As a child, I was obsessed with Coyote Ugly. In retrospect it seems really obvious that the film’s appeal lay in leather-clad women dancing together on a bar. But at eight years old the penny still hadn’t quite dropped. So, I was content to rewind the video and watch that scene over and over without thinking much about why it had a chokehold on my imagination.
Things became much clearer in my teens when I saw another film starring Piper Perabo: Imagine Me and You, a lesbian romantic comedy where her character falls for the florist on her wedding day. Yet still Coyote Ugly holds a special place in my heart. Which is why I was thrilled to discover Lucy Bexley’s sapphic retelling.
Sweet, wholesome Clementine is tired of doing what’s expected. She moves to Boston, finds the city’s last remaining sapphic bar, and kicks off its new adventure by hooking up with its owner – an enigmatic older lesbian. Clem wants to become the kind of woman who has one night stands – but when her roommate talks her into a job at HOWL, the Home of Wayward Lovers, Lou’s impossible to resist. Even if she is determined to keep her distance.
The last thing Lou McAllister wants is romance. She’s learned the hard way that loving someone gives them the power to break your heart and, with her bar in financial crisis, there’s already enough loss on the horizon. But Clementine – who unwittingly dumps ice on the bar’s last possible investor – is determined to save HOWL. And her optimism rubs off on Lou. The two women grow closer during their fight to keep the bar alive.
The Grumpy x Sunshine dynamic between our heroines makes HOWL a joy to read. Given the loneliness and rejection that have defined her backstory, it makes perfect sense for Lou to be standoffish. And Clem is a breath of fresh air – one of the most lovable protagonists I’ve ever read. She’s kind but unafraid to stand her ground, upbeat while also being insightful. A sweet cinnamon roll. But not quite too pure for this world! The chemistry between her and Lou, their frantic backroom hookup… it’s HOT.
I’m something of a spice connoisseur, and Bexley writes excellent sex scenes. They feel original and utterly delicious. Plus, she hits the perfect tone for a romantic comedy. HOWL is light, teasing, fun. And the author’s sense of humour brings an extra sparkle to these pages.
I also really like that this book has two heroines who have spent their adult lives working in the service industry. Novels about celebrities and billionaires can be glamorous, but they’re not necessarily that reflective of the average lesbian or what our community looks like. There’s an authenticity to Clem and Lou which makes them very easy to root for.
That being said, I found one part of their dynamic frustrating. HOWL is marketed as Age Gap. It’s my favourite trope, and a good part of why I chose to read this particular book. But – aside from a throwaway line about how “anyone under forty was considered basically a teen” to Lou’s grandmother – age is never mentioned. The gap between Clem and Lou isn’t acknowledged by either woman. We don’t even know precisely how old our leading ladies are. And – in my opinion – for Age Gap to truly satisfy, the trope has to be something actively negotiated as the characters figure out their relationship.
Also, there’s no real Dark Night of the Soul. In terms of both internal and external conflict, we’re missing that plot beat when it seems like all is lost. At this point in HOWL, the conflict doesn’t ramp up beyond Clementine losing her phone for a few hours. And while I really like these characters, having heightened stakes and dramatic tension would have made this section of the book more engaging – because there wasn’t any real barrier to them being together for HOWL’s entire second half.
Still, low-angst books can be uplifting. HOWL is an entertaining read. And – fitting for part of I Heart Sapphic’s Pride Collection – it does a brilliant job of showcasing why community spaces matter. HOWL is a place of love and acceptance for people who can’t count on their families for either. It’s an environment where sapphic women can love and present however they please. As a reader it’s impossible not to care about this scrappy sapphic bar and the women who inhabit it.
Plus, the plot holds a stellar critique of rainbow capitalism – brands keen to profit off rainbow merchandise and use the LGBT+ community to boost their own image without offering any meaningful support in return. Every year it becomes more blatant. And this part of HOWL felt particularly relevant as I travelled through central London on the weekend of Pride, seeing rainbow-washed adverts every time I looked up from my Kindle.
HOWL’s an enjoyable book. Six hours on the train melted away with this story. The characterisation, writing style, and premise are all fantastic. This was my first Lucy Bexley book, and it certainly won’t be the last.
Lou Morgan 