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raphynette's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
preciouslittleingenue's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Sara’s plight gutted me. In the beginning, the whole “the only solution is to run away” baffled me, but I’ve come to notice this is a recurring theme in La Cour’s work (We Are Okay comes to mind first, which I also read and loved but have not reviewed yet). And the more Sara’s character was constructed, the more it made sense for her. I have a little brother that I was old enough to help raise (albeit with two parents) and the thought of losing him so young is enough to kill me. So I get Sara, I do. Their reunion was so complicated. It just kept hurting.
Emilie is almost seemingly less pitiable, but that would be superficial to say wouldn’t it? Being manipulated by an older married man fucks you up big time. I didn’t think I would feel for her as much but god I did. And then I felt like an asshole for judging her as a home wrecker when she was receiving trauma the whole time. I loved the weaving in of her New Orleans culture, loved the rekindling of love between sisters.
And Sara and Emilie together. I ship it so hard. I know Sara is a mess, and I was so worried all the while that this would be the “I’m too fucked up to be in a relationship” trope but La Cour didn’t disappoint. I know they lived happily ever after. I know they had a sick gay wedding. I love them so much.
EDIT: do agree with other reviewers, though, that it isn’t a romance. Notice how above I said “new favorite sapphic story” not “sapphic romance.” Because I kind of felt that it was more than a romance before I even read other reviews. It’s really about these women growing, healing, and finding themselves, and the last step to that just happens to include each other. Which I happen to find incredibly romantic. I love it.
Definitely my favorite of La Cour’s work. Her prose and language is the most beautiful in this one too. Her work always flows beautifully as it’s read to me (I’m an audiobook girlie) but this one was just exceptionally so. Cannot recommend enough. Gorgeous in every way.
Graphic: Addiction and Grief
Moderate: Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
bootsmom3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Cancer
disastercryptid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content, Trafficking, and Death of parent
lacey_wi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Homophobia and Dementia
getlitwithamy_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
YERBA BUENA was a quick read, and I breezed through it in two days. Nina LaCour's writing is so delicate yet easy to read. She was able to make the two main characters stand out, and it also did not have either of them focus on their sexuality as a central point/trauma in their life. their sexualities just exist without any formal coming out stories
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Drug use
bendersreads's review against another edition
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Minor: Blood
klutzykara's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
readingwithtrey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
“Here was the taste of it — a little bitter, a little sweet, some citrus brightness, maybe honey. And here was meaning. A home, hers alone.”
Wow, where to begin. I went into this one blind and it exceeded any expectations I had. This is a story about the lives of Sara and Emilie and the steps that lead them to each other. I was so captivated by and invested in both of their lives. The story felt real and raw and the ending definitely lived up to that vibe. I truly enjoyed this one and highly recommend.
CW: addiction, overdose, death, infidelity
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Infertility, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Grief
jjreads331's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Grief, Medical trauma, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Blood