REVIEW: Making it by Laura Kay

Issy is an artist but the world doesn't know it yet.

As someone who self-identifies as 'gay and depressed', Issy keeps her life in Margate small: her mum, her chinchilla, her reliable routine. So when she is offered her dream job at an artist's studio, Issy knows it's time to open herself up to more.

Moving to East London, Issy has a lot of firsts to catch up on - navigating a crush on her gorgeous housemate, dating, sex, and obsessing over her boss who she just can't seem to figure out. As pressure mounts, people keep telling Issy she can do anything she sets her mind to. But what if her mind refuses to cooperate?

"It is not possible for me to tell you that this story has a happy ending because it has not ended, it keeps going and going. But I am happy right now in this moment and I hope that my happiness shines through everything you see today."

Laura Kay’s writing is like a big hug in a book, I absolutely adore her. She finds a way of taking your favourite, cheesy, cosy romcom tropes and totally reinventing them - full of with queer joy, self discovery and a lot of love.

In this slow-burning enemies-to-lovers story about a young woman newly on her own in a new town, we get romance, we get coming of age, and get get so much fun — it mixes the silliness of the romcom with all the heart and sweetness of a girl finding herself to make something truly special.

Issy was a delightful narrator — she told her story in such a friendly, casual way that felt like she was talking right to the reader and made me love her instantly. But one of the things that truly stood out to me was the way Issy’s relationship with her mental health was shown; it wasn’t about love being the magical cure for depression, a problem to be fixed but showing her living life with it and navigating it in a real, possible way and it made me feel so seen.

The entire ensemble of the friends in flat 47A and beyond were amazing - each person so distinct and undeniable fabulous. Their friendships made my heart hurt and think about my own friends and the late nights we’d spend talking about everything and nothing — it invoked such a sense of nostalgia and love for me. After we meet them, the story moves on at a pleasant, leisurely pace that doesn’t rush but just moves through Issy’s new chapter in life as it comes and changes day by day, the ups and downs and subtle movements that barely even register until we’re looking back at how far she’s come.

Making It was absolutely gorgeous; a complex tapestry of life in all its miserable and magnificent glory and I had so much fun reading this.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was gifted a reviewers copy of this title in return for an honest review.

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