Dani is a single mother whose son attends a gaming club at the library. Zoey is a librarian and author who set up said gaming club. (Now kiss.) The Secret Crush Book Club is a very cute and cozy book. It’s on the shorter side and it doesn’t get too deep, but I did enjoy it. There were some pretty funny moments and other moments when I was like, damn, this is some good writing.

This was my first Karmen Lee book and I’m mad at myself for being so late to the party! I really enjoyed this book and the connection between the two FMC’s was so cute and genuine. I loved Zoey…and I may be a little biased as I’m a librarian who wears glasses and a cardigan. But this was a fun and cozy short read with just enough spice. Now I need to k ow what else goes on in Peach Blossom.

The Secret Crush Book Club is a charming, lighthearted romance about second chances, self-discovery, and the power of community. Centered around a woman reigniting her passion for life and love through a quirky book club, the story blends humor, heart, and a slow-burn romance. While some plot points feel a bit predictable, the warmth of the characters and the book-loving theme make it a cozy and enjoyable read for fans of contemporary romance. A feel-good story perfect for curling up with on a quiet weekend.


Thanks for NetGalley and Harlequin - Romance for allowing me to read this arc.

This might be my favorite out of the entire peach blossom series by Karmen Lee. It was spicy yet oh so sweet

An incredibly cute, cozy, sweet & spicy BIPOC blended family romance. I loved Dani & Zoey’s story, and that it focused around one of my favourite things - books. Trigger warning for gaslighting/mental & emotional abuse & mental and emotional child abuse from a previous spouse.

Really wanted to like this but unfortunately I had to DNF. Its sounded like somthing i would absolutely love. I didn't realize it was apart of a series and there are aspects of the characters that I don't really enjoy reading about. (Nothing to do with the queer aspects of the book).

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Finding oneself after divorce is never easy and to realize that you are crushing on a woman? This is exactly what Karmen Lee does with this story and I think she did it well. I liked the development of both characters and story the acceptance they receive.

"The Secret Crush Book Club" was a cute story. Zoey and Dani were appealing characters, and I enjoyed reading about their feelings developing for each other, their doubts and insecurities, their flirting, and making their feelings for each other known. Of course, having their relationship develop in the context of books (librarian, book club, book recommendations, etc.) was an appealing aspect to the story. The love and support Dani receives from her family and her coworker, Natasha, and the love and support Zoey receives from her brother and her coworker, Tiffany, is one of the things that makes this story particularly enjoyable.

this was such a cute sapphic read! i love the main characters and love this authors writing! i hope to read more of her books in the future!

This book is very cute and wholesome. It’s got Schitt’s Creek vibes! We love a queer friendly small town! I love the series and the author and if you want a cozy read, this is it!

I fell in love with this book right from the first page. The characters are great and the storyline is amazing. Definitely a 5 star must read

I’ll be sad to see this series end, but I’m so glad I got to read how the eldest Williams sister finds love. Dani’s story is warm, heartfelt, and full of the kind of slow-burn connection that makes book club meetings feel electric. I loved watching her and Zoey navigate their growing feelings while balancing family, work, and their own hopes for the future. A sweet, satisfying conclusion to the Afterglow Books series that left me smiling.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! Dani, a dedicated single mom, and Zoey, a shy librarian and author, fall in love as they bond during book club meetings.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF. I couldn’t get over how cheesy and Hallmark-esque this is. Tiffany, who is meant to be comic relief, had me rolling my eyes and cringing. I’m sad I didn’t like it because it seems perfect for me on paper: I’m pursuing a career as a librarian, I run a book club, and I’m a writer, but sadly that wasn’t enough to make me stick with it. It’s always sad when a sapphic romance lets me down but luckily there are more and more being published and I know this will find its audience with other readers!

