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Watch Her Burn
Meg's perfect life was like a piece of porcelain, lovely and seemingly timeless. That is, until her husband of twenty five years asks for a divorce. After that, Meg is scrambling to pick up the pieces.
At least she has Jamie. Jamie's been her best friend, her rock, her ride or die since they were fourteen. That Jamie is Meg's ex's twin sister is a minor complication.
Or is it a major problem? As Meg tries to redefine herself, she and Jamie find their friendship enters gray territory. Old fantasies are fanned and soon things are heating up between them.
Is their taboo relationship fueled by lust or love?
When clay is fired, it grows stronger. But when Meg's world is set alight, she's afraid she may have burned the person she cares for the most.
At least she has Jamie. Jamie's been her best friend, her rock, her ride or die since they were fourteen. That Jamie is Meg's ex's twin sister is a minor complication.
Or is it a major problem? As Meg tries to redefine herself, she and Jamie find their friendship enters gray territory. Old fantasies are fanned and soon things are heating up between them.
Is their taboo relationship fueled by lust or love?
When clay is fired, it grows stronger. But when Meg's world is set alight, she's afraid she may have burned the person she cares for the most.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 27, 2019
61 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Em Stevens
11 books74 followersEm Stevens was shortlisted for most likely to succeed. She’s a best-selling author of queer fiction. When she isn’t writing she enjoys all that NC has to offer, from mountains to the sea, wine and distilleries. Em and company, including two furry friends, reside in Raleigh.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
May 4, 2019
A stunningly good read--
I felt this one.
Watch Her Burn is a triangle of friendship and love and heartache, a three-way love story you see from a mile off, you know where it's going, but the twists and turns come at you in such unexpected ways that you're as surprised or as devastated as the characters themselves.
That said, the story that hit me hardest was Jamie's. Rarely do I come across an author who knows how to write a butch character beyond the shallows. Em Stevens has done that with Jamie, who shook me to my bones because her story was strikingly dead-on in the trials butches face growing up--or growing old, for that matter. Stevens writes Jamie with empathy and with a truth so compelling and breathtaking and painfully real that I found myself yelling out loud or reading through tears because I have been there, too.
I have no complaints with this book. There are others before me who've picked the nits, but I've read more than a few badly-written tales that were fair messes regarding grammar, punctuation, and editing, and were ranked and rated higher for reasons unknown. There are minimal issues here, in my opinion, and certainly none to distract from the telling.
Watch Her Burn is worth your time.
I felt this one.
Watch Her Burn is a triangle of friendship and love and heartache, a three-way love story you see from a mile off, you know where it's going, but the twists and turns come at you in such unexpected ways that you're as surprised or as devastated as the characters themselves.
That said, the story that hit me hardest was Jamie's. Rarely do I come across an author who knows how to write a butch character beyond the shallows. Em Stevens has done that with Jamie, who shook me to my bones because her story was strikingly dead-on in the trials butches face growing up--or growing old, for that matter. Stevens writes Jamie with empathy and with a truth so compelling and breathtaking and painfully real that I found myself yelling out loud or reading through tears because I have been there, too.
I have no complaints with this book. There are others before me who've picked the nits, but I've read more than a few badly-written tales that were fair messes regarding grammar, punctuation, and editing, and were ranked and rated higher for reasons unknown. There are minimal issues here, in my opinion, and certainly none to distract from the telling.
Watch Her Burn is worth your time.
November 22, 2023
Emotive! This was such a great story. The emotions reached out and just squeezed your heart. In parts it wasn’t easy, but then, parts of life aren’t. The characters were so real, with their flaws and their strengths. You just felt for them, and hoped desperately for their ‘happily-ever-after’.
September 28, 2022
3.75⭐️
April 5, 2019
A very realistic love story on an emotional level. Not much of escapism here.
