This book has been on my TBR for so long and the start of Pride seemed the perfect time to pick it up. I had heard such great things about it and it did not disappoint.
Meryl Wilsner is an incredibly talented writer and I fell in love with their characters and story almost immediately.
While Emma was the more obviously relatable character, I quickly developed a soft spot for Jo and was rooting for her throughout the book. I loved the backstory of her Hollywood career and how she was determined to protect Emma from the off.
In fact, both characters tried so desperately to put the other first but just kept causing more hurt. It was clear, to everyone but them, that they both wanted the same thing but they were too busy trying to “protect” the other to recognise what was happening. Several times throughout the book I actually said out loud, “Just talk to each other,” and even wrote, “You two are infuriating,” as one of my annotations!
When people described this book as a slow burn, they weren’t kidding. There were so many times where I wrote/said just kiss already. The tension between the characters was amazing and I became so invested in their stories. I loved the tentativeness with which they tried to explore their feelings and what it could possibly mean for them to be together.
While the romance story was great, I also really liked the development of the relationships between both characters and Avery. The relationship between Emma and Avery was beautiful and it was great to see how they supported and loved each other. I also enjoyed the unexpected friendship that developed between Jo and Avery and how much extra joy that brought to Jo’s life.
There is so much to this book beyond the romance plot; some of the topics covered are sensitive but so well handled by Wilsner. With mention of historic racism in the industry towards Chinese American Jo and a sexual harrassment “job offer” from a big shot director, this story is so much more than just an exploration of a same sex romantic relationship.
A great story full of so much love and hope! It definitely won’t be the last time I read it and I can’t wait for Wilsner’s next book which releases later this year!
CW: sexual harassment, sexism, racism, homophobia, biphobia, death of a parent, difficult familial relationships
Only If I Can Bring A Book 