This book was a little bit heavier than I thought it was going to be. Yes, I know that it’s called ‘mistakes were made’, but this book definitely did not depict a light and fluffy path to an HEA. However, it’s probably one of the more realistic love stories I’ve read. Despite being an age gap romance (with a friend‘s parent) the way the friendships and relationship was treated was very relatable. Also, no matter what these characters had to go through to get there, it’s probably one of the cutest HEA’s I’ve ever read.

If your enjoy F/F romance with lots of spice and heart, I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Mistakes Were Made was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 so finding it to be a two star book is so disappointing.

The characters are so blah. They aren't likeable, but they also aren't unlikeable. There isn't anything to them outside of the relationship and what is intended to be character information reads as like an afterthought that the author realized they needed to add in last minute. I think this book definitely would have benefited from starting out slower and actually introducing us to the characters before the book picked up.

Besides being good in bed together, there is no substance to Erin and Cassie's relationship, which makes it hard for me to root for them and makes the epilogue seem out of place and forced.

Everything was so meh. I wanted to like it so much, but nothing about Mistakes Were Made really stands out.

Check out www.instagram.com/tabbybookclub for more reviews and book content! <3

If slow burns were located in Antarctica, this book would be the North Pole and I am not complaining. When I requested this book, all I knew was that it was sapphic and involved MILFs. I probably should've read the plot description more, but this book was a ride for me. I loved both characters immensely and how their relationship was very much a slow burn even if their sex lives were not. It was a fun read with just enough plot to keep me interested.
As a grad student in engineering, that's not quite how grad school applications work nowadays, but it was fun to see 2 women in STEM just having a good time. I appreciated just a hint of sexism to keep it real, but it wasn't important to the plot.
I really enjoyed the ending and how Parker dealt with the whole situation. I thought that that ending was very well put together and *spoilers* I love a good double proposal for LGBT+ couples.

TLDR: fun, sexy women in STEM who just so happen to be 18 years apart in age. Oh well, it is what it is.

This book was so fun and sexy!! I looved Erin and Cassie together, I thought their chemistry was great. I was stressed about Parker finding out about their relationship the whole time, and I was pleasantly surprised when we skipped the big dramatic third act breakup. The tension of waiting for Parker to find out was enough, so I really didn’t miss it.

This was my first book by Wilsner, and after reading this I’ve bumped Something to Talk About higher on my tbr!!

If you like taboo relationships (mother x daughters best friend), lots of steam, and tight female friendships this is one to check out!

4.5 stars, MISTAKES WERE MADE by Meryl Wilsner is available October 11! Thank you to St. Martins Griffin and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an eARC.

“Parker shouted from across the room, “Who are you sexting over there, Klein?”
“Your mom,” was out of her mouth before she could stop herself. Parker rolled her eyes”

““Just dress normally, Erin, you always look great.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere.”
Cassie cracked up. “That’s blatantly untrue.””

““It’s maybe the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
Cassie couldn’t breathe. “Really?”
“Really,” Erin said.
“Cool.””

A hetero couple could never.
I KNEW this book would be hot but this shit was liquid fire I almost had to pause reading a few times but I also couldn’t look away 🥵

I’ve been drooling for this book ever since I read the synopsis earlier this year, and it did not disappoint AT ALL. Cassie and Erin meet at a bar and have a one night stand only to discover the next morning that Cassie is best friends with Erin’s daughter. And so of course there’s a lot of “oh we really shouldn’t” to making rules that they both break CONSTANTLY to just giving up and fucking every chance they get.

Apart from the RIDICULOUSLY hot smut, my favorite part was the female friendships. While I wasn’t the biggest fan of Parker for most of the book, she came through in the end, having come to terms with her best friend being in a relationship with her mom (props to her though really). Acacia and Cassie had me teary eyed 🥹, and I loved Erin and Rachel’s friendship so so much, I wish I got to see more of it.

So many laugh-out-loud moments, Cassie was so amazing in her dumbassary, truly in a league of her own, and I loved her. Erin being the most perfect MILF ever, seriously how dare she be so perfect.
THE BISEXUAL REP AND THERAPY REP.

I want a sequel. I want Erin and Cassie having coffee in the morning with different sections of the same newspaper, sitting on the sofa just being domestic and shit. I want a joint shopping trip, coin toss between grocery and sex toys; seriously I don’t even care which. Definitely more sex. Obviously.

MVP: Acacia, for being the literal best friend ever.
(Also shoutout to Parker for saying this, “You ready to go or do you need to kiss my mom goodbye first?”)

(THANK YOU to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)

This was fine. Erin and Cassie were interesting characters but I have a hard time with 38 being considered so old, and Carrie was an idiot for not figuring out why Parker was angry - it was obvious.

As a big fan of Something to Talk About, I could not wait to get my hands on this book. It was very fun, easy to read, and quite a bit steamier than her previous release.

Um, hello super spicy sapphic read! I loved it! This was my first Meryl Wilsner read and it will not be my last! I really enjoyed the relationship that she built for Cassie and Erin and the dynamics they had to face after their one night stand. The whole book, I couldn't wait to find out how Parker would find out about their relationship, would she walk in on them? would one of them confess? I really liked how it all worked out!

We love a hot MILF age/gap romance!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

After being underwhelmed by Meryl Wilsner’s last book (Something to Talk About), I was pretty hesitant coming into this one. But, I was pleasantly surprised, and I think much of my issues with their previous book were resolved in Mistakes Were Made. This book was super amusing, steamy, and funny, and was ultimately much better paced than I expected.
I would’ve liked a bit more character development outside of the main couples’ relationship, but this was definitely a fun read to start my summer!

This book is exactly what it claims to be: a college student falls for her friend's mom and they begin a secret relationship.
I liked it okay, but I felt that it quickly started to feel repetitive and I wanted more character development and more plot. I never felt like I connected with or cared about the main characters and I was frustrated by the lying and secrets (which I realize might just mean I dislike this trope, haha). I also felt like the ending wrapped up too quickly considering the level of this conflict.
I do think many people will like this book, especially romance lovers who do like this trope, it just wasn't really for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

While fun, and full of spice, this book lacked the momentum and a level of like-ability in the characters. The world was overall well developed, as well as the characters. I enjoyed the representation and diversity of the characters, but it felt forced at times, tending toward a line thrown in for representation rather than a genuine development of diverse characters. The story had a great hook and good pacing during the first half, but slowed towards the end, and was more noticeable with longer chapters. The wit, spice, and overall character development make it worth a read.

I tried to get into this book but I think it just wasn’t for me. The main characters shared their names with my daughter and best friend which made it particularly awkward to read about them falling in love, and a tad too realistic with the age gap and all. That being said, the writing and pacing were good.

After a steamy hookup in the back seat of a rental car in a bar parking lot, Cassie and Erin don’t expect to see each other. Let alone the next morning at breakfast, where Cassie is supposed to be a buffer for her friend Parker, and her mom, Erin. The attraction is undeniable but what is also undeniable is that Cassie and Erin should not continue to see each other. Will they be able to go their own ways? Or will they realize they have something stronger than just attraction, if they can tell Parker?

This was my first taboo romance and my first Meryl Wilsner book, and it did not disappoint. This was the spicy Sapphic romance novel I didn’t know I was missing in my life. Don’t let the cover fool you, this book was packed with steamy scenes between Cassie and Erin that although plentiful didn’t feel repetitive or unnecessary. Wilsner had a way of writing their attraction that felt natural and believable. In addition to their initial attraction, the progression of Cassie and Erin’s relationship as well as their growth individually in being okay with their situation was completely convincing and had me rooting for them! Loses one star because I thought the additional cast of characters could’ve been a bit stronger/more dynamic, especially Parker.

*Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the ARC. Mistakes Were Made by @merylwilsner is set to be published on October 11, 2022.

