Review for ‘Get It Right’ by Skye Kilaen
I think I have to start by saying how much I enjoyed reading this second chance lesbian romance story with real diverse characters. One of the mains is a butch lesbian, the other is pansexual, secondary characters are bisexual, straight, whatever. None of it feels forced, it’s all normal. Which doesn’t mean they aren’t confronted to homophobia and such, but the characters themselves fit very organically in the story. And that, in itself, is exciting.
That’s not all that’s exciting about this novella, however. ‘Get It Right’ is a very sweet second-chance romance. Finn met Vivi in prison. Finn was doing time for felony theft and Vivi was the nurse making sure inmates were treated correctly. Because of that context, nothing could happen between them. Then Vivi disappeared from Finn’s life. A few months later, Finn gets out on parole, but without a job or income, has to rely on her cousin’s generosity and his stepsister’s couch. She doesn’t want to outstay her welcome but no way is she going back to her parents’. The last person she expects to meet at the clinic where she’s trying to get her migraine medication is Vivi. At first, Vivi doesn’t seem sure about rekindling their friendship (or is it more?) and Finn wants to respect her boundaries. Except that Vivi really seems to need a friend (or more?).
Kilaen (whom you may know as a reviewer if you’re on Goodreads) never romanticizes jail nor the difficulties faced by Finn once she gets out. Finn’s conviction is not minimized either and Finn doesn’t try to justify it. Her time in prison is part of who she is now, as much as the migraines she gets. That’s another thing I liked, the way chronic illness and its consequences on one’s daily life are acknowledged.
I loved Finn and Vivi, they’re both sweet in different ways. I even loved their difficulties to communicate, they make a lot of sense in their situation. I also liked the secondary characters a lot, from Hollis (Finn’s cousin) to Nora (Vivi’s sister) and her boyfriend Will. There’s a prequel about these two, and even though I don’t usually enjoy m/f romance, I really want to read it. I also missed Skye Kilaen’s debut, ‘Glorious Day’, last summer, so that’s another story to look forward to.
Get it Right
I think I have to start by saying how much I enjoyed reading this second chance lesbian romance story with real diverse characters. One of the mains is a butch lesbian, the other is pansexual, secondary characters are bisexual, straight, whatever. None of it feels forced, it’s all normal. Which doesn’t mean they aren’t confronted to homophobia and such, but the characters themselves fit very organically in the story. And that, in itself, is exciting.
URL: 4 stars, Bisexuality, Butch / Femme, Pansexuality, Second chances
Author: Skye Kilaen
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