Reviews of Bella Books are in—and they are truly glowing! From heart wrenching romances to historical fantasies, our books are impressing reviewers who have so many nice things to say, you can’t help but blush. But don’t take it from us, read on to hear directly from them!
Reviews of March Releases
Leaving’s Not the Only Way to Go by Kay Acker has received some very strong reviews. Over on NetGalley, reviewer Ameliah gave the book 5 stars, writing “This is a wonderful book filled with all sorts of emotions…This really well written story kept my attention throughout and left me feeling happy and contented at the end. I highly recommend this delightful story!” On NetGalley, reviewer Bonnie gave the book 4.5 stars: “I really enjoyed the book…it was well researched and written.” Also on NetGalley, reviewer Nutmeg gave the book another 4.5 stars, writing “The book has done well with its delivery of the interactions between Lauren, Georgia and Hannah.”
Kate Gavin’s Table for Two has received glowing reviews. Rainbow Reflections gave the book 5 stars: “An absolutely lovely romance novel with everything I could ask for in a love story.” Jude at Lez Review Books gave the book 4.5 stars, writing “Gavin pushed the angst to the max (for a mercifully short time) and I loved every second of it…I enjoyed this book very much.” On NetGalley, reviewer Emma gave the book 5 stars, writing “Just fantastic! Kate Gavin delivers a beautiful story full of real-life situations a lot of us can relate too…I truly love this book and highly recommend it to readers. It offers a pure of heart journey and leads us to hope.” Librarian and reviewer Kay also gave the book 5 stars on NetGalley: “This book is full of wonderful conversations, fights and apologies…I could not put this book down and slowed down my reading to enjoy it longer. It is steamy, moving and thoughtful.” Also on NetGalley, reviewer Michele gave the book 4.5 stars, writing “This was a complex, multi-layered story with the relationship that developed between Reagan and Jill…The writing was excellent.” Reviewer Noni gave the book 5 stars on NetGalley: “The book was engaging. I read it in one day because I didn’t want to put it down.” On NetGalley, reviewer Stephanie gave the book 5 stars: “I will be recommending this book and can’t wait to read what this author will have for us next.” Reviewer Sarah gave the book 5 stars on NetGalley, writing: “I really enjoyed this book! This is how adult relationships are supposed to work…It’s a breath of fresh air to just watch something come together so seamlessly. Cheers to Kate Gavin. Well done.”
Reviews of February Releases
Lead Me Home by Shannon O’Brien received 4 stars from Rainbow Reflections: “It is a beautiful, gentle, easy to read tale that you can’t help but enjoy…I believe this is the perfect novel to settle down with after a hard day, week, or year. This story left me in a happy mood at the end, and I think it might do the same for you.” Reviewer Megan gave the book 4 stars on NetGalley, writing “If you’re looking for a character-driven romance without a lot of action or angst, Lead Me Home is a nice Sunday read…The relationship and character development is well-paced and I found myself engaged by the two mains and their budding romance.”
Jenna Rae’s Lawless received 4.5 stars on NetGalley from reviewer Bonnie, who wrote “Very entertaining and realistic…I liked Sierra and Maggie and at times found myself laughing at Sierra’s antics.” On Goodreads, Linda gave the book 4 stars, writing “It’s a fast-paced, action-packed, page turner with twists and turns that lead to a surprising ending. The characters are deftly drawn…The ending came quite as a surprise.”
Breaking Out by Lise MacTague received 5 stars on NetGalley from reviewer MG who writes “So many good things in this book…A wonderful read that ends on a sweet, happy note and left me smiling.” Also on NetGalley, Skip gave the book 4.5 stars, writing “I really loved this book. It was the perfect mix of sport and romance for my tastes.” The reviewer continues, “If you like sports in your sapphic books, you’ll love this, but even if you aren’t a sports fan and like a good romance you should enjoy this one as it has so much going for it.”
Y.L. Wigman’s Closeness received 4 stars from Rainbow Reflections: “Filled with so many of the genres and tropes that I love to read…I totally enjoyed reading this novel. If you love a good romance coupled with history, drama, and a bit of the paranormal, then I think you’ll enjoy Closeness as well.”
Older Releases
Catherine Maiorisi’s A Message in Blood received a nice review from KRL News: “The characters feel real, and the mystery is filled with twists and turns—I never saw the end coming. If you enjoy a well-written dark mystery, I would recommend checking [it] out.”
The Last Time We Met by Maggie Brown and Leni Hanson received a strong review from The Lesbian Book Blog: “If you are one to enjoy grand romances rich in drama and passion, then The Last Time We Met is a good contender for your reading pile. It’s sub-plots of family drama, political power and medical emergencies make this an entertaining and enjoyable read. With its captivating and sexy women, this story is the ultimate escape.”
Dolores Arden’s Gray Matters received 4 stars from Orlando on NetGalley: “A top class debut! This book is a combination of an intrigue and thriller tale with a very exciting and angsty romance…I had a great time reading this book, both for the love story as well as the mystery portion of the tale. I will be eagerly looking forward to more from this author.”
Begin Again by Kat Jackson received 5 stars on NetGalley from reviewer Anja who writes “Begin Again is one of the most thought provoking, honest, emotional and heart-rending books I’ve ever read. How the author managed to get the real raw emotions (that I could believe and feel) down on paper and into words is amazing…I read it in a day, I just couldn’t put it down. Definitely one of the best books I’ve read and if I could give it more stars I would for sure! Superbly written. Totally recommend.”
Dying on the Vine by Ann Roberts received 5 stars from Anja on NetGalley: “An excellent ensemble cast of characters, all of whom are nuanced, fully drawn, and intriguing. It’s hard to say which is more interesting – the cast of characters and their relationships, the swift pace of the investigation, or the details of the art and science of winemaking…Highly recommended.”
Floodtide by Heather Rose Jones received a very nice review from Tara Scott on Lambda Literary: “The worldbuilding in Floodtide is…excellent…Jones’s writing style is also so gorgeous, yet precise, that it’s impossible not to be spellbound by it.” The reviewer continues: “If you’re at all interested in historical fiction, however, please do yourself a favor and pick up Floodtide, because it truly is a gem that’s worth exploring.”
Gerri Hill’s Stars at Night received 4 stars from Les Reveur where reviewer Jeni writes “A beautiful mountain romance that will transport you to a paradise. It’s a story of self-discovery, family, and rural living.” The reviewer continues, “It’s a feel-good slow-burn romance that will make your heart melt.” The Lesbian Review also gave the book a nice review: “Hill’s love of nature and passion about conservation is at the forefront of this book. It shines through every scene and had me reevaluating the pros and cons of living in a big city.”
Running Deep by Bette Hawkins received 4 stars from reviewer Anja on NetGalley: “Another compelling story by Bette Hawkins…The writing is very good with nice dialogue and pacing. There is some well-placed angst and drama along with a believable conflict that triggered some insecurities between characters essential to the plot. With all that the chemistry between the protagonists totally worked.”
We’ll be back with more reviews soon!