#theviewfromthetop

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

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🦇 The View From the Top Book Review 🦇

❓ #QOTD What's the last risk you took OR have you ever gone hiking? ❓ 🦇 Emily Janssen prefers playing it safe, still working at the inn her grandmothers own while dreaming of a day she can fully support herself with her art. Ambitious Diana Devlin is ready to take over as CEO of her family’s hotel chain when her father retires. Everything is going to plan until an unexpected run-in with an alluring artist on a mountainside throws Diana off course, resulting in one of the hottest nights either she or Emily have ever experienced. When Diana's plan goes off the rails, leading her to start her own company and buy Emily's grandmother's beloved inn, neither can forget their memorable—and steamy—night together, even when they're forced to play it professional. Will the view from the top be worth the climb, or will they both have farther to fall?

💜 Rachel Lacey always develops such well-balanced sapphic ships and realistic female protagonists. Emily and Diana are no exception. While Emily has fallen into a comfort zone (unknowingly allowing fears to take lead), Diana pushes past fear, allowing her goal-oriented mindset to take lead. While Emily has built a found family for herself, despite the lack of blood relatives, Diana is surrounded by blood yet still feels alone. Lacey also excels at creating queer found families in her novels. The Adventurers group is sweet, supportive, and gives Lacey the opportunity to expand this single story into a series for each member of their queer rainbow. Diana's relationship with her nephew is heartwarming and precious (hopefully he gets his own story in the future). I especially adored the contrast between Diana's ambitious mindset and anxiety, proving that we never really know how much a person is struggling (especially when they're so good at hiding it). The fall festival chapters make this a comforting read for autumn--I could have lived in those chapters (with a mug full of cider) forever.

💙 Crescent Falls, Vermont seems like the perfect setting for a small-town romance, and it IS. Unfortunately, we don't get to fall into the setting through descriptive language as much as I'd hoped. Even when Emily is painting the rich scenery around her or Diana is immersing herself in this new, charming town, the prose fails to draw us in so we're walking alongside them. That lackluster word choice fails to create the emotional entanglements and tension Rachel Lacey excels at in Stars Collide. Given that the author was sick with COVID and took a break while writing this, it's understandable. That emotion-based writing usually builds and builds until the FMCs can't contain themselves; until NOT touching is torturous. Unfortunately, there's a long stretch where the two FMCs are apart, which causes the story to stall. There's some longing, yes, but it doesn't grow to the point of impatience. I'm also a little disappointed that the characters didn't see the solution to their long-distance relationship sooner, though I do agree it presents a perfect ending. Also, the epilogue gave me total Schitt's Creek vibes, which I LOVED for them!

🦇 Recommended for fans of Alexandria Bellefleur and Ashley Herring Blake.

✨ The Vibes ✨ 🍁 Forced Proximity Small-Town Romance ⛰ Queer Community 🪴 Found Family 🩷 Sapphic Romance 🎨 Mental Health Rep ⛰ Lesbian & Bisexual FMCs 🍁 Third Act Breakup?

🦇 Major thanks to the author @rachelslacey and publisher for providing an ARC of this book. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #TheViewFromtheTop

💬 Quotes ❝ Somehow she managed to look as sweet as the flowers she painted while simultaneously being one of the sexiest women Diana had ever seen. ❞ ❝ I’m damn good at wish fulfillment. ❞ ❝ “Feel the fear and do it anyway.” ❞ ❝ She was trying so damn hard to keep her attraction under wraps, and if she got tipsy and stumbled around a darkened pumpkin patch with Emily… well, she’d probably either end up kissing her or having a panic attack. ❞ ❝ "I see you weren’t only admiring my flannel for sapphic reasons." ❞ ❝ "Take a risk. Aim big. Fuck fear. What do you say?” ❞ ❝ Maybe she’d stood in one place for so long, she’d become rooted to the ground. She was terrified of what might happen if she set herself free. ❞ ❝ "Yesterday, I wanted someone to pick me for once. I wanted you to pick me." ❞ ❝ "You’re the first person to show me that I can let my guard down, I can be vulnerable, and you won’t take advantage. You let me be myself and appreciate me for exactly who I am— flaws and all— and I… I didn’t know how much I needed that until I found it.” ❞

[blog-nancy-draw-stuff]

Life is full of peaks and valleys. But you got this! #upsanddownsoflife #theviewfromthetop #nancycarlsonstudios #keepgoing https://www.instagram.com/p/CkxxTbsO3Ep/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sourcefield]

🌎 Escaping the Heat // Cathedral Rock, Mount Charleston, Nevada . . . #goforahike #naturewalks #mtcharleston #mountcharleston #cathedralrocktrail #blueskiesandsunshine #escapingtheheatwave #sourcefield #sourcefieldshop #theviewfromthetop (at Planet Earth) https://www.instagram.com/p/CiCPVFKP2Qk/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[cherny17a]

#theviewfromthetop (at Bryant Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CgM-cZFuUUK/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[gilbertkingelisa]

Sunrise/Sunset # #Philly #Bridges #Tunnels #Destinations #TheViewFromTheTop #SchuylkillRiver #Philadelphia #River #Construction #VitaminD #Sunrise #Skyscrapers #DelawareRiver #Sun #Sunset #NewJersey #LandscapePhotography #AerialPhotography #Photography #Clouds #PeaceofTheMorning #GilbertKingElisa (at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CWEzgjgpqV-/?utm_medium=tumblr

[tonybrigmon]

The view from the TOP will change your view of the struggle. Keep going. Enjoy the VIEW. You earned it.

The FUNomenal™ Workplace (TonyBrigmon.com)

[sukiesoriginal]

The morning was really about community power, but LOOK AT THAT VIEW! Hopefully Landcare will do another visit focusing more on the wildlife sanctuary sometime. That wind turbine generates enough power for half of Ararat - incredible. We were shown a section of the cable that carries the electricity, but I missed getting a pic of it. #australianlandscape #grampians #Landcare #moyston #canola #sunshine #raincloud #windturbine #renewableenergy #sustainable #theviewfromthetop (at Maroona, Victoria, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Q8fFRBODa/?igshid=1fgjz2lbmyxof

[lenatheriver]

#grazbeinacht #latergram #saturdaynightingraz #theviewfromthetop #nightsoutwithfriends #graz https://www.instagram.com/p/BwhEbcJBnYL/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=esklgl611t46

[hotbloodlove]

We stumbled into a Cherry Blossom festival, but the trees haven't bloomed yet 🌸🌻🌺 #fukuoka #theadventuresofAandB #theviewfromthetop #japan🇯🇵 (at 福岡城 Fukuoka Castle Ruins)

[subfrequency-blog]

Gorgeous Cheddar views 🤦‍♂️ . . . #cheddar #somersetlife #somesetliving #country #countryglitch #glitchcountry #glitchview #view #views #glitch #glitchmafia #glitchart #glitching #sky #mystical #mystic #lines #finelines #lightandshadow #💥 #🌳 #theviewfromthetop #picoftheday (at Cheddar Gorge)

[dreamyfa3]

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A post shared by Jennifer M Raymond (@jennyrayart314)

I climbed up to Looking Glass Rock today. It was my 4th time up there and definitely the hardest. I’m pretty proud of myself and of Lily. #lookingglassrock #34weekspregnant #theviewfromthetop #hikingadventures #lily #hikingwithshihtzus (at Looking Glass Rock) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6hM5TOBU1C/?igshid=nsg4dz3yxj0t

[anchorarunabha]

#theViewFromTheTop #wheniseeyou #eyes #anchorarunabha #getlost #kinkyeyes #ghobhirejao #whenyouaretoofree #whenthemindiswithoutfear #dont_stare_at_me_you_will_fall_in_trouble (at Udaypur Beach, Odissa)

[pdckiteboarding-blog]

#kiteholic #pdckiteboarding #kitebording #slingshotkite #rpm #kitelessons #theviewfromthetop #windaddict #outdoors #saltyskin #saltlife #travel #oceanside #beach #beachjunkie #adventure #windinyourface #playadelcarmenkiteboarding #kiteboard #kitesurf #goprooftheday #goprouniverse #whatareyouwaitingfor #neverstopexploring #kitelifestyle #letskitesurf #kitesurfing #kiteaddict #wateraddict #thekiteshow (at Isla Blanca (Quintana Roo))

[gavriilux]

Anticipation #piedradelpeñol #Guatape #740steps #theviewfromthetop #mojarra The Rock of Guatapé ("El Peñón de Guatapé"), also known as the Stone of El Peñol ("La Piedra Del Peñol") is a landmark inselberg in Colombia. It is located in the town and municipality of Guatapé, Antioquia. There are 740 steps to the uppermost step atop the building at the summit but it is a wellworth climb as from viewing platform at the top one can see the 500 km shore-perimeter dam. Stunning! (at La Piedra Del Peñol - Guatape)

[gilbertkingelisa]

Sunrise/Sunset # #Philly #Bridges #Tunnels #Destinations #TheViewFromTheTop #SchuylkillRiver #Philadelphia #River #Construction #VitaminD #Sunrise #Skyscrapers #DelawareRiver #Sun #Sunset #NewJersey #LandscapePhotography #AerialPhotography #Photography #Clouds #PeaceofTheMorning #GilbertKingElisa (at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CWEzTgxF0gD/?utm_medium=tumblr

[lblake1-blog]

Nope. Never. #theredbarnsc, #yeahthatgreenville, #coffeetime, #gamerslovethisplace, #fridayquotes, #books, #becreative, #theviewfromthetop (at The Red Barn SC)