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The Beginning of Everything
ASIN B0864S2XN4 moved to the more recent edition
A closeted secretary in 1960s Chicago. A fearless activist in San Francisco. A love so powerful it can change the world.
Betty wants what everyone wants – happiness, security, and a quiet, good life. She’s determined to make that happen on her own, despite her mother’s fears that she’ll turn into a spinster if she doesn’t settle down and find a husband soon.
Joan wants an important life – one where she gets to love who she wants to love, do what she enjoys, and will leave the world a better place when she’s gone. But what she is – a lesbian in San Francisco at the beginning of the LGBT+ civil rights movement – is criminal.
When Betty comes to California for vacation, it’s love at first sight across a crowded bar in the Tenderloin district. She’s mesmerized by Joan and drawn to the homophile movement, but does she have the courage to come out for love and join the fight for equality?
What began as a glance across a room turns into a hopeful, playful and heartwarming courtship across three time zones and four decades in The Beginning of Everything, a standalone historical romance by Cara Malone.
A closeted secretary in 1960s Chicago. A fearless activist in San Francisco. A love so powerful it can change the world.
Betty wants what everyone wants – happiness, security, and a quiet, good life. She’s determined to make that happen on her own, despite her mother’s fears that she’ll turn into a spinster if she doesn’t settle down and find a husband soon.
Joan wants an important life – one where she gets to love who she wants to love, do what she enjoys, and will leave the world a better place when she’s gone. But what she is – a lesbian in San Francisco at the beginning of the LGBT+ civil rights movement – is criminal.
When Betty comes to California for vacation, it’s love at first sight across a crowded bar in the Tenderloin district. She’s mesmerized by Joan and drawn to the homophile movement, but does she have the courage to come out for love and join the fight for equality?
What began as a glance across a room turns into a hopeful, playful and heartwarming courtship across three time zones and four decades in The Beginning of Everything, a standalone historical romance by Cara Malone.
360 pages, ebook
First published April 18, 2020
81 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
Cara Malone
68 books479 followersI write stories that explore the thrills – and challenges – of falling in love as a woman-loving woman, including the bestselling Lakeside Hospital medical romance series and Rainbow Award honorable mention The Rules of Love.
My books are for you if you’re a fan of contemporary romance, if you love strong women who aren’t afraid to be vulnerable, and if you like a little heat with your sapphic love stories.
Grab a free copy of Mind Games on my website, CaraMalone.com
My books are for you if you’re a fan of contemporary romance, if you love strong women who aren’t afraid to be vulnerable, and if you like a little heat with your sapphic love stories.
Grab a free copy of Mind Games on my website, CaraMalone.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
February 6, 2023
Simply a glorious book that took me on a wonderful journey - all that and iguanas too. Loved the way history was just nudged in, no hard sell, which made it all the more powerful. Thank you.
April 24, 2020
The title is perfect; it is indeed the beginning of everything.
Joan is a determined activist in San Francisco who wants to do what is right for people, she fights for the right to love without fear, for equality, to let love win. Betty is a quiet woman who lives deep in the closet, instead of fighting for being who she is. She tries to pretend to be what people expect from a woman her age in the early ’60s in Chicago. When Betty takes a vacation that leads her to San Francisco and by force of destiny, she meets Joan at a gay club. The chemistry is undeniable and just a moment is enough to leave a print in their hearts. What happens when their worlds collide in the best of ways? Will Betty be bold enough to fight beside Joan or the fear will win over?
I won’t say much to avoid spoilers, but this is a very exciting read, we get to know two very different but both very fascinating women. One is bold and fierce, the other fearful and willing to pretend to be what people want her to be. I enjoyed so much reading what’s the history for the fight of gay rights (and the rights of the LGBTQA+ community in general). It is a delight to witness through their eyes all the movements and changes that happened in the course of the decades, starting in the early ’60s and until the legalisation of gay marriage in 2015 in the US.
I liked immensely both main characters, Joan and Betty are very special and it’s wonderful to see their growth and evolution across the years. Their chemistry is palpable from the beginning, their relationship is undoubtedly kismet. We got a glimpse of Betty in Mouth to Mouth (Lakeside hospital series book 5) and was wonderful to know her and Joan’s story. There are also fascinating and very lovable secondary characters that are important for the development of the story.
This is a wonderful, engaging and very charming story. Cara Malone has great books, but I can say this is her best to date. I would like to highly recommend this book.
I received an ARC copy of the book from the author and voluntarily leaving my review.
Joan is a determined activist in San Francisco who wants to do what is right for people, she fights for the right to love without fear, for equality, to let love win. Betty is a quiet woman who lives deep in the closet, instead of fighting for being who she is. She tries to pretend to be what people expect from a woman her age in the early ’60s in Chicago. When Betty takes a vacation that leads her to San Francisco and by force of destiny, she meets Joan at a gay club. The chemistry is undeniable and just a moment is enough to leave a print in their hearts. What happens when their worlds collide in the best of ways? Will Betty be bold enough to fight beside Joan or the fear will win over?
I won’t say much to avoid spoilers, but this is a very exciting read, we get to know two very different but both very fascinating women. One is bold and fierce, the other fearful and willing to pretend to be what people want her to be. I enjoyed so much reading what’s the history for the fight of gay rights (and the rights of the LGBTQA+ community in general). It is a delight to witness through their eyes all the movements and changes that happened in the course of the decades, starting in the early ’60s and until the legalisation of gay marriage in 2015 in the US.
I liked immensely both main characters, Joan and Betty are very special and it’s wonderful to see their growth and evolution across the years. Their chemistry is palpable from the beginning, their relationship is undoubtedly kismet. We got a glimpse of Betty in Mouth to Mouth (Lakeside hospital series book 5) and was wonderful to know her and Joan’s story. There are also fascinating and very lovable secondary characters that are important for the development of the story.
This is a wonderful, engaging and very charming story. Cara Malone has great books, but I can say this is her best to date. I would like to highly recommend this book.
I received an ARC copy of the book from the author and voluntarily leaving my review.
April 29, 2020
During my time at home, while things are mostly shut down, I have found it hard to concentrate on reading for pleasure. I always thought I would fill any extra time with books, my second true love after my cat. But it has been extremely difficult for me.
My mind can wander when I'm worried or things are crowding it. So, it is with both gratitude and embarrassment that I say this is the only book I have finished from beginning to end since the middle of March. And it is because this story is just so incredibly beautiful and touching and so important I could not help but fall into it and embrace the plot, the characters and the heartfelt emotions. That charming iguanas appear throughout only adds to this book's many delights.
Some of us still face the obstacles (especially family obstacles) that Joan and Betty face in the 60s, when the novel opens. It might be 2020, and therefore a more accepting and understanding society, but there are many in the LGTBQA+ community for whom it might as well be 1963. That is one reason why _The Beginning of Everything_ is such a vital read for me.
On an extra plus note, I'd like to add that the author's research and background information, so relevant to the time periods she explores and very impressive, helped me find a link to many of the old issues of the ground-breaking newsletter _The Ladder_, which was published regularly from 1956-1972.
Within those newsletters are regular book reviews of lesbian fiction (or lesbiana as it is referred to within The Ladder's pages). This has given me quite a long list of books to track down and read.
https://documents.alexanderstreet.com...
_The Beginning of Everything_ is not only outstanding lesbian fiction, it is outstanding fiction, period. I feel sorry for the next book I pick up because it has a lot of expectations to meet.
My mind can wander when I'm worried or things are crowding it. So, it is with both gratitude and embarrassment that I say this is the only book I have finished from beginning to end since the middle of March. And it is because this story is just so incredibly beautiful and touching and so important I could not help but fall into it and embrace the plot, the characters and the heartfelt emotions. That charming iguanas appear throughout only adds to this book's many delights.
Some of us still face the obstacles (especially family obstacles) that Joan and Betty face in the 60s, when the novel opens. It might be 2020, and therefore a more accepting and understanding society, but there are many in the LGTBQA+ community for whom it might as well be 1963. That is one reason why _The Beginning of Everything_ is such a vital read for me.
On an extra plus note, I'd like to add that the author's research and background information, so relevant to the time periods she explores and very impressive, helped me find a link to many of the old issues of the ground-breaking newsletter _The Ladder_, which was published regularly from 1956-1972.
Within those newsletters are regular book reviews of lesbian fiction (or lesbiana as it is referred to within The Ladder's pages). This has given me quite a long list of books to track down and read.
https://documents.alexanderstreet.com...
_The Beginning of Everything_ is not only outstanding lesbian fiction, it is outstanding fiction, period. I feel sorry for the next book I pick up because it has a lot of expectations to meet.
April 21, 2020
!
What a great book with a happy ending! We see the two main characters grow from the time they met in 1963 in their early twenties to when they are finally able to marry in 2015 in their seventies. Their is so much I like about this book . I cried tears of happiness at the end. All they went through they did it together. Cara you get an A+++ on this one. BTW I have enjoyed all of your books so far. Looking forward to the next one.
What a great book with a happy ending! We see the two main characters grow from the time they met in 1963 in their early twenties to when they are finally able to marry in 2015 in their seventies. Their is so much I like about this book . I cried tears of happiness at the end. All they went through they did it together. Cara you get an A+++ on this one. BTW I have enjoyed all of your books so far. Looking forward to the next one.
August 7, 2022
Something about The Beginning of Everything by Cara Malone resonated with me. There were so many points of this story that I could relate to, only I was lucky enough to fall in love for the first time when we had dial-up internet and MSN messenger. I can’t imagine how committed I could have been waiting for letters in the mail! Cara Malone did a brilliant job of bringing to life a time in history when many struggled. Her characters felt authentic and full of depth, and her research into the time periods the characters lived made it easy to be transported back there with them.
Joan is an outcast from her family because of her sexuality and lives a life of activism and independence. Betty is sheltered and loved by those around her, however, she lives in fear of their reactions to her loving a woman. Joan and Betty meet and not even distance can prevent the friendship, and love that develops between them. The Beginning of Everything is like a walk through LGBTQIA+ rights and history from the early 60s onwards.
The story of Betty and Joan is an epic that spans decades and begins in their early twenties. It is friendship, love, turmoil, human rights and exploration. It’s about finding the person who was meant to be yours and overcoming obstacles and hatred to be able to live the life everyone deserves.
Joan is an outcast from her family because of her sexuality and lives a life of activism and independence. Betty is sheltered and loved by those around her, however, she lives in fear of their reactions to her loving a woman. Joan and Betty meet and not even distance can prevent the friendship, and love that develops between them. The Beginning of Everything is like a walk through LGBTQIA+ rights and history from the early 60s onwards.
The story of Betty and Joan is an epic that spans decades and begins in their early twenties. It is friendship, love, turmoil, human rights and exploration. It’s about finding the person who was meant to be yours and overcoming obstacles and hatred to be able to live the life everyone deserves.
October 17, 2022
Starting in the 60's and progressing through the years brought back memories of how we moved far away from family to be our true selves. One had to just go, without credit cards, cash only. We took risks.
January 16, 2023
Loved this, the most beautiful love story along with a reminder of how far we've come and how important it is to keep fighting to make things better.
April 29, 2020
I really love The Beginning of Everything for its trip through time and Betty and Joan’s relationship. To realize how hard it was to come to terms being gay in the 1950’s and how hard it was to be true to yourself then let alone other and never I did your family.
I really love the ending , but I’m not going to spoil it for you. I definitely recommend this book to others it ties it well with the Lakeside Hospital book.
I received and ARC of the book for an honest review.
I really love the ending , but I’m not going to spoil it for you. I definitely recommend this book to others it ties it well with the Lakeside Hospital book.
I received and ARC of the book for an honest review.
April 21, 2020
I love Cara's books, but this one will take you on a personal journey like no other, whether you're on the inside looking out, or the outside looking in. From the fear of the past to the celebration of acceptance, telling this history of the LGBT+ movement through the eyes of Betty and Joan is such a revelation of commitment, deep love, and triumph of the human spirit. Wow!
My emotions were very heightened while reading this story. Over the years as an educator, I've counseled a few students who have grappled with their own sexuality. As a heterosexual, I can't pretend to understand the full complexity surrounding this, but I can be supportive, non-judgmental, accepting and a friend or mentor. Thank you, Cara, for opening my eyes even a little bit more. I have always loved your writing and heartily recommend this book for all to read!
My emotions were very heightened while reading this story. Over the years as an educator, I've counseled a few students who have grappled with their own sexuality. As a heterosexual, I can't pretend to understand the full complexity surrounding this, but I can be supportive, non-judgmental, accepting and a friend or mentor. Thank you, Cara, for opening my eyes even a little bit more. I have always loved your writing and heartily recommend this book for all to read!
April 20, 2020
Joan is an openly proud lesbian in San Francisco in the 60's and by a chance of fate she meets Betty at a gay club. They become pen pals and the rest, it's history.
You get to see not only Joan and Betty's relationship develop from just friends to something more during a time when gay rights were just starting to surface in society. It is also a coming to terms with someone's sexuality for the first time and how it affects not only as individuals, but also family and friends.
You can also see how the gay movement changed from the 60's to right after gay marriage was legalize in the US in 2015.
I couldn't stop reading. It's my favorite book from Cara Malone so far.
You should definetly read it.
You get to see not only Joan and Betty's relationship develop from just friends to something more during a time when gay rights were just starting to surface in society. It is also a coming to terms with someone's sexuality for the first time and how it affects not only as individuals, but also family and friends.
You can also see how the gay movement changed from the 60's to right after gay marriage was legalize in the US in 2015.
I couldn't stop reading. It's my favorite book from Cara Malone so far.
You should definetly read it.
April 21, 2020
This is a fantastic book charting the relationship between two women over some 50 years.
The story of their struggle to be acknowledged by society and their families, was vert well written. Ultimately though, it is a story of love and romance that last over time. It was a lively written journey that I would highly recommend. It acts as a background to Ms Malones previous book Mouth to Mouth, but you do not have to have read this book as it is a self contained story. Absolutely loved it, a must read for all.
The story of their struggle to be acknowledged by society and their families, was vert well written. Ultimately though, it is a story of love and romance that last over time. It was a lively written journey that I would highly recommend. It acts as a background to Ms Malones previous book Mouth to Mouth, but you do not have to have read this book as it is a self contained story. Absolutely loved it, a must read for all.
January 1, 2021
A stunning and heart warming tale of love spread over more than 50 years. This book is flawless. From start to finish I was completely captivated. Malone seamlessly transitions between decades and emotions as these two women find love.
I was introduced to Betty’s character in Mouth to Mouth (Lakeside hospital series book 5) and I was equal parts nervous and excited to see her story since she was such a sweet and quirky character and she gave a brief picture of her story. I can safely say that The Beginning of Everything exceeded my every expectation. Perfectly paced across Betty and Joan’s lives, a masterful balance emotional turmoil, and a perfect love story. I fell head over heels for Joan and Betty.
Joan and Betty have amazing chemistry from their very first chance meeting. They are both smitten from the start and it is so adorable watching their friendship grow as the get to know each other. They connected with that once in a lifetime spark. Their relationship is equal parts sweet and sexy. I could not get enough of their tender and moving love story.
I don’t want to give anything away because this story is so fantastically written and beautiful, which makes it impossible to truly capture just how unbelievable this book is. Malone will put you through the emotional ringer with this one.
The characters all have a genuine feel and were incredibly varied and made the story really shine. Betty’s struggle with her sexuality was heartbreaking and felt like something anyone who struggled with coming out could relate to regardless of generation. Joan is such a strong and passionate woman and her decisiveness really drove the story.
The epilogue was perfect. I cried so much (happy tears) and I get choked up every time I think about it. It was beautiful, hopeful, and brought the whole story full circle. I have never felt so fulfilled and inspired. I cannot properly articulate exactly of moving the whole story was, but especially the end.
This story is sweet, chalk full of humor, incredibly sexy at times, and overflowing with love. I am a big Cara Malone fan and this is my new favorite of her stories. I can’t recommend this book enough.
I was introduced to Betty’s character in Mouth to Mouth (Lakeside hospital series book 5) and I was equal parts nervous and excited to see her story since she was such a sweet and quirky character and she gave a brief picture of her story. I can safely say that The Beginning of Everything exceeded my every expectation. Perfectly paced across Betty and Joan’s lives, a masterful balance emotional turmoil, and a perfect love story. I fell head over heels for Joan and Betty.
Joan and Betty have amazing chemistry from their very first chance meeting. They are both smitten from the start and it is so adorable watching their friendship grow as the get to know each other. They connected with that once in a lifetime spark. Their relationship is equal parts sweet and sexy. I could not get enough of their tender and moving love story.
I don’t want to give anything away because this story is so fantastically written and beautiful, which makes it impossible to truly capture just how unbelievable this book is. Malone will put you through the emotional ringer with this one.
The characters all have a genuine feel and were incredibly varied and made the story really shine. Betty’s struggle with her sexuality was heartbreaking and felt like something anyone who struggled with coming out could relate to regardless of generation. Joan is such a strong and passionate woman and her decisiveness really drove the story.
The epilogue was perfect. I cried so much (happy tears) and I get choked up every time I think about it. It was beautiful, hopeful, and brought the whole story full circle. I have never felt so fulfilled and inspired. I cannot properly articulate exactly of moving the whole story was, but especially the end.
This story is sweet, chalk full of humor, incredibly sexy at times, and overflowing with love. I am a big Cara Malone fan and this is my new favorite of her stories. I can’t recommend this book enough.
May 2, 2020
The book begins in the early 1960s with Betty, recently out of high school and working as a secretary. Her friends are all getting married and starting families, but Betty has no interest in men. On a visit to California to see her brother, his friend takes them to a gay bar where she meets Joan. There's an instant attraction and even a kiss, but Betty is unable to admit to herself or anyone else what this could mean. Over the years the two women begin a correspondence with a relationship that lasts decades. The book ends in 2015.
The best part of this book is the focus on Betty's early years, from the 1960s-70s, which is the period of her coming out arc and her gaining a closer connection to Joan. That portion of the book ends at about the 50% mark and then it's just a ride through the decades with very little plot that can engage the reader.
There are numerous historical errors, even in the first part. The author uses the term "African-American" which wasn't in common use until the late 60s. Betty says to her brother, "this is a gay bar," a term that people who weren't out would not have used in the early 60s. LGBT and queer were also not used until at least the 1990s.
When the characters attend the display of the AIDS quilt in DC in 1987, there's no mention of the large National March on DC that took place at the same time, something that the activist characters would have been part of.
If the book had ended at the halfway mark with Betty and Joan in SF and then included an epilogue in 2015, it would have been a tighter and better book, especially if the historical errors were corrected.
The best part of this book is the focus on Betty's early years, from the 1960s-70s, which is the period of her coming out arc and her gaining a closer connection to Joan. That portion of the book ends at about the 50% mark and then it's just a ride through the decades with very little plot that can engage the reader.
There are numerous historical errors, even in the first part. The author uses the term "African-American" which wasn't in common use until the late 60s. Betty says to her brother, "this is a gay bar," a term that people who weren't out would not have used in the early 60s. LGBT and queer were also not used until at least the 1990s.
When the characters attend the display of the AIDS quilt in DC in 1987, there's no mention of the large National March on DC that took place at the same time, something that the activist characters would have been part of.
If the book had ended at the halfway mark with Betty and Joan in SF and then included an epilogue in 2015, it would have been a tighter and better book, especially if the historical errors were corrected.
April 20, 2020
Emotionally invoking and positive
I thoroughly enjoyed the story as it takes you back to the struggles of the LGBT community at a time when acceptance of loving someone of the same sex was not a given and the romance between two women caught amongst it all. Didn’t want put this book down, so well written and a terrific read.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story as it takes you back to the struggles of the LGBT community at a time when acceptance of loving someone of the same sex was not a given and the romance between two women caught amongst it all. Didn’t want put this book down, so well written and a terrific read.
August 20, 2020
A perfectly "okay" journey through LGBTQ history from the 1960s through today following the relationship of Betty, who is questioning what her disinterest in boyfriends may mean, and Joan, a young out lesbian activist and lizard-obsessive. I feel like there was a missed opportunity in that events seem to happen around these characters but they don't really take part in them or feel the immediate impact. For instance, gay bars could and did get raided by the police with their patrons arrested, this comes up multiple times in the early part of the book as a fear these characters have but we never see it actually happen. The Stonewall uprising is mentioned as a major catalyst for Betty, but neither character is actually there and fighting. There is a single chapter touching upon the AIDS crisis, and it takes place in DC where the quilt was staged. What was odd to me was that it was revealed that AIDS had not personally affected them or anyone within their circle of friends, which seemed a bit convenient. As a girl meets girl love story, it's pretty much wrapped up well before the mid-way point. After this, we're just jumping through time, checking in with that relationship as gay rights slowly evolve and establish within the country. That's all well and good, but it was just such a bland story and relationship. Betty loves Joan, Joan loves Betty and that's basically it in each chapter. Well, that and lizards. Lots of lizards. Call me crazy, but I just didn't get the whole lizard thing. Again, it's an okay book with a HEA, but very little content.
June 28, 2020
Wonderful!
This is a very well written book that tells the tale of two women who met and fell in love at a time when homosexuals were still subjected to being arrested and persecuted. Their story begins long before the Stonewall riots and continues into the new millennium. The progress that has been made in LGBTQ rights, including the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of gay marriage is an excellent background for Betty and Joan's story. I highly recommend this book be placed at the top of your list read list!
This is a very well written book that tells the tale of two women who met and fell in love at a time when homosexuals were still subjected to being arrested and persecuted. Their story begins long before the Stonewall riots and continues into the new millennium. The progress that has been made in LGBTQ rights, including the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of gay marriage is an excellent background for Betty and Joan's story. I highly recommend this book be placed at the top of your list read list!
December 24, 2020
👍🏼
Wow - this story took me back! The timeframe, the experiences, all add up to memories for me, so I really enjoyed this book. The characters’ experiences with familial rejection resonated with me, even though I wasn’t rejected or thrown out - but fear of that happening kept me from coming out to my family. I would describe this book as beginning at dawn, with darkness, and gradually becoming lighter and brighter, as freedoms and rights were won over the decades. Cara Malone does a wonderful job of depicting these times, and her characters are likable and believable.
Wow - this story took me back! The timeframe, the experiences, all add up to memories for me, so I really enjoyed this book. The characters’ experiences with familial rejection resonated with me, even though I wasn’t rejected or thrown out - but fear of that happening kept me from coming out to my family. I would describe this book as beginning at dawn, with darkness, and gradually becoming lighter and brighter, as freedoms and rights were won over the decades. Cara Malone does a wonderful job of depicting these times, and her characters are likable and believable.
May 6, 2020
I absolutely love this book! It's a coming out story, a romance story, and a life story about a wonderful couple. Betty meets Joan and her life is turned upside down. But, it takes awhile for her to figure things out. This follows their lives throughout decades. It shows you what life as a lesbian from the 60s on was like and how things changed. A fantastic book, and definitely a reread over and over again.
June 4, 2020
Magical love story
I loved everything about this book. The characters just resonated and connected from the start. Betty felt like a soft hearted person I could truly feel. Joan was caring but tough. She had to be. Their pairing was guided by the universe and their love survives a journey many of us can feel deep down inside. A beautiful book that warms your heart while tears cool your face.
I loved everything about this book. The characters just resonated and connected from the start. Betty felt like a soft hearted person I could truly feel. Joan was caring but tough. She had to be. Their pairing was guided by the universe and their love survives a journey many of us can feel deep down inside. A beautiful book that warms your heart while tears cool your face.
March 30, 2021
What most people who didn't live through theses years never saw
Great historical chronically history of being gay in the 20th century..Discrimination, parental thoughts you need to be fixe and having to hide who you really are from almost everyone. Also the pressure of being able to tell your parents or workmates who you really are and that your partner was jot just a room mate...
Great historical chronically history of being gay in the 20th century..Discrimination, parental thoughts you need to be fixe and having to hide who you really are from almost everyone. Also the pressure of being able to tell your parents or workmates who you really are and that your partner was jot just a room mate...
April 27, 2020
Lovely!
I did enjoy this story. I am impressed with the research done to keep this on the up and up. I loved the chemistry between Joanie and Betty. Their first meeting was the all in fall in love at first sight thing that stands through time. This was written well. I found it to be a bit long on a few points but overall well done. I am a fan of Cara Malone......
I did enjoy this story. I am impressed with the research done to keep this on the up and up. I loved the chemistry between Joanie and Betty. Their first meeting was the all in fall in love at first sight thing that stands through time. This was written well. I found it to be a bit long on a few points but overall well done. I am a fan of Cara Malone......
October 3, 2021
Hands down my favorite Cara Malone book! I'm usually not a fan of stories that take place in the 60s-70s-80s since I don't really relate to it due to my age, but this book is clearly an exception. I loved their journey through more than 5 decades, the historical facts, their undeniable chemistry and, dare I say it, even the damn IGUANAS! 100% recommend it, whatever your age.
May 18, 2020
Great Story
I really loved this story. It was a love story and a history story without ever being pedantic. It is important to remember those that came before and to celebrate their stories.
I really loved this story. It was a love story and a history story without ever being pedantic. It is important to remember those that came before and to celebrate their stories.
June 18, 2020
Very different from most "romances". This follows the two from their first, tentative, dance together in the 60s, through getting legally married. So, a 40 year span in their lives. There are ups and downs, and sometimes I'd get impatient with Betty, but all in all, a GREAT book. Loved it!
March 7, 2021
The book pulls you in from the first page. I enjoyed the way the author takes us, the Reader, through the years of Joan and Betty's relationship. It is the type of book that I did not want to end. Great story. Definitely a book I will reread again in the future.
February 15, 2022
Loved it!
This was a fabulous book about Betty and Joan who meet in 1963 in Sam Francisco when it was still illegal to be in a lesbian relationship.
The book follows their relationship and also the wider fight for LGBT rights and equality right up until 2016.
This was a fabulous book about Betty and Joan who meet in 1963 in Sam Francisco when it was still illegal to be in a lesbian relationship.
The book follows their relationship and also the wider fight for LGBT rights and equality right up until 2016.
November 7, 2022
Great History of lasting Love
I simply loved the book. It brought to mind my life with my wife for 43 years. Cara did a fantastic job. I might read it again. Very well written book. I enjoyed it immensely. Way to go Cara.
I simply loved the book. It brought to mind my life with my wife for 43 years. Cara did a fantastic job. I might read it again. Very well written book. I enjoyed it immensely. Way to go Cara.
April 21, 2020
This book was amazing, the love story between Joan and Betty was beautiful to watch grow from “friendship” to the forever love they had between them.
April 24, 2020
Wow. Over 50 years showing the journey between Joan and Betty. It was captivating, wonderful and heart warming. Fantastic job once again.
April 27, 2020
Wonderful story
I have enjoyed this book about how it was for LGBT in the beginning the story of Betty and Joan this the many decades.
I have enjoyed this book about how it was for LGBT in the beginning the story of Betty and Joan this the many decades.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews