Wow. What a read! I’ve recommended this to my Bookclub and cannot wait to discuss it with them. Not my normal first choice but I’m so grateful for the arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A literary rom-com is something unusual but this worked well. Even if I felt that Beth was a bit forced to start searching. i liked Ruth and the well plotted characters.
Funny, well written, good storytelling.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I often wonder if some NetGalley books I request I do so blindly without even reading the blurb! Suffice to say this is not my normal genre but I was pleasantly surprised. The characters were all engaging and in the main likeable. The story centres around Bette who came out fairly late in life and her then girlfriend Mei. Mei decides they should have a break and Bette should have lots of flings to get out of her system what she would have done had she come out in her teens. What follows is a hilarious insight into dating in your thirties. Bette’s first “non” date is with Ruth who is looking for someone (with a capital S). Although there is obviously chemistry, they both appear to want completely different things. Ruth becomes Bette’s dating guru and they develop a lovely friendship. I was rooting for them the whole way through the book.

The book takes us through all manner or emotions, friendships, family issues but is a wonderful read and a real lesbian chic lit

Thank you to Netgalley and the tagged publisher for providing the advance reading copy (ARC).
The book Experienced delves into Bette's journey of self-discovery as she explores her sexuality and attraction to women. Initially in a happy relationship with Mei, Mei encourages Bette to further examine her feelings and date, other women, leading to a transformative exploration throughout the novel.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The pacing is deliberate, allowing the reader to immerse themselves in Bette's journey of self-exploration. The emphasis on friendship and community creates a pervasive sense of positivity throughout the book. While the plot may be somewhat predictable, the overall warmth and enjoyment garnered from the story more than compensate for this.

Publication Date: 6th June 2024

#selfdiscovery #friendship #positivity #bookreview #ARC #womenempowerment #novel #exploration #transformative #sexuality #experinced #netgalley

Experienced by Kate young was just what I needed coming out of a health crash, it is easy reading, funny in places, cheesy in others. I am still not converted to the formulaic nature of contemporary romance tropes but this queer wlw story set in Bristol was enjoyable and earnest with kind friendships and self discovery. One for your summer holiday suitcase.

I appear to alone in my opinion here but sadly I found this book of self discovery rather boring. I wad really excited at first, hoping to read some very funny dating experiences but there was zero humour at all. I understand a book cannot be full on funny and needs depth but the main character was so absolutely self obsessed I felt like I read an entire book of her talking to people about herself. Her friendships were very 1 way and she came across very self obsessed and entitled. There was no thought ever as to what any of her friends may be feeling or going through.
The 1 positive I will say is that I really did find it refreshing that when describing how beautiful the woman were, it was great to hear the words of dimpled thighs, roundness of stomachs etc, no supermodels in sight!

This was such a thrill to read - a heartwarming and witty sapphic romance that I read in a matter of days! I adored the representation and genuine characters. It was predictable but a fun read.

LGBT romance can often feel funnelled into one of two distinct modes: first, the pleasant pastel-colours queernorm world where two young people discover love; second, the hard-bitten ‘real world’ where love must battle violent discrimination, abusive families, and the hatred of strangers. Experienced finds a solid middle ground, not afraid to confront the realities of queer existence but never shying from queer joy either, punctuating Bette’s neuroticism with moments of simple happiness and startling heat.

Set primarily in Bristol, protagonist Bette is thriving, newly out, lucky in love, in an earth-shaking relationship with the wonderful Mei. At thirty, she’s got the rest of her life vaguely mapped out. She wants kids someday. Then Mei drops a bombshell: Bette’s so new to all this that maybe she wants to take some time on a break, to date other women, to have the wild adolescence she never got. Say three months? Bette is shocked. Heartsick. Lost. But if that’s what it takes to win back the love of her life…

The author’s debut novel (Kate Young is a food writer first!), this book is aware of the tropes it draws on but never feels beholden to them. Its characters feel faceted and realistic. Beyond the main character, Ruth especially stands out as layered and enthralling, as does Ash. Perhaps because of Young’s experience with cookbooks, the writing itself has a distinctive style, clear and readable with a consistent voice and economy of prose. Its pop culture references err just on the side of endearing rather than irritating, wearing its influences on its sleeve.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A light read, although it follows self-exploration. The focus on friendship and community helps a lot with the positive vibes throughout the book. A bit predictable, but very warm and enjoyable.

Arguably, there is very little that is different that an author can add to a romcom as it is such a well worn trope, but I enjoyed Ms Young's writing and spending time with her believable characters and I look forward to reading more by her
Thank you to netgalley and 4th Estate for an advance copy of this book

This was an easy, fun read about Bette and her first steps into the gay dating world after coming out at thirty. With realistic characters and situations, I enjoyed it!

Refreshing to have a book based in an area I’m familiar with. A charming little easy summertime read based in the city of Bristol. I can see this becoming popular over the summer.

This deserves nothing less than five stars and I need everyone to get this on your tbr right now!
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From the beginning I was hooked and by about 50-60% of the way through, I already knew I was giving this a full five stars. The writing is so addictive and I loved how natural everything felt, especially the dialogue. This was such an easy read, I was flying through the chapters and I reckon for faster readers than myself, this could easily be devoured in a day. As someone who isn't the hugest fan of romance novels (let's be real, a lot can be disgustingly cheesy), this was genuinely perfect for me. There was enough soppiness without being too much while also having a healthy dose of spice and heartbreak.
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The plot was somewhat predictable but I didn't care at all; I loved seeing how things would develop for Bette and I became so attached to her and every other character surrounding her. They were all so well written and fleshed out, it was hard to keep remembering they're just fictional people. I desperately didn't want this book to end as I got to the last few pages and now I'm wallowing and wanting more.
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This is such a perfectly queer romcom and I can't wait to see what else Kate Young brings out. Experienced is truly an experience like no other and I really hope this gets all the love it deserves this year!

I originally received this as a digital ARC but was also sent the physical proof which is what I read. Thank you to 4th Estate for my advanced copy!

I can see this becoming a really popular book but unfortunately it just didn't click with me. I was intrigues by the idea of the book but didn't like the way it was executed. I found the girlfriend at the start to be quite manipulative and taking advantage of the naive main character and i struggled to get into the book after that even though there was some really fun and lovable moments not to mentions Bette's journey of self discovery!!


Thanks to NetGalley and 4th estate publishers for the arc

I really enjoyed this book- I loved that the core romance was familiar and yet with a heavy queer influence to the whole story line it felt refreshing and different. I loved Bette's character, and Ruth's and Ash's too actually- the only person I really disliked was Mei! And clearly, that was for good reason. The setting of the story in Bristol and the going ab out of their every day lives, whilst trying to experiment with meeting other women was easy to read and light hearted without being silly. I loved the whole story and read it far too quickly!

What a romp of a novel, a great summer read that I would highly recommend to people in need of a summer holiday read, I think this will be a big hit, I can’t wait for everyone else to read it!!

A sweet, witty and bold exploration of romance, sex and power dynamics within relationships. I particularly loved how well drawn the emerging friendships and found family were.

This was such a wonderfully, realistically British, queer little story. I loved the Bristol setting, having lived there myself for a few years.

I loved it a lot, the witty and heartfelt moments, also the emotional and vulnerable ones.

The found family aspect was beautiful, and I like how friendship played a big part - it wasn't purely a romance.

The third person POV did initially confuse me a little, but only in the first chapter, and the writing overall was excellent. And the ending was fantastic, so incredibly heartwarming.

@currentlyreading__
Book 34 of 2024

When I saw that the brilliant @betholearyauthor had raved about the upcoming ‘Experienced’ by @kateyoungwrites I had to request it. So, thank you to the author, @4thestatebooks and @netgalley for granting me access to it prior to publication on 6th June. I loved it! It was fresh, spunky (very Lucinda from MAFS iykyk!) and a really engrossing read.

Thirty-something Bette is in a happy relationship with Mei. But when Mei says that Bette hasn’t had enough experience with women as it’s not long since she came out, she requests that Bette (with her blessing) goes off to sow her wild oats with as many women as she’d like for three months. So they are on an official break and Bette dips her toe, foot and then her whole self into the pool of online dating and embarks upon a dating odyssey. There’s hedonistic scene after hedonistic scene as Bette discovers what she’d like to experience.

I loved not only the brilliant Bette but the friendships she has with other women. They were heart-warming and full of wisdom. And then there’s the spicy scenes… 🌶 Forget whether you’re into LGBTQIA bay fiction, this is all about the heart and whatever your sexual orientation, you will love it.

#bookworm #iamreading #bookreview #experienced #kateyoung #4thestatebooks #upcomingpublications #junereads #netgalley

This is a delightful and refreshingly honest exploration of self-discovery, sexuality, and modern queer dating. The novel follows Bette, who embarks on a journey of exploration after her girlfriend Mei suggests they take a break.

Young's writing is insightful and relatable, capturing the complexities of Bette's emotions as she navigates her newfound identity. I would recommend this read to anyone struggling to find their ‘place’. It’s also steamy!!