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Saturn Returning
Not yet published
Expected 5 May 26A smoldering, soul-splitting debut that tracks three friends through the celestial chaos of adulthood, love, and queer identity.
Jordan Caleb is a freshman at McCallen College when she meets Trace. From the moment the confident, tattooed Trace compliments Jordan’s Alanis Morissette T-shirt, their friendship feels fated and electrically charged. When the two friends meet mercurial transfer student Silvia, she catches Trace’s eye. Their instant attraction eclipses the nascent pull between Jordan and Trace, forming a messy constellation among the three women.
Over the course of a decade, their orbits send them to opposite Jordan builds a life in New York City, while Trace and Silvia get engaged in Seattle, yet the three remain linked by the gravitational pull of the past. As they approach thirty and the apogee of their Saturn return, their bond splinters when Trace calls Jordan with a shocking revelation, exposing a web of heartache, secrets, and unspoken desires.
Saturn Returning charts the complex paths of human connection and queer friendship, questioning how we define ourselves against the relationships that have shaped our lives.
Jordan Caleb is a freshman at McCallen College when she meets Trace. From the moment the confident, tattooed Trace compliments Jordan’s Alanis Morissette T-shirt, their friendship feels fated and electrically charged. When the two friends meet mercurial transfer student Silvia, she catches Trace’s eye. Their instant attraction eclipses the nascent pull between Jordan and Trace, forming a messy constellation among the three women.
Over the course of a decade, their orbits send them to opposite Jordan builds a life in New York City, while Trace and Silvia get engaged in Seattle, yet the three remain linked by the gravitational pull of the past. As they approach thirty and the apogee of their Saturn return, their bond splinters when Trace calls Jordan with a shocking revelation, exposing a web of heartache, secrets, and unspoken desires.
Saturn Returning charts the complex paths of human connection and queer friendship, questioning how we define ourselves against the relationships that have shaped our lives.
320 pages, Paperback
Expected publication May 5, 2026
19 people are currently reading
3004 people want to read
About the author
Kim Narby
1 book15 followersKim Narby is a queer fiction writer and essayist from Seattle. She has organized with the New York City Dyke March, is a contributor at Write or Die Magazine, and is an alum of the Tin House Summer Workshop. Kim lives in Brooklyn with her anxious-attached emotional support cocker spaniel, Georgia. You can find her on social media @kimnarby.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
July 31, 2025
SATURN RETURNING is exactly what I love in a sapphic read -- the messiness of DYKETTE, the earnestness of OLD ENOUGH, the complex yet breezy conversations about sexuality of DETRANSITION, BABY. I read this book in one sitting -- it was compulsive, I literally could not put it down. These characters are so complex and interesting and flawed and relatable and vulnerable, I fell in love with them and was rooting for them and chastising them the whole entire story. Narby's prose are so lyrical and cutting, I cried several times and would recommend it to everyone!!
January 11, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 (4.5 stars)
This story was messy! That’s the first thought that comes to my mind when I finished reading it and even while reading, I was constantly thinking “gosh how messy but damn I live for this kind of messiness”.
To start off, the novel is about this about Trace (who is engaged to Silvia but realizes she is in love with Jordan), Jordan (who kind of links them all together from the very beginning while now having to deal with Trace’s confession) and Silvia (who is Trace’s partner and brings her own struggles with her).
Their friendship is the central topic of the story and really, it gets messy.
I loved how we got to see how their friendship started 10 years before Trace’s confession to Jordan. And followed all three characters throughout their journey over the 10 years. I especially loved how the story switched between timelines, so we got to read the present and then in the next chapter something that happened 10 years ago or earlier but was still somehow connected to the previous chapter. I also enjoyed reading all three perspectives though I have to admit that I preferred Jordan’s chapters the most but that’s just my own personal preference.
All of the characters were written so real and complex, it was really a great experience to read about them and experience their struggles and life like that. Besides that, I loved how the story tackled the topics of queer friendship, self discovery, family, in parts also polygamy and the central question how we define ourselves and our relationship with others. I think it was really greatly done and addicting to read about.
Moreover, I also really liked the general pace of the story and the way it was written. I felt like I flew through the novel without even noticing time or place. I was so into the story and the character’s messy lives that I kept forgetting to do anything else.
This novel is especially for people who love messiness and real & complex characters. I would recommend it a million times!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Bindery Books for providing me with a free copy of this novel in return for a voluntarily given and honest review.
This story was messy! That’s the first thought that comes to my mind when I finished reading it and even while reading, I was constantly thinking “gosh how messy but damn I live for this kind of messiness”.
To start off, the novel is about this about Trace (who is engaged to Silvia but realizes she is in love with Jordan), Jordan (who kind of links them all together from the very beginning while now having to deal with Trace’s confession) and Silvia (who is Trace’s partner and brings her own struggles with her).
Their friendship is the central topic of the story and really, it gets messy.
I loved how we got to see how their friendship started 10 years before Trace’s confession to Jordan. And followed all three characters throughout their journey over the 10 years. I especially loved how the story switched between timelines, so we got to read the present and then in the next chapter something that happened 10 years ago or earlier but was still somehow connected to the previous chapter. I also enjoyed reading all three perspectives though I have to admit that I preferred Jordan’s chapters the most but that’s just my own personal preference.
All of the characters were written so real and complex, it was really a great experience to read about them and experience their struggles and life like that. Besides that, I loved how the story tackled the topics of queer friendship, self discovery, family, in parts also polygamy and the central question how we define ourselves and our relationship with others. I think it was really greatly done and addicting to read about.
Moreover, I also really liked the general pace of the story and the way it was written. I felt like I flew through the novel without even noticing time or place. I was so into the story and the character’s messy lives that I kept forgetting to do anything else.
This novel is especially for people who love messiness and real & complex characters. I would recommend it a million times!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Bindery Books for providing me with a free copy of this novel in return for a voluntarily given and honest review.
Want to read
December 23, 2025messy lesbians and queer friendships… consider me hooked👀
August 6, 2025
Read for work, really tender and melancholy queer coming of age novel centering queer friendship at its heart
September 2, 2025
what a gorgeous book - messy lesbians in their twenties is probably my favourite genre <3 really grew to love trace, silvia, and jordan throughout this book. but i think i wanted something more? the ending especially left me very disappointed but overall such an incredible debut (and what a stunning cover!)
can’t wait to discuss this with others/see others opinions!!
thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review
escape, growth, identity
- “Oftentimes, she depended on escape a little too much. Removing yourself was such an easy way to get rid of a larger problem.”
- “She would let New York distract her. She would let New York cup her in its palms until she could figure out what to do, who to be angry at, how to let go.”
- [On cutting her hair]: “Trace had never felt more like herself. It took months to get used to the cut. She still sometimes reached up to push phantom strands behind her ears, only to realize they were gone. Trace found herself looking people directly in the eye more often now, appearing much more confident than her inner monologue would suggest.”
- “Sylvia wanted to be the type of person who took a quick spin through an exhibit after work. It felt like something that should be part of her persona.” - Trying to be the person you think you should be.”
- Jordan maybe being asexual? “She thought, maybe I do actually like him, maybe this is what it feels like. It had always been hard for her to tell… She was fascinated by it, but romance was never something that seemed relevant to her.”
- “I think," Jordan said, "that no one person can be good all the time. But that doesn't mean they're bad." Silvia wondered how many times someone could hurt other people before they tipped from good into bad. Was she close? Halfway there? Was there any way to redeem yourself?”
- “Silvia wanted to be disconnected. Now that she'd gotten further than she'd ever been before from everything she knew and everything that knew her, she wanted to sink into it, let the unfamiliar wash over her, cleanse her.”
- "Failure is how you figure out who you are.”
family
- “It was a tenderness she was incapable of giving her mother herself.”
- The complex feelings Jordan had towards her mother dying - the relief, anger, grief…
- “Sometimes I just wanted to be allowed to be fifteen. To scream and slam my door.”
- "I think you kind of sign up for that when you become a parent. They fuck us up, so we get to be cunts to them sometimes. It's a fair trade.”
- “Why were girls so terrible to their mothers? Perhaps because their mothers were the only ones they could trust to keep on loving them in perpetuity, even if, like in Trace's case, that love was for a person who no longer existed.”
- “But the words had churned in her stomach when the yelling stopped, deep into the night. What did attitude problem mean? Was there something wrong with the way she approached the world? At times Silvia felt like she had a filter over her eyes that was impossible to remove, blinding her to reality. The things Jordan said turned over and over in her head, melting together. Was this all her fault?”
- “She longed for affection but didn't trust it. Her mother's had always come with strings. But what Silvia had needed when her mom died was a mom. What she had needed in Lesotho was a mom.”
friendship and love
- “Perhaps this is what they mean by community.”
- the love with which Jordan describes Silvia and Trace in the photos she took of them
- “On one check-in that first winter Silvia was back, she told Trace that it would mean a lot to her if Trace could make her tea in the morning. A bag of herbs, in a cup filled with hot water— such a simple thing for Trace to provide in order to make Silvia feel taken care of. Trace eagerly complied and found that the look on Silvia's face each morning gave Trace more joy than the tea probably did for Silvia, and that was when Trace vowed to keep saying yes to Silvia for the rest of her life.”
- “To lose just a piece of Silvia felt worse than losing Silvia entirely. What if all the pieces eventually slipped through Trace's fingers?”
- “Jordan was thinking about female friendships. She was thinking about queer friendships, and how sex and platonic love can oftentimes be Venn diagrams. She was thinking about how confusing it could be to not know what you wanted from another person, to not understand what role they should take in your life, how it could shift and morph over time, but maybe something about the first time you saw them would always stick.”
to know and be known
- “Jordan felt a similar desperation to be Silvia’s friend that she’d once felt with Trace. It was something she wanted to tamp down inside herself. It seemed so embracing to pine for friendship, but something about Silvia was addictive.”
- “This facet of Trace was ugly. It felt hard for Silvia to unseen.”
- “But as time wore on, the shimmed around Trace has faded into a duller glow. Confronting Trace’s fallacies had been like learning Santa Claus wasn’t real - a shock, and, also, somewhat of a relief.” - the dangers of putting people on pedestals, seeing their true selves…
- “Silvia had never lived with a partner before. She'd never experienced so much responsibility for someone else's well-being She had begun to see, in recent months, how her actions, the tone of her voice when she said "Good morning," could shape Trace's entire day. She felt herself shaped by Trace too. Trace's bad day made her day bad. Sometimes living with a partner felt like too much, utterly overwhelming, suffocating, as she shared her kitchen, her bathroom, her sleeping space. Was this how a relationship was supposed to be? Was compromise supposed to feel so claustrophobic? She'd never entwined her life with someone else's so thoroughly. She was scared she might get to a point where she wouldn't know who she was outside of Trace.”
- “Was it possible to know someone deeply without a specific kind of intimacy? Was it possible to truly understand who someone was without hurting them so badly they were stripped entirely raw, their deepest fears exposed to the air?”
other
- “I want that [Fibonacci sequence as a tattoo]. It feels like a reminder that you are created the way you’re meant to be. Mathematically perfect.”
- “Rare means unique, rare means you’re supposed to be special.”
- “Silvia wasn't sure she entirely believed that, but she knew it was important to think it, even if that meant willing it into existence. But things were already changing. Adulthood felt like a merry-go-round of searing reminders that expectations rarely lined up with reality. It made Silvia want to run even more.”
- Silvia’s time in Lesotho - the experience of moving abroad, feeling like a failure, the exhaustion, culture shock, way you can relate to those others with you that others will never understand, cynicism of the peace corps
- “It took Silvia months too long to acknowledge the crush to herself, but once she did, she kept it tucked away inside her like the Ring of Solomon, something she could slip on when she needed a pick me up, to be transported to a different place, an alternate version of her life.”
- “One thing Silvia had immediately clocked upon arriving in Lesotho was how… the women considered most beautiful were the ones who were unencumbered by hair. They stood taller, their shoulders squared, their eyes pointed towards the horizon line, not the ground. It was so easy to morph her version of pretty. Like switching coats for the transition of seasons, Silvia aligned herself with a different cultural standard of attractiveness.”
- “To some extent, Silvia had been waiting her whole life for this to happen. For some man to take something from her that she hadn't consented to give…. At one point in Silvia's life, she had offered herself to men, possibly in anticipation of this very moment…. She had been pretending to be in control. Women were never in control.”
- “Jordan liked to situate herself on the fringes. It felt safe to be a part of the adventure but not fully sucked down into it.”
can’t wait to discuss this with others/see others opinions!!
thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review
escape, growth, identity
- “Oftentimes, she depended on escape a little too much. Removing yourself was such an easy way to get rid of a larger problem.”
- “She would let New York distract her. She would let New York cup her in its palms until she could figure out what to do, who to be angry at, how to let go.”
- [On cutting her hair]: “Trace had never felt more like herself. It took months to get used to the cut. She still sometimes reached up to push phantom strands behind her ears, only to realize they were gone. Trace found herself looking people directly in the eye more often now, appearing much more confident than her inner monologue would suggest.”
- “Sylvia wanted to be the type of person who took a quick spin through an exhibit after work. It felt like something that should be part of her persona.” - Trying to be the person you think you should be.”
