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.

Tatum is living with her partner in Chile and has a settled life when she receives a call from a journalist to rehash her past. For a decade, she had a relationship with an author that started with a fan letter. This book breezes back and forth between the past and present to tell her side of the story and what she has been through at the hands of her idol. I feel that this book did a good job exploring a relationship that is not only toxic, but also exhibits a power dynamic at play.
Tatum was a well developed character that is very complex and provides the brunt of what this relationship was like and how she was completely disarmed and lost her autonomy to the whims of this person that she not only admired, but was intensely in love with. I felt this book offers something different when it comes to manipulation and control in a relationship. This book is definitely worth reading and I will remember this ending for quite some time. Thanks for the ARC, BookishFirst.

This novel started off a bit slow for me as I was unsure as to what direction it was going. It didn’t take long to pick up and completely engage me, however. This was heartbreaking on so many levels, yet inspired hope. The way it was written made the story feel all the more personal. I could feel Tatum’s emotions seeping out of the pages.

I do wish we got more explanation or resolution regarding the Mateo situation, BUT I do think it was a cognitive decision of the author to not make the villain the focus. This story was Tatum’s.

This book did not speak to me. I enjoyed the writing, but I never connected with Tatum and felt much of her misery was self-induced. It’s an interesting character study that many will relate to understand, but it just wasn’t for me.

Like Happiness is a expertly crafted debut about a toxic relationship between a literary giant and a young fan. This novel was unexpectedly compulsively readable for a character driven story. I think that is due to the vividly drawn characters that you quickly become invested in and the fluid prose that let you ease into the novel. I can see this being a hit with fans of Anita De Monte Laughs Last and My Dark Vanessa.

This is a semi-epistolary novel about a young Latina woman from Texas who enters into a decade long friendship (that definitely crosses the line into relationship) with a famous author she sends fan mail to. It shows their toxic and obsessive relationship from its conception to its inevitable demise.

Like Happiness has interesting commentary on race, gender, and sexuality through the eyes of a woman figuring out her place in busy New York society. It’s a deeply introspective novel and we spend most of the time in Tatum’s head listening to her thoughts years later about the relationship that shaped much of her 20s.

This is a book with heavy themes so be aware of that going in. However, I think this is a powerful book and would highly recommend it.

i feel like people who love the craft of writing tend to be people who fixate on certain moments and turn them into something else altogether. what is a memory of discovering a book for the first time that really makes you feel seen (in tatum's case feeling closer to her mexican identity) can become a turning point to an open world of possibility. it is only until we reflect upon our 20s and 30s with a new lens do we start to see that the relationships we may have held dear was toxic. this is the reality for tatum as she remains connected to a writer of whom she sent a letter to after discovering for the first time for over 10 years. there really isn't anything surprising here, but the writing is protective almost in the way villarreal-moura chooses to include revelations and i simply love this book for that.

A captivating novel about a toxic and obsessive relationship between a young woman and an established author. The relationship begins with a fan-girl email and a quick response, and spans nearly a decade before ending.

The main character Tatum is an avid reader who is immediately captivated by the novel Happiness by M. Domínguez. Tatum is a Mexican American college student, originally from San Antonio, who discovers this book while struggling to belong in her majority white college classrooms in the East Coast. Domínguez is a Puerto Rican writer and professor whose writing gives a voice to the broader Latinx community with a fanbase of largely female readers.

Domínguez serves as almost a lifeline for Tatum, who is struggling to realize her career aspirations, her financial situation, and her identity. Throughout her twenties, their two lives orbit each other, but there's always an imbalance of power at play.

Tatum is revisiting her past after a reporter reached out following Domínguez being accused of assault. The story is told solely from Tatum's perspective alternating between present day and a letter she writes to Domínguez, recounting their relationship.

I loved this writing structure because it allowed Tatum to reclaim her power by telling her story, while also allowing her to reflect and reexamine the toxic and unhealthy nature of their relationship. This structure also made the final reveal of what exactly went down between the two more suspenseful and explosive. I'm pretty sure I gasped and flew through the last chapters without looking up.

This was a phenomenal coming of age story that tackles themes of power, gender, fame, and identity. I also love that the author, who was born and raised in San Antonio, was able to incorporate and capture the beautiful city that I now call home.

I was surprised as to just how much I enjoyed reading one. Dual timelines spanning the recent years and relationships of Tatum Vega. She is a complex character navigating toxic relationships, gender roles, and power struggles, with Latinx cultural aspects. In an academia setting, Tatum becomes involved with a famous author after writing him a fan letter. The ups and downs of this relationship, and seemingly mundane everyday life trials are quite fascinating, Ursula Villarreal-Moura makes us feel as though we are a part of their lives. The writing is done beautifully, and this coming-of-age story will have you wishing for more of Tatum's memories and current life. Bravo for this debut!

Some have said this book reminds them of my dark Vanessa. I can see some similarities in a relationship between an older man in power and a much younger woman/student. However this is much less graphic and while I did find the relationship in question dysfunctional I’m not sure i found the male character quite as abusive. The writing in this book is good though a little odd because most is written like a tell all letter. And the main character is both naive and from a lower class world but yet speaks so eloquently and brilliantly. It’s made for interesting passages and frankly kept me reading even though some areas that were slow. The climax certainly was interesting and I think it paid off at least for me.
Recommend this for those that like more character driven novels, obsessive “love” stories and coming of age.

Tatum Vega has been called by a journalist to speak to the decade she spent knowing famous author M. Dominguez. As she reexamines the past, she begins to understand more about their relationship and why she was so enamored.

While I did enjoy this one enough to finish it, I feel like it went over my head. I didn’t quite get it; not much seemed to happen to me. I was waiting for the shoe to drop the whole time. Instead I think it’s a very deep and slow portrayal of a relationship with an unequal power component. I liked how the narrator was looking back and discovering things about herself as she examined the past relationship.

“Toxic relationships are like ticking bombs. Once I pull the pin and acknowledge your disregard, your disingenuousness, your betrayal, we could never rewind and begin again.”

Like Happiness comes out 3/26.

Like Happiness is an unflinching portrayal of a toxic relationship between a literature-loving young Latina woman and an older author whom she idolizes intellectually and, at times, romantically. Tatum and Mateo connect when she impulsively writes him a letter after being moved by his writing, sparking a messy, sweeping decade marked by admiration, obsession, and an imbalance of power. When a young woman accuses Mateo of sexual assault, Tatum is compelled to reexamine the nature of her own relationship with Mateo.

I was captivated by this beautifully written coming of age story that touches on tough topics like grooming, gender, sexuality, racism, and power dynamics. Although it has echoes of My Dark Vanessa, the power differential between Tatum and Mateo is more understated, as he has no “real” power over her (i.e., he’s not her professor or boss) but he grooms and subtly manipulates her all the same. Tatum is young and naïve when they meet, a lonely and isolated college student who is ripe to be sucked in by Mateo’s attentions. The author does a masterful job of depicting the insidious way Mateo controls the power dynamic and blurs the lines between them.


This book is ideal for book clubs and sure to inspire a rich discussion! Many thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me an advance copy of this book.

This book sure got me thinking and making lists.

The story follows a young woman named Tatum and her relationship with Mateo, a famous author who befriends her after she sends him a fan letter.

She examines the complexities and emotional consequences of their decade-long "friendship" —from the moment they first met to the night when everything fell apart —after she finds out he's been accused of assaulting a woman. Was their relationship real? Did he groom her? Did he care for her?

It sure got me thinking about power dynamics in relationships, how women can be exploited and manipulated for emotional support, sex, etc.

Plus, I really connected with Tatum, her introverted, independent personality, her love of books and art (double major in art history and English), the courage she regularly showed, her naivety, and watching her grow.

I could relate (as I'm sure a lot of us can) to looking back on life and finally seeing the big picture and having a better understanding of situations.

I adored all of the books, authors, and artists mentioned and how they tied into the story.

Did I start making a list as I read? Umm, yes, I sure did! (I've included it in the comments if you're curious, although I may have missed some.)

I plan to add some of Tatum's authors to my TBR. Like, I've always planned to read Sylvia Plath, but now I REALLY want to read Sylvia Plath. Many were well known, but there were lots that were also new to me to explore.

The only complaint is that I found the ending to be quite abrupt. I wanted more. But perhaps it's significant as is? Maybe it represents her finally being done with the relationship?

Overall, there are many themes explored: power dynamics, fame and exploitation, LGBTQ identity, coming of age, the challenges faced by a young Latina in the US and minorities not being represented in literature, movies, TV.

I highly recommend this read. Maybe one of my faves this year? We'll see.

You can get your hands on this one March 26, 2024.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me.

A big thanks to @celadonbooks for the #gifted copy to read and review.

Excellent narration. Written like a memoir - Tatum looks back over her life, after being contacted by a reporter. Her longest friendship, the author of a best selling book has been accused of abusing a young woman. The reporter is desperate for Tatum's story - a prompt for Tatum's reflection and forcing an honesty she has avoided for decades.
A tough read at times - definite themes of grooming. Abuse comes in many forms - making it so difficult to define. As a survivor of years of mental and emotional abuse, this book really spoke to me. Well done and gorgeous.

This novel had me hooked from the first line. Like Happiness puts the actions of a powerful (and abusive) man under a microscope, and shows how misogyny and internalized cultural shame are replicated over and over again. It was also honestly refreshing to read a literary novel whose protagonist is from San Antonio! The dichotomies between the East Coast and Texas, and the US and Chile was another interesting exploration in this book.
The reader feels all the pain and excitement and humiliation and exhilaration of Tatum as she's groomed by legendary Latino writer M Dominguez. I found myself moved nearly to tears in a few different moments. Details are everything in Like Happiness-- even the journalist uncovering M's pattern of abuse has misogynistic tendencies. The signs of M's lack of care are there the whole time, as well as his refusal to engage with other Latine writers. Ultimately, Like Happiness asks important questions about what we owe each other, the lines between fiction and reality, and celebrity within particular cultures, in this case Latinidad.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC! I can't wait to read more from Villarreal-Moura.

Like Happiness is a book about power dynamics, marginalization, and reclaiming your story. The story is told in two timelines. In 2015 in Chile, Tatum Vega receives a phone call from a journalist who is planning to run a story on abuse accusations levelled against a famous writer, Mateo Dominguez, Tatum had previously had a relationship with. It then shifts to a series of letters written by Tatum to Mateo where she details the entire story of their relationship and all the ways in which he had hurt her, while periodically jumping back to 2015 Chile as she attempts to decide how much to share with this journalist.

I’ll start with what I did like about this book. I think it was a really interesting exploration of power dynamics in completely legal relationships and the ways in which powerful people can prey on vulnerable people. It was easy to see how Mateo picked up on specifics about Tatum, and other women that he was involved with, particularly the way she was ostracized as the only Latina at her college, her lack of close relationships, to work his way into her life and build a sense of trust and intimacy with her. He validated her feelings and although his actions often left her upset or angry, he did just enough to have her convinced that he was a good person and association with him gave her a sort of feeling of power and worthiness that she craved and kept her around.

Unfortunately, the writing often felt very stilted and forced to me. It lacked flow, particularly in the first half. It seemed to settle later on, or I just got used to it, I’m not sure. I did generally think the dialogue was well done, though. It seemed quite natural. Other than that, I also didn’t like the way the format of being letters to Mateo was used. While I understand that this was her way of taking back and reclaiming her story and the story of their relationship after he betrayed her and an attempt to gain closure over that period of her life, this format just made it really hard to connect with her in the present day. There was no real exploration of how this relationship had affected her and continued to affect her or even why this call from the journalist was her apparent tipping point, when the way the letter was written seemed to imply that she was already perfectly aware of all the ways in which Mateo had been awful to her specifically. I needed more from her in the present to fully grasp the lasting impacts of this relationship.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc!

𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura

A rousing debut that had me on the edge of my seat with suspense.

As a young college student, Tatum, writes a fan letter to the author of her favourite book. When the elusive M writes back Tatum is both parts starstruck and determined to form a relationship with him. After several online exchanges they meet sparking a ten year friendship of obsession, desire, need, and devotion.

As the story circles and orbits around Tatums relationship with M we learn slowly and deliberately what brought on its demise. The narrative is told mostly in letter format, Tatum writing to M after years of estrangement about her experience during their decade long entanglement. Flashes of the present day show M is in hot water as an exposé is about too be published about his misconduct with several woman. These present terms have Tatum ruminating on the past and leading us down a propulsive and dynamic path.

By looking at power dynamics, gender, age, tokenism, loyalty, victimhood, you name it there is so much grey area, that even I struggled with my own perceptions and judgements on Tatum’s character. Villarreal-Moura does an exceptional job at building, suspense and provoking thought, as the story crescendoed to its final tell, the anger and emotion of Tatum was palpable.

This book felt similar to My Dark Vanessa without the explicitness, I am still thinking about Tatum and her justifications and M and his motivations. This is an excellent book for bookclub discussions and I loved discussing it with a group of women.

Thank you @celadon for the advanced readers copy look for this one March 25.

*Includes minor spoilers*

I've had to sit with my thoughts on this one for a bit. I want to start by saying that this book may be triggering for some, so I would definitely recommend checking content warnings prior to going in. Tatum's relationship with Mateo was hard to read, but her character growth throughout the entire book was brilliant. One thing that I thought was done exceptionally well, was how Tatum reacted about the allegations surrounding Mateo. She acknowledged and believed the stories of his accusers while also stating that her experience with him was different. BUT, it didn't end there. She eventually grows to see her relationship with him in a new light and realizes that it was toxic.

This was hands down a 5 star read for me especially based on the character growth and the beautiful/incredible writing. I did have 2 minor things that to mention to be fully transparent. At first, the jump between timelines didn't flow, but it didn't take away from the story and once I got well into it, it wasn't a big deal. I also felt that the ending was a bit abrupt compared to the rest of the story. While I was happy with Tatum's conclusion to her relationship with Mateo, I was waiting for a bit more.

Overall, I think this is going to be a top read of the year and highly recommend it! Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon for an e-arc. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for sending this ARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I don’t always love character stories, sometimes they struggle to keep my attention, but that was not the case with Like Happiness. It was beautifully written and full of emotion. She did a good job of weaving together the past and present through the letter and interviews. Tatum is forced to reexamine her long, complicated relationship with a popular writer. I think the last sentence of the blurb really sums it up nicely. “Like Happiness explores the nuances of a complicated and imbalanced relationship, catalyzing a reckoning with gender, celebrity, memory, Latinx identity, and power dynamics.”

It was hard for me to fully relate to the main character, Tatum, who seemed too naïve at times. She meets her idol, the author of her favourite book, and starts a friendship with him. The path of that friendship, and Tatum’s choices, made me feel a sense of dread, and the tension kept me reading until the conclusion. I loved the writing style and the voice of this debut author. Some aspects of the narrative reminded me of My Brilliant Friend, others made me think of Yellowface. I know for sure that I’ll read more by this author as this is my favourite book of 2024 to date.

I highly recommend this one. It would make a great book club discussion!