blanket characters. She had no personality, no internal life and no external life. She had no friends. (Her "friends" didn't really seem like friends. They seemed like friendly acquaintances.) Her roommate who was supposedly a friend from college seemed more like a craigslist stranger. She couldn't think of a single thing she wanted to do or restaurant she wanted to go to in NYC on a date. She kept taking cabs even though she was broke. She was just a nothing person.
And lastly, there was basically no plot to fill the space left by the absence of character. Everything that was happening was happening with Gabrielle, but again because the whole book was in Abby's POV we got a whole lot of nothing.
First, it takes place in Fake New York, a generic large-ish city that has no resemblance to the actual New York City. This isn't an automatic 'no' for me, but it certainly makes a book start with a negative.
Second, this was definitely recommended as something where you don't need to read the first one first, but I didn't find that to be the case. There were a ton of oblique references to whatever happened with Nathan and the bf. It never came out and said what it was that happened. None of it necessarily stopped me from understanding what was going on in the book. But they were unnecessary and clunky and made the book more confusing than it needed to be. Also, the references didn't make whatever happened with Nathan sound good.
Third, the characters were terrible.
It might have been fine if there was alternating POV so we saw Gabrielle from her own POV. But from Abby's POV Gabrielle was sort of horrible and jerking her around. And yes, that comes from her being caught in an abusive relationship. But just because there's a reason for someone to be terrible doesn't excuse them from being terrible. If Abby had any friends, they should tell her to leave Gabrielle alone. Gabrielle needs several years of therapy before she's ready to be in a relationship.
And Abby was the most wet blanked of wet blanket characters. She had no personality, no internal life and no external life. She had no friends. (Her "friends" didn't really seem like friends. They seemed like friendly acquaintances.) Her roommate who was supposedly a friend from college seemed more like a craigslist stranger. She couldn't think of a single thing she wanted to do or restaurant she wanted to go to in NYC on a date. She kept taking cabs even though she was broke. She was just a nothing person.
And lastly, there was basically no plot to fill the space left by the absence of character. Everything that was happening was happening with Gabrielle, but again because the whole book was in Abby's POV we got a whole lot of nothing.
June 23, 2017
When I heard about this #ownvoices asexual f/f romance, I knew I had to read it. And I'm so glad I did!
In this book we get to meet Abby, a librarian girl who is biromantic asexual; and Gabrielle, a famous actress and model who is also bi (I think?). And it's great to see two apparently so different people discovering they have lots of things in common, and slowly falling in love with each other.
I love how their relationship evolves (and how they grow up as individuals as well), how they open up to each other little by little (even though they both have trust issues), and how they talk about and respect boundaries.
The writing might not be the best and the story is a bit predictable, but it's still a cute and important read, and I especially appreciate that the author explores asexuality in such an open, positive, and respectful way.
Thaw is the second book in the Seasons of Love series, but you can read it as a standalone.
*I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
In this book we get to meet Abby, a librarian girl who is biromantic asexual; and Gabrielle, a famous actress and model who is also bi (I think?). And it's great to see two apparently so different people discovering they have lots of things in common, and slowly falling in love with each other.
I love how their relationship evolves (and how they grow up as individuals as well), how they open up to each other little by little (even though they both have trust issues), and how they talk about and respect boundaries.
The writing might not be the best and the story is a bit predictable, but it's still a cute and important read, and I especially appreciate that the author explores asexuality in such an open, positive, and respectful way.
Thaw is the second book in the Seasons of Love series, but you can read it as a standalone.
*I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 20, 2017
4⭐️
Sapphicathon - Ace main character
I really enjoyed this book, it was super sweat and adorable.
I think it was the first time I’ve read a book with an asexual main character so I went into this book with a lot of excitement and it was really nice to get to read about a character that I usually never encounter.
Sapphicathon - Ace main character
I really enjoyed this book, it was super sweat and adorable.
I think it was the first time I’ve read a book with an asexual main character so I went into this book with a lot of excitement and it was really nice to get to read about a character that I usually never encounter.