- Jordan maybe being asexual? “She thought, maybe I do actually like him, maybe this is what it feels like. It had always been hard for her to tell… She was fascinated by it, but romance was never something that seemed relevant to her.”
- “I think," Jordan said, "that no one person can be good all the time. But that doesn't mean they're bad." Silvia wondered how many times someone could hurt other people before they tipped from good into bad. Was she close? Halfway there? Was there any way to redeem yourself?”
- “Silvia wanted to be disconnected. Now that she'd gotten further than she'd ever been before from everything she knew and everything that knew her, she wanted to sink into it, let the unfamiliar wash over her, cleanse her.”
- "Failure is how you figure out who you are.”
family
- “It was a tenderness she was incapable of giving her mother herself.”
- The complex feelings Jordan had towards her mother dying - the relief, anger, grief…
- “Sometimes I just wanted to be allowed to be fifteen. To scream and slam my door.”
- "I think you kind of sign up for that when you become a parent. They fuck us up, so we get to be cunts to them sometimes. It's a fair trade.”
- “Why were girls so terrible to their mothers? Perhaps because their mothers were the only ones they could trust to keep on loving them in perpetuity, even if, like in Trace's case, that love was for a person who no longer existed.”
- “But the words had churned in her stomach when the yelling stopped, deep into the night. What did attitude problem mean? Was there something wrong with the way she approached the world? At times Silvia felt like she had a filter over her eyes that was impossible to remove, blinding her to reality. The things Jordan said turned over and over in her head, melting together. Was this all her fault?”
- “She longed for affection but didn't trust it. Her mother's had always come with strings. But what Silvia had needed when her mom died was a mom. What she had needed in Lesotho was a mom.”
friendship and love
- “Perhaps this is what they mean by community.”
- the love with which Jordan describes Silvia and Trace in the photos she took of them
- “On one check-in that first winter Silvia was back, she told Trace that it would mean a lot to her if Trace could make her tea in the morning. A bag of herbs, in a cup filled with hot water— such a simple thing for Trace to provide in order to make Silvia feel taken care of. Trace eagerly complied and found that the look on Silvia's face each morning gave Trace more joy than the tea probably did for Silvia, and that was when Trace vowed to keep saying yes to Silvia for the rest of her life.”
- “To lose just a piece of Silvia felt worse than losing Silvia entirely. What if all the pieces eventually slipped through Trace's fingers?”
- “Jordan was thinking about female friendships. She was thinking about queer friendships, and how sex and platonic love can oftentimes be Venn diagrams. She was thinking about how confusing it could be to not know what you wanted from another person, to not understand what role they should take in your life, how it could shift and morph over time, but maybe something about the first time you saw them would always stick.”
to know and be known
- “Jordan felt a similar desperation to be Silvia’s friend that she’d once felt with Trace. It was something she wanted to tamp down inside herself. It seemed so embracing to pine for friendship, but something about Silvia was addictive.”
- “This facet of Trace was ugly. It felt hard for Silvia to unseen.”
- “But as time wore on, the shimmed around Trace has faded into a duller glow. Confronting Trace’s fallacies had been like learning Santa Claus wasn’t real - a shock, and, also, somewhat of a relief.” - the dangers of putting people on pedestals, seeing their true selves…
- “Silvia had never lived with a partner before. She'd never experienced so much responsibility for someone else's well-being She had begun to see, in recent months, how her actions, the tone of her voice when she said "Good morning," could shape Trace's entire day. She felt herself shaped by Trace too. Trace's bad day made her day bad. Sometimes living with a partner felt like too much, utterly overwhelming, suffocating, as she shared her kitchen, her bathroom, her sleeping space. Was this how a relationship was supposed to be? Was compromise supposed to feel so claustrophobic? She'd never entwined her life with someone else's so thoroughly. She was scared she might get to a point where she wouldn't know who she was outside of Trace.”
- “Was it possible to know someone deeply without a specific kind of intimacy? Was it possible to truly understand who someone was without hurting them so badly they were stripped entirely raw, their deepest fears exposed to the air?”
other
- “I want that [Fibonacci sequence as a tattoo]. It feels like a reminder that you are created the way you’re meant to be. Mathematically perfect.”
- “Rare means unique, rare means you’re supposed to be special.”
- “Silvia wasn't sure she entirely believed that, but she knew it was important to think it, even if that meant willing it into existence. But things were already changing. Adulthood felt like a merry-go-round of searing reminders that expectations rarely lined up with reality. It made Silvia want to run even more.”
- Silvia’s time in Lesotho - the experience of moving abroad, feeling like a failure, the exhaustion, culture shock, way you can relate to those others with you that others will never understand, cynicism of the peace corps
- “It took Silvia months too long to acknowledge the crush to herself, but once she did, she kept it tucked away inside her like the Ring of Solomon, something she could slip on when she needed a pick me up, to be transported to a different place, an alternate version of her life.”
- “One thing Silvia had immediately clocked upon arriving in Lesotho was how… the women considered most beautiful were the ones who were unencumbered by hair. They stood taller, their shoulders squared, their eyes pointed towards the horizon line, not the ground. It was so easy to morph her version of pretty. Like switching coats for the transition of seasons, Silvia aligned herself with a different cultural standard of attractiveness.”
- “To some extent, Silvia had been waiting her whole life for this to happen. For some man to take something from her that she hadn't consented to give…. At one point in Silvia's life, she had offered herself to men, possibly in anticipation of this very moment…. She had been pretending to be in control. Women were never in control.”
- “Jordan liked to situate herself on the fringes. It felt safe to be a part of the adventure but not fully sucked down into it.”
December 19, 2025
Thank you NetGallery for the eARC!!
Holy messy lesbians.
This novel was quite the journey, yet all of their struggles and thoughts felt very, very real. This story felt like someone’s reality, which is both terrifying and captivating.
It was very character driven, so if you are looking for plot when starting this novel, don’t start this novel. It is extremely focused on the three main characters and how their lives have defined/continue to define them. I was intrigued every step of the way.
To be honest, I wish there was more. I appreciate the conclusion not being entirely satisfying, as life rarely is, yet I yearned for that neat conclusion. Perhaps this is the point, however, as life continues to throw curveballs.
Would recommend, especially as a queer person that knows the drama we can get into.
Holy messy lesbians.
This novel was quite the journey, yet all of their struggles and thoughts felt very, very real. This story felt like someone’s reality, which is both terrifying and captivating.
It was very character driven, so if you are looking for plot when starting this novel, don’t start this novel. It is extremely focused on the three main characters and how their lives have defined/continue to define them. I was intrigued every step of the way.
To be honest, I wish there was more. I appreciate the conclusion not being entirely satisfying, as life rarely is, yet I yearned for that neat conclusion. Perhaps this is the point, however, as life continues to throw curveballs.
