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Seraph's Burlesque Club #3
Show Queen
They’re real life enemies, but online they’re besties. . .
Stubborn disabled dance club owner meets demisexual property tycoon in this ff enemies to lovers romance.
Seraph's Burlesque Club owner Beth Zendeli takes no nonsense. She hustled to keep her club afloat through lean years and a pandemic, and she doesn’t let her disability define her. But her perfect location has been sold, and the club is being evicted. The new owner is unreasonable, immovable, and irritating. In desperation, she turns to the online friends she talks about plants with. . .
Property investor Liz Whitten has plans for the old building she's just purchased, and she's used to getting her way. But when she meets the leaseholder in real life, a chance statement reveals Beth to be Liz's online friend QueenB. Can she really evict a friend? Especially a friend who is so unexpected and fascinating in real life.
Liz must decide if profits and ideals matter more than friendship, or if it’s worth taking a risk on love.
Enemies to lovers
Seasoned romance (older main characters)
Online friends to IRL lovers
Friends online and enemies IRL
Stubborn disabled dance club owner meets demisexual property tycoon in this ff enemies to lovers romance.
Seraph's Burlesque Club owner Beth Zendeli takes no nonsense. She hustled to keep her club afloat through lean years and a pandemic, and she doesn’t let her disability define her. But her perfect location has been sold, and the club is being evicted. The new owner is unreasonable, immovable, and irritating. In desperation, she turns to the online friends she talks about plants with. . .
Property investor Liz Whitten has plans for the old building she's just purchased, and she's used to getting her way. But when she meets the leaseholder in real life, a chance statement reveals Beth to be Liz's online friend QueenB. Can she really evict a friend? Especially a friend who is so unexpected and fascinating in real life.
Liz must decide if profits and ideals matter more than friendship, or if it’s worth taking a risk on love.
Enemies to lovers
Seasoned romance (older main characters)
Online friends to IRL lovers
Friends online and enemies IRL
198 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 12, 2022
3 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Renée Dahlia
78 books74 followersRenée Dahlia is an unabashed romance reader who loves feisty women and strong, clever men. Her books reflect this, with a side-note of awkward humour. Renée has a science degree in physics. When not distracted by the characters fighting for attention in her brain, she works in the horse racing industry doing data analysis. When she isn’t reading or writing, Renée spends time with her partner, four children, and volunteers on the local cricket club committee.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 8, 2022
The final book in the series and I couldn't wait to start learning more about Seraph's owner Beth Zendeli and what makes her tick.
After scraping through the Pandemic, holding tight to her Burlesque Club and "family" and trying to keep everyone safe and happy - with a sliver of sunlight ahead - Beth learns the building has been sold and her lease terminated. Her life's focus through determination and hard work, Seraph's Burlesque Club is in danger of closing down. Throughout the lockdown, Beth had become involved with an online plant forum and this had been a saving grace - a respite from the realities of dealing with a struggling business by nurturing plants and talking about them (and sometimes a few personal snippets) with fellow members. One member "NotTheQueen" had become a good online friend.
Savvy business woman and property investor/developer Liz Whitton is the new owner. She has grand plans to raze the building, erecting a "green" structure with commercial space and apartments. During the shutdown, she had also got involved with an online plant forum making a good online friend in "QueenB".
Beth wants to keep the eviction news quiet and meets with the new owner in a attempt to reverse matters. The only positive to come from that quick meeting is the realization for Liz that Beth is "QueenB" but she keeps that knowledge to herself. In short order, Liz finds she can't be as cutthroat as usual when dealing with Beth - she's a friend isn't she? Beth on the other hand, is totally confused by what she sees as mixed messaging since the eviction is still going ahead but she is also attracted to Liz.
Beth is bisexual and an amputee which has great bearing on her sex life with quick hookups her main relief. Liz is demisexual, not usually understood leaving her a loner more often than not.
This is where the author's finesse in storytelling comes to play. The complex emotions, personal history and sexual identity are crucial in this romance. Our ladies find their way with a few bumps and some guilt and regrets but supported by Club family and compromise the eventual hard fought for HEA does come.
I delighted in the series ending quickly downloading the promised series epilogue which put a little bow on the package.
Easily recommend and on my re-read shelf.
I rec'd a copy through Booksprout. This is an unbiased and voluntary review.
After scraping through the Pandemic, holding tight to her Burlesque Club and "family" and trying to keep everyone safe and happy - with a sliver of sunlight ahead - Beth learns the building has been sold and her lease terminated. Her life's focus through determination and hard work, Seraph's Burlesque Club is in danger of closing down. Throughout the lockdown, Beth had become involved with an online plant forum and this had been a saving grace - a respite from the realities of dealing with a struggling business by nurturing plants and talking about them (and sometimes a few personal snippets) with fellow members. One member "NotTheQueen" had become a good online friend.
Savvy business woman and property investor/developer Liz Whitton is the new owner. She has grand plans to raze the building, erecting a "green" structure with commercial space and apartments. During the shutdown, she had also got involved with an online plant forum making a good online friend in "QueenB".
Beth wants to keep the eviction news quiet and meets with the new owner in a attempt to reverse matters. The only positive to come from that quick meeting is the realization for Liz that Beth is "QueenB" but she keeps that knowledge to herself. In short order, Liz finds she can't be as cutthroat as usual when dealing with Beth - she's a friend isn't she? Beth on the other hand, is totally confused by what she sees as mixed messaging since the eviction is still going ahead but she is also attracted to Liz.
Beth is bisexual and an amputee which has great bearing on her sex life with quick hookups her main relief. Liz is demisexual, not usually understood leaving her a loner more often than not.
This is where the author's finesse in storytelling comes to play. The complex emotions, personal history and sexual identity are crucial in this romance. Our ladies find their way with a few bumps and some guilt and regrets but supported by Club family and compromise the eventual hard fought for HEA does come.
I delighted in the series ending quickly downloading the promised series epilogue which put a little bow on the package.
Easily recommend and on my re-read shelf.
I rec'd a copy through Booksprout. This is an unbiased and voluntary review.
March 15, 2022
I haven’t read the other books in the series but after finishing this book I‘m definitely hooked and plan to check them out. I was excited about the blurb because it’s not often we get to read about a disabled MC and another one, that is demisexual. And I didn’t get disappointed.
Beth and Liz both living their lives mostly for their jobs. They also share the same hobby, which is indoor plants. And they actually know each other for quite some time through an online plant group. They formed a friendship, that made me smile. The bonding over plants gave them a purpose during lockdown and not being able to work much. What they don’t know is that their path also crosses in real life, when Liz buys the building Beth has her club in. Even worse when Liz wants to tear it down and plans to throw everyone out.
It gets very interesting when they both realise, that they know each other. Beth isn’t someone who gives up easily. She had to fight too hard after a personal loss several years ago to be where she is today. Liz on the other hand doesn‘t plan to step back, because also she has her baggage and is still weary. But realising that the friendship they built before is something special changes things and leads them working together.
While Beth is attracted to Liz right away, for Liz it needs more to get physical with someone. I loved how the author explained this in the story and also what it means when someone who is demisexual develops deeper feelings. But finding the balance and getting on the same page easy for both of them. It needs some adjustment because for Beth it was always easy to just hook up with someone. Liz on the other hand isn’t able to do that of course.
While I loved the beginning of them getting closer and Beth doing all the right things, at some point in the story I missed Beth’s understanding a bit. She seemed to understand Liz hesitation at first and gave her all the time in the world. But later after they hooked up, Beth somehow didn’t seem to understand that Liz wouldn’t have done it without having feelings for her. This didn’t last long and thank god there wasn’t too much drama because these days I’m happy without it. ☺️ The author says at the end, that we get to read a little sequel through her newsletter. I‘m definitely looking forward to that because I wanna know how it goes on with Beth‘s club. 😊
I received an advance reader copy from the author and voluntarily leaving an honest and unbiased review.
Beth and Liz both living their lives mostly for their jobs. They also share the same hobby, which is indoor plants. And they actually know each other for quite some time through an online plant group. They formed a friendship, that made me smile. The bonding over plants gave them a purpose during lockdown and not being able to work much. What they don’t know is that their path also crosses in real life, when Liz buys the building Beth has her club in. Even worse when Liz wants to tear it down and plans to throw everyone out.
It gets very interesting when they both realise, that they know each other. Beth isn’t someone who gives up easily. She had to fight too hard after a personal loss several years ago to be where she is today. Liz on the other hand doesn‘t plan to step back, because also she has her baggage and is still weary. But realising that the friendship they built before is something special changes things and leads them working together.
While Beth is attracted to Liz right away, for Liz it needs more to get physical with someone. I loved how the author explained this in the story and also what it means when someone who is demisexual develops deeper feelings. But finding the balance and getting on the same page easy for both of them. It needs some adjustment because for Beth it was always easy to just hook up with someone. Liz on the other hand isn’t able to do that of course.
While I loved the beginning of them getting closer and Beth doing all the right things, at some point in the story I missed Beth’s understanding a bit. She seemed to understand Liz hesitation at first and gave her all the time in the world. But later after they hooked up, Beth somehow didn’t seem to understand that Liz wouldn’t have done it without having feelings for her. This didn’t last long and thank god there wasn’t too much drama because these days I’m happy without it. ☺️ The author says at the end, that we get to read a little sequel through her newsletter. I‘m definitely looking forward to that because I wanna know how it goes on with Beth‘s club. 😊
I received an advance reader copy from the author and voluntarily leaving an honest and unbiased review.
April 10, 2022
Show Queen is the third in Renée Dahlia’s Seraph’s Burlesque Club series. It can be read as a stand-alone, but I would recommend all of them, especially as this is the one where previous couples have a strong supporting presence and you see the strongest found-family dynamics.
I really liked the setup for this one, as both leads are types you don’t see often in romance. For one, both are in their fifties, and it’s always great to read about older people instead of twentysomethings. Beth is a great example of positive disability rep, and she doesn’t let this hold her back from living her life and pursuing the things she’s passionate about. And Liz’s description of her demisexuality, really spoke to me, as someone who falls somewhere on the gray ace/demi spectrum (but is still figuring things out).
I generally liked the dynamic between them, with them being friends online, and then, whoops, turns out Liz is also the one who wants to evict Beth so she can remodel the building where the club is currently situated. And I think it provided substantial grounds for their conflict to be more complicated. But I also felt like Liz was a bit dense at first, as she feared being walked all over like a previous lover, but chose the wrong way to assert her confidence by not backing down on basically ruining someone’s well-crafted livelihood. I mean, I get she feels guilty, but I also felt very confused as to why Liz was so unaware of her own privilege and position of power as Beth saw it.
However, as the story evolved, and things deepened beyond that initial conundrum into an exploration of their feelings and bond, my issues lessened, especially as they did come to a resolution that worked out for everyone in the end.
This was a wonderful concluding installment to the series, and leaves everyone on a good note. I would recommend this to anyone looking for sapphic/seasoned romance.
.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really liked the setup for this one, as both leads are types you don’t see often in romance. For one, both are in their fifties, and it’s always great to read about older people instead of twentysomethings. Beth is a great example of positive disability rep, and she doesn’t let this hold her back from living her life and pursuing the things she’s passionate about. And Liz’s description of her demisexuality, really spoke to me, as someone who falls somewhere on the gray ace/demi spectrum (but is still figuring things out).
I generally liked the dynamic between them, with them being friends online, and then, whoops, turns out Liz is also the one who wants to evict Beth so she can remodel the building where the club is currently situated. And I think it provided substantial grounds for their conflict to be more complicated. But I also felt like Liz was a bit dense at first, as she feared being walked all over like a previous lover, but chose the wrong way to assert her confidence by not backing down on basically ruining someone’s well-crafted livelihood. I mean, I get she feels guilty, but I also felt very confused as to why Liz was so unaware of her own privilege and position of power as Beth saw it.
However, as the story evolved, and things deepened beyond that initial conundrum into an exploration of their feelings and bond, my issues lessened, especially as they did come to a resolution that worked out for everyone in the end.
This was a wonderful concluding installment to the series, and leaves everyone on a good note. I would recommend this to anyone looking for sapphic/seasoned romance.
.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 11, 2022
This is the third book in the Seraph series and this time we get to see into Beth's life, the club owner.
Liz is the online friend that Beth chats to about plants and they have a good online friendship. But unbeknown to either Liz buys the building that houses Seraphs. Liz has plans to demolish it but is conflicted when she realises just who the owner is.
It was lovely to see Yolande and Charlie etc from the first two books and this one was every bit as good as they were. Beth had always been a bit of an enigma before and it was great to find out about her backstory. Liz is demisexual and it was interesting to see how it can change the dynamics of a relationship compared to two allosexuals which is what Beth is used to. Another great read and an epilogue can be found as a newsletter subscriber. Sign me up!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Liz is the online friend that Beth chats to about plants and they have a good online friendship. But unbeknown to either Liz buys the building that houses Seraphs. Liz has plans to demolish it but is conflicted when she realises just who the owner is.
It was lovely to see Yolande and Charlie etc from the first two books and this one was every bit as good as they were. Beth had always been a bit of an enigma before and it was great to find out about her backstory. Liz is demisexual and it was interesting to see how it can change the dynamics of a relationship compared to two allosexuals which is what Beth is used to. Another great read and an epilogue can be found as a newsletter subscriber. Sign me up!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 5, 2022
This was the first Renee Dahlia book I have read, which also means I skipped the first two in the Seraphs Burlesque Club series. However, it didn't seem to take away from the end product which I really enjoyed. I will go back and check out the previous books though because this story was original, fun and represented a few different people of the LGTBQI+ spectrum.
April 13, 2022
This has been an amazing series that has some amazing characters that just keep getting more interesting throughout the series .
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.
April 17, 2022
good book
Have read all 3 books in this series and have enjoyed them all. I’m a sucker for HEA. Two women very different but somewhat still the same. Both needing to run a risk for love.
Have read all 3 books in this series and have enjoyed them all. I’m a sucker for HEA. Two women very different but somewhat still the same. Both needing to run a risk for love.
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January 20, 2025Liz Whitten from Show Queen is demisexual!
https://www.tumblr.com/aspeccharacter...
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews