This was my first novel by Karmen Lee, and I look forward to seeing what else she has coming in the future. This story was short and very sweet. I loved the easy chemistry of the main characters that is evident from the beginning of the novel. The characters are well-defined and distinct in their personalities, and that is consistent throughout the story. The perception conveyed about sex and communication was refreshing to read. Rather than having misconceptions about the nature of their relationship, the characters expressed the fact that they developed feelings despite their agreed upon arrangement. One thing that can quickly turn me off and cause me to put down a book permanently is how the conversation around consent is handled. I am okay with implied consent, but if a verbal consent conversation is being represented on-page, it should go exactly how Lee wrote the conversations on consent in The Relationship Mechanic. More, more, more of that please! I think it is so sexy to see a character show restraint despite their desire to move things forward physically. Lastly, I appreciated the compromise in the resolution of the relationship challenges between the main characters. Neither has to completely give up their lives, values, or passions to resolve their barriers to being together. My area for improvement in this story laid in the resolution of the main characters' resolution of their conflicts with the side characters. If one hard conversation can resolve everything completely, it's frustrating to have read through all of the tension and conflict preceding it. My issue is not with the difficulty surrounding those conversations because that all felt very real, but rather the underlying beliefs the character's hold that lead to the conflict is likely not easily resolved with one conversation. I understand there is not room at the end of a story for long, drawn out conflict resolution, but if it was addressed a little earlier on it may have been more satisfying in the lead up to the climax and resolution of the main characters' relationship.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin - Romance for the opportunity to receive and review this e-ARC.

The insta-lust in this was absolutely ridiculous. both characters were just fine but I was becoming bored out of my mind.

The “plot” was so boring and I pushed myself through this for nothing. Also the amount of sex scenes was ridiculous LMAOO.

I do not recommend.

Karmen Lee masterfully crafts a warm, inviting world that feels both familiar and refreshing with each story. This second installment further cements Peach Blossom as a beloved centerpiece of her series, offering readers a deeper glimpse into the town’s charm and its residents. With The Relationship Mechanic, Lee expands on the foundation of her first book while introducing new characters and conflicts that stand strong on their own, making it a compelling and enjoyable addition to the series.

Cute story that dives into fear of commitment and what can happened when you allow yourself to give into love. The spicyness was spicing in this one. Lol. I loved the flirting between Vini and Jess and was rooting for them throughout the entire book. Some parts did drag for me and I think some of the spicy scenes could've been skipped over. Overall I enjoyed it!

Loved Vini and Jessica in this sweet small town romance! I'd read this book again for the cover alone!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this story.
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW

Wow!!! This story GETS RIGHT INTO IT. I feel like most of the FF stories I read aren't very spicy but I would rate this one 5/5 and I APPRECIATE IT. It wasn't spicy right away either just for the sake of it. Vini and Jessica built up a relationship of friendship and love first which I really loved. They were really good together and I loved their chemistry. What I hated, which is the part I normally hate, was the third act breakup. It made me REALLY MAD that Ava and Grace kept trying to get between them and Jess and Vini's arguments that they were grown women and didn't need anyone to baby them were so valid and it was annoying that neither of these either women could see that their relationship was none of their business. I did appreciate that the air was cleared up and Ava apologized for her behavior because she was totally in the wrong. That all being said, I wonder what happened with Jessica's brother, Jason, and his fiancee. Their sudden relationship split seemed to come out of nowhere so I was wondering how that happened and why it was added at the end. It makes me think he'll be in another story in this series but I'm not sure.

Cute, but ultimately pretty shallow. Neither character felt well rounded. If I can't buy them individually, I certainly can't buy them as a couple. I would be interested in longer books from Karmen Lee. Thank you for the arc!

Overall 3.5
Spice: 3

Book 2 of the Peach Blossom series we meet Vini and Jessica. Jessica is trying to lay low after causing shame to her family's name. Vini the sister that doesn't rock the boat and afraid to love again. Sparks fly form the first meeting. What was suppose to be a summer fling turns into the true love. This was a cute and quick read.

I’m not going to lie to y’all…… This is going to be a really short review. Why? Because there’s not much to say. For the most part they were just doing it every 10 minutes. Now before you get all up in arms about this, I didn’t say it was a bad thing. It just wasn’t what I was expecting. But I know one thing. I will never sleep on another Afterglow book again lol

Ok so the main characters were just ok to me. They were so secretive, but were getting it in every chance they got. A friend of mine messaged me and said. “they can’t stay off each other.” And yeah, that’s accurate. And this was all before they even wanted to admit they liked each other lol This is a certified hook up book that turns into more. And I was here for it. I was also glad that they both stood up for themselves, but also each other. They might have let themselves down, but they didn’t let anyone else come for them. I think it was then that they realized that there were real feelings.

I was ok with it because the characters didn’t try to make it seem like they were more. Until they were. Does that make sense? The way this is written, this is a hook up book. And they were fooling around in places like the garage and the truck in some instances. But when things started to get real, the author did a really good job of showing that progression between them. Usually I would say this was like instalovey, but this was a very clear depiction of one of the characters coming to town for a while and then finding someone to hook up with. As someone who was expecting an actual romance book I was a little shocked, but it worked. Lee did a great job depicting this type of relationship.

I do wish we got more of the Mechanic part. LOL I think I was thinking she was going to be fixing some relationships for people, but she was an actual mechanic. And that was all there was to it. I guess i wanted some more creativity in the title or something. It just seemed really easy to throw in something there, but it was all left on the table. And I know this has nothing to do with anything, but I still wanted ot. I just think with a title like this, there should have been something more creative to do with it? Does that make sense?

This was a fun little romp. I laughed and swooned and clutched my pearls the whole time. But what I liked most of all was the fact that it gave me a whole new way to look at ways to see romance. There was no build up and no angst, but this worked because of the type of book it seemed to be. And that’s something I’ve never even thought about before. I hope y’all come to this conclusion too and don’t knock this because of it.

2.5/5
Sometimes an author’s writing doesn’t click with you, and that’s what happened here for me. There need to be so many Black sapphic books, and I was looking forward to a series of them, but I don’t think I’ll be going back and reading the other ones because of the writing.

I liked the side characters, and I enjoy sibling relationships in books. The cover was also gorgeous.
Unfortunately I didn’t particularly enjoy the romance. I didn’t like Jessica as a character and I didn’t like Vini enough to compensate for that. This story was also very insta-lust, which is one of my least favorite tropes on the entire planet and so nothing really pulled me into the story and made me excited to keep reading.

I’m sure some people will love this one, and I’m super glad to see the rep, but it wasn’t for me.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I wanted to love this but unfortunately it fell a little flat for me! I didn't quite buy this as a love story—it was equal parts instalust and budding friendship, but Jessica and Vini being in love with one another was something I had a difficult time grasping. Part of me felt like hetero romance novels pull this frequently, so why can't a queer couple? But at the same time, I am always looking for romance novels that are more story and plot than spice, and this was more spice than story and plot. So much so that the conflict was NOT a conflict, and it was more than a little strange and contrived that Vini's sister was so mixed up in who Vini was dating and was trying so hard to prevent her from dating Jessica.

In addition to Jessica and Vini's love story being underdeveloped, I also felt like they were underdeveloped as main characters. The side characters—their families—were one-dimensional set dressing, and their existence/objections didn't cause anything except pure confusion at times. I wish that more life had been given to them, but this is a quick read, so I feel like Lee focused on what moved the plot along.

However, I overall felt like Lee's writing was engaging, easy to stick with. This love story just wasn't for me!

3 ⭐️s
3 🌶️

Harlequin, Afterglow Books by Harlequin, and NetGalley for providing an ARC!

Infinite stars for that jaw-dropping cover. Can we take a moment to appreciate how stunning this cover is?

I loved the characters in this, & i especially loved characters from 7-10 split showing up. I feel like the characters were layered with depth & diversity. This story was easy to read & kept me engaged. I also found the conflict to be realistic (something I think is hard to do in romance novels IMO). The Relationship Mechanic is also a perfect length.

There’s something SOOO hot about a woman having a job that is typically a job a man has.

I also felt like The Relationship Mechanic expertly captured a Lesbian Situationship.

Major thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publisher for this ARC.

Although the small-town atmosphere in the Relationship Mechanic contributed to the charm, the romance shared by this couple felt underdeveloped. There simply needed to be more depth to their connection.

In the end, due to frequent reiteration and characters that seemed somewhat flat, this was merely a decent read.

I enjoyed this so much. It was great to see Vini get her romance. Peach Blossom makes me love small towns and the community that they have. Karmen does a great job building up her characters and allowing them to grow on the page. Getting to watch that and be rooting for them makes for such fun reading. I really enjoy Jessica & Vini's love story. I love the development they have individually and the development their relationship allows for each other. So many giggles in this book and a true understanding of meddling family! I am already so excited for Dani's well deserved story.

Karmen Lee's The Relationship Mechanic delivers an entertaining and heartwarming small-town romance with LGBTQ+ representation. The story of Vini, a lively mechanic with a lot of charm, and Jessica, a city girl recovering from scandal, offers a fun mix of humor, spice, and emotional depth.

What I liked: The chemistry between the leads is electric, and Vini’s bold, unapologetic personality makes her a standout character. The small-town setting of Peach Blossom feels vibrant and immersive, and I enjoyed the humor woven throughout. Karmen Lee’s writing style is smooth and accessible, making it easy to get lost in the story.

What I didn’t love: While Jessica’s emotional journey is compelling, it sometimes felt underexplored. Additionally, the pacing stumbled during a few key emotional scenes, which slightly disrupted the flow of an otherwise engaging narrative.

Overall, this book is a delightful blend of humor and heart. It's perfect if you’re in the mood for a lighthearted yet meaningful sapphic romance with a cozy small-town vibe.

This is the second book in the Peach Blossom series. Jessica is the daughter of celebrities and is coming to hide out in their small town with her friend after some gossip hits the papers. Coming into town she has car trouble and by chance meets Vini the local mechanic. Jessica asked for car lessons to stay close to Vini, so sneaky 😉
Love a small town romance and these two were opposites attract, or at least from very different backgrounds. Loved the stories they told and all the different dates. Though their dating wasn’t well received by their mutual friends. Friends were worried if this was more serious for one and to pass time for the other.

The Relationship Mechanic is the perfect spicy small town sapphic black rom com by Karmen Lee!
I loved her previous title The 7-10 Split. And was so eager to jump into another phenomenal story.
Lee's writing sparkles with wit and charm, drawing readers into her amazing storytelling.

This was an awesome follow-up to THE 7-10 SPLIT. I really enjoyed reading about Vini and Jessica's relationship that started off (almost) purely physical before it slowly developed into something more, so much so that neither realized that they were falling in love. I wish we had gotten a little more insight on Jessica though and why she felt she wasn't built for relationships. While there was the 'scandal' that caused her to go to Peach Blossom, there was little given to indicate why she felt she would make a bad partner for someone. We learned a little more towards the end but it would have been nice to have those seeds more firmly planted earlier.

I also enjoyed the deeper insight we got into the Williams sisters and their relationship. While Ava got on my nerves most of the book, I did understand her concern for her baby sister. And after hearing how Dani helped Vini and Jessica to keep their relationship going without Ava knowing I can't wait to see her love story and fall in love with who her HEA is going to be.

This book also touched on the expectation our family has for us as well as the ones we *think* they have for us. Ultimately, with most healthy families the end goal is as long as their loved one is happy they're happy, even if it isn't the way they had planned and even if it takes a bit of adjustment to come to that way of thinking.

On a personal note...one of the reasons I was looking forward to THE 7-10 SPLIT in 2024 was because the bowling aspect reminded me of my parents who bowled together in leagues up until my mother died. Reading more about Mr. Williams in this one, including the way he would look at his daughters over the top of his glasses and basically knew everything going on eve if he stayed silent reminded me of my own dad and that made it even more emotional. So, I really can't wait to see what the next one has in store.

Pull over and throw on the hazard lights, there are dangerous curves of the best kind in this book! The Relationship Mechanic is charming, funny, full of feels, and an all around great time.

I must say that Rom Com is not the genre I read often. However, I would like to say that I enjoyed reading The Relationship Mechanic. I didn't realize this was the 2nd book in a 3 part series, and as a result, I will be doubling back to the 1st vook.
The chemistry between Vini and Jessica was nice and with a groove all of its own. The character development was nice and untrusted as they dealt with issues and their relationship.

I look forward to reading books 1 & 3 in this series.