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A Brighter Palette
ASIN moved from less recent edition
Annie Slocum is a bisexual woman struggling to make a living as a freelance writer. Stuck in a rut, she feels bored with her career, her relationships—her life. A chance meeting with Siobhán at a gallery adds a bright spark to her dull life.
Siobhán Murray is a lesbian Irish painter living in Boston. She loves her career, loves her life, but she’s missing the one piece that will make her life complete—a partner. She falls hard for Annie and is delighted to realize Annie inspires her work. But a string of failed relationships has left her wary of bisexual women and wondering if she can trust that Annie won’t leave her.
When Siobhán’s past comes back to haunt them, they’ll have to decide if the new relationship is something that will burn bright and end quickly or if it’s meant to last.
Annie Slocum is a bisexual woman struggling to make a living as a freelance writer. Stuck in a rut, she feels bored with her career, her relationships—her life. A chance meeting with Siobhán at a gallery adds a bright spark to her dull life.
Siobhán Murray is a lesbian Irish painter living in Boston. She loves her career, loves her life, but she’s missing the one piece that will make her life complete—a partner. She falls hard for Annie and is delighted to realize Annie inspires her work. But a string of failed relationships has left her wary of bisexual women and wondering if she can trust that Annie won’t leave her.
When Siobhán’s past comes back to haunt them, they’ll have to decide if the new relationship is something that will burn bright and end quickly or if it’s meant to last.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 30, 2017
About the author
Brigham Vaughn
62 books527 followersBrigham Vaughn is on the adventure of a lifetime as a full-time writer. She devours books at an alarming rate and hasn’t let her short arms and long torso stop her from doing yoga. She makes a killer key lime pie, hates green peppers, and loves wine tasting tours. A collector of vintage Nancy Drew books and green glassware, she enjoys poking around in antique shops and refinishing thrift store furniture. An avid photographer, she dreams of traveling the world and she can’t wait to discover everything else life has to offer her.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
October 28, 2018
Nice series!
Cute storyline with some steamy sex scenes at times...
Cute storyline with some steamy sex scenes at times...
November 18, 2017
How, how, HOW did this book miss my radar?! At completion, I realized A Brighter Palette came out in June of this year. JUNE. That's just wrong because I fell in love with it two pages in. It's like someone dumped my all-time-faves GR bookshelf into a magic story processor and out came this. A super sexy (to the point of erotic—YAY) girl-meets-girl romance starring gorgeous 30-something high femme lesbians in the city. It builds on their relationship beyond the bedroom and their personalities and goals were fleshed out and believable. I related with them so much on both a personal and professional level. They actually went on dates, people. Too many lesbian romance books forget about dates!
What's kind of unique about this romance is the story doesn't end when Annie and Siobhán (OH GAWD SHE'S SO HOT) get together. Here, Vaughn doesn't play us for stupid—we're not strung along with two leads who just can't figure out they're in love. While some themes are staples of lesfic (not complaining), they're delivered in a smart, modern writing style.
Actually, I'd say A Brighter Palette is very similar to the last books I've finished. I imagine KL Hughes' The Art of Us and Fiona Riley's Miss Match Series having a baby: A BRIGHTER PALETTE. Don't take it too literally, but this intense connection of two leads, where one is a passionate artist (The Art of Us) could have easily inhabited Fiona Riley's Miss Match Universe in Boston. EVERYONE'S SO PRETTY AND THEY WEAR DRESSES. I LOVE IT.
Sidenote: I'm in intense reader-love with Siobhán Murray. Damn, I haven't been this affected by a fictional character in a while. I wanted all the good things for her. Annie was great, too. She had deep imposter syndrome that while frustrating, was super real.
This may not be everyone's cuppa. It's a true romance, a huge focus being on maintaining their relationship, self-improvement, and Annie's bisexuality. God, the biphobia got the most infuriating comments from other characters. Ughhh. I LOVED IT EVEN THROUGH THE AGGRAVATION. I devoured everything.
I'll have to hunt through the rest of Brigham Vaughn's works. Are there more hot lesbian stories? A cupcake can only hope.
Five stars!
What's kind of unique about this romance is the story doesn't end when Annie and Siobhán (OH GAWD SHE'S SO HOT) get together. Here, Vaughn doesn't play us for stupid—we're not strung along with two leads who just can't figure out they're in love. While some themes are staples of lesfic (not complaining), they're delivered in a smart, modern writing style.
Actually, I'd say A Brighter Palette is very similar to the last books I've finished. I imagine KL Hughes' The Art of Us and Fiona Riley's Miss Match Series having a baby: A BRIGHTER PALETTE. Don't take it too literally, but this intense connection of two leads, where one is a passionate artist (The Art of Us) could have easily inhabited Fiona Riley's Miss Match Universe in Boston. EVERYONE'S SO PRETTY AND THEY WEAR DRESSES. I LOVE IT.
Sidenote: I'm in intense reader-love with Siobhán Murray. Damn, I haven't been this affected by a fictional character in a while. I wanted all the good things for her. Annie was great, too. She had deep imposter syndrome that while frustrating, was super real.
This may not be everyone's cuppa. It's a true romance, a huge focus being on maintaining their relationship, self-improvement, and Annie's bisexuality. God, the biphobia got the most infuriating comments from other characters. Ughhh. I LOVED IT EVEN THROUGH THE AGGRAVATION. I devoured everything.
I'll have to hunt through the rest of Brigham Vaughn's works. Are there more hot lesbian stories? A cupcake can only hope.
Five stars!
June 12, 2019
Oh my... two femmes, hot passion and a lot of drama. What’s not to like?!?!
And I did, like all of it. Even when the two love birds stumbled over that major hurdle called ‘trust’ and the tears where hot and the breaking of hearts was almost audible… I just heaved a heavy sigh and read on, knowing it would be alright in the end. Because that is how it works with a good romance, they work through it.
So yes, there is some drama in this book, along with a lot of sweet romance and sexy times. The theme is ‘can I be enough for you knowing you are bi-sexual?’ vs. ‘why do I have the feeling the ghost of your ex is still hovering over us?’. It’s basically good storytelling all around and a very satisfying read. I recommend.
f/f explicit
Themes: that is one messy painter, I mean look at the cover art, there is more paint on her than on the canvas, I liked that what’s on the cover actually is a scene in the book, now I wonder what came first, Siobhán is a dreamboat, lots of bi-sexual drama-rama, well done Brigham Vaughn, I think you should write more lesbian.
5 stars
And I did, like all of it. Even when the two love birds stumbled over that major hurdle called ‘trust’ and the tears where hot and the breaking of hearts was almost audible… I just heaved a heavy sigh and read on, knowing it would be alright in the end. Because that is how it works with a good romance, they work through it.
So yes, there is some drama in this book, along with a lot of sweet romance and sexy times. The theme is ‘can I be enough for you knowing you are bi-sexual?’ vs. ‘why do I have the feeling the ghost of your ex is still hovering over us?’. It’s basically good storytelling all around and a very satisfying read. I recommend.
f/f explicit
Themes: that is one messy painter, I mean look at the cover art, there is more paint on her than on the canvas, I liked that what’s on the cover actually is a scene in the book, now I wonder what came first, Siobhán is a dreamboat, lots of bi-sexual drama-rama, well done Brigham Vaughn, I think you should write more lesbian.
5 stars
June 16, 2019
June 2019 re-read
There's nothing I can add about this book that I haven't already mentioned in my original review below. One and a half years later it's still a fantastic read. Also, I wasn't kidding about how hot the sex scenes are and there are a lot of them! Either grab a cold drink, sit on a block of ice or just climb into your freezer because this book is sure to get you hot and bothered!
December 2017
So book two will be out soon right? RIGHT?!
This book emotionally wrecked me, it was that good. It starts off with our two main characters, Siobhan and Annie, meeting at an art gallery and having an instant attraction towards each other signaling the beginning of a sizzling romance. Sizzling might be a bit of an understatement however because you might need to sit on a block of ice when reading the sex scenes.
It's seldom that I connect so well with a character that it feels like the author stole pages from my own life and turned it into a novel. The character that i'm referring to is Annie Slocum, a bisexual freelance writer. To say that I related to her would be phrasing it delicately!
Vaughn did a great job conveying the frustrations Annie was starting to feel regarding having to constantly defend her sexual orientation to her parents, roommates and even her girlfriend. Add to that Siobhan's jealousy, trust issues and an ex girlfriend that she isn't completely over and Annie is in for one hell of a bumpy ride.
Luckily though their chemistry is fantastic and coupled with great dialogue, this became a book that I had serious trouble putting down. Turns out making dinner while holding an e-reader is a bad idea and I have the band-aid to prove it!
So glad I read Sprinkles' review of this and put it on my to read list. If you haven't read this yet what are you waiting for?
There's nothing I can add about this book that I haven't already mentioned in my original review below. One and a half years later it's still a fantastic read. Also, I wasn't kidding about how hot the sex scenes are and there are a lot of them! Either grab a cold drink, sit on a block of ice or just climb into your freezer because this book is sure to get you hot and bothered!
December 2017
So book two will be out soon right? RIGHT?!
This book emotionally wrecked me, it was that good. It starts off with our two main characters, Siobhan and Annie, meeting at an art gallery and having an instant attraction towards each other signaling the beginning of a sizzling romance. Sizzling might be a bit of an understatement however because you might need to sit on a block of ice when reading the sex scenes.
It's seldom that I connect so well with a character that it feels like the author stole pages from my own life and turned it into a novel. The character that i'm referring to is Annie Slocum, a bisexual freelance writer. To say that I related to her would be phrasing it delicately!
Vaughn did a great job conveying the frustrations Annie was starting to feel regarding having to constantly defend her sexual orientation to her parents, roommates and even her girlfriend. Add to that Siobhan's jealousy, trust issues and an ex girlfriend that she isn't completely over and Annie is in for one hell of a bumpy ride.
Luckily though their chemistry is fantastic and coupled with great dialogue, this became a book that I had serious trouble putting down. Turns out making dinner while holding an e-reader is a bad idea and I have the band-aid to prove it!
So glad I read Sprinkles' review of this and put it on my to read list. If you haven't read this yet what are you waiting for?
June 15, 2019
This was an interesting read. Things start really fast between Annie and Siobhán, and when I say fast I mean it. They’re already having sex in like the first three pages of the story. And the sex is hot, I’m not complaining. Neither is Annie, by the way, even though it’s very unlike her (the sex at first sight, not the not complaining). They both realize very soon that they’re not in this only for the sex, having apparently fallen in love within minutes. I’m not a big fan of insta-love but having myself fallen for my wife in probably less than a minute, I know it happens. Which brings me to the more interesting part of the story: the relationship. And the big words that come with it: trust and communication. Annie and Siobhán are not really good at either at first, with Annie’s bisexuality complicating things for Siobhán, who has been betrayed before by a bi woman and has trouble not lumping all bi women in the same betrayal. I thought Annie was very patient with her, but seeing as Siobhán seems to be bringing so much color to her life, it’s probably worth it. I have hope for them at any rate and will check out the second book in the series ASAP.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
December 13, 2019
Ack, I read this awhile ago and forgot to write a review. Oh life, why have you been too busy for me to write better reviews for my beloved lesfics?!
This will then be brief: the sex was hot, the defensiveness around one character's bisexuality became kind of redundant, I do love two femmes together and was totally into their quick initial hookup because why not, I adore Irish accents, I was annoyed by the thoughtless messy male roommate, and for two ladies in their mid 30s I was quite surprised at their amount of insecurities.
I was intrigued by the author though and look forward to reading more of her work.
This will then be brief: the sex was hot, the defensiveness around one character's bisexuality became kind of redundant, I do love two femmes together and was totally into their quick initial hookup because why not, I adore Irish accents, I was annoyed by the thoughtless messy male roommate, and for two ladies in their mid 30s I was quite surprised at their amount of insecurities.
I was intrigued by the author though and look forward to reading more of her work.
July 19, 2018
4-
I loved the femininity of this book. Both Siobhán Murray and Annie Slocum are described as fems in every way. And I love that. Siobhan is a successful painter and Annie is a struggling journalist. They meet at one of Siobhan's showings and they are hardly ever apart after that. Until something unexpected happens.
This title is going on my Listopia list.
I loved the femininity of this book. Both Siobhán Murray and Annie Slocum are described as fems in every way. And I love that. Siobhan is a successful painter and Annie is a struggling journalist. They meet at one of Siobhan's showings and they are hardly ever apart after that. Until something unexpected happens.
This title is going on my Listopia list.
November 26, 2017
This is an interesting book because the starting point is different from most lesbian books that I have read. This starts when Siobhán approaches Annie at one of her art shows and they start a very passionate relationship. The difference from other books is that we can see two women falling madly in love in their daily lives and how this courtship develops. Through their daily lives we can see Siobhán's insecurities being with a bisexual woman, and Annie discovering what she wants in her life. Brigham Vaughn builds interesting characters and well written and sexy scenes. I can't wait for the sequel.
December 5, 2017
I guess I kinda liked it. I mean there's a ton of crap to deal with. And for the most part the last quarter of the book was way bleh. But I did like the fact that she dealt with bisexual issues very well. That was definitely a good thing. I'll probably read book 2. By the sound of the title 'The Greenest Isle' it's going to take them over to Ireland. So that could be cool.
May 2, 2022
Not a fan of insta love/lust but A Brighter Palette pique my interest and am glad that I came across it. 2 very femme MCs in Siobhan Murray, an artist/painter, and Annie Slocum, a freelance writer who is still trying to find her footing in the literary world.
The book opened with the 2 MCs at an Art gallery where Siobhan had a showing and what followed next was them getting all hot over each other. If that is not insta lust, then do tell… That would have put me off given that I’m not big on anything insta but lo and behold, I actually enjoyed reading ABP. We have Annie, who is bi, and Siobhan a lesbian and that would likely give you an idea where ABP is going. Siobhan has been burned one time too many with girlfriends, who were Bi, who didn’t get closure with her last girlfriend, and of course, is gonna be wary getting into a relationship with Annie. And Annie is just tired of justifying or defending herself, just because she’s bi to just about everyone; family, friends, and Siobhan.
Plenty of actions between the sheets in ABP, hot ones I might add, some trust issues leading to drama and angsty scenes which make ABP a delightful read! 😊
The book opened with the 2 MCs at an Art gallery where Siobhan had a showing and what followed next was them getting all hot over each other. If that is not insta lust, then do tell… That would have put me off given that I’m not big on anything insta but lo and behold, I actually enjoyed reading ABP. We have Annie, who is bi, and Siobhan a lesbian and that would likely give you an idea where ABP is going. Siobhan has been burned one time too many with girlfriends, who were Bi, who didn’t get closure with her last girlfriend, and of course, is gonna be wary getting into a relationship with Annie. And Annie is just tired of justifying or defending herself, just because she’s bi to just about everyone; family, friends, and Siobhan.
Plenty of actions between the sheets in ABP, hot ones I might add, some trust issues leading to drama and angsty scenes which make ABP a delightful read! 😊
November 15, 2017
A solid read
4 stars. I've no major problems with this book, maybe it's a tad bit too predictable. Both characters are likeable and well developed. I liked how both of them are feminine, a nice change from all the butchxfemme combos and androgynous women, not that there's anything wrong with those types, just different.
The Irish thing comes of a little bit fetishy but otherwise was a nice touch.
One thing you should probably know is that this book has a lot of sex and it can certainly be defined as erotica but the plot is there just as much. The naughty scenes are written well so no worries about that either.
Overall a solid read from an author that apparently mainly does MM books, I'm sure glad she's branching out. It was also nice how they start dating from the very first chapter, that rarely happens in these types of books. Definitely gonna grab the next book in the series which will continue their story. Just, please, don't ruin it with an unnecessary break up trope that tends to happen in sequels.
4 stars. I've no major problems with this book, maybe it's a tad bit too predictable. Both characters are likeable and well developed. I liked how both of them are feminine, a nice change from all the butchxfemme combos and androgynous women, not that there's anything wrong with those types, just different.
The Irish thing comes of a little bit fetishy but otherwise was a nice touch.
One thing you should probably know is that this book has a lot of sex and it can certainly be defined as erotica but the plot is there just as much. The naughty scenes are written well so no worries about that either.
Overall a solid read from an author that apparently mainly does MM books, I'm sure glad she's branching out. It was also nice how they start dating from the very first chapter, that rarely happens in these types of books. Definitely gonna grab the next book in the series which will continue their story. Just, please, don't ruin it with an unnecessary break up trope that tends to happen in sequels.
October 27, 2020
DNF @ 33% Yikes.
So artist Siobhán comes across as sexy, flirty, determined, knows what she wants and goes after it. Her and Annie meet and are getting it on all hot and heavy pretty instantly because they have this amazing chemistry and attraction. They spend the weekend, and many more weekends and dates together but soon the cracks begin to show.
Siobhán has a hell of a judgmental streak about bisexuals and quote says that bi's are just "lesbians pretending to be bisexual to appease their own guilt.". Annie takes all this criticism on in stride, from her with a shrug - and also from her room mates who also make snide comments about her sexuality. I felt really dang bad for her for putting up with such shit attitudes and deciding to grin and bear it. I wanted her to desperately grow a spine.
Siobhán really shows herself to be a piece of work in more ways than one, she seems to have an endless list of bad relationships she's had, where she seems to take NO responsibility for their end. One even making her leave a university to start again elsewhere and re-do an entire term, because she couldn't face the ex. WHAT?. Warning!
At one point she even snidely talks about another ex whom is now married with children and the husband is planning a political career, and she jokes that she should sell her old pictures of the two of them to the tabloids for money... UM WHAT? That right there shows what a shit and not very nice person Siobhán is, and I really didn't want to see Annie with her any longer, and that was only a quarter of a way into the book.
I struggled to continue but when they got home after a date (at a bar where yet another ex used to work!) and the male bartender had openly hit on Annie, which Annie rectified immediately stating she was on a date with Siobhán, and was pissed off about his perverted response after shutting him down, the ensuing made me not want to read further.
The scenario at the bar makes Siobhán go into yet another freaking rant about bi women and saying Annie is confusing them with her BI VIBES... like WTF??? They're both attractive femmes therefore both have men hitting on them. Annie even states this. The argument dissipates into Siobhán excusing her tirade as jealousy and her not wanting anyone else to touch Annie - but then grabby possessive mouthy sex ensues and I closed the book at that point. Ew. Gross.
I get the author is going for some redemption angle here, but honestly I couldn't care at all for the character in any way to even want to see their turn about, when it meant Annie was going to suffer because of it. If anything I wanted Annie to stop being a dang doormat and stand up for herself and not give into Siobhán's sexy allure and bullshit mind games.
Just not a fun read in my view.
So artist Siobhán comes across as sexy, flirty, determined, knows what she wants and goes after it. Her and Annie meet and are getting it on all hot and heavy pretty instantly because they have this amazing chemistry and attraction. They spend the weekend, and many more weekends and dates together but soon the cracks begin to show.
Siobhán has a hell of a judgmental streak about bisexuals and quote says that bi's are just "lesbians pretending to be bisexual to appease their own guilt.". Annie takes all this criticism on in stride, from her with a shrug - and also from her room mates who also make snide comments about her sexuality. I felt really dang bad for her for putting up with such shit attitudes and deciding to grin and bear it. I wanted her to desperately grow a spine.
Siobhán really shows herself to be a piece of work in more ways than one, she seems to have an endless list of bad relationships she's had, where she seems to take NO responsibility for their end. One even making her leave a university to start again elsewhere and re-do an entire term, because she couldn't face the ex. WHAT?. Warning!
At one point she even snidely talks about another ex whom is now married with children and the husband is planning a political career, and she jokes that she should sell her old pictures of the two of them to the tabloids for money... UM WHAT? That right there shows what a shit and not very nice person Siobhán is, and I really didn't want to see Annie with her any longer, and that was only a quarter of a way into the book.
I struggled to continue but when they got home after a date (at a bar where yet another ex used to work!) and the male bartender had openly hit on Annie, which Annie rectified immediately stating she was on a date with Siobhán, and was pissed off about his perverted response after shutting him down, the ensuing made me not want to read further.
The scenario at the bar makes Siobhán go into yet another freaking rant about bi women and saying Annie is confusing them with her BI VIBES... like WTF??? They're both attractive femmes therefore both have men hitting on them. Annie even states this. The argument dissipates into Siobhán excusing her tirade as jealousy and her not wanting anyone else to touch Annie - but then grabby possessive mouthy sex ensues and I closed the book at that point. Ew. Gross.
I get the author is going for some redemption angle here, but honestly I couldn't care at all for the character in any way to even want to see their turn about, when it meant Annie was going to suffer because of it. If anything I wanted Annie to stop being a dang doormat and stand up for herself and not give into Siobhán's sexy allure and bullshit mind games.
Just not a fun read in my view.
February 25, 2018
Oh god I was so excited about this one but unfortunately didn’t work for me in any way ! It was so predictable and I couldn’t relate to any of the characters .. I didn’t believe in their story even ! I’m so surprised that this is how I felt because I’ve read amazing reviews and expected so much..
The last quarter of the book was so annoying even!
The last quarter of the book was so annoying even!
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
October 20, 2023DNF
Why does every FF romance I try always end up having awful biphobia from the love interest?! This author has a ton of bisexual male MCs in her other books and biphobia never once came up so why do it here?
Why does every FF romance I try always end up having awful biphobia from the love interest?! This author has a ton of bisexual male MCs in her other books and biphobia never once came up so why do it here?
May 20, 2019
I really love it!
It's amazing, adorable, cute and sexy.
And now I'm sad to see that the writer never kept going :( I'd love to see more about this couple and/or read more lesfics from this author, but well...
The story is focused on the MC's relationship, and I love this because you don't have to wait to see them together, even tho they get to fight and stuff, I loved to read them together.
Siobhan is really sexy, like I want her for me haha
Really steamy, all the sex is really explicit, hot and very well written.
Jealousy is really complicated, and it's a little unreal expect that everything is erased from night to day, it doesn't work like that, trust issues is really fucked up, but well, I love their relationship.
It's amazing, adorable, cute and sexy.
And now I'm sad to see that the writer never kept going :( I'd love to see more about this couple and/or read more lesfics from this author, but well...
The story is focused on the MC's relationship, and I love this because you don't have to wait to see them together, even tho they get to fight and stuff, I loved to read them together.
Siobhan is really sexy, like I want her for me haha
Really steamy, all the sex is really explicit, hot and very well written.
Jealousy is really complicated, and it's a little unreal expect that everything is erased from night to day, it doesn't work like that, trust issues is really fucked up, but well, I love their relationship.
July 2, 2017
Anyone who knows me even a little understands I have time management issues. I have a day job, a pre-teen child, and I write in my spare time (e.g., at night, in lieu of sleeping). Sadly, this leaves me with little time to read and that is a shame because so many people I know and love are creating wonderful works of words.
Such is the case with A Brighter Palette, an indie-published work by Brigham Vaughn. In this novel we meet Annie Slocum, a young woman living in Boston whose primary activity appears to be searching--for a career and inspiration, for love, and for herself. Annie’s world is nearly bereft of color and vitality, and she is reluctantly accustomed to a life that’s gone mostly dull and gray and is sadly lacking in passion.
Enter Siobhan Murray, a free-spirited painter who shakes up Annie’s world. Siobhan is many things Annie has perhaps forgotten how to be--passionate, impulsive, inspired, and hard as nails. Siobhan’s default setting is to take the bull by the horns as well as anyone within reach, and so she does with Annie, giving her a much needed infusion of confidence and passion, so it’s not long before these women fall in love.
Not every day can be sunny of course, in real life or novels, and Annie and Siobhan soon must face up to the ghosts of their pasts. Can their relationship survive these bumps or will the price each pays to remain together bankrupt them in more ways than one?
As stated earlier, I don’t have much time to read and, in fact, it’s rare I read F/F works. Reading A Brighter Palette was an unexpected pleasure, and I particularly enjoyed getting to know Siobhan who is all kinds of wonderful and struck a chord within me I didn’t even know existed. I’m more than looking forward to further adventures with Annie and Siobhan, and learning if their fledgling relationship endures.
Such is the case with A Brighter Palette, an indie-published work by Brigham Vaughn. In this novel we meet Annie Slocum, a young woman living in Boston whose primary activity appears to be searching--for a career and inspiration, for love, and for herself. Annie’s world is nearly bereft of color and vitality, and she is reluctantly accustomed to a life that’s gone mostly dull and gray and is sadly lacking in passion.
Enter Siobhan Murray, a free-spirited painter who shakes up Annie’s world. Siobhan is many things Annie has perhaps forgotten how to be--passionate, impulsive, inspired, and hard as nails. Siobhan’s default setting is to take the bull by the horns as well as anyone within reach, and so she does with Annie, giving her a much needed infusion of confidence and passion, so it’s not long before these women fall in love.
Not every day can be sunny of course, in real life or novels, and Annie and Siobhan soon must face up to the ghosts of their pasts. Can their relationship survive these bumps or will the price each pays to remain together bankrupt them in more ways than one?
As stated earlier, I don’t have much time to read and, in fact, it’s rare I read F/F works. Reading A Brighter Palette was an unexpected pleasure, and I particularly enjoyed getting to know Siobhan who is all kinds of wonderful and struck a chord within me I didn’t even know existed. I’m more than looking forward to further adventures with Annie and Siobhan, and learning if their fledgling relationship endures.
October 26, 2020
3.5 stars, a strong outing from this author. This is the first book I've read from them. Jealousy & passion are the driving themes, but I'm a sucker for a brogue, gets me every time.
July 13, 2017
This is going to be a bit of a weird review. You know how it’s possible to have a love-hate relationship with someone? Well, while I wouldn’t go so far as to call it ‘hate,’ I did have a two-sided reaction to this book. To make what could well turn into a long story, short(ish) let me just say that Siobhán rubbed me up the wrong way. I found myself totally charmed by her in the early stages of the story. Her easy wit and the fact that she makes no secret of who and what she is totally drew me in. On the other hand, her attitude towards bi-sexuals, and more importantly, the way in which she sometimes seemed to hold Annie’s sexuality against her, made me want to shake her.
What it boils down to is that this story dealt with a few issues that bug the shit out of me in real life. I don’t have time for bi-bashing. The whole idea of ‘gold star lesbians’ infuriates me. And I’m not very accepting or understanding when it comes to jealousy either. Given that poor Siobhán displays all these qualities it is hardly surprising that I spent a lot of time while reading this book growling at her.
So, you ask, after everything I just said, how did I still end up rating this book five glorious stars? Well, it’s no real mystery. If an author can make me lose myself in a story and compulsively turn the pages, despite one of the MCs hitting all the wrong buttons, it is a sure sign they wrote an amazing story. I’m not one to continue a book when I’m struggling with it — life’s too short. While I may have shouted at my Kindle once or twice while reading A Brighter Palette, and while I never managed to completely fall for Siobhán, I can’t deny that I was completely caught up in the story of her and Annie’s relationship. In fact, when an author makes me feel angry about the fact that I can’t climb into my Kindle to give a character a piece of my mind, I know I’m dealing with an exceptional book.
And, furthermore, for every yin there is an equal but opposite yang, aka Annie. It was a pure delight to watch this somewhat insecure and indecisive woman grow and (re)discover her strength and worth. In fact, I think it is safe to say that Annie and Siobhán are a clear example of first impressions being deceptive.
Brigham Vaughn is in a league of her own when it comes to creating characters who come to life on the page. Her writing is smooth and she sweeps me along while her descriptions, both of scenery and of sexy times so vibrant I can almost see the images and feel the caresses.
A Brighter Palette is a well written, captivating and thought-provoking romance. It takes what are huge issues for some people and forces Siobhán and Annie to come to terms with them, in the process forcing the reader to think about the topics in question.
If you like your FF stories with strong characters, well written, vividly sexy, as well as intelligent and thought-provoking, I highly recommend A Brighter Palette. I’m already looking forward to reading the sequel, The Greenest Isle, and meeting up with these two fascinating women again.
