I love Kay Cove and this book is *chef's kiss! Cove's writing is so flawless and it just immerses you into the story. The romance was so good in this book. I was afraid that Camera Shy wouldn't be able to live up to the love that I have for Whistle Blower but it 100% did and I'm so glad that I read this book! Cove is an amazing author and this book solidified her being a one click author for me!

Omg! I loved this book! I didn’t want it to end! Avery is an everyday woman, likes to be comfortable and not put too much into her appearance since she views herself as the fat, average girl.
Finn on the other hand is an Adonis. Built and sexy but also funny and so caring I wanted to cry.
He is instantly attracted to Avery and makes it his mission to make her see herself like he sees her.
I loved their relationship. It was so organic and fun. I felt like Avery and still do at times. I also have a Finn in my life that’s been trying to tell me I’m sexy for the past 20 years. This book really helped me see that what we view as imperfections, others see as strengths. That we need to love and accept ourselves before we can ever accept love from others.
There were so many sexy scenes that were also character building and so many sweet moments that had me tearing up. But the betrayals Avery went through made me full out cry.
This was excellently written with real life characters and situations that pulled you right in and didn’t let go.

This was WAY better than I was expecting - I never thought a book could make me feel emotional attachment to fish that the FMC is looking after whilst house sitting but here we are 😅 I saw this book on NetGalley, loved the cover and title and went into it absolutely blind. It was so enjoyable that I’ll be picking up a physical copy asap 📚

We follow Avery, a successful brand strategist, who goes through a rough break up with her boyfriend of 4 years on her 30th birthday when he panics and decides that they’re not right together anymore. She needs to get away for a bit and one of her clients needs someone to house sit, so she heads over to Las Vegas to look after his house and his fish for the summer 🐠

Whilst there, she bumps into the neighbour, Finn, who runs a body positive boudoir studio. I don’t want to go too much more into the plot to avoid spoilers but Finn has easily made it into my top book boyfriends. There’s a lot of spice in this book and we see Finn really work with Avery to help her love herself 🌶

There’s no third act breakup in this book which was refreshing BUT there is a plot twist that I didn’t see coming at all - I love when a book can surprise me 👀

I struggled to connect with the FMC a little, there’s a lot of self-negative talk and we definitely could have seen more growth for her throughout the book. There’s also quite a lot of negative women vs women going on - most of the other women in the book are either being vile about the FMC’s body, or trying to steal Finn. I wish there was a little less of this throughout the book - I totally get that it’s there for the drama (which did help the plot move) but it felt like there was too much of it at times 🤔 I do prefer books with more women empowering women.

There’s also a scene towards the end of the book with one of the MMC’s friends (Cass) that felt a little off/out of place (you’ll know which scene I mean when you get there). It had me questioning the MMC’s intentions a little and I think I’d have preferred the scene not exist 😅

I did really enjoy this book and I feel that this book is really missing an epilogue - I would have loved a glimpse into 5 - 10 years down the road for these two 👀 Though it looks like there’s a second book coming that follow’s Finn’s cousin/employee so maybe we’ll get to see some cameos from Finn and Avery in that book 🤞

“Camera Shy” by Kay Cove is not just a book; it’s a journey of self-acceptance that resonated with me on a deeply personal level. The protagonist, Avery, is a beacon of hope for anyone who has ever doubted their worth or beauty. Her transformation from self-conscious to self-confident is not only inspiring but a powerful reminder of the strength we all hold within.

Kay Cove has crafted a narrative that is as much about romance as it is about personal growth. The lessons Avery learns through her unexpected photography adventure are lessons we all need to be reminded of: to love ourselves, to embrace our flaws, and to step out of the shadows and into the light.

This book touched me profoundly because it mirrors the struggles many of us face in a world that often feels like it’s judging every aspect of our being. “Camera Shy” is a testament to the fact that true beauty comes from within and that sometimes, the right person can help you see that beauty more clearly.

In a world where we are often our own worst critics, “Camera Shy” offers a refreshing perspective on self-love and the courage it takes to be vulnerable. It’s a story that I will carry with me, a reminder that being camera shy doesn’t mean you’re not picture perfect in your own unique way

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC on this book.

As someone with a photography degree, I am begging the book gods to send me photography romance books my way so I was really excited to start this one.

It follows Avery who is expecting a proposal from her long term and business partner Mason after finding a ring months before. When Mason present the ring to her, he takes back the proposal and breaks up with her instead.

