Novel Problems

A Sapphic Small-Town Summer Romance (Sapphire Springs)

By: Elizabeth Luly

Narrated by: Abby Craden

A feel-good sapphic small-town summer romance featuring a bestselling fantasy author and a warm-hearted cafe-bookstore owner!

Hannah Taylor has some novel problems. The bestselling fantasy author, who writes under a pen name, is suffering from writer's block after her long-term relationship collapses. With the deadline for her next novel fast approaching, Hannah flees Manhattan for Sapphire Springs, New York, planning to hide away until she finishes her book. But when she's forced to visit the local cafe-bookstore, she accidentally finds herself with a new job and one very attractive new boss. Distractions she definitely doesn't need with her looming deadline . . . or does she?

George O'Grady worked hard to turn Novel Gossip into the cafe-bookstore of her dreams, but staff shortages are putting the normally unflappable lesbian under pressure. Hannah's appearance is a godsend. Although it would be easier if her new employee was less distractingly lovely, because George has a strict rule against dating employees.

Over the course of the summer, Hannah and George grow closer. But can the two book lovers overcome their novel problems to write their own happy ending?

Contains mature themes.

©2024 Elizabeth Luly (P)2024 Tantor Media

Love the characters

I love d the 2 main characters. They were so personable and relatable.

Thanks for a great story.

Not for me personally

I listen to anything with Abby Craden. I appreciate her talent so very much. Since I support Abby and I decided to listen to one more book but I do not believe I will take a chance on the upcoming release at this moment. I do like the idea of the storyline a lot. I am just not used to having to fight to make myself get to the end. I am most often unable to stop listening to books Abby narrates. This book and the one prior just was not for me. Parts of the storyline dragged on longer than needed and the indecisiveness was harder to experience for extended chapters while listening. I wanted to know more about the character layers beyond prolonged dialogue about one characteristic. I can only imagine how challenging of a process it is to create a story and I am sure they will improve with time so I’ll circle back in future books if Abby narrates.

Fun

Stars: 4 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Abby Craden
Series: Sapphire Springs Book 2
Steam Level: Steamy

I read this for the 2025 Sapphic Book Bingo Micro-Tropes reading challenge for the prompt Watching Fireworks.

This was such a fun installment to this series that I’m looking forward to the next book even more than I was before. I wouldn’t object if there were another ten books set in this universe, the setting and characters are just so cozy and warm.

Quick Thoughts:
- I was so happy to see that George was one of the protagonists in this book. I adored her in Not Just Gal Pals
- Yay for Blake and Jenny making appearances! I do love it when characters who are important to each other show up in each other’s books
- Hannah is such a delightful character and very relatable with her anxiety and aversion to hard conversations
- The kayaking scene had me cackling so much
- Why isn’t there a Novel Gossip bookstore in my city?
- I totally understood where George’s mom was coming from before she met Hannah
- No third act break up!
- These two are just so perfect for each other
- I was a little put off by all the name dropping that felt more like fan gushing rather than giving the story a better sense of time and place
- It felt like there was going to be a bit more drama with the Ex and Hannah’s parents and her identity as a writer but it seemed like the author ran out of steam and just decided to not to write that drama
- Abby Craden is amazing as always. I pick up books solely because she narrates it. The audio volume was a little low in this book to where I had to turn up the volume whenever I listened to this book then down when I listened to a different one

Overall I really enjoyed this book. There were only a few things that kept it from being a five star book for me, it mostly feels like growing pains of a new author that just needs a little more experience. I look forward to reading more from them in the future.

Great Story

Author and Narrator never disappoints! I thoroughly enjoyed this story and it didn’t take long for the love interests realized they liked each other! The support they gave each other was amazing!

Super Sweet

This is a low angst, super sweet, romance with a bit of spice. Worth a 2nd listen. They have a great relationship and they are so good for each other which the author really portrays.