***Recipient of three "Goldies" from the Golden Crown Literary Society, the premier organization for the support and nourishment of quality lesbian literature. And Playing the Role of Herself won in the categories of Lesbian Romance, Lesbian Debut Author, and the Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award.
Actress Caidence Harris is living her dreams after landing a leading role among the star-studded, veteran cast of 9th Precinct, a hot new police drama shot on location in glitzy LA. Her sometimes-costar Robyn Ward is magnetic, glamorous, and devastatingly beautiful, the quintessential A-List celebrity on the fast-track to super-stardom. When the two meet on the set of 9th Precinct, Caid is instantly infatuated but settles for friendship, positive that Robyn is both unavailable and uninterested. Soon Caid sees that all is not as it appears, but can she take a chance and risk her heart when the outcome is so uncertain?
The leading ladies and the supporting cast of this debut novel by newcomer K.E Lane will charm you, entertain you, and leave you with a smile on your face, eager for Ms. Lane's next offering.
K.E. Lane lives along Colorado's Front Range with her partner and several pets. She's been a life guard and swim instructor, a copy queen, a hot-stamper, a type-setter, cashier, riding instructor, stall mucker, and a bus person, and is currently employed as a software developer. When she's not writing or working, she likes getting out into the Colorado sunshine for a variety of outdoor activities, and also enjoys reading, music, and time with friends and family. Her first published novel, And Playing the Role of Herself, was released in January, 2007. (from the author's website)
I was starting to feel like I was the last person in the LesFic universe, to find out about this book. I know this book is wildly popular with some people, so I started reading with high expectations, and boy i was not disappointed. It was really wonderful. One of the more enjoyable LesFic Romances I've read in a long time. I was surprised to find this book was written in first-person, but I'm glad it was. You feel such a connection with Caid (who's headspace you are in). And you also learn to like Robyn, because of the reasons Caid actually does. It was a nice change that is not too common in LesFic romance. Both character were likeable, especially Caid. And I loved how she stood up for herself. Yes, sometimes she was quick to anger, but she was in a more vulnerable position. Robyn had the chance to do some serious heart-breaking and Caid fought it, instead of rolling over and taking it.
On to the romance. Wow, it was impressive. The chemistry was so intense, you could see the sparks jumping off the pages. Really well written. I also loved the little things. The little touches. Scratching ones back, rubbing circles on the others hand, little kisses on the temple. Little moves that are romantic but realistic. When you're in love with someone you want to touch them. It's not always with heat and lust, but with caring and love. I was happy to see this book covered more than just the hot and spicy moments.
I would easily recommend this to any LesFic fan, it truly was wonderful. If Lane came out with another book, I'd buy it in a second. Thanks to Pin for recommending this, you were right. And to Netty, who got my procrastinating butt in gear to finally read this:)
I just read “And Playing the Role of Herself” for the fifth time, and enjoyed it immensely again. For me, this is an amazing love story. And obviously completely irresistible. :D
I was pleasantly surprised by this book, mainly because I have low hopes for any books telling a lesbian love story. I had asked a friend for good/bad lesbian book recommendations and this one was actually good. For starters, the author could actually write. I wasn't reading a poorly edited story with flat writing. Her characters actually took shape and had personalities that were likable. One thing that grated my nerves? Robyn is so hot. Like she is really hot. Like for real for real? She's so hot. And tan! And her legs are so long and tan which makes her hot! And I'm about to tell you something else you didn't know...Robyn.is.HOT. Like I can't even stop starin at them legs, she's so hot, you feel me? Caid can't even finish thoughts because she's so hot her breath catches, dayum! This was mentioned in every chapter. Caid's pretty hot too, and you get that only in every other chapter from other people. Or when Robyn's own breath catches in her throat. Then your breath catches in your throat because Josh is hot too and they're all just so hot and we want to make sure you know that before this can go any further. But still...the blinding hotness being described aside, it was...nice to read. Caid and Robyn had ups and downs and the conversation was extremely true to life. By the end, the monotony of their conversation kind of bored me, but I admired it because it was real. It was all very real to me. Their thoughts, feelings, insecurities and solutions made them all seem human, which I enjoyed. Sometimes you just want to read a love story where the characters are like you...though in this case, much hotter.
