This was so good. A well done sapphic spicy romance novel. will leave you wanting a good glass of wine and your own wine scientist. Also there were multiple interesting plot lines to keep the story moving and I felt like they were all well done. loved the side characters and will be reading the rest of the books in this series!

Loved this book! I had lots of fun and learned so much about the wine making process! The LGBTQ rep was wonderful and effortless

I thought this was a fucking blast!
And when I say that I was giggling and kicking my feet while reading this book, I am not exaggerating.

I enjoyed so many aspects of this book,
From the romantic story between Laine and Zoe to the side characters and their journey through the movement of the plot, to the atmosphere of the vineyard and the small town, all the way to the deep messages of grief, loss, pride, and insecurity that shown beneath the laughter and hijinks in this story.

It had just the perfect balance of romance and depth mixed with lightheartedness (and yes there were moments that I cringed, but it's a rom-com to a T so it's all part of the fun)

The author puts so much work into making you truly feel the tension, love, and devotion between Laine and Zoe, and the way the setting was utilized to push their romance forward was beautifully done. It felt like a movie in my head and that's some of the best types of book in my mind.

I thought the pacing was perfect for this type of book, none of it felt like it overtly dragged, and each conflict was handled in a way that felt honest and real.

I truly enjoyed all the incorporations of the side characters in the story of Laine and Zoe, and I think my only issue is with the fact that some of the dialogue and the way characters responded to certain situations felt unrealistic and a bit cartoonish, but I suppose that is meant to add to the romantic comedy magic.


Laine's character can come off as frustratingly arrogant, but as we move through the novel you can't help but fall in love with her, and I absolutely love the way her story was explored and the message about how you can do stupid things out of love was tied up well.

Overall 4.5 stars, and I hope these horny lesbians get the long beautiful life they deserve!

Thank you to Netgalley, The author, and Dreamscape Media for giving me an ARC of the audiobook, this is my honest and willing review. 😊

I absolutely ADORED this book. It made me laugh, cry, and kick my feet like a little schoolgirl. I usually don’t enjoy second-chance books, but this was a fresh perspective that won me over.

I want to say Laura Piper Lee puts the COM in RomCom because this book was funny as hell, but you know what? She put the ROM in full force also! This book was full of steamy scenes and brilliant one-liners, I had a blast listening to it.

This was such a delightful read! It was spicy and fun, with a unique setting down in a Georgia vineyard. I appreciated the references back to Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair (also a great book), but reading that previous book definitely wasn’t a requirement for this one. The love story had strong development, and I appreciated that there wasn’t a big, manufactured third-act breakup. The support between the two partners made this feel warm and happy.

4 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not gonna lie, I don’t know whether I’ll remember much about this story in the future, but I had a lot of fun listening to it. From the very beginning. I didn’t expect a super hot blindfolded threesome in the first chapter and it kept me entertained during my daily elliptical trainer session. I mean, I just had to know who the third woman was, or rather, get confirmation, and so my exercise stretch that day lasted longer than usual. So yeah, Zoe Brennan, First Crush starts with an almost literal bang. Since her mother’s death when Zoe was twelve, her dad has worked hard to keep their Georgia winery going, to keep the dream alive. Now thirty, Zoe is in charge of marketing, and doing her best to put their small vineyard on the map. Hosting this year’s edition of a huge wine festival would be an amazing opportunity and Zoe won’t let Rachel, her ex-BFF turned enemy, steal it from her. Alas, her father is suddenly called to Italy to be with his sick mother, and to replace him as vintner, he hires Rachel’s Napa-trained older sister and, more importantly, Zoe’s first crush.

The chemistry between Zoe and Laine is electric and I love that the one night stand to forever trope mixed with a dash of enemies to lovers turns temporarily into a very slow burn, testing Zoe’s limits as well as the reader/listener. The pacing is a bit uneven but the quick-witted dialogues sprinkled with slapstick comedy kept my interest up. The narration by Lindsey Dorcus works perfectly, each voice fitting its character well, in turns mischievous and vulnerable.

If you’re into quirky secondary characters, mad goats, sexy athletes turned vintners, and Nellie Oleson wannabes, this book is for you.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Read all my reviews on my website (and please get your books from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars

This book was adorable. The characters felt real and relatable, but not cringey. It had me giggling and kicking my feet. The writing balanced heartfelt moments with snark in a way that felt effortless. The queer rep was done right!!! No weird forced dynamics, just two women falling in love like actual people.

The vineyard setting was sooooooo cute. I feel like I know everything and nothing about wine after finishing this. One of my only complaints is that I dislike long romance books. Some of the parts felt like they dragged out and lulled a little... but listening to the book and loving the characters so much kind of made up for it!

Overall, this was charming, funny, and full of tension (we need to see more of this in our books!!!). Highly recommend for anyone who loves sapphic romance with banter.. Also.. thank you Dreamscape Media and Laura Piper Lee for the ARC :)

Laura Piper Lee is great at writing giddy romances that have me wanting to devour the book. This was no exception!

I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did! I was anticipating your typical romance and was surprised to find how deep and intricite the book and its characters were

I loved this book! It was such a sweet story about one's gay-awakening, and it was so relatable all the way through. It also tackled tough topics like family tragedy, broken friendships, managing a business, and the struggles of capitalism. This twist on enemies-to-lovers was a thrill to watch play out, and will definitely have you rooting for the characters. I also enjoyed seeing the well-developed side characters come into play throughout the book, and I personally would love to read a spin-off about Teddy!

Zoe Brennan, First Crush has a lot going for it—a charming small-town setting, a winery backdrop, and a main character, Zoe, who is so relatable in her need to prove herself and make everything perfect. I loved the cast of side characters, from the supportive friends to the hilarious goat, and the humour and wit made this an entertaining read. There were moments when I was giggling away or cringing on Zoe's behalf. I also really enjoyed the workplace tension between Zoe and Laine after their blind-folded threesome. This romance definitely had plenty of chemistry.

That said, I struggled with Laine as a love interest. Because the book is told entirely from Zoe’s POV, it was difficult to fully understand Laine’s decisions, and at times, she I wasn't impressed by some of her behaviour towards Zoe. For me, this made it hard to root for their relationship. While their romance had its moments, I would have loved more depth in Laine’s backstory—especially her reconnection with her family—so her actions felt more fleshed out.

Despite my mixed feelings on the romance, the book was still a fun and engaging read with great queer representation, strong friendships, and an entertaining rivalry with Zoe’s ex-best friend turned vineyard competitor. If you enjoy witty banter, a touch of drama, and a cozy small-town atmosphere, this is definitely worth picking up.

Oh, and I'd be remiss not to mention Lindsey Dorcus' amazing narration. She did an exceptional job at portraying the characters for the audiobook I listened to.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for a copy of this audiobook. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Piper Lee, and Dreamscape Media for granting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wooooo!!! What a good book!! This book is funny, surprising, sexy, emotional, exciting, and made me kick my feet. I adored the setting of the book taking place at a family vineyard in Georgia (instead of the classic Napa) and seeing a bit behind the curtain in the wine making process. Blue Bells held a lot of importance to our main character, Zoe, and it really deepened the emotional aspects of the book while also raising the stakes as she tried to best to keep the vineyard afloat. I loved seeing Zoe grow as a character and face some of her traumas that she didn't realize were impacting her relationships with her loved ones.

What I think really worked with this book was the chemistry between Laine and Zoe. I think it was super smart to have the meet cute happen as a sexy little encounter in Chapter 2, so that that steam permeated through the rest of the book without them actually hooking up again until at least half (or maybe 2/3) of the way through the book. We get the best of both worlds with this set up: instant-lust, and a slow-burn. I think those are tropes hard to pull off well together, but Piper Lee really delivers! It also helps that I have a serious bookcrush on Laine, lol. Give me more butch representation!! I think another aspect that really made the spice in this book GO OFF was the constant battle for dominance between Laine and Zoe. As a bratty little bottom myself, I was GAGGED between the power play between our two MCs, lol. Give me two tops duking it out any day, please and thank you.

This book has a lot of heart and complex characters. Even Rachel (the villain in our story) holds nuance by the end. This book drew me in deep and didn't let me go until I was done. I was opting to listen to the audiobook over reading a digital copy of another book which is really saying something for me, as ereading is my preferred way to read. The audio version of this book (and the book in general) was really spectacular that I was finding reasons to keep listening! (My dog thanks you, Piper Lee, as she got to enjoy extra long walks as I just couldn't bear to pause the story.)

I'm a big theme / seasonal reader where I love it when my books match either an activity I'm into or the season I'm currently experiencing. If you're also like me in this way, I would say that seasonally, this book would fit PERFECTLY if you're doing a holiday to a vineyard during the warmer months. That way you can pick up your fave bottle from the winery and sip on it while reading this book. Honestly, a dream. Or if you're going to a pre-wedding party (bachelor, bachelorette, bachelorex) at a vineyard/winery this book would suit it so well because queer friendships play a big role in this book, and the peachy Georgia Girls wine sounds like a delectably sweet party wine. This book would also suit fresh spring, sweet summer vibes. Think greenery with a refreshing breeze on your skin while the sun keeps your warm type of atmosphere. This book also features Italy (Tuscany specifically) so take that into consideration if it potentially fits a theme or vibe you're looking for.

Buy this book if you love wine, lesbians, sticky family situations, hot butches with professor vibes, Top Energy, and a cast of queer friends. Can't wait to see what Piper Lee releases next!

Note, this is 2nd in the same world, but can definitely be read as a standalone. I didn't even realize this was a 'sequel' until about 3/4 of the way through. Obviously, I didn't read the first book "Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair" before reading this, but I would love to go back and check out Hannah's story.

This book is just plain fun! I didn't know what to expect going in, not having read the author's first book, but I was absolutely delighted by this one! I found myself laughing uncontrollably within the first couple of chapters and ended up reading it one sitting. Put this one alongside the greats of sapphic romance! I'll be reading the author's other work immediately and can't wait to see what she does next!

Unfortunately, this one was a DNF for me. I tried multiple times, but just could not feel any connection to the protagonist... and the writing just did not hit for me. A lot of it did not feel true to my personal experience as queer woman, but that's just me! I appreciate what the author was trying to do, and think this one could be great for other readers. Thank you for the chance to read and review!

Unfortunately this book did not hold my interest. I may give it another shot at a later date, Oh well.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Read If You Like:
- Second-chance romance
- Small-town settings
- LGBTQIA+ fiction
- Family dynamics and expectations
- Heartfelt narratives with a touch of humor

This romantic comedy follows Zoe Brennan, a dedicated vineyard owner in Blue Ridge, who is content with her life until her first crush, now a successful entrepreneur, returns to town.

Their reunion rekindles old feelings and challenges Zoe's carefully constructed life. The story explores themes of love, personal growth, and the courage to embrace change. The pacing is engaging, with well-developed characters and a plot that balances humor and heartfelt moments.

The chemistry between Zoe and her love interest is palpable, making their journey from past acquaintances to potential partners both believable and compelling.

This novel is a delightful read for fans of contemporary romance, offering a perfect blend of passion, humor, and emotional depth.

Thanks so much to the publisher for my finished copy and ALC!

Zoe Brennan, First Crush follows Zoe, a Vineyard owner that is just trying to keep her family own business afloat. Her father, the vintner, is struggling with making the wine that his late wife use to make; Zoe's former best friend now arch rival Rachel, is trying to steal Zoe's chance at getting out of the red; And the cherry on the cake, Zoe's first crush, and Rachel's sister, is back in town. All in all, Zoe has a lot on her plate.

This was a book of firsts for me, the first book I've read by Laura Piper Lee and the first audiobook narrated by Lindsey Dorcus I've listen to. I really enjoyed Lindsey Dorcus's narration. I didn't have any problems telling who was talking and the breaks and inflections were a joy to listen to. This is the first book I've listen to that was in 1st person, and I did struggle with telling when Zoe was speaking out loud or having an inner monolog moment, which there are many. As the book progressed I got better telling them a part but there were a handful of times I was waiting for another character to respond only to realize what Zoe said was in her head.

I did enjoy the story and the characters. At first, I wasn't sold on Lane and her grumpy attitude, but she grew on me and really kept the story together for me in the end. Zoe was a tad too annoying for me. She does go through some good character growth but there were a few times I wish I could reach into the book and slap some sense into her. I was so happy when at least 1 of the characters had their head on and we avoid the classic third act plot hurdle. I do wish that the epilog was the last chapter and there was a different epilog. I would have liked to have seen a little bit more closure with certain characters and where everything is within the next year.

All in all, an enjoyable listen by Lindsey Dorcus. I will definitely be looking for more audiobooks by her. I also enjoyed the story and I am curious what Laura Piper Lee will do next.

A fun, emotional and delightfully funny story. This book manages to have great smut, emotional and hard hitting breakthroughs for its characters while also being cozy and bingeable.

Back to Georgia! I loved my trip back to Blue Ridge, this story about Zoe and Laine was so fun. The build up was done so well. Zoe slowly realizing she still has feelings for Laine after having a crush on her in high school and when she moves back to Blue Ridge after being away for years. And then drawing it out more when Laine wants to date her first before jumping into a bed. These two wine lovers compliment each other and blend together so well.