Lesbian Fiction

When You Smile

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The details…

  • Title‏ : ‎ When You Smile
  • Author : ‎ Melissa Brayden
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bold Strokes Books
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 1, 2024
  • Formats ‏ : ‎ ebook, paperback, audio
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1262 KB
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • Audio : 10 hours and 56 minutes, narrated by Lula Larkin
  • Genre :  romance
  • Theme : family and acceptance, women loving women relationships, bisexuality, finding love and happiness, personal growth and self-discovery, pursuing dreams, higher education, childhood connections and reconnections, youthful crushes
  • Tropes : crushing on the babysitter

The blurb from the publisher…

Have you ever had a crush on your babysitter? Taryn Ross sure did. Sixteen-year-old Charlotte was sophisticated, thoughtful, gorgeous, and fun. Taryn counted the minutes until they’d hang out. But Charlotte and her family moved away. 

Now a transfer student at Hillspoint University, Taryn is ready to officially come out when she runs into a familiar face at a party. Charlie, now a grad student, insists on walking a drunk Taryn home. To the detriment of Taryn’s heart (and libido), Charlie has only grown kinder (and hotter) with time.

Charlie Adler has a five-year plan: finish her MFA without any hiccups, figure out a timeline for her engagement, and become an acclaimed fiction writer. Easy, right? That is until Taryn shows up at Hillspoint and shakes up her world like a snow globe. This Taryn is different: soulful, brooding, and all grown up. Charlie’s never been attracted to a woman before, and isn’t dating your one-time charge against the rules? If only their toe-curling, mind-dulling, body-aching chemistry would calm the hell down.

My thoughts…

Melissa Brayden’s new book, When You Smile, is the kind of feel good romance that readers crave when they want something light and heartwarming. Readers easily connect to the main characters, Taryn and Charlie; they are relatable, likable young women, women with interesting friends, families and lives. More than that though, they’re well-developed and readers care about them. This shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with Brayden’s work though. She has a particular talent for creating characters that feel authentic, ones that have depth and layers to them. Readers quickly become emotionally invested in their journey to romance, too. They can’t get enough of it, and that’s why her stories are a ton of fun to read. 

Even though When You Smile is light and fun, it still explores the heart tugging complexities of relationships, touching on themes of personal growth, self-discovery, sexuality and coming out. The storyline is filled with emotional moments, heartfelt conflicts and satisfying scenes, keeping readers captivated from start to finish. The main reason for this is that Brayden capitalizes on the use of childhood memories and first time crushes within the storytelling. Readers can’t help but be engaged by it. The nostalgia of these experiences strikes a chord, making the unexpected reunion and courtship between Taryn and Charlie sweet and captivating. 

Brayden often likes to use tried and true tropes in her storytelling, but she’s never lazy with them. She makes them work, pushing the storytelling in interesting or contemplative ways. This is especially true for When You Smile. Getting the chance to date one’s childhood babysitter as an adult is a hot idea, (and one I’m sure many have fantasized about 😉) but Brayden does not use this gratuitously. She creates a delicious romantic tension with this trope, building on the anticipation and longing creatively and productively. Ultimately, it makes for some page turning stuff that readers can’t put down.

Brayden’s writing style is engaging and immersive throughout this novel. With her vivid descriptions, authentic dialogue and keen pacing, she is able to balance tender moments and tension. Her smooth prose enables readers to connect with the story without pause. She deep dives into Taryn and Charlie’s emotions and inner thinkings with well-scripted scenes and rich dialogue, portraying their fears and desires quite nicely. Brayden’s approach promotes a deeper level of empathy within readers, giving them something that truly resonates. And because she gives readers a raw look inside Taryn and Charlie’s inner and outer worlds, they are eager to turn pages and watch the journey unfold.

Final remarks… 

Readers always appreciate the overall feel-good nature of Melissa Brayden’s books, and this one is no different. When You Smile offers readers a heartwarming vibe, one that’s hard to turn away from. Her engaging, well-developed characters and realistic, heartfelt dialogue work to give readers something they can sink their teeth into and enjoy. Furthermore, her ability to build tension, develop subplots and create a sense of anticipation always ensures a great story. When You Smile is a charmer and I highly recommend it.

Strengths…

  • Engaging storyline
  • Compelling characters
  • Strong romantic tension and chemistry
  • Well-crafted, well-paced storytelling
  • Well-played trope

This book is available from…

A bit about the author…

Melissa Brayden is a multi-award-winning romance author, embracing the full-time writer’s life in San Antonio, Texas, and enjoying every minute of it. 

Melissa is married and working really hard at remembering to do the dishes. For personal enjoyment, she spends time with her Jack Russell terriers and checks out the NYC theater scene as often as possible. She considers herself a reluctant patron of spin class, but would much rather be sipping merlot and staring off into space. Bring her coffee, wine, or doughnuts and you’ll have a friend for life. 

Interested in knowing more? Click on the links below.

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