Sunburn
by Chloe Michelle Howarth
Two young women spend a summer together and fall into something neither of them fully has words for yet. Told in dual perspectives, the story is about desire and religion and family and all the forces that make loving someone dangerous when that love isn’t supposed to exist.
“She was the kind of beautiful that makes you want to cry a little, for reasons you can’t quite name.”
What It Actually Felt Like
Normal People but gay, and I actually enjoyed this more. Not because one is objectively better but because Sunburn has layers that Normal People doesn’t have to reckon with. The religion and family dynamics give the story real gravity. These aren’t two people missing each other because of ego. They’re navigating something bigger.
The writing is beautiful without being showy about it and there’s a warmth to this story even when it’s hurting you. One of my favorites from this year. I kept thinking about it after I finished it.
The Honest Part
If you’ve never read in this emotional register it might feel slow. It’s very much a feelings book. That’s the whole point though.
Who This Is For
Anyone who loves sapphic romance with real depth. Also, anyone who loved Normal People but wanted more from it. This is the one.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ One of my favorites. Beautifully written.
Tags romance, sapphic, queer, literary fiction, mood: tender and aching
