From LA to London, With Love

by Elizabeth Luly

Sophie Shah thinks dating an American movie star is a terrible idea. For a start, she’s got her hands full with her baby son, volunteering at the local LGBTQ youth center and her new business venture. And she’s just not that interested in red carpets, fancy parties and private jets. Anyway, there’s no way the man recently voted the “sexiest man alive” would be interested in a single mom who lives with her parents… right?

Publicly humiliated, movie star Chris Trent has fled to London to film a period drama. Focused on redeeming his reputation and improving his (questionable) British accent, a new relationship is the last thing on his mind. And Chris doesn’t pack light—he brings all his baggage with him.

Sophie’s and Chris’s worlds couldn’t be more different, but as their relationship unfolds they begin to think that maybe, just maybe, they could have a future together. But some baggage is hard to offload.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Rom Com, Celebrity, Romantic Comedy, Celebrity Romance, Chick Lit

342 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 11, 2022

About the author

Romance author Elizabeth Luly lives with her gardening-obsessed wife, cheeky toddler and highly strung Schnoodle. She loves strong coffee, dogs, traveling and happily ever afters.

Reviews

[MerLuni · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4,5
I adored this book!
I usually don‘t read books with kids because I feel like they often get left behind in the story but here Elliot was an important part and always included which I loved.
To me personally the characters were amazingly developed and felt very real to me, especially Chris with all his struggles. Flawed characters are the best!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Heather Creeden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Type: RomCom, Romantasy
Ease of read: 5/5
Spice: 2/5 - closed door chocolate play
Age range: 18+

This is Elizabeth Luly’s debut novel and I can’t wait to read more from her in the future! From the start you fall for Chris and feel for his situation and then meet Sophie and I personally loved her thinking and personality so of course these two would suddenly meet. The story moves along at a good pace and keeps you wanting to read more and more. Elizabeth really did an excellent job with bringing these characters to life and surprised you at times which were very nice surprises. Anyone who loves a good Rom-Com or just a touch of spicy love story this is the book for you!

Tropes:
⁃ Romantasy
⁃ Friends to Lovers
⁃ Slow burn
⁃ Swoony

Quotes:

- God damn, she had a gorgeous smile. It was the eyes that really did me in. When she smiled, they crinkled and sparkled, sending a blast of warmth right to my chest and making it almost impossible for me not to smile back.

- I love your sense of humor, your kindness, your intelligence, your passion to make the world a better place. You make me want to be a better person. You have made me a better person.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

Does anyone else have a thing for celebrity romances? I loooovvveee them and this one was really good!

Read this if you like:

👶🏼 Single parent mom
🤩 Swoony celebrity hero
💕 Emotional depth
🔥 Slow burn romance
🐶 An adorable dog
❤️ Bisexual rep
🫶🏻 Found family
😍 Friends to lovers

Overall I really enjoyed my time with this debut, the characters felt authentic and it was a sweet read.

[Raian (ThatQuirkyBookworm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I love your sense of humor, your kindness, your intelligence, your passion to make the world a better place. You make me want to be a better person. You have made me a better person."

I received an ARC of this book, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

3.5 stars!

The story is really well-written for a debut novel. I really appreciate the author's dedication to write this story. I've never read a book with a bisexual main lead, so it was a little out of my comfort zone tbh. The book talks about the film industry, LGBTQ+ community and racism at some point. I really adored the love story between the main leads. Also, Sophie's baby Elliot and Chris's pet-dog Alfie has added extra cuteness to the story.

Overall the story was pretty good, but felt a bit slow with predictable plotline for me. The intimate scenes felt rushed and I had a hard time to truly get into the story. Aside from that, it's really a good one!

Thank you so much BookSirens for providing me an eCopy of this book. And I'm really looking forward to read more books from Elizabeth Luly!

[Olivia Caridi · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, this is a great debut novel - I am so impressed! I really enjoyed reading this story - it made me laugh, it's romantic, and touched on some really poignant social justice topics. However, I did feel like it was a bit "stuffed" with those topics - single motherhood, a LGBTQ+ main lead, complexity of the bisexual identity, racism, internet privacy, absent father, the difficulties of celebrity life, a stolen dog (!), and more. So ultimately I felt like some of the storylines were "extra" and didn't necessarily move the story forward and distracted from the main love story, which was my favorite part of the book!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nikki Bogard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth Luly brought it in this debut RomCom, I was honestly surprised this was her first novel. This cute romance was exactly what I needed.

