Ah! What a creative story. I love books like this one. I was hooked from the first chapter. The relationships are complex and at the core of this novel. Excellent writing moves everything along at an appropriate speed. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

"Likeness" by Samsun Knight explores the complexities of relationships—between parents and children, lovers, friends, and more. It examines both well-defined connections and those that are ambiguous and unregulated.

Set around 1990, the novel is narrated from two perspectives. The first is Anne, who discovers she is pregnant at the same time that her husband’s lover is also expecting a child. Although they have maintained an open relationship, this revelation shakes Anne’s world. The first three-quarters of the novel focus on Anne’s thoughts about her relationship with Sebastian, reflecting on his past and present relationships with other women, as well as her efforts to navigate the new dynamics of her life.

In the final quarter of the book, the narrative shifts to Sandy, Sebastian’s longtime lover and the mother of his son, Bobby. Unlike Anne, who is deeply reflective during her pregnancy, Sandy's perspective is portrayed after she has given birth.

These two women, experiencing similar situations simultaneously involving the same man, have different outcomes that are perceived in contrasting ways, making this novel particularly compelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and the University of Iowa Press for the opportunity to read this novel.