The Love Factor by Quinn Ivins:- This is nicely written, with well-drawn characters (MCs Molly and Carmen in particular), and the plot kept me engaged from beginning to end.
- This was a great read. Throwback to the 90’s with a little history thrown in. Love a book where I can learn something new. Loved the interplay between the MC’s. Kind of a slow burn but so relevant to the storyline.
- Oh, this is what a debut looks like by Quinn Ivins? By all means well done! This romance is set at the brink of freedom for gay people in the late 90s – young students are coming more and more out, others who group up in the closet still practice silence. A silence which comes at great cost personally. The author does an extremely good job to capture this historic moment: an out grad student age 30 and her professor age 39. Been there done that: in a misogynistic, sexist environment it was indeed a great achievement to succeed, most lesbians wouldn’t risk coming out and get strike two against them which in many cases would have been a strike out. Very well done – although there are a few possible ahistoric references (trans woman were by no means casually regarded as woman, to ask a lesbian whether she is a lesbian or bisexual was offensive, since acceptance of bisexuality was not really there and I think yoga moms with strollers is more recent than the late 90s) – it shows how far we have come in two decades. I loved that there a two female mathematicians – yeah! The story is well done, the plot and pace appropriate and I really like – because it’s true to the characters and the times that the love story was very low key until it could come out of the closet too with a big roar.
Runners Up:
On Top of Glass: My Stories as a Queer Girl in Figure Skating by Karina Manta tied with Franklin in Paradise by John Patrick tied with The Eighth Key by Laura Weyr
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