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You Matter
A disgruntled former client attempts to kill Reggie Esposito, a senior law partner at Hawk, Esposito & Associates—a leading Boston law firm, after she loses his lawsuit. Chrissy Kramer, her paralegal, prevents him from shooting Reggie, but she is hurt in the process. While Chrissy and her son, Ben, stay with Reggie to recuperate, their connection deepens, and they embark on a romantic relationship.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 18, 2019
25 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Jazzy Mitchell
6 books26 followersJazzy Mitchell loves to tell stories, one word at a time. Knowing how powerful words are, she enjoys connecting them in different ways. Her writing has evolved through poetry, short stories, fanfiction under the name Jazwriter, and novels. Each project has taught her how to integrate what she’s observed. She’s warned loved ones anything they say or do may show up in her next novel.
During the past thirty-five years Jazzy has reinvented herself several times. She taught English for a decade to inner-city, underprivileged middle school and high school students, giving back to her hometown and the school system which helped her. During that time, she encouraged countless students to express themselves through their writing by exploring their artistic sides. Law school drove the creativity out of her, but over time her artistic instincts reasserted themselves. Through the years, she has taught adults about ethics and the law and, through the Lightarian Institute, energy work.
Jazzy’s the is the proud publisher of two imprints: Desert Palm Press and Launch Point Press. She is also the author of five novels and has contributed short stories to anthologies published by Desert Palm Press and Sapphire Books. Jazzy is one of the founding directors of OPUS Literary Alliance and the Vice President of the Executive Board. Jazzy lives in Portland, Oregon, with her loving wife, three energetic children, and sassy pup.
Check out her websites at www.jazzymitchell.com , www.launchpointpress.com, and www.desertpalmpress.com. You can contact her at jazzymitchell@jazwriter.com, and publisher@penlight.us.
aka jazwriter
aka Jodi A. Zeramby
During the past thirty-five years Jazzy has reinvented herself several times. She taught English for a decade to inner-city, underprivileged middle school and high school students, giving back to her hometown and the school system which helped her. During that time, she encouraged countless students to express themselves through their writing by exploring their artistic sides. Law school drove the creativity out of her, but over time her artistic instincts reasserted themselves. Through the years, she has taught adults about ethics and the law and, through the Lightarian Institute, energy work.
Jazzy’s the is the proud publisher of two imprints: Desert Palm Press and Launch Point Press. She is also the author of five novels and has contributed short stories to anthologies published by Desert Palm Press and Sapphire Books. Jazzy is one of the founding directors of OPUS Literary Alliance and the Vice President of the Executive Board. Jazzy lives in Portland, Oregon, with her loving wife, three energetic children, and sassy pup.
Check out her websites at www.jazzymitchell.com , www.launchpointpress.com, and www.desertpalmpress.com. You can contact her at jazzymitchell@jazwriter.com, and publisher@penlight.us.
aka jazwriter
aka Jodi A. Zeramby
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 12, 2019
4.5 Stars. I went back and forth on whether if it can be rounded it up to 5 star book. In the end, I decided yes.
This is one of my favorite stories by Jazzy, well written and a quick read. I especially liked her characterization of Chrissy. Someone who doesn't realize or accept her self worth. Despite all the evidence - she is a caring person, a good mother and she is able to provide for her son and able to follow her dreams to become a paralegal. In spite of what she has accomplished, including raising a polite, friendly, and responsible son, Ben, she has a very low self-esteem. Most likely due to her treatment and abandonment by her family. So, this was an apt book title – You Matter.
Chrissy Kramer is a thirty-two year old single mom, with a thirteen-year-old son, Ben. She had Ben in her Senior year in High School. Her parents threw her out of the house when she announced she was pregnant and Ben’s father gave up all parental rights. Through her tenacity to provide for Ben, she graduated High School and eventually earned her paralegal degree. She has been working for Isabel “Reggie” Esposito, a senior partner at Hawk, Esposito & Associates for about eighteen months. Reggie’s father was the original Esposito partner. Although some in the firm resent her rise up in the company, it is hard to ignore her success rate and reputation. Doing the math (at the firm for 15 years) I’m assuming she is in her late thirties/early forties.
This book has one of the most tense filled opening chapters that I’ve ever read. The second chapter takes place 6 months earlier. Reggie allows Ben to “hang out” after school at the office whenever he is unable to stay at a friend’s house. He quietly does his homework and reads knowing he needs to be as unobtrusive as possible. Ben and Reggie form an easy friendship. He sees that Chrissy really likes Reggie and pushes/encourages the relationship. The middle chapters deal with the developing relationship between Chrissy and Reggie, leading up the events of chapter one. The last half (or third) is the aftermath.