August 24, 2017
This is the first time I think I've read about an asexual main character in a romance and it made me want to read more in this vein. Elyse Springer's series has been a happy discovery. Both Abby and Gabrielle were such interesting characters in and of themselves and watching Abby wrestle with her asexuality in the context of a relationship was fascinating. I loved how Abby's librarianship played such a big role in this story and the way their love of books deepened their connection. I do wish this novel had been longer because they've barely begun to date before the big conflict results and then the declarations of love after they reconciled felt rushed, especially given the issues they hadn't yet dealt with. I wanted to see more about how Abby's asexuality would play out in their dating relationship and I'm hoping we'll get some glimpses as the series continues. The grand gesture at the end is vying for my favorite grand gesture ever!
December 15, 2017
3.5 stars
Thaw is lovely romance novel and a quick enjoyable read. It's book 2 of the series but you don't have to read the first book, all the books in the series are standalones, I didn't and my reading experience wasn't affected by it at all.
The novel is about biromantic asexual librarian Abby who goes to a gala with an actor friend and meets a stunning actress/model Gabrielle. Gabrielle is sapphic and biracial young woman. I think both of them are in their late 20s. We follow their first dates, learn about Abby's friends and her job. There are subplot about saving a library and mysteries around Gabrielle's life. The story is told in one pov - Abby's.
While I liked reading the book, the story lacked a certain spark for me. I appreciate all the elements, I like the setting and the characters are well fleshed-out, but I found myself catching up on looking at page count.
Thaw is lovely NA f/f romance and it has #ownvoices rep for asexuality. I encourage you to give the book a chance.
Sapphicathon Bingo: Book 2: Ace Spec MC
Thaw is lovely romance novel and a quick enjoyable read. It's book 2 of the series but you don't have to read the first book, all the books in the series are standalones, I didn't and my reading experience wasn't affected by it at all.
The novel is about biromantic asexual librarian Abby who goes to a gala with an actor friend and meets a stunning actress/model Gabrielle. Gabrielle is sapphic and biracial young woman. I think both of them are in their late 20s. We follow their first dates, learn about Abby's friends and her job. There are subplot about saving a library and mysteries around Gabrielle's life. The story is told in one pov - Abby's.
While I liked reading the book, the story lacked a certain spark for me. I appreciate all the elements, I like the setting and the characters are well fleshed-out, but I found myself catching up on looking at page count.
Thaw is lovely NA f/f romance and it has #ownvoices rep for asexuality. I encourage you to give the book a chance.
Sapphicathon Bingo: Book 2: Ace Spec MC
May 26, 2020
Enjoyed it, very cute. Also yay ace rep!! Important!!!
February 20, 2017
Thaw is the second book in the Seasons of Love series, brings back the character of Abby, who so briefly appeared in Whiteout. For people who haven't read that first, it's not required reading in order to understand this one, but it's definitely worth the read because it's fun as hell.
Like Whiteout, Thaw heavily utilises a trope that I personally am fond of to pull its narrative together. Abby happens to meet Gabrielle by chance, only vaguely realising that she's a famous model before Gabrielle asks her to dance.
Abby, by contrast, is a normal young woman in a job that pays her only just enough to live on. Her life could not be more different to that of Gabrielle. At the same time, Abby is told that her library job may not be around for much longer due to council funding reasons that seemed all too plausible.
If everyone could write a character like Gabrielle, who so clearly speaks English with an accent, who holds herself up to a certain standard even when she's relaxing from her Ice Queen exterior, and with such clear body language that it comes through off the page as if you were watching a moving picture, I feel as though the quality of literature would vastly improve.
On the other hand, while the characterisation of Gabrielle was fantastic and unique, I found that some of the interactions between Abby and Gabrielle lacked something. I kept waiting for the heat, the obvious shows of affection that would lead to the love both woman experience. It just wasn't there on the page for me. I don't think that everyone will necessarily read it this way; I think that was just my take on the romance.
I particularly liked the point where Gabrielle was offered a role in Hamilton, although I was sad to see that the theme of Rent wasn't continued in this book, despite the series name.
May 26, 2017
So, I think I've established that I'm a fan of M/M romance, but F/F? Not so much. Don't ask me why, because I have no reasonable explanation. I just can't get into them and believe me, I've tried. So, why didn't I even hesitate to pick up Thaw? Well, that's simple. I fell in love with the characters in Whiteout and I couldn't resist seeing where the rest of the books in Elyse Springer's Seasons of Love series took them.
