Well my quest to find contemporary f/f romance I actually enjoy continues to go nowhere. I thought this one had an interesting premise - the MCs were anonymously sexting after meeting via a queer kink app/chat room, but then one called the other… and caller ID listed her full name. When she found out, she basically panicked and cut all contact… until, of course, the two of them run into each other IRL. Some fun potential for drama there, right? Honestly if contemporary romance is your vibe, you will probably love this book.

However…. clearly it’s on me for not reading the synopsis thoroughly enough because this book has two of my biggest contemporary romance pet peeves. :(

First, I frankly should have seen the reference to Ty being a vet student who loves horses and immediately known the book would have a TON of boring scenes of them taking care of animals. I’m trying to think of a polite way to say this… I don’t care about your animal characters!! If I wanted to read long passages about people performing farm chores… well, I don’t ever want that lol. But if I did, it would only work because the author really put in the effort to make the animals fully fleshed-out characters in their own right!

Actually I think animal characters are a lot like child characters - it’s clear some authors think they are cute if they simply exist on-page. Or maybe they assume that they love EVERY child/horse/chicken/whatever so the reader will too? And there are absolutely some readers who are that way. But as someone with the pretty firm stance that much like adults, some kids/pets suck sometimes, just including them in the scene isn’t enough. They still have to be written well! (Actually I guess a comparison might be War Games by Daniel May, which I just read - not a perfect book, but there was (murder) horse content that I enjoyed, and I think the key was that the scenes with the horses, and I’m thinking especially of the one when the MC’s personal horse is born, are really resonant. The horses aren’t just there for a cute (or murdery) backdrop - they’re there because they have emotional significance to the characters and relevance to the plot.) For me, this book just didn’t have that. (Now having said that…. ironically I will say that from what I read, I DID actually enjoy the child character lol. Because she had emotional significance to the characters and relevance to the plot in every scene she was in.)

And second… so yeah it’s uptight femme realtor and chill androgynous nonbinary vet tech. I just hate this particular rom com dynamic. I understand it’s a classic but it’s just absolutely not my particular vibe. Idk like I think objectively? It’s written very well so far. I enjoyed the running gag about Leslie having the worst day ever, her complaining about the Jeep’s driving and then realizing it’s Ty’s Jeep is a classic awkward moment for a reason and is executed very well, and the way Leslie rose to the challenge to shimmy in that window was funny and a great, organic way to have her impress Ty and show that she’s not *always* brittle and negative.

But you know what, I felt like I read a bunch this book and then was like “okay great, the initial source of tension is resolved and I’ve about reached the limits of my tolerance for these tropes, this will get wrapped up quickly from here right?” And then saw I was only 24% in. I guess all I can say is - if you like this kind of thing, I think you will like this! However, I don’t, and I do not haha.

𝗔𝗻𝗼𝗻𝘆𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝘅.

This book is about sexual intimacy and human connection and told through the story of two strangers who have a past together. Ty and Leslie were brought together by their mutual desire for anonymous online sexual encounters but after Leslie accidentally exposes her own identity, a knee jerk reaction causes her and Ty to lose contact with each other until such time when they get acquainted by chance in real life. This past between them is only told to readers and not experienced as the book is focused entirely on the present when they meet in real life. Despite the anonymous nature of their original relationship, Ty and Leslie have had feelings for each other and when they come to know each other in real life, they start exploring sexual intimacy with each other with relative ease. However both Ty and Leslie have issues of their own which prevents them from committing to each other romantically.

This story also explores different facets of Ty and Leslie, which I thought, makes them interesting characters outside the bedroom as well. Ty, for example, is a non-binary person trying to be comfortable with their own body and Leslie needs to learn to handle relationships better.

This story is not bad. Good pacing and the emotions and struggles that Ty and Leslie face, I thought, were portrayed pretty well. Plus there are horses too, which would be a bonus for people who like horses.

Ty Sutherland (36) will soon be starting their second year of veterinary school. Leslie Brandt (39) is a workaholic, successful real estate agent. They both connected online in an anonymous sex chat group. Six months ago Ty accidentally learned Leslie’s name and they both dropped out. Ty meets Leslie at an open house and later when they meet again fesses up to their previous connection.

Leslie has a love and fear of horses and Ty offers to help her get comfortable with them. It gives them time to reconnect with each other. Just as Leslie has to earn the horses trust with patience and care she has to do the same with Ty. Identifying as non-binary Ty is still learning to love their body and Leslie is infinity careful with check ins and gentle promptings. Leslie shares her own past issues of depression and the help she received. Everything is discussed in very positive and open ways.

Clevenger always writes good intimacy scenes and this is no exception. Leslie’s best friends are Paige and Seren from the author’s Over the Moon With You (June 2022). It is at their ranch where they are doing the horse training. This book can absolutely be read as a stand alone but I went back thinking I’d glance and see how much Leslie was in the previous book. I enjoy the author so much I ended up reading the entire book again. I like the previous MCs and they appear in this story and I wish they were there a little more especially at the end.

One minor thing, a couple of times there is a suggestion that Leslie lease her friends horse. I wish this was explained. I only know the term because my next door neighbors have horses and teach riding. I don’t think non horse people will understand the meaning or benefit.

This is spicy, low angst romance with solid characters. I thought the more serious topics were handled honestly and with care. And if you are a horse person you’re going to want to add an extra star. Thank you to NetGalley and Bella Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story had a unique plot. Ty (identifies as non-binary) and Leslie met in an anonymous online sex/fantasy group. Leslie leaves the group after her identity is accidentally revealed. They accidentally meet when Ty's cousin convinces her to attend an open house/showing for a home. Ty immediately recognizes Leslie's name. They discover they have friends in common which helps develop their friendship/relationship. I enjoyed this book. Steam and chemistry level is high. Strongly recommend if you're a fan of Jaime Clevenger's past novels!

Thank you NetGally and Bella Books for this ARC.

Ty and Leslie have been participating in an online anonymous sex group under screen names, Hitch and Girl-Monday, respectively. Ty attends an open house with their cousin, Zoe, and Ty recognizes Leslie’s name. One night Leslie called Ty and mistakenly didn’t block her phone information. After that incident they both left the group.

Upon meeting in person a second time at Paige and Serena’s ranch (from Over the Moon with You), Ty is guilt ridden and tells Leslie that they know who she is and their history. They eventually begin to to spend more time together, they fall for each other, and resume their sexual relationship.

Things I loved about this book include references to Over the Moon with You, the character emotions, charged sex scenes, and the belief that having everything is possible. 4 stars

I received an ARC from Bella Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A sweet and entertaining read. The story is entertaining, funny and easy to follow, the characters are likeable and have a great connection. A great and relaxing read after busy day.

This is a story about Ty Sutherland and Leslie Brandt who meet in an online sex chat room. They each enjoy this anonymous way to meet people and soon become very attracted to each other. Both like that they can have their sexual fantasies come true. After months of meeting up they decide to break up.

Ty suffers from body image issues and has identified as non binary. She has grown up around horses and participated in horse endurance racing. Now she’s in vet school and struggling to make ends meet. Leslie is a realtor and work alcoholic. She’s also suffering from anxiety and depression.

Ty and Leslie accidentally met up months after their sex chat break up. They both are very attracted to each other in real life and try to continue their relationship but it’s difficult with their busy lives of working and studying.

Clevenger does another great job of meshing good sex scenes with honest emotion. The MCs are good at communicating and are able to work together to make their relationship work.

I liked the outdoor theme and all the focus on the horses and their personalities. People who like horses will enjoy this book.

ARC received from Net Galley for an honest and voluntary review.

Ty and Leslie meet online and anonymously share their kinky desires but Leslie breaks it off when her real identity is accidentally revealed. Both are left a bit heartbroken over the loss of a connection that felt a little too deep to be an internet only relationship but bounce back. When they meet in person after finding out they have some friends in common it turns out they have even more chemistry in person than they did online but both also have some major roadblocks making a real relationship impossible.
This takes place in the same world as Over the Moon With You and involves one of the side characters I really had wanted more of so I was very happy to realize Leslie was getting her own story. I still really liked her here and the few scenes with Paige and Seren were very welcomed. Ty is nonbinary and it was interesting to read a book with such a different perspective. I like how Clevenger tackled Ty's issues, it felt very authentic, though I am no expert on this subject. Leslie and Ty's cousin Zoey also shares some struggles with mental health and it was nice to see that discussed openly, though briefly.
The chemistry between Ty and Leslie is amazing and they shares some pretty spicy scenes together but also seem to take care with each other, I really liked seeing their relationship develop. The character development as a whole was solidly written and these two MCs come off as very authentic with human flaws and all. In the last book we saw a lot of cows but this one is centered around horses and I think anyone who likes them would really enjoy this book.
I think this is more like 4.5 stars for me and the only thing holding me back from 5 is that I don't have a burning urge to read it again right away, though I can see myself picking it up again the future. It is really well done and these kinds of books will keep me reading Clevenger's books in the future. I highly recommend spending your time reading this one though, it is definitely worth it.

4.25 stars. When I read that this book is about two people meeting anonymously at an online sex chat group who later meet in real life by accident, I knew I was in for some steam. But there is more, Clevenger not only gives a steamy book, there is also excellent character development that provides balance and depth to the story and I enjoyed reading this book a great deal. And for those who like horses, you’ll be happy, there is a lot about caring for horses, endurance racing and gaining trust. I grew up with horses so this book brought me back to my happy place.

The book is set in the same world as “Over the Moon With You”, where one of the MCs of this book is already introduced, but it is perfectly readable as a standalone. It was nice to see Paige and Seren reappear as secondary characters in this book.

Those that are familiar with Clevenger’s books will know there is generally a butch-femme dynamic, this book is no exception and one of the two MCs, Ty, is nonbinary. I can’t say much about whether the representation is correct, but I liked them as a character. In a way they still were adjusting to some aspects of being nonbinary and it gave some interesting insights. Both Ty and Leslie are not perfect people and they deal with insecurities what made them feel natural. The mix of chemistry, sex, including some light kink, and dealing with insecurities worked very well. I liked how they communicate. It wasn’t always about the right topics but this suited their personalities and didn’t feel as a tool to force a dark moment. In fact, there is not really a dark moment which I appreciated.

This book is set mainly outdoors between the horses, it’s spicy, pretty low on angst and generally a fun and easy read, but it also touches upon some serious topics like mental health, body insecurities and general trust. An excellent read!

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

Ty and Leslie met online in a sex chat group exploring some light kink. And then Leslie accidentally revealed her real identity and cut all contact. When they meet in real life they start off un-balanced as one knows more about the other. As the book progresses the 2 MC try to work through their apparent lack of time for any kind of romantic relationship, the obvious attraction both past and present and everything in between.
Clevenger’s latest also features horses. Lots and lots of horses. A good read that was worth the time invested.
Free ARC via NetGalley.

TryItOnce is an anonymous queer online sex chat group where you can explore your sexual fantasies. Veterinarian student Ty Sutherland explored their true self with realtor Leslie Brandt for months on this site. Leslie ended things abruptly after she mistakenly phoned Ty and neglected to block her name and phone number. Losing the safety of being anonymous was not something Leslie could handle even though she felt a true connection with Ty. They had feelings for Leslie as well. Six months later Ty walks into an open house on her street for the fresh cookies being offered and runs smack into Leslie Brandt.

Clevenger’s latest novel offers an insight into the exploration of kink-light fantasies as well as the search for non binary sexual gratification. And horses. Lots of horse stuff. I am impressed at seeing the plot angst being a communication breakdown rather than a lack of communication. Not being able to adequately voice our thoughts and feelings happens to most of us in intense moments. Seeing Ty and Leslie work their way through a major stumbling block was very gratifying.

Learning about horses and the unique horse - human bonding connection as well as horse endurance racing is fascinating to read. It is the perfect juxtaposition to the human storyline of establishing trust. But let us not sway too far from the main theme of the novel. Sex. And there is a lot of well written sex scenes. Almost an over abundance in a short time frame. I would have preferred it to be interspersed more evenly to be better appreciated.

Under the Stars with You is a clever and well written romance that I found very enjoyable to read and hope you do as well.

I received an advance review copy from Bella Books through NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily