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In the Distance There Is Light #1
In the Distance There Is Light
Two women lose the man they love. All they have left is each other.
Sophie's life is turned upside down when her partner, Ian, dies in a tragic accident. The only one who can understand her devastation is Ian's stepmother, Dolores. Together, they try to make sense of their loss and rebuild their shattered lives. While their shared grief brings them closer, it also takes their relationship in an unexpected direction. Where does sorrow end and romance begin? Or has Ian’s death blurred the lines too much?
If you love deeply emotional lesbian romance with a twinge of controversy, don’t miss this intense but hopeful novel by chart-topper Harper Bliss.
Sophie's life is turned upside down when her partner, Ian, dies in a tragic accident. The only one who can understand her devastation is Ian's stepmother, Dolores. Together, they try to make sense of their loss and rebuild their shattered lives. While their shared grief brings them closer, it also takes their relationship in an unexpected direction. Where does sorrow end and romance begin? Or has Ian’s death blurred the lines too much?
If you love deeply emotional lesbian romance with a twinge of controversy, don’t miss this intense but hopeful novel by chart-topper Harper Bliss.
234 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 8, 2016
133 people are currently reading
927 people want to read
About the author
Harper Bliss
136 books2,335 followersHarper Bliss is a best-selling lesbian romance author. Among her most-loved books are the highly dramatic French Kissing and the often thought-provoking Pink Bean series. She is the co-founder of My LesFic, a weekly newsletter offering discount deals on lesbian fiction.
Harper lived in Hong Kong for 7 years, travelled the world for a bit, and has now settled in Brussels (Belgium) with her wife and photogenic cat, Dolly Purrton.
Together with her wife, she hosts a weekly podcast called Harper Bliss & Her Mrs.
Harper lived in Hong Kong for 7 years, travelled the world for a bit, and has now settled in Brussels (Belgium) with her wife and photogenic cat, Dolly Purrton.
Together with her wife, she hosts a weekly podcast called Harper Bliss & Her Mrs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
January 10, 2018
Finally, I can breathe again. Fellow gr users know this feeling--when you've read something amazing, then nothing seems good enough afterwards. So, you read a bit here and there through several books, frustrating yourself, until finally! You finish a new story and you actually loved it. A true love, after the previous rebound books failed you. This is that book for me after the slump.
I must say, it was different reading through the thought processes of a straight (at first) character. Especially in first person, not a favorite of mine at all. Yet, Harper Bliss captivated me through Sophie's raw emotions and the progression from mutually grieving souls to lovers with Dolores, her deceased boyfriend's unoffically adoptive mother. So, genetics doesn't necessarily play a role, but a mother is a mother and the taboo is strong. Personally, I enjoyed this taboo. It was written with passion and sensitivity.
Sophie and Dolores' bond is strong. As is their love, pain, and chemistry. A twenty-six year difference is significant, yet Bliss knocked it out the park. I fell for them.
Obviously, 'In The Distance There is Light' has a fair share of angst. Some rightfully woeful, some delicious. Sophie accepting her hunger for Dolores is nothing short of sexy. A believable toaster oven transition. Hot sex scenes and, as I've noted while reading, the main characters' physical descriptions are pretty vague, so I could fall into the fantasy of who I consider hot without the characterization feeling wishy-washy.
Thanks, Harper Bliss, for this unexpected romance. Five stars!
I must say, it was different reading through the thought processes of a straight (at first) character. Especially in first person, not a favorite of mine at all. Yet, Harper Bliss captivated me through Sophie's raw emotions and the progression from mutually grieving souls to lovers with Dolores, her deceased boyfriend's unoffically adoptive mother. So, genetics doesn't necessarily play a role, but a mother is a mother and the taboo is strong. Personally, I enjoyed this taboo. It was written with passion and sensitivity.
Sophie and Dolores' bond is strong. As is their love, pain, and chemistry. A twenty-six year difference is significant, yet Bliss knocked it out the park. I fell for them.
Obviously, 'In The Distance There is Light' has a fair share of angst. Some rightfully woeful, some delicious. Sophie accepting her hunger for Dolores is nothing short of sexy. A believable toaster oven transition. Hot sex scenes and, as I've noted while reading, the main characters' physical descriptions are pretty vague, so I could fall into the fantasy of who I consider hot without the characterization feeling wishy-washy.
Thanks, Harper Bliss, for this unexpected romance. Five stars!
August 10, 2019
What an unconventional and inspirational story about love, loss, and healing!
I am on the roll for the forbidden and taboo and this hit the nail on the head! The content and sensitive topics explored were quite thought-provoking, the heartbreaking forbidden romance both shattered my heart and mended it. There wasn’t anything sketchy nor did I feel like their relationship was inappropriate; the way the author wrote the book completely charmed me and Charlotte North nailing all the voices, engaging her listeners with her perfect narration. Sophie and Delores are such endearing characters, and their story is believable: I could see something deeper than lust and attraction setting the basis of their relationship, and to me that makes it all the more meaningful to read.
With Delores in her life, Sophie's healing process begins and she learns to live, laugh, and love again. But their romance isn’t all perfect, and I love how the author portrays the very real implications of dead son's gf/ dead bf's mother relationship. Sophie has to deal with so much insecurity about her loss, the appropriateness of such a romance, and through it all, Delores was there to support and reassure her of her love.
Were there some choices Sophie/Delores made I hated? Absolutely. And as much as I didn’t like the things that happened, I saw them as necessary to their characters' development; without making mistakes, they never would have faced all their worries and insecurities and be the person to step out of their comfort zone and say “hey, this is what I want and I’m going to go after it.” I loved reading and experiencing that journey with them.
Everything about the book, from the hot, sizzling sex scenes to the emotional, heartbreaking moments to the small - gentle - touches speak volumes to the author’s writing capabilities and ability to evoke a wide range of emotions while delivering a most heartfelt, unique love story that I won’t be forgetting any time soon.
Looks at Tere and CS, fine², I'm not a believer yet but I am impressed. Well done, Harper Bliss. MIL and I are more than happy to rate this 4 Holy Shit stars.
If a few kilometers to taboo town, age gap and why is the dead character is active throughout the book are not your thing then stay away. Charlotte North, wow!
I am on the roll for the forbidden and taboo and this hit the nail on the head! The content and sensitive topics explored were quite thought-provoking, the heartbreaking forbidden romance both shattered my heart and mended it. There wasn’t anything sketchy nor did I feel like their relationship was inappropriate; the way the author wrote the book completely charmed me and Charlotte North nailing all the voices, engaging her listeners with her perfect narration. Sophie and Delores are such endearing characters, and their story is believable: I could see something deeper than lust and attraction setting the basis of their relationship, and to me that makes it all the more meaningful to read.
With Delores in her life, Sophie's healing process begins and she learns to live, laugh, and love again. But their romance isn’t all perfect, and I love how the author portrays the very real implications of dead son's gf/ dead bf's mother relationship. Sophie has to deal with so much insecurity about her loss, the appropriateness of such a romance, and through it all, Delores was there to support and reassure her of her love.
