• Home
  • Browse by…
    • Browse by Genre
      • Children’s
      • Comics
        • Manga
      • General Fiction
        • Adventure
        • Anthologies
        • Crime
        • Fairy Tales
        • Lesbian Pulp Fiction
        • Literary Fiction
        • Novellas
        • Retellings
        • Series
        • Short Stories
        • Thrillers
      • Historical Fiction
        • 1920s
        • Regency
      • Horror
        • Vampires
        • Zombies
      • Mystery
      • Memoirs
      • Nonfiction
        • Biographies
        • Essays
        • History
      • Poetry
      • Romance
        • Butch/Femme
      • Erotica
        • BDSM
      • SFF
        • Sci Fi
          • Dystopia
        • Fantasy
          • Mythical Creatures
            • Mermaids
            • Witches
          • Paranormal
          • Steampunk
          • Urban Fantasy
      • Young Adult
    • Browse by Rating
      • 5 Stars
      • 4 Stars
      • 3 Stars
      • 2 Stars
      • 1 Star
    • Browse by Representation
      • POC Content
        • Main Characters of Color
        • Black Representation
        • Asian Representation
        • Latina Representation
        • Indigenous Representation
      • Authors of Color
        • Black Authors
        • Asian Authors
        • Latina Authors
        • Indigenous Authors
      • Lesbian Representation
        • Lesbian Authors
      • Bisexual Representation
        • Bisexual Authors
      • Trans Representation
        • Trans Authors
        • Nonbinary Representation
      • Asexual Representation
        • Asexual Authors
      • Disability Representation
      • Neurodiverse Representation
      • Mental Health
    • Browse by Reviewer
      • Danika Ellis
      • Alice P.
      • Amanda Růžičková
      • Anna N.
      • Caelin
      • Casey
      • Emilia Ferrante
      • Emory Rose
      • Ire
      • Jamie Rose
      • Jazelle
      • Kathryne Slant
      • Kody
      • Laurel
      • Liv
      • Meagan Kimberley
      • Nat
      • Rachel Friars
      • Raquel R. Rivera
      • Sritama Sen
      • Susan
      • Susanne Salehi
      • Theo
      • Til
      • Vic
  • Recommendations List
  • About
  • Review Policy
  • Support the Lesbrary
  • Advertise with the Lesbrary

The Lesbrary

Sapphic Book Reviews

Uncategorized

Anna M. reviews How Sweet It Is by Melissa Brayden

December 7, 2013 by Danika Ellis

howsweetitis

How Sweet It Is is the third novel by Bold Strokes author Melissa Brayden. It has been more than four years since chef Molly O’Brien’s wife Cassie died in a tragic plane crash, and she’s recently been thinking about testing the dating waters. She’s also struggling to keep her family business, a small town bakery/coffee shop, afloat in the Starbucks era. While her in-laws have always been incredibly supportive, it’s her sister-in-law Jordan with whom Molly always felt a particular kinship. Jordan was also wounded by the death of the older sister she could never quite live up to, and has been dealing with Cassie’s loss by avoiding their small Illinois town.

Jordan returns to town at a moment when she’s reevaluating her filmmaking career and the direction of her life. At the same time, Molly returns to the dating world and her shop’s financial woes approach a crisis point. Nothing can completely distract the two women, however, from the spark of attraction they feel when they’re together. Brayden does a good job of portraying the complicated dance between Molly and Jordan (and Cassie’s ghost) as they progress from denial to relationship.

Molly is understandably nonplussed by her attraction to someone she’s always thought of as a kid sister, and struggles with what feels like a betrayal of Cassie’s memory–especially since her attraction to Jordan is stronger than what she felt for her dead wife. Her resistance is neither short-lived nor too drawn out, but ebbs and flows as she and Jordan work things out. For her part, Jordan is willing to pursue a relationship with Molly, despite the disapproval they might face from her family. But she’s also worried that she will never live up to her sister, and that Cassie’s ghost will always be there between them. There are also subplots involving Jordan’s gay best friend, Molly’s sassy best friend/employee, and the quest for the perfect truffle. There is plenty here to like, and Brayden takes her time filling in the details of their small-town life.

I picked up How Sweet It Is in advance of publication through NetGalley, and it was just as sweet as advertised. In fact, I subsequently bought a paper copy for my collection at home. It’s not flawless, but it has an admirable heart and I recommend it, especially for fans of chocolate. For other food-related lesbian romances, see Karin Kallmaker’s Roller Coaster and Starting from Scratch by Georgia Beers.

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: , Anna M, melissa brayden, romance

Related Posts

Rachel posted Happy Endings Are All Alike by Sandra Scoppettone
Kalyanii reviews Neither Present Time by Caren J. Werlinger
Link Round Up: December 1 – 7
Megan Casey reviews Tell Me What You Like by Kate Allen
Previous:
Link Round Up: November 28 – December 4
Next:
Tag reviews 25 Years of Malcontent by Stephanie Byrd

Comments

  1. Bebe says

    December 7, 2013 at 3:15 pm

    On your recommendation, I went and bought it today. Here goes it—

    • Anna M (@helgagrace) says

      December 10, 2013 at 8:25 am

      The pressure is on!

About Me

About the Lesbrary

The Lesbrary is a sapphic book blog that started in 2010. It's run by Danika Ellis, and we have about a dozen reviewers from around the world recommending sapphic books in every genre. Check out the top navigation bar for more about the Lesbrary as well as options to browse by genre, age category, rating, and more.

Sapphic Book Blogs

  • Bi and Lesbian Literature: The Lesbrary's tumblr
  • Autostraddle's Books Coverage
  • I Heart Sapphfic
  • The Lesbian Review
  • Okazu: Yuri Manga

Queer Book Blogs

  • Book Riot's LGBTQ Coverage
  • Gay League: LGBT Comics
  • Lambda Literary
  • LGBTQ Reads
  • LGBTQ Reads tumblr
  • Our Queerest Shelves: My LGBTQ Books Newsletter at Book Riot.
Theme by SkyandStars.co
Back Top

Copyright © 2025