I was given a copy of the story in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very relatable story two mature women finding each while navigating careers, family, college age children and sexes.

Quinn is a divorced architect who'd well meaning g sister sets up multiple blind dates.

Amanda is a divorced mother of two and the owner of a thriving bakery.

Quinn and Amanda meet when Amanda decides to expand her business space.

A relationship develops, unexpectedly from there.

Life's complications bring unwanted drama - busy body siblings, misguided exes and children not ready to let go of the dream to reunite a family.

Totally believable personalities and situations - a good read!

This has been a romance with middle-aged protagonists, Amanda is in her forties and has two teenage children and an ex-wife. Quinn is in her fifties. For starters, Amanda has a lot more stuff than Quinn and most of them are hindrances. Quinn has a past, but it doesn't seem to have left her too emotionally charged.

I've never had that maternal instinct and I'm not going to have it anymore, but after reading books like this I'm glad it was that way for me. Because I don't know what I could have done with a selfish teenager, I don't even want to imagine it. And with this I do not want to spoil it, but it is quite common that when in a romance one of the protagonists has an ex and has children, things can end in a bit of a mess.

If it hadn't been for Quinn, this book would have been too much for me and I probably wouldn't have finished it. But there is Quinn. That sometimes seems to want to disappear from the spotlight but she resists and has patience. In the end, she is mature, much more mature than Amanda, thankfully.

So with its ups and downs, this story has been enjoyable and I am glad I was able to overcome the annoyances along its way and have finished it.

When Amanda decides to expand her bakery (Bake My Day), she hires Quinn as the architect to help with the expansion. As Amanda and Quinn spend more time together working on the project, their attraction is undeniable. But with Amanda's ex trying to win Amanda back, will it be possible for Amanda and Quinn to pursue a relationship?
I enjoyed both characters. It was good to see both Amanda & Quinn realize that it was best to leave the past behind and commit to giving the future a chance. Very well done!

Entertaining read by a BSB veteran author that satisfies the butch-femme lovers of romance. However, the surprise of the book isn’t necessarily our couple, but the sparkling dialogue of family and friends surrounding the couple. A wonderful book for a cozy afternoon.

This was my first book by Rey and I have to say I really enjoyed it. It’s over a four star but not quite a five star. I had no idea this book included characters from other Rey books, so I think that speaks as to the ability to read this book as a standalone and still enjoy it - but I’m definitely going to want to read The Last Place You Look and Built to Last now.

I really enjoyed the premise. Amanda is a bakery owner looking to expand her bakery into the shop unit next door. She hires Quinn, an architect, to help her make her vision a reality. It’s clear from their very first meeting that they have chemistry and the storyline revolves around their getting together. It’s a cute, sweet romance, with a satisfying HEA.

I liked both MCs a lot. I enjoyed the scenes of Amanda both at work and being a mother to two teenagers. I thought the balance of her life was expressed really well. I thought it was a shame that her ex had such a big part in the book and it actually caused me a bit of anxiety because I was really enjoying the relationship between Amanda and Quinn and hated the interjections of Mel - but I could understand why it was done this way as I’m sure there are many divorced couples where one or the other person wants to get back together.

I thought Quinn was great, and I really enjoyed her getting to know Amanda’s kids. As someone who has been the person inserted into a ready made family with older children, I thought the way Rey dealt with Quinn’s introduction into the family was done really well. I also enjoyed how the teenage characters were written, especially when it involved discussions on gender and the like.

All in all this book had me smiling a lot and I’d highly recommend it. It doesn’t stray wildly from the traditional romance tropes but it does bring some much needed levity and openness into the mix. I’d happily recommend to any wlw romance fans and I’m looking forward to exploring more Rey.

