I have yet to be disappointed by M.Ullrich, so far I have enjoyed all of this authors book and this was no different.

There was nothing spectacular about the story but I found the characters to be well fleshed out and easy to like. The only character that I had a hard time liking was Lauren and that was because of her constant doorstop mentality. 

This is a good book if you are looking for a light read which you can finish in a day.

*3.5 stars

I enjoyed this book. I love M Ullrich writing and this one didn't disappoint. This is a slow burn romance set in a hot New Jersey Bar. The owner bartender Berit Mathews is proud of her bar the Dollhouse. She tries to make her bar the best it can be.. It didn't hurt that I spent some time in bars, however, I never found a really hot bartender. She hits on patron Lauren Daly and is shot down. My 1st thought is are you nuts? I wasn't sure I liked the character Lauren. She was such a downer but as the book progressed there was reasons why Lauren was so leery of people. Berit persisted and through all their trials and tribulation they found each other and lost each other. I love a romance. There was also this really cute dog. Read the book to find out what happened.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

M Ullrich is a nice author. I've read two works by her, a short story in 'Boss of Her' and the full length novel titled 'Fortunate Sum'. Here's the thing, I did love all her works but there is a teeny tiny bit in the story which somehow screws things up. 

In 'Fortunate Sum' there was unnecessary drama in the end, and in this book too the drama was a wee out of place. 

This story was great. The characters were nice (though it took some time for me to like Lauren), the supporting characters were bloody amazing, the dialogue is funny and the sex scenes are well written.

But then there's the drama at the end which just killed me a bit on the inside. It might be just me but there were a lot of loose ends according to me. 

I love stories set in bars. Even though I'm not that into alcohol, I like reading about how bars work and how craft cocktails are made. This book nails that. 

I may have a teeny tiny crush on Berit. She's a perfect person, well almost. She's caring, understanding, and not a pushover. Ooh and she has a mean temper. I liked her instantly, while I kinda hated Lauren in the beginning. She was so low on confidence and kept putting herself down. Ugh. Thank god she got better as the book progressed.

For once I was so invested in the supporting Characters than the leads. They're gold I tell you!

The verdict: This book is great. Really. This author is a favourite of mine inspite of her love for drama. I'd instantly drop everything to read a book of hers. This being no exception. So yea go ahead and read it.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

M Ullrich has written a a good book here, the chemistry between Lauren and Berit is instant and you start rooting for them immediately. Once I picked it up I found it difficult to put down. There are some graphic love scenes but tastefully written.
My only negative about the book is that I found the situation Lauren found herself in very frustrating through out the book, why didn't she challenge her dismissal, and thought her taking on the law firm would have rounded off the ending. That part of the story didn't make sense.
Overall an really good book that I would recommend....especially if you're looking for that 'something hot' this summer

Not what I expected at all, and I’m really glad it worked out that way. I loved this unique plot line where Berit offers a job to Lauren after she abruptly gets fired not long after Berit hits on her. The story rapidly builds intrigue with the push and pull of their attraction colliding with their need to finally score some grown-up relationship skills. There’s moments of total hilarity mixed in with solemn, contemplative moments and smokin’ hot sexual tension. The addition of Lauren’s lowlife and lazy roommates made for another interesting obstacle for Lauren to overcome. I really enjoyed the progression of their romance coupled with their own personal growth as human beings that was deftly woven in as subplots. Definitely put this gem on your gotta read it list.

I adored this book. It made me so gloriously happy and I could not put it down. 

Lauren's life is falling apart. Her job is torture, her ex is sleeping on her couch (and sometimes in her bed), her roommate's girlfriend won't contribute to the rent, and the bills are piling up. She's miserable. Berrit doesn't see any of that, she sees a challenge and a fascination with the woman with the sad eyes. She owns The Dollhouse, a lesbian bar in New Jersey. Berrit is determined to help Lauren any way that she can, and as the two women grow closer, they realize assumptions really do make a mess of things. Can they put their differences behind them, for the intense attraction and growing affection between them? 

This book had an amazing cast of characters - some you loved and some you loved to hate. Each one was unique and added their own little flair to the story. Of course, Berrit's dog Hugo was an absolute show stopper. Berrit was a fantastic character - her confidence was gorgeous, and her creativity and her heart, breathtaking. Lauren was oh so frustrating sometimes - but admittedly its only because she was so real and true I think you could see yourself in her character. The insecurities, the not believing you're good enough. I'm glad she gained a little confidence over the course of the book and I'm glad she found a supportive partner to be by her side. Their romance was perfectly balanced and nicely paced. Their chemistry was seriously off the charts. Yum! I think M. Ullrich outdid herself! 

I wish the Dollhouse was real, and I hope one day we'll all have the privilege of walking into a bar that is a special and safe place like the Dollhouse is. It sounds perfect. Ullrich did a fantastic job creating a gorgeous place - I loved all the detail with the craft beers and carefully chosen cocktails. 

I loved seeing Genevieve and Harper make a small cameo appearance in this one, and the gummy bear martini stole the scene. 

Also the last line in this book has to be one of the most perfect lines I've ever seen in my life. The author should be extremely proud of themselves!!!!

I expect I'll be reading this book again soon and buying the paperback as soon as I can! I look froward to what comes net from this author. 

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh dear god, I went from reading The Art of Peeling an Orange (incredible and mind-bending, in the best possible way), to this dross. It felt like my brain was knocking on the inside of my skull and peering down at my hands holding the kindle shouting "What the fuck? Give us something worthwhile!" I got a free copy on the basis that I'd write a fair review and that is honestly the only reason I finished this book. 

Before I launch into some into discussing characters, writing, editing etc. there's one really major issue I have with this book. You know they way all of the campaigns for women's rights, the metoo movement and programmes to educate people about preventing sexual assault mention something about respecting a woman's right to say no? The need to acknowledge and accept that no and to understand that it means no and that "only yes means yes". You all know that, well in the last line before the sappy wrap it all up neatly epilogue, rich, commanding, toppy butch (Stereotype McCliché to her mates) says to her whingy femme, Damsel: "What did I do to deserve you?" The response, "You didn't take no for an answer". Stereotype butch hits on Damsel first time they meet and gets shot down, same the second time, third time...you get the pattern. I know this is fiction but surely it's not the best message to be sending; that if someone you like turns you down just give them a job (in you bar called "The Dollhouse") and keep buying them drinks until they're so drunk, desperate and depressed with how screwed up their life is that they'll go home with you! Ok, this being a lesfic romance there are feelings involved too but that is what actually happens. 

'No' issue aside, it's still a poor excuse for a novel. BSB need to get themselves some new editors, or give their current ones a kick up the ass because far too many of their recent releases have had whole sections (if not plotlines) that should have fallen victim to the red pen. (Cari Hunter's Alias is an honourable exception here.) Also, shoddy attention to detail like Damsel being fired because her lawyer boss can never remember which of his two paralegals he's asked to do what and he's pissed off when Sally appears in court rather than Damsel. (how the fuck did anyone decide that could go past the first draft?). Calling the bar "The Dollhouse" is also a very weird male-gaze-y thing for me (as is describing Damsels' mouth as "pillow-like"!). 

Anyway, I did not like this book, which is a pity as I quite enjoyed "Faking It" the only other M. Ullrich book I've read.

*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion*

3.5 Stars. This book was entertaining but had some flaws. This book was about Lauren, a paralegal who went to a lesbian bar that Berit owned. Berit hits on Lauren and Lauren says no, but Berit keeps flirting hoping one day she will say yes. Lauren says they can be friends instead and Berit accepts and they start a friendship. They go out to coffee and start a friendship. Their friendship eventually evolves into something else. The evolution of this story is good. They both have character development and change as the story goes on. 

A flaw I had with the book is near the end, the way they add drama to the end of the book was not great, in my opinion, as it seemed to just be there to extend the book. I did enjoy the book's ending and how it wrapped it up. This book was good, not great. I enjoyed the story and would recommend this book to someone looking for a good romance to read. It is well written and has a cute story.

This book was like a well-crafted cocktail - not too sweet, not too bitter, and left me with a warm feeling in my body. 

Lauren is a paralegal going through a really rough patch. She and her roommate don't make enough money to pay their rent, so Lauren's controlling ex-girlfriend still lives with them. Her roommate Jorge's girlfriend also lives with them but is just free-loading because that's what some young 20-somethings do. (Been there, lost a best-friend over it.) Her boss is terrible and she's fired pretty early on in the book. 

Berit is the owner of The Dollhouse, a lesbian bar in New Jersey. She's got a reputation as a playgirl, but it's not really deserved. She's a bartender and it's sort of her trade to be really flirty, but the only other woman we see her with in the book is a secondary character named Bellamy, in a mutually agreed upon sex-only relationship. She has her own stuff to sort out, mostly with her family, but she's presented initially as the person who has it together.

One thing that often bothers me in books is when one of the love interests works for the other. I'm not sure how M. Ullrich managed it, but I didn't feel icky about the power dynamic in this at all. Maybe it's because they became friends before Berit hired her? Maybe because Lauren is with another woman when she starts bartending? Or it could just be that Berit's bar is quite professional, for all the shenanigans that go on.  (The Dollhouse is a bar I'd love to go to.)

The pacing in the book is steady, even after the couple gets together. The writing is a little clunky at first, but I reviewed an advance copy, so I can't confirm if my desire for more paragraph breaks was addressed in the final version. Once you get into the book, though, it's smooth sailing. There were moments that made me cringe, but they were things like Lauren's boss being realistically awful, Berit's strained relationship with her father, and the eventual Dark Moment. 

Speaking of Berit's father, I appreciated that their relationship is strained not because of homophobia but because he's never taken responsibility for the financial mistakes he made when Berit was younger. (He lost her college fund and screwed over the city's mayor, which has made Berit's job years later much, much harder.) Berit's sister, Lou owns 1/3 of the bar, so she works there and is a central character in the novel. She's sort of the glue that holds Berit together, and I liked their relationship a lot as well.

There were a lot of bartending details that spoke to me as long-time restaurant employee/manager. Berit has a dog named Hugo who is kind of adorable and is based on Ullrich's own late companion. The secondary characters all read like real people, not caricatures.

As for the central pairing? They don't get together until around 60% of the way through the book. That means that the first half of the book is them becoming friends, avoiding their feelings, and trying to date other people. Berit comes on to Lauren really strongly when they first meet and Lauren shuts her down, so then Berit is respectful! Lauren has some self-esteem stuff to work through and by the time they do get together, it feels like the culmination of weeks of tiny steps. Berit pushes Lauren in small ways, asking her to please get out of that apartment, but Lauren pushes back and asserts her independence. It's a very balanced relationship in which they make each other want to be better. 

The sex is mostly in the last third of the book, but was well written. There's a scene with *spoiler* where *spoiler* and you'll just have to read it yourself.

I finally have a lesfic book that I'm comfortable recommending! I'm hoping that Bellamy and Jennifer (the women Lauren and Berit date) get their own books soon.

Review goes up at www.loveinpanels.com/prose/love-at-last call on Wednesday, July 11!

A very good romance with a nice plot and setting and some well done characters. One of the leads was kind of a pain to deal with though. I didn't like her much and knocked one star off because of her.
Recommended to all romance fans.

Well lets see.. I love the dialogues, mostly Berit's(I'm definitely going to steal a line or two from her!), always love dogs and cats, the bar seems wonderful and the sex scenes were great. The strange thing about this story is that I liked the supporting characters Amber and Lou more than the two main MC that at the end of the story I ended up wanting to read more about them than the actual MC. The drama in this story seems a little bit forced. The beginning of the story seems promising but I found myself disappointed more and more as the story continues. I can't figure out how Lauren can be rude and condescending at times but is spineless when it actually matters. M Ullrich is a great writer I can't deny that because the scenes she wrote were touching and wonderful but the story lacks a little depth for my taste.


Copy provided by the publisher, Bold Strokes Books, via NetGalley.

There are a handful of authors where I read the newest offering straight through as fast as I can because I can’t stand not knowing what’s next, then immediately I go back and reread it while savoring all the details. Megan Ullrich is one of those authors for me. Berit and Lauren each come with their own baggage, Berit’s from her youth and Lauren’s from her current job and roommate situation, but neither is happy with her life. When Lauren comes into Berit’s bar after a particularly bad day, Berit is smitten immediately. Lauren suffers from low self-esteem and doesn’t feel worthy of anyone’s attention. The first half of the book is spent with Berit and Lauren learning to be friends after Berit offers Lauren a job at the bar on the day she is fired over a misunderstanding. Berit even sets Lauren up with Jennifer, a friend who on paper is perfect for Lauren, but there are just no sparks there. The second half moves along quickly as they inevitably get together once each realizes her feelings for the other. Their toe-curling first kiss has to rank right up there in the top 5 first kisses, and Lauren surprisingly is a firecracker in bed. This is a fantastic romance that is the perfect summer read. Interesting story and well-developed characters. What could be better?

This made me happy and I really enjoyed reading it. Berit, sexily androgynous flirt, owns and runs ‘The Dollhouse’ lesbian bar in New Jersey. When Lauren comes in one evening with her friend and shuts her down in no uncertain terms, Berit can’t help but be intrigued. Lauren is having a rough time at work with a boss who thinks it’s okay to treat the paralegals like trash and her home life isn’t much of an improvement.

There are a lot of great characters in this novel that give it a nice depth and diversity. Berit is instantly likeable with her easy going, genuine nature in spite of the tension in her family relationships. That is, until she gets angry. Lauren is much more complicated with a low self-esteem which colours the way she engages with those around her.

All the elements for a good romance are here: great chemistry, engaging dialogue, little bit of angst, well-rounded characters and some falling in love.  

Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

Hmmmm. I had to stop quite a few times while reading this.
Good thing this is not a first person POV especially Lauren’s POV or I will probably gave up on this.
I really hate doormat or submissive characters. 
I can understand her situation regarding her boss from hell but with regards to the house situation I find it very annoying because she got a choice. 
She’s paying 3/4 of the rent and all including food, her friend and her hogwash girlfriend are both free loaders, a user ex girlfriend. Her life is overkill! 
I do feel bad for Lauren, who doesn’t right? But I just feel annoyed with how she deals with it.

With Berit, she’s totally the opposite of Lauren. She’s actually close to perfect. She’s actually on my top 5 favorite butch characters. She’s likable except on the part on how she treats Lauren after the club incident.
I find it weird that she’s waiting for Lauren to call her and make the first move even though she knows it’s actually her fault. I was actually waiting for her to make the first move to approve to Lauren that she’s worth fighting for. Too bad it’s still Lauren. Another submissive act. Whew!


I was actually thinking of giving this a 3 but because of the Epilogue I changed my mind. :))


3.5

There are some people who always seem to have a dark cloud looming over their head no matter what they do. As the author introduced Lauren to the reader, that dark cloud manifested itself in her life 24/7. Lauren’s work and home environment offered no respite from this darkness. Needless to say, with all this negativity surrounding Lauren, her self esteem was spiraling out of control. Berit, on the other hand, was a picture of sunshine and happiness. She loved her job as owner of the Dollhouse bar and enjoyed the camaraderie of her employees. So when Lauren entered her bar, and subsequently her life, Berit tried to erase the very apparent darkness and pain that surrounded Lauren. However, this was not an easy task and all her initial attempts failed miserably. Yet, Berit continued to offer support and friendship to a not always receptive Lauren who at times was downright harsh toward her. 
     This was an entertaining read. I especially liked the relationship between Berit and her very supportive sister, Lou. The bar setting and exotic drinks menu were an added bonus to this story. Nicely done!

This is the summer book you have all been waiting for…

Lauren has had enough of her life in general. She decides to drown her sorrows at her local lesbian bar called The Doll House. Berit (owner of said bar) is attracted to Lauren from the get go and would very much like to hang up her lothario hat and woo Lauren. But first, she must convince Lauren she’s not just the player image she personifies but exactly what Lauren wants in a girlfriend. Lauren and Berit have their ups and downs on the road to love… but what a journey they have!

I want to leave my version of the story there because you don’t want a hint of a spoiler with this book… just enjoy the ride.

First off, I have to give a massive shout out to M. Ullrich who has just upped the ante big time with this novel. It’s exciting, addictive (I was up all night reading it) and still gave me all the major swoon moments I’ve come to love from this author.

Lauren and Berit’s story was one I’ll never forget and honestly, it’s a book I’ll re-read time and time again. There isn’t the usual angst at play in this book and it’s one of the reasons I adore it so much. Don’t get me wrong, there is the twist we’ve come to expect but there’s no doubt in my mind these characters get their happy ending and I loved that it was written that way. My favourite parts in this book are the moments where it’s just Lauren and Berit and the world is silenced by their dialogue… especially Lauren, who at moments had me riveted by her honesty and candidness but then left me hot as hell by her secret sexy self!

If you read my reviews you’ll know I love nothing better than a butch or androgynous woman and M. Ullrich blew every other character I love in lesfic out of the water for me when she created Berit. She’s amazing and I knew I’d love her and be swooning most of the book when I read her profile but what floored me was her personality. She’s androgynous with a hint of butch, she confident but has a vulnerable side, and she’s a player but has a big heart and wants nothing more than to give it to Lauren.

What I didn’t expect was how much I’d love Lauren… she’s the girl next door but a secretly sexy minx. At the start of the book Lauren’s low self-esteem made me sad because she’s amazing; smart, sexy as hell and then as she begins to gain confidence you begin to get to know this awesome chick that knows what she wants and by god, is she going to go for it. Lauren shocked me more than once with her moments of confidence… I actually found myself shouting “Go Lauren” on a couple of occasions!

The chemistry between Lauren and Berit is combustible and I think this book has not only the best sex scene I’ve ever read by M. Ullrich but also the best I’ve read this year in Lesfic. Not to mention the scene where Lauren and Berit kiss for the first time… like wow! It’s possibly the best first kiss to date (and I read Georgia Beers books… so you know it must be awesome!!!).

I absolutely loved the characters in this book, even the secondary characters had me enthralled. So much so I have to mention Jennifer. Jennifer is a friend of Berit’s and is interested in Lauren romantically. I really hope M. Ullrich finds a way to write a book about her in a stand-alone novel, I even know who I’d pick as a love interest…

All in all, this is the best book M Ullrich has ever written so do yourself a favour and go buy it now… I promise you’re going to thank me. Big time.

Can I give it more than 5 stars? No? Please?
Ok then… A massive 5 stars!!!

I have not found much sense in this book, although I'm sure it has it. Maybe it's because of how little I liked Lauren's character. Or because of how inconsistent Berit's behavior is. Or because the tale of I feel attracted to you because you do not fall instantly to my feet as the rest of women do has not been very believable this time. All of the above from my point of view, of course.

Because Lauren is weak and a pushover with her friends and with her boss but then with Berit she appears as super-sure of herself. I then this weakness apears mixed with insecurity, arrogance and haughtiness and makes you a little dizzy.

And for the most part of the book, Lauren is so insistent on denying the attraction she feels towards Berit that it's exhausting.

In fact, at the end they make a cute couple, really, and Lauren seems to focus and stop rambling, but then the part of anguish has to appear, of course, and the reaction of Lauren and Berit is a bit childish.

But despite all this, the book is not bad and although some parts are a little repetitive, it can be considered as a nice romance.

<i>An ARC was sent to me from Bold Strokes Books through NetGalley for an honest review </i>

I have a real hit or miss relationship with Ullrich’s books. I’m really happy to say that this book was the former and the kind of romance Ullrich excels at writing. This is a traditional romance that doesn’t have any wow moments, but it’s well written, with good chemistry and great characters.

Berit seems to have it all, a successful lesbian bar, great friends, and beautiful women passing their numbers to her daily. But she doesn’t have that one special lady to share the rest of her life with. Lauren is the opposite of Berit. She works a job she hates and goes home to roommates who act like they are still in collage. Lauren is starting to wonder if this is the life she really deserves. When Berit meets Lauren she can’t stop thinking of her. But what happens if Lauren, who could be the one, is the only one to ever tell her no?

While I love romance, I always prefer it on a space ship or with dragons flying around, or even just some good excitement. For me to really enjoy a traditional romance I have to get into the characters and that was exactly the case here. Lauren, who can be grumpy at times, is still very likeable and you immediately sympathize about what she is going through. Berit seems almost too good to be true, but getting to know her keeps providing surprises. They were just well written characters that helped to suck me right into the story.

When it came to the actual romance, I think romance fans will be happy with this one. No insta relationship, the characters had to work at it. The chemistry is there and the sex scenes were good and steamy. It had exactly what I look for in a good romance.

Lastly, I just want to mention the setting of a successful lesbian bar was actually a lot of fun. Ullrich did a good job of letting the bar enhance the storyline. My only complaint, for the book, is I thought one spot of angst was a little forced. Berit started acting a little too unlike her character for me to really believe it. Luckily, the ending was pretty sweet and helped to turn my one complaint around.

If you are an Ullrich fan don’t hesitate to grab this one. This is actually my second favorite of hers only behind Life in Death. If you are a romance fan I think this book will click off many of the boxes that you are looking for. This was a good read and I hope that I will enjoy Ullrich’s next book just as much.

Five big fat stars

Wow, what a story – Awesome leads, awesome setting. Awesome leads, awesome chemistry. Awesome pacing, awesome dog, awesome characters. Awesome story, with the perfect amount of heat. 

Berit and Lauren are well-fleshed out, three dimensional characters. Their story sucked me in from the get-go. Being so invested in them kept me flipping the pages at breakneck speed. 

It’s fair to say, I loved everything about this story. It’s also fair to say, it’s not often you’ll hear me say that. 

Copy provided by the publisher, Bold Strokes Books, via NetGalley.

This book began with giving insight into Lauren’s life and her struggles. Her boss was a bully, her roommates were mooches, and her love life was nonexistent. When she went to the Dollhouse and was hit on by Berit, she made a snap judgement about her and said no. Now Berit was not used to women telling her no so she made it her mission to get Lauren. Lauren learned pretty quickly not to judge a book by its cover. Berit proved herself to be way more than meets the eye. This was a cute read that I read on a travel day. I recommend it to those who like a nice easy romance without a lot of fluff.