Les Be Honest

Queerly Devoted, Book 2

By: Sarah Robinson

Narrated by: Angel Pean

Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

The highly anticipated second standalone romantic comedy in the Queerly Devoted series by Sarah Robinson is a steamy story of lesbian romance and elder millennial drama as Yasmeen explores how to become a bad*ss boss in a neighborhood that wants to shut her and her dreams down with an intriguing and infuriating woman who has never heard “no” before in her life.

After several failed businesses—including an edible panties subscription box—the eternally optimistic Yasmeen Kiani feels like her next launch has to be the big break. When she sees a FOR LEASE sign at the corner lot on her street, she decides it’s time to try, try again. While there are over 1,000 gay bars in the United States, there are less than 25 lesbian bars total (a real life fact! See the Lesbian Bar Project)…and Yasmeen has decided that she is going to open the first in her Arlington, VA neighborhood. Unfortunately, the neighborhood is not on board with her plan.

Tyler Adams has been the president of every club or organization she’s ever been involved in. Class valedictorian, president of her college sorority, even prom queen twice, including a high school she didn’t go to. Tyler does nothing second best just like her father, a real estate mogul who she has a close yet tumultuous relationship with and who owns the building she lives in. A full-time podcaster on top of helping her father lease his property out, including to a new business by a woman she finds incredibly attractive, Tyler hosts one of the country’s most listened to shows on true crime yet her personal life and sexuality are the biggest mystery to her fan base. Tyler isn’t used to facing opposition, but Yasmeen is no stranger to having to fight for what she wants and she’s about to teach Tyler that failure isn’t the end of the world—just the beginning of the war.

What Yasmeen didn’t expect was for Tyler to teach her some battles are not worth fighting…but the one for her heart is.

©2024 Sarah Robinson (P)2024 Sarah Robinson

Yasmeen is my spirit animal

I listened to this book in audio format. OMG! I could not stop listening. Yasmeen is my spirit animal. The things that would come out of her mouth. She has no filter. I was cracking up laughing with the things she said.

Tyler and Yasmeen could not be more different but as the saying goes "Opposites attract." I did feel the chemistry between these two right away. While they moved fast their relationship was built on emotions. Yasmeen already was accepted and comfortable in her own skin but Tyler, she was still trying to step out of the box.

I liked seeing how their relationship progressed. When I learned about Tyler's mom, my heart cried. No stereotypes in this book. So forget the "YA" vibes of first love and settle into this hilarious, spicy, and emotional read. I recommend grabbing the audiobook.

I'm so impressed with this series!

Les Be Honest is book #2 in the Queerly Devoted series. Yasmeen is a lesbian African-American entrepreneur looking to open a new business (lesbian bar) in the DC area. She meets Tyler (property manager for her father's building) and the two not only become business partners, but sparks fly on the personal side. Tyler is a well-known podcaster (true crime) with a father in politics who is staunchly anti-homosexual to his constituents. Tyler finds herself living two lives which causes problems with Yasmeen. I'm not usually a sapphic romance reader, but I do enjoy this author. Her writing brings social and moral dilemmas to light with some slow-burn steam on top. I'm really enjoying this series.

The narration was great. Angel Pean is a new narrator to me, but she did a fantastic job bringing all the characters to life!

Great opposites attract love story!

~*~ Audiobook Review ~*~Les Be Honest is book 2 in the Queerly Devoted series and my first book by this author. Yasmeen (Yas) is an interesting MC in that she has had several failed businesses, but she keeps trying and knows the next one will work. She has an unstoppable attitude and once that perfect idea takes hold she is dedicated to make it happen. I had no idea there were so few lesbian bars in the U.S., but I should not be surprised. I’m so glad this book brings that to light! What a fantastic idea, to have more safe places to gather and celebrate and support! In addition to being an entrepreneur and generally free living, Yas is very happily single and tends to be resistant to relationships. Tyler is the opposite in so many ways it is doomed to be perfect! She is top of her class, over-achieving, highly driven podcaster who is managing the site of the next business venture. Tyler keeps her private life very private for many reasons, not the least of which is her conservative lobbyist father… You just know this will blow up big time~! Together they learn about letting go of some things and fighting for each other - in the right way. They are a great couple once they learn to communicate and find balance in each other.

Angel Pean is an excellent narrator, who really brings the story to life! I was easily able to tell the difference between characters and enjoyed this book very much. She is now on my list of narrators I will happily listen to again and again.

Enjoyable!

Author, Sarah Robinson, did a wonderful job writing a dual perspective with opposites attract. The audience gets the main characters perspective which is insightful. Getting Yasmeen and Tyler's perspective made the audio book so engaging! The narrator, Angel Pean, did a nice job narrating this book as well as they helped bring the characters in this story to life. The plot of this story, to put it, frankly, revolves around a lesbian attempting to open the first and only bar in her Virginian neighborhood.

The relationship between Tyler and Yasmeen was steamy! The sparks kept flying! In the story I especially enjoyed the family they found within the queer community and the queer representation.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this audiobook.

Opposites attract & queer safe spaces.

Thanks to Home Cooked Books for the ALC.

Les Be Honest
by Sarah Robinson

Narrated by Angel Pean

Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0-5)
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall Rating: 4/5
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥 (0-5)

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 Angel Pean was a great choice for the voice of Yasmeen—the perfect mix of sassy/sweet and friend/boss girl.
🤩 It’s the second book in the Queerly Devoted series but the first I’ve read, and it totally worked as a standalone.
🤩 Mixed race relationship.
🤩 LGBTQIA+ and safe spaces.
🤩 The business plan—queer bar in the front and queer salon in the back. It’s such a sweet and perfect idea. My daughter who is bisexual and in cosmetology school thought so too. Take me to Kiki’s Cocktails and Cuts!
🤩 The details and politics of the business plan plot is so interesting.
🤩 Opposites attract.
🤩 Instant attraction with slow burn relationship.
🤩 They definitely have the physical attraction and spicy chemistry covered.
🤩 The questions this book raises—they are hard and I don’t necessarily agree with the MCs answers or know if I have my answers but, gosh, such good questions.

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 I wish it was dual POV and 2 narrators, but I’m just greedy.
💫 I like to love my MCs and these two seemed distant and immature much of the book. There was some growth and they grew on me a bit by the end.
💫 I’m not sure I really felt their emotional/love connection much of the book. But, by the end, I could feel a little.

Loveable Les

Les Be Honest is a good lesbian romcom. Yasmeen and Tyler are so darn loveable. Tyler's lack of a support group is just sad, good thing Yasmeen has an awesome support group that can support both of them. I love the whole brunch scene, it made me laugh so much. I don't understand the father/daughter dynamic of Tyler and her father. The narrator, Angel Pean, did a great job bringing Yasmeen to life. I'm excited to listen to the rest this series, when I can.

A Romantic Proposition

This was my first experience with Sarah Robinson's work, and it was interesting. Yasmeen Kiani wanted to open a bar for others to come in and feel safe. She had an immediate attraction to the property manager and after many ups and downs in their relationship, each had to decide whether their relationship was worth the fight. It was interesting to find out that there were less than 25 lesbian bars in the US and that these bars were one of the few places that provided a truly safe place for all. I liked the witty dialogue. I liked the interactions between Yasmeen and her friends. There were some steamy descriptions. Angel Pean's narration was fine, and her performance gave a voice to the characters. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.

Fun, flirty and heartwarming

Ever since the first book, I’ve been waiting for the next book in the series. “Les Be Honest” is a fun, flirty, and heartfelt interracial sapphic rom-com that was a great book to listen to.

Yasmeen is a black lesbian who has moved to a new neighborhood outside the Washington D.C. area. While out exploring, she finds a space that would be perfect to open a lesbian bar since there are less than 25 in all of the United States. And the building manager is Tyler, a Type A white woman who has a crime podcast and is also a lesbian. The two have chemistry and Tyler is determined to help the bar get off the ground. But circumstances test their new relationship and if the bar will be able to open.

I loved Yas from the beginning. She’s fun, outgoing and wants more inclusivity for the Queer community. And she’s trying to do something about it, actions speak louder than words. Tyler is passionate about her crime podcast and the bar once she learns how much Yas is invested in it making it a success. The two are complete opposites but it works for them. They balanced each other out and their chemistry was great. They had great banter and I laughed out loud several times while listening. The last few chapters touched on some hard things and were done wonderfully.

Angel Pean narrated this book solo, as it’s all told from Yas’s POV. This is the first book I’ve listened to by her and I loved her narration. She was great as Yas and she portrayed each character wonderfully.

really liked this!

This book was a slow start for me but once it started going I could not stop listening. I liked the story but felt there could have been more depth of the main characters relationship build up. They start by fake dating but jump right at it fast....but that does happen with love sometimes... sweet ending...

Angel Pean did an amazing job narrating this story. I really enjoyed her voice.