Would recommend, especially as a queer person that knows the drama we can get into.
February 14, 2026
I love a book where I’m not sure how I feel about the characters until the last 20 pages. Absolutely beautiful read, covers the ups and downs of friendship and being in your 20s with an unhinged elegance (if that makes sense?).
very proud to be apart of the bindery supporters for sapph-lit after reading the imprint’s debut 🫶🏻
very proud to be apart of the bindery supporters for sapph-lit after reading the imprint’s debut 🫶🏻
January 30, 2026
banger. mark your calendars for may 5!
owned
August 28, 2025HELLO i am a sapph-lit member/producer and i am so pleased to say NetGalley granted me access to the digital arc of this book. it's been incredible seeing it come to fruition. <3
January 29, 2026
⭐️4.5, rounding up // felt a kinship w/ these three characters as someone in the midst of my own saturn return (& ensuing Friendship Breakup). i was anticipating a much messier ending but i think it speaks to the characters’ histories w/ & love for each other, as well as the open-endness of the new beginnings born out of watching something explode before your eyes
Read
December 28, 2025Honestly I’m a bit disappointed on how aloof Jordan was. Silvia is a piece of shit with trauma but that doesn’t change the fact that she’s a piece of shit. And Trace has no backbone. Loser lesbians galore.
January 29, 2026
This book kept me interested enough to finish, but it wasn’t worth finishing.
None of the three main characters felt fully fleshed out or likeable and I honestly couldn’t figure out why Silvia and Trace were even together. The ending was rushed and tied up nothing at all.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
None of the three main characters felt fully fleshed out or likeable and I honestly couldn’t figure out why Silvia and Trace were even together. The ending was rushed and tied up nothing at all.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Pure queer chaos.
We follow three friends - Jordan, Trace and Silvia over the span of 10 years. Through break ups, falling in love and moving (abroad).
This debut by Kim Narby has encapsuled queer experience, friendship, (platonic) love in a way I have never seen before.
thank you netgalley for the digital ARC!
We follow three friends - Jordan, Trace and Silvia over the span of 10 years. Through break ups, falling in love and moving (abroad).
This debut by Kim Narby has encapsuled queer experience, friendship, (platonic) love in a way I have never seen before.
thank you netgalley for the digital ARC!
2026-releases
August 30, 2025looking forward to reading this one!!!
September 15, 2025
My brain honestly feels very muddled . I don’t know what I just read . I think based on others reviews i’m the very clear outsider here !
I found the timelines confusing , at first it wasn’t even completely clear that we switched timelines . Everything felt like a big mush and the ending threw me off !
Clearly not the story for me , overall it had very nice quotes interwoven into the storyline and I’d love to see these characters outside of this story.
I found the timelines confusing , at first it wasn’t even completely clear that we switched timelines . Everything felt like a big mush and the ending threw me off !
Clearly not the story for me , overall it had very nice quotes interwoven into the storyline and I’d love to see these characters outside of this story.
October 24, 2025
Saturn Returning by Kim Narby
Okay, let's just talk about Kim Narby's Saturn Returning. This isn't your mom's book club fare. It’s an absolute mess (and I mean that as the highest compliment) of a debut that hits you right when your astrological Saturn Return is demanding you finally get your life together. This book is the literary equivalent of a 3 AM group chat that goes way too deep, too fast, and leaves you emotionally fried but somehow cleansed.
The whole damn story is a queer love triangle/messy friendship spanning a decade, and honestly, the sheer audacity is what makes it compulsive. We’re talking about Jordan, the introspective photographer and low-key obsessed third wheel who knows too much and feels everything (a classic inner-monologue queen). Then there’s Trace, the Hot One: charismatic, tattooed, and dripping with main-character energy since freshman year. She's the gravitational center of the drama, and you will both love her and want to shake her, sometimes on the same page. Completing the holy trinity of chaos is Silvia, the Walking Mood Ring—magnetic, mercurial, and basically the chaos agent who catches Trace's eye early on and nukes the nascent Jordan/Trace vibe, forming their codependent unit.
These characters are trauma-bonded chaos, shipping themselves to opposite coasts but remaining tethered by their mutual emotional destruction. The timeline jumps between their electric, fraught college days and the present, where Trace is engaged to Silvia but calls Jordan with a confession that’s basically a friendship-ending pipe bomb. I’m telling you, the secrets, the unspoken yearning, the sheer will of their co-dependence—it’s high-stakes, low-functioning drama, and I was absolutely living for it.
Narby absolutely nails the existential anxiety of your late twenties. It’s not just a love story; it’s a critique of the "chosen family" trope, showing how the people you choose can hurt you just as much as the family you try to escape.
Her writing is beautiful—lyrical but cutting. She writes with zero filter about how platonic love and sexual desire are sometimes just overlapping Venn diagrams in queer friendships, and how confusing it is when the roles keep shifting. It’s a powerful, raw study in self-definition: Can you truly evolve when you’re still orbiting the people who solidified your initial identity? The book is constantly asking: What are you going to break to finally move forward?
Look, if you didn't have a messy, emotionally exhausting, possibly toxic queer friend group in your twenties, did you even live? This book is your therapy bill disguised as literary fiction. It’s compulsive reading that will validate every chaotic impulse you ever had.
The prose slaps you with realizations you didn't know you needed, and while some critics are grumbling about the ending (it’s definitely not a tidy bow!), the gut-wrenching, decade-spanning journey is the entire damn point. Grab it, make sure your chat notifications are off, and prepare for a hangover.
#SaturnReturning #NetGalley
Okay, let's just talk about Kim Narby's Saturn Returning. This isn't your mom's book club fare. It’s an absolute mess (and I mean that as the highest compliment) of a debut that hits you right when your astrological Saturn Return is demanding you finally get your life together. This book is the literary equivalent of a 3 AM group chat that goes way too deep, too fast, and leaves you emotionally fried but somehow cleansed.
The whole damn story is a queer love triangle/messy friendship spanning a decade, and honestly, the sheer audacity is what makes it compulsive. We’re talking about Jordan, the introspective photographer and low-key obsessed third wheel who knows too much and feels everything (a classic inner-monologue queen). Then there’s Trace, the Hot One: charismatic, tattooed, and dripping with main-character energy since freshman year. She's the gravitational center of the drama, and you will both love her and want to shake her, sometimes on the same page. Completing the holy trinity of chaos is Silvia, the Walking Mood Ring—magnetic, mercurial, and basically the chaos agent who catches Trace's eye early on and nukes the nascent Jordan/Trace vibe, forming their codependent unit.
