Penny Aimes’ debut romance, For the Love of April French, is a remarkable and tender story of acceptance, an exploration of self-reflection and a tantalizing slow burn between two compelling leads ... Aimes weaves in plenty of commentary on and positive portrayal of kink communities and the purpose they serve for their members ... A nuanced depiction of kinky queer communities that is clearly written from a place of earnest love and appreciation, For the Love of April French proves that heartwarming fluff and sexy kink can go hand in hand. The only question that remains is, when can we have more from this rising star of romance?
The format can get repetitive, but it mirrors the characters’ separation and delivers some of the delayed gratification they so enjoy ... Both April and Dennis are thoughtful and introspective, so Aimes’s debut novel can lean heavily on explanation. Wealth solves most of the external conflict; it’s the internal character development, supported by diverse and well-developed communities of friends, that shines.
[A] steamy, heartfelt debut ... The narrative excels when it zooms in on the characters and their dynamic as they figure out how they fit together; the world outside of April’s and Dennis’s relationship can become blurry and bland when the perspective pulls out, but when it returns to the two of them, everything comes back into focus. Aimes beautifully accomplishes the feat of making the reader think while also making the reader feel in equal and abundant measure.
