★Katz, Rachel Runya. Thank You for Sharing. St. Martin’s Griffin. Sept. 2023. 352p. ISBN 9781250888297. pap. $18. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

DEBUT Daniel and Liyah, ex-friends from childhood, must navigate old wounds, professional problems, and their lives as Jews of color while tentatively forming a friendship that blossoms into something more in Katz’s excellent debut. Liyah is still angry about her and Daniel’s tween summer camp fling gone sour, but in order to get promoted at the Chicago museum where she is employed, she has to work with him. As they reconnect over museum business and Friday night drinks with their friends, standoffish and suspicious Liyah slowly softens toward Daniel as he falls head-over-heels. The pair deal with their tragedies and traumas in a realistic way, making their happily-ever-after that much more rewarding. While their romance is the central plot of the book, a supporting cast of flawed but supportive friends will leave readers wanting sequels. They will also appreciate the excellent, multilayered look at the experiences of Jews of color in this deftly woven story. VERDICT Katz successfully portrays how romance meets real life in this terrific debut.