No Regrets, by Joy Argento, was impossible to put down. The tale of Jodi and Beth and their journey toward each other is riveting. In the hands of a less skilled writer, the shifting first person narrative might serve to confuse, but here this tantalizing device transforms the reader into a voyeur as the women’s lives intertwine and strengthen in the face of life threatening challenges. I highly recommend this exquisite book.

Super cute! Very sweet and adorable. I deff recomend for a light read to get you out of a slump. A little slow in the beginning but picks up daily quickly

An enjoyable book but a bit jumpy for me. I loved the story and could really really relate but the jumping around always confuses me. In actual fact in this book it was done really well I just get confused which time and place we are in! Nonetheless a lovely story with a LOT of emotion

It is happy and sand book in one. This story has so many ups and downs, yet it is so perfect.
The idea of being with someone no matter what or how long it takes to get there is what this story is about. The obstacles, that are the sad part, and lovely happy ending makes it all perfect.
I truly enjoyed this one.

No Regrets is a slow burn romance between mains Jodi and Beth. As the story opens a big reveal is dropped and then we get swept away to learn everything that has happened up until the big reveal. These types of books can be tricky and often boring, but not No Regrets. I liked that it started in the present (sort of) then moves to the past and then to the present and then future. It made it very enjoyable to read. I enjoyed the friendship built between the mains over years once we got back to the present, I loved how Beth pushes Jodi to not give up. It really was just a good read.

4 stars

This arc was provided by netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.

Jodi Michaels has a couple of kids, a business, a girlfriend that she followed across the US when her girlfriend was promoted, what she doesn't have is good friends until she meets Beth Bellamy. Beth has a troublesome teen daughter, a successful hairdressing business, then Jodi walks into her life. They have a connection and become best friends until it becomes more, then it gets complicated and the timing of events in their lives seem to conspire against them.
I thought this book was ok but it did get a little slow for me and I don't think there was quite enough depth in the storyline with regards to the characters and how they were portraying their feelings when things got tough.  I just wasn't feeling the emotional connection with them unfortunately but the premise for the storyline was good.

The idea of this book was great, however the execution was not. The story felt choice, lines were unrealistic and choppy. I wanted to like this book so much, but i couldn't get past the flashing lack of edited content.

No Regrets is the first time for me to read a Joy Argento book, and it's not going to be my last.

The story is written in the first person version, I'm not a lover of that style but once started I thought I'd peruse and boy am I glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was eager to find out the full story.

This is a story between Beth and Jodie, both drawn to each other, from friendship to love.

A sweet story that brings them together, they go through a tough stage and cancer raises its ugly head, but I have to be honest the subject is written well and sensitively.

A great book to read

This is the story of Beth Jodie, who meets when Jodie is going to have her hair cut. Jodie recently moved to Rochester, NY with a partner and children.
She doesn't know anyone but clicks right away with Beth. They become friends until it becomes more.They both starts to developed feelings for each other. Beth is surprise to feel this way for a another woman and wants to respect Jodi relationship with her partner Claire, so she distance herself from Jodi by dating a man and they get married. Beth and Jodi don’t see each other for a while. The story takes place over 5 or 6 years.
I couldn't put this book down, even if I tried. I liked everything. It was really good novel.
This is my first Joy Argento book and I look forward to reading more from her.

This is an emotional story that really pulls into focus the narrative of love in times of adversity but, I'm pleased to see, offers us a new form away from heteronormativity of health care. I struggle with the jumping POV but I can see it's value for gaining perspectives. The cancer aspect is upsetting, so do tread with caution should this - and prospects of death - be of a sore area for you. I felt it surrounding the idea of existence and dying one day so aspects of this can be difficult. But stories are there to make us think, to make us feel, and this certainly does that. Overall, a new and heartening story that I'd recommend to read.

This story has been hard on the one hand and hopeful on the other. The two protagonists have been superb in the way they face the complicated situations in which the author has put them, behaving with complete integrity and coherence, without ever losing their spirits or their sense of humor. I would like to be like them, in a difficult situation. I hope to be like them, in a difficult situation.

The rhythm of the story, the way the author develops it, allows us to put ourselves in the place of the two women. The chapters are short, the point of view alternates between Jodi and Beth.

As I said, the subject is not easy, but I, who am not very into dramas and angst, have enjoyed this story a lot. And if we talk about slow burn romance, this one may be the perfect example for it and for toaster oven romance, too.

First off: CW for life threatening illness. If that’s not your thing, you shouldn’t read this book!
‘No Regrets’ is a very sweet, heartwarming toaster oven romance.
It’s the story of Beth Jodie, who meet when Jodie goes to get her haircut. Jodie has recently moved to Rochester, NY from Denver, CO with her partner and kids. She doesn’t have any friends and she and Beth click right away. They start off as friends until it develops into more.
This was a little hard for me to get into because the way the story is told. The storyline takes place over 5 or 6 years. It skips ahead in time quite a bit and a lot of their relationship and interactions take place off page. I sometimes found this aggravating because I like to see a more direct narrative and watch their relationship build and grow. You do see the most important bits like their friendship developing into being best friends and eventually realizing their feelings might delve deeper than just friendship.
Timing works against them a lot because Jodie is in a relationship when they meet. Later, Beth marries a man to help try to fight the feelings she’s having for a woman. Growing up in church and still attending the church, she doesn’t want to be questioned or judged for her feelings for someone of the same sex. Luckily, there isn’t too much drama surrounding sexuality and religion and it’s settled pretty quickly. There’s no physical cheating but I would say there is emotional cheating as they both admit feelings for people other than their significant other.
Argento uses alternating first person point of view for this story. I usually don’t care for this POV but I think it really works for this. It’s very useful to see where each character is coming from when they make some of the questionable choices they end up making along the way.
Overall, I would say to definitely give this book a chance. It’s well written and covers some tough subjects. Argento isn’t preachy about the religion and addresses the serious illness in a truthful manner.
This is my first Joy Argento book and I look forward to reading more from her.
An ARC was given to me by NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review.

I was extremely touched by this book. I enjoyed it more than what I expected.
Before I continue, if cancer subject is a trigger, proceed carefully.
It tends to be complicated to discover and allow yourself loving someone else out of a marriage, same sex or not and Argento had sensitivity when bringing it to her pages.
The cancer subject is also a tough one and the way the book approached it made me keep reading.
The narrative shifts POV from Jodi and Beth talking first person. It is not usually my favorite POV, but I can say that it worked here and we could get to know them and their dramas this way. This is my first Joy Argento experience and I think I may check her previous and future books.

This is a gentle but effective woman+woman romance. It deals with gender fluidity, children, family values and faith as well as crisis management. For me it had a bit of a slow start but I felt there was genuine warmth towards the characters from the author. For me the gay aspect was softened a lot by the presence of each partners children and the fact that both had led heterosexual lives previously. It was a little tame for me but I liked that the fluid nature of attraction was explored.

This book bucks the typical romance formula, and I like it. The story is delivered through a dual, first person point of view between the two main characters, and begins with a flashback to when the two met. It progresses over several years through their relationship beginning as friends then developing deeper feelings all the while being kept apart while navigating their own unhappy relationships and life. Just when I thought they would see some happiness, illness strikes.

I couldn’t put the book down, even if I tried. I liked everything about it. It was truly unique, and really enjoyable. This is the type of book where I want to thank the author for writing it.

No Regrets is the love affair that almost didn’t happen for Jodi and Beth, Timing isn’t in their favor as years go by while roadblocks such as obligations and go old fashioned fear keep them at arms length despite the palpable attraction. It was a long and arduous road to get their chance, maybe a bit too long. A worthy read nonetheless. I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This isn't the type of book I normally read, mainly because it deals with serious illness, but the overall premise sounded interesting. Two women meet and forge a friendship that becomes more. The reader gets to follow the story by hearing both women's points of view, which I loved because it gives the reader more insight into what each character is going through.

Overall, nicely told and written very well. Heartbreaking, but an engrossing read nevertheless.

Jodi Michaels and her two children have relocated to Rochester, New York, along with her partner, Claire. She goes to a local salon to get her haircut and meets the owner/stylist, Beth Bellamy. Being new in Rochester Jodi is need of a friend and she connects with Beth while at the salon. Beth is also needing a new sign for her hair salon and Jodi just happens to be a sign maker. They quickly become friends and enjoy some meals, plays, and conversation. Jodi learns that Beth is a single mother of a daughter and straight.

Jodi's relationship with Claire is more of a roommate situation with a few kisses thrown in for good measure. Jodi knows that relationships dim over time and she feels that she should be thankful that she has someone who provides for her and her children. She tries to initiate sex every once in a while and Claire accommodates her about every six months, but their infrequent sex life leaves her wanting more.

Jodi and Beth eventually come to have feelings for each other, but for a variety of reasons and the respective people in their lives, they never admit their feelings to each other. Then tragedy strikes. Without going into the details of the story, the reader is left to wonder whether Jodi will let Beth stand by her side or not.

The book is formatted in alternating chapters between Jodi and Beth's point of views and takes place over maybe six or so years. It was a very quick read and tugged at a variety of my emotions including empathy, laughter, and it brought me to tears. Having never read a book by this author, I discovered a new writing talent in Joy Argento. She certainly knows how to weave a story of complex emotions. I highly recommend this book and author to other readers.

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If cancer/ any other serious illness is a trigger for you, you might want to prepare yourself for this one.

Jodi recently moved to Rochester with her two kids and her girlfriend. She has not really been able to make any friends in her new town. That all changes when she goes to get a haircut at Beth's salon. Beth and Jodi share a connection that makes them best friends almost instantly. Thye both feel an attraction to be more than just friends but neither woman acts on it because of several reasons. When they get back into each other's lives years later it's like no time has passed between them. When Beth finally feels ready to take charge of her feelings Jodi has gotten some health news. She is suffering from pancreatic cancer, the same cancer that took her mom's life. Jodi doesn't want to let Beth in any longer because she doesn't want to hurt her, Beth is not ready to stop fighting, but will they have enough time?

This book takes place over a couple of years. For me some parts seem like they are too short and are glossed over a bit, others seem a bit long and windy, but overall I like the setup of this book. I find Beth a bit of a frustrating character in the beginning and I find it hard to understand how someone coming from such a religious family with strong religious beliefs is just so easily accepted by her family (and herself even if it took a couple of years). I think the story lacks a bit of depth on that front, but I don't really mind it, religious struggles towards acceptance are not my cup of tea. As for Jodi, when she gets her diagnosis she is so strong-minded and down, it's the complete opposite of the character she is in the first half of the book. But that's what a serious illness can do to a person so it is sort of fitting, but I would have like to see her a bit stronger in her relationship in the first half. Overall I enjoyed this book, it was confronting, heartbreaking, and heartwarming all at the same time

This was a beautiful and heartbreaking story about love and fortitude.

Beth and Jodi’s relationship was so real. The partnership they shared was a joy to read about. When Jodi gets sick their strength is tested. I really enjoyed this story. It made me laugh and cry. Not everything in life happens how we ever expect it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for providing an Arc in exchange for an honest review. When I see this book available on Goodreads, I’ll be sure to share my review there :)