this book was cute. cute chemistry, cute book club, cute moments. but i needed more in order to feel invested.

i feel like the characters both had some things they needed to work through in their personal lives that they weren’t really working on. characters more focused on each other. i do wish the book was longer since so much more could’ve been added or done.

i did like reading queer characters in a small town and someone discovering their sexuality later in life. that was all really well done.

if you’re wanting a short, sweet read then i’d try this one

Thank you to NetGalley and Karmen Lee for this ARC! I was so happy to be back in Peach Blossom again. This story follows Dani, a nurse and divorced single mother, and secret romance author and the new librarian at her son’s favorite library, Zoey. They have only talked in passing but when Zoey invites Dani to join her bookclub as a way to get to know her, the crush being to bloom! I think this was done so well! Zoey and Dani were so cute together. I love that we see Dani figuring it out without feeling pressured or rushed, and how she takes her son’s feelings into consideration. I HATE his father.. he really can kick rocks. I love their dad Daniel, and I love that we even get check ins with the other Williams sisters. I’m kinda mad it’s over because I wanted more! 😭

The Secret Crush Book Club is exactly what I want out of a cozy sapphic rom-com. It’s soft, warm, and full of quiet self-discovery in a way that feels genuine and heartfelt. Karmen Lee does a wonderful job crafting characters who feel real, grounded, and full of quiet emotional depth.

Dani and Zoey both stand out in their own ways. Dani’s journey is particularly meaningful, as she begins to explore her own identity after years of living a life shaped around others' expectations. Her emotional arc is handled with care and nuance, never rushed or simplified, and I really appreciated how it focused not just on attraction, but on self-understanding. Zoey, with her librarian vibes and thoughtful nature, balances Dani’s grounded chaos so well. Their chemistry builds slowly and sweetly through shared book club moments and meaningful glances.

One of the things I liked most about this book is that there isn’t a ton of drama. The story is more about internal shifts and personal realizations than it is about over-the-top conflict. That said, I could have done without the ex-husband. His behavior felt frustrating and a little unnecessary, especially since the core emotional conflict could have been built in other ways without using him as a catalyst.

The only real drawback for me was the ending. While we do get a happily ever after, I would have loved a few more chapters showing Zoey and Dani together as a couple. After all that buildup and character work, it felt like we didn’t get quite enough time to enjoy the payoff.

Still, this is a lovely and affirming read with well-developed characters and a romance that feels truly earned. A fantastic pick if you're in the mood for something soft, introspective, and queer-positive.

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Secret Crush Book Club is a real treat...the third book in the Peach Blossom series (interconnected standalones). This one is about Dani, a single mom nurse who's never really questioned her sexuality before, and how she and acquaintance Zoey, a librarian newly arrived in Peach Blossom, Georgia, become friends...and more. The conflicts they have are believable and not given a rushed resolution. I appreciated Karmen Lee's approach that was both fun and thoughtful throughout.

I absolutely devoured all three books like a delightful peach cobbler with a scoop of ice cream!

4.5 stars

I loved this third book in the Peach Blossom Series!

I have had the honor of ARC reading all three of these books and I think this is my favorite couple yet. This book was a cozy romance about a single mom, Dani, that has spent her time after her divorce taking care of her child and being the best mom she can be. That is until she finds herself attracted to the new librarian in town. Zoey is a romance author that took a year long contract in the small town of Peach Blossom for research for her next novel.

I thought Dani and Zoey had amazing chemistry and I loved the way they communicated. A lot of this book deals with Dani and her realization that she may not be as straight as she thought she was. I really loved how the entire storyline was handled and it felt very relatable to me. I loved the way Dani communicated with her sisters as well. This book just felt like a warm hug and a love letter to queer women.

If you are looking for a series of cozy Sapphic romance books with a touch of spice, then I highly recommend the Peach Blossom series.

I was also lucky enough to receive an advanced listener copy of this book so I was able to tandem read. The narration was done really well and I absolutely devoured this book.

The Secret Crush Book Club is the third book in this series about a trio of sisters in the town of Peach Blossom. This book focuses on Dani. She’s a single mom who has spent most of her adult life taking care of her son and her family. But now that her son is getting older and her sisters have lives of their own Dani is beginning to think about her own needs and wants. Enter in the new town librarian, Zoey. She is a librarian and author who is in Peach Blossom researching small town life for a new book. Zoey invites Dani to join her book club and the two of them hit it off. Now both women need to consider their pasts and futures and what they want.

Even though this is the third book, this book works as a standalone. I would recommend reading the others in the series to better understand the dynamics between all the sisters, but it’s not necessary to be able to enjoy this book.

This was a cute story. I appreciated the way that Zoey and Dani’s relationship played out. Their feelings for each other came off very genuine and respectful. Zoey was Dani’s first experience dating a woman and yet they both handled the feelings regarding that very well. Their physical relationship wasn’t rushed, and I enjoyed that quite a bit in this book.

Overall, while I have enjoyed all the books in this series, I would say that this one was my favorite. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a low drama romance.

Thank you Karmen Lee, Harlequin-Romance, and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was my first book in the series and now I want to read the others. I didn’t like the slander o. Goobers because those are my favorite haha. Try mixing them with the popcorn. I really liked both of the main characters. I love having kids in books and wished there was a little more of Jordan. This book was a great pallet cleanser and a fast read

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early.

The Secret Crush Book Club follows single mother Dani and librarian Zoey whose unexpected meeting sparks a new path in both their lives.

This book was so sweet! I really liked all the characters, especially Zoey and Dani’s sisters. The dynamic was also great between Zoey and Dani and I loved how slowly and naturally their connection grew.

I did feel like there wasn’t enough communication between Zoey and Dani until the end and that everything felt a little over explained or over described in terms of the prose but the story was really sweet and enjoyable to read

Thank you again to Harlequin and NetGalley for the chance to read this early.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

I've now read every book in this series and while the writing remains weak, this one was quite cute mostly because of the character work rather than the romance. It's low on drama but i really appreciated Jordan's relationship with her son, exploring her sexuality, going to bookclub. It honestly works if you're in a mood for something like that and especially you want to meet endearing characters

The book nerd in me loved this. The sapphic rom com lover...could have asked for more.

Dani and Zoey had good chemistry when they were together but I was missing some of the wanting and yearning through the rest of theory story. Dani's ex husband being an absolute knob could have been left out entirely since it didn't add much to the story but I did really love her sisters so I guess I'll be reading the others in the trilogy.

3/10 for spice. 7/10 for writing style.

This will be published September 26, 2025. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy!

This was not the book I was expecting. It was not even really a slowburn - they didn't really every get together... It was a short read, but didn't do what I was hoping.

The Secret Crush Book Club by Karmen Lee is a tender, slow-burn romance that was an absolute joy to read, and it serves as the perfect conclusion to the Peach Blossom series. Dani, a single mother, realizes she's missing meaningful connections outside of her family and decides to join a local book club hosted by the town’s newest resident and librarian, Zoey. Zoey, who grew up constantly moving with her brother in the Army, is searching for the sense of stability she's never had and finds herself drawn to Dani.

One of the elements I loved most about this story was the thoughtful way it explores Dani’s journey of self-discovery. As she begins to realize her feelings for Zoey are romantic and not just platonic, she navigates this new terrain with vulnerability and care. It’s the first time Dani has experienced romantic feelings for a woman, and Zoey meets her where she is with patience, tenderness, and understanding. Watching their relationship unfold was soft, warm, and deeply rewarding.

If you’re looking for a lighthearted romance full of heart and gentle growth, The Secret Crush Book Club belongs on your reading list.

This book was so amazing. I love sapphic romances and the fact that one of our fmcs was a mom really hit home for me. I felt all the emotions I felt coming out being a single mother and coming to life altering realizations. I loved the slow burn of the romance and though it wasn't super spicy it was the perfect amount of spice. So many elements in this well rounded story of parenthood, co-parenting, coming out and who doesn't love a funny best friend character.

This is the third book in a trilogy, though I'd argue that it can be read as a standalone.

So here's how it's gone for me and this Peach Blossom series... I didn't love "The 7-10 Split," partly because there was soooo much telling and very little that happened on-page. Also, the bowling club felt like an afterthought, even though it was supposed to be the driving force of the story. I DNFed "The Relationship Mechanic" due to more issues of showing vs. telling. I mention this because I think Lee addressed those issues in this new book. The characters in SCBC were more fleshed-out, and the scenes were more developed.

This is a pretty quiet, low-tension story, and at times I wished that a little more was happening. On the other hand, this felt more realistic than a lot of rom coms, and there were no sudden twists, big swings, or crazy miscommunications. Everything was plausible and cozy.

While I wasn't thinking about this too much while I was reading, in hindsight I appreciate that this was a sapphic book with two Black main characters, and there is no racism or homophobia to be found in these pages. Dani wrestles with her identity a bit, but mostly because she's oblivious and then surprised by it, not because it fundamentally changes anything for her or strikes her as a problem. The bigger issues are questions like how the relationship will impact her kid (who I really enjoyed, he's a great character). Likewise, Zoey has experienced having crushes on straight women who use her as an opportunity to experiment without taking the relationship seriously.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This story is adorable! I’m giving it 4 stars just due to the writing style.

This was such a beautiful slow burn comfort read. Danielle and Zoey was just so cute and so down to earth issues. Danielle dealing with being divorced single parent and working as a Nurse going through mid life crisis, I can relate, and Zoey a Temp Libirian in a small town, meet her crush and invites her to a local book club, and sparks go from there. This was such a cute storyline found family, and bi-awaking so adorable read.

Ugh, this book was so cute and fun. I love seeing Black women be loved and loving each other. I have yet to read the other two books in the Peach Blossom series which I feel like was because I wasn’t in the right headspace but I will definitely read them now! If all Karmen Lee puts out is sapphic romances set in this fictional Georgia town I will gladly take them all! To the specifics of The Secret Crush Bookclub: I loved both of these characters, Dani and Zoey, because of how fleshed out they were. Dani navigates dating and being a single mom as well as questioning her sexuality “later in life.” Zoey yearns for family and a place to call home after spending most of her life moving around constantly as a military kid. Even without the romance, Dani and Zoey were characters in their own right. One critique I do have is that while the book club premise is how their relationship begins I feel like it could have been played up more. I really wanted more book influenced romance scenes rather than it just being the inciting setting. Regardless, Karmen Lee deserves her praises; I hope she gets more attention in the romance publishing scene!

The Secret Crush Book Club is a sweet, small-town sapphic romance that follows Zoey, a librarian and author, and Dani, a nurse and single mom. The two already knew each other through Dani’s son Jordan, but a book club brings them closer.

This was such a quick, cozy read with an easy flow and charming vibes. Dani’s queer awakening felt genuine and heartfelt, and I loved watching her and Zoey’s connection grow. Tiffany was hilarious, and the audiobook narrator did a fantastic job. Plus, the cover is absolutely adorable.

this was so precious!!! i love seeing sapphic romances making it big and this one was so lovely. highlighting dani’s hard work as a single mom was so important - single moms deserve all the love and my dani girl is no different! i also always love a librarian in my stories so of course i was enamored by sweet zoey! the peach blossom series has been banger after banger and the secret crush book club fell right in with my expectations. it was cozy and adorable and such a heartwarming story of love!!!!!! i loved it so much!

Cute single mother nurse/librarian romance! I was a bit disappointed that all the people who gave Dani grief about having been married to a man and deciding to date a woman have apparently never heard of bi- or pansexuality (and no one else in her life defended her by bringing it up as an option either???), but that's my only real complaint here.

So happy to see the last single sister standing find her HEA! And with a librarian to boot :)

Rating: 4 stars / B+

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.