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Mrs Middleton #1
Mrs Middleton
Their love could heal their hearts…but destroy the relationships they both hold dear.
Emma Bradley is trembling. And not because of the climate difference between England and Africa, where she’s just ended an 18-month stint teaching sports to kids. She’s about to see Vanessa again.
Golden hair, luminous blue eyes, a smile to light up a room. The woman Emma loves. The woman she spilled her heart out to, then ran away to another continent to avoid a humiliating scene—because Vanessa is her best friend’s mum. If Emma is lucky, maybe Vanessa chalked it up to too much wine. Or better yet, forgot all about it.
Vanessa Middleton is fighting a serious case of uncertainty. Emma’s confession is crystal clear in her memory, and now that Vanessa is divorced from her cheating husband, the strongest barrier between them is gone. But there are others no less challenging.
Because if Vanessa couldn’t keep her husband’s attention, what could bright, beautiful, much younger Emma possibly see in her? Worse, if the two of them act on their attraction, their affair could jeopardize the relationship they both hold dear: Vanessa’s daughter—Emma’s closest friend.
Emma Bradley is trembling. And not because of the climate difference between England and Africa, where she’s just ended an 18-month stint teaching sports to kids. She’s about to see Vanessa again.
Golden hair, luminous blue eyes, a smile to light up a room. The woman Emma loves. The woman she spilled her heart out to, then ran away to another continent to avoid a humiliating scene—because Vanessa is her best friend’s mum. If Emma is lucky, maybe Vanessa chalked it up to too much wine. Or better yet, forgot all about it.
Vanessa Middleton is fighting a serious case of uncertainty. Emma’s confession is crystal clear in her memory, and now that Vanessa is divorced from her cheating husband, the strongest barrier between them is gone. But there are others no less challenging.
Because if Vanessa couldn’t keep her husband’s attention, what could bright, beautiful, much younger Emma possibly see in her? Worse, if the two of them act on their attraction, their affair could jeopardize the relationship they both hold dear: Vanessa’s daughter—Emma’s closest friend.
284 pages, Paperback
First published March 20, 2021
274 people are currently reading
1921 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Tereze
40 books750 followersMelissa Tereze is a best-selling author living in Liverpool, UK, with her fiancée and Golden Retriever. She holds a degree in Sports Development, and when she’s not writing, she can be found at a local bar singing one of her favourite tracks.
You can contact Melissa through her social media and her website.
You can contact Melissa through her social media and her website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 248 reviews
March 22, 2021
3.5⭐️ – If you like age gaps, forbidden relationships, angst and sexy scenes, Mrs Middleton is worth checking out.
When they met at university, Emma Bradley and Lauren Middleton became best friends right from the start. Emma was twenty-one, Lauren was eighteen. Because her relationship with her own family can barely be called a relationship, Emma spent a lot more time at Lauren’s parents than with her own and has always been welcomed by the Middleton family. Everything would be perfect if Emma hadn’t been harboring feelings for Vanessa, Lauren’s mother, forever. After ten years of trying to keep her attraction under control, Emma drunkenly confessed her love on the eve of her departure to Ghana for two years. When Mrs Middleton begins, Emma is coming back from Ghana and staying with Lauren at her mother’s house. Then it’s Lauren’s turn to go abroad, joining her boyfriend in Australia for a few months, and Vanessa, now divorced, finds herself alone with Emma, and unwilling to resist their mutual attraction.
This book is full of flaws but I enjoyed it a lot despite them. Yes, some moments are so over the top they might be on another planet, and yet I couldn’t put the book down. Yes, Emma and Vanessa must be extremely flexible to be able to look in each other’s eyes when one is being fucked from behind by the other and it sometimes sounds like they have three hands each. And still these scenes are incredibly hot.
There was a lot of eye-rolling, I won’t deny it. Vanessa mystifies me. She’s dominant one minute, insecure the next. Like when she asks Emma, who just told her how much she loves her and has always loved her, if she’s only in for sex and a good time. Good grief, woman, are you even listening? Emma, on the other hand, grew up feeling unwanted and has been unable to shake the certainty of being unworthy of more than second place. She’s, therefore, always quick to put everyone’s wellbeing before her own, without questioning the reasons. Vanessa’s answer to Lauren’s reaction to finding out about the relationship between her mother and her best friend was bound to hurt Emma immensely.
There’s a lot of angst in this story. Most of it makes sense as the MCs deal with acting on feelings they have hidden for years while trying not to hurt the one other person who means the world to both of them. There’s also a fair amount of angst that feels a tad contrived, stemming from miscommunication – my least favorite issue in romance. A common misconception is that communicating means talking, opening up about one’s feelings – Emma and Vanessa are very good at that – but it’s only half of the work. Talking is pointless if the other party isn’t listening. Both Vanessa and Emma have a lot to learn on that front.
The one thing that works perfectly, however, is the chemistry between them, it’s huge and palpable in every breath.
The first sex scene is not exactly romantic, not those precious moments when the characters discover the other’s body and skin for the first time. On the contrary, it’s like something out of a fantasy and, even if it felt far-fetched, wow is it hot!
The quiet, tender flutters, the awe-inspiring touches, everything that makes the attraction grow and the tension thicken come after. And sex is far from being all there is between Vanessa and Emma though. There’s a scene I really liked where Vanessa tells Emma she wants them to get to know each other as lovers and girlfriends, not in the roles they’ve been in since they met, and it’s rather sweet.
A minor complaint: I don’t really care what pet names people use for their loved ones but I had a hard time with Vanessa calling Emma ”baby” and Emma calling Vanessa ”babe” (which she does very early on, when they’ve been together for about ten minutes), not only because of the age gap but because, whatever happens between them, Vanessa will always be Emma’s best friend’s mother, and that’s how she knew her first. And for some reason, it doesn’t sound classy enough for Vanessa.
I’ll end this review by mentioning the first thing one sees when looking at a book: the cover. I like this one a lot, it’s appropriate, eye-catching and just as sexy as the story.
I received a copy from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
When they met at university, Emma Bradley and Lauren Middleton became best friends right from the start. Emma was twenty-one, Lauren was eighteen. Because her relationship with her own family can barely be called a relationship, Emma spent a lot more time at Lauren’s parents than with her own and has always been welcomed by the Middleton family. Everything would be perfect if Emma hadn’t been harboring feelings for Vanessa, Lauren’s mother, forever. After ten years of trying to keep her attraction under control, Emma drunkenly confessed her love on the eve of her departure to Ghana for two years. When Mrs Middleton begins, Emma is coming back from Ghana and staying with Lauren at her mother’s house. Then it’s Lauren’s turn to go abroad, joining her boyfriend in Australia for a few months, and Vanessa, now divorced, finds herself alone with Emma, and unwilling to resist their mutual attraction.
This book is full of flaws but I enjoyed it a lot despite them. Yes, some moments are so over the top they might be on another planet, and yet I couldn’t put the book down. Yes, Emma and Vanessa must be extremely flexible to be able to look in each other’s eyes when one is being fucked from behind by the other and it sometimes sounds like they have three hands each. And still these scenes are incredibly hot.
There was a lot of eye-rolling, I won’t deny it. Vanessa mystifies me. She’s dominant one minute, insecure the next. Like when she asks Emma, who just told her how much she loves her and has always loved her, if she’s only in for sex and a good time. Good grief, woman, are you even listening? Emma, on the other hand, grew up feeling unwanted and has been unable to shake the certainty of being unworthy of more than second place. She’s, therefore, always quick to put everyone’s wellbeing before her own, without questioning the reasons. Vanessa’s answer to Lauren’s reaction to finding out about the relationship between her mother and her best friend was bound to hurt Emma immensely.
There’s a lot of angst in this story. Most of it makes sense as the MCs deal with acting on feelings they have hidden for years while trying not to hurt the one other person who means the world to both of them. There’s also a fair amount of angst that feels a tad contrived, stemming from miscommunication – my least favorite issue in romance. A common misconception is that communicating means talking, opening up about one’s feelings – Emma and Vanessa are very good at that – but it’s only half of the work. Talking is pointless if the other party isn’t listening. Both Vanessa and Emma have a lot to learn on that front.
The one thing that works perfectly, however, is the chemistry between them, it’s huge and palpable in every breath.
The first sex scene is not exactly romantic, not those precious moments when the characters discover the other’s body and skin for the first time. On the contrary, it’s like something out of a fantasy and, even if it felt far-fetched, wow is it hot!
The quiet, tender flutters, the awe-inspiring touches, everything that makes the attraction grow and the tension thicken come after. And sex is far from being all there is between Vanessa and Emma though. There’s a scene I really liked where Vanessa tells Emma she wants them to get to know each other as lovers and girlfriends, not in the roles they’ve been in since they met, and it’s rather sweet.
A minor complaint: I don’t really care what pet names people use for their loved ones but I had a hard time with Vanessa calling Emma ”baby” and Emma calling Vanessa ”babe” (which she does very early on, when they’ve been together for about ten minutes), not only because of the age gap but because, whatever happens between them, Vanessa will always be Emma’s best friend’s mother, and that’s how she knew her first. And for some reason, it doesn’t sound classy enough for Vanessa.
I’ll end this review by mentioning the first thing one sees when looking at a book: the cover. I like this one a lot, it’s appropriate, eye-catching and just as sexy as the story.
I received a copy from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 29, 2021
Hands up, if you love a good forbidden love story!
Forbidden love is a guilty pleasure for me so this got bumped right to the top of my reading list. And I’m so glad I found out about this book through Mildred because this book is freaking amazing. It was so good my body trembled a little as I read it, and when I was done, I flipped back to revisit the key moments because I simply wasn’t ready to move on. This is one hell of a passionate book. There is so much love and sexual tension in there, I think I could self-combust. Not to mention the hot and steamy sex.
The story really tugged at my heartstrings and made my heart full at the same time too. It’s a year and a half into a drunken call that Emma made to Mrs Vanessa Middleton right before Emma's teaching stint in Africa and they meet for the first time since then. I needed no convincing that they were perfect for each other. First, their relationship isn’t that controversial. 17 years isn’t a huge age gap and morally speaking, it isn’t that big a deal to fall for your best friend’s divorced mother. I mean, it is probably an issue for the best friend but that is all it really is, right? Second, Emma and Vanessa’s feelings for each other did not develop overnight. They had been in love with each other for 10 years but had kept their feelings to themselves the whole time because they both understood what was at stake and never crossed the line until now. Tereze did a fantastic job at showing us how strong their feelings for each other really were. What I loved was the way they repeatedly declared their love and shared their heartfelt feelings with each other and I think I fell in love with both characters at some point.
Their relationship isn’t perfect. Apart from the obvious obstacle that is the best friend and daughter Lauren, there are also a lot of misgivings between them, both unwilling to believe that the other person loved them as much as they did. It’s a bit frustrating and it made me want to cry so badly at times but I think in a way, it added to the charm of the book.
This is one of those books that gets five stars and three yeses from me. I can re-read this so many times and still be in love with the characters.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Forbidden love is a guilty pleasure for me so this got bumped right to the top of my reading list. And I’m so glad I found out about this book through Mildred because this book is freaking amazing. It was so good my body trembled a little as I read it, and when I was done, I flipped back to revisit the key moments because I simply wasn’t ready to move on. This is one hell of a passionate book. There is so much love and sexual tension in there, I think I could self-combust. Not to mention the hot and steamy sex.
The story really tugged at my heartstrings and made my heart full at the same time too. It’s a year and a half into a drunken call that Emma made to Mrs Vanessa Middleton right before Emma's teaching stint in Africa and they meet for the first time since then. I needed no convincing that they were perfect for each other. First, their relationship isn’t that controversial. 17 years isn’t a huge age gap and morally speaking, it isn’t that big a deal to fall for your best friend’s divorced mother. I mean, it is probably an issue for the best friend but that is all it really is, right? Second, Emma and Vanessa’s feelings for each other did not develop overnight. They had been in love with each other for 10 years but had kept their feelings to themselves the whole time because they both understood what was at stake and never crossed the line until now. Tereze did a fantastic job at showing us how strong their feelings for each other really were. What I loved was the way they repeatedly declared their love and shared their heartfelt feelings with each other and I think I fell in love with both characters at some point.
Their relationship isn’t perfect. Apart from the obvious obstacle that is the best friend and daughter Lauren, there are also a lot of misgivings between them, both unwilling to believe that the other person loved them as much as they did. It’s a bit frustrating and it made me want to cry so badly at times but I think in a way, it added to the charm of the book.
