This is friends to lovers!
I wasn’t the biggest fan tho, the characters felt fake. There wasn’t a real plot or character development in my opinion. Which is usually needed even in rom-com. This was just romance which is ok, but not my favourite.

I’ll preface this entire review with saying that I don’t come from the character’s background so I won’t be speaking about the cultural moments (though I do appreciate the slang peppered throughout). I thought this book was just alright. I’m focusing mainly on the romance piece and with that I thought the romance between Peaches and Jamie felt off. Their sexy scenes were well written but I feel like the author wrote tension between them just to have tension. Their fights didn’t really make sense with their characters and I felt like Peaches forgave Jamie a little too quickly so the ending of them getting back together didn’t feel authentic.

I thought the writing over all was decent but the constant remarks about what everyone was wearing and what everyone was doing every single moment had me skimming some pages trying to get back to the main plot. It was alright, but wasn’t spectacular

This was requested when I first found out about NetGalley and I had requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before they were archived. I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it! I am giving this book three stars, as I don't want to give it a good or bad rating, since I did not get to it and we have to leave a star rating.

Kiana Alexander is quickly becoming a favorites. This book was amazing and I loved every minute of it. The characters were relatable. And I’ll definitely be reading this author again.

I enjoyed it but whew I’ve never encountered two characters that needed to speed walk to therapy. It was a good read but not specifically my favorite. Waaaaay too messy.

This wasn’t really my thing. The writing was too distracting at how inhuman it sounds for me to continue the book. I was a little disappointed that I wanted enjoy this book.

Jamie and Peaches are best friends who go from friends to lovers zone. Jamie wants to take their relationship from the friends to lovers status and at times Peaches seemed a little hesitant. As in male/female relationships the couples are hesitant to take their relationships out of the friend zone and into the lovers zone for fear of losing a friend. As Jamie and Peaches are making changes in their lives there is family conflict, drama. I have read books in this genre in the past and it’s nice to see authors are writing about this genre more frequently. I enjoyed reading about Jamie and Peaches and going on along on their journey.

I received an ARC via NetGalley and Montlake and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

"Your body is solid, but your heart is soft. I see. What a marvelous combination."

* I want to say thankyou to netgalley for this ARC!

I absolutely loved this book! I didn't know how it was gonna go since the reviews are a little all over the place, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

You got:
• FF relationship
• Found family
• Friends to lovers
• Successful & badass MCs
• Mental health representation
• Healthy communication

Right from the beginning, I enjoyed the two female MCs. I found them both very refreshing. I loved that they bonded very quickly over similar interests as well as family life. There was a small amount of miscommunication, but it was turned around so quickly and in such a healthy way. The mental health representation was spot on and really brought more understanding to one of the female leads. The friend group was an amazing mix of people that all brought their own life experiences to the story.

I highly recommend this book, and I think you should pick it up!

"Fine. I'll lower my tone, but I won't lower my standards. Now, get yourself in the shower and get dressed. And for the sake of all that's right and holy, please do something with that wig."

"Can't Let Her Go" by Kianna Alexander offers a spicy friends-to-lovers sapphic BIPOC romance with two complex protagonists. Jamie and Peaches start with sizzling chemistry but face growing red flags in their relationship as it progresses. While they shut down homophobia and transphobia, their arguments feel off. The book emphasizes friendship over romance and showcases a supportive friend group. However, some readers may find it challenging to connect with the characters and feel the emotional depth falls short. Still, the novel explores family dynamics and offers diverse representation. Overall, it's a quick, fun read with a focus on found family and complex themes.

3.5 stars (rounded up)!

I thoroughly enjoyed "Can't Let Her Go" by Kianna Alexander for the first 3/4ths of the book. This is a spicy friends-to-lovers sapphic BIPOC partial road trip romance that features two wonderful but flawed protagonists, though their flaws are massive red flags in the last portion of the story. Jamie and Peaches are both strong, terrific characters that have tremendous, sultry chemistry with one another in a relationship that leans more into "lust" than "love" (though that is not necessairly a bad thing). I really dug their connection at first and think it started out sexy as hell, but fizzles out towards the end of the book. Unfortunately, the longer their relationship progresses, the more red flags start popping out between them, which made me wary of their relationship lasting. I got the sense that Peaches and Jamie would definitely not stay together much long after the story ends, but their explosive sex life might be good for them in the short term. The arguments they have with one another, particularly in the last half of the book, feel forced and petty. I love how both Peaches and Jamie shut down homophobia and transphobia as soon as it happens, even with friends and family. At its core, this story has a lot more elements of friendship than romance. Jamie and Peaches' found family friend group is great. I also liked the plot points involving both of their families and think that these aspects add just the right amount of drama to coalesce the story into becoming something compelling. All in all, this is a good book if you can overlook some of the squabbles!

Thank you to NetGalley, Montlake, and Kianna Alexander for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

DNF at 53%

I was so looking forward to this book! I was expecting a cute sapphic friends-to-lovers romance but the first red flag I found was that the two main characters weren't really even friends at the start of the book. Peaches and Jamie run in the same friendship group, but I wouldn't really consider them friends in their own right. It seemed to me that most of their motivations for getting to know each other from the start centered around lust, which just isn't what I'm looking for in a romance, especially one marketed as friends to lovers. I found it really hard to connect with any of the characters, which was so disappointing because there was so much potential for an amazing found family!

There were some good things that kept me reading as long as I did. The characters are super diverse, and the friendships in this book did have so much potential. There was a lot of women supporting women which I always love. I really think this book had so much potential but it didn't live up to that potential in my opinion, which is why I ended up DNFing. I'm just looking for more emotional depth from my contemporary romances than I feel was offered here, unfortunately.

This heartfelt and steamy romance explores the complexities of transitioning from friends to lovers. The strong bond between Peaches and Jamie, along with their shared ambitions and individual challenges, adds depth to the story.

"Can't Let Her Go" by Kianna Alexander is a captivating love story that I found myself deeply engrossed in. This novel is a powerful exploration of love, second chances, and the enduring connections that shape our lives.

Alexander's writing style is evocative and heartfelt, immersing readers in the emotions and experiences of the characters. The chemistry between the main characters is palpable, and their journey of rediscovery is both moving and engaging.

At the core of the narrative is a beautifully portrayed romance that resonates with authenticity. The complexities of past relationships and the evolution of feelings are depicted with nuance, making the characters' connection all the more meaningful.

"Can't Let Her Go" skillfully navigates themes of forgiveness and personal growth, offering a thoughtful exploration of the challenges that come with confronting the past. The novel's emotional depth and relatable characters make it a truly compelling read.

In conclusion, "Can't Let Her Go" is a poignant and touching love story that lingers in the heart and mind. If you're seeking a novel that delves into the complexities of love and the power of second chances, this book offers a heartfelt and resonant narrative that will leave you thoroughly satisfied.

So much potential, not enough editing.

All the raw components of this book are great: it's sapphic, diverse, stud rep, complicated family dynamics, Black women, women in stem, and the list goes on. Unfortunately, the execution wasn't there. The narration feels amateurish. Perhaps some more editing would've made this better, but it currently reads like a first draft.

This is such a vast improvement from the first book! I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the extent of the story. I loved seeing the fat representation as well. I hope to see a lot more from Kianna Alexander as her craft improves over the course of time.

I was really excited to read a queer friends to lovers story and whilst it was a genuinely enjoyable read, I did find it hard to stay engaged on a handful of occasions.

If you love the friends to lovers tropes, strong BIPOC leading characters, that family like bond amongst friends, and a whole lot of family drama and tough dynamics- this is a read for you!

Kianna Alexander has crafted two incredibly strong and successful female leads that are struggling with boundaries and dynamics within their family circles. I especially related to Peaches with the 'older sister syndrome' and while my experience was no wear near as suffocating, I can certainly see how easy it is to get lost in it. The friends of these ladies left me with FOMO as they are described in such a dream circle of supporters, not a single secondary character in the group didn't stick with me.

Overall, I wasn't committed to the relationship between Jamie and Peaches. I don't know what exactly felt off to me but this felt more of a short term fling between friends, they just don't feel like a good match for the long run. It was a quick and fun read and I loved the representation throughout paired with some complex topics.

I had been excited about reading this book for some time, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. While the beginning was promising and I stayed engaged, the ending left me feeling unsatisfied. Additionally, the name "Peaches" made me cringe at times. I had expected the book to be more romantic, but it fell short for me in some aspects.

"Can't Let Her Go" by Kianna Alexander takes the friends-to-lovers trope and adds a fresh twist by exploring a shared friend group turning into something more. While I expected Jamie and Peaches to have a closer bond, the evolution of their relationship within the larger friend squad intrigued me. The road trip element, usually not my preference, was surprisingly enjoyable, with the right blend of tension, proximity, and emotional discussions. The conflicts, such as Jamie's life-changing decisions and Peaches' family obligations, provided the necessary drama. However, there were decisions that felt inconsistent and brought down my rating. Nevertheless, I liked the story, the characters, and it has made me eager to read more from Kianna Alexander, including "Can't Resist Her."

This book is about a black, sapphic friends to lovers story, for moments the story felt like meh, but others it just make sense, because these two women have been friends for a long time and their feelings for each other were scary due the fear of losing each other.

I think people should give queer romances the opportunity to have stupid fights .