Immediately after recognizing her bisexuality, Clementine gets swept up in a (somewhat boring) long-term relationship with a boyfriend who wants a conventional, white-picket-fence-and-a-baby ever after. After breaking up with him, she’s ready to dive into her “baby gay” era—if only her friends and family would stop looking at her with pity. After meeting Chloe Lee (again), they strike up an agreement and start fake dating one another. Can Chloe convince everyone it’s real while navigating her messy feelings?
On Her Terms is a wonderful exploration of identity and self. Clementine is 36 but still questioning who she is. Does she look and act queer enough? Does she fit among other queer women, or does her lack of queer experiences set her apart? This story largely relies on introspection, giving readers intimate, keen insights into Clementine’s mind and unrelenting anxiety. Let’s break it down:
Some of the characters fall fairly flat. Outside of the two main characters, Chloe and Clementine, it’s easy to confuse the large cast. I hoped Clementine’s brother had a reason for his rude intensity, but he only comes off as verbally and emotionally abusive. However, I do appreciate how easily Clementine joins Chloe’s friend group: proof that you can find your people at any age. Some of Clementine’s self-directed commentary bothered me, namely as a bisexual. I understand her concerns, not having “queer” experiences while she’s nearing 40, but the entire concept of her “learning how to navigate the queer community” is unnecessary (you’re never too old to become fully who you are).
The writing is page after page of introspection/exposition with a sprinkle of action in between. Because of that, the pacing drags at times. The story would have benefited from stronger interactions between Chloe and Clementine: there are so many fun, messy ways to bring characters together, to build tension and attraction, to SHOW rather than TELL us there’s chemistry. I appreciate the story exploring different themes, including coming out late in life, atypical relationships, and defining your own path.
I really wanted Clementine and Chloe to bring out the best in one another. Chloe’s confidence could have rubbed off on Clementine, given her the reassurance that she belonged to a community, proved to her that she WAS “queer enough.” Instead, they suit each other better as friends than a romantic couple. The characters do develop well, but there’s more strength in the friend group (found family!) than there is in the romance.
The massive, lengthy blocks of introspection exhaust the story. There are moments when the prose is fun and witty (namely, when Chloe and Clementine are in the same room), but other times when it drags. Many of her concerns of repetitive, which makes a potentially complex character potentially flat.
Recommended to fans of Meryl Wilsner, Alexis Hall, or Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur.
The Vibes
- Contemporary Romance
- Fake Dating
- Queer / Sapphic Rep (Bisexual & Lesbian)
- Single POV
- Excessive Introspection
- Discussions on Bisexual Erasure and “Being Queer Enough”
- Plus-Sized Main Character
- Witty Banter
- Found Family
- Mental Health / Anxiety Rep
- ADHD Rep
- Non-traditional HEA
- Coming Out
Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
