I just didn't enjoy this one. Not for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

This was an utterly absorbing, character-driven read! I think I finished it in 2 days – Alyssa Songsiridej's writing just pulled me in from the first page. It's quiet but mighty, which is one of my favourite things for prose to be. Exploring the nuances of a relationship between the narrator (unnamed) and her (significantly older) boyfriend, "Little Rabbit" scrutinizes gender and power dynamics with focus and precision, zooming in on this relationship to pose larger questions about identity and love.
A lot of books are marketed as "perfect for fans of Sally Rooney", a comparison by which I have been burned before, but I think this one really is. Mired in the arts and culture scene in Boston and New York, this has a similarly artsy backdrop to "Conversations with Friends" and "Normal People". It also goes deep into the narrator's conflicts regarding her identity, both as a queer woman in a heterosexual relationship and as a biracial woman in modern-day America. I loved the nuances in this, how Songsiridej makes clear both the affection that our narrator had for her friends and her growing feelings for her new partner, the constant negotiation of her own identity and desires while maintaining all of these relationships. We also get a look at her relationship with her parents and how this has shaped her perception of herself.
This is a fairly short novel, but it really packs a punch. Keep an eye out for the paperback, which is out later this year!

This book has left me with a lot of feelings. Giving it an over 3.5* because I did become more and more drawn to it, despite initially finding it a struggle.

The protagonist is known throughout the book primarily as ‘Rabbit’, the nickname given to her by the much older man she begins an intense relationship with. She is 30 years old, compared to the man’s 51 years.

There were some really interesting themes explored in this book, and I think these were a particular strength. I like that the author delved into the conflicting internal struggle and erasure involved in identifying as queer and being in a heterosexual relationship. Also, the demonstration of ways that friendships change over time and with new life priorities. The nature of consent and power dynamics in age-gap relationships, as well as the nature of a healthy and consenting BDSM dynamics in relationships, and where to draw the line (don’t want to say too much and risk spoilers!).

However, I didn’t really find that I liked any of the characters (apart from Esme, who rarely appeared in the book) and I therefore found this book really difficult in places. Reading large internal monologues about feeling lost, I think I was supposed to empathise with the protagonist; especially as a 30 year old queer woman who has previously been in a relationship involving a large age gap, it really didn’t hit the mark at all when it felt like it should have. Instead I ended up resenting the character, finding her arrogant, spoiled and self-centred.

Overall, it was a really interesting read and I’m glad for the opportunity to have done so - but sadly I don’t think it was for me.

I was gripped from the first page - Songsiridej immediately created an immersive, cinematic, in-depth world

3.5 ⭐️

I have mixed emotions about this review. On one hand, I appreciate the extensive discussions it sparked about queer identities, bi-phobia, kink, race, adult friendship, power dynamics, and wealth. However, I can't say I'm entirely satisfied with the conclusions reached in most of these areas.

It would have been more compelling if I had a clearer understanding of the protagonist's background before the book began, rather than having to rely solely on surface-level information.

Out of all the topics explored, the examination of kink felt the most well-developed. Although I'm not an expert in this area, I found it thought-provoking and it raised intriguing questions, even for someone like me who lacks knowledge in this field.

Totally on the fence as to wether I would recommend this book or not. But there was something about the ambiguous writing style that had me hooked. I will definitely read more by the author in the future.

Unfortunately I didn't love this book. It was well written and pace-y but the story itself didn't quite interest me and the characters needed much more fleshing out.

I'm not sure what I expected from this, but I enjoyed it. It's quite a quick read, and the power plays between the characters worked well.

Little Rabbit - Alyssa Songsiridej

This was a really interesting read, which I found covered many different interesting topics including relationships, and gender. I thought the writing style was very gripping and helped me fly through the pages. Although this is quite a spicy read, it is done in a very different way, and I personally found that I enjoyed the friendship story line a more interesting aspect. Thanks so much Netgalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK and Virago for this e-arc in return for my honest thoughts and opinions.

I really liked what this did, i felt like the characters were written really well and they felt grounded and believable. I flew through this as the writing kept me hooked and i wanted to know what happened next. I feel like Rabbit wasn't entirely perfect which made her a more interesting character and at times it gave me moments of 'My Dark Vanessa'. I would read more by this author as i really liked this one and found it super interesting.

It's taken me a while to review this because I feel like I have so little to say about it. It was fine. I finished it. But nothing about Little Rabbit was particularly standout, especially as I have read so many younger woman/older man books. The story was slow and meandering, introspective and sometimes dull. I have found myself getting increasingly bored by this influx of literary sex books-- ones where sex is central but not erotic. Songsiridej's writing shows promise, though, and I might check out her future work if the premise appeals to me.

I have very mixed opinions on this book, as I found the concept of developing/changing sexuality and the impact it had on Rabbit's own character was very interesting but I feel like some ideas were overwrought, like the age-gap relationship. It was reminiscent of Luster, but I felt like that story stayed with me more than this one. I would definitely read more from Songsiridej though, it was beautifully written.

