Abbi Waxman may just be my favorite new-to-me author this year. Each of her novels, including this latest release, has a thoroughly developed cast of likable characters. I love delving into their world, and this one is just as exceptional as the last two. In fact, it’s the same world with new characters. It’s so fun to see beloved characters from other novels pop up; it feels a bit like Easter eggs from Disney movies with the bonus of getting a life update.

Nina Hill is definitely one of my favorite characters; I share a lot of her interests. From her obsession with books to her trivia love to her intentions of eating better and succumbing to chocolate temptations, I can’t help but just want to be her friend! She is a riot of fun and witty, all wrapped up in an introverted and anxious shell.

Speaking of anxiety, I love how this book handles it. It’s refreshing to find these completely normal experiences treated as such in books now. Inclusion matters. Nina struggling to manage her anxiety during numerous giant changes in her life is a major plot point and is gracefully and gently handled.

This is one of those books I know I’ll be reading again someday. In the meantime, I’ll be anxiously awaiting another release from Waxman!