Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: First Position
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.melissabrayden.com/
CITY: San Antonio
STATE: TX
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
Author Melissa Brayden on her best-selling lesbian romance novels, and advice for aspiring writers
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married.
EDUCATION:Baylor University, bachelor’s degree; Texas State University, M.F.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Has also worked as an actor and director.
AVOCATIONS:Tennis, running, traveling.
AWARDS:Debut Author Award and Traditional Contemporary Romance Award, both Lambda Literary, both for Waiting in the Wings.
WRITINGS
Also author of the novel Firework, 2016.
SIDELIGHTS
Melissa Brayden is a writer of romance novels. Based in San Antonio, Texas, she holds a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and an M.F.A. from Texas State University. In addition to writing, Brayden has worked as an actor and director.
Waiting in the Wings and How Sweet It Is
Brayden’s first book, Waiting in the Wings, tells the story of Jenna McGovern, a recent graduate from a performing arts school. Jenna is thrilled to be hired as a cast member for a touring Broadway show, whose star is a Adrienne Kenyon, a famous television actress. Jenna and Adrienne are drawn to each other, and a romance between them develops. A reviewer on the Frivolous Views Web site asserted: “While Brayden does a nice job of maintaining Jenna’s ‘voice’ throughout the novel, what’s even more impressive is how that voice matures. From the first words to the last words, it’s very clear that Jenna is telling the story. But it’s also very clear that the Jenna on the last page is not the same naive Jenna on the first page. This was very nicely done.” A critic on the Book Dyke Web site suggested: “The relationship between Jenna and Adrienne seemed realistic, great dialog and some palpable sexual tension. We didn’t get too much a sense of the interior dialog, the neurotic angst but instead a pretty clear vision through their eyes. The romance was believable, it felt plausible.”
In How Sweet It Is, small-town bakery owner Molly falls for her dead lover’s younger sister. A contributor to the Dear Author Web site suggested: “For readers looking for a quieter, character driven story … this is a good one to reach for. Molly and Jordan are both out and comfortable with their sexual orientation and it appears the small town of Applewood accepts them as well. Perhaps this is more a magical LGBT Never Never Land but the emphasis of the story is not gaining community or family acceptance but rather working out their relationship on its own.”
"Soho Loft" Series
Kiss the Girl is the first book in Brayden’s “Soho Loft” series, which features employees of the Soho Savvy ad agency. This volume finds Brooklyn Campbell having an intimate moment with a stranger after a difficult day. The following day, Brooklyn discovers that this stranger is Jessica Lennox, the head of a rival agency. “This romance novel delivers both steamy romantic scenes and character development,” asserted a writer on the GLBT Reviews Web site. A critic on the Frivolous Views Web site, commented: “Overall, this is a really nice romance. … With each passing novel, Brayden’s skill at storytelling gets sharper and more colorful. Words are on the page for a reason. It’s clear that those words are chosen carefully to convey setting, characterization, and emotion. And Brayden does emotion very well.” Tara Scott, contributor to the Lesbian Review Web site, suggested: “The characters are complex, but easily relatable.” Scott added: “Melissa Brayden is at the top of her game, with Kiss the Girl having an easy, breezy style that looks impossibly effortless. The banter is so good, the flirting delicious.”
Soho Savvy bookkeeper, Samantha, and her friend and coworker, Hunter, become roommates and then lovers in Just Three Words. In an interview with Dana Piccoli, contributor to the After Ellen Web site, Brayden stated: “As much as I wanted to showcase each girl and her individual romance, I also wanted to showcase the group of friends and to explore that dynamic on the page.”
Ready or Not focuses on Soho Savvy co-owner, Mallory Spencer. The polished Mallory feels lonely when her friends begin pairing off in relationships. However, her luck in love changes when she meets Hope Sanders, a bartender. Hope has had a difficult childhood. She and Mallory are different in many ways, but their mutual attraction brings them together. In the same interview with Piccoli, Brayden discussed the following book in the series. She stated: “Ready or Not is the third and final “SoHo Loft Romance,” and this one tells the story of Mallory, who is the face of the advertising company. She’s kind of the leader among the four friends and she has watched the other girls in the group fall in love and settle down, and she kind of wonders about herself and when her time is going to come. And there’s this annoying bartender at Showplace, where the girls tend to hang out, that gets under Mallory’s skin in the worst possible way.” Brayden continued: “Sometimes that is the great making of a tension filled romance. Ready or Not is a November release, and I just got the cover out there on social media so people can start looking forward and looking ahead to that book as they finish Just Three Words.”
First Position
In First Position, Anastasia Mikhelson and Natalie Frederico are ballet dancers, who enter into a romantic relationship. Ana hopes to get out of her famous father’s shadow, while Natalie tunes up her ballet skills after having performed modern dance for a time.
“This ably plotted, moving offering will earn its place deep in readers’ hearts,” asserted a contributor to Publishers Weekly. Scott, the same writer on the Lesbian Review Web site, remarked: “There’s something very fun about an opposites-attract story, especially when it’s done as well as First Position.” Regarding the characters of Ana and Natalie, Scott stated: “Their character arcs were one of the greatest strengths of this book because they were fully explored and led to a satisfying conclusion.” Referring to the book, Scott concluded: “It’s written well, with good pacing, an engaging plot.” A reviewer on the Rolopolobookblog Web site, suggested: “Ana and Natalie are both entirely likeable characters whose strengths and weaknesses work well together; they truly are an excellent pairing. There is just enough of the personal, the professional, and the universe hates us all mixed together, blended and balanced to keep the read moving at a strong and steady pace. There aren’t any lags or slow spots in the read and it doesn’t rush to the end as if Hell is on a horse chasing everyone.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, July 11, 2016, review of First Position. p. 50.
ONLINE
After Ellen, http://www.afterellen.com/ (May 5, 2015), Dana Piccoli, author interview.
Book Dyke, https://bookdyke.com/ (July 26, 2013), review of Waiting in the Wings.
Dear Author, http://dearauthor.com/ (November 21, 2013), review of How Sweet It Is.
Frivolous Views, https://carleenspry.com (June 30, 2012), review of Waiting in the Wings; (August 6, 2014), review of Kiss the Girl.
GLBT Reviews, http://www.glbtrt.ala.org/ (March 1, 2017), Jenni Frencham, review of Kiss the Girl.
Lambda Literary Web site, http://www.lambdaliterary.org/ (June 17, 2012), article mentioning author.
Lesbian Review, http://www.thelesbianreview.com/ (February 2, 2016), Tara Scott, review of Kiss the Girl; (September 22, 2016), Tara Scott, review of First Position.
Melissa Brayden Home Page, http://www.melissabrayden.com (March 23, 2017).
Prism Book Alliance, https://www.prismbookalliance.com/ (February 3, 2016), Amelia Faith, review of Ready or Not.
Real Talk 4 U, https://realtalk4ublog.wordpress.com/ (July 8, 2016), review of First Position.
Rolopolobookblog, https://rolopolobookblog.com/ (September 27, 2016), review of First Position.
LC control no.: n 2012013096
LC classification: PS3602.R3974
Personal name heading:
Brayden, Melissa
Found in: Waiting in the wings, 2011: t.p. (Melissa Brayden) p. 4 of
cover (works in educational theater in San Antonio,
Texas; first novel)
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AUTHORITIES
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20540
Questions? Contact: ils@loc.gov
Series
Soho Loft
1. Kiss the Girl (2014)
2. Just Three Words (2015)
3. Ready or Not (2015)
thumbthumbthumb
Novels
Waiting in the Wings (2011)
Heart Block (2012)
How Sweet It Is (2013)
Firework (2016)
First Position (2016)
Strawberry Summer (2017)
Melissa Brayden received her Bachelor’s degree in Film Production and Speech Communication from Baylor University. After ten years of work in educational theatre, she just recently completed her MFA in Directing at Texas State University and is embracing life as a full time writer.