These characters are trauma-bonded chaos, shipping themselves to opposite coasts but remaining tethered by their mutual emotional destruction. The timeline jumps between their electric, fraught college days and the present, where Trace is engaged to Silvia but calls Jordan with a confession that’s basically a friendship-ending pipe bomb. I’m telling you, the secrets, the unspoken yearning, the sheer will of their co-dependence—it’s high-stakes, low-functioning drama, and I was absolutely living for it.
Narby absolutely nails the existential anxiety of your late twenties. It’s not just a love story; it’s a critique of the "chosen family" trope, showing how the people you choose can hurt you just as much as the family you try to escape.
Her writing is beautiful—lyrical but cutting. She writes with zero filter about how platonic love and sexual desire are sometimes just overlapping Venn diagrams in queer friendships, and how confusing it is when the roles keep shifting. It’s a powerful, raw study in self-definition: Can you truly evolve when you’re still orbiting the people who solidified your initial identity? The book is constantly asking: What are you going to break to finally move forward?
Look, if you didn't have a messy, emotionally exhausting, possibly toxic queer friend group in your twenties, did you even live? This book is your therapy bill disguised as literary fiction. It’s compulsive reading that will validate every chaotic impulse you ever had.
The prose slaps you with realizations you didn't know you needed, and while some critics are grumbling about the ending (it’s definitely not a tidy bow!), the gut-wrenching, decade-spanning journey is the entire damn point. Grab it, make sure your chat notifications are off, and prepare for a hangover.
#SaturnReturning #NetGalley
January 6, 2026
This coming of age sapphic story was messy in the best way. Kim Narby’s use of time skips to foreshadow the present along with tarrot cards are some of my favourite parts of the book.
I do wish that Jordan was less of a go-between for Trace and Silvia in the majority of the book though it had it’s purpose in the story.
The end felt a little rushed and anticlimactic after the buildup that happened which left me wanting.
Thank you NetGalley and Bindery for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I do wish that Jordan was less of a go-between for Trace and Silvia in the majority of the book though it had it’s purpose in the story.
The end felt a little rushed and anticlimactic after the buildup that happened which left me wanting.
Thank you NetGalley and Bindery for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 25, 2025
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book.
On one hand, it was immediately compulsively readable, I couldn’t put it down. The drama among our main trio was so compelling and I was gripped right from the start. The depiction of these three sapphic women was so raw and honest and I really appreciated the distinctness between all three of their sexual journeys and identities. Yes, they were all lesbian women but the way each of them interpreted lesbianism and interacted with them was entirely individual to each women.
On the other hand, I found each character absolutely insufferable. They were all truly and astutely idiotic in ways I didn’t know possible. In some ways, it was a very honest portrayal of young adulthood but they were also so annoying. Every time I would feel a bit more connected to one character, they would immediately drive me crazy by the next page. Jordan was the character I found myself the least annoyed with the most, but that also was because she displayed a complete lack of personality, which in turn annoyed me more. Trace was my least favorite, I did feel some sympathy for the horrifying nature of her and Silvia’s relationship, but that sympathy was short lived when I had to read about her being an emotionally incompetent idiot. Silvia was by far the most interesting, but ultimately the one I felt the most conflicted about. She was so horrible to Trace and Jordan and while her struggles I empathized with, she just was so messy in every situation. It’s almost masterful the way each characters journey managed to piss me off in the most unique ways. I was angry at all three of them for each of their individual idiocies.
The ending was also so rushed and felt very incomplete and half baked. It wasn’t earned at all and really offered no conclusion. They were all in conflict and then all of sudden, bam an epiphany! We’re actually fine now! It was somewhat open ended but in way that was entirely unsatisfying. We got no satisfying conclusion or character development by the end, they literally had no conversation or processing of the events that had just unfolded, it just ended with them being somewhat fine with each other again. I’m sorry, what? They all just got to continue being their horrible selves.
Overall, a conflicting, horrifically irritating, but at the very least, slightly entertaining read. Do with that what you will.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for the Advanced Copy
On one hand, it was immediately compulsively readable, I couldn’t put it down. The drama among our main trio was so compelling and I was gripped right from the start. The depiction of these three sapphic women was so raw and honest and I really appreciated the distinctness between all three of their sexual journeys and identities. Yes, they were all lesbian women but the way each of them interpreted lesbianism and interacted with them was entirely individual to each women.
On the other hand, I found each character absolutely insufferable. They were all truly and astutely idiotic in ways I didn’t know possible. In some ways, it was a very honest portrayal of young adulthood but they were also so annoying. Every time I would feel a bit more connected to one character, they would immediately drive me crazy by the next page. Jordan was the character I found myself the least annoyed with the most, but that also was because she displayed a complete lack of personality, which in turn annoyed me more. Trace was my least favorite, I did feel some sympathy for the horrifying nature of her and Silvia’s relationship, but that sympathy was short lived when I had to read about her being an emotionally incompetent idiot. Silvia was by far the most interesting, but ultimately the one I felt the most conflicted about. She was so horrible to Trace and Jordan and while her struggles I empathized with, she just was so messy in every situation. It’s almost masterful the way each characters journey managed to piss me off in the most unique ways. I was angry at all three of them for each of their individual idiocies.
The ending was also so rushed and felt very incomplete and half baked. It wasn’t earned at all and really offered no conclusion. They were all in conflict and then all of sudden, bam an epiphany! We’re actually fine now! It was somewhat open ended but in way that was entirely unsatisfying. We got no satisfying conclusion or character development by the end, they literally had no conversation or processing of the events that had just unfolded, it just ended with them being somewhat fine with each other again. I’m sorry, what? They all just got to continue being their horrible selves.
Overall, a conflicting, horrifically irritating, but at the very least, slightly entertaining read. Do with that what you will.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for the Advanced Copy
October 22, 2025
”It had already ended, Silvia realized, and it had only just begun. They had the rest of their lives to define themselves. They had the rest of their lives to become.”
Jordan, Silvia, and Trace are three friends who, after first meeting at McCallen College, have spent over the past decade forming their found family. When Jordan, who has always been a third wheel to Silvia and Trace’s (at times messy) relationship, gets a text confessing that Trace secretly loves her and Silvia shows up at her door unannounced, this relationship is threatened. Follow this story as it uncovers secrets from the past and shows just how complicated friendships and love triangles can be.
This book felt very intimate (not in the sexy way but more in the sense that you are right there with these characters) as you watched the characters make their choices. I did struggle with the fact that there is a lot more literary-description than there is dialogue. I was constantly frustrated with all the choices the characters were making and how there wasn’t much dialogue or internal monologue to describe what in the world they were thinking. Upon further reflection, maybe this was left out because they also were not communicating with each other (and we are also pulled into the messy relationship of no one telling each other what they really feel or think or even want). Overall, I did enjoy being able to see what this book had to offer and think it would be good for anyone wanting to have a thought-provoking read on the complexity of relationships.
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC. 2.5 stars.
