Juliet Takes a Breath

                         

Title: Juliet Takes a Breath

Author: Gabby Rivera

Published: Riverdale Avenue Books, January 18, 2016

Pages: 320

Genre: LGBTQ+ YA Fiction

Juliet Milagros Palante is a self-proclaimed closeted Puerto Rican baby dyke from the Bronx. Only, she's not so closeted anymore. Not after coming out to her family the night before flying to Portland, Oregon, to intern with her favorite feminist writer--what's sure to be a life-changing experience. And when Juliet's coming out crashes and burns, she's not sure her mom will ever speak to her again. 

But Juliet has a plan--sort of. Her internship with legendary author Harlowe Brisbane, the ultimate authority on feminism, women's bodies, and other gay-sounding stuff, is sure to help her figure out this whole "Puerto Rican lesbian" thing. Except Harlowe's white. And not from the Bronx. And she definitely doesn't have all the answers . . . 

What a fabulously queer book. Just a celebration of queerness. This little gayby from New York travels to meet her hero in Portland, Oregon. And get paid for it? (Well, she better have gotten paid for it!) Then she sees a side of life she hasn't been exposed to in her short 19 years in the Bronx. 

It's when she visits her family in Miami when her eyes are really opened to everything being a Queer POC can mean. For as groundbreaking as the summer is for Juliet, she has some really hard shit to deal with as well. Her first breakup. The idea that meeting your heroes isn't all it's cut out to be. Coming out is scary. And she goes through all of this in like 3 months! 

But she also discovers the beauty of a summer fling. How books can be absolutely life-changing for you, and that doesn't have to change because the author is a whole, non-perfect human being. That people who don't prioritize you, aren't worth your priority. It was a beautiful summer of growth.

I usually am not a fan of main characters. It's a flaw of mine. Being inside someones POV allows me too much view into how similar/dissimilar we are, and I tend to be highly critical of female main characters. Because, you know, MANY MANY REASONS. We're working on it. But in saying that, Juliet is one of my favorite main characters in a long time. She just has this beautiful, open heart! She doesn't know everything, and she's not afraid to say..."Hey, IDK what that means." I mean, she is for the first day in Portland, but she QUICKLY breaks the habit. I saw this book tagged as romance, and for 1.5 seconds I disagreed. But I've decided it absolutely IS a romance novel. And the HEA is for Juliet Milagros Palante all by her damn self!! <3

Ratings

Stars: 5/5

Spice: 1/5