Read Between the Lines

            

Title: Read Between the Lines

Author: Rachel Lacey

Publisher: Montlake, December 1, 2021

Pages: 331

Genre: LGBT Contemporary Romance

Books are Rosie Taft’s life. And ever since she took over her mother’s beloved Manhattan bookstore, they’ve become her home too. The only thing missing is her own real-life romance like the ones she loves to read about, and Rosie has an idea of who she might like to sweep her off her feet. She’s struck up a flirty online friendship with lesbian romance author Brie, and what could be more romantic than falling in love with her favorite author?

Jane Breslin works hard to keep her professional and personal lives neatly separated. By day, she works for the family property development business. By night, she puts her steamier side on paper under her pen name: Brie. Jane hasn’t had much luck with her own love life, but her online connection with a loyal reader makes Jane wonder if she could be the one.

When Rosie learns that her bookstore’s lease has been terminated by Jane’s family’s business, romance moves to the back burner. Even though they’re at odds, there’s no denying the sparks that fly every time they’re together. When their online identities are revealed, will Jane be able to write her way to a happy ending, or is Rosie’s heart a closed book?

Did you watch You've Got Mail and think, "Oh, that was good, but it would be even better if they were gay!"? Have I got a book for you! 

This is an exaggeration, ok. But only just. Rosie owns a bookstore in Manhattan that she inherited from her mother. She is penpals with her favorite author and she shares an apartment with 3 of her best friends. Jane works for the family business, which is property development, and Rosie's bookstore is the next in a long line of buildings that are going to be torn down and replaced with a shiny new high-rise. Jane also happens to be a sapphic romance author by night, pen-name Brie, and Rosie's favorite author.

That's a fairly star-crossed beginning. As conflict avoidant as Jane seems to be, I'm glad that she came clean to Rosie as early in the book as she did. That didn't stop the third act breakup from being devastating. And it WAS. Rosie's whole identity is tied up in her store. And in her eyes (and in reality) Jane is taking that away from her. It's understandable and still heartbreaking to watch Rosie say goodbye to her store.

It was beautiful though. Her journey through the grief that closing her store took her. And Jane's and Rosie's journeys back to each other.

Ratings

Stars: 3/5

Spice: 2/5