A perfect fall mood! I'm a sucker for a little sparkle and lots of falling leaves -- and this book delivers exactly that!

SUCH A CUTE READ FOR FALL!!!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for providing me with an e-arc! As soon as I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read this one! A sapphic romance set in a small town during the fall, what could be more cozy and perfect for the season?

Jenny is a social media influencer alongside her adorable dog, Walter. When the internet starts to cancel her over a scandal, Jenny makes the decision to head back home to her hometown of Sapphire Springs. She’s going back for a close friend’s bachelorette party and wedding, but also plans to make some cute, fall time content and maybe attract some different sponsors as well while she’s there. The plan is to make the visit brief so she can return to her normal life in Los Angeles, although that turns out to be a harder decision than she could have anticipated.

Blake is Sapphire Spring’s only doctor, absorbed into her work and helping her patients, even with finding ways to fund their medical care. She’s always had a crush on Jenny, but is so nervous around her that you could never tell. Jenny actually believes Blake has never liked her, so she is less than thrilled when the two are reunited at their high school to speak to students about their careers. Then, they get thrown in together to help plan their mutual friend’s bachelorette party, which they both initially dread…until they spend more time together and get more comfortable with each other. As their feelings progress, they face only one problem- Jenny is still set to return to LA at the end of the year.

This book is so fun and enjoyable to read! The characters are all likable and have their own unique characteristics that make them endearing, even the side characters!
I can’t wait for George’s story! The town is also so charming! Why don’t I have a coffee shop that’s also a bookstore near me?! I spent a rainy morning reading this in a coffee shop and it was that perfect cozy read!

I really highly recommend this as a cozy fall read! It will make you want to go to a pumpkin patch and grab some apple fritters. (I still recommend the story outside of fall too, it’s so cute regardless of season!)

DUAL POV
SMALL TOWN
SAPPHIC ROM COM!

Need I say more?! Elizabeth successfully blended up all of my favorite things to read in a rom com.

This hits all the lesbian-isms that resonate with me. I had so much fun reading this. Easily pulled me out of my summer reading slump! I had an absolute blast blast reading this. A perfect cozy read for the end of summer. I didn’t want to put it down! I would have totally read this in one sitting, but my month has been so busy.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publisher for the copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Not Just Gal Pals by Elizabeth Luly was a welcome change of pace compared to most rom-com novels. It doesn't follow the typical "get together - breakup due to argument/miscommunication - get back together" plot line that most romances seem to stick to. I enjoyed the characters, the small-town feel, and the holiday setting.

That being said, I have one major complaint: Jenny's career. Her career sometimes leads her to be superficial, and her rant about "cancel culture" annoyed me. It's not a huge deal, and the story is okay enough with that involved, but I think her career could've been changed and this aspect removed from the story without it having too much of an impact.

Jenny and Blake were so cute together, and I can't wait for book 2!

Thank you to the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute fall romance. This is the kind of nothing really happens story I usually love, and while I liked it, I think the chemistry between Blake and Jenny was a little lacking for me. Being a sort of pseud-enemies-to-lovers I think I was expecting a little more tension? And also there was a lot of telling vs showing (the main sex scene kind of read like 'and then I did this and I touched her here and then I moved my hand here while kissing her there)

Anyway overall it was cute and I enjoyed the setting and vibe.

This was essentially a queer Hallmark movie. Which is not really my jam. Well, if I have to have a Hallmark movie, I definitely want it to be queer. But I'd rather have something with a little more depth.

It did what it promised, delivering a cute Hallmark return to small hometown romance, with a bit more (awkwardly written) spice than one normally finds in a Hallmark. I skimmed that because I always skim sex scenes.

Having one of the leads be an influencer who is being cancelled did not help with the overall shallow feel of the story. Even balancing her with a doctor didn't help.

I liked the close-knit community and the various friends and business owners. The romance was sweet if shallow. There were some cute moments. I just prefer more depth to my stories.

I ended up putting this down at 48% percent. Unfortunately one of the perspectives just wasn’t working for me, whenever we were in Jenny’s head I struggled to stay engaged with the book. I would find myself getting fixated on the words on the page instead of the story being told, I didn’t have the same issue with Blake’s point of view chapters so I don’t think it’s any fault of the writing. If this story had been more focused on Blake or been her point of view more often I think I would’ve continued reading.

This book was perfectly adorable. But considering fall and sapphic romances are two of my favorite things, I am not surprised. If that wasn’t enough to make me love it then throwing in mentions of Taylor Swift and Pride and Prejudice definitely did. Low angst and moments of humor. Will seek out this author again in the future. 4.5/5

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher for this arc! Unfortunately, this book absolutely was not for me. The writing was subpar, the characters were under developed, there was literally no plot, and nothing made sense. I didn’t like any either of the two characters nor their relationship, and I didn’t feel any of the emotional connection between them. I think that this book needed a lot of editing.

Not Just Gal Pals was a funny and sincere read, and sweet enough to leave me reaching for my toothbrush. I really loved that it was seasonally themed but not about Christmas, or any other holiday. It definitely left me a little heartsick that I don’t have my own cute small town girlfriend going into this upcoming autumn. Sigh. I’ll just have to settle for rereading this curled up under a cozy blanket with an apple cinnamon scented candle. I loved this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is the perfect sapphic, fall rom com! I loved Blake but learned I do not like reading books about influencers - I did like Jenny but for some reason the scenes where she complained about influencing I cringed a little. I'm glad she discovers her self worth and learns what else she is capable of besides social media. Read if you love fall, some spice, Jane Austen bachelorette parties, and the sweetest small town. Of course I loved Walter and Fred and all the side characters so I can't wait for the next one!

Jenny Lynton is an influencer, but after she gets 'almost canceled' for sponsoring a brand that apparently has shady ethical practices, she heads home to New York state to help with her friend's wedding and to lay low for the holidays.

Blake Mitchell is Sapphire Spring's only doctor, and she's had a crush on Jenny since high school. The kind of crush that makes you act and sound stupid whenever that person is around. When Jenny and Blake are forced to work together to save their friend's wedding, sparks fly.

This was a fun and quirky read. I loved the animals, although I felt like Walter kind of disappeared for the middle of the book. I kept wondering where the little guy went! The dynamics between Blake and Jenny cracked me up at first, and I really enjoyed reading their story. I loved the side characters (George especially! I want a George book!).

While somewhat predictable, this was a fun fall sapphic romance for me. Grab yourself a pumpkin latte and jump into this one! ❤️

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you netgalley for providing this arc!
🥺🥺🥺 let’s go lesbians! 🥺🥺🥺
This story was really delightful— we have a burnt out influencer (Jenny) who comes home for her best friends wedding. While planning the wedding her and her high school nemesis Blake get very close. We have pets! Hiking! A practical uhaul and a queer hallmark Christmas movie type vibe for sure.
This is a lighthearted read that I definitely recommend 🥰

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I'll be the first to admit that adult romances aren't usually my go-to genre. However, I couldn't resist adding this to my TBR after learning of its release. I was hoping for a cozy, delightful, heartwarming novel, and I'm thrilled to say that's exactly what I got!

Elizabeth Luly's writing style is engaging, humorous, and descriptive. It flows at the perfect pace - not too fast to feel rushed, but never slow enough to drag or feel plodding, either. Her characters are vibrant and memorable, each with quirks and charm that earn them a fond spot in your head and heart. Her depictions of Sapphire Springs at the height of autumn are everything you could ask for, complete with hay rides and long hikes.

Though mostly a character-driven book fueled by our loveable, disastrous duo of Jenny and Blake, there's enough plot and past secrets to keep you engaged and wanting to know more. What was Jenny's social media scandal? Why did Blake close herself off from dating so firmly? When will Walter the Toy Poodle get his own spin-off? (Okay, that last one is more of a personal question on my behalf.)

All in all, this was a fun, charming romp of a book that's opened me up to characters that I'd love to see more of! I highly recommend it for all your autumnal romance needs. If pumpkin spice lattes are fall in a cup (though I'll have to take people's word on it, as I don't drink coffee), then this book is fall in a cover.

Ratings:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
🌶️🌶️⁣
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This dual POV fall, sapphic, small town romance is exactly the book you should read cuddled in a soft blanket on the couch and a hot cup of cider in your hand (or glass of wine if you prefer). ⁣⁣
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I found this book to be an easy, fast-paced read. It hit the warm fuzzies button. Honestly, Jenny wasn’t my favorite character but Blake and their relationship growth more than made up for it!!⁣⁣
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Read this book if you love sapphic romance, grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, self discovery, fall vibes, cute animals, and some fun spicy scenes. ⁣⁣
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Thank you NetGalley, author: Elizabeth Luly, and publisher: West Brunswick Press for the complimentary advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

✏️ Author: Elizabeth Luly
📅 Pub Date: August 24, 2023
🌟 Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Sweater weather, fall festivals, and spooky season all wrapped up in a enemies to lovers sapphic rom-com bow? Sign me up!

Jenny is an accidental influencer. Caught up in a scandal that threatens her follower count and livelihood, she heads home to Sapphire Springs for a few weeks. She plans to see her parents, attend her best friends wedding, and save a little money subletting her apartment. What she doesn't plan on is running into Blake. Blake from high school. Blake who always ignored her and hardly spoke to her all four years.

Now the town doctor, Blake has come home to Sapphire Springs to help the locals. But also due to the lack of queer people. After having her heart broken one too many times, she'd rather be alone than be hurt again. Unfortunately, Jenny walks back into her life. Her high school crush. The one who left her tongue tied everytime she walked by. The one she never got out of her head.

This book is everything a sapphic romance should be. Fun. Sexy. And most of all heartfelt. Watching Jenny and Blake fall in love while trying to dang hard not to is the absolute sweetest. They respect each other and love each other exactly how they are. Beyond all that, this book makes consent sexy! The best part is the fall setting. Halloween parties, hot cider, fall festivals, and spooky season are my love language. And this book has them in spades!

I adored this book! Even thought it's 90 plus outside, my heart is in Sapphire Springs. Finding out there's a second book set in Sapphire Springs featuring George made my little heart sing!

I received an advanced copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Elizabeth Luly, NetGalley, and West Brunswick Press. ❤️

A wonderful fall read about two women who find each other after disastrous other relationships.

Jenny is a social media influencer who was the subject of a recent scandal. She heads home to help with her friend's wedding and lay low. Blake is an accomplished doctor who set up her own practice, but she becomes absolutely awkward around Jenny due to a long-standing crush. The two find themselves together during wedding preparations and they decide to keep it casual, knowing Jenny will eventually go back to LA.

I loved Jenny and Blake's blossoming romance and the sweet ways they interacted. Jenny's dog is a recurring character - love to see it. The friends were really great supporting characters also. I didn't see much personality from any of the parents, but they weren't on-page much either. Overall, this was a really cute read!

Not just gal pals is a small town rom com novel by Elizabeth Luly.
I absolutely adored this sweet small town rom com novel and was rooting for the two main characters from the start. It had everything that I could want in a cosy romance and more. A really enjoyable read that I highly recommend.
💖 Thank you to netgalley and the author/publisher for my ebook copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Lots of fun! I enjoyed this lesbian rom com about a family doctor and an influencer home for a wedding, set in bucolic upstate NY Torn between a 4 and a 5 rating. It is predictable but what rom com isn’t? Read it for the fun, for the steamy scenes, or just for more lgbt representation! I liked the representation of George, a gender nonconforming coffee shop owner whom I’m hopeful we will see in a future book!

The lumberjane tagline for this book caught my attention. I love a good lumberjane story, or anything really with women-identified protags that are well-written with gender-noncomforming personalities. Opposites attract with these small town doctor + social media influencer characters. While I have a rather severe distaste of material that is written in the first-person perspective, I managed to "lumber" my way through this title. I would have loved it so much more if it had perhaps been written from a close third person perspective. As an Aromantic professional reader who thrives on fictional romance, I desire none for myself and the use of "I" pronouns in the romance genre makes reading some stories difficult for me. Some books I am too "taken out of" to finish, but this one I got through and for the most part, enjoyed. I did like the imagery and prose the author used to describe the autumn time feeling in the book's setting.