After reading Always Believe I have mixed feelings. One one hand I thought it was decent and on the other hand it was very angst heavy. In many ways I can understand it. You have Greyson Walsden a former surgeon in the Military who has now decided to give up her career in the military and her given profession to be a member of the cloth. You really don't know why she has made this decision until later in the book. Then you have Angela Arlingham who doesn't believe in God after losing her mother many years ago and now losing her young daughter. The idea that they can find love despite these circumstances is very angsty. The entire romance is a roller coaster ride. There are so many aspect that affect this romance even happening and that is what made this harder to read. I believe taking out a few of these aspects would have made it a more enjoyable read.

3 Stars.

This arc was provided by netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book a bit more than I thought I would, given I prefer to not have religion in my entertainment.

But the blurb really intrigued me. And I am interested in people who are religious (or, more specifically in this case, and in most people I know, Christian) and struggle with how other Christians see them versus how they feel their God sees them - most especially LGBTQ Christians. And, especially, those who don’t opt for denominations that are LGBTQ-supportive, but who are not internally homophobic.

(I always find it interesting, what books we feel the need to explain our POV before giving our opinion.)

Even though I don’t necessarily understand Greyson, I am intrigued with her struggle to accept and fit everything together in her life. And her “flip-flop” thoughts as she does it. The flip-flop clearly comes not from a weak personality, but from giving sincere thought to all. She has certainly gone through a lot.

And Angela is also intriguing, with how she handles blow upon blow, especially the latest, that opens the book. How does one handle the death of a child? Especially this particular kind. I’m glad to see she was already luke-warm about God before her daughter’s death. So that it was something that pushed her the rest of the way over the edge, instead of being the first time she questioned and was angry.

The secondary character of Emily Jones was priceless. In all the ways in which she was, in this book. (That sentence doesn’t make sense, does it? But in the various ways she relates to Greyson. And then with Angela’s father. Etc.) There were a number of other notable secondary characters. Maisie was also priceless.

There is quite a bit of reminiscing, painful and otherwise, to important turning points in each woman’s past, I like this way of fleshing out characters.

The ending was great - if not realistic, at least for the current time.

I’m glad the MCs made the decisions they made in, and prior to, the end.

I really enjoyed this book, and would love to read more by this author.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher and am leaving an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for access to this arc.

The conflicts for this book drew me in as they’re believable and ones that didn’t seem as if they were either due to anything silly nor could they be solved by the perennial “five minute conversation.” Plus there are older MCs which is always a plus for me. I think as a women’s fiction book, this one would pass muster but as a romance, I have to be honest and say that it didn’t quite work for me. One thing that might bother readers is the fact that many times the POV switched between the MCs from one paragraph to the next. There was always a dialog or thought tag to indicate whose POV it was now but I would have preferred a page break or other indication that this was happening.

First off, there is so much telling instead of showing. Since both MCs are older, I can see why there is a lot to their backstories that we need to know, especially as much of this shapes who they become but yeah, way too much telling. The action would just jerk to a halt as one or the other would – often in the middle of a scene – stop and get lost in memories. To be fair, I don’t know how else some of this information could have been conveyed but it did slow things down.

Neither of the main characters are ones you can warm up to easily, either. Angela has gone through a lot of pain, grief, and heartache when the story begins. But as the book progressed, this seemed to remain the chief aspect of her character. There really isn’t that much more about her to know. Her default is anger with a heaping spoonful of sarcasm and withering scorn. She drinks to excess and often gets blotto to ease her emotional pain. I was fine with her being difficult at times and with what she’s gone through, I was glad that her pain wasn’t erased too lightly but given her defenses and that she didn’t change much, it made it hard to see how Greyson fell for her.

Greyson was not the person I would see entering the Church. She’s a loner, standoffish, usually puts her foot in her mouth when talking with people, doesn’t like to touch or be touched, and seems to dread the bread and butter of Vicaring – reaching out to and comforting people. Greyson tells Angela that she fought heeding God’s call to the ministry and I think she still is, at times. I could have seen Greyson being an anchorite or living in a contemplative nunnery but ministering to the sheep of her parish still appeared to be a daily effort that Greyson had to make herself do.

