(www.riptidepublishing.com)
Author: Avon Gale
Time: Current/Contemporary
MCs: F/F
Subgenre: LGBT
Themes: Music, Awakening Sexuality, Coming Out and Finding Love
Summary: A young student of classical music joins an upcoming indie band in her need to re-discover her love for music. Not only does she come to terms with her sexuality but she finds a place to belong and a love worth risking her future for.
What I think: When I first started reading this book, I was in a different head space and expected a bit more intensity. I don’t know why but at first that gave me pause. Then, I put it down, thought of other Gale books I had read eg the Scoring Chances series. Then, I continued reading and fell in love this book! Madame Gale made me love sports romance enough to list all her sports romances as comfort books so I’m not surprised that this book will be joining the others on that shelf! It was an honor to be allowed to read this and I have to admit that it captured me and made me float along.
It’s a tale that brings the passion of music, the sweetness of summer and the bittersweet taste of growing up together. The angst is almost non-existent as the issues raised are serious and real (which is such a relief to read in an F/F novel). The emotions start with the kind of lightheartedness that you just know will end up in love but still sneaks up on you.
The lovemaking is love making – sweet, funny and a song between 2 people who are already so compatible in other ways! There were moments I would have wished for more intense lovemaking but that’s obviously the perv in me because, by the end of the book, I saw a delicate balance that shows great mastery in keeping the whole book light and summery. Then, the last 4 chapters suddenly step up and are packed with all the intensity that was held back before. I got shivers non-stop by chapter 20! It was a perfect end to a sweet tale.
Verdict: It is the perfect summer book – tart, sweet, warm and lots of loving!
THE QUILLE AND LAMPE 