Were there some choices Sophie/Delores made I hated? Absolutely. And as much as I didn’t like the things that happened, I saw them as necessary to their characters' development; without making mistakes, they never would have faced all their worries and insecurities and be the person to step out of their comfort zone and say “hey, this is what I want and I’m going to go after it.” I loved reading and experiencing that journey with them.
Everything about the book, from the hot, sizzling sex scenes to the emotional, heartbreaking moments to the small - gentle - touches speak volumes to the author’s writing capabilities and ability to evoke a wide range of emotions while delivering a most heartfelt, unique love story that I won’t be forgetting any time soon.
Looks at Tere and CS, fine², I'm not a believer yet but I am impressed. Well done, Harper Bliss. MIL and I are more than happy to rate this 4 Holy Shit stars.
If a few kilometers to taboo town, age gap and why is the dead character is active throughout the book are not your thing then stay away. Charlotte North, wow!
January 11, 2018
4.5 stars. It's something that shouldn't work in theory but it just does. Harper Bliss is that good of a writer. The only thing I don't like about her books is the first person view. While she writes beautifully, it's always mostly one sided and I like my stories told from both sides of the pairing so that's where that half star went. But other than that this is yet another well done story from Bliss. Her writing is intricate, the sex scenes exciting and there's that added spice of the forbidden fruit. I don't know why age gaps appeal to me so much but they do.
March 20, 2018
Ian's unexpected death leaves Sophie broken. She's not eating and not sleeping until she takes a tablet. Staying at her friend's house is not working either. Ian's mother, Delores, asks Sophie to stay with her for a while.
Books about grief are never an easy read. Bliss does well to recognise the pain and confusion as well as how love can appear when one least expects it.
Books about grief are never an easy read. Bliss does well to recognise the pain and confusion as well as how love can appear when one least expects it.
October 22, 2017
I wish I could give this book 6 stars. Harper Bliss took a huge risk on this book because it's not just a sexy age gap romance. I mean, it technically is a romance and there's definitely a huge age gap there between the two leads, but more than anything else I would call it an exploration of grief and how people deal with it. This book left me wrecked for days and I absolutely loved it.
Full review (The Lesbian Review): http://www.thelesbianreview.com/dista...
Full review (Smart Bitches Trashy Books): http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/re...
Full review (The Lesbian Review): http://www.thelesbianreview.com/dista...
Full review (Smart Bitches Trashy Books): http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/re...
September 15, 2017
“In the Distance There is Light” benefits from a very good narrator; I think I would not have enjoyed the story as much on Kindle.
The age difference (26 years, I think) between Sophie and Dolores didn’t disturb me; the plot device is becoming increasingly common in lesfic and I know two couples IRL who are very happy despite similar years between them…to each their own. The almost but not really incest was a little off-putting, but the MCs addressed it well enough for me. Perhaps because there was no legal parent-child relationship, by blood, marriage or adoption, it was easier to accept than step-mother/step-daughter stories. But Dolores was certainly an emotional mother to Ian, and if laws had changed before Dolores’ partner had died she would have ended up as his step-mother, and if Ian and Sophie had married there would have been a mother-in-law relationship….so….very grey line.
With those two big issues set aside, there were still a few things about the book I did find annoying. First, Ian must’ve been some kind of amazing saint. Despite his death being the reason for the book, he remains so much part of the book that he’s a third MC. I feel a bit guilty at wanting Sophie to become strong enough to move on, grief can be a terrible thing. But Sophie is described as having been made to be a strong person because of Ian, and after his death she seems completely lost without him for the entire book instead of for a grieving period. At one point, I concluded that Sophie falling in lust with Ian’s “mother” was actually more believable than the extended wallowing she engaged in.
Secondly, seeking comfort over a loss by immediately sleeping with your deceased boyfriend’s “mother”, and for her to want/need to sleep with her deceased “son’s” girlfriend was very odd. Comforting each other made sense….but sharing a bed right away? Sure, it took awhile for that comfort to lead to intimacy and love, but sharing a bed right away? Sophie’s around 30yo….she’s not twelve.
Third, while Dolores is lesbian, Sophie’s sudden embracing of sexual fluidity and lust for a woman felt weak. I like stories in which characters come to understand, accept and enjoy attraction to other women, but Sophie seemed to just fall into a sexual role because she wasn’t strong enough to survive Ian’s death without the comfort of Dolores.
Still, even with all of these issues, it’s a tribute to Harper Bliss’ skill as an author, and Charlotte North’s skill as a narrator, that the progression of mutual comfort to intimacy and love actually made sense for the characters. I rate the book 3.6*, rounded to 4* on the strength of the audiobook, and also in appreciation for some enjoyably steamy sex scenes.
The age difference (26 years, I think) between Sophie and Dolores didn’t disturb me; the plot device is becoming increasingly common in lesfic and I know two couples IRL who are very happy despite similar years between them…to each their own. The almost but not really incest was a little off-putting, but the MCs addressed it well enough for me. Perhaps because there was no legal parent-child relationship, by blood, marriage or adoption, it was easier to accept than step-mother/step-daughter stories. But Dolores was certainly an emotional mother to Ian, and if laws had changed before Dolores’ partner had died she would have ended up as his step-mother, and if Ian and Sophie had married there would have been a mother-in-law relationship….so….very grey line.
With those two big issues set aside, there were still a few things about the book I did find annoying. First, Ian must’ve been some kind of amazing saint. Despite his death being the reason for the book, he remains so much part of the book that he’s a third MC. I feel a bit guilty at wanting Sophie to become strong enough to move on, grief can be a terrible thing. But Sophie is described as having been made to be a strong person because of Ian, and after his death she seems completely lost without him for the entire book instead of for a grieving period. At one point, I concluded that Sophie falling in lust with Ian’s “mother” was actually more believable than the extended wallowing she engaged in.
Secondly, seeking comfort over a loss by immediately sleeping with your deceased boyfriend’s “mother”, and for her to want/need to sleep with her deceased “son’s” girlfriend was very odd. Comforting each other made sense….but sharing a bed right away? Sure, it took awhile for that comfort to lead to intimacy and love, but sharing a bed right away? Sophie’s around 30yo….she’s not twelve.
Third, while Dolores is lesbian, Sophie’s sudden embracing of sexual fluidity and lust for a woman felt weak. I like stories in which characters come to understand, accept and enjoy attraction to other women, but Sophie seemed to just fall into a sexual role because she wasn’t strong enough to survive Ian’s death without the comfort of Dolores.
Still, even with all of these issues, it’s a tribute to Harper Bliss’ skill as an author, and Charlotte North’s skill as a narrator, that the progression of mutual comfort to intimacy and love actually made sense for the characters. I rate the book 3.6*, rounded to 4* on the strength of the audiobook, and also in appreciation for some enjoyably steamy sex scenes.
January 16, 2018
Normally I've no problem with age-gap relationships or bisexual/toaster oven plots. I'm not sure why, maybe the ghost of Ian in almost every scene and certainly in the bedroom, but I never felt comfortable with Sophie and Dolores finding solace in the arms of one another.
It didn't help that the voice actor made Sophie sound like a petulant Valley Girl. Hard to warm up to a story when you can't buy into the sincerity of one of the leading ladies.
It didn't help that the voice actor made Sophie sound like a petulant Valley Girl. Hard to warm up to a story when you can't buy into the sincerity of one of the leading ladies.
August 19, 2019
Who among us hasn't lost someone dear to them? The pain, anger and sorrow are all easy to identify with. Trying to pick up the fragmented pieces that were your life and moving on is also something a lot of us can relate to.
But falling in love while still grieving? And with the woman who is essentially your mother in law? While also discovering you're not as straight as you thought you were? Nope, can't say that I've been there.
Part of me understands the reasoning behind the romance though. Sophie needed the care and comfort that Dolores offered but I didn't fully understand Dolores' need for Sophie. Maybe it was because she was the last remaining tie to Ian.
Sadly just because I understand the reasoning for their coupling doesn't mean I buy their relationship. I couldn't identify with any of those parts of the book. Every time there would be a significant moment between Sophie and Dolores it would immediately be followed by Sophie writing to Ian or a secondary character would mention how much they missed him. I get it, he was important to the plot but stop digging him up every chapter and let him and his story line rest already!
If you think this book is full of angst, it's not. It is however dipped, dunked and soaked in melancholy so do not mistake it for a light read. Not the best or my favorite by Harper Bliss but still an entertaining read. Ends in an overall 3.25* rating.
But falling in love while still grieving? And with the woman who is essentially your mother in law? While also discovering you're not as straight as you thought you were? Nope, can't say that I've been there.
Part of me understands the reasoning behind the romance though. Sophie needed the care and comfort that Dolores offered but I didn't fully understand Dolores' need for Sophie. Maybe it was because she was the last remaining tie to Ian.
Sadly just because I understand the reasoning for their coupling doesn't mean I buy their relationship. I couldn't identify with any of those parts of the book. Every time there would be a significant moment between Sophie and Dolores it would immediately be followed by Sophie writing to Ian or a secondary character would mention how much they missed him. I get it, he was important to the plot but stop digging him up every chapter and let him and his story line rest already!
If you think this book is full of angst, it's not. It is however dipped, dunked and soaked in melancholy so do not mistake it for a light read. Not the best or my favorite by Harper Bliss but still an entertaining read. Ends in an overall 3.25* rating.
August 22, 2019
First of all, the narrator was OK. No complaints. Actually, I quite liked her voice. And I didn't get annoyed with her. So it was probably better than OK.
Sophie's male partner, Ian, dies. Freak accident. Sophie is sad and mourning. She finds comfort in staying with Ian's non-biological step mom, Delores. They mourn together. They gradually become closer through their shared loss.
This was really morose. It was all about Ian dying and them dealing with it. Every single action, thought, etc... is about Ian's death. In that sense, it got really repetitive.
When Sophie and Delores begin to blur the lines it is because they just need to 'feel' some type of pleasure. I get it. I've been there. I've experienced the sudden and unexpected loss of a loved one. I too, wanted something to take me away from the incessant heartbreak. But if I would have even for a second thought about that death while being intimate, it would have been a huge mood killer and things would have stopped. In this book, it is like it is the driving force of the sexual desire/need. It was uncomfortable.
I really wanted them to gradually grow. I wanted to be convinced that they were falling for each other and not just because they were both a part of Ian's life. It never happened. The book never made me feel like these two genuinely loved each other for who they have become. Everything was about Ian. Constantly about him. They even celebrate his birthday after his death. Sophie writes letters to dead Ian.
I just kind of got annoyed at the amount of grieving and not being able to get beyond that at all. Even in the end, when Sophie is talking to a friend of Delores to try and convince her that what they share is real. The friend finds something of Ian's to give to Sophie. And I just sighed and thought 'OF COURSE.'
It was written well but I couldn't get pass the fact that Sophie fell for her mother in law who is 26 years her senior. I understand the lust and sex for feeling something. But beyond that? Didn't feel it.
I would recommend this to those who like age gap romance, really depressing reads, and forbidden relationships. Otherwise, give it a pass.
Sophie's male partner, Ian, dies. Freak accident. Sophie is sad and mourning. She finds comfort in staying with Ian's non-biological step mom, Delores. They mourn together. They gradually become closer through their shared loss.
This was really morose. It was all about Ian dying and them dealing with it. Every single action, thought, etc... is about Ian's death. In that sense, it got really repetitive.
When Sophie and Delores begin to blur the lines it is because they just need to 'feel' some type of pleasure. I get it. I've been there. I've experienced the sudden and unexpected loss of a loved one. I too, wanted something to take me away from the incessant heartbreak. But if I would have even for a second thought about that death while being intimate, it would have been a huge mood killer and things would have stopped. In this book, it is like it is the driving force of the sexual desire/need. It was uncomfortable.
I really wanted them to gradually grow. I wanted to be convinced that they were falling for each other and not just because they were both a part of Ian's life. It never happened. The book never made me feel like these two genuinely loved each other for who they have become. Everything was about Ian. Constantly about him. They even celebrate his birthday after his death. Sophie writes letters to dead Ian.
I just kind of got annoyed at the amount of grieving and not being able to get beyond that at all. Even in the end, when Sophie is talking to a friend of Delores to try and convince her that what they share is real. The friend finds something of Ian's to give to Sophie. And I just sighed and thought 'OF COURSE.'
It was written well but I couldn't get pass the fact that Sophie fell for her mother in law who is 26 years her senior. I understand the lust and sex for feeling something. But beyond that? Didn't feel it.
I would recommend this to those who like age gap romance, really depressing reads, and forbidden relationships. Otherwise, give it a pass.
March 18, 2019
3.25 ⭐️
A mixed read for me. Story was well-written, plot was complex and perhaps a tad too emotional/heavy for me. I enjoyed reading the book initially but at mid-point I was struggling to finish it. The book was written with Sophie’s POV. I normally do not have any issues with book written in 1st person but this felt a little too one-sided; too many monologues. To compound it, there weren’t that many interactions or scenes between the 2 MCs and other secondary characters. Ian featured way too often - too many times that it almost felt like he was one of the main characters. Well, that’s just my take on the story. I’m just not ‘getting into the grove’ with the story - much to my chagrin.
A mixed read for me. Story was well-written, plot was complex and perhaps a tad too emotional/heavy for me. I enjoyed reading the book initially but at mid-point I was struggling to finish it. The book was written with Sophie’s POV. I normally do not have any issues with book written in 1st person but this felt a little too one-sided; too many monologues. To compound it, there weren’t that many interactions or scenes between the 2 MCs and other secondary characters. Ian featured way too often - too many times that it almost felt like he was one of the main characters. Well, that’s just my take on the story. I’m just not ‘getting into the grove’ with the story - much to my chagrin.
June 23, 2023
This is love. Not the kind that takes over your mind when you first meet someone and fall head over heels in love. Not the kind that grows between two people when friendship is no longer enough. But the kind of love that is born from acute need, from kinship, from a pain so ruthless it leaves nothing in its wake.
REREAD 2023. I figured there was a good chance I wouldn't love this quite as much as I did the first time I read it. And I was kinda right on that score; I had my little issues with the writing, some of the believability, and the length. This really could have used 50 more pages of slow burn. If I'd read this for the first time today I'd probably give it 4 stars, maybe 4.5? But look, this still gets the full 5 stars from me because of pure nostalgia, and also because I am who I am! I love age gaps, I love a certain type of taboo, I love romances that aren't necessarily healthy but feel vital and real to both people. This was so good and I loved it so much. It starts out with a healthy dose of co-dependency, and you could argue that that never really goes away, but also... I didn't mind? Whoops. I loved them both so much. Dolores is a complete dream and I really liked being in Sophie's POV. I've read a fair few Harper Bliss books over the years, and I still think this is my favourite writing from her. The exploration of grief is really acute, and I'm glad that Ian is such a huge presence in this book. The books doesn't shy away from the strangeness of the dynamic, of dating the woman who was your mother-in-law in all but name. And IDK, the execution worked for me. I love this couple very very dearly.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Charlotte North, which was amazing. I'm so sad she doesn't narrate more sapphic books, because I love her voices and her style. The way she narrated Dolores was so dreamy. The entire book is really just catnip to me. I'll stop myself from saying more, because my original review is embarrassing and gushy enough. It's definitely not perfect, but it has a special place in my heart, especially as it's one of the books that really got me back into reading lesbian romance.
“But if a kiss can make you feel a little bit like your old self again, a little more human, a little more than the survivor you are now, then I’ll kiss you every day.”
--
HOLY CRAP WHERE DO I BEGIN I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH.
This should have been tacky. It should have been tacky and silly and I got it with that full expectation, I'm just a dumb lez who likes older women so I thought 'I'll read this and have a good laugh at how bad it is, hopefully it's sexy'.
And while I did laugh, and it is sexy, it's so much more than I was expecting.
May 4, 2017
Romance of a lifetime!
"In the Distance There Is Light" by Harper Bliss deals with a May/December romance and involves two women who come together and preservere at a time of hardship and loss.
Meet the protagonists :
Dolores Flemming and Sophie Winters.
Dolores Flemming is an elegant woman in her fifties who has devoted her life to art, and is portrayed with an air of regality.
Sophie Winters on the other hand, is a journalist and is a character that goes through conflicting emotions through out the novel.
Another character that is rather important in this tale is Ian. Ian is Sophie's partner and Dolores' son.
The novel begins with a funeral, and this sets the tone for what is to be expected throughout the rest of the book.
Dolores and Sophie although two very different women, with different tastes and characteristics are brought together by their love for Ian.
They grieve together and this moment of mourning beings forth in them a solidarity they never shared with anyone else.
Dolores is a lesbian and Sophie is up to a great extent in the book, straight.
Dolores is portrayed to be strong and dependent, while Sophie leans on Dolores for comfort and release from pain.
The two women spend a lot (And I mean a lot) of time together in the few months following Ian's death.
Coming to Ian, although his character is dead in the first chapter of the book, we learn a lot about him through both Dolores and Sophie and a host of other characters.
Ian was a rather charming guy and his death destroyed a part of Sophie and Dolores. A significant part of themselves that they try to find in each other.
Now, although Sophie was never married to Ian, the term "mother-in-law" is used a lot while describing Dolores' relation to Sophie.
Harper Bliss is brilliant at explaining human emotions. She does so delicately and beautifully.
The relationship between Sophie and Dolores is wonderful to read especially once the story progresses beyond the first few chapters.
They learn that there's a lot more to each other than just the person whose loss they're mourning.
Dolores and Sophie learn to love again, and within each other they find the strength to ride out the storm at the wake of Ian's death.
A host of other characters who are lovely and witty, bringing a much required comic relief into the story.
"In the Distance There Is Light" is well written and definitely a worth a read if you're ready to invest in this book your time and all your emotions.
"In the Distance There Is Light" by Harper Bliss deals with a May/December romance and involves two women who come together and preservere at a time of hardship and loss.
Meet the protagonists :
Dolores Flemming and Sophie Winters.
Dolores Flemming is an elegant woman in her fifties who has devoted her life to art, and is portrayed with an air of regality.
Sophie Winters on the other hand, is a journalist and is a character that goes through conflicting emotions through out the novel.
Another character that is rather important in this tale is Ian. Ian is Sophie's partner and Dolores' son.
The novel begins with a funeral, and this sets the tone for what is to be expected throughout the rest of the book.
Dolores and Sophie although two very different women, with different tastes and characteristics are brought together by their love for Ian.
They grieve together and this moment of mourning beings forth in them a solidarity they never shared with anyone else.
Dolores is a lesbian and Sophie is up to a great extent in the book, straight.
Dolores is portrayed to be strong and dependent, while Sophie leans on Dolores for comfort and release from pain.
The two women spend a lot (And I mean a lot) of time together in the few months following Ian's death.
Coming to Ian, although his character is dead in the first chapter of the book, we learn a lot about him through both Dolores and Sophie and a host of other characters.
Ian was a rather charming guy and his death destroyed a part of Sophie and Dolores. A significant part of themselves that they try to find in each other.
Now, although Sophie was never married to Ian, the term "mother-in-law" is used a lot while describing Dolores' relation to Sophie.
Harper Bliss is brilliant at explaining human emotions. She does so delicately and beautifully.
The relationship between Sophie and Dolores is wonderful to read especially once the story progresses beyond the first few chapters.
They learn that there's a lot more to each other than just the person whose loss they're mourning.
Dolores and Sophie learn to love again, and within each other they find the strength to ride out the storm at the wake of Ian's death.
A host of other characters who are lovely and witty, bringing a much required comic relief into the story.
"In the Distance There Is Light" is well written and definitely a worth a read if you're ready to invest in this book your time and all your emotions.
March 11, 2017
I'm sorry, I had a problem with this book. They were both still so in pain and everything was under this huge layer of grief and rage and numbness, I just couldn't get into the romance.
September 20, 2016
3.5 I think...
Just finished Harper Bliss’s newest creation, and have to admit to some mixed feelings. On the one hand it is an extremely well drawn, complex and emotional story about love and loss, both strongly intermingled throughout. On the other it is a romance that cant help but raise the eyebrows if nothing else.
As always it is well written, the characters are deep, three-dimensional and emotionally complicated women, although we get almost no physical clues about them at all.
The romance is hot and steamy, the sex scenes realistic and explicit without falling into the pitfalls of repetition.
The background is scant, and even the supporting cast are lightly drawn because there literally are three people in this romance, and one of them is the recently departed Ian, who is mentioned, talked about and remembered in almost every scene.
The grief is handled exceptionally well, with the long slow and painful process of hurt and anger explored through interior monologue and letters to the deceased.
The romance is surprising, without giving explicit spoilers it is hard to explain. I couldn’t lose myself in the passion without being conscious of the situation and I did find some of it a little hard to take - some of the scenes such as the pantry. I also thought Sophie got over her guilt/angst a little too easily each time for having overstepped what for most would be such a massive boundary on so many levels.
But hats of to Harper Bliss for putting it out there and inviting the comment. This will certainly stay with me for a long time and I may find that my opinion changes with time. I enjoyed it. I was just never completely comfortable with it.
Just finished Harper Bliss’s newest creation, and have to admit to some mixed feelings. On the one hand it is an extremely well drawn, complex and emotional story about love and loss, both strongly intermingled throughout. On the other it is a romance that cant help but raise the eyebrows if nothing else.
As always it is well written, the characters are deep, three-dimensional and emotionally complicated women, although we get almost no physical clues about them at all.
The romance is hot and steamy, the sex scenes realistic and explicit without falling into the pitfalls of repetition.
The background is scant, and even the supporting cast are lightly drawn because there literally are three people in this romance, and one of them is the recently departed Ian, who is mentioned, talked about and remembered in almost every scene.
The grief is handled exceptionally well, with the long slow and painful process of hurt and anger explored through interior monologue and letters to the deceased.
The romance is surprising, without giving explicit spoilers it is hard to explain. I couldn’t lose myself in the passion without being conscious of the situation and I did find some of it a little hard to take - some of the scenes such as the pantry. I also thought Sophie got over her guilt/angst a little too easily each time for having overstepped what for most would be such a massive boundary on so many levels.
But hats of to Harper Bliss for putting it out there and inviting the comment. This will certainly stay with me for a long time and I may find that my opinion changes with time. I enjoyed it. I was just never completely comfortable with it.
April 7, 2018
Another great story by Harper, however i am wondering is the love between Sophie and Dolores real? or Sophie is just too sad and needed a companion. I can feel the pain in both of them due to Ian’s death while reading it, can’t really connect the romance btw them. I really enjoy the story
September 17, 2022
Well… I didn’t dislike it, but I also didn’t love it. I listened to the audiobook today and, even though, so far, I’ve loved all the books that Harper has written, this one gave me mixed feelings. I honestly don’t know how to feel about it, and not because of the taboo aspect of it, it’s just… I don’t know. I get the grief and all that, but were they really in love love? Sophie just seems still too in love with her deceased boyfriend to move on like that… but what do I know?! I mean, I hope what she and Dolores felt for each other was love love, and the book and the author says so, but I just wasn’t convinced. I don’t know 😅 Imma sit on it for a while and see if my feelings get clearer 😅
September 21, 2016
I am so not in the majority when it comes to this book. I am a huge huge fan of Harper’s and have been on her bandwagon for quite some time. Unfortunately, the story of this book just isn’t my cuppa.
The story centers around Sophie, whose boyfriend just died in a bicycle accident. Sophie becomes close with Ian’s (boyfriend) mother, Dolores, as they both try to process their grief. What comes out of it is a highly unrealistic psychological nightmare, that made me extremely uncomfortable. Now let me put out there that I have absolutely no issue with the age gap. Like at all. What I truly took issue with was how I felt this story is in no way a happily ever after, but actually a happy for now. Now the blurb mentions there is some controversy, which is speaking to Sophie falling in love with her dead-ex’s mother. But I didn’t find it controversial so much as I found it sad. Because neither of them dealt with any of their crap before they jumped into bed AND THEN a relationship together. Sophie keeps claiming to be falling in love with Dolores, but again, I don’t buy it. Not when the supposed love of your life has only been dead for 2 months. I think both of these women needed some serious emotional, mental, and psychological counseling before getting into a relationship with each other. I have absolutely no issue with them having a relationship with each other, hence I don’t find it controversial, but I do take issue with jumping into a relationship when you’re carrying this kind of baggage that you haven’t even remotely dealt with yet. Having gone to school for psychology, this sent all kinds of red flags up in the air.
Also, to be fair, I couldn't help but continue to think about my own husband passing away and how that would affect me. Because that is such an emotional thing for me to think about, I had a really hard time getting past that, which also lead to a surprising need to skim the sex scenes (I'm pretty sure that's the first time I've ever done that) Plus, I just have a hard time with the dead-ex trope in general.
Given everything I said above, why a whole 3 stars? Because, as always, Harper knows how to craft incredibly deep and multi-dimensional characters. She also is an impeccable writer that has truly honed her craft. The other thing is that I actually really did appreciate something very specific in this story. I liked how it wasn’t pushed that Sophie all of the sudden HAD to identify as bi or lesbian. Her thoughts in story are “why does it matter?”. It doesn’t Sophie, it doesn’t. And that is something I was very thankful to have put out there. Labeling oneself is quite draconian in my opinion, and I would like to see more stories venture into the ‘it doesn’t matter’ category.
Thank you Harper Bliss for providing a copy of this story to me, in exchange for my honest review.
The story centers around Sophie, whose boyfriend just died in a bicycle accident. Sophie becomes close with Ian’s (boyfriend) mother, Dolores, as they both try to process their grief. What comes out of it is a highly unrealistic psychological nightmare, that made me extremely uncomfortable. Now let me put out there that I have absolutely no issue with the age gap. Like at all. What I truly took issue with was how I felt this story is in no way a happily ever after, but actually a happy for now. Now the blurb mentions there is some controversy, which is speaking to Sophie falling in love with her dead-ex’s mother. But I didn’t find it controversial so much as I found it sad. Because neither of them dealt with any of their crap before they jumped into bed AND THEN a relationship together. Sophie keeps claiming to be falling in love with Dolores, but again, I don’t buy it. Not when the supposed love of your life has only been dead for 2 months. I think both of these women needed some serious emotional, mental, and psychological counseling before getting into a relationship with each other. I have absolutely no issue with them having a relationship with each other, hence I don’t find it controversial, but I do take issue with jumping into a relationship when you’re carrying this kind of baggage that you haven’t even remotely dealt with yet. Having gone to school for psychology, this sent all kinds of red flags up in the air.
Also, to be fair, I couldn't help but continue to think about my own husband passing away and how that would affect me. Because that is such an emotional thing for me to think about, I had a really hard time getting past that, which also lead to a surprising need to skim the sex scenes (I'm pretty sure that's the first time I've ever done that) Plus, I just have a hard time with the dead-ex trope in general.
Given everything I said above, why a whole 3 stars? Because, as always, Harper knows how to craft incredibly deep and multi-dimensional characters. She also is an impeccable writer that has truly honed her craft. The other thing is that I actually really did appreciate something very specific in this story. I liked how it wasn’t pushed that Sophie all of the sudden HAD to identify as bi or lesbian. Her thoughts in story are “why does it matter?”. It doesn’t Sophie, it doesn’t. And that is something I was very thankful to have put out there. Labeling oneself is quite draconian in my opinion, and I would like to see more stories venture into the ‘it doesn’t matter’ category.
Thank you Harper Bliss for providing a copy of this story to me, in exchange for my honest review.
June 3, 2023
One of my favorite Harper Bliss books that I read years ago and re-read recently.
Sophie and Dolores are the main characters in this romance with angst and heat. A relationship considered taboo but handled with finesse by the author.
Sophie is devastated when her partner Ian is killed in a freak accident and finds herself leaning for comfort on his step mother, Dolores. He had grown up with his mom Angela and her partner Dolores now on her own since Angela passed away from cancer. A shared grief over Ian's death is the impetus behind Dolores's invitation for Sophie to stay with her for awhile. As weeks go by the women grow closer until the inevitable occurs...
Sophie deals with her emotions by writing letters to Ian - an outlet for her grief then a way to rationalize her growing affection then love for Dolores. Dolores seems the stronger of the two but also unsure where Sophie is concerned. Best friend Jeremy injects a crass level of humor then understanding when the relationship is revealed.
Bliss handles the angst, age gap and growing attraction then sex in a slow, tender style. The initial companionship and comfort shifting through deeper levels of emotion for both women and a realization that there is light at the end of a tunnel of grief. This book is not for everyone but the author does a wonderful job with the storyline and I loved the eventual HEA.
Sophie and Dolores are the main characters in this romance with angst and heat. A relationship considered taboo but handled with finesse by the author.
Sophie is devastated when her partner Ian is killed in a freak accident and finds herself leaning for comfort on his step mother, Dolores. He had grown up with his mom Angela and her partner Dolores now on her own since Angela passed away from cancer. A shared grief over Ian's death is the impetus behind Dolores's invitation for Sophie to stay with her for awhile. As weeks go by the women grow closer until the inevitable occurs...
Sophie deals with her emotions by writing letters to Ian - an outlet for her grief then a way to rationalize her growing affection then love for Dolores. Dolores seems the stronger of the two but also unsure where Sophie is concerned. Best friend Jeremy injects a crass level of humor then understanding when the relationship is revealed.
Bliss handles the angst, age gap and growing attraction then sex in a slow, tender style. The initial companionship and comfort shifting through deeper levels of emotion for both women and a realization that there is light at the end of a tunnel of grief. This book is not for everyone but the author does a wonderful job with the storyline and I loved the eventual HEA.
May 14, 2017
How come.....
Whenever I read one of Harper's books time flies? It's true! No matter the time I start it I can never put it down til it's finished. This book isn't what I would call typical Harper. It's a great story even maybe a little controversial. The characters are realistic. The story is told by the lead character and her journey through grief. I can actually relate, sometimes grief is so overwhelming that it takes another emotion such as love to make sense of it all. Great book, great author. I enjoyed a lot.
Whenever I read one of Harper's books time flies? It's true! No matter the time I start it I can never put it down til it's finished. This book isn't what I would call typical Harper. It's a great story even maybe a little controversial. The characters are realistic. The story is told by the lead character and her journey through grief. I can actually relate, sometimes grief is so overwhelming that it takes another emotion such as love to make sense of it all. Great book, great author. I enjoyed a lot.
January 4, 2021
Grief brings two women closer than ever, shrouding them with the type of despair where only love can bloom.
Sophie has just lost her partner Ian to a freak accident. Weighed down with the sorrow of losing someone so important to her, Sophie allows her life to crumble at the edges until she stumbles through her existence like a living ghost.
Her friends' lives move on, her employer seems unaffected, and the world keeps spinning despite Ian's absence. The only person who seems to understand is Dolores, Ian's stepmother. Through their shared anguish, a friendship strengthens and blossoms into an attraction that Sophie dares to call love
The Good
¬ Plot was handled with care. For such a delicate topic, Harper Bliss wrote a romance that read like something that defied the odds and conquered stereotypes. It felt like a forbidden romance that was waiting to happen, always lingering in the shadows of the page. This is the part that lifted the book into greatness.
The gentleness and self-awareness of the characters when it came to the oddities of how mismatched Sophie and Dolores were, sang like a well harmonised song. Age-gap, forbidden romance, romance after death of a loved one, romance with someone almost taboo. None of this was brushed aside, and instead the book tackled it head on and achieved some really good results.
¬Both characters were likable. In the last Harper Bliss book I read, Seasons of Love I didn't like one of the main characters and that impacted how much I enjoyed the book. With In the distance there is light Dolores and Sophie were both written with distinct personality traits and a chemistry that was undeniable. I loved them both so much.
¬Emotional aspects hit right. The book is written with Sophie's Point of View, and her sadness over losing Ian is palpable. The motions of grief, the pain it caused her, and the unending self-doubt about her relationship with Dolores whilst she was still grieving Ian felt very real. This was a fleshed out trope, and it left no stone unturned.
The other parts
¬Pacing of the romance felt too quick. Even if the book justified the romance, it did feel like four months to move on from the love of your life might be too little. Sophie does mention that she misses Ian and still loves him, but the tender slow-burn between Dolores and Sophie was a missed opportunity this book did not take. I would have loved to read about Sophie and Dolores and their relationship that curated over years instead of months.
¬This one erotic scene. Toward the end of the book, there is this scene with Dolores and Sophie where they get intimate. But it read almost exactly like a scene in Harper Bliss' other book Seasons of Love which was released the same year that In the distance there is light was. It's a small thing, but it bothered me a little.
Overall
4.75 stars. It would have been a perfect 5 stars if not for the repeated erotic scene from Seasons of Love and how quickly the romance developed. But kudos to Harper Bliss for making such a taboo trope read like one of the most tender love stories yet.
If you like forbidden romance, age-gaps, and finding each other through the haze of loss, this book is for you.
Sophie has just lost her partner Ian to a freak accident. Weighed down with the sorrow of losing someone so important to her, Sophie allows her life to crumble at the edges until she stumbles through her existence like a living ghost.
Her friends' lives move on, her employer seems unaffected, and the world keeps spinning despite Ian's absence. The only person who seems to understand is Dolores, Ian's stepmother. Through their shared anguish, a friendship strengthens and blossoms into an attraction that Sophie dares to call love
The Good
¬ Plot was handled with care. For such a delicate topic, Harper Bliss wrote a romance that read like something that defied the odds and conquered stereotypes. It felt like a forbidden romance that was waiting to happen, always lingering in the shadows of the page. This is the part that lifted the book into greatness.
The gentleness and self-awareness of the characters when it came to the oddities of how mismatched Sophie and Dolores were, sang like a well harmonised song. Age-gap, forbidden romance, romance after death of a loved one, romance with someone almost taboo. None of this was brushed aside, and instead the book tackled it head on and achieved some really good results.
¬Both characters were likable. In the last Harper Bliss book I read, Seasons of Love I didn't like one of the main characters and that impacted how much I enjoyed the book. With In the distance there is light Dolores and Sophie were both written with distinct personality traits and a chemistry that was undeniable. I loved them both so much.
¬Emotional aspects hit right. The book is written with Sophie's Point of View, and her sadness over losing Ian is palpable. The motions of grief, the pain it caused her, and the unending self-doubt about her relationship with Dolores whilst she was still grieving Ian felt very real. This was a fleshed out trope, and it left no stone unturned.
The other parts
¬Pacing of the romance felt too quick. Even if the book justified the romance, it did feel like four months to move on from the love of your life might be too little. Sophie does mention that she misses Ian and still loves him, but the tender slow-burn between Dolores and Sophie was a missed opportunity this book did not take. I would have loved to read about Sophie and Dolores and their relationship that curated over years instead of months.
¬This one erotic scene. Toward the end of the book, there is this scene with Dolores and Sophie where they get intimate. But it read almost exactly like a scene in Harper Bliss' other book Seasons of Love which was released the same year that In the distance there is light was. It's a small thing, but it bothered me a little.
Overall
4.75 stars. It would have been a perfect 5 stars if not for the repeated erotic scene from Seasons of Love and how quickly the romance developed. But kudos to Harper Bliss for making such a taboo trope read like one of the most tender love stories yet.
If you like forbidden romance, age-gaps, and finding each other through the haze of loss, this book is for you.
December 17, 2020
This forbidden relationship turned out to be quite beautiful.
I’m on a mission to revisit some of the books that I’ve read and either haven’t reviewed or did a terrible job at it. This is one of the books I picked because of how controversial it is. Truth be told, I thought about it long and hard before I decided to read it because honestly speaking, who wants to read about somebody hooking up with her mother-in-law? Well, almost mother-in-law, but that’s just splitting hairs.
When Sophie’s partner Ian dies in a tragic accident, the only person who understands her devastation is Ian’s stepmother, Dolores. So when Sophie realises the home she shared with Ian has become the worst place to be while she heals, she moves in with Dolores as if Dolores is the most natural choice of a roommate. I question Sophie’s sanity here because prior to Ian’s death, Sophie had a superficial relationship with Dolores at best. To take the awkwardness even further, the two share their grief and comfort by platonically sleeping on the same bed. And nights of platonic bed sharing eventually turn to habit. But habit starts to become confusion when Sophie starts to develop some sort of feelings for Dolores, both romantic and sexual, as the two get closer living almost like an actual couple. Dolores does not appear to be that confused but she’s somewhat gentle about the way she approaches Sophie. There is some hesitation between them at some point, because even they can’t come to terms with what’s happening.
As with every story out there about finding love after the death of a partner, the subtle question that we ask ourselves is whether the feelings that Sophie has for Dolores is one of grief or love. Now, Bliss is brilliant in the way she constructs this story because throughout this whole time, Sophie writes letters to Ian, detailing her true thoughts and feelings in a composed way after his death. So we can pinpoint the time her grief for Ian turns to actual feelings for Dolores.
The relationship between Sophie and Dolores is doomed for societal condemnation on so many levels, as if being in a sapphic relationship isn’t hard enough. Bliss has to throw in a huge age gap and an (almost) incestuous relationship to go along with it.
This book clearly isn’t for everybody. But its a win for me because Bliss turned a forbidden relationship into something quite beautiful. And I need to say that I love the dry humour in the book.
I’m on a mission to revisit some of the books that I’ve read and either haven’t reviewed or did a terrible job at it. This is one of the books I picked because of how controversial it is. Truth be told, I thought about it long and hard before I decided to read it because honestly speaking, who wants to read about somebody hooking up with her mother-in-law? Well, almost mother-in-law, but that’s just splitting hairs.
When Sophie’s partner Ian dies in a tragic accident, the only person who understands her devastation is Ian’s stepmother, Dolores. So when Sophie realises the home she shared with Ian has become the worst place to be while she heals, she moves in with Dolores as if Dolores is the most natural choice of a roommate. I question Sophie’s sanity here because prior to Ian’s death, Sophie had a superficial relationship with Dolores at best. To take the awkwardness even further, the two share their grief and comfort by platonically sleeping on the same bed. And nights of platonic bed sharing eventually turn to habit. But habit starts to become confusion when Sophie starts to develop some sort of feelings for Dolores, both romantic and sexual, as the two get closer living almost like an actual couple. Dolores does not appear to be that confused but she’s somewhat gentle about the way she approaches Sophie. There is some hesitation between them at some point, because even they can’t come to terms with what’s happening.
As with every story out there about finding love after the death of a partner, the subtle question that we ask ourselves is whether the feelings that Sophie has for Dolores is one of grief or love. Now, Bliss is brilliant in the way she constructs this story because throughout this whole time, Sophie writes letters to Ian, detailing her true thoughts and feelings in a composed way after his death. So we can pinpoint the time her grief for Ian turns to actual feelings for Dolores.
The relationship between Sophie and Dolores is doomed for societal condemnation on so many levels, as if being in a sapphic relationship isn’t hard enough. Bliss has to throw in a huge age gap and an (almost) incestuous relationship to go along with it.
This book clearly isn’t for everybody. But its a win for me because Bliss turned a forbidden relationship into something quite beautiful. And I need to say that I love the dry humour in the book.
September 17, 2016
Well Harper Bliss really got to my raw emotion with this one…
My synopsis
Sophie has just lost the love of her life, Ian. He was everything to her and now he's gone. They only person that can share and understand her grief is Ian's Step Mother Dolores.
Sophie needs to be close to Dolores to understand her pain. She slowly becomes immersed in everything Dolores. She moves in with her because she can't go back to her and Ian's apartment, she sleeps in Dolores bed because she is can't sleep on her own and she relies on Dolores for comfort when she's not copying... But now she's beginning to have feelings for her dead partners mother? Can this be normal? Is this love?
My review
This book confused me...
At some points I felt so much love for these characters and sorrow for how they must be feeling in regards to Ian’s death. Then at other times couldn't understand how this relationship could survive when in the beginning it’s based on grief and pain.
The idea of sharing a bed with my mother in-law leaves me a bit uneasy but alias this is probably more about our relationship… It’s not one based on friendship.
All this said if you strip away all the ‘Taboo’ issues is it not just about love? Because really sometimes you can’t choose whom you fall for…
By the end of the novel I had thoroughly enjoyed the it, which surprised me, as I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy this one.
4.5 Stars! Will be rereading again.
I refer to a quote by Jodi Picoult (Author of ‘My Sisters Keeper’)
‘The bottom line is that we never fall for the person we’re supposed to’
My synopsis
Sophie has just lost the love of her life, Ian. He was everything to her and now he's gone. They only person that can share and understand her grief is Ian's Step Mother Dolores.
Sophie needs to be close to Dolores to understand her pain. She slowly becomes immersed in everything Dolores. She moves in with her because she can't go back to her and Ian's apartment, she sleeps in Dolores bed because she is can't sleep on her own and she relies on Dolores for comfort when she's not copying... But now she's beginning to have feelings for her dead partners mother? Can this be normal? Is this love?
My review
This book confused me...
At some points I felt so much love for these characters and sorrow for how they must be feeling in regards to Ian’s death. Then at other times couldn't understand how this relationship could survive when in the beginning it’s based on grief and pain.
The idea of sharing a bed with my mother in-law leaves me a bit uneasy but alias this is probably more about our relationship… It’s not one based on friendship.
All this said if you strip away all the ‘Taboo’ issues is it not just about love? Because really sometimes you can’t choose whom you fall for…
By the end of the novel I had thoroughly enjoyed the it, which surprised me, as I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy this one.
4.5 Stars! Will be rereading again.
I refer to a quote by Jodi Picoult (Author of ‘My Sisters Keeper’)
‘The bottom line is that we never fall for the person we’re supposed to’
Read
January 1, 2021I’m usually pretty happy with Harper Bliss books. However, this definitely wasn’t for me. The fact that Sophie hooks up with her step-mother in law was a bit icky for me. I didn’t finish this because I never understood Sophie and Dolores being together other than sharing grief? And that is a terrible basis for a relationship. I saw no chemistry or anything else that would’ve made me root for them to have their HEA.
Updating this to take away the rating as i didn’t finish this.
Updating this to take away the rating as i didn’t finish this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2017
Well it's Harper bliss , so the writing is just amazing as usual. The story itself though is definitely not for me! I have no issues with taboos , but this one specifically just didn't make sense. It didn't click! I didn't feel the connection in any way.. I also felt it was too rushed .. the reason I gave it 2.5, rounded it up to 3 is because of how well it's written ..
May 22, 2018
Harper bliss is an amazing author, this book just wasn't my cup of tea.
October 20, 2022
Harper Bliss has this way with showing exactly what lovemaking is in the mist of pain, and in the case of this book, loss and grieving. Bliss’s words let you see the strength that is offered in strong hands and open bodies. They let you feel the solace derived in the acceptance of someone giving everything when they have nothing left. The words go beyond the paper and let you experience the healing found in accepting, and encircling, and encompassing that strength and that vulnerably. All the while Bliss does this with such absolute beauty that her works are pure art.
This book is beautiful. The story perhaps taboo. Ok not “perhaps” lol but when you read it, when the MC’s come to the realizations that they do, you see it. You understand it. Only a talented writer can create that story and help you along their journey. Harper Bliss has that talent.
Oddly enough I’d love to read this very story with a first person narrative from Dolores. I’d totally read that
This book is beautiful. The story perhaps taboo. Ok not “perhaps” lol but when you read it, when the MC’s come to the realizations that they do, you see it. You understand it. Only a talented writer can create that story and help you along their journey. Harper Bliss has that talent.
Oddly enough I’d love to read this very story with a first person narrative from Dolores. I’d totally read that
November 22, 2022
A very moving story which was written with care. I know grief is a delicate subject in it self and then add in the growing relationship between Sophie and Dolores. Harper Bliss handled it beautifully and I felt so touched by this story. It was read by Charlotte North and she was amazing. This is one book everyone should experience.
March 21, 2017
This story was very different to what I expected. In my humble opinion the blurb is too vague, considering the content. Even the taboo warning didn’t prepare me for what I read. In fact, I stuck my hand high in the air going, gimme, gimme, gimme, having complete and utter faith in this author to be able to pull off the love story between a heroine and her mother-in-law.
So what did I expect? A story of forbidden love, packed full of emotion and self-discovery. Did the story deliver on that front? Hell yes. Because come on, this is Harper Bliss.
So what didn’t I expect? The ladies to be in bed together before the dirt even settled on Ian’s grave. They are literally sleeping together within a week. Thankfully they waited a few more weeks before they became sexually intimate.
As with most of this authors books you can bet your boots the sex will be steamy. For me, such content in this story turned me off rather than on. Not because of the age difference, something I had no issue with. But the scene in the pantry, at the party, was done in poor taste, in my opinion. It was so utterly disrespectful I wanted to bitch slap them. But hey, everyone deals with death in their own way, right?
The fact both women are widows adds another layer to this story, as does the eventual meeting with the man who knocked Ian off his bicycle. My heart broke for him, how easily his grief was dismissed. The accident was no fault of his own. I can’t even begin to imagine the weight he had to carry on his shoulders.
I guess the thing I least expected was for Ian to be such a pivotal character in the story. The two heroines often talk about him, which is totally to be expected. The epilogue features Ian, too. A lot of page time is given to Sophie’s journal entries made to Ian. I get life is for the living and you have to move on, but some of the entries made me recoil. I quote “I’m going to seduce your mother and I’m not going to apologize for it.”
This story is told in first person, present tense and completely from Sophie’s POV. Even so it is never really explained when she decided she might be a lesbian or bi, but does that even matter? And of course not hearing Dolores POV, it’s left to the reader to draw their own conclusion about a number of things.
Other than Dolores eye colour and the fact she wore glasses, I have no clue what these two women look like. While I like being able to draw my own picture, I like to have some kind of descriptor to build it upon.
Even though a number of things didn’t work for me in this story, I urge readers to grab a copy and come to their own conclusion.
Copy provided in exchange for an honest review
So what did I expect? A story of forbidden love, packed full of emotion and self-discovery. Did the story deliver on that front? Hell yes. Because come on, this is Harper Bliss.
So what didn’t I expect? The ladies to be in bed together before the dirt even settled on Ian’s grave. They are literally sleeping together within a week. Thankfully they waited a few more weeks before they became sexually intimate.
As with most of this authors books you can bet your boots the sex will be steamy. For me, such content in this story turned me off rather than on. Not because of the age difference, something I had no issue with. But the scene in the pantry, at the party, was done in poor taste, in my opinion. It was so utterly disrespectful I wanted to bitch slap them. But hey, everyone deals with death in their own way, right?
The fact both women are widows adds another layer to this story, as does the eventual meeting with the man who knocked Ian off his bicycle. My heart broke for him, how easily his grief was dismissed. The accident was no fault of his own. I can’t even begin to imagine the weight he had to carry on his shoulders.
I guess the thing I least expected was for Ian to be such a pivotal character in the story. The two heroines often talk about him, which is totally to be expected. The epilogue features Ian, too. A lot of page time is given to Sophie’s journal entries made to Ian. I get life is for the living and you have to move on, but some of the entries made me recoil. I quote “I’m going to seduce your mother and I’m not going to apologize for it.”
This story is told in first person, present tense and completely from Sophie’s POV. Even so it is never really explained when she decided she might be a lesbian or bi, but does that even matter? And of course not hearing Dolores POV, it’s left to the reader to draw their own conclusion about a number of things.
Other than Dolores eye colour and the fact she wore glasses, I have no clue what these two women look like. While I like being able to draw my own picture, I like to have some kind of descriptor to build it upon.
Even though a number of things didn’t work for me in this story, I urge readers to grab a copy and come to their own conclusion.
Copy provided in exchange for an honest review
September 17, 2016
I have to be honest and say that when I get informed that Harper Bliss has a new novel published, I do find myself doing little dance inside of me, looking forward to the most creative, hottest sex scenes in f/f romance genre.
But in this one, I didn't even care about it. Starting reading it, almost immediately I got some strange twist in my guts and kept it almost until the end. It WAS controversial, and the author announced, and it was with a strange feeling in my guts, but Harper Bliss masterfully creates the chemistry, the build-up, the attraction, the feelings, you just have to like them and root for them. You find yourself blowing up the walls of stereotypes because at the end of the day, it's the love that counts...
But in this one, I didn't even care about it. Starting reading it, almost immediately I got some strange twist in my guts and kept it almost until the end. It WAS controversial, and the author announced, and it was with a strange feeling in my guts, but Harper Bliss masterfully creates the chemistry, the build-up, the attraction, the feelings, you just have to like them and root for them. You find yourself blowing up the walls of stereotypes because at the end of the day, it's the love that counts...
February 1, 2018
A great story:-) finally happy ending for Sophie and Dolores.
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