Her first seven novels are available from Bold Strokes Books and anywhere books are sold. She is happily at work on her eighth.
Melissa is married and working really hard at remembering to do the dishes. For personal enjoyment, she spends time with her Jack Russell Terrier and checks out the NYC theatre scene several times a year. She considers herself a reluctant patron of the treadmill, but thoroughly enjoys hitting a tennis ball around in nice weather. Coffee is her very best friend.
So I’ve noticed lately that there are a lot of questions that repeat themselves from week to week in the email I get. I thought I’d knock a few out here. And, go!
Have you always been a writer?
This is a great question! But the answer is no. I can easily say that I’ve enjoyed telling stories for as long as I can remember. Sometimes that meant acting, directing, shooting documentaries or coming up with creative raps just for fun. It wasn’t until 2009 that I gave actual writing a try and found out just how much I enjoy it.
Are you straight or gay?
Whoa. In what was surprising news to me, this is the number one question I get by far. Not sure why. The answer is I’m bisexual. I find a lot of different things sexy.
Do you know what’s going to happen in a book before you start writing?
Not usually. There’s a very basic sketch in my head of where the story will go, but the details are a little more on the fly. I notice that the more experience I get writing, however, the more I tend to plan. Always learning, it seems.
Are you a reader? What do you like to read?
So much. I’m an incredibly avid reader and always have been! Romance is my favorite go to genre. I also read a lot of plays. I enjoy a good thriller on occasion. I even pick up the odd biography here and there.
Is Melissa Brayden a pen name?
Not exactly, but maybe a little. Melissa is mine, but I borrowed Brayden from my grandparents (so it still feels like mine).
Random Facts:
I skipped the third grade. I was the European Bowling Champion when I was twelve. I have two Jack Russell Terriers. I love to travel. As a kid, I could drop in on a full size half pipe on my skateboard. I drink a lot of coffee. I’m a horrible dancer. I hate running, but I do it almost daily for exercise. I’m the youngest of three girls. I grew up in an Air Force family. I play second base on my softball team. I’m a pretty good rapper. I hate ceiling fans. And now you know everything. :)
QUOTED: JTW "As much as I wanted to showcase each girl and her individual romance, I also wanted to showcase the group of friends and to explore that dynamic on the page."
"Ready of Not is the third and final SoHo Loft Romance, and this one tells the story of Mallory, who is the face of the advertising company. She’s kind of the leader among the four friends and she has watched the other girls in the group fall in love and settle down, and she kind of wonders about herself and when her time is going to come. And there’s this annoying bartender at Showplace, where the girls tend to hang out, that gets under Mallory’s skin in the worst possible way."
"Sometimes that is the great making of a tension filled romance. Ready or Not is a November release, and I just got the cover out there on social media so people can start looking forward and looking ahead to that book as they finish Just Three Words."
Author Melissa Brayden on her best-selling lesbian romance novels, and advice for aspiring writers
By Dana Piccoli
on May 5, 2015
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In 2011, author Melissa Brayden burst on to the queer romance novel scene with her hit debut, Waiting in the Wings. Since then, Melissa has become one of the most popular novelists of the genre, writing hit after hit of funny, relatable, and very sexy stories for women who love women. Her newest book, Just Three Words, which is part of the Soho Loft Romance series, came out this April. Not unlike her novels, Melissa was a real gem, and offered up some excellent advice to all those aspiring writers out there.
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AfterEllen: You are an actor, director and an MBA student, and a few years ago, you jumped on to the scene as one of the hottest lesbian romance novelists out there. How the heck did that happen?
Melissa Brayden: [laughs] How did it happen? That’s a great question. I’ve always kind of noticed that I’ve gravitated towards storytelling in one way or another, and you touched on it a bit there when you said that I have a background in theatre. Also, my undergrad degree is in film production, so everything I had my hand in was about telling stories in some way. At the same time, I’ve always been a really avid romance readers, really since I was 12 years old and probably too young to be reading them. So one day, I just happened to have this little voice in the back of my head that said, “Maybe I could do that.” I didn’t really have any writing experience, but I thought I’d give it a shot.
So I sat down one summer and I wrote Waiting in the Wings thinking that it probably wouldn’t go anywhere, but just for fun, why don’t I submit it to a publisher. And I did and the first publisher I submitted it to accepted the manuscript. I was really lucky. I had made a list of all that I would submit to, one after another, thinking I would probably get pretty far down my list, and maybe no one would even want it. But then my first choice said yes! So I was really lucky in that regard. I think that encouraged me further and I went an tried it again and wrote my second book, and here we are several books later and I’m having the time of my life.
AE: I’m an avid romance reader, and I know there are a lot of people like me out there, but it’s still kind of this guilty pleasure thing that people don’t really fess up to. Straight women have been loving romance novels for ages, why do you think queer romance is still kind of in the closet?
MB: I think people don’t know it exists! Like I said, I’ve been reading since I was a kid but they had all been straight romance novels. As a bisexual woman, there’s a whole other side of me that really didn’t get to explore that through literature, and one day, Amazon recommended a book to me—I believe it was Geri Hill‘s Behind the Pine Curtain and I read it and I think my mind kind of exploded because I didn’t know it existed. Then of course I gobbled up everything I could get my hands on. So I think to a certain extent, that it’s an awareness issue. I don’t think as many people realize these books exist in this specific format.
AE: You create these realistic worlds and your characters are often very relatable. Like they aren’t famous brain surgeons or FBI agents, they are real people. Your most recent book, Just Three Words stars a bisexual accountant and lesbian graphic designer, who are part of a tight nit foursome of friends. Did you always plan to explore all four characters love lives?
MB: Yes, when I set out to write the series I knew we’d delve into all of them. I wanted to write about a group of friends and I think so often in TV and in film there are so many stories about women being pitted against one another. I think the other side of that isn’t often explored in how powerful a friendship between women can be. So as much as I wanted to showcase each girl and her individual romance, I also wanted to showcase the group of friends and to explore that dynamic on the page. From the moment of its conception, I kind of ordered how I’d move thorough it, making sure that each girl got her own moments.
In terms of not having the fantastical characters, I think that’s a little bit having to do with how much I want them to be relatable, but at the same time, how much I can’t stand research. [laughs] The idea of writing an FBI agent feels like something so outside of anything I know from my actual life, that I think I would have to spend a year or two just researching that. I tend to stay closer to things that are in my wheelhouse and a little bit more accessible to me.
AE: I really fell hard for your first book, Waiting in the Wings, which is about two actresses. While they become famous eventually, I really love the beginning when they are just two working actors, making their way in the world. Does that harken back to your own experience?
MB: I think so. I think I really put a lot of myself into that book, and then at the same time, armored those characters with qualities that I wish I had. For example, I’m not a good dancer, so I made sure that main character was an amazing dancer. I kind of got to live vicariously through her in a way, but writing a first book, I think I wanted to put everything into that book that I would want to read. Being a die hard theatre goer as well as practitioner, I wanted to explore that world correctly. I’d read a couple of books that I thought didn’t get it exactly right, so I did my best to be more realistic. But I didn’t want it to take over. I didn’t want the entire book to beat you over the head with that world, but I wanted it to be a backdrop with a lot of texture.