Content warnings: sexual assault
Jordan, Silvia, and Trace are three friends who, after first meeting at McCallen College, have spent over the past decade forming their found family. When Jordan, who has always been a third wheel to Silvia and Trace’s (at times messy) relationship, gets a text confessing that Trace secretly loves her and Silvia shows up at her door unannounced, this relationship is threatened. Follow this story as it uncovers secrets from the past and shows just how complicated friendships and love triangles can be.
This book felt very intimate (not in the sexy way but more in the sense that you are right there with these characters) as you watched the characters make their choices. I did struggle with the fact that there is a lot more literary-description than there is dialogue. I was constantly frustrated with all the choices the characters were making and how there wasn’t much dialogue or internal monologue to describe what in the world they were thinking. Upon further reflection, maybe this was left out because they also were not communicating with each other (and we are also pulled into the messy relationship of no one telling each other what they really feel or think or even want). Overall, I did enjoy being able to see what this book had to offer and think it would be good for anyone wanting to have a thought-provoking read on the complexity of relationships.
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC. 2.5 stars.
Content warnings: sexual assault
October 15, 2025
This book was messy and queer and everything you could want in an emotional contemporary book. Also I absolutely adored this cover, it’s stunning.
Positives - The writing was good and I really grew to like most of the characters.
Negatives - The ending of this was honestly kinda disappointing. I thought there would be something more, it felt like something was missing.
(Note: I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity.)
Read For
✓ Sapphic
✓ Messy Drama
✓ Good Friendship
✓ Growth and Identity
✓ Queer Contemporary
⚠️ Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Alcohol
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Death of parent
Minor: Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic relationship
𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️
Sad Level: 💧💧��
Plot: 6/10
Pace: 6/10
Ending: 4/10
Characters: 8/10
Enjoyability: 5/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Would I Recommend? Maybe
Favorite Character: Silvia
Favorite Quote: ❝ “Can’t we stay up here for a bit? The sun is about to set.” Silvia looked up and saw that the sky was beginning to turn a soft orange. “Let’s get blankets,” she said to Jordan. ❞
POV: Multiple, Third Person
Pages: 320
Format: Ebook
Language: English
Release Date: 05, May 2026
Rep/Extras: LGBTQIA+ Characters, Mental Health Rep
January 5, 2026
I love queer friendships!!!
And so, this really speaks to me. I love how it touches on identity, growth, what it means to be a human in this world.
It is very character driven so sometimes it felt a little slow for me and it was hard to be engaged, hence why it took me so long to read, but when I picked it up, I felt it was overall very human. I would definitely recommend for fellow queer people who long for that sense of community, it is so lovely to feel that you're not going through all this alone!
And so, this really speaks to me. I love how it touches on identity, growth, what it means to be a human in this world.
It is very character driven so sometimes it felt a little slow for me and it was hard to be engaged, hence why it took me so long to read, but when I picked it up, I felt it was overall very human. I would definitely recommend for fellow queer people who long for that sense of community, it is so lovely to feel that you're not going through all this alone!
October 13, 2025
This book was a letdown for me.
Normally, I love messy, flawed characters, but it just didn't work for me this time. I was enjoying this book at the beginning, but as the story progressed, it started to really lose me. I really enjoy a character focused book, and I didn't even necessarily dislike the characters themselves here. I liked learning about their histories and how their past was informing their decisions. I just really did not like the dynamics of their relationships with one another. I didn't feel like any of these people actually liked each other, and they treated each other horribly. It made more sense when they were younger, relationships and friendships tend to be messy at that age when everyone's figuring out who they are, but it seemed to only get worse as they got older. And while we did get to see the motivations behind these actions, it wasn't enough to justify them to me given their ages by the end of this book.
That being said, there were still things I did enjoy about this book. I thought the writing was good, and I enjoyed seeing all the different family dynamics and the way those informed the main characters' lives. I felt like the book did have potential, and I wouldn't be opposed to reading more works by this author. This book, in particular, just wasn't for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC
Normally, I love messy, flawed characters, but it just didn't work for me this time. I was enjoying this book at the beginning, but as the story progressed, it started to really lose me. I really enjoy a character focused book, and I didn't even necessarily dislike the characters themselves here. I liked learning about their histories and how their past was informing their decisions. I just really did not like the dynamics of their relationships with one another. I didn't feel like any of these people actually liked each other, and they treated each other horribly. It made more sense when they were younger, relationships and friendships tend to be messy at that age when everyone's figuring out who they are, but it seemed to only get worse as they got older. And while we did get to see the motivations behind these actions, it wasn't enough to justify them to me given their ages by the end of this book.
That being said, there were still things I did enjoy about this book. I thought the writing was good, and I enjoyed seeing all the different family dynamics and the way those informed the main characters' lives. I felt like the book did have potential, and I wouldn't be opposed to reading more works by this author. This book, in particular, just wasn't for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC
January 11, 2026
This debut that explores queer friendship, desire, and the slow, often painful becoming of adulthood. The story begins when Jordan Kaleb, a freshman at McCallen College meets Trace. whose easy charm sparks a connection that feels instantly electric. Their bond shifts when they meet Sylvia, a magnetic transfer student whose instant chemistry with Trace reshapes the dynamic, forming a messy, emotionally charged constellation between the three women.Spanning a decade, the novel follows their diverging paths Jordan building a life in New York City, while Trace and Sylvia settle into an engagement in Seattle yet the gravitational pull of their shared past never fully releases them. As they near their thirties and the transformative reckoning of their Saturn return, a shocking revelation fractures their bond, bringing buried truths and unspoken desires to the surface. Intimate, aching, and reflective, Saturn Returning examines how love, identity, and friendship evolve over time and how the relationships that shape us are often the hardest to outgrow.
December 22, 2025
Saturn Returning is an ambitious debut that immediately stands out for its unique concept and its stunning cover art, which is easily one of the most beautiful designs I have seen this year. By using the astrological Saturn Return, a period of reckoning and transition in one's late twenties as a framing device, the book offers a fresh perspective on the decade-spanning queer drama. Readers who appreciate lyrical, upmarket prose and evocative character studies of complex found families will find a lot to admire in the way Kim Narby constructs her scenes and captures the electric intimacy of long-term friendships.
The story centers on a trio - Jordan, Trace, and Silvia, and follows the shifting orbits of their lives from their college years at McCallen to the high-stakes reality of their late twenties. It is a deep dive into how secrets and a complicated love triangle can bind people together or slowly pull them apart.
However, while I was initially drawn in by the fascinating premise, the reading experience ultimately felt quite dry. While the messiness of these relationships is a central theme, I found the execution to be a bit repetitive, which made it difficult to maintain interest over the course of the novel. There is a heavy focus on backstory that, while necessary to understand the characters' history, eventually felt excessive and slowed the narrative momentum to a crawl. I found myself waiting for a spark that never quite arrived.
