I really really really (yes really) wanted to love Second Night Stand, but it fell a bit flat for me. While the romance was sweet, I didn't feel like it was entirely believable. I liked that the characters communicated very well during general conversations and intimate scenes. It just wasn't enough.

The dance competition didn't make sense in my brain. Most of the description for the burlesque performances made me question how they made it as far as they did. Also, without spoiling, the way the competition ended for both teams left much to be desired.

I would still recommend it to anyone looking for a sapphic romance, especially if you hate the miscommunication trope.

4.5 - “You can say no just because you don’t want to. Your feelings matter. You get to do whatever you need to do to protect yourself.”

I grabbed this book solely because I had enjoyed Behind the Scenes so much and I went in pretty blind. This is such a beautiful book. Lillian and Izzy are such flawed, complex characters. They’re surround by such diverse characters rounding out their ballet company and dance troupe respectively, and it just makes for such a fun, compelling read.

Lillian’s struggles with ballet and her mother’s approval. She’s given up so much of her life for ballet and you can tell that she is yearning for something else. Izzy struggles similarly with her mother, never feeling like she’s enough. Their connection is new to them both, as they’ve always had one night stands. But the chemistry they have is so palpable that when they find out they’re competing on the same tv show they can’t stay away.

Everything in this book feels so genuine. Izzy and Lillian have such beautiful conversations throughout. They’re as similar as they are different. There are so many layers to both of them, and you can feel just how caring and supportive they are as things progress. And the supporting cast is just outstanding. They add to the story rather than taking things away.

“In our imperfections we are beautiful!”

The takeaways from the book are also so inspirational. I really loved the overall message of body positivity. I think that, especially in the world of dancers, there can be such immense pressure to look a certain way and Izzy's dance troupe shatters all of these expectations. The function on a mantra of letting anyone who wants to dance into their troupe. It's really incredible that in a book with that discusses a lot of familial trauma can also be this beacon of inspiration. It’s also fitting that this will be out just in time for Pride Month. I can’t recommend this enough for your Pride reading.

"Second Night Stand" by Karelia Stetz-Waters and Fay Stetz-Waters is a captivating romance featuring Izzy Wells, aka Blue Lenox, and Lillian Jackson. Izzy is determined to save her theater, while Lillian is focused on winning the Great American Talent show to save her ballet company. Despite their initial agreement for just one more night together, their chemistry and feelings deepen as they navigate challenges and confront their fears. This novel beautifully explores love, identity, and the pursuit of dreams, with authentic LGBTQ+ representation and excellent character development. It's a must-read for fans of heartfelt romance and diverse characters.

Such a fun and sexy one-night-to-forever romance. As a huge fan of Satisfaction Guaranteed and Behind the Scenes, I expected nothing less. I loved the sex positivity, body positivity, and diversity. Lillian and Izzy were likable and perfect for each other. The communication and consent between them was refreshing and the sex scenes were great. Their goals for winning the competition were noble, and I enjoyed both of their personal growth over the course of the story. Though, fair warning, if you’re looking for enemies-to-lovers or rivals-to-lovers, you won’t find that here. They’re friendly competitors with mutual respect for each other.

My only criticism would be that the pacing could have been a little tighter, but it never slowed to the point where I lost interest.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.

If you look at the cover of SECOND NIGHT STAND, you’ll know exactly why I read it. It has one of the most gorgeous covers! If I were in a store, this would be an immediate cover buy, and no book blurb would be necessary. But then I read the book blurb, and I’m sold. Karelia & Fay Stetz-Waters kick off this book full speed ahead with a fun plot, steamy shenanigans, and fabulous characters!

The first line of the book blurb tries to summarize the book as “a burlesque performer and a professional ballerina fall in love while performing on a reality TV talent show.” Yes, that does happen, but there is so much more! Even though their chemistry was off the charts, Izzy and Lillian were only supposed to have a one-night stand. But their troupes end up competing against one another, which throws a wrench in their plan.

The banter between them is so good. I love how sex-positive the book is and how it ensures everyone is consenting and comfortable. The book is also body-positive and promotes loving the skin you’re in. It was a very feel-good, positive-thinking book. I had a fantastic energy while reading it, and it kept me smiling.

Karelia has written other books, but this is Fay’s first. I am happy that the spouses worked together on this incredible story. I can’t wait to read whatever they put out next!

PS - The dedication is “To courageous romantics everywhere.” My heart 🥹🫶🏻

Thanks, Forever and Netgalley, for the arc!

A burlesque performer and a professional ballerina fall in love while competing on a reality TV talent show.
Izzy and Lillian are flawed, real characters, and it's easy to fall for them right away. They even fall for each other immediately, though these two can't admit it without some help from their friends! They are surrounded by a cast of lovable, diverse characters, between Lillian's all-black ballet company and Izzy's troupe. It's such a loving book with an emphasis on found friendship. The two groups compete in a series of increasingly crazy challenges in the reality talent competition while we also watch Izzy and Lillian struggling with their burgeoning attraction.

Overall, I loved this book. Diverse characters! Sexy times and wonderful chemistry! Fun reality show challenges! Definitely worth a read.
So cute, so fun, so silly, so perfect.

This book had me laughing out loud, drawing looks from my family as I read on the couch. The characters are completely lovable and so different than each other. I loved the competition. I loved everything about this booK!

4.75 stars rounded up

A wonderful installment to the queer reality TV novel group!

Lillian is a ballet dancer whose company is losing its funding unless they win a televised talent show. She's lonely after the audition and finds a hookup in the form of Blue Lenox, a.k.a. Izzy. Izzy is a programmer by day and burlesque dancer on the side, but it turns out her troupe has also auditioned for the show in the hopes of saving Izzy's community theater.

It's easy to tell this book is co-written by a couple who know each other so well. The main characters each have messy mother issues, and both are surrounded by fantastic side characters who love and support them. The cast is full of diversity in sexuality, race, and body size. The TV show setting took more of a backseat than I was expecting, but I really like what the authors did with the story. Looking forward to more from this duo!

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review!

Izzy has something to prove and a lot to lose: the theatre she bought as a space for her burlesque group is a money pit, and she needs the prize money from a reality TV show to keep from going under. Meanwhile, Lillian has just been told that her ballet company is at risk of being defunded...unless they bring in the exposure, and the prize money, from the same show. Neither woman is looking for romance, not with so much on the line...but things don't always go to plan.

This was a no-brainer of a book for me—lesbian romance with dancing and reality television? Yes please. Both the ballet and the burlesque performances are disappointingly vague, but the reality TV portion is a lot of fun: we don't see a ton from the other competitors, but what we do see is pretty tongue-in-cheek, with producers manufacturing drama left and right...but drama that everyone knows is for the cameras, and that doesn't spill over into real life. I enjoy reading about (fictional) reality TV far more than I enjoy watching the real thing, and books where the characters are self-aware about what they've signed up for are right in my sweet spot. Sometimes the tongue-in-cheek goes a little too far to be believed (like the friend who makes herself an "influencer" badge that lets her get away with...just about everything?), and sometimes the fast-forward moments are odd (telling me that the characters "tossed a few over-the-top taunts back and forth" (loc. 994) without sharing the taunts just makes me think that there was nothing witty enough to put in), but I can forgive a lot for characters who have honest conversations and are genuinely trying to do the right thing...and for books where the conflict is not about some evil villain or other but more complicated things.

This book is collaboration between two married writers, one of whom is an established romance writer and for one of whom this is—I think—a first book, and I'll be interested to see if they keep cowriting. I love how much more available, and how much more varied, queer romance has become in the past couple of years.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

A great uplifting story about a ballet dancer and a burlesque dancer who fall in love -- while competing on a dance reality show and trying to hold everything together for their troupes.

The characters are colorful and feel like real people with struggles that feel overwhelming. The spice between Lillian and Blue/Izzy is both hot and sweet. I LOVED Kia and Uncle Carl!! They definitely stole the show when they were in the scenes.

It took me a minute to get into this book - but I enjoyed reading this story and the characters heal from their trauma.

Honestly, I love Karelia's book. They are just these happy sapphic books. I liked the couple and the relationship in this book. I had so much fun reading it!

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a lovely book! Funny, heartfelt, full of sweet and spicy sex, and with a memorable and lovable cast of supporting characters.
I’ve loved everything from Karelia and this book with Faye was equally wonderful! Highly recommend!

Overall: 3
Spice: 2

Both FMC have a one-night stand, not knowing they would spend weeks/months together on the same competition. The story picks up as they find out they are both on the same show and how they will handle it. Both want to be together, but both have reasons not to be together.

This is a slow, slow burn. Little spice and excessively long for no reason. You could tell it was two writers, and it cause them to make certain parts repetitive.

I did like how they tried to be inclusive to all areas of the LGBTQIA, but it was like they were putting everyone in the story as a check off. I loved body positivity.

