My very first impressions of this book was messy sapphics with slow burn. The promised messiness and slow burning was delivered and I zoomed through this book. I never found myself bored, which is impressive considering slow burns tend to make stories feel like they’re dragging.

Jordan’s character is nuanced and layered, and we read everything from her perspective. The continuous string of thoughts gives a great insight in what Jordan thinks, especially about the love interest: the ever beautiful yet little miss important Noémie.

Personally, Jordan’s character came off to me as very critical: especially since she’s supposed to be dealing with several personal issues, but she never gives the same grace to Noémie who is also dealing with an entirely different set of problems. A lot of the conflict between the two characters are based on this, and while realistic and believable, I found myself miffed by the end when there was another misunderstanding and fight.

I do have a gripe with the writing as I feel a lot of information is getting thrown at the reader by telling and not showing. While this fits Jordan’s character, it’s very boring for the mind to read, and my brain tried to skim the text more so than not.

Despite this issue, it doesn’t interfere with the plot. The plot itself is layered and while there are a few minor plot holes, they’re easily overlooked just by the pace the plot itself moves at. It did not feel as though we’d just experienced almost a full year of Jordan’s life. The slow burn is slow burning, and by the middle of the book I was begging for something to release the tension between Jordan and Noémie (in a good way, I promise).

Overall, it’s an enjoyable book and definitely a read that most will find themselves glued to until they’ve read it all.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This story had a good premise but the execution didn't really work for me. I wish that the author hadn't fallen into the toxic masc lesbian trope!

M.C. Hutson’s French Pressed Love is an angsty yet heartwarming romance that blends drama, humor, and slow-burning tension into a rich narrative brew. With its relatable characters, snappy dialogue, and singular point-of-view storytelling, this novel delivers a deeply engaging exploration of self-discovery, personal growth, and unexpected love.

The story introduces readers to Jordan Alexander, a coffee shop manager who’s stuck in a rut both personally and professionally. Jordan’s life feels like it’s on autopilot: a demanding job with little payoff, financial stress, and a sense of being adrift. The arrival of Noémie St. Pierre—a seemingly entitled and frustratingly difficult customer—adds a daily dose of irritation to Jordan’s already frazzled existence. However, as the plot unfolds, Noémie’s own struggles come to light, and the interplay between these two characters forms the backbone of the story.

One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its character development. Hutson takes the time to peel back the layers of her protagonists, revealing their vulnerabilities and complexities. Jordan, with her sarcastic wit and guarded heart, feels entirely real. Her struggles resonate with anyone who has ever faced life’s uncertainties and disappointments. Meanwhile, Noémie’s transformation from an outwardly privileged and petulant woman to someone deeply human and relatable is a triumph of Hutson’s writing. The slow unraveling of Noémie’s facade is particularly poignant, as readers come to understand the pressures she’s faced and the resilience she’s learning to cultivate. Together, their evolving dynamic—from adversaries to reluctant roommates to something more—is as rewarding as it is emotionally charged.

The dialogue in French Pressed Love crackles with authenticity. Whether it’s Jordan’s sharp retorts, Noémie’s biting comebacks, or the quiet moments of vulnerability they share, the conversations feel genuine and organic. Hutson’s knack for capturing the rhythm and cadence of natural speech draws readers further into the world of the novel, making the characters’ emotions all the more impactful. The singular point-of-view narrative, told exclusively through Jordan’s eyes, heightens the intimacy of the story. Her inner monologue—full of humor, frustration, and unspoken longing—adds depth and nuance to her character, while also immersing readers in her perspective. This choice also amplifies the tension, as readers experience Jordan’s uncertainty and emotional turmoil firsthand.

The novel’s pacing is deliberate, with the slow-burn romance at its core mirroring the gradual shifts in Jordan and Noémie’s relationship. Hutson masterfully captures the push-and-pull of their interactions, building a simmering tension that keeps readers hooked. The moments of connection between them—a shared laugh, a quiet confession, a lingering glance—are charged with emotion, making the eventual payoff all the more satisfying.

Beyond the romance, French Pressed Love delves into themes of identity, ambition, and the courage to embrace change. Jordan’s journey is not just about finding love but also about finding herself, and Noémie’s struggles with her family’s expectations add a layer of depth to the narrative. Hutson’s ability to balance these personal journeys with the overarching romance ensures that the story resonates on multiple levels.For readers who enjoy slow-burn romances with complex characters and a touch of latte-fueled drama.

I enjoyed the book, I always like a good enemies to lovers story even though they weren’t actually enemies it’s the same sentiment.

I liked learning new words I think that’s quite unique to this book as I’ve never seen it before.

I loved how Noémie stood up to her dad in the end and that her brother chose her over his parents, i did wonder with the money questions if she’d made amends with her dad and didn’t say anything.

Overall a good book, the only thing that could have made it better would have been to have an epilogue like a year later type thing.

Messy Sapphics is usually a fun read for me, and Jordan is definitely an enjoyable messy Sapphic. There are lots I really liked about Jordan - a stud lesbian working as a shift manager at a cafe and has aspirations of developing her graphic novel. She's multi-dimensional and real, and I truly enjoyed it. I do have some hang-ups, though...

For someone who was afraid of ending up an addict like her father, Jordan consistently engaged in addictive behaviors and did very little to correct them. The casual drug use was never addressed, for example. She did quit smoking a couple of times, but otherwise there was no attempt at quitting any of the other addictive tendencies, even after she mixed alcohol with painkillers. She could definitely have benefitted from some therapy by the end. Even a plan of going to therapy would have been nice.

I did feel like Jordan was really judgmental of Noemie for a lot of the book. At the beginning, it made sense because she didn't know her, but then that same feeling persisted even after Jordan was falling for her. And that Jordan never even considered that Noemie might be bi especially after their obviously charged moments felt weird. Also, a Harry Potter reference in newer queer books always gives me a gross feeling.

While the book sort of limped into its end, I did enjoy the build-up quite a bit. The back and forth with Noemie was really fun to read. I really enjoyed the first 75% and would absolutely read another of the author's books.

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read and review.

Not for me, I couldn’t get past the things in the end that Jordan overlooked. I also didn’t like Noemi or Claude. I don’t think I was able to connect with the characters so it made it hard. But overall, I feel as if their relationship is toxic af and built in lies.

I read this book straight through because it was so good. I don't normally read romcom books but this one looked interesting so wanted to give it a chance.

It had more depth than a typical romcom and I really enjoyed the mental health rep.

I read more than 200 books a year and in the last 10 years only 2 books managed to make me feel tingles and butterflies in my stomach and this is one of them. I must also admit that I cried a little towards the end.

This will be one of my favorites this year, can highly recommend!

French Pressed Love by M.C. Huston is a slow-burn, sapphic romance with tons of messy drama and it’s SO GAY (affectionate). This book is great for fans of messy relationships, the deep interiority of the main POV character, and for anyone looking for a book to BREAK a reading slump. I’m rating this a 3.5 stars because it is deeply enjoyable and I flew through reading it in a couple of hours. I was glued to my Kindle and even finished it at 5 in the morning because I had to keep reading.

Huston’s writing style is well-crafted. Jordan’s internal narration gives the reader an excellent idea of who she is. It’s voicey and quippy while also being heartfelt and sincere. I think Huston did an excellent job of transitioning between scenes. Even though this book takes place over nine months, I believe, there is never a lull. It’s very easy for slow burn to become a slog and hard to get through, but the middle part of this book is where it shines. This is because Huston has crafted interesting characters and also woven together the plot with the narrative voice of Jordan. It’s a quick read, even though it’s a slow burn, and I truly could not pull myself away.

Our main character, Jordan, is a slightly down-on-her-luck barista. When we meet her, she’s hungover after finding out that her best friend is moving across the country with her girlfriend and leaving Jordan to find a new roommate or a new place. What I love about this setup is the immediate stakes. We establish early Jordan’s love of drawing and her habit of one-night stands. As a character, I found Jordan to be complex and messy with a past that informed her actions and made her believable as a character. Her eventual love interest, Noemie, is a good foil to Jordan. When we meet her in the coffee shop, she’s a bitchy rich girl who loves designer items and her coffee exactly as it's meant to be. Jordan is aware of her attraction to her but is annoyed by it because she knows they’ll be very different. As they get closer over the course of the novel, their struggles with each other feel real and well-earned. Jordan is a thirty-something stud who comes from a lower-class Black and Jamaican background. Noemie is a twenty-something femme white woman who is filthy rich and comes from extreme privilege. Their differences are noted and inform who they are, and the author does an excellent job of weaving these conversations into the narrative in a way that isn’t heavy-handed or forced. I really believe this author took such time and care to craft these characters outside the romantic tropes they wanted to write.

Now, I’ll be getting into some spoilers because I’ll explain why I didn’t give this a 4 or 5 stars. My first issue is that the pacing in the beginning was a bit off. I feel like we didn’t get introduced to the main hook of the book, which is Noemie and Jordan living and working together, early enough. We spend several scenes with Noemie being in the scene, but the interactions aren’t interesting enough. I wanted more tension, more dialogue, more conversation or argument. While I like Jordan’s voice, I feel like we left many conversations throughout the book unfinished and there was a lot of time when they didn’t communicate with each other. I understand that is part of their problems, but I feel like this extended the book unnecessarily. I, personally, wish we could’ve had more verbal back-and-forth and push and pull. Every time we got a little push-and-pull, Jordan or Noemie ran away, and the tension that was being built fizzled.

I believe this could’ve been solved with a more interesting set piece. I wish we could’ve had them do more. A lot of this book is about them sitting on the couch, or in the car or in bedrooms. We only see Jordan really working on drinks once or twice in the beginning and never when Noemie becomes an employee at their coffee shop. I would’ve loved to see how they work together and sling coffee. It could’ve been a great way to show their burgeoning relationship instead of telling it.

My second complaint is with the side characters. The storylines seem a little half-baked, especially Jordan’s best friend Sarah. She falls by the wayside and has no bearing on the plot besides leaving Jordan to cover the rent of their expensive basement apartment. This is important because Jordan moves in with Noemie and that is what sparks their friendship and I did love the forced proximity. Otherwise, Sarah makes a few phone call appearances and has one conversation with Jordan. I feel like outside of those conversations, she didn’t exist. She didn’t seem to have a life outside of Jordan. Another character I would’ve loved to see come to life is Francois. He’s a famous comic artist and I personally would’ve to see a little more conflict between them, perhaps a discussion of differences between artists. I do understand this is probably out of the scope of this story, but the Francois plot felt lacking in some way and I found myself wanting more from them. Maybe I just wanted it to not be so easy for Jordan? She wasn’t an instant success, which was good, but I wanted to dig a little deeper into Jordan’s insecurity about her art.

And I’ve saved my biggest gripe for last and this is genuinely why I knocked down several stars because the frustration I felt was so intense. One of the main conflicts in the book is that Jordan doesn’t want to make a move on Noemie because she assumes Noemie is straight. I imagine the rationale around this authorial decision is because Jordan is trying to protect her heart and by denying herself first, she doesn’t have to get hurt by Noemie. However, this felt so intensely of bisexual erasue. Jordan never ONCE considers that Noemie could be bisexual or that she could be into women. And there really isn’t ANY evidence of this except for one shoehorned-in, honestly kind of weird and off-putting mouth-to-mouth kiss that Noemie has with a man. (Who turns out to be gay, so why they were mouth-to-mouth kissing, I don’t understand?) And EVEN THEN NOEMIE COULD BE BISEXUAL. There is no conversation about that and Jordan harps on how Noemie is SO STRAIGHT for so much of the book that it made me so angry. And then, when Jordan does find out that Noemie’s terrible ex is a woman, she freaks out and runs away because how dare Noemie not disclose her sexuality and let Jordan believe she’s straight. Noemie doesn’t owe Jordan anything and I think the fact that Jordan doesn’t even ASK or QUESTION or THINK that Noemie could be sapphic made my blood BOIL, especially as a bisexual femme woman myself. There is also some harmful things thought by Jordan about how “some women are like spaghetti, straight until wet” which is just so off-putting and gave me to the ick. She says this early in the novel and then, about 75% of the way through, an asshole character we’re meant to hate says the same thing and Jordan doesn’t like it? It’s a big inconsistency and perpetuates bi erasue.

