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Mending Fences
When rancher Bobbie Del Rey walks into the veterinarian’s office with an injured pup, the last person she expects to see is the one woman she’s never allowed herself to love. The only thing more dangerous than the storm raging outside is the tempest in her heart.
Veterinarian Grace Hammond is looking for a fresh start. Haunted by her past, she hopes moving back to her hometown will help her find the strength to stand up for what she needs in matters of the heart. The moment her first love, Bobbie Del Rey, walks into her clinic—tall, dark, and soaking wet—the boundaries Grace desperately needs become paper thin.
Can the heartbreaks of the past ever truly be mended?
Cover Artist: Ty Justice
Genres: Contemporary / Romance
Veterinarian Grace Hammond is looking for a fresh start. Haunted by her past, she hopes moving back to her hometown will help her find the strength to stand up for what she needs in matters of the heart. The moment her first love, Bobbie Del Rey, walks into her clinic—tall, dark, and soaking wet—the boundaries Grace desperately needs become paper thin.
Can the heartbreaks of the past ever truly be mended?
Cover Artist: Ty Justice
Genres: Contemporary / Romance
253 pages, Paperback
First published April 14, 2020
27 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Angie Williams
8 books20 followersAngie Williams, winner of a third grade essay competition on fire safety, grew up in the dusty desert of West Texas. Always interested in writing, as a child she would lose interest before the end, killing the characters off in a tragic accident so she could move on to the next story. Thankfully as an adult she decided it was time to write things where everyone survives.
Angie lives in Northern California with her beautiful wife and son, and a menagerie of dogs, cats, snakes, and tarantulas. She’s a proud geek and lover of all things she was teased about in school.
Librarian note: Multiple authors with the same name in the GR database; this author is entered with 2 spaces.
Angie lives in Northern California with her beautiful wife and son, and a menagerie of dogs, cats, snakes, and tarantulas. She’s a proud geek and lover of all things she was teased about in school.
Librarian note: Multiple authors with the same name in the GR database; this author is entered with 2 spaces.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
April 11, 2020
3.5 Stars. This was a cute second chance romance. Something about ranchers in lesfic, it’s like yes please bring on tall, dark, and studly. While I read this for the rancher, I wasn’t sure what to expect since I’m not the biggest second chance romance fan. I love watching chemistry build in romances so I’m not big on how the chemistry is already built in for second chances. You normally don’t even get to see the first meeting between the two characters unless it’s in flashbacks which I’m not a fan of either. However, when it came to this book I actually enjoyed it more than I expected. It stated a little slow and I thought damn, it’s just like every other second chance romance I’ve read…but then there was a little twist I didn’t see coming and all of a sudden the book got much more interesting.
It is an interesting predicament to have one main character totally crushable, while the other drove me nuts. Bobbie is our butch rancher, butch on the outside but a total softy on the inside. And Grace is our veterinarian that has no idea what she is doing in her life. Grace’s character made most of the conflict and angst so I understand why her character was written moderately unlikeable but if they didn’t have history together, I might not have understood why Bobbi likeed her so much.
If you can get over Grace being unlikable, you do have to admit these two had chemistry in bed. I have to talk about these sex scenes. I don’t know if I have ever been so confused about sex scenes before. Part of me thought they were great, the other part was rolling my eyes. It would go from hot and steamy to eye roll, it was so bazaar. Bobbi’s personality completely changed in bed and she was just "King of the dirty talk". It was actually jarring at times how much her personality changed. I did get over that part pretty quickly since some people do completely change in the sheets, what I struggled with is some of the lines where totally cheeseballs. I went from fanning myself to almost being embarrassed, it was a weird mix. This is Williams’ first books so I would say to her yes on the dirty talk, just pull it back a bit because sometimes less is more.
This is not the kind of book that is going to blow you away, but it was very readable and plenty entertaining. I liked the little twist and the steamy sex scenes. I think this was a solid debut and I have hope this author will only get better.
Since Goodreads does not have half stars I was tempted to round down to just three stars on the rating but I rounded up instead because this was good for a debut.
An ARC was given to me for a honest review.
It is an interesting predicament to have one main character totally crushable, while the other drove me nuts. Bobbie is our butch rancher, butch on the outside but a total softy on the inside. And Grace is our veterinarian that has no idea what she is doing in her life. Grace’s character made most of the conflict and angst so I understand why her character was written moderately unlikeable but if they didn’t have history together, I might not have understood why Bobbi likeed her so much.
If you can get over Grace being unlikable, you do have to admit these two had chemistry in bed. I have to talk about these sex scenes. I don’t know if I have ever been so confused about sex scenes before. Part of me thought they were great, the other part was rolling my eyes. It would go from hot and steamy to eye roll, it was so bazaar. Bobbi’s personality completely changed in bed and she was just "King of the dirty talk". It was actually jarring at times how much her personality changed. I did get over that part pretty quickly since some people do completely change in the sheets, what I struggled with is some of the lines where totally cheeseballs. I went from fanning myself to almost being embarrassed, it was a weird mix. This is Williams’ first books so I would say to her yes on the dirty talk, just pull it back a bit because sometimes less is more.
This is not the kind of book that is going to blow you away, but it was very readable and plenty entertaining. I liked the little twist and the steamy sex scenes. I think this was a solid debut and I have hope this author will only get better.
Since Goodreads does not have half stars I was tempted to round down to just three stars on the rating but I rounded up instead because this was good for a debut.
An ARC was given to me for a honest review.
April 11, 2020
The reason this is a second chance romance is actually really sad. Imagine getting shipped to boarding school because your parents find out that you are gay. That's what happened to Grace when she was found sleeping with Bobby. Two decades later they meet again and it starts with an unexpected meeting in the clinic.
Grace seems a little naive coming to her childhood town and act all surprised when Bobby walks in her vet clinic. What do you think in a small town and with such a job? Grace is actually a very likeable person, but her actions made me dislike her a little. Again I seemed to come across a romance where there is a disturbing relationship with a mother. So that for me was Grace's "get out of jail card". In the end, after some heartbreak, stupid actions and some spoken out loud "ow come on, woman!" from my side, she understood the bigger picture and all went well.
Bobby is a tough rancher with a huge heart. Maybe not so tough as she looks like, melting over her sweet puppy and of course Grace. She has loads and loads of patience it seems, so much even it almost hurt me. Because of the indecisiveness of Grace and the patience of Bobby, it sometimes felt very imbalanced and unfair. Just barely on the right side of playing with someone's feelings.
I do think people will enjoy and can identify with this kind of trouble and indecisiveness. I, on the other hand, had some trouble with that and feel very blessed for not being able to identify and wallow in those particular problems.
This book had lots of good sex. People who read my reviews more often know I have a healthy appetite for sex in books. The sex scenes had good chemistry and were steamy. For me, I could have done without the dirty talk. It just didn't fit. Like, if I would start talking dirty to my wife she would be like, wtf? And that's exactly my reaction when I came upon it in this book. I do appreciate dirty talk in books however, it has to fit. A little more work on that side of Bobby's character could maybe have fixed that.
All in all, a very nice read and I would definitely recommend it to other readers.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Grace seems a little naive coming to her childhood town and act all surprised when Bobby walks in her vet clinic. What do you think in a small town and with such a job? Grace is actually a very likeable person, but her actions made me dislike her a little. Again I seemed to come across a romance where there is a disturbing relationship with a mother. So that for me was Grace's "get out of jail card". In the end, after some heartbreak, stupid actions and some spoken out loud "ow come on, woman!" from my side, she understood the bigger picture and all went well.
Bobby is a tough rancher with a huge heart. Maybe not so tough as she looks like, melting over her sweet puppy and of course Grace. She has loads and loads of patience it seems, so much even it almost hurt me. Because of the indecisiveness of Grace and the patience of Bobby, it sometimes felt very imbalanced and unfair. Just barely on the right side of playing with someone's feelings.
I do think people will enjoy and can identify with this kind of trouble and indecisiveness. I, on the other hand, had some trouble with that and feel very blessed for not being able to identify and wallow in those particular problems.
This book had lots of good sex. People who read my reviews more often know I have a healthy appetite for sex in books. The sex scenes had good chemistry and were steamy. For me, I could have done without the dirty talk. It just didn't fit. Like, if I would start talking dirty to my wife she would be like, wtf? And that's exactly my reaction when I came upon it in this book. I do appreciate dirty talk in books however, it has to fit. A little more work on that side of Bobby's character could maybe have fixed that.
All in all, a very nice read and I would definitely recommend it to other readers.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 5, 2020
This one was a little on the difficult side for me to rate. Ultimately I give it 3.5 stars. The beginning of the book was good. It got my attention and kept it for most of the way through. I mean who doesn't like a rancher, a good looking butch rancher, that saves a puppy from a tangled fence. After saving the puppy, Bobbie takes it to the vet where she is surprised to see her first love Grace there as the acting doctor. Sparks fly like nobody's business but so do the complications. And here is where I feel the book struggled a little for me. Yes, the obstacle is a pretty big one but it was made out to be bigger than it was. And it didn't help that one thing was said and then another thing was done and then they had to constantly "talk about it." And the "it" just felt like the same thing over and over again. It got tedious and at times I found myself bored with it, but I pushed through. The dirty talking during sex also threw me for a loop. I mean, I get it talking is a great but it just seemed to come out of left field and surprised me a bit. That might just be me.
Anyway, I did like most of the story. I liked how it started and where it ended up. The middle I felt was little blah for me. I did really like Amy and Lena and I actually hope we find out more about Lena maybe in another book. I give this one 3.5stars as it's better than a 3 but not as good as a 4 in my book.
Anyway, I did like most of the story. I liked how it started and where it ended up. The middle I felt was little blah for me. I did really like Amy and Lena and I actually hope we find out more about Lena maybe in another book. I give this one 3.5stars as it's better than a 3 but not as good as a 4 in my book.
April 25, 2020
Nearly a 4* Nice debut novel about second chances.
March 26, 2020
3.5 stars
This is a cute debut novel about second chances. The heroines are likable, and there's little angst, the perfect read for escaping the harsh realities of life.
The parts about Grace's ex-husband wore thin. He was hurt, he understood. He was angry, he understood. They fought, they kissed and made up (not literally) but it went on for so long it became painful.
Others might find those bits 'interesting' but I could've done without them. Yes, she had to wrap up her marriage, but most people know what that involves. I know that sounds unfair, but I wanted to read about the leads, not the ex.
There was some humour? I think, that I didn't care for, but we all know humour can be subjective.
This is a cute debut novel about second chances. The heroines are likable, and there's little angst, the perfect read for escaping the harsh realities of life.
The parts about Grace's ex-husband wore thin. He was hurt, he understood. He was angry, he understood. They fought, they kissed and made up (not literally) but it went on for so long it became painful.
Others might find those bits 'interesting' but I could've done without them. Yes, she had to wrap up her marriage, but most people know what that involves. I know that sounds unfair, but I wanted to read about the leads, not the ex.
There was some humour? I think, that I didn't care for, but we all know humour can be subjective.
"Technically, I will be making the baby since it's my sperm-" John began but was cut off with a pillow to the head.Copy provided by the publisher, Bold Strokes Books, via NetGalley.
"You aren't making shit, mister. You're f*&king coming in my vagina and then walking away..."
March 9, 2020
So the trend this month is Butch/Femme. I have read a ton of things recently that involve this dynamic. One thing I can say is the Angie Williams does a fabulous job on building the perfect butch woman. I pretty much swooned over Bobbie Del Rey. This is a second chance romance. Bobbie and Grace dated back in HS. There were each other's first and when Grace parents find out she is in a relationship with Bobbie they ship her off to boarding school. Now 20 years or so later (could be less), Grace returns back to her hometown. She really only plans to be in town to help her mom with her father's will, but ends up filling in for a good friend/father figure at the local Vet.
So the chemistry between Bobbie and Grace is very evident. The only wierd thing is that Grace is holding back and we don't know why. Eventually she tells a good friend/coworker what her issues are and we see why she is so stand offish.
I thought Mending Fences was good. Again, Bobbie by far was my favorite character. She was just a really good person. I like Grace good enough but she was a bit wishy washy. Sure, I understand why, I just really like Bobbie and didn't want her to be hurt. I liked how Williams did the timeline. If she did it any other way it probably would have been a bit boring. There were a few occasions that Mending Fences did stall out , but it did bounce back.
I will rate this one 3.75 stars, but I am going to round it to 4 because I really liked Bobbie.
This arc was provided by Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.
So the chemistry between Bobbie and Grace is very evident. The only wierd thing is that Grace is holding back and we don't know why. Eventually she tells a good friend/coworker what her issues are and we see why she is so stand offish.
I thought Mending Fences was good. Again, Bobbie by far was my favorite character. She was just a really good person. I like Grace good enough but she was a bit wishy washy. Sure, I understand why, I just really like Bobbie and didn't want her to be hurt. I liked how Williams did the timeline. If she did it any other way it probably would have been a bit boring. There were a few occasions that Mending Fences did stall out , but it did bounce back.
I will rate this one 3.75 stars, but I am going to round it to 4 because I really liked Bobbie.
This arc was provided by Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.
April 15, 2020
This was good. I liked it. I was expecting more after I read the book description though...
Anyway, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I had to skim over one or two of the sex scenes 'cause it was a tad over the top. We get it, they're hot together... but there was no build up to the scenes, which got boring.
Anyway, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I had to skim over one or two of the sex scenes 'cause it was a tad over the top. We get it, they're hot together... but there was no build up to the scenes, which got boring.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2023
Given I found it really hard to like one of the MCs (Grace) I’m surprised I gave this 5* but just sneaked over the line. Emotional.
February 27, 2020
I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.
Bobbie and Grace have been best friends since second grade but then their feelings change I high school and they became girlfriends only a few knew.
Bobbie and Grace was force to separate when Grace parents found abut their relationship and send her to boarding school.
They met years later when Bobbie finds a dog hurt and goes to the local vet who turns out to be Grace who is temporarily taking over because Dr. Randolph is looking after his sick wife and she needed time for herself.
Bobbie and Grace catch up and realize thoses feelings are still there but things are complicate with Grace married and her finally decide she wants to live for herself and not for others.
This was nice story I like Bobbie and how patient she was even when she thought she will lose Grace.
Bobbie and Grace have been best friends since second grade but then their feelings change I high school and they became girlfriends only a few knew.
Bobbie and Grace was force to separate when Grace parents found abut their relationship and send her to boarding school.
They met years later when Bobbie finds a dog hurt and goes to the local vet who turns out to be Grace who is temporarily taking over because Dr. Randolph is looking after his sick wife and she needed time for herself.
Bobbie and Grace catch up and realize thoses feelings are still there but things are complicate with Grace married and her finally decide she wants to live for herself and not for others.
This was nice story I like Bobbie and how patient she was even when she thought she will lose Grace.
April 14, 2020
This is a read about finding and holding on to what is important. I think also about the possibility of having it all. Cute butch/femme second chance romance. Roberta Del Rey, is the tall handsome rancher with a big heart. Dr. Grace Hammond, attractive femme veterinarian with a variety of issues pushing and pulling her in different directions. I appreciated the self-talk because it provided the reader with a peek as to why Grace and Bobbie were behaving the way they were.
Bobbie is very likeable and Grace is struggling but she portrays what real life can be like when choices are placed before you and you do not know what to do. One other part of the read that I have to mention is the awesome sexual chemistry between Bobbie and Grace yet the "dirty talk" that just did not seem to fit their personalities or the story flow. A bit weird in my opinion.
ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books, Inc via NetGalley
Bobbie is very likeable and Grace is struggling but she portrays what real life can be like when choices are placed before you and you do not know what to do. One other part of the read that I have to mention is the awesome sexual chemistry between Bobbie and Grace yet the "dirty talk" that just did not seem to fit their personalities or the story flow. A bit weird in my opinion.
ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books, Inc via NetGalley
March 27, 2020
I RECEIVED AN ARC OF THE BOOK FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY AND VOLUNTARILY LEAVING MY REVIEW.
BOBBIE IS A SWOON WORTHY RANCHER AND GRACE IS A VET.
THIS IS A SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE. BOTH BOBBIE AND GRACE WERE HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS UNTIL SHE MOVED AWAY. WHEN BOBBIE GOES TO THE VETS WITH HER DOG THEN THAT IS WHERE THEY MEET AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2 DECADES.
I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK. I ENJOYED THE STORY LINE, LOVED THE CHARACTERS AND FOUND LOVE IN BOBBIE LOL. NOWADAYS, I AM MORE FOR THE BUTCH CHARACTERS WHICH SURPRISES ME AS I AM MORE FOR THE FEMMES. I LOVED BOTH BOBBIE AND GRACE BUT BOBBIE IS JUST A GREAT CHARACTER WHO WEARS HER HEART ON HER SLEEVE. SHE WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR YOU IF SHE COULD. SHE'S JUST AN ALL OVER GREAT PERSON WITH A HEART OF GOLD. GRACE I WOULD SAY IS A LITTLE MORE RESERVED. SHE DOESN'T LIKE TO DO THINGS WITHOUT HAVING THOUGHT EVERYTHING THROUGH, THOROUGH. BOTH MAIN CHARACTERS HAD GREAT CHEMISTRY AND YOU JUST WANTED GRACE TO MAKE UP HER MIND ONCE AND FOR ALL.
IF YOU ENJOY SECOND CHANCE ROMANCES THEN THIS COULD BE THE BOOK FOR YOU.
BOBBIE IS A SWOON WORTHY RANCHER AND GRACE IS A VET.
THIS IS A SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE. BOTH BOBBIE AND GRACE WERE HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS UNTIL SHE MOVED AWAY. WHEN BOBBIE GOES TO THE VETS WITH HER DOG THEN THAT IS WHERE THEY MEET AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2 DECADES.
I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK. I ENJOYED THE STORY LINE, LOVED THE CHARACTERS AND FOUND LOVE IN BOBBIE LOL. NOWADAYS, I AM MORE FOR THE BUTCH CHARACTERS WHICH SURPRISES ME AS I AM MORE FOR THE FEMMES. I LOVED BOTH BOBBIE AND GRACE BUT BOBBIE IS JUST A GREAT CHARACTER WHO WEARS HER HEART ON HER SLEEVE. SHE WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR YOU IF SHE COULD. SHE'S JUST AN ALL OVER GREAT PERSON WITH A HEART OF GOLD. GRACE I WOULD SAY IS A LITTLE MORE RESERVED. SHE DOESN'T LIKE TO DO THINGS WITHOUT HAVING THOUGHT EVERYTHING THROUGH, THOROUGH. BOTH MAIN CHARACTERS HAD GREAT CHEMISTRY AND YOU JUST WANTED GRACE TO MAKE UP HER MIND ONCE AND FOR ALL.
IF YOU ENJOY SECOND CHANCE ROMANCES THEN THIS COULD BE THE BOOK FOR YOU.
May 9, 2020
So much hope and promise but ultimately let me down.
I was jumping for joy and giddy with glee when this book dropped. A butch rancher with a soft spot for puppies falling in love with the femme veterinarian? Oh, Hell yes, sign me up!
I adore stories set in the country, and I love reading about the butch rancher taking on those backbreaking tasks around the ranch, but unfortunately, I was disappointed with the lack of description with a lot of things. I felt cheated for one. Only a few times we got to see Bobbie working on the ranch and none of those times really let us sink our teeth into the kind of work she was performing. Two, I still don't know what Bobbie Del Ray really looked like. There was a scene where she joked to two female patrons at a restaurant about needing her hair held back when she was sick. Then there was a scene where she had run her hand through her hair, tousling it on top of her head as if it were cut short. What'd I miss? Apparently, she was tall and broad, but that's it. It grates on my nerves when I don't know what the characters look like. I understand that Mending Fences was the author's debut, and as much as they excelled in some areas, they fell flat for character description. Bobbie was a sweetheart with patience, even if it was mentioned several times by other characters that she was the opposite. I didn't really see the impatience they referred to on more than one occasion. Bobbie, however, also flipped her personality during sex and turned into some kind of dominant sex fiend. The language that poured off her tongue jolted my system. Now, I am no prude, and I love dirty talk, but this dirty talk didn't quite match the character and her kind of personality. It felt forced and bordered on cringe-worthy. And as soon as the sex ended, ol' sweet Bobbie was back in formation. *scratches head*.
Side note: I love me explicit sex, but "covered in come" made me think of a bukkake scene in a bad porn.
Grace Hammond the sweet veterinarian. This woman couldn't make a decision for the life of her. I couldn't even find it in me to sympathize or empathize with her, let alone pity her. She was one of those women that boo-hooed her way through life. She claimed to be happy in certain aspects of her life and how she was this independent woman, but she just couldn't make a decision! I pitied her husband/ex-husband at times, and the line he delivered was gold:
"Goddamnit, Grace. You avoid conflict to the point you leave a trail of misery in your path. Get a fucking backbone. Be honest with yourself and maybe you'll stop breaking everyone's heart."
I wanted to high five him. Only a little, because he was an ass mostly. He acted oblivious to Grace's feelings and wants most of the time. However, I couldn't fault him too harshly because he was married to a woman who withheld her true identity from him for years, and then dropped the D bomb on him. It was just a cluster-f*ck of a marriage that was fueled by neglect, discrimination, and low self-esteem. Thanks to Grace's parents. And as for asses, Grace's mother was one real piece of work, too. She was cold, just plain cold. I couldn't warm up to Grace's and her mother's reunion, because it felt unnatural. I didn't have enough ground work for me to have any kind emotion towards their volatile relationship. As for Grace's co-workers/friends, well, they drove me bonkers. Women who giggle and get drunk then fall down laughing, I can't stand women like that in real life and I loathe having to read women like that. And Grace was probably the worst.
I was hoping for heat and passion when the two protagonists reunited with the puppy, but instead, it felt like old friends catching up. With the lack of character description, I couldn't understand where their physical attraction for one another came from. I certainly understood the emotional side because they had been in love as teenagers and their love never wavered. You can only say how good looking one is until the reader, themselves, want to know what it is that is so damn hot or "studly" like one character had described Bobbie. What the hell was so studly about her? Tell me!
Side note: another fault I found was in one scene Grace was wearing a beautiful, feminine floral dress that had Bobbie swooning, and later on in the day, Grace was wearing jeans and a shirt. I retraced my steps to see if she had changed clothes during their date, but I found no evidence. Details like that can really distract the reader if they're honed in on descriptive details, and I'm one of them.
I'm not giving up on this author since this was their debut. I could have sugar-coated my review but then how would the writer learn from their mistakes? It's how I learned. 3 stars from me.
I was jumping for joy and giddy with glee when this book dropped. A butch rancher with a soft spot for puppies falling in love with the femme veterinarian? Oh, Hell yes, sign me up!
I adore stories set in the country, and I love reading about the butch rancher taking on those backbreaking tasks around the ranch, but unfortunately, I was disappointed with the lack of description with a lot of things. I felt cheated for one. Only a few times we got to see Bobbie working on the ranch and none of those times really let us sink our teeth into the kind of work she was performing. Two, I still don't know what Bobbie Del Ray really looked like. There was a scene where she joked to two female patrons at a restaurant about needing her hair held back when she was sick. Then there was a scene where she had run her hand through her hair, tousling it on top of her head as if it were cut short. What'd I miss? Apparently, she was tall and broad, but that's it. It grates on my nerves when I don't know what the characters look like. I understand that Mending Fences was the author's debut, and as much as they excelled in some areas, they fell flat for character description. Bobbie was a sweetheart with patience, even if it was mentioned several times by other characters that she was the opposite. I didn't really see the impatience they referred to on more than one occasion. Bobbie, however, also flipped her personality during sex and turned into some kind of dominant sex fiend. The language that poured off her tongue jolted my system. Now, I am no prude, and I love dirty talk, but this dirty talk didn't quite match the character and her kind of personality. It felt forced and bordered on cringe-worthy. And as soon as the sex ended, ol' sweet Bobbie was back in formation. *scratches head*.
