GIRLS LIKE US

In this follow-up to Some Girls Do (2021), Ruby and Morgan try to maintain a long-distance relationship—but it forces them to face the question of what matters most to them.

The girls are still very much in love with each other, but as Morgan heads into her second semester of college four hours’ drive from their hometown where Ruby is studying automotive technical sciences at the community college, they face challenges. They’re starting to dread all the additional hurdles that make it so difficult to see one another, from busy schedules to transportation issues. As the semester progresses, new obstacles emerge, like a chance for Ruby to compete on the reality TV show Mastermind Mechanics over spring break and the possibility of a summer internship for Morgan. Both opportunities sound perfect on paper, but they would mean even more time apart for the couple. Ultimately, the girls must decide whether these dreams are worth putting their relationship on hold for—or if they can try to have it all. The long inner monologues at times slow the narrative, but the alternating first-person point-of-view chapters offer a complex view of relationship challenges. Ruby’s arcs with her mother and stepfather are especially touching and well-developed. The narrative includes enough context that it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone. Morgan, who’s a lesbian, and Ruby, who’s “attracted to every gender,” both present white.

Sweet and healing.