On the Same Page

On the Same Page #1

by Haley Cass

Riley Beckett met Gianna Mäkinen – drop-dead gorgeous influencer, trilingual, daughter of world-famous models, yes, that Gianna Mäkinen – their first year at Boston University, and it changed everything for the both of them. After all, when you find the person who just gets you, nothing feels quite "the same" right?

And in the ten years since, Riley has come to depend on Gianna more than anyone else in her life. She knows Gianna just as well as she knows herself – maybe better, some days. She knows Gianna is incredibly sex-positive, she knows Gianna doesn't do romance or relationships, and she knows nothing could ever come between them.

This is what makes sense to her, all of this is status-quo. But when a holiday party mix-up sets in motion a domino effect of changes to these previously inalienable truths, Riley has to question everything she thought she knew about their relationship. What, exactly, does Gianna mean to her after all?

Genres: Romance, Lesbian, LGBT, Queer, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, Fiction

468 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 24, 2023

Reviews

[chan ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

it’s a damn fine day to be a girl who loves girls

oh my god this was good!!!! heartfelt, romantic, sexy, angsty. i think i’ve read 2 sapphic KU books and both have been 5 stars. we’re prioritizing gay this year cause god damn. so good.

[lila · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book made me so happy & giddy & drunk & in love i’m still processing because goddamn. this is gonna be a year for the sapphics y’all. women who simp for each other like crazy just work for me & riley & gianna were so soft help!!!! i had butterflies for most part of this book. even now i can’t stop grinning like mad when i think of them. best friends to lovers you have a win right here.

it settled through gianna. the warmth of it, how she could feel riley’s happiness somehow, and it made her feel happy, too. which only compounded when she realized she was the cause of it.

example of the notes i took as i was reading: “THEY’RE SO PRETTY!!!” “pls omg they’re so perfect for each other i cannot” “i actually banged my head on the headboard of the bed as i was reading this i don’t regret a thing” “the yearning i am unwell” (i truly am unwell. with my love for them.)

this was almost 500 pages & yet i devoured it within a night & i wanted more, how is that possible. i just—this was all the heart-melting, poignant, touching, ooey-gooey goodness i needed, folks. this wasn’t just a romance—it was more of a love story, all-encompassing in how bold & vast it was. i loved seeing how riley & gianna finally came back to being on the same page in the end (& seeing how the title was incorporated in the story & me finally understanding the mutual pining with my silly little head had me going /oh/ because i finally Get It).

maybe i’m too much of a romantic, but irl this is the type of love i believe in. one with a steady foundation of friendship, where two people know each other’s souls before anything else happens. where they can just jump into a relationship casually & be domestic because that’s the only thing they know with each other. where they’re each other’s /person/ first & foremost, whether or not something romantic happens with them later. they’re always each other’s go-to person & it’s awesome. they’re never-ending & it’s beautiful to witness. they give each other so much joy. unlike other friends to lovers tropes, here there’s no doubt about “oh, what if we ruin our friendship by doing this??” because their bond is one for a lifetime. one that has held strong for ten years & it wasn’t gonna break for something silly, not for anything. riley & gianna were so refreshing because their devotedness to each other came over everything else & this is what i need. ridiculously swoon-worthy.

she smiled—so fucking sweetly, and gianna loved it. she loved that smile. she was concentrating on it, when riley reached down and linked their fingers together.

in my opinion, friends to lovers only works two ways. #1 — when both characters are pining for each other for so long, there’s no one else for them but each other, but circumstances/fear is keeping them apart for some reason. #2 — when they’re actually only just friends who know each other to their very core but misunderstandings or situations get them to see each other differently. & this is a mix of both in a way that made me gasp when we had the revelation at the end.

“we’re never ending,” she swore, a promise ringing through her words.
gianna wrapped herself up in that promise. “never ending,” she repeated.

it’s the little moments for me—like riley gazing at gianna all the damn time, thinking of her like she’s a star. riley slowly dabbing at gianna’s face to remove the makeup after gianna had a rough night. riley being the first & only person gianna called when she was in trouble, & vice versa. the way riley /saw/ gianna through her party-girl exterior & knew how stunning she was inside. gianna always hugging & touching riley whenever she could. this truly gave me all the feels.

“then where are they when you come home drunk from a party all by yourself when you went out with them, yet i’m the one who makes sure you’re okay? and why am i the only person you’ve talked to about your sexuality? why am i the only one still around when you aren’t offering to pay for drinks or get access to designer clothes? why am i the only one here when all you’re offering is you?”

gianna mäkinen, my beloved. her mean girl persona in the past threw me off at first because… is this the same girl who’s best friends with riley?? but then her development. the growth she had & the way riley made her see she deserved much better than being used for her connections & wealth—absolutely lovely. her vulnerability & heart hits so deep.

riley beckett. her compassion, her quietness till she needed to speak out, her need to always be truthful & honest was so admirable. i didn’t truly resonate with her like i did with gianna but i appreciated her character arc & how from her lens, we got to see gianna as something so bright & bold & fearless & yet exposed only with riley.

joel & ellie & mummo you are loved by me <3 (ellie you became a little annoying by meddling in your sister’s affairs but whatever still cute because we love science girlies!!! me being a science girlie i’m biased obviously.) the way joel rooted for gianna & riley to get together ever since riley admitted they were having sex? his response “she looks at you like you could go on a killing spree and she’d be like, good job, babe, they deserved it! i’ll call my lawyer!” lmao he cracks me up. he is the tech guy after all what else did we expect. mummo is the best grandma ever !!! i’m so glad gianna had someone who had her back even when her parents were so shitty.

i’ve only read two books by haley prior to this & i can safely say that if her books continue to be like this, i’m gonna be finding myself a new favorite author. her writing style is so simplistic yet lovely—she somehow makes the characters & their struggles central to the story in a way that’s so easy to get invested in. an author who can get me to fall in love with tropes & storylines i generally hate is one to behold indeed. truly a testament to her skill. i don’t like friends with benefits because it’s so easy to get caught up in the sex & miscommunication of it all, but haley doesn’t do that. she doesn’t make them go down the miscommunication route—both riley & gianna constantly keep talking about what this means for Them even if they don’t talk about their feelings for each other straight-up till the end. no—she doesn’t even detail out many of the sex scenes, she leaves it to our imagination. instead, she expands upon the sheer intimacy of the relationship. of how touchy-feely both riley & gianna are, how in awe they are of each other, how they admire each other—and it is truly a sight to behold. haley gently takes my hand & guides me through these stories that are so tender & have so much heart to them—it’s genuinely fucking gorgeous.

the way haley alternated between showing the past & present is so skillful i can only applaud her. having gianna’s point of view of the past when she had to grow & where she met riley & did her growing up was an intentional choice & one that was perfect for this book, i’d say. & riley’s perspective was necessary for the present cause we needed to see how she explored her bisexuality/pansexuality (?) after her awakening, the uncertainty she felt because she was facing these feelings for the first time so late in her life & she’d never felt them before.

i normally hate books that give me second-hand embarrassment. like bye i would so cringe at certain instances in this. but haley made me stick through with it & those few moments were done so naturally & masterfully that i think i just giggled a few times because it felt so realistic & as if it had to have happened. (i will not lie though, i went “lalalala i’m not seeing this” when *that scene* happened after riley misunderstood gianna’s intentions—if you know you know.) my only qualm would probably be that i wanted gianna’s pov of the current time because seeing riley go through her bi/pan-awakening was all well & good & i adored seeing her confusion & final acceptance, but i needed to see gianna’s pining through the years & how she kept her feelings close to her chest so long. i would kill for a gianna pov no joke.

riley & gianna are so beloved to me. that’s all.

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

RTC Shortly.


Holding onto my romance era specifically for the Sapphic romances. I started this earlier this year but just wasn't in the mood for it at the time-jumping right back in again now 🥰💞👭🏻🌈

[gloria .☆ﾟ. · Rating 5 out of 5]

➥ 4.5 Stars *:･ﾟ✧

"So, you weren't teasing?" She asked, dropping her voice, as she slid her hands up Gianna's hips, slipping easily under her sweater to the warm skin underneath.
It felt so natural and instinctive.
Especially when Gianna's arms came up, resting on Riley's shoulders, as her fingers toyed with her hair.
"No," Gianna replied, evenly, "Because I think teasing implies that you won't be getting what you want, at the end."
Riley pushed her hips forward into Gianna's, heart pounding. "And what do I want?" she asked, angling her head up.
"Me," Gianna breathed.

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I've realised I don't really love leaving my complaints to the end of my reviews, I'd rather get them out of the way so that I can allow myself to freely highlight all the rest that is worthy of praise.

So let me start by saying, Haley Cass WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO ME. The number of fade-to-black sex scenes is genuinely unacceptable. Now, arguably I have no authority to be near-scolding the author of what is truly a great book, but I cannot fucking understand why she would choose to not play with her strengths. Because if you've ever read a sex scene written by Haley Cass you know she damn well gets it. Depressingly few authors write sapphic sex scenes like she does. I'm aware I sound borderline psychotic for how seriously I'm expressing this, because it sounds shallow, but Haley Cass' sex scenes progress both the romances and storylines nearly always. I'm a slut for any instance of mutual vulnerability between characters in love, just apart in each other's hands and frankly that's usually most feasible within sex scenes. That's when you see characters be unabashedly expressive of their love and attraction to their person, that's when you see the characters admire each other's ruffled state, when you see trust, understanding and unity between characters.

I cannot describe how much I adore the way in which some authors just nail this nearly palpable connection between characters and yeah, HALEY CASS IS ONE OF THE BEST, and she has partly deprived me of her specialty in her latest release On the Same Page.

Now...I am actually on her ARC team which is...pretty independently run in my understanding. And Haley Cass, I say this with love, but please never do this to me again 🥰. But seriously, I hope she understands that this is solely a criticism of her choice to not give me more access to her skill.

Funnily enough, it wasn't that there weren't any sexually intimate scenes at all. There were like 2 full ones if I recall correctly, but many of the ones that were glazed over were the most significant ones. Like when Riley had still gone home with Gianna even after realising she'd fallen in love with her. That would have been maybe the scene I most would have wanted to have had access to Riley's experience, thought process and emotions. So that I could have seen the way Gianna her weak. Moreover, for the reasons aforementioned, I love (usually the idea of) friends with benefits plotlines. Which this book indeed has, so I was even sadder to see this significant part of the story glazed over. Even moreso, when sex scenes were fade to black, most times we didn't see the characters afterward! It would fully skip to the next DAY, jesus christ give me the STRENGTH. So I wasn't able to tell how it went down, what the tone of it was, how either of the characters felt about it, or what even HAPPENED.

To be honest though, I haven't been making notes for the books I've been reading recently, which is not a good thing because I'm two things: extremely particular and forgetful. So I've got lots of opinions on little things (both good and bad) and then forget them, oops. I do plan to get back into taking notes for this reason. But, I'd been like this because it's been hectic for me recently.

This very book spanned 5 months of me reading it because I had to set it down for a while, not because it wasn't good, but because I had to focus on other priorities. I'm a little sad about that actually, because this book packed a good punch that would have arguably hit even harder had I dedicated the time to it that it deserved.

And yet it still dented me lol. Seriously though, Haley has wrecked me with her hand at a best friends to lovers romance. It has her usual flair in it (except the sex scenes...clearly I'm bitter lol), but it has everything else. Even without the sex scenes, the chemistry between Gianna (h) and Riley (h) was just too good. However, I wouldn't say either of them have made it to my book gfs list.

Which seemed odd to me at first, because there were multiple instances where I caught myself gasping for air, giggling, rolling around my bed, swinging my legs and deadass shedding tears over this romance.

But I felt a bit conflicted about the characters in this story. They both have interesting background stories that seem fitting to their personalities. Won't go over them because I'm lazy soz. I love journalists and reformed (optional) mean girls (she wasn't really but like sort of). But their personalities I didn't know how to feel about.

Riley is this (short) "straight" girl at first, who only dated men, and only wayyyy later realises her attraction for Gianna. Gianna is sort of an "it girl", who's an influencer. Brief intermission: usually I find these occupations to be cringely portrayed in romance books but I'd say Cass did a pretty decent job. Back to it, because Gianna is wealthy, successful, stern, charming etc. She is the one who is captivating. She is the love interest.

And yet, Riley is usually saying the hot stuff? Now, maybe I need to look inward and possibly escape the grasp of gender roles that exist within queer relationships. But. I wanted Gianna to be charming Me via Riley. Does that make sense?

Maybe I'm also blinded by Gianna's emphasised height (I 💘 taller women), and charm that works on everyone (I 💘 women that treat me just like everyone else but I romanticise it).

But generally, I personally felt a bit flip-flopped because Gianna is the one being hot outside of sexual interactions. She's flirty, and so goddamn charming (am I...doing too much?) and just so... she was a man-eater. But I wanted her to eat ME. Oops.

But...she was being eaten by Riley. Not eaten out...well that too. But like I was a WEE bit confused with the dynamic. And that's ok! But it doesn't land as my favourite couple or character of Cass'.

Like for a hot minute Riley was the one down bad, but like she was also down badded for? But not really? Having an aneurysm trying to explain this now, next!

Also two blondes was a choice. Listen I'm not that creative you need to give me face options. Haley Cass please hire the cover designer who designed the cover of Deanna Grey's Outdrawn .

What I will say though...the jealousy...ugh, sometimes it was too good. Looking back at my first few updates and remember them dancing apart and eventually together at the club. Someone call me an AMBULANCE.

Gianna stepped away from her own dance partner without a thought, turning and swaying as she pushed through the crowd, until she reached Riley.

Who seamlessly matched Gianna beat-for-beat, as Gianna slid her thigh between hers, making it so Riley was dancing with her more than the man behind her.

She dipped her head, mouth next to Riley's ear, Riley's soft hair brushing against her face. "And where did you learn to dance like that?"

Riley dug her hands into Gianna’s hips, pacing them with her own in an effortlessly controlling move that shot a spike of heat through Gianna.

Riley laughed, as she pushed to her tiptoes and spoke back into Gianna ear. “What, you think that just because you’re a worldly city-girl, you’re the only one who can drink and dance? What do you think we do in small towns?”

Like...woah. But also isn't Gianna the love interest here? But now Riley's being sexy WHAT IS GOING ON. Like why is the charmer being charmed? Maybe my brain is just not wired properly (the heat of this book singed some neural connections 😛🙏). But I won't complain about hot women so let me shut up.

This book did have flashbacks. I'm usually really not a fan of those, but I feel like they worked well enough here.

And like always, they're clearly so much thought put into this book, into the details. If you've read this or any of Haley's other work, you know what I mean. There are no loose ends. It's not because big ends seem loose at first though. They are very small details in the beginning that just come full circle in the end, or are attributed to in a special way toward the end.

And even bigger parts of the story were very well done. The backdrop plotline worked seamlessly and really helped facilitate the growing romance between Gianna and Riley. It allowed for vulnerable moments, moments where they needed each other. Moments where they were just happy and giggly together! Moments where there were little rough patches. It felt like we saw the full scope of how these two characters interact with each other. And we see this from so many situations and STILL root for them as a couple.

And I know that as a reviewer I will fixate and complain about little things and details, but truly, as evidenced by my 4.5 star rating, this book truly was a delight to read. It was compelling, rich in humanity, love, real connections and experiences, that our characters experienced together.

Interestingly enough, I feel like this book actually improved as it went on, which is truly impressive. Usually I feel like by 75% of a story, I want it to be over, and I want to avoid the conflict.

But On the Same Page only gained momentum as I kept reading. The emotions of the story grew more intense, and I found myself caring more and more for the characters, both main and side.

That's an incredible achievement for an author, to not only hook a reader in the beginning, but for that to not even be the most interesting part.

Because there was so much insecurity when it came to putting a label on Riley and Gianna's relationship, there was no novelty to wear off. Because new things kept happening that added to the story. It only grew in its complexity and authenticity, and to love a book to the end, and even see it end with a commendable bang, is something extremely satisfying.

Reflecting on this review that took me around 3 hours to write (not because I was meticulous, only pensive), I do realise it was more of a compliment sandwich than what I meant to do. But I also feel like it worked, because I talked about whatever when I deemed it relevant.

If you've read my whole review, I love you. If you're a gay girl, read Haley Cass to feel more cripplingly single than usual. I MEAN- read Haley Cass to increase your quality of life...yeah hehe.

That's all from me, thank you for your service Haley Cass, please never deprive me of your excellency again. Also stay healthy and safe because you're books are what I look forward to annually xoxo.

Thank you Haley Cass for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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[Diane Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

**'Sometimes the best stories comes from deep within -- your inner most sacred thoughts/ideas -- so tell your stories and become emotionally involved. Readers enjoys that..'

3.5 stars!
A nicely written and pleasing 1st book in Ms. Cass's roommate to best friend to lovers plus storyline.
Recommended book!

--: minus one & half a stars for unnecessary using 'f..king' in some sentences when it wasn't needed and the length.

[Mika Auguste · Rating 5 out of 5]

i genuinely would read absolutely anything haley cass writes 4.5⭐️🥹

[Emily Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be my new all time favourite sapphic romance. I was up at three am reading away still because holy crap is this everything. And now I need to read it again. And again. And you get the idea.

*update, I have now read this three times*

If you want a fairly slow burn story with friends to lovers tropes this is for you. It features a later in life coming out (30s) which was really nice to see and is a dual timeline (part is set in college when they met, and the other in their 30s) which I absolutely loved. Normally I’m not one for dual timelines but Haley made it work seamlessly.

Rep// Bisexual woman MC, Bi/Pan? Woman MC, MLM SC, Lesbian SC. Central relationship is sapphic / WLW.

Tws listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.

Tw//Cw// graphic sex scenes (multiple), mention of a death of a parent (past), small dick joke, coming out themes (handled in a positive & happy light), brief biphobia, alcohol mentions.

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus} · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I give this book more than five stars? Asking for a friend.

[Fleah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I don't know what to say about this that hasn't already been covered. If you loved "Those Who Wait" then I can almost guarantee you're going to love this. I got very similar vibes. Haley is the absolute best at pining, oblivious idiots that have been dating without realizing it, and friends-to-lovers.
Absolutely recommend!

[moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This is my Gianna," she whispered, stroking her thumb over Gianna's soft cheek. "And I would pick the real you, complete with all of your feelings no matter what they are, every day of the week."

when they already feel, and act, like an old married couple from the very beginning >>>

this was SO lovely and precious!! 🥹 i loved how deep the friendship between Gianna and Riley felt, with them knowing nearly everything about each other to the point where they notice things like when the other is lying or hiding something (i lovelove that dynamic in a pairing, especially if it's best friends to lovers). the lil affectionate touches between them, before and after they got together, were so sweet. 😭

while the format of switching between past and present can sometimes take me out of a story, there are times where it flows naturally and that's how i felt about it here - and i think it's bc i loved seeing how the friendship between the two formed and deepened with each moment they spent together during the past pov chapters. oh and can we talk about Gianna's development?? chefs fucking kiss. the times in the past when Riley, being her honest, i'll tell you straight up how i feel even if it hurts self, would call Gianna out on her shit and we see Gianna's moments of self reflection? it felt so REAL. although the past focused on Gianna, i liked how the present focused more on Riley and her own realization of who/what she truly wants. it was a nice contrast between the two. some scenes with Gianna had me sobbing when it came to her family and i just wanted to give her a hug fr. :( but i loved how Riley is her person (and vice versa). i also loved the side characters, especially Athena (would love to read her story, if she has one!) and Mummo (Gianna's grandmother). <3

one thing i will say is, i know we got Gianna's pov during the past chapters and i'm happy about them, but i admit there were times during the present where i would have LOVED to know what she was thinking, especially bc the present is when Riley realizes her feelings for Gianna and since we find out later that Gianna loved and pined for her for TEN YEARS, i wanted to get inside her head bc, at this point, she's hid her feelings long enough to where she's skilled at hiding how she truly feels on the outside but i know she was probably giggling and feeling happy on the inside with the confessions. 😭

[khi · Rating 5 out of 5]

There were two moments in this book that would normally give me an insane amount of second hand embarrassment which I can’t handle but it’s so smoothly written that I don’t think I even cringed during it.

Very cute story, no fillers, amazing hilarious characters, ending a bit short but full circle moment and honestly the abrupt ending is so creative. Usually with that type of HEA ending it’s a long drawn out wordy and cliche scenario but this ending was short and lovely.

Not specifically a friends to lovers girl but it seems like I’m definitely a Haley Case girl.

Big recommend!

[emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

ETA: after audiobook re-read, Lori Price’s voice is immaculate. And she gave Gianna one of my favs in her repertoire, so, this is gonna be come a re-listen often, for sure.

~~~~~


AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

imo, friends to lovers can be rlly hard to nail. i'm pickier abt friends to lovers than i am abt a lot of other romance tropes and this one HITS GOOD. i'm so glad i made the impulse buy to get the physical copy abt 20% into reading my long ago pre-ordered ebook lol, (and DEF soon to be used for an audiobook credit, ESP if she [pls pls pls] keeps working with lori prince as a narrator), bc being able to physically fling the book around dramatically enhanced my reading experience greatly.

(and i did a lot of that. JOEL, MY GUY, YOU ARE THE TECH GUY. AIDA, MY GIRL, WE LITERALLY DON'T KNOW YOU AT ALL BUT YOU DID /NOT/ RUN FAST ENOUGH AND I HAD TO TAKE AN ALMOST HOUR BREAK TO MAKE MYSELF DINNER AND WATCH THE NEWS TO CALM DOWN FROM THE SECOND HAND EMBARASSMENT. HALEY CASS, WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME?)

haley cass, pls /never/ stop doing this to me. i fucking love her books. i've had viseral reactions to her stories since i followed her back in her fanfic days, and even when they don't hit that Top Tier Giddy Level, (as the prequel for this one was for me, & now it's the only one i don't own in all 3 formats, soooo the SECOND that one gets the audiobook cover on the paperback version [pls pls pls pls tell me this will eventually happen, bc i want them all to match and be cute artwork pls pls] even THEN her average, "this was good!" is still higher than some other ones that fall into that category for me).

and this one HIT WONDERFULLY. i was already happy to see riley bc i liked her a lot in book 1, and while i didn't connect with gianna as much in the first one, i rlly loved her here. (my ONLY qualms with this book were i wish maybe we had a little bit more of gianna present time pov, and i wish we had seen a little bit more of ellie interacting with both of them). this was just.... SUCH a good slow burn friends to lovers. with MANY secondhand embarassment points that had me screaming in both horror and delight, swoon worthy moments, characters i loved, connected with, and was cheering for, and some great writing.

so, all in all, another banger by haley cass that will go into my 'keeps re-reading this and holds it up to most other romances' pile. pls never stop making them<3

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

NO…. Is that all? I need a longer epilogue. I need a little more of Gianna and Riley and their HEA. I need a ‘Forever and a Day’ with Gianna no-middle-name Mäkinen and Riley Jane Beckett.

Gianna and Riley’s story gave me all the feels and am completely immersed in their story. I died of embarrassment with them, I laughed with them. I even cried with them. Oh Gianna…..To love so unconditionally... I just have no words and how can one not love her character (well…I sure did 😊) I felt all the highs and the lows of their relationship.

On the Same Page is, by far, the most entertaining book I’ve come across in 2023 that I can’t forget anytime soon, and is so apt that it is my 1,000 review.

Solid 5 ⭐️ 👏👏

[Lesbereading · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always with a Haley Cass novel, I struggled between pacing myself and reading as fast as possible. This book takes the cake for a friends to lovers romance between the chemistry, the steam, the holiday party mishap, it’s so good. The love the MCs had for each other as friends and eventually lovers couldn’t have been more perfectly done. Thoroughly enjoyed getting the past and present and dual point of view. Yes, it’s 500 pages but in all honesty I could’ve read more. The way Haley writes completely absorbs you in where you lose track of everything other than what’s on the page. Truly incredible.

[Netgyrl (Laura) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️ - A once-in-a-lifetime friendship turns into a once-in-a-lifetime relationship. We love to see it. 😍

Haley Cass delivers once again. Riley and Gianna, now in their 30s, have been friends since college. Cass does a fantastic job of conveying how their friendship began and grew to be as deep as it is through a series of flashbacks from Gianna's perspective. I am not typically a fan of flashbacks, but they are executed exceptionally well here and never felt intrusive or like they were diverting me from the main story. Each flashback was integral to understanding their relationship.

I adored how, even before the romance, they were truly devoted to each other. When a Christmas gift mix-up has Riley contemplating ending her sexual dry spell with her bestie, I was both laughing and cringing in equal measure. It was delightful.

In most friends-to-lovers tropes, the angst typically revolves around how they couldn't possibly get together because it would ruin the friendship. That isn't a concern for Riley because she knows nothing could shake their bond. It was a refreshing twist on the trope.

I simply loved Riley and Gianna. Their chemistry was fantastic, but, for me, their unshakable friendship was the highlight.

The secondary characters were all exceptional as well, and we get to catch a glimpse of Ellie and Mia from "Down To A Science," which was a nice touch.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to Haley Cass fans and anyone who adores friends-to-lovers stories with amazing chemistry and a unique twist.

[Drache.... (Angelika)]

I'm 25% in but I'm not feeling it so I'm going to dnf for now.

Gianna and Riley are just both so perfect. Not just beautiful but stunning, capable and focused in their jobs. They have not one human/real character flaw between them!

In the flashbacks, on the contrary, Riley is the only perfect one, and she is not shy to tell Gianna what she thinks of her and her friends. They are mean and just hang out with Gianna, because of which clubs and fashion shows she can get them in.
Gianna first gets mad but then sees that Riley is right! All of her friends are just using her!

It's all so black and white, I'm bored.
Maybe I'll come back to it another time.

[Sterling Sapphic Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so here's the thing with Haley Cass books - they're not long enough. They can never be long enough. I legitimately want to crawl into these pages and never leave. This was 500+ pages of pure Cass brilliance, it was robust and lovely and layered and heartbreaking and uplifting all at the same time. Cass gently takes your hand and lovingly leads you through the most amazing sapphic love stories... On the Same Page is another stellar addition to the Haley Cass universe that is an utterly brilliant representation of the spectrum of self-discovery, human emotion, and the capacity for love.

This is a gold standard of friends to lovers. Best friends to lovers. It was absolutely perfect. I love Riley and Gianna. I loved watching their friendship evolve. I typically am not a fan of dual timelines but Cass executed this one flawlessly. Gianna's progression as a character was beautiful.
Riley is just an amazing character all the way around. The dynamic between these two is a gorgeous example of the love that two people cultivate over years of mutual adoration, how soulmates exist, and that a beautiful friendship can be the strongest foundation of a relationship.

If Haley Cass wrote it - Read it. It's that simple. It's such a beautiful experience. Each one is unique and a stunning masterpiece of sapphic love.

[Jordana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have ALL the feelings! Nobody writes like Haley Cass does, no one. My heart was pounding through 60% of this book, the rest of the time I was laughing, smiling, crying, and smiling again. Hands down my favorite best friends to lovers book I've ever read. I look forward to many re-reads of this in the future just like her other books.

My single and only gripe is that I would've liked more time with them as an actual couple but I know Haley Cass likes to write epilogue novellas and I am very much here for that.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[OceaneZw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m OBSESSED with this book!

It took me longer to finish because I wanted to savor every detail. The writing is, as always, flawless.

Gianna and Riley’s relationship is everything. Their unconditional love and support for each other is so refreshing. They communicate, grow, and face challenges together, never even considering being apart. It’s the kind of relationship you root for from start to finish.

The side characters are just as lovable ! Seeing Ellie return and step up as such a strong support for Riley was heartwarming. Her growth since the previous book made me so emotional.

"I want everyone to know we're together. I want to see every little line on your face appear while we get older. I want you to talk me out of botox. I want kids. I do. If they're ours, I want a whole herd."

If you love the Friends-to-Lovers trope, this is a must-read. It has the perfect balance of plot, character growth, relationship development, and just the right amount of spice and angst. I NEED more of them !

[яᴏx · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was spiritual.

[Menestrella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll be very short. I loved it so, so much! I even went back to read my favorite parts of Down with Science and scanned again On The Same Page.

I will say it one more time, Haley Cass writes some of the best love declarations in the community.

On The Same Page is heartfelt, funny, spicy and the characters will stay for you for a long time.

More than 500 pages? Give me all of them!
I finished it last night and couldn't start another book yet. I wanted to keep the characters alive for a bit longer.

These kind of books are those that make you believe in eternal love.

A heck of a friends to lovers!

[Swaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

PERFECT. All the stars. Infinite stars! Nobody has ever wanted to be in Canada more than I do right now.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't marked in any way, but it's definitely a companion book to Down to a Science. Not only is Ellie a significant part of this book, but you learn about Riley and Gianna in that book. Including a key reveal, spoiler even, that is central to this story. I recommend reading that first, but if you want to experience this one completely unspoiled, don't.

So this was fantastic as a friends to lovers story. Gianna and Riley have been best friends for a decade. They obviously love and respect one another and since Gianna is a tactile person, their friendship includes lots of care and non-intimate touching. I loved seeing them interact throughout the story as an example of a mutually supporting friendship.

And the central problem with friends to lovers (i.e. why haven't they gotten together yet?) makes perfect sense when Riley has always been straight as far as anyone (including herself) knew. Cass does a fantastic job depicting an awakening attraction and I bought into it completely. So I was unreservedly engaged with Riley and Gianna as they discover each other in a romantic way.

Cass does an interesting thing in the story where we get Riley's PoV in the present and then a few rare chapters in their past from Gianna's perspective. This lets us see the origin of their friendship and why it is so important to Gianna because we see her raw need and how Riley was core to her maturing into the fantastic person she is in the present.

And I'm not sure how much of a spoiler it is that Gianna fell in love with Riley ten years ago, but I twigged to it pretty quick, even though we don't see it until near the end of those flashback chapters. It was the only reason a talented author like Cass would be taking the time with those scenes while changing the PoV. So even though it is revealed in Down to a Science outright, it's hinted strongly enough to layer the story with meaning throughout. But I loved figuring it out early and seeing it unfold in the story.