This is one of those books that gets five stars and three yeses from me. I can re-read this so many times and still be in love with the characters.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2021
Age-gap, forbidden love, smoking hot sexy scenes, angst...this book has it all! It starts off in the middle of the story, and fills out some details with a few flashbacks, but mostly the story takes place in the here-and-now.
The narrative is well-paced and the writing is professional with lots of descriptions of the MCs which I like, especially since the story is told from both Emma and Vanessa (the titular Mrs. Middleton)’s POV and we can see their longing for each other from the start.
I enjoyed the push-pull and lovely sexual tension, and once things got hot WOW did they get hot! I really liked their bedroom dynamics and had to pause a few times to cool down because I was so engrossed in the scene (luckily I didn’t fall down or otherwise injure myself!).
The black moment contains a LOT of angst and a certain amount of non-communication. This goes on for a while, and has lasting consequences in the relationship, particularly for Emma, who has suffered more abandonment and uncertainty in her life. I thought that was a nice touch, and I liked how the characters communicated both before and after the black moment. The ending was satisfying and wrapped up most of the loose ends.
Recommended for readers who want a very emotional story with lots of drama, plus some surprises along the way and who don’t mind an extra helping of angst.
My rating: 4.5 stars
I received this ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
The narrative is well-paced and the writing is professional with lots of descriptions of the MCs which I like, especially since the story is told from both Emma and Vanessa (the titular Mrs. Middleton)’s POV and we can see their longing for each other from the start.
I enjoyed the push-pull and lovely sexual tension, and once things got hot WOW did they get hot! I really liked their bedroom dynamics and had to pause a few times to cool down because I was so engrossed in the scene (luckily I didn’t fall down or otherwise injure myself!).
The black moment contains a LOT of angst and a certain amount of non-communication. This goes on for a while, and has lasting consequences in the relationship, particularly for Emma, who has suffered more abandonment and uncertainty in her life. I thought that was a nice touch, and I liked how the characters communicated both before and after the black moment. The ending was satisfying and wrapped up most of the loose ends.
Recommended for readers who want a very emotional story with lots of drama, plus some surprises along the way and who don’t mind an extra helping of angst.
My rating: 4.5 stars
I received this ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
July 3, 2021
3.5 Stars rounded up because I really did like the beginning
Where to start? Forbidden love is like catnip for me. It's my jam. I love it. The beginning of the book is pretty good. Lots of pining, sweet, sweet pining. However, be prepared for non-stop angst, drama and for the MCs not listening to each other and not absorbing the.words.being.spoken.to.them. The eye-rolling came hot and heavy towards the end.
Example (paraphrasing)
MC1: you are the love of my life. the very air i breath. i am literally your biggest fan. i can't live without you. you are the bees knees. but alas, i know you can't feel the same way.
MC2: are you crazy? you are my sun and stars. the life blood in my veins. I can't live without you either. i love you so much it hurts. but i know you can't feel the same about me, how could you?
Bitch, what? She LITERALLY just said she did FIVE SECONDS AGO. *face palm* Are you even listening to each other??? FFS...argh.
Anyway, the rest of the book is basically this convo, over and over again until they kinda start believing each other a little bit and get their HEA.
But did you enjoy it Laura? Yes, I did, even if I did start skipping over a bit towards the end. I liked both characters and I wanted them to be happy together at the end.
Where to start? Forbidden love is like catnip for me. It's my jam. I love it. The beginning of the book is pretty good. Lots of pining, sweet, sweet pining. However, be prepared for non-stop angst, drama and for the MCs not listening to each other and not absorbing the.words.being.spoken.to.them. The eye-rolling came hot and heavy towards the end.
Example (paraphrasing)
MC1: you are the love of my life. the very air i breath. i am literally your biggest fan. i can't live without you. you are the bees knees. but alas, i know you can't feel the same way.
MC2: are you crazy? you are my sun and stars. the life blood in my veins. I can't live without you either. i love you so much it hurts. but i know you can't feel the same about me, how could you?
Bitch, what? She LITERALLY just said she did FIVE SECONDS AGO. *face palm* Are you even listening to each other??? FFS...argh.
Anyway, the rest of the book is basically this convo, over and over again until they kinda start believing each other a little bit and get their HEA.
But did you enjoy it Laura? Yes, I did, even if I did start skipping over a bit towards the end. I liked both characters and I wanted them to be happy together at the end.
March 29, 2021
I love when a book lives up to the hype, and this one certainly does. On the surface, the premise may seem a bit unsavory. But this story is far from that. Yes - a woman falls for her best friend's mother, but this isn't some teenager who wants nothing more than to have sex with an older, hot woman. The best friend, Emma, is now in her 30s and has been close with Lauren's family her entire adult life. She and Lauren met in college and aren't just best friends - they are like sisters. Lauren is straight and has no issues with Emma's homosexuality, but Emma has never really had someone that really mattered in her life. She's long been secretly in love with Vanessa Middleton, Lauren's mother, even though she knew nothing could ever come of it because Mrs. Middleton is married. So she admired her intelligence, stunning good looks and kindness from a safe distance, wishing Vanessa would be treated as wonderfully as she deserved to be by her often-absent, philandering husband.
The night before Emma is about to leave for a temporary, months-long teaching position in Africa, she drunk dials Mrs. Middleton and confesses her true feelings. While horrified when she realizes what she's done, at least it's now in the open. As she has always done, Mrs. Middleton was kind and understanding, telling Emma that she was flattered but encouraged nothing more, wishing her well on her upcoming adventure. Shortly thereafter, Mrs. Middleton's husband asks for a divorce so he can marry his 25 year old secretary. Just as Emma is about to return from Africa, Lauren decides to take six weeks away to visit her boyfriend in Australia and asks Emma to stay at their home while she searches for a home of her own. Lauren doesn't want her mother to be all alone while dealing with the pain of the divorce. Emma knows there's no way she can survive living with Vanessa Middleton no matter how much she wants to support her - especially now that Vanessa knows how she feels.
So what happens when the ideal, unattainable woman - who reveals she is actually bisexual - suddenly becomes free? Lauren would never understand them getting together and neither woman can fathom jeopardize their close relationship with her. But here they are, all alone, barriers gone. And Vanessa is everything Emma's always wanted.
