A review by pomoevareads
Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura

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

4.5

For fans of My Dark Vanessa and The Other Black Girl, Like Happiness is written in an epistolary style. Tatum has always loved books and writing and finds herself enamoured by an author who goes by the initial M after reading his book Happiness and feeling seen. She sends him a fan letter and he replies striking up a conversation and soon a relationship that will see them for the most part in a platonic relationship for the next ten years. M is writing his second novel and it is a slow go. The story is interspersed with chapters when Tatum is living in Chile with her partner and speaking to a reporter from New York who is investigating sexual abuse allegations against the writer. The book in letter format is her way of parsing her own feelings and in holding M accountable.

Like Happiness tackles questions about toxic relationships and power imbalances in a very nuanced and creative way. The reader can see the layers of toxicity forming over time and the final reveal to both the protagonist and the antagonist. Running parallel to the relationship is Tatum’s questions about her own gender identity.

Thank you to @celadonbooks for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. Another great selection from a favourite publisher. Like Happiness publishes March 26, 2024. 
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