Abby was one of my favorite supporting characters in Whiteout. She was a great friend to Noah and in Thaw, he got to return the favor. I really enjoyed getting to know her even better, as well as a few other characters from the first book. Abby gained quite a few friends when she became friends with Noah.
Gabrielle had earned her reputation as the Ice Queen honestly, but Abby saw something in her that others hadn't. The same was true of Gabrielle's reaction to Abby. She didn't let her guard down or open herself up to many people. There was something about Abby that drew her in and let her relax, just a little. That was enough. What little time they got to spend together alone was good. When they were out in the open, things were tense. There was more than one misunderstanding and one that finally was the last straw for Abby. Things aren't always what they seem and secrets have a way of hurting the last people you'd expect. My heart broke for both of these characters equally at different times during Thaw. They were both fighting their own private battles and I couldn't help but root for their HEA because by the end, they totally deserved it.
If Thaw was any indication, I'm pretty sure that readers haven't seen the last of Gabrielle and Abby. I like it when a series keeps characters together, especially since they've been so supportive of each other. That seems to be a theme in this series. Heatwave is next and it's another F/F book in the Seasons of Love series. It also features another one of my favorite characters from both Thaw and Whiteout. Seems that Sara will be in for some surprises of her own and I can't wait ;)
I received Thaw in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Abby was one of my favorite supporting characters in Whiteout. She was a great friend to Noah and in Thaw, he got to return the favor. I really enjoyed getting to know her even better, as well as a few other characters from the first book. Abby gained quite a few friends when she became friends with Noah.
Gabrielle had earned her reputation as the Ice Queen honestly, but Abby saw something in her that others hadn't. The same was true of Gabrielle's reaction to Abby. She didn't let her guard down or open herself up to many people. There was something about Abby that drew her in and let her relax, just a little. That was enough. What little time they got to spend together alone was good. When they were out in the open, things were tense. There was more than one misunderstanding and one that finally was the last straw for Abby. Things aren't always what they seem and secrets have a way of hurting the last people you'd expect. My heart broke for both of these characters equally at different times during Thaw. They were both fighting their own private battles and I couldn't help but root for their HEA because by the end, they totally deserved it.
If Thaw was any indication, I'm pretty sure that readers haven't seen the last of Gabrielle and Abby. I like it when a series keeps characters together, especially since they've been so supportive of each other. That seems to be a theme in this series. Heatwave is next and it's another F/F book in the Seasons of Love series. It also features another one of my favorite characters from both Thaw and Whiteout. Seems that Sara will be in for some surprises of her own and I can't wait ;)
I received Thaw in exchange for a fair and honest review.
October 20, 2019
Another book that conflates love with romance, and sex with lust and envy and pettiness. I am pretty sure the author is not ace and has never met an ace person. (edit: I just saw that the author is, in fact, ace, and I have to say that it makes me even more disappointed in this depiction, although I apologize for the assumption.)
The writing is technically barely passable, to the point of having the MC know the LI's name before asking her in the very first pages... The storytelling also keeps hitting you on the head with all its self-congratulation for its cleverness and subtlety and nuanced understanding of people.
To be fair, it's not really worse than your usual lesfic, but I'm angry at the depiction of asexuality. I don't know one asexual who blushes at the mention of sex, and who does not shamelessly playfully flirt and instigate very explicit innuendos with friends.
I know any experience is subjective, especially on such topics, but I am also extremely tired that the ace characters are always reduced to this narrative that they are uncomfortable with their identity, that they feel like freaks or monsters or that something is wrong with them, and/or that they expect their romantic interest to break things off without trying to understand. I agree that this is definitely a major concern in the community, but I can't say that (m)any of the authors who tackle this topic do it justice, that is without being so reductionist.
The closer anyone got to it imo is Elizabeth Moon in Sheepfarmer's Daughter, although she ruined it in the last book of the trilogy. (I would still recommend the first book, if you like low fantasy, and want to see a well-written asexual character.)
