I really enjoyed this book. When I closed my kindle on the last page, I sat and took a moment to enjoy all the lovely feels that the ending radiated. I’ll be honest and say at the start of this book I worried it was going to be too slow, but I quickly realised that Macy’s character development couldn’t be rushed. She’s been through hell and deserved the time to get to know her new romantic dynamic with Brooke. At the core of Macy and Brooke’s romance is this intense connection that is almost spiritual. It was amazing to read and watch it all unfold.

I’m loving Georgia’s new upbeat, playful writing style and I think the last few books have had an air of levity and fun that I am really enjoying. I especially loved the playful banter between Macy and Brooke. 

My favourite character was one hundred percent, Macy. I just wanted to be her friend from the very beginning, and her backstory was so heartbreaking that you are backing her and Brooke’s connection from the start. 

I also want to give a shout out to GB because it’s so exciting to see so many new sexualities being written into lesbian fiction. I know she’s done it before, but it is really awesome to see headliner authors being so inclusive. 

Secondary characters in this book just added to this awesome story. Especially Macy’s nephew, Tyler. My favourite Tyler quote was:

“I don’t do the label thing, Aunt Mace. I mean, it’s fine if you want to, but my generation tends to not like them so much. We’re just us. We’re just who we are.”

This is the generation I am the most excited about, and Tyler reinforced it for me.

This is me repeating myself again because it’s Georgia Beers and damn this woman can write a kissing scene. I feel myself in awe of her kissing scene prowess. 

I just felt we never got to see Brooke and Macy’s HEA. The ending was beautiful, it really was, and it gave me all the feels but with everything Macy has been through I would have really enjoyed a little more confirmation on their happy ever after. 

They both appear in the novella collection All I want for Christmas, and I read that straight after to get some more Brooke and Macy feels. 

I’m about to make a big statement here, but I think this might have been the sexiest sex scene Georgia Beers has ever written. I have tracked back in my mind to all her books, and I don’t think any are as sexy or that the connection between the character is so palpable Between the kissing, the canoodling and the hot sex… well damn!

I couldn’t put this book down and honestly; it felt like I was being whisked away into Macy and Brooke’s world. If you are looking for a romance that is packed full of fun and charming characters, this book is for you. 

4.5 stars

The two main characters in this book are both interesting women, Brooke is a real estate agent new to the city; Macy is a real estate stager who has been in the city her whole life. When these to initially meet there is a bit of attraction between the two, even though both women are opposite in many ways. Macy is a bit of a klutz well Brooke is very organized and precise. Macy is from a loving family who excepts her for who she is while Brookes  family Rejects her sexuality and is a source of pain for her. These two unlikely women keep running into each other which Brooke gets excited about because there’s a potential there, however Macy feels she has her heart full of her cats and dogs and isn’t in the market for another human to capture her heart. Then one night, unexpectedly, Macy kisses Brooke and the intensity of their feelings is in that kiss. Brooke is thrilled by the development but the kiss suddenly ends when Macy sees a picture of her deceased partner and ends the kiss and feels very guilty. Macy has been unable to move on to any type of relationship because of the baggage she still carries concerning her deceased partner. Brooke helps Macy process her feelings and the to begin to move on with a hot and heavy relationship until it all comes to an end because of Macy’s fears. The road to a happy ever after is a challenging one for these two but they are able to work things out with the help of a fantastically well developed cast of secondary characters who are very involved in the entire story.
Georgia beers is a top-notch writer and her stories are always very well developed, that being said I would have liked to of seen a little bit more of an ending that would have cemented the happily ever after in the book for me.

You always know more or less what you’re getting with a Georgia Beers book, and they are gentle and comforting reads. The characters here are new-in-town estate agent Brooke, and Macy, who works for a staging company, which basically means primping up properties to make them look as good as possible prior to putting them on the market, to maximise the chances of a good sale. (I had no idea this was a thing, but evidently it is.) 