Jordan isn’t a stupid character and while she is not the most observant when it comes to signals Noemie is throwing her, I cannot believe she wouldn’t at least begin to wonder if Noemie is bisexual? And maybe if we had been given more evidence that Noemie was straight, I could believe it, but she gives no indication of that AT ALL. I think the fact that Jordan is Noemie’s boss at the coffee shop could’ve been played into way harder and all of the thoughts of Noemie being straight could’ve been toned way down. Them being employee and boss and being roommates, is way more of a reason for Jordan to not make a move. Plus, she likes having Noemie as a friend and she doesn’t do relationships, all of that is enough to make sense of why Jordan is not trying to fuck Noemie. The explicit and continuous bi-erasure really took a toll on me and it was never addressed. They had one sentence and Noemie was annoyed that Jordan just assumed her sexuality, but it wasn’t even a conflict because then they were having sex. If it is going to be shoved down my throat, I want more of a concerted effort from Jordan to atone for assuming Noemie’s sexuality.

I also struggled with the sex scene. Jordan gets into a crash, which is triggering to Noemie because her sister died in a car accident after coming out to their parents. Jordan gets into a motorcycle accident after finding out about Noemie’s sexuality and it traumatizes Noemie. Then, even with Jordan’s broken hand, they have sex. I would’ve loved for more conversation, and more emotional intimacy without sex first. But that’s a personal preference. However, there is some implied cheating happening, which made me so upset. Noemie is “dating” the man she kissed on the mouth in an effort to make Jordan jealous. And Jordan never receives confirmation from Noemie that they broke up before they have sex. And then, because Jordan doesn’t tell Noemie she loves her after sex, Noemie goes on vacation with her “boyfriend” and leaves Jordan thinking that Noemie chose the “boyfriend” over her. Come to find out, that whole thing is fake because both Noemie and the “boyfriend” are gay. Cheating is one of my absolute no-nos in books and if this had happened any earlier, I would’ve dnf’ed. Finding out that it wasn’t actually cheating does make it a little less, but it’s still something I wish Jordan would’ve clarified before they had sex. I get it creates “drama” but it isn’t necessary to me.

The ending is quite drawn out and could’ve been tightened up. I think the third-act breakup could’ve been replaced with the reveal of the bet. I think Noemie should’ve come clean about her bet with their coworker that she could get Jordan to love her before they slept together and that should’ve been the sole reason for their breakup. Instead, there is too much going on and too many back and forths for me, personally.

Overall, I think there is definitely an audience who would be ravenous for this book, It just had a few things that I personally didn’t love. I think this book shows realistic and deeply flawed and messy characters. They feel developed and real. But for me, the bi-erasure problem ran deep in the book, which is why I can’t rate this higher personally.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to honestly review this ARC 📚

Not bad, but it never completely hooked me in.
We keep being stuck in this will they, won’t they world, while knowing they always will. That part just drags and drags, while we slowly uncover layers of our complex mains. Our mains are set up with many layers, but we never peel back beyond the surface layer.
We are in first person POV of a main in her thirties who is so troubled you wonder how she gets by. We never really get to the bottom of it. Her love, the second main, is a bit younger, and seems a bit of a stuck up trust fund babe. While we uncover some of her personality towards the end of the book, it all comes to late for me. I would have liked to see all the layers in their characters be revealed from about the 50 or60% mark, not from 80% onwards. It’s too late.

Anyway, it was fine, just not a bit of missed opportunities when you created complex characters and not *use* them.

2.5★ A super quick queer rep with delicious latte drama filled with raw vulnerability and emotional growth.

Tropes:
☞ Roomates
☞ Slow-burn
☞ LGBTQ+
☞ Third act breakup

This book is a slow-burn romance about Jay, a stone stud, and Noemie, a woman who is first a customer at her coffee shop, then a co-worker and roommate.

I really enjoyed how Jay's background (Toronto's Jamaican and queer communities) set the scene for the book. The romance is cute, and there was lots of entertaining lesbian drama and fun side characters. Jay also changes through the book, opening herself up to new opportunities and relationships by allowing herself to be more vulnerable. As others have said, I really appreciate a story about a stone character who isn't magically "fixed" by the right partner.

On the other hand, the characters were pretty two-dimensional. I also found the close first person narrative was distracting at times.

Overall, a fun enough, quick read with an interesting setting, but not the depth of characters that makes a romance book memorable for me.

Reviewed after receiving an eARC on Netgalley.

M.C. HUTSON!!! I have a new auto read author! This book was so, so, SO GAY and I loved every minute of it. Please do yourself a favor and read this! It's got all the tension your little gay heart can ever want. I can't wait to read Hutson's next book.

Coffee shop setting. Roommate romance. This one was a bit too much drama for me, but for those that like a rom-dram, check it out.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Watch for French Press Love to come out January 21, 2024.

I've let the book marinate for almost 24 hours. I have very mixed feelings about it. For most of the book, up until around 80% mark, I was going to rate it with 5 stars. Then it dropped to 4 and quickly to 3-3.5. There are some minor spoiler below.

Jordan is an interesting main character. I really liked her although I'm not a fan of her one night stands. She feels real in every way. There's toxic family relationships, dead parent, asshole ex, past trauma, professional setbacks... There are similarities in her trauma to Jess's from L.A. Metro by RJ Nolan. I think French Pressed Love could have and should have discussed and processed the issues a bit more and at least start the healing process (like L.A. Metro did). If that was the only issue I had with the book, it wouldn't have mattered that much but with all the rest it has an effect on the overall rating. Jordan still is worth at least 4 stars as a main character.

I also liked Noémie (up until the rating started to drop). She's one of those characters that you first have to dislike and slowly start to understand and eventually love. She could have been a 5-star love interest. For me, the *big reveal* was off putting and ruined the novel and the character for me. She's toxic. She has toxic family, asshole ex, and asshole brother, but those don't give her any excuses to be the way she is. Jordan deserves better.

I think Jordan and Noémie would fit well, even great together. They could have had an epic romance but the story took the wrong turn for me. I'm almost mad about how the story evolved. There were so many scenes and bits in this slow burn romance that made my heart ache and tremble. I felt their pining and yearning in my bones. Yes, I'm mad how the story crumbled after the slow burn turned to flames.

Like said, I have mixed feelings. The novel is well written and the slow burn is delicious. The first 80% are really good, parts of it even great. There are one or two almost unnecessary side plots, like the François plot, that could have either been left out or would have needed more pages or refining. Those weren't the cause for the lower rating, though.

The *big reveal* or conflict that caused the 3rd act breakup was cheap and immature. In my opinion, it was from another story all together. It just didn't fit well with the first 80%. The conflict could have been smaller or more about their insecurities and feelings instead being this big game. The ending could have been the same even with different reason for the breakup. I'm still mad.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for providing the free ARC of the book.

I enjoyed the characters and the setting a lot. It's good to see queer rep that is messy and raw and real.

This sapphic romance is a slow-burn gem that highlights the beauty of vulnerability and emotional growth. Noemie and Jordan’s journey toward finding comfort in each other felt genuine and heartfelt, with relatable moments that capture the excitement and uncertainty of falling for someone unexpected. The representation in this book was a standout, and I appreciated how it shed light on facing insecurities while being uncomfortable. While I loved the build-up, the ending felt a little rushed—I wanted more time to savor their connection.

This slow-burn enemies-to-co-workers-to-roommates-to-lovers story, set in a coffee shop, has an intriguing premise. I wished for more prose to develop the narrative further and bring the characters to life. The story also serves as a love letter to Toronto and Canada as a whole, with one of the main characters being Québécois. This enjoyable tale is perfect for binge-reading over hot cocoa during a snowy winter.

(4.5) this was fun !! finished under 7 hours, i found myself unable to put it down at times. the pacing felt consistent throughout the whole book, and there was just enough happening. jordans inner monologue was fun and interesting, and i never felt trapped inside her head. in that sense i feel like she was telling me just enough about everything and everuone around her. also the chapters were the perfect length.
the dialogs felt natural, the characters and settings were just enough to set the scenes into motion, and the side character were just side enough if it makes sense. in the chrismas bit i felt like too many names were thrown into the mix, but it didnt affect my reader experience.

i loved jordan standing up for herself in the last bit, and even when i would've appreciated some initiative from noemi, i found jays reactions and their further interactions really guttural and true to her character. she really reacted accordingly to what we learned about her along the book, and i appreciate that the conflict wasnt given that of an easy resolution (even when i felt the ending a little bit rushed).

a book with a stone stud protagonist that doesn't get "fixed" at the end by the love interest is very refreshing to see, amazing !! (we need more studs/butches/mascs,,,). i cant put into words how much liked and appreciated jordan as a protagonist. i would have loved to see more about the relationship with her family. also the masc x masc situationship was a great addition. i just felt the ending a little bit rushed. other than that, an enjoyable reading experience with good characters. (less)

This book had me smiling a lot! The moments of cuteness, sadness and reality were chef’s kiss.
The drama and story are super captivating.
I really enjoyed reading this book!!