Seriously, you've never seen hotter people in your life.
“And Playing the Role of Herself” is my new favorite audiobook EVER! I can’t believe this is the author’s first and only book, and narrator Lisa Cordileone, long a favorite of mine, has managed to bump my previous favorite (“Just Jorie”) from my #1 spot. Perhaps not surprisingly, Cordileone narrated both books!…she really brings to life likable characters!
APTROH definitely features likable characters! MC Caidence (Caid) is just wonderful; a terrific mix of being comfortable with herself, and yet frequently insecure with herself in a budding relationship. MC Robyn is more secure in her career, and her too-often inappropriate responses to her own fears over her growing affection for Caid makes her sometimes difficult to like. I sometimes felt badly for Caid, in that it often seemed that Robyn held all the power in their relationship, and Caid would have to settle for whatever Robyn decided. But then, we realize, that Robyn’s fears stem from her growing recognition of the power Caid has over her - they’re each afraid, and each hopeful. But, the attraction between the two, both physical and emotional, is so very very believable, and their individual self-doubts and mutual inability to communicate as much as they should, keeps the reader rooting for a HEA throughout the entire 15 hours of audio.
The secondary characters are also terrific, especially Caid’s good friend, and fellow actress, Liz, and Robyn’s best friend, Josh. The characters are all very realistic, unlike the sometimes more wacky SCs of a Robin Alexander book, as in “Just Jorie”. But, there’s plenty of wonderful banter, and with the book being Caid’s POV, I really enjoyed being inside her head. My new favorite phrase for awhile is going to be “Hot Damn!”.
There are plenty of common lesfic themes addressed in APTROH, including assumptions of who’s straight, career risks of coming out, family and friends’ viewpoints and acceptances, fear of rejection, and…best of all…anticipation of that first kiss…and the first time enjoying full-on, skin-to-skin fun!
The pace of this book is just perfect! There are a few points where a less-talented author would have ended the book; I remember being very pleasantly surprised at the number of hours left in the book after a couple particular scenes! At the same time, the book never ever drags on…a credit both to the writing talent of author Lane, and the absolutely amazing narration of Cordileone.
APTROH has been on Cordileone’s reference list for many months, and I am thrilled that Dog Ear Audio has finally been able to make it available. This is one of the easiest audiobook decisions you’ll ever have to make - get it today, and set aside 15 hours because you won’t want to pause being part of Caid’s & Robyn’s adventure! 5* only because that’s the highest rating available on GR!
There are some books that you can read over and over and never get tired of and this is certainly one of those. After having read this already for the third time I figured why not revisit Cade and Robin in audio format?
Here's the problem with a beloved book though. When you consider listening to the audio book version there is always the possibility that the narrator messes everything up and ruins your listening experience.
Every now and then however you come across a narrator that will leave you slack jawed and short of breath because of the way she brings a book to life. Don't believe me? Listen to Lisa Cordileone for yourself on the sample provided by audible here.
One thing became very clear after listening to her phenomenal performance. If ever there were to be a lesfic audio book that has both Angela Dawe and Lisa Cordileone as narrators, there's a really good chance I won't survive listening to it. Still, I would be totally fine with a death by eargasm.
