I am not one to typically read something like this. However, this one intrigued me with the description. I don’t want to give up too much but the entanglement with the mom is magnificent. The enteral struggle of what to do and then dealing with seeing the mom for weeks? You will be entrapped from the first chapter.

Meryl Wilsner has been one of my favorites since I first read "Something to Talk About" so I was ready to read "Mistakes Were Made" as soon as possible and I was not disappointed! Cassie and Erin have one of the steamiest relationships, which turns into one of the best couples that I've read. Despite Erin being Parker's mom, I was rooting for the two of them the entire time. I've reread the book multiples times and it just honestly gets better each time.

When Erin, a 39 y/o, goes to her daughter's family weekend at college, she goes out to a local bar to blow off steam before the weekend gets going. There, she meets the cool and confident Cassie, 21, and the night leads them to a memorable one-night stand. But both of them are shocked to meet each other the next morning at breakfast with Erin's daughter, Parker. For the next 6 months, Erin and Cassie keep their relationship a secret from friends and family, worried about what people would think of the their age-gap relationship, both even more worried about their relationship to Parker, her mother and her best friend dating. As they both deal with what it means to be falling in love, they realize that what they both thought was casual, is turning into romance, and everyone can see it but them. I enjoyed this book for the most part. Although there was a dip in the pacing mid-way and the dialogue often suffered from the classic romance cringe, I enjoyed seeing Erin and Cassie fall in love. I also liked that there was no unnecessary 3rd-act breakup and the family and friends were accepting and supportive of their relationship once that penny dropped. While some of the depictions of Erin and Cassie's behavior toward each other in the beginning as they tried to push each other away was not the healthiest, I think overall their relationship becomes healthy as they work towards finding and living truth. Great bi and queer representation from the fmcs. I would definitely read more by this author and recommend this.

Yes, it’s the “I hooked up with my best friend’s mom” book and yes, it somehow works. The chemistry is off the charts, the banter is sharp, and the emotional arc is surprisingly tender. It’s messy in a believable way, not a soap opera way, and I appreciated how it leaned into the complexity without losing the fun. A bold, spicy, slightly chaotic romance with a whole lot of heart.

I don't know why I haven't reviewed this book when I read it years ago but here we are - sorry, I'll keep it short!

A spicy sapphic romance that has palpable tension and energy weaved into it from the very first page. I did not expect a milf romance to be as hot as this was but OMG. I didn't love the writing style of this one, nor am I one for age gaps usually but this was still a solid, fan yourself to cool down romance that I can understand the hype for!

I appreciate sapphic stories with middle aged women. We’re a forgotten audience. This one started off with a bang but quickly fizzled out. I DNF at 48%

Supposed to be steamy, ended up steaming pile of awkward. One-night stand meets family drama? More like eye-rolls and cringe. Characters felt like they forgot how to make good decisions, and the plot? A mess. Not worth sneaking around your reading list for.

This book had a fun start but unfortunately I need to DNF at around 50% due to becoming soo repetitive and drawn out

I'm always drawn to Sapphic romances featuring middle-aged women, so Mistakes Were Made immediately caught my attention. While the story was entertaining and lighthearted, I struggled to connect with the characters and fully invest in the central romance. That said, it’s an enjoyable read with some excellent love scenes—perfect for a quick vacation pick.

The plot kicks off with college senior Cassie ducking out of family weekend by hitting a bar off-campus. There, she meets Erin, who's avoiding her ex-husband while he takes their daughter—Cassie’s college freshman best friend—to dinner. What begins as a passionate one-night stand quickly becomes complicated when both women show up to breakfast the next morning and realize their unexpected connection. Despite agreeing a relationship would be a bad idea, the two can't seem to stay away from each other—even across state lines. What follows is a lot of sneaking around and repeated insistence that it’s "just a fling," which any romance reader knows is never the case.

My biggest issues with the book were the lack of emotional depth in the relationship and the age gap dynamic. Beyond the undeniable physical chemistry, I didn’t feel there was much to justify a lasting connection. And while age-gap romances aren’t inherently problematic, Cassie being only 22 made it harder for me to fully buy into the pairing. It helped somewhat that neither character seemed to act their age—Cassie is, of course, mature beyond her years, and Erin doesn’t quite resemble any near-40 doctor I’ve met. Still, if you're into witty banter and extremely steamy scenes, this book offers a fun and escapist ride, ideal for a beach day.

A sexy, funny, and surprisingly tender story about an unexpected romance between a college student and her best friend's mom. The chemistry is sizzling, but the emotional growth and exploration of messy relationships really drive the heart of the book. It's bold, awkward, and refreshingly real. Perfect for fans of character-driven contemporary romance.

This book is a delightful rollercoaster of unexpected romance and complicated relationships. When Cassie Klein’s attempt to dodge Family Weekend leads to a one-night stand with a charming stranger, she never expected that mysterious woman to turn out to be her friend’s mom, Erin Bennett. The awkward breakfast that follows is just the start, as Cassie and Erin find themselves drawn to each other in ways neither anticipated. The chemistry between them is undeniable and watching them navigate their secret rendezvous is incredible. This story tackles the complexities of love with a mix of humor and heartfelt moments, making it a refreshing take on romance that’s hard to put down.

What do we have here? Best friends mom, so there's an age gap!
She didn't know this though!!!
Until the next morning.
Overall I enjoyed this! Would recommend if you're looking for a sapphic romance.

*Mistakes Were Made* by Meryl Wilsner is a fun, steamy sapphic romance with great chemistry and engaging characters. While the writing is strong and the relationship dynamic is compelling, the significant age gap may not work for all readers. Still, it's an entertaining read with plenty of heart and heat.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! I just couldn't get in the mood for this one, but I do love this author!

While I did not love this entire storyline, the premise was fun, the writing was fresh and we love a MILF romance! I'd love to read more like this for sure.

*Mistakes Were Made* by Meryl Wilsner had a promising premise, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to expectations. The book follows an intriguing setup, where a romance develops under complicated circumstances. While the idea of exploring forbidden attraction and the messy consequences of mistakes was compelling, the execution fell flat for me.

The characters felt one-dimensional at times, and I struggled to connect with them on a deeper level. The chemistry between the leads was supposed to be the driving force, but instead, it felt forced and didn’t have the emotional impact I had hoped for. Additionally, some of the plot twists felt too contrived or out of place, making the story feel less genuine.

The writing style was fine, but there were moments where the pacing dragged, and I found myself losing interest. Overall, *Mistakes Were Made* is a book that has potential, but it didn’t resonate with me the way I’d hoped. I can see others enjoying it, especially if they’re into steamy, flawed love stories, but it just didn’t work for me.

Fun forbidden romance with a good amount of chemistry - but also feels like it could've balanced the story with less smut almost? I wasn't as connected to their relationship.

Giving five stars! Always try sapphic books and this one did not disappoint!! I love love loved this read! Funny and romantic!

This was okay. I really didn’t care for the plot or characters or writing style which was a bummer. Not for me, but others might enjoy and appreciate it!

Wilsner is loved in the WLW reading community. Her characters feel three dimensional and relatable. It's easy to invest in the story and where it's going.