What a dystopian rollercoaster. Sage Donnell's world building was eerily reminiscent of other future worse case scenarios in the good ol' USA, but luckily I wasn't like Handmaiden's depressed by the end.

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books, Inc. | BSB genre and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

I'm not sure where to begin. I wish there was more chemistry between Bailey and TJ. The idea behind this book seemed epic (epically huge) but somehow it didn't feel like it once I started reading it.

It's dystopia at its scariest cause The Meaning of Liberty is very much built on "what can easily be our reality if we don't stop being stupid". I enjoyed "two girls against the whole (totally deranged) system" and the sense of danger present in every chapter. For those who don't particularly enjoy romance but love action, this book would be a good pick but for me I wish there were more sparks, enough to set all those bastards on Bailey and TJ's tail on fire.

As I sit here, writing this review I realize that I haven't exactly connected with either of the main characters. It was a nicely written book, though. I liked the feeling, like the author knew what to write and how to write it but the emotional aspect of this book didn't do much for me.

It was a 3.5⭐read for me and I've quoted this book quite a few times to my friends and on my social media so there's that. I wish I could learn more about side characters, like TJ's father, what his true thoughts about everything and his daughter's sexuality are. That would make it a little more personal I guess.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book.

2.5 stars. I really like dystopia and the premice was really intriguing. This book is far from boring, there is always some action as the characters as perpetually in danger and on the run. I just thought I lacked balance, as I said the characters are always on the run and I felt like it was all that was happening all through the book. There are a lot of twists, that weren't always realistic (as much realistic as a dystopia can get). It has a lot of suspense, I think I wished for more emotions between the characters. As a result the emotions I felt reading it was just a monotonal angst. At the 80% point I was just hoping for it to end.
I also had trouble getting a hold on the reel timeline : I think all the book happens in a fews days and when it said the runaway started two days ago I was like "what?!!". I didn't really understand why the characters fell in love because their didn't share much beside running away.

This book wasn't for me but I have no doubt It will keep a lot of readers on their toes.

PS : there a a few typos left

Dystopia at its best. A well written story Wow. I enjoyed this book more than I imagined. Great job Sage. I recommend 4 stars.


Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher Bold Strokes Books.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

oh man what have i just read....

america somewhere in time

there are red states and blue states

red states well lets just say women dont have much of a life....

blue states you are free to be who you are....

when tj dad turns up her life as she knows it is over.... his plan is to get her away to safety so that when its time she can come home and then marry the man he has chosen for her

her plan was to be gone before that marriage happened.... now she had to go along with what he had planned and she where she could escape from

bailey was tasked with helping tj to hide though if tj dad suspected that a few years ago bailey and tj had shared a kiss then maybe he wouldnt be asking her but who was going to say anything....

at the safe house in florida all was going well bailey and tj had a sort of understanding until the red army showed up to take tj in for conversion and thats where the fun begins....

what a roller coaster of a ride this book was.. .well worth a read.. and its shocking in its content

Sage Donnell's "The Meaning of Liberty" is a riveting exploration of love, identity, and the pursuit of freedom in a divided America. The novel's characters are deeply engaging, each grappling with personal and political conflicts that feel both urgent and timeless.

Donnell's writing captures the intensity of living in an oppressive environment and the bravery required to seek liberation. The relationship at the heart of the story is tender and authentic, adding emotional depth to the high-stakes plot.

"The Meaning of Liberty" is a powerful commentary on the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring fight for personal freedom. It's a must-read for anyone interested in a story that combines thrilling action with profound social insights.

Dystopia at our doors: Women and LGBTQ rights under pressure
With bated breath modern women and gay people watch the trainwreck of the conservative Supreme Court in the US and the subsequent conversative legislation in red states. This timely novel explores the „what if“: what if the rift between red and blue states is getting deeper and deeper. What would be the fate of young women, of young lesbians in a red state?
TJ lives in a red state, Oklahoma. A state totally in the clutches of the Crusade of the Redeemer Church and the Patriot Army. Even her father, high up in the red hierarchy, can‘t help her at some point and helps her with a bodyguard, Bailey. TJ is „stashed away“ in Florida (or rather Floridistan) where women can only move freely with permission of their male guardians. Ultimately TJ and Bailey have to seek freedom and take action - and there is a lot of action to keep readers entertained or at times horrified.
There were quite a few scene which had me shudder: such callous treatment of LGBTQ people and women! And if the reality rearing its ugly head in the US is not enough, remember that this is still the daily reality in most countries - the West is rather the exception.

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books via netgalley. The review is left voluntarily.

Interesting world building at the start. Similar to now, but current possibilities are realised and not always in a good way.
20% in and I’m having to reread some long conversation sections that contain “she” a lot. This could be because the voices aren’t clear yet, but it is something I have noticed in a few different novels of late. I am also slightly confused about the mains ages. One was at college, the other is working as a substitute teacher. There is only one year between them. The cover also backs up my original thought that one was a few years older than the other. Obvious I could be misremembering but I’m not going to reread the start as it’s probably not a big issue.
I’m not 100% sold on the romance or the chemistry between the mains. I felt the section escaping by boat was okay but not tense, however tension came later and I found the journey to camp and subsequent events very tense. That tension remained for the rest of the book.
I enjoyed the jeopardy aspects. I’m not sure if the writer has done all the survival training or just researched it. Some bits I could kind of see, other bits felt a bit like, “I know this so I am putting this information in” rather than seeing it used. If you are looking for adventure that has one foot in the current world then I think you would enjoy this.

This book was well written but just wasn’t the type of book I enjoy.

Thank you for the opportunity to read it.