I enjoyed the book, but the conflict resolution fell flat for me. I really expected there to be more there — there was so much build-up with the tension and then it all resolved so easily, it didn’t feel satisfying.

what a fun, spicy romance! Mistakes Were Made definitely delivered on its blurb & it left me on the edge of my seat multiple times! i truly couldn't fathom how this story would end. it was quick and easy to read, and i felt like the world built around Nashua & the college setting felt realistic. i also enjoyed the way that Erin & Cassie treated each other as equals despite their obvious differences in age and place in life.

*side note, I’d like a book about acacia next please!

however, i understand that this is an age-gap taboo romance story, but i did have a hard time with the dismissal of Parker as a whole throughout the story. the mcs mentioned being worried about her here and there, but never stopped long enough to figure out if there could be a resolution, until it all inevitably came to a head late in the third act.

*thank you to netgalley & st. martin’s press for the eARC!

Mistakes Were Made promises a fun MILFy romance story and it definitely delivered, though I was left feeling a tad underwhelmed. I enjoyed the writing quality, and the depth/development the author payed to each character. I thought the world was well written, and provided a great escape. However, I did have some issues with the pacing and the characters weren't.... the most endearing to me at times.

Starting with the positives, both Cassie and Erin are really well thought out: their motivations always make sense, their choices (even when I didn't agree with them) were consistent, and I felt both their characters were very 3 dimensional. The relationships depicted between not only Cassie and Erin, but also between Cassie and her friends and Erin and Rachel felt vey real, and I loved how there were literally no prominent male characters lmao.

The storyline was generally. lots of fun to read; it was very entertaining, the writing was of good quality, and I flew through the book. This book is one of those books that was os much fun to read, but after I finished it I started thinking about the more noticeable problems that existed.

I didn't think the pacing of this story was amazing--the second act of the story really dragged on, leaving little room for the ending which I found to be underwhelming. This book has a lotttttt of spice (I'm estimating like 6-8 scenes in my head, I'm too lazy to go back and count though lol) what was awesome because I feel there are so few sapphic books that have so much,, porn lol but it was also kinda feeling like too much! At times I felt expanding upon the side characters's plot lines would be more beneficial to moving the story along than another scene of Cassie and Erin fucking without furtherment of their relationship.

This is also, obviously, a taboo forbidden romance and I knew that coming into the novel, which is why I'm not letting this gripe affect my star rating. THAT SAID, I really wasn't a fan of Cassie and Erin at times; I felt they were being a really bad friend/mother to Parker with all their sneaking around. Again, not counting this against the book because obviously thats gonna be A Thing That Happens in taboo romance, but lol I wasn't always a fan.

If you know aaaaanything about me you know this book was my most anticipated book of 2021, and I'm overall satisfied with the book (hence the 4 star rating) though it had its weaknesses mostly pacing related. I had a lot of fun reading this, and would definitely recommend to everyone who enjoys sapphic stories and/or taboo romance lovers. Thanks to the publisher for an ARC!

College senior Cassie hooks up with a stranger she meets in a bar as a way to distance herself from her school’s family weekend, but ends up doing the opposite and discovers the stranger is her friend’s mom! They tell themselves never again, but then Cassie comes to stay for 2 weeks at winter break and I’m sure you can figure out the rest!
God, this was incredible! Such a crazy unique take on the forbidden love/secret relationship trope! I’ve never read anything by Meryl Wilsner before, but this book has convinced me I must read more! I absolutely LOVED these characters, and the changes they go through and the realizations they came to made them all the more relatable-it was perfect! Through the course of the book we see these two MCs go from a purely physical relationship, to denying the relationship is anything but, to admitting it to themselves and finally allowing themselves to have what they want-each other. While I loved the changes the MCs went through, I honestly think I loved Parker’s growth the most. I loved the way the author wrote her and how she finally saw and prioritized her mom’s happiness-so amazing. This book was a gooey RomCom but it was also steamy AF-absolute perfection!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What happens when you take a hot woman home from a bar but then that woman ends up being your best friend's mom?