I love a diverse read so this was right up my alley. Lillian and Blue meet each other at a bar and have a one night stand. As the fates would have it they are both leaders of a dance troupe, that are competing against each other on a reality show starting the next day.

They are strong, independent women however each with their own flaws. The authors write them with such amazing communication that even though there were issues that wasn't one of them. Also, the group of characters around them make you fall in love with the story even more.

I was gifted an ARC by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review as always, all words are my own.

This book was downright FUN! I loved getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the dance troupes and reality TV. Karelia Stetz-Waters is a master of queer romance and this is no exception.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the advanced copy.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

Can we start with the cover. It’s soooo cute. This was such a fun read and I it’s clear the author (couple) had a good time writing this. There was a lot of diversity and representation in this and that was a plus. I would definitely read more books by them.

We are presented with a multiracial, deep-chemistry interracial lesbian pair in Second Nightstand. Burlesque dancer Izzy Wells needs money to pay off her theater's mortgage. Ballet ballerina Lillian Jackson needs money to keep her ballet company afloat. I liked the backdrop and the competitive nature of our two main characters on the Great American Talent Show on reality TV. For these women, everything would improve with the winnings. Although both women are interesting on their own, their friends and teammates provided a good contrast to the narrative. I read the narrative quickly and thought it was both heartwarming and entertaining.

Second Night Stand is written by the lovely married queer couple of Fay and @kareliastetzwaters and is a dazzling dance of desire that is filled with passion, humor, and heartfelt struggles. Not only is it a gorgeous story, but one that creates a true rare gem in terms of representation as it celebrates an interracial lesbian couple’s journey to a happy ever after.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc! Second Night Stand was utterly fantastic and diverse, and was so much fun to read!

Second Night Stand is a captivating novel written by best-selling author Karelia Stetz-Waters and her spouse, Fay. Though Karelia individually has nine novels to her name, she maintains that many of the best ideas came from Fay. Since Fay has been a big part of Karelia’s brainstorming for years, co-authoring a book seemed inevitable. In fact, it was something they had been talking about for quite some time. However, it was paramount to them that their story included things that are important in strong relationships, like healthy communication, especially during sex. They believe it’s sexy to see this kind of communication in sapphic fiction. I agree; I’m glad they made sure to weave it into Second Night Stand’s narrative. It’s what makes it so much fun to read.

Though this is their first collaboration, it doesn’t feel that way at all. I’m sure much of that stems from their familiarity with one another. Together, they have a fresh and unique writing style, one that’s filled with wit and wisdom. Scenes include a charming sense of humor and keen insight. This enables readers to gain a relevant perspective on the complexities of Blue and Lillian’s relationship. In addition to that, their script flows nicely and allows for emotions to play out organically. This provides the narrative with believability, making the storytelling relatable and reliable.

What stands out most about Karelia and Fay’s style, however, is their vivid and immersive descriptions. Their word smithing makes the story world appear three dimensional. Events and places, especially those that involve the reality show competition, are not only interesting but exciting. As Blue and Lillian navigate the talent show, the Stetz-Waters duo knows just how to use imagery to increase the tension and keep readers invested. Readers can not help but cheer for these two women, making the ride to HEA a roller coaster of fun.

This is a character driven story, and Karelia and Fay do their work here, too. These are strong, independent women, but Karelia and Fay give them relatable flaws and vulnerabilities. These are likable, appealing women that readers enjoy getting to know. However, the writers are cognizant of the fundamentals of character development; they make sure to provide measurable depth and growth while constructing the arcs of these women. Blue and Lillian’s complex portrayal comes off as genuine and authentic, allowing readers to form a connection with them. It doesn’t hurt that their chemistry is off the charts either. Theirs is an unexpected love filled with possibility and passion. Quite simply, their romance resonates, making the journey wholeheartedly worthwhile.

Final remarks…

Second Night Stand gives readers much to appreciate. The storytelling is layered and nuanced, making for a reflective, yet compelling reading journey. The smooth pacing ensures balance between the slower, introspective moments and the faster, exciting scenes. The well-written dialogue is infused with humor. It facilitates a certain degree of levity, making the heavier, emotional moments lighter yet impactive. The characters are well-designed and multi-dimensional; they more than carry their weight. Readers witness their struggles, conflicts, and triumphs, creating a depth and complexity to the storytelling that sticks. This is an excellent first book for the Stetz-Waters team. I look forward to their next collaboration.

Strengths…

Strong character development
Relatable, reliable storytelling
Nice balance of conflict and tension
Engaging storyline
Diversity and representation