Hottest book of the year?

I admittedly was hesitant for MISTAKES WERE MADE, given that I'm not a huge fan of the age gap trope -- and here, the premise is that 21-year-old Cassie and 38-year-old Erin hit it off at a bar, the night before they find out that Cassie is Erin's daughter's friend. But Meryl Wilsner nailed their chemistry to the extent that I was sold; like, yes, of course these women are turning toward each other again and again.

I wondered if the book were a bit on the long side, but I think that's just what you're in for with a Wilsner romance -- that slow burn is there, even when there's a steamy scene off the bat. I absolutely loved having two bisexual main characters, as well as the theme of navigating between what you feel you "should" do and what you want to. The more I think of this one the more I like it. Rounding up to 5 stars for this wonderful bi rep and because it was just so spicy!

Let me start off by saying HOOOLLLLYYYYYYYYYYY F… This book was soooo much more steamier than I thought. Like wow, I had to take a breather a couple times. I was really, pleasantly surprised.

Now for the plot: this was really interesting, the age gap honestly made me so uncomfortable because like, Cassie COULD BASICALLY BE HER DAUGHTER.. I mean what ?????? That was a hard pill for me to swallow. Aside from that however, their relationship was cute, her and Erin had a lot of chemistry and their banter and flirting was so cute.

I really liked Acacia, she was such a chill character AND she was such a good friend to both Cassie and Parker. I didn’t like Parker for a good chunk of the book though, she was such a spoiled brat, I just couldn’t stomach her. She ended up growing on me though. I also didn’t like Erin and Cassie sneaking around and lying to her for literally the entirety of the book. Which Parker handled PERFECTLY in my opinion, because I don’t know what I would’ve done if that happened to me.

But alls well that ends well. And the epilogue was CUTE AS SHIT.

This was a cute, quick, STEAMY read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 rounded up.

Thanks St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the eARC.

The premise behind the book is interesting and different. However the execution was a little slow and light on the plot.

I enjoyed the hell out of this book! It was entertaining, sexy, really sweet at times and also really funny (the charades scene had me DYING). There were several spicy scenes and I thought they were all fabulously written. Character wise, I absolutely loved Cassie and Erin. Great chemistry, amazing banter, both great characters on their own as well. Acasia was a delight. Parker, I disliked for about 85% of the book, but she did redeem herself in the end. She was just so bratty and whiny and acted like an eight year old and it was just frustrating for me. I liked the themes of not caring what other people think and doing what makes you happy, especially for Erin with her issues with her mother. And that epilogue! So sweet and clever and funny. This was just a fantastic read and not to mention, great bisexual representation. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review!

Mistakes Were Made was my most anticipated fall read, and it definitely lived up to my expectations! This is one of those books that you want to pick up again immediately after finishing it. I got everything I was looking for in a book with Wilsner's new release: fluff, witty banter, and SPICE. Wow did it give me spice. I think I'm still recovering.

Right off the bat, one of my favorite tropes is introduced: the age gap trope. I was apprehensive about how Cassie and Erin's relationship would manifest because one of my main problems with the best friend's mother trope is that it is often accompanied with miscommunication trope, which takes up a large portion of the book. I was pleasantly surprised to find that, although there was some angst, Cassie and Erin remained steadfast in their love for one another (even when they didn't know it was love). The dialogue was delightfully funny, and I enjoyed the witty undertones. The thing I loved the most about this book is how deeply the characters care for one another, on a platonic and romantic level. I could feel their love jumping off the page, and it warmed my heart.

Despite how much I loved this book. I did feel that the ending and certain moments in the middle were rushed. I did appreciate, however, that this meant that Cassie and Erin's relationship could take the front seat, but it felt a little jarring.

Overall, I loved this book and highly recommend it! It's everything I want in a romcom. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC!

Thank you St.Martins Press and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC.

Have you ever gone to a bar, flirted a little with an attractive older woman, had an amazing one night stand and then found out that the woman is your best friends mom? No? Wellllll then I guess your name isn’t Cassie Klein.

When I started this book I thought I knew how it would play out. For the most part I was right (the age gap, sleeping with your best friends mom issues) but I was also pleasantly surprised by some parts of this. I love Cassie and Erin’s chemistry and the spice was definitely spicy 🥵

I do wish we got to hear more about Erin’s work and not have her chapters just be her going back and forth with her feelings for Cassie and how Parker would feel about it. This book definitely had me panicking every time Cassie and Erin were together. I kept thinking every page I turned would be them getting caught!

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I’m a sucker for an age gap romance so that was a hit. Do not let the cover fool you! It’s spicy 🥵

Mistakes Were Made shows Meryl Wilsner's range as an author. It's a very different book than Something to Talk About, and I enjoyed seeing this new bag of tricks from Wilsner. The spice level is turned way up, which I enjoyed. A fun read!

This book was pretty good! I loved the chemistry between the two main characters, but I felt that the ending fell flat.

Rating: 3.5

Mistakes Were Made was a fairly enjoyable sapphic romance book. While there were several moments and aspects I liked, unfortunately the romance and characters felt underdeveloped.

It is dual POVs of the main characters, Erin Bennett and Cassie Klein. There were also some great tropes like: an age gap, a one-night stand, best friend’s mom and a forbidden romance.

The age gap between Erin and Cassie was quite big, 17 years, which I actually didn’t mind and quite liked (Erin was 38 and Cassie was 21).

The overall premise was pretty enjoyable; there were some amusing, heartfelt and angsty moments. However, I did struggle with the writing in the story. There was just a lot of repetitive dialogue and moments/scenes that changed too abruptly.

While, Erin and Cassie had interesting storylines, they were a bit hard to connect with at times. I would have liked just a bit more character depth or development.

The romantic development between Erin and Cassie was okay, it was insta-lust though. While they had some really sweet moments, their relationship just felt very underdeveloped to be honest. There really was just no emotional connection between them until the end, as their relationship seemed mostly physical. I will say though, the chemistry and sexual tension between them was great.

The smut was definitely the main highlight of this book for me. Just very spicy and hot.

I did like all the side characters and the friendships in the story as well. I also loved how Erin was actively speaking to her therapist regarding her struggles.

There really wasn’t a third act conflict, which I liked. There was a bit of drama at the end though, but it was quickly resolved. The ending was a bit rushed and I kind of wanted a bit more explanation on certain aspects, but the epilogue was still quite heartwarming.

Overall, a very steamy read I was just expecting a bit more from the romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’ll first admit that I probably would not have picked up this book based on the description, but I really loved Wilsner’s last book Something to Talk About and will gladly read any of their work.

That being said, If you are a fan of slow-burns (like myself), maybe skip this one. As one could expect from the description, the “romance” starts immediately. We do get the slow build of feelings, though, so there’s something.

The book was a little slow to start. It felt a bit repetitive as the characters transitioned from a one-time hookup to a clandestine relationship—the “will they/won’t they,” when we all know they will….

Wilsner does do the age-gap romance credit. The characters were well rounded and their actions seemed authentic—even when they annoyed the hell out of me. It was just that by the end of the book I realized I didn’t really like them very much. To the point where the happy ending just didn’t have the emotional satisfaction that it usually does.

Cassie Klein is avoiding Family Weekend at her college and decides to go to an off-campus bar. She ends up buying a drink for a stranger and having a one-night stand. The next morning her friend Parker invites her to breakfast with her and her mom and the one- night stand ends up being Parker's mom.

Erin Bennett is at Family Weekend to build her relationship with her daughter. When she goes to the bar she has no intentions of having a one-night stand with a college student, let alone her daughter's friend.

When Cassie and Erin can't deny the pull of attraction between them, their one-night stand turns into sneaking around. Then they realize that there may be something more than just physical attraction between them. But are they willing to admit that what they have between them can be a relationship?

Mistakes Were Made is an age gap, forbidden, F/F romance. This book starts out steamy and spicy and just gets hotter as the story progresses. For me the relationship between Cassie and Erin was lacking. I didn't feel an emotional connection between Cassie and Erin. There was plenty of physical connection between the two, but nothing emotional going on. When I'm reading a romance book I want to be able to feel the emotional connection between the characters and this was just missing for me. This book was good, but not great.

A fine read but super repetitive and unnecessary in some places. Didn’t get very interesting until about 60% in

So, I initially read this as an eARC provided by Netgalley, and then just recently at my book store we got in a physical ARC, and as much as I tried to focus on something new...I had to reread this, and it's still fantastic.

Flat out, this is hands down the horniest of all the queer romances/rom-coms I've come across. It is not going to be for everyone just how much sex is in this book, essentially from the very start. It also does not have the (almost) ever-present 3rd act break-up...but if you've read any of my reviews, you know that's one of my least favourite tropes in the genre, anyway, so personally I am <i>fine</i> with a novel that basically skips it.

I wanted to get those "issues" out of the way first, which I normally put near the end of reviews, because honestly, I don't consider them issues, but others may. But me, I love this book! After [author:Ashley Herring Blake|8545130]'s Bright Falls books, I think this may be my favourite romance of the year, so far.

Of our protags, Cassie is cocky and fun, though the emotional damage she carries under the surface is significant, and can make her prickly at times, even to her own friends. I can see her not being everyone's cup of tea. Erin is a great contrast to her, not just in age or life experience, but also how much she thinks about things, feelings, actions, where Cassie is more fly-by-the-seat, less contemplative, at least emotionally. I like that we see Erin in therapy, trying to work through her own family trauma, and that she is working on it, but also that it's a work in progress, and she she's dealing with 30+ years of conditioning, between her mother and ex-husband. Of course, the pair together, which is the heart of this book, are fantastic, and sexy, and you understand why they at first think it's just sex between them...but even then, there's hints of the sweetness that will also come in, and build, as the story progresses.

