A review by karinreadsbooks
Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour

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

4.25

This was a book that hit so many of my soft spots. The writing feels quiet, but it still packs a punch. And while this book is blurbed as a love story, it certainly isn't a romance novel. Throughout most of the book, the story focuses more on each of the main character's personal journey and the hardships that they face rather than the relationship between the two of them. That led to a net of relationships that all felt real to me, with both Sara and Emilie having important, genuine connections outside their romantic relationship. I also loved the role that food played in this book - when Sara and Emilie meet, Sara is a bartender and Emilie a florist, and they meet while working at the restaurant Yerba Buena. The description of the different flavour notes of Sara's cocktails, the gumbo that Emilie learns to make based on her Creole ancestry, and all the other food that is being eaten in this book really made me crave some tasty food. I sometimes wished the middle part of the book had focused a bit more on Sara's perspectives than Emilie's, because I felt much more immersed in Emilie's character at that point, but I also liked that I got to spend longer stretches of time with one character instead of constantly switching back and forth. At the end of the day, I found myself unable to put down this book until I had finished it, and I think spending these hours with two messy, queer girls trying to deal with the scars their lives have left on them was a great choice.

This review is based on an uncorrected, advanced reading copy.
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