Once Ghosted, Twice Shy (Reluctant Royals #2.5) by Alyssa Cole

* * * * *

Alyssa Cole returns with a fun, sexy romance novella in the Reluctant Royals series!

While her boss the prince was busy wooing his betrothed, Likotsi had her own love affair after swiping right on a dating app. But her romance had ended in heartbreak, and now, back in NYC again, she’s determined to rediscover her joy—so of course she runs into the woman who broke her heart.

When Likotsi and Fabiola meet again on a stalled subway train months later, Fab asks for just one cup of tea. Likotsi, hoping to know why she was unceremoniously dumped, agrees. Tea and food soon leads to them exploring the city together, and their past, with Fab slowly revealing why she let Likotsi go, and both of them wondering if they can turn this second chance into a happily ever after.

Source: advance e-galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Alyssa Cole's delightful Reluctant Royals series has introduced amazing women and dashing men whose lives intersect unexpectedly. It's been great to read a romance about royalty that features people of colour who are creators of opportunity in their own lives.

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy - seriously cute title, by the way - brings back Likotsi, Prince Thabiso's most valued, most trusted advisor who has been by his side for what seems like forever. When she's not busy keeping the future king in line she manages to carve out a bit of time for herself to find love as well. Thanks to a dating app, she meets Fabiola who instantly knocks her off her feet. Likotsi has no intention of seeking anything long term and Fab seems like she's up for some fun, too. She even helps Likotsi loosen up a bit but then just as quickly as they hook up it's all over, and Fab simply disappears from her life. Until one day when she reappears out of nowhere and all the passion, the bitterness, the hurt is reignited. As they spend the day together wandering around New York and tip-toeing around each other they fall into a familiar pattern. But there's no way to move forward until they address the cause of their breakup. 

Even though it's a novella it doesn't deprive Litkosi and Fab of the time to tell their story. It's a delightful read from beginning to end and Cole invokes some gorgeous imagery that just makes the two of them come alive. It also made me want to visit New York again. And did you know that the book's cover features a real-life couple? I found that out before I started it and it made me feel even more gushy about Likotsi and Fab as I was reading it. Once Ghosted, Twice Shy was the something "sweet and fun" I wanted to read about genuinely good people deserving the good things coming their way.

~ Bel

The Belle vs. The BDOC: A Bend or Break Novella by Amy Jo cousins

* * * 1/2

Love is a battlefield. 

Shelby Summerfield is a Southern belle at a northern college in 1993, which is a challenge to begin with. And yes, Florence Truong, the object of Shelby's lust and the only other woman on campus not wearing flannel, does catch her in what looks like a compromising position with a straight boy at pub trivia night.

But Shelby is a gold star lesbian and Florence's dapper fashion sense makes her weak in the knees, so her rejection stings hard. To exact her revenge, Shelby cheats a little when putting together her own trivia dream team, because nobody strategizes to win like a Southern girl on a mission. And if trivia can't settle their rivalry, then maybe the annual campus-wide game of assassin will do the trick.

Shelby's gonna come out on top of Florence—in bed or out, one way or another. Bless her heart. And her silk pocket squares.

Warning: Contains obscene pub trivia team names, paint guns, a Southern belle with an exquisite grasp of battlefield tactics, and one dapper dyke who's misjudged her. 

Source: e-galley received from author in exchange for an honest review

Review:

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Amy Jo Cousins and, in particular, her Bend or Break series.   She writes human characters that I love because of their imperfections, not in spite of them and her writing covers the vast spectrum of genders and orientations.  When I found that she had written a f/f novella that takes place in the Bend or Break Universe I was ecstatic. 

Shelby Summerfield is the kind of girl that grabs your attention immediately.  Unfortunately, she doesn’t attract the right kind of attention from Florence, the hottest lesbian on campus.  Shelby’s master plan to get Florence to look at her romantically is thwarted by a male friend’s unwanted advances.  So what does Shelby do?  She sets up a ruthless plan B to show Florence that Shelby is a girl worth looking at twice. 

I enjoyed both Shelby and Florence’s characters but it was the vibrant Shelby that kept me fixated.  She’s comfortable in her skin, confident in her style and she WILL get what she wants, whether that’s an A+ on a test or if it’s the hottest girl at Carlisle College.   Her all-out war to win Florence over is both focused, complicated and hilarious.   

This is a feel good love story that is both fun and manages to touch on the important topic of gender stereotypes.  If you are looking for a short love story or looking to cut your teeth on the world of f/f romance, I can’t recommend this story enough.

Nat

Portrait of a Crossroads by Kelly Rand

****

Since finding her father’s body at the bottom of the basement stairs, Annette’s been drifting through her days, watching cars pass down the rural Ontario crossroads beside her house. Her brothers have no great ambitions, but Annette remembers a time when she did. She just can’t remember what they are.

Then she meets her neighbour, Sadie, a tattooed, world-weary, newly single portrait artist. Something about Sadie awakens something in Annette—the essence she captures in her subjects, perhaps, or the way the old familiar crossroads seem so fresh and promising from the view out Sadie’s window.

Annette begins to help Sadie, cleaning brushes and filing invoices between long lazy afternoons of conversations and shared silences. Soon, though, Annette wants more from her enigmatic neighbor, and their slowly heating friendship melts into passionate nights. Somewhere along the way, Annette discovers that her lover has illuminated for her, as with the people Sadie paints, not just her essence but her own endless worlds of possibilities

Remember how I used to go on and on about how I hate short stories?  How they don’t have enough character development, blah, blah, blah?  Well apparently I just needed to start reading the RIGHT short stories because yet again I have been blown away.

Portrait of a Crossroads by Kelly Rand is an excellent coming of age story about a girl that is struggling with the aimlessness of her present and plans for the future.  Annette has been coasting through life in a bit of a haze since finding her father’s body.  She used to have hobbies and interests but now spends most of her time watching the sparse activity that happens at the rural crossroads she lives on.  While peering outside, Annette sees that one of the women next door is moving out.  After that Annette takes the first step in getting to know her neighbor.  Their simple and easy friendship blossoms into more and gives Annette the fearlessness and freedom she needs to make the first steps in creating her future.

This was a lovely story with just the perfect amount of steamy and sexy thrown in.  I highly recommend it if you are looking for an engaging fast read.

Thank you to Riptide publishing for providing this title for review on NetGalley.


~ Nat