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Behind the Pine Curtain
Jacqueline Keys was ostracized from her small hometown of Pine Springs, Texas when she was seventeen, sent away because she was gay. Her family was the largest employer in the county, owning Pine Springs Lumber, and her father was mayor of this small town. Her mother could not accept the fact that her only child was gay, could not tolerate the gossip about her family. So, with a hundred dollars in her pocket and a one-way bus ticket out of town, Jacqueline was told not to come back until she had come to her senses. And that included being prepared to marry the son of a business associate of the family.
Fifteen years later—long after she’d hitch-hiked to Los Angeles, long after she’d worked nights to put herself through college, and long after she’d written her first best seller, No Place For Family—Jacqueline is persuaded to go back to the tiny town of Pine Springs after her father’s death.
The quick trip she’d envisioned for the funeral turns into weeks as she learns her father’s business is suddenly hers to manage. And she is also again face-to-face with the woman who, as a teen, had been Jackie’s first crush. She and Kay had been inseparable as kids, and later as teens. They find themselves falling back into their old habits, and Jackie is soon fighting the same feelings she’d had when she was seventeen.
But living behind the pine curtain, Kay is afraid of her love for Jackie, afraid of what her family will say, afraid of how the town will react. Jackie refuses to hide, refuses to crawl back into the closet, so once again, she leaves Pine Springs . . . alone.
Fifteen years later—long after she’d hitch-hiked to Los Angeles, long after she’d worked nights to put herself through college, and long after she’d written her first best seller, No Place For Family—Jacqueline is persuaded to go back to the tiny town of Pine Springs after her father’s death.
The quick trip she’d envisioned for the funeral turns into weeks as she learns her father’s business is suddenly hers to manage. And she is also again face-to-face with the woman who, as a teen, had been Jackie’s first crush. She and Kay had been inseparable as kids, and later as teens. They find themselves falling back into their old habits, and Jackie is soon fighting the same feelings she’d had when she was seventeen.
But living behind the pine curtain, Kay is afraid of her love for Jackie, afraid of what her family will say, afraid of how the town will react. Jackie refuses to hide, refuses to crawl back into the closet, so once again, she leaves Pine Springs . . . alone.
218 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2006
46 people are currently reading
1471 people want to read
About the author
Gerri Hill
54 books1,517 followersGerri began writing lesbian romance as a way to amuse herself while snowed in one winter in the mountains of Colorado, and hasn’t looked back. Her first published work came in 2000 with One Summer Night. Many more romances have followed, with the occasional murder mystery in the mix.
Gerri’s love of nature and of being outdoors usually makes its way into her stories as her characters often find themselves in beautiful natural settings. When she isn’t writing, Gerri and her longtime partner, Diane, can be found at their home in East Texas, where their vegetable garden, orchard, and five acres of woods keep them busy. They share their lives with an ever-changing cast of furry friends.
Her favorite pastimes include camping, hiking, birdwatching (though she insists she doesn’t wear funny hats yet!), photography, and cooking. She collects things nature offers, like an unusual pinecone, colorful rocks, or an abandoned bird feather. Dawn is her favorite time of day, the moment right before sunrise...
"I love the morning... the beginning of a brand new day. Because even things that we know are unattainable flutter within our grasp. In the early morning—at that cusp of a new day—everything is possible."
Gerri’s love of nature and of being outdoors usually makes its way into her stories as her characters often find themselves in beautiful natural settings. When she isn’t writing, Gerri and her longtime partner, Diane, can be found at their home in East Texas, where their vegetable garden, orchard, and five acres of woods keep them busy. They share their lives with an ever-changing cast of furry friends.
Her favorite pastimes include camping, hiking, birdwatching (though she insists she doesn’t wear funny hats yet!), photography, and cooking. She collects things nature offers, like an unusual pinecone, colorful rocks, or an abandoned bird feather. Dawn is her favorite time of day, the moment right before sunrise...
"I love the morning... the beginning of a brand new day. Because even things that we know are unattainable flutter within our grasp. In the early morning—at that cusp of a new day—everything is possible."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
May 19, 2019
Gerri Hill never disappoints. I’ve read this now for the second time.
With the knowledge in mind that the book was published in 2006 and it’s one of the first books from this author, this is a nice, sweet romantic story about two friends who re-connect after being separated for fifteen years. As a teenager, Jacky was in love with her best friend Kay but didn’t dare to tell her, before she was sent away because she’s gay. And after seeing her again, all the feelings resurface again. Is there any chance that Kay would be more than a good friend?
Jacky and Kay are great characters, both with some bad experience in their past. Jacky’s a badass woman and you have to love her. Kay is the typical small town girl, who is content in her life, and who has given up on the prospect of finding the ONE person for her.
It was a little bit predictable and the end was rushed, otherwise, a good way to spend some hours reading. With good secondary characters and a good plot.
My rating, a 4 stars
With the knowledge in mind that the book was published in 2006 and it’s one of the first books from this author, this is a nice, sweet romantic story about two friends who re-connect after being separated for fifteen years. As a teenager, Jacky was in love with her best friend Kay but didn’t dare to tell her, before she was sent away because she’s gay. And after seeing her again, all the feelings resurface again. Is there any chance that Kay would be more than a good friend?
Jacky and Kay are great characters, both with some bad experience in their past. Jacky’s a badass woman and you have to love her. Kay is the typical small town girl, who is content in her life, and who has given up on the prospect of finding the ONE person for her.
It was a little bit predictable and the end was rushed, otherwise, a good way to spend some hours reading. With good secondary characters and a good plot.
My rating, a 4 stars
March 14, 2021
3.5 stars. A wonderful story as I’ve come to expect from Gerri Hill. It has a bit of everything, friends to lovers, return to hometown, family drama (awful homophobic family members), and yes… it’s a toaster oven story as well.
It’s not the most surprising storyline, but the characters had a good depth, the writing is solid and I enjoyed it a lot. The only downside of the book was the ending, the conflict felt forced, rushed and was too late in the story so it knocked a star off.
This is an older book, but it is still a good read, or in my case listening experience. The audiobook is narrated by Abby Craden, which was excellent as always.
It’s not the most surprising storyline, but the characters had a good depth, the writing is solid and I enjoyed it a lot. The only downside of the book was the ending, the conflict felt forced, rushed and was too late in the story so it knocked a star off.
This is an older book, but it is still a good read, or in my case listening experience. The audiobook is narrated by Abby Craden, which was excellent as always.
February 11, 2021
Review of Behind the Pine Curtain by Gerri Hill, Audiobook narrated by Abby Craden
Gerri Hill is slowly releasing all the back catalog on audiobook and has very cleverly chosen Abby Craden as the narrator. This book was written in 2006 but despite the world has changed, homophobia in certain parts of the US (and the rest of the world) is still present.
When Jacqueline Keys came out to her parents at seventeen, she was sent away from the small town of Pine Springs, Texas, to avoid gossip about her family. Fifteen years later, Jacquie is now a famous writer living in LA with no interest in going back to Texas until she receives the news that her father passed away. There she’ll meet her former best friend and teenage crush Kay who will stir old feelings in Jacquie…
This is a very good return to hometown plus friends to lovers romance by Gerri Hill. But reducing this novel to that would be an extreme simplification as there are a few subplots merging in the story. There is family conflict, small-town dynamics, Jacquie’s father’s business matters, and a coming-out story. With so many different things happening in this book not every single plotline is developed with the same success. I felt that the business storyline was a bit simplified as well as Jacquie’s relationship with her mother.
However, the romance is at the front of the plot and Ms. Hill presents it beautifully. As it’s typical of coming-out stories, it’s a slow-burn romance that Ms. Hill builds up unhurriedly. The chemistry between the mains, first as friends then as lovers, is spot on and very obvious to the reader so much so that’s impossible not to root for them. The secondary characters are also worth a mention, especially Kay’s sister Rosie. As usual, nature, wildlife, and beautiful landscapes are present like in most of Ms. Hill’s work.
The story is narrated by Abby Craden who is, as usual, fantastic. Ms. Craden is such a gain for lesfic as a whole and Ms. Hill in particular because of the high quality of all her performances. As always, her voices are distinctive and the performance of emotions outstanding. At under 7 hours, it’s a short-ish audiobook but worth a listen. 4.5 stars.
Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
Gerri Hill is slowly releasing all the back catalog on audiobook and has very cleverly chosen Abby Craden as the narrator. This book was written in 2006 but despite the world has changed, homophobia in certain parts of the US (and the rest of the world) is still present.
When Jacqueline Keys came out to her parents at seventeen, she was sent away from the small town of Pine Springs, Texas, to avoid gossip about her family. Fifteen years later, Jacquie is now a famous writer living in LA with no interest in going back to Texas until she receives the news that her father passed away. There she’ll meet her former best friend and teenage crush Kay who will stir old feelings in Jacquie…
This is a very good return to hometown plus friends to lovers romance by Gerri Hill. But reducing this novel to that would be an extreme simplification as there are a few subplots merging in the story. There is family conflict, small-town dynamics, Jacquie’s father’s business matters, and a coming-out story. With so many different things happening in this book not every single plotline is developed with the same success. I felt that the business storyline was a bit simplified as well as Jacquie’s relationship with her mother.
However, the romance is at the front of the plot and Ms. Hill presents it beautifully. As it’s typical of coming-out stories, it’s a slow-burn romance that Ms. Hill builds up unhurriedly. The chemistry between the mains, first as friends then as lovers, is spot on and very obvious to the reader so much so that’s impossible not to root for them. The secondary characters are also worth a mention, especially Kay’s sister Rosie. As usual, nature, wildlife, and beautiful landscapes are present like in most of Ms. Hill’s work.
The story is narrated by Abby Craden who is, as usual, fantastic. Ms. Craden is such a gain for lesfic as a whole and Ms. Hill in particular because of the high quality of all her performances. As always, her voices are distinctive and the performance of emotions outstanding. At under 7 hours, it’s a short-ish audiobook but worth a listen. 4.5 stars.
Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
January 22, 2021
I was 90 percent of the way through this audiobook and couldn't remember for the life of me why I would have given the paperback review a 4. I was absolutely loving it! This was an original idea from Gerri (no hot springs, nude sunbathing, hiking, or descriptions of birds and/or wildlife) and things were going swimmingly... Abby was doing her usual awesome job with the narration... and then BOOM. The part comes in the last few chapters where you want to strangle the two MCs. Then I was like, "Ohhhhh.... THAT'S why." But now that I sit to write this review, I am reflecting on how to rate this book. Do I take a star away because I am flabbergasted by the characters' actions? And while I understand this is a writer's choice, I've also heard authors say that sometimes characters tell THEM the story and they are just the vessel. So did these characters tell Gerri this was the journey they were taking? Should she have listened? lol Ultimately, I have to give Gerri all the credit for writing a story completely different than her usual. Do I sometimes get frustrated by the "conflict" that almost always happens near the end of these books that does nothing but cause misery to the characters? YES. But still - this is an audiobook worth listening to and at just shy of seven hours, it's a really great length between longer books. And Abby. 4.5 stars.
May 31, 2019
I read this book a long time ago and enjoyed it very much. My rating then was 4 stars. After reading it again I give the book 5 stars. I loved reading this book again. This is a very good romantic story with lovable main characters that listen to each other. Even though Jackie was afraid to tell Kay that she was in love with her, she and Kay communicated very well. You could feel the love between them. I also very much liked the supporting cast of the Garland family, they felt real and warm. Even though the start of everything that happens in this book, namely Jackie being sent away by her parents when she was 17 for being gay, felt a little old fashioned to me, this is still a fantastic book to read now. That’s the other reason I upgraded my rating from 4 to 5 stars. A book that you enjoy so much years after it was first published deserves 5 stars.
May 8, 2022
Ticks so many boxes - wonderful book. But why such a brick wall ending... nearly lost a star on that. Gerri Hill should add an epilogue. Bah. Loved it, highly recommended.
July 3, 2021
Great story! Knocked off one star as the ending was a bit abrupt.
July 17, 2023
I absolutely enjoyed reading BTPC. Nothing new with the plot; in love with bestie with said bestie not realising until years later that that feeling she felt deep inside is love, mc with awful parents with an even appalling/obnoxious mother while the other mc had a supportive family, low angst, etc. My only not so positive comments is that the ending is just too rush and abrupt. The phone rang endlessly, someone at door and then HEA? Could probably make do with few more pages and an epilogue.
July 4, 2021
4 ⭐ (audible version) Enjoyable listen
I thought this was a solid friends to lovers story. I have bumped it up to a 4 because Abby Craden's narration and Texas accents.
spoiler nitpick
I thought this was a solid friends to lovers story. I have bumped it up to a 4 because Abby Craden's narration and Texas accents.
spoiler nitpick
August 15, 2018
3.5 stars.
Pros
■ Well written
■ Great leads
■ Great supporting cast
■ Good plot
Cons
■ Not enough focus on their relationship for a romance book
■ Anticlimatic rushed ending
■ A bit repetitive
Overall a pleasant read with some great characters in this book. I just wish the book focused more on the romance itself rather than dealing with the old boys club and family drama. The book also gets a bit repetitive with all the musing about how to deal with this or that. And the ending was rushed. It ends with them getting together without any further clarification on many of the issues the book touched upon. A proper epilogue would have gone a long way on rectifying this.
But otherwise a really nice book, I enjoyed the hours I spent with Jackie.
Pros
■ Well written
■ Great leads
■ Great supporting cast
■ Good plot
Cons
■ Not enough focus on their relationship for a romance book
■ Anticlimatic rushed ending
■ A bit repetitive
Overall a pleasant read with some great characters in this book. I just wish the book focused more on the romance itself rather than dealing with the old boys club and family drama. The book also gets a bit repetitive with all the musing about how to deal with this or that. And the ending was rushed. It ends with them getting together without any further clarification on many of the issues the book touched upon. A proper epilogue would have gone a long way on rectifying this.
But otherwise a really nice book, I enjoyed the hours I spent with Jackie.
June 26, 2025
I loved this. It’s soft and emotional and completely absorbing in that quiet Gerri Hill way. Behind the Pine Curtain is a beautiful friends-to-lovers, return-to-hometown story that hit all the right notes for me.
Jacqui and Kay’s chemistry is just gorgeous — slow-building, full of history, and handled with such tenderness. I loved watching their connection unfold, with all the push-pull of unresolved feelings and the awkwardness of seeing someone again after so many years. The small-town setting added another layer of pressure and realism that made their reconnection feel even more intimate.
The subplots — grief, family tension, and Jacqui’s reluctant inheritance — gave the story depth without ever distracting from the romance. I was completely invested in this story entirely.
This is exactly the kind of slow-burn I adore: layered, thoughtful, and emotionally satisfying. Abby Craden's narration was as always - perfect.
Jacqui and Kay’s chemistry is just gorgeous — slow-building, full of history, and handled with such tenderness. I loved watching their connection unfold, with all the push-pull of unresolved feelings and the awkwardness of seeing someone again after so many years. The small-town setting added another layer of pressure and realism that made their reconnection feel even more intimate.
The subplots — grief, family tension, and Jacqui’s reluctant inheritance — gave the story depth without ever distracting from the romance. I was completely invested in this story entirely.
This is exactly the kind of slow-burn I adore: layered, thoughtful, and emotionally satisfying. Abby Craden's narration was as always - perfect.
February 23, 2014
Just as good the second time around! A nice, easy read to spend a few hours with Jackie and Kay.
February 11, 2021
Review of Behind the Pine Curtain by Gerri Hill, Audiobook narrated by Abby Craden
Gerri Hill is slowly releasing all the back catalog on audiobook and has very cleverly chosen Abby Craden as the narrator. This book was written in 2006 but despite the world has changed, homophobia in certain parts of the US (and the rest of the world) is still present.
When Jacqueline Keys came out to her parents at seventeen, she was sent away from the small town of Pine Springs, Texas, to avoid gossip about her family. Fifteen years later, Jacquie is now a famous writer living in LA with no interest in going back to Texas until she receives the news that her father passed away. There she’ll meet her former best friend and teenage crush Kay who will stir old feelings in Jacquie…
This is a very good return to hometown plus friends to lovers romance by Gerri Hill. But reducing this novel to that would be an extreme simplification as there are a few subplots merging in the story. There is family conflict, small-town dynamics, Jacquie’s father’s business matters, and a coming-out story. With so many different things happening in this book not every single plotline is developed with the same success. I felt that the business storyline was a bit simplified as well as Jacquie’s relationship with her mother.
However, the romance is at the front of the plot and Ms. Hill presents it beautifully. As it’s typical of coming-out stories, it’s a slow-burn romance that Ms. Hill builds up unhurriedly. The chemistry between the mains, first as friends then as lovers, is spot on and very obvious to the reader so much so that’s impossible not to root for them. The secondary characters are also worth a mention, especially Kay’s sister Rosie. As usual, nature, wildlife, and beautiful landscapes are present like in most of Ms. Hill’s work.
The story is narrated by Abby Craden who is, as usual, fantastic. Ms. Craden is such a gain for lesfic as a whole and Ms. Hill in particular because of the high quality of all her performances. As always, her voices are distinctive and the performance of emotions outstanding. At under 7 hours, it’s a short-ish audiobook but worth a listen. 4.5 stars.
Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
Available in Scribd
Gerri Hill is slowly releasing all the back catalog on audiobook and has very cleverly chosen Abby Craden as the narrator. This book was written in 2006 but despite the world has changed, homophobia in certain parts of the US (and the rest of the world) is still present.
When Jacqueline Keys came out to her parents at seventeen, she was sent away from the small town of Pine Springs, Texas, to avoid gossip about her family. Fifteen years later, Jacquie is now a famous writer living in LA with no interest in going back to Texas until she receives the news that her father passed away. There she’ll meet her former best friend and teenage crush Kay who will stir old feelings in Jacquie…
This is a very good return to hometown plus friends to lovers romance by Gerri Hill. But reducing this novel to that would be an extreme simplification as there are a few subplots merging in the story. There is family conflict, small-town dynamics, Jacquie’s father’s business matters, and a coming-out story. With so many different things happening in this book not every single plotline is developed with the same success. I felt that the business storyline was a bit simplified as well as Jacquie’s relationship with her mother.
However, the romance is at the front of the plot and Ms. Hill presents it beautifully. As it’s typical of coming-out stories, it’s a slow-burn romance that Ms. Hill builds up unhurriedly. The chemistry between the mains, first as friends then as lovers, is spot on and very obvious to the reader so much so that’s impossible not to root for them. The secondary characters are also worth a mention, especially Kay’s sister Rosie. As usual, nature, wildlife, and beautiful landscapes are present like in most of Ms. Hill’s work.
The story is narrated by Abby Craden who is, as usual, fantastic. Ms. Craden is such a gain for lesfic as a whole and Ms. Hill in particular because of the high quality of all her performances. As always, her voices are distinctive and the performance of emotions outstanding. At under 7 hours, it’s a short-ish audiobook but worth a listen. 4.5 stars.
Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
Available in Scribd
August 18, 2021
Great narration by Craden. Book was very good but the ending felt abrupt and wanted to see what the HEA looked like when one person is out and the other one is just peaking out of the closet in a conservative town.
January 2, 2022
6/10
by now i feel like this is the average when it comes to gerri hill and me
i usually know what to expect and probably wont be disappointed but wont be wowed either
by now i feel like this is the average when it comes to gerri hill and me
i usually know what to expect and probably wont be disappointed but wont be wowed either
March 12, 2017
I still love this book but I just now realised how rushed the ending is.
*3.8 stars*
*3.8 stars*
February 1, 2021
3.25 stars. I'd say this is a classic Gerri Hill book. I had this on my reading pile for paperbacks and was happy to learn that the audiobook was just out, narrated by none other than the one and only Abby Craden. The pair Gerri Hill + Abby Craden = instant listen for me.
Jacqueline "Jackie" Keys, a successful writer, returns to her small Texas hometown after her father's death. She hasn't spoken to her parents in fifteen years after she was kicked out at 17 for being gay. Her biggest regret is that she has never once contacted her former best friend Kay, with who she was inseparable.
When they meet in town, the connection they once had returns instantly. Kay, now the owner of a small shop in town, is divorced and badly bruised from that experience.
I liked the book. It was very low on angst, and it's a mixture of memories and current story.
Although the connection beween the two mains was palpable, there wasn't really any sexual chemistry. Also I couldn't grasp Kay's character.
All in all, the story was nice, but I couldn't help but feel that I didn't really believe in their HEA. Them as a couple, yes absolutely, but the small town surroundings were just too toxic. An epilogue would have helped.
Jacqueline "Jackie" Keys, a successful writer, returns to her small Texas hometown after her father's death. She hasn't spoken to her parents in fifteen years after she was kicked out at 17 for being gay. Her biggest regret is that she has never once contacted her former best friend Kay, with who she was inseparable.
When they meet in town, the connection they once had returns instantly. Kay, now the owner of a small shop in town, is divorced and badly bruised from that experience.
I liked the book. It was very low on angst, and it's a mixture of memories and current story.
Although the connection beween the two mains was palpable, there wasn't really any sexual chemistry. Also I couldn't grasp Kay's character.
All in all, the story was nice, but I couldn't help but feel that I didn't really believe in their HEA. Them as a couple, yes absolutely, but the small town surroundings were just too toxic. An epilogue would have helped.
December 3, 2018
Long Lost Love
Gerri’s book never disappoint ,a love lost long ago reappears with the with the death of a parent,there’s a business and a lot of history to get over before love can finally be found
Gerri’s book never disappoint ,a love lost long ago reappears with the with the death of a parent,there’s a business and a lot of history to get over before love can finally be found
August 5, 2019
Super rushed ending - almost didn't make sense.
February 16, 2021
Gerri Hill is one of my favorite authors, and
Behind the Pine Curtain is one of the reasons why she holds this ranking. It's a very-slow-burn romance between long friends who seem to be destined to be together. The structure of this love is rooted in a strong friendship, starting from childhood into their teenage years. I love the interaction between Kay and her childhood friend/'partner in crime', Jacqueline, who returns home for her father's funeral, with whom she has been estranged. The author gently weaves flashbacks and memories into the story, and those are some of the most endearing scenes. This story is not just one of potential romance, but of honest-to-goodness, and painfully fake, family relationships. One of the best supporting characters is Kay's sister, Rose. She reminds me a little of my sister, in her persistent, and well-meaning, devotion to Kay's happiness.
Much of the dialogue between Jacqueline and Kay is fun and snappy, which suits Abby Craden's narration to a T. In the audiobook, which has been recently released, as usual, she is masterful. The Gerri Hill/Abby Craden combination is a successful one.
I am happy with how it ended, but a little disappointed because I want more. Even though the book came out in 2006, I am still hoping for a sequel. There is so much more of Jacqueline and Kay's story to tell; from this review to Gerri Hill's pen, your Readers are waiting. Thankyou.
Behind the Pine Curtain is one of the reasons why she holds this ranking. It's a very-slow-burn romance between long friends who seem to be destined to be together. The structure of this love is rooted in a strong friendship, starting from childhood into their teenage years. I love the interaction between Kay and her childhood friend/'partner in crime', Jacqueline, who returns home for her father's funeral, with whom she has been estranged. The author gently weaves flashbacks and memories into the story, and those are some of the most endearing scenes. This story is not just one of potential romance, but of honest-to-goodness, and painfully fake, family relationships. One of the best supporting characters is Kay's sister, Rose. She reminds me a little of my sister, in her persistent, and well-meaning, devotion to Kay's happiness.
Much of the dialogue between Jacqueline and Kay is fun and snappy, which suits Abby Craden's narration to a T. In the audiobook, which has been recently released, as usual, she is masterful. The Gerri Hill/Abby Craden combination is a successful one.
I am happy with how it ended, but a little disappointed because I want more. Even though the book came out in 2006, I am still hoping for a sequel. There is so much more of Jacqueline and Kay's story to tell; from this review to Gerri Hill's pen, your Readers are waiting. Thankyou.
September 7, 2021
Great book
February 16, 2021
3.5. I half read it, half listened the audiobook. When it comes to audiobok, Ms. Craden did the fabulous job. I was just a little annoyed with Kay’s voice, but it's just a personal biased opinion.
Somehow I skipped this one for a long time, and now I think, for a good reason. The storyline is pretty straightforward, we have Kay and Jackie, BFFs, Jackie is gay, her parents are homophobic-southern-white privileged, small-town political and industrial royalty. Jackie comes out, and week after, she is in the bus away from Pine Springs, never to get back. Still, 15 years later, she is back.
I liked the main characters, although those seem to be a bit undeveloped. The chemistry between K and J was nice, but I am under impression that Ms. Hill wanted to write a longer and more a complex book, but somehow it's ended as slow-paced and rushed at the end. The mother had big potential in complicating the storyline but apart from one scene, she is almost passive bystander.
Somehow I skipped this one for a long time, and now I think, for a good reason. The storyline is pretty straightforward, we have Kay and Jackie, BFFs, Jackie is gay, her parents are homophobic-southern-white privileged, small-town political and industrial royalty. Jackie comes out, and week after, she is in the bus away from Pine Springs, never to get back. Still, 15 years later, she is back.
I liked the main characters, although those seem to be a bit undeveloped. The chemistry between K and J was nice, but I am under impression that Ms. Hill wanted to write a longer and more a complex book, but somehow it's ended as slow-paced and rushed at the end. The mother had big potential in complicating the storyline but apart from one scene, she is almost passive bystander.
June 5, 2020
4.75 stars
I usually enjoy reading Gerri Hill's book and this is no exception.
What I love about this book:
- Well written (what can I say this is Gerri Hill)
- Great character, there's Jackie that badass, smart, and strong woman. And Kay is sweet, love family, and strong in her own way. The side character is lovely too
- The plot is entertaining too, though it is the typical successful girl that go back to her conservative small town.
- The romance is great, while it is fast in the novel but they have known each other for a long time so it is believable
- I enjoy the dynamic between the character. Their banter, their struggle is so enjoyable to read
What I don't lie about this book
- It needa an epilog, because the ending feel rushed and incomplete. There 's a lot of thing that we want to know more
I usually enjoy reading Gerri Hill's book and this is no exception.
What I love about this book:
- Well written (what can I say this is Gerri Hill)
- Great character, there's Jackie that badass, smart, and strong woman. And Kay is sweet, love family, and strong in her own way. The side character is lovely too
- The plot is entertaining too, though it is the typical successful girl that go back to her conservative small town.
- The romance is great, while it is fast in the novel but they have known each other for a long time so it is believable
- I enjoy the dynamic between the character. Their banter, their struggle is so enjoyable to read
What I don't lie about this book
- It needa an epilog, because the ending feel rushed and incomplete. There 's a lot of thing that we want to know more
February 18, 2022
2/18/22 - purchased the audio from Audible (had it for a while now but just got the urge to revisit Kay and Jackie). So I do still love their story but rolled my eyes at the regular mentions of blue eyes locking, meeting, etc blue eyes. So many blue eyes! And head hopping. But, yeah, still love it. So there's that.
**Rereading now. I'm in a mood...**
Done with the reread and I still love this book. There were a bunch of typos but I mostly didn't care because I like Jackie and Kay loads. Loads, I say!
Another enjoyable tale from Gerri Hill. My review is located on www.lezficrev.blogspot.com.
**Rereading now. I'm in a mood...**
Done with the reread and I still love this book. There were a bunch of typos but I mostly didn't care because I like Jackie and Kay loads. Loads, I say!
Another enjoyable tale from Gerri Hill. My review is located on www.lezficrev.blogspot.com.
September 20, 2015
I really wish there would have been an epilogue, but that is my only real gripe. I loved the story
July 22, 2018
A nice light read, a couple of hours wiled away most pleasantly.
I like the characters. I liked the plot.
This will go on my "go to a happy place" book list for rereads.
I like the characters. I liked the plot.
This will go on my "go to a happy place" book list for rereads.
January 10, 2021
One of my favorites. Wish it had more of a epilogue
March 28, 2021
3.75/5
This was a nice, enjoyable read. It’s about 250 pages long and features two likeable characters. I’ll likely reread some time later when I just want something short and sweet to make me happy.
Jackie was once forced out of her hometown by her parents after she came out to them, now she’s an author. She’s brought back to town by the passing of her father, at the insistence of her father’s lawyer. When she gets back home, she meets with Kay. Kay was her best friend going on, but they’ve not talked in 15 years. Now Kay is divorced and has a business that she owns. The two reconnect but the sparks from when they were teenagers are still lingering.
I really enjoyed both characters and most of the side characters. I wasn’t a big fan of John Lawrence but that was because I was never sure where his loyalties lied. Kay was sweet and I loved when we got to dip into her head. Watching her struggle to deal with the new emotions that aren’t exactly new was fun and it was so sweet. Jackie is tough but sweet. It was nice to see her acknowledge the privilege that she had had growing up. She had to struggle with her feelings coming back but she also had to deal with the aftereffects of her father’s death, returning to her old hometown, and the surprises her father left her.
I really loved the chemistry between Kay and Jackie. The two worked together so well and it just felt so naturally. I wish there had been an epilogue so that I could have known what time had in store for them, especially since they have lives in different places. I also liked that the author wrote in flashbacks to when they were teenagers to talk about their past.
I had one big issue with this book and one minor issue. My big issue is that I just felt like a bit too much time was spent on the legal and business side of everything. I know that part of the plot was the fact that Jackie was brought back to her hometown because of a will, but it was just too much for me to find enjoyable. My minor issue is the ending part. It felt a bit rushed but more than that I didn’t like how some parts were handled. Hiding behind spoiler tag, just in case.
This was a really nice book. It was a good read that usually managed to keep my interest. I had a couple of issues with it but nothing big.
This was a nice, enjoyable read. It’s about 250 pages long and features two likeable characters. I’ll likely reread some time later when I just want something short and sweet to make me happy.
Jackie was once forced out of her hometown by her parents after she came out to them, now she’s an author. She’s brought back to town by the passing of her father, at the insistence of her father’s lawyer. When she gets back home, she meets with Kay. Kay was her best friend going on, but they’ve not talked in 15 years. Now Kay is divorced and has a business that she owns. The two reconnect but the sparks from when they were teenagers are still lingering.
I really enjoyed both characters and most of the side characters. I wasn’t a big fan of John Lawrence but that was because I was never sure where his loyalties lied. Kay was sweet and I loved when we got to dip into her head. Watching her struggle to deal with the new emotions that aren’t exactly new was fun and it was so sweet. Jackie is tough but sweet. It was nice to see her acknowledge the privilege that she had had growing up. She had to struggle with her feelings coming back but she also had to deal with the aftereffects of her father’s death, returning to her old hometown, and the surprises her father left her.
I really loved the chemistry between Kay and Jackie. The two worked together so well and it just felt so naturally. I wish there had been an epilogue so that I could have known what time had in store for them, especially since they have lives in different places. I also liked that the author wrote in flashbacks to when they were teenagers to talk about their past.
I had one big issue with this book and one minor issue. My big issue is that I just felt like a bit too much time was spent on the legal and business side of everything. I know that part of the plot was the fact that Jackie was brought back to her hometown because of a will, but it was just too much for me to find enjoyable. My minor issue is the ending part. It felt a bit rushed but more than that I didn’t like how some parts were handled. Hiding behind spoiler tag, just in case.
This was a really nice book. It was a good read that usually managed to keep my interest. I had a couple of issues with it but nothing big.
May 12, 2022
Friends-to-Lovers is one of my fave tropes and I liked this one. Plenty of chemistry between the MCs, and I thought a good portion of time was spent with the two reestablishing their friendship first, so the romance was believable. Secondary characters were entertaining, but the return to hometown plot was not, I admittedly started skimming those parts.
March 29, 2023
i rlly liked the gay people but tbh the characters were one dimensional and the end felt a little rushed (is this book autobiographical lol?)
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