Thank you to @stmartinspress for the eARC of this book from NetGalley! I decided to read this because I liked Wilsner’s first book, Something to Talk About. That book is much more slow burn than this, so I think I personally prefer it but this book was good too.

The main relationship in this book is messy, similar to You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty, though the book has a different tone than that book. There are a lot of reasons the two characters feel they shouldn’t be together but somehow they work anyway. The book has a lot of steamy parts which I mostly skimmed over, because I prefer more closed door than that. I liked the slow development of the characters realizing that they have actual feelings for each other. The epilogue was also really cute.

The friendships were strong in the book. Cassie had great friendships with Parker (Erin’s daughter) and Acacia (her childhood best friend and Parker’s roommate). Erin also had a close friend, Rachel. I loved how supportive the friends are of each other and how much they care.

I also enjoyed how the book showcases the passions of the characters. Cassie is a really smart person interested in aerospace fields. Her passion for that was obvious in the story. Erin is a doctor who wants to open a free clinic and help people more through that. They both care a lot about their career paths and interests and also wanted to hear about the other’s career.

Overall, I really liked this. It comes out on October 11th.

Damn. No mistakes were made in my choosing to spend time with Cassie and Erin as they traveled along the path of inadvertent romance from a semi-chance encounter at a bar (nicely depicted on the cover) through justifications and self-denial to their happily ever after, with so much super hot sex along the way!

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and SMP for this ARC. As someone who has a thing for older women, I don't think I've ever looked forward to reading a book this much.

The plot is right there on the cover–woman hooks up with her best friend's mom. Chaos ensues. Hot!

Let's start with what I loved. Uh....this book was...sexy to say the least. This was my first time reading a rom-com or as Meryl Wilsner has described this–a raunch-com. I expected the sex scenes to be cheesy or cringe but they were so well-written and steamy! I loved the natural banter and chemistry Erin and Cassie have. I also loved all of the relationships between characters. Everything felt natural and fun. I also COULDN'T PUT THIS BOOK DOWN. I read it in less than 24 hours and if I'm being honest, I kind of want to read it again.

Here's what I didn't love. Firstly, the pacing was a little off for me. It felt like everything was building up to this climax and then when the climax happened, very close to the end of the book, it fell a little flat. Then it felt like the everything wrapped up too quickly. I didn't like the epilogue very much either–maybe it just was a little too sappy, here's-everything-tied-up-in-a-nice-bow for me. Additionally, there wasn't much going on plot-wise outside of Erin and Cassie's relationship. I get that their relationship is the focus of the story but any scenes outside of their relationship felt a little underdeveloped and boring.

All that to say, even though it was a little sappy and the plot fell a little flat, I frankly couldn't care less. This book was sexy as hell and I'm so happy I got to read it early. Truly the MILF book of my wildest dreams. It's what the sapphics deserve. <3

When I requested this book i was promised a sexy MILF sapphic romance. What I got was all that and SO MUCH MORE!

Early into her senior year of college. Cassie escapes campus on Family Weekend and goes to a bar in search of a one night stand. Across the bar, she sees a slightly sexy older woman. A quick romp in the bathroom and back seat of the car later, and Cassie and Erin go their separate ways. Only to meet again the next morning when Cassie's best friend takes her to breakfast to meet her mom. Or as Cassie knows her, Erin, the hot single woman she met the night before. What follows is a scorchingly hot, emotional, and thoroughly perfect age gap romance.

I was pleasantly surprised at how good this book actually was! The dialogue was on point. The writing was crisp, sharp, and sexy. Erin and Cassie didn't just fall in love, they each explored their own emotions and pasts related to previous relationships. They both learned so much about themselves and each other. Reading about two women who started out thinking they didn't deserve much open themselves up to the love they deserve was absolutely beautiful! And the sex scenes. 🤤 While some books throw in as much sex as they can for no real understood reason, each scene in this book was perfect and oh so necessary. And hot. Did I mention hot? I mean HOT!!! 🔥 I can't wait to pick up the authors previous books to add to my TBR!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press, and Meryl Wilsner for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely enjoyed reading this book. This isn’t the first book I’ve read from this author so I knew beforehand I would love it. And love it I did. I couldn’t put the book down, I was just so captured by the stories and the characters. The romance between the two characters was lovely to see unfold. Getting to see their dynamic together and apart was great. Can’t wait to read more books from Meryl Wilsner.