I must say – for a professional law office/building – they have the worst security, especially after the incident. You would think it would have been tightened. In the companies I’ve worked for, if you have a visitor, you are notified before they are allowed up to see you and usually you would have to go get them as they are not to be unescorted.
Jazzy is also Jazwriter, who is known for her Devil Wears Prada fics. This story was originally a Once Upon a Time fanfic (aka OUAT, SwanQueen, Emma/Regina pairing) and is one of my favorite OUAT fanfic stories. It is an AU (alternative universe fic– no magic & doesn’t take place in Storybrook but in Boston). She changed all the names for the novel, however if I remember correctly the fanfic side characters are toned down a bit ie. Mary Margaret (Cathy in the book) is less annoying and actually likable. So I can see why she chose this book to adapt. She added to the novel and changed some of the details, but most notably Emma's (Chrissy's) past.
This is one of my favorite stories by Jazzy, well written and a quick read. I especially liked her characterization of Chrissy. Someone who doesn't realize or accept her self worth. Despite all the evidence - she is a caring person, a good mother and she is able to provide for her son and able to follow her dreams to become a paralegal. In spite of what she has accomplished, including raising a polite, friendly, and responsible son, Ben, she has a very low self-esteem. Most likely due to her treatment and abandonment by her family. So, this was an apt book title – You Matter.
Chrissy Kramer is a thirty-two year old single mom, with a thirteen-year-old son, Ben. She had Ben in her Senior year in High School. Her parents threw her out of the house when she announced she was pregnant and Ben’s father gave up all parental rights. Through her tenacity to provide for Ben, she graduated High School and eventually earned her paralegal degree. She has been working for Isabel “Reggie” Esposito, a senior partner at Hawk, Esposito & Associates for about eighteen months. Reggie’s father was the original Esposito partner. Although some in the firm resent her rise up in the company, it is hard to ignore her success rate and reputation. Doing the math (at the firm for 15 years) I’m assuming she is in her late thirties/early forties.
This book has one of the most tense filled opening chapters that I’ve ever read. The second chapter takes place 6 months earlier. Reggie allows Ben to “hang out” after school at the office whenever he is unable to stay at a friend’s house. He quietly does his homework and reads knowing he needs to be as unobtrusive as possible. Ben and Reggie form an easy friendship. He sees that Chrissy really likes Reggie and pushes/encourages the relationship. The middle chapters deal with the developing relationship between Chrissy and Reggie, leading up the events of chapter one. The last half (or third) is the aftermath.
I must say – for a professional law office/building – they have the worst security, especially after the incident. You would think it would have been tightened. In the companies I’ve worked for, if you have a visitor, you are notified before they are allowed up to see you and usually you would have to go get them as they are not to be unescorted.
Jazzy is also Jazwriter, who is known for her Devil Wears Prada fics. This story was originally a Once Upon a Time fanfic (aka OUAT, SwanQueen, Emma/Regina pairing) and is one of my favorite OUAT fanfic stories. It is an AU (alternative universe fic– no magic & doesn’t take place in Storybrook but in Boston). She changed all the names for the novel, however if I remember correctly the fanfic side characters are toned down a bit ie. Mary Margaret (Cathy in the book) is less annoying and actually likable. So I can see why she chose this book to adapt. She added to the novel and changed some of the details, but most notably Emma's (Chrissy's) past.
June 23, 2019
Well this was not what I was expecting. I've read several fan fiction by this author and they're all really good. So what happened here?
Obviously I can't sure but my guess is this story was twice as long and someone said cut 25-50% for it to be published. Because that's what it reads like. There were several moments while reading this where it felt like there were entire chapters missing and all of a sudden the narration would pick up again leaving this odd blank moment in time. In contrast, the parts of the story that did make the cut are filled with lots of unnecessary details that don't add anything at all to the overall plot.
Even some of the character arcs had me confused. Reggie's character is the perfect example. I have no idea why or when she started falling for Chrissy. It just happened, no explanation. There were moments when Reggie's character even made me a little uncomfortable. Her interest in Chrissy's son Ben came across as creepy. If Reggie had been a man and acted that same way towards a 13 year old boy all hell would have broken lose.
As if that wasn't strange enough, this story had plot holes that just kept bugging me because I'm not used to her writing being so disjointed and it's left me disappointed. (See examples below.) Unfortunately this only gets a 2* rating. Maybe it's best I just stick to her fan fiction.
