Light hearted romance with meeting and falling in love as the driving story. Brooke moves from Ohio to start a new job and life in upstate New York. She is successful and wants to perform her best. Macy is klutzy and an animal lover. She is also talented and provides much of the property staging for Brookes new agency. Their paths literally cross more than once as they become friends.

This is my first Georgia Beers novel and her characters have a lot of depth. Macy has lost a partner and must deal with guilt as she moves forward. Brooke feels her parents disappointment but she wants to make friends, renew faith and be happy in her new life. The side characters Sasha, Eva, Tyler add so much as the story unfolds. Even the menagerie of dogs and cats all have distinct personalities. I love the natural conversations between characters and I could see the love relationship developing.

The angst moments were realistic. Macy uttering "Well, well, well,..If it isn't the consequences of my own actions.", is so self aware even if she isn't sure how to make things right. I wish there were a few added scenes at the end or an epilogue but I finished feeling things were on track for a HEA. (4.5 stars rounding up)

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books, Inc. for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Big fan of this book! It was really close to getting 5 stars from me, so I definitely would agree with other reviews giving that rating.

Georgia Beers always is a great writer, but for some reason I felt like her banter and witty dialogue was better in this book than a lot of her others. Kudos to her there. Brooke and Macy bounced off each other so well, that I could hear the flirtation in the dialogue.

I think the topic of second loves is always a challenge, and this story felt real. Theirs the obvious guilt of falling for someone again, but also, what about the guilt when you realize you aren't feeling guilty? It was neat that she touched on that aspect as well.

Also have to say, I'll be really annoyed if Sasha isn't the lead in her next book! Love the workaholic but lovable boss thing she had going on. The girl needs some love! Plus, then we'd get a sneak peek at Brooke and Macy again...

Overall, really sweet book to read and one of Beers' better books to date.

I have mixed feelings about this story. It was sweet, the characters were sweet, the pets were sweet....but I didn't get emotionally involved this time. Dont know why...but I didnt.
I have read all of Georgia Beers books and loved them. So maybe just my current mood. (Covid...election aftermath)
I felt a little irritated with Macy...I realize her past experience was shocking but it had been 3 years. I would expect her to be thrilled she had found someone as special as Brook.
Again, I realize she was shocked again, but it turned out fine. That should have shown her that not all emergencies turn out the same. And grateful. But then we wouldn't have the angst to complete the book.
Good characters, cute pets, very warm and funny dialog but a bit too formula this time for me.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an absolutely lovely story! 16 Steps to Forever truly is a classic Georgia Beers novel with lots of romance, a fair dose of angst, and of course a small herd of adorable dogs and cats. Does a group of dogs and cats make a herd?

16 Steps to Forever tells the story of Brooke Sullivan and Macy Carr. It is a beautiful story of two women who obviously have major chemistry together. However, they must find a way to overcome heartaches and disappointments in their pasts in order to have a possible future together.

A city in upper New York during Spring is the perfect setting for this story, and is well described in the tale. The characters (main, secondary, and animal) are all well developed. I connected with both main characters immediately. It probably helped that both of them are animal lovers, especially Macy. In fact, as I was reading about Brooke being “adopted” by a stray cat in the story, my family was being “adopted” by a (formerly) feral cat in our neighborhood. Talk about a story coming to life!

I truly loved reading this novel. It left me feeling really happy. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a great romance.

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

There are lots of elements to like in this story. The budding relationship is nice and rather sweet. The bisexual aspect is well written and nuanced. The church and faith is matter of fact and chimes with the rest of the plot as part of the character, but not a big deal for the story. All of this works to create a warm atmosphere, but overall the tone of the book, for me, is a bit bland. Basically it lacks that spark of energy that makes a romance book zing. Having said that the animals were the stars and all of their scenes were great. It’s a decent book.

A cute romance with an LGBT topic. Even though I found the story charming, it did not catch me as much. It didn't pull me to keep reading, I love more plot twist etc, so it was a bit flat for me. It is a light read, so if you want to escape the reality for a while and laugh I definitely recommend this book to you.

Thank you for Netgalley and the author for the copy in return of an honest review.

Three and a half stars. This was... fine. I really enjoy Georgia Beers' writing, and I feel almost guilty when I set really high expectations for her work. But in all honesty, out of her three releases this year, this was my least favourite.
Maybe I went into this with the wrong attitude or something. For the most part, there wasn't anything negative for me to pinpoint. The characters are instantly attracted to each other. Check. One of them has flaws, and a dramatic backstory. I thought they had average personalities, so I wasn't extremely fond of either of them. Macy was a little more human, but I wasn't invested enough to really root for her.
Today's revelation is that because I am a character-driven reader, I expect different things from a book that gives us two perspectives instead of one. When we only see one side, of course we only expect to see one character arc. Or even when we mostly follow one character, only seeing hints of the other. We know who has the most growth to do. Here, Brooke was a mostly static character, basically just the love interest, even though we see a good chunk of the story through her eyes. She might have had flaws, but they weren't given much discussion, and there was no incentive for her to change. This was most evident at the angst moment, when all of the emphasis is on how Macy messes up, how she's responsible for the pause of their relationship. (spoilers...) This never fails to annoy me in a general sense, and it was what put me off Hopeless Romantic, but it's so much worse when a character is clearly going through a lot. It should not have been difficult for Brooke to piece together why Macy has been off since she found Brooke passed out... it's almost like she has past trauma about having a girlfriend injured and lying on the floor? I suppose I can understand why she blames Macy for not telling her, but come on. She needs a little more support here, possibly therapy. Macy's not over her fears, but the book ends before we see any steps to resolve it. That only accentuates the abruptness of the final scene. I did not like that, because it should be about character development as much as the romance, and having the issue still present in a HEA does not make for a guaranteed HEA. (And yet, in the end, I still come away with a positive opinion of the author. She does write gems like Macy whispering to herself, "Well, well, well. If it isn't the consequences of my own actions." See, Georgia Beers can be brilliant.)
To end my tirade. Please. Let's have more character growth for the second main, characters like Brooke. I would have so much less criticism to dish out.

Brooke Sullivan is starting a new job in upstate New York after relocating for a variety of reasons from Ohio. Shortly after she begins her new job as a high-end real estate agent she meets home stager, Macy Carr. Macy is three years out from losing her wife to a freak accident in their home. Macy found her wife unconscious and continues to have flashbacks and regrets that she could not save her wife. Macy surrounds herself with her five animals, family, and friends for comfort.

This book was a nice mix of heart-felt drama, laughter, and excellent main character chemistry. The first meeting between Brooke and Macy was laugh out loud funny, although Brooke was mortified, and her ivory suit probably never recovered.

I also liked the tie-in with Brooke's boss, Sasha Wolfe, who was featured in Beers' contribution to the All I Want for Christmas trilogy released which in the same month. All I Want for Christmas was arguably the best read of that trilogy.

Overall I'd rate 16 Steps to Forever 4 stars.

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

The worst thing about reading a Georgia Beers book is that you know you probably won't come across a book as good as the one you're reading for another 3-4 months when the next Beers book is released.

This was a fun read - we all know how these romance plots work, but it's always fun to try to figure out where and why the break-up will happen and how the characters will get back together. The story had plenty of heart-tugging drama and two very likable main characters. I wanted them to get together and I wanted them to get BACK together.

My only complaint, and it's minor, is when you expect an epilogue to wrap things up, but when you turn the page you instead see "about the author". I nice summary of seeing where these characters are a year or two down the road would have been nice.

Brooke moves to a new city to work at well known real estate office. She's eager to prove herself, but when she meets the klutzy residence stager Macy, she's not so sure it's going to work out. The two women keep running into each other, sometimes quite literally, and they find it harder to deny their attraction and the easy way their conversations flow. Macy has lost her first love, and hasn't dipped her toes into the dating pool since, but will Brooke be the one to help her have a second chance at happiness?

This has been one of my favourite books by Georgia Beers in a while. I really loved the chemistry in this book, particularly with the way Georgia Beers did the slow burn and added tension with every chance meeting. Their romance was super sweet and very genuine. I also have a huge love for both real estate/home design reality shows, so marry that love with a perfect wlw romance and you can't get much better! Except it did, because you had great secondary characters with their own backstories for the readers to explore and an adorable mix of animals. This was the perfect cozy way to spend an afternoon.

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

It's no secret I love Georgia Beers, she is one of my favourite authors in the genre. So obviously when she releases a new book I have to read it, and it didn't disappoint.

Brooke packed up all her things in Ohio for a fresh start in upstate New York. As a realtor, she can work anywhere and she needs to be away from her parents and their strict beliefs. She wants to focus on her work, have everything nice and organised. She doesn't want the stray cat that peers into her rental's window, nor does she want to be attracted to some flaky girl. The flaky girl in question is Macy, who works as a property stager. She isn't really flaky, just a huge klutz and a bit less organised than Brooke. Their first meeting is the epitome of klutz-life if you'd ask me. Macy believes she has already had the one love she was supposed to have, so her connection with Brooke is surprising to her. Yes, Brooke is extremely attractive, but seemingly the polar opposite of Macy. When they get to know each other better it's clear to everyone there is more there than just friendship. But their pasts might get in the way of their future.

Pretty early on in the book, there is a mention of Hopeless Romantic, the wedding planning business from another Georgia book. I was hoping we'd get this lovely story that resulted in a wedding done by Hopeless Romantic, we do get a HEA, but not with a wedding. I could see a sort of series forming from this book with Hopeless Romantic and maybe the next one with Sasha (Brooke's boss), it wouldn't be a real series, but it could be, just saying. I liked both characters in this book, there are features of each character that seem so legitimate I can easily identify with it. I have a slight preference for Brooke's character, don't know why. Might be the name, I love the name, for no good reason really...
As always Beers's writing is excellent and I enjoyed how the romance unfolded and the story continued. I'd liked to have an ever sweeter ending, but you can't have it all :)

I'm a huge Georgia Beers fan and as usual she doesn't disappoint. This was an easy read and beautifully written. The main characters were amazing. Dare I say, Brooke was my favorite as she was more open. 5 stars.


Thank you NetGalley, Bold Strokes Books and Georgia Beers.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the author for advanced copy.

5 stars

Georgia Beers has done it again! If you have read any of her books you know another great one is here with
16 Steps To Forever. Her writing eases us in with getting to know the main characters. You'll find bits and pieces of yourself in them. Take a liking to each. In this case...Brooke, just moved from Ohio to upstate New York where Macy has lived her whole life. Both are different areas of the real estate world, going to a meeting when their worlds collide. Slowly the suspense builds as these two head strong woman realize what is best for each of them.
I highly recommend. Great read!

Another sweet romance by Georgia Beers.

It has all the expected "ingredients" I've come to expect from her novels: charming main characters, interesting secondary characters, sweet love story and pets :)

I always enjoy a Georgia Beers story and this one is no exception.

Brooke Sullivan high powered, high-end real estate agent. Brooke is bisexual, and not in the market for anything serious - with anyone.

Macy Carr, head-in-the-clouds dreamer, a home stager, who is trying to pick herself up after the death of her soul mate.

Instant attraction doesn't happen, does it?

Brooke has just moved to a smaller town, upstate New York to get away from the busy city, the noise and haste. She gets a job with Wolfe Real Estate, just her style and just her speed.

But Macy Carr keeps crossing her path! Macy is called in to stage the spaces that Brooke has on the market, so their paths cross often. Each woman finds the other attractive, that's for sure, but neither is ready for anything serious. Macy has her family, her friends, her menagerie of dogs and cats, and her job. For now, she's content.

What happens next is what Georgia Beers is good at: two women who struggle with their inner anxieties, their pasts and their weaknesses. Throw in a moment of angst, the horrifying pictures of the past and questions about how a future could possibly work.

This story is imaginative, flawless and the peripheral characters are important and necessary.

This is a a sweet romance.
As many of Georgia Beers writings, animals are all over the pages and, in this story, Macy and Brooke are two hard working women who have different personalities and fall in love. Despite Macy's struggles after the death of her former lover, this is a very easy going reading with some fun parts specially when Macy's gay friends are involved.
I usually expect a bit more of a conflict when reading a book, but maybe that problem is mine and not of the book. If you are looking for some light reading, this is for you.

3.5 stars. Brooke Sullivan, a real estate agent, is in a new city after being disappointed by her parents. Macy Carr works for a staging company and she believes in true love. She had the first love of her life taken from her in an accident and has been single since. She meets Brooke by literally running into her, and ruining her white suit with some Danish. Brooke does not want anything to do with klutzy Macy, she only wants to deal with her on a personal level. But, she keeps running into her around town, in a coffee shop, at a park, and she has to work with her. Brooke and Macy can't seem to stay away from each other.

I enjoyed this novel. The characters had pretty good development throughout the novel. They both seemed to interact a lot and their relationship seemed to develop at a good pace. This book is well written, like most of the Georgia Beers books. Her books are always well written and I look forward to each new one. The only reason this book did not get a better rating as the drama in the book was just okay and there were times I did not not Macy and her attitude toward the relationship. Macy is a little afraid after her last one, and I did not like her attitude towards certain things, it was frustrating. Although, I would definitely recommend this novel.

Another win from Georgia Beers. Her writing is always very good but of course sometimes you like a plot better than another and this one was speaking to my heart and funny at the same time. Really enjoyed it so thank you for that!

Georgia Beers is on my auto buy list and her latest effort didn’t disappoint in the slightest.
The story is a little slower then usual in initiating the romance but those initial chapters payed off beautifully at the end helping us understand the reasons for Macy and Brooke actions and reactions.
I also appreciated the light touch in describing the ambivalence between faith and many church’s stance on homosexuality and how the acceptance of lack there of can impact a person’s self worth.
The writing style was as usual light and funny and the chemistry between the leads was very palpable, the pets had real character and weren’t used only as props and had a real impact on the story.
One of the hallmark of Ms Beers has always been her attention in creating a world as realistic as possible and populating it with an array of side characters that are interesting in their own right without shifting the reader’s focus from the main protagonists, and this book has plenty of those.
The more regular readers will also find many little nuggets that recall some of the author’s previous works, and will in particular meet someone very important for the seasonal anthology about to be published, even if in an unusual way, I’ll not spoil the surprise but to say that I’ve loved the little twist.

In conclusion this is another wonderful story from an author that never disappoint

G

3.5 stars! Thanks to Netgallery and the author for the ARC :)

What a sweet, easy-reading romance read. It had some pacing issues for me personally, and occasionally some cringey dialogue but that's just me being very picky.

If you're after something gay, sexy and fun then this is most definitely for you!