Mistake Were Made follows Cassie and Erin as they engage in a one night stand gone wrong (or right? Depends on who you ask). After discovering that the woman she hooked up with in her car behind a bar is her friend's mom in town visiting for Family Weekend, Cassie Klein can't get Dr. Erin Bennett out of her mind. And then Parker invites her to spend the holidays with her and her mom. They make a pact that their relationship, however it's defined, is casual and will end when Cassie returns to school. Except that it doesn't.

Meryl Wilsner really took the last 20 pages of their debut novel and said 'you know what? What if I took that energy and made it the entire book?' Truthfully, the steam and spice starts in chapter 1 and that is in no way a bad thing. It starts the tension just right and sets up Cassie and Erin's relationship from the get go. The reader knows that what they have is a fast, hot connection, and over the course of the book the reader gets to see that relationship grow into something neither of the main characters' expected in the best way possible.

I was wary at the beginning of how a happy ending would work for these two, and was dreading a third act break up. But Meryl found a way to keep me rooting for these two even when it seemed like all was lost and love would not prevail. It is a romance after all.

This book is for lovers of rom-coms, people who read a little too much swan queen fan fiction in their formative years, and those looking for a spicy sapphic romance like they've never read before.

it pains me to write this review, because i wanted to love this book. i so badly wanted to love this book. i boasted about receiving an ARC of this book to my friends and family, because that's just how excited i was to be able to read it early. with all of this being said, i am left feeling disappointed, which is exactly the opposite of how i wish i felt. and yet no matter what way i spin it in my head, the title mistakes were made is ultimately quite fitting. because there were numerous mistakes made throughout the course of this book, above and beyond the characters.

mistakes were made follows cassie, a college student who decides to blow off some steam and head to an off campus bar; the last thing on her mind is searching for a hook-up. however, she meets erin (who she later finds out is the mom of one of her friends) at the bar, and they decide to tango (wink wink). what starts off as fast and flirty turns into something more, leaving cassie and erin with no choice but to deal with what has blossomed between them.

there were pretty much only things that i disliked about this book. the premise seemed perfect, but the delivery fell flat. i found most of the writing to be cringe, which was very disappointing. it read like fanfiction, but bad fanfiction. the way this age gap relationship was handled seemed off to me; it wasn't written well, and i felt very unsettled as the story progressed. the relationship that developed just didn't seem believable, especially given the different points of life these two characters were at. the plot was inconsistent and disjointed, which made it difficult for me to finish.

all in all, i really wish i had loved this book. it just ultimately was not the book for me, but i'm sure other people will enjoy it more than i did. 2/5 stars.

thank you to netgalley and st. martin's press for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own.

*FANS SELF FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME*

I don't know what I did to deserve a book fairy who placed one of my most anticipated reads straight into my hands, but I thank them and the sapphic Gods for aligning to make my dreams come true. I knew I had to read it immediately.

"Mistakes Were Made" takes a cringe-worthy concept and turns it into an irresistible read. IT IS STEAMY AF!!! Meryl Wilsner is truly giving the gays everything with this one. If you enjoy forbidden relationships, f/f romances, idiots-to-lovers, smut, found family, fast burns and minimal drama, go preorder this immediately. You don't want to miss out on this sharp and sexy MILF romcom.

Cassie Klein, a college senior, wants to get as far away as she can from her school's Family Weekend, opting to an off-campus bar across town. There, she spots an incredibly hot older woman and decides to go after what she wants. The two instantly connect, engaging in an unforgettable and uncomplicated one-night stand—or at least that's what it should've been. But, the next morning when tagging along for breakfast with her best friend Parker to meet her mom, she is shocked to see Erin, the gorgeous stranger she slept with. Worst of all, their chemistry is impossible to ignore and secretly, they want to hook up again and again. Soon, Cassie and Erin are sneaking around behind Parker's back, needing to decide if what they share together is worth the possible costs of being found out.

This story is a quick and easy read that is equally horny as it is angsty. I LOVED the tension especially because the age gap is a shared power balance so it feels comfortable. The secondary characters, Parker, Acacia and Rachel are all well-rounded and loveable; no one felt unnecessary to the plot. The only thing I would change is the insta-love (and by association exaggerated pining) shared between Cassie and Erin, simply because the trope overshadows character development too often. That said, both protagonists are strong, independent women seeking their own happiness and it's hard to fault them for doing so.

There is something incredibly addictive about "Mistakes Were Made" and it did NOT disappoint. The softness of it all is just so beautiful I could cry. THE COVER IS PERFECT TOO (I'm ashamed I almost forget to mention it!)!!!

I also really appreciated the overall lesson of doing the things you want for yourself simply because you want to. You deserve good things too.

When I read the description for this book I instantly knew I needed to read it, and let me tell you I was not at all disappointed.

Before I get to deep into how much I adored this book I want to take a minute and appreciate how incredibly well written all of the characters are. Not only is the book compromised of a majority of bad ass bisexual women but there is so much depth to not only both the main characters but the supporting characters as well.
Cassie is this bad ass women in stem who knows exactly what she wants in her life, except for the feelings she's so quick to hid (which truthfully is 100% relatable with how well Cassie is written). Erin is a doctor, who after spending her life being a people pleasure is finally learning to takes steps and seek her own happiness.

I've read my share of sapphic contemporary romances this year ( and albeit I understand its only march but I've read a lot!) and this one is by far the standout so far. This book had me hooked from the first chapter and I was so invested in the entire story, I flew through the book and 2/3s of the way through I found myself riddled with anxiety so stressed about how there was absolutely any way this book would have a happy ending that I would appreciate. Instead Wilsner found a way to throw me for a look and ended up having me sobbing during the epilogue. I actually had to go back and re read the last 100 pages because I needed to take my time and appreciate them without the accompanied anxiety.

This book was super spicy but also so deep and heavy, the entire thing was flawless.

Huge thank you to St. Martin Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Thank you to SMP and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review:

CW: alcoholic parent/parental neglect (past), cheating partner (past), family tensions,

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-f/f insta attraction
-this is just a hookup
-forbidden relationship
-age gap
-best friend's mother
-a lot of denial
-found family

The angsty and horny answer to what happens when you accidentally have a one night stand with your best friend's mom. I will keep calling this the MILF book. Equal parts horny and angsty and all about living for yourself rather than for other people. The opposite of a slow burn this book brings the heat, and then weaves the intimacy in as Erin and Cassie accidentally fall in love with each other without even realizing it. What is this? Are these FEELINGS?

I adored their cooking dates and that they were both in denial but equal parts gone on the other pretty much from the beginning. I really appreciated that the age gap and their age difference was never the issue between them. They treated each other as equals and with respect. So much text flirting and softness. Their lives bumping in accidental ways until it's entirely intentional. The steam, the feelings, the new adult vibes of being back on a college campus, the MILF books delivers.

Steam: 4

Mistakes Were Made brings the heat and chemistry right away. There are sparks flying from the first time Erin and Cassie meet, and nothing can get in their way. Not even the fact that Cassie's best friend is Erin's daughter. I can't say enough wonderful things about this book. The sex--and there is a LOT of it--is steamy, interesting, and new every time. What's more, it's skillfully written: both hot and able to show the way that Erin and Cassie shift over time. Both the main characters and secondary characters are rounded and intriguing, and so much growth happens over the course of the novel. 20/10, no notes.

When I heard the premise for this book, I thought "I must read this immediately." So as soon as I received the ARC, even though it does not publish until October, I just had to pick it up. And I was not disappointed! I loved Something to Talk About, but this book is even better (and significantly steamier). It really shows Wilsner in their stride, and is reminiscent of favorites like Delilah Green Doesn't Care and Written in the Stars.