AE: I loved that about it. I was really, really into it.
MB: Yay!
AE: It was actually one of the first romance novels that I’d read. I’d read a couple romance novels and then I saw the cover for Waiting in the Wings and it really drew me in, and it turns out I signed up for a really good story. I credit you with getting me much more into romance novels.
MB: Yay, that’s an excellent compliment, probably one of the best ones you could pay me.
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AE: You live in Texas, but many of your novels take place in New York City. Do you feel a special connection with the city?
MB: I have my own personal love affair with New York. I try to get there as much as I can. There’s been years where I’ve made seven or eight trips to the city from Texas, which can take a toll on your bank account so you have to be careful about those things. I’m down to two or three trips a year, mostly theatre trips, and I’ve considered moving there even, but it’s a really expensive place to live.
AE: You’re telling me. [laughs]
MB: So I decided that I would just be a frequent visitor, but there is something about New York City that there’s always something happening, no matter what time of day or night. There’s a buzz in the air because something important is always going on. It’s really fun for me to get to write that, but it’s also probably the city that I know second best next to my own. And once again, I don’t have to go too far into research. I know how the streets work and the neighborhoods and their feels, and things like that. It’s just an easy go to. In fact, after the SoHo books, the next book I’m writing is actually another New York City ballet book.
AE: You’ve written six books since 2012…
MB: Have I? Yeah…
AE: How do you find time to do it? I think that’s something that many aspiring writers deal with.
MB: It’s not easy and I think there is something to be said for making it a part of your routine. I started writing when I had a full time job, so it would be a matter of, if I got home at 6:30 in the evening, I might have dinner then sit down to write for an hour and a half. If I could get in, five, six hundred words a day, then eventually those pages were going to start adding up. I think when you first start to write a book, it’s hard because you don’t have a lot of spare time. But an hour and a half are going to go by whether you write five hundred words or not, and at the end, you will have a big stack of pages and a pretty awesome story that wasn’t there before you started. I think once you can get to that point, you remember it and that encouragement keeps you moving forward. Word counts I think help, when you set word counts for yourself.
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AE: What can you tell us about your next novel, Ready or Not?
MB: Ready of Not is the third and final SoHo Loft Romance, and this one tells the story of Mallory, who is the face of the advertising company. She’s kind of the leader among the four friends and she has watched the other girls in the group fall in love and settle down, and she kind of wonders about herself and when her time is going to come. And there’s this annoying bartender at Showplace, where the girls tend to hang out, that gets under Mallory’s skin in the worst possible way. Sometimes that is the great making of a tension filled romance. Ready or Not is a November release, and I just got the cover out there on social media so people can start looking forward and looking ahead to that book as they finish Just Three Words.
You can find Melissa Brayden’s novels in paperback and e-book versions through Bold Strokes Books or Amazon.
Read more at http://www.afterellen.com/people/429599-author-melissa-brayden-best-selling-lesbian-romance-novels-advice-aspiring-writers/2#M0HuPyPPoxmBK5JH.99
Melissa Brayden is a multi-award winning author of seven lesbian romance novels and hard at work on her eighth. After ten years working in educational theatre, she has recently graduated with her MFA in Directing from Texas State University and is embracing life as a full time writer.
Melissa works really hard at remembering to do the dishes. For personal enjoyment, she spends time with her Jack Russell Terriers and checks out the NYC theatre scene several times a year. She considers herself a reluctant patron of the treadmill, but thoroughly enjoys hitting a tennis ball around in nice weather. Coffee is her very best friend. www.melissabrayden.com
The 2012 Goldie Award Winners Announced
by Edit Team
June 17, 2012
The 2012 Golden Crown Literary Awards Winners (Goldies) were announced on Saturday, June 16th, by the Golden Crown Literary Society at their annual conference in Minneapolis.
The Golden Crown Literary Society (GCLS) is a literary and educational organization for the enjoyment, discussion, and enhancement of lesbian literature. [The Society’s] goals are to support and strengthen quality lesbian literature by providing places for readers and writers to interact, to encourage and assist new writers and established authors, and to recognize and promote lesbian work.
Congratulations to all the winners!
A complete list of winners is below:
Debut Author
After The Fall by Robin Summers, Bold Strokes Books
Open Water by Pol Robinson, Bella Books
Waiting In The Wings by Melissa Brayden, Bold Strokes Books
Dramatic/General Fiction
Marching To A Different Accordion by Saxon Bennett, Bella Books
Maye’s Request by Clifford Henderson, Bold Strokes Books
Shaken And Stirred by Joan Opyr, Bywater Books
Historical Romance
Hidden Truths by Jae L-Book, ePublisher
Lesbian Erotica
A Ride To Remember and Other Erotic Tales by Sacchi Green, Lethe Press
The Collectors by Lesley Gowan, Bold Strokes Books
Golden Crown Literary Society
Mystery / Thriller
Beyond Instinct by Lynn Ames, Phoenix Rising Press
Buyer’s Remorse by Lori L.Lake, Quest/Regal Crest Enterprises
Hell’s Highway by Gerri Hill, Bella Books
Paranormal Romance
Before The Dawn by Kate Sweeney, Intaglio Publications
Blood Hunt by L.L. Raand , Bold Strokes Books
Poetry
Head Off & Split by Nikky Finney, Northwestern University Press
Things I Say To Pirates On Nights When I Miss You by Keely Hyslop, Fourteen Hills Press
Romantic/Suspense/Intrigue/Adventure
Dying To Live by Kim Baldwin & Xenia Alexiou, Bold Strokes Books
Nothing But The Truth by Carsen Taite, Bold Strokes Books
Tats by Layce Gardner, Bella Books
Short Story/Essay/Collections (Non-Erotica)
When We Were Outlaws by Jeanne Cordova, Spinster’s Ink
Speculative Fiction
After The Fall by Robin Summers, Bold Strokes Books
The Dark Wife by Sarah Diemer, Sarah Diemer
When An Echo Returns by Linda Kay Silva, Bella Books
Traditional Contemporary Romance
96 Hours by Georgia Beers, Bywater Books
Camptown Ladies by Mari SanGiovanni, Bywater Books
Waiting In The Wings by Melissa Brayden, Bold Strokes Books
Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award
Bingo Barge Murder, A Shay O’Hanlon Caper by Jessie Chandler, Midnight Ink
Directors’ Award
Lori L. Lake
TrailBlazer Award
Marianne K. Martin
The Lee Lynch Classic Award (New 2012)
Lee Lynch
QUOTED: "This ably plotted, moving offering will earn its place deep in readers' hearts."
First Position
263.28 (July 11, 2016): p50.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
First Position
Melissa Brayden. Bold Strokes, $16.95 trade paper (264p) ISBN 978-1-62639-602-9
Brayden (Sweet Hearts) combines heat and tenderness in this tale of two ballerinas who are both determined to be the best. Ultra-driven ice queen Anastasia Mikhelson, the daughter of a famous Russian ballet dancer, is doing all she can to live up to her famous father, ignoring everything else. Natalie Frederico left the high-stakes world of ballet years ago, moving to Los Angeles and embracing modern dance. But when the New York City Ballet comes calling after her L.A. show closes, she accepts the offer to return. At first, Natalie and Ana rub each other the wrong way, only to have passion evolve from their friction. But when a major injury sidelines one of them, will their relationship survive the fallout? Brayden ably develops the growing relationship between Ana and Natalie, making the emotional payoff that much sweeter when the two finally admit their lust for each other. Readers will relate to the realism of the romance and the emotional aftermath of serious injuries. This ably plotted, moving offering will earn its place deep in readers' hearts. (Aug.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"First Position." Publishers Weekly, 11 July 2016, p. 50. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA458915341&it=r&asid=a96d3d3907c9d69ff461c7bf2555bbba. Accessed 1 Mar. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A458915341
QUOTED: "For readers looking for a quieter, character driven story ... this is a good one to reach for. Molly and Jordan are both out and comfortable with their sexual orientation and it appears the small town of Applewood accepts them as well. Perhaps this is more a magical LGBT Never Never Land but the emphasis of the story is not gaining community or family acceptance but rather working out their relationship on its own."
