Two women, an Evangelical conservative and a transgender rights activist, meet when an interview about a transgender bill doesn't go as anyone planned.

Rand: Widowed and suffering from guilt towards her wife she's struggling with survivors remorse.

Shelley: Growing up in a conservative and religious environment left Shelley suffering from crippling anxiety due to not being able to live as herself. Shelley is intelligent, and loves reading and learning new things.

Pro:
Interesting premise - By having a lesbian christian republican Jensen already makes this plot unique. I like the political side of this book very much.
Well described anxiety and coping mechanisms - Living with anxiety often come with different coping mechanisms. I find Shelleys to be very realistic, and it's well written.

Con:
Unnecessary drama - I loved the first half of this book, and was very sad when Rand acted as she did. Even though it's understandable due to the remorse she's feeling, I found it unnecessarily cruel and unforgivable. How Shelley handles it doesn't feel real considering how much anxiety has affected her for a long time. It left me with a numb feeling after finishing the book, and greatly reduced my reading pleasure.

This review is based on NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.

Wow, sometimes opposites attract more than we give them credit for.
Not saying that the difference is not only on political part, but everything in between.
I think this is first type of story like this where I wanted to know how all got resolved. Some issues were more involved and at times make or brake situations.
Loved the fact, both parties could compromise.
I admire that very much.

Shelly is a lawyer and conservative, daughter of famous evangelical. She often makes the rounds on nightly news and talk shows, offering conservative opinions. But one conversation with Rand who is a transgender rights activist and psychotherapist starts a domino effect on her life. Her attraction to the other woman and her opening opinions has her confronting her sexuality and her politics.

Things moved along really quickly in the beginning and I wasn't sure how the author was going to run with it, but the author did an amazing job and created so much room for growth in Rand and Shellys lives and in their relationship. I loved the thoughtful and educated conversations between Shelly and Rand, it really added to Shelly's character and helped the reader understand her better. I really wasn't sure how a conservative and a liberal were going to work out but I think the author did a good job, and created a really interesting and eye opening story. I really enjoyed Shelly's character, she was empathetic and intelligent and sweet and all around likeable. The story was well balanced and nuanced and I enjoyed it a lot. I really enjoyed the writing style of this author and while this is my first book by the author I'm sure it won't be the last.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

With political issues being at the forefront of every news broadcast a politically coloured book could not have come at a better time. I am not from the US so it is always hard for me to understand why there really are only two parties to choose from, In the Netherlands, I think I have my choice from at least 20. All of them all over the spectrum, there always is a party that ticks most boxes for you. You can also elect anyone from that party, we don't get stuck with one horrible choice. Anyway, let's talk about the book.

Shelley is a well known politcal figure. She is a lawyer and writer working for her father's evangelistic Republican Party supporting organisation. Shelley has always known she was different and didn't always agree with the standpoints of her parents, but lately, it's been taking too much of a toll on her. When she stumbles into Rand on the elevator on their way to a discussion for MSNBC she realises that she has to make changes. Rand is an activist, writer and psychologist, known for her support for the trans community. Shelley surprises Rand and the MSNBC host when she agrees with Rand's point of view and would need to do some more research. Rand and Shelley strike up an unusual friendship. They mail back and forth for a year on different topics, while both of them attend therapy sessions to work through personal issues. When Shelley finally comes out and her parents aren't supportive she decides to make more changes, quitting her job, moving to Phoenix, become more independent, letting go of her religion. Shelley and Rand connect in Phoenix, Shelley falls hard, but Rand is cautious. While they keep debating all aspects of life and spending all of their time together they aren't a couple. Could they overcome their very different beliefs and personal problems to become one?

I liked how the book showed both sides of the argument and showed respect for both sides, as it should be in a debate. You don't have to agree, but you have to respect, even if it is ridiculous to you. I liked the story and politics, but I didn't care much for either of the main characters. I think I have to credit the writing for me still being able to enjoy the book. This book shows that a well-written story doesn't necessarily have to have characters you like. The ending was unexpected for me as well, I was expecting a full-blown HEA, but it wasn't. It was happy, but not necessarily forever, just for the time, could go either way. It fit the story quite well.

"If I am who you want me to be," Shelley said, "I can't be who I am. It's killing me."
★★★★☆

The Politics of Love is a new, opposites attract lesbian romance novel by Jen Jensen, out July 14th from Bold Strokes Books. It follows two characters - Shelley Whitmore, a closeted lesbian who is sick of hiding who she is for the benefit of her powerful Evangelical Christian Republican family, and Rand Thomas, a therapist and prominent transgender rights activist - who first meet by way of a television appearance wherein they’re placed on opposite sides of a political debate.

The romance between Shelley and Rand seemed at first like it would be fast moving, but then settled into a leisurely slow-ish burn pace for the majority of the novel. At times, the romance felt like an addendum to the larger, overarching themes of the book, but I didn’t mind that at all. I can appreciate when romance novels aim to be something “more”, and The Politics of Love does just that. I found both of the leads likable in their own way, for completely different reasons. There were absolutely a few times when I wanted to take Rand by her shoulders and shake her, but the angst felt logical, rather than unnecessarily inserted by the author to spice up the plot.

To be totally honest, after I was approved for an ARC of The Politics of Love, I began to panic. “Why didn’t I just wait and read this on my own?” I groaned to my friend via Messenger. “Politics are so divisive right now, and this book has the potential to be a PR minefield!”

“You’re overthinking,” she replied. “Just read the book.” So I did. And I loved it, and now that it’s over, I realized the irony of the entire situation. My anxiety about reading a romance that crosses the political divide in our hyper-polarized society because of our hyper-polarized society is, in fact, peak irony.

I suppose now is as good a time as any to mention that I myself am a Democratic Socialist, but I wasn’t always. Like Shelley, I was born and raised in the Bible Belt, and have lived here for my entire, 27 year life. My mother is a Baptist Sunday school teacher. I grew up going to church multiple times per week, hearing myself damned to hell by our fire and brimstone Southern Baptist preacher. I knew I was a lesbian from fourteen on, and cried myself to sleep each night, praying to at least be bisexual instead of a lesbian, so that I’d have a chance of falling in love with a man and making my family happy.

So, unlike some other reviewers, I went into The Politics of Love fully expecting to identify with Shelley, the closeted gay Republican, at least on a base level, and I was not disappointed. At some points, I related to her inner dialogue so much that I was practically highlighting entire pages. I would be remiss not to mention that The Politics of Love also includes really excellent anxiety representation. In addition to identifying with Shelley’s experiences with compulsive heterosexuality and repressing her sexuality for her family, the way Jensen wrote Shelley’s anxiety really rang true for me, as someone with multiple anxiety disorders.

In the end, I think a lot of my worry about this book was unfounded. After seeing a lot of negative commentary accusing the YA M/M romance The State of Us of trying to humanize the Right without expecting them to humanize the LGBTQ+ community (and that’s not even touching the issues with the racism), I feared The Politics of Love might fall prey to the same mishaps, reworked for an adult audience, but that wasn’t the case at all. It was obvious that Rand and Shelley respected and learned from each other, genuinely finding middle ground on which to build their relationship.

Final thoughts: The word politics might be in the title, but The Politics of Love was far from a manifesto or evangelism for either side of the aisle. Instead, it was a sweet, slightly angsty romance about finding love and acceptance in unexpected places.

The Politics of Love At A Glance
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Themes/Tropes: Opposites Attract, Age Gap (< 10 years), Coming Out, Slow burn
LGBT Rep? Yes!
OwnVoices? Yep
Content Warnings (CWs): Non-consensual public outing, homophobia, death of family member, grief

ARC Note: Thank you to Bold Strokes Books and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Rated 4 out of 5
What a wonderful read with outstandingly likeable characters. Having next expected to sympathise with Shellie, who holds (or her father) holds very radical beliefs on LGBTQ+ I didn’t expect to fall so hard for Shellie. But, I did.

Having a story written with the romantic female leads from opposing sides of life was both interesting, and well done. Each character got a chance to shine. I wasn’t so sure I’d be so invested in a politics based story, especially having no interest in it, but the lesbian story was what I came for. But, Jenson again surprised me, having me invested from the get go, making it near impossible to put down.

My own dislike is how sharply it ended, that sometimes it felt I was told rather than showed. This didn’t overall impact my love for it, still rating it a strong four, but it’s the reason for the last star.

I'm not sure how to impart my experience of this novel. I picked it up because I was intrigued by the politics and whether it was possible to like a lesbian Republican, or even see her point of view. My knowledge of American politics is very limited and simplistic. I imagined that the idiot in charge embodied the beliefs and policies of the Republicans.

Shelley Whitmore meets Rand Thomas on a television debate around transsexual rights. Shelley is a lawyer working for her father’s evangelical organization. She’s also smart, measured and suffers from anxiety. Rand didn’t expect the interview to go quite the way it did but had no hesitation in continuing the discussion after the debate. Rand is an activist and therapist.

The story unfolds from the third person point of view alternating between Shelley and Rand. What I found interesting about it is that it’s almost like the narrator was picking up a snow globe, turning it around, giving the characters close look but then withdrawing and seeing how the particles settle. I think much of it is telling rather than showing but I wasn’t irritated or bored by it. I didn’t feel distanced from the characters. There are also strong dialogue based scenes and just as many where the dialogue seems oddly mundane.

Shelley was a surprise. I was sure I wouldn’t like her at all but as it turned out, I adored her. Rand should have been easy to like but I could feel myself wanting to shake her. What this novel showed me is the many shades of grey in a person’s upbringing and beliefs. I think I’m more conservative in my views than perhaps a lesbian should be and I loved the depiction of how complicated it can all be as well as how simple it can be too.

Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

3 stars. Shelley Whitmore is an attorney and a strong advocate for the Republican party. Her Evangelical parents are famous for their support of the Republican party and its values. She becomes somewhat unsure of some of her values after meeting Rand Thomas, a psychotherapist and activist. Rand and Shelley have an instant connection that neither of them want to accept, even after spending a year emailing back and forth every day.

This book was good, but not great. I felt like the changes for Shelley happened too fast and Rand was a little too afraid of everything. I did not like that aspect of the book and it ruined it a little for me. I really liked Shelley's character and I enjoyed her journey but it seemed to happen pretty quickly throughout the book. I did enjoy this book. I read it in one day., but it was just an average novel. I would recommend this maybe to someone who enjoys the author.

The Politics of Love by Jen Jensen really surprised me. Not only did we get a ton of character growth, no big misunderstandings during the romance, but we also got a very smart look into how to make a relationship work with contradicting stances on very big topics. I loved how the author was able to fluidly bring in clashing political arguments from both a very conservative side as well as a very liberal side and explain the issues between Shelley and Rand with very fleshed out and coherent thoughts that supported both sides without the book just being a constant debate. The ideas are smart and logical and well researched and added to the story without making the entire story about political ideologies. More so than that, both characters have big personal triumphs that they overcome. Shelley comes to terms with the fact that she is gay and her ideologies do not align with her evangelical parents and Rand comes to terms with her grief of realizing she was not in love with her partner Kim before she died and had wanted a divorce but stayed with Kim until the end.

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. I will definitely be purchasing this book once it comes out.

3.75 Stars. This was a good read. I actually think I enjoyed this more than I expected to. Politics, especially in this day and age, are so divisive that I had no idea how Jensen could make this storyline work. I’m happy to say I was pleasantly surprised and thought she did a good job. While this is Jensen’s second book, it is my first read by her. I think she shows a lot of promise and it makes me excited for her future books.

This is a story about Rand, a therapist and liberal activist for the LGBTQ+ community and Shelley a libertarian conservative lawyer who works for her father’s Evangelical organization. Shelley is sick of living her life in the closet and when she meets Rand she can’t help but be enamored by the kind of person she is. Maybe it is time for Shelley to live her own true life but is it possible for her to come out of her parent’s shadow?

I was very curious how Jensen could possibly make such an opposites attract story. Plus there are not many conservative activist characters in lesfic and how would that work? Well surprise, guess what character I absolutely adored? Shelley the libertarian! While I disagreed with certain views, she was such a likeable character and so easy to root for. Instead the lesbian activist Rand was the unlikable one most of the time. I was watching Jensen on a panel today of BSB authors and she mentioned that she was having an issue with liking Rand’s character too. Luckily, Rand was more redeemable towards the end but I sure did not expect to like the character of Shelley so much more.

While I really liked the plot of the book and how everything unfolded, I did have a few issues. They are pretty small in the grand scheme of things but I think I should mention them anyway. One was that the book felt a little short. The ending did not feel rushed but it was still over too quickly for my tastes. Just when I really got completely invested, it was over. My second issue was that I had some problems with certain dialogue. Choppy is not really the right word maybe more like staccato in form. Short clipped sentences in a row and sometimes the character would ask a question to someone else but they would keep talking right through it. Since I read reasonably fast, I found it would jar me out of the story at times. Also, when this happened I was not always sure who was talking so again I would have to stop and go back to reread the same part to figure it out. This was not a constant problem but it appeared a handful of times. I think having the characters banter back and forth more like word tennis and maybe some added dialogue tags would easily fix this. Jensen writes really well so if she fixed this issue for future books she would really be all set.

If you are looking for a good opposites attract story I would definitely recommend this one. It was well done and more enjoyable than I expected. I’m now looking forward to reading Jensen’s debut ghost hunter book soon. I have a feeling I am going to enjoy it.

This was an interesting read. The author's style of writing was very engaging and some of her descriptions were very inventive. The characters were all very well developed. The political points the author raised were interesting. Overall it was a very well written book from a promising author. Having said that, I struggled with the way this book started out as what I thought was going to be an insta-love story, then became a slow burn romance, and then lots of angst flooded in. I struggled to understand how Rand, given that she was a therapist, could be so emotionally stilted; I didn't find her character particularly endearing, the romance felt entirely one-sided; and I found myself wishing Shelley would move on and find someone more emotionally available. Shelley was such a great character and I felt like Rand took her for granted. The book was very very well written, but I would have liked to see a more reciprocal emotional connection and maybe a little less angst.

Now this is a romance novel.! Not only is the plot intriguing, but it's a smart read, full of thought-provoking dialogue and intelligent characters.

The book has the typical romance markers - girl meets girl, girl falls in love, girl gets girl back, and they live happily ever after. But it's not your typical romance novel. The characters are mature, have flaws, and while on the surface appear to be polar opposites, are centrally the same.

I liked the idea of a conservative Republican falling for a liberal Democrat. The challenges they faced were realistic and the story itself could have been ripped from the headlines.

the politics of love tells the story of two very different women, shelley from a republican background who works for her prominent conservative father and who likes women but hasn't told anyone, and rand, an out and proud lesbian who lost her wife and best friend a few years ago and is struggling with the family. they meet when they are supposed to debate an issue regarding sexuality and end up agreeing

from there they tentatively get to know each other and lean on each for support as their various worlds shift

i thought this was an interesting viewpoint to write a book from, two very different women -- is it possible to love across the political divide, when things as huge as human rights are points you disagree on? the author does a great job at making you grow attached to the women and feel empathy for their situations.

i really enjoyed the writing style and, although it was a fairly short book, it covered a lot and had a great ending

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for giving me an E-ARC for an exchange of an honest review.

Truly a great story that tackles a lot about not just coming from different political views but also on different lifestyles. I enjoyed the refreshing read because it is way out of my comfort zone. I don't usually read Political related themes in books, but I find Politics of Love amazing. The story mainly focuses on Shelley Whitemore, a closeted lesbian that grew up in an Evangelical family, and Rand Thomas, a transgender right activist. The two came from very polar ends of the spectrum when it comes to their social standings and even family ties.

There were elements in the book that I love, and also moments where I wished it was expounded on or improved. I am very much attached to stories more when the characters are dissected and you could fully get to know them. Through most of the story, I've come to learn more about Shelley, and her difficult position. She wanted to be her own person and do genuinely love her family, however, because of how she identify herself as a lesbian and came out to her parents. It shows how acceptance of one's gender identity is a huge leap of faith that those in the LGBT-Q community faced every day. Shelley came from a well-known family, and because of her family's strong beliefs in God. It corners her to build this image of the perfect girl for her parents eyes, but also caused a negative effect to her mental health.

Then we got , Rand Thomas, a transgender right activist who is going through her own personal struggles, such as the death of her wife, Kim, and the relentless pestering of Kim's parents. I did appreciate how both Rand and Shelley grew throughout this story. They both learned about acceptance about their own flaws and taking that first step towards their own path. They also have a good friend circle that accepts them for who they are. One thing that I did find a bit lacking is showing more on the family side of Rand. I know that most of Rand's trauma and past centers on her first love, Kim, but other than that, Rand's parents are more like an enigma. They weren't physically there in the story but have shaped most of Rand's own character, much like Shelley.

In an overall point of view, I am giving this book a 3.5 star rating, nearly 4 stars to be honest. It's a really good read, and close to reality with the struggles of the LGBT-Q community with coming out for the first time, and receiving acceptance and love from others. In the end, self love is the first step to really building that confidence and finding happiness in life.

Shelley Whitmore meets Rand Thomas in the MSNBC building in New York. They both have been picked to contribute to a segment on transgendered rights. Shelly represents her conservative, evangelical family who want limited government and individual liberty. Rand is for sure all the way on the left and advocates for transgendered rights. Both have their set of issues. Shelly is a lesbian in hiding and Rand is still dealing with her wife's death (for a few reasons).

I have been debating in my head what I wanted to say about The Politics of Love. I can honestly say that it did open my eyes someone to how a person can be gay and a Republican. I never got it before reading this book and I want to say Jen Jensen does a fabulous job putting it out there. With that said, the two mains clearly have chemistry, but there are too many obstacles in the way. Politics of Love moves quickly, but it still hits upon the key points in each person's life. Both mains grow a great deal, but Shelley really is the character to love here. She finds herself and embraces it even though there are sure consequences for her decisions. Rand probably would be the character to not like as much, but at least by the end she redeems herself. I can honestly say that I really enjoyed reading this. I can't give it 5 stars but can do with a 4.5.

Evangelical Republican attorney and writer Shelley Whitmore met the liberal, transgender rights activist and psychotherapist Rand Thomas for an MSNBC show in Manhattan. The pair connected immediately with philosophical and political debates. But Shelley had yet to come to terms with her own sexuality and Rand was suffering constant harassment from her deceased wife's parents. With their values clashing and own problems to tend to, would Shelley and Rand be able to reach out to each other and build something more out of their friendship?

It is now official. I always fall for emotionally intense stories. And I totally fell for "The Politics of Love" and felt every emotional struggle the characters experienced.

Though a conservative, Shelley shared many beliefs that most considered liberal. The opening of the book immediately touched on that so readers would be able to connect with her from the beginning. I love Rand's identity of a gender nonconforming female. We don't get to see that often. And the relationship between Shelley and Rand was well balanced. Both characters were strong, supportive, yet struggling and equally vulnerable. Rand's best friends Jamie and Rachel also added a lot of warmth to the story.

I love how "The Politics of Love" is not just a romance, but also a story with great conversations that sparked thoughts. The political discussions between Shelley and Rand were very constructive. Though not shown in depth, I love that they connected and built their relationship based on mutual admiration of intellect in addition to initial attraction. Despite their exchanges during the first year after they met was sparsely told in the book, as readers, we understand that a lot was implied and many things happened in life. I thought the gaps in time would bother me, but they did not. Jensen told the story in such a way that we see the strengthening of their connection anyway.

The sentences were simple, and similes incredibly precise. "The Politics of Love" read almost poetically. Jensen carefully used words to capture emotions, feelings, and something deeper. With both Shelley and Rand being very sensitive people, I immediately connected with them. There were many depictions of anxiety, depression, and OC tendencies, and through reading, I got sucked into what they were feeling. The despair and panic felt incredibly real.

Though there were minor hiccups from the narrative skipping details here and there, I love how Jensen's words made me feel and what they had me thinking. For a novel on the shorter end of word count, "The Politics of Love" absolutely out did what most books could achieve in 50k words. And I cannot wait to see what Jensen has for us in the future.

"The Politics of Love" is a story about reclaiming your own identity and carrying on after loss. This beautiful work had my heart tingle in all the right places.

I really wanted to love this book but it had too much political drama and speech and discussions for me. The MC’s dialogue seemed to be focused entirely around their debates and their differences. Your political alignment is a part of you but so is being a woman, being a daughter, etc. It does not define you and I felt that it took over the book.

Loved how Shelley and Rand had different views on politics, but didn't get aggressive towards each other about it. They were able to have conversations about their different views and listened and learned from each other, will also accepting that they have different opinions and not letting that get in the way (Rand got there at the end).

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Shelly is a well known attorney who works on the behalf Evangelical parents faith-based organization. She has a secret she gay and she always known she was and because of keeping this a secrets she developed depression and anxiety. While on a talk show she meets Rand who is a psychotherapist and transgender right activist.


While they connect Shelly realize she no longer can hide herself even if it’s cause her everything and Rand who lost her wife never thought she will love again. This was a great read. I like how very thought out the writer did about what going in our political climate, also how you deal with being your true self.

Wow!! This is a fantastic book and it was totally not what I was expecting. Shelly Whitmore is a well known attorney and works on behalf of her Evangelical parents faith-based organization but she’s gay. She’s always known that she was but to keep this secret to herself she developed severe anxiety and depression. She meets Rand Thomas who is a psychotherapist and transgender right activist on a talk show and they somehow connect. Shelly realizes that she can no longer keep her true self hidden even at the cost of losing the love of her family. Rand lost her wife to cancer 3 years prior and she has never felt for anyone, including her wife, the way she feels for Shelly.
Born and raised in a very conservative household where I was told daily that being gay was a sin and like the MC Shelly did not come out till later in life even though I always knew I was gay. These character, especially Shelly, really touched me because I truly felt where she was coming from and her struggle to finally be herself.
I was given this ARC via NetGalley and publisher for an honest review. Many Thanks!