5 STARS PLUS!! This book was damn near perfect for me! I looooooved it!!!! All the characters, the interwoven storylines, the drama, the love, the passion, the angst, the fear, the doubt, the sheer happiness - it was all so good!! I know I really like a book when I start reading it really slow, taking in all the details, because I simply don't want it to end! That's how this one was for me! One of the best books I've read and it's f/f to boot! Woohoo!!!!!! :D
Read it many times and still loving it!! 😍 My go-to book when I need some TLC moments! 🥰
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LOVED IT! My all time favourite book. Read it a couple of times and throughly enjoyed it.....Still! Main Characters (Caid & Robyn) are so lovable and felt so real - like you can actually relate to the feelings, the moment, the anguish. The supporting roles were just as lovable. Oh, that accident at the beach just add some drama to an already great storyline. Didn’t want the book to end and would have liked it to just dragged a little bit more. So missing the characters when story come to an end...
Would have loved to read other books written by Ms Lane but seems like there’s none?
15/09/2020: Wow!! Just wow!! THIS IS WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!!! THIS BOOK IS A MASTERPIECE!! BEAUTIFUL!! It’s everything I’ve ever wanted to read in a story! And yes, I’m somewhat screaming and smiling like an idiot as I write this. Just beautiful! Caid and Robyn are goals af! Their chemistry and intensity is off the charts!! Even the angst, that usually drives me crazy, was just perfect in this book and I actually welcomed it and liked reading it. And I hate angst!! Let that be known lol but not in this book. Everything just felt important and felt like necessary pieces of a very amazing and very romantic puzzle. I just wish I could read more because I’m very much addicted to this couple! Caid was just the sweetest person ever and I fell head over heels in love with her, and Robyn, the way she evolved and improved throughout the chapters, was simply amazing. THE GROWTH! Wow! Not to mention Liz! That woman has my heart and soul! The best bff someone could have. 🥰 This book is definitely in my top 5 of best wlw books. I’m in awe and I bow down to the author of this brilliant piece of work. 100% recommend! 🥰😍🙌🏻
05/09/2021 (Reread): One year later and I had to reread one of my favorite books of all time and I legit wanna give it 10 and way more stars!! This time I didn’t exactly read it, but listened to the audiobook, which made me love and appreciate this story and characters even more!! Just wow!! Lisa Cordileone as the narrator was the best choice ever made in the whole wide world!! She nailed all the dialogues and all the voices and sounds. Not to mention Robyn’s throaty voice... just hot damn!! If I could marry a voice, I’d marry Lisa’s. Her narration was just flawless and beautiful and made me fall even deeper in love with this beautiful story. 🥰 JUST WOW!! BRAVO!!!
03/09/2022 (Reread): I’ve just realized I have a habit of reading my comfort books every year 😂 This one is just so 😍 and the narrator of the audiobook just makes it even better 🥰
OK so, this was the first lesfic I ever read, and I have probably re-read it no less than 5 times. Why I didn't write a review, I know not. No one forgets their first, amiright? It will always hold a high rating simply because of that. I felt the lesfic magic! I was like, "THESE ARE MY PEOPLE! COME HITHER, MORE PEOPLE!" And I started reading lesfic like a crazy person.
I recently listened to the audio version, and firstly, Lisa C's narration is sooooo goooood. She really gets into the characters, there is no robotic readings here folks. she gets IN IT. Her breathiness during the intimate scenes made my mouth go dry. Never have I heard a narrator inflect so much emotion into her characters, and welcome anyone's suggestions for other narrators like her.
The only thing that I didn't like about the narration was that I couldn't skim easily, so noticed more flaws in the characters. Why had I not noticed how much miscommunication there was? When did Caid become such a wilting flower? Her self-esteem and how unsure she was about the status of her relationship with Robin, always choosing to not speak her mind and believe her assumptions, grated on my nerves this time around. It was also exceptionally long, but I was not complaining, because even though I did not skim, I just wanted to listen to Lisa forever.
This is not a very succinct review I realize, but overall I will always love this story like a firstborn, even for nostalgia alone.
I’m a bit mad that only towards the ending did this book get anywhere close to as good as I wished it to be from the start. In all fairness, it had already gotten better as their relationship took its first steps and continued to develop, whereas while Caid was only pining over Robyn, it was utterly annoying how often the writing seemed like bad fanfiction. I ended the first chapters seriously questioning all the great reviews and ratings I’d seen, and by the end I had kind of accepted that this style of writing just isn't my thing.
Now, I can’t deny that the book was entertaining — my status reports are here to prove that I devoured it relatively fast. However, that was due to my own willingness to put up with just about anything for the sake of cute lesbians, because if it wasn’t that, I would’ve never gotten past the first few pages. And boy, was it hard to stop cringing after coming across terms such as “fight/battle for dominance”, also known as the biggest identifier of bad fanfiction ever.
I couldn’t bring myself to care much about the characters, and the endless “will they/won’t they” was weak given that the story was so predictable and cliché that I could easily imagine a marriage proposal before I reached the end. Most of the issues that got in their way felt shallow — not that gorgeous, desired, successful, rich and mostly happy actresses don’t have valid problems, of course, but they were all cheap plot devices thrown in whenever things started to get calm and comfortable.
On that note — and this deserves its own paragraph —,
Also, I can’t believe . It was such an obvious opportunity to cause drama that that from the beginning I could’ve sworn it was only a matter of time, and looked forward to seeing how they’d deal with it. A wasted, great opportunity, compared to the kinds of obstacles that actually made it into the book.
On a short, positive note, it was still refreshing to read just because cheesy romance novels shouldn’t be restricted to the heterosexuals, and a few sweet moments had me smiling dumbly at the pages. But let's just say that, if the beginning of this book had been the start of a fanfic, I would've closed it and picked a better one.
This book encompasses everything that makes good romance novels great.
My Review
This novel encompasses everything that makes good romance great. The Synopsis had never really gripped me but after reading a few reviews on Goodreads (just shows how important reviewing actually is) I decided to bite the bullet and give it a go and thank goodness I did.
Caid is an actress on a Police TV show called "9th Precinct" and that’s where she meets the object of her affection Robyn. Robyn is an actress on another show that is linked and they do spin off episode together in each show. On such occasions Robyn and Caid share a trailer backstage and it does nothing but make Caid's lust for Robyn develop however, Robyn is straight and has a very publicized relationship with her boyfriend. So why has Robyn been looking at her with lustful eyes?
The book was written very well and had a major draw from the first chapter. The moment Caid walks into her shared trailer and Robyn is in there, the chemistry is off the chart. The book is written entirely from Caid's point of view and this is something that would normally put me off but it actually worked tremendously well. The moments with Robyn and the information you gain from secondary characters is enough that you don’t actually need to know what Robyn’s thinking about Caid and their relationship.
The chemistry between Robyn and Caid is so charged and raw that its almost tangible as it falls off the page and into life. The sex scenes are quite emotional and it gives insight into the intimacy that they haven’t yet acknowledged. The fact that Caid never pushes Robyn in their relationship I thought was evidence of her devotion to Robyn and to them but, in the times where Robyn pushes her away she didn’t cower, she stood up for herself and their relationship and it left me with nothing but admiration resulting in the reader (and Robyn) respecting her more. I love when characters give each other pet names, I find it quite endearing so when Robyn is the first to do so it gives a little insight into her feelings because the moment she calls Caid “Baby” you can actually feel one of her emotional walls crumbling down and this is just one of the moments K.E. Lane successfully manufactured without needing to give the reader Robyn’s POV.
There were definitely more than a few twists and turns along the way in this novel but I felt it was necessary to get the emotional intensity from the protagonists.
My only complaint would be that I’m left wanting more… so not really a complaint. When Robyn says to Caid:
"I love you, and I told you before that if you wanted me, you had me. I wasn't talking about a few days. I was talking long-term. As in a life together. I don't want to scare you, baby, but I've got plans for the future, and they all include you. Every last one." This just left me wanting more knowledge of their future. Maybe a novelette should be in this books future. I was left asking questions like… Did the public embrace their love? What’s next for them as a couple? And that’s but a few.
