LIKE HAPPINESS
Ursula Villarreal-Moura

I have five books I could’ve talked about today March 26, 2024. There are a lot of great titles that will be published today. Take a look at my Book List page for all my most anticipated releases categorized by month.

Today, I’m choosing to talk to you about LIKE HAPPINESS by Ursula Villarreal-Moura. Because of its voice, its questions, and its individuality.

Let’s talk about LIKE HAPPINESS!

Now:
Tatum is living in Chile with her partner in 2015. She is miles and miles from the place and time she spent with Dominguez, a famous writer in New York. One day she receives a phone call from that faraway place. A reporter has a request for a statement and asks her to revisit a tender time she’s still recovering from.

Then:
He reminds her of home. She knew when she met him, he would either give her life or be the death of her. For him, she was willing to take the risk. What she didn’t know was that she’d die a hundred deaths in his wake.

Parts of him made parts of her make sense. She molded herself to fit the space he allotted her only to lose shape of who she was. But what does all of this, and all of him, mean to her after all these years? How did their relationship influence who she is or isn’t today? Will the space from time and distance allow her to see what she was too close to see before?

In LIKE HAPPINESS we go back and forth to revisit the time in New York with Dominguez. And reflect on it in current times through a letter written to Dominguez.

LIKE HAPPINESS is about books and literary life, religion, sexuality, influence, and power—the dangers of falling in love with your whole heart, and trading power for connection.

I liked the voice. For that alone I will watch what Villarreal-Moura does next. I’m excited to hear stories through her lens as a writer.

I enjoyed reading LIKE HAPPINESS for the most part or the most. My complaint is that it skimmed the surface of topics instead of going into depth in any one area. I gave it three stars and recommend it to readers looking for a fresh perspective on an old conversation.

Thanks to Netgalley, Celadon Books, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies. I enjoyed reading in audiobook format and appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback!

LIKE HAPPINESS…⭐⭐⭐

Tatum grew up in Texas, with her family who worked hard for everything they got, but did not come from wealth. Tatum earned her way into a New England school, where she decided to reach out to an author "M" and sing his praises. To her astonishment he replies, and so begins a many year ling relationship between Tatum and "M". However, the difference in what they each wanted from the relationship, their ages, and their socio-economic standing differs so much that it is hard to determine how to judge the relationship. So when Tatum is contacted by a reporter explaining that M is in the spotlight for accusations of sexual assault, she is forced to revisit the long and difficult relationship she had with M.

This was a different type of coming of age novel. Tatum's relationship spans across the many years of her young adulthood, and for much of the time defines her life... however, the relationship was far from perfect. Overall I found the characters interesting, if not slightly taxing over time (from the outsiders perspective its easy to see the relationship is not going to work out for either party). The audiobook was well produced, and the narrations were easy to listen, and enjoyable.

I adored Like Happiness! The writing is so sharp and effervescent. Villareal-Moura perfectly captures young adulthood and how we look back on our behavior and thinking in the future. We meet our protagonist Tatum when she's in her late 30s living in Chile. She is contacted by a reporter from the New York Times about the relationship she had in her 20s with an acclaimed writer M. Dominguez, who is now accused of sexual assault by a much younger woman. In the novel she speaks directly to him recounting the duration of their relationship and her formative twenties.

Tatum is entranced by M. Dominguez's short story collection and writes him a letter expressing what his work means to her. They begin an epistolary relationship that swiftly develops to an in-person, largely platonic relationship. He is about a decade older than her, working as a professor at Columbia in New York. The author captures so perfectly that feeling of being in your 20s, you're trying to find your way and feel you're more mature than you actually are. Tatum is constantly lost in books and this book was so appealing to me as a former English major. The author writes so beautifully and thoughtfully, looking back on her formative years during their relationship.

Though this topic has been covered a lot in literature, this was so well-done. Villareal-Moura shows the nuances and complexities of relationships. Our narrator has a different experience with Mateo than the accuser, showing that a someone's relationship with an individual can vary greatly. In our society, we are still trying to reckon with unclear power dynamics that have been pushed into the spotlight. This book was so thought-provoking.

Thank you to the publishers & NetGalley for this ARC.

Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura is a dual-timeline POV of a woman who in the present day is happily living her life working at a museum in Chile with her partner. Tatum Vega is asked to take a walk down memory lane, one she is trying not to remember, when a reporter from the States calls Vega looking for corroboration on her relationship with the author she has since distanced herself from, M. Dominguez, who has been accused of assault. While readers learn about her current life and what alludes to her past relationship with M; they will also watch the timeline of Tatum and the author’s relationship take place in the retelling of their complicated relationship in the other POV which is portrayed as a letter from Tatum to M. Although I can’t say that the novel had me hooked from the beginning, the way Villarreal-Moura writes is beautiful and captivating. This book touches on the complexities of life in a very coming of age way for a young woman with themes of gender, race, Latinx identity, and power dynamics and left me deep in thought after the book ended about the intersection of all of these themes.

I was rooting for Tatum for the entire book. My heart broke for her many times throughout the book as she struggled with her identity, feelings of isolation, and many attempts trying to prove herself only to be left feeling like how she did at 13 time and time again. I really like how the story was written, hearing about the same situation from two different points in time. I would hear a little bit about something Tatum brings up, and it would leave me making a mental note in my head, hoping she would continue to write about it later. One thing I will say, as a woman in her 20’s, it was hard reading about another sister in the literary world being groomed by and completely obsessed with a slimy, older man and watching the power dynamic play out.

There really wasn’t much that I can say that I didn’t like about the story. I did feel like the end of the novel was a bit rushed, however that did not take away from the story itself. I read this story as an audiobook. The flow of the story is flawless. I feel that Marisa Blake was the perfect narrator for this novel. I do have to say though that it was a little confusing in the beginning to catch on to when Tatum was speaking from her letter to Matteo or when in the present day. I caught on after enough chapters however I did feel like it could have been made more clear which point of view was being heard. I would imagine that it would be more clear if reading the physical/e-book.

This novel effortlessly navigates power dynamics, Latinx identity, sexuality, race, gender, and in general a 20-something woman just trying to find purpose in herself. Although Tatum was writing the letter to M, I feel like she was really writing it for herself, writing her own story about their situation, and taking her story back. With the story being set in the beginning of the Me Too movement, one takeaway I had was you can never truly separate the art from the artist. I don’t know if there will be a sequel, but considering this is Villarreal-Moura’s debut novel, I would definitely read another story from her in the future. 3.5 stars rounded to 4

This was a beautifully written novel about Tatum, a student that becomes obsessed with an author of a book, meets him which then starts a complex and toxic relationship between the two of them. Years later Tatum receives a call from a reporter asking about an interview with her to explain the relationship between her and the author. The storyline went back and forth between present day and Tatum explaining her story. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a fantastic job presenting Tatum’s story, even with her complex character. There were many important topics that were discussed throughout the story. I loved reading about the evolution of Tatum’s life and how she becomes less dependent on the author as time goes on. This was a quick read that kept me engaged and I loved the Latino representation. I am excited to see what this author comes up with next!

Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura

Thank you Celadon books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for my free ARC and audiobook.

Blurb:
“A searing debut about the complexities of gender, power, and fame, told through the story of a young women’s destructive relationship with a legendary writer.”

✨My thoughts:
Like Happiness is an intriguing read that held my attention from the start. The characters were layered with precision and it was very intimate, it felt like I was being told a friend’s story. Although Domínguez was a complete dirtbag, I was happy to witness Tatum’s growth throughout this story. I experienced this book as both a physical read and an audiobook and I enjoyed both versions, I will recommend both to people. I seriously can’t believe this was a debut and will definitely be looking forward to future books by this author and I’ll be purchasing this one to keep on my shelves. Like Happiness is out tomorrow 3/26/24!

Happy reading!

Macmillan Audio ALC
This was the first novel that uses second person narration that I have not DNF. So bravo for the way it was incorporated to not take me out of the story. I think part of it was, that narrator was so excellent telling the story. She brought Tatum to life. I was instantly captivated by Tatum and wanted to know what her relationship with this author was like. This was a character driven story that explored the relationship between an older famous man and Tatum over their long, complicated friendship. I liked the complexities and nuances here and the ending made me gasp. I thought it was an excellent debut, and I would definitely read this author again.

Rating: 3.5/5
Genre: Fiction

Audiobook feedback: audio was perfect! I have no pointers. I was entertained the whole time.

Book review: This book kept me guessing till the end, and it had a shocking ending. Tatum, the main character, has a story to unravel about her relationship with M. You get to meet her in her young 20s and also in her mid 30s. As she grows, you get to experience life with her. You get to learn the meaning of friendship, live, power, and abuse. This book makes you rethink your relationship with people around you.

This fantastic boom comes out on March 26!!
Representation: Latinex, queer, strong MFC

This book is a really touching and poignant coming of age story. I started the book on audiobook and finished reading it in book form and I liked the book better than the audiobook. I thought the narrator did a good job trying to bring Tatum to life, but she is a complicated character and I liked the voice I gave her better. The book takes place in two parts or timelines the present tense in 2015 and as a letter Tatum writes outlining her relationship with her friend and well known author M. Dominguez. Tatum fell in love with M. Dominguez’s first book, a collection of short stories about Latino people which was the first she saw herself represented in literature. Almost finished with her degree but not enjoying her small school in Massachusetts she writes a fan letter and to her surprise it is answered. What follows was hard to read at times because Tatum put her life on hold in hopes Mateo would see her at some point. In 2015 she is contacted by a reporter after a young woman raises an allegation about Mateo. Tatum is initially resistant to an interview, but she ends up giving one and more so reflecting on her own experiencing and letting herself have closure.

What a time to release a book about grooming and unhealthy, unbalanced power in a male-female relationship. I thought the narrator, Marisa Blake, did a stellar job at bringing Tatum to life. I also appreciated that I could listen at 2.5x with ease. Fabulous story and fabulous audiobook! Thanks Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC!

✨ Review ✨ Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura; Narrated by Marisa Blake

Thanks to Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

I had big feelings about this book - I loved it and I was endlessly frustrated by it!

It's 2015 and Tatum Vega's living in Chile with her girlfriend when she's called by a reporter asking about her relationship with the famous author M. Domínguez, based on another woman's accusations of his treatment of her. Did Tatum experience this in her long friendship with Domínguez?

The book then follows a dual timeline, alternating between Tatum reflecting on their relationship in 2015 alongside excerpts of a letter she's writing to Domínguez reflecting on her life and their relationship which lasted approximately 10 years from her time in college through her 20s. While she doesn't see herself being groomed by Domínguez, as the reader, we have a different view on this and it's not comfortable to read.

Tatum's parents live in San Antonio, and her time spent there is some of my favorite in the book -- from scenes at the famous Mi Tierra and Trinity University to her potato, egg, and avocado breakfast tacos with her dad -- it just felt like she nailed SA (and as an SA local I guess this isn't surprising!).

The book also makes me as a reader think about the cult of fame assigned to certain authors and whether this should exist. They are normal people just like us in many ways, so why do we put so much reverence behind them? And what are the consequences of this fame and reverence?

I also was left wondering how the story changes if Domínguez was a woman or younger or older or different in so many different ways? How would that change this relationship and its expectations?

The audio narration was excellent and the book is on the shorter end of novels, making this a quick and engaging read!

Overall, this was a super compelling book that will draw you in and give you lots to think about. It's such a rich reflection on gender, sexuality, fame, literature, and racial representation. I'm so glad I had the privilege to read this, even if it's still keeping a tight hold on my brain 😂

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.25)
Genre: literary fiction, general fiction, queer, new adult
Setting: NYC, Chile, San Antonio, Massachusetts
Pub Date: 26 March 2024
Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins

Read this if you like:
⭕️ messy inner / interpersonal stories
⭕️ Latinx representation
⭕️ stories about race, gender, and identity
⭕️ books about books

Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura tells a story within a story. It started out as a fan letter to her favorite author, that quickly turned into an all consuming friendship/situationship. We follow an alternating past/present POV of Tatum Vega as she reexamines the toxic relationship that influenced much of her early adulthood and reclaim the narrative (literally through a letter) in order to gain closure and move on. This book explored themes of power dynamics, gender, Latinx identify, and so much more.

I loved this book, finished in one day, and was hooked from the get-go because it was set up in a way where I knew something major was going to be revealed and I just needed to know!!!

I felt such a wide range of emotions while reading and found myself easily relating to and rooting for Tatum throughout the book. Tatum was such a well-rounded character full of her own nuances, struggles, and triumphs. I love her and felt such a strong connection to her and her story.

I did a tandem read for this while I was moving and really enjoyed my experience using both modes of reading. The audiobook was really great and Marisa Blake did an incredible job with the narration!

Overall, this was a brilliant and beautifully written debut that I would definitely recommend to those who like:
Character > plot books
Dual timeline
Books about writers
Fast paced novels
Coming of age

LIKE HAPPINESS by Ursula Villarreal-Moura is an engaging novel! I enjoyed the second person narration of the main character, Tatum, writing to her ex-friend M. I also enjoyed the dual timelines of past and present as Tatum recounts her complicated relationship with M over the years. Their relationship covers power dynamics, social class, wealth disparity, cultural forces and literary fame. I liked the expansive timeline and following Tatum as she grows up from attending college to finding a career. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator Marisa Blake was excellent!

They say never meet your heroes, but Tatum does when she is just about to graduate college. They form a lifelong, problematic friendship which she begins to reflect on after a reporter calls her to get the history of their relationship as he is now accused of assaulting another woman. Tatum attempts to more accurately frame their relationship now that she has distance and hindsight in her pocket, as this story jumps between her past to her present.

Great narration!

LIKE HAPPINESS by Ursula Villarreal-Moura is read by Marisa Blake is a toxic relationship story that I can't believe is a debut!

Tatum Vega is a woman living in Chile where her life feels at peace, finally. A reporter finds her and begins to ask questions about a man she had a relationship with years ago, and for a decade, back in NYC. This dredging up of old stories makes Tatum reevaluate her 20's while they intertwined with this man.

I was all over the place while listening to this story. First, the narration was phenomenal with all the accents and characters. I don't know if I would have kept reading without the audio. That is not an indictment against the story, but it was a hard one to keep going for me. It felt a bit like watching a train wreck. It was just painful to go back through the memories with Tatum as an adult and see all the flags, though interesting as an epistolary format.

I think I would feel the same way looking back over my own mistakes. This reality is what makes this a really fascinating story, along with all the gender, power, race, & identity issues. I am glad I read this complicated novel, and ended up very impressed by the end with the writing and thoughtful introspection.

I do recommend this story for those who are interested in dissecting toxic relationships inside a coming-of-age story.

Thank you to @netgalley & @macmillan.audio for this thought-provoking story that publishes on March 26th.

UPCOMING RELEASE REVIEW

Thank you #partners @celadonbooks & @macmillan.audio for my #gifted copies 💙

Like Happiness
Ursula Villarreal-Moura
3/26

📖 Like Happiness follows the story of Tatum Vega, a young Latina woman, as she recounts her complicated relationship with a man at the forefront of the #MeToo movement.

Tatum is gifted, and as a young woman, she seems to struggle finding her place amongst the intellectually inferior, especially as a Latina in a predominantly white environment. When she discovers 'Happiness', a book of short stories by Mateo Dominguez, an older Latino man, she sees herself in its pages and it becomes her favorite book. Tatum reaches out to the author, and is surprised when he responds. And so begins their decade long relationship full of complexities and uncertainties and a clear power dynamic.

Years later, the New York Times reaches out to Tatum for an interview, as Dominguez has been accused of sexual improprieties. Through a letter to Mateo, Tatum recounts their friendship with the benefits of age, maturity and hindsight, and confronts the ways in which their relationship shaped the trajectory of her life.

💭 I loved this!! We all know I'm a sucker for a coming-of-age novel, and this one ticked so many of my boxes. Villarreal-Moura explores themes of sexuality, identity, belonging, idolization, and the ways in which young women fall prey to older men, oftentimes at great personal cost. Like Happiness is powerful, multilayered, thought-provoking, and unexpected, with a compelling protagonist that readers will come to care for. And while I'm not always a fan of a letter format, it's actually perfect here! Hear me when I shout that this debut novel is a must read! 🗣️

🎧 I paired my physical ARC with the audiobook, and wowza! The narrator, Marisa Blake, is fantastic!!! She really captured Tatum's voice, and her powerful performance was such a pleasure to listen to. If you're an audiobooker, read this one with your ears, and thank me later. 😉

Can't wait to see what this author does next! 💙
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Like Happiness is a fiery rebuke of fame and a thorough examination of what it’s like to be under the thumb of a cult of personality. While it’s not comfortable to think about, patriarchal men in power sometimes create disposable young women, using and abusing the women in their path. The final twist of the Like Happiness is shocking and couldn’t have been better.

I felt drawn into Tatum’s story, often forgetting it was only fiction. Once, I had to remind myself that M. Domínguez was a fictional character – that he isn’t a best-selling author with decades of dirty secrets. I worked myself up thinking, “How can this author still be so powerful? After all this?” Villarreal-Moura’s writing feels personal and raw. Like Happiness often reads like a memoir, albeit the best-written memoir I’ve ever seen.

Ursula Villarreal-Moura has much to say about power, influence, gender, sexuality, and cultural identity. There’s also great bisexual representation! The narrative structure in Like Happiness also works extremely well, particularly the almost-epistolary sections from Tatum to Mateo. I thoroughly enjoyed Like Happiness and can’t recommend it enough.

Rating and Final Thoughts: 5/5 Stars. The audiobook is an incredible listen and the narrator does a remarkable job. Pick this one up by audiobook if you're able.

Thanks to Celadon and Macmillan Audio for providing me with arcs of the book! All the above thoughts are my own.

I could not put this down - an incredible story of a young Latina woman named Tatum who befriends a famous author after writing him a fan letter. From there, their relationship ebbs and flows as they develop and change over the course of their lives - for better or for worse. Ursula Villarreal-Moura makes readers feel like they, too, are part of the story and involved in the nitty gritty details of each character’s life. The story jumps in time between present day reflection of the events, and then plunges readers back into the thick of Tatum’s youth as events unfold.

This amazing debut from Villarreal-Moura does not shy away from all the nuances of life it involves - gender inequality, imbalanced relationships, differences in memory, friendship, betrayal, and our relationship with our own cultural identity. This book felt very personal and self aware, and very genuine.

The end was a bit abrupt but I think that was intentional to reflect certain aspects of the narratives in the story. However, it left me hoping for more resolution for Tatum - but again, doesn’t life often leave us wanting more? Isn’t closure never quite as we hope it will be?

I read this as an audiobook arc and *loved* the narration from the voice actor, they did such a good job and I honestly can’t stress enough how strong the performance was—would highly suggest going that route over the physical book!

You can read the synopsis elsewhere, so I won’t get into that here, so anyway…to the review!

I really liked the “then and now” timeline changes throughout the book—that’s one of my favorite formatting choices where you know there’s a “reveal” coming—it adds a great balance of tension and character develop that I personally enjoy a lot more than linear pacing most of the time. The story of a woman learning that a former love/best friend/situationship who happens to be an extremely influential writer is being accused of something sinister/terrible to another woman is so realistic—it felt like a scenario ripped directly from the MeToo movement. And as you get further in, you see the tension and resentment building from the MC reflecting on the toxic relationship, and its ultimate downfall is revealed in a pretty shocking reveal. all in all, I really liked this book and how vivid and real it was. And the twist of what happened between them I absolutely did not see coming. That said: the downfall of the relationship felt… a smidge lackluster I think? I really enjoyed it, I was just candidly expecting something with a bigger explosion at the end given the accusations and the decade-long (maybe? that feels right in terms of length but I’m writing this review a week after finishing the book so apologies if that’s not 100% accurate) relationship.

tldr: if you like contemporary fiction, this is absolutely worth the read, esp as an audiobook.

This book just went on for way too long. I felt like the ending was obvious early on, and it made me literally roll my eyes once I got there. I didn’t feel much empathy for the narrator (maybe in part because the audiobook narrator wasn’t great) because her character never grew at all. I never got a clear sense of M as a character, either. It felt like it needed a lot more editing to make it more concise and scathing in its commentary, which felt well-trod and too obvious. I did appreciate the literary references, and I most enjoyed her time in Chile in 2015. I would have liked more of that.