Then we have Finn, our boudoir photographer whose business is quite slow due to lack of promotion and needs more clientele to be more sustainable. After numerous flings and toxic relationships, he has been keeping to himself.

When Avery fish-sits for a client, her and Finn become neighbours and begin to hit it off quite quickly, despite Avery struggling with her break up and the insecurities it’s brought along.

With Avery struggling with confidence and Finn’s business needing more traffic, It’s a perfect solution when they interchange their services with one another to help each other out.

I am going to be honest, I didn’t enjoy this book as I wished to, especially with my personal love of photography and all the body positivity, especially as a curvy girl myself. I just couldn’t get into these pivotal plots of the story as I wished.

Avery and Finn were sweet here and there but nothing exciting to me. I don’t understand the pacing of their relationship because it went from 0-100 in the first few chapters they meet. I don’t know, standing in front of a stranger during your cycle almost naked in the midst of having body image issues just didn’t do it for me. I couldn’t connect with them because they were very two dimensional. Example: Avery is much more than her insecurities and I wanted to see that much more throughout.

The overuse of the nickname “Queen” just did not do it for me either and just felt like the writing overall was quite repetitive and fell flat a lot. Even the affair didn’t shock me the slightest and honestly, I just didn’t enjoy it. The book was also quite long and could have been much more condensed in areas (perhaps I would have enjoyed it more then)

The book has all the components to be a good romance story but they weren’t connected the best which is why I cannot rate it highly. I just couldn’t get into it or have strong opinions on the characters either.

If you like reading some smut, neighbours x lovers, photography and issues such as body issues/positivity then maybe this one will be for you!

Ok, I wasn’t expecting this to be as good as it was. Has all the great things, slow burn but awesome tension building and great spice when it gets there. He falls first and hard. Larger body FMC. Definitely will be one I recommend

I loved everything about this! It had the right amount of spice, focused on finding sexual enjoyment and kink interests ( praise kinks ftw) was definitely a stranger/neighbor to friend to lover story that gave slow burn bur deep rushed passion. I also loved that the fmc was a bigger girl and the story focuses on learning to lofe and accept the body she is in and finding her confidence and to me that means a lot as i am a bigger girl myself and could relate to things she felt and was struggling with! Overall a great read and i really enjoyed it!

This book was so cute! I might have enjoyed the story a little too much because all I wanted to know was how it would end, so much that I couldn't fully enjoy the spicy scenes. I was just too invested in the characters!

This book is an excellent he falls first, plus sized FMC, spicy lessons romance. After a lackluster four years, Avery learns that she is a full figured and sexy woman when her new neighbor Finn shows her how to be. The two sizzle and find love in this electric love story!

Okay I have been loving this so MUCH. The gasp I gusped at “…here’s how the next 5 minutes are going to go………….. How’s that sound?” I FREAKED. SO GOOD.
Did Finn overuse Queen? Probably a little but screw it, he’s trying to show her that she IS a Queen and deserving and worth more than she’s had.
Anyways love love love it was spicy spicy and amazing, thank you NetGalley and the publisher! I’ve been squealing and kicking my feet

Overall it is a cute story with a curvy FMC Avery, and a super supportive mmc Finn, who just happens to be a Boudoir photographer. Our curvy girl struggles with the same issues often found in novels with curvy FMC, insecurity. So when Finn, the photographer offers her spicy lessons in exchange for her help with his business, she can’t say no. Listen the spice.. was great. Especially so if you are a person who has similar struggles. That being said I didn’t really feel like there was much more to Avery outside of her insecurities about herself and her worth. I would have loved this more had there been more had Avery found her confidence sooner.

I loved this book! For all the girls who don’t think they’re good enough, YOU ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH. I loved the idea that the FMC was not a skinny, bombshell model. Through this book we see the evolution of Avery’s self confidence and it’s just beautiful. Also that surprise twist at the end I did not see coming!! I 100% have a boost in my own self confidence after reading this book

Fabulous and sexy. This book mixed steamy with tender and with friendship in an excellent and engaging way. Finn and Avery aren’t perfect, but know it and embrace it and live their lives to make things a little bit better. Their friends and families aren’t much and bring them down, especially Avery’s ex, the ending is a cracker and I could live being called a queen every day by a gorgeous man.

Avery has just been dumped. On her birthday. By her live in boyfriend and business partner of 4 years. Her life feels like it is in shambles, and her confidence is destroyed.

When a long time client, Dex, mentions he is desperately looking for someone to watch over his home and tend his expensive fish collection for the summer, Avery sees an opportunity to put some much needed space between herself and her ex. She needs a summer to herself, to regroup and heal.

Finn is friend and neighbor to Dex. He is a photographer who specializes in boudoir shoots, and is proud of his life’s work spent empowering women to love their bodies. His business has the heart, and the talent, but is severely lacking in marketing- the very thing Avery’s business focuses on.

As the summer wears on, Avery helps Finn improve his marketing strategy and Finn helps Avery to repair her shaken confidence and self-image. Their chemistry is amazing, but does it have lasting power?

Thank you NetGalley for access to this digital ARC

Title: Camera Shy by Kay Cove
Lessons in Love/ Book #1

Release Date: May,14th, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars

In "Camera Shy" by Kay Cove, the FMC’s journey of self-discovery and body acceptance is at the forefront. After a breakup, she embarks on a summer in Las Vegas, where she strikes a deal with her attractive neighbour to boost her confidence and save his business. While the book explores themes of self-love and personal growth, I found the character's development lacking until the very end, where acceptance seemed sudden. Despite positive reinforcement, repetitive negative self-talk was a drawback. While the spice was enjoyable, I struggled to connect with the characters overall.



Thank you to The Publisher ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op | Page & Vine, The Author Kay Cove & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

This book was just not for me. It came across a little repetitive and seemed a tad fatphobic in the writing of the storyline. Maybe I just didn't like the writing, but I just did not connect with this one.

I loved the storyline of Camera Shy, I truly did. Avery getting dumped on her 30th birthday when she thought she would be getting engaged to her boyfriend but then everything kind of turns upside down which leads to her meeting Finn who falls head over heels. I loved Avery and Finn, I loved how they clicked right off the start and I loved the little back and forth they had going through the beginning of the chapter. I loved Lennox with my whole heart and I wish we had more of her through the book.

When I first started, I loved the aspect of body positivity and the self-love that Finn was helping with Avery but I found it very repetitive after awhile but also kind of felt like it was tearing other characters down a bit. There didn’t seem to be build up of self-love where we got to see the journey of Avery’s loving herself but after the plot twist, the champagne room made me feel not well, she suddenly loved herself. I don’t know I thought the build up could have been more, I found it missing the growth.

Overall, I did enjoy the journey for Avery and Finn and could see myself checking out more from the author.

Camera Shy follows curvy FMC, Avery, as she navigates the next chapter in her life, single. As she looks back on her relationship with her ex, her insecurities are more prominent than they were before. When she does a favor for one of her clients, she doesn't realize how this will change the trajectory of her life. Enter Finn Harvey, III. He is cool, calm, and collected, and loves to Praise!

Kay Cove is a new to me author and I loved her writing style. The way she made feel conflicted between the characters. I was Team Finn and then I was Team Avery. I love when an author can make you feel there in the moment and part of the story.

The only reason I am not giving it a full five stars is because the spicy scenes were getting redundant for me and the conflict could have been a little bigger for me.

Overall, I would read Kay Cove again and recommend.

Really loved the idea of this book, as soon as I read the description, I knew I had to give it a read! I LOVED IT!!
The book started with a bang (not literally) and I was gripped within the first few pages.
As much as I have love for so many other books and love an escape, I love that this one was realistic, the fmcs struggle to be fully comfortable in herself was nice and relatable to read about. Also the MMC made me GIDDY as hell, where do I find one? 🥵 Was fast paced, never a dull moment, I always enjoy dual POV to keep me interested. Highly recommend!! 🥰

Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for the advanced copy of this book!

I'll start with this, I didn't finish the book

 The premise sounded good but it fell flat in its execution.

Mason and Avery have been together for over 4 years and run a business together. At her 30th birthday dinner Avery is sure Mason is going to propose after she thought she found a ring in their home - going so far as to destroy her birthday cake with her hands looking for the ring. But, when he pulls out the ring, Mason instead breaks up with Avery.

Meanwhile, Finn is a boudoir photographer, who is currently practicing abstinence after a bad break up and a string of flings.

Both characters are at a point in life where they need to find themselves and who they are in and out of relationships. Avery wants to discover who she really is in her own sexuality and strikes up a deal with Finn to teach her… and things get spicy! 

Overall, the story ended up.. not great. It all felt like it was trying too hard to be sexy and powerful for women, but ended up feeling cringy and too much, Queen.