Chris Trent is a Hollywood movie star who has just recently broken up with his awful girlfriend (who put compromising pics of him on the internet. He takes a movie deal in London to get away from all the crazy. Sophie a single mom to Elliott (Elizabeth incorporated his so well) she is always being called out on her skin tone and how she is raising her son on her own. As she angerly leaves her mother’s group she runs right into Chris, and he spills coffee all over Elliott and thus starts their relationship.

These two were perfection and I was falling in love too. The bond Chris formed with Elliott was one my favorite parts of the story. Watching Chris and Sophie grow together as a couple and out of their insecurities was everything and it shows you that love isn’t always easy or simple.

Elizabeth Luly is amazing and really out done herself and I look forward to more in the future.

Special thanks to Booksirens and Elizabeth Luly. I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
What an interesting book. How would you feel to literally run into a handsome man and spill a cold coffee on him? He's in London (my favorite city) to star in a film.

With baby Elliot having been conceived by a sperm donor and our female lead being bisexual and multi racial, the book covered a lot.

I felt it didn't get preachy or push a specific agenda until maybe the last chapter which got pretty giddy up (you'll see). Don't be mad but it is a bit OTT IMHO.

Otherwise a great story with great depth about Chris the famous action hero actor and the single mother he meets in London.

We learn a lot about film industry and celebrity. I enjoyed the family dynamics and I liked youth club storyline. Some great humor as Ken and Karen in economy help Chris with grovel 101.

Entertaining.

[Book Nerdy 2020 · Rating 4 out of 5]

FROM LA TO LONDON, WITH LOVE By Elizabeth Luly

Sophie Shah has had some really bad experiences when it comes to dating, she swears off men. She chooses motherhood via IVF. Chris is a huge superstar and gets a movie offer in London, the timing is perfect.

😊What i liked -

✔ Celebrity Romance/Single Parent Romance/Friends to Lovers
✔ Firstly thanks a ton for including the TW's.
✔ I liked the fact the FMC was a Bi. What she goes through for being a Bi and Half Indian was handled or shown with so much care.
✔ I loved Chris's character too. He was sweet, fun, hot, vulnerable and full of faults too.
✔ I absolutely loved all the side characters, especially Alfie.
✔ This book was a good read. Fantastic storyline, family/friend bond, slow burn sexiness.

🤔What could have been better -

✔ Though this world is full of Cynthia's, I wish she wasn't a part of this world.


📚Who Should read :

👶Beginners
💝Romance Lovers
😎Celebrity Romance

📈My Rating : 4/5

P.s - Even though I am an Indian i had to go and google what Moti Pak is. Thanks a ton Elizabeth Luly for writing this book. It gave me a little more information on things I continuously keep reading on so that I can understand more, know more and help more.

Thank you Elizabeth Luly for a copy?

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story
Sophie is a biracial, bisexual single mom living with her parents in Hampstead in London. After fleeing the local mom’s group after a rude question, Sophie literally runs into famous actor Chris Trent although she has no clue who he is. Chris has had a terrible few months and has moved to London to star in a period piece. The two become close friends, but Chris thinks Sophie isn’t interested in him.

My thoughts
This lovely story from Elizabeth Luly punches well above expectations for a debut. I loved how both Chris and Sophie’s thoughts and fears are shared in a dual POV, how caring the couple are of each other, baby Elliot and doggy Alfie. Their exploits- travel to Barcelona to recover Alfie, karaoke night, trips to his family, a Diwali celebration - are handled with fun and give meaning to the story. I really appreciated that the reality of having a small baby was authentically written… they don’t magically disappear when there is a famous movie star love interest… hallelujah 😆 It’s a thumbs up read from me!

Read an eARC copy courtesy of Booksirens and the author
My rating 4/5 - ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

[Cass (whatcassreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

From LA to London, with Love by Elizabeth Luly was a surprisingly refreshing, fantastically written, and heartwarmingly diverse contemporary romance about love, family, trust, and self-acceptance.

5/5 ⭐: Must Read 🏆
3/5 🌶️ Spice Level

REVIEW:
From LA to London, with Love follows Chris Trent—yet another white, straight, attractive, Chris-named, cis-male Hollywood actor—as he travels to England to film for an upcoming project and who unexpectedly meets single mum, Sophie Shah. With Chris still recovering from a publicly humiliating breakup that resulted in months-long recluse and Sophie's focus being on her baby and upcoming business venture, starting a relationship has definitely not been on each other's radar.

