On Her Terms
By Amy Spalding
Narrated by Lori Prince
Released February 25th, 2025
RBmedia

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

🏳️‍🌈Clementine is a mid-30’s woman who goes on a journey to discover her queer self and what she truly wants from life. That ends her up newly single and in a fake dating scenario. This book will have you feeling and laughing from the first chapter! As Clementine gets to know Chloe and her friends, the relationships feel real and relatable. The journey of Clementine realizing what she wants is more than acceptable, it’s great - was truly touching and made me want more of her story. This is a well done feel good story, where it doesn’t feel overly predictable or cheesy. The spicy scenes are after the 50% mark I believe- open door and done so well! Definite spice but the spice isn’t the focus of the book or story.

🏳️‍🌈 I related strongly to this story. I didn’t come out as bi and eventually a lesbian until my late 20’s. That initial fear of not being “queer enough” is real! Also the idea that you want something different than your friends and family is real and scary. A well done plus size fmc is also refreshing!

🏳️‍🌈 I did receive this from NetGalley as an advance listen copy. My review is fair and honest.

🏳️‍🌈Amy Spalding is now an auto read and buy author for me!

Each time the author used the term “baby gay”, I died a little inside. This book featured every single stereotype in the queer woman space 😑 I also wasn’t invested in Clem and Chloe’s relationship.

Positives: it was comforting to read about the found family that some people are lucky enough to find when they find their community. The banter was good! I enjoyed reading Clem’s journey to enbracing her sexuality. There was a decent amount of plus size and queer women representation.

Negatives: the book is 100% from Clementine’s POV, which is unfortunate since she is super annoying. In fact, both Clem and Chloe were unlikable characters. I hated all of the stereotypes. They were middle-aged but still whined like 19 year olds. No thanks.

Overall, this was a light fun read, but I just couldn’t vibe with the main characters. 3 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of the audiobook.

I thought this book was cute, but it had its ups and downs for me. At first, I found the characters pretty cringeworthy, though by the end, I did warm up to them. I appreciated the fresh take on relationships and how the story challenged the idea that they all have to look the same. I also loved how it embraced body positivity (the bathing suit scene was great!), highlighted bisexuality (which is often underrepresented), and featured so many powerful women. These elements really stood out in a positive way.

That said, I had mixed feelings about Chloe—she came off as a bit manipulative and overall childish at times, which made it hard to fully like her. But I guess you’re not supposed to love every character. On the other hand, one moment that really got me was Clementine’s boss turning out to be one of Chloe’s friends early on. That reveal had me actually laughing out loud. I also loved that Will ended up getting more out of the situation in the end, and that Clementine didn’t lose her actual friends once she learned to communicate with them better. Those moments made the story feel more well-rounded and satisfying.

Additionally wasn’t entirely sold on the audiobook narrator. While I liked that she gave each character a distinct voice, it sometimes felt like she was adding too much of her own emotions into the story. Not necessarily bad, just not my personal preference.

Overall, this was a decent read with some fun moments, but it didn’t completely win me over. A solid three stars.

I received an advanced copy of this audiobook through Netgalley.

Clementine's character felt real and vulnerable. Freshly single and trying to find herself as she becomes comfortable opening up as bi-sexual, she meets Chloe as a gay bar. Throughout the book you see a lot of character development as Clementine explores a new side of herself and starts to show up more authentically.

Chloe seems to be good for Clementine in many ways, aside from being her first "girlfriend", she introduces her to new friends, who like Clementine for who she is, not who they want her to be.

Overall, I would give this book 3.5 stars.

Such a good time! A super cozy romcom that hits all the right ones. Funny. Steamy, relatable yet aspirational, full of great women. Characters are fleshed out and not just because I’ve met them in other books of this series.

Big plus for me: this is the first time I’ve felt good about being a big woman reading about a plus size FMC. This was just done well. Subtle, but bold. It sounds contradictory, but you’ll know what I mean when you read it.

I got the audiobook ARC and must say that the voice acting was perfectly believable and the jokes were well-delivered. There were only a couple of pronunciations I’m not used to hearing, but you’ll get that with any audio media.


All that said, this was formulaic - nothing earth shattering - but sometimes that’s what you want.

Cozy, sexy, twee.

Clementine just broke up with her long-term boyfriend and is ready to try living her life more authentically, even if she doesn't want to end up alone. Chloe is tired of her friends looking down on her perpetually single state. Despite knowing that fake dating is a terrible idea best left to romance novels, Clem agrees to fake date Chloe until Chloe's friends' wedding and Clem's parents' anniversary party.