Spoilers here, but I want say parts of this story made me very angry on the behalf of the main character. No one gives her her due, not her love interest, not her ex, not her kids. As a single mother going through an amicable divorce...what happens in this book should not have played out that way. You don't take on role of homemaker for 20 years of a 35 year relationship, then get abandoned with no child support or alimony and only half of one single asset. That's not how divorce works. Two parties put in equal work supporting the home and kids, their assets may be split, but the financial provider doesn't get to just stop providing. His career only exists as it does because his wife took on the majority of responsibility for the home and children. They both worked equally, even if only one got paid. this is why alimony exists. A court would have required child support despite split custody. Costs split for raising children are dependant on percentage of combined income. So the court would determine the total amount that should be spent on the kids, and he would have had to pay 50% of that amount to her, and spend the rest at his discretion until she started generating income and then it would be adjusted. They could have opted out of alimony, but it would not have been encouraged. NC courts would have likely made him pay alimony until her business took off, and possibly longer. Possibly for at least half the length of the marriage if not longer.
Sorry for the rant, but this really bugged me, because the main character keeps talking about what a good guy her ex husband is, except he took everything she'd given him for 35 years and left her with almost nothing, then had the nerve to forbid her from being with who she loved for six whole years after, while he freaking remarries, as if that was at all his decision to make. Then after the kids are grown, he tried to give permission....wtf?! He was an entitled jerk, and while his sister called him on it, she didn't hold him accountable, and his ex wife allowed herself to be taken advantage of then said thank you.
I gave this five stars because the writing was impeccable, the story was engaging, and I cared enough about the characters that I couldn't put this down. It still made me furious for the above reasons but if I set that aside the emotional journey of the main character and her love interest is engaging. Their first sex scene was very raw and super hot. I liked it because people tend to forget that f/f sex isn't just slow motion pillow fights and slowly falling feathers and gentle caresses. Eyeroll. Sexual realism was very well done in this book. I'd recommend this book on that alone tbh.
Spoilers here, but I want say parts of this story made me very angry on the behalf of the main character. No one gives her her due, not her love interest, not her ex, not her kids. As a single mother going through an amicable divorce...what happens in this book should not have played out that way. You don't take on role of homemaker for 20 years of a 35 year relationship, then get abandoned with no child support or alimony and only half of one single asset. That's not how divorce works. Two parties put in equal work supporting the home and kids, their assets may be split, but the financial provider doesn't get to just stop providing. His career only exists as it does because his wife took on the majority of responsibility for the home and children. They both worked equally, even if only one got paid. this is why alimony exists. A court would have required child support despite split custody. Costs split for raising children are dependant on percentage of combined income. So the court would determine the total amount that should be spent on the kids, and he would have had to pay 50% of that amount to her, and spend the rest at his discretion until she started generating income and then it would be adjusted. They could have opted out of alimony, but it would not have been encouraged. NC courts would have likely made him pay alimony until her business took off, and possibly longer. Possibly for at least half the length of the marriage if not longer.
Sorry for the rant, but this really bugged me, because the main character keeps talking about what a good guy her ex husband is, except he took everything she'd given him for 35 years and left her with almost nothing, then had the nerve to forbid her from being with who she loved for six whole years after, while he freaking remarries, as if that was at all his decision to make. Then after the kids are grown, he tried to give permission....wtf?! He was an entitled jerk, and while his sister called him on it, she didn't hold him accountable, and his ex wife allowed herself to be taken advantage of then said thank you.
I gave this five stars because the writing was impeccable, the story was engaging, and I cared enough about the characters that I couldn't put this down. It still made me furious for the above reasons but if I set that aside the emotional journey of the main character and her love interest is engaging. Their first sex scene was very raw and super hot. I liked it because people tend to forget that f/f sex isn't just slow motion pillow fights and slowly falling feathers and gentle caresses. Eyeroll. Sexual realism was very well done in this book. I'd recommend this book on that alone tbh.
April 7, 2023
No. Note for me - twin sister of divorcee husband. Not cool.