Side note: I love me explicit sex, but "covered in come" made me think of a bukkake scene in a bad porn.
Grace Hammond the sweet veterinarian. This woman couldn't make a decision for the life of her. I couldn't even find it in me to sympathize or empathize with her, let alone pity her. She was one of those women that boo-hooed her way through life. She claimed to be happy in certain aspects of her life and how she was this independent woman, but she just couldn't make a decision! I pitied her husband/ex-husband at times, and the line he delivered was gold:
"Goddamnit, Grace. You avoid conflict to the point you leave a trail of misery in your path. Get a fucking backbone. Be honest with yourself and maybe you'll stop breaking everyone's heart."
I wanted to high five him. Only a little, because he was an ass mostly. He acted oblivious to Grace's feelings and wants most of the time. However, I couldn't fault him too harshly because he was married to a woman who withheld her true identity from him for years, and then dropped the D bomb on him. It was just a cluster-f*ck of a marriage that was fueled by neglect, discrimination, and low self-esteem. Thanks to Grace's parents. And as for asses, Grace's mother was one real piece of work, too. She was cold, just plain cold. I couldn't warm up to Grace's and her mother's reunion, because it felt unnatural. I didn't have enough ground work for me to have any kind emotion towards their volatile relationship. As for Grace's co-workers/friends, well, they drove me bonkers. Women who giggle and get drunk then fall down laughing, I can't stand women like that in real life and I loathe having to read women like that. And Grace was probably the worst.
I was hoping for heat and passion when the two protagonists reunited with the puppy, but instead, it felt like old friends catching up. With the lack of character description, I couldn't understand where their physical attraction for one another came from. I certainly understood the emotional side because they had been in love as teenagers and their love never wavered. You can only say how good looking one is until the reader, themselves, want to know what it is that is so damn hot or "studly" like one character had described Bobbie. What the hell was so studly about her? Tell me!
Side note: another fault I found was in one scene Grace was wearing a beautiful, feminine floral dress that had Bobbie swooning, and later on in the day, Grace was wearing jeans and a shirt. I retraced my steps to see if she had changed clothes during their date, but I found no evidence. Details like that can really distract the reader if they're honed in on descriptive details, and I'm one of them.
I'm not giving up on this author since this was their debut. I could have sugar-coated my review but then how would the writer learn from their mistakes? It's how I learned. 3 stars from me.
March 29, 2020
This is a pretty solid romance that starts off pretty quickly. The main driver is the second chance romance between Bobbie the rancher and Grace the veterinarian. Grace is more of the dynamic character in this one, as she was the one who was basically stolen away from Bobbie by her own family like some kind of fairy princess. It did numbers to Grace, and she spends most of the novel trying to find herself. Of course, Bobbie is a kind soul who is still hung up on Grace, and is willing to wait more for her.
This is a pretty standard by the numbers second chance romance, but the twist is that Grace was physically taken from Bobbie, so Bobbie doesn't feel any kind of resentment towards Grace for her sudden departure. It was refreshing that most of the ire is focused on Grace's parents, and that other characters get to have some hopeful skepticism with regards to Grace's commitment to come back to Bobbie. There's also focusing on building up some of the other characters around our leads, I especially found Bobbie's mom and Grace's friends from the animal hospital to be delightful.
I do have some pretty nitpicky things to talk about. While I love both of Grace's new friends- it felt really rushed. There was some weird time jump that I might have missed because they went from friendly colleagues to besties seemingly overnight. There might be some excuses in that Amy knew of one of them from 20 years ago, but it still felt like a way too quick turnaround. There is also a problem with dialog being full of exposition in my opinion. There were times where an event is described - then it feels like the character pretty much relays the event almost word for word. Also, Bobbie is very verbose during sex. It is kind of funny to me. She loves to take control, but she's such a big softy it just was adorable instead of sexy.
Even with those nitpicks, this is a solid debut and I do look forward to seeing what the author does next. Also, big tough ranchers talking to their dogs will always be adorable. I'd pretty much read Bobbie using her puppy as a sounding board all day.
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This is a pretty standard by the numbers second chance romance, but the twist is that Grace was physically taken from Bobbie, so Bobbie doesn't feel any kind of resentment towards Grace for her sudden departure. It was refreshing that most of the ire is focused on Grace's parents, and that other characters get to have some hopeful skepticism with regards to Grace's commitment to come back to Bobbie. There's also focusing on building up some of the other characters around our leads, I especially found Bobbie's mom and Grace's friends from the animal hospital to be delightful.
I do have some pretty nitpicky things to talk about. While I love both of Grace's new friends- it felt really rushed. There was some weird time jump that I might have missed because they went from friendly colleagues to besties seemingly overnight. There might be some excuses in that Amy knew of one of them from 20 years ago, but it still felt like a way too quick turnaround. There is also a problem with dialog being full of exposition in my opinion. There were times where an event is described - then it feels like the character pretty much relays the event almost word for word. Also, Bobbie is very verbose during sex. It is kind of funny to me. She loves to take control, but she's such a big softy it just was adorable instead of sexy.
Even with those nitpicks, this is a solid debut and I do look forward to seeing what the author does next. Also, big tough ranchers talking to their dogs will always be adorable. I'd pretty much read Bobbie using her puppy as a sounding board all day.
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 15, 2020
I’m raising my coffee mug in Angie Williams’ honor because this is her debut novel and she has blown my mind with the way she has brought these lovely characters to life for me. She has also managed to take me on an emotional roller-coaster ride with Bobbie and Grace as they tried their best to deal with their emotional baggage and figure out what truly matters the most to them. I am so glad that this story was told through Grace and Bobbie’s point of view because I could easily relate to their deepest fears and frustrations and I felt as though I was right there with them during their happiest moments as well.
March 27, 2020
Grace Hammond seldom returned to her home town anymore but when her mentor, Dr. Randolph’s wife got sick and he asked Grace to come home to run his veterinarian practice for him; she just couldn’t say no. Besides being there will give her the space she needed to sort out her life. Number one on her list of changes was divorcing her husband. Grace and Jake basically lived separate lives anyway so she didn’t want to stay in a marriage that should not have taken place. Grace was a lesbian. Period. But she has lived her life very much in the closet because when she was younger she let her parents, especially her mother, telling her how a Hammond was supposed to live. It didn’t help that because of her fear she’d left behind the one love of her life. Time to make some changes.
Bobbie Del Rey has spent her life working on the family ranch. She loved it. Over the years she had dreamed of meeting the perfect woman, someone to spend her life with but everytime she got close to someone her memories of Grace always got in the way. One day while checking her fences for damages she found entangled in the barb wire a small puppy. She could not just leave it there so she rescued the pup but had to take him to the local vet. Imagine her surprise when instead of finding Dr. Randolph she found the love of her life, Grace. But as they renewed their friendship Grace forgot to mention she was indeed married, to a man.
Ms Williams has written the love story that has been told about a hundred times. The trick she had to accomplish was how to make this one stand out from the rest. And she does. All in all a nice read but it does get bogged down when the story comes to Grace's relationship with her husband. A minor detail because when you get past those parts you will end up with a very nice little read.
ARC via NetGalley/Bold Stroke Books
Bobbie Del Rey has spent her life working on the family ranch. She loved it. Over the years she had dreamed of meeting the perfect woman, someone to spend her life with but everytime she got close to someone her memories of Grace always got in the way. One day while checking her fences for damages she found entangled in the barb wire a small puppy. She could not just leave it there so she rescued the pup but had to take him to the local vet. Imagine her surprise when instead of finding Dr. Randolph she found the love of her life, Grace. But as they renewed their friendship Grace forgot to mention she was indeed married, to a man.
Ms Williams has written the love story that has been told about a hundred times. The trick she had to accomplish was how to make this one stand out from the rest. And she does. All in all a nice read but it does get bogged down when the story comes to Grace's relationship with her husband. A minor detail because when you get past those parts you will end up with a very nice little read.
ARC via NetGalley/Bold Stroke Books
March 9, 2020
The premise of the story revolves around a second chance meeting between Bobbie Del Ray and Grace Hammond who were best friends and lovers in high school when they were pulled apart from each other. They meet again when Bobbie finds an injured puppy when she is mending fences on the family ranch. Bobbie takes the puppy to a veterinarian who just happens to be Grace. Bobbie and Grace are immediately drawn to each other even though they've been apart for twenty years. Although they are attracted to each other, Bobbie and Grace can't get back together due to a twist in the story that I can't reveal since it would be giving away too much of the storyline.
I believe that this is the first book published by Angie Williams, and although the writing was a bit on the simplistic side, I certainly enjoyed the story and the characters including the butch/femme dynamic between Bobbie and Grace. Riley as the pup was an added bonus. Bobbie's patience in dealing with Grace's situation was commendable since I don't think many people would be as patient as Bobbie was in this story.
I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I believe that this is the first book published by Angie Williams, and although the writing was a bit on the simplistic side, I certainly enjoyed the story and the characters including the butch/femme dynamic between Bobbie and Grace. Riley as the pup was an added bonus. Bobbie's patience in dealing with Grace's situation was commendable since I don't think many people would be as patient as Bobbie was in this story.
I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
May 22, 2020
If you’re looking for the sweetest (and sexiest) second chance romance then this book is for you!
I really enjoyed this book and once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. This is not a story driven by angst but more of a sweet (but incredibly sexy) story of finding your way home. I loved the pace and how easy this story flowed and at no moment did I think Grace and Bobby were not meant to be together. Their connection was undeniable, and at one-point, Grace even says that she can’t see Bobby right now because she forgets everything else but Bobby when they are together. This is the perfect example of their relationship… All encompassing.
I think the storyline is more focused on Grace’s journey. Bobby is forthright from the beginning about what she wants, and how it has never changed. For me, it made me crush on Bobby even harder. She wants Grace, and that is all that is important. End of story. She is a romantic soul, who honestly deserves the world, and wow can she ramp up the sexy in the bedroom… She is perfect… A sweet, unassuming human who cares about everyone else before herself, and she is hot!!!! #swoon
But Grace is a more complex being. She has been hurt badly, and not only by the heartbreak of Bobby, but also her cruel parents. This has really done a number on poor Grace. Bobby breaks down these walls one brick at a time and starts to let Grace heal. When this happens, we see a more vulnerable Grace, one who deserves her second chance.
I really enjoyed how there is no pretense in the beginning for Grace and Bobby. Their feelings for each other are evident and it means everything in this story especially because their friendship is at the heart of everything.
The epilogue (as with lots of books) was my favourite moment. It was like a big warm sexy hug!
This is a small thing, but I would have really enjoyed some more Bobby and Grace time. I felt like Grace was doing all the right things with trying to work things out before jumping into things with Bobby, I just wish the jumping in happened sooner because I just wanted all the page time with them both.
Ok let me tell you, the sex is off the chart hot!!! Not quite erotica but heading in that direction. Wow! And Grace and Bobby’s sexual escapades just ramp up their connection and chemistry. I would not want to be in a science lab with these two because they are combustible. Angie Williams certainly has the sexy talk down!
The sexual chemistry is beyond but after their sexy times, they have fun too which just adds to their relationship and closeness. Just being jovial or sincere, these two hit the jackpot finding their way back to each other.
For her first novel I think Angie Williams knocked this one out of the park. I will be following what she does next very closely! Star Rating: 4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this book and once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. This is not a story driven by angst but more of a sweet (but incredibly sexy) story of finding your way home. I loved the pace and how easy this story flowed and at no moment did I think Grace and Bobby were not meant to be together. Their connection was undeniable, and at one-point, Grace even says that she can’t see Bobby right now because she forgets everything else but Bobby when they are together. This is the perfect example of their relationship… All encompassing.
I think the storyline is more focused on Grace’s journey. Bobby is forthright from the beginning about what she wants, and how it has never changed. For me, it made me crush on Bobby even harder. She wants Grace, and that is all that is important. End of story. She is a romantic soul, who honestly deserves the world, and wow can she ramp up the sexy in the bedroom… She is perfect… A sweet, unassuming human who cares about everyone else before herself, and she is hot!!!! #swoon
But Grace is a more complex being. She has been hurt badly, and not only by the heartbreak of Bobby, but also her cruel parents. This has really done a number on poor Grace. Bobby breaks down these walls one brick at a time and starts to let Grace heal. When this happens, we see a more vulnerable Grace, one who deserves her second chance.
I really enjoyed how there is no pretense in the beginning for Grace and Bobby. Their feelings for each other are evident and it means everything in this story especially because their friendship is at the heart of everything.
The epilogue (as with lots of books) was my favourite moment. It was like a big warm sexy hug!
This is a small thing, but I would have really enjoyed some more Bobby and Grace time. I felt like Grace was doing all the right things with trying to work things out before jumping into things with Bobby, I just wish the jumping in happened sooner because I just wanted all the page time with them both.
Ok let me tell you, the sex is off the chart hot!!! Not quite erotica but heading in that direction. Wow! And Grace and Bobby’s sexual escapades just ramp up their connection and chemistry. I would not want to be in a science lab with these two because they are combustible. Angie Williams certainly has the sexy talk down!
The sexual chemistry is beyond but after their sexy times, they have fun too which just adds to their relationship and closeness. Just being jovial or sincere, these two hit the jackpot finding their way back to each other.
For her first novel I think Angie Williams knocked this one out of the park. I will be following what she does next very closely! Star Rating: 4.5 stars
March 1, 2020
A very enjoyable second-chance romance. Long-lost first loves, reunited but with some major obstacles to overcome. Is love enough in the face of so much struggle? Heck yes it is!!
Grace and Bobbie had been best friends for ages and became girlfriends (and lovers) in high school. Upon finding out the teenagers were more than friends, Grace's parents ship her off to boarding school, effecting separating her from her first - and really only - love. Twenty years later, her father's death and the collapse of her marriage lead Grace back to her hometown. When Bobbie walks into the vet clinic at which Grace is working while in town, both she and Grace cannot resist the pull that never went away. But Grace is still married and has career aspirations that will take her away again, and Bobbie, a local rancher, is tied to her home.
Bobbie is SO sweet, patient and understanding. Grace has SO much to work through. Can the two make it work? You're rooting for them the whole way, even if you want to force Grace to just make the right choice already!
Grace and Bobbie had been best friends for ages and became girlfriends (and lovers) in high school. Upon finding out the teenagers were more than friends, Grace's parents ship her off to boarding school, effecting separating her from her first - and really only - love. Twenty years later, her father's death and the collapse of her marriage lead Grace back to her hometown. When Bobbie walks into the vet clinic at which Grace is working while in town, both she and Grace cannot resist the pull that never went away. But Grace is still married and has career aspirations that will take her away again, and Bobbie, a local rancher, is tied to her home.
Bobbie is SO sweet, patient and understanding. Grace has SO much to work through. Can the two make it work? You're rooting for them the whole way, even if you want to force Grace to just make the right choice already!
March 17, 2020
A nice second chance romance about Bobbie and Grace who were teenage loves until Graces parents shipped her off to boarding school. Some 20 years later they meet again in their hometown, Grace as the new vetenarian and Bobbie as the rancher who never left. The connection is still there, Bobbie is an adoringly sweet and patient butch but Grace is a bit standoffish. The why surrounding that makes sense, but I do feel like Bobbie just waiting and waiting until Grace finally makes up her mind about what she wants. As you can tell, I like one MC better than the other. Besides that it's a nice story, (it has a dog!) the story slowly moves along and not a lot of big events so it's perfect for those slow afternoons filled with relaxation.
*** An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***
*** An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***
April 1, 2020
From the blurb I thought I’d like this book, but after reading it I am not so sure.
Bobbie is a rancher, when she find a puppy stuck in her fence she rushed her to the vet. The new vet in town is her high school love Grace. They were brutally ripped apart by Grace’s parents when they were teens. But what is that saying, first love never dies? I think that is what this book is about. Bobbie never got over Grace and would happily jump back into a relationship with her. Grace comes with a slightly more difficult situation, but after seeing Bobbie all is clear for her again.
Sure the story is ok, the characters are fine too, but something just didn’t sit right with me. The few chapters that were heavy on Amy and her husband were my favourite, with lots of humour. Grace is too flaky for me, and Bobbie is should be this butchy type who is just a softy on the inside. But it just doesn’t fit. Bobbie only seems like a softy, nothing butch about her, and Grace is just weird. But what I disliked most, something that didn’t fit with either of the characters for me was the dirty talk, or more specifically the dirty talked they used. Seemed extremely out of character, they could have had dirty talk that suited their characters much better.
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*
Bobbie is a rancher, when she find a puppy stuck in her fence she rushed her to the vet. The new vet in town is her high school love Grace. They were brutally ripped apart by Grace’s parents when they were teens. But what is that saying, first love never dies? I think that is what this book is about. Bobbie never got over Grace and would happily jump back into a relationship with her. Grace comes with a slightly more difficult situation, but after seeing Bobbie all is clear for her again.
Sure the story is ok, the characters are fine too, but something just didn’t sit right with me. The few chapters that were heavy on Amy and her husband were my favourite, with lots of humour. Grace is too flaky for me, and Bobbie is should be this butchy type who is just a softy on the inside. But it just doesn’t fit. Bobbie only seems like a softy, nothing butch about her, and Grace is just weird. But what I disliked most, something that didn’t fit with either of the characters for me was the dirty talk, or more specifically the dirty talked they used. Seemed extremely out of character, they could have had dirty talk that suited their characters much better.
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*
July 5, 2021
This is a sapphic second chance romance.
Grace was sent off to boarding school the moment her parents discovered she was a lesbian. After 20 years, Grace returns to town temporarily and runs into Bobbie. Their connection is still there even after all those years.
This was an interesting book b/c I can’t remember liking a book this much where I mostly disliked one of the main characters.
I felt like Bobbie deserved better than Grace but we love who we love and Bobbie’s sweetness and loyalty never faltered.
For those interested, this book comes with a nice helping of steamy sex scenes with lots of dirty talk. Bobbie & Grace were not lacking in the chemistry department.
Grace was sent off to boarding school the moment her parents discovered she was a lesbian. After 20 years, Grace returns to town temporarily and runs into Bobbie. Their connection is still there even after all those years.
This was an interesting book b/c I can’t remember liking a book this much where I mostly disliked one of the main characters.
I felt like Bobbie deserved better than Grace but we love who we love and Bobbie’s sweetness and loyalty never faltered.
For those interested, this book comes with a nice helping of steamy sex scenes with lots of dirty talk. Bobbie & Grace were not lacking in the chemistry department.
April 15, 2020
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of the story.
I did not like Grace. I felt she was emotionally immature and selfish. I like Bobbie a bit more but she was overshadowded by the angst and drama Grace brought her life.
The writing is good, very descriptive but the sex scenes were too long in my opinion.
I apologize to the author for a negative review of your hard work.
I did not like Grace. I felt she was emotionally immature and selfish. I like Bobbie a bit more but she was overshadowded by the angst and drama Grace brought her life.
The writing is good, very descriptive but the sex scenes were too long in my opinion.
I apologize to the author for a negative review of your hard work.
December 29, 2020
2.75 stars |
March 8, 2020
This is a sweet book about long lost love and reconnection. I really liked Bobby. Patience really is a virtue. I loved Riley and her role is the storyline. There really isn't much to dislike in this book besides Grace's mother, which I'm sure is intentional. All in all a great read. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2021
A second chance romance about a rancher and a veterinarian who moves back home years after they are forced apart.
I love the premise of this story so much. After years apart Grace comes back to her home town and when an injured dog brings Bobbie and Grace back together it’s almost like no time has passed. The story really draws you in right from the get go.
Williams has created one of my favorite characters of all time in Bobbie Del Rey. She is perfect. I love everything about her and she made this a book I love. Grace is a complicated character and her hot and cold feelings and decisions throughout were frustrating and made it hard to connect with her character. I tried to put myself in Grace's shoes and while it helped, I ultimately just liked her, but Bobbie loves her so that made it easy to root for the two of them the whole time.
This is a love story but Williams is able to weave in a lot of pain and emotional turmoil while keeping the story hopeful and sweet. This story is a tear jerker but it will also make you laugh and swoon (especially for Bobbie)
This is a heartbreaking yet sweet romance filled with drama and conflict as well as communication and understanding. The growth and love of these characters shines and make this a wonderful read.
I love the premise of this story so much. After years apart Grace comes back to her home town and when an injured dog brings Bobbie and Grace back together it’s almost like no time has passed. The story really draws you in right from the get go.
Williams has created one of my favorite characters of all time in Bobbie Del Rey. She is perfect. I love everything about her and she made this a book I love. Grace is a complicated character and her hot and cold feelings and decisions throughout were frustrating and made it hard to connect with her character. I tried to put myself in Grace's shoes and while it helped, I ultimately just liked her, but Bobbie loves her so that made it easy to root for the two of them the whole time.
This is a love story but Williams is able to weave in a lot of pain and emotional turmoil while keeping the story hopeful and sweet. This story is a tear jerker but it will also make you laugh and swoon (especially for Bobbie)
This is a heartbreaking yet sweet romance filled with drama and conflict as well as communication and understanding. The growth and love of these characters shines and make this a wonderful read.
April 23, 2020
🏳️🌈👩❤👩📚⚢🤠👩🌾🐶👩⚕👩❤💋👩📖👭🏳️🌈
That’s in exchange of an honest review that I received (from BSB via NetGalley) an ARC of « Mending Fences » by Angie Williams… So, here it is !!!
« Mending Fences » is a debut novel & since I love discovering new authors, I wanted to give Angie Williams’ work a try …
My rating : 1.5 ⭐️
The story sets in Preston, Northern California and focuses on rancher Roberta « Bobbie » Del Rey & veterinarian Grace Hammond who were head over heels in love when they were in High school before being separated when Grace has been sent away in boarding shcool by her parents who didn’t appreciate her being a lesbian …
They meet twenty years later when Bobbie walks into the local vet clinic with an injured pup…
The Pros :
° the idea of what could have been this second-chance romance, based on what was said in the blurb.
