Reviews with content warning for Gaslighting - Yerba Buena

A wonderful book where two women’s separate stories come together as one over a shared location. Each comes with their own struggles and complex issues that leads you to never take a “side” throughout the book. Beautifully written.

Content Warnings

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

snowydaze's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

I received a copy of the Audiobook of Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this novel. The dual perspective and riveting tale made for an interesting read. I will admit that it was very dark at times, so I recommend looking up the trigger warnings before starting it. However, I loved that it centered on twenty-something adults trying to find their way in the world, while dealing with their personal trauma. The main characters were fleshed out which helped with connecting to them. They each had dynamic character growth through the novel, with sections that really demonstrate just how human the characters are. Although the story starts when Sarah is 16, the story slowly reveals details that explain why things unfolded how they did, giving needed context to the earlier plot.
If you are looking for twenty-something sapphics trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives spanning multiple years, this book is for you!

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