What do you think?
Rate this book
Thighs Wide Shut
Not yet published
Expected 21 Jul 26When Emma hits her quarter-life crisis and moves back to the city where she went to college, she finds herself neighbors with the boy whose heart she broke five years earlier in this heartfelt and witty second-chance debut romcom.
Emma thought her late twenties couldn’t get more complicated after she quit her teaching job and moved across the country to figure out what comes next. Her new life in Boston is filled with more than enough to worry a basement apartment full of disorganized boxes, a resistance to finding love, a medical condition that holds her back from putting herself out there, and on top of it all she hears a familiar voice from the apartment above …Harrison.
Emma hasn’t seen Harrison since an explosive fight ended their college friendship and closed the door on anything more between them—and now she can hear the details of his active dating life one floor above her. Emma only has herself to blame; her inability to be vulnerable with Harrison drove him away, and now, he’s a guinea pig-owning pediatric nurse in a well-decorated apartment. Harrison has grown into someone else, but those old feelings are, somehow, stronger than Emma remembers.
Despite the opportunity of a second chance with Harrison, Emma remains wary of romance until she figures out how to manage the painful and involuntary pelvic floor contractions caused by her condition, so she doesn’t have to fear physical intimacy. She hopes to avoid ever having to open up emotionally about the condition – but can she learn to let her loved ones in?
Equal parts humor and heart, Thighs Wide Shut is a love letter to anyone who’s ever felt their body is a barrier to their happiness and a charming exploration of the beauty of allowing vulnerability to take the lead.
Emma thought her late twenties couldn’t get more complicated after she quit her teaching job and moved across the country to figure out what comes next. Her new life in Boston is filled with more than enough to worry a basement apartment full of disorganized boxes, a resistance to finding love, a medical condition that holds her back from putting herself out there, and on top of it all she hears a familiar voice from the apartment above …Harrison.
Emma hasn’t seen Harrison since an explosive fight ended their college friendship and closed the door on anything more between them—and now she can hear the details of his active dating life one floor above her. Emma only has herself to blame; her inability to be vulnerable with Harrison drove him away, and now, he’s a guinea pig-owning pediatric nurse in a well-decorated apartment. Harrison has grown into someone else, but those old feelings are, somehow, stronger than Emma remembers.
Despite the opportunity of a second chance with Harrison, Emma remains wary of romance until she figures out how to manage the painful and involuntary pelvic floor contractions caused by her condition, so she doesn’t have to fear physical intimacy. She hopes to avoid ever having to open up emotionally about the condition – but can she learn to let her loved ones in?
Equal parts humor and heart, Thighs Wide Shut is a love letter to anyone who’s ever felt their body is a barrier to their happiness and a charming exploration of the beauty of allowing vulnerability to take the lead.
368 pages, Paperback
Expected publication July 7, 2026
2 people are currently reading
400 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
February 9, 2026
TL;DR: A tender, funny second-chance romance with great vaginismus representation, painfully relatable late-20s angst, and a swoony guinea-pig-dad hero. Emotional, validating, and very easy to root for—even when the characters are getting in their own way.
Full Review: Emma’s back in Boston after five years, and her new upstairs neighbor just happens to be Harrison—the man whose heart she broke. Emma is determined to do better this time. Especially when it comes to sticking with her pelvic floor therapy for vaginismus. She’ll do anything… except be honest.
This book hits a few different chords for me. First, I loved the representation of vaginismus. You can really see how deeply it’s affected Emma over the years, and that’s exactly why this kind of representation matters. We all carry our own baggage, and seeing a story centered on this experience made me feel so much empathy for people who live with this condition. It was handled with a lot of care and humanity.
On top of that, the weight of your late 20s is such a universal struggle. Twenty-seven is a hard age. You’re technically an adult, but it still feels like the world expects you to have everything figured out overnight.
Emma’s late-20s crisis was incredibly relatable and, honestly, really validating. Your 20s are freaking hard.
And the romance? Freaking precious. Glasses-wearing, guinea-pig-dad with dimples? Be serious. The tension between Emma and Harrison is undeniable, and you can’t help but root for both of them to grow into themselves as adults and find their way back to each other. Some of the self-inflicted problems did get on my nerves—but in a very real way. Sometimes we really are our own worst enemies.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dial Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Full Review: Emma’s back in Boston after five years, and her new upstairs neighbor just happens to be Harrison—the man whose heart she broke. Emma is determined to do better this time. Especially when it comes to sticking with her pelvic floor therapy for vaginismus. She’ll do anything… except be honest.
This book hits a few different chords for me. First, I loved the representation of vaginismus. You can really see how deeply it’s affected Emma over the years, and that’s exactly why this kind of representation matters. We all carry our own baggage, and seeing a story centered on this experience made me feel so much empathy for people who live with this condition. It was handled with a lot of care and humanity.
On top of that, the weight of your late 20s is such a universal struggle. Twenty-seven is a hard age. You’re technically an adult, but it still feels like the world expects you to have everything figured out overnight.
Emma’s late-20s crisis was incredibly relatable and, honestly, really validating. Your 20s are freaking hard.
And the romance? Freaking precious. Glasses-wearing, guinea-pig-dad with dimples? Be serious. The tension between Emma and Harrison is undeniable, and you can’t help but root for both of them to grow into themselves as adults and find their way back to each other. Some of the self-inflicted problems did get on my nerves—but in a very real way. Sometimes we really are our own worst enemies.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dial Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2026
first and foremost, i have to give hayley fleming her flowers for this title. i love a clever title, and this one is what originally caught my eye when i first wanted to read this book! i also really appreciate that it’s funny while still expressing one of the most prevalent sentiments of the story. often times i feel like one is sacrificed for the other.
but anyway, let’s get to the meat & potatoes here: the actual story behind the punny title. this review was another case where i didn’t have the easiest time figuring out my rating — while i found the book itself to be lacking in some areas, one of the few i really enjoyed was the representation found here. the main character, emma, has vaginismus, and dealing with this condition has wreaked havoc on her life, particularly her self-confidence and romantic relationships (and, in harrison’s case, her friendship-turned-potential-romance). i didn’t know much about this condition before reading emma’s story, so i can’t speak to the actual accuracy of its portrayal, but i feel as though i learned a lot! i felt like its impact on her life was realistic, and she wasn’t magically healed by harrison’s presence — i appreciated that it took time and commitment to her therapy in order to make progress in a realistic fashion.
speaking of harrison, though, did that dude have any interests outside of emma and (supposedly) pediatric nursing? i feel like flat stanley had more depth than this guy. it’s really a shame, because i feel like even emma’s best friend got more opportunity to express herself than he did. i still don’t really understand why he chose to be a pediatric nurse instead of a lawyer like his parents, nor do i have any idea why the guy chose to have a guinea pig. i don’t really know who he is at all outside of being someone who’s madly in love with emma, and has been for years. while i’m certainly someone who will always support the agenda of “men should be seen and not heard”, if you must have a man in your story… maybe give him some characterization. just a thought!
overall, i’m still giving this a decent rating because i always want to encourage positive representation in the books i read. while i felt like harrison could use some fleshing out (and emma was a touch quirky for me at times), i think it’s important to pay attention to characters that are different from ourselves, and for that reason, this story still provided me with something valuable.
thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
but anyway, let’s get to the meat & potatoes here: the actual story behind the punny title. this review was another case where i didn’t have the easiest time figuring out my rating — while i found the book itself to be lacking in some areas, one of the few i really enjoyed was the representation found here. the main character, emma, has vaginismus, and dealing with this condition has wreaked havoc on her life, particularly her self-confidence and romantic relationships (and, in harrison’s case, her friendship-turned-potential-romance). i didn’t know much about this condition before reading emma’s story, so i can’t speak to the actual accuracy of its portrayal, but i feel as though i learned a lot! i felt like its impact on her life was realistic, and she wasn’t magically healed by harrison’s presence — i appreciated that it took time and commitment to her therapy in order to make progress in a realistic fashion.
