I requested this book from Netgalley with the hopes that it would be another cozy romance book that I could nestle into on the weekend, my attention from it unwavering. A lot of that hope was based upon the fact that last year I read and adored another book by this author. But honestly, I found this new release by Elle Spencer to be just… perfectly okay.


After a vivid spiritual experience, Lindsey Hall is convinced she has a long-lost love from another life. She’s carried these memories with her years with the expectation that she’ll never find someone that compares to that love she felt in a dream. Least of all in Salt Creek, the small town she’s grown up in, where the gay population is small. Is it a complete fluke that the first time she paints a still life portrait of her lover from a past life, that a woman who happens to look just like her painting visits her small hometown the next day? Lindsey can’t decide if she’s woken up in an episode of Stranger Things, but she’s helpless to stop this stranger from taking an interest in her when she’s the living embodiment of her long-lost love.

This book was really hard to rate personally, because I felt quite neutral about it. My mediocre rating and perception of Waiting For You isn’t because I found faults in it, but rather that my taste in romance at the moment doesn’t align with what this book had to offer. I’d wish that was something I’d realised before I read this book.

As a 23 year old, I’ve realised that I just don’t get as much enjoyment from reading about characters that are in their 30s, and are either married, divorced and/or have children. This book really takes you through the life of a divorcee with a grown child in a small town. It was hard to ignore those factors when they were such a large part of the story and romance. For now, I think I’m going to save all these books for when I’m closer to this age and can relate more to that demographic.

Also, the past loves trope doesn’t appeal to me either. Whilst I’d absolutely say I’m a hopeless romantic, I also think that the pragmatic part of me just can’t get behind this trope, particularly in a contemporary setting. To the authors credit, Lindsey and Ren have considerable chemistry. Although it developed quickly for my taste, their bond is both sweet and respectful. It’s hard to see a relationship like that as anything other than being really wholesome. I also think readers who like stories about characters at this stage of life, will also respect the fact that it simultaneously reads very realistically, whilst also being a romance that is good for escapism.

I still really love and recommend Casting Lacey by this author, a fake dating romance between two actresses that is somewhat of a hate to lover banter-y filled romance. Regardless of what I feel about this particular book, Elle Spencer is a fluent writer and her books possess a casual charm and witty dialogue that always sparks a bit of joy from me. I’m sure a lot of readers who enjoy sapphic romance about mature women will no doubt enjoy this book too.

An enjoyable read, my first by the author , a fast easy read. Something that doesn’t require any real thinking and leaves you smiling. Cute characters, a bit far fetched but quirky.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I've never read something quite like this. Lindsay, since she was a teen, has dreamed about a little boy and a woman, Roo. She is convinced that she knows them from one of her previous lives. Then, she meets Ren (who is in town having a quick visit with a friend), and Lindsay faints because Ren is the spitting image of Roo.

It goes about as you'd expect with the back and forth, but, in the case of this novel (unlike others), there was also a very cool underlying push and pull of the past lives stuff.

Oh,and there was my favorite lesfic subplot of the year so far, that of Mrs. Stokley. She was such a great character and I really sorta want her story as a lesbian romance now too. Her character really hooked me (I'd love a Patty, Lindsay's BFF, story too).

And, I may or may not (hint: I did) have given this whole novel an extra star because it was set in small town Massachusetts, and that part of the novel was gotten mostly correct too. Always a big positive in my estimation. Staties!!

I was given this ARC by Netgalley on behalf of Bold Strokes Books.

This book was a little challenging to get into at the beginning because it mostly dealt with past life experiences of a teenage girl. I’m so glad I persisted in reading on because the book is incredibly interesting. The two main characters are Lindsay, a single mother with a teenage daughter. Lindsay is an artist who has a business of portrait painting. She also paints two portraits of a young boy and a woman she believes she knew from a previous life. The other main I’d Ren a lawyer on holiday in the town Lindsay lives as she awaits time to go to Paris for a job.
When the two women meet deep sparks fly as both women are deeply attracted to each other. For Lindsay, Ren is the women she believes she met in her previous life.
Besides the mains, the cast of secondary characters is superb, they range from teenagers, an old school teacher, and two school mates of Lindsay. At times the dialogue is extremely humorous. There is a bit of heat in the story as well. This book is well written with a fantastic plot an interesting characters. I highly recommend it.

3.75 Stars. This was better than I expected. I have been off to a slow start with Spencer (shocking I know). I thought The Road to Madison was a mess and I’m listening to Casting Lacey right now and I’m still undecided. So I went into this book cautiously to say the least, but I’m happy to admit that this was an enjoyable read.

My first thought about this book was that I was pretty shocked how low angst this was for Spencer. I actually got this book because I have been in the mood for angst and I know Spencer can sometimes go overboard with it. That was not the case here. There is some yes, but comparing it to Spencer’s other books this has like half the angst she normally puts in.

Besides being a sweet mid to low angst romance, this also had some comedy. I have mixed feelings on that. Some lines were really funny and clever, which put a smile on my face, others not so much. There were a few times that the characters were laughing at their own jokes which set my eyes rolling so hard I was afraid they’d pop out of my head. And sometimes the jokes were so darn corny. No offence to Spencer but sometimes reading her characters reminds me of 12 year old boys. But to balance that out there were a few actual laugh out loud moments I enjoyed.

While this story is really about insta attraction and connection, I was happy with how good the chemistry was. The characters were both likeable so it helped. That was a big plus about this book, the whole cast of characters was well done. There was an old retired teacher that was a hoot, some teenage characters that were well done, and best friend characters that had their own personality and depth even if one was slightly annoying.

I think my biggest issue ended up being the length. This book really could have used another chapter or two. There just was not much time for the ending. I hate rushed endings and this felt too rushed. I don’t mind that it was more HFN than HEA. I don’t need everything tied up in a bow, I just wanted more so I could really believe in the ending.

Out of the 2 and a half finished Spencer books, this is the best I have read by so far. There are a few things about her style I still don’t really click with, but I was happy with this read. It was a feel good romance that mostly put a smile on my face. I was hoping for a little more angst, but I do like that Spencer mixed it up so I can’t really complain. I suspect most Spencer and rom-com fans will enjoy this too.

I really enjoyed reading this. I loved the characters and the settings surrounding them. I could not put it down. Thanks for the advanced copy.

From the minute I started reading this book, I could not put it down until I finished reading. It was that good! I have truly come to enjoy how well Elle Spencer is able to write such compelling stories. Lindsay & Ren as main characters were very relatable. And the secondary characters such as Patty, Deb, Mrs Stokely, Brook & Corey just added more texture to the story.
Lindsay believes in past lives and when she meets Ren, she truly believes that she has met her before and that they have a deep connection. However, Ren is on her to Paris to start a new job and is not aware of how deeply connected Lindsay feels to her. Is it possible for fate to bring two people together in different life times?

This was an enjoyable read. I loved all of the characters in the book - main and secondary and I loved the storyline. Lindsay and Ren were both likeable as people and their instant attraction was easy to imagine. I loved the storyline with Mrs Stokely which made me feel warm and gushy! I also liked the tenderness between the generations. The only downside would be that the ending felt a bit rushed - I really, really liked the ending but felt I would have liked a bit more time spent on it.

A great read that I didn’t want to put down

I had mixed feelings about this book.

Waiting for you features Lindsay, a portrait artist, once teenaged mother of a now teenaged daughter and a woman who believes she has had a past life and love with a woman named Roo.

Ren is a lawyer visiting her best friend Deb for a couple of weeks before she takes a job in Paris. Both women are single, beautiful and attracted to each other even though Lindsay faints at the sight of Ren.

I read a short story by Spencer in the Hot Ice anthology and really enjoyed it. Loved the witty banter which reminded me of a Brayden read. Waiting for you is filled to the brim with witty banter. I was beginning to think the old curmudgeon in me couldn’t deal with all the cutesy conversations and nicknames until Lindsay and Ren shared some hot scenes together and I had hopes for a terrific romance with a sweet secondary storyline.

I wasn’t crazy about the way the two mains handled the inevitable conflict. Say one thing, doing the opposite didn’t help. The two seemed oceans apart. The rushed ending was unfortunate.

3.5 Stars

ARC received with thanks from publisher via NetGalley for review.

It’s not my favorite book of Elle’s but let’s be honest... Casting Lacey would be a hard book for anyone to follow. But I enjoyed this one. It was hilarious in a lot of sections and I was laughing my butt off! The story was great, the writing was great and I really liked both MC’s. Actually, I liked this book way more than I originally thought! Buy it!

When we picked up this book we expected parallel stories across two lifetimes. That is what the synopsis suggested. But though there is a flash of past life, this story remains firmly in the contemporary timeline with two awfully winsome ladies falling in love with each other.

Lindsay Hall And her rather kooky best friend, Patty, kind of chase the paranormal in their teens. After rounds with Ouija boards and the like, they get ahold of past-life regression hypnosis CDs and while Patty sleeps through them, Lindsay has a deeply impactful experience. She 'sees' a dramatic moment of two girls in love with each other being torn apart. She knows one of them (Katie) is her but has no idea who the other girl, Roo, is. Making a poor choice right after the regression, teen Lindsay's life is changed when she becomes pregnant.

Present day Lindsay is a successful and in-demand portrait artist. She is divorced and has a teenaged daughter, Brook. Patty owns an at gallery, is still kooky, still her best friend and still kind of holding a candle for Lindsay. After years of having dreamt of her, Lindsay finally paints Roo.

Ren Christopher's best friend, Deb lives in the same town as Lindsay and owns a popular coffee shop. Deb is Ren's safe place and home, so before moving to Paris for a new job, Ren arrives in town to spend a couple of weeks withDeb and her family.

At the first sight of Ren, Lindsay embarrassingly faints. Rather quickly, Ren and Lindsay get to know each other better and find an undeniable attraction.

This book is so much fun to read. The dialogues are fun and funny. Ditto the situations and the cast of characters -- including Brook, Deb and Patty. At the same time, no one is a one-dimensional jester or comic relief. They are all well-rounded people who add to the goings-on in wonderful ways.

The whole past life angle was frankly quite unnecessary and forced. It particularly felt that way because Lindsay is not overly angsty about it. She is funny, cool, quite adorable -- and very, very present. Lindsay's fainting may have been because of Roo but her relationship with Ren is never driven by a past life hangover. The second reason that the past life angle seemed unnecessary was because we never get to know how Ren feels about it or how she deals with it. However, this angle is used to create the conflict in the relationship (we felt that this one could've done without any conflict. Their parting was already inevitable with Ren's imminent move to Paris. But well).

Both, Lindsay and Ren are so, so attractive. The ending was kind of hurried and didn't have any lead up but the two ladies are just so lovely that we found ourselves not caring about shortfalls in the plot or pacing -- we were just happy that they got together.

This is definitely recommended: lovely ladies, excellent chemistry, great supporting cast and high fun factor in the writing.

Do you believe in past lives?

Having stumbled on a CD that gave teenage Lindsay a glimpse into her past life brought on more than a decade long of reliving memories of a name and face until she met the person in her dreams, present day, Ren, in the flesh.

Are you destined to fall in love with the same person in another life?

Present day Lindsay, a divorcee with a teenage daughter, had the opportunity of a lifetime to uncover and pursue the mystery of the person who has haunted her dreams but are they meant to be together again in this lifetime?

The story has a refreshing theme for f/f romance and intriguing to say the least. A solid read for readers who are seeking for a different genre. Would have loved to see the author sharing more of the ladies’ love that has transpired over the two lives.

Waiting for you was amazing! Lindsay and Ren were wonderfully written. Their romance was a fully realized relationship. The hilarious, witty, outrageous dialog…I just could not stop laughing. OMG the vagina naming conversation----to die for! Not only was the main storyline wonderful, but I loved how much was packed into this story. Mrs. Stokely, Deb & Corey, Katie & Roo, Brooke, I mean even Sir Barksalot! I laughed, I cried, I fanned my face(hot, sexy scenes) I mean come on! Elle Spencer is becoming one of my favorite writers!

This storyline was interesting and a bit different. For many years Lindsay, an artist, believed she had a relationship in the past with a woman named Roo. Even though Lindsay had Roo’s image in my head and dreamed about her, she never actually painted her until the day Ren arrived in town. Ren came to visit her best friend from college, Deb. When Lindsay first saw Ren, she fainted in Deb’s coffee shop. She believed her to be Roo in the present. The physical attraction between Ren and Lindsay was undeniable. Patty, Lindsay’s best friend, urged her to be honest with Ren about her past obsession/relationship with Roo before they became intimate with each other. Ren did find out…but not from Lindsay. The angst moments took over and the communication level about Roo dropped.

The characters completely made this story very entertaining and funny. There were many laugh out loud moments. They all interacted well with each other and it felt real. The best friends were supportive, loving, and quite sarcastic with each other in a funny and witty way. The mothers and daughters spoke openly with each other knowing they also supported and loved them unconditionally. I also liked how Lindsay created the “ safe zone” around the kitchen island for her and her daughter Brooke to share whatever they were thinking or feeling and it would be okay.

The writing, as usual with this author, was engaging and clever. The only problem I had with this story was Ren and Lindsay’s communication level regarding Roo and how unresolved this left them until the epilogue. It seemed rather rushed, and I felt some things were left unanswered. Aside from that, this story was a great diversion from the outside world.

An ARC was given for an honest review.

4 Stars. Lindsey Hall had this dream when she was in high school about a girl loved in a past life. This dream has haunted and controller her life since then. Lindsey knew she was meant to be with this girl. Her best friend, Patty has told her she should just get over it and liver her life. Ren Christopher is taking a break in Salt Creek to visit her best friend, Deb who owns a coffee shop in town. When Lindsey meets Ren for the first time she faints and knows she is the reincarnation of the girl from her dreams. She knows this is the girl for her. Ren and Lindsey cannot deny the attraction to each other, but Ren is only staying in town for two weeks, so it is not like they can build a relationship.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would from the description, In my opinion, the description made the book sound a little weird. It was not that at all. I enjoyed this book fully and would recommend it. I enjoyed the dynamic between the two characters and how they interacted. They both knew something was strong between them, but it was interesting to see how it evolved. There is a lot of drama and I could not stop reading it. I liked how the characters evolved and changed, especially Ren.

I enjoyed the humor and witty dialogue. I have enjoyed other reads by this author and this story line was different which I appreciated. Although I find past life lived intriguing, it is not something I usually think about or am interested in knowing more about but I can appreciate difference.

The chemistry between Ren and Lindsay was sweet and hot. Ren Christopher, in town visiting her college friend Patty until she heads to London for a new job. Lindsay Hall, divorcée, artist, and mother of a teenage daughter (Brooke). There is a pull when the two meet which is romantic and sexy. The background information and dialogue between the secondary characters was entertaining and funny. Especially comments by Patty, Deb, and Mrs. Stokely as the story unfolded. The ending was abrupt and not as satisfying as I would have liked.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers, Bold Strokes Books Inc., of 'Waiting for You", for affording me the opportunity to read the book and review it.

This was a 5 star read for me from the first page and held my interest throughout. This was a really decent read, full of well-described multi-dimensional interesting characters, and several interesting storylines merging into others. The chemistry between Ren and Lindsay was electricity on the page and yet it was so much more than a cosy lesbian romance.

When an author writes as well as Elle Spencer does, as a reader every page is a delight to read. I don't want to give away any spoilers so won't comment further on the various plots and the plot twists and turns, Suffice it to say that "Waiting for You" is a very enjoyable well-written novel and I thoroughly recommend it.

This was an easy and fast read. I think I read it in one sitting.

I enjoy all of Elle Spencer's novels, and though I don't think this was her best work, I still enjoyed it. The plot was a little iffy, and the characters a little wacky, but I didn't mind. There are just days where I just want to read a book without having to think too hard on the plot, you know? My brain needs to slow down for a second. Out of all the characters, I think my favorite was Mrs. Stokely. I would actually love a prequel with her and Millie, even though it would probably make me cry.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I found this to be a really interesting twist on the second-chance romance trope.. Or, if there is a past lives trope, this is my first encounter with it.

MCs Lindsay and Ren were both interesting. They had a delightful opposites attract/ instant chemistry thing going on. Their meet cute was pretty great, and I love how it brought in Mrs. Stokely, who had a wonderful character arc.

I loved that Lindsay and Ren both had incredibly loyal best friends, although Patty seemed a bit much to me at times. She seemed to think she knew what was best for Lindsay and it came off as overprotective or perhaps even jealous. Deb was a lot more laid back and I found her to be really funny.

As already mentioned, Lindsay and Ren had some intense chemistry. Things got VERY STEAMY. Like, need to take a cold shower level. So that was obviously well done, in my opinion.

I thought that the book was great overall, but I must say I did not love the epilogue. That being said, I am definitely interested in reading more by Elle Spencer.

Ever since Lindsay learned about her past-life lover Roo while hypnotized with her BFF Patty in high school, she couldn't forget her. Now, in her late thirties, Lindsay was divorced with a teenage daughter Brooke, painting a little boy no one knew and Roo. When Ren dropped by the small town of Salt Creek visiting her BFF Deb before moving to work in Paris, Lindsay promptly fainted at the sight of her.

I cannot stress how much I enjoyed the whole story. It was way cuter than I had anticipated, filled with raw feelings, funny banters, and so much love between friends, family, and lovers. I always love an emotional read with a bit of pain and lots of love. Spencer did just that and more in "Waiting for You". The tenderness of Lindsay and Ren's relationship was beautiful, and both of them and their friends were genuinely wonderful people. I love every single one of them.

The story is unique with main and secondary characters spanning across multiple generations. And I do not mean past lives. Mrs. Stokely was close to eighty while Lindsay, Patty, Ren, and Deb were in their late thirties. Then there were the seventeen-year-olds, Brooke and Deb's daughter Corey. They enriched the book with perspectives and life events that only people in very different stages of life could have had.

Maybe it was because of the paintings, or the short two-week time frame Ren had, "Waiting for You" reminded me of "Portrait of a Lady on Fire". The ending of the movie was not exactly a happily-ever-after, but an open-ended longing. While romance novels aways have happy endings, this book would still be as good if it ended like that.

In addition to the wonderful characters and plot, I have to give a shoutout to the bi+ representation. Though Lindsay never dated women until Ren, her attraction to women was always valid. I am glad Lindsay clarified that.

"Waiting for You" was my first Elle Spencer read, and I fell in love. I will definitely be reading more of her works.