Name: How to Excavate a Heart
Rating: 3.916666666666667 (12 reviews)

Jake Maia Arlow

How to Excavate a Heart

What a cute holiday, sapphic romance. It felt festive but not overwhelmingly so, like the festivity was at maybe a 5/10 but I liked it still, it fit the vibe I was going for when I started it. I liked the couple, they were very cute and appropriately corny. I thought they had a good amount of chemistry and I thought their silly romantic moments were quite sweet. The main character annoyed me a little but not much, I understood her so I couldn’t be too mad. Though this would have been 5 stars if she hadn’t done something really stupid near the end. Very cute, very sweet, very season appropriate. Also Beatrice is an icon.

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Ellie M.

This was so heartwarming to read. Truly came out of a hallmark christmas movie but make it about jewish lesbians dancing to christmas music with a chubby corgi (raphael the doggo definitely added to the charm of the book so go read it)!! I was so excited to finally pick this up, and it definitely got me out of my month-long reading slump. Shani and May’s banters were absolutely hilarious and I felt how they slowly fell in love with each other in the best way ever. I can definitely say this book is a perfect recommendation for an enemies to lovers rom-com novel. It was fast-paced, and the characters were extremely loveable and fun to read about as they had all these different personalities that brought out the very best in Shani’s character development. I didn’t know what to expect when I started this book, but it was so lighthearted <3.

This book is wonderful and all, it truly did not disappoint as a YA novel, but don’t forget to check TWs! I wish that the sexual assault Shani went through was given more light because I felt like it was not given much attention by the author.

Stonewall Honor author Jake Maia Arlow delivers a sapphic Jewish twist on the classic Christmas rom-com in a read perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Casey McQuiston. It all starts when Shani runs into May. Like, literally. With her mom’s Subaru. Attempted vehicular manslaughter was not part of Shani’s plan. She was supposed to be focusing on her monthlong paleoichthyology internship. She was going to spend all her time thinking about dead fish and not at all about how she was unceremoniously dumped days before winter break. It could be going better. But when a dog-walking gig puts her back in May’s path, the fossils she’s meant to be diligently studying are pushed to the side—along with the breakup. Then they’re snowed in together on Christmas Eve. As things start to feel more serious, though, Shani’s hurt over her ex-girlfriend’s rejection comes rushing back. Is she ready to try a committed relationship again, or is she okay with this just being a passing winter fling?

Naomi 

Lesbian winter break fling turns into something more.

Boring characters who spend way too long not communicating for me to actually care. The romance is honestly barely there but it's cute. 

Céleste 

Lesbian winter break fling turns into something more.

Boring characters who spend way too long not communicating for me to actually care. The romance is honestly barely there but it's cute. 

How to Excavate a Heart

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