There's a bit of a slow-down towards the late middle as Riley is in a spin about how their friendship might be over. And I'll admit that I didn't much care for Riley's professional issues with the BostonNow storyline. But those are very minor frictions in a solid five star story. So I'm happy to give it all the stars.

A note about Steamy: Cass has a really light hand with the steam. We get most of their first time and edges of steam in a few other cases. So this is on the low end of my steam tolerance and frankly, I think it was perfectly done.

[Guerunche · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! One of my favorites of the year. A well written, feel-good romance. I think it's Cass's best book so far.

Oh, how I'd love to see her hire someone new to do the audiobook. Someone like Quinn Riley would be perfect for it! A girl can dream.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best-friends-to-lovers is one of my favorite tropes, so I couldn’t wait to start this book—especially after meeting Riley and Gianna in Down to a Science. What I’m less enthused about is a sex-without-romance relationship between people. Of course being best friends complicates this scenario, but the angst as a result... Chef's kiss!

My only real complaint about the book is that I felt the ending was incredibly underwhelming. Something happens that has a big impact on one of the characters personally and professionally. And while the personal issue is resolved (mostly to my satisfaction, even if it left me wanting), the professional issue was entirely ignored. And that was super disappointing since it was a huge plot point.

3.5 because the ending didn’t work for me but rounding up because I was emotionally invested the entire time. Also, updating to add that Haley Cass needs an editor. Or, if she has one, she needs a better one. Her ability to tell a story is too good for me to be distracted by elementary school grammar mistakes.

[Misha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haley Cass does not miss.

This was another winner. Not my favourite of her books (that honour goes to When You Least Expect It, which I re-read a few times every year) but as always, you'll fall in love with these incredibly well-fleshed-out and human characters, complete with flaws. Gianna in particular, is indeed baby, and I'm oddly proud of her because we rarely get to see an arc with a mean girl actually grow and become a wonderful person, but we do in this book!

[discotigers · Rating 5 out of 5]

haley cass has identified my 2 weaknesses:

• themes of innocent girlhood, (sapphic) yearning & the most hilariously cringeworthy moments all tied up in one gorgeous best friends to lovers romance

• my crippling loneliness

[kaye taz · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️
spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
format: audiobook
narration: 🎤🎤🎤🎤.5/5

CUTEST CUTIES. i was literally in a puddle of tears in the epilogue, i loved this book so much.

friends to lovers is not my favorite trope, but i do eat it up when it's a long-time one-sided unrequited love.

i really enjoyed how this was a dual timeline, with the present in riley's pov, and the past in gianna's pov. and how everything kind of comes full circle in the end. the plot of them initially getting together is also fun. there were great vibes throughout but also some deep, emotional moments.

i really need to read more by this author asap.

[HB. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I stand by the current landscape of lesbian romance novels being unfortunately disappointing but I think Cass is one of the better writers. Every single book she's written could've used an editor because I think it would've been pretty easy to cut out 200 pages but it's enjoyable enough to get through it. I really liked Gianna in this one but wasn't super fond of Riley. I am glad I forgot I read Down to a Science, which they apparently show up in because I thought that was awful compared to the standards of her novels. The book falters in the middle and becomes too drawn out; the points are already made, it had enough ~romance, and the sex scenes kept having long build up to never actually be written, but I liked the ending. I thought comparing Ellie/Gianna and their response to "unrequited" but maybe? love was a nice touch. In the flashback parts (Gianna's POV), I found Riley weirdly off putting and sometimes it felt like she was dictating everything they did and making A Lot of declarations about Gianna's character/life/everything that Gianna immediately agreed with/to and it was an odd dynamic. I don't think it was intentional and I haven't seen anyone else mention it, but it was odd to me. I thought they had good chemistry and I liked the 'present' day chapters a lot better even if I think I personally would've liked Gianna's POV there. Cass is good at making characters feel unique and actually really and I felt like she did a good job with most of them. Owen and Joel felt a bit too stereotypical and over-exaggerated but I know it's a romance and they didn't really matter anyway. Overall, it was enjoyable and I'll read whatever she writes next :)

[Teddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even as I raced through this book, I hoped it would never end. Haley Cass writes such gorgeous romances. Her characters are soo fully formed and we get amazing insight into their emotions. I loved the way this story was woven together. The poignancy of the friendship and how that only deepened as the story progressed. Gianna’s vulnerability and heart will stay with me, as will Riley’s compassion and drive for honesty. Beautifully done and perfectly steamy.

Short summary: Riley and Gianna have been best friends for twelve years since being assigned college roommates. When a mix-up causes Riley to reconsider the limits of their friendship, everything she thought she knew about herself and Gianna comes into question.