speaking of harrison, though, did that dude have any interests outside of emma and (supposedly) pediatric nursing? i feel like flat stanley had more depth than this guy. it’s really a shame, because i feel like even emma’s best friend got more opportunity to express herself than he did. i still don’t really understand why he chose to be a pediatric nurse instead of a lawyer like his parents, nor do i have any idea why the guy chose to have a guinea pig. i don’t really know who he is at all outside of being someone who’s madly in love with emma, and has been for years. while i’m certainly someone who will always support the agenda of “men should be seen and not heard”, if you must have a man in your story… maybe give him some characterization. just a thought!
overall, i’m still giving this a decent rating because i always want to encourage positive representation in the books i read. while i felt like harrison could use some fleshing out (and emma was a touch quirky for me at times), i think it’s important to pay attention to characters that are different from ourselves, and for that reason, this story still provided me with something valuable.
thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2026
3.5 stars! I have mixed feelings about this book.
On one hand, I truly appreciated the central theme and Emma’s experience with vaginismus. I knew almost nothing about this condition before reading, and I found it refreshing to see women’s health explored so openly in fiction. Sex education—especially when it comes to women’s bodies—feels incredibly lacking. In public school, all I really remember learning was a long list of STDs. Everything else—periods, menstrual cycles, hormones, reproductive health, birth control—I’ve had to learn on my own. So many women grow up not fully understanding their own bodies, and I loved that this book shed light on something that deserves more conversation and awareness.
That said, the execution felt lacking in some areas.
I love fully developed characters, and I don’t feel like we truly got to know Harrison. We’re told he doesn’t have a good relationship with his parents—but why? Is it only because he didn’t want to become a lawyer like them? And if so, what shaped his desire to become a pediatric nurse instead? There was so much potential for depth there that just wasn’t explored.
I also wanted more context around Harrison and Stephanie’s breakup. We’re given a reason for why their relationship ends, but it felt a bit underdeveloped. Stephanie and Emma didn’t spend much time together before everything shifted, and I would have loved a clearer understanding of Stephanie’s perspective. I’m all for trusting a gut instinct, but the emotional fallout felt rushed, and I found myself wanting more depth in that moment.
Emma’s career arc also left me wanting more. She quit teaching because she didn’t love it the way she thought she was supposed to—but she clearly thrives when hosting book clubs and talking to students about banned books. It felt like there was an opportunity for her to discover a career path that still involved literature without being a traditional public school teacher. While the story focused heavily on her personal healing and relationship with Harrison, her professional uncertainty didn’t feel fully resolved.
And then there was Macy texting Emma about helping surprise Jo… and nothing came of it. It felt like a loose thread that didn’t lead anywhere.
Overall, I loved the topic of this book. Vaginismus and women’s health deserve more visibility in fiction, and conversations about sex and our bodies shouldn’t feel taboo. But despite the strong premise, there were several loose ends that left me with unanswered questions. I honestly would have loved another 100 pages—especially to give Harrison more depth and to tie everything together more fully.
On one hand, I truly appreciated the central theme and Emma’s experience with vaginismus. I knew almost nothing about this condition before reading, and I found it refreshing to see women’s health explored so openly in fiction. Sex education—especially when it comes to women’s bodies—feels incredibly lacking. In public school, all I really remember learning was a long list of STDs. Everything else—periods, menstrual cycles, hormones, reproductive health, birth control—I’ve had to learn on my own. So many women grow up not fully understanding their own bodies, and I loved that this book shed light on something that deserves more conversation and awareness.
That said, the execution felt lacking in some areas.
I love fully developed characters, and I don’t feel like we truly got to know Harrison. We’re told he doesn’t have a good relationship with his parents—but why? Is it only because he didn’t want to become a lawyer like them? And if so, what shaped his desire to become a pediatric nurse instead? There was so much potential for depth there that just wasn’t explored.
I also wanted more context around Harrison and Stephanie’s breakup. We’re given a reason for why their relationship ends, but it felt a bit underdeveloped. Stephanie and Emma didn’t spend much time together before everything shifted, and I would have loved a clearer understanding of Stephanie’s perspective. I’m all for trusting a gut instinct, but the emotional fallout felt rushed, and I found myself wanting more depth in that moment.
Emma’s career arc also left me wanting more. She quit teaching because she didn’t love it the way she thought she was supposed to—but she clearly thrives when hosting book clubs and talking to students about banned books. It felt like there was an opportunity for her to discover a career path that still involved literature without being a traditional public school teacher. While the story focused heavily on her personal healing and relationship with Harrison, her professional uncertainty didn’t feel fully resolved.
And then there was Macy texting Emma about helping surprise Jo… and nothing came of it. It felt like a loose thread that didn’t lead anywhere.
Overall, I loved the topic of this book. Vaginismus and women’s health deserve more visibility in fiction, and conversations about sex and our bodies shouldn’t feel taboo. But despite the strong premise, there were several loose ends that left me with unanswered questions. I honestly would have loved another 100 pages—especially to give Harrison more depth and to tie everything together more fully.
January 21, 2026
Everyone read this book!!
February 6, 2026
4.75! rtc
February 2, 2026
Considering how prevalent it is, you'd think more books would talk about vaginismus. I appreciated the weaving of a very real condition that plagues women into a traditional friends to lovers trope. I could have lived without the talking dilators, but I enjoyed this read.
February 2, 2026
3.5 - second chance romance about an MC with vaginismus, I was very intrigued, turns out the MC is lowkey a baby, the LI had a VERY manufactured singular flaw, and the reason they failed their first chance was a major self-sabotaging L from our MC… I think this will be a good exposure to the condition of vaginismus for a lot of people; personally I recommend just picking up Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl by Joya Goffney instead
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Read via ARC on NetGalley.
This is quite a hard review for me to write because of how deeply I was touched by this exceptional book. What hooked me as an interesting twist on a beautifully trope-y conceit turned out to be a deeply honest and necessary conversation about intimacy, vulnerability, and the way we trust both ourselves and the people we love. Vaginismus is the name/diagnosis that Emma has given to/gotten for her issues with intimacy and her fear of allowing herself to be loved fully, but the root of the problem comes down to a mistrust, misunderstanding, and disconnect from her physical body and terror for what it what mean to surrender any kind of physical vulnerability to romance. I do not have vaginismus, I don’t even have desire to have sex with men, but I can relate so viscerally to Emma’s real struggles, that I found myself tearing through this book, tears pooling in my eyes.
Somehow, in less than 300 pages of a romantic comedy (this book is FUNNY!!!), Hayley Fleming wove a story of a woman who is simultaneously desperate for connection and terrified to try for it. And the man who can’t help but love her. As a lesbian and progressive sex-positive reader, I was of course screaming alongside Emma’s best friend, Jo, who continually pressed and pressed that penetrative sex was not the end-all-be-all of pleasure, and she is a perfect outlet for the audience to say okay!!! yes!!! I’m not crazy!!! while still empathizing for the spirals we all work ourselves into. With surprising dexterity for a debut author, Fleming conveys the feeling of talking yourself into a corner, and how stepping even a toe out of it feels like leaping into the Grand Canyon. It’s impressive, the line she is able to walk, between Emma making progress in her pelvic floor therapy, and also making progress in not needing to make progress.
Second-chance-romance, friends-to-lovers is obviously well-trod territory, but Fleming reinvents the tropes by pairing physical and emotional blockades (Emma) with self-sabotaging selflessness (Harrison). She created a couple that is so out of touch with their own desire — but think they’re so in touch with each other’s — that they dance in tantalizing circles across 10 years in a temporal replica of that oh-so-buzzy dance to Joni Mitchell in chapter 13. By the time they finally finally kiss, and finally finally tell each other the truth, those tears in my eyes were fully rolling down my cheeks. After a lot of false starts and fast failures in my romance reading recently, consuming this wonderful, feel-good, and honest book felt like coming up for a breath of fresh air. I am so excited to see what Hayley Fleming does next (Siren Springs is a world I’d like to jump in right now, please) and recommend Thighs Wide Shut to every single person I know with, or who loves someone with, a vagina.
This is quite a hard review for me to write because of how deeply I was touched by this exceptional book. What hooked me as an interesting twist on a beautifully trope-y conceit turned out to be a deeply honest and necessary conversation about intimacy, vulnerability, and the way we trust both ourselves and the people we love. Vaginismus is the name/diagnosis that Emma has given to/gotten for her issues with intimacy and her fear of allowing herself to be loved fully, but the root of the problem comes down to a mistrust, misunderstanding, and disconnect from her physical body and terror for what it what mean to surrender any kind of physical vulnerability to romance. I do not have vaginismus, I don’t even have desire to have sex with men, but I can relate so viscerally to Emma’s real struggles, that I found myself tearing through this book, tears pooling in my eyes.
Somehow, in less than 300 pages of a romantic comedy (this book is FUNNY!!!), Hayley Fleming wove a story of a woman who is simultaneously desperate for connection and terrified to try for it. And the man who can’t help but love her. As a lesbian and progressive sex-positive reader, I was of course screaming alongside Emma’s best friend, Jo, who continually pressed and pressed that penetrative sex was not the end-all-be-all of pleasure, and she is a perfect outlet for the audience to say okay!!! yes!!! I’m not crazy!!! while still empathizing for the spirals we all work ourselves into. With surprising dexterity for a debut author, Fleming conveys the feeling of talking yourself into a corner, and how stepping even a toe out of it feels like leaping into the Grand Canyon. It’s impressive, the line she is able to walk, between Emma making progress in her pelvic floor therapy, and also making progress in not needing to make progress.
Second-chance-romance, friends-to-lovers is obviously well-trod territory, but Fleming reinvents the tropes by pairing physical and emotional blockades (Emma) with self-sabotaging selflessness (Harrison). She created a couple that is so out of touch with their own desire — but think they’re so in touch with each other’s — that they dance in tantalizing circles across 10 years in a temporal replica of that oh-so-buzzy dance to Joni Mitchell in chapter 13. By the time they finally finally kiss, and finally finally tell each other the truth, those tears in my eyes were fully rolling down my cheeks. After a lot of false starts and fast failures in my romance reading recently, consuming this wonderful, feel-good, and honest book felt like coming up for a breath of fresh air. I am so excited to see what Hayley Fleming does next (Siren Springs is a world I’d like to jump in right now, please) and recommend Thighs Wide Shut to every single person I know with, or who loves someone with, a vagina.
February 18, 2026
3 stars
Honestly, this book was OK. But I had some major issues with both main characters. Thighs Wide Shut by Hayley Flemming is a second-chance romance between Emma and Harrison.
Emma and Harrison met after Emma had a horrid sexual encounter the first week of her freshman year of college, a result of her vaginismus, which she hadn't been diagnosed with yet. While both of their roommates were getting lucky, Emma and Harrison found themselves sexiled to the dorm’s common room, which happened to be the start of a beautiful friendship.
Over the next few years of college, the two of them grew exponentially closer, developing romantic feelings for each other. All the while, Emma has been struggling with her condition, and it has interfered (read: completely stopped) her dating life. When their romantic tension reaches its peak at the end of their senior year, instead of telling Harrison about her condition, Emma leaves him and Boston, returning to Florida to become a teacher, and the two part ways.
Years later, Emma has quit her teaching job in Florida and moved to Boston to work at their mutual friend Jordan’s coffee shop and live in a crappy basement apartment. The last thing she is expecting when she moves in is for Harrison to be living upstairs (and to be having sex with his new girlfriend).
As Emma gets adjusted to life in Boston, she and Harrison have to figure out if they can get back to being the friends they were before they parted ways, if they can’t reconcile, or if they are destined to be more than friends.
My major issue with this story is that there is literally NO COMMUNICATION between the characters. I am not usually someone who takes issue with miscommunication tropes—honestly, I think it tends to be realistic, but I mean, come on! I can’t imagine that the whole time they were friends, Emma never once considered bringing up her condition. On the flip side, Harrison being such a pushover and unable to communicate with both Emma and his mother was a huge concern for me. As I said, I think miscommunication can be done effectively, but I think the writing here took really small issues and blew them way out of proportion without setting up the scene accordingly.
Additionally, I think while vaginismus is an important topic to be discussed and I appreciate how it was handled by all the medical professionals in this story, the talking dialtors felt really unserious to me and pulled me completely out of the story.
The three stars are mostly because I like the premise of the story and the plot line, separate from these issues. What I would have loved to see more of is Emma’s book club with the coffee shop patrons—those were actually some of my favorite parts of the book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for giving me an eARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
Honestly, this book was OK. But I had some major issues with both main characters. Thighs Wide Shut by Hayley Flemming is a second-chance romance between Emma and Harrison.
Emma and Harrison met after Emma had a horrid sexual encounter the first week of her freshman year of college, a result of her vaginismus, which she hadn't been diagnosed with yet. While both of their roommates were getting lucky, Emma and Harrison found themselves sexiled to the dorm’s common room, which happened to be the start of a beautiful friendship.
Over the next few years of college, the two of them grew exponentially closer, developing romantic feelings for each other. All the while, Emma has been struggling with her condition, and it has interfered (read: completely stopped) her dating life. When their romantic tension reaches its peak at the end of their senior year, instead of telling Harrison about her condition, Emma leaves him and Boston, returning to Florida to become a teacher, and the two part ways.
Years later, Emma has quit her teaching job in Florida and moved to Boston to work at their mutual friend Jordan’s coffee shop and live in a crappy basement apartment. The last thing she is expecting when she moves in is for Harrison to be living upstairs (and to be having sex with his new girlfriend).
As Emma gets adjusted to life in Boston, she and Harrison have to figure out if they can get back to being the friends they were before they parted ways, if they can’t reconcile, or if they are destined to be more than friends.
My major issue with this story is that there is literally NO COMMUNICATION between the characters. I am not usually someone who takes issue with miscommunication tropes—honestly, I think it tends to be realistic, but I mean, come on! I can’t imagine that the whole time they were friends, Emma never once considered bringing up her condition. On the flip side, Harrison being such a pushover and unable to communicate with both Emma and his mother was a huge concern for me. As I said, I think miscommunication can be done effectively, but I think the writing here took really small issues and blew them way out of proportion without setting up the scene accordingly.
Additionally, I think while vaginismus is an important topic to be discussed and I appreciate how it was handled by all the medical professionals in this story, the talking dialtors felt really unserious to me and pulled me completely out of the story.
The three stars are mostly because I like the premise of the story and the plot line, separate from these issues. What I would have loved to see more of is Emma’s book club with the coffee shop patrons—those were actually some of my favorite parts of the book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for giving me an eARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My first ARC and what an incredible one to start with.
If it weren’t for all my adult responsibilities, I would have finished this in a single day. I truly never wanted to put it down.
Thighs Wide Shut follows Emma as she navigates that painfully familiar in-between stage of life. The one where you feel stuck, unsure, and like everyone else got the manual you somehow missed. Between careers, carrying personal struggles, and relocating from Florida back to Boston to work at her best friend’s coffee shop, Emma is just trying to figure it out.
Then she moves into a basement apartment… and discovers her upstairs neighbor is Harrison. Her estranged best friend. Her college secret crush. The love of her life.
The banter is sharp and genuinely funny, but what really stood out to me was how clearly Emma’s inner dialogue is written. You feel like you’re inside her head. It reads like sitting on the couch while your best friend tells you everything she’s thinking but hasn’t said out loud.
Emma has been hiding a secret rooted in deep insecurity and the belief that she was never good enough. Meanwhile, Harrison believes she never loved him at all. That emotional misalignment is heartbreaking because it’s so relatable. Sometimes we hide behind fear because it feels safer than asking for help. Sometimes we sabotage ourselves before anyone else gets the chance.
And yet, through it all, Harrison has loved her.
There are so many quote-worthy moments in this book, both sentimental and hilarious, but I chose this one because I’m a hopeless romantic:
“Without waiting another heartbeat, he kisses me, and the entire world dissolves around me as my heart re-forms itself, mending together all the pieces that fell apart over the last day and last five years. I feel my split-in-half body repairing, my limbs refastening, my mind clearing.”
Hayley Fleming’s debut balances rom-com energy with real emotional depth, touching on insecurities, mental and physical health struggles, strong friendships, and the complicated ways we grow in our twenties and beyond.
On sale July 2026
The perfect summer read.
Definitely add this to your TBR.
My first ARC and what an incredible one to start with.
If it weren’t for all my adult responsibilities, I would have finished this in a single day. I truly never wanted to put it down.
Thighs Wide Shut follows Emma as she navigates that painfully familiar in-between stage of life. The one where you feel stuck, unsure, and like everyone else got the manual you somehow missed. Between careers, carrying personal struggles, and relocating from Florida back to Boston to work at her best friend’s coffee shop, Emma is just trying to figure it out.
Then she moves into a basement apartment… and discovers her upstairs neighbor is Harrison. Her estranged best friend. Her college secret crush. The love of her life.
The banter is sharp and genuinely funny, but what really stood out to me was how clearly Emma’s inner dialogue is written. You feel like you’re inside her head. It reads like sitting on the couch while your best friend tells you everything she’s thinking but hasn’t said out loud.
Emma has been hiding a secret rooted in deep insecurity and the belief that she was never good enough. Meanwhile, Harrison believes she never loved him at all. That emotional misalignment is heartbreaking because it’s so relatable. Sometimes we hide behind fear because it feels safer than asking for help. Sometimes we sabotage ourselves before anyone else gets the chance.
And yet, through it all, Harrison has loved her.
There are so many quote-worthy moments in this book, both sentimental and hilarious, but I chose this one because I’m a hopeless romantic:
“Without waiting another heartbeat, he kisses me, and the entire world dissolves around me as my heart re-forms itself, mending together all the pieces that fell apart over the last day and last five years. I feel my split-in-half body repairing, my limbs refastening, my mind clearing.”
Hayley Fleming’s debut balances rom-com energy with real emotional depth, touching on insecurities, mental and physical health struggles, strong friendships, and the complicated ways we grow in our twenties and beyond.
On sale July 2026
The perfect summer read.
Definitely add this to your TBR.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
5/5⭐️ 3/5🌶️
Emma has a lot going on currently with a quarter life crisis, a failed teaching career, a gig at her bestie’s coffee shop, and being newly transplanted back to Boston. While unpacking boxes, she discovers how very thin her walls are and how robustly the neighbors have sex. The opening scene felt like Wallbanger meets a personal hellscape, when Emma runs into (literally) her postcoital neighbor who happens to be Harrison The-One-That-Got-Away Carter. The estranged love of her life that she may or may not have ghosted and his very nearly perfect girlfriend Stephanie.
This was absolutely delightful. The cast of characters were lovable and felt very true to their motivations. Emma and Jo’s friendship/dynamic was so funny and heartfelt. It was refreshing to see them be so raw with each other, hold each other accountable, and show up for each other. I laughed so much while reading this. The comedy of errors and the social nightmare fuel situations Emma and Harrison found themselves in had me cringing, stressed, and cackling.
And let’s talk about the YEARNING. This book had me swooning about men’s socks and thrifted coffee mugs. My heart ached for these two. So flawed and so full of love for each other, I was rooting for these two idiots the entire time. A litmus test for me with second chance romance is, is the reason they fell apart believable enough and is the ability to overcome it strong enough? Harrison and Emma are decidedly giving invisible string vibes and I love them.
Sex and medical conditions are a major theme of this book, with realistic vaginismus representation. I loved that PIV sex is not the end-all-be-all and that consent is such an ingrained value for Harrison.
Some of the themes I noted were: Forced proximity. Yearning. Estranged best friends to lovers. Second chance romance. Anxiety, mental health and chronic conditions. Vaginismus representation. Guilt and regret. Body acceptance. Female friendship.
Anticipated Publication Date: July 21, 2026
A big thank you to Random House, Dial Press and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.
Emma has a lot going on currently with a quarter life crisis, a failed teaching career, a gig at her bestie’s coffee shop, and being newly transplanted back to Boston. While unpacking boxes, she discovers how very thin her walls are and how robustly the neighbors have sex. The opening scene felt like Wallbanger meets a personal hellscape, when Emma runs into (literally) her postcoital neighbor who happens to be Harrison The-One-That-Got-Away Carter. The estranged love of her life that she may or may not have ghosted and his very nearly perfect girlfriend Stephanie.
This was absolutely delightful. The cast of characters were lovable and felt very true to their motivations. Emma and Jo’s friendship/dynamic was so funny and heartfelt. It was refreshing to see them be so raw with each other, hold each other accountable, and show up for each other. I laughed so much while reading this. The comedy of errors and the social nightmare fuel situations Emma and Harrison found themselves in had me cringing, stressed, and cackling.
And let’s talk about the YEARNING. This book had me swooning about men’s socks and thrifted coffee mugs. My heart ached for these two. So flawed and so full of love for each other, I was rooting for these two idiots the entire time. A litmus test for me with second chance romance is, is the reason they fell apart believable enough and is the ability to overcome it strong enough? Harrison and Emma are decidedly giving invisible string vibes and I love them.
Sex and medical conditions are a major theme of this book, with realistic vaginismus representation. I loved that PIV sex is not the end-all-be-all and that consent is such an ingrained value for Harrison.
Some of the themes I noted were: Forced proximity. Yearning. Estranged best friends to lovers. Second chance romance. Anxiety, mental health and chronic conditions. Vaginismus representation. Guilt and regret. Body acceptance. Female friendship.
Anticipated Publication Date: July 21, 2026
A big thank you to Random House, Dial Press and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Quarter-life Crisis book about Emma who has left teaching and moved back to Boston. The child of teachers, she has been devastated and upset by being in education and is working part time at her best friend Jo's coffee shop. She rented a basement apartment and is surprised to learn that her college best friend Harrison is leaving in the same building. We know that things ended poorly with them, and he seems to have a codependent relationship with his mother and he hasn't been totally honest about who Emma was to him to his current girlfriend.
The romance and relationship in this novel is really strong, I wanted to know Harrison even better. Jo as a minor character is very well developed instead of just someone for Emma to confide in, she is a solid comic relief and helps the narrative along. While this is a second chance romance, at its core this is a story about Emma coming to terms with the condition she has called vaginismus. I had no knowledge of this prior to reading and I found this pretty enlightening. If you have this condition or knows someone who does, this novel does the heavy lifting of taking us into internal dialogue and the journey to work with this condition. Emma goes through the stages of grief, being in denial for a long time. In the current timeline she is accepting of her condition but still needs to go through the process to treat it. I can imagine this is something that is somewhat embarrassing and it is none of someone's business until it is.
Very promising debut, I appreciated the author's note at the end and I even got to read the beginning of her next novel. I think she is a great writer and I look forward to her next title.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Delights for the ARC. Book to be published in July of 2026.
The romance and relationship in this novel is really strong, I wanted to know Harrison even better. Jo as a minor character is very well developed instead of just someone for Emma to confide in, she is a solid comic relief and helps the narrative along. While this is a second chance romance, at its core this is a story about Emma coming to terms with the condition she has called vaginismus. I had no knowledge of this prior to reading and I found this pretty enlightening. If you have this condition or knows someone who does, this novel does the heavy lifting of taking us into internal dialogue and the journey to work with this condition. Emma goes through the stages of grief, being in denial for a long time. In the current timeline she is accepting of her condition but still needs to go through the process to treat it. I can imagine this is something that is somewhat embarrassing and it is none of someone's business until it is.
Very promising debut, I appreciated the author's note at the end and I even got to read the beginning of her next novel. I think she is a great writer and I look forward to her next title.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Delights for the ARC. Book to be published in July of 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I'm about to spoil, so beware...
I'm really sad to say that this book didn't live up to my expectations. The main character was unfortunately insufferable, trying to be with someone who was actively in a relationship, keeping secrets, not being there for her best friend because a guy came in the picture. Oh, and don't get me started on the guy. We barely know anything about him. Sure, he has issues with his parents, but do we get a reason other than the fact he didn't become a lawyer? No. He's barely fleshed out and we barely get any interiority with him into something deeper. Another thing that bothered me was the stiltedness and lack of chemistry between these two. We're supposed to believe they've been pining after each other for four years (while knowing each other) and five years (estranged), but as soon as they're together it's SOOOO awkward and then all of a sudden they're flirting.
I was disappointed because this had the premise to be really strong, but all of the characters felt underdeveloped or willfully stuck to a caricature. The reason she moves to Boston (because she hated teaching) is barely discussed and the only resolve we get is a single line in the epilogue. Her best friend is pushed to the wayside and is barely a part of the book. She makes one new "friend" and then we barely see that character again.
All that being said, I appreciate the representation of vaginismus the book holds. While I can't judge the character for keeping it a secret (that ends up ruining her relationship TWICE), I do sympathize with her struggle and enjoyed getting to learn more about something that isn't as rare as its made out to be.
Second chance romance isn't always my fav trope and it has to be done with care to the current partners the main characters are with (and their friends) and I found that lacking here.
1.5/5 ⭐️
Thank you Random House and Dial Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
I'm really sad to say that this book didn't live up to my expectations. The main character was unfortunately insufferable, trying to be with someone who was actively in a relationship, keeping secrets, not being there for her best friend because a guy came in the picture. Oh, and don't get me started on the guy. We barely know anything about him. Sure, he has issues with his parents, but do we get a reason other than the fact he didn't become a lawyer? No. He's barely fleshed out and we barely get any interiority with him into something deeper. Another thing that bothered me was the stiltedness and lack of chemistry between these two. We're supposed to believe they've been pining after each other for four years (while knowing each other) and five years (estranged), but as soon as they're together it's SOOOO awkward and then all of a sudden they're flirting.
I was disappointed because this had the premise to be really strong, but all of the characters felt underdeveloped or willfully stuck to a caricature. The reason she moves to Boston (because she hated teaching) is barely discussed and the only resolve we get is a single line in the epilogue. Her best friend is pushed to the wayside and is barely a part of the book. She makes one new "friend" and then we barely see that character again.
All that being said, I appreciate the representation of vaginismus the book holds. While I can't judge the character for keeping it a secret (that ends up ruining her relationship TWICE), I do sympathize with her struggle and enjoyed getting to learn more about something that isn't as rare as its made out to be.
Second chance romance isn't always my fav trope and it has to be done with care to the current partners the main characters are with (and their friends) and I found that lacking here.
1.5/5 ⭐️
Thank you Random House and Dial Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A sweet, cozy second-chance romance!
In accordance with its name, this novel was quirky, fun and romantic. Disclaimer: I am a sucker for second-chance romance. Although there are minimal flashbacks, the depth of Emma and Harrison's affections is clearly depicted, and I appreciated the insight into the foundation of their friendship.
What stood out for me was the delicacy and honesty with which the author describes and depicts Emma's medical condition, as well as how it has shaped her view of and relationship with her body and her approach to dating and intimacy. The focus on Emma's condition was a highlight, and what really makes the novel special.
Unfortunately, I had difficulty believing that a nine-year inner turmoil could be resolved as quickly as it was. Emma's character development is extremely gradual until the very end, which led me to struggle to understand why her behaviour continued the way it did for so long, especially since she appeared to be an introspective narrator. Perhaps her moment of recognition felt too abrupt or was too plot-convenient, but it lacked authenticity for me.
Similarly, Harrison's failing in the novel felt paltry and a bit forced. Despite this, I really enjoyed his character, especially the pivotal scenes in which he confronts Emma. We love a mature, communicative individual!
Even though it didn't quite work for me, I think those in the mood for a fun romance will enjoy this one! And I commend the author for offering a representation of a health condition that is largely excluded in romance.
Thank you to Hayley Fleming and Random House|Dial Press for an advanced reading copy via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
In accordance with its name, this novel was quirky, fun and romantic. Disclaimer: I am a sucker for second-chance romance. Although there are minimal flashbacks, the depth of Emma and Harrison's affections is clearly depicted, and I appreciated the insight into the foundation of their friendship.
What stood out for me was the delicacy and honesty with which the author describes and depicts Emma's medical condition, as well as how it has shaped her view of and relationship with her body and her approach to dating and intimacy. The focus on Emma's condition was a highlight, and what really makes the novel special.
Unfortunately, I had difficulty believing that a nine-year inner turmoil could be resolved as quickly as it was. Emma's character development is extremely gradual until the very end, which led me to struggle to understand why her behaviour continued the way it did for so long, especially since she appeared to be an introspective narrator. Perhaps her moment of recognition felt too abrupt or was too plot-convenient, but it lacked authenticity for me.
Similarly, Harrison's failing in the novel felt paltry and a bit forced. Despite this, I really enjoyed his character, especially the pivotal scenes in which he confronts Emma. We love a mature, communicative individual!
Even though it didn't quite work for me, I think those in the mood for a fun romance will enjoy this one! And I commend the author for offering a representation of a health condition that is largely excluded in romance.
Thank you to Hayley Fleming and Random House|Dial Press for an advanced reading copy via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 stars
This romance initially caught my attention bc the fmc has vaginismus. For it being so common the only time I’ve ever seen represented is in sex education (the show, I went to school in Texas do you really think this is included in sex education let’s be so real) and I was intrigued to see this in a romance. After finishing this book I think my favorite part was the vaginismus rep. It’s unfiltered and real and vulnerable. Emma felt so isolated and ashamed and it really influenced so many aspects of her life. She feels betrayed by her body because it wasn’t letting her do what she wanted. She felt like she couldn’t be in a relationship until she was “healed” so she kept pushing people she loved away. Although I couldn’t exactly relate to what Emma was going through it’s so easy to empathize with her thoughts of not feeling good enough as you are. Throughout her journey I sympathized with her and felt so proud of her for doing scary things! She’s a bit of a mess and unsure about her future. Such is life if your twenties and I think so many people will relate to her! The romance was sweet. It was so easy to see that Emma and Harrison had so much history and were so into each other even after these years apart. I didn’t feel like the romance was anything special and not especially swoony. Harrison got on my damn nerves a lot of the times but I was happy to see them end up together! I thought this was a sweet book with great representation and fmc people will relate to and root for! Thank you to NetGalley and Dial for an arc in exchange for an honest review!
This romance initially caught my attention bc the fmc has vaginismus. For it being so common the only time I’ve ever seen represented is in sex education (the show, I went to school in Texas do you really think this is included in sex education let’s be so real) and I was intrigued to see this in a romance. After finishing this book I think my favorite part was the vaginismus rep. It’s unfiltered and real and vulnerable. Emma felt so isolated and ashamed and it really influenced so many aspects of her life. She feels betrayed by her body because it wasn’t letting her do what she wanted. She felt like she couldn’t be in a relationship until she was “healed” so she kept pushing people she loved away. Although I couldn’t exactly relate to what Emma was going through it’s so easy to empathize with her thoughts of not feeling good enough as you are. Throughout her journey I sympathized with her and felt so proud of her for doing scary things! She’s a bit of a mess and unsure about her future. Such is life if your twenties and I think so many people will relate to her! The romance was sweet. It was so easy to see that Emma and Harrison had so much history and were so into each other even after these years apart. I didn’t feel like the romance was anything special and not especially swoony. Harrison got on my damn nerves a lot of the times but I was happy to see them end up together! I thought this was a sweet book with great representation and fmc people will relate to and root for! Thank you to NetGalley and Dial for an arc in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Oooooh teetering between a 4 and 5 star rating.
I was really hooked from the beginning, and I read this quickly, finding myself wanting to get back to it when I could each day.
Emma and Harrison were giving me strong Poppy and Alex vibes from The People We Meet on Vacation. Emma was quirky, her inner monologue was spunky and raw, and Harrison was the grounded, logical best friend.
My least favorite trope in romance is miscommunication, and while this wasn't necessarily a miscommunication, it was an omission and destruction of a friendship/possible relationship before it had the chance to bloom. Given that Emma and Harrison were absolutely inseparable and best friends, I find it hard to believe that Emma would not have known she could trust Harrison with her condition. I tried to put myself in Emma's shoes and give her the benefit of the doubt, and I highly recommend reading the author's note at the end. Hayley Fleming wrote this from her own experience with vaginismus and being a product of Florida public education. Knowing that really helped shape a more positive perspective on Emma after the fact.
I thought she offered a really thorough and adult explanation of Emma's inner thoughts as to why her brain works the way it does and I really appreciated that.
The bean bag chair scene toward the end with Harrison's note was PERFECT, the epilogue was tender and I just really enjoyed this rom-com!
A moment for the cover and the title, too!
Thanks Random House and Dial Press for the arc ♡
I was really hooked from the beginning, and I read this quickly, finding myself wanting to get back to it when I could each day.
Emma and Harrison were giving me strong Poppy and Alex vibes from The People We Meet on Vacation. Emma was quirky, her inner monologue was spunky and raw, and Harrison was the grounded, logical best friend.
My least favorite trope in romance is miscommunication, and while this wasn't necessarily a miscommunication, it was an omission and destruction of a friendship/possible relationship before it had the chance to bloom. Given that Emma and Harrison were absolutely inseparable and best friends, I find it hard to believe that Emma would not have known she could trust Harrison with her condition. I tried to put myself in Emma's shoes and give her the benefit of the doubt, and I highly recommend reading the author's note at the end. Hayley Fleming wrote this from her own experience with vaginismus and being a product of Florida public education. Knowing that really helped shape a more positive perspective on Emma after the fact.
I thought she offered a really thorough and adult explanation of Emma's inner thoughts as to why her brain works the way it does and I really appreciated that.
The bean bag chair scene toward the end with Harrison's note was PERFECT, the epilogue was tender and I just really enjoyed this rom-com!
A moment for the cover and the title, too!
Thanks Random House and Dial Press for the arc ♡
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Raw story of a woman who struggles with intimacy, opening up and letting people in due to vaginismus. It has a lot of emotional depth with great character growth. The characters had incredible chemistry.
The author explains that she also suffers with vaginismus. She did an excellent job at explaining what it’s like to live with vaginismus and how it affects various aspects of the life of a person living with it. It’s rare to find a book with the representation of a character who has vaginismus or similar illnesses/conditions that cause people to struggle with intimacy. It’s super important to have representation of these things.
The writing was beautiful and stirred up a lot of emotions and made me tear up a lot. I felt so much compassion for Emma and wished I could comfort her. There were many times in the book where I found myself tearing up at the brutal pain that Emma was going through.
The characters are realistic and relatable on so many levels. Emma’s insecurities and constant shutting Harrison out made the story feel like she was an actual human and not just a fictional character. Harrison’s patience for her was so heartwarming and touching. He was a lovely character.
I also loved how involved the side characters were.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The author explains that she also suffers with vaginismus. She did an excellent job at explaining what it’s like to live with vaginismus and how it affects various aspects of the life of a person living with it. It’s rare to find a book with the representation of a character who has vaginismus or similar illnesses/conditions that cause people to struggle with intimacy. It’s super important to have representation of these things.
The writing was beautiful and stirred up a lot of emotions and made me tear up a lot. I felt so much compassion for Emma and wished I could comfort her. There were many times in the book where I found myself tearing up at the brutal pain that Emma was going through.
The characters are realistic and relatable on so many levels. Emma’s insecurities and constant shutting Harrison out made the story feel like she was an actual human and not just a fictional character. Harrison’s patience for her was so heartwarming and touching. He was a lovely character.
I also loved how involved the side characters were.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC gifted in exchange for review.
This was a tender emotional friends to strangers to friend adjacent to lovers romance that tugged at my heart strings. I wanted to bundle Emma up and hug her as much as I wanted to shake her and scream at her to let the people in life love her. She spent so much time refusing to actually let people in, Harrison, Jo, her parents, even Rosie. I really appreciated that she wasn’t perfect at any point, she took accountability for her behavior and she made steps to get help. This book so romantic and there was practically no spice, and I loved the focus on communication, not just with your partner but with your friends as well. It’s scary to be vulnerable but you can’t expect others to be vulnerable with you if you’re not willing to do the same which is the lesson Emma was confronted with. I love that Jo was so supportive of her even when she wanted to strangle her, that’s real love right there.
Shout out to Hayley for calling out piss poor sex education and how damaging it can be. The spotlight that this author put on a condition a lot of women struggle with but you don’t hear a lot about was needed. I think it’s really important to be able to see yourself in books like this and I really hope that this story gives women like Emma hope, and shows that they can still have fulfilling intimate relationships.
This was a tender emotional friends to strangers to friend adjacent to lovers romance that tugged at my heart strings. I wanted to bundle Emma up and hug her as much as I wanted to shake her and scream at her to let the people in life love her. She spent so much time refusing to actually let people in, Harrison, Jo, her parents, even Rosie. I really appreciated that she wasn’t perfect at any point, she took accountability for her behavior and she made steps to get help. This book so romantic and there was practically no spice, and I loved the focus on communication, not just with your partner but with your friends as well. It’s scary to be vulnerable but you can’t expect others to be vulnerable with you if you’re not willing to do the same which is the lesson Emma was confronted with. I love that Jo was so supportive of her even when she wanted to strangle her, that’s real love right there.
Shout out to Hayley for calling out piss poor sex education and how damaging it can be. The spotlight that this author put on a condition a lot of women struggle with but you don’t hear a lot about was needed. I think it’s really important to be able to see yourself in books like this and I really hope that this story gives women like Emma hope, and shows that they can still have fulfilling intimate relationships.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
🍑 Thighs Wide Shut
I’m honestly surprised by how much I liked this. Second chance romances usually aren’t my thing, but this one landed.
I had a complicated relationship with Emma the whole time. I was rooting for her, but also getting frustrated with her choices, especially when it came to communication. At the same time, her experience with her medical condition made it easier to understand where she was coming from. I felt a lot of empathy for her even when she was making things harder than they needed to be. She was genuinely the worst at communicating… with everyone. Her parents, her best friends, and of course Harrison.
Harrison was easily my favorite. It was so obvious how much he loved Emma, even when he was hurt or upset with her. He was definitely better at communicating than Emma. His mom though… absolutely not. I did not like her at all. I still think he could have handled the situation with his mom better.
The ending was really satisfying, I just wish we had a little more time with them at the end.
🧡 What to Expect
• Second chance romance
• Former best friends to lovers
• Forced proximity
• Women’s health rep
• Terrible communicator
_ _ _
⭐ Final Rating: 4.5 Stars
📅 Pub Date: July 21, 2026
Thank you to Random House, Dial Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
I’m honestly surprised by how much I liked this. Second chance romances usually aren’t my thing, but this one landed.
I had a complicated relationship with Emma the whole time. I was rooting for her, but also getting frustrated with her choices, especially when it came to communication. At the same time, her experience with her medical condition made it easier to understand where she was coming from. I felt a lot of empathy for her even when she was making things harder than they needed to be. She was genuinely the worst at communicating… with everyone. Her parents, her best friends, and of course Harrison.
Harrison was easily my favorite. It was so obvious how much he loved Emma, even when he was hurt or upset with her. He was definitely better at communicating than Emma. His mom though… absolutely not. I did not like her at all. I still think he could have handled the situation with his mom better.
The ending was really satisfying, I just wish we had a little more time with them at the end.
🧡 What to Expect
• Second chance romance
• Former best friends to lovers
• Forced proximity
• Women’s health rep
• Terrible communicator
_ _ _
⭐ Final Rating: 4.5 Stars
📅 Pub Date: July 21, 2026
Thank you to Random House, Dial Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book makes the FMC's medical condition almost her entire personality.
I love the representation here and the sympathetic look at how her condition affects her emotionally, mentally, and physically. However, she fixates on it and rearranges her life around it to the extreme, as I'm sure her best friend would say as well. The FMC even has very frequent internal dialogues with her dilators (yes, it's a thing). I wanted to get a better sense of her character outside of that, without diminishing her struggle, of course. You likely will want to scream "get over yourself!" and "get help!" while reading. Poor Harrison (the MMC).
Though Harrison's not without his faults - he's a mama's boy who doesn't stand up for anything and doesn't have much of a personality, either. I didn't feel a burning chemistry between Emma and Harrison.
The ending's also more abrupt than I'd like. More closure would have helped the story feel more complete. Overall, it comes across more as draft in need of some extra polish.
If you like second chance romance rom-coms, this one is readable and unique, although there may be frustrating aspects.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I love the representation here and the sympathetic look at how her condition affects her emotionally, mentally, and physically. However, she fixates on it and rearranges her life around it to the extreme, as I'm sure her best friend would say as well. The FMC even has very frequent internal dialogues with her dilators (yes, it's a thing). I wanted to get a better sense of her character outside of that, without diminishing her struggle, of course. You likely will want to scream "get over yourself!" and "get help!" while reading. Poor Harrison (the MMC).
Though Harrison's not without his faults - he's a mama's boy who doesn't stand up for anything and doesn't have much of a personality, either. I didn't feel a burning chemistry between Emma and Harrison.
The ending's also more abrupt than I'd like. More closure would have helped the story feel more complete. Overall, it comes across more as draft in need of some extra polish.
If you like second chance romance rom-coms, this one is readable and unique, although there may be frustrating aspects.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was such an easy, comforting read, and I was immersed immediately from the very first pages.
I loved Emma as a main character, her quarter-life crisis felt incredibly relatable, and her voice was honest, funny, and vulnerable in a way that made it so easy to root for her. The second-chance setup with Harrison worked perfectly, and I adored their dynamic. The history between them added so much emotional depth, and watching those old feelings resurface felt natural and heartfelt rather than rushed.
Harrison was a standout for me. He’s kind, grounded, and quietly swoony, and the way he shows up for Emma made my heart ache in the best way. Their interactions were full of warmth, banter, and tenderness, and I loved how the story balanced humor with real emotional weight.
I also really appreciated how the book handled Emma’s medical condition with care and honesty. It added an important layer to the story without defining her entirely, and the focus on vulnerability both emotional and physical was beautifully done.
Overall, this was a charming, heartfelt romcom with lovable characters, great chemistry, and a story that pulled me in instantly. I flew through it and enjoyed every minute!
Thank you NetGalley & Random House | Dial Press Trade Paperback for the ARC!
I loved Emma as a main character, her quarter-life crisis felt incredibly relatable, and her voice was honest, funny, and vulnerable in a way that made it so easy to root for her. The second-chance setup with Harrison worked perfectly, and I adored their dynamic. The history between them added so much emotional depth, and watching those old feelings resurface felt natural and heartfelt rather than rushed.
Harrison was a standout for me. He’s kind, grounded, and quietly swoony, and the way he shows up for Emma made my heart ache in the best way. Their interactions were full of warmth, banter, and tenderness, and I loved how the story balanced humor with real emotional weight.
I also really appreciated how the book handled Emma’s medical condition with care and honesty. It added an important layer to the story without defining her entirely, and the focus on vulnerability both emotional and physical was beautifully done.
Overall, this was a charming, heartfelt romcom with lovable characters, great chemistry, and a story that pulled me in instantly. I flew through it and enjoyed every minute!
Thank you NetGalley & Random House | Dial Press Trade Paperback for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was SO much more than what I anticipated. I won’t lie, I saw the title and thought “this looks cute”. I got a lot more than cute.
We have Emma who has recently moved back to Boston, where she went to college. Her life is kind of a mess and she takes a job helping her best friend (a tell-it-like it is best friend). Also, surprise - she is neighbors with her college best friend, Harrison. The two haven’t spoken in five years and there is a lot for them to deal with. Their story is at times funny, heartbreaking, awkward, and frustrating. I felt myself caring about their journey, rooting for them, yelling at them, and seeing myself in them.
The author does a great job dealing with some health topics I have never seen in a romance book before. She makes feel important, but manageable. Emma has spent her life letting her health ruin her relationships, but this story shows that it’s ok to have both.
I would 100% recommend this read.
Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
We have Emma who has recently moved back to Boston, where she went to college. Her life is kind of a mess and she takes a job helping her best friend (a tell-it-like it is best friend). Also, surprise - she is neighbors with her college best friend, Harrison. The two haven’t spoken in five years and there is a lot for them to deal with. Their story is at times funny, heartbreaking, awkward, and frustrating. I felt myself caring about their journey, rooting for them, yelling at them, and seeing myself in them.
The author does a great job dealing with some health topics I have never seen in a romance book before. She makes feel important, but manageable. Emma has spent her life letting her health ruin her relationships, but this story shows that it’s ok to have both.
I would 100% recommend this read.
Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rating: 4/5 Stars — 💡 Romance with a Side of Real Life
I’ve read a lot of second-chance romances, but none that tackled a storyline quite like this. Thighs Wide Shut brings all the witty banter and angst of former best friends reconnecting, but adds in a layer of emotional vulnerability with a very real, underrepresented medical storyline that felt incredibly refreshing.
I was really impressed by how the author handled Emma’s pelvic floor condition. It wasn't just a plot device. It was treated with sensitivity and actually felt educational. Watching Emma work through her fears about intimacy and take steps to manage her health was really empowering.
My only real gripe is that I wanted more perspectives. I would have loved to get inside Harrison’s head to know what he was actually thinking about Emma, or seen more of their friend Jo to round things out.