While I was expecting a light-hearted, laugh-out-loud rom-com (as its title, synopsis, and cute, pink cover may suggest), this novel was anything but. From LA to London, with Love was a wonderful and touching read that introduces readers to a diverse and passionate set of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ characters and touches on issues surrounding LGBTQ+ allyship, the importance of diversity and inclusion, mental health, and effects of childhood trauma.

While the readers got the meet cute scene every romance novel requires (which, for a second got me worried because of who the drink got spilled on), the plot wasn't at all clichéd or predictable. It was unexpectedly adventure-filled and included powerful conversations and messages that deeply resonated with myself. The novel also included a wide and diverse set of characters, all of whom played an important part in Chris and Sophie's relationship and personal growth.

The main characters were extremely likable and relatable. I loved how the author was able to create realistic characters with backstories and experiences that most (if not all) readers can relate to. My favourite part of this novel was reading about Chris and Sophie's character development and reading how their shared experiences, vulnerable and open conversations with each other, and supportive network of friends and family all helped to shape it.

Overall, I’d recommend From LA to London, with Love to anyone looking for a fantastically written contemporary romance that's with filled with adventure, diverse characters, and powerful messages surrounding family and self-acceptance. And of course, to all the pupper and doggo lovers out there—this one's for you, too!

🚀 Thank you to Reedsy Discovery for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Check out my original review on Reedsy here.

💻 Check out more book reviews on my What Cass Reads blog and my Instagram!

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

umm how was this a debut novel?

single mother romance isn't usually my vibe, but she threw in a movie star and i thought i'd take it for a whirl.

SO GLAD I DID, this is an easy beach-read romance that I started a little too late and stayed up reading.

Sophie is everything, she doesn't need a relationship to do what she wants but when Chris comes along she isnt anti-relationship.
Chris is a bit of a dickhead but he owns up to it and you love to see it.

I'm frothing this book.

[Katja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chris Trent is a movie star, famous for his action hero roles in the Muscle Man franchise. Currently he's in England, trying to figure out the Queen's English (is it still called that, or is it the King's English now?) for a bridgertonesque role as an arrogant duke. He randomly meets Sophie, a single mother who lives nearby with her parents and her baby Elliot. Chris is attracted to her but Sophie mentions girlfriends so Chris assumes she's unavailable to him because she's gay. In fact, Sophie is bisexual and the attraction is mutual, but it's a hard topic to broach so they are just good friends for a while, Once they have established that they are potential sexual partners there are still multiple obstacles. Sophie is worried about his fame and the fans harassing her or Elliot, and the impact the gossip rags might have on her professional career or her family. She and her friends are planning to start an agency consulting on topics like diversity in the workplace, how to make businesses less discriminatory and to help women, people of color and LGBTQ feel safer. She volunteers with an organization helping LGBTQ teens, some of whom struggle with homelessness, lack of familial support and questions of coming out. Sophie faces some struggles too as she has not come out about her queer identity to some of her Indian relatives, having kept Elliot's existence a secret from them too. On the other hand she is hesitant about her relationship with Chris because she'd previously sworn off dating men. She's had some bad experiences with misogynists, racists and homophobes on dating sites and has decided all men are bad news. Chris is the epitome of a privileged, rich, white, straight cis male and Sophie worries that being known as his partner would cheapen her worth as an LGBTQ advocate although bisexuality is just as valid a sexual orientation as any other. In the meantime, Chris is still trying to cope with his feelings of betrayal, humiliation, shame, and lack of trust, after explicit photos of him were leaked on the internet without his consent, and the resulting furor has affected his mental well-being.

The writing flows well for the most part and I liked that the characters care about discrimination and try to make the world a better place. But the story is rather heavy reading as the book tackles so many issues at once and sometimes the characters come across as a bit speechifying. There's also a missing pet, a missing person, and a housefire, and I could have used a bit of lighthearted relief here and there. It wasn't angsty as such, just rather serious most of the time, and something fluffy, snarky or humorous in the middle of all the problems could have balanced things out.

Steam level: some sexual content.

I received a free advance copy and this is a voluntary review.