This is well written and ridiculously hot. While I wouldn't necessarily consider this an erotic romance, it straddles that line. I had to read it all in one sitting because I was completely enthralled. And incidentally, this was supposed to be released in April but some dillweed pirated it so Melissa Tereze had to release it early. I'd love to see the lesfic community support her by buying this book. Not just for that reason - but because it's a great read and well worth owning. Highly recommend!
The night before Emma is about to leave for a temporary, months-long teaching position in Africa, she drunk dials Mrs. Middleton and confesses her true feelings. While horrified when she realizes what she's done, at least it's now in the open. As she has always done, Mrs. Middleton was kind and understanding, telling Emma that she was flattered but encouraged nothing more, wishing her well on her upcoming adventure. Shortly thereafter, Mrs. Middleton's husband asks for a divorce so he can marry his 25 year old secretary. Just as Emma is about to return from Africa, Lauren decides to take six weeks away to visit her boyfriend in Australia and asks Emma to stay at their home while she searches for a home of her own. Lauren doesn't want her mother to be all alone while dealing with the pain of the divorce. Emma knows there's no way she can survive living with Vanessa Middleton no matter how much she wants to support her - especially now that Vanessa knows how she feels.
So what happens when the ideal, unattainable woman - who reveals she is actually bisexual - suddenly becomes free? Lauren would never understand them getting together and neither woman can fathom jeopardize their close relationship with her. But here they are, all alone, barriers gone. And Vanessa is everything Emma's always wanted.
This is well written and ridiculously hot. While I wouldn't necessarily consider this an erotic romance, it straddles that line. I had to read it all in one sitting because I was completely enthralled. And incidentally, this was supposed to be released in April but some dillweed pirated it so Melissa Tereze had to release it early. I'd love to see the lesfic community support her by buying this book. Not just for that reason - but because it's a great read and well worth owning. Highly recommend!
August 6, 2021
I saw others reviewing this well, and it was on Kindle Unlimited so I decided to give it a go.
I will admit I opened it just to read the first few paragraphs to gauge my interest, and found myself reading the whole shebang in one hit... It is technically well written, and erotically satisfying, kept me reading because I wanted to know what would happen next - so definitely entertaining - but for me the emotional element and how they connected and truly felt didn't really ring true for me.
I feel like we got told how each lover felt about the other, (and how it had been going on for years). That they thought each other were kind, put together, but were both mostly HOT and hot for each other... And it never really went further than that, for me. Maybe I missed something, but I felt like they never really discussed their common interests or the type of life they want going forward. How they could truly navigate coupledom with a 17 year age gap, let alone the taboo element of it being her daughters best friend. It was touched upon but then all too easily pushed aside for lustful feelings, and nothing deeper ever came to fruition.
There was some good angst from both sides which was believable and touching. I liked it being pointed out how hypocritical things were with Mrs Robinson's OOPS I MEAN Middleton's husband cheating with his secretary half his age. But again never seemed to delve deep enough. I also found the reaction that the Mother had to the daughters own reaction a little bit guilt-trippy and selfish. Which I get to a point - but I would have liked a bit more maturity there. Maybe had the same things said to the daughter, but by Emma or some other character. (I mean seriously does Mrs RobIMEAN Middleton *have* any friends or hobbies of her own???)
There's black moments from either side, and I dunno, again I just feel like if they truly did love each other, they would have stuck around to make it work - stood by each other and not played the way they did when the going got tough - which they KNEW it would... It just bothered me that they could see it coming, said one thing - then did another because it got hard... Like they both said it would - yet still did it anyway? Eh.
Guess these types of tropes are just not for me. Certainly hot, certainly well written, but emotionally just left me wanting. But do read it on KU!
I will admit I opened it just to read the first few paragraphs to gauge my interest, and found myself reading the whole shebang in one hit... It is technically well written, and erotically satisfying, kept me reading because I wanted to know what would happen next - so definitely entertaining - but for me the emotional element and how they connected and truly felt didn't really ring true for me.
I feel like we got told how each lover felt about the other, (and how it had been going on for years). That they thought each other were kind, put together, but were both mostly HOT and hot for each other... And it never really went further than that, for me. Maybe I missed something, but I felt like they never really discussed their common interests or the type of life they want going forward. How they could truly navigate coupledom with a 17 year age gap, let alone the taboo element of it being her daughters best friend. It was touched upon but then all too easily pushed aside for lustful feelings, and nothing deeper ever came to fruition.
There was some good angst from both sides which was believable and touching. I liked it being pointed out how hypocritical things were with Mrs Robinson's OOPS I MEAN Middleton's husband cheating with his secretary half his age. But again never seemed to delve deep enough. I also found the reaction that the Mother had to the daughters own reaction a little bit guilt-trippy and selfish. Which I get to a point - but I would have liked a bit more maturity there. Maybe had the same things said to the daughter, but by Emma or some other character. (I mean seriously does Mrs RobIMEAN Middleton *have* any friends or hobbies of her own???)
There's black moments from either side, and I dunno, again I just feel like if they truly did love each other, they would have stuck around to make it work - stood by each other and not played the way they did when the going got tough - which they KNEW it would... It just bothered me that they could see it coming, said one thing - then did another because it got hard... Like they both said it would - yet still did it anyway? Eh.
Guess these types of tropes are just not for me. Certainly hot, certainly well written, but emotionally just left me wanting. But do read it on KU!
June 21, 2021
Swooning over Mrs Middleton all over again.
I enjoyed the audiobook as much as I did the e-book (read my book review here). I already knew how the story was going to go but that didn't stop me from having the feels for Mrs Middleton and Emma all over again. Their voices were entirely different from how I pictured it in my head. Emma's voice was a little lower than I expected and Mrs Middleton was a bit softer. It was a pleasant surprise and it felt good. And the Emma Griffiths was so passionately narrating the steamy scenes too!
This audiobook was given to me for free at my request and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I enjoyed the audiobook as much as I did the e-book (read my book review here). I already knew how the story was going to go but that didn't stop me from having the feels for Mrs Middleton and Emma all over again. Their voices were entirely different from how I pictured it in my head. Emma's voice was a little lower than I expected and Mrs Middleton was a bit softer. It was a pleasant surprise and it felt good. And the Emma Griffiths was so passionately narrating the steamy scenes too!
This audiobook was given to me for free at my request and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read
May 2, 2021Dnf @ 40% as I just feel like there’s no emotional connection between the two.
