I have to say the title reeled me in. This was a sapphic, spicy, age romance. I felt the plot was great and the chemistry between the characters (Ava and Jean) was evident.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I’ll admit that I was in a bit of a reading slump when I picked this one up. I love a good sapphic romance, but this was something else.

The story, the characters, the spice, the romance, it’s all so BEAUTIFUL. I cried, I laughed, I clutched my metaphorical pearls, I even got angry. This book is an adventure and I did not want to put it down.

I was completely invested in Jean’s journey of discovery. I related a lot to Jean and Ava for different reasons, and I loved watching their relationship develop.

I want to read this book again and again. Something about it is just so cozy and comforting. I highly recommend it!

Thank you so much to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this ARC!

•

Amazing! Perfection! This novel was absolutely incredible and is going to be joining my favorite list. READ THIS. Some novels are simply on another level from the rest of the crowd. Trigger warnings apply.

I was very surprised by this novel. I committed the classic crime of judging it by the cover (title to be specific) and assumed it would be a simple and spicy-focused novel. I mean, a sex toy pun title? I was wrong. This novel contained a lot of spicy content, but it also had SO much more to offer. The spicy bits were excellent and fit perfectly into the flow of the novel; I like it when they contain plot and character/relationship development in addition to simply being spicy and this novel delivered.

The relationship between the protagonists was everything. It was so layered, and I loved witnessing it unfold. They were delightful together. There was so much affection and care, and the chemistry was perfect. Their journey took its sweet time, but I loved every step of the way and at no point did I feel like the story was lagging or dragging. This read like a very realistic story, which I always appreciate. It was not smooth sailing, but the drama was thankfully kept to a very reasonable amount.

This novel also focuses on some significantly more serious themes than I expected, including SA and a whole host of related topics. This is definitely a spoiler (I was NOT expecting this) but I think it’s a good trigger warning so I’m including it. The details this novel delved into were definitely a bit uncomfortable at times, but I think the topic was handled respectfully and with an abundance of seriousness and care. There were some big emotional sections in this novel that served as somewhat of a counterpoint to the delightfully happy scenes, and I think the whole novel worked as a cohesive human experience.

It isn’t every day that I find a novel that is a heartwarming love story, a spicy sexy guilty pleasure, contains in-depth discussion of workplace SA, discussions of trauma, touches on racial issues and police brutality, follows a realistic late in life sexuality discovery, and has multiple scenes where characters hide in closets. Oh, there are also two serious and professional handshakes with a delightful and adorable child.

Thank you SO much to NetGalley and the author for providing a free ARC. This entirely honest review was left voluntarily (try and stop me).

"Stap In" is a steamy sapphic age-gap romance that centers on the importance of self-acceptance. Jean and Ava share undeniable chemistry, and their casual arrangement suits them—until it starts to unravel. The story moves at a strong, steady pace, with crisp, natural dialogue throughout. Jean’s path toward self-discovery is portrayed with nuance and honesty, making it both believable and easy to connect with. All in all, this is a strong and satisfying debut.

Thank you, NetGalley, Hera Books and Lou Morgan for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Strap in and strap on 😉

Anyways... this is a well paced, spicy, sapphic, age gap. A one night stand turns into a regular occurrence wrapped in discovery yourself as well on other in depth topics. A perfect one day read!

⭐️ 2.5

Thank you, Netgalley, Hera Books and Lou Morgan for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Strap In by Lou Morgan is a spicy, age-gap sapphic romance featuring two femme-presenting leads—something that's still rare and refreshing to see in the genre. Jean is a career-driven lawyer who’s always identified as straight, until she meets Ava: a magnetic, free-spirited woman who upends everything Jean thought she knew about herself and her life. Their no-strings-attached affair slowly starts to blur emotional lines, forcing Jean to confront her identity and desires.

I was really intrigued by the premise, and the chemistry between Jean and Ava is definitely there. The story starts off strong, and I appreciated how it explored self-discovery and the messiness of falling for someone when you least expect it.

That said, this didn’t quite hit the way I’d hoped. The writing shows promise, but could use some tightening up, especially in the middle, which got bogged down with a lot of lawyer talk. It slowed the pace and made it hard to stay engaged, especially since the characters involved in those legal scenes weren’t described vividly enough to visualise. I also really wish this had been dual POV—Jean’s inner monologue was heavy on insecurity and self-loathing, and it would’ve been nice to get a break and see things from Ava’s side.

And honestly, I was craving an epilogue. After investing so much emotional energy into the push and pull, the angst, and the third-act breakup, I wanted a peek at their HEA—something to make the journey feel fully worth it.

All in all, a solid debut with room to grow. I’ll be keeping an eye out for what Lou Morgan writes next!

The book is beautiful, the story is lovely, the characters well written and throughout. The character arch for Jean was sensitively and mostly realistically dealt with.
4.9 and the only reason I gave this rating is because there were times I got confused that time have moved on and it was not denoted by star between the paragraphs and times when it was was.
I can’t wait for Lou Morgan’s next book, this is an author I will read everything they write if this first book is anything to go by, bravo Ms Morgan.
Thank you to NetGalley, Hera Books and Ms Morgan for the opportunity to read this lovely book.

★★★★
Lou Morgan’s Strap In is an emotionally rich, engaging read with a beautifully paced narrative. Watching Jean grapple with her identity while falling for Ava is both heart-wrenching and satisfying. The shift to a single POV deepens the story, exploring themes of race, identity, and connection with nuance.

Jean and Ava shine with great chemistry, clever banter, and charm—Ava especially is a standout. The writing flows effortlessly, making even complex emotions feel vivid and immediate. It’s heartfelt, fun, and yes—deliciously spicy too!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

This book had it all! From the very first page, I read it like I was in a fever dream. The story of Jean and Ava, who meet by chance in a bar and start a sexual relationship, really touched me. The beginning of the book was very spicy, with lots of sex scenes, so at first I thought the book was heading towards erotica. But surprisingly, an extremely tender and deep relationship developed between Ava and Jean that blew me away. I suffered a lot at times, because of course there was also conflict and drama. But there were also many moments that warmed my heart. These two are really something special and it was just wonderful to watch their relationship develop.

Lou Morgan has written the women's story with so much detail and love that it really took my breath away. And the single pov of Jean worked so well. In other books with a single pov, I often had the feeling that I was missing something and that I couldn't assess the other character so well. But I didn't have that at all with this book. Quite the opposite. Through Jean, Ava was described in such an amazing way, so warm, generous and caring that I never missed anything. I also loved the age-gap. And the spice... olalala! Sigh, I'm just blown away and will be reading it again soon.

An extremely great debut novel! Absolute recommendation! Lou Morgan, I hope you will write a second book soon. You've gained a fan!!!

Strap In by Lou Morgan is a deliciously spicy and surprisingly tender age-gap romance about two lawyers whose one-night stand quickly turns into something much deeper. Jean has always identified as straight, until her unexpected connection with Ava makes her question everything she thought she knew about herself.

What I loved most about this story was Ava’s unwavering patience and compassion. She gives Jean the space to explore her evolving identity without pressure or judgment, creating a deeply affirming and safe love story. It’s a beautiful portrayal of acceptance and unconditional support.

The title isn’t just clever wordplay. This book delivers on the steam with plenty of intensely hot, well-written strap-on sex scenes. Buckle up indeed.

Jean was just about ready to call it a night when she encountered Ava, an attractive young woman. Despite Jean having never been with a woman, one thing led to a steamy one-night stand. Unfortunately for Jean, one night wasn’t enough, so she proposed an arrangement. A strictly no-strings-attached arrangement filled with plenty of hot sex, but nothing more than that. Jean and Ava are both career-driven women with no time for a relationship anyway. What’s the worst that could happen? 


Jean and Ava were really something special, and I adored them. Ava was so patient and caring with Jean that it was impossible not to love her. I felt that Jean’s struggle and fear when it came to her sexuality was so well-written and very real. The witty banter was so delicious that I just ate it up! And trust me, there was plenty of spice to go around. I really enjoyed this one and recommend giving it a read. 

✨Age Gap
✨Coming out later in life

I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Lou Morgan's Strap In is a thoroughly enjoyable read, with a well-paced, emotionally driven narrative that should keep you, as it did me, turning the pages watching Jean not facing all those messy emotions and denying her sexuality all while actively being involved in a relationship with a woman! Ms. Morgan has come up with the kind of read where you find yourself dying for the MC to *finally* allow the pennies to trickle and drop and get on with being happy!

The author talks about changing her mind from featuring a dual POV to a single one and from a cis white woman. Which is interesting because that means we mostly rely on Jean and Ava’s dialogue and on Jean’s burgeoning realizations to understand the issues brought up in this story, those of ethnicity and (shades of) color and how society and individuals relate.

There are some super-likable characters, even grumpy Jean (who I promise you’ll soon come to like), with personalities that shine through, and their interactions, often laced with witty dialogue and clever humor, add a delightful layer of fun. Ava is a hoot and has the patience of a saint. You might have to forgive the author perhaps painting her a shade too brightly in this grump/sunshine mix, but when you do, you’ll chuckle along with Ava’s quips. Supporting characters also shine in their limited page time; Ms. Morgan neatly layers them through Jean’s changing perceptions.

The writing style flows beautifully and is fully engaging, making some slightly complex emotional situations feel fully immersive and immediate. I really enjoyed this book. Oh, and yes, this is plenty spicy too :).

Thank you to the author and publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to live Jean’s journey in this ARC.

Jean is a career-driven woman who has never made space for romance—until she meets Ava, a captivating and free-spirited woman who turns her world upside down. Though Jean has always considered herself straight, the intense chemistry between them leads to a no-strings-attached affair that begins to blur emotional lines. As their connection deepens, Jean is forced to confront her identity, desires, and the life she thought she wanted.

Loved that it was set in London where I’m from, enjoyed the late in life LGBTQ rep as I’m also a late in life queer person. But otherwise this didn’t quite hit the way I’d hoped. I couldn’t quite work out why whilst I was reading it and thought maybe I was in a slump post reading some of the best sapphic romance I’ve ever read. But reflecting on it I think it was the writing style, it felt almost like a movie script where all the vital info and scenes are there but the in between bits were missing. I wanted a little more flow and wished it was meatier (not sure if that makes sense!).

ARC REVIEW

Strap in is a magnetic tale of coming out later in life.

Entwined with the lust and trust between jean and ava is jean’s trauma As she struggles to come to terms with her identity and to overcome the stigma engrained in her by her catholic upbringing.

This book celebrates black excellence and the love and compassion of LGBTQ+ people while tackling important issues like sexual assault.

Through Strap in, lou morgan powerfully delivers the message that it is never to late to come out and live your authentic truth.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

In this sapphic age gap romance, Jean is curious and hooks up with Ava. But it sons becomes a regular thing, leaving Jean with questions about herself.

Never would I thought I could read a book with one of the main characters being 50+. I’m 30, and my mom is in her fifties, so it’s been weird in the past. But Lou Morgan has written a masterpiece and the age didn’t bother me at all.

I really liked the way internalized homophobia was portrayed, along with Catholic guilt. It tackled hard topics while being hard to put down. The way Ava takes care of Jean is adorable and honestly is the goal.


Strap In is definitely worth a read!

A fun, devour-in-one kind of read, perfect for a summer trip/beach read, or travel book!

There is a lot to like here - exploration of sexuality, feisty characters, and high heat from early on. Jean and Ava are a fresh take on a sapphic romance, and I enjoyed watching them progress from purely physical to a growing bond.

My only issues with the book were subjective ones, and that's simply because I didn't connect to the writer's voice as much as I'd have liked. However, I am very picky with romance voices, and I think many people will enjoy this.

‘Strap In’ by Lou Morgan is a beautifully written sapphic slow-burn romance with perfectly balanced steam, gentleness, and emotional depth.

Written in third person from Jean’s POV, the book offers an engrossing experience. Jean and Ava are polar opposites, career-driven, guarded and somewhat oblivious versus calm, understanding and unapologetically confident. Their dynamic captivated me from the start. Their chemistry is enthralling, and their connection was well-paced.

What I absolutely loved was how thoughtfully the author captured identity difficulties, personal growth, late-in-life self-discovery, and stress along with challenges that came from it. Ava’s emotional intelligence and support created a perfect balance as well as safe space to Jean’s internal struggles. She offers knowledge, understanding, and opportunity to become her best self. Their relationship never felt rushed or forced. The writing is emotionally rich and inviting. It’s a perfect combination of humor, sweetness, spice and depth that feels both grounded and deeply moving.

I definitely recommend the book, especially if you’re a fan of age-gap, gay awakening romances.

I received an ARC from Hera Books and NetGalley, and I’m leaving an honest review voluntarily.

I had the pleasure of receiving an ARC from NetGalley and Hera Books to read!

This book was written well! I was captivated from the title, the cover, and the overall description, because we don’t see a lot of older lesbian/age gap romances.

Throughout the novel, Jean was discovering herself, working through her past traumas, learning to love herself and begin a new life, with a woman who was 18 years younger. It didn’t even feel like an age gap, Ava and Jean were both incredibly beautiful and smart women, different lawyer backgrounds, but both mature and set in life.

The plot of a one night stand, to fuck buddies, to late in life lesbian realizations, really was nice to read and heartwarming, I was truly enjoying a lot of this book. Although some parts were triggering, like the sexual abuse that happened, and the scene where Jean goes to save Rhonda from that disgusting man, it overall didn’t feel out of place (most of the time these scenes are unnecessary), but in this case it made the book more real, truthful, and provided more context into the lives of the characters.

The sex scenes in this book were really beautifully written, you know sex scenes are written by women when there’s so many emotions happening at once while reading it. The pacing of the scenes were great, there were a great amount of them, at the right times, everything flowed well. Ava and Jean had me yearning for romance and an ever growing love like theirs.

The ending authors note was really beautiful to read too, and the added playlist afterwards was perfect. I love getting a playlist to learn more about characters, and a book. I think curated playlists go so well!

I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author in the future!

This was such an enjoyable read. The book was very spicy, but it also explored trauma and its impact in such a delicate and empowering way.
The books follows the main character Jean as she discovers herself. This is a slow process, but we get to see the patience of her lover Ava. I’ve seen reviews that felt Jean discovering herself took too long, but I disagree. To me it was accurate and real, which I found made this book a powerful read.

Overall, I did really enjoy the story. MC's Jean and Ava are as different as night and day. Jean projects herself as a mostly buttoned up conservative and Ava a beautiful free spirit. They shouldn't really work together but the writing is so well done (mostly for Ava) that they do. I was less enamored Jean. Without adding spoilers here, I will just say some of the choices she made along the way in her early life just did not sit well with me AT ALL. I give the author credit for wonderfully explaining how she came to the choices she made and almost....almost making me more sympathetic to them but in the end I just could not quite get there with that character.
As with any romance, it has all the expected plot devices including the third act breakup. I am not always a fan of this but in this case it was needed to FINALLY further MC Jean's self-realizations.
I do agree with another reviewer in that this book may have benefitted from a dual POV. If nothing else than just have a short break from time to time from Jean's insecurities and self-loathing.
I also feel like an epilogue would benefit the story. As a reader of romance, one invests all this time into the push and pull angst of the characters as they figure it out and then have to suffer through the dreaded third act breakup. So when they finally come together for their HEA it becomes a little disheartening when there isn't some glimpse into that long awaited HEA.