Monique S.'s Blog, page 20

New book out!

I have just submitted my new book, a collection of 3 short storis and a novlla under the title Seduced!

Trigger warning!
All four stories are romances, but none of them are clean (This for my clean romance friends).

The book will probably appear on Amazon on the 23rd, but for those of you who are impatient I have some review copies (PDFs) that I'll give away on demand in return of a DM with an email address to send them to.

A first attempt?

Uncharted by Alli Temple

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Well, if you are a hopeless romantic, lesbian and into pirate stories, like me, you'll have a hard tie finding an epic story like this.

I have read some that were good, but none kept me spellbound to almost the last page like this. Read the blurb if you want to know some of what it's about, but you don't really need to know much to fall in love with at least the first two female characters, who appear here, one lesbian and one straight, but both being thrown together by destiny and then bound by necessity, later replaced by deep friendship, even though one is straight and the other lesbian.

The plot is inventive and the world building conclusive and without any gaps that I would have noticed. The romance keeps you in the dark if it is going to have a happy ending until almost the last page. Very well done, that. The final twist could have at least two satisfying endings, although one would be with a Queen, who would have to fight on the side of a rebellion for her throne at a high price.

I highly recommend this novel, that seems to be a first effort at publishing a story, what makes it even more impressive.



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A hard disappointment

Stabscotch by Alexi Venice

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


I liked the two books before this one and grew very fond of the two leading women, espeially Amanda, as she showed herself to be able to be a badass defending the people she loves.

This book therefore was a do no finish book for me, the minute a character was introduced, who was not only a right pain in the proverbial bottom, but designed to become a temptation for Amanda to betray her Jen. I hate stories, who are supoosed to have "romance" sub-plots, that involve completely gratuitous heartbreak, especially to so wonderful characters as Jen Dawson and compromising her before worthy love. As I would never be able to excuse a similar betrayal I decided to stop reading, no matter what the author planned to do to reconcile the unforgivable.

Very disappointed!



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spellbindingly hot

Bourbon Chase by Alexi Venice

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A hot romance with a crime story as background. Even though I figured the crime out not even a quarter through the book, the plot for that wasn't that comlicated to see through, the hot romance kept me spellbound till the end.

Hot district Attorney Amanda Hawthorne and emergency doctor Jen Dawson had no idea what would hit them the first time they'd meet, neither how complicated their relationship might turn out. How this resolved, of course, is what makes this book such a gripping read, so ... sorry ... no spoilers!

Here are two accomplished professional adult women, who hadle their irresistible attraction with great difficulty, not because they have persoal hangups, but because of the case they both get involuntarily involvd in. I'll definitely grab the next two of the series, too.



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so cute!

Back on her Feet by Nicolette Dane

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The first bok from Nicolette after her absence during 2020.When I got her mail telling me it was out I got it immediately. The title fits well into the crazy times we are living, even though nothing reality related is mentoned apart from an economic downturn, but that we have been dealing with before the scare turned the whole world into a madhouse.

Reading this wonderfuly sweet romance was a welcome relief from my efforts to finish another novel of my own. Like with all her books I was rooting with both charatcers, who in this case were particularly cute (Aria) and struggling with her fate (Lucy).
The interations of the two from the start have a sweetness about them that warms the heart. Both of them are struggling with what their life has become, but bubbly Aria has enough cheerfulness in dealing with her struggles to still be able to lighten the mood of Lucy, as with every new encounter they fall for one another.

This tale is full of love and hope and also criticism of a world, in which sucessful work seems to be defined by the amount of stress you have doing your job, creating a life that seems to be pressuring people to do everything in a rush. Quiet Madeira in Wisconsin has just enough calm still, to slow down Lucy and make her realise, how good it is, not to be under pressure 24/7, either with work or with trying to live some crazy idea of social life.

My smile never really left my face for long reading Back on her Feet. The romance is so cute, gentle and loving and both ladies are able to actually laugh together and tease each other, what greatly helps them both with falling in love. What I also love is that yes, there is sex between them, but it isn't what their romance lives off, what feeds the romance is the closeness and like-mindedness they more and more discover. The physical attraction is just the icing on the cake.

Having gotten into the mood again I think I might return to my other two favourites of Nicolette's: The Geek Girl and the Ballerina for another Nico-fix.



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There are not enough stars for this

Jeu, set et love: Roman lesbien by Audrey Girard de Gabbia

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


There not enough stars for this book.
I will write my review on Amazon in French, as it is a French book, but here I'll keep to English.

I knew from the first three chapters, that this romance was in a class of its own. For some reason it spoke to me more than any of those I have read before. Maybe the difference was, that it is written in the first person,what I do myself, also, but truly I think it was the French language, that made all the difference.

