Member Reviews
Jen R, Reviewer
Catching up on a ton of NetGalley reviews and this is the only one so far that I have rec'd to other reader friends. I've had awful luck with F/F romances and this was an unexpected, awesome surprise. Novellas often leave me cold on the characterizations because everything happens so fast, but this one was great. Mallory in particular was complex and flawed, and it's so nice to see the butch partner as the main POV. Push Me, Pull Me is sweet, funny, sexy and an all around good, quick read. |
This was actually pretty great. Contemporary lesbian romance. Characters were fun to read. Would recommend! |
At 20,000 words this isn’t a bad novelette to pick up but having an awareness of what it is and isn’t can help prevent you from getting angry or disappointed. At 20,000 words there’s limited character and plot development; there’s some time spent on getting to know Mallory—she’s not the world’s best employee and has elements of daydreaming. Oh! Almost forgot, she has a Tumblr. She’s twenty-four, but that doesn’t provide enough of an excuse to dampen my own middle-aged person rage at a character’s sense of entitlement and poor work ethic. However, this rage is only there for the first 2,000 or so words. The reader really doesn’t get to know Corinne, and as a ‘mysterious, in-tune with her sexuality’ type character, there’s a lot missing with the reading, only having Mallory’s very limited perspective. However, as a character, I’d like to know a lot more about her, but there’s not too much resolution in that area. What the novelette is, though, is sex, pretty good sex. Lots of sex. Decent sex, realistic sex. Wait, not realistic in terms of how it happens, but realistic in that you have a character who has some doubts and insecurities as well as questions about what is going on with someone who has more sexual experience and is leading her into situations. I also had a moment of glee in reading a sex scene that ends with the narrator acknowledging that she was out of shape, was getting a cramp, and it’s hard to hold oneself in a certain position for a long period of time. There’s more character development and self-reflection in the protagonist when it comes to sex than in any other portion of the story; as a result, it’s not a bad quick-read with decent sex scenes. However, if you’re looking for an all-out romance, it’s probably not the greatest option. |
A set of good characters and an interesting plot will keep readers engaged for this book, though some awkwardness in the writing can occasionally interrupt the flow of the story. |
Penelope P, Reviewer
An honest review thanks to NetGalley. I connected with Mallory right from the start. It was refreshing to see an insecure, socially awkward, and bodily conscious main character. I was instantly hooked into the book after the first couple of pages with Mallory. This could have easily been given five, but it was too short! I felt as if I was given a teaser of an amazing book and then it was over. I didn't realize when I started that it was a novella so I was shocked when I got to the end. The fact that I connected with Mallory so much had me very disappointed that I didn't get more. Even with the shortness, this is an excellent novella. |
I have an atrocious track record with F/F romance, but I keep trying to find winners. Who knew that the key to my lesfic heart was a generous dose of humor? Push Me Pull Me is the first book from Amanda Rhodes, but I already know I'll read anything that she writes. Any author that can start off this strong and make me not want to stop reading is an author I have to watch. I enjoyed mostly everything about this story, but I'm not sure all readers will. It's really funny in a very relatable way. I loved, loved, loved the insecure, spastic, anxious female MC and related to her so much. Plus, I'm a sucker for a butch girl, so that was an automatic plus for me. I felt like I was reading my friend talk about a date. Well, a hot date, and spilling all the dirty details. The sex scene is pretty hot, but dirty little me wishes it was even hotter, more explicit, and kinkier. There is always the next book for that... Parts of the story were a bit underdeveloped, but that is understandable and hard to avoid in novella format. However, if you want something that will make you smile, nod your head, and squirm in your seat, and you like F/F, this story is for you. *Copy provided in exchange for an honest review* |
This was a fun little erotica. The main character is an insecure real estate agent who meets her beautiful new client. It was a fun read and i really liked the story. I would have liked this to be longer but it is a concise snap shot story. |
Mallory is not the best at life. She’s frequently late to work and struggles with face-to-face interaction, preferring to spend her time online. These are significant problems for a rental agent. With her boss running out of patience, Mallory has to do everything she can to impress her latest client – the beautiful, sophisticated Corinne. As she summons previously-untouched reserves of professionalism, Mallory begins to suspect that a beautiful rental property is not the only thing Corinne has her eye on. This was not exactly what I was expecting. I thought it was a romance novel, but it’s actually a short story (or an underweight novella) that is at least half erotica. There is romance, of a sort, and the book is not solely focused on sex, but I was a little surprised when I got to what I thought was a few chapters in to the slowly-building tension only to find that it was quite explicit and also there was no more book. With that caveat in mind, I’d like to stress that I did enjoy those initial sections – I would have perfectly happily kept reading a longer, slower-burn story about those characters. The characterisation is convincing, and the early stages of their relationship are compelling. You agonise with Mallory in her insecurities, and Push Me, Pull Me is one of those rare romances that manages to make flirting work well from the outset without sliding into awkwardness. And then all of the tension and potential fizzles out as the sex starts. I’m not against erotica per se, but it’s not the same thing as romance – it has different rules and different aims. The focus switches from emotions to actions, the happy ending drops several levels of idealism and finality. It’s a little jarring to start reading one and end up in the other. As a romance, this book is cut short, failing to live up to the promise of the opening or the genre. I think that’s a shame – I bought fully into the set-up, and I’m still a little disappointed that I didn’t get to read the rest of the romance. I thought it was well-written but truncated and not in the genre it should have been. |
Karine T, Bookseller
No substantive spoilers. Honestly, I don't think that I have ever been let down by a book as bad as this one. I have read FanFiction written by under-21 year olds that was better. Even as a smut book, this author leaves MUCH to be desired. I don't know what this author thinks a plot is or how to develop one, but I would highly recommend going back to secondary school to re-learn grammar. Has this author spent any time in the queer community? Did she simply decide to make a Tumblr caricature into a main character and forget to give her a developing storyline? Did she decide to take a manic-pixie dream girl and turn her into a lesbian lioness? From the first page to the last, I couldn't help but laugh out loud at some of the ridiculous phrases. As a queer person, this author let me down. As a reader, this author let me down. There is potential in this author and we need more Queer/YA love stories that don't end in tragedy or death. If you want some fanfic recommendations on where to start for story building/character building, then please shoot me a message. However, I rate this a 0/10. Would not recommend. Honestly, I wish I could forget. All thoughts are my own and would be happy to discuss them. |
Mallory Grant is struggling with her life. Her job as a leasing agent for a condo company pays the bills but doesn't make her happy and her social life is nonexistent. When she meets Corinne Ibori, a gorgeous and confident client who shows more interest in her personally than professionaly, things start to look up for Mallory. If only she could gather the courage to take things to the next level... Very good erotica novella by debut author Amanda Rhodes. Written in first person from the point of view of Mallory, the reader gets into her headspace learning how she hides her insecurities, negative body image and low self esteem with self-deprecating humour that sometimes comes across as immaturity. The novella is written in three parts starting and ending in the present with a flashback in the middle. Though this book can be considered as erotica with light BDSM scenes, the author takes her time in building the main characters' relationship and setting the tone. The sex scenes are well written, realistic and highlight the characters' chemistry. Even though it has a rather abrupt ending, it is worth a read for all f/f erotica fans. Overall, a very good erotica novella by debut author Amanda Rhodes. 4 stars. ARC provided by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com |
Amanda Rhodes!!!! You so naughtyyy!!! 😩❤️ I really enjoy this read! The pace was steady, intriguing, and left you wanting more and more to ready! So anxious, enticing, and seductive!! This book bring back moments we all had before in our life! Thank you💕💕💕 |
PUSH ME PULL ME is a novella told from the perspective of Mallory, a rental agent who is unhappy in her job, who shows a client, Corinne, an apartment. There is an immediate attraction between the two women, which very quickly leads to them having sex. And ta da, that’s the plot. I’m not sure what to really call PUSH ME PULL ME because it is not a romance, it’s not erotica. The novella exists somewhere in the middle without committing to either. It is the start of a romance; it is the meet cute and the hooking up with a lots of lust and not a lot of relationship building. I’d argue there isn’t even time for a happy-for-now in this story. Full disclosure, it is told in first person present, which is really distancing for me to read, but for most of the novella, I barely noticed. Once the book got into the flirting and lusting, I felt like an awkward observer, but this could totally just be my preference. It is also a story that uses some dominance/submission play in the final sex scene, but it’s more general power play than definite BDSM. My biggest quibble (aside from being sold as a romance and not being a romance) is that there is a hint of panphobia when Mallory worries about the idea of being left for a man. And the phrasing in the scene is awkward enough that I worry being pansexual was being equated to being polyamorous. Overall, it was fine and I think an interesting story could have been told as a full-length novel. Content Warnings: mild panphobia, power play, very light BDSM, fat heroine uneasy in her body |
I expected this to be a novel from the description, but maybe that was me making assumptions. It's very short and thus don't expect significant character development, plot, etc. If I had gone in with that expectation, I might have liked it better. What little development there was of Mallory's character wasn't based on angles I really cared about -- her disregard for her job, which made me more annoyed with her from the beginning than ready to sympathize with her, and I never really came back from that. I'd have loved another chapter with Corinne's point of view and character fleshed out a bit more. Some interesting food for thought about how two individuals view sex and sexuality. So if I had gone in thinking lesbian erotica short rather than twentysomethings romance novel, I might have liked it more. I received this story as an ARC -- thanks to Net Galley and Nine Star Press! |
This is a short and fun read about a rather insecure butch, Mallory, working in a real estate firm, who meets a client, Corinne, that goes from busines to flirt to Mallory's amazement, since Corinne is a gorgeous woman and apparently out of Mallory's league. It's an erotic short, because Corinne offers Mallory to fulfill some fantasies to allow her to overcome her insecurities. But the story maybe losts the point while extending in exces about the inner debating of Mallory, it's a short, there is no time for much doubts about anything. So it ends beeing less an erotic short than it could or should be, which is really a pity. <i>An ARC was sent to me from NineStar Press through NetGalley for an honest review </i> |
Mallory Grant is struggling with her body image and self-confidence so finds it difficult to believe her new client is really into her. I found this a bit soimplistic for my taste. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own |
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.* DNF @ 30% With a romance novel this short, I thought I would have no problems reading it through. The problems started practically from the beginning. The main character annoys me -- honestly this is kryponite. It felt like the author was trying to make her seem relateable, but there is no way I would be 45 minutes late to work and still waiting in a drive-thru to get my coffee. I lost all respect for the character right then. I read after that part, but I don't remember much else, because my mind keeps focusing on how she was probably over an hour late, some because of a long drive-thru lane with no call to the office and just hoped the boss wasn't there. The fact that she wasn't fired, especially since it seems like this wasn't the first time, is so frustrating. Off track again. Okay, so I know the romance is supposed to be fast, but it just felt... off to me. Things happened that I didn't think would happen in real life, and in a contemporary romance, that can be a problem for me if I'm already not taken by the characters. Now, I'm sure some people will enjoy this...I think it has potential, it just rubbed me wrong. And I hate to just completely badmouth books--people put effort into this. Mallory does have some realistic aspects and the romance wasn't the bad part of the book. If someone wanted a quick f/f romance involving someone who hasn't found their passion in life, then they might enjoy this. |
This is a fun, short, erotic story. I can’t say it’s the best I’ve ever read but it’s fun, amusing and has few very witty, humorous moments. It’s a wonderful read for an afternoon, with a cup of tea and biscuits. |
A short, sensual and fun book. When I started reading the book I could not remember the synopsis and at first, I was a little confused about Mallory. I did not know if I she was a woman or a man because the name seemed unisex too me. I also do not know if it was for lack of attention in some reference to the fact that she is a woman, but I only know that I loved not knowing the gender of the main character at first. Seriously, it seemed that it elevated the book to a level where they are "people falling in love with people" and I liked that perspective. However, I felt a bit misled when reading the book because when I saw it in netgalley I thought: Well, it's romance and LGBT, it must be those cute and soft novels to read in summer. Well, is it LGBT romance? IT IS! But they should add to the category "Erotica"! I also found that the part that is mentioned in the synopsis of the book is relatively short, I hoped it would take longer to see homes for Corinne and to build the "relationship", but well I think that this was also due a little by the fact that the novel is more related with lust and not properly related with love (as I expected). I found the characters VERY charismatic and the dialogues were funny. I think this book is an eye opener in certain aspects and focuses on a theme that I think is unprecedented. At least in Portugal I have never seen anything like this! I would like to thank NetGalley and NineStar Press for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion :) |
I received this story as an ARC thanks to Net Galley and Nine Star Press! this book wasEverything! A short, sweet, Hotter then hell Romance and I loved Every single second of it!! Push Me Pull Me is the story of Mallory a realtor and Corrine her client and the romance that blossoms throughout their interaction. I Loved how real and unsure and authentic Mallory felt throughout the story in so many ways I personally related to her it was simply wonderful! And on the other hand, I loved how self-assured Corrine was and how she helped Mallory come into her own! It was Beautiful! I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone looking for a short, sweet beautiful story of love and its power to give you the strength to become your truest self! Thank you again Nine Star Press!! |
Ashley D, Reviewer
This was amazing! I have no idea how the author managed to pack so much in so few pages but this book had me laughing, smiling, blushing, and I think I felt my body temperature go up a few times. I hate how this was so short!!! I want to know what happens after that... very intense last scene!!!! |








