Loved this!

Lauren, a fitness instructor at the gym notices Hugo, a teenager trying to figure out the equipment because he wants to get strong to beat his bullies. When an awkward altercation leads to meeting Hugo’s mother, Allegra, Lauren and Allegra both have an instant attraction. When Allegra invites Lauren to a meal at their house to say thank you for everything she is doing for Hugo, their connection knows no bounds, until a secret Lauren is hiding comes between them.

I always love whatever Amanda writes and Reading Her is no exception! It was perfect, and had everything comforting that I have come to know and love about Amanda’s books but it also had some surprises that reminded me a little more of Amanda’s early stories that made me fall in love with her writing in the first place, so this was just perfect. The story was cute, filled with lovely moments, a touch of humour, and just something that felt familiar in the development, tone, and relationship that was being established.

There was an amazing chemistry between Lauren and Allegra, charged and sizzling that you just knew was going to get out of their control and force them together. That touch of angst from Lauren, holding back her secrets was just what it needed to add depth and edge to make sure they didn’t just fall in love straight away without a little build up, tension, and drama to add all the fun of complication to their feelings. The connection they had though meant Allegra wasn’t fooled and so I’m glad that she didn’t give up on Lauren. It would have been easy for her to do and a couple of times I thought she might wobble but I always had hope.

It was cute, lovely, and a story I know I will read again and again because it is such a comfort. Amanda’s stories are like spending time with good friends, and Reading Her definitely made me feel that way. I can’t recommend the story enough, and if you are a fan of Amanda’s stories, as I am, I know you are going to love this one. It is a very special and just heart-warming love story.

This was a very cute, very sweet romance. The story was charming, although the main character's hypocrisy (especially in regards to one of the side characters, Kim) frustrated me. At certain points the main character even admitted that she was being rather hypocritical, which I was thankful for, but still got irritated with in the story. However this was a delightful fun read that gave me all the feels. I'll be looking into more books by this author.

Now, this one I like. It's a little bit less PG 13 rated than other books I read from Amanda Radley, and she managed to create an amazing chemistry between the characters. I'd highly recommend this book to romance lovers.

I have read many romances but this is different. Lauran and Allegra are very different people. Allegra is a barrister while Lauren works in a gym as a trainer. They meet as a result of Allegra's adopted son Hugo being bullied at school. Secrets play a part of the plot and show us how secrets can hinder a relationship.
Foster care and adoption play a part in the story showing how growing up hinders emotions and causes problems.
I found this book heartwarming and genuine. I loved the character in the book except for Kim, but even she had some good moments. I recommend this book for romance lovers.

This is the second Amanda Radley book I've read (the other being Humbug) and she is becoming one of my favorite authors. Her writing style is so simple and natural and the pacing of her stories is perfect. She also does a great job of creating characters that are different from one another and yet so perfect together. I didn't immediately like Lauren, her wanting to toy with Allegra didn't sit well with me. Which made me so glad when she quickly came to realize that being with Allegra wasn't what she was expecting and that it was actually something that made her happy. I did understand why she felt so inferior due to her inability to read, but was so glad when she finally told Allegra what was going on. It was a really sweet moment between the two of them. I liked that Allegra was allowed to be a strong, independent, very intelligent woman. Her personality in the hands of another author may have created a more abrasive character who needed to made "softer" by her romantic love interest. All that was needed here was for her to meet someone who could help her out of her shell a little bit. The way Allegra reacts to Lauren's secret was so well written. I loved that she was supportive and encouraging without being overbearing. Overall, a really great book! I'm definitely looking forward to more from this author (and going back and finding her previously books).

I’ve been a fan of Amanda Radley for a while, she writes a sweet May-December sapphic love story that usually touches on some class and social issues.

In Reading Her we follow Barrister, and single mom, Allegra and fitness instructor Lauren as they navigate a relationship despite being polar opposites, all while Lauren tries to hide a big a secret from Allegra, something that has kept Lauren from seeking long term commitment in her life.


While Laurens secret is exposed to the reader early on, it was really interesting to watch how Lauren navigated life with that secret. You could really feel her stress at trying to maintain her life and appearances while struggling under its weight.

I also really enjoyed Lauren and Hugo’s relationship, and the discussion of weight loss vs muscle gain, and all the fitness nuggets thrown in. It is evident to me that Radley did her research on these topics which helped all the story beats feel authentic.


I wish the side characters had been a bit more fleshed out, the story does just kind of move from one scene to the next and it felt like it was a missing a little bit of flow, and the side characters didn’t feel incredibly real to me aside from Kim. But overall it’s an enjoyable read, and if you’ve liked Radleys other books you’ll enjoy this one too..

loved it ! I highly recommend Reading Her. I don't want to give anything away so I'll just say the reason for the refusal of commitment for one the main ladies is fresh and inventive. It's wonderful to see new ideas.
I was engrossed with the story from beginning to the end with all the characters being interesting and likable.

There isn't a single book by this author that isn't great. You know, before you even get through the first chapter, that you are going to go on some wonderfully exciting emotional rollercoaster and you will fall in love with all the characters and you will read the book too quickly because you will want to know exactly how it ends. Im going to coin it the Radley effect. Happens in every. Single. Book! I loved the main's gut wrenching secret. I loved the blending of the family. I loved everything from the wig to the robes and the straightforward attitude of the barrister. This book is effortless to read as the dialogue is seamless and the narration is flawless. A HEA that left me feeling thrilled to have gotten lost in these fictions lives, if only for a little while.

𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿.

OMG did I see sex scenes???

Pardon me if I sound overly excited, but if you're unfamiliar with Amanda Radley's books, the context is that her books are usually chaste. There is no sex but she can write good romances even without them, and while I don't mind it that much, I did struggle with her last three books as they also lacked chemistry and intimacy, which I found odd because these are after all, romance novels. But I really enjoyed this one because the chemistry between the main characters is so good and their banter is great. It's an age gap too, a trope I love. And sex scenes!

Anyway, this story has three characters who matter - A barrister and her 14 year old son and his personal fitness instructor. I love each one of them. Lauren is the fitness instructor who is confident enough to get women but finds it hard to commit to them fully because of reasons explained later in the book. Allegra is the barrister who is devoted to her job and son but isn't entirely shy to admit her attraction towards Lauren. And Hugo has a bullying storyline that has him extremely eager to build up body mass at the gym, though I'm not entirely sure this storyline concluded well enough. But I love how comfortable the three of them are together as a family unit and how easily Lauren fits in even though she's so different from Allegra.

This story is mostly light and heartwarming, though not entirely without angst due to Lauren. But I really like it and I feel really good reading it, so yey to Radley for writing this!

This is a fun and flirty romance that comes with a good dose of angst and a little more heat than other Radley books I read. I loved the relasionship between Lauren and Hugo and how Lauren supported Allegra without hesitation. But most importantly, this book made me smile and that makes it a great read. 4.5 stars

I’d take a break from reading books by Amanda Radley, her books had gotten too PG and Disney like for me to find more interest in them. But it’s been a while so I said, why not? I’m not that disappointed.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still be recommending this story to younger readers but there’s a small but noticeable heart warming factor to this book that helped me enjoy it.

Hugo Whittaker is struggling with the typical teenage angst and insecurities, to deal with this he lies and sneaks his way into a gym where he meets fitness instructor, Lauren Evans. Dealing with her own problems and secrets, Lauren is pretty shaken when the mother of the boy she’s been helping at the gym shows up and threatens said gym at the revelation that her son joined without her permission. Allegra Whittaker is a headstrong, stubborn and loud barrister but all Lauren could think about is…how hot she is. Allegra on the other hand, hasn’t dated in forever to the point where she doesn’t even know where to begin to deal with Lauren Whittaker.

As I said before, it’s been hard for me to get into Amanda Radley these days and while this book wasn’t the most exciting upturn, it wasn’t difficult. Definitely a cute light read. Nothing too serious or depressing, slight hotness, good humor and romance.

My problem would be that there’s nothing… special. This book is forgettable, no impression whatsoever. Compared to “Flight SQA016” and it’s sequels, it really makes you wonder if it’s the same author. No disrespect meant but it’s just a bit baffling.

Overall a short read for a casual day.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in return for a honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion.


I've read almost every Radley book and enjoy reading them, this is no exception. I loved the bonding with Hugo and Lauren in the beginning, it was cute that they connected before she met Allegra. I tend to find Radley's books to be a bit shallow, they don't dive deep into the characters and interactions and I sometime struggle to connect to the characters. But this one hit the spot. I enjoyed following the characters on their journey and I felt their attraction. AND this book had not 1, but several sex scenes 🙉 something I've felt that Radley's books have been missing.

Lauren has what seems to her a crushing secret and if she tells Allegra everything will change. The secret is readily guessed even before Lauren reveals it to the reader.
I usually prefer romances interspersed with crime, suspense, something along those lines so I have to be in the right mood to read something like this that I think of as a family type romance. A story of two people falling in love with no real angst. It is an enjoyable tale and I was in the right frame of mind to read it.
I also agree with Allegra about the apostrophe.

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


I enjoy this read.

Lauren loves what she do running a gym helping her clients achieve their goals. Lauren meets Hugo a teenager who wants to get fit because he being bully. When Lauren meets Hugo mother Allegra it doesn’t go well but when they find common ground they grow closer. I like that we got see Lauren and Allegra get to know each other and age gap wasn’t a issue the only issue was Lauren believing they won’t last because their different which wasn’t a issue for Allegra it’s just like she was dooming it from the start especially when she wasn’t looking for relationship.