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Thursday Afternoons

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Thursdays aren’t simply another day of the week for Amy Spencer and Ellis Hall. Thursday afternoons sizzle with no-strings sex for the two women, who meet each week in a hotel room to forget their past—and their present.
The arrangement works perfectly for Amy, a busy surgeon who’s still smarting from a failed relationship. For Ellis, Thursday afternoons act as a pressure valve from her cutthroat job and the mistakes in her personal life she’s trying to rectify.
But soon the pair discover that their outside worlds are on a collision course with the carefully constructed world they’ve created on Thursday afternoons. What will happen when they discover the truth about each other? Will their weekly assignations come to a screeching halt, or will they turn into something much, much more…

Genre: Romance
Editor: Medora MacDougall
Cover Designer: Sandy Knowles

252 pages, Paperback

First published December 3, 2019

48 people are currently reading
710 people want to read

About the author

Tracey Richardson

34 books264 followers
I'm the author of several lesbian romance novels published by Bella Books, including the Lambda Literary Award finalists "Last Salute" and "No Rules of Engagement". I'm a voracious reader, even more so now that I've retired from a 27-year career as a daily newspaper journalist.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
Profile Image for Diane Wallace.
1,448 reviews171 followers
January 19, 2020
'ARC provided by both NetGalley and The Publisher in exchange for a honest review'

**'Good fiction depends on longing and subtext -- the tension between what writers say and what they want...Certain writers write better without thinking..'

3.5stars!
The blurb is a good lead-in to what this storyline is based on, so interested readers should not be swayed by it's context. That said, my brief opinion about this book is more of what i think or felt after getting to the last sentence.
In a nutshell, I think what Ms.Richardson tried weaving as the basis for much of this storyline was that there are some people with a longing to be significant. They want to make a contribution to society, to be part of something noble & purposeful and to have or make good choices for others. But then there are many others who wrongly believed that being of significance is unattainable in order to get things done the right way plus even having good choices it might seem as a terrible thing. They are also worrisome of any new choices or rules being too drastic to achieve. That their ideas alone are amazing that it's only about having lots of money or be in power to make any real changes/differences. Along with this perspective was an added bonus of a few developing relationships;- the two leads, their families that had many issues and a few secondary characters around this hospital.
Being an opponent with her (Amy) own ideas with strongarm tactics towards the one person that the hospital board of directors sent in to do an overview of the same hospital that you worked at was not a good thing for their growing friendship but in the end all Ellis wanted was to be understood because she did have the hospital's outcome and interest at heart.
Furthermore, for interested readers, the good news is during this whole storytelling none of the stuff happening mattered or was it necessary having this hospital oversight in order for them (Ellis, Amy & Co.) to achieve their quota with meaningful solutions --- but both sides had to have good intentions, admit their mistakes and be sacrificial because no matter what, it had to get done.
Profile Image for Lex Kent.
1,683 reviews9,856 followers
December 7, 2019
This was a good read. I have been in a mini reading slump of books that were just average or slightly above. Lots of potential but they haven’t been executed well leaving me feeling very blah this week. I’m so happy to say this book wasn’t like the rest. This read came at the perfect time to cheer my spirits up and was exactly what I needed. Richardson has been writing lesfic for over 20 years, she knows what she’s doing and it’s easy to say that I enjoyed this one.

Amy and Ellis are two busy professional women, who have prioritized their careers over relationships. While both women are happy in their professional life, they miss being intimate with another person. Is a causal hook-up, no strings sex with a stranger in a hotel every Thursday the way to go? And what happens when these two women are not such strangers after all?

As soon as I saw Richardson’s name and doctors on the cover, I knew I wanted to read this. I love anything even remotely medical romance-ish. I would not call this strictly a medical romance because plenty of the story takes place outside of the hospital but it is still a medical romance mixed in with a little family drama.

What I really enjoyed about this book is that it was not cookie cutter at all. The book just doesn’t have the formulaic romance feel. And while I love a traditional romance as much as the next lesfic fan, I also like different and get bored of the same old thing. I don’t think it’s easy to start a book with the two mains having sex right off the bat. You have to use those sex scenes to help build a connection for later on in the book, instead of building the connection first before the sex. Luckily for us readers, Richardson was successful.

While I enjoyed the few medical scenes and also what I call the family drama scenes, this book shined for the romance. The mains had this great angsty chemistry between the two of them that really worked well. They don’t always see eye to eye to say the least but the sparks where always flying no matter what. And while there is some angst, the characters actually try to communicate even if they were not always successful. Communication is sometimes the unicorn in lesfic romance, almost never showing up, so I’m happy when I see a book like this. There are other ways to add angst and drama to a story besides using the old fallback of no communication. Anyway, back to the romance, not only was the chemistry good but the sex scenes where too. They were not really what I would call steamy, but because of the good chemistry the characters had it seemed to add to the quality of the sex scenes.

This book came at the perfect time for me. I was getting tired of writing only so-so reviews. I would defiantly recommend this one to romance fans especially if you want a story that is a bit different and not so cookie cutter. Richardson knows how to write and I’m hopeful others will enjoy this as much as I did.

An ARC was given to me for a honest review.
Profile Image for Jude Silberfeld-Grimaud.
Author 2 books758 followers
February 26, 2020
4.5* – At first, all that matters is sex. The MCs hook up through a dating app and meet for casual sex. Neither uses her real name (Abby for Amy Spencer, Ellen for Ellis Hall). Neither wants a relationship.

The first time goes well so they keep meeting on Thursday afternoons. One week, they both have to cancel because of work. And end up in the same meeting, Amy as the chief of surgery at the local community hospital, Ellis as the consultant hired to suggest budget cuts. While they agree their weekly trysts need to stop, the two women also realise they’ve come to mean more to each other than just sex. The more they get to know each other, the more difficult it becomes to stay apart.

I love medical romances, even if this one is a bit light on the medical, but it makes up for it by not falling into the formulaic romance trap. It’s very angsty in a non-artificial nor forced way. The situation makes the relationship complicated, for real. The characters are not imagining obstacles, they’re not avoiding communicating with one another, they’re not creating problems just for the sake of it. Beyond the conflict of interest they could be accused of at work, both Amy and Ellis have other complex circumstances to deal with. Amy’s elderly parents refuse outside help when it’s obvious they need it more and more, and one of the surgeons working under her is making too many mistakes. As for Ellis, she’s trying to rekindle her relationship with her ex’s fifteen-year-old daughter, Mia, who has been living with her grandparents since her mother died.

That’s one of the parts I prefered in this novel, watching Mia go from sullen teenager to radiant young woman. I also enjoyed the side story of Kate, Amy’s best friend, who lost her wife two years ago.

I’d also like to point out how tricky beginning a story with a sex scene can be, especially between two strangers. It’s usually used as a way to show a character getting bored with meaningless sex and ready to open up to the love she will find with the other main character. Here, the strangers are the ones who will fall in love with each other, they are the main characters, so the author has to find a way to convey intimacy, or at least the possibility of intimacy between them, create chemistry almost without words. They don’t crave the other yet, they crave touch, any touch. That’s not intrinsically sexy and it means Richardson has to work even harder to convince readers first that the sex is hot and second that something more could happen. And boy, does she convince! That opening scene is as steamy as can be, and Abby Craden’s narration makes it even more so. And the something more seems to come naturally in the subsequent meetings.

One of the things I like best about Tracey Richardson‘s novels is how relatable her characters are, even when they’re so different from my own world. I’ve written before that Richardson is a very generous writer, who seems to always want to give her readers more. That sometimes results in books that could have ended a few (or many) pages earlier. I didn’t get that feeling too much here, either because she restrained herself or maybe it’s just that I can’t get enough of Abby Craden’s voice and always awesome narration. Whatever the reason, the length felt right. And this might well be my favourite Tracey Richardson book so far.
Profile Image for Harrow.
318 reviews35 followers
April 2, 2020
The romance here was excellent. Ellis and Amy had wonderful chemistry. I liked Amy but she was very unpredictable with regards to Ellis, like 'am I falling in love?..I am gonna be the rudest person she's ever met.. am I falling in love??..' She was so hot and cold. I didn't care for the medical cases. The supporting characters were likable. I really liked Ellis and Mia bonding . This was a bit unusual and very refreshing read.
Profile Image for Corporate Slave.
358 reviews5 followers
December 15, 2019
I needed this :) with all its angst, the connection between the characters, the amazing sex scenes! So that’s the short summary:)
Now getting a bit into details : the MCs have this incredible chemistry that starts off with a sex scene! I would’ve never expected to really like a book that has the MCs’s first encounter in a sex scene! But the author pulled this off incredibly! The whole idea of letting go and getting outside your comfort zone was brilliant for me..
While I thought this would be a medical/romance/drama read, let me warn you that it’s mainly the last 2 parts. But don’t let this get to you, there’s still bits and pieces of medical stuff there :)
What I really also enjoyed in this read is the supporting characters with their own very interesting storylines! The best friend, the doctor and even the troubled teenager I think added a lot to the whole experience.
I would highly recommend this book ! And my rating is a 4.25..
“I received an ARC for an honest review.”
Profile Image for Gaby LezReviewBooks.
735 reviews543 followers
December 27, 2019
Amy Spencer and Ellis Hall have a mutually convenient agreement of casual, anonymous sex with no strings attached in a hotel room every Thursday afternoon. Amy is a busy surgeon with commitment issues and for Ellis, sex is an outlet to vent from her stressful job and her guilt-ridden personal life. As their chemistry evolves to off the chart levels, their arrangement is suddenly threatened when they find themselves on opposite sides of their workplace conflict. Will their budding relationship survive the odds or will it end before starting?

It is hard to build a powerful romance from a no-strings relationship that starts with sex at the very beginning of a novel. A couple of lesfic books come to my mind that achieved this extremely well: ‘Turbulence’ by EJ Noyes and ‘It should be a crime’ by Carsen Taite. In my opinion, ‘Thursday afternoons’ can be included in this very exclusive group. Most authors will tell you that sex scenes are hard to write, but to create chemistry on the first pages of the book out of thin air is seriously talented. What the initial sex scenes lack in romance, is compensated by the characters’ vulnerability which provides a feeling of powerful sensuality. It doesn’t hurt that the narrator is Abby Craden, who can make anything she reads sound sexy.

This lesbian medical romance audiobook is right up my alley, for me, it achieves the perfect balance between medical procedures, social policy discussions, romance, and sex. I have to clarify that there are only a few medical scenes, but they have the purpose to deliver a bigger message about the shortcomings of the universal medical system in rural areas of Canada. Even though Ms. Richardson’s discussion about these issues is quite deep at times, it balances well with the rest of the elements in the plot. There are a few subplots and family conflicts that are perfectly intertwined with the main arc which help to see the leads in another light and make the story more credible. This is all wrapped up in a very well written package.

I can only find one fault to my overall enjoyment of the story. At the beginning of the novel, both characters use false names in order to keep their anonymity from each other. As the story swaps points of view between them, so do their names which confused me a bit. As English isn’t my mother language, maybe a native or more attentive listener wouldn’t have this issue. Having said that, this problem was over for me once both leads started using their real names.

Regarding the audiobook version, Abby Craden delivers again in an outstanding way. As usual, her different characters’ voices are distinctive and associated with their personalities, her pace, and tone of the narration perfect, and the interpretation of the diversity of emotions is spot-on. As a bonus for the fans of EJ Noyes’s ‘Ask, tell’ series, her performance of the word ‘darling’ from Ellis’s lips, will remind you of Colonel Rebecca Keane. Priceless. Beyond this fangirling slip, what will matter to most of you is that Ms. Craden brings the story to life in all its powerful, sensual and compelling glory.

