When teenager Hugo steals his mother's credit card to become a member of Lauren's gym, he hope to become fit enough to fight off his bullies. When Allegra, his mother, eventually finds him, her mama bear rage comes right at Lauren. While the two women get off to a less than stellar start, they quickly agree to work together for Hugo's sake. The two women have long since written off relationships, but the more time they spend together has them wondering if there is more to life than work.

I loved the interactions between Lauren and Hugo. they were so heartwarming. I really connected with Lauren and her struggles, and her stress and anxiety building was so palpable but also so real to life experience that I connected all the more to her and the story. I loved Allegra's evolution, and the way all three of them, Hugo, Lauren and Allegra, all worked together to become this amazing team. Of course, the romance was also delicious, and the chemistry out of this world. I also have to say this book gave me Swan Queen vibes, even if unintentional, that vibe is my kryptonite and I am constantly chasing those stories that give me the same magical feelings from back in the day. This book really had it all for me and I continue to be a staunch Amanda Radley fan.

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

I love LGBT reads but don't love age gap romances so this was both hit and miss at the same time. It was though a little spicy which I didn't expect.

So cute!!!! This is a very typical atraction without like. The supporting characters are also so fun.

Perfect summer read.

Really nice, quick , easy to read story. I liked both main characters but really liked the development of the friendship between Hugo and Lauren. I did like the dynamic between Lauren and Allegra., particularly the way Lauren caused her to come out of herself a bit more and stop taking life too seriously. Not much was made of the age difference which pleased me!

Somehow I didn’t realise it’s a lesbian love story.

Didn’t finish this book since these stories don’t appeal to me.

The story felt incredibly rushed, with very little character development. I never really felt the connection between Lauren and Allegra. But I did like the interactions between Lauren and Hugo, and I especially liked the scene at the beginning where Lauren steps in when she thinks Allegra is trying to abduct Hugo. She just goes into protective mode so fast, and it's one of the more original meet-cutes I've encountered in a romance novel.

This started out great and then sadly derailed rather quickly.

A sweet age-gap, other side of the tracks type romance with very different main characters. the opposites attract, but the drama must come out :) It's a decent story to read, not one of my top reads, but it was enjoyable.

I love Amanda Radley books, and really enjoyed this one. Great characters, and though I don't generally read age gap romances, I really enjoyed that dynamic, too. Fun book. Thanks to Net Galley and Bold Stroke Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a quick and easy read. It was light and uplifting, but I found the plot moved too fast and I didn't get to know the characters as well as I could have. I'd still recommend though!

4.5 stars rounded up - This is my first book by Amanda Radley and oh wow was it a great one to start with! The spark between the characters was truly instant and I was captivated by them from the get go. I’m a sucker for an age gap romance and this was written so well, with the gap not being an issue but still being incorporated into the dynamic. The heart of each of the three main characters spoke to me straight away and developed really nicely in the short span of the book. It started out pretty light but the emotional beats really drew me in in the latter half. Such a funny, sweet and sexy read!

This is a different story that what I am used to reading, but a good one nevertheless. Hugo is a teen joins a gym in hopes of bulking up so that he will be able to defend himself against the bullies at school. Lauren, the instructor at the gym is interested in helping him work out the right way and agrees to work with him. All is going well until it is found out that he stole his mother's credit card to get a membership. His mother, Allegra is not happy that this has happened. She blames her son and the gym for not checking more closely.
After seeing her son clearly distraught over not being able to go to the gym, she relents and begins to meet her son at the gym to pick him up. She is happy to see that Lauren has really taken a liking for her son and his well being. Of course, Lauren is drawn to Allegra. Allegra sees that there is more to Lauren than meets the eye. There is something that Lauren is hiding and has hidden from almost everyone. She is terrified that Allegra will find out and destroy everything.
I would recommend.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this age gap romance. So well written, fun, sweet and entertaining. Can't wait to read more from Amanda.

I enjoyed reading this book! Lauren and Allegra are both excellent at the jobs as a gym trainer and barrister respectively. I like how they showed how much they cared for each other and how they looked out for Hugo. I think the title was well-named. Lauren has a secret that has made her ashamed for a long time. I was definitely rooting for her!

A fun romance novel. The connection and chemistry between Lauren and Allegra was great, and I really appreciated the relationship between Lauren and Hugo as well. A very enjoyable book.

This is a very superbly written book. The plot was the perfect length - not too short or long. It included a broad background story on both lead characters, and allowed the story of the two women to really develop nicely. I loved the secret that Lauren had, not coming right out and saying the secret for a while was brilliant. I really liked the addition of Hugo as a character. It was very realistic and showed how two people dating deal with a child involved, and also work together to not put Hugo on the back burner. Descriptions of details were not overdone, and only added to the story. There was plenty of sexual tension without making it the main plot of the book. I am an American and I loved the fact that these characters (especially Allegra) taught me a bit of UK culture. I fell in love with the characters in Reading Her. I also had to look up the amazing author of the book, Amanda Radley, because I cannot believe I had not heard of her. I will be looking at other works from the author that never intended to be a writer, but does so superbly.

This is a sweet age-gap romance between a fitness trainer and barrister. The barrister has a 14 year old son who starts working out which is how the two women meet. I liked the son the best and wish he had a more prominent role in the story. His relationship with both women was charming. There were glimpses of chemistry between the women, but overall it was lacking in that department for me. It felt formulaic and I wasn’t sure how the characters looked. Lauren’s secret also wasn’t high enough stakes. I kept reading because the characters were all sweet in their own ways.

Short Summary: Lauren and Allegra couldn’t be more different – Lauren is an orphaned fitness junkie, while Allegra is a high-power attorney with a son, Hugo. When Hugo starts training with Lauren, the two women are thrown together and the attraction is instant. But Lauren has a big secret – will she let it come between them?

Thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

• Amanda Ridley
• Reading Her
• Age-Gap
• MC Lauren Evans & Allegra Whittaker
• Hugo
• London England


Lauren is a Fitness instructor at Fitness Zone where Hugo has
a membership, there’s a catch, he took his mothers credit card
without her knowing. Allegra finds out about this and is very
upset but she does not wanted to lose her son. Lauren and Allegra have an almost comical run in at the gym parking lot.


Allegra was 53 years old when she adopted Hugo. She was a barrister, and good at her job.
But was not able to reach or talk to Hugo, like she could when he was younger.

Hugo was 14 and a sweet boy but he was being bullied at school.
He took his mother’s credit card and sign up without her knowing.
He wanted to be fit in strong to defend himself against the
bullies at school.


Lauren was a Fitness Trainer. She loved her job, loves helping
people. Lauren was also bullied also in school, she has a secret
she has not shared with anyone.


Lauren was sexy and confident and she was just what Allegra
Needed. Lauren had been in foster care and had been through a lot
Of foster families. Lauren is hiding a big secret she has never shared
with anyone.


Hugo and Lauren had a lot in common what I love is that
Allegra rescued them both.

I appreciated that the author brought to life how sometimes adults struggle telling people that they are having trouble learning reading or etc.
That’s a big problem in the UK and in the United States, and nothing to be ashamed of.
If you need more help or assistance there is no harm in getting that. I really like how
Allegra supported Lauren. They never made her feel ashamed. Lauren found
Her safe Space.
I highly recommend this book I give the book 5 stars
I received this book from the publisher of Bold Strokes through NetGalley Exchange for honest review . Thank you Bold Strokes books!!

I originally didn’t jump to read Reading Her until I saw some reviews from friends. I’m so glad I took their advice to enjoy Radley’s latest book. There are three main characters. Lauren Evans is a manager and personal trainer at a small gym. She befriends 14 year old Hugo when he starts coming to the gym to get fit because of bullying at school. Allegra Whittaker is the single mother of Hugo and she is a busy barrister. This is a delightful age-gap romance, (which the author writes a lot), with solid thought out characters. As an educator Lauren’s secret is heart-breaking as are the statistics making it so plausible. I love the bonding of Lauren with Hugo including that he is included in the first few “dates”. The bowling alley date is fabulous. I appreciate that Allegra, who hasn’t dated in years, isn’t caught up in their differences and is welcoming of their quickly evolving relationship. I think the only disappointment character wise is Lauren’s surety that class and wealth will eventually lead to a break up but she go along for the ride until Allegra tires of her. For me the story benefits from the limited intimacy that is shown. The previous books by the author kept sex behind closed doors and this is a welcome change. This is a fun and thoughtful romance and I gladly recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (4.5 stars)

4.25 stars. I really enjoyed this one! Radley puts so much care into her romances, and Reading Her is no exception. Lauren Evans (30s) is a charismatic fitness instructor who’s formed a close bond with her newest client, 14-year-old Hugo. Hugo’s mom Allegra Whittaker (50s) is a formidable barrister, and she’s not happy when she learns that Hugo has been sneaking to the gym using her credit card. Lauren and Allegra don’t start off on the right foot, but they quickly realize there’s a strong opposites-attract partnership in the works.

I love how casually Radley writes age-gap love stories. It’s never a huge thing — yes, Lauren and Allegra talk about it, and yes there’s a bit of hesitation on Allegra’s part, but it’s not the main point of the story. I also loved the family unit that begins to take shape. Hugo is a lovable, relatable kid, and his relationship with Lauren is heartwarming. I enjoyed the scenes with Lauren, Hugo, and Allegra in the same room, and I could feel the love flowing between them.

Lauren also has a secret that she’s never shared with anyone but her boss. For spoiler reasons, I won’t reveal the secret, but it’s something that we may not realize so many people deal with. There’s some conflict between the two regarding Lauren’s reluctance to open up, but I never thought it felt contrived, and I rooted for Lauren on her journey of revealing her secret to Allegra.

Nearly every other reviewer has said this, but yes, this book has some sex scenes! They’re well-written and you’d never know that the author usually doesn’t write them. They also add to the story and aren’t just there for the sake of having sex, which is great.

I’d recommend this book if you’re in the mood for a wholesome age-gap romance with lots of depth and a lovable family unit.

content warnings: bullying, fatphobia, child abandonment, graphic sex, childhood sickness, alcohol (recreational)

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I’ve read several of Radley’s books at this point and I definitely consider her to be one of my favorite lesfic authors. She’s a go-to for me. I don’t often find myself let down by Radley’s books.
Okay, the premise of this book was everything that I needed to know. A teen gets busted for using his mom’s card to purchase a gym membership and conflict ensues. His mom reluctantly allows him to continue and she finds herself drawn to his instructor at the same time. It was bound to be a bit messy and I was so ready for this book.

One of my favorite aspects of Radley’s work is her characters. I absolutely loved Allegra and Hugo. They were both amazing characters with nuance as well as a believable connection. I really enjoyed how Allegra seemed to constantly want to fight whatever battle of injustice she saw. I do wish we had spent some more time with her and gotten more in-depth with her past and desire. Hugo is a sweetheart who is trying to deal with his problems. He’s a bit confused and struggling, but overall he means well.

Serious note: this will mention spoilers. Don’t read if you don’t want to know. I have a bit of an issue with Lauren. While I understand her position, she kind of got on my nerves. It started with her referring to Allegra as higher up (better than her) and wanting to knock her down a peg. Thankfully that didn’t last long. My main issue was when she kept going with Allegra even though she didn’t want anything serious. She got better at the end of the book, but it did take me a bit to warm up to her and that feeling waxed and waned depending on her actions.

The chemistry between Lauren and Allegra was a lot of fun. The two have an immediate attraction, even if they kind of try to deny it. Seeing Allegra, someone who usually appears to be in control, lose herself around Lauren was adorable. It was also nice to see Lauren unknowingly slip into a relationship. Not quite a relationship, but something nearing it.

I thought that most of the book was pretty well-paced. It worked to show them getting closer with each other and learning how to deal with that. I do wish there had been more time spent on Allegra and Lauren going out, but that’s more of a personal preference. Nothing felt rushed. The conflict was established and built up and executed at the perfect time.

I am torn between loving and hating Kim. We don’t get a whole lot of time with side characters, but something about this character intrigues me.

For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were (mostly) a lot of fun and I absolutely loved their interactions with each other. Allegra and Lauren actually had really good chemistry with one another and I really enjoyed their relationship. The drama made a lot of sense and felt perfectly executed. The timing of it, as well as how it went done, felt perfect to me. I had a slight issue with Lauren, but I was mainly able to shove that out of mind and ignore it as the book went on. Other than that, I enjoyed it. Not my favorite Radley work, but still a solid book.