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Always Hers
First loves. Second chances. Three problems.
Dani Smith has a problem. Scratch that: this fun-loving lesbian has three of them.
First, she wakes up hungover and married in Vegas. Oops. She was only supposed to be in Sin City for a friend's wedding, but now she's the one with a shiny gold ring on her finger.
Second, she's not exactly sure who she married. She may have a ring, but her bride is nowhere in sight.
The third problem is aloof, cold-hearted Mia: Dani's ex. The last thing that Dani needs is that know-it-all ice queen—even if her first love still makes Dani's heart race. But if she's going to track down her mystery bride before she leaves town, she's going to need some help...
Fairytale romances don't exist—and if they did, they wouldn't involve Elvis impersonators.
Mia Reyes has enough on her plate. Between arranging her best friend's wedding and pulling long hours as a family doctor, she has no time for anything else—including herself.
But when her ex, Dani, shows up in Vegas, Mia can't resist her irresistible smile. In the City of Lights, old sparks fly.
Now, Dani has a wedding ring on her finger, and Mia can't remember exactly what it is that she did last night. But Mia knows she's not the kind of person to get blackout drunk and marry her ex. She's far too sensible for that. Right?
Once upon a time, Mia broke Dani's heart. Now, she has a second chance. Can she and Dani rekindle their love, or will their relationship be lost in one big Vegas gamble?
Dani Smith has a problem. Scratch that: this fun-loving lesbian has three of them.
First, she wakes up hungover and married in Vegas. Oops. She was only supposed to be in Sin City for a friend's wedding, but now she's the one with a shiny gold ring on her finger.
Second, she's not exactly sure who she married. She may have a ring, but her bride is nowhere in sight.
The third problem is aloof, cold-hearted Mia: Dani's ex. The last thing that Dani needs is that know-it-all ice queen—even if her first love still makes Dani's heart race. But if she's going to track down her mystery bride before she leaves town, she's going to need some help...
Fairytale romances don't exist—and if they did, they wouldn't involve Elvis impersonators.
Mia Reyes has enough on her plate. Between arranging her best friend's wedding and pulling long hours as a family doctor, she has no time for anything else—including herself.
But when her ex, Dani, shows up in Vegas, Mia can't resist her irresistible smile. In the City of Lights, old sparks fly.
Now, Dani has a wedding ring on her finger, and Mia can't remember exactly what it is that she did last night. But Mia knows she's not the kind of person to get blackout drunk and marry her ex. She's far too sensible for that. Right?
Once upon a time, Mia broke Dani's heart. Now, she has a second chance. Can she and Dani rekindle their love, or will their relationship be lost in one big Vegas gamble?
254 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2021
76 people are currently reading
181 people want to read
About the author
Bel Blackwood
10 books65 followersBel Blackwood (they/them) spins stories of flawed women finding happiness, aimed at readers who like their lesbian romances to be heartfelt, quirky, and funny.
When they're not writing, Bel loves hiking with their mutts, baking up a storm, and trying (and failing) to learn to meditate. If they followed the advice to write what you know, all of their books would be about heroines waging war on the caterpillars eating their zucchini plants.
When they're not writing, Bel loves hiking with their mutts, baking up a storm, and trying (and failing) to learn to meditate. If they followed the advice to write what you know, all of their books would be about heroines waging war on the caterpillars eating their zucchini plants.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
July 21, 2021
Vegas wedding.
I read this on a whim and was entertained for a good three hours. It’s all fun and it’s a book that’s not to be taken seriously at all.
The story takes place in Las Vegas where Dani and friends are bridesmaids at a friend’s wedding and Dani’s college ex, Mia, shows up as part of Team Groom. After a drunken night out on the eve of the wedding, Dani wakes up married, with a wedding ring on her finger, and nobody else is sober enough to remember to whom. While Dani is good-natured about it all, there is an urgent need to nail down the identity of the mystery bride, as she could literally be anybody, including the real bride, which would be a complication to the real wedding. This forces Dani to retrace her steps with Mia’s help and the two spend a very good day together. I really like them both and they are so different. Dani has a more casual personality, whereas Mia is more serious and a bit of an ice queen. And while their personalities might not have been a good match back in college, I thought it felt good now.
This book time-jumps a lot to their college dating days and to the night before. I know time-jumps can be annoying to some people but I kinda like it because it tells us what Dani and Mia were like together in college and what happened at the bachelorette party that nobody can recall.
This book is light, bordering on nonsensical, and it’s hilarious. Really, really hilarious. I love the humour! And now, I wonder if I can get my girlfriend drunk enough to agree to a Vegas Elvis wedding. If it turns out to be really bad, with a bit of luck, maybe she won’t remember it...
I read this on a whim and was entertained for a good three hours. It’s all fun and it’s a book that’s not to be taken seriously at all.
The story takes place in Las Vegas where Dani and friends are bridesmaids at a friend’s wedding and Dani’s college ex, Mia, shows up as part of Team Groom. After a drunken night out on the eve of the wedding, Dani wakes up married, with a wedding ring on her finger, and nobody else is sober enough to remember to whom. While Dani is good-natured about it all, there is an urgent need to nail down the identity of the mystery bride, as she could literally be anybody, including the real bride, which would be a complication to the real wedding. This forces Dani to retrace her steps with Mia’s help and the two spend a very good day together. I really like them both and they are so different. Dani has a more casual personality, whereas Mia is more serious and a bit of an ice queen. And while their personalities might not have been a good match back in college, I thought it felt good now.
This book time-jumps a lot to their college dating days and to the night before. I know time-jumps can be annoying to some people but I kinda like it because it tells us what Dani and Mia were like together in college and what happened at the bachelorette party that nobody can recall.
This book is light, bordering on nonsensical, and it’s hilarious. Really, really hilarious. I love the humour! And now, I wonder if I can get my girlfriend drunk enough to agree to a Vegas Elvis wedding. If it turns out to be really bad, with a bit of luck, maybe she won’t remember it...
October 6, 2021
This was a fast, light read that delivers pretty much exactly what you'd expect. It's a little plodding in its pace. And none of the developments were a surprise. And I'm not a fan of flashbacks in general and this story relies on them for its storytelling. Blackwood handles them fine, but it still felt awkward to me and like a huge interruption of flow (because that's how flashbacks work). But I kept going to the end and never felt like setting it down for something else.
Most of the relationship establishment happen in the past. So the story is mostly seeing the two leads come back from what broke them apart. I was worried that it'd be lame or too little (because that's often the case with second-chance romances). But it felt about right, once revealed. I liked that there was mutual culpability and that they acknowledged that the biggest factor in their separation was each being unable to reach out to the other in the midst of their pain. And I particularly liked that the story showed how they'd grown beyond that (as they should, they're much more mature now).
Anyway, this ends up a solid three stars. It's engaging. But it's not outstanding and there were things I just had to power through (like flashbacks).
A note about Steamy: There are twoish explicit sex scenes putting this barely in the middle of my steam tolerance—mostly because they're a bit long and felt kind of gratuitous.
Most of the relationship establishment happen in the past. So the story is mostly seeing the two leads come back from what broke them apart. I was worried that it'd be lame or too little (because that's often the case with second-chance romances). But it felt about right, once revealed. I liked that there was mutual culpability and that they acknowledged that the biggest factor in their separation was each being unable to reach out to the other in the midst of their pain. And I particularly liked that the story showed how they'd grown beyond that (as they should, they're much more mature now).
Anyway, this ends up a solid three stars. It's engaging. But it's not outstanding and there were things I just had to power through (like flashbacks).
A note about Steamy: There are twoish explicit sex scenes putting this barely in the middle of my steam tolerance—mostly because they're a bit long and felt kind of gratuitous.
September 5, 2021
3.5 stars
Like Pip mentioned in her review, you will enjoy this book if you don't take it too seriously. It's a fun story to read and it has its moments of 'Wtf did I just read' dialogues comparing love to STD but overall, it's not too disappointing.
There is definitely room for improvement but if you're looking to read something while your brain wants to stay switched off, pick this one up.
Like Pip mentioned in her review, you will enjoy this book if you don't take it too seriously. It's a fun story to read and it has its moments of 'Wtf did I just read' dialogues comparing love to STD but overall, it's not too disappointing.
There is definitely room for improvement but if you're looking to read something while your brain wants to stay switched off, pick this one up.
September 26, 2021
Hmmm, not quite sure about this one - a generous 4*. It was inevitable from the beginning and never left that course. Bit disjointed with flashbacks with both characters.
no-thank-you
July 27, 2021CW: suicide
This book and I were getting along fine until this awful joke: "... the bottomless hole that was her handbag. If Kate Spade herself ever saw what Mia had done to one of her pieces, she'd lurch back to life just to slap her."
Kate Spade died by suicide in 2018 after struggling with anxiety and depression.
Do I really have to explain how bad it is to joke that she'd be able to come back to life to punish someone for putting a bunch of stuff in a purse?
This book and I were getting along fine until this awful joke: "... the bottomless hole that was her handbag. If Kate Spade herself ever saw what Mia had done to one of her pieces, she'd lurch back to life just to slap her."
Kate Spade died by suicide in 2018 after struggling with anxiety and depression.
Do I really have to explain how bad it is to joke that she'd be able to come back to life to punish someone for putting a bunch of stuff in a purse?
June 27, 2021
The premise of this book sounded super fun, but it turned out to be a book that just got on my nerves.
Set in Las Vegas, they mains party hard, but also forget hard and we experience the forgotten night through flashbacks. Flashbacks aren’t a thing I love, combine flashbacks to last night with flashbacks to 10 years ago and this book becomes one that just annoys me. Dani and Mia broke up 10 years ago and see each other after all that time for their best friends’ wedding. They have the bachelor and bachelorette party, Dani is with the bride and Mia with the groom. Somehow they end up together and it’s just wow.
I’m not one for flashbacks, but the “last night” chapters were actually the best ones, funny and over the top. What Vegas is in my mind. I much preferred the entire book that way. I think it would have made the story a bit more believable for me as well.
Now I found too many continuity issues between the current timeline and the flashbacks and just general dislike between the characters that just doesn’t work. I don’t see the chemistry.
Overall it was ok, if you are just looking for a read that doesn’t really talk about feelings and character development this should work fine.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Set in Las Vegas, they mains party hard, but also forget hard and we experience the forgotten night through flashbacks. Flashbacks aren’t a thing I love, combine flashbacks to last night with flashbacks to 10 years ago and this book becomes one that just annoys me. Dani and Mia broke up 10 years ago and see each other after all that time for their best friends’ wedding. They have the bachelor and bachelorette party, Dani is with the bride and Mia with the groom. Somehow they end up together and it’s just wow.
I’m not one for flashbacks, but the “last night” chapters were actually the best ones, funny and over the top. What Vegas is in my mind. I much preferred the entire book that way. I think it would have made the story a bit more believable for me as well.
Now I found too many continuity issues between the current timeline and the flashbacks and just general dislike between the characters that just doesn’t work. I don’t see the chemistry.
Overall it was ok, if you are just looking for a read that doesn’t really talk about feelings and character development this should work fine.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 6, 2023
2.5 ⭐️
Dani broke up with Mia because she was worried about her and did what Dani wouldn’t do for her own good?
That’s just ridiculous and childish
And Dani even in her 30s kept doing childish things 😑
Dani broke up with Mia because she was worried about her and did what Dani wouldn’t do for her own good?
That’s just ridiculous and childish
And Dani even in her 30s kept doing childish things 😑
June 7, 2022
This was such a quick and entertaining romance featuring sapphics (who are exes) that drunkenly get married in Vegas but neither neither one realizes that they married each other.
October 21, 2021
The dialogues didn't end up being as Monty-Pythonesque as I would have liked, but were funny, sometimes hilarious even, enough for a four star rating.
The rather silly, not to say absurd, storyline together with the dialogues made for an entertaining read. if you want a light funny read this is for you.
The rather silly, not to say absurd, storyline together with the dialogues made for an entertaining read. if you want a light funny read this is for you.
July 16, 2021
Entertaining story. I found myself giggling out loud.
Jae's SRC
character is a medical professional
forced proximity
mystery
Jae's SRC
character is a medical professional
forced proximity
mystery
September 4, 2021
…
It was a good story that was a bit different than the usual lesbian romance books. I enjoyed it .
It was a good story that was a bit different than the usual lesbian romance books. I enjoyed it .
November 15, 2022
2 stars. I liked the plot of the characters waking up married in Vegas and not knowing who they drunkenly got married to but I don't think it was executed well. Everything else wasn’t very good. I didn’t like the humor, the characters, nor the romance. Dani and Mia were both one dimensional and unlikable characters and worst of all they had no chemistry. This was a second chance romance but I found that their past relationship wasn’t that interesting either. Also the transitions from past to present was jarring. This book was seriously boring and a bit all over the place. It was a quick read but it left a lot to be desired.
October 23, 2021
I'm down to the last 24 hours on my kindle unlimited subscription. I turn to it when I just want something light and entertaining. And this falls easily into that category. Dani and her friends are bridesmaids at their best friends intentionally tacky Las Vegas wedding. The night before turns into a drunken evening and Dani wakes up with a wedding ring on her finger and no memory of who she married. College ex Mia is best woman for the groom and she helps Dani retrace her steps from the evening before which lands them in bars and mini golfing. This is silly and predictable but still entertaining. There are flashbacks to their time in college which gives better depth and understanding of their relationship and eventual breakup. I don't think all my questions were answered by the end even with the epilogue but I'm still happy with the few hours invested in reading.
November 10, 2021
What.A.Fun.Read. So well written.
another author to add in my not so long must-read list.
another author to add in my not so long must-read list.
July 22, 2021
Cute Story!
I really liked the concept of the story. Exes meet at a wedding of mutual friends, even though it’s been years since they last saw each other, they both have moments remembered. The only bad thing is this was predictable. I like how the friends came in to play especially when Dani wakes up with a wedding ring on but no memories of what happened the night before. This was the bride and bridesmaids night out for drinking and fun. None of the girls remembered what they did the night before and trying to help Dani piece together what went down before Brianna’s wedding happens. Mia the best man, is trying to help her ex Dani figure out what happened the night before without fully remembering what she did with the groom and groomsman. She is only doing this to keep her best friend and his future bride’s wedding from falling apart. As they retrace Dani’s steps from the night before, they both start to remember their three year relationship not sure what was happening between them. As this story unfolds, you start to like Dani and Mia together knowing where this story is heading. In the flashback you get the full story which was really very cute. Definitely a must read…
I really liked the concept of the story. Exes meet at a wedding of mutual friends, even though it’s been years since they last saw each other, they both have moments remembered. The only bad thing is this was predictable. I like how the friends came in to play especially when Dani wakes up with a wedding ring on but no memories of what happened the night before. This was the bride and bridesmaids night out for drinking and fun. None of the girls remembered what they did the night before and trying to help Dani piece together what went down before Brianna’s wedding happens. Mia the best man, is trying to help her ex Dani figure out what happened the night before without fully remembering what she did with the groom and groomsman. She is only doing this to keep her best friend and his future bride’s wedding from falling apart. As they retrace Dani’s steps from the night before, they both start to remember their three year relationship not sure what was happening between them. As this story unfolds, you start to like Dani and Mia together knowing where this story is heading. In the flashback you get the full story which was really very cute. Definitely a must read…
June 29, 2021
4.5
Bel Blackwood had the most amusing way of describing her characters. That will get you, the way she spins a story will keep you! This was a unique story about two women who dared for three years in college, but broke up. They are in Vegas celebrating with their respective best friends who are marrying each other. Fir reasons we will discover later, their break up has led them to make life and career choices that had kept them safe not fulfilling.
Following a raucous night, Dani wakes to find a wedding ring on her finger, but not bride.Terrified she may have married the bride to be, she sends the other bridesmaids to keep her occupied while she and Mia trace her steps from the night before. Thorough out the book the two go on a quest to discover the identity of the mystery bride. The chapters alternate between the current and the past (the recent and distant past. Free at not readers, she does find her bride and they get their HEA.
Always hers is a nice quick, easy read with nice likable characters, lots of laughs, snarky comments, and Elvis lyrics.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Bel Blackwood had the most amusing way of describing her characters. That will get you, the way she spins a story will keep you! This was a unique story about two women who dared for three years in college, but broke up. They are in Vegas celebrating with their respective best friends who are marrying each other. Fir reasons we will discover later, their break up has led them to make life and career choices that had kept them safe not fulfilling.
Following a raucous night, Dani wakes to find a wedding ring on her finger, but not bride.Terrified she may have married the bride to be, she sends the other bridesmaids to keep her occupied while she and Mia trace her steps from the night before. Thorough out the book the two go on a quest to discover the identity of the mystery bride. The chapters alternate between the current and the past (the recent and distant past. Free at not readers, she does find her bride and they get their HEA.
Always hers is a nice quick, easy read with nice likable characters, lots of laughs, snarky comments, and Elvis lyrics.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 22, 2021
What I liked: The premise.
It's a premise I've not come across before - Woman wakes up with a wedding ring on her finger after a drunken night in Vegas during one of her besties' wedding weekend. She has no recollection of the previous night.
Her college ex is in the groom's party and there is a history there waiting to be told.
What I didn't like: The rest of it.
The first half dealt with retracing her steps with her ex for some idea of what happened.
Some way in to this we discover the ex can't recall much of the night before either.
There was no chemistry between the two and I was in speed read mode.
A little more than half way through the book is the big reveal.
I had some hope but alas... the disappointment continued.
I can't recommend this one.
It's a premise I've not come across before - Woman wakes up with a wedding ring on her finger after a drunken night in Vegas during one of her besties' wedding weekend. She has no recollection of the previous night.
Her college ex is in the groom's party and there is a history there waiting to be told.
What I didn't like: The rest of it.
The first half dealt with retracing her steps with her ex for some idea of what happened.
Some way in to this we discover the ex can't recall much of the night before either.
There was no chemistry between the two and I was in speed read mode.
A little more than half way through the book is the big reveal.
I had some hope but alas... the disappointment continued.
I can't recommend this one.
July 4, 2021
Las Vegas, a bachelorette drunken binge and a wedding are front and center in this second chance romance. A crushing break-up between leads Mia (doctor) and Dani (gym owner/instructor) 10 yrs ago has never really healed. When the two meet again for their BF's wedding emotions flare. Humor, drinking and a spur of the moment wedding leads to a search for the mystery bride. Easy, fun read with an Elvis appearance ;).
I rec'd a copy through Booksprout and this is a totally unbiased review.
I rec'd a copy through Booksprout and this is a totally unbiased review.
July 18, 2021
Waking Up Married.
Dani was in Las Vegas to be a bridesmaid for her best friend’s “tacky” wedding. Mia was there to be a groomsman for her best friend. They hadn’t seen each other in the ten years since their last year of college. Can these former lovers heal their hearts and find their way back to each other? Loved it.
Dani was in Las Vegas to be a bridesmaid for her best friend’s “tacky” wedding. Mia was there to be a groomsman for her best friend. They hadn’t seen each other in the ten years since their last year of college. Can these former lovers heal their hearts and find their way back to each other? Loved it.
August 29, 2021
Where oh where is my wife?
Dani wakes up married and doesn't remember to who. The whole book goes back and forth from the wedding night to her friend' s wedding day.
Entertaining and fun up to the oops moment. The author I believe left out some comedy . it was a good reading g material.
Dani wakes up married and doesn't remember to who. The whole book goes back and forth from the wedding night to her friend' s wedding day.
Entertaining and fun up to the oops moment. The author I believe left out some comedy . it was a good reading g material.
June 26, 2024
Dani wakes up hungover and married because that's what happens in Vegas. Dani is seeing her ex for the first time in 10 yrs and will need her help to figure out who she married. They get to know each other again during this time and sparks fly. It's a fun filled story as well as flashbacks to their college days. I enjoyed the story and the narrator Amy Deuchler.
July 4, 2021
This is a combination second chance and enemies to lovers but told in a fun way that opens both women’s eyes to mistakes made in the past and what they want in the future
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 13, 2021
Hysterically funny and lovable
One of the funniest books I’ve read filled with great characters and memorable scenes. As I live in Vegas, it paints the perfect backdrop. A book easily can be made into a perfect romcom movie.
One of the funniest books I’ve read filled with great characters and memorable scenes. As I live in Vegas, it paints the perfect backdrop. A book easily can be made into a perfect romcom movie.
July 27, 2021
Very Enjoyable
Funny and kept my attention. This would make a great Hallmark movie. I can picture it in my head now. There's nothing deep you'll remember forever. Just a
well written, rom-com romp. What is Kristen Stewart up to these days?
Funny and kept my attention. This would make a great Hallmark movie. I can picture it in my head now. There's nothing deep you'll remember forever. Just a
well written, rom-com romp. What is Kristen Stewart up to these days?
July 28, 2021
Waking up married?
What happens in Vegas doesn't necessarily stay in Vegas especially when you wake up married and no idea whom it is...slow but sudenly she realises it's her ex she never forgot and still wants ...what do they do now?
What happens in Vegas doesn't necessarily stay in Vegas especially when you wake up married and no idea whom it is...slow but sudenly she realises it's her ex she never forgot and still wants ...what do they do now?
August 1, 2021
A nice take on the hangover style of story telling
It's a good story. It skips about a bit but manages to remain coherent throughout and it's a good take on the hangover style of story telling.
It's a good story. It skips about a bit but manages to remain coherent throughout and it's a good take on the hangover style of story telling.
December 22, 2021
Sweet and humorous!
A delightful story of lost loves, a raucous bachelorette party, and a Vegas wedding! Dani and Mia, college sweethearts, meet again at a friend’s wedding. Cue crazy Vegas happenings.
A delightful story of lost loves, a raucous bachelorette party, and a Vegas wedding! Dani and Mia, college sweethearts, meet again at a friend’s wedding. Cue crazy Vegas happenings.
November 22, 2023
Elvis has left the building
I love this second chance story. I imagined the best friends having the time of their lives in Vegas. Who did Dani marry though? You kind a know who it is but great reading how it played out.
Elvis was fantastic. Enjoy!
I love this second chance story. I imagined the best friends having the time of their lives in Vegas. Who did Dani marry though? You kind a know who it is but great reading how it played out.
Elvis was fantastic. Enjoy!
July 2, 2021
Fun
This is a really fun story full of love, laughter and lots of booze. Bel Blackwood tells a great story, full of eclectic characters who made me laugh out loud. Well done!
This is a really fun story full of love, laughter and lots of booze. Bel Blackwood tells a great story, full of eclectic characters who made me laugh out loud. Well done!
July 15, 2021
For me this was a bit of a mixed bag....some parts I really enjoyed...mainly the flashbacks but the present just seemed dull in comparison
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews