What was the book about?
Emma has had the last eighteen months working in Africa to get over the strong feelings that she has for a woman that she knows is totally unavailable. Her best friend’s mother, Vanessa Middleton! Laura Middleton and Emma have been best friends since they started university together. Laura is about to go on a trip to Australia to be with her boyfriend for three months and has asked Emma to stay with her mother and make sure she is ok seeing as Vanessa is going through divorce proceedings. Vanessa is like a moth to a flame for Emma. She knows she shouldn’t be attracted to or have romantic feelings toward Vanessa, but her heart, body and soul is drawn to her. Will this love bode disaster for them or will it give them the love of their lives?

Featured Tropes
Romance, Bisexual, Age-gap

Book Strengths
This story is written mostly in the present, but we have moments where Tereze takes us back to the few years before where you can see both characters coming to terms with the unrequited (or so they think) love they have for each other. This gives us beautiful insight into their budding relationship and why their feelings are so strong.

I was totally invested in Emma and Vanessa. I found myself cheering them on and at other times yelling at them to “do something”. This was so much lovely tension/angst between them that when they finally get together it’s like the reader can finally take a breath or more a beautiful swoony sigh!

Character Chemistry
The quick glances, longing looks, butterflies in the stomach, feelings of unrequited love and a bit of lust the chemistry between Emma and Vanessa is off the charts. Emma’s need to hold back and consider all the ramifications of even thinking of pursuing someone like Vanessa is palpable. The electricity is crackling and when they finally give in to your instincts it’s damn hot!

Heat Rating
🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥
(4.5 flames)

Wrap up
For me I think this is the best Melissa Tereze book I’ve read. I read it in one evening because I couldn’t put it down and wanted to know what happened and how it would turn out. Yes, I had a fair idea but it’s all about the journey and not the final stop. On a personal level, it’s so good to see characters in their 50’s in lesbian fiction!