What It’s Like in Words

DEBUT Moss’s first novel is about a young woman so desperate for love that she falls into a dysfunctional relationship. Enola works as a barista by day with her best friend, Ruth, and is an aspiring writer by night. She is having difficulty with the writing process, and when she meets B at her writer’s group, there is an instant attraction. Enola becomes obsessed with him, but what she doesn’t realize is that B is a master manipulator. Enola lost her father when she was young, and her relationship with her mother is fragile at best. B’s constant cutting remarks cut deep, and while Ruth tries to be supportive, she can’t help but remind Enola that she deserves more. Eventually, she manages to extricate herself and immediately falls for someone else. But B isn’t letting her go that easily, and it takes more courage than Enola thinks she has to move on.

[CORRECTION NOTICE: We found an editorial error in the original review; this online version has been corrected.]