Zoe Brennan, the lonely owner of Bluebell Vineyards, is determined to win a prestigious wine festival and outshine her ex–best friend’s vineyard, but when her father leaves town, she’s forced to work with Laine Woods, a skilled vintner and her first crush. As the two clash over their professional differences, their undeniable chemistry threatens to reopen old wounds and complicate their chances of success—both in business and in love.

I loved this book. It was so witty and heartfelt and so damn RELATABLE. I literally highlighted a paragraph on my kindle and sent it to @laurapiperlee asking if she lived in my brain. The description of loneliness hit so hard in this book.

The field day had me cracking up. Zoe’s friends were incredible. Laine calling Zoe boss. The red neck wine tour. The blindfolds (iykyk). The SPICE. I have the most massive crush on Laine. I loved seeing Hannah and River and the crew!! The showcase was amazing. The found family!!!! I am in love with this book.

In a word - obsessed.

eARC Review: Zoe Brennan, First Crush by Laura Piper Lee
Pub Date: January 21, 2025

This book truly starts with a BANG! And I was so here for it. Zoe Brennan is just trying to keep her family's vineyard afloat while trying to manage her dad's grief over her mom's passing and his absence as he travels home to Italy to care for his mom at the end of her life. Zoe is very integrated into the very queer mountain community but that also means she's dated or slept with basically every available woman. But there's a new (old) face in town - Laine Woods, the butch sister of her childhood best friend. Though Zoe is now estranged from her friend, Laine is in town to be a temporary Vintner for Zoe's vineyard. That means a whole lot of forced proximity - add that in with the fact that Laine was Zoe's first girl crush? It's chemistry just waiting to explode.

I really enjoyed this one! I love how queer Laura's books are and how much found family exists. The relationships in her books always feel incredibly authentic and realistic and so do the characters. The characters may not be perfect and they may make decisions that frustrate you as a reader, but such is real life! The chemistry and banter between Laine and Zoe is deliciousssss.

Truly recommend both of Laura's books! Check it out today - there's still time to preorder!

Thank you to Union Square & Co for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Zoe Brennan, First Crush 🍷🍇
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars
Coming in January, Zoe Brennan, First Crush stole my heart so thoroughly I know I’ll be revisiting it every year! This sapphic romance set in a gorgeous Georgia vineyard is sentimental, sexy, inspiring, and laugh-out-loud funny.

We follow Zoe Brennan, a lonely 30-year-old lesbian who believes no one will stay, haunted by the loss of her mother and the struggle to keep her family vineyard afloat. Enter Laine Woods: a bossy, butch, emotionally mature vintner with turtle-shell glasses and a high school soccer star past.

Laine, the older sister of Zoe’s childhood best friend, was Zoe’s very first crush, and their reunion is electric. As Laine steps in to save Bluebell Vineyards while Zoe’s dad goes to Italy (don’t worry, Italy lovers, there's a trip for you too!), their dynamic goes from bossy bickering to undeniable passion. Laine is a southern gentlewoman with a sexy-scientist devotion to wine, and she peels back Zoe’s hardened shell with such care and chemistry.

The found family shines just as brightly: Teddy, the sassy gay dentist BFF; Zoe’s cousin and his wife Hannah; and the fiercely loyal locals bring humor, warmth, and joy to Zoe’s world. Their witty banter, unwavering support, and community spirit make this story so vibrant.

Laura Piper Lee's writing beautifully blends professional and personal growth, offering a love story full of healing and hope. The emotional connection between Zoe and Laine? Perfection. And the spice? Just the right amount. Laine may not have truly seen Zoe when they were young, but now? She absolutely sees her, and I AM HERE FOR IT.

This book even inspired me to finally try red wine! 🍷 It’s an absolute feel-good gem, and I can’t wait to hold a physical copy in my hands. Mark your calendars, because you don't want to miss this! 📆💫

Hot as hell and loads of sexy fun, this sapphic romance is exactly what I was needing! Cannot recommend this one enough - my thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in advance!

Zoe Brennan is a lesbian in a small Georgia town. She’s already tried her luck with every queer woman in the area and given up on the idea of ever finding a partner for herself. Resigned to a life of loneliness, she spends her time helping run the family’s vineyard with her father…and not dealing with the loss of her mother who originally dreamed up the vineyard.
Everything starts to change for Zoe when an old fling comes to town and invites her to a threesome in which she will be blindfolded and not know the other member of their party.
This book is hilarious, heartwarming, and heartbreaking all at the same time. There are so many elements of community, found family, and queer acceptance. I loved how many nontraditional families were shown throughout the story in ways that normalized and celebrated them.
I worried that as someone who does not like or drink wine I would not be able to fully appreciate the book but the author does an amazing job bringing us into the behind the scenes of running a vineyard without over complicating anything.
The character development of our FMCs is delightful. The glimpses into their emotions and thought processes truly makes you sympathize with them and understand their barriers to growth.
Overall, this book is a captivating read for anyone looking for a sapphic romance with some southern charm. I loved reading it and loved how it made me feel. The few bits of spice elevated the storyline without taking away from it and were expertly written. I loved Zoe and Laine’s story and look forward to reading more by Lee.

When I first read book one in this series I knew I’d be hooked and Laura Piper Lee had done it again with Zoe Brennan! It was great to be back in Blue Ridge with a stuning sapphic romacn book that is enjoyable for all! It was wonderful to see Zoe’s story grow adn bloom into an authetic self. The town is full of fun characters that breed a real sense of community - as if your family too! With events like Queer Moutainerrs adn Jamal’s Keep Calm and Karaoke Wednesdays how could you not want to live there. The love story of Zoe’s parents was beautiful written and how she coudld take over her mom’s legacy of wine making. Hannah Tate also makes a few cameos too! But of course we can’t forget the off to a rough start romance of Zoe and Laine. Full of snarkiness, sexual tensino and a whole lot of banter, this books balances all of these components well with many laugh out loud moments and sweet ones too!

If you’re looking for a sapphic romanct set in a small town with quirky characters in an enemies to lovers relationship look no further! There’s also a substory of rivalry, ex-best friend and a goat! I mean who doesn’t love a good farm animal story too!?

While this book can stand alone I do recommend reading Hannah Tate Beyond Repair first

This was a delight! Laura Piper Lee has such a way with characters. Everyone in this story felt authentic and stayed true to their motivations. I loved Zoe as our lead. She was incredibly relatable and never had to resort to poor decision making for the sake of plot advancement. I loved the Blue Ridge setting and the winery theme. You could tell a lot of research went into this book! I loved the tension and eventual relationship between our two female leads. These two were so hungry for one another! I also loved the villain arch here. Rachel was so detestable, but I also wanted to see her get her redemption. Can we get a third blue ridge book, maybe this time with Rachel??

I remain a big fan of Laura's writing! The perfect blend of lighthearted and heartfelt. Can't wait to see what she puts out next.

This is the second book set in the same universe (but not a sequel), and just like the first, it was so cute! The author has developed a quaint small town in Georgia that is extremely queer!

The first book in this universe, Hannah Tate Beyond Repair, was a great queer romance, however I think I actually enjoyed this book even more!! It was exciting when characters I already knew popped up into this story. I also loved both of the romantic MC’s in this book. Their chemistry was believable right from the very beginning.

I look forward to any other books the author writes in this universe!

This book takes places in a vineyard and centers around the making of wine, so if you enjoy wine you may want to have some on hand to pair with the reading of this book.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest rating and review.

I love a book with a big cast of characters surrounding the central couple so 'Zoe Brennan, First Crush' won me over quickly with a great protagonist and a really fun support group of people around her. Zoe Brennan runs Bluebell Vineyards with her father in the Blue Ridge mountains of Georgia, which just happens to be next door to a large successful winery run by her former best friend-turned-enemy. When she finds out that a major food and wine showcase is planning to come to their area, Zoe knows Bluebell Vineyards needs to host this event in order to keep their struggling business afloat. It's just then that Zoe's father, who is the vineyard's winemaker, has to return to Italy to care for his dying mother, but no worries--he hired a temporary winemaker to replace him, who just so happens to be Zoe's first crush and her former best friend's older sister, Laine. The setting of this book is great, and I wanted to take a trip to Georgia to bask in the landscape after this--Zoe and Laine's relationship evolves so organically after a rough start, and Zoe's fear of commitment and being left behind while others are moving forward are valid based on her past as one of the only lesbians in her small town. The winery aspects were really interesting as was the work that needed to be done to compete for the wine showcase. The books seemed a little long to me but I loved being at the Bluebell Vineyards with Zoe, Laine and their employees and friends. Just like Laura Piper Lee's first book, 'Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair,' this book had a ton of heart and humor.

Big thanks to Union Square & Co for the galley!

After reading and loving Laura Piper Lee's debut novel "Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair" I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book! I was so glad to be transported back to Blue Ridge and enjoyed the story. I was thrilled to find my favorite characters from Hannah Tate included and I do hope we get more books from their world.

Zoe Brennan is a sapphic spicy, forced-proximity, workplace romance. It's got major "Yes, Chef" vibes! I read some of the spiciest scenes on an airplane of all places and and phew wee, it had me fanning myself in my window seat. I do think the pacing could be better - it was slower in parts it didn't need to be and some parts went by way too fast. Overall it was a fun read and I already can't wait for Laura's next novel.

Laura Piper Lee is my go to suggestion for anyone who just wants to read something laugh out loud funny! The perfect definition of a romantic comedy balanced with spice and quality character development.

I was unfortunately unable to read this one because my digital copy of this book had some wonky stuff going on. I’m giving it 4 stars because it sounds like I would’ve enjoyed and the chapter I tried to read was really funny! I enjoyed Lee’s debut, and I still intend to read this one once it comes out!

Thanks to Netgalley and Union Square for the arc!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for providing a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I will be honest and say that the character development in this book is not my favorite—but I mean, it's a romance novel! What I love about this book is that it's got a unique setting among a sea of similar sapphic romance novels. This definitely sets it apart! The characters, while underdeveloped (par for the course), are likable, there's just enough spice, and there's a ton of millennial-grade humor.

This book is for anyone who likes romance (especially WLW romance), humor, a peek into the wine world, and books that are fun, funny, and easy to read. I loved it!

This book was so fun. I am a sucker for sapphic romances, and this one was so nice. The banter between Laine and Zoe was top-notch. I laughed out loud a few times, which is always so fun to do. The setting of this book was nice, and the tag of Queer Mountaineers was fun. I loved how both Laine and Zoe grew as characters over the course of the book. It is always nice to read when that happens, and I felt more connected to the characters. The side characters were all nicely done and really added to the story. However, the goat stole the show, and I am still trying to fully visualize how the goat did $1,300 worth of damage to Laine’s sisters’ car – ha. I enjoyed reading Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair, and was delighted that some of those characters made an appearance in this book. I love it when authors do that.

If you love a good sapphic romance, and want to laugh while reading, then you need to check this one out.

Laura Piper Lee does it again! I’m so happy to be back in Blue Ridge for Zoe’s story. This is my first sapphic romance book, and I absolutely loved it. I enjoyed getting to know Zoe, and see her bloom into her authentic self. The sense of community the characters in this town have, makes you feel like you’re family. The adventures of the Queer Mountaineers, Jamal’s Keep Calm and Karaoke Wednesday and the Blue Ridge Field Day Festival should all exist in real life. I loved Zoe’s parents’ love story and how she continued her mom’s legacy. I was so happy to see characters from Hannah Tate Beyond Repair. Zoe and Laine’s relationship, though it had a bumpy start, it grew into so much more, brining out the best in each other. Their snarky-ness, banter and sexual tension as off the charts! This book has the perfect balance of many laugh out loud and sweet moments. I loved it!

🍷Sapphic romance
🍷Small town
🍷Quirky characters
🍷Enemies to lovers
🍷Workplace romance
🍷No third act breakup
🍷Laine’s her ex-best friend’s older sister
🍷Vineyard rivalry
🍷There’s a pet goat
🍷There’s a blindfolded threesome in chapter 2

Spoiler free moments that made me LOL:
-“Chop-chop”
-The Woods” family dinner and the whole “bitchiness disease” issue.
-Someone named their kids Edward and Bella.
-“Shoelaces”! - at the kid’s soccer games
-“Her Guiding Gay Light”
-Boss N’ Beave’s Wine Depot

Thank you NetGalley, Union Square and Co for the arc! All opinions are my own.

*It can be read as stand alone, but it’s better if you read Hannah Tate Beyond Repair first. :) *

4.5

Grab a glass of wine and welcome back to Blue Ridge. I'm so happy I got to read this book in the fall because the vibes were absolutely perfect to cozy up, too.

Reading this book felt like coming home in a few different ways. I loved this small town in Hannah Tate and was so happy to see the same characters back. The community in Laura's books is just amazing. Laine was also coming back home to her family, Zoe's dad going back home to help, and Zoe coming home to her authentic self. Funny, spicy where needed, small town charm, wine, and love. This is another feel-good laugh out loud book that speaks so beautifully on fears, friendship, and coming home.

I was excited to read this book set in the same world as Hannah Tate, and I'm glad I did because I liked it so much more! (And HTBR was a cute book). I loved the main chae after of Zoe. I felt for her grief both of her mom and of being queer in a small town with limited options. As a therapist, I feel this character was well crafted, her defense mechanisms made so much sense. I loved her character arc. I also like the character of Laine and the whole Woods family. The dynamics were interesting. There were a few moments when I thought this book would jump the shark, but each time the characters acted like adults. I appreciated Rachel getting a moment to be real and raw (book 3 anyone?) The best part of HTBR was her family and community and they are back in full force! Love the tour bus! Love how everyone pulled together for Zoe! This was more than just a sapphic romance. It is really about chosing yourself, chosing love, and recognizing community as family. I could barely put this engaging book down. A fun and worthwhile read by a compelling new romance author. While this is a companion book I definitely think it can be read as a standalone. 4.25 stars. Thanks to Net Galley and Union Square Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved Zoe and Laine’s story. I truly don’t think I’ve laughed this hard while reading in so long! (The soccer game scene LOL). I loved the ending- without saying too much, I feel like it wrapped up so nicely for all of the characters. The pining in this is PALPABLE.

the cutesiest of cutesy romances!!!!! i found laura on instagram and was intrigued by this book from the get go, and man was i not let down! this was an absolutely precious queer romcom full of heart and genuine chemistry, i adored every second! i also read this in two solid sittings, do with that what you will <3

Laura Piper Lee has a way of creating the most unique characters. Whenever I am getting into (small) projects at our cabin, I always try to channel my best Hannah Tate. And she has done it again with Zoe Brennan! I cannot be the only woman who has spent more precious time wasted sweating small stuff in life but these vibrant women are so relatable and are a wonderful wake up call to realize life is far better when we embrace our authentic selves.

Zoe steps up to run the family vineyard when her dad goes to Italy to care for her sick grandmother. However, her chance to shine is dulled when she learns the vintner he hired turns out to be a very awkward random hookup with a not so random familiar face from the past. As with any situation in life, we can let it fester into sour grapes or turn it into a premium vintage bottle, which is clearly the path these wine aficionados would choose. The adventures of the Queer Mountaineers and their family and friends is laugh out loud comical. Zoe Brennan, First Crush is a heartwarming tale about facing the past and forgiving the missteps in life to find our joy with peace, love and laughter.

Review is on Goodreads and will be on instagram soon and then closer to publication date and on Amazon when published!