What do you think?
Rate this book
Aces in Love #3
It's Always Been You
Twenty-six-year-old Courtney Davenport is loud, fun, and always the heart of a party. She's also asexual and runs a talking service for other aces who are worried about coming out.
But when her sworn enemy Sophie Sway phones the helpline, Courtney is thrown.
Courtney and Sophie have been enemies forever. Growing up at an expensive boarding school that pitted them against each other has ensured their rivalry lasted way beyond graduation. And now Sophie's not just coming out to her--unknowing that it is Courtney at the end of the line--but worse! In the coincidence of the century, Sophie's also moving next door.
Furious, Courtney decides to do everything in her power to make Sophie think her new apartment is haunted, so she'll move away. But then the two of them are invited to participate in a reality-style TV show where their rivalry is turned into a game. Now, there's no way Courtney can get away from Sophie as each of them is encouraged to carry out more and more elaborate pranks on the other in order to be crowned the winner.
And the more time Courtney spends around Sophie, the more she begins to question her feelings about her...
After all, love is a small step away from hate.
Each book in the Aces in Love series can be read as a standalone; no prior knowledge of the series is needed to enjoy these stories!
But when her sworn enemy Sophie Sway phones the helpline, Courtney is thrown.
Courtney and Sophie have been enemies forever. Growing up at an expensive boarding school that pitted them against each other has ensured their rivalry lasted way beyond graduation. And now Sophie's not just coming out to her--unknowing that it is Courtney at the end of the line--but worse! In the coincidence of the century, Sophie's also moving next door.
Furious, Courtney decides to do everything in her power to make Sophie think her new apartment is haunted, so she'll move away. But then the two of them are invited to participate in a reality-style TV show where their rivalry is turned into a game. Now, there's no way Courtney can get away from Sophie as each of them is encouraged to carry out more and more elaborate pranks on the other in order to be crowned the winner.
And the more time Courtney spends around Sophie, the more she begins to question her feelings about her...
After all, love is a small step away from hate.
Each book in the Aces in Love series can be read as a standalone; no prior knowledge of the series is needed to enjoy these stories!
188 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 29, 2021
22 people are currently reading
886 people want to read
About the author
Elin Annalise
9 books58 followersElin Annalise writes sweet contemporary romance, with many of her books featuring asexual characters (the Aces in Love series and Looking For Hope). She graduated from Exeter University, where she studied English literature and watched the baby rabbits play on the lawns when she should’ve been taking notes on Milton and Homer. She’s a big fan of koi carp, cats, and dreaming.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
October 19, 2021
CW: bullying, acephobia, eating disorder, abusive ex boyfriend, stalking and threats
I'm an own voices asexual reviewer.
For once I'm writing a review immediately after
finishing and I'm feeling a little bit conflicted. On one hand I am 100% here for a sapphic asexual romance and I really want to commend the author on being able to include a lot of asexuality 101 without it sounding preachy necessarily. But this book also has a shit ton of acephobia and it almost leads me to believe that this book was not written for asexual readers but for allo readers and I would totally recommend it for allosexual people to read especially if they were unfamiliar with some aspects of asexuality.
The premise of this book is that one of the MC's, Courtney, is the good little asexual who was a scholarship student at her private boarding school and has now grown up into a successful adult who also volunteers her time at a call center dedicated to providing asexuals and friends and family of asexual support. Then there is Sophie who was the mean girl at the boarding school and she has grown up into an adult with a toxic ex, and eating disorder, and a lot of internalized aphobia. The two of them would prefer to never meet again but just so happens that Sophie moves in upstairs in the building that Courtney lives in. Not only that, but they end up in some bizarre prank wars video vlog for one of Courtney's friends and Sophie calls the ace support helpline and talks to Courtney who goes by the name Tabitha there.
This book tries to do too much. It unfortunately leads to a lot of plot points being underdeveloped and left unfinished. Sophie is the one who gets saddled with all of the baggage in this. She has lost both of her parents and she has an eating disorder that is not really confronted very well. She also has a toxic emotionally manipulative and potentially physically abusive ex-boyfriend who is stalking her. That particular plot point leads to some drama surrounding a break in and none of it is ever really fleshed out. Then there is the video vlog that is done by Courtney's friend Zara for some reason that I can't even remember why they do it. Then there is Courtney's friend Zoe who apparently is a hypochondriac but also has been diagnosed with endometriosis and after you hear about that you never hear about it again. It was just too much information. Of course all of that is also combined with Sophie and Courtney apparently coming friends even though you never really see that happen on page you just told it happened and with Courtney working at the support center where there is a lot of really great discussion about different topics with an asexuality that she discusses with different helpline callers.
If I'm being super honest, this book is a little bit of a hot mess. It had a lot of potential to be good and it's not necessarily bad, it just felt unfinished. I would almost recommend it to allo readers for the purpose of learning more about asexuality because that content is really great. I don't think that I would recommend this one to asexual readers because I wish I had known about the massive amount of aesthetic rhetoric and bullying that takes place on page because it was difficult to get through.
There's also a passage where Courtney is on a helpline call and she's talking with someone who is sex repulsed and instead of using the term sex favorable to explain the other side of the spectrum of being sex repulsed, she uses the term sex positive which is the wrong term and can lead to some really harmful and problematic stereotypes about sex repulsed people being sex negative. Friendly reminder that sex positivity and sex negativity are cultural attitudes toward sex, whereas sex favorable, sex-neutral, and sex repulsed are personal attitudes towards sex. Cultural attitudes being the attitude in which someone views other people's sexual activity and personal attitudes being the attitudes in which someone views their own participation in sexual activity.
I'm an own voices asexual reviewer.
For once I'm writing a review immediately after
finishing and I'm feeling a little bit conflicted. On one hand I am 100% here for a sapphic asexual romance and I really want to commend the author on being able to include a lot of asexuality 101 without it sounding preachy necessarily. But this book also has a shit ton of acephobia and it almost leads me to believe that this book was not written for asexual readers but for allo readers and I would totally recommend it for allosexual people to read especially if they were unfamiliar with some aspects of asexuality.
The premise of this book is that one of the MC's, Courtney, is the good little asexual who was a scholarship student at her private boarding school and has now grown up into a successful adult who also volunteers her time at a call center dedicated to providing asexuals and friends and family of asexual support. Then there is Sophie who was the mean girl at the boarding school and she has grown up into an adult with a toxic ex, and eating disorder, and a lot of internalized aphobia. The two of them would prefer to never meet again but just so happens that Sophie moves in upstairs in the building that Courtney lives in. Not only that, but they end up in some bizarre prank wars video vlog for one of Courtney's friends and Sophie calls the ace support helpline and talks to Courtney who goes by the name Tabitha there.
This book tries to do too much. It unfortunately leads to a lot of plot points being underdeveloped and left unfinished. Sophie is the one who gets saddled with all of the baggage in this. She has lost both of her parents and she has an eating disorder that is not really confronted very well. She also has a toxic emotionally manipulative and potentially physically abusive ex-boyfriend who is stalking her. That particular plot point leads to some drama surrounding a break in and none of it is ever really fleshed out. Then there is the video vlog that is done by Courtney's friend Zara for some reason that I can't even remember why they do it. Then there is Courtney's friend Zoe who apparently is a hypochondriac but also has been diagnosed with endometriosis and after you hear about that you never hear about it again. It was just too much information. Of course all of that is also combined with Sophie and Courtney apparently coming friends even though you never really see that happen on page you just told it happened and with Courtney working at the support center where there is a lot of really great discussion about different topics with an asexuality that she discusses with different helpline callers.
If I'm being super honest, this book is a little bit of a hot mess. It had a lot of potential to be good and it's not necessarily bad, it just felt unfinished. I would almost recommend it to allo readers for the purpose of learning more about asexuality because that content is really great. I don't think that I would recommend this one to asexual readers because I wish I had known about the massive amount of aesthetic rhetoric and bullying that takes place on page because it was difficult to get through.
There's also a passage where Courtney is on a helpline call and she's talking with someone who is sex repulsed and instead of using the term sex favorable to explain the other side of the spectrum of being sex repulsed, she uses the term sex positive which is the wrong term and can lead to some really harmful and problematic stereotypes about sex repulsed people being sex negative. Friendly reminder that sex positivity and sex negativity are cultural attitudes toward sex, whereas sex favorable, sex-neutral, and sex repulsed are personal attitudes towards sex. Cultural attitudes being the attitude in which someone views other people's sexual activity and personal attitudes being the attitudes in which someone views their own participation in sexual activity.
February 9, 2023
A generous 3* - I didn’t warm to either character. Don’t really know what else to write. Sad, as I had high hopes for this series.
September 2, 2022
Trigger warnings: aphobia, bullying, stalking, outing, mentions of eating disorder, death of a parent (in the past)
Sigh. I had high hopes for this after really enjoying the first book in the series. But this one, for some reason, just didn't hit the same way. I think it's partly because it's about two women who were at high school together and one bullied the other. Now, years later, the bullied is working at a helpline for asexual people and their loved ones when her bully calls in asking for help. She knows who it is. She doesn't say anything. And, like, I didn't love that from an ethical perspective.
I also struggled at times because this felt like it was less about the relationship between Courtney and Sophie and more about being a series of public service announcements about asexuality. And, like, don't get me wrong. I know the majority of the public knows sweet fuck all about asexuality and is therefore in dire need of said public service announcements. But every time Courtney took a phone call, it pulled me out of the story and I found myself skim reading.
So ultimately? Not for me, and I wished the romance side of things had been far more at the centre of the story than it was, given the premise.
Sigh. I had high hopes for this after really enjoying the first book in the series. But this one, for some reason, just didn't hit the same way. I think it's partly because it's about two women who were at high school together and one bullied the other. Now, years later, the bullied is working at a helpline for asexual people and their loved ones when her bully calls in asking for help. She knows who it is. She doesn't say anything. And, like, I didn't love that from an ethical perspective.
I also struggled at times because this felt like it was less about the relationship between Courtney and Sophie and more about being a series of public service announcements about asexuality. And, like, don't get me wrong. I know the majority of the public knows sweet fuck all about asexuality and is therefore in dire need of said public service announcements. But every time Courtney took a phone call, it pulled me out of the story and I found myself skim reading.
So ultimately? Not for me, and I wished the romance side of things had been far more at the centre of the story than it was, given the premise.
Read
April 30, 2021Hello! Please be aware that there was a mix-up with the Amazon preorders and sales on the first day for this book and they sent out the preorder template draft rather than the final book to approximately half of the readers.
If you have the version where my parents are the last people listed in the acknowledgements, then it's the WRONG draft. Message me or contact me on Twitter @ElinAnnalise with a screenshot of the last page of the acknowledgements, and I can send you the correct one.
I was so disappointed that this has happened as it's meant a significant number of readers have a version where the last 60 pages are UNEDITED in terms of line edits and copy edits (there ARE continuity errors in this version). This draft should never have been delivered to readers, and Amazon is currently investigating...
If you have the version where my parents are the last people listed in the acknowledgements, then it's the WRONG draft. Message me or contact me on Twitter @ElinAnnalise with a screenshot of the last page of the acknowledgements, and I can send you the correct one.
I was so disappointed that this has happened as it's meant a significant number of readers have a version where the last 60 pages are UNEDITED in terms of line edits and copy edits (there ARE continuity errors in this version). This draft should never have been delivered to readers, and Amazon is currently investigating...
May 15, 2023
Wow this was shit.
Nothing in this book worked. Nothing. I’m honestly a bit in awe by that.
The characters were so unlikable. They were acting like unethical assholes the entire time, were stuck up or were just otherwise written in ways to make it impossible to like them. There was no spark in their relationships. Nothing was worked out. Nothing was properly developed.
The plot was stuffed by a bunch of stuff. It felt like the author was afraid she would run out of things to write about and kept throwing new ideas into the story. In the end, nothing was resolved. The book didn’t deal with any of the things it attempted in an appropriate manner.
Nothing in this book worked. Nothing. I’m honestly a bit in awe by that.
The characters were so unlikable. They were acting like unethical assholes the entire time, were stuck up or were just otherwise written in ways to make it impossible to like them. There was no spark in their relationships. Nothing was worked out. Nothing was properly developed.
The plot was stuffed by a bunch of stuff. It felt like the author was afraid she would run out of things to write about and kept throwing new ideas into the story. In the end, nothing was resolved. The book didn’t deal with any of the things it attempted in an appropriate manner.
December 9, 2021
It's Always Been You caught my attention when I was looking for wintry romances to help me make the yuletide gay. I liked the ace representation and thought that the enemies-to-lovers relationship between Courtney and Sophie had a lot of potential, but I couldn't connect with any of the supporting characters or the whole prank war plot. I felt like there were too many extraneous details and unrealistic moments, and I just wanted the book to settle down and focus.
April 30, 2021
I was given a free copy of “It’s always been you” by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I want to start by commenting that if you are not looking for negativity surrounding the topic, you should not read this book. There is a bit of bullying happening at the beginning, and it can be off-putting, even if it’s something that probably happened a million times in real life, if you just want an all fluffy book without dark moments, this one is not it.
So TW for characters being bullied for being asexual.
The book is informative on the subject of asexuality, having a character that is new to it and still discovering herself, and another character that is more experienced and comfortable with who she is.
The trope “enemies to lovers” may call a lot of people, which is exactly what happens with the main pair.
It’s great that it has two female main characters that end up working around their past history, and that both are ace. It means that it has double-representation within the LGTBQIA+ community, and that’s great. Representation matters.
I felt a bit uncomfortable reading this book due to the interactions the characters had at some points, that seemed stereotyped, but I’m sure that for people that want to learn more about themselves or the subject, it’s great and light-ish.
It’s a rom-com, so it can have tons of cliches, which is great if you are into that. It is mostly a light book (if you jump through the character-bully-parts).
It is realistic that people do get bullied for being ace, so it’s worth the representation to those that never experienced it (like allistics who want to learn more and would like to be more supportive!).
Having been there myself, I was not in the mood for it, and would have preferred to know in advance so I could mentally prepare for it and/or skip it. So I’m leaving this for those that are like me.
I want to start by commenting that if you are not looking for negativity surrounding the topic, you should not read this book. There is a bit of bullying happening at the beginning, and it can be off-putting, even if it’s something that probably happened a million times in real life, if you just want an all fluffy book without dark moments, this one is not it.
So TW for characters being bullied for being asexual.
The book is informative on the subject of asexuality, having a character that is new to it and still discovering herself, and another character that is more experienced and comfortable with who she is.
The trope “enemies to lovers” may call a lot of people, which is exactly what happens with the main pair.
It’s great that it has two female main characters that end up working around their past history, and that both are ace. It means that it has double-representation within the LGTBQIA+ community, and that’s great. Representation matters.
I felt a bit uncomfortable reading this book due to the interactions the characters had at some points, that seemed stereotyped, but I’m sure that for people that want to learn more about themselves or the subject, it’s great and light-ish.
It’s a rom-com, so it can have tons of cliches, which is great if you are into that. It is mostly a light book (if you jump through the character-bully-parts).
It is realistic that people do get bullied for being ace, so it’s worth the representation to those that never experienced it (like allistics who want to learn more and would like to be more supportive!).
Having been there myself, I was not in the mood for it, and would have preferred to know in advance so I could mentally prepare for it and/or skip it. So I’m leaving this for those that are like me.
May 10, 2021
I recieved an early copy for honest review purposes. I DNFed it, but that was not due to the writing, which I enjoyed.
This was my first book by the author, and I enjoyed it for the most part. Courtney and Sophie in the present day were engaging characters and well written.
The chapters set in high school felt a little too unrealistic to me, though perhaps that was because I was the bullied kid and not the popular one and don't really have that perspective. They did ground the story in the past and how that affected their relationship then and now.
Three stars for the writing being solid and the plot moving well, even if I could not finish it for personal reasons.
This was my first book by the author, and I enjoyed it for the most part. Courtney and Sophie in the present day were engaging characters and well written.
The chapters set in high school felt a little too unrealistic to me, though perhaps that was because I was the bullied kid and not the popular one and don't really have that perspective. They did ground the story in the past and how that affected their relationship then and now.
Three stars for the writing being solid and the plot moving well, even if I could not finish it for personal reasons.
December 20, 2021
**3 stars for plot/characters + 1 star for major ace rep**
I would not consider this book a romantic comedy — way too many heavy topics and not enough romance — but I really appreciated the thorough representation of asexuality.
CW: acephobia, disordered eating, bullying, emotionally abusive ex, stalking, parental pressure
I would not consider this book a romantic comedy — way too many heavy topics and not enough romance — but I really appreciated the thorough representation of asexuality.
CW: acephobia, disordered eating, bullying, emotionally abusive ex, stalking, parental pressure
December 22, 2024
2.5
A surprising lack of trigger warnings for all the difficult topics covered here. There were some insightful conversations had but for the most part I think it tried to do too much in not very many pages so it felt quite surface level.
A surprising lack of trigger warnings for all the difficult topics covered here. There were some insightful conversations had but for the most part I think it tried to do too much in not very many pages so it felt quite surface level.
May 29, 2022
Educational, yes. Entertaining, no.
To rant a bit, the characters in this book were severely flawed, and not in a "this person is so complex and interesting" way, but a "this character is not well-written" sort of way.
Courtney is an extremely shady person. The first time Sophie calls the helpline she volunteers at, she realises that it's her old school friend slash rival and does not immediately indicate the conflict to someone and get off the case. She also chooses a moment of upset vulnerability where Sophie is looking for support and possibly a place to stay to make her move romantically and it's just so cringy that I nearly stopped reading there.
Sophie, on the other hand, is a reasonably well known model, is nearly thirty, and has no real relationship with her stepmother, and yet lets her stepmother get away with absolute murder, including dragging her to a doctors appointment. She's an incredibly passive character and that always irritates me.
Further things that are completely unresolved in this book (spoilers):
Too many extremely weird and badly resolved things for me to enjoy this one, I'm afraid.
To rant a bit, the characters in this book were severely flawed, and not in a "this person is so complex and interesting" way, but a "this character is not well-written" sort of way.
Courtney is an extremely shady person. The first time Sophie calls the helpline she volunteers at, she realises that it's her old school friend slash rival and does not immediately indicate the conflict to someone and get off the case. She also chooses a moment of upset vulnerability where Sophie is looking for support and possibly a place to stay to make her move romantically and it's just so cringy that I nearly stopped reading there.
Sophie, on the other hand, is a reasonably well known model, is nearly thirty, and has no real relationship with her stepmother, and yet lets her stepmother get away with absolute murder, including dragging her to a doctors appointment. She's an incredibly passive character and that always irritates me.
Further things that are completely unresolved in this book (spoilers):
Too many extremely weird and badly resolved things for me to enjoy this one, I'm afraid.
October 18, 2021
I wish this had been just 50 pages longer for more resolution at the end.
dnf
July 20, 2024[I DNF’ed this book.] Firstly, this book starts cute; I like the characterization and while I am not often a fan of duel points of view, but it was done well and was interesting insight into each love interest’s backstory. They are both fully fleshed out, with motives for their actions that make sense, and they each have different types of worries that affect their life.
Secondly, a childhood enemies to lovers story is a great cliche. I more like childhood rivals to lovers, but enemies can be good as well. So, off to a great start.
Here comes why I ended up DNF-ing it, which it’s been a little while since I read it, and I kept telling myself I would go back to it, but my library copy had to be returned and I am to lazy to put myself back on the waitlist.
While the writing is wonderful and I like the characters, there was not mention of a humiliation game in the summary and I do not like embarrassment whatsoever. Even a hint of it. This planned drawn out embarrassment immediately turned me off the story and while I did love the characters (so I kept telling myself I’d go back), I can’t handle it, especially planned harassment.
The rest of this I’m going to put behind spoilers:
This book is perfect for someone, but not me.
Secondly, a childhood enemies to lovers story is a great cliche. I more like childhood rivals to lovers, but enemies can be good as well. So, off to a great start.
Here comes why I ended up DNF-ing it, which it’s been a little while since I read it, and I kept telling myself I would go back to it, but my library copy had to be returned and I am to lazy to put myself back on the waitlist.
While the writing is wonderful and I like the characters, there was not mention of a humiliation game in the summary and I do not like embarrassment whatsoever. Even a hint of it. This planned drawn out embarrassment immediately turned me off the story and while I did love the characters (so I kept telling myself I’d go back), I can’t handle it, especially planned harassment.
The rest of this I’m going to put behind spoilers:
This book is perfect for someone, but not me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2024
This novel started off strong, had some excellent moments throughout, but ultimately crashed and burned in the end and failed to pull everything together. I feel bad giving the rating that I did. The parts that made it onto the page were great; the problem was all of the parts that didn't. If you don't mind dropped/unresolved plotlines then this could be the perfect book for you.
At its core the story follows Courtney and Sophie who didn't get along when they were in school together and now find themselves living in the same apartment building, and crossing paths a surprising amount. Through a series of events, sub-plots and side characters, the main characters grow closer.
The Good:
-The writing, the characters characterization, and lots of the plot elements were very well done. The author is a good writer from what I can see and I was drawn into the story and excited to see where it was going and what would happen next.
-The ace representation! This novel did a great job in giving some basic ace 101 knowledge without it being too dry or feeling like a lecture. Everything wasn't perfect, but the overall result was a great job.
The Perhaps Not Quite as Great:
-Abandoned or unresolved plotlines. This is the vast majority of my complaints regarding this novel. This book had a LOT of things going on and a lot of plotlines/sub-plots started, which I generally like in a novel, however most of them never went anywhere and the reader is left hanging. To be clear these plotlines were not unsatisfying, they were entirely dropped and forgotten. It felt like someone ripped out the last 1/3 of the book and no one noticed before it was published. I cant explain further without spoilers (or not, as the plots were dropped) but I was left at the end of this book with SO many questions and a lot of disappointment.
-Similarly, the ending of the main plotline was very rushed and unsatisfying. I can't say that it was even an ending because when I reflect on it I realize that a lot of things were left up in the air. This could have been an intentional decision as there WAS an ending/resolution in a sense, but it wasn't enough for me personally.
-The tone of the novel was all over the place, which can be fine, but it didn't work in this case. The juxtaposition of some very serious situations with the attempt at comedic elements didn't align well. The majority of this novel was rather serious in tone and tackled serious issues, but attempted to ultimately be a comedy.
At its core the story follows Courtney and Sophie who didn't get along when they were in school together and now find themselves living in the same apartment building, and crossing paths a surprising amount. Through a series of events, sub-plots and side characters, the main characters grow closer.
The Good:
-The writing, the characters characterization, and lots of the plot elements were very well done. The author is a good writer from what I can see and I was drawn into the story and excited to see where it was going and what would happen next.
-The ace representation! This novel did a great job in giving some basic ace 101 knowledge without it being too dry or feeling like a lecture. Everything wasn't perfect, but the overall result was a great job.
The Perhaps Not Quite as Great:
-Abandoned or unresolved plotlines. This is the vast majority of my complaints regarding this novel. This book had a LOT of things going on and a lot of plotlines/sub-plots started, which I generally like in a novel, however most of them never went anywhere and the reader is left hanging. To be clear these plotlines were not unsatisfying, they were entirely dropped and forgotten. It felt like someone ripped out the last 1/3 of the book and no one noticed before it was published. I cant explain further without spoilers (or not, as the plots were dropped) but I was left at the end of this book with SO many questions and a lot of disappointment.
-Similarly, the ending of the main plotline was very rushed and unsatisfying. I can't say that it was even an ending because when I reflect on it I realize that a lot of things were left up in the air. This could have been an intentional decision as there WAS an ending/resolution in a sense, but it wasn't enough for me personally.
-The tone of the novel was all over the place, which can be fine, but it didn't work in this case. The juxtaposition of some very serious situations with the attempt at comedic elements didn't align well. The majority of this novel was rather serious in tone and tackled serious issues, but attempted to ultimately be a comedy.
April 30, 2021
This third book in the Aces in Love collection is just as sweet as the others, with new characters, new stakes, and new swoon-worthy moments.
Two very different women: Courtney, an out Asexual interior designer who volunteers at an Ace helpline, and Sophie, an incredibly driven entrepreneur with her eyes set on writing and acting. They were rivals in school: a healthy rivalry that turned sour. Now young adults, they're navigating the world as best they can with their own struggles, until certain events make them neighbors. In order to help out a friend in film school, Courtney suggests they pick up their old rivalry in the form of pranks for a fake game show. But Sophie has a secret: she's ace too, and the only person she's told is a friendly voice from a helpline. Only problem? That friendly voice... is Courtney.
I loved so much about this book. You can feel right away that while feelings were hurt and soured between them, there's still this connection between the two women. They slowly remember the details that made them such formidable rivals as young girls. All this interspaced with playful pranks (some more successful than others) and emotional baggage they both need to process.
Asexual and ace-questioning readers will find a lot to connect to in this one, beyond the romance: Courtney's work at the Ace helpline has her dealing with the kind of questions that are so familiar to anyone in the queer community. And a massive plot point revolves around an unexpected reaction to a coming out, which might hit very close to home for some. The author doesn't shy away from these very real moments.
All in all, it's a fun, sweet read with very real moments. Perfect for anyone who's looking for a romance full of feels.
Two very different women: Courtney, an out Asexual interior designer who volunteers at an Ace helpline, and Sophie, an incredibly driven entrepreneur with her eyes set on writing and acting. They were rivals in school: a healthy rivalry that turned sour. Now young adults, they're navigating the world as best they can with their own struggles, until certain events make them neighbors. In order to help out a friend in film school, Courtney suggests they pick up their old rivalry in the form of pranks for a fake game show. But Sophie has a secret: she's ace too, and the only person she's told is a friendly voice from a helpline. Only problem? That friendly voice... is Courtney.
I loved so much about this book. You can feel right away that while feelings were hurt and soured between them, there's still this connection between the two women. They slowly remember the details that made them such formidable rivals as young girls. All this interspaced with playful pranks (some more successful than others) and emotional baggage they both need to process.
Asexual and ace-questioning readers will find a lot to connect to in this one, beyond the romance: Courtney's work at the Ace helpline has her dealing with the kind of questions that are so familiar to anyone in the queer community. And a massive plot point revolves around an unexpected reaction to a coming out, which might hit very close to home for some. The author doesn't shy away from these very real moments.
All in all, it's a fun, sweet read with very real moments. Perfect for anyone who's looking for a romance full of feels.
August 10, 2025
I loved the idea of an ace love story but did have to take a point off my score for the incorrect acephobic language used by the author. The opposite of sex repulsed is sex favourable NOT sex positive, and to imply that is the opposite is extremely offensive. It's sex repulsed, sex neutral and sex favourable. Sex positivity and sex negativity are completely separate things. Being sex repulsed does not mean you are sex negative, many sex repulsed people are sex positive, they are fine with all consenting sexual activity, they just don't want to be a part of it. In the same way that a sex favourable person could be sex negative. One does not equal the other and it is so disrespectful, dangerous and hurtful to suggest otherwise. This book only came out in 2021 as well so I can't even give it a pass on being outdated, the author and sensitivity readers should've known better.
Apart from this, the ace representation and the little bits where the main character was informing callers on asexuality were really good for readers who weren't familiar with asexuality (when that information was correct). I really liked having two female ace characters and how there were no intrusive crude parts of them where they justify or tone down their aceness for an over sexualised world. I thought the storyline was funny and interesting and while the ending did feel rushed, the characters were likeable enough to make me enjoy the book.
Overall, a decent book with ace main characters and accurate representation apart from one harmful bit of misinformation.
Apart from this, the ace representation and the little bits where the main character was informing callers on asexuality were really good for readers who weren't familiar with asexuality (when that information was correct). I really liked having two female ace characters and how there were no intrusive crude parts of them where they justify or tone down their aceness for an over sexualised world. I thought the storyline was funny and interesting and while the ending did feel rushed, the characters were likeable enough to make me enjoy the book.
Overall, a decent book with ace main characters and accurate representation apart from one harmful bit of misinformation.
April 30, 2021
This is the second book I have read by Elin Annalise that depicts the ACE* world. I believe these books target audience is the Young Adult readership and at the age of 63 I am not part of this age group but I really have enjoyed these stories and have gained a lot of knowledge. I vaguely had an awareness of asexuality but not really how it may be lived and the various spectrums that are a part of the many genres.
This is a story that also touched me greatly as it is a story of school age rivalry that through negative peer pressure becomes rather nasty and is seen to be bullying. The final 'prank' had life changing consequences for both the teenagers involved and this is the story that shows enmity turning to friendship and eventually love.
The main character also volunteers on a helpline and as I have been doing this for the last year on an Emergency Support Line during the pandemic I could really relate to how Court is responding to her worried or abusive callers.
An excellent novel that educates and really left me with a warm feeling when I finished it. Thank you Linda.
* Asexuality.
This is a story that also touched me greatly as it is a story of school age rivalry that through negative peer pressure becomes rather nasty and is seen to be bullying. The final 'prank' had life changing consequences for both the teenagers involved and this is the story that shows enmity turning to friendship and eventually love.
The main character also volunteers on a helpline and as I have been doing this for the last year on an Emergency Support Line during the pandemic I could really relate to how Court is responding to her worried or abusive callers.
An excellent novel that educates and really left me with a warm feeling when I finished it. Thank you Linda.
* Asexuality.
May 3, 2021
This is the second book that I have read from the Aces in Love series. I like that the series is all stand-alone books but have the overarching theme of ace characters finding their soulmate. It's Always Been You is a joyous rom-com that brings the struggles of being ace to light. This book does have examples of ace-phobia and bullying related to characters being ace, which can be hard to deal with, but I appreciated because homophobia and ace-phobia are real fears. The main characters are at different stages of being out, so you see different fears and anxieties in relation to their personal sexuality. Sophie is still in the process of coming out, so she fears rejection, and is still figuring out her sexuality, which comes with it's own struggles. Meanwhile, Courtney is reminded of bullying that she went through in school and struggles with her feelings over her former bully. The story definitely presents the irony of a character disliking the "bully to lovers" trope as she falls in love with a former competitor. I enjoyed seeing the main characters former and modern day competition through the changes in POV and time frame-you could definitely see how the two could have become friends as teenagers if it wasn't for one little misstep during their school years. But the chance for friendship (and love) is near when they enter each others lives once more!
April 10, 2024
3.5 stars, but giving it 3 stars felt harsh.
This book was overall pretty good. I really enjoyed the portrayal of asexuality. I loved the two main characters and I loved their relationship, which I felt had a lot of nuance and was very fun to see unfolded. I liked how the book talked about serious issues like ace phobia, domestic violence or bullying.
That being said, I had a few problems with the book too. One of them is that didn’t like the prank stuff, it felt forced and not super interesting. I think there were better ways to create an excuse to get the characters close. I also have to admit that the ending felt pretty rushed: there were several interesting plot line (their relationship, Sophie’s ex and her step mom…) but the ending arrived quickly and I ended up feeling a bit disappointed by how quickly it came to an end. I wish we could remove the prank stuff and replace it by a bit more development for those plots.
But overall, I enjoyed the book. Not the best romance ever but still pretty enjoyable.
This book was overall pretty good. I really enjoyed the portrayal of asexuality. I loved the two main characters and I loved their relationship, which I felt had a lot of nuance and was very fun to see unfolded. I liked how the book talked about serious issues like ace phobia, domestic violence or bullying.
That being said, I had a few problems with the book too. One of them is that didn’t like the prank stuff, it felt forced and not super interesting. I think there were better ways to create an excuse to get the characters close. I also have to admit that the ending felt pretty rushed: there were several interesting plot line (their relationship, Sophie’s ex and her step mom…) but the ending arrived quickly and I ended up feeling a bit disappointed by how quickly it came to an end. I wish we could remove the prank stuff and replace it by a bit more development for those plots.
But overall, I enjoyed the book. Not the best romance ever but still pretty enjoyable.
April 30, 2021
This book is considered part of a series but it's just because of the common "theme" (at least one of the main characters being ace) so, if you haven't read the other two yet, you can start with either of the three, it doesn't make any difference. All are sweet romances, perfect for ace readers but not only - anyone who doesn't insist on "hot" scenes in romance could enjoy the plots.
This one is F/F (the others are both M/F), which I read less often so it's a nice change (not that it changes much) and I like that Sophie is bi and ace, which I'm sure many people think is not possible. And the other helpline callers provide more opportunities for ace readers to find a situation that sounds more like theirs.
I also enjoyed the pranks (even if the TV show doesn't really go according to plan) and the flashbacks chapters that allow us to see how the rivalry got really out of control at school.
This one is F/F (the others are both M/F), which I read less often so it's a nice change (not that it changes much) and I like that Sophie is bi and ace, which I'm sure many people think is not possible. And the other helpline callers provide more opportunities for ace readers to find a situation that sounds more like theirs.
I also enjoyed the pranks (even if the TV show doesn't really go according to plan) and the flashbacks chapters that allow us to see how the rivalry got really out of control at school.
August 1, 2024
Another really cute read, I loved this one so much. I liked the idea of Courtney working at a help line trying to advise and listen to other aces and friends/family/partners of aces. How she deals with acephobic people. And then the coincidence of getting a call from her high school rival!
My favourite character was Courtney, I liked how strong she was, and how forgiving too. Because yes Sophie did change, but she still wasn’t nice at school, and still enabled her friends at the time behaviour.
There wasn’t that much romance at all really, it was more just the very start of a romance but that’s it, still a cute book but it was missing the kicking your feet romance, it was more about the pranks they pulled on each other, the help line and them becoming friends.
There was grammatical and spelling mistakes in this too, but nowhere near as much as the second book. So it was better on that front. I loved the book, short and sweet again and still cute in some places.
My favourite character was Courtney, I liked how strong she was, and how forgiving too. Because yes Sophie did change, but she still wasn’t nice at school, and still enabled her friends at the time behaviour.
There wasn’t that much romance at all really, it was more just the very start of a romance but that’s it, still a cute book but it was missing the kicking your feet romance, it was more about the pranks they pulled on each other, the help line and them becoming friends.
There was grammatical and spelling mistakes in this too, but nowhere near as much as the second book. So it was better on that front. I loved the book, short and sweet again and still cute in some places.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2025
This book was the first time where I saw a romance where two asexual people fall in love. I've read other books were folks on the ace-spectrum fall for those who are allosexual, but never fall in love with each other. It followed two former high school nemesis who are thrown back together as adults. One has been out as asexual since she was a teen and the other is questioning her sexuality. I really wanted to love this book but had a hard time with a few things: one of the characters definitely had disordered eating and it was brought up a lot. Other characters didn't seem concerned about it and even the character seemed to realize it was disordered. I didn't like that. Also, the book felt a little preachy about asexuality as if it can only look certain ways. I appreciated that this book had two asexual characters, but didn't love the execution. I hope for more ace-spectrum representation in romance.
March 6, 2023
this book is 100% a 5 star read for me.
The story follows Sophie and Courtney, two women who identify as asexual. The book follows Sophie’s journey of finding out she is asexual, while she is navigating this she relies on her once called enemy Courtney who is also know as Tabitha at an asexual helpline. Little does Sophie know when she is calling this helpline she is speaking to Courtney (Tabitha). Sophie faces stigma and horrible comments when she decides to come out as ace. This is something I have also experienced as a fellow asexual it’s so hard to get people to understand what it is, some people, not everyone, just think it’s down to lack of experience or not finding the right person. To all my fellow asexuals out there, you are valid, you are important and you deserve d to be believed!
The story follows Sophie and Courtney, two women who identify as asexual. The book follows Sophie’s journey of finding out she is asexual, while she is navigating this she relies on her once called enemy Courtney who is also know as Tabitha at an asexual helpline. Little does Sophie know when she is calling this helpline she is speaking to Courtney (Tabitha). Sophie faces stigma and horrible comments when she decides to come out as ace. This is something I have also experienced as a fellow asexual it’s so hard to get people to understand what it is, some people, not everyone, just think it’s down to lack of experience or not finding the right person. To all my fellow asexuals out there, you are valid, you are important and you deserve d to be believed!
January 9, 2022
Decent Read
I have mixed feelings about this book. In many ways I enjoy it, it’s hard to find ace representation in any media at all. The book does cover some of the harder parts about being ace such as the aphobia. I wasn’t really expecting that at all and it was jarring to read but not a dealbreaker for me. Courtney and Sophie were also really the only characters that were developed and it felt like the other characters were really just in the background of it. A lot went on in this book and I wish that all the plot lines introduced got resolved such as Zoe’s illness, the washing machine situation, Victoria and her opinions and what ended up happening with Courtney and the place she volunteered at. Overall 3.5 / 5 stars
I have mixed feelings about this book. In many ways I enjoy it, it’s hard to find ace representation in any media at all. The book does cover some of the harder parts about being ace such as the aphobia. I wasn’t really expecting that at all and it was jarring to read but not a dealbreaker for me. Courtney and Sophie were also really the only characters that were developed and it felt like the other characters were really just in the background of it. A lot went on in this book and I wish that all the plot lines introduced got resolved such as Zoe’s illness, the washing machine situation, Victoria and her opinions and what ended up happening with Courtney and the place she volunteered at. Overall 3.5 / 5 stars
January 25, 2022
Cheers to great asexual rep! The best parts of this book were definitely the portions where Courtney was discussing aspects of the ace spectrum and complexities of identity--so much so that I honestly wish this author had just written a Q&A for asexuality rather than trying to force the lessons into a novel. There were just so many different plotlines going on at once, and there was no time to really catch up to the characters or understand what was happening. And the flashback scenes were truly just uncomfortable to witness. If the book had just focused on one central plot rather than so many disparate elements, I think it would make for a better story: I loved certain elements, but they just became lost among the shuffle sometimes.
July 12, 2022
1.5 ⭐️ (Rounded up)
The book wasn’t particularly good. There were far too many mistakes within the book, and so many of the plot points weren’t well developed and just felt disappointing. Read it for the ace representation, which is lacking when it comes to LGBTQ+ books. And whilst acephobia is an important issue to address, I had hoped for a more positive outlook to be expressed. There were minor positive comments, but overall the book was very acephobic in its content.
The small parts of entertainment within the story when it came to the pranks, as well as the cover which is lovely, are the only reasons I’ve been slightly generous with my rating.
The book wasn’t particularly good. There were far too many mistakes within the book, and so many of the plot points weren’t well developed and just felt disappointing. Read it for the ace representation, which is lacking when it comes to LGBTQ+ books. And whilst acephobia is an important issue to address, I had hoped for a more positive outlook to be expressed. There were minor positive comments, but overall the book was very acephobic in its content.
The small parts of entertainment within the story when it came to the pranks, as well as the cover which is lovely, are the only reasons I’ve been slightly generous with my rating.
May 12, 2021
I was given a free copy by the author for a review. First of all, this book contains sensitive content like bullying and abuse so read at your own risk.
What I wanted to say is that I haven't read any asexual books except this one, and I'm very glad that this is the first one I've read.
The character voices of the characters really kept me engaged. The righteous aren't always righteous and the bullies aren't always the bullies. The writing style is also interesting and I've never read it from any book before.
And as an asexual, I'm very happy with this book. :)
What I wanted to say is that I haven't read any asexual books except this one, and I'm very glad that this is the first one I've read.
The character voices of the characters really kept me engaged. The righteous aren't always righteous and the bullies aren't always the bullies. The writing style is also interesting and I've never read it from any book before.
And as an asexual, I'm very happy with this book. :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2022
1.5 stars
I’m really sorry but this was terrible.
The ace rep is really the only positive thing in this whole book but even that is very strange. The mc works at an ace helpline and that’s nice but we never really learn much about either of the ace characters’ own journeys with their sexuality and it just felt very impersonal.
Also, there are literally 1728181 subplots and they’re all badly executed didn’t care about anyone or anything.
Some books I love to hate but this one hurts because there’s not a lot of ace rep to turn to.
I’m really sorry but this was terrible.
The ace rep is really the only positive thing in this whole book but even that is very strange. The mc works at an ace helpline and that’s nice but we never really learn much about either of the ace characters’ own journeys with their sexuality and it just felt very impersonal.
Also, there are literally 1728181 subplots and they’re all badly executed didn’t care about anyone or anything.
Some books I love to hate but this one hurts because there’s not a lot of ace rep to turn to.
May 6, 2021
I replied with the same review on amazon. I do want to say, there is a trigger warning here for those that want to read the book. It does touch on subjects that some might feel uncomfortable with, such as bullying and abuse.
I honestly did love this book, so bare with me. I don’t want to give too much away in my review, so I’ve kept it sweet and simple.
Fun, witty, relatable.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book, but the minute I picked it up I was sucked into Courtney and Sophie’s drama. Both characters had their charms and perks, with tough themes that made me feel for them both.
The washing bit was so funny, and seeing the relationships bloom holds a special place in my heart.
It was great learning about the Ace spectrum along the way, and the various trials that come with it.
Definitely worth the read. It was a nice lightish read between shifts at work.
I honestly did love this book, so bare with me. I don’t want to give too much away in my review, so I’ve kept it sweet and simple.
Fun, witty, relatable.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book, but the minute I picked it up I was sucked into Courtney and Sophie’s drama. Both characters had their charms and perks, with tough themes that made me feel for them both.
The washing bit was so funny, and seeing the relationships bloom holds a special place in my heart.
It was great learning about the Ace spectrum along the way, and the various trials that come with it.
Definitely worth the read. It was a nice lightish read between shifts at work.
January 29, 2024
1 generous star for the ace 101 crash course. Other than that? Yeah 0 stars.
I picked this book because I saw it had endometriosis rep, enemies to lovers which is a trope I really like and for being a ‘romcom’. There was nothing funny about this book. It deals with really heavy topics. Or I should say it ‘mentions’ heavy topics without real resolution or them being useful for the main plot whatsoever. I should have DNF’ed.
I picked this book because I saw it had endometriosis rep, enemies to lovers which is a trope I really like and for being a ‘romcom’. There was nothing funny about this book. It deals with really heavy topics. Or I should say it ‘mentions’ heavy topics without real resolution or them being useful for the main plot whatsoever. I should have DNF’ed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews