A review by torilovesheas
Let It Shine by Alyssa Cole

4.0

Here’s the thing: this is an uncomfortable read and it *should be*. Often times, even growing up in the home state of Parchman, the Freedom Summer Murders, and Emmett Till, I forget that the Civil Rights Movement was a BATTLE. And that’s my fault. Alyssa Cole combines an endearingly sweet multicultural romance between two childhood friends with the backdrop of the fight for Civil Rights. And it made such an emotional punch of a story that STILL felt hopeful amid characters fighting for basic rights and being treated like literal trash. I loved how Cole points out that you can still have empathy for imperfect people and shows how different (but still its own kind of horrible) the Black/Christian FMC’s struggle is from the White/Jewish MMC’s. And they’re so sweet together as a couple. I loved seeing Sofronia finding herself and what she wants and how Ivan is all in for his girl.

CW: antisemitism, racism, violence, racially motivated violence, sexual harassment, slurs, infertility, violence to protesters, violence resulting in miscarriage (side character)