[Valencia · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love slow burn romances, then Elizabeth Luly’s “From LA to London with Love” is definitely for you. It is a sweet, heartfelt read about two people who are so unlikely to meet, yet they seem destined to be together.
The story follows Chris Trent, a famous actor who was the victim of a scandal that rocked his sense of trust and emotional well-being. In an effort to escape the turmoil that surrounds him, he takes a leading role in a film that is set to be shot in London.
While there, he meets Sophie Shah, a Diversity and Inclusion Executive that is planning on venturing out on her own, leaving her job at a law firm to start her own business with her friends. She’s a fiercely independent woman who chose to have a child on her own rather than right for the “right person” to come along.
Unbeknownst to her, she actually runs into the potentially right person in Chris Trent. Literally. She runs into him with her son’s stroller. The spark of attraction is immediate for both of them, but their own internal hang-ups seem to keep getting in the way; which is actually quite realistic when you think about it. Chris has his issues with trust since his ex-girlfriend leaked explicit photos of him to the press. Sophie is tackling being a queer woman in a professional, social, and cultural world that doesn’t seem to understand her.
This novel tackles several challenging subjects that are very relevant to pretty much any reader picking up this book. It holds a diverse set of characters from a variety of cultural, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
There is quite a bit of angst in this novel, so if you’re impatient for the first kiss, please know that the payoff is WELL worth the wait. Trust me. There are also some miscommunication situations that crop up with drive the plot along. There is witty banter, sweet flirting, some a little bit of spice mixed in. All in all, this is a wonderful debut novel and it’s worth a read. No novel is perfect, but this is a great book if you are a fan of romance. I’d also want to note the irony of reading this and feeling that the actor is potentially modeled after Chris Evans (except for the eye color). Adding to the irony is the fact that the main protagonist was recently voted the Sexiest Man Alive.

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

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Trent is a popular movie star. His girlfriend Vanessa put compromising photos on the Internet plus showed her with another guy. Chris is devastated. He received a script that he would film in London and decided that might help him get over what has happened to him. Once in London, he found a beautiful old house and has time to fill before filming. Sophie is living with her parents and her infant son Elliott. Pushing her pram down the street in front of Chris’s house she rams into him, and he spills his cold coffee on Elliott. Wanting to make things better, he invites Sophie in. She has always loved the Castle as she calls Chris’s home and is delighted to take a tour.
I loved this book! Chris and Sophie have a lot in common. They love to cook, picnic, and take walks. It was so fun to watch Chris and Elliot bond especially when Chris took care of Elliot by himself. Sophie does not realize Chris is famous for quite some time. Chris and Sophie both have trust issues and I enjoyed watching them work through those. Chris talks about dating with Sophie and believes she is gay. He has feelings for her, and Sophie cannot figure out how she can be so attracted to Chris. This book is so important because of the diversity. Sophie’s grandparents are from India, and she tries to honor their culture. She wants to start her own business to help companies be more kind to diversity. Sophie and her gay friend Josh work with LGBTQ+ teens being mentors in a social setting. I loved how Chris embraced that side of Sophie. He was also glad to find our she was bi-sexual. There is a lot of humor and love in this story plus a good introduction to diversity.

[Cherie • bookshelvesandtealeaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you SO MUCH to Elizabeth Luly for sending me a copy of her debut novel in exchange for an honest review.

I’m always nervous accepting books directly from an author, but I just had a good feeling about this one and I’m so glad I trusted my gut.

From LA to London, With Love is such a beautiful, tender, heartwarming romance. It’s tropey and cliche’d and utterly predictable of course, but it’s propped up by a beautiful, vibrant, diverse cast of characters, some incredibly important social commentary, and a couple unexpected solved mysteries along the way.

Sophie’s experiences with being bi echo so many of my own experiences with being bi. You could tell this story was written by a bi woman who’d experienced all those comments and insecurities firsthand. Luly is unflinching in her depictions of both biphobia and racism and I applaud her for it.

Also, Sophie and Chris’s chemistry was just off the charts. These two were so utterly perfect together right from the first moment they met, and my love for their love just grew the more I read. I’m such a sucker for some mutual pining and this was no exception.

Elizabeth Luly is a talented writer with a style that just’s just so easy to read. I read this book in one sitting.

This is a fantastic debut and I hope it gets the recognition it deserves!

[Trishaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best the best storyline. Usually I never came across a storyline where the heroine is a queer bi. But the book was too good and justified every incident and the efforts the heroine puts up in supporting LGBTQ+ Community.

SOPHIE - As an Infant mumma she rocked it. Every moment she came accross the skin tone problems she boldly faced it. Loved the part she stood up for herself.

CHRIS - A famous movie start who's always facing the trouble of having media behind his back. I was amazed by the way he went friendly with his fans and still protected his friends... Especially Elliot (Sophie's son) actually their son.

The best part was their Spanish trip to find his dog (Alfie) She spoke Spanish and he learnt the British accent with her.

Tropes:-
Movie Star
Single mom
Social Issues
LA - London
Emotional words

As I end this review.... I would conclude by telling their Google search actually matched. 'How to stop being attracted to someone' but that's something they both weren't able to find an answer for. ❤️ I'm glad they didn't as they had an amazing happily ever after surrounded by so much joy.

Thank you so much for this ARC @booksirens and @elizabethlulyauthor

[The Book Realm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first LGBTQ+ genre book. I've known about the struggles faced by lesbians and gay, but Bi facing struggles, this is the first I'm seeing about that perspective. Biphobia is so new concept to me and I learnt a lot in this book about their mental struggles. I really like the different perspective and thoroughly enjoyed the book.

The author's narration was interesting and kept the plot intact. In the middle, I don't know where exactly, but felt a little dragged. I feel this book is medium paced , amazing place-setting, good storyline and wonderfully said how stars face struggle and they too are human in basic.

The one place I felt really connected and agreed wholeheartedly is: it is true very minimal people in India has awareness on different sexuality and still they are skeptical about it. Maybe in few years, those situations will be handled better , but as of now, struggle here is real.

Overall, this is a good work and educative as well.

Thank You Booksirens and author Elizabeth Luly for providing me with this beautiful book in exchange for honest review.

My ratings -
Cover : 5 / 5
Plot : 4 / 5
Engaging : 3.5/5
Characters : 3.5/5
Overall : 3.7/5

[arieste323 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology has 75 short stories. I am still in the process of reading this very large book that has so many tropes and genres that there is guaranteed to be something enjoyable for all. I can't wait to read through the rest and get introduced to some new to me authors. Here is the review for a few that have stuck with me.

Tending Her Heart by Allie Laskey 5 Star
This is a spicy hockey romance. Seb meets Audrey on a flight and knows from the first look she is the one. These two have amazing chemistry and this fast paced book captured it perfectly.

Ruthless Desire By Amanda Richardson 5 Star
This book is an extended epilogue that now has me craving to go find the original book. Briar is in a poly relationship with four men. Things have gone stale and this is about her way of spicing things up. Very high heat but also endearing and relatable from a woman's perspective.

Stormbound Hearts by Andrea Johnston 4.5 Star
This is a story about a little town that the people are goi g about their day knowing a storm may hit soon. I loved how it had me thinking one thing then bam it was totally something else. Really made me smile. Love Isaac and Blyss.

[Jennifer Larmar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, a disclosure that this book was given to me to judge for the 2023 RWA Ruby Awards.
I’m not normally someone who enjoys reading from the ‘first person’s’ perspective, however I didn’t mind this one so much, although there was your usual plethora of ‘I’s riddling each portion of prose, which can get a big monotonous after a while. But in saying that, it was a pleasant change to get each individual character’s thoughts and perspectives, and the author did a clever job writing each one which helped in letting them get under my skin.
I did feel the constant LGBTIQA+ inclusions did start to weigh down the actual storyline, although her writing was fluid and well constructed.
The plot takes the usual romance storyline, boy meets girl, both are attracted to one another, there’s a reason they can’t (or won’t) get together and finally things turns out happily ever after, so there weren’t any major surprises to single it out from all the others, but it was gentle, believable and an easy read.
I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

[Rosii · Rating 4 out of 5]

From LA to London, with Love is a cute romance story mixed in with some real world stuff. Sophie is not your ordinary main character. She is so relatable that you might actually know someone like her in the real world. Her strength is the first thing you will notice when you begin reading this book. Although Chris was was the main lead I wasn't expecting to like him as much as I did. He was fantastically written, and his story line and the way he was able to move forward from what happened to him and inspire others made me like him even more.

This story was really cute, I was really excited to be sent an advance copy of the book for an honest review. At times I felt like it was a bit too much information, but I can say that I learned a thing or two. I also really liked how diverse Sophie was, it was a first for me reading a book with a character like her. I'm looking forward to more books by Elizabeth Luly.

[K.E. Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting take on what happens when people make assumptions about each other, about how fame can warp your perceptions of other people's motives, and how everyone can be vulnerable to public assumptions, even a rich, white guy.

And that's just Chris Trent, the male cis love interest.

There is a lot to unpack in this novel. With a biracial, bisexual, single mum and a famous movie star that's struggling after a public scandal, things were always going to be interesting.