° Riley the doggie, she’s such a lovely secondary character …
° some humor & a few interesting expressions to work on
The Cons :
° the very clichéed story, with, of course, one of the MCs married to a man … and she doesn’t even have the excuse of being in denial of her sexuality since she was supposed to be in love with Bobbie all along … so it doesn’t make sense to me (because, frankly, wanting to please her bitchy mom is such a poor excuse …)
° the length of the book. It would have allowed a better character development to have a longer novel … Having more info about the time the MCs have spent apart and Grace’s struggles would have been useful because, MAYBE, it would have helped to find a way to like her, at least a tad … Gosh !!! In the actual state of the story, she is more than unlikable … I just couldn’t and still can’t stand the emotionally totally immature and definitely selfish « Grace the cheating Diva » !!!! & I find it’s hard to understand why everyone loves her so much (especially Bobbie who’s totally eclipsed by her), because more than anything else she appears to me like a huge parasite disturbing everyone else’s lives while she figures hers out…
° the time line … A lot of things happened in a very short time or at least, which it seems to be a short time at the beginning of the novel. As a matter of fact, the quite regular lack of time markers often makes it difficult to appreciate the passing time … but, sadly, the same happens when there are a few time markers since — because of the previously described situation — we don’t have any basis …
° the weird relation between the MCs … well, as a matter of fact, most of the time it was more the lack of relation between them … which seems surprising since their love was supposedly very deep (because presented as a soulmates-like kind of love) but after they have been reunited, all stays very surperficial despite what it’s written &I didn’t feel any connection between them … I wasn’t able to connect with either with them (I wish that, at least, I could have felt connected to Bobbie) … The lust was there but the deep loving connection didn’t appeared in the intimate moments either
° speaking of the intimate moments … they weren’t the tender and loving kind you could expect when two lovers are reunited … They were brutal, bestial/ carnal sex encounters, not steamy love-makings …. And … Oh Gosh, YUK, just YUK !!!! All the naughty/dirty talks during those encounters … I found them totally ridiculous because :
°° for one,they were definitely too elaborate for the situation => usually in the « fire of the action » your brain is in overload & you can hardly speak some single words so make full sentences / tirades like Bobbie does, that’s just unbelievable
&
°°for two, they sounded like stuff coming from a dominatrice’s mouth in BDSM-like encounters … it didn’t feel right/natural … I don’t say it never happens but in this case it was totally inconsistent knowing Bobbie’s chivalrous, tender and romantic side … I cringed more than it’s humanly reasonnable … at each « sweet girl » / « good girl » … when there was the rambling about « the hole » or the one about the « pussy » or all the other crude descriptions …
Guess all this was supposed to be « erotic » but for me it was bordering bad porn and a total turn off !!!
°the apologia of drug use (mentioned several times)
° a more thorough work in the edition would have been appreciated because, you name it : missing words ; wrong punctuation ; redundancies & repetitions in the vocabulary (for example : the not that common « dork » used 7 times ), mistakes (for example : in chapter 4 Grace’s friend where she’s supposed to have spent the night is « Kelly » —it’s said « Grace had told her parents she was spending the night with her friend Kelly Barnes. »— but a tad later this friend has suddenly become « Emily » —it’s said : « They needed to get up so they could drop Grace off at Emily’s » … => 🤔 Who the hell is that Emily ??? )
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? => Nope …
- Did I find the characters believable? => Nope …
- Is this book now included in my « must be re-read »-list? => Nope …
- Will I purchase the paperback? => Nope …
- Would I read another book by this author? => Yes. Since it’s a debut novel, I don’t want to stay on this bad experience to judge the author & I want to give her another try
- Would I recommend this book => I wish I could do this but, sadly, that’s not the case. So, I’ll let people use their free will to read the novel, or not …
🏳️🌈👩❤👩📚⚢🤠👩🌾🐶👩⚕👩❤💋👩📖👭🏳️🌈
That’s in exchange of an honest review that I received (from BSB via NetGalley) an ARC of « Mending Fences » by Angie Williams… So, here it is !!!
« Mending Fences » is a debut novel & since I love discovering new authors, I wanted to give Angie Williams’ work a try …
My rating : 1.5 ⭐️
The story sets in Preston, Northern California and focuses on rancher Roberta « Bobbie » Del Rey & veterinarian Grace Hammond who were head over heels in love when they were in High school before being separated when Grace has been sent away in boarding shcool by her parents who didn’t appreciate her being a lesbian …
They meet twenty years later when Bobbie walks into the local vet clinic with an injured pup…
The Pros :
° the idea of what could have been this second-chance romance, based on what was said in the blurb.
° Riley the doggie, she’s such a lovely secondary character …
° some humor & a few interesting expressions to work on
The Cons :
° the very clichéed story, with, of course, one of the MCs married to a man … and she doesn’t even have the excuse of being in denial of her sexuality since she was supposed to be in love with Bobbie all along … so it doesn’t make sense to me (because, frankly, wanting to please her bitchy mom is such a poor excuse …)
° the length of the book. It would have allowed a better character development to have a longer novel … Having more info about the time the MCs have spent apart and Grace’s struggles would have been useful because, MAYBE, it would have helped to find a way to like her, at least a tad … Gosh !!! In the actual state of the story, she is more than unlikable … I just couldn’t and still can’t stand the emotionally totally immature and definitely selfish « Grace the cheating Diva » !!!! & I find it’s hard to understand why everyone loves her so much (especially Bobbie who’s totally eclipsed by her), because more than anything else she appears to me like a huge parasite disturbing everyone else’s lives while she figures hers out…
° the time line … A lot of things happened in a very short time or at least, which it seems to be a short time at the beginning of the novel. As a matter of fact, the quite regular lack of time markers often makes it difficult to appreciate the passing time … but, sadly, the same happens when there are a few time markers since — because of the previously described situation — we don’t have any basis …
° the weird relation between the MCs … well, as a matter of fact, most of the time it was more the lack of relation between them … which seems surprising since their love was supposedly very deep (because presented as a soulmates-like kind of love) but after they have been reunited, all stays very surperficial despite what it’s written &I didn’t feel any connection between them … I wasn’t able to connect with either with them (I wish that, at least, I could have felt connected to Bobbie) … The lust was there but the deep loving connection didn’t appeared in the intimate moments either
° speaking of the intimate moments … they weren’t the tender and loving kind you could expect when two lovers are reunited … They were brutal, bestial/ carnal sex encounters, not steamy love-makings …. And … Oh Gosh, YUK, just YUK !!!! All the naughty/dirty talks during those encounters … I found them totally ridiculous because :
°° for one,they were definitely too elaborate for the situation => usually in the « fire of the action » your brain is in overload & you can hardly speak some single words so make full sentences / tirades like Bobbie does, that’s just unbelievable
&
°°for two, they sounded like stuff coming from a dominatrice’s mouth in BDSM-like encounters … it didn’t feel right/natural … I don’t say it never happens but in this case it was totally inconsistent knowing Bobbie’s chivalrous, tender and romantic side … I cringed more than it’s humanly reasonnable … at each « sweet girl » / « good girl » … when there was the rambling about « the hole » or the one about the « pussy » or all the other crude descriptions …
Guess all this was supposed to be « erotic » but for me it was bordering bad porn and a total turn off !!!
°the apologia of drug use (mentioned several times)
° a more thorough work in the edition would have been appreciated because, you name it : missing words ; wrong punctuation ; redundancies & repetitions in the vocabulary (for example : the not that common « dork » used 7 times ), mistakes (for example : in chapter 4 Grace’s friend where she’s supposed to have spent the night is « Kelly » —it’s said « Grace had told her parents she was spending the night with her friend Kelly Barnes. »— but a tad later this friend has suddenly become « Emily » —it’s said : « They needed to get up so they could drop Grace off at Emily’s » … => 🤔 Who the hell is that Emily ??? )
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? => Nope …
- Did I find the characters believable? => Nope …
- Is this book now included in my « must be re-read »-list? => Nope …
- Will I purchase the paperback? => Nope …
- Would I read another book by this author? => Yes. Since it’s a debut novel, I don’t want to stay on this bad experience to judge the author & I want to give her another try
- Would I recommend this book => I wish I could do this but, sadly, that’s not the case. So, I’ll let people use their free will to read the novel, or not …
🏳️🌈👩❤👩📚⚢🤠👩🌾🐶👩⚕👩❤💋👩📖👭🏳️🌈
December 19, 2022
This story is simple, but in the worst sense of the word. It has been long and without much sense in general. The main protagonist is Bobbie, a rancher who starts the book being independent and confident but who as the story goes on becomes somewhat meek. And the other main character is Grace, who is a vet back to her hometown after her father's death. Bobbie and Grace have a past that ended abruptly and not very pleasantly, as Grace's parents took her to boarding school when they discovered her relationship with Bobbie in their high school days. So Grace returns by surprise and when Bobbie reunites with her, her sleepy and severely cut feelings are reborn.And Grace also feel those feelings reborn, but she has a great baggage to carry so it will not be possible for the moment to continue with what was denied them in their teenage years.
With this approach and considering the dramas that could arise, which I would not have found inappropriate, almost certainly, the story could have been written in a more interesting way. But I don't know if it was because of the dialogues or lack thereof, development has been quite disappointing in my opinion.
And the fact that the two of them fall into a relationship with almost only sexual encounters and that these have not been interesting in any way, does not help my final conclusion either.
The way the story ends I did not like either and the secondary characters I did not find very positive or supportive towards the two protagonists, with a few exceptions.
A mediocre story, nothing more.
An advanced reading copy has been sent to me by the publisher Bold Strokes Books through Netgalley for my honest review
With this approach and considering the dramas that could arise, which I would not have found inappropriate, almost certainly, the story could have been written in a more interesting way. But I don't know if it was because of the dialogues or lack thereof, development has been quite disappointing in my opinion.
And the fact that the two of them fall into a relationship with almost only sexual encounters and that these have not been interesting in any way, does not help my final conclusion either.
The way the story ends I did not like either and the secondary characters I did not find very positive or supportive towards the two protagonists, with a few exceptions.
A mediocre story, nothing more.
An advanced reading copy has been sent to me by the publisher Bold Strokes Books through Netgalley for my honest review
June 10, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the digital review copy.
Wow, y’all. I definitely started this like day one of quarantine. Then the world fell apart, and I couldn’t concentrate on anything except audiobooks and comics for like two months. I’m back, hopefully, at least for this review anyway. We’ll see what tomorrow holds.
Bobbie Del Rey and Grace Hammond were first loves. They did everything together for the first time, but when Grace’s parents found out, they drug her off to boarding school, and the pair haven’t spoken in twenty years. When Bobbie runs her dog into the locl vet, she is surprised to find Grace running the clinic. Grace has returned home after twenty years to settle her deceased father’s estate and run the local vet clinic temporarily. The two are instantly transported back to their younger days, and the heat hasn’t ebbed in the passing years, but now Grace is married, to a man, but she’s not sure she can fight her feelings for Bobbie the longer she stays.
This was a cute, little romance, and I’m glad I found my way back to it after a couple of months. I skimmed a little here and there, the back and forth was a tad tiring here and there, but I liked the storyline, and I’m a sucker for rekindled romance, and I was rooting for the rancher and the veternarian all the way.
It’s been out for a minute if you’re looking for something heartwarming (and pretty steamy at times) to add to your Pride reading list while quarantining (or staying home when you can).
Wow, y’all. I definitely started this like day one of quarantine. Then the world fell apart, and I couldn’t concentrate on anything except audiobooks and comics for like two months. I’m back, hopefully, at least for this review anyway. We’ll see what tomorrow holds.
Bobbie Del Rey and Grace Hammond were first loves. They did everything together for the first time, but when Grace’s parents found out, they drug her off to boarding school, and the pair haven’t spoken in twenty years. When Bobbie runs her dog into the locl vet, she is surprised to find Grace running the clinic. Grace has returned home after twenty years to settle her deceased father’s estate and run the local vet clinic temporarily. The two are instantly transported back to their younger days, and the heat hasn’t ebbed in the passing years, but now Grace is married, to a man, but she’s not sure she can fight her feelings for Bobbie the longer she stays.
This was a cute, little romance, and I’m glad I found my way back to it after a couple of months. I skimmed a little here and there, the back and forth was a tad tiring here and there, but I liked the storyline, and I’m a sucker for rekindled romance, and I was rooting for the rancher and the veternarian all the way.
It’s been out for a minute if you’re looking for something heartwarming (and pretty steamy at times) to add to your Pride reading list while quarantining (or staying home when you can).
May 13, 2020
Lovely Debut Novel
Rancher Bobbie has been in love with Grace forever. When they were kids Grace was sent away after her parents figured out they were in love. Now its twenty years later and Grace is home and meets Bobbie again after the rancher brings a hurt puppy into the vet clinic Grace is working at. Old feelings burn bright, but Grace has secrets that could destroy any chance at love for the pair…
I liked this story and it was good for a first time. It was sweet and let’s face it, who doesn’t love a cowgirl and a vet? I liked watching the women reunite and work on healing past wounds while dealing with current problems. The feels were all there, love, angst, anger, happiness etc. and the sexy bits…oh wow… yeah! I felt like the story could have been a bit better though. Grace’s mother never cared for her so why Grace would move in with her after moving back to town was a mystery to me, even if she just stayed a few days till she could find other arrangements but to stay when the woman treats her like sh*t and has caused such anguish for her… I hated that part. I also was disappointed she didn’t give her mother a big F you and walk off into the sunset but that’s just me. There are a few other things that I thought could have been better but for the most part it was really good. I think in spite of the bits I didn’t like, it is well worth the money and the time. I will be keeping my eye out for the next book Ms Williams puts out!
Rancher Bobbie has been in love with Grace forever. When they were kids Grace was sent away after her parents figured out they were in love. Now its twenty years later and Grace is home and meets Bobbie again after the rancher brings a hurt puppy into the vet clinic Grace is working at. Old feelings burn bright, but Grace has secrets that could destroy any chance at love for the pair…
I liked this story and it was good for a first time. It was sweet and let’s face it, who doesn’t love a cowgirl and a vet? I liked watching the women reunite and work on healing past wounds while dealing with current problems. The feels were all there, love, angst, anger, happiness etc. and the sexy bits…oh wow… yeah! I felt like the story could have been a bit better though. Grace’s mother never cared for her so why Grace would move in with her after moving back to town was a mystery to me, even if she just stayed a few days till she could find other arrangements but to stay when the woman treats her like sh*t and has caused such anguish for her… I hated that part. I also was disappointed she didn’t give her mother a big F you and walk off into the sunset but that’s just me. There are a few other things that I thought could have been better but for the most part it was really good. I think in spite of the bits I didn’t like, it is well worth the money and the time. I will be keeping my eye out for the next book Ms Williams puts out!
May 16, 2020
3.5 Stars
Mending Fences is a great lesbian romance by Angie Williams.
First, let's talk about the cover. The cover truly doesn't tell the reader what to expect from the book. Nothing about the cover even indicates a lesbian story, let alone a hot one. So, look past the cover. Please.
That said, this is a wonderful second chance romance. Grace and Bobbie are two women who are reunited after many years. After being caught together as teenagers, they were separated and lost touch.
What follows is a nice story of reunions, and some panty melting sex. The chemistry is still there, the connection is easily rebuilt, and these two definitely belong together.
These are two women who live in different parts of the country, whose jobs don't easily allow them to be together. Their story is one of life changes, and serious decisions. They have to deal with a soon to be ex husband, some unapproving family members, and more.
Mending Fences will melt your heart. This Angie Williams book is sure to please the next time you're in the mood for a simple sweet lesbian romance. It's a simple story for sure, with the butch/femme stereotypical pairing, but it's enjoyable. It's nothing spectacular, but it's just sweet.
Mending Fences is a great lesbian romance by Angie Williams.
First, let's talk about the cover. The cover truly doesn't tell the reader what to expect from the book. Nothing about the cover even indicates a lesbian story, let alone a hot one. So, look past the cover. Please.
That said, this is a wonderful second chance romance. Grace and Bobbie are two women who are reunited after many years. After being caught together as teenagers, they were separated and lost touch.
What follows is a nice story of reunions, and some panty melting sex. The chemistry is still there, the connection is easily rebuilt, and these two definitely belong together.
These are two women who live in different parts of the country, whose jobs don't easily allow them to be together. Their story is one of life changes, and serious decisions. They have to deal with a soon to be ex husband, some unapproving family members, and more.
Mending Fences will melt your heart. This Angie Williams book is sure to please the next time you're in the mood for a simple sweet lesbian romance. It's a simple story for sure, with the butch/femme stereotypical pairing, but it's enjoyable. It's nothing spectacular, but it's just sweet.
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