Aurora Rey is rapidly securing a spot amongst my favourite writers. She has the talent to write about real life stuff, puts in realistic conversations and responses/actions without it becoming boring. She pulls you into the life of her main characters, in this case Quinn and Amanda who meet up later in life after both having gone through a divorce, and lets you follow the road with them without burdening your reading with excess drama or convoluted ploys to get to that break-up point almost all books have at the 80% mark.
And don't get me wrong, I do like a book full with drama and angst from time to time, but throw a book like this in your reading pile every once in a while to get you mellow, relaxed and hopeful: normal people, living normal lifes with ordinary circumstances really do find their romantic happily ever after too!

***An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. ***

Thanks to Netgallery and the author for an advanced copy!

Brief summary: Amanda's bakery is getting a remodel and oops, the architect she hired to lead the project is charming and gorgeous. As they bond and take on the project together, wouldn't it be a shame if they fell in love?

This was such a lovely read. Aurora Rey has a way of writing realistic back and forth conversations filled with humour and emotions and balancing character dynamics with the perfect amount of realistic fear, tension and honesty. Amanda is sweet and hardworking, Quinn is quietly fierce and loyal. They click so well and you really find yourself enjoying the everyday activities and family bonding. It takes great skill for an author to make you super invested in mundane routines. Rey does it perfectly.

I loved the communication between Quinn and Amanda and how they would take realistic breaks to deal with things and also exist outside of their newfound relationship. It's always so refreshing to see older lesbian couples. It makes older readers feel way more relaxed and content about finding love later on.

There's no rush; Rey reminds you constantly to have hope for love no matter what your previous experiences, or lack of, have been like.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.


Not much to say about this book.
It was a great romance read.
Characters Quinn and Amanda were written well and found them relatable. It was a breath of fresh air to read about a couple finding romance who are older than the usual novels out there.
Mel, however needs to chill. I was/am not a big fan of hers.
The plot was smooth flowing and went quick. I was tapping those pages on my Kobo and next thing I knew, I was half done.
Overall, it's cute, breezy, adorable book. It's going to have a spot on my recommend list for sure.

Aurora Rey is an excellent writer but I didn’t feel the chemistry and the attraction in this book. Quinn is waaaay too old to be as insecure and self doubting as she was. It was, as my wife likes to say, “that’s not cute” As for Amanda, it kind of felt like she fell into a relationship with Quinn, that she wasn’t really into it throughout the story, and that it became safe because it was totally opposite from her previous relationship. I’ll still buy Aurora Rey without hesitation; this one fell short for me.

Aurora Rey's books are always a delight to read. Getting older myself I like when lesfic romances have more mature characters in their late thirties and forties.

Amanda, a cake baker, divorced and mother of college-aged kids meets Quinn, architect and still getting over her divorce. Amanda is ready to expand her bakery and hires Quinn to design the expansion. There is an instant spark between the two.

After her divorce, Amanda hasn't dated, instead choosing to focus on her bakery and her kids. Her ex, Mel on the other hand remarried and choose the lifestyle of high profile career and money.

Because what is a lesfic book without angst, Mel shows up right when Amanda starts getting to know Quinn. I did find it annoying that Amanda nor her friends pointed out how obvious it was Mel wanted her back only after her marriage was going bad and finding out Amanda was getting involved with someone else. I found it hard to believe Mel still loved her and only just now saw the light.

Quinn is a very patient woman. It was good to see her character evolve and standing up for herself.

A great weekend read!

Cupcakes and Contentment
Amanda is a divorced lesbian with two college aged teens. She hasn’t dated since they were small, instead throwing herself into raising them and growing her bakery business. A brief fling with her ex reminds her that there is more to life and also why they are exes. Quinn is still feeling the sting of her divorce. She is so tired of being set up by her family and friends but can’t seem to say no. She is an architect and has been hired by Amanda to renovate her bakery. When the two meet, both are smitten and maybe ready to open themselves up to a relationship…. Too bad Amanda’s ex has decided to stick around…

I LOVED this story!! Ms Rey NEVER fails to cheer me up when things are tough and she worked her magic on me once again! Besides being so well written, with excellent characters and story development, it is filled with lovely feels and mushy goodness. I adored watching Amanda and Quinn in that sweet yet awkward first stage of attraction when they aren’t sure about the other... Then seeing them gain confidence and fall for each other….There were several Awww moments for me and being the sap I am there were a few happy tears too. This beautiful romance is sure to win a spot in your heart too.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rey is fast becoming a favourite of mine. This was a lovely, sweet romance.