This audiobook is included with a Scribd membership. Duration: 7 hours, 26 minutes of audio bliss. 5 stars.

See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
Profile Image for Alexis.
510 reviews650 followers
December 16, 2019
Imagine my surprise when I kept hearing tidbits about this book and was anxiously awaiting its release only to see that the audio book was already available. Score! Usually I hate listening to a book without first reading it but I'm really glad I didn't wait because this turned out to be my favorite by Ms. Richardson.

Canada; land of maple syrup, hockey, Mounties and an abundance of hot gay women. One of those women happens to be Amy Spencer, Chief of Surgery at a local hospital with a metric tonne of emotional bagage and a non existent sex life. She's not alone however since Ellis Hall, a business consultant in town on a ten month contract, also suffers from notgettinglaid-itis. So how do you cure such a debilitating illness? Use a dating app to set up 'dates' for casual sex on Thursday afternoons of course. How could that possibly go wrong?

I think my favorite part of this 'book' was Ellis's character arc. She starts off as a woman carrying around a massive amount of guilt and regret and slowly transforms into someone with a renewed outlook on life and the meaning of family.

I wish I could say the same for Amy's character. She's so focused on her job and the hospital's survival that she often comes off as hostile and confrontational when anyone has an opinion other than hers. Although she does eventually learn to let go of her antagonistic views, she really doesn't make it easy for this reader to like her.

The overall storyline was well written with great pacing throughout and even the dreaded 75% mark where 'we must break up for the sake of humanity' didn't happen. Instead we got a story about two women trying their best to hold onto what matters most; a community hospital, a tentative new family and each other.

Finally, the book is narrated by the amazing Abby Craden. If you get a chance to listen to the audio book, go for it! Overall rating is 4,25*.
Profile Image for Pin.
457 reviews383 followers
December 14, 2019
Great chemistry, charming, believable... The protagonists are two commitment-shy and married-to-their-job career women, chief of surgery Amy (39) and business consultant Ellis (44). Thursday Afternoons is essentially a story about their sex dates very slowly turning into a relationship through working together first as opponents and then as associates. Tracey Richardson is as always a very reliable romantic writer, and her stories rarely disappoint. I found this newest one quite interesting, well-written, with good pacing and dialogue. Recommended.

4 stars
December 14, 2019
*A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.*
Profile Image for Joc.
770 reviews198 followers
February 24, 2020
I enjoyed the concept of this book and even more so that the first meeting between the main characters is continued rather than being a one night stand. Dr Amy Spencer connects with Ellis Hall on a dating site where they both want a no strings hook up to relieve some sexual tension. After their first meeting in a hotel it’s good enough that they do it again. And then some more. They’re both professional woman with demanding jobs and a relationship holds no interest for either of them. They’ve agreed to no personal questions but fate seems to want to have a little dig at their expense.

The way Richardson creates her characters appeals to me. Their interactions are mature for the most part and when they’re erratic it’s backed up by the circumstances. Amy and Ellis are both likeable characters with behaviour in they pasts that they regret. It makes them more human that they haven’t made the best decisions in the past and aren’t necessarily making the best decisions in the present.

Hospital dramas always call to me. Surgery, budget cuts and streamlining of the healthcare system inspire high emotions no matter where you are in the world and in Canada it’s no different. This novel has great tension which is sustained throughout and well balanced with some wonderfully well written sex scenes.

[It’s taken me so long to get to this ARC that I ended up listening to the audio book, narrated by Abby Craden. This is my first audio book by Craden and I’m well on my way to becoming a fan.]

Book received from Netgalley and Bella Books for an honest review.
Profile Image for Carrie.
404 reviews
December 14, 2019
Amy is a small town surgeon looking for a little no-strings action. She agrees to meet a woman at a hotel one Thursday afternoon. There she spends some time with Ellen (*Ellis), a beautiful woman that looks like an actress from the television show 'Nashville.' Since they get along so well, they agree to meet up again. And again.

Of course things have to get complicated, because what type of book would this be without any type of conflict? Richardson delivers plenty. First of all, Ellis is the cleaner of healthcare. She comes in and cuts departments and staff so hospitals can stay afloat. She is also a big time commitment-phobe. She bailed on a girlfriend and a daughter because they were cramping her style. Now she is trying to assuage her guilt by making amends with that same daughter a decade later.

Amy just feels sorry for herself and lives a miserably lonely life because she can't get over the trauma of having to leave the med school love of her life.

For two women with a healthy fear of relationships, they certainly become quite dependent of one another quickly. But I'll admit their chemistry was quite strong and I did feel that they had a connection that they had never experienced before. And those were the parts I liked the most. The moments where Ellis was tearful and vulnerable while she was with Amy. How they had their own little existence where they were getting exactly what they needed separate from their realities. They could shed their professional personas and just be seen.

I became a little bored with the business dealings. I'm just not really into healthcare, numbers, budgets, etc. It did provide that element of 'forbidden relationship' I like so much. A serious conflict of interest and major difference of opinions. It was hard to see how things could ever work out for them. Thankfully their mutual attraction made the impossible decisions for them.

This is also a universe where pretty much everyone is gay or turns gay. That usually bothers me, but it didn't in this story for some reason. The frequent use of 'lover' and 'lovers' did bother me, however. I wish we could close the door on that term for the rest of eternity.

Overall, this was a fun love story with a salacious beginning. It was my first Tracey Richardson book. I looked her up and see that she is not new at this. So I'm not really certain how I have never read her before. I'll definitely be giving some of her others a try.

I recommend this book to those who love to read about online hookups, doctors, healthcare, business, surly teenagers, ailing parents, romance, forbidden relationships, jealousy, and Canada.

I received an ARC from Bella Books for an honest review.
Profile Image for JulesGP.
647 reviews230 followers
April 6, 2020
Dr. Amy Spencer is Chief of Surgery in a community hospital in a small Canadian town and her would-be nemesis is Ellis Hall, a financial consultant sent in to trim the fat. They’ve already met as anonymous lovers in a clandestine affair but later on, both are shocked to see each other again in their real life identities. Although the opening could easily be labeled a gimmick, it acts instead as a clever segue into a story about two strong women who engage in a battle of wills and hearts.

Everything’s perfect about this book, smooth writing, great character development/chemistry, and a well thought out dilemma and resolution. There’s also plenty of “sex on heels” heat. Thursday Afternoons is also my first standalone audiobook and Abby Craden’s silky tones made it a pleasurable experience.

Personal views: Healthcare finances are so difficult to assess because while other businesses deal with widgets, healthcare is first, last, and always about human beings. We see that in everything that’s happening right now, especially in the shortages in equipment and qualified professionals. When other businesses come up short, money is lost, but in healthcare, making cuts means you’re playing with people’s lives and the well being of the patients, their families, and the medical staff. I’m hoping with everyone else that this health crisis flattens out and that all of our loved ones, on the frontlines and at home, are safe again. Take care you all, I want to keep doing this for a long time.
523 reviews53 followers
July 3, 2022
I liked this book. While the start of the love story of Amy and Ellis was a bit far fetched and they fell in love quite fast, it worked for me because Richardson was able to make the development of their relationship believable. Maybe it was because of the complications caused by working together and because of both their pasts. This was a warm-hearted story with lovable main and supporting characters. Well written and nicely flowing too. The work Ellis was hired to do by the county regional board reminded me of the work that Presley Worth had to do in Against doctors Orders by Radclyffe, but the story was different enough that it didn’t take anything away from the charm of this book. Besides, it’s a reality that many small hospitals have funding problems, difficulties surviving and are being reviewed or closed because of that. Recommend this book, 4.3 stars.
Profile Image for Corrie.
1,690 reviews4 followers
December 15, 2019
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I spotted the audiobook on Scribd while the e-book wasn’t even out yet.

Thursday Afternoons by Tracey Richardson (and 7 and a half hours with Abby Craden because this is the audio version) was a fantastic experience. I have the feeling that every book Craden lends her voice to is going to be a 5 star rating for me.

Had I read the book instead of listening to it, there would have been a 1 star deduction just for doctor Amy Spencer’s behavior during most of the second half of the book. It was Abby’s superb voice acting that made the difference.

I’m not going into the plot here, just read the blurb. The book was great, I really enjoyed Tracey Richardson’s writing and the way she executed this plot. Her characters have heaps of sexual chemistry. It has familiar themes but done differently. Kudos for that.

f/f explicit

Themes: Abby my-voice-is-liquid-sex Craden strikes again, a hospital under review, two career women with commitment issues on the down-low, a teenage step-daughter with an attitude problem, casual sex never stays casual.

5 Stars
Profile Image for Marie.
106 reviews15 followers
April 18, 2021
5 stars. I loved this!

Both MCs made a super cute couple, there wasn't too much drama and the SC Mia, Ellis's stepdaughter, was an added bonus just like the other secondary characters.

One thing that was a little weird was that every single girl/woman in the book was a lesbian. A little unbelievable, but fun if you think of it. And I had some difficulties with the names, they're quite similar for my ears.

The always great narration by Abby Craden was what made me choose the book, but I very much liked the story.

They were just such a great fit and both strong women. I also very much liked that they were both 40+.

I've listened to the audiobook a few times already. It makes me so happy.
Profile Image for Amy.
146 reviews7 followers
July 7, 2022
I really enjoyed listening to Thursday Afternoons. Love that the story is based in Canada!
As always Abby Craden performance was amazing.
This was my first book by Tracey Richardson, definitely will explore her other release.
Profile Image for hubsie.
619 reviews86 followers
January 2, 2020
First book of 2020 finished! And it truly was a delight. Nothing too heavy, no surprises, no overdone angst or drama, but overall a feel-good story with two strong characters, who find a way to let love back into their busy, complicated lives. 

MC Amy Spencer is a talented (in many ways) doctor in a small town near the Canada/US border (but thankfully IN CANADA), and MC Ellis is a hard hitting, take no shit consultant responsible for cutting costs and budgets for big corporations. Both have ++ responsibilities and very long work days, and just want some no-strings-attached fun in the form of hot sex. They join a lesbian dating site with fake names and arrange a one-time tryst (which turns into more, obvi), and I gotta say, I just loved this. Taking control making their needs known, wanting what feels good, two consenting adults...... Ain't nothing wrong with that!

I liked the pacing of this story, as it starts out hot and heavy with some anonymous sexy times in a random hotel, but progresses nicely. Both MCs have their reasons for not wanting relationships, but inevitably, the two start to fall for each other. With many lesfic formulas, we usually gotta wait til the 75% mark for any shortness-of-breath, heart-pounding, damp-undies-inducing payout, in this one we get some great sex throughout the book as they navigate their differences, as well as similarities.

I truly liked both characters, Ellis's vulnerability, and even Amy's cold stubbornness. I thought the author wrote these two quite well, and I'd love to see a sequel, even in the form of a short novella. 
Profile Image for Tere.
261 reviews57 followers
December 8, 2021
Surgeon Amy Spencer and financial consultant Ellis Hall have a simple Thursday afternoon arrangement. They met online and under false names, arranged to meet once a week for sex. Soon, simple turns into complicated as their worlds collide outside the hotel room they both shared to escape stress and past hurts. Can they keep their relationship on the physical level or risk everything for love?

I liked the fake name concept. Abby and Ellen transform into their real names according to the story’s point of view as the time passes. Sex turns into making love as well. Perhaps a little bit of instalove early on, but the author managed to put the brakes on the physical to develop everything else and make it a sustainable relationship. This is one of those start in bed then fall in love stories.

This novel reminded me of Radclyffe’s ‘Against Doctor’s Orders’ from the Rivers Family Romance Series. Amy is a surgeon in a small hospital. Ellis is the consultant brought in to make recommendations to make the hospital financially sound. The health care system is fascinating and scary at the same time. For me, it falls in the investment and insurance category of it is too much for my brain to understand and hey, many, brighter people have tried to come up with a solution without universal success. The author did a great job at explaining both sides of the debate, keeping services vs cutting back to achieve sustainability. The answer came by a little too easy in a way and paralleled Radclyffe’s. In the end, it was satisfactory for me and the tension served the story well.

I also liked Ellis’ back story. She seeks redemption for how she finished her one serious relationship by trying to be back in the life of her once stepdaughter. I feel that was well handled and yes, I’ll say heartwarming. Along those lines, the story of Amy’s parents was a greater addition and further exemplified their ties to the town. Amy’s best friend also had her very cute love story in the background.

On a little side note, great cover by Sandy Knowles. Readily caught my attention and definitely fit the storyline.

Overall, a good medical romance that will please fans of the trope. 4.5 stars

ARC generously provided to me by BB via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Linda.
864 reviews134 followers
December 31, 2019
2 commitment-shy and career-driven MCs in Surgeon Amy Spencer (aka Abby) and financial consultant Ellis Hall (aka Ellen); who met on an app and subsequently established a no strings attached hook-up on every Thursday afternoons. Their secret rendezvous continued until their path crossed career-wise; Ellis was recruited to make changes in the same hospital where Amy is the Chief of Surgery. Both Amy and Ellis had a difficult relationship prior to their hook-ups and we got to read how both found closure and move forward with their eventual relationship. Wonderful supporting cast in Kate and Mia, each with their own issues to deal with.

An absolutely enjoyable read. My Thursday afternoons will never be the same again....

4.25 ⭐️
Profile Image for Betty.
649 reviews91 followers
December 16, 2019
Thursday Afternoons by Tracey Richardson is an absolutely wonderful novel. This is a lovely and tender romance, but it also tells a very serious and real story about the health care system in Canada.

The two main characters, Amy and Ellis, have met online through a dating app, and have decided to meet each other every Thursday afternoon in a hotel in Windsor for sex. Both women have had bad experiences with relationships in their past, and neither wants to start an emotion filled relationship now. Things work out very well for several weeks. The sex is fabulous, and both try to keep their real lives separate from each other. All that ends, though when their real life work collides. Amy is the head surgeon in a community hospital. When she finds out her hospital is being audited to try and cut costs, she becomes concerned. Then she finds out the auditor is Ellis. This not only ends their Thursday afternoons, it could end what was starting to become more than just sex between them. Not only could her hospital be hurt by the audit, two hearts could be hurt as well.

This is a beautiful romance between the two main characters, but it is much more than that. The story itself covers a very serious conversation about the availability and equality of the healthcare system in Canada. Don’t get me wrong. I think healthcare for all is a wonderful thing, but in reality it is hard to make sure it works for everyone, as this story shows.

My own mother-in-law had to be flown far from home to have surgery when she had a heart attack several years ago. She was well taken care of and fully recovered, but it was hard for her and for us being so far away from home and family. So I understand the challenges faced by those with an unequal health care system, as the author demonstrates in this novel.

The book flows well, and kept my interest throughout, especially since the subject matter is so dear to me. The characters are well-developed and easy to connect with. This novel is definitely one of my favorites. I really loved this book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books for an honest review.


Profile Image for Guerunche.
655 reviews35 followers
January 11, 2024
It had been almost three years since I listened to this one, so I'm glad I revisited it.

I really enjoyed this book - which was my first by Tracey Richardson. This started out in a very interesting way - reminded me a bit of Turbulence by E.J. Noyes - but then went in it's own unique direction.

I liked the story, liked the MCs and supporting characters very much. For a brief part of the story, I was disappointed that Amy was acting so unreasonably when all along Ellis remained who she always was - in spite of the fact that both of them were equally torn and affected. But it's a romance so all is not lost.

It was interesting to have the former stepchild storyline thrown into the mix also, as that's not often seen in sapphic romances. Adding to the appeal is the narration by Abby Craden, who is excellent as always.

Five stars on the narration and four on the story.
Profile Image for Swaye.
338 reviews35 followers
May 6, 2024
I've encountered many books that seemed timed perfectly for me, but this book really struck a chord in such a synchronistic way for me. The parallels between the story and where I am in my life are truly sublime, making me feel deeply seen and understood. This book offered me invaluable perspective and support that I can't fully put into words.

I'm immensely grateful to Tracey Richardson for crafting such an extraordinary story, to the GR fairies and their serendipitous blessings that just keep coming, and most of all, for that certain someone with impeccable taste and the most incredible bookshelves. Thank you, darling ❤️
Profile Image for Sapphic Reads.
228 reviews387 followers
February 22, 2025
3.5

The pacing is solid, and the characters are likeable, with the storytelling flowing effortlessly between chapters, making it an easy and mostly enjoyable read.

But the romance left me wanting more. The relationship between Ellis and Amy lacked a natural, believable progression—it was definitely more about lust than love even though we were told to believe they had fallen for each other.
Profile Image for Kaitlyn.
241 reviews97 followers
January 6, 2023
An excellent, steamy, and emotional "one"-night-to-forever romance. I really enjoyed the depth and realness to not just the two MCs, but also some of the side characters as well, and the very realistic emotional obstacles many characters had to face.

The audiobook was fantastic!
214 reviews2 followers
February 27, 2020
This is a solid book. Both fluffy and sexy.
Profile Image for Dide.
1,489 reviews53 followers
March 15, 2022
A plan to have casual intimacies to minimize their loneliness leads to unplanned events that threatens these intimacies and possibly more.
Redemption was a strong feature with the characters. Enjoyed my time with the story.
Profile Image for Linda.
864 reviews134 followers
April 2, 2021
2 commitment-shy and career-driven MCs in Surgeon Amy Spencer (aka Abby) and financial consultant Ellis Hall (aka Ellen); who met on an app and subsequently established a no strings attached hook-up on every Thursday afternoons. Their secret rendezvous continued until their path crossed career-wise; Ellis was recruited to make changes in the same hospital where Amy is the Chief of Surgery. Both Amy and Ellis had a difficult relationship prior to their hook-ups and we got to read how both found closure and move forward with their eventual relationship. Wonderful supporting cast in Kate and Mia, each with their own issues to deal with.

An absolutely enjoyable read. My Thursday afternoons will never be the same again....

4.25 ⭐️ (less)
Profile Image for Sarah.
106 reviews11 followers
November 22, 2023
I genuinely enjoyed listening to this audio book. It was a little different than the other romances I normally read and it was a refreshing change. Both Ellis and Amy were great and I liked the supporting characters and their stories.
Profile Image for Elle.
168 reviews19 followers
February 22, 2020
4.25 stars - Well, hot damn. I think this is my first Tracey Richardson and it won't be the last. This was sexy as hell. I thought the characters had great chemistry. Bonus the audiobook was read by Abby Craden who is honestly the best narrator and the author is Canadian :p
Profile Image for JWG1973UK.
400 reviews5 followers
January 2, 2020
This was a good read for me. I have read only two or three of this authors work and I have enjoyed them. I think I will have to read more from this author in the future.

Ellis and Amy have an arrangement where they meet up on Thursday afternoons at a hotel and it is there time where they can have uncomplicated, no commitment, no strings attached sex. Then all off a sudden they're thrown together in a work situation where they need to work together. I enjoyed the story line, loved the characters and there was also a great bunch of secondary characters. I loved the character of Mia, Ellis's step-daughter.

All in all it was a good read. I highly recommend reading this book.
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