“Love launched ships and started wars and inspired sonnets and drove people to madness - she’d spent her whole life trying to put it into words, eighty thousand of them at a time. Love had to be enough. there was no point if it wasn’t”

I’m so grateful to have received the ARC for this book! My review reflects the uncorrected proof of Truly, Madly, Deeply.

Truly, Madly, Deeply by Alexandria Bellefleur follows the ever-anxious and creative queer historical romance author, Truly, as she adjusts to change, something she fears deeply. Truly meets her match with Colin, a patient and giving family lawyer. Both stubborn and strong-willed in their own rights, Colin and Truly balance each other very well, and their relationship is built up tentatively but strongly. Their banter! When their collective stubbornness comes to a hilt, the back and forth between the two is comedic and fast-paced.

This was quite well-paced! a quick read but doesn’t rush character arcs and the fallout of the plot. Very sex-positive, but also diverges from what most adult romance gives readers in terms of intimate scenes! I’m not someone who gravitated towards spicy or steamy books, they just aren’t for me, and while this book was up there in terms of spice level, the scenes were always built up well and they didn’t feel overdone or like they were added in to appeal to a specific audience. They were all intentional and I really liked the dynamic and balance between the two characters in those scenes especially.

There were a couple of details and scenes that weren’t my favorites. Some of the quirky running jokes felt slightly overextended, and in some cases, out of place given the context of the scene. This made me realize that this book would take very well to screen but also to stage, where drawn-out humour could be played up visually and with more subtlety than pages often allow. At first, that running joke took me out of the scene, but by the time it reappeared later in the book, I had reminded myself that this is a rom-com! It’s supposed to be silly and cringy at times, and it really isn’t meant to be taken seriously the whole time.

Sometimes adult romance falls somewhat flat for me, specifically in terms of the love interest and whether or not they hold their own as a well-flushed character. Colin held his own though! He was layered and probably my favorite trait of his was that he is an active listener. He never gave apologies without understanding exactly what he was apologizing for and the weight of that apology! Good attention to detail with both of the MCs.

The epilogue was very sweet and didn’t feel like it took away from the resolution of the last chapter the way some epilogues tend to.

My favorite aspect of the book however was that Truly and Colin understand each other on a fundamental level, specifically because of their shared bi identity. “There’s no such thing as being queer enough. Action and attraction are two different things.” As a bi person myself who has experienced biphobia (internalized and external), the conversation throughout the book on what it means to be bi and how the relationships you are in can skew your own perception of yourself and your validity within the queer community was poignant. I find it hard to come by books that show a bi person in a relationship with someone from the opposite gender, so I was elated to be chosen for this arc.

If you are looking for a feel-good, lighthearted romance that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and you don’t mind the occasional cringy joke, this could be an enjoyable read for you! This is a good match for Taylor Swift lovers, theatre kids, and people who enjoy the grumpy x sunshine trope/dynamic (but here, the grump is the romance author and the sunshine is the “divorce lawyer”)!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4r4BFrriGYGzXzU23MxvRr?si=8c21340c92e24edd

1.5/5 stars - This was a bad book, in my opinion. The story was meh, and the sequence of things just didn't always add up -- Why are they having an in-depth, date-level, loooong convo when Caitie was just running out to the bathroom? Why does the "podcast" process involve a video camera? The twin brother/ex situation was bonkers, his father was deranged, and she is a giant baby for how she just can't manage to butt out of her parents separation issue and also have the intelligence to understand there is more to her parents' relationship than her? She acts like a 12 year old emotionally, then we're supposed to believe she's out here publishing multiple bestselling romance novels and working like a grownup. Ugh, I didn't like anyone and I'm annoyed I read it, honestly. Bellefleur's previous book=good; this one, not so much.

I loved this book! Bi romance author and bi family lawyer get off on the wrong foot and eventually try to figure things out. The banter and connection felt good. I found myself smiling along on their dates and encounters. The spice is very good with sub-leaning switch MMC who loves to give. IYKYK. Highly recommend!

What happens when a realist and a romantic fall in love? So much delicious spice, fun banter and heart-melting moments. Truly, Madly, Deeply is something I didn't expect. Told from a 3rd person POV from the lens of our FMC Truly, this story is unique. There's no miscommunication or 3rd act breakup - the relationship between Truly and Colin (our MMC) was natural and seamless which was refreshing.

Qᴜɪᴄᴋ ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: ᴛʀᴜʟʏ, ᴀ Qᴜᴇᴇʀ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇʀ, ʜᴀꜱ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ ꜱɪx ʏᴇᴀʀ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱʜɪᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ ʙᴏʏꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴄᴀᴛᴄʜɪɴɢ ʜɪᴍ ᴄʜᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ. ꜱʜᴇ ʜᴀꜱ ᴀʟꜱᴏ ʟᴇᴀʀɴᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ꜱʜᴇ ᴀᴅᴍɪʀᴇꜱ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ, ʜᴇʀ ᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴛꜱ, ɪꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ꜱᴏ ᴘᴇʀꜰᴇᴄᴛ ᴀꜱ ꜱʜᴇ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ. ʜᴇʀ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ɪꜱ ʜᴏʟᴅɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ʙʏ ᴀ ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴅ ꜱᴏ ᴡʜᴇɴ ꜱʜᴇ ɢᴜᴇꜱᴛꜱ ᴏɴ ᴀ ᴘᴏᴅᴄᴀꜱᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴄʏɴɪᴄᴀʟ ᴅɪᴠᴏʀᴄᴇ ᴀᴛᴛᴏʀɴᴇʏ, ᴄᴏʟɪɴ - ᴀɴ ᴀᴛᴛᴏʀɴᴇʏ ᴡʜᴏ ꜱʜᴇ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ꜰɪɴᴅ ᴀᴛᴛʀᴀᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ - ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇ ᴘᴜꜱʜᴇꜱ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ʙᴜᴛᴛᴏɴꜱ, ᴛʀᴜʟʏ ɪꜱ ᴘɪꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴏꜰꜰ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴛᴏʀᴍɪɴɢ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ʜᴇꜱɪᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ.
ᴄᴏʟɪɴ ᴛʀᴀᴄᴋꜱ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴛʀᴜʟʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀɴ ᴀᴘᴏʟᴏɢʏ, ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴛᴇxᴛ ʙᴀɴᴛᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴀꜱᴋꜱ ʜᴇʀ ᴏɴ ᴀ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ. ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴀᴛᴛʀᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ɪꜱ ᴜɴᴅᴇɴɪᴀʙʟᴇ. ᴄᴏʟɪɴ ɪꜱ ꜱᴡᴇᴇᴛ, ᴄᴀʀɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴀʏꜱ (ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇꜱ) ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇʀ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ʏᴇᴀʀɴꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ʙᴜᴛ ᴄᴀɴ ᴛʀᴜʟʏ ᴛʀᴜꜱᴛ ʜᴇʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴄᴏʟɪɴ, ᴇꜱᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ʜᴇʀ ɪᴅᴇᴀ ᴏꜰ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ʜᴀꜱ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴛᴏʀɴ ᴛᴏ ꜱʜʀᴇᴅꜱ?

The spicy moments were so incredible. It's one of those books where I felt the need to either find my husband, my vibrator or take a cold shower.

Their open and honest conversations without judgment, especially around their sexualities, was refreshing and something to be admired. I also loved how both Colin and Truly were able to support each other through each of their family dramas, it brought elements to this story that had me wanting to see what happens next.

Tropes & Elements:
❤️ Enemies to Lovers
📝 Romance Author x Lawyer
🏳️‍🌈 Queer Rep
😂 Great Banter (and text threads)
🌶️ SPICY

My rating: 4 out of 5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books (Avon and Harper Voyager) for the eARC in exchange for my review!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the published for the arc copy in exchange for an honest review.*

3.75⭐ rounded up

It's so hard to find a good queer book that features a female, bisexual main character. I never seem to be able to connect or relate to them as much as I want, and that may be my fault. As a bi woman, I may criticize them too hard. HOWEVER, I found myself connecting more to Colin than I did to Truly, which was totally fine with me.

There isn't a SUPER tragic backstory for the main characters, which was nice. It seems like these days romances seem to try to give their main characters the most tragic backstory they can get away with.

Colin has a hard time getting along with his family and was no contact at one point. I felt this storyline so hard and it made me want to strangle every member of his family. Truly's parents are separating and she plots a parent trap-esque charade to get them to stay together and it doesn't seem to work in her favor.

I really love Colin. He was so mature and so sweet and just a dream partner. Truly felt very immature and childish a lot of the time. I forgive her for it a little because it sounds like she had the life sucked out of her while in her previous relationship and she's finally having fun again.

There is a lot of very detailed spice in this book. It was okay for the most part. There are some things that Colin said or did that made me physically cringe, but it was decent spice for the most part. There are a couple of public-ish spicy scenes that are enjoyable if you're into that.

💕 Queer/Bisexual romance
💕 Forced proximity
💕 Enemies to friends to lovers
💕 Dysfunctional family
💕 Spicy!

Overall, this was a good book that I will be recommending. The title is actually pretty clever. It stood out to me before I noticed who the author was. Also, the man on the cover looks like Steve Harrington so I was a stan before I even started reading.

Hi, yes, I would very much like to marry Colin McCrory.

Can I just say I am absolutely IN LOVE with this man. The entire time I was reading this I couldn’t help but blush at everything he said! Just everything about him exuded sexy & I am absolutely entranced by him.

Miss Truly deserved everything. As a hopeless romantic, I know the feeling of dating the wrong person all too well. Settling for less because you think that’s all there is. She was so funny & witty. The banter between her & Colin had me laughing out loud & blushing. I also would’ve stalked his instagram page 3 years back. Their chemistry was INSANE.

This was so steamy yet so fluffy & romantic. I need all of this in my life.

Also Mr. Colin McCrory begging on his knees?!?! The begging, the pleading, the 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨?!? I’m such a goner for that man. Wishing I were Truly rn. The fact that he continuously fought for her!! He was never afraid to let her know how he felt about her & that he was going to do everything he could to prove that he was in it for the long haul. He eased all the doubts in her mind. This man was down so astronomically bad for her I couldn’t even deal!

I love Truly’s parents so much! They were so funny & so in love. I can’t blame Truly for parent trapping them! Their whole family dynamic was everything.

Colin’s family on the other hand?? SIDE EYE. Also where tf did Caitlin go?!?! Miss girl just disappeared half way through the book. I needed to see her reaction to her brother & Truly dating like HELLO?!? & she was so funny! The way Colin & Caitlin kept exposing each other when they were out at the bar with truly was HILARIOUS. I couldn’t stop laughing!

A lovelorn romance novelist and a divorce lawyer who has sworn off relationships agree to cohost a podcast series offering dating advice to viewers. The premise is good, and the opening chapters were intriguing. Where things went awry in my opinion was when Truly's parents entered the picture. Talking exclusively in showtunes lyrics was unexpected and almost all of their musical references went right over my head. It then got worse when a Parent Trap-esque plot emerged once Truly - who is allegedly a grown adult - had a childish meltdown about her parents separating. I am unable to finish the book. I will recommend this book to readers who enjoy rom-coms with childlike MC's and/or musical theater influences.

4.5/5 stars

Sometimes you just gotta stay up until 3:30am to finish a book because you’re loving it so much.

I adored this! The banter between Truly and Colin was so good that I actually found myself literally laughing out loud multiple times. There’s also a scene (Chapter 8 I think but I could be misremembering) where they both are discussing their respective experiences with bisexuality and it was just….honestly one of the best conversations I’ve seen about being bi, or maybe just one of the closest to my own experience. Either way, I think it’ll mean a great deal to other bisexual and/or queer folks.

Honestly there were only two things that sort of irked me and caused the removal of half a star:
1) The “Parent Trap” part of the plot really irritated me with how immature Truly approached that situation (iykyk);
2) I felt the ending was just a bit rushed, and had there been maybe 20 more pages or so it would be been perfect!

I won a physical copy of an ARC on Goodreads, but I had also previously been approved for an e-ARC on NetGalley, so thanks to the publisher too! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

TW: divorce, marriage separation, cheating, bi-erasure, strained parent/child relationship, strained sibling relationship

This has to be the funniest book I’ve read in years. I was actually LOL-ing throughout reading this (which wasn’t great considering I read at night). Colin and Truly’s banter was just *chef’s kiss*. They were the epitome of flirty banter and arguing but in reality they just wanted to hookup. I loved the entire book and it was hard for me to put down. From the bisexual jokes, to Truly’s dad who clearly spends way too much time on tiktok and Colin’s green flags, I’m in love with this book. Now don’t get me started on Colin’s mouth, the man is a dream come true in multiple ways.
I love how Truly was a hopeless romantic who after going through some trauma, was scared to be in love. She fought along the way but Colin was the ultimate prince in never pushing her. He gave her time, space, anything she needed while also reassuring her fears. I was glad she was able to come to terms with everything in their own way.

Huge thank you to Harper Voyager and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I am obsessed with this book. I’ll admit to enjoying the first half more than the second, largely due to the lack of spicy scenes in the first half, but even all that spice couldn’t dim the love I have for this book.

