Cheyenne Blue

Loved this!

Hazel is 25 years old. She lives in the country town she grew up in, making a living delivering groceries until she can get established as a "handyman." As per the book cover, Hazel has a prosthetic leg.

Imogen has a corporate job in the city. She is 34 years old and she has a life plan which requires her to be the next State Manager in her job, a stepping-stone to being National Manager by her 40th birthday.

Paul is Imogen's uncle. He is 84 years old. When he is injured in a fall show more Imogen has to travel to the small country town where he lives as her parents, his only other living relatives, are too busy n their academic careers.

Imogen doesn't see her uncle often, but she has fond memories of a summer she spent with him as a child. When she arrives at his home in Dry Creek, she is hit with nostalgia for that time. When Imogen meets her uncle's friend, Hazel, she is immediately suspicious of a 25 year old offering support and friendship to an 84 year old man. Surely she must be up to something?

And so the stage is set.

I loved every minute of this book. Firstly for it's familiarity as it is set in my home state in Australia and clearly written by someone who knows the region. Secondly, for its handling of the challenges of aged care and living with a disability, both things that have been part of my professional life for almost thirty years. And again, the author knows her stuff as everything rang true to me.

Hazel is brilliant, strong, kind, insecure, all the good stuff. Imogen is a classic "Ice Queen" needing the right person to thaw her heart. Following the two of them as they initially clash, then deny the attraction the y both feel and eventually fall in love was a joy.

This is a slow-burn "age gap" romance between a 25-year-old bisexual "sunshine" woman and a 34-year-old Ice Queen. It doesn't feature many intimate scenes, but the growing desire both women feel is delicious, and it is absolutely worth the wait when they eventually get there.

The book deals with elements of aged care in the community, as well as living with a permanent "handicap." Both are central to the story, and are very well handled.

This is the second book I have read from Cheyenne Blue, who is rapidly rising on my list of favourite authors, and it gets a strong recommendation from me. show less

My heart is so incredibly full right now. I can't get the smile off my face and I want to immediately start Not for a Moment again from the beginning.

Books like these are why I read romance novels. Complex, flawed and/or damaged characters who find each other somehow and overcome all obstacles. Of course, the hot sexy times are a bonus, for sure.

Andi broke my heart in so many ways and I wanted to scoop her up and hug her insecurities away. While her situation was very different from mine, show more there were still plenty of similarities and I had a tough time not remembering my own childhood with sadness while reading. I got my happy ever after and I loved being on Andi and Sarah's journey to find theirs. I also understand the legitimate fear of having relatives who would gladly take my child from me if they could. It's something that, as a mother, kicked me in the gut a few times while reading. The way Ms. Blue handled it felt believable and not over the top.

Another book for the reread/funk reading list. Absolutely loved this book. So much. So, so much.

A HUGE "thank you!" to the author for the ARC. I'm even almost timely! show less

I had my doubts at first, thanks to a few clunky early ockerisms, but I quickly fell for sunshiney Lizzie and grumpy Shan. I enjoyed seeing them get their shit together, with some delightfully steamy interludes along the way. And yes, the dog is adorable.

Hayley is 29 years old and has never ventured outside the five boroughs of New York City. She applies for a "life swap" programme run by a magazine, in which she and another participant will trade homes and jobs for a year. The magazine will pay their living expenses in exchange for the rights to publish their adventures.

Hayley, with dreams of an idyllic year in an American country town, is in for a surprise. The programme has a different plan for her-she's about to embark on a show more life-changing adventure on a remote cattle station in Queensland, Australia.

Jenna loves her life on Ghost Gum Station. She has a good relationship with her employers and co-workers, and her goal in life is to be the next Manager of the property. She is less than thrilled when she is assigned as mentor to Hayley, who has none of the experience and skills expected of even a new employee.

Switcheroo is a classic fish-out-of-water tale. We follow Hayley as she discovers how ill-equipped she is for the role she has taken on. It is also a medium-burn romance between Hayley and Jenna as they slowly progress from an employee/supervisor relationship to friends-with-benefits and beyond...

Hayley and Jenna are both strong, likeable women. Their co-workers on the station embody Australian rural clichés in a fun and endearing way, and Hayley's misadventures make for highly enjoyable reading. show less