I requested this because I was really interested in reading about older women finding love late in life. However, I wasn't a fan of the mystery aspect.

𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝘅𝘁𝘆.

I have a couple of ARCs that I put off writing a review for, for far too long and this is one of them. I picked this one up because I wanted to try more books about older lesbians to see how I would fare with them. I like that older characters typically come with a certain level of maturity and I was hoping that this one will be the same.

The characters are about sixty and it's a second chance romance for Mary and Sadie who haven't met in thirty years. I know they're probably too old to waste time being coy with each other but it just felt too easy to have them simply picking up where they left off all those years ago. The characters also find themselves embroiled in a mystery that involves two dead bodies and a stolen receipe, and it's a light mystery that requires a bit more story development.

Well, I wasn't bored by this, but I think some improvements can be made to make the story better.

That’s in exchange of an honest review that I received an ARC of "Old Love" by Nancy J. Hedin from Bella Books (via NetGalley).
So, here it is !!!

My rating : 1⭐️

Oh, no, no, no … That’s not fair !!!! I hate giving a bad review… And since Nancy J. Hedin is a new-to-me author, I was really looking forward to reading her work, especially because, like a lot others I bet, I love tropes like small-town, second-chance romances, mysteries and (very) mature MCs. Since there’s supposedly a mix of all that in it, I really hoped this book would be a gem … But, nope, this was not even an okay read in my book and I’m glad, for once, that it was on the short side. At least, there were the animals …

Don’t get me wrong, there’s a bunch of very good ideas in there but the way the story is quickly told didn’t fit me, at all. Beside the fact that, seemingly, there’s only one real MC (Mary), which is source of an unbalance from my POV, there’s no room for building anything properly and it just kept feeling more than a bit off. The book is full of potential but it has not been realized. Far from it … And it felt like if the author just tried to tick as many boxes as possible in the tropes department that might please the readers, the list including the inclusion/positive queer representation:
°°°° heavy subjects (= I mean by that things which are not easy to deal with in real life) like, for example, the transgender question and the teenage pregnancy, have been treated in a very superficial way,
°°°° the romance is very low-key and, let’s say it, quite boring,
°°°° the mystery is quite weird & with few interest in the end
°°°° the character development (for both the MC and most of the secondary characters, including the MC’s love interest, Sadie) was definitely too poor for my tastes, especially considering there were more than 3 decades of separation. BTW, because of this huge amount of time, it was hard to believe some of the actions that happened and I really have the feeling that everything would have been more credible, so would have worked better, if the characters had been younger and the separation way much shorter (maybe 15 years, but not a lot more than that …).
I couldn’t feel any connection to Mary Caine (the highly unlikable MC who’s a 5 year sober recovering alcoholic – that’s not an issue to be a recovering alcoholic, being a bitter human being is – who lacks of personality and who’s a so-called penny-pincher but, paradoxally and in an unbelievable way, gives out money like crazy in there). Neither could I feel the connection between MC and her love interest … so I wasn’t interestest in any of them…

In the "Cons" department you can also add : (NB : not exhaustive list)
° the tiring back and forth between present time and when the MC and her love interest were young … it breaks the narrative flow & the pogression of the investigation … Having a prologue introduicing the MCs and the conditions in which they met, fell in love, how Mary’s heart has been boken, etc ... would have made more sense.
° the anachronisms : For example …=> In chapter 5 Sadie tells Ed : "Almost everybody has a one-volume collected works on Amazon." ... OK !!! But ... Maybe I’m wrong but, if this "Amazon" is the well-known American multinational technology company where you can buy almost everything you want, well, let's say that we've got a huge problem !! Why ?? Because it's a hell of an anachronism ... == > Remind : the first day Mary had met Sadie & the time when the dinner happens is something like thirty-seven years in the past (at least, that's what is said in chapter 3 => "Sadie Barnes stood next to her, and she looked not one iota less beautiful than the first day Mary had met her thirty-seven years in the past"). And Amazon was founded in 1994, so, only 27 years ago...
° some useless and tiresome repetitions from the beginning, for example : in chapter 5 it’s said " (…) under the ruse that she needed one of the large washing machines to clean a comforter—Sadie lived above the laundromat—"… Yeah, yeah, we know that, it has been said at least twice already (in chapters 3 and 4 for sure), so, what’s the point ?? , etc …

I could go on and on, and on but the review could be longer than the book itself & I don’t have any more time to waste on this …

If I had to make a very short and quite different version of my review, it’d be something like this :
- Did I enjoy this book? => Nope
- Did I find the characters believable? => Nope
- Is this book now included in my "must be re-read"-list? => Nope
- Will I purchase the paperback? => Nope
- Would I read another book by this author? => Maybe someday I’ll give her another try
- Would I recommend this book => Nope

I quite enjoyed this book and found it an easy read. Although not relatable I found the quirky characters likeable and enjoyed the story.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

The premise of Old Love is refreshingly unique, there's just not enough older women love stories out there. So I requested this book with heaps of anticipation. I wanted so badly to love this book. But I just couldn't connect to the characters. Any of them. I'm saddened by that because I had such high hopes for the story. The characters were just too quirky for me to take any interest in. Mary's "voice" made me take pause as well.

But...as a whole, I want to give the author kudos for trying to give us older readers someone to cheer for. That alone deserves three stars.

Thanks to Bella Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I have read by this author and will now search out other books! Interesting concept and story line

DNF 72%

Bottom line - the thing that made me stop this book were religious references and whatever brand of religious trauma i seem to carry with me.
I kept reading it, because the concept seeming interesting - a cozy mystery with a wlw romance between women approaching 60 seems really interesting - but ultimately there wasn't enough to make me keep going until the end.
I enjoyed the way the author described the surroundings and people and it seemed quite atmospheric to me.
I think the mystery has a lot of potential.
I really enjoyed the two teenage characters in the story. And I really appreciated the inclusion of characters and the representation of those in recovery and of the story line of teenage pregnancy.
Unfortunately, the quirks of the two main characters may work for some people, but for me... they just weren't my people, and bc of that I couldn't get into their romance. If you are someone who would enjoy that type of personality it wouldn't be a problem, but for me it was too much of a "i'm a weirdo" vibe.
I really hope to pick other books from this publisher/author in the future that better fit my reading preferences.

I was curious to read this story featuring older lesbians and a mystery to solve in a small town in Minnesota. We learn about store owner and recovering alcoholic Mary Caine and the torch she has been carrying for the love of her life Sadie Barnes for over thirty years. The mystery to solve involves a stolen recipe for the town’s famous BBQ sauce and two dead bodies found by the lake.
Hedin's writing style reminds me of another Minnesota native, Garrison Keillor. Self effacing humour and down home folksy charm can be cute but it can also be too much, dominating the narrative at the expense of character and story development. Mary’s many quirks and odd behaviour match Sadie’s questionable actions and deeds. I never did buy into these two finding love after so many years apart. The mystery of the two dead bodies and repetitious fears surrounding a stolen recipe ending the Mid-Summer Carnival were overshadowed by Mary’s internal dialogue and flashbacks to the past. The appearance of Andrew was the most moving aspect of the book for me but he was overshadowed by Mary’s weird behaviour.

I'm a country girl but even I found this to be too country cute for my taste.

2.5 stars

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.

I was so looking forward to reading a new author's work, or I should say new to me, to say I was disappointed is an understatement. This is a story that revolves around Mary Caine, a recovering alcoholic who owns and operates the small grocery store that her family has owned for a few generations. She leads a quiet life and is pushing sixty yrs so the chances she has of meeting someone she can have a relationship with in this small town doesn’t seem to be in the cards for her. Mind you she was in love once, about forty years ago but her lady love wanted to live somewhere with a little more life to it.
Sadie Barnes was that woman and now she’s back, taking a job with the local school board. When she meets up with Mary at the scene of a double murder Sadie acts like the intervening years never happened. Now Sadie appears just when the local Midsummer Carnival is getting ready to open its doors. Or should I say ‘gate’ seeing it's a community fair.
Anyway here we are, Mary doesn’t know if she's going to get another chance at love but now that Sadie’s here she's hoping so. But with a murderer in the midst puts the whole carnival in jeopardy.
This had so much potential for being a great read or even a good read but both MC’s aren’t all that interesting and the story plot isn’t enough to keep me reading. How it ends, I don’t know. I quit reading chapter 17. I kept hoping something would happen to keep me reading but it just didn’t happen. I hate giving a bad review, I really do. But that doesn’t mean someone else won’t enjoy this book. I know the author put in a lot of work but this one never came together for me. Best I can do is read and give an honest review.
ARC via NetGalley/Bella Books

I was looking forward to reading Old Love by Nancy J. Hedin. The bright cover caught my eye, and the blurb was interesting. It sounded like a lovely reunion romance partnered with a cozy mystery with hints of a rom com added in. I also liked the idea of the main characters being a more mature age than normal romances. We don’t see that very often in WLW novels. Unfortunately, the book did not live up to my expectations.
I think the biggest problem I had with the story was character development, especially the main characters. Sometimes the actions of these characters contradicted their character descriptions. I never connected with neither Mary nor Sadie in the story, and I had a hard time believing in the speed of their romance. After thirty years apart, these two should have been almost complete strangers to each other, and the romance should have reflected that.

The eccentric/homebody tone of the narrative started to bother me after a while. A little of that voice is cute, but the whole story told in that voice was too much for me.
I did enjoy the cozy mystery of the tale. That part of the story is well-written. For me, it was the best part of this novel.

I do see promise for future books from this author. She had some really good ideas for the story, and did create an interesting mystery. I look forward to seeing her future writing.
While I can’t say that I really enjoyed this novel, I do think those who like cozy mysteries might find it an OK read.

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

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book was unlike any book I've ever read before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. But I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed it a lot.

When her former lover Sadie returns to town after decades of absence, Mary Caine is overwhelmed with an unusual excitement, balancing courtship with her attempts to solve a mysterious double homicide seemingly related to a beloved town BBQ sauce recipe.

This novel reminded me of “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café.” There was a very nostalgic small-town feel, despite the modern-day setting, and the themes of long unrequited love and the detriment of conservative values were certainly familiar.

The positive queer representation was also very refreshing, especially the beautiful and understated reaction from Mary when she meets her biological mother, a trans man named Andrew.

The writing, however, was more reminiscent of John Updike’s “The Witches of Eastwick.” There was a strange straightforwardness and occasional coldness that didn’t fit with the tender love story at the centre of the narrative.

I enjoyed reading this recent outing from Nancy J. Hedin, but the flaws in tone and pacing prevented me from falling in love with the intricate characters she created. But if you’re a fan of Alice Munro and Fannie Flag, I would say it’s worth a read.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

This story has it all. A wondrous tale. I hope this isn't the end of their stories. I would love to read more. The below stayed with me. So many experience this.

Then Mary met Sadie Barnes. Suddenly, everything made sense. It was quantum physics, DNA, evolution, and the Big Bang Theory all in one. Loving women was a natural state of being, not a viral persistent rash. She didn’t need treatment, new distractions, an exorcism.

I usually read books with characters that are around my age, a little younger or a little older. The mains in this one could be my parents, there is nothing wrong with that, but I think it made it even harder for me to click with this story.

This is a rather short book, about 200 I would say and it still feels like it dragged and is just a little boring. I was hoping for a bit more mystery and intrigue. What I got was something that feels like an episode of Murder, She Wrote. Mary seems like a person who is just stuck and set in her ways and I can see some redeeming qualities in her but mostly I find her a but of an old spoil sport with a grumpy outlook on life who rather lives in the past. Her love interest Sadie comes back into town after 30 years and she just does whatever she asks. I just can’t deal with that. How can you just pick up after 30 years? There are some other things that are raised, Andrew for example, that are dealt with, but feel like it could be more and make a better story.

After reading this book I discovered the author also writes poetry. This is a very personal thing but for me poetry writers and editors, who started with those things before becoming a writer usually have a writing style I just can’t get into. I don’t know why but there is just something about it. I think this story will work for some readers, mostly readers looking for an easy read PG read.
I can’t give it more than 2.5 stars, I had some higher hopes for this one…

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. It's cast the characters was very widely diverse so I enjoyed that.

This is my first try with this author, and I have debated with myself about the stars for this book. I will go with 2.
It is a beautiful story, but I see problems in it.
I really liked Mary, the protagonist, mostly because she is an unusual character in lesbian novels. She lives in Minnesota, away from the coasts ever so present in romances, she is a lonely old lesbian and a protagonist! She deals with losses in her life, but she is also fun to read and cares about others. This book is a second chance romance too, which is good for me.
The transgender question as well the teenage pregnancy were present themes. I see it as a positive side, but they seemed to be treated in a superficial way.
Now looking to the whole book and its characters... I finished it and could not help but think. What is Jimmy doing there? How does he contribute to the narrative? I sincerely don't see the necessity of him being there in the development of the plot.
This is a sweet story, but has problems with its narrative structure.

I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Couldnt finish it. Too much detail, not enough story. What little story there was went way too slow. Bogged down with too much description of EVERYTHING. I couldn't get into it.

I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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


Mary have live in Whistler, Minnesota her whole life she soon going to be be sixty. She been running her family store for years. When she learns her first love Sadie is moving back to take a job at the school she doesn’t know what to think.

Mary may think her town is boring but the one thing she looks forward to is the Midsummer Carnival but she fears it won’t happen because of the discovery of two dead bodies. As she and Sadie get to know each other again she decides to find out what happens. I like Mary character she was quirky and sweet.

This was a sweet story of second chance at love that never really went away and about learning to accept change.

Mary Caine runs her family store in the small town of Whistler, Minnesota. She is closing in on 60 when many things happen very close together. Her first love returns to town, she hires a couple of teens at her store, there is a mystery of two bodies found at the lake and something is threatening the success of the beloved annual Midsummer Carnival. Mary, who is use to living her own life, now has her hands full in wanting to solve the mystery, help others and reconnect with Sadie Barnes.

This book is a gentle and sweet, short read. I like the small town feel and the main characters. Mary was especially enjoyable as someone who probably doesn't like change and yet make efforts in a short time frame. The mystery is fairly easy to solve and it allows Mary the chance to interact with others in the town. The author brings closure to all the storylines but it felt like a long novella instead of a full novel. (It's hard to judge length in ebooks.) I wished for more conversations between Sadie and Mary who've been apart thirty years and I would like to know more about Andrew.

This is a clean book for intimacy with some mild cursing. Thank you NetGalley and Bella Books for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars)