Didn't Stay in Vegas

by Chelsea M. Cameron

Sometimes what happens in Vegas doesn't stay there. Callyn Stott wakes up from a night-out at her friend Lara's Bachelorette party in Vegas with a hangover… and a wife. She's not really sure how she and her best friend Emma got hitched, only that they did and it's completely and totally legal. Callyn is used to getting in and out of scrapes, but this one takes the cake. Further complicating matters, Emma suggest that they stay married for "financial reasons" that don't really hold water. Not wanting to argue, Callyn agrees. The situation gets even more confusing when Callyn has to move out of her apartment, and where is she going to stay? With her fake wife, and best friend, of course. It's not like anything is going to happen. Things between the two of them have always been strictly platonic and best-friendy, right? Emma hasn't been secretly in love with Callyn her whole life and has just been waiting for Callyn to notice. No, surely not. Will Callyn get her head out of her ass and see what's right in front of her, or will she live the rest of her life oblivious that the one person she's always wanted is already there?

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, LGBT, Lesbian, Contemporary, Novella, Adult

226 pages, Paperback

First published September 18, 2019

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Alexis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had high hopes for this one.

Why? Because getting black out drunk and married in Vegas to a woman sounds like something I would have done a decade ago. Actually something like that did happen. I got black out drunk, had my first time with a woman and could only remember flashes of what happened the next day. Oh the joys of my mid 20's.

So, first off in order to enjoy this story you need to take it with a grain.. make that a bucket of salt because it's one convenient plot device after another. Why was this book such a let down? Several reasons but the main one is how immature the characters felt. Example; if you're having trouble paying your bills maybe don't get a puppy. How do you not know this Callyn?

Speaking of Callyn. *sigh* I couldn't stand her behavior, it felt like she was constantly jerking Emma around and leading her on, yet had no trouble wanting to sleep with her. That brings me to my next point. She came across as a 16 year old boy during the sex scenes and I cringed through every single one of them. During moments when her previous sexual experiences were described all I kept thinking was "have you ever done anything at all you pillow princess?"

The final nail in the coffin was oddly enough the puppy. *gasp* Those moments were really drawn out and felt a lot like filler because they added nothing to the overall plot. Sadly this story just didn't work for me, so read at your own peril. Overall rating is a 2,5*.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a single PoV with an interesting (lesbian) twist on the unintentional wedding trope mixed with a friends to lovers. I got about a third through before I lost interest. It's possible that Callyn isn't a manic-pixie-dream girl, but so far, there's no contraindicating evidence. And it increasingly looks like her friend Emma engineered the marriage and is all-in from the start. So the book exists because both are clueless uncommunicators and the entire relationship could be wrapped up in a single conversation. And excuses for not having it are increasingly far-fetched. And I'm sorry, but I don't care how much you like each other or how much you're used to each other but moving in together is always an adjustment and there is literally no conflict between these two women. So this has a strong wish-fulfillment aura, as well.

Anyway, I'm giving this one star for the flat story with no conflict and a plot that looks like a single conversation away from resolution. I like wish-fulfillment stories and have nothing against an occasional manic pixie but there has to be something more than just those fantastic elements to hang my engagement on.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has one of my favourite openings ever. It totally sucked me in and I didn’t want to stop reading from there, because the writing is so fun and engaging. It also has no angst, which is exactly what I was looking for when I picked it up.

Full review (TLR): https://www.thelesbianreview.com/didn...

Full review (SBTB): https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/r...

[hubsie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I probably would have given a 5 star if I was 18 and just coming out and a partier and lover of Vegas and lover of dogs and 1/6th of a cornucopia of gay lady best friends who only hang out with each other. I am none of those things, so jaded me found the story rather cliched and somewhat immature, making it hard to connect with. But for a light and fun one? Sure! You want a quickie for the beach or a short plane ride that doesn't have much drama ? Go for it.

MC Callyn wakes up after a black out drunk night in Vegas only to find out she married her best friend Emma and has zero recollection of it. That was an interesting angle actually, though felt like a female-version of the movie "The Hangover." These two have deep seeded feelings for one another they have never explored, though it takes Callyn a helluva long time to realize it, and I kind of felt like taking a 2x4 to the back of her head.  They decide to keep the sham marriage going "for health insurance," move in together, get a dog, and boy do they not communicate well. Joys.

