Meeting Millie by Clare Ashton is a friends-to-lovers contemporary romance set in majestic Oxford.
Oxford – the “City of Spires”, home to gothic towers and spires is where nerdy, upper-middle-class lesbian, Charlotte meets charming, irreverent, straight, working-class, Millie.
Vivacious Millie is a breath of fresh air for gracious Charlotte when they meet on their first day at university. Instantly they’re the best of friends and plan to be the best lawyers of their year!
But their world changes when things go queerly sideways, and they haven’t seen each other since.
Ten years later, Charlotte returns to Oxford, where it all began. It’s still as beautiful as ever and she’s thrilled with her new job at a prestigious law firm. Her overbearing mother is a safe distance away and she has her college mentor, Olivia working three floors away. Life is good.
Then, Millie flounces back into her life, wanting to be friends again. It’s as if a decade hasn’t passed. Will things be different this time around or will feelings get in the way again?
Writing
Jenna: Clare Ashton has written a beautiful and emotional friends-to-lovers romance. She seamlessly goes back and forth from past to present to give readers the full story of Millie and Charlotte. Through her eyes, the city of Oxford comes alive with its medieval buildings, spires, arcades, and universities. As someone who hasn’t had the pleasure of visiting, I gained a clear picture of this magnificent and vital city.
Narration
Rachel: Gabrielle Baker did the most amazing job at bringing Aston’s book to life. I’m in love with this audio, the way Baker captures the author’s writing style is perfect. Aston is such a brilliant, descriptive writer, I sometimes worry when an audio comes out (especially when I’ve already read and adore a book) that the narrator won’t capture the emotions that are written between the lines. In this case, the worry was completely unnecessary. I can honestly say that this is one of the best audios I’ve ever listened to, and here’s why – firstly as Jenna has said in her review Aston describes Oxford so beautifully, I was there, I saw it all, I walked through the streets gazing at the buildings and soaking up the ambiance. Oxford is as much of a character in this book as Charlotte and Millie. This narrator got that; she poured all the love that this author has for the city into her narration. Then there’s the characters. From the Main characters to the supporting cast, Baker portrayed their personalities so accurately it was stunning. But my favourite part and the part that had me in tears was how well Barker got Millie. Like she really got her. Her performance changed with Millie, and as Millie’s feelings for Charlotte change and evolve you feel it, Baker blew me away with the emotions and anguish she captured through voice tones and sighs that are not even described in the book. Plus, there is all that delicious British humor and witty one-liners that were delivered with perfect comic timing, it had me snorting and laughing out loud on more than one occasion.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
Jenna: Charlotte and Millie are both delightful women. They’re intelligent, driven, and fiercely loyal. They’re opposites, yet they complement one another so spectacularly. Charlotte is focused, nerdy, and a tad clumsy while Millie is brash, outgoing, and vibrant. Their past is muddy but when they meet at Oxford ten years after their fallout, it’s like no time has passed. Charlotte needs Millie back in her life, yet she’s hesitant and Millie isn’t shy about trying to get back in Charlotte’s good graces. As they learn about who the other has become, feelings surface, and boy is it an emotional ride.
As the layers are peeled away, the story grows deeper. I was captivated by not only the surface quips but also the deeper story of Millie and Charlotte. Ten years is a long time and the lives these two women lived during their time apart shaped who they became. I felt their emotions so deeply that there were times I had tears in my eyes.
Virginia, Millie’s landlady is hysterical and gives fantastic advice. Olivia, Charlotte’s friend, and mentor while a tad scary and snarky adds a lot to the story. Charlotte’s mother, while seemingly unsupportive and standoffish is actually way more than meets the eye.
Heads Up
none
The Conclusion
Jenna: Meeting Millie has found a prime spot on my reread pile. It is a super slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance that captivated me from the first page. Straight, man-eating Millie and lesbian, Charlotte’s story is full of humor, emotion, and majestic scenery. The past and present are seamlessly interwoven to create this beautiful romance. This book is perfect for anyone who enjoys a slow burn, toaster oven romance with beautiful surroundings.
Rachel: This audio is not to be missed. The story is truly beautiful, heartfelt, and funny. The narrator captures all of this impeccably. I have the biggest book hangover after listening to Meeting Millie. I read the book and adored it yet somehow this narrator has made me fall in love with this story even more. It’s definitely one of my favourite audios EVER and one I will be revisiting many times.
Excerpt from Meeting Millie by Clare Ashton
Nervous.
She breathed in to steady herself. “Hi,” Charlotte said.
The petite woman, so familiar yet with an unnerving potential for difference, lifted her chin. Her expression quivered on the edge of a smile, tempered and restrained, the tension in her cheeks visible.
Was Millie nervous? Perhaps even more so, it struck Charlotte with surprise. Millie had always been vivacious, sure of herself and energetic, rarely the hesitant woman who stood in front of her today.
“Hi,” Millie said, squeezing her black-gloved fingers into fists and stretching again.
“You’re…” So many things Charlotte could have said but, “actually shorter than I remember.”
Millie’s brow crinkled for a fraction of a second. Then she threw back her head and laughed loudly, as if the old Millie poured into her that moment. It was also lucky, because even that snippet of conversation revealed too much about the importance of Millie to Charlotte – the recalled size disproportionate to the real-life woman.
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Series: Oxford Romance
Meeting Millie
Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 979-8378940127
Publisher: Indie Author
Narrator: Gabrielle Baker
Audiobook Publisher: Tantor Audio
Run time: 14 hours and 20 minutes
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Note: I received a free review copy of Meeting Millie by Clare Ashton. No money was exchanged for this review. When you use our links to buy we get a small commission which supports the running of this site
