It feels kind of silly to be writing another review of a Katia Rose queer romance after I have already submitted my “Farewell for now Katia” review of the last one of them that I read, but I sort of forgot to review This Used To Be Easier so here we are. That is no knock against the book itself, a masc4femme lesbian romance about two girls who were best friends growing up, but were forced apart by circumstance and expectations.
Meg is returning to live in her small hometown after her post university plans got derailed leaving her with no choice but to move in with her parents and rethink her future. Connie never left, her overbearing parents having expectations for her that she would play a small role in the family business, and be a tool for their hospitality, going on dates with whichever young man was connected to a prospective client. The girls used to be best friends but after a moment of intimacy at the end of school and a mountain of compulsory heterosexuality and the weight of expectations, they have not seen each other since. And in writing that paragraph I once again see the words “weight of expectations” and yes it’s fucking Steve Harrington fic stealing my whole brain and filtering everything through it once again. Fortunately for my sanity, I am aware of why this is the theme that resonates with me so hard and I have made my peace with it. It’s the same reason seeing Gerard Way wearing a dress singing the words “You should’ve raised a baby girl, I could have been a better son” repeatedly this summer made my heart explode. Quick, someone draw Steve in Gerard’s cheerleader dress.
Meg and Connie’s journey to reconcile their past and find their future, Connie’s journey to find the life she wants, not the one that her parents do (CW for parental emotional abuse and homophobia), and Meg’s desire to start again all come together to make This Used To Be Easier a wonderful story about finding what you want and going for it.