A Kind Deception: A Lesbian/Sapphic Romance

There is so much to say about this book, but I will not bore you with my words, because the words you should be reading are the ones on the pages. I have never been a romance story type of person. I always thought they were cheesy and so unrealistic. But, Skye Von Triessen, has once again proven me wrong (not an easy thing to do). I have read all of her books more than once, if that tells you anything. And prior to reading her first book, I had never written a review on a book, because they take time and many stories had never really impacted me. But here we are again, another story from SVT that has left an impact. I loved her first series, but this book…this story… was so ridiculously surreal for me that it honestly freaked me out the first time I read it. I often don’t get vulnerably emotional, but this book, hit I believe what the Gen Z’s call these days “the feels” (am I saying that right? I’m an old millennial like Laurel, so I have no idea about what’s cool these days lol). I love Laurel and Rayne equally because I see a lot of myself at different stages of my life in each of their characters. I know Laurel’s pain about never being enough, many years ago I had my heart broken because someone else was chosen over me, and it was the first time I learned that all I wanted was to just be enough. I know Rayne’s confidence and knowing what she wants and does everything from the little important things to the grandest of gestures for the people she loves; it’s much more of…

This book has levels, so I will attempt to have my review be as layered and nuanced as the text. First, how absolutely refreshing to read about a protagonist of color! Most appealing, is the nuanced and refined way in which the female MC of color is portrayed. Either this is from first hand experience or there was a thorough amount of research done, but as a person of color from a Caribbean background I felt very seen. The story within a story is an exceptional lens to use in Saffic romance. An author writing from the perspective of two authors could have been a recipe for disaster, but it was enlightening, not heavy handed; with a complexity that only a deft and skilled writer could command. I love a well developed romance, with sexy sex that is so vivid the reader gets wet. This hits that note like Whitney Houston in her prime. Angst should only be leveraged when the author is certain it will propel the storyline and characters forward and this writer exemplifies that concept. I was tortured to agree that deception actually occurred, but this lended to an examination of what omission versus lying means and impact versus intent. I am not obtuse, I like to be pushed as a reader and that does not diminish the lush and lusty aspect of the romance genre to me. The sex was plentiful and varied and I appreciated that. I keep saying if you are going to write lesbian romance, portray us accurately, we like sex like any other couple, not withstanding medical or psychological issues…

I think the best thing I can say about this book is that I borrowed it with Kindle Unlimited and then once I finished it, I bought the book as well. I'll need to revisit one day because I absolutely loved this. Most telling was how sad I was there are only 3 books by the author. +follow for the future and I'll get started on the other two now. Laurel and Rayne were such wonderful characters, I'm genuinely sad the book had to end. The characters very much felt like real people dealing with real problems and trying to navigate through the world. As much as I read, that isn't as common as I would like to see. There's love, romance, spice, and understanding all wrapped up in a pretty bow. Extra love for the climax and how it was written. I sometimes just like when there isn't one because it can be so cliche, but this felt different and so very well-written. I loved the extra add-in of issues immigrants go through as well as general discrimination/biases based on skin color. Nothing is preachy or over-the-top. It's all just pretty factual and honest.

I had a few moments that I ranted about on my Insta because I was going through it all with the events that took place at the near end of the book. All in all, it was a very entertaining book.

Skye Von Triessen has graced us with another superb story. Her exceptional writing style just pulls you in from page one and keeps you enthralled and entertained to the very end. Simply superb! Her characters are so realistic, relatable, and likable. They capture your heart. This story was thought-provoking and entertaining; an age gap story of finding your one and only, second chances, personal growth, and being your authentic self. This book is a fantastic follow-up to her "Meant to Be" duo, and I'm already looking forward to more of her exceptional writing.