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Some Kind of River
This edition is out of print. The updated edition can be found here: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17...
Rafting guide Dez figures her best friend Mel just isn't into her. She knows Mel is a lesbian, just like she is, but she's never seen a glimmer of interest from her friend, and would never screw up their relationship by making a pass. Luckily for Dez, Mel is a little more determined than she is, and will keep trying to get Dez's attention, even when Dez is truly clueless. When a chance game of truth or dare with their friends leads to a revelation, can Dez admit that she might just be Mel's type?
Rafting guide Dez figures her best friend Mel just isn't into her. She knows Mel is a lesbian, just like she is, but she's never seen a glimmer of interest from her friend, and would never screw up their relationship by making a pass. Luckily for Dez, Mel is a little more determined than she is, and will keep trying to get Dez's attention, even when Dez is truly clueless. When a chance game of truth or dare with their friends leads to a revelation, can Dez admit that she might just be Mel's type?
49 pages, Nook
First published January 16, 2012
About the author
Andi Marquette
37 books163 followersAndi Marquette was born in New Mexico and grew up in Colorado. She completed a couple of academic degrees in anthropology and returned to New Mexico, where she decided a doctorate in history was somehow a good idea. She completed it before realizing that maybe she should have joined the circus, or at least a traveling Gypsy troupe. Oh, well. She fell into editing and publishing sometime around 1993 and has been obsessed with words ever since, which may or may not be a good thing. She is a co-owner and co-founder of LGBTQ publishing house Dirt Road Books.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 9, 2018
I loved the setting of this little gem of a story. I have only done very tame river rafting, but this story made me want to do some more serious river rafting. And it's a lovely love story too.
December 11, 2021
"A Lesbian Wilderness" booklist did not disappoint!
September 24, 2018
Casual romance. While this implied water sport, I really didn't get feel of the sport and then the romance somehow wasn't evident per se until the very end... Although implied.
January 25, 2021
Short, but really good. The characters are well shaped and the angst is at a good level, funny and with a happy end...Oh, fuck it..it's that kind of thing you wish it happens to you.
October 3, 2012
This was a very short book, but definitely worth the 99 cents.
The romance was sweet, and the setting was fun. You have the usual clueless main character who isn't picking up at all on the fact that her love interest is totally into her as well. But it's saved by the truth or dare incident. Who doesn't love a good game of truth or dare?
The writing is well done, and i think this book could easily have been made into a longer story.
Overall, i recommend it for a short read that's pleasant and not too deep.
The romance was sweet, and the setting was fun. You have the usual clueless main character who isn't picking up at all on the fact that her love interest is totally into her as well. But it's saved by the truth or dare incident. Who doesn't love a good game of truth or dare?
The writing is well done, and i think this book could easily have been made into a longer story.
Overall, i recommend it for a short read that's pleasant and not too deep.
September 22, 2010
Some Kind of River is one of those very sweet and real stories that make you feel at home and comfortable. Both Dez and Mel, plus the secondary characters are all down to earth, fun characters whom I could really relate to. Especially Dez. It’s not a flashy story, nor is it erotically charged, although there are some very erotic moments; it’s just kind of like being wrapped up in a warm blanket on a cold day in how Dez and Mel relate.
Dez and Mel have been rafting buddies for years. They see each other and work together every summer and the rest of the year they stay in touch through emails. They are really good friends and this year Dez is getting concerned with her growing crush on Mel. The trouble is, she’s afraid to say anything about it since she doesn’t want to jeopardize the relationship altogether and thinks that Mel is not interested.
Mel has a crush on someone in the group as she stated during a game of truth or dare. I wonder who it could be? :-) Unfortunately, this has a worried affect on Dez. Mel, in her own way, tries to suss out if Dez is feeling just a bit more for her but is also worried about losing the friendship by bringing in weirdness if Dez is not interested.
The rest is basically the dance between these two in what is the classic “I like this person but don’t know if they like me, so I’ll pretend I don’t, but what if I don’t say something and they like me, but if I do and they don’t like me, then what will happen?” syndrome we’ve all been through.
Fortunately, Andi Marquette kept the angsting on an even keel without it getting too melodramatic or frustrating, but giving just enough tightness to keep it interesting.
What was very nice about this story outside of Dez and Mel trying to work it out, is the interesting and different backdrop of white water river rafting. I’ve never done that, but Andi Marquette seems to know what she’s talking about since there were specific references to things particular to white water rafting. Also, I liked the fact that both girls are outdoorsy and athletic. The scenes are set in a camping situation, which is just different from the usual.
The other characters are all very supportive of both Mel and Dez and the whole lesbian thing is not a big deal. Whew! I love that. In fact, during a game of truth or dare, there is a girl/girl kiss that pretty much makes everyone hot and bothered, including the very straight Mary, a co-worker, who lovingly jokes that she would be all over that if it happened to her. So there’s a nice camaraderie between the characters that I enjoyed.
Dez is one of those characters that I could relate to on a real level. She’s an everyday girl: no big ego, unpretentious, going for her Master’s degree and looking for “the one.” She aches for Mel but is very sensitive to the fact that she wishes to have Mel in her life even as just a friend rather than blow it. But I also loved how when they went rafting and Mel, playing around, scares Dez, Dez goes off on her in a very colorful way. She’s not afraid to show her anger and this makes for a real relationship. When you can go off on a friend like that and still be friends, that’s a deep commitment to each other that I love to read.
The only issue I had with this story is in the beginning the writing was a bit funky. This is told in first person by Dez. In the first few pages, many of the sentences are choppy and start with I. I did this, I did that, I felt this, I said that… It was noticeable to me to the point that I thought if the rest is like this, it will be hard to read. However, very quickly Dez and Mel meet and the rest of the story is mostly dialogue between Dez and Mel and everyone else and is nicely written.
In short, I recommend Some Kind of River if you’re looking for a friends to lovers love story that has all the juicy, loving components without all the heavy angst, but just enough tension to keep the pages turning.
Dez and Mel have been rafting buddies for years. They see each other and work together every summer and the rest of the year they stay in touch through emails. They are really good friends and this year Dez is getting concerned with her growing crush on Mel. The trouble is, she’s afraid to say anything about it since she doesn’t want to jeopardize the relationship altogether and thinks that Mel is not interested.
Mel has a crush on someone in the group as she stated during a game of truth or dare. I wonder who it could be? :-) Unfortunately, this has a worried affect on Dez. Mel, in her own way, tries to suss out if Dez is feeling just a bit more for her but is also worried about losing the friendship by bringing in weirdness if Dez is not interested.
The rest is basically the dance between these two in what is the classic “I like this person but don’t know if they like me, so I’ll pretend I don’t, but what if I don’t say something and they like me, but if I do and they don’t like me, then what will happen?” syndrome we’ve all been through.
Fortunately, Andi Marquette kept the angsting on an even keel without it getting too melodramatic or frustrating, but giving just enough tightness to keep it interesting.
What was very nice about this story outside of Dez and Mel trying to work it out, is the interesting and different backdrop of white water river rafting. I’ve never done that, but Andi Marquette seems to know what she’s talking about since there were specific references to things particular to white water rafting. Also, I liked the fact that both girls are outdoorsy and athletic. The scenes are set in a camping situation, which is just different from the usual.
The other characters are all very supportive of both Mel and Dez and the whole lesbian thing is not a big deal. Whew! I love that. In fact, during a game of truth or dare, there is a girl/girl kiss that pretty much makes everyone hot and bothered, including the very straight Mary, a co-worker, who lovingly jokes that she would be all over that if it happened to her. So there’s a nice camaraderie between the characters that I enjoyed.
Dez is one of those characters that I could relate to on a real level. She’s an everyday girl: no big ego, unpretentious, going for her Master’s degree and looking for “the one.” She aches for Mel but is very sensitive to the fact that she wishes to have Mel in her life even as just a friend rather than blow it. But I also loved how when they went rafting and Mel, playing around, scares Dez, Dez goes off on her in a very colorful way. She’s not afraid to show her anger and this makes for a real relationship. When you can go off on a friend like that and still be friends, that’s a deep commitment to each other that I love to read.
The only issue I had with this story is in the beginning the writing was a bit funky. This is told in first person by Dez. In the first few pages, many of the sentences are choppy and start with I. I did this, I did that, I felt this, I said that… It was noticeable to me to the point that I thought if the rest is like this, it will be hard to read. However, very quickly Dez and Mel meet and the rest of the story is mostly dialogue between Dez and Mel and everyone else and is nicely written.
In short, I recommend Some Kind of River if you’re looking for a friends to lovers love story that has all the juicy, loving components without all the heavy angst, but just enough tension to keep the pages turning.
October 16, 2021
Champion and Monarch of all Diasters
As a self identified disaster lesbian, I really gotta say, all hail Dez, the King, Queen, and the entire monarchy of disasters. She is denser then concrete. Denser then a neutron star. Her obliviousness and absolute refusal to recognize any level of flirting is astonishing. It gets so absurd at points that I feel like the author must have been having a lark while writing this. It's that special blend of agonizing and adorable to read how romance just bounces and deflects off this brick of a human. That is of course the charm of the story. I found myself laughing hysterically through the whole thing. It's as endearing as it is agonizing all while staying entirely fluffy. Then in the quiet moments it hits you with some surprisingly poetic musings.
"Crushes were funny that way. They picked you, not the other way around."
I had a blast reading this book. It's a sharply written gay little delight with an ending that should give every disaster out there some hope. Lol.
As a self identified disaster lesbian, I really gotta say, all hail Dez, the King, Queen, and the entire monarchy of disasters. She is denser then concrete. Denser then a neutron star. Her obliviousness and absolute refusal to recognize any level of flirting is astonishing. It gets so absurd at points that I feel like the author must have been having a lark while writing this. It's that special blend of agonizing and adorable to read how romance just bounces and deflects off this brick of a human. That is of course the charm of the story. I found myself laughing hysterically through the whole thing. It's as endearing as it is agonizing all while staying entirely fluffy. Then in the quiet moments it hits you with some surprisingly poetic musings.
"Crushes were funny that way. They picked you, not the other way around."
I had a blast reading this book. It's a sharply written gay little delight with an ending that should give every disaster out there some hope. Lol.
April 2, 2024
If Osmium was a person, it'd be Dez
Waouh!
When I saw other reviews talking about she being dense I thought I was ready for it, but I underestimated her a lot. LMAO But what matters in the end is that she got it, she got the girl.
Jokes apart, this was such a great story, it's a short, but it felt longer (not in a negative way), it felt complete and I thoroughly enjoyed the MC/LI and the supporting cast, it was a fun, sweet and at times exasperating reading.
But I'll tell ya, even though I was screaming at Dez most of the time, I confess I'm just like her, a woman could be rubbing her pussy on my face, telling how much she'd like to be with me and I'd still think she was mistaking me for someone else.
Waouh!
When I saw other reviews talking about she being dense I thought I was ready for it, but I underestimated her a lot. LMAO But what matters in the end is that she got it, she got the girl.
Jokes apart, this was such a great story, it's a short, but it felt longer (not in a negative way), it felt complete and I thoroughly enjoyed the MC/LI and the supporting cast, it was a fun, sweet and at times exasperating reading.
But I'll tell ya, even though I was screaming at Dez most of the time, I confess I'm just like her, a woman could be rubbing her pussy on my face, telling how much she'd like to be with me and I'd still think she was mistaking me for someone else.
November 27, 2023
This is extremely well-written, and romantic as heck. The building tension is so good! Andi Marquette perfectly balances longing with angst with relief. It's so sweet I may need a dentist. And hot -- it's also pretty hot. Definitely reading it again.
November 26, 2018
Cute little read
Good story. The angst might have been a bit over done but the author explained it well, so no complaints.
Good story. The angst might have been a bit over done but the author explained it well, so no complaints.
Read
July 28, 2013I enjoyed this story, it was quick, but good, good romance, with a light mood.
Both Dez than Mel are sporty girls, very much alike, and maybe that is the reason why they aren’t together: following the rule that opposites attract, they have been both in relationship with women who don’t understand their love for outdoor living. Dez and Mel wait the whole year for the summer when they can move near the river and spend their days camping and rafting. They share stories at the firecamp, talk about their past year life and exchange projects for the future.
It’s clear to the reader that Mel is trying to let Dez know she would be willing to a lot more than friendship, but Dez is not exactly the smartest girl when talking about love. It was endearing to see how Mel was subtly, and not so subtly, courting Dez, and we all know that, in the end, she was destined to catch her girl. They are young, in love, and with the whole life in front of them.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006YHTV1M/?...
