Are my standards too high as an WLW? I feel like every lesbian romance book I read is such a let-down, and unfortunately Queerly Beloved was no exception.

There were a lot of problems in this book. The writing style was very matter-of-fact and did so much telling rather than showing. I never really FELT any of the tensions between characters, and I certainly didn't feel romance. The love interest is barely in this book and most of the interactions between her and the MC Amy feel so stilted and weird. They barely know each other and yet act like their "relationship" is the be-all, end-all. It was so strange.

The side characters may as well not exist. They feel like checkmarks for representation rather than additions to the story with backgrounds of their own. They all felt interchangeable, personality-wise. They function as props to help the main character grow without any depth of their own.

The one aspect of this book I really liked (which frankly saved it from being a one-star) was the love for Tulsa and especially its queer community. I love when an author sets a book in an area they are intimately familiar with, and Susie Dumond went to college in Tulsa! I did really feel like I was there, and I enjoyed learning a little more about the city and its history. There is a beating heart of love for the queer community in Tulsa and for queer communities in red states. As a queer person in a deep red state, I appreciate books that show us love and share our experiences. We don't deserve less just because of where we were born.

I saw a lot of potential in this book but the execution just fell flat. I believe this was this author's debut, so I would be interested in following her career and see how she improves her craft. She has another book set at a bed and breakfast coming out this year, and I may give it a shot!

Such an interesting read, satisfying and sweet. I love books that give me a real picture of life in a non-NYC/LA setting, and so the Tulsa, Oklahoma placement was really new to me. I also appreciate learning more about folks finding their identity, and this book really gives a good look at finding oneself. You can't beat the found family trope, either! A lovely read and highly recommended.

*Queerly Beloved* by Susie Drummond was a charming and heartfelt read. I really enjoyed the journey of self-acceptance that the main character, Amy, goes through, and the themes of chosen family were beautifully explored. The romance with Charley was sweet, though it took a bit of a backseat to Amy’s personal growth. Some plot points felt underdeveloped, and the pacing was a bit uneven at times, but overall, it was an engaging and uplifting story.

A book that had me grinning ear-to-ear almost the whole way through. I love Susie's voice and the deft way she crafts a compelling narrative. I was rooting for Amy the whole way!

If you couldn’t tell from the title, this romance is delightfully queer! A great story on coming out and coming into your true self while also finding love!

Absolutely charming and romantic! I loved the premise of this novel as well as the romance. The queer representation was done so well and it all felt very heartfelt.

A really fun yet thoughtful read. I think definitely something outside my usual comfort zone but glad I read!

I struggled a lot with this book. The idea was interesting, but it got a bit cliche at times, and the story felt slow. The romance seemed like an afterthought too. There wasn’t much chemistry between the characters, and they didn’t spend much time together. I did enjoy some scenes, but overall it just didn’t hit the spot for me.

I found this rather forgettable.

I enjoyed parts but I think ultimately it was more women’s fiction than romance and the characters were a bit stale and didn’t have much growth.

Queerly Beloved was ok. I think I was expecting something different, so that let to my disappointment. I was really wanting the romance, but it was more the story of living in the closet and coming out.

I really liked this book, however, I felt that it veered more into women’s fiction territory than a true romance novel. The book mostly deals with the growth and emotional journey of the protagonist, Amy, as she reckons with being gay in Oklahoma in the time period immediately leading up to marriage marriage equality while embarking upon a new job as a professional bridesmaid. Ultimately, this book was less about Amy‘s romantic journey and more about her coming to terms with her own feelings on romance and marriage, as well as how to be a good community member.

A moving and witty romance book about finding yourself as a queer person after having grown up in a restrictive religious community

This book was an interesting ride. While I love an LGBT Romance especially one that includes food and a crazy journey, the ending unfortunately didn’t give me that satisfying feeling once I was done.

Will always love an amazing queer romance. The character development was on point, Biggest hit for me was focusing on the rights surround the LGBTQIA+ community

I did like the romance in this book, and I loved how everything was wrapped up in the end and everything worked out, but it was a wild ride.

Amy was very relatable. Amy and Charley...so cute.

Some solid representation in here, too.

"Queerly Beloved" is a let down of a queer adult romance and one you should likely skip. This book had all the promise in the world with a great foundation and premise, but the writing falls flat with poor execution and bad characters. It took a lot in me not to DNF this one.

I was excited for this book because I am on the hunt for a sapphic book that makes me feel warm comforting rom-com feelings like many Achillean books have. This book was so stereotypically gay that it felt almost homophobic. There are two sets of gay men that are literally the exact same, one set is just twenty years older, but they both are reduced to “my gay best friend and his husband”. The love interest is basically “smart butch lesbian” and that’s the extent of her personality and character growth. The main character is self-centered and hypocritical for making her entire life about weddings while hating on straight weddings the entire book.

This book is advertised as romance when it barely had any romance except for the mention of weddings happening in the background. It’s also hard to be a romance book when your love interest is hardly ever around. This isn’t a story about falling in love. The plot lacked purpose and direction.

I wanted to love this book but I couldn’t relate to the characters honestly.1/5 stars because the characters fell short and the plot was lacking for me.

Can’t wait to read this book with my class on reading the romance to analyze the recent turn toward queer romance in the genre.

Queerly Beloved by Susie Dumond is a romance with a strong, underlying message of acceptance. When a queer baker is fired from her job at a Christian bakery, she has to figure out another job for herself. So she becomes a substitute bridesmaid, and she learns a lot of lessons about herself and other people. I really appreciated the underlying message of acceptance and the way this author spoke on Christians and their approach towards the LGBTQIA+ community. It was honest and thoughtful. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.