A moving coming of age debut about a young Mexican American aspiring writer who can't wait to escape her small Texan town and her complicated relationship with a famous Latinx author who takes advantage of her adoration for his own gains. Great on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Xochtl Gonzalez. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

This book was amazing! It was a bit of a slow build at first, but the payoff was so worth it. The book follows the relationship of a celebrity author and a fan-turned-friend of his. It is so interesting to see how the relationship, and the FMC's perspective on the relationship, changes throughout the book over both distance and time. This is a powerful portrayal on the intricacies of power, culture, gender, sexuality, and money as they play into a relationship. I highly recommend!

Like Happiness is a quiet, reflective character-driven book that really grows on you. It explores the subtle and toxic relationship dynamics of a young Latina who enters into an undefined relationship with a prestigious and wealthy Latino author.

Tatum is now happy and living with her partner in Chile. When a reporter comes calling she is forced to re-examine the relationship she had with M. Dominguez when she was younger. M has been accused of inappropriate and toxic behaviors by his ex and given the large age gap between M and Tatum, the reporter is keen on learning more about their relationship. We see the relationship between Tatum and M unfold in a series of letters/emails that Tatum writes to M.

I personally enjoyed the examination and look at power/ power dynamics through the lense of a young, broke latina college student who is trying to find her way. The abuse of power is so subtle and slow you can ALMOST miss it.

There were other parts of the story that resonated with me. As a young latina she is trying to figure out where she fits in. Her parents have unrealistic expectations that don't align with her world view. She's passively moving through the world in an attempt to find meaning and connection. It was refreshing, in a way.

I wish the book was a bit longer. I would've loved to see how Tatum ended where she did but then again that was not the focus of the story.

Thank you for Celadon books and Netgalley for an advanced reader copy of Like Happiness.

"Like Happiness" by Ursula Villarreal-Moura is a beautifully-written character-driven novel about a young woman's relationship with an older, influential man. We learn very early on that the famous writer, M. Dominguez is accused of inappropriate conduct with another young woman when a reporter contacts Tatum for her side of the story. Told through dual timelines (one is a letter from Tatum to M. looking back on their relationship), Tatum is forced to confront the idea that M. may have taken advantage of her as well, albeit in a different manner. Tatum's experiences are very relevant in today's era, and important topics such as gender and power dynamics are explored and made very personal. As a woman who, because of my job comes into contact with some very powerful men, I could see myself in Tatum and her story really resonated with me. Tatum's story shows how easy it is to want to believe the best of someone, especially a personal hero, while completely overlooking the true ugliness lurking right below the surface of that shiny façade.

This book would make an excellent book club choice for groups who enjoy thought-provoking, deeper reads. It is a tremendous debut novel and I look forwarded to reading more from this author. Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced copy of this astonishing debut!

Tatum Vega receives a call from a journalist who wants to interview her about her experience with an acclaimed author after he is accused of assault. Tatum has made a new life for herself in Chile with her partner & this phone call takes her back to those years she spent with M. Dominguez. She recounts her experience & the unhealthy relationship she had with him.

The book is told in alternate timelines between Tatum's present 2015 & her early years when she met Mateo Dominguez. The story is told from the perspective of Tatum writing to Mateo & realizing how toxic the relationship was from the beginning. The book focuses on the complexities of power dynamics. Wealth, age, fame, gender, all played a factor & it was interesting seeing how it all played out.

I absolutely loved the authors writing style & will be looking forward to reading more by her. I would recommend this to fans of Adelaide it gave me a similar feeling & experience while reading it.

Thank you, @celadonbooks for my free copy in exchange for a review.

Who loves a good coming of age story? Me! 🙌

Like Happiness is a love letter to readers and books, as well as a dual timeline coming of age story.

Tatum Vega graduates from Williams and then just stalls. She moves from San Antonio to NYC and lives in a hostel run by nuns. She is supposed to get a job, but she stays in her room reading until she finally goes and gets a job at a school. Why New York? If she can make it there, she can make it anywhere. And Mateo lives there. Mateo, known as M in the literary world, is a Latino who hit it big with his book Happiness. It is Tatum’s favorite book that she has read many times.

While in college, Tatum wrote a fan letter to M….and he responded. The book chronicles her relationship with M in the early aughts.

The second timeline is in 2015 — when Tatum is living with her female partner and working at an art museum in Chile. A NY Times reporter tracks her down to ask about her relationship with M. M has been accused of sexually assaulting an El Salvadoran woman.

The writing in this book is seamless and the plot is fantastic. However, I think Tatum has some responsibility for her toxic relationship with M. She was fully an adult as she carried on the relationship until she was in her 30s. The story line about him “grooming” Tatum really fell flat for me.

“Like Happiness” is a story that will stick with you, staying in the back of your mind to resurface for reflection now and then. Dealing with issues of identity, finding yourself, the ability to see or be seen both in literature and in real life, fame, manipulation, the allure of meeting someone you idolize, and how we justify someone when expectations don’t match reality; this novel really packs a punch. You’ll see Tatum come into her own as she reflects on her relationship with Mateo; it’s consuming nature, power imbalance, grooming, toxicity, betrayal, and the nuances found within relationships, both good and bad.

In many ways, Tatum’s story felt very personal and intimate. Told primarily through a letter chronicling the relationship between herself and Mateo which she is writing several years after the dissolution of their toxic relationship (in New York). Occasionally the story returns to the present, Chile 2015, where we see the growth and change in Tatum from the innocent, young woman who first wrote a fan letter to the woman of today who is conversing with a reporter to show people what Mateo is really like.

You can’t help but shake your head at how quickly Tatum is to justify M’s personality even as he dismisses her over and over while taking precisely what he needs and wants. I think it’s all too easy to fall prey to this kind of dynamic in a relationship of any kind and Villarreal-Moura does an excellent job of shining a light on this type of power dynamic.

I alternated between the digital and audio books and really enjoyed both. Marisa Blake did an exceptional job narrating “Like Happiness,” allowing me to fully immerse myself in the narrative.

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and Macmillan Audio for advance copies of this book. I alternated between the digital and audio books, really enjoying both.

A fantastic debut novel, Ursula Villarreal-Moura is definitely an author to watch.

Available March 26, 2024.

#debutauthor #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #likehappiness Macmillan Audio Celadon Books NetGalley #authortowatch #fiction #multiculturalbooks #literaryfiction #fictionbook #bookreview #ursulavillarreal #ursulavillarrealmoura

This book touched on a lot of strong subjects. Like it hurt sometimes. I get the loving a book, loving an art pieces so much and reread it, making the joy something gives you every time you read it, watch it look at it even if it's not the firs time. I love all those things.

I also understand the pain of something that gave you joy, giving you pain because of some trauma or an even that made you not love it anymore. This book really made me cry and I love the rawness and pain.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was remarkable. The writing was absolutely beautiful and will definitely hit for fans of Adelaide, The Rachel Incident, and I Could Live Here Forever. It is a coming of age story about a young Latina woman who meets the author she idolizes and falls into a toxic relationship with him. Now, years later, she must look back and face what he has done to her. I truly had no idea where this was going and what would be the breaking point of their relationship. This really speaks to Latina women, queer women, and any woman who has gone through ANY type of toxic relationship. This book is important. I loved it.

super interesting premise about one lost woman’s entanglement with the author of her favorite book that at times felt a bit grating given how pretentious the narrator was. the ending (i won’t spoil) was fascinating but all in all, this fell flat to me.

A complex elegant tale of a toxic relationship- and how it echoes even after the victim has moved on. Tatum who has often felt less than found herself in a relationship with Mateo Dominguez, a famous writer and before she recognized it, he had groomed her into something she was not. Now, though, she's living happily with her partner Vera but the past is out there because he's being exposed for what he is by a journalist. This moves back and forth in time to tell Tatum's story. While you might think you know what happens, this is more nuanced than most in the genre. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of literary fiction.

I absolutely loved this book! The story kept me hooked and the writing was wonderful. I loved that it's kind of similar to other stories we've heard before but with a surprise twist no one saw coming. And I loved the latinx representation as well.

After 10 years in a unhealthy relationship with an older author, M Dominguez, Tatum is finally living her dream, she is working in a museum, living in Chile and in love with her girlfriend Vera. One day a journalist calls to ask her about her relationship with M, because he has been accused of assault. Tatum decides to tell her story for the first time, not because she believes it will corroborate, but because she feels it’s time, and through her reliving her time with M, she begins to have revelations of what her relationship was really about and how truly toxic it was.

There were many parts of this novel I enjoyed, the writing was great, the concept of the relationship was super cringey and I appreciated (but didn’t enjoy) it. However the main character of Tatum was frustratingly annoying and to the point where it ate into my enjoyment of the book at times. I listened to the audio more than I ended up reading and I thought the narrator did an excellent job. This book kept reminding me of Asymmetry with the lack of equality in the relationship where one is an older famous author and the other is a younger somewhat fawning woman (and the cringe element). In the end I felt that her unhappiness was often self induced and I don’t have a ton of patience for that.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon for the ARC to review

Like Happiness is a beautifully told story about a power dynamic between two people while also touching on topics like codependency and navigating sexuality. This was such a relatable and realistic look into relationships and what they can cost you.

The story begins when young Tatum sends a fan letter to her favorite author M who is an older man. She is elated when he writes back and we watch their relationship over the course of a decade. The story switches between past and present so we are able to see it in a multi faceted light. I enjoyed this book from start to finish!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Ursula Villarreal Moura, and Celadon Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I can’t wait for everyone else to read this on March 26th!

I have posted my review on Goodreads, in my Facebook book club, and will post a Tiktok review the night before it releases.

Title: Like Happiness
Author: Ursula Villarreal-Moura
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: March 26, 2024

I received a complimentary eARC from Celadon Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad

T H R E E • W O R D S

Fluid • Obsessive • Introspective

📖 S Y N O P S I S

It's 2015, and Tatum Vega feels that her life is finally falling into place. Living in sunny Chile with her partner Vera, she spends her days surrounded by art at the museum where she works. She loves this new life, but more than anything, she loves it for helping her forget the decade she spent in New York City; the years she spent orbiting the brilliant and famous author M. Domínguez.

But when a reporter calls from the US asking for an interview, the careful separation Tatum has constructed between her past and present begins to crumble. Domínguez has been accused of assault by another woman, and the reporter is looking for corroboration. Tatum agrees to tell her story, but she begins with a clarification: while there are similarities, what happened to the other woman is not what happened to her.

💭 T H O U G H T S

Like Happiness came onto my radar earlier in the year while I was browsing NetGalley for upcoming spring releases. I love discovering new authors, was intrigued by the premise, and am on the lookout for dual timeline narrative. With this one, I was invested from the very first line.

Told in a unique epistolary format - a slow retelling of their relationship - this debut is a quick and accessible read that remind me of a lighter My Dark Vanessa. It's a quiet story exploring an imbalance of power in relationships and the toxicity these relationships can have on our lives. It also explores Latinx, gender and sexual identities but to a lesser degree. I could have easily used a little more character development.

From the beginning, the reader is privy to knowing there will be some sort of reveal. I was able to predict the what it would be about a third of the way through and my rating likely would have been a little higher if not for that. Regardless, the writing style helped build the suspense until everything is revealed near the end. With all of the slow build, I did find the ending felt a little rushed but it didn't bother me that much.

Like Happiness is one of those quiet stories that is thought-provoking and will be lingering in the back of my mind for months to come. I cannot finish my review without mentioning it being an ode to booklovers and the incredible power a book can have on our lives. It would make for lively and interesting discussion among book clubs. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for future works from Ursula Villarreal-Moura.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• My Dark Vanessa
• coming-of-age stories
• debuts

⚠️ CW: toxic relationship, gaslighting, grooming, sexual content, classism, racism, infidelity, cursing, religious bigotry, child abuse, physical abuse, alcohol, sexual assault, drug use, drug abuse, addiction, overdose, body shaming, fatphobia

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"What I’ve shared with you is proof that I still remember, but in writing this, I find that my memories are releasing their hold on me."

The cover and blurb are so eye-catching! I had trouble really getting into the story, which didn't help with the slower pace.

Huge thank you to Celadon Books for sending me a #gifted ARC copy! All opinions are honest and my own.

I honestly flew through this book and was rooting so hard for Tatum to take her power at the end of the story & the end of her letters. I loved the dual POV with the two timelines and seeing how her life had transpired before she left New York City. Very coming of age, very powerful, and very sad to think about how many women throughout time who have shared a similar journey to Tatum’s.

“For the longest time, I felt like everything would remind me of you – that I was doomed to relive our story and never regain my footing. What I’ve shared with you is proof that I still remember, but in writing this, I find that my memories are releasing their hold on me.”


I’m so glad I read this, I both loved and hated how many parts I could relate to.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publishers who sent me this ARC to read & review!

a quick read that mildly interested me

this book follows tatum, a young woman who gets wrapped up in a toxic relationship with a famous author when she's young and later, an older tatum who decides to tell her story to a reporter reporting on the famous author's sexual assault. the plot was intriguing and interesting from a glance, and i thought the writing moved at a brisk pace. tatum and the author's relationship is a very slow unraveling rather than a big fallout, which i thought made sense, especially in the context of the novel. how their relationship ends is truly shocking to me; i never even imagined that ending. i was unable to fully connect with tatum, however; she seems like a character i would dislike or feel indifferent to in real life, but i felt that her relationship and the power dynamics were nuanced and well-handled. i really enjoyed how she was able to find agency and firmly realize that this idol of hers was a false reality at the end. i just found some parts of the book to be boring, especially since i wasn't a huge fan of the mc. i am giving this book 3 stars.

thank you to netgalley and celadon books for this arc!

A coming-of-age story as Tatum is forced to remember her younger life when a reporter calls for an interview about a past acquaintance whom she once adored. A raw enticing journey through what relationships become. As she falls in love with a book and its author a relationship blooms between them. A young Tatum retells how their relationship began and how she believed it was more than it was. Ursula Villarreal-Moura had me pondering relationships and how they are viewed from our perspective and true to life in this fictional story of one's journey to find oneself and letting go of someone who didn't care as much about the relationship as she did.

Literary Fiction with a depth that surprised me based on the fact a debut author created it. And I don't mean that in a negative connotation but rather impressed that this debut dissected power in a relationship born with destructive traits from day 1. A reader (Tatum) reaches out to an author who wrote her most cherished book and shockingly he responds. What follows is a relationship that teeters in complex and destructive ways.

The story is weaved together with 2 time spaces: one is the unfolding relationship we are reading about and the second is in 2015 where Tatum is living in Chile with her partner Vera. A reporter has reached out to her to get information on M (Mateo) but Tatum isn't sure how she wants to contribute to the story or if she wants to share that piece of her life with anyone else.

In part, it felt like a coming-of-age (adult version) and in part it felt like My Dark Vanessa. Flip-flopping between both themes in equal measure.
It's toxic, obsessive, and somehow a love letter to readers....not sure how that's possible based on my description. guess you'll have to just read it.

Impressive debut. 3.75 stars rolled to 4.
thank you for the gifted copy in return for an honest review.