Both Dez than Mel are sporty girls, very much alike, and maybe that is the reason why they aren’t together: following the rule that opposites attract, they have been both in relationship with women who don’t understand their love for outdoor living. Dez and Mel wait the whole year for the summer when they can move near the river and spend their days camping and rafting. They share stories at the firecamp, talk about their past year life and exchange projects for the future.
It’s clear to the reader that Mel is trying to let Dez know she would be willing to a lot more than friendship, but Dez is not exactly the smartest girl when talking about love. It was endearing to see how Mel was subtly, and not so subtly, courting Dez, and we all know that, in the end, she was destined to catch her girl. They are young, in love, and with the whole life in front of them.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006YHTV1M/?...
July 19, 2016
It's really more of a 3.5 stars story.
Dez (the narrator of the story) and Mel are two self-professed "river rats" who live to traverse various rivers in the summer. Dez has a crush on Mel, but she's pretty sure that Mel doesn't feel the same way, even though Mel is throwing off some very obvious hints in Dez's direction. Dez remains clueless for most of the story.
And that is why this isn't a four star book, because the writing is really good and the characters are well developed considering the shortness of the story. I just think the whole I-am-totally-oblivious-that-my-crush-likes-me-even-though-my-crush-is-sending-out-neon-blinking-signs-saying-that-she-digs-me-too romance is overdone. I mean, it'd be different if Mel was subtle about it...but she isn't. She is practically holding up a "do me" sign over her head the whole time. If Dez and Mel were real people and my friends, I'd tell them to go out and sleep with one another already.
I will definitely read more by this author, though.
Dez (the narrator of the story) and Mel are two self-professed "river rats" who live to traverse various rivers in the summer. Dez has a crush on Mel, but she's pretty sure that Mel doesn't feel the same way, even though Mel is throwing off some very obvious hints in Dez's direction. Dez remains clueless for most of the story.
And that is why this isn't a four star book, because the writing is really good and the characters are well developed considering the shortness of the story. I just think the whole I-am-totally-oblivious-that-my-crush-likes-me-even-though-my-crush-is-sending-out-neon-blinking-signs-saying-that-she-digs-me-too romance is overdone. I mean, it'd be different if Mel was subtle about it...but she isn't. She is practically holding up a "do me" sign over her head the whole time. If Dez and Mel were real people and my friends, I'd tell them to go out and sleep with one another already.
I will definitely read more by this author, though.
August 7, 2012
E-book short fiction. For a quick, light read, you simply can't do any better than this. Truly realistic and engaging characters, people you wish you knew, and Andi Marquette makes you feel as though you do. The setting, among a bunch of whitewater paddlers, couldn't be more authentic, either. Every event in this little gem seems to ring true. The agonizing pacing of the romance creates a delicious tension. And, the love-making? Let's just say its rare when a writer can so clearly convey that it *is* making love, not just having sex. (Hey, there's nothing wrong with just having sex, folks, but, sometimes, when all it is is sex, the story is ruined.) These are two characters about whom I would *love* to read more.
January 29, 2012
A sweet romance of two good friends falling for each other; neither wants to jeopardise their friendship by making a play for the other. This could be trite and frustrating for the reader, but pleasingly Marquette minimises the drama and directs the players along the path of true love and happy ever after.
December 22, 2013
What a cute little story. I really liked it but as usual Andi's stories are always way too short ;) I would love to read more, no, I am thirsting for more. Dear Andi, I beg you here and now, pretty please, give us more of your longer stories ;) They are so awesome and over way too soon.
September 10, 2012
I bought this on Amazon (different cover and publisher) and really enjoyed it. Sweet romance between two outdoorsy kayak girls. I think I'll write a longer review soon.
January 6, 2013
A sweet story with some white water adventure.
Read
January 6, 2013fantastic
June 15, 2013
Short f/f story featuring river rafting guides trying to decide if they want to risk their friendship by becoming lovers. Liked the writing, would read another by author.
December 21, 2013
Good, sweet story. Enjoyed the characters and the setting makes me want to go river rafting.
January 9, 2014
I enjoyed this story. Well written and brilliantly executed love story.
May 4, 2014
Fun bit of romance in a different setting. Like all Andi's stories - very well written - great characters and believable settings.
April 11, 2014
Quick enjoyable read.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews