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Tahoe #1

Keep Tahoe Blue

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This is book #1 in the Tahoe Series. It follows the events in the San Francisco Series Book #1: "Checking the Right Box." Kellan Cobb had to get out of San Francisco. She’d just watched her ex-girlfriend meet the woman of her dreams. Her broken heart needed a break from it all, and Lake Tahoe was calling her name. Reese Lee has a secret. Only her twin sister knows the one thing Reese hasn’t even told the closest people around her. When she meets Kellan at a fun weekend game of beach football, she knows there’s something interesting about the tourist. She’s never had a problem wining, dining, and sometimes bedding the tourists that strolled into the lake town. But with Kellan, she might just see the possibility of more. Kellan is determined to address the loneliness in her heart. Reese is determined to keep her secret for fear it would change the way people see her. As the two women try to navigate their attraction, they each have to give up something their holding onto that could prevent them from finding what they’ve both been looking for all along. Recommended order of reading the books in the

267 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2019

220 people are currently reading
225 people want to read

About the author

Nicole Pyland

80 books821 followers
Nicole Pyland is a bestselling author of lesbian romance novels, including No After You, All the Love Songs, and the series like Chicago, San Francisco, Tahoe, Sports, Boston, and more. Since 2017, she’s published over 30 novels (not including her What Happened After shorts), and more books are on their way!

Nicole grew up in Indiana, studying English & Film and then getting a MS in Behavior Analysis and moving to California, working by day as a Head of Training at a start-up. She lives with her wife and their opinionated cat, who spends his evenings helping her write stories by occupying half the chair.

Website: nicolepyland.com

Newsletter: nicolepyland.com/newsletter

Twitter: @nicole_pyland

Facebook: @nicolepylandauthor

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5 stars
357 (53%)
4 stars
223 (33%)
3 stars
82 (12%)
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8 (1%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
Profile Image for Corporate Slave.
358 reviews5 followers
March 31, 2019
I’ve almost read every single book by Nicole Pyland which makes her one of my fav authors ! Her writing is very good but her storytelling if I may use that word is incredible ! She builds unbelievable connections between the characters ! This one was the least of my favorite though but yet I liked it a lot! Usually I fall in love with her 2 main characters so I took 1 point off because I already didn’t like one of the main characters from the previous book ..
Profile Image for vacatedboat.
153 reviews
April 9, 2019
Did I just read a lesfic romance with no break-up?! I think I f’ing did!

Keep Tahoe Blue was more enjoyable for me than the first in the San Fransisco Series, where we’re originally introduced to Kellan, one of the mains here. In Book #1 of that particular series, she isn’t necessarily painted in the best of lights, but she isn’t terrible, either. She just had to face some truths to be the person that she is in Keep Tahoe Blue.

From the go, the chemistry here is pretty obvious. I don’t think it jumps off the page like it typically does with Pyland, but the interest is there and just builds from Reese and Kellen’s first interactions. I think the author did a good job of creating a meaningful connection, rather than simply amping up the heat.

I don’t really have much to say about this book…it’s typical Pyland and one obviously needs to have read her work to know what that means. Still, as mentioned above, it is a bonus that there is no break-up to dig our way through. Reese and Kellan communicate, resolve their issues, and are just adorable together. They do not fight, they do not fail to communicate, and they do not break-up. It’s worth a read for that fact alone, but still…another good release from Pyland that I recommend for any romance fan that needs a dose of happy and is sick of the drama that usually comes in the genre.
Profile Image for Jo reece.
551 reviews60 followers
May 29, 2019
Almost a 5*

Nicole Pyland's books just keep getting better and better.
Profile Image for C.
737 reviews77 followers
March 31, 2019
I loved it

I think I like this series or at least this book better than the San Francisco one. Unlike other reviewers I didnt think Kellan was all that bad in the San Francisco book. She bowed out pretty quickly when she could have made things so much more awkward for everyone. Regardless, this book is about her and Reese. I liked the chemistry between the two and the ackward, competitive drama at the beginning that thankfully didnt get blown out of proportion. I will say that Morgan kinda annoyed me but I ended up liking her and wonder what her, Kinsley, and to my suspicions Riley's stories would be. Anyway, read this book especially if you are a fan of Pyland ornjust want something with low drama, great characters and an HEA. I look forward to the next of whatever series comes out by Pyland.
617 reviews21 followers
April 17, 2019
Overall I thought this was a good read. It was light with only a small amount of angst. I needed a cleanse after read an excellent but very emotion book. So far the Chicago series is still my favorites and The fire. I look forward to reading the rest of the san fran and tahoe series.
Profile Image for MaxDisaster.
677 reviews88 followers
March 14, 2023
4 stars
This was good. I'm not sure if I want to read it again, but I liked the story, the writing and the characters.
As usual, they could've communicated a bit better, but considering I have a lot of room for improvement in that area too, I can't really judge.
Profile Image for Leigh.
191 reviews
March 13, 2019
So, this book surprised me. I know when Kellan was first introduced in the San Francisco series I didn't like her and didn't really think I would care to know what she was up to. However, after reading Keep Tahoe Blue, I really enjoyed how self-aware she became and in turn, her likability, for me, went up. I felt all the characters in this book were believable and the story really drew you in.

I have read everything from this author and I have to say, this is probably one of my favorite books from her. The characters had a realness to them, the story was engaging, and I felt a lot of emotion in this book. I think it is worth reading and I would recommend it.
Profile Image for Kexx.
2,334 reviews102 followers
January 27, 2024
Really excited to find this series - book 1 is a real cracker and can't wait to read the rest. NP is a really engaging writer - more power to her arm!

Re read, still gets me, as recommended before reading Part 2 of San Francisco....
Profile Image for F..
311 reviews15 followers
July 31, 2019
I think Nicole Pyland is one of the most consistently excellent writers to be found on KU.

There are few surprises in this romance, but it is a very nice read. One of the MCs .

Profile Image for Kelly.
385 reviews23 followers
September 9, 2019
3.5 stars, this book is the second in a California series, following the author's original Chicago series. This was a slow burn book, but done well.
Profile Image for Vanna Book-Mage.
835 reviews3 followers
November 5, 2023
I like this a lot especially that the MCs didn’t break up over silly things as a plot device to move the story forward or cause conflict. The characters acted their age too! So many times we have characters that just would never act the way they’re written in my estimation, so I appreciate that.
Profile Image for XR.
1,980 reviews106 followers
March 30, 2019
This was a nice start to the Tahoe Series. I thought Kellan was a bit too intense in the first book from the San Francisco series, but I grew to like her in this book. She's just like most of us, a little lost a lot lonely and in need of compassion and affection. I liked Reese as her partner too and I thought her condition an interesting one although I'd have to read up on it to know more.

I look forward to reading more from this series, maybe it'll be about Riley? Morgan? Riley and Morgan?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Michelle  Schuler.
923 reviews12 followers
Read
November 6, 2022
Keep Tahoe Blue

This is another fabulous story by Nicole Pyland. Her series are always a fun read with minimal angst. I love the pairings of her MCs. I look forward to more.
Profile Image for Hannah.
27 reviews
April 5, 2019
This books suffers from some of the same issues as the Chicago stories: dragged out, same-scenes-on-repeat for far too long, and waffling characterization. That said, I enjoyed the last one in the series (Checking the Right Box) a lot more than the couple Chicago books I read so I hoped to like this one too.

My biggest pet peeve was in this book though. Kellan is not a veterinarian. We're told she is, but her perspective is not of a veterinarian. When she hears very common medical words and says, "I don't know what that is", I couldn't believe it. Her description of "swelling of the brain" was stunningly bad. Veterinarians are doctors. They use and understand medical terminology, and the words she should have used were "cerebral edema". That section took me out of the story completely. Even if the pathophysiology was a stretch, at lease use the right terminology.

I can forgive the glossing over of Kellan's student loans, her taking extended leave from work (without worrying about her production bonus or salary), the discussion about easily treating a deer with a broken leg(??), and even the "euthanasia is the worst part" misconception. (Though, really, how is the reader supposed to cheer for someone who leaves her boss in such a horrible lurch?) I just wish some thought was put into Kellan's voice. That really broke the story for me. Someone who is an expert in physics wouldn't struggle to understand gravity so why in the world is Kellan struggling to express pathophysiology to herself?

The romance was okay. There were a lot of scenes that could have been cut because they said the same thing over again, yet other important bits the readers weren't privy to for some reason. Aside from Kellan's professional portrayal being shockingly bad, the romance was bland. The conflict felt contrived and the resolution too easy. The "big reveal" was easily guessed too, not that I minded that part.

I did finish the book though. I imagine most readers will have zero issue with Kellan's portrayal so they can expect what the series has offered so far.
Profile Image for Paula.
72 reviews18 followers
June 11, 2019
Again, Miss Pyland gets my heart.
I didn't like Kellan on the first book, but I didn't get her.
In this book we can understand what she'd been through, and I mean, she's a vet, how could she be a bad person, right?
Also, Reese is so lovable, and I could relate to her and I don't know, it's awesome to see an MC that have a "problem" and is dealing it in a relationship, because it's never easy, specially for the person who "has the problem", and I like it the way that the book treats it.

