4.5 Stars Rounded Up

Books by this author can be a little hit or miss for me, and this was a definite hit! Despite putting off actually starting this book for over a year, I was pulled into the story pretty quickly. I found Truly to a relatable character, not only as a writer but as a bisexual woman. In fact, the whole conversation her and Colin have about bi-erasure about halfway through the book was top-tier. It's been awhile since I've felt the need to bookmark a conversation, but that had me 100% marking it to come back to later. I also thought the relationship between Truly and Colin moved at a good pace. Colin never really put unnecessary pressure on Truly, but made his feelings know and was happy to wait for her to come around. They did accidentally bump into each other a little too much to be believable, but it didn't really bother me.

The only thing that really didn't land for me were the parents. The musical thing with Truly's parents was fun at first, but it got old fast. I found myself looking ahead to see how much longer I had to go before they stopped. And while the whole separation thing played into Truly's insecurities on love, the Parent Trap bit felt entirely unnecessary. I'm glad it wasn't a bigger part of the books, but even then, iTruly's whole plan, and honestly her whole reaction, to her parents' separation seemed really immature and out of line with her character. Colin's parents didn't get much page time and were obviously meant to be hated, but I didn't get there whole disdain for Colin's job. Caitlin's job I could kind of see since it was "just a little podcast" and not an office job and people often downplay entertainment and the arts, but Colin was a freaking lawyer. A LAWYER. It just seemed weird to me.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book. The banter was top notch and the spice was full of flavor. This was a solid win.

Truly, Madly, Deeply is a romantic comedy following the story of Truly, a romance author, who navigates the world following some devastating news. After a nasty break-up with her ex-boyfriend, Truly seeks comfort from her own folks who she sees as the model of the perfect relationship. To her, they are the epitome of true love and nothing can shake that. However, having heard news of her parent's separation and having a nasty fight about love from the co-host of her potential podcast, Collin, Truly's viewpoint on love is shaken. Now she must figure out how to get her parent's to reconnect, while playing nice with Collin. What Truly finds is that love is more complicated than she realized, and that Collin isn't as much of jerk as she thought.

The story as a whole is a fun romp into the world of romance and love! Truly is a fascinating character that has moments of relatability and embarrassing moments that makes the reader fall in love with her. All of the characters feel real on the page and have fun quirks and personality that fit into the dynamics that are established. Truly's dad. for instance, is an eccentric theatre fan that loves his daughter and makes fun family games for everyone to participate. The internal conflict of the story is the biggest force that moves the story along, and it brings to focus Truly's perspective on love; and, how it clashes with reality. Collin's dynamic with Truly felt natural and didn't feel forced. Their witty banter and steamy moments never felt out of place and actually flowed smoothly in all of the right moments.

However, the side characters were a bit of an issue in the story. As soon as a side character was introduced, it seemed that they were thrown to the wayside and forgotten. For instance, Collin's sister is a major player in the story as her podcast is the one that brings Truly and Collin together. But when the family dinner with Collin's family occurs, she is only mentioned and doesn't resurface again; not even Collin mentions her again in the epilogue. It seems that the side characters are set-up for a minor purpose and then recycled for another minor character never to be mentioned again. Another issue, is that the tension in the story quickly fades and resolves with no action or reflection from the main character needed. Truly sets up her parents to spend a weekend at their family cabin without either of them knowing what is happening. This sets-up a potentially fun/funny scenario that can include hijinks and shenanigans. However, as soon as it starts, it is thwarted as the parents know of the set-up and the tension is established. While it works, as the tension is their and the conflict is evident, the build-up to the anticipation leaves the reader unsatisfied with the outcome. The conflict between Truly and her mother doesn't resolve because Truly learns the error of her ways, but because her mother seeks her out to forgive her. We are left wondering if Truly really learns anything from the ordeal, or if it solidifies her own perception of love.

Overall, the story is fun and steamy (WARNING: This book is spicy and has explicit sexual content), and I would recommend my library to purchase a copy for our adult readers to enjoy.

I’ve loved many of Alexandra Bellefleur’s books, but this one just did not work for me. I couldn’t get past the first few pages without just feeling meh about it.

A refreshing, modern romance featuring two characters who both identify as bisexual lead a well-written, well-characterized book. This extremely spicy book is not for the faint of heart, but readers who like their books steamy and their characters complicated will gobble this one up. There were moments where the main character's waffling back and forth started to strain credulity, but most readers will be willing to overlook it for a book filled with banter and warm characters. Recommended for contemporary fans.

Any book that has to do with books or libraries?? Sign me up! This was a super sweet swoony read. I need to read more of Alexandria's books!

I loved how green flag the male main character is the entire story from just about the very beginnig to the very end. This was a story where it felt safe for these two characters to fall in love and naviagate what that means for the world around them. Highly recommend if you want a cozier type of romance.

2.75/5 stars! Sigh. I'm so disappointed in this book. The cover and premise were amazing. But Truly is one of the most annoying characters I've ever read. I just wanted Colin to go find someone else cause girl is not worth it.

Truly and Colin are *chefs kiss* just truly incredible. I always love an enemies to lovers trope and their chemistry is excellent with all the back and forth snark a girl could ask for. The musical references are super cutesy but maybe a bit overdone for somebody who is only familiar with musicals. Overall another super solid book from Bellefleur and she remains and auto-buy for my shelves.

Colin is my new book boyfriend. He’s hot as heck. And the bisexual representation in this book was one of the best I’ve read. I also loved seeing Truly cope with the unexpected separation of her parents, and how she grew and coped with that.

Okay, I love this book so much *screaming*
I had low expectations at first, and since I started reading it without having read the synopsis, I didn't know what to expect.

But wow, in less than twenty pages I was already hooked. Alexandria is a genius at writing character interactions, witty dialogue, and her characters are so sassy. I love them.

My only complaint would be the very long chapters (although they are worth it, they were a little heavy)

I'm finishing this book needing a Lulu spin-off, please and thank you.

I really liked the bisexual representation in this book because I feel like a lot of times it’s not men that are bisexual in Romance books but rather the women but the story didn’t really hook me.

Thank you so much for the arc! I had seen numerous people talk about this book and how it was so amazing. I immediately knew I had to read it. This book is incredible and different and I loved every moment of it! More in depth review to come.

Truly, Madly, Deeply follows romance novelist Truly Livingston and cynical divorce lawyer Colin McCory as they cohost a dating advice podcast. Initially at odds, their chemistry builds as they go from enemies to lovers. As they navigate their shared struggles with love, Truly must decide if Colin's feelings are real or too good to be true. A witty, steamy queer rom-com about love, self-discovery, and second chances.

Truly Madly Deeply was a charming, cozy romance with delightful character banter. Alexandria Bellefleur’s writing shines, and I love her ability to create lovable characters. This is my fourth book by her, and I’ll continue reading her work.

However, I did find the spice a bit cringe, especially with the audiobook, though it’s easy to skip—there are only two scenes. The book also has a lot of cultural references, including numerous Taylor Swift mentions, which became a bit overwhelming.

The female lead felt a bit immature for her age, and while I loved the male lead, the dynamic between them wasn’t my favorite. The podcast element also could’ve been explored more.

Overall, I enjoyed the book but felt it didn’t have the same spark as some of her other works. I’ll definitely keep reading Bellefleur’s books, but this one wasn’t my top pick.

Thank you to NetGalley for an Arc copy of this book!

Genre: Romance
TW: PLEASE CHECK
Spice: Open Door
Format: E-Arc
Review written by: M

Truly, Madly, Deeply is a very fun read by Alexandria Bellefleur. Truly is such a lovable character and I was routing for her from the get go. As a romance reader, I love reading about a romance writer and really felt for her when her parents separated. Colin is such a witty match for Truly and drives her to such antics. I love that this story has so many fantastic settings, from recording a podcast, a bookstore and family homes. It is such a fun read with all the heart and some emotional angst that Bellefleur is known for.

Correct me if I’m wrong but this is way spicer than Alexandria’s other books? I am NOT complaining!

This was a spicy, drama filled, banter forward, all around fun time of a romcom!

Alexandria Bellefleur continues to be one of my favorite romance authors! This story had the perfect balance of humor and heart, and I was cheering on the main couple the whole way through.

I’m so sad I didn’t love this. I feel like Alexandria’s books have just been getting better and better as each one goes and I felt so… bleh after this one. It didn’t flow well IMO and at the end, I was left wondering what exactly happened and what the plot was.

The cover is so awful and a detraction from other Alexandria Bellefleur books (specifically the Written in the Stars series) that I skipped right over it and assumed it was a self-published book and not one from a major publishing house. It's a cute read, but the FMC's adolescent behaviors were a major detraction.

This is my favorite Alexandria Bellefleur novel yet! The characters are witty and charming, then messy and desperate by turns. They antagonize each other with one breath and flirt shamelessly with the next, all while actually caring for each other despite themselves. This is antagonists to lovers at its best and is the bisexual disaster romance novel of my dreams.

Whew! This one is steamy with a capital S! I'll be honest, this one sat in my pile for a while but I was kicking myself for not picking it up sooner once I finally read it. Such an underestimated storyline. Loved it!