Live from my Mailbox: After the Burn by Leilani Garrett

One of the advantages of writing about what I read is having bookish friends that will suggest authors to me. Even better is when someone reaches out to ask if I’ll read what they wrote.

I’m a people pleaser by nature, so when I was approached through a mutual friend to read her book, my answer was of course, yes. Not that this doesn’t come with some trepidation. What if I don’t like it? What if it’s just not my thing?

When I received Chicago local Leilani Garrett’s “After the Burn” I was hesitant, at first — the cover gives off a romance novel vibe. Not a bad thing at all — just not a genre I know much about and don’t typically read. Then I thought that this is as good as any opportunity to get outside my comfort zone. As diverse as I try to be with my reading choices, I’m far from perfect. So I dove in, inhibitions be damned.

Garrett has crafted an engaging narrative with Elle Rollins — a high-powered tech sales executive in Chicago. A single mother, raising a teen boy alongside her ex-husband, Elle navigates family and friendships while exploring what love is and who she really wants to be. It’s a story that did push the boundaries for me in terms of relativity — I am, after all, not a person of color and Elle is. At the same time though, the window into her world offers a view not dissimilar from any woman who is questioning life choices.

Elle leans into her friendships with a variety of women to help her decide, does she continue to come in second to the man she loves, or does she stand up for herself and open her heart to someone new? Does she take the backbench at work to the men willing to play dirty to get what they want, or does she find the strength to call them on the carpet? Does she want to sit back and judge her friends’ romantic moves, or does she take that long look in the mirror she’s been avoiding?

Elle is like any woman at mid-life, and that is why I am always grateful for books from all genres. Making connections isn’t limited to a certain kind of plot line. The surroundings and the vessels through which they are told may look different, but the stories and the emotions are the same. It’s also a reminder to never close the door on diversity in choice when it comes to books. Maybe this is the universe’s way of telling me to mix a little more romance-themed novels into the mix. And to give Sci-Fi another try, too.

I hope Garrett considers a second season of sorts for Elle — I’m left wondering more about her relationship with her son and her ex, what happens to her friend Berns, and if she and Kinte … yeah. I need a Part Two. If you have a spot on your reading roster, give this Chicago local a spin.