Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole

Genre | Contemporary Romance
Page #s | 106
Publishing Date | January 2019

Alyssa Cole returns with a fun, sexy romance novella in the Reluctant Royals series!

While her boss the prince was busy wooing his betrothed, Likotsi had her own love affair after swiping right on a dating app. But her romance had ended in heartbreak, and now, back in NYC again, she’s determined to rediscover her joy–so of course she runs into the woman who broke her heart.

When Likotsi and Fabiola meet again on a stalled subway train months later, Fab asks for just one cup of tea. Likotsi, hoping to know why she was unceremoniously dumped, agrees. Tea and food soon leads to them exploring the city together, and their past, with Fab slowly revealing why she let Likotsi go, and both of them wondering if they can turn this second chance into a happily ever after.

Goodreads

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy is the bite-sized romance you want to sink into on a rainy day. It’s a sweet story about two women who are given a second chance to get things right, told in present day with flashbacks to their initial meeting. There isn’t much of a mystery here, but it’s satisfying to learn what happened and how they got to the place of hurt in which we first find them.

Likotsi and Fabiola are queer black women who are on opposite ends of the class spectrum. While Likotsi works for the prince of a Wakanda-esque country, while Fabiola dreams of being a jewelry entrepreneur and deals with the repercussions of the American immigrant system. They come from different perspectives but share a love of fashion, exploration, and each other.

I’m a sucker for this kind of story. They originally met with the explicit intention of hooking up, but couldn’t resist Their Feelings and the desire for a deeper connection. There is a lot of unnecessary miscommunication (or actual lack of communication entirely), but they get there in the end.

Once Ghost, Twice Shy is a great little romance to boost spirits on a boring afternoon.