Fun enough, but I thought the writing style was a little choppy and the characters were kind of...uninteresting.

A few years ago, I tore through basically all of Jasmine Guillory's books and was obsessed with them! I haven't read a book from her in a while, so I was thrilled when I saw this book was coming out and I had to jump on it. This is also Jasmine's first queer romance, which makes me so happy.

Avery has just gotten out of a relationship and wants to try dating women for the first time, but she has no idea where to start and doesn't feel confident at all. Taylor, meanwhile, is incredibly sure of herself and knows exactly how to flirt and date, but she has no interest in being in a relationship. The two meet and hit it off, and Taylor decides to give Avery flirting lessons to ease her into the dating scene. Of course, sparks fly and things get complicated!

I found this book really endearing and sweet from beginning to end, and the spice is gooooddd! Avery and Taylor are both such fully formed and fun characters, and their chemistry is immediate and palpable. I loved how right away Avery and Taylor got along great and could communicate very well, and how that friendship made for a wonderful romantic connection later as well. The device of flirting lessons worked really well I thought, and the evolution of both Avery and Taylor's personal lives was satisfying too. This one was fun :)

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 Stars

Thank you Berkley and PRH audio for the free copies!

This was such a sweet and spicy sapphic romance! We are first introduced to Avery when she is fresh off a breakup with a man and she realizes that she feels stuck in doing what everyone expects of her. She wants to live life, find new hobbies, and most importantly, starting dating and exploring her bisexuality. Which brings us to Taylor, an acquaintance and major heartthrob. She has dated around and everyone loves her. Taylor is the perfect answer for Avery’s predicament - she can help Avery relax and get out of her comfort zone while giving her flirting lessons. The story follows them on plenty of practice dates, but to no one’s surprise, the fake dates soon become real and these two women have to come to terms with their feelings for what was supposed to be a very not serious commitment.

This book was so much fun! I really enjoyed the flirting lessons aspect of it and Taylor teaching Avery how to flirt and attract other women. All of their lessons were so much fun and honestly made me want to go on dates with Taylor too!

I really liked both characters and the growth we saw from them throughout the book. Avery was really able to come out of her shell and embrace who she is in her own identity, and Taylor was able to really shed her ‘heartbreaker’ title and be more serious in a relationship. The book also had some FANTASTIC spice in it. It was really the perfect blend of sweet and spicy.

There was some miscommunication/lack of communication when it came to their feelings that drove me up a wall. I know it is a frequent trope in books, but it was driving me nuts with these two when they kept both thinking that they were doing what the other wanted and NOT TALKING about how they really felt. There was also a lot of self-doubt on Avery’s part that was starting to be too much for me. I know it is super relatable for others - so it isn’t something that necessarily takes away from the book for anyone else, but it was starting to get to me while reading.

I did this one on audio and enjoyed it! I thought Heidi Franklin did a great job embracing these characters and bringing them to life. My only critique is wishing their voices were a little more differentiated when the POV switches, as sometimes I’d mix up which person’s head I was in. Otherwise it was beautifully done!

The story was really fast paced and easy to read. It had a lighthearted premise, but still addressed some more heartfelt topics and had depth to the characters. I highly recommend!

Avery has just gone through a bad breakup and wants to live her life more freely - flirting and dating women. But she doesn't think she knows how to flirt. When she runs into notorious heartbreaker Taylor, the two decide that Taylor will give Avery lessons on how to flirt. Taylor is also fresh off a breakup and has made a bet with her best friend that she can't go all summer without hooking up with another woman. With Taylor's help, Avery begins to loosen up and have fun but then the two realize the chemistry between them.

I enjoyed the Napa Valley setting and the cameos from Luke and Margot from "Drunk on Love." The story was sweet but basic for me and the characters didn't have a lot of depth to them. I didn't like the side story where Taylor was jealous of Sloane because it felt really immature ("I hate her because she stole my best friend!"). Overall, the book was fine - just nothing exciting or special. I wish I had more to say than just that because I've been a fan of JG's for a long time.

Overall: 3/5
Spice: 2/5

When I saw this book by Jasmine Gullory, I instantly knew I had to read it! Then, finding out it was a queer romance set in the same world as Drunk on Love, I squealed!

This was such a fun and lighthearted story of friendship, finding who we are and trusting the process.

Avery has found herself newly single and ready to discover her bisexuality but wasn't sure how to go about it. She was practical and direct but needed help with putting herself out there and even how to flirt and enjoy conversation. That's when she met Taylor. She was a huge flirt and known for breaking hearts. She agreed to give Avery flirting lessons and help to build her confidence.

The pair quickly became friends but struggled with their attractions for each other. But it wasn't that simple.

I really enjoyed this book and the characters. It was a bit steamy in parts and such great dialog. I loved how Avery's character grew and evolved. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you, NetGalley and Jasmine Gullory, for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve loved Jasmine Guillory’s other books and was super excited for this one. I love the cover and was excited for her first f/f romance. Unfortunately this one fell flat for me and I decided to dnf. Taylor and Avery both feel very one dimensional and we just keep getting reminded over and over again that Taylor has the ability to be with anyone she wants and Avery is uptight and anxious. I GET IT. I am also not feeling any attraction growing between them. Also the more time we spend with Taylor’s friends the more annoyed I get at them. Anyway - this one wasn’t for me and I decided to dnf. I also felt like we were lacking in Guillory’s usually great descriptions of food but maybe that comes later. Thank you to Berkeley for the free ebook.

Avery lacks in the flirting and dating department, but once she meets Taylor who offers to give her said flirting lessons.. was unaware that these lessons would begin to lead to something more meaningful. Taylor offers these lessons because she just made a bet to 'No Hookups for 2 months" and little did she know., she would find herself spending time with her next hookup right before her eyes

I’ve been a Guillory fan for years and I was very eager to see her try her hand at a sapphic romance. Honestly? Not bad. Not my favorite by her, but not my least either. The story flowed well and I loved the easy banter between our two female heroines. I really liked the Napa setting, characters being in their late 20s/early 30s, and the friends to lovers romance. I mean lessons in romcoms are always a good time. I did hate Avery’s best friend with a passion, but kudos to Guillory for making me feel so deeply!

Overall, if you’re looking for a new sapphic romcom, you can’t go wrong with this one.

I enjoyed this sweet romance story. Avery is just coming off a bad romance. She is thinking about trying out a relationship with a woman but feels clueless. At a winery event she meets Taylor, who is quite popular and has all the confidence Avery wishes she had. Taylor isn’t into relationships, but she agrees to give flirting lessons and introduce Avery to the local queer community. Watching these two women learn more about themselves and each other is a captivating story.

Also reviewed on B&N (1IrishEyes430) and Kobo (IrishEyes430)

This book was truly fabulous. I loved the story sooo much, these two were perfect. I love JG always takes a chance and writes a romance that's raw and beautiful. It's what makes her books pure magic.

I was provided a digital ark by @berkleypub @berkleyromance, all thoughts are my own!

A solid piece for Guillory's first sapphic romance book! My only wish is that the book had been shorter, since the first half felt extremely bland and the story didn't really intrigue me until around the ~60% mark. I liked Avery but there were times when I'd have to check the start of a chapter to remember who's POV it was.

I was super excited to read this, as I really enjoyed the first book in this series. I'm not sure what I was totally expecting from this but this was a bit predictable; so I gave this book a 3.8 but rounded up.

I had a feeling the book was going to go the way it did, so it's hard to write a review without giving the book away. However, it was super cute and can help you get out of a reading slump. There are some steamy parts but nothing too steamy.

If you're going to read this book I definitely recommend reading the first book, Drunk on Love, so that way you'll know some of the characters already.

If you’re looking for a sweet and spicy, “teach me” romance featuring two strong and sexy women set in the lush Napa Valley, look no further. Jasmine Guillory has got you covered! Event planner Avery has always been bi, but only dated men. After a bad relationship ends, she’s ready to try dating women - but doesn’t know how to even flirt. Enter Taylor - a new acquaintance with a reputation who offers to give her flirting lessons. As the weeks go on, their attraction grows - but do they have what it takes to last? Or will this fling fizzle out?

I adored their chemistry and also how much they supported each other in their other friendships, careers, and developing hobbies. Another superb romance from Guillory, one of my favorites! I Received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

I really wanted to love this, but just wasn't feeling excited about it. It felt perfectly FINE, but I wasn't really sold on the relationship between the two characters. I felt like my mind was wandering instead of rooting for them.
What I did like:
-that this is JG's entry into queer romances (I think this is the first?)
-the cover is eye-catching
-the opposites attract vibes of the book
-the California Napa Valley setting
-the idea of flirting lessons

What I didn't like:
-lack of clear communication
-the pace of the book
-a lack of a sense of investment in the characters

This was a decent lighthearted romance, between two very different women who find love when the more experienced woman (Taylor) teaches Avery, who doesn't have much experience with woman, how to flirt. They go on a series of dates and start to fall for each other.

It's pretty lighthearted and easy reading, which is always how Jasmine Guillory books are for me. They border on bland, but maybe that's not a bad thing if you're looking for something light and not angsty. or maybe if you need an easy reading intro to the genre.

It did feel a little long for what it was, I was pretty bored through the middle but again, overall, it was fine!

I got about halfway through the book before I lost access! However, I absolutely loved every second of it and will be getting my own copy to complete it. I adore reading from Avery's POVs especially. The premise is cute and I love how relatable she and the dates are. I cannot wait to complete her and Taylor's story!

I really enjoyed this queer romance centered on two Black women. It was fun to watch Avery and Taylor slowly fall for each other while also figuring out other parts of their lives. I especially liked that the story focused on characters who are a little older and still going through big life shifts—it felt relatable and refreshing. The Napa Valley setting added a nice touch, too. Overall, this was a fun and heartfelt read.

This was cute, but ultimately not for me. It just felt like it was missing something, and I didn't feel as if the two main characters had a lot of chemistry. I was much more interested in the friendships the characters were forming than in the central romance. I'll definitely give another book by Jasmine Guillory a chance, but this one just wasn't grabbing me.

3.5 - Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for the complimentary copy of this ebook & free copy of the book!

I will always have a soft spot for Jasmine Guillory as she was the first romance reader I have read and really got me back into reading. I was super excited to be given an advance copy of this one especially knowing she was trying something new with a sapphic romance.

The writing itself was typical Jasmine - fun and flirty! There was banter and of course spice. I loved that she showed the complicated relationship between friends and also making friends as an adult (though it was not done intentionally).

Taylor offered to help Avery flirt through a series of lessons as she was new to dating women. What I would have loved to have seen is Taylor actually going on dates with other women. I think this would have helped fueled jealous in Taylor to make her want to pursue Avery on a relationship level and Avery to realize that Taylor is who she likes. Since Avery was new with dating women, I think this would have been good for her to do and to get comfortable with going out on dates and putting the flirting into practice.

As much as I love the cover, I wish we got to see them more dancing! They only went to one class and I think that could have been a way for them to get close if they went to weekly classes together. Or perhaps that could've been how they met.

"Yeah, you don't know if she was serious, but isn't it better to go and maybe do something fun, rather than stay home out of fear? This is low stakes, it's a gardening class. If it's weird or whatever, you just leave! And I get it, rejection sucks and is scary. But the only thing to make it less scary is to face it over and over."

I really like the quote above as I have learned in my thirties that if I want to do something, I need to just do it even if I'm going to be alone, I cannot let fear dictate that because I could be missing out on something fun and worthwhile. I thought that was so smart of Taylor to give that push to Avery. She made this connection with Beth while attempting to pick her up (she did learn she was in a relationship) and Beth was gracious enough to invite her to this gardening club. Avery went and ended up loving it! And not only that she became pretty good friends with Beth.

I think my biggest issue of this book was that it felt and was long. I am not sure what could have been taken out but it just seemed like it was going on for a long time and I kept losing interest and not wanting to go back to it.

Overall I did enjoy it and wanted to keep reading to see how they end up together. Looking forward to seeing what Jasmine does next!

I liked this one, but I was surprised I didn’t love it; everything I’ve read from this author I loved. The characters were cute and the story was good. I felt like there was a little something missing-couldn’t put my finger on what.