'I'm not begging people to see my worth anymore.'
Situationships…we’ve all been there right?
This book was on my ones to watch list for 2023, and it did not disappoint!
About the book:
The love of Tia’s life has been away, the last time she saw him they kissed…they’ve been in contact all the time he’s been abroad but haven’t had “The Talk”, and she’s eager to continue where they left off. What does he do? Show up to the first night out since his return with Olivia - the girl he failed to mention he’s been dating :s
Bolstered by her besties Luca, and Hannah, Tia reluctantly returns to the dating scene and apps, which lead her to Nate - a gorgeous photographer that she quickly develops an intense connection with…
My thoughts:
The Situationship has a lot going for it, offering such an acute reflection on modern relationships, communication and dating, and is firmly set now with pop culture references and dialogue which bring characters and events right off the page.
In essence, it is more Tia’s coming of age than your conventional romcom, but it worked. I loved its fresh and original approach to the genre and the balance of themes at play. The book neatly segues from funny romcom moments, to illustrations of issues faced by black women today - the politics of hair, struggles of black women in media, navigation of micro and macro aggressions in the workplace, and the importance of mentorship and having someone in your corner that is genuinely interested in supporting your growth and career. I really liked the depth this brought to the character and situations she finds herself in, it's something many readers can relate to regardless of their age.
Tia is a character who feels so familiar, there were so many points where I was reading and nodding my head, or just cringing because I knew what was coming. That’s not to say it was predictable - more that you objectively see the situation playing out and get to the ‘uhoh’ moment(s) before Tia does!
As events unfold, what we ultimately come to see is that the person Tia needs to work on loving is herself. Personal growth is the backbone of the novel and I loved that - a character learning how to have the hard conversations, stand up for herself - in personal and professional spaces - and not settle in any area of life.
Now whilst I appreciate reading is subjective and readers are entitled to their opinions, there are a few common threads in some reviews I’ve read, that I would like to offer a different perspective on:
It's a genre-bending read. We have many examples in film and television of stories that challenge the normal conventions of a genre (a certain film about a well-known doll is one that comes to mind), so whilst this book won’t be for everyone, I do feel like the last paragraph of its synopsis helps to manage expectations by hinting that this is not your typical romcom.
The kissing of teeth might seem repetitive, in the context of conversation it really can occur this frequently and serves to convey different emotions from extreme vexation, to mild or faux-annoyance like a 'tut' or 'tsk', so I feel the author is trying to make the dialogue between characters feel more realistic here.
There’s room to know what happens next for Tia so maybe (hopefully) there is more to come!
Come for a romcom read, stay for the friendship, the banter, the chemistry, the lessons… I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to see what else Taylor-Dior Rumble has to offer us.
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