This book was brilliantly written, the chemistry between the characters clearly shined through and it was very enjoyable. It's a cute and quick read that could definitely get you out of a bad mood. I love enemies to lovers in a book, it's really fun to see the growth between two characters and how they go from one extreme emotion to another. It was very exciting to see a different kind of romance, in the sense of the age gap which isn't normally present in romance novels, but in this one it brought something new to the table which I really enjoyed. I think though maybe this book could have been a little bit shorter, as there were some unnecessary parts that I think didn't add to the story. The six month jump at the end kind of irritated me because I feel like we didn't get to see the change from friendship to relationship clearly enough but I was satisfied with the ending. I wish that the author made Lily more confident in other things than just her friendship with Celia. If we was to see her go to Denmark again with Celia and stand up her to grandma that would have been a better ending in my opinion. This book is very different to what I have read before because I haven't really read much LGBTQ+ books, however I would like to read more and this was the perfect starting point. I rated this book four stars and would definitely recommend to people who I know love romance books.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

Detour to love is an easy read, but was a lot more serious than I was expecting based on the cover and the summary. I was expecting a rom-com and this was not that. Other than the fact that the two end up together I don’t know that I would even consider it a romance. I think it would have been much stronger to have them not end up together and have the book be considered women’s fiction.

My biggest struggle was that I didn’t believe in Lily and Celia as a couple. I honestly think Lily and Celia are much stronger as friends. The book had absolutely no heat to it. It is a clean romance, but you can have longing and heat in clean romances. I just read it and I have no idea what the attraction was between the two of them beyond companionable friendship. Also the book never reveals if Celia is gay, bi, pan, or somewhere in between. Lily asks Celia point blank more than once in the book and she never answers. I guess the answer is “not straight” because they end up together, but I would like for my lesbian romances to at least give me two characters who can admit they’re queer.

Also it is one of my pet peeves when a book involves traveling and multiple cities but you never really “see” the cities. The book revolved around a trip to Tokyo but literally all of the Tokyo scenes on page are at the hotel. I appreciated the Tivoli scenes, but even the Edinburgh scenes could have been anywhere with a castle.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Stroke Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: excessive drinking, homophobia, death of a parent, references to suicide

Amanda Radley’s book always make me happy because I know that I am going to be entertained. The writing is great, there’s humor, great characters and a wonderful and an original story. This book did not disappoint! The story with Alan was hilarious!!! I laughed so hard. But the best part was how Celia and Lily fell in love over time. I loved it and I can’t wait for the next book.

A cute little story of a blossoming relationship between 2 women.

Something that started on rocky waters between then turned into fluffiness (i know it's not a word, don't @ me).
The present age gap between them only slowed them down a bit. It was rather refreshing to see a couple that's not the usual find in romance novels.
Even though they did end up going through quite a lot together, I am extremely happy that the book didn't fall into the typical Lesbian stereotype of 24 hour romance.... Or at least it wasn't obviously mutual.

The plot flowed smooth, POV was from both main characters, Lily and Celia. You got to take a look into the thoughts of both ladies as they battled their personal situations.

Easy read, beautiful book.

Please note that there is topics of grief, dismissal of sexuality ("it'll pass"), and topics of suicide.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for gifting me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My first Radley read and I couldn't be happier! This book was do great! The story was well written. I couldn't help but love these people. This book is a warm hearted with a great story to be told!
I really loved the way this is told. Her writing is so unique and I'm already on Kindle store looking for more!

A fun and quick read that follows two women's travels from the UK to Tokyo and back again, with some delays and detours that throw them into each other's path.

It was a rough start for me, as the one of the MCs seemed to be very unlikable. I was won around though as we followed the two women on their travels. The support they showed each other and their growing friendship was lovely to read about.

It did find it a little uneven in pace, with the romance only kicking in right at the end. I would have found it a more satisfying romance with another 100 pages or so, showing us the romance rather than leap a month and then six months into the future.

However the issues raised were handled well, the various travel disasters and cities they visited were fun, and again watching the friendship develop were enough for me to really enjoy this book.

This is a slow burn age-gap romance. Celia, a high profile insurance broker meets Lily, a children's book illustrator, at the airport. Both on their way to Tokyo. Celia is going to accept an award she does not want and Lily is on her way to meet her online love interest.

The two do not get along and their flight does not go smoothly. But slowly they from tentative friendship while developing feelings for each other.

