The Big Sugarbush by Ana B GoodThe Big Sugarbush by Ana B Good is a romantic comedy with a splash or two of drama. Sugarbush is a rehab center in northern Vermont for LGBT women run by Lily and Babe. I laughed out loud more than once and I tried to make the book last longer because it was such a pleasure and joy to read.

Lily and Babe are ready to open Sugarbush to a new group of women. Some have come on their own, some have been threatened with legal action if they don’t go to rehab, some have been taken there by family members. Sounds intense or gloomy? It’s not. It’s fun and funny and a little wacky (in a good way) with some sweet lesbian romance. I need more books like this to read. Open a second browser window because you’ll want to order this book today.

The Characters

Ms Good writes such incredible characters, it’s difficult to pick a favorite. They all have quirky personalities and all have flaws. There’s no Ms Perfect here. The author juggles their ten stories and never drops a ball. These are my top favorites: I love Wee Gee, a romance author stuck in a dry patch of writing and food addiction. She’s come back to Sugarbush to do Lily and Babe’s program again. Storm, ultra-tough with walls to match, is a CNN war reporter, who is in rehab to save her job. Poppy is a mega pop music star from Britain, who did some damage to a house when she was high and has come to Sugarbush to avoid legal action and to repair her relationship with her mother. Dirk and Thumper are competitive snowboarding twins, who drug tested positive for steroid use. They are all about to confront their addictions in a houseful of women who are just as weirdly wonderful as they.

The Writing Style

The writing is daring and funny with more than a hint of sarcasm. I read this twice. The first time I zipped along letting the pace of the snappy dialogue and the interplay between characters carry me along to the end. Then about a week later, I read it again and could appreciate the craft of this story. The author knows these characters inside and out and this translates into me as the reader feeling close to these women. I want to keep reading, and I want more.

 The Pros

I smiled, I snickered, I laughed out loud. I love this book. I like that the characters in this story all have flaws. The reader knows that immediately, because here they all are at Sugarbush for rehab, and this only makes them more lovable. This is not your pc-perfect lesbian romance, it is a crazy fun ride and felt like a big drink of water for this “thirsty for something that goes down easy for a change” reader. I want more funny lesbian stories! Even the chapter titles are hysterical. “Little Lezzy Storm Trooper,” “Swan Song of a Lezzy Slut,” “Gold Medal Muff-Diving,” “Old Lady Ass Bandit,” and “Little Bunny’s Woo Woo.”

The Cons

I enjoyed this book like I would sharing a big piece of chocolate cake with friends. No cons for me. But these might be triggers for some, a brief infidelity, and a small amount of wartime violence, but written as part of this comedy romp. (I’ve always wanted to use the “romp” in a review!) There’s a magical element in one of the storylines that at first made me scratch my head, but then made me curious to see if this will be carried forward in the next book in the series.

The Conclusion

If you are looking for a fun read with wacky lovable characters, The Big Sugarbush fills that order perfectly. This is a debut novel from author Ana B Good and the first in a series. I’m already waiting for book number two!

Excerpt from The Big Sugarbush by Ana B Good

Babe scanned the heads as they popped out the doors up and down the hall. Who was missing?

Thumper McGraw, the snowboarder, stepped into the hallway. She was wearing black silk boxer shorts and a skintight sleeveless black silk T-shirt (causing Poppy to gasp). Thumper had been alone in her room watching a training tape of the Kyoto snowboarding trials where she and her sister had taken gold last month. She didn’t have to do a head check for her twin sister. She’d heard yodeling like what was happening now before, lots of times. Her twin, Dirk, had a peculiar talent for pleasing society ladies. Unless she was mistaken, Dirk has just scored some grade-A East Coast pussy.

The yodeling was coming from Bunny van Randolph’s room at the end of the hall. Indeed, it was the only room where the door remained shut. Bunny’s clipped Cape Cod accent had turned into an orgasmic yodel – yes baby, yes baby, oh yes, please, yes! – that shook the rafters of the farmhouse as Babe quickened her pace toward the closed door.

“What in bloody hell was that?” inquired Poppy, wide eyed, her ebony hair swept up in a Pebbles Flintstone ponytail.

Wee Gee, Poppy’s roommate, snorted. “That, girl, was the midnight sound of one very satisfied woman.”

Babe stepped over Storm Waters, who was sprawled atop her parka outside Bunny’s door, chewing on the butt of a French cigarette. She stuffed the cigarette in her pocket when she saw Babe raging up the hallway. “Not me,” Storm murmured. “Soon as I saw you’d put me in a room with the Princess of Cape Cod, I backed out and crashed in a pile here.”

Babe squared her shoulders. “Bunny have company in there?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Who?”

“Dunno. When I went in about an hour ago, I caught sight of one very muscular ass poised midair, not the princess, either, if you know what I mean.”

Babe tried the door, but it was locked, which was impossible because she and Lily had removed all the locks eons ago since no one could ever trust an addict not to get embroiled in ridiculously stupid adventures.

Bunny or Dirk must have dragged something up against the door.

Babe banged on the door with both fists. “Open up ladies! Open this door now or I’ll use Storm’s machine gun to blast my way in!”

Before long Dirk McGraw was standing at the door, grinning. She was dressed exactly like her twin sister, in black silk skivvies. Her thick thighs strained against the flimsy material. (Poppy fainted and had to be propped up by Wee Gee.)

“What?” Dirk smirked. “Something wrong? What’s wrong?” She rubbed her hand across her spiked blonde hair as she spoke. One hand hiked up her tight boxers.

“Is Bunny Van Randolph in there?”

Dirk glanced back over her shoulder. “I’d have to check, but yes, I think so.”

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[tweetthis]She wore a red T-shirt that proclaimed: “Ask Me About My Big Pink Pussy.” [/tweetthis]

Bits and Bobs

  • ISBN number: 9780981567815
  • Publisher: Hot Pants Press, LLC (November 27, 2016)

Ana B Good Online 

Note: I received a free review copy of The Big Sugarbush by Ana B Good. No money was exchanged for this review. I will always review books as honestly as possible and on occasion I refuse to review books.