#breadwinner

Just when I thought the bedroom bunker was secure, the universe decided to write a second act. As it turns out, my mother-in-law wasn’t the only one arriving at the gates. The entire clan had descended on the house—not because they suddenly missed me, but because the family sows had delivered a good number of piglets.In a high-conflict family dynamic, a financial windfall doesn’t bring quiet…

Rating Balancing Act 3.5/5 Stars

Rating Breadwinner 4.5/5 Stars

These two books were connected, but completely different. Balancing Act began quite literally with a bang between Beth and Jaime. They hooked up immediately after they met at Beth's art exhibit in her home city of Seattle after a yearlong tour around the country. Their physical and romantic connections were paused when Beth found out Jaime was her daughter Lily's new gymnastics coach the very next day.

Beth fell into an old pattern and was physically intimate with her ex-wife Sarah in private whilst being reciprocally flirtatious with Jaime at times in public. Sarah came across a bit possessive as she wanted Beth back for real. Both Lily and Beth told Sarah they didn't think it was a good idea for the two women to start their romantic relationship anew. Instead, Beth soon began a complicated romantic relationship with Jaime as Sarah pined for Beth from a distance. Beth and Jaime had a few cute dates, but mostly shared steamy encounters.

Beth explored more with her art career as Jaime helped a friend start Empowr a grassroots fundraising agency for women in sports. Beth and Jaime had some ups and downs as Jaime was a breast cancer survivor, whose mother died from the same disease. She was in remission, but feared recurrence. She never allowed herself to get into a serious relationship before Beth so she didn't communicate well with Beth when things were difficult. Beth was patient and they eventually talked and worked their problems out. They agreed on better communication in the future.

Beth decided not to take an artist's residency opportunity in a different city as she tried to be more open and present for both Jaime's and Lily's lives and needs. Jaime successfully helped Lily through her training for Olympic tryouts as Beth cheered them on.

Breadwinner had a similar electric beginning as self-made billionaire, Nell, pursued hotshot lawyer, Sarah, Beth's ex-wife, for a business proposition that turned very fire and ice steamy. Sarah went to meetings and parties as the gorgeous woman on Nell's arm or at her side and worked every room like a pro. Nell played a game of cat and mouse control with Sarah. But, Sarah broke down Nell's walls and had more control than she knew at times in shared social situations and in the bedroom.

Nell loved all the amazing sex with Sarah, but didn't want romance. Eventually, Sarah helped Nell as she realized she was aromantic. This was explained and explored in great depth. But, I agreed with some reviewers that this was a bit strange and almost out of left field. Nell did very romantic things for Sarah when she bought her meaningful gifts, invited her to her home for quality alone time and physically touched her in affectionate ways outside of sex. Nell even admitted in her inner monologues how Sarah made her feel very strongly about her, which was unlike any woman she was ever with before.

At one point, Nell went radio silent for a long period. She almost broke off their entire arrangement as she worried Sarah had fallen in love with her. Nell couldn't reciprocate. She didn't believe in romantic love for herself. Instead, Sarah continually told Nell she loved her in a lowercase l love, but could never be in big romantic L love with her because she was and would always be in love with Beth. Nell thought Sarah made herself small around Beth and helped her break out of that pattern of behavior and stand up for herself.

When Beth and Jaime were fighting and Beth came to Sarah for support, Beth and Sarah had a giant blowout confrontation and fight. They didn't talk for months before they had another serious conversation and reconciled. Readers finally found out what happened between them that broke them up. While things were topsy turvy with Beth, Nell and her friend Nate privately celebrated Sarah's birthday with her. The next day, Nell made it known that her and Sarah were together when they ran into Beth and Jaime at a local coffee shop.

After Beth and Sarah eventually reached a truce, they continually coparented their daughter while they were in separate relationships. They met at family nights and for family events again. This part of their story ended with Sarah's invitation for everyone to celebrate Nell's birthday at a wreck things warehouse.

Spoilers ahead for the next book:

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So is this that then?

👀 529 in addition to 7413

So Stlill feel the father figure era approaching Maybe it won’t be this Father Figure? ⬇️

Why does it feel like a bait and switch? Or perhaps in this case been number one, but I never had two? She could in fact release something pertaining to father figure on 5/29 just like I suggested in the post above. Or not that date but sometime just like Debut and rep vault has been coded lately. Could still be Toy Story something to say they are the exact same clouds as Toy Story. (Which debuted 31 years ago) She has said it herself several overarching themes and more than one meaning…

One thing I feel certain. No Lavender marriage

S-H-E

I-S

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