Lesbian book chat with my friend, Mel

My lesbian book bestie joins me to chat about som  fab reads by Rachel Lacey, Erica Lee, EJ Noyes, Lucy Bexley, KJ and Stephanie Shea
Sapphic Book Review is creating Bonus fun with lesfic authors | Patreon

Rachel Lacey's Amazon Page Amazon.com: Rachel Lacey: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

Erica Lee's Amazon Page Amazon.com: Erica Lee: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

E.J. Noyes Amazon Page Amazon.com: E. J. Noyes: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

Lucy Bexley's Amazon Page Amazon.com: Lucy Bexley: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks,
 Kindle

KJ's Amazon Page Amazon.com: K J: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

Stephanie Shea's Amazon Page Amazon.com: Stephanie Shea: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

Transcript

Laura: 0:18

Welcome to the Sapphic Book Review Podcast. I'm Laura Green, and today I have a very special guest. She's not an author, as far as I know. she's one of my favorite people on the planet and a close friend. Mel, Welcome, and thanks for joining me.

Melodie: 0:31

Thanks for having me. I mean, that was a big lead, and I hope I don't disappoint people.

Laura: 0:37

it's okay. You'll be fine.

Melodie: 0:39

I'll try hard.

Laura: 0:39

I have happily taken on the role of your lesbian book fairy godmother.

Melodie: 0:43

Yes.

Laura: 0:45

And I've been quite proud of your progress this week. You've been doing a lot of good reading. And I thought it'd be fun to talk about some of the books you've read. Last year for Christmas, I gave you a couple of books I thought you might really enjoy. One was Rachel Lacey's Don't Cry For Me and the other Erica Lee's Sunsets and Shades Don't cry for me is my favorite Rachel Lacey book. It's full of heart, it's full of love, but it's also a really beautiful story of healing. What did you think of Don't Cry For Me?

Melodie: 1:11

I've crushed through so many of these books, you're gonna have to remind me of character names so that I can rememb

Laura: 1:16

Okay, it's Josie and Eve and kittens.

Melodie: 1:19

Cool. Yes. Love that book. Love, love, love. When you pull kittens into the mix, that's top tier for me, obviously. I was actually just thinking about that book on the way home today. I really enjoyed that one a lot. And even going further back, like, so I kind of stumbled into, like I call my spicy lesbian romance novels. Back in 2020. Like when the pandemic was like, it was scary, right? We didn't know what was going on. And I like stumbled across them. And it was so nice to finally like read things that you could relate to. There's like this whole world that was opened up for me. So then when we started talking about this, I was like, Oh my gosh, it's it's deeper than I realized that more people are into it than I realize, um, and then I go through really big peaks and valleys of reading. So like, as you can tell, I'm currently in a very high and just crushing book after book after book and it all started again with, I just want to listen to some audiobooks, and I go on some walks, and then well, I couldn't stop listening to them. Like the story would like pull me in. So then I would just be like, sitting in the living room, like with my headphones on just like staring into the living room. While these books are being written to my ear like, whoo, okay. Take a lap. But okay, so that book, um, I really, really love that one a lot. I always love the trope of like, a high powered business person, and then somebody who's maybe like, a little bit quirky. And wouldn't you know it, they fall in love.

Laura: 2:54

Of course they do.

Melodie: 2:55

I mean, intense, but I really liked the chemistry between them right away. And you could feel it the way that she was describing it, pretty quickly. And like, obviously, we're knowing that these people are gonna fall in love, and it's all gonna work out. But it was very interesting. Just the lead up to it, and not making you wait forever for them to finally like, get together. Like you can still get characters together early on in the book, create some sort of conflict, wonder if they're going to get back together, and then have it end up having a happy ever after. That's what I'm into.

