Yerba Buena

A Novel

By: Nina LaCour

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

Length: 8 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

"Full of sensory details, vivid characters, and moment after moment of gorgeously rendered ordinary life, this audiobook is a queer must-listen."—AudioFile

This program is masterfully narrated by award-winning "Golden Voice" narrator Julia Whelan.

Yerba Buena is the debut adult novel by the bestselling and award-winning YA author Nina LaCour, following two women on a star-crossed journey toward each other.

A Most Anticipated Book (Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, The Washington Post, Vulture, NBC News, Good Housekeeping, Parade, Electric Lit, BookRiot, Bustle, Goodreads, LGBTQ Reads, Autostraddle, Veranda Magazine, The Lesbian Review, and more)

“A love story for our time.”—Tara Conklin, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Romantics

"This book is a precious thing."—Casey McQuiston, New York Times bestselling author of One Last Stop

When Sara Foster runs away from home at sixteen, she leaves behind the girl she once was, capable of trust and intimacy. Years later, in Los Angeles, she is a sought-after bartender, renowned as much for her brilliant cocktails as for the mystery that clings to her. Across the city, Emilie Dubois is in a holding pattern, yearning for the beauty and community her Creole grandparents cultivated but unable to commit. On a whim, she takes a job arranging flowers at the glamorous restaurant Yerba Buena and embarks on an affair with the married owner.

The morning Emilie and Sara first meet at Yerba Buena, their connection is immediate. But the damage both women carry, and the choices they have made, pulls them apart again and again. When Sara's old life catches up to her, upending everything she thought she wanted just as Emilie has finally gained her own sense of purpose, they must decide if their love is more powerful than their pasts.

At once exquisite and expansive, astonishing in its humanity and heart, Yerba Buena is a love story for our time and a propulsive journey through the lives of two women trying to find somewhere, or someone, to call home.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books.

©2022 Nina LaCour (P)2022 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Julia Whelan's quiet, graceful narration is the perfect match for Nina LaCour's flowing prose in this stunning, layered story about two queer women who are slowly finding their way to each other--and themselves.... Whelan's light touch highlights its emotional complexity without drawing attention from LaCour's immersive prose. Full of sensory details, vivid characters, and moment after moment of gorgeously rendered ordinary life, this audiobook is a queer must-listen." (AudioFile)

A good listen, but the story felt abruptly cut off

On the whole, I thought this was a very unique and very good story. There’s a through-line with how yerba buena (the herb, then a restaurant, then a cocktail, and then a plant again) ties the two main characters together, which was very creative. I’m surprised this is classified as YA, given the extremely dark beginning, sexual exploitation of children, drugs, abuse, prison, etc. Neither the romantic arch nor the main characters’ growth arches felt anywhere near complete, but I definitely would read a sequel.

Sweet story of love, loss and recovery.

Glad to see stories like this for young, nontraditional, struggling, hopeful readers. Has happy ending.

Soooo Gooood

Nina LaCour is a tremendous writer. She is an architect of story. She uses detail, insight, metaphor. character depth and insight in a way that has again resulted in a masterpiece of a story. Thank you.

Meh

I didn’t love the story. The beginning was harsh. The rest was good but nothing great.

a real novel for real gay girls

beautiful moments, lush scenes. I loved it and you will too! Nina has done it again!

Exquisite!

A beautifully written story of the imperfect and often confusing way we search for meaning and love, How we struggle to make sense of our family relationships.The voice actor, Julia Whelan, is one of my favorite and always does a superb job. Highly recommend.

A slow burn

This book was great, with incredibly descriptive writing but a slow-moving plot. I enjoyed it overall.

This was a blind listen

I purchased this book randomly without knowing anything about the author or a synopsis. I am glad I did. It is a beautifully written story that captures well our journies theouhh life, love, and even grief. Also loved how central plants were in the aspect of healing. I definitely recommend.

Loved this book immediately- hated that it had to end.

The stories of these two women and the people in their lives had me captured since the first chapter. Following along as their stories unfolded was a privilege. All of our lives are complicated. We come into each other’s lives shaped by our experiences. This book is a beautiful representation of that reality. I loved this book and am so sorry that it had to end.

A modern classic, and exquisite narration

Julia Whelan is simply the best narrator ever — and when the writing and story are incredible, too, it’s just audiobook magic.

This is a book about loss and longing and beauty. About searching for beauty; creating it, sharing it; healing through it; and discovering bright, painted layers of it in the homes we make, and the people we find to love.

I loved the structure of the story — vignettes of these two women’s lives across a decade; their meandering paths through trauma and self-discovery, making their way towards each other.

I loved the imagery of redwood forests, ferns, and spiky blossoms and branches in urns; of bold vintage wallpapers full of birds; of brass light fixtures, colorful cocktails and tablescapes…

I loved the descriptions of food and drink — layered hues and flavors I could see and taste through the words — and the interior spaces, textured and vivid.

This is a book that brims with humanity and color and heart; that nourishes the soul.

A modern classic. A new forever favorite.