Tate is working a dead-end coffee shop job that is hanging on by the skin of its teeth. Little does she know that a stranger will come to change everything, and revamp her whole life.
The relationship between Tate and the beautiful woman develops easily, in a believable pattern that allowed me to appreciate the novel even as I devoured it. For some, it might seem like the sex came too early, but for me, it’s really a reasonable portrayal of how things can happen sometimes.
The sex scenes are treated respectfully and realistically, which can’t be said of many lesbian fictions, which seem to be written for love-struck idiots. Maybe that’s a little unfair, but sex doesn’t have to be earth-shattering and filled with bodily fluids every time!
I didn’t have trouble following all the characters (like I have lately with my wandering concentration), and I felt like all of them actively contributed something to the narrative. The only part I felt a bit off about was Krystal and her dad’s relationship. The rest of the subplots worked seamlessly into the whole though.
This novel is a more adult version of all those novels I love by Julie Anne Peters. It’s a logical step up. It provides guidance for a new generation of lesbians who might come into their powers later. Unfortunately, I felt like the femme/butch dynamic might have been a bit pronounced, but I do admit that people that fit those stereotypes exist.
This novel is set in Portland, which perhaps is disorientating for some people with preconceived notions of how the city should be. For me though, it added to the setting in a powerful way that made the book come alive.
I cannot praise this novel highly enough. I read it all in one guilty work afternoon. I simply couldn’t put it down. The two characters worked so well together, and the finish extremely satisfying. Love, love, love. If I can get my hands on a paperback copy, I will be one very happy reviewer.
