2 Stars. This is the third in a series, which I did not realize when I picked this book up as an ARC from Netgalley. This book is about Penelope Huntingdon-Stewart, a successful clean eats vlogger of Penny's Kitchen. She something happen to her and decides to travel to the county side, to the town of Axedale. Penny is a high maintenance girl who has never really experience the country. She meets Sam McQuade, a butch farmer who helps her out when she has an epileptic seizure. Quade soon tries to spend as much time as possible with Penny and teach Penny about the country side.

There are a couple things that bother me about this book. One, it seems like (although I have not read the other books in this series) that they are all the stereotype butch/femme pairings which bothers me a little. Not every couple has to be the stereotype pairing . I have not read the other books but was still able to understand the whole book and know all the characters well enough. There were a few things that were mentioned that I did not understand since I did not read the other books, but that is okay. The interactions between the two characters were fine, but I hated how much of their stereotypes they represented. Quade was a farmer who was a butch through and through and did not even want to wear a suit and Penny was a girl who wore heels and dresses and painted nails and everything. Penny even called her a just a butch most of the book, ugh.

I have never read a Jenny Frame book before and I am not sure I will again. This book was okay and there was a chemistry between the two main characters, but not enough for me. It seems like they fell super fast and I didn't think the story line was that interesting. This book is a pass for me when it comes to recommending it to anyone. I did not enjoy as much as I enjoyed other novels and have many other books I would rather recommend or read.

This is the third in Jenny Frame's Axedale series, light breezy but not as good as the second one, if that makes sense? If you've read any of this author's books you're probably aware that you're going to get the butchest of butch stereotypes, (and I do mean stereotypes, I'm aware that butch can mean many many things) and the femme of her dreams meeting in unusual circumstances. They clash but there's a spark, they fall for each other but deny it, they nearly get together but their lives interfere etc etc.

This isn't necessarily a criticism, while it's not exactly groundbreaking sometimes people want something lighter. If this is what you want, Frame is pretty consistent. Here we have Sam aka Quade tough, rough farmer and Penelope the youtube cookery, clean-eating Londoner who makes her dog wear wear booties and a coat outside. If you're a big fan of the series you'll be glad to hear that all the old reliables make an appearance. Not enough Finn & Bridge for my liking though!

I'd still recommend Charming the Vicar the most out of all of Frame's books.

Wooing the Farmer is a lovely little romance between handsome butch Quade and beautiful femme Penny. Jenny Frame really captures the characters especially Quade.....I dare you not to love her,
The story is well written, as is normal with a JF book once started I found it difficult to put down,
This is the third book in a series , it's great that its stand alone you don't need to have read the previous two books to enjoy this one.......but it's such a good story it did make make buy the first two books.
Would I recommend ....Yes if you're looking for that feel good factor

Romance is in the air. Wooing the farmer is the third in the Axedale series by Jenny Frame. As expected, the story is fun, romantic and an enjoyable escape for a few hours. The characters are intriguing and the story keeps your attention from page one. It's always nice to revisit the original characters from previous books and I simply love the butch femme chemistry that Frames characters take on. I highly recommend.

I have been waiting for Quade’s story. She has a heart of gold and has been an active player in the rest of the Axedale series. Quade, the shy and adorable butch who had been looking for the love of her life. Enter Penelope Huntingdon-Stewart is successful clean-eating food vlogger and owner of the website Penny’s Kitchen but when she has a epileptic seizure while doing tv interview she decide to look in a new direction for her brand she goes to Axedale to record a new web series and write a cook book. The chemistry is amazing and the obstacles they must overcome to be together makes the book better.

A gentle, happy read, perfect for relaxing with and losing yourself in small English village life if only lesbians lived there! It had a fairytale feel to it, pink princess falls for salt of the earth farmer and they end up living happily ever after with their dogs. A classic opposites attract storyline with just enough twists to keep you reading until you finish the book in one sitting.

One of the main characters having epilepsy was dealt with empathetically and compassionately. I’ve got a friend with the condition who reacted in a similar way to the character and the character’s feelings about it were really well described.

3.5 Stars. This is the third and potential final book in Frame’s Axedale series. I’m happy to say I thought it was better than the second book (which was barely average in my opinion) and about on par to how enjoyable the first book was. You do not need to read this series in order. Each individual romance does stand on its own. However, the characters from both previous books do make appearances in this one. One of the parts I enjoyed was catching up with past characters so you would miss that feeling if you only read this book.

This was one of Frame’s classic butch/femme romances. You have Quade the sexy butch farmer and Penny the socialite. When it came to these two mains Quade is easy to love. She is basically perfect. Quade is not really my type, but make a real life version of her and even I’d date her. But that is also part of the problem, Quade is too perfect. And because she is so kind and patient and sweet, she is almost missing a little depth. Not having any flaws made her feel a little shallow of a character. On the other side Penny is not easy to like. She comes across as a Paris Hilton type except she does have a business brain. Her character is extremely hot and cold and it made me wonder why Quade was so attracted to her. At least in the beginning it seemed like Quade only liked for her looks since there was not much substance beyond that. Penny did get better as the book went on, but Frame barely pulled off making her likeable enough.

The romance part was perfectly fine. If you could put your feelings of Penny to the side is was a decent romance that had some chemistry and good sex scenes. Again, it did feel a little on the surface for me. This is not a deep book at all so don’t go reading it expecting that.

I’m left with the opinion of having read a good but not great romance. If you are just looking for a lighter beach read, fluff type book, this may be for you. There was nothing really deep or anything that wowed me, but it was a perfectly fine read.

This book was absolutely great. I love the farmer has no clue about apps and social media just only about being real and honest. I understood all of penny's fears as I've had the same issues. No clue this was a series for sure going back to read book 1 and 2. Jenny frame thank you for the great book.

Jenny Frame returns with the third book in the Axedale Series. We get to know handsome farmer Sam McQuade better. The book starts with a bang on the form of Penelope Huntingdon-Stewart. Who is an Instagram and YouTube personality whos the complete opposite of Sam.

Penny comes from a wealthy family, made her own wealth as a clean eating Instagram personality and she has a dog that dresses better than most people. Penny takes a working sabbatical at Axedale to recover from her very public epilepsy attack.

Sam is immediately enchanted with Penny even tho she doesn't understand at all what Instagram influencer is, let alone clean eating. But Sam sees through Penny bubbly pink facade. Even tho she feels she is unworthy of Penny, she does her best to get to know and help Penny, while Penny keeps pushing back.

With some help of the vicar and Lady Axedale, Sam and Penny grow closer. I found this book a wonderful read and wished it had gone on a bit longer.

Wooing the Farmer is the 3rd book in the Axedale Series and sometimes this can be a problem and often times not. I definitely felt the gaps while I was reading this book, mostly because the secondary characters were so integral to the storyline. I had no reference point so I kept feeling like I was mentally winging it, trying to figure out certain side stories and what they were supposed to mean to the central story. In the end, I wonder if I had read the first two, which incidentally sounded interesting, would it have made Farmer a better story for me.

So in conclusion, the fish out of water story of society girl Penelope Huntingdon-Stewart falling for farmer Sam Mcquade was okay for me but didn’t ring any big bells. I have to say that in the past, when I disliked one of the main characters, the book was ruined for me, no matter how well written. I loved Sam McQuade but barely tolerated Penny. Why, Quade, why?

There's just something about Frame's writing that is both amusing and annoying. I enjoy the premises of the stories for the most part, and characters are well written. But then she really pulls on one of her characters being an over the top personality that uses it as a wall between her and others. The second character is perfect to a fault. In some cases it makes it boring, and then when they do something out of character, for the sake of plot, I'm often left wondering why that particular plot point set that character off. It often doesn't pan out.

I found that Penny, our ultra feminine socialite turned businesswoman to be annoyingly stuck up at first, but saw that there were some layers to her. The fierce need to be in control and independent because of her epilepsy is spot on. She melts little by little in the wake of Sam McQuade's persistent willingness to just be there when she needs it. Quade is a little to perfect in that she seems too good at reading Penny's moods and what drives her even though the just met. I think I would have liked it if Quade's need to be helpful came off as being a "white Knight" type thing, and Penny has to show her that she doesn't always need the help. That way it would feel like Quade and Penny need to learn from each other. The way the story is set up, Quade is perfectly equipped to handle Penny when she's in a fit and how to handle her need to be independent. So most of the learning is done by Penny, and that just rubs me the wrong way for some reason.

I did love the setting of Axedale. The descriptions of the lush country were amazing and Penny's business fit right in with the country life. I also liked Quade's reaction to Penny's recipe's and substitutions for her clean living brand. When Penny gets to actually teach Quade about what Penny does for a living, I think that's when the book shines. Penny softens, but also shows her business acumen, and Quade is an eager, if skeptical student. It's adorable and I love it.

Over all, though, if you're a fan of Femme/Butch romances or Frame, you'll enjoy this one very much.

Penelope Huntingdon-Stewart comes from a wealthy family and is a blossoming entrepreneur in her own right. She has a lifestyle brand, social media empire and clean eating franchise. However, her epilepsy, and a very public seizure has sent her running into the English country side to heal both physically and to heal her brand. It's there she meets Quade, gorgeous and challenging her at every turn. Penny wasn't ready to let someone into her life or her heart, but fate has other ideas.

Penny is not someone I would likely become friends with in real life. We have nothing in common. But Jenny Frame is a truly talented author - she took someone I would likely judge and never interact with and turned this quirky character into someone who has a huge heart, her own baggage, hopes and fears. Penny was someone who could have been this caricature character and turned her into a beautiful three dimensional character who I was rooting for and cared for in the end. I was cautious because I was so excited for Quade's story, and I'd grown very protective of my favourite character from the Axedale series. I don't know who I imagined for her partner but it wasn't Penny, but in the end oh my goodness Penny was perfect. I'm over the moon that Quade is happy and found someone like her. I hope I haven't botched this explanation, but I think Jenny Frame outdid herself on the characters in this book and the beautiful romance she created.

I was so happy to catch up with the lives of old friends from Axedale and of course to see the lovely Quade find the love of her life. I am very attached to this lovely little series. Thank you so much Jenny Frame.

I look forward to what comes next from Jenny Frame!

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a cute love story. I must admit that I really enjoyed it and after I finished I sorta wanted a Butch Farmer! :) When I started reading this book, I didn't realize that this was part of a series and I wish I had read book 1 and 2 before reading this one. It doesn't seem like you need to read this to be able to get through this one (afterall I got through it with ease).

Penny moves to Axedale to recoup from a medical issue. She is a classic city girl and very femme. She meets Quade the very first day. Quade owns a farm and very Butch. Once they have a chance to officially meet each other, the sparks fly! Penny's character is very annoying at the start with her hot and cold attitude. In the first chapter or so, I thought I might have a hard time dealing with Penny, but Frame does a good job balancing this attitude by giving details on Penny's past and why she is so guarded. As the book progresses, I really like Penny. Quade is super hot! Now, I do think she might be a little too nice, but there were times in the book, where she did stand up for herself which I really appreciated. Never did anyone ever say I just want someone super nice....at least I haven't. This story line just works. The chemistry is there and the obstacles they must overcome to be together makes the book better.

4 stars

I absolutelty adored this book from the beginning. Having not read another book by Jenny Frame I was unsure what to expect, but I was not disappointed. The chemistry between the main characters of
Penelope Huntingdon-Stewart (aka Penny) and Sam McQuade (aka Quade, Sammy), or my favorite Sexy Farmer) was palpable. I felt the fireworks whenever these two were together even with Quade's slow wooing of Penny via the butch/femme storyline. The sex scenes, including first time sex, were scintillating. I also enjoyed some of the serious topics that the book focused on like epilepsy and clean eating.

Dougal and Princess were also key to the tale and I'm always thrilled when dogs are involved in the storyline. Finally, I was introduced to other Axedale residents and now I want to read their stories in "Courting the Countess" "Charming the Vicar".

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review.

At the beginning this book was off to me, little by little I started to like the writing and the people. I'd change some things here and there since i feel like i read them in every book. but overall I really enjoyed the writing. this is my first book by this author but wont be the last. I'm going to check her other stories.

recommended

This was such an excellent book. The two main characters were pretty good, but I did not love Penny when she first came on the scene. I have waited forever for this book to come out and was so fortunate too receive this as an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley.

So as the story goes Sam "Quade" Mc Quade is a dashingly handsome but she just doesn't understand or know how good looking she is. In comes her perfect woman Penelope "Penny" Huntingdon-Stewart who is fabulously hyper feminine and is a "clean eating cook" who had an embarrassing situation happen to her live on television. So she goes to the country to get some air, get away from her family and to make her cooking show.

There are a lot of mixed signals in this book, but Quade is utterly perfect through it all and ends up being the perfect woman for Penny. As well we get got to see a bit of Harry, Annie, Bridge, and Finn. I love Bridge and Finn so it was really nice to see them. Penny was a little annoying at the beginning but once it was explained why she behaved the way she did she became a much more sympathetic character.

Quade has a lot of insecurities which I did not love seeing in the book and I also felt like she was written as a little too masculine. Sometimes I for got she was in fact a woman because the author chose to put her in jockey shorts and very masculine clothing and also her mannerisms were what would traditionally be considered male. Other than that this was a very sweet slower burn romance with some really sweet love scenes. I love this series so much and cannot wait until the physical book is out so that I can buy all three and add them to my growing collection. I am always pleasantly surprised by this authors work, I did not realize that she would be fast becoming one of my favorite les-fic authors. I will have to read more by her.

I have yet to read a book by Jenny Frame that isn't worth 5 stars, in my opinion. Her writing is honest and simple, in a good way. Some writers fill their books with unnecessary Thesaurus finds making them sound flowery and condescending.
I love the butch femme storylines she writes and this one is no exception. I love the way she suspends belief in writings of future times and how she can continue to instill "old fashioned values and behaviors" instead of resorting to futuristic behaviors to go with the time period she's writing about (this book is not in the future). If we can suspend belief to read about werewolves and vampires, why can't we believe in Inteliflesh? Especially since that's more likely to come about than the former. While I am terribly jealous of Penny, I'm happy for Quade. I can't wait for the next book by this author, no matter when it takes place or who is in it. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

'Wooing the Farmer' is a truly tender love story.

It is the 3rd installment of the 'Axedale' series, but it can be read as a stand-a-lone. The only piece that wasn't explained for me was a vicar's previous nickname that was referenced. It did not impact understanding of the story, however.

This is the story of Penny, a high-maintenance-girly-girl, that travels to Axedale to rebuild her lifestyle brand by doing some work around country living. There is a gorgeous butch farmer, Quade, that owns the property next door to the cottage Penny is staying in. Because of Penny's debilitating epileptic condition, she is standoffish to any help Quade offers, but does she have the fortitude to continue rejecting the swoon worthy courting?

Penny's fears as a result of her epilepsy gives this story a beautiful depth I was not expecting. I found myself very sympathetic toward her character and understanding why she could be so cold, build walls, and ultimately run away from potential feelings. Then throw in a handsome and nurturing next door neighbor that is set on helping Penny through her insecurities, and you have the ingredients for an organic and healthy romance

I enjoyed the intimate scenes. Although explicit, there were major undertones of love and affection that allowed me to connect with the scenes and feel less embarrassment than I usually do with depictions of sex in books.

There were several missing words here and there. And one time there was a reference to the wrong person's name. And I have no idea what happened to Penny's brother Hugo. He was mentioned in the beginning but never heard from again.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable read. I recommend it for those who like clean and intuitive eating, enemies to lovers trope, and relationships built on deep connections/experiences.

<i>I was provided and ARC through Netgalley from Bold Strokes Books for an honest review </i>

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the final book in the Axedale trilogy, and I have been looking forward to this, as Quade was a favourite from the other books. It features Penny, who is some sort of heiress, runs a clean eating business and suffers from epilepsy, which I don’t remember ever reading about in lesfic before. To be honest, I didn’t think I was going to like Penny, she comes across as a vacuous twit when the book starts (and the descriptions of her dressing her dog did not help) but she grew on me as the book went on. Quade on the other hand is a delight from start to finish.

Their relationship is sweet, and it’s a slow burn, but there was a bit too much push and pull from Penny in the first 60% for me to fully enjoy it. I did like how Penny’s medical condition and lack of sexual experience were handled, neither of which is terribly common place in lesfic. I also loved Quade’s various reactions to Penny’s clean eating recipes.

Both couples from previous books feature here, though I still didn’t like Bridget. And I sort of wish Frame had introduced the Annie/Harry subplot into book two so that we might have seen the outcome in this book.

Anyway, this is a sweet romance, although I agree with Bethany’s review that Frame’s characters do seem better suited to stories set in a less modern setting (not to mention how unrealistic it is that there would be three such couples in one small English village). Still, this isn’t a bad way to pass a few hours. 3.5 stars rounded down, because it’s not quite 4 stars.

**LOVE the cover! Oh-so colourful, so quaint! Bright and joy! Look at the reflection?! So pretty! Makes me happy every time I look at it! Well done!**

I've been looking forward to reading this third installment of Jenny Frame's Axedale Series, "Wooing The Farmer!!!" So naturally, I devoured it in one short sitting as soon as I received it! I couldn't wait to see what Frame had in-store for me favourite farmer, Quade, the shy, adorable, terribly forlorn and lonesome butch who had been looking for the love of her life, the femme of her dreams since Book 1. Aaarghhhh!! Poor Quade! Not anymore!!! Thank Christ!!

And the ideal femme of Quade's dreams? Well, just wait 'til you read all about Penelope Huntingdon-Stewart (Penny)! Wow! Talk about THE femme of the femmes!!! Frame's detailed description of Penny was so vivid that I could see clearly - with the many bright girly/feminine colours and cute cartoony prints that accompanied them in all of her attire including her footwear, her make-up, accessories, the lot - what exactly she looked like! As if those weren't enough to describe a stereotypical-looking femme, Penny also had a dog, a brown toy poodle named Princess Baby Bear who accompanied her everywhere in the designer dog bag she carried with her all the time. Yes, Penelope Huntingdon-Stewart and Princess Baby Bear. There you have it. Hats off, Frame, for creating this unapologetic, extremely femme-looking femme, whom I'd never come across in any lesfic character described quite like her before! How absolutely refreshing and exciting especially when Penny came face-to-face with the other end of the spectrum - yes, the ultimate butch-looking butch, Quade!! Ah yes, let's not forget that this is a fairy tale romance. Perfection!

Penny was first introduced as this typical city girl from a famous family with deep wealth (yeh, Mayfair much?) who, on the surface, was this prissy, high-maintenance type femme, always draped in designer outfits with uber-feminine colours and designs (think lotsa pink, unicorns, fluffy accessories, sky-high heels, short/mini skirts and tight-fitted tops that show off her femininity) that you couldn't possibly mistake for anything other than a stereotypical looking femme. No loopholes. In other words, Penny was the embodiment of the ideal femme (reckon?). But then Frame revealed her to be a self-made entrepreneur with an uber-successful business enterprise stemming from her online cooking and lifestyle brand with products (from her online food vlog/cooking show) sold in mainstream supermarkets throughout the city. From her internet sensation status (her own web series, YouTube channel, Instagram, and other social media outlets) to her now thriving brand that expanded to telly appearances including her own published cookbooks. I just loved that Frame didn't just bombard the reader with all the idiosyncrasies of Penny's character right away. Instead, every time Penny was in her typical mood, Frame tore off a layer so I could discover what was behind Penny's actions, behaviour or attitude. Soon, Frame revealed the truth about why Penny was how she was. She suffered from severe epilepsy. Add to that was her dyslexia. So, just imagine what she had to go through growing up, what with a famous surname, the pressure of having to uphold the name, and not being in control of her own body and mind! Her studies obviously suffered which didn't allow her to advance any further academically, unfortunate events happened to her growing up that deeply affected her sense of worth, add to this constant reminder that her two older siblings, like their parents, were all overachievers and had successful, honourable careers. All piled up and stacked against her all her life.

What made matters worse was her feeling of inadequacy especially after her recent very public epileptic attack on live TV in front of all her fans and the audience, which subjected her to endless ridicule and laughter. As if that wasn't enough, she then had to be nursed back to health by her own family, much to her embarrassment and utter shame. Penny hated being laughed at. She hated counting on others. The only salvation with a semblance of control was her business. This had led her to be fiercely independent. The more she felt inadequate because of her condition, the more determined she was to prove she could do anything and succeed without any help or pity from others. That's why she had to make her own name, her own success on her own merit without any help even from her own deep trust fund. The psychological effects of her condition that had haunted her since childhood shaped her worldview about trusting people. This wall of defence she built to protect herself had summarily shielded her from everyone including her family. She was still close to them but only superficially as she'd closed off her true emotions and feelings from everyone. She had all but isolated herself with no real friends except her online followers who were easier to deal with instead of being exposed to potential hurt by people in the flesh. Her debilitating fear of intimacy because of her deep-seated insecurity about her own self-worth and her total lack of trust in people had relegated her yearning for her one true love to mere fantasies. Her fear of rejection, ridicule and pity was simply too heavy a cross to bear. Until she reached Axedale where a certain butch with a lonely heart yearning for true love with a perfect femme was just around the corner....

Cupid's arrow struck?

Upon her recovery, Penny was advised (by her longtime mate and business partner) to have a change of scenery in the countryside so she could steer her audiences away from the very public epileptic attack "debacle" and focus on her renewed self and new country cooking show. Hence her short-term stay in Axedale to carry out her vlog focussing on the countryside. And it just so happened that she was mates with Harry and Bridge! I was well pleased with that connection! Harry's circle of friends just got 1-person larger!

Let's talk about Quade, Axedale's resident butch, the only one left in the small circle of friends who was still achingly single. Harry had Annie ("Courting the Countess," Book 1), Bridge had Finn ("Charming the Vicar," Book 2). Leaving poor Quade with no one by her side to share her life with. Every time these mates got together, I really felt for Quade, as Frame so skilfully personified every pain, every heartache, every dejection, every loneliness that haunted the ever-self-deprecating farmer with richly emotive expressions that you couldn't help but want to console her and tell her that the woman of her dreams, her one true love, the one who'd be her farmer's wife was just around the corner. I loved how Penny and Quade first met! I didn't expect it, really. I didn't expect Penny's (surprising) gesture as it came out of the blue. So me reaction was exactly like Quade's!!! I think I'd have done the same thing as Quade did when she responded later with a stinging rebuke! Funny! I just love how Frame knows her characters inside-out, how their internal thoughts play out in any given situation. Makes her characters authentic and real.

Anyway, back to these two fated souls, Frame began their journey of everlasting love with boatloads of ice-queen treatment from Penny, against Quade's effortless "puppy-dog" kindness and her nervous/tentative longing - the tug-at-the-heartstrings sort - that constantly threatened Penny's resolve, to reject the farmer's irresistible charms! Nevermind that these two had the most sizzling chemistry whenever they were in each other's space. The sultry butch and the luscious femme. Ultimate fairy tale fantasy made and mind ya, Frame portrayed them with such fervour their characters literally came to life! And then those funny moments between them especially Quade's constant look of aghast at Penny's healthy food choices (no meat, no dairy) and diet (gluten-free, salt-free, fat-free, whatever-free!) and her utter cluelessness about the internet, let alone the social media which Penny seemed to be living in at all times with endless selfies and photo snapping with her phone, much to the innocent farmer's endless wonder and curiosity! Adorably amusing! In addition, Frame's rich descriptions of farm life, i.e. Quade's farm, her animals and plants, the open field, the strolls by the river observed from the curious eyes of Penny, were so colourfully vivid and visual that I imagined meself taking a stroll around Quade's farm, inhaling an abundance of fresh air along the way! Ahh, such is the country life, eh? Sublime.

I enjoyed reading Penny and Quade's interactions which slowly grew in length and depth as they got to know each other a little better every time they met. As their conversations delved deeper, more secrets were revealed. However, at every stage of progress in Quade's attempt at getting Penny to open up more and allowing their friendship to develop, there was a step back as Penny continued to let her chronic fears and insecurity rule her heart, overruling her growing adoration and feelings for the flawlessly sultry and irresistible butch of her dreams.

One of the two favourite moments of mine in the story was the entire segment starting from the scene where Quade first encountered Penny's epileptic attack, her absolute rejection of Quade's help, her seemingly incomprehensible protest against Quade entering her bedroom, to Quade's steadfast insistence of being with Penny during her whole recovery. The moment when Quade finally realised why Penny was so protective of her bedroom, her private sanctuary, was described with heartrending effect. Frame's description of the change in Penny's attitude and behaviour toward Quade whilst constantly still battling with her own demons was written with so much heart in it, I could really feel Penny's warring dilemma in her inner psyche. Her struggle was palpable.

As the push/pull between Penny and Quade came to a turning point, in came Bridge and Annie, with their sly, crafty idea. It was utterly amusing and effective. Just wait 'til you read what it was! So, regardless of how much Penny pushed Quade away from her, the undercurrent of emotions between these two otherwise perfectly compatible souls was only getting stronger, whether they liked it or not, especially on Penny's part. When true love comes a-knocking no amount of stubbornness, fear or insecurity can stop the powerful pull of the soul-stirring energy, as played out in Penny and Quade's journey.

Me other favourite and truly unforgettable moment was definitely the utterly touching and incredibly moving scene of Quade keeping Penny safe and protected at her most vulnerable self, with her physical and emotional strength, her undeniable, unwavering love for the woman who'd stolen her heart since the beginning. Reckon it was a difficult and complex scene to describe but Frame nailed every physical move and gesture, every feeling, every emotion, every inner thought with utter precision and conviction. That scene, imo, truly embodied the crux of Penny and Quade's love story - how a person can truly love another so unconditionally with a wide-open heart and an unguarded soul that the power of that energy could be felt completely in mind, body and soul by the other and reciprocated with the same fervour. The total trust, the sense of safety and security were born of that power of love. That was what Penny felt in Quade. It was so affecting, resonated so deeply, the effects of that entire moment reverberated soundly in me heart and soul. I felt every bit of that defined moment. Truly one of the most memorable moments that I've ever read in any love story, and never in this kind of intimate situation. The level of detail, the depth of intimacy in that scene was so personal, imo. Thank you, Ms. Frame, for writing such an incredibly stirring, riveting scene that really brought Penny and Quade's connection to life.

Meanwhile, other than Quade and Penny, Frame also followed up with the rest of the Axedale characters. For Harry and Annie, it was delightful to catch up on how they were doing, with a growing daughter, Riley, who was undoubtedly adopting Harry's characteristics more and more each day! Interesting, innit? Obviously, there was an update to their status, which you'll find out when you read this book! As for our deliciously unconventional and alluring resident vicar, Bridge, she and her magician stud, Finn, also had their own update in their relationship. Fans of this couple would be well pleased and thrilled, is all I'm gonna say! I just loved that Frame included these two couples alongside Quade and Penny, with Harry and Annie being the staple of Axedale. I don't know, it just gave me a warm sense of family amongst these characters who'd been each other's support system.

Also, let's not forget those two adorable dogs, namely Dougal and Princess! Their instant connection with each other was described so adorably with amusing effect, especially when Princess became less like a "princess" and more like a real DOG the more she spent time with Dougal, much to Penny's dismay and protest! Another adorable moment was how smitten Princess was with Quade, following her everywhere ever since they first met, like they were connected somehow! Fascinating, innit, how animals feel the energy of their human friends? I was really appreciative of the fact that Frame had consciously ensure that Dougal and Princess were a part of Quade and Penny's world, making them members of their eventual family unit! Oh, their friendship, how Dougal kept Princess under his wing, how Princess doted on her mate/sib! So utterly lovable!!! Frame's depiction of Dougal and Princess' behaviours was truly engaging, in particular when they were being protective over their respective mums. Oh, the scene where Princess was at Quade's doorstep on that fateful day, barking and shaking, trying to tell her about Penny! OMG! The description of that brief but utterly effective scene was riveting! I felt the tension, the danger, the gut-churn. Ahhh...that's why I LOVE dogs! Well done, Ms. Frame!

Well, if you think that when Penny and Quade finally became a couple that was the end of it, you're wrong. Obviously, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop throughout the book. And it did in a way that I thought worked out perfectly well because despite Penny and Quade's celebrated union, I thought there was one more thing that hadn't really been dealt with. That was Penny's business and its future, her career which was always a main part of shaping who Penny was and her life so far, a symbol of independence, individuality, success and relevance, if you must. Her business career was a product of her love for and commitment to it, basically. Olivia, Penny's longtime mate and business partner, played a significant role in this, obviously. I was utterly engrossed in the related scenes involving Olivia, Penny and Quade, depicted with emotionally resonating effect from all parties concerned, imo. This whole situation with Olivia, Penny and Quade had one purpose to serve, imo. And that was to arouse a moment of sudden realisation amidst a huge revelation. An epiphany. Penny's epiphany. The moment of truth. Did she have to sacrifice one for the other, both being her loves? Or, could she have it all? True everlasting love and joy, pure satisfaction, don't have to mean all or nothing. Sometimes there needs to be a bridge to connect the two points to make it whole and complete, doesn't it? In the end, Frame closed out the story beautifully for Quade and her one true love, Penny! Awww..!! Smashing! Utterly satisfying!

This book really gave me this feeling of an ultimate butch/femme fantasy love story, a fairy tale romance filled with the "sugar and spice and all that's nice" overall sensation that Frame deftly crafted into this utterly heartwarming and sensual, dewy-eyed and sentimental, heart-tugging and seductive, romantic journey with a dose of eroticism in it! Plus, I utterly enjoyed how the book ended - with Penny and Quade finally enjoying their well-deserved happily ever after along with their "kids," Dougal and Princess! Awww....!! Adorbs!!

This installment has become me favourite of the series! I loved everything about Penny and Quade's characters, their ups, their downs. I thoroughly enjoyed their road to securing an everlasting love, which was developed with gripping effect (for me!). Frame's sensitive, nuanced and realistic depiction of Penny's chronic medical condition and the devastating psychological effects it had on her, how she slowly let go of her lifetime of crippling fear about intimacy, trust and love before finally feeling free to accept and love herself and Quade completely and unconditionally, was well-paced, well-written and incredibly moving for me. In the end, love conquers all, innit?

All in all, I simply loved this story! It was an utterly cherishing read for me. I highly recommend it to those who love a butch/femme romance, further enriched by an utterly gripping storyline about overcoming great adversity and finding true love and trust at the end of the tunnel. Fans of Quade's and the Axedale series, reckon you'll have a whale of a time with this! If you're familiar with Frame's books, you'll know that she writes fabulous "classic" butch/femme characters with engaging stories. Penny's complex character was a stand-out for me. Well done, Ms. Frame and thank you!

An ARC copy was given to me by BSB/Netgalley in exchange for an honest feedback.