Absolutely LOVE this book so far. In recent years, more and more books, both fiction and non, have been released that chronicle the energy and phenomena that led to the "MeToo" movement in some way or another. Many of them are great, but especially in the realm of novels, they are just beginning to become routine, with a lot of repeated elements and concepts. Which is why "Like Happiness" is so refreshing and interesting to read. On the surface it's telling another "MeToo" story involving an imbalance of power in a relationship and the consequences of said relationship, but go even marginally deeper and it is so much more than that. The author has successfully managed to examine this concept with more nuance and layers than is typical. Within the narrative of sexual politics, she also winds the oft-overlooked thread of how race plays a role in these kinds of interactions. She examines the way Latinx women are objectified as being "exotic" by the White establishment, especially White men, as well as the way much artistic scholarship has historically marginalized anyone who is not a wealthy white European. I imagine as the story continues, she will also examine how the male author now being accused used not only his fame but the race and marginalization he shares with the protagonist to manipulate her and others like her. All of these are concepts that are in dire need of examination and kudos to the author for doing so in this work. And it's made even better by the remarkable quality of her writing. This is one of those beautiful instances when a book has a great story, handles its chosen messages well, and is also incredibly written. Her command of language is impressive because until you stop reading you don't realize how beautiful it really is; you have simply been swept along and so engrossed by the words on the page. I absolutely cannot wait to keep reading this one.