this was so sweet!

i loved seeing taryn and charlie’s relationship blossom throughout this book. in particular, i loved how they established a really strong platonic relationship before exploring their romantic connection - it felt very realistic and helped me get really attached to the characters.

i feel like i read it at the perfect time for me and definitely want to revisit some of this author’s previous work. i’ve already recommended it to a bunch of my friends as well!

thank you so much to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc 🫶🏻

Very sweet romance that made me wonder whatever happened to the cute babysitter I had when I was a lesbian larva. Brayden always delivers fun and quirky characters that have me rooting for them.
One will never be disappointed by a book by this author.
Her stories are always a welcome escape.

When You Smile by Melissa Brayden is the story of Taryn and Charlotte (Charlie). Charlotte had been Taryn's babysitter until she moved away. Fast forward to Taryn transferring to Hillpoint College where she runs into Charlie and suddenly the age difference doesn't loom as large. At first Charlie has a serious boyfriend but over time as their relationship deepens so do her feelings for Taryn.

I enjoyed this story and watching the relationship deepen between Taryn and Charlie, though one plot twist seemed a bit improbable. All in all this was an enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of When You Smile in exchange for an honest review. This book is available now.

A fun and sweet romcom

When she was a child, Taryn had the biggest crush on Charlotte, her sixteen-year-old babysitter. Until Charlotte moved away and they lost contact. Years later, when she transfers to Hillspoint university, Taryn runs into a familiar face at a party: Charlie, grad student, who walks her drunk ass home. Forgotten, lost feelings resurface the instant they meet again. And for Charlotte, who has a boyfriend, a perfect plan, and more importantly, who has never been attracted to a woman before, it's more than complicated.

I went into this book a bit worried, because most age-gap romances creep me out, especially when the characters met as minors. But this story stole my heart very quickly. Both women are really sweet, and the dynamic between their relationship as adults and the fact that they were apart for a while before really being attracted to one another made it okay. Their rediscovery of their relationship, first as friends and then more, was really sweet. I liked that Charlie, despite being older, was the one who had a queer awakening. It added more balance and cuteness to their dynamic and seeing them evolve and try to figure it all out together was really sweet. The plot is intense and fun, the romance hot and slow-burn, and the two characters are easy to relate to and very touching. All in all, a very good romcom that stole my heart.

I highly recommend if you like university sapphic romcoms!

"I know what I'm feeling, and it's all-consuming. You are. I know what I want and it's you and me."

I really enjoyed aspects of this story. It contained many of the characteristics that usually draws me to Melissa Brayden’s books. I enjoyed the main characters and their dynamic, the build up of the relationship, and the chemistry between the main characters, Taryn and Charlie. All of that being said, there was something that I just didn’t connect with about this book. I sat with it for a few weeks before writing a review and still felt that way. If i had to narrow it down, I think it would come down to the age of the characters, they were in college and grad school respectively and something about that just felt very young. Overall, the book still was cute and enjoyable.

I absolutely loved this book. From when Charlie was Taryn’s babysitter to when she was her lover. She was kind and gentle and smart. When they meet up in college years later there was a spark between them. Charlie didn’t know what it was because she was “straight” but there was differently something. Read the book. You won’t regret it.

This book was a true delight! Melissa Brayden can be a little hit or miss for me but the blurb was intriguing so I decided to give it a chance and I’m definitely glad I

I typically really enjoy Melissa Brayden's novels. This one fell a bit flat.
The main characters are Taryn and Charlotte. Charlotte used to be Taryn's babysitter until she & her family moved away unexpectedly. Taryn was crushed because she really looked up to Charlotte and had a crush on her.
Fast forward to Taryn being in college. She goes to a party and has a bit too much to drink, Charlotte helps Taryn home. Charlotte does not know it is Taryn that helps her home until the next day. The two start spending time together, even though Charlotte is engaged and will be graduating. What Charlotte is trying to understand is her feelings toward Taryn having never been attracted to another woman before. Taryn is more infatuated with the grown Charlotte and makes her intentions very clear.
The premise was good, but the writing seemed a bit geared to a younger crowd. Brayden had not done that before and I hope it is not what we will be experiencing in future books.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love Melissa Brayden's stories, and When You Smile is a true feel good, first love romance. These characters are so charming!

Brayden builds a strong friendship between Taryn and Charlie before the sparks start to fly. (I always admire the way she does a first time gay romance, it's believable and really works for me.)

These two encounter a few stumbling blocks along the way to their happily ever after, and Charlie and Taryn work their way through admirably. There's also some nice family drama in the story.

Really good book I read this book in two days.. The romance between the main characters was so romantic and sweet. Each character felt very well written and fleshed out. And the supporting characters were fun to read as well. I've read this authors books before, and I'm glad I took a chance on this book. I will definitely recommend this book to my friends and family and I look forward to what's coming next from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!

What a great romcom!! I enjoyed this book so much. A first for me by this author but will not be my last! Wow!! So good!! I loved the characters and they worked so well together.

When I first found Melissa Brayden books I reveled in the tone. Finally lesbian romances that weren’t written for and by 50 year old women where the main plot point is can-I-leave-my-husband-for-a-woman-that’s-so-taboo-society-will-hate-me. I always picture those women in embroidered t-shirts tucked into overly long jean shorts and *that* haircut. Brayden wrote stories where being out or coming out wasn’t the biggest obstacle and I like that about her still. I can also picture her characters as stylish and sexy. My issue now that she’s cranking out so many books is that every character has the same voice (or if they don’t, they come off extremely flat, like Charlie in this book). The twee tone and dialogue worked so well 10 years ago when it was fresh and seemed to be the voice of those few characters I was beginning to know, like the SoHo loft girls—as a close group of friends it makes sense they all talk alike, right? That overly cutesy, sugared dialogue makes Taryn, a 21 year old in presumably in 2024ish, sound like an out of touch soccer mom.

Brayden’s formula seems to be working for sales and I wish her all the success… I just hope she can find a new tone that evolves for a new generation (and to keep her Millennial fans like me excited for a new, fresh story.)

Charlie had been Taryn's babysitter during her childhood. As Taryn entered college, their paths crossed once more. The story delves into Charlie's relationship with Danny and its impact on her bond with Taryn. Through her journey, Charlie uncovers new aspects of herself, especially when she and Taryn develop romantic feelings. The narrative weaves through drama, mistrust, and blackmail. I found it to be a captivating tale with multifaceted elements, making it a recommendable read for those who enjoy romance novels.

When You Smile by Melissa Brayden is a delightful romance that stands out with its depth and wit. Having struggled with her recent books, I found this one to be a refreshing change, delivering a well-rounded narrative that kept me engaged from start to finish. Taryn and Charlie's story, rooted in a childhood crush and rekindled in adulthood, unfolds beautifully with great character development and genuine chemistry. The low angst and heartfelt communication between the main characters made their journey enjoyable and relatable.

The romance is well-balanced with an engaging plot, focusing on the evolving dynamics between Taryn and Charlie. I appreciated how the story addressed significant themes like grief, personal growth, and the challenges of navigating one's sexuality, without veering into overly dramatic territory. The side characters added warmth and humor, enriching the overall narrative and providing a lovely backdrop to the central romance.

While the story does lean on some romance stereotypes, such as inevitable conflicts, these elements didn't detract much from my enjoyment. The supportive family dynamics and the individual growth of both Taryn and Charlie were highlights, making When You Smile a compelling read. Despite a few predictable moments, this book is a charming addition to Brayden's repertoire. I look forward to reading what's next from Melissa Brayden.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and flew through it in one sitting. The romance was so lovely, the characters felt very fleshed out and it was written really well. Will definitely be buying a physically copy when it comes out

Usually whenever I write a review for a Melissa Brayden novel, I get excited and cannot wait, unfortunately, this was not the case.
This book while good, felt a bit odd to me.
The writing style is beautiful as usual, but in some way, I felt like it lacked depth or drama.
For me, the selling point of a book, is how I can resonate with the main characters and even fall for them a bit, and with this one, I couldn't really relate to any of the main characters.
Again, this was not necessarily bad, but it felt like a good read that I will not recommend in the future.
The pace was good, the descriptions were good, the writing was good, the dialogue was good... it is just the story by itself that lacked a bit, at least for my taste.

This latest Melissa Brayden masterpiece feels different from her previous releases. Maybe it was the age of the main characters — college or post-college age, in that generation that’s young enough to be bold, invincible, and optimistic, at the same time still quite insecure and yes, immature. Brayden captured the dichotomy of youth so well in this angst-light romance, right down to dialogue filled with expressions and colloquialisms that can only be described as pure Gen Z. But what makes a Melissa Brayden book so much fun to read is always how authentic the characters feel, whether they are deep in conversation with each other, or alone in their thoughts, choreographing their way into a relationship — When You Smile is all that, classic Brayden, and more.

This is one of those really cheesy stories that you need sometimes to cheer you up. This is not the best written romance ever (there's a lot of stilted writing and an emphasis on telling versus showing), but it's still a really cute story that you cannot help but get caught up in. Taryn finally heads off to do her last two years of college away from home--living in a dorm for the first time--and giving herself a chance to fully identify as lesbian to someone other than her parents. Imagine her surprise when she comes across her former babysitter Charlie on campus. She adored Charlie back in the day, but she moved away, and Taryn never saw her again; now Charlie's in graduate school, juggling teaching, MFA classes, and writing--and her longtime boyfriend.

The slow burn chemistry between Charlie and Taryn may be the best part here. They get to know each other instead of just falling into bed. Much of this story is a sort of coming out/coming of age for both characters, as Taryn finally gets a chance to explore her sexuality and Charlie must question hers. It certainly took me back to my days of being a new, baby lesbian in college.

Overall, it's a pretty straightforward lesbian romance, and the villains are set up quite clearly. There's nothing earth shattering here, or any major character development, but maybe it was the college setting, or just Taryn and Charlie's innate sweetness; I couldn't help but fall for them and their story.

I really loved this story, its not my first book bei Melissa Brayden and for sure not my last eighter. I love her way of writing, her books are very well edited and overall a real plesure to read.

This story is about Taryn’s babysitter, Charlie who movers away with her family, Taryn was utterly devastated, because she liked Charlie a lot, altrough she was way to old for a Babysitter she was always glad her parents asked Taryn to be there when they are gone.
A few days later when transfering to a university Taryn and Charlie meet again. After a party Charlie walks Taryn home, they rebuild their connection and spending lots of time togehter. At some point both realize their might be romantic feelings towards the other.

The age gap is rather small between then, first when reading the blurb i was a bit worried it might be strange babysitter and "child" but upon reading i realized that the age difference is small and the "Babysitting" was probably more one of a keeping company and the parents could afford to give tome money to Charlie for it.
I liked how well we were taken on the journey of both women. Taryn who had a crush on Charlie for years and knew exactly what she feels but also the pther side Charlie who didnt have much time to process. There was a good amount of feelings, drama, life changing situations, i could feel with these woman so well.


Thanks to Bold Strokes Books, Inc. and Netgally for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Really cute romance! At first i was a bit grossed out by the idea of a babysitter romance, but obviously its years later and their age gap isnt that big so it didnt actually bother me at all, for those who also feel this!
The characters are adorable and a great match, and i love how the book handles Charlies realization of being queer.
My favorite thing is the focus on finding who you are and what you really want instead of settling for what seems to make sense.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review