Review of Lead Me Home by Shannon O’Brien

This was a nice romance. This is a good book for people who want a feel-good romance that is very low angst. It’s very readable and while this is not a book that a whole lot happens, the book is well written and it easily kept my attention as a reader. I sometimes have issues with slower-paced books, especially romances, but the story never dragged and I was actually sad when it ended. I could have easily read more.

For those of you familiar with my reviews, you will know I don’t like reading books out of order. I did not know that this was actually a sequel to O’Brien’s first book, Sing Me Home. These two books were written five years apart and her debut went under my radar. I’m very happy to say that you can read this book without reading book one. While the couple from the first book does make a short cameo, this book really is all about the new relationship. Now that I know I do like O’Brien’s writing and this world she created, I might go back and read her first book but not reading it didn’t affect any of my enjoyment.

I’m not sure what it is about stories that take place at colleges or universities, but I love that academic feel. I was also really happy that this wasn’t just a professor/student romance. It seems like at least 75% of the books that take place at a college have that pairing so it’s was nice to see a different romance here. The setting was great, at an all-women’s school (inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community) and I found it really easy to instantly become immersed into the story.

While I loved the setting, the star of the book is of course the romance. I would not call it slow-burn or insta love, instead, it went at a good middle pace. While I might have thought they jumped in bed a tad early (for the romance book world) I liked that they slowly developed a friendship before a relationship. The romance had a bit of steam that I was not expecting. I don’t know if I was thinking more reserved since one character was a professor, but the sex scenes had some passion and a bit of an exhibition flare. I enjoyed the combo of sweet but with a bit of steam.

The book is very low angst, it is so low that you could almost say no angst. But, while there is no real angst, it doesn’t mean there was no conflict that the characters face. I liked the conflict and it added a little boost that kept me turning the pages since I wanted to know what would happen. As someone who can get tired of the same ole type of angst, I like that O’Brien went a different way. I love when authors mix it up.

Overall, this is one that I enjoyed. If you are looking for a romance with almost no angst, but still want a story that is very readable and doesn’t drag, this would be a good choice. If you like a collegiate setting with a sweet romance and a little steam, you have come to the right place. This was a nice read and I would read O’Brien again. 3.75 Stars.

A copy was given to me for an honest review.