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Whirlwind
Rock star Jo Avery didn’t have a choice about coming out, but ever since her ex outed her as bisexual, she’s been a proud advocate for LGBTQ+ issues. Most of her family wants nothing to do with her, but her brother has always supported her. When he gets married, he wants her in the wedding party.
The only problem? Her new sister in law is the daughter of conservative pundit and anti-LGBT warrior Sarah Tremblay. Sarah has another daughter, too, the beautiful and charming Valeria.
Valeria has been in the closet since she was fourteen. She’s always envied Jo’s strength and freedom, if not her path to living her authentic life. Soon Valeria finds herself falling for the fierce, pretty rocker, but coming out could cost her everything. How many risks can she take for someone she’ll only know for two weeks?
Can Jo and Valeria turn attraction into love, or will their whirlwind romance blow out before it gets off the ground?
The only problem? Her new sister in law is the daughter of conservative pundit and anti-LGBT warrior Sarah Tremblay. Sarah has another daughter, too, the beautiful and charming Valeria.
Valeria has been in the closet since she was fourteen. She’s always envied Jo’s strength and freedom, if not her path to living her authentic life. Soon Valeria finds herself falling for the fierce, pretty rocker, but coming out could cost her everything. How many risks can she take for someone she’ll only know for two weeks?
Can Jo and Valeria turn attraction into love, or will their whirlwind romance blow out before it gets off the ground?
108 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2018
2 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
J.V. Speyer
32 books105 followersJ J. V. Speyer writes LGBTQ+ romance novels heavily flavored with suspense, mystery, and adventure. She has lived in upstate New York and rural Catalonia before making the greater Boston, Massachusetts area her permanent home. She currently lives just south of Boston in a house old enough to remember when her town was a tavern community with a farming problem.
J. V. finds most of her inspiration from music. Her tastes run the gamut from traditional to industrial and back again. When not writing she is a baseball fan, a hockey mom, and a devotee of all things weird and creepy about New England.
J. V. finds most of her inspiration from music. Her tastes run the gamut from traditional to industrial and back again. When not writing she is a baseball fan, a hockey mom, and a devotee of all things weird and creepy about New England.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 13, 2018
This book was provided for free by the publisher and Love Bytes in exchange for an honest review.
This review was first posted to Love Bytes: LGBTQ Book Reviews. It has been slightly edited here for content.
Once rock star Jo Avery stepped into her old hometown and the awful family that came along with it, I knew this book would be a bumpy ride. It’s a story that doesn’t stray from heavy themes of dealing with conservative anti-gay family members, but through the tough stuff, there’s a believable romance.
I really like Jo as a character. She’s exactly the sort of cool, bad-ass bisexual girl you want to spend a story with. Seeing her hold her tongue for her brother’s sake is hard, but I like how we get to see her “found family” support system in her bandmates, her bodyguard, and eventually, Valeria. She’s lived a complicated life, and now she’s being thrown back into the chaos.
Though the family drama made for a riveting story, the conservative mother characters (Sarah and Nathalie) were so one-dimensionally evil that I just couldn’t understand why Jo and Valeria would tolerate them for even a second. And even though Jo’s brother Tom loves and supports her, I’d have major issues with my brother still associating with a violently homophobic mother who literally wishes her gay daughter would die in a plane crash. The hate is so strong throughout the book. Whenever she enters a room, Jo isn’t just given dirty looks or whispers—people actively hate and mistreat her for her sexuality. There’s a point where I just wished she’d stop taking the high road and kick some ass. It gets exhausting to see our awesome and talented gay ladies being mistreated for a hundred pages.
In addition to the heavy family themes, I feel like I was missing something in this story, like there was a lot of backstory I would’ve liked to read about before diving into Jo and Valeria’s romance. I wanted to know more about Jo’s band Whirlwind, their fame, and Jo’s early start as a teen rock star. I wanted to know more about Valeria’s writing career and why she still feels so tied to her incredibly homophobic and cruel family. I wanted to know more about Jo’s public outing and how it affected her relationships with her mother and brother. This is a short work, but it could’ve used a little more characterization to really get us invested in the drama.