It was a fun read about friendship, relationships, and career goals in your thirties. It was another fun read in the Out in Hollywood series.

Unfortunately, I couldn't connect with this story. I did like the audiobook narrator though and would consider listening to more by her in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc/alc.

On Her Terms by Amy Spalding was lighthearted and our fmc Clementine 🍊was a cutie! Set in LA, Clementine has broken up with her long term boyfriend after accepting the fact that they want different futures. She now gets to explore her bisexuality and a new life as a single woman in LA until she reconnects with Chloe. The pair quickly find themselves in a fake dating situation, but Clementine never feels fully comfortable with it and is actually falling for Chloe. On top of trying not to fall for her fake girlfriend, while hanging out with Chloe’s friends, Clementine is also having imposter syndrome, and never knows if she is “queer” enough. Regardless of her reservations, Clementine is able to grow in her new lifestyle while gaining new friends and memories along the way.

I found this audiobook very endearing and thought our fmc was adorable. I also enjoyed the bisexual representation and related to Clementines frequent reassurance that queerness does not look a specific way. There were a lot of pop culture references and some of them I could not relate to as I found they were geared more towards millennials.

I really enjoyed this. I received the first book in this series in a book box and loved it too. As soon as I finished On Her Terms I bought the second book on Audible and read it, and loved it too lol. I'm sure I'll now have to go back and read Amy's entire backlist.

on her terms by amy spalding - a fake dating sapphic romance!

clementine is fresh off of a long term relationship where she began to feel boxed in by what society expects of women her age. after pushing herself (through a lot of research & googling, of course) to go out to a local gay bar one night, she runs into chloe. what begins as friendship turns into a fake dating agreement between the two, mutually benefiting events they have coming up on their social calendars. clementine and chloe embark on a crazy & fun ride of fake dating - navigate topics such as mental health, fatphobia, adhd, community, and pressures / expectations within relationships.

i feel like i wasn't hooked initially, but once they agreed to start fake dating & the wedding was looming, i was really excited to watch their story unfold! my favorite part of the book was the running theme of found family. i absolutely love this trope in LGBTQ+ books - i thought it was so beautiful to watch clementine enter into a new social circle & see what unwavering love and support for your people looks like. i also liked that there were multiple storylines happening outside of the fake dating, like with clementines career and how determined she was to always bring her best self to the table. i thought it was hilarious that clementine full on acknowledged that she was living a romance book fake dating trope - and inevitably did the thing the main character always promises they won't do. the pop culture references were also perfect, from MUNA and chappell roan to wicked!

i would say the only negative for me was not initially being invested, but i also don't listen to audiobooks very often so it could have just been me adjusting to a new format! this was my first approved book through netgalley, so thank you so much for letting me listen to this book! can't wait to dive further into this amy spalding's catalog!

Clementine, a newly single bisexual and self-proclaimed 'baby gay,' meets Chloe, a feral, whimsical manic pixie dream girl in this fake dating story so that both can get their friends off their backs about being single. It's a pretty simple set up, but I never mind that because I thought the plot moved along well. There was a point about 30% in when I considered quitting though because I just didn't see any chemistry between the characters. Chloe is so *whimsical* and Clementine as a self-described "twee" girl just... they didn't do it for me.

That being said, I thought Clementine, as a whole, had very relatable shit going on in her life-- friends getting older and having babies, figuring out career goals, keeping it together, being too old for your 20s, but not wanting the same thing as everyone else in their 30s (which that itself seemed like a gross exaggeration, but for the sake of the story I'm not that bothered by it). As someone who is fresh out of a relationship with a man, she is fairly nervous about exploring dating women and I think that comes across really well. But overall, some of it was a little too exaggerated for me.

Chloe, on the other hand, is extremely flat for me. Ever sentence out of her mouth starts with "Clementine..." and then some pseudo-Dude (Lebowski, dude) like sentence. And I think that's what kept me from ever really attaching any kind of attraction between the two characters. Chloe is flat. She doesn't want to date. Okay... that's her entire personality. That an a musicals playlist.

Overall, it was alright.

On Her Terms by Amy Spalding
Out in Hollywood series #3. Contemporary sapphic romance. Can be read as a stand-alone although the couples from the prior books are secondary characters here subsequent to their stories. Fake relationship troupe.
Clementine has always known she is attracted to women but only recently broken up with a long term boyfriend when he wanted children. At thirty-six, Clementine knows she doesn’t want children. She’s admitted to being bisexual in her head only up until now. She believes she’s ready to try something new. When Chloe Lee asks Clem to be her fake plus one for a wedding, Clem says no. But the more they talk, and it still seems like a really bad idea, Clem gives in to nagging in her head that it’s exactly what she wants to try. And so Clem and Chloe begin a public fake relationship in front of her family, friends, and coworkers.
Clem is loving her new relationship and friendships formed because of it. Could it become real? Or is Chloe going to stick to her free and easy attitude?

🎧 I alternated between an ecopy and audiobook of this story. The narration is performed by Lori Prince who has done many other sapphic romances. There are specific voices and tempo for each Clem and Chloe with emotions clear and easy to follow. There are a couple of clear edit voice-overs but they are short and merge well with the whole. I enjoyed the performance and got a clear picture of each of the women as the story progressed.
I listened at my usual speed of 1.5 to match reading and conversation speed.
I believe the formats are interchangeable with each having benefits fits and neither having an advantage over the other.

Clem learns to deal with her own questions and fears of a new lifestyle. It’s both easier and harder than she expected. She’s out and in love. But Chloe doesn’t want more than the fake dating and Clem has fallen for her. So how to convince her to make it real?
I loved the friendships the best in this story. Having a good friendship can make everything better and easier to handle.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher RBmedia.

Clementine is a divorced woman who is coming out as Bi. She has many events to attend and is approached by Chloe who also has events to attend and doesn't want to show up alone. They propose a deal. No relationship, but to fake-date. I don't have to tell you how it turns out.

Many thanks to Net Galley and RB Media for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Clementine has identified as bisexual her entire adult life, yet she has spent the last 20 years with the same man. While their relationship has been happy, he is beginning to lead them toward a traditional lifestyle, including marriage, children, and a white picket fence—things Clementine has never wanted or needed. On her first visit to a gay bar, Clementine meets Chloe, a quirky and funny lesbian dog groomer with a flair for jumpsuits. Chloe embraces Clementine as her “baby gay,” guiding her through the LGBTQ+ world and inviting her to be her “plus one” at an upcoming wedding. What begins as a wedding invitation blossoms into a beautiful friendship. Chloe introduces Clementine to her vibrant circle of lesbian friends, filled with lively brunches and playful group texts, creating a rich new social life for her. Clementine finds herself caught between her new friends, who truly understand her, and her old friends, entrenched in the traditional family model, discussing weddings and babies in ways that feel uninspiring to her. In an effort to confront the need to “come out” to her family, Clementine decides to introduce Chloe as her girlfriend to them, signaling a powerful step toward her true self. This story addresses many aspects of the bisexual experience, including the challenges of coming out repeatedly and clarifying that bisexuality is not a “choice” — it’s something one has always been. It also explores the feelings of not easily fitting into either camp: feeling more disconnected with straight girlfriends while also feeling out of place with queer girlfriends. Chloe embodies what many “baby gays” might want or need during their late coming-out experiences and does it dreamily well. Clementine often expresses her internal struggle with embracing her love for “twee” fashion and her identity as a “girly girl,” which complicates her ability to feel or present as queer. Additionally, the narrative highlights Clementine’s unapologetic acceptance of her curvy figure and Chloe’s unabashed affection of it. Plus-sized women are frequently underrepresented in romance novels, and when they are, the descriptions tend to be brief. However, the author gives us Clementine who reflects on her love for clothes and her body shape, allowing readers to experience a woman who is completely unashamed of her body and confidently presents a figure that offers more to love.

Lori Prince was truly the ideal choice to narrate this audiobook. She infuses a delightful comedic element that few narrators can bring to life with such finesse. Lori breathes life into Chloe, portraying her as a quirky yet confident and vivacious character, while Clementine dazzles with her unique blend of self-assuredness and unapologetic attitude, all wrapped in a generous dose of warmth and kindness. Lori effortlessly captures Spalding’s distinctive character, showcasing her remarkable talent. As is often the case with Prince's performances, when paired with exceptional writing, she has the ability to leave you breathless after a steamy scene, only to turn around and have you weeping moments later. This is one of those captivating books that takes you on a whirlwind emotional journey, forcing you to hang on tightly as you eagerly await the Happily Ever After — a long-awaited reward that, in this story, deliciously lingers until nearly the very end.

The only real complaints I have about the book is the excessive use of the word "twee" and it felt like the plot started dragging a bit around 75% in. Other than that, perfection!!

Thank you to Amy Spalding and Kensington Books for the audiobook ARC of On Her Terms!

This was my first book by Amy and oh my gosh was it an absolute delight. With main characters in their 30s, having fleshed out careers, with different needs for their happily ever afters than the typical, and a bisexual woman who was dealing with bi erasure, this was REFRESHING on soooo many levels!

I saw a review or two critiquing the personalities of the two main characters and I think it's very silly. Chloe likes to banter, and largely Clementine is open to the banter. The times when it pushed too far, it was clearly addressed. Chloe is an avoidant attachment type, but she has soooo much growth by the end and she's clearly struggling throughout. If anything, it made the characters that much more believable.

I can't think of a single thing I didn't enjoy about this book and would highly recommend it! I'm so glad to see a lot of stellar sapphic books coming out lately and Amy is definitely going to be someone I seek out more books from.

Thank you again for the arc! This book is probably out by the time you're reading this review, so check it out!

This was an absolutely adorable fake dating story. Clementine and Chloe were both just related and their fake dating turned loved story was so stinking cute! I found myself smiling and giggling throughout this story. I also loved all the side characters and the pets! I hope we get more with this group!

3.5⭐
Such a sexy, hilarious Sapphic rom-com about fake dating (yes, even the main character was annoyed about this trope, lol), with very real emotions & insecurities, making it all the more relatable.

Love, love, love!

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars. This was a good book. Not great, but good.

Clementine is fresh off a decade-long relationship and stepping into her baby gay era. She doesn't see the appeal of the heteronormative milestones of marriage and children, despite none of her family or friends understanding this. Feeling misunderstood and little respect for her choices, Clementine agrees to play pretend with Chloe, a woman she met at a bar. She pretends to be commitment-phobe Chloe's girlfriend for a wedding to pacify her friends, in exchange for a date to her own parent's anniversary party.

I love me a fake dating trope. This was a nice slow burn, but not full of angst and sexual tension-- the two women truly become friends before accidentally falling in love. I do wish Chloe had more of an atonement for the douchbaggery she gave to Clementine, who did nothing wrong but admit her feelings and stand up for herself.

This was the third in a series but can be read as a stand-alone. That being said, I will now proceed to read the previous two books.

I received this book as a digital advanced reader audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

3.75 stars I think I might need a break from fake dating books, but I still really enjoyed this one.

This book is about Clementine, who I believe is a brand new character, a bisexual woman who has recently broken up with her high school sweetheart, and Chloe, who is introduced in the first book in the series. They meet at a bar and Chloe remembers Clementine because she's friends with her boss, who is also in the friend group that this book is about. She convinces Clementine to fake date her so that she get her friends off her back and have a date to the couple who met in the first book's wedding, and Clementine can have experience dating a woman and be more appealing to other women looking for women. Clementine doesn't realize that she is going be fake dating in front of her boss and is mad about it, etc. etc.

I hadn't read any books in this series when I was approved for the ARC, so I quickly read the first one in the series, which was not my cup of tea. The friend group and love interest were great, but the narrator was just so depressing that she really brought down the book for me. That was not an issue in this book. Though both of the main characters do have real issues to work through, they're complex but reasonable people and I found the experience of reading this book to be largely joyful,

I didn't have a chance to read the 2nd in the series, but I will. I'd recommend just jumping into this one if you like it, because it doesn't seem like there is too much spoiled from that one in this (in a romance you have to assume the leads end up together) and this one was absolutely charming.

Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for the ARC for unbiased review..

On her Terms

First off, thank you RBmedia for the advance audiobook of this absolutely delightful story!

As I started listening and got to know our FMC, Clementine, I found her charming, vulnerable, brave, and relatable. I’ll be honest and admit I wondered more than once if this book was written for me.

I also found the narrator’s voice to have a fun quirkiness to it and her pacing was excellent - I often listen to books faster than 1.0 speed but not this one. The one thing I found myself yearning for a little (especially towards the end) was a bit more of a vocal distinction between Chloe and Clementine in some scenes. This is a very minor critique and didn’t detract much at all from my overall experience and I’d be excited to listen to another book narrated by Lori Prince. I particularly find the way she expresses excitement to be delightful.

By now, most readers of romance have read plenty of fake dating tropes, but I’ve never come across one that pokes fun at itself in this manner - Spalding delivers a very fresh take on a somewhat tired trope.

I found most of the characters to be really delightful and am excited to learn this is the third book in a series, I will definitely be reading the first two.

I want to take a specific moment to thank Amy Spalding for writing a book about a woman transitioning out of a straight-presenting phase of her life. The feeling Clementine has re: coming out for only “having queer thoughts” is very relatable. Bi people often feel like we don’t get a “seat at the table” and it felt nice to have some validation that we are a part of the community also.

“I’m entering this new phase in life and I should probably do it with as much honesty as possible” - Clementine (“YES, Clem, go girl!” I cheered).

If you are looking for a light hearted WLW romance with themes of found family and finding your voice, add this to the TBR and bump it up to the top of the list!