Let This Musical Romcom Serenade You

This may be Danica Nava’s sophomore novel, but it’s no sophomore slump! I enjoyed Nava’s first book, The Truth According to Ember, but Love is a War Song is even better. The dialogue is smoother, and the characters are both well-developed and believable.

In fact, the cast of characters was one of my favorite things about this book. There were so many wonderful personalities (and I’m not just talking about the love birds), and I felt like I was discovering Red Fox Ranch and the surrounding small town right alongside Avery. Not only that, but the love story at the heart of this book is a really fun and sweet one that’ll have you feeling all the warm fuzzies. While Love is a War Song is fairly low on the spice meter–it’s a slow burn, enemies-to-lovers story–it’s still got some heat. It’s forced-proximity spice with one of my personal favorites: a moment of clear and explicitly stated consent. HOT.

I love the way the premise of this novel allows Nava to supplement the love story with larger discussions of being indigenous. Because the protagonist is Native American but disconnected from her community, the story opens the door for a far more nuanced understanding of what it means to be an Indigenous person in today’s world. Both Avery’s exploration of the many different ways being a Native person can manifest and her journey toward deciding what that means for her personally and professionally create space for readers – Native or non-Native – to consider the complexities of indigenous identity alongside her.

Through Avery, Nava delivers an empowering depiction of a young woman learning to advocate for herself, as well as a person trying to create space for their own mental and emotional well-being against the backdrop of burnout. There’s so much swirling around Avery, and as her character delves deep into her own dreams and desires, Nava navigates all of these dynamics with sensitivity and care.

Have I mentioned this book is laugh-out-loud funny at times? There’s an incident with a tooth that was amazingly absurd and hilarious. Despite some of the more serious issues related to identity that undergird this novel, the tone is definitely that of a romcom. Avery messes up in comically endearing ways, and as she falls in love with Lucas, readers are pulled right into all the awkward missteps and silly slip-ups.

Danica Nava is an author I’m keeping my eyes on. Love is a War Song was a happy and thoughtful read that I won’t forget anytime soon.

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