4.5/5 stars.

I spent three hours this morning bathing in the sunshine and loveliness that is this book.

Juliet, a lesbian Puerto Rican American woman from the Bronx, finds herself drawn to a feminist empowerment book written by Harlowe, a queer white woman from Portland, Oregon. When Juliet sends Harlowe a message begging to be a part of her process, Harlowe invites Juliet to be her intern for the summer. AMAZINGNESS ENSUES.

I do not remember adding this book to my TBR shelf. Maybe it was because the main character travels to a place I've called my home for the past four years. Maybe it's because I've been wanting to read more books about people of color (POC) and their experiences. Maybe it was because I haven't read a whole bunch of books with queer main characters and I've been wanting to seek that representation more. Maybe it was the goddess of literacy who placed this book into my TBR shelf knowing that it was exactly what I needed. WHO KNOWS! One thing I do know, however, is that my heart is full; I have questions, and I am excited to share this book with those around me.

This book tackled topics that hit so close to home. When first arriving in Portland, Juliet struggled with the idiosyncrasy of the place. What are preferred (or mandatory) pronouns and why do people keep asking me about them? What does it mean to identify one way or another? What is polyamory and how does it work? What is a feminist and why are there so many different types of them? IT'S ALL SO REAL. The thought processes that she went through were the exact same ones that I went through when I first arrived here. It was so raw and real for me to see someone authentically interacting with Portland, and struggling with it. Especially as a person of color, Portland can seem unaccepting. If you don't understand what's going on or are confused by it, there are few people who have the patience to teach you. I saw this in Juliet's story and it was so very validating to see.

The struggles between white feminism and POC spaces was brought up in a way that made me LIVE. It is seldom that I am able to see the struggles that are happening around me discussed in a beautifully bound novel. I was so intrigued to see how Juliet would handle these situations because I constantly find myself in similar places. The book also highlighted on the complexity of loving someone who hurts you or does not understand you. UGH, it just went so deep with things that I have been thinking about for years. The fact that the book was mostly set in the beautifully complex city I live in only made it more relatable.

This book was complex and deep. It made me ask questions not only to those around me but to myself. It was a magnificent pleasure to follow Juliet along her journey. I've been feeling somewhat lost along my own journey in this world and there is nothing like finding common ground with another's story to help you find meaning again.

(I reread this is 2020, but I have nothing to add this because I feel this same way)