Never Mine: A Lesbian Romance

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Their friendship is great, how they grow as individual characters, but also as a couple, even when they really aren’t a couple is very well done. The story has a nice flow and the characters, in true Oakley fashion, are very likeable. The book is written from alternating third person POV for both Willa and Sage and that is something I always like as well.

Never Mine by Bryce Oakley - I Heart SapphFic | Find Your Never Mine by Bryce Oakley - I Heart SapphFic | Find Your

And it was awesome seeing them develop an understanding that extended into their songwriting and let them create beautiful music together (sorry, I couldn't resist a dip in the trite). Oakley is at her best depicting the collaboration and music and I liked how she showed the intent and message of the lyrics but only gave enough detail to see refining and honing without giving so much that you get bogged down in trying to see it as an actual song. It was a good choice not trying to replicate actual lyrics so it worked exceptionally well. So this is a book that's been sitting on my Kindle for a hot minute, and I finally decided to read it this weekend. I've read several others by Bryce Oakley and they're consistently enjoyable books, and she's definitely one of the better self publishers. This book was a nice read after finishing a longer one, this was supposed to be short and fun, but it was a bit more because it turned out to be a bit emotional and charged with real issues like alcohol abuse and in this genre (f/f) that's not common. I also found the humanity of the main characters to be so well done that I felt like I knew them in real life. It’s interesting because more often than not fauxmance books tend to have a main character who is a bit of an ice queen. I realised with this book that I also love it when both characters are nice people that I want to cheer on.The communication of real feelings is a bit of an issue though and I know it is to keep the drama and angst going in the book, but also for the life of me I just want to yell "talk to each other and don't assume!" to these characters. Her manager approaches her with a big opportunity for an endorsement deal but there is a catch, Sage has a reputation for being rebellious and needs to come across as more stable. Her manager asks Sage to find a fake girlfriend to prove long term stability. What worked less well is the pace of the relationship. I felt like the last bit, maybe the last third or quarter, was very rushed. So I don't think the relationship really gelled as well as it could have and the whole dark moment felt flat and a bit tedious going through it. It doesn't help that we get an outright villain and a well-meaning friend being destructive to make it happen. So the story tanked a bit from it's early high. Never Mine is a fake relaionship kind of story between to women, one of whom is a world class soccer player and the other an event coordinator, who get thrown together by a mutual need for a date for an event. Of course what started out as a fake relationship doesn't stay that for long ...

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Why in the world was Sage still talking to her? She turned slightly, giving Sage an out if she wanted to leave instead of chat. An awkward silence stretched between them as Willa pressed her lips together, shifting her weight between her heels. Billie, an indie singer/songwriter really wanted to write and perform pop rather than the same old kind of tunes that launched her group, the Shrikes, with her sister and two band mates. Vero, a pop star who left her group, finished her stint in rehab and is trying to launch her solo career has only one problem. She hasn't been able to write any songs! Now that's a problem. I will say I couldn’t stand Ava and didn’t understand why they were all so lovely to her. It’s not one I would re read but made for a good single read romance. Their connection was always there and they are so cute together. Sage makes Willa stand up for herself and Willa makes Sage think about what she is doing and what comes next. When the fauxmance contract runs out they don’t part but remain (professional) friends. Sage is pretty clear in what she wants but goes about it all wrong, and sweet Willa just doesn’t know how to get what she really wants.With such intense chemistry, though, is it possible for Sage and Willa to fulfil the terms of their contracts without it going further or will they be unable to keep it strictly professional? Pros And My Favourite Parts Instead of blowing up, though, Willa realises that there is an opportunity here for her to bring Sage with to the bachelorette and at least make it look like she isn’t the loser she feels. Ah, there it was. She nodded, trying to keep her pleasant smile plastered to her face. “Sure was. Am. I mean, am. He’s alive. Currently alive.” Stop talking. “Not at all dead, don’t worry. He’s in sales now.” She couldn’t shut up. “For, uh… Google.” Sage was nodding, but Willa had the sinking feeling that she was losing interest. She should start searching for a path to hide under the giant inflatable seashell.

Never Mine: A Lesbian Romance by Bryce Oakley

I liked both characters a lot. But especially Sage. For some reason the "Shane McCutchen type cleans up" trope always entertains and amuses me. But you can really feel the affection both Willa and Sage have for each other, and how much they push each other out of their respective comfort zones in the best of ways. Sage standing up for Willa and Willa helping Sage grow up are some heartwarming scenarios. That said, I'm going with a bit of a wobbly four stars. Yeah, the rush at the end was bad but at least the parts of the relationship I had attached to played out well-enough.

Reviews

Oh, yeah, it was soccer, if I remember correctly,” Willa said with an exaggerated thinking face, her brows pulled low as she tapped her chin. I’m sure they’re totally fine even though they look…” Willa gestured towards the pitiful veggie tray. “Store-bought.” Why did she feel the need to defend cut vegetables? So... I really needed this, a lesbian love story that doesn't goes around them being lesbians. It's just how it is. I needed to read something sapphic treated exactly the same as something straight in straight books and I found this in here. It's a fun, simple and entertaining story. And it came just in the right moment.