Wow, this book, for lack of any more coherent words, was *stunning*. Saint Juniper’s Folly was a rare book that consumed my thoughts even when I wasn’t reading it — it took me almost a week to read it, and I found myself annoyed at life for not granting me unencumbered time to devour this book.

The writing was gorgeous, the vibes were immaculate, and the characters were so wonderful. I loved the friendship between Taylor, Jaime, and Theo, and the way Theo and Jaime’s relationship slowly blossomed as they grew closer. The banter — between all three of them, but especially Theo and Jaime, was so enjoyable and consistent and good-natured. Sometimes, banter and teasing can err too close to mean-spirited or hurtful, but that was never the case with these characters.

I loved the thoughtful way this novel explores themes of home, vulnerability, racism, and self-fulfillment. The queer identity discussion and awakening were very well done. The pacing of the book isn't overly fast, but I felt like it matched the vibes and the story well.

I’ll admit I had a real moment of fear near the end of the book that we wouldn’t get a happy ending, and to prospective readers I’ll say this: trust the author, trust the story, it’ll be fine and everyone will be happy. It’s rare that I finish an arc and desperately want to order my own physical copy, not just to proudly display on my bookcase, but to immediately reread.

Thanks to netgalley for an eARC of this book!