An Honest and Necessary Voice in Contemporary Fiction

I truly enjoyed reading Lovely and all the Bullsht*. What stood out most was the authenticity of the voice and the emotional honesty woven throughout the story. Mariah Bond captures the frustration, vulnerability, disappointment, and exhaustion that can come from constantly searching for connection while navigating a world that often misunderstands or dismisses you.

Lovely’s experiences felt deeply human and painfully real. It was refreshing to read a story that offers meaningful insight into the dating life of a young Black trans woman with nuance, compassion, and honesty. Stories like this are important because they illuminate how intersectionality can complicate access to love, opportunity, safety, and happiness in ways many readers may never fully consider.

More perspectives like this are needed in literature—not only to build empathy, but to remind readers that everyone deserves to be seen, valued, and loved fully.

Thank you, Mariah Bond, for writing such a thoughtful and necessary story.