Amy Spalding once again delivers a compelling and delightful romance with On Her Terms, a novel that is sure to resonate with many readers. This installment stands out for its thoughtful and nuanced portrayal of bisexuality—an aspect of identity that is still underrepresented in mainstream romantic fiction. Spalding approaches the subject with a blend of playfulness and sincerity, making Clementine’s journey both engaging and deeply relatable.

One of the novel’s strongest elements is its vibrant and supportive friend group, which provides Clementine with exactly the kind of grounding and encouragement she needs. Their dynamic is not only heartwarming but also reflective of the kind of chosen family so many people seek.

Beyond its emotional depth, On Her Terms is packed with humor and spice, striking a balance between laugh-out-loud moments and swoon-worthy romance. Fans of Bi and Lesbian rom-coms will undoubtedly appreciate both the romantic tension and the intimate scenes.

Overall, this is a perfectly executed romantic comedy that aligns beautifully with the other books in the series while further showcasing Spalding’s exceptional storytelling skills. On Her Terms is a must-read for fans of witty, heartfelt, and inclusive romance.

I absolutely adored this book. On Her Terms absolutely crushed the fake-dating trope (which I love) and I was obsessed with Chloe and Clementine from the very beginning. Not only was their banter incredibly funny, I also loved watching Clementine come into her own and becoming comfortable with her bisexuality and owning it.

This book had me cracking up laughing and kicking my feet screaming all at once. The found family aspect of this book warmed my heart so much. I loved seeing Clementine realize what she deserved from her friends and loved ones and stand up for it! I especially enjoyed the brunch scenes & seeing a real friend group interact.

It would be hard not to root for these characters and their happy ending. They made my heart happy. The love and acceptance that Clementine finds in her friendships and her dynamic with Chloe is beautiful. This is a love story I want everyone to read & to feel the warmth from it.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK and OneChapter for the opportunity to read and review this book! I received a free advance copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Sadly this book was not for me. My first & probably my last book that I will read by Amy Spalding. I just couldn’t connect with the characters.

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

Clementine is fresh off a breakup with her long-term boyfriend - her first and only relationship, despite the fact that she's in her mid-thirties - when she walks into a gay bar and meets Chloe. She's immediately smitten, and Chloe - who adamantly does not want a relationship - needs a date to an upcoming wedding. Plus, both of them hope a new girlfriend will show their friends they've got their lives in order. They agree to a fake-dating scheme and, inevitably, not-so-fake feelings emerge.

The friendships were the best part of this story. I loved how both Chloe and Clementine had friends who were truly important to them but didn't fully understand their choices. The treatment of the friend relationships is really nuanced and truly the focus of the novel. Plus, the friends themselves were great! Chloe's glamorous found-family group gets most of the story's real estate, but Clementine's longstanding trio resonated more with me. Her disconnection from them, her doubts about whether their bond might not survive the changes in their lives, and her eventual deeper understanding - all so well done.

The romance between Chloe and Clementine was, unfortunately, this "romance" novel's weakness. Chloe was certainly crush-worthy, but she was also frustratingly opaque, both to Clementine and the reader. The relationship never deepened or evolved in the way I'd hope for in a romance, or even in the way Clementine's relationships with Chloe's friends did. Although the ending was sweet, I was left with the feeling that Clementine was mostly with Chloe for her awesome gang.

3.5 ⭐️

i mostly enjoyed this book, i loved the premise of this story. clementine coming out of a very long term relationship with a man but wanting to explore her bisexuality and not knowing where to start, i love that it highlights the struggle that bisexuals have when having only dated one gender of their preference and trying to navigate and explore their other options.

i loved the friendship group of chloe’s and how welcoming and open and fierce they are with each other, having a healthy friendship group is always needed and i’m glad this story had that!

the fake dating trope is also one i enjoy and love when they develop feelings along the way

what did fall short for me was the chemistry between clem and chloe, that’s the only negative about this book for me, it didn’t feel like they were falling in love, i needed more chemistry between them

I love Amy Spalding's books so I was very excited for this one and it was just as good as I expected. It was such a cute and easy read overall.

"I know this is going to sound a little like a threat, but I'm going to fall in love with you, Chloe Lee."

This was SO cute! Fake dating is usually my least favorite trope because there isn't really a ~good~ reason for fake dating, but this one slightly made sense for me, since they are in their mid to late 30s and trying to navigate a world where all of their friends are partnered. (side bar though: you never have to worry about this if you have friends who are aro. Just saying). The slower burn unfolded perfectly, and once it started burning it burned HOT. The queer journey of someone a bit later in life was such a joy.

I don't know, I know a lot of people reviewing this found Chloe to be super condescending, but I really liked her. I think she made sense as a person who is kind of emotionally stunted, terrified of falling in love. It makes you do bad things. And for everyone who was like "Greg should have been told off sooner," that's Clementine's brother?? (Side bar: what parents name one kid Clementine and one kid Greg. Yikes). She seems like someone who fears confrontation, and her constant mentioning of her ex is because they were together for TWENTY YEARS. Anyway, I will defend this book wholeheartedly because I liked it. Sue me!

This is an interconnected standalone, and I've never read the first two books. You can easily understand this story without knowing the others, though I am sure fans of For Her Consideration will appreciate how the two main characters of that story have their wedding in this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for an eARC in exchange for my honest review. If I had more money, I would definitely go see Amy Spalding at the Novel Neighbor :)

On Her Terms is a romance novel centered around the main character, Clementine as she is fresh out of a long term relationship and into discovering a new side of her sexuality exploring her interest in women. In a meet-cute scenario typical to romance novels, Clementine meets Chloe on her way into a queer bar, only to discover that they have met before at Clementine's work events. Chloe propositions Clementine, as a baby gay, to help each other out by forming a fake romantic relationship. The proposition is that because Clementine is newly exploring her bisexuality, fake dating Chole will help her dip her toes into this new experience, and Chole will benefit because she needs a partner for upcoming wedding festivities in which she will be the only friend not part of a couple. Chole doesn't do the committed relationship thing.

Chole introduces Clementine to her queer group of friends, one of which is actually Clementine's boss, and is easily welcomed into the fold. Clementine also introduces Chole to her judgemental brother, making her bisexuality known to her family for the first time.Chloe and Clementine also ease into a flirty friendship that continues to develop throughout the course of the book, although it is rocky at times with Chloe often pulling back. The women cross the line from friendship to lovers over the course of the wedding weekend, which results in Chloe backing even further away and eventually breaks up with Clementine.

After the break up, Chloe's friends rally around and support Clementine, and eventually Chloe comes to her senses and decides that Clementine is worth the risk of vulnerability and they ride off into the sunset together,

This book had the typical formula of contemporary romances: meet cute to falling in love to one partner freaking out and ending it to happy ending. Many readers may be 100% satisfied with the predictable storyline, but I would've liked something extra in the plot twist to better keep my interest. The characters were enjoyable and there were a few steamy scenes, which kept me reading. As a straight woman, I learned a lot about women in the queer community, which was also a plus of the book. Overall an enjoyable read and I would recommend.

Romance books are all the rage. One that romance readers will enjoy is On Her Terms by Amy Spalding is going to be a popular one.

I really wanted to love this book even if it turn out cliche because I found meaning when I read the descriptions and exciting to read more queer joy stories. Faking dating tropes are normally entertaining reads for me. For some reason though even with all that I couldn't seem to get in or enjoy the characters of writing. Was quite sad.

✨2 stars ✨

This was my first time reading a book by this author and I just sadly did not gel with the writing and the character fell flat for me.

If you enjoyed this author’s other books then you should still give this ago, however it just wasn’t for me and I found myself bored numerous time despite this being quite a short book.

I received an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very cute story, a little cliche, but was still captivating and a VERY fast read. I truly loved Chloe, and Clem was okay, too. This left me longing for a big, queer friend group.

I have decided that I am NOT a fan of romances told from only one perspective. I want to see what’s going on from both sides, and experiencing what Chloe was going through would have added a level of depth. Greg was the absolute WORST, and any sane person would have gone no-contact. I know we’re all meant to believe that Clem drifting apart from her friends was all some big misunderstanding, but I’m still convinced they treated her like crap and need to try harder.

I HATED that Clem’s inner monologue thought about Will ALL. THE. TIME. I get that he was a huge part of her life, but not everything needs to be compared to him. Especially DURING INTIMACY.

I would die for Small Jesse Pinkman! So cute! I love Clem’s career goals and success in the field, and her ability to stand on her own. Also, Phoebe was Bette from “The L Word” in my head, and no one can change my mind!

I absolutely loved this book! As a fan of quirky romantic stories, I was instantly drawn to the unique premise of Clementine and Chloe's fake relationship. Watching Clementine, who had never considered dating girls, navigate her "baby gay era" with the unpredictable Chloe by her side was both heartwarming and hilarious. The chemistry between the characters was undeniable, and I found myself rooting for them to realize their true feelings. The fake relationship trope is executed brilliantly, leading to a series of amusing and touching scenarios as they try to fool everyone around them. As the story progresses, I was captivated by the characters' personal growth and self-discovery. The supporting cast of friends and family also adds to the richness of the story, providing both comedic relief and emotional support. The setting and the author's writing style bring the story to life, making it easy to visualize the scenes and feel connected to the characters.

If you're looking for a feel-good romance with a twist, this book is a must-read!

Absolutely loved this book. Found family, queer joy, making your own definitions of happily ever after - this book was everything I love, tied up into one romance.

This is part of a series, and while you would be able to fully jump in without any prior context, there is a lot of character overlap, so I’d recommend reading the previous books first.

It was so fun to jump back into this universe, having read the first two books in this series, and it did not disappoint.

I love the fake dating trope (always will) and was so giddy when I saw this was based on the trope. We see Chloe and Clementine come together under the guise of attending a friends wedding. You can see however how good they are together/the unsaid feelings/great chemistry between the two.

I would have liked the relationship to be a bit more fast paced as it wasn’t until around 68% that it started to come out truly and we could have had more time with them and their feelings.

I loved the fact that they were also in their mid thirties and this wasn’t based on some young couple, as someone in their thirties.

Also big shoutout to Small Jesse Pinkman!

A brilliant, cosy read about taking a chance on love. Five stars. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this.

I did enjoy this one but it's definitely my least favourite in the series thus far. There's just something about it that made it not as enjoyable but I can't quite put my finger on it.

I do love the fake dating trope, and I especially love it when they're surprised that they caught feelings!

Thank you to Harper Collins for a copy of this ARC. I absolutely adored this book, I fell in love with Chloe and Clementine and the found family of it all.

The book was so warm and loving and I really enjoyed the exploration of dealing with coming out and exploring another side of yourself later in life.

The romance was adorable and I enjoyed that everything took a while to build up, it felt closer to reality.