This book is basically a mug of hot chocolate topped up with a generous helping of marshmallows at the end of a brutal working day. It's full of people helplessly fond of each other, queer friendships and communities, wearing down one another's defenses by doggedly recommending them good books -- basically, all sorts of things Cat Sebastian is very good at, the kind of chicken soup that queer millenial souls want.

Nick and Andy are a lovely study of friends to lovers, and I really enjoyed the 50s New York newsrooms and borough communities -- alongside protagonists, they are characters in their own right in the story.

I am really pleased I could read an early copy of #WeCouldBeSoGood -- thanks #NetGalley!

This is a marvelous read. I adore Cat Sebastian's books in general but I think this might be my favorite of hers so far. It kept me hooked from beginning to end.

This was such a character-driven novel. The entire story focuses almost entirely on Nick and Andy; while there is a plot, it is secondary to the characters themselves. Andy and Nick are very different men but they worked so well together and their chemistry was amazing and tangible from the very first pages (even when Andy was completely clueless). The progression of their feelings and relationship felt organic and worked so well for these characters and their narrative. They both grow exponentially throughout the course of the story.

The historical elements were also good and it genuinely felt like it was set in the late 1950s and the setting felt immersive and believable.

This was a fairly subdued story with no major drama or excitement but it was lovely and engrossing and I absolutely loved it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

We Could Be So Good is a remarkable book that tells a historical romance story about two men struggling to find love in the hostile era of the 1950s. Nick and Andy, a gay reporter and a newspaper heir respectively, are the main characters of the book. The author creates a deep emotional connection between the two characters and their friendship develops into a tender romance.

The author focuses on character development, and readers witness the phenomenal growth of both Nick and Andy as individuals and together as a couple. The present tense style of writing makes the setting and time frame feel very real and immersive. The book also includes references to books and films that speak to the queer narrative and experience of the time.

One of the significant themes of the book is the importance of finding a sanctuary, a home, and a group of friends that provide a sense of safety and belonging. The slow burn of the friends-to-lovers romance is delightful to watch as Nick and Andy find comfort and eventual bliss in each other. The book ends in a happy ending, making it a memorable love story that readers will enjoy.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'We Could Be So Good' by Cat Sebastian.

'We Could Be So Good' by Cat Sebastian had such big potential. The characters? Chefs kiss. The concept? Chefs kiss. But sadly this wasn't a mindblowing book for me. It was your average contemporary historical romance ? - if you could call it that.

Wow this turned into my favourite read of the year so for, I absolutely loved the story
While Andy and nick both have flaws they're still amazing characters they compliment eachother well and the story is set at a nice pace that nothing feels rushed

This was excellent. A quiet, gentle and beautiful story with a very strong sense of time and place. It would have been a completely different book had it taken place anywhere else and at a different time; as it was, the reader gets a real sense of the atmosphere of fear and persecution suffocating Nick, and the winds of change arising toward the end of the 1950s as cinema and literature made gay life more visible and the civil rights movement suggested ways to resist oppression.

That makes it sound as though the book is dark and depressing, and it is the very opposite of that. It is one of the loveliest books I have ever read - a really beautiful, slowly evolving love story with thoroughly endearing protagonists and a rich cast of secondary characters. I was charmed from the very first paragraph and remained delighted all the way to the end. I can’t count the number of times I laughed out loud, and I was brought to tears on more than one occasion by the poignancy of the protagonists’ love and care for one another. In terms of steam level, I would say this is warm rather than hot - but it’s perfect for the story and I certainly didn’t feel like it was missing anything.

Having only finished reading about them earlier today, I already miss Nick and Andy. In sum, I loved everything about this book. Highly recommended.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this one. It wasn't what I was expecting it to be but I enjoyed it nonetheless

Thank you to NetGalley and Mills & Boon for allowing me to read an arc of this book.

This is the first book I’ve tried by this author and I was excited when I saw their book was available to review as I know the author is popular. Historical books aren’t always my preference, but the date it takes place is only in the late 50’s so I figured I would be okay with it. I should note, there is a large amount of homophobia to deal with. Especially from one of the main characters brothers.

The story was okay and characters weren’t that engaging, but I figured I would keep reading to see if I got into the story more. Unfortunately I then came across two uses of an ableist slur which is very offensive towards people with dementia being used to describe one of the main characters feelings towards the other. I’m not a professional writer, but I can think of multiple other, non offensive, words that could have been used in its stead.

I tried to read further, but this had effectively drained any enjoyment I had for the story, and so I decided to dnf it.

I also noticed a formatting issue on page 87 that needs to be corrected. If it’s not too late to make changes to the book, I’d also ask that the ableist slurs be removed and replaced with something not offensive.