In brief, the Aurora Rey formula goes: femme meets butch, butch is gentle hearted and a bit messed up, femme has trust issues. There’s a masturbation scene early on. Sex starts off casual but they both secretly want more. Sex is, like, best ever, right?! Half way through femme asks butch if she likes to use a strap on. Butch does (surprise!) and the next sex scene is from the butch perspective as she oh so gently uses the strap on.
Then, trauma! Some sort of communication break down and lack of self knowledge on the femme’s behalf leads to a temporary separation. Minor angst. Lurve is declared. And so on.
The ‘unique’ elements in this version are… um… the femme runs a b&b, so there’s some stuff about cooking and hostessing and throwing amazing parties. Butch does some carpentry. There’s an age difference. There’s another woman in the picture with a crush on one of them.
If that formula sounds good (and I enjoy it as much as the next lesbian), but you’ve not read Rey’s other books, don’t start here. Winter’s Harbor is far better in writing and character and plot, and is the first in this series of Provincetown romances.
She Sighed! 