First Comes Love: A Heartfelt Lesbian Romance

When newly appointed school head Brogan Mearns meets Libby Brown, the local minister, sparks fly—but their passionate connection is complicated by Brogan's aversion to relationships and Libby's commitment to finding true love before physical intimacy. After a kitchen fire and family tragedy bring them closer together, they must navigate past relationships, small-town scrutiny, and their own fears to discover if their undeniable chemistry can evolve into something deeper and lasting. "First Comes Love" is a heartwarming lesbian romance that explores how unexpected love can bloom even after heartbreak, especially when you're brave enough to give it a chance.

- Small town romance
- Opposites attract
- Slow burn
- Past relationship baggage
- Jealous ex
- Found family

"Well, we're delighted to have you on board, Miss Mearns." Alistair grasped Brogan's hand firmly and looked her straight in the eye. "Being able to have spent the afternoon with you and welcome you in person is one perk of being the chairperson. The board of governors will see why I am right in appointing you. Of that, I have no doubt. I look forward to some exciting times ahead."
The hint of mischief in his eyes was clear, and Brogan was sure she saw the slightest smile. "I'll leave you in Birdie's very capable hands, but please don't be a stranger. My door is always open." And with that, they exchanged nods and thanks before he swept out of the room.
As Brogan slumped down into the wing-backed chair, she eyed the vice-chair with amusement. "So Birdie, just how controversial was my appointment to school head?"
"Well, darling, you know how it is. These old school establishments like their male figureheads. Your appointment makes you the 15th head, and you are the first woman and under forty. Within these walls, time doesn't so much march, as drag itself along like a wounded soldier on the battlefield. Alistair, bless him, wants to shake it up, and he's started by appointing you." Birdie drained the last of her gin from her glass. "I mean some things have barely changed since your mother and I were here." She paused for just a moment, pressing her lips together as she considered Brogan. "You know your mother would have been so proud of you. Do you remember when you announced you were going to Durham?"
"God, yes." Brogan imitated her mother's voice. "You are turning down Cambridge for Durham? Are you mad?"
The air filled with light laughter. Brogan enjoyed talking about her mother. It was something she didn't often do, but sitting here with Birdie, who had known her so well, reminiscing brought her comfort. She looked out through the lead-paned windows onto the long tree-lined drive and tried to imagine her mother and Birdie as young girls running through the grounds in their gingham dresses and navy felt hats. Her mother would have been the one leading the charge, seeking adventures. She let out a sigh, her smile fading.
"I miss her."
"I know, darling. It's hard. I miss her too. I miss her energy, never knowing where she would call from next. Cairo, Shanghai, Budapest."
Brogan dropped her gaze, recalling that dreadful phone call she'd had to make. Birdie had been the first person she'd contacted the morning her world was blown apart. She'd tried to get the words out between the sobs and the wails. Jakarta. Mum. Marriott. Bomb. The memory was sketchy, foggy but with sharp edges playing like an old spliced reel in her mind. A lump rose in her throat, and her nose tingled as her eyes dampened. In one large breath, she swallowed down all the emotion, letting it settle for a moment.
"I listen to the latest human rights issue and I wonder if she'd have been working on that project. I had a card from Adam at her old chambers a few months back, telling me that even now, much of the groundwork she had done on blasphemy and gender issues were still being used. She just never stopped. 'There's still too much to do, Brogan!' She was right. She is right."
"The world isn't fair, Brogan, and you know that better than most. Your mother was a force to be reckoned with, but for you, all she ever wanted was happiness. For you to do something you love and be with someone you love. Although she knew it wouldn't be easy. You have always been as headstrong and independent as her. She wanted for you what she could never find herself."
Brogan shook her head. "Enough now. We both know I'm not one to settle down. As my mother would say, there is work to be done! She'd think this appointment hilarious. It took me three weeks of silence, and a pretend hunger strike before she gave in and agreed I didn't need to come here, allowing me to go to St. Mary's with Gwen instead."
"Ah, the missing bread and jam the fairies took. I remember her telling me. Didn't you fall out with Gwen halfway through that first term?"
Brogan threw her head back in laughter. "Yes, yes, I did. She went off with all the girls from the hockey team, leaving me new and friendless. Now that just proves my point; you should never let your heart rule your head!" As Brogan pushed herself up from the chair, she pointed to Birdie's glass. "Another?"

In the picturesque Scottish village of Glenbrae, two women with opposing views on love find themselves inexplicably drawn together after a runaway spaniel plays matchmaker.
Brogan Mearns, the new headmistress at the prestigious local school, doesn't do relationships—not after escaping the manipulation of her ex in London. Minister Libby Brown believes romance should precede passion, a principle that's left her heart untouched for years. Neither is looking for love, yet they can't seem to stay away from each other.
When a kitchen fire leaves Brogan temporarily homeless and the sudden death of her uncle leaves her emotionally raw, the carefully maintained boundaries between them collapse. One night of vulnerability and passion changes everything—but morning brings complications. As Brogan returns to London to handle her uncle's affairs, a vengeful ex reappears, threatening their tenuous connection with calculated cruelty.
Back in Glenbrae, Libby must decide if she can trust again, while Brogan confronts her deepest fears about commitment. With small-town scrutiny, professional challenges, and their own opposing philosophies standing in their way, they face an impossible question: is what they've found strong enough to overcome the fundamental differences in how they view love itself?