I just loved this book. It is heartwarming, with wonderful characters. Truly, a treat. I wasn’t sure if I would like this one. It had been blurbed by so many of my favorites and I’d seen it all over Instagram, but I wasn’t sure! I have talked about my disdain for books where the protagonist is a messy twenty-something. In this case, we have that but she’s also such a lovely person (who you really root for and feel protective of!). Maddie is 25 years old, living in London. While her peers are all going on dates and at happy hour, she is still living at home as her father’s primary caregiver (he has advanced stage Parkinson’s). She’s mistreated and undervalued at work (where she’s also the only Black person in meetings), and feels like she’s missing out on all her firsts. Meanwhile, her mother spends most of her time in Ghana and her brother moved out years ago and is deeply unhelpful. When her mother returns home, Maddie moves out and decides she is going to start living. Going to happy hour, dating, finding her way, and having friends! But when tragedy hits her family, she finds herself in a deep depression. This is a story about love, family, friendship, and finding your way… while tackling other important issues like racism, sexuality (specifically: bi-erasure), and female pleasure. I fell in love with Maddie and think you will too.
Author: Jessica George
