Genre: Romance, F/F, Adult Fiction, Erotica

First of all, I must say that I liked reading this book so much that I read it in 48 hours. That for me, is an achievement, but I just could not seem to put this book down.

What I liked about No Strings Attached, was that the main character's story was what my life could have been like - it was eerie. Micky's self discovery and coming out experience was very intriguing to me and it honestly gripped me in a personal way.

The most astounding thing about reading this book was the altruistic effect it had on me. Suddenly, I felt so thankful for finding my path in life at this moment in time.

Harper's easy to read style only added to the enjoyment of this book. It made it effortless, so I could put all my attention into the development of the narrative, which was the whole point.

I gave this book a whopping five stars purely because it resonated with me so deeply and personally. It's a story that will stay with me for an extremely long time.

Thank you once again Harper for providing such a thought provoking and powerful story. As always I cannot wait to read what you write next...

Genre: Romance, Adult Fiction, F/F, Erotica, LGBTQI

Tipping the Velvet was recommended to me by my partner and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. It did take me a little while to get into it, but once I did I was gripped.
​
Miss Waters writing style is a unique one that fitted the era of the time in question 'down to a T'. 

​When reading this I had to make sure that I put myself in the mindset of the time in question in order to make sure I was contextually engaging with the narrative as I should.

There were times where my jaw-dropped, as I could not believe some of the ways in which women had to conceal their feelings for the ones they love.

It was also a beautiful portrayal of a story of a broken-heart and the impact this can have on a life of the person and the people that surround them.

There was a hidden element of politics of the time and the struggles that everyday people faced, which added depth and social context to the narrative to help support the characters story and beliefs.

I gave this book 4 stars because you really do need to put yourself in the context and frame of mind of the time, which is challenging, but also rather enjoyable.

Give it a go - it's a must read.

Genre: Romance, Erotica, F-F, Adult Fiction

Within the narrative of Seasons of Love (a novel), Bliss explores the creation of a relationship between an older and a younger woman. But not only this, she also cleverly weaves in the family/friendship scenario too.

Her writing style helps this book to flow in a natural and superfluous way. It's easy to read nature means that the reader can just immerse themselves into the scenes being laid out before them.

There was use of gentle humour and Bliss was able to bring together two very contrasting characters in a natural and believable way.

I did like the main character and saw a lot of myself and my journey in her, which made me like the book even more. It was interesting to see the transformation in her after allowing her to be 'her true self'.

The reasoning for the 4 stars instead of 5 is the predictability - I was able to discern the course the story was taking, but this all added to the easy to read element. Even though some parts were a little predictable it was still very enjoyable to read.

Personally, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to have an enjoyable read.

Genre: LGBTQI, Lesbian Fiction, Adult, Romance

This book was suggested to me by the LezRead book club and I must say I am very pleased that I read this book and gave it a go.

When reading this book it was like I was looking at myself. Reading Caidence Harris' story unfold was like glancing into a very recent mirror. I was able to relate to her and her story so well, which is one of the main aspects of why I enjoyed this book so much.

​Lanes intentions with this novel was obviously to explore the 'coming out' dynamic of a gay celebrity couple, which was most certainly an interesting approach. Not only were there the issues surrounding family, friends and coworkers for consideration - there was also the additional variation of having to deal with the press and the public eye, which was very well executed by Lanes words.

​My reasoning behind giving this a four star rating instead of a five was in part due to a small issue. Lane was clearly writing this novel for an American based readership, which is ok for US based readers, but not if the book is to go international. As there were a few US references and colloquialisms that were thrown in that I did not recognise and had to stop and think about what they could potentially mean.

Otherwise, I thought this was a very interesting and well executed read - and one that I am very glad I did read. I look forward to potentially reading another one of Lane's novels in the future.

Genre: Women's Fiction, Adult, Chick-Lit, Romance

I was not expecting this book to be the most literary and flowery piece of literature that I have ever read - and I would think you would be wrong to. 

Instead I approached this novel with an excited anticipation of what awaited me. I knew before reading it that it would cover some deep and fairly sensitive material, but I never realised how much it would grip me.

The main thing that I loved about this book is the lead character - Lou Clark. She's a character that, personally, I felt I could connect with - in fact if I knew her personally I think that I would very much like to be her friend - and that's what JoJo Moyes does so well, creating a connectivity between reader and character whereby you just want to experience everything with them and help them with their troubles and also have a jolly good laugh with them.

Within the narrative the topic that was explored was the life of a quadriplegic - now before reading this I would not have had a clue as to how someone who is a quadriplegic would live and experience life. However, through Moyes book - I feel like I understand somewhat their trials and tribulations, but also that life can be lived and there are ways to overcome these obstacles. 

It just goes to show that literature can be extremely powerful in bringing about sensitive awareness of such delicate topics, which is great - in fact I would love to see more of this done throughout literature.

Me Before You is a very nice and gentle read, which is lovely, as it does not feel too taxing to sit and read it. Instead you can put your feet up with a good cuppa and just transport yourself into this story. JoJo's writing style is great and makes you feel at ease from the get-go, which actually is not easy to do.

The five stars that I awarded to this book was for the enjoyment factor. I really did enjoy this book from start to finish. I do not think I once thought - "maybe I'll skip this bit." Instead I was gripped and loved the main character. I cannot wait to read Me After You and see what Lou get's up to next - watch this space...

Genre: LGBTQI, Female Fiction, Romance

​After immersing myself within a few of Bliss' novellas I wanted to test Harper and read one of her full novels, and I must admit I was not disappointed. When looking through Harper's other books this one peaked my interest, hence my reasoning for choosing it.

Within the narrative I loved the way one of the characters had a big secret that is effecting her ability to emotionally connect and form a relationship with someone. This is something that all readers can connect and relate to - as most people have 'skeletons' in their closets or things they wish to keep to themselves.

However, what I did really like was that we were not told this straight away; normally authors have a tendency to inform the reader of the hidden secrets or twists prior to the other characters finding out. Instead we were kept guessing like all the characters within the novel, which made me feel like I was part of it, that I had to pay attention and try and find out why one of the characters is struggling with her emotions and feelings as much as she was. It certainly made it a more intense read.

I did connect with the characters and really enjoyed the way they developed throughout the novel. It really showed the growth that they experienced together, which was enjoyable to read.

Looking back on my journey with this book I could not find any fault with it. I enjoyed it very much and feel that I got a lot from it. Which is why I gave it 5 stars.

I am most certainly looking forward to reading more of Harper's novels very soon.