Above all Things

Carlisle #2

by Roslyn Sinclair

The Carlisle saga continues…

Aspiring writer Jules Moretti and iconic fashion editor Vivian Carlisle have been through the wringer.

As Vivian’s personal assistant, Jules was there for her ice queen boss’s whims, commands, and the shocking discovery of her pregnancy. Just as shocking was Jules’s realization that she was falling hard for Vivian…and that the feeling was mutual.

Now Jules is forging her own path. At the same time, how can she and her workaholic lover balance romance in the midst of backstabbing bosses, meddling families, and the impending arrival of a baby? Will their explosive chemistry fizzle, or can they take their relationship to a new level of passion—and commitment?

Above All Things is the second part of the two-book Carlisle series. This age-gap lesbian romance is a steamy tale of discovery, desire, and the rewards of opening yourself up to love.

Genres: Romance, Lesbian, Audiobook, Queer, LGBT, Lesbian Fiction, Contemporary

372 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 11, 2022

About the author

Roslyn Sinclair knew she was destined to be a writer when her second-grade teacher took one look at her “What I did on my summer vacation” essay and said, “You wrote a novel!” It was all over after that.

She is married to fellow sapphic romance writer Carrie Byrd. They live in the greater Philadelphia area, weathering cold winters, hot summers, pollinated springs, and crisp autumns that make it all worthwhile.

You can keep up with Roslyn by subscribing to her newsletter. Subscribers get first access to book news, exclusive giveaways and promos, and a free steamy sapphic novella.

You can find Roslyn on all of her online platforms here.

Reviews

[Della B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Above All Things begins where Truth and Measure leaves off. Jules and Vivian are working on making a relationship while planning for the arrival of Vivian’s baby. Jules is working for Simon at his new start up online consignment company while Vivian is trying not to be made redundant by her CEO.
Once again I will be in a minority with my review and rating for this series. My biggest problem is that I just do not like the main characters. Vivian is extremely manipulative by withholding information while Jules is whiny, immature and too easily influenced by her peers. Simon is just down right mean to Julia under the guise of “helping” her to see her situation. I could not find anything redeemable in these characters. Yet what I do not like many others found endearing so it really comes down to personal choice.

I received an advanced review copy from Ylva Publishing and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[gloria .☆ﾟ. · Rating 1 out of 5]

➥ 1 Star *:･ﾟ✧

“I love it when you beg,” Jules whispered. “But you don’t have to. I’ll give you anything you want.”

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Buddy read with the absolute sweetheart Nic! 💘 (Sorry this was a flop). It's too early in the fucking morning to be talking about this shitshow (it's midday). To sum it tf up, Vivian (h) was insufferable throughout this whole book. She's conceited, selfish, uncaring, unloving, and shitty. I love an "ice-queen" as much as the next person, but she never melted or showed that she has a fucking heart. She's always mistreating Jules (H) and other people around her and I'm sick of it. When another woman was pregnant who worked for Vivian, she gave her only 1 week maternity leave and fired her right after. Excuse me?

“A week?” she said that night. “That’s all he gave you?”
Jules stared at her. “Vivian, remember when Mariel had her baby last August?” she asked. “How long did you give her to come back?”
“Company policy dictates—”
“Yeah, yeah, but how long did you give her? I mean informally?”
Vivian sniffed, acting like she didn’t remember.
“Also a week. And she was the one who actually gave birth. And she worked until the afternoon she went into labor!” As in her contractions had actually begun at work, and she’d kept sifting through advertising copy until they were six minutes apart. “And then you fired her anyway.”
Vivian waved an impatient hand.

Yeah, I don't fuck with that. Honestly, if I were to list every single issue I had with Vivian, we'd be here all day, but let me fucking try. (This may contain spoilers.)

1) Instead of reassuring Jules that she loved her when Jules communicated that she was feeling insecure, she just made Jules feel bad for not interpreting her "actions" as her being loving.

Vivian raised the pitch of her voice. “‘Vivian, Simon said something that made me doubt everything you’ve ever done or said—’”
“Hey!”
“‘—and I left my brain in another handbag this morning, so would you please kiss me and make it all better?’”

2) Initiates sex while Jules is trying to communicate with her

3) Keeps a bunch of secrets from Jules, always leaving her in the dark and forcing Jules to declare that she "trusts" Vivian.

“Okay, so what’s going on with Mark Tavio?”
There was a pause, and then Vivian gave another sigh, even heavier than this morning. “Look. What if I told you that you’re going to know everything in time, that I don’t want you to worry about it, and that, for God’s sake, I don’t want to talk about this right now?”

4) Doesn't prioritise Jules at all — when she calls she just vents about her day and ends the call when Jules starts to respond, and is always canceling the ONE day a week they have scheduled to spend time together.

5) Compares Jules to all her ex-husbands for just "not getting it" — "it" being putting her work above all else. (Or Above All Things, lol.)

6) Doesn't do the pregnancy readings that Jules picked out personally for her and served her on a platter. And Vivian tries to schedule a fucking C-Section (???) because she wants to give birth on her schedule?? Even though it requires more recovery etc. that Jules tried to explain to her?

Jules stared at her. “Vivian, Braxton Hicks contractions literally do none of those things. That was real labor!”
“Well, I’m sorry if I skipped the reading,” Vivian spat. “I’ve been busy.”

7) When Vivian finally declares that she loves Jules, Jules is obviously shocked. Vivian loves hearing the words, even calls Jules again if she doesn't say them at the end, but she never said them back. When she does, Jules gets emotional, logically, and she just makes fun of her.

Vivian smiled faintly. “Mm-hmm.” Then she wrinkled her nose. “Are you crying?”

8) Jules asks very minimal things of Vivian, and most requests aren't even for her. They're like "Vivian, please eat lunch", and Vivian doesn't even do that.

9) Arrives late to an event she already had to postpone with Jules. Absolute bullshit.

“I’m sorry. I thought I’d be finished by now. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
An apology was more than warranted. Vivian also didn’t give many of them. As mad as she was, Jules could still recognize a momentous event when she saw it.
I’ll bet she apologized to her ex-husbands too.
Vivian didn’t get home until a quarter to nine—forty-five minutes past her own deadline.

10) Vivian is always victimising herself, even though she's always the one being shitty.

“Oh, now this is about me,” Vivian said. “Maybe you should have started that way. It would have made the sucker punch a lot more effective.”
Jules’s jaw dropped. “No! I have to work at it too. I know I’m not perfect.”
(...)
“Oh good,” Vivian said. “I’ve been wondering when you’d figure that out.”
Jules’s mouth snapped shut. Then she said, “What?”
“Ms. Relationship Expert,” Vivian said. “Everything’s so easy, isn’t it? Everything’s so black-and white. You know exactly what we need. You know exactly how to heal me because God knows I must be broken somewhere.”

11) Jules proposes that she and Vivian live together, since they're finding it so hard to meet up, and Vivian just scrunches her nose and makes fun of her again, yet later claims that she HAD been thinking about doing it?? And she originally claims that if THAT is what it takes to make Jules less insecure then she'll MAYBE do it. Just so fucking bitchy and soulless istg.

“Give it a shot?” Jules repeated, hoping she’d misinterpreted.
“Yes, Julia, that’s what I said. If this…invasion is what you need to feel secure in—”
“Invasion?” The world was starting to haze red.
(...)
“I’d already been thinking about it, you know. It’s not like the idea never crossed my mind, although I’m sure you thought you were being incredibly original. But unlike you, I was giving it due consideration.”

12) Vivian drags sexuality labels through the dirt. It's obviously okay for you yourself to be unlabelled, but draging the concept is trashy, and she even refuses to be called queer at all because Jules is the only woman she's been attracted to 😀 AS IF THAT MAKES HER ANY LESS GAY LMAO. Istg, if she'd pulled a Clay and said "I'm not gay, I'm just in love with you", I'd have started throwing punches.

Vivian looked back and shrugged. “What? I don’t use labels. I wear them."

13) When Jules' parents find out about their relationship, they're logically concerned. Jules used to vent about how horrible Vivian was all the time and Vivian took her away from her family holiday time. They're rightfully concerned, but what does Vivian say to her girlfriend's fucking parents?:

“You can’t possibly think I’m interested in justifying myself to you.”

14) Overall, Vivian just demands that Jules do things for her: foot rub or otherwise, and even claims that she deserves it after all the hassle that Jules apparently makes her go through.

Jules stuck her hands in her pants pockets and sauntered over to Vivian’s chair, grinning down at her. “I owe you the foot rub of a lifetime too.”
Vivian’s stoic face finally cracked as she bared her teeth at Jules in a savage smile. “You have no idea.”

All in all, this book is objectively more of a two (maximum three) star read, because of the quality of the dialogue, of the writing, of the tension etc. It's painful to see how much potential Sinclair has, at writing a wonderful sapphic romance, yet it's all for nothing. It's ironic to me how Sinclair seems to acknowledge, in her writing, when Vivian is being unfair, unkind and overall idiotic, but she never does anything to redeem Vivian's character.

Sinclair seems to huff at the #metoo movement, as if stating it's to blame for how Vivian and Jules' relationship will be interpreted by the public. And honestly, considering the leash Vivian continues to have on Jules, and considering the prominently existing and concerning power-dynamic, it doesn't seem the public would be far off on their assumption. Like Jules' parents said:

"After all you said about Vivian when she was your boss, we’re suddenly supposed to believe this is some healthy thing?”
“I can’t make you believe anything.” Jules closed her eyes.

True, I don't believe it. Jules, I'm sure will be a lovely mother. She's so loving and I can't lie, her interactions with the baby were extremely heartwarming. I really loved Jules as a character, and I particularly liked the sex scenes where she made Vivian shut the fuck up — too good.

“Did you get these just for tonight? For me?” She slid her hands up and down Vivian’s thighs again in time with her kisses.
“Uh—” Vivian gulped. “Uh, yes, I, um—”
Aw-w. “You want it?” Jules whispered and exhaled hotly against the wetness that seeped through the silk. “You ready for it?” She licked roughly and Vivian gasped. “You going to give it to me?”

Jules just deserved better. She likes to think she isn't a doormat (she definitely is), but I love her still. She's so loving yet playful.

“I see what you meant about church,” Vivian murmured. She set the remote on a shelf, stepped forward, and stroked her fingers through Jules’s hair. Then her hand drifted downward, her fingertips brushing Jules’s cheek on the way to her bare throat. “I’m feeling reverent too.”
“You’re supposed to keep your hands to yourself in church,” Jules said around her fingertip. She nipped gently, her eyes closed. Easier to savor that way. “So hands off.”

Too fucking fine.

“Good.” Jules smiled. “So…you’ll let me, won’t you?”
Vivian’s voice dropped down into a low rasping register as she asked, “Let you what?”
Jules closed her eyes and swallowed hard. “Strip you off, lay you down, and fuck you.”

FUCK. I wish we'd gotten more though. I honestly thought this sequel would just be a long, blissful extended domestic epilogue where we just see Vivian and Jules love and make love to each other, and grow into parenthood together. Instead, I'm smacked in the face with Vivian's arrogance and abrasiveness. Like I said, it's disappointing because this did have potential. Vivian did have some sweet moments.

“Like everything in fashion, perfume either has intelligence or it doesn’t. You deserve something smarter than a one-note floral. Give me your arm.” Vivian held out a commanding hand.
Jules obeyed, extending her arm so Vivian could smell her wrist. At the brush of Vivian’s nose on her skin—and seconds later her mouth—Jules got goose bumps. As Vivian had no doubt intended.

And some hot ones.

“And I did this. Exactly this.” Vivian began to brush her thumb over Jules’s clit again—very, very lightly. “Exactly what I’m doing to you now. Which is when I discovered that I do like it slow. And gentle.”
“Going to come,” Jules panted against her skin. “Going to…going…”
“But you like it rougher,” Vivian said, “don’t you?” And she pressed down firmly with her thumb.

But the potential was wasted, with Vivian mistreating her angel of a partner:

Jules grinned, suddenly elated. She loved Vivian so much in that moment that it hurt. It actually took the edge off her arousal for a second. She beamed, combed her sweaty hair off her forehead, and kissed Vivian’s nose.

Jules is becoming the mother to her child and she hasn't even proposed (and SHE should definitely be the one to propose after all Jules has done for her). I'm not one to need the couple married with children by the end of the book, but considering that both characters clearly intend to be parents together, forever, then the least Vivian could do would be give Jules legal rights to the child she is raising. Unless she doesn't want Jules to have that much freedom and security — I wouldn't even be surprised.

So what's my conclusion? That I hope another book by this author will work for me: The X Ingredient. I heard it's more sex than plot, and we all know I'm all too here for that. That also ensures that Sinclair will be exploiting one of the skills she does have — writing steam — while hopefully also not fucking it up that badly since it's just a novella. Because seriously, I see such a high quality in Sinclair's work, that it's frustrating to see it ruined by a bad choice of happenings. Usually it's the other way around: authors have the right idea but can't execute it. Sinclair has a flair at certain aspects of being an author, really narrowing in on the description of body language, the creation of atmosphere, the depiction of tension, the construction of realistic, genuine, intimate dialogue. So I really hope that one of her books does work for me, because I was so prepared to love this one. Still love you though, Jules.

“And you like it too, don’t you? I like doing. You like being done to. Don’t you?”

Do me 😽.

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[Guerunche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update for audiobook version: 5+++ stars!

This was PERFECTION. Seriously. As much as I loved the book, Abby Craden's performance makes it a more than five star audiobook for me. I just finished it and didn't want it to end. In fact, I want to listen to it all over again. The childbirth scene and a beautiful, quiet, intimate scene between Vivian and Jules shortly after that were especially brilliant. The audiobook is a must-own, folks. Can't recommend it enough.

Alright. NOW I see what all the hype is about. While I thought part 1 - Truth and Measure - took a while to gather steam, it really picked up at the 65 percent mark and I had a very good feeling about what was coming. And wow - this volume certainly didn't disappoint.

Now that Vivian Carlisle and Jules Moretti have accepted they have genuine feelings for one another, now what? They're both in careers that require a ridiculous number of hours away from one another. Jules was Vivian's personal assistant in the past, so there is potential fallout there. Vivian is pregnant, so Jules wouldn't just be taking on a relationship, but there's another whole life coming into play. Vivian has never been with a woman before, and as a high profile media mogul, that will require some handling. There's a shift in the power dynamic that alters how they interact with one another. So many waters to navigate.

Vivian isn't one to show overt affection or share how she feels, so how can Jules be sure that she isn't alone in the depth of her feelings? She has the most to lose. And while we're hopeful they can overcome, there are significant barriers they'll need to traverse to get their HEA.

Sinclair handles their story beautifully. It's exciting watching all the behind the scenes maneuvering on the business front, and on the personal front there is a good deal of humor and sexiness in spades - exactly what we expect from this terrific author. There were also some gorgeous ice queen melting moments that felt so intimate that I almost wanted to look away to give them some privacy. How I would love to learn more about them in the future - even in short story form!

As someone who sees these stories play out in my head like a movie, I actually pictured Jules as Anne Hathaway and the model on the cover as Vivian, so that made the story even more...engrossing. Absolutely gorgeous covers - I'll need to own them both. And I certainly hope audiobooks are on the horizon, because oh my....

Ylva Publishing provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to be honest here. Months from now, I will remember this as that book that had like 20 really 🔥🔥🔥 sex scenes.

I loved this. I mean, Roslyn Sinclair writes some crazy good sex and enthralling characters, so it's a no brainer (especially paired with Abby Craden for narration). Before we move on from the sex, can we please just talk about how under-utilized phone sex and sexting are in books?? Not to mention just overall communication during sex scenes! Sinclair certainly has the idea - it's hot, do more!!

Aside from the sex (I promise I'll stop writing sex...probably), the characters were good - maybe not initially. I enjoyed the character growth with bot of the MCs, it was well done and really heart warming. The end of the book was a bit cheesy for me, but that's alright (there was some really communicative sex to make it better).

In case I didn't make it clear enough...read this book if you want LOTS OF SEX scenes and a sizzling ice queen, age-gap romance with a pregnant ice queen (yes, that includes some pregnancy sex - whether that's a good or bad thing for you, you decide). If you are not prepared to read about two women ripping each other's clothes off every chance they get, you should just move along.

[Gaby LezReviewBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

** Update for the audiobook version **

Abby Craden is the perfect choice for narrating this audiobook, her performance of the frosty ice queen Vivian Carlisle and the counterpoint with the young and vivacious Jules Moretti is fantastic. Ms. Craden brings the story to life and makes the listening experience even better. 5 stars.

Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins

Available in Scribd

Above All Things delivers what Truth and Measure promised

The wait is over and the second book in the Carlisle series is finally out. Even though it’s called a series, this is more of a single book divided into two parts because of its length. I highly recommend that you read book one Truth and Measure first, or else you’d miss half of the story, and also, why would you want to skip such a good book? Here is the link to my review.

**If you haven’t read book one, then don’t read this paragraph as it’s got spoilers.** Above All Things starts exactly where Truth and Measure ended, Vivian and Jules are in the first stages of a romance and trying to figure things out now that their relationship changed from boss-employee to lovers. There are some professional challenges that they will have to sort out independently and see how they balance work with their life together.

Roslyn Sinclair is an established author of two very popular books, her debut novel The Lily and The Crown and The X Ingredient. Along with Truth and Measure, all these works are based on The Devil Wears Prada trope (age-gap, workplace romance with an ice queen, opposites attract, and slow burn) though Truth and Measure is the closest to the canon as it’s set, like in the movie, in the world of fashion journalism. However, this is where the similarities end as this story starts with a very original concept.

Above All Things delivers what Truth and Measure promised, hot romance, increased drama, and bursting emotions. Ms. Sinclair knows how to build up the chemistry between the main characters and the sex scenes and intimacy in this book tie the story with a big and satisfying bow.

I personally think that The X Ingredient is better in delivering super hot sex scenes and The Lily and the Crown excels in providing an incredible emotional rollercoaster but the Carlisle series is definitely worth a read, especially if you are a fan of The Devil Wears Prada trope. The audiobook is going to be released later this year (2022) with hopefully one of the megastar narrators of the genre. If so, it’s going to be priceless. 4.5 stars.

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Jude Silberfeld-Grimaud · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not something I do very often but since I firmly believe these two books should be read as one, I’ll review them together.

I’m not sure I need to introduce this story so I’ll be quick. An aspiring writer, Jules Moretti is, when the story begins, the assistant to Vivian Carlisle, the most powerful woman in fashion, the revered and feared boss of internationally renowned magazine Du Jour (by the way, can someone please explain this name? What am I missing? Is my Frenchness getting in the way? It sounds very unsexy to me). When Vivian finds out, in the midst of her third divorce, that she’s pregnant, her assistant seems to be the only person she can trust and turn to, and the relationship between the two women begins to change.

I’m one of probably a handful of sapphic fiction reviewers who haven’t read the legendary Truth & Measure as fanfic. Not on purpose, it’s just not the way life has taken me. I’ve explained before that I didn’t read fanfic until very recently. I found lesfic very soon after coming out in 1993 and was happy rereading favourites while waiting for new books to get to me. By the time I found out about fanfiction, I didn’t have time to read outside of work. I’m still catching up on all this. With so many intriguing new books being released each month, it’s taking a while… The way I see it, I’m so late to the party, there’s no rush anymore. These stories aren’t going anywhere, neither am I, we’ll meet when the time is right.

What all this means is I started reading these books with an idea of what they were going to be about but no expectations. I don’t know how close the end result is to the original fanfiction or not. I don’t know if it’s disappointing or if it’s better. All I know is how much I enjoyed it. The blurb promises humour, chaos, and self-discovery and Roslyn Sinclair definitely delivers.

The way I read them, the first part sets the scene, introduces the characters and the plot, with chaos and twists, while part two is more contemplative, the MCs have become a couple, and despite a detour to let Vivian reclaim her professional superiority, the plot focuses on the relationship and the anticipation of the baby’s birth. And sex. A lot of sex. It’s kinda cool, by the way, that a pregnant woman is shown as a sexual being, desiring and desired.

I was a bit surprised that Sinclair chose to keep the magazine setting, so close to the movie that started it all (The Devil Wears Prada, in case anyone doesn’t know). On the one hand, of course, this familiarity makes it extremely easy to dive right into the story, to picture the characters, the office etc. On the other, it makes it difficult for the MCs to grow into their own personalities. After a while, however, Vivian and Jules flourished as themselves in my mind as Sinclair leads the reader deeper into who they are. That’s when I got to really like them, flaws and all.

While I wasn’t sure why Jules was head over heels over Vivian in the first book, I liked Vivian a lot more in the second. The more she revealed about herself, the more interesting I found her, beyond the self-centred ice queen. Jules is a bit of a doormat at times but as someone who has more than once lost the ability to talk in the presence of a beautiful woman, I can relate. And standing up for herself, be it to Vivian or to her parents, is part of the character’s growth, maybe my favourite part. I love when characters come into their power, into themselves.

As others have noted, the chemistry, in the first book, isn’t self-evident. Even Vivian seems to doubt it at first. My feeling is that the chemistry is more obvious to those who read the fanfiction first. Since I kept seeing the actresses of the movie in the characters, it felt implied and mostly worked for me (I’m a sci-fi reader, suspension of disbelief is par for the course), but I would have loved it even more if the author had built it up. That said, I didn’t have this issue at all in part two. On the contrary, the chemistry shines through right from the start of Above All Things. Vivian has undergone some sort of personality change on the way, she didn’t care about sex before Jules and she can’t get enough now. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, Sinclair writes some of the hottest scenes I’ve read and I’m very happy believing in the power of love. Not just pregnancy hormones, as Vivian seems to think at first. I’m convinced she’ll keep lusting after Jules till the end of times.

I do, however, have a slight issue with Vivian’s age. The insistence on it in the context of pregnancy and the way she’s written sometimes make her sound more ancient than her forty-two years. My understanding is that she’s fifty in the fanfic, so maybe that’s why.

Anyhow, I enjoyed reading this story a lot, I read each part in less than two days and whenever I had to put my e-reader down, I was reluctant to do so. Sinclair writes her characters in such an exhilarating way (the humour and chaos mentioned above) that I was just happy to spend time with them. The dialogues are witty, there’s angst and longing, all things I love.

There are some absolutely delightful scenes, in Above All Things especially. I can’t go too much into detail without spoiling but there’s one in particular in which Vivian and Jules discuss the baby’s future that made my heart warm and fuzzy.

If I wasn’t convinced I understood the relationship at first, the uncertainty was all gone way before the end. I love both characters together, and the length of the story means I got to know them as individuals too – Jules a little more – and I love them both. I’m now looking forward to rediscovering them and this story in its fanfic form, at last. And in audio as well.

If you’re curious about the process, about how Truth and Measure was born and how these two books came to be, the author explains everything on her blog.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Read all my reviews on my blog: Jude in the Stars

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jules Moretti is embarking on a new job, no longer the assistant to fashion editor, Vivian Carlisle. She still sees her former boss but now in a far more intimate role, as Vivian’s girlfriend. Jules is hopelessly in love with the emotionally walled up editor. Vivian has walls at high as the one in China but Jules and the love she shows breaks them down gradually. As Vivian’s pregnancy progresses, the two women have to deal with the many obstacles threatening to tear them apart.

I enjoyed the first book in the series, Truth and Measure but I absolutely loved this one. Roslyn Sinclair has given us another unforgettable ice queen in Vivian. Most live in fear of her and don’t bother trying to see the woman behind the frostiness. Jules has been there for her like no one in her life before and she allows Jules to see the real Vivian. She knows Jules is worthy of that trust and I love the way their relationship progressed. What began as a crush for Jules was for Vivian a dependence brought about by her shock and fear at discovering she was pregnant. The two women’s feelings evolved into an undeniable attraction and ultimately love.

This book is crazy hot. I am at an age where hot flashes occur occasionally but during the reading of this book, I had a perpetual blush that kept me reading this away from the eyes of my partner and kids. The emotional connection between these two characters heightens the physical and that makes for a great love story. I haven’t read Roslyn Sinclair’s fanfic but I now clearly understand the anticipation that accompanied the arrival of these two books.

An ARC was received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.

[pipsqueakreviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ice queen girlfriend.

This series started from a fanfic and for people who are interested in pursuing the Carlisle series, my suggestion is to start with the fanfic first. I was one of those who didn't, which I've heard could be the reason why I wasn't able to connect with the first book of this series, Truth and Measure. I thought the dynamics between Vivian and Julia was wildly off and I didn't buy into their romantic relationship at all. I think my feelings about them grew a little better towards the end of Book 1, which was a little too late for me to rate the book any higher than three stars.

Either Vivian became more likable or I'm now used to her quirkiness, but I thought this book is better. With Julia no longer Vivian's assistant, their interactions are a lot more sexual and domestic. This book is extremely steamy and that really helped boost my enjoyment. Julia is also less of a doormat now and can hold her own against Vivian in squabbles and I like that because it also forces Vivian to explain herself and share her thoughts.

Overall, an enjoyable book. Much better than the first book.

I received an ARC from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

[Heinerway · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must confess I enjoyed thoroughly this book, even more than the first one in the series. Although I think this is more of a single book divided into two parts. Don't you dare to miss this story!

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Above All Things” by Roslyn Sinclair is the second in the Carlisle two-book series. It picks up right where “Truth and Measure” leaves off. It is my opinion that these two books be read back-to-back to really appreciate the full story.

This is even steamier than the first book and still features an age-gap romance.

What I liked about this was that we get to see the thawing of our ice queen, Vivian. In the first book, we don’t really see a lot of that, even in regards to Jules so it helped warming me up to Vivian quite a bit. I also liked how here sense of humor comes out now that she’s comfortable being with Jules. In regards to Jules, I really liked seeing her coming into her own with Vivian and standing up for herself. As her assistant in the first book, she had to follow Vivian’s word no matter what. And that carried over into their relationship where she had a hard time sticking up for herself. It made me happy to see them be equals here.

This book deals with relationship drama now that they’re together. Jules’s family isn’t happy with the relationship that she’s dating a much older and pregnant woman. She’s also trying to figure out her dreams of being a writer without riding Vivian’s coattails. Vivian is trying to keep her job from a backstabbing CEO while also dealing with her pregnancy and being in a relationship with a woman for the first time. I really enjoyed these aspects and how it showed how their relationship was changing. It highlighted how relationships are work and had a more realistic feel to it that I enjoyed.

I think if you enjoy age-gap, ice-queen romances, you’ll love this little series.

I received an ARC from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come, but spoiler: this is my new fave book (with part 1).

[Bárbara Sousa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I even begin?? I love love and I love Jules and Vivian’s love for one another 🥰
I can’t stop smiling like an idiot after reading this, but I also legit feel like crying right now because I devoured this book so quickly and now I’m sad because it’s over, but I want to read so much more 🥺😭
I truly love this series so much! It’s my all-time favorite. I love the fic with my whole heart and I love the books just as much. Jules and Vivian stole my heart and I don’t even want it back. This story is so enthralling and amazing and interesting and I’m such a sucker for a good age-gape and ice-queen trope and this book is the embodiment of those tropes and they are portrayed perfectly here. I can’t wait to reread both books and listen to the audiobooks as soon as they come out.
THANK YOU, ROSLYN!! Bless you for creating such a beautiful work of art! I’m so grateful to be alive and be able to read this series 🙌🏻
Before I go, I have to steal Jules’ words and say that one thing is certain in this life: loving Vivian Carlisle and Jules Moretti’s story will never, ever go out of style 💛 100% recommend this series!

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audio was fantastic.

[Rachel’s Sapphfic Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh me oh my. Good god. Golly gosh. What a book

Excuse my language but fuck me this book is awesome, brilliant, breathtaking, stunning, gorgeous, beautiful, astoundingly and unbelievably spectacular. I feel a bit stunned that it’s all over and I can never read it for the 1st time again. Which is so strange because I’ve read this story dozens of times already. I know it so well yet it all felt so new. This is one of those books that played out as a movie in my head. It’s just so well written. I thought the 1st part of this series Truth and Measure was out of this world amazing. And it is. I didn’t think things could get any better. However. Above All Things is out of this universe, mind blowingly incredible. It’s smooth and dramatic. It’s makes you’re heart ache and you’re face ache from smiling. It’s full of fierce love and loyalty, misunderstandings and revenge. Roslyn Sinclair has weaved her magic into the second half of this story, and after reading it I can tell you that as perfect as the 1st half is, it’s like the warm up act to the mind blowing main event.
Vivian. Oh god Vivian. I think I’m actually in love. This woman 😍. She is one of the most perfect Ice Queens. From how she carries herself to how she crushes mere mortals for even looking at her the wrong way. But if she loves you!!! My god you better hold on tight because even tho she’s not great and revealing her emotions and feelings with words, she sure as hell makes up for it with her actions. She’s such a classy lady who protects herself behind walls so thick and high that even Jules has only knocked down a few and managed to carve a door in a few others. She’s constantly out to prove she’s the best at what she does and that she can survive. But only to herself because Vivian Carlisle doesn’t answer or prove anything to anyone else. Apart from apparently Julia Moretti. I think this comes as much as a surprise to Vivian as it does to Jules. Jules. Jules, Jules. Sometimes I wanted to shake her. I wanted her to have a little more faith in Vivian but at the same time I get why she was easily spooked. She’s the perfect counterpart to Vivian. She’s warm and giggly. She’s uses words so freely she speaks before she thinks but always means what she says. I loved watching her, on her Swift learning curve of all things Vivian. Yes she was her PA and knows professional Vivian perfectly but she has a blind spot when it comes to herself and it takes her a while to realise what Vivian is saying, without actually saying it. Both these ladies are so brave and I fell privileged for being able to follow their journey.
I could go on and on about this book but I don’t want to spoil anything. The story is funny and brilliant and its 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥. Like seriously beware where you’re reading 👀😂. This book has now bumped up to joint 1st place with Breaking Character as my all time favourite book. I can’t wait for the audio. I feel like 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ is a complete injustice but as I can’t give more 5 it is. Buy it, read it and love it. It’s one I’ll read again and again.

[Simone11 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so much better than the first one. The power imbalance leveled out because there wasn’t a boss/employee relationship anymore. Julia grew a backbone and you could witness that Vivian really loved Julia as a person.
Abby Cradens voice for Vivian and Julia were perfect but some other voices were too high pitched tones.
So story: 5 ⭐️
Narrator: 4 ⭐️

[Elske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

The saga continues - Julia/Jules settling into her new position at Simon's new company. Life continues for Vivian, her pregnancy progressing. Not much has changed with both women working long hours, living apart, meeting sporadically even if the sex is great. Vivian's aloof, cold facade still holds revealing little, she continues to control everything in front of and behind the scenes. Jules ever warm, still craves acceptance and words of affection, a take charge attitude only coming to the fore in the bedroom and with phone sex. She is stymied in her writing career. Then Jules moves in with Vivian everything changes and we swiftly move from detached emotions to overt declarations of love, a bit of family drama and the ultimate HEA.
IMHO, I believe splitting this book into two parts did not benefit the storyline. However, I also realize that more than likely I will be the minority on this point. Ms. Sinclair is great at sex scenes and I liked the humor when Vivian and Jules try to come out as a couple at The Annual Regatta which bumps my rating to 4 stars.

I rec'd a copy through Ylva Publishing. This a completely unbiased and voluntary review.

[Amy Marsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this one and the first one back to back, so apologies if I mention stuff that happened in the first book here.

This was a decent duology. I don't really get the almost ubiquitous praise, but I did enjoy it.

I liked that Jules gained confidence throughout. She really used to stutter a lot at the beginning of book 1, but by the end of book 2 she's giving as good as she gets. I like that. My thoughts are more complicated when it comes to Vivian. I think she's a good character, but as a person? Horrible. I liked that she's a badass bitch who takes no prisoners, but I thought she could have definitely softened a little more around Jules, the women she supposedly loves.

Their relationship in general didn't really work for me. I feel like they said 'I love you' way too quickly, and that they (and by extension, we the readers) didn't know a lot about each other, personally. I felt like there was sexual chemistry, but not a lot of romantic chemistry. Speaking of, the sex scenes were a lot of the same thing. A little variety would have been better.

It annoyed me that they kept things from each other. I know every relationship is different, but my wife and I tell each other everything, so seeing them be vague and keep secrets was strange.

I also didn't like Simon. I found him sly and kept waiting for him to try to sabotage their relationship. It didn't happen, but he wasn't a great friend.

I get that this review is coming across as negative, but I did enjoy it! Honestly!

[Netgyrl (Laura) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars - kindle edition

I mean, OF COURSE, I am going to give this 5 stars. I just love this story so much. It takes some more turns away from the fanfic continuing to paid homage but being it's own story too. I definitely got a few giggles out of their first trying to "come out" as a couple foray. Vivian's exasperation was hilarious. If you are a fan of the original, I don't know how you couldn't also love this version.

[Swaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded down. It's been two days since I finished reading this and it hasn't left my mind. I wasn't expecting it to leave such a lasting impression on me.

[Gabriella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my GOD!!!! I am happy to report that I am absolutely in love with this book. The first book in the series left me feeling conflicted (though completely hooked), but this one just left me in a puddle of sappy sapphic goo. 🥰😍😭

Things got pretty angsty as Jules and Vivian fought to make things work, and boy did I absolutely adore it. What can I say, I’m a glutton for punishment sometimes! I felt angry and anxious right alongside Jules, followed by a rush of catharsis once things got hashed out.

Some of the things Vivian said in this book…PHEW. Ms. Carlisle had me going absolutely unhinged over the simplest phrases, because they were coming out of HER mouth! Vivian Carlisle being tender and sincere is my drug of choice, tbh. And Jules’ reactions in these moments were so on point. God, I love when a character’s emotions are perfectly in sync with mine. Lord and savior Sappho, if you’re listening, I need more of this please.

My only real complaint is that I would have to liked to learn more about Vivian’s background and why she built up so many walls. Her past is explained a bit, sure, but I felt like a character as grandiose and formidable as Vivian deserved more. Or maybe that’s just me being under Vivian’s spell and wanting to know more about her…

Anyway, I am so in love with Jules and Vivian’s love story and their little family. Roslyn Sinclair, you’ve earned another die-hard fan!

[Misha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the slow burn dynamic in the first book, as we move from a professional relationship to friendship and a thawing of relations, to an actual romantic dynamic. This book is really a natural part of the conflicts raised in the first, which I appreciated. There isn't any contrived drama, just the natural insecurity and difficultly juggling career and a romance, as well as the appearances of the dynamic to the outside world. I do appreciate that Vivian's character thaws a bit towards her person but otherwise remains intact and ruthless as ever.

Excellent characterization once again, great relationship dynamic, and very natural hurdles to overcome in this follow up. The duology is absolutely A+.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note, this is the same review for both books 1 and 2, because it read like one.

I know not everyone loved this, but I did. I really liked the feel of the ongoing saga. That it wasn’t just one big plot to overcome but a small lifetime of challenges for the couple to get through and overcome together. I am not much of a huge angst person. I am not a thrill seeker, I don’t like being scared, I don’t like rollercoasters, and I really don’t like to feel sad and distraught even knowing there is a HEA in the near future. So this story hit my sweet spot. There was enough angst to keep the book interesting, but it was overcome quickly and I never once did I feel emotionally distraught. Thank you for that! I could even venture to say, this series may be one of my new favorites and I am looking forward to the next.

[MJSam · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC received via Ylva in exchange for an honest review.

For those that don’t know, this is part 2 of the Carlisle series, following on from Truth and Measure and features Vivian Carlisle, editor of the world’s premier fashion magazine, and her now former assistant, Jules Moretti.

This picks up right where Truth finished up, with Jules now working for Simon and Vivian progressing in both her pregnancy and divorce. Their relationship is also on a more equal footing since Jules doesn’t work for Vivian any more and is also super busy with her new job, which means neither has much time for the other.

This also involves the intricacies of revealing their relationship to family, friends, and colleagues, which did lead to some amusing scenes. Vivian is also more… relatable in this book, maybe a bit softer? Anyway, I enjoyed how their relationship unfolded, and the changes made to this section of the original also improved the story, especially around the birth. If you enjoyed part one, you should really enjoy part 2. 4 stars.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have so many feelings...but first, it's incredible how Roslyn Sinclair wrote so many sex scenes in her books in so many different ways, and none of them feel repetitive. Just. Incredible. (whew)

I hope Roslyn wouldn't mind people camper Truth and Measure between fanfic and published versions; both are masterpieces. I'm actually not into DWP at the time when I'm reading the fanfic version, and it drags me into the rabbit hole. Roslyn published the fanfic on ao3 in 2013, which was almost ten years ago; there are a few changes in this version, making the story neat and even perfect for reading.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Above All Things by Roslyn Sinclair is the second book in “The Carlisle Series” and continues the story begun in the first novel, Truth and Measure. Together they make a fascinating age gap/ice queen tale that kept me enthralled through both novels.
The second book takes up right where the first one ends with the two main characters, Julia (Jules) Moretti and Vivian Carlisle trying to make their new relationship work. That is not an easy thing to do though. They have to juggle their extremely busy work schedules which allow them little together time. Workplace drama as well as disapproving family and friends only adds to the hardship. Add in all Vivian is going through with her pregnancy, and their romance could really be in jeopardy.

Both of these novels are well-written, but I would expect nothing less from Roslyn Sinclair. This is a top-notch character driven tale.

The romance drama takes center stage in this novel, and I like how the author wove all the pitfalls surrounding the budding relationship into the story. Jules and Vivian have a lot working against them.

This is definitely not a standalone novel. The two books together tell one story so you really need to read them in order. Luckily, together they make an outstanding tale.

I received an ARC from Ylva Publications for an honest review.

[Genia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never read the fanfic, but that didn't hinder my enjoyment of Truth & Measure or Above All Things at all. I love the story of Vivian and Jules. I love how Vivian could be so loving to Jules, but absolutely ruthless when she was crossed. However, I did get a little irritated with Jules when she let one conversation with someone else mess with her head a little bit. That's all I'll say about that as I don't want to spoil anything. I thought T&M was hot, but Above All Things was an inferno! As intense as the sex scenes were, other scenes were every bit just as sweet and precious. I have enjoyed Roslyn Sinclair's previous books, but she went above and beyond with this series. I don't think I could ever get tired of Vivian and Jules so I sure hope we haven't seen the last of them.

[K.J .]

Quite possibly, there might only be two groups of people who read ‘Truth and Measure’ and ‘Above All Things’ (the novels); those who read them and completely love them, and those who read them, and completely love them and then try very hard not to compare them to the original fanfic to see if the updates fit seamlessly into the story. Guess what? Spoiler. They do.
It doesn’t mean the legions of Telanu fans won’t scour the novels hoping to come across their favourite fanfic section, gesture or line. Because I bet they will. And when they do come across it, they’ll clutch the books to their chest and whisper, “She kept it in.”
I know I did. I emitted a joyful hum sort of noise when I came across my favourite line, AKA ‘The Hairbrush Return’. It’s a completely innocuous line but I love it.

‘Well, out of all the things she’d lost in London, including her hairbrush, her common sense, and her sanity, it was nice to get at least one of them back.’

Now, for those readers in group one, the story is based on the movie The Devil Wears Prada starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway and interprets the movie in a sort of Sliding Doors/What If This Happened? concept. In ‘Truth and Measure’ and ‘Above All Things’ (the novels), the MCs are super ice queen Vivian Carlisle who helms the internationally revered fashion publication Du Jour. She is ruthless, regimented, entirely frightening and thoroughly compelling. And unexpectedly pregnant. And in the middle of a messy divorce. And falling for her personal assistant. But ruthless and regimented, remember?

The other MC is Jules Moretti, Vivian’s uber competent PA. She can just about read Vivian’s mind, anticipating Vivian’s needs, mentally interpreting Vivian’s single word instructions into complex paragraphs so that every task is completed perfectly. Jules is also an aspiring writer and while she loHATESves working for Vivian, she’s constantly looking for the next chance at having her writing published. Meanwhile, her life is regimented because Vivian’s is. Her life is scheduled because Vivian’s is. Her life is…well, not her life. But strangely enough, Jules finds an inexplicable sense of happiness in the structure, the madness in the control, living inside the Vivian-ness of every minute of every day. But then chaos knocks on her door, her heart takes the wheel, and yells ‘buckle up baby’, and she finds that falling for her entirely frightening, thoroughly compelling, completely insufferable boss isn’t on her life’s agenda at all.

The novels are wonderful because the original fic is reworked with the care of someone who wanted to look after their own story and pay respect to their original work. And why not? Roslyn Sinclair gave necessary attention to the need for the new, the updated, the modern, the removal of characters who were now illogical and the subtle introduction of some who aren’t. But even better, Sinclair has infused even more humour into the story, writing wonderful scenes particularly when Vivian’s in full-flight, and all around her are Du Jour employees trying desperately to avoid eye-contact, or blend into the carpet, or nod obsequiously simply to appease the storm that is Vivian. Although that last one usually gets the person fired.

Through Jules’s POV, we’re given an insight into a few cracks in Vivian’s armour as Vivian herself can’t control her own storm. Life is getting away from her.
And because the story is told from Jules’s POV, it is fascinating to see how vulnerable Vivian becomes without us hearing her internal monologue. Sinclair gives us two well-rounded, three-dimensional, and very vulnerable characters, each with their own visible and logical arc without the need for alternate perspectives. It’s very good.

Now. The sex. Excuse me while I blink for a bit and attempt to calm my heart rate. Goodness me! No, that response is much too tame. Christ on a fucking clydesdale. There. Much better. The sex is exactly EXACTLY right for the development of the relationship. It’s exactly right for the arcs of Jules and Vivian, and each scene occurs in the story exactly when it should. And it’s not just the sex; it’s the teasing, the sensuality, the looks, the breathless yearning. It’s all of it. All of the unexpected chaos. Because the sex, the frantic desire, is what they need from each other. They are both strong, sensual women. And they act on it.

These novels could have very easily been an instruction manual on sex positions in a variety of rooms and on various surfaces. But they’re not. These two novels tell a story of navigating the intricacies of love. Yes, the sex is intense and raw but it allows for the walls and barriers and bandaids covering life’s hurt to be ripped off so that Jules and Vivian find each other and themselves. And each other in themselves. This love story is about seeing the details in the sweeping and the grand; recognising that if there is too much of that sweeping, then the details are brushed to the corner. Sinclair ensures that her MCs focus on the minutiae of the grand and the dust in the sweeping. She ensures that they develop their relationship as something to be held, and not dissolve through lack of substance.

The majority of the relationship development occurs in ‘Above All Things’. It’s where the foundations are laid, which seems illogical since it’s the second book to the story. But that’s how love grows, doesn’t it? The initial gasp of lust where common sense grabs a passport and flies to Tahiti. That’s the frantic, the intense, and the breathless. And therefore book one; ‘Truth and Measure’. Then the foundation blooms; the what-if, the why-now, the how-will, the when-can? And those questions are asked and answered in ‘Above All Things’.

The original fanfic came to a total of eleventy-billion brilliant words and I’d wondered how the story was going to be carefully and elegantly smooshed into around two-hundred thousand (book one and book two combined). But Sinclair did it. I love the updates. But I love even more that people are going to come to this novel with no idea who Telanu is or what the Devil Wears Prada is or even what Prada is. Because those people, the group one folk, they’ll love ‘Truth and Measure’ and ‘Above All Things’ (the novels) because the story is awesome and funny and sexy and sensible…well, not sensible where Vivian and Jules are concerned. But it’s wonderful.
And the group two folk, their backpacks full of eleventy-billion words from the ‘Truth and Measure’ fanfic? They’ll love this novel simply because it isn’t ‘Truth and Measure’ fanfic; it’s ‘Truth and Measure' and ‘Above All Things’ (the novels) and it’s very good.

[Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars for Above All Things: Carlisle, Book 2 (audiobook) by Roslyn Sinclair read by Abby Craden.

Now that Jules is no longer working for Vivian they can take their relationship to the next level. There’s lots of details to work out like how to spend time together when both women have such demanding jobs and ultimately should they live together. Oh, and the baby is due soon. How is that going to change their lives?

I really recommend the audiobooks for this series. Abby Craden is doing a wonderful job bringing this characters to life.

[tenthmuse ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

vivian is one the funniest “ice queens” i’ve ever read. best girl fr<3 (this could’ve been just one book but it’s good!!)