The supporting cast is great. Parker jumps between being adorable and sweet (and maybe occasionally a bit bitchy, but I love that for her). Acacia's a sweet, sarcastic voice of wisdom. We get less from Rachel, Erin's best friend, but she's great when she's there.

I don't know what else to say. 5 stars.

Whew, Mistakes Were Made immediately brings on the spice in the first chapter of this age gap F/F romance! Cassie is a college senior who was forced to grow up and mature early in life, and she hooks up with an older woman at a bar during Parent’s Weekend at her college. When she goes to breakfast with her best friend Parker the next morning, she realizes that she just hooked up with Parker’s mom, Erin. The two attempt to deny any feelings for each other as the book spans the following year, while hiding what happened from Parker.

Both main characters are strong, independent females with interest in STEM fields. They are well developed and their relationship is written as very supportive and very steamy! The secondary characters are well written and fully fleshed out, and I am just realizing that the majority of them are females as well. Cassie’s other best friend Acacia is a great secondary character, and their friendship is beautifully written. While you may not agree with every decision the characters make, they are very relatable and likable.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Cassie has an intense hookup with an older woman - with a daughter attending her college.
Next morning - Cassie meets Erin again. As the mother of one of her good friends. Oops.
Lovely romance about two women who fall for each other - with amazing steamy scenes. A very positive and enjoyable romcom.

I am a big fan of forbidden age-gap romances- so when I saw there was a BEST FRIEND"S MOM story?!
It was an instant NEED.

I loved this story. It was so unique and beautiful and SO spicy. Cassie and Erin had insta-lust seeing each other across a crowded room and it was so hot. When Cassie finds out the next day that Erin is her best friends mom- they are both instantly shocked but the attraction they both feel goes no where! Praise.

I loved the journey from lust to catching feelings and the pace both characters come to terms with this transition and how they deal with their feelings. It was natural and real. The representation of bi-sexual characters made this such an amazing read. This was an absolute 5 star romance.

This book may or may not be for you.

If you don’t mind reading about a woman who has sex with her college-aged daughter’s best friend, then this is for you. If you find that cringey and kinda creepy, this book is definitely not for you.

There’s plenty to enjoy about this book if you can move beyond the age difference. The romance is sweet, the sec scenes are spicyyy, and friendship between the younger characters is nice.

However, the age difference is always present as is the daughter, who is literally BEST FRIENDS with one half of couple. There’s a lot of secret-keeping, sneaking around, and uncomfortable scenes. The underlying tension of when the daughter will find out is constant throughout most of the book.

I usually don’t like the one night stand trope, but because I enjoyed the first book by this author, Something to Talk About, I figured I’d give this book a chance. I did think that Something to Talk About was a little too much of a slow burn, and I wished that the book had had at least another hundred pages after they got together. With Mistakes Were Made, however, the “action” starts almost immediately. This book was spicy hot jalapeños right from the get go. That said, something about this hit perfectly and I fell in love with the story and the characters. I ended up loving this book even more than the first (despite being a self-proclaimed slow-burn fan).

Erin and Cassie are completely swoonworthy, and their taboo romance gave me all the feels. The book is quite angsty, as they’re both worried about what will happen if Erin’s daughter, Parker–who’s Cassie’s best friend–finds out that they’ve been hooking up. While this is an age-gap romance because Erin is almost forty, both characters are flawed and have some growing up to do. Erin is recently divorced, and she’s finding out that it’s okay to sometimes put herself first. Cassie came out of a three-year relationship where she was cheated on, and she has a hard time trusting others and admitting her feelings.

Another thing I love about this book is that both the heroines are intelligent and ambitious. Erin is a doctor and she’s working on getting the funding for a free clinic. Cassie is graduating soon and applying for grad school–where she’s going into astronautics or aeronautics (she isn’t sure; she just knows that she wants to make things go fast). There are so many delightfully cute scenes and running inside jokes in this book, and I just ate them all up.

I can’t wait to read the next book that Wilsner cooks up! This is a definite five-star read from me.

This book!!! It's billed as the MILF book all over the web and it definitely lives up to that label. It's a funny and sexy romp that grabs you from the very beginning and doesn't let you go. I was on the edge of my seat, loving every second. And thank God the heat of summer has let up here in New England because the heat coming off the page was INTENSE!!

The characters were all so well written and consistent that you couldn't dislike them, even when you knew they were acting like complete idiots. I am really impressed by everything about this book and I know it's going to join my reread rotation when I need a pick-me-up!

Thank you St Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Meryl Wilsner for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was a delight. The premise, a woman accidentally having a one-night stand with one of her daughter's best friends, was irresistible...I just had to know how the author was going to make the HEA work. And they did! I'm not sure how realistic it was, but it was a fun ride. I loved all the characters. Every single one of them (except Adam). What I particularly appreciated was that the college-aged characters acted their age. The voice was young and the banter was deliciously silly. I also loved that the "mom" character was a great mom with a solid career, but she didn't have all her stuff figured out either as not everyone does by almost 40. This was a solid escapist read with a lot of steam (way more than the author's first book for those who are wondering).