Zoe Brennan, First Crush by Laura Piper Lee (Jan 21, 2025): Thank you to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced listening copy of this swoon-worthy sapphic romance! And thank you to @purplecouchbookshop for picking this as our February Romance Book Club read!
When she discovers that a prestigious wine festival is coming to Blue Ridge, it sets off a competition between these already rival wineries until Zoe’s grandma gets ill, and her father must return to his hometown in Italy, putting their winery at a considerable disadvantage. Dejected, she agrees to a blindfolded threesome, a decision made in a moment of vulnerability and impulsiveness, only to discover that the stranger she hooked up with while blindfolded is: 1. The vintner her father has hired to temporarily replace him, 2. The estranged daughter of the rival winery, and 3. Her high school crush, Laine Woods.
As Zoe and Laine (poorly) attempt to have a professional relationship, their simmering attraction keeps getting in the way. Can they save the season’s wine, win the festival, and deal with the emotional baggage they are both carrying in order to have a chance at love?
I absolutely loved the dreamy winery setting – what an idyllic location! Zoe and Laine were such interesting characters to connect with, each seeming to balance the other – they each had insecurities and weaknesses that the other helped shoulder. I also enjoyed how, after the ahem intense first meeting, this was a slow-burn romance where they took their time to get it right. There’s a lot of lack of communication in this one (between couples, friends, families), but it doesn’t read as miscommunication so much as fear of communication, which seemed infinitely more authentic given the backstories that are revealed for each of the characters. Zoe’s best friend, Teddy, absolutely steals every scene he is in, and I adore him. This book is connected to ‘Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair ‘, Laura Piper Lee’s debut, and I’ll be reading that one ASAP. However, this book can absolutely be enjoyed as a stand-alone.
🎧 About the Audiobook 🎧 Lindsey Dorcus, a new-to-me narrator, does a lovely solo narration. I particularly enjoyed her voicing of Janine and Teddy. The audiobook is 12 hours and 4 minutes.
Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Audiobook: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Book Smart Kate 