This article was created in partnership with Penguin Random House
Ashley Herring Blake’s latest Clover Lake romance brings together enemies-to-lovers tension, a centuries-old family mystery, and two women learning to let each other in.
If your ideal fall reading list includes small-town mysteries, complicated family histories, and a sapphic romance with plenty of yearning, Take a Chance, Sasha Sinclair by Ashley Herring Blake might be just what you’re looking for. The latest installment in the Clover Lake series combines a romance between two very different women with a witchy mystery, a haunted forest, and a family legacy that refuses to stay buried.
Readers are already showing it plenty of love, with a cumulative rating of 4.27 on StoryGraph and 4.67 on Pagebound.
A Documentary Project, a Family of Witches, and a Complicated Romance
Sasha Sinclair has spent the past few years drifting between casual hookups and odd jobs, struggling to figure out what to do with the legacy her successful documentary filmmaker parents left behind after a car accident took their lives three years earlier. Ultimately, Sasha becomes determined to complete one of their unfinished projects: a documentary about Alice Bishop, a mysterious woman who arrived in Clare Mountain, North Carolina, in 1901.
Alice opened Thornrose Apothecary and earned the nickname the Rose Witch. More than a century later, her descendants are still living with that reputation. The Bishop family now runs Ghostlight, an occult-themed amusement park, but their businesses are struggling.
Margot Bishop has spent her life dealing with the Rose Witch legend attached to her family, and she’s had enough. She isn’t a witch, and she has no interest in letting a filmmaker dig into her family’s past. But when Margot’s mother sees Sasha’s documentary as a chance to revive their struggling businesses, Margot is tasked with overseeing the project, and that includes the charming, relentlessly upbeat filmmaker determined to make it.
As the two women investigate Alice’s story and spend more time together, their initial resistance gives way to attraction, vulnerability, and the possibility of a love neither expected.
Why Readers Are Falling for Sasha and Margot
One of the biggest draws of Take a Chance, Sasha Sinclair is the dynamic between its two leads. Sasha is flirtatious and confident, while Margot is reserved and determined to protect her family’s history. Together, they bring the kind of opposites-attract tension that makes an enemies-to-lovers romance so satisfying. Classic Grump x Sunshine pairing.
But there’s more to their connection than playful banter. Both women are carrying grief, complicated family expectations, and questions about who they’re supposed to be.
One StoryGraph reader described their relationship this way:
“Both Sasha and Margot are strong, fierce women who aren’t afraid to take what they want, but the way Sasha is absolute putty in Margot’s hands was utter perfection to me, and I loved their dynamic both in and out of the bedroom.”
Their romance also explores belonging, identity, and the legacies families leave behind. Sasha is trying to honor her parents’ unfinished work, while Margot is wrestling with what it means to inherit a family history that has shaped how the world sees her.
Witchcraft, Mystery, and Cozy Autumn Vibes
If you love romance with a hint of the supernatural, this book has plenty to offer. The Bishop family’s connection to witchcraft adds a playful, paranormal dimension. And the documentary project gives Sasha and Margot a reason to dig into the past, uncovering the stories and secrets that have shaped the Bishop family across generations.
One StoryGraph reader highlighted the supernatural elements in their review saying, “The addition of some paranormal witchy-ness was also so fun, and I loved the way it was integrated into the story!”
Between the haunted Thornrose Woods, the occult-themed amusement park, and the centuries-old rumors surrounding Alice Bishop, Take a Chance, Sasha Sinclair has the ingredients for a cozy autumn read with a slightly spooky twist.
Queer Love and Complicated Women
Ashley Herring Blake has built a body of work centered on queer characters and relationships, spanning adult romance, young adult fiction, and middle grade novels. Her adult romance books include Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail, and Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date.
In a Reddit AMA, Blake explained her motivation for writing queer stories, saying, “I think a lot of it was that I wanted to write queer stories for kids, and then adults, because we need more!”
That commitment to queer storytelling is reflected in Take a Chance, Sasha Sinclair, which features a bisexual protagonist and a lesbian love interest. The novel also explores grief, generational trauma, and the complicated ways family history can shape identity.
Who Should Read Take a Chance, Sasha Sinclair?
If you’re looking for your next sapphic romance, this book is especially suited to readers who love:
- Enemies-to-lovers romance and forced proximity.
- Bisexual and lesbian representation in a love story centered on two queer women.
- Witchy small-town mysteries, complete with a haunted forest and family secrets.
- Yearning and romantic tension as two guarded women gradually let each other in.
- Cozy autumn vibes and a little supernatural intrigue.
With its combination of sapphic romance, family secrets, witchy atmosphere, and emotional character development, Take a Chance, Sasha Sinclair offers a little bit of everything for readers who want their love stories to have depth as well as chemistry.
Ready to meet Sasha and Margot? Pick up Take a Chance, Sasha Sinclair by Ashley Herring Blake and settle in for a romance filled with yearning, mystery, and a little bit of witchcraft.
