Lori Prince’s comedic timing is made for Robin Alexander’s stories

Robin Alexander is the author of more than thirty Sapphic novels, which are gradually being released on audio, mostly narrated by Lori Prince. Patty’s Potent Potion was originally published in 2017.

When Shawna Haydel was sixteen years old she dropped Ashton Guidry’s name into a love potion. But soon after that, Ashton left for college and completely ended communications with Shawna, breaking Shawna’s heart in the process. Twenty-three years after Patty’s potion was brewed, Ashton returns to her hometown and sees Shawna again. Both women have changed a lot but their bond is still strong so maybe Patty’s Potion was Potent after all…

I feel like I repeat myself every time I review one of Ms. Alexander’s books, but she has a very distinctive style that is easily recognisable. Quirky characters, ridiculously funny situations, and sweet but hot romances are par for the course and this one is no exception. Her settings are also typical, normally from her home state of Louisiana.

This is a friends-to-lovers romance but also could be considered a second chance trope as the main characters had a very close friendship as teenagers with some romantic feelings involved. When two people have a strong friendship bond and are separated for a while, it’s easy to catch up where they left even after many years have passed. Ms. Alexander perfectly captures the process in which Shawna and Ashton reconnect and revive their friendship as adults. It’s sweet to see how it eventually dawns on them that there’s more to their relationship than a platonic friendship.

As it’s usual in Ms. Alexander’s books, the cast of secondary characters is very well developed and adds a lot of depth to the story. Patty is a riot, Meg is the ubiquitous ex that every lesbian has as a friend, and Shawn’s daughter is very funny as the typical awkward and sarcastic teenager. The couple of scenes that happen in the closet (an actual closet, not a metaphoric one) are absolutely hilarious and show the family and friends dynamic perfectly. These little gems are what make Ms. Alexander’s books so special.

This is the first book I’ve encountered that features a color guard group, a type of performance that I’ve never paid much attention to. I’m not sure how the author made this type of activity interesting but she even managed to add a bit of conflict to it. It made the context of the story very original.

Lori Prince narrated the audio version and, once again, shows why she’s the perfect match to narrate Robin Alexander’s books. Ms. Prince’s comedic timing is made for these types of stories. She always delivers with the perfect tempo, inflection and energy. If you are looking for a sweet romance with lots of funny moments, then this one is for you. 4.5 stars.

Length: 7 hours, 2 minutes

Available in Scribd