Dove Fitzgerald is a force to be reckoned with. At twenty, she already knows exactly who she is and who she’s going to be: queen of her own media empire. She’s just started her junior year of undergrad to get her business degree, and everything is going according to her meticulous plan. That is until Seven Sutter careens back into her life. Seven Sutter, the girl who had it all in high school. Now here she is at the same college as Dove, in two of the same classes no less. Seven Sutter, who Dove has been paired with for a semester-long partnership. Oh, and Seven is now living down the hall from Dove. Because of course. Dove braces herself for disaster, but what she doesn’t expect is to find Seven off-the-charts sexy. And interesting. And not the evil monster she always made her out to be. She’s just as driven as Dove, determined to have a goth café, filled with skull cookies and drinks named after dead people. Dove’s opinions of Seven start to change. Those opinions turn into something else: a crush. A big life-altering one. Can Dove let their history go and give herself permission to fall for the girl with the killer brown eyes who makes the best chocolate chip cookies in the world?
Chelsea M. Cameron is a New York Times/USA Today/Internationally Best Selling author from Maine who now lives and works in Boston. She's a red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, former cheerleader, and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, eating brunch in bed, tweeting, and playing fetch with her cat, Sassenach. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.
**'If you love being a writer then make sure your words, sentences, paragraphs and chapters mean something plus your storytelling stands for something..'
3.5stars! A nice love story --- very slow developing romance. Recommended!
I was sent a review copy by the author in exchange for a free and honest review
You know that meme of pastel femme girl and the goth girl in relation to sapphics? This book is that meme with rivals to lovers sprinkled on top.
The book is set at college, following overachieving business major, Dove. She's in her third year of college and in the first week she's shocked to see her former school rival, and the only other lesbian that was at her small town school, Seven. Their rivalry was completely academic, and this came with hostility from Dove towards Seven. This has carried on into the present, where they haven't seen each other for two years.
I'd pin this as a slow burn romance of sorts. Kind of. It does take time for them to be together but their history and past feelings add to the narrative. Dove is one who can hold a grudge, as shown by how she still has some hostility she still has towards Seven. But this is all explored, and so is more about Seven. I also loved the baking aspects to it.
It was a really fluffy books, and Chelsea M Cameron is always great at delivering fluffy f/f romances with queer rep that feels authentic to how queer people speak and interact with each other, as there are other queer characters in this book (in typical Cameron fashion in regards to her f/f books).
I'd pin this as my second favourite Chelsea books. I've read all her f/f and two of her m/f, and this is easily second to Style. Highly recommend.
This. Book. Is. So. Cute. I loved the characters and their chemistry is ridiculous. I wanted to punch the air when they finally kissed because the burn had been so slow, yet so perfect.
Overall, it was a decent read. It was a rivals to lovers story, but the rival part felt a little short-lived. There was cute polyam rep from some side characters. I also liked that the climactic/dramatic part was dealt with rationally and realistically.
It was not a book that stood out in my mind very well. I am a few books behind in my reviews and am having trouble remembering many good or bad parts. It was a low intensity read. It's great for taking on vacation, or if you just need something a little more chill.
This was such a sweet story (no pun intended). Obviously I loved it since I read it in less than a day! I’ve loved all of Chelsea Cameron’s f/f romances, but I’d say this is my favorite. I liked the depth of the characters, especially Seven.
This book was really cute and the storyline was interesting. I felt the main characters, Dove and Seven, were very likable and their relationship was believable and engaging. This was a quick and fun read.
this was objectively good and had so many great tropes, but I could not for the life of me stay interested in it. i can't explain it. at least i've finished all of chelsea m. cameron's f/f books now, though!
Actual rating 4.75 stars because this book was SO CLOSE TO PERFECT AND IT'S THE NEW LOVE OF MY LIFE. I received a free PDF copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review, by which I mean that I emailed her and basically begged her to send me a copy and I regret nothing.
Perfect for fans of 'The Summer of Jordi Perez,' Wicked Sweet is a NA romance which features a goth baker and a pink-haired social media influencer with ADHD. Paired together on a group project, they must learn to overcome the rivalry that came between them throughout their high school years, as well as combatting the new attraction that seems to have sprung up between them.
This book had EVERYTHING. It was cute and funny, featured a super-queer friend group (which is so accurate and yet rarely seems to happen in fiction; queer and trans people flock together like sheep, thanks for asking) and a kind of... not quite enemies to lovers; more rivals to lovers romance that I was just living for. The book is well-written, atmospheric, and just the perfect fluffy read. I adored the characters; I would die for Seven, and not only because I'm a sucker for alternative main characters (seriously, give me ALL of the goth characters, they are my children.)
Wicked Sweet features a pretty slow-burn romance but had enough going on to keep me hooked. Dove is a really great, driven main character who doesn't let anything stand in her way... except for cute girls. (Honestly, I can relate.) She's also very funny and delightfully obtuse; EVERYONE knows that Dove likes Seven before Dove finally clocks on, but that's part of the book's charm. It also has some pretty great sex scenes, just enough to keep you wanting more. It had me staying up late at night, frantically turning pages to keep reading until I was struggling to keep my eyes open. I don't even remember when a book last had that effect on me.
There was only one small thing that made me feel a little bit sad about Wicked Sweet, and that was the ending. Compared to the rest of the book, which was this wonderful slow progression and felt brilliantly paced, the ending happened in such a rush. It's like we went for a nice wander up a gentle slope, walked three quarters of the way down at a leisurely pace then suddenly slipped over and rolled down for the last few feet. The ending does this thing where it ties up most of the remaining loose ends of the story, but it's definitely a case of telling rather than showing. Rather than seeing the aftereffects of the relationship, there are a few pages of paragraphs basically listing what happens next and how the characters integrate into each other's lives - and then the book ends. It was a bit of a shock for it to end so abruptly and I was so sad, because up until that point the book basically had no flaws and I enjoyed it so much. However I'm still going to give it a Goodreads 5 instead of a 4, because f/f books are painfully underhyped and honestly I need Chelsea M Cameon to write ten million more books like this one.
Overall I would 100% recommend this book and I promise that if you liked Jordi Perez, you'll love this. We all need more lesbians in our lives, let's be honest.
This, as an audiobook, was AWFUL. The narrator was just terrible. :( I think I would like to give the book a second chance on kindle, but for now it gets a 2.
eu esperava mais desse livro, achei ele meio paradinho e só foi me prender nas últimas 50 páginas mas mesmo assim foi um romance f/f que deixou meu coração quentinho!! 💗
This was one of my first new adult, lesbian romance experiences and to be honest I was totally let down. I'm not entirely sure what my expectations for the new adult genre were but they have not been met in the slightest with this title.
We follow Dove, who is essentially perfect. She is pre-packaged as a perfectionist who is positive about everything and has social media following of 20k. Everything in Dove's life is cookie-cutter including some rivalry she has with a girl named Seven who shows up in two of her classes after transferring in their junior year.. of college.
Dove and Seven have some back story, a place for Chelsea to really dig into the things that aren't so superficial about Dove's experience. They HATE each other, is how Dove makes it seem but when the anger-fog clears and Chelsea decides to tell us why, it's merely because, in high school, Seven got better grades. As the story progresses Dove cartwheels between HATING SEVEN'S GUTS and LOVING HER SO MUCH IT HURTS HER "JUNK".
If watching Dove's hate/love/hate/love emotional rollercoaster that doesn't seem to have any supportive enticing action doesn't give you whiplash, her inability to decide whether she is a positivity queen or a hateful witch will.
Near the end of the story, we get some stability in regards to Dove's feelings, but it seems as though every. entire. feeling. is an epiphany. She knows she is a lesbian but is entirely shocked by the idea that she finds another woman attractive. It's clear that Dove's confidence is tied to her grades and work ethic, and her ability to rise from her Pheonix-style ashes after high school but the second anything tries to ruffle her feathers she falls apart and treats everyone like shit.
I admit, I appreciated the diversity within Dove's friend group but ultimately, introducing a bunch of characters who are gay/nonbinary/disabled in one-two scenes where they don't get any sort of back story or spotlight is just not my jam. These are supposed to be Dove's support system and they're absent 99% of the time.
on a technical note, I am not a published writer in any sense of the term. I can, however, appreciate that mistakes can be missed. Chelsea thanks her editor in the acknowledgments of this text, which came as a total shock to me. Editors should not miss enough mistakes to count double- digits. Editors should also know and feel comfortable telling the author when mistakes are made. Repetition is fine to make a point and in some cases is entirely essential to the story, but in this case, the same plot devices were used in every situation, and it got boring very quickly. I felt like I knew exactly what was going to happen on every page. We spent so much time in Dove's present mind that every time she tried to work through her past emotions it was glazed over, because in came Seven to remind her that she was, in fact, a lesbian that was attracted to a woman. We were hardly given any sort of insight into Dove as a person. We were told how she was without anything being shown. On the second page we were told in a very important tone that she was a social media star on the rise, and yet there are only 2-3 instances in the whole book where she "Takes photos" and spends time "working on her goal". We are told that she is, in fact, a perfectionist, and she is a dedicated worker, balancing school and freelance jobs, as well as her own personal lifestyle brand. Yet the second she sees Seven, she cares not about her grades or work and has no motivation to do anything at all except wallow in self-pity because she's-not-the-greatest-anymore.
Inconsistency is a huge problem in this book. Early on when Dove and Seven actually talk about themselves, instead of Dove being a brat, we find out that Seven's parents don't care about her dream and will only financially support her if she attends business school. So here she is at business school, begrudgingly but with mom and dad's money to back her. Yet later, when confronted about why Seven picked DOVE'S SCHOOL she said that it had the best financial aid coverage, and again toward the end, Seven states that she finally made enough money to be rid of her parent's and their financial support. So which is it?
We spend 85% of the story working toward the romance and then as soon as it happens, every single page is a kissing/makeout/ hot and heavy scene. I'm not saying I'm mad about that but it could have happened earlier and felt like a more natural progression if school and work were still, I don't know, present during the last few chapters. I won't get too into how I feel about the smut itself because honestly as soon as I thought Chelsea had a handle on some part of the writing within this book she would add a word or a sentence that took me out of the scene and right back into the reality that this book needs a better editor.
This was a surprising slow burn romantic read. There is a couple reasons it didn’t get an even higher rating, the reason for the conflict while kind of valid was played out to be “bullying” in high school. It really wasn’t though they were just competitive and I think if the author had stuck to them just being competitive it would’ve been a better angst angle. Also Dove had ADD which is fine but it’s kind of mentioned then glazed over, it really explains a lot of her habits in the book and she doesn’t mention it to Seven at all.
On the bright side this couple was so slow burn, and they talked out their feelings. I really loved that about these two. While you would assume by their attire and attitudes that they would be night and day, they are both actually really driven young ladies. Dove’s friends really just accepted Seven into the fold and that was really sweet. I enjoyed learning all about Seven’s baking dreams and every time she baked we learned a little more about her. It was interesting seeing the other side of a influencer’s life, I never thought of how they have to plan everything out. I liked how Dove worked for other people and planning their lifestyles and blogs.
This was super sweet and I really enjoyed it, I would definitely pick something up by this author again.
I loved this book and I am itching for another! I saw myself in Seven (minus wearing all black, I’m like Dove in that regard liking bright colors) so much it was like looking in a mirror. Despite the goth look, she’s an amazing baker, shy, reserved, a little timid. But once Dove befriends her you see such a bright person but also a vulnerable human in her, it was easy to relate with her. Dove was so adorable I wanted to make her tiny and put her in my pocket! I loved their drive to be business women and take on the world. It was so inspiring and motivating, it put me into gear to go after my own dreams. I just loved the connection and love these two girls had for each other. There was no angst drama or OW drama. I hope there will be more in the future about them. I wish there was an epilogue. I’m looking forward to seeing them happily married in a Victorian home. Five hearts ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Dove has dreams. Big dreams. And she is doing her hardest to work towards them, her life all planned out. College is going well, and then Seven, her hated nemesis/rival from high school, walks back into her life, right into it and her mind, and suddenly things are a lot messier and complicated. Perhaps her feelings weren't quite what she'd thought...
Wicked Sweet is indeed an apt name for the novel. It is very, very sweet. And Dove's thoughts, oh my. She has ADHD, and it certainly shows, but that just adds more depth to her character, and makes the story that much more enjoyable. Her worries, insecurities, obsessions, desires, they all show through. And Seven, she is also a great character, especially as you learn more about her. Things aren't always as they seem.
Very much enjoyed the story, and while it is somewhat fast paced, it is told well, and is of a decent length. If you want an enjoyable and very sweet college sapphic romance, you can't go wrong here.
Two young women who had a strained relationship in high school meet again a few years later at college in a business class, in which they are assigned to work together. Not only that, they both have apartments in the same building on the same floor. There's no escaping each other. Dove is planning to expand her online presence and develop a business based on that. Seven knew that Dove didn’t like her but didn’t really know why. The author pretty much tells the storyline in her blurb. I found it to be an interesting look at how two people realize their misconceptions and slowly overcome them. It didn’t always keep my attention, but it was ok.
This was a much needed read for me. I haven't been lucky with the novels I've picked up recently, so this was a nice refreshing surprise. IT WAS SO CUTE. THE MCs WERE ADORABLE. I loved how there wasn't any unnecessary drama, there was pure communication. These characters were so mature for their age, which rubbed me off the wrong way in the beginning, but by the end I was honestly inspired by it. A perfect read for when you're feeling low. LOVED IT.
This is how to write a cut little YA romance. Great characters, absolutely perfect pacing and no annoying contrived breakup/makeup. If this is your thing or you just need a break from the urban fantasy, give this a read - the literary equivalent of those feelgood movies that leave you with a smile on your face.
Low-angst FF comedic romance was exactly what I needed to limp through this hellish week; this delivered. Single-viewpoint narrator Dove was a teensy bit hard for me to handle, she sorts her books by color (ugh!) and aspires to build a lifestyle brand (ugh!!); it was easier for me to empathize with her goth-y former high school nemesis.
Nice story with a relationship that builds slowly as the couple works through their issues on the way to building something solid. Best not to read while hungry as there is a great deal of baking described in mouth watering detail.
This book was so cute and wholesome. I couldn't put it down. I love the cutesy pink girl/dark goth girl trope, and this book delivers! Chelsea M. Cameron is my favorite writer of wlw romance, and you should check this one out!
A great story about two girls that were rivals from kinder to high school, and when they find each other in college are forced to work together, and find out they love each other. A very fun read