Brooke is super organised and Macy’s a bit of a klutz, prone to falling over and dropping things. Not the most original dynamic, but it’s fine. More significant perhaps is Brooke’s issues with her parents, and most of all the shocking bereavement Macy suffered a few years earlier.

I like Georgia’s characters, who have proper jobs, believable emotions and don’t act in ridiculous ways. This is a sweet if relatively uneventful read, following the developing relationship between Brooke and Macy. As usual there are various animals around too - a host of pets for Macy, a new cat for Brooke - who always enhance the story.

A good addition to the Georgia Beers bibliography.

This has been a sweet story, very sweet indeed. And it also has human and non-human protagonists, as is usually the case in the books of this author.These non-human protagonists play a sufficiently relevant role and also contribute to the overall sweetness of the book.

The truth is, in many moments along the story I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, some of the things the two protagonists carried inside seemed like they were going to explode at any moment, but to my complete satisfaction there has not been as much drama as I could have expected as the story went on. Because me and excessive drama don't get along very well, but, you know, that's just me.

Of the two protagonists, I preferred Brooke over Macy, if only because of her adorable compulsive count of everything around her. Although Macy is also worthy of esteem, if only for her attitude in dealing with the blows of life.

I would have liked the ending to have been stretched out a little bit more, but overall it has been an entertaining, romantic and very enjoyable story.

“And I will continue to, every time you say it. You gotta have faith, honey.”
“I used to.”

When Macy Carr crashed into Brooke Sullivan and ruined her perfectly put together, very professional and expensive business outfit, she also left an undesired impression on the very cold but beautiful woman she was supposed to work with. 

In a new city with a new job, Brooke Sullivan is determined on a fresh start and to build her career as the newly recruited real estate agent with Wolfe Agency. Organised and poised, she was thrown into a mess when the clumsy Macy Carr ran into her. 

What started off as a stumble from their first meet up developed into mutual liking as they started to work together. However, as their relationship developed further, Macy’s past threatened to put a halt to all of it. 

This is a story of letting go, acknowledging and moving on from grief, strength to overcome stigma and courage to embrace love. 

Readers who have read Georgia Beer’s novella in “All I want for Christmas” will be pleased to learn more about Sasha Wolfe in this book. 

I just reviewed 16 Steps to Forever by Georgia Beers. #NetGalley

I think I have loved every book by Georgia Beers I have read in recent years. She had some sort of writing slump at some point but she’s clearly over it and it makes me really happy. Because when she’s good, she’s really good, in that soft, warm and, yes, sexy way I love in romance novels.

New city, new job, new life. Brooke Sullivan left Ohio, hoping from a new start away from home. That new life starts with a bang when, a few days into Brooke’s new job at Wolfe Realty, Macy Carr barrels into her, sending raspberry Danishes flying every which way and, of course, directly on Brooke’s ivory suit. As Brooke will find out, Macy’s clumsiness is legendary. What else is legendary is how talented Macy is at staging homes, a skill Sasha Wolfe, Brooke’s boss, plans to make good use of for the new high-end property she’s been hired to sell. Despite the disastrous first impression, Brooke quickly learns that Macy is well worth the effort. Sweet, complex and still grieving the death of the love of her life, Macy has filled her life with pets (three dogs, two cats), family and friends. She never thought she would, again, feel what being near Brooke makes her feel.

On the surface, Brooke and Macy are complete opposites. Brooke loves order and logic, Macy thrives in organized chaos. Then again, Brooke brings peace and serenity to Macy’s life while Macy brings the fun side of Brooke (who definitely has a fun side) out. They both make the other feel safe. Not as in playing safe, as in safe to be who they are and, honestly, that’s kind of everything in a relationship.

What I love about Beers’ writing is that she doesn’t need to overstate anything. Her characters are genuinely nice and lovely, and she’s awesome at writing the subtle shifts that move friendship into “more” territory. In romance, what matters isn’t the way the story ends – there will be a happy-ever-after or, at least, a happy-for-now –, it’s the journey, and Beers makes that journey very sweet.

It’s in the details, such as Macy’s relationship with her nephew Tyler, her friendship with Lucas, Brooke’s complicated relationship with religion, her bisexuality, her budding friendship with Sasha… Sasha, whose story Georgia Beers tells in Triple Dog Dare, one of the three novellas that make up Bold Strokes Books’ 2020 Christmas offering, All I Want for Christmas. I’ll be reviewing it very soon but I can already say that while I liked Macy and Brooke’s romance a whole lot, I loved Sasha’s. More soon.

Oh, and Macy needs to get tested for dyspraxia. Just saying.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Light hearted romance with meeting and falling in love as the driving story.  Brooke moves from Ohio to start a new job and life in upstate New York.  She is successful and wants to perform her best.  Macy is klutzy and an animal lover.  She is also talented and provides much of the property staging for Brookes new agency.  Their paths literally cross more than once as they become friends.

This is my first Georgia Beers novel and her characters have a lot of depth.  Macy has lost a partner and must deal with guilt as she moves forward.  Brooke feels her parents disappointment but she wants to make friends, renew faith and be happy in her new life.  The side characters Sasha, Eva, Tyler add so much as the story unfolds.  Even the menagerie of dogs and cats all have distinct personalities.  I love the natural conversations between characters and I could see the love relationship developing.  

The angst moments were realistic.  Macy uttering "Well, well, well,..If it isn't the consequences of my own actions.", is so self aware even if she isn't sure how to make things right.  I wish there were a few added scenes at the end or an epilogue but I finished feeling things were on track for a HEA.  (4.5 stars rounding up)

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books, Inc. for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Big fan of this book! It was really close to getting 5 stars from me, so I definitely would agree with other reviews giving that rating. 

Georgia Beers always is a great writer, but for some reason I felt like her banter and witty dialogue was better in this book than a lot of her others. Kudos to her there. Brooke and Macy bounced off each other so well, that I could hear the flirtation in the dialogue. 

I think the topic of second loves is always a challenge, and this story felt real. Theirs the obvious guilt of falling for someone again, but also, what about the guilt when you realize you aren't feeling guilty? It was neat that she touched on that aspect as well. 

Also have to say, I'll be really annoyed if Sasha isn't the lead in her next book! Love the workaholic but lovable boss thing she had going on. The girl needs some love! Plus, then we'd get a sneak peek at Brooke and Macy again...

Overall, really sweet book to read and one of Beers' better books to date.

I have mixed feelings about this story. It was sweet, the characters were sweet, the pets were sweet....but I didn't get emotionally involved this time.  Dont know why...but I didnt.
I have read all of Georgia Beers books and loved them.  So maybe just my current mood. (Covid...election aftermath)
I felt a little irritated with Macy...I realize her past experience was shocking but it had been 3 years.  I would expect her to be thrilled she had found someone as special as Brook.  
Again, I realize she was shocked again, but it turned out fine.  That should have shown her that not all emergencies turn out the same.  And grateful.  But then we wouldn't have the angst to complete the book.
Good characters,  cute pets, very warm and funny dialog but a bit too formula this time for me.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an absolutely lovely story! 16 Steps to Forever truly is a classic Georgia Beers novel with lots of romance, a fair dose of angst, and of course a small herd of adorable dogs and cats. Does a group of dogs and cats make a herd?

16 Steps to Forever tells the story of Brooke Sullivan and Macy Carr. It is a beautiful story of two women who obviously have major chemistry together. However, they must find a way to overcome heartaches and disappointments in their pasts in order to have a possible future together.

A city in upper New York during Spring is the perfect setting for this story, and is well described in the tale. The characters (main, secondary, and animal) are all well developed. I connected with both main characters immediately. It probably helped that both of them are animal lovers, especially Macy. In fact, as I was reading about Brooke being “adopted” by a stray cat in the story, my family was being “adopted” by a (formerly) feral cat in our neighborhood. Talk about a story coming to life!

I truly loved reading this novel. It left me feeling really happy. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a great romance.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

There are lots of elements to like in this story. The budding relationship is nice and rather sweet. The bisexual aspect is well written and nuanced. The church and faith is matter of fact and chimes with the rest of the plot as part of the character, but not a big deal for the story. All of this works to create a warm atmosphere, but overall the tone of the book, for me, is a bit bland. Basically it lacks that spark of energy that makes a romance book zing. Having said that the animals were the stars and all of their scenes were great. It’s a decent book.

A cute romance with an LGBT topic. Even though I found the story charming, it did not catch me as much. It didn't pull me to keep reading, I love more plot twist etc, so it was a bit flat for me. It is a light read, so if you want to escape the reality for a while and laugh I definitely recommend this book to you. 

Thank you for Netgalley and the author for the copy in return of an honest review.

Three and a half stars. This was... fine. I really enjoy Georgia Beers' writing, and I feel almost guilty when I set really high expectations for her work. But in all honesty, out of her three releases this year, this was my least favourite. 
Maybe I went into this with the wrong attitude or something. For the most part, there wasn't anything negative for me to pinpoint. The characters are instantly attracted to each other. Check. One of them has flaws, and a dramatic backstory. I thought they had average personalities, so I wasn't extremely fond of either of them. Macy was a little more human, but I wasn't invested enough to really root for her. 
Today's revelation is that because I am a character-driven reader, I expect different things from a book that gives us two perspectives instead of one. When we only see one side, of course we only expect to see one character arc. Or even when we mostly follow one character, only seeing hints of the other. We know who has the most growth to do. Here, Brooke was a mostly static character, basically just the love interest, even though we see a good chunk of the story through her eyes. She might have had flaws, but they weren't given much discussion, and there was no incentive for her to change. This was most evident at the angst moment, when all of the emphasis is on how Macy messes up, how she's responsible for the pause of their relationship. (spoilers...) This never fails to annoy me in a general sense, and it was what put me off Hopeless Romantic, but it's so much worse when a character is clearly going through a lot. It should not have been difficult for Brooke to piece together why Macy has been off since she found Brooke passed out... it's almost like she has past trauma about having a girlfriend injured and lying on the floor? I suppose I can understand why she blames Macy for not telling her, but come on. She needs a little more support here, possibly therapy. Macy's not over her fears, but the book ends before we see any steps to resolve it. That only accentuates the abruptness of the final scene. I did not like that, because it should be about character development as much as the romance, and having the issue still present in a HEA does not make for a guaranteed HEA. (And yet, in the end, I still come away with a positive opinion of the author. She does write gems like Macy whispering to herself, "Well, well, well. If it isn't the consequences of my own actions." See, Georgia Beers can be brilliant.)  
To end my tirade. Please. Let's have more character growth for the second main, characters like Brooke. I would have so much less criticism to dish out.

Brooke Sullivan is starting a new job in upstate New York after relocating for a variety of reasons from Ohio.  Shortly after she begins her new job as a high-end real estate agent she meets home stager, Macy Carr.  Macy is three years out from losing her wife to a freak accident in their home.  Macy found her wife unconscious and continues to have flashbacks and regrets that she could not save her wife.  Macy surrounds herself with her five animals, family, and friends for comfort.  

This book was a nice mix of heart-felt drama, laughter, and excellent main character chemistry.  The first meeting between Brooke and Macy was laugh out loud funny, although Brooke was mortified, and her ivory suit probably never recovered.

I also liked the tie-in with Brooke's boss, Sasha Wolfe, who was featured in Beers' contribution to the All I Want for Christmas trilogy released which in the same month.  All I Want for Christmas was arguably the best read of that trilogy.

Overall I'd rate 16 Steps to Forever 4 stars.

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The worst thing about reading a Georgia Beers book is that you know you probably won't come across a book as good as the one you're reading for another 3-4 months when the next Beers book is released.

This was a fun read - we all know how these romance plots work, but it's always fun to try to figure out where and why the break-up will happen and how the characters will get back together. The story had plenty of heart-tugging drama and two very likable main characters. I wanted them to get together and I wanted them to get BACK together. 

My only complaint, and it's minor, is when you expect an epilogue to wrap things up, but when you turn the page you instead see "about the author". I nice summary of seeing where these characters are a year or two down the road would have been nice.

Brooke moves to a new city to work at well known real estate office. She's eager to prove herself, but when she meets the klutzy residence stager Macy, she's not so sure it's going to work out. The two women keep running into each other, sometimes quite literally, and they find it harder to deny their attraction and the easy way their conversations flow. Macy has lost her first love, and hasn't dipped her toes into the dating pool since, but will Brooke be the one to help her have a second chance at happiness?

This has been one of my favourite books by Georgia Beers in a while. I really loved the chemistry in this book, particularly with the way Georgia Beers did the slow burn and added tension with every chance meeting. Their romance was super sweet and very genuine. I also have a huge love for both real estate/home design reality shows, so marry that love with a perfect wlw romance and you can't get much better! Except it did, because you had great secondary characters with their own backstories for the readers to explore and an adorable mix of animals. This was the perfect cozy way to spend an afternoon. 

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

It's no secret I love Georgia Beers, she is one of my favourite authors in the genre. So obviously when she releases a new book I have to read it, and it didn't disappoint.

Brooke packed up all her things in Ohio for a fresh start in upstate New York. As a realtor, she can work anywhere and she needs to be away from her parents and their strict beliefs. She wants to focus on her work, have everything nice and organised. She doesn't want the stray cat that peers into her rental's window, nor does she want to be attracted to some flaky girl. The flaky girl in question is Macy, who works as a property stager. She isn't really flaky, just a huge klutz and a bit less organised than Brooke. Their first meeting is the epitome of klutz-life if you'd ask me. Macy believes she has already had the one love she was supposed to have, so her connection with Brooke is surprising to her. Yes, Brooke is extremely attractive, but seemingly the polar opposite of Macy. When they get to know each other better it's clear to everyone there is more there than just friendship. But their pasts might get in the way of their future.

Pretty early on in the book, there is a mention of Hopeless Romantic, the wedding planning business from another Georgia book. I was hoping we'd get this lovely story that resulted in a wedding done by Hopeless Romantic, we do get a HEA, but not with a wedding. I could see a sort of series forming from this book with Hopeless Romantic and maybe the next one with Sasha (Brooke's boss), it wouldn't be a real series, but it could be, just saying. I liked both characters in this book, there are features of each character that seem so legitimate I can easily identify with it. I have a slight preference for Brooke's character, don't know why. Might be the name, I love the name, for no good reason really... 
As always Beers's writing is excellent and I enjoyed how the romance unfolded and the story continued. I'd liked to have an ever sweeter ending, but you can't have it all :)

I'm a huge Georgia Beers fan and as usual she doesn't disappoint. This was an easy read and beautifully written. The main characters were amazing. Dare I say, Brooke was my favorite as she was more open. 5 stars.


Thank you NetGalley, Bold Strokes Books and Georgia Beers.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the author for advanced copy. 

 5 stars 

Georgia Beers has done it again! If you have read any of her books you know another great one is here with 
16 Steps To Forever. Her writing eases us in with getting to know the main characters. You'll find bits and pieces of yourself in them. Take a liking to each. In this case...Brooke, just moved from Ohio to upstate New York where Macy has lived her whole life. Both are different areas of the real estate world, going to a meeting when their worlds collide. Slowly the suspense builds as these two head strong woman realize what is best for each of them. 
I highly recommend. Great read!

Another sweet romance by Georgia Beers.

It has all the expected "ingredients" I've come to expect from her novels: charming main characters, interesting secondary characters, sweet love story and pets :)

I always enjoy a Georgia Beers story and this one is no exception.