Reviews and Awards
and Other Achievements
Thank you to every single person who talks up books. Word of mouth matters today as much as it ever has. People’s opinions matter more than search algorithms!
Readers often ask what they can do to help lesfic. Posting just a few words about any book is incredibly helpful for both authors and other readers. A good place to start is with how that book made you feel.
- In Deep Waters Volume 1: Cruising the Seas Winner of a Goldie award for Best Lesbian Erotica at the Golden Crown Literary Society’s 2008 Awards Ceremony. Co-authored with Radclyffe.
- 18th and Castro Finalist for the 2006 Lambda Literary Awards: Best LGBT Erotica.
- Frosting on the Cake 2: Second Helpings Winner of 2010 Favorite Anthology/Story Collection as voted by member of the Lesbian Fiction Readers Choice Awards.
- The Kiss that Counted Winner of the 2008 Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Romance.
- Added to my 're-read' pile!
- “I started with And Now a Word…or Two, and ate the whole thing, buttercream rose and all, savoring every bite.” – Carol Rosenfeld for Lambda Book Report
- It was as if she knew me, and created the character of Shay right out of my life.
- As a journalist, and an environmental one at that with a degree in science, this novel grabbed me hook, line and sinker... The love story was beautiful and inspiring...
- Above Temptation Winner of 2010 Favorite Adventure Book as voted by member of the Lesbian Fiction Readers Choice Awards.
- Both author and narrator are such professionals, they made this audiobook a great experience. Highly recommended.
- The best kind of romance. It has lesbians, just enough angst and a delightful wit and writing style.
- “…Sparks have been created and things happen that were definitely not planned. A sweet romance for a rainy afternoon.” – Golden Threads
- This, friends, is good reading.
- ...Oh, the journey is so worth it...
- A sweet — but not saccharine — story...
- It’s clear this is a relationship each of them is going to integrate into her real life… A fun, relaxing, sexy story.
- I love that both these women are smart, and it shows...
- Karin Kallmaker continues to amaze me with yet another story told in a totally different fashion than most...
- Substitute for Love may just be the best Kallmaker I've read in a long time, and given her extraordinary talent, that's saying something.
- I’ve always been impressed with her writing but this novella was even better than I expected.
- Never has a fictional character’s Happily Ever After delighted me more.
- I like to see a couple fall in love outside of the bedroom...
- This had my dopamine, seratonin and oxytocin levels creeping higher and higher...
- ...Halfway through I’m really dying for two people to get together...
- Infatti, più che alla storia d’amore tra le due protagoniste, si dà grande spazio alla loro storia personale, a ciò che le porterà a incontrarsi – solo nella seconda metà del romanzo.
- A light, frothy story that is just possibly as light as the cakes made by the main character.
- Both characters are expertly drawn and easy to love. I appreciated that Kallmaker made one a wonderfully complex and relatable butch.
- In Deep Waters Volume 1: Cruising the Seas Winner of 2007 Favorite Erotica Book as voted by member of the Lesbian Fiction Readers Choice Awards. Co-authored with Radclyffe.
- Above Temptation Finalist for the 2010 Lambda Literary Awards: Best Lesbian Romance.
- Be sure to pick this one up!
- The icing on the permissible small sliver of cake is the sexy and truly romantic love story.
- Kallmaker has created a moody, epic, romantic, passionate novel...
- The future you planned, the family and friends are gone and what’s left can be packed into a small suitcase. This is Lily’s world. But she takes advantage of her positives...
- Both author and narrator are such professionals, they made this audiobook a great experience. Highly recommended.
- The lesbian hybrid of Joyce Carol Oates and Danielle Steele.
- My Lady Lipstick has a well-written plot with innovative character drama and a love story that doesn’t disappoint. The romance sparkles, the characters are enchanting...
- I love a book where the women are strong and commanding. It was a GREAT read and I couldn't put it down.
- It is definitely a romance and if you haven’t read Ms Kallmaker’s Coin of Love series you are missing out.
- A bonus: fun use of exotic locales. Well done, brain-engaging romance.
- The Distinguished Author program brings authors to the Library and Archives located in Fort Lauderdale, to standing room only audiences.
- Great spirit of Christmas story.
- The cinnamon bread pudding recipe worked!
- Good things to say about staying true to yourself...
- If you're looking for a great book with which to curl up, find Unforgettable.
- There is a warmth to the author's reading that works perfectly for this story.
- A delightful, gentle tale of an unexpected connection...
- They prevailed with good old fashioned lesbian camaraderie and intelligence.
- One of the finest!
- The ending is wonderful and filled my heart with hope and love.
- Winner - Best Lesbian Short Stories, GCLS Goldies
- A wonderful book...truly outstanding.
- A sweet holiday romance that is well written and performed.
- ...A look into the struggle women faced in the American West during the nineteenth century, and Karin has written it as masterfully as expected.
- A tiny touch of magic makes everything better, even an already perfect romance.
- Love can conquer anything, even time and always evil. That's the message of this book, which I could not put down.
- Recommend with 5 stars and look forward to the next book in the series.
- The book's underlying message is one of lesbian empowerment... Kallmaker's reign as "queen of lesbian romance" no doubt will continue.
- One of my favourites! Charming and wonderfully written.
- Dem neuen Buch der „Queen of Lesbian Romance“ für gemütlich-gemütvolle Stunden...
- This is a wonderful story that has continued to be a winner. I now understand why Touchwood is a favourite for many readers.
- The Kiss that Counted Winner of a Golden Crown Literary Society Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award at the Golden Crown Literary Society’s 2009 awards ceremony. This award is voted on by the Society’s membership in an annual poll.
- A classic Kallmaker romance - Painted Moon is as steamy as readers like it to be. The story is a good one, the characters are realistic.
- 2011 Trailblazer Award from the Golden Crown Literary Society Previous Trailblazers include Ann Bannon, Sarah Aldridge, Jane Rule, Katherine V. Forrest, Lee Lynch, Barbara Wilson, Judy Grahn, Dorothy Allison, Pat Parker, and Ellen Hart. The Trailblazer Award is given to a lesbian writer for lifetime achievement, in recognition of the contributions she has made to the field of lesbian literature. Karin credits one of her proudest and most breathtaking moments as being when Lee Lynch said her name at the 2012 Phoenix Convention.
- I expect a lot from Kallmaker and she delivered a good romance with interesting characters and a plot line that left me mulling it over for days.
- Great read. I just want to keep reading. I would love a sequel.
- This one was entertaining, interesting, beyond imaginary. I loved it. And with Abby Craden’s sexy voice who could ask for more.
- I thoroughly enjoyed the antics, deception, and tension between Jamie and Val.
- A cohesive, tightly-knit and dynamic tale!
- The broken relationship between Eve and Ani will have the reader on tenterhooks until the end.
- This is a romance and a serious book that examines a wide range of issues of the day ... without detracting from the story and the characters.
- Kallmaker quietly but effectively sets the stage... Recommended.
- Very good narration for an excellent novella. 4.5 stars.
- Assemblyman Mark Leno commends, "your dedication to enriching our lives with your use of the written word, broadening LGBT awareness, and being an inspiration..."
- Pure Pleasure!
- Tell tale warmth, vulnerability, and charm that are so recognizable of this author.
- Roller Coaster Finalist at the 2012 Golden Crown Literary Society Awards for Lesbian Romance.
- I love the interactions between Irene and the coin which for an ‘inanimate’ object has a wonderful sense of humour.
- Finders Keepers is a rare gem that should be treasured and revisited regularly.
- ...Steamy sex, family drama, and all the angst you could hope for with a main character falling for her straight best friend.
- The premise for the story is interesting and imaginative... Refreshing!
- She has a gift for imagery and metaphor that adds sumptuous layers...
- She is obviously skilled in writing great stories, and this book is a great example of her work
- ...Filled with humor, lust, and lots of intelligent, interesting dykes.
- Wine buffs, as well as lovers of a good romance, will enjoy this excellent read.
- Great romance between two women who are each hiding from their lives in different ways and for different reasons. Five stars!
- Masterful storytelling that doesn’t get in the way of generating incredible heat.
- A fun and sexy read to put you (or someone else) in the mood!
- 18th and Castro Winner of a Goldie award for Best Lesbian Erotica at the Golden Crown Literary Society’s 2007 Awards Ceremony.
- An atmospheric mix of mythical past lives and daunting present-day dangers...
- "Irene is a very strong character, once she realizes she can be." - Jude in the Stars
- Sugar Winner for Best Lesbian Romance “Goldie” at the Golden Crown Literary Society 2005 awards ceremony.
- All the Wrong Places Finalist at the 2006 Golden Crown Literary Society Awards: Best Lesbian Romance.
- An excellent writer, with lots of experience, and it shows.
- The emotions and powers at work raised the hair on the back of my neck at times!
- A gift to all voracious readers from a splendidly gifted imagination.
- She's more than imaginative, she's cleverly inventive...
- Sublime age-gap f/f romance - Swoon for Angela Dawe's spectacular, emotionally vibrant narration!
- I was so elated I wanted to celebrate their Happily-Ever-After when I finished reading it! Phew! What a thrilling, intoxicating ride, indeed!
- This is a beautiful romance, a story of two people who are so destined to be together that no matter how big the gulf between them they can find a way to overcome it.