What do you think?
Rate this book
Love by Proxy
Sophie Swanson and Tess Anderson have been BFFs since childhood. Even though they’re both attracted to women, falling for each other would’ve risked their friendship, and neither is willing to take that chance.
Sophie is fed up with dating and tired of being alone. When heat flares with a new connection on social media, Sophie’s ready to take love more seriously. She’s great at short flirty banter, but horrible at romance, and asks Tess to help her woo the woman who just might be The One.
Tess is still looking for her perfect match, or at least that’s what she tells herself while secretly crushing on Sophie. The last thing Tess wants is to help Sophie fall in love with someone else, but how can she stand in the way of her happiness?
Sophie is fed up with dating and tired of being alone. When heat flares with a new connection on social media, Sophie’s ready to take love more seriously. She’s great at short flirty banter, but horrible at romance, and asks Tess to help her woo the woman who just might be The One.
Tess is still looking for her perfect match, or at least that’s what she tells herself while secretly crushing on Sophie. The last thing Tess wants is to help Sophie fall in love with someone else, but how can she stand in the way of her happiness?
- GenresLesbianFemme Femme
233 pages, Paperback
Published November 16, 2021
4 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
Dena Blake
15 books74 followersDena Blake grew up in a small town just north of San Francisco where she learned to play softball, ride motorcycles, and grow vegetables. She eventually moved with her family to the Southwest where she began creating vivid characters in her mind and bringing them to life on paper.
Dena’s first novel, Where the Light Glows, is a Rainbow Award winner for Best Lesbian Debut and A Country Girl's Heart is a Goldie Finalist.
Dena’s first novel, Where the Light Glows, is a Rainbow Award winner for Best Lesbian Debut and A Country Girl's Heart is a Goldie Finalist.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 27, 2021
I was hoping the third book I read by Dena Blake would be the charm and it would click for me, unfortunately, this didn't happen.
I have this thing with Blake's books where I like the premise and the storytelling, or at least a good part of it, but I just don't gel with the characters. With the previous books I tried from this author I had no big issues getting into the story, this one was different. I even stopped reading it for a bit, I figured it must be me, my head wasn't in the reading mood maybe. Turns out, wasn't me. I paged back and noticed that maybe the author switched the names of our mains Sophie and Tess, but the switch didn't happen everywhere so it led to some very confusing scenes for me.
As mentioned it took me a while to get into the book, I realised when I picked it up again I was just bored with it. The story and the characters simply don't hold my attention, there is nothing about any of it that sparks any interest in my mind. The one friend helping the other find love is just not working here, mostly because at no point do I believe any of it. In my opinion, this story would have worked better if it was just a friends-to-lovers romance without the addition of the helping your friend find love storyline. I feel like the author picked up a lot of threads, main character's job, friendship, assisting, too many things going on but also not happening if you know what I mean. This book is about as exciting as watching grass grow to me.
I like Blake's writing style, it's easy, but the storytelling and the lack of characters that speak to me make it hard to enjoy. I'm sure this book will work for many other people so please find some other reviews as well. I can't give it more than 2.5, and it's a very generous rating on my part.
*ARC received in exchange for a voluntary and honest review*
I have this thing with Blake's books where I like the premise and the storytelling, or at least a good part of it, but I just don't gel with the characters. With the previous books I tried from this author I had no big issues getting into the story, this one was different. I even stopped reading it for a bit, I figured it must be me, my head wasn't in the reading mood maybe. Turns out, wasn't me. I paged back and noticed that maybe the author switched the names of our mains Sophie and Tess, but the switch didn't happen everywhere so it led to some very confusing scenes for me.
As mentioned it took me a while to get into the book, I realised when I picked it up again I was just bored with it. The story and the characters simply don't hold my attention, there is nothing about any of it that sparks any interest in my mind. The one friend helping the other find love is just not working here, mostly because at no point do I believe any of it. In my opinion, this story would have worked better if it was just a friends-to-lovers romance without the addition of the helping your friend find love storyline. I feel like the author picked up a lot of threads, main character's job, friendship, assisting, too many things going on but also not happening if you know what I mean. This book is about as exciting as watching grass grow to me.
I like Blake's writing style, it's easy, but the storytelling and the lack of characters that speak to me make it hard to enjoy. I'm sure this book will work for many other people so please find some other reviews as well. I can't give it more than 2.5, and it's a very generous rating on my part.
*ARC received in exchange for a voluntary and honest review*
November 19, 2021
I always find with this author that I either love it or not. Unfortunately, this was a miss for me.
I liked the idea of two BFF's finally getting together but to be honest I felt deflated.
At times I kept rereading things because I was unsure who was talking, or whose house they were at.
I felt sorry for Tess as Sophie couldn't see the wood for the trees. How she used Tess to make her sound better.
This book was not for me. But saying that it might be for you. So give it a go.
I liked the idea of two BFF's finally getting together but to be honest I felt deflated.
At times I kept rereading things because I was unsure who was talking, or whose house they were at.
I felt sorry for Tess as Sophie couldn't see the wood for the trees. How she used Tess to make her sound better.
This book was not for me. But saying that it might be for you. So give it a go.
October 23, 2021
If you like your romances full of angst and with all the will she or won’t shes then Love by Proxy is just for you. Sophie and Tess have been best friends since childhood. They work together and they play together. They spend most of their time together except when Sophie is enjoying her casual encounters with no strings attached. Tess has had her trust broken completely with her last relationship. She is not even looking for a new relationship. A casual observance from Sophie’s boss has her looking at Tess in a completely new way.
Love by Proxy will definitely entertain readers. It follows a much used scenario of two besties falling in love with all the angst that goes with the potential of losing their friendship. Dena Blake’s writing is sound with her creating two likeable characters. Even though Sophie realizes she has more than just ‘friend’ feelings by the middle of the book Blake keeps the story moving and interesting until the end.
I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
2.5 ⭐️
Love by Proxy will definitely entertain readers. It follows a much used scenario of two besties falling in love with all the angst that goes with the potential of losing their friendship. Dena Blake’s writing is sound with her creating two likeable characters. Even though Sophie realizes she has more than just ‘friend’ feelings by the middle of the book Blake keeps the story moving and interesting until the end.
I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
2.5 ⭐️
October 12, 2021
Love By Proxy is the story of two childhood BFFs that are now co-works in a small marketing firm in Florida. Sophie is more of a player but would like a real relationship. Tess hasn't been out much since her last relationship and secret crushes on Sophie. When Sophie meets someone online Tess (like a Cyrano) pitches in to help her with say the right things.
Honestly, I don't know why, but I had the hardest time telling these two apart. I would have to go back and reread who was cooking a meal for the two or whose house they were at because they just seem interchangeable. The characters weren't developed enough that I cared about them individually. Also there were some writing issues. One sentence had two "hers" and a "she" in it and I had to read it three times to know who was doing what. In all honestly, not much happens in the story and I didn't get their attraction to each other. For two best friends they didn't communicate well with each other. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Honestly, I don't know why, but I had the hardest time telling these two apart. I would have to go back and reread who was cooking a meal for the two or whose house they were at because they just seem interchangeable. The characters weren't developed enough that I cared about them individually. Also there were some writing issues. One sentence had two "hers" and a "she" in it and I had to read it three times to know who was doing what. In all honestly, not much happens in the story and I didn't get their attraction to each other. For two best friends they didn't communicate well with each other. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
October 31, 2021
Sophie and Tess have been friends for 20 years since meeting in college. Both have had past relationship woes that make them each a bit gun shy in different ways. Sophie ends up finding an interesting online dating prospect and thinks maybe she is ready to try for a real relationship again. Once she starts down this road Tess realizes she has more than friend feelings for Sophie.
This was an ok book but I felt like I had a hard time getting into it. Both of the MCs past relationship issues were very vague and it was hard to picture how exactly they end up in this boat they are each in. Once Sophie makes the choice to try for a relationship it’s not really clear what made her make such a change, it seems a complete 180 from where she started out without any kind of explanation. Also agree with other reviewers comments on use of pronouns too often, there were many times I had to go back and re read a passage to figure out which ‘she’ was talking.
This was an ok book but I felt like I had a hard time getting into it. Both of the MCs past relationship issues were very vague and it was hard to picture how exactly they end up in this boat they are each in. Once Sophie makes the choice to try for a relationship it’s not really clear what made her make such a change, it seems a complete 180 from where she started out without any kind of explanation. Also agree with other reviewers comments on use of pronouns too often, there were many times I had to go back and re read a passage to figure out which ‘she’ was talking.
December 8, 2021
Brilliantly Funny and Sweet!
Tess is helping Sophie with a potential new woman she could date that she has connected with online despite harbouring her own feelings for Sophie. Working together and being best friends means they spend so much time together that they are practically inseparable, but when Sophie’s relationship with Blair looks to be developing, Tess and Sophie both start to realise that finding love probably wasn’t as hard as they both first thought.
This was such an amazing story! Gripping, exciting, full of twists and turns, unexpected events, and most importantly a little touch of comedy. It really was the perfect rom-com. Packed with drama and lots of conflict, nothing was more exhilarating then being on this rollercoaster of emotions with Tess and Sophie. They were so oblivious to the obvious, whilst both of them were in some way unconsciously aware of ‘it’ without actually knowing it.
I had so much fun reading this story. I laughed, I held my breath, I hated some of the characters and became wary of them for a while, then instantly fell back into loving them, then was suspicious and wary, then falling in love with them all over again. As Sophie and Tess were friends they were already close and you just knew there should be something more between them. I got so frustrated with Sophie because she really should have had a better understanding of Tess’ feelings but then I completely understood how she’d managed to miss them all.
My heart broke so many times for Tess. I could really feel what she was going through and how conflicted she was by Sophie but then also the woman she’d been helping Sophie get to know better. She was in such pain and I just had to hope Sophie was going to realise one day and they would find that they’d had everything they both wanted for years already, just unofficially. And that is what I loved most, the sentiment of friends finding love with one another. It is like a perfect fairy tale.
The humour Dena worked into this story made it a perfect rom-com. It was entertaining and kept me hooked from the very beginning because no matter what happened, I was invested in whatever relationship blossomed between Sophie and Tess, be it staying friends or falling in love. I highly recommend this story and hope Tess and Sophie will appear in future stories.
Tess is helping Sophie with a potential new woman she could date that she has connected with online despite harbouring her own feelings for Sophie. Working together and being best friends means they spend so much time together that they are practically inseparable, but when Sophie’s relationship with Blair looks to be developing, Tess and Sophie both start to realise that finding love probably wasn’t as hard as they both first thought.
This was such an amazing story! Gripping, exciting, full of twists and turns, unexpected events, and most importantly a little touch of comedy. It really was the perfect rom-com. Packed with drama and lots of conflict, nothing was more exhilarating then being on this rollercoaster of emotions with Tess and Sophie. They were so oblivious to the obvious, whilst both of them were in some way unconsciously aware of ‘it’ without actually knowing it.
I had so much fun reading this story. I laughed, I held my breath, I hated some of the characters and became wary of them for a while, then instantly fell back into loving them, then was suspicious and wary, then falling in love with them all over again. As Sophie and Tess were friends they were already close and you just knew there should be something more between them. I got so frustrated with Sophie because she really should have had a better understanding of Tess’ feelings but then I completely understood how she’d managed to miss them all.
My heart broke so many times for Tess. I could really feel what she was going through and how conflicted she was by Sophie but then also the woman she’d been helping Sophie get to know better. She was in such pain and I just had to hope Sophie was going to realise one day and they would find that they’d had everything they both wanted for years already, just unofficially. And that is what I loved most, the sentiment of friends finding love with one another. It is like a perfect fairy tale.
The humour Dena worked into this story made it a perfect rom-com. It was entertaining and kept me hooked from the very beginning because no matter what happened, I was invested in whatever relationship blossomed between Sophie and Tess, be it staying friends or falling in love. I highly recommend this story and hope Tess and Sophie will appear in future stories.
October 25, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. I’m at a loss for words. I’m hurt to say that this book wasn’t for me, it was a little flat and not enough chemistry. I had to force myself to finish it, however, just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean someone else won’t love it.
October 22, 2021
This book gave me all the feels. Tess and Sophie are best friends, but on totally opposite ends of the spectrum on dating. Tess is conservative with her relationships while Sophie is casual with her encounters. Their friendship is fun and entertaining. Once I started reading I couldn't put this book down.
October 8, 2021
A modern day Cyrano de Bergerac with a twist! I love all of Dena's books and this one had my heart all tangled up. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Sophie and Tess as they worked through their insecurities and doubts about friendship and everlasting love. A must read!
November 8, 2021
2 stars. Sophie Swanson and Tess Anderson have been best friends for a long time. Sophie is tired of being alone, so she decides to contact someone whose quote she likes on. She decides to message the woman, Blair and they start to have conversations and video calls. Sophie recruits Tess to help write her messages and make herself sound better. There is only one problem, Tess is in love with Sophie and wants to be with her. Tess and Sophie continue talking to her until Blair wants to meet in person.
I found this book a little confusing, as it seemed to be a little all over the place. I did not really enjoy the character development between the two characters and I really did not like the storyline with Blair and how Sophie and Tess were talking to her. I found it odd and not in a cute way. The end of the book also seems very strange, I did not like how the two main characters eventually wound up together. Overall, this was not a great novel and I would not recommend it. This book was very generic with the two best friends falling in love after being friends for years and I did not enjoy it.
I found this book a little confusing, as it seemed to be a little all over the place. I did not really enjoy the character development between the two characters and I really did not like the storyline with Blair and how Sophie and Tess were talking to her. I found it odd and not in a cute way. The end of the book also seems very strange, I did not like how the two main characters eventually wound up together. Overall, this was not a great novel and I would not recommend it. This book was very generic with the two best friends falling in love after being friends for years and I did not enjoy it.
November 4, 2021
What happens when it finally dawns on best friends that their perfect mate is each other. That’s what has happened to Sophie Swanson and Tess Anderson. Friends forever or so it seems.
Tess Anderson hasn’t been in a good place since her last girlfriend parted ways with her but her BFF has been by her side since. Trying to set her up on dates she doesn’t want.
Tess’s BFF is also her work partner. So when the owner of the business, Joy, wants Tess gone Sophie starts realizing just how important Tess is to her. Sophie can’t imagine making a commitment to any woman she’s dated and there have been a lot of women One, possibly two are all she’s looking for.
But when Sophie meets a woman online, Tess thinks she could be perfect for her friend so she starts helping her with her online romance. Problem is the more time the friends spend together it finally occurs to Sophie her perfect mate is Tess.
Nice, easy, fun romance. Very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books
Tess Anderson hasn’t been in a good place since her last girlfriend parted ways with her but her BFF has been by her side since. Trying to set her up on dates she doesn’t want.
Tess’s BFF is also her work partner. So when the owner of the business, Joy, wants Tess gone Sophie starts realizing just how important Tess is to her. Sophie can’t imagine making a commitment to any woman she’s dated and there have been a lot of women One, possibly two are all she’s looking for.
But when Sophie meets a woman online, Tess thinks she could be perfect for her friend so she starts helping her with her online romance. Problem is the more time the friends spend together it finally occurs to Sophie her perfect mate is Tess.
Nice, easy, fun romance. Very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books
January 5, 2022
Plot ✍
Sophie Swanson and Tess Anderson have been BFFs since childhood. Even though they’re both attracted to women, falling for each other would’ve risked their friendship, and neither is willing to take that chance.
Sophie is fed up with dating and tired of being alone. When heat flares with a new connection on social media, Sophie’s ready to take love more seriously. She’s great at short flirty banter, but horrible at romance, and asks Tess to help her woo the woman who just might be The One.
Tess is still looking for her perfect match, or at least that’s what she tells herself while secretly crushing on Sophie. The last thing Tess wants is to help Sophie fall in love with someone else, but how can she stand in the way of her happiness?
Thoughts 💭
I really enjoyed this book. Friends to lovers is one of my favorites and I thought this one was done well. I liked the opposites attract type of thing they had going on. They definitely had chemistry.
I felt it was a little hard at times to follow since the couple is two females. The perspective of it is what makes it hard to follow because the writer kept saying "she" and "her". You had to figure out which one she was talking about, which took away from the story. The book would have been better in a different perspective. I still recommend it!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC!
Sophie Swanson and Tess Anderson have been BFFs since childhood. Even though they’re both attracted to women, falling for each other would’ve risked their friendship, and neither is willing to take that chance.
Sophie is fed up with dating and tired of being alone. When heat flares with a new connection on social media, Sophie’s ready to take love more seriously. She’s great at short flirty banter, but horrible at romance, and asks Tess to help her woo the woman who just might be The One.
Tess is still looking for her perfect match, or at least that’s what she tells herself while secretly crushing on Sophie. The last thing Tess wants is to help Sophie fall in love with someone else, but how can she stand in the way of her happiness?
Thoughts 💭
I really enjoyed this book. Friends to lovers is one of my favorites and I thought this one was done well. I liked the opposites attract type of thing they had going on. They definitely had chemistry.
I felt it was a little hard at times to follow since the couple is two females. The perspective of it is what makes it hard to follow because the writer kept saying "she" and "her". You had to figure out which one she was talking about, which took away from the story. The book would have been better in a different perspective. I still recommend it!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC!
November 4, 2021
I got this ARC from Netgalley to read and review. I looked forward to it since sounded like a good plot.
Sadly I couldn’t finish it. I spent more time trying to figure out who is who instead of the story. If you write a LBGTQ+ book it should be requirement to wright it from a first person perspective. Sadly it’s not the first time I come upon a book like this one where you spend to much time trying to figure out who the writer refers to then both main characters are referred as she and her over and over on the same page.
I really hoped to get to know Sophie and Tess better, but how do you know who you get to know when they are referred as her and she most of the times.
Sadly I couldn’t finish it. I spent more time trying to figure out who is who instead of the story. If you write a LBGTQ+ book it should be requirement to wright it from a first person perspective. Sadly it’s not the first time I come upon a book like this one where you spend to much time trying to figure out who the writer refers to then both main characters are referred as she and her over and over on the same page.
I really hoped to get to know Sophie and Tess better, but how do you know who you get to know when they are referred as her and she most of the times.
December 21, 2021
Good story. The main characters were likeable and it was easy to root for them to get together. I felt that the character of Sophie was a bit insecure and damaged and seemed not to want a permanent relationship, but you could feel that she really wanted to find that someone special. Tests was the total opposite, but just never found that someone special until she started to fall for her best friend. This was a slow burn romance with a friends to lovers vibe. There was quite a bit of angst and a few bumps in the road to them getting together. This was an entertaining and quick read. I would recommend this book to my friends and family, and look forward to what comes next from this author.
August 5, 2022
I like Dena Blake’s books but this one was too confusing to follow since both MCs were constantly being referred to as “she” or “her” and I struggled to keep up.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews