The 7-10 Split was a super sloooow burn. It feels like nothing happened in this book. The main character was holding a grudge, but it did not seem significant enough to still be made after 10 years. The conflicts in the book seemed contrived to make the story. I also was shocked and appalled when Ava called Grace’s mom a b*tch to her face! Whoa. I did not see that coming and it seemed really harsh for the situation. I did enough the book though…

The Relationship Mechanic was a more fleshed out story than The 7-10 Split. The characters seemed more developed, and the conflicts were believable. It was certainly not a slow burn like the 7-10 Split but more of an insta-love situation. I actually said to myself during the first kiss, “how did we get here so quickly?”! There was a LOT of spice – dare I say too much? But I did like the characters, and I also was glad it was tied in with Ava and Grace’s story as well. I think they fell in love/like rather quickly but it was still an enjoyable read. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

I liked the natator in "The 7-10 split" and the characters of "The relationship mechanic" but if I have to spend one more second with Ava I would have lost it. She is a crazy unlikable character.

The 7-10 Split / The Relationship Mechanic by Karmen Lee

The 7-10 Split by Karmen Lee
Peach Blossom series #1. Contemporary sapphic romance. LGBTQ+. Harlequin Afterglow. Second chance.
Grace Jones returns to the small town of Peach Blossom, Georgia. She and Ava Williams used to be friends and they both want to repair the relationship. When the Principal of the school they teach at, approves Grace’s request for a bowling team, even though Ava has been asking for years, they put aside their past and become coaches and role models for the girls in the community. It’s not all strikes or gutter balls as they work through the past and the future looks promising.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook version of this story narrated by Amina Sali. The performance is incredible for the different characters voices. I would have guessed it was at least two or three different narrators. Emotions of anger and passion came through clearly as well as secondary character voices of students and the boss. The changes were seamless and sounded almost like a live play. My problem with the distinct voices were the tonal variations where one might be sharp enough to startle and the second low and slightly husky where you needed to strain to hear the words. I played with the speed, up and down, and found the best for me was just a smidge slower than my usual 1.5, to accommodate the lower tone with a slightly higher than usual volume. I enjoyed the performance in whole, specifically because of the changes per character in the narrator’s performance. I believe the voices represented the characters which made it authentic and ultimately a feel good romance.
Glad they got their hea in this second chance romance. Both gained a little more confidence as they gave each other the support to stand up and be who they needed to be.


The Relationship Mechanic by Karmen Lee
Peach Blossom series #2. Contemporary romance, diverse. Harlequin Afterglow. Can be read as a stand-alone but the couple from the first book play secondary roles in this book.
Jessica Jae-un Miller’s rental car breaks down outside of Peach Blossom, Georgia. Lavenia “Vini” Williams owns a local garage and tows the rental car in for repairs. Jessica and Vini do a bit of flirting and are soon in a no-strings affair. That’s all Jessica wants. She’s a wandering city girl with no intentions of settling down. Vini is having a wonderfully sexy time with Jessica but knows their time is limited. Jessica isn’t meant for small town living, so why does Vini end up with her heart in the game?

🎧 I listened to an audiobook version of this story narrated by Laly Laurent. The performance is well done and the two main characters are clearly distinguishable. Emotions are expressed with passion and sincerity as the reader is swept along with the ups and downs of a new relationship. The playback is even and pleasing to listen to without and abrupt changes. I listened to this at my preferred speed of 1.5 easily and could have gone a smidge higher to match a regional conversation and reading speed. A very good option over an ecopy.
Steamy and appealing.

I received a copy of this combined audiobook from NetGalley and Harlequin Audio.