Add in Chris' misunderstanding that Sophie is gay, a sweet red carpet scene, a hilarious and totally relatable moment in a ritzy change room, a cute dog desperately in need of training, a youth group for LGBTQI+, and you're about half way there.

I enjoyed the characters and the story line. Some of the issues in this novel aren't easily tackled.

I received this novel as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Noreen Hussain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Elizabeth's debut novel. With well written main characters who you want to hurry up and fall in love with each other,an adorable baby and the supporting characters are very well written too.
Chris and Sophie are from completely different backgrounds and opposite to each other.
Chris is a famous movie star and comes to London to take a break from his personal problems to film a period drama.
He meets Sophie a single mum and they hit it off and become friends.They start to get to know each other and start having feelings towards each other.Sophie is not interested in all the things being famous brings.
They have to overcome a few obstacles along the way to reach their happily ever after.This was an amazing debut and cannot wait to read the next book by this author.

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

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great debut novel - so impressed! Well written, good storyline and amazing characters. I loved the romance between movie star Chris Trent and single mom Sophie. I love their connection and interactions. What I didn't love was that while this book addressed so many serious topics it seems to overwhelm the romantic and comedic storyline which was what I went into this book for. While I appreciate the addition to serious topics in this book, I felt it took over the storyline. Loved the secondary characters as well - the support as you will of Josh and Jenny as well as the humor that pup Alfie added and the cuteness of Elliott.

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

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Reading this book was like watching a movie in my head. A rom com starring Henry Cavill.

I loved how this book was a mix of light and fluffy as well as deep and meaningful. Touching on topics like biphobia and are you still queer even if you date a cis-het male (answer is yes, absolutely).

We also love a man that recognises his issues and goes to therapy for them.

Loved this debut and I can't wait to see what else the author has in store.

“You don’t need to ‘prove’ your queerness to anyone. One of the awesome things about being attracted to more than one gender is that we have more choice. Don’t let societal prejudice limit that.”

[Graham Jenkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

The picture on the cover says it all; tall white white guy with a dog and woman of color with a child .. get together. Except it doesn't.

The woman's actually bisexual but she identifies as queer; what does that even mean? And she and her gay male friend spend their spare time helping LGBTIQA+ teenagers "find themselves" at local club.

All of her associates and friends are gay and/or queer .. except super-bitch Cynthia and her pretentious entourage from the local mothers group. And it's Cynthia's attitude that provides us with much of the comedy in the book.

It's a fun read, but it could have been So Much Better! It came as no surprise when I learned that the author lives with her wife.

[Coralie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a good time immersing myself in the story. The book is based on well-used tropes, and therefore is probably similiar to some other books you have been enjoying, but it is still a good read. You will find yourslef liking the protagonists and rooting for their HEA in no time.
Some of the issues raised are very actual and sensitive, but it felt like sometime there was a little too much going on.
I would recommend this book for people who like to explore books with romantic relationships imbedded in a lot of other things going on.

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

[Kaitlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story itself was okay, and I was invested until the main character started bringing race and the “old white man” into the picture. I read to escape reality not listen to political ideas. I understand that some people feel the need to put this into all literature but it’s not my cup of tea. It kind of turned me off, of the story and I struggled the rest of the way. It’s good writing and I understand the authors point of view but id rather keep race issues out of my reading.

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

[CORINNE · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a advanced reader copy of this book and am reviewing it voluntarily

I enjoyed this book highlighting many aspects of life

The rich and famous and the not so rich and famous

The media cause such a lot of harm and mistrust but we still believe them

It must be hard to be mobbed and recognised every time you go somewhere scary too and potentially dangerous

We tend to block ourselves off from facts to protect ourselves but we really need all the facts as this story proves

A different look on love

[The Arcist · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book was fine to read but I did get close to DNFing. I try really hard to finish each book and this was a struggle. It was just boring to me. The drama wasn't dramatic. The obstacles were so easily overcome. The sexy/steamy scenes felt rushed and bland. I just couldn't engage enough.

The writing was fine. I thought the overall concept and characters had a lot of potential but it just didn't grab me.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sharyn O'Neill · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute delight this book was. 

I love how there's a lot of topical themes in the book, but none of it overtakes the story, and it all flows along very naturally, and believeble - as believeable as falling for a movie star gets, anyway. 

There was minimal spice, but lots of swoon. The sexiest man alive could also be the sweetest. The moments around the period drama were bliss. 

Flawed but fun characters, some laugh out loud moments and deep sighs too. This is my jam!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.