4.5 Stars

Loving Love is the seventh book in the In Midsummer series. This Jessica Frances story is definitely best read as part of the series. Hell, just to get to know why fans of this series love Love so much.

So yes, we are finally getting Love's story. Woo Hoo!

Rian's back in town after being away for seventeen years. I enjoy their easy going reunion, as it could have been very ugly instead.

Rian's reasons for having left are heartbreaking. I felt so bad for her.

Their story involves some understanding and forgiveness.

And, by now you know about the drug problem at the school, Well, Love is out to solve the crime and of course it will cause some trouble.

Loving Love is a great, fun lesbian romance. Once again, Jessica Frances combines a nice romance with some action and danger. And oh, the ending is fabulous!

Thank you Netgalley for this free ARC for an exchange of an honest review.
I thought this quirky sweet love story was really lovely. Great read.

Seventeen years ago, Rian fled Midsummer and her horrible parents, leaving behind the love of her life. Finally able to face her past and the consequences of decisions made at seventeen, she comes back and soon finds out that not everyone in her family is awful. Her brother Rocky and his husband Conner welcome her with open arms. As to Love, the girl she left behind, she’s now an amazing woman who makes Rian’s heart stutter just as much as when they were teenagers.

The first six books in this series are m/m and this seventh and final can be read as a standalone but I did feel a bit lost at the beginning. I didn’t mind the feeling in chapters told from Rian’s point of view, since she’s missed so much too, but with Love, there were so many references to past events that it kept distracting me from the story. I ended up reading the blurbs and a few reviews of the previous books, which at least made me feel like I knew anything essential to the dynamics of the characters.

From what I gathered, Love and Conner tend to get into trouble all the time. Love is an investigative journalist, and when this story begins, she’s investigating drug-related deaths at the local high school. Will her investigation put Rian in danger? You bet it will! The whole story is rather predictable but in a nice, comfy way. Rian and Love are total sweethearts, Conner is the ideal best friend, Rocky is the tough teddy bear big brother we all need, Love’s mother is the best.

The other day, someone in one of my favourite lesfic groups on Facebook asked about cosy mysteries. This is exactly what I expect from a cosy mystery. It’s straightforward, it’s entertaining, there’s some suspense but it’s not exactly scary. Cosy really is the right word. Don’t expect more from this book than what it is: a light, easy second-chance romance with some mystery on the side. Sometimes that’s more than enough.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Leaving her hometown 17 years ago was a decision Rian did not make easily. When she finally returned to the place that gave her grief but also joy, she found herself starting all over again, with the family she left behind and the love that she abandoned.

Read this as a stand-alone and although I didn’t follow the stories of the other couples in the series it was easy to band with all the characters.

A second chance romance, Rian and Love were best friends onto something more till Rian left without a word. Would have preferred more angst to add more to the story (personal preference) but overall an easy read.

I just reviewed Loving Love by Jessica Frances. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Frances's "In Midsummer" series continues, and this story focuses in on Rian and Love. Love has been the faithful sidekick up until this point, so it was nice to see her finally get to lead the story. The intrepid semi-professional journalist is attempting to uncover why so many young teens in the area are facing medical emergencies. This time, she's being assisted by Rian, a character that was oft mentioned yet little seen until now. We are quickly informed about their backstory and why Rian has been out of the narrative, and there's a bit of an inevitability to the affair. Frances has set a high bar with previous installments. It's fun to revisit the world of Midsummer and the characters, yet I wish the mystery was a bit more fleshed out this time.