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The Ultimate Boss Set by Lee Winter

The Ultimate Boss Set
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Published: 11/2022

In the Ultimate Boss Set, Lee Winter gives us The Brutal Truth, The Awkward Truth and three related short stories.  This is the ultimate set, with some of the most memorable characters in sapphic romance. I have read them all individually several times and know I will read them many times again in this collection.

Elena Bartell is one of my favorite characters ever. She is the ultimate, hot boss lady ice queen and the evolution of her relationship with Maddie Grey is absolute perfection. Maddie has the biggest heart and somehow manages to see the woman Elena hides behind that ice queen exterior.

Felicity Simmons idolizes her boss, Elena Bartell. After nearly stealing the show in The Brutal Truth, The Awkward Truth, gives us Felicity’s story. We find out where all that snark comes from, and it brings a level of understanding that makes me love Felicity even more.

This is a must for fans of Elena, Maddie and Felicity. And if you haven’t read these, there is no better time to discover the brilliance of Lee Winter. She writes ice queens like she was born to do it and her hilarious banter is unmatched.

An ARC was received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.

 

 

Presidential by Lola Keeley

Presidential
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Published: 12/7/22

Presidential was originally released in 2020 but has been rewritten and re-released. The story was inspired by Lola Keeley’s love for the film, The American President, which is also one of my favorite movies. This book is a wonderful homage to the film, and I will be reading it many times, just as I have watched the movie countless times.

Dr. Emily Lawrence is one of the top pediatric surgeons in the country. Connie Calvin is the nation’s first female President and a widow, having lost her husband before she was elected. A friendship forms between the two women but the more time they spend texting and opening themselves up, friendship becomes the last thing on either woman’s mind.

I finished this book in one day. I really enjoyed the chemistry between the women and how much respect they had for each other.   Even though Connie was the most powerful woman in the world, Emily is just as powerful in her profession, and I appreciate how both women worked to make it an equal partnership. The supporting characters were well developed, and I loved the relationships formed with the main characters. Connie’s son, Zach, her best friend and chief of staff, Ramira and Emily’s sister, Sutton, were all fabulous. And I would love to see Jill, the secret service agent, get her own book in the future.

Presidential gave me that same warm and fuzzy feeling I got from The American President.  I noticed a few lines that were reminiscent of the film, but this book has it’s own identity and I adored it. It’s easy to see why Connie and Emily fell for each other because I fell a little in love with them myself.

An ARC was received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.

For the Long Run by Cheyenne Blue

For the Long Run
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Published: 10/26/22

Shan Metz is focused on making it to the Olympics but first she needs to make the Australian Commonwealth Games team. Running is all that matters to her and nothing will derail her plans. Nothing, except a woman in a koala costume she trips over causing her to blow out her knee.

Lizzie Carras feels awful to have caused Shan’s injury and offers her spare room for Shan while she recovers from knee surgery. It’s not like Shan can navigate four flights of stairs to get to her own apartment. Shan doesn’t exactly endear herself to Lizzie, she’s snarky and rude, but when the snark fades all that’s left is a mutual attraction neither can ignore.

This is my first Cheyenne Blue book and it won’t be my last. The chemistry and banter between these two characters was highly entertaining. The writing was sharp and flowed beautifully.  I am also a bit in love with both Lizzie and Shan. Lizzie is absolutely one of the sweetest characters ever. She radiates warmth and kindness and there was no way Shan could deny how attractive those qualities are. And Shan’s single-minded determination to succeed at all costs, while a bit counterproductive to all around happiness, is still pretty hot.

I love an opposites attract, enemies to lovers story and this one held my attention, made me laugh and most importantly, made me feel. For the Long Run is a great read while lounging on the couch with a blanket or if you feel inspired, while running on the treadmill.

An ARC was received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.

Something’s Different by Quinn Ivins

Something's Different
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Published: 11/23/2022

Caitlyn Taylor thought the days of switching places with her twin sister, Chloe, were over. They aren’t kids anymore even though Chloe still acts like one. Caitlyn is coerced by Chloe and their mom to fill in for her working as Ruth Holloway’s assistant at the local university. Ruth begins to see “Chloe” in a new light when she starts actually doing her job and Caitlyn can’t deny her “boss” isn’t nearly as evil as Chloe said she was.

I have enjoyed both of Quinn Ivins other books and this one was just as entertaining.  Her sense of humor comes across so well and she always writes characters who are so endearing, I just want to reach into the book and give them a big hug. The chemistry between Ruth and Caitlyn developed gradually and was as much intellectual as it was physical. I was invested from page one and couldn’t wait to see these two find their way to each other. There is nothing sexier than two intelligent women finding someone they can connect with on every level.  This is a book I will be reading again just to spend more time with Ruth and Caitlyn.

An ARC was provided by Ylva Publishing for an honest review.

 

Chemistry by Rachael Sommers

Chemistry
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Lily Cross has returned home to the suburbs on Chicago for her first teaching job. She isn’t overly thrilled to come home but there were reasons she needed to get out of Miami. She is determined to become friends with her new co-workers but she hadn’t planned on Dr. Eva Thomas.

Eva had been a Chemistry professor at Georgetown University, but a family situation brings her home.  Teaching high school had never been something she imagined herself doing and she doesn’t have the time nor the inclination to humor the new, ridiculously peppy Biology teacher. She infuriated Eva or is that feeling something more troublesome?

I gravitate to ice queens. They are so complex and keep so much of themselves hidden away and fear is usually the cause. Eva is no exception.  When Lily gets a glimpse into who Eva is with her students, she begins to see that the icy exterior is just that, a way to keep people at bay and protect herself.

The title of the book is apropos. Eva and Lily have incredible chemistry. They balance each other out as happens in the best ice queen romances. I finished this is an evening because I wanted to witness Lily cracking the ice Eva had around her heart and I was not disappointed. This is a wonderful book to curl up with on the couch with a glass of wine.

An ARC was received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.

 

Strange Attractors by Ana K. Wrenn

Strange Attractors
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Published: 8/17/2022

If you think you know what to expect from an ice queen, you haven’t met Sonja Storey. Antarctica is a sauna compared to the North Carolina professor. I spent the majority of the book not liking her but knowing that by the end I would come to understand why she behaves the way she does.

Junior Professor Crystal Byrd is Sonja’s complete opposite. Cystal is warm, kind and for some inexplicable reason, completely drawn to Sonja. She sees something beneath the surface that no one else does mostly because Sonja has a fortress built up to protect herself.

Ana K. Wrenn has burst onto the sapphic fiction scene with an enthralling psychological drama. I don’t want to give too much away but the story centers around threats Sonja begins receiving and how she tries to navigate the situation, while projecting a control she doesn’t feel.

I always love a well written debut and this one qualifies. Wrenn gives us an unforgettable character in Sonja. She is brilliant, cold and complex. Her journey doesn’t end with a thaw, but I still find myself feeling great affection for her. I also find myself waiting none too patiently for the next offering from Ana K. Wrenn.

An ARC was received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.

Above All Things by Roslyn Sinclair

Above All Things
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Published: 5/11/22

Jules Moretti is embarking on a new career, no longer the assistant to fashion editor, Vivian Carlisle. She still sees her former boss but now in a far more intimate role, as Vivian’s girlfriend. Jules is hopelessly in love with the emotionally walled up editor. Vivian has walls at high as the one in China but Jules and the love she shows breaks them down gradually. As Vivian’s pregnancy progresses, the two women have to deal with the many obstacles threatening to tear them apart.

I enjoyed the first book in the series, Truth and Measure but I absolutely loved this one. Roslyn Sinclair has given us another unforgettable ice queen in Vivian. Most live in fear of her and don’t bother trying to see the woman behind the frostiness. Jules has been there for her like no one in her life before and she allows Jules to see the real Vivian. She knows Jules is worthy of that trust and I love the way their relationship progressed. What began as a crush for Jules was for Vivian a dependence brought about by her shock and fear at discovering she was pregnant. The two women’s feelings evolved into an undeniable attraction and ultimately love.

This book is crazy hot. I am at an age where hot flashes occur occasionally but during the reading of this book, I had a perpetual flush that kept me reading this away from the eyes of my partner and kids. The emotional connection between these two characters heightens the physical and that makes for a great love story. I haven’t read Roslyn Sinclair’s fanfic but I now clearly understand the anticipation that accompanied the arrival of these two books.

An ARC was received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.

Truth & Measure by Roslyn Sinclair

Truth & Measure
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Published: 4/20/22
Truth and Measure is the first part of a two-book series. This slow-burn office romance is a steamy story of fashion, passion, and the power of the unexpected.

Jules Moretti is a very good assistant. She anticipates what fashion editor Vivian Carlisle needs before she says it. She has to or she would be unceremoniously fired like so many before her. When Vivian finds herself unexpected expecting, Jules finds herself become far more involved in her bosses life than she ever anticipated.

This is one of the most eagerly anticipated books of the year and it was well worth the wait. Roslyn Sinclair has adapted her Devil Wears Prade fanfic into two books.  The second, Above All Things will be released in May. In Jules we get the overachieving girl next door, trying to make a go of her writing career while working for the iciest of fashion editors. Jules has a bit of hero worship for her boss and who can blame her. Vivian takes no shit, she’s ridiculously hot and has power that most people can only dream about. That hero worship turns into something more when Vivian allows Jules to see her vulnerability.

Roslyn Sinclair is an incredibly gifted author. I really loved The X Ingredient and The Lily and the Crown. I liked this book and am looking forward to the second book, Above All Things. She excels at writing the ice queen. The only way the ice queen trope works is if the sweet character manages to thaw the queen. In this instance Vivian is thawed as much by the shocking situation she finds herself in as by her interaction with Jules. This makes for a very effective character arc. Her vulnerability comes through so beautifully I couldn’t help but falling for her as well. Sinclair is also incredibly gifted at writing scenes that nearly set my Kindle ablaze. When things heat up, they heat up quickly and there is no turning back for either of them.

My only complaint is that I wish the romance would have been developed a bit more but I’m hoping we get more romance in book two. The book ends with a bit of a cliff hanger so I can’t wait to dive into the second book and see what Roslyn Sinclair has in store for us. I am fairly certain it’s going to be hot, emotional and with some twists I won’t be anticipating and what more could we ask for.

An ARC was received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.

 

 

 

Chasing Dreams by A.L. Brooks

Chasing Dreams
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Published: 3/16/22

Claire Pressley needs a change. She’s tired of her demanding job as a venture capitalist and trying to make her parents happy. She buys a homestead in Eagle Cove, Oregon and is set to fulfill her dream of having a guesthouse. Ruby Jordan is the sweetheart of Eagle Cove. She works at the town library and cares for animals in her spare time. Her dream is to buy the Pruitt homestead and turn it into an animal sanctuary. The same homestead that Claire saunters into town and buys. Needless to say, in the beginning Ruby is not team Claire, and she certainly doesn’t feel any sparks, nope, not at all.

A new book from A.L. Brooks is always cause for celebration. With Chasing Dreams, she has once again given us a wonderfully written book with characters who are relatable and have sizzling chemistry. I like both of these women a lot. I love a small-town girl meets big city girl story where both women try to ignore the pull, but just can’t seem to avoid the inevitable. Chasing Dreams deviates from that trope, however, because even though Claire moves to Eagle Cove from New York, the big city mentality doesn’t come with her. She quickly adapts to the small-town life, surprising herself by how much she wants to be a part of this close-knit community. She’s tired of the city, the noise and the pretentious overachievers that have been a part of her life for so long.

The supporting characters are delightful. Katie is Ruby’s friend and runs the local bar and senses Claire may be the perfect woman for her relationship averse friend. Rudy’s grandfather, Ned is dealing with the limits his advanced age is bringing about but provides Ruby with love and support at every turn. And Wayne, Ruby’s brother, who takes a job renovating the homestead for Claire and helps Ruby navigate Ned’s health issues.

This is touted as a feel-good book and it certainly lives up to that. There isn’t a lot of angst, which is something I think we all deserve after the last few years. It’s a story of women who act their age, communicate and find the right person at the right time. A.L. Brooks is one of my favorite authors. She always writes characters whose happiness I become invested in and Claire and Ruby have now joined the list of wonderful couples she has created. We are all Chasing Dreams in some form or another and you will be happy you joined Claire and Ruby as they chase theirs.

An ARC was received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.

 

 

The Awkward Truth by Lee Winter

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Published: 11/24/21

The Brutal Truth is one of my absolute favorite books and Felicity Simmons one of my favorite supporting characters. In The Awkward Truth, Felicity is front and center, as she was always mean to be and I couldn’t be happier that Lee Winter has given us this gift.

Felicity is in training to take over as COO for Bartell Corp once her boss and mentor moves permanently to Sydney to helm her fashion magazine. Felicity is thrilled all of her hard work has paid off but is still clueless as to the other reason Elena is moving to Australia. Elena gives Felicity the assignment to investigate Living Ruff charity to determine how they could be in danger of closing, when the donation Elena made should have sustained them for quite some time.

Felicity isn’t thrilled to venture to the Bronx, The unsafe, unclean, not nice Bronx but when Elena speaks, Felicity jumps.  When Felicity arrives she encounters Dr. Sandy Cooper. Cooper, as she’s known, is a veterinarian who cares for the animals of the homeless. Felicity’s story is she needs to make sure the charity is above reproach because Bartell Corp is thinking of making a donation. Felicity at first thinks Cooper is a vagrant looking to steal drugs from the company van. Not the best first impression but it’s Felicity and tact has never really been her best attribute.

Once they move past the vagrant faux pas, Felicity shadows Cooper on her calls. Felicity’s interactions with the homeless at first are cringe-worthy. Even when she tries to be friendly, it backfires. Cooper really does think this woman can’t even pretend to be a real person and completely lacks empathy.  The more time they spend together, Cooper sees cracks in Felicity’s well constructed walls. She’s not the heartless woman she projects, she actually loves animals, has compassion that she has worked so hard to hide and is filled with insecurities.  And Felicity, who was attracted to the “Amazonian goddess” pretty much from the moment they met, finds herself even more drawn to Cooper for her kindness.

There is really no writer I love more than Lee Winter. She is the absolute best, not just at ice queens, but at witty banter. Felicity never means to be hilarious but when ones filter is removed you never know what will come out. Felicity so intrigued me when I read The Brutal Truth because you just know that someone with that much snark has to have some deep-seeded insecurities.  Lee Winter gives us insight into what made Felicity focus solely on career success and shut herself off from human interaction.  Her new position, this assignment and Cooper are all catalysts to the changes Felicity never knew she needed to make.

While this is definitely a romance with a mystery to solve, it’s also story of a woman finding her humanity and letting her vulnerability show. There’s nothing scarier for Felicity than to expose her feelings, whether that’s to another person or to a sweet, unassuming animal.  She’s so tightly wound but bring a woman with nice thighs and an even nicer heart around her and she’s a goner. Felicity is just a treasure and Cooper is her perfect match. A woman who works with animals and looks at the homeless and sees them, not past them, that’s a woman to fall in love with.

The conversations Felicity has with Elena are spectacular and I love seeing Elena not only mentor her professionally, but also help her to realize she needs to be more empathetic. Felicity still not clueing in to the nature of Elena’s relationship with Maddie just makes me laugh. And in the same way Maddie’s kindness helped to soften Elena, Cooper does the same for Felicity.

The Awkward Truth is fantastic but I would expect nothing less from Lee Winter. She’s brilliant, Felicity Simmons is a delight and you should read this book. We’re done!

ARC Provided by the author for an honest review.