Colstead and Andie by Olivia Janae is a fun sapphic romance from the perspective of a fan falling in love with one of her favourite actors. While it’s a celebrity romance on the surface, Colstead and Andie is also about finding the courage to live authentically.
Freddie Nguyen is a bartender who is meeting up with friends at a fan conference for her favourite police drama. She would be excited to have the weekend off if she weren’t so exhausted as she checks into the hotel in the middle of the night. Freddie’s shocked when actor Andrea Canton, one half of her ride-or-die ship (aka the two people she wishes were in a relationship on the show), walks into the empty lobby with her bodyguard.
Freddie and Andrea have many more encounters over the weekend and Freddie’s crush on Andrea deepens with each conversation. If only Andrea weren’t so straight… or is she? (This is a sapphic romance novel, so NO!)
Andrea and Freddie even live in the same city, so exploring a relationship isn’t totally out of the question, except for two hitches: Andrea is in the closet for career reasons and Freddie’s conservative Vietnamese parents refuse to acknowledge that she’s a lesbian.
Both women have to decide whether they’re willing to take some risks for the happily ever after that can only come from living life on their own terms, together.
Writing
Overall, the writing is breezy and I found it very easy to sink into.
I loved that a huge chunk of the book takes place at the con, and that it’s told entirely from Freddie’s perspective, so we can experience the excitement and buzz of the event through her. We see everything Freddie goes through, including her thoughts and feelings, as well as her friends’ reactions. Red is a standout among Freddie’s friends, because she might just be the show’s biggest superfan ever. It was so infectious to read about that it almost makes me want to go to a con.
I’m also glad we get to see Freddie and Andrea away from that setting, because it gives a sense of how realistic a romance will actually be for them. They each have reasons for keeping their relationship hidden from all but their very closest friends and it’s easy to feel the pain this brings them.
I did have to suspend my disbelief a little more than I usually do when I’m reading a romance novel because of how quickly Andrea lets Freddie in, especially in this setting. I didn’t mind, though, because the book feels like a love letter to anyone who’s ever been an active part of a fandom, which made up for it.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
I love celebrity romances, especially when a celebrity ends up with someone who isn’t a celebrity (although I enjoy celebrity + celebrity romances too. *cough* Breaking Character *cough*). These stories often come with questions of whether the non-celebrity can handle the celebrity’s public lifestyle. Or, if the celebrity isn’t out to the world, the story has extra tension around what could happen to their career if news gets out.
Colstead and Andie includes both of these issues, but it’s a little different from most because Freddie is living in an in-between space where her parents have known she’s a lesbian for years and refuse to ever acknowledge it. So, while it’s not the same as having to back in the closet like Andrea did for her career, it’s similar because Freddie has to hide her queerness if she wants her family in her life. This was highly effective for evening the stakes of the relationship, so the tension doesn’t only come from one of the leads.
Heads Up
Mildly homophobic behaviours and sentiments occasionally come up.
The Conclusion
I had a lot of fun reading Colstead and Andie. It was directly responsible for a few nights when I got less sleep than usual, because I just had to know what would happen next.
If you’re part of any fandoms, this will be a great read for you, because it captures the excitement that comes from ardently shipping characters together. And if you’ve never been part of a fandom, it might just make you interested in dipping your toes into those waters.
Excerpt from Colstead and Andie by Olivia Janae
“Wow!” The desk attendant shot a glance at the clock and then back to the waiting customers. “A lot of you for a four a.m. check-in.” She tittered a polite, customer-service laugh.
A large, burly man stepped up beside Freddie, too far into her personal space. The smile she had tried for fell before it could do the attendant any good.
He was a head taller than her and at least two of Freddie put together across the chest. He stared down at her, his eyes narrowed, his presence chilling.
Freddie took a step back. Why was he glaring at her?
“Um. Hi.” She twisted her beanie in her hands. “Can I help you with something or…?”
He took a step forward.
The air of intimidation was like a brick wall coming at her. Freddie took a hasty sidestep down the counter. The already sensitive muscles in her leg pulled. She ground her teeth and fought the urge to reach down and massage them. “Um.” A simple excuse-me would have worked too.
Someone stepped up to the counter behind him, mid-yawn.
A thrill shot through Freddie’s nerves like she had missed a step on the stairs, like she was on a roller coaster she hadn’t signed up for.
Ximena Colt. No, Freddie corrected her stunned inner voice, not Ximena Colt. Ximena Colt was a character. Andrea Canton.
That was Crime & Punishment’s Andrea Canton!
With another physical jolt, Freddie realized she was staring. She ripped her gaze away and glanced around the room, but it was impossible not to take another look to be sure. There was no mistaking her.
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Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 978-3963248689
Publisher: Ylva Publishing
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