Cute fun age gap romance between a senior in college and her freshman friend's mom. Both characters were likeable and the story was pretty low drama, despite the situation they were in. Everyone was likeable and the book had a good amount of steam. I feel like the characters could be developed a bit more, but it was a pleasant and enjoyable read.

I've had this book on my Want to Read shelf for a good six months, and I can honestly say that it is fantastic. Wilsner had a clear vision for this story and that came through with the level of detail in the protagonists, their growth throughout the book, and the storyline. Wilsner's writing style is great. This is more of a me thing but I usually have a hard time getting through books with third-person POVs, so I was pleasantly surprised by how engaged I was and how fast I read this book.

There are a few things that hold me back from giving this book 5/5 stars. The first is the pacing. I don't think we are adequately introduced to the characters at the beginning because of how quickly everything unfolds. The chapters are also set up in a way that we kind of fly through time––say, it's Thanksgiving and there are still weeks to go until the winter break that Cassie spends with Parker and Erin. A few lines later, we are already there, at winter break, in the middle of December, even though it was November less than a few sentences ago. The pacing here just feels inconsistent and some scenes, especially when they occur in the same chapters, are not sufficiently spaced out. Yet, the middle and end of the book are where time sort of slows down and we really sit with the characters and their feelings and situations. I think that could be balanced better.

Another thing is Parker's character isn't as fleshed out as I hoped it would be. She's the main reason for Cassie and Erin sneaking around and keeping each other at arm's length, no? She definitely could've been included more. I do like how she doesn't get outright angry when she finds out Cassie is dating her mom, but I wish there would've been a *little* more drama there rather than her just icing them out for a couple of weeks and then being like, "yeah, okay, my best friend can date my mom." It would've been interesting to see more of her perspective on their relationship while she's coming to terms with it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC! I had a great time reading it. (:

4.75/5 stars

The moment I started reading this book I was hooked, a very spicy age-gap romance that seems to almost be forbidden. Watching Cassie try to manage a "relationship" with Erin while keeping it a secret from her best friend is entertaining at times. What I liked the most about this plot was how little drama there was, what made up for the lack of hardcore drama there was this looming tension of Erin's daughter finding out about Cassie and Erin's relationship.

This was such a fun book! It wasnt too serious but i was so invested in the characters and i really enjoyed the whole book. The feelings and cassies dumb obliviousness were amazing. I also really liked how therapy was done in the book, it felt very realistic. I will say for a lot of it i was very worried about the ending because how do you end a book like this? But i honestly think that this was one of the best solutions the author could have done and i was very satisfied with it. Overall it was a fun read that i would highly recommend.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

All I can say is, WOW. This book is so steamy. I feel like Meryl Wilsner took what was lacking from Something to Talk About and put it all into Mistakes Were Made. This book was incredible. Steamy. LGBTQIA. MILF. Best friends parent trope. It made me anxious at times wondering when Erin's daughter was going to find out and it at times took me out of the story. Other than that, it was so good. I read it in a day because I couldn't put it down. The reason I didn't give 5 stars was I felt like Erin and Cassie were so oblivious to their own feelings for so long and it MADE ME UPSET.

But seriously, please pick this book up when it hit shelves!!! I can't wait to buy my copy!

3.5 ☆ did i walk away from this book wanting a hot 30 something to sweep me off my feet? yes. the books premise is pretty set in stone with cassie and erin hiding their relationship from their daughter/bestfriend the entire book. if your morals will get in the way of enjoying it it may not be for you. i thoroughly enjoyed following their relationship however messy it was. it made me feel giddy and excited for them and the spice was lovely. erin did frustrate me a few times with how immature she was with her feelings at her big age but it didnt deter me from reading and enjoying. i related loads with cassie and her inability to understand and connect with her emotions right away and found myself attached to her throughout the book.

thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc to this <3

While I did discover age gap romance isn't my favorite, this story is really well written. It's spicy and sweet and the characters absolutely deserve the ending.