When Cassie and Erin meet in a bar, neither of them think it'll be anything more than a one-time hook-up. But when Cassie tags along with her best friend to brunch with her mom who is in town for Family Weekend, Cassie is shocked to see Erin across the table--but not more shocked than Erin. This age-gap forbidden romance works especially well in f/f, as there isn't an uncomfortable power dynamic between the two, which we often get when there's a stronger, larger, older male. Despite the age difference, Cassie and Erin are both two independent, self-sufficient, and high achieving women who just happen to have an undeniable connection. In addition to being downright sexy, this book is also deep, charming, touching, and pretty much everything you could want in a romcom. I have no complaints.

Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

I loved every second of reading this book! It was very saucy from start to finish and there was a great underlying tension and believable chemistry. This read was such fun!

Thank you, St. Martin's Griffin, for allowing me to read Mistakes Were Made early!

This book. This book was perfection in my eyes. No negative feedback whatsoever for Meryl Wilsner's sophomore novel. Mistakes Were Made captivated me since the very beginning and my love for it only grew as I proceeded with my reading, I'm so happy I got to read it this early and I am now going to pre-order myself and some friends a copy!

So good. A new fave. I loved the writing and the steam level. Although i was a bit wary at first of the premise, the author handles it with such care and the chararectarization is amazing. Want a cassie of my own.
Read like a fanfiction but was so good in a way only the best ones are. A fantasy-filled contemporary with big heart and an amazing cast.

ABSOLUTELY A FIVE STAR READ AND FIVE PEPPERS!

Cassie, A senior in college is alone on family weekend. She isn't close to her mom and grew up without a dad. So, Cassie decides what the hell, I'll see what an off campus bar has to offer. That is where she locks eyes with Erin from across the bar and boldly buys her a drink. Erin is at least 18 years Cassie's senior but doesn't look it at all. Flirting ensues and Erin initiates a hot bathroom hook up asking if Cassie wants to get out of here. The two have quick hot sex in the back of Erin's car and then part ways.

The next morning one of Cassie's best friend, a college freshman Parker, asks her if she wants to go to breakfast with her and her mom who is in town. As the two women arrive at the restaurant, Cassie looks up at the table to see Parker waving at her mom, her mom who happens to be the sexy older woman, Erin, she hooked up with at the bar last night.

This taboo, hot sexy love story follows Erin and Cassie has they have a hidden love affair and work out there feelings for each other. All while hiding their hook ups from Erin's daughter.

Mistakes were made was unspeakably hot and romantic all at the same time. I could not put this book down. Meryl Wilsner did not disappoint with their second novel.

cw/tw
Alcoholic Parent
Abandonment by a parent
Alcohol use by minor

Tropes
Age Gap
Idiots to lovers

This was a fun sapphic romance, the romance was so cute and the spice was phenomenal. Definitely one of my favorite reads this year Meryl did such a great job with this story and these characters I loved every single one of them!

MILF BOOK MILF BOOK MILF BOOK MILF BOOK
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In other news, "Mistakes Were Made" has got me messed in the head, upsetting my TBR list that is actually based on deadlines, AND now I am in a fog at work muttering "milf book" and waving around dirty spoons as I think about Cassie and Erin.
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It is now five hours later and I have managed to read "Mistakes Were Made" and I swear to God that Meryl Wilsner put something addictive into the ink or something. I am fully obsessed with Cassie and Erin, want Parker and Acacia as my own friends, and can't stop thinking about the entirety of Cerin's relationship (can we call their ship name Cerin?). If you enjoy forbidden romances, sapphic plotlines, and dumb-as-heck protagonists, go run and preorder "Mistakes Were Made" right now.

Whew this one has some spice y’all!! A random one night stand turned to forever, taboo romance - age gap and best friends mom, strangers turned to lovers - I mean all the elite tropes are right here. I could not put this book down. Cassie and Erin had me sweating with anxiousness cause they were sneaking around and then hot and bothered cause the steamy scenes are also elite. I loved the relationship. Cassie and Erin built but also the way that Parker was included into the storyline and love the way the “reveal” happened!