The sex part, again, Nicole's write it very well, super hot and lovable at the same time.

F/f explicit.
618 reviews
April 12, 2019
Nice

This is a nice, light love story. I Loved all the characters . There are nice love scenes and a great ending.
Profile Image for Best Lesfic Reviews.
668 reviews114 followers
February 4, 2021
2.5 stars

Kellan Cobb, a vet in San Francisco needs some me-time to get a handle on herself. She was in a relationship with Keira which didn’t quite work out because she thought they were serious and Keira felt they made better friends. Keira is now in a relationship with Emma and since Kellan and Keira belong to the same group of friends, they end up hanging out together and Kellan cannot handle her ex’s relationship. So Kellan goes off by herself to Tahoe for a couple of weeks. Reese Lee, a kindergarten teacher in Tahoe volunteers at the visitor’s centre and has a penchant for picking up tourists for brief flings, and that is exactly her intention when she first sees Kellan.

Read the full review @ https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
Profile Image for Marty Preslar.
Author 3 books14 followers
March 28, 2019
Well crafted

While this book works as a standalone story and is technically the FIRST book in the Tahoe Series, one of the protagonists, Kellen, was introduced in book 1 of the San Francisco Series, which also contains characters and references to the Chicago Series. So it may be best to read the books through book 1 of the San Francisco Series prior to reading this story.

As for this story, it takes a character who was not particularly likeable when introduced and turns that around quite well. Kellen's vacation to Tahoe to put the heartbreak of the past behind her paints her in a more sympathetic light, while she acknowledges the fact that she was not particularly at her best in the weeks leading up to the trip, which makes her not only more likeable, but extremely relatable. After all, how many of us haven't done things we regret in life? The fact that she took action to prevent herself from continuing to behave badly is an admirable trait. It also is excellent, and extremely realistic, character development, as I've come to expect from Nicole Pyland's works.

The other protagonist has her own mysterious story, which is revealed gradually over the course of the book and extremely satisfying once the nature of her secret is fully explained. ( I will admit that I went to Google to read about it as soon as it was revealed, since I was unfamiliar with it, and I thought the clues leading to the reveal all fit perfectly once I'd finished.)

Highly recommended!

I received an ARC copy of this book.
Profile Image for Jen.
1,300 reviews2 followers
December 27, 2019
A quick detour to Tahoe from San Francisco

📍 “People leave pieces of themselves all over the roads they travel. She’d been through heartbreak before and was certain she’d left little pieces of her heart and soul with each of her former partners.”
+ • + • + • +

A really great book about a relationship between two women, both dealing with exes-to-just-friends situations, & self-protective barriers, secrets, doubts & fears in the hope of finally getting the sustaining love that overcomes, fulfills & endures they wanted.

After San Francisco #1, I really wasn't excited to follow Kendall after she left Keira & Emma & the crew for Tahoe. But, she has become another one of the girls that just belongs in this tricity-ever-expanding-tangentially-interconnected family thru friendship groups.
133 reviews
December 10, 2022
This one is in my wheelhouse. Ya, one is keeping secrets, but the MCs actually communicate. Might not always like what they say, lol, but better than ghosting. Though at this point, ghosting is so common in this genre, it makes me so grateful for my irl relationships. But, I digress.
One thing I didn’t quite get was, why did Kellen choose Reese so quickly. Morgan seemed more in line with what Kellen liked based on hobbies and stuff. Reese seemed frail, and was hiding stuff so I wasn’t convinced Reese was a great MC. After not finishing book 3, Kellen dodged a bullet by not falling for Morgan, lol. I also didn’t really get a picture in my mind of either of them. So I always kind of thought of Reese as sickly.
So I enjoyed it but it won’t be on my reread list.
Profile Image for Sam Alexander.
107 reviews
March 29, 2019
This addition to Nicole Pyland's expanding multiverse is very welcome. It is the first of what looks to be another very promising series, as well as being the link to the San Francisco series.
This is already one of my favourite books of the year. Without diving into the plot, Kellan Cobb and Reese Lee are great characters, and their journey to each other is enjoyable with a couple of interesting turns. They really do come across as very real and very human, with their own baggage and secrets. They have great chemistry, and their love scenes are very well written, hot and real and emotional.
This is an excellent book and it is definitely recommended.
Profile Image for Steph Reads Faerie Smut.
215 reviews24 followers
July 9, 2019
This.Book.Dudes! I freakin loved Reese, shes so hot and much more dominant than i was expecting. Which is why shes my fave;) I cannot freaking wait to read about the girls in Tahoe! I want Morgan's right now!!!!
Anyway, one of the reasons why i love a good Nicole Pyland book is because they always have emotion in the characters and situations and that adds depth to the character. Reese's condition definitely called for some emotional and intimate moments between not only our two love interests but all the side-ish characters. Tahoe is real tight-knit group of friends and family who have known each other their whole lives and you can really see the history and love that is shared among all of them. Really good read after my terrible book slump!
Profile Image for Kimberly.
243 reviews11 followers
July 16, 2019
Show me who you are

Kellan takes a trip to Tahoe to mend her broken heart. What she gets is two women vying for her attention, but she's only interested in one. Kellan still has some things she has to work through. The past may get in the way of her future if she doesn't figure it out.
Reese has been going through life hiding herself from others. Not making love a priority, she books up with the tourists to keep women at arm's length. This has been working out fine until she meet Kellan. In order to have something real she has to show Kellan who she really is.
Nice and easy read with a couple of steamy sex scenes thrown in to whet the appetite.
Profile Image for Judy - JC.
224 reviews9 followers
March 4, 2024
I started this series with no expectations. And I was hooked right away.
Is my understanding that Kellan’s character is from another series (that I ‘vent read) from the same author.

Kellan and Reese literally just thought “will go with the flow”. I found that the secret that Reese kept was interesting and her reasons to keep it that way were valid, a lit bit infuriating from time to time but valid. Regarding Kellan and the job opportunity that arises for her was too good to be true; and there’s when you remember you are reading books, it’s not real life.

For me was a bit complicated the relationship between Reese and Morgan, but I would say that Morgan showed to be a mature person.
Profile Image for Steffie.
50 reviews1 follower
March 4, 2020
Loved this Book. I think many of us can relate to having been in “love” and really being in love. Kellan is healing from a broken heart. Even though she doesn’t know it yet she’ll heal the moment she lays eyes on Reese.

I don’t want to rile the masses; however, it’s so whimsically to think that two woman could fall for each other and want to take it slow and not “U-Haul it”. The stereotype or joke is because we see it happen. But imagine if you will a couple who wants to enjoy all the small moments. Love it.
575 reviews5 followers
May 12, 2023
This is such a hot and yet tender love story! I just loved it and could not put it down.

Nicole Pyland has brought me great joy with her writing. I am always breathless at some point in reading, crying or laughing. Her style is unique, so sensitive, warm and loving. I am already looking forward to the next in the series!
If you enjoy a very hot sex scene or two, you will enjoy her writing. She developed characters I want to meet in person and places them in just the right settings. Please purchase her series and show your support for women writers of distinction.
Profile Image for Chelles.
666 reviews
May 26, 2025
Keep Tahoe Blue

I remember Kellan in "Checking the Right Box" and obviously didn't like her character. She was kind of a villain in Kiera and Emma's story. Now, here she is in her own story, with her own POV and a new perspective!

Looking to refresh on vacation in Tahoe, Kellan meets Reese, and a connection is made. They both help each with healing from the past, taking their time to get to know each other. It's sweet, it's romantic, it's hot ... a very heartwarming story. I look forward to the rest of the series.
Profile Image for charles clayson.
1,330 reviews6 followers
June 19, 2019
♨🔥🌈SPECTACTULAR 🌈🔥♨
Having read the whole Chicago series ! And loved every single book ! Then I delve into the San Francisco series having only read book #1 !💞 After doing so I followed Kellan when she went on her trip . That's my way when reading chronological material . Can't wait to see who is your next couple in the Tahoe series will be ! My choice would be Morgan Burns !😍 she's Hot 🔥and also Steamy Steamy ♨ !!!😘💞💗🌈
104 reviews
June 25, 2021
Interesting new series

Per the author’s website, after I finished San Francisco Series Book 1, the reader should read the first book in the Tahoe series. It’s because of the way the characters stories flow. I enjoyed the book, and learned about a rare condition I’d never heard of. This book brings Kellan to a cabin in Tahoe, to get over her failed relationship with Kiera. Kellan meets Reese and that’s where this story begins.
247 reviews5 followers
April 2, 2019
Loved it!

I loved this story, it's characters, it's setting and it's interesting twist. I've read everything NP has put out, and I'm really excited about the two new but related series she is currently working on. It was great to learn so much more about Kellan and to meet new characters in Tahoe. I look forward to what comes next!
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