By Wrae Sanders

I love to read and have read books on many different topics- WWII memoirs, the Holocaust, psychology, and so on. I haven’t spent a lot of time reading LGBTQ+ oriented books, and I probably should read more.

“Juliet Takes A Breath” was a wonderful book to read. The details truly made me feel like I was right there with Juliet.

In the beginning of the novel, Juliet comes out to her family as a lesbian and it didn’t go very well. She was about to leave for a cross- country trip and this just added to her sadness as she left. This is probably more common than most readers realize and it can really affect a person’s future. Juliet is scared that her trip, going to work for an author that she adores, will not go the way she hopes it will. She later becomes anxious and homesick after reaching Portland, OR.

While she is there, Juliet meets people who are different from her. She’s not used to sticking out so much, since she is from New York City.

The question “Are you Puerto Rican enough or are you just a white girl with dark skin?” comes up to Juliet while discovering herself.
BAM. That’s a deep question. I am biracial (black and white) and that’s something I have been asked on either race. It’s also hard to answer, because what is “enough”? Everyone has a different measurement.

There isn’t a way to tell of someone is “enough” of a race or ethnicity, because someone will always judge you. No matter what you do.

I couldn’t stop reading this novel once I started. Gabby Rivera poured her heart and words into her work. I was so glad to see Juliet get a better ending than she had hoped for.

Juliet went through quite a bit in a short time- a new haircut that reflected her coming out, an unexpected trip to see her cousin and aunt (who are very supportive) and finding out that when you put someone on a pedestal, they don’t always live up to your thoughts.

I liked the fact that Juliet’s anxiety was factored into the story. Mental health issues are a struggle for many of us, but it isn’t highlighted as much for the LGBT+ and/or the Latinx community.

I would love to see another novel by Gabby Rivera. I appreciated her attention to detail and loving the craft of writing itself.