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Verdict: A thoughtful, unusual romance about an established couple — a bookshop owner and her novelist wife, twenty years together — facing an infatuation, perimenopause and change. Readers praise its realism and emotional honesty; those who want a falling-in-love story, or can’t abide emotional cheating, may struggle.
Best for: Readers in or curious about long-term relationships who want a mature, reflective romance.
Heat level: Moderate (StoryGraph users flag sexual content)
Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.8/5 — a 4.02 Goodreads average across 698 ratings, 3.75 on StoryGraph from 99 reviews, and 4.6 stars across 283 Amazon ratings)
Tropes: Established relationship, marriage in crisis, emotional infidelity, midlife, found family, dual POV.
No Other Love is Harper Bliss’s 2017 contemporary lesbian romance, book six of the Pink Bean series. Annie McLean’s struggling bookshop has been saved by joining forces with the Pink Bean coffee shop. Her wife, lesbian romance author Jane Quinn, finds her quiet routine upended by the café and its colourful characters — and her body is changing too. Meanwhile, Annie has developed more than a passing interest in Pink Bean owner Kristin.
It holds a 4.02 average across 698 Goodreads ratings, with 69% of them four or five stars, 3.75 on StoryGraph from 99 reviews, and 4.6 stars across 283 Amazon ratings.
What Is No Other Love About?
Told from both women’s points of view, the book asks what happens when a long, enduring relationship is put to the test.
Can Annie and Jane rescue their marriage and, in the process, find themselves and each other again?
What Works in This Book
- Realism: Readers call it an excellent study of human nature in a long-term relationship.
- Midlife honesty: Reviewers appreciate the frank treatment of perimenopause and attraction outside a marriage.
- Emotion: Several readers found it unexpectedly poignant and couldn’t put it down.
- The Pink Bean crew: Fans enjoy the recurring cast around the bookshop and café.
Book Synopsis
Twenty years into their marriage, a bookseller and her novelist wife hit their rockiest patch yet.
The story of your life is the hardest one to write.
My Review
Bliss takes a risk by writing about staying in love rather than falling in love, and most readers think it pays off. The book is gentle, introspective and quietly hopeful.
The emotional cheating is the obvious sticking point, and one reader didn’t warm to Jane. One reader describes it as a long slow burn in pacing, and another, speaking as someone divorced, simply prefers first-love stories.
My honest note: A refreshing change of pace for readers who like grown-up relationship drama.
| Element | In No Other Love |
|---|---|
| Central relationship | Annie McLean (bookshop owner) & Jane Quinn (romance novelist), married |
| Core tropes | Established relationship, marriage in crisis, emotional infidelity |
| Setting | A bookshop and the Pink Bean café |
| Heat level | Moderate |
| Length | 246 pages (Kindle) |
| Series | The Pink Bean #6 — standalone |
| Content notes | Emotional infidelity, perimenopause, grief, alcohol |
How Spicy Is No Other Love?
Moderate; StoryGraph users flag sexual content, but readers focus on the emotional story.
StoryGraph users also flag infidelity, grief and alcohol.
Who Should Read This Book?
You’ll likely love it if: you want a mature, honest look at long-term love. It is on our women over 40 list.
You may want to skip it if: any form of cheating is a dealbreaker.
In short: Staying in love is the story.
What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)
On Goodreads the split is 36% five stars, 33% four, 25% three, 3% two and under 1% one. On StoryGraph, 58% tagged it emotional and half called it reflective and tense. At least one fan names it their favourite Pink Bean book.
Why readers love it (according to the discourse): Realism first. Second, midlife honesty. Third, emotion. Fourth, the Pink Bean cast.
What readers argue about and complain about: The emotional cheating, above everything. Second, Jane. Third, slow pacing.
The comparison worth making first: That Woman Next Door, another Harper Bliss romance with older leads.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there cheating in No Other Love?
Emotional cheating. Annie develops a strong crush on Pink Bean owner Kristin, and the book explores what that does to her marriage. StoryGraph users flag infidelity.
Can I read No Other Love without the other Pink Bean books?
Yes. The publisher says every book in the series stands alone, though familiar Pink Bean characters appear.
How old are Annie and Jane?
One reader gives Jane as 45 and Annie as 57; either way, this is a romance about a couple twenty years into their relationship.
Is it a typical romance?
No. It is about keeping love alive, not falling in love, and one reader who prefers first-love stories found it wasn’t for them.
Is No Other Love on Kindle Unlimited?
Yes, at the time of writing; otherwise the Kindle edition was $7.99. An Angela Dawe audiobook is available.
If You Loved No Other Love, Read These Next
Try That Woman Next Door or At the Water’s Edge. Browse our women over 40 list or the full Book Reviews archive.
The Bottom Line
No Other Love sets out to show a long marriage weathering an infatuation, and it does so with honesty. What holds it back, for some, is the cheating itself. Recommended for mature-romance fans. Check No Other Love on Amazon →
The Eikna Overall Ranking
On the Eikna scale, No Other Love ranks as a good mature romance — realistic, reflective.
The Evidence Scorecard
Overall ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ 4.02 average across 698 Goodreads ratings
- ✓ 69% of Goodreads ratings are four or five stars
- ✓ 3.75 on StoryGraph from 99 reviews
- ✓ 4.6 stars across 283 Amazon ratings
Romance ★★★★☆ 3.6/5
- ✓ Established couple
- ✓ Rekindled love
- ✓ Emotional infidelity
- ✓ Hopeful
Characters ★★★★☆ 3.7/5
- ✓ Three-dimensional
- ✓ Divisive Jane
- ✓ Relatable Annie
- ✓ Pink Bean cast
Writing ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ Introspective
- ✓ Dual POV
- ✓ Slow pacing
- ✓ Well written
Emotional Impact ★★★★☆ 3.9/5
- ✓ Tagged emotional by 58%
- ✓ Poignant
- ✓ Tense
- ✓ Realistic
Heat Level ★★★☆☆ 2.5/5
- ✓ Moderate
- ✓ Sexual content flagged
- ✓ Not the focus
- ✓ Adult romance
Ending ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ Great ending for fans
- ✓ Hopeful
- ✓ Standalone
- ✓ Earned
Re-read Value ★★★★☆ 3.7/5
- ✓ On Kindle Unlimited
- ✓ $7.99 Kindle price
- ✓ 246 pages
- ✓ Audiobook available
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