This takes place in the same universe as [book:The Last Place You Look|52962361] and features one of the secondary characters, Amanda, as one of the MCs here, and some of the other secondary characters for LPYL. I haven’t read [book:Built to Last|25898774], but Joss and Olivia were mentioned so much here that I assumed they had to have their own book and will now have to go read it.

So, the basic premise is that Amanda runs a bakery and wants to expand the space and Quinn is the architect she hires for the project. Both are divorced, Quinn only recently, while Amanda has been split from her ex Mel for years, but hooks up with her again just prior to meeting Quinn.

Both Quinn and Amanda are interesting characters, and they have great rapport and chemistry with each other. I loved how their relationship unfolded and how they got to know each other and interacted. They both also have great families, Amanda’s son Cal (who also featured in LPYL) was a definite highlight. Though I did think it was weird that Quinn’s family just sort of disappeared around the 60% mark, I’d have liked to have seen Amanda meet them.

Amanda’s circle of friends is pretty much the same circle of friends from LPYL, since she’s friends with Julia and it was nice to catch up with them. The only sticking point in this book was Amanda’s ex Mel, who is in the middle of a messy separation from the woman she left Amanda for and now wants Amanda back. Pretty much every scene with her annoyed me, especially the big scene towards the end. Amanda with Mel also annoyed me, the first drunken hookup I could understand, but why she went back for more was unfathomable and honestly made me think less of her. That Mel then kept popping up was the only flaw and why I knocked off a star.

I did like that the requisite drama didn’t lead to an actual breakup and was resolved with all of the characters involved actually talking to each other. The epilogue also added to the story instead of being used to wrap up plot lines, which I appreciated and I believed the HEA for these two and thought it was earned. 4 stars.

I am usually a big fan of stories involving, especially if they involve baking, and this one is no exception.

Amanda has been divorced for a decade when one night she gets drunk with her ex and wakes up with her. She regrets her decision but when she does it again and sets a date with her ex she starts hoping to rekindle what they once had. That is until she gets stood up and comes to her senses when she remembers why they broke up in the first place. Amanda is renovating her successful bakery, she hires architect Quinn to do the design of the space. Quinn is recently divorced and her friends and family have been setting her up on unsuccessful blind dates ever since. There is an instant attraction between the two women, but are they ready to open up and love again?

Everything about this story is sweet, apart from the angst moment at about the 90% mark of the book, it's over the top if you ask me. As is the resulting fallout. As with every book with food it left me hungry for mostly sweet treats. I think the main characters are well suited for each other, both a tad insecure because of their past, but bold with each other. I like how Amanda's kids are an important part of the story as well, although they are (almost) grown-ups their opinion on their mom's relationship/ partner matters to all parties involved. I could understand when people say the story is a bit flat because it sort of is, but I enjoyed the easygoingness of this story.

I'm starting to see more and more lesbian fiction books these days that focus on "women of a certain age". This is one of those books and I'm loving it! I love reading about mature women who have emotional baggage and rich histories before getting together. It adds so much to the story.

In Twice Shy, two divorced women - one with practically-grown children - meet and make their way toward a relationship. The story was realistic and fun to read. The characters were great, and their stories believable.

When Amanda takes over the storefront beside her bakery, she plans a remodel and expansion. She hires Quinn, an architect, to make her bakery dreams come true. Neither woman was expecting the immediate connection between them. Both women have been married before, and so they start up a tentative flirtation. But while Amanda and Quinn take a chance on a second love, Amanda's ex-wife is not so keen on Amanda moving on.

There is no more perfect combination than romance plus food plus a good renovation project!
I loved loved loved the slower burn of this romance the chemistry and the tension was so high with such a sweet payoff. Both women were more older and more mature so they knew what they wanted, and that made for a very empowering story. Quinn's character was so strong and steady but also had her own insecurities - this made her such a very real character that let the reader form a really strong connection with her. The kiddos brought another nice dimension to the book - heartwarming and meddlesome at the same time.

I also really loved seeing so many old friends from other books - Olivia and Joss from Built to Last, Taylor and Julia from Last Place you Look and Drew and Hannah from Recipe for Love. If you haven't read those books I highly recommend them as well - I'm definitely off for a re-read to stay in this lovely little interconnected world for a little while longer.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a sweet romance about two middle aged divorced women who were not looking for love or even a serious date I’m glad that the author let the two mains take the time and get to know one another instead of just jumping right in. Both Amanda and Quinn are very wrapped up in there life’s and pretty shy when it comes to making a connection. The development of the two mains kept me engaged in the story and I’m happy that Quinn had interactions with Amanda’s children. All in all this was a great story and I would recommend it too anyone looking for something quick and sweet and a tad hot at times
I was provided an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review

Amanda Russo owns a bakery and is the baker. She decides to buy the shop next to hers and expand her business. She hires Quinn Sullivan as the architect to turn her dreams into a reality. As the women spend time together on the project, they are aware of the underlying attraction between them. Amanda is dealing with her ex who doesn't want to remain an ex and Quinn is still recovering from her breakup. However, the women realize that they cannot resist the attraction. The question is will Amanda's ex will be willing to give her up and will Quinn be able to deal with a new chance at love.
I would recommend.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars. Amanda Russo knows better than to sleep with her ex-wife, yet she does it anyway. 'She doesn't regret it until she realizes her ex-wife has not changed at all. She hires an architect, Quinn Sullivan to update her bakery. Quinn immediately feels a connection to Amanda and wants to ask her out, even though she is a client. Quinn is also over her divorce and willing to date again. There is only one problem, Amanda's ex-wife won't seem to get the hint that Amanda is wanting to move on.

I enjoyed this novel. The dynamic between Amanda and her ex-wife and Amanda and Quinn were fun to read. I enjoyed the way Amanda and Quinn's relationship evolved throughout the novel. Amanda's storyline was a little predictable with the ex-wife. I enjoyed how Quinn and Amanda relationship started out professional and evolved from there. This book was good, but not amazing and a little forgettable. I am writing this review about a week after I read the book and I am having trouble thinking of all the details of this book. If you enjoy this author, you will enjoy this novel. I am not sure this is the first novel I would recommend.

Amanda Russo, runs the local bakery, has two teenagers and an ex who's suddenly interested in Amanda all over again. Amanda's bakery is so successful she has decided to expand and has engaged architect, Quinn Sullivan to draw up some plans. Quinn is still reeling from her divorce but the more she works with Amanda the more they become interested in each other.
This was a nice story with the side story of Amanda's ex creating an interesting dynamic. I enjoyed the two main characters, they were a little older and more thoughtful about what the relationship meant to each of them and also taking into consideration Amanda's family.  There was nice chemistry between Amanda and Quinn, lots of mature conversations without the usual lesbian dramas which was refreshing . Overall an enjoyable read.

Aurora Rey is one of my favorite authors, which means I never bother with reading the blurb - every book is an automatic must-read. Her niche is the strong sassy femme finding her sweet sensitive butch, general set in upstate New York. And it always works. I really liked this couple, both approaching 50 and each with her own full family life that includes an ex. Throw in college age kids, interfering siblings, a bakery remodel and you have a really nice, well written story. There are cameo appearances by characters from three previous books, which I always enjoy, plus lots of great food. And you know the love scenes are going to be off the charts hot. For me this one is a do-not-miss must read.