Ugh how I wanted to like this. I always want to support sapphic love stories and this looked fun, and I was excited a book subscription was going to feature it so I grabbed an arc. But this story is so intensely Taylor swift fanfic that it was honestly really uncomfortable to read. To me if felt lazy because the author (and editor) could have added depth to distance this from invoking the famous celeb, but I barely know anything about Taylor Swift and I could see it everywhere. So please keep supporting sapphic stories, but maybe stop with this fanfic kick that publishing seems to be obsessed with? Or just be better at it? I've read many a book that was fanfic at one time but become a perfectly good standalone world and book.

Really enjoyed this book! It was one of my first times delving into a sapphic romance and it definitely gave me all I could've asked for! Loved Renee and Lola together! I really enjoyed seeing them come together and figure out their feelings for each other. I really like the representation with them both being burnt out with their respective jobs and how they came together to come out of it and come out better than ever! All in all really enjoyed this book.

Nope, this wasn't for me. While it was okay, I just couldn't get over the thinly veiled Taylor Swift fanfiction. The premise itself is fairly straightforward and could have stood on its own, but that layer made it hard to fully enjoy. Without that connection, I think I would’ve appreciated other elements of the book a lot more.

I absolutely loved this book! It kept me hooked the whole time. It was great to see Lola come to terms with her true self!

I struggle with my review for this one because I liked the main characters, Lola and Renee, but I didn't love one of the major plot points of the book. Renee and Lola were next door neighbors and friends growing up. Lola is now a huge pop star, and Renee is a struggling film major in an MFA program. Renee has moved home to take a break and find inspiration for her thesis project. While home, she runs into Lola at Lola's sister's wedding. Lola has always had a crush on Renee, and when she invites Renee to her room after the wedding, they have a steamy one night stand.

Lola is making a documentary about her next album, and she hires Renee to be the director. As they spend time together, their feelings grow as Renee gets Lola to break down her walls and be her real self. Both characters are interesting, and I loved the two of them as a couple too.

The part of the book that I didn't enjoy was that Lola is closeted. This because a huge part of the story, and I didn't like that it causes the third act breakup. It causes so much tension in the story, and it didn't feel authentic to me.

This was such a cute sapphic story! 4.5 stars! One of the FMCs is a Taylor Swift style rock star and the other is a wannabe director that has taken a break from her MFA. The popstar needs to film a documentary and needs to hire someone quickly so the other FMC becomes the director (and is also her ex-best friend and crush from high school). This book is a great take on a sapphic romance where one half of the couple is in the closet while the other is out. It addresses coming out when you are constantly in public view and what that is like. I really enjoyed the MCs and their love story. Also, great representation in general all around!

Renee was such an interesting character and I loved that she wanted to stay true to her creative ideals. I loved the use of childhood best friends as there are not nearly enough second chance Sapphic stories out there. I highly recommend and loved all of the side characters as well! I'm definitely interested in reading more from this author in the future!

I absolutely loved everything about When I Picture You. Lola and Renee’s story had so many aspects that I could relate to. They learned so much from each other without realizing it. Their love story was so cozy and this was an amazing sapphic story.

This was a sweet romance story, even though it's HEAVY with Taylor Swift comparisons. I could have done without them, but I went along with it. Next door neighbors to lovers, just with a ten-year interruption. It had fun spicy scenes and good conversations about coming out. A good portion of it revolves around being in the closet, which I wasn't expecting or loved, but there were good conversations around it. If you love Taylor Swift and you're also gay, this will check all of your boxes. If you're not, it's still a fun read.

This was another book I found out about because it will be a monthly book in one of my subs. The story intrigued me, however, I wasn’t ready for so much in the closet trope in the plot. The description mentions a secret relationship and putting off coming out but I didn’t realize that set the tone for borderline the entire book. In the closet tropes in queer books are so overplayed - couple that with yes, feeling like a Taylor swift fanfic I’d find on Wattpad, it was overall just okay. Thank you Avon and Harper voyager and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

When I Picture You is a tender, emotionally-charged romance that thrives in the grey areas—between art and identity, past and present, fear and desire. At its heart, it’s a story about reconnection, not just with another person, but with your own self, your truth, and the courage to live it aloud.

Renee and Lola’s dynamic isn’t the kind of instant, uncomplicated love story that wraps itself up neatly. Their one-night stand is electric and magnetic, yes, but what follows is the real story: tension, longing, self-doubt, and two very different women navigating the high-wire act of public life and private emotion. Renee, filming a documentary on Lola, becomes a catalyst not just for reconnection, but for reflection and that’s where the beauty of this book lies.

Renee is funny, transparent, and refreshingly vulnerable. Her burnout and anxiety feel painfully real. She’s the kind of character who says the wrong thing at the wrong time but also shows up when it matters. Lola is a masterclass in contradiction, fiercely composed, media-savvy, and yet quietly unraveling under the weight of expectations. Watching her wrestle with her own image, trying to make peace with the parts of herself she’s hidden, is powerful and deeply relatable.

Their relationship isn’t painted as some fix-all solution—it’s messy, slow to build, and complicated by past mistakes and external pressures. There’s always someone watching, judging, interfering. But they still try.

The backdrop of the music industry adds weight to the narrative—the way fame flattens identities, especially for queer women, and how carefully constructed images often leave no space for real messiness or vulnerability. And while the internet-slang-laced dialogue and pop culture references might age fast, they make the story feel vivid and of-the-moment.

For readers who like:
-Sapphic love stories
-Mental health representation
-Creative professionals navigating art and identity

Final Verdict
When I Picture You is a warm, introspective love story filled with vulnerability, heat, and healing. It celebrates queerness not as a conflict, but as a source of joy, art, and resilience. If you’re into stories that allow their characters to be messy, flawed, and real—and still find their way back to one another—this book will speak to you.

Grateful to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and Sasha Laurens for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this cute sapphic rom-com of a pop star and their childhood crush. Was it possibly a story that I might have read before, yes, but I still ate it up. My fav parts are the stolen moments of when Lo was with Renee, those were the moments that the story came alive and we saw how authentic Lola was being thanks to Renee.

This was a light, slightly angsty fun sapphic rom-com in a book, and if it was not for the open door scenes, it would have worked as a YA novel.

Despite the insta or rather not so insta since it was a childhood crush, their love story was a bit of a slow burn.

File this under FF romance, 2 pepper spice, popstar/childhood crush/hired director, secret relationship and HEA.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC. 

This wasn't bad, but it also wasn't great. It felt a bit like fanfiction at times. 

The romance was cute, but we spent a lot of time on the coming out story. Coming out stories are important to tell, but I wasn't in the mood to read about it in a fun romcom. I prefer gay romance books that focus on joy instead of the struggle of being gay. If I want to read about that I'm going to pick up a different genre. But this is just a personal preference.

This story follow pop super star, Lola Gray, and her journey reuniting with her childhood neighbor and exploring her sexuality in relation to her fame/public image.

Overall this was a cute and easy read, it touched on LGBTQ issues in a way that still allowed the reader to to learn about the main characters as a whole. I did appreciate that in the end Lola realized she has so many resources that she could put to great use and her story was not as unique as she thought.

As everyone said, this could be read as a take on a current public figure with a lot of similarities but honestly unless you’re deep in the weeds of the Reddit conspiracies, you’ll get through this book just fine without thinking too much about the “real world” singer.

As a romance novel, this is a perfectly fine one, but I have a personal struggle with romance where one of the main characters is very obviously based on a real celebrity. That being said, at least I doubt that celebrity will probably ever read this.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and author Sasha Laurens for providing me with the eARC of “When I Picture You”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: October 28th, 2025
Reviewed on Goodreads: July 3rd, 2025

Yet another stunning Sapphic romance that I just could not get enough of!

I think this is perfect if you like:
- Sapphic romance
- Friends-to-lovers
- Celebrity romance
- Self-discovery/coming out stories

Lola is a closeted bisexual woman, and a famous popstar that has been struggling with writer’s block and hasn’t been producing any new music. Her team decides to film a documentary about her to maintain her relevance in the media.
Luckily, Lola has recently reconnected with her childhood best friend (who she also had a massive crush on), Renee. Renee happens to be a film student, who is on a break from her problem and desperately needs ideas for a project.
They start working together and get closer and closer each day.
The two women must make hard choices for their futures, their relationship, and their public image.

I thought this was great!
There were several things about this story that I truly appreciated.

One is the way it highlighted how coming out is different for everyone, and that you shouldn’t have to feel pressured or rushed to do it if you aren’t ready. Lola accepted her sexuality as a teenager but did not come out until adulthood. Something that is not super uncommon but can sometimes feel that way- especially when surrounded by people who came out at a much younger age.
I was really happy with Renee giving her the space to do it on her own terms!