What it boils down to is that this story dealt with a few issues that bug the shit out of me in real life. I don’t have time for bi-bashing. The whole idea of ‘gold star lesbians’ infuriates me. And I’m not very accepting or understanding when it comes to jealousy either. Given that poor Siobhán displays all these qualities it is hardly surprising that I spent a lot of time while reading this book growling at her.
So, you ask, after everything I just said, how did I still end up rating this book five glorious stars? Well, it’s no real mystery. If an author can make me lose myself in a story and compulsively turn the pages, despite one of the MCs hitting all the wrong buttons, it is a sure sign they wrote an amazing story. I’m not one to continue a book when I’m struggling with it — life’s too short. While I may have shouted at my Kindle once or twice while reading A Brighter Palette, and while I never managed to completely fall for Siobhán, I can’t deny that I was completely caught up in the story of her and Annie’s relationship. In fact, when an author makes me feel angry about the fact that I can’t climb into my Kindle to give a character a piece of my mind, I know I’m dealing with an exceptional book.
And, furthermore, for every yin there is an equal but opposite yang, aka Annie. It was a pure delight to watch this somewhat insecure and indecisive woman grow and (re)discover her strength and worth. In fact, I think it is safe to say that Annie and Siobhán are a clear example of first impressions being deceptive.
Brigham Vaughn is in a league of her own when it comes to creating characters who come to life on the page. Her writing is smooth and she sweeps me along while her descriptions, both of scenery and of sexy times so vibrant I can almost see the images and feel the caresses.
A Brighter Palette is a well written, captivating and thought-provoking romance. It takes what are huge issues for some people and forces Siobhán and Annie to come to terms with them, in the process forcing the reader to think about the topics in question.
If you like your FF stories with strong characters, well written, vividly sexy, as well as intelligent and thought-provoking, I highly recommend A Brighter Palette. I’m already looking forward to reading the sequel, The Greenest Isle, and meeting up with these two fascinating women again.
March 21, 2021
For me, this is undeniably a case where the characters ‘are’ the real story. Perhaps it is my Scot-Irish ancestry that draws me to the character of Siobhan and holds my attention. And perhaps it was the first line that captured me; or a combination.
This is the first I’ve read from this author and I enjoyed her development of characters, narration, and dialogue. There were some aspects to the surrounding characters that didn’t appeal to me as much but may not bother other readers. No spoilers here though. If anything, it was the ending that left me wondering. I didn’t feel as satisfied with the ending that I’m enticed sufficiently to go on. Just me, just sayin’.
I enjoyed the book and the characters’ story well enough, don’t get me wrong. I’m sure many others will enjoy it also—who doesn’t love an Irish woman for an MC! More than 3 stars, and I really liked Siobhan.
This is the first I’ve read from this author and I enjoyed her development of characters, narration, and dialogue. There were some aspects to the surrounding characters that didn’t appeal to me as much but may not bother other readers. No spoilers here though. If anything, it was the ending that left me wondering. I didn’t feel as satisfied with the ending that I’m enticed sufficiently to go on. Just me, just sayin’.
I enjoyed the book and the characters’ story well enough, don’t get me wrong. I’m sure many others will enjoy it also—who doesn’t love an Irish woman for an MC! More than 3 stars, and I really liked Siobhan.
December 30, 2017
I hadn't realised bisexuality was such an issue until I started reading in this genre, and from both authors and reviewers. Annie meets Siobhan at a showing of Siobhan's artwork. Their connection is immediate and after a weekend in bed their relationship begins. There is a lot of dialogue as they negotiate their present relationship, delve into their pasts, their sexuality, their parents, and how they intend dealing with the future.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and loved the highs and lows I was taken on in their journey. It's been a while since I've read a novel that is about the relationship itself as opposed to a relationship developing within a backdrop of crime, medical emergency, courtroom, etc. and it was a wonderful change for me. The secondary characters are interesting too and it's definitely not lacking in angst or drama.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and loved the highs and lows I was taken on in their journey. It's been a while since I've read a novel that is about the relationship itself as opposed to a relationship developing within a backdrop of crime, medical emergency, courtroom, etc. and it was a wonderful change for me. The secondary characters are interesting too and it's definitely not lacking in angst or drama.
February 1, 2021
Sometimes all the ingredients are in place and in the right proportion. The pace is also spot on. But how the final dish turns out is entirely on the skill of the cook.
Read the full review @ https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
Read the full review @ https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
January 2, 2018
Same old lesbian angst you see in most books of this genre. Nothing new or exciting in my opinion.
August 1, 2017
Annie Slocum is a struggling writer who happens to be bisexual and is seriously lacking in inspiration, on all fronts. Siobhán Murray is an Irish lesbian painter who is happy on all fronts but one, love. When they meet, more than inspiration sparks, but will it be enough to fan the flames?
It's no secret that I am a huge fan of Brigham Vaughn's work, so when she told me she was starting a F/F romance series, I knew I had to read it. Followers of my reviews have probably noticed that M/M is my favorite genre but that I really don't have a prescribed comfort zone. I like everything! Sure I have my favorite tropes and genres but I am not beyond reading those that may not be my norm. Having said that, my familiarity with F/F is limited but not non-exsistent so when I say A Brighter Palette is an amazing read and incredible portrayal of love, I am not exaggerating.
Before I touch on Annie and Siobhán I have to make mention of one of my favorite TV ships being a relationship between a gay man and bisexual man and how the fandom perceives some of the writers as bi-phobic because they feel it should be all roses and rainbows without problems. I don't feel they're being bi-phobic in how they are writing the gay man wrapping his brain around the bisexual man finding him to be enough, it can be a real issue for some in the LGBT community and it is a fictional soap opera afterall. But as in every facet of the fiction spectrum, its in the eye of the beholder.
Now, I said all that about my TV ship because I feel that Brigham Vaughn has also shown that Annie's bisexuality is a bit of an issue, not in a bi-phobic way but because Siobhán's past relationship has made her weary and gun-shy but it doesn't make me not want to shake Siobhán any less for her way of thinking and some of the words she uses. Brigham deals with this in a believable and yet entertaining fashion. I say "entertaining" not because its roses and rainbows from beginning to end but because it kept me intrigued even when I was upset with Siobhán. I love how their artistic sides mesh with their personal sides, sometimes all that is needed to get the fire started is a common spark. A Brighter Palette is just an all-around enjoyable read that will break your heart one minute and heal it the next but most importantly Brigham has left me hungry for the next installment.
It's no secret that I am a huge fan of Brigham Vaughn's work, so when she told me she was starting a F/F romance series, I knew I had to read it. Followers of my reviews have probably noticed that M/M is my favorite genre but that I really don't have a prescribed comfort zone. I like everything! Sure I have my favorite tropes and genres but I am not beyond reading those that may not be my norm. Having said that, my familiarity with F/F is limited but not non-exsistent so when I say A Brighter Palette is an amazing read and incredible portrayal of love, I am not exaggerating.
Before I touch on Annie and Siobhán I have to make mention of one of my favorite TV ships being a relationship between a gay man and bisexual man and how the fandom perceives some of the writers as bi-phobic because they feel it should be all roses and rainbows without problems. I don't feel they're being bi-phobic in how they are writing the gay man wrapping his brain around the bisexual man finding him to be enough, it can be a real issue for some in the LGBT community and it is a fictional soap opera afterall. But as in every facet of the fiction spectrum, its in the eye of the beholder.
Now, I said all that about my TV ship because I feel that Brigham Vaughn has also shown that Annie's bisexuality is a bit of an issue, not in a bi-phobic way but because Siobhán's past relationship has made her weary and gun-shy but it doesn't make me not want to shake Siobhán any less for her way of thinking and some of the words she uses. Brigham deals with this in a believable and yet entertaining fashion. I say "entertaining" not because its roses and rainbows from beginning to end but because it kept me intrigued even when I was upset with Siobhán. I love how their artistic sides mesh with their personal sides, sometimes all that is needed to get the fire started is a common spark. A Brighter Palette is just an all-around enjoyable read that will break your heart one minute and heal it the next but most importantly Brigham has left me hungry for the next installment.
June 16, 2019
Near the beginning I thought this might qualify as erotica because the relationship kicks off with two days in bed. After that, though, the story takes up its rightful space. Still, erotic content is high. I hear ff can soft-out the sex, so -- you know this doesn't. I often skip sex scenes and didn't here: there's my vote.
Bi prejudice is a theme. Siobhán's insecurities around a bi woman are presented as clearly wrongheaded of her, but with sympathy (she fixes herself). The flak Annie gets from hets, from family and randoms for being bi is like a catalogue what you might run into. Bisexuality seems to confuse people -- but never Annie, who is a self-doubting person in many ways but NOT in that area.
The art content wasn't overloaded, mostly connected to story. Which can't be a bad thing, though I picked the book because I like creatives as a subject. I noticed the book in the first place for its cover, so was glad to read a scene where the cover is described, and discover it's bespoke.
Focus is on the relationship. Their lives as a painter and a freelance writer, their rental difficulties, hang around that. For me it was the right balance and the right amount of drama, and well-written. I like how imperfect Siobhán is in her attitudes and her not letting go the past; Annie too, who's a bit of a mess (except, as I say, in sexual identity. Happily).
*I read an ARC from Booksprout*
Bi prejudice is a theme. Siobhán's insecurities around a bi woman are presented as clearly wrongheaded of her, but with sympathy (she fixes herself). The flak Annie gets from hets, from family and randoms for being bi is like a catalogue what you might run into. Bisexuality seems to confuse people -- but never Annie, who is a self-doubting person in many ways but NOT in that area.
The art content wasn't overloaded, mostly connected to story. Which can't be a bad thing, though I picked the book because I like creatives as a subject. I noticed the book in the first place for its cover, so was glad to read a scene where the cover is described, and discover it's bespoke.
Focus is on the relationship. Their lives as a painter and a freelance writer, their rental difficulties, hang around that. For me it was the right balance and the right amount of drama, and well-written. I like how imperfect Siobhán is in her attitudes and her not letting go the past; Annie too, who's a bit of a mess (except, as I say, in sexual identity. Happily).
*I read an ARC from Booksprout*
June 17, 2019
Colors of love 4 stars
Annie meets Siobhan at an art show and they connect. Though she finds it hard to believe that such a beautiful creature like Siobhan would give her the time of day, the clicked. And the rest they say isn't history.
Siobhan is a passionate woman who loves art and her passion for life shows in her art as well as in her presence. Even though spark flew when she met Annie, Siobhan, at least to me wasn't the confident and beautiful woman she projected to the world.
Her past love has shaped her into who she is and there is still that insecure person inside her. And the fact that Annie is bi, doesn't help her. She struggled to accept that cos she fears she wasn't enough.
I loved the nuances in both characters. They both drew me in, I loved their dynamics, I loved their chemistry. I watched Annie struggle to accept her feeling. She found it hard to believe that someone could fall in love with her. Mind you, she wasn't insecure, she just found the timing and everything to be off.
Just when things couldn't be anymore perfect, in comes the past in the shape of a doppleganger. Annie is left reeling and Siobhan is left gasping. Will their love survive the walking-in of the past? Will they be strong enough to fight for what they both want? 1-click this beautifully written story of life, love and what it means to be in same sex relationship.
Annie meets Siobhan at an art show and they connect. Though she finds it hard to believe that such a beautiful creature like Siobhan would give her the time of day, the clicked. And the rest they say isn't history.
Siobhan is a passionate woman who loves art and her passion for life shows in her art as well as in her presence. Even though spark flew when she met Annie, Siobhan, at least to me wasn't the confident and beautiful woman she projected to the world.
Her past love has shaped her into who she is and there is still that insecure person inside her. And the fact that Annie is bi, doesn't help her. She struggled to accept that cos she fears she wasn't enough.
I loved the nuances in both characters. They both drew me in, I loved their dynamics, I loved their chemistry. I watched Annie struggle to accept her feeling. She found it hard to believe that someone could fall in love with her. Mind you, she wasn't insecure, she just found the timing and everything to be off.
Just when things couldn't be anymore perfect, in comes the past in the shape of a doppleganger. Annie is left reeling and Siobhan is left gasping. Will their love survive the walking-in of the past? Will they be strong enough to fight for what they both want? 1-click this beautifully written story of life, love and what it means to be in same sex relationship.
June 19, 2019
I haven't read much FF romance, but I absolutely knew I would love this story because anything Brigham Vaughn writes is well worth reading. I was not disappointed.
Siobhan is an Irish artist living in Boston. Annie is at a gallery for a show because she's acquainted with the owner. They strike up a conversation and hit it off really well. Things progress and before either one realizes it, they're hot and heavy. Problems arise when their individual pasts loom and seem to have a stranglehold on them. Annie is bisexual and recently out of a relationship with a man. She was left in the lurch when they split and now fears fully committing to a relationship. Siobhan's last serious relationship left her leery of bisexual women and the specter of it constantly hangs over them in the form of her insecurity and jealousy. Add in some roommate woes for Annie along with a seemingly innocuous mother who doesn't really understand bisexuality. Then there's work issues and hurtful mistakes on both sides, and you have some real relationship woes. Eventually they seem to work out the issues. I'm really looking forward to continuing their story for a happy ending.
Siobhan is an Irish artist living in Boston. Annie is at a gallery for a show because she's acquainted with the owner. They strike up a conversation and hit it off really well. Things progress and before either one realizes it, they're hot and heavy. Problems arise when their individual pasts loom and seem to have a stranglehold on them. Annie is bisexual and recently out of a relationship with a man. She was left in the lurch when they split and now fears fully committing to a relationship. Siobhan's last serious relationship left her leery of bisexual women and the specter of it constantly hangs over them in the form of her insecurity and jealousy. Add in some roommate woes for Annie along with a seemingly innocuous mother who doesn't really understand bisexuality. Then there's work issues and hurtful mistakes on both sides, and you have some real relationship woes. Eventually they seem to work out the issues. I'm really looking forward to continuing their story for a happy ending.
June 25, 2019
I was once that awful lesbian who disliked bisexual women. I know, I was the worst—And for the exact same reason as Siobhan. I realized a long time ago how petty it is to distrust someone based on another's actions, and I quickly owned my misgivings and apologized to those I'd hurt because of a bad past. I wasn't expecting to relate so much to this book, but I'm glad I did.
ANYWAY...the book is great. Sexy, intimate, interesting, and real. I loved the dynamic between Annie and Siobhan, even when they were fighting and figuring each other out. Trust and honesty is so important in a relationship, especially if you've been burned before, so to see these two work things out in a mature manner was really refreshing.
ANYWAY...the book is great. Sexy, intimate, interesting, and real. I loved the dynamic between Annie and Siobhan, even when they were fighting and figuring each other out. Trust and honesty is so important in a relationship, especially if you've been burned before, so to see these two work things out in a mature manner was really refreshing.
July 13, 2019
Wow, it took me several days to finish reading this book. The story felt sluggish; not an effective word choice. Two women have passionate sexual chemistry but difficulty working through the 'bi' thing. The writing was crisp, no getting bogged down in the day to day of relationship building. Placing the months at chapter beginnings illustrated the timeline and I appreciated that. If Miss Vaughn wanted me, as a reader, to experience frustration with Annie's "I don't know why it's such a big deal that I'm bisexual", she succeeded. I got no feel with the descriptions of Siobhan's work other than she was good and good go to any gallery she wanted. I'm going to wait before I move on to the sequel.
December 12, 2019
I have always wondered why more authors do not write FF and when I have asked I'm told that it is a very specialized niche and doesn't sell well. That's disappointing and I think if someone is looking for a well done story, this would be the one I would recommend.
A BRIGHTER PALETTE (Colors Book 1) is the first book in a new series written by a new to me author. The writing is lyrical and purposeful, the sex is tasteful and I would call it more fade to black than closed or open door, and the character development kept me interested the entire time. There were a few times when I wanted to shake the main characters, but overall I would totally appreciate them in my circle of friends.
I absolutely recommend this book and this author.
tags: ku, lbtq+, ff, 5 stars, book 1, series
A BRIGHTER PALETTE (Colors Book 1) is the first book in a new series written by a new to me author. The writing is lyrical and purposeful, the sex is tasteful and I would call it more fade to black than closed or open door, and the character development kept me interested the entire time. There were a few times when I wanted to shake the main characters, but overall I would totally appreciate them in my circle of friends.
I absolutely recommend this book and this author.
tags: ku, lbtq+, ff, 5 stars, book 1, series
November 30, 2018
It’s hard to find well written female romance and this really fit the bill of what I’ve been looking for! There is definitely a stigma being a bisexual woman and I think the author did a fantastic job of describing what it’s like to feel like your sexuality is being ignored or the bias that gets thrown your way for it. Jealousy, insecurity, and down right awful things get thrown our way. I felt like Annie was a great representation and how she handled it was awesome! I did love Siobhán and how passionate she was and she did have valid reasons for her bisexual insecurities but still she could have handled things better! In the end though, they were perfect for each other and their chemistry is crackling and explosive!! Can’t wait for the second book in this series and I’d actually love to read about Rebecca and Trent’s relationship!
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