Callyn's character annoyed me to be honest...she came across as an air-head with very little depth, and her complete obliviousness to Emma's long-standing feelings was eye-roll inducing. Her resistance to talking about said feelings was also frustrating, as she just seemed to want to get Emma back in the sack rather than be an adult about the fledgling relationship. I wanted to learn more about Emma, as she seemed to have more oomph somehow and was the more mature of the two. The sex was intense and over the top considering it was their first time together. 

There are no surprises here, you know how this short story will end and will maybe have the warm fuzzies that I just couldn't muster. Overall about a 2.75. 

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time Chelsea drops a new f/f book my life gets 100% better

[m · Rating 3 out of 5]

— review now on my blog ✧

rep: lesbian mc with ADHD, lesbian li, f/f romance

[TheAvidReader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really bored of the main character! And as this is her POV, I was bored of the whole book. I enjoy this trope the accidental marriages, marriage for convenience, fake relationships and to have that with your best friend. I was sold. Still I was bored. I wouldn't recommend this book. But I've read a few books by this author I enjoyed. She has two in this trope... 'Marriage of Unconvenience' that I also didn't care too much for but is loads better than this one I'd give that one a 3.5 star review. Yes to other books from the author 'Anyone but her' should be your next read by her. This though, no.

[jordane · Rating 3 out of 5]

we like a cute friends to lovers romance

[Lisa R Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

It made me smile so it gets 5 stars!

A feel good love story with good characters, good sex, and a puppy - all my favorite things! Best friends grow up together, go to different colleges then come back together without missing a beat. On a girlfriend’s Bachelorette weekend in Los Vegas the two friends get blind drunk and find themselves married in the morning. One can’t understand how that happened, while the other is kind of quiet on the subject. Will true love win? Read it and find out!

[Claire (Book Blog Bird) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was so bad. Callyn was horrible and spent the entire book either being so self-unaware I wanted to hit her, or stringing Emma along so badly I wanted to shake her. Her narrative made her sound like a spoilt, annoying twelve-year-old. Callyn and Emma were completely one-dimensional. The entire book is tell-don’t-show and is just bad, bad writing. There is no plot whatsoever. There’s no tension or interest. The dialogue is clunky.

In case it’s not obvious, I did not enjoy this book.

[susana ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i think there's no way i can not give chelsea's books 5 starts <3 her books make me feel so happy and warm inside uwu

[XR · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more 'cause Emma's such a great character. Smart, and sexy... plus she's your best friend, what's to think about? Callyn certainly took her bloody time to figure things out.

[Keisha Ming · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clichéd story line with potential but fell flat

First off it felt like the story line barely progressed, yes we got to a satisfactory end but even then the realization was anticlimactic. Callyn is still self depreciating it felt like she was more reliable on Emma even though it was obvious she loves her but it didn't feel like she understood even in the end it felt more dependable than head over heels love it just felt off from her part. The book needed something more for me and also needs editing

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't connect with either main character especially Callyn. She felt very immature. I would probably have loved this story when I was 16. I actually wish stories like this were around when I was 16. It was cute but not for me.

[Danni Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable. This was like the most deliciously ridiculous cupcake of queer romance, with layers upon layers of frosting and candy bits and flower petals. What a delight to have stuffed my face into it.

[decklededgess · Rating 3 out of 5]

can always rely on a chelsea m cameron book to get me out of limbo

[Searchr.23 · Rating 3 out of 5]

SEXY, FUNNY AND COZY.
The three word can only describe this book. Chemistry of the couple was beyond of beauty and treasure for the tired souls. I liked this book how simple and cute it is. The most relatable thing in this story, both of the characters finding that being an adult is fucking hard. Same girl , same.

The words I loved the most:

°I feel like I’m not smart or worthy enough for this,” I said to Emma.
“Shhh, we don’t have to get it. We just have to appreciate it and be supportive. Art is subjective.”

°“I don’t know,” I said. “I’ve changed my mind so many times that nothing ever stuck. I knew you’d be there, though. You’d always be there, no matter what.”
She leaned over and kissed me.
“That’s all I need to hear,” she said. “Having you in my life is the most important thing.” I agreed on that at least

°Look, work isn’t everything. That’s probably not what other bosses would say, but it’s not. I used to work a job that sucked up all my time and energy and I gave and gave and gave and I didn’t pay attention to my husband and then he had a massive heart attack when he was thirty-five. I lost him and I lost that time because I put work first. Yes, your job is important, but the things outside of work are more important.” I had never met a boss who talked like that. I think I was going to like this job.

[sweet_psycho · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was a cute little wlw romance cute little ending

[Bird of Dawning · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just the loveliest, sweetest romance I've read in some time. It's a friends-to-lovers story with no significant obstacles, no conflict, no real setbacks, and frankly I think a lot of us need more books like these in our lives right now. I’ve left it up on the ap to reread in a few weeks.

The synopsis gives the hook. Callen and Emma are both adorable characters and it was a warm, languid pleasure watching them get together.

But my favourite thing about the book is that, like me, narrator Callen is on the spectrum; she has ADHD. I read any neurodivergent romances I can find and enjoy them all to some degree, but Callen’s in-the-moment viewpoint and stream-of-consciousness was so familiar to me that I think ‘Didn’t Stay in Vegas’ is my favourite of the lot. I can’t get get across enough how wonderful it is to have a character that you can identify with like this. I love romances, and I enjoy reading about witty, clever heroines à la Georgette Heyer or Jennifer Crusie, but I am never going to be one. Having a socially blind, chaotically-minded heroine like Callen who is nevertheless loved and accepted by her friends is really special.

This is my first review, and I only decided to write it because I wanted to respond about some of the other comments here. I’m trying to do so in the spirit of clarifying and explaining, not chastising.

- Callen’s obliviousness to the situation is all too real! It has happened to me many times; often I have realised years later that I was being asked out or invited over by someone I would have been happy to think of romantically. It happens to a lot of us on the spectrum. But happily I have never had anyone languish for years waiting for me to notice. I mean, probably.

- Callen is not a Manic Pixie Dream Girl. She is literally narrating her own life and making decisions about how she wants to change it – she doesn’t exist to bring magic and wonder to the actual hero of the story. She is the hero. I feel that the term Manic Pixie Dream Girl is very often used dismissively and offensively to disregard neurodivergent people both fictional and real (yes, I’ve had it used against me).

- Similarly, talk about Callen being ‘immature’ and ‘childlike’ feels very judgemental. She’s been feeding and clothing herself. She’s holding down a job, and is good enough to get another. And the book is almost entirely her thoughts or her interactions with trusted friends. When I interact professionally or with strangers of course I put on a mature neurotypical demeanour so as not to worry them (we do so much for you people!). I’m sure Callen would too. (No, I wouldn’t buy a puppy without a plan in place... but I have neurodiverse relatives who did when they were in their twenties.)

- Callen getting excited about the sex as ‘being like a 16 year old boy’. First of all people on the spectrum can get very excited about almost anything, and we are desperate to Tell You All About It. Callen is very excited about the sex, but she is probably not going to tell people all about it (one thing we learn early is that sex is one Topic Not To Be Discussed With Others). But this is Callen’s stream-of-consciousness. She can say whatever she wants here.

Also, having sex when you have ADHD can be difficult. Your mind wanders, and, though it is very pleasant, finishing can be a challenge. I’m slightly head-canoning this (Callen does very briefly refer to using porn to focus), but I read the sex with Emma as the first time it all came together for Callen. Earlier attempts were only so-so. This is romance novel sex, because Emma is the Right Person.

So, in conclusion, I thought Callen and Emma’s story was charming and wonderful and it was nice to have a romance about people like me.

Now to figure out where to put the spoilers...

[sophia ✴]

dnf @ 30%

after a couple of days of struggling with the writing in this, i thought i would get used to it, but actually it just got more and more difficult to read.

i'm totally here for a convenient plotline or tropes with wlw stories, we deserve tropes too! but this main character was beyond frustrating to read about. she read like a 12 year old, not an adult, and her narration read like a dry diary entry, which also resulted in me not being able to feel any of what she was telling me.

i skimmed about 30% more just to see where it was going and yeah. i can't see myself rating this over 2 stars, which i'm not going to do because i don't want to discourage queer authors from writing more. and since i didn't finish it, i'm just shelving it as dnf and moving on. sorryyyy

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

so ..I know I have a bunch but, Chelsea M. Cameron is another go to writer for me..and AGAIN I was soo looking forward to this book. In short it was a bit of a letdown as it was not up to her usual standard and somewhat even seemed padded ..likem the puppy was worth a shitload of pages..ya cute dog but..anyway it was still better than some I have read of late and STILL she will be a goto for me...but a soft 3 stars

[Upptagen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fairly difficult book for me to review. I feel like I might come across more negative than I really want to. So let me start by saying I'd give this a solid 3.5 stars. This book had some issues, but it was such a light, fluffy, and fun read. I enjoyed the story and the beginning of the book was so much fun. But, the main character was, at best, oblivious, and came across as self-absorbed. Another reviewer mentioned how young the characters felt and I'd agree with that. Finally.... It also bugged me how there were hints throughout that both characters were not being honest about how much they remembered of the wedding, but there was really no pay off to that. Even the MC remembered flashes, but never really explored them. And she noticed Emma acting uncomfortable about it, but never really followed up with her about it, even though at other points in the story, she was a bloodhound if Emma was acting strangely.
So, overall, I enjoyed the read. Sometimes you just want a blanket and fuzzy slippers. That's what this book was to me. Low angst, happy, often funny and a nice easy read.

