Learning Curves

In this middling debut novella by journalist Simkiss, two female graduate students at the University of North Carolina meet in class and develop a friendship that blossoms into love just in time for Christmas. Through lackluster dialogue, Simkiss delineates the differences between the two women: Elena, a curvaceous, Puerto Rican lesbian in law school, comes from a large Catholic family, while Cora, short, white, asexual, and enrolled in the business school, hails from a small Methodist family and has ADHD. The women’s attraction grows steadily through library study sessions, dancing in a surprise snow storm, bonding over cooking, and simply understanding each other. For example, knowing that Elena likes quiet, Cora comes to her rescue when Elena’s teenage cousins turn her apartment into a dance hall. The only point of conflict, Elena telling her family about Cora’s ADHD without permission, resolves quickly, while the suspense revolves around Elena’s willingness to be in a nonsexual relationship. The depiction of mutual affection and familial acceptance results in a sweet love story, and readers looking for tenderness without drama will be charmed. (BookLife)