Frankly just adorable and very quick and easy to read. It’s hard to phrase my thoughts without spoilers, but 100% a great pick for anyone in the mood for this style of novel.

A solid read from Susie Dumond! A really cute well done story with very lovable characters! I also really enjoyed the representation in this book and I am so glad that these books exist!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with this ARC.

3.5 stars. I enjoyed the read. A lot of LGBT rep, but felt a lot of it was stereotypes. The premise of the book was good and interesting, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the main character. The timeline felt a little bit off too since it was 2013 but people were introducing themselves with pronouns, which wasn’t really a thing then.

Anyway,
I wouldn’t call it a romance, more general fiction.

The best parts of the book were the discussions about LGBTQIA rights/daily life.

I actually enjoyed this! The romance felt ancillary at best and the characterization was a little inconsistent, but as someone who lived through the early 2010s, it felt almost surreal to read this as historical fiction. I loved the conversations about queerness and marriage and I found myself really invested in Amy's journey.

Thanks to Dial and NetGalley for this ARC.

I loved this book! Amy was such a complex & lovable narrator, and I'm obsessed with the queer found family vibes. The setting of early-2010s Tulsa was unique and vividly captured. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and PRH for an ARC of this book.

Trigger warnings: Religion, homophobia, alcohol, accidental outing, mentions of conversion camps.

As a former professional baker, the cover hooked me right away. Somewhere between a coming-of-age and self-acceptance story, Queerly Beloved follows Amy, a closeted Christian baker by day, and a lesbian bartender by night.

I really loved the diversity and Amy's chosen family (oftentimes better than the real deal) and how Dumond thoughtfully displayed various parts of queerness. Coming out isn't a "one and done" kind of deal, and seeing this through Amy's point of view was a very special, sometimes raw, experience.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was sweet, deeply heartfelt tale of love, friendship, and identity.

Thoughts and Themes: I was drawn to this book just based on the cover of it and I am glad I had the chance to read it. I winded up listening to this one on audio and really enjoyed the audio version of this book.

I tend to not read romance books because of the spice scenes which I am not a big fan of. This book includes a few of those scenes but they are not overdone and they add to the plot without deterring so I found them to be well done. I do think that this book is marketed as a romance but it is more of a story in which Amy is finding herself and learning to embrace that with some romance included throughout.

There were quite a few things that I really enjoyed throughout this book. I really enjoyed how we get a chance to see what it is like for Amy to have two separate lives, one in which she is out and another in which she is closeted. I like how this book brings up how hard it is to be a queer person of color or someone who doesn’t fit the binary living in that small town. I also really enjoy how this book talks about what marriage equality means for Queer people but also how it isn’t everything people think it is and how there is still more work to be done.

I also really enjoyed Amy being a baker and also her brief time as a backup bridesmaid. I really enjoyed getting to see her be in her element even as she hides a piece of herself that is important to her. I liked getting a glimpse at some of the weddings that Amy has to work at and the mess that she gets herself into at some of them.

Characters: In this book you get introduced to several characters through their interactions with our main character, Amy. You get to meet some of her friends, Damian and Joel, her family, the love interest, Charley, and more.

I really enjoyed all of the relationships that are included in this book and love hearing about Amy’s relationship with her friends. I loved getting to see how she allowed herself to just be who she is around them without worrying about others finding out about her queerness.

I also really enjoyed the relationship between Amy and her mother. I love how Amy goes to her mom for so much yet her mother pushes her to make Queer friends to talk to because she doesn’t understand everything. I love how supportive Amy’s mother is of her and how you also see Amy’s mother in Amy when she is supporting a Queer youth later in the story.

Writing Style: This story is told in third person through the perspective of Amy. I really like having romance books be written in third person because I can detach from them and am able to enjoy the story as an outsider. I like that we only get things told to us in the perspective of Amy because we don’t see how others are feeling as things fall apart. I also really liked how this story is more than just a romance story and has parts that aren’t just about Charley and Amy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of "Queerly Beloved" by Susie Dumon,

Amy is a baker by trade with a love of weddings. When she gets fired from her job at a bakery for being gay only a day after she has finally met someone she wants to date Amy doesn't know what to do with herself. So when she meets a couple who ask her to come help at her estranged cousin's wedding she doesn't hesitate, at least the cash will be good.

I started the book really liking Amy but for me her people pleasing attitude, willingness to change to whatever is needed, and passive-aggressive avoidance of arguments started to really annoy me midway through the book. However, the character change in Amy toward the end was great, it was what made the book fun and enjoyable again. Amy's change to be more true to herself, after advocating that to her ex-boss's daughter, turned things around. I also thought the setting was great if a little unsettling, of only because you know that this is still happening (or at least was when the book was set) and that these feelings are still there. Charley's explanation at the end did feel a bit of a cop out for her on again off again feelings and reaching out even with Regi's push for Amy to be herself toward the end as well.

Overall I enjoyed the baking aspects and the wedding aspects as well as the growth of the characters at the end of the story and gave it 4 stars.

Not my usual read, so much the better! Amusing book with weddings and baked goods to boot. A light, quick read when you need it.

I really wanted to love this book just based on the title and cover alone, but I found it very difficult to get into. I honestly did not finish the book, but after reading more than half of it, I just couldn’t tell what Amy’s actual goal was. It felt like it was very focused on her anxiety around coming out and nothing else. It just didn’t feel like a cohesive book to me.

"𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦."

Amy is a queer baker in pre-marriage equality Oklahoma struggling with balancing being her authentic self and making a living in a conservative state. While this may look like a romcom based on the cover, it's really the story of her journey.

I loved Amy's supportive family and her LGBTQ friends but the book was just okay for me. Some aspects really threw me (did people really introduce themselves using their chosen pronouns in 2013?) and others (like her love interest) felt underdeveloped. What I appreciated most was the discussion of gay marriage and how some characters saw it as a heteronormative construct while others yearned to be able to make that commitment. With LGBTQ rights under attack throughout the country right now, it's an important reminder about why marriage equality should not be taken for granted.

Thanks to Random House for a copy to review.

3.5 stars

I ended up DNFing this book, unfortunately. I found the actions of a lot of characters unbelievable to the point where I could no longer suspend my disbelief; I was too annoyed but how many times I found myself saying, "who does that??" The pacing felt very off as well; it felt like it was moving through events too fast but at the same time nothing was actually happening. Like the author was simply checking boxes in a list of things they wanted to happen in this book.

The first thing I noticed about this book was the cover - it is absolutely gorgeous. Once I read the synopsis I knew I had to get my hands on it!
The premises of the book is so good. LGBTQ+, handling homophobia, baking, and finding love? Sounds like the makings for a great read. Somewhere in the middle it felt a little slow and I was finding my mind wander while reading. Overall it's still a great read that I would recommend.

Oh freaking hell, I wanted to love this book so much. The cover is to die for and being a professional baker, I need more queer baking books, but unfortunately I feel very lackluster about this one.

I'll admit that the last hour or so of the audio was very redeeming and I loved the epilogue and it's truly sad that the rest of the book didn't meet my high expectations.

Amy is a baker. She works at a Christian bakery by day and bartends at a queer bar by night. She's closeted at the bakery and is fighting a losing battle staying that way. When she inevitably gets fired for being queer , she needs money and finds herself setting up a professional bridesmaid gig. Sadly for her, that's got her still in the closet and unable to be her true self.

This could've been so good. It had so much potential but I really didn't like Amy very much. The supporting cast of characters are the winners here and even those we get very little detail on. Amy is supposedly crushing on a woman named Charley who came into the bakery right before she got fired. New to town, Amy offers to give Charley tours of the Oklahoma city and ends up falling fast. We get so few details about their romance and it was incredibly unbelievable. Amy puts a ton of pressure on Charley then has the audacity to be upset when Charley doesnt reciprocate feelings right away.

Don't get me started on how the only thing we know about Charley is that she's new to town, butch, and is an engineer who makes a point to say how helpful she is to indigenous communities by aiding and fighting against oil companies or something. This was a point that I'm sure was meant well but felt very performative coming from a the white MC and her white LI. Like do you want a gold star sticker for being decent? Idk,. It was just an odd piece of information to repeatedly say over and over when we get no other info on Charley or her job.

Then there's the setting and time period. This is set in Oklahoma in 2013 right during the "debate" about marriage equality in the US. There's no denying that we need books with nuanced conversations about marriage equality and being queer in red states, but this one brought in so many perspectives and didn't really get a chance to delve deep into any of it. There was a brief moment where it was mentioned that marriage equality is seen as the end all of queer equality when it is really the itty bitty baby first step. There's also a point about how it's forcing queer people into heteronormative standards. There was a mention of how little marriage equality does for poly and aromantic folks. It was filled with great beginnings of conversations but none ever went further than a comment.

I know this book will mean a lot to people, and I surely seem to be in the minority, especially among queer bookstagram. It saddens me that this wasn't a favorite of mine.

It's one I will still recommend because I truly believe there's an audience for it, and I will also continue to read the author's future books, but this fell flat for me.

I wanted to love this sapphic romance, but I don’t feel like this was a romance. It felt like an after thought, like I actually forgot that there was a love interest and the resolution between the MCs felt rushed and forced.

This book was a delight to read, with a great friend group… when those friends were speaking to each other. There was waaaaaaaay too many subplots happening within this title and I felt like conflict was drawn out way to much.

While the book was set in 2013, centred around the legalization of marriage for the LGBTQIA community, the epilogue was set in the late 2020s. I feel like this book has SO much potential, but it needed another round of edits before it was published.

If you read this thinking that it’s NOT a romance, I think you might like it more.

Queerly Beloved by Susie Dumond. Pub Date: May 3rd, 2022. Rating: 🌟🌟🌟.5. First off, what an amazing cover design. Secondly, this book is full of baked goods, wedding vibes and love in all shapes, sizes and genders. Amy is a female who feels she has to hide her identity to keep her job, but all that changes when Charlie walks through the door where she works. This novel is about being your authentic self, standing up for what you believe in, loving in all forms and genders as well as believing in the beauty of love. I really enjoyed this novel. Thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #netgalley #randomhouse #queerlybeloved #bookstagram #bibliophile #igreads #bookworm

Cheers to Net Galley for this ARC (while my physical copy sat in the preorder queue)

I loved this refreshing and realistic twist. This novel not only has the slow burn of what could be but also emphasizes the importance of friendship.

Among many aspects I enjoyed about this novel. I awkwardly celebrated in how it stripped away the magical pretense of new relationships. Instead of insta-love, this book revels in hesitation and stumbles of new relationship anticipation.

A book about finding (and adjusting) boundaries while also mixing in a dose of historically accurate perspective. A nice reminder the importance of not making assumptions based on conjecture.

Now to go make some cupcakes..

Okay, I finished this book last week and my first thought was to wait for the weekend to make the cupcake recipe in the back of the book. Of course! Strawberry champagne cupcakes!!! Okay but just be aware that you need a stand mixer and it makes 30 cupcakes. I do not have a stand mixer and I am not good at creaming butter but it wasn’t anything some coco whip and some fresh strawberries couldn’t fix! (I didn’t make buttercream frosting from the recipe because I don’t like it)

BUT more importantly, I cried multiple times reading this. I loved it. It is equal parts adorable rom com and important commentary. I loved Amy and Charley and the way they fit together as an opposites attract queer couple in the Midwest.

I’m a little younger than these characters, so I wasn’t necessarily fighting on the front lines, but I remember marriage equality being legalized like it was yesterday. I also appreciated the conversations about how important it is— how many rights queer people were missing out on without having it— but also how we have so far to go and how marriage equality presented the most palatable version of queerness. Disabled people also deserve to get married without losing their benefits. Polyamorous people deserve to have familial rights. And marriage isn’t the end all be all of happiness, especially for aromantic folks but also in general society provides this huge push to find Your Person and paints one as incomplete without that, and I think that’s a lie and does a disservice to everyone.

I, like Amy, love weddings, and I even coordinated a few in my day, and I loved doing it for my friends, but I tried to do it for strangers and I kind of hated it, similar to Amy’s experiences in that it brought out my people pleasing, so I was a weird, agreeable blank slate, and I didn’t like that version of myself.

I loved Charley’s passion for making the world better from within the oil & gas industry and also she has the best tattoos.

The ending was the best 💜

3.5/5 stars

TW: Homophobia

Living in Oklahoma in 2010 when gay marriage is banned, Amy has lived her life hiding who she is especially at her job at a Christian bakery. When one day she is outed and fired from her job, she tries to navigate life and see what it is she truly wants to do in life. Thanks to her baking, sewing and organizational skills, she comes upon the idea to start a business of becoming a professional bridesmaid to help brides make their big day as special as can be. What starts out as a huge success, Amy begins to struggle seeing all these happy couples when her state won’t accept for her to have her own happily ever after and that she feels like must keep her sexuality secret to maintain her business. On top of everything she has met Charley, the woman of her dreams but who also keeps her at an arms-length scared to grow too attached too quickly.

•

This was a sweet book about one’s journey of self-discovery and growth. My heart broke for Amy as she is overwhelmed by so many things in life working against her. I absolutely loved her chosen family of friends at Ruby Reds and her friendship with her best friends Joel and Damien. This book highlighted some very important issues in our society such as the homophobia and the struggle for those who feel like they cannot live their lives freely in fear of losing their friendships or careers. The romance in this one was a little disappointing to me, I feel like it was very hard to connect with Charley and I wish we were able to get some more depth to her. I also wish we could have gotten some more depth and detail of Amy’s relationship with her mother. The main star of this book is Amy and her journey as she grows and gains more confidence in who she is and starts making decisions for herself and not to please every one else. I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This title is available for purchase now!

This was such a fun story.

I really liked Amy’s journey to finding her purpose and passion in work. And I liked how that intersected with her romance and love of love.

It was interesting to read this in 2022 when so much has changed yet so much is also the same (in regards to being out and human rights). I really liked how Amy grappled with her love of the institution of weddings at a time when she couldn’t legally do so.

I loved Amy’s interactions with her girlfriend, Charlie. But I also really loved her interactions with her best friends/chosen family and even the scenes when she was a bridesmaid.

Overall a very fun read.

[cw - homophobia]