Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner

on

Details…

  • Title: Mistakes Were Made
  • Author: Meryl Wilsner
  • Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
  • Publication date: October 11, 2022
  • ISBN: 9781250841001
  • Available formats: ebook, paperback, audiobook 
  • Print length: 352
  • Audio length: 9 hours, 15 minutes 
  • Narrator: Stephanie Nemeth Parker, Quinn Riley
  • Genre: young adult romance 
  • Themes: lesbian romance, bisexual romance, college life/campus life, friendships, roommates, dating, age-gap romance

The blurb from the publisher…

From the critically acclaimed author of Something to Talk About comes Meryl oWilsner’s Mistakes Were Made, a sharp and sexy rom-com about a college senior who accidentally hooks up with her best friend’s mom.

When Cassie Klein goes to an off-campus bar to escape her school’s Family Weekend, she isn’t looking for a hookup—it just happens. Buying a drink for a stranger turns into what should be an uncomplicated, amazing one-night stand. But then the next morning rolls around and her friend drags her along to meet her mom—the hot, older woman Cassie slept with.

Erin Bennett came to Family Weekend to get closer to her daughter, not have a one-night stand with a college senior. In her defense, she hadn’t known Cassie was a student when they’d met. To make things worse, Erin’s daughter brings Cassie to breakfast the next morning. And despite Erin’s better judgement—how could sleeping with your daughter’s friend be anything but bad?—she and Cassie get along in the day just as well as they did last night.

What should have been a one-time fling quickly proves impossible to ignore, and soon Cassie and Erin are sneaking around. Worst of all, they start to realize they have something real. But is being honest about the love between them worth the cost?

My thoughts…

This story has a great premise; the forbidden romance is always intriguing. There’s just something erotic about a taboo relationship. However, this might not be everyone’s cup of tea. If the idea of a relationship between a mother and her daughter’s college age friend is unsettling to you, then I’d suggest avoiding this one. But if it sounds like it might poke at the edges of a guilty pleasure for you, then you won’t be disappointed. There’s much to enjoy inside these pages.

This is Wilsner’s second book. Her debut Something to Talk About was a runaway hit. With this second book, she’s again included the age-gap trope. The writing is solid and flows seamlessly on the page. The dialogue is sharp, fresh and witty and moves the scenes along nicely. The real treat, however, is the steamy sex. It’s well-written and deliciously entertaining. For a newly-minted writer, she has proven herself to be very comfortable with writing sex scenes. They are believable, add to the story tension and push the pacing in lovely ways.

Though efficiently constructed, this book leans heavily on the plot to carry it to the finish line. While I did enjoy the leading ladies, I felt there needed to be a bit more character and relationship development for readers to truly understand them and believe in their relationship. They are a likable pair and have chemistry; that’s not an issue. The real concern is understanding the choices they make. Having a clearer grasp of who these women are would have built a better foundation for the romance. 

Final remarks…

This is a fantastic, quick, beach read. It’s entertaining, sexy and fun—perfect for those that like steamy, age-gap romances. Mistakes Were Made is evidence that Wilsner is steadily toeing her way into the women loving women genre and providing readers with some solid reading choices. She’s certainly one to watch.

Strengths…

  • Entertaining and steamy 
  • Fresh, sharp dialogue 
  • Good flow
  • Diverse characters

This book is available from…

A bit about this author…

Meryl Wilsner writes happily ever afters for queer folks who love women. They are the author of Something to Talk About and Mistakes Were Made. Born in Michigan, Meryl lived in Portland, Oregon and Jackson, Mississippi before returning to the Mitten State. Some of Meryl’s favorite things include: all four seasons, button down shirts, the way giraffes run, and their wife.

Connect with this author…

Comments

Post a Comment