[Lee-Anne Coetzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't Stay in Vegas by Chelsea M. Cameron

Scoring Criteria - Chemistry (3) – Story (3) – Characters (3.5) – Entertainment (3.5) – Scenery (3). Steaminess level 2 Overall rating 3.2*

Emma is an altogether and in control person. Always taking care of the smaller details. She was pressured by her parents to follow a career in finance which she hated. Even if she was successful in her career, she decided to leave it behind and go study to be a veterinarian technician. She could not have come so far in life without her best friend Callyn.

Callyn is an all-not-so-together mess. Her impulsive nature tends to make life more interesting. Currently working at the customer care desk in a hotel, which she hates. Living with roommates that make too much noise and never clean. Her life is just chaotic, out of control and stressful. The only person keeping her sane is her best friend Emma.

When on a bachelorette getaway in Vegas, Callyn and Emma wake up in a different hotel than their fellow party mates. In gowns no less. Too drunk to remember anything and too sick to care. A knock on the door with complimentary breakfast for the newlyweds set their world upside down.

This is a fun and easy reading book. Just proving that what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas.

Follow me on Instagram @les.bi.ann.read.it

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. This was so much fun but there’s something about it that didn’t make this more than three stars. I think it was the dialogue. It was very cringey and I thought the main character, Callyn, was extremely childish. I did like her though. I liked her and Emma but I wish Callyn had felt just a bit more mature. As for the plot I really liked it. Best friends Emma and Callyn get drunk in Vegas and wake up married. They then decide to stay married for six months and it was so adorable. Emma has always had feelings for Callyn so she’s all in on the marriage. Callyn is clueless and is trying to figure out how to go from just best friends to married without ruining their relationship. I thought they were a great couple and had believable chemistry. I will say though that I wish the moment where Callyn realized she did in fact have romantic feelings for Emma hadn’t been so rushed but it was fine. Overall, this was entertaining and I had a good time.

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at about 50%. I tried to stick it out for this one because I kept hoping it would get better, or at least be dumb-but-fun, but it just kept getting steadily worse. Clumsily written, and completely lacking in tension. The main characters are idiots, and the secondary characters are empty and interchangeable. There are lots of weird scenes where it feels like the author is trying so hard to make the characters look woke, but instead just reinforces the feeling that this was never intended to be read by anyone who wasn't white and cisgender. Everything about this book was stupid, and I hated it.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet and soft friends to lovers tale. I honestly don't have much to say about it because it was pretty low-stakes, pretty normal, and quick. It's got some domestic porn, and ... uh ... a puppy. If they'd had a cat I'd probably be more interested.

I was ever so slightly annoyed at the ever-so-slight new adult vibes given off by the narrator, but she is ADHD and that's a pretty big focus on the narrative, so that makes it acceptable.

Read for Ali Williams's lecture series, Troping the Romance.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun read! Two friends wake up in Vegas married to each other, and then one of them convinces the other to stay married for "tax reasons." And then half the story you desperately want to shake the other one and tell her "she's in love with you, you idiot!!!" Sounds contrived? Fear not, Chelsea Cameron really made it work for Callyn's character who sometimes misses the obvious.

[Eliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Right now I’d rather have what was under Emma’s bra than all the cake in all the world, and that was saying something because I loved cake." "I knew it was because I couldn’t handle the sight of her incredible boobs. Absolutely top notch. Eleven stars. I would write reviews of them all over the internet."

[J.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

We're WHAT?

Two BFF's from grade school find out after a drinking, hangover morning that they are married. I mean who marries someone you like as a friend? How does this happen? What are they going to do? The author has created a story about what it takes for someone so out of touch with their feelings that she can't see beyond her nose. Follow along as the author creates an awakening moment for the two ladies. Enjoy!

[A Shrimp · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you don't expect great writing or a particularly gripping plot, this is okay enough. Very little actual conflict to be found in there, though.

The lead characters are sickeningly sweet, but not necessarily in a bad way.