I wanted to love Margaux Fox's 'Finding Haley'. I really, really did. It's the kind of thing I should love—lesbians, discovering themselves on the Spanish coast, with steamy sex scenes and a HEA. What's not to love, right?
Haley moves to Spain after splitting with her wife in an effort to rediscover herself. There, she meets Amaia—and the pair immediately hit it off. Their attraction is undeniable, and their sexual chemistry is sizzling. It's no surprise that before long they fall into bed together, with Haley discovering herself in a whole other way than she'd originally intended.
The problem for me was that though I could relate to Haley in some way, I just wasn't buying the supposed depth of her emotional connection with Amaia. The sex scenes were tantalising and phenomenally well written—but to me, it felt as though their entire relationship was built purely on their physical connection. I struggled to see what they had in common, or how well they worked together.
I will say, however, that there were some lovely moments in the novel. Fox is a great writer, and she uses her supporting characters well to build a rich, vibrant town on the Spanish coast. I loved that Haley remained friends with her ex-wife, and that Paco ultimately gave his blessing to Amaia and Haley. I just wanted to see more of Haley and Amaia outside of the bedroom, without Amaia showering Haley with gifts and luxurious experiences. I wanted to root for them, to have my heart in my throat when Haley walked away, to cheer when Amaia showed up to win her back. And I just....didn't.
Final verdict: Not a bad read, but ultimately disappointed by the lack of emotional payoff. 🍯🍯/5 honeypots.