A Convenient Arrangement is one of my favorite books of 2021. I had never heard of 'cuffing' before I came across this book, so I wasn't entirely sure what I was in for. Rey and Clevenger did such a good job of developing the characters and made me care about all of them, especially the child. In a lot of novels I read, child characters are very one-dimensional or are written as very unlikeable characters. Ben is a character that it is hard not to fall in love with and one you want the best for. There is instant chemistry between Jess and Cody that boils over into some very steamy lovemaking scenes. There is a bit of angst, but something that is taken care of in due time.

I can't speak highly enough for how much I enjoyed this book. It has sweetness, tenderness, hot sex, and the building of a family, all things that I cherish in a love story.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

4 stars.

I'll hold my hands up, didn't have clue what cuffing was, I needed google.

Anyway, I loved it! I've not come across a story like this one before (not that I can think of), it's sweet and cute. There's chemistry and spark between the two main characters Jess and Cody. And I enjoyed watching how their relationship flourished over time, as well as the barriers they hit and fought to overcome over the months.

Just for the record.... cuffing has nothing to do with handcuffs.

I was given an ARC for an honest review.

Look no further for a witty, hot, all-around wonderful Holiday romance
This is one of those books which have me after a few lines sit back, sigh with pleasure and enjoy the romance unfold with a hot chocolate at hand. In other words this read was unadulterated pleasure! I loved the two main characters, their chemistry, their insecurities, the hot sizzle, the stunted attempts, the growing (forbidden, chuckle) attraction, the cute kid, the insertion of real life problems - and foremost the wit and humor shining throughout the stories. Had to laugh out loud and chuckle several times - the best.
The pacing is good and the storyline never falters or goes in over-dramatic drive. Up to the very end it is pure pleasure to read. Well done.

I enjoyed this book, the premise was interesting, the characters endearing (especially the little boy) and the concept of cuffing was new to me. A short term arrangement to get through holiday season and separate in the Spring. A journalist decides to try it out and write about it in her column. She hooks up with an academic trying to get tenure who needs a girlfriend for university.

The characters throughout are funny and well written and the developing relationship between Jess and Cody is handled nicely though I’m not sure how credible the whole idea of cuffing is… I’m a retired old married lady…

An interesting diversion for a couple of evenings when you want a good story, well told.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley.

Thank you to Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I came for the lesbian romance and I can't say I was disappointed one bit. I hope this becomes a series with new characters!

A Convenient Arrangement follows Jess Archer, a lesbian journalist for the queer magazine Sapphisticate, and Cody Dawson, a junior faculty member up for tenure consideration. When Jess's boss asks her to write a piece about cuffing, Jess is hesitant at first, but decides to try it in hopes it will give her a break from fluff pieces. Cody knows having a signifcant other to bring to academic events would only improve her chances of getting tenure, but as a single parent her first concern is always about her son.

Jess and Cody had great chemistry from the start. I loved their every interaction and how they got to know each other. I wouldn't quite say this is fake dating, but it's a twist on the trope for sure. I loved how there were always feelings involved and both of them were concerned they were falling too fast. We also got a couple lesbian jokes, and one about a U-haul and I'm here for this kind of queer content.

I have nothing negative to say about this. My only complaint is I wished it was longer! I loved the story and these characters so much. This book was the perfect holiday read, and crossed off every box I had. Can't wait to dive into Love, Accidentally!

Rep: white lesbian single mother MC, white lesbian female MC, queer Black female side character, many white lesbian female side characters, queer Latine Senator side character, Black female side character.

CWs: Abandonment, emotional abuse (past mentions and current trauma), injury/injury detail, sexual content.

“A Convenient Arrangement” is the first of a two-book collaboration between authors Aurora Rey and Jaime Clevenger. It’s also a collaboration between two different publishers, Bold Strokes Books and Bella Books, which I thought was really cool.

Jess Archer, a journalist for an online magazine, is tasked with writing a column on cuffing. She meets Professor Cody Dawson who needs a date for some school functions. The two hit it off and decide to give a short, no strings relationship a go, both knowing it has an expiration date in three months. This is not my typical kind of romance as I usually hate insta romances and that’s exactly what this is. Jess and Cody jump into their relationship very quickly but it didn’t bother me here.

I really liked this at the beginning. I liked both Jess and Cody but as the story progressed, I started liking Cody less and less and that took away some of my enjoyment. Jess and Cody were both very good about setting rules and guidelines (though they weren’t nearly as good at following them.) They talked a lot and seemed to do a good job with communicating with one another. However, it seemed as time went on, they stopped telling each other their issues, which of course lead to problems later on. Also, Cody was filled with doubts and started second-guessing everything to do with Jess. I still liked this enough to want to finish it but Cody’s continual doubts really got in the way of my enjoyment.

I know I started of negatively but there were some really great things about this too. I was really impressed with not being able to tell this was written by two people. Rey and Clevenger did an excellent job with the way they weaved their story together. Jess and Cody have outstanding chemistry right from the beginning and are very likable. I also liked the inclusion of Ben, Cody’s son from a previous marriage. I did think he was more polite and better mannered than most five-year-old’s but I still found him to be cute and really liked his relationship with Jess and her family. The black moment I could see coming from a mile away but luckily, it didn’t last long.

While I have overall mixed feelings on this one, I think most people will get more enjoyment from it than I did. I let my annoyance with the second-guessing get in the way so it’s more of me thing for why I didn’t love this. This is well written and has a lot of heart. I should add that Ben plays a big role here, so if kids aren’t your thing you might want to miss this one.

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

A Convenient Arrangement is a collaborative novel between not only two lesfic authors, but two queer publishing houses. Aurora Rey, from Bold Strokes Books, and Jaime Clevenger, from Bella Books.

As someone who has been with their partner for over ten years I won’t lie I had to fact check this one. “Cuffing” is a temporary relationship, two people agree to hook up for a set amount of time typically over the winter months to avoid going to all those holiday parties stag. Then “break up” at the end of the season. According to the internet it is more of a straight people thing. Which makes sense since this pairing goes from fake dating to U-Haul status immediately.

I found the premise of this book interesting because it almost walks the line with fake dating but the pair for all intents and purposes are in a real, if temporary, relationship. When Jess gets an assignment to investigate the concept of “cuffing,” for her lesbian lifesytle blog she and a new friend, Cody, decide to pair up.

I did love the maturity of the characters in this book, both have a clear understanding Of the agreement they are making to each other. And as their relationship evolves the women quickly learn to adapt to the other’s quirks and insecurities. The story is a little predictable but has a lot of heart, and will give you all the gooey feels.

#lesbianbooks #lesfic #butch #femme #romancebooks #lgbtq #lesbian #wlw #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #lgbtbooks #romcom #sapphicbooks

I loved A Convenient Arrangement. You will too if you love fake-dating tropes. This is great for the holidays because a major plot point is cuffing. It's like fake dating but a temporary relationship during the holiday season and ending on or around Valentine's Day.

The writing is excellent! It felt like I was peeking in on real people's conversations, not reading about characters in a book. Their chemistry and banter felt so real. This is my first book by Jaime Clevenger & Aurora Rey. But, it won't be my last. I could not stop reading I just needed to know what would happen so I finished it in one day. You will find the 'failure to communicate' & 'overhear and misunderstand/misconstrue' tropes that are used often in romantic fiction, but there are reasons that make more sense than usual with these tropes.

I did not know that A Convenient Arrangement sports the same characters found in ‘Love Accidentally’ until I read some other reader's reviews. I have seen that each can be ‘stand-alone books’ but after reading I want to read the other book too.

Thank you to Netgalley for an eARC free of charge. All opinions are my own, it was my choice to read, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

Rep: white lesbian female MC, white lesbian single mother MC, queer Black female side character, multiple white lesbian female side characters, Black female side character, queer Latinx Senator side character

TW: emotional abuse (past mentions and current trauma), Abandonment, injury/injury detail, sexual content (a few scenes)

I absolutely loved this book. I really enjoyed both Martin characters and thought they were suited to each other well. I also really liked the supporting characters- Ben was adorable and Jess’ relationship with him was written so well you could just imagine it. I also enjoyed Jess’ family and the professors at the university. I had no idea this book was written by 2 people - you really can not tell at all.

I really really enjoyed this read, a gorgeous ending but also made me feel warm reading about the developing romance between Jess and Cody too.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw this was a joint effort by Rey and Clevenger, I figured I’d enjoy it, since I’m a fan of both. This is a lovely sweet romance that I was really enjoying until the manufactured drama near the end.

So, here we have Jess, a columnist for a lesbian magazine who is tasked with writing about “cuffing”, which I had never heard of but apparently is a thing. This is where you hook up with someone for the “holiday season” and break up by Valentines Day. All Jess needs is a woman willing to “cuff” with her.

Enter Cody, a professor at a local university who is on the tenure track, and has a five year old son, Ben. Cody needs a girlfriend to enhance her tenure chances because she wants to befriend the lesbian president of her university.

This isn’t really a fauxmance, in that they actually do have a relationship, and most everyone knows the truth behind it. They also hit it off really well and are attracted to each other and Jess and Cody’s son Ben love each other. Their relationship is sweet, they spend a lot of time together, and their interactions feel organic and unfold naturally. Ben is also a sweet kid, and I really liked his interactions with Jess. The supporting characters of Cody’s BFF Amelia and Jess’ roommate Finn also make up the new pairing in the follow up book Love, Accidentally, Gillian and Shannon and Jess’ boss and family also add to the story.

The main issue I had here was Jess’ column. She’s writing about how she’s dating “Carrie” and has previously met Cody’s boss, Gillian, to interview her, plus she befriends Gillian’s wife Shannon, so it seems completely ridiculous that they wouldn’t read her column and know Cody was Carrie. There’s also some other melodrama with Ben’s birth mother and all of this culminates into a completely contrived drama right at the 85% mark, as you’d expect.

Lesfic/wlw writers, please hear me when I say that readers do NOT NEED YOU TO DO THIS, it is not entertaining or interesting to see two characters who up to now have managed to communicate pretty well suddenly become unreasonable and break up for no reason except that you think we need you to insert drama to keep us reading to the end. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to battle to the end of what was a good book because of this. Please, I beg you, STOP WITH THIS ALREADY.

Overall, I enjoyed this. Both characters are interesting, separately and together, Ben was cute, the relationship was sweet. I knocked a star off for the drama stuff, but fans of these authors should enjoy this.

Received an ARC from publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a fun and lighthearted, but emotional and times, rom-com. It's a unique concept, somewhat similar to the fake dating trope. The 'cuffing' concept is something I hadn't heard of before.

Jess and Cody are both well fleshed out characters as are the secondary characters. It's great to see one of the leads being a mother, as we don't get much of that in sapphic romance.

The pacing did feel a bit slow at times, but looking forward to reading the next book in the series nonetheless.

I had no idea there was such a thing as “cuffing” and I am positive I would never agree to such an arrangement. However, the main characters in this book both have valid and dare I say grown-up reasons for doing so. Jess and Cody are both adults with full and complicated lives. So of course, the deal seems an answer to both of their needs. Because there is a firm end date for their arrangement, they will be able to keep things casual. Easy, peezy, right?

Jess Archer just received an assignment from her boss: write about cuffing from the inside of such a relationship. It means she needs to find someone to date. Usually not an issue – she can get a date. but can she find someone who will agree to the stipulations she will require? And can she find someone who she will want to date for that long? It is a godsend when Cody agrees.

Cody Dawson is on track to get a tenured position – if only her boss would stop questioning her commitment to her career. Her being a single parent to a five-year-old boy is a major obstacle for him. She cannot do anything about being a parent, but she may find a way to not be single long enough to get his recommendation.

What starts as a simple plan turns complicated when they start spending time together, both alone and with Cody’s son, Ben. They each start wanting more than just a brief affair, but they have an agreement to stick to. Besides, this deal has enough complications already. Will they have sex? Will Jess meet Ben? What will they tell people? Will Cody read Jess’s column updates? The list seemingly gets more complicated every day.

I enjoyed reading this book more than I anticipated. After all, it was written by two very good and established authors, but I was unsure of the idea of cuffing. There didn’t seem anything romantic about it – a bit too cold-blooded for my taste. Once I bought in on the premise (which didn’t take long) I was all in. I could see the trouble which lay ahead of them, and I was pretty much assured of a HEA, but I cared enough for them that I did fret a bit. Not full-on angst but plenty enough that I had to take a breather here and there. How does having an ending planned keep things uncomplicated – isn’t it just one more thing to worry about?

The supporting characters were great bonuses and Ben’s addition to the story added depth to the character’s thought processes. He was a needed reality check to their relationship. Jess’s family also makes an appearance and has questions that Jess cannot answer.

I highly recommend “A Convenient Arrangement” and it will be added to my re-read

What a fun and well-written story about a topic that I have heard of but never read about. I enjoyed the main premise of the book, the practice of cuffing, dating during the months of winter to keep warm when it’s dark and cold, only to dump the temporary partner when warm weather arrives. Kind of no strings attached but with a twist. Very interesting. I also like how these authors collaborate on writing since I have enjoyed how they write independently. Specifically, butch/femme characters. I also enjoy reads with children. A real bonus was the friend group.

Cody Dawson, college professor, needs a date for work engagements while keeping things light as she’s dedicated exclusively to her five-year-old son, Ben. A temporary arrangement is a perfect solution. Jess Archer, digital journalist, assigned to write about "cuffing". Unsure she wants to but her boss says you do it or I will assign to another journalist. All Jess has to do is find someone...to cuff with.

Using the same characters found in ‘Love Accidentally’ Ms Clevenger and Ms Rey gives us two books that hit all the right spots for a romantic novel. But if you want each can be ‘stand alone books’ but I think after reading one you will want to read the other book too
Cody Dawson is on track to finally getting tenure at the university but when you have another professor who still thinks a woman's place is home. Now how to show she has a very stable relationship was the real problem. Her main worry is her son, five year old Ben. The idea now was to find someone willing to pretend to be her girl friend without Ben getting too attached.
It just so happens that Jess Archer needs someone to pretend she has a girlfriend who is also into ‘cuffing’. It’s not what you might think, no it’s where two women decide to have a relationship for a short time. Wouldn’t be that bad but Jess’s editor wants her to do a series about ‘cuffing’ for the digital magazine they both work on. Now she’s in the same position as Cody. She doesn’t have a GF, nor does she want one but for a few months she could make believe, at least until her assignment is done.
After Cody and Jess meet they now have the job of pulling off the deception needed for Jess’s assignment and for Cody’s tenure becomes a reality.
Simply put these two authors have given us, the ‘readers’ two really good romances. Very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

I thought this book was cute. I love the conversations that the characters have- they talk to each other like adults rather than making assumptions and letting things fester.
I am, however, super bummed that there weren't any handcuff play scenes. Such a missed and lost opportunity for a book about cuffing!!

I loved this book. I have no idea if "cuffing" is a real thing, but the storyline of temporary to true love is a favorite trope. Ben was an adorable character and Cody's protective nature spoke to this mama's heart. I think the writing is seamless and impossible to tell which author is which. I wonder if there's the opportunity for more books considering all the secondary characters. I'm definitely game for more from these authors! I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Two authors from different publishing house coming together to write a book peaked my interest. They didn't disappoint. I thought the book was well written and the main characters were well developed with amazing chemistry. Ben was so sweet, I just couldn't help falling in love with him. Well done!! I definitely recommend.
4.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Review of A Convenient Arrangement by Aurora Rey and Jaime Clevenger, audiobook narrated by Kira Omans

This is a rare collaboration between two authors from different publishing houses, Aurora Rey, who’s signed to Bold Strokes Books, and Jaime Clevenger, a Bella Books author. Together they have written two books (so far) in the Mile High City Romance series: A Convenient Arrangement published by Bold Strokes Books and Love, Accidentally released by Bella Books.

Jess Archer, a lesbian media platform journalist is assigned to write an article about cuffing season from her own experience but now she has to find a willing woman. Cody Dawson needs a date for work engagements while keeping things light as she’s dedicated exclusively to her five-year-old son. A temporary arrangement is a solution for both of them but what happens when feelings get in the way?

I loved the main premise of the book, the practice of cuffing, that is, dating during the months of winter to keep warm when it’s dark and cold, only to dump the temporary partner when springtime arrives. Kind of no strings attached but with a twist.

I’ve never imagined a collaboration between these authors but after listening to this novel it now makes absolute sense to me. Both authors excel at writing butch/femme romances and their styles are very compatible. They both create emotionally vulnerable butches and strong femmes. Additionally, they both write the butch/femme sexual dynamic really well, specifically strap-on sex. All of the above is present in this novel.

I liked the main characters, they have great chemistry together and the secondary characters are also very well fleshed out, especially the five-year-old boy. This novel also introduces Amelia and Finn, the main characters of Love, Accidentally. Having said that, the plot felt a bit slow at times and the ubiquitous conflict around the 80% mark felt a bit contrived.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Kira Omans who did a good job. Her voices were distinct and the performance of emotions was very good. I’m glad I got to hear the audiobook, I think it improved the story overall. 4 stars.

Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first time reading either author and I have to say that I liked the book very much.
Its a real feel good loving book. With nice build up and getting to know both the characters and them as a couple. Loved the side characters, specially cute little Ben and Jess' family.
Love the fact that the authors didn't dumb down Ben. I've read several books where one of the woman have a child and the writers have made the child seem younger than their age.

But there were something unsolved. Namely Anastasia and if she wanted joint custody. If that have been resolved I have missed it

If all their books are as good as this one I've definitely found new authors to read.

Very enjoyable read. I really didn't know what the term cuffing meant until I read this book. It's really kind of interesting if you are into this lifestyle. The term cuffing is described as having a short term relationship for a few months at a time with different people. It wouldn't work for me and it definitely didn't work for our main characters, Jess and Cody. There relationship was so cute and sweet from the beginning and when you add Ben who's Cody's son to the mix it just got cuter. I liked that there was very low drama even though Cody had some conflicting emotions about her feelings towards Jess it was still a very fun read. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family, and I look forward to what these authors write next.