This story was a mash up of genres that I did not expect. A Sci Fi, High Society intrigue, Heist with Noir undertones.

What worked really well for me was the world building. Ruthi Johnson goes undercover on a wealthy planet to punish the socialite heir, Esteban, who jilter her sister. The plan is to trap Esteban in a matrimonial contract and escape with enough wealth to provide for herself, her sister, pregnant with Esteban’s baby. But Ruthi doesn’t count on running into Sol, Esteban’s sister, who starts to temp Ruthi away from her goal.

The world building was the highlight of this book. A lot of Sci Fi ends up either with long explanations of technology (Rendezvous with Rama) or become a facsimile of earth, but in space. The universe in this book managed to be a truly creative new world. Example: One of the features of the hair salon is that they intentionally vary the gravity regularly so that you can see how your hair will look in different settings. There were a lot of little touches like that.

The heist plot was compelling and had a satisfying ending, but the characters were slightly flat for me, not totally 3D. More like 2.5 D, and the pacing felt a bit slow at times. But against the EXTREMELY vivid world building, it wasn’t too much of a detractor.

Hot lady scammers in space falling in love? Yes please!

I haven't read many sci-fi romances, so this sci-fi romcom was really fun. This was fast paced with a compelling plot and set of characters. I enjoyed the humor present, and the witty banter. I enjoyed this so much more than I thought I would, and I can't wait to get our physical copies of these from our vendors.

Lady Eve's Last Con is a sapphic sci-fi rom-com and one that really had me intrigued from the start! Con-woman Ruthi Johnson is masquerading as a young debutante to con the man who broke her sister's heart - she plans to make him fall in love, break his heart in return and run off with half of his fortune. What she hasn't accounted for, is her target's charming sister, Sol, who seems to see through her right from the start and she somehow finds herself gravitating towards! And when some dangerous figures she knows from her past enter the scene, she also struggles to stay out of the way...

This was such an enjoyable read! I haven't read huge amounts of sci-fi yet, but loved all the explanations about life in space and other planets. There is a scene on a beach, where the MC takes a moment to reflect on how scientists have managed to make a beach work on a satellite with supposedly no gravity - I found all these details so interesting. It made for such great world-building!

The main characters are excellent - Ruthie (/Evelyn) is a planner and an expert at her job. She knows she is unlikely to fail and takes pride in her skills. Sol is a brilliant businesswoman and has a clever mind that helps her scope out trouble around her - well, except when it accidentally leads her into a huge problem she has to deal with throughout the book 👀 The relationship between the two is so well developed, with tension, banter, heated scenes, some yearning and all the chemistry. I kept hoping they'd let go of their resolve to stay away from each other, because gosh are they good together!! The relationship with their families was also interesting to explore (in the present or through memories), and it was clearly a huge driver for both of the women's actions. I also loved that they are both in their late twenties, around my age!

The author's writing was really enjoyable. Although the pacing was a little slow at times and some events felt a bit repetitive in the middle, it remained interesting and really had me wanting to know more. I loved how things were wrapped up at the end, following many cool twists of events and daring plans!

What to expect?
🪐 interesting world-building
💸 con-woman disguised as a debutante
🏳️‍🌈 sapphic romance
🛵 love-interest with a hovering motorbike
⚠️ lurking danger
💭 1st person POV, late-twenties MC

I'm not sure I've ever read a mix of sci-fi and rom com before this novel but I won't surely forget this one.
Fast paced, witty, full of humour, and well plotted
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Revenge-plot scam caper novel! In space! With scorching UST followed by RST between "Evelyn Ojukwu" (Ruthi Johnson's nom de scam) and Solada Alvaria Mendez-Yuki, whose brother is the object of Ruthi's scam, because he impregnated and then dumped Ruthi's sister, Jules. Also there's a super-nefarious criminal syndicate trying to get hold of the contents of Sol's brain and leveraging a warehouse full of kosher ducks to that end. No, I can't explain, and you should just read this, on account of Rebecca Fraimow is a goddess in authorial form.

Thanks to NetGalley and Solaris Books for the ARC.

Lady Eve's last con is a fun, fast-paced space opera! The book follows Ruth, who's planning to take revenge on the man who broke her sister's heart, Esteban Mendez-Yuki. But Ruth forgot to account for Esteban's sister, Sol. Sol is charismatic, charming, and more difficult to trick...
I enjoyed this book so much! I had a great time reading it. At times, some of the sci-fi terminology wasn't explained which could be a tad confusing. I didn't mind this at all, however. And I prefer mild confusion over lengthy exposition. So overall I would highly recommend reading Lady Eve's last con if you're looking for a fun, sapphic sci-fi novel!

thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for a review!!

ahhhh definitely one of my favorite books of 2024 so far! we've learned i have a type in books (lesbian mysteries in space) and this did indeed hit the niche. i loved sol even if she and ruth could never agree on anything and i thought the overarching worldbuilding and family dynamics fit perfectly into the story.

if you don't have this on your tbr yet put it on! it comes out in a few days!

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

Lady Eve’s Last Con by Rebecca Fraimow is a Sapphic first person-POV sci-fi romance. When conwoman Ruth Johnson’s sister is discarded after becoming pregnant with a mark’s child, Ruth takes on the name Evelyn Ojukwu to infiltrate the glittery world of high society in space, she ends up drawing the suspicion of the mark’s sister, Sol Mendez-Yuki. The more time Ruth spends with Esteban Mendez-Yuki, the closer she gets to Sol and the stronger their attraction grows despite Sol knowing Ruth’s true aims.

One thing I was not expecting but was really delighted to see was the 70’s and 80’s sci-fi atmosphere combined with the Jazz era. The fashion sense and some of the aspects of the worldbuilding have this very retro feel that is very cool and nostalgic while still feeling new and interesting. I love that aesthetic, personally, and would love to see more books drawing from that era of sci-fi but updating it and combining it with other eras. The socialite aspect reminded me of Regency with the focus on manners and the opera being a place for high society to meet and greet each other.

The cast is fairly diverse, with multiple characters being biracial, Queer, and/or coming from blended interracial and intercultural families. Ruth herself is a biracial Black Jewish woman and we get to see glimpses of her Jewish culture, such as her speaking Yiddish, mentions of Mezuzahs, and kosher ducks.

Sol and Ruth’s romance leaned strongly towards emotional trust, especially when Sol revealed parts of herself to Ruth after learning who Ruth was and what her goals were. Sol rides on a motorcycle, wears suits, and is generally charismatic while also having some feminine energy and those aspects appeal strongly to Ruth despite Ruth trying to ignore her growing feelings. The romance was probably one of my favorite parts and how it combines with the con was really fun.

I would recommend this to readers looking for a socialite Queer romance, fans of sci-fi and romance, and those looking for a Queer sci-fi with Black Jewish representation.

Lady Eve's Last Con is fun sci-fi with a likeable con artist lead who is attempting to steal from the man who broke her sister's heart and left her pregnant by making him fall in love with him.

I enjoyed Ruthi as an MC and particularly liked the insight into her thinking as a con artist and living as another person/identity.

The main romance is between Ruthi and Sol, the step/ adopted sister of the man she is conning. Whilst I did mostly like the romance, I also didn't love it, and I was more interested in the other aspects of both characters - Ruthi's con and her relationship with her sister; and Sol's entanglements with space gangsters and her complicated relationship with both her birth and adopted families - than the actual romance between the two.

There many of the usual sci-fi elements in the world-building (a dying earth and the desperate search for a new home, even-later-stage capitalism and its many flaws, and technology such as anti-grav and breathers) and these were generally well-execeuted, though not really the main focus of the story.

Overall, this book made for an enjoyable sci-fi romp.

This was a joy and a half! Very fun sapphic space-con with enemies-to-lovers who have incredible sizzling chemistry, what's not to love?!

Ruthi Johnson, small-time con woman, sets up an elaborate ruse to take down the man who jilted her pregnant sister while setting them up for the rest of their lives. A perfect plan, ruined only by the devastatingly charming Sol, the target's sister who rocks a pantsuit like literally no other. Watching these two dance around each other was the best part of the book, and with the backdrop of additional danger and higher stakes the tension (sexual and otherwise) was quite high. The story keeps you guessing until then end (as in, how are they realistically going to navigate their way through many complexities to a happy ending?) and it definitely delivers.

I also really enjoyed the worldbuilding here. This is a future where earth has spread out into the solar system but there are very real limits on tech, information sharing, and interstellar travel. These constraints both feel realistic and help to advance the plot. Also, far-future conception of the Jews was both funny and believable, with many of the best bits making me laugh out loud and nod and move the story forward all at the same time.

Thanks to Solaris and Netgalley for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was honestly just plain fun. The premise is a relatively simple one (a con artist taking advantage of the rules of high society to bring down the man who jilted her sister), and the plot definitely shouldn't be poked too hard with a stick, but none of that really matters because this book is just here to entertain, and it does that very well.

Where Lady Eve's Last Con stood out for me is the assured character voice, which was witty and incisive without ever feeling fake. There's also a great roaring 20s feel (the cover captures the vibe perfectly, which is always a bonus). While in some ways the space setting doesn't mean much for the overall story, in other ways it adds some wonderful moments of levity and humour - such as the practicalities of eating dinner at a restaurant or seeing an opera in half-gravity. And there's a charming sapphic romance, and some unexpected Jewish rep - who would have thought about the logistical challenges of keeping kosher in space?

I'm definitely curious to see what Fraimow does next.

This book was pretty good, but something about it just didn't grab me as fully as I thought it would. The writing was great, but I think my main issue was forming an attachment to any of the characters.... I just didn't care enough about what was happening to them to have a drive to pick it up all the time. That being said, I would recommend this book to others, and am definitely interested in checking out more from Rebecca Fraimow. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this free copy in exchange for my honest review!

An engaging novel from the very first apge. The audience is brought along an adventure that spans the cosmos, incited by a sister's love, and her desire to provide for her family. A perfectly written story, with the high stakes established early and the tensions maintained until the very last page. Plot twist after plot twist makes the book impossible to put down.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 50%. I really do try my best to complete ARCs, but in this case, I just couldn't do it. There isn't anything egregiously wrong with this book; rather, everything was just ok. There's a lot of different elements in this story: the con, the romance, the Roaring 20's inspired setting. But none of them came together for me. The con wasn't convincing, I didn't root for the romance, and the presence of the 20's aesthetic was more of a whisper than a roar. I'm a big fan of con artist stories, but this one was especially lackluster for me. The MC does not come across as especially competent or committed to the con. (She gets figured out by the love interest within 30/40% of the book, and instead of trying to lie her way out of it, she decides to completely spill the beans! Not to mention the fact that she got found out because she was trying to get some, like, priorities girl.) I also did not like the romance. Other than mutual attraction, they have nothing else going for them, they have zero chemistry. Lastly, the 20's aesthetic was barely there. I was expecting them to use more of the slang, or mention more flapper-type of fashion, but other than being rich and attending opulent parties and operas, that was the extent of it.

Overall, perhaps this was just not for me.

This was so fun! This book is a screwball comedy, sapphic romance, and con artist romp, with just a hint of Pride & Prejudice but in spaaaace. I loved the narrative voice, the 1920s vibe, and the delightfully scheming lead, who's looking for revenge (and money) but naturally ends up far more embroiled in schemes and difficulties than she was bargaining for.

The worldbuilding is light, but effective. I liked a lot of the science fictional touches. I enjoyed the prose, which works very well for the setting. The author strikes a fascinating balance with the narrative voice, adopting a mostly light, airy tone, but with a world-weary undercurrent that reminds us that she's a cynical con artist who is desperately wishing she didn't have to be so cynical all the time. It gives a bit of a noir detective vibe that works really well with the 1920s setting.

The pacing was mostly good, but I did feel that it lagged slightly in the second half; the story got a little convoluted and started feeling less easy breezy to me. Things got back on track quickly, though, and I was fully back into it by the 75% mark.

Some of the plot elements didn't quite land for me, but mostly I was just happy to be along for the ride.

Overall I really enjoyed this, and will absolutely be recommending it and reading Rebecca Fraimow's other work.

3.75 stars, rounded up to 4 for a great narrative voice and fun lesbian hijinks.

Thank you to Rebecca Fraimow, Solaris, and NetGalley for generously providing an ARC for review!

2SLGBTQIA+ BIPOC Sci-Fi Steamy Romance about a small-time hustler who's set on revenging her jilted sister but winds up falling for her mark's sister and getting tangled up in her troubles.

5/5 stars: Fraimow's newest 2SLGBTQIA+ BIPOC Sci-Fi Steamy Romance is a enemies-to-lovers stand-alone romance that features a small-time hustler who's determined to get revenge for her jilted sister but finds herself falling for her mark's sister and getting all tangled up in her troubles. Fraimow's writing and character work are stellar; the characters are well-rounded, complex and yet remain incredibly likable. Ruth's tough and I love seeing her open up to loving Sol. The two of them spark off each other, are incredibly swoony and the slow burn consummation OPS scenes is deliciously steamy. And I have to say I loved the intrigue, mystery and adventurous aspects. I thought it was very well done and kept the plot moving. While there are plenty of humorous moments, Fraimow does tackle some sensitive topics, so take care and check the CWs. With that ending I really hope there's more to coming from Ruth, Sol, Jules and the sprog but even if there isn't I look forward to reading more from this author, highly recommend!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Solaris in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Miss New Monte Chivalry over there knew her lines. I almost hated to step on her scene, but she could vamp the debs any day of the week, and a girl only gets one first impression. [loc. 104]

Sapphic romance featuring a con artist and a disaffected socialite, set on a space habitat beyond Pluto, with a Jazz Age ambience, a Black heroine, and a subplot involving kosher duck. I hadn't connected the author's name with her excellent, Hugo-nominated short story 'This Is New Gehesran Calling' (published in Consolation Songs) so I was trepidatious about this novel, but I'm happy to report that it is just as much fun as you'd expect from my description.

Professional gambler and con artist Ruthi Johnson sets out to charm Esteban Mendez-Yuki, the man who dumped her sister Jules: he's heir to a vast insurance corporation, though would rather talk about soil types. Ruthi poses as a naive young debutante and infiltrates the high society of New Monte: her similarity to her sister attracts the eye of Esteban the Cad, but also snags the attention of his glamorous sister Solada, who has an eye for the girls and a swashbuckling sense of style. Ruthi finds herself tangled up in an old acquaintance's plot against Sol, who may be too sharp not to spot that Ruthi has a scheme of her own.

The futuristic setting had plenty of fun details (like a hair salon where the gravity continually alters 'so you could check out how your new hairstyle looked in any sort of an atmosphere'; like cockail boxes, and jewel-studded atmospheric breathers), and though the focus was largely on the trading aristocracy, there were glimpses of less privileged lives as well -- not least Ruthi's own past. Plenty of diversity, too: Ruthi is dark-skinned (and aware that there are some places still too 'light' for her to fit in); Sol's chain of sapphic flings is nothing remarkable, though some young women might not want a long-term contract in case they end up living somewhere where the rules about 'spousal contracts' are more old-fashioned; Ruthi and Jules speak Yiddish together as a secret language, and the kosher duck is actually relevant to the plot. The attraction between Ruthi and Sol, with the increasingly awkward overlay of Ruthi's alter ego Lady Evelyn, felt sparky and exciting, and the various threads of the story wove together very satisfactorily. I liked this a lot, and shall now search out the author's other works

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance review copy, in exchange for this full honest review. UK Publication Date is 04 JUN 2024.

A compelling read and a wild ride!

Ruthi is bent on avenging her sister's broken heart by pretending to be a debutante to win over the man who did the heartbreaking. Ruthi did not account for his sister Sol, and soon Ruthi finds herself enmeshed in an even higher stakes scheme. Oh, and the whole thing takes place in space.

This was a brilliant debut mixing sci fi with Sapphic romance featuring a con artist. I loved the world building and the characters and all the moving parts.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review!

This is a fun read that took all the typicals a turned them askew in a new take that made this a book unlike any I could compare it to.

The worldbuilding was well done - fully immersive but unique that it didn't feel like a copy paste from every other sci-fi future. I liked that there is a whole 1920s/1940s vibe for the whole book, it gave it a new layer that I really enjoyed.

To me I think the con as a whole fell a bit flat for most of the book - I think because even as Ruth points out multiple times Esteban is not a difficult mark, and I still have a hard time figuring out what her sister ever saw in him. The subplots add in the intrigue and conning that I think the main con is lacking so it's still a fun read with all the right genre elements that I crave from heist/long con stories.

I didn't feel the chemistry between Ruth and Sol that I wanted, although I can't quite put my finger on why. I think it's mostly they didn't interact enough for me to really feel like I understood the attraction on Ruth's part. We do see Sol become more complex and layered, but I still found it hard to be sympathetic with her problems.

I appreciated that we can see through Ruth the commentary on the richest classes and how their wealth impacts their worldview/lives- and probably why I love heists and long con stories. It's nice to see the people usually obviously to real problems and consequences get it a bit of comeuppance. We also see Ruth grow in her relationship with her sister which I thought was really well done.

All that said, again it is really a fun book with multiple stories and layers that makes this a better than usual book and a great summer read or for a book club.

This was fun! A sci fi crime caper with a dash of romance that evokes the vibes of the Roaring 20's. The world building and characters were great, and I loved the way the ending was pulled off--very clever and satisfying!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.