The book is unusual in a lot of respects, the depth of exploration of the characters' feelings and thoughts, the real life feel one is quickly immersed in, the actual romance itself, nothing follows established lines or tropes. Even though I was slightly more drawn to the main character (the narrator) her love interest touched me just as deeply. Camille nevertheless is closer to my own fashion of going about things than Martha, but her fears I have known myself, too, only I didn't let them rule my life for too long. Life kicked my butt in time, even though I could not see the actual kick as a boon for a couple of years.

To say more I would have to write spoilers and that certainly would not match the respect I have for this book and its author. I hope that some genius will one day (or has?) translate this book into English, but I myself cannot really envisage a way how to translate this book into English without loosing a bit of its impact, and I write romance in English myself.

This book is a lesbian romance, yes, but I really recommend to read it to anyone who has enough French to do so, no matter what sexual orientation or preference you may have.



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I'm split about this

Beyond the Pedestal by Lulu Lucille

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


As cute and full of memories of my own insecurity this was, it still left me not being completly satisfied.

The end is very abrupt and doesn't even give a hint at what happened, truly. It feels as if we are not very artfully set up for possibly a series of sequels, and here my now more than just adut self complains about a missed opportunity, hence only 4 stars.

I have heard of the draconian restricitons companies in the Corean and Japanese "entertainent" industry place on their underage slaves. Yes, for an independent adult westen woman there is no other term that fits. I miss the part, for example, when Samantha explains, how she suddenly can "date" Mai, for according what she said before about her contract, there is not a snowballs chance in hell those leeches will let the goose, that lays the golden eggs for them, escape before she's been used up. That is the reality of the present. Poor girls, both of them, even though there are hints at Samantha becoming rebellious here and there. That may or may not be the subject of a sequel.

As I said, not a very satisfying end.



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Top of the list

Inspiration Takes a Vacation: An Epic Love Story by Annette Mori

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This certainly is the cutest and funniest as well as heartwarming book I have found among the different writers of lesbian fiction I have tried. It has, right now, hit the N°1 spot on my favourite list. Still, The Scent of Rome is a close second.

Annette Mori's idea of the Greek Muses now being kind of corporate inspiration agents with assigned territories and Zeus as their boss had me smiling from the start. Her writing is witty and the dialogues are funny enough to make you smile every time, if you're not actually cracking up laughing.
The romance between Abby and Muse(tta), who is far too interested in human existence and feelings for her bosses liking is so cute, you fall for both after only very few pages.

Whenever I picked the book up again a smile hardly ever left my face and the urgent desire to kick some gods butt went straight with the sad moments. The tongue in cheek happy ending crowned a very, very nice experience.



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Another winner by Jae

Next Of Kin by Jae

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Just like the first book of the series "Conflict of Interest" this is another great thriller with a lot of romance. While the romance between Dawn and Aiden continues, two more interesting characters from the first episode now also move center stage, so to speak. Aiden's secret but apparently straight
crush DDA Kade Matheson and Dawn's "adopted" aunt Lieutenant Del Velasques.

Dawn and Aiden are slowly overcoming the aftermath of Dawn's rape but as a new focus develops for Aiden in another investigation involving Kade's teenage niece she gets thrown a curve ball, that almost unravels all she had achieved in dealing with her past and family.

Naturally all four of them finally succeed in whatever is important to them, but no spoilers!
This one is as gripping as the first and even very funny in some dialogues, so I am now looking forward to the third book of the series.



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Lesbian romance at its best

Living by Lise Gold

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is the second book by Lise I read and I have to admit I am well and truly becoming a fan. Her storyline here, again is straight as an arrow. Two people, Cam and Ella meet in a fateful incident, one saving the other’s life. At first they seem to have nothing in common, but then something emerges they both have had to or are dealing with, grief and loss.
And then there is the fact that it is just too much of a coincidence to actually be one, that the very place, where it happens saw a similar drowning years ago, only that time nobody saved the poor woman, Cam’s mother. When Ella leaves to get her life back on track she cannot help thinking repeatedly about Cam. She keeps wearing the hoodie Cam gave her to keep warm that fateful night and while she realises, that she felt safe with her, she also realises there to be the spark of something like attraction. When she brings the hoodie back to Cam and they start to talk Cam finds herself falling for Elle.

From there it becomes a journey of self discovery for both as they, individually at first, and then together start working through their problems. This is where Lise’s storytelling really starts to become completely different from what sometimes appears to be the general consensus of how to plot lesbian romances. It is heart warming to find both characters to make their best efforts to develop out of their inhibitions and to move more or less straight towards their goal. Lise’s story telling is smooth and full of feeling she doesn’t throw her characters into unnecessary complications that separate them, rather the complications are challenging our heroines and bring out the best in both, helping them to well and truly become lovers.

On top of that the book had me laugh out loud on some of the later chapters, when our protagonists were becoming really inventive on how to defend their privacy. The writing is so smooth and funny at times you just can’t help laughing. Both ladies turn out to be witty and funny and some of the dialogues and situations had me cracking up laughing.

This book for me definitely is lesbian romance at its best. If you like the genre this certainly is one of the MUST-reads.

Monique.



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