Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Rogers's frothy debut, a high-achieving 20-something Black woman blows up her life. Grace Porter is spending a weekend in Las Vegas with her two friends to celebrate completing her doctorate in astronomy, when she wakes up to find a note from Yuki Yamamoto, a woman she'd hooked up with--and gotten married to--the night before. Back home in Portland, Ore., Grace reckons with her reckless behavior and hazy "champagne-pink" memories while trying to continue living up to her strict, financially supportive military father's expectations as she pursues a career in a field dominated by white men. Even though Grace is surrounded by a loving group of friends and roommates, she still feels alone and untethered. She decides to abandon her life plan to travel to New York to meet Yuki, a waitress and late-night radio storyteller. Still feeling restless, Grace heads to Florida to work on her free-spirited mother's orange grove. There, Grace searches for a way to move forward on her own terms. While the story's minimal tension gives the reader ample time to wonder if it's worth plowing through, the dialogue is pitch-perfect ("What the hell would I look like on Dateline talking about how you disappeared in Las Vegas?" a friend admonishes Grace). Patient readers will find plenty to appreciate in this rom-com. Agent: Holly Root, Root Literary. (Feb.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
DEBUT Grace Porter just received her doctorate in astronomy, and though she may not be practicing medicine, as her no-nonsense father intended, she is on track to put her doctorate to use. But as a Black lesbian, Grace doesn't seem to "be the right fit" for most companies in her field. Then the ever-responsible Grace wakes up in Vegas with a hangover, a wedding ring, fuzzy memories, and a note from her new, and absent, wife. Using a business card, Grace tracks down her wife, Yuki, in New York City. Grace leaves Portland and gives her marriage a shot, staying with Yuki and her roommates. They develop a deep connection. However, the life Grace left behind catches up to her as depression, difficulties reconnecting with her mostly absent mother, and deep wounds left by her disapproving father surface. Can a marriage between two virtual strangers wed in a Vegas chapel actually work when life gets in the way? VERDICT With a cast of diverse and underrepresented characters, Rogers's debut is a beautiful story of learning to love in so many ways: untraditionally, through deep hurt, through mental illness, and through struggles with which readers can relate. Highly recommended for all libraries.--Brooke Bolton, Boonville-Warrick Cty. P.L., IN
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
What happens in Vegas follows two women home. Grace Porter, newly minted Ph.D. in astronomy, has done everything right--that is to say, she's done everything according to her father's plan, and "a Porter always does their best." As a Black woman in a predominantly White field, she's had to, so when her friends take her to Las Vegas to celebrate, it's not a shock that she abandons her lifetime of discipline for just one night of fun. The shock comes the next morning, when, gripped by her hangover, she realizes she got married the night before, and the woman she married is already on her way back to New York City. Grace and her friends want to learn more about her new wife, Yuki Yamamoto, and Grace gets to know her through her late-night radio show out of Brooklyn and old-fashioned phone calls. Before long, she does the second impulsive thing of her life. Frustrated by the bias she's encountering in her job search, she moves out East to take a break from her perfect plans and get to know Yuki and see if their marriage is worth keeping. But now that she's started pushing back against the rigid confines of her life, feelings kept tightly locked away are beginning to appear. And for all their attraction to each other, Grace might be carrying too much unresolved pain and confusion to make their marriage work out. This novel, Rogers' debut, may not strictly be a romance, but it will strongly appeal to readers of the genre. For all the sweet charm of the blossoming love between Grace and Yuki, the book is especially notable for its celebration of friendship, especially in queer communities, and for exploring the many ways relationships can be meaningful and intimate beyond romance. Both Grace and Yuki have diverse, tightly woven groups of friends who buoy and ground them, and the richness of these relationships is the true core of the story. Romance fans will appreciate the happily-ever-after of it all, with a rewardingly emotional conclusion, but this is a book with true crossover appeal as well. A strong romantic fiction debut that will appeal to readers looking for a story of true love via self-discovery. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