November 21, 2013
REVIEW: How Sweet It Is by Melissa Brayden
JayneB- Reviewsbaker / Bold Stroke Books / Contemporary / f/f romance / friends-to-lovers / lesbian romance / LGBTQ / second chance at love3 Comments
how-sweet
Some things are better than chocolate…
Molly O’Brien is a sweetheart. Her friends and neighbors all think so. While she enjoys her quiet life running the town bakeshop in Applewood, Illinois, she wonders if there could be more. After losing the love of her life four years prior in a plane crash, Molly thinks she’s ready to navigate the dicey dating waters once again. However, you can’t always pick who your heart latches on to. When Jordan Tuscana, the beautiful younger sister of her lost love, returns to town, Molly finds her interest piqued in a manner she wasn’t prepared for.
As secrets are uncovered, Molly and Jordan must figure out how to navigate the difficult terrain of their multi-faceted relationship. Especially when something much deeper seems to be bubbling between them.
Dear Ms. Brayden,
At first this appears to be just a sweet – sorry, no pun on Molly’s job intended – story of second chances and small town life but soon layers begin to develop. Is Molly truly over the loss of her first and only love and ready to date again? Has Jordan finally developed the confidence needed to shrug off her parents’ disappointment in her career choice and need to match up to the high standards her older sister so effortlessly achieved?
And what about their professional lives? Can Molly save her bakeshop – the place where she grew up and the business into which she’s poured her heart? And what will Jordan’s next move be now that the big Hollywood studio is demanding what she won’t give?
Finally can Molly and Jordan navigate the rough waters of falling in love with the memory of Cassie – Molly’s first love and Jordan’s older sister – hanging over their heads? There’s a lot going on here.
These women are real with faults and flaws to go along with their sexiness in a tank top and cut-offs. Molly’s initial forays into the dating world start humorously but eventually serve to show her just how right Jordan is for her. Still Molly’s flight response to the family disapproval when the relationship is discovered reveals the fact that she and Cassie might have been deeply in love but were operating more on smooth sailing autopilot. Life with Jordan will challenge Molly to plumb the depths of emotion and might be a bit rockier. Is Molly willing to risk the hurt that might follow?
I like that Molly can be exasperating at times. And it’s realistic that she’s going to hurt Jordan while she’s finally working out her unresolved grief for Cassie and seeing that a relationship can be so much more. Still, Cassie isn’t vilified to make Jordan look better and Molly’s heartfelt visits to Cassie’s grave show how deeply they were in love.
Jordan has old demons to deal with. As a younger sister myself I can identify with how difficult and, at times, frustrating it can be to try and live up to a high achieving older sister. I didn’t act out as Jordan did but I can certainly understand wanting to match up yet stand out as her own person. It’s hard to watch her fall prey to the whisperings of someone who clearly wants to drive a wedge in her relationship with Molly but even worse, though understandable, when her family also falls into old patterns of comparison.
There are a lot of old habits that are dying hard here but I appreciate that they are shown in all their ugliness and that the characters are given time to work through and change them. While some of the external conflicts are a bit too neatly resolved, I also like that no one has completely dealt with everything – though the epilogue shows great progress – when the story ends.
For readers looking for a quieter, character driven story, I think this is a good one to reach for. Molly and Jordan are both out and comfortable with their sexual orientation and it appears the small town of Applewood accepts them as well. Perhaps this is more a magical LGBT Never Never Land but the emphasis of the story is not gaining community or family acceptance but rather working out their relationship on its own. B-
~Jayne
First Position by Melissa Brayden (Book Review)
Posted on July 8, 2016 by Amira Leave a comment
*I was given an advanced reader’s copy of this book for an honest review.
cover92458-medium
First Position by Melissa Brayden
Release Date: August 1, 2016 (directly from Bold Strokes Books); August 16, 2016 (on Amazon)
Page: 264
Price: $9.99 (ebook); $16.95 (Paperback)
Rating: 5/5
Review: I really enjoyed this book! It was really easy to read and it kept me engaged throughout its duration.
The two main characters, Anastasia ‘Ana’ Mikhelson and Natalie Frederico, are both dancers, so this book is set in the amazing world of ballet, which is what initially caught my attention. I’m not a great dancer, so I really enjoy watching and reading about dancers. The ballet lingo in this book was a definite plus and I really got lost in the the world that the author created.
Anyway, like I said earlier, Ana and Natalie are both dancers, but that’s where the similarities end. These two ladies are complete opposites in their preferences in dance, their personalities and just their overall outlook on life.
Ana is a lot more conservative and by the book. She’s a little cold toward her fellow dancers and she’s all about focusing on the prize. Ana is also interested in traditional ballet but Natalie, on the other hand, is a free spirit. She doesn’t want to be put in a box, so she does her own thing and makes up her own rules.
I liked both characters, but for different reasons. I liked Ana for her determination. Her father is a very well known ballet dancer in his own right, so she was always being compared to him. But, she never let that pressure get to her. No matter how hard things got, she was always determined to see it through and fight for what she wanted. She was also very stubborn and, at at one point in the book, her determination almost cost her a lot more than she was willing to pay.
I liked Natalie for her the freedom that she had. As I said earlier, she never wanted to be put in a box, so she never did anything traditionally. She passed up a very coveted position at the beginning of her career because she didn’t like the restrictions that it put on her dancing. She didn’t care how many people wanted that position. Since it compromised her creativity, she let it go. Not many people would’ve been able to do that and I commend her for sticking to her beliefs and values.
The way these two met wasn’t anything special. I just have to say that, if I was Ana (or any other dancer within the company, for that matter), I probably would’ve been a little angry and jealous too. The circumstances of Natalie’s admission into the New York City Ballet was kind of unfair, but because she was considered a protege, she was always being watched. They started off rocky, but, eventually, Ana and Natalie moved past all the bad and were able to become friends and, eventually, a lot more.
The romance in this novel was amazing! It was so sweet and their love for one another translated very well. These two are the perfect example of ‘opposites attract.’ They had nothing in common other than the fact that they loved to dance, but they still beat the odds and came out on top. It was like they completed one another. What Ana couldn’t do, Natalie could and visa versa. It was a beautiful thing to read.
And, for those of you who are curious, there are a few sex scenes and, yes, they are detailed. They didn’t come off as inauthentic though and they fit, both, the characters and the story, so, you have nothing to worry about.
Ms. Brayden’s writing was perfect. It flowed very well and I never had to go back to re-read anything. I was completely engrossed in her story and I can’t wait to read more of her work.
Overall, this book was amazing and I highly recommend it! I had such an amazing time reading it and it was fun spending a few hours escaping into the ballet world. Ana and Natalie (and all their secondary characters) were all great and I’m curious to see if the author will create a continuation of this book. Maybe not focusing on Ana and Natalie, but one of their friends instead. Although, if she did write a second book that continued Ana and Natalie’s story, she’d get no complaints from me.
This book isn’t out for a while, but if you do buy it when it does come out, come back and let me know what you thought of it. You guys know I love hearing from you.
Amira
QUOTED: "This romance novel delivers both steamy romantic scenes and character development."
Book review: Kiss the Girl, by Melissa Brayden
Brayden Kiss the GirlBrayden, Melissa. Kiss the Girl. Bold Strokes Books. 2014. $16.95. 264p. PB. 9781626390713
Brooklyn Campbell, who has formed an advertising company with three friends, has had the worst day of her life. Her car is towed, she breaks her shoe, and her birth mother is requesting contact with her. In spite of all this, things are looking up for Brooklyn because she has met the most beautiful woman ever. However, when Brooklyn finds out that this woman is Jessica Lennox, head of a large advertising firm, and that she and Jessica are competing for the same client’s contract, her life becomes increasingly complicated. How will Brooklyn be able to balance her desire for Jessica with her desire for this contract?
This romance novel delivers both steamy romantic scenes and character development. As Brooklyn and Jessica compete for the same ad contract, the book also provides plenty of drama and plot development beyond the basic love story. Kiss the Girl would be an excellent addition to a public library’s romance collection.
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Jenni Frencham, Librarian
Cesar Chavez Middle School, Hayward (CA)
QUOTED: "Overall, this is a really nice romance. ... With each passing novel, Brayden’s skill at storytelling gets sharper and more colorful. Words are on the page for a reason. It’s clear that those words are chosen carefully to convey setting, characterization, and emotion. And Brayden does emotion very well."
REVIEW: “Kiss the Girl” by Melissa Brayden
This entry was posted on August 6, 2014, in Books, Reviews and tagged Bold Strokes Books, Kiss The Girl, Lesbian Literature, Melissa Brayden, Reviews, SOHO Loft Romance. Bookmark the permalink. 4 Comments
I spent twelve years of my adult life teaching at universities. I taught Speech Communication and Performance of Literature. One of the things I always told my students was that it wasn’t enough to do the minimum necessary to pass. Because once they left college and got out into the working world, doing the minimum necessary would not be enough. No. They would be expected to learn from failures and successes. No matter what their chosen profession, they would be expected to improve. Always. The flat line on the graph of improvement wouldn’t cut it.
This lesson was usually the most difficult for the “A” student to learn. “But, I got an A on the first speech and a B on the second speech! Why? I did just as well on the second as I did the first.”
Exactly. You did “just as well.” It needed to be “better”. An athlete who just set the world record in the 100 meter race doesn’t sit back and say, “Well, I’m done.” S/he says, “I can run even faster.”
I view writers the same way. I’m drawn to those authors who just keep writing better and better novels – even if the previous novels won awards and got rave reviews.
So it is with Melissa Brayden. Brayden’s first two books, Waiting in the Wings and Heart Block, are Golden Crown Literary Award winners. Rightfully so! But what is so lovely, is that Brayden didn’t rest on her laurels and just squeeze out another book that was written “just as well” as her previous novels. She took the next step and said, “I can write even better.”
BSB-KissGirl
Sleeping with the enemy has never been so complicated.
Twenty-eight-year-old Brooklyn Campbell is having a bad day. A speeding ticket, a towed car, and a broken heel are all working against her laid-back vibe. To top it all off, her birth mother, whom she’s never met, has requested contact. The only bright spot is an impromptu date with a beautiful and mysterious brunette.
Jessica Lennox is what you would call a high-powered executive. She’s the head of a multimillion-dollar advertising firm in New York City, and it didn’t happen by accident. But when the blonde head turner from the wine bistro turns out to be her number one competitor, her life gets infinitely more complex.
Is New York big enough for both Brooklyn and Jessica? Maybe it’s just time they experienced it together…
Oh, but I did so enjoy Kiss the Girl (Bold Strokes Books). It is, I believe, Brayden’s best. And that’s saying a lot considering how much I enjoyed her previous offerings. Brayden does romance so very well. She provides us with engaging characters, a plausible set up with understandable and realistic conflict, and ridiculously fantastic dialogue.
As I’ve mentioned in other reviews, if an author doesn’t pull me into a story within the first couple of chapters, I lose interest. Fortunately, Brayden doesn’t waste time and gets right into heart of things. We’re provided with a solid introduction to the characters and setting right from the first page. Relationships between and among the characters are established quickly so that the reader has a strong understanding of the players involved. I love this! There’s nothing that bothers me more than being half-way through a book and still not knowing who people are when they show up in a chapter. Not so in Kiss the Girl. Brayden introduces us to Brooklyn Campbell and her three best friends in the prologue and right away the reader gets the sense that Samantha, Mallory, and Hunter are going to play an essential part in the story. Technically, they can be considered “secondary” characters, but there is nothing secondary about their place in Brooklyn’s story…or life. (I really hope these folks make more appearances in future SOHO Loft novels.) Jessica Lennox is not introduced until the second chapter of the book, but that doesn’t mean she’s given the short shrift. What Brayden does so well is to help us learn about characters through the eyes of other characters. In this case, we learn about Jessica as much from Brooklyn’s point of view as we do from Jessica’s.
What I’ve always appreciated about Brayden’s novels is that they are plausible. I can see these situations actually happening to people. Attraction at first sight? Yep. Forgetting the events of a bad day because of a connection with someone you’ve just met? Sure. Being competitors in the same industry? Oh, yeah. Friends with preconceived ideas about the person you’re attracted to? Most definitely! It all works. I’m never thinking, “Oh, right! Like that would happen!” and get pulled out of the story. Never. I’m able to stay wrapped up in the story – thinking of the myriad ways the situation can play out and eager to learn how it does get played out. Even more delicious for me is that the expected conflict wasn’t the actual conflict! Brayden has this wonderful way of surprising me by taking a direction that I wouldn’t expect. At first glance, and based on the back cover blurb, it would seem that the professional rivalry is the basis of the conflict. That makes sense. Perfect sense. But as the story goes on, I found that rivalry to be secondary to the story and the conflict. That’s just so delicious.
Don’t you hate it when a character says something that is just so far out in left field that it just jerks you right out of the story. If I have to stop to say, “Who says stuff like that?” things are not going to go well for the rest of the book. The dialogue in Kiss the Girl – as it is in Brayden’s other novels – is fast-paced and witty. What’s even more appealing to me is that each character has a distinct “voice” throughout the novel. It’s always clear who is speaking because of the style and tone of the dialogue rather than because of dialogue tags. This becomes especially important when 4 or more characters are in a scene and having a conversation!
Overall, this is a really nice romance. I was able to get lost in the story and the storytelling. With each passing novel, Brayden’s skill at storytelling gets sharper and more colorful. Words are on the page for a reason. It’s clear that those words are chosen carefully to convey setting, characterization, and emotion. And Brayden does emotion very well. (I admit to having tears in my eyes at a few points in the story and laughing out loud at other points.) This is on my “highly recommended” list and my “to re-read” list. If you haven’t read it already, make sure it’s next on YOUR list.
Oh, and keep an eye out for the rather delightful cameo.
QUOTED: "While Brayden does a nice job of maintaining Jenna’s 'voice' throughout the novel, what’s even more impressive is how that voice matures. From the first words to the last words, it’s very clear that Jenna is telling the story. But it’s also very clear that the Jenna on the last page is not the same naive Jenna on the first page. This was very nicely done."
REVIEW: “Waiting in the Wings” by Melissa Brayden
This entry was posted on June 30, 2012, in Books, Reviews and tagged Bold Strokes Books, Melissa Brayden, Reviews, Waiting in the Wings. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments
There’s something about me that most people don’t know. It’s not a deep, dark secret, or anything…but, there’s just something that most people wouldn’t exactly expect from me.
I have a theatre background. Yes, I do. I even have an MA degree in Theatre. Acting, directing, lighting design, set design, stagecraft…I’ve done a little bit of everything (with varying levels of expertise). I’m actually a pretty good actor, but I don’t sing nor do I dance. (Amazingly, however, I’ve been in a few musicals.) I admit to being a better Assistant Director than a Director. And I can build a muslin flat or a plywood platform like nobody’s business!
I’m really good with power tools, too. Mmmm…power tools. *ahem*
But I digress.
Considering this, it seems pretty obvious that I would be excited about Melissa Brayden’s debut novel, Waiting in the Wings (Bold Strokes). It tells the story of Jenna McGovern and her journey from recent college graduate to up-and-coming new star to famous leading lady. Jenna is young, talented, and ambitious. Will her ambitions bring her happiness? Or will they drive away the one thing in her life that means the most to her?
BSB-WaitingInTheWings
So, there were basically 3 things that drew me to this book:
Well, theatre. I love the theatre. Throw in that this was also about MUSICAL theatre and I’m hooked.
It’s a romance. Honestly, it’s been a while since I’ve been able to sit down with a bunch of just really good romance novels. When I’m in reading cycles, it’s often because I have to and am under a deadline to get the novels read…and I usually end up reading Suspense/Intrigue. While those also have romance, it’s just not the same.
The darned thing just won TWO Goldie awards! That has to say “well-written” – and I’m a sucker for a novel that is written well.
The sections of the book that describe the various aspects of putting on a live show were a lot of fun for me. I was able to reminisce about the various theatre venues I’ve worked in – each with their own pros and cons. Brayden does a very nice job of describing the goings-on backstage. She provides just enough detail to keep it interesting not only for readers who are very familiar with what goes into producing a staged show, but also for the reader who may have never seen the back stage. At the same time, she doesn’t get so bogged down in the details that all I wanted to do was skip pages to get to better stuff.
I love a good romance and this was a good romance. I’ll admit that, at first, I was a bit thrown by the incredibly fast relationship development between Jenna and her beautiful co-star, Adrienne Kenyon. I had that “it’s too good to be true” sort of feeling at first. Sure, being instantly attracted to another person is certainly believable – that’s happened to me before. But I was feeling like things were moving so very quickly. Then I sat back for a moment and thought about it and things fell into place for me. This is a theatre setting. I’ve worked on enough shows and done enough summerstock to know that when people spend nearly all of their time together, friendships form very quickly. Add that instant attraction and, yeah, a romantic relationship can certainly grow out of that in a short period of time. So I was back on track.
What Brayden does next completely settled things for me – Jenna and Adrienne have a sudden and rather dramatic (pardon the pun) breakup. On the one hand, this fits the formula I expected in a romance – the inclusion of conflict. However, the conflict that I expected to come from one direction completely side-swiped me by coming from a different direction. I thought it was telegraphed for me – the struggle of a long distance relationship, the adapting – over time – to the juggling of careers and relationships. But no! Instead, I got the breakup! ARGH!
Brilliant!
The second half of the story gave me what I had initially expected – the getting to know each other and gradual building (rebuilding) of a friendship. Jenna and Adrienne are older, more mature. While I wouldn’t say that either is necessarily settled in life, each has a slightly better understanding of what she wants her life to be. That is, until their work once again throws them together. Brayden now begins an emotional roller coaster that lasts through the rest of the book – she’s not afraid to throw more obstacles in Jenna and Adrienne’s way, that’s for sure. I think it’s delicious!
With the exception of some few, minor inconsistencies (which I won’t detail here – that’s how few and minor they are), this was a well-written novel. The Goldies for Debut Author and Traditional Contemporary Romance were very deserved, in my opinion. Waiting in the Wings is a novel that is tightly written – if it’s on the page, it has a purpose in the story. I love the way Brayden writes dialogue. It’s crisp, it’s clean, and it’s witty. Most importantly, it’s believable. Not once did I think, “Who says stuff like that?!”
The story is told entirely from Jenna’s point of view. While Brayden does a nice job of maintaining Jenna’s “voice” throughout the novel, what’s even more impressive is how that voice matures. From the first words to the last words, it’s very clear that Jenna is telling the story. But it’s also very clear that the Jenna on the last page is not the same naive Jenna on the first page. This was very nicely done, I thought.
So, here’s the thing…
If you like the theatre, give this book a read.
If you like romance, give this book a read.
If you like award-winning novels, give this book a read.
Oh, for pity sake! Just read it!
QUOTED: "The characters are complex, but easily relatable."
"Melissa Brayden is at the top of her game, with Kiss the Girl having an easy, breezy style that looks impossibly effortless. The banter is so good, the flirting delicious."
Kiss the Girl by Melissa Brayden: Book Review
February 2, 2016 Tara Scott Bold Strokes Books, Featured, Lesbian books, Lesbian Fiction, Melissa Brayden, Top 10
melissa brayden kiss the girl review on the lesbian review
Kiss the Girl by Melissa Brayden is the first book in Brayden’s Soho Loft series. Not only is it my favourite book in the series, it’s my favourite of Brayden’s books (and yes, I’ve read them all).
Brooklyn Campbell loves to drive fast, has her family of choice in her three best friends, and loves working with them at their small but mighty boutique ad agency, Soho Savvy. Kiss the Girl opens on one of her weirder days, when she gets a speeding ticket, receives a call that her birth mother would like to initiate contact with her, and has her car towed when she parks it illegally while running in to a printer to grab some materials. Glass in hand, she’s about to drown her sorrows in a nice white at a trendy wine bar across the street when she remembers her wallet was in her car. Luckily there’s a beautiful woman willing to pay who turns out to be just the right amount of flirty and an excellent kisser.
It’s only when Brooklyn and Mallory show up to pitch for a huge Foster’s Foods campaign the next day when she finds out that the excellent kisser is none other than Jessica Lennox, head of their biggest rival who’s also vying for the same campaign. Brooklyn and Jessica know it’s a bad idea to flirt any further, but the more they run into each other, the less they can help it.
The Characters
The characters are complex, but easily relatable. I liked the balance between Brooklyn’s friendly, laid back self, and her guarded nature after being raised in foster homes and a group home. The vulnerability in feeling so deeply, yet without the willingness to give herself permission to do so is conveyed well and my heart broke for her when she found out the truth about her birth family.
Jessica is smart and capable, and I like that she leans into the rumours about her cutthroat corporate ways, because it’s a great example of how women sometimes have to do things a little differently to succeed in the workplace. Her kindness and sensitivity with both Brooklyn and Ashton are to her credit, and although there’s less focus on her arc, it’s certainly there and done well.
As important as the relationship between Brooklyn and Jessica is, there’s also a huge emphasis on friendship, because Hunter, Samantha, and Mallory are the most important people in Brooklyn’s life. Almost every interaction between them is fun to read (unless it’s not supposed to be) and is a great example of how the people we surround ourselves with can become the family we’ve always needed.
The Writing Style
Melissa Brayden is at the top of her game, with Kiss the Girl having an easy, breezy style that looks impossibly effortless. The banter is so good, the flirting delicious, and I dare you to find better kissing elsewhere.
Despite all of the lightness, there’s still something deeply moving in scenes like the one that finds Brooklyn and Jessica sitting around the table with Brooklyn’s mother, father, sister, and brother, all of them learning how wrong they were when each imagined the other over the years. The emotional weight makes the happy ending pay off so much more than it would have otherwise.
The Pros
Oh that kissing. Quick, smart, fun dialogue. Deep feelings. I love everything about this book.
Jessica’s lips parted almost imperceptibly when she said the word girlfriend…
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The Cons
The title gets the stupid song from The Little Mermaid in my head for weeks after each reread.
Also, I wanted to eat chocolate the whole time. This is a series-wide con, not one that is only specific to the book.
The Conclusion
This is one of my all time favourite romances and I wholeheartedly recommend it. I’ve read it several times and expect to keep coming back to it for years to come.
Excerpt from Kiss the Girl by Melissa Brayden
A silence. But the comfortable kind, which was kind of nice. Brooklyn decided to enjoy it and the wine. Already she was feeling infinitely lighter as the stress from the day ran off her. She sat back in her chair and traced the rim of her glass. “So do you live around here?”
“Just around the corner actually.”
“With your very handsome husband?”
Jessica met her eyes. “Negative.”
“Boyfriend then.”
“Yikes. Not since early college.”
Brooklyn caught the implication and whoa; this shifted things a bit. With this new information, her intrigue level shot up a thousand percent. “This just gets more interesting as it goes.”
“Doesn’t it? What about you? Madly in love with your doorman?”
Brooklyn shook her head and almost had to laugh at the thought of her and Sly. “He’s a nice guy, but no. I haven’t dated anyone since my last girlfriend broke up with me eight months ago. I wasn’t, as she put it, ‘emotionally present in the relationship.’ It’s something I’m working on. ”
Jessica’s lips parted almost imperceptibly when she said the word girlfriend, and now there was this little gleam in her eye. Yeah, they were so on the same page.
QUOTED: "There’s something very fun about an opposites-attract story, especially when it’s done as well as First Position."
"Their character arcs were one of the greatest strengths of this book because they were fully explored and led to a satisfying conclusion."
"It’s written well, with good pacing, an engaging plot."
First Position by Melissa Brayden: Book Review
September 22, 2016 Tara Scott Lesbian books, Lesbian Fiction, Melissa Brayden
First Position by Melissa BraydenFirst Position by Melissa Brayden is romance at its finest with an opposites attract theme that kept me engaged the whole way through.
Anastasia Mikhelson knows it’s her time with the New York City Ballet. After working her way up the ranks and spending five years as a soloist, she’s waiting to find out if the coveted role of principal dancer is finally hers. Getting the job is bittersweet, however, because it comes with the feedback that she needs to add feeling to her technically flawless dancing.
Years after walking away from the School of American Ballet, Natalie Frederico is full of raw talent, getting her joy from putting together independent shows that mix dance with other media. When the New York City Ballet makes an offer she can’t refuse, Natalie finds herself face to face with her old schoolmate, Ana, who isn’t any friendlier now than she was all those years ago.
The more time they spend together, the more Natalie sees that Ana may not be the ice queen everyone says she is, and instead has given up a social life to focus on her career. As they prepare for the company’s new show, they come to know each other better, but is it possible they could be more than rivals and coworkers?
The Characters
There’s something very fun about an opposites-attract story, especially when it’s done as well as First Position. Natalie is all fire and passion and Ana is all skill and drive, but each helps the other to grow in ways that make them stronger as individuals and interesting as a couple. Their character arcs were one of the greatest strengths of this book because they were fully explored and led to a satisfying conclusion.
The Writing Style
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Melissa Brayden’s books or that Kiss the Girl is one of my favourite romances. There are things I’ve come to expect from her writing style, plot construction, and characters. But Natalie is not your typical Brayden heroine and First Position doesn’t have the banter I grew to know and love in the Soho Loft series, and I couldn’t be happier. I was delighted that Melissa Brayden blew all of my expectations out of the water and I can’t wait to see what else she has in store for us because she’s clearly stepped up her writing game (including with her sex scenes, which wow, were they ever next-level hot).
The Pros
Everything? It’s written well, with good pacing, an engaging plot, and characters I loved watching grow. I was also happy to see the leads from Waiting in the Wings again and the minor cameo from Brooklyn and Jessica from Kiss the Girl.
The Cons
None.
taras favourite lesbian booksThe Conclusion
I don’t know if I love First Position quite as much as Kiss the Girl (and if not, it’s damn close), but I think this is Melissa Brayden’s best book yet. If you like excellent romance, pick this one up right away.
Excerpt from First Position by Melissa Brayden
“You really hate that door, don’t you? Want some help?”
Ana made an after-you gesture and stepped aside in frustration. Natalie removed the key from the lock, and with very little force slid it easily back into the keyhole and turned it gingerly to the left until they heard a quiet click. “See? Just needed a softer touch. This door doesn’t hate you. You should try being its friend. There might be a larger metaphor there.” And with that, Natalie headed off down the hallway, hips swaying slightly.
“Wait. How did you do that?” Ana called after her.
“I’ve been told I have really good hands,” Natalie called without looking back.
Ready or Not by Melissa Brayden ~ Book Review by Ameliah
Posted on 3 February 2016 by Ameliah Faith — Leave a reply
Ready-or-Not-CoverTitle: Ready or Not
Author: Melissa Brayden
Publisher: Bold Strokes Publishing
Cover Artist: Sheri(graphicartist2020@hotmail.com)
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Publication Date: 11/16/2015
Length: Novel (~ 50K-100K)
Genre: Contemporary, Lesbian, Lesbian Romance, Romance
Blurb:
Sometimes wrong is extra right.
Mallory Spencer is in charge. As the face of Soho Savvy, the advertising firm she owns with her three best friends, it’s important that she’s poised, polished, and put together. However, as she watches her friends couple up and settle down, she wonders about her own happily ever after. One thing’s for sure. It’s not going to happen with that blue-eyed bartender from Showplace. It’s irritatingly clear they couldn’t be more wrong for each other…or have more chemistry.
Hope Sanders wants nothing more than to keep her head down and craft a better life for herself running everyone’s favorite nightspot. That means ignoring the groupies that flock to the bar to stare at her all night. However, an uptight brunette has snagged Hope’s attention and she knows a challenge when she sees it.
A Soho Loft Romance.
My View:
My Favourite of the Series
In the third and last installment of the Soho Savvy gals it’s Mallory’s turn to find love. Its been six months since Hunter and Samantha got together and a year for Brooklyn and Jessica. On a weekend trip to the Hamptons Mallory is definitely feeling like a 5th wheel and more than a little jealous. Things start to get interesting when Hunter invites Hope, the gorgeous bartender from Showplace, to the party. Hope has been crushing on Mallory, but she is less than interested… or is she?
Mallory is the leader of this merry band. She is the one who put the group together. The rich girl with the expectation of perfection piled on her. She is a bit uptight, pretentious, and downright rude to poor Hope. She feels a mere bartender is beneath her but that’s truly not the person she wants to be.
Hope on the other hand grew up poor with a twin sister who is a recovering addict thief and a mom who picked boyfriends that liked to hit her. Somehow Hope has managed to escape but she is still a long way from home free. She has a good outlook on life, an easy smile, she adores her job and is proud of what she does and is really looking forward to the future.
This was my favourite of the series. It was funnier than the others and I felt there was more drama. There was a divorce, a wedding, new accounts for Savvy… Hope had her sister’s drama, the robbery, the underlying current of danger, the break up, the wonderful steamy sex scenes and yes the Midnight Chocolates too. Most of all the book was so darn mushy and romantic. I just loved it.
QUOTED: "Ana and Natalie are both entirely likeable characters whose strengths and weaknesses work well together; they truly are an excellent pairing. There is just enough of the personal, the professional, and the universe hates us all mixed together, blended and balanced to keep the read moving at a strong and steady pace. There aren’t any lags or slow spots in the read and it doesn’t rush to the end as if Hell is on a horse chasing everyone."
27Sep2016
Review: First Position by Melissa Brayden
by rolopolobookblog
First Position
Title: First Position Author: Melissa Brayden Print Length: 264 pages Publisher: Bold Strokes Books Published: August 16, 2016 ASIN: B01ICMAK0W
goodreads
Anastasia Mikhelson is the rising star of the New York City Ballet. She’s sacrificed creature comforts, a social life, as well as her own physical well-being for perfection in dance. Even her reputation as The Ice Queen doesn’t faze her. Though Ana’s at the peak of her career, competition from a new and noteworthy dancer puts all she’s worked for in jeopardy. While Natalie Frederico has shown herself to be a prodigy when it comes to ballet, she much prefers modern dance and living on her own terms. Life is too short for anything else. However, when the opportunity to dance with the New York City Ballet is thrust upon her, it’s not like she could say no. Dealing with the company’s uptight lead is another story, however. When the two are forced to work side-by-side, sparks begin to fly onstage and off.
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 4½/5 stars
My Review:
Ana Mikhelson (aka Frozen) is now and has always been focused on one thing, becoming a principle dancer with the New York City Ballet. Her life has been spent in the pursuit of this dream and nothing is going to stop her from achieving her goal. Each and every day, Ana pushes herself, she pushes her body, she uses her precious free time on review and extra practice, and denies herself every comfort. Within the company, Ana has only colleagues and no friends and until Natalie, that was a situation she was completely comfortable with.
Natalie Frederico loves to dance and has spent her life in the pursuit of her kind of dance. Though she is a classically trained dancer, Natalie has always found ballet to be too restrictive, too formal so when the New York City Ballet comes calling, Natalie isn’t sure she’s exactly cut out for the job. When she arrives in New York, Natalie is stunned to learn she will be given a lead role in a new show, in large part because of the emotion, the passion she brings to her performances. The only condition, she has to share the lead with the company Ice Queen, Ana, and they are meant to work together and learn from one another.
Ana’s technique is flawless, superb even, but she has never been able to bring any real life or emotion to her performances. Though Ana isn’t happy about having to share her lead role, even she has to admit, when Natalie dances, it is a sight to be seen. Natalie is fierce, uninhibited, and dances the music. Her technique may be far from flawless but Natalie’s performance, her presence on stage is phenomenal. Yeah, Ana can learn from that. On the flip side of this little arrangement is Natalie’s aforementioned far from flawless technique. Ana’s technique is above reproach and with a little hard work and some well-placed pointers, she is able to help Natalie shore up her own performance.
As the days and weeks go by, the entire company begins to notice some big changes in both Ana and Natalie. Frozen is thawing just a bit and Natalie’s technique is getting better and better. The two women feed off one another in the best way possible and that feeding carries over into their personal lives as well. There is no denying the attraction between the two women – it’s damn-near electric – but there are complications on both sides. Natalie is involved with another woman and Ana simply doesn’t do anything (or anyone) that might derail her career plans. Because life is generally feast or famine and the universe has a nasty sense of humor, the two women aren’t allowed to deal with just one thing at a time but a whole slew of crap simultaneously. There’s the personal, there’s the professional, and there’s the universe hates us.
The Bottom Line: First Position is my first Melissa Brayden read and I will absolutely be coming back for more of her brand of writing!! I totally enjoyed this book from start to finish. Ana and Natalie are both entirely likeable characters whose strengths and weaknesses work well together; they truly are an excellent pairing. There is just enough of the personal, the professional, and the universe hates us all mixed together, blended and balanced to keep the read moving at a strong and steady pace. There aren’t any lags or slow spots in the read and it doesn’t rush to the end as if Hell is on a horse chasing everyone. There are some naughty bits in this read and they match the everything else in the novel, strong, steady, and balanced with just the right mix of naughty and nice. Overall, First Position is a book I looked forward to getting back to each time I was forced to stop reading. Furthermore, there is a nice cast of secondary characters in this book that I would happily read about should the author choose to move this first book into a longer, more in depth series.
P.S. First Position has a truly excellent epilogue. I really like it when an author uses an epilogue to such a fantastic degree 🙂
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About the author and where to find her:
Melissa BraydenMelissa Brayden is a multi-award winning author of seven lesbian romance novels and hard at work on her eighth. After ten years working in educational theatre, she has recently graduated with her MFA in Directing from Texas State University and is embracing life as a full time writer.
Melissa works really hard at remembering to do the dishes. For personal enjoyment, she spends time with her Jack Russell Terriers and checks out the NYC theatre scene several times a year. She considers herself a reluctant patron of the treadmill, but thoroughly enjoys hitting a tennis ball around in nice weather. Coffee is her very best friend. http://www.melissabrayden.com
QUOTED: "The relationship between Jenna and Adrienne seemed realistic, great dialog and some palpable sexual tension. We didn’t get too much a sense of the interior dialog, the neurotic angst but instead a pretty clear vision through their eyes. The romance was believable, it felt plausible."
Waiting in the Wings by Melissa Brayden
07.26.2013 by BookDyke //
waiting-in-the-wingsIf you don’t get lost, there’s a chance you may never be found.
Jenna McGovern has spent her whole life training for the stage. She’s taken dance classes, voice lessons, and even earned her performance degree from one of the most prestigious musical theater programs in the nation. At graduation, she’s stunned when a chance audition lands her a prime supporting role in the hottest Broadway touring production in the country. In more exciting news, Jenna discovers acclaimed television star Adrienne Kenyon is headlining the production.
Jenna settles easily in to life on tour and has a promising career laid out in front of her, if only she plays her cards right. She’s waited for this opportunity her entire life and will let nothing stand in her way. The one thing she didn’t prepare for, however, was Adrienne. Her new costar is talented, beautiful, generous, and the utmost professional. As the two women grow closer onstage and off, they must learn how to fit each other into a demanding lifestyle full of unexpected twists and difficult decisions. But is Jenna ready to sacrifice what she’s worked so hard for in exchange for a shot at something much deeper?
What a enjoyable read. I will admit to knowing little to nothing about Broadway, dancing, acting or the lives of a touring cast but none of that mattered. What I needed to know was laid out for me simply, I could go along with it and feel like I could understand the day to day grind of being in a show and the close knit relationships of the cast and crew. Often in an ensemble story there are so may supporting characters I lose track of them and/or decide I just don’t care. Waiting in the Wings didn’t bog me down with unnecessary characters, just a couple of best pals and a rival or two, everyone else was set dressing.
The relationship between Jenna and Adrienne seemed realistic, great dialog and some palpable sexual tension. We didn’t get too much a sense of the interior dialog, the neurotic angst but instead a pretty clear vision through their eyes. The romance was believable, it felt plausible, it certainly had me rooting for them. The sex was yummy, not too chaste, nor too explicit.
The jump forward 4 years in time was at first difficult for me, but as the story moved forward I could see the evolution of the characters, how the story I’d been privy to earlier had changed the characters into who they now were. It ended up working very well, and I was impressed with Melissa Brayden’s skillful handling of that.
I only gave it 4 stars because as enjoyable as it was it wasn’t OMG fantastic, but it was well worth the time in reading it and I look forward to her future novels.
Waiting in the Wings by Melissa Brayden
Categories // Reviews, Romance Tags // Melissa Brayden