Laura: 3:29

Yeah, I don't like it when you have 200 pages of will they or won't they? And at the very end, at the very end, they get together and you're like, Well, I didn't even get to enjoy the Couplehood

Melodie: 3:40

Yeah, I like to see them like how they are a couple together especially with Josie and Eve. There's so many girl names floating around all these books that I read. And what's also horrifying is when it pulls in somebody that you know, like a name of somebody that's in your life. And then you have to like, shut that off and not picture that person. I mean, I'm friends with a lot of girls and not in like a weird creepy way. I just work with a lot of women.

Laura: 4:08

you're not weird and creepy at all.

Melodie: 4:10

I mean, I am but not, not like oh, so yeah, my brain is constantly like nope, nope, it's that this person is that this person?

Laura: 4:21

Um, but whenever I write my book, I'm gonna have to go through a long list of names and just discard them to who I can name characters after.

Melodie: 4:27

Oh my gosh, there's gonna be like nothing left. I've actually thought about that in my like, if I ever write a book like well, what character names can I possibly use? Because I want to something close to Mel and Kelsey. So I was like, Melissa just really trying to dig deep there.

Laura: 4:47

Yeah, you'll get there. Sunsets and Shades. What did you think of that book?

Melodie: 4:54

Love, love that book.

Laura: 4:56

Are you Kinsley or Gace?

Melodie: 4:59

Ah Probably Grace realistically, Kinsey was so guarded with love and had her heart ripped out. While I did have my heart ripped out years ago, and years ago at this point. I was always open to it, because I just love love. Like that's like the running joke for me is I just I love love and I want everybody to be in love. And was it thunder?

Laura: 5:21

That was thunder my gosh, my little my little dog is right here in my lap just shaking.

Melodie: 5:27

Shaking. It's not quite to us yet. Yeah, I so I'm not that guarded in any situation like that. So I definitely related more to her, like, just being more open about things and just seeing what happens and just kind of looking through the bullshit too.

Laura: 5:45

I love Kinsley I love the little smartass. You know, like I don't need love. That's stupid. And yeah, I love her.

Melodie: 5:53

Yeah. Well, as soon as I was reading that, I was like, Well, no shit. She loves her.

Laura: 5:59

Have no idea what you're talking about.

Melodie: 6:01

Oh, yeah, all the little one liners and the, you know, I'm too cool for this. I can't possibly be in love.

Laura: 6:10

That well, maybe I should have asked someone who didn't know me as well to be on.

Melodie: 6:15

Well, ha that's what you get.

Laura: 6:17

I know. I also have another book I want you to read by Erica Lee. It's called Anyone But Her. It's the story of Reagan, who goes home with her best friend Jamie to his family reunion and pretends to be his girlfriend. They're both gay. And then when they get there, she discovers that she may be having some feelings for his sister, Charlie, who may also be a little gay. Everybody's gay. But pretending not to be gay. Love. . It's great. It's sexy. It's fun. It's not super long, so you won't get bored. And it has one of my favorite supporting characters, Charlie and Jamie's grandmother who is just fabulous. She comes in at a very inopportune moment.

Melodie: 6:59

Oh no

Laura: 7:00

It's quite funny. it's It's good stuff

Melodie: 7:04

I was thinking though, like, again on my drive home anticipation of our conversation, like thinking about how I appreciate that these books are not super long and drawn out and they don't create a lot of unnecessary things. Like, of course, you're always gonna want to conflict right in that resolution and kind of get everything done. But like, these books are quick reads and it kind of makes you feel a little bit more accomplished to like, I started the Sunsets and Shades at like, 7pm that night, and I think I finished by 12. I read it all that night and just blasted right through it. So cute though. I love the ending to it.

Laura: 7:41

I know it's very cute.

Melodie: 7:42

I hate that we can't talk about it though. But you don't wanna spoil anything.

Laura: 7:46

You don't want to be a spoiler.

Melodie: 7:48

Never

Laura: 7:49

And there's more books in that series. So I'm sure you will like those too.

Melodie: 7:57

I feel like you told me Okay, so there's there's so many series going on.

Laura: 8:01

Like, your brain is about to explode.

Melodie: 8:04

There's so many it's but I really liked Read Between The Lines. And then I do really want to read that next one in that series. That's the No Rings Attached or something.

Laura: 8:17

Yeah, No Rings Attached. Right. It'll be out on April 12.

Melodie: 8:20

Yeah, I've been creeping around the Twitter.

Laura: 8:25

You were like creeping around on my Twitter today. Yeah. Sounds dirty, doesn't it?

Melodie: 8:30

I was preparing for my interview today. Okay, I didn't know some things.

Laura: 8:33

Yeah. What are you drinking?

Melodie: 8:36

A little sparkling water.

Laura: 8:38

Very nice. Very fancy. So Read Between The Lines. What do

Melodie: 8:44

Oh, gosh. Okay, you got to remind me that was the one. you like about that book? Oh, that was one that was like, um, you've got mail. So it was so funny. I feel like that's one of Kelsi's favorite movies, by the way. She loves that Meg Ryan Tom Hanks trope. And so like listening to I think I was listening to that one. I don't think I like physically read that one. Um, I was like listening to that one and explaining it to Kelsey and I tell her the dog's name is Brinkley. She's like that's just like in that movie. This exact same thing. And I was like, Alright, take it easy. Um, it was obviously loosely set after after that, but it was still very cute. And again, a classic thing for me the high powered person versus the the lowly small town girl. Because it's just it's just like a good recipe, man. Like, you can't go wrong with that. And it always works out right? We're all gonna grow in the experience and we're gonna learn things along the way and maybe understand that like tthis crazy business woman from the city isn't so mean after all.

Laura: 9:49

No, she's got a heart of gold underneath that kind of buttoned up exterior.

Melodie: 9:53

That lady suit. Oh, I love like picturing these people because there's so good about ldescribing the person describing what everybody looks like, a lot of femme lesbians in these worlds. Like fine with me. That's right up my alley. It would be nicer to see some other representation right of, I guess you're probably not ever gonna, like, chomping at the bit to read about, like maybe people who are a little bit heavier or athletic.

Laura: 10:29

there are books out there. I'll make a list for you. Don't worry, you'll get another email this. You were like Hey, do you have any audio books you can recommend? I'm like, What's your email address? I cannot put this in a text. Yeah. And then a page or two later or a novel later.

Melodie: 10:45

Well that's what we ended up using to when we drove to Memphis a couple weekends ago, we listened to Go Around. That one was like you there should be a more warning on that one. That one was intense. Like I said, it was unexpected. And of course, like Kelsi doesn't really get into things like this. Her listening to this was just an absolute, like it was an anniversary thing she was being nice to me. But then she ended up getting into it. So we're like laying in the hotel room, like just laying in bed listening to this audio book. And like, well, now we got to finish it because then it was starting to get close to the again and you're like, You got to start. You're starting to put all the puzzle pieces together. Like oh my god, it's not gonna be good. Wild.

Laura: 11:30

Avery. I had a thing for Avery.

Melodie: 11:33

Yeah, come on. You don't say? Well, actually, so in that book, though, she wasn't as she wasn't very femme

Laura: 11:45

Yeah, I can mix it up. I mix up my little book crushes.

Melodie: 11:50

I really liked that one a lot. That's probably more my style. Yeah, it's super sexy. Very at the top of my list of like, just the storyline behind it too. It kinda reminds me of The Bodyguard a little bit. which I enjoyed.

Laura: 12:06

No, Kevin Costner because mean, he could not kiss at all. I really felt bad for Whitney having to kiss that man. Oh, you could tell she was not into it at all.

Melodie: 12:16

But these two in this book were into it.

Laura: 12:19

They were super into it.

Melodie: 12:20

Oh, I had to hit pause like a couple times in the drive be like oh my god. For real though, we are driving and like looking at each other. Like let's turn on the radio or something.

Laura: 12:34

I'm glad you weren't at work listening to that one.

Melodie: 12:36

Oh, I was super nervous. Again I've crushed through so many of these so quickly that I was finishing one had like maybe like an hour left. And I was like, Oh, I hope there is not another sex scene because I'm going to have to pause it. I can't listen this at work.

Laura: 12:51

Yhat was Turbulence, wasn't it?

Melodie: 12:54

Yeah, they're seriously they're all rolling together so heavily

Laura: 12:59

I know you sent me a text and said you listened to Turbulence. And that's written by EJ Noyes who also wrote Go Around and she writes the sexy books.

Melodie: 13:09

Yeah. Those are top tier.

Laura: 13:14

And Abby Craden narrates both of them and she is my sexy narrator person.

Melodie: 13:19

So the one I'm listening to now what is the name of this one? It's, quite similar. So it's called the Hideaway.

Laura: 13:28

Another book by Rachel Lacey

Melodie: 13:29

There's two girls reading it. So it's Abby Craden, and then some other girl that the stories go back and forth between Phoebe and Taylor, the chapters do. So one is voiced by one one is voiced by the other. So it's like flipping back and forth as it goes through. So that's a nice change of pace

Laura: 13:44

Very nice and have you read anything else.

Melodie: 13:50

It's been rapid fire because they're also quick. And I've been flipping back and forth between listening to them, and then reading them.

Laura: 13:57

Wow, you're really jumping in full steam ahead here. You're not well just kind of easing into it.

Melodie: 14:04

It all went just because I needed I wanted to start walking more because I just sit at desk all day. And I was like I want to go for walks during the day. And I was just kind of tired of podcasts and wanted something that would like keep my interest and kind of be like oh, I can only listen to this if I go for a walk. So I want to get a story that I like and then then it's back to listening non stop just staring into the abyss. I'll literally just lay on the couch and Kelsi pats my hair and I've got my air pods and I'm just like staring at the ceiling just like listening to somebody read to me.

Laura: 14:37

Deb's not really into sharing my love for all of this she's like that's okay honey, that's good. But if we take a road trip, I pick out a book.Usually I pick out like a funny book. I'll pick out a Robin Alexander book. Her books are hilarious they're a little bit more Deb's speed not like super sexy. Although we did listen to Ask, Tell which is another EJ Noyes Abby Craden pairing. And that one had some pretty saucy scenes in it.

Melodie: 15:05

That was on the the email you sent me. So I'm going to have to do that one next. Well, so it's the the mix of trying to I go to the library first to see what audiobooks they have. So I don't have to buy them and then I go to Audible. I go down the line of like, trying to find where I'm gonna get these books from.

Laura: 15:23

They actually have these books at your local library.

Melodie: 15:26

Yeah, the one I'm listening to now is from the St. Louis City Public Library.

Laura: 15:34

Supporting the gays St. Louis.

Melodie: 15:35

I mean, St. Louis is good about that stuff.

Laura: 15:38

Yeah, you're not where I live. So

Melodie: 15:40

you're right.

Laura: 15:41

30 minutes away.

Melodie: 15:42

That why I'm in the city.

Laura: 15:43

You're like I'm not in the burbs.

Melodie: 15:45

I stay in the city for reason, baby.

Laura: 15:49

Well, I've been reading a lot as you know. I think I'm at 25 books so far this year. It's only March I've kind of been slacking. The last few some have been good, some have not been good. But I've read three this year that have been top tier. Excellent. The first one is called No Strings. It's by Lucy Bexley, and Lucy is hilarious. This one includes a puppet vampire named Fangley, a cat named Ratatouille, and accidental pot gummy ingestion. But she also combines that comedy with serious subjects like anxiety and depression.

Melodie: 16:25

Know about those all too well.

Laura: 16:26

And it's seamless, everything works perfectly. You want to laugh with them,you want to hold their hand when they cry, and you want to see them find happiness. So if you haven't read Lucy Bexley, and I know you haven't, but I'm pretty sure it's on the list I gave you.

Melodie: 16:38

. I think it is. That was that was on the agenda.

Laura: 16:41

So we're gonna get onto that. And after you've read it, we'll talk about I'll have you back on again.

Melodie: 16:47

Just have me read through all these books and just keep talking .Our text exchange is top tier about these too.

Laura: 16:52

it really is.

Melodie: 16:54

Like, dude, this one was ridiculous.

Laura: 16:57

And I'm just so excited to have somebody who will text me about it.

Melodie: 17:01

Kelsi's not into it either. But like I said before, it's so meaningful to have books like these to read. I always have loved reading and like I said, kind of go through the peaks and valleys of how much I'm reading. But finding this is, it's special. It's important. So often even still in 2022, we're not, you don't get to see your our lives lived out even on television really anymore. I mean, L Word iscling on by thread, but that's hardly relatable. It's a bunch of insanely hot lesbians in LA, like, okay.

Laura: 17:35

Making making very, very bad choices, most of them

Melodie: 17:38

Constantly, but you don't get to watch your life, or read your life really ever. Still now. And so it's nice. I think that's why I get so deep into these books. Because our life it's simple, and it's boring. And that's exactly what 99% of the gay relationships in my life are. There's no drama, there's none of this stuff. And it's just nice to read about these things, or kind of have the, we're we've got these people who are just going to get together and there's not the conversation of coming out, or some crazy thing that happens. It's just people who meet, they are gay, they get together, what a novel concept.

Laura: 18:20

That's right. It's important to have representation.

Melodie: 18:23

Well, yeah, we don't get it. And it's even it's still now it's this pretty niche, like markets and pretty small group of people who know about these things. Now, the more I get into Twitter, and kind of start to see that realm with people, it's nice, but it's always such a small community. You know, everybody knows everybody is gonna chat together. It's just I would love to see these books end up being more mainstream. And actually, I don't know, make decent lesbian movies.

Laura: 18:53

Oh, my gosh, that's a crazy concept.

Melodie: 18:54

Again, a novel concept, but I every time I read these Not a tragic movie where somebody has to die at the end. books, or listen to these books, I think about this is like, Hallmark formula. Let's churn these things out. I want to lesbian Hallmark Channel with every one of these books. And let's get all these actresses in there that are maybe like, you or somebody has to come out. They've always got to come out. know, B level. I don't really care. Let's roll them through. I just want to see people being together. It'd just be like a normal movie. what was that movie with Kristen Stewart that Christmas movie?

Laura: 19:31

Happiest Season

Melodie: 19:31

They, have to come out. And that's that's the conflict that they give them that like, Oh, they're not going to come out. And they're not going to be with this person. It's like I'm just over it. I'm tired of seeing the same thing all the time. So it's just nice in these books that you're getting all the things that you want, and it's not in a shitty way.

Laura: 19:49

That's what's so great about this community. Yeah, we don't have representation on mainstream media, the way that we should. It's more than it used to be but it's still not where it needs to be. But we can pick up these books and there's so many brilliant writers out there who just write such amazing words and who put stories together. You can find a book about any situation that you feel yourself in. There are so many great, les fiction writers out there. And in that way, we are so lucky. We're so lucky to be living in a time when it's a small knit community, but you can find exactly the kind of book that you're looking for. So another one of my favorite books this year, I don't think you would really get into because it doesn't have happily ever after. And I feel like you definitely need that.

Melodie: 20:35

Need

Laura: 20:40

Bron likes to draw. She sees a woman almost get ran over by a bike messenger and leaps to her rescue. They begin meeting at a bench and start sharing stories of their life. Kate is recently divorced from Neil, who's a total wanker. Bron is immediately attracted to Kate but knowing she's straight resigned herself to friendship. Kate isn't so straight after all, and the to begin dating. The story details them falling in love. And then what happens when both stop nurturing the relationship. Bron becomes complacent and doesn't put in the work. And Kate avoids conflict. They then have to decide if the relationship is worth saving. But when you find your person you do everything you can to keep them. The ending was oh my gosh, I cried so hard. I don't like that. I don't like that. I know you don't. But I mean, life isn't always happy

Melodie: 21:32

in our lives it is.

Laura: 21:37

But anyway, for everyone else who can take it should definitely read it.

Melodie: 21:41

I mean, that is life though, right? Sometimes it's messy. And sometimes you think you're going to end up with somebody. You spend a lot of time with somebody and it just, it can't be it. It can't be the relationship with there's something poetically beautiful about knowing that and and changing that for you. You know, I was with somebody for a long time and we were just not good together. But we loved each other a lot. But we just were never going to really make it work out. And finally, after seven or eight years, on and off, we were like, why are we doing this? We can't keep doing this. And then I met Kelsi. And then I thought Yeah, I really, I can't talk to you anymore. And I'm glad that I cut those ties and did those things. But I would have lived in that relationship for Far, far too long.

Laura: 22:25

I was with someone for a very long time, too. We didn't really love each other though.

Melodie: 22:31

My ex and I, we had a it was a very strong love hate We loved to piss each other off. But I do think we loved each other but having the love that I do now. It really puts that into perspective. And it is really interesting to kind of see the varying levels of love that you can have for people throught your life.

Laura: 22:51

. Yeah, you've got you've got yourself a good one there. Sweet Pea.

Melodie: 22:54

Oh, 10 out of 10 kids can't beat it. . Not even a chance ,would never even try.

Laura: 23:00

She's the best. She's the best hugger on the planet. If you can survive one of her hugs. Without like, really cracking a rib.

Melodie: 23:07

Yeah. suffocation. Somebody told me the other day I gave a good hug. And because Kelsi gives such good hug, no one ever tells me that and I was like, thank you. That means a lot.

Laura: 23:17

Oh, wow. I feel like I've been remiss for not teeling you. You do give good hugs.

Melodie: 23:23

But everybody you know, Kelsi, it's an aggressive hug, but very good one. I feel like mine's a little bit more tender than hers.

Laura: 23:31

It really kind of is it's Yeah, I do feel like I'm in a lot less pain after yours as well.

Melodie: 23:35

Thanks your spine hasn't been crippled

Laura: 23:40

still they're both top notch.

Melodie: 23:42

Thanks, means a lot. What did you see the name of that non happy ending one was?

Laura: 23:49

it's called The Forever And The Now

Melodie: 23:50

Ok, I want to read it because it's like that is life and the just like I said, the poetic justice of it. All right, that sometimes it just it ain't it.

Laura: 24:02

Hey, I have a copy of it. I'll give it to you. Ease yourself into it.

Melodie: 24:07

Ok, added to the list. I've just got so many that I've got a backlog through at this point. But now it's starting to get nicer. I think I'm going to be walking more and more so.

Laura: 24:16

Yeah. And it's notout on audio book yet. So yeah, I'll have to find as many as I can on audio. Yep. And then there's another one that you're gonna have to read. It's not on audio either. It's Stephanie Shae's . Missed Connection. . And this is the second book in her Gia San Francisco series. Boo one Chef's Kiss was one of my favorite books of last year it's set in a restaurant in San Francisco and in this one, Avery is the lead. She handles HR at Gia Jenn Coleman's San Francisco restaurant. Jenn was the lead of the first book. You're gonna you'd love her. She's very sexy.

Melodie: 24:48

She like a professional businesswoman. That's always my favorite.

Laura: 24:52

She's a chef. A professional businesswoman chef.

Melodie: 24:54

it works for me.

Laura: 24:55

So Avery's HR an lady so she's definitely a business woman.

Melodie: 24:58

Llove it. Power suits for everyone.

Laura: 25:00

Yeah, so Avery finds herself returning from a vacation in Australia. She's been dumped before she ever arrived to Australia by the man she was dating and she's set to return home with a giant hangover, so not a great trip. But in the airport, she meets a travel influencer named Kai and they sit together on the airplane, they hold hands during turbulence. They talk about their lives, and then they have a hot kiss at the airport when they're gonna say goodbye.They think they'll never see each other again. I know that never happens to me. No one has ever kissed me at the airport.

Melodie: 25:30

Oh, it was the same way with Go Around and they are on the plane together and l never thought I'd see you here. It's like you're literally an Air Marshal.Odds are actually pretty good.

Laura: 25:43

So they think we'll never see each other again. Of course they do. And they're just both so adorable. Avery's never been attracted to a woman. But she doesn't have those moments of like, gay panic, where she's like, Oh my god, I can't be attracted to a woman. I'm straight. She's just like, okay, Sexuality is fluid. I'm attracted to a woman. Let's go with it. I'm cool.

Melodie: 26:02

And I love to hear it. I love that. It's one of my favorite things, which is not focusing on a big coming out. Like none of this matters. This is 2022 we're not wasting time coming out.

Laura: 26:12

We're just going to do whatever is going to be out we're going to be just be but what I love about Stephanie Shea she writes these moments when two people put themselves out there and show the vulnerability as well as she writes sexy scenes. Yeah, spicy. And her writing almost poetic. It's rather beautiful. And she's one of my favorites. And she's one of my favorite people too.

Melodie: 26:33

Does it have a happy ending?

Laura: 26:35

Yes, it does.

Melodie: 26:36

Okay, that I'm in. Look, I'll give thatone without a happy ending a chance for you because I love just a good story. And if it's well written, and it's a good story and keeps me in. I'm all about it.

Laura: 26:48

And I also told you to read her book Coming Home that's on your audio book list. KJ coming home. Very sweet. You're going to love that. What's with this dog? Really?

Melodie: 26:59

She was like about to lick the mic earlier.

Laura: 27:01

She's like, I think the storms over I can move now.

Melodie: 27:04

Yeah, it's quiet down out here

Laura: 27:05

Alright, so you have a lot of work to do.

Melodie: 27:07

A lot of work to do. I'll keep texting you updates about them.

Laura: 27:11

Okay, we'll be doing a follow up to check and see how you've done because I'm taking you under my wing now. You're obviously you're already a lot younger than I am. And now I feel like you've really become like my lesbian book daughter.

Melodie: 27:27

I can't be your daughter. The age difference isn't that big between us.

Laura: 27:31

Feels like it.

Melodie: 27:32

No, please. I'm closer to 40 than I am anything.

Laura: 27:38

Oh, well. Then you're right then.

Melodie: 27:40

Feel better?

Laura: 27:41

Yes.

Melodie: 27:42

Yeah, I'll be I'll be 37 this year. Kelsi will be 38.

Laura: 27:46

Okay, yeah, you guys are getting up there. We'll do this again. Mellie. Thank you for joining me today.

Melodie: 27:55

Thanks for having me.

Laura: 27:56

I will have you anytime you know that. I don't care what your wife says.

Melodie: 28:00

she can deal with it.

Laura: 28:01

All right, bye,

Melodie: 28:03

Love you

Laura: 28:03

. Love you more. Thanks so much for joining me for this episode of The sapphic book review podcast. And thanks to my friend Mel for joining me today. You can find any of the books we discussed today on Amazon. Rachel Lacey's hideaway, Read Between The Lines and Don't Cry For Me and available April 12, No Rings Attached. Erica Lee's Sunsets And Shades and Anyone But Her. And EJ Noyes Ask, Tell, Turbulence and go around. And we also talked about Lucy Bexley's No Strings, KJ's The Forever and the Now and Stephanie Shea's Missed Connection. I really enjoyed all of these books and if you haven't read them and encourage you to give them a try. Until next time, happy reading