Obviously I can't sure but my guess is this story was twice as long and someone said cut 25-50% for it to be published. Because that's what it reads like. There were several moments while reading this where it felt like there were entire chapters missing and all of a sudden the narration would pick up again leaving this odd blank moment in time. In contrast, the parts of the story that did make the cut are filled with lots of unnecessary details that don't add anything at all to the overall plot.
Even some of the character arcs had me confused. Reggie's character is the perfect example. I have no idea why or when she started falling for Chrissy. It just happened, no explanation. There were moments when Reggie's character even made me a little uncomfortable. Her interest in Chrissy's son Ben came across as creepy. If Reggie had been a man and acted that same way towards a 13 year old boy all hell would have broken lose.
As if that wasn't strange enough, this story had plot holes that just kept bugging me because I'm not used to her writing being so disjointed and it's left me disappointed. (See examples below.) Unfortunately this only gets a 2* rating. Maybe it's best I just stick to her fan fiction.
June 25, 2019
I didn’t like the writing style of this book. It doesn’t flow and feels uneven, maybe because the book is written in the present tense all the time even when it shouldn’t. The writing also wasn’t compact enough. Too many words were used and often the writing was too detailed where no more details were necessary. This made the story drag a bit at times. The dialogues were usually ok, but sometimes felt stiff and unnatural. About halfway in the book I thought about quitting, but I read on because the pace of the book picked up again. The story is ok, the main characters are nice but it would have been nice to have known more about Reggie and her motives and background. For me it’s not clear why she fell in love with Chrissy. All in all I don’t regret reading and finishing this book. The story that was told was nice and had a lot of warmth. 2.7 stars, which rounds up to 3 stars.
July 31, 2019
Great read!
When a pro bono case goes awry and Chrissy gets an offer too good to refuse, her life changed drastically. However, uncertainty and a low self-esteem, stand in the way of romance. I loved the flow of the story, the bit of drama and the passion they shared. A beautiful love story with great characters.
When a pro bono case goes awry and Chrissy gets an offer too good to refuse, her life changed drastically. However, uncertainty and a low self-esteem, stand in the way of romance. I loved the flow of the story, the bit of drama and the passion they shared. A beautiful love story with great characters.
June 6, 2019
A matter of execution.
Chrissy Kramer is used to rejection. When she got pregnant as a teenager, her parents kicked her out and she was left alone with her baby. Now, fifteen years later, she works as a paralegal for Reggie Esposito, a senior law partner at a big Boston law firm and her son Ben is becoming a wonderful young man. When a disgruntled former client attempts to kill her boss, Chrissy saves her life but gets hurt in the process. As Chrissy and Ben stay at Reggie's house to help with her recovery, both women decide to embark in a relationship in which they'll both have to decide what really matters.
This novel has the uplifting premise that every person matters despite their own beliefs that they might not make a difference. Chrissy is a character with very low self-esteem, justified by how her parents rejected her when she got pregnant as a teenager. It's natural that she feels insecure about relationships, and the book explores her fears and hesitancy towards a romantic entanglement. She sees Reggie as everything she feels she cannot be, elegant, classy and successful. Reggie, on the other hand, sees Chrissy for who she is, a dedicated mother, a hard worker, and a beautiful woman.
Although the concept is interesting, I think that this book fails in the execution. One of my issues is the pace of the story which sometimes drags a bit. Another problem I found is that the tension in both the main characters' relationship and in the crime plot doesn't flow naturally. For example, one of the parts of the crime plot is rushed at the end and one of the conflicts between the leads seems a bit forced. Having said that, this is an ok read and if you like lesbian drama, this book might appeal to you.
Overall, an ok romance with an interesting premise and crime at the side. 3 stars.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
Chrissy Kramer is used to rejection. When she got pregnant as a teenager, her parents kicked her out and she was left alone with her baby. Now, fifteen years later, she works as a paralegal for Reggie Esposito, a senior law partner at a big Boston law firm and her son Ben is becoming a wonderful young man. When a disgruntled former client attempts to kill her boss, Chrissy saves her life but gets hurt in the process. As Chrissy and Ben stay at Reggie's house to help with her recovery, both women decide to embark in a relationship in which they'll both have to decide what really matters.
This novel has the uplifting premise that every person matters despite their own beliefs that they might not make a difference. Chrissy is a character with very low self-esteem, justified by how her parents rejected her when she got pregnant as a teenager. It's natural that she feels insecure about relationships, and the book explores her fears and hesitancy towards a romantic entanglement. She sees Reggie as everything she feels she cannot be, elegant, classy and successful. Reggie, on the other hand, sees Chrissy for who she is, a dedicated mother, a hard worker, and a beautiful woman.
Although the concept is interesting, I think that this book fails in the execution. One of my issues is the pace of the story which sometimes drags a bit. Another problem I found is that the tension in both the main characters' relationship and in the crime plot doesn't flow naturally. For example, one of the parts of the crime plot is rushed at the end and one of the conflicts between the leads seems a bit forced. Having said that, this is an ok read and if you like lesbian drama, this book might appeal to you.
Overall, an ok romance with an interesting premise and crime at the side. 3 stars.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
June 3, 2019
Just when you’ve settled into calmly turning pages and thinking you know what’s coming, WHAM! Jazzy Mitchell hits you with another killer scene just like the rockstar opening. Now if that’s not enough to keep you reading hungrily, take a look at her two dynamite ladies and the darling son. And, of course, you need some villains, and how more evil can you get than an ex and parents who almost slide him/her (not giving anything away…) between your sheets. Great romance; great suspense.
Dolores Maggiore, author Death and Love at the Old Summer camp, Love and Lechery at Albert Academy, and Paris for Two.
Dolores Maggiore, author Death and Love at the Old Summer camp, Love and Lechery at Albert Academy, and Paris for Two.
June 15, 2019
I wanted to like this book and it started out with a bang, but than it drags on and on. I couldn't get into the reading flow (mainly because the whole book is written in the present tense, which seems odd).
April 18, 2022
A wonderful, heartfelt romance with enthralling thriller/crime elements. Well-developed, sympathetic characters and a page-turner of a plot make this a book I can recommend without hesitation.
June 15, 2019
Nice slow burn with intrigue and danger. Definite sparks flying! ----I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2019
I’m in Love
With this book! Chrissy and her boss Reggie are VERY aware of each other in a very nonprofessional way. This is great news for the readers of this book because their love story is so romantic. A deranged maniac shots up their office and Chrissy is hurt. Reggie takes in Chrissy and her son Ben while Chrissy heals, even though Reggie would like her to stay forever, Chrissy won’t consider it. Her life has been really rough since she became pregnant as a teen and she has a hard time believing she is worthy of being loved and cared about. On the other hand there is nothing she wouldn’t do for those she loves. Thankfully Reggie is stubborn and resilient and doesn’t like to give up. She is willing to fight the good fight in spite of her own insecurities. To say both of their parents did a pretty big number on them would be an understatement and they aren’t through yet. These women are wonderful, beautiful (inside and out), full of hope (for the most part) and totally dedicated to each other and Chrissy’s son Ben. They make a fantastic family and are just too precious for words! I dare you not to love this story too!!!
With this book! Chrissy and her boss Reggie are VERY aware of each other in a very nonprofessional way. This is great news for the readers of this book because their love story is so romantic. A deranged maniac shots up their office and Chrissy is hurt. Reggie takes in Chrissy and her son Ben while Chrissy heals, even though Reggie would like her to stay forever, Chrissy won’t consider it. Her life has been really rough since she became pregnant as a teen and she has a hard time believing she is worthy of being loved and cared about. On the other hand there is nothing she wouldn’t do for those she loves. Thankfully Reggie is stubborn and resilient and doesn’t like to give up. She is willing to fight the good fight in spite of her own insecurities. To say both of their parents did a pretty big number on them would be an understatement and they aren’t through yet. These women are wonderful, beautiful (inside and out), full of hope (for the most part) and totally dedicated to each other and Chrissy’s son Ben. They make a fantastic family and are just too precious for words! I dare you not to love this story too!!!
November 10, 2019
Once in a while you happen upon a truly beautiful book, and that was this book for me. I liked that this book was a slow burn and I have to say I have never seen a writer write a kissing scene so erotically. It was just perfect. Both main characters and even the tertiary character of Ben were well written and they all had good personalities.
There were points in the book where i was confused. Such as Reggie flying off the handle when Chrissy wants to go back to her apartment. I also didn’t think it was necessary to add in the very short and unrealistically quickly solved problems with her parents. The book would have been better without those things. You don’t always need to have a conflict in the book in order for people to buy into it.
The romance was sweet and I thought it happened at a good pace. There were parts of the first section that I felt could have been combined or taken out to make the book move along quickly, but after reading the entire book I think it is all essential. I really loved this book and I am happy I took a chance on an author tu had never heard of before. I really need to expand my horizons when reading lesbian fiction.
There were points in the book where i was confused. Such as Reggie flying off the handle when Chrissy wants to go back to her apartment. I also didn’t think it was necessary to add in the very short and unrealistically quickly solved problems with her parents. The book would have been better without those things. You don’t always need to have a conflict in the book in order for people to buy into it.
The romance was sweet and I thought it happened at a good pace. There were parts of the first section that I felt could have been combined or taken out to make the book move along quickly, but after reading the entire book I think it is all essential. I really loved this book and I am happy I took a chance on an author tu had never heard of before. I really need to expand my horizons when reading lesbian fiction.
August 23, 2019
🏳️🌈👩❤️👩📚👩❤️💋👩 👩👦+👩🎓 =👩👩👦⚢📖👭🏳️🌈
That’s in exchange of an honest review that I received an ARC of « You Matter » by Jazzy Mitchell. So, here it is !!!
It’s actually the 1st time I’m able to read one of Jazzy Mitchell’s book. Thank you Desert Palm Press for this discovery and reading opportunity.
My rating : 3 ⭐️
The story sets in Boston, MA – USA and focuses on Chrissy Kramer, a 32 years old single mother and paralegal & Reggie Esposito, a senior law partner at Hawk, Esposito & Associates—a leading Boston law firm. Chrissy became pregnant during her senior year of high school and was abandoned by her parents, her boyfriend, and her friends. She became a loner, working hard to provide for her son. It was her and him against the world. She eventually earns a paralegal degree & works for Reggie. Chrissy’s smitten from the beginning, but she refuses to jeopardize her job by acting on her feelings. A disgruntled former client attempts to kill Reggie after she loses his lawsuit. Chrissy prevents him from shooting Reggie, but she is hurt in the process …
The Pros :
° the originality of the plot, the promise of a good recipe : a workplace romance with a sprinkle of intrigue and danger … I was drawn to it because it seemed a bit different from what I usually read & I love when it’s different.
° 2 (seemingly) bisexual MCs one is already not that frequent even nowadays but 2 in the same time …
° the age gapbetween the MCs
° the single mom theme, with the normal everyday family issues to deal with.
° a very promising opening chapter …
° a not perfect (because I would have loved a lil bit more detailed about some parts of the building of the relationship) but quite good 6 months in time flashback (lasting for almost the half of the book to bring us back to right after the shooting) with a regular progression which allows the reader to discover how the MCs romanced each other (without totally acknowledge their feelings)… even if knowing what made Reggie look differently to Chrissy after a while would have been interesting.
° the touching, romantic, cute & funny moments
° good secondary characters, beginning by Ben, Chrissy’s teenage son … who is more than supporting.
° the author’s lil touches of humor
The Cons :
° the style … I found there were a lot of monologues, thoughts, etc coming from Chrissy. Because of this (even if I still prefer the 3rd-person narration no matter the ise of the present or the past tense), I think that, maybe, the author should have narrated the novel in the1st-person, in Chrissy’s POV … this way, all the internal « debates » would have been a part of her narration and made the story more fluent..
° the time line (even more in the last 1/3 of the book) is sometimes a bit confusing so it’s hard to really know when the actions really take place.
° the last 3 pages – which are just a part of a chapter like any other part – should have been properly identified as the « epilogue » since the scene happens … 2 years after the beginning of the novel !!!
° Chrissy’s insecurities are totally conprehensible after what happened to her when she got pregnant as a teen but, after a while, her self-deprecation is quite tiring (she second-guesses almost every single thing she mades or says…). Since she successfully graduated from paralegal school, got a good job and raised a great kid…she should have been able to give herself a tiny bit of credit but, nope … Seriously, a good shrink could have helped her with this !!
°the 1st half of the book was quite OK but, even if I may be wrong (how would I know ??), I’ve got the feeling that Chrissy & Reggie’s love story had been cut like from 25 to 50% at least … Which is annoying in the case of a slow-burn romance (a trope I deeply love) ‘cause it creates a lot of void & make the story unbalanced … Here it was like if some entire chapters have been removed. And, then, in an other part of what has become the same chapter & without any indication of how much time has past, the narration suddenly picked up. I confess that it was a bit weird in the first 2/3 of the book but I ignored the because I really liked plenty other things … It became definitely disturbing in the last 1/3 because the stories moves way faster (it's even rushed I'd say …) and it was hard to make a connexion between all the events + the romance didn’t feel like this anymore, it was more IDK, maybe like a succession of booty calls … (and I’m not fan of this !!!)
° the totally unhygienic 1st intimate encounter between the MCs after Chrissy has healed …
If I had to make a very short and quite different version of my review, it’d be something like this :
- Did I enjoy this book? => Yes … & … No
- Did I find the characters believable? => Yes … & … No
- Is this book now included in my « must be re-read »-list? => For now, I don’t think so
- Will I purchase the paperback? => I don’t think so
- Would I read another book by this author? => Yes … ‘cause I don’t want a light deception keeps me away of a potential great romance…
- Would I recommend this book => Yes … to the workplace romance fans / attorney stories fans / single mom stories fans and they’ll make their own opinion
Hey guys and gals, you know that now it’s your turn … So … Grab your own copy and make your own opinion …
Enjoy (or not) your reading … 😉
🏳️🌈👩❤️👩📚👩❤️💋👩 👩👦+👩🎓 =👩👩👦⚢📖👭🏳️🌈
That’s in exchange of an honest review that I received an ARC of « You Matter » by Jazzy Mitchell. So, here it is !!!
It’s actually the 1st time I’m able to read one of Jazzy Mitchell’s book. Thank you Desert Palm Press for this discovery and reading opportunity.
My rating : 3 ⭐️
The story sets in Boston, MA – USA and focuses on Chrissy Kramer, a 32 years old single mother and paralegal & Reggie Esposito, a senior law partner at Hawk, Esposito & Associates—a leading Boston law firm. Chrissy became pregnant during her senior year of high school and was abandoned by her parents, her boyfriend, and her friends. She became a loner, working hard to provide for her son. It was her and him against the world. She eventually earns a paralegal degree & works for Reggie. Chrissy’s smitten from the beginning, but she refuses to jeopardize her job by acting on her feelings. A disgruntled former client attempts to kill Reggie after she loses his lawsuit. Chrissy prevents him from shooting Reggie, but she is hurt in the process …
The Pros :
° the originality of the plot, the promise of a good recipe : a workplace romance with a sprinkle of intrigue and danger … I was drawn to it because it seemed a bit different from what I usually read & I love when it’s different.
° 2 (seemingly) bisexual MCs one is already not that frequent even nowadays but 2 in the same time …
° the age gapbetween the MCs
° the single mom theme, with the normal everyday family issues to deal with.
° a very promising opening chapter …
° a not perfect (because I would have loved a lil bit more detailed about some parts of the building of the relationship) but quite good 6 months in time flashback (lasting for almost the half of the book to bring us back to right after the shooting) with a regular progression which allows the reader to discover how the MCs romanced each other (without totally acknowledge their feelings)… even if knowing what made Reggie look differently to Chrissy after a while would have been interesting.
° the touching, romantic, cute & funny moments
° good secondary characters, beginning by Ben, Chrissy’s teenage son … who is more than supporting.
° the author’s lil touches of humor
The Cons :
° the style … I found there were a lot of monologues, thoughts, etc coming from Chrissy. Because of this (even if I still prefer the 3rd-person narration no matter the ise of the present or the past tense), I think that, maybe, the author should have narrated the novel in the1st-person, in Chrissy’s POV … this way, all the internal « debates » would have been a part of her narration and made the story more fluent..
° the time line (even more in the last 1/3 of the book) is sometimes a bit confusing so it’s hard to really know when the actions really take place.
° the last 3 pages – which are just a part of a chapter like any other part – should have been properly identified as the « epilogue » since the scene happens … 2 years after the beginning of the novel !!!
° Chrissy’s insecurities are totally conprehensible after what happened to her when she got pregnant as a teen but, after a while, her self-deprecation is quite tiring (she second-guesses almost every single thing she mades or says…). Since she successfully graduated from paralegal school, got a good job and raised a great kid…she should have been able to give herself a tiny bit of credit but, nope … Seriously, a good shrink could have helped her with this !!
°the 1st half of the book was quite OK but, even if I may be wrong (how would I know ??), I’ve got the feeling that Chrissy & Reggie’s love story had been cut like from 25 to 50% at least … Which is annoying in the case of a slow-burn romance (a trope I deeply love) ‘cause it creates a lot of void & make the story unbalanced … Here it was like if some entire chapters have been removed. And, then, in an other part of what has become the same chapter & without any indication of how much time has past, the narration suddenly picked up. I confess that it was a bit weird in the first 2/3 of the book but I ignored the because I really liked plenty other things … It became definitely disturbing in the last 1/3 because the stories moves way faster (it's even rushed I'd say …) and it was hard to make a connexion between all the events + the romance didn’t feel like this anymore, it was more IDK, maybe like a succession of booty calls … (and I’m not fan of this !!!)
° the totally unhygienic 1st intimate encounter between the MCs after Chrissy has healed …
If I had to make a very short and quite different version of my review, it’d be something like this :
- Did I enjoy this book? => Yes … & … No
- Did I find the characters believable? => Yes … & … No
- Is this book now included in my « must be re-read »-list? => For now, I don’t think so
- Will I purchase the paperback? => I don’t think so
- Would I read another book by this author? => Yes … ‘cause I don’t want a light deception keeps me away of a potential great romance…
- Would I recommend this book => Yes … to the workplace romance fans / attorney stories fans / single mom stories fans and they’ll make their own opinion
Hey guys and gals, you know that now it’s your turn … So … Grab your own copy and make your own opinion …
Enjoy (or not) your reading … 😉
🏳️🌈👩❤️👩📚👩❤️💋👩 👩👦+👩🎓 =👩👩👦⚢📖👭🏳️🌈
July 12, 2023
Ultimate Love
Thrown out of the house after telling her parents she was pregnant and the father of her child turning his back on her.
A teenage single mom raises her son alone.
She makes the ultimate sacrifice to save her son and her boss (who she has feelings for) from an active shooter at work.
While recovering from her injuries she get more attention than she wants from the outside world.
She insists she is no hero.
Enjoy this great HEA
Thrown out of the house after telling her parents she was pregnant and the father of her child turning his back on her.
A teenage single mom raises her son alone.
She makes the ultimate sacrifice to save her son and her boss (who she has feelings for) from an active shooter at work.
While recovering from her injuries she get more attention than she wants from the outside world.
She insists she is no hero.
Enjoy this great HEA
February 26, 2020
Intense!!!
Chrissy is hesitant to admit her feelings for her boss, Reggie Esposito but with a little support from her affectionate teenage son Ben, and some encouragement from Reggie, Chrissy learns her feelings aren’t one sided but she is still hesitant about a relationship. When an angry ex-client of Reggie’s threatens her life, Chrissy gets in the way. Her injuries mean that Chrissy needs a lot of looking after, and Reggie steps in to give her some tender loving care, and while in Reggie’s care, they agree there is more of a connection between them and definitely worth pursuing a relationship.
This was an exciting read, with an interesting plot and lovely characters. The way Jazzy set up the story really added to the depth and gave something inquisitive to get you hooked from the very first chapter. It is written in a style that is quite fast paced, but it suited the way this story was developed and made for a unique reading experience. It had slower more romantic moments, and then fully action packed scenes that made it a very intense, dramatic romance.
I loved Chrissy’s hesitance to explore her relationship with Reggie. She had good morals and they really formed the basis of her decision. She was a realistic character, focusing on what was important to her and her son, rather than just following her hearts desires. That was quite a unique angle that only helped enhance the story as something different from the standard dramatic romance.
I really enjoyed this story, and hope there might be more to come from Chrissy and Reggie in the future. An interesting read for the romance genre.
Chrissy is hesitant to admit her feelings for her boss, Reggie Esposito but with a little support from her affectionate teenage son Ben, and some encouragement from Reggie, Chrissy learns her feelings aren’t one sided but she is still hesitant about a relationship. When an angry ex-client of Reggie’s threatens her life, Chrissy gets in the way. Her injuries mean that Chrissy needs a lot of looking after, and Reggie steps in to give her some tender loving care, and while in Reggie’s care, they agree there is more of a connection between them and definitely worth pursuing a relationship.
This was an exciting read, with an interesting plot and lovely characters. The way Jazzy set up the story really added to the depth and gave something inquisitive to get you hooked from the very first chapter. It is written in a style that is quite fast paced, but it suited the way this story was developed and made for a unique reading experience. It had slower more romantic moments, and then fully action packed scenes that made it a very intense, dramatic romance.
I loved Chrissy’s hesitance to explore her relationship with Reggie. She had good morals and they really formed the basis of her decision. She was a realistic character, focusing on what was important to her and her son, rather than just following her hearts desires. That was quite a unique angle that only helped enhance the story as something different from the standard dramatic romance.
I really enjoyed this story, and hope there might be more to come from Chrissy and Reggie in the future. An interesting read for the romance genre.
April 22, 2025
When a irate client comes to the law offices with a gun, Chrissy Kramer puts herself on the line to save her son, and her boss.
Flashing back a few months, Reggie, the boss, has been supper accommodating fir Chrissy, and strongly approves of the other woman.
Chrissy's son, Ben, also gets along with Reggie, and is also encouraging Chrissy to ask her out.
Chrissy is hesitant, as it might mess up their working relationship. Plus Reggie was seeing Ashford, but she dumped him. As Christmas rolls around, they finally confess at the company party...
Then the shooting.
There is a third act breakup, which felt weird and OOC. Other than that, the book is pretty solid and well written
3.5 stars out of 5.
Flashing back a few months, Reggie, the boss, has been supper accommodating fir Chrissy, and strongly approves of the other woman.
Chrissy's son, Ben, also gets along with Reggie, and is also encouraging Chrissy to ask her out.
Chrissy is hesitant, as it might mess up their working relationship. Plus Reggie was seeing Ashford, but she dumped him. As Christmas rolls around, they finally confess at the company party...
Then the shooting.
There is a third act breakup, which felt weird and OOC. Other than that, the book is pretty solid and well written
3.5 stars out of 5.
October 21, 2025
Jazzy Mitchell’s You Matter follows Chrissy Kramer, a single mother who’s rebuilt her life after being abandoned as a pregnant teen. Working as a paralegal for attorney Reggie Esposito, Chrissy hides her growing feelings until a violent incident forces them together and opens the door to healing and love.
The novel is a heartfelt, mature sapphic romance about courage, vulnerability, and learning self-worth. Mitchell takes time to show Chrissy’s growth and the gentle way Reggie helps her see she matters. It’s tender, realistic, and quietly empowering.
The novel is a heartfelt, mature sapphic romance about courage, vulnerability, and learning self-worth. Mitchell takes time to show Chrissy’s growth and the gentle way Reggie helps her see she matters. It’s tender, realistic, and quietly empowering.
September 20, 2022
For the most part I really enjoyed this book. I started in the middle, but then brings you up to speed and you realize why Chrissy does what she does in the beginning. While she has a lot of random issues some sort of make sense. I don’t really understand Reggies total freak out half way through, but at least that didn’t drag out. Overall I did enjoy the suspense that came in as it added a little something different than most romance novels.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2019
Started out with a bang
I'm so glad I took a chance on this book. It started out with a bang and the the slow burn romance was great. I hadn't read this author before but will be looking into previously and future works. Good job
I'm so glad I took a chance on this book. It started out with a bang and the the slow burn romance was great. I hadn't read this author before but will be looking into previously and future works. Good job
April 27, 2025
i imagine that the writing style of this book would drive some people mad but it really worked for me but i don’t understand why in the last chapter the author tried to add an extra bit of angst when it was unnecessary that far in. but i enjoyed this even if it was a bit cringey at points
August 5, 2019
You Matter
This is the first book I have read by this author. Really enjoyed reading it. Look forward to reading more.
This is the first book I have read by this author. Really enjoyed reading it. Look forward to reading more.
April 18, 2025
ahh me moleste pero bueno, sabia q iba a terminar asi pero me moleste
April 30, 2025
3,25/5 Didn't really matter to me but it worked ,I mean I don't regret reading it
December 21, 2025
This felt like it tried to do the most. It crammed a lot in the final act and felt kinda rushed. But I always love a sapphic story with kids and found family feels vibe so hence 3 stars.
May 8, 2022
How could I miss that one of my all-the-time favorite fanfiction author had some work published ?!!
From the description, I immediately picked up a SwanQueen vibe here. And it was exactly what I needed for my evening, what I often look for in fanfiction. The familiarity. Even though it's AU, the mindset of the two MCs feels known and I already feel connected and care for them.
Here, I deeply enjoyed the "Before" part, and would have given it 5 stars if it stopped there. I felt the added drama in the last fourth was a bit rushed, and nearly unnecessary. Nonetheless an enjoyable read !
From the description, I immediately picked up a SwanQueen vibe here. And it was exactly what I needed for my evening, what I often look for in fanfiction. The familiarity. Even though it's AU, the mindset of the two MCs feels known and I already feel connected and care for them.
Here, I deeply enjoyed the "Before" part, and would have given it 5 stars if it stopped there. I felt the added drama in the last fourth was a bit rushed, and nearly unnecessary. Nonetheless an enjoyable read !
May 7, 2024
Your basic sapphic romance. A little excitement with the disgruntled (murderous) client going after the lawyer subplot. I felt some of the emotional development was "short-handed" - assumed instead of shown on the page. And there were a number of places where there was summary instead of showing key moments unfolding. It had an oddly distant emotional feel. A lot of tell, again. Sex on the page is explicit but mild. Only the two leads are really developed at all. The supporting cast is barely 2D.
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