Reviews with content warning for Pedophilia - Yerba Buena

note to start off: there is a MAJOR tw for pedophilia! not sure why it isn't put higher by reviews here!!!
hm. idk whether to rate this one. i just wasn't a fan of the writing style. i think it may have soured the book for me. i usually at least like lacour so i was kinda surprised. the romance also wasn't very compelling, but it wasn't like, a major part of the book so whatever. i wish i had a better sense of the actual personalities of the two protagonists. also, some parts of this made me roll my eyes. like i'm pretty sure every gay woman who likes literature has heard of passing (the book)..... not super a fan of those sorts of references for reasons like that. uhhh that is personal preference too tho... maybe this just wasn't my thing. kinda reminded me of honey girl which was also pretty cheesy. i liked that one more i think. will mayb think about this one more and modify my review

Content Warnings

leetorib's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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preciouslittleingenue's review against another edition

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dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

One of my new favorite sapphic stories. A beautiful example of a story that isn’t ABOUT being queer, but has queerness seamlessly woven throughout the same way straightness traditionally can be with no effort. This was a coming of age story for both women, and they just happened to be queer.

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.

Content Warnings

lacey_wi's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

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angietheace's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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voidboi's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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mjwhitlock18's review against another edition

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challenging emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is a story about two messy, starcrossed women who weave in and out of each other’s lives, and how their pasts, traumas, triumphs, and insecurities influence how they interact with the world and each other. These characters are so full and real with their own complex stories, independent of each other. It’s beautiful and tragic, heart breaking but somehow hopeful. This leans heavily literary and away from contemp romance, but if you want sad sapphic girl energy but with a not sad ending, this one is for you.

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