In the end, the heart of this book is a solid romance between two women who are ready for the next step in their lives. It might be a speedy relationship, but Jo always seems good for Valeria’s confidence, and Valeria treats Jo like a normal human rather than a famous rock star. They get a lovely ending that makes up for a bit of the book’s harsh tone. We also get to see one hateful character start their path to redemption, which is always nice.
I wouldn’t categorize this as the year’s feel-good romance, but there’s definitely enjoyment in seeing Jo and Valeria get together amidst such a maelstrom of hate.
This review was first posted to Love Bytes: LGBTQ Book Reviews. It has been slightly edited here for content.
Once rock star Jo Avery stepped into her old hometown and the awful family that came along with it, I knew this book would be a bumpy ride. It’s a story that doesn’t stray from heavy themes of dealing with conservative anti-gay family members, but through the tough stuff, there’s a believable romance.
I really like Jo as a character. She’s exactly the sort of cool, bad-ass bisexual girl you want to spend a story with. Seeing her hold her tongue for her brother’s sake is hard, but I like how we get to see her “found family” support system in her bandmates, her bodyguard, and eventually, Valeria. She’s lived a complicated life, and now she’s being thrown back into the chaos.
Though the family drama made for a riveting story, the conservative mother characters (Sarah and Nathalie) were so one-dimensionally evil that I just couldn’t understand why Jo and Valeria would tolerate them for even a second. And even though Jo’s brother Tom loves and supports her, I’d have major issues with my brother still associating with a violently homophobic mother who literally wishes her gay daughter would die in a plane crash. The hate is so strong throughout the book. Whenever she enters a room, Jo isn’t just given dirty looks or whispers—people actively hate and mistreat her for her sexuality. There’s a point where I just wished she’d stop taking the high road and kick some ass. It gets exhausting to see our awesome and talented gay ladies being mistreated for a hundred pages.
In addition to the heavy family themes, I feel like I was missing something in this story, like there was a lot of backstory I would’ve liked to read about before diving into Jo and Valeria’s romance. I wanted to know more about Jo’s band Whirlwind, their fame, and Jo’s early start as a teen rock star. I wanted to know more about Valeria’s writing career and why she still feels so tied to her incredibly homophobic and cruel family. I wanted to know more about Jo’s public outing and how it affected her relationships with her mother and brother. This is a short work, but it could’ve used a little more characterization to really get us invested in the drama.
In the end, the heart of this book is a solid romance between two women who are ready for the next step in their lives. It might be a speedy relationship, but Jo always seems good for Valeria’s confidence, and Valeria treats Jo like a normal human rather than a famous rock star. They get a lovely ending that makes up for a bit of the book’s harsh tone. We also get to see one hateful character start their path to redemption, which is always nice.
I wouldn’t categorize this as the year’s feel-good romance, but there’s definitely enjoyment in seeing Jo and Valeria get together amidst such a maelstrom of hate.
May 7, 2018
Since it’s still quite rare nowadays in the lesfic world, it’s good to find a story (even a short one) about an openly bisexual character … a story which talks about the problems and huge prejudices that most of bisexual people face daily …
Josiane, aka Jo, has a lot of courage … The courage to face the fact one of her ex outed her a few years ago just to serve her own carreer, the courage to be herself since this event and the courage to come home (where , of course) she’s not welcome to please her beloved brother (who was always her ally) when he gets married to Izzy, the older daughter of a pundit and anti-LGBT warrior..
Sparks fly everywhere as soon as Jo and Valeria met .. It’s a « bit » complicated for both of them since Val is closeted and Izzy’s baby sister.
One’s could think it’s rushed to talk about Love between the main characters but Love at first sight exists and admitting it is another thing which require a lot of courage. It’s where Val prooves she’s as courageous as Jo (whereas she thought the contrary) when she decides to come out as a lesbian and stand for her love for Jo …
Through the reading of this story, you’ll feel both good and bad for the main characters, you’ll laugh sometimes out loud because of the great humor (it helps to unwind after some tense passages ) and you’ll definitely want to slap very hard both the mothers and Izzy in the face because of all the horendous and hatred things they say … It seems unbelievable but, sadly, it’s true and it happens too many times in our real society … Personaly I don’t know how some mothers (who claim to be good ones) can behave like this ?? I don’t know either how such kind of people can live old with all this hate which consume them ... But I believe in karma … LOL
I’d love to see this love story being a bit more developed but it remains a good book. I liked it a lot and recommend it.
