I read Tati Richardson’s Losing Sight last month in preparation for reading the arc for Struck Speechless. I loved Tamika and her friend group. I really enjoyed Richardson’s writing. I did not like Tamika’s love interest, Gideon in the last third of the book. He acknowledged that the many women telling him he was being wrongheaded were smarter than he was, and he still continued to be wrongheaded. So, I was a little concerned about how much I would enjoy Antonio. After a bit of a rough start, I liked him a lot.
Jackie Miles is a successful sports agent, but also a Black woman in a male dominated field (like Tamika in Losing Sight). Talking is both one of the most important tools of her trade, it’s also her shield. Ten years earlier, Jackie had had a thing with Antonio which ended badly. Antonio is back in her life as a sports agent at a firm that is in talks to merge with Jackie’s firm. On top of that, he seems to be spending a lot of time with one her top clients and he wants to talk to her about what happened between them. Jackie repeatedly throws up a wall of words to fend him off. As she did in Losing Sight, Richardson adds in a magical element. While in an antagonistic conversation with Antonio, Jackie looses her voice.
Jackie has to figure out how to communicate without her voice. Antonio becomes a source of support for Jackie and their relationship grows. I really enjoyed Jackie and Antonio. While he got off on the wrong foot by telling Jackie to shut up, prompting Jackie to throw a pan of delicious baked beans on him, Antonio respects Jackie and makes a strong effort to give her what she needs. He is the “if he wanted to he would” man.
As a writer, Richardson is great at the comedy and the angst. I loved the exploration of communication. I love Jackie’s friend group, and I can’t wait for the next book.
I received this as an advance reader copy from Generous Press and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.
