Its all good that Cora made some progress into her life, between identifying her sexuality and realizing her husband is a complete cad and an emotionally abusive pos.... but it took WAY too long in the book for it to happen. Its also exceedingly frustrating that its not REALLY addressed about how she herself had been a user. As for the main relationship... the heat and passion wasn't really there for me and the whole cheating thing is hard to swallow. Just an 'eh' feeling overall. ( )

I'm still processing my thoughts on this one and will write a much more complete review on my site but I think I'd give it 3.5 stars. I'm rounding up because there was a lot I liked about this book. It's not a standard romance novel and it deals with some moral issues that will likely turn some folks off before they get more than halfway through. I didn't have a problem with most of what happened in the story line and think this is probably a lot more realistic than most romance novels - which I really like. The other thing that pleased me was that the two main characters are women of color and an important secondary character is a trans man. There are some serious issues discussed and portrayed and I appreciate an author who not only addresses them but does it well.

I don't want to give any spoilers away so one of the only not-so-positive things I can go into is that I felt like the resolution happened too quickly and too easily. Even with that, I think it's a solid story and the author's voice and style appeal to me. I loved her first book, liked this one quite a bit, and I'll definitely read her next, no matter what it's about. ( )

I was wary about this book at first. Love stories that start off with infidelity tend to make me uncomfortable, for one thing. And for another, it's set in my home city and the protagonists have careers that are closely related to my own (I'm a nurse, Frazer and Cora are a midwife and a social worker). That meant it was super relevant to my interests, but had the potential to throw me out of the story if the portrayal didn't ring true. I was destined to either love this book or hate it. And I LOVED it!

The cheating plotline was sad and uncomfortable, but it was supposed to be. Alec and Cora's marriage wasn't working, and hadn't been for a long time. Frazer and Cora were both very sympathetic characters, good people who were making some bad choices. Alec was controlling and unkind and not particularly sympathetic, but he wasn't a cardboard cutout villain, and it was clear that him being a shitty husband didn't mean cheating on him was OK. There was a ton of friendship and personal growth for both protagonists, and I was so proud of them and happy for them by the end.

Frazer and Cora were both really good at their jobs, and they loved their work. The program they put together to support people struggling with pregnancy in less than ideal circumstances was inspiring, and it warmed my heart to watch it grow. They're both people I'd love to know as friends or colleagues in real life.

The author nailed what it's like to work in a hospital, and to live in Perth. I never get to read about a setting I'm so familiar with, it was great! I got a little thrill when they talked about a place I recognised.

And I was so happy I could almost cry that they actually used the word bisexual. Multiple times, even! Cora did research after falling for Frazer prompted her to reconsider her orientation, and considered a lot of options before concluding that 'bi' felt best to her. And there were trans and queer and gay secondary characters, I was so pleased with the portrayal of the LGBT community.

This book was beautiful. It gave me so many feelings. I'm really glad I took a chance on it.

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review) ( )

I loved this book way more than I thought I would.

Both main characters are very interesting and I was able to feel everything they feel. Especially Cora took a hold of me and didn't let go. The way she struggles and how she gets stronger and stronger is really well-written. Bonus points for the slow building friendship and romance. It felt very real and was a fun, slightly dramatic read.

I really liked Jack as well. His struggles with being pregnant were so heart breaking... And I especially liked how Frazer uses 'pregnant people' instead of 'pregnant women' in her programme. It should be standard, but sadly it's not.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.I loved this book way more than I thought I would. ( )