Furthermore, the promised shocking reveal that the marketing highlights did not land with the impact I expected. After such a long, slow-burn build-up, the truth at the center of the story felt like a quiet emotional shift rather than a major turning point, and it lacked importance for me as a reader. While the book is beautifully written and tackles ambitious themes of queer identity and loyalty, the stagnant pacing and lack of a substantial payoff made it a difficult finish for me.
Thank you to Safflit (Sapph-Lit), Bindery Books, Kim Narby, and NetGalley for providing me with a free digital ARC of this book, all opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
The story centers on a trio - Jordan, Trace, and Silvia, and follows the shifting orbits of their lives from their college years at McCallen to the high-stakes reality of their late twenties. It is a deep dive into how secrets and a complicated love triangle can bind people together or slowly pull them apart.
However, while I was initially drawn in by the fascinating premise, the reading experience ultimately felt quite dry. While the messiness of these relationships is a central theme, I found the execution to be a bit repetitive, which made it difficult to maintain interest over the course of the novel. There is a heavy focus on backstory that, while necessary to understand the characters' history, eventually felt excessive and slowed the narrative momentum to a crawl. I found myself waiting for a spark that never quite arrived.
Furthermore, the promised shocking reveal that the marketing highlights did not land with the impact I expected. After such a long, slow-burn build-up, the truth at the center of the story felt like a quiet emotional shift rather than a major turning point, and it lacked importance for me as a reader. While the book is beautifully written and tackles ambitious themes of queer identity and loyalty, the stagnant pacing and lack of a substantial payoff made it a difficult finish for me.
Thank you to Safflit (Sapph-Lit), Bindery Books, Kim Narby, and NetGalley for providing me with a free digital ARC of this book, all opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
December 29, 2025
⭐️ 4.5/5 stars
I really loved Saturn Returning. I finished it in two sittings because I genuinely needed to know what was going to happen next. The characters feel incredibly real, each one with their own quirks, flaws, and messiness. The characters are the kind you can easily picture existing in real life. As someone who especially loves reading about lesbians and queer women, this book really worked for me.
I know based on other reviewed some readers have found the timeline confusing, but that was not my experience. The book does move between timelines, and as long as you pay attention to the chapter headers, it was easy for me to stay oriented. The structure felt intentional to me and did not detract from the characters or the emotional arc.
There were a couple of things that did not fully land for me however that kept me from rating this a 5. At times, the book felt like it was overexplaining character motivations, particularly with Silvia. There were moments where her internal reasoning was spelled out repeatedly in ways that felt unnecessary, Those sections occasionally slowed the pacing and made the story feel less natural than it otherwise did. The ending also did not feel completely satisfying to me, though it did not ruin my overall enjoyment.
Overall, this is a very character driven and engaging read. I would recommend it to anyone who loves queer stories, especially lesbian centered ones, with messy, realistic relationships and characters that stick with you long after you finish the book.
This was a strong debut and I can’t wait to see wait this author writes next!
Big thanks to Kim Narby, the publisher, and NetGalley for letting me read an advance copy!
I really loved Saturn Returning. I finished it in two sittings because I genuinely needed to know what was going to happen next. The characters feel incredibly real, each one with their own quirks, flaws, and messiness. The characters are the kind you can easily picture existing in real life. As someone who especially loves reading about lesbians and queer women, this book really worked for me.
I know based on other reviewed some readers have found the timeline confusing, but that was not my experience. The book does move between timelines, and as long as you pay attention to the chapter headers, it was easy for me to stay oriented. The structure felt intentional to me and did not detract from the characters or the emotional arc.
There were a couple of things that did not fully land for me however that kept me from rating this a 5. At times, the book felt like it was overexplaining character motivations, particularly with Silvia. There were moments where her internal reasoning was spelled out repeatedly in ways that felt unnecessary, Those sections occasionally slowed the pacing and made the story feel less natural than it otherwise did. The ending also did not feel completely satisfying to me, though it did not ruin my overall enjoyment.
Overall, this is a very character driven and engaging read. I would recommend it to anyone who loves queer stories, especially lesbian centered ones, with messy, realistic relationships and characters that stick with you long after you finish the book.
This was a strong debut and I can’t wait to see wait this author writes next!
Big thanks to Kim Narby, the publisher, and NetGalley for letting me read an advance copy!
September 22, 2025
Saturn Returning is a richly imaginative and deeply emotional read that left me thinking long after I closed the book. The way the author weaves together themes of identity, change, and the passage of time feels both personal and universal. There’s a maturity in the storytelling, an understanding that growth isn’t linear, that beginnings and endings often overlap.
I was especially impressed with how the characters are portrayed. They’re flawed, sometimes messy, hurting or hopeful in ways that feel honest. I found myself caring about what happens to them, sometimes frustrated, sometimes rooting for them, but always engaged. The pacing is strong, keeping tension and curiosity alive while also giving space for reflection.
On the downside, there are moments when the transitions between timelines (or between what feels like metaphor and what feels like literal events) get a little confusing. There were points where I had to pause and reorient myself in the story. Also, a few of the subplots didn’t feel completely resolved, which I both appreciated (because life doesn’t wrap things up neatly) and found slightly unsatisfying.
In sum, I give Saturn Returning 4 stars because it’s beautifully written, emotionally resonant, with memorable characters and a powerful sense of journey. It might not be perfect, but it’s a book that stays with you and that, to me, is what great literature often manages to do.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC copy.
I was especially impressed with how the characters are portrayed. They’re flawed, sometimes messy, hurting or hopeful in ways that feel honest. I found myself caring about what happens to them, sometimes frustrated, sometimes rooting for them, but always engaged. The pacing is strong, keeping tension and curiosity alive while also giving space for reflection.
On the downside, there are moments when the transitions between timelines (or between what feels like metaphor and what feels like literal events) get a little confusing. There were points where I had to pause and reorient myself in the story. Also, a few of the subplots didn’t feel completely resolved, which I both appreciated (because life doesn’t wrap things up neatly) and found slightly unsatisfying.
In sum, I give Saturn Returning 4 stars because it’s beautifully written, emotionally resonant, with memorable characters and a powerful sense of journey. It might not be perfect, but it’s a book that stays with you and that, to me, is what great literature often manages to do.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC copy.
December 7, 2025
saturn returning is a book for the messy queers; it's a love triangle in a friend group where friendship and romance blend together. three women, each with their messy life and their own emotional depth, and how they all probably had a crush on each other since they started being friends. i felt on the edge of crying the last third of the book, the whole thing was an emotional rollercoaster, and the ending was so much more intense than i expected to. honestly, the pace of the book did not bother me, but i do have to say it leans more on the slow side for the most part. the change of timeline was a little bit confusing sometimes, but when you get used to it, it feels nice to get more backstory on their dynamic and each of the characters' lives. for most of the book—if not all—i felt like trace and jordan were the same person, and their personalities merged a lot. sometimes, i even had to reread some phrases because i got confused. i feel like jordan sometimes felt bland, and that made me really sad because the times she stood out, i loved her, and honestly, she deserved more. if you like chaotic friend groups and queer drama, i think you shouldn't hesitate to pick this book up. also i really liked the style in which the author wrote the story; even when the story felt dragged at some points—i think that was the whole point— it didn’t make me love it any less.
thank you netgalley and bindery books for the arc in exchange for an honest review
thank you netgalley and bindery books for the arc in exchange for an honest review
December 17, 2025
Queerness is messy in our twenties and this sapphic tale explores the breadth of queering our identities. There is this deep friendship found in queer platonic love – and there is this comfort found in romantic queer love. Add in the tarot cards and the descriptions of the art to really make a lesbian tale. The cover gives you the glimpse of the types of love sapphics will encounter. Read this story to absolve your queer heart of the young queerness you felt denied.
The depth of description is my favorite part. It did not feel like I was reading a Hollywood version of tarot cards. The dialogue between the girls is the true highlight of Narby’s writing. The tarot readings were merely insights into their personalities. The way they spoke to each other and engaged with their environment is what makes the narrative come alive. Readers will find relatability to a protagonist really learning to come into her own. The dialogue show cases real personality traits that further establish the queer themes.
Why do we look to the stars for answers we intuitively seek? It is the essence of confirmation but much more. Finding a way to balance the insecurities and be accepting of oneself. Readers will engage with this as a true gem of a coming-of-age novel. Thank you Netgalley and Bindery books for this advanced digital copy. All opinions are my own!
Visit my blog for tarot reads, recommendations, and impressions on my blog https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com
The depth of description is my favorite part. It did not feel like I was reading a Hollywood version of tarot cards. The dialogue between the girls is the true highlight of Narby’s writing. The tarot readings were merely insights into their personalities. The way they spoke to each other and engaged with their environment is what makes the narrative come alive. Readers will find relatability to a protagonist really learning to come into her own. The dialogue show cases real personality traits that further establish the queer themes.
Why do we look to the stars for answers we intuitively seek? It is the essence of confirmation but much more. Finding a way to balance the insecurities and be accepting of oneself. Readers will engage with this as a true gem of a coming-of-age novel. Thank you Netgalley and Bindery books for this advanced digital copy. All opinions are my own!
Visit my blog for tarot reads, recommendations, and impressions on my blog https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com
January 14, 2026
No one likes each other, really, and they hardly pretend they do. Saturn Returning by Kim Narby is a reflective novel about that uncomfortable stage of adulthood when everything you thought you had figured out starts to feel uncertain.
A decade after meeting at McCallen College, Jordan, Silvia, and Trace have built a tight knit chosen family, held together by history, habit, and unspoken truths. Jordan is basically the third wheel in Silvia and Trace’s on again, off again relationship, until a late night message from Trace shatters that balance with a confession she was never meant to share. When Silvia unexpectedly turns up at Jordan’s doorstep, it becomes impossible to pretend everything is fine.
What follows is a reckoning with old wounds, hidden desires, and the messy reality of loving the same people in different ways. As tensions rise, the trio must confront how fragile friendship can be when secrets finally come to light.Rather than big plot twists, this story leans into emotional doubts, lingering grief, and the feeling of being slightly out of step with your own life.
This is a good read for anyone in their late twenties or early thirties (or anyone who wants to read some drama). The ending was a bit disappointing but I was already a bit disinterested as I got to the end. It was entertaining enough to keep reading.
Actual: 2.5
Thank you NetGallery, the publisher Bindery Books and author Kim Narby for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
A decade after meeting at McCallen College, Jordan, Silvia, and Trace have built a tight knit chosen family, held together by history, habit, and unspoken truths. Jordan is basically the third wheel in Silvia and Trace’s on again, off again relationship, until a late night message from Trace shatters that balance with a confession she was never meant to share. When Silvia unexpectedly turns up at Jordan’s doorstep, it becomes impossible to pretend everything is fine.
What follows is a reckoning with old wounds, hidden desires, and the messy reality of loving the same people in different ways. As tensions rise, the trio must confront how fragile friendship can be when secrets finally come to light.Rather than big plot twists, this story leans into emotional doubts, lingering grief, and the feeling of being slightly out of step with your own life.
This is a good read for anyone in their late twenties or early thirties (or anyone who wants to read some drama). The ending was a bit disappointing but I was already a bit disinterested as I got to the end. It was entertaining enough to keep reading.
Actual: 2.5
Thank you NetGallery, the publisher Bindery Books and author Kim Narby for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Kim Narby’s debut promised queer messiness and did not disappoint. I mean, how could a book entirely focused on a lesbian couple and their mutual best friend who was wayyy too involved in their relationship not get messy? As a lover of evil lesbians, I was quite excited to read this.
Unfortunately, while this certainly was messy, it was also confusing – and not in a fun, unreliable narrator way. I found myself regularly having to reread sections to understand what was going on or which character the story was currently following, despite the fact that the novel was written in third-person. During the first flashback to their college years, I completely mixed-up younger Trace and younger Jordan, connecting younger Trace to the older Jordan character I’d already met, and younger Jordan to older Trace. Of course, that’s largely on me for being terrible with character names, but I feel like the characters should have been distinct enough for me to notice that mistake promptly.
That being said, I loved that all of the characters were genuinely terrible, and that they had created this extremely realistic mess of lesbian platonic and romantic intimacy that they themselves didn’t even seem to understand. Reading this put me in the same mood that binge-watching Queer Ultimatum did.
ARC provided by Bindery Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The official release date for this title is May 5, 2026!
Unfortunately, while this certainly was messy, it was also confusing – and not in a fun, unreliable narrator way. I found myself regularly having to reread sections to understand what was going on or which character the story was currently following, despite the fact that the novel was written in third-person. During the first flashback to their college years, I completely mixed-up younger Trace and younger Jordan, connecting younger Trace to the older Jordan character I’d already met, and younger Jordan to older Trace. Of course, that’s largely on me for being terrible with character names, but I feel like the characters should have been distinct enough for me to notice that mistake promptly.
That being said, I loved that all of the characters were genuinely terrible, and that they had created this extremely realistic mess of lesbian platonic and romantic intimacy that they themselves didn’t even seem to understand. Reading this put me in the same mood that binge-watching Queer Ultimatum did.
ARC provided by Bindery Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The official release date for this title is May 5, 2026!
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