Who doesn’t love a coming of age story? But this one is with a 30-year-old character. Didn’t know that was something I needed to see represented but loved this!

Some banter, lovely dialogue and a couple that makes you want to read more about them. Great story and amazing characters!

This is a sapphic romance featuring:
• a fat femme protagonist
• an out lesbian actress love interest
• found family and great friendships
• finding yourself in your 30s
• learning to love yourself again after a bad breakup

I really liked this book and how the relationship flowed. Lots of found family and just cute moments!!

Started off strong, but lost my interest 😕

The concept of a sapphic celebrity romance is soooooo great and I was loving the first half of this book but the rest kinda was slow until the very end. I loved the plus size representation and the forbidden romance aspect of the book. Honestly my favorite part was Nina’s queer friend group!!! They are so supportive and loved getting to know the large cast of characters.

Solid 3 star read that I think others might enjoy more than I did!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC❤️

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Nina Rice has decided that self-exile is needed to save her friends from her bad habits. Just suffering a humiliating breakup where Taylor writes out a 12 point reason why Nina is not a good partner, Nina decides to hide from everyone. She moves out of LA to the <shudders> the burbs, takes a job writing where she can work remotely and rarely goes out in public. When her boss summons her to headquarters to meet Ari Fox, an up and coming actress who Nina is ghostwriting for, sparks fly, but it is one-sided? Could spending time with Ari Fox out in the public open Nina up to reopening old friendships and past career options?

My first LGBTQ character books and I gotta say - it was SO good! The growth between both Nina and Ari is written well on the pages. Not only their personal growth is captured, but their growth as a couple, too. I liked the piece that was put in about a couple who is trying to adopt a baby, and the struggles they have in doing so, because that’s real life. I also enjoy the idea of Hollywood, something about that alone is romantic, but I will say spoiled is NOT my favorite… overall, still a great love story where the characters truly feel for one another. Thanks for the opportunity to review!

I would say this was more like 3.5 stars for me. I love a celebrity romance and plus-sized rep, and this book checked both of those boxes. I found Ari to be absolutely adorable and she and Nina had fabulous chemistry. II really wish there would have been more of the two of them together, and a couple less with Nina's friends.

think my main issue was with MC Nina. After a bad breakup she completely ghosted all of her friends, who were really more of her found family. I didn't understand that from either side. Like, I get withdrawing for a bit or letting someone have space, but she just disappeared for years. And everyone acts like that isn't a big deal?
That being said, there were some great secondary characters, especially Lorna.

Overall, the book was a quick read, and sweet.

This was such a fun Sapphic read! I love that Nina was plus sized but it wasn't a huge plot point and she didn't hate herself. The email aspect was fun and overall the story was just joyful and exciting. I really enjoyed both characters and their chemistry! .I love the found family aspect and that they weren't the only gay couple in the book. Highly recommend!

A Sapphic romance with food as supporting characters, lol.

'The danger to telling a kind of story can be either seductive, meaningful or worthless. Maybe have it in as a second something that you're trying out so that you can distinguish yourself as being this very good storyteller...'

2.5

This novel had in its premise everything I could want in a queer romance, and it fell really short for me. Perhaps I had my expectations set too high, maybe I was expecting something different, but I didn't enjoy this nearly as much as I expected to. All that to say, I don't think this was a bad book, I'm sure it's going to work for a lot of people, I just am not one of them.

For Her Consideration follows Nina Rice, an aspiring scriptwriter for TV, while she more or less squanders her dreams and talents ghostwriting emails for famous people. After a bad breakup with her girlfriend Taylor three years ago (in which she got a 12-point list detailing which of her personality traits led to her being dumped) Nina ghosted her friends, and her old life, and is living alone in the suburbs of LA, her only true friend being her aunt. Her job leads her to meeting Ari Fox, a young queer actress breaking through in Hollywood, and with their interactions more frequent, it seems Nina has a hard time continuing to live the way she has.

So, to start off I will say that I went into this novel very excited to read it, but prologue itself already had me more annoyed than I would've liked. Nina is in her car, obsessing over the 12-point list of her flaws, one of which is being late and having no respect for other people's time. She is running late to meet said person who wrote the list, and in her wish to not be late she almost runs over a guy on his bike (she and Taylor break up anyway, so she almost killed this man for nothing). Following that we learn that she lives pretty much secluded, save communication with her boss and Thursday lunches she has with her aunt. Every time she speaks in the first few chapters she just has to say something "quirky" and self-deprecating. It is giving this air of trying way too hard for her to come off relatable and funny and different, but it really didn't come off that way (in my opinion). She doesn't really recover from this during this novel, though (or she does but simply not enough and definitely not fast enough).

When reading a novel like this, I think readers' enjoyment hinges so much on how much they enjoy the characters, and that was this book's biggest downfall in my eyes - I found Nina Rice as a lacklustre protagonist. While in theory, she should've been very relatable to me, on paper we share a lot of traits, something about her, the way she talks maybe, was really pushing me away and making me not want to even finish this novel. As in in the first few chapters, she kept repeating phrases like "if people still do xyz" trying to emphasise how far removed from life she had become, but it was doing nothing to make her relatable and her motives understood, and more so was it making her annoying. She also had these little quirky quips, like saying she doesn't want still or sparkling water because she's gonna spill it on herself anyways? Like I get it, you're clumsy, but this is a stranger, you could've just said "I'm good, thanks".

It seems I have far more qualms with this novel than positive things, and while that is true, I still don't think this was a bad novel, just not for me. There were certainly bright moments, Nina and Ari's relationship had a lot of cute moments, Nina's friends were sweet and supportive and Nina's aunt Lorna was such a blast (I would love a book about her and her friends and their adventures). The slice-of-life moments throughout the book really were what kept me going reading this, and I highly enjoyed moments when Nina could stop self-sabotaging because the plot actually had substance then, and not just her going on about whatever in her head. I did enjoy different body types being represented, and how Nina actually liked her own body.

I also enjoyed what seemed to be character growth by the end of the novel from Nina's point, it was much needed and also did help my overall feelings on the book. We follow the novel from Nina's perspective only, and I think this was to the detriment of the novel. Ari was a fun character and being an opposite to Nina, dual POV would have added a good balance to the novel and made it more enjoyable. This way, we only got to seem glimpses of Ari, and I think it was also a disservice to her as a character.

Now, unfortunately, I go back to things I didn't enjoy as much. Nina's friend group was super enjoyable to read about, however, I was actually quite perplexed and upset that they just weren't friends for the entirety of those three years. I understand Nina's perspective (though I do not agree with it), but the friends? How is it, that for three entire years no one tried reaching out? What kind of friends are you guys? And it is only brought up a handful of times, not explored fully, and while it's fair that her friends feel slighted about being ghosted, none of them even attempted communication.

To continue on that note, the entire third-act-breakup arc was so incredibly unnecessary! This whole thing could've been solved so fast, with one conversation, especially as both sides were in the wrong. They both crossed boundaries, but they could've talked it out for sure. They had a very brief phone call that resulted in said breakup and I was in disbelief. They didn't even talk about it properly. It was "you did x wrong, so I did y wrong, end of call (and relationship)". On top of that, Nina spend the entire book SO worried that Taylor was right in her list of flaws, that she made it so Taylor was right. Even if nothing was true at the moment Taylor wrote it, Nina was so hellbent on thinking everything would go up in flames, that it would simply because of this fear of hers (tbf I do think there was probably some truth in what Taylor said, even though I think it was an asshole move on her end as well).

All in all, I think that for every thing I liked about the novel, there were about three I disliked. This is, again, just my opinion, and the book reads quite fast, so if you are interested in it, don't let my review deter you!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

A cute wholesome and entertaining sapphic read perfect for women trying to branch out of the usually tragic tropes associated with quality in queer literature. The characters are fun to read and their chemistry is carefully built throughout the story. However, Nina's obliviousness gets exhausting at times, for it unnecessarily drags out the romantic plot. Overall, a recommended read for queer chick-lit fans who want to see themselves in the stories they read.

Great first jump into adult from YA! Such a fun book! I just reviewed For Her Consideration by Amy Spalding. #ForHerConsideration #NetGalley

Thank you, NetGalley, publishers, and Amy Spalding for gifting me a copy of For Her Consideration in return for my honest review.

3/5 stars

Since a crushing breakup three years ago, Nina Rice has written romance, friends, her dreams of scriptwriting for TV, and even LA proper out of her life. Instead, she’s safely out in the suburbs in her aunt’s condo working her talent agency job from home, managing celebrity email accounts, and certain that’s plenty of writing—and plot—for her life. But a surprise meeting called by Ari Fox, a young actress on everyone’s radar, stirs up all kinds of feelings Nina thought she’d deleted for good . . .
Ari is sexy, out and proud, and a serious control freak, according to Nina’s boss. She has her own ideas about how Nina should handle her emails—and about getting to know her ghostwriter. When she tells Nina she should be writing again, Nina suddenly finds it less scary to revisit her abandoned life than seriously consider that Ari is flirting with her. Between reconnecting with her old crew and working on a new script, a relationship with a movie star seems like something she’ll definitely mess up—but what could be more worth the risk?

This was just an okay read for me. I think if it was told from Ari's point of view I might have enjoyed it. Nina is an annoying character, she was told by an ex-girlfriend that she is a horrible, toxic, and just all-around horrible person. Which naturally killed her esteem and made her into a horrible person. I have no clue what Ari saw in her, there really wasn't a redeeming quality to her. Ari on the other hand while she had her moments was an all-around better character.

I did enjoy how just having a girlfriend didn't magically fix all of Nina's issues. She actually took the steps to grow and by the end was taking accountability for her mistakes and how she treated people. Also, I despise 3rd act break ups and this one was just incredibly stupid, with all the drama already in the book we could have done with out.

I do like the realistic aspects of this book and would recommend to romance lovers.

For Her Consideration is the kind of sapphic romance that I can only dream will hit the mainstream in the same way that books like Red, White, and Royal Blue or Heartstopper have. The characters are three dimensional, and I couldn’t help but get invested. This felt very current, and I look forward to seeing what Spalding does next.

Delighted to include this title in my recent round-up “10 Queer Rom-Coms to Read if You Loved ‘Red, White & Royal Blue” for the Books section of Zoomer, Canada’s national culture magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

I loved this book. The plus size representation was incredible. The sapphic representation was incredible. The romance was swoon worthy and overall it was just a fun read!
It had enough plot and emotion to really draw you in and maintain your attention.

When I tell you I ate this book up I am not even joking! i pulled an all nighter to complete it as it was just that good, i was hooked from page one and finally a plus size rep done correctly and relatability with a great family behind her.

both the MC are likeable which was something i was a little worried about at first but nope i loved both of them and the friendship they have, its a smooth romance which flows in a great way and it very much a nature way that doesnt fell forced or rushed

i am not a romance girl i love my sci fi and fantasy and so when i got this book i was not ready for how much i would love it and so here is to Amy spalding converting me to romance.

This was a cool plot line that I’ve never read before which with romance books can be rare. I enjoyed the characters the bonds between them and how we got to see them grow and become better versions of themselves throughout the book. I enjoyed the friendships shown in this book and how they were represented just as importantly as romantic relationships. Overall this was a wonderful book that I will definitely be recommending!

For Her Consideration was a fun queer romance. Not always a fan of the Hollywood person falls in love with a normal person troupe but this was cute. At times the writing style felt disjointed