There is so much in this short book! So many tropes! So much humour! So much heartbreak! So much pining! Are pure cinnamon roll Abby and the Queen of the Perfect Match herself Sabine a perfect match? You’ll have to read to find out!

I really enjoyed this beautiful romance. The characters and their story were super believable, not at all contrived. I liked that it dealt with real world subjects in a meaningful and tender way. Will definitely read more from this author.

Wow, what a book.

Alison is hunkered down on Gold Hill, a small Victorian gold rush-turned-hippy town, after her husband cheated on her and her life as a Melbourne society wife imploded. Also, she is hiding from some very dangerous people.

Hope moved to Gold Hill from Sydney several years ago and she now has a close-knit group of friends.

When Hope rescues Alison from a man threatening her, sparks fly and they are both left a little off balance. Can Hope just be friends with someone she is deeply attracted to? Can Alison push past her fears and open up?

I love both these characters so much. They are both so richly drawn they sprang off the page. I feel like I watched this as a movie, or even lived it, it felt so real. Alison trying to claw her life back together. Hope’s love of her friend group (and all animals).

The romance was so beautiful. I stayed up to 2am reading this because I couldn’t put it down, I so desperately needed the characters to get together.

Despite the fact I’ve never quite cut it as a vegan, I loved the vegan rep.

This is the second sapphic romance I’ve read that is about Melbourne gangland killings (the first being Requiem for Immortals, by Lee Winter).

I was given an ARC to read, and this is my honest review.

Both the writing and the story really aren’t doing it for me. I prefer romance books where both MCs are clear from the get-go, but I can’t fault it for that since it was clear from the blurb. But the writing feels a bit underdeveloped. Like, after a conversation the MC will be like “well that was an awkward conversation” and I’ll be like “was it?” Because that didn’t come across from how it was written. I don’t feel I know any of the three main characters beyond the superficial. I really wanted to enjoy this but I think I will move on to a new book.

Started listening to this while getting electrolysis. The tension of the hijacking and their struggle to launch the lifeboat was really ramped up by having electrified needles stabbed into my face hundreds of times!

This was a really enjoyable book! 

Hannah is a copywriter with social anxiety who is getting married to a rich businessman, mainly because that is what is expected of her by her religious parents.

Meli is an actor who is approached by a rich businessman with creepily perfect teeth to be the bridesmaid of his friendless fiancé.

When they meet, Meli instantly develops a massive crush, and Hannah starts to have feelings. Maybe that time she kissed her friend when she was in school wasn’t a fluke?

I loved both MCs and their chemistry together, especially the humour they shared. The romance was really sweet, and even though it progressed quickly, it still felt very believable.

As someone with really bad social anxiety, I really loved this representation. Not being able to talk to people or order in restaurants, and having to leave events early, was so relatable.

I thought Eric was a great antagonist. A rich man wanting a wife he feels can be easily controlled is unfortunately all too believable.

I loved the side characters!

While bonding over a shared love of Harry Potter felt a bit dated for a book published in 2024, I actually really appreciated that the MCs called out JKR, and clarified that their merch was purchased prior to her revealing she is a terrible person.

Don’t go into this book expecting spice. One of the MCs spends around half the book convinced she is straight, so there is obviously no opportunity for spice early on. Later, the two sex scenes fade to black in a way that is well-handled and feels satisfying.

I’m giving this a lower rating than I would like, since I really enjoyed the story, but there were too many editing problems (from dialogue that took too much effort to work out who said it, to spelling and tense errors, to massive inconsistencies throughout the book) for me to give it a higher rating.

I loved that we got to see them together for so long in the end.