Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was drawn to the premise of this book, however it fell flat for me. Aiko and Summer had feelings for each other back in high school and now 15 years later their paths cross again over the fate of that same school. The school, which was founded by Summer’s deceased grandmother, is about to be torn down and while Summer is determined to save it, Aiko is one of the main project architects. The two end up butting heads while dealing with their remaining feelings.

Personally, I was much more invested with the school conflict and the comments on gentrification than I was with the actual relationship between the two leads. There was a lot of telling, not showing and I found the dialogue between the two to be awkward. Not to mention they only go on 3 dates and sleep together once before they’re apparently in love.

Full review will be posted on Goodreads and StoryGraph

This was such a great read. The characters were fun and likable and you rooted for the second chance get together.

I quite enjoyed this sapphic romance, filled with tender romantic moments and sensual intimacy.

I was intrigued by the conversations between the characters relating to gentrification and conflicts between one’s values and socio-economic context. I also enjoyed the bevy of side characters who added conflict and comedy to the story.

However, I did find that the writing was clunky at times, the author frequently overdid their descriptions of mundane details, such as an overwrought explanation of the taste of popcorn in the middle of a scene. Likewise, the dialogue was often stilted, the characters often saying each other’s names multiple times when addressing each other in a single conversation.

I’d like to thank Netgalley for this ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶🌶🌶

I am invested in the main character's story lines. I love second chance romance and the discourse about gentification. However, I could not get through the dialogue. It was clunky and did not sound like real people talking.

I enjoyed this book. The plot was well paced and the characters were well developed. I would enjoy reading another book by this author in the future.

I love to read about black love. I've never read a lesbian black couple and I am here for it. I am unsure if I've been living under a rock or if this is an underdeveloped genre. I loved the both characters Summer and Aiko, they were so genuine. Although they were clearly on two different sides of an issue they still tried to go for it. These types of books so easily turn into enemies to lovers. But the fact that the relationship was able to move forward despite showing depth to me, of course, didn't end there. All around a cute romance with some awesome spicy scenes.

I liked the character descriptions and their occupations.
The dialogue needs to be worked on the most in this book. It’s not natural and can come off robotic with characters just shooting off random facts. A lot of the things they are explaining CAN be said naturally in conversation, it just doesn’t have to sound like they are reading straight off a wikipedia page.
The conflict between the main characters was interesting but the arguments became repetitive to the point where I was agreeing with the side characters that suggested the two of them just break up. Glad it worked out the end and thought the final tribute was beautiful.

A lesbian romance that explores issues of gentrification and community, this one was a little bit hit-and-miss for me.

I liked Aiko & Summer as separate characters. Their reasonings and motives was clear and as a reader you understand how they ended up on different sides of the issue on what should happen to their old school building. The book does a good job of exploring some of the issues and complications present in regards to gentrification.

The book also does a good job of exploring the complicated family dynamics both characters have,  particularly Summer's fraught relationship with her mother (who didn't react well to her coming out). There's a scene between them that hit me right in the feels.

However, sometimes the dialogue throughout the book came across as quite forced/ stilted. This wasn't always the case, in some places it flowed easy and there was some fun banter or an interesting discussion, but then at other times it felt a little off-kilter or almost robotic, and pulled me out of the story. It was like a character needed to express x opinion here, so they did, even if it didn't fit naturally into the conversation. Often the opinion was interesting/ valid, but not organically inserted into the story.

On a similar note, some of the intercalised internal monologue might have worked better as a part of the narrative, as it didn't really read like a person's thoughts. (Or it should have at least all been done in present tense. The internal monologue in present tense worked a lot better than when it was in past tense imo.)

I also found it hard to root for their romance, when there's such an obvious division of opinion dividing them. There's a point in the 3rd act where both of them are told by their respective closest friends it won't work, and I found myself agreeing. Now this may be because their determination to see each other despite their differences is, to begin with, rooted in their sexual attraction to each other, a concept my little ace self just does not get, so this point may very much be a me thing, rather than an issue with the writing.

All in all, this still had some good moments, and if you enjoy lesbian romances, you might still enjoy this, but it didn't quite hit the mark completely for me.

When Summer meets her high school crush years later, everything seems to go perfect for them. If it weren’t for the small detail that Aiko Holt is part of the firm that’s planning to tear down Summer’s grandma’s school - her legacy.

Not quite forgotten high-school-sweethearts, not quite rivals, but definitely lovers now and the chemistry is undeniable. Both women are incredibly attractive, they know what they want and they know how to fight for it. But as you can imagine, their goals are quite different.

Just alone for the spice I give it a five star rating, incredibly well-written and the author is not afraid to write about the use of toys (and spoiler alert: ✂️). In terms of steamy scenes it’s by far one of the best books I‘ve read.

What I especially like about Summer and Aiko‘s relationship is, that despite their different views on the development project, they still try to focus on each other and they’re respectful. Of course, each has their bias and wants to convince the other, but there’s no foul play, no guilt trips.

The only thing I truly didn’t like was the ˋthird act breakup´ as I’ve heard it being called. It’s a necessary evil in most romance books, so I‘ll let it slide here of course (the make up sex definitely contributed to me excusing the breakup).

All in all I really enjoyed the book and I‘ll definitely buy a paperback copy when it comes out (almost on my birthday!).

I received a free copy via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

Can't Resist Her is the perfect light-hearted contemporary romance between two black lesbians that you've been looking for. Aiko and Summer used to go to the same high school with Summer having the biggest crush on Aiko but they never really dated. Now adults they're reunited by a community conflict around their school and they get their second chance at a relationship.

This book was so cute! There's not a lot of conflict and and no suffering. The characters just live their lives as best as they can and try to do the right thing. It's also so refreshing to see lesbians openly flirting and expressing their desire (also really good sex scenes)

The characters do get together quickly but I'll let it slide because of the genre and the fact they used to know each other and crush on each other.

The conflict was a bit obvious and I didn't really care that much for it.

DNF @ 25%

I could not get into this one. The writing and dialogue between the characters was very clunky. There were strange phrases and moments that completely took me out of the story. I also didn't feel any chemistry between the two leads and was honestly bored. It took me almost two weeks to get a quarter of the way through the book and I felt like nothing had even happened, which was disappointing. I was really looking forward to this and am sad it didn't live up to the expectations

This book had a lot of potential and a great storyline, but the drawback for me was in the characters themselves.

Can't Resist Her centers around a conflict between our two main characters, Summer and Aiko. Summer moves back home to Austin, Texas to take a teaching job close to her family, and finds out that the school that was founded by her grandmother, which closed before the start of the book, is being knocked down and rebuilt. Aiko, naturally, is on the team of architectural developers redoing the building. But, in senior year of high school, Summer and Aiko kissed at a school dance and have not stopped thinking about each other since.

Now, I didn't dislike this book. I just found it hard to root for the characters. Summer was a strong, powerful woman who also was very feminine and had a deep appreciation for family and what came before her. Aiko was a strong, powerful woman who was able to know and appreciate her strengths and address her weaknesses. I loved that about both of them. However, they were both very stubborn and seemed to have strong mental blinders preventing them from understanding each other and drawing out the conflict of the book. Within a few chapters, I almost felt tired of watching them try to grapple with their cognitive dissonance.

The plot of this book and the side characters were absolute standouts. The beauty of the city is described in a way that is vibrant and full of love and passion, and the major plot points are strong and well defined, though not spaced out how I would want them to be. Aiko's best friend Peaches and Summer's sister Crystal were beautiful characters who I would have loved to see even more of, and their scenes were the ones that most stood out to me. To me, their relationships with our main characters were the strongest relationships in this book.

This book really felt like a Hallmark movie in book form! The plot, the progression of the conflict, the characters themselves, it seemed very similar to the standard plot and progression of Hallmark movies. This isn't at all a bad thing, it's just something to keep in mind when considering if this is a book that you would want to read! It also was interesting for me because I have rarely seen a Hallmark-style story made LGBTQ and dealing with issues of legacy and homophobia the way this book does. And this book addressed these issues well, with care and taste.

At the end of the day, it's a nice book. Not a huge standout and there are pros and cons, but it's definitely one that I like and would recommend to people who like strong female characters and diverse LGBTQ romances!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and to Montlake for sending me an advance copy of this book for review!

Can't Resist Her is a romance novel about two women who meet again after they once kissed at a school dance, but find themselves on opposite sides of a dispute about gentrification. Summer has moved back to Austin to start a new teaching job and return to the neighbourhood where she grew up. She and her sister are also determined to stop the former school building, founded by their grandmother, from being demolished and turned into a new development. Whilst there, she runs into Aiko, a girl she met at a school dance and never saw again, but Aiko is an architect working for the firm designing the new building. Can their romance get past this difference?

The premise of this book is a classic one, combining an 'opposite sides' set up with a second chance with someone, and the story of gentrification in Austin and thinking about lack of community spaces in less well-off neighbourhoods is a compelling background for a romance story. However, I found that the romance aspect was less well-done, particularly for me as the dialogue between the protagonists often fell flat, and their moments of opening up read as particularly stilted and unrealistic rather than meaningful. This meant that I wasn't really invested in whether their conflict was resolved, though it was interesting that it involved Summer realising that she was focusing on her family connection a lot more than any particular community issues (it wasn't until the end that she brings out facts about what the community does need).

I liked a lot of the characters, especially Aiko's friend Peaches, but I wished there was more of them, especially Aiko and Peaches' wider friend group that much later in the book are suddenly introduced without being mentioned before (including a token non-binary character) and through whom some stuff about gender presentation could've been explored. I thought that Aiko's relationships with her parents were very interesting, and it was good to get some background there, but in contrast Summer's estrangement with her mother wasn't really explored other than them making up. For both the protagonists and the side characters, there was details that were mentioned but not explored, and that might've made the book more compelling for me personally.

I found Can't Resist Her quick to read and a decent story, but the dialogue and lack of exploration of the characters meant that it didn't engage me in the way I'd expect from a good LGBTQ romance book. That being said, I'd probably read a sequel about Peaches that also continued to look at some of the gentrification or similar issues.

I am grateful for the chance to read this novel but I could not finish. Some parts flowed while more parts felt clunky and just not how people talk. The thoughts in italics felt more natural than most of what the main characters said aloud. I couldn't get invested in the characters or the main conflict. I did like Peaches and Aiko but everyone else just didn't grab me. For instance, Summer really seemed more concerned about preserving her family's legacy (a phrase used way too often in this book) when it came to the school than anything else. Her and sister felt the only ones who cared about her family's legacy but whatever. I would read this author again but this book just didn't come together for me.

A sweet, utterly romantic book from an author who believes in the power of love. Summer and Aiko met at Prom and discover each other years later back in their hometown. After an intoxicating meeting, they realise they are on opposing sides. (Shocker)! Summer wants to preserve the school where her pioneering grandmother taught, while developer Aiko wants to fundamentally change the site. I loved Aiko's hairdresser friend Peaches and the loving relationships between the friends and family members in this book. It could have done with a bit of editing, but I really believed in the characters. It made me want to read way more fiction featuring gorgeous women like this! (I also learned the word 'stem' - stud+femme - who knew)?

:::3 stars:::

🌶🌶🌶

The story was cute enough and the cover is lovely. It definitely gives Hallmark/Lifetime movie vibes. Something you watch in the moment, but then promptly forget. The gentrification story line was the backbone of the book. I was more invested in that than the romance to be honest. The story follows two women (one more masculine leaning and the other is more feminine leaning) who reconnect after high school. They are on opposing sides of the issue and that is the main conflict in the book. There is just something off about the connection between the two characters...they fell a little flat and the chemistry was just okay. Love the representation for the POC and LGBTQ+ communities. It was a quick read for me and I used it as a palate cleanse.

Thank you kindly to Kianna Alexander, Montlake publishing, and NetGalley for this advanced review copy.

This cover is gorgeous, but unfortunately, the cover is the best thing about it. I just didn't love it. The writing felt stilted and I just didn't buy the romance. I didn't feel the tension and didn't track the logic. This could have been great, but unfortunately I just don't think it works on any level.

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for this ARC.

CW: coming out, homophobic parent redemption, strained parent relationships

This was a quick and easy read that i couldnt put down. It was well written with a good storyline and well developed charcaters that I instantly took to my heart and rooted for all the way through. I really enjoyed this read.

Can’t Resist Her was a refreshing, insightful read on how far we’re willing to go to fight for what matters. As a queer woman of color, it warmed my soul being able to sift through the pages and watch a curvaceous intelligent Black woman fall back in love with her high school crush, a ridiculously hot, suave half Black half Asian woman. Aiko was not only the master of "best dressed" but also spit mad game. It was hard not to fall in love with her. No wonder Summer had such a hard time.

The Pros

What I loved about this book is that it’s not only a love story. It’s a genuine discussion on gentrification and how we as a society can make proactive decisions that benefit communities versus kicking them out due to higher rents, etc.

Oh, and there is a healthy amount of sex. Okay, two full on sex scenes, and it benefitted the story so much. These women are in their late twenties/early thirties and for romance novels in this age group, it would be ridiculous to not include sex scenes. The author does a fantastic job of depicting WW sex and makes it seem natural, fluid, and fun. The way the two characters interact with another and the way their feelings develop overtime reminded me of my first times of falling in love from sharing sweet texts, crying when things seem like they couldn’t work out, to the giddiness that built up before every date.

The author does a great job of giving us a glimpse into the everyday lives of these two women and their struggles while simultaneously being able to develop a relationship between the two. We get to learn about Summer’s sister and father and her messy relationship with her mother. We get to learn about Aiko’s father, Kosuke, who moved back to his home Fujisawa and how she takes care of elder Black mother Janet. And we can't forget about her best friend Peaches who has a fly sense of style and can make anyone feel at home.

The "Cons"

There’s a lot to love about this book. Only a few times did I feel like a moment was “too cheesy” and even then, I still loved it because I grew to love the characters, so it didn’t bother me. For anyone looking for a diverse love story that hits on some important discussion points, I HIGHLY recommend reading Can’t Resist Her.

The Rating

Drummmm rolllllllllllll..........

I am giving this fantastic book 4.5 out of 5 stars

So what does that mean for you? It means you should definitely buy it and share it with all your friends who are in need of a queer love story they won't be able to put down!

The book will be released July 19th, 2022 and you can pre-order it for $12.95 at Barnes and Nobles or any other retailers. We highly recommend you do so and give our fellow marginalized authors some well-deserved coins!

This book was very sweet. The writing could have flowed better for the conversations and the chapter flow. The story itself was charming and had good representation. Even though the story could be polished, I think it’s worth the read.