4.75/5 ⭐️ 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?

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the audiobook ARC of this book. All options in this review are my own.

Tatum is now in her 30s living in Chile with her partner Vera. A reporter calls Tatum to investigate a man she spent nearly a decade with, famous author Mateo, who is being accused of assault. Tatum recounts to the investigator about her decades long friendship and more with Mateo, and everything she has learned and felt regarding this time in her life.

At first, I wasn’t sold on Tatum as a character. However, I soon realized I was already halfway through and didn’t want to stop listening/reading. Tatum’s story was intriguing, and the character development between Tatum and Mateo kept me interested. I loved the audio narration, and I think the audio made this bingeable for me. I also enjoyed the past/present timeline, and how Tatum is “talking” to Mateo in her recounting of their relationship. I enjoyed this one overall!

Like Happiness explores the imbalanced relationship between a writer and a young fan in duel timelines. I liked that this book had LGBTQ+ and Latino representation. It is well written but it just didn’t hit the mark for me. I kept wondering where the story was going and it felt like an abrupt ending to me because of that. The narrator is good, I think she does a good job of representing all the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ALC for my honest review.

Tatum Vega is living in Chile with her partner, Vera, when she is contacted by an investigative reporter who is doing a piece on the author, M. Dominguez. This call catapults Vega back in time when she was a young college student that became enamored with the writing of Dominguez. The author weaves, with beautiful prose, the story of them meeting and forming a friendship that spanned over 10 years. Vega does so by writing a letter to Dominguez while she is being interviewed by the reporter regarding abuse allegations by another young woman. In this letter, she unpacks her own story, gains clarity into their relationship, manipulation and ultimate betrayal.
The story is well written and engaging from the start and kept me fully engaged throughout.
The narration was superb. Character voices clearly delineated with a beautiful flow. The narrator drew me into the story fully and made it all come to life.
A beautifully written novel that I highly recommend listening to.
I was given this book by MacMillan Audio and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Well, this author has certainly tapped into an experience that will be highly relatable for many readers of this novel. Folks who have had some space from grad school will find this a razor-sharp series of memories and horrors. All those high-level convos that you wouldn't be caught dead having in public now, terrible romantic decisions you made, and constant questioning about where and how you fit and especially whether someone really did make a mistake in letting you in here...well, they'll come back with a vengeance.

Tatum is a fantastic main character who lives in Chile with her partner and is settled, which may seem surprising when readers take a look at the kind of uncertainty she experienced in her past. She has to take a trip back into that past when a reporter contacts her about a former personal connection: an author she refers to usually as "M." This guy is...a piece of...work? He fits all of the icky stereotypes (that we all have unfortunately seen the nonfictional origins of in our own programs, experiences, etc.) of a self-important, misogynistic, petty dude who rides a wave of celebrity and lets it constantly crash into the women - young women - who express any interest in him. It turns out M.'s actions have been received differently by other women, and this forces Tatum to reconsider what her relationship with M. actually was.

This novel is both understated and extremely precise, and as a person who spent a lot of time in grad school and has spent more than two decades working in higher education, my verdict is that this is DEAD ON. M. is not an outlier, and he's nothing special, but neither are most of these fellas. The different, special, and interesting ones - the subjects expressing that unwarranted affection - like Tatum? Well, THOSE are the ones whose stories are worth hearing.

I liked this even more than I expected I would, and I'm now very excited to read more from this author.

ALSO...This novel doesn't require TW, but I will say that folks who had relationships with powerful figures that seemed cool at the time and later seemed, well, NOT cool may find aspects of this one a little close to home. Read the description, and if you already feel like maybe it's too much, still read this but just after a little more time.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for this audio.

Wow! The book was so gripping and emotion I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. This story is so beautifully written. I couldn't put it down!

this was an amazing book !! i really loved it and felt very attached to the characters.
moreover, adding LGBTQ+ as well as different ethnicities is amazing representation

The narrator did a great job in telling Tatum’s story. I felt like her tone was just right and kept my attention as the story unfolded. Tatum is contacted many years after her complicated relationship with author M Domínguez. The author has been accused of sexual assault, prompting her to reassess her relationship with him. She does this through a letter she has written to Domínguez detailing her feelings/memories of their relationship. Also coming to terms with her ever changing sexuality as she discovers herself. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC copy of the audiobook for review.

A beautifully told story of the sort of predatory age gap relationship common in academia, writing, art, etc.

📚 Series or Standalone: standalone
📚 Genre: literary fiction
📚 Target Age Group: adult
📚 Cliffhanger: no

✨ Will I Reread: maybe
✨ Recommended For: fans of relationship fiction

💕 Characters: 5/5
💕 Writing: 5/5
💕 Plot: 4/5
💕 Pacing: 4/5
💕 Unputdownability: 4/5
💕 Enjoyment: 4/5
💕 Book Cover: 5/5

Thanks, NetGalley and Celadon, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.