I read this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I gave this book a 3.5 out of 5, but rounded down to a 3 for Goodreads. There are no spoilers here, don't worry.

I was really excited for this book, as I really enjoyed "Something to Talk About" by Wilsner. I didn't like this one as much, even though the premise for this one is much more my style.

Cassie and Erin kind of blended together for me, their voices sounded very similar. Their choices made sense for who they were, which is honestly great and harder to find at times than one would expect. It was a little fast-paced for me, and I don't love that for romances.

To me, this book was entirely good and fine, I guess it just wasn't really my thing. I can definitely see this as being a great experience and thoroughly enjoyable, I just think it wasn't really quite that for me. It doesn't help that I'm a picky reader at times, I'm sure. I like things to be a little slower, and more emotionally intense, which is why I think "Something to Talk About" was more my speed.

I think this is a solid book, and would be a good read (get it?) for those into sapphic romances that are a little more fast-paced.

Meryl Wilsner’s newest sapphic romcom is fun, witty, and spicy! Overall, I really enjoyed this story and Wilsner’s writing style just pulls you in from the start.

This book follows Cassie who is a college senior and Erin who is in town visiting her daughter for family weekend. The two meet at a bar and end up having a one-night stand. Although out of character for Erin, neither of the women regret their hookup, until the next morning, when Parker, Cassie’s newest best friend, invites Cassie out to breakfast with her mother. To both of their surprise, Erin and Cassie cross paths at this breakfast and must act unsuspecting in front of Parker. From that morning on, Erin and Cassie try to ignore their attraction for each other and when those efforts are unsuccessful, the two must hide their friends-with-benefits relationship from everyone around them, especially Parker.

This book had me on my toes the entire time as the main character’s romance could blow up in their faces at any moment. I really enjoyed seeing Erin gain more confidence throughout the story and begin to see herself as worthy of pleasure and love. Additionally, I loved how Cassie was so sure of herself and went after what she wanted. I do feel that the middle of the book dragged a bit and I found myself really disliking Parker’s behavior as she was pretty childish throughout most of the story. Although, I do think she had some much-needed character development in the last part of the book. Overall, I definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a steamy sapphic story!

*I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I love it I just love this book so much I can't wait others to read this book
The author did an amazing job
5 Star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I've read Meryl Wilsner's debut, and the improvement from Something To Talk About to this book is clear!

At times, especially in the beginning, the book gets rather depressive-ish, a bit confusingly, but other than that the pacing of the book is quite good. The passage of time is always clearly established and you're never really confused as to what is happening or why.

This book is a very character driven story -- there isn't really a secondary plot to Cassie and Erin's romance, so if you aren't a fan of character focused stories, then this probably won't be for you.

What the characters are feeling is always expressed on the page and the book no longer focuses on the gap between the characters: the main barrier to their love is the fact that Cassie is Erin's daughter's friend.

Cassie and Erin have great chemistry, but also align as people quite well, which was really sweet to see. Their relationship has believable and not overly fast growth and you cannot help but root for them.

The friends and family relationships are a large focus of this book and their importance is never really undermined by that of romantic relationships, which is still rather rare to see in romance novels.

We never really get to see a lot about some of the events in the characters' past that are established to be very important to who they are. It would have been nice to see a little bit more development in that area but it isn't a major drawback.

Overall, a sweet and steamy romance that I enjoyed immensely.

Oh, what to say. Thank you NetGalley for the Arc; for which, I give this honest-to-God review. Light details included (not really spoilers.)

<i>Mistakes Were Made</i>, is my second Meryl Wilsner read (I read<i> Something to Talk About </i>in November of 2021, and thought, “Hm, that was alright.”) This book though, exceeded my expectations.
It was a (very smut filled) fun read, and I have little to be bored of, or object to.
It’s a shame to say in a lot of Romance books, I’m left wondering if the characters like each other at all- there wasn’t much room around that for Cassie and Erin. They really like each other, and they’re, like, really attracted to each other. This is made clear in many jaw-dropping moments of self reflection (to be clear I gasped, often, in shock.) Additionally, There was only one time where I thought, “Well, that sure is convenient,” about something that happened in the book, (I am a judgey person, and this is a reflection on the absolute undeniable read-ability of the book for this to happen once.) But our POV characters are sort of remarkably spacey about their own feelings, which I always enjoy, but may frustrate other readers (I think here, it does some screwy stuff with the pacing, but it didn’t keep me from finishing in a day.) Some people may find that the characters aren’t perfectly likable, as well (which I didn’t find shocking or off-putting, but again something for some people to be aware of, if they like their characters…perfectly likable… I don’t know. It's a book about sleeping with your besties Mom a lot- so, you know. It is what it is.)
I think the thing that sticks with me most, is that the side-characters actually felt like interesting, well-rounded characters. They fed the story, and provided more than just being the sounding board for our POV characters, or for giving them very convenient pushes in the right direction (this excludes the dear epilogue, but that was in character.) They had their own lives, histories, and feelings that impacted the story. They weren’t unnaturally quippy! This is kind of a big deal!
So, while The MILF-book effect takes place (did this change me as a person? Honestly, I’m left waiting to see.) I think that, if you don’t mind reading lots of sexual content and age-gaps, this could be up worth a read, for sure. It isn’t perfect (I mean really, it is but a solid Romance) but it is MILF book, and we love that.

3,5 stars

From the moment that I heard this book affectionately referred to as "the MILF book" on TikTok, Mistakes Were Made has been on my most anticipated romances of 2022. With the market fairly saturated with books centered around the "best friend's dad trope", I was excited to see how the script would get flipped in this book and how Wilsner would chart the arc of the central relationship.

First of all, I must say that the steam in this book is absolutely prime. It is sexy, it is varied, and it is HOT, HOT, HOT! Some of these other traditionally published writers should honestly be taking notes because this was just *chef's kiss*. Hands down, this facet of the writing was the best part of the book for me.

The emotional arc, however? For me, I felt like it was completely missing. There is not a lot of time spent building who these characters are outside of this relationship and what we do get is fairly sparse. It honestly felt at times like they were just vehicles for this particular plot and while I loved the concept and the steam, I wished that there had been more emotional beats that existed outside of the sexual relationship between Erin and Cassie to really demonstrate how these particular people in this particular situation were falling in love.

Even though this didn't completely win me over, I would definitely still recommend this if you are looking for a fairly low-angst, high-steam take on the age-gap romance!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

In Mistakes Were Made, the 2022 sapphic contemporary romance by Meryl Wilsner (Something to Talk About), 21-year-old Cassie Klein, in a bid to escape her college’s Family Weekend, heads across town to a bar, where she runs into gorgeous late-30s divorcée Erin Bennett. The chemistry between them is off the charts immediately, but after their one-night stand together, they have no plans to see each other again. The next day, however, Cassie’s close friend Parker takes her out for breakfast, which has Erin in attendance, since she’s Parker’s mom. Obviously, Cassie and Erin have their initial “oh crap” moments before making an attempt at maintaining a platonic relationship. Judging from the lust and then the love that keeps drawing them back to each other over time, though, this proves to be an incredibly tough goal for them to achieve.

I may not typically be a huge fan of age-gap romances, but that didn’t stop me from having plenty of fun while breezing through the sneaky hijinks and age-related anxieties of Wilsner’s sophomore novel. Her snappy writing encourages you to follow these two women as they navigate the sparks that persist in exploding between them and do their best to hide their forbidden romance from others, especially Parker. This could have headed into an icky space (again, there's a reason that age gaps aren't my thing), so I'm glad Wilsner is able to respectfully depict the relationship and get me to understand why the partners have bonded so quickly.

But this isn’t to say that Erin and Cassie are wholly lovable leads. No, they’re fully capable of making immature decisions that left me sighing and/or chuckling at them with a mixture of disapproval and sympathy. I can buy into MCs with varying sorts of unlikable personalities as long as they’re fleshed-out and feel appropriate for the story, which is the case for Cassie and Erin most of the time. Admittedly, there were a few character choices that made me arch my eyebrow a little too dubiously, including one particular moment in the first half that sees Erin behaving towards Cassie in a way that I found to be flat-out cruel. Then there's Parker, whom I didn't think was too charming, what with the puerile behavior she engages in throughout the novel. I get why the irresponsible tendencies of this cast have been a major criticism for other readers, and you know what, sometimes they can irritate me as well. But in the end, I think there can be something valuable to be unearthed in the messy humanity of these characters—specifically Erin and Cassie—as they figure out what they want out of their dynamic and separate the expectations that other people put on them from the things that they truly yearning for themselves.

It's fantastic to see the queer representation here, with numerous women like Cassie, Erin, and Parker identifying as bisexual and Erin's friend Rachel identifying as pansexual. This counters the bi-erasure that's often present in queer media. While we've been getting more and more contemporary romances starring bi leads, including the Written in the Stars series by Alexandria Bellefleur; Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston; and Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert, it can still feel at times like we're living in a world that normalizes monosexuality and completely dismisses anyone on the bi spectrum. That's why it's satisfying to be able to consume a book like Mistakes Were Made, in which bisexuality is front and center and nobody has to worry about coming out.

As for the spice, I feel conflicted. I know this has been promoted as a raunch-com, and I'm all for the leads being unable to get enough of each other in bed. However, I prefer my steam to be the kind where, if it's happening constantly, it explores some creative paths and becomes an integral part of the relationship's evolution, e.g. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang and Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly. In Mistakes Were Made, it can be fun sometimes, but it can also feel repetitive and extraneous on other occasions. I'll acknowledge that I might be holding this opinion because I'm a cishet man and that I might feel differently if I were a bi woman. That being said, if I want books that boast virtually enough smut to become erotica, I'll go for something like the Dark Olympus series by Katee Roberts. Otherwise, it doesn't jive well in contemporary romances for me.

I feel it's necessary to point out that there are numerous lines in the ARC that made me uncomfortable because of their racist undertones. If you look up reviews for this book, you'll find other readers who've criticized them as well. Thankfully, Wilsner has already stated that they'll be edited out of the final version of her book. I merely wanted to comment on this issue so that anyone who's read the ARC knows I'm not ignoring the lines and I'm glad changes are being made to trim offensive material from the book.

A certain third-act reveal subverted my expectations and therefore amped up the quality of this novel in my eyes. Sure, the rest of the story turned out to be far from unpredictable, but it’s a heartwarming conclusion nonetheless.

Overall, while I wish the sex scenes had been written more thoughtfully and tweaks had been made to some of the characters’ sophomoric actions, Mistakes Were Made is quite an admirable raunch-com whose endearingly flawed MCs deftly traverse taboo-romance territory.

This review will be posted on my blog 2 Cents Critic during the book's publication week of October 10th.

Five BIG stars for this deliciously steamy age-gap romance.

I could not get enough of the relationship between Erin and Cassie. I loved their desperation for one another, their chemistry was off the charts, and the sex scenes (which were plentiful!!!) were so GD hot. I also loved their quieter moments - making dinner together over FaceTime, laying in bed with the newspaper, sending selfies to one another daily. The layers in this relationship were beautiful!

As individuals, I definitely identified with Erin and her people-pleasing ways. Having Cassie there to break her out of that cycle, to remind her about what’s important? It was perfect. “Fuck should”, amiright?? (Seriously - I need that tattooed on my body somewhere. 😆)

The sneaking around was stressful, but I absolutely loved how the reveal happened and that there was no third act conflict between Erin and Cassie. The book seamlessly tracked through their relationship, gave them a bit of a scare, then brought them back together in a way that made sense for the book and the characters.

I could keep going and going, but just know - this book is worth a pre-order before it’s release in October!!!!

I loved this one. Meryl Wilsner is such an excellent writer -- right from the get-go this one sucks you in and doesn't let go. And I was skeptical going on -- I'm not an age gap romance kinda gal and I had extreme concerns over the power dynamics at play in this book (also just like thought I might die of second hand embarrassment).

But I freaking loved it. The chemistry between Cassie and Erin basically leaps off the page -- their meet cute is A++ (and STEAMY)! I thought Wilsner handled the relationships between Cassie, Erin, and Parker really well. I appreciated that there was a clear difference in both age but also maturity between Cassie and Parker. I also loved that the revelation of Cassie and Erin's relationship is ultimately a non-issue -- I was expecting this huge blow out with Parker and I {SMALL SPOILER} freaking loved that she had already processed her feelings about their relationship by the time it goes public and is totally supportive.

I love a good dual POV book and this is no exception. I saw one review that argued its mostly a Cassie POV and I don't agree with that at all -- I thought both of their perspectives were well developed and distinct. All in all, you should definitely read this book.

As one of my most anticipated reads, I was not disappointed by Mistakes Were Made.

My first book by author Meryl Wilsner, I was excited to pick up a sapphic story that was not the same as every other sapphic love story currently on the market. Wilsner's story of Cassie and Erin was steamy in all the right ways, had great queer characters, and did a fantastic job of showcasing the issues women work though at different stages of their lives.

I adored the bi representation in this book, watching Erin transform into a woman who wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted after repressing her true feelings for so many years, and of course, reliving some of my own college experiences through Cassie and her friends.

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

*SPICYYYY*
4.5/5
Meryl Wilsner has a brilliant mind. Thank you for blessing us with this book. I cant wait to get a physical copy. October 11th I will be running into B&N and throwing my money to the nearest cashier. College student accidently hooks up with her friend's mom???? Yes please. This book is MESSY but in the BEST way. I was flipping the pages of my kindle so fast I'm surprised I didn't get an internal heat warning. If you didn't like Something To Talk About I would still give this a go.
I did have issues with the pacing of Mistakes Were Made though. Some of the story seemed to go by way too quick as other parts seemed to be covered a tad too long. This is the reason I ultimately settled on 4.5/5 instead of 5/5.

I absolutely loved Mistakes Were Made! I was hooked from the very beginning and I never wanted to stop reading! It was fun, sweet and super steamy! The characters were fantastic and the age gap romance…dear lord it was hot! I loved how bold Cassie was and I related so much to Erin. This book is all about putting yourself first and doing what makes you happy. I didn’t know how much I needed that message until this story! I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future!

okay. wow. a lot to say. and so much i can’t say for sake of spoilers. i’m not usually one to go for age gaps or forbidden relationships but i’m a sucker for a good milf so i had to give this read. i’m really glad i did. it was actually my first real ARC and i’m so glad i had a positive experience reading it. this book was so sexy it’s unreal. there are times i felt straight up sinful for reading it but in the best way. the characters were well written, the plot was compelling, and it had me on the edge of my seat. i will say it made me a bit anxious because i was ready at any given moment for it to blow up in their face. without giving away anything, there was one part where i almost had to stop reading because it made me so anxious and fed on my trauma but that’s not the fault of the book. if anything, it shows how good the writing is. props to the author for writing an age gap relationship that didn’t feel weird or exploitative but felt genuine and gave the characters clear motives and reasons for falling for each other despite their differences. i recommend this book to anybody who is looking for a sexy, funny romcom with enough drama to keep you coming back for more.
4/5 stars.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4738496218

I inhaled this in a single sitting if that’s any indication of how much this book hooked me in. This was a quick and light read. Was one of the most spiciest best-friend’s-parent romances I have ever read. Like seriously, grab a fan and a glass of water before starting this, you’re gonna need them literally beginning on page 1 🔥

This was such a solid and well written romance! It may be considered a “taboo” romance with it being focused on the mc and her best friend’s mom/MILF, with a ~17/18 age gap. Erin is the prime example of why the “Stacy’s mom” song is so relatable. Like, I truly get it now.

