I'm really glad I picked this one up! More of a coming-of-age story than a romance really, though the romance was really sweet and I could definitely see how the final couple ended up together and was really rooting for them. I liked how specific the queer culture of Bristol felt and the emphasis on building a network of queer friends after coming out later in life and I really appreciated the exploration of the anxieties and euphoria which came with that. Unfortunately, while it was in many ways necessary because of the set-up, I really felt the passivity of the main character made me struggle to fully love the book. Not just in her relationship with Mei, where she obviously was following someone else's rules, but also in her friendships. I liked Ash but she was constantly telling Bette how she felt and what to do in a way which was consistently validated by the narrative, even when Bette thought she felt differently. I just wanted her to gain more agency by the end of the story and take the reigns of her life a bit more, rather than just finding someone who was a better fit for her.

A sweet, lovely, queer romance. I loved the friendships and the romance (even though I did find Bette a bit immature for her age at times).

The story did seem familiar to me and I think that's just because it was a cute, predictable romance. But I still enjoyed it nonetheless and will happily pick up more of Kate's work in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

This is a nice, cosy book. The characters are likeable, if a little prone to introspection and angst, and normal, except that they all seem to be very good looking, and the dialogue and situations seem authentic. There is nothing controversial or objectionable, no tension or twists, just a solid slice of life.

I enjoyed it but I am a bit old, I think, to be the target audience and I imagine many people will enjoy it and relate to it absolutely. There are some sex scenes but they are not cringey and it makes a change to read about female rather than heterosexual sex. Bette and Ash have a great friendship which is well described and the hetero couples in the book are not caricatures.

I think this would a great holiday read.

There were lots of things things about this book I liked (two that stand out were the sex scenes were great- some of the best WLW sex I’ve read- and the characters were likeable and I found them to resonate with me) but in terms of the plot I felt frustrated for the first half where each chapter seemed like “talk about the apps/meet a girl/ misunderstanding of some kind/ sex or self loathing.” It missed something for me until about 2/3 of the way through (but then I adored it and was rooting to Bette and Ruth). This will be enjoyed by fans of Laura Kay. Overall very enjoyable and I’d like to read more queer stories from this author as I can feel that there’s lots still to come (and more good spicy scenes!!)

An absolutely perfect romcom.

Experienced is Kate Young's debut novel, and it's absolutely wonderful. We're following Bette, who came out in her thirties and jumped head-first into an all-consuming relationship. But then Bette's girlfriend, Mei, suggests that they go on a bit of break, so that Bette can get all the experiences she's missed out on - hookups, flirting, having sex with women other than Mei, etc. Bette reluctantly agrees, and her story begins!

Tender and honest, Experienced is as much a coming of age story as it is a romance. It's about finding yourself, making mistakes, and navigating your thirties. It's also a very funny, very charming, and very sexy romcom. The balancing act of doing both is so difficult, but Kate Young makes it look easy, and there wasn't a single page where I wasn't enjoying myself.

I also loved that it was set in Bristol, where I'm from - it was so fun to recognise the places in the pages!

Experienced was a breath of a fresh air - a tender explorations of self discovery, with steamy sweet romance and a lot of fun. It’s a coming out and coming of age story about a young queer woman finding her place in the world on her own time and learning the many different ways love can manifest in her life.

Between the meaningful friendships that change your life, the sweetest romance and the hottest sex that left me a little hot under the collar and reminded me just how stunning women are.

The storytelling was fabulous — vivid and brightly descriptive in ways that brought waves of nostalgia for youth rushing back. Bette was a fabulously messy woman trying to figure things out in a way that was so relatably chaotic I loved her instantly and all of the antics she found herself in even when it was too painfully accurate. And honestly every single character was perfect — I felt like they were all my friends and the complex, beautiful relationships they had were so lovely to see. With the three months counting down above our heads, it moves through her adventure with an exciting and easy pace and I just couldn’t stop reading.

Every single chapter had me not sure whether to laugh, cry or cringe in the best way possible- and while I had my inkling where this was going from the start the journey there was so much fun.

384 pages of pure queer joy and heartbreak - this book was an experience*

This is a genuinely lovely romance that favours realism over tropes, with characters who feel very realistically flawed and are easy to root for. I always like when it feels like the author is introducing conflict that purposefully isn't based on miscommunication (or if it is, it's very understandable and because of other issues!) - this felt like that. I came out of this book really rooting for the protagonists, believing that their romance would be healthy and appreciating the good character development that had happened along the way. Aside for that, this book is an easy read and the sex scenes are really well written. The way sex is portrayed in this book is so good - it's very sex positive but appreciates the spectrum of sexual experiences and the inherent conflict in figuring out what works for you. A fun, grown-up romance.

Loved this book.

It was refreshing to read about a later in life lesbian, in a way that isn't solely focused on their coming out journey; to see what Bette did post initial coming out is something I haven't read a lot of so was great to see!

I loved the friendship between Ash and Bette, and thought the way they cared for each other felt super realistic - it was so lovely to see how much Ash was ready to drop everything and show up for Bette.

I was rooting for Bette and Ruth from their first encounter, and thought the way they played out was a great read. Both of them felt authentic in their worries and their apprehensions, and it made their relationship feel a lot more multi-dimensional, opposed to both just rushing straight into a relationship.

Of course, as a lesbian, I loved the MUNA mention too!

A great book that I've already told friends to add to their TBR, and will certainly be looking out for more from this author!

Oh I loved this book! Bette and Mei decide to take a break (at Mei’s request) so newly out Bette can find her feet in the new queer world she’s landed in, outside of her relationship with Mei. But the longer she spends apart from Mei meeting new people, the more she realises her relationship with Mei might not have been as perfect as she’d thought. I really enjoyed how when you start reading the book you’re as heart broken as Bette with the break - Mei seems like the ideal girlfriend, shes funny and hot and adores Bette. But as the book progresses and we find out more about their background, we come to the realisation right there with Bette that true love has been there along.

I always find side characters make a book, and I absolutely adored this supporting cast. They added depth and feeling to the main characters and seeing their relationships develop throughout was a joy.

If you’re after a feel-good romance this summer, look no further.

Phenomenal! Fun, sexy, absolutely astonishing for a debut, highlighting a world not often seen in fiction. Big recommend.

This was a super easy read, clear cut characters that you could root for (although too many femmes!). There were tender moments and fun moments. The (ahem) ‘romantic’ scenes were all really artfully done. Sensual and not over the top. The plot followed the same romantic genre you’d come to expect. Fall in love, not realise, realise, have a fight, come back together. But when you need to read something comforting and familiar this is a book I would recommend. The sentence structuring is pretty good and this is a huge plus for me as it’s something I dread when reading.

Now the negatives…. We always seemed to jump past information that could be pertinent or would have explained something, like I didn’t understand Bette’s job at all! Can’t say the words ‘end of term’ early on and not explain you mean teachers, for a while I thought I was reading a YA book! We never knew what was on the 14 minute voice note sent by Evie… seems like a missed opportunity for a laugh out loud moment. There were lots of references to Friends and Greys Anatomy and music artists I’d never heard of which made the comparisons or the scene setting awkward for me personally. I don’t mind the odd mention of something I’m not au fait with but I think this book had a few too many.

Overall it’s a comfortable read and if you’re not looking for anything too taxing, I’d say give it a go. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t original enough for me.

I loved this. Bette is a brand, new lesbian who has wasted no time in falling head over heels with her girlfriend, Mei. Mei suggests that she and Bette have a break and that Bette do some dating for three months before they get back together and settle down for good. Bette is heartbroken but sees no way to deny Mei and promptly sets off on a fraught romp through the world of dating, knowing that in three months time, Mei will be hers again. This is a terrific rom com. It's smart and funny, sexy and wise and full of really great characters. I love a rom com where you fall in love with the supporting cast as well as the stars and this is one of those. You want to hang out with all of Bette's friends by the end of the book. It's terrific.

Although I'm not really the demographic for this sort of book, I loved this heartwarming tale of Bette and her search for true love. When Bette's girlfriend Mei insists they have some time apart, so that Bette can attain some 'experience' of other relationships. Bette is very reluctant. But as she navigates the tricky world of dating apps and the lesbian landscape, she finds love in the most unexpected of places. This was beautifully written, a page-turning story, quite hot in places, and the characters were brilliantly conjured and authentic. Great stuff!

Experienced follows Bette, a 30 something woman who has just started dating women as she embarks on a dating odyssey following her most recent girlfriend, Mei, wanting her to gain more experience before settling down together.

I really enjoyed this book, it has a great cast of characters and felt like breath of fresh air for the romance genre. The story follows a strong structure where post-break, Bette begins using dating apps and trying to meet other women to gain more sexual experiences with women. The sex scenes are so well done and do not feel gratuitous or smutty, adding to the story and to Bette’s quest.

Overall a super debut and a great read, particularly if you are a fan of queer romcoms. I’d also recommend to fans of Laura Kay and In at the Deep End by Kate Davies.

3.75 rounded up ⭐️

I devoured this book. Exactly what I needed in between heavier reads.

It was great to read a romance centred around women for a change. I enjoyed the friendship between Ash and Bette. And I was rooting for Ruth from the start. Plus a pinch of spice to keep it interesting.

I’d be keen to read more of this author in the future 👌🏼

Thanks to NetGalley and 4th for the ARC.

This was good, but it infuriated me a bit

Experienced centres around Bette and her relationship with her sexuality, as she has recently discovered she likes women. The book starts with our main character blissed out in a relationship with Mei, but Mei says she should explore this side of her more and date other women before settling down with her, and so it begins Bette's journey in this novel.

It infuriated me that Bette allowed Mei to make decisions for her, as in love as she was with her. It shouldn't be up to Mei to decide what Bette should do with her sex/love life. I do concede that, in the end, this was an important journey of self-discovery for Bette, but I could not get behind the notion of her doing all of this for Mei. With that said, I loved Ruth and her supportiveness as well as Bette's relationship with her best friend, Ash. I liked the novel and it was nice to see this type of plot outside of the usual heteronormative dynamic.

Thank you to 4th Estate and NetGalley for this e-ARC!

As a lesbian who's also become more fluid in my attractions as I get older, I can't tell you how long I've been waiting to read a romance that includes the line, 'Compulsory heteronormativity is a scourge.'

Bette, a plus-size romantic-comedy addict (tick, tick, tick) loves her job, loves living in Bristol (and why wouldn't she)? and loves her girlfriend Mei. Mei thinks Bette may not be 'experienced' enough apparently, so she sends Bette off on a voyage of sexual self-discovery that might not be the best idea either of them have ever had...or IS IT?

With more bonking than Jilly Cooper (who is enthusiastically referenced) lots of delicious food, supportive straight friends and general queer silliness, Experienced is a glimpse into the life that we all deserve - and that Bette does, too, once she admits it to herself.

I'd heard so much advance praise for Experienced that I could not wait to read this queer rom com.
It's set in Bristol where 30 something Bette is in a relationship with Mei, her first since she came out. She is shocked when Mei suggests they break up for 3 months so Bette can get date and get some more experience before she settles down.
I absolutely loved this, I loved the character of Bette although I did feel frustrated at her many times, I was really rooting for her. Kate Young excels at characterisation and writing about sexual relationships and friendship- the relationship between Bette and her housemate is both authentic and heart warming. I loved the Bristol setting and this was a real insight into an age group and dating scene that is unfamiliar to me with extremely explicit sex scenes.
A gorgeous, warm and compelling novel that I raced through over the course of 24 hours. I felt so involved with Bette and her friends that I feel bereft now I've finished it. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.