Not only is this author my spiritual love of my life but I would gladly give my soul for every single one of her books because I adore not only her writing but every story I read that paints a visual in my mind. This book made me laugh, worry, cry and feel all the emotions I needed.

A good friend told me to read this as I was in a bit of a mediocre funk of lesbian fiction. OMG, she was so right. I cannot praise Breydon enough. This book was excellent .

The two main characters Izzy and Taylor are really likable. Both had great chemistry and some of the dialogue had me in stitches. Izzy being really sarcastic, but she really only told the truth. Izzy's group of friends who she meets when she moves to L.A. are a great addition to the story line. They contribute to the script all the way through. Offering advice and snippets of worldly advice throughout. Even the star of the show plays her part. Although in my opinion she was really easy to dislike. You may think that there are too many characters to keep track off. But surprisingly that isn't the case. Braydon brings them all too life with their own foibles and personalities. You don't forget who is who.

I'm not going to spill anything about the plot but if you know Breydon then I'm sure you will check this out. If you have never read her before, believe me you won't regret it. I was in a serious funk and Breydon ripped me right out of it so thanks. Enjoy!


*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2141790912

https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R31MPE0APXCX18/ref=pe_1572281_66412651_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I really enjoyed this book, which kick-starts another series centering around a group of friends. I liked both Isabel and Taylor and I thought their relationship build-up was engaging and fun to read. I enjoyed the LA setting and the TV industry drama. The dialog, the pacing, it all worked for me.

The POV switched back and forth which is usually no problem for me. Initially it did so chapter by chapter, but then it started doing it mid-chapter. And then the pronouns started switching up mid-paragraph. Editors, take note! This book needed tighter editing to make these transitions clearer and to eliminate the mid-paragraph switching. This is a problem with wlw stories because both characters use "she" - I get it. But it doesn't need to be a problem, there are ways to make this clear.

I'm still giving this four stars, but this really distracted me from the story more and more as it progressed.


I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

I don't know many readers for this genre that don't love Melissa Brayden's work. This book, like all her others, if full of charming dialogue and perfect chemistry between the leads. This is the first book in a new 4 book series which I'm incredibly stoked for since she's wonderful at serial books (Soho obviously comes to mind). I'm already looking forward to the next one as Isabel's three other friends were awesome and I can't wait to dig in deeper with them.

Now if I could I would give this 4 1/2 stars. Was it my favorite of her books? No. Did I thoroughly enjoy it? Yes. The hard part for me if I'm being honest is that I work in the TV industry so I admittedly wasn't jazzed about reading about it. I'm sure other people will love it and find it interesting but I like to escape a bit so this one is solely on me.

I also wondered about Isabel's dad and Taylor's parents. I guess I found it strange when family members aren't really conversed with or mentioned at all except for a few texts between Iz and her dad, and Taylor mentioning that Aspen had met her parents. What about Iz meeting her parents? I hope that gets mentioned somewhere in the other books. I thought that would have been interesting with her anxiety and feeling out of place.

Lots of cute moments between the two leads and as usual I loved their flirty back and forth dialogue that the author does so well. Buy this book and support authors in this genre with true talent.

Isabel Chase has dreamed of writing for a living and when her good friend take a job in London she arranges for Isabel to not only have her job writing for one of the most popular shows on TV but a place to live. Taylor Andrews,is the head writer for the "Thicker Than Water" where her ex-girlfriend is the star. Great story, great supporting cast. MB's writing keeps getting better and better with each new book she writes. Fast paced,engaging read. The characters are easy to care for even though there were a few time I would have liked the ability to reach in and give either Isabel or Taylor a good shake. Simply a wonderful read. Looking forward to MB's next book alread

This book is the first of a lesbian romance series featuring a group of friends living together in an apartment complex.

Although a great book on friendship and finding yourself amidst the chaos - Eyes Like Those lacked the chemistry needed for a raw romance novel. I loved the writing style and the dual point of view really helped getting into both the characters mindset.
I would have loved for the slow burn aspect to be divulged in further.

Melissa Brayden is a favourite author of mine but I found this book to be a slow starter. However well worth persevering, after the first 20% things really got going and the familiar tension and excellent story telling came to the fore. The romance was exciting and hot and the behind the scenes story of tv shows was interesting and attention grabbing. Another great from this author.

Mrs. Melissa Brayden opens another series, this time set in California. In this first story, the protagonist is Isabel, a writer who aspires to recreate her scripts on the screen. By chance, a friend established in Hollywood offers her the chance to take her place, as a screenwriter of a television series and also to occupy the apartment where she lives, in the Seven Shores complex. Gia, Autumn and Hadley also live there, so it is assumed that in the next books of the series they will be the protagonists. But in this first one, the story develops the relationship between Isabel, the aspiring writer and Taylor, the executive producer of a very successful television series. From the moment they know each other, Isabel and Taylor feel the attraction and little by little they creates a work relationship and then a friendship that eventually becomes romantic. There are ups and downs and some boulders on the way, but the story is nice and entertaining. I really appreciate that in the stories written by Melissa, the protagonists usually face difficult situations and are not afraid to recognize what they are feeling and talking about it. And you always find very romantic moments. I have enjoyed this book a lot.

As with all Melissa Brayden books, I devoured it in one day. Great likable but realistic main and supporting characters, and I can see that she is building a whole world here leading to multiple books in the Seven Shores series, similar to the Soho Loft series but this one seems even more fleshed out from the very first installment, with rich supporting characters that I'm looking forward to getting to know better in later books. Great start to a new series!

Let’s say you’re like me and you’ve just started grad school, you have limited free time, and you’ve just been given the new Melissa Brayden book to read. You’ll want to make sure you manage your time well, and free up some precious hours to read this one because when you’re not reading, you will be thinking about the storyline when you should be reading about globalization. Brayden’s books tend to tug at the heartstrings, with just the right bit of conflict, and this book did not disappoint. It was funny, sweet, sexy, and everything tied up in a neat little package at the end – the way a nice romance should. Pick it up – you’ll be glad you did.

The Cat's Pajamas is oh so appropriate. Taylor Andrews is established and on top of her producer game. She has made it...however if you do not have someone special to share your success with, have you really "made it"? In my opinion, no. Life goes quickly and happiness can be fleeting. When you find that someone, hold on tight for the ride of a lifetime. Isabel Chase wants what Taylor has and maybe willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice, success over relationship. Or is she? This is a read about friendship, caring, Hollywood, wants, needs, and a little bite of craziest. Isabel's friends are quite the group of interesting and bluntly supportive folks that any of us would want to have by our side. The way each character is described, you want to not only get to know them but be a part of their lives because they seem like real people with real problems that you can relate to which makes the read so appealing. There are few things better than female friendships. Notice, I said a few things...

This book is the first in a new series titled Seven Shores. It tells the story of Isabel Chase and Taylor Andrews. Isabel is the new staff writer on Taylor's TV show. You can almost feel chemistry between the two characters and after the first few chapters you want to be friends with them. Melissa Brayden is that good!

The secondary characters are very likable as well. We're also introduced to Gia, Hadley and Autumn in a similar group dynamic as in the author's Soho series. I'm looking forward to the next books in the series, particularly Gia's story.

I was expecting of Ice Queen Reputation here but a big NO. Iam not dissappointed though I actually enjoy the story..
This book sent you a message that Team Work is very important in everyday life..
This kind of storyline between two smart and funny writers are amazing. The knowledge about writing and building a strong characters in a series or any books is interesting and intruiging that you want to know more.
Iz neighboors slash friends are so great I like the blend. My favorite is Hadley she was so cute and adorable.. I cant wait for her storyline.
AND OH MY GOD. The conflict, the twist and turn of event.It made me twist and turn on my bed. I even slammed my pillow many times and I also need to pause a couple of minutes to absurb everything...
AND I don't know where to go. I understand Isabel but I dont know what to feel if I were Taylor...
Im sure you're intrigue right??
Again Melissa Brayden captured my heart all over again from Waiting in the Wings and Strawberry Summer those are my fave books..
If Melissa Brayden read this. I would like you to know that I really like Hadley. And I couldn't wait for her turn..

3.5 stars. Brayden is eminently reliable for her well-written and engrossing f/f romances. This one focuses on a bisexual producer of a TV show and a new lesbian staff writer. I always enjoy the set-up of her romances, which allow the characters to sizzle and spark with a wonderfully steamy build-up. Here, the banter and dialogue shines between the two romantic leads, as well as among the ensemble of friends (this is the first in a new series). I love the focus on a community of queer ladies, and the fact that this book is not a coming out narrative. The climax includes some unnecessary angst and drama to build conflict between the characters, especially given that the characters already had barriers that hadn't been fully resolved (boss-employee, for example). Overall, a great read!

I love all of Melissa Brayden’s book and I love that they are not repetitive and written in the same cookie cutter form. Even though the set up is similar to the Soho Loft Series, it is very different to it.
All characters were very likable and realistic and I could relate to them and there was definitely chemistry between them. The book made me laugh out loud, gasp, yelling at it a few times and having an emotional roller coaster that people around me what I’m doing.
Without going into detail and spoiling anything, because I think everybody who enjoys LesFic romances should read this one, I highly recommend this book.

After a long spell of avoiding Melissa Brayden romance novels, I was so pleasantly surprised by Strawberry Summer that I took the plunge with her new one, Eyes Like Those. I was still wary, though, because it sounded an awful lot like the basic theme of the Soho Loft series, which is what pushed me over the edge in the first place.

Here’s the blurb: (removed)

The feel of the book is very much like the first book in the Soho Loft series with some exceptions. This is set in California and Isabel is a new addition to the group. The biggest exception, for me anyway, is that the group of friends don’t all speak with the same voice. What I mean by that is that they all have their own speech patterns and voice. Kiss the Girl was mostly killed for me because, without dialogue tags, I couldn’t tell who was speaking. The entire group of friends sounded exactly the same. That’s not the case here and it made me very happy.

Like Kiss the Girls, there were some very obvious clues about which pair of friends would be the subject of the next novel. And if not the next, definitely one of them. I believe I also caught foreshadowing for another member of the group in the epilogue. We’ll have to see how that shakes out.

So, what did I think of the story and protagonists? Mostly I enjoyed the book a lot. I never connected or loved Isabel but I did Taylor. Taylor felt very real to me and I saw parts of myself in her. I wanted to hug her and hoped for her to be happy. The journey of the romance was fun to be a part of and there are some very funny bits throughout the book. And there’s even a bad guy you’ll love to hate.

I think that anyone who enjoyed the Soho Loft series will love this one. It’s a pretty light read but still gets you in the heart parts.

Thanks to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for providing the ebook.

Gentle but a little bit too simple for me. Includes setup for future novels so if you enjoy these characters there will be more for you to read in the future

I have to admit it – I’ve loved everything I’ve ever read by Melissa Brayden. Her latest novel ‘Eyes Like Those’ is another beautiful love story that hits all the right notes and has captured my heart. When Isabel Chase realises her dream by getting a job as a staff writer on one of the biggest hits on TV she makes quite an impression on her new boss, Taylor Andrews. The fact that it may be unethical to fall for each other makes them think twice about taking it further. With so much going on with the to show and a ex from hell, things are not going to be easy.

Brayden’ writing is superb, with some amazing lines that say so much in so few words. She doesn’t waste a syllable and has truly mastered the art of sexy, romantic prose. The characters she has imagined for this first story in a new series are fun, fascinating and I warmed to them all. Isabel may have problems believing in herself but once riled she is a force to be reckoned with. I adored Taylor’s caring attitude and capable air and so want to see more of the pair as the series progresses. Isabel’s friends in Venice are wonderful and we learned just enough about them to realise their stories will be just as good. I can’t recommend this book highly enough.

I was given this ARC by Bold Strokes Books and Netgalley in return for an honest review.

More like 3.5

If there's one thing I struggle to find, it's good wlw lit. Melissa Brayden may well be the solution to all of my problems. This is the first book I've read by her and, while I wasn't overly impressed with the writing (it's good and readable, which is impressive in the genre to begin with, but nothing special), the plot and the characters were more than enough to make up for it.

The book tells the story of Isabel, a promising scriptwriter who has been working in a restaurant while trying to find script work, as she moves to Hollywood to take up a job writing on a popular TV show. There, she meets Taylor, a captivating and unattainable woman, who is also her boss - the showrunner.

The best part of this book was the relationships. Isabel moves into her friend's apartment, and meets three other women - Autumn, Hadley, and Gia. Her friendship with these three was my absolute favourite part of the book. They're always building each other up, and supporting each other, and that's something you really don't see enough of in lit. Similarly with Isabel and Taylor's relationship. They actually became friends before anything started, and I feel like that doesn't happen all that often in NA lit.

If there was one little complaint I did have about their relationship, it's that, while the slowburn was good and appreciated, it lacked some tension. Mariana Zapata is a very good example of someone who writes the most excellent tension, and that's what this book lacked. Sure, we see that they're attracted to one another, but the tension, either romantic or sexual, is just not quite there.

I also didn't really like how the narrative refused to explicitly frame Taylor's past relationship, with Aspen - the lead actress on the show, as abusive. Because that's what it was. Aspen manipulated Taylor, got violent and threw plates around, and cheated on Taylor, and once Taylor's broken up with her, she conveniently forgets all that and tries to get her back. But it's never mentioned as being abusive, not even when, once Aspen realises she won't get her own way, she aims to ruin Taylor's whole life. If that doesn't smack of manipulative and abusive, I don't know what does.

Overall, this was one of the best wlw NA books I've read (I know that's not saying a lot, but trust me here), and Melissa Brayden is definitely a writer I'll be coming back to.