Oh goodness…. I really really really really tried with this one!! I wanted to enjoy it so bad as I previously really enjoyed this author’s other lesbian romance but I could not get on board with this dynamic. I ended up stopping about 60% of the way through because of the situations… I ended up being more uncomfortable and stressed than anything!! Very sad for me honestly

There’s something charming about this book, but it doesn’t fully deliver. The plot has some interesting elements, but it often feels predictable and lacking in originality. The characters are relatable, but their arcs feel too familiar to stand out. It’s an enjoyable book, but it doesn’t quite bring anything new to the table. I would recommend it if you're looking for a light read, but don’t expect anything groundbreaking.

This book was everything I hoped it would be - steamy and messy, but it still managed to be sweet at the same time. I don’t read many age gap romances, and I think this may be my first with a f/f love story. I liked both of the main characters and while they were a little instalusty, I was still rooting for them to end up together. Also, always here for some bisexual rep!

If you’re looking for a sweet and steamy f/f romance definitely check out Mistakes Were Made!

Thank you to St. Martin’s and NetGalley for a review copy. This is my third Meryl Wilsner book and I look forward to reading many more!

Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner is a fun, slow-burn romance with plenty of tension and heartfelt moments. The story follows two women, Kara and Taylor, who meet under not-so-ideal circumstances. Kara is a college senior, and Taylor is her professor—definitely a tricky situation. The two develop a connection that’s hard to ignore, but navigating their feelings while trying to keep things secret adds a layer of complexity to their relationship.

What I really enjoyed about the book was how real the characters felt. Kara is figuring out who she is and what she wants, while Taylor is dealing with her own personal struggles and the ethical dilemmas of being involved with a student. The romance feels organic, and even though there are some intense moments, it’s balanced with humor and warmth.

The chemistry between Kara and Taylor is undeniable, and the book does a great job of exploring themes like power dynamics, personal growth, and the messiness of relationships. The pacing is steady, with enough drama and emotional depth to keep things interesting without feeling overwhelming.

It's a romance between a 38-year-old, Erin, and a 22-year-old college senior Cassie ... who is good friends with Erin's 18-year-old kid. So cute, they deserved their happy ending. Also like everyone in this book is bisexual! Love it!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this book,

Unfortunately, I have decided that this wasn’t the book for me and will not finish reading.

I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to read this book and look forward to future ones.

I enjoyed Meryl's previous book and this one sounded interesting.

I liked Cassie and Erin well enough. They're both loving and loyal and they have a lot of chemistry. I loved Cassie's friends and even though some of the group gatherings had way more characters than I could keep track of, it was fun to read everyone interacting.

Plot wise, it was okay. I get that the lust ruled these two, especially with the age difference and distance between them; however, I wanted more of a showing that they were moving into something permanent. The last third of the book quickly ramped up the tension, just to resolve it in a page or two and then the HEA epilogue.

Overall, I was interested enough to see how it was going to play out, but definitely wanted more.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

What a fun book! I loved this storyline and I was invested in where Cassie and Erin were going to end up. I did feel it was a bit dragged out, toeing the line between perfect length and a too-long romance. I'm happy I read it and I will for sure be reading more of this author.!

SPICY! This was hot, hot, hot. I didn’t know how intrigued I would be by the forbidden relationship between Cassie and Erin but DANG! I also loved the friendships in the book & how those are just as crucial and important as romantic relationships.

This is not genre of book that I pick up very often.

I found it engaging from the opening scene and stuck around to find out how it would all resolve (happily! If you're wondering). I found the dialogue witty and the inner turmoil from the two main characters realistic. I also found the college drama to be realistic as well.

My only critiques are the following: the main characters would often describe the other as beautiful, without describing what exactly that entailed (what people find beautiful is different for everyone). There was a lot of inner dialogue from the main characters about their relationship and its complications. After the first few times, the sentiments were clear, but we kept cycling back, and I wanted to move forward to see how it would resolve.

Over all, I enjoyed this book immensely and I have already recommended it to my friends who are interested in queer romances.

DNF at 54%.

I really, really tried to enjoy this one. I loved the premise - May/December forbidden romance - but I wasn't vibing with this one. You could tell that Cassie and Erin had chemistry. I think I would have enjoyed this more if they were able to be together NOT in the same house as Erin's daughter who also happens to be Cassie's best friend? I get that it adds on to the forbidden part of this romance and I don't wanna yuck anyone's yum, but that wasn't for me. On top of that, the three main characters were really annoying. It's hard for me to believe that Parker, the older MC's daughter, is supposed to be an 18-year old college freshman. Her mannerisms and personality make her out to be a 12-year old middle schooler.

Would I recommend this? Yes. Just because this wasn't for me, doesn't mean this wouldn't be for anyone else. I appreciate that there is a traditionally published book with bisexual women as the main characters. I also appreciate that it is a f/f age gap romance because the trope needs some diversity.

******WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS AND OTHER SMP TITLES I LOVE. WILL BE UNABLE TO DO SO UNTIL ST MARTINS PRESS ACTUALLY SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE BOYCOTT. WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, SERIOUSLY.



I love an age gap and looooved Cassie and Erin's story!

This started hot and heavy and then just flowed for a bit, not fast.. not too slow. Just... flowing. I enjoyed the pace for the most part, but I did set it down and come back a couple times. The overall storyline was very enjoyable for me and I loved the characters, main and sides! I love a steamy sapphic romance, but I do wish this one had given us a bit more substance as far as the actual characters. I want to know more about them, individually, the smaller bits and bobs of who they are. Overall, a very fun read and I would pick it up again!

Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner is a perfect fit for readers who crave a lighthearted, emotional, and sexy romance that explores the complexities of forbidden love, age gaps, and LGBTQ+ relationships, with a dash of humor and wit.

This was such a sweet book. I am not going to lie, I was stressed out for MOST of the book. I loved their love story bit I was constantly afraid that everything would turn out awful. This was my first SPICY sapphic romance and I was NOT disappointed. It's hard to review this without giving too much away. Let's just say, if you like age gap, best friends parent, LGBTQIA+ rep, this is so the book for you. If you like a well written romance with some spice... this is DEFINITELY the book for you!

2.5⭐️ rounded up.

This isn't my favorite by this author. Age gaps are commonly done but I don't feel like this one was handled correctly or appropriately. I couldn't get passed it to enjoy the book as it was intended. I thought the MC was at least 25. Didn't realize this was a 20 year age gap with an undeveloped frontal lobe. Not my cup of tea. This was literally like an independent film where the mom falls in love with her youngest daughters best friend. Freshly going to college. Again, not for me. I've read and loved many age gap romances but they feature MCs in their later 20s and early 30s with a bit more development.

One night stand with your besties mom? Check.
Yea this fun storyline was totally fine til they I guess were trying for a relationship after the fact and it was cringe cringe cringe. Would’ve preferred this as a one shot novella of just the one night stand.

I couldn't finish this book. The premise is a taboo one -- you hook up with your bestie's mom. That can be titillating for sure! But despite the really well-written sex scenes, the way the two main characters behave when they decide to continue their relationship beyond the one-night-stand made this book unreadable for me. There's positive things to be said about a relationship in a book that involves secrecy and sneaking around, but when you're leaving your friend/daughter's important performance to hook up in the bathroom, you're just bad people. So I stopped reading.

Maybe that and similar things won't bother other readers, but I'm not one of them.

I really loved this book. I think it had a great mix of angst, romance and friendship. I like the way the sneaking around and felt that even as unrealistic the scenario was it also felt like it played out somewhat realistic. I especially loved Cassie’s character. She was cool yet complex.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a digital ARC of Mistakes Were Made.

Let’s set the scene for you: a one-night stand goes wrong when you find out the girl you slept with happens to be your daughter’s best friend. This is an age-gap romance, but everyone is legal and the younger of the two is 21.

I’d be lying if I said that this book was perfect and while I’m normally pretty strict about giving books five stars I’m giving it to this book for the nostalgia of it all. I originally read this book as a fan-fiction, so I was thrilled (and surprised) to find out that it had become a book!

If you like lesbian age gap romances then definitely pick this book up and give it a read!

I tried getting into this one but I was not really into it. I preferred cleat cute. i might try again because i loved cleat cute. thank you for the arc!