Josiane, aka Jo, has a lot of courage … The courage to face the fact one of her ex outed her a few years ago just to serve her own carreer, the courage to be herself since this event and the courage to come home (where , of course) she’s not welcome to please her beloved brother (who was always her ally) when he gets married to Izzy, the older daughter of a pundit and anti-LGBT warrior..
Sparks fly everywhere as soon as Jo and Valeria met .. It’s a « bit » complicated for both of them since Val is closeted and Izzy’s baby sister.
One’s could think it’s rushed to talk about Love between the main characters but Love at first sight exists and admitting it is another thing which require a lot of courage. It’s where Val prooves she’s as courageous as Jo (whereas she thought the contrary) when she decides to come out as a lesbian and stand for her love for Jo …
Through the reading of this story, you’ll feel both good and bad for the main characters, you’ll laugh sometimes out loud because of the great humor (it helps to unwind after some tense passages ) and you’ll definitely want to slap very hard both the mothers and Izzy in the face because of all the horendous and hatred things they say … It seems unbelievable but, sadly, it’s true and it happens too many times in our real society … Personaly I don’t know how some mothers (who claim to be good ones) can behave like this ?? I don’t know either how such kind of people can live old with all this hate which consume them ... But I believe in karma … LOL
I’d love to see this love story being a bit more developed but it remains a good book. I liked it a lot and recommend it.
May 13, 2018
RATING: 2.5 stars.
This is an easy read for anyone looking to engage with a short romance novella that follows the usual rules of the genre. I can see why some others would like it, but sadly, this book was not for me.
First of all, it's always good to see more bisexual characters. And who doesn't like the fantasy of a same-sex attracted rock star falling for an everyday sort of person? It's the formula for a nice story, and you can read it in about two hours or so. The most interesting and well-defined character was, I believe, Sarah, our homophobic antagonist who doesn't realise her daughter is attracted to women. I applaud the author for the messages they were looking to explore, and I'm really glad to find more bisexual women in a genre that has historically tended to ignor bi and pan women.
The main reason I can't say I loved this book is because of the writing style itself, which felt somewhat pedestrian. It's fine, really, but that's about as far as it goes. There's no real flair, but there COULD be with some revision.
I found myself quite distracted by the small issues in this story. WHIRLWIND has so much potential, but it seemed like a second or third draft, rather than the final product ready for publication. There are a lot of repeating filter words. At one point, the phrase "little bit" was used 8 times within roughly four pages on my kindle. "Just" is another repeating word, as is "herself". Occasionally the wrong character name was used in a sentence -- either that or I'd become confused (which is quite possible).
Overall, the book needed another round of editing in my opinion. The deletion of those repeated phrases could have really helped make the characters more distinct. To be fair, I was reading an ARC, and quite often an ARC is shared pre-proofing, so it's possible these things were in fact sorted out for the published version. I feel really terrible for not giving this a higher rating, and I apologise to the author that the story didn't resonate with me, but I need to be honest. On the plus side, quite often the things that one reader doesn't like about a book are the exact things that someone else loves and I'm only one perspective.
This is an easy read for anyone looking to engage with a short romance novella that follows the usual rules of the genre. I can see why some others would like it, but sadly, this book was not for me.
First of all, it's always good to see more bisexual characters. And who doesn't like the fantasy of a same-sex attracted rock star falling for an everyday sort of person? It's the formula for a nice story, and you can read it in about two hours or so. The most interesting and well-defined character was, I believe, Sarah, our homophobic antagonist who doesn't realise her daughter is attracted to women. I applaud the author for the messages they were looking to explore, and I'm really glad to find more bisexual women in a genre that has historically tended to ignor bi and pan women.
The main reason I can't say I loved this book is because of the writing style itself, which felt somewhat pedestrian. It's fine, really, but that's about as far as it goes. There's no real flair, but there COULD be with some revision.
I found myself quite distracted by the small issues in this story. WHIRLWIND has so much potential, but it seemed like a second or third draft, rather than the final product ready for publication. There are a lot of repeating filter words. At one point, the phrase "little bit" was used 8 times within roughly four pages on my kindle. "Just" is another repeating word, as is "herself". Occasionally the wrong character name was used in a sentence -- either that or I'd become confused (which is quite possible).
Overall, the book needed another round of editing in my opinion. The deletion of those repeated phrases could have really helped make the characters more distinct. To be fair, I was reading an ARC, and quite often an ARC is shared pre-proofing, so it's possible these things were in fact sorted out for the published version. I feel really terrible for not giving this a higher rating, and I apologise to the author that the story didn't resonate with me, but I need to be honest. On the plus side, quite often the things that one reader doesn't like about a book are the exact things that someone else loves and I'm only one perspective.
May 8, 2018
This was a very joyful read, I always love storeys where one of the LGBTQ+leading ladies is famous, so this cover caught my attention right away. I'm an enthusiast of nice covers since I find it very rare that they really catch attention and make me stop and check out the book. Not with this awesome cover. Whirlwind is a story about singer Jo, who got outed by one of her fame greedy ex-girlfriends. Since most of her family is anti-Jo has to start her own life with just 18 years old. She did an awesome job doing so and is a famous rock star. She interrupts her own life to attend to her brother's wedding, the only supporter in her family.
In preparation for a huge wedding, since his fiance also has a mother who is a public figure, named Sarah Tremblay, a conservative pundit and anti-LGBT warrior. There are a lot of twists and turns. But I love to see how strong the bond between Jo and her brother is, how important family is for both of them because it's not only him not giving up on her, but also Jo standing strong against all odds.
On the rocky path, she meets Valeria, the other daughter of Sarah Tremblay, still in the closed and scared of because she sees how Jo is threatened by everyone.
The story is very well written and shows the daily struggle of acceptance, very clear her to the acceptance of bisexuality. I never thought about how they are seen, so it was a very interesting insight. That's what is a huge part of the book. You can relate to a lot of situation happening in your own life. The focus is on the situations and prejudices LGBTQ+ have to face.
I really would love to have the second part here since the end felt a bit rushed and I would love to know a little more about the life of all our leading characters after the end of the wedding. We only get a small perception.
The story catched me, therefore i will definitly check ot more work from J. V. Speyer.
I got an free copy for an honest review.
In preparation for a huge wedding, since his fiance also has a mother who is a public figure, named Sarah Tremblay, a conservative pundit and anti-LGBT warrior. There are a lot of twists and turns. But I love to see how strong the bond between Jo and her brother is, how important family is for both of them because it's not only him not giving up on her, but also Jo standing strong against all odds.
On the rocky path, she meets Valeria, the other daughter of Sarah Tremblay, still in the closed and scared of because she sees how Jo is threatened by everyone.
The story is very well written and shows the daily struggle of acceptance, very clear her to the acceptance of bisexuality. I never thought about how they are seen, so it was a very interesting insight. That's what is a huge part of the book. You can relate to a lot of situation happening in your own life. The focus is on the situations and prejudices LGBTQ+ have to face.
I really would love to have the second part here since the end felt a bit rushed and I would love to know a little more about the life of all our leading characters after the end of the wedding. We only get a small perception.
The story catched me, therefore i will definitly check ot more work from J. V. Speyer.
I got an free copy for an honest review.
May 13, 2018
This is a great novella with a lot of good moments in it.
It's the story of Jo, a rockband singer, and Valeria, who's sister is going to marry Jo's brother. Jo takes a break from touring to attend her brother's wedding preperation and the wedding itself ... Jo's brother is the only family member that supports her after her outing some years ago. The days before the wedding are full with events, appointments and hatred from a various range of people. But they're also rich of supporting friends and strangers and a growing lovestory between Jo and Valeria.
I really liked this story. It was very well written. The characters and relationships are interesting and presented in a suitable way though I would have whished to read some more about the backstory of some characters - for example how Jo's brother deales with his bitchy mother in law or what Jo's father feels about his daughter. There are so many questionmarks left in my head but that is not really bad. It shows that the story itself got me thinking.
So it was entertaining and moved me.
It's the story of Jo, a rockband singer, and Valeria, who's sister is going to marry Jo's brother. Jo takes a break from touring to attend her brother's wedding preperation and the wedding itself ... Jo's brother is the only family member that supports her after her outing some years ago. The days before the wedding are full with events, appointments and hatred from a various range of people. But they're also rich of supporting friends and strangers and a growing lovestory between Jo and Valeria.
I really liked this story. It was very well written. The characters and relationships are interesting and presented in a suitable way though I would have whished to read some more about the backstory of some characters - for example how Jo's brother deales with his bitchy mother in law or what Jo's father feels about his daughter. There are so many questionmarks left in my head but that is not really bad. It shows that the story itself got me thinking.
So it was entertaining and moved me.
May 4, 2018
Whirlwind was a great story. It’s aboubt a singer who comes home for her brother’s wedding as a Bridesmaid. Jo finds herself not welcome because of her sexuality by almost everyone except her Brother and Valeria, the brides sister. Sparks fly between Jo and Valeria, but Valeria is not publicly out and Jo understands what she has to risk because her Mother has disowned her 5 years before. I loved the story and highly recommend it.
May 8, 2018
I received this novella as an Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an honest review. While the story starts off a bit unfocused, it quickly turns into a compelling read that tests the limits of coming out to family and the ramifications that can follow. In a multitude of family situations, Jo, a rock star, who was outed by a former girlfriend and was disowned by most of her family returns to NY to attend the wedding of her brother who is marrying the daughter of an Evangelical pundit. She proves that sometimes love comes from the unlikeliest places. Quick read, compelling story and interesting characters. A very good read.
May 23, 2018
Wow, Speyer creates strong characters that are easy to dislike with a passion, and yes, characters that you can really relate to positively as well. I have known parents that are like Sarah and Nathalie, although thankfully I never had that personal experience. This is a sweet and humorous, romance, centered around much family drama. I loved the interaction and dialogue between Jo and her bodyguard, Simon. It is thoughtful and sometimes, just funny. Although this is a short novel, Speyer has given good depth to her characters, and a clear understanding of the family dynamics of the two families.
Speyer does a good job of bringing to the surface the struggle Valeria has with being honest with herself and with those from whom she desperately seeks approval...family and close friends. There are two lines in the final chapter that stand out to me, when Valeria takes Jo to the dance floor, "I have nothing to lose at all. And I have everything to gain." Sometimes love is not found in the family and friends you grew up with, but those who see you for who you are, and love and accept you just because.
Speyer does a good job of bringing to the surface the struggle Valeria has with being honest with herself and with those from whom she desperately seeks approval...family and close friends. There are two lines in the final chapter that stand out to me, when Valeria takes Jo to the dance floor, "I have nothing to lose at all. And I have everything to gain." Sometimes love is not found in the family and friends you grew up with, but those who see you for who you are, and love and accept you just because.
May 19, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It was a great read. The characters are well established and well-rounded and I love a happy ending. I finished this book really quickly! I constantly wanted to know what happened next. I didn’t want to put it down! The writing was great, and the plot moved along well. I loved the chemistry between the two main characters. I’ll definitely be checking out this author’s other books.
I received the book in exchange for an honest review.
I received the book in exchange for an honest review.
May 21, 2018
Jo is a rockstar who has returned from tour for her brothers wedding. Jo was disowned by her parent's.Valeria is the downtrodden sister of the bride. Sparks fly, Valeria is in the closet. This is due to fear of rejection and backlash towards her mothers political career. Mother is a anti-gay lobbyist. I hate several characters and dislike of many others. Jo and Valeria are likeable but not a realistic relationship. Recieved an ARC for a honest review.
May 16, 2018
Always excited about more bi women in Lesfic but this was sadly yet another storyline filled with biphobic attitudes that quickly soured it for me. I didn't really connect with the characters,although I thought the story was an interesting one, it needed some reworking for it to work for me.
It never really picked up pace or excitement. I received an ARC copy for my review.
It never really picked up pace or excitement. I received an ARC copy for my review.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews