Massive thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a DELIGHT to read! A rom-com with a lovelorn novelist and a cynical divorce laywer: Sign. Me. Up! They have raw arguments, and a steamy romance!

The banter was *chefs kiss* and I thought this book was FILLED with chemistry and genuine emotion! This book is sure to leave readers believing in the magic of love.

I enjoyed this book. I'm happy to have been able to ARC read it. All opinions are my own and I'm not being paid to say these things.

I enjoyed the character growth here. Truly had a misconception on love. She saw love as a happily ever after. In reality, love has its ups and downs, and being able to overcome those things together is what makes a relationship strong.

Colin and Truly's chemistry definitely delivered. I enjoyed reading the banter.

I'm in love!! I could not be more obsessed with the main characters if I tried! This had exactly what I needed! Great banter, absolutely hilarious, and sooooooo sexy!

Out April 30, 2024!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

Truly, Madly, Deeply

3.5/5 ⭐️

You will like this book if you enjoy;
•forced proximity
•slow burn
•bi-sexual MC’s

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley for the eARC opportunity to read this book!

This was my first Alexandria Bellefleur read, and I think it was a good one to start with! The relationship in this book was cute, had good development, some spice, and the banter (which is my favorite part) kept you hooked. At times I got that best friend feeling of wanting to shake Truly and being like HELLO???? But Colin would always bring her back down to earth.

I absolutely loved this book! Truly and Colin have my whole heart. I have never felt so seen in a book before and I really appreciated the frank conversations the characters had about sexuality. Also the spice in this book is top tier! Probably my favorite Alexandria book yet!

Amazing light quick read. The banter and wit in this book keeps the pages flying. I enjoyed their love story and love how spicey the scenes got.

Dubbed by the author as her "horniest" book yet, I can attest that this slow burn, opposites attract romance was fun of sizzling chemistry, hot text exchanges and even hotter sex scenes!! I couldn't get enough of Divorce attorney Colin McCrory and romance writer, Truly St. James. When Colin's sister ropes the two into coming onto her podcast to give relationship advice the sparks really fly!!

Perfect for fans of books like The ex talk, this is a must read for Alexandria Bellefleur fans, and I really loved the Parent trap side plot between Truly and her separated parents and the fact that both MCs were bisexual.

Highly, HIGHLY recommended if you want a steamy, fun, quick read with emotional depth!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I devoured this book in just a couple sittings and have no regret for the sleepless nights it caused!

Steam level: VERY open door!

While this one was not a win for me, rating it a 3 because there isn’t anything wrong with it really, it just didn’t really engage or excite me. I have been reading romance for over a decade and in the last few years have gotten much choosier about the types of romance I enjoy and the tropes.

This story follows Truly, a romance author, and Colin, a divorce lawyer. Both characters are bisexual which was part of what I was excited about as well.

I really struggled to get into this book and had to force myself to keep reading and finish it, but I couldn’t totally put my finger on why which is why I am not rating it lower. To be honest, if this had not been an e-Arc I got for review, it might have been a DNF for me.

I think some of it might have been I just struggled to connect with the characters. During one of the sex scenes, the word cunt was used a lot which also just kinda takes me out of it and I don’t enjoy but that is just a personal preference for language!

There was good dialogue and banter in this book and I think it is a book that a lot of people would enjoy but it just didn’t really draw me in or make me want to keep reading, or make me care about these characters and their story. I am a person who frequently stays up way too late reading a book because I can’t put it down so it’s not usually too hard for me to get invested in stories.

I will definitely check out other books from this author and encourage anyone interested in a relatively low angst sweet romance story to check it out!

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

I loved Truly and Colin's story. It was low drama and full of fabulous back and forth between the two, and I never once doubted that they were each other's person. Colin could easily be the model for what a supportive, all-in boyfriend should look like, and I could've easily read another 200 pages of him giving Truly all the green flags when it comes to a relationship.

This romance was just easy to enjoy. Most of the requisite conflict happened because of outside influences, or just completely outside of their relationship altogether, and it was refreshing to read a romance that didn't put my emotions through high and low after high and low. If you love low-angst romances that are just allowed to be, then Truly, Madly, Deeply is a must-read for you.

Despite Truly's hang-ups on romance for most of the novel, both Truly and Colin together just made this novel feel like a warm hug. From their very first interaction, I just sunk into their banter and didn't want to resurface to the real world. Bellefleur's writing and storytelling was top-notch, making this my favorite of her books to date.

I was totally drawn to this book from the cover. I can't be the only one who thought the male protagonist looked a bit like Joe Keery, at least from the hair. The story was, fortunately, just as good as the cover. I read a lot of books throughout the year and it is rarer then I would like that I can't put a book down. But, this was one. The story was a quick read. The trope was enemies to lovers, between a romance author and a divorce lawyer (or family lawyer has he always corrects). It was very cute and romantic. Also quite steamy. Would recommend to avid romance readers. (Thanks to Avon and Netgalley for the ARC)

Truly, Madly, Deeply by Alexandria Bellefleur
Release Date: 4/30/24
Format: ebook
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh Alexandria, you fool me with your cartoon covers every dang time but my goodness was this book hot! 🥵 From the banter to the spice, the vibes were immaculate!

There were definitely parts of this book that didn’t feel cohesive or believable to me and I’m not positive all the plot lines got tied up by the end, but the thing is I really didn’t care. I would have kept reading Colin & Truly’s interactions with each other for another 300 pages.

Also as a theater fan I absolutely adored Truly’s folks!

If you’re looking for a fun & steamy queer romance this spring, I highly recommend checking out Truly, Madly, Deeply! It’s out at the end of the month! Big thanks to @netgalley and Avon books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

A quick, entertaining, light read! One you can definitely binge in one sitting. Truly, Madly, Deeply is sexy, witty, funny and romantic.

I loved the banter between Colin & Truly (how cute is that name!). And Truly’s best friend, Lulu, was a hoot. But the plot was a little lacking for me…and almost too predictable to enjoy.

I’m also a pretty traditional girl and this book is very “new age”. But overall, it was for sure an enjoyable, fun read!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m giving this book a solid 4.75 ⭐️ ONLY because that ending? C’mon, I NEED more of Colin and Truly!

Let me start off by saying this is my first Alexandria Bellefleur book and I’m already obsessed with her writing, will definitely be getting into her other books. Truly, Madly, Deeply follows Truly (lol not my favorite name but it’s fine!) and Colin (the love of my life). Truly is a historical romance author while Colin is a Family Law Lawyer (or a Divorce Lawyer as Truly likes to call him, hehe.) They meet on Colin’s sister’s podcast, they’re invited to do a segment of giving relationship advice to listeners since they’re completely different. In the sense that Truly is more so a hopeless romantic and Colin is a realist, but they don’t necessarily get off on the right food and the story goes from there!

Honestly, I loved Truly and Colin’s banter, their interactions, their overall chemistry. They’re definitely a couple that I can imagine staying together after their story ends (hehe iykyk). I love the way even though Colin was supposed to be the realist, he fell first and fell HARDER. Ugh, what can I possibly say about Colin? My absolute favorite right now. The way this man just BEGS to love and love on Truly. THE SPICE IN THIS BOOK???? THE WAY COLIN IS OBSESSED WITH TRULY HAD ME OBSESSED WITH HIM.

My annotations are my favorite thing about this book lol. This book had me laughing out loud, giggling and blushing at times! I enjoyed myself sooooo much while reading it!

Another big thing I LOVED, the fact that both MC’s were bisexual! As a bisexual woman myself, I love love love seeing the representation in books! The moment that Truly is struggling over speaking about being bisexual because she feels like since she’s only dated men and hasn’t openly dated a woman makes her less of a member of the LGBTQ+ community was so relatable! I loved that part because I felt seen and reassured that I’m no less a part of the community even if I’ve never openly dated a woman or that I’m actually married to a man, I hope that makes sense but honestly that part made me feel so validated.

Overall, I’m excited for others to read this book and fall in love with the characters/story as much as I did! I definitely won’t be shutting up about it on my other platforms lol.

Rating: 4.25/5
Steam: 3.5/5
Warnings: difficult family dynamics, divorce, cheating
Tropes/Rep: frenemies to lovers, he falls first, dual bi-sexuals

Thank you to Avon and NetGall.ey for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Well, this was really really quite good and I would like to read that all over again.

Things I loved: The banter, such good dialogue. such great sexual between these two. omg they were so horny, I hate using that word in review normally but like they were and you could feel it. and the best part,, Colin was so gone for Truly, the man worked for it. romance authors in books. swiftie easter eggs. parent trap moments.

Things I didn't love: The parents and their word games. I feel like this didn't translate well into a novel. Some "half-baked" side characters, I feel like we kinda lost them near the end (nothing major). It was very much enemies to lovers light, I don't totally understand the conflict in the beginning but you know it was there.

Truly Livingston is a romance author who is struggling to believe in happily-ever-afters. Her parents' trial separation and her recent break up from her cheating fiance have left her not in the best headspace. So when she shows up to talk relationships on a podcast, it's no surprise that she can't deal with her cohost, the cynical and realistic (but hot) divorce lawyer Colin McCroy. But after she walks out, Colin tracks her down, asking for another chance. Truly agrees, and they become fast friends finding out they have a lot in common.

I do have to point out that the story is told from Truly's POV, and sometimes I thought she was being unnecessarily difficult both to Colin and her parents. Although I can understand being skeptical and stubborn, both are relatable, character flaws. Also, if you aren't a mole person, Truly is about to make you one because she is constantly talking about Colin's moles! Someone give her a marker to make those constellations! 🤣

I absolutely loved this book. I really appreciated that both characters were bisexual. You honestly don't see enough stories where both leads are queer and open to sharing that. And the way that they stood up for each other and supported each other when it came to their families was so sweet. This book had me squealing, smiling, crying, laughing, and fanning myself. The banter, the arguing, the chemistry! So good! I loved and got all the pop culture references, from Broadway music to Taylor Swift. Perfect. And yes, the spice is that good, you guys! The things he says to her. 🥵 I love that so many books I've read lately are the guy worshiping the women and pleasing them. 🤌top tier.
I can't forget to mention that I need spin-offs for Truly's BFF Lulu and Colin's sister Caitlin. Loved them both!
So if you enjoy a "he falls first" story with lots of back and forth banter and steamy scenes, this is for you.
A huge thank you to @netgalley @avonbooks and @a.m.bellefleur for this ARC.

That is, without a doubt, Steve Harrington on the cover and you cannot convince me otherwise. Anyway, Truly, Madly, Deeply follows Truly Livingston, a renowned romance novelist, who is slated to co-host a relationship advice podcast amidst her own love life crisis. Struggling with her parents’ separation and catching her fiancé in bed with someone else, she’s questioning just how realistic the idea of true love is. Enter Colin McCory, a devilishly handsome divorce lawyer whose views on love rub Truly the wrong way. After a fiery encounter, Truly plans to ditch the podcast, until Colin surprises her by asking for a second chance. Reluctantly, she agrees, and as they transition from foes to friends, Truly discovers shared queer identity and unexpected chemistry with Colin. But as passion flares, she can’t shake doubts: is Colin truly in love, or is it too good to be true?

I just really, really love romance books where the guy worships the ground the woman walks on and Truly, Madly, Deeply did not disappoint. Colin is one of the hottest men that have ever graced the pages of romance book and that’s literally because he cannot stop singing Truly’s praises!? This man would win the award for most unproblematic love interest of 2024, hands down.

Some might call their love story too cheesy, but listen, this is exactly what I look for in a romance? Drown me in cheesy, over-the-top lovefests, please. Fantastic banter? Utter devotion? The desire to move mountains for your loved one? Giving them everything they need and want and not making them feel bad for being scared of that much devotion? Steamy good times that have both the characters and yourself gasping for air? Yes, please, I’ll take a thousand.

Truly and Colin just fit. I know they’re not supposed to and their opposite thinking on certain aspects of love and relationships, especially shown during their podcast recording, had me absolutely mesmerised because they both made so many great points and sometimes conceded to the other’s points without taking away from the validity of their own beliefs. Those encounters already gave so much insight into just how much of an equal pairing they were going to be—wrapped up in fantastic banter. I wish I could put a hundred quotes in here because every single time they’re together on the page, the air just…feels filled with delicious tension? Their quick back and forths reminded me a lot of the fast-paced dialogue in Gilmore Girls, it was just one quick quip after another but somehow they also always added something new to the story, whether it was some deep belief of either of them or just some background to their life trajectory that was important for the way the story unfolded – that’s talent right there. I also loved how they bonded over both being bisexual and how their queer identity has shaped the way they see others but also how they approach love. The fear of being labelled wrongly just because you’re in a straight-presenting relationship was articulated so well here and it really made me think about my own experiences with mislabelling.

Also, I’m baffled by how well Bellefleur balanced the sweet with the nasty in Truly, Madly, Deeply.

Now, mind you, I’ve read all her books and this woman knows how to write banter and steam but the way the both were just woven in so seamlessly together in this novel? Unparalleled.

The main selling point for me with this book though, is this: It’s inarguably, undoubtedly, incredible fun. Whether it’s a scene between Truly and Colin, a scene where Truly is with her parents who are over-the-top, dramatic musical lovers or a scene where Truly reflects on life and romance, I almost always had a grin on my face or a chuckle about to burst out. This is the kind of romcom book I’m sure to reread, not just because the characters feel so real and are for sure going to be fun to revisit but because of the lightheartedness and the way reading it made me feel – hopeful, happy and comforted.

That’s not to say that there aren’t emotional scenes and topics discussed that will hit you hard. After all, Truly is dealing with a pretty big problem: Losing the intrinsic belief in true love being able to conquer anything when her parents decide to take some time apart—the very couple whose love story inspired her to become a romance author. The very relationship that has always driven her own actions when it comes to romance. I loved how Bellefleur showed so many different kinds of love in this book and how love and relationships take work – and that you can’t win a battle you’re fighting on your own. The vulnerability that comes with seeking true love, the trust you have to put into a new person who you don’t know yet, whose motives might not be clear, where you don’t know yet whether they’ll break your heart or stick around forever to guard it is shown so beautifully in Truly, Madly, Deeply and makes for an unforgettable read that I can recommend with my whole heart.

Side note: If you’re a Swiftie, this book will undoubtedly be a homerun for you. The many references hit so hard but none made me tear up as much as the “You Are in Love” one. That was uncalled for, Bellefleur (but also thanks for including them).

If you’re looking for one hell of a good time, quick-witted, fast-paced banter and an opposites-attract romance that is deliciously dirty yet utterly sweet, Truly, Madly, Deeply needs to be on your TBR! This book will make you kick your feet and giggle shamelessly, guaranteed.

Truly, a romance novelist and Colin, a family law attorney are both asked to appear on Colin's sister's podcast giving relationship advice from the respective perspectives of a romantic and a realist. This big opportunity comes on the heels of Truly finding out her fiancé is cheating on her and her parents are separating. The rest of the story is about Truly grieving in the way of Parent Trap-ping her parents and push and pulling with Colin, a walking green flag of a man with his honest and patience. Colin was my favorite part of this story - his patience and thoughtfulness and respect. He's certainly as they say "written by a woman".

- Bi rep
- Banter
- Open Door Romance 3/5 spice

Thank you for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Truly, Madly, Deeply by Alexandria Bellefleur. #TrulyMadlyDeeply #NetGalley

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Alexandria Bellefleur once again delivers another amazing queer romcom (both leads are bi) with Truly, Madly, Deeply, which just might be her best book to date. I loved pretty much every moment of it, from the humor full of Tayloe Swfit references and dirty jokes to the gradual, not-quite-slow-burn, but-also-not-instantaneous-either romance, not to mention the sensitive handling of complex, even dysfunctional family relationships.
My interest was initially piqued by the characters of Truly and Colin. They seem like such opposites, with Truly being a hopeful romance novelist, in spite of having been betrayed by an ex at the beginning of the book, while Colin is a cynical divorce lawyer. But the way the characters evolved and grew subverted my expectations of where this would go from the initial setup. Because of course, once they got over their initial animosity, they realized they had a solid connection. But seeing that gradual deepening beyond flirting/spending time together/hooking up to it looking like it could be something real was beautifully complicated by the other elements of the story and how it impacts them, especially Truly. Her being the one to lack confidence in herself and her value in a relationship felt believable, as did Colin being pretty much gone for her, if not from the moment he met her, at least from the time they started hanging out.
And these complicating factors with each others’ families are interwoven cleverly to complement the romance, and I love how we see both Truly and Colin support each other through these issues. I generally liked Truly’s parents and their quirky show-business ways, including the propensity to quote show-tunes and turn it into a game among themselves. I also felt like the arc around the parents considering separation, even divorce, and Truly’s poor reaction to it was fairly well handled. While I don’t think the parents always respond well to her trying to show her feelings about the situation and how it impacts her, it’s also clear Truly does have some things to work on in that regard too.
Colin’s family, on the other hand…talk about toxic. His brother got with Colin’s ex right after they broke up, and now they’re married and expecting a baby. It was infuriating how Colin did try to set boundaries, but he kept being pulled back into all the toxicity, where even his parents clearly side with his brother, and don’t understand why Colin can’t forgive him.
I loved this book so much, and I’d recommend it to readers looking for a queer romcom with a lot of heat and heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Collins Publishers for a copy of an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If I could rate this book as higher than 5 stars, I would in a heartbeat. I read this book in one evening. I purchased a physical copy for my personal library when I was just 33% way through the book.

Alexandria Bellefleur, you wrote a fantastic, beautiful book. This book was different than other romances that I have read in the past, and it was a palate cleanse from alpha, possessive males that tend to permeate the romance genre.

Romance writer Truly St. James and family lawyer Colin McCrory meet on a podcast discussing relationships, and from there, sparks fly. Y'all - the banter this book had was truly riveting and electric. I literally laughed through the entirety reading this, because the interactions and banter between the two leads was just so funny. You could feel the passion and tension between the main characters from the first page of them meeting through the end of the book. The spice in the book (two to three chili peppers worth) is excellent and well written. Their obsession with each other was beautifully written, and I enjoyed everything about it, especially their text messages and emails.

This book had bi-sexual representation and ADHD representation, which I love to see. It is wonderful when authors add to the literary tradition with diverse characters written well.

I've never annotated a book before, because I've never felt compelled, but I was highlighting so much while reading, because I wanted to remember the quotes and the emotions throughout the book.

Some of my favorites:
"Want me to talk about my PPO, baby? I could tell you about my deductible?"

"Come on, wreck me. I dare you."

"You saw me on Saturday -" "Yeah, and I missed you as soon as I walked out your front door. What's your point?"

My only criticism of the book is that some characters were utilized early on, but rarely mentioned again when it seemed like they were important in the beginning. I would have liked to see them (like Colin's sister, Caitlin), a little more fleshed out and the plot of her podcast discussed a little more, but that would never stop me from reading this book.

This book is definitely worth the read, and I can tell it will be one of my go-to comfort reads for a long time to come.

Truly, Madly, Deeply was disappointing considering I've been really looking forward to reading it. I really wanted to read more about the podcast series and was shocked it only happened at the very beginning of the book and never again. The whole plot line with Truly's parents' separation was kinda weird and immature. I also found the chemistry between the characters lacking although I did enjoy the dirty talk. Overall, I think I would have enjoyed this more if the plot had been tightened since the podcast series was dropped so early on and the plotline with the parents was weird.