Rosewater by Liv Little
Published: April 25, 2023
Get Lifted Books
Genre: Romance
Pages: 317
KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Liv Little is a writer of Jamaican and Guyanese descent via South London. She’s the founder and former CEO of the awardwinning publication gal-dem. Liv tells stories with heart about the people and places that matter to her. Her work spans journalism, audio, TV, and curatorial projects, for which she’s received various accolades, including LGBTQI+ Broadcaster of the Year and Rising Star at WOW. Her short story “The Sisters” was published in the critically acclaimed Hag, a collection of forgotten folktales retold. She was a BBC writer-in-residence for 2021, during which she developed an original pilot for a queer conspiracy thriller. Liv is most at peace in nature, and she now lives by the sea. Rosewater is her debut novel.
Juliet, her best friend since childhood, has always been Elsie’s lifeline. So even though they haven’t spoken in months, Elsie is soon snuggled up on Juliet’s couch, back at home among the mismatched cushions and knit blankets.
Between their reruns of Drag Race and nights smoking on the balcony, something surprising begins to glimmer in Elsie’s heart. And as the days turn into weeks and then months, this feeling quickly becomes too fierce to ignore. Will Elsie be brave enough to open herself up to love?
“The rose to my water. The water to my rose.”
Elsie is struggling. She has just been evicted, has more debt than she can handle, and her job closed down. She is a dreamer with a heart she protects at all costs. She is just looking for a break.
This was an unconventional love story and a journey to determine what you want. The trip was emotional and, at times, messy, but it was authentic.
The characters in this book were well-developed, and their roles were influential. Elsie transformed throughout this book from someone who was lost and afraid to someone who knows what she wants and refuses to quit.
I appreciate that Elsie’s journey was not a happily ever after. The struggles she faces feel real. And I loved that her wins were genuine and deep.
This was a beautiful story about unity, security, and love.