It's a heartwarming, clean and smut free (and a bit sad) story about two women helping each other. Celia and Lily balance each other out. The age gap is big tho and might not be everyone's cup of tea.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

To think I almost passed on this book! For some reason the blurb didn't grab me and I was doubting whether or not to read the book but I am very glad I did. This is one those book where you hit it off with both characters. The banter was really fun, dialogue flowed easily and there was a good mix of drama, humor and a bit of romance. The connection that formed between Celia and Lily was written very well, you could see it happening. The romance is definitely slowburn and apart from a kiss or two there is not much action. Which actually works out fine, I also liked the fact that no label was put on Celia... she appeared straight in the beginning of the story but why do you need labels anyway if it's about the connection between two people regardless gender? I would have been happier if the romance, when finally admitted by both women was also described instead of making a 6 month jump in time.

There is an age gap by the way, and a pretty big one too, but even though I normally don't really fancy that in a story it didn't bother me at all. This was a really pleasant read that reminded me of a good british romcom.

***An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. ***

This was a cute f/f romance. It was quite slow burn, dealt really well with mental health and grief, and was sweet. It was not sexually explicit at all, which can be unusual for romance novels. I wasn't hopping up and down about what it said about online romantic relationships but that's about it.

This was so fun and such a great summer "beach read" for 2021.

I loved the travel element and in a time where we aren't able to travel anywhere, this was escapism at its very best and I was here for it!

On a flight from Heathrow to Tokio two different women sit by each other: Celia is 51 and has a heavy emotional baggage, while Lilly is 25 and is happy to be meeting her online crush soon.
They can't stand each other to begin with, but nothing is what it seems and, due to unexpected events, they get to really know each other.
I loved this book, it's a lovely, fun read!
It's wonderfully written, the story develops easily, but with a few twists that glue you to go on reading. The characters are lively, engaging and spot on.
This was my first book by this author and also the first one of this genre and I wasn't disappointed at all!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review

This book is lovely and touched my heart in so many ways. It’s a (sometimes frustrating) slow burn, it’s kind of a rom-com, it’s a bit angsty, and it involves many hard-hitting events. This couple’s age gap is the largest I’ve read in a romance – Lily is 25 and Celia is 51 – but that didn’t deter me in the slightest.

I love Lily’s storyline and find parts of her journey intensely relatable. She’s a talented children’s book illustrator who isn’t rich but doesn’t mind. She goes through some heart-wrenching experiences throughout the course of this book, but she only comes back stronger. She’s at once idealistic and levelheaded. She also has a penchant for older women.

Celia. Oh, Celia…where do I even begin? At the beginning of this novel, Celia’s behavior is downright atrocious and Lily, for some reason (because Celia’s hot?), is beyond patient with her. But once Celia’s backstory was revealed, I couldn’t help but ache for her. Celia maintains her caustic sense of humor throughout the book, which makes for an adorable opposites-attract romance with sweet, girl-next-door Lily.

I love that Celia and Lily end up traveling the world together – sometimes by choice, and sometimes not. (Tivoli Gardens is now on my “To-Visit” list <3). I also love that these two women find each other in their hours of need, which leads to a beautiful friendship-turned-romance.

This had so much potential to be a five-star read for me, but a few areas fell short. Basically, I wanted more from this book and thought it could have benefitted from as much as 100 extra pages. I wish we’d gotten a better sense of the places Celia and Lily visit and I wish we’d gotten more descriptions of the sensual attraction between the leads.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A really adorable read! One of my favorite genres of books is that slightly-cheesy rom-com, and this fits in perfectly. I adore the fact that it's an LGBTQIA+ novel and fits in just right with all the other rom-coms out there. Wonderfully written, the characters are lively and fun to get to know. I really enjoyed this one!

What a wonderful book! Amanda Radley is one of my favorite authors. Lilly is looking for love in Japan and goes on quite an adventure. and meets Celia. The plot is the adventure/course of finding love. It id definitely a detour to love. The characters are great and unique. Each one has their own baggage and need each other to be whole. This book is a great read about age gap lesbians and the trials of that love. I recommend this book to all who like lesbian romance and a tour around the world.

Two opposites sit by each other on a flight from London to Tokyo. Celia is 51, successful in business, ending a 20 year marriage and jaded. Children's illustrator Lily is 25, friendly, shy and is flying to meet her online crush. They start off annoying each other but due to circumstances each is put in the position of helping the other over the next couple of days.

I liked:
Easy conversations. You could see friendship developing.
Helping and supporting someone in need.
Clean read for language and smut.

Disliked:
They travel to some of my favorite places but other than Tivoli and Edinburgh the locations were not highlighted and could have been any where or nowhere.
At 90 percent Lily still doesn't know if Celia is attracted to her or if she is straight. This is too far into the book for there not to be an explanation is she is bi, pan or has been with women in the past.
The age difference is huge and did bother me.

The story is quick, easy to read but a little uneven in pacing. It starts funny (circus clowns on a plane) then covers a couple of serious situations. The book needs some heat and passion which can be done still keeping the story clean. When I read a romance I want to see it, not have the author leap a month or six into the future leaving me to fill in the blanks. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: ⁣ ⁣
⁣
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: ⁣𝘈𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢 𝘙𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘺⁣
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝘋𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 ⁣
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⁣𝟹.𝟻 ⭐️ ⁣
⁣⁣
𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐬: ⁣⁣
•I think this was my first sapphic romance novel and it was so wholesome and enjoyable. 🥺 I love that the author decided to make this an age-gap romance too. ⁣
•I loved how this started as enemies to lovers into friendship into more. The progression of their relationship seemed realistic and was well written! The banter is also hilarious. I loved their relationship and how they’d joke around and tease each other all in good nature. ⁣
•I loved how the characters each had their own troubles to work through and how they were able to help each other through the hard times while still keeping the book lighthearted. This book has grief and heart ache but it also has hope and healing. ⁣
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𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬: ⁣⁣
•I would’ve loved some smut. Sorry, that’s just personally something that makes me enjoy a romance novel. 🤷🏼‍♀️ ⁣
•I felt the story was a little slow at times and it was hard for me to want to keep reading. ⁣
•The writing was a little choppy at times and it does have a few typos. It’s nothing that effects the way the story reads but it’s just one of my pet peeves! ⁣
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𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: ⁣⁣
This was a quick, adorable, and wholesome read and I’m glad I had the opportunity to pick it up! ⁣
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𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

Celia is on her way to Tokyo to receive a award for the hard work she done but she doesn’t want it but she going because it’s isn’t right not to accept something that’s given to you.

Lily is going to Tokyo to meet the woman Asami she been talking to for awhile now. When Celia and Lily meet it’s not a great start but when there trouble with the plane and they have to land. This is sign for Celia that she can go home and doesn’t have take a the trip to Tokyo something she didn’t want to go in the first place but then circumstance have her asking Lily for help.

Lily and Celia start to become friends and they both enjoy the banter between them. This was a great age gap romance between a young woman who sees the good in everyone despite what’s happen to her and the older woman who has emotional baggage that been consuming her. I love this author and I notice her themes are aged gap romance and she does it well that sometimes you don’t even know it until the character say how they are.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

This book is an casual read type of book where you can read in between school work without getting lost within the plot. From a comedic flare to love able characters. I’ve never been a fan of age gaps above 15-20 years but still managed to ship and love the main pairing. Though while reading this book I couldn’t help but hope for more flirtatious or passionate encounters between said pairing nevertheless they were still cute. Also at times Celia was very unreadable as a character, for example in the first few chapters she was nothing but rude to ever so polite Lily. This book did have a lack of expression, I would have loved to see lily stand up for herself, to both Celia and her grandma..

Then With a not so unexpected twist (Asami) then an actual unexpected twist ( Celia’s sons truth) this book had a good mix of humor and reality.

Yet, the book did have a good plot and interesting storyline so an overall recommended rate read.

Detour to Love by Amanda Radley was such a cute, fun read!

I really liked the plot. The idea of two strangers meeting on a flight and growing closer as they deal with everything that goes wrong together seemed like such a sweet idea to me and I was not disappointed in the slightest. The execution was just as great as the concept.

The characters were very well written. Lily is an open person that sees the best in everyone while Celia is a bit more jaded. Throughout the novel however, we see some of the cracks in her armor as she slowly begins to let Lily in. I loved the dynamic between these two women and the way in which they were both there for each other over and over again. It was lovely to watch as both of them developed feelings for each other. While I highly enjoyed their blossoming relationship, I also really adored these two characters as individuals. Lily and Celia are each dealing with their own troubles and you can’t help but empathize with them both.

I enjoyed the writing a lot. The story flowed smoothly and I got through this book in a day. The banter between Lily and Celia was really fun and I adore the atmosphere that Radley created.

This novel is just perfect to cozy up with on a weekend and block out the world. If you’re in the mood for a fun, adorable, sapphic rom-com then you should definitely check this one out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.