have you ever wanted to read the book version of a warm hug? maybe a cup of hot cocoa topped with a heap of marshmallows? then this book is for you because once again, m.a. hinkle has handed us such a treasure.

let's begin with appreciating the glorious trans representation in trish. i loved how JOYFUL trish is in her identity. sure, it's not always sunshine and rainbows god knows i wish it was for my trans siblings everywhere, but the way this book portrays it gave me so much joy and happiness and hope. it showed me that while yes, you may face some rough patches, there's always someone who'll accept and welcome you, and i love that trish had that.

this is also a story in which gabi, our other main, explores her sexuality and grief and both topics touched me soooo deeply i was gasping for air and crying a little because i, too, lost my father and it opened up all these festering wounds but in glorious good ways and i appreciate the candidness this book touched upon especially regarding gabi's relationship with her sister and niece. i loved all of their interactions and conversations.

this book made me feel loved and appreciated.

There is so much focus on artistry and being a creative person in this book. Gabi's passion for food and Trisha's love for photography absolutely come through and them sharing those pieces with each other was just lovely to see.
It also features a family that plays well off each other. They all have unique relationships to one another and I loved reading the interplay in all its constellations.
I don't like flashbacks. They added a backstory for Gabi that was very eye-opening and important to the present storyline but it always pulled me out and I struggled to stay connected to the narrative and connect the timelines.
It was also more depressing than anticipated. The first two books are more comedic in tone and I was not ready for the more complicated feelings this evoked in me, not all positive. I can't really put it into words. A large part of the story involves coming out and how to know you are queer. It's detailed and confusing and doesn't shy away from the hurt one might experience by being unable to put your feelings into words - no matter if you grew up in a homophobic or a queernormative environment.

The Weight of Living is the third book in the Cherrywood Grove series and can absolutely be read as a standalone.

Everything M.A. Hinkle has to say is about the issues in this book are absolutely beautifully written, and so relevant and important right now. I enjoyed the characters and the relationships, and as I say, it's no hardship to read Hinkle's stunning prose.

Honestly, what hurt this book for me and brought it from five down to four stars, is the confusing jumping around with the timelines. Sometimes it works but, for me, sadly this time it did not.

I adored the first book in the series, and I own the second and will be reading it soon. Also looking forward to whatever M.A. Hinkle brings us next.

Very enjoyable read, slightly different from most romances you usually encounter and expect, but that is definitely a positive thing. Lots of interesting characters as well. Very recomendable read!

This book was a bit different from what I was expecting. Is that bad? No, not necessarily, cause I loved the detail oriented story about a geeky trans gay woman Trisha and Gaby, who hasn't come out as a anytthing yet. Throw in a bi-sexual sister married to a man, a very out younger girl and you have multiple points of view into the queer life. I liked it, there was great character development, a lot of eye for detail and many different views of life included. Romance was very slow, but the connection was there.

Don't pick this up for a light romance on the beach, but if you want something more substantial to read than this might just be your cup of tea.

*** An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review ***

4.5 stars

This was a truly beautiful and well-written book. It dealt with so many different life experiences, especially about the many ways different people can come out to both themselves and others. I particularly liked and related to Gabi's own path in coming out and how this isn't always as straight-forward as media (or real life) usually portrays it.

On the other hand was Trisha's own history as a gay trans woman, and I feel like both stories were dealt with in a very serious and delicate manner. There was definitely something in both of them that every queer person might relate to, and in many ways this book was a study in being queer, particularly a queer woman.

I haven't read the previous two books in this series and this didn't affect my enjoyment: past characters make cameos here, but that's not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about how I wish more romance series had a mix of queer pairings and experiences, and while I don't know how male queerness is handled in the first two, I really appreciated that this third book focused entirely on being a queer woman.

We so rarely get to see this and there were certainly types of experiences that this book didn't handle, but we have a gay trans woman, a young gay woman who's never been in the closet, a bi woman married to a man, and a woman who, despite growing up in a queer family, still struggles with her own coming out process. It's... real, and it's raw and this is a book I would have loved to read when I was just past my own questioning and coming to terms with who I was for the first time. I still loved to read it now and there were so many moments I highlighted because they just fit.

There were other themes such as family, friendship, death and grief that, paired with how seriously everything else was handled, made this book rather heavy to read, particularly if you, like me, expect the uh, more "usual" kind of (lighthearted) romance. That is not to say that it was difficult to read or that I didn't want to read: I basically read this in three sitting on three different days because every time I started reading I didn't want to stop. But it was emotionally heavy and I saw it more as a study or queerness, like I mentioned before, and as a character study.

The best way I can summarize my experience with this book is in two very separate statements:

a) what a wonderful book;
b) I didn't have fun reading this book.

The second thing isn't necessarily negative; some books aren't meant to be fun. Maybe if I had read the first two in the series I would have known what to expect, but I didn't, and as a general rule I'm expecting to experience at least a little bit of fun while reading a contemporary romance.

Speaking of the romance itself, it comes, but it comes very late. It makes sense within the book, much more than if things had been rushed: the relationship is very well developed and sweet, but it's a friendship for a higher percentage of the book than what I would expect from a book marketed as, you guessed it, a romance.

Maybe your best bet is going in without expectations of what this book is or isn't, but if you've read this far into this review I guess I already gave you some expectations. In any case, this is a novel I would highly recommend for its many themes and a pairing we need more of (trans f/cis f). I don't know if I will go back and read the first two books in this series, but I definitely want to keep an eye for future work of the author.

Rep: cis Mexican-American gay woman, trans gay white atheist woman

TW: grief, loss of family member, discussions of homophobia and transphobia, food, straight weddings, religion

Ok this book was equal parts adorable and thought provoking. I have to admit I haven’t read many books with a trans protagonist, especially ones where the other protagonist is butch.
It was so interesting to see into each of their worlds and how they struggled to become comfortable and confident in who they were.
Plus add a dash of adorable will they won’t they romance and I was turning the pages almost faster than I could read them.
It really is a good book on so many levels, one the one hand you get cute romance.
On the other you delve deeper into issues regarding sexuality, gender and grief.
It’s a sign of a good writer who can do both without making the book heavy.
I am really glad I got to read this... I love all the Cherrywood books and this is a great addition to the series

The Weight of Living is a heavy book (pun not intended) both emotionally and contextually. Grief hangs heavy over the story as well as the struggles of gender identity and sexual orientation. This book packs an emotional lunch to the gut. In a good way?
Trisha is fantastic. She is an adorable little cinnamon roll who has had a really rough time especially growing up. She is a sweet, cute, awkward, nerdy, socially inept due to lack of confidence, and absolutely amazing.
Gabi is also going through a rough time. After her fathers death she became a walking ghost and has so much inner conflict and turmoil. Her growth through out the story was slow and heartbreaking but satisfying.
The story is told in a unique and lovely way. Trisha's story is in the present and each chapter has a silly name that covers the events of the chapter. Baby’s story bounces between the past and present always in relation to before and after her dad’s death. It is a constant reminder of how grief alters people’s lives.
This book is supremely queer and covers a great many aspects being queer. I think the biggest is coming out and how it is never the same for each person and how much of an impact it can have. There is also a lot of self discovery throughout the story.
Despite the heaviness of the subject matter this story is filled with humor, sweetness, quotable moments, and is all around heartwarming.
My favorite quote was “Secrets give other people power over you. If you own who you are, no one can use it as a weapon.”
This was a hard-hitting story and I enjoyed it immensely. I highly recommend it.

This is the 3rd book in the Cherrywood Grove series and I don't believe you need to read the others to read this. As I was reading it, I never felt lost of that I needed to go back to the others to see what is going on.

The Weight of Living was better than I anticipated. There were some surprises about the characters that I never guessed until I was told. I don't want to spoil it so I will not say, but I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed getting to know both Trisha and Gabi. I did find it weird that Gabi didn't realize she was gay. Anyway, as I read the story, I found myself rooting for both Trisha and Gabi. They just clicked with each other. I can't say there was much sexual tension, but I think it was appropriate that there wasn't. This one also had really good supporting characters which helped to move the book along.

I rate this one 4 stars

This was a really slow read. One reviewer described it as a character study and I think that is fair. Unfortunately that means it is a very slow read. Ultimately there isn’t really a story here. What there is makes it worth a solid 3.5 stars. Hinkle does a wonderful job of sharing the ups and downs of coming out. The characters are lovely, especially the charmingly geeky Trisha. The glimpse into trans* experience was wonderful. I’d say this is a perfect summer beach read.

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a review.*

Very well done! The romance aspect was adorable. The perspectives of the characters felt very genuine, especially as more was revealed throughout the story. I also loved how detail oriented the author was!

I haven't read any of the others in this series and had no trouble reading this as a standalone book.

After Gabi's father dies she finds herself a little lost, not sure who she is inside or on the outside, personally and professionally. When she meets Trisha, a photographer, at one of the weddings she's working with her catering business she finds herself drawn to the other woman in ways she can't quite put to words. The two become fast friends, sharing secrets and talking with an ease they've never felt with anyone before. But Trisha is only supposed to be in Cherrywood Grove for the summer, will that be the end to their friendship, or will their personal journeys over the summer lead them somewhere new.

I was pretty confused for a while at the beginning when Gabi's POV kept switching from present to past to more distant past but I eventually figured it out and really enjoyed the book. The food was amazing, as was the photography and art and music showcased in this book. It definitely fed the creative muse. The characters were all fascinating, I loved their individual passions, they really shone through the writers words. Following Gabi's journey was something special to witness.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cute summer romance. Rural Midwest with Latina lead. Early 30s coming out story - coming out can happen at any time, and even in a family with a bi older sister and a lesbian niece it can still be scary af.

For the past year since the death of her father and her return to her rural Wisconsin hometown, Gabi Gonzalez has been barely getting by. Oh, financially she is fine after taking over her family's catering business, but emotionally she is just flat - unsure what to do about her future and stuck with a secret she doesn't know how to share. Town newcomer, Trisha, needs a change of pace and moves away from Chicago for the summer. As a wedding photography, Trisha starts to regularly see Gabi at weddings the pair a working. Gabi needs a change, and Trisha provides a spark.

Thanks NetGalley for the eARC.

The Weight of Living is a character study that delves deep into Gabi’s past and examines Trisha’s present (the two alternating POVs). These two struggling millennials meet while working summer weddings in Cherrywood Grove (this is the third book in M.A. Hinkle’s series but can be read as a standalone). Gabi is a chef and Trisha is a photographer. Like many millennials, they don’t work a 9 to 5 office job, and do their best to make ends meet by taking all the gigs they can.

I enjoyed the story presentation as we follow Trisha’s POV in the present day, and learn more about Gabi’s past through her POV in alternating chapters. More is revealed about Gabi as the book progresses, and we learn that she carries so much on her shoulders.

As a food-geek, I delighted in the attention to detail when Gabi cooked and taught Trisha how to make spaghetti carbonara, a pantry staple. Hinkle brings great detail to every aspect of this story, making these characters true to life and genuine.

For a beautiful journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance featuring a slow-burn and low heat WLW romance, check out The Weight of Living.

I’ve read a lot of romance novels. So I went into this book with a lot of preconceived notions, and it blew them all away and took me by surprise in the best possible way.

Instead of a straight up romance, it’s about identity (gender and sexuality), as well as the gradually forming relationship between our two heroines.

Which, I usually avoid books on discovering your queer identity. I’ve lived that. So often it feels forced or simplified into talking points. It wasn’t like that here. Instead of being a speech, it was a dialogue, with the natural flow that the word implies.

I’m so glad I read this book, it was such a lovely discovery. There’s so many small details and pieces of prose that I love, but to keep it succinct, I’ll simply say; the author nailed it, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Gabi is the daughter of a local celebrity chef, she goes to culinary school away from home to become her own person and not stand in her dad’s shadow all the time.
Trisha is a photographer, she comes from a cult like family, she moves to the big city to study and be free.

The book jumps in time, Gabi’s POV is all from the the past, Trisha is in the present. At first I thought the dates in chapters made no sense, until I realised it had todo with the tragic event in Gabi’s life.
The two women keep meeting at horrible weddings and they hit it off instantly. They are very different, but very mindful of each other and seemingly very in touch with what the other needs. I love how this story unfolds and the supporting characters are amazing too. I really like Gabi’s niece Sarah, she is fierce and extremely opinionated. I think this book is the start of an amazing love story.

The chapter titles are funnier than any of the lines in the book, I’d love to have seen more of that humour in the interactions between the characters. But I guess this book is more about finding yourself, or finally admitting to everyone else who you are inside and not hiding anymore than anything else. The message is rather clear, but not in your face agressieve. Everyone has a different process, a different story to tell. And you should let them all do it in their own time and in their own way. This book really supports this idea.

This book is such a sweet romance but also has so much wonderful commentary about discovering yourself and the words and expression that fits. Gabriela Gonzalez is a Mexican-American lesbian whose family all thinks she is straight and is dealing with the grief of losing her father, a TV personality who had his own cooking show. As she caters for local weddings, she keeps running into Trisha Ivy. Trisha is a white trans woman lesbian who takes photographs and has come to Cherrywood Grove as a stopgap after her roommate, Bella’s, marriage before going back to live with Bella and her husband. Trisha takes this as a chance for her to find herself outside of Bella’s influence, a chance to find her own confidence.

I love the Cherrywood Grove series and this is my favorite addition so far. There were so many little lines about fitting into your own skin and being able to see yourself outside others’ expectations that just rung so true. Gabi was especially relatable when she talked about how she dated guys, in part because despite having a bi older sister, she didn’t really see herself as having another option. Her journey wasn’t always an easy one but I loved her finally being able to come out to her family and speak her truth.

Trisha isn’t still in touch with her biological family, nor is that something that is challenged or suggested she should reconcile with them, but she does have a very strong chosen family. I loved that, even though we don’t meet her chosen family (because they’re still in Chicago), she talks about them frequently and her family is largely made up of other trans women.

This was such a good book with great characters and so much about being true to yourself, even if it takes a while to figure yourself out. My biggest complaint is probably that it was hard to follow the timelines because it jumps with the death of Gabi’s father as “point zero,” even though that isn’t a moment really shown. I loved the slow burn of the romance and then finally getting together. I wouldn’t mind more about Gabi and Trisha, though I’m hoping the next book will be Sarah’s.

This is probably the first book we’ve read with a trans lead and are utterly bowled by the gentleness, delicacy and love with which she’s been written.

Trisha Ivy is a Chicago-based photographer who has come to Cherrywood Grove for the summer. Amongst Trisha’s different assignments she is often called on as a wedding photographer. While taking a break during one aggressively heteronormative wedding, Trisha runs into Gabi Gonzalez, the caterer at the wedding. Trisha is smitten on first sight and a casual conversation does nothing to cool her off despite knowing that butch-looking and butch-dressing Gabi is straight. Cherrywood Grove being a small town and summers being the season for weddings means that Trisha and Gabi are often working in the same place at the same time and their acquaintanceship grows. Slowly their acquaintanceship spills out of shared weddings into a more personal space and starts turning into a more real relationship.

We were absolutely taken by the style of writing. The book is written in a non-linear episodic fashion with each chapter constituting a complete episode by itself. And yet it all weaves in beautifully together. (We so loved the chapter headings which are mostly just plain fun.) It took us a couple of chapters initially to get into the groove but then it was wonderful reading. Another unusual technique adopted by Hinkle was character introductions. The characters just make an appearance without any real context initially but their relationships are unearthed as the book progresses.

Trisha is beautifully written with care and sensitivity. The many emotions of Gabi and her complexes and complexities are explored and revealed with deliberate slowness. All the characters are fully developed and extremely engaging. In fact, Gabi’s sister Rosa and niece Sarah are totally adorable. The romance is slow burn and develops so organically with such real-ness that there can be no doubt about the HEA.

This one was a great read.

This book was addicting. You wanted to continue reading even long after it was over. The characters felt so real and relatable, and the story was so original.