The clichéd lesbian U-Hauling is not necessarily about
actual moving in together at the speed of light but more about the sonic speed
attachments formed by lesbians. This one is actually about that but written so
well that it doesn’t seem like the cliché but rather like not only inevitable
but actually the only way the relationship between the MCs should actually develop.
Lucy Shen owns Country Mouse Farms and grows a
multitude of fruits, greens and vegetables. She sells her produce at various
farmer’s markets and has quite a reputation. Kitty Kerr, a
lawyer-working-her-ass-off-to-become-partner happens to visit Lucy’s stall at
one of the markets. One bite of a Country Mouse blackberry has her hooked not
only to the produce but also the producer. Kitty visits Lucy’s farm for a dekko
around the place and the simmering attraction between them flares to life. With
common interest in cooking, they have a pie-in-the-sky idea of starting a
restaurant together. As their attachment to each other develops, the idea of the
restaurant also starts concretizing. Kitty life and priorities begin including
Lucy and the restaurant (Ming Kitty) in addition to her long-standing dream of
making partner. But Kitty drops the ball at work and has to step back from her
burgeoning personal life.
The usual trajectory of a city-girl-country-girl trope is a
harshness about the city girl which is softened by the country girl. It was
lovely to see that there are no hard edges to Kitty. Just a lot of baggage
carried over from her growing up years and a conditioning into certain ways of
being. Lucy is a beautiful complement to Kitty. Individually they are both nice
and together they are a great couple. The speed of the relationship development
(they have sex in their very second meeting) could’ve jarred but Palmer writes
enough about their emotions to make it seem natural rather than warp speed. We also
loved that neither shy away from what is growing between them and are more than
willing to follow their emotions rather than fight them or worry about time and
timing. What really works to make the U-Haul absolutely believable is the fact
Lucy is in her mid-forties and Kitty close to forty (or maybe she is already
forty?). The age factor justifies the speed of their attachment because by then
you’ve usually stopped bullshitting and aren’t willing to waste time. A lot of
time is spent with Lucy and Kitty cooking but those are serious bonding times
and very interesting.
This is an unhurried romance for a mellow evening.
⭐⭐⭐★
