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4 Stars

Where do I start?

I suppose that, first, I need to make it clear that I loved this book.

PS: This does not end in a cliffhanger but if you don't read the second book.. you're losing out! Big time, cause, while this book was great to establish the couple and the individual leads. The second book is the one that really knocks it out of the park. That's the one you have to devour.

Why does it only get 4 stars? Because it was not perfect. And just so that I can save the best for last, I'm gonna be specific as to why this didn't hit all the right notes.

- It was kinda slow for the first 60%. The couple doesn't get together until that point (but when they do.. oh boy, you wanna stick around for that)
- I was often frustrated with Bristol and how stubbornly she kept refusing Grip over and over while pining for him in secret. I mean, I tried to understand her reasons but I guess I couldn't get on board with her actions because if it was me, you couldn't keep me away from that man. (and what a man .. to say I have a crush on the guy, would be an understatement) So yeah, the fact that for 8 years she managed to ignore him and push him onto others, it was baffling to me. Like, who is this unicorn of a woman?
-Some of the drama with Parker was kind of OTT and generally I felt like the story was a bit melodramatic.

Now that I got all that out of the way, I can tell y'all why I'm so so very obsessed with this story. I got one word that will explain it all: "GRIP"

So yeah, the male lead was ..well, not perfect, but perfect for me,*cough*, Bristol, I meant for Bristol.
The guy was so smart, inquisitive, loyal, loving, cool, talented, I gotta search for some more adjectives cause there's more to describe him. I mean sure, he's also a bit of a w***e but, I mean, he was single and rejected every day by the girl he loved so really I can't fault him for that (I can be bothered by it, but I can't really resent him for it).

Ok, now let me get serious for a second.
This book had so many amazing themes which it explored with such eloquence! I was left thinking about a lot of things in its wake.

To enumerate a few : it explores the topic of racial inequality, police brutality, the hardship of starting and supporting an interracial relationship in the public eye, the struggle of making it in the music business, the politics of shaping public imagine, I can go on and on (some of these themes are only hinted at and are fully explored in the second book - which is why you have to read it)

And also, the poetry! Man, the poetry! The only poetry I loved and kept on my shelves is by Mary Oliver, but right after finishing this duet, I downloaded some Pablo Neruda and Emily Dickinson ebooks. Grip's artistic influence comes from poetry and gahh, I've never been an avid reader of it, here and there I'll read some BUT this book made me discover an appreciation for it and I'm hooked.

My favourite from the book is this one:

Harlem
BY LANGSTON HUGHES

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore��
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over��
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Tell me this wasn't beautiful and deep and thought provoking !

And the scene in which we have Grip reciting it.. so freaking heartbreaking, I bawled my eyes out..

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