The Ride of Her Life

Look, "disaster queer" is a real-life trope we all know and probably embody to some extent, but it exists for a reason. And boy, "hot mess" does not even begin to describe what goes down in this book. Every character has more issues than your average grandparent's National Geographic collection ("it'll be worth something someday!"), to the point of you might find yourself wishing for appendices to keep everything straight.

If I'm being honest, I felt more than a little personally attacked by some of the problems plaguing Molly McDaniel. Her biggest issue, as the book memorably puts it, is that Molly "makes someone else her IPA" - that is, she transforms herself in order to fit neatly into the life of whomever she's dating at the time (in the case of the IPA, Shoni, the love interest, bought a home-brewing kit to impress her IPA-loving lady friend). 

So I can't really fault the realism there! The sheer depth of the characters drew me in certainly, but I will say at times it left me flailing my arms trying to stay afloat. Like, it's mildly difficult to keep track of everyone's issues? If every wall is an accent wall, you're actually lacking a primary color. Similarly, if every character is presented as a prickly patch of insecurities, it makes it more difficult to savor or even appreciate the juicy, fruity parts. And with so many unresolved issues just hanging off everyone's shoulders, the book's ending feels a bit rushed and left far too many burdens on my poor little brain and heart.

All that being said, it's a very emotional, complex novel that demands you sit with it for a bit. You can rush through it, of course, but I think you'll feel better afterwards if you pace and give it the time it deserves. I don't know that I'd recommend it for those looking for lighthearted romantic fare, but it's a solid work that should manage to hit you in the feels.