Friends & Lovers

Friends & Lovers #1

by Ava Freeman

In this sexy tale , three friends each come to a crossroads in their relationships during one momentous summer.

Victoria and her longtime girlfriend have found success in LA within their respective fields but their relationship has suffered as a result. When Victoria heads home to New York City for a visit, a beautiful stranger brings unexpected feelings and makes her question whether her present should be her future.

Alexis is head over heels for her girlfriend and can’t wait to pop the question. Her plans for happily ever after get derailed when a secret is revealed, old insecurities resurface and she realizes that there is no such thing as a perfect romance.

Stevie loves the ladies, so much so that she can’t have just one at a time. She’s been more than happy to indulge but when she meets a woman who opens her up emotionally, she starts to think twice about her choices.

All have something to lose and lessons to be learned. Luckily their strong bond is exactly what they need to make it through.

Genres: Lesbian, Romance

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 6, 2020

About the author

Ava Freeman writes contemporary romance that centers the Black queer woman’s experience. Through her stories, she strives to give readers rich, complex characters that always find their happily ever after.

Reviews

[Alison Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading books about messy lesbian relationships makes me really glad I'm just a messy lesbian without the relationships part.

This was a cute read, and it was great to read a book about Black/Afro-Latina lesbians, since most Sapphic stories are pretty white. The banter, both romantic and platonic, was charming and funny, and I liked that we got a real mix of relationships and personalities and needs.

There are three POVs and to be honest, I really wish it had only been one. Victoria was a much stronger character/voice than Stevie and Alexis, and her storyline had a lot more substance to it. I think if it only had her as the MC, dealing with her long-term girlfriend and their diverging needs, her family and the bombshell from her stepdad, meeting new people, new career moves, etc, it would have been a really strong book. The other two dragged it down for me because they were both pretty insufferable.

But if you want some gay shit AND WHO DOESN'T and especially if you want a different look at lesbian experiences, this is a fun one to pick up.

[Anne Hartley Pfohl · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book about women who are flawed, fantastic, making mistakes and succeeding at life. Good spice and challenging issues and relationships. Freeman challenges stereotypes and tropes, pushing her readers to examine love, expectations, identity, and what it means to lead a truly authentic life. More than your typical romance novel, and it is satisfying, funny, and real. I will be reading the rest of the series and more of her work.

[Jess O’Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

Confusing start ,Gold medal finish

First five maybe six chapters were a bit much on flow and format. Also a few name slips. Stevie being called Shannon. Asia or Daisy being called Dominique. It was random as the character wasn't introduced and other parts of the story shows that was by accident. As a reader it confused me and I had to reread the chapter introducing Stevie. After all of that things smoothed out.

Let me tell you the one thing that really brought joy to my heart is the representation. T
S4S, &polyamorous relationships. However, the biggest thing was how Chole and Sera respected who and where their partners were in their lives and how they saw themselves. It resonated a lot with the desires of the heart as a masculine of center woman. I enjoyed the book and will be reading the rest of the series.

[T. W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it was sort of too many characters to be honest at first, especially with the mistakes. —Alexis and Sera’s love story stole the show! I loved their journey and that scene before they decided to marry sooner was EVERYTHING.

I wasn’t surprised by how things ended with Jasmine and Victoria—when she got to NYC to visit Tor, the unwanted pickup and tiredness made it clear something was off. You could tell they weren’t aligned on things.

On the flip side, I’m so excited to see what’s next for Stevie and Chloe! Stevie is a player, but you can tell it’s more of a defense mechanism. Heading to book 2!

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 1st book I've read written by Ava Freeman; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I can’t wait to read more of her books.

The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.

I loved the chemistry between the characters.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

[Veronica Shay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Story

Its been a while since I read a story like this where so many characters were intertwined. There times that it was difficult for me to follow the story because there was so much going on. However, the characters were so enduring and relatable, it was still very enjoyable. It was a few misplaced words here and there but nothing major.

[SHANA CELESTINE · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. In the beginning there were some names that seemed mixed up that threw me off a little but overall the book was an easy read. I enjoyed delving into the lives of all of the characters. I've known people that fit almost every character in the book! It was a great Lesbian love story! This is the 1st book I've read by this author but it will not be the last!

[Y O · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was like reading about people I know. The characters are so well thought out and familiar that you get the feeling you know them personally. The experiences are ones you or someone you know have gone through at one time or another. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a familiar yet entertaining escape.

[DR · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. I especially enjoyed reading about women who love women who are Black. I was reading through the lens of a Black woman and it was wonderful. Because I am a Black Lesbian. Stevie, Alexis & Victoria and the women in their lives have just enough drama, the ambition to move through 'the rough stuff', and are well written characters.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love or even like this book. But there were a ton of careless errors and more than that ... a lot happened in this book but nothing ... happened in this book.

I will support Ava Freeman every time because black wlw content but. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book to anyone.

[Kerryann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Character development, relatability, easy flow, very good individual storylines that manage to merge together seamlessly. Ava, you did your thing on this book. I can't see how anyone would be disappointed with this wonderful piece.

[Mariah Lebron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dope

Wasn’t sure where I was going to stand but I really enjoyed this book. Seeing the relationships between 3 friends and their romantic relationships as well, made for a dramatic read that was still cute and lovey 😊

[C.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say other than I loved it.! The characters were great and I was really into each individual story. Also, I must add the love scenes were well done and had just the right amount of steam. Overall, it was fast-paced and I am really looking forward to seeing how the trilogy concludes.

[Shanice Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. I loved how everything thing was broken down from each character's perspective. I really hope there's a part 2 in the works!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brea Stanton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

I enjoyed this author she kept the story line fresh and new. Definitely looking forward to part 2. And other books by her.

[Jamila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It's nice reading stories that you can relate to on some level. I look forward to reading more work from this author.

[Joyce Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

What kind of Party?

This book was a new concept for me. I read it so slow it was confusing. The next one should (I hope) be better. Off to my next Adventure.

[Tamara Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it!

I really liked this book I am a lesbian and it’s just fun too ready… I am looking forward too book 2

[Rena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Layered and engaging. Loved every single character.

[Jamila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite series to read. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from this author.