But at least Greyson is out to herself even if she still conceals it a lot to others – which is perfectly fine except for one time when it could have helped another LGBTQIA person’s relationship with the Church. Angela, on the other hand, at first doesn’t seem aware of her sexuality. Even with only 40 pages left in the story, I still wasn’t sure if she’s a lesbian or bisexual. The physical relationship was just – WHAM – there all of a sudden and I’m not sure I believe the declarations of love.

I did enjoy reading about Greyson’s struggles with answering the call to the ministry. Her personal grappling felt real and intense and almost at times as if she were in a boxing ring with her faith. She is the character I saw change and grow. Angela never seemed to do that until suddenly I was told that she had – a bit. But I didn’t really see it nor how Greyson fell in love with her though I did appreciate that there is no insta-love. Really, this is more women’s fiction than romance to me. B-/C+

This book is well written, but unfortunately it didn’t fit my tastes very well, so the enjoyment factor was not very high for me.

Greyson is a retired army doctor who is now a GP and working on becoming a priest. She meets Angela for the first time at the funeral of Angela’s daughter. Angela, grieving deeply, has no faith in a higher being whatsoever and their first interaction did not go very well. Both characters have so much baggage and are so complex that it takes a long time before slowly a friendship develops, but is a romance possible with their differing views on life (and afterlife)?

The book is written in the third person from the POVs of Greyson and Angela. As I mentioned the book is well structured and the writing was good, I especially appreciated that it doesn’t follow a standard formula that is seen so often in wlw romances. There is no standard conflict after a period of happiness, in fact they clash so often there are many conflicts but it didn’t feel forced. The character development is very well and I found their romance interesting, but I felt the romance was not the main focus of the book. The book appeared to be more focused on Greyson and her past and future and the choices she has to make.

The blurb already gives away that Greyson wants to become a priest, so I knew the book deals with religion. However, I did not realize how much. I don’t mind reading about religion, but it was the oppressive atmosphere that I did not like. The conforming to the rules of organized religion. Greyson’s thoughts on it were interesting though. How she does not like some of the rules or even think they are the right ones, but making the difference between her faith and the rules made by men on how belief should be carried out. The same thing frustrated me as well, as some of these rules create such a disbalance and just make me pull my hair out and it was hard for me to read how Greyson appeared to accept these imbalances.
The other thing I struggled with was the fact that I didn’t understand Greyson very well during the first half of the book and because of that I didn’t like her all that much. Becoming a priest is her calling, but at the same time I felt on numerous occasions that she doesn’t want to become a priest and might even be ashamed of it, which was all so confusing. Slowly you’re getting the pieces of the puzzle, and as the book continued I did start to understand her better, but it took a long time.

All in all, this is not a bad book, it just wasn’t for me. If you don’t mind reading about religious debates and struggles you might enjoy this book a lot better than I did.

I thought the book was well written and dealt with some issues spot on. Greyson is a retired officer of the British Forces and a doctor who returns home to take care of her mom. Did I mention, She's also a Vicar (Priest).
Angela is the head mistress of a local school. She's currently grieving the lost her daughter who committed suicide. She's in a very dark place and does not believe in God.
Angela and Greyson first encounter was at the funeral. Over time they develop a friendship which turns into something else.
I thought Greyson was a very complex character who also had some self doubt about the avenue she was currently taking. I kept wondering why, she chose a path that frowned upon her sexual orientation. I enjoyed this book and thought it was a good read. I would recommend. 4 stars.



I received an ARC from the publisher Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for my honest opinion.

My review of Always Believe by Aimée is going to be a mixed bag. This is a well-written novel about two women who are both going through some major changes and trauma when they meet. The story takes us through their lives as they face these challenges and gradually get to know and fall in love with each other.

The story is extremely angst heavy, which I was expecting after I read the blurb. Losing a young child would be shattering to any parent, and that is what has just happened to Angela Arlingham at the beginning of the novel. Greyson Waldsen, the other main character is in the midst of major life changes which include adding the job of Vicar to her already busy life as a medical doctor, and this is on top of just ending her employment in the armed forces.
The romance between the two is very slow to happen in the story, and it seems like it will never happen for several reasons. When it finally does happen, it is a really sweet romance.

My biggest problem with the story involves Greyson. I just couldn’t understand her. I did understand her need to leave the armed forces where she served as a doctor. Being a doctor is a calling that requires a major investment of a person’s time and energy. Being a Vicar is also very time consuming. Both can be emotionally draining. Even if Greyson only works part time as a doctor, doing both would be almost overwhelming. I also had trouble understanding her desire to be a part of a religious organization that doesn’t accept her sexual orientation, and expects her to be celibate as long as she is a Vicar even though straight Vicars are allowed to marry. I realize that last problem has to do with my own personal beliefs. Others may not have the same problem.

I do need to give a few warnings for this book. The story talks about the death of Angela’s young daughter and how it affects Angela. There is also a lot of talk about organized religion which some LGBTQ+ folks may have some problems with.
I’m giving this book a 3.5 star rating. If the warnings above don’t affect you, and you like a slow, angst filled romance, this might be a good read for you.

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

After a bumpy start - mainly caused by my own feelings about organised religion, I found this to be better than I had anticipated from the initial chapters. My initial misgivings were due to the fact I either didn’t read the blurb properly, or I hadn’t anticipated so much discussion about God, but either way, the more I got into the story, the more I was able to just think about the characters and their feelings.

Greyson was an officer and doctor in the British army for a long time, before deciding to take a step away from the forces and follow her calling by becoming a vicar.

We first meet Angela at the funeral of her daughter. She’s the headteacher of a local school, and is reluctant to have anything to do with the church.

This is another one for me that’s difficult to review without giving too much away. I was uncomfortable with the discussions of the church, but I was also uncomfortable with the way that Greyson’s feelings about herself caused her to be deceptive to everyone else in her life in one way or another.

The book deals with a lot of really difficult topics, and for the most part I thought Aimée did that well, providing different viewpoints, and a book that I think is quite different from the usual fare, but this just wasn’t for me.

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

3.75 stars rounded up to 4 stars

Greyson (Grey) has returned back home after having a career as a Military Doctor in the British Forces. She is in her fifties and in my opinion, she is a complex character. She is currently a GP and waiting to be ordained into the priesthood. Angela is a mother grieving the death of her daughter and has decided that God doesn’t exist (I have to admit, I have the same thoughts as her about religion).

I am mostly on the fence with this one. Some of the book I liked other parts I felt were just OK. I’m not a religious person but I really liked Grey as a person. As stated previously, I think she is a very complex person and also I found her to be an interesting person. She reminds me of myself in some of the things she does. I don’t know what it was, but, I just felt drawn to her as a person. As for Angela, one minute I liked her the next she would do something and I would want to slap her. I felt she was hot and cold with Grey. I liked some of the storyline, I liked the characters (Grey more than Angela), I thought the pacing was a little slower than I like and I would say the chemistry was near non-existent. They were more like friends with benefits than lovers.

This is another new author for me. I will check out her other work in the future.

I received an ARC copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

This has not been just a romance, as romance was a bit slow, the background of the story is more a personal transition from one vocation to another with the addition that the person who opts for this great change in her life at the same time she faces the possibility of a romantic relationship that makes her doubt even more about the enormous step she is going to take.

Grayson is a lieutenant colonel in the English army, she is a doctor, has spent her entire career practicing in foreign destinations and even in the Persian Gulf, has been married to another doctor, has discovered her homosexuality in the army and has had to abide by the politics from don't ask don't tell, she has divorced her husband and now intends to graduate and resume her civil life as vicar of the English church. Quite complicated, as I summarize it here, it is the same as how I discovered it in the book, concise and without many details in some aspects.

The other protagonist, Angela, has not had an easy life either, she has just suffered a great drama in her life, which has left her almost in a catatonic state and part of her anger directs her towards God himself. So when Grayson and Angela meet, things cannot be easy for them to understand each other.

The story goes about how they meet in this initial distressing circumstance, but the development of their relationship is slow and with ups and downs, so it can be difficult to stay interested in this book at times. Nor does it have many incentives or in the interactions they have with each other. There is too much pain in the beginning that it takes a lot to dissipate along the way.

It is a complex story, with significant and perhaps controversial themes. It is not an easy romance.

So I was a little sceptical at first.because I'm not religious myself and because it's sad to read about someone loosing her child that way. But Grey didn't want to convert anybody, didn't even try and that I very much enjoyed. I also really did feel her loneliness so I was totally rooting for her to find a happy end. Which they both did! It would be nice to see more change in the church like this. Thank you.

Greyson is just returning from the army after serving years as a doctor. She studying to be a priest because she believes she has a calling.

Angela comes to the church where Greyson is working to plan for her daughter funeral her only child and she having a hard time believing in god. Greyson and Angela meet and doesn’t go great at first because Greyson seems to put her foot in her mouth.

Greyson and Angela aren’t in a place for anything but a slow friendship is build that eventually turns romantic.

This book deals with lot of topics that was well discussed. The other characters were great. Greyson was complex character and it was great to see how it shape her. Angela was angry person with good reason I like how she resolved her feelings with god.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

2.5 stars, but this want for me at all.

Greyson returns home after years of serving as an army doctor. The 50 something woman is overworked as a GP in her hometown while she is also working toward becoming a priest. This new job venture come about after some mysterious calling she had and she is now reluctantly following. Greyson is still in training when Angela comes to her church for her daughter’s funeral. Being the socially awkward person Grey is she sticks her foot in her mouth when she is trying to offer the much younger woman her condolences. What follows are a couple of chance meetings and lots of information about the Church of England. Grey, scarred by her army past and Angela dealing with the grief of losing her daughter find some sort of solace with each other, but they do fight the more romantic feelings.

I had such a hard time connecting with either character it was a rather unpleasant read for me, top that off with so much religious stuff I almost DNF this one. My guess is that there is something in here for someone, but there wasn’t for me. I even had a hard time deciding if the writing style was off or if it was the story, in the end I think it’s a mix of both.

Slow burn, women's fiction, f/f romance. The book's main character is Greyson Walsden (Grey). She is in her 50s, British and served as a military doctor before returning home. She believes she has received a call to serve God and the story begins shortly before she takes her final vows to become a Vicar with The Church of England. Her character is serious and studious. As a lesbian in military service she has gone through the risk of immediate discharge and the times of don't ask don't tell. Now serving God in the church it puts her almost in the same situation. Angela Arlingham no longer believes in God. She first meets Grey at the funeral service for her only child. As their paths keep crossing an undeniable friendship occurs.

I categorize this more as (women's) fiction because it covers so many issues. Grey's follows authority but believes she is as God created her. She follows her call to serve but doesn't find comfort in prayer that she seeks. Trigger topics include: grief, spousal abuse, rape, substance abuse, bullying, distant parents etc. The friendship between Grey and Angela is also hampered by Grey's surliness. Neither of these MCs are in a happy place in their lives. But you see the relationship develop slowly which turns to romance.

I am giving it three stars because it is well written and thoughtful. But I didn't connect with the MCs or feel joy at their coming together. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Book, Inc. for an ARC ebook in exchange for a honest review.

Bit different than most ex-military stories. Enjoyed reading it (wasn't entirely sure when I started it). Bit of angst. Not really religious but it doesn't belabour the point. Will look for more of this authors books.

3 stars

A well written, slow Les/bi romance that explores faith, sexuality, grief, & vocation. I liked this book and sincerely appreciate the themes, but nothing about it particularly gripped me.

[What I liked:]

•The themes definitely resonated with me as a queer Christian who has personally worked through similar issues as Grey did. It’s a hard thing to write about. This book approached the unfairness of church policies realistically without white washing, but I sincerely appreciate that it didn’t dwell on self hatred due to internalized homophobia; but rather explored Grey’s journey to reconciling a desire to follow church authority even though it conflicted with her personal conviction that God accepted her sexuality.

•Grey is a satisfyingly complex character. I liked learning about how her family, her military service, her past relationships, & her faith shaped her as a person. I also found her exploration of understanding how her two vocations—as a doctor and as a clergy person—fit into her life; that was a great character development arc I think.

•The romance was well developed, & I think realistic (no insta-love). First getting to know one another, then the uncertain, awkward stage of not knowing if feelings are returned, to honestly communicating feelings & starting to build a stable LTR.

•The two MC’s lives intersected in several ways, yet it didn’t feel annoyingly contrived or coincidental the ways they found their lives inter connecting; it felt more like they were both parts of the same larger community, & I like how natural that felt.

•There are lots of great side characters, including Grey’s coworkers, Emily, Julie, & Paul.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•Grey’s tensions with Paul never felt resolved. Idk, but that felt glossed over how they started being friendly again. I couldn’t tell if Paul was just being fake nice to be polite, or what.

•I never really grew to like Angela as a character. I mean I totally get why she was an angry person—she had so much pain she was still working through. But there was nothing else about her that interested me. I would have appreciated more character development for her.

CW: off page sexual assault, discussion of domestic violence, suicide, off page bullying, external homophobia

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]