What an intriguing read. A fascinating story about change and self discovery. The kind that I’ll think about a lot without meaning to! Reminds me of texts I used to read in my undergraduate English Lit degree. As an English teacher, I could also easily see it as an Advanced Higher dissertation text.

I was never sure who the villain of the story was, or if there was one. Was it the choreographer? For being so rough and a bit controlling. Was it the narrator for pushing him to do things he wasn’t comfortable with anymore? Or was that all just a game for him? I actually think Annie might have been the villain - she was mean, not only to the narrator. The uncertainty made it gripping.

I enjoyed the reveal of the names at the end.

What to expect:

- age gap
- BDSM
- LGBTQ rep
- friendship issues
- self discovery
- very spicy

An odd tale of unbalanced power dynamics in and out of bed, confronting the somewhat expected patriarchal questions, But with a relationship so compelling, and well nuanced discussion of the topic at hand, it didn’t feel like something i had precisely read before. This trope can feel overdone but I’m always keen to see a more grey version of the typical story setup. The context of prima dancer turned aging choreographer meets young writer at a creative residency was a refreshing take on ‘tortured artist’.

Was intrigued by this but by the halfway point I couldn’t really muster much interest in seeing how their relationship developed, or what else was going on in the story.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of Little Rabbit.

I knew going into this that I was either going to love it or hate it, based off the reviews that I had seen. Unfortunately, it did end up being a miss for me. I struggled to get into it and found the characters to be bland and boring. I just didn't enjoy it and ended up skim reading the last half of the book. It wasn't for me, but I am glad that others are loving it!!

Little Rabbit is a tale of interpersonal relationships, adult development, and the conflict we feel within us. Our primary character, a young queer woman, starts dating an older, more accomplished, and hence more powerful man. As their relationship develops, other aspects of our Little Rabbit's life also advance, including within herself. Her closest friend Annie notices this shift in her not only mentally but also the physical evidence of their intimate desires with the wealthy choreographer, which leads to difficulties between the two of them.

Intimacy and the internal conflict between lust and shame are significant concepts in Songsirej's compelling novel. Given that he is the one who gives our main character the nickname "Rabbit," the choreographer adores her. We also see him struggling personally as a result of her internal turmoil caused by his actions. While we are treated to the deeply private and intricate thoughts passing through our narrator's head, the two characters maintain a sense of detachment by remaining unnamed throughout.

Moreover, Songsirej does well in highlighting the destructive parts of relationships that we might not always be aware of, and how no one person is always at fault. BDSM is lightly delved into, and intimate details are omitted, but Songsirej writes just enough to allow us to see the events that lead to Rabbit's character development.

Observing Rabbit's feelings of guilt and embarrassment about her sexual desires was illuminating. Her feelings of shame and embarrassment surrounding her sexual life were something I hadn’t read about before, and it was refreshing to see. I think women enjoy reading about other women’s experiences; knowing that we are all alike on some level makes us feel strangely at ease. Throughout the whole story, I was captured by Songesirej’s way to create such an authentic and real narrative, at points I felt as though the author left little pieces of herself in her debut.

If Alyssa Songesirej's forthcoming work is anything like the compelling, unusual coming-of-age tale that emphasises human connection in a way that most people are able to relate to, I look forward to reading more of it.

I liked this book I am leaning towards the more positive reviews than the negative. I agree that a 20 year age gap really isn't all that bad my dad is 16 years older than his wife and its never been an issue they're both adults. So although it was a little bit like so what I also think that the reviews on here that state that they are a big deal out of it are wrong as I don't think it was made in to a massive deal I think it had an OK amount of time spent on discussing or pondering the age gap issue in terms of years. The issue that stood out for me was for the female protagonists challenge with the power dynamic in terms of where they were in their careers and how they started their sex life. I feel like that area lacked a certain depth but again it was still there a f written well. The main characters best friend was annoying as! She really out that she was a child needing to be taken care of it was a very strange relationship and to me slightly more worrying than the relationship between the main chatacter and her boyfriend. Overall, I enjoyed the story and would recommend to a friend! 3.5 stars!

A really tense, uncomfortable, and difficult story. The themes of sacrificing for love vs being alone but free to do whatever you want were highly resonant. The language was also flowing and beautiful in spite of the sometimes hard-to-read subject matter. Managed to explore relationship power dynamics without being didactic or preachy.

I don't know whether my thoughts on this book would be different had it not been for a few years of reading other messy, sad-girl books. Maybe I've just become become a bit oversaturated with the stuff? In parts, it was reminiscent of Luster, with dashes of Normal People - and I think they were just done a little bit better.

As a woman in my early thirties, I didn't buy the salaciousness of the age gap. And C was constantly infantilised by her room mate, which I just didn't understand. The scenes depicting BDSM were a bit much, and just made me feel quite uncomfortable.

I was expecting to be blown away, judging from the other reviews, but it just fell flat.

I found it difficult to connect to the characters and although it's been described as an erotic book, it just depressed me. The story reminded me of Secretary which I did enjoy but I felt like more research was needed into the emotional dynamics of BDSM relationships. By the end I was just skim reading.