The writing is technically barely passable, to the point of having the MC know the LI's name before asking her in the very first pages... The storytelling also keeps hitting you on the head with all its self-congratulation for its cleverness and subtlety and nuanced understanding of people.
To be fair, it's not really worse than your usual lesfic, but I'm angry at the depiction of asexuality. I don't know one asexual who blushes at the mention of sex, and who does not shamelessly playfully flirt and instigate very explicit innuendos with friends.
I know any experience is subjective, especially on such topics, but I am also extremely tired that the ace characters are always reduced to this narrative that they are uncomfortable with their identity, that they feel like freaks or monsters or that something is wrong with them, and/or that they expect their romantic interest to break things off without trying to understand. I agree that this is definitely a major concern in the community, but I can't say that (m)any of the authors who tackle this topic do it justice, that is without being so reductionist.
The closer anyone got to it imo is Elizabeth Moon in Sheepfarmer's Daughter, although she ruined it in the last book of the trilogy. (I would still recommend the first book, if you like low fantasy, and want to see a well-written asexual character.)
July 8, 2017
Title: Thaw
Author: Elyse Springer
Series: Seasons of Love #2
Publisher: Riptide
Reviewer: Mollien
Release Date: April 22, 2017
Genre(s): Female/Female Romance
Page Count: 204 pages
Heat Level: 1 flames out of 5
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Blurb:
Review:
This is the second book in the Seasons of Love Series. I did not read the first book, Whiteout, but that didn’t affect my enjoyment of the second book, Thaw. I believe that the series is comprised of four different standalone novels. Thaw takes place in Brooklyn and Manhattan. If you have read my reviews you know that I love anything that brings me back to my Brooklyn roots. Abigail is a librarian who works in one of the Brooklyn branches slotted to be closed due to budget cuts. She lives a pretty solitary life surrounded by books at work and at home. Her good friend, Nathan ropes her into attending a charity ball with him as his plus 1. Nathan’s partner is out of town for business. Totally out of place, Abigail keeps to the sidelines, but when asked to dance by one of the famous directors, Tony, she spots a beautiful woman in red. Gabrielle has a reputation for being an ice queen. A former actress and now high fashion model, with many secrets. The chemistry between Abigail and Gabrielle starts off tentative. Abigail is not sure what Gabrielle sees in her, besides the fact that Gabrielle is very hot and cold, never wanting to talk about herself. The relationship moves into a strong friendship, but Abigail has her doubts and although Gabrielle is taking things slowly. Abigail is sure that Gabrielle will lose interest when she finds out that Abigail is Asexual. The story moves along quickly. There is tension between Gabrielle and her manager and Abigail is afraid of losing her job with the possible branch closing. The story has a pretty predictable happy ever after ending that was enjoyable. The character development was pretty strong and grew as the story progressed. This was a new genre for me. Although this story was listed as a lesbian romance. Abigail’s asexuality gave this story a different twist.
PLOT: 4 Stars
CHEMISTRY: 4 Stars
PACING:4 Stars
ENDING: 4 Stars
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 5 Stars
Review Copy of Thaw provided by the Riptide Publishing I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Reviewed by Mollien from Alpha Book Club
Author: Elyse Springer
Series: Seasons of Love #2
Publisher: Riptide
Reviewer: Mollien
Release Date: April 22, 2017
Genre(s): Female/Female Romance
Page Count: 204 pages
Heat Level: 1 flames out of 5
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Blurb:
Abigail is content with her quiet life as a librarian. But when she’s invited to a high-profile charity auction, she finds herself dancing with one of the most beautiful women she’s ever met. Abby’s sure she’ll never see her again, but then Gabrielle calls and asks her on a date. And soon after, another.
Supermodel Gabrielle Levesque has a reputation as the Ice Queen — cold and untouchable — except she warms up whenever she’s with Abby. Only Abby isn’t interested in the heat between them; she’s asexual, and she’s worried that admitting as much to Gabrielle might spell the end of their blooming romance.
They’re two different women from two very different worlds, but Abby knows she can love Gabrielle. Her passion for books, travel, and theater prove there’s more to the Ice Queen than meets the eye. But they’ll have to overcome Abby’s fears — and Gabrielle’s own threatening secrets — in order to find their way to love.
Review:
This is the second book in the Seasons of Love Series. I did not read the first book, Whiteout, but that didn’t affect my enjoyment of the second book, Thaw. I believe that the series is comprised of four different standalone novels. Thaw takes place in Brooklyn and Manhattan. If you have read my reviews you know that I love anything that brings me back to my Brooklyn roots. Abigail is a librarian who works in one of the Brooklyn branches slotted to be closed due to budget cuts. She lives a pretty solitary life surrounded by books at work and at home. Her good friend, Nathan ropes her into attending a charity ball with him as his plus 1. Nathan’s partner is out of town for business. Totally out of place, Abigail keeps to the sidelines, but when asked to dance by one of the famous directors, Tony, she spots a beautiful woman in red. Gabrielle has a reputation for being an ice queen. A former actress and now high fashion model, with many secrets. The chemistry between Abigail and Gabrielle starts off tentative. Abigail is not sure what Gabrielle sees in her, besides the fact that Gabrielle is very hot and cold, never wanting to talk about herself. The relationship moves into a strong friendship, but Abigail has her doubts and although Gabrielle is taking things slowly. Abigail is sure that Gabrielle will lose interest when she finds out that Abigail is Asexual. The story moves along quickly. There is tension between Gabrielle and her manager and Abigail is afraid of losing her job with the possible branch closing. The story has a pretty predictable happy ever after ending that was enjoyable. The character development was pretty strong and grew as the story progressed. This was a new genre for me. Although this story was listed as a lesbian romance. Abigail’s asexuality gave this story a different twist.
PLOT: 4 Stars
CHEMISTRY: 4 Stars
PACING:4 Stars
ENDING: 4 Stars
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 5 Stars
Review Copy of Thaw provided by the Riptide Publishing I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Reviewed by Mollien from Alpha Book Club
January 23, 2023
2.5 stars. This review contains mild spoilers
I liked Abby, maybe because we were in her POV and spent the most time with her, but she felt down-to-earth, caring and relatable. What I struggled with was understanding her attraction to Gabrielle. The book kept going on about how Gabrielle was both incredibly closed off but also that Abby found her interesting with lots of hidden depths, but I never felt like I was shown those depths. Was it that Gabrielle liked books and acting? Or that she had a cold facade? I'm not sure, because the book didn't make it very clear in my opinion. Mostly I felt that Abby forgave Gabrielle a bit too easily for things like sneakily finding out Abby's address without asking for it, and bringing Abby to spend a whole day at Gabrielle's job where she had to just sit around on her own and be insulted by Gabrielle's manager.
The depiction of asexuality worked great for me when it came to Abby as a singular character, but I didn't feel like it was explored enough in the context of their relationship. The whole issue Abby had with telling Gabrielle that she's asexual was that she worried Gabrielle wouldn't date her anymore if sex was off the table, but then when Abby finally tells Gabrielle that she's ace Abby also says that she's actually fine with having sex? I understand that people can change their mind on what they're comfortable with, but it felt weird to me that the book would make such a big deal of her not wanting to have sex (she specifically says to a friend "I don't want to have sex with [Gabrielle]") only be fine with it in the end. Yes, this could be a sign that she is more willing to compromise with someone who she has fallen in love with than someone she doesn't know that well yet, but I just didn't really vibe with it personally.
Gabrielle has no problem with Abby being ace since Gabrielle has personal issues with sex anyway. But I felt like the conversation was only half finished. Are they going to have sex? What is the compromise, what are the limits? Gabrielle is allistic and hasn't found sex fulfilling when having it with people who use it as as a bargaining chip, but would she feel about having sex with a loving partner and how do they deal with that? There were just so many unanswered questions that remained when this book was done, which made it hard for me to feel like it was a satisfying HEA.
I liked Abby, maybe because we were in her POV and spent the most time with her, but she felt down-to-earth, caring and relatable. What I struggled with was understanding her attraction to Gabrielle. The book kept going on about how Gabrielle was both incredibly closed off but also that Abby found her interesting with lots of hidden depths, but I never felt like I was shown those depths. Was it that Gabrielle liked books and acting? Or that she had a cold facade? I'm not sure, because the book didn't make it very clear in my opinion. Mostly I felt that Abby forgave Gabrielle a bit too easily for things like sneakily finding out Abby's address without asking for it, and bringing Abby to spend a whole day at Gabrielle's job where she had to just sit around on her own and be insulted by Gabrielle's manager.
The depiction of asexuality worked great for me when it came to Abby as a singular character, but I didn't feel like it was explored enough in the context of their relationship. The whole issue Abby had with telling Gabrielle that she's asexual was that she worried Gabrielle wouldn't date her anymore if sex was off the table, but then when Abby finally tells Gabrielle that she's ace Abby also says that she's actually fine with having sex? I understand that people can change their mind on what they're comfortable with, but it felt weird to me that the book would make such a big deal of her not wanting to have sex (she specifically says to a friend "I don't want to have sex with [Gabrielle]") only be fine with it in the end. Yes, this could be a sign that she is more willing to compromise with someone who she has fallen in love with than someone she doesn't know that well yet, but I just didn't really vibe with it personally.
Gabrielle has no problem with Abby being ace since Gabrielle has personal issues with sex anyway. But I felt like the conversation was only half finished. Are they going to have sex? What is the compromise, what are the limits? Gabrielle is allistic and hasn't found sex fulfilling when having it with people who use it as as a bargaining chip, but would she feel about having sex with a loving partner and how do they deal with that? There were just so many unanswered questions that remained when this book was done, which made it hard for me to feel like it was a satisfying HEA.
April 26, 2017
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
This is the second in the series - and the blurb states that it does not matter the order of reading; however some big hints are made about the previous couple twist, so I would advise reading in order if you can. That this works as a standalone is definitely true too.
I found this to be a very enjoyable read, which had a good plot, twists and some super friends moments. It considers an issue which is rarely discussed, certainly not often in romance novels, and it does so very effectively I think. Both Abby and Gabrielle are interesting people, with very different career paths, but as they discover, many similar likes and concerns. They both do something very caring for each other with no expectation of thanks or recompense, which seals the deal.
Lovely story, great outcome; thank you Ms Springer.
This is the second in the series - and the blurb states that it does not matter the order of reading; however some big hints are made about the previous couple twist, so I would advise reading in order if you can. That this works as a standalone is definitely true too.
I found this to be a very enjoyable read, which had a good plot, twists and some super friends moments. It considers an issue which is rarely discussed, certainly not often in romance novels, and it does so very effectively I think. Both Abby and Gabrielle are interesting people, with very different career paths, but as they discover, many similar likes and concerns. They both do something very caring for each other with no expectation of thanks or recompense, which seals the deal.
Lovely story, great outcome; thank you Ms Springer.
August 5, 2020
You know that feeling where you pick up a book and it feels familiar and comfortable? Thaw hit that for me. This book hits the fun tropes of romance novels and the familiar ones of coming-out stories and merged them into a story that makes you laugh, cry, and blush. Putting these genres together has made what can be tired tropes new again, and it was a delight to read!
While I am allosexual (I can feel sexual attraction/"opposite" of asexual), I still identified strongly with the main character, as I want to do when reading romance novels. She may be a bit more against makeup than I am, but she is down to earth and willing to explore new situations, even when they make her feel out of place. I enjoyed coming with her on her journey to get to know her gorgeous mysterious stranger and to try to save her library.
While I am allosexual (I can feel sexual attraction/"opposite" of asexual), I still identified strongly with the main character, as I want to do when reading romance novels. She may be a bit more against makeup than I am, but she is down to earth and willing to explore new situations, even when they make her feel out of place. I enjoyed coming with her on her journey to get to know her gorgeous mysterious stranger and to try to save her library.
October 25, 2021
This was the final book in the series for me** and I'm so sad.
**for some reason I started with Book 3, then went on to 4, then 1 & finally 2. Going out of ordered didn't hurt things one bit. It's just a perfect series!
I've never read a book with an asexual hero/heroine and I really appreciated how the explanation and handling of this unique sexual orientation. Both of the characters, as were all the other books in the series, were fantastically fleshed out and grippingly real. And after reading that the author herself is ace, just made all of what happened on the pages that much more wonderful.
I will hold Abby and Gabrielle, two terrifically strong women, in my heart for years and years to come.
**for some reason I started with Book 3, then went on to 4, then 1 & finally 2. Going out of ordered didn't hurt things one bit. It's just a perfect series!
I've never read a book with an asexual hero/heroine and I really appreciated how the explanation and handling of this unique sexual orientation. Both of the characters, as were all the other books in the series, were fantastically fleshed out and grippingly real. And after reading that the author herself is ace, just made all of what happened on the pages that much more wonderful.
I will hold Abby and Gabrielle, two terrifically strong women, in my heart for years and years to come.
July 10, 2017
This book has ace rep that i needed and i like it for that alone. But some of the part of this book seems kinda meh and i'm conflicted whether i like it or not.
Maybe the latter. Because, while it has Great Ace Rep this book badly presented Gabrielle. Bi/Pan black woman as love interest of Abby. She's only okay when Abby said she's ace because Gabrielle seeing sex as 'currency'. Gabrielle also stalked Abby and it was forgotten in this page... just like that. These only two examples but i figure i could find more... nevermind, i'm tired.
But, well... Ace 🙌 Rep 🙌 isn't badly represented.
Maybe the latter. Because, while it has Great Ace Rep this book badly presented Gabrielle. Bi/Pan black woman as love interest of Abby. She's only okay when Abby said she's ace because Gabrielle seeing sex as 'currency'. Gabrielle also stalked Abby and it was forgotten in this page... just like that. These only two examples but i figure i could find more... nevermind, i'm tired.
But, well... Ace 🙌 Rep 🙌 isn't badly represented.
June 10, 2018
Wonderful
A unique love story about an introverted librarian who is asexual and biromantic, who meets a beautiful actress and model who is known as the Ice Queen because of her cold, unforgiving disposition and sparks fly. The story is well paced, doling out information about the elusive Gabrielle in a slow, measured manner, allowing the reader to wonder, along with Abby, who the real person behind the Ice Queen is. The characters are well developed and the chemistry between both the leading ladies and Abby and her friends is fantastic. Highly recommended!
A unique love story about an introverted librarian who is asexual and biromantic, who meets a beautiful actress and model who is known as the Ice Queen because of her cold, unforgiving disposition and sparks fly. The story is well paced, doling out information about the elusive Gabrielle in a slow, measured manner, allowing the reader to wonder, along with Abby, who the real person behind the Ice Queen is. The characters are well developed and the chemistry between both the leading ladies and Abby and her friends is fantastic. Highly recommended!
August 15, 2020
Librarian meets model at a party.
Pro:
Well written asexual MC - Abby captures my heart from the first page.
What you see is not always who someone is - I really like that Gabrielle is attracted to Abby for Abbys personality and quirkiness. It feels real.
Don’t judge before you know the story - I like how the author makes us question the bad rumor Gabrielle has by slowly showing how she’s not responsible for it.
Non glamorous modeling
Con:
Some of the drama added unnecessary hurt to one of the MCs - This greatly decreased the reading pleasure for me. I felt like the trust between the MCs wouldn’t have recovered. If you enjoy high angst, this might not be such a big turn-off for you as it was for me.
Pro:
Well written asexual MC - Abby captures my heart from the first page.
What you see is not always who someone is - I really like that Gabrielle is attracted to Abby for Abbys personality and quirkiness. It feels real.
Don’t judge before you know the story - I like how the author makes us question the bad rumor Gabrielle has by slowly showing how she’s not responsible for it.
Non glamorous modeling
Con:
Some of the drama added unnecessary hurt to one of the MCs - This greatly decreased the reading pleasure for me. I felt like the trust between the MCs wouldn’t have recovered. If you enjoy high angst, this might not be such a big turn-off for you as it was for me.
May 27, 2024
Hat mir ganz gut gefallen, hätte noch ein bisschen tiefer sein können. Die Love Story hat sich noch ein bisschen zu oberflächlich angefühlt. Aber hatte süsse Momente und realistische Lebensrealitäten aufgenommen.
Rep:
Ace & Biromantische Hauptfigur, Schwule Nebencharaktere.
Rep:
Ace & Biromantische Hauptfigur, Schwule Nebencharaktere.
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