This book made me grin, laugh, squeal, and drop my e-reader in favour of covering my face in my hands. These two are sickeningly sweet and I loved every moment of it.

Truly is such a sweet, vulnerable, fiery MC. She’s stubborn to a fault, she loves fiercely, she’s messy and scared and off-kilter, she’s an absolute goofball. I love her.

But Colin is where this book shines for me. He’s disgustingly charming and I fell for him literally the moment we meet him. He’s so in love with Truly it hurts and it was such a joy to read. He challenges her, he puts her first, he’s open with her, he’s unashamedly himself and I just…I love him.

If you’re looking for your next romance read, look no further. I can’t recommend this enough.

Steamy, swoony, and full of cute banter!

Truly, a romance author, believes in love wholeheartedly. When she catches her fiancee cheating on her, and then her parents tell her they're separating, now Truly isn't so sure. It's a divorce lawyer named Colin who might just convince her love can be found.

I LOVED the banter in this book. Truly and Colin's back and forths were hilarious. And take care because this book is *spicy*! I've enjoyed all of Bellefleur's books so far and can't wait for the next!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Rep: Bi (MC, LI)

I absolutely adored this book! The romance was so sweet and so satisfying. The smut was great and very female centric which made it that much better. The MMC Colin was a walking green flag and the best MMC that I have read in awhile. There was one plot point that bothered me but other than that I could not put this book down! I am obsessed. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance. It is a top tier romance book.

A quick note for those who read romance but are sex averse: this is not the book for you. It has frequent and detailed sexual scenes.

While being marketed as a queer romance, I found it had very little queer content in this book. Truly (main female character) is said to write historical, queer romances, but there are no examples given. Likewise, there’s only a single scene where Colin (main male character) and Truly discuss being bisexual. While well-written and touching on important points about bi-phobia and bi-erasure, that one scene was not enough for me to feel bisexuality was central to either character’s identity.

I also didn’t think the characters or plot were strong enough to recommend this book. Truly comes across as naïve and entitled, and Colin as too-good-to-be-true. I found their banter annoying more than scintillating and never felt connected to either of them. The first part of the plot, centered around a podcast, was actually okay, but when the relationship kicked up and it got full parent-trap with Truly trying to reconnect her parents, it lost me.

In summary, those who enjoy Bellefleur’s other books and quick, spicy romances may like this book, but it’s not for me.

Wow! This book has god-tier level banter and flirting. I laughed out loud, blushed, and had the happy little Squee several times throughout the story. The characters are very relatable and they kept me engaged throughout the entire experience. Now I need to read the back log of everything written by this author.

Truly St. James is a successful romance author with a deep-seated belief in true love (based on her parents' long marriage, not her own now-defunct relationship with a cheating fiancé). When she meets divorce lawyer Colin McCrory on a podcast recording, she's sure that the two of them will never see eye-to-eye, though her parents' surprise trial separation and the undeniable chemistry she and Colin have certainly keep drawing them together.

I've really enjoyed Bellefleur's past romance novels, so I had high hopes for this one. Unfortunately, it seems poorly considered, almost unfinished. She picks up threads and then forgets about them (nothing ever comes of Truly writing something for her high school's GSA about bisexual erasure and her and Colin's subsequent discussion about being bi, making me wonder why it was included); there's no real conflict to set up a will-they-or-won't-they moment between the main characters; and Truly's parents' musical theatre game chucked my ability to suspend disbelief right out the window. Like I said, I had high hopes for this one, but it fell VERY flat. Skip this one and pick up Written in the Stars instead.

UM EXCUSE ME?!?! i didn’t know i could love a book this much!!! Colin is the sexiest man to ever exist. everyone needs this on their shelf!

I'm always a sucker for bi-representation, especially for the fellas!

The voice is very distinct and will resonate with new adult readers

I am head over heels for Colin and Truly, Madly, Deeply is a MASTERPIECE.

Bellefleur has created another must-read novel that keeps you swooning, laughing, and eagerly turning pages.

so cute! I've read from this author before and this book is by far my favorite. The representation in this title is dear to my heart, and this book does it justice. YAY!

This is my 2nd book I’ve read from Alexandria and I just loved it. The whole golden retriever boy and the hopeless romantic girl with a little bit of angst, perfect! The only part that fell flat for me was the whole “parent trap” vibe of it. I did skip over some parts of that as I did loose interest a bit.