Watermark

Touchwood #2

by Karin Kallmaker

In this sizzling sequel to the lesbian romance, "Touchwood", Teresa Mandrell comes to terms with the rude advertising executive, Rayann Germaine, who changed the course of her life.

Genres: Lesbian, Romance, LGBT, Lesbian Romance, Lesbian Fiction, Fiction, Queer

240 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1999

About the author

Karin Kallmaker has been exclusively devoted to lesbian fiction since the publication of her first novel in 1989. As an author published by the storied Naiad Press, she worked with Barbara Grier and Donna McBride, and has been fortunate to be mentored by a number of editors, including Katherine V. Forrest.

In addition to multiple Lambda Literary Awards, she has been featured as a Stonewall Library and Archives Distinguished Author. Other accolades include the Ann Bannon Popular Choice and other awards for her writing, as well as the selection as a Trailblazer by the Golden Crown Literary Society. She is best known for novels such as Painted Moon, Simply the Best, Touchwood, The Kiss that Counted and Captain of Industry.

The California native is the mother of two and lives with her wife in the Bay Area. You can catch her blogs at Romance and Chocolate: https://kallmaker.com/blog/. Find her on social media by searching for "Kallmaker" - there's only one.

Reviews

[MD · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
Touchwood needs to be read before starting this one.
What can I say?, we get to know Rayann and Louisa story in Touchwood, but I feel like I really get to know Louisa in Watermark isn't weird?
I have so many feelings about this book, sad, angry, cheated but somehow hopeful, I like Rayann, the author did a great job with her, I was feeling what she was feeling and that is remarkable.

I think that everyone should read Touchwood and Watermark at some point in their lives even though you probably won't be very happy at the end.

[Jo reece · Rating 3 out of 5]

How do you write a review without spoiling the whole story line?

I had the 'What the fu*k' moment like (i'm guessing) the rest of the readers who have read 'Touchwood' first before 'Watermark' . Like most probably felt cheated out of the fairy-tale ending that was the conclusion of the 1st book, and really did consider not carrying on with Watermark. The thing that did get me to continue, was Rayann's character, it is very well written which makes you feel close to her and you get a more understanding of her character, (without dropping a spoiler) all the emotions and physically feelings are there when you are dealing with the kind of situation her path as taken, as well as her friends who 'push' her on wards.

Teresa on the other hand, really couldn't take to her character maybe this was because of the strong bond which was built up between Louisa and Rayann in Touchwood and i just didn't want that to disappear. I found her to be self absorbed and juvenile, more like a teenager, but maybe that's how it was supposed to be written, a completely different type of relationship.

all in all, it was a good read..... left me fucking guttered! but I still enjoyed it.... 3.5.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sequel to Touchwood and continuation of Rayann and Louise's journey.
This is a heavier story that now includes Teresa with her own problems and the path she follows.
Kallmaker doesn't hold back in this emotional tale that I have read many times over the years and highly recommend.

[Jem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Watermark is the lovely sequel to Touchwood. People who read TouchWood should definitely continue on to this book. In fact, even though Louisa isn't actually in the book, we get a much better idea now of why Rayann is so in love with Louisa, the woman who is 27 years her senior, as opposed to just being totally in lust with her, as was my impression from Touchwood. On the other hand, people who have not read Touchwood should definitely pick that one up first to better appreciate Rayann's character.

Watermark is about loving and losing and the possibility of finding love again. It is about grief and dealing with it (or not) and acceptance of fate, and as such, is not a light read at all. But the gravity is well balanced by the trials and travails of Teresa, a newly-minted art school graduate. Juxtaposed against Rayann's depressing journey is Teresa's own rocky road to maturity. When their paths cross again after the initial disastrous first encounter, Teresa finds herself falling in love with a woman who can't seem to love her back. And even if she does, how can she ever compete with perfection? Both of these ladies journeys are very well done. There is lots of angst, naturally, considering the subject matter, but it never devolves into hokey melodrama. I like that the ending isn't the usual "neatly tied up in a bow" one that we get with romances. People who need that kind of ending can always look it up in Frosting on the Cake. One of the short stories there called 'Tapestry' gives a pretty good closure to this pair of ladies.

P.S. Love the title of the book. It is Louisa in one word. :)

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. I was prepared but fuck this still had me sobbing. It hurt. This book isn’t as good as Touchwood as I didn’t find it as romantic and sweeping however it is realistic, painfully so. Love after loss and grief are the main themes of this novel and I think Kallmaker handled them beautifully. Rayann’s pain is visceral and it shaped and changed her. Louisa dies but she’s still an important part to the story. Rayann has to learn to open herself up to finding love again without feeling like she’s betraying Louisa and it was sad and realistic.

Teresa, our new main character and love interest is younger than Rayann and also hates her. I really liked how the relationship between them developed. It's not really romantic, it feels too real. It's awkward and full of missed opportunities and bad timing. Hell, the way this ended isn't even a solidified HEA but moreso open to see where things could go. I just really appreciated this book. If you want a HEA, stop at Touchwood but I would definitely recommend this book. It's one that I feel like will really stick with me.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your typical romance.

I’m letting my emotions lead with this review and rating. It wasn’t perfect, but had me feeling a lot of things, and I couldn’t put it down. I shed a lot of tears, and really felt for Theresa, Rayann, and of course, Louisa. Theresa’s growth, and the journey Rayann went through (and really, will never finish) was very satisfying to read about. I also liked the way things wrapped up, because it felt more realistic than a traditional HEA for a book that dealt so heavily with grief. I do wish the book had been longer, and that Theresa and Rayann had spent more time on page together, but overall a very satisfying read.

[Alealea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm binge-reading Karin Kallmaker's books this month.

Well oops, there are two books with those characters and I read the second one first.

So it will be interesting to read the first romance but I will have a bittersweet taste of knowing the end-end and I probably spoiled myself some minor intrigues but heck, this 2nd romance turns out to be a good story.

I wasn't so sure that the younger character wasn't going to be stuck into stalker-maniac behavior but I'm relieved to say she didn't.
And the pace is good. It could be even slower but still. It's really well-written, this conflicted relationships between one woman growing up and the another one struggling with grief. And I like that in the end...

both characters don't know if it will be ever after but they just decide to give it a chance


The writer tropes seems to be
> awful birth families
> bereavement (a big one)
> light miscommunication or misconception
> lava-hot sex scene

[Orcbard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a rather short book, I finished it in a day. 70% drama and 30% romance. Both main characters have strong backstories and supporting cast, to the point they didn't have to interact with each other (and they didn't) to have their own fully fleshed out stories.

Rayann's story was especially heartbreaking and real. Teresa was such a brat, but I kinda liked that.

It ended rather abruptedly, just as the relationship began. Good sequel, not a very good romance.

[Scruffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning: contains emotional rollercoaster, may cause unstoppable tears when read in public.

[Kym Olsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was heart breaking to read after only just finishing Touchwood. Half of me wanted to cry while the other half wanted to scream at the author "why?".

It isn't a easy book to read, beautifully written like always with Kallmaker but so hard! If you want Louisa and Rayann to have their happily ever after I wouldn't recommend you read this.

The ending of hope was uplifting after such an emotional roller coaster ride.

[Mary St Laurent Sheehan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Touchwood and fell in love with both of the characters. Because of that, this book was such a heartbreaker - like almost sobbing while reading it. I do feel this book was good only because wanted to read more of the characters from book 1, but other than that, it's just OK. It jumps around a lot and skips over time so often that you only get bits and pieces of the MC's. It's understandable on the side of Rayann because of book 1 and because of the storyline and needing time to pass before Rayann can move on; but for Teresa, I feel like too much was missing - her story is too scattered and patchy.

The kindle edition is riddled with typos, missing words, grammar errors and formatting inconsistencies. It seems as though it never went through an editor... I was very frustrated reading it especially because I could only find it digitally for more money than I wanted to spend. It definitely wasn't worth the money I spent due to the terrible editing.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of overcoming grief and finding life after tragedy

This book left me with a lot of feelings to mull over, so ill be brief.

This book is extremely well written. It explores tragedy and grief. In great detail. Parts were very difficult to get through, though, because of some recent tragedies in my own life I found the book comforting. I enjoyed my time with the book quite a bit.

My major complaint is the resolution and end of the story feels abrupt. I wanted more time with the characters after they turned over a new leaf rather then the leaf turning being the ending. Still, I enjoyed the ending and its hopeful notes in my own way.

A worthy sequel to Touchwood, one of my favorite reads this year.

[Maria Magdalena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Watermark is the lovely sequel to Touchwood.
People who read TouchWood should definitely continue on to this book as we get a much better idea now of why Rayann is so in love with Louisa, the woman who is 27 years her senior, as opposed to just being totally in lust with her.
It is a hard story to read. Lots of anguish.
But it is also the story of Teresa and her attraction to Ryann after initially hating her, untill she found out the reason for Rayann's coldness.
For me I had a problem coming to grips with Ryann's ultimate attraction to the much younger Teresa, after obviously been attracted to older women/woman?

[Mayra Luria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story but heart wrenching , so be prepared to shed some tears. You really need to read Touchwood first to get the flow of the story. Karin Kallmaker is such a word magician that you can't help but get lost in the lives of her MC's and so become invested in their lives. I hope there is a third book with a definite HEA or a short novella of five years down the road.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the long awaited sequel to Touchwood. The first part is exceptionally sad. The second part shows the main character coming to life again. It was a moving book, but I didn't think it as good as Touchwood.

[Dide · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intense and hopeful. Glad I read Touchwood prior to reading this book, the author's narrations are wonderful. I always look forward to a Karin Kallmaker novel

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oddly, I enjoyed this more than it's predecessor. The characters were much more relatable in this story than in the first one.

[PJ Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a classic

I love reading Kallmaker and the continuation of the Touchwood characters. Couldn't out it down. Reading Kallmaker is joyful and enjoyable.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a gut-wrencher. I enjoyed the story but my Kindle edition was so riddled with typos and bad formatting that it was a bit of a chore to read and I was definitely taken out of the flow of the story repeatedly.

[Kayla Brahm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughtful, and Emotionally Resonant

This book will break your heart and then slowly mend it. Kallmaker draws readers into a world where love is tangled with loss, and healing requires both vulnerability and courage. The romance develops with a quiet intensity, and the connection between the leads feels authentic and hard-won.

While the pacing can be slower in places and the tone more contemplative than in some of Kallmaker’s lighter romances, Watermark rewards patient readers with depth, nuance, and a satisfying emotional payoff. It’s a moving exploration of second chances and the imprint love leaves behind.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something is skates missing in relationship development. Just enough to be noticed. I never really understand why the characters are falling. Frustrating.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A "Reader's Choice" book about the daughter of a papermaker in 1320. The Inquisition has come to this small French village. Auda is targeted because she was born an albino and is thought to be a witch. The details of life among the poor was interesting, as was the art of making paper. Pretty good for a first novel.

[Bib · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew Louisa was going to die before I read the book, what I did not expect to find was her alive and suffering after the accident. It is well written, and show the pain Rayanna had to go through. Sad yet touching. The ending is a little too abrupt though.

[TJ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Formulaic and predictable. No where as decent as the previous book Painted Moon. Basically same story with a little twists. Nothing really exciting

[Gaby]

ISBN-10: 0061849278 - Paperback $14.99
Publisher: Avon A (April 13, 2010), 368 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher and TLC Book Tours.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it....

[Jeanne Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Karin Kallmaker books. In many ways, the story is always the same; but her characters are always well- drawn, & the situations/settings are always absorbing.