This book has well and truly earned a place on my 'favorites' bookshelf and will be definitely getting a reread again in the future…
My favourite ever lesbian romance novel - who wouldn't fall in love with Caidence and Robyn? Set in Hollywood, this has enough false starts to keep you guessing, gives you an insight into working in LA TV, has a sympathetic cast of supporting characters but what matters most is the glittering romance at its heart, and that truly shines. The build-up, the dates, the sex, the aftermath - it's all there. Drama-packed and love-filled, this is the romance book to end all romance books. I've never read one better. If I could give it ten stars, believe me, I would!
Before listening to this book, I really didn’t think I could love APTROH more. The narrator, Lisa Cordileone added so much to the book, that after numerous re-readings of the online & published versions, it felt new and fresh. Well, not completely new since I know the plot. She added many nuances - she doesn’t just read the book using different voices - she also acts a bit. Adding a laugh or a sigh or a groan where Lane wrote it in. I loved her voices for all the main characters especially Robyn, her deep sexy voice was as I imagined, as was Liz’s smooth Southern Belle accent.
So, if you loved the print book, I think you will love the audiobook. If you haven’t read either (insert shock & horror) what are you waiting for? Now you can enjoy either format.
I was just searching for my next audible book to read. Is it too soon to listen to APTROH again? Nah!
PS. If you get the chance, read “V Reader” review on audible.com. She has a paragraph on the audiobook Robyn that I think is spot on.
Even though this has been out for a while I picked up this book because of the overwhelming positive reviews it had. I came into this with extremely high expectations and for the most part it delivered. At first I was a bit put off by the fact that this story is told in first person, but after a short while I stopped noticing. In fact I was glad for it because it made me feel a greater connection towards Caid and gave her feelings for Robyn a greater depth.
As a whole this was very well written, which sucked me in right away. The romance was amazingly well written and absolutely believable. The tension between the two jumped from the book from the first page.
The only thing that kept this book from a 5 star rating was the drama between the two. The women had problems with their communication, which happens all the time in real life, but was frustrating to read. Although it would not have driven the plot forward, they could have avoided all their problems with a simple conversation and honesty. It seemed kinda childish.
Even though I took issue with this, ultimately it was only a small portion of the overall story. I would absolutely recommend this to any f/f romance lovers.
Since I read this years ago and it was in my Amazon library, the Audible upgrade was pretty cheap. Everyone knows that the narrator can make or break an audio book. Lisa Cordileone does a *fantastic* job as the voice actress and the audio production was grade A. And for 15 hours of audio it was a bargain considering the quality of the material.
This is by far the gold standard for lesfic celebrity romance novels in my opinion. I'm hard pressed to find one that doesn't have a break up in it or the angst factor is SO effing high that it's a bore to try and get through it. This here is an award winning novel. Several awards actually if memory serves. I'd have to check but pretty sure it won 2 or 3 Goldie awards. It PROVES that you DON'T have to have the mandatory break up to make a great novel. I wish more authors would sit up and take notice. But I'm sure that's just a personal pipe dream. Snort.
I have been waiting for this audiobook for quite a while, as Karen Wolfer kept posting little snippets that intrigued me to no end. Now, at last, I heard it and really I'm not a gushing person, but this is so going to be a review full of adulation. I loved the story. But to be honest, the story would not have impressed me as much if it hadn't been performed so beautifully and so on the spot by Lisa Cordileone. Then there was the flawless editing. Then there was just my general enjoyment of all the components together. Thank you for 14 hours pure enjoyment. I'm sure I'll revisit this audio-book again and again and again ...
So - added another book to my very small collection of 'books I have read more than once' (don't be fooled, that just means 'twice' - there's only one book I've read more than twice, and I think I've only read that one three times).
Funny thing happened when I started reading - this is a book I know I enjoyed when I read it, that 5 star rating was kind of a big clue to myself, but I just couldn't remember the book - until I started to reread it. The book didn't come back to me in a flash or anything like that, no - more that I was keeping ahead of the reading a little bit. As in, first scene in the book finds Caidence working in a police station talking to a small boy - a scene for her cop television show. And the entire scene came into my brain fully formed. Rest of the book proceeded similarly - I'd read and a sentence, a paragraph, a chapter, ahead of where I was reading would come back to me. Yet I never, until end of book, had the entire book come back. Just a tiny bit ahead of where I was reading.
By the time I was done I realized that I had in fact remembered the book (I mean prior to the reread) - I had just thought it was one of Jae's Hollywood books. No idea how that occurred.
There were moments I liked and disliked both characters - Caid and Robyn. Caid seems like a great person and stuff, but there were moments that I realized that some of what was occurring was being 'masked' by my knowledge - by being the reader in Caid's head (and yeah, the stuff is from Caid's point of view). As in - Caid sure didn't communicate very well - a lot of the problems came up because of how poorly Caid communicated. For example - Caid spent an inordinate amount of time thinking thoughts to herself like 'I am a lesbian, or at least lesbian like person' - and yet when the topic came up with Robyn, and several comments were made back and forth, Robyn was given the impression that Caid was not in fact a lesbian, but a straight woman who had never kissed a woman before but was interested in experimenting - so we have both of those tropes in the book (a lot of the lesbian tropes, themes, ideas turn up in this book), the 'lesbian for you' (which was hinted at by the poor communication skills but a red herring) & the 'lesbian trapped in feelings for a straight woman but doesn't want to be' that was also a false positive. All because Caid said something along the lines that she had never kissed a woman - now mind you Caid is often tongue tied around Robyn, and so probably couldn't get the right words out anyway, though a lot of the problems stem from this problem to communicate issue. Though, to be fair, that issue comes from both sides - as revealed by some comments eventually pulled from Robyn.
So - Caid is a thirty-something woman who spent some time as a model, as she put it 'a beer bitch' (one of her modeling works lead to some beer commercials which included her in a barely there top) before branching out into acting. And is in her second year on a police show that is seeing a great deal of success. Her best friend is a woman named Liz who is her cop partner on the show - and someone who has been famous from an early age so is quite . . . unskilled with social thingies.
Robyn is a woman who acts on a lawyer show that is the origin show (whatever you call a show that another show spins off of - Caid's police show spun off of Robyn's lawyer show), and occasionally has guest appearances on Caid's cop show. Robyn is in a very famous 'coupling' with a tennis pro, a Josh something or other. Both of them look quite taken with the other and are constantly seen out and about.
Both Robyn and Liz (and, for that matter Josh) are much bigger stars than Caid.
At a Q&A for the cop show, attended by Caid and Liz, one of the last questions presented was one about fanfiction. Namely something along the lines of 'are you aware that there is fanfiction about your characters which paints them in a lesbian light; is there a chance that a lesbian theme would appear on the show; how does that impact your acting - etc etc'. Caid has to answer that one as Liz is kind of gasping in confusion and horror.
On the ride back from the Q&A, Liz and Caid share a limo (along with Paula, Liz's personal assistant). Liz is furious and wants to sue the internet (not sure if she is specific on who she wants to sue). Caid explains that Liz can't. Caid then shows Liz one of the lesbian fanfiction stories. One thing leads to another and - not right then and there, but eventually - Liz sets in motion something Caid can't dodge (a reoccurring theme - Caid is kind of spineless when it comes to people telling her to do things; in terms of the Liz idea - she feels that she isn't in a strong enough position to go against the idea (I'm being vague, but you could probably use the same sentence for a lot of situations in this book)).
At the table read for the season finale, all of the heavy-weight executives (producers, writers, show creators, etc.) pop in. And reveal that they are going to have a lesbian twist. This being the thing I vaguely noted above. The thing Caid doesn't feel powerful enough to do anything but accept her role in the situation. For her character is going to be bumping up against Robyn's character. Complicated all the way around since playing a gay/lesbian/LGBT role can have implications on careers, and Caid has been lusting for Robyn for two years by this point. Complicated.
So yeah. Fun book. Much angst. Some family issues. Several tropes pulled in (some mentioned above some not - one of the ones I haven't mentioned involves 'dangerous event occurs so one or the other realizes their true feelings' that seems a reoccurring theme in the book). Quite well written. Much angst. Much drama/loving/sex (graphic).
As much as I loved this book, and no matter how many times I re read it! I just can't bring myself to write worthy review of this masterpiece, there's no words in the dictionary to describe my feelings about it
All i have to say to whoever is reading this review, put down whatever you are reading right now, and READ THIS BOOK
It was also the first (non- fanfiction) lesfic I've ever read, so it has a special place in my heart. Now that I've read more lesfics I can see how fortunate it was that I stumbled upon a good one on the first try.
It is unfortunate that I simply had no clue lesbian fiction existed until a couple of years ago. On the upside, I am fortunate to be able to look at reviews and pick and choose books that have been well received in the past. Sometimes I feel just darn spoiled! I have been wanting to read this book for some time now as one can look at reviews, and even awards, and see how successful it was. I’m happy to say it lived to those expectations.
Caidence Harris is an actress in a hit prime time cop show. She is in her thirties, has come to terms with her sexuality but has not been able to act on it. Her attention for the past couple of years has been on another actress, Robyn Ward, who makes her heart race and her mouth babble when in her presence, but who is also very unavailable and involved with a handsome and charismatic tennis player.
The story is told from Caidence’s first person point of view (POV). I love, love, love first person POV. I feel it lends to such intimacy and yet, the ability to have such witty internal dialog without simply stating it. I find the obvious thoughts of a character sometimes eye roll inducing when they are just stated in third person POV. They are simply not funny unless someone is narrating it as they came up in their heads. I mean, we all have a killer humor and witty internal dialogs right? If we don’t, please don’t embarrass me by pointing it out!
In a way, it is easy to see why this book was well received. There is the actress/Hollywood characters, the fauxromance and the misunderstanding of intentions amongst other tropes. The characters are endearing and I absolutely loved Caidence, who was very level headed and just real. The relationship between the main characters was great as I thought the arguments were legitimate and both of them held each other accountable for their actions. They manage to start the relationship sooner rather than later and Ms Kane did a fantastic job at keeping things challenging and interesting through the remaining of the book.
This was my second audiobook narrated by Lisa Cordileone, and another wonderful performance. She narrates the sarcasm and wittiness just like I would read it, so it simply was enjoyable to listen to and with several laugh out loud moments. The challenge was finding the time to listen to it. No time like the present to follow the low speed limits in one’s neighborhood! I will point out I listened to it at 1.25x speed as I thought the regular speed was prolonging things a bit.
I did not realize this was an older book, although perhaps looking at the cover, it shows some. Nothing was outdated in the story and reads like a much more recent release.
Overall a great romance with fantastic and humorous inner monologue. 5 stars
I started this book a couple times, but kept pushing it aside. for some reason thinking i might not like it... perhaps the beautiful, famous actress thing didn't appeal, not sure why. but when i finally sat down and started into it, i found that my preconceived notions were dead wrong.
perhaps the plot, actresses falling in love, didn't do much for me, but let me tell you... the chemistry the author creates between these characters will make the plot a triviality. it is absolutely amazing, how, without being graphic, she has the sexual tension between these two taking your breath away. Starting with the most amazing first kiss ever, which probably lasted 3 seconds and didn't go any further, but had me going back to read again and appreciate how tangible the scene was. and it just gets hotter and steamier from there. from the abrupt unexpected kisses to the heated emotional arguments, and of course the making up..
So, the character development and chemistry is definitely award winning. But the plot actually wasn't bad either. It has a lot more depth and intelligence than i would have expected. i found myself liking (or hating) the supporting characters as well. It's also one of the very few books i've read, where i wasn't hoping for the hookup to last. because the author tells this story in first character only, you don't get to see justification behind robyn's actions, and you share in Caid's hurt and anger and mistrust. anyhow, i dont want to give spoilers, but suffice it to say, this book is very engaging on several levels. i already started reading it again.
the writing was intelligent and the style was easy and enjoyable with very very minimal editing flaws. i liked the length, as it gives you time to enjoy all aspects of the romance without seeming rushed. and i can't think of any reason not to recommend this book. definitely a 5 star must read.
2016 reread: apparently I never wrote a full review for this one. Well, I'm revising it from 4 to 5 stars because I love it. I wish there was more from Robyn's perspective, but it's still fantastic and holds up with each reread.
Am I late to the I love this lesbian book party? Yes. Fashionably so? No. Just late to finding all the wonderfully written wlw romance books out here in the world. This one is a great celebrity first time falling for another female celebrity story that opens up all the cans of worms that comes with being in the public eye and trying to live your life on the down low. Dealing with paparazzi, family, and social media can be hard on someone trying to figure out what is going on with their heart. Lane writes with a smoothness and ease that left me burning through the pages and tosses in a little humor too. Great story and I'm glad I didn't miss the party after all.
This is gold. No...I'm not kidding. This book is so good. it kinda makes me sad that I got to know about this book so late. I mean...it was published 10 years ago. Stars collide by HP Munro was apparently similar to this book and I was intrigued. And boy was I impressed. For starters I love the leads. they aren't obnoxious assholes and don't have a messed up past which will inadvertently ruin their present. no such drama. nuh uh. but somehow this book still ends up being so full of angst and I freaking loved it. Let's take a detour and admire the name. I for some reason love the name caidence. idk why but yea😂 anyways coming back to the actual story. the flow of the plotlines is so smooth. and damn the chemistry was good ;) romance is such a beautiful thing. it pulled me out of my weeklong funk and im grateful for that. People everywhere....read this book. It's so adorable. I loved how the leads kissed each other on their temples and hugged each other. it wasnt all about the sex. this is true intimacy y'all. anyways I can ramble on and on about this.book. instead go check it out yourself. peace out✌️
This was truly a fantastic read. I couldn't put it down and have the bags under my eyes to prove it. The best part for me was that the book was long enough to really develop the characters and pull the reader into their lives. Why doesn't this author have any more books available? That, my friends, is a damn shame
3.5⭐️Caid is just an adorable character. She is a real dork, spontaneous, sweet, caring, and honest. Robyn is a bit mysterious but likable as well. The reader can really feel she has feelings for Caid despite the book being written in Caidence's single POV. She is complicated and guarded. I just had a bit of trouble getting used to the narration, which at first sounded like a drunk, horny woman to me. I got used to it eventually. I loved the initial friendship, then the tension and the push-and-pull dynamic between them. I also enjoyed the honest conversations they had with each other. I love when a character worries for the other; it’s really one of my favorite things to read, the fear, the caring. That goes straight to my heart. The scenes were perfectly written in this book.But there is a "but": the three major steps in their relationship are taken after Robyn gets scared of losing Caidence. The trope was a bit overused here, and I think it’s not serving Robyn’s character development. I would have appreciated more of her working on her feelings for Robyn on her own, in patterns other than tragic events. At some point, I worried for Caidence’s life expectancy. My heart loved the scenes, but my brain wished for more.
But overall, this book was really easy to listen to. The pace is perfect, and you can only root for these two.
4.5 🌟 Super good story! Sexy voices, so listen if you can! The steam was oh so sexy! All the Feels…. Secondary characters were so good…especially Liz! One of the funniest characters I’ve ever read!! Loved watching these sensual, beautiful and talented actresses fall in love. Highly recommend this book! ❤️🔥
It was a shame to hear this author only wrote one book. 🌈