M. Ullrich

This book was like a well-crafted cocktail - not too sweet, not too bitter, and left me with a warm feeling in my body.

Lauren is a paralegal going through a really rough patch. She and her roommate don't make enough money to pay their rent, so Lauren's controlling ex-girlfriend still lives with them. Her roommate Jorge's girlfriend also lives with them but is just free-loading because that's what some young 20-somethings do. (Been there, lost a best-friend over it.) Her boss is terrible and show more she's fired pretty early on in the book.

Berit is the owner of The Dollhouse, a lesbian bar in New Jersey. She's got a reputation as a playgirl, but it's not really deserved. She's a bartender and it's sort of her trade to be really flirty, but the only other woman we see her with in the book is a secondary character named Bellamy, in a mutually agreed upon sex-only relationship. She has her own stuff to sort out, mostly with her family, but she's presented initially as the person who has it together.

One thing that often bothers me in books is when one of the love interests works for the other. I'm not sure how M. Ullrich managed it, but I didn't feel icky about the power dynamic in this at all. Maybe it's because they became friends before Berit hired her? Maybe because Lauren is with another woman when she starts bartending? Or it could just be that Berit's bar is quite professional, for all the shenanigans that go on. (The Dollhouse is a bar I'd love to go to.)

The pacing in the book is steady, even after the couple gets together. The writing is a little clunky at first, but I reviewed an advance copy, so I can't confirm if my desire for more paragraph breaks was addressed in the final version. Once you get into the book, though, it's smooth sailing. There were moments that made me cringe, but they were things like Lauren's boss being realistically awful, Berit's strained relationship with her father, and the eventual Dark Moment.

Speaking of Berit's father, I appreciated that their relationship is strained not because of homophobia but because he's never taken responsibility for the financial mistakes he made when Berit was younger. (He lost her college fund and screwed over the city's mayor, which has made Berit's job years later much, much harder.) Berit's sister, Lou owns 1/3 of the bar, so she works there and is a central character in the novel. She's sort of the glue that holds Berit together, and I liked their relationship a lot as well.

There were a lot of bartending details that spoke to me as long-time restaurant employee/manager. Berit has a dog named Hugo who is kind of adorable and is based on Ullrich's own late companion. The secondary characters all read like real people, not caricatures.

As for the central pairing? They don't get together until around 60% of the way through the book. That means that the first half of the book is them becoming friends, avoiding their feelings, and trying to date other people. Berit comes on to Lauren really strongly when they first meet and Lauren shuts her down, so then Berit is respectful! Lauren has some self-esteem stuff to work through and by the time they do get together, it feels like the culmination of weeks of tiny steps. Berit pushes Lauren in small ways, asking her to please get out of that apartment, but Lauren pushes back and asserts her independence. It's a very balanced relationship in which they make each other want to be better.

The sex is mostly in the last third of the book, but was well written. There's a scene with *spoiler* where *spoiler* and you'll just have to read it yourself.

Anyway, I finally have a Bold Strokes Books book that I feel comfortable recommending! I'm hoping that Bellamy and Jennifer (the women Lauren and Berit date) get their own books soon.

Review goes up at www.loveinpanels.com/prose/love-at-last call on Wednesday, July 11! show less

This is a powerful and moving book about two difficult subjects written in an unusual and clever style. Mary and Suzanne Dempsey are happily married, settled and solid. Then their adorable daughter Abigail is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Suddenly their almost perfect world is torn apart and rather than pull together the cracks deepen, almost unimaginably ending in divorce. But Abigail's death, while devastating, also brings Marty something she has given up on, the glimmer of hope.

We are show more told up front the calamitous tragedy of the novel in a surprisingly revealing blurb that removes the suspense. But this book is all about the ‘how’, and while the blurb removes the factual anticipation, it in no way diminishes the emotional impact of those events. In addition the loss of a child is such a trigger the author and publisher no doubt felt it critical to pre-warn ‘romance’ readers of the content. And yet this is, truly, a romance.

“Life In Death” is an intriguing read. A serious psychological exploration of how a tragedy can impact the lives of a couple; how they react is the core of the plot. At first we aren’t engaged, Abigail's illness understandably dominates and her Moms seem almost like cyphers with whom we have little empathy. But as the ‘plot’ develops Mary and Suzanne are filled in, each woman’s coping mechanisms drawn out and analysed through the impact their actions have on the family catastrophe.

Core to the break up is the interesting concept of who is to blame. The obvious culprit who fails into a moment of needy infidelity, or the guilt ridden wife whose own self doubt destroys the connection between a loving couple. And once seemingly destroyed, can that connection ever be reforged.

Add into this an unusual writing style where the then and now are literally woven together, with a flashback and a current scene in every chapter and this is simply a fascinating read. Despite the complex timeline we never lose where we are, the point of view is clear at all times and the plot flows effortlessly back and forward. I might have put the infidelity before the reconciliation to push the emotional tension higher, but this plot never loses its sense of anticipation. A genuine page turner that pulls you in, twists you up and makes you desperate for the happy ever after on offer.

My first book from this author and it certainly wont be my last; one of the best books of 2016 without a doubt. Such a joy to discover a ‘different’ romance with more mature women going through a real life scenario and an author who gets her teeth into gritty and difficult subjects with style and grace. Absolutely excellent reading. show less

I have liked most of the books I've read by M. Ullrich and I love love love soccer (yes, three loves and I don't regret any of them, I love playing it, love watching it, and the third love just because). So, trying out this book was a no brainer for me. And I enjoyed it so much, just as much as I thought I would.

Kenzie is a rookie who has gotten drafted by the Hurricanes (in NJ). Sutton is the leader and veteran on the team. Kenzie has had a crush on Sutton since she was much younger, and it show more doesn't go away when they start playing together either. In fact, it gets more intense.

Of course, it wasn't a straightforward sort of romance between them. Women's soccer, just like most sports in the real world have a complicated relationship with their gay/lesbian players even today (although some of the various Women's National Teams around the world have started to change that a little).

The subplot was so so sucky, not in a writing way, but, a thematic way (it was written amazingly), but, the topic. Ugh. How am I reading this in 2019 and the topic/theme can still be used. Ugh.

I also found that I not only liked the main characters, but, also the secondary characters too (Taylor was cool and very straightforward). Liking both types of characters doesn't happen often for me while reading lesfic, so, this was a nice change.

It was a fun ride. Also, Go Boston Blazers (and Breakers *sniff sniff sob*

I received this book via Netgalley thanks to Bold Strokes Books. show less

This was a great read. I took a while to warm to Emma as a character, but I think that largely comes down to Caroline's observation of her in the early chapters when they're still in the "enemies" phase of their enemies-to-lovers journey.

Once the ball starts rolling, author M. Ullrich gives us a pair of lovable women who need to be together, and the fact that this is a romance novel so we know it'll happen didn't stop me cheering them along the way.

This is a slow-burn romance, and all the show more better for it, and when the sex comes it is tender and joyful and kindle-meltingly hot.

Very highly recommended. show less