When an advertisement for Rebekah Faubion's The Lovers, a second chance romance about a tarot reader finding love again, came across my Instagram feed, I knew it would be a release day purchase. I have been practicing tarot for a couple years now and second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes to read, so in some ways it felt as if the book was conjured out of thin air just for me.
Professional tarot reader Kit Larson has just had her world well and truly shook. Her parents, her ideal of a romantic couple, are getting a divorce. To make matters worse, her mom has come out as bisexual, dredging up old complicated feelings that Kit has spent years trying to bury. To get away from it all, she decides to accept a lucrative offer to do tarot readings at another influencer's wedding at Joshua Tree. What she doesn't expect, though, is to run into her old high school flame and the only woman she has ever been with, Julia Kelley. Julia is one of the most sought-after wedding planners at her agency thanks in large part to her perfectionist tendencies. Underneath the surface, though, she's still reeling from a recent breakup with another woman who refused to come out and kept her hidden away. Once upon a time, the cards told Kit and Julia that they were Twin Flames and destined to be together. Stuck together for a weekend, these two now have to figure out if love is truly on the cards or if there is just too much in the way, including an ex-girlfriend hellbent on getting Julia back.
The Lovers is a moving story about compulsory heterosexuality (comphet), both the pain that comes from being trapped by it and the sheer joy that comes from breaking free. Kit's dogged adherence to following the "ideal rom-com" life caused her to abandon Julia when they were teenagers and has stopped her from finding any lasting relationship. Julia has muted so much of what makes her unique and has become a control freak because of the fallout from her most recent relationship. Both Julia and Kit's stories are filled with painful moments brought about because of the pressure of comphet. Over the course of their three days together, both women find the strength to break free and forge new paths for themselves together. It's uncomfortable at times but in the end it's beautiful, joyous, and really resonated with me.
The inclusion of the ex-girlfriend, the same one who tried to hide Julia away, added a really interesting element to the story. Not only did it give me a villain that I loved to hate, but seeing how she treats Julia creates a nice juxtaposition with Kit and Julia's relationship. Seeing how terrible she is serves to emphasize just how perfect Kit and Julia are for each other. Using another ex-girlfriend to enhance the relationship between the main character is not something I have seen a lot in sapphic second chance romances, but I am so happy it was included in here.
I also loved the way tarot was used in the story. For starters, the portrayal of tarot was very realistic, something not often seen in media. Tarot is an age-old practice used for self-reflection, guidance, and personal growth. That's how Kit uses it, most of the other characters use it, and the story itself uses it. We even get to see moments in which characters try to use it for something much more, then get angry at the results. Altogether, tarot, along with the concepts of Twin Flames and fate, gives the story a fun magical flavor that was an absolute delight.
However, there were a few moments in The Lovers that bothered me. In talking about Kit's sexuality, several characters make comments that are very bioessentialist and harken back to older ideas about what makes a woman. As a transwoman who is also a lesbian, seeing these jokes and comments in sapphic literature hurts even if they are not intended to be trans-exclusionary. I don't think Rebekah Faubion intended any harm; she was using phrases I have seen and heard many times in sapphic media and social circles. It still doesn't make it any better.
Despite these shortcomings, there is so much to love about The Lovers. It's got a sweet and powerful story of fated love and finding the strength to forge your own path. It's perfect for witchy and non-witchy sapphics alike as well as anyone who really resonated with the themes of "Good Luck, Babe!" by Chappell Roan.