November 24, 2022
I was expected so much from this book when i read the summary. But unfortunately didnt meet my expectations, the characters don't have any depth and there are so many pages of the past to show the connections between the protagonists and then suddenly the story is 5 years into the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2019
Late-in-life romances are usually not my go-to (because I'm basic in my need for mid-twenties, love at first sight in a grocery store love), but I was intrigued by the plot so I gave it a try. I found myself falling for it all. Meg and Shane have been married for 25 years when he asks for a divorce, and Meg's world is completely turned upside down. She has two kids, April and Ben, who are her everything, and now she has to struggle to redefine herself in her late 40s. Luckily, she has Shane's twin sister and her best friend, Jaime. But, PLOT TWIST, Jaime has been in love with Meg for years. What follows is a roller coaster of emotions and complications. Does Meg love Jaime in that way? Can Jaime keep her walls up to protect her heart from the "what if" that was always lurking in the back of her mind?
What I really liked about this story was how realistic it was. Things aren't easy, especially when you've built a life and now have to sort out your new reality with all these wrenches thrown into your tires. Falling in love and forgetting all consequence isn't a solution; it's a temporary fix, at best. It just goes to show you that you can still grow up later in life, and sometimes figuring out how to love yourself without the safety net of another person is the hardest thing a person can do for themselves. There are some great lessons about love, loss, and forgiveness in this book.
My only tiny complaint was the editing. There were some age confusion, some inconsistencies with names, and some sentences that seemed like they were missing words. But it flowed nicely and I read it all in one sitting, so it gets 5 stars from me.
What I really liked about this story was how realistic it was. Things aren't easy, especially when you've built a life and now have to sort out your new reality with all these wrenches thrown into your tires. Falling in love and forgetting all consequence isn't a solution; it's a temporary fix, at best. It just goes to show you that you can still grow up later in life, and sometimes figuring out how to love yourself without the safety net of another person is the hardest thing a person can do for themselves. There are some great lessons about love, loss, and forgiveness in this book.
My only tiny complaint was the editing. There were some age confusion, some inconsistencies with names, and some sentences that seemed like they were missing words. But it flowed nicely and I read it all in one sitting, so it gets 5 stars from me.
April 2, 2019
Great story
Great characters and a great story. There are some editing issues (particularly about the number of years stated that Meg has been in a relationship with her husband not really adding up with the ages of when they started dating and when they divorced) but not enough to really impact my enjoyment of the story.
Great characters and a great story. There are some editing issues (particularly about the number of years stated that Meg has been in a relationship with her husband not really adding up with the ages of when they started dating and when they divorced) but not enough to really impact my enjoyment of the story.
October 3, 2022
Powerful and Intense
I read a lot, almost 300 books a year, and I can honestly say that I cannot recall another book that affected me as strongly as “Watch Her Burn”! The relationships between the three main characters pulled me in completely, and I could empathize with each of them. I’m 70 now, but I can remember the feeling of being “different” among my high school peers, even though I wasn’t yet as clued in about myself as Jamie. I was also that “good kid” who never skipped school and followed rules, but always wondered what it would be like to color outside the lines - like Shane. And I experienced my partner of 20+ years leaving, because I was no longer enough for her … even though I was the chief cook and bottle-washer in raising our two daughters.
This book, for me, was gut-wrenching and heartbreaking, and so beautifully written, I read it in half a day. I just couldn’t put it down. Need I say more? Oh yeah … read it!
I read a lot, almost 300 books a year, and I can honestly say that I cannot recall another book that affected me as strongly as “Watch Her Burn”! The relationships between the three main characters pulled me in completely, and I could empathize with each of them. I’m 70 now, but I can remember the feeling of being “different” among my high school peers, even though I wasn’t yet as clued in about myself as Jamie. I was also that “good kid” who never skipped school and followed rules, but always wondered what it would be like to color outside the lines - like Shane. And I experienced my partner of 20+ years leaving, because I was no longer enough for her … even though I was the chief cook and bottle-washer in raising our two daughters.
This book, for me, was gut-wrenching and heartbreaking, and so beautifully written, I read it in half a day. I just couldn’t put it down. Need I say more? Oh yeah … read it!
October 23, 2022
Watch Her Burn Delivers!
The title of the book led my mind in a different way than the story. There was a lot of heartbreak in this story. Jamie and Shane are twins. Meg is married to Shane and Jamie is her best friend. This trio along with Meg and Shane’s two kids are suddenly torn to pieces. As current events cause shocked lives to move, the story delves in to the past as Meg, Jamie and Shane grow up together. What happens when a hidden love is revealed and secrets and lies start to rear it’s ugly head. It was a well written story. My only dislike was the ending could have been a little more into Meg and Jamie as we waited a lot of chapters for it. But the writer had her way of seeing it and I did get it.
The title of the book led my mind in a different way than the story. There was a lot of heartbreak in this story. Jamie and Shane are twins. Meg is married to Shane and Jamie is her best friend. This trio along with Meg and Shane’s two kids are suddenly torn to pieces. As current events cause shocked lives to move, the story delves in to the past as Meg, Jamie and Shane grow up together. What happens when a hidden love is revealed and secrets and lies start to rear it’s ugly head. It was a well written story. My only dislike was the ending could have been a little more into Meg and Jamie as we waited a lot of chapters for it. But the writer had her way of seeing it and I did get it.
November 14, 2022
Hated
I hate a book that makes women look weak and this o e did ex husband should had been told to go f --k and let them live their lives. Meg was made to look very weak. I mean really ex was an ass ho!e and Meg had to put her life on hold. I will not read this author again of she makes women look and act weak
I hate a book that makes women look weak and this o e did ex husband should had been told to go f --k and let them live their lives. Meg was made to look very weak. I mean really ex was an ass ho!e and Meg had to put her life on hold. I will not read this author again of she makes women look and act weak
November 1, 2021
Really disappointed with this book.
Didn't feel any connection with the MC's, the story lack coherence, too many flashbacks.
And too many mistakes, typos, etc that could be fixed with a basic proofread.
Didn't feel any connection with the MC's, the story lack coherence, too many flashbacks.
And too many mistakes, typos, etc that could be fixed with a basic proofread.
October 15, 2023
The book had a solid start, it was full of angst and was exploring multiple tropes at once (such as friends to lovers, and forbidden love) which typically interest me and therefore I've been looking forward to reading this for a while now.
However, somewhere in the middle, this book lost me. I found that there wasn't really any chemistry building up between the two love interests. It felt like one of the love interests was pinning for the other one for 30+ years while the other one only felt interested right after her divorce when trying to explore her sexuality for the first time. I wasn't truly sold for their relationship, or really, the lack of it. Because when they finally get together, author decides to time jump few weeks and suddenly they're all girlfriends that are acting all lovey dovey and are inseparable .
I ended up skimming through the rest of the book, nothing interesting was happening anyways and nearing the end there were even more time skips (it's especially annoying in this case because of the lack of details between said time skips, I'm all for jumping time if there were enough details to summarize what and why these jumps into the future needed to happen). I was thankful I stopped caring for the ending of this book, I just wanted to be done with it.
September 22, 2019
Wow!
There were parts of this book I didn't like, but I can't say without spoilers. I think they were more part of who the characters are, and not unrealistic turns.
Nearer the end, I was trying to decide if it would be better if they got together or not. It really would have been a good book, regardless. I really like that about it.
I caught myself at times seeing Jamie as others, even Meg sometimes, saw her. Then realizing that was wrong. Jamie really is "enough" in her unique way, and the way she is, is gloriously right for her. It is her, not just her faking. I love so much how Em Stevens wrote her, and championed her right to be herself. And, while it was heartbreaking, writing Meg as sometimes getting her friend totally wrong, was "right" in the sense that we all let our loved ones down at times.
There were parts of this book I didn't like, but I can't say without spoilers. I think they were more part of who the characters are, and not unrealistic turns.
Nearer the end, I was trying to decide if it would be better if they got together or not. It really would have been a good book, regardless. I really like that about it.
I caught myself at times seeing Jamie as others, even Meg sometimes, saw her. Then realizing that was wrong. Jamie really is "enough" in her unique way, and the way she is, is gloriously right for her. It is her, not just her faking. I love so much how Em Stevens wrote her, and championed her right to be herself. And, while it was heartbreaking, writing Meg as sometimes getting her friend totally wrong, was "right" in the sense that we all let our loved ones down at times.
May 16, 2023
I could not decide between 2 or 3 stars for a while. I decided to go with 3 because I think I was just not the target audience for this book. I was not able to genuinely apreciate both character, especially Meg. The conservative stay at home mom with no other ambition then to serve her husband and kids and who gave up everything she ever dreamed of at 16 just because she met a man is SO far away from me that I could not comprehend her at all. She also had way too many borderline homophobic and/or preconceived stereotype about her "bestfriend", yet Jamie could not stop praising how she was such a good friend and never judged her. I could go on and on, but to me, the story was not bad, but Meg was such a pain in the ass. The more I keep writing, the more I think about switching it to 2 stars so I'll stop there, because overall, the book was alright, just not my cup of tea.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2019
Well, I've got to say this story was frustrating at points; due to the name changes (I didn't read until the end of the book how April got her nickname 'Apricot') that may have been editorial gaffs ('Jun' was April at one point and Shane became 'Shawn' at another). Anyway...divorce is not easy to write and Miss Stevens does a decent job of telling the tale. The angst of growing up and out of a marriage was overwhelming. The memories of Meg and Jamie's past experiences effectively led into the following chapter and I experienced much anger against Meg for using Jamie and anger at Jamie for staying. But it's not my story. Well written characters, especially teenage April and an acceptable take on divorce where love dies not by cheating but by comfortable expectations.
March 22, 2024
Powerful and complex!
Meg is a married woman with two teenage children whose husband Shane announces he wants a divorce on their twenty fifth anniversary. Not only does it disrupt them, but also his twin sister Jamie who is Meg's best friend. This trio has been friends since they met in middle school. Shane first kissed her when they were fourteen, but what she doesn't know is Jamie wanted to as well.
This is a very intense, well-written gripping story of deep friendships, growing up and honoring oneself. The changes in these three people did not happen quickly but was quite the journey for them as well as the reader. It truly was profound!
Meg is a married woman with two teenage children whose husband Shane announces he wants a divorce on their twenty fifth anniversary. Not only does it disrupt them, but also his twin sister Jamie who is Meg's best friend. This trio has been friends since they met in middle school. Shane first kissed her when they were fourteen, but what she doesn't know is Jamie wanted to as well.
This is a very intense, well-written gripping story of deep friendships, growing up and honoring oneself. The changes in these three people did not happen quickly but was quite the journey for them as well as the reader. It truly was profound!
April 27, 2023
growing up is hard
It is especially hard to grow up when one is 45 years old. And yet, sometimes we must. Both Meg and Jamie thought they knew who they were until the rug was pulled from under them. This story shows that it is never too late to grow into yourself or evolve into a new you. Unfortunately, growth is often accompanied by pain. In this case, the pain was worth it. M & J eventually grew into better versions of themselves, who just might fit together someday…
It is especially hard to grow up when one is 45 years old. And yet, sometimes we must. Both Meg and Jamie thought they knew who they were until the rug was pulled from under them. This story shows that it is never too late to grow into yourself or evolve into a new you. Unfortunately, growth is often accompanied by pain. In this case, the pain was worth it. M & J eventually grew into better versions of themselves, who just might fit together someday…
May 8, 2024
Strangely good. The process was painful and long but realistic. Meg turning into such a strong and independent woman at the end had me tearing up.
I didn't think it would be a sweet and fluffy romance, but i had no clue it would touch on such deep topics.
Romance was there, but there was a lot of trauma and healing that had to be done for Meg and Jamie to be together.
The ending was a bit lacklustre, but overall a good read.
4 stars.
I didn't think it would be a sweet and fluffy romance, but i had no clue it would touch on such deep topics.
Romance was there, but there was a lot of trauma and healing that had to be done for Meg and Jamie to be together.
The ending was a bit lacklustre, but overall a good read.
4 stars.
April 8, 2019
Angst filled story of divorce and friendship
I was excited to see a new offering from Em Stevens. Watch Her Burn was an angst filled story of growing up, with plenty of high school flashback scenes, divorce, and unrequited love. The book kept me interested until the very end. There were however a number of spelling and grammar errors throughout the book.
I was excited to see a new offering from Em Stevens. Watch Her Burn was an angst filled story of growing up, with plenty of high school flashback scenes, divorce, and unrequited love. The book kept me interested until the very end. There were however a number of spelling and grammar errors throughout the book.
April 19, 2019
Complex
This is a really well done book. It's thought provoking, complex and heart warming. I loved both Jamie and Meg but I have to admit I identified more with Jamie. The book reinforces the idea that love is hard and complex but hopefully worth it in the end. The book kept me invested and intrigued to the end. Great job!
This is a really well done book. It's thought provoking, complex and heart warming. I loved both Jamie and Meg but I have to admit I identified more with Jamie. The book reinforces the idea that love is hard and complex but hopefully worth it in the end. The book kept me invested and intrigued to the end. Great job!
February 4, 2023
Great book
This book was great. I liked how they met in middle school and stayed friends even tho there were ups and downs in their relationship. I liked how the author would shift back to when they were kids and then back to them being who they are. I was so happy that they finally made their was back to each other.
This book was great. I liked how they met in middle school and stayed friends even tho there were ups and downs in their relationship. I liked how the author would shift back to when they were kids and then back to them being who they are. I was so happy that they finally made their was back to each other.
November 22, 2023
Emotive!
This was such a great story. The emotions reached out and just squeezed your heart. In parts it wasn’t easy, but then, parts of life aren’t. The characters were so real, with their flaws and their strengths. You just felt for them, and hoped desperately for their ‘happily-ever-after’.
This was such a great story. The emotions reached out and just squeezed your heart. In parts it wasn’t easy, but then, parts of life aren’t. The characters were so real, with their flaws and their strengths. You just felt for them, and hoped desperately for their ‘happily-ever-after’.
April 24, 2019
Cute story
I loved this book! It had adventure, intrigue, romance, and awesome characters. The storyline moved along flawlessly and kept me totally involved. If these characters were to appear again for another adventure, I would be along for the ride.
I loved this book! It had adventure, intrigue, romance, and awesome characters. The storyline moved along flawlessly and kept me totally involved. If these characters were to appear again for another adventure, I would be along for the ride.
July 19, 2019
🌈💞⛲PLENTY OF WATER WORKS⛲💞🌈
Lots of disappointing moments for Jamie in her pursuit for her HAPPY EVER AFTER !💞 Theirs a brief moment where it seems that she's going achieve it but . I'll let you uncover the rest of that moment when you read this very well disbursed bit of sapphic fiction !😍
Lots of disappointing moments for Jamie in her pursuit for her HAPPY EVER AFTER !💞 Theirs a brief moment where it seems that she's going achieve it but . I'll let you uncover the rest of that moment when you read this very well disbursed bit of sapphic fiction !😍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2019
Excellent!
I definitely cried at the end, but worth the read! I felt too many emotions while reading this! Highly recommend.
I definitely cried at the end, but worth the read! I felt too many emotions while reading this! Highly recommend.
May 26, 2019
Phenomenal Story
I absolutely loved this book. The characters were relatable and the relationships were enduring and realistic. I was actually angry when it came to an end.
I absolutely loved this book. The characters were relatable and the relationships were enduring and realistic. I was actually angry when it came to an end.
May 28, 2019
Lot's of drama
Highly recommended. It takes you in an emotional journey with the ladies. Great ending. Wish there were more books like this out there. 😂
Highly recommended. It takes you in an emotional journey with the ladies. Great ending. Wish there were more books like this out there. 😂
February 18, 2022
- was a nice story where each of the main characters had to build themselves up and grow.
September 24, 2022
Really nice story
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews