Electric Love

Eternal Port Valley

by Shannon O'Connor

Five years ago, Alexandria and Eden were thriving in the moment, falling fast and loving deeply. But when Eden broke Alexandria’s heart, she had to figure out how to carry on alone.

She created a life and family for herself. Alexandria never expected to see Eden again, but then they run into each other—literally—and sparks fly. Alexandria thought it would be nothing, until she couldn’t forget the way it felt to be near her again. With Alexandria’s new life and Eden’s fiancée waiting for her they shouldn’t be thinking about each other, but when they keep running into each other they can’t ignore the signs any longer.

So many things have changed in the last five years, but have their feelings?




Electric Love is a second chance, HEA, a small town romance, with no cheating. Which is told through jumps in time from the past to the present. 
***This 2nd Edition has a new cover & fresh edits***

Genres: Romance, LGBT, Lesbian, Contemporary, Bisexual, Lesbian Romance, Second Chance

214 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2022

About the author

Shannon O’Connor is a twenty something, bisexual, self published poet of several books and counting. O’Connor enjoys life’s simple pleasures: coffee, reading, traveling, and spending time with her new baby. O’Connor is continuously working on new poetry projects, book reviews, and more, while also diving into motherhood. She loves supporting local indie authors & shops as much as possible.

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/shans...

Reviews

[Althea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Electric Love is a fun, light-hearted debut novel with vibrant characters and a writing style that will suck you in from the get go! I was so excited when the author reached out to me to ask if I wanted to read her book because I'm a huge sucker for second chance romances and books set in small towns where everyone knows everyone, plus this book features an openly bisexual main character with a young child who co-parents him with her best friend, which is something I would just love to see more of in romance novels in general! The book jumps back and forward in time quite a bit so you see Alex's current life, raising her child as a single mum while working in a bookshop, as well as her past relationship with Eden. At first it was a bit jarring because we changed timeline after every chapter or so, but I quickly got used to it and I was really glad for the wee snippets we got to see of Alex's past! Shannon O'Connor's writing style is also super engaging and I devoured this book in a matter of hours! It's definitely the kind of sapphic romance that I would class as a 'comfort read'!

I did, however, have a few wee issues with the book, mostly to do with Alex and Eden's current dynamic. We see in the flashbacks that Eden treated Alex kinda rubbishly, and she really deserved better, but in the present day timeline, Eden goes out of her way to reconnect with Alex again. Although we do see a sort of yearning between the two, I never really felt any of it - it felt more like we were being told that they still loved each other, rather than being able to see it in their body language and thoughts. I think maybe the book could have benefitted from a couple of chapters from Eden's perspective in that sense. I also was really confused by the ending - everything was resolved so quickly with absolutely no explanation and, while I'm glad there was an HEA, I would have liked all of the loose threads to be tied up.

All in all, this was a really fun romance read that I couldn't bear to put down, despite my eyelids slowly drooping from tiredness at this time of night, and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for this author's upcoming works!

Thank you so much to the author for providing me with an ebook copy of this book! This has not influenced my opinions in any way!

Want more sapphic books? You can find me here: Book Blog | Twitter | Instagram

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second read of this book which has benefitted from a new book cover and editing. There is a better flow to the storyline with bi-sexual lead character Alex and her first love Eden. After a gut wrenching breakup 5 years prior, the two women have reconnected but now Alex has a son and Thomas (ugh!) is the new man in her life. The to and fro between the leads worked, then didn't and co-parent Logan and BF Bailey also complicated things. I couldn't warm up to Eden and her fickleness - Alex was a much better individual so the HEA seemed forced. An overall good read.
A neat plot, but perhaps a sequel would help in fleshing out characters and rounding out events.
I quite liked the author's short story Christmas Sweets and will give consideration to any of her future work.

I rec'd a copy through Booksprout and this is a voluntary and unbiased review.

[Shannon O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

BRAND NEW COVER, FRESH EDITS & ONLY 99¢ ALL FEBRUARY long

https://amzn.to/3B2GXwe

[Pluto Lunaris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! I can tell it will definitely be one of my comfort reads now. This was a really nice story that was painted so well by Shan's writing. I felt so sucked in and could really see the story playing out in my mind which is really important for a good book to me. I really liked the structure of it as well. The story itself had me not wanting to put it down. There was a lot of things that hit a little close but it means it just meant that much more to me. I also very much appreciated a queer story without it having to be a huge thing. I have loved Shan's poetry for awhile now so I was so excited when she announced this novel and I really hope she writes more.

[Shelby Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable, heartwarming love story. I would have liked to see a bit more depth and development to the characters, but overall, it was an easy read that kept me turning the pages! A wonderful and warm debut novel.

[elise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a complex second-chance romance featuring a bisexual main character that was messy and sweet in all the right ways. Alex was an interesting main character with quite a lot to deal with--I thought the way she worked through her emotions throughout the novel was imperfect and a bit chaotic in the most realistic way possible. I loved that Alex's fumbles and mishaps were highlighted because I think that's the best way to show the difficult, confusing feelings that come with an unexpected second chance with a lover when you thought you had finally moved on. That was by far my favorite part of this novel: the exploration of emotion and desire.

The one part I wanted a bit more depth on was Alex's relationship with Eden. I felt like there were so many times that Eden mistreated Alex, or was at least unfair to her, that I kind of didn't want them to get together at the end. The thing that makes second-chance romances so tricky, especially when the person is already in a different relationship, is that the author really needs to showcase what is so desirable and wonderful about the love interest that it trumps the pain of the breakup. I think we definitely got close to seeing why Alex would choose Eden over anyone else despite the terrible ending to their first attempt at a relationship, but I just wanted a bit more detail into what made Eden so special. (Also, as a side note, the scene with Alex and Eden where they finally get together for sure was a biiiiit too disruptive and rude to other partners for me but that was just my own preference.)

Other than that, this was an entertaining romance novel that explores pain, desire, confusion, sexuality, and the complexity of love. Shannon O'Connor excels at writing complex, confusing emotions--this is definitely a story that comes from the heart. I am so thankful I got the opportunity to read Shannon's work and I am looking forward to seeing what she has next in store! I would definitely recommend Electric Love for anyone looking for a sapphic second-chance romance.

[Camille (bookish.cami) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Electric love is a second chance romance. This is my first read by this author and I absolutely enjoyed this book . Alex and Eden were very relatable and I felt the emotion in this book. I started this book as a late night read and stayed awake til I devoured it all.

[Arya Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received an ARC for an honest review, an enormous thank you to Shannon for the chance and opportunity to read this early*

wow wow wow. Electric Love is buzzing with all kinds of twists and turns and topsy turvy ups and downs that keep you on the edge and make you keep turning the page until the very next chapter.

Alex’s determination as a mother and to take care of her son was always her first priority and that’s very evident early on but it’s also evident how much she wants to be in love and I think that’s why she wants to *make* it work with Thomas so badly. She wanted to eventually be a family. I had a love/hate relationship with how she went about writing about Logan and Bailey’s relationship because it was written well but it was very cold and interesting and sad it felt. They didn’t respect her and they had been friends and in her life for years so they should of told her early on when they did decide their relationship was serious.

Eden. Any book immediately has my heart when any form of lesbians are involved *immediately gushes with heart eyes* okay now that’s out of the way. I definitely loved how Shannon kept writing them keep running into each other, that was a sign it was meant to be... and that’s all I’m gonna say for now...

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

GO BUY THIS BOOK

IT’S GAY AND IT SLAPS!!!

[Reading In the Red Room · Rating 4 out of 5]

To say Alexandris’s love life is Very complicated it is a understatement. She is now a single mother of a son dating a man but is she still in love with her former girlfriend? This do I or Don’t I is I great quick Read. Add in a supportive mother, a great person to co-parent her son with and her best friend Bailey and you have one interesting well layered story. I loved how independent she was but how openly confused she was. I truly enjoyed reading this book. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

[Austin Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book that I was able to pick up by this author and I couldn't put it down! Such a lovely story and a new comfort read for sure. Can't wait to see what stories this author has to tell in the future!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet second chance love story, with great characters and heartwarming storyline. It just needed a little more depth to keep me fully captivated but I enjoyed it and would probably read other stories by this author.

[L.A. Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

An endearing read of two women who are madly in love with one another. I loathes Thomas right from the beginning and found myself rooting for the two main characters from the get go. It's definitely a page Turner!

[Kexx · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this except for the continual jumping in time and it lost a star because of that. (Harsh? Might upgrade by end of review!) Loved the MC of Alex - all written from her point of view. Simple, well told story. recommended. Oh! Go on, 5*s.

[veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book promised a cute, second chance queer romance, but I'm not sure how much of that it delivered.

I like that it's peppered with little details that sweeten the story. I loved that Alex and Logan were coparents, and that he was never presented as a typical asshole, but rather, was actively involved in his son's life. I loved Bailey's and Alex's friendship, even if the almost half-book scuffle felt a tad too childish.

The premise was good, but I felt that the story wasn't even really about the romance. The book is divided between past and present (sometimes with timeskips as well), however, I don't think the flashbacks provided much to the story; if anything, by focusing solely on the present (with little moments of rememberance) the story could have developed better. Alex and Eden keep meeting through coincidences (which, to be honest, sounded hella rad) that, in the end, don't really develop their present relationship beyond us being told that "Alex might still love her, and that everything feels electric around Eden". We don't really see them falling in love all over again.

Some of the flashbacks were cute and fluffy and wholesome; the real sapphic agenda of this book. However, most of them also show us that Eden... was really shitty to Alex. Not only her, but also to Delaney (who we know nothing about). Eden never makes reparations; she tries to be the "big person" until she doesn't want to anymore. The past was messy; and you know what, they were practically babies. I will forever say that being 18/19/20 doesn't make you mature. So yeah, I think Eden fucked up big time; and the present should have been about her making reparations. Her engagement to Delaney should have been a stronger plot device; maybe Eden truly had feelings for her (who says you can't love two people at the same time? and--poly rep, maybe?). In the present time their interactions are always to tell us that something still stirs in Alex's heart, but it is never truly shown. That's what I think the book lacked: proper development between Alex and Eden.

I admire Alex. She went through so many hardships and remained authentic. And she goes to therapy!!!!!!!! whenever I encounter a book with characters that go to therapy I get so happy. Her relationship with her son, Elijah, was perfect. She tried so hard in a situation that was really shitty. The only thing I didn't like was the way she treated Bailey, but overall, great friendship. Her character growth lacked juuuust a bit of spark, which I think would have naturally led her to better decisions.

I kinda had forgotten that this was a second chance kind of book, because I was totally falling for Thomas. It felt like good bisexual rep, since as we all know, being a bisexual woman dating a man doesn't erase her bisexual status. They spend such a huge portion of the book together that I'd say that the sapphic part of this was less than 20%. And the way things went down with Thomas was... It was not clearly foreshadowed.

I think the book had a lot of potential. Like, a lot. Sapphic slowburn, friends to lovers to exes--and what should have been: to friends again and then to lovers. Potential for a LOT of tropes and a lot of that sweet angst. I'd say read it for Alex's and Logan's characters. I'd say read it for Elijah. It's a short book that I didn't manage to read in a sitting only because of my crippling ADHD. I'd say that with a different ending, it might have been an amazing book about how some relationships do have to end, even when they were supposed to be everything. I'll definitely keep up with the author's upcoming works.

[Reena G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Electric Love is the second book I have read by this author which I read in one sitting. A wonderful book about true love and second chances. I loved the characters of Allie and Eden as they felt very real and relatable to me. An easy and a quick read which one would surely enjoy reading as much as I did. Thank you Shannon O’Connor for the ARC in return of my honest review. I am looking forward to reading more books by you.

[Dena Akbar · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a really good book and It is really interesting.

[Georgette B · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Multi layered, complex, full bodied-no I am not describing a wine. I am describing the book Electric Love. This book has everything-love, friendship, betrayal, and redemptive love.

What do you do when the love of your life dumps you and you find out she is engaged to someone else? You joke about crashing her wedding. Then you try to move on with your life, have a baby with your best friend but you realize he is really better as a best friend, and you start dating a wealthy successful person who pushes all the sexy buttons. But there is something missing. There is nagging feeling that even though things look perfect, they just aren’t-at least it was for Alex. It is like the nagging thing that happens when you have an invisible itch. The itch the you feel, but when you scratch the spot, the itch has disappeared, so you are left frustrated because you know once you move your hand, the it h will return.

Alex’s world come to a second halt in an emergency room bay. The night she realizes both of her best friends (one of which is her baby daddy) are sleeping together and have been keeping it from her. Feeling betrayed, she promptly takes her son’s hand and runs away from that cluster, under the guise of needing snacks, only to run right into the original ex who broke her heart!!! Well this is awkward-mostly because her son has taken a liking to the ex and wants her to join him and mom for snacks and a drink. Saying no to the ex-no problem. Saying no to the son-not so much. So they go for a drink and snacks. Whoops did I mention Mr. Sexy Buttons is in the wait room waiting for her? Complex!!

Fair warning this book does not exist on a linear time line, if you do not like stories that move backward and forward in time, this is not for you. But if you are ready to immerse yourself in the life of a woman trying to figure out where she fits, who she loves, and how to forgive, all while having a functional relationship-you know all the things we deal with-this is the book for you.

The characters are real, messy, and flawed. This book is well written and leaves the reader saying, “Wow, I feel almost normal now!”

Please read this book, it is a treat.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Allie is a young single mother, balancing work and co-parenting with her best friend, when she (literally) bumps into the love of her life, her ex-girlfriend of five years. As she and Eden begin to reconnect, she has to reconcile the past with the present while unable to ignore the ticking clock as Eden’s wedding day to her fiancée grows ever closer…

📚Read this and more reviews on my blog!📚

This was a really fun contemporary read about family, friendship, and reuniting with lost love. Allie and Eden’s romance was really sweet, and it was great to see how it blossomed from when they were in high school together to when they’re in their mid-twenties. Allie’s family gave a really nice grounding to the novel, and it was really great to see her relationship with her son especially as a constant throughout.

The story jumps between timelines quite a lot, and while I did enjoy getting to see both the past and the present of Allie and Eden’s relationship, it felt quite confusing at times. There were some things it would have been nice to see develop in chronological order, such as when Allie starts dating someone new and we are introduced to him as her boyfriend before read about their first meeting and first date. Some of the writing felt a little bit repetitive, which made some passages a bit clunky, but overall it was a nice read.

If you’re looking for fun contemporary second-chance romance with great bi representation, I’d definitely recommend checking this one out!

Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy for review. All views are my own.

[Andrea Pole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Electric Love by Shannon O'Connor, I am delighted to say, is every bit as appealing and engaging as the young author's impressive collection of poetry. I have been a fan of Shannon's poetic stylings for awhile now, and I was eager to read her foray into fiction. I was not disappointed. As with her poetry, the author has a personal, whole-hearted approach to her writing, and the end result is compulsively readable.

This is Ally's story. A single, bi-sexual mother who has tried to move on from her ex, Eden. Following a chance meeting, Ally discovers that she has never abandoned the love she has for Eden, despite the fact that they have been apart for five years. Having a child and finding happiness in a new relationship have not been enough to dissolve the deep connection that she continues to feel as Eden prepares to marry.

Told from alternating timelines, we see the progression of Ally and Eden's romance, and the timeless nature of their unbreakable bond.

Many thanks to Shannon O'Connor for providing me with a copy of this novel, all thoughts are my own.

[Allyson Tyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a really good read! The story is engaging & I love the main character. Alex feels like such a real person. I think she was messy and imperfect in the best way. PLUS the main character is bisexual, which is something I don’t feel theres enough of in literature.

My only issue with this book is that it can get a little difficult to follow along with at some points. The past chapters aren’t in any order, so it’s hard to know when things happen in relation to each other. I think the book could’ve benefited from one more edit, but other than those two things I loved this book.

It was a great read that I highly recommend!

[Courtnee Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Electric Love is a realistic story about the loss of a first lover and the consequences that follow in each relationship thereafter. Shannon O’Connor does a beautiful job of describing the connection between lovers and true love.
Allie’s heart feels unmendable after her three-year relationship with Eden ends, and she is devastated after she learns that Eden is engaged only months after their breakup. Over the years, she tries to feel the way she felt with Eden with someone else, but no other relationship has the same natural spark. After five years, she starts running into Eden everywhere. Is it fate or coincidence?
I enjoyed the story. The author writes in a relatable way, and I valued her perspective. I almost felt like I was reading a true story, and I would love to know if that were the case.
I recommend the book for mature readers, as it is a romance novel.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy a second-chance romance, and Electric Love fits that bill. Alex and Eden once dated, but five years past their breakup, a lot has changed. Alex is the mother of a young boy, and Eden is engaged to be married to someone else. But when they run into each other again, well . . . you know what happens. But you don't. And that's partially what I liked about this book. Alex knows that she can't fall for Eden again, that it wouldn't be right since Eden is engaged, and that her heart just can't take it, so she tries her best not to. I also liked the secondary characters. Bailey, the best friend is great; Logan, her son's father, is supportive and a co-parent to emulate; even Alex's mother is fantastic--the sort of mom we all want and the kind we want to be. If you're looking for a somewhat light-hearted romance, this book is for you.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first read of this author.
A second chance romance featuring a bi-sexual lead character Alex and her first love Eden. The two reconnect after a heart rending breakup 5 years prior but now Alex has a son and new beau Thomas. Add BF Bailey and co-parent Logan for more complications. On occasion the flashbacks were just too much and the little side issues distracting. Thomas was not likeable and IMHO the chemistry between the leads was just not there - Eden was constantly forcing the situations. Editing definitely needed.
While I was not taken by this particular book, I'd take a chance on reading another of Ms. O'Connor's works in the future.

I rec'd a copy through Booksprout and this is a voluntary and unbiased review.

[Carmela Dimattia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautiful, sweet read about second chance love. This was my first book by Shannon O’Connor and I absolutely enjoyed it very much. All the characters were great and very relatable and the storyline was enjoyable. We got flashbacks that helped us get the feel of the story and that only added to the charm of this book because it gave us a background into the characters and how they all fit in to the main character’s life. Allie and Eden were both very strong leading ladies that had their visions for the future and even though their lives went in different directions they were brought together and found their HEA after years of being apart. Very emotional but it is a story that will make you believe in love again. I will definitely read more books from this author in the future.

I received an arc copy from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Jenny]

Found it too dull. And I hate the jumping around timeline soooo much.

[readingromancehea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Allie is heartbroken over what Eden did. Eden moves on fast. They run into each other after years of being apart. This was cute. They have interesting pasts. Their present is full of surprises. I like how only Eden can call Allie Alex. I don't really know how to feel about Logan and Bailey after what they did. Elijah is adorable. It wrapped up well.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one. Super quick and fun, but really loved that its an opening bisexual main character with a young son and she is navigating co-parenting and dating. Need to see more of this in romance.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like talking to my best friend.

I love the way Shannon created such a relevant and real set of characters. The way the feelings can’t truly be felt made me feel so close to the main character and the events in her life. I enjoyed the way that it’s modern and relatable.

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is more than just a story about second chance love. You find yourself completely immersed in Allie's world, growing with her and experiencing everything as she does. It's incredibly relatable. It's about more than love. It's about family, friendship, growing, and healing. There were a few scenes I was definitely on the edge of my seat for, waiting to see what she would do or how someone would react. And that ending...just read and find out.

[bookishcharli · Rating 1 out of 5]

Electric Love is a novel about second chance romances. The story doesn’t flow all that well and at times seems quite poorly written. I’m not sure I’d pick up another novel by the author again.

Not for me.