e-Audio, 09:33:42
Narrated by: Nikki Massoud & Elena Rey
Release Date: March 12, 2024
Published by: Dial Books
Read from: March 11-13, 2024
Stand-alone
Source: PRH Audio App (I received a copy of this e-audiobook from the publisher in exchange for a just and honest review. This did nothing to influence my review.)
TW: Addiction (not from the main character), Relapse (Not shown on page, but aftermath is),
For Readers Interested In: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Friends to Lovers, 2SLGBTQIA+, YABest friendship blossoms into something more in this gorgeously written queer literary romance.
Over the past five years, Mitra Esfahani has known two her best friend Bea Ortega and The Book—a dogeared moleskin she and Bea have been filling with the stanzas of an epic, never-ending poem since they were 13.
For introverted Mitra, The Book is one of the few places she can open herself completely and where she gets to see all sides of brilliant and ebullient Bea. There, they can share everything—Mitra’s complicated feelings about her absent mother, Bea’s heartache over her most recent breakup—nothing too messy or complicated for The Book.
Nothing except the one thing with the power to change their entire the fact that Mitra is helplessly in love with Bea.
Told in lyrical, confessional prose and snippets of poetry Just Another Epic Love Poem takes readers on a journey that is equal parts joyful, heartbreaking, and funny as Mitra and Bea navigate the changing nature of I love you .
*MY THOUGHTS*
This had everything it needed to get a 4 star review or higher from me. But as it turns out, there was a hidden thing in this that I had no idea about. And like, before you say anything, like I should have looked at the CW/TWs, well this was an ARC and there wasn’t one when I first read it. So basically, please publishers at this point y’all need to get with Netgalley and Edelweiss and start putting them on those websites so we can see them before we request them.
Ok so I’ll start with that. I saw this cover, the fact that there was racial/ethnicity diversity, and because it was 2slgbtq. And then I heard it was even friends to lovers and let me just say I was past excited to read this. Like I was ready to give it 5 stars before I even opened it. But then I did. And there was a big glaring content warning that wasn’t tagged. Story time: About 13 years ago I lost my aunt to the aftermath of her addiction. My uncle met her while he was also using and now is clean and living in a halfway house with a sponsor. My cousin is grown now, but dealing with the same struggles as her parents. It’s been 13 years and I was in my 20’s when it happened, but IT STILL HURTS. Reading books with addiction and sometimes drugs or too much drug usage is hard for me till this day. So imagine my surprise when I ran into this very thing in this book. I begged for this book and featured it in some videos because I was excited, all for it to hurt me. THERE IS NO WHERE IN THIS SYNOPSIS THAT SAYS THERE IS DEPICTION OF ADDICTION. For the love of all that is holy, please add some warnings. I’ll never say don’t put something in a book, but if I can say that, you as the publisher or author can take care of me like I am taking care of your book.
With that being said, it colored the rest of the book for me. I definitely felt for the main character. So many times I wanted to reach in and hug her. I was just the niece, I can’t imagine her as the kid. And there was one poem in there that made me put the book aside for a bit because it hit a little too close to home. And usually I would love that I related to an MC, but this is not something I’d want to relate to with anyone. I couldn’t even blame her for also being a little shit because Lordt she was so stubborn. But I understood why.
Their romance was cute. To be honest, I loved the love interest a bit more because she was so carefree. I was happy that she was there because she served as the comedic relief in a sense. Now the little part where she got mad at her for that one thing, I was pissed because Lordt how selfish do you have to be? To just be mad and not ask if they’re ok? I was annoyed for her. I understand she was hurt, but that’s all the more reason to ask in my opinion.
I did like the mix of poetry and prose tho. This author melded them together and in what seemed like a seamless storytelling. I loved this because it made everything so versatile. And the author even included some titles for them. And the poetry is told in journal entries between the two of them and I really loved that as well. Epistolary novels are just so cool to me. And this one novel had prose, poetry, and they were written as journal entries. It was amazing.
This made me hurt less to write it out. Writing this review was a bit cathartic. but I will say, take this review with a grain of salt. I don’t think I’m the target audience for this one, but I do think there is someone out there that will love it. .
Overall I give this
