I almost did not get this book, but am I ever glad my partner talked me into it!
There are layers to this story that I’ve not seen in many other books. It is so much more than I expected. The characters are well-drawn and realistic, but this book’s gifts go beyond just that. They’ve each suffered a loss that had brought them to their knees, and when we meet them, they’ve learned how to pick themselves up and move forward. One of the main characters, Sid, is an art gallery curator. In the book, there is a description of a painting hanging in her father’s great room. From the description alone, without knowing who the artist was or the title of the painting, I knew which painting it was. The description was that good! Sid and Mia have a discussion about the Group of Seven, and I admit, I was surprised at the level of intelligence and depth in that conversation. I did not expect to find the Group of Seven in this book, so that was a nice surprise. Another gem was the dimes that kept popping up throughout the story. (Read it, you’ll see what I mean).
All in all, this is an intelligent enemies to friends to lovers tale. The romance is complicated, as it should be. The two main characters are both experienced in life and love, smart, headstrong, and driven. Another thing that impressed me was the love scenes. Even they were a cut above most I’ve read. There was an emotional connection, which is rare in most fiction, straight or same-gender. The physical reactions weren’t the same old thing we’ve seen a hundred times, the descriptions weren’t over-done and even I read them in their entirety. (Which my partner can tell you is rare)
This was my first exposure to this author, and I have every intention of getting every one of her books as she writes them. If I could give her more than five stars, I would. Sharp writing, great characters, dogs, and all that food… This one deserves 8 stars for sure!
Thanks to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Splintered Realities 