March 9, 2023
I’m going to be completely honest with you, looking at the premise of this book I would have never picked it up and read it. The trope (age gap) isn’t one that works for me, however when it’s written like this it is amazing and I can finally understand why people adore it.
Top it off with falling for you best friend’s mother, that’s just all sorts of wrong in my head and I just can’t go there. But again, when written like this it is amazing.
As stated, this should have been an uncomfortable and totally not enjoyable read for me, but it was great. I think what made a big difference for me is that while the gap is significant (17 years), the younger character isn’t in her twenties. And that, somehow, makes a difference for me. Emma is 33 and Vanessa is 50. Emma has been pining for Vanessa ever since she was introduced to her best friend’s mother twelve years ago, when she was about to leave on a two year stint in Africa she drunkenly confessed her love over the phone. Vanessa thought nothing of it, but she’s been yearning for a connection and she had been interested in Emma for a while. But ever the lady she didn’t act on it because she was married to a cheating husband.
It’s complicated when you fall in love with a family member of one of your friends, let alone your best friend’s mother! I can’t even imagine. I understand all the events in this book. I like how they communicate, even when they rip their own hearts out in the process.
I never thought I’d like this book, so to my complete and utter surprise I will now tell you this is true. I didn’t like it, I loved it.
Top it off with falling for you best friend’s mother, that’s just all sorts of wrong in my head and I just can’t go there. But again, when written like this it is amazing.
As stated, this should have been an uncomfortable and totally not enjoyable read for me, but it was great. I think what made a big difference for me is that while the gap is significant (17 years), the younger character isn’t in her twenties. And that, somehow, makes a difference for me. Emma is 33 and Vanessa is 50. Emma has been pining for Vanessa ever since she was introduced to her best friend’s mother twelve years ago, when she was about to leave on a two year stint in Africa she drunkenly confessed her love over the phone. Vanessa thought nothing of it, but she’s been yearning for a connection and she had been interested in Emma for a while. But ever the lady she didn’t act on it because she was married to a cheating husband.
It’s complicated when you fall in love with a family member of one of your friends, let alone your best friend’s mother! I can’t even imagine. I understand all the events in this book. I like how they communicate, even when they rip their own hearts out in the process.
I never thought I’d like this book, so to my complete and utter surprise I will now tell you this is true. I didn’t like it, I loved it.
May 4, 2021
Well... just well!! First of all I have to say... Be still my beating vagina, it will never be the same again 🥵 I’ve been so engrossed in this book I made the mistake of taking it to work to read on lunch and ‘accidentally’ taking half an hour more than I should have... not once, but TWICE. Each time coming back looking like I’d been dragged through a bush backwards, cheeks flushing like I’m on heat 🙈. Luckily for me my colleagues are aware of my lesfic obsession. I may not have almost broken my face reading it like someone I know BUT I did almost get fired.... So if you are in need of a novel that may cause personal injury, create sackable offences in work and destroy your vagina, this is the book for you. If you are a sane person and don’t want that, I’d still recommend this book a million times over. Just maybe read it lying down, with plenty of free time and maybe an ice pack for your vagina... I’ve said vagina a lot BUT who doesn’t love vagina?!
Anyway, the story between these two women who both crave love and fulfilment is beautifully written and the steamy scenes are out of this world... Mrs Middleton, please make me yours.. I beg of you 😍
Anyway, the story between these two women who both crave love and fulfilment is beautifully written and the steamy scenes are out of this world... Mrs Middleton, please make me yours.. I beg of you 😍
April 7, 2023
I had an issue with the love between the 2 MCs! 2 points for how hot some parts of the book were !
August 27, 2021
This just didn't hit for me—I think mainly because I didn't buy the forbidden part of their forbidden romance. I loved both main characters (with a caveat for Vanessa), though maybe that's part of the problem?
Let me back up. The romance itself for these two is fantastic. I liked the durability of their relationship and that it had built over most of a decade. And built innocently because Vanessa was married for much of that time. So their yearning was hedged for good reason (both knowing they were attracted to the other but both diverting that to a trusting and emotionally resonant relationship that didn't betray the marriage in any way). Plus, Tereze does a great job with jumping back and forth in the timeline (a "feature" I normally find off-putting) so that we get the full romantic effect of them falling in love.
So there are two problems that plagued me and eventually pushed me out. The less important one is that I couldn't buy Vanessa's age. Note, this paragraph is a total overshare and feel free to skip it. She's my age, more-or-less, so when she described her dating history in college, I went "um, no, that's not how it worked". Now, bear in mind that I went to college in the US and this is set in England and there's no way that my experience was universal. Still, at the time (late 80s, early 90s) bisexual wasn't really on people's mind. If you dated/had sex with people of the same gender, you were gay. If you spread your favors to both genders, you were gay but in denial. I'm speaking here as a bisexual guy who didn't realize he was bisexual until well into his thirties because it just never occurred to me that those crushes on guys were anything like the crushes on girls. Okay, sure, I was obviously pretty clueless, but at the time, there just wasn't any need to look further than "I like girls". There were plenty of dating prospects without digging into why I kept wanting to hang out with Steve down the hall and hung on his every word even though he was abrasive and maybe a little mean.
The second, more important problem is that I just didn't buy the thing keeping them apart. The whole "in love with your best friend's mom" didn't seem like a bar for their romance. They both had really solid relationships with Lauren and Lauren was a totally chill woman without a prejudiced bone in her body. Indeed, there's a hint or two that Lauren might actually be pulling for them to get together because she kept coming up with excuses why they should spend time together (everyone knows that Emma is gay and I don't think Vanessa keeps her attraction to women as private as she thinks she does). So having that whole negative motivational* "oh no, we can't possibly" past the point where each has declared their love for the other just didn't work for me. I was getting increasingly frustrated and that pushed me out of the story.
I'll acknowledge that this second is totally a me thing. There's a thread in romance that is engaged by the whole "love/attraction overcoming every bar, social or legal". So their yearning for something they can't have and those scenes where they just can't help having a kiss that they know they shouldn't will be deeply engaging to many readers. Just not this one. Incidentally, if you want a great review from someone who found it interesting, you can't do better than my friend, pipsqueak's take on it.
Anyway, I'm going to dnf this because I was just getting frustrated and that's no fun. I'm giving it three stars because the romance really was great and I liked both characters and I want to acknowledge how well Tereze did presenting it as a romance even though we start at its culmination (where they're in love and both acknowledge it). Seriously great characters, my qualms aside.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back (or, if that link doesn't work, here's a cache of the original) and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
Let me back up. The romance itself for these two is fantastic. I liked the durability of their relationship and that it had built over most of a decade. And built innocently because Vanessa was married for much of that time. So their yearning was hedged for good reason (both knowing they were attracted to the other but both diverting that to a trusting and emotionally resonant relationship that didn't betray the marriage in any way). Plus, Tereze does a great job with jumping back and forth in the timeline (a "feature" I normally find off-putting) so that we get the full romantic effect of them falling in love.
So there are two problems that plagued me and eventually pushed me out. The less important one is that I couldn't buy Vanessa's age. Note, this paragraph is a total overshare and feel free to skip it. She's my age, more-or-less, so when she described her dating history in college, I went "um, no, that's not how it worked". Now, bear in mind that I went to college in the US and this is set in England and there's no way that my experience was universal. Still, at the time (late 80s, early 90s) bisexual wasn't really on people's mind. If you dated/had sex with people of the same gender, you were gay. If you spread your favors to both genders, you were gay but in denial. I'm speaking here as a bisexual guy who didn't realize he was bisexual until well into his thirties because it just never occurred to me that those crushes on guys were anything like the crushes on girls. Okay, sure, I was obviously pretty clueless, but at the time, there just wasn't any need to look further than "I like girls". There were plenty of dating prospects without digging into why I kept wanting to hang out with Steve down the hall and hung on his every word even though he was abrasive and maybe a little mean.
The second, more important problem is that I just didn't buy the thing keeping them apart. The whole "in love with your best friend's mom" didn't seem like a bar for their romance. They both had really solid relationships with Lauren and Lauren was a totally chill woman without a prejudiced bone in her body. Indeed, there's a hint or two that Lauren might actually be pulling for them to get together because she kept coming up with excuses why they should spend time together (everyone knows that Emma is gay and I don't think Vanessa keeps her attraction to women as private as she thinks she does). So having that whole negative motivational* "oh no, we can't possibly" past the point where each has declared their love for the other just didn't work for me. I was getting increasingly frustrated and that pushed me out of the story.
I'll acknowledge that this second is totally a me thing. There's a thread in romance that is engaged by the whole "love/attraction overcoming every bar, social or legal". So their yearning for something they can't have and those scenes where they just can't help having a kiss that they know they shouldn't will be deeply engaging to many readers. Just not this one. Incidentally, if you want a great review from someone who found it interesting, you can't do better than my friend, pipsqueak's take on it.
Anyway, I'm going to dnf this because I was just getting frustrated and that's no fun. I'm giving it three stars because the romance really was great and I liked both characters and I want to acknowledge how well Tereze did presenting it as a romance even though we start at its culmination (where they're in love and both acknowledge it). Seriously great characters, my qualms aside.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back (or, if that link doesn't work, here's a cache of the original) and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
June 13, 2021
While I enjoyed this audiobook, it felt like a much different experience than reading the book. I gave the book five stars and absolutely loved it. While the subject matter could have been cheesy, it was handled with care and was sexy as hell.
When I read books, I see them like a movie in my head. I can visualize the characters, hear how they speak and feel like I'm right there watching it all play out.
When narrator Emma Griffiths began the story, it's not at all how I heard them. Or how the interactions seemed. It's almost like it was another story - although I knew the outcome. And while a great narrator can raise a great book to yet another level, I didn't feel like that happened here.
So while this is certainly worth a listen, if you were only going to experience it one way I would definitely say go with the book. It felt like a much more personal experience. 3.5 stars
When I read books, I see them like a movie in my head. I can visualize the characters, hear how they speak and feel like I'm right there watching it all play out.
When narrator Emma Griffiths began the story, it's not at all how I heard them. Or how the interactions seemed. It's almost like it was another story - although I knew the outcome. And while a great narrator can raise a great book to yet another level, I didn't feel like that happened here.
So while this is certainly worth a listen, if you were only going to experience it one way I would definitely say go with the book. It felt like a much more personal experience. 3.5 stars
April 2, 2021
Age-gap, forbidden love, racy sexy scenes and angst... these are themes that have always interest me. But somehow, something about Mrs Middleton just didn’t click for me. Maybe it’s the term of endearment that was used; calling Vanessa ‘babe’ just didn’t sit right with me. Maybe I’m just not in the right headspace when I read it. And I’m all for communication, don’t get me wrong, but there were just too many reminisce or talk about how hot they both thought of each other back then, what they wanted to do to each other but never did.... that I kind of zone off a bit there. Things got a little more interesting and angsty at the 70% mark.
All in all, this was just an ok read for me.
All in all, this was just an ok read for me.
September 25, 2022
Unfortunately, this one just didn’t do it for me.
The premise was interesting, but I never rlly connected to either main character, and I found their dynamic… fine, if a bit frustrating. They just continually had the same conversation over and over again for like… a third of the book. “I’m in love with you, have been for years, you’re my whole life, but of course you don’t feel the same abt me” aaannnnd then the other one says BASICALLY THE SAME THING and then rinse repeat. And, if I had connected to either character and their dynamic then I could have gotten over the fact the the writing style felt a little off, awkward and slightly juvenile to me, but bc I WASNT connecting with anything, that felt more glaring to me, too. Which I always hate to say, bc it makes me feel like a snob, but there was a lot of dialogue (both actual, and inner monologue stuff) that just… did not feel at all how ppl actually talk to each other. I feel bad saying it but a lot of it felt off or cringy or slightly cheesy.
I’ll give this author another shot, but this one wasn’t it, for me.
The premise was interesting, but I never rlly connected to either main character, and I found their dynamic… fine, if a bit frustrating. They just continually had the same conversation over and over again for like… a third of the book. “I’m in love with you, have been for years, you’re my whole life, but of course you don’t feel the same abt me” aaannnnd then the other one says BASICALLY THE SAME THING and then rinse repeat. And, if I had connected to either character and their dynamic then I could have gotten over the fact the the writing style felt a little off, awkward and slightly juvenile to me, but bc I WASNT connecting with anything, that felt more glaring to me, too. Which I always hate to say, bc it makes me feel like a snob, but there was a lot of dialogue (both actual, and inner monologue stuff) that just… did not feel at all how ppl actually talk to each other. I feel bad saying it but a lot of it felt off or cringy or slightly cheesy.
I’ll give this author another shot, but this one wasn’t it, for me.
April 5, 2021
3.5 stars
Lots and lots of drama and angst. But it kept my attention even though all the drama sometimes felt a bit too contrived.
Lots and lots of drama and angst. But it kept my attention even though all the drama sometimes felt a bit too contrived.
March 25, 2021
Ok, this is a hard one. The book is good, in fact, I had a hard time putting it down. At times, as others have mentioned, it is pretty damn hot. Other times it’s was just a bit overboard and frustrating. My eyes are sore from all the eye rolling. I don’t mind angst, but these folks took martyrdom to a new level. Not one of them listened, or maybe they were all too busy throwing pity parties to care enough to listen. Also, I love a good age gap, but this book focuses on the relationship between a 30 something woman and her best friends mom. I just couldn’t get it out of my head how cringy that situation would be if they were heterosexual. That being said, I still liked it. The story is good, even if it is a bit extreme. The characters were well established, even if I did call them all degrading names. I mean, it was maddening, but entertaining. 3.5 stars.
May 20, 2021
Unfortunately, this book didn't click with me. It was interesting at the beginning, but soon all the drama was too much for me. The back and forth was stressing me out quite a bit. I just skimmed through the last third of the book.
I feel really bad to give only 1 star. It doesn't mean the book is bad, it's just not for me.
I feel really bad to give only 1 star. It doesn't mean the book is bad, it's just not for me.
April 9, 2021
Am I the only one to picture Cate Blanchett as Mrs Middleton? 3.45 stars. I lost count of all the “I love you’s”.
March 3, 2021
The first thing that actually came into my mind while I was reading this book was OMG. There wasn’t much else and I thought you definitely have to come up with more for this review. But again just OMG. 🤣
But now about the story. It’s an age-gap story and first of all it’s not always about what we want. Sometimes our actions affect others and how Melissa described the struggles Emma and Vanessa were going through was just fantastic. While they think they can’t be together because Emma is the best friend of Vanessa’s daughter, there still is these intense chemistry. Chemistry that is off the charts. I had to close my open mouth over and over again because it was just OMG.
Melissa also surprised me with something I didn’t expect at this point in the book. But it was a wonderful surprise because it gave the book a bit of different turn I totally loved. Those two together are just wow. And then at some point my heart got ripped out. All those feeling were so intense. I felt them like they were my own. I was totally speechless and just OMG once more. I literally couldn’t put this book down and was really irritated when I had to. lol
All in all this book is sexy, erotic, steamy, hot, romantic and sometimes sad. It made me laugh, cry and I was also falling apart with the characters. Characters I loved very much and I was able to relate to (especially with Emma). Melissa‘s ability to write angst is just fantastic. I also think the book should come with a warning label. I mean if you’re living where it’s hot you will definitely need lots of ice and maybe an inhaler for air.
So if you love to read about all the things I just described, it’s a must read. If you’re not a fan of angst, maybe then it’s not. Even if I think you should give it a try anyway. Because I honestly can’t recommend this story enough. I think it’s Melissa’s best work even if there are so many other books by her that have a special place in my heart.
And in the end for me this book is just OMG in the most positive way. 🤩😍
I received an advance reader copy from the author and voluntarily leaving an honest and unbiased review.
But now about the story. It’s an age-gap story and first of all it’s not always about what we want. Sometimes our actions affect others and how Melissa described the struggles Emma and Vanessa were going through was just fantastic. While they think they can’t be together because Emma is the best friend of Vanessa’s daughter, there still is these intense chemistry. Chemistry that is off the charts. I had to close my open mouth over and over again because it was just OMG.
Melissa also surprised me with something I didn’t expect at this point in the book. But it was a wonderful surprise because it gave the book a bit of different turn I totally loved. Those two together are just wow. And then at some point my heart got ripped out. All those feeling were so intense. I felt them like they were my own. I was totally speechless and just OMG once more. I literally couldn’t put this book down and was really irritated when I had to. lol
All in all this book is sexy, erotic, steamy, hot, romantic and sometimes sad. It made me laugh, cry and I was also falling apart with the characters. Characters I loved very much and I was able to relate to (especially with Emma). Melissa‘s ability to write angst is just fantastic. I also think the book should come with a warning label. I mean if you’re living where it’s hot you will definitely need lots of ice and maybe an inhaler for air.
So if you love to read about all the things I just described, it’s a must read. If you’re not a fan of angst, maybe then it’s not. Even if I think you should give it a try anyway. Because I honestly can’t recommend this story enough. I think it’s Melissa’s best work even if there are so many other books by her that have a special place in my heart.
And in the end for me this book is just OMG in the most positive way. 🤩😍
I received an advance reader copy from the author and voluntarily leaving an honest and unbiased review.
April 5, 2021
I generally enjoy age gap stories but I was so challenged with this one.
First, I didn’t understand the chemistry. I didn’t understand what brought these two characters together. I got ‘they wanted each other’ and ‘they wanted each other a lot’ over and over again. The problem is I didn’t really understand why?
Emma’s character was annoying. I found her a little childish and read her more like a sulky teenager with a crush which would have been fine except she was an adult that had overcome bad circumstances and traveled the world.
You know the lesbian stereotype that everything has to be talked to death? The conversations between the characters were exactly that.
There was so much repetition in the story. How many ways can we hear that Vanessa just wanted simple company and a simple life?
I also don’t understand how Emma was homeless and sleeping in her car but all of a sudden can take Vanessa on a holiday to a lodge or buy her ring.
Then there was the ex husband that felt more static than integrated in the story.
This one was just too much push me pull me and overly dramatic for me.
First, I didn’t understand the chemistry. I didn’t understand what brought these two characters together. I got ‘they wanted each other’ and ‘they wanted each other a lot’ over and over again. The problem is I didn’t really understand why?
Emma’s character was annoying. I found her a little childish and read her more like a sulky teenager with a crush which would have been fine except she was an adult that had overcome bad circumstances and traveled the world.
You know the lesbian stereotype that everything has to be talked to death? The conversations between the characters were exactly that.
There was so much repetition in the story. How many ways can we hear that Vanessa just wanted simple company and a simple life?
I also don’t understand how Emma was homeless and sleeping in her car but all of a sudden can take Vanessa on a holiday to a lodge or buy her ring.
Then there was the ex husband that felt more static than integrated in the story.
This one was just too much push me pull me and overly dramatic for me.
June 1, 2021
Very hot and intense! Both Vanessa and Emma were great characters, brilliantly written, and very spicy. A firm favourite from this author!
April 6, 2021
Do you have any idea how much time authors waste writing break ups? In lesfic now it's safe to say 80% of all books have a break up in it. You (dear author) score *massive* points with me as a reader if you actually wrote PLOT instead of wasting our time breaking the MC's up. It's such a tired trope nowadays.
This book's major selling point obviously is the age gap. Just about all aspects of that main plot arc was done very well. The contrived BS angst was written in between mother/daughter and BFF/daughter and was completely unbelievable. There was NOTHING written to explain why the daughter would react the way she did, never mind the fact that a grown ass human being who is 50 years old would act like she's 15 and freak out like she did. There was no supporting structure around the angst plot points whatsoever. It was flimsy, eye rolling, and ripped me as a reader completely out of the plausibility of the novel.
Waste of bloody time if you ask me.
This book's major selling point obviously is the age gap. Just about all aspects of that main plot arc was done very well. The contrived BS angst was written in between mother/daughter and BFF/daughter and was completely unbelievable. There was NOTHING written to explain why the daughter would react the way she did, never mind the fact that a grown ass human being who is 50 years old would act like she's 15 and freak out like she did. There was no supporting structure around the angst plot points whatsoever. It was flimsy, eye rolling, and ripped me as a reader completely out of the plausibility of the novel.
Waste of bloody time if you ask me.
April 11, 2021
To be honest the premise of falling for the best friend’s mother didn’t attract me, but since I’ve read so diverse reviews about the book, I got curious.
I agree with some GR friends about some forced situations as the “Babe” thing from the beginning. Also, I took pity for Emma, that every time that there was an issue in her friend’s house, she became, automatically, a homeless person all over again. Where was all Mrs Middleton love for her then?
So, it was an uneasy topic at the beginning, and I had to dealt with some disconnections, but then for some reason this drama clicked with me and I ended enjoying the read.
I began to like other things about the book, like how characters were changing their perspective of the conflicts and how they worked through bad decisions and went into second chances, like it often happens in real life.
I understand now why many readers loved this book, and others couldn’t feel through it.
I agree with some GR friends about some forced situations as the “Babe” thing from the beginning. Also, I took pity for Emma, that every time that there was an issue in her friend’s house, she became, automatically, a homeless person all over again. Where was all Mrs Middleton love for her then?
So, it was an uneasy topic at the beginning, and I had to dealt with some disconnections, but then for some reason this drama clicked with me and I ended enjoying the read.
I began to like other things about the book, like how characters were changing their perspective of the conflicts and how they worked through bad decisions and went into second chances, like it often happens in real life.
I understand now why many readers loved this book, and others couldn’t feel through it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2022
There was a lot of angst in this book and not enough character development. The emotional element felt lost on me. I failed to connect with the main characters and didn't really feel either one was as mature as their age would have suggested.
The dialogue was repetitive, shallow and so overly explanatory, like two young, insecure women trying to convince one another that the other is the love of their life but failing miserably at it.
The "baby" and "babe" felt so out of place.
The sex scenes were hot although some didn't make much sense and sounded far fetched.
By the end it all turned into a mess and I had a really hard time believing those two could ever manage a long-term relationship with all the pointless, confusing melodrama.
The dialogue was repetitive, shallow and so overly explanatory, like two young, insecure women trying to convince one another that the other is the love of their life but failing miserably at it.
The "baby" and "babe" felt so out of place.
The sex scenes were hot although some didn't make much sense and sounded far fetched.
By the end it all turned into a mess and I had a really hard time believing those two could ever manage a long-term relationship with all the pointless, confusing melodrama.
Read
April 9, 2021When a book’s title starts with “Mrs”, I always hoped to relive my great reading experience to that of After Mrs Hamilton by Clare Ashton.
In word of fairness, I could be in a book slump situation, this book could not hold my attention. I always enjoyed age gap romances, but the fact that the two main characters kept harping on the best friend’s mother as an impediment on starting a romantic relationship, yet losing control physically. I found it lame.
Thanks to Ted’s review, I finally decided to stop reading and move on to greener pastures.
In word of fairness, I could be in a book slump situation, this book could not hold my attention. I always enjoyed age gap romances, but the fact that the two main characters kept harping on the best friend’s mother as an impediment on starting a romantic relationship, yet losing control physically. I found it lame.
Thanks to Ted’s review, I finally decided to stop reading and move on to greener pastures.
November 16, 2022
Love love this book
June 4, 2021
This was well-written and an unusual choice for the love interests. Some angst, but all in all mostly lovely lovable characters. This is the first Melissa Tereze book I've read, and I'll definitely try some of her others.
September 30, 2022
I loved loved loved this book. Emma and Lauren have been best friends since university. Emma didn’t get on with her family, so she spent her holidays with Lauren’s family, which included her mother Mrs Middleton. Emma has been in love with Mrs Middleton for years, but she was married and unattainable. When Emma comes back after a sabbatical in Africa, she finds that Mrs Middleton is getting divorced. What happens after that will an emotional rollercoaster of a read, but well worth it in the end. Would highly recommend it.
June 17, 2025
I was leaning toward a 2 for the story, but the writing itself was smooth and error-free, so I'm rounding up.
Overall, it was just an okay read. The plot was 286 pages of emotional whiplash—constant back-and-forth between “I love you but this can never work” and “Trust me, it will work because we love each other.” It ended up feeling like drama just for the sake of drama.
Emma and Vanessa were decent main characters, but their love story was so over-the-top at times that it veered into cringey territory. If you're looking for a quick, easy read filled with dramatic declarations and emotional rollercoasters, this might be up your alley. Otherwise, you might find it a bit much, like I did.
Overall, it was just an okay read. The plot was 286 pages of emotional whiplash—constant back-and-forth between “I love you but this can never work” and “Trust me, it will work because we love each other.” It ended up feeling like drama just for the sake of drama.
Emma and Vanessa were decent main characters, but their love story was so over-the-top at times that it veered into cringey territory. If you're looking for a quick, easy read filled with dramatic declarations and emotional rollercoasters, this might be up your alley. Otherwise, you might find it a bit much, like I did.
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