Taryn and Charlie really captured my heart with this one. So much so that i read it twice and listened to the audiobook (Lula Larkin kills it) before writing this review. I haven’t devoured a book like this in some time. The connection and chemistry between the MCs is beyond well done. Melissa Brayden is always a good read, but I would say this was reminiscent of some of her earlier work and I really enjoyed!

I laughed, I yelled and I panicked a little, all emotions that we welcome and so well done. The growth of the characters, a little bit of pining and some chaos towards the end was a very good recipe. I typically down like third act issues but this didn’t feel dragged on and was handled well.

I cannot recommend it enough.

** ARC provided by publisher through NetGalley but I purchased the audio because wow!**

Another wonderful read from Melissa Brayden. I really enjoyed this. Have you ever had a babysitter you crushed on and wondered what would happen if you two met years later? This book is exactly that and it was such a fun ride to watch these two characters interact and grow. I also really enjoyed the side characters in this book. They were funny and exactly what you would want in a friend.

Melissa Brayden is firmly in my "must read every book" category - I've been a huge fan of her books since I read Kiss the Girl 5 years ago - and this book is a great reason why I keep coming back.

Charlotte used to babysit Taryn until her family suddenly moved away. Now ten years later they run into each other at university where Taryn is a junior transfer student and Charlotte is wrapping up her final year of grad school. They form a pretty instant connection, one that causes Charlotte to question if she is happy with her long-term boyfriend. It's a sapphic romance, so I don't think I am giving away any spoilers when I say she decides she isn't and starts a relationship with Taryn, who is ecstatic as she has had a crush on Charlotte since she was 11 years old.

Both characters and wonderfully complex with backstories of abuse, anxiety and loss. But the great thing is how the characters accept their traumas and become stronger for it. This book does not let them dwell or go down stupid rabbit holes like some authors do. Do they always make smart decisions? No, there is still that little bit of self-sabotaging angst, but the recognition of it and path back are part of the journey. And the dialogue. Such witty and endearing banter that makes you really fall for the characters. My one tiny nitpick is that sometimes the banter is too much - not that it gets annoying, but would like to see a bit more of serious straight talk from them. Throw in some fun and interesting side characters (anyone want to bet that Emerson get's her own book?) and you have a fun, funny, moving story.

I received an ARC and am leaving an unbiased review.

I almost passed on this book because of the setup involving a babysitter and her charge. Having read the book now, I really don't understand why that angle was the focus of the book description. The babysitter angle is almost nonexistent in terms of the actual plot. The meeting up again as young adults angle could have easily been achieved by having Charlotte be a slightly older neighbor or family friend. It felt like the this "babysitter" angle was being pushed as some sort of scandalous/taboo pairing, when in reality the age difference is only five years and they only knew each other briefly as children. I'm glad I didn't let my initial revulsion for the pairing stop me from reading it. That said, the sole chapter that showed them in their younger years rang really false to me. The narration was from the POV of an 11 year old, but it didn't sound like any 11 year old I know.

The first two thirds of the modern day plot line were a sweet coming-0f-age, coming out story. The writing was very readable and the main characters were both someone I enjoyed and wanted to root for. However, the side characters all lacked depth. I didn't really care about any of them. And Charlotte's relationship with her boyfriend/then ex-boyfriend felt really convenient to me. She never really seemed to like him at all, so it was easy for him to break up with him. I think there was potential for a more nuanced exploration of how hard it can be to break off a relationship with someone you love but aren't in love with once you come to terms with your sexuality that was totally missed here. Similarly, Danny's mother was allegedly "like a mother" to Charlotte, but she was actually just a cartoon villain for no apparent reason. I didn't understand her motivations for trying to sabotage Charlotte's life at all. Again, I would have loved to see an exploration of how hard the end of a relationship can be on the relationships with extended family members when they are "like family". I really thought there was a lot of potential here, but it fell flat for me in execution.

Finally, I'm so tired of a third act breakup where one character hides the true reason for the breakup from the other under the guise of it being "for their own good". As soon as Monica showed up to talk to Taryn, I knew exactly where this was going. There was absolutely no reason for Taryn not to go straight to Charlie and tell her about that conversation. Let her make her own decisions about the future and how to handle Monica. Breaking up with her for her own good made no sense when the only thing on the line was an entry-level job. Furthermore, just because Taryn broke up with Charlie didn't mean that Charlie would go back to Danny, and therefore it was likely that ultimately Taryn would wind up alienating Monica anyway and losing those professional connections.

Ever crushed on your babysitter? This is what could have happened years later. When opening a Melissa Brayden book, you know what you’re going to get. It’ll be full of flirty banter and of course a HEA. She sure does know how to stoke a real life fantasy fire!

I received an advance copy from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Eleven year old Taryn was never happier then when Charlotte Adler came over to babysit her. Just five years older Charlotte, or Charlie, is the epitome of coolness and hotness all at once. Now at 21, Taryn starts her final year at college. After studying at home the first two years, she’ll be living on her own for the first time and she plans to soak up everything college life has to offer. Cue Taryn drunk off her ass at a frat party. Who other than Charlie Adler to come to her rescue. This Charlie is grown up now, but everything about her is still so alluring to Taryn.

Charlie is gobsmacked. How can that spirited young girl have grown into this gorgeous, smart and sexy young woman? The more time she spends with Taryn, the more Charlie can’t deny her growing feelings. Can she kick her carved out, secure future of marrying her longtime boyfriend to the curb to explore this enticing thing with Taryn? Actually, it’s not even a question, Charlie has never felt so whole as when she is in Taryn’s vicinity. Now she just has to allow herself to trust this connection.

Melissa Brayden can always make me fall in love with her characters and Taryn and Charlie are no exception. I can just imagine parking myself on a bench on campus and watching their chemistry evolve right in front of me. The connection between these two young women is undeniable from page one.

As grown versions of their teenage selves, they just have to explore what is between them. Charlie had an abusive childhood, something Taryn had no clue about until now. So, for Charlie it is a struggle to believe she deserves good things in life. Taryn sees her as a whole and never shies away from showing Charlie she deserves to be loved. And she knows deep down that she is the person that can give that to her. Taryn keeps showing up for Charlie while they both struggle to keep on top of their studies.
There are a good number of intimate scenes that are both very hot and truly heartwarming. Another way these two women connect like pieces of a puzzle.

Taryn is excited and nervous about her new college life. As luck will have it, she is paired with the hilarious roommate Caz (great name too 😉). Right from the start they hit it off spectacularly. Their interactions are so funny but there is some serious cheerleading going on as well.
Taryn’s parents are equally awesome. Supporting her in their own unique way and adopting Charlie into their little family immediately. A family connection Charlie has sorely missed since her own mom died.

As for Charlie’s boyfriend Danny, I didn’t like him at all at first. He seemed like a pompous ass, but he did step up in the end and reveal himself to be a true friend to Charlie. So, he might have redeemed himself a little. The same cannot be said for his mother though when she reveals her true colors. What a terrifying woman!

As I’ve said, you know what you’ll get when reading Melissa Brayden’s work. She follows the romance rules to a tee, but she does it so well.

From babysitting an 11 year to a reunion that results in love!
While the story was quite enjoyable I think, for me, it was too 'young. I struggled with some of the almost staccato conversations between Taryn and her friends and her and Charlie - I'm obviously not 'down with the kids' these day!!
The premise of the story was good and with a little 'spanner in the works' via interference from the ex's mother gave it a slight angst towards the end.
Thanks to Bold Stokes Books and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

Taryn Ross fell in love with the prettiest, coolest girl when she was 11 years old. Too bad she was 16, and her babysitter. When Charlie’s family moved away at the end of summer Tayrn’s little heart was broken. Ten years later she’s 21 years old, and ready to begin her junior year of college. At her first college party she runs into Charlie Adler, still as beautiful as ever and realizes her childhood crush is alive and well.
Charlie has her whole life lined up, including a dream job on the horizon and a long term boyfriend, but reconnecting with Taryn Ross turns it all upside down. Suddenly Taryn is all she can think about.

I have always loved Melissa Brayden’s books, both the angsty and comfy. This book is mostly comfy, Taryn and Charlie’s relationship feels fated from the start. Long before Charlie understands her feelings, she has a need to have a relationship with Taryn.

“Something vital clicked in place and the vibrations of the world around them went quiet. Charlie knew unequivocally that their connection was meant to be. They were destined to be something together. She could feel it all over the second their hands came together.”

There are many wonderful passionate scenes in this book, but mostly this couple is just cute. They are completely besotted with each other, and their relationship felt cozy. Taryn is figuring out her life dreams but so sure of who she is as a person. Charlie is older, knows where she wants to be but is craving the stability of family and they find those things in each other. I left this book fully believing they would be together forever.
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The age-gap trope, technically this in an age-gap romance but just barely. Taryn (11) and Charlie (16) are introduced to us as children, where that is a very large age gap. When they see each other again as adults they are 21 and 26, a junior in college and senior in graduate school. Since Charlie moved away the summer after babysitting Taryn, it’s not as if they really grew up together, and while there are a few funny moments early in the book it’s not a big deal to either of the women.

Another great book by Melissa Brayden!

Taryn had a crush on her 5 year older babysitter Charlie and was crushed when her family moved away. Fast forward to university and Charlie and Taryn end up at the same university.

I enjoyed both characters and their friendly banter.

It was a cool and soft story, with interesting characters and concept story. While the beginning seemed to taboo, with the babysitter and the age gap, it ultimately was great !

I really liked the story.

11 year old Taryn thinks her babysitter, 16 year old Charlotte, is the coolest person on the planet and is devastated when Charlotte and her family move away. We jump forward several years were the pair unexpectedly reunite at university, and that's not the only unexpected thing about their reunion. They immediately form a close bond and marvel at how the other has changed since they last saw each other. Taryn is newly out and Charlie has a long-term boyfriend, but when their friendship crosses into flirtation and more, they each have to determine what they want.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - the story and the characters were both great. The babysitting storyline serves primarily as a catalyst for their initial meeting at uni, and some discussions on everything that has changed since then - how the two have grown, their parents, and grief. It thankfully did not have any noncey vibes. Additionally, I think the handling of Charlie's sexuality and relationship was done well and I could definitely relate, especially with the addition of parental grief. Whilst I would've liked to see more of Taryn's roommate other than the odd moment and to serve as Taryn's sounding board, it probably wouldn't have added much to the story. Another pleasing element was that we didn't have to wait until near the end for them to get together - admittedly, it still suffers from romance stereotypes such as the inevitable conflict and 10,000,000 orgasms from first time wonder sex, but it wasn't too tiresome (though Danny and his mum can get fucked). Taryn and Charlie had a great bond but were also great as individuals, and I'd happily read more of their story. Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.

I enjoyed this read, although the timeline of the relationship felt unrealistic and rushed at times. Some of the side characters did not feel as fully developed as the main 2 characters.

"When you smile” is a feel-good queer romance that sweeps readers into a heartwarming tale of first (or second) love against the backdrop of university life.
The story revolves around Taryn, who unexpectedly reunites with a significant figure from her past—Charlie, her former babysitter and first crush. The chance encounter at a campus party sparks a journey of rekindled memories and new romance, as the two women navigate their feelings.
Melissa Brayden’s heartwarming novel is the perfect read for those seeking a feel-good romance.

I absolutely loved this book. It's such a lovely, well-written story with relatable and loveable characters. The way Taryn and Charlie rediscover each other and develop a friendship - sprinkled with a fair amount of longing and angst, naturally - just warms the heart and hits you right in the feelings. Friends-to-lovers at its best. This love story had me smiling and swooning. And I don't swoon easily.
I definitely recommend this book.

Cute, but not up to Melissa Brayden's usual standards. The romance was too easy - there was no real tension about will they/won't they, and the hiccup along the way was minimal. I enjoyed the book, but it reminded me too much of Kim Pritkel's book, "Lessons" - very similar plot.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

cute cute cute! if you’re one to enjoy sapphic reads and falling in love with your nanny (not in the creepy way) this book is for you.

i loved the premise of this story and watching taryn and charlie reconnect to the point which extra feelings came up was adorable and made my heart melt.

however, i didn’t really connect to them as a couple. i can’t pinpoint exactly as to why that is, but i found myself not feeling that much for their love story as a whole, as it happened so easily with other books by melissa brayden.

Melissa Brayden never fails to disappoint. The characters in "When You Smile" are, I believe, the youngest characters that Melissa Brayden has written a full novel about, but it packs all of the romantic punch as her more adult characters who own wine vineyards or NYC ad agencies. It was exciting to see the setting of a college campus. Melissa Brayden writes about LA and NYC extremely well and with lots of great detail, so it should come as no surprise that she can write dorm-room life on a college campus and make is so interesting I want to live there myself.

Taryn is at once likable. She's a fish out of water just trying to navigate a new campus, a new and very extroverted roommate, and even a new hobby. Taryn is incredibly relatable. When she runs into the beautiful, put-together Charlie at a college party, Taryn feels the pull of an old teenage crush. It's something we've all related to, I think. Melissa Brayden manages to make scenes like this both serious and funny, both light-hearted and full of yearning. Their first meeting after so long -- a sober Charlie walking a drunken Taryn to her dorm, while Taryn tries to make Charlie laugh -- is a really sweet and intimate moment, and it is indicative of the rest of the story. It's a really delicate balance, and it's handled with a lot of grace.

The relationship between Charlie and Taryn is unfolds slowly and with a lot of care. Charlie has a boyfriend, and Taryn is newly out. The seeds of their future relationship planted throughout the book are so well-written. Charlie slowly realizes that she's not thinking about her boyfriend anymore, and she's thinking more about Taryn. She's not present with her boyfriend during intimate moments; she's picturing Taryn. It both shakes Charlie to her core, but also, somehow, feels right to her. And Taryn, smitten with Charlie for a decade, remains ever respectful of Charlie's decisions and sexuality, but yearns for so much more when she's alone.

One of my favorite running things throughout the book is that we see just how different Charlie's relationships differ. With her boyfriend, he is critical of her, critical of her work, and critical of her dreams. But Taryn is supportive. Taryn is her personal cheerleader. Taryn is the one who tells Charlie that, if she sets her mind to it, she can do anything. And Melissa Brayden shows us this dichotomy really well.

I also loved how fleshed out these characters were. In the beginning, we see a lot of Taryn's complexities. We see her nervous, we see her excited, we get flashbacks to her growing up from her point of view. We get her pining after the hot babysitter. But then, once we're into the meat of the story, we get Charlie's backstories. And we learn that Charlie's family life was not the golden and rosie picture Taryn once thought it was We learn that Charlie, too, is a complex and complicated person. And I loved that.

Taryn and Charlie's relationship is lovely. It is sweet and it is hot. Taryn is young, and still figuring things out, and Charlie is few years older, and seems to have the rest of her life planned to a T. When they reconnect after all these years, they both realize that together, they push and pull each other to grow in new and unexpected ways. Charlie can be wisdom and stability, and Taryn can be loyalty and freedom -- things each girl is missing in her life. They realize that they click like puzzle pieces, and their chemistry is ready to catch fire the moment they let it, if they're brave enough.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. But I loved the book so much I bought it anyway.

this story was adorable and i enjoyed every second of it. it was heartwarming and the chemistry was there, i cannot wait to buy a physical copy :)) melissa brayden is my new auto buy sweet sweet lgbt romance books

A great lighthearted romance. The chemistry between the two main characters was amazing. Clear communication with the exception of one instance. There's humor and the secondary characters added to the story. I recommend.

Thank You Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

The relationship between Taryn and Charlie melted my heart. The story offered a light hearted romance novel that filled a fantasy of Taryn. Their relation evolved smoothly from babysitter/child to lovers. I was a little worried that it would seem like a grooming situation, but it did not take on that feeling at all. The only complaint I have is that I need maybe a little more spice!

It's rare for me to find a Melissa Brayden book I don't enjoy. The only question is how much and I have to admit I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would, since Melissa's usual fare is adult women, not New Adults.

I'm also usually a bit iffy about premises about one MC taking care of the other as a child because it veers into an odd relationship imbalance that feels iffy at times. I'm pleased to say this one, despite being about a young girl who idolised her (five years older) babysitter works well because they immediately lose contact and then find each other again when they're both significantly more grown up and almost completely different people.

The thing I most appreciate in a romance is when conflict is not inserted purely for the sake of amping up drama and then strung out when reasonable people in real life would simply have a conversation and try to work out their problems. There are hurdles aplenty for Charlie and Taryn and thankfully they deal with them like adults. There is communication, space to heal and work out the next steps and even, delightfully, Taryn being the younger person in the couple displays actual immaturity sometimes about how to approach relationships. I find it all refreshing and thankfully balanced out by plenty of good times and realistic discussions as a new young couple on the cusp of big changes.

I enjoyed the lighthearted moments in this a lot (and a couple in particular made me laugh out loud) and the touching moments with Charlie's trauma despite her cool, confident persona made me tear up multiple times. All in all, a very sweet and wholesome romance and well worth reading.