A journey of sapphic self-discovery.

Trish is struggling with her confidence and sense of self. She's a highly successful cook and manager at her family's café, but sees herself as being in the shadow of her sisters' successes. Kennedy is a hotshot estate agent from the city. She's more than a little burned out, and visiting her friend is the perfect excuse for a few weeks at a slower pace.

When the two first meet things seem to go from bad to worse. No matter what happens, they seem to keep annoying each other. That is when sparks aren't flying. Except Trish is straight, right?

This is the second book in the Three Rivers series but can be read as a standalone (although I highly recommend Passing Through as well). Trish features in book 1 and is Emily's sister. Kennedy is referenced in book 1 as Kim's best friend.

In terms of steam factor this is a slow burner, but the payoff is definitely worth it. Special shout out to the mutual self-appreciation scene!

This book is just as much about Trish and Kennedy finding themselves as it is about them finding each other. After finishing this I joked to a friend that my review would be "Katia, I was nearly in tears, how dare you??". The raw intensity of some feelings really resonated with me.

For Kennedy there's dealing with her toxic family, as well as feeling out of place. For Trish there's how she feels about being plus size and her confidence struggles. There's also Trish's thoughts and realisations about her sexuality, including heartbreaking recollections of times her thoughts were invalidated by others.

Is sister's girlfriend's best friend a trope? I don't know. But either way I would absolutely recommend this book!

Thank you to the author for the free review copy. All thoughts are my own.