by Eva Baltasar
First published 2022
Boulder works as a cook aboard a merchant vessel when she meets Samsa, who gives her this rocky nickname. Their relationship deepens until Samsa lands work in Reykjavik and they relocate to Iceland together. At forty, Samsa feels time pressing against her and decides she wants a baby. She cannot let this chance slip away. Boulder feels far less excitement about parenthood but struggles to voice her reluctance. She gets swept into this life-changing decision that feels foreign and unrewarding. As Samsa transforms through her desire for motherhood, she becomes someone Boulder barely recognizes. Boulder faces a painful choice between two competing desires. She must weigh her deep need for personal freedom against her powerful love for Samsa. The question becomes whether she can sacrifice her independence for their relationship or if her longing for autonomy will ultimately prove stronger than her romantic attachment.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, family-life, contemporary, lgbt
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Iceland, Reykjavik
Period: 21st-century
105 pages · Paperback · And Other Stories
Content warnings: emotional-abuse