This book certainly starts off with a bang! Within a few pages, Meryl Wilsner makes it clear what you are getting into with "Mistakes Were Made," a steamy, confident, no slow burn, open-door-and-then-some, romance novel. If you are looking for something with a lot of build-up and sentimentality, this is not the right time for you to read this.

"Mistakes Were Made" is mostly light-hearted and an easy read. Some readers may take issue with the age gap (it's never really defined but I think it's in the 15-year range) or the gifts that Erin gives Cassie at times but Meryl Wilsner never makes the relationship seem predatory or even that Erin had any expectations of Cassie.

I oddly appreciated that there was no serious conflict between the two main characters and even the conflict between Cassie, Erin's daughter, and their other friends was quickly managed. Sometimes you just want something quick and fun to read, after all.

It would be wise for any future readers to skim the book and reviews to know what they are getting into. This will certainly be divisive among some audiences.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this review copy for honest feedback.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffith for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Ok, this was fun. It was a good time.

However, I found myself annoyed with Cassie and Erin at times because they were consistently being a bad friend/mother to Parker because of their sneaking around. This was mostly just when the three of them were in the same house though. If I were Parker, I would not be nearly as chill in the end. However, I can mostly excuse that due to the nature of the plot overall and I knew what I was getting into.

The pacing was also fairly slow towards the end until the last 15%.


Also, there are a couple of strange lines relating to race
Chapter 2 - “Buildings branched off from it, most with white columns in the front that felt a little too plantation-like.”

Chapter 6 - “Her mom had always been proud Erin was close with an interracial couple, in that obnoxious “I have Black friends” sort of way. Erin would’ve fled after high school if she were them, but Jimmy and Melissa were homebodies. And the town was better with them in it.”

Chapter 14 - ““There’s nothing to be out with,” Erin said. “I’d just rather not you start rumors about me and Abbey at the nail salon.” “We are excellent secret keepers, thank you,” the woman working on Rachel’s nails said. “We don’t gossip.” “Not in English anyway,” Erin’s nail tech joked.”

I still cannot believe that I didn't have to wait until October to get my hands on this book, because I really was not sure I could wait that long for a Wilsner book. So, thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

When I read Something To Talk About, I was in awe of the way Wilsner built a relationship with so much chemistry, and how they worked through a really complex, possibly problematic situation, and found a way to make the relationship real and moral and overflowing with love.

I wasn't as impressed by Mistakes Were Made. While Something to Talk About felt like something special, Mistakes felt like a really fun, super smutty romance, but also underwhelming. It's exactly what's on the tin: college student sleeps with older woman. Older woman turns out to be her friend's mom. They try to not repeat things, fail spectacularly and hide their relationship.

I LOVED Cassie and Erin, everything from their chemistry to how they worked through things with Parker and to their own personal growth. It was a great romance, and the difficulties of the relationship are worked through very well. I think if I hadn't been so blown away by the complexity of Something to Talk About, I would feel a little more satisfied.

Wow I’m not even sure where to start. This book is the best romance I’ve read in a while, and it’s definitely in my top three favorite books. Cassie and Erin are such lovable characters and the chemistry between them is some of the best I have ever read.

This is a plot which differs from most other age-gap stories. I think the premise may be the part that could make readers shy away from it, but it’d be worth the read even if you were on the fence.

Wilsner’s writing style is executed perfectly for this story. You are able to understand what each of the main characters are thinking without getting too bogged down in the details and redundant thoughts. I was worried the characters would not have enough interaction at a couple points in the book, but I’m glad to say that was not the case.

Erin is such a heartthrob and has now become my number 1 book crush. She is accomplished, kind, caring, confident, and incredibly hot. Cassie on the other hand is spontaneous, daring, confident, ambitious, and loving. I loved reading the banter between these two characters. I find that in other books this sort or banter can feel fake or cheesy, but Wilsner perfectly nails their banter back in forth in a way so natural that it never once drew my attention away from the book. Don’t even get me started on how steamy this book is either. Seriously some of the most enjoyable scenes I’ve read.

I’m sure by this review you can see that I am a huge fan of this work. This is a 5/5 star book and I will be buying it as soon as it hits shelves because I need it in my collection.

I was so excited to get an ARC of Mistakes Were Made! It completely lived up to my expectations since I loved Something To Talk About. The book focuses on the relationship between Cassie and Erin who meet at a bar and end up spending the night together. The next morning, however, they both discover they have an unexpected connection. Cassie’s best friend brings her along to breakfast to meet her mom…who just happens to be Erin. Oops! Happens to the best of us. I loved Mistakes Were Made. It had everything I want from a romance and more, I can’t wait to see what else Meryl Wilsner comes out with. I’ll be first in line! Go preorder this book now! You won’t regret it.

This was absolutely adorable! I took this on a retreat and really didn't know how to describe it other than so cute with spicy parts.

The main premise is that Cassie hooks up with a hot older woman at a bar during her college's Family Weekend only to find out this older woman is Erin, the mom of her best friend! The rest of the story talks about the evolution of their relationship.

The characters are all super relatable and lovable. The fact that there weren't really any male characters was pretty awesome. Just women supporting women!

Mistake Were Made was a super romantic, sexy, emotionally mature romance book. I read the author’s first book and loved it, and now I loved this one too. I sense a theme in the author liking to write about relationships where there is a power imbalance between the two people getting romantic, but it’s done in ways that are respectful and emotionally appropriate. The power dynamic between the two in romantic entanglements in this book was used in ways that made the characters stronger, instead of harming them. The sexy parts of the book were very good - I hate when books use alternate language to describe body parts and sexual acts, but the author was upfront about the spiciness, using proper language and no metaphors. I definitely felt a little hot around the caller ready the fiery sex scenes. The dynamic of dating your friend’s parent and trying to navigate that love while also keeping your friendship in tact is super interesting, and the way it all plays out in the end is setting a super good example for readers on maturity and emotional intelligence. I crave romance books that have characters who are role models, who have flaws but can also end up happy in ways that don’t need to rely on immaturity and avoidance. I absolutely loved this romance and would recommend to anyone and everyone!

I cannot express enough how much I enjoyed this book. The chemistry, the pining, the will they/won't they, I am completely obsessed. I loved how there was a balance between the (very) steamy moments and also the deeper ones. And the witty banter? Hell yes.

Also moment of appreciation for Acacia and Rachel for being supportive and funny best friends.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mistakes were made was a quick and easy read! I wasn’t too sure how to rate this one because I did enjoy some parts but other parts I didn’t. If I’m being honest, I didn’t feel the connection towards the characters and at times their relationship just made me cringe. I feel that the age gap was just something I didn’t like and don’t think I’ll read from now on. I did like the side characters and the smut scenes were good. I just wasn’t that invested in the relationship. There were some issues in this book, there was racist lines that need to be checked. They were very unnecessary in this story and should be taken out.

Steam: 🌶🌶

2.5/5 (rounded up to 3)

Sapphic rom com (i use that loosely) about a college senior who falls in love with her best friend’s mom.

This book is the definition of “You know what you came for”. There’s no real substance here but there’s steam, chemistry and angst. If you want more than a steamy angsty novel, look elsewhere. This book really should’ve just been an erotica novel. There was minimal characterization nor true development. The Black best friend and Black adopted mother both seemed like token characters with little development. The characterization of Mama Webb had racist undertone, that hinted towards the “mammy” stereotype.

I loved the steamy parts as they were very accurate and well written, but that was pretty much it. I would only recommend if more depth was added and some of the racially insensitive parts were removed.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for my honest review.

3.75/5 Stars

This was truly one of my most anticipated releases of 2022 and so I'm so glad that I got to read this one a little bit early!

The story follows college senior, Cassie, who ends up hooking with her best friend's mom, Erin, at a bar during Family weekend. The two then have to decide whether they should continue & explore whatever sparks they think they have or to never speak again to not upset Cassie's best friend, Parker.

I wish that both Cassie and Erin were developed a little bit more as their own individual characters outside of the relationship. Besides them freaking out over if they should tell Parker or how she would take the news, I found the characters a little flatter than I was hoping for.

I did, however, LOVE LOVE LOVE the spice especially because it was more developed and unique in relation to other sapphic spice that I have seen in the contemporary romance genre. If you're looking for a fast-paced, spicy, erotic, age-gap, then this book is for you!

Mistakes Were Made was a really fun read. Honestly, I wasn’t totally sold on the whole “dating” your best friends mom thing, but Meryl Wilsner sold me (at least for these two). Cassie and Erin were both really interesting characters and they had great character development throughout the story. I loved that we were able to see them interact with so many other characters, the book was very much about them, but their other relationships added depth to the story. I had to put the book down a couple of time because I was so nervous about them slipping up or getting caught! I was especially nervous about Parker finding out. It was inevitable, but I was still beside myself when it happened.

Meryl Wilsner writes some pretty great romance. I’ll definitely be revisiting this one when it comes out!

First, thank you to St Martin’s and NetGalley for the early copy!

I loved this book. It was deep and cute and funny and I had to make myself take breaks to savor the story.
It wasn’t a story I’d normally reach for first. Kinda a wacky subject that I never really thought would be fun to read. BUT IT WAS SO WELL WRITTEN. I was hooked on Cassie and Erin from the start.

Even Parker and Acacia were VITAL parts of the story. It was believable! It was HEARTWARMING. Ugh. I wish I could go back and read it again from the beginning.

Also I feel like the author did such a good job of packing so much depth into a compact and cohesive story. Well done!

(Reviewed on goodreads)

Clever and I threshing storyline. Erin and Cassie meet at a bar during Parents Weekend ar Cassie's college. Of course, Erin is the mother of Cassie's roommmate. Funny storyline and creative plot. Quite steamy in parts.

I have no words for how grateful I am for this ARC.

Everything about this was amazing. I was squealing, dancing and screaming.

It explored how adults can start their journey towards getting better late in their life and how they sometimes have to unlearn what their parents taught them in order to be happy and to be a good model for their children.

I love the dynamic they had. One is still deciding her career path while the other has a child and is well into her life already.

This dynamic unfortunately led to a lot of miscommunication throughout the book, but it didn’t throw them apart and so it wasn’t really a bother.

Erin and Cassie were incredible. They took care of each other more than themselves and they wanted to be happy without hurting anyone in the process. Despite the age difference, they both had things to learn and work out and seeing them help each other like this made me wish I had what they have even tho they don’t exist😐

The importance of friendships and the concept of family being chosen and not put together simply because of blood was a major aspect of this. It was clear that they all incredibly loved and cared for each other. They helped each other out all the way through and it was funny and emotional all at once.

I wished I could this book in my hands and hug it, but I‘ll settle for my kindle.

Such a fun new one from Meryl Wilsner, and I’m so grateful for the ARC from the publisher and NetGalley. I loved the sexy forbidden romance between college student Cassie and her roommate’s mom Erin. The characters were well developed and three dimensional, and even though I had many a cringy moment at the foibles of their romance, it made sense and kept the book fun, humorous, and entertaining. I did feel that the latter half of the book dragged a bit, and I worried constantly about Parker, the roommate/daughter. I know, I know. It’s a romcom about sleeping with your best friend’s mom. It’s gonna be messy! But it still gave me palpitations often. Overall, a fun steamy read!

Stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this book. It feels so different from Something To Talk About but it is amazing on its own. I did have a few nit picky issues here and there but nothing that stopped me from enjoying the book

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I had such high hopes for this novel, because I enjoyed Meryl’s previous release, Something to Talk About. With that said, the two could not be more different in my opinion.

This was hands down one of the spiciest books I’ve read in a while, and the scenes were more diverse than you typically see in wlw romances, which was a plus. That said, if the two main characters weren’t sleeping together, the writing and plot fell flat. Lovable, relatable characters can sometimes assist in this case, bolstering the book as a whole when the plot doesn’t deliver, but unfortunately, I found few qualities to love in either main character.

In what I can only assume was an attempt to make Cassie seem more mature and in control, she was written as snarky and “badass” — constantly smirking and referring to her friend as “princess.” Erin was better, but not by much. The pairs’ repetitive guilt spirals dragged the second half of the book out, before everything was tied up into a neat little bow, without much actual conflict.

The actual issues a couple with an age gap of that size were never discussed really, just given a few sidelong looks and one instance of another character freaking out. The logistics of the entire thing is glossed over, and rather than having to develop an actual relationship, the story ends with an epilogue featuring a dual proposal. It seemed very much like a cop out.

It’s also worth noting that there a few sentences that read as racist, which could be completely cut without affecting the novel in the slightest — stating that a building at the college is reminiscent of a plantation, and saying that a town was better for having an interracial couple. Cassie’s relationship with Acacia’s family is also wholly underutilized, and seems to be there to subtly prop up her own underdevelopment as a part of her tragic backstory, meant to garner sympathy for the character.

Erin meets Cassie by accident not knowing that Cassie was her daughter's best friend. Erin and Cassie become involved and want to keep it a secret from Erin's daughter. The plot revolves around secrecy and the. fear of being found out. There is emotion and drama in the story and the characters are well written
I recommend this book for. romance readers. I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a ride from start to finish. I don't often find myself seeking out Romance novels but Something to Talk About was so adorable that I had to get my hands on Mistakes Were Made. Luckily, Meryl Wilsner does not disappoint.

This is for sure: the "Stacy's Mom" book (female lovers version).

I find myself at a loss for what to do now. How am I supposed to skip over to another story after having read this somewhat tortured and angsty age-gap romance? I was in no hurry for this to end. It could have been 100 more pages and I would've loved that.

I think this book is fast proof that Meryl does not need to stick to one genre or one lane. I am very excited to see what they write next!