"Foolproof" is a second chance/friends to lovers/roommates to lovers sapphic romance. Elliot and Martine knew each other as children, and it's been nearly thirty years since they've last seen each other. After getting to know each other again and becoming roommates, they both dance around their feelings before finally getting together. While I do love a good sapphic romance, seeing a romance featuring older characters was really refreshing, and there were some really sweet romantic scenes, I do this book was a bit slow for my taste when it comes to romances, and a bit too full of information that didn't really add to the story.

I love a good second chance romance and this one didn't disappoint. Bit of a slow start but stick with it, you won't be sorry.

A second chance romance with former friends reconnecting while doing the walk of shame out of the same appartment. Their former friendship easily flares up and they end up as roommates, even though it seems as though there's a new physical attraction that might complicate things.
After a slow beginning the book picks up pace and it turns out to be an ejoyable read with many hot scenes
sprinkled throughout the book. These scenes don't detract from the story in anyway, I think it enhances the trust, respect and friendship between both characters, but it might not be everyone's cup of tea.

***Thank you Netgalley and Boldstroke Books for giving me the chance to read and review this book***

Thank you for this eARC.

4/5 stars!
The beginning was a slow start but once you continue to read it really picks up!

The chemistry between the main characters made me feel so many different emotions.
The spicy scenes were so good!!

I’d recommend it to anyone!

Book description
Martine Roberts and Elliot Tillman’s childhood friendship was intense. When they bump into each other again thirty years later, sneaking out of an apartment after one-night stands with a pair of roommates, all their feelings come rushing back.

Elliot needs a place to stay, and Martine needs a roommate. It should be simple, but it’s not friendship simmering between them.

Growing up in Key West, rum distiller Martine has friends and family to spare, but her deepest heart she keeps to herself.

With her career in the Coast Guard, Elliot’s never had a permanent address and didn’t mind, until moving in with Martine gives her a home. Now she wants to chart a different course with a woman who likes her relationships short and seasonal? Perfect.

Sometimes friends with benefits isn’t a foolproof way to hide from the truth at the heart of an affair.

This story's main characters are Martine and Elliott. They used to be best of friends when they were children. But people move away, find different careers and drift apart. Martine is in the rum distilling business and Elliott is in the Coast Guard. 30 years later, the two of them see each unexpectedly. They start spending more time together and the friendship starts back quickly. What they don't expect is the attraction that is simmering beneath the surface.
When it makes itself known, it is like a bonfire. If you are not one to read about graphic lesbian love, this is not for sure. There are quite a bit of that in this story. Personally, I don't mind some of this graphic descriptions, but this was a bit too much for me. I think that is what took off a star from the review. I'd rather leave some things up to the reader's imagination.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn’t get into this book. I found the beginning slow and a little bit too much detail talking about rum! It did pick up but I actually found both MC a little annoying and couldn’t find the chemistry beyond the sex. Sadly, It wasn’t for me

Leigh Hays is a new to me author, but bonus points to any book that teaches me a thing or two about a subject I know nothing about. In this case, it is the process of distilling rum. As an Aussie who lives in QLD and has really only ever tried (and not enjoyed) Bundaberg Rum, I was pleasantly surprised to see there is a lot more variety out there.

Martine has lived in Key West for the majority of her life and has family members around every corner. She has built a business with her best friend distilling rum and it is her passion.

Elliot spent two years of her childhood in Key West and has returned to serve in the Coast Guard to escape her recent past.
The two women attempt to rekindle their friendship but there is no denying the chemistry that seems to be affecting their every interaction.

The overall concept of the story was great, however, the characters failed to resonate with me on any personal level, for reasons I’m not entirely sure. I still enjoyed the progression of the relationship between the two MCs which was sweet and hot as they tried not to, but inevitably fell in love which kept the book fun, and me turning the pages.

This is the story of Martine reconnecting with a long lost friend Elliot. Their friend connection is back in an intance but there is also the physical part that is new.

I enjoyed their journey but there was something missing for me. I didn't really feel that emotional connection or the longing. Some sexual parts were too much for me but that's totally a personal preference and no reflection in the writing.

I received an ARC via Netgalley in return of an honest review.

I enjoyed Foolproof, Great storyline, interesting characters and some steamy paragraphs in there too! Abit on the short side but still a good read.

I've given Foolproof a 3 out of 5

Martine and Elliot grew up as best friends in the Florida Keys until Elliot’s family moved. Upon returning to the area, Elliot runs into Martine while sneaking out of the apartment their respective one night stands. They end up reconnecting as friends, moving together, and exploring a relationship past friends.

It was not a bad book, but I just don't think it was my type of book. It felt slow for me.

Thank you Net Galley and Bold Strokes Books for the eARC.

Set in the Florida Keys, the unique occupations of rum distiller and a Coastie (Coast Guard) made for an intriguing read. This author has a knack for getting inside the MCs’ head and heart, allowing you to tag along in their journey to happily ever after. Enjoyable from beginning to end. Thanks to the author, BSB publishers, and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Foolproof was a pleasant surprise for me. It was the blurb that initially intrigued me - two childhood friends reunite sneaking out of an apartment after one-night stands with a pair of roommates - and I am so happy that I got to read this one.

Once Martine and Elliot run into each other, their friendship reignites. When Elliot is given the opportunity to live in Martine's gorgeous home, they become roommates which quickly turns into a friends with benefits arrangement. There are a lot of steamy scenes in this one, and they were all exceptional. Hats off to Leigh Hays for some of the steamiest scenes I've read in a while 🔥🔥🔥

The best part of this book? The connection between Martine and Elliot is unmistakable. Their chemistry is off the charts, but their friendship and attachment feels so real. I loved this book. It's a great novel that demonstrates the power of attraction in all its forms.

This is my first read from Hays but I can't wait to read more of her work. Definitely pick this up if you love a character driven romance with a good dose of steam 🔥

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Really good book. Loved the relationship between Martine and Elliot. I liked that this was a friends to lovers relationship, even though it started out as friends with benefits at the beginning. This was kind of a slow burn romance also, because neither women wanted their friendship to suffer if the relationship didn't work out, and that's where w angst and drama starts. I really enjoyed this book and I would definitely recommend it to my friends and family, and I also look forward to what's coming next from this author.

Martine and Elliot were best friends in Key West for a couple of years as children, both probably seeing in the other what they couldn’t recognize in themselves yet. When they reconnect by chance thirty years later, Elliot is a Coast Guard newly stationed in Key West and Martine owns a rum distillery with her best friend. Their friendship is just as strong as if they’d never lost touch and when they become roommates, they grow even closer, naturally, moving into a friends-with-benefits relationship that feels as comfortable as it is hot. Until it’s not.
On a backdrop of book pages, an iPad with the cover of Foolproof by Leigh Hays. At the top of the image, on the left-hand side, a strip of torn paper with a quote: "A very – very – steamy read " and a url: judeinthestars.com

What makes Leigh Hays’ books stand out is the way she skirts the line between erotic romance and full-blown erotica. If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s excellent chemistry and sex scenes. In Foolproof, the chemistry underscores the MCs journey from friends to lovers to forever as well as their own individual journey to who they are, what they want, what they like. The exploration of power dynamics is extremely hot yet tinged with tenderness, and it’s that tenderness that makes all the difference.

Besides the characters (I hope we get to read the stories of some of the secondary characters someday) and the steam, I also really enjoyed reading about the work and thought that go into making rum (which I very rarely drink, it’s often too round for me, I like sharper spirits). It’s always a delicate balance when writing about a character’s job, describing enough to translate the passion but not too much that it becomes infodumping, and Hays makes it work.

This is a quick and very – very – steamy read that I enjoyed quite a bit. 3.5⭐️

This book has some of my favourite tropes- friends to lovers as well as roommates to lovers along with a chance encounter.

Martine and Elliot, two kids who simply just got each other grew up separately only to bump into each other as adults. Elliot is a coast guard, and Martine is a Rum maker, both just sort of lost in life, wanting more but at the same time having their reservations about love and creating the life they truly yearn for.

When the opportunity to share a house together arises, both are cautiously excited to reconnect and from there on it was really just how life is, great as roommates, even better as friends and then lovers. Its low angst but sex filled with a touch of BDSM. So if this sounds like something you'd like, I'd definitely recommend. Oh and if you like Rum, the process of how it's made or even if you're just curious about it, by the end of it you'll definitely have learnt a thing or two about it!

I'm not sure if it was intentional or not but this book literally read like the story. It started off disconnected just like the MCs, I felt like it read jumpy & just needed to be a slightly bit more descriptive to really link it all together. Though, as the MCs met and started building on their relationship, the writing picked up too. This is the first time I'm reading a book by Leigh Hays so unintentional or not, it worked out well in the end.

I've really struggled to find a decent book recently so I'm glad I got given the chance to read this, thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for the free copy in exchange for a review.

It’s been 30 years since Martine and Elliot have seen each other but it soon becomes they never forget the other. They were around nine years old. A year later Martine’s dad died and while her family are close by she still feels very much alone.
Elliot grew up and enlisted in the Coast Guard, traveling the country and beyond. Now she feels it's time to go back to a place where she had a best friend, one she’s never forgotten. Growing up, Martine, along with her best friend, has become part owner of a business where she gets to experience what it takes to make a ‘rum’ stand out by working as the company's ‘distiller’.
Elliot gets a transfer back to Key West, hoping to meet with Martine, hopefully to continue their earlier friendship. Neither has a clue the other plays for the same team. You know the ‘lesbian’ team. While they have changed a little they both feel the same connection with the other.
Ms Hays is a good writer who’s books I’ve enjoyed and this is no different. Very nice read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

This is somewhat a second chance romance. The main characters were both strong and fully developed. It was an easy read, but I think the connection between Martine and Elliot was lacking. They were both just comfortable with each other. Regardless i would recommend, 3.5 stars


Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books.

Surprising tender story about 2 women that normally enjoy one night stands and how they fall in love. I say surprising because the majority of the story was about their adventures in sex. I would say in bed but it happens everywhere and every way, from dildos to butt plugs. It was a bit much for me so I skimmed a lot.
The writing is good, so I'm guessing this author could write a meaningful story without including a tutorial on sexual dominance and toys to entertain the reader.

Thank you for the ARC

My second from this author. I found the story an easy read with two strong characters, well written and put together. Possibly needed a little more emotion.

Romance novels are not always exciting. Foolproof, by Leigh Hays has some wonderful interactions between the designated lovers, but the banal plot does not help engender much feeling with this reader. I am not meaning to be too critical as I did enjoy much of the story and would read the author's next work.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.