*thank you so much to netgalley and harlequin romance for the arc of this novel*

3.50 on storygraph

going into this book, i didn’t realize it was a continuation (the third in the series) about the williams sisters. from the second novel, i really enjoyed dani and was looking forward to reading this novel! but as i said in the last review about a previous work from this author, the writing isn’t quite there. i felt a connection was lacking between dani and zoey. when they were connected, it was good, but i feel like we miss the beginning and most of the tension and chemistry leading to their romance. the plot often felt like events strung together with minor dialogue, not necessarily a proper plot. i wish there would’ve been more dialogue that way we could properly see the connection and click between dani and zoey bc again, i feel it was lacking for me.
that being said, i did enjoy the topics that were touched on from single mom, to jordan’s feelings, to a coming out later in life. i just wish the writing were a bit stronger bc the bones of a good relationship were there in dani and zoey but i was left wanting more.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Romance for the advanced copy!

I'm going to be honest- this is my first book in this standalone series. I wasn't sure what I was getting into. Having just finished, it was so fricken cute and I will be adding the first two to my Libby account! In the charming town of Peach Blossom, we meet Dani; the single mom who is just trying to figure out her life, and Zoey; the new librarian who has moved to town to write her new book. Zoey falls first for Dani, and this is something new for Dani, as she has only been with men up until Zoey. Maybe there's always been something there, but it just waited until the right person?

I loved how sweet this book was. In hetero books the third act breakup is devastating and dramatic. In this, it was more of a "I need to do this because I think I have to to protect my people, not because I don't want you," type of thing. Both of them respect each other's boundaries and it's never made to feel like Dani is pushing Zoey out of the picture because she has a kid, nor is Zoey mad that she will come last. It's refreshing to read a romance book where the obstacles seem more realistic and the couple use healthy communication to work through them.

I highly recommend this book and I can't wait to read the others!

Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
I loved the premise of this but it just wasn't working for me. The writing was very clunky and the dialogue just didn't feel like real people. I couldn't get in to it so it's just not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third installment in the Peach Blossom series, and much like it's predecessors, it was amazing. As someone who didn't truly discover and explore her sexual orientation until well into adulthood, also after having a child, I felt truly connected to this story. I saw much of myself in Dani. I absolutely loved this story line and it had just the right amount of spice. I'm fully convinced Karmen Lee can't write a bad story.

This book was definitely a cute read. I loved watching Dani's story Unfold. Dani entered strange waters of dating while being a single mother. Zoey Had a really toxic relationship before entering this current one. I loved Dani and Zoey relationship it was definitely a palate cleanser. I would be honest this book was on the short side I would have loved for it to be a little longer I didn't want to put it down. The ending came fast, but all in all I really loved the book

3.5 stars (rounded up)

I really enjoyed my time reading this book. It started off a bit slow for my liking—the first half I was slightly bored—but I am so glad I stuck with it because the story was so worth it. This is the third book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone!

Even though I think this book started off too slow, the way the story progressed was very cute. The characters really shined in this book; I truly cared about every character—even the side characters (and I have not read the books prior to this in the series). The romance is very sweet; I was rooting for Dani and Zoey ever since they met.

The plot of this book was pretty good. I love reading about adults with adult problems in romance because I find I can relate to them more than the teens/young adults that I often see in romance. Once I got to the halfway point in the book, I was hooked and did not want to stop reading. The length of the book is good, in my opinion. I often find that a lot of romance books seem to drag on too long for my liking.

Overall, a very enjoyable read! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a good adult sapphic romance.

Thank you so much to Karmen Lee, Harlequin Publishing, and NetGalley for providing a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
*Review will be posted to my blog [http://calliesbooks.wixsite.com/calliesbooknook], Goodreads, Fable and Storygraph by the end of July.

This was a sweet read with a small-town romance vibe that I’d expect from a Harlequin novel. I loved the characters in this book and definitely neglected some housework to keep reading their story. Both Zoey and Dani seemed like people I could be friends with in real life, and I could definitely relate to their struggles. This was an enjoyable read, with lots of sweet moments between family and friends, with only small, minor moments of angst and drama.
Bonus: As a librarian, the library setting of this story did not disappoint.