While there was a lot of steam, there was also a lot of tenderness and love. I also really enjoyed how the plot played out with it being pretty positive, rather than going for the typical storyline filled with hysterics and drama.

Overall, seek no further if you’re looking for a sapphic, age gap, MILF, extremely spicy romance! Seriously though, I’m going to need y’all to preorder this top notch book STAT!

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.

Everyone hates parents weekend at college, and Cassie is no exception considering she is a senior now and never really had "parents" that fit the role. So she (reluctantly) agrees to join her friend in getting brunch with her and her friend's mom...only to find out that her friend's mom is the same woman that she had a one night stand with the previous night.

I loved this book. I was super hesitant when I started reading this book because I had hyped it up so much in my head. I adored Wilsner's last book Something to Talk About, but I worried that I only enjoyed it because I listened to the audiobook and it had been over a year ago.
But this book? This is the one.

There's something about Wilsner's writing that makes the relationship so earned and deserved. There's no need for miscommunication, and even when the characters are being frustrating, they're acting as you expect they would. This situation, though not common, felt very realistic in how each character handled it.

Romance novels that contain the trope of "best friend's parent" or "ex-boyfriend's parent" often disregard that middle person that make the relationship 'forbidden' or 'taboo,' and as the reader you anticipate that they come in in the third act to surprisingly find out and cause a conflict, forcing one of the parties to end the relationship because they feel they have to choose. I don't want to spoil the book, but I commend both the characters and the writer for how the situation is realized and ultimately resolved. Parker, Erin's daughter and Cassie's best friend is a dynamic character (I think we all have a Parker in our lives, even if they don't come with a super hot MILF), and Wilsner takes the time to develop Parker's relationship with both Erin and Cassie, which are major highlights in the book for me.

Also, Wilsner's previous book is slow burn and only one spicy scene towards the end that has a bit of a fade to black ending. This book however? WOAH MAMA (literally) The smut was incredible and Erin and Cassie's chemistry was palpable.

Truly my only negative about the book is the character of Madison. Erin and Parker have a group of family friends that they spend the holidays with. (Madison, Caleb, etc.) They're all basically set dressing. Background characters to make the world more believable because most romance novels want you to believe that the main character only has one best friend, their love interest, and that is it.

Which is why I understand and appreciate these minor characters even if they're just names being thrown around. But Madison? For someone, Madison gets two random pieces of dialogue that come out of NOWHERE and feel so forced, I audibly groaned and had to read them out loud to my roommate. (Note: Madison's pronouns are never referenced so I will be using they/them for the rest of this review as a neutral term) The first time being when Caleb mentions that Madison is genderqueer which they respond with "I really don't give a fuck." Chapters later at the New Years Eve party all the kids file in, but Erin calls out Madison specifically to say that they've grown, and that's when we get Madison's only other line of dialogue which is about how they've started taking testosterone. It felt so random and awkwardly placed. I am all for diversity in books, and I was originally pleasantly surprised at the inclusion of a genderqueer character, but can you really call Madison a character? It reads as such a veiled attempt at forced diversity. It feels like Wilsner only wrote those random lines as a throwaway to say, "hey, look! This person is diverse! They don't fit into the gender norm!" Almost like an author version of, "I have gay friends." And you just sit there like...okay? It would be different if Madison's character paid off in any way shape or form, but all I know is that their name is Madison, they are gender queer, and they take T. I've definitely written more about Madison then they actually appear in the book. It feels wrong to say that a character should be taken out of a book, but those chunks of dialogue were so awkward and clunky I had to cringe. I get a weird feeling that Wilsner may have anticipated Madison to be a bigger character and then just couldn't part with them as the editing process went.

Long rant aside, I really really loved this book and it exceeded my expectations. I can't wait to force all my friends to read this one and brag about how I read it early when booktok doesn't shut up about it in the fall!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for early access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review.