Review of ‘Wrong number, right woman’ by Jae

If someone would have recommended me a lesbian coming out book in which the main leads are ordinary people, with normal jobs and body image issues, a story where nothing major happens, with no big crises or dramas, a novel of just two people getting to know and falling for each other, I would have said thanks but no thanks. Trust Jae to write a story like that and make it work beautifully.

Denny leads a simple life, working as a cashier in a supermarket and helping her sister raise her niece. She’s been single for a while so when she gets a wrong number text message by a stranger asking for dating advice she is dumbfounded. Eliza is the opposite of Denny, outgoing, witty and straight. She’s also been unlucky in the dating department so when she finds an unlikely but strong connection with Denny, she wishes that the guys she meets were more like her new friend. But what if Denny is the right one after all?

This is a superb feel-good, low-angst, lesbian coming out romance. Jae recently call it her “Anti-Corona novel” because it’s free of unnecessary drama and high on positive emotions. Corona or not, these are the type of stories I enjoy the most and reading it made me really happy.

It’s normal to expect a slow burn romance from Jae, because that’s her specialty. Even though slow burn isn’t my favourite, Jae is one of the best at writing these stories in lesfic. Having said that, I have to admit the first few chapters of the book were a bit too slow for me. It took me some time to connect with the story. I understand that because of the random way the characters met, they needed time to build a connection, but the texting phase dragged a bit for me. However, once the main characters met in person, the story picked up pace and was much more enjoyable.

I absolutely loved that Jae wrote a story about normal people, with inconsequential jobs and imperfect bodies. Lesfic is full of those larger than life characters who are beautiful, young, rich, professionally successful and great in bed. Jae showed that ordinary people can also make up for a great story and I hope more writers follow her example. Not only the author brings positive reinforcements to women’s body image but she also challenges the sometimes staunch ideas around butch-femme relationships in and out of bed. As a bonus, she makes measuring for clothes sound really sexy!

If you’ve read ‘Under a falling star’ by Jae, you’ll be happy to meet Austen and Dee again, now owners of a pet toy business and great bosses of Eliza’s.

Overall, a fun, enjoyable and relatable lesbian toaster oven romance. 4.5 stars.