This is a great read if you need a reminder that you don't have to be "perfect" for a relationship to work. Solid read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve read a lot of second-chance romances, but none that tackled a storyline quite like this. Thighs Wide Shut brings all the witty banter and angst of former best friends reconnecting, but adds in a layer of emotional vulnerability with a very real, underrepresented medical storyline that felt incredibly refreshing.
I was really impressed by how the author handled Emma’s pelvic floor condition. It wasn't just a plot device. It was treated with sensitivity and actually felt educational. Watching Emma work through her fears about intimacy and take steps to manage her health was really empowering.
My only real gripe is that I wanted more perspectives. I would have loved to get inside Harrison’s head to know what he was actually thinking about Emma, or seen more of their friend Jo to round things out.
This is a great read if you need a reminder that you don't have to be "perfect" for a relationship to work. Solid read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book is about Emma, who suffers from a women's health condition that alters her perception of herself and isolates her from others and relationships. In college, she had a best friend Harrison. Due to her medical condition she was afraid to have a relationship and so the day prior to graduation wrecks their friendship and any hopes of more. Five years later, she returns to Boston to work for her friend Jo. She ends up living in the apartment under Harrison and they start to navigate healing their relationship.
While this is a second chance romance, I feel like this is mostly a women's fiction novel. Emma has so much going on from her medical issues, self perception and lack of clarity on where to go career wise. This book was okay, but I felt like there was a lot mentioned and some of her issues were wrapped up quite quickly. This book addresses important issues in women's health, but I think it fell a little short in terms of completing the story.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
While this is a second chance romance, I feel like this is mostly a women's fiction novel. Emma has so much going on from her medical issues, self perception and lack of clarity on where to go career wise. This book was okay, but I felt like there was a lot mentioned and some of her issues were wrapped up quite quickly. This book addresses important issues in women's health, but I think it fell a little short in terms of completing the story.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
10/10 absolutely loved this book!
MILD SPOILERS
The banter between the main characters was absolutely amazing and I really appreciated how the author handled mental health issues with the main characters. Neither of them are perfect, but it was really cool to see them both decide to work on themselves. I found Emma's journey to be really inspiring, and as a young adult who feels like I haven't gotten far enough in life or that I'm wrong for not knowing what I want to do in life hearing Emma's struggles was really heartwarming and resonated with me a lot. This book also does an amazing job of educating readers about vaginismus, something I had never heard of before reading it. I think the author did an amazing job of not over-sexualizing Emma's medical condition while still not being afraid to show how it affects Emma's sexual interactions and I really liked her take on the education system in America.
MILD SPOILERS
The banter between the main characters was absolutely amazing and I really appreciated how the author handled mental health issues with the main characters. Neither of them are perfect, but it was really cool to see them both decide to work on themselves. I found Emma's journey to be really inspiring, and as a young adult who feels like I haven't gotten far enough in life or that I'm wrong for not knowing what I want to do in life hearing Emma's struggles was really heartwarming and resonated with me a lot. This book also does an amazing job of educating readers about vaginismus, something I had never heard of before reading it. I think the author did an amazing job of not over-sexualizing Emma's medical condition while still not being afraid to show how it affects Emma's sexual interactions and I really liked her take on the education system in America.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I am positively obsessed with this book!! I've been eagerly anticipating it for months and it didn't disappoint. I stayed up far too late reading, and the tension from the forced proximity in the apartment building was delicious. But more than just being a fast-paced and funny read, this romance book is surely going to change many women's lives. It tackles the physical intimacy challenges of vaginismus in such an empathetic, nuanced, heartwarming, and deeply emotional way, and that kind of representation in a published book is so, so alarmingly rare. I loved that the author didn't shy away from showing the difficulties in the healing journey or give the protagonist some magic bandaid solution. And, of course, we love a male love interest who's so caring and feminist <3
Definitely add this book to your TBR and pre-order!!
I am positively obsessed with this book!! I've been eagerly anticipating it for months and it didn't disappoint. I stayed up far too late reading, and the tension from the forced proximity in the apartment building was delicious. But more than just being a fast-paced and funny read, this romance book is surely going to change many women's lives. It tackles the physical intimacy challenges of vaginismus in such an empathetic, nuanced, heartwarming, and deeply emotional way, and that kind of representation in a published book is so, so alarmingly rare. I loved that the author didn't shy away from showing the difficulties in the healing journey or give the protagonist some magic bandaid solution. And, of course, we love a male love interest who's so caring and feminist <3
Definitely add this book to your TBR and pre-order!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A slow burn, second chance love story where Emma, the main character feels like she the one to blame about her love life but it's really her vaginismus holding her back. I love slow burn stories because I get so drawn into the story craving MORE because I know something SHOULD happen between the two main characters. The fact that Emma was able to overcome that barrier of a condition and find love, after many many frustrating years and situations is what made me love this slow burn in my opinion. I love her support system that is Jo because I feel like everyone needs someone like Jo. Emma is just a girl trying to figure out life and love and isn't that what we're all trying to do ?
This is my first book read by Hayley Fleming, and I LOVED it! I will definitely be reading more by this author and recommend this book to friends.
This is my first book read by Hayley Fleming, and I LOVED it! I will definitely be reading more by this author and recommend this book to friends.
Read
February 12, 2026e-arc provided by netgalley
This I believe is the first book I have ever read that had a character with Vaginismus so that was interesting and nice to see. The way that the FMC acted made it seem like this book could have been NA instead of Adult. Harrison is a mostly flat character to me since none of the character development that is spoken about in the epilogue seemed to happen on the page. I also think that the FMC was behaving was very childish and we didn't find out what the "conflict" was that "broke" them up the first time was until almost 80% of the way into the book which is insane to me because in order for me to root for a second chance I need to know what the issue was the first time (which is why I am not usually a huge fan of second chance).
This I believe is the first book I have ever read that had a character with Vaginismus so that was interesting and nice to see. The way that the FMC acted made it seem like this book could have been NA instead of Adult. Harrison is a mostly flat character to me since none of the character development that is spoken about in the epilogue seemed to happen on the page. I also think that the FMC was behaving was very childish and we didn't find out what the "conflict" was that "broke" them up the first time was until almost 80% of the way into the book which is insane to me because in order for me to root for a second chance I need to know what the issue was the first time (which is why I am not usually a huge fan of second chance).
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a quick read for me it was mostly cute and heart warming. There were some things that threw me off like the added things in parentheses. I guess they were like added thoughts or like mannerisms but the inner monologue of the FMC was already portrayed idk it was weird but definitely a minor flaw in an overall great story. The topic of her medical condition I felt was written well and even though it was like the major topic of the book it didn’t completely take away from the romance and the development of the characters.
Overall I read this in less than 2 days, while currently in a reading slump so that’s awesome!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy! Definitely recommending!
Overall I read this in less than 2 days, while currently in a reading slump so that’s awesome!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy! Definitely recommending!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book features a main character with vaginismus, a condition where pelvic floor muscles involuntarily tighten, making intimacy painful or difficult. The romance doesn’t fully develop on the page since they fell for each other in college, but the exploration of how this condition affects intimacy and relationships was really fascinating. I always appreciate when romance acknowledges real-life struggles like this.
Read if you like:
•Forced Proximity
•Second Chance
•College Sweethearts
•Friends to Lovers
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Explicit Open Door: At least two intimate scenes, explicit language with a variety of sexual acts.
I received an advanced eBook copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.
Read if you like:
•Forced Proximity
•Second Chance
•College Sweethearts
•Friends to Lovers
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Explicit Open Door: At least two intimate scenes, explicit language with a variety of sexual acts.
I received an advanced eBook copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews