4.75 stars rounded up

If you enjoy messy Sapphics, you'll like this one.

I did not realize this was part of a series until reading the reviews after I'd finished, so it is absolutely a solid standalone.

I had a lot of fun reading this. Laugh out loud moments, a little bit cringey in a lighthearted way, and there's escapades with a GOAT! Childhood crush, ex best friend's sister, boss x employee, there's a lot going on. I really enjoyed the courtship between Zoe and Laine, but Laine's attitude even towards the end bothered me.

Even so, it was a good time, and the narrator was fun and quirky. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

CW: grief, death of parent

Laura Piper Lee has captured my heart again & I am here to start her fan club. This is THE SAPPHIC BOOK OF THE YEAR. If you love hilarious rom coms featuring 2 amazing women, then please check this out.
This book is nothing short of horny & heartfelt. One second I’m in my feels and the next second I’m wanting to throw my panties across the room for these characters.

I knew nothing going into this book & I am so happy that I had no idea what was going to happen in chapter 2. The story opens up with 2 of the funniest opening chapters I’ve ever read for a rom-com. Chapter 2 opens up the story with such a major BANG.

Zoe Brennan is a super relatable character. She loves colorful gel pens, needs to be i control, loves fiercely & it a bit of an organized hot mess. Liane is such a wonderful example of a partner everyone deserves. She shows her love for Zoe in such beautiful ways.

Sapphic workplace enemies to lovers continues to work so well for me. It’s enchanting to watch these characters think they can’t stand each other when they obviously just need to bang & fall in love :)
The term Alpha Queer had me cackling because this is super reminiscent of my childhood & baby gay days lmao.

If you read Hannah Tate Beyond Repair, you will enjoy the cameos. They are both read as stand alones but I appreciated seeing Hannah, River & their kid pop up often in this book. I think it’s nice to see characters still living out their dreams.

A major thank you to the publisher, the author, & to NetGalley for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

4.75 stars

This sapphic romance was a pure delight! I loved the whole first crush returns home aspect with a boss/employee twist. Plus the spice, oh baby from the jump it was great!

Also the setting was so well described that I flashed back to my own southern vineyard wedding many times (truly a vineyard is such a great venue). I loved the queer community in this small southern town (hi, we are everywhere even in red states) and getting to revisit the previous couple from Hannah Tate.

Regarding the audio, the narrator was fantastic and her acting was on point (seriously, that panic attack scene felt so real!)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ALC!

This was ok. It was incredibly cheesy at many times and had me cringing more often than I'm comfortable admitting. I was hooked enough to finish but I found Zoe to be completely annoying and immature.

There were parts of this book that were cute and fun, but then there were things that really annoyed me. To start off there were just a bunch of lines of cringy dialogue that I couldn’t look past. I also think that Lindsey Dorcus, who read this audiobook, makes the lines even cringier with her delivery. Most books I’ve listened to from her has a quirky girl main character that just gets on my nerves. I’m not sure if it’s her delivery that is the problem or if she’s just often hired to read books with FMCs that aren’t my vibe. Even with the cringe dialogue though this would have been a three star book if it wasn’t for Lane’s insane behavior at the end. Like I’m sorry you don’t get to make major life decisions for your partner without having a discussion that’s insane. Overall, wouldn’t recommend it personally.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Zoe Brennan, First Crush by Laura Piper Lee is a delightful and witty sapphic romance that combines heartfelt storytelling, laugh-out-loud humor, and a healthy dose of sexual and professional tension. Set in the beautiful backdrop of Blue Ridge vineyards, this story delivers a refreshing take on enemies-to-lovers and second-chance romance tropes, with plenty of authentic queer representation to make your heart soar.

i fear i may need to stop trying romance.

this simply didn't work for me on multiple levels and it was hard to maintain a suspension of reality to get through some of the excessive cheese.

here we have zoe, lonely and sad, and now facing having to handle operations for her family's struggling vineyard since her father must return to italy to aid his dying mother. so naturally, zoe has a threesome. here's the first plot point where i struggled - why? it felt like such a strange thing to include, especially since zoe seems to have no interest in polyamorous-related things throughout the rest of the book, really. maybe it was a reason to shove a sex scene into the first 5% of the book, i don't know.

in fact - and this is probably just a me issue - but this book felt weirdly and unnecessarily sexual often. i'm not a prude, but two side characters were walked in on during sex. and it was so excessively sexualized given the scene was meant to be, uh, some people accidentally walking in on it and being embarrassed about it instead of like, observing them.

anyway, one of the two other people at the threesome turns out to be zoe's childhood crush and dun-dun-dun, the person that's going to help take care of the vineyard and help make the wines while zoe's dad is gone.

laine's arrogant and frankly frustrating, deliberately ignoring zoe's knowledge of how her own family's wines are made, including refusing to participate in various processes to keep mold out of the wine, various processes to make the wine taste like the standard from the brand. i think what's most frustrating to me is that laine is a liar, knows that zoe won't want to leave her family's vineyard, and purchases her own vineyard in another state. the idea? she lied about it so she has time to talk zoe into it. and later, laine snarls that she should be able to have everything she wants. with zero consideration of what zoe's going through. gross.

zoe's not a real peach, either. a part of this plot that came up a couple of times - apparently when zoe was a teenager she stole one of laine's sports bras and hid it in a box under her bed full of other laine keepsakes. this is weird. this is a violation. it's not cute, it's not funny. and at the end of the book when zoe SHOWS laine the stolen underwear i got pretty annoyed with this book as a whole.

i don't even want to get into the tidily wrapped subplot involving rachel, laine's sister, sabotaging the wine at zoe's vineyard. none of these characters feel like real people making real people decisions, which seems to be an issue that occurs in romance novels in general. if you like cheese, this one may be for you, but it simply did not work for me.

This was... fine? I thought the couple had great chemistry, but I never really cared about the plot. I really don't have much else to say... maybe if you really like wine you'll enjoy this one more than I did.

Since I listened to the audiobook, I'll throw in that the narration was great.

Characters- 9
Atmosphere- 7
Writing- 7
Plot- 5
Intrigue- 6
Logic- 6
Enjoyment- 7

<i><b>"You're going to rue the day you decided to court me, Lane Woods."

"No, but I rue all the days I didn't."</b></i> 🫠

Zoe Brennan is determined to save her family vineyard by winning a prestigious wine festival. But her plans unravel when her new vintner turns out to be Laine Woods—her first crush, sworn enemies big sister, and a secret one-night stand. As tensions rise and sparks fly, Zoe must decide if working together is worth risking her heart.

I really wanted to love this, but it was just ok for me. The story had potential, but the main characters often felt toxic and overly combative, making it hard to connect with their journey.
And I hate to admit it, but I think I'm rooting for Rachel to get a redemption arc??

Lindsey Dorcus did a wonderful job with the narration of this book and it really kept me engaged where I may have otherwise DNF'd this book.

<i>As always, shout-out to my homies at Netgally and the publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

3.5 stars - This was a cute and fun sapphic romance about a girl and her first crush getting a chance to explore a relationship after growing up and growing apart. It’s set in a vineyard setting and it was neat to learn a bit about the wine making process.

I was excited to read Zoe Brennan, First crush because I really enjoyed the last book. I didn’t like this one quite as much but it was still a good read. Love the winery setting and the setup for the relationship. The conflict was a little messy but not to the point that it affects my enjoyment of the book. Overall, would recommend

The audiobook of Zoe Brennan, First Crush by Laura Piper Lee is an absolute delight. The narrator perfectly captures Zoe’s journey through first love, self-discovery, and all the heart-fluttering, awkward moments in between. A must-listen for romance fans!

Sometimes you just need a book that feels like a cozy blanket and a warm cup of tea—and Zoe Brennan, First Crush was exactly that for me this week. This story is sweet, spicy, heartwarming, and occasionally heartbreaking, making it a delightful escape that hits all the right emotional notes. Once you get past the slightly cringy opening scene, you're in for a treat.

Zoe Brennan is a complex character, grappling with the grief of losing her mother and living with a father who is a shadow of his former self. Her emotional baggage is palpable, from her struggle to believe in love to her tendency to keep relationships at a surface level. Despite her active sex life, Zoe’s belief that she’s unlovable adds layers to her character, making her journey all the more compelling.

Enter Laine Woods, Zoe’s first crush and the sister of her ex-best friend. Laine isn’t without her own set of issues, as she’s trying to outrun her past and figure out her future. The dynamic between Zoe and Laine is electric, filled with tension that’s both professional and personal. Watching them navigate their complicated history while trying to save the vineyard is as entertaining as it is poignant.

What truly shines in this book are the moments where Laine tries to prove to Zoe that she’s not just another fling. The slow, tender courtship is beautifully written, filled with vulnerability and genuine emotion. The vineyard struggles, the late-night conversations, and the push and pull of their relationship kept me hooked. It’s hard to see how two people with such fragile emotional states could find common ground, but when they do, it’s incredibly satisfying.

Zoe Brennan, First Crush is a story about second chances—not just in love but in life. It's about learning to trust, letting go of the past, and opening your heart to the possibility of something real. If you're looking for a book that will make you laugh, tear up, and maybe even blush, this one’s for you.

Thank you Netgalley and dreamscape media for the free ALC. My opinions are being left voluntarily. Wowww this one super starts out with a bang!!!!!! I was unprepared but obsessed with the high heat of this book. It had me legit sweating while listening.... this was phenomenal I loved the debut book this one could have been a bit shorter but definitely will recommend!!!

Suggest picking it up

4.5/5☆

Firstly the writing was a delight, had witty humor and heartfelt storylines. Its messy in that the MCs are not perfect but are relatable. I am not into wine but it was fun to read about the wine world for a bit. Great to see Hannah and River from the previous book. Laine and Zoe’s relationship began with a childhood crush to a blindfolded threesome to boss to friends to more it was spectacular.

This story has a real authentic storyline that doesn't just feel like a fluffy romance and even borders on women's fiction with it's realness. It was also very funny. I would say that it felt a little too long and maybe dragged at parts but was definitely worth the listen

Laura Piper Lee is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Her characters feel real. I loved every minute of this queer childhood crush-to-lovers romance.

Also, Lindsey Dorcus knocks the narration for this right out of the park! Love, love, love her as a narrator.

Oh my goodness!! This will be in my favorite books of the year!

This beautiful story is the perfect blend of heartwarming, hilarious, and horny. I adored the found family aspect and was left breathless by the unfiltered depiction of Zoe and Laine’s love, vulnerability, bravery, and ability to keep trying after failing. I was rooting for these two from the first page and truly had the best time with these lovely characters.

I read a physical copy first but when I saw Lindsey Dorcas was narrating, I knew I needed to do a reread on audio. The narration was absolutely spectacular!

All the stars for Zoe and Laine!

This was a SPICY small town queer romance that takes place in the same universe as Hannah Tate, beyond repair and sees Zoe forced to work with her first crush after a HOT night of surprise threesome sex. When Zoe's father hires Laine to help restore the family vineyard, she and Zoe have to figure out how to work with one another despite their different styles. Good on audio and recommended for fans of authors like Amy Spalding or Ashley Herring Blake. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital an audio copy in exchange for my honest review!