It was also really beautiful to read about Renee’s commitment to making sure Lola was comfortable and satisfied with their intimacy. Previously, Lola had been so focused on making her partners happy that her own satisfaction had gone unrecognized- and needs had gone unmet. Renee noticed this immediately and wanted to provide her nice experiences that she hadn’t had before- while also taking things slowly and making sure that she was relaxed, calm and not feeling overwhelmed with the new feelings.

Really fantastic story overall! I enjoyed it, and really did not have any negative opinions about it!
Fun, cute, interesting and emotional.
I will definitely be looking into more of Sasha Laurens work now!

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review ✨️💝

A sweet sapphic story to make your heart sing 🎶 Renee and Lola's romance was layered. What first seems like lust-at-first-sight turned out to be a long-harbored crush come true. I loved the second-chance aspect of them reuniting after so long and the forced proximity of working on Lola's film. It was endearing to watch them grow together - Lola opening up about her sexuality, Renee letting her guard down, and both FMCs getting out of their creative slumps. The pacing felt a bit slow overall, and it was painful to watch Lola make the same mistakes with Renee after everything she went through with her ex. But the ending was wholesome and satisfying. Encore!

I have mixed feelings on this one. I saw it was sapphic and thought how perfect to read during pride month, but when I started reading it I was getting Taylor Swift fan fic vibes. Which I don't really know how to feel about it. If you take out those vibes, I thought was a fun, friends to lovers read. The conflict slightly bothered me, but I get there needed to be a third act breakup. Overall I enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for an arc!

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Avonbooks and HarperVoyagerUS for allowing me to read this early in exchange for an honest review.

🗓️ Release Date: October 28, 2025

✍🏻 Review: I enjoyed this book so much. Coming out is such a personal story and to see Lola struggle with it, was heartbreaking. As much as I hate the Third Act Breakup, the author has written the leads well enough that both sides make sense. You understand why Lola feels betrayed after having people whispering in her ear. You understand why Renee is worried that Lola will never be ready after lying and promising it all. Thankfully, the story has a happy ending and we see both women figure it out together. I also loved seeing the parallels of the songs set to both of their childhood memories was absolutely adorable. Not to mention this story is hella gay which I appreciate so much.

✔️ WLW
✔️ Childhood Friends Reunion
✔️ Celebrity Romance
✔️ One Night Stand
✔️ Secret Relationship

rating — 3.75 out of 5 stars.

this is not exactly a news flash if you’ve read pretty much any other review for this book, but just in case you haven’t, let me start off by telling you: this is basically taylor swift fanfiction. gaylor fanfiction, in particular, and for the uninitiated, i’m referring to the community of people online who believe that taylor swift is queer in some way. this book follows a similar vein – mega famous popstar has spent her whole life/career in the closet, had a disastrous sapphic relationship behind the scenes, etc. as someone who’s familiar with the gaylor theories, it’s honestly kind of crazy how closely a lot of the events of this book follow them (down to the infamous concert balcony video??? come on!!)

i did really enjoy the writing on this one. i felt like the conflicts were developed well and didn’t feel too over-the-top, though i did think lola was a bit overly blind to how controlling gloriana was. the only thing that took me out of it was how closely aligned it felt to taylor! it didn’t ruin it for me or anything, but i do feel like it changed my appreciation a bit in that i felt like i was reading less of an original work and more of an homage if that makes sense? i think if i wasn’t so familiar with the lore it would change things for me! it was still very well written, though, so i would definitely recommend.

Lola and Renee were each other’s “girl next door” (literally) growing up, but when they reconnect in adulthood, it seems like they couldn’t be more different. Lola is one of the world’s most famous pop stars, while Renee is on the verge of dropping out of her MFA program. Sparks fly at their reconnection, and shortly thereafter Lola ends up hiring Renee as the director for the documentary being made about her. Writer’s block, exes, and “management” all feature heavily in their romance and its roadblocks.

This was a great book, a perfect vacation read! Well-written with good character development and an attention-keeping plot, including the balance of a “normal” dating a celebrity.

Two things I thought could have been better:

1. I feel the author could have explored Renee’s relationship with her father and her commitment issues more deeply. This piece felt a little bit trite/throwaway.

2. I think there were some areas in the celeb/non-celeb relationship that could have been a part of the story, primarily FINANCES. Money is big in relationships, and the difference between a grad school dropout barista and someone who can invest fifteen million dollars into something (no spoilers!) must have bearing on a relationship. Would have loved to see them work through that.

My least favorite part of romance novels is the third-act breakup, but in this book it felt way more tolerable than usual — not too long or painful for the reader.

All things considered, I really did love this book, and I will definitely be recommending it to my friends!

Gratitude to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.