I enjoy Shepard’s crime writing, I don’t think her romance writing is for me.

Shepard’s first book with BSB and there are too many things about it I just don’t like. Let’s start with Riley, her job, influencer, hate it. Her personality, even worse, she’s a class A condensing asshole and her friend Dani is even worse. I think Riley is supposed to be a bit a bumbling awkward character, as is described a couple of times as well, but her actions and thoughts are condescending all the time and she just seems jaded for no good reason. Very unlikable character for me. Furthermore there are two twelve year olds who are just too wise for their age. I’m sorry but I can’t deal with twelve year olds hinting/ joking about sex. Olivia is fine, seemingly a little insecure, but who isn’t?
For the romance, it starts out nice and light, flirty, all about the physical appearance. For Riley it seems to be all she focusses on because she has zero respect or appreciation for the other things going on in Olivia’s life. Meanwhile Olivia isn’t as superficial, but not 100% either. Honestly, after their hookup it should have just been over for, to me they don’t fit.
When I was about 30% I thought I must have been at least half way in, sadly I wasn’t. If this weren’t an ARC read for me I would have probably stopped reading around that point. Nothing is really bad about this story, aside from Riley, but it just isn’t a book for me.

Please read other reviews as well.

Riley is a popular blogger / recapper of LGBTQI shows online but her real dream is breaking into writing for TV and she’s hoping her stint at a popular queer convention will help give her career a jump start. But the only thing jumping is her heart as she bumps into Olivia a talented artist who draws fanart.

This was quite the angsty romance with the first half being a lot of push / pull between the main MCs as they slowly orbit each other. Riley’s character was probably more fleshed out but her character was a strange mix of vulnerability (low self esteem) and cockiness / selfishness and I’m not sure I was really won over in the end.
The second half of the book is where the real angsty tension hits and there are a few unforgivable things said by Riley, that really made me question how these two could even come back together.
There is a lot of focus on the evolution of their relationship which was nice, but I also thought the pace of the story dipped a few times which made it a challenge to keep reading.

This is a well written book, but the MC not being very likeable and the slower pace didn’t quite work for me in the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

Riley is a popular entertainment blogger at her first queercon as a panelist. When she runs into Olivia on the convention floor sparks immediately fly with the aspiring artist. Olivia and Riley both get noticed at the convention in ways that will further their respective careers but they run into problems with their expectations of each other after several months of dating.
I enjoyed this book set in the world of fan fiction and tv with gay representation. The characters really seem to connect well with each other before their assumptions start wreaking havoc and those parts seemed very genuine. I see some others had issues with likability of the MCs and I do see their point in some ways but I felt like their reactions made them seem more human. Dani was annoying in the couple scenes she was in and I think I got my fill of her character pretty quickly. I also do see some of Riley's behavior as a bit less than endearing as well but I did still like her character overall. Olivia is in a tough situation overall and her family definitely depends on her a lot. I did like their relationship and overall plot, it wasn't quite the light read I was expecting from the blurb but I I definitely enjoyed it and would love to pick up the next release by Tagan Shepard.

3.25 stars. Talk about queer entertainment fandom. When I read the blurb of this book I was torn in two. I noticed the word influencer, and that is a topic that does not resonate with me. But I also saw the word fan art and as some of you might know I like to dabble in some fan art myself every once in a while, so I was curious. In the end, this book was quite different from what I expected, it is full of queer entertainment references which was fun even though it was a bit much for me, and there was also a more serious note on bullying.

Riley is an influencer, or as she prefers it, a journalist of queer entertainment and Olivia is a huge fan of the TV shows Riley recaps, and of Riley herself. Olivia loves making fan art and when Riley and Olivia meet at a Con they are immediately drawn to each other. Riley is on some of the panels and Olivia is there as a fan but her fan art becomes a big hit which opens up some possibilities for her future too.

The romance between the two starts rather light and is largely based on lust. I liked Olivia as a character who’s sweet and caring for her family and it seemed as if she was a bit shy at the start of the book, but it turned out she’s not at all afraid to ask for what she wants. Riley, I found more difficult to like, she’s portrayed as awkward, but I found her very condescending which clashed with her “endearing” awkwardness. This was where I also struggled with the romance. Why date somebody and even fall in love with somebody (which happened rather fast btw) if you can’t respect their choices and what they are passionate about?

At the dark moment the book makes a huge turn from light to very angsty and heavy. I liked this turn, I thought it brought some depth to the story and the characters which saved the romance for me although Riley was so stubborn and one sighted for a long time that I still wasn’t the biggest fan of her in the end. This turn is also connected to their future and I would have liked to see how their careers turned out in the epilogue.

Olivia’s family was nice to read about, the grumpy but loving grandpa, a flighty but sweet mom and her little sister and her gay best friend, which were fun although perhaps a bit too smart for their age. Riley has a best friend, Dani, whom I unfortunately didn’t like at all. She’s a huge player and was only interested in “nailing” the next woman, and she was a pretty bad friend if you ask me.

All in all, the romance in this book didn’t completely work for me, but as someone who likes her queer TV shows and movies, I liked seeing several of the queer entertainment references. The whole fandom around it was a bit much for me, but I could understand this very deliberate choice.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great "nerdy" romance. Almost Perfect is a quick read. Recommend to anyone who is in to fan fiction or who follow popular social media influencers.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Olivia is an artist who’s loves drawing fan art and is invested in shows where she can see queer representation. While taking her younger sister and her best friend to QueerCon she meets influencer Riley who has huge following she loves what she does but lately it’s feels more like a job than anything else.

Although they feel an attraction would it work long distance they both navigate their relationship despite everything going on in their life. I like Olivia and her obligations to her family even though she starts to realize although they need her that’s doesn’t mean she can’t have a life. I like Riley but had to warm up to her because I felt she was a bit self absorbed but I find her writing hilarious. I like Chelsea and Lewis although twelve years old they are both wiser than adults in their life I like how they handle homophobic bullying, at school and at home. Overall a good read.

Almost Perfect brings you into the fangirl world of a popular television show which includes a lesbian superhero couple. Olivia, as well as being a fangirl, is an amazing artist who creates impressive fan art. Riley writes popular summaries of episodes, heavy on the snark, for different social media platforms and a gay entertainment zine. The two meet at a convention for gay positive entertainment, QueerCon. 

Reading the book blurb I imagined that I was in for a cute and light hearted romance. What I was handed was a hard knocks and angst driven love story. Although this included an insta love attraction, it left plenty of room for deep introspection and personal growth for both main characters. 

The secondary characters of two twelve year olds brought a strong spotlight onto gay bullying, at school and at home. The kids added humour and insight well beyond their years. Riley’s best friend Dani though detracted from the overall good vibes of the novel and should have been an insight into the true selfish character of Riley. By the end I was not a fan girl for either of them and because of this my rating fell from four to three stars.

I received an advance review copy from Bold Strokes Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Olivia Duran is an artist who interrupts her art education to help out at home with her family situation. She loves drawing fan art and is invested in shows where she can see queer representation. While taking her younger sister and her friend to QueerCon Olivia meets entertainment influencer Riley St. James. Riley is a blogger and free lance journalist focusing on Queer entertainment. She is snarky and writes with wit. Her dream is to become a script writer for one of the tv shows that she writes about.

The two meet at the conference and and because they are the each others “type” they accept the instant attraction. Living four hours apart they start a relationship working around work and family demands. Settling for the phone and texting when they can’t be together. I like Olivia and her motivations. She takes on much of the care taking role in her household which includes grandfather, mom and half sister Chelsea. I thought the 12 year olds were more precocious than realistic.

I wasn’t as big of fan of Riley. Even though she is nerdy and attentive she is also egocentric. She comes off unsympathetic to Olivia and is dismissive of her dreams. I really disliked her BF too until she gives Riley some very honest feedback. In fact, I’m addicted to those online Reddit questions of, Am I the A**hole? I was delighted when the questioned got asked and Riley wasn’t expecting answer she received.

I liked the story but I’m not a huge fan convention person. My daughter has attended for years so I understand them but it wasn’t as interesting to me as the characters and the relationships in the story. The epilogue was sweet but I was left wondering what the couples plans for the future professionally. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Quite a good read. Wasn’t sure at the start but got more into it as it went along. Two women a bit unsure about commitment and also living a few hours’ drive apart, making it difficult for them to meet often. They have a fight and break up. I found I was siding with both women in this. They were both right to take offence at what the other said but also wrong to have said it in the first place. But then they’re only human.
Enjoyed the book. I like most books by this author.

This book is an excellent romance of you are looking for a heartwarming and easygoing story! O had a great time with it, read in almost 2 days And I can confirm that is definitely worth your time! The writing is good, however the characters could have been developed in a better way. The pacing was a little too slow at times but at the end it makes up to it.
With the proper marketing, it could become one of the social medias trending book, it has everything, even the cover! Recommend it to everyone.

I was excited to have the opportunity to read this e-ARC, and give my thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author.

More QueerLit will never, ever be a bad thing, and I was so happy to see two openly queer main characters (one of whom was bisexual). Often in literature, sapphic relationships don't get as much of a spotlight as the alternative. This book starts off strong and is heavy on the representation. Following 'Gayntertainment' writer and journalist, Riley St James, and a far lesser known fan artist, Olivia Duran, we are first introduced to both at 'QueerCon'; a convention for all aspects of queer media, where fans can meet and greet some of their favourite stars.

There is plenty to like about this book, and not just the representation (that is done well). Olivia is a sweet but headstrong character who knows what she wants, and has sacrificed a lot to be the main caregiver for her grandfather, younger sister, mother (and her younger sisters best friend, by all accounts; a gay twelve year old from a less than accepting household). Even though, as the reader learns, she's not quite as needed as she thinks she is, due to years of being the one in control of things. She's incredibly likeable and unapologetic about who she is, what she likes, and what she wants. A refreshing depiction of a femme, androgynous-loving bi woman, who isn't pandering, nor subservient.

The characters are a lot of what is good about this. Chelsea and Lewis (the aforementioned sister and her BFF) are precocious twelve year olds who are smarter than their years, both intellectually and emotionally. Their excitement about QueerCon and their favourite show ('The Midtown Avengers') is infectious, and it's so great to see younger characters involved so heavily in the LGBTQ+ community. Dani, Riley St James' best friend, is raw, comical, and unafraid to call people out on their bullshit. Olivia's mother is forgetful, spirited, and deserves more credit than her daughter gives her. Her grandfather (Poppa) is your typical stubborn but loving old man.

The writing is pleasant and easy to read in the best kind of way. No overly difficult or pretentious language here: just simple, but well written, and accessible to most readers.

I really wanted to love this book, but I guess my biggest issue was the main character of Riley St James. In comparison to Olivia, I found her too hard to like at times. On more than a handful of occasions, she's dismissive of her fans due to the content they like (that she doesn't), selfish, rude, and fairly pretentious. Even at the end, when she's screwed up massively, she still tries to find a way to blame other people, and to lessen the blow of what she's done and said. Admittedly, she gets her ass handed to and realises what an idiot she's been, and has a redemption arc; but it comes too little too late for me. A few parts surrounding Olivia's family really irritated me; this whole idea of 'why am I not as important as them?' was difficult for me to swallow.

A few times, I really did find myself talking at the pages, because she annoyed me so much! I guess that definitely says something about the skill of the writing!

My only other main irk was the fast pace of the romance. To some extent, I get it; it makes sense. The main characters meet at a convention, one of them is from out of town, so they have to have that moment of attraction to lead to a date to ensure they get anywhere at all! But it still felt a little too rushed for me, as someone who much prefers more of a slow build.

All in all, I'm giving this one 3 out of 5 stars. Not the worst, but not my favourite, either. I'd definitely read more by the author, though - and hopefully next time I'll like the main character(s) more!

This book provided a sweet, nerdy, queer romance! I ADORED the representation in this book, not only the queer and fandom ones, but also the inclusion of MCs that were imperfect and still figuring their shit out.

Both MCs really resonated with me, as they were truly well written characters with REAL flaws and struggles. Olivia’s fear of failure and desire to be needed hit SO close to home for me, as did Riley’s desire to appear perfect and her desire to be more. These characters were so wonderfully crafted and their relationship was just a beautiful ride. The story was unexpectedly spicy (which is never a bad thing), and I adored that the MCs made each other better and that the relationship inspired such growth.

The story was an emotional roller coaster, but in the best possible way.

I was given an ARC by NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books. All opinions are my own.