For the Love of April French by Penny Aimes
The rundown: April French has learned not to ask for too much, having grown used to rejection and disappointment. She’s well-known and -liked at Frankie’s kink club, though, as a trans woman, she knows she’s only a temporary stop along the way to happily ever after. When Dennis walks in, their connection is electric and instant. But Dennis is inexperienced as a Dom, traumatized after his kink exploration with his ex-girlfriend went terribly wrong, and as a partner to a trans woman. April is terrified of losing him but even more terrified of letting him get too close. When a realization makes a relationship between them even more complicated, April has to decide if she’s willing to finally ask for what she wants.
The review: This book is romance at its finest. It’s smart and emotionally compelling. It deals with heavy, complicated issues and also delivers on the warm fuzzies that I pick up a romance for. April’s character is written so well. Aimes demonstrates that being a “strong” heroine and being vulnerable are not mutually exclusive, a notion that I’d love to see more of across romance and its subgenres. April is strong - she’s capable, warm-hearted, and principled. She’s also deeply insecure and concerned with how the world perceives her, and understandably so, given all we learn about the abuse and marginalization she has been and continues to be subjected to. As a result, April makes poor decisions, including hiding sensitive information from Dennis for the majority of the book, to protect herself. Aimes leans into this, allowing April to be convincingly, deeply flawed without judgment. The D/s kink is lovely. Aimes takes care to communicate the importance of trust and communication in healthy kink, and it works so well in supporting the book’s overarching themes. After Dennis (a millionaire Black man) expresses interest in choosing April’s clothes, the two have a conversation about power that will stay with me for a while. This one’s at the top of my list of underrated faves.
Goes well with: I am so happy to present you with the perfect read-alike for this book: Love Language by Reese Morrison. You’re welcome.
Grab a copy of For the Love of April French by Penny Aimes for your shelf!