Loved this as much as Amy's other books. I just love the way the characters start to feel like friends and every time I pick up the book it's like sitting down or going out with my friend group. The problems seem real and the dialogue is very believable

Clementine, fresh out of a breakup, is ready to explore life beyond the conventional expectations placed upon her. When she agrees to a fake dating arrangement with Chloe, a confident and independent dog groomer, what starts as a practical solution soon turns into something more complicated. But while Clem begins to embrace her feelings, Chloe seems perfectly content keeping things casual.

I listened to the audiobook version of On Her Terms, and I have to say, the narration was excellent—it really brought the characters to life and added to my overall enjoyment of the story. The book itself was sweet and lighthearted, an easy listen that flew by.

As a queer person, I found many of the themes in this book incredibly relatable, and I appreciated how they were approached with nuance and warmth. The story touches on identity, self-discovery, and the pressure of societal expectations in a way that felt both thoughtful and validating.

That being said, I had a hard time liking Chloe as a character. Some of her more problematic behaviors—especially how some of the comments she kept making about Clem (which were later contradicted by her saying Clem was her "dream girl"—were simply chalked up to her having an avoidant attachment style, without much deeper exploration or growth. It felt a bit frustrating at times, and I wished for more depth in how her emotional barriers were handled.

Overall, though, On Her Terms is an enjoyable, feel-good romance with an uplifting message.

3.5 rounded down.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun read! This third instalment is narrated by Lori Price, who also narrated book 2 in the series, "At Her Service". I really enjoyed Price's narration and could clearly differentiate between the characters. What I really loved about this book is that at it's heart it's about challenging relationship hierarchy and recognizing the ways in which queer connections (platonic, romantic, sexual etc) have validity outside of the heteronormative expectation. This book made me want a group of close queer friends who all live in the same area so that we could do weekly brunch. This book also reinforced my ideas about making sure I'm meeting my friends where they are at- having open communication about needs, boundaries, expectations, goals etc- like I do in my romantic relationship. And with that, give your friends grace! Be an active participant in the relationship by thinking about how they might be feeling and what they might need instead of just focusing on your own needs and expectations. This book really drilled home how we often prioritize and worship romantic relationships, treating them with a lot of energy and care, but we just assume things in our friendships and deprioritize them- which doesn't make sense since they are also important relationships in your life! I think this is a lesson Clementine really leans into learning throughout the book. At times, I wanted to shake Clementine to get to this lesson faster, but we got there in the end.

I really liked Clementine and Chloe together. I love that Clem is a plus-size ADHD bisexual and that there was thoughtful discussion about all those aspects of her identity sprinkled throughout the book. I loved that Chloe is a sober, Asian-American, lesbian with Tall Energy stuck in a short body. I thought they were both chaotic, unapologetically millennial, and fun together. What I loved is that both characters are mid-30s!! More books about people not in their 20s!!!
That said, I have some qualms. Chloe made some absolutely diabolical choices throughout this book (especially at the beginning). When they first meet her friends for brunch, I gasped and wondered how this relationship is going to work. I would be running for the hills if I showed up to that brunch with that surprise and the flimsy answers provided after... I also got really irritated about the use of 'baby gay' and the condescending tone that was often used towards Clem in connection to her potential future relationships with women. What really made me mad is that Clem was already in a queer relationship BECAUSE SHE IS QUEER even if that relationship with Will "looked" straight. For me, queerness is not just about who your attracted to but also informs all aspects of your life. It is a verb: to queer. Clem queered her relationship with Will because she is queer! Sure, her presumably straight relationship may have granted her certain privileges and she may have to think through some moments more closely when she is dating another visibly queer person, but it irked me that we didn't mention that Clem's queerness was enough to queer all her past relationships. I also say this as someone who has never been in a 'straight passing' relationship. It just seems that a lot of bi women are invalidated by their past relationships with men, and I think folks need to recognize that relationships can be queer in so many different ways.
This use of 'baby gay' also really got to me when we come to understand that Chloe doesn't really believe all of the 'lessons' she was sharing, but instead was using the front of 'baby gay' fake dating in order to get close to Clem. Diabolical choice.

That said, I love a fake dating trope. Big fan, I need no explanation, give me fake dating at any time. What I didn't love is referencing the trope in connection to romance novels and mentioning how unrealistic they are. Yes, I know it is unrealistic but that's why I'm reading fiction. Perhaps that acknowledgement was to poke fun at the trope itself but, idk, it always immediately takes me out as soon as the genre of romance is mentioned on page- but that's a me thing, not a fault of the book, lol. I also love only-one-bed, and forced proximity which were also key themes throughout the book. When the spice got going, it was steeeeammmy! It was also nice to acknowledge that not everyone c*ms in 2 minutes like so many romance novels depict.

In all, I think this book was a fun romp with a well-rounded cast of characters. Read this if you're looking for queer camaraderie, if you've recently left a long-term relationship, or if you're exploring relationship anarchy. If you're a seasonal/vibe reader like me, this book is set over the Summer into Fall in LA and would fit atmospherically for a weekend away with the pals/girls. This is part of a series but can be read as a standalone. I've only read book 2 prior, though it seems like book 1 characters are heavily featured in this book so you might enjoy it more if you read that one first. But it's not like you're going to be lost if you just read book 3.

I have such mixed feelings towards this book. I beg and beg for plus size queer representation but when we get it, it feels like it’s done so poorly.

Chloe came off as the worst a lot of the time. From not being able to communicate her own feelings, leading her to gaslighting Clementine. Or an attraction to plus size women that felt borderline like fetishization.

The book had many tropes that I find used a lot but still was a fan of. Fake dating, only one bed, etc. They somehow made this book something I wanted to keep enjoying.

See? Mixed feelings!!

Amy Spalding’s On Her Terms is a thoughtful, gently funny romance that explores queerness, identity, and connection—with an audiobook narration that adds a welcome spark to the quieter parts of the story. It’s a listen that shines, especially through Clementine’s late-blooming journey.

Clementine is an easy character to root for—thirty-six, newly single, and finally giving herself permission to live her life on her own terms. Her "baby gay era" is refreshingly handled without condescension or melodrama. Instead, we get a warm, realistic look at a woman choosing herself, learning what she wants, and realizing that desire doesn’t come with an expiration date. Her dynamic with Chloe—quirky, confident, and deeply guarded—offers plenty of chemistry and slow-burn tension, though Chloe’s hesitance sometimes pulled me out of the romance. It took me longer to connect with her emotionally, and I often found myself more invested in the friendships and community than the central relationship.

The third act breakup was a harder pill to swallow in this one. To be fair, the trope is widely used and doesn’t bother every reader—but for me personally, it’s starting to feel overdone, and in this case, unnecessary. The emotional arc had enough weight without adding that extra, familiar beat of conflict. If third act breakups don’t bother you, though, this story might land closer to four stars—it certainly has all the right pieces in place for a satisfying HEA.

That said, the narration by Lori Prince elevates the story in all the right ways. Her comedic timing and nuanced performance bring the characters to life, particularly Clementine’s dry humor and Chloe’s chaotic charm. Prince nails the balance between heartfelt and hilarious, giving voice to the cast with distinct warmth and energy. Her portrayal of returning characters from the series, like Ari, added an extra layer of delight for longtime fans.

While On Her Terms may not be a grand sweeping romance, it thrives in its quieter victories—exploring self-discovery, chosen family, and the courage to want something different. The story might meander at times, and the romantic resolution felt slightly underdeveloped, but the audiobook version brings out its best qualities with wit and charm.

A tender, feel-good listen about queer discovery, friendship, and finding love without compromising yourself, made even more enjoyable through Lori Prince’s top-tier narration.

Thank you to Netgalley and Recorded Books for an ALC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The LGBTQIA+ contemporary rom-com On Her Terms by Amy Spalding is book three (3) in the Out in Hollywood series. I got the chance to listen to Lorie Prince narrate the audio version of this book, through NetGalley as provided by Recorded Books Media and I must say this book hit too close to home for me. So close in fact I almost didn’t finish it. First off the main character reminded me too much of an ex-girlfriend of mine to the point of anger. The parallels of a white woman not standing up for herself against her own family while being annoyingly self centered made this character so believable, but the character also shut the hell up when the love interest talked about issues that they faced as a person of color so the parallels did shift there for me. Overall the characters were objectively well written and most likely based on real people in the author’s life and that really comes through. The erotic scenes in the book are tasteful and I even got mad when my phone rang during these parts because it was just the right amount of steamy for me. I give this story a 3 out 5 strawberries (yes that is without taking my feelings out of the mix). The book was good, I wish it had more comedy, but there was so much queer love and romance in every minute of the book that I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and smile a lot. If you're not butt hurt like me when you read this book it’s a sweet book with California charm.

I really enjoyed this book! I got sucked in pretty immediately - I loved the journey that both FMCs went on. It felt really realistic - and I LOVED the friend group!

4 🌟

Thank you netgalley for this arc!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I felt seen. As always with romcom books I was slightly annoyed by the characters but I liked how there was actually communication. Sometimes the communication went poorly, but the characters attempted to tell each other how they feel which I appreciated. I did not find myself caring overmuch if the characters ended up together, but that did not feel like the point of the story. This story was so much more than a surface level romcom. I would highly recommend reading it!

I went into this book not knowing that it was the third in a series but it truly does read like a standalone and I wasn't confused at all. I loved the humor, the close friendships, and the overall message that it's okay to not want to get married, have kids, or live in the suburbs. You can be happy with your own company but also want the company of others. I cheered on Clementine and Chloe so hard and I wasn't disappointed by the outcome. I can't wait to go back and read this series from the beginning!

Clementine broke up with her boyfriend of many, many years because she didn't want the trappings of a conventional life and she could tell that Will (boyfriend) was changing his mind about having kids and was talking about going to talk to her dad to get permission to marry her. So Clementine chose to prioritize herself and ended things. She is now living on her own and kind of struggling in the way that living alone with ADHD results in lots of struggles to do things like, you know, continue doing the yoga she was used to doing every day, or meal prepping, or maintaining the same cleaning schedule. But what she is also doing is finally going to a local queer bar (Johnny's for those familiar with the series) and along the way, she meets Chloe. Chloe sort of negs her for being a baby gay (in my opinion, I really didn't like the way their friendship/relationship kicked off), but eventually the two wind up fake dating for their own reasons, but both of which are related to feeling like their friends aren't taking them seriously.

My feelings about this book are pretty conflicted because while I didn't dislike it, I really didn't like or appreciate the baby gay concept that Chloe kept emphasizing. It's just not my favorite thing to remind someone that they've not yet dated someone of the same gender. Ultimately, it wound up feeling like Chloe was engaged in some negging, which I really hate, especially since Chloe is otherwise really interested in Clementine. I think if it had been addressed in a more substantive way, it ultimately wouldn't have bothered me so much, but it wasn't so it did. That said, I think I'm currently extremely attuned to anything that even slightly rings of biphobia because I've just finished watching this season of Love is Blind and started season 1 and both seasons have some pretty intense biphobia that caught me super off guard. So, all that to say, aside from this quibble, I actually quite enjoyed the book. I always love Spalding's writing and I enjoy the Hollywood adjacent jobs of many of her main characters. I loved the found family and the group of friends. I liked seeing the struggles in Clementine's friendship group and how that ultimately resolved. And, of course, I loved Chloe's friendship group because those are the cast of characters we're familiar with and I loved getting to see them again. I loved so many of the "lessons" of this book and the sense of community in general. So all in all, I would still recommend! I just hope the baby gay concept doesn't irk you the way it did me.

Oh, and the audiobook narration is solid. I don't think it really added or detracted from my enjoyment of the book. So a great choice if you need something to put on while doing other things, but if you only have the space for your eyeballs to consume the text, you're solid in that regard too.

The world that Amy Spalding has created is something that I want to continue to be a part of. I love living vicariously through this community of queer folks. This book of the series has probably been my favorite to date. Sure, it's a fake dating trope - but there aren't enough stories told with the type of love that Clementine and Chloe want. A love that does not fit the "norm", and gives those of us who feel similarly a place to be seen. I can't wait to re-read this.

I love a fake dating romance! This was such a nice light read! Chloe and Clementine were such a cute couple and you start rooting for them immediately. Their chemistry was perfect! You watch them through their trials and all of them feel like rather realistic problems. And you cheer for them when they finally get together at the end! I loved their story and their friend groups were such a strong supportive community, with just enough drama and complication to create the perfect B plot issues for Clementine and Chloe. It was a perfect lighthearted read!

Infuriatingly loveable

Narration rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot development: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶
Character development: 👌

First of all, the narration! I'm obsessed!!! Lori Prince drew me in and kept me there. I was enthralled!!
The voice fit the characters perfectly, and the way she changed her tone and sound to differentiate every character was perfect! I was aware at every moment who was talking, and not just by hearing the dialogue tag. I often wondered if the book was narrated by multiple people instead of one.
Very good job!
The book itself was delicious, but to hear it was the cherry on top! It made me dive into the story and want to stay there.

⭐️Book overview:

One bisexual Clementine leaves a two decades heterosexual relationship, running from heteronormative expectations. She stumbles into a bar where she's rescued by the enigmatic Chloe. The daring brunette catches Clementine's eyes and makes her wonder if her fantasy of being picked up in a bar would come true.
They exchange numbers, talk, make jokes, and end up agreeing to a fake dating, no attachments arrangement that would benefit both of them in a couple of months.

⭐️My feeling about the dynamics between the two of them is that there couldn't be a more realistic approach to this situation.

Chloe definitely has attachment issues, and she constantly tries to push Clem away. Her rude approach made me mad more than once, but eventually, I understand where she's coming from. Chloe is not a favorite character, but she definitely deserves a second chance from Clementine.

Clem, on the other hand, is a sweet and loveable woman who struggles to find her path in her queer journey. She powers through her seemingly cold approach from her friends and family when she comes out but finds solace in Chloe's friends, who welcomed her into their group with warmth and understanding. Chloe finally finds her place.

I loved this book.

First and foremost, I loved how bisexuality was fairly portrayed, and the author made it justice. Finally!
I also loved how the struggles of not wanting to follow a patriarchal road to getting married and having kids were treated as something normal. Not all want the same thing, and that's okay.

This book was fun and sweet but at times I just wanted to shake the characters and tell them to talk to each other. It was a typical fake dating story but this time it was sapphic. That was also the reason why I requested it. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and I also liked it in this book.

But somehow it felt like something was missing. I can’t quite name what it is. In one moments I didn’t really like Clementine nor Chloe and just wanted the story to get over. In other moments I couldn’t get enough of them.

This is also the third book in the series, but it can also be read as a standalone. I haven’t read the other two books prior to reading this, but I will maybe pick them up. Overall it was a fun and easy listen.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for this audiobook arc!

Thank you, BookSparks and RB Media, for the review copies of On Her Terms by Amy Spalding!

I'm always here to support queer stories, and Spalding's sapphic romances never disappoint. She delivers rich character depth, emotional development, undeniable chemistry, and that perfect mix of yearning and swoon-worthy moments that make any romance shine.

For fans of her Out in Hollywood books, there are some delightful cameos and returns to familiar characters. But if this is your first Spalding novel, don’t worry—you won’t feel lost at all (though I highly recommend picking up her other books if this one wins you over).

The novel’s standout themes include exploring identity, growing not just "up" but into one’s sexuality, and moving beyond the "baby gay" phase toward self-acceptance, confidence, and clarity in relationships and personal goals. It’s also refreshing to see a romance centered on characters in their 30s.

What resonated most for me, though, was its honest look at friendships—especially those that no longer serve us. The book thoughtfully examines how not all friendships allow us to be our true selves and the importance of recognizing when to let go. Spalding approaches these themes with openness, heart, and an authenticity that hit home for me.

In a time when so many of us—post-pandemic, under the weight of ongoing global stress, and grappling with burnout—have had to reevaluate the people in our lives, this book feels especially meaningful. And for queer and questioning readers, I imagine it will matter even more.

Sweet, steamy, queer romance that plays with the “fake dating” trope to great effect. The inner monologs and interpersonal dialogs are believable and well scripted. While it is fairly obvious where the main plot is headed (it’s a romance novel, after all), the characters are complex and grow, and people are generally mature and decent to one another, and the female (& nonbinary) friendships are rich and generally supportive, I thoroughly enjoyed this and the narrator for the audiobook is excellent.

3.5 rounded up to 4!

I really appreciated this book! As someone who is part of the LGBTQ+ community in a straight-passing marriage, this was an interesting read as I’ve been with my husband since we were 14 so I haven’t had a lot relationships - and none with women though that attraction is there. It takes you into her worries of not being queer enough but she found a friend group that understand her. Outside of the relatable parts, I loved the storyline - I’m a sucker for fake relationship romances. I think the author did it well. I also really liked that the side characters still had their own personalities and importance to the story.

I loved the first one so was thrilled to be granted access to this one. It didn’t disappoint! I had a great time. The chemistry was here plus the passion. I loved listening to this one!

Clementine is a chaotic late bloomer bisexual who doesn’t want 2.5 kids and a piket fence. Very relatable. I loved how well done the found family was!!! The fake dating relationship felt real to a point where you thought „ oh these are real people who are really fucked up and should just talk about there feelings“ but not in a annoying miscommunication way but in a „I am scared to get hurt and don’t know how to get over rejection „ kind of way.

Cloe‘s voice for the Audiobook was so fun it had so much character. Sassy af.

This book was great, such a good plausible story line. Very easy to read and enjoy. The narration was excellent and I didn’t want the book to end.